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!

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?)