Rocks For Brains

I love rocks. I always have. I used bring my Mom "cute rocks" as a child.(I think she still has a box of them somewhere) Where we lived in Virginia the soil was very sandy. No rocks. Every time we went to my parent's house I grabbed a few big rocks and took them back home for my flower gardens. That's right. I used gas to carry rocks from NY to VA. I am pretty sure Jason thought I had rocks for brains. When we moved I actually took a few of my favorite rocks from VA to NY. So, yes, I took rocks from NY to VA then from VA to NY. These are very well traveled rocks. The end of that little story is I like rocks. So imagine my delight, last year, when my neighbor put in a stone wall around her yard. Further imagine how happy I was when all her rocks didn't flow with her creative juices. Imagine her delight when I offered to take these offensive rocks off of her hands for her. I will give them a loving home here in my yard. She can even come visit if she likes. We will talk about those rocks in another post.
For today we just have her wall. I love this little wall. In the summer the grass grows under it. And in the winter the snow rests on it. It has an all year beauty that I love to sit and enjoy.
I hope by tomorrow we will be back to a state of health I am willing to photograph. Jason and I are trying very hard not to catch what the kids have. I'm not sure how successful we are going to be.

Rug

Unwilling to show you any current pictures of my snot encrusted children; I searched my archives to find something to make you smile today.
OK, that didn't do it for you. Well how about this. Ever since Daisy got sprayed by a skunk Mark has been obsessed with them What do they eat? Where do they live? Will one spray me/Daddy/Mommy/Anna/Tux/Daisy again? You get the picture. So the other day we went to the salon the get hair cuts. When we opened the door this conversation took place.

Mark: Smells like skunk in here.

Me: Actually that is the smell of someone getting their hair colored.

Mark: Are they drawing it or painting it?

I had of a picture in my mind of the hair stylist drawing hair onto a bald head. I don't know if that is what he thought. But that is how it sounded to me.

Have a great Monday!

She Was a Lion in a Previous Life

So don't mess with her.

In other news: Both the kids have raging colds. Trust me, you don't want pictures of that. Whenever Anna's nose is running she comes and tells me. She points to her nose and says snot. Only she doesn't say her Ss very well. So it comes out as 'not.(And because we are from up north, you have to say it through your nose. Go ahead try it. It's fun.) It almost makes it worth having the plague descend upon our house.....AGAIN!!!

And Sickness Again Descended Upon The House

This was taken at about 4 PM yesterday. By 7 both kids were running high fevers. They were up coughing half the night.
It's going to be a long day.

Update: The day isn't all bad. My dear little (big) sister is celebrating her first 24 hours back on U.S. soil. The smiles could not be bigger here.

My Little Helper

Anna helped me take a few pictures this morning.
Taken with Jason's phone.

She does OK considering she still has trouble using a spoon effectively.
She is not a horticulturist.

She Is Coming Home!!

I just told her Aunt Lauren is coming home very very soon. She is waiting. We all are anxiously waiting. Travel safe little sister.

My Observations

This is was my first winter back in NY after a long hiatus down south. I knew before we came back that this winter would be learning experience for us. When last we lived up north it was with our respective parents. We had responsibilities. But there are huge differences between shoveling your parents driveways and remembering to go to the attic every couple of days to make sure your own roof isn't leaking.
Last year when we moved here we knew life here would be different than any of the other places we lived. Certainly different than our last home in VA.
So for you today I have a list of 'oh crap, what have we done' from our first year back in NY.

1. Just because the 20 year old snow blower that came with your house runs in August does not mean it will blow snow in November. Work the money for a new one into the budget.

2. Don't spring for the new winter boots for the kids. Second hand is fine because you (Ellyn) are too big of a baby to actually take them out to play more than about 4times all winter. The second hand ones would have been fine.

3. Don't leave anything outside in a snow bank and expect to be able to find again before spring. i.e. gloves, toys, kids. Because you won't find it. But the upside of that is when spring does arrive and melt the snow it's like Christmas.

4. Always clean the steps, driveway, and sidewalks before walking on it. It is much much easier to clean loose packed snow than hard packed ice. Learned that one the hard way...twice.

5. Always do the last of your garden cleaning early. The first snow fall is going to come earlier than you expect. Like before Halloween. And yes I still have my wheelbarrow outside full of last year's annuals. It has been taunting me all winter. Don't let this happen to you.

6. Old houses are like having a window open all year. Caulk baby caulk.

7. It snows here. A. Lot. Make plenty of room for the the next snow fall this time or your driveway and sidewalks get progressively narrower as the winter goes on. Then when spring does come and melts the snow you say things like this to your wife. Wow I forgot how wide the driveway was. Then she will hit you for making her cram her minivan next to your truck all winter. Not that this happened to us. Because it didn't. Not at all.

8. Make sure to have lots of hats gloves, mittens and scarves. Because when you are in a hurry to get out the door there is a 99.9% chance of not being able to find the mate to the only pair of gloves still fit your ever growing daughter.

9. Speaking of clothing, it is a certainty that pants you bought in October will be too small by about February. Here is when you thank your lucky stars you have a Grandmother who loves to shop rummage sales. And buys things she doesn't really need. Then passes them on to you right about the time your son's knees start sticking out of his pants. Thanks Grandma! You saved me.

10. Wash the outside of your windows in October. So you can make sure and get as much vitamin D as you can from then 3 short hours of sun light everyday. Also this will keep for losing your mind from the smudges on the out side of your windows all winter. Did you know Windex freezes on contact at -10 degrees. Just a fun fact for you.

11. February is actually the longest month of the year.

12. Don't read down south blogs after March 1st. They will just make you cranky with their flowering trees, gentle breezes and warm temperatures. Then they come and comment about how it is 85 degree in Georgia today. Blah. Blah. Blah. Kidding Belle. I love ya. Even if you were gloating just a touch.

13. Your kids will catch every sniffle, cough, ache, pain, and puking disease to come withing a 50 mile radius of your home. Then they will pass those diseases on to you.

14. That first burger off the grill in the spring is going to taste better than anything you have eaten all winter. I know. we had them last night. Fantastic!


15. is all about you. What did you learn this winter?


This wasn't the first robin I saw but he is the first one who let me take his picture. Skittish little suckers.

That's spring to me, baby!

The First Day

It started about a month ago. Every day the little ones stand at the door and beg to go out on the porch. Every single day they cry when I tell them, No. It's too cold, I say. We are painting, their father says. We would freeze out there, we both say. Yesterday I got them up from nap time and told them today is the day. Today we go out on the porch. I thought Mark was going to pop. He was so excited. They came downstairs and went out there. They didn't come in for three hours.
They stood in the waning sun's warm glow. What a treat to watch them have such fun. They waited so long to be able to enjoy this. Rather impatiently I might add.

There must be something the air out there that makes big brothers feel sweet. He read to Anna for a long time.
Right before it was time to come in for dinner they both got on the couch and just watched the world for by. It was like they wanted to savor it for a few more minutes.
Last night during cuddle time Mark asked me if we could go out again today. I told him yes. I am not looking forward to the end of the week when the temperatures are going to dip back into the 20s. They have had a taste of spring and are not going to want to go back. I couldn't agree with them more.

The Day The Air Guitar Ate Manhattan

They were listening to some awful 80's hair band at the time.


What do you think of my fancy new header? It is spring if only in my head. I must have flowers.

The Day He Finally Got It

Yesterday Mark made a break through. We have been doing puzzles with Mark since he could hold the pieces in his chubby little patties. We do them often. He begs us too. Often. Up until yesterday his father or I put the puzzles together while Mark "supervised". He just didn't get it. His focus was more on of force and finesse. The pieces would go together. You just have to really really want it. We tried to show him that they only fit one way. And only one piece fit in each spot. But he just didn't get it. It was great fun. The frustration. The tears. The wailing. And that was just Jason and I. But yesterday was a day to end all days. He got it. There was no Ah-ha moment. He just did it. Then he got to the end of the very first puzzle he did all by himself and looked back at what he did. He was beyond proud of himself.
And then he drove an ambulance on it. Because that is just what you do, dude.
Yes, I know. He needed a haircut. His hair grows faster than anything I have ever seen. Maybe I should get him to rub heads with his sister.

Waiting

Anxiously awaiting the arrival of Spring.

Brain Dump

We went to Mom and Dad's last weekend. It rained almost all the way there. It cleared up on the horizon just long enough to offer this beautiful sunset.
We came home on Sunday night so that Mark could get to school yesterday. He loves school. I love that he loves it and I hate for him to miss it. One of the big reasons I love it though is because he comes home and does this.
While he was doing that some of us were very productive. The sunporch is nearly done. Due in no small part to the efforts of Jason. I think he put the last coat on yesterday. We just have clean up now.
Some of us felt the need to take 200 hundred pictures of a sleeping dog. You may call that a waste of time. I call it learning. And yes this was the best of them. I have a lot to learn.

And lastly a public service announcment. Did you change the batteries in your smoke alarm yet?

This turned into a mind stream sort of post. This is how my head works. Confusing isn't it? You should try being in here.

Anatomy With Anna

Just a little something to get your day started right.
Yes, I realize she never actually touched her toes. The funny thing is she knew where they were the whole time. She loves to try to fake us out.

Scene From The Stall Next To You In Anywhere America

Son: Mom, why is there tile on the wall? Doesn't it go on the floor?

Mom: That's just how they do it in public restrooms. *waiting. This is going to get worse I can just tell.*

Son: Why is that little light flashing?

Mom: It's the automatic toilet flushing light sensor thingy.

Son: I don't like the automatic toilet flushing light sensor thingy.

Mom: I know.

Son: What does that say, Mom?

Mom: Hanes. *We are getting personal. Here is comes.*

Son: How come you need toilet paper and I don't?

Mom: Because Mommy is a girl and you are a boy. *snickers from the stall next door*

Son: Mommy,*it's coming* why don't you have a penis?

*Woman next door no longer trying to hide the snickering.*

Mom: Because Mommy is a girl.

Son: Daddy has a penis. *said like man who knows everything.*

Mom: I know.

The Other Musician

What could these two things possibly have in common?
I see piano lessons in our future. Hopefully she has more musical talent than her mother.