Happy Memorial Day!

Ahoy!

If you ran into a band of blue tongue scallywags baring shovels on Saturday... they be some dastardly pirates.

Aaaaaaaargh!

Today was the much anticipated Pirate party. I think everyone had a great time. We had snacks then had fun with the bubble machine. Then we played a game of "Pin the pirate on the treasure".

We moved into pizza and then cake and ice cream.

Then it was time for the trek to the beach. Dan went ahead to the buried Howard W. Middleton Shipwreck - and buried some treasure for the kids to find. Their buried booty was a little plastic pirate baggie with a wooden chest full of gold coins, jeweled rings and gold bead necklaces.

Julia's friend E found a crab and a shrimp which caused some serious excitement.

The scallywags had to head home and we spent the rest of our evening on the beach. Spending time dashing in the waves. All three girls enjoyed splashing in the cold water as it was HOT outside!

So - while most of our neighbors are flying their American flags - we had the skull and crossbones flying.

Aaaargh!

No complaints...

It was 75 degrees here at 9am.

It's hot. It's going to get hotter. Apparently according to our friends at WCSH6 - it's going to get near record hot.

Splendid.

We have a beautiful breeze coming off the ocean.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Sigh. I am working hard cleaning this morning so that I can plant my butt on the porch and do Sudoku.

Finally!

I'm not a surprise keeper. I can do it - but it kills me. I feel that cold sweat of panic whenever I talk to the person I'm supposed to be keeping a surprise from.

So - lets just say that I'm relieved to be let go of my biggest surprise.

I'm also soooo excited. My friend K's husband is flying her out here for a week as part of their anniversary present. How cool is that????????

During her visit - we're going to be going to a local hotel and spending the weekend doing girly things. No - not the pillow fighting sleepover fun, more like drinking, looking at old scrapbooks, shopping, drinking and talking. Did I mention drinking? Oh - and room service.

The 2nd best part of this is that I'm going to be without kids for the first time in 6 years. Well, that's not entirely accurate. The night I had my appendix out I didn't have Julia there all night - but she did come visit. The night that I had Emma - I was without kids but I was in labor. Yes. I know how to party. I'm going to miss them - but I think I'll live. They get to go up to the lake and see their grandparents with Daddy - I doubt they'll notice I'm not around!

I am so so so so so so excited. I can't wait.

Happy Anniversary K and T!!

Remember this???

I thought I'd share some pictures I just found of Anna from when she was born....

Happy Birthday!

Yesterday, my little Anna Bella turned 3.


We woke her up with a lovely rendition of Happy Birthday. She promptly squealed, "Happy Birthday to you too Momma!"


We had a fun filled day, and Anna was a terrific Birthday girl. Everytime someone said "Happy Birthday" to her, she'd respond with "Happy Birthday to you too!" with a big smile.

She was just precious.




We gave her a Thomas the Train 3 wheeled scooter, so she can ride around like her big sister. It took us a little bit to get it assembled and she just sat there staring at me as I put it together. I was surprised at how patient she was, patience is not a Dough kid virtue.


After some scootering we headed to have a birthday dinner at the "IHOP", which Anna chose because she gets a little dum dum lollipop on the way out. She had a Happy Face pancake that they delivered with a candle and a song. She opened a Cabbage Patch baby from Julia (now named Tommi after Thomas the Train) and an Only Hearts doll from Emma. She was so well-mannered. She thanked Julia and Emma for her presents and then yelled, "Thank you everyone" We're not sure if she meant all of us at the table or everyone in the restaurant.



We had a birthday cake at Friendly's (where they weren't very friendly)... and then took the birthday girl home to go to bed.

Saturday is the big Pirate party. We're ready for her little friends to come and play - and we'll be having a treasure hunt on the beach! Anna's demands were few. Pizza, cake, ice cream and friends.

Stolen from Kelly...

A "me me"

I stole this from Missing JT Snow

1. When you’re home alone, do you still close the door when you use the restroom?:Nope
.2. If you have to go grocery shopping, would you rather go alone or with someone?: Alone for speed sake, but I like having the fam with me
3. You win the lottery. Lump sum or small payments over a period of time?:Lump sum
4. Do you like your music loud or at a reasonable level?Pretty reasonable, but I have hearing loss
5. Are you a beach person or a snowy mountain person?:Both, but if I had to choose --- beach!!6. When do you brush your teeth?:night
7. Would you rather stay home all day, or be out and about with some friends?:Id love to go out
8. Are you more likely to be with a large group of people or a few close friends?close friends
9. What are your plans for October?: Maybe a weekend at the lake... hang out
10. If money were not a problem, where would you like to live? Here in Maine
11. Are you a good math person?Not so much
12. A weekend in Las Vegas or Miami?:Miami.
13. Is there anything you would change about your body if you could?:Yeah, about 1/2 of it
14. Who’s #1 on your top 8? dan
15. Have you ever smoked? Not once
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink:Sparkling water
17. What were you doing @ 11 PM last night?nursing

JANUARY 1. Who kissed you on new years? dan
2. Did you have a new year’s resolution this year?Yep and so far so good
3. Does it snow where you live?YEAH!!!!
4. Do you like hot chocolate?A little every once in a while
5. Have you ever been to Times Square to watch the ball drop?Nope, but I'd like to one day

FEBRUARY1. Who was your Valentine?My mom and the kids - Dan was in the aforementioned Times Square for Valentines Day this year
2. When you were little did you buy Valentine’s for the whole class?Yes, of course.

MARCH1. Are you Irish? Nope - but I married in
2. Do you wear green on St. Patty’s Day?Always!
3. What did you do for St. Patty’s Day in 2007?We had green eggs, and Guinness

APRIL1. Do you like the rain?Yes.
2. Did you play an April fool’s joke on anyone this year? I think so - but I don't remember
3.do u celebrate 420?No! I haven't ever even tried... so no celebrating here
4. Do you love the month of April?umm no more than most other months

MAY1. What is your favorite flower?Daisies, tulips
2. Is there anything special about May to you? The day I found out I was pregnant with Julia (cinco de mayo 2000), Mother's Day, my birthday, Anna's Birthday

JUNE1. What year did/will you graduate from high school?1993
2. Are you doing anything fun during this month?Moving out of my house
3. Have a favorite baseball team? I'm a Tigers, Diamondbacks, Red Sox fan

JULY1. What will you do on the Fourth of July? I have no idea
2. Are you going on any vacations during this month?Yes - we'll celebrate our 10th anniversary - and we'll spend a week up on the lake

AUGUST1. Doing anything special at the end of summer? nope - maybe a visit from great friends and/or family
2. What was your favorite summer memory of ‘06? Driving across the country with my family
3. Did you go to the beach a lot? yes. Spent a lot of time at the lake, and then moved in on the Ocean

SEPTEMBER1. Will you be attending college/school? yes
2. Do you like fall better than summer?They are pretty even

OCTOBER1. What was your last Halloween costume? A witch
2. Who’s birthday is during this month? My moms

NOVEMBER1. Whose house do you go to for Thanksgiving? Ours - but we might travel to MI or AZ this year
2. What are you thankful for?My family
3. Do you love stuffing? Yep - but I prefer dressing

DECEMBER1. Do you celebrate Christmas?Yes, love it
2. Have you ever been kissed under mistletoe?Yes.
3. Get anything special last year? My bachelor recliner and my shuffle
4. What do you want this year? to be in a house ----- and maybe a wii

craigslist fun...

I am spending a lot of time on craigslist.com lately. Wading through endless ads for homes and house rentals just in case our current plan falls apart...

I found a great rental. A couple acres of land with gardens galore. Blueberry bushes and mature fruit trees. In a great town with amazing schools. Oh look at that kitchen - so cute! The master bedroom - huge! The gardens - amazing!

Then I saw this.

Nice yard right? Obviously they are going to take dogs - one of our largest problems in finding housing.

Wait.

What are those dogs doing? Oh. butt sniffing.

Man I love craigslist.

I think she's a card carrying MPAA member...

Julia was watching Open Season and towards the end she says, "Mom, I don't think we should watch this. They are mean to each other, say too many bad things. I just don't think it's appropriate for little kids."

Ummmmmm - OK.

I'd like to thank the academy...

I just found out - after the fact - that I was one of 20 finalists in a Mother's Day photo contest.

There were over 1,000 entries!! I'm so geeked. Or am a just a geek? Either way - it's cool!

I didn't win one of the 5 prizes, but I completely understand why the five photographs that won - won.

WOW.

Oh - here is the photograph.

It's that day again

The day where I become yet another year older. I guess birthdays are a time for contemplation - and this year has certainly been no different.

I'm proud of myself for who I am now. I am living with courage and conviction. I am starting to feel like I'm living an "authentic" life (think I might be in therapy???). I'm happier, closer to joy. I have a handle on my life and although I'm still being decked with that sneaky curve ball - I'm able to brush it off and step back in the box.

I live a block from the ocean and have one of the most beautifully scenic views as the backdrop for my life. My days are filled with the joyous laughter of three beautiful girls, interrupted occasionally by screeching and bickering.

I have a man who thinks I am beautiful whether I lose that pound or two each week. He's my biggest fan when I reach for my dreams, and supports me when I have those black clouds of doubt.

I can say that I am finally surrounded by friends who love and value me as much as I do them. I'm rediscovering what is behind a true friendship, one that isn't full of judgement and fear of abandonment. I know who is going to be there for me when I need it, and I have people who believe in me and count on me when they need a friend.

I finally feel like a strong woman and no doubt with the help of some stellar mood meds finally feel happily balanced. I take on tasks and they get done, and done well.

I still have those gray days, and luckily the very dark days are very far and few between now. I think they will always be there, as part of my chemical structuring, but it's nice to see and feel the sun.

So - Happy Birthday to me. I apparently rock.

Shut her up!

Yesterday Julia came in to my room at 630am and climbed in bed. She likes to pretend she'll go back to sleep, but really just talk your ear off. She eventually woke Em up.

Em has 2 settings - joyful and pissed. You never know which you'll get when she wakes up.

Yesterday she was pissed.

After a minute of the yelling, Julia says, "Mom, I wish she'd lower her volume."

me too....

Moga

Anna and Em are quite a pair. When they aren't dragging each other around the house, they enjoy being together.

Lately they seem to be fascinated by my daily Yoga routine. So much so that it's not uncommon to find them doing "moga" (as in she likes to eat "mogurt", Shrek is a "mogre") on their own. Emma's favorite pose is downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). She and Anna both go from cat pose (Bidalasana) to downward facing dog and then to childs pose (bala-asana). It's hilarious.

Em will be walking along and then stop. Sit down and do a series. Then she claps and laughs.

Anna tries her best to do the tree pose (Vriksha-asana) but doesn't really have the balance yet.

numb...

I had a filling replaced this morning and they really numbed me up...

I'm still numb three hours later. My entire lower half of the right side of my face is numb. My lips feel like Goldie Hawn donated some collagen.

I can't drink since I can't feel where the cup is.

I have to say though - numb isn't bad. It's that tingly, itchy wearing off stage that's the bitch.

Help Ruth!

I know that people from all over read this blog, but I'm hoping that some of you will be willing to help Ruth.

Ruth's Reusable Resources is a valuable tool for teachers in the Southern Maine area. Ruth stores donations and castoffs from major corporations and local businesses and redistributes them to the schools. Markers, stamps, shelves...

Here is the history of Ruth's from her website...

"Ruth's is beginning it's 11th season of service to schools in southern Maine. 3R's had it's beginning in Ruth and Tom Libby's basement, then moved to one room in the Oak Hill Grammar School on the Black Point Road. I (Ruth) started this when my oldest son's kindergarten teacher sent a note home requesting parents assistance by saving some household items that could be used in school craft projects, such as egg cartons, meat trays, juice can lids, etc. I saved these items, as did my mother, my grandmother and some of my mother's friends at UNUM. I delivered some of the items to the school, then for a couple of years, some of the teachers came to our basement to take whatever they needed in their classrooms. Then, I saw an article in the Sunday paper about a woman in Auburn who was collecting items from businesses to recycle into the schools, so I checked it out. A year and a half later, I connected with UNUM. That 's when, in the 1st year in the Bessey School, my work status changed from being a volunteer to getting paid. I received grant money from the UNUM Charitable Foundation for the 1st and 2nd years in the Bessey School with a stipulation that 3R's would be licensed as a Non-profit organization and become self- supporting by the end of the 2nd year. "

This is a vital resource for Maine schools - and Ruth needs our help. Here is part of an article from the local newspaper that helps describe the current situation...

"Libby has been thrust into the spotlight, a place that makes her uncomfortable, but one to which she acquiesces for the sake of her nonprofit organization. Since word’s been out that she has a month left to complete the first phase of an aggressive fundraising campaign – she must be out of her present location and needs $450,000 by June 1 for a down-payment on a 27,000-square-foot warehouse in Portland – several Maine companies have come forward with donations and offers to raise money to keep her 13-year-old organization operational."

Here is a link to where you can help Ruth.

Thanks!

More pics of the girls....

Tiny artiste...

What could this little 13 months old be doing? for 30 minutes???COLORING!!!

It's almost Mother's Day!

So - I'm doing some on-line mom shopping. Not for me, and not for my mother or even my mother-in-law (their presents are already on the way!)... for anyone still searching for great gifts for their wives, moms, sisters, daughters, friends.

So - let the shopping begin!


These are beautiful and practical organizational must-haves for the busy mom with school aged kids or active kids. MomAgenda has planners of various sizes with space for mom's activities AND space for up to four kids activities.


My favorite thing from MomAgenda is their Kitchen Folio. This helps keep track of all the schedules, school papers, menus and other important paperwork that gets lost in the kitchen. Also a bonus - they have a printable trial version of the MomAgenda planner page.


On to Wishingfish.com or the one who loves to get out and do new things (and lives near one of these larger cities... the giftybox - classes and workshops version. Mom always wanted to learn to fence? learn to scratch with a real DJ? this is your gift.



Also at wishingfish is A Day at the Beach. A mini peice of paradise.


Red Envelope has a Mom's Wreath pendant that is beautiful and meaningful.




"For thousands of years the circle has been a symbol of eternal love, making it a fitting token of a mother's affection. English, Spanish, French and Italian forms of the word "Mom" are captured in this delicate sterling-silver pendant. Each word is rendered in script and blends subtly into the next, weaving a fine silver wreath."

I personally am at a loss with Mother's jewelry because the colors of my girls birthstones are not exactly great together. Turquoise/Blue Topaz, Aquamarine and Emerald. Nice huh?

Podcast fun...

As I've discussed before - I love me some podcasts.

My current favorite - the one I can't do without (besides my mugglecast and pottercast that are once a week...) is Keith and the Girl. At first I was weary about them, but now that I've been listening for a couple of months I love them.

They remind me of Howard Stern back when he was still funny. It is definitely irreverant, and they offer various stages of racism, homophobia, sexism ---- ummm everything I tend to stand against with my very being. But damn. They are funny. FUNNY. I suspect that a lot of their trash talk is done for comedy sake and the more I listen the more I believe that they aren't as "scary" as they sound. But the laughs... oh the laughs...

I've been immersed in the world of appreciating teachers and staff members at Julia's school. The official kick off is Monday and I'm planning a breakfast for 35 people. I think it's going to be a great week.

We have several things going on each day. I think everyone is going to be really happy with how things are set up.

I am amazed at how helpful the parents are and the town is towards celebrating the teachers and staff. It's been great to talk with all of these parents and the staff. I can say this has so far been a positive experience.

Aren't they pretty???

Sooooooooooooo. funny. Love these girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See Em's shiner? Impressive huh?