Fall begins....

So it has been eons since I posted- mostly because facebook has held me captive. Not like crazy captive- but enough to fill the few minutes extra each day when I want to be mindless.  Mind you- I am not a facebook poster- just a reader.  One of these days I'll find my voice.  But maybe not.  I love to talk and debate but writing has never been an outlet for me.  

So here are some catching up photos. 

Kara and kids came to visit for about a week.  We had lots of fun- playing on the river on the nice days and exploring great Middlesex county on the others.  Jackson loved spending time with cousins.  

Jackson started pre-school.  He was apprehensive and clingy but I think he is over that now.  They just took a field trip to the apple orchard and he told Donny and I that we could not come that it was just for him and his teachers.  

As most of you know (since my readership is small) we were pregnant and now we are not.  The first ultrasound found the baby did not have a heartbeat.  This was difficult, especially considering we had been trying to get pregnant for 2 1/2 years.  In fact, we had kind come to peace with the fact that we might not have another baby when "wham" we were pregnant.  I am coming to terms again with the fact that we might not have another chance- and am grateful for what I have.  Although there's always a chance......but I think once I turn 40 (March) I am done.  Done being on the roller coaster.  So, if we get lucky that will be great and if we don't then we are blessed with what we have.  One thing we found through the experience is how blessed we are to have great family and friends.  Many of the same people who rejoiced with us when we found out we were pregnant also cried with us when we found out we weren't going to have a baby. 

Anyway.  Life is good.  We are going to Charlotte, NC this weekend to visit friends.  Fall weather is beautiful.  Today is in the 80's and since I anticipate mostly cooler days ahead- we will go to the beach to enjoy.  Looking forward to fall colors beginning in a few weeks.  

Other fun things to look forward to....

Costa Rica for me over Thanskgiving break.

Grandma and Grandpa coming before Christmas.

And...just booked tickets to Puerto Rico with vouchers from bumping on Airtran for Spring Break.  

 We had fun in New Hampshire with Devin, Shelli, Casin and Julia (Pumpkin Pie as they call her and Jackson loves to still call her) and Kris too!  Swimming in the lake, hiking and Trains were all in the mix.

Loving where we are

Although I often long for the West Coast I am loving where we are.  Jackson has lot's of friends- many here on campus.  And....we go to the beach nearly every day.  Not a bad life.   We love visitors so here are some photos to entice you!  Come visit!  

Summer Fun-Gardening

It has been and will be a busy summer- not a lot of time at home to just enjoy.  However, we'll have lot's of fun on the road with family and friends and are taking advantage of our time at home as well.  

Our garden is doing well- except for the pesky groundhogs that have eaten our coneflower and sunflowers.  The mosquitos are so bad now that very little work will be done from here on other than harvesting fruits and veggies.  We have lot's of herbs, tomatoes- including some new heirloom varieties, summer squashes, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon and cukes.  Yum.  

And now funny things he does...

Jackson loves to spend time with his friend Abigail.  The past few times we have been to her house he has ended up girling out.  The first time they locked themselves in her room (had to break in through the window to open the door) and put on makeup and dancer costumes.  They put on a nice show for us in their tutus.  Last time was Abigail Owens B-day party.  It was a hot day so we filled up the kiddy pool.  Jackson and Abigail came out of the house- both with Abigail's swimsuits on.  He had a great time and didn't seem to see anything unusual about it!

Funny things he said...

Something funny Jackson said the other day and has repeated a few times since-

In the car driving and Donny asks Jackson if he wants to do something (can't remember what) and Jackson replies:

"No thanks, I'm not into that right now."

Dude sounds like a teenager already!

Mother's Day Haikus.

I hosted a baby shower last weekend and I don't do games so we asked everyone to write at least one Haiku for the mother to be with a theme of motherhood, parenthood or womanhood.  It was alot of fun.  I am no creative writer but once you get going with the Haiku it's hard to stop.  Here are mine:

Time for a diaper change

Oh no! Fountain in his face!

Better his than mine!

 

 

Need to do laundry

“Mom, will you please play with me?

The laundry can wait

 

 

Love dirty boy smell.

Sweaty, dirt rubbed in face, hands

Clean boy is good tooJ

 

Playing with daddy

Tricksters, rowdy, rolling fun

Belly laughs, testosterone

By the way I was inspired by the last issue of "Brain Child" a mother's magazine/journal where they posted Haikus that readers had written.  

Now if you are reading this a I challenge you to Haiku!

Jonathan and Nicki

Jackson and I drove to Elizabeth City, NC on Friday to go to Jonathan Skinner's wedding reception.  Unfortunately I did not get a good pic of the bride and groom but here is one of Ray and family.  I haven't seen their boys for year.  I would have never recognized them.  It was fun to see them- even just for a few hours.  

It's hot.  3rd day of 90 degree weather in a row and tomorrows looking the same.  Summer in April.  Aunt Winnie and Uncle Frank visited this weekend.  It was fun to see them.  We had parent's weekend going on so couldn't play the whole time but we joined them at Jamestown on Saturday after parent conferences.  Donny had a Lacrosse tournament and duty so he was pretty busy.  Pics- new baby geese at kid farm, new cousin Wyatt, Baltimore zoo at Easter break.

American Buffalo

I just finished an interesting read- American Buffalo- In Search of a Lost Icon.  It is a narrative by Steven Ridella, whose fascination with buffalo begins with him finding a skull while hunting in Montana and becomes even more intense when he has the opportunity to go hunting for one.  He enters a lottery to be one of 40 to hunt a herd that inhabits the Alaska's Copper River basin.  He is only one of a few to actually shoot a buffalo.  It gives an interesting natural history of the buffalo in North America and also narrates his Alaskan hunt.  It is also reminds me of how much you can learn when driven to do so by an interesting topic.  Someday maybe I'll write a book about something that I love.  I'll have enough knowledge about something just because I've spent time learning- from books, from talking to people and from experiencing.  I'm sending this to Scott for his B-day.  I think he'll enjoy it.  

Snow Day!

OK- it was only about 3 inches but it's the only snow we've had this winter and we had a great time playing.  Jackson never came into the cafeteria for lunch because he was too busy shovelling snow (for fun!).  Sledding at the Soucecks was great fun too.  Jackson got to try out the new sled he got for his birthday.  

Feed your soul

I was channel surfing last Friday night when I came across Enchanted April- one of my top 5 favorite movies.  A must see if you haven not!  So...what it reminded me is that I need to feed my soul more.  It is hard to do as a mom of a young one (even more for those of you with multiples!).  I have a hard time doing the things that I love when I can only do them every once in a while rather than consistently.  So...I am starting by going to a Spring Wildflower Symposium in the Mountains this Spring.  It's a weekend of field courses with professors and naturalists up in the Blue Ridge Mts..  Donny and I will rent a condo and his parents will come for the weekend to watch Jackson.  

Maybe I just have the February blues but I need something to look forward to.......Watch it- Enchanted April.  

Awesome new skill- nose picking.  We recently went to a movie and several times during Jackson said "here mom" and handed me a booger.  Awesome. 

Jackson is 3!  How time flies.  It has been a fun three years and it just keeps getting better.  We are grateful to have him with us.  Jackson favorites- top 10

• Trains
• Trucks
• Music- listening, singing, playing
• Dancing
• Grandparents
• Blankie and Teddy Bear
• Strawberry milk
• Riding his Bike
• Friends
• Dinosaurs

(Do you think he's a boy?!)

Round 2,3,4.....

Here is the wrap up on the Christmas Holiday.  

• On the 23rd and 24th we went to Washington D.C.  We visited the Natural History Museum (Dinosaur Bones! and Nemo fish) and the Air and Space Museum (Old planes, rockets and space shuttles!).  We saw Polar Express on the Imax in 3D.  Very fun!  My favorite was eating dinner at a Spanish Tapas restaurant.  Jackson was excited to pack his green monster rolling backpack and take it to the hotel.
• Next it was to Granddad's and Grandmom's house in Maryland.  Santa visited on Christmas and then we opened the rest of gifts on the 26th when Aunt Amberly and cousin Skyler came from New Mexico. 
• Lyndsay and Brad's baby shower- we are looking forward to baby Wyatt entering our world soon!
• We visited the B&O train museum and Aquariums in Balitmore.
• Then it was home for relaxation and a little work too. 
• It was a fun holiday but we are glad to be back into a normal routine.

Happy New Year!