Yahrzeit

Today is Oba's yahrzeit, or the anniversary of her death. Even though she has been gone from this world for a year, her spirit is all around us. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her.

When Warren plugs in the hot water heater, fills the rice cooker, or turns on the kotatsu, I imagine her doing the same for him when he was a child.

When I open the pantry, I see shelves of Japanese food staples and am reminded of her monthly care packages. A glance around our house reveals the blankets and pillows she sent, the books and toys she bought for the kids, etc.

Every morning when I plug in Warren's phone to charge, I see the picture of her on his wallpaper. "Good morning, Oba," I say.

When Jiro smiles, I see her face. When Satchel laughs, I hear her laugh.

Everyday, Oba's memory is a blessing.

Last night to mark the occasion, Satchel taught us each how to make a paper crane. (The crane is a symbol of peace in Japanese culture, as well as luck and loyalty.) We wrote messages on our cranes and put them in a bottle along with some glow sticks. (In the Jewish tradition, one would light a candle that burns for 24 hours.) We went down to the river and watched as the bottle floated away in the darkness.

Then we came home, gathered around the kotatsu and had a family meal of shabu shabu.

Later, we all got in bed together and read the story of Yoko and the Paper Cranes. We talked about our cranes finding Oba and how she is still very much with us...even if she was reincarnated as a cat or Mrs. Sarah's new baby.

MIFA

On Saturday morning, we woke up nice and early to check our stockings and then head over to MIFA to help deliver meals to homebound seniors. I took the monkeys last year and we really enjoyed it, so now that we've done it twice, I suppose it's tradition.

Warren was in California last Christmas, so it was his first time. It was really great having him with us. He's naturally excited about new things, plus he's great with directions.

Our route was through Orange Mound, and we each had jobs. I read the directions and knocked on the doors, Warren delivered the hot meal and roll, Jiro carried dessert, and Satchel distributed the gift bags. We had twelve stops, and soon became a well-oiled, Merry-making machine.

Jiro, per usual, got a little grumpy towards the end, but it was ok since our last four stops were all in the same high rise. (The smell on the elevator was nearly identical to the smell on the elevator at my grandparents' old highrise in New Orleans. I took the olfactory memory as a sign of their approval.)

Satchel was a trooper the whole time, and what we were doing really sunk in with him. "We already got our gifts, and now we're doing the giving," he said proudly from the backseat.

With the help of 70-100 volunteers, MIFA delivers 2,000 hot, nutritious lunches to seniors’ homes and congregate sites each weekday. I'm glad that we could be a part of this great organization, even if it was just for a day.

If you'd like to volunteer, click here.

You can also support MIFA by adding $1 to your monthly utility bill. Sign up here.

Merry Pizza

I told my guys that all I wanted for Christmakah was a giant pizza from the Trolley Stop Market. No, not the large. The GIANT 28" pizza that you must order 24 hours in advance.

On Monday, I got my wish.

We had so much fun tackling this monster. At first, the pieces really didn't seem so big, but about half way through it dawned on me that I might not be able to finish. Of course I did, but just the glimmer of doubt scared me!

The pizza was cooked perfectly and was just as delicious as the Trolley Stop's regular pizzas, which are my absolute favorite. We all managed to eat an entire slice and we had plenty to take home. (Later when I had to use a cookie sheet to reheat just one slice, I realized how big they were all over again. Forget trying to fit one on a regular plate!)

A big thank you to my boys for humoring me, and an even bigger thank you to Chip for capturing the moment.

I hope you all get exactly what you want this holiday season!

Playtime

This morning, I found Jiro putting on a Rock-n-Romp for his stuffed animals.

Then he decided to invite Chico, our temporary pet chinchilla. (He's spending winter break with us and will return to the elementary classroom with the monkeys in January.)



I love it when they do things other than play video games!

Belz Museum

After skating on Saturday, we headed downtown for our annual brunch with Santa at the Majestic Grille. (More on that later.) When we were done, I wanted to walk the monkeys down the street to see our dentist's award winning holiday window. We didn't get but a few feet when Warren announced that he wanted to go to the Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art.

We headed inside Peabody Place and down the stairs to what has to be one of the City's best kept secrets. I'm actually embarrassed that I never ever ventured down there before.



The cost is $6 for adults and kids under 12 are free. We were charged $10, so I don't know if we got a Senior discount or what. (We do have a lot of grey hair!)

The Chinese collection is absolutely astounding. According to the website, it is the largest and most comprehensive collection of Chinese art in the southern region of the United States.

The monkeys were quite thrilled to see their king.



I loved all of the guardian sculptures, and the parade of other animals.



I really knew nothing about Chinese art and was blown away again and again by the level of detail.

More from the website:

China is represented by outstanding works of art, many of which were created during China’s Qing dynasty (1644-1911), and are characteristic of an ancient culture with rich artistic traditions.

Artwork from this dynasty was created by artisans and craftsmen who spent many years perfecting each piece to convey the patronage of the Qing Court. The result is is some of the most exquisite treasures the world has ever seen. The collection of more than 900 objects, which range in date from 202 BC to the early twentieth-century, includes intricately carved jades, ivories, sculptures, paintings, ceramics, lacquer, textiles and funerary art.

My pictures really don't do the collection justice. You MUST go see for yourself!



The tusk carvings are worth the trip alone.




The museum is only a few rooms, which is a good size for kids. There was plenty to see, but not so much that we got overwhelmed. We probably spent about an hour down there. (I have a feeling Warren could have stayed several more.)

Jiro did get a little cranky after awhile, so I sat him down on a bench with my phone while we explored the Judaica section. The art there was mostly contemporary and frankly paled in comparison to the Chinese art, but it was still cool to see.

I love discovering new things right outside my door!

All Skate

I started my Saturday with a skate along the Greenline with my friend, Natalie. There was a little snow on the ground, and lots of ice, but we skated anyway. It was treacherous to say the least!

When I got home, I rushed to take a shower and take the monkeys to the under 10 lesson at East End. We'd been to the skater princess holiday show earlier in the week--their cousins are skater princesses--and they were inspired to try skating again. (Satchel was really into skating about three years ago, but Jiro always liked playing games, running around, and eating candy at the rink more than skating.)

The really awesome things about the under 10 lesson are: It's only $5 for kids (parents are free unless they skate), it's not crowded, the music is tolerable, the skater princesses help the newbies, the video games are not plugged in, they play games, and they get a free drink.

What's not so awesome is the rental skates. Well, I guess the skates are okay, but the laces not so much. I laced both monkeys as best I could and off they went.

It quickly became apparent that I was also going to need to tighten their wheels. Once I did that things were much better.

I was really surprised at how participatory they both were. They free skated, they did the Hokey Pokey, they did limbo, they hung out with their cousin, and they generally had a great time.

Satchel got the hang of it pretty quickly since he actually had a history of skating to fall back on. It was a little harder for Jiro, but I was happy to see that repeated falling didn't get his spirits down. (At least not right away.) For awhile it seemed like he was intentionally trying to fall just to be funny.



I had instructed them both not to grab me if they thought that they were going to fall--I busted twice on the Greenline already--and they obliged. Coach Caroline was there offering tips--keep your arms out and your back straight--and they obeyed. They were both very impressed with their 5 year-old cousin's abilities and they both say they want to go again.

Maybe I will end up with two rink rats after all.

Green & (4th Degree) Yellow

Friday night was the Taekwondo holiday party and awards ceremony. Satchel had been counting down the seconds until he got his green belt. He was SO excited. Being a green belt means he can start sparring and going to a different class from his brother.

Of course, Jiro was excited too. He went from being a second degree yellow belt to a fourth degree yellow belt. This means he'll be one of the highest ranking members in his class. They line up by rank, so that means he'll be up front. He'll also get to lead the pledge at the end of class.

He got a certificate along with his belt. He's so cute I can hardly stand it.

The Millers, their instructors, also gave out some other awards. Satchel set a goal for himself at the last awards ceremony two months ago. He wanted to win best attendance. He had some stiff competition because there are four other students in the same family who come to every class. So that meant he too had to come to every class. There were days that Jiro didn't want to go, but Satchel went anyway. There were days that we couldn't give him a ride, but he carpooled. He wasn't playing around! Turns out there was a five way tie for best attendance!

Satchel was thrilled to have met his goal, but he had another surprise. At each testing they choose one person from each ranking who tested the best. And who was the best green belt tester? Satchel! I guess going everyday to up his attendance, also upped his skill level.

I'm so proud of my monkeys. It has been really awesome to watch them move up in the rankings, make new friends, set and meet goals.

Holiday Show

Last night, the kids had their holiday show at the Brooks. I think all of the parents look forward to the show each year because the teachers and children put so much work into it. This year it was especially lovely because of the the awesome venue.

Both Satchel and Jiro had two parts in the show. They were both in the Carol of the Bells, which you can see below. I wasn't close enough so that you can actually see what's written on the cards that they are holding up, but the middle chorus is a a split between "merry" and "christmas." It was really cute.



Here are a few photos:





Jiro's second part was in the "Man with the Bag," but all he had to do was pretend to sleep, so I didn't videotape it. (You're welcome.) Here he is peeking to see if Santa came yet.



Satchel's second song, "Alien for Christmas," features him on guitar giving the liveliest performance I have ever seen! I think wearing a mask made him feel at ease.



His stage slide was epic.



Now that I think about it, I guess they were each in three songs, since the entire school gathered to sing Merry Christmas at the end. Had I realized that Satchel was going to bounce up and down and sing at the top of his lungs, I may have video-ed it too!

Taekwondo Testing

The monkeys no longer walk. They taekwondo their way through the world.

On Friday, the they tested again for higher ranking belts. Here's Jiro doing the Don Gun pattern to earn his high rank yellow belt:



Satchel did the Do San pattern to earn his green belt. He is so ready to be a green belt (which involves sparring gear and sparring).

Rock-n-Romp

Saturday was also the season finale of Rock-n-Romp. Due to my participation in the half marathon, I relieved myself of any official duties. When I went and sat down next to my friend, Amy, she looked at me and said, "Are you really going to sit down and hang out with me?" Naomi came over and we soon had a CPOP quorum! (We did not, however, conduct any official business.)



I always enjoy Rock-n-Romp, but getting to just hang out and enjoy the show was amazing. Thanks to all of the board members and volunteers who made it possible! For a full recap of the awesomeness that went on, hop over to the Rock-n-Romp blog.

(There were no pictures of Satchel or Jiro taken because they were in a constantly moving pack of young boys. Although now that I think of it, he was hiding behind the sofa during this shot. He was engrossed in a game of hide and seek.)

Half Marathon Action

Last week, my column compared parenting to a marathon, Being a good parent isn't a race, it's a marathon. On Saturday, I ran in the St. Jude Memphis half marathon.

Yes, me.

It was a little crazy of me to sign up, but now that it is over, I am so glad that I did.

I had a LOT of anxiety about the race in the weeks leading up to it. Every time I ran--usually 4-5 miles--I would beat myself up when I got tired. "How am I going to do the half?" was my very negative mantra. My plans to build up to 13.1 were thwarted by sickness, busy-ness, and scheduling conflicts with people who could/wanted to run 6+ miles with me. (I don't ever run by myself!) I only managed one 6+ mile run before the race. (I think it was 7.8 miles.) So I was understandably nervous. However, my goal was only to finish, and I was fine with walking some, possibly half, if necessary.

I spent the day before the race hydrating, carbo loading, and thinking positive thoughts. I went to bed at 9:00pm and when I woke up at 6:30am, I was ready to go. I drove myself downtown, parked at my office, and walked to AutoZone park to check my bag. I wouldn't have time to go home after the race (Rock-n-Romp started at 2 downtown), so I planned to shower at the Y.

Once my bag was checked, I made my way to the start. It took me a minute to realize there was a system, but I did eventually find my corral. The start was broken into several corrals based on average pace, and each corral had a pacer who held a sign. I joined up with the 10:30-11:00 minute mile crew even though I'm usually a little slower than that and anxiously awaited the start. Each corral started a minute or two apart, so by the time my group went, twenty minutes had already passed. (They don't start calculating your time until you cross the start line.)

It was really cool to be in a group of runners who went at about the same pace as me. It helped me slow myself down when necessary and I didn't feel like I was being passed a lot. (Towards the end, I did fall back into the corral behind me. ) It was also great having a water station every mile. The best part, however, was having people lining the streets cheering us on. Several times I heard a "Go Stacey!" and it REALLY made a difference. (Thanks to everyone who cheered for me!)

The race went through the St. Jude campus at mile 4 and it was really, really awesome. That was probably the fastest mile I've ever run. I felt totally energized by all of the enthusiastic people lining the streets. And I imagined that many little eyes were watching us out of the windows.

Along the route there were plenty of people with signs and T-shirts with pictures of St. Jude patients, some current, some recovered, and some who didn't make it. It was incredibly touching. I had to choke back tears several times.

There were also musicians along the route singing and that was pretty cool. My favorite cheer station was in Overton Park. There was a group (maybe from the YMCA) dressed as the Village People dancing to "YMCA." Lots of runners spelled out YMCA with their arms as we went by. It was hilarious.

I was really surprised by how quickly the race went. Once we got out of downtown, it just flew by. I was a little bummed that I didn't have a friend to run with, but it worked out. I ran when I wanted and walked when I needed to without feeling guilty about slowing someone else down. By mile 11 my feet were KILLING me. I was really happy that I had recently gotten a size larger shoe, otherwise I would have really been in pain. I was thinking I was going to have to walk the last two miles, but a girl I know from derby came along and we ran together for about a mile. I definitely needed that little boost!

The last mile was really great because I could see the finish line and there were people cheering us all the way in. The finish is at AutoZone park down on the ball field. They call your name out right as you cross the line and the stands are filled with tons of people--some runners, some friends of runners. Once you get through, someone hands you a silver super-hero cape and then someone else gives you a medal. It's a pretty awesome way to finish. I remembered to take off the fleece I had around my waist so that my number would show up in the picture snapped at the finish. And I even smiled, but I'm kind of scared to see the picture!

There's a food area for runners at the stadium, but standing in line was freaking me out a bit. I was pretty exhausted and in pain. Standing still was making me feel like I was going to throw up. Plus, I really needed to go to the bathroom. I kept meaning to stop during the race, but I never did. So I got my bag and hobbled a few blocks to the Y, where I could get in the hot tub and take a shower.

After soaking for awhile, getting clean, popping a couple of Advil, and eating a protein bar, I felt pretty good. I walked down to Flying Fish for a bowl of gumbo and a Diet Coke, then got my car and headed to Rock-n-Romp. It was great having a big party to go to!

My final time was 2:41:19. Not bad at all!

I'm definitely not ready to even consider a full marathon, but I will sign up for the half again next year. Oh and yes, I already put one of those 13.1 stickers on my car!

Mr. Oster Update

Tuesday was Mr. Oster's last day of student teaching. He's been at Springdale Elementary in Frayser working with Ms. Dorsey's 5th grade class for the last eight weeks. Ms. Dorsey pretty much let Warren take over the class so he got a real taste of what his future will be like. He definitely seemed to enjoy the fifth graders. With his kindergarten assignment he had to do a lot of crowd control. With this assignment, he actually felt like he was teaching.

I got to meet Ms. Dorsey and the class a few weeks ago when I was a judge at the Think! Show! They were all really sweet. I can't wait to meet Mr. Oster's own class someday. (Probably next fall.)

They had a party for him on Monday, and the boys and I helped him put together goodie bags to give out to everyone. They couldn't all fit in one picture, so there are several.






Congrats to Mr. Oster on another successful tour of duty!

Luv Clowns

Back in April, the monkeys had a chance to sing back up and stomp on a couple of tracks for the Luv Clowns. The CD was just released and it's fantastic. The monkeys were pretty nonplussed about seeing their names in the liner notes, but I thought it was pretty damn cool.

You can listen to one of the tracks, K-I-D-S, here. And you can see the Luv Clowns perform live at this Saturday's Rock-n-Romp. (Adults must be accompanied by children.)