Friday, September 12, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Book #3--The House on Mango Street
I finished this book in a flash, because it is very short. It's a well-written short story about a girl that's living in a neighborhood that she doesn't feel is her own, and how she wants to escape it one day and be something bigger. It held my interest, though I didn't care much for the author's style of writing. The entire book is broken down into "short stories" that follow the above theme. Some of these sections are as short as a paragraph or two. If these "chapters" had been woven together, it might have been easier to follow.
I am not sure what my next book is going to be on The New Classics Challenge. I am having some trouble getting my other three choices at the library, and I am trying really hard to not buy any books in order to save money. When you love books like I do, the money starts to add up and so does the clutter in your house!
I am not sure what my next book is going to be on The New Classics Challenge. I am having some trouble getting my other three choices at the library, and I am trying really hard to not buy any books in order to save money. When you love books like I do, the money starts to add up and so does the clutter in your house!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Root Beer!
Y'know....coming from a 22-month old, "love you" sounds an awful lot like "Root Beer!" It's so sweet either way and I know that's what he's trying to say, it just gives me a giggle. :)
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Road Trip!!
I went to visit my friend Lexi from college! Brian and I had talked about this a couple of months ago, and he was happy to have me go while he and Will got to have some guy time. And no, when I got home, amazingly Will couldn't belch the alphabet and there weren't a lot of dishes. Had it been hockey season though.....Will probably would have been able to cuss out a referee when I got home. Which is a useful skill, actually. :)
I actually had forgotten a little bit what it's like to travel by yourself! I packed a bag and was flabbergasted that I didn't have more stuff to bring with me. I felt so light and free, no pack and play, no DVD player, no making sure I had snacks, juice, sippies and diapers and Heaven forbid, Brown Doggie. Just me on the open road, blasting my iPod at will. And since we got back from North Carolina last week, my trip to Maine makes it ten states covered in a week's time!
For those that remember (or not), Lexi is my refreshingly honest, fun and funky, tell-it-like-it-is girlfriend from Salve. If you ask her for her honest opinion she will surprisingly give it to you. She has a log cabin in her hometown that she shares with her husband, a state trooper and her German Shepherd. Oh, and Lexi is pregnant with her first child, a boy, to be born this winter. Her husband was away so we actually met up at the Baby Mecca, Babies 'R Us. That store is daunting for many, but I helped guide her through, past the crap that the baby world wants you to get sucked into and to the stuff you'll really need. (And though I've said it before, Thank You to all of my girlfriends who helped me at my time of confusion! You've helped make me the savvy mom that I am...) After BRU we headed to a Mexican restaurant in Portland for a late lunch, then up to the cabin. I played flashlight tag with her dog Rufie, who is the hap-hap-happiest pup I have ever met! We had an ice cream dinner at her parent's ice cream shop (check out Blue Plate Special for details on that) and then watched craptastic TV about speeders and criminal drivers until we felt sleepy.
Now is the time that I should mention the rain. Oh my goodness...the rain! It was like a monsoon, it rained hard from 7pm till 6am this morning. I should know....Lexi has a metal roof. It's quite a noise, but it put me to sleep. Till it stopped raining and I woke right up. Lex has a kiddie pool for Rufie out in the yard. When I got there it was empty....and when we went out for breakfast this morning it was totally full!
Thanks for a wonderful time, Lexi. Since our schedule is usually see each other once a year....next time I see you you'll be a mom! And you will be a great one, I already know.
I actually had forgotten a little bit what it's like to travel by yourself! I packed a bag and was flabbergasted that I didn't have more stuff to bring with me. I felt so light and free, no pack and play, no DVD player, no making sure I had snacks, juice, sippies and diapers and Heaven forbid, Brown Doggie. Just me on the open road, blasting my iPod at will. And since we got back from North Carolina last week, my trip to Maine makes it ten states covered in a week's time!
For those that remember (or not), Lexi is my refreshingly honest, fun and funky, tell-it-like-it-is girlfriend from Salve. If you ask her for her honest opinion she will surprisingly give it to you. She has a log cabin in her hometown that she shares with her husband, a state trooper and her German Shepherd. Oh, and Lexi is pregnant with her first child, a boy, to be born this winter. Her husband was away so we actually met up at the Baby Mecca, Babies 'R Us. That store is daunting for many, but I helped guide her through, past the crap that the baby world wants you to get sucked into and to the stuff you'll really need. (And though I've said it before, Thank You to all of my girlfriends who helped me at my time of confusion! You've helped make me the savvy mom that I am...) After BRU we headed to a Mexican restaurant in Portland for a late lunch, then up to the cabin. I played flashlight tag with her dog Rufie, who is the hap-hap-happiest pup I have ever met! We had an ice cream dinner at her parent's ice cream shop (check out Blue Plate Special for details on that) and then watched craptastic TV about speeders and criminal drivers until we felt sleepy.
Now is the time that I should mention the rain. Oh my goodness...the rain! It was like a monsoon, it rained hard from 7pm till 6am this morning. I should know....Lexi has a metal roof. It's quite a noise, but it put me to sleep. Till it stopped raining and I woke right up. Lex has a kiddie pool for Rufie out in the yard. When I got there it was empty....and when we went out for breakfast this morning it was totally full!
Thanks for a wonderful time, Lexi. Since our schedule is usually see each other once a year....next time I see you you'll be a mom! And you will be a great one, I already know.
Monday, September 1, 2008
The Vacation Post
And now for our vacation.
To sum it up, I have to say that the Outer Banks of North Carolina is one of the nicest places I have ever vacationed. It's a really family-friendly place, with lots of things to see and do. We had a nice mix of relaxing and having fun.
We started the drive down on Friday, choosing to split it up so we weren't in the car too long. We stopped for the night in Pennsylvania, at Grandmom and Grandpop's summer place at the campground. Brian has a lot of childhood memories there, the family has been camping there since he was a kid. After a night's rest, we set out for North Carolina.
The drive down was fairly uneventful, with lots of smaller freeways instead of staying on I-95. We didn't go through any major cities that way, but we certainly went through all of the smaller ones! Traffic didn't get bad until the bridge going to the Outer Banks, where it took us over an hour to go eight miles!! The name of the village that we stayed in is Duck, NC. Duck was just incorporated as a town in 2002, and it's mostly resorts and private beaches. Lovely area, though.
We went to the ocean, which Will liked better than last year but only if his toes were touching the water and nothing else! Mommy and Daddy got their butts whipped by the waves, with Mommy getting bowled over three times! We took advantage of the resort's amenities, swimming as much as we could. My mother and I even took a side trip to the spa! (What's a vacation without some pampering?) This spa was pretty neat, it's entirely organic, down to the organic paint and the vegan nail polish. Nothing like a massage and a pedicure to put you in relaxation mode! We also did some sightseeing, and toured one of the lighthouses. I say "toured," but I volunteered to stay down with Will while Brian and my parents climbed the 214 stairs to the top of the lighthouse. (I'm not a fan of heights) And the shopping.....we shopped till we dropped! All in all, this is a fabulous place to vacation. I would recommend it to anyone, and I am sure we will go back eventually.
We left North Carolina on Saturday morning, and got back to Pennsylvania in the evening. Labor Day Weekend is pretty big at the campground! On Sunday there was a barbecue at Grandmom and Grandpop's site, and Will got to play with Uncle Tony and Aunt Tina, Uncle Matt, and then pal around with Aunt Beth and Uncle Julian, and their three girls. Will LOVED climbing the rocks that Beth and Brian climbed as kids, and swinging on the swings! He was having so much fun, he skipped his nap for the first time. But then he was in bed at 6pm!
Now we've returned home, with a little bit of the "post-vacation blues." Luckily, I don't have to return to work until Wednesday so I can soak up a little more vacation until then. Soon I will be going back to work full-time and working on a huge new project. So it's good to fully enjoy the time off now, since it's coming to an end.
Thanks to everyone who helped make our vacation special: Nana and Papa, Grandmom and Grandpop, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who are more like family!
Family Portrait at the beach
Daddy taking Will for a dip
Will concentrating on his sand creation while Nana looks on
There were painted horses in front of many establishments. The celestial one was my favorite.
Will looking down the slide at the pirate ship playground
Will posing with Beth and Julian's oldest, Olivia
Beth with Olivia and Rhianna
Aunt Tina pushing Will to the playground
Beth and her youngest, Rebecca
Will climbing rocks, The King of the World!!
To sum it up, I have to say that the Outer Banks of North Carolina is one of the nicest places I have ever vacationed. It's a really family-friendly place, with lots of things to see and do. We had a nice mix of relaxing and having fun.
We started the drive down on Friday, choosing to split it up so we weren't in the car too long. We stopped for the night in Pennsylvania, at Grandmom and Grandpop's summer place at the campground. Brian has a lot of childhood memories there, the family has been camping there since he was a kid. After a night's rest, we set out for North Carolina.
The drive down was fairly uneventful, with lots of smaller freeways instead of staying on I-95. We didn't go through any major cities that way, but we certainly went through all of the smaller ones! Traffic didn't get bad until the bridge going to the Outer Banks, where it took us over an hour to go eight miles!! The name of the village that we stayed in is Duck, NC. Duck was just incorporated as a town in 2002, and it's mostly resorts and private beaches. Lovely area, though.
We went to the ocean, which Will liked better than last year but only if his toes were touching the water and nothing else! Mommy and Daddy got their butts whipped by the waves, with Mommy getting bowled over three times! We took advantage of the resort's amenities, swimming as much as we could. My mother and I even took a side trip to the spa! (What's a vacation without some pampering?) This spa was pretty neat, it's entirely organic, down to the organic paint and the vegan nail polish. Nothing like a massage and a pedicure to put you in relaxation mode! We also did some sightseeing, and toured one of the lighthouses. I say "toured," but I volunteered to stay down with Will while Brian and my parents climbed the 214 stairs to the top of the lighthouse. (I'm not a fan of heights) And the shopping.....we shopped till we dropped! All in all, this is a fabulous place to vacation. I would recommend it to anyone, and I am sure we will go back eventually.
We left North Carolina on Saturday morning, and got back to Pennsylvania in the evening. Labor Day Weekend is pretty big at the campground! On Sunday there was a barbecue at Grandmom and Grandpop's site, and Will got to play with Uncle Tony and Aunt Tina, Uncle Matt, and then pal around with Aunt Beth and Uncle Julian, and their three girls. Will LOVED climbing the rocks that Beth and Brian climbed as kids, and swinging on the swings! He was having so much fun, he skipped his nap for the first time. But then he was in bed at 6pm!
Now we've returned home, with a little bit of the "post-vacation blues." Luckily, I don't have to return to work until Wednesday so I can soak up a little more vacation until then. Soon I will be going back to work full-time and working on a huge new project. So it's good to fully enjoy the time off now, since it's coming to an end.
Thanks to everyone who helped make our vacation special: Nana and Papa, Grandmom and Grandpop, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who are more like family!
Family Portrait at the beach
Daddy taking Will for a dip
Will concentrating on his sand creation while Nana looks on
There were painted horses in front of many establishments. The celestial one was my favorite.
Will looking down the slide at the pirate ship playground
Will posing with Beth and Julian's oldest, Olivia
Beth with Olivia and Rhianna
Aunt Tina pushing Will to the playground
Beth and her youngest, Rebecca
Will climbing rocks, The King of the World!!
Back to Reality....
Well, we've arrived home, safe and sound. The trip from PA today was long and uneventful, thank goodness! That's all for now, because now there's a flurry of unpacking, laundry, errands, grocery and bills to do!
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