This is my personal blog. Check out my book and the Get It Scrapped website for scrapbooking ideas, layout design lessons, page sketches & free layered templates.
When I make scrapbook pages I usually start spurred by one or more of the following
- photos I’m anxious to get onto the page
- new product I’m inspired to use
- a design task or challenge I’ve set for myself -- like solving a puzzle, it's a fun approach for me.
"Embroider Me" | Supplies: Sweet Storytelling by Sahlin Studio; Flair Box 3, Popup Studio Brushes by Paula Kesselring; Antoinnette by Shannon Hegarty; Stitch Medley by Quirky Twerp; Pure Happiness by Designs by Anita; Just Linens 1 by Maplebrook Studio; Etc by Polka Dot Pixels; Westchester by One Little Bird; Homespun Stitches by Kitschy Digitals; Storytelling Alpha 2 by Amanda Heimann; Felix Titling, Jane Austen, Traveling Typewriter fonts
This is a page inspired by a design challenge. My class “Scrapbook Page Layers” starts next Tuesday, and in the 3rd week of class I’ll be covering layering techniques and ideas for canvases as well as how combining favorite foundations offers great layering opportunities. Thus this page – a combo of grid and band foundations.
As I laid out the design, I started selecting papers without knowing what the subject would be. As things came together, I saw that this was a page that demanded just one (or maybe two) photos I loved for their look and the feeling they evoked. It wasn’t a design that was going to work for event photos or any of my messier everyday life photos.
So . . . I chose a photo I love and repeated it in black and white --- but what was my message? Well . . . that I love Isaac and our relationship. A poem I’ve loved for a long time came to mind and I used it to drive my embellishment and title choices.
SILLY SONG by Federico Garcia Lorca Mama, I wish I were silver.
My Dad died two weeks ago today. It's hard to say much about it right now. Thanks so much to those who have sent cards and emails. I haven't responded well but I am so very grateful. D
OXFORD – James Oby “Jim” Hodge, 70, of Oxford passed away Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011, at his home.
He was the husband of Barbara C. (Hendrickson) Hodge for 51 years. Born Feb. 23, 1941, in Norwich, he was the son of the late Grant and Louise (Spicer) Hodge.
The land that comprises Oxpres Farms, a dairy farm with barns and land in both Oxford and Preston, has been an ever-present part of Jim’s life. At 7 years old, he walked alongside his father and brother, E. Donald Hodge, herding their dairy cows from downtown Oxford to this newly purchased land. When their father died in 1960, 19- year-old Jim and 23-year old Donald became partners in operating the family farm they came to call “Oxpres Farms.”
After retiring from farming in 2005, though lung and heart disease confined Jim’s movements, he still got around the farm on a four-wheeler rigged to hold and oxygen tank, riding through fields and pastures to visit his brother, his sons and his grandchildren, all living on the land he’d known since childhood. He loved the Atlanta Braves, watching the birds, evening chats with his sons, the regular traffic that a farm brings even after retirement, talking politics and pulling a good prank.
In addition to his wife, Barbara, Jim is survived by one daughter, Deborah A. Hodge and husband Neil Niman of Durham, N.H., two sons, Mark G. Hodge and wife Pepper of Oxford, Matthew J. Hodge and partner Julie Micha of Oxford; eight grandchildren, Joshua and Isaac Niman, Sara, Hannah, Emma and Ethan Hodge, Kassidy and Jenna Hodge, one brother E. Donald Hodge and wife Barbara J. Hodge; four sisters-in-law, four brothers-in-law and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his nephew Terry S. Hodge.
A memorial service for Jim will be held on Jim’s farm in the spring. There will be no calling hours.
Memorial contributions in Jim’s memory may be sent to the Oxford Fire Dept. Emergency Squad, PO Box 172, Oxford, NY 13830 or to Hospice and Palliative Care of Chenango County, 21 Hayes St., Norwich, NY 13815
I took this photo on November 1st when my Dad came home from the hospital in one more of his incredible turnarounds. He was so very tough -- as is my mom. I love them both immensely, and I am committed to making important changes in my own life so I can be just as tough and live just as productive and rich a life.
The boys and I went to my parents at the end of June driving back July 4. I always love the photos I take there and love scrapbooking them – but I don’t do it all at once. I spread it out, which lets me dip back into the memories of being there. Here are three of the pages I’ve made.
Craze-d-
Joshua asked me to order a whole lot of paracord to be delivered to my parents’ house so he could teach his cousins how to make paracord bracelets. (He’s a big Instructables reader). Who knew it would be this compelling? Love the shot of Sara and Isaac in the haymow making bracelets. They were waiting for Uncle Matt to come back so they could help him load his truck with hay but keeping their hands busy until then.
We bought a bocce ball set on the way out – actually we bought a lot of things on the way out including a new game called “Dominion” that’s become a favorite. Isaac’s a bowler now (need to scrapbook that!) and he loves games and things he can work at getting better at – plus Grandma and Grandpa’s lawn is so perfect for this kind of thing. I’ve got more photos of Isaac and the girls playing. Saving those for another scrappy day.
One of the many differences between life at my parents’ home and life at our home is that they get drop-by visitors A LOT! On this afternoon we were playing Dominion and making bracelets when two of Mom’s friends dropped by – they’d been out driving and shopping and were looking for a restroom pitstop. Pat and Linda have been Mom’s friends for oh-so-long and Pat has an incredible sense of fun. Somebody came running into the house telling me to get my camera and when I got outside, this is what I saw, Ethan riding in the market cart Pat was using to steady her walk across the rocky driveway.
Greatly inspired by webinar this morning with Lynnette Penacho about scrapbooking. We talked about grids and layering and list journaling and "faves" pages. Lynnette does a lot of these month by month (and sells great templates for them) and as I spoke to her I realized that while I'm never able to pull together photo-a-day or week-in-the-life or even monthly summary layouts full of photos --- what I could do is an awesome page with 1 photo and lots of patterned papers and a list of 10 things I'm into in any month.
So here's the beginning of "list of 10" for July with the hopes I will scrapbook it.
10 Things in July
1. Monk. Discovered this series a couple of months ago -- 8 years of unwatched episodes and I LOVE the show. Finished it yesterday. Cried and smiled. And now I say "Here's the thing" and "He's the guy" alot.
2. Kayaking. Must exercise. We got a couple of new kayaks and I'm DOING IT! Sometimes with Iz. Sometimes alone. Passed a couple of skinny dippers the other day. Should probably google "how to kayak."
3. New sliders in the bedroom! The sliding doors to our upstairs and downstairs decks were rotted and barely closeable. We bought new ones in 2010 to take advantage of the energy efficiency tax break and Neil installed the downstairs ones last year. And now the upstairs ones are in and he rocked the job -- in 2 days!
4. Josh at Video Game Design camp. For 2 weeks. Missing him BIG time. We've spoken a couple of times and he's not complaining but he sounds exhausted (and now sick) and I think this may be the hardest he's ever worked in his life. Picking him up tomorrow!
5. Isaac at Tech Camp. He's *sparkling* talking about nanotechnology and prototype machines and networks and Blender and animation and robotics and more. SOOO incredibly fortunate to be near the university and having this chance.
6. Missing my friends! Elaine's been in Greece. Donna's kids were at camp. And I'm working like crazy trying to clear the decks to play in August.
7.Webinars webinars webinars. Recording 12 webinars this month. 4 for the July issue of Masterful Scrapbook Design and 8 for the August "smorgasbord" issue -- which means tons of first rate inspiration.
8. Trying to kick diet coke. Smoothies with bee pollen. Ice green and fruity teas every day in our new drink dispenser from pottery barn. Set it up on a cake plate for easy use.
9. West Side Story. I feel pretty! Oh so pretty! We started off the summer seeing this show in Boston.
10. The Hunger Games. Wow! Boys and I listened to the first book in the series on the way to NY and back. Loved it. Missed the characters and the story immensely when it was ower. We pulled in the driveway on July 4 about 2:30pm and before unloading the car just came in and put my iphone on the dock and listened to the end together.
And I've already scrapbooked a couple of these individually
The band played from Reflections in Moonlight from Moonlight Sonata and The Stars and Stripes forever. There were several solos and group performances. Isaac played New Soul (fabulously!). Here’s a photo of him with a new friend – another sax player!
We spent our Feb break with family in Oxford. The highlight (for me) was that my dad turned 70! He’s had lots of health problems for several years – and things lately have been especially tough – but he keeps on keeping on and we love spending time with him.
And, of course, my Mom is the one who makes all this happen—the food, the fun, . . . . the . . . angry birds!
I wrote the journaling (which is below in full) for this page in 2nd person point of view. I think it's awesome for getting some self-deprecatory (or even sad/hard) humor into a piece. In fact, my first published short story (in a little literary journal called Amelia) was written in 2nd person pov.
In second-person point of view, write “you” and “your” instead of “he,” “she,” “his,” “her,” “I,” “me” and “my” when you’re referring to the main subject of your journaling. In this way, the reader becomes the main character or subject.
One of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors is Self Help by Lorrie Moore. You can even read one of the stories from the book here. Second-person narration works with writing for guide books, self-help books, do-it-yourself manuals, interactive fiction, musical lyrics, and advertisements.
Journaling: Wake and check clock to see it's 6:09. Roll over relieved to know you have 11 more minutes. When the alarm rings at 6:20, reach around to find your glasses then get out of bed and put on one of the already-worn sweaters piled next to the dresser. If you're not up on laundry, rummage through the baskets at the foot of the bed: socks for each son will be the hardest to find. Say howdy to your oldest son and tell him his clothes are on the floor. Make sure you don't need to pee before you say howdy to your youngest son who will insist you "Come back!--I need you!" and then tell you that he doesn't feel good. Linger a bit. Tell him you love him and he can do it and his clothes are at the foot of the bed and you’ve got to go pee. Know this: you shouldn't open the laptop. Fill the teapot and put it on the stove. Open a can of soup, pour it in a bowl, and put it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Put the small pan on a burner on low with a bit of butter--THEN go on over and open the laptop and quickly retrieve your email. Realize it's 6:35 and everyone is in danger of being late. Do this every day. Without fail. Yell a less-friendly howdy to both boys, but not one that's loud enough to wake your husband. It would not be good to have his help at this moment. If you think you can handle it, crack open two eggs and stir them in the pan--otherwise, turn off the burner and pour two bowls of cereal. If it's a good day, you’ll open the dishwasher and retrieve 2 clean soup thermoses, 2 water bottles, and 2 hot-drink thermoses (if it's a bad day: scramble!!!). Tell yourself, once again, that these regular efforts make up for those less-frequent times when you yell at everyone to just shut up and move right now!
Pull out the cutting board and make one peanut-butter -and- jelly-sandwich and one turkey-salami-cheese sandwich. Retrieve soup from microwave and pour into thermoses. Remove teapot from burner and pour into hot-drink thermoses. Call up the stairs that it's quarter of and everyone better get down here now, by gosh. Your younger son appears first, moaning about how much his stomach and head hurt. Give him some kind of fruit and tell him to put his socks on. Bag up something crunchy and something fruity or vegetably. Get lunches in the bags and put eggs on plates (if you went this way) and tell older son he better get down here, by gosh, and be sure to put on deodorant. While your sons eat, get their lunches and waterbottles into their backpacks. Unlock and open wide the front door. Check the temperature. Check the time. It will be almost 7. Tell them to pick out their tea and get it in their thermoses. Rummage for shoes and throw them out by the front door. While your sons put on their shoes, grab their coats. While they put on their coats, comb their hair. Hold open the storm door and make sure they both have their hot mugs and stand on your tiptoes on the cold cement steps while they leave. Say that you love them. That they're awesome boys. That you hope they have a good day at the salt mines. Watch briefly as they start up the driveway. Yell to the oldest to help the youngest with his sax. Yell again that you love them. Finally: shut the door, pour a diet coke, grab a blanket and sink into your chair with your laptop. Your day has begun.
And just as an everyday life scrapbooking aside -- here's a page I did last year on a similar topic but approached differently.
click on layouts for supply lists & links at Designer Digitals
We’re finishing up a month-long study of inspiration at Get It Scrapped. Usually I get my inspiration from product and other pages, but this month has really pushed me to look at soooooo any other sources—esp since the guest teachers all have such different ideas and approaches.
When I look around our house there is no shortage of video entertainment inspiration and here are a couple of pages that get their looks from games.
This look of this page was inspired by the video game that my mom and boys are engrossed in here: Angry Birds. I didn’t have exact matches for things, but I could find some colorful hand drawn birds, a black-and-white pig and clouds to represent the sky the birds are being flung through.
And this one’s look came from the video game we were lined up to buy at midnight: Halo Reach. The logo for the video game inspired my color choices and the orange cloudy brushwork The journal that came with the game inspired my journaling treatment on the page.
This is my most favorite layout I’ve made in a long time. I love that Isaac takes this tradition so seriously and that he made sure we did it (yes, you may think you’d never forget . . . but some of us have . . .). I love all the papers and embellishments here and I love the layout design. I’m working on a new self-paced class – sort of like Building Pages but more for those starting out OR those who want quick go-tos for getting pages with a particular number of photos. I’ll be using some new interactive training “stuff” to make this.
click on the layout for links to supplies at DesignerDigitals.com
The first stop for anyone should be the cookie walk at St. George’s – the them while there’s an awesome selection.
My kids always end up purchasing more stuff to put in their already over-stuffed rooms. This year, though, Josh didn’t buy anything. His friend Adam, though, continued his annual pursuit of buying up all the lights and small trees at the fair to decorate his own room – I found them stowed in our car so his parents wouldn’t know until later.
Along with Logan he helped out with the Community Church fair – a bit—in the kitchen, loading purchases for buyers.
Isaac, Lily, and Erin did do some shopping – with the fave spot being the vintage room at the Community Church. Isaac got a mortar and pestle, a victorian watch pendant, and sheet music. Lily bought old books and a gift for her mom. Erin found sheet music, too.
Isaac was sad we weren't in NY with family. Joshua slept til noon and then was surprised it was Thanksgiving when I told him to go get showered. Isaac lamented that it wouldn't be any fun without kids.
And then we walked through the door at Robin and Don's and the boys remembered that Robin, Don, Lucy, and Norma have known them since they were born, and, what's more, LOVE THEM. I always find such comfort when I'm at the Lent's home.
We ate a delicious dinner. Robin and I drank a lot of bubbly wine. We talked about: ancient aliens, Nordic myths, town politics, college life, local landlords, university goings-on, daVinci, and . . . pumpkin chunkin' -- because once Paul and Clea arrived there was no lack of childlike fun (turns out Paul wanted to watch the Mythbusters Thanksgiving special in which pumpkins are catapulted, too). Once the pumpkin chunkin' was over Don pulled out a beautiful book of daVinci illustrations that the boys and men poured over for very a long time.
Josh, Logan and Aidan were spurred to put together a trivia quiz team after a look at the big and generous list of prizes AND, of course, by their love of just … knowing stuff! They needed a fourth to compete and so brought Neil along. Isaac heard about prizes and really wanted in but these high-schoolers weren’t so sure about him . . . thinking it might be an event something like this:
But it was even BIGGER and more confusing. There were lots of flags waving during the lightning round and it was never clear who waved first. There were competitors of all ages and Isaac was quickly allowed in.
Of course the other rounds gave everyone time to think, disagree, say what the heck and then either remonstrate the others for a lack of faith or cheer over unanticipated success.
No one will let me forget that I didn’t believe the multiple suggestions that Edgar Allen Poe might be the 19th century poet who married his 13 year old cousin.
And no one wants to forget that while most were thinking that “earth pig” translated to groundhog, the whole team took a chance on Aidan’s belief that it was aardvark.
Everyone contributed some point-winning answers --- and there were a lot of questions we couldn’t answer (In fact, do you know what child actress –and now adult actress-was the model for Belle in the Disney cartoon version of Beauty and the Beast?)
There were several small victories – but it really didn’t seem there were enough . . . . but, then, the team unexpectedly (I say unexpectedly because there were so many flags waving, getting called on was not easy) won TWO lightning rounds.
The Sci Fi round was won with Aidan’s knowledge of The Green Lantern’s name, occupation, and place of work. Aidan got first choice from this box packed full of sci-fi goodies from JetPack Comics. Everyone actually got what they wanted from the box and loved what they got. Isaac took some figures and Josh took a shirt and gift certificate. Aidan took a graphic novel and puzzle. Logan went for the two sets of drinking glasses. Big thanks to Jetpack Comics in Rochester.
The Durham round was won when the question was asked: Who is the chair of the Durham Town Council. The first person chosen said it was . . . Neil Niman! Our Neil! Nope – not anymore and Isaac waved his flag vigorously enough to be chosen and he gave the correct answer of Diana Carroll (knowledge gained from way too many Monday nights spent in bed with me watching Neil and the council on our cable access channel)--- to which at first we were told: no! Wait a minute, Neil said. I’m the vice chair of the town council. and she is the chair. What about Terry Sharpe asked the moderator? It was agreed that there is no Terry Sharpe on the town council – and so another lightning round was won.
This box of goodies included t-shirts and gift certificates from local restaurants. (I got the BNG). Big thanks to Bagelry, DHOP, BNG, Youngs, Stats, and Franz’s.
Their team came in 20th . . . I’m not sure how many teams there were total – almost 40 I think. The top winners were veteran teams with teachers, staff, and a few students. 20th wasn’t good enough to take prizes from the main table, but these boys were already fabulously rich in prizes from the lightning rounds---- lots of folks went home empty handed and a little disappointed. These guys had an awesome time.
And it was very cool to see such a big turnout of students and teachers and families and all the fun people were having.
Josh is in 9th grade and Isaac in 6th. After years of buying lunches, this year they both want packed lunches, with soup, and, now that it’s cold in the morning they need something hot to drink on the walk to the bus and the ride to school.
So this is how my morning starts --- and this is just lunch! (Though breakfast is a bowl of cereal and a pear for Isaac and a banana for Josh)
Joshua: peanut butter and jelly sandwich (once in while turkey, cheese & chips sandwich), chicken or veggie noodle soup, something crunchy (like goldfish), and fruit – apples have to be cut up because of the braces. A big bottle of cold water and a hot thermos of green tea.
Isaac: turkey, provolone & salami sandwich, Raman, something crunchy, and fruit – apples have to be cut up because he’s our little prince and that’s how he likes it. A big bottle of water and a hot thermos of orange tea.
There he is! Joshua just out of bed and 5 minutes til he’s out the door. He’s never missed the bus this year – doesn’t want to be driven in—though I do often end up driving him down to the busstop. No Isaac in this photo because he does like being driven in and he’s still in bed (for about 5 more minutes). On Tues and Thurs Neil teaches at 8 and drives him in. Also, we’re just finishing up 3 weeks of Isaac sick (we think with Lyme Disease) and it’s actually a pleasure to be packing him lunch and sending him to school for a full day.
Joshua on his way. Yes, there are a lot of leaves still on the ground --- AND we’ve spent a lot of time raking. Boys are off on Thurs and Fri – hoping to finish those leaves up then and be ready for snow!
We haven’t seen Ron and Holly for nine years – and it was really wonderful to spend time with them last weekend. Here are the photos I’ve scrapbooked. I still need to scrapbook Ron and Holly’s introduction of geo-caching to Isaac --which he loved.
(all supplies are from designer digitals and all layouts are linked to my gallery where there is a full linked supply list)
Last weekend, the boys and I made our October jaunt down to see my mom at a wholesale show in Marlborough, Mass. We got in Saturday afternoon – had an awesome dinner, swam at the hotel, got cozy sharing a room & then made it to the show first thing.
As soon as we got in, I realized I need to hike back to the car and get my camera before the shelves were emptied. The skate wreaths are new this year. As are those trees with the frosted . . . walnuts, were they? Something like that.
If you’ve got a store and want to get some of these awesome products, you can find contact info for my mom at The Country Collection NY.
Josh spent a lot of time manning the cash register and even the store when Iz and I were being lookie-loos and mom was taking care of everyone.
While I have not been blogging well --- I *have* been scrapbooking --- feeling like I better get those memories recorded somewhere :) On August 8, over 50 of the Hendricksons came to Oxford for a reunion. These pages begin to scratch the surface of the photos I have --- AND the awesome memories.
Isaac hasn’t been feeling well lately (with headaches, body aches, stomach aches and he’s off to the doctor this morning) but when the neighbors came knocking for a squirt gun fight, he grabbed his gun and rallied.
And then he was back and yelling up to me that he wanted to get out the slip-n-slide. And I said NO – not yet (oh, please, not yet).
When I came out a bit later, it was set up and the neighbors were here in their swimsuits.
Me: “I thought I said no.”
Isaac: “I thought that just meant you didn’t want to have to set it up.”
Me: “That’s true.”
They had an awesome time. And now it’s cooler again—but the slip-n-slide hasn’t been put away. . . .
. . . when we're flooded in. The rain was coming down Monday and the roads were intermittently flooded so we all kept our kids home that day because we weren't sure about being able to get them home -- except by walking over the Trestle in pouring rain. And since the Chamberlin's dog was hit there we're all being newly careful.
These are photos from Tuesday when we were positively flooded in. Neil and Sara took the gang out riding on the carless roads.
Here's the town update from the night before
Dear Members of the Community,
According to the UNHWeatherCenter, Durham has received almost 6.5 inches of rain on Sunday and today.The conditions on some local roadways are
worsening due to continued rainfall and rising rivers.
Drivers should expect delays in their travels due to roadway closures.
Please be very cautious in your travels.
For general travel planning purposes residents,
should be aware of issues on the following roadways in and around
Durham:
Route
108/Newmarket Road has been closed by the state due to high water over both
traveled lanes in the vicinity of the Durham Boat Club.
The state
is monitoring the culvert between Laurel Lane and Bennett Road on Route 108/Newmarket Road.The condition is progressively
worsening and it is anticipated this stretch of Route 108 will be closed as
the afternoon wanes on and water levels rise.
Durham Point
Road is
available for southbound local traffic only and is closed for vehicles
traveling south from Durham to Newmarket. South bound traffic along Route 108
is being detoured down Mill Pond Road to
Faculty
Road to
Mill
Road to
Packers Falls Road and on to
Newmarket.Northbound thru traffic is still being accommodated on
Durham Point
Road.
Bennett Road at LaRoche Brook has been intermittently closed
due to high water today –
but at this time is presently open.
Bennett Road at the Packers Falls
Road end is
presently closed.
Route
155A/Mast Road is closed at the OysterRiver (Durham/Lee Town Line) due to high
water.
Dame Road (on both ends) has a couple of inches of water
over it at present and may require intermittent closing depending upon
changing conditions as the day progresses.
Longmarsh
Road
at the Route 108 intersection
near Bennett
Road is now
closed.
We haven’t gotten a lot of snow this year, but we have gotten enough cold to freeze the river for several weeks. On this day the boys skiied on the river, Neil watched. Joshua found a turtle shell.
Sunday afternoon sledding at Wagon Hill --- the boys and I met Lily & Mike. Afterward I took the kids to Barnes & Noble. Elaine met us. Erin & Maisie met us. We ate and read and yakked.
On a gloomy, wet, snowy day –which happened to be the last day of Christmas break--(when I was about to take a nap) the Wilsons roused us for a little sledding. Lovely (and wet and cold) – after I left, Isaac went down to the big hill and took a fall while standing on his sled that ended up giving him a headache and a neck ache – I mention this because two days later he took a fall while sledding with Brian (and standing on his sled) and sprained it so badly he ended up on crutches for a week.
{sigh} a strange night. great for Isaac. not so much for Neil & Josh. I was along for the ride, feeling for all of them. However, highlights included Neil's best buddies trying to induct him into the safety patrol and the opportunity to get my 2nd annual bonfire photo of Alyssa and Rich :)
Neil's been grading papers and yesterday he told me about a current student who doesn't see the value in studying economics. When he came home from last night's town council meeting (which I watched on our local cable access channel) I pointed out that if this reluctant student learned some economics then he can avoid the following.
If he learns at least a little economics then he won't write and read a long and painstakingly crafted letter to his town council during public comments that advises them to: stop developing the downtown and get some restaurants that serve something other than pizza. This is not an infrequent public comment -- get us some decent restaurants!
Here's where economics are helpful. If there were profits to be made from restaurants serving something other than pizza in this town--then those restaurants would exist. There are no profits to be made from such restaurants in our town right now. How could the town create an environment that would make the existence of such restaurants possible? Hmmmm. How about with some development that brings in more people and their money?
Isaac has been talking about going to Applecrest since early September. After many busy (or rainy) weekends, we made it--and just in time. Bluegrass music, hayrides, pumpkins, apples, cider doughnuts---and being together. We sat for a while watching music near a man who told me about how my heart would be broken when my sons grew up and attached themselves more to their wives' families than to mine. He told the boys to remember their mother was their best friend--that she'd take a bullet for them before their wives would. So . . . it's always good to be reminded that every day is important and these times will pass so I need to treasure them now . . . and then it's time to move forward, so we excused ourselves and took a storybook hayride. It was fun, really.
I forgot the card for my camera. :( So . . . used my iphone. Which means low quality bluish photos. These I edited with Totally Rad Actions' Sparta and they were greatly improved. Love the shot of Isaac eating with the band behind him because I remember how he was moving to the music as he sat there. He was feeling it. Josh was just feeling tired and lousy. I guess a Friday night real-time sleepover and a Saturday night virtual sleepover (chatting on x-box live with 3 of his favorite friends til after midnight) will do that.
The Durham Pool.This year our spot to sit is on the edge of "shark." Our playmates: The Mangans, The Lauers, The Hardcastles, The Jeffreys. Joshua often meets his new friend Kevin. They've got a walk to town for dinner afterward ritual. We've stayed late and had pizza delivered a couple of times.
We said goodbye to a dear friend.Joe died on a Saturday afternoon in July, and we gathered with his friends, family, and colleagues a month later. We miss him tremendously. When I met Neil, Joe was his most important friend, the guy Neil called with questions, worries, news good and bad. Joe has weighed in on all the key moments in our family's life -- marriage, house purchase, pregnancy, birth, parenting. Regina and Joe's daughters, and now Joe's grandchildren are all dear to us. Joe didn't want a funeral. Three years ago, his family threw a Life Celebration at the Stone Church -- a truly joyous and incredible event packed with his friends from all over the world.
Art Camp The boys spent mornings for a week at the Paul Creative Art Center. Joshua's camp was a small group of older kids doing wire working. He made sculptures and jewelry and he had an awesome time. Isaac loved his camp, too -- a much bigger group and a variety of projects -- collage, drawing, printing, and sculpture. Both boys really liked their teachers and still talk about them.
Dragonfly Inventory. On a hot hot morning, we hosted the Lamprey River Advisory Committee's first outreach event. We learned about the dragonfly life cycle and then went hunting (successfully) for exuviae -- their exoskeletons -- and dragonflies and damselflies. The kids kept records of what they found and the conditions and behaviors. Most of what we caught were damselflies called Variable Dancers. And we found something else . . . the glasses Joshua lost in the river last September!!! Right there in the mud.
Work on the Bike Shed Continues. The day that Neil put the shingles on it, the boys hung out on the garage roof. I held the ladder a lot since Neil was often on a higher step than he should have been. It's looking good.
We got passes for Water Country!All four of us went the first day (if you buy passes right now your pass is good through 2010!). A Monday during a heat wave =ed MOBBED! The boys and I went back on Thursday when the crowds were much better. Jill and Drew and Anna met us there. I DID GERONIMO!!! And it gave me an immediate headache and wedgie. And the boys were super thrilled that I'd tried out their favorite ride. They've been working on me to do this since '07. My favorite moment was when I pointed out to Joshua a boy spitting over the railing from the top of a ride and Joshua said, "DARN IT! He's living my dream." Cracked me up big time.
Pool Party. One of Joshua's favorite people this year has been a new friend--Quest. Quest is also an xbox-liver. And Quest has a little brother--as does Joshua. And so the 4 brothers have spent many hours late at night this summer yakking and playing on xbox live. So . . . Isaac and I were invited to this party, too. And the big boys were awesome to the little boys. After hours of throwing each other in the pool, they got dressed, rounded up a bunch of nerf guns and had a shoot out. This was Isaac's first time meeting Phoenix (Quest's little brother) in person --- Isaac immediately turned to me grinning and said, "I think he has more freckles than I do!"
The Halo Annual. Xbox live has entered our world this summer--in a big way. One thing the boys have pursued is something called the annual achievement. They still haven't done it. And it's caused both stress and bonding. The word idiot thrown around and then two minutes later celebrating and complements. What I do like about the xbox live is how I get to hear so much yakking and I love how the big boys play with the little boys--and when the insults start flying heavily I go stand in the doorway and tell them to stop or turn it off--and they stop! There are three brother pairs that have been awesome. Joshua and Isaac, Quest and Phoenix, and Adam and Tom. And . . . while you might think it would the kids off and stuck in front of a screen, it's actually turned into a great way to make plans to hang out in real life. It's Saturday night right now and Joshua was just over here asking me if we could take Kevin and Adam to jump off the Wiswall Bridge tomorrow and then swim at the falls.
Joshua got a design job while hanging out at Barnes & Noble. And now we have not one, but THREE Koozie Pocket shirts of our own. Barnes & Noble finally has free wi-fi access! So the bench near the plugs was especially full the other night. I worked on my laptop while the boys picked out and looked at books. Joshua showed me the one he was getting -- paper and rubberband robot models that have moving parts. There's a disk with the book and Joshua was telling me about how you can alter the templates with Photoshop. A guy sitting there asked him if he was good at Photoshop. The guy disappeared for a while and then came back and said, "Wow! You're still here!" He told us about the shirts with koozie pockets he was selling --- he was filming promos the next day and needed to print some transfers to cover the old logo (Drinkin' Buddy) with the new logo (Koozie Pocket). Joshua ended recreating the logo in Photoshop for him and bring the t-shirt transfers home and printing them for him. And he got paid $20 and three shirts (one's going to Uncle Matt, one's going to Neil, and one's not yet allocated). And he was very happy. I loved how he nervous but totally sure of his ability to do the job--and how he did a first-class job. And I love how he explained the business to Neil later--all that he'd taken in about it.
The 30-Rock Heat Wave. There are always a few days in the summer when it's so hot the boys sleep in our room with the air conditioning. This year's heat-wave we've discovered streaming 30 Rock--hanging out for hours after dinner, up til after midnight and watching one episode after another. I started watching it and then Joshua watched an episode and loved it and then Isaac started watching it, too. So now we sing "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah" and "Muffin Top." When something health-related comes up the boys yell for Dr. SpaCeMen.
School Supplies. This order arrived a couple of days ago and . . . it was the wrong backpack and the shoes don't fit. Turns out Joshua likes the wild backpack so that's fine. He also loves the shoes (which Neil combined coupons on and got for an awesome price) BUT they're too small. Anyone want a pair of very cool skateboard shoes --size 11 but fit like size 10. Email me if you'd like them for $22 plus shipping. We're not sure Isaac's feet are ever getting this big or that he'll like these when they do . . . but it's killing Neil to return them since he got such a great price.
The boys and I made to it Oxford. And it's pretty here. And there's always so much going on. And I keep running for my camera. -- Haven't even begun to take photos of the house and flowers.
My brother Matthew has gotten his hands on some farm equipment and decided that (in all of his spare time) he'll do a little haying. Last night he was all jumpy for dinner to start and we were telling him to calm down . . . and he had dinner with us and then dashed out to get this hay baled before it rained . . . he didn't make it. But the rain was short and the hay was dry today . . . but his helpers (Julie's sons) weren't here . . . so when he asked my brother Mark to help him, I volunteered to come along--and I voluteered the help of Josh & Isaac. They were bellyaching, and I told it wasn't going to take more than 15 minutes, ferGod'ssakealready. Don't you want to live your life? Don't you remember how you loved it when you were little and you went out to watch Grandpa hay it? . . . Seems it did take a little longer than 15 minutes, and it seems Joshua and I aren't the most skilled hay stackers. But we did it (and they didn't ask us back for the later load).
Up til 1:30 working. Out of bed at 6. Working, laundry, waking, feeding, driving Iz to camp. Came home. Wrote a mailing, did more laundry, got a shower and back out to pick up Josh at sleepover and then over to Iz's concert! The last day of "Music For Youth" camp.
The band was comprised of 5th & 6th graders & their unh student teachers/band directors.They played in the recital hall at the Paul Creative Arts Center.
They sounded wonderful.
And I realized then why Josh hasn't been so into playing since school's out -- it so satisfying to play with a group and make good music. There were a few ensembles and the band pieces were actual band arrangements (the music the 4th grade band played this last year only included one actual arrangement) The saxophones played "Chester" with their counselor Chris. And afterward - - cake! The program: American Folk Trilogy Twinkle, Twinkle (clarinet ensemble) Chester (saxophone ensemble) Patsy Ory-Ory-Aye Row, Row, Row Your Boat Sonata No. 1 (bassoon duet) Groovin' (percussion ensemble) Russian Sailors' Dance
They
are still little boys who love to play--even if all the talk is about
what team they're going onto at the middle school and who will be on
their team.
Tom called to invite Isaac over this afternoon just after Isaac had run
over to the Wilson's to work on a "neighborhood water park." I asked
Tom if he'd be willing to come here insteadn and he said -- I don't care. I just want to play.
And they did play. First with the neighbors and water and face paint.
And then they came in and ate up a storm and made a fort on Isaac's
bottom bunk and then . . . Tom grabbed a sword and horse and Isaac
grabbed his "mystical" wizard cane with a dog head and his panda "familiar" so that he could help Tom find his way on a quest.
Happy 4th of July and . . . to get in the patriotic mood, I scrapbooked Memorial Day photos. Two products coming to the Designer Digitals store tomorrow got me inspired. Lynn Grieveson's Uncle Sam Mini Kit and an awesome new HTDT (How'd They Do That?) lesson from Cassie Jones --On the Border . . . check it out! I made that star border strip from Lynn's paper. Love this lesson. Here's a link to the layout (Memorial Day -- digital layout) and I'll update the store links on it when the new products come out.
And speaking of coming out --- the sun just came out here so we're going to grab a little outside time before the rain returns. Happy 4th and much gratitude to the men and women who protect and fight for our country. Thanks.
NUTS! Life is NUTS . . . because in my world, June is the
new December. Joshua has 2-3 performances/week and Isaac has a couple of
games/week plus practice AND we’re doing music lessons, too, and there are the end of school everythings. Tonight is the
night with no events and the night when Joshua needs to get lots of homework done, and Neil’s not here because he’s doing some
mentoring thing and then has a town council meeting.
As we finished dinner, Isaac tra-laa-ed off noting that he’s
done with homework for the year.
Joshua said he was going to have ice cream and a bath before
he did his homework.
“Oh come on, Josh. That’s just going to make you sleepy. Do
it after the homework.”
“After the homework, it’ll be too late. You know I work ALL
DAY.
“I do, too,” I said.
“But I work HARD.”
“So do I! I got up WAY before you, and I answered emails and
helped you search the house for your datastick at 6am and I fed you and Iz and
got you both on buses and kept answering emails and registering students at the
same time and then you left and I realized you FORGOT the datastick that we’d
just found and so I got the jazz band check requests and deposits together AND I
finished cropping photos and burned the disk for Iz’s 4th grade
graduation slide show and then I went and delivered everything and bought a
12-pack of diet coke and came home and wrote a mailing and put up Dina’s class
page and answered more mailings and worked on a press release and answered the
phone and talked to friends (because otherwise they think I’m a loser friend
who cares more about work than them) made a roast and mashed potatoes. . .”
“Yeah . . . but you get to drink diet coke and watch tv
while you’re working.”
“That’s true, but I’m working hard. My business needs to
make a little more money right now and I have to do a lot of things to try
& make that happen.”
“I thought your business was doing well.”
“We did a benefit and a birthday party with lots of prizes
and I need to make that up.”
“Do a class on FOOD SCRAPBOOKING! Everybody will love it.
Like: my mother made a good dinner tonight! Or you could scrap your diet coke
obsession and use the pull-tabs for photo corners!”
“Dina’s class is really awesome. It’s about using the work
of the “masters” like VanGogh and Picasso to inspire your art journaling pages.”
“Oh, ANYONE can make scrapbooking artsy . . . but how many
people can make it foody? Grab those coke tabs and glue them down with honey.
Did you know that honey is the only food that never goes bad?”
“Really?”
“Yeah. So can I take a bath before I do my homework?”
“Sure.” I’ll admit it. He just charmed AND wore me down.”
Isaac. First game of the season. Your team is the Timber Rattlers, and Paul Mroczka (Rose’s Dad, Joshua’s first coach) is your coach. Your 2nd time up to hit you swung two fast strikes, and Paul came running over to you. You nodded your head, went back to bat and . . . hit a triple, bringing Rose in! And then you slid/dove in soon after. I asked you what Paul said. Smiling happily, you said, “relax.” May 2009.
Joshua, As I left to take Isaac to baseball practice, I told you to get off the computer and either get some exercise or do something creative. As a paper-crafter, myself, I was totally amazed to see this articulated, jointed robot you made from paper and rubber bands. What a lot of precise and careful work this took! For days now, you and Isaac have been making these kinds of creations before and after school. The den floor is COVERED with small bits of paper and rubber bands and several pairs of small pointy scissors. May 2009.
He loved it. I loved it. The easiest birthday party I've every given him. Finally, he's let go of the idea of a huge extravaganza with 20 kids and lots of events. The week after his birthday was spring break, so on Monday, with a couple of friends and his little brother, he went to Hilltop Fun Center and played Laser Tag and arcarde games. Then off to Pizza Hut for LOTS of food. At home, they played Munchkin and ate ice cream cake, then adjourned to Joshua's room where they played video games and yakked til almost 4am. For days afterward, Joshua told me what a great party it was. So glad he had fun.
The kids were AWESOME. Carried their instruments over to the grocery store after school, set up and perforumed. THEN broke the whole thing down and hiked over to the Alumni Center at the university WHERE we gave them some pizza AND they set up AGAIN and performed AGAIN and were treated to chocolate during the silent auction.
Emma, Mary Ann, Regina, Yvette and I were awesome. Lots of lots of work to make all this happen. HUGE credit goes to Emma for the very nice chunk of change raised during the silent auction.
Isaac has discovered a boy whose brother is also in the band -- Ben -- a boy he briefly met last summer at campe and really liked. They had so much fun together. When I tried to take their photo, they'd put on finger mustaches to be "incognito."
“I don’t WANT to be a teenager!” you were lamenting on this last night of being 12. April 14, 2009.
Joshua counts down the weeks & then the days until his birthday, excited for it to arrive...until the night before when he starts getting sad and worried about being a new age. It happens every year.
He does have a sense of humor, though, right before bed, asking me: do you think that at 9:30 tomorrow morning, I’ll grow a few inches & a mustache?
Upon waking (while Neil & Isaac still slept) I gave him the wooden sword (waster) we'd found to surprise him with. He LOVED it. Got this one from a the dad of one of Isaac's school mates--who we met last year at a Medievel Faire.
After school, Joshua opened the rest of his gifts --- xbox live stuff, and his fave gift turned out to be Munchkin, a board game that's a spoof of role playing games and that actually encourages changing rules & ganging up. We finished the celebration of with jello cake :)
Two years ago, I realized that while Passover is not "my" holiday and while it always falls at an incredibly INCREDIBLY busy time for me and while it is a holiday that requires a substantial amount of time to prepare for, I need to host it for our family. It's an important holiday for the boys and neil (and me) and there's too much that can go wrong counting on others to take care of it. So here we are! Celebrating this joyful holiday with dear dear friends.
JOURNALING:The Lents, The Cohens, The DuroBans, Josh’s friend Adam, & us. Robin made chicken mirabella, Regina made a salad. Pattie made a chocolate torte with raspberry sauce (which Joshua claimed was a work of art). I made vegetable broth & matzo balls, vegetable cutlets (with matzah meal), & carrot pudding (with matzah meal). Neil & Iz made the charoset. Josh made his unleavened garlic bread (which he tried for the 1st time last year and burned--but which this year was successful).
There were 14 at the table, and I used GG’s little cherry side table with the leaves to make the table just long enough. The kids held the afikomen ransom for a while --and then turned it over to Neil for some silver dollars and small toys.
News highlights. From the Lents: Not only is Katie pregnant, but so is Abby. From Joe & Reg: Gail is pregnant! From the Cohens: Pattie is running unaopposted for Newcastle town selectperson.
And Isaac played the farmer --- he had lots of tough feelings around this during the weeks of before-school rehearsals. He wanted a part. He was happy to have a part. BUT almost EVERYONE else (with a part and in the chorus) was a cute animal. He loves cute animals. And now he had the role of the farmer who tries to kill a cute animal. He really was truly sad about this and wrestled with it. Joshua kept pointing out that he had some of the funniest lines in the play. In the end, Isaac's desire to have a part won out and (I think) once it was all over he was happy. It keeps surprising me how little anxiety he has over the performing and how wonderfully he carries himself.
I'm thinking the band parents were actually the best customers the hockey boosters had this night AND we were our own best bake sale customers. HOWEVER, the band, again, sounded awesome --- I took the photo of the girl who sing (Silver Lining) is for the yearbook. By this time, Emma and I are becoming friends with a common need to control and make things happen and curse a little as we get it done.
while Isaac was ROCKING his solo with the 4th grade band, Neil was at the first town council meeting with the new members.
First, Isaac was awesome. Very very awesome. Can't wait to tell Mr. Mitchell! He played Hatikva, and he played it quickly and well and added that great flourish he learned last week to the end. He got a great round of applause and was was smiling big afterward and said that people he knew and people he didn't know where complimenting him. Can't wait for Neil to get home so I can tell him -- he's really pushed Isaac to practice.
Then, we stopped at town hall to peek in the window and see if Neil was sitting in the chair's chair . . . . and he was (that's him in the red) . . . and then . . to see if Karl was in the pro-tem chair and . . . he was (in the yellow on Neil's right)! Big sigh. Came home and called Sara who gave me the details on how it all went down. Glad to hear it was relatively painless and perhaps even entertaining.
