Ben reports that he had a great 20th birthday. He had been planning this day for ages, and he wasn’t disappointed. I consider this a major feat under social distancing constraints! Ben’s day included a special breakfast, a bike ride, lunch from McDonald’s, conversations with two former babysitter friends, gifts from family and friends, and…
Category: Life With Ben
Lazy Days of Summer
Every Day: Communicate Work Help Move Relax These are the five “rules” I posted on the fridge in March, in hopes that we could have a little balance in our lives and avoid driving each other crazy in lock down. Recently, I reminded Ben of the daily goals. He chose to see it as a…
Hot Dogs – Can we be frank?
Hot dogs have always been a favorite of Ben’s, as the following two stories illustrate. The first is a cautionary tale, so skip a few paragraphs if you have a weak stomach. When Ben was about eight, he had just started playing Little League Challenger Baseball, and we were at a team picnic held in…
Finding the Ice Cream
Ben loves ice cream, and he comes by it honestly. Summer Sunday afternoons often mean a family road trip to Eder’s for the best ice cream ever. His favorite flavor fluctuates, but often has something to do with cookies and cream. At home, he used to profess his disdain for vanilla, but once he realized…
Remembering Knoebels
This is the day I would have gone with all of Lewisburg’s fifth grade teachers and students to Knoebels for a field trip, so today’s post is a trip down memory lane. When I started teaching fourth grade in Lewisburg in February 1994, we were new to the area, childless, and hadn’t explored much. When…
Thumbs Up!
I think that one of Ben’s secrets to staying sane and happy when all of the world is on hold, is to reminisce about the people, events and places he loves. Instead of being upset that his Special Olympics swim season is cancelled, he recalls, with great fondness, swim meets of the past, and eagerly…
Shake it Off!
Corona Blues gotcha down? Follow Ben’s lead, and adhere to Taylor Swift’s advice to “Shake it Off!” Ben wanted to play this video from the fall while we cooked tonight. I think his desire to reminisce came from a chance meeting outside (at a safe social distance, of course) with Cate and her parents. We…
Grill and Chill
Now that May is upon us, we decided it is time to start using the grill more often. We made this salad (that I am calling “Grill and Chill Salad” because it sounds hip) for the first time a few weeks ago, and Ben gobbled it up like it was his last supper, so he…
Prom Weekend and Some Good News
Ben has been asking me about the prom on a daily basis. OK, sometimes he switches it up and asks about his birthday, but the prom has been on his mind. One of the benefits of Ben’s extended high school stay is that for the last three years, he and Lena have gone to the…
Chip off the Old Block?
Ben inherited his love of chips from his father. They both prefer corn chips over potato chips, but Ben, in particular, will take his chips any way he can get them. When he was about 5 or 6, Ben responded to our parental chip control by becoming more wily about their acquisition. We thought we…