Happy Blogday to Me

It has been a whole year that I have been "blogging."  I use the quotation marks because I know that my posts have not been regular, more of hit or miss having to do with the time I have.  I make resolutions to myself to make more time.  Make more time to document pieces of my life for myself and for my kids down the road.  I know Keelin enjoys looking at the blog when she thinks about it and even Ella will get on her touch and read it sometimes.  I love using pictures to tell a story.  I sometimes feel that my day to day is not blog-worthy.  Initially I wanted to replace my journal writing with blogging, so I suppose the day to day could get mundane....It is not always exciting or even newsworthy.  It is more Chronos than Kairos, although I love documenting the Kairos too....but those who understand, know life is not always Kairos...not even a little bit always.  So I am proud of my year long accomplishment.  I am getting braver and braver everyday, inviting more people in and not being as self-conscious about what they think about me or my writing or my pictures.  Baby steps...

xo~M

At Keelin's show

My new niece, Cedella 6-17-13

At the top of Sawnee Mountain

At Pooles Mill....on my tripod with a timer! 

...and I'm feelin' goooood

My Keelin loves to sing and perform.  She has been in three school plays, sang in a talent show, sings every where....she recorded a holiday song for me at Christmas time and it was my favorite present.  She has been working on a song to sing with Josh's sister's band.  They perform in Buffalo at local establishments. Keelin met with them once and worked on some harmony for back up and then she worked on her own song.  Here she is.....

xo~M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQhX-KNgWrw 

 

Road Trip Day 2

After a full nights sleep, Ella and I ventured out in search a of a food market to buy some lactaid for Keelin.  Josh's sister lives 2 blocks from out first house so we took a two block detour to our old place.  I showed Ella the window that was her bedroom.  A new porch and railing had been built and the front yard was more trees, bushes, and flowers than yard.  I longed to see the inside.  We kept on going.  There were several new shops on Hertel.  And my favorite bakery...Gino's...had CLOSED down!  I remember when I was pregnant with Ella and craving cannolis, Josh would walk down to Gino's to get them for me.  Our quick walk turned into about 2 miles.  We finally located lactaid and headed back to Abby's.  We went to visit Josh's mom and step dad and spent the day at the zoo.  I love the Buffalo Zoo.  After dinner we went back to Abby's and took a walk around the neighborhood, back past our old place and saw our neighbors.  This is when I really miss it here.  I love the lifestyle of this area.  Being able to walk out of your door down the street to a restaurant or the park - not having to get into the car to go everywhere.  The sidewalks take you anyplace you really want to go.  The coffee shop at the corner, the library only a few blocks away.  Unfortunately finding jobs and schools are not so easy.  Kind of an important thin in our lives right now.  But being here, my mind wanders to the if only.....
Here are some shots from the zoo today!

xo~M

Max conversing with the monkey

A rare full family shot!

Max was waiting forever for the elephant to come out of his house. We sat on stakeout for several minutes!

Turtles in the rainforest.

A beautiful peacock

Keelin's favorite....the giraffe :)

Beautiful Day for a Hike

Max and I went to a friend's house yesterday.  On our way, we passed a place where we like to hike.  Max immediately wanted to go.  I told him, maybe tomorrow.  So when we woke up today, he was so excited when I reminded him that we were going to go. We packed water, a few light snacks, my camera...and we were off.  Keelin spent the night at a friend's house so she was missing in action.  Max's constant chatter and questions scared off any probable creatures.  He just could not stop asking questions about the trail.  Ella educated me in the types of soil and rock that she saw along the route....why erosion was occurring etc.  She also told me that she studied this ... in the beginning of third grade, mom! We made it to the top and Ella and I sat in the Indian Seats, a very cool rock formation overlooking the valley with "seats" carved into the rock.  Ella and I were a little intimidated, but we did it :)  The way down was quick.  Max stumbled once, caught himself, and said "I wasn't running mom.  I caught myself. It was a good fall."  Including some shots from today.

xo~M

Ella in the indian seats

Courtesy of Ella

King and Queen of the Mountain

Road Trip....Day 1

I was up at 6am on Monday morning.  I worked and came home ready to leave for Buffalo.  We were in the car-packed and ready at 3:50pm.  At 3:53pm, we turned around and came back after Josh discovered he left his sunglasses.  3:58pm...road trip take 2.  47 minutes into said trip, we have vomit...oh, yes of the canine version.  We pulled over on Route 369 in Canton to clean up Charley's present.  Back in the car....take 3?  One more residual vomit about 15 minutes later (all over Keelin's pillow) -clean up #2 and fill up for gas and we are on our way once again.  We eat dinner in the car at 5:30 pm....we made sub sandwiches.  We stop around 8pm to walk Charley and have a potty break.  Back in the van to watch movies and settle in for the night. We made it until 12:30 am.  I had been driving 8 and a half hours.  We pulled over at a rest stop in Columbus, Ohio- to "rest."  Max and Charley slept.  The rest of us....not so much.  Back on the road at 2:30 am.  Next major point of interest....Cleveland.  We stop at a 24 hour McDonalds at 5am and get the worst coffee ever.  It is hot, black, and not so easy on the stomach but it works it's caffeine magic we we continue on.  The kids sleep until about 5:30.  Charley sleeps on.  We arrive in Buffalo at 7:30 am.  Of course we get on 90 during morning commute so it takes us an hour to go 10 miles.  I am beyond exhaustion.  We arrive at Josh's dad's just before 9am. I have been awake for 27 hours.  I count backwards from 100 two times before I fall asleep....until 12:39pm.  Here is the one shot I managed from the trip....

xo~M

Up with the Birds

On a school day, my alarm goes off at 6:15am and I can barely move.  Josh is the closest...and he is always up before me.  I am lucky if I roll out of bed by 6:45 to shower and be out of the house by 7:15.  Hop and skip forward to "summer break," which is funny to me because it is not "technically" summer.  Growing up in western NY, break started with the summer.  Down south, we start at the end of May.  Still weird to me.  Anyway, Charley is sleeping through the night.  Sometimes she will need to go out about 5:30 or so but will go back to sleep....UNTIL...the bird wake up.  If she wakes with the birds, she is up.  If she wakes before them, she is quiet until they aren't.  Needless to say, this is before the 6:45 am roll out of bed time for me.  Yesterday, Josh got up with her and I slept until (gasp) 9:30!  Um...what?  yeah that does NOT happen!  I have been getting quite a lot done (or rather catching up on piles from throughout the year....yea me!) On the other hand, the kids have been sleeping in.  That is nice :)  I have some peaceful time in the morning...after Charley stops running around like a loon....Enjoy your day...

xo~M

Some pictures from the last few days....

I don't know how he sees these little guys...but he spies them right away!

Not long enough for a ponytail, but can do 2 pig tails :)

Racing on the greenway

Looks cute curly too....

Ella and her hair twin, Ms Jenny...who donated yesterday and we went to document the event!

A Kind Heart

Ella gives me a run for my money.  She is sassy.  She has my speak first, think a little later mentality along with the zero to sixty temper Josh used to have as a kid.  (he is WAY calmer now!) She is competitive...competing against both her big sister and little brother no matter what we say/do.  She works hard and cares more.   One of her friends had a fire in his house that destroyed everything in his room.  After hearing about it, Ella came down stairs with a baggie of money and half of her army guys. She wrote him a note that she wanted him to take her money to buy new things and to have her army guys so he would have something to play with until he had more toys.She was saving for an Nook color at the time.  2 years ago, she donated her hair.  Yesterday, she decided she was donating again.  The father of a friend of mine at work is fighting lymphoma.  Ella wanted to donate her hair for Mr. Angelo....her heart is so kind.  She may be sassy and short tempered, but she has a kind heart and a good soul....

xo~M

The day before in a beautiful braid

Right before!

Making the first cut....

9 inches lighter!

Little cutie!

And still sassy!

Happy Birthday Josh!

Yesterday Josh turned 42 years old!  It was a pretty mellow day.  It was really hot and being the awesome wife that I am....I talked him into a nice Pepperidge Farm cake (he actually really love them!) with the promise that I would make him a real cake today.  I did do that....homemade cake AND frosting.  So I may be an awesome wife yet.  Here are a few of us celebrating Josh.

xo~M

Max singing his little heart out

Keelin singing to her daddy

Making a wish....but really what MORE could he possibly want?

And yes, Charley....climbing up on the back of the recliner to get in on the action!