Three Stories

Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Jill) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:30:00 +0000

Thanksgiving day began with a few minor glitches. First of all, the 26 pound turkey would not fit in the roasting pan. One of our grown sons had a laugh over that when I gave it a dry run at midnight the evening before Thanksgiving. No matter how we turned, twisted, and cajoled the bird, it just was not going to fit in the pan without a part of it hanging over the edges. Consequently, my husband and oldest daughter went "turkey pan" hunting at 7:30 am on Thanksgiving morning. They did a great job and came home with an almost perfect size pan, a dozen doughnuts, and a few extra bottles of wine. I guess that next to a new roasting pan, the wine came in a strong second and the doughnuts were vying for third.

Next, was how to lift "Big Bird" into the oven after stuffing it with 6 pounds of stuffing. Now the weight was at 32 pounds. Two of my little grandsons helped me get the turkey on to the counter. They thought that it was funny that the turkey weighed pretty close to their little three year old sister. They thought that it was gross when I showed them the turkey's heart, liver and neck. However, we managed to get the turkey on to the counter, stuffed, and then in to the oven .

After figuring out who would put what into whose ovens, everything else went very smoothly.
The tables were set, the candles and flowers were arranged, and the toys and games were in "ready" position for the small children. Now it was a waiting game for the food to be cooked and the doorbell to ring.

Well, the food was amazing, the guests were delightful, and the afternoon and evening flew by so quickly that I felt rather sad. Our family is very fortunate to be able to spend holidays together, even though it takes a lot of advance planning. Our home is overflowing with relatives, extra beds are made up and put into use, and our grandchildrens' aunts, uncles, and cousins, are in perfect form entertaining one another. The lights of our home shine inside and out, our hearts sing with joy, and our family adds one more holiday to the memories of the future.

We are thankful to be able to spend time together. We are fortunate to have the means to host a wonderful feast. We are blessed to have our hearts warmed by our family and friends. Thanksgiving is truly a time to be thankful for the things that we take for granted throughout the year. Every day we should reflect on our blessings and spend a moment feeling thankful for what we have, I will certainly try!

Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Jill) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:30:00 +0000

The End of Summer? Take A Few Mental Pictures!

noreply@blogger.com (Jill) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:25:00 +0000

This morning as I was sitting on the veranda having coffee and reading "The Piano Shop At The Left Bank" (wonderful book by the way), I received through the early morning breeze, the first scent of Autumn. Although just the end of July, I assume that the cool evenings that we have been having are responsible for this "essence of summer's end".

When our children were still in school and we approached the end of summer, a feeling of dread would over come me. My women friends would approach their children's first days back at school as a celebration and a day of great glee. I would force myself to listen to their light sing song voices as they told of how they could not wait until their children were back at school and out from under foot. For these moms it was a time of delight, a moment of reprise, and most of all, it was time to get rid of the children during the day.

It was just the opposite for me. I always looked at the end of summer as the end of the year. My calendar was, and still is, based on the nine months of the school year from September through May. June, July and August were bonus months. The bonus months came to us free of charge, free from schedules, free from late night homework sessions and free from countless car pools. Summer days were always full of fun and they seemed to never end. Our children were up early and in bed late, with a rest in the middle of the day when the sun was the hottest. The end of summer and the beginning of school was not a time for me to celebrate. It was a time for me to reflect on the wonderful memories of the summer so that they could sustain me through the winter.

A very dear friend of mine felt the same way as I did about summer with the children. We were always able to snicker at our other friends and wonder how in the world they could miss the entire point of summer. They were missing so much of life. How could they look at summer as a time of drudgery and a time were their children were just a nuisance? Listening to them worry about the up coming summer months made my friend and I feel as if we were from another planet and we loved it!

One Labor Day weekend as my dear friend and I were sitting at the lake watching our children (all seven of them) swimming and sailing, their tan wet bodies glistening in the sun, she shared with me her acute ability to take mental snap shots. She explained that when there was a moment that she wanted to remember for ever, she took a mental photograph by looking intently at the entire picture. This allowed her to pull the picture out of her memory at any moment. I tried it immediately and I am still able to remember my very first mental photo. I can see the vivid yellow, orange and red autumn colors of the trees surrounding the lake. I can visualize the children jumping off of the raft and into the water. I can still see the colors of their swimsuits contrasting with the bright yellow of their life jackets, and amazingly enough, I can hear their far away voices as they screamed with delight while they experienced one of the last weekends of that summer.

And so....there has been no blog writing this summer. We have filled our summer to capacity. Our days have been controlled by whimsical spur of the moment activities. Our weeks have been filled with long walks to the lake, messy ice cream cones, Sunday morning men's tennis, Monday night music at the park, picnics, house guests, outdoor special events, and gardening in the country. Putting pen to paper or fingers to computer key boards take precious moments out of these warm sunny days. During the summer we turn Three Stories into a resort and we enjoy a long three month sabbatical. We come and go with the excitement of sight seers on a European vacation. We eat our meals on verandas, porches and in courtyards, and on cool evenings we open windows and turn our bedrooms into breezy sleeping porches. Summer passes too quickly, winter lasts too long, and life is always too short, but we are sure to find our individual precious moments.

And so...with the first scent of Fall in the air, I have a wake up call. I activate my mental camera and I snap the best photos possible during these last weeks of summer. I won't forget to add the smells and capture all of the colors. I will etch the pictures permanently in my mind so that these memories are with me forever. Try it!!

Memorial Day

noreply@blogger.com (Liz) — Mon, 26 May 2008 19:12:00 +0000

Happy Memorial Day from Three Stories at

Valhalla

Our apologies to the Janzen Family

of course the children will make a playground out of anything

the Three Stories minus 1

Music from the third floor

noreply@blogger.com (Jill) — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:44:00 +0000

Last evening when my husband and I were watching a movie, we heard this wonderful music coming from the third floor. We are quite used to violin and piano practices coming from floor one, but last night we were taken aback by the beautiful trombone music floating down from above. It turned out that our son-in-law was practicing. We had to stop watching our movie and listen for awhile.

My husband and I always stop what we are doing for a moment when we hear music rehearsals. We cherish those special interactions with our children and grand children. And when our third floor grand children are dancing, we can almost visualize what is going on right above us.

Both my husband and I agree that little boys should be exposed regularly to the arts. Dance and music lessons are not just for little girls. Music and Dance soften the masculine desire for the little boys to always want to become Super Heroes. We have very active little super heroes on the first and third floor, but I love it when there is music playing and the little boys pick up their swords and sabers and dance elegantly around the house.

So, music from above or below is just wonderful. Hopefully soon, all of our musicians will get together for a Wednesday night of entertainment.

Wednesday night dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Jill) — Thu, 22 May 2008 16:29:00 +0000

Last evening our Wednesday night dinner menu was:

Herb encrusted Delmanico beef roast
Basmati rice,
Broccoli,
Olive oil and lemon salad
Strawberry trifle for dessert

But...what I really wanted to write about was the wonderful behavior of the three little boys at the dinner table. All three of the boys were amazing at dinner last evening.. They were quiet, they ate everything on their plates and they actually had a little discussion going on with each other during dinner. I publish the menu for one reason. The food was not what children normally love to eat, yet they ate it quietly and without any complaints. I do not expect our five little grandchildren to be perfect at the table, in fact I beileve that we are very generous with the children's behavior. The adults all put up with a certain amount of noise, and sometimes at least one of the five little children is crying. Last night was magical for me. I do not think that any of the other adults noticed, but I certainly did.

As I was putting on dinner music and setting the table last evening, I was all of a sudden aware of how beautiful everything is on Wednesday nights. Most people only entertain this way on holidays, but for our family it is a holiday once a week. Although our one and two year old baby girls are not quite ready for our beautiful china, the little boys have been eating on it for quite a while. If one of the dishes happens to break, it will not bother me. The beauty that the place settings add to the table is joy beyond words. Maybe the little boys noticed.

The candles are also very important in rounding out our table settings. My sister and I grew up eating dinner every evening in the dining room by candle light. My father wanted to come home from work and have a formal dinner every night. Candles soften the light, get rid of the glare and add an aura of loveliness. Maybe the candles had something to do with the quietness at the table last evening.

The background music also plays an important part in our dining experience. We have tried all types of music, but for the most part, classical music sets a very nice backgound for conversations. Everyone is able to speak quietly and be heard. So, with the lovely place settings, the candles, and the music, last evening I recognized that this is something out of the ordinary for many families. Yet our five little grandchildren have been sitting at our Wednesday night tables since they were born.

I am not exactly certain what contributed to the wonderful behavior of the little boys at last evening's dinner table. It may have been the music or the candles. It may have been that the boys were tired or very hungry. It may have just been a good day for all three of them. What I really think is happening is that they are growing used to our more formal evenings and they are learning to sit quietly once in a while on Wednesday nights and enjoy the magic.

Whatever the reason, I think that our Wednesday evenings accomplish many things for our family and I expect that we will continue this tradition for many years to come. And who knows? The next generation may continue these special dinner parties for their children and grand children.

Urban Family, Country Day

noreply@blogger.com (Meg) — Sun, 18 May 2008 19:30:00 +0000

It's me again. Having written five of the last six entries, I'm starting to feel like I'm talking to myself.

We took a trip to the country yesterday for a lazy afternoon of horseback riding. It was windy but warm and the boys had so much fun. Just look at this smile!

Both boys had to go on two different times because they were having so much fun. Look at how confident Smarty Marty looks in the saddle! He was even riding with a swagger just like a true cowboy!

Despite being city folk, the kids didn't seem to have any trouble adjusting. Even Meryl got a chance to sit up on the horse. For the most part, however, she was happy just watching everyone and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.

By the time we left, Marty knew the names of all of the horses in the ring and was trying to figure out how to make his horse go faster. Mike was a little less daring, but he spent as much time as they would let him in the saddle enjoying the lazy walk around the track. We brought carrots too, and after everyone was done riding, we spent some time in the stables feeding them.

When we finally made it home, everyone was sound asleep. We carried them in the house and put them to bed, and they didn't wake up until morning. We'll have to plan another country weekend like this sometime soon. Maybe we'll go out to the nursery next weekend to start our vegetable garden!

Meg

noreply@blogger.com (Meg) — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:56:00 +0000

We spent the entire day in the yard, sweeping and picking up the debris that accumulated over this very long winter. Despite having cleaned out all the leaves more than once last fall, it seems that many of them found their way back again. Our courtyard felt like I was walking on the forest floor. We still have quite a bit of work left to do, but most of the dirty work is done. The planting and detailing is the fun part.

We celebrated the long working day with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, and then topped it all off with carryout. (Carryout is Urban Chic.) The kids were great and played in the sandbox or on the swing set for most of the day. No big bumps or bruises and all of the children are up to date on their tetanus shots. They spent almost the entire day outside and fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows.

I wish I could say I took some great pictures but I didn't get a single one. We must have been too busy working. I could kick myself for not getting the "before" pictures of a dumpy old table that we restored into a masterpiece. Instead, here are the pictures of last year's garden taken shortly before Meryl's first birthday in June. After another week or two of work, I'll take some of this year's garden and see how far we've come.

Here's a cute picture of the back patio and the cute little circus tent that Nons (Jill) bought for the grandchildren.

Here's one of the courtyard. It's going to be ten times cuter this year. Our new table and the wrought iron settee will be perfect.

And here's one last picture of the kids' cute little playhouse. A tiny cottage in the woods, right in the middle of the city!

So girls, do you think we can do better this year?

Maggie

Mothers' Day

noreply@blogger.com (Meg) — Tue, 13 May 2008 04:20:00 +0000

There is no better brunch than one that's only a flight of stairs (or two) away. The orange juice with added calcium made tasty and smart Mimosas, don't you agree? Now that's an idea...Mimosas for Moms. Momosas? Maybe we could market that? "What a way to start your day! (Hiccough!)" It's the new Vitameatavegamin. Who needs Zoloft? Just have a Momosa, hail the cab, and wave to the kids as they skip into school. It's definitely Urban Chic.

Well, the kids were great, there was enough food, and I finally got to unload that miserable keyboard that plays the Star Wars theme song. What more could a mother hope for?

Thank you all for such a terrific Mothers' day!

Meg

Sunday Brunch, 10:00 a.m.

noreply@blogger.com (Meg) — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:11:00 +0000

Brunch, service à la française

pancakes, with a choice of:
pure maple syrup
raspberries in syrup
glazed strawberries
chocolate chips
whipped cream
butter
and powdered sugar

Saucisschens

fruit

Starbucks Coffee

Champagne

Using beautiful things.

noreply@blogger.com (Jill) — Sat, 10 May 2008 14:08:00 +0000

Hi Girls, I am sorry that I had to run out on you right after dinner on Thursday, but I was even sorrier when I got home and Dad told me the story of the little girls in the bathroom. I hate to miss those funny moments, but if I had been there I probably would have tried to keep the little girls entertained for you, and the bathroom episode would never have happened.

I just had to comment on the little boys hitting their forks on the china before dinner was served. When Dad and I were in the kitchen getting the dinner ready to take into the dinning room on Thursday, we heard the little boys hitting their forks on their china plates. Dad just looked at me with a sweet look on his face and said, "Do you hear the boys"?
"Yes," I replied.
"That's our wedding china."
"I know."
"Aren't you impressed at how relaxed we've become?"

Dad's comment reminded me of my father. My father always said that the best silver and china should be used every day and not saved for special occasions. He always asked, "Why would you set a prettier table for your guests than your own family?" I have never forgotten that. My loveliest tables are always set for my family.

Thank you for one of the warmest, funniest and most memorable family night dinners ever. Do you really think that it had anything to do with temporarily moving our dinner from Wednesday to Thursday?

Love you, Mom

Ode to my Mother, for Mothers' Day

noreply@blogger.com (Meg) — Fri, 09 May 2008 04:26:00 +0000

Dear Mom,

I know it's a little bit early, and I know you're coming downstairs for brunch on Sunday (10:00 a.m., in case anyone forgot), but I just wanted to take a minute before bed to thank you for all the things you do that mean so much to me.

Thank you for not cancelling Wednesday Night Dinner this week. I know you had a scheduling conflict and had to change the date, but it means so much to all of us that we get to see eachother and create new rituals and new bonds with one another. We were all very appreciative of having Thursday night dinner instead. The meal was fantastic! Thank you also for caring more about your grandsons than your Limoges. The way they hit those plates with their forks could have broken them so easily! Still, the only way to learn how to eat properly off of fine china is to practice.

Thank you for the wonderful torte that you brought home too. After you left to go to the hospital because of Auntie Nanny's frighteningly-high blood sugar, the girls screamed until we let them finish it off. The glazed strawberries were their favorite and they enjoyed every last bite. (Liz and I helped them a little bit too!)

Thank you also for giving us the remnants from Ellen's fabric collection. It was so nice of you to ask her to bring it in the first place. After you left for the hospital, Liz and I divvied up every last scrap of fabric. It took us until after 10:00 p.m.! There were some gorgeous dress samples in there too, which the boys wore all night long. Thank you for being the kind of mother who doesn't mind when her grandsons wear dress samples all night long.

Thank you for never having thrown out your mother's elegant silver set. And thank you also for keeping it so highly polished. While Liz and I were going through the fabrics, the girls were playing so quietly that we forgot about them for a minute or two. When Dad discovered them, they were in the bathroom with the silver tea spoons, stirring around in the toilet water. (Thank you also for your obsessively compulsive cleaning techniques--your toilet was as fresh and clean as it could be!) Who knew that our little one-year-old girls could be so naughty?

Thank you for your thick and fluffy washcloths. Was that a lavender linen spray on them? We used the small shells of soap to wash the girls' hands and face--if you were looking for them, we thought it was best to throw them out afterward. Liz washed both of the spoons in the kitchen sink with very hot and soapy water and re-polished them before putting them back in the chest. The girls were so cute and they shook their little fingers at the toilet saying "Yucky! Yucky!" Hopefully they'll never do THAT again!

Thank you for having such gentle dogs who love our little children. Especially the little girls. Shortly after the toilet bowl incident, the girls snuck back to the chest of silver and got out two more spoons. We didn't catch them right away but by the time we found them, they were sitting in front of the dogs' water bowl, using the spoons to drink the water! We had to remove all of their clothes, they were so wet. They shook their little fingers at the dog dish and said "Yucky! Yucky!" Hopefully they'll never do that again either. If you're wondering how the silver chest made it to your back staircase, I thought it would be better to just remove it entirely. Thank you for cleaning your dog dish before you left too. And what a wonderful mother you are to your dogs. Not many dogs (or naughty little girls who drink with dogs!) get bottled water in their dog dish.

Thank you for always having diapers, wipes, fruit snacks, pretzels, movies, games, puzzles, and so many books for the children to occupy themselves. If it hadn't been for your generously stocked closets, we never would have finished going through the bag of fabric!

Of course there are many more things to thank you for, but I'll save a few for Sunday Morning. I hope you get a chance to rest. I'm sure you had a very tiring night!

XOXO
Meg

I'd Rather Walk

noreply@blogger.com (Jill) — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:00:00 +0000

As I reflect on my life as it is at the moment, I have a difficult time trying to remember how much endless driving I did while living in the Suburbs. I really couldn't go anywhere without getting into the car. No sidewalks to walk on, no street lights to show the way, and realatively little natural beauty. Although I had to drive everywhere, I was always a savvy errand runner, planning my stops in a sequence that made sense and didn't waste time or gas. Everything was decided in advance before I left the house, and there was little, if any, spontaneity.

After moving to the city, I've found that I enjoy being able to walk most places without a mental map or a time clock. On my way to the market I can stop and get a coffee, check out the bookstore, or browse at the public library. I can visit the University campus and find out what special events are taking place. I can walk to the golf course, the tennis courts and the park. I can walk along the river, the lake, and the nature center. Granted, this is a very unique part of the city, but it is the city and it is bursting with energy. Our resident grandchildren are able to walk to their violin lessons, the sailing center and the playground, and both resident young families hitch up their "Burleys" to their bikes and enjoy the beauty of the the bike path that spans the woods, the river and the Great Lake.

Our entertainment activities are much more spontaneous and much more frequent. One's destinations do not have to be planned in advance when on foot. We may start out walking to a restaurant and decide instead to go to the theatre. We may begin a walk with nothing special in mind, and end up listening to a jazz ensamble. And, sometimes it's just a walk after dinner to get ice cream or a cup of tea. Whatever the reason, our walking has kept us healthier, happpier, much lighter on our feet, and best of all, we feel more connected to society.

The Tradition of Wednesday Night Dinners

noreply@blogger.com (Jill) — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:31:00 +0000

Wednesday night dinners have been a tradition in our family for over 15 years. We began getting together in the middle of the week when our children were still in Middle school and High school. We continued the Wednesday night dinners throughout the college years, celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, major accomplishments and just plain "life" in general. It is a special time for family members to share their news of the week and reconnect with eachother. Our extended family arrives shortly before we sit down to eat dinner and they leave an hour or so after dessert. We are fortunate enough to have a table that sits all 12 of us.

Having our family dinners right in the center of the work week helps to confirm great attendance. Everyone loves to go to a dinner party in the middle of the week and this special event never conflicts with busy weekend activities. The five little cousins look forward to this special evening and I am told that some of their calanders revolve around Wednesdays. It is not uncommon to have the little boys arrive as pirates, gypsies, or super heroes. It is wonderful to hear their running steps on the stairs, coming from both the first and third floors, as they burst into the second floor entry way.

As our children's spouses joined our family, they joined us at the dinner table as well. Our Wednesday night dinners have grown in size over the past six years as our son-in-laws have become sons, our daughters have become mothers, our sons have become very, very special uncles, and my husband and I have become (what grandson Dub Dub named us) Nons and Bobs.

As the energy continues to flow throughout the three households, it is very recognizable this is a true family affair.

Wednesday Night Dinner, Entertainment Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Meg) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:32:00 +0000

Magic Michael,

Magic Martin,

and their lovely assistant,

Dub Dub

Proudly present...

The Happy Birthday Magic Show

7:00 p.m.

1$ admission

For advanced ticket information, please contact your local box office for details.

The Idea

noreply@blogger.com (Meg) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:40:00 +0000

Don't forget to add that it was three years of work! By the time we finished working on this house (will we ever really finish?) we were so used to eachother that moving in together wasn't such a big idea after all. I mean, the family that grouts together, stays together!

But I don't think we really even realized how well it would work out. Sure, we laughed in the beginning when we needed a cup of sugar or some lemon juice and it was only a flight of stairs away. And I still get a kick when we forget that we're on the phone and meet in the laundry room, continuing to use the phone instead of talking face-to-face. But I think the real proof of our success was in our lives. Suddenly other people began to take notice.

Not a single one of our eleven house members is taking antidepressants, blood pressure medicine, sleep aids, or diet pills, and we're all eating better, walking more, and working less! We throw away less money for gas and electricity and keep our houses warmer and brighter. We enjoy better, fresher, organic food, but are too busy to eat all day. We walk instead of drive, exercise daily, enjoy the weather in all seasons, and save money on gas...all without even trying.

When friends would invite themselves over, bringing notebooks to take notes so that they could duplicate our new brand of success, I think that's when I started to realize that what we were doing was worth writing about. The idea we had was a smart one, but the reality was so much more than we had expected. This isn't just the story of our lives together, but the story of how being together made us so much better!

Three Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Jill) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:13:00 +0000

Introduction:
Three floors of living space and three delightful stories to tell. This is the continuing saga of an extended family living in three distinct personal spaces in one large building with 70 windows, 6 outside doors, 8 flights of stairs and a ship ladder to a secret 4th floor loft.

The Beginning:
My husband and I reside on the second floor, between floor one and floor three, interestingly sandwhiched between our two daughters and their lovely families. I, the mother and grandmother of nine plus two, start this wonderful story with a bit of information on how and why we got into this amazing house to begin with. It was exactly 6 years and two days ago that our moving truck left the suburbs and pulled up in front of a partially renovated 6,000 sq. ft. home in the city. At that time my husband and I were "almost" what some people call "empty nesters". Our last two children were in college and we were enjoying our lives to the fullest. We spent our weekends going out to dinner, attending the theatre, and visiting libraries and coffee shops in the city. The key words here are "the city". We were living in the suburbs and often felt the need to get back into the swing of life by enjoying the cultural opportunities and mind stimulating activities that a large University city has to offer. Don't get me wrong, the "burbs" have their place in society and they served us well, we thought. However, we had emotionally out-grown the suburban atmosphere and were enjoying an Urban renewal of life. Wouldn't it be great for my husband and I to move on and write our own adventure so to speak? Well, that is exactly what we did. We filled one moving truck with our most special possessions, gave all of the rest of our things away, and trucked ourselves into the city and up to the second story of a three story triplex. A big move? You bet! And we were just beginning to write our own adventure.

The reality:
Six years ago when we moved in, only the second floor of our newly purchased triplex was reovated. The rest of the building was in very bad disrepair. Plaster was falling. electrical wires needed replacing, some of the plumbing was totally shot, and the third floor was clad in it's original 100 year old design and material. The mode of design on the third floor was Antique Attic, with no heat, no plumbing, and minimal electricity! Today, each of the three floors is in glorious repair, and each of the three floors is a home to three different families all in the same relation. One young daughter and her family of four live on the third floor, another young daughter and her family of five, live on the first floor. My husband and I are still on the second floor where we enjoy our tree house views of a lovely old historic neighborhood. We have enough room to accomodate visits from our two sons. One son lives only a few blocks from our triplex and another son lives but a three hour plane trip away. Perfect!

The inside stories:
This blog is about the three families that live on three different floors of one structure. Each story will take on it's own flavor as each mother on each of the three floors takes her turn writing her own journal entries. Enjoy!!!