Sevin Sweetness

44/365: A Little Love

2012-02-15T22:33:00.000-05:00

The kids and I made these Valentines for all their teachers. It was fun! We did not, however, make homemade Valentines for all the kids in their class. I am kicking myself now, because it is something we always do. Next year I will make the effort.

43/365: Funny Girl

2012-02-15T22:14:00.000-05:00

Olivia and I were taking photos with my phone when I was supposed to be watching Cam play basketball. Alas, though, I spend most of my time entertaining her because...well... she is 4 and has the attention span of a gnat! On this particular day we played a lot of "baby bear". She was the baby and I was the Mama. I really had to stretch my imagination for that role. I kept telling her that it was time for baby bear's nap, but she wasn't buying it. We played about 100 rounds of Tic-Tac-Toe and then I had to resort to an electronic device. No games, just photos. She started off all cute and sweet and then I asked for one more. I had the camera set so we could see the photo as we took it. She had this cute smile, and then just as I snapped the photo, her face went crazy! I almost peed from laughing so hard. I love this kid!!

42/365: I Am Not Proud

2012-02-15T21:20:00.000-05:00

I am not a very observant person. This is not a trait that I am proud of. A new restaurant could go up in my back yard and I would not notice for months. I have walked by this rock dozens of times since moving to the park, and never once noticed that there was a plaque on it. Never mind actually reading it and knowing that Abraham Lincoln's son stood there and read the "Declaration of Independence" on July 4, 1860. Now, I think that is pretty cool. I should learn to open my eyes a little more.

41/365: Mommy's Little Helper

2012-02-15T21:16:00.001-05:00

How can a Mama say no when she asks me if she can "help" do the dishes. Granted, I spend about 20 minutes extra cleaning up her cleaning mess, but I really have nothing to complain about. She is a happy, happy girl.

40/365: I Am a Glutton

2012-02-15T21:13:00.001-05:00

My table next to my bed. I am so gross...

39/365: My Hearts

2012-02-15T21:08:00.001-05:00

The Me & Ollie's Cafe in Newington has desserts that no other Me & Ollie's has, like these cupcakes. These are extra special because they are the first ones I decorated all by myself. I was very proud of myself.

38/365: I Hate This Picture

2012-02-15T21:05:00.003-05:00

But it is the only picture I took on 2/t/2012. The tomato is organic, so that is a plus...

37/365 : Gone In 60 Seconds

2012-02-15T21:03:00.000-05:00

Last week I went out for a couple of beers with a couple of co-workers. It was the first time hanging out with friends from my new job outside of work and it was a ton of fun! My first beer went down very easily and I only had a chance to take a photo of the empty glass :)

I took this photo with my Droid and used a photo editing app that I downloaded. I know I really should be using my DSLR, but I am finding that this is easier for now. The next 10 posts or so are all taken with my Droid. Once I am caught up, I will try (I stress "try") to use the DSLR more.

36/365: A Super Bowl

2012-02-09T22:25:00.001-05:00

Of delicious taco salad. Yum.

35/365: Ugh... Here we go!

2012-02-07T09:56:00.000-05:00

Every 365 Project needs one of these! I just didn't think mine would come so early in the year... alas, I cannot worry about it. Maybe I need to buy a really cool clock for when this happens again!

34/365: Coffee Talk

2012-02-03T22:45:00.000-05:00

Today I met with an old friend to talk about a business opportunity for which I am very excited. I will not share too much right now, but let's just say that I feel empowered today!

33/365: Got My Name Back

2012-02-03T22:41:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I spent the day reclaiming my old identity. Social Security and the DMV have both been officially notified that I am once again "Amanda Jane Phelps". Third time is a charm, I say!!

I absolutely LOVE my license photo. Too bad my license expires at the end of this year...

32/365: Dance Baby

2012-02-03T22:38:00.000-05:00

Ugh. Should not have cut her hands off in this photo. But, it is the only one I took this day.

Olivia still loves dance class. I am so happy that she is sticking with it. We are really looking forward to this year's recital. We practice at home, and it won't be long before Cameron knows the routine as well as we do!

31/365: Last Day of January

2012-02-03T22:34:00.001-05:00

First time skiing this winter. Actually, to be fair, it is my first time skiing in about 12 years! But, it is like riding a bike. It all came back to me. I went to Gunstock with my dear friend Lee Anne and we had a fabulous time! I so enjoy her company.

I took this photo with my Droid. After receiving a tip from my friend Michele, I found that this camera isn't actually that bad. And so much more convenient to carry on a ski lift than my DSLR!

30/365: I Needed a Hat

2012-02-03T20:44:00.000-05:00

On Monday I realized I could not find my hat and I was going skiing the next day. So, having some free time on my hands without the kids, I sat down and I knit a hat. I really, really like it!

29/365: January Heat Wave

2012-02-03T20:20:00.000-05:00

This winter has been ridiculously warm. We are not sledding at Stratham Hill Park, we are playing on the playground. Outrageous!

27-28/365: Music Together.

2012-02-03T08:17:00.001-05:00

My friend Lee. She is beautiful, kind, giving, funny and fantastic! I am so lucky to have her in my life. Last weekend she and her two boys spent the weekend at our house. The kids had an absolute blast having a sleepover. The next morning she treated us to a "Music Together" class that she is trying out. She is a music educator and quite talented. The class was so much fun for the parents and the kids.

Cameron is my shy guy, but the class was so much fun that he participated in the whole entire thing. Olivia was having so much fun that I couldn't take a photo of her, but she was there.

Lee's littlest one, Charlie, wearing big brother Casey's boots. He was so proud.

26/365: Yogurt Drink in Solid Form

2012-01-29T14:05:00.000-05:00

Yum!

25/365: Our New Routine

2012-01-29T12:46:00.000-05:00

When we lived in the Lakes Region, Olivia and I had a dance class day tradition of getting a blueberry muffin at a local coffee shop. You can read about one of those adventures here. Since moving to Stratham we have found a new place for our Wednesday morning dance class routine. There is this local place called Country View Restaurant. The kids call it "The Moose Place" because it has a picture of a moose on the sign. I had been here a few times with my parents over the course of my lifetime, but now it is "our place". The waitresses all know us by name and take very good care of us whenever we are there. Olivia orders a chocolate chip pancake and gets chocolate all over her face. Donna, one of our waitresses, has a little girl and we will soon be getting together for a play date. Maybe even some skiing. We like the restaurant, even though Olivia's face in this photo tells a different story...

On a side note, the camera on my Droid is garbage. I should have taken the plunge and got an iPhone (although it was far from FREE and I couldn't pass up FREE since I can't pay my heating bill...)

24/365: Yogurt Smoothies

2012-01-26T10:38:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:

1 or 2 ripe bananas (can be frozen)

1 cup frozen berries (we use strawberries and blueberries from the summer)

1 1/2 cups yogurt (Stonyfield Farms Organic Blueberry)

1/2 cup citrus juice such as OJ or grapefruit (pineapple would work too)

2-3 tbsp Wheat Germ

Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend together. Use the leftovers to make yogurt popsicles. These are a hit at my house and they are so yummy and so good for their growing bodies. I love that they love to eat healthy! They love to eat junk too, but I just pretend they don't.

23/365

2012-01-26T10:31:00.000-05:00

On Monday I got to spend another day with Olivia. The snow was perfect for sledding and for building a snowman, so that is exactly what we did!

Sledding together was so much fun. She is growing up, but she is still my baby girl. When she sat on the sled between my legs she felt tiny. I love to hug and squeeze her and kiss her beautiful face. I am glad she tolerates all my loving.

Just look at her adorable face. I just can't resist kissing those cheeks!

She named her snowman "Butterfly". I think he is pretty "fly"... ha ha. Oh boy, I am going to embarrass my kids when they are teenagers!

She talks to her snowmen. She actually loves them and plays with them like they are real. But, she does not cry when they melt. She understands and gets excited to make a new one every time it snows!

Happy, happy Winter!!!

22/365: Who Needs A Snowboard?

2012-01-26T10:10:00.000-05:00

Not us! Cameron really, really wants one, but for now we just used the lids to a couple of plastic storage totes. It did the trick and we had a ton of fun. During our visit to Nana and Grampa's house in Gilford to watch the Patriot's playoff game, Cameron really wanted to go outside and play. I am every conscious of the amount of time my kids spend indoors versus outdoors. With Wii and Nintendo DS I am fearful of one of my kids falling victim to the indoor epidemic that is infecting our country's children. Unless it poses a threat to their safety, any time one of my kids asks if they can go outside to play I answer with a resounding and enthusiastic "Yes!"

On this particular day I hesitated because I only had snow pants for Cameron. I was afraid Olivia would be sad if we went outside without her. Shame on me for not being completely prepared, but Grampa saved the day by offering to play Candy Land with baby girl while Cam and I played outside.

The first thing we did was completely and totally mess up the pristine snowfall across my parents giant yard. It was a ton of fun! Cameron could not stop laughing. We walked his name in the snow and made some snow angels before he asked if we could go sledding.

All the sleds were brought to our house, so we had to improvise with the lids to plastic storage containers. After a few times down the hill I decided to try standing. Cameron thought it was pretty cool and we snowboarded together for the next 45 minutes. I think Cameron needs a snowboard!

Take your kids outside!

21/365: VIP

2012-01-22T22:25:00.000-05:00

Some very important people came to eat at Me & Ollie's yesterday. One of them was this fantastic little girl:

I have no idea what she is doing in this photo, but it certainly makes me smile. Probably her mission.

20/365: It's Not as Bad as it Seems

2012-01-22T22:10:00.000-05:00

It is cold in New Hampshire. The house I am renting does not hold heat... at all! I have been stressing out about it a lot. Then I remember that I have a roof over my head, a job, and I can feed my kids. And I live in this sweet park that has sledding hills, snowshoe trails and an ice skating pond. It really isn't as bad as it seems, and it will get better!

19/365: One of Those Days

2012-01-19T22:21:00.000-05:00

I love my job. I love the company I work for. What I love most is that it is an escape from what I am going through in my personal life. I can go to work and just focus on tasks and talk to new friends and not have to worry about the divorce.

Today, however, was not an easy day for me. At the end of my shift my co-worker placed her latex glove on the counter like this:

This sums up my day. I apologize for being a downer. I am fine now, but this is the only picture I took today and it sums it up quite perfectly for me.

Tomorrow is a new day. I will make it a good one!

18/365: Choking it Down

2012-01-18T21:56:00.000-05:00

Dinner tonight was pork chops with organic sweet potatoes and organic baked apples with cinnamon. The kids picked it out from our new cookbook. Olivia tried a bit of everything and told me she loved it. I was talking to Cameron about something and glanced at Olivia who looked as if she was gagging. I asked if she was okay and she said, "Yes, I just burped" but she seriously looked like she was going to lose her dinner. My darling daughter would rather throw up than tell me she didn't like what she was eating. I told her to stop eating it if it was going to make her gag, but thanked her for trying everything. I think she appreciated that!

After dinner Cameron made me some pop-up cards. Love this kid!

17/365: Mother/Daughter Time

2012-01-18T08:05:00.000-05:00

Time with my kids is precious. It always was pre-divorce, but seems to be of more critical importance now that the time is divided. It is funny to me that before separating I longed for just one hour where I did not have to worry about anything except myself. Getting away from my kids was AWESOME! Now, every moment away from them is spent thinking about the next time I get to see them. I won't go as far to say it is "torture" because it is not. The time I have to myself these days is time I feel like I should have been given while we were married. But, the time to myself these days is not fully appreciated because it took divorce to get it. Every Sunday at my church we all hold hands at the end of the service and sing "Shalom". I was holding hands with a couple about my age who also have kids. The husband is Cameron's Sunday School teacher. After the song, his lovely wife said, "How did you get to have a break from the kids today." Well, I burst into tears. The poor woman was saying what all of us mothers say to our friends or acquaintances who are "blessed" to be without their precious little ones for a moment. We all usually laugh and say, "I know, isn't it fantastic?" But, not this time. When she asked the question, she had no idea that there was a custody situation. When she asked the question, she had no idea that I was supposed to have brought them to church that morning, but didn't get the kids when I should have. So, I cried and blurted out "custody" and felt terrible knowing that she felt terrible. Her husband stood there awkwardly, wondering if he should just walk away. He didn't. She hugged me, said she was sorry and said it would get better. She was kind and loving and I feel so badly that I made her feel uncomfortable.

Totally not the point of my photo for the day. The point is that every moment I get to spend with my kids is a gift and I treat it as such. Olivia and I had some alone time while Cam was in school yesterday so we took advantage of the beautiful day and did some sledding and snowshoeing. When she got her snowshoes for Christmas she could not wait for it to snow so she could walk up to the fire tower with me. I gave her the opportunity yesterday. We got about 50 feet into it and suddenly, "I'm too tired, Mama. I can't really walk." I pleaded and prodded and bribed, but nothing worked. The highlight of the walk was when she went under a fallen tree branch and it stole her hat off her head. In about 10 minutes, the snowshoes were off her feet and she was running (yes, too tired to walk but she could run) through the park. Ugh... ;)

Notice the body language here. Totally not into the snowshoes.

Ha ha! The tree stole my hat :)

16/365: Another 365!

2012-01-17T12:41:00.000-05:00

First, I apologize for the quality of the photos. These were taken with my Droid. I worked last night and had the kids all day and never took out my DSLR. I stopped at Barnes & Noble after work to look around and this book caught my eye. I have been feeling uninspired in the kitchen lately, and the kids are suffering for it. (I use the word "suffering" very loosely here). I feed them, don't get me wrong, but it has been the same things every couple of weeks. The "365" caught my eye for obvious reasons, but when I opened the book to "warm rice and blueberries" I was sold! I can't wait to try out some of these recipes. The book says my kids will love them ;)

15/365: A Great Excuse to Stay Inside

2012-01-15T22:45:00.002-05:00

Today was cold. Too cold to play outside. Okay, we could have played outside, but I didn't want to. Instead of sitting in front of the television all day, which is an easy habit to form if you have television, I pulled out the craft supplies. Cameron is a very good artist. He displays the same amount of concentration when painting a plane as he does when snowshoeing or playing basketball.

14/365: Snowshoes Are Awesome!

2012-01-14T23:44:00.001-05:00

Today we tried out our snowshoes. The kids enjoyed it a lot. The snow was packed with a layer of ice. We would have walked on top of it without the shoes, but it was fun just the same. I know when we get some more snow they are going to love hiking through the woods.

There was a lot of falling down and it was fun to watch them get back up.

I love the concentration on Cam's face in the photo above.

Cameron asked if he could run in his snow shoes, and I said, "Probably not." He proved me wrong and pointed it out.

My beautiful snowshoes!

I have no idea why kids like falling in snow so much. It is freezing. The more I ask him to stop, the more he falls.

We made memories today. I have always felt, and proved it today, that it is not about the amount of time you spend with your kids that matters, it is what you do with that time. The kids will remember today for a long time and I will remember it forever.

13/365: Baby, It's Cold Outside

2012-01-13T22:37:00.001-05:00

The temperature has dropped significantly in NH over the past few days, which means it finally feels like winter. The kids have been resisting putting on winter gear because it just hasn't been necessary for most of December and January. Until today. It was freezing! And of course, today was the day that the bus forgot to show up and we were standing outside for twenty minutes. We made the most of it, as we always do, and I got to spend some quality time with my kids.

I am a fan of winter. I love the stillness of it all. It is just so beautiful!

And speaking of beautiful, my children. They bring joy to my life every single moment!

Here is to another four months of winter in New England. Prepare yourselves :)

Tomorrow we try out our snowshoes!

12/365: Finally!

2012-01-12T22:11:00.001-05:00

It snowed.

I have nothing else to say.

11/365: Hey Cupcake

2012-01-11T22:29:00.001-05:00

I have been working here for almost a month and I have yet to try a cupcake.

They look delicious. I'm sure they taste delicious. Maybe tomorrow night I will have a cupcake.

10/365: I Am Not a Fan of Spiders

2012-01-10T22:18:00.001-05:00

Cameron is well aware of my fear of spiders, which is why he did this:

He put this plastic spider on the lamp three months ago, but it still freaks me out every now and again. He also enjoys picking the National Geographic spider book as his bedtime story. Awesome. Thanks Cam :)

9/365: I Am Amazed

2012-01-09T22:51:00.001-05:00

My son can read Magic Tree House! He is in the first grade. It just amazes me at how much he has learned since starting kindergarten. I am a little sad, though, because I know the time is coming when I don't read to him anymore... sigh.

8/365: My Daughter Won't Let Me Order Cake

2012-01-08T19:58:00.001-05:00

My kids like to play restaurant. Cameron writes the order down and Olivia "cooks" my meal. I am always the customer. They even give me a check. Today they asked me to pay with real money! (They gave it back to me). They also take credit, just so you know.

Olivia had a turn being the waitress tonight. When I finished my meal she asked if I wanted dessert. Knowing we have a play cake, I asked for a piece. She said "OK!" and started to walk away. Suddenly, she stopped, turned around and said, "You can't have cake. You need to have something healthy, like fruit and vegetables." Ah, my kids are me. I love it!


"Mommy, you can't have cake. You can only have fruit and vegetables."

7/365: Put Me In Coach

2012-01-07T22:01:00.001-05:00

I suck at taking photos inside of a gym.

But, Cameron loves playing basketball and I just had to document it.

6/365: Easy Bake

2012-01-06T11:48:00.001-05:00

No, I did not get my daughter an Easy Bake Oven for Christmas. I bake with her in our real oven. I know that just saying this makes me sound "superior" but that is not what I mean. First, this oven is recommended for children 8 and older. Olivia is 4. Second, it is plastic. Third, I have no idea what kind of chemicals and preservatives are in those cake mixes that require you to just add water. Okay, I sound superior, but I don't care. It is gross.

That being said, my daughter was delighted and elated and excited to have this magic oven, so this morning was Easy Bake Oven day.

I know that she will remember her Easy Bake Oven and we made memories together today. That is all that matters. I can still think it is gross, as long as I successfully hide my disdain from my daughter. As you can see by her face, it was an enjoyable experience for her!

5/365: My Daughter Cracks Me Up

2012-01-05T21:04:00.001-05:00

My daughter has toys, but she prefers to play with things that she finds around the house. Tonight, while I was getting ready for bed, I glanced at my bathroom shelf and found this. My knitted headband wrapped around a Willow Tree figurine. I knew right away it was Olivia's doing. Before finding this, while I was lying in bed reading books to the kids, Cameron asked if magic is real. I said, "Yes, magic is real. You two are magic. Do you know how I know? Because every time I look at you it makes me smile." It's true. These kids make me smile all the time, even when they are not in the room. I am truly blessed.

4/365: The Christmas Sweater

2012-01-04T21:38:00.002-05:00

I know, it is a little late, but I am knitting new sweaters for both of my kids. Olivia's should be done this week. She picked this pretty pink and she is so excited to watch its progress.

A friend recommended that I read "The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck. Gasp! I know. Glenn Beck? Really? But he insisted it was a good read that would have me in tears. Not sure I have any tears left, but so far, he was right.

3/365: I Have a Job...

2012-01-03T21:49:00.001-05:00

...that I absolutely love.

I have always loved eating at Me & Ollie's, but now I get to work for this wonderful local company. They recycle and compost and buy from local vendors. They share my values and I am so happy to be a part of the business.

No matter where I work, I work hard and I do my best. I appreciate everything I have and do not want for more. I work as much as I can within the limitations of my husband's request to work around his work schedule so that he does not have to pay for childcare. This means I can only work a limited amount of hours a week. Someday my kids will both be in school full time and I will be able to work more, but for now, Me & Ollie's is a dream come true.

I appreciate and welcome comments, positive or negative. My only request is that if you decide to comment, do not hide behind "anonymous". Own your opinion and I will respect you for it. Thanks for reading!!

2/365: "Laughing Faces, Happy Smiles..."

2012-01-02T22:22:00.003-05:00

"...and Peace throughout the year!"

In my house we leave our Christmas decorations up until Epiphany on January 6th. One of my favorite memories growing up is the "Twelfth Night" parties we used to have at our Pastor's house in Epping. We would all bring our undecorated trees and have a huge bonfire in the backyard. We would sing Christmas carols, eat lots of delicious food, drink hot chocolate and someone would read "The Legend of Old Befana" to all of us kids. It was something I looked forward to every Christmas season.

One of my treasured Christmas decorations is this old guy, St. Nicholas himself.

He is a jolly old elf, with an emphasis on the "old" part. I think I was about Olivia's age when my parents were taking him off of the top of the refrigerator so that I could press the button on his belly and hear him sing "Jingle Bells". For years I remember the excitement of seeing him emerge from the decoration box the day after Thanksgiving. I remember coming home from college and pressing his belly and listening to the squeal as his old music box tried to get up to speed. His voice would moan and groan the words instead of sing them. After a few plays he would be back to his old self. Well, this guy is still singing his tune, only now my kids get to press his belly. My kids get excited when they see him come out of the decoration box. My kids get to listen to him moan and groan the words to Jingle Bells and we all laugh every time.

Merry Christmas everyone! Remember, the twelve days of Christmas started when Jesus was born!!

1/365: But Now It Just May Be A Happy New Year

2012-01-01T20:43:00.001-05:00

Divorce may begin my 2012, but it is only the start of what I will ensure is a very happy year for me and my beautiful children. Yes, I might have to apply for assistance, but that just means I am taking steps toward a better life for us. Yes, I may not be able to afford to heat my house, but that just means the three of us get to snuggle really close on the couch when we are not watching television. Yes, I might have to shop at thrift stores... wait, I love shopping at thrift stores! It is going to be a fantastic year!

God has blessed me and I am truly thankful for all of the gifts He has given me.

I am not making resolutions. Instead I am starting my very own "Happiness Project". I started reading Gretchen Ruben's "The Happiness Project" very recently and thought I could benefit from trying to make myself happier. Not that I am not already happy. I am a happy person just by nature, but I know that with some changes I could be happier. For the month of January my focus will be on boosting my energy. I completely stole this from Gretchen's project, but hey, why reinvent the wheel. It is a great place to start. If I have more energy, how could I not, in turn, be more happy?

This January I will:

Go to sleep earlier
Exercise more and more effectively
Simplify my house
Accomplish one big nagging task
Act more energetic

I began the year with my second ever 5K race. I ran the Resolution 5K in Portsmouth, NH. This was huge for me, not because of the run, but because I did it completely alone. Yes, there were hundreds of other people there, but I didn't know any of them. One of my biggest obstacles I need to overcome is doing new things, even if it means doing them alone. Oh, and I lied, I did run into my therapist along the race route. We said hi and I kept running. I need to call her...

I am also starting the year with a new 365 Project. Day One brought the kids and I to the top of the fire tower to watch the sunset. It was a gorgeous night. Cameron took along his DS and took some sunset photos too. Maybe I will try to get him to do a 365 project. That would be fun!

Day One: Sunset on Stratham Hill

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all have a very blessed and wonderful 2012!

I'm Back!

2011-12-14T20:59:00.000-05:00

And so, my friends, is BOKEH! Yeah baby!

Tonight I let the kids go to town on a gingerbread house. It is from a kit, so don't get all excited! Yes, filled with high fructose corn syrup and red dye #40 (gasp!). I drew the line at eating the red frosting right out of the bag. I actually pulled the bag out of Olivia's hands as she was squeezing red frosting into her mouth and said, "No honey, anything but that." The funny thing is, I am pretty sure she knew exactly why I did it without even having to say, "red dye #40". My children are walking natural food propaganda, and I am proud of it!

So, I think I am back in the blogosphere. The last few months have not been easy. My husband and I have completed mediation and will be divorced within the next few weeks. It is for the best. We will remain friends and raise our children in two separate loving homes together. I do not blame him, nor do I accept all the blame. We both made mistakes. The thing is that neither one of us fought for each other, no matter how much we think we did. The children are happy and healthy and dealing with "grief" as best they can. Damien and I are both helping them through it. It has been as friendly as a divorce could possibly be, in my opinion, and in the end I know we will be friends.

So, I went off the grid for a bit, but I think I am back. As for my 365 project, it was not an epic fail, but it was not a success. I probably missed about 10 days in the last few months. Maybe as I slowly get back into daily blogging I will share some of my last photos. Because I do not deem it a success, I will be starting a new 365 project on January 1st, so stay tuned.

But for now, I leave you with this quote:

"Don't cry because it is over. Smile because it happened." ~Dr. Seuss

Advent Conspiracy

2011-11-27T11:11:00.000-05:00

I know, I work for major retail, but this is what I truly believe Christmas should be about. Spend less money and spend more time. Whether it is time with your kids or time helping someone in need, it will make Christmas meaningful.

[AC] Promo 2011 from Advent Conspiracy on Vimeo.

Day 321 - October 21, How Long Can You Hold Your Breath?

2011-11-17T00:13:00.000-05:00

He holds his breath for a really long time and it makes me very nervous. On a positive note, he washes his own hair now!

Day 320 - October 20th, What the Heck is That?

2011-11-11T11:05:00.000-05:00

Came home from work to this all over my baby girl's body. Turned out to be a staph infection. For the first time in her four years of life, Olivia had to go on antibiotics. Grrrrrr.

Favorite Photo Friday

2011-11-11T10:14:00.001-05:00

I am going through old photos, so I thought it would be great to get back to one of my regular blog post themes.

November 12, 2007
Just look at this chunky little monkey. I want to gobble her up!
Toothless smile, chubby cheeks, drool... what's not to love. I really miss the baby days, but I am happy for the memories and love that I have watched them grow into the beautiful, happy, healthy children they are today.

Day 319 - October 18th, Like Music?

2011-11-08T20:52:00.000-05:00

Have a band! Har, hardy har... It's a head band, get it?

Coming soon to my Etsy shop!

Day 318 - October 17th, Lock It Up

2011-11-08T20:41:00.000-05:00

Apparently I am so forgetful about locking the doors at night that the kids ask me if they are locked before we go to bed. They usually are, but I get up and check anyway. It makes them feel good.

Day 317 - October 16, A Runner Is Born

2011-11-08T20:27:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago Cameron participated in a fun run to benefit Stratham Hill Park (our front yard). I was not planning on running or walking with him, but a last-minute change caused me to pay the fee and join him, with Olivia on my shoulders in my work clothes. Good times. Cameron ran the entire way. He was so proud of himself and I was proud of him! Later he said he wanted to do the 5K that day too. I told him, "Not today, but if you want we can do one together." He wants to. He also said he wants to hike with me. I am so excited!! Love my boy. Olivia has declared she will never, ever go in the woods ever again.

Day 316 - October 15, Alone

2011-11-08T20:11:00.001-05:00

"Lonliness accepted becomes a gift leading one from a life dominated by tears to the discovery of one's true self and finally to the heart of longing and the love of God." ~unknown

Day 315 - October 14, Passed Out

2011-11-08T20:00:00.001-05:00

I wish I could sleep as soundly as my kids. It is difficult though. I have knees in my back and hands in my hair.

Day 314 - October 12th, School Days

2011-11-08T19:23:00.000-05:00

Cameron loves school. He is an active participant and eager to learn. He and Olivia have taken to playing school in the evening before dinner. Cameron is actually teaching her math, and I think she is understanding it. It is pretty cool to watch!

Day 313 - October 11th, Tom Field Willey 12 13 14

2011-11-03T22:21:00.000-04:00

The day after Cannon I hiked three more mountains. They are in the Crawford Notch range and I had never heard of them until I saw them on the map. I was looking for a hike that would knock off a few peaks in a short amount of time and also remembered my brother, Wit, telling me about Willey and what a nice hike it was. Well, here is my story:

The trailhead begins in Crawford Notch at the Crawford Hostel Parking lot just behind the depot. The Avalon Trail begins here and connects to the A-Z trail. There are only a few steep sections along the beginning of this route, but it was easy going for the most part. The A-Z trail connects to the Mt. Tom Spur trail, a sharp right. The summit of Mt. Tom is the end of this trail and you have to descend back to the A-Z trail. The summit does not offer a great view because you are not above tree line, but there is a view.

View from the Mt. Tom Summit

I encountered a woman hiking alone coming down from Mt. Tom on my way up. She was using those walking poles. I wonder about those. I wonder if they would help me to fall less or make me fall more...but I digress.

The next peak took me onto the Willey Range Trail to Mt. Field. It was the easiest climb of the three peaks.

View from the Mt. Field summit.

The descent from Field was very steep, which was very frustrating because I knew I would have to climb back up to get back home. You see, this hike is not a loop. I like loops. Every time the trail dipped down again I would curse under my breath. I met the walking pole lady coming down from the last peak, Mt. Willey, and she remarked that the summit was "anticlimactic". Awesome. Well, she was right, even though it turned out she never actually reached the summit. I met her again on my way down and she was going back up. She spoke to another hiker who made her realize she hadn't actually reached the top. She said she would be kicking herself because it was her last of the 48. Bummer.

She was correct, though. There was no real view to speak of. Bummer that she had to hike it again and bummer that her last of the 48 had such a terrible view.

I did make friends with this bird, though. This is taken with my 50mm lens. She was close enough for me to touch her. She kept coming back and getting closer. It was a little spooky. I was afraid she was going to start pecking me in the eyeballs!

Three more peaks bagged! Woo hoo!

Day 312 - October 10th, 2011, Cannon Mountain

2011-10-22T00:02:00.001-04:00

I missed another day and I didn't even realize it. Looks like another 365 project in my future!

I have been hiking a lot lately. I don't like to make excuses, and really it is not a good one, but I think I take on too many projects. On 10/10 I hiked Cannon Mountain. This was another solo hike and 4000-footer #11. The hike was short, but very steep. It was Columbus Day weekend, so it was busy in Franconia Notch. I got there early enough that I found a parking space, but when I came down off the mountain the place was a zoo!

This was one of my views on the way up the mountain. I have no idea what these berries are, but they were just hanging out with the mountains behind them.

A ladder going up one of the rock faces. Yes, it was this crooked, but also very stable. Coming down was scary, but I took a photo with my camera doing that.

I beat book time by almost two hours. It was extremely windy at the top, and very cold. Had I been hiking with someone I may have spent a little more time at the top, but I ate lunch and headed right back down and went to work that night. I was a little tired, but it was worth it!

Day 310 - October 8th, Heat Wave

2011-10-21T23:50:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago my brother Nate visited from New York. We just happened to have a heat wave that weekend so I met my family at the beach. I did not bring bathing suits because in my head it was October and there was no way anyone was going swimming. I was wrong. Luckily my Uncle lives at the beach and just so happens to have a grand-daughter who is Olivia's age. We borrowed a suit. Cam just swam in his shorts. I kept my jeans on and had a beer.

Day 309 - October 7th, Posing

2011-10-17T09:55:00.000-04:00

Cameron had to make a boat for school out of things we found around the house. He did a fantastic job and was so proud and excited. I really love how much he loves school. I know that homework is important and I enjoy sitting with him to do it, but to be honest, when I read that he had to make a boat my first thought was, "When am I going to have the time?" But he did it all himself! Before school we posed for a picture. And of course, if I take a picture of Cameron, you can bet that I also have to take a picture of...

...my darling Olivia.

Day 308 - October 6th, Sick... Again... Ugh!

2011-10-14T21:53:00.001-04:00

I got another cold before I was completely recovered from the first one. It was a pretty bad one. I don't like to take medicine, but a friend talked me into it and wouldn't you know? I felt much better. The tea helped a little too.

Day 306 - October 5th, Pumpkins

2011-10-13T23:14:00.002-04:00

Day 307 - October 4th, Projects

2011-10-13T23:13:00.000-04:00

Yes, a very very boring photo, but I was busy this day. For the past few months I have not been creating much of anything because all of my craft supplies have been packed away. I have been meaning to get it together enough to unpack and make a space where I can create, but then the dog pees on the floor, Olivia hits Cameron and Cameron picks up my camera and threatens to take it away for a month, and I lose focus. I did spend a day unpacking and organizing a little while both kids were at school. I discovered Cameron's unfinished dinosaur quilt. Maybe it is time to dive into that again!

Day 305 - October 3rd, My Little Artist

2011-10-13T23:03:00.000-04:00

Cameron is my artist. He enjoys drawing a lot. Whenever he has a free moment he has crayons or markers or a pen or a pencil and he is drawing something. Sometimes his free moment is in between his shower and getting his pajamas on. Naked and coloring at the kitchen table. He is dedicated to his art.

Day 304 - October 2nd, Reenactment

2011-10-13T22:49:00.000-04:00

The other day at breakfast I was telling Olivia about the Keene Pumpkin Festival. We went last year and the year before, and the year before that, but for some reason she was having a hard time remembering. I reminded her about carving pumpkins with Grampa and dressing up in her costume and getting candy and seeing all the pumpkins all over the street. It was not until I mentioned the pumpkin flavored cotton candy that the light went on. "Oh, yeah! I remember that." She remembers getting the cotton candy all over her face and licking it off with her tongue. Her stories always come with a reenactment.

Day 303 - October 1st, Target

2011-10-07T22:17:00.000-04:00

Day 302 - September 30th, My Hat

2011-10-07T22:07:00.000-04:00

My friend Lauren gave me some super soft merino/alpaca blend yarn from a local farm in Rhode Island. I decided to treat myself to a hat. This is the first hat that I designed myself. I am very happy with the result. I might just have to post it on Ravelry.

Day 301 - September 29th, Time To Earn Their Keep

2011-10-07T21:35:00.002-04:00

Cameron wants a Nintendo DS. I do not want to buy him one. I don't really want him to have one at all, but I know that it is inevitable that someone in his life will get him one if I don't. The plan is for him to earn it. He has daily responsibilities now. Nothing too challenging, just making his bed, feeding the dogs, doing his homework. If he has a good week and accomplishes all his tasks, he gets his allowance. Every dollar of it has to go into his bank. The stipulation for purchasing anything with his money is that for every dollar he spends he has to have one dollar saved. Yesterday he told me, "If I don't earn enough money by Christmas, Santa will just bring me a DS." Keep dreaming, buddy!

Day 300 - My Loves

2011-09-29T22:54:00.000-04:00

Besides my kids, of course, my two loves right now are hiking and knitting. Too bad I can't hike and knit at the same time. Last night I planned a hike that will complete three more 4000 footers in one day. Mount Tom, Mount Field and Mount Willey. Now I am just hoping the weather will be in my favor!

Day 299 - Red!

2011-09-29T22:50:00.000-04:00

A good friend of mine came over this week and made me a new computer desk. The he let Olivia pick out the paint color. Red. Okay, I can deal with it. Now I just have to coordinate the rest of my office and bedroom to match my red desk.

Day 298 - Naked Crayons

2011-09-29T22:39:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I took the kids to our new favorite breakfast place in Greenland. The waitresses there are getting to know us and really enjoy the kids. On that particular visit, the kids were fighting over what we now call "the naked pink crayon". Basically it is a crayon that had its paper peeled off. Olivia wanted to use it, but Cameron was using it and of course, taking his time using it because he knew Olivia wanted it. So, I took another pink crayon, made it naked and gave it to Olivia. Problem solved!

A few days ago I took Olivia to the restaurant on our day off together. She looked in the crayon bucket and announced, "Mommy! Look! It's my naked pink crayon." She then found all the other crayons in the bucket that were naked and told the waitress the colors, "Naked pink, naked gray, naked blue and naked green." The waitress thought we should send our ideas in to Crayola!

Later that day Olivia and I went to Target and bought a pack of crayons with the sole intention of making them all naked. It was a very nice 45 minute activity. Now she has all the naked colors of the rainbow!

Day 297 - Her Hands

2011-09-29T22:16:00.000-04:00

Always busy doing something. Puzzles, feeding the dogs, playing with the dogs, playing with her dolls, holding my hair, helping with dinner, unlocking the door to the house. She always has to be doing something with her hands. Oh, I forgot her favorite one: picking her nose and eating it. My daughter is so gross! ;)

Day 296 - For Me

2011-09-29T22:15:00.000-04:00

Lately I have been enjoying Starbucks and knitting on my lunch breaks at work. It makes me very happy. I cast on to make a hat for myself. The yarn is a really pretty lavender alpaca/merino wool blend. It is super soft. I cannot wait to wear it on my head!

Day 295 - And So It Begins

2011-09-29T21:46:00.001-04:00

Cold and flu season. It is the one season I hate! It begins the minute my kids start school, and lucky me, they kindly share each little germ with me. Homemade chicken soup always makes me feel better when I am sick.

This was a week ago. I am just getting over the cold now. Just in time for the next one.

Day 294 - Listening

2011-09-22T20:57:00.000-04:00

Listening well is more important than speaking well, in my opinion. Just knowing someone hears you and cares about what you say can make all the difference.

Day 293 - Me

2011-09-22T20:50:00.000-04:00

I need to create. I feel like me when I am making something. My craft supplies are still packed away. Soon I will have a computer desk and some shelves so I can start organizing my craft area and feel like myself again.

Day 292 - Woof!

2011-09-22T20:42:00.000-04:00

I got a Target dog. Cool :)

Days 284 to 291 - One Singular Post for Eight Terrific Days

2011-09-19T21:56:00.001-04:00

Day 284 - Fire Tower

Olivia and I hiked up Stratham Hill and climbed to fire tower to eat lunch. After lunch we walked on the trails in the woods for 45 minutes. Her statement at the end of the trip tells you how much fun we had, "Mommy, I never, ever want to go in the woods again." Awesome.

Day 285 - Lasagna Night!

My kids actually enjoy lasagna. I swear, they do! They also eat salad. I made "Sneaky Momma's Tomato Sauce" which has kale, carrots and spinach in it. Shhh, don't tell.

Day 286 - I Don't Like Milk

But Cameron does! Olivia pretends to like it, but she really hates it.

Day 287 - Cameron and Mommy

When Olivia was born, Cameron gave this statue to me as a gift to represent him and I and the bond we would always have no matter what. OK, so he just gave it to me. Not sure there was any meaning behind it for him, but for me, there was a whole lot of emotion. About a year later he was playing ball in the house and broke the statue. He was so sad. When I came home from work he looked at me and burst into tears telling me he broke it. We glued it, but ever since that day it became a ball magnet. It finally broke beyond repair one day. I bought myself a new one. It still has the same meaning.

Day 288 - Ad Prep and Squishy Balls

One of the shifts I am scheduled occasionally is "Ad Prep". Sounds way more exciting than it actually is. You know all those little sale signs that hang off (or fall off) the edges of the shelves at Target? Yeah? Well, I get to sort them all by aisle number. What's even better is that most of them do not have a location on them, so I scan them to find the location and hand write it. It is monotonous, but it is hours, and I need hours. Oh, I almost forgot about the squishy ball! We have Halloween decorations out already. So, I was having a rough morning and one of my co-workers brought this awesome maggot/bug/blood squishy ball for me to play with. I need to get one for Cam and Olivia. They would love it!

Day 289 - My First 5K

My very first 5K run was Saturday the 17th. My brother ran with me. I really hope you can tell the difference between the two legs... Wit's is the one with the goosebumps. So I ran 6 times before this, and only one of those was a full run without stopping. I was a bit nervous the day of the 5K. I wasn't sure if I would be able to run the whole way. But, I did and I finished in 27:09 which is an 8:45 minute mile. I also got fastest finisher in my age group. I realize that there were only 15 women in my age group, but still. A great first 5K.

Day 290 - I Like My Hiking Boots

I really can't wait for the day that they look all battered and beat up. That means they have done their job. I hiked Flume and Liberty on Sunday the 18th. It was a beautiful day and one of my favorite hikes to date.

Day 291 - Olivia and Mommy Day

Olivia and I spent the day in Portsmouth today. I love Portsmouth. I remember watching this same bridge go up and down when I was her age. I love the excitement that something so simple brings to a child. We spent some time in Prescott Park, walked to the toy store, shared a brownie at the coffee shop, walked around Market Square, played tag back at Prescott Park and ended our day at Lowe's in Greenland. I know, it was hard to top the amazing day in Portsmouth, but Lowe's? Come on! Who doesn't love a trip to Lowe's? ;)

That's it. Eight terrific days.

Here We Go Again - Menu Planning, Week One Redo

2011-09-12T14:38:00.001-04:00

When I plan menus and grocery shop with a purpose, I save money. Eating organically and locally is not easy on the wallet, but it can be better with proper planning. Being a co-parent instead of a married parent (yes, you read that right) makes it even more difficult. I promise not to leave you hanging, I will tell you more about that later. For now, I am going to start menu planning again. I need some routine and normalcy back in my life, for me and for my kids.

Monday - Taco Night, local grass fed beef, farmer's market lettuce and tomatoes

Tuesday - Lasagna, Salad (farmer's market lettuce, cukes and tomatoes) and Garlic Bread

Wednesday - Bison Burgers (local grass fed), carrot salad (farmer's market) and rice pilaf

Thursday - Gumbo (local chicken, local grass fed bison sausage, farmer's market onion and peppers) served over rice.

Friday - Spaghetti and meatballs (local grass fed beef and pork)

Saturday - Chili (local grass fed beef) corn bread

Sunday - Trail food, I am hiking all day :)

Because it is just the three of us, I will freeze all the leftovers and probably repeat next week with different sides. Got to pinch every penny!

Day 283 - Glorious Day

2011-09-11T20:57:00.001-04:00

Today I got to spend the entire day with my kids. I know, I do this a lot, but there is no place I would rather be. This morning we got up bright and early, put on our Sunday best and went out for breakfast. Then we went to our first day at a new church. We have not been to church since we left Gilford. It was nice to be back, and even nicer to have been welcomed so warmly be the congregation at St. John's United Methodist Church in Dover. We will definitely be returning. The service was a beautiful tribute to the 9/11 victims. I could not hold back the tears. I never can.

"O God, our hope and refuge, in our distress we come quickly to you. Shock and horror of that tragic day have subsided, replaced now with an emptiness, a longing for an innocence lost. We come remembering those who lost their lives in New York City, Washington DC and Pennsylvania. We are mindful of the sacrifice of public servants who demonstrated the greatest love of all by laying down their lives for friends. We commit their souls to your eternal care and celebrate their gifts to a fallen humanity. We come remembering and we come in hope, not in ourselves, but in you. As foundations we once thought secure have been shaken, we are reminded of the illusion of security. In commemorating this tragedy, we give you thanks for your presence in our time of need and we seek to worship you in Spirit and in truth, our guide and our guardian. Amen." Reverend Jeremy Pridgeon

Later that day we had a play date with a co-worker and her son. We were outdoors all day and the television was not turned on once. I know a lot of people were watching 9/11 tributes today, but I chose not to. Those images are forever burned into my brain so I "saw" them today without having to see them. I know someday I will need to sit down with the kids and watch the videos again and explain, but I knew today was not the day to do that. They are so little and they still have their innocence. Today we played and I remembered and I hoped and dreamed and prayed for peace in their lives.

::Ten on Ten:: September 2011

2011-09-10T22:55:00.000-04:00

Ten on Ten: On the tenth day of the month take a photo an hour for ten consecutive hours and link it over at "a bit of sunshine". Here is my set for September 10, 2011:

10:00 a.m. - Soccer Practice

Cameron is on the Kelly Green team. It was a fun morning at the first day of soccer.

11:15 a.m. - I Got My Music Back

While I was making lunch I looked over at my iPod, which has not been turning on for over a week, and it had magically come back to life. I guess it realized how much I needed it. My music makes me happy.

12:00 - Our Yard

I love where we live. It has its down side, but the plus side is when my children say, "Mommy, can we go to the playground?" I get to say "Yes!" every single time.

1:00 - Battleship... again

The other plus side of where we live is that when Olivia still wants to be at the playground, but Cameron wants to play Battleship, we can do both at the same time!

2:30 p.m. - Yarn Shopping

I have not really had any reason to buy new yarn, but today I wanted to start a new project, and yarn makes me happy, so we went yarn shopping. The kids picked their colors for their new sweaters, but the jury is still out on that. Neon yellow and bright blue were not the colors I had in mind. This gray will do for my new project.

3:00 p.m. - Ice Cream... Yum!

The only way I could get the kids to come to the yarn store with me is if I promised them some ice cream on the way home. I really should think of a bribe that has fewer calories!

4:00 - I Said Yes Again

I am telling you, I love having a playground in our yard! When we got home the kids wanted to go back to the playground. They play so independently, and they make new friends every time, so I just sat in the grass and started to knit.

5:00 - It Has to Get Done

I do not mind cleaning and dishes and laundry. I actually really enjoy folding clothes. I hate putting laundry away. You will usually find one or two baskets of clean folded clothes somewhere in my house on any given day. Eventually it all gets worn again, so it is all good!

6:00 - Yodeling Cow Girl

The kids watched Toy Story 3 before bed. It was pizza and movie night, my favorite night of the week! While the credits were rolling Olivia went into her bedroom and came out looking like this. I love this kid!

7:30 - Mommy Time

Yoga. I just started doing it again. It is amazing how tight your muscles get if you don't stretch them every day. I will take baby steps to flexibility.

A glimpse into my day. I liked it, and I get to wake up and do it all over again tomorrow!

Day 282 - First Day of Soccer

2011-09-10T22:29:00.000-04:00

This morning was Cam's first day of soccer in our new town. Typical of Cameron, he made friends right away and had a ton of fun. The coaches are enthusiastic and the town hired some professional soccer instructors to help out for a few weeks. It was very well put together and I am looking forward to a fun season!

Day 281 - September 9th, Just Another Day

2011-09-09T23:24:00.000-04:00

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Albert Einstein

I choose to live my life as though everything is a miracle. I choose to give my heart to those who need it and I ask for nothing in return. I love for the sake of loving and never regret the giving of my heart.

Today I spent the evening with the kids. It was just another day, but it was a gift from God and I cherished every single moment.

Day 280 - September 8th - Fischer

2011-09-09T00:45:00.002-04:00

My pal Fischer has been hanging out with me since April of 1998. He is 13 years old. Sometimes he acts elderly, but sometimes I look at him and think he is still a pup. I love to hate this guy. I joke that he will live another 13 years just to annoy me. I know the time is coming when he will always act elderly and I will suddenly realize how much I really love him, and then the time will come when I will just miss him. I am not ready for that, nor is he. I just need to remind myself to cherish him and take care of him now and not take his loyal friendship for granted.

Day 278 - September 6th, Great Pirate Powers

2011-09-09T00:34:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite things about my job is the people I get to work with every day. How can I not smile all day long when I work with people like the Great Pirate Powers. I'm not sure, but that might be his wolf shirt under his Target uniform, but that is a story that only Matt can tell.

Last week I took the kids in to Target to buy a birthday present for their friend. On the way out we met Matt, only he was not a pirate, he was just Matt. Olivia was sucking a cup to keep it on her face. Matt bent down and joked that he couldn't do it with his Starbucks iced coffee cup. Olivia says, very matter-of-fact, "Take the cover off." Oh, yeah. I guess that would help. Then Matt proceeds to have a contest with my four year old to see who can keep the cup on their face the longest. Olivia won. So Matt challenged her to a jumping contest. You can guess who won that one.

Days 274-277 - September 2-5, A Wash

2011-09-09T00:24:00.002-04:00

I am just going to pretend these days never happened (in regards to photography). I don't even want to explain what happened. My photos got messed up in file conversion and now they are itty bitty. I am not even going to try to fix them. I am just going to pretend the week never happened. I am caught up to today and moving on. Sometimes that is all you can do.

9/2 - Charlie

9/3 - Nap

9/4 - Lunches

9/5 - Raincoat

Day 275 - September 1st, Waiting

2011-09-08T23:42:00.001-04:00

Cameron is riding the bus again this year. He really likes it. We all enjoy waiting for it.

Day 274 - August 31st, Bye Bye Baby Girl

2011-09-07T23:34:00.001-04:00

She walks me to my car and waves to me from the porch when I leave for work. She is amazing! Tonight she told me she loves me and gave me a big kiss. Then she said, "Mommy, you are awesome." I said thank you. Then she said, "And Daddy is awesome too." I said, "Yes, Daddy is pretty awesome." She said "You are both awesome." This made my heart smile.

Day 273 - August 30th, First Day

2011-09-06T12:05:00.001-04:00

I am just loving the milk dripping down the chin. The funniest part is that he doesn't seem to notice and never wipes it off!

So the first day of first grade for Cameron. We are in a new town and he is going to a brand new school, but he doesn't seem phased at all. He was so excited that we were ready an hour before school was set to start. I had to go to work so I guess I rushed the getting ready thing so that I could take a picture. When I was done snapping the shots they kids were about to get in the car. I had to break the news that school didn't start for another hour. Should have taken a picture of the disappointment on their faces.

They are typical siblings. One minute they love each other to pieces and the next they want to tear each other to pieces. I am glad that this day they decided on the former.

The sweetness continues in my home. No matter what I am feeling, no matter how difficult my situation seems at times, I have these two and nothing else matters. They bring joy to my life every single day.

Day 271 and 272 - August 28th and 29th - Ugh

2011-09-06T11:30:00.001-04:00

I feel like I have failed. I have no photo for the 28th. It was the day of the hurricane and I lost power. I had no photo planned, but once the power went out I went to bed and completely forgot about my 365 project. I guess I will have to start calling it my 364 project.

The next night, feeling uninspired, I only took a photo of the clock. I promise, once I catch up there will be a lot more thought put into my photos. I have some pretty intense posts planned in my head. Some of it good, some of it not so fun, but all of it necessary.

I always make a wish at 11:11

Day 270 - August 27th, After Dinner Drinks

2011-09-06T11:18:00.003-04:00

Just a last minute photo while I was out to dinner with a friend.

Day 269 - August 26th, 22 Miles in 2 Days

2011-09-06T10:48:00.003-04:00

I was supposed to camp alone under the stars on the 24th. That was my plan. My family and friends thought I was crazy, but I was really looking forward to it. After my 9+ mile hike in the rain, I came off the mountain and went to my favorite restaurant, The Woodstock Inn, Station and Brewery, for a bison burger (local) and a beer. It has become a tradition after a hike in the Franconia Notch region to go to the Woodstock Station for a beer and some food. It never disappoints!!

As I was leaving the restaurant the rain was coming down in sheets. It was then that I decided I would not camp, but get a room at a hotel instead. It was a good decision given the weather and the fact that I would be hiking another 11.2 miles the next day. So I went from camping under the stars to a comfy queen-sized bed and a jacuzzi tub. Talk about roughing it!

In the morning I was meeting Lee Anne, Lorienne and our new friend Rich to hike two more peaks in the Sandwich Range - Mount Whiteface and Mount Passaconaway. Hiking solo has its rewards, but hiking with friends is the best! We were on the trail for eight hours total and there was never a lack of conversation. It is such a wonderful bonding experience.

Again, all these photos are taken with my silly little camera phone. I should have brought the D90, but Rich had his D40 and took some great shots. When he blogs about it I will post the link. For now, you will have to suffer through mine. We started up Blueberry Ledge Trail to the summit of Whiteface. On our way up, Lorienne stopped to explain cloud formation or some other geeky science thing. I learn so much on my hikes with her! There were some awesome ledges and rock faces to climb. It was my favorite part of the hike. It was at the moment we were climbing a ledge that I announced to everyone my fear of heights. I guess it isn't so much a fear anymore. I have pretty much conquered it, but I do get little moments of it every once in a while. There was a beautiful view at the summit and we sat and enjoyed each others company for longer than usual for us. It helped that it was such a beautiful day!

Summit of Whiteface overlooking the Lakes Region of NH. Beautiful!

We followed Rollins Trail to Dicey's Mill Trail and headed up to the summit of Mt. Passaconaway. It was a very, very steep climb to the top. Yes, we complained. I am not going to pretend that we were happy and smiling the whole way up. It was a tough climb, but we all made it and we were happy when we were at the peak. After the steep section we found a ledge with a drop off. I really do not enjoy heights, but I stepped out on the ledge with encouragement from Rich and snapped a photo with my phone. At the peak we met some other hikers and one hiking dog named Bear. He was so cute. Rich got a picture of him, so hopefully he will post it on his blog (hint, hint Rich ;) ) Bear is a Pit Bull. The dog as a breed has a very poor reputation, but Bear was the sweetest dog I have met! And he hikes. He is perfect!

The summit of Passaconaway was not as spectacular as Whiteface, but it was decent.

The descent is always the hardest part of the hike. The steep sections going up are tough and it is exhausting, but there is the reward of a view, or just the fact that you accomplished something, that makes the climb so wonderful.

"Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey, but this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb." Winston Churchill

Anyway, we complained on the way down too. We were all pretty tired and it seemed like the path would never end. I was on mile 21 and my body was still moving. I was surprised, but proud of myself. It was a wonderful day. I bonded with my girlfriends and got to know a lot more about my friend Rich, all of which I liked. I am looking forward to our next adventure together!

Day 268 - August 25th - Solo

2011-09-05T22:45:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I hiked the Tripyramids. My second solo hike. The hike was 9.6 miles and it rained the whole time. The great thing about hiking the Tris in the rain is that there isn't a view at the peak, so I didn't miss out on anything at all!

I should probably also tell you that I worked from 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. the day before, slept for 45 minutes and then drove to the trail head AND I was planning a two day hike. Tripyramids for 9.6 miles the first day and Whiteface and Passaconaway for 11.2 miles the next day.

I did not take my D90 on this trip. All the photos are taken with my silly little camera phone. The Tripyramids are usually hiked on the Tripyramid Trail going up the North Slide and down the South Slide. This trail is difficult in good weather conditions. I decided that I would not chance it and chose to hike the Pine Bend Brook Trail off of the Kancamagus Highway. I'm glad I did.

The first couple miles of the hike followed these beautiful babbling brooks. The sound of the water was so calming and peaceful. The trail crossed the brooks multiple times, but the water was low and the rocks were dry. When I entered the Sandwich Wilderness there was a sign that cautioned that the trail would be difficult, steep, unmarked and potentially hard to follow. They were not joking! But once I got past the steep part it was a great rainy day hike.

I reached this crossroads in the path and sat down on a rock to have a snack. I just happened to take my map out so I could check how many miles I had left and I realized I was at the peak of North Tripyramid. Yup, the peak is a fork in the trail. Good thing I took out the map or I never would have known!

There were points along the hike where I was feeling pretty tired. But every time I came across a scene like the one below I would be renewed! Something about seeing a sign makes me really really happy when I am hiking :)

And the beautiful summit of Middle Tripyramid. Wow! :) It was an awesome adventure. I enjoy my solo hikes. I love being alone in the woods for hours. I am a little bit scared at first, but once I am lost in the rhythm of my steps and the sounds of the woods, nothing else matters. The sense of accomplishment I feel at the end is a nice reward!

Day 267 - August 24th, Sunset at Stratham Hill Park

2011-08-30T22:26:00.000-04:00

Cameron noticed the sky this particular night and said, "Mommy, you should take a picture of that." So I did. My photos are usually of people. I like landscape, but I don't seem to have the time or proper equipment to really enjoy it. My friend Rich takes amazing landscape photos and I cannot wait for him to share his talent with me.

So, I snapped these shots, but I should have used a tripod and should have been more patient, but I was in the middle of trying to get the kids to bed. The sky is breathtaking if nothing else.

Day 266 - August 23rd, Ah, The Tree

2011-08-30T22:25:00.003-04:00

Earlier in the summer I had taken the kids to this park in New Castle called Great Island Common. I had brought my DSLR but forgot my memory card. There was this tree there that I really wanted a photo of, so I promised myself I would go back in the evening to get a shot. Well, I did! I think this would be even better at sunrise. Maybe I will do that sometime soon too!

Day 265 - August 22nd, Reshop-de-Bop

2011-08-30T22:23:00.001-04:00

The empty reshop rack at Target. This is what it should look like at the end and beginning of each day. Sometimes it actually does!

Day 264 - August 21st, Drunk People Are Hilarious

2011-08-30T22:16:00.001-04:00

Yes, this photo is pretty lame, but I swear, the story will make up for it! Life is all about the story anyway, I say!

This particular evening I had been ditched by a friend but taken in by another. My friend Catherine works at Target and at her parents hotels on the ocean. She asked me to keep her company one night. Our plan was to play card games, order take out and just chat. What we got was much, much more!

Catherine and I were sitting in the office and she watches as a young couple walks toward the door. Her gut reaction was, "I am not going to rent a room to these people." When they came inside and asked for a room I guess she couldn't turn down the revenue because she said yes! The young man started to ramble on about how they were getting a room because they were too drunk to drive. The young woman smiled in agreement. Then he began to babble about where they were drinking and how a bunch of old ladies stood in front of their car and wouldn't let them drive but that they were going back to show them the room key so they could drive their car to the hotel. The young man asked about bars in the area. Catherine mentioned a place that also had lobster. He was pretty excited about it. Off they went. He came back a couple minutes later and asked for a key (which they already had) but Catherine gave him a second one.

Ten minutes later they were back with their car. The young man came in before he went to dinner to ask for another key. Seriously! Where is he putting these keys? He told me he was going to the lobster restaurant. I asked him if he was going by himself and he said, "Oh yeah, she's in bed. Best place for her!" OK, awkward. When he left I asked Catherine if we should go check on her. I thought maybe he murdered her and was taking off. But, he came back after dinner and asked for a towel for the pool. Again, he was by himself.

Catherine and I are sitting at the desk when we hear a crash. We look up and the girlfriend is on the third floor balcony throwing something over the edge into the parking lot. We thought it was his suitcase. We watch her pace in and out of the room and then come down the stairs, walk toward the pool yelling, turn around and get into her car and drive away. "She left him!" is what Catherine and I kept saying, laughing hysterically. Poor drunken fool. Lobster and swimming by himself, what did he expect?

And then the cops show up. Catherine decides it is time to make an appearance. We go outside to discover that it was not his suitcase that she threw, but the patio furniture. Then she drove over it on her way out! Ha ha ha! Should I find this funny? I don't care because I think it is hilarious! This, my friends, is why I stop after one beer!!

Day 262 and 263 - August 19th and 20th, Ninja Cam

2011-08-30T21:32:00.003-04:00

I love LEGOs. I had LEGOs growing up and I remember making some pretty awesome things with them. I loved to make houses complete with beds and chairs and couches. For the first five years of Cameron's life I restricted the types of toys we would buy. I preferred wooden, natural toys over battery operated plastic ones. Made in China was forbidden! LEGOs are manufactured in Denmark people! European countries banned the use of BPA and pthalates in the production of plastic. So last year Cameron got his first set of LEGOs. The only thing that bothers me about them is that you cannot just buy a big giant tub of the tiny LEGOs and make whatever you want. LEGO is starting to fall into the evil that is commercialism. Now you have to buy Star Wars or Cars or Toy Story LEGOs. The newest collection is this Ninja set. Cameron has a couple of them. After playing with them for an hour he came to me with this red play silk and asked me to turn him into a Ninja. I obliged and then took a photo with my camera phone :)

And here is a photo of his inspiration :)

Day 261 - August 18th, Discount Pops

2011-08-30T21:17:00.001-04:00

I love clearance at Target. I bought these popsicle trays on clearance with my 10% employee discount and got it for less than three bucks. Can you say, "Awesome?" Once a week I make yogurt smoothies for the kids for breakfast. The ingredients include Stonyfield Farms organic blueberry yogurt, frozen bananas, frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries, a little bit of orange juice, wheat germ and flax seed oil. The kids love it. I make enough to freeze them into a yogurt pop for a special treat after a beach day or after dinner. The kids know they are the same thing they drink for breakfast, but they still consider it dessert. Score one for the Mommy!

Baby Girl

2011-08-30T21:10:00.001-04:00

Cell phone photo. It's all good. Actually, this photo is perfect. I took the kids out to breakfast one morning and I just wanted to take a photo of my little girl all grown up. She colors in the lines now. It's ridiculous! The time goes by so quickly. Today (because I am two weeks behind on blogging) I sent her off to preschool. She didn't even bat an eye. Later Mom! Whatever. No, really, it was a pretty emotional day for me. She went to preschool last year, but it was the same one Cameron went to. I thought she would be a little nervous about a whole new preschool, but nope... not one bit.

Baby Girl, please stop growing.

Day 260 - August 17th, Drip, Drip, Drip

2011-08-30T00:15:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I took my kids to the ocean beach. I say "ocean beach" because that is what I have to say to the kids when I ask if they want to go to the beach. If I just say "beach" they are expecting the lake, because they grew up on the lake. I made the mistake once. Never again!

Dripping castles are my favorite things to make at the beach. This particular day was challenging. The beach was busy and it was high tide. Cameron wanted to be in the water and Olivia wanted to be on land. What is one Mommy to do? I tried to grow eyes in the back of my head, but I couldn't quite get the spell right. Instead I got as close to the water as Olivia would allow (that's right, she's the boss) so that I could keep an eye on Cam and play in the sand with Baby Girl at the same time.

I used to hate sand. Then I had kids and now I hate it even more! Just kidding. I appreciate it. I will not say I love it because that would be a lie. One trip to the beach and my car is filled with sand and I am sweeping sand out of the bathroom for a month! What I appreciate is the fact that my kids have no qualms about getting right down in the sand and getting it all over themselves. So, when I am alone with the kids at the beach, I am down in that sand too. It is very nostalgic.

Cameron is a pro at the boogy board. It makes me nervous, but he is just so confident out there. Don't worry, I keep a close eye on him! I keep a close eye on Olivia too. As you can see below, I am in big, big trouble with this one!

Day 259 - August 16th, Cool Running

2011-08-29T23:25:00.000-04:00

I have taken up running. I am running a 5K on September 17th. I enjoy running and I never, ever thought I would say that! My friend Kevin turned me on to the Couch to 5K program so that I would start off slow to avoid hating running. So far it is working! I am not going to get ahead of myself, but maybe there is a half marathon in my future :)