Pre-Halloween

This weekend we were celebrating pre-Halloween and all that is fall. We went to the farm with Grandma Mary, Jen and Joe. And paid out the nose to pet some animals (sheep, guinea pigs, llamas, chickens, bunnies and turtles). We also rode a hay ride and jumped on some hay bales. And the highlight as always was the chickens who ate half a chocolate chip cookie and a few blades of grass and were very chatty with the kids. Fun was had by all. :)

We carved pumpkins- ok I carved and the kids put together faces for the pumpkins... They are still doing it (6 hours later). I just printed out some simple jack-o-lantern patterns and then cut out the different elements and the kids could rearrange to their hearts content. They used eyebrows as facial hair, eyes as noses and one even sported a smiley hat. Then we chose the favorite faces and carved them into the cleaned out pumpkins. Claire even got into the action and stuck her hand IN a pumpkin this year!!

All in all not a bad weekend-before-the-holiday...

My List

I've been thinking a lot lately - since my afternoons are fairly quiet. (ha ha - Nick is screaming that Claire took his train and she's at school) Thinking about what I want out of my life... I've taken some time off, not just off of work (can I say that if I never actually worked?) but off of life. I have not gone out in a Looong time (and never without some guilt for not being home with the kids or my husband), I have not really made many friends to go out with actually, I don't do things that I enjoy very often either because I'm too tired, to frazzled or out of time. SO.
I'm making a list- even if it just helps me find myself and what I want now that my life is so different than the last time I evaluated it (many moons ago). So here are a few ideas of things I would like to do in the near future...
Get my Masters Degree
Take a language class at Community College
Visit Italy
Go to the Dinosaur Park with the Kids
Find more time for my marriage
There are a few others that I'm not ready to put on in ink quite yet but I really think that's a start and I'd like to thank budgetsare$exy for the kick in the pants to make this list... check out some other lists for inspiration over here. (plus they are giving away some $$ to make it all possible)

First Day of School

There are no words.

Claire just asked for her milk in a shot glass.

Heartache

Conversation I had earlier with Claire :

(Claire is hanging off the bed pulling on the comforter)
M: You are going to break my bed and then I'm going to have to break your butt
C: If you break my butt I'll have to break your brain
(Claire thinks about it a second then her expression softens)
C: But not your heart, I'll never break your heart mommy.

Oh that that could be true my love.

My Independant Kid

Claire starts preK next Thursday.

It is crazy to think that just 4 years ago I was terrified about having a baby and couldn't wait for her to grow up and get more independent. Now that she has done just that I'm terrified again but this time I'm nervous for her- how will she adapt to being away from Nick and I for 3 hrs a day?- Will she find a little friend to play with?- Will she listen well to other adults? I know that answer to those questions: She will adapt just fine and is in fact completely ready to have some independence- she is a friendly kid and any kid who doesn't want to be her friend is obviously defective - She is a respectful kid who listens and takes direction well. I love her and feel completely secure and hugely grateful for the time I've spent so far shaping her into a beautiful woman who is respectful, responsible, loving and kind.
So she's ready but I don't think I am.
I see now that a lot of that crazy school shopping is in fact retail therapy for the mothers who are getting ready to experience separation anxiety themselves.
To the backpack store!

Date Night

Went on a date with my husband- a dressed up without the kids date.
(I think it's our first ever)
It was a great night.

I still love him (and it's been almost 5 years!)

Princess Cookies with Claire

If you are a fairy princess

or just like the way they dress
then wave your magic wand
and create cookies from beyond!

Now take a bowl and whip the butter
Now's not the time to use the cutter
Next blend the mix and water, too
and make yourself a gooey-goo

Say the magic words, but please don't blink
Watch as your dough turns incredibly pink!
now cover your dough and let it chill
in the fridge, not on the windowsill!

Roll the cooled dough out with your rolling pin
Nice and flat, just not too, too thin
Use the cutter to make perfect stars
Place them not too near and not too far

Now you need a grown-up princess or prince
It's not such hard work, they really won't wince
They should open the over n and put in the sheet
Then wait twelve minutes for this magical treat

Once the cookies cool, add your magical touch
With some icing and fairy dust... just not too much!
Then call in all the fairies for a special treat
And feed them pink cookies to eat - so sweet.

Splashing in the Rain

Today it rained.

We spent the morning sorting clothes for the fall and water painting.

After lunch it was apparent that it was not going to stop raining so we geared up to go out.
Boots, Coats, Umbrella- Check!

Here is Nick standing in the world's smallest puddle- somehow he crammed both his feet into it :)

Nick sees the huge puddle- Nick RUNS to the huge puddle-
Nick splashes in the HUGE puddle!

We also experimented with different water slide technique.

If Claire held up her right leg she could go so fast she flew off the bottom and 'splashed down'. Nick just had to lay back and he flew off the end.

All in all not a bad day for having it rain all day.
They are forecasting rain again tomorrow... Maybe we'll break out the sewing machine...

One Proud Mama

This is the one where Nick wears undies to bed and stays dry
then wears them out all day the next day and stays dry! :)
His mama couldn't be more proud!

My Neighborhood

Drove around my neighborhood a bit tonight with the windows down and discovered several new gems that I didn't know about before. The top attraction:

A

Check That- This Was the Best.

Today we got up early...

got in the car- threw up once- crossed 4 lanes of traffic for bagels and boarded a boat.

When we got off the boat we walked through the 'sunken forest' on Fire Island (a different end of Fire Island than last week).
It was less populated and we had an entire stretch of beach almost entirely to ourselves.
We dug right in.

Yes Nick's rash guard says 'whipper snapper' :)

And now get ready to see a completely untainted expression of joy and carefree-ness.

All in all we did some other things on the island but none of them compared to the absolute joy of letting the kids run free and wild on a deserted beach not more than an hour away from our home.
plus I didn't take any pictures of them.
you're welcome.

And we can't wait another 12 days till mommy will be completely full of joy!

Perfect Beach Day

Yesterday (and today in all truth) Claire woke up wanting to climb a lighthouse. Why? We have no clue. But because she has such a great and spontaneous dad we packed up and hit the road with promises to meet Grandma and Grandpa Bill on Fire Island.

We hiked up to the lighthouse, after it had closed since you have to be about 40 inches tall to climb any lighthouse. (another year Claire, sorry) It was beautiful! The sun was setting, the birds were singing, it wasn't too crowded. The perfect end to our day.

Claire was concerned that the lighthouse would fall on her because of the cracks in it. Nick thought it was great fun and we discovered some great new facts about lighthouses.
Did you know they are all painted differently to aid the sailors in knowing where they are? Interesting- no?

We decided to walk the beach back to the car on and hopefully get to catch the tail end of the sunset over the dunes.

I will spare you the details and pictures (that I did not take) of what we actually saw on our trip back to the car on the beach. Suffice it to say it was a different type of moon than is pictured above.

Nick Turns 2

My baby boy turned 2 this past weekend, it is amazing to me that I just don't have any babies anymore.
He's grown so big, so fast.
Thank you to everyone who celebrated him with us both near and far.
Happy Birthday Nicky!

Pulling Hair and Other Gram Reflections

Today I was looking at pictures with Claire. We came across some of my Grandma. I told Claire with all fondness that that was her great grandma. And she turned to me and said

"Is she the one that likes to pull hair?"

I guess we need to plan a trip to Gram's sometime soon. Claire says that because I always tell her in the midst of tearful hair brushing that 'your great grandma always says : If you wanna be pretty you gotta suffer'. It's sad to me that really that's what she'll probably take with her about her great grandma, it's sad because she really has a Great great grandma. Who loves her

and her brother.

Who loves family and a good time.

Even though sometimes she's not in the greatest mood, I still love her. And really miss being close by, or close enough to pop over for a bit. (to check if she's in a good mood or not) Or share some toast and tea in the morning at that great table that seats barely 5, or 12 depending on the day.

I don't know how to end this because it's getting kinda sappy, and I can hear her yelling 'For God's sake, I'm not dead yet'. So I'll just say that I love her and I miss her. I hope you have a great grandma who imparts great knowledge, or at least hugs and stability in your life.

*Grandma- if you ever go on the internet and somehow stumble across this I apologize for the pictures of you in your pajamas, and anything I may say that puts you in a bad mood. :)

Something to Smile About

Today Nick said the word 'kite', Claire colored 'in the lines' for the first time and colored an entire space instead of just scribbling.
I took some meds for this awful illness that just won't stop and Jim took a nap.
We are kind of low energy today but enjoying a low key day at home.
What do you have to smile about today?

Things my Brain Wastes Space and Time Thinking

The joy of a gift lies in it's novelty.

Even Better

Gelato in a Popsicle!

Do you think I can convince my Italian husband to take me?
Or is this just ruining Italian ice cream?

Pretty Much It

Nick is cutting teeth, and has a head cold to end all head colds that doesn't allow him to breath at night so he's opted to just stay up... all night. :( I haven't been able to cross anything off my list for almost a week now for some unexplainable reason. Not even the kind where you do the thing and then add it and cross it off all in one step. :( I miss my mommy- intensely lately and August can't come fast enough cause I could also use a big hug from my daddy.
But even after laying all that whining out there, I'm not really feeling defeated or down, just tired- mentally, physically and emotionally.
If I can catch some winks today I think I'll lock myself in the bathroom and force myself to stay there till it's sparkling. And then reward myself with a fresh-out-of-the-oven (all-by-itself) chocolate chip cookie. :)

Where Have We Been?

At the beach, collecting seashells.

And building sand castles.

Coloring Easter eggs by the pool.

Meeting the Easter Bunny.

Helping Grandma furnish her new house.

Playing at the pool.

Enjoying a piece of paradise with Daddy.

Reprogramming

So I arrived home from my two week vacation (which I extended by two weeks) to a house full of mess. I couldn't even believe that I had left it like that just a month ago. And even more surprising, I didn't remember leaving it a mess. I was staying in my in-laws newly acquired, barely furnished house in Florida. It was refreshing. and I guess I sort of lost myself there, the way you imagine you will when you are on vacation but never actually do. I am in the process of 'getting back to reality' and deprogramming.

Getting used to my tiny bathroom that only has one sink and no special door to shut myself away when I'm on the toilet, or just need a moment.
It was cereal for lunch when we arrived home from the airport- I couldn't remember where the bowls were.
Sifting through 237 emails... mostly junk.
Dealing with a mountain of mail... also mostly junk (can I categorize bills as junk too?)

It feels like a wave has hit me and I'm still trying to figure out which way is up. But I'll get there. I am energized, motivated and ready to tackle this adventure that I call 'everyday life'.

Right after I'm done mourning the lack of pool or beach and the 72 degree weather.

Weed Whacker

Recently Claire learned a joke.

What is a skunks favorite sandwich?
Peanut Butter and Smelly!

She does pretty well at telling her joke except she leaves off the first line. So when you ask her to tell you a joke she just screams in her 'punch line voice' "Peanut Butter and Smelly!"

This afternoon because we are cooped up inside because of the rain -we decided to learn a couple new jokes.

I discovered she's actually pretty funny. Our conversations went something like this.

M: Why did the chicken cross the road?
C: because he likes roads
M: Why did the crocodile cross the road?
C: because he wanted to eat the chicken

Then we moved on to knock knock jokes:

M: I say Knock knock
M (whispers): then you say 'who's there'
C: Aunt Ami
M: No you just say the words 'who's there'
C: Aunt Mark
M: No... ok I say Knock Knock then you say who's there then I say Rhoda
C: Rhoda Aunt Mark
M: you are silly.
C: Knock Knock
M: Who's there?
C: Weed whacker!
Conversation dissolves into laughter....

She really is the funniest kid I know.

Tweet, Tweet....

Today was the day to have twitter......

I think there is a bird in my walls.

There is definitely a bird in my dryer vent and he's not happy to be in there.

Would it be horrible to turn the dryer on? Would it just kill the bird and stink everything to high heaven?

Maintenance 'might' make it out 'sometime today'?! Did I mention there is a BIRD IN my dryer vent!?!

Dear bird- I can hear you and you are going the WRONG WAY! Fly toward the light....

Claire is yelling at the bird to 'stop making that creepy noise' - that really forlorn sounding song that calls to your friends to 'get you the heck out of here!!' I wish you had better friends.

OMG now there is definitely more than one bird. Dear bird friends she wanted you to help her out, not join her for a crazy dryer vent party.

The squirrels are now wise to the distress of my birds. They are hanging out under the vent making noise and freaking the birds out. Ugh.

The guys came- and they said "those are some BIG birds" apparently they can fly in and out no problem though. I plan to run my dryer all day and night from now on till they decide it's not a good idea to nest in my dryer vent!

Yet another thing done half-assed by the people who remodeled my kitchen. I need to replace my dryer vent with one those stinking birds can't get into.

Thankfully no nest, cause if they build a nest and lay eggs it's against the law to have them removed and we just have to live with them till they hatch and fly the coupe. (it's a $10,000 fine to disturb them)

No birds. YAY! Now who will replace this dryer vent. Ugh!

Wake Up Call

There are a few things I'd like to blog about
1. making new mommy friends
2. unexpected and very welcome visits from sisters
3. laundry and my hatred for stinky things
4. potty training
5. male giraffes

Most of those come with lovely pictures but since my camera cord is MIA I can't share any of them with you thus taking the wind out of my posting sails.
So instead I'll share a quick story about my mom from this morning.

Last night my darling son woke me at 1am- as he has for the past two nights. He fussed, Claire woke and Nick and I moved to the couch where he finally settled down and fell back asleep around 4am.
At 6am the construction started outside, and the window in the living room was open so it sounded like they were in the room with me. And I was too tired to get up and close it but Nick decided that it was time to get up. So he settled in for a rousing puzzle session on my phone.
At 7:30am Nick realized that it was only 4am in WY and figured that would be a great time to call GB and chat54. Thankfully she was on call at the hospital so it wasn't the end of the world.
So Nick woke both his mom and his grandma at 4am this morning.

I know that was not really the most exciting blog post but I needed to update so there you have it a moment from my not so exciting life. :)