Book of Family

Grandparent's Day 2010

2010-09-12T13:48:00.002-05:00

Today is Grandparent's Day! My Nana is 91 years old and I am blessed to have her. Sadly, with the passing of my Dad last week, my children are missing a grandparent this year, and that is hard.
If you or your children are lucky enough to have grandparents, call them today and tell them so!!

Bloggy Bootcamp Conclusions....

2010-09-12T11:34:00.003-05:00

After the hard week I had with losing Dad, I was happy I decided to attend Bloggy Bootcamp yesterday in Philly. I met a group of wonderfully smart and talented women who have produced some amazingly creative blogs. My conculusion of the day.....I have ALOT of freakin' work to do!!!

Bloggy Bootcamp

2010-09-10T17:34:00.007-05:00

I am very excited to be attending Bloggy Bootcamp tomorrow in Philly. While I have had my blog for a while, the concept of "blogging" especially in a professional manner, is new to me. I am hoping to learn many useful toosl and meet some wonderful people. But, most of all, I just hope to be out the door by 6am to make it to Philly by 8:30!!!

2010-08-28T00:16:00.003-05:00

Okay, I have suddenly realized that I have not posted anything new since December!!! What have I been doing??
I decided to change the direction of my blog to what interests me and what I find beauty and joy in.
I am blessed to know so many talented people and I hope to be able to showcase how they have enriched my life and given me inspiration. I am a jack of all trades, master of none so you will find this blog to be a hodge-podge of many of my interests.
Please be patient as I navigate these changes and find a format that suits me well

House Decorations

2009-12-21T22:38:00.001-05:00

Charlie, our Elf on the Shelf.

2009-12-21T22:36:00.001-05:00

2009-12-21T22:34:00.002-05:00

2009-12-21T22:31:00.000-05:00

first snow

2009-11-02T23:08:00.003-05:00

First snowball of the season!

Three Seasons: Summer flower, fall pumpkin, winter snow!

halloween

2009-11-02T22:54:00.002-05:00

Audrey

2009-11-02T22:35:00.002-05:00

Silverbox Creative Studios

2009-07-09T08:58:00.003-05:00

This a sample of the pictures of the kids taken by my friend Susan. She is the owner of Silverbox Creative Studios and a wonderful talent.

www.silverboxcreative.com

Welcome Audrey Frances!

2009-06-16T14:23:00.003-05:00

Audrey France Job
born June 8, 2009 5:25 pm
8 lbs, 7.25ozs / 20 1/2" long.

Big Brother, Mason!

Welcome Home!

Our new addition!

Baby Sprinkle

2009-05-06T21:08:00.003-05:00

I am thankful to Mom for hosting a lovely baby sprinkle for me on Sunday. It was a lovely afternoon with friends and family. I am very blessed to have these people in my life! Baby and I got some wonderful gifts.

Only 4 weeks to go!!

Nana looking beautiful at 90!!

The candy buffet I created for favors.

Cake!

Anniversary

2009-05-06T20:36:00.002-05:00

On April 12th Fran and I celebrated our 12th anniversary.......

Mom and Dad celebrated their 40th!!!!!!

Belly Shot!

Tulips from Fran

St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-23T19:53:00.003-05:00

Mason and Mrs. "L" making a craft at pre-school.

Enjoying his first Shamrock shake.

Pap and Mason.

Hawk Mountain

2009-03-23T19:46:00.003-05:00

Mason enjoyed an afternoon out with his dad and a business associate from the Netherlands. They took a hike at hawk mountain and then a trip to Cabela's.

Scarlet Fever...aka...Strep.

2009-02-20T13:52:00.003-05:00

He actually feels much better than he looks.

Valentine's Day Party at Pre-shcool

2009-02-20T13:42:00.003-05:00

Mason and his "girlfriend" Morgan. She is showing him her barrette. Mason tries to be interested.

Practicing his lacing.

Tic-Tac-Toe

The Loot!!

Fran with the tan!!

2009-02-20T13:38:00.004-05:00

Fran was more than happy to flaunt his new and improved bronze skin-tone from cruising around the BVI's for a week. He was perfectly fine wearing shorts in 20-something degree weather...show off!!! lol

Birthday...part 3

2009-02-16T23:19:00.004-05:00

We celebrated Fran's return and Mason's bithday with a family party on Sunday.

Mason and Uncle Sean

Mason opening a gift from Grammy with some help from cousin Logan.

Logan still trying to help and Mason not wanting any of it.

My first skateboard!!

My Wall-E cake on my Wall-E table!!!

My Family.

Nana and Mason.

Mason and Boo

Grammy and Mason.

Valentine's Day.

2009-02-16T23:17:00.002-05:00

Mason opening gifts while Pap plays a video game.

Bowling party

2009-02-16T23:09:00.003-05:00

Mason went bowling for the first time on Saturday at his friend Matthew's birthday party. He really enjoyed it.

Mason thrilled with his turn!

Matthew, the birthday boy!

Lining it up....

...and letting it roll!!

Playdate

2009-02-13T23:42:00.003-05:00

Mason making pizza.

Cutting out cookies!

Mommy is helping.

Playing with Owen and Matthew.

Pre-school

2009-02-13T23:39:00.001-05:00

Mason loved his birthday crown from preschool. He wore it for two days!!

Valentine's Day...

2009-02-13T23:34:00.004-05:00

Fran sent me these lovely flowers. Having him home will be the best gift of all!

(the cats are loving the bouquet! To them it's a salad bar!!!)

Mason's 4th Birthday!

2009-02-13T23:22:00.004-05:00

Mason wearing his tye-dyed socks.

Mason and I tye-dyed 15 pairs of socks for favors. I even made him a green pair to save for Patty's day.

The joys of winter...

2009-02-13T23:19:00.002-05:00

This is what happens when you back into one too many snow banks!

Santa train ride.

2009-01-01T22:58:00.000-05:00

Ocean City, MD

2009-01-01T22:57:00.000-05:00

Chris, Bridget, Fran, Mason and Me.

Baby Job

2009-01-01T22:56:00.000-05:00

New Baby on the way...

2008-11-17T17:41:00.002-05:00

Fran and I are thrilled to announce that we are expecting a baby brother or sister for Mason! Fran and I were shocked to find out in September that we were expecting since it didn't involve the fertility doctor. Maybe Mason had something to do with it since he threw about 20 coins in the fountain on vacation wishing for a baby brother ( that and a skateboard). We will see in June if his wish came true!

Engaged!!!

2008-09-22T22:08:00.003-05:00

A BIG Congrats goes out to my brother Christian and his new fiance Bridget. They got engaged last night on the beach while we are on vacation.

Mason's First Day of Pre-school

2008-09-03T00:03:00.002-05:00

Fran and I just cannot believe that it is time for our "baby" to go off to pre-school but today was the day. It was both depressing and exciting for us.

Mason was all set in his new outfit and had to bring in a show and tell item on the first day. This pre-school thing is serious business. During orientation we were give a whole folder of schedules, rules, fundraisers and paper work.

Mason claimed he had a good time and wants to go back. Let's face it we all know he has a bit of a temper and a stubborn streak so the fact that we weren't called to take him home on day one is very encouraging to us. (haha)

Mason shows off the backpack that Grammy and Pop got him.

Waiting for the doors to open.

My "Bolcano"!!

2008-09-02T23:54:00.002-05:00

Fran bought Mason a volcano science kit a long time ago. Mason found it as we were clearing our stuff from my parent's house for their move. Mason had no rest in him until Fran put it together. We didn't have time to create the fake rock from sand and there was no food coloring for lava but that didn't matter to him. He slapped on those goggles and went to town creating a mess of vinegar and baking powder. He LOVED it....his "bolcano"!!

Double Rainbow

2008-09-02T23:50:00.002-05:00

The other day Mason and I walked outside to find a full-arched double rainbow over our neighbors house. My camera wasn't able to capture the whole picture but it was the most beautiful and vivid rainbow I had ever seen. Mason loved it!

Mason Meets Curious George

2008-09-02T23:47:00.000-05:00

Home Sweet Home

2008-09-02T00:25:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Beth's Mom and Dad who in this lousy housing market managed to sell their home of 22 years in one day for full price!
They down-sized to this cute ranch only a block away from her brother.

Vacation Bible School (VBS)

2008-09-02T00:21:00.004-05:00

During the closing program for VBS I told Mason he had to stand still. I apparently forgot to tell him not to strip!!!

Baptism

2008-09-02T00:12:00.003-05:00

When our nephew was recently baptised, Fran and I were asked to stand as God-parents.

Mason was asked to pour the water on Logan's head. He did a great job and Logan didn't even cry!

Proud parents and family.

Logan and the blanket Beth's grandmother made for his baby shower.

Mason meets a Ninja Turtle....

2008-09-02T00:10:00.000-05:00

I have no idea which one it is.

College Reunion

2008-09-02T00:07:00.002-05:00

My friend Betsy and I attended a college reunion. We were told it was in a club so we got all dressed up. Unfortunately, it was on the outside deck of the club. Oh, well we still looked pretty fabulous!

Niagara Falls

2008-09-01T23:49:00.004-05:00

At first we tried a self-portrait....

but then we gave up and asked a fellow tourist to take our picture.

Taking Mason to the casino...(ah, for dinner!)

Fran, the deer whisperer. (Marineland, Canada)

Mason watching the Killer Whales.

Horseshoe Falls.

It was an exciting trip!

Story Time

2008-07-23T23:16:00.003-05:00

Mason and Kiersten: Notice the 2 year old "reading" to the three and a half year old!

4th of July

2008-07-23T17:10:00.003-05:00

Mason enjoys the 4th with our Goddaughter, Kiersten. She was happy for the playmate since her new little sister Audrey is a bit noisy.

Fran manages to soothe baby Audrey.

Night Out

2008-07-23T17:07:00.002-05:00

Fran and I enjoyed an evening out to see a local Irish band with my brother Christian and his girlfriend Bridget.

Fireworks

2008-07-23T17:04:00.002-05:00

I tried the "fireworks" setting on my new camera...they didn't turn out too bad.

2008-07-23T17:02:00.000-05:00

Spuds..the dog

2008-06-16T10:58:00.002-05:00

Mason loves the neighbors dog Spuds. Every time he sees him he says "there's my dog Spuds!!"
Fran heard of someone selling beagle puppies and suggested Mason would love one. I put the brakes on that one!

Spuds knows how to work the neighborhood, everyone brings him treats, including Mason.

Bigfoot (the truck)

2008-06-16T10:48:00.004-05:00

Bigfoot was in town Saturday as the kick off to the Summerfest. Fran and I took Mason to see it and it is very impressive. Mason has recently been watching the Bigfoot cartoon in the morning so it was funny to see him realize this is the truck he watches on TV. They had to store the truck in the neighborhood fire department overnight.

Mason and Fran underneath the truck.

5K

2008-06-16T10:45:00.002-05:00

Saturday morning Fran participated in his second 5K of the summer. He plans to do one a month until October.
He was able to beat his May time by a few seconds but considering that the rent-a-cop sent him in the wrong direction, he actually did a 5 1/2 K in just about the same time he did the 5K in May.

Sex and the City...

2008-06-16T10:38:00.004-05:00

I got to see the movie twice this week. It is REALLY good! However, each time I see it I have a strange urge to go buy a $525.00 pair of shoes....if only!

Last Sunday enjoying after-movie mohijtos with Ildikio and Mickey.

Friday sipping pre-movie martinis with Betsy.

Strawberry Picking

2008-06-16T09:57:00.006-05:00

I hosted Strawberry Picking last Thursday for my MOM's club. Thankfully the weather wasn't too hot. Surprisingly, Mason had a GREAT time and it was fight to get him out of the field! He kept asking me, "how's this one Mommy?" and I would have to look and give my approval.

Mason would categorize his strawberries, "this is a mommy strawberry, this one is a baby one, here is the daddy strawberry!!"

"Mmmm, sweet and juicy Mommy!!"

We left with 5 containers of berries, most of which we froze so we can enjoy them throughout the summer.

Sponge Bob

2008-06-16T09:48:00.003-05:00

Last Tuesday was Kid's Nite at our local (and by local I mean 30 minutes away) Pizza Hut. The featured character for June was Sponge Bob. Mason was so excited to see him but a little apprehensive about getting a picture with him or shaking his hand.

Nan came along to join in the fun!

Eventually he came around and the whole evening was topped off with a balloon which made his night.

Mason's First Trip to the Dentist

2008-06-16T09:42:00.004-05:00

Mason had his first dentist appointment on Wednesday. He was so excited and then 3 feet from the dentist's front door...SPLAT!! He fell and scraped open both his knees. What a disaster. Thankfully, children are resilient because in a few minutes he bounced back and proceeded with his exam. Mason was really good about getting his teeth counted and checked but absolutely refused to have them brushed. Oh, well, maybe next time. 1out of 2 isn't bad.

Graduation

2008-06-16T09:39:00.003-05:00

My Goddaughter Sarah graduated from Jr. High last week. Now she is off to high school....I remember those days! What an exciting time.

Congrats Sarah!!

Baby Logan

2008-06-09T12:53:00.002-05:00

With Mom and Dad at his first Memorial Day parade.

New Citizen (5/28/2008)

2008-06-09T12:27:00.005-05:00

Fran and I went with our friend Ildiko and her family to Philadelphia as she received her US Citizenship. (She is from Hungary) What a wonderful opportunity we were given to witness this occasion. I doubt very many of us get the chance to see individuals as they become citizens of our great country. While Ildiko and her husband, Jules, have been in the country many years, it was still a little emotional to see the process of becoming an official citizen.

As an American, I know I take for granted the privileges and freedoms that come from being automatically born a citizen. It gave me new perspective to watch the joy in the face of people who worked very hard to achieve something I rarely think about having. There were people there from 38 countries who put in the long hours, endless appointments, paperwork, travel and exams, ( I am sure I could never pass) all it takes to get to that point. It really meant something to see the pride those people had to be now called Americans!

Ildiko with her certificate.

Fran, Me, Ildiko, Bence and Jules

Seeing that was a once in a lifetime opportunity Fran and I are so glad we took.

Congratulations to Ildiko!!

It's a Boy!!!

2008-05-15T23:03:00.004-05:00

I was very blessed to get a nephew for my birthday. Logan Patrick was born this morning to Fran's sister. He weighed 7lbs, 3oz and was 19" long. He is a very handsome boy. Mom and baby are doing well and Dad even got to change a dirty diaper already.

Fran and I are very excited to be a first-time Aunt and Uncle.

Mason, however, is not sure about this whole cousin-thing. He said "Logan is not a boy, he's a baby!!" Like it or not Mason is no longer the sole grandchild. Time will tell how he handles the competition. haha

So Cute!!

Sucking his thumb already.

Happy Birthday to....me!

2008-05-15T22:57:00.003-05:00

Mason is a big helper! He just LOVES to blow out the candles. We always have to re-light and blow them out several times. Thankfully, we don't have to sing each time.

I have heard of singing in the shower....

2008-05-14T15:55:00.003-05:00

but this is getting ridiculous!!!
Several months ago, a nest of birds set up house in the wall above our shower here in our rental home. The bathroom is downstairs and was an addition put on the back of the kitchen for the elderly woman who used to live here. Well, construction must have been cheap because not only did we freeze our butts off in the winter (the shower could've actually doubled as a meat cooler)from no insulation, apparently a hole in the siding provided the perfect home for birds.

Now, the landlord said he would come and evict the birds, (after all, they aren't paying rent!!) once the weather got warmer. Well, by that time the babies had hatched. Since I don't want to be part of the great bird massacre we now have to wait until they fly away.

Come into the bathroom any time of the day and you can hear them chirpping away. Then when momma come home with dinner it is pandemonium! Right now I am typing in the office upstairs. Tripod is in the window enjoying the sun while the momma bird is outside yelling at him thinking he is after her babies. It's like a soap opera.

Guppie lessons...

2008-04-18T13:23:00.005-05:00

Mason, Owen and Matthew. It is hard to get 3 little boys to sit still for the camera!

Mason and I take swim lessons every Wednesday. We are joined there by his friends Matthew (who is 4 days younger than Mason) and Owen (his newest friend).

The class is offically called "Pikes" but Mason has named it "Guppie" lessons after an episode of Little Bill on the Noggin Channel. So far he is really enjoying them.

Baby Shower

2008-04-18T13:15:00.004-05:00

Sunday we held a Baby Shower for my sister-in-law Colleen. She is having a boy and is scheduled to deliver on May 15th. That doesn't leave much time and she got A LOT of beautiful things that have to be organized soon. Fran and I are very excited for Mason to have a first cousin.

The Loot! Looking at this you wonder how our grandmothers and mothers raised kids without all this stuff!

Here fishy, fishy, fishy....

2008-04-15T23:24:00.003-05:00

Saturday was the first day of trout season so Fran was sure to take Mason out. He had been begging to try his new fishing pole for weeks. When the fishing commenced Mason decided he preferred the big fishing pole to his little one. He did manage to catch a trout but then decided he would rather play in the sand box. He definitely likes to catch he just doesn't have the patience to fish. Even though I was there strictly to take pictures I managed to catch a bass. (All fish were thrown back in case you were wondering) It was a very fun family activity.

11 Years.....

2008-04-15T23:18:00.002-05:00

Fran and I celebrated our 11th Wedding Anniversary this past weekend. He sent me beautiful roses, and we went out for a lovely dinner. (Thanks Mom & Dad for baby sitting!)

Zzzzzzzzzzz

2008-04-15T23:16:00.003-05:00

After refusing to lay in his bed this is where Mason finally decided to take his nap. To me it's not too comfortable looking but he was happy with it for over an hour.

Happy Birthday Nan!

2008-04-15T23:13:00.002-05:00

Mason and I celebrated Nan's birthday. Of course Mason insisted on helping her blow out the candles.

Hockey

2008-04-15T23:10:00.002-05:00

We took Mason to his first hockey game and he LOVED it. Especially when the guys slammed into the wall right in front of him. Even though our team lost it was a lot of fun!

Happy Birthday Nana!!

2008-04-15T23:03:00.003-05:00

Nana just turned 89 at the end of March. And after just having surgery I think she is looking fabulous!!!

Update...finally!

2008-04-08T00:19:00.003-05:00

I know, I know it's been a LONG time since I updated. I appreciate the patience of all of you who have hung in there. Unfortunately, I don't have too much news to report.
The housing search still continues. We put in a bid on Friday but were rejected. So were now trying to decide to rebid or just keep looking. My Mother just wants us to buy her house and she says that makes sense since 85% of my stuff is stored at her house I wouldn't have to move much!
Here are some pictures to keep you in the loop!

Super Pap & Super Mason, coming to the rescue!!

Mason's Easter outfit. He looks so cute & so much like a little boy.

Easter Sunday.

Mason & his friend Matthew at the Easter egg hunt where they were both kind enough to share their eggs with kids who didn't get any.

As I got out of the shower one day I discovered that Mason had emptied the majority of the refrigerator contents onto the kitchen table. When I asked what he was doing he replied " I am making a picnic...how do you like it??" I couldn't help but laugh, and take a picture of it.

Good bye Pirate Crab....

2008-04-08T00:06:00.002-05:00

We are sorry to announce that the Pirate Crab has passed away. This is sort of sad since he was just up crawling around this morning. Fran went to feed him tonight and he was out of his shell and broken in pieces. I think he had a good run though, we've had him since Sept. I never thought he'd make it this long.

Good bye ol' crab...thanks for being a good pet.

House update

2008-02-24T00:24:00.002-05:00

Well, no luck on the house. Our bid was rejected for someone who had CASH!!! Who has 190K in cash??!!?? Oh well, on to the next one. I just can't believe how cut-throat the housing market is here. Everywhere else in America there is a slump.

The wait begins....

2008-02-23T11:47:00.002-05:00

Fran and I put a bid in on a house last night. Now the wait begins for an answer. When we bid there were two other offers we were competing against. This morning we found out there was one more. Competition is tight, we will let you know what happens.

Mason Turns Three!!!!

2008-02-13T22:03:00.005-05:00

It is so hard to believe our little boy has turned three!! Time is too fleeting. We had a lovely party for him at Uncle Chris' fire house.
Here are some highlights from his big day.

Mason riding the Radio Flyer Scooter he got from Mom & Dad.

The AWESOME fire truck birthday cake that was almost too pretty to eat! (almost!)

Ready to blow out candles...

YUM!! The cake tastes as good as it looked. (Mason had several pieces)

Uncle Chris talks to the kids about fire safety...

and then he give a tour of the fire trucks!!

You just never know....

2008-02-12T00:13:00.002-05:00

I came to realize an old lesson this past week. A dear friend of mine, from the past, passed away on Thursday from a blood clot. He was just 42. I had not seen John in almost 12 years and ran into him just three weeks ago at the local farmer's market. He recognized me first and we greeted like old friends. He was excited to meet Mason and we chatted about old times and catching up on people we knew. As we parted, I made a promise to come see him and his band perform. Sadly, a promise I will not get to keep.
Over the weekend I have been thinking a lot about him and remembering times I had long since stored away. He touched the lives of so many and I am glad to have been one of them.
So, the old lesson is this....life is short. Unfortunately, every now and then we are reminded of this the hard way. I hope this post inspires you to do or say the thing you have been putting off. You might just be grateful that you did.
Rest In Peace, John.

Nice feeling....

2008-01-12T23:39:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I got my hair cut and was using a new stylist. After having my hair washed we were conversing and I made some reference to my being old. The stylist, who I would say is in her early to mid-twenties, guessed that I was 26. HA!
Now I know she was probably just gearing up for a big tip but in the moment it was a nice compliment.
(sigh) Back to reality!

Happy Birthday Uncle Chris!

2008-01-12T23:37:00.001-05:00

Nuggs the cat gets in on the birthday cake action!

Super Mason!!

2008-01-12T23:31:00.001-05:00

Mason has discovered that by wearing a pillowcase for a cape and wearing his hat backwards, he can become "Super Mason!" (When the hat is forward, he is just Mason)

" To the rescue!!! I'n coming to save the day!!!"

Super Mason and his buddy Super Ross

Happy New Year!!

2008-01-12T23:10:00.000-05:00

We hope you had a lovely Christmas holiday and wish you all the best in 2008!

From our family to yours....Beth, Fran and Mason

Mason and Santa (aka cousin Dale)

2008-01-12T23:05:00.001-05:00

Homemade Christmas

2008-01-12T23:00:00.000-05:00

Mason got crafty this year by painting ornaments for all his relatives.

The finished product!

Before and After.

2008-01-09T22:23:00.000-05:00

Well, it took a while but here is our little rental house before and after. Whew! No wonder I am tired!

Update! (long over due...I know!!)

2007-12-09T20:48:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone. Here is a really quick re-cap of our last month.
*I had a severe pain that landed me in the ER three times which lead to a four day stay in the hospital. Had a procedure called an ERCP to remove a gallstone from my common duct then had my gallbladder removed the next day.
*Since I was sick the packing wasn't finished so Fran enlisted the help of many family and friends (Thank you , thank you , thank you!!!) to help finish.
*Twelve hours after having surgery I had to check myself out of the hospital to meet the movers for 8am. (Lots of pain pills involved here!)
*The movers didn't bring a large enough truck so Fran and a friend had to make a last run to pick up the last of the stuff and didn't finish until 3am!! Then we were back down for settlement the next day at 11am.
*None of our bedroom furniture would fit in the rental house so it had to be lifted onto the second floor and brought in through the window. The bed didn't fit at all so a new bed had to be purchased. It arrived on Saturday and we are hoping to be moved out our my parent's house by tomorrow. (Much thanks to Mom and Dad for the accommodations and hospitality!!).
*Did you know Christmas is 2 weeks away???!!!???!
So that is why the update is a long time coming. If I survive the holidays I will update sooner.
(Some day we will look back on all this and chuckle)

Craft

2007-11-10T10:23:00.000-05:00

On Thursday Mason got together with some friends and made a pine cone bird feeder. For those of you who did not make this in Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, the concept is simple. Smear peanut butter all over a pine cone and then roll it in birdseed.
Even though our association does not allow us to have bird feeders, we figured we only have a week left. Mason will enjoy watching the birds.

Mason not quite understanding how Mommy wants him to hold his pine cone up to the camera.

The finished product. Bring on the birds!!

Mass Chaos!!

2007-11-10T00:43:00.000-05:00

It has become quite evident in this moving process that in our house you can do one of two things.....

1. Live here or

2. Pack

This house was not meant to do both!

Elmo Slippers

2007-11-10T00:40:00.001-05:00

Mason finally decided he likes his Elmo slipper he got for Christmas last year.

A baby girl...

2007-11-08T15:12:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to my dear friend Valerie! She gave birth yesterday to Anelia (pronounced Ah nah lee ah). She was 8lbs, 7oz and 22 inches long. Whew!

Gymnastics

2007-11-08T15:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Mason and I went to gymnastics. Although he had issues with waiting in line for his turn, he had a blast! All that jumping, climbing and tumble sets set him up for a great afternoon nap!

The Marshmellow Pit

Halloween 2007

2007-11-05T00:08:00.001-05:00

For weeks Mason was going around the house declaring"I'n the wobot Mason!" So, it was an easy decision to make him a robot for Halloween. Unfortunately, Mason had a bad cold on Halloween and refused to wear the jumpsuit that went under the foam cover. So, with half his costume on and sporting his new "ray-gun" (which was really a Buzz Lightyear from the Disney store) he was sort of half robot, half space man. Regardless he was excited to trick-or-treat and went around to a few houses in the neighborhood. After about a half and hour he wanted to go home. Fran and I thought he was just tired but we soon found out he just wanted to raid his loot!

"I'm the wobot Mason. I'n the wobot Mason!"

The Loot! His favorite take-away? A gummy SpongeBob crabby patty! Yum!!

My Tree House

2007-11-05T00:02:00.000-05:00

Mason's Uncle Chris was generous enough to set up this wonderful playset for him in his back yard. He loved it and kept calling it his tree house. Despite the freezing weather he had a great time playing and jumping in the leaves. Thanks Uncle Chris!!

Dutch Wonderland

2007-11-01T10:23:00.000-05:00

Mason with his friend Bence.

Update...

2007-11-01T10:08:00.000-05:00

Well, we have a little over two weeks left until we move. Packing is not going well. I had no idea how difficult it would be with a 2 1/2 yr. old "helping".
We are still waiting to hear about our rental home so as of today we are still homeless.

The quotes are coming in for our radon remediation system. Looks like it is going to run about $700-800. Which is better than the $1200 I was expecting.

I will keep you posted...

Didn't see this coming....

2007-10-25T10:26:00.000-05:00

Well, we failed our radon test. This is very bad news as it means we've been living in a toxic house and now we have to shell out big bucks to correct it before we can sell. Our level came in at 7.9 pCi/L. The acceptable threshold is 4.0 pCi/L. So we are almost double the acceptable level. Yikes!!
So then, of course, I read that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Not something a hypochondriac like me needs to know.
Now the search begins to find a licensed person to install the remediation system and a price that will not make me faint. (sigh) There is always something.
Only three weeks left!!

Ouch!!

2007-10-20T00:28:00.000-05:00

Fran just got home from the hospital. He has a broken rib and a partially collapsed lung. The rib was a result of him falling against the tub after Masons bath earlier this week. The lung, he said, is a result of not being able to breathe deeply. The doctor said he will be out of commission for at least two weeks. So much for all that packing that needs to be done!

Going, going....gone!!

2007-10-20T00:08:00.000-05:00

After 5 long months, in one of the worst housing markets in recent history, we have sold our house. Actually, "sold" seems like a strong word....it feels more like we gave it away. But, it is done and we are moving out! Settlement is on November 21st. (The day before Thanksgiving) So, that leaves us less than 5 weeks to pack up and move out. Oh, and to also find somewhere to live.

Inspections on our place were done this week.

Termites - passed

Home - passed

Radon - TBD (canisters get picked up tomorrow)

While I am in complete denial over all the packing that has to be done, I will be very sad to leave our little community. It feels strange to think we have to start all over again somewhere else.

I will keep everyone posted...keep checking back!!

PS Anyone have any boxes??? haha

'Tis the Season.....

2007-10-08T20:36:00.000-05:00

Everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE Christmas. I start planning for my holiday in July. Each year I anxiously wait to see when the first Christmas commercial will air. (I know it's weird but, it's my thing.)
Yesterday was the day!! Now usually the first commercial consists of some sort of Time Life music collection. This year it was close. It was the Clay Aiken (sp?) Christmas concert. But it counts. I guess my season has officially begun.

Update

2007-10-07T11:57:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone. Just a quick update. Surgery went well and I am feeling really good. Much thanks to all of you who sent well wishes and prayers. They are greatly appreciated. Mason and I have a busy week next week filled with lots of fall activities. Be sure to check back for more photos.

Sad News...

2007-10-04T20:32:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, Fran and I have some sad news to share. Yesterday, we learned that our baby didn't have a heartbeat, suffering our second miscarriage. Needless to say, we are very heartbroken. Tomorrow morning I am scheduled for surgery at 10:30. Please keep us in your prayers.

Hayride

2007-10-04T20:27:00.000-05:00

Mason enjoying a hayride today even though it was 87* outside!!

Pumpkin Painting

2007-10-04T20:21:00.000-05:00

Mason discovered his inner artist while pumpkin painting. Amazingly, he didn't get any on his shirt!