http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:19:24 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Dear IF readers As the towns fell away during our drive up Route 3 on our annual trip north to Mount Desert Island, Maine, we began to see signs heralding Maine's summer bounty -- WILD BLUEBERRIES! Picking wild blueberries all around the island has been one of my family's ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/22/grandma-ellen-blogs-summer-trip-august-22/ Dear IF readers, This road trip of family and friends and extended family has been almost an entire 4 seasons of family life - we have been waiting for little Ryder to be born and although late, he arrived 4 days ago. We saw him on his second day into ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/16/on-the-way-home-road-trip-extended-family-day-8/ Dear If readers, The last couple days have been very hectic but filled with reunions of dear friends in New York City.  We attended 2 music cruises aboard the Circle Line that my husband still owns a partnership in "Rockin the River" on the Hudson here in New York City, Pier ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/14/extended-family-road-trip-day-7-new-york-pa/ Dear IF readers, And the journey continues. So much great stuff going on with the boys. Jax is processing that he lived here, went to school here, and has very good friends here. And that we still own a home here. But someone else lives in our ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/12/extended-family-road-trip-day-6-nyc/ Dear IF readers, We drove into NYC last night and Jax and Brody are very happy and excited to be in their second home again. We passed all their old stomping grounds as we drove crosstown on 42nd Street. "Oh there is my water school", said Jax. "There ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/11/extended-family-road-trip-day-5-nyc/ Dear IF readers, As we have settled into our New England weekend with my family, the reunions and get-togethers have been enlivening, inspiring, humbling, challenging and exhausting. Yesterday we were all over at my sister Pammy's house for a barbecue, wiffle ball, and our homemade version of a rock concert. ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/10/extended-family-road-trip-day-4/ Dear IF readers, Well, yesterday was not the same bliss as day one on the road. Why? We mostly drove through 5 cities and city traffic. Yuck! Terrible, awful, yuck again! But we made it! And I have to say yet again, the boys were amazing. I was a grouch during ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/09/extended-family-road-trip-day-3/ By Kent Converse We have a native fruit in Kansas called “Sand Hill Plum.” It grows best on sandy hills, so that is where it got its name. The fruit is about the size of a quarter. The Sand Hill Plum bush can be two to eight feet ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/08/picking-sand-hill-plums/ Dear Ellen, I loved your article in the Magazine this month and agree completely. Peru is like Europe. When we lived in Miami, making new friends was hard unless they were from work, and almost always the socializing was outside the home. I remember once, when we still ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/08/reader-from-peru-responds-to-grandma-ellens-august-story/ Dear IF readers, Wow, what a first day. Jax, Brody and I drove from Hilton Head, South Carolina to Fredericksburg, Va. yesterday. Papa flew ahead for meetings in New York. The boys were super, truly. Do you ever have one of those blessed days where even if your ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/08/extended-family-road-trip-day-2/ Dear IF readers, Brody and I are at the car wash getting the car scrubbed for our 14 hour road trip that commences at 1 p.m. today when we pick Jax up from camp.  10 days on the road visiting friends and family during the end of our summer vacation.  Fantastic ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/07/extended-family-summer-road-trip-part-i-cat-wayland/ Every month I get to contribute to this magazine and it continues to be the most incredible gift to me.  I get to rant and rave, I get to opine, and I get to write about the amazing people I have met along my journey as a single mom, an ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/06/cheryl-paley-new-global-family-come-and-join-me/ Dear IF readers, I have a sister who's a Sister. A nun. People always act funny when I mention it. Anyway, she came to stay with us for a few days this summer. My girls love her. We call her Aunt Boo, which is a childhood ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/08/04/tess-almendarez-lojacono-aug-4-extended-family-sister-boo/ Dear IF readers, My brother-in-law and nephew were here for a week. I am still digging my way out of the laundry and restocking the fridge. It was a lovely week. This is my husband's older brother and they went bowling and fishing and re-connected while bonding their own ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/07/23/my-multi-cultural-family-part-ii-editor-notes/ Dear IF readers,   My IF mag blog has been a bit of a neglected child as of late and I apologize.  I don't know if you do as I, but I have to put a list together and go after the top three a day.  Lately, that has been Brody, my ... http://internationalfamilymag.com/wordpress/2008/07/14/my-multi-cultural-family-part-i-editor-notes/