2 Wheelin Fun

We decided to give Emily her birthday present early this year. She had outgrown her bike and wanted to learn to ride without training wheels. Since her birthday is in the winter we thought if she got a new bike now she would have time to learn and enjoy it while the weather is so perfect. This also gives Amanda a chance to learn to ride the bike with training wheels and graduate from the tricycle. We went to the local school (Theo's school) to learn because they had a great spot to ride in circles. Here are a few of the girls. In the end, Emily did actually ride a bit on her own but still needs practice. The picture is really bad, my camera battery died just as she was getting the hang of it. Look at the last picture and you can see Ed isn't holding on. Amanda was an instant pro and she was afraid for nothing. She didn't realize how helpful the training wheels would be, still needs to practice the breaks.

Love of Horses!!!

Emily took her first riding lesson tonight and she was thrilled beyond belief. They said she did great!!!! She started to learn how start and stop how to turn and how to trott. She is learning English style riding. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. She also loved the horse "Amanda".

Girls New Bedroom

The girls room is nearly finished. We have been in the house for 16 months so we are a little slow. They picked what they wanted and we are working to get it done. One dresser still needs to be painted white (was natural wood) but the weather hasn't been right to get that finished. Ed is also going to make some cute shelves to go on the wall but we have a couple other more pressing projects (laundry room and kitchen) that are going to keep him busy. Ed, being as talented and wonderful as he is made the headboards for the girls.


Here is a picture of the room when we bought the house.
















Here is a picture of it for the past year. Why I took a picture when the room is a mess is beyond me. Ignore the mess.
















Here are a few of it 95% done.

Amanda's Bed



Emily's Bed

9/11 - 7 years later

I remember clearly the day 7 years ago, where I was, what was going on and the feelings that we all shared staring at the TV in our basement office of the hospital where I worked.

Today, 7 years ago my feelings are much the same yet different. In 2001 I didn’t know anyone in NY and although it was real I was still removed from the full extent of the tragedy. Now, it seems so much more real and a different connection. I have a friend now that was there the day it happened and have talked with her about the struggles she has faced with the memories. Also, now working for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. it changes things. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. had offices on the 88th and 89th floors of the South Tower (second to be hit) and the company lost 67 people (60% of the company). The President of the company lost his son, and so many in the company lost people they knew and worked with, to them these people were people they knew.

I took time today to participate in the company wide moment of silence at 9:03 today, the time when the second plane hit. After that I went to stand in the conference room of our office to look at the capital building with the flag flying at half mast. How can I not take a moment to look our remembrance wall in our office that shows pictures and shares the names of each KBW employee that was lost.

Today will go on for each of us much the same way. I am grateful for the perspectives I have gained and for the opportunity to think and remember all that were lost 7 years ago. I hope as my children grow they will be able to learn of this day, a day marked in history as tragic but also as a time that we all came together in prayer and strength. I hope today we can reflect and remember the things in our life that are the most important and precious.

If you have some time, go to www.kbw.com and go to the 9/11 section and read about just a few lives that were lost on 9/11/01.

Ballerina Amanda

Amanda started dance class today at school. She will take it weekly ballet and tap. In June they will have a big dance recital with costumes and everything. She is very exicted and was quick to tell us that she is a very good dancer.