Don't Call Me Dinah

The Next Adventure Is At Home

2011-01-05T16:41:00.002-05:00

When we moved back to Virginia Jeremy and I made the crazy decision to buy a house that needed a little love. For years and years (maybe even before we got married) we had talked about fixing up an old house and making it our own. We wanted to do all the work ourselves and tear down walls and live in chaos. Well, reality (like kids!) made that dream a little less...hmm..realistic :) Add Jeremy's job which requires him to work very long days and our constant moving and it just never worked out.

Then we got moved here sooner than we thought we would be moved anywhere. And, money wise, it was very sudden. So, we reluctantly looked at rentals. I hated the idea of renting again but I was resigned to a couple more years of living in someone else's house. And, then, because of the economy we realized that in many cases it was cheaper to buy than to rent. After some quick but serious conversations (we didn't have lots of time to decide!) we chose to buy a house again.

So, crazy girl that I am, I had this idea...what if we didn't spend even close to what we were approved for? What if we bought a really cheap house and fixed it up? What if we used the extra money for renovation and paying off debt? Was that stupid? Insane even? Yeah, probably. But that's what we decided to do.

We looked at bunches of houses...townhouses, houses with floors that I was afraid would collapse as we walked across them, a house on a beautiful (BEAUTIFUL) couple of acres that was scary with how much work it needed and that was before we discovered the basement had been sitting with at least a foot of water in it for who knows how long. We looked at houses that had floors covered in red dirt and houses that were so tiny I didn't even know where the family would sit to eat dinner. Our only criteria to go look at a place was that the price was cheap and the house was liveable. This would be a slow and steady process for us...not something that would be completed in a month or two and so we needed plumbing and electric ready to go.

I saw our house as an online listing and immediately said "Nope. Don't like it." Our realtor kept bringing it up and on one of my Virginia house hunting trips I finally agreed to see it. I walked in the front door and loved it right away. I made Jeremy come look at it with me that very evening. He felt the same way I did. The house was small and only had one bathroom. Ack! It was old and had the ugliest (and tiniest) kitchen I'd ever seen but there was something about it. We figured that a small house would be perfect for this project. After all, who wants to experiment on a huge, overwhelming house? We have a great fireplace (and family room), we have a cute corner lot, we have hardwood floors and big trees in the yard. The roof and windows are new. Central air has already been added. There is potential here. It's a small house but it's cozy. It has good bones and it makes me feel safe and warm and happy. Who cares that it needs lots of work? That just means I get to dream and plan more :)

So! After living here for 6 months we are finally ready to start working on the house. We didn't plan on taking it quite this slow but vacation and settling in and holidays snuck up on us and took up all our time (and money!). But, in a way it's been good. We've learned the house, we've learned how we live in it, what areas we gravitate toward and what needs to change. We actually changed our plans a bit based on this information we didn't have when we first moved in.

I plan on documenting the process of our construction...and demolition. I'm hoping to learn lots and planning on staying very busy. We'll have to start with the boring stuff first but I'm so anxious to get goingnso we can get to the good stuff (cabinets and flooring and paint chips, Oh my!).

First up...painting the current kitchen, painting the trim and doors in the bathroom and the kids rooms and moving the attic access and putting in an attic ladder. Look for pictures and stories (and maybe some complaints :) in the upcoming weeks...

Starting Over

2011-01-02T15:52:00.002-05:00

Starting over with the blogging, that is :) I started this blog with the intention of keeping family and friends updated on our various travels and moves and such and it was going well...until I burned out on it. Why? I have no idea. I just got tired of writing, I guess. (And right in the middle of the Alaska posts! The nerve of me!)

But, I'm going to start again. The question is do I finish the Alaska posts? Do I tell you all about our most recent trip (to DisneyWorld)? Or do I just jump right into life as it is at this moment? Any preference?

Alaska, Part II

2009-09-29T19:33:00.015-04:00

Days 3, 4, and 5

Boarding the ship, NCL's Pearl, was a fairly quick and painless process. (I won't mention that when taking my picture for my ID, the computers locked up. Yes, apparently, you can break a camera with this face :) Before long, they allowed us to go aboard. The cabins weren't ready yet so we spent some time hanging out in the atrium, people watching, making dinner reservations, and taking our deposit for the week to the purser. One cool (and slightly dangerous) thing about cruising these days is that most ships don't use cash for your spending. Whether your ordering a margarita or buying something in the gift shop, etc, you use your ID. It's connected to a credit card (or in our case, a cash deposit). It makes it very convenient because you don't need to carry cash but also a bit dangerous if you use a credit card because you can easily lose track of your spending if you're not careful.

I had done lots of internet research for this trip and one of the tips I had found was to eat lunch in the Summer Palace, one of the main dining rooms onboard. This seems like a no brainer but on embarkation day they really push for you to eat at the buffets. We went against the grain and Pat, Olivia, Jeremy, my dad, my stepmom and I got to enjoy a great, peaceful, low key, yummy lunch in a restaurant where only maybe a dozen tables were taken. After hearing complaints from people about how crowded and insane the buffets were I was really glad we had chosen to ignore the flock.

After lunch we spent some time exploring the ship and enjoying the views of downtown Seattle. The weather was fantastic. The sun was bright and hot and there was a great breeze coming from the Sound.

We didn't do much else that first day. We were all really tired from our long flights and early mornings. Blue Ridge Travel did throw a cocktail party for our group that first night. Yay! Free drinks! We hung out for awhile and then Jeremy took Olivia off to the cabin to get some sleep. I stayed for karaoke and more margaritas with Heather, Kristi, and Erika and only left when I was worried I wouldn't remember where our room was :)

Day 4

Our first full day on the ship was an "at sea" day. We headed up the coast of Canada on our way to Alaska. The ship had lots of activities planned and, while we did participate in some, it seemed we spent most of our day looking for whales. Everyone kept seeing them but I missed them at every turn. I was always just a little late or on the wrong side. Terrible luck! Eventually, as the sun was beginning to set I saw several humpback whales and an orca. It was pretty awesome having them swim so close to the ship. The scenery on the way up the coast was beautiful. Random islands popped up every few minutes and we saw our first glacier nestled between two larger mountains. Olivia had a few moments of seasickness but it quickly passed and we all started really enjoying being on the ship.

Day 5

We arrived in Juneau on Tuesday afternoon. It was interesting to see a state capital that seemed so small. I don't know if I realized before this trip that there are no roads leading into Juneau. You can only arrive by boat or plane. Crazy!

Jeremy, the kids, and I decided to take the Mt. Roberts Tram and then hike a little bit once we got fairly high on the mountain. My friend, Kris, who works for Holland America and had recently been to Alaska, recommended this to us and it turned out to be a great idea. The tram runs up the mountain on a cable to about 1800 feet. Once up there, we found an observation deck that allowed us to look down on our ship.

We decided to hike on up to see what else we could spot. The trail was easy and allowed us to see some mountain goats on the mountains facing us. We hiked up into sub-alpine level where the tree line ends and it becomes mostly grasses and moss and heather. Once out of the treeline, the wind became ferocious. At times it was hard to stand against it. Luckily, the day was fairly warm (mid-50s) so we laughed more than cringed at the gusts. We hiked up until we got to a sign that warned against us going any farther. We took a couple of pictures of our windblown joy and headed back down. We walked a little bit in town, shopped for souvenirs, and hunted down a case of soda (it costs a couple bucks per glass on the ships) and got back on the ship in time for dinner!

Alaska, Part I

2009-09-24T19:43:00.008-04:00

After a year and a half of planning and dreaming and saving, we finally made our trek across the country to go on our Alaskan cruise. We were lucky enough to go with all of our parents, my grandmother, my great-grandmother, and several friends. The trip went by too fast, there wasn't enough time, and we're already talking about "when we go back to Alaska." It was a fantastic week and we're slowly recovering. The pets are all back home, the kids are back at school, and Jeremy is back to work. I'm drowning in laundry and slowing getting everything unpacked and reorganized. We still haven't caught up on our sleep...we had quickly adjusted to being 4 hours behind. It's definitely harder coming back the other way! I'm hoping this weekend allows us to completely get back to normal.

Our Alaskan adventure was full so I won't give you all the details at once. I'll divide it into bite-size pieces so I can add more pictures and keep each post at a decent length. I should warn you...the parts of Alaska we visited were in the rainforest (before researching this trip I had no idea that Alaska had anything remotely considered a rainforest). This means that most pictures were taken on rainy, cloudy, grey days. It seems most of them are studies in shades of blue and grey and I wish they better conveyed the beauty of our trip. Maybe next time I'll take a photographer with us :)

Day 1 and 2:

On Friday we were giddy with anticipation. I don't think any of us could wait to get on the road. Jeremy left work early to help me finish last minute details and we were packed and ready to go the minute the kids got home from school. We decided to head to Columbus to spend the night before our trip officially began. It was an hour and a half drive and so we decided it would be easier to spend the night at a hotel near the airport since we had to be there at 4am the next morning. Another benefit was there is a Target there...something we're sadly lacking in Athens. This allowed us to grab some last minute items before crashing early that night. (Even I went to bed by 9:30!!).

The luggage is packed and ready to go. I don't think we did too bad for a family of 4 leaving for 10 days...

Olivia is chillin' on the way to Columbus. It'll be the last day of wearing tank tops and shorts for awhile!

I'm not a big fan of flying and so the thought of a cross country trip was a little nerve wracking. Luckily, the kids take after Jeremy and so the 5 hour flight was something they were looking forward to.

What else is Noah going to do in an airport at 5am? Why eat breakfast when you have a DS?

We flew to Atlanta where by coincidence we were joined by 30 other people in our group. We almost missed our flight because our first flight was delayed and then our gate was switched on us. Hurrying through the airport with 2 sleepy kids and several carry-ons in tow, we made it with less than 5 minutes to spare. The kids were thrilled to find out that their Granny, Poppie, Uncle Jeff, Grammy and Papa were all on our plane. We didn't buy our tickets knowing this in advance, it just all fell together perfectly that way.

I played the in flight trivia, competing against the other passengers to keep my mind off the fact that we were a gazillion feet in the air. It made a huge difference. It's no secret that I'm a trivia playing fanatic :) And, then, somewhere over Montana the skies cleared enough for me to see land and a crazy thing happened...when I saw the views I suddenly began to think that maybe flying wasn't terrible. And then when I glimpsed Mt. Rainier in the distance I couldn't look away.

We arrived in Seattle exhausted but elated. Now our trip had officially begun! We were on the west coast (a first for the kids and I)! We took a shuttle through downtown Seattle to our hotel. It was located on Lake Union and the views from our balcony were spectacular...on one side was a view of the lake, on the other side we could see the Space Needle.

We didn't do much that day in Seattle. We were tired and lots of people in our group were still trickling in. Our friend, Pat, who shared our cabin with us on the ship, arrived at the hotel at the same time we did. Our friends, Heather, Erika, and Kristi came in later that evening. And my Mom, Grandmother, and Great-Grandmother came in very late that night. We ran around greeting people, relaxing on our huge balcony and enjoying the sights and sounds of the city. We did hit the Space Needle for dinner which was wildly expensive (there's a $35 minimum charge per person no matter what you order. Of course, I didn't see anything on the menu except appetizers that cost less than that). The view was amazing, though. The restaurant turns so that you make a complete circle every 45 minutes. We could see downtown, Puget Sound, Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood and others that I couldn't name from our table. After dinner we headed up another 60 feet to the observation deck. The sun was going down and the air was getting chilly but it was beautiful up there. We hit the gift shop before heading back to our hotel. We were 3 hours behind (so eating dinner at 10pm to our body clocks) and getting very, very sleepy. Noah found a LEGO Space Needle that he just couldn't resist. Back to the hotel, the kids got in bed, and we sat outside in the dark, chatting until we couldn't stay awake any longer. I think we all fell asleep with thoughts of Alaska and the ship in our head...

Peeping Tom

2009-09-08T15:48:00.003-04:00

We have a deer family that visits our yard almost every evening. We're right on the edge of the woods and all the dogs on our little section of street are never let off leash so I guess it's an ideal dinnertime haunt. The doe and fawn always stay in the backyard. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen them come more than halfway to the house. I suppose they like to keep the sheltering woods close by. However, since the apples on the trees in our front/side yard have become ready to eat, the buck has been venturing closer and closer to the house. (Unfortunately, this means that Maggie is forced to bark and growl and threaten his life...usually at the most annoying times possible :). The other day I was in Olivia's room, checking out the excellent cleaning job she'd done when I saw the buck out front. I ran and grabbed my camera, knowing that I wouldn't be able to get a good shot through the screen on her window and the distance to the deer but unable to resist trying anyway. Imagine my surprise when I put my camera close to the glass and the deer came to greet me. He cocked his head, walked closer, and looked right into the window.

Love Thursday (on a Friday) - Praying Mantis

2009-09-04T21:52:00.004-04:00

This guy was hanging out in the lavender...

A Long Break

2009-09-04T21:04:00.002-04:00

I guess you could say I took a summer vacation, it's been so long since I've posted! But, now school has started again and I suppose it's time for me to start blogging again :) We had a great summer that went by way too fast. The kids got to spend lots of time with Jeremy's parents, Jeremy and I went on our first camping trip without kids in at least 10 years, we hung out at home, visited the zoo, had lots of playdates, and really just enjoyed ourselves.

We've had 2 weeks of school now and things seem to be going really well. Olivia has started 1st grade and absolutely loves it. She can't wait to get to school each day. Next week she'll start her gymnastics class and she'll resume ice skating at the beginning of October. It's good to get back into a steady routine again.

Noah is in 5th grade this year and in just 2 weeks has had an amazing amount of homework. He was a little worried when the teacher sent a letter telling him that he had an assignment due on the first day of school. So far, it hasn't been more than he can handle, though. Like Olivia, Noah is beginning some extra activities. He's taking band this year. Instead of piano lessons, he'll be learning the trumpet at school. I think he's really excited about learning a second instrument. He's also tried out for the school's chorus so we'll find out next week if he made it into the "Kids Next Door" singing group. He also has a big change in the gifted/talented program this year. 5th and 6th graders actually get bussed to another school once a week to take class with other G/T students in the city. It adds to his workload...he's gone from his regular classes once a week and has to make up all that work but I think it's a great opportunity. There are only 12 kids from 3 schools in this weekly class and they will delve a little deeper into certain subjects. He'll also get to go to Gettysburg for a 4 day trip in the spring once they've studied the Civil War. We're cutting back a little on after school activities for him to make sure the work isn't overwhelming...between the extra homework, band practice, and soccer I don't want him to miss out on just chilling out with a book, watching a mindless TV show, or playing with Legos with his best buddy. We'll see how it goes!

I guess the biggest news on the horizon is that in 1 week we will be heading to Alaska. Next Friday night Jeremy, the kids, and I are heading to Columbus to spend the night. Saturday morning we'll fly to Seattle where we'll spend a day before boarding our ship to Alaska. I've been reading and googling and asking questions like crazy. I think we're ready to go exploring. (And, if I'm completely honest, I'll admit that I packed one of our two suitcases a week ago. I'm so excited!!!) I'm hoping to have lots of pictures and stories to share when we return. We're going hiking in Juneau, to a Totem Pole park in Skagway, renting a car and driving into the Yukon Territory (crossing into Canada) in Ketchikan, and checking out the city by horse drawn carriage in Victoria. We'll end the trip with another day in Seattle where we'll see the Mariners take on the Yankees. I can't wait for everything we have planned and all the spontaneous stuff that happens in between. I don't want to over schedule. I want Alaska to unfold for us. I want to see what adventures we can find, what wildlife we can spot, what trails we happen upon, and what memories we take home. I have a feeling that the next week is going to be the longest week ever :)

4th of July

2009-07-05T21:57:00.004-04:00

A sparkler drawn heart for me :)

When I was a teenager the 4th of July was my favorite holiday, hands down. Every year my mom and stepdad would travel to Pennsylvania to buy the crazy big dangerous fireworks that were illegal in Virginia. Our house was in a big field and it was a perfect place to put on a show. We'd invite everyone...relatives would travel from far off places, we could invite any friends we wanted, strangers would even park across the street to see what we would do next. This was an all-day event that would begin with my stepdad blasting Sousa marches through the house to wake us up (annoying but endearing). We'd go outside to clean up the deck and the area around the pool. My mom would get started on the food and before long the house would be packed with people. Kids in the pool, burgers on the grill, and Jimmy Buffett and Bob Marley echoing around outside. The weather was always magically sunny and everyone always seemed so happy. It was one of those traditions that I thought would never end.

But it did.

My mom and stepdad split up, my siblings and I have all started families of our own and I've moved away. And so my favorite holiday fell by the wayside. Sure there are still great family get togethers with all the cousins running around together and everyone laughing and talking but I still get wistful when I think about those July 4th parties.

Maybe it's time Independence Day is my favorite again? After all, I love talking to the kids about our country and its history. I love fireworks and food on the grill and spending the day outside. This weekend was a good start to me falling in love with this holiday all over again. The city of Athens had their fireworks show on Friday night. We found a great spot to watch near the river and the fireworks were way better than I anticipated. The kids oohed and ahhed over every single explosion. We marveled over the ones that looked like Saturn and the ones that were perfect squares. The weather was cool and the humidity was nonexistent. It was perfect. The 10 minute trip home only took 30 with all the traffic and road work...amazing.

I thought it was strange that the show was a day early but it was our plan to do our own fireworks on the 4th. Steaks on the grill, ice cold watermelon, ice cream. It was going to be a good day. We didn't make it to the parade but we headed to town for the afternoon. We Wii'd a lot, we played hand after hand of Monopoly Deal (a great family card game if you haven't tried it yet...monopoly in 15 minutes or less), all in all it was great. And then it started raining. So, we still managed to grill our steaks and potatoes but fireworks were out. Good thing the city show was a day early after all!

Today we slept in, Livvie had a playdate with her friend who recently inherited 6 American Girl dolls. Jeremy, Noah and I played games while she was gone doing girly stuff :) Tonight more fantastic food on the grill including sweet, crisp corn on the cob, and leftover unbirthday cake for dessert. And, finally!, it was time for our little fireworks. We got to buy flying stuff this year because we're in Ohio but we still kept it low key because our neighbors are so close. As it is...um...they have 4 parachute men on their roof. Oops!! It was a good time and a great way to wrap up our weekend. Tomorrow we go back to reality...Jeremy at work, swim lessons for the kids in the mornings and the rush of errands and playdates and getting ready for Liv's party next weekend. But this weekend? It was pretty darn good :)

Love Thursday - Cake and Jeremy and Happy Thursdays

2009-07-02T22:01:00.004-04:00

Recently I've had a hankering for cake. Not just any cake. Birthday cake. With thick icing and ugly roses in gaudy colors. I want bakery birthday cake. I want it to be so rich that I feel sick when I'm finished eating even the tiniest piece. This happens a few times a year and it's usually appeased by the next birthday on our calendar. However, Noah doesn't like cake so his birthday requires that I make brownies. Olivia's birthday is in a couple weeks but we're having a "cooking" party and will be making cupcakes instead of cake. It's just not the same. And, so, I resigned myself to waiting until my own birthday at the end of August. Sigh. Poor me.

Except...

I have an amazing husband. And tonight I received this in all it's perfect, sugary glory:

I really, really love that man :)

One of my favorite things about this is that it reminds me of my teenage years. My stepdad used to randomly show up with gifts for us for no reason. Flowers for my mom and I. Baseball cards for my brothers. Little things he'd find in quirky stores that he thought we'd like. But one of my very favorite memories is the night he showed up with one of those giant cookies. It simply said "Happy Thursday." It was silly and unexpected and summed him up perfectly. The cake tonight was my Happy Thursday and it was perfect.

Love Thursday - Lavender

2009-06-18T23:53:00.001-04:00

The lavender surrounding the front yard is in full bloom. It brushes your legs as you walk past and the bees and butterflies are contently humming and flitting from sunrise until sunset. It's delicate and fragrant, lush but somehow subtle all at the same time. If you want some dried lavender let me know...we will have plenty to go around.

I Almost Forgot!!

2009-06-16T19:27:00.001-04:00

A correction:

Those baby squirrels? Not baby squirrels at all. We have a pair of flying squirrels in the birdhouse on the back deck. We were eating a late dinner outside recently when they snuck out to eat from the finch feeder. When I crept closer for a better look they glided away and barked at us from afar. Olivia declared "Oh no! Now I don't know if I'd rather have a bunny or a flying squirrel for a pet!" Decisions, decisions :0) (I'll admit, they are pretty darn cute!!)

I'm A Slacking Slacker

2009-06-16T19:08:00.002-04:00

Things have been busy around here and my posting has fallen by the wayside. It's not that I don't want to let you know what's going on; it's just that when I have to choose between hanging out with guests or the kids or Jeremy...well, blogging gets forgotten ;)

That said, summer is officially here! The kids are done with school. Noah had his 10th birthday and we've been entertaining guests for several weeks in a row. It's been a great month so far! My mom and grandmother and great-grandmother came to visit on Memorial Day weekend and it was great to see them. We kept things pretty simple and really just hung out, showed them the town, went antiquing, and chatted. A lot. Our friend Dave came up to visit around that time, too. The kids were thrilled he brought some Wii games we hadn't tried and Jeremy and I had fun just having him around.

Next our friend P came to visit. He drove up on a Tuesday and planned on staying til Friday. We had such a great time that he ended up extending his visit so that he was here an entire week. It was pretty much the best week we've had since moving here. Amazing what an old friend can do for your spirits!

This past weekend my Dad and stepmom came up to spend some time with us. I think they enjoyed seeing us as much as we enjoyed having them here :)

School has been out for a couple weeks now, Noah earned his green belt in Taekwondo and we had a sleepover for his birthday. Luckily P was here to help us wrangle up boys who played video games and ate and talked the entire night. The adults lasted until about 4 am or so but the kids made it the entire night. If only I could bottle up their energy!!

This week the kids are with Jeremy's parents. They are busy catching up with old friends and spending some time with the grandparents. From all the reports we've gotten so far they are having a fantastic time. As for Jeremy and I, we're counting down the days until the weekend. We're heading to Atlantic City for a free trip made possible by pooling resources with a friend. I'm not interested in gambling (it's no secret how badly I play poker, after all) but I'm dying to see the ocean. Perhaps we'll fit in a day trip to Cape May.

The weather has been beautiful here. The rain has started slowing down and everything is lush and green. The house is quiet (almost too much) and clean. The Wii and the tv are mine during the day and I've been reading up a storm sitting on our deck in a comfy chair. It's a good way to start the summer. I'm missing the kids but we've got lots planned for when they get back. There's plenty of time to fit everything in. For now, we just need to figure out when we're getting visitors again. I'm ready!!

Circling

2009-05-31T16:39:00.003-04:00

I never did tell you about our robins. As you know, they nested in one of our bedroom windows above our bed. As strange as it was to wake up to find Mama Robin staring at me, I loved knowing that I'd get such a close up view of the babies. I think I included a picture before of the 4 bright blue eggs she laid? Anyway, 3 weeks ago (or so) 3 of the four eggs hatched. For two wonderful weeks I had the chance to watch the babies grow. They changed from hairless, helpless babies with closed eyes and bobbing heads to miniature versions of their parents. I was able to watch the adults bring long, slimy worms and fat, wriggling grubs up to them. I watched them nap and shuffle around while the parents were away. I never took any photos of them after the eggs hatched. The window was splattered with mud from when the nest was built (such a perfect basket of grass and mud) and I didn't want to scare the nestlings by opening the window just so I could satisfy my urge for a photograph. The kids and Jeremy weren't interested in the babies...after all, it took a little climbing and a lot of balancing to get up to the window where they were. I didn't mind scaling the bookshelf, grabbing the top with my fingertips while positioning myself between the bed and the shelves. I couldn't stop watching them! Birds grow so quickly that it was almost like watching a film fast forwarded. I could tell a difference in them every single day. I don't know I have a fascination with birds. I love listening to them. I love their bright colors and funny walk. I love how controlled their flight is and how silly they can be when playing in water or snow. They calm me down somehow and make me take time to appreciate something that doesn't belong to me, something simple, something that could so easily be taken for granted.

Last weekend the fledglings left the nest. I climbed up on my perch to peek at them and saw that they were gone. With a little bit of sadness I asked Jeremy to get out a ladder so we could knock down the nest. (While I love birds the thought of left behind bird mites invading my house and skin does not appeal to me one bit!) Summer is quickly approaching and all my bird babies were on their own.

And, then, on Friday I heard Maggie barking. I walked into the kitchen and looked out the glass doors to see a bird lying on the deck. Apparently one of my fledglings had flown into the door. It was lying on its back, eyes shut tight. It was still small...maybe 2/3 of the size of an adult robin and its grown-up feathers were still coming in. The colors were a mix of babyhood grays and browns along with the adult reddish breast that makes the bird so easily recognizable. I didn't want to scoop one of my babies off of the wood but we had a realtor coming by so I certainly couldn't leave it there. I stood there in the kitchen, hemming and hawing, wondering what to do. Suddenly its wings began to slowly flutter. Its eyes opened and looked around. Maggie barked harder. What was this strange creature on her deck?? The wings moved faster and I began to hope that maybe it was just stunned. I waited and kept coming back to check on it but it wouldn't get up. It wouldn't even turn over. I ran and got some gloves and went outside. I picked her up and noticed that her neck was at an odd angle. Maybe it was broken? She could still move her wings and legs just fine but her neck turned back over her body like she was going to drift off to sleep. I cradled her in my hands and stroked her breast and head until she calmed down. She let me check her wings and legs without complaint and I knew that wasn't a good sign. I sat there with her nestled in my hands for about 15 minutes watching her breathe, watching her sleep, watching her open an eye every now and then to see if I was still there staring. I was pretty sure she would die soon. After all, she was small and hurt and obviously exhausted from the effort of trying to get up and fly away. I put her in the flower box with my newly sprouted pumpkin plants. The wind was chilly and I wanted her to be in a protected spot that she would easily be able to escape from if she shook off her injuries. I tucked my gloves around her and went back inside. All evening I checked on her. I gave her berries which she adamantly refused. She seemed to be getting stronger by dusk - she was determined to fight me when I got too close and she would squawk in fear. I decided to let her be and hope that she'd feel better in the morning. After all, I had no idea how long it took for birds to get over the shock of hitting something so hard.

The next morning she was still alive but still hadn't eaten anything. Her neck was still twisted and she still could not sit up straight. Knowing that she was going to slowly starve to death (my google research showed that robins this age still rely on their parents for food and since she wouldn't let me near her any more...) and knowing that her neck most likely was broken (or something was) Jeremy did a kindness by quickly killing her. It broke my heart but I knew it was the best thing to do. I realize that the chances of this being one of "my" robins was slim but I still felt a closeness to this baby that lived such a short life. She was so light and soft in my hands. I wish there was more that we could have done.

We chose not to tell the kids about the bird knowing that they would be really upset. Instead we went about the rest of our day as normal. And that would have been the end of the story except last night while eating dinner on the deck I happened to look over at the bluebird house. I knew that no birds had nested in it this year (probably due to its proximity to our 3 feeders) so I hadn't thought much about it. As I looked up though I thought I saw something staring at me. We were all quiet and watching when 2 little baby squirrels poked their heads out of the hole to peek at us. Their eyes were huge and their ears were teeny tiny. As much as the squirrels here drive me nuts I suddenly was excited. More spring babies close to the house! I may have lost my robin but I now have the squirrels to watch. It was just what I needed :)

Love Thursday - The Deck

2009-05-28T23:45:00.007-04:00

As promised, my favorite part of the house...the back deck. We're up on a hill so when you're outside you're right in the branches of the trees. It's shady and quiet and big enough for us to hang out comfortably. I love it out there. The only thing missing is the sound of the bullfrogs and the spring peepers.

"Some Will Win, Some Will Lose, Some Were Born To Sing The Blues"

2009-05-28T21:23:00.006-04:00

Last night the elementary school held their last school dance of this school year. Noah and Olivia decided they had to go because they always have such a great time at these dances. The DJ is pretty great and the kids get to mingle with all their friends in a way that they normally don't get to during regular school hours. Jeremy was out of town for work so I figured it was a way for me to get an hour and a half to myself. Admission was 50 cents for each kid? Sold!

I walked them into the school, handed them some money for snacks and photos and admission and turned around to leave, planning on grabbing some dinner and maybe reading a bit before picking them up at 8:00. I got to my car, pulled on the handle and realized that when Olivia had gotten out of the driver's side door she had locked all four doors! No, no, no, no!! There were my keys and cellphone staring at me. I don't know anyone's phone number in Athens off the top of my head and Jeremy was in the middle of West Virginia. I ran back inside and begged a phone from a complete stranger and called my mother-in-law asking her to call AAA for me (thankfully, my membership was a gift to me from her so I knew she'd have all my info). It was hot and humid outside but it wasn't raining. The ground was wet from earlier storms so there was no place to sit. I alternated between strolling the sidewalks and ducking into the dance to watch the kids. I fended off scary guys asking if I wanted to "sit in [their] van?"...uh...no thanks. I answered questions from old ladies and I waited. After about an hour the tow truck driver showed up and 30 seconds later my door was unlocked. I only had a half hour left until the dance ended and with a 15 minute drive ahead of me, there was no point in going home. I shrugged it off and decided to head back inside.

Girls were crowded around my boy while he danced and laughed and chatted. Olivia was dancing and jumping up and down and I was really enjoying watching them. Three moms that I've met this school year were there and we tried to shout at each other over the music making conversation difficult but amusing. "What?!?!, What?!?!" The kids on the gym floor ranged from preschool to sixth grade and it was interesting to see how excited they got about certain songs. No one slow danced...not one kid. Everyone participated in the air guitar contest and tried to figure out Miley Cyrus' "Hoedown Throwdown." There was shouting and running and twisting and twirling, whispering in corners and new relationships made (yes, N, I'm talking about you...). But my very favorite part of the evening came with the last song. The DJ asked all the sixth graders to raise their hands and had everyone applaud them. This was their last elementary school dance. The music started playing and I was shocked to hear the opening of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." But I was surprised even more when the 50 or so sixth graders formed a huge circle, arms around each other, starting swaying and singing along to every word. Was this 2009? How do these 11 and 12 year olds all know the words to this song? It was the coolest thing...like some cheesy, unbelievable musical. They sang loudly, they smiled at each other and suddenly I was taken back to elementary school...thinking I was so grown up, thinking that everyone would always be friends, thinking that life couldn't get any sweeter. In that last moment I was right...I was on the line between innocence and adulthood. I'd never had my heart broken, I'd never had a sleepless night, I'd never worried about money or the future. Everything was the way it should be. I realized I was grinning like a fool watching these kids and I wanted to sing along with them. But it was their moment not mine and so I stood quietly by the wall, just watching. I'm just happy my bad luck night allowed me to catch a glimpse of them, shining and perfect for a time.

Looking Forward

2009-05-23T20:58:00.000-04:00

It's Spring (as I've mentioned about 4,000 times now!) and once again our thoughts turn to wondering what's next. Back when Norfolk Southern merged with Conrail part of the agreement allowed certain retirement benefits to those Conrail employees that stayed with NS for 10 years. This summer marks that 10 year anniversary and means that we need to assume that more people will be retiring than normal. Maybe this means we'll be moving somewhere new this summer and once again this means we'll have no idea where until we get the call. Jeremy's current territory is the perfect place for new supervisors to start out and he feels ready to move on up in the system (and I think his bosses agree). The latest trainees will be ready to be placed soon so it all may just work out. Of course, with the current economy it's hard to say what will happen. Lots of people are choosing to hold off on retiring for a little while longer so we may be here another year. I'm just hoping that if they do choose to relocate us that they do it while school is out...I hate to have the kids switch schools in the middle of the year again. It's not as big of a deal for Olivia but Noah is getting to the age where, while still friendly with everyone, he is narrowing down his group of really close friends and that makes it harder to come into a class after school has started. I have to keep reminding him that he now has great friends in 3 cities that he can visit...not many kids can say they've made friends at 5 schools by the ripe old age of 10, right?

Anyway, my point is once again we don't know what's next. In some ways I've grown used to Athens and wouldn't mind staying here for another year. The kids love their activities and friends here. Jeremy and I are finally starting to find other couples to hang out with. We're settled and the town is cute (though so, so small). On the other hand, I'm always ready for the next adventure, the next house search, the next new town, the next opportunity. It's just the not knowing and the waiting that kills me :)

Love Thursday - Peonies

2009-05-21T22:50:00.005-04:00

I never really paid any attention to peonies before until we moved into a house that has a driveway lined with them. They smell amazing and I love that they are huge and extravagent and almost gaudy.

Piano Recital

2009-05-17T22:23:00.002-04:00

Today Noah had his first piano recital. He was a trooper...he wasn't thrilled about playing to a recital hall of people but he knew I'd been wanting to see him on stage playing a grand piano for awhile. So, he picked a song he enjoys playing (Cossack Ride) and he went for it. He knows this short piece forward and backward, inside, outside, upside down but when we arrived at the hall for the performances he told me he felt really nervous and that he couldn't remember the notes (he memorized the piece and brought no sheet music with him). I promised him that he only had to try his best and his fingers would remember what to do. He nervously walked onto the stage, hastily bowed, and played very, very fast but those little fingers remembered their notes and he finished with a Noah-esque flourish. I was a proud mom :) He's taking the summer off from piano and is talking about picking up trumpet in the fall so I don't know what will happen with the piano. At least I got this recital :)

When Olivia saw I'd posted the (bad quality) video of Noah she insisted I record her singing a song. Noah made sure to "pop up" to support her. So, here's some Miley Cyrus interpreted by my 5 year old :)

Love Thursday - A Classic

2009-05-14T20:42:00.004-04:00

All right, I'll admit it...I didn't take any photos today. Things have been busier than normal the past few days. Jeremy got a call Tuesday evening that said he needed to be in West Virginia for awhile starting Wednesday morning and so, at least temporarily, I'm back to playing single mom. Things are hectic but good. In the last two days I've had the pleasure of hearing my son complimented for his great manners. Isn't it funny that you try to teach your children to become polite, observant, well spoken, nice people and once they get it you sometimes forget how amazing it is? After all, there are plenty of kids out there that wouldn't open a door for others without being asked. They wouldn't say excuse me before moving up to the glass at the zoo. They wouldn't tell their teammates, "Good game." or "Great try" without being reminded. I'm always grateful when someone reminds me how well behaved my kids are). And then Olivia had a boy from her class call tonight to ask if she'll be his girlfriend. She was so excited to tell me all the details. I only hope that her excitement to let me into her life and thoughts continues as she gets older. There is not much I enjoy more than snuggling up with her at bedtime after reading stories and singing songs to just chat for a minute.

So, Noah and Olivia have been keeping me happy but I haven't taken any photos. I'm behind on posts. I haven't even told you about the baby birds. I'll get to it. I promise! But for now, for Love Thursday, an instant You Tube classic and one of my favorite things...something else that always makes me smile.

Love Thursday - Home

2009-05-07T20:58:00.004-04:00

It doesn't matter what kind of house we're living in. It doesn't matter the state or city or neighborhood. All that matters is who is with me. Home is my very favorite place to be.*

Welcome to Funkytown :) So, if we owned this house we'd totally be painting it (though the grey skies don't really allow the lime-greenness of the house to shine in the photo) but the fact that the shutters and beams and posts are made from trees that used to be in the backyard is very cool. The lavender lining the sidewalk is lovely in summer and fall. When you walk up to the house the smell of that mixed with the peonies is magic. The rhododendron to the right of the porch is where are cardinals hatched. I should mention that this house has a ton of windows. I love the light pouring into every room. Of course, this limits any privacy you might want to have. I don't like living in dark rooms and you can see, from this picture that even in the middle of the day, you can see right into the living room. Good thing the bathrooms are all on the back of the house :)

*It has been brought to my attention that I never post pics of the house. Partly that is because we don't own this house and I don't feel like we'll be here very long and partly because it's usually messy on the inside :) There will be more photos coming, though. Next week...my favorite part of this house...

Love Thursday - Soccer

2009-04-30T21:15:00.006-04:00

Spring soccer is back!! Noah loves playing and I'm so glad he's getting a chance to get back on the field. We missed out on Fall soccer because of all the moving around we did so he was excited to be joining a new team. Noah scored the first goal of the season for his team on Tuesday in the pouring rain. It wasn't as dramatic tonight (just mud and clouds) but it was still fun. Go Bobcats!!

Spring Strikes Again

2009-04-29T22:41:00.007-04:00

In the midst of allergy season, with my watery eyes and stuffy head, I've been loving the infinite shades of green that Ohio has given us. Maybe it's because the sky is so often gray here but the greens seem so much more intense than I remember. Or maybe it's because I was missing that color for so long this winter? Either way, it's beautiful. It seems like all the trees finally leafed out this week...even the oak in the front yard has tiny leaves covering it. The dogwoods are in bloom, the lilacs were a surprise I hadn't expected and we have peonies in white and yellow starting to show their giant flowers. The grass is high (again) and the dandelions are everywhere. The baby cardinals take up too much of my time. I just can't look away when their parents are feeding those hungry mouths. I'd take more pictures of them but the adults are very skittish and I worry about scaring them away for good. I need to get our garden planted this week and soccer is in full swing. It's been a lovely week so far and it's only Wednesday! I love Spring...the pollen filled, rainy day, erratic temperatures, chlorophylled joy of it all. I don't need to breathe freely anyway. I've always thought an unclogged head was highly overrated.

Bonus: Our bedroom has a lot of windows...french doors on one wall, 3 huge windows on another, and 3 small windows high on the wall over our bed. It's wonderful...lots of sunlight during the day and I can see the stars when I'm lying in bed at night. It's probably my favorite room in the house. It's just beautifully built and off in a corner of the house all by itself. Another thing I love about it? The Spring-y thing I love about it? A robin has built a nest in the corner of one of the windows over our bed. I watched her build the nest one rainy morning, slinging mud against the window, bringing grass up and turning it with her beak and body. It's a little weird to have her staring at you when you wake up in the morning but I'm excited to see her 4 eggs hatch within the next 2 weeks. And I love hearing her sing outside my window, sitting in the poplar tree close to the house.

Babies!

2009-04-26T21:37:00.004-04:00

We came home from our weekend trip to Virginia to find these little cardinal hatchlings waiting for us. The kids instantly fell in love. Sure the birds are strange looking with closed up eyes and pink, featherless bodies but it didn't matter. The awe of having 3 baby birds pop their heads up and open their beaks after I started whistling made Noah and Olivia practically swoon. (And it made me look like "The Bird Whisperer" ;o)

Maybe I Should Call It Love Friday?

2009-04-24T09:35:00.003-04:00

Because I can't seem to get with the program and get the pics up on Thursdays.

Anyway...the hairy beast needs a haircut (and a shave). I love that she looks like some sort of Yeti...a fuzzy ball of fur with polar bear feet...a shaggy, Beatles-esque version of a pup.

Here she's howling at me as I walk up the deck stairs. I'm not sure if it's because steep stairs still concern her and she wants to leave the deck (I'm dreading the day when she figures them out) or if it's because her fur is so long she can't see who is walking toward her...heehee :)

Love Thursday - Better Late Than Never

2009-04-17T08:52:00.002-04:00

The problem with trying to start a new habit or project when your weeks are crazy busy is that you...um...tend to forget that you had wanted to start the habit or project in the first place. Oops!! So, without further excuses here's this week's overdue photo...

Pete is our oldest pet. I think we had been married only 6 or 7 months when we got him. We weren't really looking for a companion for our first cat (Moe...the cat that thought she was a dog. Smartest animal ever, I swear.) but we saw Petey in a pet store. A local owner had brought a litter in and the store was helping them get adopted out. My boss at the time had already claimed one of the kitties and when we saw Pete all alone in this huge cage we had to take him home. We named him Pete after Pete's Wicked Ale and because it's a joke that in my family all the men are named Pete (Seriously...my grandfather? His name is Eugene. Everyone calls him Pete. My Great Uncle on my mom's side? His name is John. Everyone calls him Pete. And there are several more examples. Big Pete, Little Pete, etc., etc).

Our Pete is getting older. He'll be 12 next month and he's very set in his ways. He doesn't like new situations or people (usually) or puppies (!) But, he's very sweet. Yes, he will lick your hand until you pet him in the middle of the night. Yes, he meows like crazy until you talk to him when you're in the bathroom. And yes, sometimes he eats too fast and throws it all right back up. But he's my baby and in some ways a reminder of who Jeremy and I were before kids (young and so, so naive!)

I love this picture of Pete looking as skeptical and as hopeful as I feel about this Ohio sunshine. Is it real? Is the sun really shining? Can I really come out on the deck? (Ok, that's his question, not mine but I do know how nice that late afternoon sun feels on your face...)

Another Reason Not To Mow The Grass

2009-04-14T22:01:00.005-04:00

These grape hyacinths (?) have randomly started blooming in the yard without any seeming rhyme or reason...

Bird Watching

2009-04-14T21:40:00.005-04:00

One of the things I thought I'd miss about our house in Ruckersville is the amount of wildlife we had the opportunity to watch right outside our back door. While the animals we see here are not very exotic they are closer up than I expected. The bird feeders I keep on the back deck keep me happily birdwatching during the day. However, the biggest joy has been watching the nesting season come in. While the birds feed in the backyard they seem to love nesting in the front yard. I'm guessing we'll have a bunch of little baby birds (fingers crossed) here in 2 weeks or so.

The pictures are terrible because I had to take them through the window and the days have been endlessly rainy but you'll get the idea.

On one side of the porch we have robins nesting. They built on top of last year's nest and it's a great big messy heap of grass and twigs. It's not pretty at all. I haven't been able to catch the parents on the nest because it's so high up. I can say that the Papa robin keeps a very close eye on his mate never going farther than the yard across the street.

On the other porch post a mourning dove has set up her nest. She also built on top of last year's nest. She coos throughout the day and although I have no particular love for doves I do love the sound of them especially on a rainy day.

We have a rhododendron in front of one of our windows by the front porch and a cardinal has built a nest there. She has 3 eggs and is constantly on her nest only leaving a couple times a day to grab some food. She seems to enjoy the blossoms on the apple trees which are less than 20 feet from her nest. The shrub is so close to our window that when looking through she's maybe 18 inches away. The kids and I can't wait until those eggs hatch!

Wish us luck that we'll have some bird babies at the end of the month :)

And Then There Were Two

2009-04-14T21:35:00.001-04:00

Olivia finally wiggled that second loose tooth free at school...Yay!

Easter Weekend

2009-04-12T19:28:00.011-04:00

I'm not sure where to begin. This weekend was just so chock full of perfect that it's hard to sort it into bite-size pieces. The kids invited Granny and Poppie to come up for a couple of days because their school was holding its annual "Grandparents Day." They drove the kids to school and spent 4 hours there with them. I was a little bummed to miss Noah's play ("Blame It on the Wolf" - Noah played Iggie the Piggie) and Olivia's grandparent-y songs but when I heard over 600 grandparents showed up and knowing how small the school is...wow...I'm not sure I could have sanely handled a crowd like that. The kids spent Friday night at a hotel with Granny and Poppie while Jeremy and I had a tiny date (shopping and coffee).

Saturday morning we got up bright and early to take a trip on the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway. This entirely volunteer run railroad has a depot in Logan County and hosts various trips throughout the year...including Fall foliage tours, Summer runs to Robin's Crossing (18th century reenactment village), a Polar Express ride at Christmas, and the Spring Easter trip. The train itself is really great...the engines are mostly old Army engines from World War II and the cars are restored passenger cars from the 20's. They refurbish them with comfortable seats and fresh paint for the passengers. There are even some open air cars which would be fantastic in summer and maybe even for the Fall tours. However, this April morning it was in the 40's and a little damp out from all the dew/melting frost so we chose a regular car with seats that faced each other where we could lean back, be warm, and chat while the scenery unfolded from outside our windows. On the way back the train stopped at a house which used to be an old schoolhouse for an Easter Egg Hunt. It was chaos and lasted about 2 minutes but the kids found plenty of eggs and even snagged a stuffed animal each (for finding "special" eggs).

Waiting for departure with basket in hand.

The sun rising over one of the refurbished cars.

Noah getting a train lesson (about coupled cars, I think).

Enjoying the scenery.

Noah thinking maybe no one will notice if he ducks under the "starting line"

Another egg!

After the ride, we spent the rest of the day in Logan - eating and shopping. We found some dusty treasures at an antique shop (including an old Dodgers pin for Jeremy and a wooden tulip for me that the kids are going to paint). We combed the corners of a craft mall filled with some pretty cool stuff made by local crafters (if you ever, ever, ever want anything that has anything to do with the Steelers, the Reds, or OSU this is your place. Sheesh!) There's also a glass outlet there where we searched for new glassware but found nada.

It was time for Granny and Poppie to head back to Virginia but we swung by to check out two guys that do custom carving with chainsaws on the side of the road. The carvings are actually really cool (they were working on a bear and a squirrel when we were there) and waaaaay cheaper than we expected. Hmm...surely I need a giant tree trunk carved into something, right? :)

This morning we woke up at the crack of dawn. The kids couldn't sleep any longer because they were excited to see if the Easter Bunny had visited. All I can say is that bunny is making finding eggs harder and harder as they get older. All four of us were wandering around trying to find the last few.

Jeremy had to leave this afternoon to head to Bluefield (I tried to convince him to just leave at 2 tomorrow morning to get there by 6am but somehow he didn't like this idea. Crazy!!). We decided to spend the day entirely on family things (except, of course, when he got called out to work for a few hours. Teenagers vandalizing train tracks hoping to derail trains. Nice.) We headed out to see the new Hannah Montana movie with my purse crammed with popcorn and Easter candy (what's more surprising...the fact that I snuck food in or that I carried a purse? :) The movie was cute and the music was surprisingly tolerable. I'm even gonna admit something...I teared up several times. The scene where Miley sings "Butterfly Fly Away" to her dad got me. It was one of those moments that every parent can relate to. The kids were snuggled up to us at a G movie and wanted nothing more than to spend the day with us. These moments aren't going to last forever and that makes me sad. I'm proud they're growing up and becoming independent but knowing that I don't have much longer to enjoy them sitting on my lap or wanting me to read bedtime stories or grabbing my hand in public just because they want to feel close to me makes me wish time could slow down for just a little while.

We got home and made our version of Easter dinner (which means we grilled :). Steak with fresh rosemary and garlic, grilled new potatoes and onions, asparagus sprayed with lemon juice, and buttery rolls. It wasn't ham or lamb but it was fresh and Spring like and lovely.

Jeremy headed out the door and the kids and I headed into the regular routine...straightening the kitchen, showers, laundry (made better by listening to Noah practice Scarborough Fair on the piano...I love that song), and making plans for the week. Sunday is over but, oh, it was such a good weekend.

Love Thursday...An Evening Walk

2009-04-02T21:18:00.014-04:00

Love Thursday is a project, experiment, activity I read about here. Basically, the idea is to take a photo every Thursday of something that represents love to you. Whether it's love for a person, an idea, Thai food, whatever :) Obviously, I have no photography skills but I do love trying. And I like the idea of capturing the image of whatever is currently capturing my heart. So, I'm going to try Love Thursdays for awhile. Because isn't it always a good idea to take time to focus on what matters most to you??

My first Love Thursday is the habit we're starting of evening walks. The kids and Jeremy and I have started walking with Maggie every night after dinner. It's only simple strolls around the neighborhood helping the puppy burn off extra energy before bedtime. We get a chance to chat with the kids, talk to neighbors, look at the change in scenery as spring arrives and spend some relaxing time together free of obligations or responsibilities. For those 20 -30 minutes it's just the 4 of us, peaceful and happy with each other.

I realize it's only supposed to be one photo but there is so much I love about our walks I couldn't help myself.

I love this time of evening. The moon is out while the sky is still blue.

I like peeking in other people's yards to see what they have blooming.

Noah couldn't go out with us tonight. He wasn't feeling well and had walked with Maggie and I earlier in the day. So, at least for this Thursday, I don't have any pics of him on our walk :(

Livvie constantly bounces between exuberance and sweetness on these walks...both sides of her, perfect.

Here's hoping that Noah is feeling better tomorrow so that our after dinner walk is back to normal, back to the 4 of us, back to the way it's supposed to be.

Sunshine

2009-03-31T19:26:00.002-04:00

*Sigh*

I love Spring...

Blogging

2009-03-31T17:40:00.003-04:00

Two friends of mine have started new blogs within the past month that are worth taking a look at. If you have some extra time definitely see what they've got going on.

The first is from my friend, Jason, who went to Bridgewater College with Jeremy and I. He was born and raised in West Virginia and is currently remodeling a great old house. He is also an Appalachian Storyteller, helping keep the oral storytelling tradition alive, and a ghost hunter. The blog is a lot about the new house but has a bit of everything thrown in with lots of photos. Very, very cool. Check it out:

http://www.wordsfromthemountains.blogspot.com/

And finally, finally, finally, our favorite Charlottesville photographer, Chris, has started a photography blog highlighting some of his work. He does a fantastic job and has been taking pictures of the kids since Olivia was 18 months old and Noah was 5. Take a look at the blog and if you're anywhere near C'ville definitely get in touch with him for family photos. (Tip: The on-location photos are great and really fun...have the pics taken somewhere that you love. It makes the photographs twice as special. Seriously. We've had him take photos of the kids for us at UVA, in Harrisonburg, and in Shenandoah National Park...all of them were beautiful).

http://www.cephotog.blogspot.com/

Spring Break

2009-03-31T17:26:00.002-04:00

Ahh, last week was a much needed week off. All in all it was pretty perfect for everybody. Jeremy had a chance to have some time to himself (which never happens). And how does my crazy husband spend his 3 days alone? By eating chili and watching old movies and working. But he was relaxed and happy so who am I to judge?? :)

Because the kids were off to Granny's to spend the week I got a chance to head southeast to Charlottesville. It was so great to be able to visit with several friends and just hang out (and eat fantastic Thai food thanks to Kelly putting up with my pad thai chicken obsession - nothing quite like it here) and have some kid free time. The trees and flowers were blooming and allergies were in full swing but it was beautiful to see my beloved Virginia.

The kids had such a great week with Granny and Poppie that they didn't want to come home. There was shopping and a movie and 2 days at school with old friends and teachers. Noah had 2 sleepovers and Olivia got her hair and nails done (painted with bunnies and flowers :)). They came home loaded down with new Webkinz and books and lots of stories of adventure. I missed them terribly while they were gone but it was a good, much needed break for everyone.

We'll be back to Virginia at the end of April for a quick weekend visit to have our annual Spring photos done. I'm counting down the days already!

(That said, Ohio has been trying to woo me lately with its sudden springness...flowers everywhere, sunny skies, and perfect 75 degree days. Hmm...should I be worried?)

Thanks Dad and Denise :)

2009-03-27T21:39:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite things about Spring:

Old Man's Cave

2009-03-15T21:45:00.011-04:00

Another warm weekend in Ohio allowed us to go hiking for 2 weeks in a row. Maybe springtime here will change all those grumpy thoughts I've had about this state. So far Ohio has been apologizing for the long winter in fantastic ways.

Today we drove to the Hocking Hills area to explore Old Man's Cave. I've been researching the area and was really anxious to get outside to see what we could find. This trail is one of the most popular in the area and the warm weather brought lots of people out. Still, it was beautiful and quiet and a short, easy hike (good to get the kids back into it). I can't wait to try out the other trails. The gorges created by ancient glaciers, the sandstone cliffs, and the waterfalls spilling into blue pools are making me believe that maybe this area isn't so bad after all :)

Why I Should Never Live With Something Cute

2009-03-12T17:11:00.002-04:00

I am a giver of nicknames. I can't help it. Without thinking twice I give nicknames to everybody. Maybe it stems from the fact that I've never really had a nickname myself (Oh sure...there were the Goon years and the Sharona years thanks to Dave and Jeremy, my Dad calls me She-Lynn, the girl that called me Olive Oyl in 9th grade because I was so skinny and...um...breastally challenged, and the unfortunate Hurl but none of these really stuck. Except for my Dad's and he's the only one that can call me that. And, if you ever call me Olive Oyl I'll...well...nevermind...it's true. I did look like her.) Anyway, perhaps my lack of nickname has caused me to overcompensate. The kids and Jeremy have at least a dozen each. And, of course, each pet has nicknames. But, poor, poor Maggie. She probably will never know what her name really is because I can't seem to call her Maggie. Smoochie? Yes. Nugget? Yes. Poopie? Yes. Baby Girl? Yep. And about a million others depending on my mood. It's sad really. She never even had a chance.

Hiking at Dow Lake Dam

2009-03-08T19:04:00.011-04:00

I've been talking about hiking since we moved here. Days, weeks, months, I've had the urge to find someplace close by where we could stretch our legs, enjoy some nature, and get away from town for the afternoon. I wasn't feeling great yesterday but the weather was too good to pass up. After ice skating and taekwondo the skies were sunny, the breeze was brisk and cool, and the temperature was 81 degrees. If I had been dying I still would have insisted on getting outside. We didn't have a lot of time and so a quick search on the internet found us some hiking trails just minutes away from town. We headed out for our first Ohio hike and even though I spent last night sniffling and sneezing, headachey and chilled, it was worth it for that little bit of time outside breathing in the fresh air. Tonight the thunder is rolling in and tomorrow will go back to being chilly but the perfect Springness of yesterday will carry us through.

Turning A Frown Upside Down

2009-03-08T10:09:00.008-04:00

Olivia has been taking ice skating lessons this winter at the OU ice arena. She has absolutely loved every minute of it. In fact, she quizzes us several times a week about how many days are left until the next lesson. 30 minutes, once a week is just not enough for her. Because we didn't know how much she'd enjoy ice skating we made her a deal. For the first set of lessons (8 weeks) she'd use rental skates. If she liked it and wanted to sign up again we'd buy her ice skates of her own. Because, seriously, those rental skates are not pretty.

Classes are winding down. Next week she'll test to see if she can move up to the next level. It's all very exciting. Except, Except, Except...this is Athens. And the building where the ice skating happens is very old and not well insulated. Which means that they only offer ice skating in the fall and winter. Seriously!?! This was a huge shock and not something I wanted to tell Olivia about. After all, we'd planned on her taking lessons year round and I knew she'd be unhappy with the news. Honestly, I thought the university was just being cheap. However, when we went to yesterday's lesson I got to see firsthand how badly weather affects the arena. It was probably 65 degrees when we arrived at 9:45 and the indoor fog had already set in...

I couldn't believe how hard it was to see in there. No wonder they can't cope with summer lessons! Can you imagine what would happen in 90 degree weather?

So, we needed to decide what to do. Drive 3 hours roundtrip every weekend for a 30 minute lesson in Columbus? Hmm...that was a lot of commitment. But, then, thanks to a suggestion from Noah's friend who is an ice skating fanatic herself we found the solution that made everyone happy.

In-line skates for spring and summer and we'll buy the ice skates in fall. Because she hasn't taken off the skates since we bought them yesterday we're thinking of changing Olivia's name to Tootie...

A Fuzzball (With Tongue)

2009-03-05T19:00:00.005-05:00

She never, ever sits still...

Except when showing me her little teeth...

Star Student Of The Week

2009-03-04T18:04:00.003-05:00

This week at school Olivia was chosen as the Star Student of the Week (I feel like I should cue up some dramatic music here). One of the benefits of this honor (besides making your mom send in cookies for the class) is that Jeremy and I got to go to the school to share lunch with Olivia today. It was loud, chaotic, and messy. It was also so much fun that we decided to stay for recess, too. I haven't spent a lot of time with the class (mostly just random class parties, volunteering for the book fair, that kinda stuff...nothing on a regular schedule) but these kids are the sweetest group of 5 and 6 year olds that I've ever met. It's no secret that this winter has not been easy for me. I've never lived somewhere that has overcast skies so often. The number of snowfalls has been ridiculous and it's freezing all the time. I have only met a handful of people and Jeremy's schedule hasn't been as easy to live with as I thought it would be (after all, how terrible could it be after not living with him at all for 18 months? Silly me!). But after spending just one hour with those kids my mood was the best it's been in weeks. The hugs, the out of the blue "I love yous", the handholding, giggling at all my bad jokes, the hide and seek, and my bad limbo skills absolutely made my day. Kindergarteners love everyone, find joy in everything, and are amazed by anything you show or tell them. In their eyes you are suddenly the coolest person they have ever known. I learned lots (no one likes green beans, no tag is allowed on the playground when all 3 classes are outside, pink is a yucky color, grownups drool, holding hands while sliding makes it 10x more fun, and on and on). Thank you, Mrs. P's class. You may have thought that my being there was a treat for your benefit but in all honesty I owe my happy heart to you :)

*The absolutely funniest moment? The cute, teeny tiny little boy with no front teeth and chapped lips putting his arm around my waist, looking up at me and saying (seriously), "How you doin'?"

Is It Wrong That It Makes Me So Happy?

2009-03-01T21:55:00.002-05:00

I know that many of our friends and family members in Virginia are thrilled about a forecast calling for lots of snow on the East Coast but as someone who has seen waaaaay too much snow this winter, it makes me unbelievably happy to know that our Ohio skies are clear and are supposed to stay that way all week. Sure, it's still freezing (10ish degrees tonight) but the ground is not white and that is all I want for now. Dear March, please bring me some Spring. I promise to be good :)

Fresh Air

2009-02-21T22:27:00.005-05:00

After the week we had full of sickness, grey skies, and cold temperatures, today came as a much needed break. Olivia was feeling almost back to normal and Noah is getting closer everyday, too.
I'm sure the 52 degree weather and getting out of the house helped.

Last week Olivia was so sick she fell asleep on her napkin from lunch instead of eating...

The kids today feeling well enough to unintentionally strike a catalog pose...

Maggie appreciated a break from the long week too...

As Promised

2009-02-21T22:23:00.004-05:00

Olivia with a new hole in her head :)

And Then There Were Two

2009-02-18T20:26:00.003-05:00

Noah woke up with the illness that's been spreading through the elementary school like wildfire (classes missing 1/2 of their students, kids out for 2 weeks at a time) and Olivia's fever from yesterday has morphed into something much more unpleasant. Yikes! My only wish is that they get well before my symptoms start showing up. I don't know if I can handle what they're going through while taking care of them (in sick mode) and the pup. It's like watching the timer on a bomb slowly count down...10...9...8...

Lucky Jeremy has been working late every night this week. He's a smart, smart man.

Not Exactly The Way I Planned It

2009-02-17T19:20:00.006-05:00

I went to bed last night with big plans for today. There were errands to run, rooms that desperately needed cleaning, a dog who is getting better on the leash and good enough weather for a nice long walk with her, and plans and plans and plans. I even started a post for the blog last night that I was going to finish up and post today (I would've posted last night but...um...the last episode of Sex and the City was on TBS and I couldn't resist watching. It's one of my favorites.) I went to bed a little after midnight, tired and headachy but looking forward to what would be a productive Tuesday.

And then I woke up this morning.

I should've known it wouldn't be a good day when Olivia announced at 4:45am that she couldn't sleep. But, no, I was still thinking positively (easier to do when you're only half awake...). When the alarm went off at 7:30 I was bummed to find that my headache was worse and my nose was bleeding. Assuming I wasn't in some uncontrollable time-traveling cycle a la "Lost", I can only guess that this means Spring will be arriving soon (I get lots of nosebleeds in springtime...allergy related or something, I suppose. It's not so fantastic). No big deal. I'd get the kids off to school, head back to bed for an hour or so to try to get rid of the headache and get all my stuff done. I was limping along...gathering school supplies, today's clothes, etc. with one free hand when Olivia announced, "I lost my tooth!" We'd been waiting for it to fall out for the last several days so I really excited for her. I dropped what I was doing to see the most adorable little hole in between her other teeth. I congratulated her, we talked about the tooth fairy and then I said, "Where's your tooth?"

"I told you I lost it, " she said.

"Um...you dropped it?" I asked.

"I guess so. I was looking at myself in the mirror, drinking my water and I lost it."

So, bloody nose and all, I got on the floor looking for the teeny tiny tooth. We finally concluded that maybe she'd swallowed it. After all, she was drinking from a water bottle when it fell out. No problem...when she got home from school we'd write a letter to the tooth fairy, explaining what happened and everything would be fine.

And then, she settled down from the excitement to eat her breakfast (much easier now without that pesky wiggly tooth in the way) and she announced, "I have a headache."

I yelled from the other end of the house, "Me too, baby, me too."

Sometimes Olivia gets headaches when she hasn't eaten so I didn't think much about it. I feed her, send her off to school and she's fine. She called to me suddenly that she'd found her tooth in her water bottle (YAY!!) and I went to strain it out and see it. When I got into the TV room I noticed that her cheeks were flushed which I hadn't noticed earlier because of everything else going on. I asked if she felt all right as I felt her forehead. No wonder she had a headache, she was burning up! I grabbed the thermometer and, sure enough, 103.8. Sigh. Olivia gets high fevers. I don't worry about 104 or 105. That's just how she is. 106 makes me nervous and 107 pushes me past my calm, cool, and collected limits. But 103 is ok. We don't like it but I wasn't worried. The only problem is that when Olivia gets these high fevers they tend to last for several days to a week. And, so, that is when I finally, finally, finally realized that my Tuesday would not be going as planned. No food in the house? Too bad. Needing to find time to finish cleaning out the garage? Not going to happen. Taking Maggie for a walk to keep her from bouncing off the walls? Not today. Instead, I spent the day snuggling and coaxing drinks into my baby girl, keeping her warm, getting her comfy and settled for movies and reruns of iCarly. But, that's ok. I can do all that other stuff another time. It's not that important in the scheme of things. And, besides, there's always the Tooth Fairy visit to look forward to tonight :)

*BTW, I will post a picture of the snaggletooth girl as soon as she's feeling better!

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!!

Icy

2009-02-01T23:56:00.010-05:00

As of now, AEP says we're still without power at home. Thank goodness we decided to come to Virginia for the weekend (so Jeremy could attend his annual SuperBowl party). Two entire days of heat and electricity has been lovely. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that maybe, just maybe, we'll have power once we get back to Ohio tomorrow.

Pictures of icy things:

Dear Outside World,

2009-01-29T20:37:00.002-05:00

This is what is keeping me from loving Ohio. The kids out of school for 5 days because of snow and ice (it's currently a snow, ice, snow sandwich with more snow forecasted for tonight and tomorrow). No cable which means no internet, television, or phone. Then the Wii decided to shut down (probably out of principle) and then the electricity wanted to follow suit. Yes, we have a gas stove and heat but...um...they both want electricity to turn on. Brilliant!! Thankfully, the owners of our house have backup battery lighting in most rooms. It's dim but better than sitting around with candles. And we've got the woodstove and the gas fireplaces to keep warm. It could be much worse. But, still, did I mention tomorrow will be day number 5??? Dear Outside World, I'm going crazy. Thankfully, Jeremy noticed the psychotic gleam in my eye and quickly let me use his aircard and charged the laptop in his truck. Otherwise I might be screaming outside, flapping my arms, sliding on the ice, looking like a crazy lady. It was a very, very close call.

Hey, but the good news is that I've had lots o' time to take photos of icy things. I'll post a couple when I get my own computer back :)

A Moment of Weakness Or Perfect Timing?

2009-01-26T16:07:00.005-05:00

Ok, so maybe we have been talking about it for a few months. And maybe we both thought the other was joking. Maybe our hands aren't full enough with kids and activities and settling into a new place. Maybe we had been looking and looking but were really just window shopping. Really! And, then, Friday night we met her and by Saturday afternoon she was home with us. The pictures aren't great but I think it's pretty obvious why she has us all smitten

Noun, Verb, Adjective. All of the Above!!

2009-01-17T22:24:00.004-05:00

Tonight I put the kids to bed and got ready to fire up the computer. Jeremy looked over and said "Whatcha gonna do?"

"Oh, just this," I said, gesturing toward the laptop.

"What are you going to do with it?" he questioned. (I know, totally nosy, right? :))

"I don't know. Maybe blog." I shrugged.

"Is that a verb? Blog?" he said.

Poor Jeremy! Yes, of course blog is a verb. What do you think this is? 2003? :)

Why?

2009-01-16T00:12:00.003-05:00

Why would anyone choose to move here? School has already been cancelled for tomorrow because the windchill is supposed to be down to -20. Ridiculous!

Athens, OH
Current: 2°F
Fri 9°/ 2°

If You Just Tilt Your Head And Close One Eye...

2009-01-15T18:28:00.002-05:00

Is it bugging everyone else as much as it's bugging me that my first picture with the new camera (below) doesn't have one straight feature to it? The rain is diagonal, the wind has blown the lid to the feeder off center, my head was apparently tilted judging by the deck railing. It's killing me and yet making me laugh at the same time. I promise you I won't bore you with any more practice shots (unless, of course, they actually relate to something I'm blogging about...kids and such). That, my friends, is how much I love you!

It's Here, It's Here, It's Here!!

2009-01-13T17:32:00.005-05:00

I got my new camera yesterday afternoon and I charged up the battery last night. I couldn't wait to try it out today but the weather just wasn't cooperating and since I was home by myself there was no one inside to stalk with it. So, I took just one shot. I'm really liking the camera...I just need to figure out how to use it...well.

Maybe the weather will be better tomorrow and I'll find some time for goofing off...er...experimenting (serious, grown up, no nonsense experimenting).

New Year's Resolution

2009-01-08T11:39:00.003-05:00

Normally I'm not a fan of the resolution on January 1st. After all, if you need to change something or do something, why wait until the beginning of the year? But, this year, well, I've had to make one...kinda. Jeremy and I have been talking about getting healthier a lot lately. I mean, neither one of us has the metabolism of a teenager anymore but we both still enjoy food like we do. So, we've talked about eating better (which would carry over to the kids as well) and exercising on a much more regular basis. But this was right before Thanksgiving and while I was anxious to get started I also knew that I'd have no willpower against holiday food. So, we waited until January to make our changes which, I guess, means that this is officially a New Year's Resolution. Normally, I wouldn't be telling the world that we're making any sort of goal but, hey, maybe the extra pressure will be a good thing? Maybe it'll keep me on track because, goodness knows, I need all the help I can get. Small goals at a time is the trick we're trying this time. My goals for January? Increase the amount of water I drink everyday, add several days of exercise every week, and make sure I'm getting 4-5 servings of veggies everyday. Oh, and lose 5 pounds by February 1st. I have to have something to measure, after all :) I'm not exactly sure what Jeremy's goal for January is yet. I know he wants to cut back on soda and exercise more and eat more "real" food but I don't have specifics at the moment. So, feel free to bug us and nag us and ask us how it's going. Once February comes, I'll let you know how we did and what the additional goals are for that month.

Yay!

2009-01-07T20:19:00.002-05:00

I just ordered my new camera. Merry Christmas to me!! Once it arrives we'll see if I can actually figure out how to use it :) Is it silly to be this excited about a camera?? I've already warned Jeremy and the kids that they're going to be the subject of much experimentation. That goes for the rest of you, too. If I see you, you're fair game :)

Back Into The Routine

2009-01-07T16:26:00.002-05:00

Well, after 2 fun weeks of holiday fun things are finally starting to get back to normal. I can't say I wasn't ready to head back toward a normal routine but I'm having a harder time getting on track than I expected. I'm apparently allergic to something in the house and I'm sneezing and sniffing and my eyes are itching like it's April, not January. I'm determined to figure out what it is but for now I'm moderately annoyed and trying not to scratch :)

Christmas vacation was pretty fantastic. This is the first year we spent at home instead of heading to my dad's for Christmas Eve and I'll admit that was sadder than I expected. Many times it's been the only time all year I've gotten to see my grandmother, grandfather, aunts, cousins and assorted others and I really missed that. On the other hand, we didn't have to rush home, instead spending the day relaxing and hanging out with the kids. It was strange getting the kids to bed on time on Christmas Eve and not being completely exhausted by travel but I'm hoping we'll get to go to Fredericksburg for old traditions next year.

Christmas morning was just the 4 of us...the way it's always been. It's easy and quiet and gives us all a chance to spend time together before the rush begins. Olivia got the vanity that she had asked Santa for and Noah was completely surprised with a teeny, tiny camcorder. I'm sure he's got lots of embarrassing video of all of us by now!

Christmas afternoon brought us visitors. Jeremy's parents and brother came up to exchange gifts and have dinner with us. We all had a great time and the hit of the day was the Wii they got us for Christmas. I'm not sure who was more excited, the kids or the parents :) Unfortunately, they couldn't spend the night so after only a few hours they headed back home and, YAY!, they took our kids with them :) Jeremy and I had 6 days to ourselves and we did absolutely nothing. Jeremy worked and I tried to clean up the Christmas chaos but otherwise it was completely low key. Of course, a day or so later we both caught colds so it put a damper on the joy that comes from a kidfree house. We tried to have a date night but after dinner we both felt too terrible to go anywhere else. But, even sniffing and medicated we enjoyed the quiet.

On New Year's Eve we began our whirlwind tour of Virginia. That morning (after searching frantically for a pet sitter - Thanks Beth and Rick!!) we headed to Roanoke. We had dinner out (where I had a fantastic lamb souvlaki - yum!) and then headed to hang out with Jeremy's family. There was dessert and board games and lots of chatting but Olivia and I only made it until 11:30 before calling it quits. Noah and Jeremy toughed it out until midnight and rang in the New Year properly with noisemakers and champagne (or sparkling cider). The next morning we headed out early to see my dad and stepmom in Spotsylvania. We had lunch with them and got to spend several hours visiting. It was unusual for us to be there without the noise and excitement of my 3 other siblings and their kids but it was really nice. We left there around 3 and drove to Stafford to have dinner at my aunt and uncle's house. My brother and sister-in-law were there, my niece and nephews, my cousins, my mom and her friend, John. I got to spend lots of time with a new puppy (I wanted to smuggle it out of the house but Jeremy put his foot down) and we spent the evening laughing (mostly at Jeremy on a Wii Fit) and eating and playing with kids. My nephew, Trenton, has decided that the funniest thing ever is to come over to me again and again and say "Hey Man. Whatcha doing?" to see how I'll respond. He almost makes me wish we had a little one that young in our house. Almost :)

We left Jim and Julie's and headed to mom's for 2 nights. We got some shopping in, kept the kids up too late again and actually thought for a few hours that we might get snowed in. I can't seem to escape that Ohio snow...it follows me everywhere!!

Saturday afternoon we left mom's and did a little shopping on our way back to Ruckersville. We had planned on going to dinner with our old neighbors and I couldn't wait to eat some chips and salsa. We decided that we just couldn't leave so soon-not before playing poker and so we spent the night. Again, up too late but it was worth it. All four of us had a great time. Sunday we left to head back to Ohio making stops along the way...searching for a Wii Fit of our very own, getting lunch at Outback (mmm...decadence) and just taking our time. The ride was a bit subdued because I think it really hit all of us that this was our last trip to Virginia as actual residents. The house no longer belongs to us as of this week and it was a bittersweet goodbye. I'm glad that we're no longer paying double bills and we're moving forward but we had a lot of great memories in that house, in that neighborhood, in that town and we're all going to miss calling the area "home."

So, the whirlwind has ended, the kids are back in school, Jeremy's back at work, and the snow is falling here as I type. This is home now. It's strange to say that and I'm still going to get nostalgic about Charlottesville and hope to visit there often but it no longer belongs to us. A fitting way to end the year, I suppose...

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T15:12:00.002-05:00

For various reasons I didn't send out cards this year. Usually I love sending them out but this Christmas it just didn't happen in time. Call me a slacker or a bum or whatever you will but know that we are thinking of all of you.

Jeremy, the kids, and I have had a crazy year and we couldn't have made it through without our friends and family. Forgive me for not staying in touch as well as I should. Please know that you are in my thoughts more than you can imagine. From your phone calls to sweet emails to drinks and poker, we've been grateful to have every one of you in our lives. We hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas and have a chance to spend time with those you love. And for those we won't see this week, we hope to see you soon!

In lieu of a card, here are goofy pics of the kids: (Olivia's newest hobby is swimming in my empty bathtub and Noah has decided to grow his hair out until it's properly shaggy)

Merry Christmas, my friends! I'm anxious to see you all soon!!!

Stalling

2008-12-22T12:02:00.001-05:00

What do you do when it's the first official day of Christmas vacation, you're very sleepy from chatting online waaaaay too late the night before, and you're dreading hitting the grocery store because the wind chill today is a balmy -9*? Crank up the karaoke machine and belt out Hannah Montana songs in your pjs while jumping on the couch, of course. Oh, and the kids had fun, too :)

*Luckily, the temperature at noon is a tropical 11 degrees above zero when the wind dies down. Still, I think we might stall a bit longer before getting that gallon of milk...

Snow Day!

2008-12-16T17:41:00.006-05:00

So, here's what you need to know about Athens, Ohio. It doesn't snow here. At least not very much. Oh, and not until January. At least that's what the locals like to tell you. Nope, no snow here. Maybe 10 inches total the whole winter. In fact, to listen to them talk you'd think we were still living in Virginia - the weather sounds that similar. And, it's true that we are well below the lake effect snow line (about an hour south) and we're in the foothills, not typical flat Ohio landscape. So, why oh why has it snowed at least a dozen times in the two months since we moved here? Now, granted, it hasn't snowed a lot at one time. In fact we've only been snowed in to the point I didn't want to venture out twice. School has been delayed twice, never cancelled (even though in Virginia it would've been cancelled without question - the roads were pretty bad). We did get a lovely sleet storm last Thursday which resulted in me nearly getting to know a tractor trailer way more than I wanted to (Still the kids stayed in school...I just can't get used to that!)

So, I guess the natives were right...it wasn't snowing in December - it was technically sleeting. The picture above is our street - nice and icy but not snowy!

Olivia's winter program was cancelled that night because of the weather so I was thankful for that. I'd been nervous that I'd have to drive on the hilly, curvy road toward the school again soon after my afternoon near death experience.

They rescheduled the program (very cute kindergartners singing happy little Christmas songs) for last night (Monday). Olivia insisted on dressing up:

Once we got to the school I figured out her master plan - every single one of her friends was wearing a velvet winter dress. Together they made the most adorable group of little girls you've ever seen, all hugging and giggling :)

Well, it's good that they had the program when they did because not an hour after we got home it started snowing again. And it snowed this morning and most of the afternoon. So, finally, after a dozen days of snow the kids got to stay home. Yay! We spent the day playing and making cookies (Yum - sugar cookies and some new concoction we made with Reese's peanut butter cups chopped up in the dough) and building a gingerbread train (of course!). And, this afternoon, even though I haven't figured out where the box of snowsuits is yet, we played in the snow. The crazy thing was Jeremy told me that his assistant said it was raining in Athens, not snowing. At first I was thinking that maybe THIS is why they think it doesn't snow here - they don't know that it's called "snow" not "rain" but then a neighbor told me that even though it was raining only 3 miles away we live on a little elevated pocket of Athens that often gets different weather than the rest of the city. Odd but I suppose it makes a little sense. Anyway, here are some (not-so-great) photos of the fun in the snow:

The hill in our backyard is pretty good for sledding but the very top is incredibly steep (which is hard to tell here). Poor Olivia's sled kept running away from her :)

Making the obligatory snow angels...

I don't know, I'd say we spent the afternoon in the snow not the rain! It was cold and fluffy and white. Maybe they claim it rarely snows here but it sure was fun to sled on! :)

Yes, He's Kidding. Or At Least He'd Better Be...

2008-12-10T19:42:00.002-05:00

So, Jeremy recently let me know that a track supervisor job has opened up in Illinois. That is really, really not funny. I'm not ready to even joke about such things :0)

Quote of the Day

2008-12-10T19:35:00.002-05:00

Noah: (imitating Jeremy talking on his work phone...) "Joe? Bill? Bob? Billy Bob Jones? I need ya'll to fix that rail!"

Who knew my darlin' boy had such a perfect southern accent along with such a fix on the countrified tone of the railroad.

(For the record, while one of Jeremy's employees is named Joe as far as I know there is no Bill, Bob or Billy Bob).

You Know You've Officially Settled Into Ohio-ness When...

2008-12-06T15:21:00.001-05:00

You go to the Farmers Market no matter the weather. We went out this morning in blowing snow, over unplowed roads, to get our weekly market fix. Very few vendors were out and we probably didn't need the oatmeal spice cookies and apple pie but, hey, the perfect cup of hot spiced apple cider can pretty much convince us to travel anywhere...and judging by the number of cars on the road, we weren't the only ones. So, I'm thinking that driving through a couple of inches of snow just for some junk food makes us almost as crazy as the natives, don't you?

'Tis The Season

2008-12-04T19:10:00.001-05:00

We've entered the holiday season and the hustle and bustle is upon us. We were lucky enough to have 2 days to travel to Roanoke for Thanksgiving. We arrived mid-afternoon on Thursday just in time for turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, my beloved corn pudding, and lots (and LOTS) of other wonderful food. I was so full that I didn't even eat dessert! That's got to be the first time I've ever passed up a piece of chocolate pie. Ever. We spent the rest of the evening just goofing off with family - playing Pictionary, looking through Black Friday ads, and just enjoying each other's company. Oh! and the biggest surprise of the night? My early Christmas gift from Jeremy and kids - a laptop to call my very own. I haven't named her yet but I'm open to suggestions :)

Jeremy and I headed out early Friday morning to fight the shopping masses. We don't really need to go out after Thanksgiving - we don't typically buy the big items that have everyone going nuts but we always have a good time in the early morning, when it's dark and cold, making fun of the frantic shoppers, kid-free, spending some time together. And there is always time in the afternoon for a nap to recover and leftover chocolate pie, of course!!

So, we've been back home for a full week now and we're in the Christmas spirit. We've already bought and decorated our Christmas tree and the lights are up outside. For the first time ever we're actually about 90% done with our shopping with this much time left to spare. Usually we're last minute kind of shoppers (except that one spree post-Thanksgiving). One of my favorite traditions is my homemade advent calendar. It's something we've been doing since Noah was 3. Basically, I make some sort of countdown calendar (a tree with 25 ornaments, a Santa with 25 puffs of white for his beard, etc). This year we have a paper tree and 25 presents to place beneath it. Instead of doing a traditional advent calendar where the kids get candy or gifts, we do one Christmas activity each day until Christmas. No one but me knows what we'll be doing that day. It ranges from simply reading a Christmas book to building a gingerbread house to going to look at Christmas lights around town to baking batch after batch of cookies (everyone gets to help make their favorite - even Jeremy :). It adds a little more busy-ness to our month but I love it. It helps make sure we are taking the time to enjoy every aspect of the season and it requires that we spend extra time with each other.

It might be surprising to a lot of people to know that I'm a sentimental sap when it comes to the holidays. My fondest memories of growing up revolve around being in the kitchen with my family, laughing and talking, and yes, eating! Jeremy and I watch White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life, and Christmas Vacation ever year without fail. We make sure the kids see A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas and several others throughout the month of December. There's holiday music playing in the kitchen whenever I'm cooking and the house is filled with the scent of our Canaan Fir and cookies in the oven. I love sitting in the dark looking at the lights wrapped around the banister or draped over the piano. I love wrapping gifts at night when the house is quiet and everyone is asleep. I know a lot of people complain about the commercialism of it all, but I love the spirit of Christmas, the peace and joy and hope of it all. I love the sparkle in the kids' eyes and the excitement in their voices. And I love that this year the 4 of us will be together for the entire season. That is what I'm most grateful for - our chance to return to our traditions, old and new, together.

And So It Goes

2008-11-19T19:11:00.002-05:00

Settling in to the new house in Ohio has taken longer than I thought. For some reason it's harder to get used to things this time. Maybe it's because I'm tired of unpacking and arranging. Maybe it's because the weather has turned so cold. Being chilled makes me sluggish and grouchy and makes me dream about spending the day under blankets or up to my chin in a hot bath. Either way, I'm dragging along, trying to slowly get things done. Most of the boxes are unpacked and we're at that point where the things we need are out and easily accessible. It makes the urgency to finish unpacking fade away. Hmm...should I watch the snow fall and drink hot chocolate or clean out the icy cold garage? Well, what would you choose??

Other than that, Ohio is nice. There is an unseasonably cold streak currently going on and we've had snow 3 times now. Luckily the ground has remained warm enough that we didn't get much accumulation. The kids are looking forward to sledding and snowball fights but I'd like a few more weeks of above freezing weather :)

We've fallen in love with the local farmers market and have decided to make it a weekly tradition. We've gotten local greens (sunflower microgreens to be specific) and pizza dough, fantastic bread and locally grown tea. This weekend we're planning on getting more bread, some squash and a jar of creamed honey. The goal is to try something new every weekend.

We've found that the local shopping leaves something to be desired so we've tried out Lancaster and Parkersburg (WVA). They seem to be good options that aren't too far away.

The kids are making friends without problem. In fact they've both already gone to birthday parties. If only it were that easy for me!! While they're thriving in school and socially, I have to figure out how to meet more people. That's one of the drawbacks of being a stay at home mom, it's not as easy to get to know someone. And, in this town, almost everyone works for the university or the hospital. Stay at home moms are an anomaly. Quite the opposite of Charlottesville!!

We're still trying to figure out the details on getting to Virginia for a visit. I'm hoping we'll have time in December to make our travels to visit everyone. Once January hits we'll be swept up in kid activities (and probably bad weather!). Noah is still planning on taking Taekwondo and piano while Olivia is seriously considering ice skating lessons. I'm looking forward to it all :)

We've had several visitors so far and now that we're becoming a little more settled we're hoping for more soon. And, yes, that means you!!

Quote of the Day (part 2)

2008-11-19T19:07:00.002-05:00

Last weekend we headed over to Parkersburg, West Virginia to get some lunch and do some shopping. The kids have a tradition of counting down the seconds until we hit the state line as we cross the Ohio River. As we entered West Virginia Olivia proudly announced:

"We're in West Virginia. I'm gonna show my armpits!!"

Quote of the Day (part 1)

2008-11-19T19:05:00.001-05:00

Leaving the house, heading to the car Noah decided it would be a good idea to jump off the front steps.

"OOOOOO! I think I just knocked the wind out of my legs!"

Yes

2008-11-02T21:49:00.001-05:00

We are in Ohio, finally. In case you were wondering. I'll tell you all about it once I'm not so tired and not surrounded by so many boxes. If anyone asks, tell them I don't really enjoy unpacking. Over and over and over :)

8 Reasons Why You Should Visit Us In Ohio

2008-10-27T17:45:00.006-04:00

1. Because, honestly, when you think of "roadtrip" don't you immediately think of Ohio?

2. Because we'll be close to several baseball teams, several football teams, several hockey teams, and OSU. We could go to a game. Or just stay in and play poker and drink margaritas. Or take a nap. You're the guest, we'll let you choose.

3. Because we're hosts that let you choose what you want to do. See item #2.

4. Because it's free food and a free place to sleep. What more do you want?

5. Because we're close to Hocking Hills which has excellent hiking and photo ops. (You know, if you happen to read my blog, be a fantastic bartender, and/or take beautiful photographs. Don't ask me what bartending has to do with hiking but...um...it's got to fit in there somewhere.)

6. Because you'll get to check out our quirky little house. Hidden closets, heated floors, 4 showerheads in the shower, and lots of odd little features that'll keep the kids occupied for hours. Oh, and did I mention the house is crazy ugly? And has been dubbed "Funkytown?" And I fell in love with it within 2 minutes?

7. Because it's on your way to visit your aunt/grandparents/cousin/ex boyfriend/favorite hairdresser/someone. Everyone knows someone in Ohio. Might as well visit us while you visit them!

8. Because no matter how much you try to fool yourself, you know you're gonna miss us :)

Back By Popular Demand

2008-10-27T17:34:00.002-04:00

I've been told I've been slacking again on the blog so even though I'm in the middle of moving, even though everything in our home is packed in boxes, even though I'm having to borrow this computer, I'm posting. Just for my Loyal Readers (I'm being optimistic by assuming there is more than one!). Just for you, I will make time to post. Especially since one of you is currently cooking my dinner and boy, does it smell yummy :)

Catching Up

2008-10-19T19:04:00.003-04:00

Once again, like always, I feel like I'm falling behind with the blogging. Things are moving quickly now and we have the move date set for October 27th. The kids are wrapping up activities and winding down their time at school. Jeremy's been working and living in Ohio while the kids and I work on the logistics of getting the 3 of us and the pets up to see him.

Last week, my mom (Nana) came to visit with her friend John and it was a great time to fit in some those touristy things we haven't had a chance to do while spending time with them. We were on the road almost the entire weekend...scouting out the Virginia Safari park in Natural Bridge first. (BTW, they've really updated the place since I was last there. Highly, highly recommended. After all, when was the last time you fed a giraffe, pet a watusi, or watched a joey hop into mama kangaroo's pouch?)

We went up to the Blue Ridge Parkway and hiked for awhile on Flat Top Summit. The leaves were peaking and the weather was a balmy 75. Perfect weather for a fall hike and acorn/leaf collecting afternoon.

We also got to check out this awesome restaurant called The Homeplace. It was country kitsch to the extreme and so incredibly yummy. Unbelievable amounts of fried chicken and mashed potatoes and any other fixin' you would want. Delicious.

It was great to have a chance to see Nana before the move. It was an easy, relaxing weekend. The weather was perfect, the conversation flowing, and the kids extra well behaved. It's good to end our time in Roanoke on such a high note. Next up - heading up to Ohio until the railroad tells us otherwise :)

Dear Ohio,

2008-10-08T18:02:00.002-04:00

I'll admit that you were ready for me and such planning has won me over. The drive to your state was breathtaking - Sandstone Mountain in West Virginia was covered with autumn leaves at their peak, the view from the New River Gorge was perfect, the drive over the Ohio River into your lovely state at sunset was better than I'd hoped for. And, then Ohio, you didn't stop there. Not only did you enchant me with your rolling hills, roadside cliffs and fall foliage, you made me laugh with your drive-thru ammo shops, your moonshine festival, your signs I didn't understand ("Caution: Pier Ahead" and "No Turn From Berm") and the random oil wells in otherwise normally landscaped front yards. Your people were friendly, your towns quaint, and your roads soooooo easy to cruise down. Now, granted, I only saw the Southeast part of your state but so far you've impressed me. There are several little towns that I've decided I wouldn't mind living in and I'm trying to decide whether or not we should root for the OSU Buckeyes in Columbus or the OU Bobcats in Athens, both in our new backyard. Should we go hiking our first weekend there or head to the big city to explore? I'm excited about moving to a state with only 4 letters in its name. In fact, I told our rental office today that I hope to be living with you by the end of October. So, thank you, Ohio for making my first visit such a great one. I plan on getting to know you even better very soon!

Love,

Your Soon-To-Be-Ohioan Friend

PS - Is Ohioan a word???

The Negative Post

2008-10-01T20:22:00.004-04:00

Ok, so I think I've been pretty diplomatic about some of the things the railroad has thrown our way. I think I've tried to put a positive spin on just about everything. But, well, this blog is supposed to be confessions of a railroad wife and I've gotta tell you, right now that wife is stressed out! I'm not sure I've ever felt this unsure or worried or burdened. Goodness knows there are worse things happening to better people all over the world but in my little part of the universe this is a big deal :)

The good news is that the Ohio move has officially been approved. There wasn't much doubt but it's good to know it's a sure thing. The bad news? The company officially releases Jeremy from living on their expense after Friday. Now this might not be a big deal to some people but please remember that we still haven't sold the house in Charlottesville (mortgage!) and we have to rent in Roanoke for at least another month until the movers come and we find another place to live (rent!) and now Jeremy needs to find a place in Ohio (more rent!). So, somehow, some way, we have to find a way to pay 3 housing bills in the next few days. After only 2 days notice. When Jeremy mentioned to his boss that it wasn't a lot of time to take care of all this the guy actually chuckled and said after a while we'd get used to it and it becomes kind of fun. Well, honestly, my idea of fun is not spending what's left of our savings in one blow to pay toward 3 homes but what do I know? :) So, yes, I'm a tad bit angry and a lot frustrated but mostly worried. Oh, I'm sure it will all work out and by January we'll be able to look back and laugh but for now don't be surprised if I'm grouchy or distracted or need a hug or something. Confession? Sometimes the railroad sucks even when it's paying our bills (or at least most of them...)

And So It Goes

2008-09-26T08:42:00.003-04:00

Once again, I've found myself slacking with this blog. It seems that things have been so busy with school starting and trying to get things in order at the apartment. In fact, this weekend was supposed to be our first real weekend in Roanoke. We had nothing planned, nowhere to be, we were all looking forward to it. Because, really, I feel like we haven't had time to explore the city or take advantage of the new things and activities we have nearby. As some of you know, I wasn't sure about moving here, after all Roanoke has never really captured my heart. But I've been surprised by how much I like it so far and so my plan was to write a post about what I like about the town so far. The list was already started in my head, a Dear Roanoke letter of sorts.

And then...cue dramatic music...

We got the call this morning. Jeremy is being sent to New Lexington, Ohio and has to be there on Monday. Yep, today is Friday and he has to be there on Monday. Ahh, the joys of railroading...the thrill of no notice...the fact that we're still paying a mortgage on top of our rent and now need to find a new place to live :) The kids are not thrilled. They've made lots of new friends, they're enjoying taekwondo and gymnastics and piano and living close to their Granny and Poppie but I'm trying to present it as an adventure and, hey, at least the 4 of us will be together, right???

I don't have details yet. We just know that Jeremy leaves on Sunday. The kids and I will stay in Roanoke until things become more official...there are movers to schedule, housing to find, classes and apartments to cancel, mail to forward (again! It took 4 weeks for the mail to start being forwarded here!), schools to withdraw from and enroll in, friends and family to notify. I'm hoping we'll be able to join him in Ohio before the end of October so I guess my dreams of a lazy weekend or a few normal days will have to be put on the backburner as we start the process all over again. Hang on to your hats, it's gonna be an interesting ride as I'm thrown back into single mom-hood again for a while. As always, I'll keep you posted :)

Quote of the Day - After Dinner Bliss

2008-09-10T19:20:00.002-04:00

Olivia (looking at a field of cows on the way home from dinner) : Cows say Moo, just like my breath.

Quote of the Day - Part Deux (9/10)

2008-09-10T19:19:00.002-04:00

Noah (upon leaving the pizza place): Let's go home and do a Man Thing!

Quote of the Day -September 10th

2008-09-10T19:15:00.002-04:00

The scene - The local pizza place just after dinner where Noah and Olivia had been picking at each other the entire meal.

Olivia: I've only got one nerve left and Noah is crawling all over it. Now I've got nothin' left for tomorrow.

When You Have To Laugh (aka - Are You Kidding Me?)

2008-09-09T15:04:00.003-04:00

Jeremy called me this afternoon to ask if I was sitting down. I moved over to the couch and told him I was ready for some big news. He very gently said that there's a chance (big or small, we don't know yet) that they may relocate him to Ohio, very, very soon. After a brief moment of shock, I looked around at all the boxes that still need to be unpacked and burst out laughing. I'm not surprised. After all, we're just getting settled in, finding our way around town and, BAM!, the possibility of a new move rears its head.

The C'ville house should be going on the market this weekend and I hope to have all the empty cardboard out of here by Thursday. After that, I'll be ready to hit the road again...wherever it leads. I'll keep you posted!

Lesson of the Day

2008-09-08T22:00:00.002-04:00

Ask Jeremy if it's a good idea to set your beer on top of the TV when you are shifting giant boxes around and watching football at the same time. After he gives you the evil eye I'm guessing he's going to say "No." And all this week I've been worried about the kids spilling things on the new carpet. Silly me :)

Quote of the Day - September 6th

2008-09-08T21:57:00.001-04:00

Olivia (holding up a Cheez-It) - We need to return these. Mine has a hole in it.

I Know What You're Thinking

2008-09-08T21:02:00.008-04:00

You're thinking I've been slacking off, aren't you? You're thinking that my lack of posting must be due to the fact that I'm laying on the couch, eating bon-bons, and watching soaps all day. Well, while I wish all that was true, it's not. The truth is I've been insanely busy because...We've Moved. Officially Moved. And, man, we've been busy. So, where do I start?

We came down to Roanoke on August 24th to get ready for the first day of school. The in-laws were gracious enough to put us up for a few days until our lease started. The upside for them? They got to see Olivia off on her first day of kindergarten - August 25th.

Heading to the bus stop.

I didn't cry when she got on the bus, holding hands with Noah but Jeremy and I were both a little choked up. No more babies in the house :(

Another bright spot to the 25th was that I got to have dinner with Heather in Staunton. We hadn't seen each other in about 8 years and it's one of those friendships that I always wonder why I didn't stay in touch. It was great seeing her and I was very sad when it was time to head back to Roanoke. This time I'm determined not to let her go (Sorry, Howdy, you're stuck with me!)

My proof that we actually were in the same place at the same time!!

The 26th was my birthday - number 33 to be exact. We went out to dinner and then back to the in-laws home for pie and gifts.

Thursday the 28th, I went to pick up our keys to the apartment. It was empty and quiet. All we brought with us for this first night was 2 air mattresses, sleeping bags, and...um...the computer :)

Proof that I may have a small obsession with the internet.

We headed back to C'ville for the weekend to pack up everything we'd need before the movers came and that is when the good times began...Olivia decided to come down with a nasty stomach virus and Jeremy thought it would be fun to try out a head cold. But we persevered and the kids and I went back to Roanoke on September 1st to live on the floor for just a few more days. On Thursday the 4th, the movers brought all of our stuff. And, believe me, it's a lot of stuff. My poor empty apartment became a warehouse for cardboard boxes and packing paper. And this room had the least amount of furniture and boxes in it, believe it or not.

I've been slowly unpacking because now I've decided the head cold is a good idea and the week has been rougher and busier than any of us could have predicted. On the plus side the kids are enjoying the new school. Noah has restarted his piano lessons and Olivia has started gymnastics. They are both taking taekwando twice a week. Unpacking boxes that someone else has packed is almost like Christmas - you never know what's in each box, carefully wrapped in packing paper. (Wow, those movers are thorough...they wrapped my paper plates! Good times!) The downside is that everyone except Noah has been sick, sick, sick. My car decided it wanted some attention of its own and cost me an unexpected $500 and the worst part is that I was cat sitting for my brother in law's kitty when it was decided that she was too sick to carry on. We had to take her to the vet and listen to the diagnosis and be there as she was put to sleep...an unexpected lesson in loss for the kids.

But we're here now, together, and trying to figure out how to live as a family again. The boxes will be gone soon and the schedules will get ironed out. Maybe I'll look for a job if something interesting pops up. I'm just glad to get things moving in the right direction. We appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers and good wishes as we've headed south and hope you'll keep us in mind as we try to sell the C'ville home.

I'll try not to let the blog go so long without posting next time. And, in a week or so, once all the boxes are gone, we'll be ready for some visitors so don't be shy!

The Last Official Weekend

2008-08-18T15:04:00.009-04:00

There's only a week left until we begin the moving process. The movers won't be here until the first week of September but the kids and Jeremy and I will be camping out in the new place once school starts. We'll have 3 days hanging out with his parents and 2 days of sleeping on the floor until the furniture actually arrives. School and piano lessons start next week and so, really, this past weekend was our last little bit of free time before we head to Roanoke.

Jeremy was off for 4 days to get things done around the house but I didn't want to spend the weekend only working. And so on Friday we had the neighbors over for cards and drinks and chips and salsa and laughter. It was great, I won the poker game and the kids stayed up way to late :)

Saturday was all work and no play and so I was determined that Sunday would be different. I convinced Jeremy to go hiking with the kids and I early in the afternoon. It's no secret that I love heading up to Skyline Drive and there's a trail that I've been wanting to check out for months. It was an easy 2 mile trek to see some old Episcopal Mission ruins and the weather was perfect - 70 degrees up on the mountain.

The bugs were terrible because we were at a lower elevation than normal but the endless butterflies were beautiful. We found the ruins along the overgrown trail and passed an Appalachian Trail cabin (J and I keep talking about completing the 2000 mile trail once the kids move out...). There's not much left of the old mission. A few stone walls, some steps, and some random rusty metal...things. But it was fun and the kids had a great time climbing rocks and looking at the flowers that were insanely tall. I'm anxious to find new places to hike on the Blue Ridgeway Parkway (which will be less than 5 minutes from our new home) but I'm going to miss the spontaneous trips up on the Drive.

The weekend ended on a perfect note when our friends Dave (Uncle Dave!!) and Pat ("What? How does he rate Uncle status?") came over for dinner. I haven't laughed so hard about nothing for a long time and it was a great evening. I'm getting nervous about the move and knowing that I have visits like that to look forward to seems to make it all ok.

The next few weeks should start getting complicated so we'll keep you posted and let you all know the new address and phone number once we take over the lease for the apartment...Stay tuned.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

2008-08-06T11:40:00.002-04:00

The past week has been filled with nothing but decision-making and paperwork. My brain and my pen is exhausted. We've signed our lease and checked out the local neighborhood (I can't believe it'll only take me 5 minutes to go shopping and 2 minutes to get to the school!). We've registered for school and bought all the school supplies and new clothes and shoes. We've signed up for gymnastics and piano lessons and taekwondo. We've scheduled a time for the movers to come and take all of our junk to the new house. We've met with Realtors and talked about the depressing housing market and made a plan. We've picked out siding and shingle and shutter colors. We've picked out paint chips for the living room (in case I can convince Jeremy to paint some more!). We've bought new carpet and thoroughly cleaned the house from top to basement. The backyard is almost done and I've written the new address so many times lately that I've almost forgotten the old. We're starting the move in 17 days and things are still going well. I'm tired and sure I'm forgetting to do something but we're getting there.

Are You Tired Yet?

2008-07-31T11:38:00.003-04:00

Sleep is overrated. That's what I've been told many times by many people. And I agree...except when it's not. Anyone who knows me knows I love to sleep. Love, love, love it. In fact, if I had to list hobbies, sleep would probably be number one. What beats curling up under a warm blanket on a chilly night with only your nose sticking out to be nipped at by the cold air? Or falling asleep in a sleeping bag listening to the sounds of crickets and bullfrogs singing you a summer lullaby? Or sneaking in a cat nap on the couch on a dreary rainy day when leaving the house seems like a bad idea?

My point is that I like to sleep :) And that's why I could never have Jeremy's job. Once we are living together again I'll have to get used to his schedule and the unpredictability of it all. He typically works an 11 or 12 hour day. At work by 6, home by 5 or 6 in the evening. But, he also has to be on call in rotating shifts in case something happens. After all, the railroad runs 24/7. And, of course, if something big and bad happens, he gets called out whether he's on call or not. It doesn't matter if it's Christmas morning or his kid's birthday or the middle of the night. And sometimes when he's called out he doesn't get to sleep for a long time. Case in point - on Tuesday he worked a regular day, let's say 6am to 5pm. He got back to his parents' house, ate some dinner, watched some tv, whatever and at 9:45 the phone rang. There was a derailment in Christiansburg and they needed extra help. I called Jeremy this morning at 9:30 and he was just leaving the derailment to go back to his regular shift. If you're keeping track that means that at 9:30am on Thursday morning he hadn't slept (except quick dozes in his truck) since Tuesday morning! And he was going in to work!! I don't see how he does it. He's a more resiliant person than me. But, on the bright, sweet wife side...I'm happy to take a nap in his honor... :)

Alaska, Part II

2008-07-29T20:11:00.004-04:00

I just wanted to take a second to make two quick notes about next year's Alaska trip:

1. Deposits are due August 1st (or very very close thereafter). If you only paid the initial $25 then the next $225 is now due. Once this is paid you'll get your stateroom assignment if you don't have one already. And, remember, you can always pick a room now and upgrade if you want later on.

2. If you're not going with us to Alaska in September '09, it's not too late! Let me know and I'll get you all signed up. Bring your friends and your family, the cute guy down the street, your favorite bartender, that random chick that you work with...invite them all! It's gonna be a good time :)

The Trips Are Winding Down

2008-07-29T13:48:00.015-04:00

Summer is running away from me quickly this year and our constant traveling through the state is coming to an end. Less than a month until school starts and we begin the moving process so it made complete sense when my mom called to ask us to visit. Once we move the drive to her house will take closer to 5 hours so we wanted to fit in a weekend trip before the road gets longer.

We got to Nana's on Friday and the evening started out great. We went to Angelo's for dinner and I finally got that cheeseburger I had been craving for over a week. We did a little shopping and then headed to her house and to bed. The next day we planned to go to a local state park or the local bald eagle preserve, maybe a movie or the beach. But, instead we awoke to bad news...Nana's fridge had conked out during the night and so we stayed in and waited for a repairman to come find out what the problem was. Time was ticking and the day was passing by so the kids and I decided to take a walk through the neighborhood to visit the local "beach." My mom lives on the Potomac River so it's sort of like a small, gentle beach. But, unless you're prepared with beach shoes (which we weren't) it's not really good for swimming because the sand is really coarse and rocky in most places. We weren't going for the swimming, anyway. You see, Nana's beach is called "Shark's Tooth Beach" for good reason. Along the river old shark's teeth wash up all the time. The last time we were there we found 2 or 3 and we were hoping to get lucky again. After making the 1/2 mile trip in the sweltering heat and humidity, we were happy to see the beach path come into sight. There were people fishing and people kayaking...a great day to enjoy the cool water. Unfortunately, our early afternoon timing wasn't so great and the tide was coming in. This meant that the rocky bars where we normally spot the teeth were covered in water. We made the best of it anyway, splashing in the water, getting our clothes wet, collecting cool rocks and shells, and digging in the sand.

Olivia is leading the way

Look closely and you can see Maryland behind them

Noah building a wall against the tide.

After we got back from the beach walk, we decided to head over to the local berry farm. We try to go every year to get our strawberries, blueberries, red raspberries, and blackberries. This year we were too late for the early berries but there were plenty of blackberries ripening on the vine and since I can't resist making blackberry cobbler and bowls of berries sweetened with sugar and milk, and handfuls of berries in the middle of the day, that's what we picked. Yummy. And did I mention they make the best shortcake in the world there for when you're all sweaty and tired from picking? Delicious cake, vanilla ice cream, and fresh berries all melting together in the summer heat. It's an excellent way to end an afternoon.

Looking out over the berry farm.

Noah and Nana picking berries

Visiting with the goats...

Cooling off after the harvesting. Doesn't Noah look thrilled? :)

All in all, it was a fun visit even if it didn't work out exactly as expected. The kids were exhausted enough to sleep in until 9 both mornings and, for me, that makes the trip more than worth it. Hopefully, even though we'll be 5 hours away, it won't be too long before we're able to go visit Nana again.

The Ball Keeps Rollin'

2008-07-27T21:42:00.004-04:00

Despite all my pessimism and doubt and unwillingness to be sure that we were moving, it looks like things keep falling into place. We've received the relocation money, we've been approved for a lease, we have 2 Realtors coming out to the house this week, and the kids are learning lots about the new school they'll be going to. So, really, it appears that we are actually going to be moving. In fact, if things continue to go as planned, we'll be moving on August 28th - a date that is rapidly approaching. I'm excited and nervous and stressed beyond belief. We have to get the siding, shutters, roof, and gutters fixed before then (thank you homeowner's insurance! no thanks to a badly timed freakishly huge hail storm!). I have to finish some last minute painting. We have to buy new carpet for the living room, finish clearing out the backyard down to the lake, clean out the basement (again. sigh.), and get the flower beds back in shape. All that while figuring out how to transport all 5 pets to the new home, registering for the new school, doctor and dentist appointments galore, starting soccer and cheerleading practice (which starts much much earlier there than it does here), finding a great piano teacher (Noah has been going through piano lesson withdrawal), packing up the stuff the movers can't move, and all the other stuff I haven't even started thinking about yet. Adding to the fun? School starts 3 days before we move so we have to figure out the logistics of that and find time (a priority!) to see Howdy, my lovely friend that I haven't seen in what? 8 years! the same week :) Good thing I work well under pressure! Otherwise the excitement might cause my head to implode!! But, honestly, as frantic and nutso as I sound, I can't wait to get all this going and keep the ball rolling...

Olivia is Such a Girl

2008-07-23T23:53:00.004-04:00

There is great joy in our house this week because Olivia has discovered that she has her first loose tooth. She's delighted to tell Noah and I how big she's getting and this means she's almost a grown up. These are things I'd expect to hear a 5 year old to say. However, I don't have a lot of experience with 5 year old girls (and it's been a long, long time since I was 5) so imagine my amusement tonight when we had the following conversation:

Olivia walks into Noah's room while I'm telling him good night. Her finger is where it's been all day - right on the wiggly tooth. Teary eyed, she looks up at me and says "I'm so excited I'm crying!" (Girlism #1).

I walk her into her room to get her to bed and she says "I need to name it." I look around trying to figure out what she's talking about and then it dawns on me. "You're going to name your loose tooth?"

"Yep, I'm going to name all of them as they get loose." (Girlism #2)

And, then, as I'm walking out of her room - "I need to put a blanket on it. And when I wake up in the morning I'm going to dress it. Like maybe put a little shiny bow on it..." (Girlism #3)

Oh, she is such a girl. How such an ungirly mother came to help create this crazy, dramatic creature I'll never know but she definitely keeps me laughing.

Happy Birthday, Olivia!

2008-07-20T10:34:00.007-04:00

We are now the proud owners of a five year old...girl :) Liv's birthday was Saturday and the weekend has been a whirlwind of good times. We started off Friday with camping in the backyard, complete with pizza and cupcakes, good friends, fireworks, and a giant bonfire (nice job, guys). Then, after Jeremy and I were able to drag ourselves out of the tent after staying up way too late (but, really, who needs to sleep more than 3 hours?) we set out for a day of Chinese food, shoe shopping (yes, Olivia is a shoe addict), present opening, and build-a-bear building.

Jeremy and I were talking last night after the kids went to bed, wondering how in the world our teeny tiny baby has suddenly turned five. Is it really possible she'll be starting kindergarten next month? She's promised that she won't get any bigger but, somehow, I just don't believe her...

This is what five looks like...

Thank You

2008-07-16T19:41:00.003-04:00

Thanks for all your finger-crossing, wish-making, and prayerful praying because apparently it worked. We got word that Jeremy is getting a relocation package. What this means is that the company (I always feel like I should write that in caps a la the show "Heroes" - The Company) will give us money to relocate plus an allowance to help us settle into our new city. It also, most importantly, means that if we can't sell the house within the next few months they'll buy it from us. So, while I'm hesitant to say anything is definite yet (because the pessimist in me is always lurking near the surface) it seems that we may be moving in the next month or two. We're all sad to be leaving Charlottesville, especially because we have so many great friends here, but we're excited that the four of us will be seeing each other every day soon. And, besides, we'll only be a couple more hours south so no excuses for not visiting us. C'mon, you know you can't wait to spend some time in Roanoke with us. It is the Star City of the South, ya know :)

A Week With Dad

2008-07-11T21:29:00.010-04:00

The kids wanted to spend this past week in Roanoke so they could visit Jeremy and their Granny and Poppie in one glorious trip. They got to see Daddy every evening and hang out with their grandparents 24 hours a day. When you're 4 and 9 what's better than that? I joined the group on Wednesday so that the 4 of us could spend some extra time together. We shopped, helped rearrange furniture, played lots of Chinese checkers, and hit the Salem Fair. We had a nice relaxing time but the kids were dying to get home today to play with the neighborhood kids. Can't say I blame them. It's always nice to go away for a few days and then walk back in your own front door.

It's Official

2008-07-11T21:02:00.004-04:00

Yesterday Jeremy found out that he's definitely being promoted to a new position (Yay! A raise!) and that they are keeping him in the same location. We're incredibly disappointed because we were obviously hoping to move somewhere together. So, we now have to deal with the fact that it could be another year or more before he gets moved again. And, while I don't mind Roanoke, after all the buildup (and close call with moving to Indiana) I was looking forward to the idea of moving to another state. Oh well, somehow we'll manage and there is always the possibility that they'll renew his relocation package (apparently, this is still up in the air). On the bright side? There's a tiny extra bit of cash added to the paychecks, he's officially no longer a trainee, and he still loves the work he's doing. We just have to keep reminding ourselves of the good stuff. Maybe this time next year I'll finally be writing from somewhere else :)

Monday's Quote of the Day

2008-07-01T10:20:00.004-04:00

Olivia: "I need to wash my hands. I've been touching nature all day."

Same Road, Different Trip

2008-06-26T22:51:00.010-04:00

The kids and I decided to spend a night with Jeremy "on location" again this week. It was just a quick overnight jaunt but it ended with us arriving home tonight exhausted and ready for the weekend.

We hit Skyline Drive again because I was hoping to take some shots of the kids with the amazing amount of mountain laurel that is currently blooming up there but I made the mistake of stopping off at Big Meadows first. We wandered for a long time, enjoying the sun and following the winding deer (and people) paths. We saw lots and lots of these:

And plenty of these:

including this girl who cracked the kids up by taunting a puppy on a leash.

The only problem is that when we started driving again, the kids were hot and sweaty and not wanting to hike and let me take pictures of them. Somehow that just did not sound like an excellent time. I can't imagine why not??

So we headed up to see Jeremy and arrived just in time for dinner. Amazingly, even though there are even numbers on both sides, the kids outvoted the grown-ups and we had to go to Olive Garden for dinner. Ahh, the sacrifices we make...

I had a pretty sleepless night and was worried that I'd be a grouchy, tired mess for the return trip but after a little breakfast and some hot tea I was good to go. We had a few hours to kill so we headed to the Luray Zoo. Now, I know you're thinking what kind of zoo is in Luray? But they actually have a great reptile section with a gazillion snakes, some pretty cool rescued animals that they've "adopted" over the years, and a small petting area. It was a surprisingly fun way to spend a couple of hours (especially during monkey snack time). And really when you get to talk to a donkey named Burrita and she does this:

that, My Friends, is a good zoo trip.

A quick stop for lunch and we were back on the road to make a trip to Grammy and Papa's. We went swimming and the kids had a blast racing each other across the pool. Then it was time for dinner, conversation, looking at pictures from their recent trip to Israel and ice cream sandwiches. It was a great little visit and a nice way to spend a summer evening.

A long day and what felt like 45 hours of girl power music (Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus and iCarly, anyone??) knocked the kids out on the way home. And so, I drove in the quiet dark, flashes of heat lightning in the distance with the lure of home urging me on.

Alaska

2008-06-21T19:28:00.006-04:00

As most of you know we're heading to Alaska for a vacation next fall. Many of you are coming with us and I'm hoping many more of you will decide to join in on the fun. Thanks to Pat for suggesting I put an Alaskan sidebar on the blog. To your left you'll find information on the trip which will be updated as things come up that you need to know. If you're already going I can't wait to see you there. If you're not, c'mon, join us. We really want you to go :)

The Good, The Bad, The Latest

2008-06-19T13:49:00.003-04:00

It's almost, not quite, been confirmed that as of July 1st Jeremy will be relocated to...Nowhere. Seems that there aren't any jobs currently open for him to relocate to so the company has created a position for him in Roanoke - where he's already assigned. At first glance, we were pretty disappointed. You see, without a new assignment and location the company won't help us sell our house or move or anything. We were also told that the situation in Roanoke could last a month, 6 months, who knows? So we needed to decide - was it worth losing the incentives that come with a company sponsored move (i.e. - realtor commissions paid, moving expenses, bonuses for selling the house, etc) for something that might only last a month or two? Were we willing to take that risk? Unfortunately, we're not so financially well off that's it's easy to walk away from what equals tens of thousands of dollars so...we were thinking that we'd keep the situation the same - Jeremy living with his parents while he works, the kids and I staying with the house, and hoping to live together as a regular family soon. You can probably guess how depressing making that decision was. But, you know, deep down we're hopeful people and we realize that things could be much worse...we have a house, Jeremy has a job that he loves, we've been kept safe and happy here, and we have lots of supportive friends and family that have been willing to help us out at the drop of a hat. No reason to complain. Disappointed, yes, for a few days. But, complain? We just can't.

So, now the good news. Jeremy heard from someone today that because he could actually end up being in this new position for another year they are going to try to convince the company to give us another relocation package - allowing the house to be sold and allowing the company to buy the house if that doesn't happen. This isn't set in stone and there's a good chance they won't agree to reopening his original relocation contract but I can't help but get my hopes up again. Because things always work out in the end; sometimes we just need a little patience. So, if you could keep your fingers crossed, keep us in your prayers, maybe loan us a wish or two, it would be greatly appreciated. We're ready to settle in together, to put things back to the way they were, to see each other on a daily basis and we can use all the help we can get :)

Road Trip

2008-06-09T11:05:00.007-04:00

One of the unexpected benefits of Jeremy's prolonged training is the fact that sometimes the kids and I can visit him and spend the night with him in whatever town he happens to be in. They love staying in hotels and seeing him. And, honestly, so do I. A week ago we went and hung out with him for a night. The time passed too quickly but our trip back home was like a miniature road trip. It was a pretty perfect day - breakfast at Waffle House (Noah's first time there. Olivia, of course, is an experienced waffle orderer..), a stop at Dinosaur Land (Noah's comment - "cheesy but fun", Olivia's? "The best park I've ever been to!!!") and then a side trip to Skyline Caverns where we went through a mirror maze and rode a miniature train. After a leisurely lunch at KFC we hit Skyline Drive for some of the trip home. The kids got to scale boulders, run down skinny deer paths, count chipmunks, see a wild turkey and be amazed by the doe and newborn fawn we saw laying in the grass not 20 feet from us. We got home exhausted and happy and anxious to spend more days like that this summer.

Happy Birthday, Noah!

2008-06-08T08:36:00.003-04:00

9 years old ago today we were thrilled to meet our baby boy. I can't believe how much has changed since then. I think back through all the stages and I'm stunned at how quickly time passes. There's no way we can really be parents of such a big kid, is there?

This year hasn't exactly gone as planned. When we had Noah's 8th birthday party we were sure it would be the last one he'd have here. But, we were wrong and last night we had the pleasure of hosting 5 of Noah's friends overnight. I will officially state for the record that I think I might rather have an entire class of preschoolers at my house than 6 older boys in my backyard. Those kids are crazy!! We insisted that they stay in their tent after 11 and still some of them didn't fall asleep. If I could bottle that energy...

Maybe it's insane but I'm assuming this will be the last birthday Noah will celebrate in this house. That makes 6 that he's celebrated here - everything from big family get-togethers to pirates and pinatas to camp outs. I hope his memories of this place are as good as mine. And I can't wait to celebrate number 10 with him wherever we go from here.

Happy Birthday, Noah! I love you :)

Waiting By The Phone

2008-06-02T21:35:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure if we're acting more like teenage girls sitting by the phone waiting for the perfect boy to call or if we're more like expectant parents hoping the first contraction will come soon. The call could come any day now letting us know the location of Jeremy's relocation. There are 22 states to choose from and we don't have a clue what the likelihood is for any of them. For a chronic, obsessive list maker like myself this has been a difficult 17 months. I can't make a list about our new home if I don't know where it will be!!! Arrrghhhh! So, for 2 months now we've been expecting "The Call" any minute, our invitation to The Show, The Majors, The Big Time. We're all anxious to live together like a regular family again, to be able to tell people where we're moving when we get the daily "Do you know anything yet?" question, to settle the kids into a new town before school starts. But, for now, there's nothing to do but sit and wait and hope that our patience will pay off. Noah has 3 more days of school and after that we're ready to follow Jeremy wherever they send him...