Nature girl

On Saturday we went to the Lake to escape the 95+ temperatures here in town. It was fun to watch the temperature drop as we got closer and higher (in altitude) to EM. When we left town is was 92 and when we pulled in the driveway 45 minutes later...82! Part of our day was spent walking the Laurel Path around the lake and I can honestly say, I am a nature girl, no doubt about it. My family all knows that I never pass up an opportunity to go to a State Park or any outdoorsy hike/picnic/camping type event. Well the lake in EM is no different - I could just spend the day walking around and around and around (and taking a few pictures along the way). I thought this was a pretty photo of Coop and the Sunfish.

100

If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in. Rachel Carson This is officially my 100th post to my blog. It all started in March with some crummy weather. Now it is a place for my thoughts, dreams, insights and basic rambling. Thank you to everyone who stops by to read and peak at the photos. Your comments are inspiring; reminding me to keep going, keep posting. And since everyone who visits my blog is an adult (at least I THINK)(this includes you Baby Kate) - I chose the above photo and quote. Thank you all for being a part of my life, and the life of my children. Thank you for discovering or rediscovering with them, and with me. I love you all.

Duncan

Plain & Simple

Eat a lot of peaches

We have been eating a lot of peaches in our house over the last month or so and I can't seem to get a certain John Prine song out of my head... Chorus: Blow up your T.V. throw away your paper Go to the country, build you a home Plant a little garden, eat a lot of peaches Try an find Jesus on your own Probably an old hippie song...good memories.

Kisses

I will not play at tug o'war.

I'd rather play at hug o'war,

Where everyone hugs

Instead of tugs,

Where everyone giggles

And rolls on the rug,

Where everyone kisses,

And everyone grins,

And everyone cuddles,

And everyone wins.

Shel Silverstein

A butterfly

Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you sit down quietly, may alight upon you. Nathaniel Hawthorne

Special Duncan

Last night Aunt Barbie and Uncle Teddy took Cooper to a Little League game which meant that Duncan had mom and dad all to himself. Which I might add, Duncan really needed. Duncan got to pick what he wanted to do and he chose the park. Duncan's smile just kept getting bigger and bigger. He is a different kid when he does not have his big brother to contend with. He doesn't have to compete, so he is just 100% delightful sweetness. I forget sometimes that the "terrible 2's" can actually be amazing if I just embrace them, then sit back and enjoy.

I love pictures where the subject is not looking at the camera - sometimes these show so much more emotion or even better when they show a bond or relationship between people. Thank you Duncan for being so incredibly amazing. And thank you Aunt Barbie for giving John and I some really special time alone with our Duncy.

Dancing in the street

Aunt Carla even washed their outfits so they would be all ready!

Little League has come to town. And so did Carlton Fisk, who was the catcher for both the Red Sox (1971-1980) and the White Sox (1981-1993). He even reached out to Cooper and said "hey nice hat buddy" (thank you Amie).

Cooper's signed ball. He is really into "signing" everything now that he knows how to write his name. Totally cute. Lets not mention that his signature on the ball more resembles ancient hieroglyphics than it does "Cooper"...

Support for a good nights sleep

To awaken each morning with a smile brightening my face; to greet the day with reverence for the opportunities it contains; to approach my work with a clean mind; to hold ever before me, even in the doing of little things, the ultimate purpose toward which I am working; to meet men and women with laughter on my lips and love in my heart; to be gentle, kind, and courteous through all the hours; to approach the night with weariness that ever woos sleep and the joy that comes from work well done - this is how I desire to waste wisely my days. Thomas Dekker

Soap box

Wow! I just got one of these for our bed. Just one night and I am sold. I have been researching foam mattresses for over a year. I have researched the difference between latex foam and memory foam (like the tempurpedic), and for various reasons have not bought one yet (biggest reason is; first I want a king size bed which means picking out a new bed). So I figured that I would just get the topper for now to hold me over...oh my... As many of you know, I covet my bed. I love sleep. I go to bed on time, I sleep 8 hours and I wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed. Always have. I truly believe that our bed should be a sanctuary. Our bed is where we rejuvenate, where our brains, our muscles and our cells relax, refuel and recharge. Most of us work very hard and at the end of the day our bed should be something that we look forward to. Without a good nights sleep we wake achy, feeling tired still, crawling to the bathroom to pee or to the coffee maker for caffeine. Come on, we've all been there, we wake up feeling worse than when we did 8 hours before, thinking "am I just getting old?" I think not. Rather I think we are just sleeping on crap. How old is your mattress? Mine is almost 10 years old and that is just too long. And when I bought it, I'm sure it was not top of the line, I'm sure it was a fine basic middle of the road mattress. But that's not enough. I don't think something that rejuvenates me, helps me wake up in less pain and sets the tone for my day should be "middle of the road"!! Heck, I don't buy toilet paper that is middle of the road, I wouldn't pick a surgeon that was just "average". So can some one please explain to me why $2000 or even $3000 should sound excessive to spend on a new mattress? I mean, how we sleep determines how we wake, how we face the day. If we wake tired and sore, then that is how we greet our husbands, wives, friends, children and coworkers. I believe that how we sleep can set the tone for the day...why would we skimp here? I would like to venture that most of us have bought a new or used car within the last 10 years and heck, the average cost of a new car must be around $25,000? Used maybe $12-$15,ooo? And we will drive them for what 5, 6 years? Maybe 10 if we are really lucky? We are still looking at 1 to 2 thousand dollars a year for something we spend less time in than our beds! A $3000 mattress would cost $300 a year or $25 a month. I think my garbage bill is more than $25 a month. Now before you all start with "yeah, but a car has to keep us safe, and there is far more technology in a car than a mattress"...I agree. All I'm saying is "why do some people put such a low priority on their mattress?" I personally think it's a vital part of my day. Something I will not skimp on, I will not accept middle of the road here. I'll buy generic sugar and Tylenol, I'll continue to have my yard sales, I'll shop TJ Maxx and Walmart and be proud of it. But I wake each and every day with a smile on my face and I believe that part of that is because I respect where I spend 1/3 of it.

Just follow the directions

" Wow Pop, look at the TREADS on this thing, can you really build it?!"

"Ah, um...."

"Sure I can, just a little screw here, and a bolt there..."

And you're off!

But notice all that building tired Pop out - he and Dunc took the golf cart.

Question blue food

My mother has always said that food comes in every color EXCEPT blue. No natural food is colored blue. Not even a blueberry. So why do you think it is so appealing to a 3 year old? By the way, Pop bought these, NOT me.

At least Duncan's is a lovely shade of artificial neon orange...

Summertime

Summertime

Sum Sum Summertime

I couldn't choose just one... I LOVE these photos! I look at them and I can feel the chilly sprinkler water dripping down my nose, I can hear them squealing and giggling, I can see summertime. This was pure and total joy; this was being a kid, stripping off your clothes and running through the sprinkler on a hot summer afternoon kind of joy. There is nothing else quite like it.

Keri - 20

Happy Birthday Keri.

Last night we celebrated Keri's 20th birthday! What a nice evening with family and friends (as always). The food was amazing, Keri is beautiful and soon off to her second year at Smith College. Denise found an old Yankee batters helmet that belonged to Chris and gave it to Cooper...perfect. Perfect, perfect, perfect! He put in on the minute he got up this morning!

Love the halo above the cake from the candles.

Food

Every Saturday morning Coop and I get up early and wander off to our local farmer's market. Cooper has become quite discerning in his food selections. Our first stop is always the lady with the spelt scones. Now before you turn up your nose, you really should try one...they are really good...Cooper calls them "cookies". So with our scones in hand, we start our rounds, we have smartened up and started carrying a basket. I pretty much let Cooper pick out all the food - for some reason he just picks really good stuff. This past week he went back to the peaches guy because the ones we bought the week before were gone in one day. Next he found yellow squash, or kachini (zucchini) as Cooper calls it. He said "I think the yellow is neat and I think I would like to try one". Well okay Cooper! And finally he found these tomatoes. He hand picked each one and put them on the scale. I love this special time we have each week together, I love that we support our local growers, and I love that Cooper enjoys food as much as I do! He is totally into food "looking pretty" which is something my mom always taught me. "Food must look as good as it takes". And I totally agree.

Catching up

Every time I look at this picture I think the background looks fake...it reminds me of some backdrop they would have you stand in front of at the Wal Mart photo center. But I can attest, this backdrop is the real deal. Pop (Ted) took this photo in Ocean City. This is Duncan with his cousin Alex...is this perfect or what? It as been quite a week around here. Yesterday Jane's mother (Nana) passed away at the beautiful age of 99. I was actually blessed enough to be the one (only one) with Nana when she left us. Nana had been at the Gatehouse since Sunday. John and the boys and I got to spend some nice time with her on Sunday while Nana was still pretty lucid and aware. The boys played in her shower (not turned on) and she got a kick out of that. Jane said that whenever Nana would get anxious and start to have difficulty breathing she would start to tell Nana a story about the boys and that would calm Nana down. It got to the point where Nana would start to ask Jane to tell her stories about the little boys when she needed to calm down. Nana did not have any dementia but I have heard that many Alzheimer's patients are also calmed by stories about babies or small children...maybe it has something to do with the circle of life? I'm not sure, but for whatever reason, I'm glad the stories were able to bring Nana peace at such a special time. To top it all off, Comfort Keepers has been so busy that I get to work at 9 and look at the clock and it's 6! And Annie (my wonderful scheduler) is on vacation (much deserved) for 2 weeks, which means Bryn and I are doing it all. Bryn, god bless her, is doing the scheduling, and me...well, I'm pretty much doing anything Bryn tells me too! This is all good, better crazy busy, then crazy slow. My banker told me today that my business is probably one of the ONLY industries that is booming right now. Next Bryn gets some time off (also much deserved). I'm thinking it might be time to hire another person in the office - growth like this is hard with only 3 of us in the office. Last but not least, more gigabytes (sp?) of ram is on it's way, so hopefully I will be able to run my upgraded Adobe Photoshop program much easier and blogging/posting/picture editing etc will go much faster and smoother. That's it for now - stay in touch...