Streaming Egans

Happy Mother’s Day

2011-05-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

It’s Mother’s Day. A day we set aside to honor mothers and celebrate motherhood. It’s sad to say, but I don’t remember a lot of Mother’s Days from my childhood. I don’t remember doing things to make my mother feel especially appreciated and loved on that day in May. God, I sure hope I did and it’s just my advancing age that is causing me to forget. I can only hope that on every Mother’s Day I had her in my life that she knew I thought she was the greatest mom in the world.

This picture was taken on Saturday, May 10, 1986, almost 25 years ago to the day. It was the day of my junior prom, and it occurs to me now that the following day was Mother’s Day. Somehow, so much makes sense in this moment. I remember the fun we had shopping for that pink dress with the white polka-dot lace overlay. I remember feeling so proud to be wearing long white gloves like my mother had worn when she was my age. That day, and the days leading up to it, were all about me. My mother made sure that I had everything just so – the dress, the gloves, the cameo. I felt like a princess. And now that I’m a mother myself, I can understand that was probably the best Mother’s Day gift I could have given her. Those are the best gifts – seeing joy in your children’s eyes, being able to make them smile or make their dreams a reality. It makes my heart hurt now to think that the next day was the last Mother’s Day I’d ever spend with her. I can’t believe that in more than 20 years of looking at this picture on my nightstand, this is the first time I’ve come to that realization.

I miss her so much. I wish she’d had the chance to get to know me as an adult, to meet Dennis, to hug and kiss her grandchildren. This year, I’ll turn 42, the age she was when she died. I’m reminded how precious every moment is; how imperative it is that we enjoy the gifts we receive every single day.

I’m incredibly blessed to be called Mom (or Mommy, Mamacita, Mamajama Three Days) by two amazing little people. They fill my life with “Mother’s Days” all year, and fill my heart with pride and love. They are the greatest gifts I could ever dream of.

A special Happy Mother’s Day to my mother, and to my mother-in-law, too. I am so thankful to her for treating me as one of her own, for raising a son who is such a loving husband and adoring father, and for being such a wonderful grandmother to my babies. Happy Mother’s Day, Nanna! And Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers in my life – hope your day is beautiful!

Three

2011-01-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

Age 1

Age 2

Age 3

Happy 3rd Birthday to my little boy. You continually amaze me. You’re sweet, wild, smart, crazy, clever and cute. It’s hard to remember sometimes that you’re only 3 years old, because you sure do know how to go toe-to-toe with us. I can honestly say we wouldn’t have it any other way.

These first three years have simply flown by. You’ve brought us so much joy, and have added more to our lives than we could have ever imagined. We’re looking forward to every moment yet to come, and can’t wait to continue making memories with you.

Love you, Matthew. Happy Birthday, my baby.

Happy 1st Birthday, Gabriella!

2010-12-11T22:31:00.001-05:00

Hard to believe that today we celebrated our baby girl’s first birthday. Time is certainly flying by, and I can unequivocally say this has been the fastest year of my life.

Seems like just a short time ago that we brought our daughter home to complete our family. I don’t think I could have possibly imagined how much she’d add to our lives. Watching her and Matthew together has become one of the greatest joys of my life.

I looked back today through some pictures of the day she was born. Amazing how much she’s changed since then. See for yourself…

And here she is today……

She’s happy and smiley, yet feisty and strong-willed when she wants to be. She has a silly sense of humor, and you just can’t help but laugh when she laughs. She’s flirtatious and clever, coy and quick. She adores her big brother, and sometimes even gives him a run for his money. I hope she never changes.

Happy Birthday, sweet girl. Mommy, Daddy and Matthew love you so very much.

Happy Birthday, Babe!

2010-10-18T05:53:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday to the most wonderful husband a woman could ask for. Thank you for all the thoughtful things you do every day. Thank you for being such a great dad to our kids, and a true partner in raising them. Thanks for working so hard and taking such good care of our family. Thanks for being my very best friend. And most of all, thank you for loving me for me.

Happy Birthday to the best Dad a boy could ask for. Thanks for all the shoulder and piggy-back (a.k.a. Peterbilt) rides. Thanks for taking me lots of fun places. Thanks for spending time playing with me, and showing me how to hit the ball really far. Thanks for reading me stories every night. And thanks for not being afraid to show me and tell me every day how very much you love me.

Happy Birthday to the best Daddy a girl could ask for. Thanks for making me feel like a little princess. Thanks for holding me tight and kissing me. Thanks for laying on the floor and letting me climb all over you. Thanks for being so protective over me. Thanks for reading me stories every night. And thanks for not being afraid to show me and tell me every day how very much you love me.

Happy, Happy Birthday! We love you very much!

2010-08-19T05:45:00.001-04:00

Happy 4th Anniversary to my wonderful husband.

My partner, my best friend, the love of my life.

I love you with all my heart.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-07-22T04:29:00.001-04:00

Week 26 Theme - Silhouette

Gini's on the left; mine on the right.

As soon as I saw the theme for this week, I knew I would be digging into the archives to use a picture I’d taken years ago. Mine is a shot from York Beach, Maine, from a house we used to rent for a week in the summer with Dennis’ family. I’d woken up early one morning, and saw the most amazing light outside. I snuck out into the yard and captured this shot. It’s one of my all-time favorites, and I think the one that really sparked my interest in photography.

As for my sister’s shot, I think it epitomizes everything that a silhouette should be. When I think of the old hand-cut silhouettes, I’m always amazed at how clearly you can make out the subject. In Gini’s picture, there’s no mistaking whose silhouette that is. Well, for those of us who know her, I guess. It’s my beautiful niece, Hannah – I’d know those eyelashes anywhere.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-07-15T05:00:00.002-04:00

Week 25 Theme – Where You Live

Gini’s on the left; mine on the right.

Two different shots of Longmeadow. Gini’s is of ~~the Community House, the place where so many things happen in this town – voting, pancake breakfasts, social events – even a surprise baby shower for one Miss Gabriella Egan.~~ Town Hall. (Why don't you look a bit closer, dummy.) And mine is…well, our house. Funny that with all the different architectural styles in town, both our pictures are focused on colonial brick structures. Even more interesting is how we both focused on 5 windows and a door of said structures. Hmmm….

I interpreted this theme quite narrowly, as you can see. I thought about trying to capture the character of this town, but I just couldn’t come up with one picture that I thought would do it justice. I wasn’t thrilled with my shot when I originally took it, but looking at it now, I see that it reflects the essence of why we bought this house.

Dennis and I always wanted a brick colonial with white trim and black shutters. And, we knew we wanted to end up in Longmeadow. This town is a throw-back of sorts, a sleepy little town where family life is central to everything. There is little industry, lots of history, mature trees throughout, and an enviable “network of sidewalks”. We looked at a number of homes, of all different architectural styles, but none quite hit the mark. Then one Sunday, I was scouring the “Homes for Sale” section of the classifieds and came across a tiny 3-line listing for an open house that afternoon, a house For Sale by Owner, with no picture, but in our price range. Dennis was studying furiously for his second bar exam, so I decided to venture out on my own to check it out.

Well, the minute I turned down our road I knew I was home. Our road is lined with huge trees, with the majority of homes being brick colonials. As I approached #10, my heart was practically leaping out of my chest. I called Dennis at home and told him “You have to come meet me here NOW.” As I said, he was studying furiously, so he was in no place to be dropping everything and running out to look at a house. He told me to come home and we could take a ride back later to see inside. So home I went, a bit dejected if I’m honest, and waited patiently for him to get to a good stopping point. As soon as he did, we headed back to the open house, and did a walkthrough of the house that lasted 5 minutes tops. The owner was chatting with other folks while we were there, so we didn’t even get a chance to talk to him. We got back in the car, and both agreed that this was the house for us. We went home, Dennis called the owner, and promptly made a full-price offer. The owner told him he’d already gotten a full-price offer, so he’d take ours into consideration as well. When Dennis hung up, I was devastated. We talked it over quickly, and agreed (well, kind of!) to call him back and offer him more money and a quick close date. I just knew this was where we were meant to be, and I couldn’t let it slip away from us. I mean, come on, it’s a brick colonial with white trim and black shutters, in Longmeadow. Seriously.

So, long story even longer, they accepted our offer and we moved in at the end of March, 2006. And we’ve loved it ever since. Admittedly, it’s smaller than we’d like (or really need) it to be, we’ve found some crazy handiwork here and there courtesy of the previous owner, and we have a wish-list a mile long of projects we’d like to tackle. But, this is home for us, and I wouldn’t trade it, or the life that we’ve built in it, for anything in the world.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-07-01T03:53:00.001-04:00

Week 23 Theme - Water

Gini’s on the top, mine on the bottom.

Funny that we both ended up using pool shots this week. Funny in that Gini is always around a pool and I seldom am. And funny that my sister thinks she was predictable this week, and yet I opened her email just like every week - wondering what she’d chosen to do with the theme. Go ahead…say it…DUH!

I like this combination and the way it depicts both work and fun. In the top you have my niece, Hannah, who swims competitively (and is damn good at it, to boot!), skillfully working her way through the water. In the bottom, you have Matthew and Dennis, just in it for the sheer fun of it. I love looking at the difference in their facial expressions – Hannah so driven and focused, and Matthew so playful and giddy with anticipation. I especially love seeing how similar Matthew and Dennis’ expressions are – the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree!

Team-Up Thursday

2010-06-24T04:34:00.001-04:00

Week 22 Theme – After Dark

Mine on the left, Gini's on the right.

No interesting story this week, really. When I saw the theme, this was the shot that popped into my head. I stepped outside the other night as a soft rain was falling, and started firing away. I ended up with a bunch of good shots, but this one matched up exactly with what I had in mind. I love that feeling.

As for my sister’s picture, I recognized the location pretty quickly. I’m struck by how busy this shot makes the street look. Longmeadow is a pretty sleepy town, but it’s interesting to see how much busier it can appear when street lights, traffic lights and a couple of cars run through it “after dark”.

Happy Father’s Day!

2010-06-20T03:05:00.001-04:00

Happy Father’s Day

the world’s best Daddy!

We love you like crazy!

Y Matthew & Gabriella Y

(and Mommy, too)

Team-Up Thursday

2010-06-17T03:46:00.001-04:00

Week 21 Theme - Chaos

OK, how funny is this?? Gini's on top, mine on the bottom. That’s all boy right there! I love that we both had similar ideas once again, and I love that Gini took a close-up shot. LOVE the wreckage in the background, and that Thomas is just chugging on through with that perma-grin on his face.

I knew for our theme this week I’d end up taking a picture of some spot in my house. Right now, pretty much every room seems to be in chaos, looking like a bomb went off. Which, incidentally, is making my head feel like it’s in chaos – but I wasn’t quite sure how to take a picture of the inside of my head. I’ll have to ponder that one….

Anyway…I decided earlier this week that I’d take tomorrow off. For the first time, I’ll be sending my kids to daycare while I stay home. My goal is to bring some order back to our living space. I know there are much worse messes, but for someone with just a tiny bit of OCD (perhaps), it’s making me crazy. I mean, come on. Do you see two balls that aren’t in with the other balls? And yes, I see the third one that’s not in there. But that bowling ball belongs with the bowling pins in the green tub on the top rack. Each in its place. :)

I’m feeling pretty crappy about being home and not having my kids with me, but I know on the flip side if I’m able to get things more organized, I’ll feel much less stressed. Less stressed Mommy is a good thing, right? I know it’s worth it, and I know tackling the chaos in the house will tackle the chaos in my head as well.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-06-10T04:22:00.001-04:00

Week 20 Theme – Mirror

Gini's on top, mine on the bottom.

What can I say? I love my little boy’s face in this picture. And I love how he’s really looking at me, rather than himself, in the mirror. First week using my new camera, which just arrived Tuesday afternoon. Can’t wait to see what I can do with this puppy.

And as for my sister’s shot. Aside from absolutely loving the reflection of those beautiful angels, it reminds me of my great aunt. She used to have this huge, beautiful mirror with angels all around it at the bottom of her staircase. I remember her going to see a psychic one time. She told us how the psychic held on to her watch and was able to tell so much about her – crazy, little things that you’d have no other way of knowing. Like the fact that she had this giant mirror with angels at the bottom of her staircase. The psychic told her that if she sat down on the stairs, closing her eyes, and then opened them and looked in the mirror, she’d see her own angels behind her. She was always too nervous to actually do it, a bit afraid of what she might actually see. I think about that story often, most especially when I need to feel that my own angels are behind me.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-06-03T04:14:00.001-04:00

Week 19 Theme – Signs

Back in the saddle again this week, and I think we done good. Mine on the left, Gini's on the right.

I was quite happy with our creation this week, and when I went to draft this post, I got even happier. In taking my shot, I had focused on the horoscope (get it, sign?) for Scorpio, since that’s what I am. (You could have guessed that, right? Yes, I am pretty much a textbook Scorpio. Google it if you’re curious.) What I didn’t realize until just now is that in focusing there, I managed to capture the 4 signs of my little family. Dennis the Libra, me the Scorpio, Gabriella the Sagittarius and Matthew the Capricorn. Cool, right? OK, maybe it’s just me….

As for Gini’s picture, make sure you follow the link over to her blog, as I’m hoping she’ll share the story of how it came to be. Personally, I love it, not just because I think it came out cool, but because of the memory it conjures up for me. If you don’t already know this, our mother was a paraplegic, and had a handicapped permit as a result. One time when we were shopping up at Ames in Sturbridge – gosh, it’s gotta be at least 25 years ago now – my mother had parked in a handicapped spot near the front of the store. Gini, Chris and I were at the trunk, preparing to get her wheelchair out, while she was still sitting in the driver’s seat. Well, this woman came out of the store, saw that we’d parked there and that the three of us were able-bodied, and I can only imagine assumed that the only person remaining in the car couldn’t possibly be handicapped, since she was in the driver’s seat. She proceeded to come over and start yelling at us about parking in a handicapped spot. What happened next was priceless. My sister whipped my mother’s wheelchair out of the trunk and chased the lady through the parking lot with it, yelling “Do you see the wheelchair?” One of my favorite stories of all time, and something I was always proud of my sister for doing. Not sure I ever told her that, but I guess now I have.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-05-27T04:54:00.001-04:00

Week 18 Theme – Out of Focus

Just not feeling it this week for some reason. And figured I’d rather not force it. That would just take all the fun out of it.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-05-20T22:33:00.001-04:00

Week 17 Theme – Hot & Cold

Mine on the left; Gini’s on the right.

I must admit I kinda mailed this one in this week. The days got away from me, despite finding out about the theme very early on. The kiddos have been sick, and I couldn’t seem to get past the most obvious interpretation, as evidenced by my faucet picture. Funny thing is – I was working through some other ideas that would have ended up being pretty similar to Gini’s, which I love, by the way. Aren’t the flames on a gas stove just the most beautiful color? Kinda match nicely with the purple in my bathroom…

Looking forward to hopefully being a bit more creative next week.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-05-13T05:22:00.001-04:00

Week 16 Theme - MOM

Ummm, yeah…Gini's on top, mine on the bottom. So, great minds think alike, right?

I must admit, though, this isn’t where my mind went initially. When I first saw the theme for this week, my initial thought for the subject of my photo was myself. My second thought was of my Mom. And when that thought came to me, I instantly felt guilty for having had the first. I thought that I must be awfully self-centered that my mind didn’t immediately go to my own mother when I saw the word Mom. I wondered if after 23 years of not seeing her face or hearing her voice, she was starting to lose that place in the forefront of my mind. But after giving it some thought, I realized that wasn’t it at all. And, I found that the real reason was something to be happy, not guilty, about.

I realized that, for me, Mom has become my identity. It’s more than my title; it’s who I am. It’s how I think of myself, and not just in terms of my babies, but also with my husband. I’m not only his wife, but the Mom to his children. And it’s a role I cherish. So, I guess it’s only natural that this is where my mind would go when I see the word Mom. It’s because on that day when I first became one, I came to realize the depth of the love that comes with that title. I came to understand how my own Mother must have felt for us three, and in that understanding, I felt even closer to her.

Anyway, back to the diptych. I love that we both had the same thought, and love that both shots have flowers – life to offset the death. Gini obviously thought to bring some with her, unlike me. =)

What it means to me….

2010-05-09T21:52:00.001-04:00

M aking the most of every single moment. Having lost my mother at 17, I don’t want to waste a single second with my children.

O ffering a hug or a kiss or a song (even though I can’t carry a tune) to comfort my kids when they are sad or sick or scared.

T eaching my kids to be loving, compassionate and kind. It’s my job, and definitely a work in progress.

H onoring the traditions and values I was raised with, and sharing them with the next generation.

E arning the love they give so unconditionally. It’s important for me to live up to their expectations.

R elishing every laugh, every smile, every milestone, and burning them into my brain because the time passes all too quickly.

Happy Mother’s Day

2010-05-09T05:20:00.001-04:00

Happy Mother’s Day, Moms!

I wish you all a day of feeling appreciated and loved!

Team-Up Thursday

2010-05-06T05:14:00.001-04:00

Week 15 Theme - Friends

My photo on the left; my sister's on the right.

This one started out easy, then became tough, then became so easy again. When I first read the theme for this week, I was excited. I immediately thought I’d use a photo of Matthew loving on Gabby. I take lots of these, although I must say, they never quite come out the way I think they will. Someone’s always moving, or blinking, or squinting, or something. And when you’re using a little point and shoot camera like I am, that translates to often times missing the shot. Because of this, I decided to rethink my shot. And then, the week got away from me. Not sure where it went or what I was doing, but yesterday afternoon I realized I hadn’t taken my photo yet. Time to resort to one I already had. I knew immediately what to pick.

I absolutely LOVE the photo I used. I took it on Saturday at Scarborough Beach in Narrangansett, Rhode Island. We had taken a ride to Point Judith for lunch at Aunt Carrie's – the most fabulous crab cakes you’ll ever have. Seriously. After lunch, we decided to make a stop at the beach, and let me say I was thrilled at how much Matthew loved it. He’s been to beaches the past two summers, but this year he really gets it. He loved walking barefoot in the sand, and didn’t mind sticking his piggers in the fa-reezing cold water. This bodes well for future beach trips, methinks. Anyhow…I digress. I fell in love with this picture the minute I took it, and couldn’t wait to see it full size. I think it captures the most basic of friendships – that between a boy and his Daddy. I just melt when I look at the way they’re looking at each other. <3

As for Gini’s picture, a similar thought had occurred to me at one point during the week, but not in nearly the same dramatic fashion. WOW. I just love seeing Hannah’s dark profile juxtaposed (Ha! There’s a $5 word for you!) against the white of the screen. Just gorgeous. And look at those fabulous lashes! To use old Facebook lingo, I’m a fan of this photo.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-04-29T03:23:00.002-04:00

Week 14 Theme - Fruit

Gini’s on top, mine on the bottom.

I love Gini’s interpretation of this theme. It’s unexpected, in that there’s no real fruit depicted. Love reading the names of all the fruits instead, and looking at the painted pictures of them.

I must admit that I pulled this one out at the last minute. I had a hard time deciding what to do this week. I had planned to hit the grocery store, but didn’t manage to get there yet this week. Probably just as well – I’m not quite sure how I would have looked taking photos in the produce section. And, since my Peapod order is not coming until today, I didn’t have much for fruit in the house. I did, though, have these last few bananas, which to me are just now at the perfect ripeness. Can’t wait for breakfast….

Team-Up Thursday

2010-04-22T07:45:00.003-04:00

Week 13 Theme - Shape

Gini's photo on the left, mine on the right.

I love the heart-shaped leaves in Gini's picture - beauty in nature. I also love how the greens are carried through in both pictures. Appropriate for publishing on Earth Day, no?

Giggly Gabriella

2010-04-16T13:10:00.004-04:00

Just had to share this little video of my girl. I just love to hear her giggle!!

Team-Up Thursday

2010-04-15T11:00:00.003-04:00

Week 12 Theme - From Lying Down

My picture on the left, Gini's on the right. Love the blue sky in both of our shots, and how you really get a sense of lying down in Gini's.

This one posed some challenges for me. When I first read the theme, I was very excited at the prospect. I liked the idea of changing up the perspective on things, and the first thing that popped into my head was a photograph I saw years ago by Dewitt Jones, a National Geographic photographer. I first saw it at work in a training video he put out called "Celebrate What's Right With the World". The message of the video was about choosing to see possibilities rather than focus on what's wrong. The message stuck with me, as did the stunning photos he used to make his point. As I remember it, he told the story of how one day, he'd gone to capture photos of a field of yellow dandelion flowers for a spread in National Geographic, but when he got there, they'd all turned to seed. At first he was disappointed and frustrated, but then he decided to think of what was possible. He laid down, looked up, and this photo was the result. Simply beautiful.

So, all that to say that I loved the idea of "from lying down". I actually took my picture in Court House Square in Springfield on Sunday, after we'd taken Matthew to a hockey game. We were walking back to the car, on that gorgeous afternoon, and I saw an idea for a shot before me. I'm sure I looked hysterical lying down on the ground in downtown Springfield, but I figured - who the hell cares? Matthew popped into view as I was taking my series of shots, and this one ended up being my favorite.

Putting the diptych together, though, was a challenge. I tried it a bunch of different ways, and just couldn't get excited about any of them. I sent one off to Gini, but then stewed about it all night. Then this morning, after taking some time away from it, I gave it another shot and was really pleased with the finished product. I just love how the tree branches seem to line up - totally unplanned, but I love how it worked out.

Now if I could just get myself back to remembering Dewitt Jones' words of wisdom on a more regular basis.....

Team-Up Thursday

2010-04-08T03:26:00.003-04:00

Week 11 Theme - Color

Once again, Gini's on the left, and mine on the right. This pair makes me happy. So bright and cheery. I love the spotlight effect on the eggs - it makes them just pop off the screen. As for mine, it's not the shot I thought I was doing, but I saw this box of markers while at Gini's the other night, and grabbed the shot in case I wasn't able to get an opportunity to shoot the one I wanted. Not bad for my little $150 Canon point-and-shoot.

And never you mind about the shot I had planned - I'm hoping maybe an upcoming theme will lend itself to my idea.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-04-01T07:14:00.002-04:00

Week 10 Theme - Book

Gini's on the left, mine on the right. I struggled with this one this week. Couldn't seem to get very creative. I think I got stuck in my own head because I used a book in my close-up shot a couple of weeks ago.

Gini, on the other hand, was able to think outside the book...I mean box. Nice job balancing, Connor!

Team-Up Thursday

2010-03-25T03:36:00.002-04:00

Week 9 Theme - Happy

Mine on top, and Gini's on the bottom.

I love how different these are this week. I, of course, had to go with my smiley little girl, who is the epitome of happy (most of the time, anyway!). I just adore those toothless grins!

And Gini's picture was obviously meant to be. Just happened to be her fortune at dinner last night.

Oh, and don't forget to add "in bed" to the end of it!

Team-Up Thursday

2010-03-18T02:45:00.003-04:00

Week 8 Theme - Close Up

Mine on top, Gini's on the bottom. I love the contrast of these two pictures, in color and also in the feelings they seem to evoke. The cool solitude of the page vs. the warm togetherness of my beautiful nephews. Love how this turned out.

Lately it occurs to me (...what a long, strange trip it's been....oh, sorry) that these Team-Up Thursday posts may come off a bit conceited, since my sister and I are so pleased with our own work. All I can say is this - we certainly don't intend it to come across that way. Just really enjoying this creative challenge and the opportunity to do something together.

Happy St. Patrick's Day....

2010-03-17T06:49:00.000-04:00

from our two little leprechauns!!!

Team-Up Thursday

2010-03-11T03:08:00.006-05:00

Week 7 Theme - Relax

Gini's photo on top; mine below. For me, Gini's picture exudes relaxation - the warm glow of the fire, feet up after a long day, and best of all, the pedicure. Ahhhh.......

The teacup in mine is one that belonged to Dennis' great aunt. She had a huge cupboard full, and I was fortunate to be able to give many of them a new home when hers was cleaned out. There's a wonderful assortment of cups and saucers, that together make a beautiful, eclectic collection.

So suddenly I'm feeling the need to redecorate the built-ins in our dining room....

Team-Up Thursday

2010-03-04T07:45:00.002-05:00

Week 6 Theme - Walk

Gini's photo on the left; mine on the right. This was a fun one this week. My original thought was to take a picture of a walk signal. You know, showing the little orange guy walking. But, I didn't fully think through what it would take to capture that. Didn't stop to think that if there's a walk signal somewhere, it's probably because there's a fair amount of traffic. I knew there was a signal near the Old Town Hall (the brick building in the background). So, I drove over and proceeded to head to the crosswalk. Then it dawned on me. In order to capture the signal on walk, I'd have to press the button and stop traffic. Which would be fine if I was planning to actually cross the street and not just stand there clicking away. Whoops! So, I grabbed this shot on the first try and quickly ran across to the other side, figuring I'd snap a quick shot or two of the orange guy on the way back. I walked down the sidewalk for a bit before turning around and going back to cross back over, so as to not look too crazy. I was psyched because two other people out for a walk came to cross at the same time. Jackpot! Unfortunately, the hood over the signal that shields it from the sun so it can be seen was bent in half, covering the stinking guy up. Oh well, not to be. Just as well, because I think this combo works great. Love how Gini's shows a peaceful path, while mine implies the busyness of the street.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-02-25T05:25:00.003-05:00

Week 5 Theme - Self-Portrait

This week, the group was asked to create a self-portrait. Believe it or not, Gini and I did not plan this. It was really quite serendipitous that our shots ended up aligning the way they did. I think the result is amazing - I'm going to need to print and frame this one.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-02-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

Week 4 Theme - Nine

I really, really love our entry for this week. I had a bunch of very different ideas, none of which panned out. Nonetheless, I was happy with the result when Gini sent me the finished product (hers on the left, mine on the right).

Team-Up Thursday

2010-02-11T03:55:00.006-05:00

Week 3 Theme - Love

In honor of Valentine's Day, our theme for this week's diptych is love. I couldn't be happier with the way our entry came out. To me, it sums up my general philosophy on photography. That is, a photo should capture a moment and freeze it in time, allowing those who view it to feel what it was like to be in that very moment. Both of our pictures capture love as it happened, not in some staged or posed fashion.

In Gini's picture, you not only see the physical demonstration of love - the actual valentines - but you can sense how lovingly they were made by looking at Garrin's sweet little fingers, working busily away.

In mine, I think you can feel the love between Matthew and Gabby. He's touching her head so tenderly, and she's resting so peacefully in his lap. I took this picture a few weeks ago with my Blackberry, hence the lousy quality. I tried yesterday to recreate that moment so I could capture it with one of my other cameras. But you know what? Despite their higher resolution and clarity, they didn't come out anywhere near as beautiful as this one.

Further proof that you have to just let life unfold before your eyes and relish it. You can't try to orchestrate it so that it's perfect, or you'll end up missing the true beauty of the moments.

Team-Up Thursday

2010-02-04T01:00:00.000-05:00

Week 2 Theme: Dark

Funny how my mind always jumps to food first....

Teaming Up

2010-01-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

Last week, my sister emailed me about a post she'd seen on this blog. It was regarding a creative venture called "Team-Up Thursday", in which two partners photograph a common theme or idea and create a diptych of what each has captured. Pretty cool idea, I thought. I love photography, despite my lack of a truly serious camera (yes, I have camera envy for my sister's monster machine). And, I've been seriously lacking in the blog post department lately, despite having plenty going on in my life to blog about.

And so, Gini and I are teaming up to see what we can come up with. Should be interesting to see how differently (or similarly) the two of us interpret the same theme each week.

So, here's Week 1's diptych, on the theme of "Movement".

This is gonna be fun.

On to the Twos...

2010-01-18T00:00:00.002-05:00

Happy 2nd Birthday to my little boy....

Hard to believe how quickly you've gone from this...

to this...

We love you so very, very much.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2009-12-25T11:13:00.002-05:00

Thought I'd share my favorite gifts.....

Emotions are a funny thing

2009-12-10T22:48:00.001-05:00

Thought I'd take a few moments to capture some of the thoughts running through my head tonight - our last night as a family of three. Tomorrow is the big day - the day our daughter arrives. It's amazing to me the variety of emotions we humans have the capacity to feel at the same time. You wonder just how that's possible.

First off, I'm so very excited to meet her. I can't wait to see what she looks like, can't wait to hold her, can't wait to hear her tiny little cries. I can't wait to see my husband hold his baby girl in his arms for the very first time. I can't wait to watch him get wrapped around her tiny little finger. Even more so, I can't wait for Matthew to meet her. I can't wait to see his reaction to her. We've had an amazing two weeks together at home, and we've been talking about her a lot. It seems like this week he's really begun to understand that she's coming, for real, and that she'll be part of our family. Just today, he told me he's going to give her a kiss on the head and on the nose. I can't wait to see if he really does that.

And yet, amidst all this excitement, I can't help but feel a little bit sad. Sad to think that some of the attention he's used to getting will now be shared. I worry that he'll somehow feel less loved, and that thought just breaks my heart. I am determined that I will not let that happen. When I first found out I was pregnant this time, after being completely overjoyed, I felt this same twinge of sadness. I wondered how it would be possible to love another baby as much as I love Matthew. But, I quickly came to realize that it would be easier than anything I'd ever done in my life. Your heart and your love just grow. I know this without her even being here yet. And I also know that the joy he'll experience from having a sibling will far outweigh anything else he'll feel. I just need to make myself focus on that thought and help him to find that joy.

My deepest hope for tomorrow is that he is as excited as we are to meet her, and that he really feels like giving her those kisses on her head and nose. He's been calling her "My Gabby" for the last few days, and I hope he really feels that way when she's finally here.

Love you, my little man, and can't wait to meet you, my little girl.

~ Mommy

32 weeks....

2009-10-25T22:15:00.000-04:00

I figured it was about time I shared an update on my pregnancy. I haven't written much at all about it anywhere, for a number of different reasons. But, we're getting down to the wire here, so I think it's time...

I went for an ultrasound on Friday (at 32 weeks) for the purpose of estimating the baby's size. Dennis wasn't able to come along as we had planned since Matthew was home sick. In any event, off I went. I was happy to hear that everything looks good - no extra parts have grown, so it's still a girl. She has actually turned head down (she was breech at my last Dr.'s appointment), and I could see the hair on her head - looks like we'll have another hairy baby on our hands! Her hands were by her face, just like Matthew's always were, and her feet were up there, too. Based on the measurements taken, she's measuring approximately 10 days ahead, and already weighs around 5 lbs 3 oz - above the 90th percentile! Man, we make big babies!

I had hoped to avoid a c-section this time, although as a compromise with my doctor, I have one scheduled for my due date. Now, based on what they're seeing in terms of size, they're thinking that should be moved up at least a week. I'm expecting to chat with the doctor tomorrow to discuss dates. If I go into labor on my own beforehand, they'll let me go and see how I progress. And, I have another ultrasound scheduled at 36 weeks to see how much she's grown by then.

I didn't get a ton of pictures, but thought I'd share those I did get....

This one is my favorite, although the picture and the scan don't nearly do the moment justice. She was looking right at us, and opening and closing her eyes and mouth. It was so sweet I couldn't help but cry a little bit. Can't wait to meet this little girl!

Happy, Happy Day!

2009-10-18T00:01:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday, Babe!

We love you like crazy!

Making the most of a long weekend

2009-10-15T22:30:00.004-04:00

Thank goodness for Christopher Columbus. For obvious reasons, but especially for the long weekend this past weekend. It's not a holiday my company recognizes, but since Dennis had it off, I decided to take the day too.

We've had a lot going on lately, and haven't gotten around to some of our favorite fall activities. So, we decided to take advantage of the long weekend and get our autumn on (along with a few other fun things). I've included some pics from our weekend below, but there are lots more at our online gallery if you'd like to take a look.

We started out on Saturday with a trip to our favorite apple orchard, Jameson's High Meadow Farm in Chester, MA. Matthew fell asleep just as we got close, so we drove around for a while to let him catch a few winks. It wasn't the sunniest of days, but the area is so beautiful that it didn't even matter. Once we headed to the orchard, Matthew was in his glory. He had an absolute blast running around and loved helping Daddy pull apples from the trees.

Love how they have the same expression on their faces in this one....

Next, we headed to Knightville Dam to check out the foliage. We actually hit it at a pretty good time - we're usually WAY too late and everything is brown and dead. We were happy to see everything looking so beautiful, but it got crazy windy as we walked along the dam so we didn't stay long.

From there, we headed to Huntington Country Store for some goodies, and my personal favorite - the Wrapple - this fabulous apple roll-up they make at this time of year. Yup - went home with two of those, in addition to peanut butter cookies, pepperoni bread, and a new pepperoni and garlic bread concoction they've come up with. We also got an angel that we can use as a Christmas tree topper, and our Advent calendar, which we always buy there.

We headed home for a quick rest, and then went off to a concert at the Wherehouse in Holyoke. We saw the Makem and Spain Brothers as part of the 10th anniversary celebration for the Irish Cultural Center at Elms College. We'd seen them several years back when they tagged along at a Tommy Makem show we attended one St. Patrick's weekend. We love them, and apparently so does Matthew! When the music started, he just leaned back against my chest and took it all in, clapping now and then in time with the music. He even made his way into the video the ICC was filming - very cool!

On Sunday, I had a baby shower to go to at Fusion Cafe in East Longmeadow. Delicious food, great company and can't wait to meet the latest Pagliaro baby! Then, after the shower, we headed to the MassMutual Center to see Sesame Street Live. We all had a fabulous time - Matthew was in heaven seeing Elmo and all his buddies dancing around. He was so captivated - he alternated dancing in the aisles with moments of being purely mesmerized. It was so fun to watch! Somehow we made it out without purchasing the $10 Elmo mylar balloon, but we did buy a $15 stuffed Elmo. (Why didn't I just stash one of Matthew's in my purse?? Lesson learned.)

Then, on Monday, we decided to set out for pumpkins. We went to Pell Farm in Somers, where they have a great selection of pumpkins, but even better - they have tons of animals to check out and pet. They also offer pony rides and hay rides - such a fun place. The absolute best part of the visit was when Matthew picked some grass and walked over to a donkey and said "Onkey - wanna bite?" So damn cute!!

We came home with some great pumpkins, and then just CRASHED. All of us got in some great naptime that afternoon. A perfect ending to a perfect weekend. Hope you had a great one too!

What is it....

2009-10-01T21:59:00.004-04:00

...about little boys and garbage trucks?

I swear Matthew can hear the truck coming from a mile away. He moves from room to room to watch it and I always open the dining room window for him so he can hear them when they reach our house. The best part? After they take our trash or recyclables, he says "Thank you, gawa." (Gawa is his word for garbage truck, which he actually uses for all types of trucks.) Then for the next hour or so, he'll ask me "Mama? Gawa bye-bye?" Love it.

What a difference a year makes....

2009-09-28T21:55:00.002-04:00

This just blows my mind.....

9-24-08

9-24-09

Trip #1

2009-09-18T22:43:00.001-04:00

Well, it's that time of year again. Tonight was our first trip to this year's Big E, and my first trip ever on the opening day. I must say it was quite a bit quieter than I anticipated - pleasantly surprised!

It's amazing to see the difference in Matthew since last year's visits. If you're bored and have some time to kill, take a look back at my posts from last year....unbelievable how much he's grown and changed.

Thought I'd post a few pictures from tonight's visit. You know me....there'll be more to come from subsequent trips.

Hmmm....do I really have to share these pierogi with Mommy & Daddy?

Ahhhh.....milk.

Showing off his new Sox hat from the Massachusetts building. (Matthew, not Dennis!)

Irish musicians putting on a performance at the Dingle Peninsula exhibit in the Young Building

The phenomenal voice of the group, inspired by Guinness. Oh, and our priest, Father Reilly, on guitar!

We stayed for about 2.5 hours - just enough to whet our appetite for our return visits. I must say my favorite part was watching Matthew take it all in and get so excited about the things he saw. Never thought it was possible for me to like The Big E more, but seeing him having so much fun topped it all.

Can't wait to go back....

We Must Never Forget

2009-09-11T07:45:00.002-04:00

It's Been A While....

2009-08-27T22:13:00.002-04:00

No, I'm not channeling Aaron Lewis from Staind (despite the Longmeadow connection). Just stating the obvious, really. Haven't blogged (or read my favorite blogs) in forever.

Not for a lack of things going on around here. We've been quite busy - weddings, birthday parties, trips to the Cape, weekend drives, Saw Doctors concerts.... Just somehow haven't found the time or gumption to actually sit down at the 'puter and write about it. I feel it returning slowly, so I thought I'd dip my toe back in the water by sharing a few pics from our recent adventures.

More to come soon....thanks for sticking with me....

Another fun weekend!

2009-08-02T22:30:00.006-04:00

For those of you who live around here, you know that Saturday was one of the nicest days we've had in a long time. The sun was shining ALL DAY LONG - not a drop of rain - a perfect day to hit the road.

We headed to the Berkshires to have lunch and then head to Mount Greylock. We had lunch at one of our favorite places out that way....

After lunch, we took a nice leisurely drive through Monterey and Tyringham. It was a gorgeous day, and the views were just spectacular. We stumbled upon the Tyringham Cobble, 200+ acres of forest and meadows (cool story about it here).

We drove along the outskirts of the reservation, found where it crosses the Appalachian trail, and ended up near this stream we love.

The road we usually follow near that stream was closed, so we headed another way, only to find some of the most beautiful views ever. This one is someone's private residence....must be nice.

We ended up back in Lee, and decided to make a quick pit stop at the outlets. By the time we were done, we were pretty pooped, so we decided to save Mount Greylock for another day. We headed home for a brief nap, before heading out later that evening to the Italian Festival put on by the Mt. Carmel Society in Enfield.

I was in my glory, surrounded by people that reminded me so much of my Italian heritage and family. The music was great, the food was fabulous, and the people watching could not have been better.

OK, of special note here are the meatballs. I'll go out on a limb and say I make a damn good spaghetti sauce, but I've never really made meatballs that taste the way I like them to taste. These were unbelievable - some of the best I've ever had. Why can't mine taste like these???

For dessert, we had a delicious cannoli, and while we waited in line for fried dough, Matthew demonstrated that he likes Italian music just as much as he likes Mexican. See for yourself....

We had hoped to go back tonight (because there were actually a couple of things we didn't eat on Saturday!) but the weather just didn't cooperate. You can bet we'll make it a point to go again next year.

Pleasantly surprised

2009-07-26T17:17:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, around lunchtime, we decided to head out to get Matthew's hair cut (yet again). We typically have lunch at Flatbread Company when he gets a haircut (gotta justify going all the way to Canton somehow), but we had pizza for dinner Friday night so we just weren't feeling it. We decided instead to have lunch at this little Mexican joint in Enfield called Sarapes. Dennis had heard great things about it recently, so we thought we'd give it a try.

From the outside, it doesn't look like much - it's a tiny little store front in a building with a dry cleaner and a laundromat.

We started out with a basket of homemade tortilla chips and three different kinds of salsa. One fresh, chunky mild salsa with lots of yummy cilantro, and two thinner spicy salsas - one green, one red. We tried plying Matthew with Cheerios until his lunch came, but he was not satisfied. We gave him a chip (his first chip ever!), which he promptly devoured. We gave him another, expecting he'd eat it, but instead he made a dunking motion with it, as if to tell us he wanted it dunked in salsa like we were having. After doing that a few times, I decided to just move the mild salsa within reach for him. He LOVED it (and proceeded to dunk his Cheerios in it as well)!

Here's a shot of him giving the nosy lady next to us ordering takeout a dirty look (just like Daddy had just done). Don't you just love when people talk to your kid as a way of getting a message to you? She kept making comments about the salsa being spicy. Seriously, lady, mind your own damn business. First of all, it's not spicy, and second of all, if I want to give my kid spicy food, I really don't care whether you express your disapproval. There are entire cultures whose children are raised on spicy foods. Besides, does my kid look like he's not taken care of? Buzz off.

Our lunches were outstanding. Even the rice and beans were awesome - the rice was nicely seasoned and not at all dry, and the beans were topped with a perfect amount of oaxaca cheese. This was definitely not like your typical Mexican chain restaurant style food. Don't get me wrong - I'm a big fan of On The Border and Taco Hell myself, but sometimes it's nice to have something a little more authentic.

Matthew enjoyed the atmosphere, as you can see in the video below....

I can't wait to go back again and try some other dishes!

And that's the way it is...

2009-07-18T11:08:00.001-04:00

R.I.P. Uncle Walter

The Great Outdoors

2009-07-14T07:30:00.001-04:00

This past weekend, we took Matthew on his first camping trip (and my first in....ahem....30 years). Last time I camped was in Girl Scouts, and let's face it, all I really had to do then was show up and eat s'mores. We planned this outing with our friends Jay and Liz & Adam and Chrissie, along with their kids. We always have a fun time together, so I knew it would be a great weekend.

We set out on Friday afternoon, and made our way to the campground in Bozrah, CT. Less than an hour away, and only 20 minutes from Jay and Liz's, so we knew we had a contingency plan close by should the weather become an issue. (Fortunately, it didn't - got a good storm on Saturday night but nothing we couldn't handle.) The place looked gorgeous on the website, but you never know what to expect. As we pulled up to the campground, I knew for sure we had a wonderful weekend in store - it was even more beautiful in person.

We got up to our sites, at the end of a dead end road up a pretty steep hill. That hill proved interesting for trips to the restrooms, but I think we had the best sites in the place. Lots of privacy, and really tucked away in the woods - just what we were hoping for.

Dennis got the tent all set up while Matthew and I explored a bit. Jay, Liz, Abby and Wyatt arrived shortly after us, with Adam, Chrissie and Timmy not far behind. The tent worked out great - Matthew's pack and play fit perfectly in the little side room, and the kids enjoyed using the air mattress as a mini bounce house!

One of the best parts of the trip was watching the kids play together. They really had a fun time, and it's so great that they're all so close in age. I can just see the many years of fun these guys will all have together, and I just love it.

On Saturday afternoon, we decided to check out some of the many amenities of the campground, even though we were perfectly content to just hang around by the campfire. The kiddos all had a fabulous time in the pool - Matthew absolutely loved it! Not only was he not afraid of the water (which I was so happy to see), but he looked like he was ready to just take off swimming. Here's one of my favorite pool shots...

There are just tons and tons of things to do at this campground, including this gorgeous 30 acre lake (with water trampoline, canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, etc.). They have different activities every weekend, plus mini-golf, shuffleboard, Bingo, horseshoes, tennis, basketball, and my favorite - a restaurant on the beach that will deliver food to your site. Definitely want to take advantage of that next time! I think Liz captured it perfectly when she said "This place is like Kellerman's!" Oh, and if you don't get that reference, then shame on you!

Of course, camping isn't camping without coffee perked cowboy style on the fire....

And lots of yummy food.....

But, the best part of all was the company. I feel lucky to have such wonderful friends in my life. We brought cards and games to pass the time, but the great thing is that we truly enjoy each other's company so much that we just played with the kids and cooked and hung out by the fire, chatting and relaxing. I'm looking forward to many more camping trips together in the years to come. Love you guys.

I took a boatload of pictures, so check them out here. Those of you who are used to looking at pictures I take will see that as usual, I took lots of pictures of the same thing (remember the sunset pictures from Debbie & Brendan's wedding? Yeah, just like those.) There are lots of the kiddos playing on the rocks at breakfast, and lots at the pool. It's just what I do...

Hope you enjoy!

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-07-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

Date Taken: June 11, 1982

I recently reconnected with an old childhood friend, Larry. We grew up on the same road, and our mothers were good friends. We lost touch after high school, but he recently joined Facebook and found me. This is a picture taken before a 6th grade dance we went to, some 27 years ago now.

It's been so great getting in touch again. There's something so cool about having someone else remember all the same things you do, and also remind you of things you'd long since forgotten.

Larry - good to be back in touch. Looking forward to more trips down Memory Lane.

Two Cousins Turning Three

2009-06-28T20:40:00.010-04:00

You may remember that about this time last year, I posted about birthdays for two of Matthew's cousins who were born on the exact same day. Today, they both turned three, so we had a weekend full of birthday parties. Thought I'd share some of the fun....

First, on Saturday, James' party.....

And then, today, Noah's birthday....

Happy Birthday, Boys!

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-06-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

One year ago.... it's just unbelievable how much can change in one year's time, isn't it?

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T00:01:00.001-04:00

Happy Father's Day

to the

best Daddy anyone could ask for!

We love you like crazy!!

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-06-16T12:00:00.000-04:00

Taken: June 9, 1963

Place: Holy Trinity High, Hartford

As we were out and about this weekend, we saw lots of graduation parties going on. Made me think of this picture, so I thought I'd share it. This is my mother and my great aunt (her aunt), following my mother's high school graduation. I remember always thinking that my mother looked so very serious in this picture. Not quite how my graduation pictures looked. I guess 12 years of Catholic school gives you a little different perspective.

Didn't Tzizi's hat rock?

Best thing yet

2009-06-13T22:27:00.001-04:00

For anyone who's talked to me in, say, the last 6 months or so, you know that my response when asked how Matthew is doing is "He's doing great, but he's not walking yet". It's always top of mind for me, and even with the reassurance of his pediatrician that everything is fine, I couldn't help but wonder if there was something keeping him from walking. Of course, you always hear that every child develops differently, but you just want for your child to breeze through all developmental milestones.

Well, I should have known that in his own time, Matthew would decide it was time to walk. It finally happened on Friday night. We got home shortly before Dennis, so we waited outside for him. We walked up and down the driveway, Matthew holding on with one hand. When Dennis got home, we all went inside, Dennis carrying Matthew. He put him down just inside the kitchen door, and Matthew went to take Dennis' hand, but it wasn't there. So, he just proceeded to walk across the kitchen into the living room. We just looked at each other in awe.

He was so excited that all he wanted to do was walk around. I shot a bunch of videos - here's one of my favorites.

It was only a matter of time....

2009-06-11T21:17:00.000-04:00

Tardy Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-06-02T21:42:00.002-04:00

Taken: 1985

Place: Saint Philip the Apostle Church, Warrenville

This was taken in the Church hall after my Confirmation. Monsignor West (Father West at the time) had recently been reassigned to another parish, but he came back for our Confirmation, and we were thrilled. No big story to tell, really. Just one of very few pictures I have with my mother, sister, brother and I all together.

In the hilltowns...

2009-05-31T22:12:00.004-04:00

On Saturday, we took a ride to Cummington, MA for the Hilltown Spring Festival. Dennis had heard it mentioned on the news that morning, so he took us on a surprise ride. It was a gorgeous day - bright blue sky, low 70's, and just mile after mile of beautiful scenery.

As we arrived at the Festival, we reminded each other about a similar fair we went to last year, also in the hilltowns of Massachusetts. Let's just say we stuck out like sore thumbs. This time, not quite so bad, although if I had known where we were going, I might have chosen a different shirt for Matthew....

It ended up being quite an interesting mix of farmers and hippies, so we kinda fell somewhere in the middle. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself....

We got to see lots of different animals, which was great. Matthew got to check out a few, up close and personal...

He also got to go on his very first pony ride. I wasn't sure how he'd react, but he actually did fine. He was a bit distracted, and didn't want to hold on to the horn of the saddle. He was more interested in touching the pony's mane. We went round and round a few times, and he could barely take his eyes off the creature beneath him.

We definitely saw some things we'd never seen before.......a composting toilet, a bearded lady (and not like in a side show tent for people to check her out - just saw her doing a demonstration with her horse), and this....

Sadly, we didn't have a chance to play, since apparently the pigeons had just done their business right before we got to the table. Next year we'll know to time our visit so we get in on the action.

Really? Why?

2009-05-27T22:07:00.003-04:00

I've been waging this silent battle at work for the past 2 months. I say "silent" because I'm not entirely sure the parties on the other side know it's going on.

It all started when we moved into our new building. Just like in our old building, we each have two separate trash bins, one for paper to be recycled and one for trash to be, well, trashed. Now my personal preference for aligning said bins is recycling to the left, trash to the right. Always. When I'm sitting at my desk, I know exactly where they should be, and I can just toss stuff without needing to look. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening when I leave my office, my bins look like this.....

And invariably, the following Monday, Wednesday or Friday morning when I return to my office, my bins look like this....

What's up with that, yo? I'm beginning to think the cleaning crew is messing with me. I think they're purposely switching them on me to see if I'll switch them back. Either that or their level of OCD matches mine, and they feel compelled to put them the opposite way.

I think I'm gonna have to set up a nanny cam to catch the bandits in the act....

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-05-26T12:00:00.003-04:00

Taken: 1988, maybe 1989

This was my bunny, Euki (short for Eukanuba). Don't ask me why I named my rabbit after a brand of dog food. I just liked the word.

I had her for about 5 years. Based on the fact that she only had one chin in this picture, I'd say she was still pretty young. She got quite large over time, and ended up having 3 distinct chins.

Seeing the bunny on Jon & Kate Plus 8 last night reminded me of her. There were 30 or so kids all petting a bunny all at once, and Dennis commented that they should be careful because the bunny could have a heart attack. That's what happened with Euki. She had started to seem ill, wasn't eating much or acting like her normal self, so I took her to the vet. She didn't really like riding in the car much, so she got a bit stressed out, running in circles in her carrier and thumping her feet very loudly. I was able to reach in the back seat and slip my fingers in the cage to reach her, and she calmed down. When we got to the vet, I went to get her out of the car and noticed she wasn't moving. I ran into the vet yelling like a raving lunatic that I had an appointment but that I thought my bunny had just died in the car on the way over. Bless their souls, they were so kind to me, rushing out to the car to get her. Unfortunately, in her already weakened condition (from uterine cancer, they suspected), the stress of the car ride caused her to have a heart attack. Poor Euki.

Shoot - this wasn't intended to be a downer post. What the heck?? All I really meant to say was "Check out this cute picture of my bunny hanging out on my bed". Cute, right?

Forever grateful

2009-05-25T10:33:00.002-04:00

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-05-19T11:00:00.006-04:00

Date: October 7, 2006
Place: Providence, RI

Dennis and I had gone into Providence for a Saw Doctors show at Lupo's. We took a trolley into downtown, had a great dinner at RiRa, and then headed over to catch WaterFire. If you've never been, you really should check it out. There are 100 bonfires lit along the three rivers in downtown Providence, which are tended by these folks in gondolas, all dressed in black. It's set to beautiful music, and it's really quite breathtaking. We had the added bonus of seeing one of the gondolas crash into one of the bonfires as it was being lit. Oops!

The sponsor for WaterFire that evening was the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation, so the Capitol building was all lit up in pink. During the display, hundreds of people, many breast cancer survivors, marched silently through the crowds carrying torches. Just beautiful.

We later saw a great Saw Docs show - one of my favorites to date, actually. Great, great weekend.

Playing at the park

2009-05-15T22:05:00.007-04:00

Thought I'd share some pictures from our playtime at the park tonight during Dennis' softball practice. We had a blast!

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-05-12T12:00:00.002-04:00

Taken: Summer 1986 or 1987

Place: Saint Joseph Church Rectory

Here's a picture of a little squirrel I befriended while working at Saint Joseph Church - hard to believe that was more than 20 years ago now. The cooks and I named him Ezra, and he would come up on the back porch of the Rectory every afternoon for a snack. I used to feed him peanuts, which he would typically take right out of the pockets of my pants. He'd then sit on my leg and polish off his snack. This went on for months, until one day Ezra just stopped showing up. I like to think he must have found a better offer somewhere else.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T06:00:00.001-04:00

To all the Moms out there, Happy Mother's Day!

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-05-05T12:00:00.001-04:00

Date: October 29, 2005

Place: TD Banknorth Garden

Since the Stanley Cup playoffs are underway, I thought this would be a timely picture. This was taken at a Bruins "Old-Timers" game we went to in Boston. A number of former Bruins players took on a team from Russia - an exhibition game, of course.

I must admit I was never really into hockey before I met Dennis; didn't get it, really. It wasn't until I went to my first hockey game in person that it all clicked. I could follow the puck, follow the line changes, and really see the game unfold. Since that day, I've really enjoyed watching it, live or on TV.

The Bruin surrounded by a sea of Russian players in the picture is Ray Bourque, Dennis' all-time favorite player. As you can see, the Russian players were just thrilled to have their picture taken with Bourque. They were just in awe of him. He retired before I got into hockey, so I never saw him play. (Althought I've watched plenty of highlights since then, right babe?) I did catch a glimpse of what it must have been like, though, even in this exhibition game. During the game, one of the Russian players cross-checked Bourque, and he spun around with a look in his eye like he was gonna make him pay. He thought better of it, naturally, but it was fun to see nonetheless.

Go B's!

Are you serious?

2009-04-29T21:12:00.003-04:00

Tonight after work I headed up to West Farms (why do I say "up" to West Farms when it's south of here?) to see if I could find a gown for an upcoming gala we're attending on May 9th. Let's face it - there's really not much hope of finding anything locally. I was able to find a fancy top at Lord & Taylor to go with a black taffeta skirt I have from a previous gala. Not my fave, but it'll do.

A must these days is a pair of these...

After purchasing my top, I went over to the hosiery area and picked myself up a pair. I brought my purchase over to the closest register. It's important to note that this was the only item I was purchasing. The service associate (is that what they're called these days? I think I was called a cashier or clerk or something....) proceeded to offer me a Lord & Taylor charge, which I politely declined. She then proceeded to ask me a question which proves that they are completely on auto-pilot....she asked me if I'd be needing a gift receipt. Really, lady? Do you really think I'm buying these as a gift for somebody? Geez - who in my life would possibly want to get these as a gift from me? Happy Birthday, dear. I thought you'd enjoy a nice pair of Spanx.

Seriously....feel free to pay attention to what you're doing before you just run through your litany of questions. Man, that irks me.

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-04-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

I've been waiting for just the right time to post this picture. This is Dennis with his Uncle Matt (Matthew's namesake), after a fishing excursion to a beautiful little stream in Tyringham. Some of you may remember I posted about it once before. We took a ride out there again on Saturday, and this time stopped for lunch at the Monterey General Store, the very same spot where Dennis and Uncle Matt had lunch after catching all these fish. Hence, the perfect timing for this post.

This is a treasured picture, proudly displayed on our mantel. Dennis and his Uncle Matt had a very special bond. Sadly, he passed away much too young, but pictures like this help to relive the wonderful times they shared.

Thanks for your support!

2009-04-26T21:08:00.002-04:00

We'd like to thank everyone who supported us in our March for Babies today. We truly appreciate your generosity. We had a beautiful day - little warm for April, but we are definitely not complaining! Here a few shots from the day....

Waiting for the go-ahead to step off

Moms and boys

Dude, are you ready for this?

Matthew clowning around - dancing to the blaring music

The home stretch - coming through the arch at Bushnell Park

Another successful year for Team Squeaks!

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T07:00:00.001-04:00

Please do your part.

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-04-21T07:00:00.005-04:00

Date Taken: May 10, 1986

This picture has a permanent place in a frame on my nightstand. It was taken the afternoon of my junior prom. I was dressed and ready to go, my date waiting, and I posed for this picture with my mother before leaving home. I was SO excited about my dress (and my fabulous accessories - gloves, cameo, corsage, hair helmet!) We had shopped and shopped, and were so thrilled when we found this dress at the Holyoke Mall. It was pink with an overlay with raised tiny white polka dots, with a crinoline underneath and tons and tons of lace - so Victorian. Got itchy by the end of the night, but I loved it just the same.

Hard to believe that my mother will be gone 22 years this Thursday. My God, how those years have flown. Feels like only yesterday, and yet a lifetime ago just the same.

Had I given it some thought....

2009-04-16T12:00:00.002-04:00

I'm a big fan of orange juice. Wasn't always that way - it used to be that I could take it or leave it, kinda like lobster. But when I was pregnant with Matthew, it was one of the few cravings I had. I couldn't get enough of it. I'd have it every morning, but would also buy a small bottle any chance I had - at work, the convenience store, the gas station, while grocery shopping. I even filled my big Nalgene with it one time. Now that's a lot of juice! My affinity continued, even after I had Matthew, but in an effort to cut back on calories, I stopped drinking it so frequently. I'd rather be consuming those calories in other ways.

So, imagine my delight when I got a coupon a few weeks back for this.....

HOLY CRAP! O.J. with 50% less sugar and calories? Are you kidding me? Who's the friggin genius behind this?! I was beyond excited. I've been looking and looking for it, and I finally found some this week at Big Y, and could not wait to try it. Naturally, I didn't have my coupon with me, but that's another story. It's a bit more expensive, but I figured - hell, it's worth it.

Well, I tried it yesterday, and the taste was O.K. at best. I started to read the package to figure out how they made it with 50% less sugar and calories. I was thinking maybe it was something like making decaf coffee, where the beans are roasted longer which pulls out the caffeine. I don't know, maybe some special squeezing process, with some special kind of filtering or something? What the heck do I know?

Well, mystery solved....here's how they do it.

Ummm....yeah.....it's only 42% juice. The main ingredient? You guessed it - good old fashioned H20. Well, damn, I could have done that myself. And for a whole lot less to boot! Seriously. Not only do I not have to pay extra for this "special" juice, but my big old 89 (used to be 96) oz. jug will go twice as far. If I want to drink watered down OJ, that is...

Soooo disappointed....
.

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-04-14T11:00:00.001-04:00

Date Taken: Sometime between November 1974 and February 1975

Place Taken: Saint Francis Hospital

I came across this picture, and thought it would make a timely TMBT, seeing as how my sister was just out for a visit (with her family, of course). I was in the hospital, recovering from a dog bite accident, and my sister was keeping me entertained with a game of Scrabble. I'm sure our words weren't too advanced back then (being only 5 and 9 years old), but we were clearly having lots of fun!

Easter Tidings

2009-04-12T11:22:00.002-04:00

Wishing you all a Happy and Blessed Easter.

Looking for a new recipe?

2009-04-04T21:11:00.005-04:00

I tried a new recipe tonight for Eggplant Rollatini. Don't these look yummy??

Yeah....too bad they S.U.C.K.E.D.! What a friggin waste of perfectly good eggplant, ricotta, fontina and parmesan. Ab-so-lutely terrible. The recipe didn't call for salting (or pressing) the eggplant, so I should have known I was going to hate it. It was so tough and fibrous, we could barely cut it with a knife. Nevermind have Matthew try to chew it.

Right down the disposal. Buh-bye.
.

March for Babies

2009-04-02T21:55:00.005-04:00

We'll be participating again this year in the March of Dimes March for Babies. I've posted a widget on my Facebook page, but wanted to post one for Dennis here on my blog.

I hope you'll please consider making a donation.

No amount is too small.

Let's help babies be born healthy.

Thanks.

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-03-31T11:00:00.001-04:00

Taken: Summer '03

Location: East Beach, Charlestown, RI

This was our very first trip to the beach together. You never know how that's gonna go, right? People have very different ideas of what a day at the beach looks like. Me, I like to get there real early, when it's still a bit misty and chilly, and read for a while, wrapped in a warm sweatshirt or under a blanket if necessary. I then like to bake myself once it warms up - no frisbee, no football, no radio - just baking and reading. Oh, and sangwiches - gotta have sangwiches. And fruit and water, of course. I like to wrap up by 1 or 2:00 and head home to take a nice snooze. Ahhh....

Turns out Dennis was quite alright with that approach. Thank goodness. =)

Is it summer yet?
.

When did this happen?

2009-03-30T17:52:00.000-04:00

OK, so seriously, how big is this guy?

Sleeping Beauty

2009-03-29T10:55:00.000-04:00

My friend Liz posted some pictures the other day of her beautiful kids sound asleep. Reading her post reminded me that I had taken some similar pictures of Matthew recently that I meant to post, but never got around to it.

So, here we go. I couldn't resist taking these. Matthew had been napping for quite a while, so I went in to check on him. I found him with his legs crossed (in his ever-present yoga pose) and bent over in half, deep in sleep. It didn't seem too comfortable to me, but he obviously didn't mind.

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-03-24T16:41:00.003-04:00

Date Taken: August 10, 2002

Location: Connecticut Trolley Museum

I remember it was a sunny, warm day, and we rode on top of one of the trolleys. Lot more fun than I thought it was going to be, too. I can't even believe Hannah and Connor were so little - but oh, so adorable!!

How do you like my granny glasses chain and big ol' headband? What was I thinking?!
.

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-03-17T07:43:00.004-04:00

Date Taken: January 11, 2003

Location: Highland Links Golf Course, North Truro, MA

Dennis and I were away at the Cape for the weekend, and he was taking me on a lighthouse tour. We stumbled upon the Highland Lighthouse and this golf course - turns out it's the oldest links course in Massachusetts. The course runs along the cliffs with the ocean below - just gorgeous. It's open year-round, and you play by the honor system during the winter by depositing your greens fees in a little box by the clubhouse.

We were freezing our a$$es off, but it was a gorgeous sunny day with amazingly no snow on the ground. Gotta love the beach in the wintertime.

SO. FREAKING. FED. UP.

2009-03-12T22:48:00.003-04:00

Allow me to bitch for a few moments.

I have so had it with watching people get screwed. Two weeks ago, I wrote about some folks at work getting laid off. I was (and still am) grateful to have kept my job.

Today, I went to pick up Matthew at daycare, and as usual, I logged into the computer and checked him out for the day. I checked our mailslot, and found a few papers in there. One saying they need verification of his most recent physical, a state health assessment form, and a third sheet which turned out to be a letter from the director. I read it in disbelief.

In a nutshell, it said that due to the economy, enrollment in the center is down, and that as a result, Thursday, March 12th (yes, today) would be Amanda's last day. Amanda is Matthew's primary teacher.

I am just devastated. This young woman has taken such wonderful care of Matthew over the last year, and he really loves her (and she him). You can just see it. Don't get me wrong - the other teachers are wonderful, too. But there's just something special about their relationship.

I walked into the infant room, and saw her almost immediately. I just said her name, and she knew that I knew. She had Matthew with her, and she immediately started to cry, as did I. We hugged, and I thanked her for everything she's done for us this past year. Matthew is a happy, well-adjusted, fun-loving boy, and she's played a part in that. We will miss her so much - all of us - me, Dennis and most of all Matthew. It breaks my heart to think about him looking for her and her not being there. Gosh, who'd have thought I'd say that? Remember this post? Yup, that was Amanda. Thankfully she's planning to stop by and visit, and they're hoping to be able to hire her back in the future if things pick up again.

I'm so pissed that it's had to come to this. All because of the greed of people who don't give a shit about anyone but themselves. Ordinary people just trying to make a living are getting their lives upended. Here's someone who I'm sure isn't making a huge paycheck, doing what I consider to be the most important job in the world, losing her job three months before her wedding. Nice.

Something's gotta give, folks. Things are just so out of hand.

Update 3/13: Just wanted to clarify something lest I give the wrong impression. I'm not blaming the folks at daycare - they're not the greedy people I'm talking about. I'm talking about those fat cat CEO's who are sitting pretty while everyone else suffers the consequences.

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-03-10T07:00:00.004-04:00

Date Taken: August 22, 2004 3:39 p.m.

Location: Quabbin Reservoir

I took this picture from an observatory tower on the south end of the reservoir, Enfield Lookout, named after one of the 4 towns flooded in 1938 to provide drinking water for Boston and 40 other communities. Amazing story - check it out here. If you're really interested, PBS has a great documentary called "Under Quabbin", which is fascinating.

A beautiful view, but so much more to the story.

A random thought....

2009-03-09T06:51:00.000-04:00

Wouldn't you rather have these....

than these?

And no, I don't mean 1% rather than whole. I mean the screw-on tops rather than the snap-on kind. Don't you just hate the little milk crusties that accumulate around the snap-on top? You can never keep them from falling into your cereal.

Gross.
.

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-03-03T07:00:00.003-05:00

Taken: August 22, 2006 3:19 PM

Location: Lodge Kura Hulanda, Curaçao

We were on Day 2 of our honeymoon, and Dennis had bought a few Cubans in the gift shop at the Lodge. He was enjoying one out on our balcony, and it smelled outstanding so I decided I needed to have me some. I'm sure I wasn't holding it appropriately, but nevertheless, it tasted damn good. I only smoke the good stuff. Hah!

It's calling my name....

2009-03-01T22:15:00.003-05:00

Just checking in after a somewhat stressful week. I had training outside the office this week (Mon-Thurs); 8 hours each day with 2-3 hours of homework each night. Suffice it to say that I'm am waaaaaay out of practice doing homework. I had to close myself off in the office (after Matthew went to bed, of course) with no noise to distract me. Depsite the homework, I actually learned a lot, and am looking forward to the second round starting March 9th.

Then, on Friday, there were some announcements made at work about layoffs of some key individuals in my area (rumors had been bouncing around all week). I was working from home, so I was a bit removed from it all, but I could still feel the stress of everything going on. I'm fortunate that my teams are not impacted (in fact, I'm taking on some additional folks), but some of the cuts hit much too close to home. Some people I admire and respect are "no longer with the firm". Having been in that position myself, I really hate to see that stuff happen. It definitely reinforces that it doesn't matter how much you know - no one is indispensible.

Should be an interesting week coming up. There are a number of meetings scheduled tomorrow to help everyone understand the changes and what to expect going forward.

I've got a couple of spa gift certificates that you can bet are going to be put to good use real soon....

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-02-24T23:00:00.001-05:00

Here we go....better late than never....

Taken Friday, July 16, 2004, 9:43 P.M.

Let me set the stage....

Dennis was studying for the Massachusetts Bar exam. We were renting this great townhouse apartment, with a small but perfect-for-us back yard. Dennis was putting in a minimum of 16 hours a day studying, and weather permitting, took his academic pursuits outside. We'd drink beers and I'd quiz him on various concepts, surrounded by the glow of string lanterns and candles and the aroma of citronella torches. Loved those nights.

Of special note....there was clearly so much time being spent studying that there was no time to mow the lawn!
.

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-02-17T09:15:00.004-05:00

OK, today we're going way back.....

I can't say exactly when this picture was taken, but I'm guessing late 1974, early 1975, based on Chris' size. This was always one of my favorite pictures of us. Gotta love the totally 70's lime green blanket. Maybe that's how I became so fond of that color.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day to

my two favorite guys in the whole world!

I love you with all my heart.

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-02-10T08:30:00.004-05:00

Date Taken: March 13, 2003

Place: Hoover Dam

Can you even believe Hannah and Connor were ever this little?

And, can you even believe how huge my hair was??!!

Dam!!

Humbled

2009-02-06T23:51:00.001-05:00

So tonight I had one of those experiences that really puts you in your place.

If you've read my post from earlier in the week, you know that we came home on Sunday to our front gutter hanging from one corner of the house. Over the course of the week, we've had different contractors coming out to give us estimates. Last night, one of the contractors was supposed to be sending someone out at 7:00 to take a look-see and give us a quote. Around 6:20, we got a phone call from them saying the person they had planned to send had gotten tied up at another customer's house, so they were calling someone else who had the day off and asking him to come out. They told us he'd be out around 7:40. I wasn't happy, but they were very apologetic, and what could we do? About 10 minutes later, they called back to say he wasn't going to be able to make it, so they rescheduled to tonight - 6:00.

So tonight, 6:00 comes and goes. 6:15, then 6:30, then 6:45, and no sign of anyone, and no phone call. At this point, I'm pissed and I tell Dennis that when the guy arrives, I'm going to send him on his way because at this point, what is this telling me about this company's reliability? Then, at 6:53, there's a knock at the back door. Dennis answers, and I hear him mention to the guy that he was supposed to be here at 6:00. The guy responds that they told him 7:00, which I believe is probably true, since our appointment last night was for 7:00. They spoke briefly in the doorway before heading outside.

When they came back in the house, I met them in the kitchen with Matthew (asleep with his head on my shoulder - having slept through his dinner time), and we went to sit down in the dining room. The contractor commented how cute Matthew was, and after hearing that he was 1, mentioned that his own son is now 38 years old. So, we sit at the table, and he proceeds to show us the gutter system and work up his estimate, chatting with us the whole time. We talked about the weather, talked about his son and 1 year old granddaughter in Georgia, talked about being Irish and Sicilian. As we talked, I felt just like the Grinch. I felt like my heart grew three sizes while we were sitting there. I went from being pissed off at this guy to feeling so very sad. Sad that here I was, home from work on a Friday evening, ready to enjoy dinner with my husband and son, and here was this man, who I'd guess was in his early to mid 60's, sitting at my dining room table trying to make a living, when I'm sure he'd much rather have been home with his family.

When he left, I just started to cry. Sometimes things just seem so unfair. Now, I don't know this man's circumstances. For all I know, he loves what he does. But to me, it just doesn't seem right that he has to be out in the cold on a Friday night working up a quote for me while I'm inside, done with work for the week, waiting to enjoy the weekend with my family. I can only hope that we impressed upon him how much we appreciated his efforts. That's one of the things I love the most about my husband - he never feels that he's better than anyone else, never lets anyone feel their job is any less valuable, and always shows honest respect for hard work.

You know how the saying goes - "There but for the grace of God." There was a reason all this happened tonight. I've been letting petty bull$hit get to me lately, and this was just the dose of perspective I needed.

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-02-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

Date taken: January 11, 2003

Location: Provincetown, MA

Dennis and I had taken a weekend trip to the Cape, and he took me on a lighthouse tour. This is one of my favorite pictures from that weekend. We were just leaving P-town, and pulled off the road to watch the sun set. I just love the color of the sand, with the last light of the day reflecting on it. Nothing man-made could be this beautiful.

Up in the North Country

2009-02-02T21:52:00.004-05:00

We spent this past weekend visiting Dennis' sister Debbie and her husband, Brendan, up in Saranac Lake, in the Adirondacks. We had a great weekend - we really love it up there, and Debbie and Brendan have a cozy place that feels just like a second home.

Matthew had a very fun time, and especially loved chasing their kitties around the house, yelling at the top of his lungs. They were too quick for him this time, but once he's walking, I think he's gonna give them a run for their money.

We took tons of pictures, so I thought I'd share some of our favorites.

Take special note of the bottom left picture in this one....there are two people climbing up high on the ice. Holy cow!!

We left on Sunday morning, and took a leisurely trip back home. We made a few stops along the way, and finally landed home just before 5:00. As we were just turning onto our road, here's what we saw.....

Ummm.....yeaaahhhh.....isn't the gutter supposed to follow the roof line???? Nice, huh?

Welcome home! Anyone know a good gutter guy??

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-01-27T07:35:00.003-05:00

OK, so here's this week's picture....

Many of you will recognize this as my absolute favorite lighthouse, Cape Neddick Light, a.k.a. Nubble Light, in York Beach, Maine.

I used to drive up to York Beach by myself in the winter and stay in a hotel on Long Sands Beach. I used to sit out on the rocks by the ocean, and I could see Nubble Light from there, but at quite a distance. I tried to find it once, but for some reason just couldn't seem to get there.

So, back to the picture. It was taken on Saturday, February 15, 2003. Dennis had surprised me with a weekend getaway for our first Valentine's Day. As we drove along Long Sands Beach on Valentine's evening, I pointed out Nubble Light, and mentioned I'd never seen it up close. He took a couple of turns here and there, and we came around a turn to the most amazing sight ever. There was the lighthouse, right there in front of us, and although it was already dark outside, it was beautifully illuminated by the snow on the ground. This picture was taken the following morning, when we went to see it in the light of day. It was almost as beautiful.

We've made many, many trips back there since, but none can top that first night in the snow. In retrospect, it's amazing that I was never able to find it on my own - it's ridiculously easy to get there from Long Sands. Guess I was meant to see it for the first time exactly the way I did.

Thanks for the great memory, babe.

Flash forward....and back

2009-01-26T21:02:00.004-05:00

Tonight I got a glimpse into what Matthew's school years will be like. I was in the kitchen making dinner, and I could hear him playing with some toys in the living room. Every so often, I peeked in just to make sure he was OK. I could hear him playing the same song over and over again on this "CD player" we got him for his birthday. He waits until the song is over, and then pushes the same button for it to play all over again. This didn't surprise me, as he's done this for the longest time, with many of his musical toys.

What did surprise me tonight, though, was when I peeked in on him and saw this....

He was sitting on the floor "reading" one of his books, and playing the music over and over again at the same time. I could just see him as a teenager, studying in his room with music blaring. He's clearly taking after Dennis in this area. I was always amazed when Dennis was in law school or studying for the bar that he could study (and crazy hard stuff, mind you!) with the TV on or music playing. I never had that ability - I always needed quiet, focused study time. The only exception was classical music, which my high school physics teacher, Mr. Bloom, always played during our exams. He would tell us how music helps open up your brain and let you get at information more easily. I could never make it work with any other music, though; probably because I'd get distracted and start to sing along in my head.

Anyway, it was a crazy flash forward to the years to come, and it made me excited and sad at the same time.

Oh, and the flash back? Yeah, that was last night. He was having a cup of milk before going to bed, and I actually heard myself say to him - "Matthew, don't swill your milk." Funny how all those things your mother said to you as a child find their way into your vocabulary as an adult.

Life is good, isn't it?

Not on the program...

2009-01-25T11:24:00.005-05:00

Dennis and I have been making a concerted effort to eat healthier in the new year. We've been doing pretty well - OK, except for Matthew's birthday. And...notwithstanding what I made this morning.

You see, I had lots of bananas leftover from last weekend's banana splits, and there's just nothing I'd rather do with leftover bananas than make Barefoot Contessa's Banana Crunch Muffins. These things are to die for. Check 'em out...

With 2 sticks of butter and a cup+ of coconut, these are SOOO not on the program. I'm pretty sure that having eaten two of these already I've used my calorie allowance for the entire day. Oh well. It was worth it!

Party on, dudes!!

2009-01-24T14:24:00.005-05:00

Since it's already been a week since Matthew's First Birthday party, I figured it was about time I posted some pictures.

We had a monkey theme - since he just LOVES monkeys - complete with a monkey cake, monkey cupcakes and banana splits with all the fixins. It was a swinging good time!

Daddy was in charge of balloons, and he picked up a bunch (bah-dum-dum), including a gi-normous Curious George balloon. And, because no Massachusetts boy's birthday party would be complete without them, he also picked up Red Sox and Patriots balloons, too! (Mommy says next year will be Cowboys and Yankees.....)

Matthew got tons of great presents, including a beautiful sock monkey handmade by Nanna. If I had to pick, though, I'd have to say the tissue paper in the gifts was his favorite!

Here are some shots of the day....

As you can see, he really enjoyed his birthday cake, and even tried a bit of Mommy's banana split. Of course, he was promptly cleaned up and had his teeth brushed. Can't leave a mess like that!

Take Me Back Tuesday

2009-01-20T16:54:00.006-05:00

Those of you who read my sister's blog know that she's recently started a weekly post she's calling Take Me Back Tuesday, wherein she posts an old picture and tells a bit about it.

I've decided to copy her idea, and do my own Take Me Back Tuesday posts. So, here's the inaugural edition....Hah! Get it?? Inaugural edition? Man, I crack myself up.....

Anyhow, I grabbed an old CD of pictures and found this one....appropriate for today, no?

This was taken on October 3, 2003. Dennis was interviewing in D.C. and we had a couple of days to see the sights. It was one of our favorite trips, and is someplace we really want to go back to when we can spend a lot of days. So much to see. If you've never been, you simply must go, even if you're not political junkies like we are.

It's a new day!

2009-01-20T10:07:00.001-05:00