This week’s blog is starting on Thursday because the back half of the week is where the fun happened. 🙂

Steven and I had a weekend trip to NY and we were both excited about the 1:1 time. This boy is my super cuddler.

On the plane, he played a game where he had to find counties on maps based on clues which mean I played a game where I had to play a game to find counties on a map based on clues.

We spent Thursday night at Nana and Papa’s house. It was a late night and Steven was out the minute his head hit his pillow.

On Friday morning, while I worked, Papa took Steven to breakfast at Venus. It sounds like the 1:1 time was great for Papa and Steven, too.

Then Savta and Auntie took Steven out for lunch.

Cousins!

On Friday night, Amaya had her very first sleepover. It was at her friend Dylan’s house and she was ecstatic. She and Dylan made a whole list of plans – paint nails, bake peppermint cake, watch a movie… and it lived up to all of her expectations.

Since Sammy and Jason had a night to themselves, they went to Dave & Busters where Sammy got a print out of the games he played and tickets per game so he can analyze which games have the best payout.

Cooking Saturday morning breakfast.

On Saturday, we had two Hanukkah parties at Aunt Sara and Uncle Dave’s house. The first was with Nana’s side of the family – Papa, Savta, Auntie, Joe, Nicole, Eli and Dalia came for lunch and presents and a belated celebration of Papa’s birthday.

Steven and Chase – focused intently on the Vikings/Colts game. I think Steven would want me to document that it was the largest comeback in NFL history.

Amaya, Sammy and Daddy cuddling back at home.

And out for dinner in Ann Arbor.

In the evening, we had our Goldstein cousins Hanukkah. Everyone was there – Glori & family, Heidi and family, Spencer and family and Alex & Chadwick.

Glori got the women these awesome Hanukkah sweatshirts.

The kids all played together really well.

All the kids! Only Sammy and Amaya were missing.

The grownups!

And all of us <3

Steven and I made it home in time to rest (we both napped for a while) and celebrate the first night of Hanukkah.

That’s it for us! For those celebrating Hanukkah, have a wonderful holiday week!

I didn’t get to a blog last week. I was close, but it didn’t happen, so this is a double-up catch-up.

We’re getting ready for Hanukkah here. The house is decorated and we have supplies to send Hanukkah treats for the kids in SSA’s classes. Steven was counting dreidels to see how many more we need.

Amaya is writing a story about Hanukkah and is adamant we use the C in front – which is as valid as just an H but she’s been told otherwise and is making a point.

When the US had World Cup day game, Thornton Creek celebrated so the kids made signs of support that they taped to their body.

We had parent teacher conferences on 11/28 and the teachers made it optional for kids to attend, too, which Steven and Amaya did. Amaya and Jason did a little basketball skills work while we waited for Amaya’s conference.

Conference coincide with the school book fair and all three Cline kids used some of their money on posters: baby animals, star wars and minecraft.

Because of conferences, there were half days on Thursday and Friday. On Friday afternoon, Sophia took Steven, Sammy and Amaya go glow-in-the-dark mini golf, to the TC playground and out for dinner at Applebee’s.

Last week, Steven missed three days of school – Wed, Thurs, and Fri – due to a cold and fever. It sounds like illness is rampant at Thornton Creek (and most schools) this year. It was so bad at TC last week that one kindergarten class only had give kids in attendance on Friday. Fortunately, no one else caught it.

Steven felt poorly enough on Wednesday and Thursday that he didn’t watch any TV. He tried to read a little but mostly sat on the couch in the quiet. By Friday he was feeling much better.

Nico is a classmate who lives on our block and the boys are starting to play with him after years of not really being friends.

Sick Bobes. 🙁

Amaya got new cozy PJs and a new winter hat. She’s holding her favorite stuffy – Izzy – which she got with Jason at the mall when we were in NY for the funeral/shiva in August.

Amaya, looking through her Disney photo album. She still sends videos and texts to Nana on messenger kids.

Friday night Sleep with Parent Night started for Sammy and Jason with a game of chess.

We had a wonderful Saturday visit with Grandma Sunshine and Aunt Annette to celebrate Hanukkah together. Lots of gifts and games and love.

Amaya worked very hard on special gifts for Aunt Annette and Grandma – homemade crafts and a book with poems about each of them.

Aunt Annette and Sammy working on his crystal growing kit.

Grandma Sunshine and Steven setting up his underwater volcano.

It was a lazy Sunday. Hebrew school in the morning and then Jason took Amaya and Steven to get frames because Uncle Dave printed a photo for Amaya and she needed a nice frame for it. The picture in the frame feels like yesterday. It was early August 2021 – Jason was away at the national ball card collector’s show and Nana was visiting us in Michigan for the first time since covid.

That’s it for us! Have a good week.

On Tuesday night, the kids and made our way to New York for Thanksgiving. <3

As always, descending on a night flight is an instant lullaby for Sammy.

We slept at Nana and Papa’s house on Tuesday night. It was – not easy, but I’m glad we did it so now we know we can.

On Wednesday am, Amaya and I went grocery shopping for the last of what we needed for Thanksgiving dinner. (Except for what I couldn’t find or forgot to buy lol.) Amaya joined me because she wanted to get gummy candy for Charlie.

Amaya and I picked Chase up as his house bc he only had a half day or school and went to visit Savta and Auntie for lunch. The kids have such a good time looking at all of stuff Savta has. Sooooooo much stuff to see and play with.

Amaya, in Savta’s fuzzy vest.

Dod Shuki came, too!

A decent part of the visit for the kids was spent in Chase’s room playing minecraft together. So. Much. Minecraft.

On Thursday we had an amazing adventure – one that was a first for all of us! We got up early and went into Manhattan to watch the Thanksgiving Parade live. Growing up, our Saba Bob (Nana’s father) worked on the parade so it was tradition to watch and we didn’t have Thanksgiving dinner until he got home. It makes the parade extra special to us and it was a great way to make Thanksgiving Day less about what was missing and, instead, about something fun and new.

On 59th street, before the parade started. We watched the parade on 59th and 6th, facing down 59th street where the parade turns onto 6th. The view was spectacular. And the weather was gorgeous!

Greg, from Diary of a Wimpy Kid – a current Cline kid favorite book series.

Sisters!

The kids loved getting showered with confetti by parade participants.

Look at this view the kids had!

Beautiful weather, even though Sammy looks like he’s ready to climb Everest.

Happy post-parade Steven.

Thursday afternoon, the Goldbergs had dinner plans with Dave’s family so the kids and I had dinner with Gene.

A bedtime visit from a Thanksgiving turkey

On Friday we had a bigger Thanksgiving dinner and, as always, Sammy prepped the turkey and did a super job.

We had turkey, vegetables, Nana’s corn pudding, roasted potatoes and stuffing.

Saturday was our last full day which started with another visit to Savta’s house. This time Charlie was able to join us.

We ended the visit with dinner out with Gene. Steven insisted on a seat where he could see the Michigan State football game. 🙂

We’re home now and it’s been a lazy day. Tonight, I’m going to the movies (Devotion) and Jason is taking the kids out for dinner because our fridge is broken.

Hope you all had a great thanksgiving! It was a harder one for us, but we made it through and made great memories.

*Blog title from Amaya

Everyone was sick this week. Everyone had sick days at home. Steven was home Monday and Wednesday. Sammy was home Thursday. Amaya was home Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Everyone is healthier now but it was a weird week in the house. Lots of coughing and headaches – but no covid.

Resting Bobes reading a Stick Dog book

Even though he didn’t feel well, I think Steven spoke to Sophia for 4 or 5 hours straight. I could hear him upstairs while I was working. Sophia sent me this picture of Steven reading off the digits of pi.

Doing art together

Amaya had fun doing math problems. The Cline kids love math. 🙂

Monday night was the last of session of my 8 week grief workshop. It was a positive experience. I definitely feel less fragile and more able to understand & talk about my grief. My small group is staying in touch, too.

This last day, there was a slide show of all of our loved ones who are gone and we made leaves for a tree.

One of the kids’ Kiwi Co kits is spin art and all three kids used it all week long. It even contains the mess.

On Thursday, when Sammy and Amaya were home together, Uncle Sammy took all of Amaya’s babies to the doctor for their flu shots. These two play really nicely together. I love to see it.

The boys were well by Friday which was great because it was in time for their first friend sleepover. Their friend Ben slept over and it worked out particularly well because they had a half day of school so Ben was able to come over at 2pm and stay until 10am on Saturday. They played (a lot of) minecraft, ate pizza, took sleds out in the yard and watched a Star Wars movie. The boys all had a great time.

Amaya and Sophia made cupcakes for everyone.

We had a lazy Saturday. I went to a 2.5 hr workshop of “Greif and Special Days” and that’s about it for the Clines. Amaya and Steven each also fell asleep on Jason during the day. A very rare event.

We celebrated Chelsey’s 5th birthday. Amaya set up stations that we rotated around. It was very well planned.

The lincoln log station.

They could use typing classes, but the kids have started writing stories and poems on their chromebooks. I love it.

That’s it for this week! On Tuesday we’re off to NY for Thanksgiving.

Have a great week!

*Blog title from Steven

It’s still so difficult to write the blog. I think, maybe, it’s the connection to everything that’s happening – the way life is moving on, and my mom isn’t here to experience it. She loved Steven, Sammy and Amaya so much and it hurts that I can’t share their lives with her. So, for anyone else who reads this, please bear with me. For now, but not forever, there’s no separating my grief from the blog.

I need to back up because I was away last week and missed out on actual Halloween. The weather ended up being our friend. Rain stopped and the weather was warm for October 31st in Michigan. As we’ve done for the past few years, we took our kids to the downtown Northville neighborhoods that go all out for Halloween. Thousands of people, over the top themed houses – Halloween perfection.

Amaya crutched her way through the streets for an hour like a champ and did, in fact, get some extra candy out of it. So many people said, “What a trooper.” 🙂

So many families

On Tuesday morning, early, I flew down to Key Largo for an amazing 6 days/five nights of self care. What I said on Facebook which sums it up: I’m on a self care journey and that included a solo vacation. Last week I spent 5 nights in Key Largo in a perfect secluded spot where I sat and sat and sat and sometimes jet skied. I didn’t look at work emails even once. And, then, after I had days of talking to no one but the beach bartender, the room service guy and the jet ski guy, my wonderful friend Hannah joined me for the weekend – and was so understanding about my need for time to myself. The trip was an amazing and needed reset. My mom would love that I did this for myself.

Here are some photos of the view from my room, the pool, the beach…

I spent hours and hours and hours with this view from under a tiki umbrella

Hannah got this shot of me coming back from a jet ski ride

Hannah <3

The kids lives continued on while I was away…

On Friday, 11/4, the kids went to an event at the New Hope Grief Center – the same place that runs my grief workshop. It was for elementary age kids who’ve experienced a launch. They were all interested in checking it out. A highlight was meeting the Northville mayor.

Photos from dinner out with Jason on Sunday night

There was no school on Tuesday because of election day so, while the boys had a friend over, Amaya and Sophia had quality time.

In the afternoon they went to another event sponsored by the New Hope Grief Center – this one at Stemville.

It was such a nice day that, afterwards, they went to a playground. (The nice weather is g-o-n-e.)

Amaya had a terrible cough this week and stayed home from school on Wednesday and Thursday which meant she got even more cuddle time with Sophia.

Steven hasn’t had a haircut in ages and it was long overdue so I took him to Marni, my curly haircut lady. She loved Steven’s curls and listened to what he wanted which was mostly to cut his bangs so he can see and trim the rest.

On Thursday, Steven made it over the 2nd wall at Ninja. First Cline kid to do it!

Our weekend fun was a visit from Ames! She arrived on Thursday night and stayed until Sunday morning. During her visit she made fast friends with SSA (it’s been a while since Ames has seen them), we saw a live show of a podcast Ames loves in Detroit, I got a consult for a new tattoo and we went out to eat with the kids.

Amaya made tea for Ames in the morning

Ames played at least 4 million games of air hockey, including some with three pucks

Steven cuddles with Daddy

Out for dinner with Ames. We all agree Amaya looks like Charlie here.

Finally, a sleeping sick Steven.

And, look! I did it! Have a great week.

I just couldn’t do a blog last week. It was too much. But I’m back at it this week and trying out moving the blog to Saturdays instead of Sundays, to separate the blog from Sunday nights when my mom and I used to look through it together.

The kids had a great week with lots of Halloween energy.

Monday was crazy hair day at school. The day before, Amaya and I rode our bikes to CVS to get spray in hair color to help with the wacky. I think it worked. 🙂

Amaya’s friend Peyton is in her gymnastics class.

On Tuesday, I picked the kids up at school and took them to a Harvest Festival at my office. It was so nice to see everyone’s kids again! It’s been since before covid. There was a petting zoo, cider and donuts, crafts and games.

Amaya has always loved my colleague Sean from the times she visited my office. (He used to be my boss.) During covid, she would chat with him on Teams sometimes. On Tuesday morning Amaya came downstairs with a halloween gift she prepped for Sean. She was so cute when she gave it to him.

Sean, asking Amaya about her foot “injury”.

The petting zoo! It was a huge hit with children and adults. That goat Sammy is petting was so cute.

Turkey Craft 🙂

❤️❤️❤️

On Wacky Wednesday, Amaya was wacky by only wearing one choker, and it was clear one. She’s so funny. She kept saying, “my neck looks so long!”

Wacky Bobes

Amaya had a playdate with her friend Dylan on Wednesday and it turns out the reason they wanted a playdate was so I could dye their hair. Dylan’s mom was fine with it so it’s blue ends for both girls. (I was much more nervous dying some else’s kid’s hair.)

Blue hair!

Perhaps to torture her dad, Amaya wore yellow and blue on U of M vs. MSU day at school.

Look at this fall day! Some after dinner baseball on Friday.

Friday night was trunk or treat at Thornton Creek. There were probably 30+ cars in the parking lot as well as two food trucks. Before we left, while the kids were getting ready, Sammy was in his grim reaper costume and told him he can’t go in her room because he’ll scare her babies. Sammy took off his mask and said, “Don’t worry guys. It’s just me.” The sweetness.

The kids ran around from car to car with their friends and had a blast! Just one more thing we’re back to now that we’re past covid. Hallelujah!

Lots of attention for her “injury”.

Here are their “official” halloween pics.

Steven is sushi.

Sammy is the grim reaper.

Amaya is a girl on crutches in a ladybug costume. It is very important that you don’t confuse this with a ladybug on crutches. And, wow, does she commit. Amaya doesn’t put her “injured” foot down even once while she’s in costume. [To clarify, the crutches are part of the costume. Our girl is uninjured.]

The gang!

Like we’ve done for years on the Saturday before halloween, we had breakfast at The Early Bird and then walked Street of Treats in downtown Northville. I love this tradition.

Sooooooo much attention for her injury – even some extra candy.

That’s it for this week! We’ll see how the Saturday routine goes. Have a great week!

It’s late to get started but I’m going to power through and get out a blog tonight. We had some special visitors and I don’t want to miss it.

Steven has been asking to take a picture where my hair is on top of his hair and we finally remembered! He thinks it’s very silly. 🙂

On Tuesday night, while I slept tucked in my bed, Jason and the kids had a Yankees/Guardian’s ALDS first game sleepover in the living room. They were all very cute and I loved memories like that as a kid (but love my bed as an adult).

Amaya has a friend at school who does her hair like this! I need to learn how. I’m getting shown up by an 8 year old.

Wednesday was “Walk or Bike to School Day” so Sophia came early and we made it work with Sophia escorting the boys on a walk while Amaya and I rode our bikes. It was cool and rainy but totally worth it.

For a long time Sammy said he doesn’t like to read but it’s really about finding books he likes. Makes sense! Sammy powered through the Avatar the Last Airbender graphic novels and now he’s made his way through most of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.

The kids all have spelling word bingo as homework this week and had to complete 5 activities from the bingo chart. For this one, Sophia had them write their words in shaving cream.

Look at that hat! And it’s not Steven’s, it’s Uncle Austin’s! Papa and Uncle Austin came to visit for the weekend! They arrived on Friday afternoon and stayed until late morning today. It was so amazing to have them here.

Uncle Austin got the kids into a game called Paper Airplanes and the kids were excited to play it with him.

Steven had an 8pm baseball game and Uncle Austin and Amaya were super troopers and joined Jason and Steven at the game. Steven’s team lost but Steven got 2 hits at the game and everyone survived the cold weather.

On Saturday, we had a lazy morning and then lunch at Deadwood Bar & Grill before went to Maybury Farm for the corn maze. Last year, this weekend, Nana was visiting and went with us so it was nice to have Papa and Uncle Austin there – for the 2nd time, actually! They joined us a few years ago, too.

This year’s maze map.

We survived!

With Papa <3 (I just thought to myself, “Mom will love this picture.” This is still so hard to process.)

The kids each took a pumpkin home with them.

It was a day at home after Uncle Austin and Papa left. I got work done, Jason organized the kids’ clothes and the kids played monopoly.

Quick blog this week but it was so special to have Uncle Austin and Papa here for the first time since right before covid.

Have a great week!

It was a nice week. We had some warm early-October days and the kids took advantage of the opportunity to be outside. Leave are starting to change color and I’m not ready, but fall is there regardless of my interest in cooler weather. 😉

Sophia takes Amaya to gymnastics and they had extra time on Monday so they were treated to pre-gymnastics hot chocolate.

School pictures are in! We give them full freedom over what they wear so it’s a fun way to see the kids’ self expression.

After school play time

Wednesday evening, I took the kids out to applebees for a pre-Yom Kippur dinner. The boys had fun looking at old school pictures. Steven was unsure, more often than you’d think, about which by was which.

Jason came to surprise us on his way home from work!

As a family, we lit our yarzheit candles for the holiday and said kaddish. It was pretty rough lighting two candles but with the balance of the Cline 5, I got through it.

Amaya brought her Nana dog.

The kids and I went to the family service for Yom Kippur on Wednesday and then Steven, Jason and I went to the Yizkor service together. <3

On Thursday night, Amaya and I headed to NY for a girls weekend – a real one because Dave and Chase were away for a soccer tournament.

On Friday morning, while I worked, Papa took Amaya out for breakfast. Then, Savta and Auntie came and took Amaya out for lunch and some shopping at the mall.

The highlight for Amaya, of course, is always Charlie. 🙂

Sophia stayed with Sammy on Friday night bc Steven had an 8pm baseball game. This kid loves watching shows in daddy’s big chair.

On Saturday, the Cline Mans spent the day (and them some) filling a dumpster with tons (literally) of junk we’re ready to get rid of.

Saturday we went to Papa and Nana’s house for lunch and then Savta and Auntie came over.

I realize that I don’t have any photos of Aunt Sara!

Girls in face masks, doing YMCA. They were hysterical.

On Sunday, in preparation for our return. Steven and Sammy had a baking contest. Using Amaya’s scoring system, Sammy won with 25 pts to Steven’s 18.

Amaya has a dream of flying as an unaccompanied minor. We haven’t gotten to that point yet but we did agree that she should fly in a seat away from me on the airplane. I was in seat 10A and Amaya was in 28A. A whole airplane apart and she did great! One of the flight attendants offered to take her to her seat and escort her off the plane which was very nice.

Amaya loved it and will probably never sit with me again lol.

Five Guys pit stop to pick up dinner for the whole crew.

That’s it for us this week. Have a good one!

Monday we welcomed in the Jewish New Year. I can’t get over how many people are at the family service at Temple Israel. They have two adult services, one family service and one children’s service. It’s such a thriving community! Being there was emotional. Last year, Nana joined the live stream from NY so she could be there with us and there are so many parts of Jewish life that will always make me think of her. But we did it!

My boys really have no nice clothing. In fact, the day my mom died, my cousin Mike took me to target to get something they could wear to the funeral bc we had nothing at home.

Afternoon cuddles with Daddy

Sophia helped the kids go through fall clothes and to the seasonal change-out. That’s always an opportunity for Amaya to find surprises from Charlie, like these shoes.

Did I mention that I joined an 8-week grief workshop? It’s good self care and, as a result, Sophia takes Amaya to gymnastics each week. We’re really lucky to have the help!

Tuesday was picture day and, as always, the kids can wear whatever they want. Sammy chose his one collared shirt which I love. He also did his hair with gel before school.

After school art started again! This year they’re in the grade 3- 5 program, though most of the kids are in 3rd. The first week was Van Gogh inspired art. In order, it’s Steven, Sammy and Amaya. I love when I get to see how they interpret the same project differently.

This is baby Sammy in Amaya’s backpack straps. She uses it as a carrier. Sammy calls our Sammy “Uncle Sammy” and Steven is “Uncle Meanie.” Apparently all the kids were voting on which dessert to make and Steven said that Baby Sammy can’t have a vote bc he’s not real so our Sammy gave Baby Sammy his vote. 🙂

The kids are getting stronger and stronger at Ninja.

Amaya has been writing a fiction story every night. She’s so committed. She gets ready for bed quickly and then asks if she can write in bed. I love it.

Fall ball! Steven was catcher again. He hit the ball twice but, both times, was out at first. Jason said he’s been doing a great job fielding.

Amaya had a fun Saturday. She had a birthday party at Pump It Up (bounce house place) and we picked up two friends on the way. It’s really nice to be in the age of carpooling. After the part, she and her friend Claire convinced us that Amaya should stay at Claire’s for a while so she got a play date out of it, too.

The kids and I ate dinner outside while the Sparty game was on. I’m clinging to the last nice days!

Steven’s hair is getting so long. I convinced him to let me pull it back and I think he looks so cute. Steven said that, one day at school, he pulled his hair off his face and his teacher, Mr. Connelly, said, “Oh look! Steven has eyes!”

Last night the kids slept in forts and Sammy took these pictures especially for the blog.

He also got a haircut! Handsome dude.

Finally, this isn’t about the Cline kids exactly, but Chase has had a stopwatch running on an iPad for a while. Steven asked me to find out how long it’s been and the answer was over 23,000 hours!

That’s it for this week. Have a good one!

*Amaya named this blog update after the meal she wants to eat.

The kids have been sleeping with us a bit more frequently than they had been, which we can chock up to any number of things – but there’s more fear at bedtime than there had been for a while. We’re working on a reset but, honestly, kid snuggles at night aren’t something we take for granted.

Amaya’s with her Nana dog and a pillow of Nana & the kids that I got for my mom back when she had back surgery in 2015 or 2016.

(The Nana dog is vestige of our Disney trip. While we were there, Nana saw these cute stuffed animals of the dog, Nana, from Peter Pan. She got one for each of her 5 grandkids as a reminder that Nana will always be with them. Nana was able to personally give them to Chase and Charlie but I had to deliver them, on her behalf, to Steven, Sammy and Amaya.)

Also, on the topic of Nana, which is my main topic of interest these days, below is a text I got from Sophia. These are some smart girls and we made the best memories.

It was a week with sick boys! Sammy came home early from school on Monday and, by Tuesday, had a fever. Into Tuesday night, Steven was up with a really bad ear ache. Honestly, I think it was the most uncomfortable I’ve seen him, poor kid. So he also stayed home from school on Tuesday. Sophia got the boys to urgent care and both were prescribed antibiotics for ear infections. By Thursday they were back at school but it’s been a cold-filled start to this school year.

Sammy, sleeping on in the car while Amaya was at gymnastics

Sweet, sick Bubba

Sick Bobes. Ear aches are the pits

Amaya got a new school backpack and made no fuss when she went off to school on her own two says in a row

Such pretty mornings in the Land of Cheltenham

An urgent care visit – still have to wait in the car for your turn

The kids love reading in bed before they go to sleep at night

Amaya is getting in some bike rides before the weather turns

I can still pick up my Steven and hold him for hugs. Probably not for much longer.

Steven’s team won their game 9-0 on Friday night! The Yumbas won! Steven had a chance to play catcher.

On Saturday afternoon, Sammy had his friend Owen’s birthday party. (Steven just saw this and said, “I’m so jealous. Bowling is my favorite thing.”)

While Sammy was at the party, Steven had a play date with his friend Brady. (Amaya wants you all to know that she was bored.)

Steven, waiting for Brady to arrive.

Later in the day, all the kids and Brady playing video games.

Amaya wrote a constitution for her bedroom: We the sleepers will not fight, be respectful of all living things, and no fighting.

It’s Erev Rosh Hashanah tonight. Amaya and I made Nana’s Honey Cake and I’m excited to try it (if everyone eats the dinner and gets their act together in time which is looking doubtful so it may be tomorrow).

Amaya did an excellent job peeling and grating.

Tomorrow we’ll got to family services at Temple Israel and ring in a new year. L’Shana Tova to anyone celebrating with us.