Thursday, July 5, 2012

Colorado Part 2. Photo and heart dump.



What was so great about Colorado you may ask.  Well, EVERYTHING is great about Colorado. I think it is the best place on this whole United States of America.  Speaking of USA and Colorado - Colorado is where I realized that the United States is called the United States because they are different States United. Amazing right?  I clearly remember the moment that hit me. I remember we were driving from Boulder back to Lyons, I must have been about 9.  It was life altering. Kinda like the Pancakes realization.

OK, back to Colorado. After flying into Denver and staying with my Aunt and Uncle, we headed to Lyons, the small wonderful town I grew up in. From 6 months to 14 1/2.  The feeling of driving up to town was indescribable. It was as if I had never left. I knew where everything was, what everything looked like (sure there were some changes here and there), what everything smelled like and most importantly what it felt like. It felt like home. 

We saw old friends, walked familiar streets, dangled our feet in the St. Vrain River, and made a stop at my old elementary school where Sonny enjoyed playing and running around the playground.  Although the playground equipment had changed, it was still really special for me to see my son doing the same things I used to do, in the same place.




This is a favorite




This is my Colorado Smile. It's different from my NY smile.



this is a favorite too





Every Summer Lyons celebrates Good 'Ole Days.  A weekend of live music, a carnival and a bunch of other things like square dancing, car shows, races and other wonderful small town stuff. Who wouldn't want to live here?  I am very thankful that my parents saw this town's charm and settled here our childhood.



he HATES HATES HATES carnival rides.


One little monkey jumping on the bed.


BUT the very most special thing was what happened next.  I wanted to see my old house. The same house I lived in for 14 years.  The house that was the only place that ever felt like HOME growing up.  When we moved to Florida, neither house we lived in felt like home. The Colorado house was home, and always would be.  So we went there. We drove up the drive way, saw a women in the Kitchen window (which overlooks the driveway) we waved, she waved and before we could get to the front door and introduce ourselves, she was inviting us in.  Once we made it through the door this happened:

Me: Hi, I used to live here and...
Her: OH WAIT!! Are you one of the Scheiner girls??
Me: Yes!
Her: Oh, the younger or older one?
Me: The younger.

Then I walked in my kitchen and started crying like a baby. She was the same lady who bought the house from my parents, she was so nice! so very very nice.  I told her I used to hate her, but now I liked her.  We were there about an hour.  She brought out toys and let Sonny play with them in the living room, which was special to me because again here was my son doing something I used to do, somewhere I used to do it, someplace special.  It brings tears to my eyes even now.

She gave us a tour of the house and I was relieved to see so much was still the same.  The window treatments, the layout, the carpet in the basement rooms.  Every where I looked, I saw a younger version of myself running around, laughing and playing, or just sitting and thinking.

The new owner has decided to sell the house to be closer to her family.  So if anyone reading this wants to be my best friend forever - you can buy it for me  :)



View from my old kitchen window

This was our ash box


Me in my old room



on the deck




This fireplace was designed by my parents
  After Lyons, we headed up to Grand Lake to spend a night in a lakeside cabin.  We drove through Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.  We took Trail Ridge Road which could be a post all on it's own.   It is the highest continuous motorway in the United States, with more than eight miles lying above 11,000' and a maximum elevation of 12,183'. It is the true definition of awesome.








After Grand Lake, we took Trail Ridge back to Estes then took the Peak to Peak to Hwy 119 through Boulder.  It was just...I don't even have words.  So beautiful.


Anyone wanna come with me next year?

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Hair




When I was pregnant and imagining what our kid would look like, I didn't really think too much about gender, mostly about hair.  I couldn't imagine not having a kid with a full head of dark thick hair. Even if it wasn't born with it, I was sure the kid would have a load of hair by 1 1/2.  Boy was I wrong.  This boys hair is long(ish) thin, light and just wispy.

Some people have asked why I haven't cut it, or they have eluded to the fact that maybe I should.  I look at pictures of him and sure sometimes he looks like a ragamuffin.  BUT there is a reason for it.

Although we are raising him LDS we both think it is important to keep certain Jewish customs and traditions.  We celebrate Hanukah and when we are able we also attend Passover Seders and plan on teaching our children about their Hebrew roots.  A Jewish tradition I have always admired was that of the Upsherin/Chalakah.

There is a lot of significance in this tradition and it can go pretty deep. Since Sonny won't be keeping his payots or start to wear a kippah, or start learning Hebrew (although it isn't a bad idea) we probably won't go all out with a big coming of age party- now that I think about it, maybe we will. Who knows?

What I love about a Upsherin are the references to people being like trees and the reference to Leviticus 19:23:
And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of.

 There are other biblical references likening people to trees, I found that this Rabbi gives the best easy answers.

Another aspect of the tradition I admire is that up until three the child is a baby.  They rely on their parents for all their needs.  They take, they absorb.  When they turn three they are ready to give back a little. They are ready to be formally educated.  I just love this.  I love how it gives a child his own identity and responsibility.

So if you see my son with light long straight uneven hair, for another year and a half - you now know why.