The end of a decade

So this is it, my final day, or shall I say final hours as a thirty something. Tomorrow I shall embark on a new decade. Heaven help me! Forty is old. (oooh what a nasty word that I just typed there! However I find it better to type forty rather than type the actual numeric symbols. Makes me feel better!) How did this happen? When did this happen? I'm not ready. I am officially going to become one of those people who refuse to tell their age from tomorrow on out. I'll just keep 'em guessing.
Meanwhile, John turned 40 yesterday. Being relatively new to the decade himself, he has no sound advice for me. Although he doesn't seem to be struggling with it at all. He wasn't too pleased with my having to take a picture of him, but I told him he has to sit because it's a big birthday and the start of a new era.

I hope he doesn't try that logic on me tomorrow because I am taking my 40 year old legs and running from the camera! Heehee

The big 7

Seven years ago today, this little guy was born...my 4 lb. 5 oz. preemie...who is so not a preemie anymore! Johnny is a great source of joy to all of us. He has a fabulous sense of humor, is happy-go-lucky, sweet and kind, and who could resist that face? (cheesy grin and all)
I made him dinner of his choice tonight(lasagna) and we had a cake just for my mom and sisters. (His big party is Friday night, followed by a pool party for his friends (at a hotel) on Monday, but of course I couldn't let his actual birthday go by without cake!)
I have to share what he did tonight, but first I must tell a long Nintendo DS story. Two Christmases ago, a boy asked for a Nintendo DS. We thought said boy was probably too young and nixed the idea. Well, as it drew closer to Christmas the boy's true desire was that DS.
Realizing this, Santa decided it was absolutely necessary to get him that DS. I mean, come on, that's what the boy REALLY wanted the most! So, of course, it's less than a week to Christmas and no DS could be found for purchase anywhere...in stores or online. SO, Santa decided to check ebay. Oh yes, the jolly old elf could get a DS...for $180.00! (not to mention the $20.00 to have it shipped overnight) Fine, Santa decides whatever the cost, it must be done. He refuses to disappoint. Certainly Christmas morning was joyous for the boy. Never was a gift so loved as that DS. He definitely got his use out of it and played it and played it and played it.
Then one day early this year, it was determined that the DS was no longer working. This was brought to the attention of the parents by the sister. Funny how the boy had no idea what happened to it. Suspicious? Oh yeah. Angry parents? Sure. Upset, crying boy? You bet. After much deliberation by the parents, it was decided that they would send the DS away for repair for a mere $80 bucks. Oh yeah, that's eight-zero. The DS is returned to us, repaired and looking like new. Happiness ensues. A month or 2 later, it is apparent that the boy is just not playing the DS as much as usual. Upon examination by the mother, it is found that the DS has some strange black lines across the screen, making it difficult to see. Hmmm, time to question the boy. He has no idea what happened. After much speculation between the parents, the sister, and the conveniently absent boy, it is determined he had to have done something to it. Time for the Spanish Inquisition. It is then made clear by the boy, rather timidly, that he couldn't find the pen (stylus thingy) and decided to use a real pen. Ok, the mother realizes she could just wipe the pen marks off the glass screen. Oh yeah, sure. Somehow using a pen must mess up something within the DS. So, here we are again, a boy with a broken DS. The parents are unlikely to ever purchase another DS for the boy. Many tears follow and life goes on sadly for the boy without a DS.
Many months pass and the boys birthday is approaching. That darn mother convinces the father to purchase another DS for the boy's 7th birthday. There is much conversation. The father thinks the mother has lost her mind. The mother wins the battle and a new DS is purchased. Forward to tonight. The parents give the boy his birthday gift. Never in a million years could the parents have imagined the reaction!

This is the not-so-great picture taken by the mother. After this picture, the mother could take no more pictures. The boy ran over to her, buried his head in her stomach and cried! Cried and cried and cried! Tears of joy, tears of disbelief, tears of fear as to never break it again. Unbelievable! The mother began crying, the Grandma was crying, the sister was crying, and the Aunt was crying. Amazing! The parents never expected this. It was truly a gift worth giving and a memory never to forget!
So my baby, with that, enjoy your DS and your 7th birthday! We love you! (and please be careful with that thing this time!)

Mother Nature can be cruel

The pictures you are looking at show the very old tree in our backyard that fell sometime Sunday night. We had some pretty strong winds and when the tree fell, it smashed our swingset. (Indeed that is a swingset underneath it all) Can you imagine? We were shocked to find it like this on Monday morning. I kept waking up throughout the night because the winds were so strong and loud, but I had no idea this had happened. Olivia, who one would think is a little too old for the swingset now at 10 years old, cried. Alot. This is a kid who never cries. Seriously. You could push her down a flight of stairs and she wouldn't cry. But over the swingset? Bawling. Go figure. I guess she has many pleasant memories on that swingset and I have lots of pictures to prove it too. (I don't even want to mention the fondness she had for that tree!)
Putting things into perspective: if that's all we have to suffer is the loss of a swingset compared to what those poor people in Texas have lost, I'd say "the swingset is yours Mother Nature. Take it and enjoy."

Back into the swing

Looks like we are headed back into the swing of things. I've returned to work, the kids to school, and soccer is being played on Sunday as per usual. It appears the usual routine is finally starting to settle in. (Unfortuately, I didn't realize until this morning that this is my last day of the weekend and I should have cleaned the house yesterday so I could relax today. Oh well, so much for the swing of things!)

Our very old little pear tree has provided us with a bushel full of the sweetest pears I have ever tasted. Truthfully. The sweetest. As a matter of fact, I made a pear pie last night and the pears were literally sliding out of my hands when I was peeling them because they were so slippery from being so juicy. So Delicious! I've never had pears this tasty. And to think that a few years ago, our very old little pear tree was hit during a bad thunderstorm and much of it was split apart. I made John salvage what was left although he really wanted to chop it all down. I guess I made a good call. Maybe these exceptionally tasty pears are the trees way of thanking me from saving it.


I hope you are all settling back into your routines as well. Hope it's a good week ahead for all.

Note to self

I really don't like the NYS Fair, I know this, but for some reason I seem to "forget" this fact from year to year. My sister-in-law, niece, my kids & I all spent the day at the fair today.

We park. I'm not annoyed that I have to take a shuttle bus to the gate, really I'm not. It doesn't warm my heart, but I'm not annoyed. We enter the gate. I'm even somewhat cheerful at this point. I have brought my camera and think to myself, perhaps, just perhaps, this will be fun.

We walk on. I try to conceal my disgust as I look at the cows. Geez, they're freakin' huge! And oh yes, they stink. Oh yes, thank goodness I had the sense to wear sneakers for once in my life instead of some inappropriate yet completely stylish sandal. The thought of my bare foot in a sandal next to whatever is on the ground makes me cringe. Score one for me! Ok, breathing fresh air now, away from the cows.

We walk on. Oh the chickens! Makes me wish I didn't have chicken last night for dinner. At least they are in cages and don't completely stink.

We walk on. Sister-in-law insists we share a Belgian waffle in the Dairy Building. Waffles with strawberries and whipped cream for all. They're pretty good and it happily erased all the stench that I feel followed us from seeing the cows.

We walk on. Kids are adamant about the rides. They must ride now! Fine. To the rides we go. Tilt a Whirl, Swings, Scrambler, Himalayan, etc. etc. etc. This is getting old really fast. After 2 hours and 50 minutes of pure amusement riding, we are finally able to extract these 3 children from the area. By the grace of God, I tell you! If it weren't for that bag of kettle corn, fresh squeezed lemonade and funnel cake that sister-in-law and I downed, this 2 hours and 50 minutes could have been more torturous. This is where I realize my breaking point has officially begun. I hate the fair and I need a shower.

We walk on. Kids are hungry. Let's eat. Dear niece, fussiest child in the world, wants what? Oh yes, Little Caesar's pizza. Here we are, at the fair, home of foods the world (state?) around and she wants Little Caesars. Fine. Sister-in-law & I, along with my kids, down some cheesy bread with her. Then we moved on to the mother load of homemade potato chips smothered with cheese and bacon. Oh yeah! Ignore all thoughts of health, we're on a bender here people! Followed by burgers and hot dogs, we're feeling fine.

We walk on. Pig building next. Oh wow! This smell might far outweigh the cow building. Is this possible? Ugh, right after we ate lunch too! Trying hard not to think of the bacon on those golden homemade potato chips. Trying hard not to figure out if I can physically see the shape of a pork chop anywhere on the pigs anatomy. Gasping, gasping, gasping for fresh air....aaahh, finally. Really needing a shower now.

We walk on. Of couse, we now visit a myriad of marketable goods. What child can resist the temptation of crap for sale? They each pick assorted items...baseball hats, Webkinz cards, Beanie Babies...and I'm free. I got off fairly easy this time considering what a disaster this could have been.

We walk on. Sister-in-law says it's time for ice cream. We have to find the Dairy Building again. Perry's Ice Cream. Olivia wants Birthday Bash, Johnny wants Peanut Butter Cup, and a delicious Southern Apple Pie for me. Mmmm. Here is when it really goes downhill for me. I realize that I cannot move from the amount of food I have consumed at the fair. I'm cranky & miserable and now we have to go through all the increasing crowds of people to get out. Ugh!

We walk on. We find the gate. It's not like we can just walk to the car now. No, we have to get on the @#%*& shuttle bus first to be taken to the car. Thankfully, it was a quick process.

So, I think my dislike of the fair got the better of me because I didn't take one picture. Not one. In the car, safely on our way back home, I declared that I really hate the fair and am not going ever again. Let this be a note to self. And please, dear friends, remind me of this next year should I have any thoughts of going.

Strong Museum

We took a little trip to Rochester Monday & Tuesday. We brought the kids to the Strong Museum. What a completely wonderful museum! We hadn't been there in a few years and we thought it was fantastic at that time. Who would have thought they could improve it? But they did. It just has so much to offer. Johnny who is a notorious "toucher" was thrilled. He went through & touched everything, leaving no stone unturned. Even Olivia (who at 10 is maybe getting a little old for a children's museum) enjoyed it. On Tuesday's trip home we stopped at the outlets in Waterloo for some back to school shopping. (still not finished on that front though...it's a neverending, grueling process!)

Hot and humid lazy day

Not much going on here. It's a little hot and humid today, I really hate it when it's humid. Geez, my blog posts are becoming so boring lately!
My niece is playing nicely with my kiddos, they're all occupied, there's a big Scooby Doo fest on Cartoon Network. Let's see how long that can hold their attention. Dh is getting ready for work, which leaves me ready for some scrapping time! I scrapped for awhile last night and I'm really enjoying it again. See?

I really need to get some photos downloaded and prints ordered for future scrapping. I better get to that now! Have a good week! This is my last full week of summer vacation and it's action packed.