And Hello Again...

and how are you, and how was yours... I am fine, mine was great. The last of our holiday guests left this afternoon, Jeff having driven them up to Maine himself. (He'll be back tomorrow.) So now it's just me and the kids sort of enjoying the quiet but missing the hubub all at the same time. This christmas was definitely one to remember, having Grammi and Papa here was really special. And I'm so glad lanie and cassidy and nora were able to stay as long as they did, we all had a great time.

Here are a few christmas pictures. My picture taking was spotty this year. I didn't get any pictures of henry, or me or jeff, or grammi, or even lanie! not off my camera anyway. Cassidy took lots with her camera, she agreed to put them on flickr or something for me. I'll share that link as it becomes available...



This is a special something Maggie got from her Grammi and Papa. Apparently she spied it upon entering a gift shop and was so drawn to it Grammi had to get it for her. She sure loves this aquarium. The fish 'swim' by on a neverending roll of clear plastic behind a glass front, complete with backlight and air filter bubble sounds.


This is a collection of body armor Henry got from our good friend Jon. Jon really knows how to please Henry in the gift department, and he is so thrilled to have all this great stuff to dress up in. Jon sent him a junior football chest pad thingie, something called a waist protector, shin guards, knee pads and ice hockey gloves. Henry added his own light saber and night vision dart shooting goggles and a superhero was born!

as you can see, Henry wore his gear straight through breakfast...

and lunch!



Here's Phil and Nora, look especially cute...


We decorated cookies on Christmas Eve... Jeff made the "I love Susie" one, I made the santa face, and Maggie did the more abstract one...


Maggie got a little Hello Kitty lip balm and mirror compact from Santa. Here she is applying her lipstick.


and here is one I took of Nora the other day. I think the light makes her skin look gorgeous...


that's all for now! we'll try to get back to a more regular posting schedule now that the holidays are behind us, mm'kay? and now a special shout out to my momma: I updated mine, now you update yours!

xxx ooo

The view from my kitchen

Another thing that's peaceful to look at. I love the center hallway transition from my kitchen to my living room.

Maggie Napping

Maggie has been crashing where she falls lately. I think she looks especially peaceful here.

Own Self Do-ee

Here is my little shadow, fixing herself a peanut butter and jelly. But only after insisting on deciding exactly what she wanted to wear for the 'at home' portion of her day. Cute, huh?


Here is the christmas gift I made for my brother in law Phil. I really like how it turned out. It's a corkboard! I've had these animal lotto cards for some time now and have gradually been figuring out what to do with them. I've almost used them all up now! To make this I trimmed the pictures and rubber cemeted them to the corkboard in the pattern you see. Then I glued navy blue ribbon down at the edges of the cards, and a strip of ivory ribbon at the top. I like to whip up handmade things for Phil because he's so talented and crafty himself. Last year he made us this gorgeous birdfeeder:

O Christmas Tree

Here's our tree, got it put up over the weekend. I just love trees that we cut down ourselves, something about the shape of them and the droop of the branches seems so gorgeous and colonial to me. And I am also appreciating how our christmas tree looks pretty much the same each year, although our tree looks like no one elses I know. Here are some other pictures of trees past...

What's in Your Bag

This is another of those photo groups over at flickr.com that always interest me. I don't think I'll add my picture to the group, but I will tell YOU, dear reader, what's in my bag...


OK, so this green bag is one I get a lot of compliments on. I remember not being thrilled with the shade of green, but really loving the functionality of the interior. I like a colored lining, so my black wallet is easily spied. $12.99 at Marshalls.

Then we have my phone, complete with a MacGyvered wrist strap that only serves to freak me out when it brushes against my neck while I'm on the phone. My wallet, with the same dollar bill that's been in there all week. Hand lotion (although I miss last years hand lotion that went with me in my bag. Body Butter from The Body Shop. Shea flavor. Yum! An emergency diaper, a random grocery list, breath mints, my keys, my travel bottle of pills, lipstick, my preferred tooth picks, a post it note with an address on where to ship something I sold on craigslist last week, and, lastly, a pen from the Side Trax, my favorite place to eat in the world, located in Greefield, NH. Have I taken you there before? :-)

PEACE Quote

To shut your mind, heart, imagination to the sufferings of others is to begin slowly but inexorably to die. It is to cease by inches from being human, to become in the end capable of nothing generous or unselfish, or sometimes capable of anything, however terrible.
- John Austin Baker, Bishop of Salisbury

Cassidy and Maggie

OMG look at this picture I just dug up. This picture was apparently taken on our wedding anniversary back in 2004! May 15.

Weekend Update

This is a little something I made this weekend. Lascia gave me a ton of sparkly beads and they are so yummy to look at, I had to do something with them. It’s a spider, in case you hadn’t figured it out yet. The black blob is supposed to be a mouth, but I nudged it befor it dried and now it’s more of a black blob. Oh well.

This weekend was pretty good! On Saturday Lascia and her daughter Emily came over for some ornament making, and then Jeff and Henry went to a Manchester Monarchs ice hockey game on Saturday night. At first Henry didn’t want to go. He can be like a dog who hates to take a bath when it’s time to leave the house. A real homebody, he. But they went and had fun.

I asked Sean and Christine from down the road to watch Maggie for me on Saturday night and went out for a drink with Lascia and Bob and some friends of theirs. For Lascia’s 30th birthday celebration. Very good times. Lots of laughing and growing closer. So good to make new friends! I love it.

Sunday morning, we went to cut down our Christmas tree. We go every year with Matt and Nicole. Nicole’s belly is really growing! She’s either further along than she thinks, grows huge babies right from the start, or has more than one in there. My goodness! What a gorgeous pregnant woman she is. My camera was dead, so no pictures. boo...

The hard drive on Jeff's laptop died, so he and Maggie headed out to Nashua to get another one yesterday. When they got home, Henry and I gave her the kind of warm welcome she gives any of us when we come home. Lots of celebrating and hugs and kisses and cheers, etc. She loved it. At one point she looked up at Jeff as if to say, "are you seeing this?!" That girl is super cute.

Okedoke, I have a gazillion things to do so I'd better run. I need to carve out a specific time of day when I work on entries for this blog, because believe it or not, I have a lot to say, if given the chance! I think about all the topics I'd like to pontificate on, and then when I actually get a minute to post, I invariably end up coughing out a giant wad of "did this, plan to do that, here's a pic of this, hope that happens, oop, gotta go!" and leave it at that.

one other pic. Lascia gave me a bookcase they don't need anymore, so after I painted up the downstairs hallway last week, I incorporated it into the area opposite the former birdcage. I really like the idea of a table and a lamp and a mirror in that room, but I want to ultimately upgrade everything you see in this picture. But I like what I've got going as far as a proof of concept, you know? And I was able to get halfway to the goal without spending any money, just pulling pieces from here and there. So that's good.

Finally some snow!

Ah, Wednesday.

I am usually quite bored on Wednesdays. Mondays I usually get started on laundry right away, and then pull the house together and potentially begin to tackle some sort of project. This Monday it was painting the downstairs hallway area where the stairs are. Yesterday I felt like I'd worked hard the day before, plus the dump was open and I picked up a ton of old magazines, plus jeff was due home late from work. So the day yawned in front of me and I ended up not doing much of anything except plowing through the magazines. And today....! Today I'm sick of it all. Nothing to get inspired about, nothing to "do" besides more housework, more laundry, etc. The only thing to do is to distract and/or scold maggie from her current obsession of dispensing any and every cream/gel/soap hand pump that she can get her hands on. Right now in fact she's at my side, demanding, "LOTION! LOTION! LOTION!"

I think what I'll do is, I'll go play with maggie. That's important work, too. I get so used to working around her that I often forget to work WITH her. the laundry can still get done, the house will only get slightly messier, and it'll help her to stay out of trouble.

I joined a photo group at flickr.com called "Corners of My Home". There are over 1,600 people signed up and everyone posts photos of a corner in their house. I have seen this on a few of the blogs I read and really enjoy it. Then I saw a picture I took of my kitchen sink a couple years ago and decided I should add that feature to my blog, too. so look for it soon!

POKE!

this was forwarded it me via email, I don't actually know the person who owns this tattoo. funny though, huh?

My first cake!

Well here it is. Nothing too fancy, but it was pretty. I like the pink color of the cake, but I wish I'd stuck to just white icing. that was my plan, but henry was looking for something to do, so I let him add color. and I got the D in Happy Birthday backwards. did you know that cake decorators have a scrabble tile holder like contraption that you can slide raised letters on to? Then you stamp the top of the cake with the letters and pipe icing over it. the goopy bow at the top of the cake is from where I dragged my sleeve across the top of the cake. I didn't get a picture of the side of the cake, but it has a swag design going around the top and vertical stripes where the swag meets the top. Red Hot Imperials complete the design.

This is a favorite christmas decoration of Maggies

Henry's Dental Appointment

Earlier this week Henry had an appointment with our dental hygenist, Carrie. Earlier this year, when we were in Seattle for three weeks this summer, Henry's cousin Brooke took x-rays of his teeth as part of her training to be a dental hygenist, and so we brought those with us to show Carrie and Dr. Wilson, our family dentist.





Apparently Henry has big teeth and we should expect "some crowding" and a need for othodontics with him. This is no surprise! Carrie also thought she saw an "extra tooth" visible in his x-ray, near the bottom left of his nose or something. She wanted to hang on to the x-ray so that dr. wilson could take it to some orthodontics conference he's going to soon so he could get some second opinions. Not out of any concern, more of a 'do you see what I see?' kind of thing. Carrie told Henry is was called a "Supernumery" and he caught my eye, obviously pleased. like he'd been given a super power or something. "Super!" he said, giving me a thumbs up. too cute.

Books: Down Came the Rain

I'm reading "Down Came the Rain - My Journey Through Postpartum Depression" by Brooke Shields. Picked it up at the library. Whoo, can this girl tell it like it IS. This book will help many many women. I'm so lucky I didn't suffer too much from ppd with either of my kids. I cried here and there, and definitely felt overwhelmed after the birth of number one, but when the girl came along, I felt terrific and bounded out of bed every morning with hope and purpose for months afterward. And I got to have the birth experience I wanted (exit via the usual route, no surprises, wonderful nurses, my mom was there, etc) both times. So. Very grateful, to say the least.

I am also really hearing what Brooke Shields has to say about her experience. If I haven't felt everything she felt, I know some woman who did, you know? She's also very revealing, and lays it all out there for dear reader:

I kept leaning over and smelling her to see if I could recognize her scent or anything familiar about her. In a strange way, she seemed to know me muuch better than I did her. She was able to look directly at me, as if she had everything all figured out. I felt self-conscious when alone with her. She seemed pure and honest and raw, and it unsettled me. I tried to talk to her when we were alone.
"Baby girl, please be patient with me. I think I'm having a hard time here, and I don't want you to be sad because of it. please love me. I promise I'll try to ge tbetter."

I'm also halfway through "We Were the Mulvaneys" by Joyce Carol Oates. And I got the book written by that woman who has autism and works on desinging more humane ways to manage cattle bound for slaughter or something? I like to be in the middle of something large, and also have a couple of smaller books to power through on the side.

Anyway, time to go. I work hard on the house all day and yet come Friday, it's all gone to hell again. My bedroom is a mess, my sheets have sand in them somehow, laundry laundry laundry, and I need to be ready to lay all the christmas decorations over the top of everything. oh yes, and hang out and take care of margie. and go to the vet and go to the drugstore to pick of my dog's xanax (yes that's right). So you see. To do to do to do.

A big shout out to our much loved Auntie Ro as she recovers from surgery with her big sis by her side. Go go Auntie Ro! And hooray for my dad who gets to take the next four weeks off from chemo!

GOOD HEALTH TO YOU AND YOURS, HUH? have a good day

My sister sent Thanksgiving photos

And oh man do I wish I had been there! Look at this picture and imagine yourself around that table. Looking at this picture actually makes my heart pound and my eyes well up. Look at my dad, with the Upper Plate Perma Grin, and Brooke next to him, pushing back from what must've been a fantastic meal. Dian is a fabulous cook. So says me, so says we all. Marcia, no slouch in the kitchen herself, is a particularly vocal fan of Dian's cooking. Looks like plenty of leftovers. cold milk. I think this is one of my favorite photos of all time.




My dad looks good, don't you think? I sure do. And mom looks beautiful here. Such a relief to get photos of him and mom. So assuring. I love these two people! I have got to figure out how to get myself out there again.





And here are pictures of my beautiful neice Brooke.

Wha'd I do...

My new girlfriend Lascia gave me tons of craft supplies this weekend. Lots of stuff I don't already have a ton of, like wire edged ribbon, silk flowers, candle making stuff, table centerpiece candles/vases and assorted supplies, glitter spray, etc. She also gave me what appears to be an entire cake decorating supply kit, which I am so excited about already! I just finished trying my hand at piping some frosting out onto waxed paper. Lascia had fooled with all these supplies at one point and was now so done with them all that my willingness to take them off her hands thrilled her to death. It was a real win win situation, as I have always been drawn to craft supplies of this type but had been able to resist investing in them. so now? FREE! free free free. delightful.

our family from Maine stopped by for a night on Saturday night, and we gals had a craft party, breaking in my new supply. What was funny for me is that I was only able to get going with my creation once I gave myself permission to deconstruct the supplies and use their bits and pieces as items not originally intended by the manufacturer. Center bits of silk flowers became eyes and the silk petals and leaves became hair or wings, for example. I plan to make lots of silk flower hair clips for Maggie, and a part of me wants to experiment with covering a swim cap with silk flowers or something. I like to mix it up!

Yesterday Jeff bought a steam cleaner for the house! hooray! my upstairs is drying as we speak. And this weekend we transformed maggie's room into a big girl bedroom, complete with a desk and trundle bed! I'll post pictures soon. This week the fun in store includes preparing a package to mail off to seattle, cleaning the carpets, doing laundry and fooling with my craft supplies. good times in store!

Weekend pics

NORA comes to visit! Look at how beautiful she is.

Here are a few photos from the rest of the weekend, which has been great! Our family from Maine stopped by for the night on their way home from Phil's family in CT, and we had a craft night! See below. I'll post more later about the rest of the weekend, because it has been great.


This is the dolly that Lanie made.



This is Cassidy's dolly. Intentionally faceless.



And here is my lady.


more later!

Happy day after Thanksgiving

oh boy was yesterday a rip snorter! yowzer.

or, should I say, rip snore-er. SO SO QUIET yesterday. We did the whole thanksgiving dinner thing, even ate nice and early in the day, too. but it was just the four of us, and so quiet. Growing up in a large family, I am familiar with loud, busy turkey days. So I guess on some level nice and quiet holidays feel like a "failure" or something. Even though I know it's not, it's not it's not it's not. It's funny how our 'old brain' works - that part of our brain that stores those assumptions about what something should be like because that's what it was like when we were growing up. when they don't match up, it's tricky to recall that the mismatch doesn't mean the new way is wrong, just different.

I remember when jeff and I first got together and we were still living in seattle and so had one of those holidays of hopping back and forth between his family and my families celebrations. We went over to my sisters house and the place was rocking, full of people and music and shouting and laughing and talking and eating. Then to his folks house and things were so quiet and calm and peaceful. I remember really feeling the difference and being like, "oh man. where's the party?!" Jeff's family was thoroughly enjoying themselves, I had been sort of climbing the walls, looking for excitement. Now I understand and really appreciate that potential for relaxing and enjoying the calm that comes with smaller affiars. but I do love a party also!

anyway. Christmas will be good times, as Jeff's folks are coming for the holiday, and also Lanie and her family, too. It's always so fun to see Maggie and Nora together, last year they had matching nightgowns to wear on christmas eve. I also really love and look forward to hanging out late at night with lanie and phil and jeff, all of us grownups getting everything ready to go for christmas morning. I'm glad Frank and Maxine have decided to brave the winter weather so they can share in that with us this ear. GOOD TIMES ahead.



also, I decided to give the advent calendar to my folks. Of course my parents ought to get it, if I'm going to give it away, right? nobody treasures a handmade craft like it's makers mother. am I right? :-)

Otherwise, what else is going on...

Not much! We have zero plans for tomorrow, zip zero zilch. I mean, I'll make dinner, and I'll crack the whip on some already agreed upon home improvement efforts, but in terms of guests coming over or invites to go out, nothing. This is fine with me, although it would be nice to have something to do besides finish painting the hallway, and make over Maggie's bedroom. But whatever. That's how it goes sometimes, right? At least Christmas will be busy and exciting.



Yesterday I babysat little Brianna Marie from down at Curtis Farm. What a cutie, my goodness. She's about five months old I think? It was really nice to have her over for the day, made things sort of interesting.

Here's a picture of Henry, and also a typical drawing of his, featuring his favorite drawing subject (spys or war)



Have a good holiday!

This craft is like a sandcastle...

in that as soon as nature has its way with it, it will crumble and be ruined. I just finished this advent calendar that I started last night and boy, am I glad it's over. I'd downloaded some make-your-own envelope templates and became really drawn to the idea of whipping up something that would utilize my favorite envelope, a sort of seed packet shape. So when I went to WalMart last night for last minute thanksgiving day supplies, I spied a big pack of Christmas scrapbooking supplies and it all came together.

I'm pleased with it overall, but being made of paper, it's not going to last forever. I need to keep it out of Maggie's hands, that's for sure. And we already have a couple different advent calendars, so I don't see it living happily ever after here at our house.

Would you like it? Would you enjoy it? Would you try to keep it safe for longer than it has a chance to at my house? Email me and maybe I'll decide to send it to you.

OMG! Finally!

My goodness! me without my soapbox for, like, days! What was this world coming to for a minute there, huh?!


more later!

Joyce Carol Oates

Goodness sakes can this woman write a novel! My heavens. I'm on page 22 of "Missing Mom", the third novel of hers I've read, and I am just so thrilled to be there! Nothing like being at the beginning of what you know will be an intensely good read. She crafts such interesting characters, and is so perfectly descriptive.

As a girl, already a model of efficiency and frugality for whom sentiment was a secondary matter, Clare had solved the gift problem by buying items with a festive twist on quantity: boxes of gaily colored tissues, mouthwash and toothpaste in unusual flavors, giant boxes of Dad's favorite cereal Wheaties and a full case of Mom's most-used Campbell's soup cream of celery; without any irony or a wish to be cruel, Clare had given me such birthday gifts as flea collars for our cats, a bag of scented Kitty litter, deodorant, a "giant economy" box of Junior Miss Sani-Pads.

and:

After Dad's death, which had been abrupt and unexpected, Mom had lapsed into a phase of showering frequently, washing her hands compulsively until the skin began to wear out, brushing her teeth until the gums bled. She'd dusted herself obsessively with the fragrant talcum powder Dad had given her, even the soles of her feet, so that, when Clare and I dropped by the house we'd be startled by ghostly white powder footprints on the floor outside the bathroom.

Oh, and here's a bit about the narrator:

My slender purple-silk legs were crossed, my waxy-white naked left foot (toenails painted magenta, to match fingernails and mouth) was jiggling in the gold-spangled high-heeled sandal. I'd spoken as if whimsically. I had a way of saying what was serious in a bold-innocent fashion to elicit startled laughs.


it's just delicious. Very good stuff.

It's like Maggie's new best friend just learned to drive.

maggie just discovered this adorable hippo backpack hanging in her bedroom today. it's a hand me down from her brother, who got it from his great aunt Marie I believe. She likes to fill her arms with her little friends, and then can't make it up or down the stairs. this is the best of both worlds! a friend who can carry all her friends around!


and look at her here. I asked her to smile and got the first picture, then I said, "open your eyes!" and got the second. She has made me laugh a couple times today. Earlier she sat up and said, "look out night night!" and began to swing her bunny around fast and furious. complete with full on rebel yells thru out. I had to laugh.