The Maher Family

Back on Track

2010-03-30T20:50:00.006-04:00

It has been a long winter for us, but I think we are back on track. The germs have been banished from our home, the tulip and daffodil bulbs are poking up, and we have been able to play outside before dinner!

Let's see . . . some accomplishments that have taken place in the Maher household this spring:

1. Ella can ride her bike on two wheels now.

2. Colin can potty standing up.

3. Elizabeth can get up on all fours and is preparing to crawl.

4. Matt shaved off his beard but now has a mustache.

5. Matt has taken several bike rides outside and is gearing up for a successful riding season.

6. Holly is gearing up for nursing school in 2011.

Just thought I would share some photos of the happenings here in the big city . . .

Don't leave home without them . . . shades! Kids attended an Easter Egg Hunt this past weekend. Colin's typical question prior to leaving the house these days is, "Is the sun out today, mom?"

Little Biff at the playground . . . Her hair is getting more and more blonde, and she smiles just about all the time!

We wanted to send a family photo to a friend we had not seen in a long time, so Matt set the tripod up. Here is our crazy family shot. The expression on my face is how I feel most days with kids!

Proof that Ella is a pro at riding her bike!

Falling Behind . . .

2009-11-01T17:12:00.007-05:00

Yes, it has been awhile yet again. We just changed the calendar today to November, and I know it will be a blink of an eye that we will be doing the same for December. I just wanted to share some pictures of the kids, especially Elizabeth. She is a week shy of 3 months! The picture below is Elizabeth tat wo months, just when she started to smile at us! There really is no doubt that she is Ella's little sister!

We decided to have a Fall Gathering at our house this year, and it is our hope to make an annual tradition of it. We had a fire pit (thanks to Carrie!!), loads of games for kids to play (apple bobbing, jello eating contest, three legged race, donut on a string), and plenty of drink and food for all! The weather was beautiful, and we had so many wonderful friends with us. We tried our best to capture the entire clan . . . we had 11 kids, 2 babies, and 12 adults. We were grateful that the weather was beautiful since we all were not going to fit in our home!

Halloween this year was a bit of a bummer in that it started to rain just when it was time to leave for trick or treating. We decided to take pictures before people went out. Here is my little pumpkin home with me handing out candy.

Here is the rest of the clan - Ella was a mermaid, and Colin was a pirate. Matt was the bearded dad.

Number Five - Elizabeth Diane

2009-08-18T19:58:00.007-04:00

As I type, I am looking over at this little person sound asleep in the bouncy chair - it is hard for me to imagine life now without Elizabeth. I also must say that I am very grateful for a healthy baby, and I am feel very "complete" with our family of five! The transition from two to three has been the easiest for me. I am already used to sleep deprivation, I have come up with a cocktail of make - up to conceal the dark circles under my eyes, and thankfully my patience level has magically increased. Contrarily, my level of expectations has decreased, thus minimizing stress levels. I am quite content if I get a shower and all kids dressed before 8:00 AM. A bonus to my day includes some laundry and an empty sink! We are also deeply grateful for our family and friends who have provided us with delicious and generous meals over the last week. We are very fortunate for our family, friends, and health.

Here is the family of four prior to our departure to the hospital - Matt thought we would be returning home, but I was more hopeful that the time to have this baby had finally arrived!

Here is a picture of the proud big sister and big brother right before they got to see their new baby sister . . . Mom and Elizabeth were getting "beautified" before any visitors came into the room!

Here we are in the hospital - we hope that Elizabeth continues to find her thumb. She is quite content when she is sucking on something! I know that the orthodontist will be happy if she finds her thumb and continues to use it during her younger years!

Here are the "final three" fairly content during the first week at home. Although it has only been nine days since we have been a family of five, it has been enjoyable to watch Ella and Colin interact and love Elizabeth. I have been solo with the three of them for two days now, and they have all been quite kind to me. It certainly is more work with three, but I have to say that Elizabeth has been very kind to us . . . she is easily pacified, she sleeps pretty well, and she is gaining weight well.

And here is Elizabeth in her first party dress . . .

Four Will Shortly Become Five

2009-07-22T21:28:00.012-04:00

I figured I better get an entry in now since I know life will get a bit more hectic once baby arrives. I am almost 38 weeks and certainly ready both emotionally and physically. I am trying to enjoy these last moments of pregnancy, but I do find that I am feeling like I should just be rolled around like a giant ball these days by my kids. I promised people a belly shot, so here you go . . .

Despite the rainy summer, we have managed to take some trips and do some events together as a family. I will try to recap the last couple of months . . .

We went camping up in Burlington, VT the last weekend in June. The weather cooperated until Monday morning at 5 AM. The campground was right near a lake, so we all had a good time swimming and playing in the sand. We did some exploring downtown, but for the most part enjoyed playing at the campsite and cooking meals around the fire. Although we didn't get much sleep, camping is something we hope to do each summer! There really is nothing better than playing in the water all day to cooking hot dogs over the grill to listening to kids giggle together in the tent. Here kiddos are enjoying some chocolate spiders - a delicacy my mom used to make for our Friday night picnics when I was a kid!

A few of my favorite things - Ella and Colin decided to climb a rock while we were taking a stroll through Burlington one morning.

For our July 4th festivities, kids decorated their bikes and rode in a parade right through the campus of Dartmouth College. Ella rode the entire parade herself, while Colin was more interested in scooping up leftover candy on the streets. I think he had some regret not being on the sidelines to collect the goodies being tossed by parade participants. After the parade, there were various events for kids to participate in. Later that night, Ella and Colin were able to enjoy their first set of fireworks. Colin still remarks about the event every time we drive by the park where they watched the fireworks go off!

On Saturday, July 12 we all participated in the Prouty, a fundraiser for cancer research. Last summer was our first year of participating in it, and we have decided to continue the tradition of participating in the Prouty for as long as we can. This year Matt rode the 100 mile bike ride while Ella, Colin, Grandpa and Grandma Maher, and I walked the 5K. Needless to say, we thought that we would be waiting for Matt to finish, but he actually had to wait for us to finish the walk. The fact that I forgot to inflate the double stroller's tires didn't help matters, and I was VERY grateful for the help of Grandma and Grandpa. I think I would still be on the trail someplace if it wasn't for their help. The last time I was on the trails we walked for the Prouty, I was in good shape and on my mountain bike. Needless to say, the terrain looked much different 36 weeks pregnant while pushing two kids in a stroller. In the end, we finished and enjoyed some good company and food together before heading home for some rest. Next year we all hope to ride bikes . . . we shall see how this will work!

Lastly, Ella and Colin participated in their first summer camp in mid - July. Ella loved it so much that she asked to stay until 3:00 PM the last few days in the week. Colin also enjoyed camp even though he shed some tears at drop - off. It was a treat to have some time for myself - I cleaned the crackers and cleenex from the car and put the baby carseat in. I also got to enjoy some coffee with a friend for a whole two hours!

To bring you up to date, we have been trying to enjoy some beach and pool days before baby arrives. We hope the sun does decide to show itself a bit more these last few weeks of summer. Until then, I am hoping to do a lot of dancing, eating of spicy food, and labor dances to get baby to arrive before her due date of August 10. We are all ready to meet her, welcome her into our home, and complete our family!

Spring Cleaning and Nesting

2009-05-03T13:40:00.012-04:00

Yes, it has been awhile since the last posting. In fact, I think I mentioned that in the last blog entry. Before kids, I always wondered why people with kids always seemed so busy and so tired. It comes to no surprise now that I am a parent. All those times that I was with friends before kids and I had thoughts such as, "Why don't they clean the Cheerioes and Goldfish crackers from their car?" OR "Why is the laundry basket always full?" OR "Why does it take them so long to return my phone calls?" OR "I cannot believe they have crayon marks on their furniture." I know I said multiple times - "That will never be me!!" Someone needs to slap me silly because the above thoughts are now reality for me. Even with my nesting instinct coming into full swing these days, I still have food in the car, a constantly full laundry basket, and dust balls in every corner of the house. Oh well, I keep telling myself what my Mom tells me - "kids don't care how clean their house is, what their house looks like, or if the laundry basket and sink are full." Good advice but hard to follow at times . . .

Below are some pictures of our latest adventures. It has been really nice to have some warmer weather. Being outside has been good for everyone these days.

My best and oldest friend, Christy, flew to NH to visit her parents in April. We were able to coordinate a time to visit with them and finally meet baby Ian. It was a treat to spend some time with Christy, Stephen, and her parents. We miss them all way out in California!! Both Ella and Colin were fighting over Ian, and here they are giving him some love to him. Ian was very patient and tolerant of the handling!

For Easter this year, we had a busy but wonderful day. We started our day with a visit to Grandpa Wilson and Karen's house. Ella and Colin are now fully prepared for the worst of rain storms, thanks to Grandpa Wilson and Karen . . . Ella got a beautiful raincoat, and Colin got some stylin' rain boots and a hat to match. We then hopped over to Grandma and Grandpa Maher's house for an Easter Egg Hunt. Here are Ella and Colin finishing up their search for eggs. Note: Matt is in the background reaching for some chocolate! Additional Note: I also indulged quite heavily in the chocolate!

Our final destination was Mimi's house to celebrate both Easter and to also celebrate her birthday! Once again, Colin and Ella got to do some babysitting . . . Here is Rowan at 6 weeks. I have no doubt that Ella and Colin will be prepared for holding their new baby sister once she arrives afer all the practice they have had in the last few months! Baby Rowan was very patient as well with the handling between kids. Here he is bright eyed as ever!

We had a few days where the weather was in the 80's and 90's, so we got some summer fever. Here is Rockstar Ella in her strawberry outfit from Mimi. Ella is at the height of pretend play right now. To her left is Levi, one of her three children. Her husband, Josh, is only 16 (according to Ella). I sure hope we promote some better life lessons and morals along the way . . . married at 16 with three children? Who are her parents anyway?? Ella is also convinced that she is a mom and no longer my child. She will ask me, "So, when is your baby due? Ohhh, I see. And then you will have two children?" My reply, "No, then I will have three children." Her reply, "No, I am a mommy and not your kid." We just leave the conversation at that these days.

Colin still enjoys eating, just like his mother. He is enjoying a leftover homemade whoopie pie I had made for our monthly book club gathering.

During Ella's April vacation, the kids, Moose and I took a small hike up to Boston Lot Lake. The area is just a few minutes from our house, and the area is beautiful. The day was a bit windy, but kids seemed to still enjoy the adventure. Here they are at the top enjoying a snack and drinking from their Camel Paks. Baby Levi also joined us for the adventure. We returned to this spot a week later with Matt and hiked around the entire lake. The day we did the hike was absolutely beautiful. Although we got a bit muddy, scratched up, and were absolutely exhausted at the end of the three hour hike, we had a really good time.

And, the video below catches us up to present day. Yesterday a friend of ours dropped off a trail - a - bike they were no longer using. Ella begged Matt to go for a ride . . . Matt hooked it up to my mountain bike, and Colin and I decided to stroll around the neighborhood snapping pictures of the bikers. Our hope is to go for a ride on the rail trail with Matt towing Ella on the trail - a - bike and me towing Colin in the bike trailer. If you are out on the Rail Trail in the next few weeks, just look for the large pregnant woman puffing away with kid in tow.

Skating on the Pond and The Arrival of Baby Rowan

2009-03-03T19:56:00.011-05:00

We have tried to take advantage of the cold, snowy weather this winter by introducing Ella to skiing and skating. We are counting down the days to spring and will welcome the blooming of our tulips and daffodils. Ella is even ready for spring; she continues to get excited when she sees patches of grass in our yard. Despite the feeling of desperation for winter to end, Ella has really enjoyed both activities, and we hope to have Colin try skiing and skating next year. We are lucky in that we can go skating at Occum Pond, which is a pond right in Hanover. The conditions are not pristine, but it is free, and there are always a lot of people to watch! You can check out some of the videos we gathered . . . Ella is gradually getting the hang of skating, and Colin just likes pushing the milk crate around. It never really takes much to entertain our children!

I am also very proud to announce the arrival of Baby ROWAN JAMES DEFOSSES into our family. Baby Rowan was born on March 2 at 3:25 PM weighing 8 pounds, 11 ounces. He is 22 inches long. He is absolutely adorable, and Carrie and baby are doing exceptional. Ella, Colin, and I were able to visit them all today. Congratulations Carrie and Shawn! I am so very proud of your hard work, patience, and determination at bringing Rowan into our lives! We cannot wait to get all the cousins together! I have no doubt Ella and Colin will have plenty to teach Rowan!

Here are some shots of some very loving and proud cousins . . . Perhaps they are sharpening their babysitting skills for when baby Maher #3 arrives??

Babies . . . and . . . Love

2009-02-10T14:17:00.006-05:00

It has been quite some time (once again) since I have posted. However, I believe my excuses are valid. First off to report is that we are expecting a baby in August which will be the third installment (and FINAL, may I add) to the Maher circus. Baby is doing well as confirmed in an ultrasound and fetal heart rate, but I have to say the first trimester of this pregnancy has been the most challenging out of the three I have experienced. I am just beginning to feel better, more energy, more interest in cooking for my poor, undernourished family. No one has really complained about the lame meals, if I can even classify the food I have prepared, as meals. I have also been really fortunate in that family and friends have prepared us some very delicious meals. Thank you!! Needless to say, we are excited for another addition to our family, and Ella and Colin are also interested, which has been something for me to really enjoy.

On another note, we had a shower for my sister, Carrie. Her baby boy is due to arrive at the end of February. Both mom and baby are doing really well, and we will report more once Baby Defosses arrives.

I was an obnoxious host and brought some games along. Here are Carrie and Ella "chugging" down a baby bottle; Carrie was the winner of this event!

On yet another baby note, my best friend, Christy and her husband welcomed their baby boy on February 2, 2009. Ian is absolulety perfect looking, and I cannot wait to meet him. I wish that I could magically snap my fingers and appear on Christy and Stephen's door step in California. I would be sure to spoil them and cook them enough food for a month! Congratulations! I am so happy that you are all doing so well!

Otherwise, we have been enjoying some outdoor activities. Ella continues to do well with her ski lessons. She is now able to stop and turn a bit on her own. I am hoping to take her on a small hill toward the end of the season. Matt also took Ella and Colin skating the other weekend. Ella did really well. I do have to say that we are grateful for the helmets they both wore on their heads. Although Colin does not have skates yet, he really enjoys pushing the milk crate around on the ice. Next winter Ella will be officially ready for her first pair of hockey skates; we know that Grampa Wilson will be all over this idea! Ella has shown interest in using a hockey stick, and one of our friends has already introducted the concept of "checking" to her. (Ella is in the purple coat and black helmet at the bottom.)

On a final note for this posting, Matt and Ella attended a "Father - Daughter Valentine's Day" Dance this past Friday evening. Ella was very excited about the dance all day long. Here is the handsome couple right before departing for the big event.

Colin and I had our "hot date" that evening by reading books on the couch in our pajamas and eating Saltine crackers. He seemed to be quite content with these activities! Moose didn't seem to mind the events of the evening as well.

The Hustle and Bustle Has Ended . . . For Now

2009-01-12T10:04:00.006-05:00

The last few weeks have been non - stop for us. We had four birthday celebrations (Ella's birthday party with her friends, my birthday, Ella's actual birthday, and then Colin's birthday on January 1st). We also had three different Christmas celebrations with our families! Despite the busy schedule, we really had a good time celebrating and eating! However, we have had enough cake and cupcakes to last us another few months!

Here is Colin celebrating with some of his new birthday goodies:

We have also decided to introduce Ella to skiing this year. Grandpa Wilson got some skis and poles for Ella for her birthday, and we have signed her up for some lessons that start soon. We had to wait to get the skis and bindings fit for Ella, but once I picked them up from the ski shop, Ella showed no hesitation in wanting to try them out. We captured her first time on skis with some video.

Ella is Four and The Big Snow

2008-12-23T18:34:00.007-05:00

It has been a busy couple of weeks, so I really haven't had the energy or time to post. Right now Matt and Ella are deeply involved in some craft project, Colin is building a tower, and there is Christmas music playing. It is a perfect time to reflect on the events over the last couple of weeks . . .

We cut down our Christmas tree a week or so ago. Needless to say, it was a much more pleasant experience than last year. This year we all were involved in selecting a tree and cutting it down, even Moose was there! Despite the snow and cold weather, our tree did defrost, and we were able to decorate it that same night. Ella in particular could not wait to decorate the tree; I was reminded once again of the magic of Christmas with kids!

I felt like an old parent yesterday as Matt and I hosted Ella's 4th Birthday Party with her friends. Earlier that morning, we went out to pick out balloons - certainly one of the highlights of the day! We were quite relieved that the weather worked out for us. Friday we got over one foot of snow, and then we got at least another foot of snow on Sunday. We successfully cleared the driveway and shoveled our way out to prepare for Ella's birthday party! Here is my birthday girl, all dressed up in her party dress ready to go, anxiously awaiting the arrival of her guests!

Ella invited four friends from school over for her birthday celebration. We decorated flower pots, Christmas ornaments, had some Tinker Bell cake, and then the kids went on a treasure hunt for some goodies! Kids did not come in costume but instead immediately got dressed up in Ella's dress up clothes! Here are busy little decorators . . .

After the kids were all charged up, I got to send them home with their parents! However, we had to deal with our two children who were ultimately all sugared up and out of control! You know, I didn't think that I was going to get emotional at all until I started singing 'Happy Birthday' to Ella and looked around at all of her friends surrounding her. I just couldn't believe that our baby was sitting at a table getting ready to blow out her birthday candles with all her friends. I managed to keep my emotions under control, but I may not be so in control on the 26th - Ella's official birthday! Here is a collection of all the little people in attendance . . .

One of our friends offered to get a birthday family picture - so here is the Maher family! We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a 2009 filled with happiness, health, love and laughter!

Sing - A - Long

2008-11-14T13:13:00.005-05:00

We attended our first of many (so I hear from other parents) sing - a - long events at Ella's school today. Although it was only 7 or 8 minutes, seeing Ella sit there and sing brought tears to my eyes. Don't get me wrong - it was no Broadway performance. I just was overcome with pride and love looking at her while she sang away. The whole performance was simply adorable; we witnessed 15 little people singing away! Below are some videos of Ella singing some of her songs. Note the props that each student made as well to accompany the song!

You may have been able to see Ella's rosy cheeks. As soon as she got home, she took off her clothes and decided to put her tights on her head - she called it her "cotton candy" hair. You can see in this one moment in time how wonderful of a big sister Ella can be to Colin (or rather how much Colin adores his big sister).

Harry Potter Meets Tinkerbell in Neverland

2008-11-02T19:21:00.013-05:00

Matt and I now understand what Halloween was like for our parents - moments of frustration and irritation followed by fits of laughter and giggles! I say this because we took many deep breaths to overcome the difficulties we encountered prior to trick or treating on Halloween night. We kept looking at each other and saying, "Is this supposed to be fun? What would happen if we just stayed in tonight?" One example: Once we got Ella's Tinkerbell costume on and Colin's Harry Potter costume on, Ella then had to go to the bathroom. While we waited, we decided to draw some glasses on Colin, and Matt had the brilliant idea of also drawing a lightning bolt on Colin's forehead. Unfortunately, Colin didn't feel like waiting for Ella, so he started crying which destroyed his glasses. By the time we got the glasses drawn again, Ella was too hot and started taking clothes off. The aforementioned situation is just one of the many moments of chaos that we had this evening. Fortunately, Matt and I were able to laugh throughout the escapades. (I have learned that it is always better to laugh during confusion and chaos; the alternative is crying, and that is always so much harder to explain to people.)

We managed to attend a Halloween festival organized by the city of Lebanon. It had a whole host of activities for children, balloons, and candy! Unfortunately, Ella was literally in Never Never Land for the majority of our time there, so we decided to cut our visit short and head home for some dinner. Here are the little ones waiting in line for the pony and wagon ride prior to our departure from the festivities.

Once we had gotten some nutrition into Tinkerbell and Harry, we decided to gather some energy once again to head out to our neighborhood. Matt took the kids out while I stayed home to hand out candy. Matt and I then switched roles later on in the evening so that I could go out and spend time with Ella and Colin. Ella really got the hang of trick or treating. I think she could have kept going all night long had I not cut her off. Secretly, I wanted to encourage her to continue because I was hoping for some more Reese's peanut butter cup. (Yes, I am an evil mother and have taken candy from my childrens' pumpkins. However, I did have good motives. See, if I had purchased Reese's peanut butter cups to hand out for trick or treating, I would have eaten the whole bag. By sampling some of the kid's candy, I was making sure it was safe to eat while also trying to maintain my 'what is left after kids' waistline.)

Here are Ella and Colin at the end of their Halloween evening - all charged up with sugar! Despite a hectic evening, our Halloween was magical in so many ways. This Halloween was different for me' I really was more on the sidelines than I have been before. Ella was fully invested in picking out her costume; she decided what tights to wear and how she wanted her hair. Ella helped carve the pumpkins. She actually got excited about getting certain kinds of candy. She was really aware of her surroundings. Moments like this are always bitter sweet for me - sweet because I am proud that Ella is able to make decisions on her own, but bitter because her ability to make more and more connections, observations, and conversations only tells me that she is getting older and older. What will next year bring??? Ella already tells me that she wants to be Ariel, the Mermaid - -

Just Like a Kid

2008-10-27T19:46:00.006-04:00

It is easy to overlook the importance of having fun with the mundane tasks of adult life - laundry, work, grocery shopping - you name it! However, kids are the little people who help me slow down, appreciate the small but important details in life, and remember how to have fun. I am reminded of my childhood especially during holidays. Ella (and Colin too) are getting older, and we are now beginning to create and also carry on some traditions during certain holidays. We started celebrating Halloween a couple of weeks ago by making cookies and then decorating them. I fool myself into thinking that this activity is solely benefiting the kids. If I am really honest with myself (damn), then I probably enjoy and consume far more cookies than both kids combined. I am using a sugar cookie recipe that I got from my mom; it is the same one she used for baking cookies for us when my sister and I were little.

Tonight we decided to carve our pumpkins since Halloween is around the corner. The small ones came from our garden, and the big mama came from a nearby farm. Ella and Colin enjoyed scraping the pumpkin goo and seeds out, and Ella and Matt worked together to create some of the pumpkin faces. I tried to capture a piece of the experience on video. You can hopefully hear how well Colin is talking these days. He is going through a vocabulary growth spurt - he is saying at least two or more new words each day. Today he had his first telephone conversation with another girl, Eva, who is just two (perhaps his future girlfriend)!

When we were all finished carving the pumpkins, we brought them outside to light them up. This is when Matt got creative - Ansel Adams style - with the camera. I have included some of his creations below.

It certainly would have been easier and a lot cleaner to just keep the pumpkins whole, but I do hope someday that our kids will recall these times together as a family and laugh and smile. Perhaps one day they will want to continue the same tradition with their own family.

BOO!

2008-10-25T16:00:00.006-04:00

Ella was invited to her first Halloween party this afternoon. Many of her classmates attended as well, and it was a blast! The hosts of the party did such an amazing job planning so many activities for all the kids - decorating bags, decorating cookies, hitting a pinata, and pinning the nose on the pumpkin. I admired their bravery to host so many little people!

I tried to take a video - my first one on the blog. As you can see, Ella is a zealous Tinkerbell, and Colin is a wise wizard. Ella right now is in some kind of princess / fairy zone - she dresses like a princess at home, wants to watch princess movies, wants to eat princess food, and color princess pictures! As you can imagine, I want to gag at this point. I am pooped out with the princess thing, but I am going with it these days because I don't want to squelch any of my childrens' interests. Who knows, not allowing my daughter to dress up in a princess costume could result in her being in therapy later on in life. AND, since Colin is still naive when it comes to Halloween, I decided to dress him up as a wizard. He does have a hat, magic wand, and glasses (aspiring to be Harry Potter) but those items didn't stay on for longer than one can yell, "BOO."

I will be sure to post more after our trick or treating adventures next week . . .

Definitely Slacking . . .

2008-10-19T19:50:00.003-04:00

I know . . . I have not written since Ella's first day of school. Although I know that plenty has occurred since that day in September, I can't really recall anything specific. I always feel really terrible when family and friends ask me what I have been up to lately. I usually pause, try to scan my brain for any kind of memory, and then reply with the same old comment, "Oh, we have been up to the same old thing." Thank goodness for cameras because at least the pictures remind me of what has happened in my life.

Matt celebrated his 35th birthday at the beginning of September. Here we are celebrating -
I certainly don't feel as though I am married to an older man. It was just today that I thought to myself how fortunate I am to have Matt as my husband, friend, and father of our kids. I definitely won the lottery!

Here is Colin's funny face, along with a mouthful of cake! I should also apologize to Colin ahead of time for putting a pink bib on him with the words 'Little Princess' on the front. Sorry Colin - one of the many consequences of having an older sister.

Another event that I was so very excited about was the planning and then successful execution of my best friend's baby shower. Christy lives in California and was traveling to NH to visit her family. Her mom and I planned a surprise shower for Christy. Here she is proudly displaying her beautiful belly along with the announcement that they are having a boy! I was so grateful for the time I spent with Christy, and I am so happy that all worked out for her shower. Christy is certainly one who deserved all the wonderful treats with which she was showered!

I guess I do have another excuse for not posting in a while. I forgot my camera at Christy's parent's house and just recently got it back. Of course, I didn't have the camera to capture our trip to the apple orchard or our trip, Ella's running race, or the pumpkin festival we went to a couple of weekends ago. There - I guess I do remember some of the things we have done. This past weekend we had impeccable fall weather - cool, crisp, and still some warmth radiating from the sun. We went to a playground Saturday morning to watch Ella on the monkey bars; she can now make it across the entire row.

Here we are at the playground. It was a pretty windy morning, so you can see the red noses and cheeks!

A few of my favorite things . . .

First Day of Preschool

2008-09-05T13:39:00.004-04:00

Ella had her first day of preschool this past Wednesday. Similar to last year, she hesitated for a moment and then was off playing before I left her new classroom. She didn't even acknowledge my presence when I went to pick her up at noon time. I guess I should get used to the idea that my children don't want me around as much; I guess I should get used to the idea that they will try to avoid me in public places! Boy, do I ever remember how badly I most likely treated my parents in public. Now that I have children of my own, I have such remorse for all the moments I treated my parents badly. I know it is part of the bargain of parenting, but I see my adolescence in a whole new light now since I have had to deal with "tude" from my own kiddos!

On a different note, Matt and I compared the picture of Ella's first day of school to this year, and we really couldn't believe how much she has grown in one year. Yes, she has grown taller, but her face looks so much more mature. She has grown into quite the little lady, big sister, and buddy.

On Labor Day, Ella, Colin, Moose and I hiked up Gile Mountain. Matt was absent because he was on a 75 mile bike ride with two other friends. On a side note, Matt had a really wonderful ride, and he was smiling when he returned home! The four of us had a wonderful hike despite the fact that Moose pulled the whole hike. Ella learned how to follow the trail, and she was quite excited to have her own backpack with water and snacks. Colin even did some hiking on his own, but I had to eventually put him in the backpack. Here we are at the top - having a snack of some apples and a granola bar.

Kamping with Kids

2008-08-28T15:08:00.012-04:00

If you have ever gone camping, you know there are moments of bliss usually followed by moments of torment. I say this because Matt and I have gone camping before we had children and now that we have children, the theory still holds true in a whole new light! Needless to say, we took our first camping adventure to Wells, ME this past week. We only stayed for one night because we really wanted to discover how well prepared we were for camping with two kids; we also wanted to make sure that we started small to work toward success. We hope to gradually increase our length of stay as we become more confident that all will be well.

This blog entry will perhaps we a bit different than the earlier ones. I fear that I have portrayed all our adventures in a very idealistic fashion; it certainly has not been my intention to paint our family or our adventures as a family as perfect. Our days, nights, and certainly our adventures are filled with frustration, screaming and crying, and overwhelm. SO, for this entry I have decided to include all the parts of our camping trip that I guess we would have liked to omit or edit if we were making a film! However, I will include some pictures that capture the moments of bliss for us all!

Outtake #1: We packed enough food for all meals except dinner. Although we were planning on making a trip to the grocery store to get some provisions to make dinner on our camp stove, we gave up. We decided to go to a restaurant. First, we had to wait 20 minutes for a table. Colin only wanted to play in the waterfall, and Ella and I spent most of our time waiting in the bathroom. Ella stood in one of the stalls while I dried her underwear and pants out with the hand dryer (accident). We finally did get a table. While Ella took only two bites of pasta, Colin inhaled a hot dog and some fries while Matt and I had a cocktail and a salad. Things quickly went downhill when Ella started crying to go home, and then Colin started crying at the top of his lungs. We quickly requested to have our meals packed up and exited the restaurant before people started throwing rotten tomatoes at us.

Outtake #2: Colin and Ella refused to take their shoes off each time they entered the tent (our sleeping bags were right by the door). Finally, Matt told the kids to just run around the campsite with socks on. Of course, Ella and Colin did not pick up on the sarcasm in Matt's voice, so they pushed their shoes aside and enjoyed turning white socks into black socks.

Outtake #3: I put pajamas on Ella and Colin before toasting marshmallows - big mistake. Colin was so exhausted he couldn't walk so he tripped in the dirt. Ella fell and then wiped her hands on her pajamas. Oh well . . .

Outtake #4: Ella woke up at 3 AM proclaiming she had to go to the bathroom. Ella and I got our shoes on, headed to the woods, only to discover she really didn't have to go after all.

Outtake #5: No matter how hard one tries, ocean sand never really ever comes clean from little hands. Even if hands do come clean, the sand is so tempting to touch. We were eating lunch when Colin decided to grab some sand and then grab a cucumber out of the container of vegetables. Blowing on the vegetables and even shaking the vegetables off did not recover them. We were crunching sand with our subsequent bites of the vegetables for the rest of the trip.

Ella and Colin couldn't wait to get into the tent.

One of the highlights of the trip for Ella was toasting marshmallows. She couldn't wait to get into her sleeping bag. In fact, she asked to go to bed! When will that ever happen again?

Matt made us pancake and sausages for breakfast - good!

On a very bright side, we had amazing weather both days. We enjoyed the beach both days that we were in Maine, and Ella and Colin were able to run around on the sand and chase seagulls. Overall, Matt and I decided that we would certainly return for another camping trip. We did make a list of things we needed to add to our camping supplies, and we brainstormed plenty of dinner ideas to avoid any more restaurant catastrophes! The highlight for the both of us was when Ella was toasting marshmallows Tuesday night and turned to say, "I love camping, and this is so much fun." She then came over and kissed and hugged us both. The hours of packing and organizing were all worth it with that one sentence!

Where OH Where Has Our Summer Gone?

2008-08-18T21:37:00.007-04:00

I am in denial about August only having two weeks left; brochures for school supplies have already flooded the newspapers, the Lebanon pool closes this Saturday for the summer, Dairy Twirl closes in two weeks, and I have to turn lights on by 8:30 PM. Where has the summer gone? Despite my complaining, we have had a really fantastic summer. We have really accomplished all that we wanted to accomplish. Since the last posting about our trip in the Prouty Bike Event, we have completed some more tasks around the house (sanding and painting the porch and tearing down the disgusting, eye sore of a retaining wall and landscaping that). Ella and Colin have gotten so much more comfortable swimming; Ella can really swim and keep herself afloat for a bit now, and Colin just jumps up and down in the water until he falls under the water. He easily recovers by starting the who ordeal again.

My Dad and Karen came for a visit a few weeks ago for the purpose of celebrating his belated birthday. Although we don't have any pictures of the event, we headed to the Harpoon Brewery for the BBQ Festival. My Dad also brought some of my grandmother's jewelry for Ella, but I think Colin has enjoyed it even more, despite the looks I have gotten from Matt.

On August 9 I participated in an off road triathlon. My friend and I had been training for the last 12 weeks for this race. We were fortunate enough to have wonderful weather on the day of the race, and we had a wonderful cheering squad at each of the transition points. Here we are before the race displaying our numbers on our arms. We felt really proud and didn't want the numbers to wear off even after the race ended!

AND, this past weekend Matt and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary by traveling to East Burke, VT for some amazing mountain biking at Kingdom Trails. Grandma and Grandpa Maher were gracious enough to offer to stay at the funny farm while we went away. This was the first time that I had been away from both kids , so I was a bit nervous about missing them too much. Although I did miss them, the time away was so refreshing for us, and I knew they were in good hands. I have a feeling they were probably spoiled a bit! We left Friday night to have dinner at Stella's Restaurant in Lyme, NH. We then headed to St. Johnsbury, VT to a B+B. We were the only guests at the house, so we felt like royalty the following morning sitting in the elegant dining area eating our breakfast. Our host was also a very sincere woman who had many interesting stories to share with us. Our real adventure began when we hit the Kingdom Trails around 11 AM. We had great weather up until 2:30 when we got caught in a rain and hail storm. Luckily, we were close to cover and had a massage appointment waiting for us so that we were able to quickly recover! We had another delicious meal Saturday evening before heading to another B+B. Our trip ended with some more riding Sunday morning before heading back home.

Matt and I were grateful for the help from his parents; they provided us with the opportunity to enjoy a weekend away together. Matt and I finished up our travels by talking about all that has changed since August 18, 2001 - new house, new jobs, two kids - in reality, not much at all! I wonder what changes will occur in another seven years?? Kinda makes you go hmmm!

The Biker Dudes at The Prouty

2008-07-12T20:05:00.005-04:00

Despite the chaotic start (packing snacks, dressing kids, putting the bike trailer and and bikes in the car, getting everyone in the car), we did arrive at the event around 9:00 AM. We then unpacked humans, bikes, and snacks, and rode to the Hanover Middle School where the event started. The weather was wonderful, and there were people everywhere!

We headed out on Route 10 toward Lyme, NH around 10 AM. Once we arrived in Lyme Center, we took a break; there was an official stop where the event had snacks, drinks, and port - a - potties. Ella had the pleasure of using her first port - a - potty today. Needless to say, she wasn't very impressed with the view upon entering it. We did persevere, and I explained to her that one just hasn't lived until using a port - a - potty in summer heat.

Here are the cheerleaders all filled up with watermelon and Gatorade before departing Lyme to conclude our ride back to Hanover. Matt ended up pulling Ella and Colin for the full 25 miles, and he was cruising at a very comfortable pace despite the extra 75 pound luggage! I was responsible for riding in front of Matt to allow him to "draft" off me (biker lingo)!

Here we are at the finish line. We finished up around noon time, and then helped ourselves to all the delicious food made available. Ella and Colin did some serious dancing, as there was a great band playing at the event, and Ella got her face painted before we headed home. We then had to pack up and ride back to where we parked our car. Despite some small obstacles, we had a fantastic ride and time together. We also took a moment to be thankful for our health and happiness on this day. The Prouty has taken place for over two decades in order to raise money for the Cancer Center at Dartmouth Hitchcock. Seeing pictures of sick children and adults and reading stories of parents who have had to witness their children undergo chemotherapy, really had me kiss Ella and Colin over and over again. There was so much to celebrate today - health, happiness for my family, the support we received from our family and friends for today and the hope that someday there will be a cure for cancer. I send my strength and love to those I know who have lost their lives to cancer.

Thank you to our family and friends who donated money to this event in support of our ride.
We will certainly be part of this wonderful event next year - and who knows - maybe we will shoot for the 50 mile event!

Lake Winnipesaukee

2008-07-07T13:28:00.005-04:00

We packed our bags, dropped Moose off at his hotel, and headed up to Gilford last Friday. We stayed with Matt's parents Friday evening and enjoyed a relaxing day playing outside. Matt's parents also spoiled us with a delicious dinner that evening. Matt's dad got a new tractor, and here is Ella trying it out. Colin would have nothing to do with the tractor as of yet!

Ella and Gramma made tractor pancakes Saturday morning. We ate until our bellies were ready to explode!

We then packed up again and headed to Gilford Beach. This is the beach that both Matt and I went to during our childhood. It is also the place where we lifeguarded together (I couldn't find any pictures of us sportin' the lifeguard look.) for a couple of summers. We had a beautiful day, and Ella and Colin dug in the sand and splashed in the water until they could no longer keep their eyes open. It is evident in the photo that the kids are certainly not interested in sitting still for a photo opportunity.

We then headed to Mimi's house for some rest and relaxation. We were spoiled once again at my mom's house; she made us a wonderful dinner and then celebrated the Fourth of July with some good old fashioned sparklers!

The following day we rented a boat to spend out on the lake with Mimi and Matt's parents. The weather couldn't have been better! Here is our captain, Matt, navigating the waters! I was able to water ski, which was such a treat for me. And Ella and I took a tube ride on the same tube my sister and I used to ride on when we were little. Gramma Maher even took a turn! Later on in the day, we went to Wolfeboro for some lunch, and then explored the lake for the remainder of the day.

Some of the passengers managed to sneak in a little nap despite the rough waters!

Colin was soaking up the scenery; we must have heard the words "boat" and "water" a million times that day . . .

Here is Colin helping me steer the boat back to the dock. Our day had to come to a grinding halt at 4:30 PM. I think we are going to rent a boat again before the summer ends!!??

We also wanted to share a picture of the house we decided to purchase while on vacation (it is just a small additional mortgage payment). We decided that this house would accommodate all our friends and family for future vacations. Missing from the picture are two boats (one is a pontoon party boat and the other is a ski boat), a large raft, lawn furniture, large BBQ grill, and several beach toys.

An Exciting Weekend On the Road

2008-06-10T07:51:00.008-04:00

We had a wonderful weekend! Saturday Matt participated in a Dirt Bike Event in Loudon, NH where he rode 100 miles off road. He came home very dirty, very elated, and very exhausted! Needless to say, Matt wasn't the only dirty one that day!

Sunday we drove to Exeter, NH to visit the newest Maher family member - Lily Kathleen Maher. Matt's brother, Nate, and his wife, Maura, had Lily Saturday morning. She is so beautiful, and mom, dad, and baby looked wonderful during our visit. Ella and Colin are very excited to teach their cousin all their tricks.

Then Sunday evening we drove to Alexandria, NH to celebrate my sister's birthday. Although we were supposed to bring food and festivities to her house, she did quite the amazing job of entertaining us. I am going to hire her to plan and execute any parties that I may have in the future! Happy Birthday Henry! Sorry I don't have any photos. I forgot the camera.

We did eventually make it back to Lebanon Sunday night. Although it was a very busy weekend, we wouldn't have missed any of the events for anything!

R - Rated Birthday Party

2008-06-03T21:00:00.004-04:00

I hope this picture doesn't offend anyone, but I had to share it. I was able to help celebrate one of my favorite people's birthdays a couple of weeks ago. As you can see, I was carrying in the cake while the room full of people were singing 'Happy Birthday' to Christy. Apparently the happy birthday song does funny things to Moose, or apparently he felt left out for not being able to sing Christy happy birthday. Whatever the reason may be, Moose decided to wish Christy a happy birthday in his own unique way. Matt, the photographer, was able to capture this rare moment in history. Despite the R rated moment, it was wonderful to see Christy, Stephen, Christy's parents, and sister. Time always goes so fast when we are together, and I feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful friend in my life! By the way Christy, Moose is a bit embarrassed by this picture; I hope you will forgive his forwardness.

On another note, Ella and Colin have gotten very proficient at saying "Cheers" whenever they have a drink in hand. I don't know if I should be worried or proud of this small achievement, but nonetheless, it is quite funny to hear Colin say "cheers" in his own little way. Here they are enjoying some water (yes, that is all that is in their sippy cups) while relaxing in their new lawn chairs.

Tool Time

2008-05-18T15:40:00.009-04:00

(Photographs compliments of Grandpa Maher)

This weekend Matt and his Dad constructed a swing set in our back yard. I was gone for most of the day attending a birth at the hospital (it was a beautiful birth, and Mom and baby are doing well), but when I returned home, the swing set was almost all complete. It looks wonderful, and Ella and Colin have already put it to good use. Ella's exclamation this morning was, "The swing set is still here; it didn't blow away last night!" I don't think this swing set will go anywhere any time soon!

We are grateful that Matt's Mom and Dad gave up their day to help us build the swing set. We really did appreciate their help and time, and I know it made the construction process that much easier for Matt! Matt put a few finishing touches on the swing set today. (And, shhh, now we are on to the next project!)

Stylish Headbands for All

2008-05-10T19:46:00.010-04:00

I have gotten Ella addicted to running races, so we set out to complete another one this morning that was sponsored by the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. It was a beautiful morning to be outside! The weather was significantly warmer for this race, so we found some running shorts for Ella. Please note the hot pink - I should be able to find Ella in the dark now! Colin also participated in his first Fun Run this morning; he enjoyed the ride on my hip.

Ella is licking her lips after the taste of victory!

Here are Ella and Ben (Ella's friend and schoolmate) after the race. Ella was really sporting the whole runner's outfit for this event. She wanted to go for the Jane Fonda look. . .

Colin was content with a balloon . . .

A friend and I ran the 5K afterwards, and as you can see, the event gave out some sporty headbands that I will be sure to wear to the gym. I had no complaints as our afternoon continued. We made our way to the Harpoon Brewery for some lunch (and beverages), and then Ella and I got the first round of plants in the garden.

The Swim Team

2008-05-02T20:03:00.005-04:00

I have just two more days of my class left, and then I have to figure out something else to do with myself. If I don't have something to focus on, I find that I get too antsy and cranky. So, I registered for a triathlon that will take place in August. The swimming portion is done in a pond (not sure if I want goggles to see what I find on the bottom), the biking is off road, and the run is off trail. I am doing this race with a friend, and we are trying to train together a bit this summer.

Ella is quite excited about this race as well. I had to order a swim suit, goggles, and cap. When I opened the box, Ella insisted on trying on the gear. She also wanted her own pair of goggles, so we went looking for some today. Although my goggles are not as fashionable as Ella's pair, I hope they will serve the purpose of helping me train and swim! Colin also wanted to see what all the hype was about - we didn't tell him there were flowers on the goggles when he tried them on! We have also recruited Moose for our team because I hear he has a mean doggy paddle.

Midwife or Ex - Wife??!!

2008-04-16T21:52:00.009-04:00

Sorry for the delay - I had to conjure up some exciting events from my life to post to the blog! Our latest addition to the household is a picnic table. (I know what you are thinking . . . this lady leads a pathetically dull life. However, I had been searching for a used one, and 'poof', it appeared). A friend of mine generously gave us this picnic table; her boys were too big for it. It has been so wonderful to have these past few days; Ella and Colin have enjoyed many lunches and snacks on it! Thank you, Suzanne!

This warm weather has been wonderful for the soul, for the kids, and for the yard! Ella and Colin have been outside every day and even after we eat dinner. Colin has figured out how to climb the slide and go down himself, and Ella is focused on pushing him down so that she can have a turn all that faster. Yes, Ella can be impatient - not sure where she gets that from. . . She is also working on her look of evil, as you can see below.

The latest adventure that Ella and I are going to take on this summer is planting a garden. I think we will mostly plant vegetables, but Ella told me tonight that she also wanted to plant some watermelon plants. We all started digging a section of the yard this weekend, and as you can see, Colin was fully invested in the process.

On another note, tomorrow evening marks three more weeks until the completion of my year long quest to finish Anatomy and Physiology. I had much trepidation about taking a college course again; it had been over ten years since I last took a course in school, I have a family, and I was afraid of failing. However, I have proven to myself that returning to school can be done. Although I am at the very beginning of this long, arduous adventure, I keep telling myself and Matt that I will be a midwife someday, somehow! His reply the other day was, "You will either be a midwife or an ex-wife someday with the number of classes you have left to complete." All kidding aside, my return to school has been an adventure, and I am thankful for a supportive husband and family. I didn't mean to paint a bad picture of Matt in my return to school. He has been overly supportive - bathing kids, putting them to bed, providing me with time to study . . . Although I do have many, many classes left to complete before I reach my ultimate goal of becoming a nurse midwife, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the last year of classes.

What have I really learned from taking Anatomy and Physiology??

1. The human body is incredibly amazing, and those words don't do it justice. Have you ever wondered how or why somebody knew to design our nose the way it is? Imagine if our nose was all bone? It would break each time we put on our shirts. Amazingly so, the tip of the nose is made out of cartilage to prevent this mishap!
2. Don't bring hamburger soup to class for dinner before dissecting a mink. Hamburger and mink look surprisingly similar.
3. Ella enjoys completing homework with me. She draws houses (with no doors or toilets) while I study.
4. Always keep your mouth closed when dissecting in case any debris from the mink flings toward your face.
5. Goldfish crackers are a safe food to eat after lab, even on the nights that we dissect the mink.
6. Cleaning the cat box can be real exciting compared to studying the innate and acquired immune system.
7. It is easier to get up early to study when you have a coffee maker that you can program so the coffee is ready for immediate consumption.
8. The human body has too many damn bones, blood vessels, and nerves to memorize.
9. Our mothers were really right when they said, "Be sure to drink fluids with a fever and Don't go swimming for 20 minutes after you have eaten a large meal."
10. The ventilation system in our lab doesn't work well enough to rid the room of the stink from the minks. I have learned to hold my breath and take tiny breaths away from the mink while dissecting.

Official Mutti

2008-04-07T12:36:00.012-04:00

Lately it has come to my attention that I really am a mom. I am now the person in stores who younger people look at and say, "When I have children, they will never behave like that. I certainly won't bribe them with food like that mother is doing." Well, well, well my friends - I do recall a person near and dear to my heart thinking the same things before children. While I was pregnant with Ella, I remember saying to myself, "I am only going to feed my children organic food; I will never need to bribe them with food; I certainly won't buy them anything that has a Disney character on it; I will play classical music for brain development - blah, blah, blah!!" Guilty as charged. I have fed our children non- organic food; I have a stash of treats in my bag solely for the purpose of bribery when we are in stores; Ella has some Dora underwear, and we listen to Led Zeppelin instead of Mozart. I have come to grips with the fact that mothering is so different now that I am a mother and realize that there are so many different ways of mothering. Although there is a lot to think about these days with having children, I do know that I am deeply in love with the fact that I am a mom, even if being a mom has forced me to buy certain types of bathing suits!!

I know I am a mom because:

1. I did buy one of those skirt bathing suit bottoms to hide the bum chub.
2. I lick my finger to clean dried goo off Colin and Ella's face.
3. I finish my cold coffee with my lunch that consists of leftovers.
4. I look forward to shaving my legs in the shower on the weekend when I can afford to take a longer shower.
5. I get excited when all the laundry baskets are empty, even if this lasts for only a moment.
6. I eat the leftover peanut butter sandwich covered in yogurt, because, hey, that saves me time from having to make my own lunch.
7. I get excited when I find a recipe that has less than four ingredients.
8. I have found a haircut that allows me to wash and go OR have I just adopted the "at least it is clean, it doesn't have to be styled" approach?
9. I actually enjoy listening to the theme song to "The Backyardigans." If you haven't heard it, you need to watch the show. You can really groove to the music.
10. I can watch my children do absolutely nothing, drool over them, and love them more every minute of my life!

Onto the Next One . . .

2008-04-05T09:00:00.005-04:00

Well, at 1:30 AM this morning, we finished putting down the new floor in the kitchen. Needless to say, it wasn't too bad. I am very thankful that Matt is handy with tools and measurements, as he was a whiz at fitting all the pieces together. Kids also slept through all the banging and clanging, so we were lucky once again. I sort of felt we were back in the days without kids as we were working together; we were pretty relaxed about making noise while working. We toasted with a cocktail at the end of our project and were grateful that we were still happily talking to one another! This is certainly encouraging, so I am ready to tackle more projects! Our mission today is to get some trim down under the cabinets and other seams. Then, hmmm, what shall we start next??

Demolition Day

2008-04-03T22:37:00.004-04:00

I don't know what got into me, but I am all fired up about doing home improvement projects. I (and after convincing) we decided to rip up the kitchen floor and put down some new flooring. We started this project this evening around 8:30 PM. Matt took his crow bar and began tearing up the old floor; we then had to hammer the existing nails down. Throughout this whole ordeal, kids were sound asleep - much to our surprise and excitement. The animals seem to like the new look in the kitchen - Moose started eating remnants of wood and the cats are playing with the leftover particles we missed. Our plan is to rip up the rest of the floor tomorrow evening and then try to install the new one over the next few days. Mind you, I should be studying for my next exam, but home improvement projects are so much more exciting. This is our first really big home improvement project, so we started with some trepidation but are now fully committed!

We have also decided to paint the kitchen/dining room area and ceiling ourselves to save some money. Instead, we may hire someone to paint/stain our deck. It looks terrible, and I really am anxious to fire up the BBQ grill now that the weather is shaping up. Should I say more?? My hope after the floor and painting are done is to plant a garden and build the little monkeys a swing set. Ahh - can I step into a time warp to get maybe five more hours to my day?

A New Man in My Life - April Fool's!

2008-04-01T08:19:00.006-04:00

Every spring (and every winter) I have the privilege of having a new man in my life. In the winter I am introduced to the bearded Matt and in the spring I am introduced to the "bare" Matt. Well, it was last night that I was re-introduced to the "bare" Matt, as he decided to shave off his winter beard. (I guess that last sentence doesn't sound too great.) This year he elected to begin the process around 11 PM last night. He also decided to go for a bit of a different look - shall I say the "biker" look for a few days until he finally shaves all the hair off. I managed to snap a shot of him this morning before he left for work - I thought his look would be a nice addition to the blog.

Speaking of additions - I have felt a bit guilty not including pictures of the other family members of our house - the furry friends! So I wanted to also dedicate this entry to them. Yes, the animals create messes and piles of fur balls throughout the house, but they have been really nice to have with Ella and Colin. It has been so funny to watch Ella give kisses to the animals and for Colin to sit on Moose. The kids have really started to respect and appreciate the animals, and it is apparent that Ella and Colin really love Moose, Atticus and Madison.

Otherwise, life here on the funny farm is pretty much the same. I am in a total home project mode, so I have convinced Matt to rip up our kitchen floor and put new flooring down. We are also going to paint the dining room/kitchen area since this is the only area we didn't elect to do before moving in. Did I mention that once we are finished with these projects, I have more to do outside? Sorry Matt . . .

Master of Procrastination; Chocolate Munchins

2008-03-25T22:42:00.009-04:00

I should be working on a blood vessel lab right now, but instead I am surfing the Internet looking for ideas for home improvement and eating chocolate from the kid's Easter basket. Both events are unwise and unhealthy! Lately I have had a hard time devoting any attention to my school work. I have so many wonderful distractions - planning a vegetable garden, looking up bread recipes, or planning out a swingset for the kids!

Easter morning at our house was a blast. When Ella finally woke up, she went from zero to 100 in a split second; she was running around the house collecting eggs faster than I could count. I now appreciate my parents needing their coffee brewed before any holiday festivity begins! We got our coffee made while Ella and Colin (in competition with Moose) searched for Easter eggs. Later in the day we went to Matt's parents and celebrated Easter with my mom as well. Ella and Colin in the pictures are modeling their "spring bonnets" as well as some of the leftover chocolate they sampled throughout the day!

While I was watching Ella and Colin, I couldn't help but remember those Easter mornings when my sister and I hunted around the house searching for goodies. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was the child. And now I don't even get carded at the grocery store when I buy wine or beer - I am really getting old! Lately, I have been much more aware of just how fast life passes us by. I have a "Life Goal" list I keep in my planner. There are times when I add to it, and occasionally I do get to check items off the list (having children, taking a class again, running races). I really don't know what my point is here except I always cherish the saying my mom honors, which is "live each day to its fullest because one never knows if it will be the last." There really is not a dull moment in my life, and I am grateful for the opportunities I have as well as the people in my life who provide me with wonderful opportunities! I feel fortunate to have children who are healthy and happy and who appear to love life. I am very fortunate to have a husband who supports my endeavor to become a nurse midwife, who appreciates the job that I do at home, and who puts up with all my crazy ideas and thoughts! I am grateful for family and friends and the wonderful energy they provide me!

Hired Help and Personal Growth

2008-03-18T15:10:00.004-04:00

I have found some really professional, efficient, and cheap help to keep the house clean these days. My new cleaning crew has really helped me manage my cleaning chores around the house even with my return to school! On another note - I have taken part in a lot of introspection lately about pursuing my career (second career) versus motherhood. My passion is to become a nurse midwife, and I have returned to school part - time to pursue this dream. I was accepted in an RN program but decided to defer for a bit. I am starting to understand and appreciate the saying, "Enjoy your children now because they grow up so fast" more and more these days. I hated hearing this from people when Ella was first born. There were moments then that I couldn't imagine life without a newborn. But I find myself craving those moments back (not all the time)! I decided that school will always be there for me, but my little people will not. I feel blessed to be able to stay home with our children and feel good about being happy about staying at home with them! I like making peanut butter sandwiches and wiping noses. I like taking walks together even if it means Colin cries in the backpack, Ella has to go potty two minutes into our walk, and Moose pulls too hard. So - my new goal is to be a nurse midwife by 50! I will accomplish this goal, but right now I am busy with my little people!

Easter Eggs and Off to The Races

2008-03-15T14:52:00.004-04:00

This morning Ella and Colin participated in an Easter Egg Hunt. Plastic eggs with goodies inside were scattered throughout the field and kids then collected them. Colin quickly got the hang of it, and Ella was able to still collect some eggs after an emergency potty break!

After the Easter Egg Hunt, we ran home to get some dry socks - then it was off to the races. Ella ran her first running race (1 mile fun run). She was very excited and had her running pants on, running socks on, and her "race car" shoes. She ran the entire way - 13.22 minutes! Afterwards, I ran a 5K. One of the highlights of the run with Ella included her comment, "Mom, I won't need to take a shower later because I won't be smelly like you after your running races." Needless to say, we both took a warm shower when we got home. All are tuckered out!

Dirty Man and Little Leprachaun

2008-03-14T07:53:00.004-04:00

Colin is adamant about feeding himself these days, even when it comes to whole milk yogurt. He insists on using his own spoon and fork at meals as well. You will see with the picture just how successful he is at getting the food to his mouth. The other photo shows Ella with the hat she made at school yesterday. They are learning about musical instruments right now, and I was able to see Ella sitting so quietly yesterday in circle as they were talking about different types of instruments. She sits so perfectly still in school - what happens when she gets home?? Right now Colin is playing with an old cell phone. He is walking around the house talking - very businesslike. And Ella is in Colin's room putting Olivia and Kiki to bed - she reads them books, puts the music on, pulls down the shade, and then tucks them into Colin's bed. She is quite the nurturing mama!

Boston in the Rain

2008-03-12T20:40:00.007-04:00

I wanted to share with you our trip to Boston this past weekend. I learned that children are much more tolerant than adults of most anything. We went down to visit a friend and decided (I will be honest, I decided and coerced Matt) to make a weekend trip out of it. It was pouring rain as we entered Boston and headed for the Boston Aquarium. Needless to say, we waited in the rain for the tickets and did get in. Ella really liked the big tank of fish, and it had been quite some time since I had been there myself. After two hours of the crowded aquarium, we headed out to go to our friend's apartment to figure out some dinner plans. At this point it was pouring rain, and of course we had to walk to the Prudential Building where there were no restaurants available for over an hour. Needless to say, kids were amazingly good. I fed them crackers, and Ella loved going up and down the escalator while Matt and Patrick went back to get the car. We finally were seated for dinner by 7 PM. Matt was soaked, the diapers in the diaper bag were drenched, and my white shirt under my pink sweater was now pink as well! The highlight of the trip for Ella was the hotel (she got to stay in a big bed) and the escalator. We also visited the Children's Museum on Sunday. I really enjoyed this part of the trip, but people were all getting pretty beat. I learned a lot from my children this weekend. Children appreciate the small and simple things in life. Ella was content drinking a juice box and going up and down the escalator. She really didn't need the museum, but I guess I feel like I want to provide them with these opportunities. I reflected on this experience with Matt on our drive home and commented that I think I handled this trip much better now that I am a parent than before the time of children. Ella and Colin have taught me how to be more patient as well as the importance of really slowing down and enjoying all the beauty in our world.

Getting Started . . . ???

2008-03-12T14:40:00.003-04:00

I have always enjoyed reading friends' blogs, so it has been a goal of mine to create my own. When I mentioned it to Matt, we weren't sure it was going to be worthwhile since a majority of our family lives in New Hampshire. However, the more I thought about creating a blog, the more I wanted to do it to share photos and stories with the family and friends who are further away from us. In this day and age, computers are so handy at staying in touch. And although I always enjoy talking on the phone with family and friends, I do understand how convenient it is to have a computer always handy. So, today marks my experiment . . . Will I stay up to date on this? Will anyone read it? Wish me luck on my new adventure!