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!

Solstice with an Ax to Grind?

Winter is here; about two feet of it sits outside the door.
How I was lulled all those years, when we wouldn't even get the first snow until after Xmas. How tired of the cold and snow I am already!
Check out the door's handle!
The kids LOVE it!
As "A" said to me when he was 3, after I put his plate of dinner in front of him at home, "This isn't what I ordered!"
I feel much the same way!

Ade Insists...

My youngest insists that we have no photos of me. Because
I am the one who takes all of the pictures, I'm rarely seen.
I told her that I was a vampire and that I wouldn't show up on film. She reminded me that digital photography doesn't use film, so we were all set!
She took this photo of me, and she did a good job of it,too. Maybe we have another photographer in the family!
GREAT!
Why don't we ever get the random dentist or a comedian? You know, something useful?

That time....again!

X-mas by the Sea 2008!
The Bonfire & carols, Santa & Elf arrive by fire engine, getting a fuzzy picture taken in front of the tree with your friend! ...And the snow!
'Tis the season, eh?
(I'm dreaming of a warm Christmas!)

Vocabulary

Ok. I just got through viewing my niece's Blog regarding her daughter's vocabulary, and it made me want to do the same for my
loving children!

My son's...(15 yr.old)

" #$%# you!
You, #$%&*#@#$%^%^))!!!!!!
I hate @#$%&%$ homework!
My &%$#@$% life sucks!
Get the #$@& off my #%^&$#@* back!
GRUNT! "

My daughter's...(almost 11 yr. old)

"MOM!!!!!!!!! He's bothering me!!!!!!
Mom!!!! Can I____(fill in the blank)? -IF I say NO, she then goes on to ask every 10 seconds:
How about NOW? How about NOW? How about NOW? HOW ABOUT NOW?"
AAWWWW! It's SO cute!
I despise ____(insert brother's name) greatly!
Can I have a pony? No, wait! I already have one...Can I have a kitten, a puppy, a hamster, ( insert anything that eats, poops, needs loads of attention & care, has to visit a vet, and that she will tire of quickly then I get all the responsibility!)?"


Yeah, there will come the day when you think to yourself, "Who taught them how to talk?", and you will regret it, but until then I guess it is pretty amazing!

Scary!

OK, I know I said once a month was the way to blog, and I've missed that deadline by one day, so shoot me!
I do believe that it was worth the delay to see this picture!
Now for the most scary part...
This wasn't even Halloween!!!! Just a another Monday at chez crazy. Heavens to Murgatroid, it's not Winter In Maine yet!
Now that's SCARY!!!!!

Still September...

Ok, it's still September, but my daughter wants equal blog time.
She and her best friend got themselves a pony! They have named her "Autumn" and she is a chestnut colored Morgan. She's 12 hands, which in pony speak is about 5 feet tall. She's 7 yrs. old and she's very lovable! This is a very memorable Autumn!

It's September...

Time for another post! Once a month seems about right! This picture is for my niece (Mo)
who called me today out of the blue! It was so nice to hear from her, and a great surprise! We talked briefly about my son, and I told her that he was in the "tall skinnies" right now, and that he reminded me of her brother. All except the mustache. She said,"But my brother doesn't have a mustache." I said, "I know, but Aedan does" !

Watch Out Below!

After seeing the photos of Madeline on this slide, I was reminded that I had one of her Grandma going for it!
(When will Molly learn not to ask me to post different photos?)

Only in Summer...

Can you ride the big blue fish in Belfast!!!!!
Because soon enough. it will snow again....
UHG! (And yes, my daughter is swilling beer!)

I'm still here.........

So is Summer! We had many family members visit from "away" this year, and I am too busy to blog!
But here are a couple of pictures that say it all!

"Country" Fair

Norway was the country my daughter had and she did a great job!She even made Sarina cakes for fair goers to sample...A boy in the class had to leave school early that day, so he had a picture of his head set up in one of his shirts, and taped his voice telling all about Mexico, his country. We agreed, my daughter and I, that it was pretty creative AND downright disturbing!

The Boy's 1st Bike

THIS IS THAT BIKE!
My son's first bike was a Razorback (pretty small - or the kid's pretty big?)that his paternal "Mum/Nanny/Nan/Anne" (grandmother) bought for him for his 3rd birthday, at the end of July. Came complete with training wheels, and by the end of that summer (Early September) this kid refused to ride that bike unless we removed the training wheels. My first child, what do I know? I tried to talk him out of it, saying that he should have more practice, but he steadfastly refused. Hesitantly, we took those wheels off and much to our surprise that boy took off on that bike like he'd been riding for years (he'd only been alive for 3)! I'll never forget my amazement at this new three year old, to just take off on a two-wheeler! He knew it was time.
Enter that same kid, almost 12 years later. Now it's a motorcycle. Doesn't care if he gets his driving permit for a car, and he's done his homework. He can get a motorcycle permit when he's 15 (end of July), he doesn't have to have a licensed driver with him (can't, it's a motorcycle!), the gas and insurance are much less than for a car, and he can go anywhere! You know, places a car can't get to! Oh, there's more-he's thought of everything! Now, it's up to me to remember that 1st bike, his resolve and readiness, and to let go and trust.
So, I told him, "If Paternal Grandmother (whatever her name is, today and that all depends on who's talking to her and how old you are!) buys you a motorcycle, I'll let you go! And, she'll have to pay insurance, too!"
Good luck with that!
In the meantime, watch the flick...

Back Kick to the Head

Ok, here's something new...
My daughter is now an orange belt, and this was taken during her test.
No more, no time!