The best of two worlds.

This time Friday night, Greg and I were sitting at Del Posto in NYC, surrounded by good friends, enjoying a delicious 7 course tasting menu. Then we went out for after dinner drinks, and eventually made our way to our hotel on Lexington.  We checked in to our room and I collapsed into bed, where I stayed- despite the fact that my pillow was too fluffy- until 10 am.

This time last night, I was sitting in Radio City Music Hall watching the Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Ring.  Yes, it is an old movie:  the attraction was that the score was being played live by a very large number of musicians and singers.  Wow, what an experience.  We've already made a date with our friends Chad and Shilpa to attend next year for The Two Towers, and hopefully the year after that for The Return of The King. To top it all off, do you know who was sitting just a few rows in front of us?  You'll never guess so I'll just tell you.  Stephen Colbert. (That was my first official celebrity sighting ever.)(My second official celebrity sighting ever came this morning.  Greg and I were in a coffee shop on Park Ave. and the Rev. Al Sharpton walked in to get a cup to go.) (Meh, I was more excited by Stephen Colbert).

Tonight I am sitting at home having just finished cleaning the dinner dishes.  Cosette is sitting on the chair behind me, having not left me for an instant since we returned home; while Juliette is playing Lego Starwars on the XBox with Greg, having just come running in to show me how wiggly her wiggly tooth is.  Whereas before I had to take her word for it, now it is definitely, certifiably, loose.  We celebrated for a few minutes about that.

Yesterday Greg and I were shopping on fifth avenue. He bought a new shirt and cuff links.  I got a pair of boots.

Today, Greg went to TJ Maxx, where he bought a dress shirt, a tshirt, two cashmere blend sweaters and some boxer shorts, all for less then half of what his Fifth Ave. shirt cost. Tomorrow I have to go shoe shopping- for Juliette. We will buy sneakers for considerably less then what my boots cost.

Today, I stayed home with the girls and watched Monsters Vs. Aliens.  We had to rewind their favorite part no less then ten times- the part when the president screams like a girl.  The president is voiced by... Stephen Colbert.

When I am away, here seems so distant.  And yet... my girls anchor me; I can feel them connected to me even from a distance.  It is good for Greg and I to take the time away, in what has a become an annual anniversary getaway.  As much as I cherish the time with him, for us, and I look forward to sleeping late and answering to no one, I am always so happy to come home. Tomorrow I'll wake early with the girls and enjoy a hot cup of coffee, snuggling with them in the cold morning air. Tomorrow I'll spend the day entertaining them, and because it makes them happy it will make me happy too. Tomorrow I'll walk by the boots without a second glance- because the girls won't give me a second to glance at anything.  And I'm so blessed for that, and for them.