Yes, it's been a while

Where does the time go? Working, commuting, reading books, giving baths, making lunches, playing with trains, and at this time of year - trying to pull Christmas together.

Last night was the annual nativity party in the old stomping grounds. Duff and Gail toned it down a bit this year, with only about 15 guests including 6 little ones. Despite the horrific weather, I did force my children to layer on the snow gear and head out into the snow to celebrate the birth of Jesus. If you are reading this then you know I'm not a huge church goer, and you may know I struggled mightily in high school with Sister (omg I can't remember her name right now!! Someone is sending me a message!!) Grayhair-Geigerjacket-Kiltpin. But this annual nativity scene really brings it home.

From the high production value flood light shining in the sky to represent the star of bethlehem - which we follow as we walk there in the cold (ok, yesterday we drove) to the costumed choralers, the live animals to the wall of trees that transform the school lawn; this is one night when you want to believe. The kids' eyes pop out while Silent Night is sung and a bright light comes on when Jesus is born. The trees part and there in the manger lies a baby with Joseph and Mary. Dogs bark, kids howl and the normally aloof Rowayton residents actually seem pretty humble. It all wraps up pretty quickly - then we go home for swedish meatballs and egg noodles. A great night all around and if I believe what Sister MARY taught me - then we even get a little grace for the effort.

Last night Rob & I did double duty - nativity then rolled into our neighbors' annual dessert Christmas party. With the kids in jammies as we left Gail's, we drove home and walked to the party. Always a great time - the kicker is the forced mingling that actually works. I won't reveal it in case I ever get around to replicating it for a party of my own (yes, with adults), but I have to give props to the downhill neighbors for pulling it off once again.

This morning we picked up the kids and they had each created a Christmas list. I think a Christmas list says a lot about a person, so I'm going to share.

Keelin: cat toy (i'm guessing one of those things on a stick you tease a cat with. No, we don't have a cat), unicorn, power ranger, rolley (apparently some dog on wheels that she thinks is funny), crystals (she said she had been learning about them in school with her teacher. I'm guessing that's a fib. Miss Tischler isn't much of a hippie and this IS only kindergarten), office supplies (serious), calculator (aka a "counting thing", and a computer.

Finn: skateboard, computer, half pipe, clock, watch, vegetables, green beans (god bless this kid), books, stamps, baseball uniform, fishing equipment, pirate booty (the food), paper, letter opener, power rangers, office supplies.

Lochlan: a bed

Good news for Loch is that Santa came early and dropped off his bed in the basement today. He had muddy boots and a Russian accent, but hey a bed's a bed, right? (You quick readers are marking your calendars for the inevitable "GASP! We don't have a crib any more" post coming soon)

I love that Finn wants vegetables from Santa. I'm surprised that he didn't ask for underpants because he was quite dismayed today at the Maritime Center when they had no kids boxers with lobsters on them. Men's yes, boy's no. When I suggested that we ask Santa for undies (picked up some boxers at Gap yesterday - PHEW) Finn gave me a scrunched uplook and said "Elves can't MAKE UNDERPANTS!!". I had to explain all the way home how that could possibly be true. Elves can indeed make underpants. Seriously.

And Keelin is just off her rocker. I wish I were 5 years old.

Happy Holidays All. Stay safe, be grateful and hug people tightly.

2.5 hours, 3 adults, 3 children, some vodka and four glasses of wine

That is exactly what it took to get Finn's new train table and train system together. But man does he like it!! Gigi and Baba brought this today for Finn's birthday on Tuesday.

We had a great party for Finn today - which I decided to do on Thursday. And guess what? a four year old CAN actually have fun without a monster-orchestrated gig.



We had no entertainer (despite my efforts) and he had no friends from school (given the still-hacked-up-kitchen situation), but Finn still had a blast. He dressed up like a pirate and the all ran around like banshees. Mark and Todd L (here in front of the fire!), Sophia F, Keara, Neala & Liam K, Kayleigh, Alannah & Declan F and Savannah were the kiddies. Add in some grandparent-types (who brought CAKE) , Roger/Francine and Susana (our old nanny) and we had a winner.


You may also notice that Keelin opted for formal attire for the early part of the party. Keep in mind we had about 2 inches of snow on the ground this morning - but she had on the taffeta and velour tank dress. Luckily she put on tights - which is more than Alannah F did! This is a shot of Alannah. I love the shot - not because I actually captured Alannah - but rather because I found something we'd been looking for. Any guesses?



Here's the birthday boy as the party wound down and he was able to open the first gift - his new race track. Cool as a cucumber with his candy necklace and the remote on hand. He had a wonderful day - thanks to everyone who came and made it a great morning/afternoon.

Four (or 3 + 363 days) is a pretty sweet place to be.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Not too much to say at this hour - but I couldn't leave all my fans hanging. Waiting for a release for the holiday... Be free. Enjoy. Consume and be merry.

I will share with you what Keelin is giving thanks for - according to the turkey she made at school:

1. Her dog
2. Pumpkins
3. Turkey
4. Trees
5. Legs

Ain't that the TRUTH!

Finn made a centerpiece for the table - with fake flowers and leaves stuffed into a paper towel roll, glued to a yellow paper plate. I absolutely love it.

For those of you spending a nice long weekend with your family and friends - think about the new holiday NPR has established for Friday - The National Day of Listening. Sit down with someone you care about and ask them to tell you a story... something you have never known about them. And be thankful.

Shout Out To Norman

Susie's Grandpa G died last night.

Norman ~ May there be baskets-o-plenty. Rest in peace.

If only she weren't so SHY...

Last week when the kids were at Gigi's, Keelin created this costume. She's playing Fancy Nancy - and if you know Fancy Nancy, I think you will agree she pulled it off fabulously. I called her Mother Nature for the rest of the night.
Ps - she did not wear that dress there, nor have I ever seen it before.

This next shot has so much to say that I think i'll just leave you to your imagination. Just please note:

• Finn has shells paper clipped to the net he is wearing over his shoulders.
• Keelin is holding Hannah on the lease. Inside.
  

And the closing shot. Because even Mother Nature has to eat dinner.

On a more serious note, Loch actually went to the doctor twice today. He had a very slight limp on and off after the treadmill incident, then he fell in the bathroom the other night, and the limp is now more pronounced. They didn't think it was much, but we're waiting for test results tonight. Keep the Lochster in your thoughts!

GooooooooObama!

I'm just struck by my total lapse of brain power and planning in this blog-o-mine. Robin, I can hear you tsking me as I type. I let the election and the results slip by with nary a comment. Well for the sake of my children, who I trust will be reading this in a few years, I have to mark this momentous occasion.

WARNING: Nothing terribly eloquent coming up here. Just me.

Barack Hussein Obama. Sound presidential or what? I love it. I do remember when I was young and I determined which candidate was more well-suited for the big house on Pennsylvania Ave by his name. (Yeah, it was always "his" name back then kiddos). Good thing I was only voting in the phony booths in the gym. I also have a really vivid memory of walking home from the drug store one afternoon with one of my best friends Jill. I was convinced that I could do a better job than Jimmy Carter, and I was explaining why. Keep in mind I was somewhere between 8 and 12. I ruled the world.

I am not sure if I was a dyed in the wool Democrat yet. My parents, being aliens and all, were - and are - both independants who typically vote democratic, but they never rammed any politics down our throats. Luckily they never really rammed ANYTHING down our throats... but I digress.

I do however remember when I became a Democrat. It was a conversation with my mom about how Democrats are typically more liberal on immigration than Republicans. That was the moment when I decided to lean the donkey way. Silly as it may have been, my political bias began right there. I might have been 8. I recall the thought -People think all immigrants are shimmying under a fence to get in here, but some of the immigrants are doctors and educated and simply want to raise their kids away from guns and tanks and peat. (Ok, not so much peat IN Belfast, but in my head the whole country smells like peat. Which I love.)

And really I feel the same way today. Only it's not about the doctor and educated part. I believe that people who need and want to get the heck away from something should have the right to do so. And we should help. My dad served in the Air Force when he got here - because he had to. I'm cool with that part. Bring it back - we need some help in that department.

It might also be the fact that my parents were the minorities where they grew up. They were the ones who couldn't get certain jobs or go to certain clubs or eat in certain restaurants. And America was the land of the free. Thank God. Belfast had lots of guns and bombs.

And I like to think - although I don't think THEY thought about it - that's why they never rammed anything down our throats. Nor was there any prejudice in our house. Dad had lots of patients who couldn't pay and they bartered help for healthcare. Wow - what a concept. Dad took an oil change in exchange for a physical, or an office visit. So much for the "new" healthcare crisis. People have been struggling to pay for doctor visits for as long as I can remember.

Lots of those patients were black. They were a part of our lives as they would work to pay down their bills with Dad. And I just can't remember a single conversation about race or equality or anything. Everybody just was. And worked hard. And treated my Dad like a super hero. That part was cool.

So back to Barack. Hot damn it feels good to be proud of our president-elect. Bill Clinton was pretty darn exciting too, but the legacy has been tainted. I voted for Barack in the primary back in February and I voted for him again last week. I agree with his plans. I like his thinking. I am so glad he wants to regain our status in the world as a nation that helps our neighbors - not one who arrests them, tortures them and holds them for a few years. Back to Belfast - that crap happened to people in my family and I have heard the stories firsthand. I'm talking hours - not days and not years. That wasn't right in the 70s in Belfast and it sure as hell isn't right here in 2008.

I'm not actually into National Healthcare (call my dad for the 411 on that opinion) but I am for covering kids, seniors and for catastrophic coverage for everyone. I still think people should work for their living. I think families who are on extended periods of social services - young adults especially - would be well served with a few years in the military or an organized community service program that gets results. I'm ok with that exchange. You get what you need to survive, keep your kids safe and stay proud.

I really voted for Barack because he is a smart man. I trust the guy. He taught constitutional law. He is aggressive and fought tooth and nail to get where he is. I love that his mother woke him up at 4:30 in the morning to do his homework together. I hope I would do the same if tested like that - but I really hope I never have to find out. She was a role model and he is now a role model because of her.

I don't think he's going to take us too far left. I do think I'm going to pay more in taxes, but I don't think he is going to screw me. I'm ok with paying more. Who the hell else is going to pay for all the debt we've racked up? I expect the former head of Lehman Brothers to pay a lot MORE, but I don't think I'm exempt.

Oh yeah, and one more point. I keep hearing the word historic. This was and is a historic moment in our history. I am so proud to be part of it and can not wait to watch it unfold. I am humbled by this accomplishment and how great and proud a moment this must be for black Americans. But one news clip keeps ringing in my head - "nowhere else on earth could something like this happen - only in America".

To that I say, get off your stupid high American horse and get real. Stop giving yourself a pat on the back and let's get the job done. We've got a smart guy in the hot seat for a change and let's make the most of it. Don't turn this into a "we are so great" routine of another flavor. Let's build back our credibility. And be ethical. And grow. And set global standards on renewable energy. Then stand on an EARNED moral highground. And two more words: Nelson Mandela.

Pictures from Duxbury

You may recall the earlier story of our insane tuna festival in Duxbury right before we went to the Vineyard. Well I just got the pictures Kerry took - and there are a few cuties to post. I won't elaborate and recant the weekend, I'll just say we had a super time and we all loved our brief stay. We're ready to move in with Kerry and Brian. Anytime. As soon as they invite us. :)

This shot was only possible because of the torrential rain that followed us to Duxbury - then onto the Vineyard. All the kids were running around like mad in the rain and they needed a warm bath to take the chill out. You try separating them. Just try. A tub for 5 was the easiest option for keeping the troops happy!
Here is Keelin grabbing on to Izzy for dear life. A GIRL. A GIRL! Keelin wore Izzy's clothes for most of the weekend. Dirty, clean. Didn't matter.

And this is the best one of all. Finn was in LUV with Kate - and this shot captures his possessive nature I guess. As Kerry put it - Finn is protecting his girlfriend!! Note the stance. Look at that face - he means business!Next time we hope Betsy, Ted, Caroline and Addison will be able to join us for the fun. Although my kids might not be able to handle the fact that the four girls are cousins. Could get ugly. Scratch that - we'll just have to visit them all separately!

Weekend blurrrrr

Friday night was actually pretty mellow. I think. I can't remember that far back! Yes, we stayed home after Rob & I both worked a little late.

Saturday morning we had a terrible scare when Loch took the pin out of the treadmill and the whole platform fell. On him. Splat on the floor. It was horrible. Poor little guy was silent for about 30 seconds after I got him out while his eyes just popped out of his head. Then all he could say was "I scared. I scared. I scared". Awful. But he was normalish about 20 minutes later. Luckily we were headed for Dr Grandpa's for lunch.

The kids had just about had it when we arrived, but they were excited to tear up dad's house. For those of you who don't know my dad, he has a MASSIVE sweet tooth and he hordes candy. He keeps insane amounts of candy in his office. This summer the kids searched and searched for the holy grail, and they found it. Luckily Grandpa got smart this time - but then he just doled it out like The Candy Man after lunch. AFTER a birthday cake too. Major sugar overload - even for my kids who will actually volunteer to stop when they've had "too much sugar". The grownups were busy working the champagne, red and dessert wines. ZZZZ.

Finn went berserk and played catch with my dad in the tv room. Keelin was zoned out after the rush and Loch was pretty close to full on exhaustion, but no - there's more! We then went to see my nephew Willy (Carrie's middle son) play lacrosse at Wesleyan. He's on a travel team - and they were playing a CT team, so they came down from Boston. It was pouring rain - so about 20 minutes we headed to Grandma's house to get ready for dinner.

Tom invited the lax coaches and about 4 other kids to come over, so we had about 20 people in the house for dinner. That includes 3 cousins - but I think our kids thought all 10 of the kids were their cousins! Finn was in 7th heaven with the big kids. And he wasn't just following them around - Finn was actually holding court with these highschoolers. I was so proud. Finn was completely out of his shell and loving every minute of it. Chit chatting away. About skateboards. He ate his dinner (because the boys did). He drank gatorade (because the boys did). He hung out in the bedroom (because the boys did). It was probably the best day of Finn's life. I think we need to find him an older boy to hang out with on a regular basis!

But the best line of the night was Keelin's. At one point after dinner, she came running in like the cat who ate the canary. Grinning from ear to ear she said "Ummm. Aunt Lisa? I have something silly to tell you. The cousins went outside. To clean the car. But they are just in the back seat. AND THEY ARE KISSING!!!" Tommy was snagged. Making out in the back seat with his girlfriend.

I guarantee he's not looking forward to our next visit :)

Then today I took the kids for a hike and a few rounds on the playground at school. Gigi and Baba watched them while I got my nails done, we had dinner at their house, and came home in time for bed. Which is where I need to go now.

Happy Birthday to Me

Yesterday Rob surprised me with a birthday dossier that included tickets to see Phil Lesh in the city. We left around 1:30, arriving at the Sheraton around 2:30. With car parked and bags in hand, we waited to check in. There were hordes of post-marathon zombies hobbling around. Lots of ahsifiggernemani, several wheelchairs, many crutches and even a few people with medals proudly hung around their necks.

I started chatting up one woman there - telling her it was my birthday surprise so Rob hadn't used my Starwood Preferred number when booking the room. "So can we add it and check for any potential upgrades?" Clearly a woman who appreciates a birthday, she zipped us up to the counter, telling the check-in woman to upgrade us. But, uhhhhh. No room.

Turns out there is ANOTHER Sheraton right across 7th avenue. So we schlep over there with our bags. Bad news was that this was the worse-looking of the two lobbies. Good news was the woman from Sheraton #1 came running over with a special birthday order for us! She probably felt badly for us in the dumpier Sheraton! The man at the desk DID upgrade us - to a bigger, corner room on the 16th floor. With a cool view straight down Broadway to Time Square. This shot was taken with my blackberry from the room - not bad!

Then we went to a yummy restaurant in Hell's Kitchen - Taboon. Luckily we got in early enough to eat without rushing and get out in time to stop into the hotel to change before the show. We got into the Nokia Theatre with ease and were happy to see they WERE serving drinks. I love the venue - small and intimate with easy acess to the loo and the bar! Here is another phone pic of Phill jamming it out. We were super close to the stage and still had lots of room to bust a move.

When we returned to the hotel (with take-out slices of birthday cake in hand) we found a bottle of nice wine, cheese and crackers and a bowl of cut strawberries. Our little friend from Sheraton #1 hooked us up. Very nice indeed. Too bad we both passed out after just a few bites and sips!

All in all a great birthday. Now i'm watching election excitement on TV. All news looking good right now... PHEW.

Quickie

Trying to step up the pace - so this is a blackberry pic from today! I have a better one from a fallen tree they managed to rig into a seesaw, but for some reason it won't go from phone to email.

Ann & I took the kids for a hike around the trails at Earthplace. We were on the move for 90 minutes and my kids were EXHAUSTED! Literally groaning about how long it was and how their legs hurt. YIPPEE - Mission Accomplished!

It was so nice out - a crisp, clear November day. I wish I had the real camera. Then we went to Gigi and Baba's for dinner and crazy tubs. I'll get Gail to send me some tubs shots. It is ridonculous how many bubbles that tub can create.

"This is the BEST Halloween EVER"

Granted that only means that it beat the prior FOUR - at least two of which she can't remember - but it still warms my heart to hear it. Keelin and I. Walking with the flashlight down our street. We dropped off the menfolk a few houses back and the girls pushed onward for a few more. Batgirl was in seventh heaven. And it was a wise move - we found the primo house that doles out FULL size candy bars.

Between last night's party at work with the post-soiree dinner at J&Ds to tonight's perfect timing at the Thomson's house (we set out with their gang), Keelin was elated. The weather was practically balmy and Keelin was so into the concept of Halloween this year. I think it all met her expectations.

Believe it or not, this photo was taken BEFORE we went out! Poor Loch is already out of it. He had a great time too - lumbering along like the stegosaurus he was... and yeah, we found purple hairspray at CVS this week.

Batman was ready to head home after about 5 houses. Practical one that he is, Finn thought it best to head home to help Grandma give out candy to other kids. Plus - he said - "we're only going to eat one piece of candy a day. That's the smart way, right?"

Anyway - Halloween is almost over. Another one bites the dust. But I have to say, I'm going to side with Keelin. It was certainly the best since SHE was born!

The Blackout of 2008

YEAH! POWER! This morning our power came back on after about 10 hours of darkness last night. Thank goodness Duff & Gail were eager beavers and came over with firewood earlier in the evening. The fire was stoked and blazing before the lights went out. Finn was in charge of helping the firemaster - then he was quite distraught by the sudden lack of electricity. Who will fix it? How did it break? Where does it come from? When is the electric man coming here?

Rob & I spent the afternoon at IKEA (again) this time for the basement closets. He's been installing the storage system for about 10 hours now - the lack of light last night really put a damper on things!

Anyway - it is a beautiful day here and we're going to try for a quick trip to the playground before Keelin's friend's costume party at 2. Batgirl's second trial run!!!

Out on the Weekend

Yesterday we hit up the Harvest Fair in Easton. Twas a tiny little bumpkin of a harvest fair, but perfect size for us. Heck, we even left with a bunch of unused tickets. Mom and Gail both came - and Peggy M and her granddaughter Holly were there too. There were cute little games with honor system prizes (Twizzlers, stickers, candy corn), pony rides and yup - even a tractor ride. It was a gorgeous day and the kids were having a blast.

After we left the fair, we went to Peggy's friends house to see the newborn goats, about 4 dozen chickens with a rooster and two rescued thoroughbred horses. Oh yeah - and two rhodesian ridgebacks that didn't seem too psyched that my three little kids were there. I was happy to beat it on out of there without any stitches required - but the chickens were a riot. And that rooster - he was about as pleased to see us as the dogs. COCKADOODLEDOOOOOOO. About 20 times. Too bad I was out of space on the camera by then. Oh yeah - and the electric fence around the horses. Now that I think about it, that was a BRILLIANT place to take the kiddies. (note to self... no more visiting Peggy's farm friends)

Oh Yeah - THANKS SUE

Hess phoned me up today to give me props. At least someone reads this thing. (yeah like I care)

You all DO know how to comment - RIGHT??

Practice Makes Perfect

Ignore that ac unit that I'd like Rob to put away tout de suite (hint hint honey).

Batgirl and Batman build a bat mansion in our playroom yesterday. Keelin's costume is the bomb - arm and leg bands, rad bat mask, cape, belt. She loves it.

Finn also loves his - but the mask/cape combo is a tad too big - so he can't see squat. You may notice it is sitting on his head. I've got to figure out a way to rig that for Halloweenie. That said - Finn is so excited that he's running around the house trying to watch his cape fly out behind him. It is so cute to watch. I wish I still believed that a fake-muscle chest and shiny black cape could make me fly.

Loch is a dinosaur - and none too thrilled about it. He pretty much got the batjip because they didn't have his size and his Mom liked the dinosaur. Really. I swear. They didn't HAVE HIS SIZE!

Nick Chapman has arrived!

David just IM'd me - little Nicholas was born last night. Can't wait for a pic - I'll update the post when I get one. Kewlio.

I'm back again.

Yeah - I came back then I left for Orlando for 4 days. Symposium season is upon me - but luckily i'm only going to Orlando - and now done.

For all you Gartner neophytes, Symposium is a big freaking deal for us - and this year proved to be action packed as usual. No late nights like the olden days (this year I had 7 AM client breakfasts which curbed my party time and overall consumption) but it is always a high point of the Gartner year. And this is one high point I am glad is behind me!

This weekend Rob is in Minnesota killing things, so I'm home with the gang of three. Luckily Stella offered to stay with us, and we're planning lots of physically exhausting activities. Tonight after I got home from the office we went straight to the playground. Dinner was very civilized and, as evidenced by this firstpostinages, the kiddies went to bed right on time. Woo hoo.

Home. WAHHHH.

We're back on the mainland. UGH. Even a rainy cool week on the Vineyard beats coming home to the rat race! Back to work and school tomorrow. We are sad.

This week flew by - faster than usual for some reason. I think the rain really kept us from doing alot, but we neglected to realize that we'd never fit all the usual stuff in. The week was just gone all of a sudden.

We did get in many favorites though - arrival meal at the Quarterdeck (greasy greasy, but tradition and then it's out of the way!), afternoons on Chappy, the Derby weigh in, strolls through Edgartown galleries, shopping at Island Pursuit, driving to Menemsha, windswept jaunts on South Beach. And then the food - lunch at Edgartown Deli, scones from Katama General Store, zucchini bread and blueberry pie from Morning Glory Farm, dinner at L'Etoile, and plenty of good meals at home. I will be hitting the treadmill in the morning. Tooooo much food.

We also had our annual scallop dinner with Alberto and Marika - known on the island as "the Italians". It's always great to have them to dinner. Rob spends mornings fishing with them - or at least Alberto - every day, but I only get the dinner to catch up on their lives - and this year - their new TV show! Alberto and Marika are professional models turned professional fly fisherpeople. They are such a breath of fresh air - so funny, genuine, grateful and Alberto's obsession with fishing is orders of magnitude greater than Rob's. They stay in a hotel for most of their 3 week stay on the island, so dinner in a house is always appreciated - and relaxing I hope! The boys & I actually ran into Alberto at the weigh in on Friday morning - with a nice striped bass. He was bounding out when he saw me, then he exclaimed "oh! this is for you!" and was going to hand me a large (dead) fish. Needless to say I requested the fish go back to the beach with him and Rob brought it home later. But we had already eaten so much bass that we donated it to a friend's chowder-in-the-making.

But home we are. I'm spending lots on time on kitchen design web sites - we need to get this beast done. Back to the real world.

Happy on Chappy

Ok, so the weather isn't so hot. Yesterday it rained all morning - which ain't pretty in a house with 2,3,4 year olds. The afternoon was nice - albeit windy - so we headed out to Cape Pogue. The boys slept in the car the whole way, but Keelin made the first of a series of "castles for the animals and birds". She decorates these castles with sea grass, shells, rocks and wildflowers (which I think are goldenrod - aaaaachoooo). Rob fishes. I chill out. Here are a few shots from yesterday and today on Chappy. Way out past the lighthouse. So remote. So beautiful.

We haven't done much other than play, eat fish - see earlier post from our weekend in Duxbury!, drive on the beach, and some sleep. Easing in to Vineyard life...

Rain? It was raining?

As I create this post, I am blissfully sitting on the couch in our house on the Vineyard. Life is good. But more on that later. Now I must post about our lovely weekend in Duxbury with the Ms. We drove up late Friday night after work, kids sleeping as we listened to the first debate on the radio. And it POURED rain most of the way. Treachery - two narrowly averted serious accidents, but it all came together as we cruised close to our destination and the phone rang. It was K&B right in front of us on the road!

We stayed up (yeah - all 5 of us and all 4 of them) until after 1 chitchatting. The kids were so excited and the popcorn didn't hurt. The gorgeous house with meticulous playroom was converted into a racetrack for our kids. Up one staircase, down the other. Loop de loop. We slept in the girls room, and when Keelin walked in you would have thought she'd never before seen pink. This was heaven to her. Rob & I both said we'd better get cracking on making our kids rooms look a little more like kids rooms. Then maybe they'll stay in them longer!
So what is this picture you ask? This is Finn and Kate - in the tent. In the playroom. Finn is now Kate's number one fan. And Kate is now Finn's idol. He LOVES her. If you know Kate, then you know why and it all makes sense, but when you know Finn, it was very hard to believe. He was SMITTEN. There was no fighting. There was no screaming or kicking. It was like he found his muse and in her presence, Finn was a new man (boy). Izzy and Loch were another item. As a matter of fact, Kate came in at one point and said "Um. I'm not sure if it's appropriate, but, uh, Izzy and Loch are KISSING!" Yup - the 6 and 2 yr olds smooching when the rentals weren't looking. TROUBLE! I just wish I took a picture. There are a few cuties on K's camera, which I'll add when she sends them to me. RIGHT K? :) The good news is that Keelin was so excited to have the two girls there - playing Webkinz on the computer, putting on makeup and doing nails, coming down with Polly Pockets - and the boys were also having a ball with the older women (girls). Something for everyone! It couldn't have been better chemistry.

And what a dope I am not to have gotten a shot of PK who came over to chill for the day. (Or K&B our hosts for that matter!)It was great to see PK and since it was bucketing rain and we had 5 kids to contend with, we basically hunkered in all day. So we got lots of catch up time which was just what I wanted. K had the house stocked with lots of yummy stuff and fed P&I some crazy good pancakes for brunch.

The boys went out fishing and caught a few stripers. We had one for dinner here - on MVY - tonight, but last night was the tuna fest. I wish there were an accurate word to describe the insane amount of tuna we had last night. Caligula would have been right at home. B caught a 100 lb tuna this week and we put a massive dent in it last night. 3 kinds of tuna sashimi. Tuna rolls. Tuna steak. As K said, it was like Forrest Gump of tuna. And boy was it YUMMMMY. We ate tuna for about 4 hours. And drank 3 bottles of wine plus some beer. And B doesn't drink anymore. And P&B had gone home!

So long story short, we had a super time in Crazytown (named after the ginormous pancakes made in Duxbury). Rob & I were astonished at how well behaved the kids were (yeah, P&K, that was REALLY GOOD!) and how surprisingly relaxing it was. Thanks so much to K&B for being hosts with the mosts. :)

Remember Loch...

Finn kinda stole the day from Lochlan as we headed off to school on Tuesday. I told him to wish Loch luck for his first day. He said - and I quote - "Remember Loch, no fighting, no biting. And I'm proud of you." Then he gave him a huge hug. Loch was beaming with pride. His hero finally acknowledged him. Ahhh.

This shot is blurry, but I'm a nut for taking first day of school shots in the same spot - so tough. Keelin isn't in these either - because she's already on the bus!

Here is Loch playing with Steph before we headed out. Actually, he's AVOIDING the photo op spot that I was trying to make him stand in. He had to be on the OTHER side of the yard.

So on to the actual school part. We walked in, I helped Loch wash his hands, he dumped the back pack and started right in with the toys. No issues. I asked for a kiss goodbye - full pucker. (Oh yeah, nice wet one, the super drool hasn't disappeared yet)

I start to walk out - then realize I need to take at least ONE picture. So I cruise around to the table where he's doing a puzzle. Snap. He looks up. Snap again. (actually, snap doesn't really fly with a digital, but I need it for effect. Artistic license.) Loch looks at me like I'm nuts. Like "WHEN are you leaving Ma?? Can't you see I'm busy here?"

So I left and headed into the Parenting group. It's a good crew and there is even another boy with an older brother named Fin(bar)! Loch and Jack can share stories about their Finncidents of the day. One mom got pulled back to calm some crying. Another to change a diaper. Every time the door opened I cringed. All reports are good. Not a single outburst. He made it.

No fighting, no biting. I am so proud of him.

Happy Birthday To Sue

Sue F came to celebrate her birthday on Saturday! Keelin was very eager to hand over the gifts, so this picture was taken about 2 minutes after Sue walked in the door!

Here she is with the boyz unwrapping the framed pics of her nieces. The other gift was some cute veggie plates that I've been eyeballing with her in mind for about a year.

After the gifting, we went to the Blues and BBQ festival in town. It was actually pretty good for a first annual anything. The big flaw was a loooooooong line to buy anything BBQ. Yeah - kinda major flaw. The ribs were super yum though - once we got them. Then we sat down on the grass and licked our fingers.

The bands were good, the beer tents were line-free, and there were lots of games for the kids. We stuck to pony rides (2x each), checking out the fire truck, and this enormous bouncy-thing obstacle course.

This pony rode shot has all three kids in it, but it's not so easy to see Loch back there. He LOVED it - but was very shy about the cute girl guiding him. Blushing and
everything.
And here is Finn hoisting himself over the climbing wall in a flash. Even Lochie attempted it - but he wasn't quite ready to scale it using the rope. He needed some help from Sue to get around it! Can you tell who is who here?

No picture of Keelin scaling the wall because she flew through it so quickly that by the time I had Loch's shoes off and got him started, she was already done. And milking a fake cow.

Anyway, it was great to have Sue for the night. I wish I could say we had a raging night of birthday rancor - but no. We were all exhausted and didn't even eat dinner. We had chips and salsa. And never ate her cake. We got one at Carvel, but never ate it. 'Til Monday anyway :)

Trifecta!

Loch met HIS teachers today! Here he is with Mrs P - who was also Finn's teacher last year. Keelin never had her. This is a goofy shot, but she doesn't look half bad :)

School starts next week. Yes - you'll have to endure ONE MORE sequence of first day shots! Luckily in a few years they'll all start the same day. But that isn't for three more years!

For the past week we've been telling Loch he was going to school. Every time he had the same reply. "No." He is such an easy going little dude that I thought this was it. Finally it will happen. One of them will be the drama case at school. On Keelin's first day of Twos, she bolted right in and didn't turn back. Yeah - kinda like the bus this year! Finn was also comfy cozy and strolled right in. So ONE has to be the screaming, kicking, bawling, grasping, sobbing, guilt-laying center of attention. Right?

So far so good on the Lochster. Of course I was there today for the hour. Tuesday is when he stays. Alone. But I think he'll be ok. He did come find me every 5 minutes or so today, so there IS a little neediness there, and he DOES get shy sometimes. But I'm going to hope. And pray. No screaming, kicking, bawling, grasping, sobbing, guilt-laying. PLEASE.

Claire's HERE!?!?

This afternoon Johnny stunned us by not only showing up - but he even came ON TIME! WOW. It was a shocker, but a good shocker.

Even though Keelin and Claire only see each other a 6-8 times a year now, they snap right back into their comfort zone. They've known each other since the day after Keelin was born and 4 mo old Claire wheeled right into the hospital room.

Many, many things have changed since then - but they are still two peas in a pod. Because I have a "can't remember life without you" friendship with Wrubel (we were two - ok, yeah, I was 18 months :) ) I so want these two to stay close. New schools and new friends come and go, but they'll always have each other and some semblance of stability. And that's a pretty big thing for them these days.

Finn and Gus on the other hand - not the best of buds. Today was far better than usual - Finn only kicked Gus down the slide once. Loch thinks Gus is the cat's meow though, so Gus has a fan and playmate.

We went back to Earthplace to do the trails again. Hey - worked last week! I thought it would be really good to run them like mad, and what's better than the trails to exhaust this pack?

Moments after this shot was taken the kids spied two enormous turkeys crossing the far lawn. Loch and Keelin might even have caught site of them here. The kids BOLTED off the bear in hot pursuit of the poor grazing turkeys. How do you tell 2-5 yr olds that this is a place where animals are supposed to feel safe? Not like prey.

Anyway, turkeys run fast. Just a hair faster than Gus, but it was an important hair for ALL of us. So then we diverted them to the trail head (actually, it's just a short loop through the woods, but I like to play it up) where Bucky was standing with 2 members of his family. "Bucky" is what we call male deer. Somewhere along the way female deer became "Maria". So Bucky, Maria and doe were chomping on trees when along came our gang. Gus screamed his head off, and the deer pounced away in a flash.

Off we went, through the paths. Kids running willy-nilly, sticks snapping, and an occasional disturbing noise to bring them all to a halt. John had the video camera going for the Blair Witch effect. It was downright nice. As John commented at one point, we'd been in the woods for about 15 minutes already and no one had been hit, no one cried and everyone was eagerly parading along the trail. Excluding the 3-kid pile up right after the Bucky & Maria chase (oh yeah, that's why them deer scrammed...), but it's mostly true. Back to the age old advice to keep the kids stimulated and moving - FAR less fighting.

The big news of the day was John's apparent return to CT in November. I'll believe it when I see it, but it would be fabulous to have him closer. We'll be able to do so much more with them. John went to Westchester for Claire's soccer practice today and I think he realizes that he's missing alot. He and Jen were civil and he said they even had a few laughs. I hope he makes the move happen AND then I hope he makes it work when he gets here.

This was Loch two weeks ago

Poor little guy took a digger outside the Mexican joint Mom and I took the gang to two weeks ago. It was one of those "not-so-great" restaurant experiences. These days we are about 70/30 on the "not-so-bad"side of the spectrum. That night was just unusually unruly. Likely the "grandma effect".

Anyway, back to the spill. Right outside the door, on the side walk. As usual, Loch was a little dramatic - mostly embarrassed - but got over it in a flash. It actually didn't look terrible that night. Little touch of blood, one little gouge out of the nose...

This picture was taken about 2 days after the spill - and he looked UGLY. You also can't see the scrape on his forehead in this shot. Drool's still there.

And this will be a continuing thread...

Long story short: Sunday our dishwasher leaked all over our kitchen. Actually it was more than just the dishwasher - it was also every last drop that went into our kitchen sink on Sunday. Which is kind of alot. Of water.

Yup - if you know about my water heater explosion back in April, you'll be happy to know we FINALLY got new carpeting down about a month ago. The carpentry was all done just before that. The painter had to go to Mexico, so he was coming next week. Was.

That perfect new carpet? Not so perfect. All that water drained through the floor into the basement (through a light fixture) and onto my new carpet. AAARRRGGGH.

But that was yesterday's drama. Today the insurance guys came to clean up and the plumber replumbed. Then the Service Master cleaning guys started stabbing around our kitchen floor with this metal pogo-stick looking thing that said something on it. I caught the letters ...hydr... This thing was beeping like mad. Our kitchen floor and cabinets are soaked. He looks at me. "I have to rip up these tiles lady". It's 7 PM and my kitchen is a disaster area already. We haven't eaten. I said "go nuts".

So now half our lower cabinets have been ripped out, chunks of tile are gone, and the subfloor is soaked through. Like - "we hope we don't fall through the floor" soaked through. There are fans a-blowin all over the joint.

As it turns out, the whole incident was probably a screw up on the plumber's part two weeks ago when they put a new hose on the dishwasher. So hopefully we won't be out another $1000 insurance deductible in under 6 months. Of course we didn't hear back from them today - but I found their very-Fairfield-County motto on their website tonight.


"A Good Job Costs a Lot, A Bad Job Costs a Fortune"

Gee. I feel better already.

More on this recurring drama in the coming days :) Feel free to bring me slabs of granite, travertine tiles and solid cabinetry. I may be getting a new kitchen. I doubt insurance will pay for it since we had to haggle over replacing beach towels with the basement flood, but since we're ripped up, it's forcing the issue of the situation we called a kitchen before.

Think I could get insurance to pay for my addition?

Thumbs Up

Today was Finn's first day as a Junior at Earthplace. Woo Hoo! Here he is squatting down because I got down to take his picture. PS. Yes - that is a skateboard in his hands.

Finn was a champ at school - no clinging and no hesitation when we got there. He darted right for the area he wanted to play in, with his friends from last year and once again I became chopped liver on the first day of school! 2 down, one to go.

Finn is the one I always think I need to worry about. Middle child. Sensitive one. So I'm really glad that he jumped right in with his (3 yr) old buddies. They barely acknowledge each other in person, but Finn talks all about the boys when he is at home. Here he is as I was leaving.

GASP. Finn is actually handing me his skateboard (safety blanket) . He doesn't need it. Just after this he realized I was really going. And school had begun for the year.


Finn glanced around, cracked a confident smile, then gave me a little tiny thumbs up. The way he does when he knows I'm checking on him and he wants me to know he's ok. Gulp.

I think Finn is going to love school this year.

Oh What a Beautiful Morning...

With the torrential rain from Tropical Storm Hanna gone, today is absolutely perfect. Sunny, cool, light breeze. Ahhh. This morning we hit up the "new"Christie's Market on Cross Highway for a test drive. It was great and we're thrilled to have the neighborhood joint back in good condition: yummy breakfast stuff, plenty to drink, a good deli plus a natural foods mini-mart. Now that we know it's worth the trek, we will walk there next week.

Then we cruised by the beach to look for bluefish (no luck) and decided a hike on the trails at Earthplace would be fun. Finn starts school tomorrow and Loch in 2 weeks, so we thought it would be good for them to spend some time "on campus".

We detoured to the farmer's market for some corn, raspberries, squash blossoms (gotta dig up a recipe!), black/blueberry pie and a loaf of bread shaped like a frog!

On the way across town, we passed a fire truck sitting in a parking lot with 3 firemen. So we pulled in, and as usual, the firemen were great - letting the kids sit up front and explaining all the hoses, etc. They were there to witness a 200-motorcycle tribute to Police and Firemen lost on Sept 11th. It would have been a site to see, but the kids were getting rambunctious with the truck's levers and doors, which was our signal to skeedaddle. Finn proclaimed that he wants to be a fireman for Halloween. We'll see if it sticks.

By the time we made it to the trails, it was getting pretty warm and the shade was much appreciated. Keelin played the boss repeating stories she had heard from her teachers over the years. She told us exactly where we'd find frogs along the trail, and by golly, she was right!

Loch wanted to be carried, so he rode on Rob's shoulders for the back half. Then we made it back up to the playground and the birds of prey.

We checked out the eagles, owls, hawks and vultures. If you have never seen a bald eagle up close then it is time for you to visit. I am always amazed at their size - HUGE. Here are Chatty and Cerena - each one of them is about 2.5 ft tall. Stop by one day - you can hike the trails and play on the nice playground for free - or go into the nature museum inside for a small fee. They usually have something going on each weekend...

Peas and Shrooms

We had dinner at AMK's tonight and it was quite tasty. Yes, even with peas and shrooms - no - I didn't EAT them, but avoided them successfully! The usual gang with the L's the K's and the surprise guests - the F's. Ann-Marie is my kind of host - she entertains, she makes an effort; and it's always real at the K's. Nothing is too serious yet there is always an attention to detail. Dinner was great, the kids had fun, and ugh (I think it's a mental block here) I forgot my camera again.

I also should have brought the camera to Kiki's friends b-day party today at KidsU. She had so much fun with the gang from last year. Her 4s class.

Seems like everyone is dealing well enough with Kindergarten, but you could see a real sense of relief and familiarity with all these 5 yr olds. They've all moved on, but boy were they having fun together today. So much has changed, with alot of growing up, but it is not SO distant. I think the same could be said for most of the moms too. We had a good time today. And probably pretty much for all the same reasons. This picture has some of her old class there, mixed with other friends. K is Dorothy here :)

Anywho, tonight was fun. It was really nice to see Mo and Jay + 3. We just don't get to hang out with them enough. Thanks AMK!

I'm not dead

I'm super sleepy tonight, but not dead. I'll post more this weekend after I bust out the camera. That's been my holdup - I am trying NOT to post unless I have a picture to make it more compelling.

What the hell - I can't disappoint my fans. I'll dig up a shot. I tried to find a super goofy picture of Sarah Palin, because well, you know. She's just bugging me and lord help me if they win because I can't TAKE her voice. And you know she'll be front and center for every photo and soundbite op she can get her grubby little paws on. Yeah - I know - one week ago I didn't even know who she was. Now she's under my skin and I don't like it.

So anyway, many of my fave Palin bits are in here - which I like because it seems credible. I heard the author on NPR, so that counts, right? The fact that she got her passport in 2007 is awesome too. She's def gonna resonate with the ferreners.

Back to my image search - I changed tacks. This is Trig. Palin's youngest son. He's a cutie and I feel bad for him. It probably would have been pretty cool to grow up as the former gov's son in Alaska. Huntin and fishin with the MILF. Instead he's already embarking on a torture tour of loud auditoriums, buses, photo ops and being tossed around by his siblings. Oh yeah, and getting the dreaded lick down from his 6 yr old SISTER. Having your Mom licking her fingers to wipe off food from your face is bad enough. When your sister licks her full palm to straighten your hair on national tv then you are done for. He's going to be overshadowed by his niece in a few months anyway (yeah I heard it was a girl because Jamie Lynn Spears supposedly sent Bristol some pink burp cloths, but who knows). Poor little dude.

Hoop hoop. (i know some of you were waiting for that).

Finn the Photog

A few weeks ago Gigi (Rob's mom - f/k/a Gail) let Finn take some pictures with her camera. He is now like a moth to a flame as soon as the camera comes out of the case. Can I take a picture? Can I see the camera? Can I? Can I? When is it my turn?

Today was no different - between the two camera-ready bus endeavors and downloading the shots. So I passed the camera over to Finn this afternoon to see what he would come up with. SURPRISE! A few shots of his favorite subject. Anyone sensing a trend here? :)

Yes - he was laying on floor for these shots. Camera in hand, shifting slightly.


Taking it over to the flip side. If you don't know finger boards, then you might not realize this is one of Finn's super-special skateboards. Collector's Edition Teck Deck. Yeah, he has a real one too, but the finger boards are more portable.

And for some reason I really liked this one. Great composition for a 3 yr old.

Then he took it outside for some new light and shook it up a bit.




And here is one I took of the photographer this morning post-bus. The light is so nice at 8:15 in the morning. We might have to do this again!