christmastime with the ribods'

 For over thirty years, I have spent Christmas morning in the same living room with the same people. There have been scenes of amazement and awe, tears from Santa forgetting to deliver some the toys we wanted, and lots of early mornings in footie pajamas and bed-head looking for new gifts. Over the years, the toys have gotten a little more sophisticated; more things require batteries or a plug. Regardless, I cannot think of a better place to spend Christmas day with my family....even if we have to video chat some of us in!

Merry Christmas Everyone.

miracle on parent rd.

My mother told me to use the same video from last year.  I just could not live with myself by re-publishing last year's tree.

Here's to another Christmas tree going up the day after Thanksgiving.  

i'm coming home

When I was a student at Somers High School, there was something always magical about homecoming.  Maybe it was the entire week of spirit days leading up to the football game or perhaps feeling a sense of not only having Tusker pride, but class pride as well.  On that fall weekend each year in the late-90's, the air always got a little cooler, there were parties, car pools, ridiculous clothing, and face paint all throughout Somers.  

 We were serious about our spirit.

And now...the year is 2010 and I return to that same field for the first time since I graduated.  The field is now covered in turf and the school has been redesigned.  I almost cannot even recognize it, but I notice the sea of red, black, white and silver.  There is still face paint and Tusker pride is greater than I have seen it in a long time.  

I found myself sitting with a few former classmates on this beautiful evening.  We caught up.  We reminisced.  We laughed.  We cheered.  We were Tuskers. 

Even the love birds came out.

 And I experienced the new, up and coming generation of Tuskers.
(all of these kiddies were produced by one tusker)

  Not too different from the older generation of Tuskers.

There were no class floats going around the track.  No t-shirts made with the Superman "S." There was no bon-fire. The band was half the size as I remember it.  The cheerleaders just weren't as loud without Ashley, Laura, Tara, Angela, Dana, Jacky, and Jenn screaming, "BOOM Dynamite....BOOM BOOM Dynamite."

It's okay...because I was home.