Santa's backup

To tide you over (because I have been a pathetic blogger)...I give you...Mr. Christmas. Duncan is in FULL holiday mode. He has scammed all of us into taking him to Michael's (craft store) to stock up on "supplies". He has informed us that he likes to decorate because "the girls like decorating and I like to make the girls happy and make friends with the girls". Hey, you gotta give the kid credit...

Top ten

1.) I miss bare feet 2.) I am TRYING to enjoy the process of building a house 3.) But I'm not really succeeding 4.) I had Cooper's Parent/Teacher conference and was reminded how absolutely in love I am with him 5.) I'm really looking forward to Saturday night with old friends and family up at my mom and dad's house 6.) I love coloring and creating and telling stories with my boys 7.) I am rolling my eyes and trying to be patient but above all...loving Duncan's infatuation with decorating for the holidays 8.) I'm looking forward to John Mayer's new album release on the 17th 9.) Looking forward to Thanksgiving, my WHOLE family being here this year and a short work week 10.) I can't wait to get all the slides digitized

Where have we been?

We've been eating cake! Happy birthday to my lovely sister Jess:)

Yesterday & Today

I recently embarked on something new and exciting. I am taking an online scrap booking class titled Yesterday & Today. I have never before taken a scrapbook class of any kind (online or otherwise). I steer away from most of these classes because they seem to focus on a bunch of stickers and glitter which is just not me. What I love to do is take photographs...I know, surprising...and I love to tell stories...again, I know you're stunned. Well this class focuses on just that...taking your photographs, old and new and telling your stories. As part of this class and the process of getting ready for the class I have had to collect a bunch of photographs from my childhood and before. I am so incredibly lucky to have a father who enjoys the camera and loved documenting our lives growing up. Almost all of the stuff from the 70's and early 8o's is in the form of slides though; which has meant that over the past few weeks (and over a few bottles of wine) my family has traveled down memory lane and watched NUMEROUS slide shows. So far I have pulled 377 slides to have converted into digital format. Along with documenting my life and my childhood I plan to document the lives of my parents, grandparents and great grandparents - at least as much as I can. So...the journey began to collect even more photos...even older photos...memorabilia...stories. I have really enjoyed this process and loved some of the stuff I've come across. This is my grandmother (on my mother's side) when she was young...

and this is her at her baby shower when she was pregnant with my mom.

And this I just LOVE. This is a letter to my grandmother from her brother, congratulating her on the birth of my mother.

And the bill for my mother's delivery... So loving uncovering and learning the history of my life....

Cleaned by John, Coop & Dunc

Punched by Uncle Richard

Carved by Me

Enjoyed by all that drive by

What's been going on around here...

Cooper was Meeting Leader at school yesterday. He told me I was NOT allowed to take pictures. But a mom's promises...what are they worth? I told myself that one day he would be happy that I recorded his life; happy that I was proud enough to sneak my camera in.

He is absolutely loving school and soaking it all in. He is slowly learning to read...nothing big, but definitely mastering the "sound it out" process. Last week after his tubby I found him writing in a little journal book that I keep by my bed. He showed me what he was writing... Let me help you. Ignore the first line (it basically says "10" which refers to the number of letters in his "sentence"). Now on to his "sentence"... DINT (translation - do not) TOC (touch) A (a) CBR (cobra). "Do not touch a cobra". I love love love this!! It's the beginning; it's thinking about letters and sounds and putting them together. I am so exciting to see him making these connections.

Gifts

My adorable son Duncan has been bringing me these beautiful fresh (yes it's October in Pennsylvania and I use the term "fresh" loosely) bouquets home from Ma Jane & Pop's house. Are they not the CUTEST?!

How absolutely beautiful

This is a series of photos taken by Duncan yesterday. I love when my kids pick up the camera and just snap away. Sometimes they are trying to capture someone/something (me above) and sometimes they are just clicking away (the shoe and sky). Either way the results always amaze me. I remember taking a photography class in college and one of our assignments was to not look through the lens but rather put the camera at our hip (or anywhere) and just shoot away. Well let me tell you, to a perfectionist control freak virgo such as myself this was all but IMPOSSIBLE...because...well...what if it was a BAD picture, what if I WASTED film, what if it was blurry, what if I get 23 photos of the SAME thing, what if something wasn't centered, or what if something (or worse SOMEONE) was cut off, what if, what if?? Well, I'm 39 now...and I'm learning...I'm learning "so what"? So what if my head is cut off...I actually really like the photograph. It's my hands, it's my coat, it's a sunny fall day, it's relaxed...it's a lot of beautiful things in an imperfect photo.

Some of my "so what" comes from just getting older, living life, learning to let stuff go...but some of it my children teach me...and this I love

Hands

Ah the wonderful, simple hands of my children. Even the dirty hands...I love. I love the motion, the play, the discovery.

7 weeks

Okay so a little more progress...

We have a roof and some windows starting to go in...

And again...looking out the kitchen windows.

'Tis Autumn

'Tis pumpkins 'Tis sweaters 'Tis orange and red and yellow and purple 'Tis falling leaves 'Tis cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger 'Tis chilly 'Tis cider 'Tis perfect

How cool

Really and truly I am not sure who is more excited about this...him or me? Cooper has been DYING to learn how to read so this weekend we picked up a really neat book set called "Bob Books" that teach reading. There are 5 packs, 12 books in each pack. Coop made it through the first two books in pack 1 this weekend. And might I add...he is BEAMING. Me? I am just a mom who is in love with her son. Seeing him so happy and impressed with himself just puts me over the edge.

One month

From the left.

From the right.

Standing in the kitchen. For all of you that have been asking for pictures of the house... I'm sorry - I will try and post house updates more regularly. I guess I just figured no one really cared much about the house building except for us...but then a good friend reminded me that some people do take joy in other people's happiness. Touche'...thanks for the reminder!

SEND FOOD

My apologies in advance for the use of capital letters that will inevitably riddle this post. But this child...this child right here...smiling like he's just as innocent as ever...is...EATING ME OUT OF HOUSE AND HOME. Apparently this is what they mean by "growth spurt". It starts at breakfast and DOES NOT STOP. The lunches we pack him are HUGE...and he says he needs more. When we pick him up at 3 he's STARVING (okay, his words not mine but the "snack" I make him I am sure would feed 4 Ethiopian families for like 3 days). Please tell me this does not go on for another 12 years? This is just a little blip right? He'll settle back down and start eating portions intended for normal 6 year olds correct? Because truly, if this is a sign of things to come...is anyone interested in a lovely 1/2 built home in the suburbs of Williamsport? Because we can no longer afford the anticipated mortgage payments...