The New England Duncans

What are you doing New Years Eve??

2011-12-30T16:34:00.000-08:00

Always been a big fan of Zooey and her sister Emily...

Enjoy!

Christmas Time

2011-12-19T12:25:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas time! I love the music, the feeling, the magic...the message...

And of course I like decorating my house. I've never really felt like I could decorate in the other places we lived...the decorations just added to the clutter and just weren't quite right...

Now with our "new" place, I love putting things into place!

The red berry wreath...it would get ruined on the front door so its on the coat closet door...now I get to see it all the time!

our tree...you have two choices for seating...by the tree or in it!

I LOVE red berries!

I apologize for the quality of the photos...the battery died on the camera so I was using the iphone...maybe santa will bring me a new digital camera for christmas....

Poppyseed Projects

2011-12-19T12:21:00.001-08:00

Many of you who know me, know I'm not a very crafty person. I am a math person...I can make something if you tell me exactly what I need, and how to put it together...

Over Thanksgiving my sister Cyndi from Colorado came to visit and we had sister craft night...ugh...but then she introduced me to this great little store (and they are online too! poppyseedprojects.com) that's right across from where I work. This store was created just for people like me! And they are cheap!

Above is a project I made for James's teachers and Molly's teacher. I have also made two other projects with plans to make more....I am on a roll!

Lacy

2011-12-19T12:16:00.000-08:00

Our sweet Lacy-dog passed away on November 28th.

It was a bittersweet experience for all of us.

We were relieved because she was so old and was in so much pain.

We are sad because we miss her a lot.

I miss her more than I realized I would. I was mostly relieved because she kept pooping on my new carpet...then of course I felt guilty for getting mad at her...she couldn't help it, she was getting so old...

But now when I come home the house is empty and cold and there is no one to welcome me home...

She has definitely left an empty spot in my heart...

Winter is here!...Kinda

2011-12-19T12:13:00.000-08:00

Over Thanksgiving Break we went sledding with the cousins...

Too bad the only snow is in the mountains...

Fall in Review Part 1

2011-12-19T12:07:00.001-08:00

James turned 6! He is loving his kindergarten Dual Immersion class and learning Spanish. He is currently reading on a first grade reading level. We are so proud of him!

Steve had his first gallery showing at the Alpine Art Gallery with two other artists. Many thanks to all who came out to support him! Steve, by far, had the most patrons that night.

Fall in Review Part 2

2011-12-19T12:00:00.000-08:00

In September we moved back into our condo...Steve worked very hard to make it liveable after our tenants left...here are the fruits of his labors...

Brand new bathroom upstairs

new kitchen cabinets, counter top, and floor

new paint, flooring, and doors throughout the entire place

Everyone loves the circus!

A rare glimpse of fall in Utah...don't blink or its gone!

Fall Break 2011

2011-12-19T11:31:00.000-08:00

During Fall break we went down to St. George to visit Steve's parents and enjoy the warm weather. We hiked in Red Canyon and Zions National Park. We took the kids on Angel's Landing...and yes even the first part of the chains. We were planning on doing the whole hike but we left the kidpack at home and James was set on doing Angels Landing so we made the best of it. James hiked the entire way and Molly hiked all the way down. They were awesome little hikers!

Fall in Review Part 3

2011-12-19T11:20:00.000-08:00

We spent UEA break down in St George enjoying the warm weather. We took the kids hiking in Zions on Angels Landing. James hiked the WHOLE way and Molly hiked all the way down. We made it to the first break in the chains...maybe next year we'll make it all the way!

Happy Halloween!

The last swimming day...

2011-09-04T14:53:00.000-07:00

The last swimming day of the summer

(Why does james always look like he's going to cry in these photots?

I think its because he's trying to smile too hard!)

I don't know about you, but summer went by WAY too fast for us. I only had about a month off so we tried to make the best of it with trips to the pool, Lagoon, and a campout in Yellowstone National Park. Read all about it in the posts below. :)

First day of school...

2011-09-04T14:42:00.001-07:00

On August 29th, James started kindergarten!! He's going full time in the Dual Immersion Program at Midvale Elementary School. He is so excited to be in school!

I promised myself I wouldn't get all emotional. Being in education myself, I know how awesome and wonderful school is (especially this school!)....but I admit, even I shed a tear or two...ok a lot...in the car as I drove away.

My little boy is in kindergarten!! He's growing up so fast!

A REALLY big slide.

2011-09-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

The first weekend in August we headed up to Park City to attend the Arts Festival and ride the Alpine Slide.

it was nice to get out of the valley and spend some time together as a family. Something we haven't been able to do much as Steve spends most of his free time either working one of his two jobs or working on the condo in Murray....

Yellowstone 2011

2011-09-04T14:30:00.001-07:00

July 20 - 22 we took a quick jaunt up north to Yellowstone National Park. Both Steve and I had camped there when we were little and it was amazing to see how much it was the same and how much it had changed.

4Life Lagoon Day

2011-09-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

July 16th was 4Life Lagoon day.

This day was more for the kids than for Steve and I...once you've been to Six Flags and have ridden the Superman rollercoaster...well, nothing else can compare :)

I have a picture of me when I was about this age in these boats...except they were blue

The simple things of summer we love...part 1

2011-09-04T13:48:00.000-07:00

...simply watching cartoons in the morning, while waiting for the day to "start"...

...rainbows after a summer rain...

...cousin time!...

...sister pedicures...

...a "new" car...

*(this was a ONE time summer love...it'd be great to get a new car every summer!)*

The simple things of summer we love...part 2

2011-09-04T13:42:00.001-07:00

...playing in the fountain...

...backyard games...

...4th of July breakfast...
...crepes....they were AMAZINGLY easy...

The simple things of summer we enjoy...Part 3

2011-09-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

...corn on the cob...

...and last but not least, fireworks...

...really BIG fireworks...

Bad Habit

2011-07-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

Making sunday treats...

So, I've had this horrible habit lately of letting at least a month go by without posting. Sorry. Anywho, what that means is....here is another round of posts of our latest adventures. There are only 8 posts this time :) ENJOY!!

Cousin Visit

2011-07-03T18:46:00.000-07:00

Its always fun for me when MY cousins come to visit.

I was able to visit with some of my cousins on my dad's side. From left to right, Amy lives in Texas, Leslie lives in Massachuessettes (of course she moved there AFTER we moved back to Utah) and Carol, on the end, lives in Utah.

Hopefully I'll be able to get together with some of my relatives on my mom's side soon....HINT HINT!

One thing that we love...

2011-07-03T18:40:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine "recently" published about the things her family was "lovin' " at that moment.

One thing that we love to do in the summer as a family is to take Sunday Walks.

Last Sunday, the 26th, we took a walk down by the Jordan River in Murray (by where we used to live and we where hope to move back to shortly...) and we fed the ducks.

James is getting braver in the things that he'll do....

Molly, on the other hand, has no fear...

...But she's always willing to have daddy hold her when she gets tired...

The first "real" day of summer

2011-07-03T18:25:00.001-07:00

For some reason it just doesn't seem like summer until I take the kids swimming. On June 24th, my sister, Meredith (pictured above...I could NEVER look that glamorous at a swimming pool), and her kids joined us at Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center...the same place where they held the ice skating events for the 2002 Olympics.

The yellow slide was the big hit of the day. Brave Molly was the first to try the slide. The little stinker would push kids the kids in front of her down the slide or out of the way if they didn't go fast enough.

James surprised us all by going down all by himself, all on his own. He's usually a little timid around water, but once he saw Molly go down, he decided he could do it...and backwards!

Check out the video of Noah, James, and Molly going down the slide.

"No, I not tired!"

2011-07-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

Molly is at that wonderful stage where she is growing out of naps. If she takes a nap, then she's bouncing off the wall until 10:00 at night.

If she doesn't take a nap, then she'll either be super grumpy or fall asleep in the car or in odd places and be even grumpier if she gets woken up.

One day I found Molly asleep on the floor in her room like this....

Going Native...

2011-07-03T18:06:00.000-07:00

After a four year absence, we were finally able to participate in the annual Duncan Family Campout! This year we spent June 10 - 12 at Freemont Indian State Park. None of us had ever been there, so it was new adventure for our family.

Sometimes it was hard for James to appreciate all the cool stuff we had to look at...

Pictographs by the visitors center

Cave of 100 Hands
We only counted about 20....maybe they should rename it to Cave of 100/5 Hands

Molly practicing her grumpy face.

No matter where we go, Molly is always able to find a place to play in the dirt.

This time it was the volleyball pit that served as the place of choice. Aunt Kathy found a sprinkler and the kids were able to flood the sand pit...All the kids got good and dirty as all kids should when they are camping.

At our group campsite, we basically had a small canyon all to ourselves. The kids had a blast being noisy and hiking all over the rocks.

Boondocks

2011-07-03T17:59:00.001-07:00

June 4th was spent celebrating cousin Nathan's 6th birthday. We went to Boondocks, one of those places that has lots of stuff to do at it: miniature golfing, indoor arcade, laser tag, squirt boats, race cars (James was too short to go on those :( ) and bowling.

It was James' first experience with mini golf and he really liked it. He has been begging us to go again.

Molly was happy as a clam throwing rocks into the various ponds on the golf course.

Date Night!

2011-07-03T17:40:00.001-07:00

After spending all day with the kids at the zoo, I was able to go on a date with Steve! Wahoo! It was so awesome! We were actually able to have a full conversation without being interupted. Imagine that.

Steve's work, 4Life Research, (where he's a web designer) has season tickets to all the sports teams in Utah. One of the teams is The Blaze, an indoor football team. It was my first experience with arena football....it was quite fun! The tickets were front row...literally...we had a small padded wall seperating us from the astro-turf. We could see and hear everything that was happening on the field. At one point I asked, "Did that player just touch that other players butt???" It was definitely more than your typical sports butt-swat. We even got sweat on us as the players crashed into the wall right in front of us. I forgot how fun it is to go to live sports games.

In high school I was part of a group that tried to bring school spirit to the attendees of various sporting events :), and those days came back to me as I cheered on the Blaze. Even Steve was surprised at my ability to yell and cheer on the home team.

They won!

Zoo Trip

2011-07-03T17:36:00.001-07:00

On May 21st we took a trip to the zoo. A nice little outting in the intermitten warm weather we had this spring.

Despite being at the zoo with all the cool animals to see, the kids love playing at the zoo park the best.

10 seconds of fame!

2011-05-19T15:55:00.001-07:00

Ok, probably even less than that...more like 5 seconds...

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=690&sid=15598479

Oh Moab, how do I love thee, let me count the ways....

2011-05-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

During the first week of May, we spent 3 glorious days down in Moab. We camped and hiked around Arches National Park. It was so nice to spend some time together as a family.

And the Moab sunshine wasn't bad either :)

We can't wait for more camping adventures!

Waiting Patiently

2011-05-10T19:08:00.001-07:00

Molly was just so cute...sitting there...waiting for me to finish whatever....

Preschool Show

2011-05-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

On May 2nd james's preschool had an end of the year show at Wheeler Farm. It was so fun to watch the kids sing and dance!

Easter Finery

2011-05-10T18:44:00.001-07:00

Easter

2011-04-25T19:32:00.001-07:00

After I returned home from Louisville, we went down to sunny St. George to spend Easter weekend with Steve's parents. Oh how warm and sunny it was down south! It was so nice to be with family and celebrate Easter.

Dying easter eggs

Easter morning!

On the drive home, Mother Nature granted us a rare glimpse at a rainbow.

The more we traveled north, the gloomier it got...made it hard to come home...

Lou-a-vul

2011-04-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

Well, that's how they say it phonetically in Kentucky.

Two days after I got back from Indianapolis, I jumped back on a plane headed to Louisville, Kentucky for a Math-in-CTE conference. I spent most of my spring break (It'll be worth it when I take comp time to go down to Moab!!) in a hotel with other math and CTE teachers and directors planning how to reinforce math concepts that are naturally found in cooking, sewing, shop, and other CTE classes. Again, I'll spare you the details and share the highlights...

River walk along the Ohio River...

Dinner in Old Louisville at the directors home...

The southern Utah coalition of directors...

A really cool tree

the best part of all: it was a glorious 80 degrees! Oh, and all the creative ways housekeeping folded the towels and washclothes.

The other side of the finish line...

2011-04-25T19:09:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that I like to run...ok, I REALLY like to run. I like it so much, that I'll get up at insane hours (4:00 am) just so I can get a run in before work. Lately Steve has caught on to this love of mine. In January he decided to train for a half marathon. On March 16th he ran the Salt Lake half marathon. He completed the 13.1 miles in 1:46!! An awesome time for a first half marathon! I was so excited for him! It's an amazing experience to train for and run a race of this distance. It's just as amazing to watch people cross the finish line. It was incredible for me to watch him finish and know he had accomplished his goal.

James ran the kids race...a 1K race that crossed the same finish line the adult runners crossed.

NCTM

2011-04-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

Right before Spring Break, I flew out to Indianapolis, IN to attend the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) conference. While I learned about some AWESOME stuff, I won't bore you with those details. Instead...

The view from my hotel room

My favorite store! So sad that the nearest one to me in Utah is 6 hours away...

An evening stroll in White River State Park

Fiesta Time!

2011-04-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

James's preschool held a mexican fiesta at the end of March.

They bartered with pesos and did the mexican hat dance.

This was an extra special day for James because Steve got to go spend the day with him. Steve isn't able to get work off very often, so James was especially excited to have his daddy at school with him.

Social Network

2011-04-25T18:43:00.000-07:00

On March 25th I had the great opportunity to accompany some students from our district on a trip to BYU to hear Mark Zuckerburg speak. In case you didn't know, cuz I didn't, he is the CEO and founder of FACEBOOK. He was being interviewed by Orrin Hatch.

One thing that stuck out to me that Mark said was that we shouldn't fill roles that are already in existance...We should create our own roles to fill.

Molly turns 3

2011-04-25T18:38:00.001-07:00

On March 13th, Molly turned 3!

My second attempt at being "home-makey"

It turned out SOOO much better than last years butterfly...

My wonderful office-mate at work suggested a cake-form pan...BRILLIANT!

Mad Marchness

2011-04-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

I swear I don't tell my kids to do these things. They come up with these ideas ALL on their own! I just take the pictures...

February

2011-04-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

February is a great month for forts! James & Molly found my mom's quilting frame very useful in constructing a fort. They even got to spend the night in the fort.

Another snowstorm brought new snow to play in.

Forgiven

2011-02-20T21:26:00.000-08:00

So I finally decided to forgive my laptop.

I'm usually not one to hold a grudge very long (average grudge time: overnight). But I have been harboring bad feelings towards this Compaq for about 2 months now.

So what was the offense, you may be asking. Well, let me tell you...

In December, as I was trying to order one of my favorite Christmas gifts (the black boots pictured below)...

...and my computer was going so S L O W. It kept timing out and I had to keep re-entering my credit card info, it was so infuriating. But never fear I finally got the boots ordered...but not after about an hour of frustration.

Then every day after that the Internet kept timing out and the laptop was running so incredibly S L O W. Not just slow, but slower than molasses left outside in January.

THEN after Christmas break in January, I got a notice from my bank stating that our account was low on funds...this was right after payday and we hadn't spent a dime! So I looked online and found out that someone (someone who wasn't Steve or I) had spent over $300 at an online store called Threadless.com. WHAT???? And get this, there was also a$1 charge to paypal (who we don't use) a $1.00 charge to google.com (who we don't buy things from) and a $.02 charge to some UK.com. DING DING DING all sorts of alarms going off: FRAUD!

So I immediately called up my bank and reported the fraudulant charges. "Oh don't worry, Mrs. Duncan, you caught the charges early. You are so lucky they didn't milk you for more! But don't worry, you are 100% covered against all fraudulant charges...But we can't do anything until they actually clear your account. Right now they are just pending. But don't worry we'll cancel your card right away so you don't get any more fraudulant charges...You'll get a new one in about 5 to 7 business days..." So not only was I stressed about the charges (not to mention I felt very violated and felt my privacy had been invaded), a lot of our money was tied up until the charges were resolved. AND I was left without a card for a week! So frustrating!

Naturally I blamed the Compaq because that was the last computer I used to make an online purchase and we had been having problems with our anti-virus/hacking software. So of course I gave the laptop the silent treatment and stuck to the Apple and iphone to do any online transactions. I could tell the Compaq was jealous with my affairs with the other technology. But I just couldn't bring myself to use the computer that had allowed some good outstanding citizen to be unable to resist tempation and use our bank account to make purchases that they were obviously unable to make for themselves. (funny side note: when I called threadless.com to tell them about the purchase they actually said, "Oh we get calls about this all the time"...hmmm maybe you should put some more protection on your website!)

Of course, we got all of our money back and I got a new card and we moved on. Steve was able to update our protection software and I worked on forgiving the Compaq. The breaking point came when I received a letter in the mail from UConn saying that their online store security had been breached and that I should take measures to protect my bank account....and I remembered that I had made a purchase through them (on the PC, NOT the laptop) when I was working on my masters.

Culprit found and apprehended. So of course I felt bad and I had to forgive the Compaq and make-up. And what better way than to blog for several hours!

So scroll down and enjoy the 17 blog posts.

Gosh, a lot can happen in 2 months.

Happy Birthday Mere Mere!

2011-02-20T21:20:00.001-08:00

On February 18th, the sisters went out to celebrate Mere's birthday. We went out to a great Japanese sushi bar and grill, Tepanyaki. So fun! Despite my lack of desire to eat fish, I was a sport and caught a piece of shrimp when the chef tossed them in the air.

Bethany & Camilley

Our chef

Mere & I drinking miso & onion soup

Warmer Weather...

2011-02-20T21:08:00.000-08:00

Valentines Weekend we headed down to St. George to visit Steve's parents and enjoy the warmer weather. While down there, we took a jaunt down to Las Vegas to visit Steve's lovely sister Marilyn and take in the sites...such as my favorite store (H&M) and the kids favorite store: the M&M Store.

Waiting for the 3-D movie

James discovers the art of climbing trees

Molly takes a turn climbing the tree

Molly finds a stick just her size

Another tooth...

2011-02-20T21:07:00.001-08:00

2nd tooth: January 9, 2011

Finally, a Utah Snow Storm

2011-02-20T21:01:00.000-08:00

On the 29th, Utah finally got a real snow storm. The kids were more than happy to help Steve shovel the driveway.

Potty Training

2011-02-20T20:58:00.000-08:00

Need I say more???

Christmas 2010

2011-02-20T20:49:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve Jammies

Christmas Morning

As usual, the box is more fun than the actual toy

Molly got dress ups and make-up

James found a new use for the "darts" from his dart gun

Unresistable

2011-02-20T20:38:00.001-08:00

This was just so cute I couldn't resist posting it...

Duncan Christmas Party

2011-02-20T20:06:00.001-08:00

And no Christmas Season would be complete without the annual Duncan Christmas party...complete with Disney's Sing-a-long...so awesome!

Steve with baby Kate (grand-niece)

Steve looking his best

James with cousin Kyla

The gang

More of the gang

Molly opening her present...dress ups!

Buzz Lightyear coloring pad...perfect!

Molly trying out her dress-ups

Such a big girl...

2011-02-20T20:03:00.001-08:00

Molly has taken to dressing herself lately. I often come home to find her in outfits such as these...

The Christmas Cards that Never were...

2011-02-20T19:55:00.000-08:00

If you didn't get a Christmas Card from us this year, don't feel bad...neither did anyone else.

I really did try to get cards out. I even got addresses...it just didn't happen. But I did have pictures taken by my awesome sister Camilley in preparation for sending cards out, so the intention was there....

Which picture would you have choosen???

But don't give up on a receiving a card just yet...you just might get a card when you least expect it.... :)

Christmas Traditions

2011-02-20T19:51:00.001-08:00

This year we tried to keep with some of the traditions we started as a family, with minor adjustments.

Instead of reading The Forgotten Carols, Steve and I were able to attend a production of it at Cottonwood High School. It has always been a favorite tradition of mine as it helps set the tone of the Christmas season.

The kids were also able to decorate gingerbread cookies instead of houses

Notice how most of her cookie is pink...

Stars were streaming, Shephards gleaming...

2011-02-20T19:45:00.000-08:00

At least I think that's how the carol goes...At the ward Christmas Breakfast, James had the opportunity to play a shephard in a Nativity Scene. He was so excited about it.

Molly got to sit on Santa's lap and tell him all she wanted for Christmas: pink legos, pink baby, pink vacuum, pink gun...everything she asked for had to be pink...

Date Night

2011-02-20T19:41:00.000-08:00

Steve and I finally got out for a date. We went and saw BYU's International Folk Dancers as they performed dances from around the world. It almost made me wish I had gone to BYU and joined the team...ALMOST... :)

Sledding

2011-02-20T19:37:00.000-08:00

On December 4th, we bundled up the kids and headed up to Donut Falls in Big Cottonwood Canyon for a funfilled day of sledding. We couldn't have picked a better day. It wasn't too cold and it wasn't crowded at all. The kids had a blast and even I (who HATES the cold) had fun. The best was when a group of high schoolers came. They had a sled they had built themselves from an old office chair. It was on a pair of old skis and they even had a brake built in. I love seeing that kind of ingenuity!

What Happens in Vegas...

2011-02-20T19:12:00.000-08:00

The week after Thanksgiving I went on a business trip to Las Vegas. I attended an awesome conference about integrating math into CTE classes. I left inspired and eager to implement the program in my district. Plus i got to go to my favorite store...H&M (one of the few things I miss about CT)

My fancy schmancy hotel room (but there wasn't any free wi-fi and it cost $25 to use the exercise room! As if!)

At the M&M store with my fellow conference attendees

Steve & James met me at the airport with Welcome Home signs...so sweet! Molly was eager to help carry my luggage.

Go Utes!

2011-02-20T19:10:00.001-08:00

How 'bout them Utes????

More Thanksgiving Fun

2011-02-20T19:01:00.000-08:00

Besides a box, James & Molly found great entertainment by playing in a neighbors bounce house.

James & Molly and the Box

2010-11-26T13:44:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite stories when I was little was about a girl and her friend who got a refridgerator box to play with. Their imaginations went wild...

While down in St. George over Thanksgiving, Steve's dad saved a furnace box for the kids to play with. It provided hours of fun for the kids!

So cute!

2010-11-26T13:43:00.001-08:00

Snow Snow Snow

2010-11-26T13:37:00.000-08:00

As much as I hate the cold, there is something magical about the world after it snows...

Pow-Wow

2010-11-26T13:31:00.001-08:00

Before Thanksgiving, James's preschool held a pow-wow.

We played Indian games - carry the beans

James showed us the songs he had been learning

James made a canoe...

...and dressed up as an Indian

Happy Birthday!

2010-11-26T13:26:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday to Steve!!

11/14/2010

the cake tasted a lot better than it looked

(chocolate cake with cheesecake pudding and cherry pie filling...I made it myself, steve was so proud of me!)

Reconnecting...

2010-11-26T13:17:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like recconnecting with old friends around a camp fire...

PS Little Ruby Jane was born 11/07

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-24T16:35:00.000-08:00

James as a transformer: Optimus Prime

Molly as a puppy

Trunk or treating

Braving the rain

First Snow...

2010-11-24T16:18:00.001-08:00

On October 27th Utah got its first snow...I had to come home on my lunch break and dig the snow clothes out of the storage unit so the kids could go out and play.

Carving Pumpkins

2010-11-24T15:49:00.000-08:00

One of the traditions I missed while we were gone was carving pumpkins with Steve's brother and his family. So glad we got to participate this year...

Adventuring

2010-10-18T15:25:00.001-07:00

Now that Steve is home, we decided we needed some family adventure time. So last weekend (UEA/Fall Break) we took off for St. George to visit Steve's parents and Zion Canyon. We hiked up to Weeping Rock and Emerald Pools. We finished off the trip with swimming at Washington City Rec Center.

Homecoming...

2010-10-18T15:13:00.000-07:00

On Friday October 8th, I got a call from Steve saying he was in Park City. I immediately left the conference I was in and drove up there to meet him. The last I had heard from him, he was in Nebraska calling from a pay phone. His cell phone was somewhere in Eurbana, Iowa along with the run-away-tire (long story). We spent the day by ourselves (he he he!!) and then surprised the kids that evening. IT IS SO GOOD TO HAVE HIM HOME!!!!!

Molly is so glad to have Lacy home!

Sorry the video is sideways...

It was inevitable...

2010-10-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

Just the other day I was thinking to myself that neither James nor Molly had tried to cut their own hair. Then I came home and James proudly announced that he had cut Molly's hair. Oh well, it was inevitable...and kinda funny! I had a hard time not laughing as I talked to James about scissors and how they are not used to cut hair.

Beautiful Beth

2010-10-18T14:53:00.001-07:00

My oldest sister turned 40 this month. You'd never be able to tell from the pictures that she's 40. Happy Birthday beautiful Beth!

Alli, Beth, Camille, Meredith, Mom

Shane & Beth

Another visit...

2010-10-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

On October 2nd, James and Molly went to a birthday party for their cousin Noah. While at the party, they received a surprise visit from... wait for it... SPIDERMAN!!!

A visit...

2010-10-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

The last week of September, a dear friend of ours came to visit. We took her up to Park City to ride the Alpine Slide, to Hogle Zoo to do some fall crafts and games, and then to the Gateway Mall to visit the Olympic Plaza. It was so good to see her!! We miss you Kaitlyn!

A rite of passage...

2010-09-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, September 22nd, James lost his first tooth! It had been loose for about a month and then Wednesday night while he was brushing his teeth it popped out! Woo woo!

Molly's Turn

2010-09-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

It was finally Molly's turn to get a hair cut...

Before...

During (I have never seen her sit so still, she never sits this still for me!)...

After...

Her princess hair-do...

Happy Birthday James!

2010-09-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

I can't believe James is 5!!

James's favorite present was the football uniform from Uncle Shane. Go Raiders!

...Wanna Ride Bikes?

2010-09-23T16:04:00.001-07:00

James's Adventure...

2010-09-23T15:49:00.001-07:00

James missed entering Kindergarten by 10 days. In Utah, you have to be 5 before school starts in order to enter Kindergarten. So James is attending Adventure Preschool this year.

It's a preschool that a lady in my parent's neighborhood is running out of her home. She's been doing it for 25 years and so far James has loved every day of school! He wears specific colors for color days and bring a show-and-tell. He always wants to know if its a "school day"...

James on his orientation day doing his fire power pose...

James's first day of preschool...he still has half his sandwich in his mouth...

Long Island Sound

2010-09-23T15:46:00.000-07:00

Steve wasn't a total hermit while working on the house. He did manage to get out and draw a bit. Here is a remake of a picture he did in green of a view of the Long Island Sound. All of his landscapes are done on location.

House Update...

2010-09-23T15:32:00.001-07:00

Steve has been busy in Connecticut. Our house has gotten a HUGE make-over. I'm just sad I'm not there to enjoy it.

Steve replaced the flooring and repainted the upstairs bathroom (Yeah! no more purple bathroom!)....

...replaced all the light fixtures...

...replaced the counter and the flooring in the downstairs bathroom (yes, we had a downstairs bathroom...it was being used for other purposes...)

...replaced the flooring in the downstairs hall...

And the whole house got a new paint job.

Steve did most of this work by himself, but also had the help of two wonderful people...Thank you Mark and Destry!

Thank you sweetie for all your hard work, it really shows!

Now it's time to come home...

Nothing New to Report...

2010-09-04T16:28:00.001-07:00

Well, nothing really exciting has been happening these past couple of weeks....

...The kids are just as cute as can be...well, I think so...

...James has come to the conclusion that if he sleeps ON TOP of the covers, then he won't have to make his bed in the morning...

...James got a haircut from a "real" haircut place, Cookie Cutters...

...He likes wearing it spikey...

...We attended a Harvest Festival in Holladay where the kids got to make visors and foam glasses. James painted his glasses so he could have "night vision"...

...James also got his face painted like Iron Man...

...I've been wearing my hair straight because the curls don't curl so well in the dry heat...

Some Connecticut news: Steve is almost done giving the Lakeside home a make-over....yeah! We are so anxious to see him! Maybe next time I'll have some pics of all his hard work...(hint hint!)

Cousins, Cousins, & More Cousins

2010-08-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

What does the Blake Family do in the summer time??? Visit Utah and play with cousins! My brother from Ohio, and my sister from Colorado came to visit for the past two weeks and James & Molly have been LOVING all the time they have been able to spend with their cousins. So far we have...

1. ...spent a weekend in St. George with Steve's parents.
2. ...gone to the zoo, again.
3. ...gone to Lagoon.
4. ...cooked dinner in the mountains.
5. ...celebrated Alli's 33rd birthday.
6. ...hiked up to Cecret Lake.
7. ...learned to do summersaults.
8. ...and last but not least, simply enjoyed the finer thing of summer such as watermelon, weddings, and wonderful sunsets. (Did you like my alliteration there?? It took me a while to come up with it)

Happenings...

2010-07-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

Last Friday the 16th, was craft day! My mom hosted a "make-your-own-craft" activity in her backyard. Molly explored all the different textures (beads, paint, glue, feathers, crayons) while James made an "Indian-cat" mask.

James and Noah showing off their masks

Cousin Makaylee and her pizza

Sunday we held a Family Home Evening with Steve's family at Sam and Tena's house. It was the biggest FHE they had in a long time with all the out of towners living back in Utah. We had a lesson about the pioneers, ate Tena's delicious cookies and then proceeded outside for a hoola-hoop contest and "boring grown-up talk" in the cool evening air.

And lastly, James has finally found a space of his own. Off of my bedroom, there is a loft. My sisters and I used to play there when we were little and now James has found it to be a perfect place to set up his trains.

Shoes...

2010-07-17T15:44:00.001-07:00

I love shoes. They are so wonderful! Poor Steve, he does not understand my fetish with shoes, but is so patient with me when I get excited over them.

Anywho, several friends back in Connecticut would wear high heels to church almost every Sunday. They always looked so sophisticated, and elegant, and feminine that lately, I have been wanting a pair of high heels. I have owned 3 pairs of heels in my life: a black pair I bought for my sister's wedding, a white pair I bought for my own wedding, and a cream, strappy, sandal-like pair I bought for a friend's wedding....are you sensing a pattern here? Needless to say, I do not own any of those pairs currently.

I typically don't wear heels because...well...I can't walk very well in them. I'm not that coordinated. And seeing as how I'm standing most of the day in my line of work, they really wouldn't be sensible.

But the other day, as I was out shopping for a bridal shower present, I got sidetracked by these shoes. I ADORE them!

They also had them in red!

Now of course I had to try on these other shoes too...

But alas, I left the store in the same sandals I wore to the store...

"Oh, I wish was a fishey in the sea..."

2010-07-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

...Oh, I wish I was a fishey in the sea...I could swim out in the nudey, without my bathey-suitey...oh, I wish I was a fishey in the sea!"

So we didn't swim out in the "nudey" today, but we did spend a wonderful day outside at the pool with Steve's sister-in-law, Kathy, and her sons. They don't have very many family pools in Connecticut (Ok, they don't have any that I know of), so this was a first for my children. When we got to Murray Pool, James and Molly looked at me like, "What are we supposed to do?" So I showed them how to "play" in the pool and then I couldn't get them out!

Molly was the bravest and certainly won the "fishey" award for the day. She jumped off the side of the pool numerous times and went down the waterslide again and again. James was a bit more reserved but certainly enjoyed playing with his cousins Korbin and Nathan.

The Past Couple of Weeks...

2010-07-11T12:58:00.000-07:00

...have been a bit cRaZy!

The school year finally ended for me and the summer began with a rousing game of Hungry, Hungry, Hippo...thanks to Denise from Lowe's! Then it was packing, packing, and more packing. Thanks to Walmart for all the boxes.

James FINALLY got his green cast off and now has a removable cast; just in time for swimming and playing in the sandbox!

We did take one day off to visit a local amusement park with some friends in hopes of regaining some of our sanity.

The hardest part was saying goodbye to all our dear friends.

But the kids and I arrived safely in Utah late in the night of July 4th (after a 3 hour delay in Hartford!). We spent July 5th with my family for a barbeque and fireworks. Then on Tuesday, the kids and I went to the zoo and I was able to get a couple of pictures before the battery died. So of course I missed pictures of the kids at the Days of '47 day at This is the Place Heritage Park and I didn't get any pictures of their new cousin, Ian. I FINALLY remembered to get a battery saturday night, so hopefully this next week will be a better picture week.

So far, we have enjoyed being back in Utah. My parents are SOOO excited to have the kids at home...and they like having me around too.... :) The mountains are so beautiful and I actually know which was is East! I used to think I had a good sense of direction and then I moved to Connecticut and lost all orientation.

Steve is still in CT, but the truck is loaded and ready to head out on Monday, 7/12. LOTS AND LOTS of thanks to all of those who helped Steve pack the truck.

Here are some of the images I did manage to get before the battery died:

Changes...

2010-06-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

They say change is good, that it strengthens the soul...WHATEVER! Whoever said this obviously didn't make big changes every 2 to 3 years! So far in our marriage, Steve and I have made big changes about every 2 years. Well, this year is no exception!

After much thought, and more thought, and even more thought along with a bunch of other stuff, we have decided to move back to Utah for a bit. The kids and I are flying out the beginning of July and Steve is going to stay behind to finish up some projects on the house and then drive out.

Yes, this is all very sudden. We have been agonizing over this for weeks now and didn't "finalize" our decision until about a week ago. This has been a hard decision for us to make and is very bitter-sweet. We are SO excited to see family, adventure in the mountains, and eat REAL mexican food. But are very sad to leave the family we have here. We have met so many wonderful people out here and have made a lot of good friends. We can't tell you how much we have been blessed by the people who have welcomed us into their homes and into their lives. They have certainly left footprints on our hearts and on our souls. We will not forget you.

Before this gets too mushy (too late, sorry!), this is the latest news so far. We are not quite sure how long we will be in Utah, or where we are going to live or what we are "doing" next....That has yet to be determined.

So let the next adventure begin!

Little Paintbrushes everywhere...

2010-06-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

A wise person once said, "I wish I was an actual artist (not just someone who appreciate art) because I really want to buy paintbrushes. And have jars of them around my studio." Ok, she posted it on Facebook...but this one's for you Coco!

I met Coco (and her awesome son Brock) while teaching at Hillcrest Jr. High in Utah. She is one of the most amazing people I know. I think of her often and especially lately as I'm packing up my house and finding these paintbrushes everywhere and in the most interesting spots.

PS: I photographed the brushes as I found them...none of them were "posed"...

The Merry Month of May

2010-06-11T17:44:00.000-07:00

Despite the lack of postings in May, it was quite a busy month for us.

It started with the 1st Annual New London Dance Show on May 14th. Some how I got roped into performing in the staff number...as you can tell by the pictures of our practices, my "amazing" dance abilities were on display for the whole New London Community to enjoy. Oh don't worry, a video will be posted later...

While Molly and I were at the dance show, Steve and James enjoyed a guy weekend and went on the father and son campout with our ward.

Mother's day was wonderful with an awesome present of a trash can holder and a gift card for a pedicure. We bought the trash can holder unfinished and Steve did an BEAUTIFUL job staining and painting it. Steve could not fathom why I wanted this trash can holder. Well, let me tell you, all my friends who have seen it think its just wonderful and want one for themselves. I think it's a woman thing to want to cover up the ugly trash can that won't fit under your sink.

Next came a bittersweet event on May 22nd: Steve graduated! Sweet because we have waited 3 long years for this moment and it finally came...yeah we survived art school! And bitter because we are thinking: Now what???

Then came May 24th. I went up to Boston to fight a traffic ticket I got (that's another story!)...I won, then spent the next hour driving around Boston trying to get home! Steve has a much better sense of direction than I do. When I FINALLY got home, we received a call that James had fallen and hurt his leg. He was helping a little girl off a stepping stool when he fell and hit his shin on a rock. When we picked him up, we thought he had simply bruised his leg because there wasn't any swelling or anything. So we spent the evening running errands. Every once in a while James would cry about his leg but I was still convinced he was fine. Finally, around 10:00 that night Steve took James to the ER. James had fractured his leg. Yeah, I felt like a horrible mom! Anywho, he got a cast and is doing MUCH better.

May 25th was our 10th Anniversary...it kinda went uncelebrated as we focused our attention on James and his leg....

Finally Memorial Day came and we spent a lovely day with some friends enjoying the wonderful weather and of course: BBQ!

Abracadabra!

2010-04-29T16:18:00.001-07:00

A couple of Saturdays ago (4/17), our primary had a talent show for the kids. It was so fun to see the kids show off their different talents. James performed 3 of his magic tricks and amazed everyone with his ability to make things appear and disappear.

Enjoy!

Time for a new bed...

2010-04-24T06:56:00.000-07:00

So I'm lying in bed Saturday morning telling myself that I should get up before the kids do (Steve had already gone to work). Then I hear the following conversation take place in their room:

Molly: James...James...James...

James: (very grumpily) What??

Molly: Watcha doin?

James: (very grumpily) I'm thinking!

Molly: James...James...James...get out James

James: You want to get out?

Molly: (very emphatically) Yeah!

Then I hear some scuffling noises and creaking of the crib.

Molly: James in bed!

James: This is how you get out...

Then I head some more scuffling noises and creaking of the crib...their door opens and both kids walk into my bedroom and James announces very proudly, "I just taught Molly how to get out of her crib!" "Oh, that is so wonderful! You are such a good big brother." And of course James was beaming from ear to ear and Molly was all smiles at her accomplishment. But I was so befuddled as to how, exactly, James got Molly out of her bed, I just had to see for myself.

Spring Break

2010-04-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

I had spring break from April 12th to the 16th. But because the weather was so freakin' awesome, the kids and I decided to go on an adventure the week before. One evening we stopped at our favorite trail on Bluff Point and went for a "little" hike....for 3.7 miles. That may not seem long to you, but for James it was VERY long! But he was a trooper and walked almost the entire way without a single complaint.

We really enjoyed the break. I loved being at home with James and Molly and I'm sure James and Molly enjoyed me not being so grumpy! Here's a short synopsis of what we did and a slide show for you to enjoy!

Sunday: we had out first fire and bar-b-que of the year. So much fun!

Monday: the kids and I enjoyed the great weather by playing at the playground. Molly and James LOVED the slide.

Tuesday: for kicks, I decided to actually "do" Molly's hair...I got creative. Then we cleaned out the car in anticipation for our trip on Wednesday.

Wednesday: we traveled up to Boston to go to the Museum of Science with some friends. While there we went to a Lightening/Electricity Show. It was too loud for Molly but James thought it was pretty cool. We definitely want to go back and explore some more.

Thursday: we had a lazy morning by sleeping in and then had a special treat of having Daddy home for a couple of hours before he went to school, his second home lately. Daddy and Molly built a kaleidascope together.

Friday: after 3 LONG years, Steve was finally able to show off all of his hard work. The Lyme Academy's senior show started Friday and we attended the open house. Steve received a lot of compliments on his work.

Unfortunately, Monday the 19th came all too soon and we went back to work and to "school". But as of today there are only 39 days of school left for me and then we are onto our next adventure....as to what that is, that is the million dollar question.

We are currently taking votes as to what we should do next. If we pick your idea, you win!

Any suggestions????

Spring...

2010-04-04T16:54:00.000-07:00

The earth is drying out and Spring has come to New England. With all the different colors of blossoms, it almost looks like another fall...

On Good Friday, 4/02, because I had school off, the kids and I took advantage of the warm weather and headed to our favorite park to play in the sun...it's evidentally everyone else's favorite park too because it was wall to wall people. So we headed off to explore our favorite trail only to find it still flooded out. Finally, we settled on a small park with only two other people there and a little boardwalk to explore. We were so thrilled to be outdoors in the sun!

Saturday night, after Conference and Priesthood, we dyed Easter Eggs.

As always, Molly enjoys coloring...

Surprise! More Rain...

2010-04-01T13:18:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, the 27th, a friend and I threw a surprise birthday party for our friend, Loni, who turned 30 on the 24th. It was my first ever coordinated party/gathering of the female species at my house. Wanting everything to go just right (as I am always nervous about my lack of hostessing skills), I cleaned the house from top to bottom including cleaning the family room carpet...at 10:00 Thursday night.

Of course, I was needlessly worried because the party went off without a hitch. Loni was truly surprised and almost everyone came, we missed those who couldn't come and hope you are feeling better! We had ice cream sundays, socialized, and played "Say Anything"; a fun game that is a great way to get to know people and a great way to get some laughs. "In your opinion, what is the worst thing about being a woman...What is the worst thing about being a man...What is the most innappropriate thing to display on your desk..." Fun times!

While my friends and family in Utah were getting snowed on (NOT JEALOUS!!!) we were getting rained on for the past week. Our lawn gnomes have put in a request for a gondola because they keep getting flooded out. It literally rained non-stop all day Monday and clear into Tuesday night.

We got so much rain that there was flooding everywhere on Tuesday the 30th. School were cancelling and letting out early (all except mine of course!) and it took me an hour to get home because of all the road closures. Here is a link that shows a movie of what happened to Route 27, a road I take every day to and from work...yeah, it was closed. This is the one time I am glad I don't have a basement. My sympathies to all those who got flooded out on Tuesday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2HZJSWXA5Q

Read about the flood here: http://www.wfsb.com/flood/index.html

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700021202/New-England-floodwaters-recede-but-danger-remains.html

But the rains have stopped and the land is starting to dry out. I've got tomorrow off (04/02) for Good Friday and I am really looking forward to this weekend: warm weather (in the 70's!), Easter, and of course, General Conference.

March Madness...

2010-03-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

I used to think March was a LONG boring month: nothing fun happened...unless you counted the green pancakes in the shapes of shamrocks my mother used to make on St. Patricks Day. It wasn't until recently that all of a sudden there was tons to do and celebrate!

1st: Dr. Seuss's Birthday! Teaching math at the secondary level, I obviously had no reason to know of or celebrate the birth of this wonderful author. But now that I have kids, and have several books memorized, it is becoming an annual celebration. This year we went to a celebration with some friends at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich. Each of the different clubs from the college sponsored a booth with all sorts of activities for the kids. It was a very enjoyable evening.

2nd: Molly's birthday (3/13)! I can't believe my little girl turned 2 this year! It seems like just yesterday I was about 9 months pregnant, stressed about studying for my relicensure test, and praying that the baby wouldn't come early. Well, she did. But it all worked out in the end: Molly was born healthy and happy, I was able to reschedul my test for free and I passed. Fast forward 2 years and Molly has been such a joy in our family! She is the perpetually happy baby (unless you tell her no and then her world is coming to and end), she always has a smile on her face and we are all crazy about her. James is such a good big brother to her and she just loves loves loves James. Love you little peanut!

I surprised myself and made her a cake...my first ever attempt at a "theme" cake. It didn't quite turn out as I had hoped, but hopefully the next one will be better....in case you can't tell it's a butterfly.

3rd: Pi day! Yes, Pi as in 3.14. Even though the actual holiday was on a Sunday (3/14), we (the math department...ok me, Ms. Tucchio, and Ms. Ryall) celebrated Pi day at New London High School on Friday (3/12).

We had a Pie eating contest where students had to find 3 round objects in the whip cream using only their mouths.

We had a hula-hoop contest to see who could do the most hula hoops in 3.14 minutes. Yes, that is me (with Ms. Ryall) doing hula hoop...

And we decorated the school so it would leave no doubt in the students minds that we were celebrating Pi day.

4th: St. Patricks Day! The kids wore green and I made green german pancakes for dinner. They made fun shamrock pictures at school that day. Thanks Miss Hayley!

So a month that took some gritting of teeth to get through has now become filled with fun things to do to make the time pass while we wait for warmer weather and the school year to end....

It's Asparagus Season!

2010-03-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

"It is said that in a venerable British men's club there is a sign reading 'DURING THE ASPARAGUS SEASON MEMBERS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO RELIEVE THEMSELVES IN THE HATSTAND.' ...Benjamin Franklin, in a wide-ranging discussion of bodily discharges, once noted, 'a few stems of asparagus eaten shall give our urine a disagreeable odor; and a pill of turpentine no bigger than a pea shall bestow upon it the pleasing smell of violets.' " (http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/577/why-does-asparagus-make-your-pee-smell-funny)

In celebration of Asparagus Season, I have posted a great recipe involing the wonderful vegetable. It's quick and easy, relatively healthy, and has passed the "Steve Test", meaning: Steve will eat it willingly, except for the tomatoes. I only put those on my portion.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

3/4 lb linquine

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips

1/2 lb thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 cup slived button mushrooms

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 large carrot, peeled and ribboned (use a peeler to create long, thin strips)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded basil

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Add the bell peppers, and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

3. Drop in the asparagus, tomatoes, and mushrooms, and cook until tender. Stir in the flour; cook for 1 minute more.

4. Add the chicken brother, milk, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the liquid has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrot strips.

5. Toss the pasta with the vegetables and sauce, adding the pasta water, if necessary, to loosen the mixture. Serve garnished with the parmesan cheese and basil.

My variations: I add shrimp and/or chicken. I also omit the carrot strips (not a big fan of cooked carrots), and up the amount of mushrooms. Also, being winter and fresh basil is not very plentiful, I sprinkle on dried basil. You also might want to adjust the amount of pepper for personal taste.

ENJOY!

Your own personal monkey...

2010-03-06T06:32:00.000-08:00

James: Mom, I want my own personal monkey.

Me: You have one - Molly.

James: But she doesn't have a tail!

Me: What would you do with your own personal monkey?

James: I would keep him somewhere, like in the closet. Molly doesn't like to go in the closet. She screams when I shut the door. And she's stinky.

Oh boy....

Am I a bad mom if...

2010-03-05T14:03:00.000-08:00

So I totally borrowed/stole this from my cousin's blog because I could relate all to well...I altered the wording a bit to fit my crazy house...

(I hope you don't mind Betsy!)

AM I A BAD MOM IF...

...I let Molly talk for so long after she wakes up that by the time I go get her she has managed to take off all her clothes AND her diaper?

...I let James run around in his underwear all day because its easier than asking him 5 zillion times to get dressed?

...I only play "Batman"/puzzles/fort for an hour instead of 3?

...I let Molly attempt to cry herself to sleep for an hour before going to get her?

...I take Lacy out to use the bathroom/get the mail/take a walk around the "compound" while Molly is sleeping, without taking the monitor with me?

...I let Molly/James go all day with oatmeal caked on their eyebrows without noticing?

...I let Lacy lick the kids' faces sometimes...ok a lot?

...I let their fingernails grow so long because I/they hate cutting them that they are like claws?

...I let my kids have cheetoh's BEFORE dinner?

...I let my kids watch movies so I can work on my blog?

*of course, these are all purely rhetorical and not things I would EVER do.

Duck Pin Bowling...

2010-03-04T15:41:00.000-08:00

Last weekend James went to a Star Wars birthday party for one of his good friends. It was held at Waterford Family Bowl where they went Duck Pin Bowling. Now, if you are like me and don't know what Duck Pin Bowling is, let me explain...It's like bowling for little dudes. The pins are half the size of regular pins and the balls are smaller and lighter than regular bowling balls. The kids could take as many turns as they needed to knock the pins down (instead of the regular 2) and of course bumpers were set up. The kids had a blast! It looked like so much fun, I wanted to try it!

And what Star Wars Party would be complete without an appearance by Darth Vadar and some Storm Troopers?

And thankfully, James FINALLY got a haircut!

Winter Break

2010-02-20T08:06:00.001-08:00

Last week (2/15 - 2/19) I was off of school due to winter break. Before the break started I had visions of all the grand adventures I would have with James & Molly: sledding, playing in the snow, field trips to the library, day trips to Boston Museums...oh it was going to be wonderful and I could hardly wait for the vacation to begin!

Lucky me, I got to start the vacation early on Friday the 12th...Molly had a fever and was not acting her usual cheery self. Come to find out she had an ear infection and of course James wasn't acting quite himself either.

Long story short; alas, my visions for an adventure-filled winter break were not to be. Not wanting to "share the love" with everyone, we quarantined ourselves to the house. We spent the week wiping runny noses, taking cough syrup, and recovering from the ailments of winter.

But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy myself! What's the old adage: a day at home tending sick kids beats a good day at New London High School?????

Our week was filled with sleeping in and lazy mornings in bed...

Sometimes we didn't get dressed until noon. It was awesome!

Fort building...

Puzzles...

reading stories....

and of course painting...and no painting session is complete without painting yourself.

Even though we didn't get to do any of the adventures I had originally planned, it was still a very enjoyable break. I even accomplished some of the tasks on my list: mainly getting all of our tax paperwork together and doing laundry. Boring I know, but it has to be done!

And now I'm counting down the days until spring break...