PARTY TIME 

A few funny photos to share from the weekend.

It was the party of a lifetime, in my kids’ eyes.

An hour to run wild with a dozen other little kids in a huge room filled with bouncy houses, impossibly high slides, and inflated obstacle courses - topped off with pizza, pop, cake, and a goody bag.

Todd’s little girl, Kennedy, turned 4 in grand style over the weekend, and the Shepherd kids were there to help celebrate. 

I‘ll let Todd explain why he was wearing the Hello Kitty party hat.  Real men can carry off pink just fine, don’t you think?

The evening was hilarious and exhausting - and most importantly, memorable for a smart and funny little girl, surrounded by friends.

GRANDPARENT GIFTS

      My in-laws from Georgia have just left after a 3-day visit spoiling our kids “within an inch of their life.”  And actually, they’re good at spoiling Ian and I too. (If you’re a regular blog-reader and confused - I have TWO sets of in-laws due to divorce and re-marriage  - my father-in-law and his wife in Ontario, my mother-in-law and her husband in Georgia. )

      We always appreciate their generous gifts and Paul’s amazing cooking when they visit. He and Ian like to become gourmet chefs for a couple of days, and it’s better than eating at a 5 star restaurant.

   Even more amazing though is their gift of time and patience with the kids.  Ian’s mom, Susan, spent hours and hours making play-doh pancakes with Clara,  bouncing a rubber ball back and forth with Calvin, and playing a game they invented called “hunting for bad guys.”  She and Paul created a play kitchen out of moving boxes that’s a feat of engineering - doors that actually open, shelves inside, and a double oven.

 They say they have this kind of patience because as retirees they finally have the time for the repetition kids crave.  While I get impatient after round 12, they’re good to go after round 112.

I really hope I have that stamina as a grandparent some day.

Have a good one -

Trisha

Hi everyone!

Ever have one of those days?  I’m not sure what’s in the air, but I feel…. off.  Today I nearly toppled over live on the air while trying to turn to a big TV screen to introduce a reporter. (My husband often calls me Patricia Grace, even though that’s not my middle name.) Kevin dropped his clicker rather conspicuously during his forecast.  Todd suffered through a teleprompter blackout.  I guess it’s going around. Any of you feeling it too? Anyway, after the horrific gravity of this week’s news, I thought maybe some of you would appreciate hearing some of the lighter moments behind the scenes. I certainly need to give my mind an occasional break from the terrible turn of events in our city.

KID DATES

  Lately I’ve been trying to take my kids on individual “dates” with me so we can get some one-on-one hang-out time.

   Here’s Clara at a great little coffee shop with me this morning! (Eagle Creek Coffee Company - they’re in Lawrence and Zionsville - WONDERFUL!) Out of the blue she busted out the Cabbage-Patch-esque smile of her Strawberry Shortcake doll, telling me “that’s how my shortcake dolly smiles.”  I told Clara she’d look great with pink hair. People can never believe how much this child talks and IMAGINES for a 2-year-old.

 And here’s Calvin and me the other day on a date up at the counter at Steak-N-Shake.  (Forgive the photo - the busy waitress was nice enough to snap a shot and I don’t think she had a lot of luck figuring out the cameraphone!) We really just went in for shakes, but Cal talked me into getting him a burger and fries too.  After watching the cook in action, he decided in addition to being U.S. President some day, he’d like to fry burgers at Steak N Shake. 

At least he will have options.

TNT FITNESS CHALLENGE 

  Yesterday I got on a roll and challenged Todd in a fitness bet. We’ve both been grumbling about how we need to get in better shape (and if you have noticed, no comments please)  I decided for motivation we should make this deal: Each of us MUST work out - any exercise of our choice - at least 20 minutes 3 times a week.  If one of us fails, we have to buy the other a coffee. (and you’d better bet if I ever win, I’m going for the tallest, fanciest coffee I can find, with extra whipped cream!) 

     Knowing how competetive Mr. Wallace is, I have no doubt we’ll give each other a run for our money.  We start Monday. I’ve re-joined Curves, and have gotten started.  Wish us luck!

     Hope you are all ready to endure another cold snap - I’m planning to spend some time in front of a roaring fireplace pretending I love the winter.

Take care and thanks for reading!

Trisha

I told a crowd during a speech at my mother’s memorial on Friday, December 28, that I am a very wealthy man because of my inheritance. I meant it then, and I meant it now. It is the ultimate compliment to my late mother. While I wasn’t referring to wealth in a material sense, I told the crowd that my mother deposited much more important things into my “account”: courage, character, faith and love. She’s given me everything I need to be successful in this life. Yes, I am a very wealthy man.

My mother had been in a desperate battle for her life since April, after being diagnosed with lung cancer. My family and I tried everything to save her. Everything. In December, she took a drastic turn for the worse. This is why I’ve been absent from so many newscasts lately. My family comes only second to my relationship with God and I’ll do anything to be there for them.

Needless to say, this is a very difficult time for my family and me. Obviously I miss my mom. I would hope everyone would. My mom truly loved to live. She never grew old. She traveled the world after a 40-year teaching career. She was an advocate and always taught me to do what is right, not what is popular. She has class, style and always let me know no matter how old I got, she was still my mother.
Still, there are many things to be thankful for. At the end of my last conversation with her, I told her “Mom, I’m proud of you. And I love you.” She simply said “I know you do, son.” And just hours before she died, I told her that she had done an extraordinary job raising my brother and me and that it was okay for her to go. Less than 12 hours later, she did.

Hilda Diana Barrett died the way she lived: with grace, courage and dignity.

I’ll always miss you, mom. And I am honored to be your son.

No - I’m not considering making the leap from journalism to politics.

Neither is my husband - Ian’s much too content making and teaching music for a living, and loudly criticizing politicians from the couch.

It’s our 5-year-old who tonight, declared his intention to run the country someday.

“I would like to be President when I’m a grown up.”

     I had this vision of Calvin in the oval office:  wearing the same stained shirt that he’s worn 4 days in a row because it makes him look cool, sucking on his sixth green popsicle, strumming his mini-electric guitar with the tiny amp clipped onto his pants, all the while contemplating what to do about Iran, or Al Qaeda, or poverty, or a potential recession.

     President Shepherd would stare into space with those big blue eyes and mull it over for a while - then tear outside to clear his head with a good fast ride down Pennsylvania Avenue on his Hot Wheel. 

   I hope he’d still ask his mom to read him a story and tuck him in at night.

         Anyway, it did hit me tonight that Calvin, and the kids in his generation, don’t find it the least bit amazing that two of the biggest presidential contenders this election cycle are an African-American, and a woman.  Many kids today are growing up never questioning the fact that women and people of color are in positions of power all over society. 

    Someday I know I’ll explain to our kids the history of the struggles that have been overcome.  But for now, I’m just going to marvel at the innocent color and gender-blindness of my kids’ generation.

Thanks for reading - hope to hear from you.

Trisha

How exciting is this - I FINALLY figured out how to add photos to the blog.  I’ll start with a little post-holiday personal report:

   Here’s my kids, Calvin and Clara, cheesing for the camera on Christmas Eve. (note the clip-on tie all off-kilter)  Cal wore these clothes for four days straight, because he wanted to look good for Christmas, along with aftershave lotion that he thinks makes him “smell like a man.”

     He had it back on today - vest and all.

   And this was one of the highlights of our Christmas trip - watching my husband Ian play at the House of Blues in Chicago with his rock band, the Nadas.  (www.thenadas.com) It’s the coolest live music club I’ve ever been in, hands down.  The band sounded great too!  They’ve really become like family to us - and we’re hoping they’ll eventually book some gigs here in Indy!  (Credit to Nadas band photographer Mandy Miller for these great shots - I know you read my blogs - you are amazing, girl! Miss you!)

    I have to say it’s really fun to see your spouse in the spotlight. Ian’s talent is sickening.

 One of my New Year’s resolutions is to be a better blogger.  Being technologically challenged, this isn’t easy for me. Last night I wrote all about the Iowa Caucuses, and somehow deleted my entry.  But now that I’ve conquered the photo challenge, things are looking up!

Hope you’re all having a nice start go ‘08. I’m looking forward to having my partner in crime back next week so the T & T team can be reunited!

  Please write in and say hi - I’d love to know what’s on your mind!

 Here’s one late addition:  One of Cal’s favorite Christmas presents was a bunch of what he calls “underwear shirts” (I’m trying to convince Ian not to teach him the term “wife-beaters” for obvious reasons.)  Yesterday my tough guy showed off his new look - including a temporary tattoo from a gumball machine.

Trisha