Need I say more?

Yes, it's been a while....

So here's a few shots from Aedan's Ireland

The Invite is ready...now for the cake!

Ade's B-Day Invite. She'll be 12 this year! WOW! I can hardly believe it.
I don't know exactly how, but I get to make this cake next weekend. Why did I ever start the tradition of making my kids any shape cake they wanted? It has been fun over the years, though. I'll have to dig up some of the better ones for posting...soon! Probably after the party!

RS 3rd Annual VD Auction

Auction time came and went! Whew! Glad it's over and we made a good chunk of change for the school.
These are 3 of the students awaiting their turn to dive into the chocolate fountain! I hope they can swim!

Yep! Video, too!

With all of the crazy stuff that has gone on in my life the last 6 months (AND more!), I have to say that I have been fortunate, too...
Just had to post the video! Great show! Really.

And the winner is....

me.

I won two tickets to see Marshall Crenshaw at the Boothbay Harbor Opera House last Thursday! Sweet! It was!
I took my 16 year old son, or I should say he took me (he drove the hour and a half in a bit of a snowstorm - "Good practice", he kept telling me).
We got to Boothbay and saw a great concert! There were maybe 60 people there, total, and got to sit very near the stage. What a good time.
This was my son's first concert, and when everyone stood up to clap for an encore, he looked at me like everyone was crazy, just standing there clapping in the dark. Had to fill him in on the protocol. There was an encore and we had a great time!
When we walked outside it had turned into a full-fledged, blinding snowstorm and my son insisted he drive home (the hour and a half!).
I haven't been so scared in such a long time! BUT... he made it, and he did a good job!
He has his driving portion of the driver's exam on the 8th of February. I say he's READY!

Polar Plunge 2010

On New Year's Day every year all up and down the Atlantic coast in Maine, several crazy people decide to take a dip in the ocean. Some do it for charity. Others are just certifiable! This year my friend Seth took the plunge. I'm not sure which he is - charitable, or just whacko....I think the latter fits all of them!
Seth told me that another one of the swimmers was giving Seth trouble for wearing a "sweater" during the plunge! hahahaha!

Xmas by the Sea 2009

Another year, another Xmas By the Sea! It wasn't the coldest on record, but it's never warm. The carol "task master" was NOT happy about the size of the fire...he was overheard between carols complaining bitterly, to anyone who would listen that, "I don't know why they have to make the bonfire so big! It's so smokey we can't even sing!". Now , really! When it's below freezing and your standing on a beach on the Atlantic Ocean after the sun goes down wouldn't you prefer a nice BIG bonfire...as opposed to a rip roaring sing along? C'mon!

Oh, the things at auction...

So, A. & I worked the Auction last weekend, and amongst the high priced thingies were a piece of bed sheet that the dying President Lincoln bled on, and this beast.
Both were sold. I can't imagine entertaining the thought of owning either...baaad jou jou!

Ade Flips!

More Harvest Fest Fun!

Shriners rock!

This is soooo cool! I didn't even mind the rain.
Fall Harvest Fest at the Beach. And I was wondering why they would shut down the ferris wheel for an L'ville parade! This is the answer!! Big men on small cars...all this AND a Fez!!!!

Big cousins are fun to hang on...etc.

To be fair, I must give my daughter a bit of blogtime...
This was our visit to Uncle Jim's, where we got to visit with my brother and his daughter.
A good time was had by all! Now if we can get them to come back every year....................

A's new car & hair...

Ah, summertime!
My son spent his summer working his hair off (but only in patches - or is it stripes?) and took that $ and bought himself a vehicle (stripe of hair in foreground - vehicle being inspected in background).
Now we can start school on Tuesday (Junior year!) and never look back! Until the insurance comes due...

Aht & More

While driving my son back & forth to driver's ed. the last month, I got to pass these great pieces twice a day. I love these two works and felt the need to share. Very cool indeed!
By the way, my son passed the permit course test with a 100%, and now I get to passenger with him! Surreal to look over at your first child in the driver's seat...

Origami Elvis

So I missed May, but I've been busy!
My daughter came home from school the other day, and presented me with this Origami Elvis that she made in her G/T class, which only meets for 45 mins. one day a week! She had finished the regular work (for a Gifted/Talented class, wouldn't you hope she'd be at least CHALLENGED?) and the teacher told her she could make something from the Origami book. She chose Elvis!
I love this! She pointed out the side-burn on the far side! So cool!
I'd say it was Elvis in his declining years; no less cool!
I am pleased, since the G/T program only goes to 5th grade, (outrageous!) that she is ending her tenure as the maker of Origami Elvis!
Schools suck! Somethings just never change!

Cloonvolta

Apparently my mother was stalking Clooney a few weeks back, when he was in St. Louis shooting his latest film. She was heard to say that the only 2 actors in Hollywood worth a spit were Clooney and Travolta.
So, it was a bonus to have John jet in just for the snapshot...

Mary Sandwich

So here's my son, sandwiched between 2 Marys.
The one on his right is Marybeth, his Grandmother and the one on his left, well she speaks for herself!
Poor kid, look at the look on his face!

It reminds me of the time, in the very house that this picture was taken, that his aunt woke him (he was a sleeping 3 year old at the time) in the middle of the night, and made him promise to die for Ireland! He had that same look on his face...

When will Molly learn not to goad me into posting? EVER? BWA-HAHA!

Yet another snow day

The pic to the left is a seek and find. Where is the trampoline? And the one on the right is the twig furniture I made some years back, and I guess I'll have to make new ones. These are starting to list! I cannot believe (or bear) the amount of crazy snow we have! KILL ME NOW!!

2009 Toboggan National Championships

This last weekend was the 19th Annual Toboggan Nationals at the Snow Bowl! As witnessed by the pics, fun was had by ALL!

Hard to believe that it was 19 years ago that myself and 3 roommates made up a toboggan team, calling ourselves "4 Belles", after one of our teammates, who was from the South.

At the VERY last minute (we were in the chute!) that Southern Belle backed out and we scrambled for a fourth to allow us to be in the race. Mike Sheehan stepped out of the crowd and said he'd be our fourth, and the guys running the show said they'd change our team name for us and radio it ahead to the announcer.

As we flew down the shoot, imagine our surprise (but mostly Mike's) when they announced us as, Team "3 Dings and a Dong"!

As my brother Dennis said when I invited him up this year for the event, "Only in Maine!"

Yes Dennis, and only in the WINTER in MAINE!

So MUCH snow.....

Well, you asked for it... So much snow that the poor dog can't even maneuver!
I thought of jumping from the roof and ending it all, but the snow is so high, that I would surely survive, and then have to chip icicles from my hair!

Now there's a happy face!
All printed up and put together for Xmas!
Thanks for your help, Dennis!

Jim & Aedan

This picture is priceless. Jim and Aedan checking out an "aht" installation in Belfast harbor, this fall. Neither one seems too impressed. Seems to be what passes for aht in Maine!