Adirondack Boy Mom

Windy...

2010-06-09T23:43:00.010-04:00

... but not windy enough I guess! It sure does show how awesome a Dad that Dan is!
He made up for the lack of real wind by running REAL fast!!! :)

My smiling pups and son, Rael. Rael's sunburnt and trying to stay out of the sun.

My old pup Frodo and young son Rael in our front yard. They're SO cute!!

My other old pup Samsam, and he's smiling too! :)

A short visit from Kris and Bear, enjoying the company and Dan's sprinting in the parking lot.

Bear trying to make a break for it instead of going home for a nap!

Springtime biking

2010-05-24T15:42:00.004-04:00

My happy boys. It's hard to believe that it was so cool before, as it has been reaching mid 80's these last few days.

Some wild flowers discovered on a hike up one of the trails in the LG area.

Everything became green so quickly in our neighborhood. And it's so hot that I am glad I did the Spring yard clean up beforehand!

Too hot to do much, too hot to take more photos, even! It amazes me every year how one can't stand the 70 to 80's temperatures early Summer, and then complains about the cool temps below 60 degrees in the Fall...

:)

Johnstown bee trip!

2010-05-20T14:03:00.010-04:00

I have a hive I won at a bee seminar in Albany. It is a very beautiful hive, made from cedar, with a nice copper covered peaked top. It's a gorgeous English country style that will look great in my garden. Once I get the cast off (this Friday is not soon enough), I plan to set it up, even if it remains empty for a bit; it'll at least leave me a large corner of my living room emptier than it's been all Spring :)

So in order to get a bit more comfortable with my hands literally in a hive -- well, with my ONE hand in a hive, anyway -- I tagged along with a couple others to a bee workshop in Johnstown. It was a "bee removal" from a tree. When people say they can remove bees alive, they do it but to the detriment of whatever the bees have housed themselves in. In this case, it was a hollow tree.

Here is Dan the Beekeeper (not Dan, my husband) whacking the heck out of a tree stump to split a side off. He had already done the prep with a chainsaw earlier, leaving time for the bees to calm again before using a sledgehammer to finish the splitting while everyone was there. You see the hive body/box on the ground to the right?

I am amazed that the bees weren't more agitated. They were very mellow bees -- the exact type one would want in a backyard apiary.

Once the side was removed and the comb was exposed, using a knife, widths of the comb were cut and removed and placed in frames. We had to make certain that we maintained the "up" of the comb, putting the top on the top of the frame. I was surprised that rubber bands were used to hold the comb in place until the bees attached the comb to the wooden frame! Apparently the bees will chew the bands off when they are no longer needed! Cool!

Unfortunately, my camera's batteries were not up to the day's pictures and it kept shutting off on its own. So all I have is the beginning of the sledgehammer and the removal of the side with the comb attached to it.

After this point, we were all quite busy. I wore a bee hat/hood and long pants and a long sleeved shirt, no gloves! I have read that less bees are killed without gloves and that agitates the bees less in return. One has more dexterity with no gloves. On this day of transferring the bees from the log to the hive, only one person out of the seven there was stung, and that person was the Master Beekeeper who had his hands IN the hive the most!

I know my sense of fun varies from many...

...but I tell you it was exciting fun!!

homeschool fun

2010-05-19T19:16:00.002-04:00

pj's at noon? yes! oh what kids can do with some paper, tape and imagination! :)

Here's a disguise done with electrical tape LOL

GF-LG bike trail fun

2010-05-18T23:17:00.011-04:00

While we were offline, we were busy. And what else would you expect?!

Whilst most of the other kids were trapped inside in school, we finally traveled the GF-LG bike trail. It's all uphill from behind the Great Escape until you reach Rt 149, then it's all downhill until you reach LG.

It's March 20 and you see the snow alongside the trail? I also saw the first dandelions of the season along the trail as well. Seeing dandelions was a great topic of discussion at a bee keeper seminar the following weekend.

This is the Gavinator cruising along downhill and our first view of the lake from the trail. We are minutes from an ice cream lunch!! Yay!!

The boys victory dance: the trip uphill from LG to this boulder on the trail at Route 149 was ALL UPHILL and we were DONE. It's a good thing we had the calorie-filled (albeit unhealthy) lunch of Stewarts' ice cream cones to fuel our three mile uphill travel...

It was thirteen miles round trip and it started raining as we were loading the bikes onto the car's bike rack. It was a beeyootiful afternoon!! :)

the reason why

2010-05-17T12:37:00.004-04:00

...I haven't been online sooner is: (( drum roll please (but it's not as interesting as that, really)))

We had no computer able to get online, so we canceled our internet service! Although we would have been online again sooner if it was not for a fractured right thumb. The narcotics to relieve pain were not helpful in reminding to get the computer repaired or a new one purchased. It was broken stick fighting.

It is easier to list the things that I CAN do without my right hand: I can walk around and use the toilet, although even THAT was problematic until I purchased pants that have stretchy waistbands. Three days of asking my husband to zip and button or tie my pants after using the bathroom. And slip on shoes became a must as well. When you have to ask your children to tie your shoes every hour or so, it gets old fast.

It IS getting easier as the shock of the loss of all my hobbies and Spring planting plans were immediately put to the wayside. Our Autumn plans to travel also might be postponed until Spring of next year.

The fracture of my hand required not only a cast, but percutaneous pinning to fix. I get the pins pulled this coming Friday, I hope. And then another three to four weeks with another cast or stiff brace -- I might be able to take a real shower before the weekend!!

Spring Hike

2010-05-16T22:11:00.022-04:00

A mid-week day hike in early March with beeeyootiful weather! It was a trail beginning at where the old Vischer Ferry would cross the river -- before any bridges! It was a very nice walk with friends, although there was too much litter in the water!

Here is at the trail head where the boys find a decomposing fish stuck in the tree roots above the waterline.

Surprisingly there was still enough ice for the migrating geese to rest on. They moved away fast even though the boys were nearly 200 feet from them.

Here are Rael and Gavin crawling around one of the rails left behind from when the ferry ran everyone across the river. It has grown into the tree!

Sammy the pup, Sam and Gavin walking along the trail that runs along the river, between the river and the canal.

Lots of loud geese are still afraid of us...

Our first view of the dam:

My Samsam, Elizabeth, and the boys ahead. The rocks were very cool -- shale on end. GREAT for skipping on the water!

At the end of the trail was recently uncovered beach. Truthfully, it was quite saddening that the water level was as low as it was for Spring melt. Maybe it is more at higher altitude?

The Gavinator: always climbing, if he has anything to say about it!

Sam and Gavin climbing higher.

The river over the dam, end of the trail.

Wow it was hard to get those boys away from the easy to toss skipping shale out into the river.

Everyone was QUITE tired when we arrived back to the car!

ok,ok, here's my haircut...

2010-02-22T21:58:00.002-05:00

In case you haven't seen it yet on FB or elsewhere

I send this now only two months after the inital cut (when I have already had a trim) because my sister in Florida mentioned that she had to drive all the way to NY, braving winter storms and traveling with an infant, in order to see it! lol

Winter visit to C'ville!

2010-02-17T16:11:00.003-05:00

My sister, brother-in-law and two sons visited recently. She was much better with her camera than I was however, so only a few pics here. They do have an awesome sledding hill behind their house where all the children (old and young) went down. My sister and I also went cross-country skiing.

They just missed the terrible snowfall around DC on their way homeward by hours!

Whatever would posess...

2009-12-22T03:30:00.002-05:00

...a person to cut ALL of their hair off in the middle of December. A person who lives in the Northern Hemisphere, with the recent average temperatures hovering around twenty degrees Fahrenheit? It's almost too cold to enjoy the snow. no snow packing activity is possible, but there is sledding! (Even though I have yet to do that with my children yet this year, sad as the case may be.) Not having entirely the appropraite gear to not feel the less than freezing temps is the main problem.

Fortuitously, my Secret Santa from work gives me this wonderful hat. It completely keeps me warm, is totally "my thing" in today's market/looks, and has allowed me to comfortably have short hair during the winter months. So...

I cut it off. I cut it all off. My hair is mostly gone. I actually think my hair is much shorter than two of my three make children. It's called something like a 'pixie cut,' but my cut just stands straight upward in the air. It waves, heck, it SHOUTS hellooo! Most likely, and I am hoping that, it is just the after shock from the difference from the weight of long hair to none with such shortness. See, it has been nearly a week since the haircut and the seemingly-shocked coif is *still* standing straight up. My awesome husband, being the wonderful person that he is, thinks it is great. He tells my I look "fey." In other words, other worldly or elfish or the like.
Too bad that the time I have been considering a hair cut (since Spring) does not factor into the amount of time it takes for the hair to adjust to the cut. If it doesn't calm down the slightest bit, I might just have to highlight it hot pink or something to compliment it. Hm. So: maybe you should look for pictures!

I might have just been better off with a trip to the tanning booth (I know, god forbid!). However, this might be the first time I am having a serious bout of seasonal affective disorder or something...

Boys and "Theatre"

2009-12-10T12:12:00.008-05:00

We braved the wintry weather mix yesterday to go to see the Beauty and the Beast at the Cohoes Music Hall. It was a Rotary fundraiser event so we HAD to go with Dan's Dad (just joking). Dan did not go because he really doesn't like musicals, except Spamalot, that is.

There was this handy stage step that was ideal seating for munching the yummies that were offered pre-show as well as well as for a great photo-op!

The boys were able to meet Santa again. However, this time they just knew it was a Santa's "Helper" as it was getting closer to Christmas day and "his beard wasn't real." Gavin gave him a chocolate chip cookie because he might be too busy with the kids to eat. What a sweetie!

The boys especially liked seeing all the costumes of the players. It was a good time and I really enjoyed sharing a bit more of my history with my sons: How I did musicals in high school, traveled to NYC to see Broadway and off Broadway shows, inspecting the sets and costumes... I was practically in tears when the "Be our Guest" number was done! The energy was AMAZING and I loved it!!

The theater manager gave me his card and told me that in the future if the boys and I ever wanted to volunteer there (seating, handing out programs) then we could see the play for free and get to meet the cast afterward back stage!

So, apparently I may be a late-blooming or closet stage-junkie, who knows? :)

Beauty and the Beast and SNOW!!!

2009-12-09T14:59:00.002-05:00

Well it has finally snowed!! The house is quiet, not only from the muffling of the snow, but all the children are outside enjoying the wet, fluffy white stuff!

My nose has miraculously cleared over night from the freezing weather and I could not be happier! My allergies might just be gone now for the season(?). I can only hope :)

Tonight we are going to a play in Cohoes: Beauty and the Beast. Dan's Dad, me and my three boys are going. Since it is a musical, Dan and his mom have no real interest. I only hope the weather does not turn mushy with rain instead of snow... With luck we will have a quite uneventful ride there and back.

Loving the snow either way! You can't see me doing the Snoopy Happy Dance, but just imagine it ;)

Dec 5 was Dan's birthday!!

2009-12-06T02:21:00.003-05:00

It was not anything like breakfast in bed, but we went to a Breakfast with Santa this morning. IT is something the Saratoga Hospital throws every year - not something we go to each year, and this is the very first year I was able to go since I was not working on the Saturday it was held. My growing up sons visited Santa and had their photo taken. Nthing like waiting in line for a quick word with the man of the hour after lots of greasy bacon, syrupy and fluffy pancakes and scrambled eggs!

My dear husband is a whole 39 years old now! Next year is the big four oh and a party will definitely have to be thrown :)

Part of his present was chocolate fudge with chunky peanut butter smeared in the middle.

My nephew Liam!

2009-12-04T17:00:00.002-05:00

Sorry the first is so blurry - Liam definitely does NOT like my camera's red eye reduction red light blinking before the picture is taken. He cries EVERY time :(

But he is a lovey dovey! He has Pete's head and Hannah's eyes.

This is dedicated to my nephew Sharon!

2009-12-01T16:25:00.003-05:00

Sharon is so cute, with his little voice and confidence of conversation. My three boys absolutely ADORE him! Every time he leaves a message on our answering machine, we all smile. We still have a message of him on our machine from a month ago because it makes me actually check my messages more often to hear his adorable voice!
"Hello. This is Sha-wone."

This is dedicated to my sweetie Soren!

2009-12-01T16:19:00.002-05:00

Here are few pictures of Soren for Kathleen, my sister. We were at the Haviland Cove beach on this day.
Of course he is much older now; I can hear his squealing laughter on the phone and it makes me want to hop in the car and drive to see him!!

more pictures of past fun!

2009-12-01T16:00:00.004-05:00

We got a new car during the cash for clunkers dealio. The boys wanted a last picture of themselves with the van. Rael and Gavin took about 50 more juszt of the car, it's parts inside and out. Sometimes Gavin still says he misses "our old
car." Probably b/c they weren't told to pick up their trash when they were in the far back of the van.

And here's another of my sweetie Soren after returning from the hike up Buck Mt. Rael sure loves little ones; he thinks they are SO cute with their tinyness!

And here's Grandpa with his newest grandson, Soren. What an adorable face!

Ont he way to the hike, the boys laughed and had so much fun. It's great how well they get along!

And there's Sharon's protective mom, Kathleen, following a bit too close(?) behind us. :)

I can't wait to see my sister and her family again. I'm currently planning a March vacation in an rented RV again. That was certainly THE way to travel!!

Happy Thanksgiving - a day late!

2009-11-27T13:57:00.004-05:00

Profuse apologies for not posting all Autumn. I have absolutely no excuses other than the regular homeschooling, traveling, socializing schedule that we try to keep up around this house!

I'll move onward from here with posting some of the great photos of our activity from the Summer. (I had to first look back to see what I posted last!)

My sister and brother-in-law Hannah and Pete had a bouncing baby boy. They named him Liam. He is so adorable. I was able to spend lots of time with him yesterday during the annual Haley family Thanksgiving gathering.

This evening we're going over for the post Turkey day sandwiches that are soooo deliciously yummy, but not nearly as filling as I can still breather afterward!

I am working this coming weekend - an entire forty hours in a single stretch - so hopefully I will have lots of time to dig up more photos of the fun that we had since September :)

My boys at WAR!

2009-08-15T16:00:00.005-04:00

Busy vacation - I am ready for one that is a little less combative and a lot more sedentary.

It seems I was a bit too busy to take many pictures whilst vacationing in Slippery Rock, PA during Pennsic War... I know that *I* had fun. I am certain that the boys did too...

Sister and nephews are visiting!

2009-08-14T05:17:00.006-04:00

My sister is here from Florida visiting. It is very much just as hot here as it is a thousand miles south, believe it or not. My sister is nearly melting, probably has something to do with a small human needing to be constantly held, fed, nurtured and loved... <3
Amazing how such a little guy did it and was able to sleep through most of the hike.

Sharon in Gavin's booster seat being silly for the camera.

Aww, cute cousins, for sure! If only you cold have heard the silliness between Gavin and Sharon in the middle seat of the minivan. (btw this was the last trip with the ole van as tomorrow we will be getting a NEW car!)
The littlest one napping on his Auntie's chest. What a big boy he has gotten in the month since I saw him in Florida! Chunker cheeks :)
Just adorable!

comparison

2009-07-26T20:40:00.004-04:00

At the hospital where I work there is a bulletin board near the cafeteria where people can submit items for sale or rent. Houses, furniture, animals, practically nearly anything you can name.

Often I see cabins for rent in exotic places. Well, places that are fairly distant to good ole upstate New York, at any rate. Apartments or cottages are often for rent in Florida, Myrtle Beach, lots of sunny locales. At one point, I even saw a four bedroom, two and a half bath house in Daytona, Florida that was for sale for $38,000. Although I bet it was quite a fixer upper!

I have been working lots lots lots this past week, have been walking by the board a few times a day as I have been doing many extended shifts that extend over at least two meals or more, plus snacks. I will try to refrain from discussing at length the cafe options other than: they offer the same meals for lunch and dinner on the weekdays, but change them from one day to the next, but there are identical offerings for all the lunches and dinners for the entire weekend - what gives?! Whoa, anyway, back to the point here...

On another subject that will lead back to the bulletin board, Rael is lacking a bike. Gavin has claimed Rael's bike, as Gavin just has to keep up with his older brothers. So Rael has been trying to keep up with his brothers and their friends on one of those teeny tiny two-wheeled scooters. Honestly, Gavin uses "Rael's" bike because Rael no longer rides it; his knees hurt when he did as it really was a bit too small for him. So...

Whilst passing by the board this last week, I noticed bikes for sale. They were posted with really crappy xeroxed photos, but their descriptions and prices were right. One mountain bike with 24" rims was listed for $25! Another smaller mountian bikewas listed was twenty bucks. It was also a mountain bike, but it was a girl's purple bike. After walking past the board all week and thinking, looking, thinking, I ask Rael what he thought.
The conversation went something like this:
"So, Rael, I saw a picture of a bike at work today. It's for sale and I think it might fit you."
"Really?!" Grin.
"Yes, but the only thing is, is that it is purple..."
"Well, uh... I like purple!" Bigger grin.
"OK, then I will call the person and see if it's still for sale. Alright?"
"Yeah, sure!" And then Rael happily skips outdoors.
Shortly after, Dan comes in.
"Honey, at work there's a bike for sale that I think would fit Rael."
"Yeah...?"
"It's listed for $20, but it's a girl's bike." The look of pure horror that came upon my dear husbands face was amazing!
And then in come Rael for a drink of water as Dan replies with "You can't let Rael have a girl's bike!!!"
And Rael says,"Uh, whoa, whoa, whoa, Mommy... Wait a second! Does it have flowers on it?"
"I'm not sure Rael. But if it does, we could easily spray paint over them."
A moment of thoughtful silence is followed by "Oh. Okay then!!" as he goes again out the front door.
Dan says, amazed, "Wow. I guess that's the difference of public school and home school..."

I thought it was really funny! :)

Florida in July?!!

2009-07-12T20:48:00.007-04:00

What could possible compel me to visit a locale that is hot and humid, that is often wet with large and strange insects and many small lizards, that gets even more so in the summer? Me, a person who loves the kind of weather that if it never reached higher than 80 degrees F would be quite content? A person who had just returned from a visit there less than three months ago? What could possibly make a die hard northern latitude gal visit one of the most southern states of the eastern coast in the hottest part of summer? Oh well how glad I am that you asked! :)

Looky here:

My sister Kathleen had a bouncing baby boy! I already love him beyond description! And, by golly, I am so glad I decided to withstand the summer heat of Florida to visit her and her new arrival and family!

He is just so beautiful. I might just be a tad bit biased (ok, a lot so) -- he is gorgeous, so easy going, and vocal. He successfully tries to hold his head up already, not mising a beat with wide open eyes. His name is Soren, and it is pronounced SORE-un. It is a Norwegian (or similar) god of clouds and storms, I think - basically the equivalent of Thor, god of thunder! :)

Above is a self shot of me and both of my youngest nephews. Sharon is such a great big brother and not very jealous for a three year old. He loves to caress Soren's cheeks and tell stories of what "Fogut" will do when with him when he's just a bit bigger.

Doesn't Katleen look great below? she's merely three weeks postpartum. Here we are at Sharon's morning swim lesson. Sharon wants so badly to go on the big water slides, but first he needs to actually learn to swim. He sure loves the water like my Gavin. I am certain that it will be no time at all before he's swimming like a fish.

Below is another of Sharon and me. He had just woke up from a three hour nap with his mom and baby brother. He is amazing, so quiet and calm upon awakening. He had gone right over to the book shelf and retrieved several books to the single living room rug. After asking me for a cookie and me recommending he have an apple or banana, he returns from the kitchen with an apple on a plate. This also goes on the living room rug where he commences an hour of bites and page turning. He sits and looks at the books whilst eating a bite of the apple every so often, resting it on the plate between bites. I am not certain if this is a regular routine for him, but he did it with such quiet confidence and enjoyment, even refusing my offer to read him a story on the couch. What a little man, I just had to take a picture with him :)

Below is Sharon at the BEST frozen custard place I have been in a LOOONG time! Rita's in St. Augustine that is right on the A1A(?) strip. I am *so* very glad that I do not live near it, otherwise my love of good ice cream would make me gain about twenty pounds in two weeks.
Here, Sharon's concentration is quite absorbed with his own vanilla cone.

Kathleen was awesome. A bit stressed and tired. I hope our late night chats didn't make her even more tired! But it was great to connect again and wish we could do it more than we have the chance to.
Looks like a very happy family below: a proud mommy and her boys, eh?

She has every right to be. I really can't wait to see them again! I'm off to peruse flights for Sharon's February b-day, or if I reserve another RV now, would it be cheaper...? :)

Give your kids (if you have them) hugs for me right now!

First sunny day in awhile...

2009-06-24T12:49:00.002-04:00

Rael here fishing for minnows at the Moreau Lake state park. He caught some HUGE ones, well, when compared to the typical size of minnows!

Connor here making a nest of dino eggs in the sand.

Father's day at Sprinkles ice cream shop.

On the previous sunny day a couple weeks ago, the boys and two neighborhood friends decided to sell cookies and lemonade and kool aid. They had a lot of fun :)

More photo will come off the camera soon enough...

Happy birthday Gavin!

2009-05-21T13:12:00.003-04:00

So my youngest is seven years old. Wow! Where does the time go?
All day he was W I R E D.

He could have had anything for breakfast, we had said as much, and he chooses cereal, even after Dan and I had explained that he could have ANYTHING for breakfast as the birthday boy! (He usually has toast and an egg). So for lunch, he chooses chocolate chip pancakes! That's better, birthday boy! :)

I don't have too many pictures of the day, too busy talking and having fun. I do wish I had snapped at least one of the "blob" pinata that we made...

That's a Frozen Dreams ice cream cake there. Gavin picked the layers' flavors: chocolate and strawberry cheesecake ice cream!

He got a 'real' soldier shirt and hat as well as a real Army ammunition box - he's got the soldier thing going on constantly in his play lately. He also got a water gun that squirts some neon day-glo green gel, and another Nerf projectile shooter that he loves. Actually, all three of my boys are ready and waiting for their turn on these toy guns!

We're singing "Happy birthday."

He was so embarrassed to be the center of attention! (Connor is trying to get him up from behind the table to blow out the candles.)

Aw, he sure is growing up!

Glad that you had a great day from start to finish, my little man!!

Something I'd thought I'd never see...

2009-05-20T00:01:00.000-04:00

"Land grab in the Arctic" on the cover of last month's National Geographic.

So sad.

addictive versus compulsive

2009-05-18T02:45:00.004-04:00

-- and not in the compulsive like attending school until one becomes sixteen years old or anything. I mean like OCD compulsive. How are addictive and compulsive different? Both imply a "can't helping oneself" factor, but each apply it differently towards its meaning. I am thinking in terms of my time and hobbies, let's think it through.

Reevaluating my life a bit recently. Looking at the quite full activity wheel. In other words, how much time do I spend doing what and for what reasons. How can I look at an activity and decide it's enjoyment and value to me? If it is not a chore, is it a hobby?
A blanket statement, albeit, but ok, it's a place to begin and so I'll go with it a bit. Hm, yes. I like to do it. If I like it, then it can't be a chore, right? :)
Well, how much do you like to do it?
Hm (again). That's my answer, as I really have to figure that out. It's a qualitative answer and relative to other activities.
Ok, then. How often do you like to do it?
Hm. As often as possible, I guess. As often as able, having kids around, money for supplies. (Sounding like an economics lesson, at this point, perhaps?)
Ok, let's take a different track, try another delineation: is it for money or pleasure?
Hm, more economics it seems. And for now, it might be more confusing if I try to overlap the two? I do realize that both are possible at the same time, and often enough.
Maybe we're at making a pie chart point. I haven't really made one of those since school!
I could just continue making lists and trees that show activities, time spent, how much enjoyment I get out of it. A journal of sorts, maybe, but not on here. I wouldn't want to bore you too badly - and you wouldn't know it by THIS particular post, eh?!
You already think I am crazy activity, tangent woman, I am sure-- even though I have been remiss in about them posting here. Or too busy, perhaps? :)

Lots going on lately, but it's still the same ole, same ole... How can that be as confusing as it is? Ugh. Must be early mid-life crisis or something. Yah, at 37. I'll look back on this and laugh or maybe not remember it at all...?

Ah, I'm tired. (Or can't you tell?) It's after 3 am, after a loooong weekend at work. My head is just filled with too much... stuff, thoughts, ideas, all of it in my head on and since the drive home. It's really time to read some fluff --but very enjoyable and fun fluff, at that-- until I fall asleep. Where's my book light?

Been awhile...

2009-05-16T14:03:00.004-04:00

Apologies...

I have been not feeling all the best lately. Slightly down, could be the CRAZY allergies for the past two months kicking my butt. They started off their daily annoyance on our visit south to Florida - that was a move from mildew under the melting ice in NY to the full fledged pollen south into Florida for ten days. Then we returned from the wonderfully happy and exhausting trip to nearly all of the ice gone, but the wetness that allows mold to flourish still copious. Darn.

Then the weekend to south eastern PA for a SCA camping weekend and another awesome visit with friends in Gettysburg. Camping outdoors in amazingly HOT (over 90 degree F) weather in screened A-frames and the lack of something between my mucous membranes and the freshly spurting tree and flower pollen ... Well, suffice it to say, I developed a terrible sinus infection and right ear infection. Ten days of ibuprofen and antibiotics helped eliminate the teeth pain and relieve the big ouch from the right ear, but now that the antibiotics are done, the ear pain is back and in full force. Ah well. Another trip to the MD.

Everyone else in the family is doing just GREAT! Apparently I am the only one wishing for the good ole non-mucous-filled days of living upstate ;)

The Gavinator will be seven on Wednesday, so my awake hours have been filled with the new garden (when I can focus enough outdoors) and with plans of this lucky number birthday! I remember seven being my favorite year in school, I had the BEST teacher who would take us on the most memorable field trips and the class room had actual carpets (I bet the janitor just loved those...). But I digress. Gavin has requested a kitchen set, just like his cousin Sharon's, the one he played with for hours whilst on our visit. So I tried to order one, a BLUE one, all wood, from Target (I didn't want to go there, but it was the only place I could afford one that wasn't plastic) but they only had blue online. Add in the shipping cost of $60 plus tax, I bought a pink one and am going to paint the pink doors blue or green. Green because Gavin wants it to be an army kitchen. I can't forget to buy the mess kit and soldier apron and chef hat too! Maybe I should get green fabric and the sewing machine out rather than spend hours looking through stores I can't stand being in anyway...

So maybe I'm sick (well, I am, but perhaps that's not all that is keeping me down), but perhaps it might be also that my littlest guy is no longer so little?

Geez, time for a new header pic already!

2009-04-09T04:11:00.003-04:00

So I have been lazy about posting here. Sorry, folks. But I daren't (that's for you Susie :) dwell upon that for long. Otherwise, I might be scared away from posting ever again! Nah... But I guess I do wonder how many are still "following" this!

Here's some of the photos that I promised from my last post:

On the road, second day, somewhere thru the Carolinas, I think.

This is the van, as I called it. A bit large for that. My nephew, Sharon, called it the bus, which is a more apt description.
Can you tell these guys are twins? They are literally sound asleep on a two seater bench, in their seat belts, completely tangled up!

This was minutes before Dan got int he drivers seat and we were on our way!

Right after the info tour and unloading the van into the RV, I took this pic. You can't tell that it is nearly below zero with the wind chill here. If I post the pic of me and the boys, you would think that they were being tortured - I say, put on your coat already! :)

My guys. Boy how I love them! It was such a fabulous trip! Hope to make it an annual trip, most certainly!

Back from vacation!

2009-04-02T20:51:00.003-04:00

No, that is NOT where I've been for the past few months... Planning a bit, but I cannot even allow for THAT in the time consuming list that I have made for myself lately.

So we rented an RV and went to St. Augustine, Florida to visit my sister and her family. Once there we rode bikes everywhere. I have to say that I am VERY proud of my youngest, Gavin, and his little legs that had to peddle at LEAST twice as fast to keep up with all of us with larger wheels. Actually I am SO proud of ALL of my kids - truly amazed with the amount of mileage that they covered by bike without a sinlge complaint!! Glad it was nice out, no rain, really beeyootifull Spring Florida weather! :)

That is Sharon with his feet up and my sister Kathleen with belly bump "Fogut" (that's Sharon's name for his little yet-unborn brother).

And here's my Rael-bail just thinking, "Hurry up mom, I want to get to the BEACH already!!"
Next are Connor and Gavin. Gavin's wearing MY sungalsses (nice mom that I am) to prevent the wind blown sand from getting in his eyes. And Connor is is usually happy go lucky self, going with the flow..

OK, expect some more posts *soon* with more Florida pictures of my adorable kids and nephew!

I might even get into the habit and just keep on posting what's been going on here in NY lately - ya know, Spring gardening and all that jazz, perhaps...

btw, I sold my first etsy item! Wanna see? Please visit www.frigga.etsy.com!! It is exciting for me, yay! :)

From this past weekend at work: you just can't make this stuff up!

2009-02-24T15:32:00.003-05:00

It is nearly the end of the weekend warrior's shift: hour 39 of 40, only 1 hour to go. There is a young patient getting a cat scan of his stomach. He looks sick, smells bad - sometimes you just know the result is going to be positive for something when they are pasty white, dry lips, no color.

He is lying on his back on the scanner table, and his feet are already in the big gantry's doughnut hole. Since he is young-ish (already hit puberty and considered adult anatomy in the medical field), I ask him how much he weighs.

He answers, "Twenty-one."

I'm thinking "Um, ok..." Instead I say, after a long pause for the possibilities and a bit of quick math in my head, "You mean kilograms...? Or stones...?" He didn't have any sort of accent, nary British or anything, but you never know working in an area that attracts lots of tourists.

But his reply is even more puzzling,"No, I deny all that."

I hesitatingly answer, "Umm..." Think, pause... pause.... pause. Ok. "Deny what? The metric system?" Cause I m completely lost now.

He says again, "I deny all that stuff."

I am still not catching his drift, so I say 'cause I'm all FOR the metric system," You know, it really is easier, the metric system is, I think anyway."

Now it's his turn to look at me like I have three heads. But I am not alarmed, as I am the recipient of strange looks more often than you'd think. He tries to elucidate by saying, "I deny all that. You know, drugs."

"Huh?!" Nervous laugh, then I think, "Whoa!" This is also not a topic I want to be talking about with a fifteen year old just before I inject his veins with icky toxic stuff!

I laugh again, and try to ease the conversation back on track, and, unfortunately, me being the overly talkative person I am, I just dig the uncomfortable hole deeper.

"Well I need to know how much you weigh, actually if you are over a hundred pounds. Oh! You said one hundred twenty-one pounds! I couldn't figure out how you weighed only twenty one anything... I wasn't sure if you meant kilograms. Or stones 'cause I thought that the English weight measurement was one stone equals 20 or 25 pounds or something... The last thing I would be talking about is drugs..." Ugh. Back around again, I should just let it drop. "Ok, here is the injection..."

So I come around the corner into the scanner control area to push the button and start the scan, shaking my head, laughing, wondering what the heck...?! My wonderful tech aide asks what I was laughing about. I relay the story quickly and she laughs, we both do, and she says, "You just can't make that shit up!"

And I agreed, "No, you can't." What a way to end a very strange weekend at work!

upcoming weekends thru Autumn

2009-02-10T16:37:00.003-05:00

That's crazy ridiculously over-planned you say? I might tend to agree :)

So we're busy people, traveling, visiting, sometimes working ;) Nearly every weekend from now till September is filled with rest and relaxation time -- or me working every other one...

Feb 14,15 is free yet ;)
Feb 21,22 work
Feb 28,29 Winter War on Saturday, free to recover from crossbow effort on Sunday
Mar 7,8 working, but I took Sat off for an event the local SCA group is hosting - a fencing event that I am running
Mar 14,15 SCA event Hrim Schola for me only on Sat, nada or recovery planned for Sun
Mar 21,22 work
Mar 28,29 visiting friends on the way and fossil beach on the return trip to visit my sister in ST.Augustine, FL!! We're thinking about renting or borrowing an RV for this trip. Ah, it'd be a trip to remember!
Apr 4,5 work
Apr 11,12 free as yet!
Apr 18,19 work
Apr 24-26 camping event in York Haven, PA also visiting friends in Gettysburgh, PA!! Yes, camping in April. Apparently we're addicted to cold toes and noses...
May 2,3 work
May 9,10 free! (wow, more free weekends already than I though! :)
May 16,17 work
May 22-24 SCA camping event Panteria in northern VT
May 30,31 work
Jun 6,7 free (wow another one!)
Jun 13,14 work
Jun 20,21 an SCA camping event, but undecided which one -- hopefully it'll be Coldwood's most excellent event in Peru, NY!!
Jun 27,28 work
Jul 3-5 our local group hosting another SCA camping event Northern Region War Camp in Warrensburgh, NY. There's heavy combat, fencing, youth combat, siege weapons, thrown weapons, archery, horses, campfires, friends...!
Jul 11,12 work
Jul 18,19 free, but prep for the big two week long camping event in Slippery Rock, PA: Pennsic WAR! (fyi this event actually gets so many attendees that it gets its own zip code for the two weeks!)
Jul 25,26 work (leave to visit friends in Rochester on the way to War- prob will spend my birthday there again as last year's was super relaxing and fun :)
Aug 1,2 Pennsic War!
Aug 8,9 work (and my dad's b-day)
Aug 15,16 free to recover from two weeks worth of camping and ready for Labor Day vacation
Aug 22,23 work
Aug 29,30 leave for Hampton Beach, NH! A ten day trip where we rent a cottage a block from the boardwalk with Dan's entire family! fun fun fun :)
Sept5,6 work
Sept 12,13 another local SCA camping event (that I am in charge of) called Metalsmiths' Symposium in Lake George, NY
Sept 19,20 work
Sept 26,27 and onward is unplanned so far, except for a few annual SCA events that are ones we plan to go to, if I am not working, but these events are not scheduled as yet... I think I am the only person who actually is as weirdly organized/booked so far in advance (don't feel compelled to agree! :)

Well, gee, I have more 'free' or unplanned weekends than I realized... not that I am complaining even the littlest bit, mind you! More time for family down/home time and local trips to the lake with kids and pups in warmer weather.

Our weekdays are usually entirely free other than daytime YMCA classes for me and the boys (gymnastics, swimming, Karate) and Dan's daily work out regiment. I am hoping to actually complete the Glens Falls/Lake George bike trail this year with the kids. I find it entirely ironic that I say this and there's literally two feet of snow on the ground yet!

What would you call it?

2009-02-06T00:04:00.008-05:00

So here in this house there are three boys, but you already knew that, eh? Want something new? OK! There are three boys (not counting husband), two dogs and a rabbit (that roams freely and is litter box trained). Yes, in a 900 sq ft house, but I try not to digress...

Gavin, the youngest human resident in the house, and Sammy, the youngest canine resident in the house, have an interesting relationship. At a very young age, barely above knee height, Gavin had (dare I say it?) issues with the "not brown dog" (his words... translation: the other dog, the black dog, Sammy). And easily, Sammy had (and still has some) issues with Gavin. I liken it to sibling rivalry. Gavin, as a human, and with big encouragement from his parents (also human), was able to overcome the problems of growling and pure, absolute canine jealousy of the big, much older, black dog we still affectionately call Samsam... Needless to say, Gavin had to use a bit of force to show "who's boss" at a very young and relatively short age.

Now, it's years later and Gavin has grown oh-so-much, as he weighs nearly half of the big black dog, at the age of almost-of-seven... But, still, I find that Sammy will block my view if I look at the Gavinator across a room, or even Frodo (the brown dog), and especially the bun, no matter where he may be,.. really, it doesn't matter, he'll stand between me and my view of the rabbit. I truly believe that dogs are WAY smarter than people give them credit for!

And, even still today, if I am holding Gavin - as he still loves to sit on my lap often at differnt times throughout the day, Sammy will actually nose his way in, leaning, nudging, poking, licking, pawing, all kinds of cute stuff that wuld get a perfect stranger who was fearful or hated dogs to give him all kinds of loving attention... I have a new nickname for the lover pup. Sam's effort = hand whore. (Oops, did I say that out loud?)

And a book could be written on the Samsam vs the bun...! But I am not too certain that that counts as sibling rivalry, eh?

Blame facebook!

2009-01-30T12:27:00.004-05:00

I have been very busy offline and when I am on the puter, I'm not posting here...

These last couple weeks have found me (and by proximity, my family too!) getting ready for another SCA event. It's the first one in a couple months -- the winter weather hermitage is nearly over! Dan and I get to drive to Manchester, NH for the largest event in the East Kingdom. It is called a Market Day at Birka - named after the historical Viking trading town named Birka. It has nearly everything anyone could want in an indoor event: friends, fighting, friends, fencing, friends, shopping, friends, classes, and usually one gets to meet a friend or two whilst relaxing in the pool and hot tub when all is over ;) I can honestly tell you that if you told me a few years ago that my favorite vacation spots are Pensylvania and New Hampshire, I would have told you you were crazy! :)
Anyway, I have made nearly 50 pounds of soap (lavender&oatmeal, goat milk&honey, chocolate&cocoa butter, tea tree oil&oatmeal) and have been organizing and creating more wire jewelry (orders anyone? lol). It will prove to be a very interesting venture. I do not plan to sit at a table and sell stuff at any other events this year, but am hoping to sell online or thru orders from folks. We'll see how it goes - knowing that the actual cost of starting up stuff (business cards, copies, display, boxes, wrappings, etc) have not cost me too much and hopefully I'll at least make that and the hotel room cost back, and chalk it up as a learning experience. But we'll see!!

There was more snow since I last posted on the 19th. Lots more. The view from here thru the window is soo pretty. The snow banks are high enough (never will there be enough!) to now be able to see the dirty banks along the street. There are foot prints *everywhere* across the front 'lawn' as well as a tunnel carved out of one of the banks along the driveway. I notice that not too many other yards have any marks in them - the snow is smooth and unbroken. Probably since it is SOOO deep? When Dan takes the pupalups along for their walk, Samsam will walk behind him along the trail now and Frodo flat out refuses to go into the woods at all! That is very unlike their avid interest in long and off-leash walks in the woods. I know the old pups (ages 12 & 13) have an excuse to avoid the deep snow, but they don't hesitate to be outside! Especially Sammy. He is true snowloving winter dog who will never think it's too cold outside - he lies down on any snow pile that's in the shade, he will swim or lie down in frigid water no matter the time of year... It's no wonder that he and I get along so well ;D

But there are less days left of winter than we already have been thru. So, to all you moaners and groaners - you know who you are :) just deal with it, it'll be over 90 degrees (ugh) sooner than you think!

Taling about snow and hot weather has me thinking about the title of this post, as in North Carolina there was recently FOUR inches!! How do I know or even care, you might ask?
Well... I recently reconnected with a wonderful friend from high school via facebook - that medium is way way WAY too easy to get SUCKED RIGHT IN so deep that an hour has gone by in the blink of an eye. That, and we still have one laptop for five humans, so it is hard to stop listening to the queries "How much longer, mommy?" or "when can I get on, mommy?" and even harder to try to concentrate and stay focused.

But facebook is so easy to use, with its photos and instant messaging. It's even amazingly easier to find people that had been searched for for years and years without luck, making one give into the thought that you would just have to live your life without talking to them ever again... But when I joined to message with a southern Vermont SCA group, I have been able to find (YAY!!) my friends Michelle, Irene, and many others from the good ole days (and I really don't remember them days being too bad either :) I also refound another friend who moved to Florida about thirteen years ago who is still there, alive and well! I am waiting to hear directly from him, but for the meantime I am happy to convo with his brother :)

It is amazing how different the internet is today even compared to a few years ago!

Not cold enough and not enough snow yet!

2009-01-19T20:33:00.004-05:00

OK, now that the weather has finally broken - it's above zero degrees now! Yay!

I can relay this wonderful short bit that I collected when I lived upstate -- more northern than here, closer to the Canadian border, wish I was still there, believe it or not! (Even my kids wish we lived up there still, but I digress, as I can do so easily...)

So! I remember every January and February, where the whole town would be wondering if the lake would freeze enough for the ice castle to be built. Well... then we'd get a cold cold cold snap where the thermometer would not register because the numbers didn't go that low!! If I didn't get up in the middle of the night to run the faucets, the pipes would freeze. The forty or thirty degrees below zero would last for a week or two - sometimes longer!- or the cold would go away for a week and then return for another week or two... Anyway it would invariably be colder than words can describe. And then we'd get a big dump of snow, the warm front that would end the big freeze. So we're outside shoveling the two feet of snow, and all we're wearing is boots, jeans, a short-sleeved t-shirt and gloves. But we'd yell at the kids to go inside and get their coats on because it was still below freezing. But the temperature difference was so large that it was WARM in comparison!

Similarly, a friend of ours has done three tours in Iraq and each time he comes home with his hair long. I asked him the first time 'why?' His reply? He said the temperature difference between the day and night was sometimes nearly 40 degrees (average 120 day, 90 at night). He said he kept his hair long to prevent sunburn and to keep warm at night! Keep warm at night - yes I repeated 'cause does that make sense when it's 90 degrees out?

Yes, more snow yesterday. Still loving it, too! (I'm not surprised, as I have yet to really shovel, thanks to my wonderful boys!!)

fix or buy new?

2009-01-16T14:47:00.005-05:00

So we still have the big green minivan. The same one we've had since the twins were a year or so old. It has nearly 170K miles. Three years ago we replaced the transmission. Shortly after that we replaced the radiator and water pump. Then the brakes and tires, etc - tbut that's just regular maintenece stuff that is to be expected, eh?

Well, we decided about three years ago, when we decided to replace the transmission, that we would literally run the vehicle into the ground before buying somehting new.. at least wait until Dan is working regularly again, done with school, and all that jazz. Last August, we put in another grand (not including the hotel room cost that resulted in the car breaking down hundreds of miles away from home...). We have to look, hopefuly for a newer vehicle -- why chance buying used if repairs might be similar or worse. At least we know what we have yet to replace in our van -- the engine is really about all that is original, scarily enough!

So I ask, how much is enough? The cost of the repairs, although seemingly costly when done once or twice a year, are quite reasonable when compared to a few hundred dollars for a car loan each month (that is if we could currently qualify for a car loan!).

Also, the decision on our moving is finalized: we're staying in the little itty-bitty house we are currently in - why bother moving if we might have to move again when Dan graduates and gets a job somewhere/anywhere in two years? So we're looking into fixing up this ole house whilst we're still in it (paint, windows?, bathroom cabinets). Might as well enjoy it whilst (hi, Sue) we're here - I always wonder why I fix stuff up after we decide to move out? I know it'll be easier to sell, most likely get a better price?

And as I know everyone just love photos:

On a completely different note, Gavin and I baked cookies yesterday evening. He says he wants to be a baker when he grows up. Either that or a "medic."

I am certain that getting to lick the beaters is a big part of the attraction for him!

ffr: petty annoyances - for Dan the Man

2009-01-14T09:15:00.007-05:00

So when Dan was working at one of his previous retail jobs, a coworker of his would say, "FYI, " with the 'i' drawn out and then a pause before saying the rest of the sentence... (you can picture the nasal quality that come natural to anyone's voice who actually uses the letters fyi in conversation, no? It may be just me then.) Well, anyway, this particular coworker of Dan's used to talk to Dan about 'issues' at work: "FYI, the spot lights should be facing in this fashion, not this way, since gives the display better lighting." or "FYI, you have a break in ten minutes."

Well, me being who I am, and not only in love with my husband, but I love to bug him as much, only in a friendly fasion, mind you... Anyway, since discovering that using the fyi not only make annoys the heck out of my dear husband... Do you think I can control myself? It has been years now. I try to use it only when it would make most sense to. I would not, for example, say, "FYI, the milk is in the refrigerator." But I might say, "FYI, the car is already started to de-ice the windshield." (No, I rarely actually go start the car for him, but today I happened to do that.) This annoys Dan to no end (saying fyi, not starting the car for him!), but at least he smiles about it still. The weird thing -- as if my not only continuing to use the term fyi still after ten years where previously I never said it before isn't weird enough -- but that he probably still thinks of that same young, annoying supervisor still after all these years, too!

SO, again, me being the person that I am, as bugging my husband with one term is just not enough, I have begun to make up my own short cuts for sayings. For example, ffr is short for: for future reference. Yes, it is even more pretentious sounding than fyi, isn't it?

btw (aha another one!) Dan will just LOVE that I have passed along one of the many existing tips and tricks for continuously annoying him, don't ya think?

We'll have to come back around to using 'whilst' in everyday convo. We shant discuss it herein whilst we're discussing abbreviations... :)

full moon weekend at work - with snow!

2009-01-12T00:26:00.008-05:00

More snow for the crazy full-moon weekend drive home from work! (Phew, can I fit another adjective in there? ) The great thing about it snowing all of the time, the snow banks are always pretty white. Even after a forty hour weekend, driving 10mph slower, arriving 15 minutes later than usual, seeing the ski mountain lights through the haze of snow, it was a very beautiful drive home.

Yes, we received more snow, foks, but I mentioned that already, eh? I believe that, in my estimation, my car roof's 24 hour period accumulation of snow was at least five inches, most likely a bit more. Even with the clouds and snow falling, the brightness of the full moon was amazing! No flashlights needed outdoors - you know, just in case you are walking around outside in a snowstorm in the middle of the night...

How I chuckle when I think that the god of snow (weather?) tries to see how much snow I can enjoy, and he will never learn a limit! (Weird, went off in my viking persona there. That would definitely be a funny thing to say at an sca campfire or feast table ;)

PS I went to Valdimarr's shop earlier tonight before work and was able to use the dremel on some bone discs. I am quite pleased with the results!! :) Next Sunday I get to scrimshaw with an air compressed run carving needles. I love my life!

PSS next soap project: buttermilk and honey! Remember to not eat it!! :P

Back online!

2009-01-09T15:19:00.002-05:00

So the laptop hard drive fried. It's all fixed now, but all the pics and STUFF that was saved are lost forever! Nuts. I am glad that I have many of them on the blog, even though many are not...

I have been busy, we all have, without interenet access, without ANY sort of computer at all... Not even able to work on documents - or a particular newsletter that is on my mind for that matter. Nope, not anything involving electronic information storage, games offline... It has been a quiet house here the past week indeed! :)

Visiting sister and nephew :)

2008-12-30T20:14:00.004-05:00

My sister Kathleen is up for a few days from St. Augustine, Florida. It has sure been cold enough, especially today with the wind that sounds super crazy, whipping through the trees outside. It is zero degrees withOUT the wind chill here, but 70F int he daytime in Florida. How's the sister handling it? She likes the snow, misses it in fact, but not too upset that her little one does not mind hanging out INside for most of the day. It has been REALLY cold, but you know(!), I really don't mind it even a little bit! Call me strange, not crazy, ok? :)
Here's Sharon (pronounced shah-ROAN) readying to leave for the night, asking to borrow the two plastic swords until tomorrow. He ended up waking up my dad bright and early by banging the swords on the metal footboard of my dad's bed. "Hell-O! Good morning! Wake up, Grandpa!!" He is just SO adorable!
Nice hat, Kathleen!

I tried to upload a movie of the boys (my three and Sharon) about a dozen times without any luck. Perhaps I'll try again, but here's what I got for now. Heh.

Christmas morning pics (I'm not done with this holiday yet!)

2008-12-29T23:58:00.010-05:00

It was a great Christmas. I will not mention the fact that I arrived home late from work nearly two hours later than I should have...

Papa (aka my dad) came to visit in the evening. Here's the G man pretending to pull the pin on a grenade (So Dan's WWI and WWII lessons might be too detailed... d'ya think?)
Here's Gavin with his requested fake blood. He got a "medic kit" to go along with as well. Gotta love the expression of pain as he reaches the first aid kit *just* in time. lol
A self pic. I sure look tired. I had been up for 'only' twenty-nine hours at this point... By the time I was asleep it was after 9pm that night. But I had since received a NEW camera!! Oh the joy of a short delay between photos!! Thank you, my awesome Dan and boys!!
So we got lots of books. And GOOD books too! One of which is _The Dangerous Book for Boys_ (excellent, excellent). Others are _Sneakier Things to Do with Household Items_, also _Sneakiest Things..._ and _Backyard Ballisitics_ (potato gun, fire kite or tennis ball ballista anyone?!! Such fun planned for the Springtime!) Here's Dan reading one of the many Order of the Stick books we got. We now have a complete collection. But I think two (or even three) copies of each book would be better, as the fighting over who is reading which one, I cannot keep straight whatsoever...
The SamSamPjamPjam amongst all the wrappings! He appears to be happy with the box of doggy treats from my mom in law, eh? See, he's smiling!
Here's Gavin with his plastic army men set. It has airplanes, a helicopter, bunkers... He just loves it!
Ok here's the twins when they jsut opened their (our) OotS books.
Not too bad looking of a crew for Christmas morning, eh?!

Christmas eve gathering report :)

2008-12-26T16:56:00.005-05:00

To start, here's a pic of me and my youngest, Gavin.
And next is a photo one of my awesome sister in laws, Holly.
And here is her husband and Dan's oldest brother, Mark, who I think excels at making faces for the camera. (no, really, I don't think I have a picture of him *without* making a face! :)
And now my Connorbug! Look at how long his blond locks are getting...Rael is munching on gummy candy before dinner. Green, white and clear gummy rings -- what better appetizer for Christmas, eh? :)
And the little man Gavin eating candy before dinner as well...
I could not get a good picture of Hannah -- she would cannily turn away from the camera just in time EVERY time! I got some very nice pictures of her gorgeous hair, though... :)
Here are they guys, Dan and Pete, in the TV room. You could probably substitute this photo for any Superbowl, Thanksgiving or Easter gathering. lol We're so lucky to have so many here, so often, able to gather together...!
And now here's my father in law and nephew, Ethan. Ethan, at the age of 17, has already flown solo in an airplane. Go, Ethan!
My mom in law, Claudette, and my dad at the dessert bar. There was apple, tiramisu. Yummm, tiramisu, thank you, Claudette!
And another picture of Hannah's shiny long hair. She was very good at dodging the camera!But not goo enough ;) My perseverance paid off! :)
Shortly after the thoroughly enjoyable family gathering and gift exchange, I had to work at 11pm, that is, on Christmas eve. This tradition is one that is as looked forward to as Christmas morning to me and mine. It was just lovely seeing everyone enjoying themselves, eating all the delicious food until we rolled out the door for home.

The day's weather was frightful indeed: the rain made everything slick with an inch of ice. I wish I had not cleared the sidewalk of the last bit of snow, let me tell ya, as at least that last bit would have given some sort of traction, instead of the ice covered concrete as slippery as heck. Well, I was quite worried that it would be a very busy evening, as a result, with all the falls and mvas, that also result...

So there were more than a few patients from falls, but that was a result of imbibing too much of the liquid holiday cheer, not form the weather. I was up all night, either way, and my shift-relief came in an hour late, so I arrived home by 1pm.

Amazingly, my kids STILL in their bedroom when I arrived home. Upon their awakening (Dan gave them breakfast, they went to the potty), they remained out of sight of the living room -- so they had not seen any gifts upn my so-late-arrival yet!

They "wanted to wait until I got home." How so very sweet and thoughtful is that?! You're probably tired how hearing just how awesomely thoughtful I think my kids are... Oh, tough patooties, then, you'll probably hear lots more before long :D

I hope you enjoyed your holiday. I hope it was happy!
xo

Happy Christmas eve!

2008-12-24T14:22:00.002-05:00

Sending lots of love and hugs your way for the holiday!

xo Merry Christmas!! :)

The weather outside is frightful...

2008-12-22T21:04:00.003-05:00

but the smell inside is delightful! Well, really the smell of cookies is delightful. It's too bad that right now I can no longer smell baking cookies anymore. Can't smell anything baking, cooking, anything like that. I have to point that out, as I rarely swell upon the negative... So much for the holiday spirit! I have yet to say bah or humbug yet, really ever :)

So here's what is completed so far:
Clockwise from top left: coconut shortbread, 5-ingredient-cake box cookies, peanut butter chocolate swirls, orange wheat cookies, chocolate chip bars.
Chocolates. Some are mint, some are white, some have peanut butter filling, most are dark chocollate!
Last is a pretzel rod dipped in chocolate and then rolled in crushed peppermint sticks. On the coling racks are the tahini thins. These will be quite delicious with tea.

So I *just* turned off my oven today. I turned it on at 10am, and it is currently 8:30pm. Even if you subtract the hour that it was used for dinner and not cookie baking, you might eaily agree that that is still many hours of cookie baking, eh?

Before today, I only spent a few hours in the afternoon for a couple days, planning and mixing. I just love the "new" (to me, anyway) cookie book found by my mom in law at the last library book sale. The book has SO many interesting recipes. And lots of great mix-now-chill-in-the-fridge-and-bake-later type cookies. I am usually more on the ball, but recent surgery, you know...

I even baked through a couple visits of family stopping, as well as a couple of lengthy phone calls from people not seen too recently. My brother and sister in law stopped by to tell me that Dan is to be at their house tomorrow evening for induction of their son to the ripe ole age of 21, a monumental birthday party for my nephew. Yep, I am now officially middle aged -- um, no, I'm not. You bite your tongue! lol Hey, if you have a nephew that is old enough, you have to be, right?
Anyway, Mark tasted the still-warm coconut shortbread, but they were not yet powdered with sugar, a fact that I nearly forgot altogether since I was planning to wait to powder them until just before they are packaged. I learned that my sister in law does not like coconut at all. Good to know. More for someone else, I guess :) I think they still tasted pretty good. It *is* shortbread after all! Butter, sugar, flour, still warm from the oven. Mm...

After lunch, my cousin came over with her two boys. But it was too cold for the kids to be outside for too long - hovering above zero degrees today! I guess we should count ourselves lucky for the quiet inside during the hour they were outdoors. Of course, warm cookies were ready and waiting upon their return!

At this point, I was finally done with The List (I am referring to Christmas cookies and candy) and the kitchen was mostly cleaned up already, and not wanting to break stride, we decided to add a batch of tahini cookies for after dinner dessert :) It's all good, really. This batch, at least, the kids and husband get to have at it, unlike the previous thirteen batches! What a mean mommy I am! Grr.

See what you miss not living close by?

More white stuff

2008-12-21T10:48:00.005-05:00

Yesterday's snow was beautiful with the soft large flakes slowly falling down, even if it started falling *before* yesterday and didn't really stop at all yesterday...

Well, today's winter storm warning has the interstate down to one lane from three. There's already another five inches out there upon my awakening this morning. We're slated to get at least fourteen today! And the weather report includes fog. Yes, snow and fog! Eh? So I am canceling my plans to go to a holiday pot luck knitters gathering near Albany today. And, no, I still don't knit, but am currently nalbinding a small doggy coat. (It's a Viking craft.) I was looking forward to socializing, but if it costs me my car or life to get there... forget it! I'll just stay home and finish the Christmas cookies that I am behind on doing since my surgery. Last night I was up nearly all night with the itchy itchy itchiness of my sutures. Ugh! It's driving me CRAZY!! But at least it's healing! yay :)

But I digress, once again. Back to the snow. Dan informs me that those lovely snow banks in the photo yesterday were actually smaller than originally shoveled; Apparently the snow piles were too tall even for the diligence of my wonderfully helpful guys, so Dan pushed much of the snow off the tops and into the yard so my awesome ten-year-olds could continue to shovel!

Now that reminds me of when I lived in Lake Placid. If you are not aware, Lake Placid is in the mountains. The entire town is built on a large hill, except the tourist trap outlets and hotels along picturesque Mirror Lake. The street I lived on was on the backside of the largest hill in Lake Placid; it was a BIG hill too. It was only one-way in the winter, and that was up only, if it was open at all. When it was closed, it was a great sledding hill, as you could hear whilst still in the house the kids shrieking with delight as they flew past down the hill on the road. I would like to add that in the summer, when there was no snow, it was NOT a good place to learn to roller blade either.
When we moved into the house in mid-May it SNOWED. I was running around covering up all my lovely wood antique furniture with towels to protect it. Did you hear it was May?! I kid you not! Well, back to the huge snow banks. The yard was graded so it was flat, and so was the driveway, except there was at least twelve feet difference in height between the two. There was a staircase and a half to climb to get to the front porch from the driveway. We would throw the snow up up up into the yard since there was no place else to put it. Phew! I am exhausted just thinking about it ;) It was a very nice small house, and was one of the few houses on that street to have an actual yard. And the lovely alpine-ness of the area allowed all the great fuzzy green green moss to grow. You know, the kind that grows only so high, but spreads everywhere :) No need to mow during the incredibly short growing season (what is that? three months? lol).

The 13 inch snowman snow measuring stick that Gavin brought home from preschool last year would be quite buried out there in the yard today. Similar to my car keys that I lost in the driveway the day before yesterday... I am not holding my breath or anything, but I really hope I will find them in the Spring!! :)

Please excuse while I beam :)

2008-12-21T00:49:00.005-05:00

So the adults in this household have been a bit "laid up" lately. It has been just a couple few weeks now...

On a different note, do you see the snow we received continuously over the past forty-eight hours?
Those snow banks aren't too small, eh? That fence is six feet tall and that is our minivan parked in the parking lot next to our house, mostly hidden by a similar snow bank. Some snow! And I have had nothing so far to do with the creation of these snow banks. And neither did Dan. How did they get that way, you ask? Well, let me tell you, please! My absolutely awesome children, Connor and Rael, made them! The past four days has seen them outside, shoveling in the near zero degree weather, shoveling, shoveling, shoveling. And, so far, amazingly, they are uncomplaining and diligent. Ok, excuse me - Oh my goodness, what wonderfully helpful children I have!! Ahem- pardon me, thank you for listening.
(Just so you don't think they are slaves or anything: Truly, the snow is fresh, light and fluffy. Gavin calls it sugar, which is actually quite heavier than the snow :) And the twins do not spend ore than a couple hours actually shoveling each day. And truth be told, they are pretty nearly there in moaning about it.)

Next is my snow-loving puppy, Samsam. He just *prances* in the snow. He reminds me of Snoopy with his happy dance!!
Lastly is a picture taken by the Gavinator of Sam rooting his nose around in the snow. You know, they both really love the cold weather!! It's too bad they have some form of sibling rivalry, I think.
Oh boy, we're going to have a very beautiful, white Christmas! I can only wonder what the snow situation is upstate, where we used to live...

Tree decorating at the In-Laws

2008-12-18T10:27:00.005-05:00

Yesterday we were invited to Dan's parents house for dinner (yum), decorating and doughnuts! I sat a lot, watching them decorate, taking pictures...

For some reason, Gavin liked this ornament of a cat with wheels. OR he just wanted a picture of him with his mouth wide open...
Rael is having fun while he decorates the upper part of the tree.
And Connor had fun too!
Even the 'ole man' got involved for a few ornaments. Then the Boston creme doughnuts called too loudly for him to ignore...
Gavin just *loved* this dancing nutcracker ornament! It is the kind that you pull the string and the legs and arms bounce upwards. He thought it was just so funny! :)
I LOVE YOU!!! :) -- that's a sneak message from my Rael and I dare not delete it :)
And here's Missy, my in-law's little doggy dressed to look like a reindeer. She really does not like it, but she looks SO adorable. This is probably the only time she'll wear it. Maybe for a walk or two, if Tom can keep it on her head!
And then the doughnuts. We had these with hot chocolate and lots of mini marshmallows. Talk about sugar! But it is one of the nice Christmas traditions we have...
Here is a photo of Tom too. He was there, too :)

Do you have any fun holiday traditions?

Radiology Christmas Party!

2008-12-17T15:10:00.003-05:00

Each year the radiologists invite everyone to Longfellow's for an evening of coworker camaraderie and really really yummy food. Nearly every single person there are people that I see either at the Christmas party OR at the hospital summer picnic. And this past summer I did not get to the picnic...

These are the few people that I actually see each time I am at work :) I am lucky that there is SUCH an *awesome* crew on the weekends!!

Congratulations, Hannah and Peter!

2008-12-14T16:58:00.004-05:00

Today was a great day. Gavin kept saying it over and over and over.

craft blog is updated

2008-12-13T13:12:00.001-05:00

http://handcraftedbyjen.blogspot.com/

I will post a link to the etsy shop I have created as well as soon as I get nice photos taken of all the stuff I have ready.

It's kinda scary putting yourself "out there" like that...

Feeling better than expected, yay!

2008-12-12T13:37:00.002-05:00

Hello folks,
Now that I am home and moving around a bit more since the pain has lessened from the REAL gall bladder pain to just pain from being filled with the air from the surgery. Four lovely holes, one through the belly button, and three incisions for the scope and tools. I think they pulled the GB out through the belly button. That is the one the MD was most explanatory about in regards to post-operative care.
I arrived at the hospital at noon, and was brought into the operating room by 1:30pm. All the people at the Glens Falls Hospital are so wonderful. I had about en warm blankets on me in recovery since I was shivering uncontrollably. And I was given ice chips and small sips of cold water! It was so heavenly, even after only fourteen hours. Death by thirst would not be a way to go!
The boys stayed with Dan's mom while we were at the hospital. So that is where I was brought after being discharged. Dan went out to get my pain reliever rx filled, feed the pups and bun, and to get me something warm warm warmer to wear. Ahh. I laid down right away as I was still off feeling after the drive. I got this great non-nausea patch put behind my ear to prevent the awful reaction I usually get from narcotics (crazy dizziness and nausea). I get to see how that works after I remove it later today.

I would post a picture of the surgery site, except I think that it might really bother most. Aw heck here it is anyway... A photo taken just for YOU, my dedicated friends. It's not too bad, really, now is it? lol

It's raining... and it's December in the North Country!

2008-12-10T18:33:00.003-05:00

...and unusually warm too. Weird for December, really. It took all I could to get my youngest son to wear more than a zip-up hoody sweatshirt to work on his "mud farm" in the back yard. I tell you I just *love* that there is a great big hole, without grass I might add, smack dab in the middle in my back yard. We just got the front yard fairly green without having to water it for hours each day, now the back yard, on the other hand.... Having two large dogs and three children constantly stomping down the tender grass shoots. Hm, oh my - that is fourteen feet pitter-pattering! The grass has no chance! And the fact that it is behind a nice you-can't-look-through-it type fence makes it that much easier to say "I'll seed that patch in the Spring." Ah well. What a subject to digress on. :)

So tomorrow is my surgery. I am a bit nervous and hope I can sleep well. I am already thirsty just thinking about not having anything by mouth from midnight onward (especially water!).

Dan's currently finishing dinner by making a lower fat version of his most-delicious-potato-salad-in-the-world. Mmmm :) We can't even wait to eat it before it's cooled off! I started the pulled pork this morning in the crock pot. It is always so delicious, and could not be easier to make, too!

I'll let you know how the surgery goes as soon as I am feeling up to it!

Heard from underneath the dining room table

2008-12-09T14:29:00.001-05:00

Mr.Bun: Grunt. Grrrowl!

Gavin: Grrowl. (similar to Mr.Bun's)

Mommy: Gavin, stop bugging Mr.Bun, please.

Gavin: But he started it!

haircuts

2008-12-08T22:42:00.004-05:00

Some recent fun this evening... Rael and Connor with green hair! Don't worry it's temporary.
And Rael has a faux hawk now, too. Here is Gavin's pre-haircut picture.

And the result. It's his second haircut! Ever! Don't ask me why they cut their hair with the weather getting cold.And now Rael's cut as well. We used gel and hairspray too. I can't believe that I was able to find it under the sink. Not too sure when the last time I actually used it either!
Growing up aren't they? Glad they are such great kids!

wow what a last couple of hours!

2008-12-07T18:26:00.003-05:00

By the end of it all, I was in near hysterics and the police were here. But they found my little boy.

You never quite realize the negative and crazy thoughts that go through one's head until something like "Where's Gavin?" sinks in enough to ask first one twin, then the other, and then to their father, "When was the last time you saw Gavin?"

The blood starts really pumping and the tightness in the throat gets worse when the answers are not satisfactory. Running to the neighbors - where Gavin said he was going to be last. After being told that he left over an hour ago thru the woods, the shortcut that shaves a mere hundred yards off the walk home, has me yelling louder. And now we have the flashlights out as it is now no longer dusk, but dark dark dark out.

We're all yelling, screaming his name. And we now have split up: Dan in the car, me running to all the other neighborhood friends houses, Connor and a now-crying Rael head to the swamp in the center of the woods behind our house. I tell you my personal feeling that we have the most wonderful people in our neighborhood was confirmed; the neighbors are now out searching as well. And still no sign of the G man.

I call 911 after about twenty minutes of searching, worried, crying, near hysterics as I explain the situation.

The police arrive within ten minutes, and find Gavin within only a few minutes of that. Amazing how calm Gavin was after riding for the first time in the police cruiser, arriving home to a near hysterical mom. He takes one look at me and gives me a big hug while saying in the meekest voice "I'm so sorry, mommy." Then the tears of relief come in earnest. That scares Gavin the most.

He knows he has to tell me or Dan where he is going. Taht's the rle. If he leaves one place, he has to come home and tell me where he is going next. And the one time he apparently forgets...

Well, my head is still swirling, and my nerves are still trying to calm. Deep breaths.

The story is that after Gavin left the one friend's house, he met another in the woods (mind you, this particular friend is not one I have ever met) and then he went with to this other kid's house. He was there for over an hour, completely unaware of the chaos that was caused.

My little man says he is sorry, and I am certain he is. But he's still grounded for a couple days to the house- and that's ALL DAY folks, since he is home schooled!

Yep, you could say it has been quite an evening. How was yours?

some family news

2008-12-06T13:53:00.005-05:00

My dad visited my sister who lives in Florida when the weather was still warm, I think in August(?).This is a photo he took of my sister and her little one Sharon on that visit. My dad has since visited again, and will be returning soon.
Look at that little angel face. How cute can a little boy get!
Excitingly enough, my sister Kathleen is now pregnant again, due in June 2009. Secondly, my brother-in-law Pete is getting married on December 14, 2008 to Hana Celeste. Here they are with Rael at Dan's birthday gathering yesterday, scooping ice cream for everyone. Today we're going over to play a game together - you know, family time!- as that is probably the only thing I can really do with this abdomen pain... It'll prove quite relaxing for all, certainly!! :)

Dan's birthday was today!

2008-12-05T22:43:00.004-05:00

And then the pig out :) Happy birthday, honey bunny!

Christmas gifts a la Haley

2008-12-05T17:46:00.007-05:00

In this house we make our presents. Having the children around all of the time makes this a lot easier and stress free than you'd think. WAY less stress than shopping, shopping, shopping, even by catalog... Not too sure what is going to happen for the kids even now, three weeks before Christmas - as they realy have not given even the slightest hint of what they want, except Connor, who would like his long lost Pikachu stuffed animal back. How sad and adorable at the same time...

So for presents for others, family and friends, the plan is to make the usual cookies and chocolates with the boys. We're adding chocolate covered gummi things (bugs, bears, whatever) to the list. I tried this in November and was very surprised with the pleasing results.
In October, we tried a test batch of homemade marzipan (the almond paste candy) dipped in chocolate. Tried a test batch for our Thanksgiving gathering to see who would appreciate it for Xmas. It looks like I am going to need more almonds!! :)

As my surgery will be scheduled a week before Xmas - and I canNOT believe that I have to wait that long!- I have decided to change the type of cookies we make. This year due to time and labor contraints - even with the slave, er, homeschool labor - we're going to use the icebox cookies recipes. Mix ingredients now, wrap, chill and then bake when I'm ready! No time to test the batches beforehand unfortunately. The lucky and best part is that even the crumbled cookies taste great, eh?

Another part of the homemade gift is soap. I have altogether probably close to fifty pounds ready in several different flavors, a few different type of lavenders, bermamont, unscented and even made chocolate soap with cocoa butter! Smells good, tastes terrible - I am only assuming here, but I am hoping no one tries to eat it by mistake! I *have* heard that I make terrible cheese after someone tried my 'herb cheese' that was really a white lavender scented soap with crushed lavender buds. Unfortunate...

Paid $1.83/gal for gas yesterday!

2008-12-04T21:51:00.003-05:00

Filled both the van and the civic's tanks! And then was very pleased to realize the great timing, as a day later, the cheapest station in the area (that I travel within daily, anyway) was $1.87/gallon! Woot!

So we might be moving. Almost 99% certain, but after the New Year, if it does happen. Larger home AND closer to work - yay! Amazing that the five of us have been successfully living in 900 square feet with two 100 lb dogs, a rabbit and cage, crabs and 50 gal snake tank to boot! Will be interesting to move however...

So it wasn't a stomach bug, afterall!

2008-12-03T20:14:00.003-05:00

Hello folks!
I tried to edit the poll to match what the two who voted for, but the software here would not let me because someone already voted! I might have been a bit hasty in putting it up there... Hmm. Multiple answers are also probably not the way to go, as the entire American perhaps worldwide education system has people often picking *one* answer, be it true/false, multiple choice, never mind short answer. I wonder if that form is even used anymore? Whatever...

I have been feeling a bit off lately, no matter what your answer, agreement or otherwise. I was thinking the past two weeks was a never ending bout of a stomach buggy. I could have not been more wrong, as apparently it is two lovely 1cm gall stones that have been irritating, even occasionally blocking and generally causing grief to me and, by proximity to me, causing grief to my household as well. Looks like I have earned, by merit of being so grumpy lately, the wonderful present of a cholecystectomy for Christmas! Woot. (And I say this in the most sarcastic tone possible.)

We have not decorated for the holiday yet. Probably should get on that soon. However! My son has these great big chenille pipecleaners that he has made gnome or elf costume, in the spirit of the season. He was having WAY too much fun with this!

Well, I've been tagged...!

2008-11-28T21:05:00.008-05:00

Since I have not posted in awhile,I'll bite! :)

The task that has been given to me by my friend Sue in PA is to post the 6th pic on the 6th page of my online photo album. Hm. Don't have one of those, not really. Unless you count the one that has perhaps, if I'm lucky, six pictures total. Another is created from the pics that are uploaded to this blog. But we have seen all those already, not that there's that many, either...

OK, let's see -- sixth picture in the sixth album on the laptop here... Perhaps I'll get the 6th pic from the 6th album from the desktop. A majority of my vids and pics are on disc. Slim pickings it'll be. Here we go!Well, by gollygeewillikers, I sure forgot about all of these... That was only last year? Can't be! Yep, the date is February 2007. So these were taken late 2006 or early 2007. Now the only problem with having a nice large memory card, that I can tell, is you don't unload it too often... Hm. Connor, Rael, and Gavin in the dining room. Reading Calvin and Hobbes at breakfast. Such a great book to read when I was younger, but not as young as they are now. It was very enjoyable to READ, and... now it's not so much as enjoyable to have your very own children in their formative years not only reading, but acting it out as well. Ah, the memories! lol

Alrighty then, now we flash to the twins in college:
So ridiculous the costumes they come up with! These are also photos ala Calvin. Do you remember the portraits of Calvin hung on the walls of his comic home? Yep. Perhaps too impressionable at their tender young age! lol
Here's another:

...aaaand another... (aren't they great?!)And another!Poor Gavin was posing SO nicely too. We finally *did* end up getting a good picture eventually. This one was the backdrop for our desktop for quite awhile!

And here's the Gavinator with his lovely 'tattoo' that his bro Rael did for him. He looks like a real 'tough guy', eh? What you can't see are tats on each deltoid too ;DNow that I have completely digressed within the photo albums... The last part of the "task" is to tag six(!) others. Perhaps I should have not used that particular number. Can I change it? Maybe the first pic in the first album or something much less, seeing as I only know one other blogger. That's Sue! And I am sure there are no 'tag backs!' lol

Well sadly so, it seems, the chain apparently ends here... Well, it was fun going down memory lane a bit. Maybe, it is a good idea for a once a week theme: a 'meme' on Mondays. Ah, I so love the alliteration AND thanks for the idea, SusieQ :)

Mr.Bun's family...

2008-11-08T21:56:00.004-05:00

It is no wonder that he's a growly bunbun! I wonder if he thinks he's a dog, being raised around the two 100lb pups. Possibly?

how I make sushi

2008-11-06T22:23:00.009-05:00

So, as a home school project, and to fuel the interest in Japanese culture that existed in our house awhile ago, I made sushi.

Most of the ingredients I can purchase at Hannaford. Price chopper has almost, but not, all I find around here. It is actually cheaper to buy at Hannaford than at the local "natural food store." Luckily the Asian market is not too far away in Albany. My recent trip to Pennsic included a stop at the Asian market a block from my friends' house in Rochester. No where else have I found nori/seaweed wrap cheaper (10 sheets for $1.39 wow!)

Ingredients: rice wine vinegar, nori/seaweed sheets, soy sauce, sugar, dried wasabi paste, water, sushi rice (cooked and cooled to directions - too much to get directions into here, I think. The directions are on the rice container!), rolling mat, veggies cut "julienne" style - often carrots, avocado, scallions, cucumber, and sometimes even bamboo shoots, mushrooms, cooked shrimp, fresh tuna (only hours old, caught at Hampton Beach, true indulgence!)...
Really the fill can be anything you like :)

So the veggies are julienned or whatever. The shiny side of the nori is placed side up -so the matte side is down on the mat.

A bit of the cooled rice is scooped onto the nori. The white bowl is filled with a mixture of mostly water and a bit of sugar and rice wine vinegar that has been heated and then cooled.
This'll keep your fingers from sticking too much to the rice as you spread it out an even thickness across the nori.
Next the veggies are laid out.
The edge without the rice is marked with water from the white bowl. This will allow the nori to stick to itself whe it is rolled over. Note: Please notice the one bite of portabella there?
Next, the one edge is tucked over using the rolling mat. Be firm without squishing it too much.
Voila! (I don't know the aha-here-it-is! in Japanese :) Now I have a nearly finished sushi roll!
Next, cut, slice, chop. The rice is very sticky so it gets cleaned about halfway through as well as at the end of each and every roll that I make. And I have to sharpen my really crappy knife between each roll too. It's super sticky rice I tell you!
There is a certain way to cut it. A kind of sawing works best. Otherwise the roll gets flattened a bit. See the young child waiting patiently in the lower right corner?
Looks like a happy diner, eh?! Well, maybe not so much. But that's my Connor for you!
Now HERE's someone looking forward to eating! :)
And here's another happy child with his dinner!
Usually we eat this with homemade miso soup and/or edamame (soy beans). I am grateful that my family looks forward to unusual foods... Sometimes, the weirderthe food, the better. In this particualr labor-intensive dinner of love, everyone chooses the ingredients and I make to order! It's all good!! :)

Halloween fun

2008-11-03T20:36:00.011-05:00

Is it a sign of the times? There was practically NO ONE out trick or treating in our neighborhood on Halloween. Last year, there were numerous people to say "hi, how ya doin?" to. Almost enough folks around to almost say it was kind of like a block party! But this year, I think we met three other groups altogether! When I mentioned how few people were out and about to my mom-in-law, she said that much of the candy was monitored (no longer made in China or Brazil) from fear. The kids across the street went to the mall. We tried that a few years ago, but the candy was the crap kind - pure sugar, like sweet tarts or bottle caps (remember those?) and the fruit flavored laffy taffy or tootsie rolls... None of the chocolatey goodness or chocolate peanutty dreamy combo. Anyway, I digress, as usual. ;)

Below is the family after we returned from the walk around our block.

Dan and I were some sort of ghoulish skeleton faced zombie sort, um, we just like to dress up - barely anyone can recognize us, even with normal clothes on!
Rael was a video game character that would be created by a cheat code for the game Gaunlet. I would like to note that he made his entire costume. He even went out to get the long sleeve black t-shirt days earlier. Actually he made a few different costumes so he could have "choices" (his words, not mine) depending upon what he "felt like."
Connor was "an infantryman." He would settle for you calling him a soldier, but he would politley reply that he was actually an infantryman.
Despite what the photo indicates, Gavin was -for the third year running- a "zombie wizard" or a lich. But this year there wa sa twist - partly "dragon-born" - so he had red fuzzy pants with the dragon tail (see previous post). After he got home, he removed the dark green cloak and put on the top half of the dragon costume...

Below are the wonderful friends who came trick or treating with us. Misty, Patrick and Cobra. Cobra is such a cool name for a little girl. This little one has the spunk and right and adorable "attitude" to go with it too! I wonder if her personality is a result of her growing into her name or the vica versa kind of thing. Hm.
Below is Connor dressed and ready to go out, but first he needed to carve his pumpkin. He did a wonderful job, too! Both Rael and Connor did great - this was the first year they did more than draw the face on the pumpkin so I could carve it. Well, they *are* ten years old now!! And I was still 'allowed' to carve Gavin's, at least.
Nice smile, eh? I am referring to Connor still, in the photo above, not Rael, below, who is in costume as his painted smiling "stick figure happy face." What you cannot see here is the cardboard/duct tape/aluminum foil chainsaw he made with his own two hands one evening. Very ingenious, I can tell you for sure :)
And now below, here is a close up of Dan and I. The tie-dyed happy face t-shirt that Dan is wearing does look quite incongruous with the face paint, eh?! lol
More post trick-or-treating, candy-munching and Gauntlet-video-game filled dazed-eyed children.
And the family once again. Nice faces all, right? lol A good view of the chainsaw, too.

What a crew!

Hi there! Busy weekend. Busy week, too!

2008-10-27T20:08:00.010-04:00

Well, I am tired. And more so than the usual running around on the weekend or long hours at work kinda weekend... I was in charge of an SCA event this past Saturday. It was a kingdom event that hosted the tournament that chose our next king and queen by right of arms - and we ain't talking boffer swords here, folks!

I heard it was great, again and again, but then added would be "too bad about the weather though..." There are so many nice people willing to share how much fun they're having. I think I have said before how so many nice people ten dto graviate to this recreational activity. Thankfully the stress and planning and work done during the two months prior is made all worthwhile on the actual day. Not that I was able to enjoy as everyone else did very much, with all the running around I did. But, then again, I did enjoy it in a weird kinda way, knowing that so many (nearly 300 people!) were enjoying themselves despite the crazy rain.

So I have been busy, and I have not any pictures of any of it either. Sadly so! I was apparently too busy to remember to remove my camera from it's case to document the day that I have been furiously planning for the past couple weeks. Yep, no pics of the rain rain rain pouring upon many smiling faces. No photos of all the beautiful garb (costumes) getting soaked by some form of wetness - it was light mist if it wasn't an actual outright downpour. None of all the pomp and pageantry, all the great canvas tents and gentle folk lining the tournament field, watching, cheering. Yeah, and no pictures either of good ole mother nature's funny side sending beautiful bright blue sunshine filled skies both of the days that sandwiched the event's full day of overcast precipitation every(!) second(!). But fear not, I was not too busy to get a fogged-lensed movie of Dan, aka Asgar, receiving an award for his notable fighting ability during Court after the tournament was over :) But, sadly, the one time I actually bring out my camera, the battery died!!

So we are recovering and recuperating, without pics! Yes, me, Dan, the boys, the house with pets, et al. I have yet to get as much sleep as I need - well, it's only been two days! Ahem, apparently the regular ole ten hours isn't enough for catching up! lol

And, as you know, there's no rest for the weary - or is it no rest for the wicked?! :) We ran out of steam fast today, trying to clean up the aftermath of my attention being elsewhere for the past week. So now the house is only partially clean. It will have to be finished tomorrow morning, as well as a birthday cake being baked, balloons will be filled... because dah dah dah dah DAH DAHHH! Connor and Rael's TENTH birthday is tomorrow!
Ten years already! A very particular and specifically described "dirt cake" will be created with worms inside (make sure you use the gruesomest drawn out 'ew" in our head when you use your reading in your head voice, please). "Dirt" on top of the PB and chocolate frosting... Gummy wors inside with whatever other confectionary sweet and sugary junk food candy that will 'go with' the entire "dirt" theme, I guess. Do you have any other ideas as to what I can put inside? Perhaps a couple of those thin pretzel rods for branches or something? Eh?

Then Wednesday we get to have everyone local to SCA over - once we had over thirty people in this tiny house! Since the shire foot the bill, we might as well enjoy the leftovers of the medieval feast. How about coming over if you can? 6pm the 25plus pounds of pulled pork will be ready. Honey carrots, pumpkin, apple-berry pastries, warm bread pudding... We even have enough apples to try bobbing for apples! Remember the Charlie Brown Halloween special? For some reason whenever I think of bobbing for apples, I think of that particular cartoon. Dunno why. It probably doesn't even have the kids bobbing for apples either...

I will make certain that my camera batteries are fully charged tomorrow! Please return for more fun and games, and cake and presents for Connor and Rael, on another rainy day in upstate NY! Yeah!

Creative outburst, you say?

2008-10-22T17:15:00.007-04:00

So you know that my family are SCAdians, eh? Well, here is what I have been stitching these past few days. This is Asgar's newest fighting tunic (blue twilled linen with white wool appliqued on each arm). Highly addictive project, as it goes well with travel (work) *and* requires only nearly total attention (as in, I can watch the TV or the kids do homework).

This is three different batches of soap. Two are all vegetable, one is with lard as one of the three oils, all are all-naural and sooo smooth when you use it :) The dark brown flecked soap has lavender essential oil and ground lavender buds, but surprisingly is not overly aromatic. The light brown flecks is lavender EO and ground oatmeal soap. I used only 1/4 oz scent per batch (less than the 1 - 2 oz the recipe called for). The rounded soaps are bergamont (orange) scented, but only barely. The soap was ready to pour before all of the scent was able to get into it. Ah well. It is still awesome home made soap!

And lastly, below is today's latest project as of this morning. Back to the medieval thing again: this is the sugar confectionary desserty art display/sculpture for after feast consumption. (Yes, say that all in one breath, please.) It's called a 'subtlety' in the SCA. In my house I call it a Christmas present for family and friends! Especially since it can be flavored anything and be stiff or creamy, as per choice. (No peanut gallery comments on that last description, please :)

This particular project will be painted with colored and dark chocolate. And one tiger will be affixed to each crown point (to reflect the crowns of the king and queen of the East Kingdom). What you see is about only three pounds of the stuff (mint flavored fondant). I have another four pounds of the stuff to find something to do with it. I know that food coloring will be added as I have only so much chocolate in the house (suprisingly more than you'd think though :)

Last, but not least - as it entails my children, eh! Below is a picture of one of the favors that I made for the youth fighters for my local group's last event in July. It is made from yellow(!) leather and purple and green seed beads embroidered on. A belt goes thru the top so it can hang displayed. Rael and Connor and another from the local group each got one for being so awesomely honorable, chivalrous and above all having fun during the torchlight tournament.

Yes, the kids really do fight, as in boffer weapons (sword, polearm, Rael has a pole axe!) with armor, at night, under an 8' propane fueled torch, during a SCA event. To cool, eh? I would have loved being in the SCA when I was a kid!! I am lucky to be a part of it as an adult, even so. Otherwise, I'd probably be one of those "crazy" quilters or knitters, at least someone with afgans up to her eyeballs by now... LOL At least now I am only a crazy medieval re-enactor :P

Rael's ticket-prize haul

2008-10-17T21:21:00.004-04:00

Even tho I am interested in posting a picture of the boys at the top of the St. Augustine light house (will find it on the 'puter and post it next!)... It has a very eerie wisp trailing across the camera lens in front of the kids who are obliviously smiling for the camera.

So when we go to the arcades - as this is done only when we go to the family beach vacation -we go a little bit nearly every evening (as little as possible, if I had my choice - but, hey, the kids love it!). Many tickets are torn off from the machine slot, by each my three children (as well as the other kids who may be tagging along to our group :) So we have a ton on every horizontal surface in our bedroom where we stay.

Before the very end, the day or two before we plan to leave, we count up the tickets, divide by three :) It is amazing how little all those tickets actually get at the prize counter. The kids, especially little man Gavin, our resident junk foodie, like to get candy. It is also amazing how you could go around the coner to the salt water taffy shop next door and buy eighteen pounds for the same cost that was spent on the games... Ah well. The frivolity of vacation, I guess.

So below is Rael's haul: a small plastic rainbow slinky and the whizzing green lips...

And the next:

He thinks he's so funny! Annoyed by Mommy taking all kinds of pics. But he *is* cute for nine years old!

All three got these lovely whizzing lips. There is still one of those floating around the house nowadays. Lovely toy - not. But the kids have fun with it and it's not too bad, really. I would prefer that they fiddle with a harmonica, as it is much more musical for just breathing in and out - thanks again for the great Xmas presents last year, Auntie Kathleen! :)

Ok I will heed the masses... er, two people ;)

2008-10-17T20:38:00.005-04:00

This is dedicated to my fans out there... Joe and Kathleen, both family and friend :)
Rael's heart-attack-on-a-plate-face whilst at Hampton Beach. Last meal before we left...

Yep, we were already packed away in the car. All we needed was to get our (as in Dan and my) perfectly-fried, last-time-of-the-season-getting-really-fresh-seafood-on-the-boardwalk "fix."

Gee, there seems to be lots of those hyphenated sayings going on here. What the-! lol

Below is a crew of kids, eh? That is actually missing two more kids! These are friends/children of friends who we met whilst living in the mountains north of our current residential location. Wow, I guess you *are* a product of your parents- that was totally my dad just then!
Anyway, these lovely people we see at least yearly when we visit the beach, as they have since moved to NH and then ME (and about to become MA) that is about only 45 minutes from where we usually stay. It is nice to see them whenever we do - as it is wonderful to see any friend after a long time between visits...

I have great photos of each of these very same children (or more) holding a sword, standing with a pirate, poised for a photo-op pour moi, all the while out in front of a seafood store, too. Go figger, uhya.

This is Rael, Ellie, Connor, Gavin and Tate all about five minutes after being given a super large lollipop from a salt water taffy store on the boardwalk... Looks like trouble, huh? :D Apparently the day on the beach did not wear out these guys the least little bit!

What's the deal?

2008-09-14T21:39:00.008-04:00

Apparently I have little time to post, although whenever I am online - which is at least daily, if not more often - I check to see if anyone has commented. Thank you Joe EH! (Now you are really far north, into Canada apparently, for your coveted wintry cold weather, eh?! lol)

OK, enough of the silliness. I find it very interesting that I think about stuff to post while I am out and about, but do not pass it along to you good folk here. Like when I am out roller blading around the neighborhood and beyond. I see many very cool things when on two feet, alongside the main roads. Things that are interesting at the time, but think that it is not so interesting when I log in to post. So I end up just looking for comments... hint hint ;)

One interesting thing I found when rolling around the main streets, outside the immediate town house neighborhood, was how much litter is on and in the grass alongside the road. It is MUCH worse than the view from the car that moves oh-so-fast. When upon two feet, albeit going much faster than than plain ole walking, the view is terrible. All rubbish is in different levels of decay, although much of it has barely lost the lettering on the labels. There are many pieces of litter that has been mowed over oh-how-many-times, looking like it *might* actually be decaying - but then again, it might just be acid rain and several years of exposure outdoors. Really people, do you (not you, actually you who are reading this (cause it BETTER NOT be any of you!) , I mean anyone who litters) think that throwing it out your car window and it's just gone? All better now that your car is clean and your lazy ass doesn't have to pick it up and carry it to a garbage container? How lame. Done venting now. Thanks for listening :)

Another very cool view while (whilst) roller blading was just this past week, before the occasional rain came (wet roads actually eliminates my brakes from working at all). So I am blading somewhere by myself - not certain where I was going at the time, oh yes, I was on my way to fight practice to the local park on Wednesday last week - and I saw a HUGE flock of geese flying right over my head, traveling in the same direction as I was, along the small side road I was rolling along. The sky was blue, the weather was chilly, and there were a few white clouds in the sky. The formation was so large that there were a few different 'v's that branched off the one very large 'V.' It was very cool hearing their honking for minutes, looking and looking... until finally sighting them! They were moving SO fast too! The experience was somewhat surreal and I cannot nearly pass along the feeling of Autumn-is-on-its-way and the great overall calmness of the experience.

I'll "deliver more experiences" soon! Hopefully with pics of the three chilluns to boot... :)

PS Update about a previous post about the woods across the street possibly being developed: It's not going to happen :) Yay!! There *IS* a protected butterfly that needs that area, phew! So no worries! Good to know the despoilment of preserved nature areas is not an everyday thing, despite what the side news headlines say...

It sure feels like Fall...

2008-09-10T20:18:00.003-04:00

I don't know about where you live, but the temperatures here are much cooler lately. And not just in the evening or at night, like the expected drop to 60 degrees F or so. I'm talking about 65 tops during the daytime, and in the evening it feels more than chilly (I still wear shorts until I absolutely have to wear pants, same goes for socks!). Just last week it was nearly 95 in the shade. I hope that wasn't our 'Indian Summer.'

So this cooler weather with sun-shining skies has been great for outdoor activities, play for the kids. Somehow we're missing a bit more of the morning - even though we were never very early risers to begin with! (Another reason we are so lucky; we don't have to live by the school bus or school's first bell.) The cooler morning air temp makes the first eye opening and first stretch that much more snuggly and rested feeling.

The colors of the trees are already beginning to change. I noticed that even "way back in" August while we were driving home from the family beach trip to Hampton Beach. All of those brightt oranges occasionally popping out from the wall of yet vibrant green leaves lining the highway. It seems that the Summer was very busy, jam packed, long. And it also seems like it flew right past. Amazing how a little bit of temperature change and earlier sunset makes one a bit more energized, ready to enjoy the new season. I am so glad to live where there are definite seasons!

This morning after breakfast, Gavin went outside to play in the backyard, as usual. After about two minutes he rushes inside, red cheeked and twinkly eyed saying, "Hey, Mommy! I smell snow!" He can also "smell" Birka, Hampton Beach, zombies, and Panteria. I am glad he hasn't said he smells anyone as that person might not think that is very cute... What an imagination that kid has!

So we're camping in northern VT next weekend! Yes, in our canvas tent, how else would we go? Thank goodness we have zero degree sleeping bags. Probably not needed, but you never know, eh? :)

Beach fun, anyone?

2008-08-29T16:37:00.005-04:00

Hey, you know me and the rhyming silliness. So sue me, it's fun! :)

Who's that? The Gavinator having some small (!!)fun in the surf. Gavin asks, "Doesn't it look like I am rockin'?"
I was and am still very amazed at how very warm the water is compared to the last couple years temperatures. So the air temp is a bit cooler, at least the water isn't!

My brother in law Mark, Dan-the-Man and Mark's sister in law relaxing, chatting, watching the children.

The warren of kids, caves, tunnels, pools and sand mountains that a mere five kids and two adults (me and Dan) can do in a couple hours. These pics just do not do it justice...

Count 'em... 1,2,3,4,5!

Day two at Hampton Beach

2008-08-29T11:32:00.011-04:00

Hey! I went to Maine yesterday to visit someone!

Nooo... Well, OK, I did see Spence, but I really went to see my excellent friend Kris and her newest little one, Bear.

Isn't he so sweet? At the age of six weeks, he's so tiny and demanding. Eat. Sleep. "Hey, Mommy, you always need to hold me, that's all I want you to do!" :) Since I am fairly well rested, I think that's SO adorable. Ah, I remember those days...

I drove the nearly two hours north into Maine to visit, and it was a very easy ride too. It was SO very nice to not only see and visit Kris, but to be able to talk too...! I miss living so close, but we still, somehow, manage to see each other every few months (it's still not often enough). It was a very nice visit, and somehow Kris managed to make a delicious meal of pulled pork with ice cream for dessert! She's already a Super Mom!

It was just after dusk when I arrived back to the beach house (ahh, that can sound so Hampton-ey. "Dah-ling, I'll meet you at the beach house..."). Just in time to go - once again - to the arcade with even more than our regular three kids in tow -- no worries, it's all good! More kids does not necessarily mean more chaos, just more interesting conversation, more friends to keep them all occupied. I just need to keep the latest number in my head. You see, whenever we are out and about, it's usually "1, 2,3" then "1,2,3" (I'm counting the kids :) "1,2... OK who's missing?" Well, last night and today it was "1,2,3,4,5"!! Once you as parents are outnumbered by kids, it's all attitude on your part to keep them "in line." LOL

Below are the three nine-year-olds playing SEGA Genesis - remember that game system? I guess my pack-rat-ness has paid off once in awhile. The games are quite interesting: Toejam and Earl, Sonic and Knuckles... Even the adults don't mind playing the games, especially since the controllers only have the 'two button' technology :) Remember Atari? One button and a joystick?!

Gavin has a friend across the street named Preston or PJ.
He is my sister-in-law's sister's son, and they are two peas in a pod, or can't you tell?

Another self shot of me and Dan - it's the only way I can actually be in a picture usually!

Last,but not nearly least, one of the best reasons to be all of us, the family, together at a vacation house at the beach...! Snuggle time with Grandpa, right before beddie-boo time!!

Now we're off to the beach!!!!

We've arrived to Hampton Beach, NH!!

2008-08-28T10:24:00.007-04:00

We made it! A couple days late, but we are here, safe and sound! Arriving just as the sun set last night, we were in time to walk the boardwalk to get delicious fried scallops and whole clams (not the icky chewy strips), and yummy onion rings, all while watching the Wednesday night fireworks. Dan swears he gains ten pounds on this vacation! I say, who cares? Especially since we look forward to it ALL YEAR LONG!

So let the fun begin!

See, here's our van parked alongside the house we stay in. We, as in, my mom and dad in law, my brother in law, Pete, and my family of five. The two second story windows on that side of the house are our bedrooms. We are rarely there, as we are usually on the beach all morning, back to the house for the hottest hours of the afternoon, then back to the beach for more sand and surf fun. After dinner, around dusk, we go back to the boardwalk for the beach (yes, again- and are you surprised?), some entertainment for the boys at the arcades and then some real junk food (like salt water taffy, ice cream, you name it - hey, perhaps THAT is why Dan says he gains ten pounds, not the fried food :) .

And see the little house in the rear? That is where my brother and sister in law and son are staying (the other son already came and left - we are sad to have missed him).

There is a nice yard between the two houses for barbecuing, boccie ball, Frisbee, pickle, socializing fun!

Don't we look happy to be here? This is us, up much earlier than we usually get up. Must be all the pending excitement we are SO looking forward to!

Now let's get the sunscreen on!

Shhh! Don't wake the DRAGON!!!

2008-08-22T08:36:00.006-04:00

Sometimes we have a baby red dragon who sleeps in our living room. Oh the stories he tells of far-off and far-away places he has traveled, even at such a tender young age!

Even for a tiny, young dragon, he has might and knowledge far beyond the capability of our fleeting human lives. Upon being awoken, this red dragon hesitates, possibly thinking about what to do with this larger human with a camera. (He may also be confused with an earlier dress-up game where blue Celt face paint was the order of play?)

Upon making his decision, no one shall pass.

Ho! What is that?! A warrior has come to challenge the mighty red dragon! This warrior is so fleet and fast on his feet that my lens (and it's lovely three second delay) cannot catch the fatal moment!

Oh! The dragon has been stuck in the neck by a samurai sword! That is possibly very fatal to our house dragon! What shall we do? A magical sword is the only way to defeat such a mighty red dragon, despite it's young age (as it is much older than all of our human ages added together!)!

Ah! Luck be praised! It was NOT a magical sword and the damage, although seemingly deep and deadly, was merely a slight scratch!

And so the delighted dragon does a happy dance :)

One of my recent hobbies

2008-08-21T13:23:00.003-04:00

These past couple years I have been doing wire weaving, also called trichinopoly. It is an ancient Viking craft that (I think) is very easy, but it is very, very repetitive...

Below is a close up of Dan's necklace. I tried to shine it up a bit, but the interior weaving was not touched by the silver polishing cloth. Ah well. It gives it some dimension, perhaps?
Materials: 20 gauge sterling silver wire, purchased silver finding/cone.

Below is another technique of wire weaving, that I learned during our recent Pennsic trip. It is similar to the necklace in the weaving process, but it is worked quite differently afterward.
Materials: 28 gauge sterling silver wire. This was my first attempt with such a small gauge wire. I like the way the 20 or 22 gauge looks better.
And what a difference in shininess! Dan's necklace was once this shiny...

...And so was my necklace as well (below). I used the same wire as the ring above. The necklace also needs some more polishing, I see now. I did a double weave around one a chopstick that is usually available when ordering Chinese food locally. Too bad the detail isn't better.

I will be listing similar items for sale online very soon. I am attempting to get decent and focused pics of items (these particular items are not for sale however). If anyone is interested, I can send a link to the shop once it's open. Shameless plug, I know and apologize!

We went to the Great Escape today

2008-08-20T16:58:00.005-04:00

We got season passes to the Great Escape and try to go as often as the kids will let us. I say it is their call, because we would like it to be fun fun fun. Too much of a good thing gets tiring and not fun for my kids. Dan and I would like to go perhaps separately, to go on some of the crazier rides. But without children? -what kind of terrible parents are we?!!

Do you remember Storytown? The little houses are still there -- that is surprising, especially with all of the renovations and large commercial rides/themes they are constantly adding (Looney Tunes Town or Wiggles World anyone?)

These small houses still seem to be exciting fun for little ones! That I am happy to relate.

The three second delay on my camera could not catch the prime photo ops of such energetic and enthusiastic children in these tiny houses... My three boys and a friend here waiting for my camera to catch up to their antics.

Below is Dan spouting religiosity to a very amused Connor. If only you could have heard us laughing!! Dan can really get Connor going! I would relate some of it here, but do not want to upset anyone. Sorry!

BTW this is the only house that Dan and I could comfortably stand up in.

And here is the gang in the town tavern. Pretending to play with the glued checker board.

I tried to get Gavin in the doorway of the blacksmith shop. That three second delay, I tell you...!

Overall it was an exhausting day running from tiny house to tiny house and then to the farthest part of the park for the water rides. Gosh the walking, more walking and then waiting in line. We did have fun with the tubes, water slides and silliness while waiting in lines.

We were going to go again tomorrow, but the unanimous no's from the children and the dog days of Summer has made relaxing around the house the order of the day (that means I do the ever-increasing laundry and trim the oh-so-out-of-control grass in the back yard)! No rides and excitement? Who's kids are these anyway? :D

I spent part the morning helping Connor to solder the capacitor, diode, voltage trigger and transistor onto what will eventually be a solar-powered robot, called a "solar speeder." Later this evening we'll start a fire to burn some of the mountain of wood we have in the backyard. Or perhaps go to a festival in downtown GF. I hear there are fireworks!! That's great free entertainment!

Say hi to Spencer

2008-08-18T13:04:00.017-04:00

Friends of ours moved to Maine. I think I have finally have forgiven them for moving away. Well since it's been almost a year since they left the area, I think I have to accept things as they are and it helps me seem more grown up...

So they have pets. One that is never seen and the other is one of the coolest cats I know. And by "cool cat," I do mean literally a cat, stripe-y orange, who acts cool. Spencer's personality is quite charismatic in a spunky sort of way. He's definitely a presence in a room that may be filled with human-people, so I think he's a person in that definition of the word. I miss his personality, but that's not another reason to still be sad about my friends moving away and taking him with them. Ahem, so anyway...

We visited them in January, after a big SCA shopping event called Birka in NH. It was only another two hour-or-so ride north to see them and their new house.

Now, without further ado, everyone please say hi to Spencer.

He's cute, isn't he? Some of you may say, "Yes, he is." While other might be thinking, "Eh, he's a fuzzy orange cat... Seen one, you've seen 'em all."

I personally love, adore, get happy about dogs. It's not that I don't like cats, it is just that I am really really allergic to them (only one allergy amongst a billion others). I can touch one, but have to wash immediately. So the scene is kinda OCD looking when I visit Spencer - you see, he's just so Mr.Personality for a cat (most likely was a dog reincarnated as a cat, hm, Kris?) that I cannot help but partake in the Spencer fun-ness. He fetches! Look! He tries to get you to pet him! He instigates stuff, even! Ok, that is like a cat, but he does do well in trying to get the boys' attention. Good idea for a spunky cat, you may think? Hm, lots of hands and equal energy across species. Spence is most comfortable in one of his home habitats, the kitchen counter, and perhaps may be overly confident, eh?

There are two sides of "the story." Let's look at the concrete evidence (Well in this case it's digitally concrete per se):

Well I am not certain Spence was ready for the Haley invasion into his abode. In his attempt to indicate how great his need was to be pet, Spencer knocks nearly everything over on the counter. Ahem, bunny ears, anyone?

So by sheer numbers (of hands) and (in his mind) an annoyingly high child energy level -- or perhaps the fact that the camera has been in his face for at least twenty photos by this point? (and nearly all are blurry or repetitive) -- Spencer retreats to what is assumed to be a safe place.
See the Gavinator's hand creature there? Poised to strike, I mean, er- pet Spencer again!

No matter where he goes, he cannot hide...

Finally, I note the ado behind the curtain and curtail the commotion quickly. (Ha, I love that :)

It was an awesome visit and have since returned for in April to say hi and hike in the lovely Spring sunshine in Maine. The camera stayed in the car for that visit, on behalf of Spencer's nonverbal request to maintain his sanity.

I am so very much looking forward to visiting during the last week of August while in Hampton Beach, NH to see their new little Bear!!

I work only every other weekend, didja know?

2008-08-17T20:24:00.003-04:00

I can't tell you how loud the groans are from my boys when I tell them that Mommy has to go to work soon. They reply something like "But you just were at work, and, anyway we'll miss you!" I do miss them too (I will not mention that the first hour or two here at work is a bit relaxing by having to only single-focus, and not multitasking all the time, but it is still work, eh?). Honestly, I wonder what my kids will do with such an upbringing. Dan and I try to tell them that most families don't see each other for at least eight hours of the day, five days a week...

So I am now at work. Again. Ugh. Too many extra days lately, in my opinion. I don't mind helping out coworkers who need a day or two off, or attempting to make up for the 16 hours of missed time while vacationing. Surprisingly, I have a few minutes to let you know what an insanely busy place this hospital is on the weekend, and that does not include the weekends in the month of August, within this tourist filled town of Saratoga Springs. Due to patient confidentiality issues, I am unable to delve further. But, now that the track is open, it has really hit the fan, as the saying goes.

I will recap once how my shift works -- and I have absolutely NO complaints at all about this either! I work every other weekend in the CT department by myself. I punch in at 11pm on Friday night, work twenty-four hours until 11pm on Saturday. I return on Sunday morning at 7am for another sixteen hour shift.

Sounds crazy, you say? It is, but I'm me, remember? LOL What you may not realize it that I am then off for an entire twelve days(!) before having to work again, if I do not pick up any extra shifts (and I really try hard not to). That allows me all kinds of time for the myriad of hobbies and activities.

One would think --in today's money-oriented society-- that I might just want to work more hours, at another job, or whatever, with all that free time and low cash flow. But we manage and 'make do.' No cable TV (yay, no commercials!), no charging stuff (unless it's a $1400 car repair emergency!), but we have no car payments, rarely ever eat out (have you ever made veggie sushi at home? mmm, delicious!) , and we have no real savings either... That is scary!

And I can't see it changing too much once Dan's graduated and working, initially. Well, then, of course then I can work less, you see, and then Dan will have a job that doesn't slowly break his body. Warehouse work was physically hard -- not difficult, but it was brain-numbingly boring, to make it crystal clear. He had surgery scheduled to debride calcifications from tendons in his AC joint, but within three weeks of quitting the warehouse and lifting a collective 40,000lbs daily, Dan was amazingly but completley pain free. So Dan will be a teacher (YAY!), and will hopefully still have Summers off, to boot!

Not living paycheck to pacheck would be a nice thing to shoot for sooner than later. It could also happen even sooner once we win the lottery (but we never play it) or one of our lovely relatives or friends wins the lottery and is willing to share with us out of the kindness of their hearts. Honestly, I am not hinting at anything, and am definitley not seriously counting on it happening! :)

Oh so easily I digress. OK, if I play that "If I had more money..." card, then (A) I would have to work more, and that's not including the jewelry business I have dabbled in since Spring and am gearing up to "really" concentrate on this Autumn. Or (B) Dan would have to work while in school and most likely not do as well academically. Somehow we manage to make ends meet AND still have a ton of time to spend together. Not that there are no issues with not having cash on hand, mind you. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

You know, I might consider getting another job to fund a trip to visit my sister in Florida or even see friends in Europe or something like that. But to buy a larger house (that would mean more rooms to clean!), it is not so much high on the priority list.

At some point soon, we'll all be grown up (me, Dan, the boys all included), but in the meantime, I'm not rushing away from our fairly relaxed, play and friend-filled days. So what, my family walks to a tune of a different drummer. And it is most enjoyable!!

Phew, done now. Hope it wasn't too unhappy for you to read how fun-family-filled and work-free our time is... As a consolation, I promise pics of our next jaunt to the Great Escape... with our really-what-a-super-deal season passes... during a sunny weekday afternoon... on the water rides and roller coaster. It is super fun for everyone! (That was supposed to rhyme.)
Bye bye for now. xo Jen

Pics as promised of Pennsic (and prior)

2008-08-12T16:18:00.016-04:00

Yep, love the 'literation (ok, that should be alliteration, but poetic license, ya know?)!!

OK. I've unloaded the pics and there are sadly too few to even remotely indicate the fun and extent of the two weeks spent in the middle of a Pennsic town of nearly 11,000 people. But luckily I do have some pics of our visit to Rochester, playing hide and seek in the park near our friend's house.

Here Rael is helping Gavin be "it." That tree is home base. I think Rael was very nice to volunteer to help since there were four adults as well as a couple other kids from the playground also joining in the hide and seek fun (ok, we took over the park with the game).

So here is Katherine and Connor hiding behind the barely discernible hill (especially in this photo) in the park. There's a park kid already trying for base. I was standing sideways behind a large tree (it was large enough to hide me - pretty old tree you got there).

And then everyone's off and running to base while I'm still standing still and hiding. I think this time I was tagged 'it.'

Next is Katherine and me with a self shot. I snuck up behind her and then said "Say cheese!"

Not too bad for a surprise pic, eh? With rumblings and rain, we were chased from the park to the safety of their house. Luckily the rain only lasted some minutes and then we were off to my birthday lunch with another self shot...

And one with Dan included. And then the entire family :D Nice artwork on the wall, eh?

But that's not all! No, no siree! I have a few of our Pennsic trip as well, but not nearly as many as I took on my birthday, unfortunately so... But here is one of the first sightings of the campsite while we were still on the highway, about five minutes after our first scent of campfire!

Here are all but one fighter from our Freehold encampment. They look so happy, no? I mean, going off to war and all that... I wonder how Uust (Josh, the guy in the blue shirt) will fight with two heads? That's Asgar (Dan) leaning in there ;)

There are a few others that I will add later, but there's not too many, sad to say. TTFN!

We're baaaack!

2008-08-10T13:37:00.007-04:00

How were the past two weeks for you? I heard the rain, lightning, storms etc were many and unrelenting in this area of New York while we were gone. But the sun came out the day we arrived home. How nice, eh?!

The weather for Pennsic really could not have been better. The days were sunny and mid 80's or so with very few rain showers. The one real downpour lasted less than an hour, where, of course, we were outdoors attending our food table during the woods battle --we try our hardest to keep the exhausted fighters on their feet with fruit and water. There were only a few days when I awoke to the pitter patter of rain on our canvas tent. It is an extremely realxing sound. Cooler temps after dark allowed for a restful sleep. Good thing too, since our decision to camp without the air mattress was made - I do believe it was the only thing keeping me from getting my lower back and hip muscles to relax when we were camping previously. That's not a good thing especially when one is on their feet that much... And Dan comments that only one person on an air mattress is worse than sleeping on the hard ground. Luckily, it wasn't so bad sleeping onthe ground; I would go as far to say that it was fairly comfortable. Better than sleeping on a hard floor indoors, at any rate!

Vacation was good. Camping was good and it's a nice inexpensive vacation despite the high gas prices. I love the Freehold/Coldwood encampment; the people we camp with are our friends from upstate NY, VT and Canada. The way things are laxly organized makes sense and is very easy to handle, as vacations should be! The people are wonderful, true, but many this year were from my home area. On the trip there we stopped at friends for a day/night/day visit. They bought a nice fixer-upper in the "Swillburg" area, old downtown that is now being renovated, rejuvinated. It used to be all pig farms once upon a time, but now it has parks, homes and shops. Only a block from their house is an Asian market, and next door to that was an Indian restaurant (mmm, naan and saag, what an awesome birthday lunch!!) and next to that was an actual Indian market. And it was SO incredibly inexpensive, except the rice, strangely so. I bought lots of food from each market for our camping meals. I tell you there were not too few in our encampment who were disappointed we did not have enough to share by the end of the meal ;^)

So overall not a bad vacation at all! But then there's the drive home. Without getting into play-by-play details, we arrived home over 24 hours late and nearly $1400 lighter in the wallet (between hotel, meals and car repair). Thank goodness I brought the emergency credit card!

So we're home now. YAY!! Well, currently I am at work. I'm missing my family right now. And how silly is that?! I am lucky enough to spend nearly ALL of my time with them!! I am also dealing with some of the regular ridiculous crap here at work, am sort of looking forward to unpacking (not) and sort of looking forward to doing the mountain of laundry (again, not)...

So my family is pleasantly exhausted and quite happy to be home. Dan said that the first thing Gavin did upon arrival was to hop right on his bicycle and ride around the neighborhood. Before we left he repeatedly said he wanted to bring his bike, and while we were camping "oh how I wished I had my bike..." What a cutie. Quite conversely, Connor and Rael - who are just as cute btw -were so very tired but were jumpy and full of energy, but still too tired to run around. So they just lounged around and read the OOTS books that were purchased at Pennsic. Dan's plan is to spend the day outdoors, weather permitting, playing soccer or some sport that the boys enjoy. Two days in a car is not good. For anyone. But we did make it through with flying colors, such resilient and go-with-the-flow children and husband I have!

The pets were well cared for while we were gone, thanks to Papa, my dad. The pups were delighted to see me when I got home from work last night, as I was so happy to see them, my awesome pupalups. The bun, I imagine, was happy too, in his own punky bunny way, but he kept giving me "the ear" last night and then again this morning. He probably was happy, perhaps, but a bit PO'd that we were gone so long. By giving me "the ear," I am referring to Connor's term for when Mr.Bun is grumpy or unhappy. the pose is from a lagomorph language dictionary online, but the term is Connor's. A good example is "Uh oh, Bun's giving me the ear..." and it usually comes out sounding like "Uh oh, Bun's giving me the 'finger'..." And the sideways look Bun uses as well makes it seem like he's giving you the eyeball -- but, then again, his eyes are on the sides of his head, so he can only really give you one eye at a time, right?

I'll post a few pics once I am home from work, although I don't think my camera was used very often, darn rechargable batteries. I'll know for certain when I upload them to the computer if there's anything interesting taken by my children :D I must warn that at one point the camera was found sitting in a small puddle of water inside our tent and it spent a couple days drying out. Not that our tent leaks, mind you, it was a bottle of water that was accidently spilled. So we'll see if any of the pics come out!

Thanks for listening! More later.

How my kids stay busy while driving

2008-07-29T13:30:00.005-04:00

OK, everyone has "problems" with their kids (they do, don't they? for some reason I hear about it. Well maybe not from everybody :)

So, my kids (who are the most awesome ones in the world, lucky me) have very little problems with long drives. When asked how long is it going to take, and my reply is "(any number less than six) hours" I usually get a "Whoohooo! That's not too bad!" Pennsic will be ten hours, but we're breaking it up by visiting our friends (who we met in Plattsburgh, NY, but have moved to Rochester, NY - about half way to our final destination in PA!).
Please visit scademo.com for an idea of what we do. Visit pennsicwar.org/penn37/ for the event we'll be at. It's HUGE (12thousand people usually go, and most actually camp there). This is the largest recorded temporary town in the world. It actually gets its own zip code for the two weeks of the event!!

Anyway, here's one of the ways that my children can keep themselves occupied even when there is no scenery to see when it is after sunset. This particular movie was made during our drive from eastern MA after a different SCA event (it was called Canterbury Tales, and it was very fun!). Homeward bound was particularly quiet, despite the apparent noise of this production...

Boy I am getting the hang of this, I think! I'm sure I'll have lots to tell about when we return in two weeks! If you don't get a postcard, then that means I need your address!! :)

Getting ready for vacation

2008-07-28T13:56:00.008-04:00

So I really should be all ready to leave for Pennsic War right now. But... We actually should be in or about nearly in Rochester visiting friends at this hour. But work sure kicked my butt this past weekend. And so I slept in until nearly noon. Does it matter that I was so wired, overtired, so much so, that I could not fall asleep until 4am?

I do look tired there. Just a bit.

Dan's parents had the boys yesterday until this afternoon, so I should have gotten right up and then packed. But no, I spend time relaxing, talking on the phone with those we were supposed to visit in Rochester. I also tried to "report" the problems I had to deal with this past (yay! glad it's over) weekend.
So even though I am not a work, I am still dealing with the post traumatic stress of it. Luckily I have my sweet pups to cheer me when I get home. (well there's Dan too, and my boys too. All who are usually, often already asleep for the night.)

Off to Pennsylvania for twelve days! Who knew PA, as far a states go, would be THE place I look forward to going each year? I'm a bit nervous about the weather and that darn Newcomer class I said I'd teach - butterflies in my tummy. But I am more so excited about hanging out with all the awesome people I know. And getting to spend my birthday with these friends! :D
Last year I spent it with my dad and family at the German restaurant on Quaker Rd. Mmmm. Their veiner schniitzel is SOOO yummy. One of my, ok two of my favorite foods are the red cabbage and the beer. Beer counts as a food, really! You ingest it, right? It's not food like carrots are, but food like doritoes. Not very nutritious in any way at all, just calories. Actually beer probably is one step better than doritoes. It's more natural than that orange dye... And no, I am not one year old as the candle indicates ;)

Tired now, already. And I haven't even been up for eight hours yet. But I have accomplished a lot, maybe. I'm almost ready to load the car. Out in the driveway is everything except clothes and kitchen stuff -spices, feast gear, whatnot. Even the tent's lumber is there, and so is our tent (that I designed and sewed myself, I like to add). Here's our tent at Freehold's last B-day Bash. Looks nice nestled in trees, I think. It was the largest tent spot and we had to really finagle it to get it up. In the dark. While it was raining. Not fun at the time, but now all happiest of memories.

That's the idea, take lots of minivacations! Here's a movie of a poi (fire) dancer who comes to many of this side of the Northern Region events and gatherings. She wears leather to prevent her clothing from catching fire. She's only one of the many many incredibly interesting and nice people we know as result of playing in the SCA.

This video does not justify the extent of her talent. You can tell Jen is tired when she really has no rhyme or reason to subject or thought. What a way to end a post. Hope everyone's next couple weeks are great. I doubt I will be able to find internet - or really want to find it- while on vacation...

And another vacation spot we visit: Hampton Beach, our annual Haley family get away. Glorious to have a real kitchen, shower, even tv for when it rains... It is something we SO look forward to each year! (Thank you Dan's parents!)

Here's Dan, before he went bald, with our little man, the Gavinator. So picturesque, eh?

Last year's photos of this vacation look very similar to each year's pics, except the boys get bigger and bigger... Thanks for checking in! Hope to hear from you soon!!

More on rainy day fun...

2008-07-24T22:26:00.003-04:00

Here's the tiny frog (it is so tiny it's kind of blurry) in Connor's hand and Rael giving the poor amphibian bunny ears. I told you these darn kids likes to do that... I don't know where they get it from!

Rainy backyard fun

2008-07-24T21:54:00.006-04:00

This is the only tree in our backyard. It is a completely untrimmed Chinese Maple. See the umbrellas that roof their fort in there?

Kind of looks like a tropical rain forest, eh?

Here's one of the tiny residents in our backyard. On the tip of Connor's finger. He's a teeny tiny frog! Hard to see I know, but I wanted Connor in the shot too.

Here's Rael too. It's amazing that they were able to find it!

Rain and relaxing...

2008-07-23T13:17:00.003-04:00

Well it's raining buckets here. And it has been for the past six hours, with some moments of mere showers. I give the exact number of hours, although it really is much longer since I know it was pouring even before I woke up. The point, in my roundabout fashion, is that I was awake today at 6am from a humongously large crack of lightening in the white pine trees directly behind our house. In case you forgot, that is way, way too early for me to be up, unless I am at work. The loud crack woke Dan and me, both. Well, Dan being awake at this hour is no biggie. Firstly, at this hour Dan is usually trying to fall back to sleep, and, secondly, this is usually due to the fact that Dan can't sleep through a bug chewing on wood. On the other hand, I can sleep standing up in the middle of a drum circle.

So now the pups are up and need to go out. Nuts. But the pups came back after literally thirty seconds outside and they were already soaking wet. So out come the towels -- this is WAY more than I wan to be doing at this hour by the way -- I dry dry dry and go back to bed.
I was almost asleep again when "car windows open" and "computer still on" flash through my mind. Up again to look out the window and see those darn things open. Out I scurry, keys in hand, with a large damp dog towel over my head and shoulders -- all of the umbrellas are in the van, which is usually a good place, right? :)

I return triumphant, albeit really damp and now also cold, and surprisingly still tired - and not in the sick and tired kind of way though. One might think that I would be wide awake by now. But if I get my way, I will go back to bed and can still fall asleep within five minutes (see how good I am at sleeping?). But then I lay in bed, trying to get warm, thinking about all the clothes I want to make.

All day long, I need to sew sew sew. Petal to the metal, lady. It's a sewing machine foot pedal, but hey, I never can help myself with a pun and it does sound kinda cool, right? Either way, I am sitting and typing this and NOT sewing the million needed clothes for Pennsic (next week!) since my back wrenched at one point in the past two days and has been worsening to the point now where I cannot even remotely deal with large pieces of fabric without pain. So I am relaxing here, hoping whomever visits is interested in the crazy morning I have had.

Now to the boys.
Connor is in his bedroom finishing his math exercise. Gee that boy really can procrastinate, delay, be the pokiest child I know. He is certainly the pokiest in this household. He is just so imaginative and creative it affects his focus often. Good thing he is schooled at home. We are all lucky having these boys home all of the time!

On the other side of the twin ying-yang, Rael is already done and out the door at a friend's house. Nice having summer vacation for the 'school kids.' If these boys of mine do not get hours of outdoor and mostly active play, they have such ants in their pants during the pre-bed winding down time. It can be highly distracting when trying to watch an episode of Heros or Bab5.

Third awake this morning was Gavin, who has spent the morning being the little water bug that he is outdoors. First he was in the back yard collecting all the water that was collected in the many toys and buckets into one place where he could then stand in and play with a stick, in the rain. Yep, that's Gavin. He just loves loves water and somehow manages to work it into his play in any and every way he can. He's good at it too. He has experiments, with water with lemon juice, sugar, salt, maybe pepper (whatever, he's six years old). He also likes to wash dishes. Takes baths out of the blue. He will pick flowers for me to fill my mommy pot with water (that's what I call it, don't laugh. It can hold flowers that the boys pick with nearly no stems). Two days ago when it was raining, he was outside in the front drain with sticks of wood (ships) and his shorts and water shoes, squatting down in three inches of water. He likes water!

Dan takes the pups on their walk in the woods (what Gavin calls "the water woods," you can almost hear the capitalized W's), well Gavin will dress in his scuba shorts suit, rash shirt and swim cap to accompany Dan in order to swim in the stream while Dan throws a stick for Sammy, also a water lover.

It is so cool that when we moved back into the area, we moved need these same woods that Dan grew up in, when his family forst moved here from Newburyport, MA when Dan was eight. He and his dog, Shadow, would spend hours in these same woods. It is generally known that these woods still exist in this disgustingly rapidly developing area because it is near the reservoir. Recent talk is that Glens Falls and Queensbury's water system might combine. So, most likely the woods would be approved for development. Sad, sadly so. I kind of remember a protected butterfly using the wetland area. It is essential for the bird's migration (I guess no one else cares?). It is also used by the regular ole neighborhood wildlife. There is a fox warning as he eats domestic outdoor cats - there are many that have come up missing recently. Deer and turtles I see regularly. Turtles that I stop for and put back under the fence. One was squished flat when I was rollerblading with the boys on bikes one day. It was gruesomely interesting and sad, but only to me apparently, since the boys were like "yes, yes, let's get going to Stewart's already, we want ice cream!"

Ahh the good life that these kids of mine have. A bit sheltered in some respects, but they should be at this age still. I am so lucky to have these boys, my husband and the opportunity to spend so much time together!

Thanks for listening to the running of my thoughts :D I promise pictures in the next post, ok?

Some more recent photos

2008-07-21T13:22:00.017-04:00

I'll get the hang of this blog thing fairly quickly, I hope. I have yet to invite anyone to see it, as it seems to me pretty pretentious to think that others would want to come and see and hear what I have to say regularly. But you see, one of my friends is so great at posting in her blog, that I really enjoy reading and seeing her family's recent activities, so much so that she is inspiring!

Let me clarify, that pic from yesterday's post was taken last August, nearly an entire year ago. I do have more recent photos of my family, but not all in one frame. Nearly all are at SCA events, however.

Here's Rael, happy in his red linen tunic at Opening of the Inne at Coldwood.

And here's Connor in his Japanese tunic and jacket (haori). He looks so cute in it!

And the most recent photo of the littlest man, Gavin,who is not in medieval clothes, even though we were at an SCA event. Notice the hair is much shorter now!

And another photo (since I know people really appreciate seeing them!) of me and my boys while the rain was pouring pouring down the day before the 'official start' of an event that we went early to help out - on the Thursday of this year's Memorial day weekend in Hardwick, VT. Gee I am really a brat - perhaps that is where Rael gets it from, no doubt! In nearly every photo I have with him and another person has bunny ears. Perhaps I started it all unknowingly with this one?

Anyway, this was an especially nice cabin to have when it was absolutely pouring rain out. It was cold at night, but DRY. And it rained a bit more the next day, but it that was *before* we had set up our own tent, before anyone else had arrived at the site yet at all.
Here's a photo of Dan and our boys getting ready to play "Clue" - that was an interesting first time playing the game...

We go camping very often, and it is usually to an SCA event. Since it is fairly inexpensive (we eat out of a cooler, only have to pay for gas) and it is especially great that we get to see our friends who do not live near us at nearly every single event we go to. If not, we get to meet lots of new people who already share the same hobby and interests!

Our pets are usually left at home; my dad doesn't seem to mind watching them for us, lucky lucky us! Sometimes one of our pups gets to come - but only if I can be certain that the weather cooperates (not too hot, not too wet - nothing like a wet dog inside your tent, eh?). Sam's the black dog. Frodo is the chocolate. Mr.Bun is the bun (surprised?). this four pound lagomorph was raised around our two large dogs; he is litter box trained and lives in a modified extra large dog crate in our living room. He also growls, will dig/scratch, possibly even bite when provoked. And by provoked, I mean reaching into his cage to feed him in the morning, or by reaching into his cage to feed him at night. Or by reaching into his cage to pet him or give him fresh hay... O the joy that is our punky rabbit named Bun!

We also have a ball python named Jacobe (from my pre-Dan days; who knew they lived to be 20 to 30 years old?) and a ten-gallon tank filled with sand and a few hermit crabs: Hermie, Snapper, Crabby, Hermie (yes, that's two with the same name as they have the same looking shells), and an unnamed one. I do not have any photos of them, even though Dan is very partial to these "cool" crustaceans. They are really quite interesting once one gets past the feeling that they look and move very much like spiders.

It took me awhile to "like" them. I did care for them by reading all I could get my hands on (homeschool project! and there's not much info out there really, but hermit crabs can live nearly 25 years!!). Ours are happy crabs, tunnelling int eh three inches of sand, climbing on their Maine driftwood, eating much of the food scraps we add to their dish... I did as most moms would do, setting up the habitat carefully, even though I do not care for these spidery-looking things. I am not afraid of spiders, mind you, just do not like them in my house due to previous incidents where I found them in a child's nose (a single tiny baby spider when I suctioned one of the twins as an infant and another time when Dan had to go to the emergency room b/c his arm had a bite that was becoming pitted and black!). On that lovely note, I've spent way too much time trying to decipher the process of loading photos and posting, so I will get off now... Much of this has been recapped info, most of you have already heard.

I promise new stuff for next time! So return tomorrow, folks, for more fun and games from the Happy Haley Household!! Thank you very much, and good night!! :D

Here's hoping...

2008-07-20T14:36:00.000-04:00

So here I am using something new to keep friends and family up to date on what me and my busy family are doing. I am hopeful to be able to add posts often, but not to be on the computer too much either... Do you see the lovely children I have that keep me busy? Here we are at one of our favorite ice cream spots on Lake Flower in Saranac Lake, NY. It was one of the last times we were there, visiting before moving out of 'da park,' to the other side of the blue line... Life is much busier now that we live so much closer to everything. When we are out of milk, we dob't have to drive twenty minutes one way anymore. Everything is cheaper (food, gas, less time is spent driving distances, everything is cheaper except housing, mostly). Our social life has rocketed with the short travel distances and general population density. We moved to our current home nearly four years ago and there are still many moments where my boys are near to tears with longing of the slow, uncomplicated life of living in the woods... But life moves onward and upward, bigger and better... As Gavin says, we always have our happy "rememberies," eh?