....social surplus......

....I am still recovering from the wrong stroke of a finger, the absent minded slide and click; resulting in  deleting my post, instead of publishing it.....the post that I had been working on for two days that was set to kick off my week.....the one that captures sweet memories about how rich and grand my social calendar has been lately....blogger has no way to recover accidental deletions and I still have not rallied from the loss of time and emotion my hasty hand has caused.....clearly, it is impossible to recreate what I had written.....and so, I will have to chalk that one up to the virtual black hole that post is spinning in somewhere in cyberspace.......so, the intended blog piece has now been laid to rest and we will capture the snapshot of where I am today......


.....moving on......

.....most of the time, my social calendar consists of trying to hammer out a conversation with a girlfriend while passing out snacks, talking quickly between breaking up some sisterly love spats or while chasing after Brody racing from one end of the playground to another.....occasionally, I will get the benefit of meeting for a special lunch date and between appetizers and coloring books, we may get 3 minutes of uninterrupted chatter......and if I am really fortunate that week, a friend may pop over for a glass of wine, post bedtime or Stefan may lead the bath and bed charge and I may sneak out for some fresh air with a bestie.....

.....so it's clear that my social calendar is sporadic, at best....but lately, it's been like an over flowing cup and I am loving that it runneth over......

....I can not remember the last time I sat with my girlfriends, watermelon mojito in hand; and had uninterrupted conversation while the hot, Florida sun begged me to stay longer than I had time to.....three husbands and seven babes left behind and we had 48 hours to catch up on so much......

.....not to mention, we had to carve out a few hours to share each other with old and dear friends alike....in the blink of an eye, two decades have passed; and it pains me to say that it has been 20 years already......

    .....Jennifer Briggs Photography......

.....some of these women were childhood neighbors of mine, softball teammates, cheerleading partners.....some of them were my first play dates at the same age that Elsie is right now....

    ....Jennifer Briggs Photography......

.....and of course, there had to be one photo of Mr. and Miss Boca High......it just wouldn't have been a reunion for us if we didn't pose once for old times sake......

 .....others were the dear people who helped me transition to a new school in 3rd grade.....they introduced me to new friends, invited me to their houses and included me at their birthday parties.....

....this is the group that made up 20% of my 3rd grade class at St. Paul Lutheran school....I have distinct memories of each of them from 1983......I'm feeling old as I type that, but at the same time it also feels good to be wiser.....all of us have been blessed with families that have yielded lots of babies, we have spouses who love us and we are scattered over the country.....and if I say so myself, none if us look that much different 28 years later......

....and as fun as it was to reminisce two decades, the weekend was kicked off when my sweet girl and I embarked on a mother/daughter, festive three day journey.....when our entire family took a last minute trip to St. Louis in June, we agreed that the reunion weekend needed to be condensed a bit.....Stefan and I determined that Elsie was old enough to travel with me and spend a weekend alone with her grandparents.....thank you, Mom and Coleman, for allowing me a chance to enjoy this fantastic social agenda.....Stefan and I also decided Callie would get the next solo trip.....

.....and what child does not love the one on one attention?......

.....Elsie and I spent our first night at Allison's with her boys.....the kids played, Allison and I caught up and we prepped for a full weekend.....

.....Mom and Coleman showed up bright and early after a two hour drive and Elsie was ecstatic to get going.....a little nervous about being without Momma, yes.....but she buckled in an told me that she would see me in two days......

.....and while she traveled one direction in the sunshine state, Allison and I drove another.....we had college friends to see and live music to tend to.....every summer, or at least every other; we get together for a concert and the music gets better as we get older.....not to mention, putting a little dance in your step several times a year keeps you young.....it's a secret that I have learned over the years.....

....between the excitement of anticipating good tunes, the joy and liberation of being in the mix when the music finally comes together and the rehash session the next morning of our favorite parts of the night; it's an experience that I am so glad we carve time out to do.....

....when with good friends, the music sounds better, the wine tastes sweeter and the laughter rings truer......all ingredients to a good balanced life.....

....and while Momma was away, Elsie sure did play.....she loved her time with her grandparents.....they made chocolate dirt and planted flowers......

....she was treated with push pops in the morning.....

....she practiced her swimming skills and mastered jumping in full force; including submerging her entire head.....

....and she was able to experience the true beauty that Florida bears to all who seek to find it.....

.....not to mention some good exercise as they embarked upon the look out tower......

....she also witnessed the magnificent sky that appears right before an afternoon thunderstorm rolls in.....

....and although she was sad to leave Florida, she was anxious to get home to her siblings and her Daddy.....she and sister got right back into their routine; minus the cat fights for the first few hours of reconciling.....

.....and although the week threw all of us back into routine, Stefan and I still had plans to keep the social party going.....

......more live music for the two of us, dinner dates for he and I to catch up and reconnect; plus more friends in town to keep us active and busy......

.....and just when my cup runneth over to the point I couldn't keep up with the messy overflow; there was nothing left to pour......

.....we have a week in front of us without plans, no visitors in town, no late nights, no afternoons filled with happy and rich conversation; but an apartment filled with five people who can't wait to spend some time together.....and the ebb and flow of busy and uneventful keeps it all in sync.....amen for that.....

....beach bums.....

.....it's been hot and muggy and I can't quite muster the energy to hit another Manhattan park one more time....don't get me wrong, I love our parks.....but Manhattan in the summer can be stifling in the heat and the concrete everywhere doesn't necessarily facilitate a good breeze......so we go to a place that reminds me of home.....

.....twice this past week, I spontaneously packed up my brood and we headed to one of my favorite New York beaches......

....the kids play for hours in the sand and water......it pulls me back to my childhood and the memories of sandy skin and sticky, tangled hair leap to the forefront of my mind......I can't believe it has taken me so long to realize how many beaches surround us because this summer we have enjoyed several of them.....and although different from the fine, white sandy beaches of Florida, these are the beaches that will create memories my children will draw upon in their later years......and the thought that they, too, will grow up with beach filled memories; although different than mine, is all too surreal for me......

.....and I need to up the ante on our beach toys because my girl loves to try and catch the tiny fish that nip at your ankles and toes in the shallow surf.....she makes a friend who has a net every time she sees another child wading and swinging the net frantically; desperately trying to catch these fish that swim faster than the current.....

.....and over the past few weekends, we have even taken family excursions to other beaches....sometimes in New York, sometimes in Connecticut; both equally beautiful......we have escaped the concrete and transplanted ourselves to the serene and peaceful sound of the surf......even on rainy days.....because even a rainy day at the beach is better than a sunny day in the stifling hot concrete of my beloved city......

....it's not to be a downer on the city during the summer.....it still has it perks; its great escapes.....come Halloween, Christmas time or the first sign of spring as Central Park's cherry blossoms are blooming, I will tell you that there is no more beautiful place on earth.....but the beach and all of its summertime glory is sheer happiness......at least for our family......

....and when I am there, I am especially thankful for the beauty we have been given to enjoy while we live out our one shot at this big, beautiful life of ours......

.....and there may not be another soul in a 500 mile radius who is still waving the high on life, summer freak flag.....I hear talk of fall anticipation from friends......I see the fur and boots lined up in store windows.......and honestly, I love the fall like the best of them......but frankly, I am not even slightly interested in that season.....I am sucking the marrow out of this summer......

......easy, breezy, hot, salty and lazy.....we can't get enough of it.....

....leaving you with my two favorite beach bums.....xoxo.....