Shanna's Adventures in Motherhood

The Name of our RV is......

2012-02-07T23:11:00.001-05:00

So back in August I posted about our RV and how I wanted to give it a name. We were on our first big trip with it at the time - visiting Bar Harbor, Maine. We received several name suggestions and I was just about to announce the name we had chosen when...... Hurricane Irene happened. The weekend we were to drive back from Maine, Irene hit North Carolina and slowly churned north. We decided to leave Maine as planned and divert our path west into Pennsylvania in an attempt to skirt around the storm.

Image via Wikipedia

Well, during our visit in Maine we discovered there was a small leak in the RV and then on the overnight we spent in Pennsylvania as well as a few rest stops we realized that there were more leaks everytime there was a heavy downpour. Well, water leaks in an RV are not good! Generally speaking RV's are made to be light weight which means the walls and floors are mostly fiber board which are easily damaged by water. So on our return trip home Kelly jokingly says, "I thought of a name for our RV - Irene." To which I reply, "Absolutely not."

So we get home and in the weeks after Maine we begin the process of trying to repair the leaks. The first quote we get is outrageous and we have a day or two where we feel like the sky is falling because we bought a lemon of an RV. During this time, I actually start referring to the RV as - you guessed it - Irene.

But then, we find an RV repairman who assures us he can fix the seals and make some adjustments that should take care of the leaks for a fraction of the cost that the dealer's servicemen quoted us initially. Thank God! (Big lesson here: RV dealerships want to sell you new RV's and don not really care to fix your older model RV.)

There doesn't appear to be any water leaking now and we have had several rain storms with driving rain since the repairs were complete. So now we are again looking forward to many more adventures in our RV. Now that we know it's not a lemon after all, we have given it the name that we wanted to give it several months ago - the OUTLANDER.

No one chose that name in my poll, but Kelly and I both thought of the name separately and have agreed it's the right one. We met in college while attending activities in an outdoor recreation club called Outlanders. We weren't the only one's to meet as participants of this club and then get married, but hopefully my friends won't mind our use of the name (you know who you are). After nearly 14 years of marriage, we have rediscovered one of things that brought us together in the beginning.

God willing, we will be enjoying many more traveling family adventures with our Outlander.

Mondays....

2012-02-06T16:26:00.001-05:00

usually involve a trip to a grocery store. Today's selection was...

A Beautiful Day at the Museum

2012-02-02T14:30:00.001-05:00

I don't know about Mr. Woodchuck, but we've seen our shadow all day at
our favorite local museum.

King of the Mountain

2012-01-30T22:10:00.001-05:00

Cephalopod Expert in the Making

2012-01-27T22:24:00.000-05:00

Here is Jonah soaking one of those "soak and grow" toys from the dollar store in the tub - it's an octopus. We left one in Florida at Grammie's house and so here is his replacement.

This young man is obsessed with cephalopods - squids, octopus, nautilus - but especially squids. He probably has every squid related toy sold on-line or in stores and still it's not enough - he draws squids, makes cardboard squids, makes pretend squids with anything he comes across.

After watching Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, (which we got him for Christmas because of the squid scene) he now has a great affinity for submarines as well.

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (Image via RottenTomatoes.com)

Just this week, I was thinking about his affinity for these things and how this all began. Which, as I recall, started a couple of years ago when he was three and we watched a Discovery Channel documentary on Colossal Squid. I thought his interest would fade like Thomas the Train or Bob the Builder but it hasn't. His interest has in fact continued to grow in this area to the point that I even started to consider that we may want to move closer to the ocean at some point to help facilitate his growth and knowledge in this area.

...But then I remembered.... we have an RV!

In thinking about the upcoming summer, I did a search for oceanside summer camps for 5 year olds. And lo and behold, I found a Marine Quest program at UNC-Wilmington - a mere two hours from home. So instead of planning a move, I think we'll just go camping! Any excuse will do.

Related Posts: Jonah the Artist

A Rare Nap

2012-01-19T11:46:00.000-05:00

Jonah was sick yesterday with congestion and a cough. He seems better today. Now Elisabeth is napping! This is a rare event and tells me she's probably not feeling so well either.

Mindless Monday

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite pictures taken over the holidays.

Fun with Cousin Rocco

2011-12-21T10:33:00.000-05:00

Christmas Decorations Florida-style

2011-12-20T09:31:00.001-05:00

So I have this theory that folks in Florida make up for the lack of
cold Christmas weather by going all out on their Christmas light
displays. We drove by a home last night that had Santa and his sleigh
flying around the top of their house via this huge mechanical arm. It
was awesome!

Check back later and I'll post a link to a video.

American Museum of Natural History - Video Mail

2011-12-18T11:42:00.000-05:00

American Museum of Natural History - Video Mail

I finally got the video we did last week in New York

My Little Boy is Growing Up

2011-12-16T20:24:00.000-05:00

I was slow getting up this morning. By the time I made it down stairs, Jonah had poured both he and his sister a bowl of cereal and they'd already eaten. He was very proud of himself too. I was rather impressed and glad I had purchased a 1/2 gallon of milk instead of a whole gallon recently.

It also reminded me of how a couple of weeks ago he volunteered out of the blue to vacuum the living room. I nearly fainted! He did a great job and even moved things around - I was so proud. I caught a little bit on video - he's in his pajamas. He vacuumed for me again this week as well. I could get used to this.....

Birthday Party for Daddy

2011-12-14T21:33:00.000-05:00

Jonah and Elisabeth helped decorate.

The Star Wars stuff was Jonah's contribution.

Elisabeth added the Barbie Ballarinas

Mommy made enchiladas and this chocolate peanut butter cake from scratch for daddy - my first from scratch cake ever!

Oh the anticipation!

Blowing out the candles.... with help from Jonah

Elisabeth anxiously awaiting her slice of cake.

Samuel saying, "Where's my cake?"

Poor little fella has to share with these folks.

Santa Came Early

2011-12-12T20:40:00.000-05:00

Actually, she's pretending to be a mermaid!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (a.k.a The MET)

2011-12-09T10:04:00.067-05:00

Some words of description: immense, grand, and overwhelming. A place where art and history are so intertwined that they are inseparable.

We didn't see even a quarter of the exhibit space and that was hurried due to being with two little kids who had no patience for all the oil and canvas. I had the kids each pick out something they wanted to see from the photos on the map. Elisabeth wanted to see the princesses (paintings of women in the European Art section) and Jonah wanted to see the armor (it was rather spectacular!), while my main goal was to see The Art of Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia (boy is that a mouthful!). Without further ado, here are some of the pictures I took at The MET.

Wolf and Fox Hunt by P. P. Rubens ca.1615

Jerusalem from Environs by C. T. Frere ca. 1880

Anatolian, Turkman style, 15th-16th century

Moroccan Room


The Temple of Dendur

In the American Wing Atrium

German ca. 1545

Armor of George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland ca. 1580

Syrian, Iranian, Turkish ca. 1545

I took this because it reminded me of Elisabeth

We have a print of this by Salvador Dali

As you can see, The MET houses a great diversity of artifacts and exhibits and we just saw the tip of the iceberg during the 3 hours we spent there - again so thankful for the free ticket. I look forward to going back with someone old enough to appreciate it!

A Beautiful Day in the City

2011-12-08T10:24:00.009-05:00

Yesterday we did a bit of walking in the rain. I took the kids to the Brooklyn Children's Museum, which we went to last year, knowing they would really enjoy it.

We made a Target stop on the way back where an organization was providing safe child cards to parents. I told them we weren't local but they didn't care. Supposedly, if they were every lost, this would make it easy to issue an amber alert. It also, puts them at a disadvantage if they choose a life of crime - since their fingerprints our now in the NYS Criminal Justice Service Database! Hopefully that won't be an issue....

We were all pretty soaked on the walk back to the hotel.

This morning we are resting, but shortly we will be taking the train into Manhattan. When planning for this trip I came across an article in National Geographic about the reopening of the newly renovation Art of Arab Lands in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and really wanted to go. But knowing that the kids would probably hate it I determined not so spend the money, in case I needed to bail in order to keep my sanity. Well, on Sunday while at the American Museum of Natural History with our friends, I spotted a partial city pass booklet laying on the floor by the elevator and lo and behold one of the remaining tickets was for the MET! So, today is the day. So not only do I get to go to the MET today for FREE, but the sun is shining and it's a great day to walk through Central Park on our way there!

Image via Wikipedia

IKEA Brooklyn: There and Back Again - A Mom's Tale

2011-12-06T21:46:00.035-05:00

We had a complimentary breakfast at the hotel and then the kids had time to play and watch TV until late morning when our day's journey began. We walked to the nearest subway station and took the C train to High Street - our first use of the subway on this trip. From there we walked down to DUMBO where Kelly's office is located and met for lunch.

My plan for the day was to go to IKEA Brooklyn after lunch and get a new Poang Chair cover - since ours was long ago damaged beyond repair by our pets. The fastest and simplest way to get there from that part of town is via the Ferry over to Manhattan, and then the IKEA water taxi from there over to IKEA back on the Brooklyn side. As we pulled up to the dock on the Ferry boat, the IKEA boat was just pulling up the plank to depart. The operators however, helped me out by signaling to them so they waited for us to board. (The ticket for the IKEA boat is refundable at IKEA if you show it to the cashier.)

IKEA water taxi

IKEA Brooklyn on the waterfront

The kids enjoyed the unique travel method and it was very convenient and pleasant. Once we arrived at IKEA I joined their family program so that I could get another 30 minutes of childcare in stead of the standard 45 minutes. Then I dropped the kids off in Smaland and went shopping for an hour and 15 minutes by myself! It made for an extremely pleasant experience for all three of us.

The kids in the ball pit of Smaland

IKEA is so big, I used up every bit of my childcare time and was watching the clock when I got to the checkout. Given that, I forgot to get my water taxi refund, but no big deal. I had to buy an IKEA bag in order to rig up a way to attach my giant chair cushion to the stroller and then picked up the kids. Having done my research, I knew IKEA provided a Free shuttle back up to our area of town. So, after a brief rest and a snack, we scuttled out to catch the next bus that would take us to Borough Hall. From there we walked the necessary 6 blocks back to our hotel and made it home by 5 p.m. My husband called to check on us just as I sat down to rest; he was surprised we had made it back already.

It made for a good day - got something off my "to do" list, had a nice little adventure, got to do some child free shopping and the kids had a blast on the boats and in the playarea.

Now to think about tomorrow......

Seeing is Believing

2011-12-06T10:47:00.015-05:00

After getting checked into the hotel and a short rest, the kids and I walked a few block over to Borough Hall for a tree lighting ceremony. I have never been to one before that I can recall. Several of the Brooklyn Borough politicos where in attendance as well as a local R&B group, The Deep.

While all the speeches and singing was going on, Elisabeth kept asking when they were going to light up the tree. Finally, they did and then Santa appeared at the top of the Borough Hall steps. In dismay, Jonah says "Santa is real!"

We have not liked the idea of lying to our kids so we have never emphasized the Santa Clause phenomenon. But you can't really get away from him - Santa is everywhere this time of year. So Elisabeth has somehow become a believer of sorts while Jonah remains the pessimist. She and Jonah argue whether he's real or not. Mid-argument Jonah will stop and ask, "Mom, is Santa real?" I usually respond something like this. "Is Barney real? or Curious George?" Jonah will say no and Elisabeth will say yes. Then I will say, "Well, Santa is as real as Barney and Curious George." Then that usually ends it - until the next time they decide to argue about it.

I think every kids deals with the Santa in their own way and there is to some degree a desire to believe in Santa. I remember at 5 or 6 that I didn't believe there was a Santa per se. I thought there used to be a generous guy (St. Nicholas) who gave presents to kids, but that now every community had a designated Santa who played the roll and went around giving presents to kids in their neighborhood. So we all make our own stories surrounding old Saint Nick.

After the tree lighting last night, the crowd was invited into the historic building (the original city hall of Brooklyn) for refreshments. And there, of course, was Santa (they also had a snowman and a gingerbread boy). When we left, descending the steps of the classic greek structure - me carrying the stroller while the kids made their own way down - Elisabeth started sobbing uncontrollably. When I asked why she was crying, Jonah spoke and said sympathetically, "She just wants to see Santa." So back up the stairs we went - me carrying the stroller back up the enormous set of steps for the second time. By that time the line to see Santa was pretty short so I figured it was better than a long wait at Macy's or something. Of course, when we got to Santa, Elisabeth was hesitant, but she then got close enough for a picture. Jonah acted like he wanted in the picture too, but, when I told him to get closer, he shook his head and backed away.

So HO, HO, HO from Brooklyn!

Hanging with her bud

2011-12-04T09:14:00.001-05:00

Back to the Big Apple

2011-12-04T09:03:00.001-05:00

We are going to New York City again.

My husband's company is having it's Christmas party on Thursday and wanted him to come up for the week. We decided to tag along. I've always wanted to experience New York City during the holidays: here's my chance - and at someone else's expense - woohoo!

Image via Wikipedia

We managed to not pay for an upgrade in the room. I ordered these cots for the kids to sleep on (thanks Gina for the heads up on that one!). They fold up compactly like camp chairs so they are much easier to store during the day than an air mattress. I love them! We have already used them on an overnight trip during Thanksgiving weekend and they will get used over Christmas as well.

As I prepared for this trip, I once again had some anxiety about the kids getting lost especially during subway train transfers. Last time, I brought our double stroller and used it every time I went out with them by myself except once. It gave me great peace of mind having them confined in the stroller getting on and of the subway, even though it was big and hard to maneuver. Now that they are older and that is not an option, once again the thought of losing them as we get on or off a subway train makes my heart skip a beat. So, here's what I came up with to assuage my fears. I made buttons at zazzle.com with their pictures and our phone numbers. My plan is to pin them inside their coats when we are out - obviously I don't want strangers seeing them on the outside of their clothes. I've already talked to Jonah and Elisabeth about them and I've given them instructions to show them to an adult (preferably in uniform) in the event they don't know where mommy and daddy are. So deep breath (sigh). It makes me feel much better having done this.

Image via Wikipedia

At the moment, we are in Somerset, NJ staying with friends through tomorrow. So not only is this another grand adventure but a grand opportunity to catch up with friends as well. Their kids are 8 and 4 - Tristan is the oldest and Kara is the youngest so, as you can imagine, they totally speak the same language as Jonah and Elisabeth (ie. legos and baby dolls).

So stay tuned for more Adventures from the Big Apple......

Giving Thanks for Friends

2011-12-01T14:04:00.001-05:00

We had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday and weekend with friends.

On Thanksgiving day, the kids played well with their friend Serra, whom they have known for quite a awhile, but don't get to see nearly as often as they'd like.

I don't know that they'll do if we ever get new furniture!

Then on Saturday we drove to the coast to visit the Burns' in their new home.

Best Buddies (copyright Sheila Burns)

In both instances, the kids behaved exceptionally well - no one got hurt and everybody stayed happy. Now that's something to be thankful for :-)

Mindless Monday

2011-11-28T08:25:00.001-05:00

October 2011 in NYC

Mindless Monday

2011-11-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

from May 2010

Weekend Project

2011-11-20T18:26:00.001-05:00

.... nearly complete. A little sassy lilac has transformed
Elisabeth's room into one better fitting a girl.

Mindless Monday

2011-11-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

This was taken in NYC a little more than a year ago. We may be seeing friends there again soon......

Christmas Time's a Comin'

2011-11-13T17:14:00.001-05:00

This is the earliest we've ever decorated for Christmas!

Ballet Class

2011-11-09T17:42:00.000-05:00

Elisabeth has been taking Ballet this fall and she is really enjoying it. One day I took the still camera and got a few photos.

I like this action shot...

Below is a series of snapshots during a jump from the plie position. I can't remember the fancy name for it.

Turkey Travelogue: May 26th

2011-11-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

This was probably the most challenging day of the trip.

It involved both families carrying, rolling, and herding five (5) suitcases, two (2) strollers and three (3) kids from our hotel to the nearest metro stop (thankfully it was downhill). Then from a metro stop to a ferry, which happened to include going down and then up stairs. Then from the ferry a short distance to the train - which again included steps. (Next time we will fly all the way to Ankara - now that we know how to obtain domestic flights at a more affordable rate than what shows up on Orbitz.)

We were finally able to sit down and relax as we took the slow train from the historic Hydarpasha Train Station to the town of Eskishehir. This, however, presented yet another challenge - using a squatty potty on a moving train! Thankfully, Elisabeth was still in diapers at the time.

Hydarpasha

Once in Eskishehir, we had to lug ourselves and our baggage from that train to another high speed train that would take us on to the capital city. (High speed rail will go all the way from Ankara to Istanbul in the near future - yay!)

I think this is only the second time I have traveled by train and it is really a great way to see the countryside.

View of a old Ottoman fortification along the Miramar Sea

On the train

Our friends (both named Levent) met us at the airport. The Burns went home with one Levent and we went home with the other to a suburb of Ankara. When we arrived, Vildan greeted us and quickly made us feel at home. We settled in, began catching up with our friends, and ate a fantastic, home cooked, Turkish meal.

More Photos

Mindless Monday

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

in Turkey with Friends

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T15:50:00.001-04:00

A Day at the Mall

2011-10-30T14:24:00.001-04:00

... With cousin Jude

Friends

2011-10-27T13:31:00.003-04:00

Their best buddy Olivia, whom they have grown up with, is moving to the coast in a few days. So today we picked her up for lunch and playtime at Chick-fil-a. At the moment, they have the play area all to themselves and are having a great time. This may be their last opportunity to hang out before the big move. It has been a joy watching their relationship grow and change. Here's to hoping they are lifelong friends despite this move or any future ones.

Howling Halloween at East Regional Library

2011-10-25T21:13:00.000-04:00

Jonah changed from a knight, to Darth Vader, and then settled on Safari boy before leaving the house. I guess the safari clothes were more comfortable. Elisabeth was a princess, of course.

Mindless Monday

2011-10-24T09:10:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure what it is about this picture that I like so much but I do. This was taken over a year ago while on our first cruise. The kids are on deck enjoying the blustery sea breezes and the novelty of being on such a huge boat.

August 2010

A Day at the Fair

2011-10-23T12:10:00.001-04:00

What an Imagination

2011-10-21T16:43:00.001-04:00

We are on a Mommy-son date at the mall and Jonah is eating French fries.
He says, "Can you use ketchup to put out fires?"
Me: "Well, I'm not sure. It's probably not as effective as water.
Jonah: "I know! Aliens spray out ketchup on fires."

Silly me :-)

Sent from my iPhone

A New Princess Costume

2011-10-20T16:37:00.001-04:00

I scored a good deal on a two retired recital dresses that I found on Craigslist. They both have some minor flaws but the sparkle factor made them worth the money I paid. Elisabeth is super excited about dressing up for Halloween- she wants Jonah to be a knight - we'll see if he goes along with it!

Kid Conversations

2011-10-18T09:55:00.002-04:00

Elisabeth: "Can we take this?" referring to her plush ballerina doll.
Me: "Sure."
Elisabeth: "Her name is Cinder."
Jonah: "CINDER! You should call her Cinderella."
Elisabeth: "I call her Cinder."
Jonah: "Cinderella is a more pretty name. Cinder is a beaver name."

Hmmm..... Beaver name?! That's a new one ;-)

Mindless Monday

2011-10-17T13:54:00.000-04:00

Elisabeth at 18 months

A Fall Camping Trip

2011-10-12T11:43:00.003-04:00

We took the RV to the mountains this past weekend. We had a lovely time and really enjoyed the fall colors. I forgot to take the big camera, but found it nice to not have the distraction. I did manage to
take this picture with my phone.

Mindless Monday

2011-10-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

Jonah at 18 months

Everybody Loves Rock'n Roll

2011-10-06T18:10:00.000-04:00

For those days when only a little Aerosmith or

Def Leppard will do.

She Loves Dressup

2011-10-05T08:30:00.000-04:00

She wore this outfit several day in a row recently - note the stain on the front.

Mindless Monday

2011-10-04T20:52:00.000-04:00

In order to keep this blog active during those busy season's of life, I'm going to simply post a picture that I love. I know others of my blogging friends call it Wordless Wednesday. I think I'll do Mindless Monday since it doesn't require to much brain power or time and because I don't trust myself to actually not type a word. So this is my first Mindless Monday post.

School?

2011-09-27T20:17:00.003-04:00

Well, it's been a while since I posted a truly MOM related post. I suppose it's time...

We have been traveling a lot this summer and after getting back from our last planned trip of the year, I was ready to hunker down, get my house in order, and start some semblance of a homeschool program. The first couple of days back, I was a woman on a mission, reorganizing the playroom to make it more of a school room and trying to figure out how I was going to approach "homeschooling."

Jonah's birthday is a few days after the cutoff for starting kindergarten where we live, so technically I have another year, but I was feeling like it was time to maybe get into some kind of school schedule. By the second week, I was ready to "start" (or so I thought) with worksheets in hand and activities planned. Well, I broke down in tears twice in two days, because my darling son was not wanting to cooperate with any of my plans - especially anything that involved him holding a pencil!

So my husband, seeing my frustration and distress, digs up some reading materials for me - which at the time rather annoyed me - but when I actually started reading them and doing some research of my own I was pleasantly surprised. I was reminded that (a) I shouldn't push things that my child isn't ready for and (b) I should be cautious of making my child abhor learning because it could stunt his/her educational progress in the future.

I read this and this, which helped me to realized I'm already doing the "right" things. I have many different activities all sorted out in the playroom/school room and I do great projects and things with them all the time.

Being a mom, however, I am constantly on the lookout for things that I should be doing or doing better in order for me, my life, my house, my children to be perfect! Sound familiar anyone?! Come on, I'm not the only obsessive-compulsive, overachiever out there! I hope... Well, getting my child started writing and reading just seemed like that next thing I should be stressing about.

Then the clincher came when I read this BBC article that cited studies showing how children in Finland academically outperform all others AND they do not start school until 6 or 7 years old and they spend the least amount of time in the school room! Hello! Who would have thunk it!

So, I'm no longer freaking out about this school thing. This week, I have been much more relaxed and taking one day at a time with an emphases on having fun in everything we do even when we deal with the ABC's and 123's.

(Education can be a controversial and heated topic with many nuances. This is just me sharing where I am at the moment. Who knows I may be freaking out about it again in a couple of weeks! There is a lot of research out there and every child and every family is different with differing circumstances. I am grateful to live in a world where a good education can be obtained via many modes, and that I can choose which mode suits my child and our family the best.)

Crashing at Boompah's House

2011-09-06T22:57:00.001-04:00

My Baby Boy is 5

2011-09-06T16:17:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe he is five years old! What a person he is growing into with a million dollar smile and a grand imagination. Happy birthday my little man! Mommy loves you....

Jonah the Artist

2011-09-01T10:29:00.001-04:00

Since attending a week-long 1/2 day camp this summer at Arts Together, Jonah has seemed more interested in drawing.

While we were in Maine he drew this picture:

At the top in orange is Saturn, the big yellow blob is the sun, the next red/blue thing is the milky way, and at the bottom is earth. We did some star gazing in Maine so celestial objects were fresh in his mind.

Another topic of interest to him is undersea creatures especially squids. This week after watching a show about Colossal Squids, Jonah recreated the same image. I was impressed, but then I'm his mom :-)

An Island Cruise to Frenchboro

2011-08-23T22:56:00.002-04:00

Sunday, we took an informative cruise with Island Cruises out of Bass Harbor to Frenchboro. We skirted a few other islands as well and got to see the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, seals, and a few harbor porpoises. Our captain pulled a few lobster traps and did a great job of informing us about the culture and family tradition surrounding the lobster industry as well as some of the history of the area. We found it to be absolutely fascinating.

Wild Blueberry Picking

2011-08-22T19:22:00.001-04:00

There are fields all around the campground. A fun campground past time.

A Name for our RV

2011-08-22T10:59:00.000-04:00

I want to name our RV. Just for fun, I have put a poll on this blog on the right to see what name you prefer. We had several suggestions including:

Older. “Bud”. Wiser.

Dreamseeker

TerraTrekkers

The Explorer

Davis Adventures

Voyager

Stargazer

E Z Fun

Memory Maker

Fun on Wheels

Week-End Escape

Destination Fun

Happy Ramblers

Bum-N-Round

Gulliver

Turkey Trot

Travel Mama

Dreamchaser

Outlander

My First Lobster

2011-08-20T10:27:00.008-04:00

Monday was officially our 13th wedding anniversary. Ironically, we both got confused thinking the 15th was on Sunday (thus my early post).

To commemorate, I thought we would go somewhere and order lobster since we are in Maine and I don't recall ever eating lobster. Unfortunately, we were all still tired from our long drive so we just went to the closest restaurant that advertised a family atmosphere - The Log Cabin Restaurant. After walking in I doubted the wisdom of our choice, but we followed through with our plan despite the greasy atmosphere.

We ordered a twin platter and got the tutorial from the waitress on how to crack open the ruddy crustaceans. We cracked, pulled, dipped and ate. I was glad to commemorated the occasion with a new experience, but honestly, I don't like lobster. So for me it's just not worth forking over the market price for something that just isn't that appealing. The fried fish however was yummy! I think I'll stick with fish, at least until my next anniversary!

Mt. Desert Island Oceanarium

2011-08-19T21:50:00.001-04:00

This afternoon I took the kids to the Mt. Desert Island Oceanarium to learn about lobsters. Honestly, it was a bit overpriced ($22 for me and J, E was free), but I learned a lot, and the kids enjoyed the touch tank.

Between this stop and the Touch Tank Talk by a ranger at the Dorr Museum on the campus of the College of the Atlantic, Jonah has learned a lot about sea stars, sea cucumbers, crabs, etc. this week - a
perfect example of unschooling. It's amazing how much he picks up even when I think he's not paying attention.

Here he is holding a star fish. He learned that they have eyes at the end of each arm and they eat by throwing up their stomachs. Pretty cool stuff!

Cadillac Mountain

2011-08-18T22:50:00.000-04:00

Photos from Cadillac Mountain

Jonah took this one

Traveling Teeth

2011-08-17T20:57:00.002-04:00

It seems like Jonah's baby teeth like to fall out when we are away
from home. He lost his second tooth today. We managed to get it under
his pillow without losing this one. So I guess we'll be getting our
first official visit from the tooth fairy tonight!

Good Morning from Bar Harbor, Maine

2011-08-17T10:51:00.002-04:00

Here's my blogging spot this morning.

I'm sitting at that picnic table while the kids play at the playground. We arrived Sunday afternoon after what seemed like a very long drive from home. We left Friday afternoon and stopped in Pocahontas State Park overnight. We pulled out from there around 8:30 Saturday morning driving through D.C., Baltimore and yes, even New York City! That was a bit hairy! (We've already devised a route to bypass NYC on the way home.) We made it to Manchester, CT just out side of Hartford Saturday night where we boon-docked in a Sam's Club parking lot. We got up around 6:30 a.m. and continued our trek north on I-95 and finally made it to our campground on Mt. Desert Island in Maine around 4 p.m. Sunday. When we arrived and got set up, Kelly said, (and I quote) "I can't believe we finally made it." Apparently he had some doubt we could pull our RV so far and arrive in one piece.

We set up on a site with full hookups (water, electric & sewer), but we weren't 100% satisfied with the location. So Monday, we scoped out another site near the pool, playground and laundry mat and moved the RV.

I took the kids out sight-seeing a little bit Monday afternoon. (I'll blog about Monday evening later.) It rained overnight Monday and into Tuesday so I drove into Bangor and took the kids to McDonalds and The Maine Discovery Museum.

Today is warm and sunny so we're planning a picnic on Cadillac Mountain and then some pool time here at the campground.

Happy Anniversary Sweety!

2011-08-14T08:16:00.000-04:00

Jonah and his Ride

2011-08-10T13:28:00.000-04:00

Styling and profiling with his ATV

Dress-up Time

2011-08-09T23:25:00.001-04:00

Dress up is big around here these days especially with Elisabeth, but Jonah likes to join in at times too.

Elisabeth is usually a princess or fairy or something, while Jonah's costumes can be rather diverse. In this case, snow boots, ranger badge, sleeping bag back pack and safari hat make for a perfect park ranger.

Turkey Travelogue: May 25th

2011-08-04T23:29:00.002-04:00

After the whirlwind sightseeing tour the day before, we really needed to slow things down for the kid's sakes as well as our own. So we did what any red-blooded American family would do with two small kids, we went to McDonalds. Two happy meals, and two quarter-pounders with cheese and two coca lights "buzlu" (that's Turkish for with ice or icy.)

Yes, the golden arches beckoned and we succumbed. Truth be told, we would have probably darkened the door of a McDonald's even had we not been traveling with kids. Let's face it, our track record proves it since we have visited a McDonald's in every foreign country we've ever been in - well almost - Tunisia didn't have one, and we didn't visit a Peruvian McDonald's (we found a Chili's instead), but the Columbian airport where we switched flights did. The McDonald's in Costa Rica served eggs with rice and beans for breakfast, the one in Ecuador had hot sauce on the condiment bar, and the one in London was just more expensive. When you're tired, a long way from home and longing for the familiar, there is nothing like a little Mickie D's comfort food.

So now that I've paid homage to the the wondrous marketing accomplishments of McDonald's, let's move on....

We walked the few blocks necessary toward the Hagia Sophia - noting the location of the Starbucks for future reference. I didn't exactly know much about the history of this grand edifice except that it had a lot of history - the details of which were quite vague in my mind and still are since it's been around for nearly 1,500 years!

It turns out that construction of the current building was initially completed in 537 AD by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian after previous buildings were destroyed in riots. The church itself was dedicated to the second person in the Holy Trinity - the word of God sent to earth in flesh as Jesus Christ. The Latin phonetic translation of the Greek word logos is Sophia and Hagia means holy - thus the meaning "Holy Word." And here I mistakenly thought it was named after a Saint Sophia, who I felt sorry for due to the phonetic similarity between the word Hagia and the English word hag. Alas, Saint Sophia is saved from such a negative connotation.

Constantinople (now Istanbul) was conquered in 1453 by the Ottomans and the Hagia Sophia was subsequently converted to a mosque. One of the most striking aspects of the Hagia Sophia besides its immensity and grandeur is the beautiful artwork that it has housed over the years including golden mosaics many of which have been plastered over throughout the centuries. Some have now been uncovered and restored.

The size is hard to capture on camera

Deësis mosaic

Comnenus mosaic

One of the grand columns with elaborate capitals

Here you can see layers of plaster

Arabic Calligraphy at the center of the dome

There has been some debate as to how much more restoration should take place. For the moment, there is a balance of art from both the church and mosque periods. Regardless, it is a grand site and I'm glad I had the opportunity to visit.

What a treasure trove of history is Istanbul and in fact all of Turkey! I hope to go back sometime - Insha Allah (God willing). There is just so much more to see and explore.

For more information on the Hagia Sophia visit Wikipedia.

More Pictures

Elisabeth's 3rd Birthday

2011-08-03T22:12:00.001-04:00

My little girl turned three a couple of weeks ago. We celebrated with a weekend at the beach where we met up with some good friends for beach and birthday cake. We took the RV and stayed at Carolina Beach State Park for three days. It was a great weekend filled with beach, aquarium, friends, cake, presents, more beach - it was lovely!

Practicing her ballerina moves

With her mermaid

Blowing out the candle

A dress for the princess

What is it?!

Playing in the inter-coastal before bed

Camping

Day two at the beach was better for playing in the surf

Elisabeth was afraid until daddy sat with her - she loved it then!

The journey home - one spent birthday girl

Big brother too

More Pictures

Turkey Travelogue: May 24th

2011-07-26T23:22:00.000-04:00

This was the day we saw the most of Istanbul. My friend Zeynep is from Istanbul and her parents live there. So we met up with her father near our apartment and began our journey.

We began by walking a few blocks to the Grand Bazaar. The main corridor seemed more like a mall complete with tv screen advertisements and flashing neon signs. Better prices are found off of this main corridor.

Entrance to Grand Bazaar

The Main "Street" in the Bazaar

A shiny, silver dealers shop

We then stopped at an old mosque nearby, Beyazit. Before the threshold, we all removed our shoes and put them in grocery bags. I was given a scarf to cover my head, the first of which was apparently too small to do an adequate job so the doorman gave me a larger one. Carrying our shoes, we followed our new friend to the front where he prayed while we all knelt. This was my first visit inside a Middle Eastern mosque.

Ceiling of the Beyazit Mosque

Inside the mosque

Afterwards, we walked passed Istanbul University and over to Suleymaniye Mosque, which I had read about in an article celebrating the life of the well known Ottoman traveler and writer Evliya Chelebi. Chelebi described the Suleymaniye Mosque as being the most beautiful mosque in Istanbul even over the Hagia Sophia. It is certainly spectacular!

Suleymaniye Mosque

We then took a taxi across the Golden Horn to Taksim Square. From there, we took the funicular down to a ferry that took us across the Bosphorus to the Asian side of the city. We then took another taxi to our friend's parents home where we ate a grand lunch/dinner and spent a few hours enjoying their company. They returned us to our apartment that evening.

Leaving Suleymaniye in search of a taxi

Taksim Square

Taxi ride

The view during dinner

Our new friends - Typhun & Hikmet

The home of our hosts

MORE PHOTOS from the 24th

A Trekkie in the Making

2011-07-24T09:26:00.000-04:00

Since Star Trek the Next Generation has been put on Netflix watch now, we have been indoctrinating Jonah starting with Season 1: Episode 1. He loves the opening lines that include, ".... Space, the Final Frontier...." At Christmas, he received a couple of Star Trek gifts that are now at the top of his play list.

His dad and I were both impressed by this version of the starship Enterprise that he put together all by himself using his Trio set. We are so proud!

(If you were wondering if we are sci-fi geeks, well, now you know ;)

Hydroponics Project with Daddy

2011-07-23T21:22:00.001-04:00

Kelly ordered this from Woot!

Now where do we put this thing?!

She Loves Boots!

2011-07-19T10:24:00.002-04:00

Here she is modeling the pair I got her for her birthday. I thought they would be too big to wear right now, but I was wrong! She's wearing 9's already!

Birthday at the Beach

2011-07-16T10:18:00.001-04:00

For her birthday.....

2011-07-13T21:46:00.001-04:00

Elisabeth is turning 3 on Saturday and we are planning to take the RV to Wilmington and go to the beach. She is really, really hoping to see a dolphin. That's a hard gift to wrap, but who knows.... it could happen.

RVing - A Dream Come True

2011-07-11T12:21:00.000-04:00

We bought a travel trailer RV over the 4th of July weekend. This was the culmination of a year long process for us. We have been thinking, planning, discussing this for quite a while. Once we returned home from Turkey we felt ready to move forward. After deciding on a lightweight travel trailer, we finally found one that fit our desires.

We decided to take it on a trip this weekend to test it out. Medoc Mountain State Park is only an hour and half away so it made a good destination for a quick weekend trip. I feel very fortunate to finally be living one of my dreams and I'm excited to see what future travels await us.

The RV

Elisabeth's personal window!

Our front porch :-)

The kids love the bunk beds!

By the way, I want to give the RV a name. So far, I have come up with Stargazer and Voyager as possibilities. If you have a suggestion, I'd love to hear it. Leave me a comment sharing your idea for a name.

Cow Appreciation Day!

2011-07-08T20:38:00.003-04:00

The one day a year that Chick-fil-a gives away free food to those dressed as black and white bovines. It's also the one day a year where I don't mind looking like a cow!

We used some of the same shirts from the same event two years ago.

Girl's Day Out

2011-07-03T13:35:00.000-04:00

Which means Jonah and Daddy are having a Boys Day Out

Jonah's New Milestone

2011-07-01T21:25:00.005-04:00

He can swing himself! Yay!

Sparklers

2011-06-30T18:47:00.001-04:00

Thanks Livi for the sparklers. I shared them with Jonah. He said,
"That was cool!"

Turkey Travelogue: May 23rd

2011-06-30T11:55:00.000-04:00

Our first full day in Turkey was very relaxing and we felt pretty good - only mildly jetlagged. We began the day with breakfast at a corner cafe down from our apartment and then we spent the greater part of the day at Topkapi Palace.

Originally built by the conquerer of Constantinople, Mehmed II in 1465, Topkapi Palace was used as the primary residence of the Sultans and place of the Ottoman court until 1856 when the European-styled palace Dolmabache was completed. We visited Dolmabache our on our last day in Turkey and Topkapi was definitely my favorite of the two. The architecture and details are unique to any thing I have seen previously and exquisitely beautiful to mine eye.

Jonah waiting on daddy to get tickets

Inside the Harem

Our beauties amongst the beautiful tile work

This was my favorite room - ironically, I think this is the "queens" living chamber

I love this picture - and it's not posed!

Another example of an artfully decorated dome

Mother of pearl insets this cabinet surrounded
with marble and tile

An example of one of many stained glass windows

Elisabeth at the cafe

An inner courtyard with fountain

My trying to get artistic with my photography

The Bosphorous from Topkapi Palace

Looking down on the cafe
where we ate lunch earlier in the day

More Pictures from this day.

You've Got a Friend

2011-06-29T15:53:00.000-04:00

To my friends Vildan, Serap, Nese, Aysel, Yasamine and Vijdan

Baby to Adult Teeth

2011-06-22T19:18:00.002-04:00

Jonah went back to the Dentist for his checkup and cleaning this week. Since his last visit he lost a baby tooth and also has 4 permanent molars. I recall having seals put on my teeth as a child and when I mentioned it to Kelly he thought it sounded like a good idea.

So, at Jonah's appointment this week, he endured an additional 30 minutes of someones hands in his mouth in order to seal and protect those lifelong teeth. He was such a trooper! I was so proud of him. He didn't complain and kept opening his mouth on command. (The Vegetales cartoon on the screen definitely helped.)

We've been going to Stansell Dentistry in Brier Creek and they do a great job with the kids. I like that we now have a dentist where we can all go and feel comfortable.

As an aside, my brother in law posted this picture on his facebook page of an example of what a child's skull looks like before their adult teeth come it. It is very interesting but equally creepy, so don't click on this if your sensitive. Honestly, I found it a tad disturbing and couldn't get the image out of my mind for a good 30 minutes, so it is not for the faint hearted. For those brave souls, here it is!

Turkey Travelogue: May 22nd

2011-06-20T20:49:00.000-04:00

On arriving at the airport in Istanbul, we were all very tired given the time adjustment and overall lack of sleep. After disembarking, we had to go through immigration and then collect our baggage. Customs was laughable considering other places we've been, but I'm not complaining. It consisted of walking by a small, unmanned desk!

Kelly had prearranged transport with Backpackers Travel to take us to our apartment in the historic district of Istanbul - Sultanahmet. (We know from experience if you can avoid getting a taxi in a place where you don't speak the language, do!) The contact was holding up a sign with Kelly's name on it which made them easy to spot. We had to wait around a few minutes however before leaving the airport, so Kelly could get a sim card for his android phone from Turk Cell. He thought it would be more likely for vendors at the airport to speak English and therefore easier to get what he needed. With the sim card, we would then call folks in country and have internet.

The transport from the Ataturk International Airport consisted of a roomy van and Backpacker Travel provided water and juice for our ride into town. The road went along the Sea of Marmara which was lined with park after park. We could sea old walls (from Ottoman time and probably before) for most of the ride and many large barge type boats anchored at various distances out in the sea.

The driver had some problems finding our apartment, but he finally found the right door for the Violet Apart. We had an awesome view of the Hagia Sophia!

Our view from the apartment

But you know what they say, "You get what you pay for." The apartment itself was smaller than we'd hoped and the shower seemed to be a bit of an afterthought among other things. That being said, we made do and enjoyed our time despite the shortcomings of the accommodations.

The Burn's room

Our room

After getting settled in, it was only 1 p.m. So, we decided to have a meal nearby and then walk around Sultanamet. We really needed to stay awake in order to adjust to the new time zone, but we were all too tired to really do much or go see anything. After walking around and taking a few pictures, we ended up stopping at another cafe and just sitting and sipping beverages and eating ice cream.

Our entourage

Turkish flags flying outside the Hagia Sophia

The Blue Mosque

Jeff and Sheila trying to stay awake

Finally, we could stand it no longer and went back to our apartment to get ready for bed. We managed to stay up until 7 p.m. local time (12 p.m. Raleigh time) - that put me and Kelly at 30 straight hours without sleep.

I pretty much slept straight through to 7 a.m. the next morning. I did wake up sometime in the middle of the night and took this picture of Hagia Sophia with the moon shining and birds flying above.

More pictures

Father's Day at the Pool

2011-06-19T14:28:00.001-04:00

My Tinkerbell

2011-06-17T20:27:00.001-04:00

Turkey Travelogue: May 21st

2011-06-16T20:03:00.001-04:00

We set off for Turkey with our friends Jeff, Sheila and Livi Burns on Saturday morning.

Things started off with a delayed flight from Raleigh-Durham to New York's JFK.

After a quick lunch in the international terminal, we went to the security line only to be turned back to the counter for Turkish Airlines, because what we had in our hands weren't actual boarding passes. So we ended up cutting our time a little closer than we planned after having to go through that long line and then security. Typical stuff when you travel overseas.

The kids enjoyed all the freebies that Turkish Air gave to them - everyone get's these packets with eye covers, socks, lip moisturizer, a travel toothbrush and a little thing of toothpaste. The children on board receive an additional packet with airplane shaped binoculars and a blowup airplane. The best thing about Turkish Air though is the food. The food is cooked on board by a chef who greets you as you enter the airplane and it is yummy! The chicken and rice dish was delicious and came with a teeny shrimp salad, traditional salad, a desert and a hot - yes, HOT! - bread roll. The alternative dish was a Cannoli and it was equally good. Turks are known for their great food and hospitality and their flag carrier airline reflects this tradition.

The kids took awhile to fall asleep but did end up sleeping the last 4 or so hours of the 9 1/2 hour flight. Kelly and I on the other hand could not sleep. Our bodies were telling us it was 2:30 in the morning when we arrived in Istanbul, but local time was 9:30 a.m.

More pictures

Toddler Jetlag

2011-06-09T15:43:00.000-04:00

While in Turkey, the kids had no set bedtime. We were freebirds
sometimes not getting home until past 11 p.m. With the bright mornings
they didn't sleep in much either. So Elisabeth developed a habit of
taking 30 to 45 minute power naps. Looks like she is still in
need....

Turkish Tooth Fairy?

2011-06-07T21:16:00.000-04:00

We made it back from Turkey safe and sound, but minus one tooth. On our first or second day in there, Jonah announced his tooth was loose. I thought he was joking as he has said this before after watching one of his cartoon heros loose a tooth on TV. But, turns out, this time he was "for real." We left it alone and by day 8 while visiting a cave - the Chapel of St. Basil in Goreme to be exact, Jonah announced that his tooth fell out.

I was shocked that he is already loosing his baby teeth, and was certainly not expecting such a milestone to occur on our trip. My baby boy is growing up!

I was interested to find out the Turks have a similar custom when their children loose their "milk teeth" as they say. However, we kept such a busy schedule while there, we never put the tooth under Jonah's pillow. Instead, we brought it all the way home only to loose it in the stairwell this evening. We're still hoping we find it. BTW, Jonah knows that there is no real tooth fairy just mom and dad, but he still wants to do it. Tonight, Kelly promised him money even if we don't find the tooth and he was satisfied with that....

Elisabeth & Livi in Safranbolu

2011-06-01T03:06:00.001-04:00

A Hobbit Hole in Cappadocia

2011-05-30T04:30:00.001-04:00

Cappadocia

2011-05-28T09:44:00.001-04:00

Watching cartoons with friends in Ankara

2011-05-27T01:56:00.001-04:00

Asleep on the train

2011-05-26T04:19:00.001-04:00

Off to Turkey

2011-05-21T08:12:00.001-04:00

Turkey Bound

2011-05-20T18:32:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

Tomorrow we are off to Turkey for two weeks with our good friends the Burns. We leave Raleigh-Durham in the morning and fly to New York where we will board a direct flight to Istanbul. We plan to update this blog and Kelly's blog that he started when he traveled to Turkey in '09. The thought being that if it's kid related it will go on my blog but if it's more trip related it will go on his blog. We'll see how that works....

You'll be able to see if the other blog is updated here in the My Blogging Friends column.

This will be our first international trip as a family of four - well perhaps that's technically incorrect. I was 5 months pregnant with Elisabeth when we took 18 month old Jonah to Tunisia for two weeks. You can find a handful of posts from that trip in the archives from April 2006.

That trans-atlantic flight was exhausting. We're hoping for the best this time around. If you think of us tomorrow, pray that we have a peaceful, restful, fun flight and check back here for updates.

Bon voyage!

Kids Room: Part 3

2011-05-20T16:42:00.001-04:00

IMG_0899, originally uploaded by planetdavis23.

I finished my little art project. Now for the furnishings.

Jonah's New Restaurant Creation

2011-05-20T16:25:00.001-04:00

Chicken nuggets and French fries wrapped in a flour tortilla. Not exactly low carb, but I must admit I was pleased he got a bit adventurous and did something different with his food.

My Little Fishermen

2011-05-19T22:55:00.000-04:00

Our new house is very near the Neuse River and a greenway that runs along it that includes this great boardwalk that you can fish from.

Note the SpongeBob fishing pole and Star Wars tackle box

Actually, their talented mother caught this fish. They say kids learn best from behaviors that are modeled for them. Since I'm a daughter of a fisherman, I should know.

BTW - there was only bread and cheese in that tackle box

Potty Training Milestone

2011-05-17T23:23:00.000-04:00

I have been procrastinating with potty training Elisabeth. It took so long for Jonah to get potty trained (18 months) that I decided to wait until she was really ready before making the big push. I keep changing the deadline, but at this point, I'm committed and mentally preparing her that when she turns three "no more diapers." Wishful thinking perhaps, but that's my current plan. Nevertheless, I occasionally ask her if she wants to go potty and get her to sit on it to no avail.

Well, the last two days she has had a bout of diarrhea which resulted in a diaper rash. So today, I thought I'd let her run around bottomless to let things air out so the rash would heal. Also, we have a book about going to the potty where the little boy put's his potty in a tent and uses it. So today I sat up the Dora tent in the playroom and put the potty inside it just like in the book. She loved it and sat there for quite a while.

Eventually she moved the potty just outside the tent so that she could sit and watch TV at the same time. While I was upstairs packing for our upcoming trip, I hear, "Mom! Mom! I did it! I did it!" I was somewhat skeptical as she has cried wolf before. Regardless, I ran downstairs to investigate and sure enough she had pee'd in the potty! So Jonah and I congratulated her and jumped up and down and gave her lots of praise and then I rewarded her with her favorite snack. She was so proud of herself - she was so cute. "Did I do good mom?" "Yes, Baby, you did great!"

A few hours later, she was bottomless once again and I hear her say, "Mom I made a big one." So her dad and I go in the playroom to look in the potty - Nothing! Then we see her pointing to the rug where we find a little poopy terd. Thankfully it was fairly solid and cleaned up easily. "I'm sorry mommy." "It's okay; lets just try to get it in the potty next time."

So another episode in a mother's quest to clean up poop. For previous installments, check out these posts!

To end on a positive note, Dad reported that she used the potty two more times while I was out this evening. Yay Elisabeth!

Elisabeth Style

2011-05-16T20:22:00.000-04:00

Elisabeth picked out a purse today at OshGosh. I did steer her toward
a cheaper one but she still chose between the white and dark denim.

Easter Pictures

2011-05-15T13:59:00.000-04:00

Mommy's girl

2011-05-15T12:42:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-11T06:32:00.004-04:00

Wings Over Wayne 2011

2011-05-10T09:24:00.002-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, we drove to Goldsboro and experienced Wings Over Wayne. Last year we went to the Winston Salem Airshow. By comparison, Wings Over Wayne was bigger, cheaper, and a closer drive - though aspects of the air show were markedly different (i.e. no Harrier Jet). The weather was perfect for sitting in the sun and watching the show.

Jonah saluting in front of a P-40 Warhawk from WWII

Side view of P-40 Warhawk

The P-40 is significant to us, because Kelly's grandfather, George Herbert Davis, flew one of these during WWII in the South Pacific theatre. Kelly has transcribed a journal of his grandfather's on another blog called Love Found Down Under, so named, because George met his future wife (Kelly's grandmother), Elisabeth Newton, while stationed in Australia during WWII.

Mother's Day Weekend

2011-05-09T20:51:00.000-04:00

My mom arrived late Wednesday to spend Mother's Day weekend with us. After recovering from her delayed arrival, we went to the mall for lunch and shopping and then out to dinner at a local Mexican joint on Thursday. I had forgotten that it was Cinco de Mayo so it was appropriate. We finished the evening on the back porch playing with the kids.

Friday, we went Strawberry picking with Gina and Samual at Porter Farms followed by a picnic at Lake Wheeler Park. And in the evening we all sat in the living room and watched Tangled together - such a cute movie.

Saturday, Elisabeth, Mom and I met up with my mom's first cousin who lives in the area for a girls day out. We finished out the day watching Kelly do home improvement projects and watching kids play in the yard. And Grammie finally got to paint Elisabeth's nails.

Sunday, Kelly made us all breakfast and then we headed to Brick Magic. We went last year on Mother's Day as well, and I was blown away by all the brick creations. This year it wasn't quite as astounding to be since I had been before, but I was elated that it didn't seem so crowded. I didn't take the nice camera this time so the pictures aren't as good. Grammie even got into the spirit of things and purchased a female doctor mini-figure and patient. Go Grammie!

All in all a great Mother's Day weekend!

We took Grammie to the airport this afternoon and thankfully she had no delays and made it safely to Orlando. Elisabeth kept saying, "I don't want her to go to airport!" "I want to go to Florida."

Kids Room: Part 2

2011-05-04T15:49:00.000-04:00

When I finally got to painting yesterday, things went much more smoothly, and I even began to enjoy myself despite the self imposed deadline. I actually put the entire first coat on with a brush and then for the second coat used the roller. For some reason, I prefer brush work but it is less practical on larger surfaces. I finished the second coat at 7 p.m. last night and left cleanup for today. As you will see, one wall is incomplete as I have an idea for an accent that I want to be able to take my time on. I did test out my colors to make sure I liked my chosen palette, and I DO. I totally love, love, love the blue I chose - it makes me happy just looking at it.

So the room is of yet incomplete, but it will suffice as a guest room for Grammie this weekend.

Kids Room: Part 1

2011-05-03T11:19:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

As I mentioned in a previous post over a month ago, I am attempting to pull together a shared bedroom for my 4 year old boy and 2 year old girl. I chose a color palette and bought the paint a week or so ago. I managed to get the room emptied and spackled before we left for the weekend. Then yesterday morning I sanded and wiped down the walls and put drop clothes down and taped up all the moulding. Then I went out in the afternoon and didn't get started actually putting primer on the walls until 7 p.m. I bought Killz having heard that it was a good primer, but at 9 p.m., after applying one coat, I could still see lots of blue haze.

This morning Elisabeth woke me up at 5:45 and after getting her back to bed I found that I couldn't go back to sleep. My right arm was aching from painting. So I got up, took some ibuprofen and started putting on a second coat of primer. The kids woke up at 8:15 as I was finishing up. I can still see a bit of a blue haze, but I'm hoping it won't matter.

I began feeling optimistic that I could get this room painted with the exception of the accent wall before my mom arrives tomorrow evening. But after last night and this morning, I'm dubious. (BTW, my husband left on a business trip yesterday morning and won't be getting back until after my mom arrives.) I used to be able to get things done by pure determination, but I haven't done hard work like this in quite awhile and my body is rebelling. Not only that, but I have only ever painted a room once before but not by myself and even then a friend came to our rescue. So, we'll see how far I get..... and how this all turns out.....

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2011-04-26T15:23:00.001-04:00

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