Hello everyone! Mamas and papas of multiples, how often do you manage to sneak some one-one-one time with your kids? Us? Rarely. I might have a walk or a chat with one kid. But I rarely have a day or two set aside for spending quality time.

This past weekend I went back to my small liberal arts college in New England with Marc and Hedley, my oldest. With one of my favorite professors retiring, we took advantage of the event to craft a mini-getaway with just the three of us. We had a blast. We have so much fun spending time with family with all of us together, but setting aside individual time is a great idea if you’re thinking of how to make your child feel special.

Hedley is a 6th grader. He loves sports, school and his friends. But his schedule is way too intense. We’re trying to take things down a notch and give him more down time. A two day escape in a small New England town, away from the noise of the city, did him good.

Here we are at one of my favorite restaurants. They’re famous for their deserts. Hedley loved it.



Marc usually stands behind – not in front of the camera — so I resorted to a group selfie to make sure we got him in there!

We enjoyed two fun lunches at my old hangout, The Black Sheep. The highlight? An enormous brownie-cookie.

We walked the campus, the three of us holding hands. Knowing this soon will pass, I tried to cherish the moments. Unbelievable to me was how huge Hedley’s growing hand felt in mind. Here’s Hedley in front of a sculpture of poet Robert Frost, which was in fact covered with frost. You know the line “the road not taken”? That’s from a Frost poem. We discussed how important it is in life to follow your own path and not pay to much attention to what others say.

What do you do to spend quality time with your kids? Let me know in the comments!

As our final event, I caught up with my French thesis advisor Jay Caplan, retiring after 30 years. His wife Marie-Helene Huet also was one of my most beloved teachers. Many years had past but it didn’t seem that way. As I reflected back on my life, I realized that through a long chain of events, I wouldn’t have met Marc had I not had these two wonderful teachers.

Do you manage to stay in touch with folks from your past, and to weave them into your present? If not, try to! Send an email, make a quick call, put them on your x-mas list. You’ll feel more connected to what you loved in your past, and this will enrich your present.

Don’t forget to enter our weekly giveaway and thanks so much for reading.

Love, Melissa

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