It has been much too long since my last post but at lost has happen since my last posting. After my mother passed away in Nov, then came Turkey Day, Christmas holidays and a New Year, which brought with it another long road for our family as Tim's Dad was really sick. From January til his passing on 4 July 2012, we all struggled to make it through each day and be there for not only him but for one another. Juggling our busy lives was quite a job and navigating the issue of death and dying for small children was something that we dealt with on a daily basis. Our kids had lots of questions about death and what it all meant. Sometimes we had the answer and sometimes we didn't but we did our best to explain matters to them as best we could. They did a great job with it all and had moments of sadness and moments of joy and like true kids, their spirits helped to make all of our lives better. We are so honored and blessed to have had Angelo Cuevas in our lives for so many years and know that he is in a much better place now. And as our kids say, he's probably in heaven hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Connie, eating something and having a great time. We love you and we miss you.
twodadtwokids. xo
8.26.2012
12.07.2011
Cookies, cookies, cookies
Like many Americans, our family love to bake really amazing cookies. Chocolate, nuts, spiced, bars, oats, sugar and everything in-between. If you enjoy baking cookies as much as we do, I highly suggest that you get yourself a copy of
Betty Crocker Cooky Book
http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crockers-Cooky-Crocker-Editors/dp/0764566377
This book was originally printed in 1963 and I cannot remember a time when we did not have it in my family. An absolute, must-have cookbook for a die-hard cookie fan. Over 450 recipes, some dating as far back as the 1800's. The best thing about this cookbook is that there is a great variety of cookies and all are made with pretty simple, easy-to-find ingredients. Nothing worse than trying to find a spice you can't pronounce, locate or even figure out what it taste like when you are making a recipe. This book keeps it fun and easy and is a perfect gift for all ages.
Enjoy and let us know what your favorite cookie is. We love the Trix Cookies.
Happy Holidays,
CTGC
Betty Crocker Cooky Book
http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crockers-Cooky-Crocker-Editors/dp/0764566377
This book was originally printed in 1963 and I cannot remember a time when we did not have it in my family. An absolute, must-have cookbook for a die-hard cookie fan. Over 450 recipes, some dating as far back as the 1800's. The best thing about this cookbook is that there is a great variety of cookies and all are made with pretty simple, easy-to-find ingredients. Nothing worse than trying to find a spice you can't pronounce, locate or even figure out what it taste like when you are making a recipe. This book keeps it fun and easy and is a perfect gift for all ages.
Enjoy and let us know what your favorite cookie is. We love the Trix Cookies.
Happy Holidays,
CTGC
Family Restaurant Review Project Status
We have been a bit inundated as of late and have decided to halt our weekly restaurant reviews. We will, from time to time, highlight some new spots and old standbys.
One place we don't want to forget to share with you is
La Pizza Fresca Ristorante at 31 East 20th St NY, NY 10003.
Phone Number: 212.598.0141
www.lapizzafresca.com
Italian food to die for. 10's across the board. Hope you visit and enjoy it as much as we did. 'Til next time, good eats.
CTGC
One place we don't want to forget to share with you is
La Pizza Fresca Ristorante at 31 East 20th St NY, NY 10003.
Phone Number: 212.598.0141
www.lapizzafresca.com
Italian food to die for. 10's across the board. Hope you visit and enjoy it as much as we did. 'Til next time, good eats.
CTGC
11.20.2011
Mom
It's been a while since I last blogged and much has happen. It has been a rough couple of months, but I am stronger than I started and optimistic that things will get better. Onward & Upward!!
On November 5, 2011, my beloved Mother, Nancy Larson passed away. This is the day I most feared. Losing a parent is hard, but losing my Mother I could never imagine. My Mom was the most special person in my life and helped to shape me into the man I am today. Without her love and support, my life would have most definitely taken a turn down the wrong path.
Nancy Larson came into my life when I was two-months old. She was my foster mom at that early age. As a baby, I was placed into foster care after my birthmother left my father with three children under the age of 2. That's a lot to handle for anyone, let alone a single man who hadn't done much child-rearing himself. After my birthmother left, my father decided that it would be best to place us boys in foster care. This was probably the most wise and unselfish thing that he could ever do for us. I believe it saved my life and I am grateful for his decision.
When I entered the foster care system, I was placed apart from my biological brothers, James & John, who were one & two years older than me, respectively. They were placed together in one home, while I was placed in a different home. That home would become my lifeline, even more than I ever would know. As I was a newborn, I don't recall being placed with the Larson's but they certainly recall that day. Robert & Nancy Larson (aka Old Daddy & Mrs. Larson) and their four children, Connie, Karen, Joan, & Mike became my foster family sometime around November 1969. Maybe I was an early Christmas present, because they always made me feel like I was a gift from God. Nancy, who I would call Mrs. Larson, until I was a teenager, said that once she saw me she felt an instant connection, the same connection she noticed when Grady first came into my life as my foster child. Mrs. Larson took one look at me and said that she couldn't believe that someone could ever give up such a beautiful child. The Larsons have always told me that I was "the most beautiful baby." Mrs. Larson certainly made me feel beautiful and very special every moment of her life, as did the rest of the Larsons.
My early childhood memories are filled with lots of love, laughter and good times. I feel as if I was handpicked by God to be part of the Larson family. Although we were from very different backgrounds, me being a biracial child from inner-city Detroit and them being a caucasian family from the suburbs, we were a family who loved each other very much. If you look at photos from my childhood, it is evident that I am "different" than everyone else in the photo. In a sea of blond hair and blue eyes, here I was, a biracial kid, with a very curly afro. It was a noticeable difference to anyone who saw us, but the most special part of being in this family, was that I was treated the same as everyone else. That's how the Larsons made me feel. Some foster children have horrible memories of being placed in homes that are not loving or where they are made to feel different. This was never the case with the Larsons and I loved being part of this family.
When I was almost three, it was decided that my father would get us boys back. He had remarried and started a new life and was ready to be a parent. Mrs. Larson was a bit shocked by this news, as my father had never made contact with me or them during my time spent with the Larsons. The plan had been for me to be adopted by a family who wanted a baby, so it came as a big suprise that I was being returned to my birthfather. This was a sad period for everyone, as the Larsons wanted to remain in my life in some capacity, but the social worker said that they would have to give my father at least 6 months to be alone with me and were forbidden to make any contact with me. I don't actually recall that day, but I'm sure it was extremely hard for everyone when I left the only home that I had ever known. With no information available on being able to stay connected, I'm sure the Larsons thought that this was a final goodbye.
I returned home to my birthfather, biological siblings and a new stepmother but I know in my heart that I missed the Larsons. How does one express their sadness at age 3? I'm not sure I even processed the whole thing and I'm sure life just moved into this new direction. The Larsons were heartbroken that I was no longer part of their lives, but God has a funny way of doing things. A few months after my departure, my oldest foster sister Connie was at a festival in downtown Detroit with friends and she spotted me with my birth family. She didn't know the people I was with, but she was definite that it was me, so she approached them, introduced herself and told them how much her family missed me and would love to reconnect with me. My father and her exchanged contact information and this single act changed the rest of my life forever. My birthfather didn't know very much about the Larsons, but for whatever reason, he allowed them to be a part of my life. I am forever grateful for his decision. Funny thing is, I never knew about the story of Connie seeing me at a festival and making the reconnection until very recently. I always thought that when I left the Larsons, it was assumed that they would always be a part of my life. Such was not the case. This was a divine intervention at hand.
Moving forward, I would visit the Larson family on random weekends, holidays, summers and as often as possible. We never lived more than 10-15 miles away, but there was a huge difference in the life that I once had with them and the life that I was now living. There was stability, love, warmth, structure, rules and an overall feeling of family with the Larsons. I don't recall many of those things with my birth family. We were always moving from place to place and living from paycheck to paycheck. I can't recall how many elementary schools I attended, but it was well over 10. It seemed like we would be in a place for a few months and then move onto another place for just as long. When we did stay longer in a place, it usually amounted in the conditions getting worse and worse over time. No electricity & food, drugs & alcohol everywhere, people coming and going at all hours of the night, fights, screams and beatings, which we called "whippins". These were administered with belts, switches from a tree and extension cords and would be given as to us while we were stripped naked. We were on a downward spiral and this was definitely not the place for small children. Whenever we moved, I would immediately call Mrs. Larson so that she would come and get me for a visit. I still remember the phone number, 313-274-6613. I can't tell you how many times I called that number and arranged for a visit. Mrs. Larson would always pick me up, usually bringing someone along, as it was probably not a good idea to visit alone. I lived in the "hood" and it scared me, so imagine what it must have been like for a middle-aged, white woman from the suburbs. Nonetheless, she was always there to bring me back for visits and I don't ever recall her saying that she was ever too busy to have me come.
I visited as much as I could and would look forward to these visits like a kid looks forward to Christmas. They couldn't come often or soon enough. While I looked forward to the visits, I despised returning back home to my birth family. I would kick and scream each time I had to return home. Even today, thinking about those moments upset me. I couldn't understand why I had to go back, especially since the only attention that I ever got at home, was negative attention. It was also very hard on Mrs. Larson to see me go through this, but it was out of her hand and I suppose she was happy for the times that we could be together. There were always lots of tears, but she always reassured me that she would be back.
While I loved my birth family, I didn't really have a strong connection to any of them. I was so drastically different from all of them, which they always pointed out. "Why you tryin' be white?" "Don't act like a honky." "You a Oreo, black on the outside, white in the middle." I can still hear these words to this day. My brothers came to despise me for being "good", doing well in school and for "talking proper". Also, they were on a completely different path then I was. We had no direction at home and oftentimes were left to our own devices. It's no wonder that as adults, my brothers would eventually serve prison sentences of 19 & 20 years, as well as become "crackheads". We were growing up in 1980's Detroit and it didn't get any more dangerous than that. These visits helped me to stay on the right path and were instrumental in shaping the rest of my future.
Throughout my childhood, I played a constant internal dialogue over and over in my head about escaping my birth family and returning to live with the Larsons. While I could never share this with my birth family, I did share it with the Larsons. I didn't want to upset my father, but most importantly I didn't want him to put an end to these visits. I believe that my father was jealous of the relationship I had with the Larsons, but on another hand, he could see what they meant to me and probably helped to take some of the burden of parenting off of him. When I was about 10 years old, my father and stepmother split up and we shuffled back and forth between living with one of them or with friends. It was a mess! We had nothing and were really struggling, which I completely understood as I had this "other life" that set an amazing example of what a family is. My brothers thought this was how every family lived and pretty much resigned to the fact that this was a normal existence. It's so sad when this is all you know, so I would try to include them on visits to the Larsons whenever I could. Unfortunately, these visits were always a disaster, because they didn't know how to follow rules or be respectful to anyone. I can't really blame them, as they knew no better, but I finally stopped inviting them.
When I was 12, my brothers and I were living with my father in a house in Detroit. A few things struck me funny about living in this house: it had about 6 bedrooms (there were only 4 of us and we boys stayed in one room together), we seldom had electricity and my father was never around. My father wasn't around very much. He was often away working odd jobs, bowling or drinking at the bar. I spent many hours doing homework by the light of a candle and warming up a can on soup by the same flame. To this day, I cannot stand the taste of cold soup! There was a very nice older couple who lived next door, who would sometimes invite us over to watch television and have a bite to eat. They must have known we were neglected, but they never mentioned it or asked us where our parents were. I think it was a pretty common thing to be left alone where I came from, so no one thought much of it.
One day after school, we arrived home and found our belongings on the front lawn. There was an eviction letter on the front door. I had no idea what that meant, but as the door was bolted and we couldn't get into the house, I knew it was not a good thing. We didn't have many things, so it wasn't as if we were losing a lot, but to not have a home was something I couldn't even begin to imagine. We wanted to speak with our father, but as we didn't even have 25 cents to use a pay phone, we decided to walk to his job at the time. He was working at a restaurant not far from our house, so off we went. When we arrived, he wasn't there so we asked to use the phone so that I could call the Larsons. Unfortunately, they weren't there either, but I knew they would eventually turn up, as they were likely out playing bridge. 3 hours and about 10 miles later, we made our way, walking along the side of the expressway, to the Larson's house. When we arrived, we waited at the neighbors until the Larsons arrived and I instantly felt better.
What happen directly thereafter, is a bit of a blur but the end result was that the three of us boys were placed in a group home. We stayed in one group home together for about a month and what I remember most is that they would lock us in our rooms each night like prisoners. I was so confused by it all and couldn't understand why we couldn't leave. Eventually, my brother James and I were placed in another group home, much nicer than the first, although I longed to be in a permanent home. I'm not sure where our brother John went, but if I had to make a guess, I would say he probably ran away, as he always ran away. Being the oldest, he took the brunt of everything, so sometimes it would just be easier to not have to deal with it at all. During our time in these group homes, I don't ever recall speaking with my father, which isn't suprising given his history of parenting.
During this time, I still remained in contact with Mrs. Larson and needed her more than ever. She came to see me, brought me treats and even took me to her home for visits. I don't remember this, but Mrs. Larson told me that I insisted on my social worker to contact her, because I was set to attend the wedding of one her children. I'm not sure whether or not my father was privy to any of this information or if he had to agree to the terms, but I was granted a temporary release to attend the wedding. Being with the Larsons only made me long to be there forever. Eventually, we were due to be returned to my father but I told the social worker that I refuse and that I would run away if I had to go back. I couldn't imagine things changing much and didn't want to go through it again. Anything would have been better and I begged them to put me back into foster care and I knew exactly the family that I wanted to be with; the Larsons. This sounded like a great idea to me, except the Larsons were no longer foster parents. Their kids were all out of the home and they were nearing retirement age, so the thought of having a teenager in the home was not the first thing on their minds. After speaking with Mrs. Larson, I told her of my desire to live with her and to my delight, she gave it some thought and discussed it with Mr. Larson and I was allowed to return to their home. I would later learn that she would have had it no other way and the choice was made from the moment the planned was conceived in my mind. Once again, I had been rescued by my Angel on earth, Mrs. Larson and it would lead to me becoming a forever member of this family.
I could not have been more happy that I was back with the Larsons. I kept in contact with my birth family, even going for occasional weekend visits but eventually lost touch with them after about a year. I would not hear from any of them again until 2004, after more than 20 years. To say that they had a hard life would be an understatement, which was so sad to see but reconfirmed the fact that I made the right decision not to return to my former life. A big decision for anyone, let alone a 12 year old kid.
At this point, I had a forever family and lived the life that I always dreamt of. It wasn't always easy, but my family was always there and I finally could call the Larsons, Mom and Dad. What a blessing it was to have parents of my own, especially my Mom. She is every thing you think a Mom should be and so much more. She helped me gain confidence, learn to trust, care for others and be the person I am today. She taught me the importance of family and commitment, how to be a good Christian and a kind person. I went on to do things that I would have never done such as attend great schools, go to camp, take family vacations, have food in my belly and have a home where I was always welcomed. I graduated from college, moved to New York City, had great professional success, travelled the world, met the man of my dreams and became a Dad myself. Without Mom, I am confident that I would have been another statistic of the foster care system.
I thank you Mom for all of the gifts you have given me and will think of you each and every day. Your spirit continues to live through me and your beautiful grandchildren, Grady & Cyrus. A star shines in the sky for you each night and I know that it will remain bright 'til the end of time. I love you Mom.
Your son, Calvin
On November 5, 2011, my beloved Mother, Nancy Larson passed away. This is the day I most feared. Losing a parent is hard, but losing my Mother I could never imagine. My Mom was the most special person in my life and helped to shape me into the man I am today. Without her love and support, my life would have most definitely taken a turn down the wrong path.
Nancy Larson came into my life when I was two-months old. She was my foster mom at that early age. As a baby, I was placed into foster care after my birthmother left my father with three children under the age of 2. That's a lot to handle for anyone, let alone a single man who hadn't done much child-rearing himself. After my birthmother left, my father decided that it would be best to place us boys in foster care. This was probably the most wise and unselfish thing that he could ever do for us. I believe it saved my life and I am grateful for his decision.
When I entered the foster care system, I was placed apart from my biological brothers, James & John, who were one & two years older than me, respectively. They were placed together in one home, while I was placed in a different home. That home would become my lifeline, even more than I ever would know. As I was a newborn, I don't recall being placed with the Larson's but they certainly recall that day. Robert & Nancy Larson (aka Old Daddy & Mrs. Larson) and their four children, Connie, Karen, Joan, & Mike became my foster family sometime around November 1969. Maybe I was an early Christmas present, because they always made me feel like I was a gift from God. Nancy, who I would call Mrs. Larson, until I was a teenager, said that once she saw me she felt an instant connection, the same connection she noticed when Grady first came into my life as my foster child. Mrs. Larson took one look at me and said that she couldn't believe that someone could ever give up such a beautiful child. The Larsons have always told me that I was "the most beautiful baby." Mrs. Larson certainly made me feel beautiful and very special every moment of her life, as did the rest of the Larsons.
My early childhood memories are filled with lots of love, laughter and good times. I feel as if I was handpicked by God to be part of the Larson family. Although we were from very different backgrounds, me being a biracial child from inner-city Detroit and them being a caucasian family from the suburbs, we were a family who loved each other very much. If you look at photos from my childhood, it is evident that I am "different" than everyone else in the photo. In a sea of blond hair and blue eyes, here I was, a biracial kid, with a very curly afro. It was a noticeable difference to anyone who saw us, but the most special part of being in this family, was that I was treated the same as everyone else. That's how the Larsons made me feel. Some foster children have horrible memories of being placed in homes that are not loving or where they are made to feel different. This was never the case with the Larsons and I loved being part of this family.
When I was almost three, it was decided that my father would get us boys back. He had remarried and started a new life and was ready to be a parent. Mrs. Larson was a bit shocked by this news, as my father had never made contact with me or them during my time spent with the Larsons. The plan had been for me to be adopted by a family who wanted a baby, so it came as a big suprise that I was being returned to my birthfather. This was a sad period for everyone, as the Larsons wanted to remain in my life in some capacity, but the social worker said that they would have to give my father at least 6 months to be alone with me and were forbidden to make any contact with me. I don't actually recall that day, but I'm sure it was extremely hard for everyone when I left the only home that I had ever known. With no information available on being able to stay connected, I'm sure the Larsons thought that this was a final goodbye.
I returned home to my birthfather, biological siblings and a new stepmother but I know in my heart that I missed the Larsons. How does one express their sadness at age 3? I'm not sure I even processed the whole thing and I'm sure life just moved into this new direction. The Larsons were heartbroken that I was no longer part of their lives, but God has a funny way of doing things. A few months after my departure, my oldest foster sister Connie was at a festival in downtown Detroit with friends and she spotted me with my birth family. She didn't know the people I was with, but she was definite that it was me, so she approached them, introduced herself and told them how much her family missed me and would love to reconnect with me. My father and her exchanged contact information and this single act changed the rest of my life forever. My birthfather didn't know very much about the Larsons, but for whatever reason, he allowed them to be a part of my life. I am forever grateful for his decision. Funny thing is, I never knew about the story of Connie seeing me at a festival and making the reconnection until very recently. I always thought that when I left the Larsons, it was assumed that they would always be a part of my life. Such was not the case. This was a divine intervention at hand.
Moving forward, I would visit the Larson family on random weekends, holidays, summers and as often as possible. We never lived more than 10-15 miles away, but there was a huge difference in the life that I once had with them and the life that I was now living. There was stability, love, warmth, structure, rules and an overall feeling of family with the Larsons. I don't recall many of those things with my birth family. We were always moving from place to place and living from paycheck to paycheck. I can't recall how many elementary schools I attended, but it was well over 10. It seemed like we would be in a place for a few months and then move onto another place for just as long. When we did stay longer in a place, it usually amounted in the conditions getting worse and worse over time. No electricity & food, drugs & alcohol everywhere, people coming and going at all hours of the night, fights, screams and beatings, which we called "whippins". These were administered with belts, switches from a tree and extension cords and would be given as to us while we were stripped naked. We were on a downward spiral and this was definitely not the place for small children. Whenever we moved, I would immediately call Mrs. Larson so that she would come and get me for a visit. I still remember the phone number, 313-274-6613. I can't tell you how many times I called that number and arranged for a visit. Mrs. Larson would always pick me up, usually bringing someone along, as it was probably not a good idea to visit alone. I lived in the "hood" and it scared me, so imagine what it must have been like for a middle-aged, white woman from the suburbs. Nonetheless, she was always there to bring me back for visits and I don't ever recall her saying that she was ever too busy to have me come.
I visited as much as I could and would look forward to these visits like a kid looks forward to Christmas. They couldn't come often or soon enough. While I looked forward to the visits, I despised returning back home to my birth family. I would kick and scream each time I had to return home. Even today, thinking about those moments upset me. I couldn't understand why I had to go back, especially since the only attention that I ever got at home, was negative attention. It was also very hard on Mrs. Larson to see me go through this, but it was out of her hand and I suppose she was happy for the times that we could be together. There were always lots of tears, but she always reassured me that she would be back.
While I loved my birth family, I didn't really have a strong connection to any of them. I was so drastically different from all of them, which they always pointed out. "Why you tryin' be white?" "Don't act like a honky." "You a Oreo, black on the outside, white in the middle." I can still hear these words to this day. My brothers came to despise me for being "good", doing well in school and for "talking proper". Also, they were on a completely different path then I was. We had no direction at home and oftentimes were left to our own devices. It's no wonder that as adults, my brothers would eventually serve prison sentences of 19 & 20 years, as well as become "crackheads". We were growing up in 1980's Detroit and it didn't get any more dangerous than that. These visits helped me to stay on the right path and were instrumental in shaping the rest of my future.
Throughout my childhood, I played a constant internal dialogue over and over in my head about escaping my birth family and returning to live with the Larsons. While I could never share this with my birth family, I did share it with the Larsons. I didn't want to upset my father, but most importantly I didn't want him to put an end to these visits. I believe that my father was jealous of the relationship I had with the Larsons, but on another hand, he could see what they meant to me and probably helped to take some of the burden of parenting off of him. When I was about 10 years old, my father and stepmother split up and we shuffled back and forth between living with one of them or with friends. It was a mess! We had nothing and were really struggling, which I completely understood as I had this "other life" that set an amazing example of what a family is. My brothers thought this was how every family lived and pretty much resigned to the fact that this was a normal existence. It's so sad when this is all you know, so I would try to include them on visits to the Larsons whenever I could. Unfortunately, these visits were always a disaster, because they didn't know how to follow rules or be respectful to anyone. I can't really blame them, as they knew no better, but I finally stopped inviting them.
When I was 12, my brothers and I were living with my father in a house in Detroit. A few things struck me funny about living in this house: it had about 6 bedrooms (there were only 4 of us and we boys stayed in one room together), we seldom had electricity and my father was never around. My father wasn't around very much. He was often away working odd jobs, bowling or drinking at the bar. I spent many hours doing homework by the light of a candle and warming up a can on soup by the same flame. To this day, I cannot stand the taste of cold soup! There was a very nice older couple who lived next door, who would sometimes invite us over to watch television and have a bite to eat. They must have known we were neglected, but they never mentioned it or asked us where our parents were. I think it was a pretty common thing to be left alone where I came from, so no one thought much of it.
One day after school, we arrived home and found our belongings on the front lawn. There was an eviction letter on the front door. I had no idea what that meant, but as the door was bolted and we couldn't get into the house, I knew it was not a good thing. We didn't have many things, so it wasn't as if we were losing a lot, but to not have a home was something I couldn't even begin to imagine. We wanted to speak with our father, but as we didn't even have 25 cents to use a pay phone, we decided to walk to his job at the time. He was working at a restaurant not far from our house, so off we went. When we arrived, he wasn't there so we asked to use the phone so that I could call the Larsons. Unfortunately, they weren't there either, but I knew they would eventually turn up, as they were likely out playing bridge. 3 hours and about 10 miles later, we made our way, walking along the side of the expressway, to the Larson's house. When we arrived, we waited at the neighbors until the Larsons arrived and I instantly felt better.
What happen directly thereafter, is a bit of a blur but the end result was that the three of us boys were placed in a group home. We stayed in one group home together for about a month and what I remember most is that they would lock us in our rooms each night like prisoners. I was so confused by it all and couldn't understand why we couldn't leave. Eventually, my brother James and I were placed in another group home, much nicer than the first, although I longed to be in a permanent home. I'm not sure where our brother John went, but if I had to make a guess, I would say he probably ran away, as he always ran away. Being the oldest, he took the brunt of everything, so sometimes it would just be easier to not have to deal with it at all. During our time in these group homes, I don't ever recall speaking with my father, which isn't suprising given his history of parenting.
During this time, I still remained in contact with Mrs. Larson and needed her more than ever. She came to see me, brought me treats and even took me to her home for visits. I don't remember this, but Mrs. Larson told me that I insisted on my social worker to contact her, because I was set to attend the wedding of one her children. I'm not sure whether or not my father was privy to any of this information or if he had to agree to the terms, but I was granted a temporary release to attend the wedding. Being with the Larsons only made me long to be there forever. Eventually, we were due to be returned to my father but I told the social worker that I refuse and that I would run away if I had to go back. I couldn't imagine things changing much and didn't want to go through it again. Anything would have been better and I begged them to put me back into foster care and I knew exactly the family that I wanted to be with; the Larsons. This sounded like a great idea to me, except the Larsons were no longer foster parents. Their kids were all out of the home and they were nearing retirement age, so the thought of having a teenager in the home was not the first thing on their minds. After speaking with Mrs. Larson, I told her of my desire to live with her and to my delight, she gave it some thought and discussed it with Mr. Larson and I was allowed to return to their home. I would later learn that she would have had it no other way and the choice was made from the moment the planned was conceived in my mind. Once again, I had been rescued by my Angel on earth, Mrs. Larson and it would lead to me becoming a forever member of this family.
I could not have been more happy that I was back with the Larsons. I kept in contact with my birth family, even going for occasional weekend visits but eventually lost touch with them after about a year. I would not hear from any of them again until 2004, after more than 20 years. To say that they had a hard life would be an understatement, which was so sad to see but reconfirmed the fact that I made the right decision not to return to my former life. A big decision for anyone, let alone a 12 year old kid.
At this point, I had a forever family and lived the life that I always dreamt of. It wasn't always easy, but my family was always there and I finally could call the Larsons, Mom and Dad. What a blessing it was to have parents of my own, especially my Mom. She is every thing you think a Mom should be and so much more. She helped me gain confidence, learn to trust, care for others and be the person I am today. She taught me the importance of family and commitment, how to be a good Christian and a kind person. I went on to do things that I would have never done such as attend great schools, go to camp, take family vacations, have food in my belly and have a home where I was always welcomed. I graduated from college, moved to New York City, had great professional success, travelled the world, met the man of my dreams and became a Dad myself. Without Mom, I am confident that I would have been another statistic of the foster care system.
I thank you Mom for all of the gifts you have given me and will think of you each and every day. Your spirit continues to live through me and your beautiful grandchildren, Grady & Cyrus. A star shines in the sky for you each night and I know that it will remain bright 'til the end of time. I love you Mom.
Your son, Calvin
10.15.2011
Lyon - Family Restaurant Review Project 3
Another Sunday, another new dining adventure. We never know what each Sunday will bring and just go with the flow. We really had no idea about this particular week, because we didn't even know where we were going to dine. In previous weeks, we picked a restaurant prior to setting out, but this week, we all climbed in the car, put on Jay Z and Kanye's WATCH THE THRONE album on blast and drove around downtown looking for a place to dine. We wanted to go to somewhere in either Chelsea or the West Village. We settled for the latter and boy were we happy with our choice of LYON (118 Greenwich Avenue at West 13th Street), a modern bouchon. What is a bouchon you ask? According to LYON'S website, the Bouchon evolved as a modest local restaurant where silk craftsmen and traveling through Lyon would stop to eat. The bouchons, akin to present-day taverns, welcomed guests with warm hearty meals created of locally produced ingredients and serving delicious wines poured from heavy bottomed decanters called pots lyonnais. Basically this means good-eatin.
LYON is a fairly large restaurant with plenty of seating and a separate bar area for drinks. There were lots of couples dining and not many children, but we did arrive a bit on the late side for a Sunday evening, but that's another story. We got a table immediately, which is a huge bonus when you are with young children who are "starving".
I am not the most ardent fan of French cuisine, but I can definitely get my meal on, especially since spending so much time in Paris for various fashion weeks over the years. Regardless, there were many items on the menu that struck a chord and were not your typical French cuisine and everyone seemed to find something that wet their whistle.
As per usual, we started with some appetizers because, as previously stated, my kids were "starving". First, we started with the barbecued duck wings, which were dressed with an orange glaze and red chili's. We rarely order duck so we were pleasantly surprised when we bit into them. I never knew how big a duck wing was, but these were huge and equally as delicious. Next on the menu, were two tasty salads; the Salade Lyonnaise which consisted of mixed greens, smoked bacon and a poached egg. Honestly, when I bit into this salad, I joked that I was going to the kitchen to slap the chef for creating something so wonderful. I eat tons of salads but this was by far in my top 3 all-time faves. We also ordered a beet and orange salad with goat cheese. We devoured that one, too. Without a doubt, I would order each of these appetizers again.
Next out were our main courses. The kids had the Lyon Hot Dog. This was nothing like your typical NYC street vendor hot dog. This was a real delicacy. The hot dog was served with a hint of black truffles, Dijon mustard and sauerkraut, but the clincher was the pretzel roll that it was served on. I have never seen Cyrus enjoy something so much. He was pretty full after the appetizers, but he literally wouldn't put the hot dog down. He said "Dad, I am so full that I feel pregnant, but I just can't stop eating. It is too good". Grady couldn't speak much because he mouth was full pretty much from the jump-off. Tim and I decided to share the Steak Au Poivre with green peppercorn sauce and frites. Tasty, but needed a bit more salt, which was easy to adjust. It definitely didn't take away from either of us liking it, as was evident of the clean plates.
While we were all incredibly stuffed, we didn't want to go without dessert as the food was so good. The desserts didn't disappoint either. Grady chose the chocolate mousse, which was rich, creamy and so very delicious. We had our spoons all over that bowl. Yum. I ordered the vanilla bread pudding with raisins and vanilla ice cream. As I don't really like vanilla or raisins, I am not exactly sure why I ordered this, but I was more than pleasantly surprised that I loved this. It was just the right blend of spices and vanilla and was served warm. Very happy with my choice.
We ranked the experience as
Calvin 9 out of 10 Tim 10 out of 10
Grady 10 out of 10 Cyrus 10 out of 10
Total 39 out of 40 or 97.5%
We highly recommend LYON to others and will most definitely make another visit.
LYON (118 Greenwich Ave at W. 13th Street 212.242.5966)
http://www.lyonnyc.com/
LYON is a fairly large restaurant with plenty of seating and a separate bar area for drinks. There were lots of couples dining and not many children, but we did arrive a bit on the late side for a Sunday evening, but that's another story. We got a table immediately, which is a huge bonus when you are with young children who are "starving".
I am not the most ardent fan of French cuisine, but I can definitely get my meal on, especially since spending so much time in Paris for various fashion weeks over the years. Regardless, there were many items on the menu that struck a chord and were not your typical French cuisine and everyone seemed to find something that wet their whistle.
As per usual, we started with some appetizers because, as previously stated, my kids were "starving". First, we started with the barbecued duck wings, which were dressed with an orange glaze and red chili's. We rarely order duck so we were pleasantly surprised when we bit into them. I never knew how big a duck wing was, but these were huge and equally as delicious. Next on the menu, were two tasty salads; the Salade Lyonnaise which consisted of mixed greens, smoked bacon and a poached egg. Honestly, when I bit into this salad, I joked that I was going to the kitchen to slap the chef for creating something so wonderful. I eat tons of salads but this was by far in my top 3 all-time faves. We also ordered a beet and orange salad with goat cheese. We devoured that one, too. Without a doubt, I would order each of these appetizers again.
Next out were our main courses. The kids had the Lyon Hot Dog. This was nothing like your typical NYC street vendor hot dog. This was a real delicacy. The hot dog was served with a hint of black truffles, Dijon mustard and sauerkraut, but the clincher was the pretzel roll that it was served on. I have never seen Cyrus enjoy something so much. He was pretty full after the appetizers, but he literally wouldn't put the hot dog down. He said "Dad, I am so full that I feel pregnant, but I just can't stop eating. It is too good". Grady couldn't speak much because he mouth was full pretty much from the jump-off. Tim and I decided to share the Steak Au Poivre with green peppercorn sauce and frites. Tasty, but needed a bit more salt, which was easy to adjust. It definitely didn't take away from either of us liking it, as was evident of the clean plates.
While we were all incredibly stuffed, we didn't want to go without dessert as the food was so good. The desserts didn't disappoint either. Grady chose the chocolate mousse, which was rich, creamy and so very delicious. We had our spoons all over that bowl. Yum. I ordered the vanilla bread pudding with raisins and vanilla ice cream. As I don't really like vanilla or raisins, I am not exactly sure why I ordered this, but I was more than pleasantly surprised that I loved this. It was just the right blend of spices and vanilla and was served warm. Very happy with my choice.
We ranked the experience as
Calvin 9 out of 10 Tim 10 out of 10
Grady 10 out of 10 Cyrus 10 out of 10
Total 39 out of 40 or 97.5%
We highly recommend LYON to others and will most definitely make another visit.
LYON (118 Greenwich Ave at W. 13th Street 212.242.5966)
http://www.lyonnyc.com/
9.28.2011
Trattoria Cinque - Family Restaurant Review Project 2
On next stop on the review menu, led us downtown to Tribeca. Although we live less than two miles away, we never visit the area unless we are taking the kids to the pediatrician's office. This trip looked to be more exciting as there were no shots involved. Our family, along with our new friends the Bakers (Andy, Hope, Simon & Max) decided to go Italian at Trattoria Cinque (363 Greenwich Street at Franklin Street). While our family had never been there, the Bakers had visited before and thought that we would like it. They were correct.
The restaurant is huge & very cavernous. There was plenty of room for everyone to stretch their legs and be comfortable and still feel like we were all dining together. The kids were sold pretty much from the jump off, as we were some of the only guests there and they were able to watch the football game on t.v. (Sidebar.....I find it funny that our kids are starting to enjoy watching football, even though we have never watched a game in our entire time as a couple. Who says gay men can't raise jocks?) While the kids watch the game, the parents were able to talk and share stories and enjoy some well-needed adult time before heading to our respective jobs the following Monday.
According to the online restaurant guide, the restaurant offered family size portions of some of their meals, which was a big draw to a group of 8. Unfortunately, when we arrived we were informed that the menu had recently changed and the option was no longer granted. Despite the fact, we all found something we enjoyed.
We started the evening with fresh Italian bread served with some type of goat cheese/olive oil/herb spread (delish) followed by the Caesar Salad, which was very satisfying. The salad had a great nutty taste to it, which was a nice addition to the salad. Also, it had a good of amount of Parmesan cheese, which is a bonus and really helps to make the salad even more hearty. We shared the salad with the kids who dogged it. Not sure if they loved it as much as us or if they just wanted to get back to the t.v. but whatever gets them to eat green food, we'll take it.
We kept it simple with the kids and ordered the fusilli with marinara and the tubini pasta with alfredo, which they delivered with marinara instead. No one seemed to notice besides the waitress who apologized profusely and offered to exchange it. We declined and kept it moving. The adults ordered a plethora of dishes including Ravioli di Brasato (homemade braised short rib stuffed pasta), Linguine alle Vongole (fresh clams, garlic, white wine), Timballo (baked eggplant parmigiana) and the Spaghetti Bolognese. Each of the servings were plentiful, as if you were eating at your Nonna's (grandmother) house. There is nothing worse than getting your plate and the serving sizes are fit for a bird.
After dinner, we all contemplated getting a dessert, but we were pretty stuffed and opted to have dessert at home, although there were plenty of choices on the menu.
We ranked the experience as:
Dad: 7 out of 10 Papi: 8 out of 10
Grady: 10 out of 10 Cyrus: 10 out of 10
Total: 35/40 or 87.5%
Our dining experience was an overall success. Although the prices were a bit hefty, there was something for everyone to enjoy and it was the perfect place to have a large table for fellowship.
Trattoria Cinque 363 Greenwich Street, near Franklin Street 212.965.0555
http://www.trattoriacinquenyc.com/
The restaurant is huge & very cavernous. There was plenty of room for everyone to stretch their legs and be comfortable and still feel like we were all dining together. The kids were sold pretty much from the jump off, as we were some of the only guests there and they were able to watch the football game on t.v. (Sidebar.....I find it funny that our kids are starting to enjoy watching football, even though we have never watched a game in our entire time as a couple. Who says gay men can't raise jocks?) While the kids watch the game, the parents were able to talk and share stories and enjoy some well-needed adult time before heading to our respective jobs the following Monday.
According to the online restaurant guide, the restaurant offered family size portions of some of their meals, which was a big draw to a group of 8. Unfortunately, when we arrived we were informed that the menu had recently changed and the option was no longer granted. Despite the fact, we all found something we enjoyed.
We started the evening with fresh Italian bread served with some type of goat cheese/olive oil/herb spread (delish) followed by the Caesar Salad, which was very satisfying. The salad had a great nutty taste to it, which was a nice addition to the salad. Also, it had a good of amount of Parmesan cheese, which is a bonus and really helps to make the salad even more hearty. We shared the salad with the kids who dogged it. Not sure if they loved it as much as us or if they just wanted to get back to the t.v. but whatever gets them to eat green food, we'll take it.
We kept it simple with the kids and ordered the fusilli with marinara and the tubini pasta with alfredo, which they delivered with marinara instead. No one seemed to notice besides the waitress who apologized profusely and offered to exchange it. We declined and kept it moving. The adults ordered a plethora of dishes including Ravioli di Brasato (homemade braised short rib stuffed pasta), Linguine alle Vongole (fresh clams, garlic, white wine), Timballo (baked eggplant parmigiana) and the Spaghetti Bolognese. Each of the servings were plentiful, as if you were eating at your Nonna's (grandmother) house. There is nothing worse than getting your plate and the serving sizes are fit for a bird.
After dinner, we all contemplated getting a dessert, but we were pretty stuffed and opted to have dessert at home, although there were plenty of choices on the menu.
We ranked the experience as:
Dad: 7 out of 10 Papi: 8 out of 10
Grady: 10 out of 10 Cyrus: 10 out of 10
Total: 35/40 or 87.5%
Our dining experience was an overall success. Although the prices were a bit hefty, there was something for everyone to enjoy and it was the perfect place to have a large table for fellowship.
Trattoria Cinque 363 Greenwich Street, near Franklin Street 212.965.0555
http://www.trattoriacinquenyc.com/
9.19.2011
Social Eatz - Family Restaurant Review Project 1
Tonight commenced our Family Restaurant
Review Project and first on the menu was Social Eatz. According to New
York Magazine: Top Chef toque Angelo Sosa rebounds from the shuttering of
Xie Xie with this casual eatery focused on American comfort food with an Asian
twist.
The restaurant, located at 232 E. 52nd
Street, near 2nd Avenue, was not exactly what I expected when I arrived.
Less than 2 miles from our home, it seemed like a world-away, as we are never
in midtown Manhattan, especially on a Sunday evening. The restaurant probably
seats about 50 people and looked a bit like an airport lounge, so I wasn't so
sure as what to expect. There were about 20 guests dining and all seemed fairly
happy with their experience. So begins ours.....
We started
with appetizers:
CHOP-CHOP SALAD
with TANGERINE VINAIGRETTE
Bite-size
cut romaine, mixed with avocado and tomato, sugar snap peas and a six-minute
egg. Drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and the tangy juice of a tangerine
CRISPY SPRING
ROLLS
Chunks
of shrimp with ground chicken, diced jicama and shredded cabbage. And
mushrooms.. And scallions... And cilantro. With a duck sauce made from
calamansi, a citrusy Filipino fruit with a sweet and sour essence
SMOKED RIBS
Asian
soul food, St. Louis pork ribs marinated in mesquite-smoked tamarind, slow
cooked to perfection. Comes with a pineapple bbq sauce laced with gochujang, an
aged Korean pepper sauce.
HOT WINGS
Crispy
wings glazed in a sauce of tamarind, garlic, shallots, palm sugar and
togarashi, a Japanese spice blend of red chili, roasted orange peel and black
sesame
And
shared tapas-sized entrees:
KOREAN
BEEF TACO: Vintage skirt steak marinated in
sweet/savory sauce of
cane
sugar and gochujang.
Served
in warmed corn tortillas with spicy bean sprout kimchee
CRISPY
FRIES Straight cut local potatoes crisped golden
brown. A tasty sidekick to any burger.
CHICKEN CORN
& COCONUT TACO: Organic chicken, sweet corn,
tender coconut relish in lime, cumin, and chipotle. Topped with onion,avocado,
cilantro and jalapeno
We all seemed to find something that we
like, although Cyrus seemed the least happy with the choices. The salad was
okay, but lacked something. The dressing was bland and needed a dash of salt,
but the helped to give the salad a few bonus points and we never have eggs on
salads. The spring rolls were a hit with each of us, while the ribs and wings
had mixed reviews. The french fries were excellent. The portions were great for
sharing as we didn't overeat. We split some ginger beers (pomegranate and a
flower-flavored), which I found much too sweet. Everyone else seemed to really
enjoy the drinks. I should mention that Grady loved absolutely everything that
we ordered.
The tacos were okay,
although I've had much better and even made some that would put these to shame.
We each had a bite of each taco and it was plenty. Again, I should mention that
Grady absolutely loved everything.
We ranked the
experience as:
Dad: 6 out of 10
- Papi: 8 out of 10
Grady: 10 out of
10 - Cyrus: 1 out of 10
Total: 25/40 or
62%
Overall, it was a
mixed bag of tricks, full of highs and lows. Would we recommend it, probably
not, but Grady certainly would.
Social
Eatz: 232 E. 52nd Street, near 2nd Avenue 212.207.3339
Family Project for 2011-2012 School Year
It's that time of the year again...back to school. And with it comes lots of activities and growth. Cyrus & Grady are now in 1st and 2nd grades, respectively. Just saying that still leaves me in awe at how quickly they are growing up.
Each school year, our family takes on a project that we can all do together. It is a good way to spend time together and allows us all to be creative. Each Sunday, we have family dinner and this year, as our family project, we are going to dine out at a restaurant which we have never visited or have not visited in more than 3 years. If you are anything like us, then you too eat at the same 4-5 places all of the time. Living in a big city like NYC, allows you so many opportunities to branch out and try something new, but we tend to stick to our faves. Well, times are a changin' and we are switching things up.
Each Sunday we will visit a restaurant and do our very own sort of critique of everything we like or dislike about the experience. We will rate things on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest score and 10 being an amazing dining experience. It will be interesting to find out what sets us apart as members of one family and what we agree on. Hope you enjoy the official twodadstwokids NY Restaurant Review.
Stay tuned.
ctgc
Each school year, our family takes on a project that we can all do together. It is a good way to spend time together and allows us all to be creative. Each Sunday, we have family dinner and this year, as our family project, we are going to dine out at a restaurant which we have never visited or have not visited in more than 3 years. If you are anything like us, then you too eat at the same 4-5 places all of the time. Living in a big city like NYC, allows you so many opportunities to branch out and try something new, but we tend to stick to our faves. Well, times are a changin' and we are switching things up.
Each Sunday we will visit a restaurant and do our very own sort of critique of everything we like or dislike about the experience. We will rate things on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest score and 10 being an amazing dining experience. It will be interesting to find out what sets us apart as members of one family and what we agree on. Hope you enjoy the official twodadstwokids NY Restaurant Review.
Stay tuned.
ctgc
7.25.2011
Summer of Fun
What a whirlwind of a summer this has been. I will begin a new chapter of my professional life in mid August and had the opportunity to take a three-month hiatus from work. What a blast it has been. If you are ever given the chance to take off an extended period of time from work, jump at the chance. It feeds the soul and does wonders for you on so many levels. At least it does for me.
We started the summer off by traveling to Michigan for a family reunion. Most people cringe at the idea of such things, but we had a great time. There were a total of 18 of us and we all had such a wonderful time being together and catching up. While we have a close family, we never see enough of one another as we litter the country from coast to coast. We spent a lot of time on/in the water as we stayed at my sister's place on the lake. There was tubing, skiing, kneeboarding, paddle boating, boating and swimming. When Cyrus got up on the kneeboard on his first attempt, I must admit I felt like one of those "sport dads" with a puffed-out chest. There were baseball games, putt-putt golf, trips to the zoo, loads of ice cream and many trips to my fave hometown restaurant, Olga's. Don't even get me started about Olga's. We caught up with old friends and even took a trip to my alma-mater, Michigan State University.
We visited my Mom's new place which was a treat as there was a pool for the kids. Even my Mom went swimming (and continues to do so). There were tons of laughs, jokes and pratfalls. We even took a 3rd place prize in the annual 4th of July boat parade. The theme was movies and we made an "UP" boat. Everyone participated in one way or another, although there were a few who were a bit more gung-ho then others. At one point, we teased my sister Joan that this was becoming a union job, as there was so much work put into it. I knew we were in for a great boat, when my nephew Cory said that he was making the bay windows for the "UP" house. I did my part blowing up and tying balloons.
We came back to NYC for a week of fun in the sun. The weather was blazin' but the kids were at the pool everyday, while I spent lots of time bike riding, running errands and catching up with friends.
Currently, we are at our country house for 5 weeks, just me and the kids. Tim is still working, so he visits on the weekends or whenever he can come up. He came up the other night for dinner which was a nice surprise. We have officially become country mice this summer and are loving every moment spent here. We go to the beach everyday. Do a bit of grilling. Water the plants. My best friend Emil came up for a week, so that was a treat. I have spent so much time in the kitchen, cooking and trying out new recipes and revisiting old favorites. We've only gone out to eat once as it was about 106 degrees and I couldn't imagine cooking. Barely had an appetite that day, but I figured I had to feed the kids (lol). I also have been making tons of homemade sorbet and ice cream, to the point of obsession. We try to make a new flavor every day or so. It helps to beat the heat.
I have about a month before I return to the "real world" but until then I am going to enjoy every last moment of this summer as if I were a six-year old kid on summer break.
We started the summer off by traveling to Michigan for a family reunion. Most people cringe at the idea of such things, but we had a great time. There were a total of 18 of us and we all had such a wonderful time being together and catching up. While we have a close family, we never see enough of one another as we litter the country from coast to coast. We spent a lot of time on/in the water as we stayed at my sister's place on the lake. There was tubing, skiing, kneeboarding, paddle boating, boating and swimming. When Cyrus got up on the kneeboard on his first attempt, I must admit I felt like one of those "sport dads" with a puffed-out chest. There were baseball games, putt-putt golf, trips to the zoo, loads of ice cream and many trips to my fave hometown restaurant, Olga's. Don't even get me started about Olga's. We caught up with old friends and even took a trip to my alma-mater, Michigan State University.
We visited my Mom's new place which was a treat as there was a pool for the kids. Even my Mom went swimming (and continues to do so). There were tons of laughs, jokes and pratfalls. We even took a 3rd place prize in the annual 4th of July boat parade. The theme was movies and we made an "UP" boat. Everyone participated in one way or another, although there were a few who were a bit more gung-ho then others. At one point, we teased my sister Joan that this was becoming a union job, as there was so much work put into it. I knew we were in for a great boat, when my nephew Cory said that he was making the bay windows for the "UP" house. I did my part blowing up and tying balloons.
We came back to NYC for a week of fun in the sun. The weather was blazin' but the kids were at the pool everyday, while I spent lots of time bike riding, running errands and catching up with friends.
Currently, we are at our country house for 5 weeks, just me and the kids. Tim is still working, so he visits on the weekends or whenever he can come up. He came up the other night for dinner which was a nice surprise. We have officially become country mice this summer and are loving every moment spent here. We go to the beach everyday. Do a bit of grilling. Water the plants. My best friend Emil came up for a week, so that was a treat. I have spent so much time in the kitchen, cooking and trying out new recipes and revisiting old favorites. We've only gone out to eat once as it was about 106 degrees and I couldn't imagine cooking. Barely had an appetite that day, but I figured I had to feed the kids (lol). I also have been making tons of homemade sorbet and ice cream, to the point of obsession. We try to make a new flavor every day or so. It helps to beat the heat.
I have about a month before I return to the "real world" but until then I am going to enjoy every last moment of this summer as if I were a six-year old kid on summer break.
4.02.2011
Happy Times
Sitting at the house in Starlight enjoying the day. We have friends up visiting and they have the cutest and happiest baby ever. It's nice having a little one around.
Started the morning with a big breakfast; fruit salad, waffles, eggs, sausage, juice and coffee. Our tummies are full and the sun is shining. The baby and parents are napping. Boy do I remember those times whenever the kids went down, we went down, too. Not so much anymore. When they are down, we are cleaning, cooking or fixing something.
Just looked out the window and see Grady & Cyrus playing with their wagon, fly swatters and a multitude of other objects that they've collected in and around the house. They are a super duo. Wonder Twins of sorts. And they're wearing matching earmuffs. Love seeing them do their thing together. Siblings and best friends. What more could a parent ask for.
Started the morning with a big breakfast; fruit salad, waffles, eggs, sausage, juice and coffee. Our tummies are full and the sun is shining. The baby and parents are napping. Boy do I remember those times whenever the kids went down, we went down, too. Not so much anymore. When they are down, we are cleaning, cooking or fixing something.
Just looked out the window and see Grady & Cyrus playing with their wagon, fly swatters and a multitude of other objects that they've collected in and around the house. They are a super duo. Wonder Twins of sorts. And they're wearing matching earmuffs. Love seeing them do their thing together. Siblings and best friends. What more could a parent ask for.
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