So-Fe phone home

Sophie loves the phones, and, while she won't talk to anyone on them, she picks one up (or whatever other object is nearby) whenever anyone says "Hello".

This one (below) is Sean calling and waiting for her to pick up. TeeHee.


I just hope she grows out of this before her teen years (again, one can dream...).

Tooth-less grin

Yeah, no toothy grin for Sean right now. His first one came out on August 2 (sorry, I forgot to post about it earlier), and now the top right one is well on its way out. He keeps telling me "it's halfway out"...so I guess that means any day now it will come out.

These aren't very good views of the actual tooth, but they're the only other ones I have from that night. I'm sure Sean wanted you to see his tonsils, anyway!

Feeling Boxed in

Doesn't Sean look sad? Well, mad is probably a better word. I think it was because Sophie was touching his box. But then again, before he thrust out his hand, I know he was stuffed in there pretty tight, so he was probably worried she was going to knock him over. But as you can see below, he quickly got over it, and they both had a little fun.





Maybe someday he'll be Houdini. That really was an awfully small box for him to fit into...and he got out by himself, too. Of course, I had to knock him on his side first, but still...

Ted E Bear on Parade

Summerfest fun...Sean decided to skip the last day of "boring VBS" (sorry Mom...) so he could enter his bears in the parade. I thought up the bathtub idea when I couldn't sleep Tuesday night. He didn't win the "best decorated wagon" but we think he deserved it - we were even blowing bubbles to complete the effect! Oh well, maybe next year...

Oh, oh, O-R-E-O

Yeah, I'm not the world's best mom when it comes to nutrition, but my babies LOVE me!

Puff the Magic Dragon

(AKA: The best life lessons are learned through song)
(I even did a project on that for school once!)
So, before I begin, let me ask the few of you who read this...why is it that all my profound thoughts come when I'm wasting time playing Freecell or Bubblez? It's true! And then I usually forget them right away, but tonight, you can have the pleasure of viewing what I think is profound...or at least true and meaningful.
Puff the Magic Dragon used to be (and I guess still is) one of my favorite songs. We would sing it in the car all the time when I was little. I'm sure my mother didn't know she was poisoning me with stories about marajuana (have you heard the rumors, too?). I have a hunch she would start singing it just because she knew it would make me cry at the end. Oh, how I would bawl when Jackie grew up and quit visiting. You'll laugh, but I'm crying even now as I think about it. I don't think I ever even heard the final words in that verse. I was just so sad the poor dragon had lost his friend.
Tonight as I was playing bubblez, I just started humming the song to myself, and it hit me. That's one of the things I truly miss about being young. I was thrown in with all these people on a daily basis at school and just made lots of friends by default. Some were because of common interests, and some were unexpected, and some were just for fun...and some were because they were my brother's friends. I swore those friendships would last forever, and that I'd make even more relationships as I grew. When you're together so much, it's easy to be friends. It's easy to keep in touch. It's easy to give gifts (string, sealing wax....fancy stuff like that!). I'm not placing blame, but it's just not easy once you enter the real world. The time you have together is so stilted. I always enjoy getting together with friends, but I feel weird. I'm not good at starting conversations. I really truly am interested in my friends' lives, but I don't know what questions to ask (David, my step-brother, is a whiz at that, and I truly admire that gift!), and I feel like my life is just so plain, and, while not uneventful, at least not something I'm proud of (except the kiddies, most of the time...unless they're acting up in public). Sharing problems feels more like whining to me (and sometimes I really am whining), and I would really rather hear about how their lives are going.
So I feel like Puff. My Jackie Papers have found other lives and I've ceased my fearless roar...sadly slipped into my cave of daily drudgery...
I guess I should probably spend the time I'm spending on the Blog writing to friends. But like I said the other day, does anybody care? Will anyone correspond back? Have the painted wings and giant rings made way for other toys? Or are my friends just as confused about growing up as I am? Maybe they've come back to look for me, but I'm too far back in my cave. Yeah, I don't know. If you do, please let me know. And if you're my friend and reading this, know that I love you and miss you. And if you feel like frolicking (hmmm...as I grow older everything gets a double meaning...but, well, you know what I mean), contact me sometime!

(ok, that's about as profound as I get. Plato I am not!)

Just for fun

I thought I would just post some pictures of us having fun this summer, since the heat is affecting my ability to think. Yeah, it's either the heat or the (happy) scream-chatting of Sophie or the begging of Sean or the musing of Chip all competing for my attention at once.
Here are the pics!
beach fun!
Sean has recently "discovered" coloring and has fun with it, but mostly when we travel. The tatoo was his idea (see neck), and I believe it was a skull on fire with a wrench coming out of it. Of course, it washed off. He wanted to look like Daddy. Daddy's doesn't wash off, though...(sorry, I don't have pics of his leg on my computer)

Fun at Gramma's (her pool - I think these pictures were taken the FIRST time we filled it up!! Long story; and cherry picking at Fix's. We picked 18 pounds in about 15 minutes. That's a lot of cherries. BUT I got to make 3 batches of cherry pudding cake - YUM!):


Sophie loves pulling tissues out of the box! I wish I could put them back in, because it could keep her occupied for hours!

Friends

Today when I went to the mailbox, I found a large manila envelope with a return address I didn't recognize. I peeled off the USPS-mandated sticker that they placed over the sender's name (how rude!), and I did a little dance of joy!

Here's the thing: when I was in college in 1992 and 1993 (and a little of 94), I met some wonderful friends. Most of them weren't music majors, like me, but we all shared a passion for singing in the choir and somehow we became fast friends. Over the next couple years, the circle expanded, and while I was out of the loop after leaving to get married and move to TN even more people were added to the circle. Actually, it's kinda more like a flow-chart. This person was in the group, and that same person's roommate joined us, and then the roommate's friend...well, you get the picture.

Sadly, I lost touch with most of them, but I had one faithful friend in this circle who wrote to me even when I forgot to write back (or just felt like I didn't have anything to say, I will now admit). Then a few years back, someone in the group (probably the above-mentioned friend) thought it would be fun to have a little overnight get-together to reacquaint ourselves and just have some time away, and we've been getting together ever since.

But, back to the envelope. This year, for various reasons, the get-together didn't happen. We're all busy and new babies are keeping us on our toes (hahaha...Cheri, better get married soon - it's your turn!), and things just didn't work out. One of the gals thought up the neat idea to fill out a questionnaire so we could still get to know each other a little and feel connected, even though we weren't physically together. The envelope was filled with the answers, and I was glad to see that most everyone participated. I had a good time reading the responses.

It also reminded me that even though we all have struggles, we all have a God who loves us and cares for us. I know I need to remember that more often. I have a tendency to want friends too badly and "scare" them away (my take on things), but I need to remember that there is ONE who will always listen. And with the book another friend gave me, I'm learning that God will even talk back! So, even though life here stinks right now, perhaps my renewed friendships will bring me more comfort when I practice the advice I dole out with every email : "Trouble is a part of your life, and if you don't share it, you don't give the person who loves you a chance to love you enough. Dinah Shore"

I some of my reticence to share is because I don't want people to worry. I'm sure there's some pride issues, too. But a lot of it is that I'm pretty sure that most people (the ones who don't read this...that's why I don't mind saying so) truly don't care. I've come to the conclusion that really, we aren't very important to most people we know. We're too much trouble, and if people don't ask about us, then they don't have to do anything about our problems. Not that we're asking for anything other than a listening ear, mind you. And then begins a vicious cycle of us not getting in touch with people because we don't want to have to talk to them about our lives (really, are we just more gossip fodder, or do you really care?), and we don't want to hear about their "problems" (the air conditioner in my new Jeep is still not fixed even though it works kind of and it's under warranty so I don't have to pay...). And I have to remind myself that I need to be the kind of person that I want others to be to me. It's just hard to do that. Anyone want to keep me accountable for that?

Home Alone

I sure wish I had a picture of me looking like that movie, because it's definitely how I feel! Chip was gone all last week, and he left again last night for his last two days of class. I certainly don't relish the idea of being home alone, even though it's only for a couple of days. I feel for everyone out there who is a single parent or has a traveling spouse. It's no fun!

I never got to finish the end-of-July update, and I already forgot if I had a specific place I was going with that train of thought, but it DEFINITELY left the station! So, here are some fun pictures from lately, and if I don't say the same things I was going to say about them before, well, at least you get to see them, right? And maybe I'll even come up with something even more clever! One can dream...
Sophie just stopping by to `say "hi`"~`
On our way for ice cream. Well, not really. We went for a long walk and then came back and had ice cream here, so I was counting it. Sophie standing on her own and clapping. Not a common occurance, but she's getting better.
From our quick jaunt to OH to drop off Danielle to stay with Mom in NY for a few weeks. We saw Jimmy Buffet's bus at our hotel, too, but my pictures didn't turn out.

Sean swimming at said hotel. I guess he gives it good marks!

Well, gotta go. Sophie's screaming at me now for taking too long. More to come...

My last minute attempt to get in all the July news

So I've been slacking off here, as I mentioned in my last blog. I have a TON of pics to show you...so hopefully if time keeps permitting, I'll get to them in the next couple of days. I'll do my best...

THE COTTAGE

My grandparents own some property on a lake in the newr-north country and it's simply BLISSFUL to hang out there on warm summer days. This past weekend we managed our second trip there. Lisa and the kids, Chip, and Grandma are in this pic. You can tell they all love it!

Sophie learned "Reach for the sky" (A la Buzz Lightyear) from her brother recently, and this is her showing off her skills.

Grandma has the three youngest great-grandkids...quite a motley crew!

As promised...Sophie in her new bathing suit. I thought this picture was taken at the lake, but now that I see the hose, I know it was out back of our house by our pool. Nevertheless, isn't it ADORABLE?

Hello again, my friend

Welcome back, Katy!


I've been meaning to write for awhile now, but I wanted to add pictures and I rarely get time at the computer that I can easily attach my pictures from, and I haven't really had much interesting to write about either, but I am tired of my blog pointing out that I only have three entries in July (and why do I keep checking back - do I think someone else will write FOR me?).


So...here I am.


We have had an eventful July, most of which I don't remember. Too busy paying attention to the here and now and keeping Sophie off the computer keyboard, from stuffing every piece of lint on the floor into her mouth, applying for jobs, and trying to keep my sanity while Chip was training for a certification.


I have been in quite a funk and I don't really know what to do about it. I take it back...I know something I could do about it, but I have no guarantees of things getting better. I had a little epiphany today with Sean's room, and currently I have 5 garbage bags full of his room contents that I will give back to him one toy at a time as I see him taking care of the things I let him have. That's just the stuff that was on the floor and not in its place. Of course, he's not totally to blame since his 4 cousins are visiting, but it needed to happen. He needs to learn to respect his own things before he can respect others' things.


Sophie is getting to be quite mobile, and tears stuff up quicker than I can put it away...but sometimes it's cute.


So, anyway, enough of the boring stuff (see why I didn't write before?). Here are some pictures that I have on this computer. They're old, but still cute!
Sean taking a "picture" of his photogenic sister.

Sophie enjoying WATCHING the silly string fight in NY in April (the week before Easter).
On her way to the swimming pool at the hotel on the way to NY in April. SHe is a bathing beauty, but I can't wait to show photos here of her in her new swimsuit that I bought last night. It was $7.50, and doesn't need a separate swim diaper (a new pack of those were on sale for $8.99 last night, so I feel I got a bargain!). Stay tuned...


Sophie enjoying lunch. Looks like Jes and Sarah were feeding her (I assumed this because of the skinny leg, but one could deduce it from the mess on Sophia's face, too!)

Sibling Revelry

Yes, Revelry. Sean and Sophie have been having a lot of fun together lately, and I just thought I'd share a few photos that illustrate that point. It's so fun to see them both growing in this relationship, and I hope they're always as nice to each other (one can dream...).
going bananas

awww...


Just as a side note, I'm not really sure why sometimes my typing is underlined. I don't do it on purpose, I swear, but there is no way to change it that I know of...hopefully it doesn't interfere.

Groundhog Day

Did you know that Groundhogs and Woodchucks are the same beast? I surely did not. And Whistlepigs are the same thing, too, I learned. The Internet says they stand up and whistle when they sense danger. Apparently we aren't dangerous enough, because here they are just running around Mom's yard. They have practically worn a path from their hiding place under a grove of trees to her garden!
It was so funny to watch them! We got just a couple of pictures, so I hope you enjoy "Mamma G and the Four Whistling Chuckies"...

The Great Underground

Can you think of a better way to cool off on an almost-hot summer day than to go 160 feet below ground? I can (the beach, swimming, a cold iced tea...), but it was still fun to walk through Howe Caverns on Sunday after church. Sean had a blast (well, not literally), and keeps asking to go back. It was a bit expensive, so we'll probably wait until next visit before going back, but here are some pictures to commemorate our day.

Sean and the Stalactite (it fell many years ago when Mr. Howe was clearing out some path for the visitors, that's why it's not still on the ceiling, which is what "stalactite" means) Sean and the stalagmite (it also came "unglued" from its place when they were doing some excavating, but it is one that originally grew from the ground up.) These formations remind me of the fun I have making pillars with wet sand at the beach...
One of Mom's parishoners joined us for the trip - we love having S* around, and Sean loves her, too! They had a great time. I particularly enjoy Sophia's face in this picture! Chip is holding Sean, so sorry that I didn't get a better view of his face.

Here's the whole gang (minus me - the joy of holding the camera!), and you can almost see Chip in this one! :)
For some unknown reason (perhaps Mr. Howe's daughter's wedding), they decided once upon a time to cut out a piece of some formation (I think it's called flatstone or something else that starts with "flat") and shape it into a heart and host weddings in the cave. It really happens - I think he said 357 times! Maybe it was just 57. At least you wouldn't have to worry about the weather...except flooding. At any rate, they cut it in the shape of a heart and lit it from underneath, so it's nice and warm. Here the kids are warming their hands, because hanging out in 52 degrees for an hour made them rather chilly.
Oh, and just a little footnote: Sean decorated his own sweatshirt. We bought a sweatshirt at a yard sale for 50 cents and he wanted to make it look cool, so he used fabric markers to paint on flames. It was all his idea. Pretty funny!