My Tax Day Babies.

Today marks birthdays for 2 of our kids. 7 years for Drew and 1 year for Juliet !

They have a special bond because of their shared
birthdays and I hope this continues as the years go by.
Happy Birthday to 2 precious gifts from God!

New York, NY

I can barely describe what it is about NYC. All of the romantic, energizing, fantastical things you think are true about New York --are indeed true! On top of that , we have friends that live there. Experiencing NYC with someone who lives and works there is such a gift. My trip was a surprise from Dan, a break from all things mommy.

Looking back it was a musically themed weekend.

We dropped in at Rockwood Music Hall
a new music artist or band takes the stage each hour, every hour.
Standing room only, but no cover charge!

We ripped up the Karaoke mike at Japas
Garth Brooks never sounded so good.

We raised our hands in praise at City Grace

We rocked out on South End Ave.

If that wasn't enough, we visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Trammed it over to Roosevelt Island (thought by some as Mayberry-- thought be me as a NYC I could conquer)

On my last morning I strolled by myself along the Hudson river looking out at the Statue of Liberty. I caught my breath, I prayed, I simply sat on a bench. Not in so many years have I had that much time to be completely alone.
For me, it took going to a city where there are 70,595 ppl per sq. mile to find a little solace.

Thank You Wolmas, Thank You Dan! Thank You Mom H.(for taking care of my family while I was away and getting barfed on yet again)

This last pic is of D and I. Do we look like a couple of schoolmarms, or what?
We haven't aged a bit. ?

All that and so much more~because NYC is the city that never sleeps, and neither did I! ~smile~

Forgotton February

It never fails. February is a sick month at our house. Germs make their happy way from person to person in our family leaving us drained, irritated and plain ol' sick.

Now that it is April I am looking back on winter 2009. I realized that in my rush to get to spring I neglected some notable moments I would have probably blogged about had we all not been so ornery and ill.

This year Chase was to create a simple machine for a school project. During February, my Brother-in-law Johnny stayed with us for about 10 days. It was a really great experience, he is adored by the kids and was extremely helpful to me. John helped Chase fashion a simple machine similar to one he made himself as a 3rd grader.

Down on the Farm Part 2

A few days back, I spoke of things like chickens, childhood, and chore boots. 

Recently Dan informed me of his latest and not so greatest idea.   

Chickens. 

He wanted to buy young chicks,  build them a coop, and enjoy the bountiful fresh eggs.

I tend to be the boss around here (there, I said it) and having a family of poultry did not seem like something I needed to spend any energy on.    Dan was unusually excited about this idea,  he spent hours on the internet researching,  reading, envisioning how this situation would go down.   He did present me with many fine arguments and so,   I said OK.    

Honestly,  I think he would have had done it anyway without my go ahead,  but my husband loves me and knows me enough to let me think that I was the say-so in this situation,  thus allowing me to keep my title of "the boss"

With chickens purchased (from just down the street)  we are now the owners of  Big Wally, Cutie, Elizabeth, Lightening, and Double D.   Yes,  they have even named them.

My gradual attitude change came about as  I the saw the delight on the face of my family.  The kids spent an entire dinner discussion talking about the coop and how they probably would not eat the brown eggs.   Like Dan likes to say,  that dinner conversation alone was worth the 10 bucks it cost to buy our feathered little friends.

So here we are, at the beginning of another kind of adventure.   I hope it turns out to be an educational experience for the kids,  and that we don't stink up the hill too much.   

Coming soon to a refrigerator near you. . .   eggs.

sweet Snuggie

Since before Christmas we saw the commercials-- the kids knew immediately that it was made for me.

Sold out in stores and online, I couldn't get my hands on one. My cousin Jen had to fight tooth and nail to win one at a holiday party, I am telling you the Snuggie is a hot commodity.

You've seen the commericals. What's not to like? Warmth from head to toe, mobility, and all for the cool price of $19.95.

Finally, in February the Snuggie found a home in my home. It was well received and has delivered on all of it's AS SEEN ON TV promises.

Joy was so enamored with it that she wished for one for her birthday. Many thanks to my friend, my boss, Jamie for handmaking Joy's pink, personalized, pint sized Snuggie.

Chore Boots.

In keeping with the theme of the previous post, Down on the Farm Part 1, I need to post this little photo of Drew in the his new boots.

You would have thought I came home with a new video game. The boys slid on these rubbery wonders and ran around outside like it was Christmas day.

Maybe these boots will encourage C & D to take up more household chores. Maybe not.

Down on the Farm. Part 1

An uncle of mine used to refer to my sister and I as "the farm girls." I always found that kind of amusing because we never lived on a farm, nor did we possess farm type animals. I grew up in the country, but this did not, in any way mean I was a hardy animal loving girl. To this day I am still a bit unnerved by cats, horses, and owls (listed in order of creepiness).

Later on in my childhood experience, as a 5th grader, my class grew chickens under the incubator. We were all allowed to take one home following their hatching. Not having much experience with animals outside of an outdoor dog, I bravely took my chick home from school. We kept Fred in a box, and I encouraged my brother and sister to pick him up as I didn't really care to hold him at all for fear of being pecked at. That evening Mom and Dad said that chickens surely do not belong in the house so my Father made a "coop" for Fred. I put the word coop in quotation marks because I want you to hear the sarcasm in my voice. For by definition, coop is a cage or pen confining poultry. The coop my Dad fashioned was not as confining as it should have been that night. The next morning all that was left of Fred was a tipped over coop and a few residual feathers. I am actually laughing out loud at the thought of it all. I didn't even want to touch that chick, but I was seemingly devasted with the loss of Fred.

No more farm animals for young Chelle. I did forgive Dad for his inadequate coop.