Author Archives: heather

I know it’s post season for a Christmas post, but I can’t let the moment go unnoticed. One of the most fun and funniest nights we’ve had all year was our December 16 Christmas Eve with Dad and Mary Ellen. We wanted to celebrate with them before leaving for France, so they came to ourContinue reading “Christmas 1: Poppy, Grams and the Noël Hot Dog”

Aix…so many words and so little time. We had an aixcellent time, the food was aixemplary, and bring together for Christmas was a joy par aixcellance. Okay, great, thanks—I got that out of my system. Originally, Kevin and I had wanted to have the family visit Delhi for Christmas, but we couldn’t find affordable ticketsContinue reading “Christmas 2: Christmas par Aixcellance”

After years of staying put, and kind of going kaput, we traveled to Paris not once but twice within the year, within a month. (And I went to Pakistan too—a banner year, travel wise.) For the kids, it was their first trip overseas since returning from Indonesia. Paris provided a circle, being our launching padContinue reading “Escargot and the Eiffel Tower: Paris in Winter”

Getting Finn to celebrate Finn is a quixotic climb. Even getting him to acknowledge he was born is challenging. He continues to be modest, to say the least, and anti attention. So we mainly celebrated the 15th birthday with a low-key family affair. Tatum couldn’t be there because of school but joined by phone. KevinContinue reading “Fun Finn, 15 and Focused”

Clara turned 15! Theoretically, anyway, since we have continued the tradition of giving each twin a birthday that does not compete with the other’s or Jesus‘s cake day—so Clara’s birthday this year was on December 1. With besties Georgette and Marley, we had some fine dining at the famous Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown, staying warmContinue reading “Quizzical Clara’s Quinceañera”

I haven’t posted in such a long time, and I’ve been trying to plumb my little spirit to figure out why. Perhaps the combination of adolescent outrage at uncurated photos and news about them shared; a sense that the inside of my mind is like a swirl cone from the rundown boardwalk ice cream shopContinue reading “Slippers, Homecoming and all that junk: An introduction to high school”

You know that feeling you get right before you step onto an elephant’s back to go for a ride? You know, definitely intrigued and excited but tinged with trepidation? That’s how I felt at the beginning of Thanksgiving break. I was waiting to hop on the back of the break, which was to be myselfContinue reading “The elephant and the turkey: a ride, a trot, and some driving”

Charleston offered a lot of great food and great views and we really loved getting time with Brooks. One of our favorite restaurants was Poe’s Tavern on Sullivan Island, an…unsullied beach, if I may say. We had the great fun of meeting up with Finn Sullivan on his 14th birthday at his dad’s restaurant, oneContinue reading “The Charleston Trip”

So here we are, in the Merry Twixtmas, the time in-between, the pause between the whoosh before Christmas and the ramping up activities to reimagine and resume life in the new year. I love the pause. This year brings particular need for it because I need a minute to catch my breath and reflect onContinue reading “Notes from the Menu”

I wish I could say it was the morning devotional or the jazzy Christmas playlist that slows me down, but it’s really just the fat cat sitting on my lap. Who wants to disturb the cat? So, finally, a moment of stillness on this sunny-cold early morning to pause. Why is it that Advent, theContinue reading “The Fat Cat and the Thermal Underwear”