With the holidays fading in the rearview mirror, January proved to be an infinitely calmer month in our household. How about in yours? With the exception of the start of basketball season for my older son, the first for that sport in our household, and a last minute decision to take a family trip to Southern California for my dad’s eightieth birthday party, the month was downright dull. And you know what? I loved it! The leisurely commitment-free weekends were just what the doctor ordered.
I am not a fan of change, but the quiet winter months are a great time to clear out the old and make room for the new, like the Christmas presents and those great post-holiday sale items we picked up. This year, the house was definitely in need of some general decluttering. But after I readily jumped into the organizing, I found myself overwhelmed with sentimentality. First I tackled my clothes – I filled seven giant garbage bags with sweaters that I don’t know how I ever wore without being reduced to a puddle of sweat, as well as pants, shirts, and shoes. “But how can I give these shoes away? I wore these shoes to Will’s baptism!” And then there was my William & Mary sweatshirt that I just had to have senior year. “I haven’t seen you wear that sweatshirt since the year you got out of college,” my husband said. “But I might!” I shot back. There goes the raised eyebrow.
Then I moved to the kids’ books, an even bigger challenge. Once I finally got the boys to agree to part with a large stack (still have a bag in my garage-who wants ’em?!), I was flooded by memories as I sifted through them. To Scott: “I used to read this to you in your rocking chair, and you thought it was so funny when Elmo sneezed! Remember?” And to Will: “This was your favorite, and you knew all of the words before you were two. Remember? No?!”
The final to-do on the big clean-out list was the car. Yes, it was time for my beloved eight-year-old Honda Accord to go to that garage in the sky. “But we’ve had that car longer than we’ve had the kids!” I reminded my husband. “We brought both of the kids home from the hospital in that car!” Another raised eyebrow.
In a real rebel move, I left the dealership in a sedan. Imagine, a mom, with two kids, NOT driving home in a minivan, or an SUV, or at least one of those crossover thingies. I’m sure they are awesome, and once I’ve had the button that opens the doors automatically, I’d be hooked. I figure I can’t miss what I’ve never known, so I’ll stay blissfully ignorant about all-things minivan. What did I get? A Honda Accord, of course. See, I told you I didn’t like change.
Changes I DO like are the ones we make each and every month in RFM – to keep great variety in each issue and content for families in every stage of the game. So kick back and enjoy!
Because Hunger Knows No Season
When it comes to Virginia Tech and University of Virginia, every season brings a new opportunity for competition in both men’s and women’s sports. But this month, one of the nation’s biggest in-state college rivalries is shaping up to help accomplish something no athletic program has ever done:
Feed hundreds of thousands of Virginians!
The ninth annual Hokies vs. ’Hoos Food Fight is underway. The food and funds drive, benefitting FeedMore’s Central Virginia Food Bank, has provided more than 310,000 meals for the hungry over the years.
“As we inch closer to the spring and summer months, FeedMore will continue to rely heavily on the support of our friends and neighbors in Central Virginia to help us ensure that no child, family, or senior goes hungry,” said FeedMore’s Jeff Baldwin.
To participate in the Hokies vs. ’Hoos Food Fight, make online donations at hokiesvshoos.com between now and midnight February 12. Look for collection boxes at all area Martin’s stores.Donations can be placed in these boxes through Sunday, February 10. Financial donations can also be made at any Martin’s register.
When all is said and done, each food donation will count for one point and every dollar donated during the Food Fight will count for five points.The score will be updated throughout the competition at hokiesvshoos.com and the winner will be announced Thursday, February 14.
The ’Hoos lead the overall series, five wins to three.Baldwin says although he can’t predict this year’s winner, he has a good feeling about the outcome.
“Hunger has a cure, and that cure is all of us working together as a region by supporting food and fund drives like Hokies vs. ’Hoos,” said Baldwin.
