bless our mess

"I'm 5, so I don't have to take a nap."

2011-12-15T09:41:00.001-08:00

we killed it.

2011-12-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

15 hour drive...so worth it.

2011-10-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

H Obx L G A

2011-10-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

So excited to get this roll back on Saturday!

From the beach

2011-10-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

A few from the beach! Had a wonderful, relaxing time in the Outer Banks with Jay and the boys (and my mom and dad for a few days too). Already counting the days until we return.

trying to make friends.

2011-09-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

swing away.

2011-09-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

in the dog house.

2011-09-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry. It's been quite a while. Shooting weddings, editing weddings, doing blog posts about weddings...it's taken up most of my free time. The boys are probably happy that my camera is busy elsewhere, but this blog has not faired too well. I have some film in my holga that I need to get developed and I know there are some good ones in there (fingers crossed) but in the meantime here's Sam from the other night. Doing time for hitting Joe.

I actually got on the crime on video. Looking at it, Joe was being pretty annoying. But, as you know, people can be annoying. Hitting them, though satisfying, is not the appropriate response.

Splashing at Grandma & Grandpa's....

2011-08-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

juuuuuuice.

2011-07-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

Got ourselves a juicer and really liking it. The boys are now getting their nutrients from a HUGE variety of sources. Makes me feel better since all they every really want to eat is cheese.

This concoction is carrot, kale, apple, lemon, and ginger. I took the juice and threw it in the blender with a banana and some frozen strawberries from our picking adventure. Yummy.

3rd of July in Burlington.

2011-07-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

Blooming

2011-06-16T06:08:00.000-07:00

if you watched the one I posted early...I expanded it a bit.

Troubled times in Word World

2011-05-24T05:54:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday Daddy plays golf...and we go out for pizza.

2011-05-13T14:41:00.000-07:00

Building

2011-05-11T06:57:00.001-07:00

Bros

2011-05-04T12:42:00.001-07:00

Finally feeling more confident with the Holga.

keepin a straight face

2011-04-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

My Blue-Eyed Boys

2011-04-21T13:59:00.001-07:00

Reunion

2011-03-30T10:44:00.000-07:00

Every year we head to Shelburne Farms in the spring to see the lambs. Every year, Sam finds his chicken.

So now I have 2011 to add to the previous portaits. I remember being a kid seeing those circular "every school year" frames at friends houses. Where a school photo from each grade is placed in a oval cutout, organized in a big circle . Maybe I should make one of those for Sam...a clockwise progression of chicken photos.

Transition

2011-03-28T07:48:00.000-07:00

Goodbye hot coco, hello frozen smoothies. Forecast be damned.

Brothers

2011-03-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

greetings from the blizzard.

2011-03-08T16:11:00.000-08:00

I haven't been updating lately with photos like I said I would. Sorry. Here's a little something to hold grandparents at bay.

one step closer to cyborg...

2011-02-10T06:33:00.000-08:00

Last Friday Sam had some dental work done. Check out his "robot tooth."

Then he caught a terrible cold, which lead to an ear infection and high fever. Hospitals, if you're not sick going in, you are by the time you leave.

Though Joe wasn't too happy about the the grumpy older brother, he was pretty psyched about the increased TV consumption afforded to a couch bound 4 year old.

And Joe appeared to actually enjoy a little snow. As long as he's not actually in it...or required to walk.

A Bad Haircut Film. In conjunction with Peanut Butter Face Productions.

2011-02-03T04:56:00.001-08:00

just a glimpse

2011-01-26T05:20:00.000-08:00

the boys - Holga

2011-01-19T10:55:00.000-08:00

pics

2011-01-11T05:03:00.000-08:00

(Jay getting Sam ready for his first ride down the mountain on Saturday).

resolved, but in a lamer way.

2011-01-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

I guess I have to come to grips that I'm a little too busy to keep up this blog. Or at least in the capacity in which I used to. However, I don't want to leave everyone high and dry, and I really want friends and family (and whoever!) to see what the boys are doing and how they're growing. And in the end, that's what this blog is all about isn't it, the boys. So from now on I will try to, at least once a week post a photo of both Sam and Joe. And perhaps, now and then, I will post a bit more.

Like right now!

So once a week a couple pics, but you never know, perhaps more. After all, Jay has a few business trips coming up...those lonely nights are good for bloggin'!

I'm still here

2010-11-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

Damn, the wool festival? THAT's the last time I posted here? yikes. Well, foliage season in Vermont has proven to be kind of crazy busy. Add to that Halloween...

a certain somebody turning TWO YEARS OLD

a trip to Blacksburg

A Hokie Game!

And all the time I spent at the Burlington Airport. Where I took an enormous amount of photos while I waited, and waited, and left to sleep, then returned and waited some more. I should have an exhibition called "Stuck at BTV." Though you can only look at so many photos of a skylight. (it was my favorite subject...I think I have about 20 photos of it. I know, delete! I'm working on it).

But I finally got down to Blacksburg and proceed to have an amazing time with Jess. Need to do things like that more often.

So with all the photos I took of personal stuff, and all the photos taken of work stuff, I am buried in a digital pit of despair. I really do need to figure out a better photo management system. I think I've got all the work stuff figured out, but the personal? But I won't bore you with all that. I'll figure it out.

Assuming the issuing holidays will prove to be just as time consuming, so not sure when I may be back. But I'll do my best to at least post some pics of the boys. When I have time. Geez. I can't even keep fingernails clean around here.

yarn run.

2010-10-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

(please excuse the appearance...blogger is really testing my patience lately with the new photo upload and arrangement mechanism. And I though changing templates would fix it...nope.)

Been neglecting the blog a bit, but I'm sure once cold weather settles in around here things will calm down. The boys are running around like crazy, as usual. The Hokies have been simultaneously providing joy and great disappointment, as usual. And there is lots get done, and even more not getting done...the garden put to bed, holes for the new lilacs dug, my new upholstery project put together, and laundry, laundry, laundry.

Among all this...stuff... I managed to steal away for the better part of last Saturday to the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival with my neighborhood knitting ladies. Oh, to be wandering freely in the autumn air, gently feeling the strands, squeezing and smooshing skeins against my face. All with no little boys tugging on my leg...it was heaven. I won't talk about the money spent. Safe to say I shan't ! be purchasing any yarn for a very long while.

Already looking forward to next year.

YO!

2010-09-23T12:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Sam and I had a date to go see Yo Gabba Gabba LIVE at the Flynn downtown. We went with our friends Carin and Amos (also a mama/son duo). Fabulous. Fabulous. Fabulous!

I had some apprehensions prior to the show, as Sam is not really one for any hubbub, and I knew there would be some serious hubbub.

He has yet to make it through a parade and usually shouts NO at the question of going to watch or see anything in person. Usually you can just spring it on him and he's fine. Act like you just fell upon it and don't make too much of a big deal about it. You have to suppress the desire to say "HEY! Isn't this awesome!!" He honestly seems overwhelmed by joyous excitement. For instance, just the other day I came home from the grocery store with a Thomas coloring book and was all "Guess what I got?!" then yanked it out with a bit of drama...resulting in a huge wide eyed smile, then he turned his back and hid his face, refusing to look at it.

Totally overwhelmed with the awesomeness.

However, as he's gotten a bit older, he seems more open to a spectacle, so I prepped him a bit. Of course, about an hour before we were to leave he declared he didn't want to go, so I just stopped talking about it. Then I announced

"Time to go to Amos's house!"
"Why?"
"To play, or maybe take a walk."
"To downtown?"
"Perhaps."
"I don't want to."
"Ok, well, we'll see."

And we headed out. Of course once he saw his buddy...dressed as PLEX! he was a little more on board and we were off.

We got a few shirts and quickly found our seats. It was such a great atmosphere with all the kids. And the volunteers, they must have loved it. The Flynn staff tends to be a bunch of retirees, usually ushering symphony goers and the theater set. But to be inundated by an army of preschoolers, they seemed to be having as much fun as the rest of us. Of course, there were two shows 3 and 6:30...and we were at the 3, so I wonder if they might have been over the screaming, and whining and general chaos by the second show.

I think having an comfy seat helped Sam a lot. We had a home base. Not like standing on the street or sitting in the grass with people milling about around you. He did spend the entire show pretty much silent and stone faced. There was only one complaint at the very beginning...more of a whine really..."when will this be over?" But after that, he just sat back and soaked it in. There were a few little smiles and a clap or two, but mostly, he just hugged his balloon and watched.

Want to sit on BIZ's lap? No! Let's dance! No! Say hi to Tootie. No! you get the picture.

I won't bore you with a play by play, but...I will with a video! There were some great moments, surprise guests and lots of stuff floating in the air. (3 minutes)

Once the show was over and a flood of overstimulated children were unleashed upon the streets of Burlington, Sam relaxed and smiled and said how great it was. We hit the park, waiting for Flatbread to open, and Amos and Sam ran and ran, popped a few balloons, and then ran some more.

This was essential prior to restaurant dining. The boys did great eating and basking in their after Gabba glow.

I whole heartedly recommend this show to anyone who has a kid that likes Yo Gabba Gabba....which if a kid has seen it, they do.

movie night at the neighbors.

2010-09-20T05:08:00.000-07:00

Dads and kids on camp chairs on the lawn. Moms with margaritas on the front porch.

one house, two house

2010-09-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

The crazy has finally settled a bit. The past few weeks I've been busy with a few projects, and haven't had much time to write here. Not even any photos. Well, that's not only due to busyness, but my camera is actually off at Nikon getting a little tune up. Fingers crossed that it's back in my hands sometime soon. I still have my old one, thank goodness, because this weekend was a blast! Art Hop 2010 was a success on so many levels.

Art Hop is a two day art festival that takes place in the South End of Burlington (where we live) and transforms all the business and store fronts into one big art gallery. Thousands of pieces are on display, there is food and events and all sorts of exhibitions. Friday night is the party night...the kick off. Lots of people, lots of crazy, lots of fun.

Friday night I was lucky enough to be at Great Harvest showing some of my work.

It's the first time I've ever hung anything I've done anywhere but at my house. And I actually sold something! Just one something, but hey, it's a start. I also learned a lot about what I think I'll do different next year.

For instance, if your selected juried peice is BIG, there is a greater chance it won't get hung in a hallway...next to a fire extinguisher.

The lead up to this is one of the reasons I've been so busy. There was framing, the selecting, the printing and hanging. But there was another project making it's debut at Art Hop.

My friend, Carin Lilly, and I have joined forces as photographers to provide our services under one umbrella. I would like to present two house photo! As a team, we are concentrating on weddings, but we both love doing child portraiture and family photos, so we are marketing those individual services as well. So this week we've been tweaking that website and trying to get everything lined up so we have a professional looking web presence and something to direct potential customer to. We still have a little work (next: search engine optimization!) but I'm pretty proud of what we managed to pull together considering we are both mamas to two small boys with limited time resources. I'm sure all of our boys enjoyed a spike in TV consumption these last few weeks.

The Saturday of Art Hop is really the time to see the art work. It's a little calmer, a little more family friendly. Better light, and more time to just meander and gaze.

The sculptures scattered all over the city are more visible and accessible.

The juror selections have been made, so you can go to the show and see the best of the best. Oh, so inspiring.

Also, a major highlight this year was Kid Hop. A big white tent full of art projects, crafts and messy fun for kids of all ages. I have to give credit to Teresa Davis and the rest of the folks that put that together, because it was welcoming and fun, without lines or stress of any kind. It's obvious that Teresa Davis knows how to work with kids, and I really hope she does it again next year.

Sam drew a self portrait and constructed a jingle stick, but by far, his favorite activity was painting the houses.

They had big cardboard boxes set up with cups of paint and you could just have at it. There was a coffee shop, a pizza place, and a victorian mansion. There was probably 8 of them slathered with paint and tissue paper.

And 8 lucky kids got to take one home as winners of the raffle.

And woo hoo! Sam was one of them.

workin mom woe.

2010-08-18T05:52:00.001-07:00

I'm kinda going through one of those 'be careful what you wish for' kinda days. I have been tethered to my computer pouring over photos and editing for hours. My sore fingers from holding a camera for 7 hours have given way to different sore fingers from all the mouse clickin. Don't get me wrong, I love it. I am super excited that I have gotten so much work since I've put my photography services out there. My portfolio has grown and I am feeling a little more legit each day.

It's the concept of 'working' again. Doing something for someone other than the boys or friends seems so strange. To have responsibilities aside from my family is something I'll need to get used to again. Being away a bit too. I've only left for a day at a time, but I've already missed a milestone! What? I've spent every minute of everyday with these guys and Sam picks the afternoon I'm shooting my first wedding to do....THIS!

That was two weeks without pedals (I know the video says 8 days, I think it was actually 11). Then VIOLA! I'm convinced this is really the way to learn how to ride a bike. Well at least is was definitely the way Sam should learn how to ride a bike. WOO HOO buddy! Wish I was there for the first pedal pushin. Thank you iPhone!

king of the driveway.

2010-08-04T12:59:00.000-07:00

brain harvest

2010-08-02T12:00:00.001-07:00

as promised.

2010-07-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

All those pics I promised of this little one...

are over here

Trip to the lake.

2010-07-25T17:49:00.000-07:00

Back from another wonderful week with family. We've been so lucky this summer with people wanting us to go places with them. Well, I'm sure they were happy to have Jay and I, but it's really all about the boys now isn't it.

We were lucky to find a great lake house not far from Burlington, up on Lake Eden. Gorgeous house, boat dock, swim platform, loons, kayaks...all we needed was a bit more sunshine. But there was enough to coax everyone out for swims. Sam couldn't get enough of it. I wish I had taken more pictures of his escapades in the lake, but since Jay still had to head to town to work, I was the lifeguard and in the water myself. Not really conducive to photo taking. But let me tell you, that kid was having a ball. He had gotten a taste of it in Ocean City and was raring to go. Squeals of glee. Good thing he wore a life vest, because he was so enthralled by all the water and splashing and pool noodles, he really wasn't paying attention. Need to get that kid into some swimming lessons. Only in Vermont do the kids learn to snowboard before they learn to swim.

A few days after we arrived, and after Sam asking every five minutes, Kaylee!

Oh, and Danielle and Ken too of course. I will soon barrage you with a zillion photos of little miss Jones, as she was an interesting new subject for my camera. Stay tuned.

Most days we just hung around the house and the lake. Swam, took the kayaks out. We had a nice little campfire down by the lake one evening.

Mmmm. Marshmallows.

But we did make a few excursions. I finally made it to Ben and Jerry's. Cool little tour. Lots of tourists, but for free minute old ice cream who cares. Not me. Yum.

On Friday, we headed to the Lamoille County Field Days. Legit. Loved it. SO much better than the Chittenden fried dough gross fest. Oh, they had fried dough. But it was all just less...icky. I suppose the fact it was a Friday helped. Probably a different scene on Saturday. We had no trouble seeing all the animals, and they all seemed pretty chill and enjoying their own little vacation at the fair.

I appreciated being nestled in the mountains, the small crowds, the farmers, the pies. The really, really nice people that probably look forward to volunteering all year...and call you 'hun'. Local crafts, veggies and livestock all up for ribbons.

I must say, however, I was disappointed in the knitting. The blue ribbon crochet and knitting? Acrylic. Seriously? There were sheep right there. In the barn next door. That's what they're for. Unless you like mutton I guess. It's like putting Log Cabin on your Sugar n Snow.

Sorry, the yarn snob in me coming out...and I guess the maple syrup snob too.

I suppose the highlight was getting the kids together.

Cousins. It's so cool to know they will have a string of memories that they can share together.

Kaylee falls right in the middle of Sam and Joe, so she was the perfect little playmate for either.

Though I'm pretty sure Sam managed to monopolize her time...

Thanks Mom and Dad! It was wonderful.

Damn ball joints messing with my sill cock.

2010-07-13T06:52:00.001-07:00

As many of you on the East Coast are aware, it's hot. Not as hot as last week, but still, hot. The garden is wilting. I am wilting. And the boys look like they have small pox. Especially Joe with his still developing sweat glands. I won't horrify you with a photo, as his alabaster skin covered with a red prickly heat rash is quite alarming.

To beat the oppressive temps, we finally rigged up a sprinkler. Our house is sadly lacking a water spigot, sill cock, hose bib...whatever you want to call it. But we fished a hose through a basement window, hooked it up to the utility sink and voila! Summer relief.

It was great until we realized the connection in the basement was spewing water all over the place. We even switched hoses. Do they make a hose that doesn't leak?! I'm beginning to think not.

I know we should just call a plumber and get a thingy installed to the exterior. That was the plan until I got slammed with a failed inspection for bad ball joints. Ugh. So the sink will have to do for now. We'll just have to keep the flow low so any spray is actually just a dribble into the sink. Of course this will also lead me to wring my hands with a clenched jaw as I try to enjoy the frolicking of my young boys, while thinking about the mold issues I may be creating in the basement.

Oh, I exaggerate...kinda. I'm pretty sure, however, that I will be running to the basement every 3-5 minutes to make sure we're all good down there. The sacrifices we make for fun.

meet the artist

2010-07-07T07:49:00.001-07:00

steps.

2010-07-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

Boy there's a lot to report since we got back from the beach. We've been busy adjusting to some new dynamics, and trying on a few new hats to see how they fit. So far, so good.

First. Sam started preschool! Any apprehension I had about this has quickly dissipated. He's totally loving it. And I'm loving the bit of time I get in a Sam-free zone. And that's a zone where things get done. It's utterly amazing. Of course Joe is still here, but he's a different animal.

So what am I doing with this bit of time? I know I should be finally getting to some projects, messes, laundry, yardwork, cooking, organizing, purging that has been nagging at ~~Jay~~ me. However, instead I decided to fill it with something that will suck even MORE time from me.

I am a professional photographer.

Oh that sounds so, um, crazy. But really, I AM. And not just because I say it. Because I'm getting paid. And that's the defining characteristic! So even though it feels weird to say it. It's true. It's my job. And it's a job I was born to do. So Oprah, I'll stop cursing your flippant, unrealistic advice, and "do what I love." Don't let it go to your head.

So yeah, I have a job now! And even less time to do laundry.

post script: So I won't be chattering on too much around here about the photography thing, I hope to keep this blog up about family and home stuff. You know, the boys, the garden, the depressing status of laundry... Of course, there will be some overlap, but in general I'll keep the professional separate. If you're interested in that stuff too, I'm working on getting it all organized here. Bear with me, under construction.

we're back

2010-06-28T09:24:00.000-07:00

Still trying to adjust being back home and the 2 on 1 dynamic. So I don't have much to write, but here are a few pics from the wonderful, wonderful trip we had with Jay's folks, his sister, her husband and our nephew. It was awesome.

This last one is Sam on his very first amusement ride. As you can tell, he was thrilled.

If you want to see some more photos, a link to the flickr set is....here

Dreamin of the beach...

2010-06-18T12:32:00.001-07:00

Sam seriously won't shut up about it. He's is SO excited. I happen to mention the existence of a certain Dinosaur mini golf course, and I think his head almost exploded. Personally, I am dreaming of worn out, sunkissed and sandy boys. A dip in a cool pool. Finding the local yarn store. And pickin' some blue crabs while sipping a really cold beer. Officially Summer to me.

State of the Garden - June

2010-06-16T04:09:00.000-07:00

Here it is. In 'need to be mowed' state. I had aspirations to keep it better weeded than last year, and perhaps I have, however by no means to the level I had hoped. I also hoped to keep a 'garden journal' with notes, ideas, plans...again, failure. Perhaps it's not too late. Because, no matter how happy you are with how things are going now, your brain is always drifting off to next year. Then next year comes, and you forget.

Anyway, starting from the top along the fence...

In the back left corner you can just see one of my zuchinni plants peeking out. There are two over there along with two small blueberry bushes (new this spring!).

In the back bed is my strawberry patch. So sad this year.

Some sort of critter is getting at the goodness before it has a chance to ripen. We've gotten one. ONE. Next year? Nets. I would write that in my garden journal if I had one.

To the right of the strawberry bed is the compost heap. And then follow that along around to the back side of the garage (where you can't see) to the potting bench. To the right of the potting bench I have some sunflowers planted, but they aren't really doing much. About 2 inches tall and little chunks munched away.

In the first front bed I have four tomato plants (2 heirloom, beefsteak and cherry), 3 basil plants and oregano.

There is also a rogue tomato plant that popped up from the seeds of last years fallen. I assume it will be a cherry, based on location. We shall see! A little excitement in the garden.

Next to that is my garlic. Coming along well. I have 3 varieties, which I neglected to write down. I know at least 2 are hardneck, as the scapes have started to curl.

I plan to make this on Thursday...

In the next bed are onions (red and sweet), a cucumber plant and a tuft of chives. And that concludes our tour.

The big plan for next year is to move the strawberries out of the back bed, and use as ground cover around the blueberries. Then plant greens and maybe some peas in that bed. This would be a huge step forward in my gardening. Right now, my garden is kind of lazy. I mean, garlic and onions just sort of grow. They don't really require much tending too. And zuchinni, well zuchinni is the weed of the garden. I've never heard anyone complain of a bad zuchinni harvest. The tomatoes, cucumber and herbs are really the plants I try to keep an eye on and "help" when needed. And even they don't need that much. It's really all about the weeding.

I'll be curious to see how it fares after a week of being away. Vacation starts Friday!

Sam's first frog...

2010-06-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

First frog to hold. It didn't come home with us. It is happily back in the pond...recovering.

what a difference a day makes

2010-06-08T11:57:00.000-07:00

Yard sale and yarn

2010-06-07T05:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've said hello. Now is good a time as any as we had a pretty busy weekend. Allow me to bore you with the details...

Saturday was the neighborhood yard sale.

(Innis, co-manager of toy testing).

We thought it was going to be a wash out, but luckily by mid morning the rain had stopped. Still, it slowed the traffic so perhaps not as successful as previous years. As usual, I waited until the last second to rummage through the basement to gather things up to go out, so we didn't have a whole lot of stuff anyway. Next year! Next year I will be more organized and really do a purge. And yes, I say this every year. It was nice to get rid of some of our junk, but of course I also acquired some stuff. Not sure I feel like our load is much lighter.

But it was so worth it. Not only did I make $50, but really yard sale day is a wonderful day. You get to sit outside and reconnect with so many neighbors you kinda forgot existed or never see. And Jay watched the boys all day, because he's not really up for the hagglin and small talk. So I sat with friends, knitting and chatting and taking peoples money. The boys loved it too. All the people! All the stuff!

Worth the effort I would say. Hell, I wish we could have another one this weekend.

Sunday there were big plans to have a yarn dying day with the ladies.

Again, the rain came down. But we had tents set up from the yard sale, so we just commandeered those and went for it.

I am sad to report that my efforts did not turn out very well. I used a very thick grey yarn and it was kinda hard to see what what was happening. It is now hanging in my shower drying and it is clear I need to take another stab at it. So today I'm ordering some dye and hopefully I'll be able to bring the yarn to the cranberry/burgundy goodness I intended. Right now is mauve with a bit of blood spatter. blah.

I am however, waiting on pins and needles to see how everyone else's yarn turned out.

There was beautiful blue, which I spied while it was steaming in the pot that looks gorgeous. And an attempt at some self striping and some roving from our resident spinner

Tonight is actually knitting night, but I'm not sure I can make it. I have some sort of head/lung sickness starting and I feel pretty crappy. We shall see.

And of course, since it's now Monday, all the rain has stopped and it's a beautiful sunny morning. I can only imagine the weeds in the garden. So, we're headed to a very wet backyard, garden gloves in hand. Oh, and I should probably take down the tent in the driveway too. And do laundry. ugh. At least the grass is still too wet to mow, so I don't feel like I have to do that.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

a Burly full of monkeys

2010-06-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Kaylee!

2010-06-01T07:13:00.000-07:00

So, this weekend was Jay's birthday. And as an added bonus, it also happens to be my nieces birthday. The same day! One would think that would keep me on top of the presents and cards and what-not. Yeah, not so much. BUT I do have a little something for Kaylee that I've been working on, going out as soon as I get a chance to get to the Post Office. Right now, the stroller has a flat tire, so hopefully tomorrow or Thursday we'll venture out to the bike shop to get an inner tube, and off to the PO to mail Kaylee's present.

Sorry Sweetie! Worst. Aunt. Ever.

Hope you had a great one. The big two! What a big girl!!

cows

2010-05-27T13:27:00.000-07:00

There are cows in Burlington. Other cities have done the same, or similar sort of street art projects. Usually an animal. I think Chicago did pigs? But anyway, Church Street is bedecked with many brightly painted cow statues at the moment. We haven't been downtown since they appeared, so today seemed like a good day to go check them out. We only hit lower Church Street because we had to head home due to a...diaper situation, so here are just a few of our faves...

This last one irritated me a bit. It's a cow that they made into a race car. They even cut out a little place to sit, with a steering wheel and everything. Sam was immediately drawn to it, and I was thinking what a great little pic it would make, when I read the sign. Poor Sam. We named this cow The Toddler Torture Cow...

And Sam actually took a few pictures himself! Check out his flickr in the upper right.

crazy and lazy

2010-05-26T04:55:00.001-07:00

There is so much going on right now. With the Northampton house, photography and the social calendar it makes my head spin. Then there are the boys. Just their day to day is enough to wear me out. And on top of it all, the juggling of emails, phone calls, diaper changes, meals and laundry is all being managed in our first heat wave. It's only going to last 2 days, but ugh.

I spoke with my mom the other day, and she politely mentioned that there hasn't been many pictures of Joe lately. And she's right. Sam, being my active, crazy (and not to mention exterememly photogenic) child gets alot of the attention from my camera. It's easy. Joe takes a bit more...work to get good pictures. Joe's like me. Take a pic and I have wonky, half closed eyes or some other facial deformity that only appears when being frozen in time. Notoriously UNphotogenic. So I've dug up a few recent pics and yesterday, in the 90 degree weather I turned the lens on Joe..

Bonus of a heat wave? Joe Curls!

For more Joe pics, click on my Flickr link in the upper right.

Chives

2010-05-20T11:28:00.001-07:00

Sam, Joe and I walked up to the quarry this morning. Every since I was there this time last year, I've kept in my mind to be sure to go back. Not only is the pond teaming with tadpoles, but the wild chives are blooming. I had visions of the pictures I could get of Sam and Joe frolicking in the little purple puffs. Well, I got some pics. But, per usual, a particular model would not stand still. More specifically, he was constantly running away from me. Nearly all the pictures I took, were of his back.

And poor Joe. No pictures at all. I was too busy trying to keep Sam where I could see him.

But aren't they beautiful. Another so called 'weed'. Not only yummy in dip, but pretty too.

Dandelions...

2010-05-18T11:55:00.001-07:00

are pretty...

when they're not in my yard.

worth the wait

2010-05-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

Got these tulips at the end of season sale at Gardeners. I always forget about bulbs. It's hard to get excited about them. It's like burying a rock. I mean, I put these in the ground SIX MONTHS ago. But a little patience and....

Sale at Sox Market!

2010-05-11T10:07:00.000-07:00

A dozen pair for 15 bucks...and they come in a cool yellow bag. That apparently will make everything orange when you put it over your face...as well as deaf.

Swing Team

2010-05-10T04:11:00.000-07:00

Ready to work.

2010-05-06T14:53:00.000-07:00

One of the problems living in Vermont is that Spring is a tease. I spend the last third or so of winter begging for it, and without fail, once it shows up, it's only for a moment. It plays a coy game of peek-a-boo, bringing the promise of warmth and light, only to retreat leaving the all too familiar cold and bluster. And it's hard to be patient. Every time a late snow or freeze hits, you hear stories about the plants people have lost, or at least the scramble to cover them up. After my veteran two whole years as a vegetable gardner, I know better. But it's hard. You just want to start.

Some of you may have heard about our snow a week or so ago. Yeah, no fun. Thank goodness I didn't have anything in the ground yet. The snow has been followed by a string of beautiful weather. I've tended all my beds, weeded and applied some mulch to the perennials. I added some great new additions from the neighborhood swap as well as from thoughtful friends and neighbors. The tulips are in full bloom and today seemed like the perfect day to get the tomato plants. At the garden center I noticed the tomatoes where still being kept in the greenhouse.

Casually I asked "so, you think it's safe to plant some tomatoes now, right?"

"Um, no."

It's common to hear that you should wait until after Memorial Day to plant things like tomatoes. At least I think that's when they say to wait. I don't really pay attention. All I know is that it's always WAY after I am able to actually wait. So maybe I don't know better after all.

"Definitely wait until after Sunday. You heard about Sunday right?" Well, obviously I hadn't. "33."

Seriously? pth.

Damn Spring, get your act together. I don't want to wait. So yeah, it's more me than Spring itself that is causing all my consternation. I could benefit from a little more patience. Lord knows Sam would. Maybe I'll start to work on that. While I'm waiting

So, in the meantime we're busy watching empty beds.

Well, except for the garlic which is planted in fall and pops up with the daffodils in April. And the strawberries are alert and have lots of little white blooms. But no tomatoes. And after all, isn't it all about the tomatoes? I'm ready for some salsa.

And someone's itchin' to pluck his very first cherry...

stripes

2010-05-05T13:41:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to take some pics in front of this wall for a while, but it's on the non-sidewalk side of a busy road. But since they closed the bus station, I had to head over to see if maybe, just maybe, we'll finally get a neighborhood dinner place/bar. I had mentioned to Jay on more than one occasion that the bus station would make a great restaurant. Outdoor seating, lots of parking, proximity to my house...it has it all. But alas, the building permit in the window just said "interior remodel." Here's to hoping that includes a small stage and walk-in cooler.

Indoctrination

2010-05-03T04:14:00.000-07:00

The end of my pity party - thank you for coming.

2010-04-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank everyone who has reached out to us and had us in their thoughts during this time. I know the death of a dog is not an uncommon event. It is the unfortunate eventuality that all of us who allow these loving, loyal and generous creatures into our lives must face.

But of course it's not easy. it is all still very raw. I go about my usual day, but there is a sadness that sits just below the surface. I know it will slowly sink deeper and deeper, covered by layers of new memories and experiences. I am looking forward to when my heart is not quite as heavy and the thought of Tubbs can make me smile without the tears. When I'm reminded of him less frequently, so it will be more special and less melancholy. Because now, every corner I turn, every item I see seems to have a bit of Tubbs attached to it. Gradually, the lingering evidence of him will go. The lint trap will have less and less dog hair in it. I will not mistakenly call his name when I spill something in the kitchen. Last night, cleaning up under the high chair brought me to tears...that's was his job. I winced when the fed ex guy rang the doorbell while joe napped, expecting the usual barrage of bark and crazy it would always bring. I'll have to forget about my cooking blog..."the secret ingredient is dog hair..." I finished a bit of knitting yesterday and took some pictures. As I transfered them from my camera to the computer, with them came a bunch of Tubbs and the boys inthe yard on Monday. I could go on and on...

In the end I guess it just proves how much we loved him and what an important part of our family he was. That I miss him so much is a testament to how wonderful he was to have around. We miss you Tubbs. You were everything anyone ever wanted in a dog.

Ok, that's it. Moving forward. Sure I'll be thinking of him, but no reason to drag everyone down with me right? And to prove it's not all a wimper fest over here. I present..

"Sam Stuck In a Basket with Mixed Messages from Mom"

goodbye

2010-04-26T13:17:00.000-07:00

I've tried a few times to write something worthy of Tubbs and the 13 years we've spent together, but I can't seem to get it together long enough to do it. Tomorrow morning I will drive him for his final vet appointment. My emotions are swimming in my body and I'm trying my best to stay in the now. He is here now. He is sleeping just ten feet away. I'm trying not to think about tomorrow. Because after tomorrow the world will be a totally different place.

2010-04-23T03:50:00.000-07:00

You can have my hammer...

2010-04-20T19:27:00.000-07:00

when you take it from my cold. dead. hands.

private table in the rear...

2010-04-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

(recycled elm tree)

KaZAM!

2010-04-16T04:41:00.000-07:00

Living in Vermont and having two boys born on the cusp of very long winters makes the summer toy thing a little difficult. For instance, we've been thinking of upgrading Sam's bicycle situation. Or rather tricycle situation. A lot of kids would get a bike for Christmas. But to give a kid a shiny new bike in December, with 4 months of snow ahead of him, is just mean. And Sam was born on December 6th, so his birthday isn't much better. We've though of instituting a Spring Holiday, when they could get one nice new outside-in-the-sunshine toy. But what would that be? Spring Equinox? May Day? This year, it will probably just be "when the UPS man brings it" Day. But in the future, I'd like to have more tradition around it. I am open to ideas.

I have to admit the thought of Sam rolling on two wheels is a little frightening. Caution is not in his DNA. And breaks? He doesn't understand them. The whole pedals backwards thing. I doubt he'd be able to employ that in an emergency. And I'd bet there is an emergency in our future.

So I had been eyeing a neighbors balance bike. It's a very Danish looking contraption. Made of wood. And watching their little guy push his way around the block it seemed like a great idea. But not only does it cost a mint, the fact it's made of wood? Yeah, Sam breaks stuff made of wood. I'd give it a month. That idea is out.

Then while I was at a friends house (dying yarn!) they had this great bike. After doing research, this is what they decided on for their boys. And I'm all about letting someone else do the leg work. Yep, this is the bike. This will work for Sam. Steel. No training wheels. A chance to balance in spurts and lean into turns. And breaks? Your feet. Instinctual and effective. Love it.

Click pic for cheesy demo video...

And what the video doesn't show you is that you can stand on the platform and push with one foot like a scooter too.

Happy Tax Day, Sam!

I think that guy is looking at my binkies...

2010-04-14T10:46:00.001-07:00

Hi from the slide...

2010-04-13T11:46:00.001-07:00

shaken out...

2010-04-12T04:37:00.001-07:00

Can you tell I was feeling a little stressed out? Well, apparently whining and complaining works because yesterday I got an email from our neighborhood preschool and?! Yay! Starting in June Sam will be spending Tuesday and Thursday mornings with qualified, enthusiastic and amazing people and a gaggle of little ones. They have an indoor sand pit! And a tree house. And Thursday? Is Bread day! So he'll get to bake bread once a week if he so chooses. And I bet they don't get grumpy about a mess like I can. And it probably tastes better too.

I am already fantasizing about what I will do with these little chunks of time. Perhaps actually break out the sewing machine?! Holy cow, read a book! Like a good book. Not a book about the calming effects of Baroque music on small children. Maybe my garden will actually stay somewhat weed free this year.

I'm also very excited for Sam. He needs a little more time with other little dudes. And the child-led curriculum and play-based learning will be a great fit for him. It's such a "Yes!" atmosphere there, and sometimes I feel like our home has become too much of a "NO!" place. I also can't wait to hear how he is when I'm not around. And who he chooses for his buddies. I've had him here with me for 3 years and I think it's finally time he has a place that's just his. It will give us things to talk about. Oh man, he'll have stories to tell me! This will be wonderful.

Another Installment of Blog Therapy

2010-04-09T05:45:00.000-07:00

You know things are bad when you read parenting books with a speed and fervor that was once reserved for Harry Potter.

All this rain couldn't have come at a worse time. Sam has been quite the handful lately. I keep telling myself that there is a developmental leap right around the corner, and it will all settle down. But when you're in the middle of it, it's hard not to feel like it will last forever. Without the option to go outside and run, everything is SO much harder than it needs to be. We'll still get out for a walk, even if it's raining, but it's not the same as going crazy on the playground or kicking the soccer ball for an hour.

This is nothing new for us. I have complained and vented here before. There were times when I felt held hostage by Sam's inability to listen or follow directions. His non-existent impulse control coupled with a new baby required a vigilance that easily became exhausting and overwhelming. And it hasn't changed all that much.

As Sam has gotten older he has become a little more predictable. The leash has been let out and he gets a little more freedom than he used to. Unfortunately I am often reminded he's still a force to be reckoned with.

I'll let him run to bathroom after a declaration of "I gotta go!" After what is clearly enough time to pee, "Sam are you done?" Silence. "What are you doing?" No reply. "Sam, answer me please." Crickets. So I go in and usually find something in his hands, in his mouth or in his hair. There are envelopes open, baskets emptied, mystery substances on his clothes. This happens when he goes to throw something away in the kitchen. Wash his hands. Get some socks. Any little errand in the house. And it doesn't matter how many times you tell him what is off limits. And it's not even predictable stuff like kitchen cabinets. It's climbing on top of counters and hitting the fruit basket with a spatula. Or worse, pull on it to see if he can dislodge it from the ceiling.

We've lost wall mounted shelves. I have containers of broken ceramics and glass. Countless stains and scratches on every possible surface. His propensity towards destruction and danger has left his most occupied surroundings stale and empty. His room is so, so sad. We really can't have anything in it. No decor. No furniture. It's a mattress on the floor and his trampoline. He has one lonely bookshelf with his bedtime books stacked in it (for about 30 seconds a day). His bedroom closets are secured shut. A small wardrobe holds his clothes. Which really needs to be attached to the wall. It's been on the list, but one of those things that doesn't get done. By the week we've had, I think this weekend it moves to the top.

Like most parents, I go through periods of self doubt. Guilt. But no matter how much I question my abilities or decisions I do know that Sam is damn lucky to have us. He's the kind of kid that, in some houses, I hate to say it, gets the belt. Hit, whooped, spanked, even smacked. I consider myself a very non-confrontational, rational easy-going kind of person and the buttons this kid can push? I didn't even know I had. But like I said, Sam is lucky we are the kind of parents we are. I know enough to see his stubbornness and defiance as persistence and strength. I am all at once proud and terrified by his curious and adventurous nature. I don't want to insinuate that Sam doesn't have consequences. He does. They just don't involve physical pain or bullying. I will fully admit to yelling. Though I don't like myself during or afterwards. I try not beat myself up about it, though I am trying to work on it.

The books I've been reading have alot of words for kids like Sam. Strong-willed. Non-compliant. Spirited. Boy. Nothing quite gets him in a nutshell, but I must say it is nice to read some of the anecdotes and see glimpses of Sam right there on the page. Knowing he's not an anomaly makes all the difference. And that's really what these books are about. Easing the anxiety. Not really practical advice...or 'how-to.' It's more 'your kid is not a psychopath' and 'it's ok that you feel overwhelmed'. Those messages are enough to help you take a deep breath and start fresh. With a few exceptions, they help you change your perspective, not necessarily your kid. Which is good. Because I truly, deeply, crazy love Sam. I just wish he's stop opening the windows.

I've come to realize that it's the mix of all consuming love and adoration with vigilant damage control and frustration in his outright defiance that is totally and completely exhausting. It's like LOVE and RAGE are having a Breakin style battle in my adreinal glands.

God, I hope he gets into preschool. I really need an opportunity to miss him a little bit.

In the meantime...this is taped to the bathroom mirror.

Oh give me patience when tiny hands
Tug at me with their small demands.
And give me gentle and smiling eyes;
Keep my lips from sharp replies.
And let not fatigue, confusion or noise
Obscure my vision of life's fleeting joys.
So when, years later, my house is still--
No bitter memories its room may fill.

(by anonymous)

Amen.

This post will most likely be deleted soon due to Mama guilt.

C is for Cookie...and Cowboy Boots.

2010-04-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

and sometimes you run out of batteries

2010-03-31T14:46:00.000-07:00

Transcribed.

Me: That was awesome
S: I have to rest. From playing guitar.
Me: That wear you out?
S: Yeah, I'm out...of batteries. Batteries?
Me: You're out of batteries?
S: Nooooo. I'm not. I just already have batteries.

(Footnote: Sam does not quite understand the meaning of the word "just" or how to use it, and likes to insert it randomly into statements.)

The original...in case you're curious.

Rock the vote

2010-03-29T11:47:00.000-07:00

I've been scouring Ravelry lately to try and find an inspiring Spring project. I've been thinking vest or short sleeve cardi in a silk blend of some kind. These are the front runners as of now.

A

B

C

D

why I can't commit?
A: cap sleeves make my arms look chubby.
B: it's buttonless...for some reason that makes me hesitant
C: um, I don't have that body and perhaps that's the body you need to look good in that.
D: is it's boorrrrring? sorta.

Please advise by voting up there on the right. Thank you.

niche

2010-03-26T18:03:00.001-07:00

I wonder if there are any business opportunities in chicken portraiture?

because teaching abstinence doesn't work

2010-03-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

In an effort to keep the chickens safe, they actually teach the kids how to properly pick them up. It's kind of like High Schools handing out free condoms...they're going to do it, might as well make sure they're smart about it.

Free cone day!

2010-03-23T14:09:00.000-07:00

Today was the annual Free Cone Day at Ben and Jerry's. And this isn't just for Burlington, so if you have a store near you, see if they're on board with the tradtion (apparently it's a "participating stores" kinda thing). So in the name of free ice cream, I packed up the boys and headed downtown on this cold and dreary day. We got there around 1:30, hoping to miss the lunch crowd, but it was still packed.

We got in line, and surprisingly we were inside in about 15 minutes. Then we realized why it was so busy. I mean, over and above the whole "free ice cream cone" thing, there was Olympic snowboarder Hannah Teter scoopin and handing out the cold stuff.

She actually scooped Sam's cone! And to be respectful, we got "Maple Blondie" the limited release flavor in honor of Hannah, and MAN it was GOOOOoooood. I suggested getting some. Now.

When I saw Hannah, I was kinda bummed I put my wide angle lens on the camera. I couldn't get close of enough to have her bigger than an ant, really. She was outside talking to the press and if I had my usual lens on, I couldn't gotten some good ones. I also realized I had my ISO on 3200 the whole time. ugh. camera regret...the worst.

But I had grabbed the wide angle figuring a pic like this.

And even better? The lens allowed for an easy 'Very First Bite Ever', by Joe

Last Bite, by Sam.

I watch too much crap reality TV

2010-03-19T18:31:00.001-07:00

I was catching up on my TV last night and something was bugging me. This one guy on Project Runway, the one with the glasses, looked SO familiar to me. Then I realized he was kind of a David Cook (american idol) bloated and gay doppleganger. Then I remembered that David Cook always reminded me of a bloated version of Elan (or Ilan?) from Top Chef.

2006 - Top Chef

2008 -American Idol

2010 - Project Runway

It's as if some guy is putting on 20 pounds, dialing back the masculinity another notch and going on reality shows every two years. Yeah, not likely. Like some guy could cook, sing, and sew?

((insert day dream of being served poached salmon in my perfectly fitting-in-all-the-right-places custom jeans while being serenaded Queens greatest Hits...only without the faux hawk.))

our house has a lake view

2010-03-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

when there are no leaves on the trees, the sun sets just so as to reflect off the water, and I stand on my tippy toes.

So basically 4 days a year. I feel my property value rising.

Before school, eating my rice crispies...

2010-03-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

a plan.

2010-03-11T07:10:00.000-08:00

I was blessed with a new camera as an early birthday present from my folks, and unfortunately, it needs to head back to the manufacturer for a little tune up. No big deal, but I've had it for a week and I'm sad to see it go. I still have my old camera, but I have to admit, the new one is quite a bit nicer. I had been toying with the idea of taking child portraits in order to earn a little extra dough, and armed with some upgraded gear, it seemed it was time to put that plan into action. So the boys have been my practice models, and I've been trying to get in as many snaps as I can before I ship off my camera this morning.

Now for the next few weeks I'll be going through my archives to find some old gems and perhaps some pictures of children other than my own (needle in a haystack, no?) and putting together a small porfolio. When I get my camera back, I hope to do a few pro bono shoots for some friends, just to get my feet wet. I'm also excited that a friend is jumping into wedding photography and has asked me to assist her when she needs it. Awesome! And another old high school friend has announced her leap into photog for hire. Such inpirational women. It's hard not to think it's all for a reason....

roads to reading

2010-03-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

It's a cliche, but all kids really are different. My two are so dissimilar it's amazing that they are both outcomes of the comingling of the same stuff. One thing in particular is books. Joe LOVES books. He spends a good portion of his day selecting reading material and shoving it in my face. I love it too of course, because Sam? Well, not really one to ask for a story. I have tried, with limited success, to get him interested in books. Until just recently, he was a book destroyer. Anything with paper pages had to be kept out of reach, unless you want them ripped apart and all bent up. Seriously, you should see our sad collection. The ones that have managed to survive the Sam toddler stage, show many, many battle scars. I wish I could say it was from enthusiastic reading. But give the kid a pile of books and he has a much different plan.

I'm sure you can imagine the power struggle between the 3 year old who carefully builds such a walking trail, and the 17 month old who wants to bring every book to mommy to read.

fun.

waiting for daddy

2010-03-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

We listen to this song a bajillion times a day. At least it's not "Christmas Monkey" anymore...

We call that dance move "in a van down by the river." (and those are joes pants he's wearing).

little hobbit

2010-03-08T17:06:00.000-08:00

Reclaiming the yard

2010-03-08T03:49:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the first day in a long time we spent time in the backyard. I spent a hung chunk of the time picking up dog poo. I was itchin to do more, but alot of the ground is still frozen. A happy byproduct of the sad demise of our Elm tree is the gigantic pile of mulch, but a shovel could only scratch the upper most layer free. It's a little frustrating. I kind of count on the Spring frenzy brought on by warming temps and longer days to get some work done. If I don't take advantage of that early spring motivation, well, things tend to get a little half done. But it's still a little early to hope for too much. At this point I'll just be happy if the rest of the snow melts.

They were whining, when whining wasn't cool...

2010-03-07T05:59:00.000-08:00

I finally get a chance to listen to some new music, and get excited by the lead in, only to be disappointed by a overly emotive effeminate whine. Is it me or is there a crap load of wimpy male vocalists out there. I guess it wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't SO abundant. I once found that sort of thing appealing, but not really anymore. I'll que up The Smiths occasionally, but I wonder if they were coming out with that music now, if I'd be into it. Looking back at some of my old musical loves, I realize that a lot of the appeal is nostalgic. I probably wouldn't dig it now, if hearing it anew. But really, going by what I've been hearing lately, it seems like they were ahead of their time.

hm. So, I went on YouTube to find an old video of a certain band, and was going to say something similar to "these guys? would make a killing..." while wondering whatever happened to them. Well, holy crap! Here they are. And they are all middle-aged and playing in a sports bar.

This makes me feel kinda sad.

And old.

anthropomorphic fail

2010-03-05T17:04:00.000-08:00

So, a factor regarding the new "time to wake up" light we bought. Something that crossed my mind after I wrote that post and looked at that picture. It is actually, well, kind of creepy. You know, an illuminated face staring at you from the darkness while you try to sleep? But I quickly put that out of my mind. It will be fine, I told myself. And it was already on the way. So for nearly a week I eagerly awaited the UPS man.

When the light arrived Sam was all excited. We took it out of the box, he looked at it, and I explained how it turned into a sun, and if he stayed quiet in his room until it became a sun, then he could watch "Between the Lions" after breakfast. He was on board. Totally. Awesome.

That night we took it upstairs to his room. I plugged it in and Sam smiled. I asked him if he liked it, and he replied with an enthusiastic yes. After stories he I tucked him in with no problem and I turned off his light, leaving him in the faint blue glow, and headed downstairs.

15 minutes later I hear "MOOOOOOooooooMMMM".

"What's up bud?"
"I think it should be back downstairs"
"No honey, it's for your room. Remember? To tell you when it's time to get up."
"But maybe you should take it back downstairs....please."
I look at it. That blue faced frozen smirk.
"Is it a little scary?"
"yes."
"gotcha."

Night #2. I covered the face with some foam board. But that didn't fly either. Lasted maybe a minute. I'm sure Sam lay there imagining the moon face still smiling beneath its mask. Not unlike the criminally insane who maniacally giggle at their padded walls behind bolted steel doors.

And now it's downstairs and I'm trying to find the box so I can return it. And then Jay had a stroke of genius. Why don't we just put a lamp on a timer to come on at 6:30am for like, a half hour. THAT will be the sun. Only it's free. And it doesn't have a face.

Duh.

major sam.

2010-03-03T06:31:00.000-08:00

T minus 56 minutes to complete destruction. But not before having a banana.

And blowin a diddy on his 'harnomeeka'....

Luckily I took some pictures before it became played with to death. Well not dead. Just transformed into a flat square. Perhaps we'll work on our breakdancing.

face accessories.

2010-03-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

Yawn

2010-02-26T04:11:00.000-08:00

The act of cajoling Sam back to bed has really become a chore. Every morning the words "It's not time to wake up yet, buddy" echo down the hallway. This polite guidance gets a little more stern the third or fourth time he opens his gate at 5AM. We bribe, scold, beg, plead. Predicatably, Joe rises to see what's going on. The point of no return. Good Morning!

Sure, I could go to bed at 9 every night, but nightime is my only child free zone of existence. I'd rather not be asleep for it.

So I just ordered this nightlight. It's 6" and hangs on the wall like a clock.

Almost $50. But if it works, it's worth it. At least they have a 30 day money back guarantee. I'll let you know.

Joe has a new hat.

2010-02-25T13:02:00.000-08:00

A very reluctant model. Distracted with Mac and Cheese.

finally.

2010-02-24T12:35:00.001-08:00

bagels!

2010-02-22T13:28:00.000-08:00

I used this recipe, only I started the yeast 5 minutes before and used 1 1/2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour and 2 1/2 cups unbleached white all purpose. Sprinkled with dried onions, garlic, dill and salt after the boil. Yum!

wasteful efforts

2010-02-22T07:56:00.001-08:00

I'm getting a little worried about our water bill. You see, I've been doing ALOT of baking. We are trying in earnest to keep to organic and local foods. As a result our grocery bills are inching up. To mitigate, I've tried baking our own bread. I've also made bagels. And get this, I rolled and fried my own tortillas. To some people that may not be all that impressive, but seriously, I've never even opened a package of yeast before. Now, those same people may wonder, why would this effect your water bill? Sure, you need a bit of water to bake. And yes, there are the extra dishes to wash. But really, that shouldn't amount to much in the end.

The problem is that in order to do all this mixing and kneading and rolling, Sam must be occupied. I let him help me a bit, but usually, he just creates chaos. The solution has been the sink. Man, that kid loves water. And he'll spend hours filling up cups and dumping them out. Problem is, he only likes it with the water running. I've tried filling up the basin and have him just use that, but it doesn't really do it for him. He wants flow.

Which had lead me to invention #427...a kid friendly recirculating pump/faucet toy type apparatus. Would probably be best if it worked via some sort of air pump kids can push. I found this, which is kinda what I'm talking about, but it should be stand alone and portable. Be secured with some sort of suction cup with a hose that goes into the basin of water. Should transition nicely to the bathtub too.

Ok people. Get to building.

more beer drinking is in order.

2010-02-17T05:23:00.000-08:00

I'm getting bored with knitting. I think, for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, I have no decent yarn. I have pretty much used up my stash, not that there was much in there to begin with. The two major yarn sources near me are a pain with two small children. When I bite the bullet and try, in the rush to get the crazy grabby boys out of there, I end up with something too expensive that I don't really like. My easy source, Ben Franklin, has finally reopened. So perhaps I'll head over and pick up some not horribly wallet busting Cascade.

Which leads me to the second problem. Funds. No yarn fund. Jay doesn't drink as much beer lately, so the recyclables are sad. And this hasn't always been the best solution anyway, since in order to have enough, I let the cans and bottles pile up. Grumbles insue. And frankly, it isn't that much money. There's nothing worse than spending an hour loading the car, going to the stinky gross recycle closet, then feeding the cans and bottles into the machines to walk away with like, maybe, six bucks.

And recently, I can't find anything to knit that doesn't make me wince. I hate double pointed needles for longer projects. End of a hat? Fine. A whole sleeve or sock? Hell no. Cables? Ah, maybe. I've been wanting to make these designed by Jared Flood (aka Brooklyntweed).

But I've never really done any cabling. I should be challenging myself a little more, but I'm always so hesitant. I'm a immediate gratification knitter and troublesome techniques can make me put down a project pretty fast. I guess lately I've just become impatient and unmotivated. Bad combination.

SO I think I've found the solution to get my knitting mojo back. Why not a class? In a lakefront cabin? In front of the fire?With Jared Flood?

You can actually do that at Squam

It's like art camp for adults. Can you imagine? Cozying up in a lakefront lodge and finally diving into stranded colowork with the designer of this?

Of course that particular class is already full, but it's not like I was actually going to go. But seriously, I think I'm putting Squam on my life list. I will go at some point. It's only 3 hours away, and just a long weekend. Since I am no longer a source of nutrition for either of my children, things like this are once again possible. The $1000 (meals and cabin included) price tag is undoable at this point, but I'm thinking perhaps next year? Or the year after? The fact that they just introduced a "Squam by the Sea" in the Outer Banks feels like the universe is speaking to me. Like "HERE, you should do this." Too bad the OBX session isn't more like the textile oriented one in New Hampshire. It's a little more yoga, make an animal totem kinda session. Hey, I'm open, but if I'm dropping a grand I better be pretty stoked about what I'm going to get to do...and it sounds like there might be alot of um, sharing. And I ain't paying for that.

So I guess that's not really a solution to my knitting funk. At least not my current knitting funk. I was eyeing some of my old scarves last night, thinking of perhaps unraveling one or two. I never wear them and the yarn is nice, though a bit fuzzed up.

Ugh, is it too early to start planning the garden?

Joe in Black and White

2010-02-10T09:55:00.000-08:00

just a dry spell....

2010-02-09T09:42:00.000-08:00

This affair has got to end. Stop giving up the goods to that unappreciative harlot. She'll just break your heart. You should SEE what she's been saying about you on Facebook. Things like "enough already" "at first it was ok" and "go away now". Did you know that your presence is being compared to The Apocolypse? After all my bitching and complaining about "it's so cold" and "I don't think I can take 3 more months of this" I guess I can understand why you would stray. Oh my darling Winter, though you are still in this relationship, I know you are dropping your snow somewhere else. And a snowless relationship is not what I signed up for. Come back to bed honey. We will build forts. I promise.

Chair #2

2010-02-03T14:24:00.000-08:00

So I picked this up for $25.

Please excuse the general disarray of the surroundings. The chair is currently being held in the sewing/snowboard /junk/filing cabinet/robot/bar/guest room. Now quick, can you find evidence of any of these...it's like Highlights!

Anyway, so my thoughts are paint the frame black, and cover the chair in a green and white print. These are the contenders so far.

A -ok this isn't green, but it's a nice upholstery fabric super cheap as a remnant....have no idea what color to paint the chair though.

B- hm. I have a slight problem with birds. Will this trend ever run its course? They are EVERYWHERE. But these are parrots. So. yeah.

C - only $7 a yard!

D- most expensive, and unfortunately the one I am leaning towards.

E-Grey, but will go anywhere, no?

Tell me what I should do! PLEASE. And if you think all these are a bad idea, and have any other ideas, I'll take those too. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. Thank you.

Destruction

2010-02-01T10:20:00.000-08:00

I am coming to grips with the fact that I live with a wrecking ball.

We have 3 new holes in this house. One in the wall, one in the stained glass lamp, and one in Sam's head.

I only wish the first two were regenerating like the last one. It's only about a half inch cut, but it's kinda deep. For a moment we thought we were going to head over to the ER to get him a stitch or two, since things like this only happen on weekends, when the doctors office is closed. And there was subcutaneous fat bubbling out of the gash. But after calling his Ped, they said it was fine to wait a day and see if it is still oozing. And this morning, it seemed sufficiently ooze free, so the gaping wound is left to heal itself. If it was anywhere else, you would worry about scarring. Let's hope he never hopes to rock the shaved head look.

So today we're taking it easy.

I whipped up some homemade play dough and Sam can smoosh and rip and stab to his heart's content. Really, it's funny how violent he can make something like playing with clay be.

He was actually vibrating with the force of his squeeze when I took that picture.

Joe just keeps his distance. Smart man.

2010-01-29T09:19:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite sites, that I sometimes forget to check. Today, so glad I did.

I love Shutter Sisters

Magic.

2010-01-27T07:38:00.000-08:00

We just completed our requisite "January Thaw." It can get pretty ugly when the snow melts, leaving bits of trash and cigarettes butts in soggy puddles. It was nice, however, to be able to walk around without too much bundling. And yesterday the boys and I went on a urban hike. We stopped at the little playground on South Champlain. It's a cheery place. Kinda. I mean, it's next to a burned out building and there are beer bottles strewn about, but the vibrant mural makes up for any shadiness. The warmth in the air had me wanting to strap on some roller skates and go all Xanandu on that wall. To emerge in Spring, however, not some weird sparkly Tron-like void.

Sunday Shred.

2010-01-24T14:41:00.000-08:00

(I suggest hitting pause for a moment to let it buffer so the video won't be all choppy...)