Holiday highlights

Here's some pictures from our 2008 Christmas...

Calm waters

The days after Christmas and before the New Year are like a holding pattern. There's lots of visiting with family, little routine, trips to the store and playing with all the booty. It's a much calmer time. The Barsottis are at the airport now and will hopefully have a safe trip back to Kentucky. It was so cool to have so much time with family that it's sad to see them go. The boys loved being with all their older cousins.

It was such a nice Christmas. I thought it might be hard to be away on Christmas Day, but it was great to be in the house I grew up in. The drive through the Adirondacks was spectacular. I think my parents enjoyed seeing the kids Christmas morning, despite their high energy! There wasn't much sleep going on. At 3am, we could hear their little feet going out to the living room to see if Santa had been there. Then the whispering. We finally had to separate them and I think they did sleep until the 7am wake up call. Then the paper tearing began! For Christmas dinner, we had a feast of turkey, Dad's sausage stuffing, Mom's jello salad and I made both a green bean and sweet potato casseroles. We topped it off with checkerboard cake that night for Chris' birthday. We left early Friday so we could have Christmas again with Chris' family. That was a whirlwind day with traveling, presents and dinner. Every night since we've had dinner with all of Chris' family and it's been wonderful.

In other news, Nolan finally saved up enough money to buy a Wii, so he bought it yesterday. It took him a year, but he did it all on his own which I think is pretty good for an 8 year old. Today, we are heading to the mall to spend their build-a-bear gift cards from Aunt Kimmy. The boys got everything they wanted for Christmas, I think. They are very happy. Thank you to everyone!

I'll probably be very happy to have the kids back in school by the end of the week, but so far it is just great to have time together. It's what it's all about. Chris and I got ourselves a trip to a bed and breakfast in Plattsburgh for Martin Luther King weekend. I cannot wait. Really, the best present is time together.

Let it snow, and snow, and snow...

After getting a foot of snow yesterday, we woke up this morning to even more of it! Yesterday, the snow was very fine and blowing. When Thomas and I took Chester for a walk, it hurt our faces. But today, there are great big flakes slowly falling in all directions. It's very pretty. At least it is lightweight--makes for easy shoveling. We had to quickly shovel this morning so Chris could bring Nolan to basketball at 8am. Thomas and I are being lazy and hanging around here until swim lesson at 11am.

Swim lessons haven't been going as well lately. They keep changing the teacher Thomas has, and it's like starting all over again. He has trust issues. Today is the last session, then I think we'll take a break from it for a little while. We are ending our YMCA membership, so we may start taking lessons at the high school in a couple months. I think he still likes it and is good at it if he just had a consistent teacher. He mentioned a couple days ago that he'd like to try baseball again. So maybe we'll give it another shot in the spring.

We've been busy with a lot of Christmas prep. We've been running to the grocery store a lot and baking. We're having dinner with neighborhood friends tonight and a breakfast with Santa at church tomorrow. I'm hoping Chris will occupy the boys this afternoon so I can finish the baking and start wrapping. Monday night we have Christmas Pageant practice, and Tuesday the boys have their Christmas parties at school. Mary Ellen gets to town and we have dinner at Annie's house. Wednesday we leave for Moira to spend Christmas with the folks!

So if I don't get to blogging until after Christmas, Merry Christmas! May you find true happiness among friends and family and enjoy the whole New Year in love and peace.

Ice storms and Family

Our full weekend of kids' activities was wiped clean by Mother Nature this weekend. We were without power for 87 hours, Thursday night to Monday morning. It definately made us appreciate electricity! We camped out Thursday with sleeping bags. On Friday, it got to 54 degrees in the house. We needed to go someplace where Chester could come too, so we went up north to be with my parents. Both of them weren't feeling the greatest, but they welcomed us, fed us, and put up with 2 cabin-fever boys for the weekend. We came home Sunday night in the hopes of having power, but not so much. Thankfully Chris' mom did, so we borrowed her generator and hunkered down in the basement with 2 space heaters. Monday morning, Chris went off to work and the kids to school. By 1pm, the power flickered back on and I actually hip-hip-hoorayed! We were very lucky to just have lost a few tree limbs--no major damage. Actually, we did have one casualty. Our fish Dax died of the cold. He is now awaiting a proper burial in an Altoid container until the ground thaws.

In other news, here's a picture of our beautiful Christmas tree. Note the green ribbon holding it up through the bolt in the wall! This tree, despite its issues, is probably (to quote Chris' mom) the best tree we ever had. Which is nice because this Christmas has been a pretty weird one so far. With all of the lay offs at work, the economy, the ice storm and missing all the Christmas parties this weekend because of the ice storm, our Christmas spirit is a little frazzled. But we still have some school parties, and lots of family gatherings when the holiday actually gets here. So we have a lot of good right around the corner. Just like the Grinch that stole Christmas---Christmas comes anyway!

The good with the bad

On Friday, 15 people were fired at Chris' work. Some of them were good friends of Chris's and he may never see them again. There was no party, no fanfare. One man worked there for 15 years, and he just walked out the door. Another man has 3 kids at home. They got good severance packages, but it is still such a hard time of year to be without a job. And in their job market, they probably won't find any work. They will most likely need to find new careers. Thankfully, Chris probably has job stability with what he does.

The environment that we are in right now leaves no room for comfort. No one is immune. You think you are safe in your job and that you can handle things financially, and in a moment it can be gone. We just have to be grateful for what we have and take each day as it comes. Of course, prayer never hurt either. One silver lining, though, is I think it helps us re-examine what really is important. And it helps us be mindful of where our money goes. Chris and I are always trying to decide where our money should go and where it shouldn't. Heck, we drove an hour away just to get a Christmas tree for $25! Maybe we are cheapskates, but we're making it work and everyone's happy. It just saddens me when I see people that work so hard to make it work just like us, and then the rug is slipped out from under them. But we move forward. There's always hope.

Onto lighter news, the tree we got is beautiful...and HUGE! It was $25 for any tree, so we got a big one. Too big. Our tree stand is even too small for it. So we have paint cans and axes holding down the stand so it doesn't topple over! Actually, just when I wrote that, I saw the tree tipping. So we just screwed a hook into the wall so we could tie the tree up and anchor it. We used a green ribbon at least! I think it's not just that it's huge, it is also heavier with branches on one side. Oh well. It really is pretty!

Tomorrow Chris has the day off and we have a gift certificate to Panera's we're going to use. We CANNOT wait! Thomas has a new friend that's coming over this week. We have 2 Christmas parties too, although one is for Chris' work which we may not go to now. And on Sunday, my sister and brother-in-law are coming to visit-yeah! So spending time with friends and family again, what this time of year is really about. Merry Christmas!

Livin' the Good Life

With Thanksgiving behind us, and our bellies still full, we are launching immediately into Christmas mode on the Rooney train. Advent started yesterday, so we are starting our mornings by reading what good deed we should do that day and then eating a chocolate. Wouldn't the world be a better place if everyone always did that?!

On Black Friday while the rest of the world shopped, we went to the Albany Pine Bush and did a workshop on gifts from nature. We went to our first holiday party that night at our neighbor's house which was a lot of fun. Then Saturday morning, we got up early and left for New Hampshire to visit our college friends, the Reeds. We had so much fun. For the first time, the kids really went off and played by themselves and the grown-ups got to chit chat. We met their adorable dog, Dexter. It is just so nice to be with friends where you can totally be yourself and they already know all your history. They've seen us at our worst, and we've seen them at their worst--and we're still friends! Been drunk together, had fights together, been in each other's weddings, survived losses, gone on trips, and known each other for 19 years! What's most impressive is 16 of those years has been long distance. We don't get to talk as often, but the connection is always there. We love you guys.

Thankful for Thanksgiving

We had an awesome Thanksgiving yesterday.

The boys caught “Willy Wonka” on TV in the morning and then watched a good chunk of the parade.

After lunch, we needed to get out of the house and do something. So we all walked up to the high school and held the first annual “Rooney Thanksgiving Race” on the track. Nolan came in first and was awarded a medal we made before heading up there.

Later in the day we went over to my sister’s and just had the best time. The kids had a blast playing with their cousins and we enjoyed visiting – and eating! I massively overate, but that’s what it’s all about isn’t?

Don’t worry, this morning I got early to work out. So now I feel a little less guilty.

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us and I even got to watch some snowflakes fall this morning, I’m feeling decidedly less bah humbug about the Christmas season. Now I’m ready! Bring it on!

$27.70

This is the amount of my first paycheck in quite a few years--I'm so excited! Tomorrow I'm going to the store and spending it on my most favorite thing--socks!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our friends and family -- we are grateful for each and every one of you. Chris says Thanksgiving is the greatest holiday--it combines family, food and TV--his favorites! We are spending Thanksgiving this year with Chris' family at his sister Annie's house. All I have to do is make pies, so I have the fun part. We leave Saturday to visit our friends, the Reeds, in New Hampshire.

Family, friends and fun--it couldn't be better!

Get ready for a new resident, Grandma!

Yesterday, Thomas was disgruntled because he wasn't getting something he wanted, so he announced he was going to move to Grandma's house. He packed a pillow, blanket, Leapster and Monopoly game. He said he would just walk there and be back the next day. I told him how much I would miss him and that I didn't want him to go, but if he really felt he had to, then I hoped he'd have a safe trip. He started going out the door, but once he saw it was pouring rain, decided to wait until later. He kept telling us he would go after he played, or after we got back from errands. Then, sometime in the later afternoon, he decided he would stay home after all. Whew! You almost had another mouth to feed, Grandma!

The weather was nice this past week, but the wind came today to bring colder temperatures. On Veteran's Day, the boys and I had fun playing indoor mini golf and lunch with Dad at work. I was in Thomas' classroom helping a few days and went on a field trip with Nolan's class. Today Chris took the boys to volunteer at the food bank while I went Christmas shopping with his mom. I'm almost done shopping; just a few more things.

This week we have a den meeting where the cubbies are going to make bird feeders. I helped organize an effort at church to pack shoeboxes with toys and necessities for needy kids; the project ends this week with the shoeboxes getting delivered. Also, through church, we are going to an intergenerational Advent gathering on Saturday. I am in charge of K-2 group Saturday night. I'm going to have them play with gingerbread playdough while I ask them questions about Advent. I have to make the gingerbread playdough this week, with Thomas' help probably. So between all of this and other meetings this week, I'm beginning to feel churched out! But it's all good stuff, and with Thanksgiving coming, we really have so much to be grateful for. Thanksgiving is at Chris' sister Annie's house I think--can't wait!

Swim Lesson

Here's a pic of Thomas learning to swim. He always ducks when I get the camera so it's hard to capture him. I'll work on it. We'll take some shots of Nolan with basketball soon too.

Tick Season

Yesterday, we went on a hike in the Albany Pine Bush with the Cub Scouts. What a nice oasis in the middle of such an urban environment! You can hear the traffic from neighboring highways, yet there are quite a few trails that wind around and you can pretend you're in the middle of nowhere. It's unusual in that they have controlled fires to maintain the habitat there. The endangered Karner blue butterfly lives there and it lives off of wild blue lupine flowers. So that the pitch pines and scrub oaks don't take over that flower, they regularly burn them off. The area used to be a glacial lake, but over time the lake went away and left sand dunes. It's pretty interesting, and the Discovery Center has lots of hands-on activities. Check it out here. But beware of ticks! We found one on Nolan when he woke up this morning, and one of the other Cub Scouts brought his dog who had over 10 on her!

Other interesting news this week. I subbed as an aide at another elementary school this week while Thomas was at school. I really liked it. It's the first time I did something that paid in 9 years! I can't wait to get the paycheck. It will probably be about $15 after taxes, but still! Tomorrow the boys are home for Veteran's Day. I'm not sure what we're going to do yet--maybe go to the Schenectady Museum. Wednesday, Nolan has a field trip that I get to help chaperone to Proctor's Theater. They are going to watch a short movie on Antartica and then talk to a pilot from the local Airguard about the flights they regularly make there.

This weekend, Chris is going to a Cub Scout training thing, so I get to be Mom Taxi and bring the boys from basketball to swim lesson to play date to birthday party. And the boys are already counting the days to Christmas. 45 days!

Happy Belated Halloween!

There were all treats and no tricks for the boys this year! They had a great Halloween with a parade and party at school and then trick or treating at night. When Chris got home from work, he just had to dress up too as his favorite character and off they went. I got the trick this year--a stomach bug--so I put candy on the front step and hid in the basement on the couch until they came back. The boys worked on their costumes themselves. They both wanted to be skeletons, so they painted bones on their sweatpants, gloves and hats. We already had the shirts. I'm glad they are still young enough to be so cute in their homemade costumes.

We had a whirlwind of a week. Cub Scouts is in full force with a pack meeting and popcorn sales now winding down. Thanks to all who bought from us! Nolan did meet his $300 goal and then some, so he's getting the prize he wanted. They sold popcorn yesterday in front of a local grocery store. Swim lessons just ended but we're starting a new session next week. Thomas just moved up to level 3 which is beginner swimming. He can go 5 feet unassisted now. Nolan started basketball yesterday. Between all of this and religion classes, we are keeping pretty busy.

Last night we had dinner with our friends the Prices. It really hit us how old our kids are getting and how LOUD they are when we're all together! Still a great time and fun to get out and talk to other grown-ups. Today, Thomas got to go see the real Wiggles at the TU Center in Albany. He was bee-boppin' all night when he came home! Because Chris and Nolan are so involved in various sports, this was Thomas' turn to do something special with Dad. He got to pick a friend, and he picked his Grandma Gaba! So Gaba got to dance with the Wiggles too, and from what I hear, was just tickled to be picked. Nolan wanted NO PART of the Wiggles, so he stayed here with me and had a friend over.

I raked leaves and cooked pumpkin for future pumpkin breads and pumpkin pies. It felt very fall-like today. It's All Souls Day today, so I thought a lot today about my father-in-law, Mikey, Matthew, Indy and now my Aunt Helen Jane. In religion class today, I taught the kids that going to heaven is a lot like leaves changing. They're still leaves even though they change color, just like we're the same. So the analogy continued as I raked today.

This week we have election night! I hope my Uncle Rush wins again in New Jersey. Chris will have a very late night. The book fair is going on at school, and it ends with a Poetry Night on Friday. The boys made their own poems and will read them around a bonfire in the school courtyard. There's cider and doughnuts--should be fun. Next weekend is more of the same--basketball, swimming and errands. We have a Cub Scout trip on Sunday to the Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center to do a little hiking. I'll let you know how it all goes!

Boys are crazy!

I say that because we had 2 boys over yesterday after school. One was Nolan's best friend and the other was his older brother, who Thomas thinks is here for him even though he's in 5th grade. They all love each other and play so beautifully! They had snacks, played video games and then proceeded to run around the house screaming like crazy people! Boys are so easy sometimes. Give them video games and a space to run around and they are all set.

We had the boys' parent teacher conferences this week and they went well. Thomas is doing great, just needs a little help with his letter sounds. She says he's a stickler for the rules and seems pretty quiet in class--can you imagine!!! Nolan is also doing great, especially in reading. She told us he is so kind and compassionate that he sometimes doesn't stand up for himself, which is so nice but also I feel a little bad for him. Chris and I were just like that growning up too, at least the not standing up for ourselves part. I think he needs more friends in his class, so we're going to work on that. Nolan needs a little work in math and being organized, but is still staying afloat and doing great in school. We're happy.

I have a conference today so Chris is on his own with these 2 monkeys. We're having a family down the street over for dinner tonight, so that will be fun. And Thomas has a birthday party on Sunday. They're watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles right now!

We're excited that we've been doing so great with our budget lately that we're getting cable back next week! I haven't minded being without it that much, but the boys (boys including our biggest one, Chris) have really sacrificed without it. So we're allowing ourselves the indulgence again--yeah!

From Fright Fest to Camp Out

Our train wheels just keep turning! We went on our final trip to the Great Escape on Monday and enjoyed Fright Fest. It's basically just a lot of decorations at the park, and all of the water features had red dye to look like blood. Cinderella's castle looked really weird with it's bloody moat! It was a beautiful fall day when we were there, although a little overcast. I got to go on the Blizzard for the first time (basically a scrambler ride) and laughed so hard I cried! It's my favorite ride. We also went on the ferris wheel for the first time and Chris did the Steamin' Demon as a first for the year. I just think it's amazing we went to the park 10 times from May to October and we still have new rides to go on!

On Tuesday I got to babysit a neighbor's little boy Caleb for a couple hours. He's 2 and so adorable. It was neat to have a little guy in the house again. It was also neat to see how Thomas was as "the big kid". I think he enjoyed bossing him around!

Wednesday I got to make pumpkins for a bulletin board with Thomas' class. Thomas loved having me in his room and I was impressed with how independent he was and sure of himself. He's really loving kindergarten. Parent Teacher conferences are next week, so I'm excited to hear what they have to say.

And tonight, Chris and Nolan are going to a camp out with the Cub Scouts until tomorrow afternoon. Thomas and I are going to a Harvest Hoedown at school. It's so weird I'm doing something with Thomas at a school event without Nolan! Saturday we have a swim lesson and it's Farm Foliage Day in Schenectady. Sunday is probably our last baseball game.

So lots of fall fun for the Rooneys. And Happy Birthday to my brother in law John!

Mr. October

Nolan played a good game today as his fall baseball team traveled to North Colonie.

We didn't have the really cool professional umpire we had last week. This time it was just a kid only a few years older than the boys playing ball.

But still, Nolan thought it was cool to go to another town for the first time and play on someone else's field.

He had a great day at the plate with 3 RBI for the day. The first two came on a double in the first inning. The third RBI was on a single he hit with the bases loaded.

In between he reached base when he got hit by a pitch. He took one in the shin, but says it didn't hurt.

His single really should have been a walk. But I guess they have some crazy rule that says they're not allowed to walk in a run. So even though he took four balls, he had to keep going until he either struck out or got a hit. Two pitches later he got his single.

We have one more game at home next weekend. That might be the last game for the fall, although there is a chance we'll play one more.

There and back again

We’re back from a short, but great trip up north to visit Kris’ folks. It was just a quick visit for one night.

While we were there Kris helped them out with a couple of odd jobs and I helped them get their wi-fi network working for their new laptop (I tried not to drool too much on the keyboard).

The kids had fun playing in grandma & grandpa’s big backyard. Okay, so we had to force them out there a couple of times. Otherwise they would have remained glued to all of the cartoon channels we don’t get on our limited cable at home.

Mom & dad Chase also took us out to dinner last night at the Malone Golf Club, which was fantastic! I was uncomfortably full afterward, but it was well worth it. Best meal I’ve had in a while. They take good care of us when we visit!

We picked a great weekend for our trip. The weather was beautiful and leaves were just about at their peak. As we drove through the high peaks region on the way up, it was killing us that we couldn’t stop to get out and enjoy the natural beauty.

So on our way home this afternoon we made a point of making the time to do just that. We stopped at the Adirondack Visitor Interpretive Center at Paul Smith’s College to take in a quick hike. The colors were stunning, and although the weather was warm there was no mistaking the crisp smell of autumn in the air.

We wound up staying at the Interpretive Center longer than I thought, but that’s okay. I could spend the whole day in a place like that – especially on a day like today. Check out the rest of the photos I’ve uploaded here.

Tomorrow Nolan has another baseball game. The batteries were dead in our camera last week, but I'll try to get some shots tomorrow.

October chill

It's supposed to dip down to 36 degrees tonight, the chilliest yet. I'm not complaining, though. We've had a pretty mild fall so far. But I did put the storm windows in today. We're also experimenting with the heat being at the lowest thermostat setting yet--63 during the day and 61 at night. We'll let you know if we can stand it or not.

Chris and Nolan are at a den meeting tonight while Thomas and I are hanging out. Thomas CANNOT WAIT to be in Cub Scouts too--next year! We had a busy weekend. Thomas is really getting faster with his swimming and can swim a little unassisted. He's making up a lesson on Wednesday this week so we can go visit my parents this weekend. The boys had friends over on Saturday afternoon and then we went to my mother-in-law's for dinner. On Sunday, Nolan had a baseball game against North Colonie. Even though they lost, it was such an awesome game. Nolan wore a jersey for the first time and looked really sharp. We had a hired umpire for the first time, and that made the game really exciting. Even when kids struck out, it was cool to hear the ump yell "SSTTRRRRRIIKE!". It's really giving Nolan a taste for what's to come in the spring. He's outgrown his glove too, so we're on the lookout for a lefty glove.

We have a short week this week with school and then a 5 day weekend! We're heading for my parents' Friday to Saturday and Nolan has a game Sunday. Monday, Chris and I are hoping to leave the kids with Gaba so we can go on a little hike. This is to celebrate our anniversary which is actually tomorrow. 13 years! We've known each other 17 years. We figured out that next year we'll actually know each other for longer than not, which is pretty cool. Also pretty cool to have married my best friend.

Christmas Decor in Kmart???

Come on people! Nolan and I ducked into Kmart while Chris and Thomas were at a birthday party of one of Thomas' friends. We were going to the toy aisle when we were hit square in the eye with decorated Christmas trees and blow up Santas. IN SEPTEMBER! We are barely thinking about Halloween already. OK, that's not true. I am starting to think about Christmas presents and our lack of ability to pay for any. But definately not decorations. Who can afford new Christmas decorations this year anyway? Maybe the kids could dress up like Christmas trees for Halloween...

Onward and upward to calmer subjects. Not much to report really. Speaking of reports, Nolan is doing his first book report. He has to pick an animal and write about it. He's chosen tigers. They had the day off yesterday for Rosh Hashanah. We went apple picking and had an awesome, beautiful day.

It was supposed to be cloudy but the sun came out. We had fun testing the tastes of different apples. Then we played at the playground with the horses grazing behind us. Geese kept flying overhead. The kids played forever on the hay bales. How simple does it get? It was great to be together. I wished Chris weren't at work so he could be there too. And we actually got out of there without buying a cider donut, which is a miracle in and of itself. Those donuts were going for $1 a piece! Forget about it! (The economy is making me punchy.)

This weekend, we are going to a high school football game, have a swim lesson, have a friend coming over, religion, and a baseball game. It is funny how the kids' activities take over our lives. But it's all good. We are so lucky to have all this fun!

Fall is here...

We are fully saturated in school now. Thomas is still loving kindergarten and Nolan is adjusted to the new load of homework. They both seem to be learning a lot already. Thomas is making sure he's holding a pencil the right way and Nolan is beginning to work on cursive writing. Thomas even learned to tie his shoes this weekend! He had a good swim lesson on Saturday and is doing great with his arm strokes. They started religion classes on Sunday too. And last night Nolan had his first Cub Scout meeting.

We had fun on Saturday-- a quick trip to the Great Escape and then a glimpse at the hot air balloons at the Adirondack Balloon Festival. We were in traffic forever getting there when we decided to turn around and watch from a pedestrian overpass bridge. It was really cool to see 20+ hot air balloons in the air. There is something about it--there is no purpose in these balloons really except to be beautiful and rise up in the air.

We are all still adjusting I think. Thomas is tired. Nolan has a little cold. I'm still not sure what to do with myself, although I seem to be pretty busy. I think it takes a while to sink into a new season. The days are getting cooler and the garden has been put to bed. I think we're looking into fall with open eyes.

This is for Mike-

I'm told by my friend Mike that he likes it when I make him laugh. And because he is so good to me, I just happen to have a funny story to tell him.

On Thursday morning at 6:50am, I got a phone call from a kid asking to have Nolan over after school. The phone woke me up and I wasn't quite awake when I was talking to him. That afternoon wouldn't work but Friday after school would. I spoke with his mom to iron out the details of a bus pass and hung up. So I make out the bus pass on Friday and told Nolan he's going home with this friend that day. Just after school is dismissed, I get a phone call from the mom, saying they didn't invite Nolan over! They had plans and I needed to come pick him up. I told her I had a whole conversation with her and she thought I was a lunatic! So as soon as Thomas gets home, I go pick up Nolan. On the way home, it dawned on me that this other friend is on the same kid's bus and their names are somewhat similar. So I called that mom and asked her if she was expecting Nolan--yep! So he got his play date after all, albeit late. See, we don't have caller ID anymore so I couldn't tell who it was and I was half asleep! I am really losing it.

On top of that, I sent Thomas to school that day with his underwear on backwards and his shoes on the wrong feet!

Coffee at noon-scandalous!

I'm having coffee with a friend at lunchtime today, and I can't get over it! I've always had my days so busy with the kids that I almost feel guilty taking an hour for coffee. What I'm finding, though, is our after school and evening times are filling with activities. So if I don't grab an hour here and there once in a while, I'm a crazed woman at 9:30 (when I finally got home last night). Nobody wants that! It really is true that if Mama is happy, everyone is happy!

Everyone is really happy in school. Thomas LOVES his teacher and even helped a new friend get on the bus who was having a hard time. He has show n' tell today. This is funny. His teacher is teaching them to do whole body listening in class. So he was getting reprimanded at home because he wasn't listening to me over something, so I told him he had to do whole body listening at home too. He said, "I didn't know you wanted me to do that!". I teach him until I'm blue in the face, but one word from his new teacher and he's got it! :)

Nolan also seems to like school, although he's completely unhappy about the homework. He's got a lot more of it and there's more thinking involved. If he wouldn't complain so much, he would probably be done in 30-40 minutes. But it takes him an hour because of the bellyaching. I'm hoping he'll get used to it and just push through it. If anyone has any ideas in how to make doing homework more fun, I'll all ears! Otherwise, he's making some new friends and it sounds like his teacher is doing a lot of things in class to make learning fun. He's going home with a new friend on the bus today, so Thomas will have to come home alone. Hopefully that will go well!

So we're slowly getting into the school routine. Saturday is my birthday and I plan to spend it shopping with my birthday money (Thanks Mom and Dad!). This is the coolest present, because I get time to myself and money that is all mine!

Too much food!

FYI-Chris posted a video of Thomas getting on the bus in the previous post.

We had a weekend of food and fun, so I'm glad I just got back from a run to get some of it off of me. Saturday, we went to a clambake sponsored by Chris' union. Lots of grilled food and clams (which Chris ate. The rest of us are not clam fans.) That night, we went to Applebee's so the kids could use these coupons they had. Sunday, there was a picnic at our church with GOBS of yummy food. We have such a great parish with lots of wonderful conversation. Last night, we had cereal for supper because we were all so full!

In other news, the fall travel team got canceled for lack of involvement from the other towns. Nolan's really bummed because he's not going to be able to get the fancy uniform and play against other teams (like real professional baseball! he says). But they are still going to have scrimmages against each other which is good practice. This week, Cub Scouts is starting to get off the ground, so that will also keep us busy. We have something happening every night this week. Everyone asks me what I'm going to do now that both boys are in school, but I'm busier now than before!

He's Off to the Races!

Thomas just got on the bus for school. Chris and Gaba were there too, to send him off. The bus was 1/2 hour late, so it was a little hard for him to wait so long. But once it arrived, he gave me a big smile and just trotted right up on that bus like no tomorrow! He had to really pull himself up the steps because he's so little! He got to go in and meet his teacher yesterday, so I think that helped a lot. And Gaba got him a chocolate lollipop for when he gets home, so he has something to look forward to. Now I don't know what to do with myself in this empty house! I think I'm going to walk up to Starbucks and get a smoothie. The bus will be back here in just 2 1/2 hours. I can't wait to hear about his first day!

One down, one to go

Nolan just got on the bus, excited to start school! Who doesn't get excited seeing those yellow buses, patrolling the streets? His backpack was completely loaded with everything he needed. He'll probably come home today with it full of papers to fill out. He gets to be on the other side of the school now, K-2 on one side and 3-5 on the other. Last night he had his first night of baseball practice which went well. He's going to get to wear a jersey and a hat with his name on it! His first game is Saturday, so we'll update with pics soon.

Thomas starts Friday, but he gets to go in and meet his teacher tomorrow for an hour. His best friend Leo (who's going to another school unfortunately) is coming over today. We're going to make cookies for when Nolan comes home. Thomas is also learning to tie his shoes. Loops are tricky.

I can't help but feel a little older this year. It's weird to have 2 kids in school. It's also weird to be answering friends' questions about what to expect with kindergarten. I remember being so nervous! Now I'm a veteran I guess. At least until middle school hits and it starts all over again.

Happy Birthday to Mathew yesterday! 37--wow! I'll be joining you in a couple weeks. Today was my father-in-law's birthday. I wish he could be here to see Thomas getting on the school bus for the first time. He'll be here in spirit. We'll send pics of that soon too.

Portrait of boredom

This is a picture of a very bored child who is extremely ready to go back to school.

One more week...

I can't believe school starts in a week. I think we're ready. The summer homework is done, sneakers and supplies are bought and the backpacks are dusted off. I still don't want the summer to end, except when the boys are screaming at each other because somebody touched the other one! Yesterday, Thomas and I practiced riding the bus again. I think he's both excited and nervous. And Nolan is missing his friends a little. He's starting travel baseball next week, and he's excited to to do that. He'll be playing with 9 year olds too and going to play against other towns. It feels like it is a big step for him, so we'll see how it goes. Thomas is going to continue with his swim lessons. I'm starting to look for a part-time job--some prospects but nothing set yet. But the air is getting a little cooler. School is in the air!

"Hey, it's good to be back home again..."

An old John Denver song. Silver Lake was awesome and we took about 100 pictures! Chris will update with them soon (I still refuse to learn.) [Photos added. There's a whole bunch more here. -- Roon]. It's amazing how easy it is to leave everything behind when we are there and just be immersed in the beauty of the Adirondacks and the simple things in life. The kids hardly played any video games or watched TV--and they didn't even miss it! When we asked Nolan what his favorite thing was on vacation, he said playing games in the cabin and swimming in the lake. Here's what we did:

Saturday--we arrived and had the "fun" job of unpacking and settling in.

Sunday--climbed Catamount. This was the hardest and longest hike for the boys at 3 miles round trip. The top is baldface, so there was a lot of rock scrambling. They thought that was fun, but there is a large, narrow crevice (called "The Chimney") that Thomas was scared of and Chester couldn't maneuver, so they stayed while Nolan and I pressed on to the little top. We didn't have time to go on to the actual top, another 40 minutes. Still a great hike. This was Chris' favorite day because I made kick ass sandwiches for supper and he thought he died and went to heaven.

Monday--hiked the Red Dot Trail in Paul Smiths and then tooled around the Visitor's Interpretive Center. The boys were not as into hiking this day, so we went into Lake Placid and bought some games to play. Of course, we had to stop at Donnelly's on the way for the best ice cream EVER.

Tuesday--Mom, Dad and Mosey came to visit. We had a nice chat by the fire. Later on we hiked the Silver Lake Bog Trail and bluffs. I wish I could tell what mountains are what by looking at them. We're also playing with the idea of trying to do all 46 peaks.

Wednesday--Drove up Whiteface and hung out at the top in shorts at 40 degrees--brr! Still worth it. It was warmer at the higher lookout than the lower castle--like we were above the weather. After descending from Whiteface we spent some time hanging out on the rocks along the Ausable River near the historic covered bridge in Upper Jay.

Thursday--Tried to hike Mount Baker but forgot our lunch! So we returned to the cabin and canoed to the beach at the end of the lake. Chris has decided he likes kayaking but I still favor canoeing. The motion seems more natural. The water was warm and Thomas liked the shallow water.

Friday--Hiked Cobble Hill in Lake Placid and then shopping. Cobble Hill is a great, short hike for a beautiful view of the city, High Peaks and the ski jumps. It was a little steep at the top which freaked Nolan out a little, so this time Thomas and I plodded on to the top. Shopping in Lake Placid was probably the low point of the trip for me. It is NO FUN being in a fancy place with lots of money spenders when you don't have any to spend. But the kids got Webkinz which made them happy. We got back and the kids had a great afternoon swimming. It was 82 degrees in the shade and 76 degree water temperature--a rarity in the north country. Thomas even got brave and started jumping in! Alas--we had to start cleaning the place and packing up.

Saturday--the kids woke up at--yes--5:59am!! This is what happens when there are no curtains and loons are singing their good morning songs. So we got up, trudged everything up the hill and were on the road at 8am.

It is good to be home and connected again. But I miss looking out at the lake and not having to think about, well, anything. Our biggest concern was whether the humungous spider outside the window was going to eat the next moth victim caught in it's web! We had some moments when family togetherness was--let's say--overrated! But I have NO COMPLAINTS and I'm already thinking of the fun we'll have next year. Thank you again and again to my Uncle Rush and Annie for letting us stay another wonderful year in Hawkeye.

Oh, and I forgot to mention we stacked 6 cords of wood! It made me realize why no one needed to exercise in the olden days! It is refreshing to have exercise and be productive too.

It's raining, It's pouring...

I'm watching the rain fall and drip from leaf to leaf on the ivy that grows on my neighbor's garage. I'm continuing to try hard not to complain about the weather we get. I'm glad we live in a place where we get to experience all kinds of weather. But I just got the mail and it is completely soaked! I endeavor to keep my grumblings to myself. Between this and 2 boys that are completely bored and me, completely out of ideas of fun things to do--yeah, it's fun in the Rooney house today! :)

Unlike this weekend which was jammed packed with fun. Saturday, we were supposed to go to Great Escape with our friends, the Prices. But they had sick kids. A bummer, but we decided to go to Six Flags New England in Massachusetts instead. With our season pass, we get to go there for free as well, AND our parking pass works there too! SO it was a cheap trip and a beautiful day--why not? Except that the rest of New England had the same idea. It was JAM PACKED with people. Luckily we still have younger kids and stuck to the kiddie rides where the wait was less. Chris thought he might try the humongous Superman roller coaster, until he found out it was a 2 hour wait! So we stuck with Wiggle World and Thomas Land. After about 4 hours, Nolan was asking to leave and Thomas was crying so it was time. On the way home, Nolan asked why it wasn't dark yet--it was only 5pm! And Thomas was crying that he had to pee and how mean we were that we couldn't pull over on the highway for him right that minute. Good times! Seriously, it was fun and a good experience for the kids. But I swear we all have more fun when we have more low key adventures.

Like yesterday, Nolan and I went to a book signing and lecture by Tomie de Paola, children's author. We both loved it! There were free ice cream sundaes (Chris and Thomas stayed for that part) and good discussion. Nolan even raised his hand with a question and got to meet him when he signed his book. Nolan tells me he wants to be an illustrator if playing for the Yankees doesn't pan out. I told him he could do anything he puts his mind to.

So our friend Sharon stayed over last night, on her way to Syracuse where her mom is having surgery. My mother-in-law had cataract surgery today, did great and we spent a lot of time with her this afternoon to make sure she's okay. Nolan has his annual physical tomorrow. Lots of doctor visits these days. Lots to pray for to keep God busy up there. The rest of the week will hopefully pass quickly--we go to Silver Lake for a week's vacation on Saturday!

Play dates and sunshine

Nolan has his friend Evan over now and his older brother Derek. They play great together. Right now they all have their Nintendo DS's and are playing Mario Kart. Thomas is right in the mix, playing on his own Leapster game with a similar race car game. I love it when we have friends over that require no maintenance on my part! If I have to play too, it defeats the purpose of having friends over! Not that I don't like to play sometimes too, but we can do that anytime. I should probably have them play outside or something in a little bit while the sun is out.

The weather has been odd the last few days. It will be blue skies and sun and then a downpour. Sometimes the sun is still shining in the rain. It's making hanging clothes outside challenging.

Tomorrow is the last day of summer camp--3 weeks to school! Story time at the library ended this week too. This week, a man came to story time to teach about his exotic animals--turtles, lizards, snakes and even a hedgehog and quail. We learned the proper way to pick up a frog (by the legs or scoop underneath, never around the middle because they have no rib cage.). This weekend, we hope to go to the Great Escape again with some friends--it's been a while since we've been. On Sunday, Nolan and I are going to a book signing with Tomie de Paula--famous children's author. And we have lots of fun things to do next week. We are going to soak up as much of this summer as we can!

Nolan is also doing a job of feeding a neighbor's cats this week while she is away. I go with him but he does most of the work. It's been good for him. So far the cats want nothing to do with us, but he always tells them they are good cats before we leave. I can't beleive he is old enough to do this.

In case I don't get online again soon--Happy Anniversary to Mark and Mary Ellen on Sunday! Also, Happy Birthday Marlene on Monday and Happy Anniversary to Mike and Sharon on Tuesday!~

America's pastime in Schenectady

The boys and I had a great morning yesterday. We headed over to the Schenectady Museum to take in their special baseball exhibit.

It was billed as the "The Science Behind Baseball." There was a little bit of science stuff. One display helped you figure out how to find the sweet spot on a bat. We also watched a short movie in which two kids conducted experiments to determine which bat sends the ball farther -- aluminum or wooden (their results gave aluminum the slight edge).

But it was mostly a great collection of baseball memorabilia -- particularly as it pertained to Schenectady and the surrounding region. There were lots of great old photos of the Schenectady Blue Jays -- a former farm team for the Phillies best known for producing future Dodgers manager Tommy LaSorda. I also spotted a photo of a young Phil Rizzuto being interviewed on WGY.

There were also items on display from more recent memory, including lots of memorabilia from the Albany-Colonie Yankees and the Tri-City ValleyCats.

I would have liked to have spent more time looking at the old photos and reading all of the captions next to them, but the kids didn't have the patience for that.

The highlight for them was getting up close and personal with several of the VallyCats players (and their mascot, Southpaw). They each brought baseballs that were filled with signatures before long.

They also spent a good deal of time testing their arms against the radar gun. Nolan says his best pitch was 28 mph (although the highest I remember seeing was 27). Little Thomas topped out at 25 mph and even did a pretty good job of hitting the strike zone.

Click here to view more photos.

34 days to school-ugh!

Another week of summer flew by, and now it's August 1st. Thomas finished his swim lessons, but we're looking forward to doing more in the fall. Now we're working on no training wheels with his bike. Today we switched kids with our friends the Brownells--Nolan is at their house with Dan and Stephanie is here with Thomas. It never seems to work out lately when they are all together, so this seems to be a good compromise. Thomas and Stephanie are working on a rock concert for me, so I have to go downstairs when they are ready to perform.

These trying economic times are affecting us all, and now the boys are too. We laid them off! We ended allowances this week. Thomas kept losing his anyway by not doing his chores (He wasn't ready for an allowance yet, I think.), and we just never had cash in the house for Nolan. They are still doing their chores, but it is more laid back. They do them just because we're a family and we all have chores to do. But every weekend, it seems we order a pizza or go to some other fast food place. So that's a reward for all of us. Other ways we've made sacrifices is downgrading our cable to basic, a cheaper phone service and saving less. I think the fact that we ride bikes whenever we can has been great, as well as hanging clothes out instead of using the dryer. These sacrifices are so easy to make if it means I get to be home here with the kids. Maybe they are hard sacrifices by Niskayuna standards, but we really have so much that we aren't complaining one bit. The kids have been great about doing with less; I'm really proud of them. We are watching a lot of library movies too, though I've been picking ut some pretty bad ones lately (Do not watch "Year of the Dog"--awful!).
I guess the show must go on--let the rockin' begin!

Caves, newts and screaming

We had a fun romp at Thacher Park today. It's about a 30 minute drive away, on the other side of Albany on the Helderberg escarpment. We started out hiking on a wooded trail, looking for letterboxes. We did find a couple, and a cool-looking newt. But after we found the second box, we were getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. Thomas kept screaming, "I'm itchy! I'm itchy!" and we couldn't take it anymore! :) So we had lunch at a tent until security kicked us out because it was reserved. It started thundering; we weren't sure if we should go hiking anymore, but it seemed far away and blew over. We hiked the Indian Ladder trail and the boys (and Chester) loved it. It's short but has amazing views. You go down steel staircases along the side of limestone cliffs. Two waterfalls plumet from the top of the cliff, so we could walk behind them and look up at the water shooting off the cliff. There are caves to explore along it too. See more photos here. Despite the haziness, it was really a cool place to go. It's gotten Nolan interested in exploring more caves. We want to go back in the fall. The last time Chris and I were there was in the fall with our friend Mike and Indy was just a puppy. It was nice to share it with the boys.

This week will be different than expected. Both boys were going to be at playground camp in the mornings. But we've discovered it hasn't been the best environment for Thomas. So he's done. Nolan will go and Thomas and I will explore other adventures together. Tomorrow, Chris has the day off but no big plans. Thomas finishes up swim lessons this week, we have story times at the library, baseball on Wednesday and probably some playdates. Who knows what fun will fill our days--that's what's so great about summer!

The sun is out!

It is so great to see the sun shine and the humidity gone after buckets and buckets of rain! It was pouring an hour ago and now suddenly there is blue sky. The kids had fun at camp today, and Nolan had a field trip to Chuck E. Cheese which he loved. No baseball yesterday because of the rain. Thomas is almost done swim lessons, and he's so close to swimming! He can swim a few feet now. As soon as he can put all the movements together, I think he'll take off with it. He really likes it. I think we'll skip today's lesson, though, because he's super grumpy and tired.

I have been painting Thomas' room and hope to be done by this weekend. Chris' car is in the shop, so we are without a car today. Chris has a long weekend this weekend, so we're thinking about a hike and maybe Great Escape again.

The Next Generation

We met a bunch of Chris' high school friends at Saratoga State Park yesterday and had a great time. It is pretty impressive that we got 7 families together on a summer Saturday and they all live locally (or were at least visiting family). I am not as good at keeping in touch with my high school friends. As an aside, I did just join Facebook and found one friend from high school. Anyway, what was cool was how well all of our kids played and seeing them together. They ranged from 6 months to 8 years, Nolan being the oldest. But they played on the playground, threw rocks in the stream and played with the many toys everyone dragged there. All the parents are doing different kinds of jobs and leading different lives. But we had a ton to talk about. Good time. You can find more pictures here.

We're off to church. We were suppose to go 8:30am this morning but Chris and I woke up at 8:08! So we're going to a later mass. Not much on the plate today--getting an oil change on the car and hopefully dinner at Gaba's house later.

Middle of July already!

This has been the best summer ever in our book. I can't believe how fast it is going already! We are still recuperating from the birthday weekend. Nolan had a busy day yesterday. Town camp in the morning, swimming at the McDonnell's house in the afternoon, quick supper and baseball at night. We discovered they have an All-Star sandlot team for 7-9 year olds on Wednesday nights. Nolan has been missing baseball and we thought it might be good for him to play with some older players. He was tired, so he didn't play his best. But I think he had fun, which is what it's all about. Thomas and I bailed and didn't go because we wanted to veg out at home.

Today I'm getting my hair cut and then pick out paint for Thomas' room. I'm thinking green. And I think we're meeting the Brownells later to swim and then swim lessons after that. Thomas is starting the jump into the water on his own, swim short distances and even swim a little under water. I think another few weeks of lessons and he'll be swimming for real. He really likes it. I wonder if it will be his thing.

Change of plans

Remember that plan to go to Six Flags New England? Yeah, well, that didn't work out so much.

We got up this morning and checked the weather for Agawam, Mass. and realized it was supposed to rain there all day. So we shifted gears and went to the Great Escape instead, despite the fact we've already been there three or four times this summer.

But you know what? We had the best time! Every time we go we still find new things to do. Each trip is a new experience. These season passes we have are the best deal ever. (Thanks again Mom & Dad!)

We brought Nolan's friend Evan with us and spent the first half of the day in the water park. We had a blast on the Mega Wedgie and the Tornado. Then while everyone else went off to the Lumberjack Splash Wave Pool, I slipped off on my own to tackle the Comet.

After a break for lunch we hit some more rides and worked in a stop a McDonald's for dinner on the way home. It was our longest day at the Great Escape yet and there are still some more rides we still haven't done. There's always a next time...

When we got home, there was one more package waiting for Nolan at the door (thanks Uncle Tim and Aunt Bonnie). And that brought Nolan's birthday weekend to a conclusion.

Birthday and baseball

I think Nolan really enjoyed his eighth birthday yesterday. We kept things fairly low-key this year. He didn't have a big party.

When he woke, the day began with the special breakfast he picked out for his birthday -- Chocolate Honey Combs. Then we let him dive into presents.

Later in the morning we took him shopping to blow some of his money on a game for his DS. Counting that, he got two new DS games. So since it was his birthday we caved and let him have extra video game time.

We spent time outdoors too, with a couple of rounds of catch out in the front yard.

His friend Dan came over for pizza and cake. Then we all went to see a Tri-City ValleyCats game. We all rooted for the ValleyCats -- even though they were playing the Staten Island Yankees. The Cats lost to the Yankees 4-3.

But we all had a good time anyway. For Kris and Thomas, it was their first trip to a game at the Joe. Thomas got to stay up way past his bedtime. As for Nolan, he got his birthday announced on the scoreboard and was invited to join a group of kids singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" down on the field during the 7th Inning Stretch.

Afterward Dan came home with us for a sleepover.

Tomorrow we're taking another of Nolan's friends with us to Six Flags New England for the day. We'll give you an upate later on how that goes.

Playground Camp Rules!

The kids are finishing their first week at playground camp today, and they have loved it. They've been learning lots of games and making new friends. Thomas amazes me. He is a little fearful when we drop him off, but it's temporary and he goes right to playing. All the kids seem to know him and call for him when we show up, even the bigger kids. And yesterday, they took a field trip to Chuck E. Cheese on a bus and he had a great time! No worrying, he just got on that bus without Nolan and had a blast. This is so good for him to get ready for kindergarten. Yahoo!

Today Nolan goes on a field trip to the bowling alley. And I'm getting ready for Nolan's birthday tomorrow. Happy Birthday to my brother-in-law Mark today!

Living room makeover

Our new living room furniture arrived yesterday.

The sectional we had for nearly five years didn't hold up very well. It had some ugly stains we couldn't get out and the fabric on the arm where 3/4 of the family preferred to sit to watch TV was completely worn out and tattered.

With the small size of our living room -- and, more importantly, the location of our cable outlet -- we're limited with what we can do with the layout. But this is the floor plan Kris came up with. We're pretty pleased.

Plus, with potty training far behind us, there is a good chance these cushions will never get peed on!

Up north

Here are some photos from our recent trip to Chapel Pond and Moira...

Happy 4th!

We went to visit my parents for 4th of July weekend and we all had a great time. Chris took the boys to a nearby parade while Chester and I cleaned out their flooded basement. Actually, they had already cleaned out a ton. I mainly helped them dry it out and get rid of the mold. Then we had steaks on the grill and chocolate mousse pie-yum! Definately worth the effort. We also saw my Uncle Rush at Silver Lake on the way, and we enjoyed the most perfect weather. It was gorgeous driving through the Adirondacks; it makes us want to plan our next hike.

The boys started Playground Camp today and both had good reports. I got to clean the house in perfect silence! We are finally getting rid of our nasty sectional and replacing it with 2 loveseats. That involves re-arranging our living room (Chris' favorite thing-not) and moving our sectional out to the garage for City Mission to pick up. I can't wait to see what it will all look like. It's nice to see the living room so clean. The amount of dustbunnies I swept up was phenomenal! I thought I was a good cleaner, but it was always hard to get behind the sectional. It showed!

Camping 2008

You can find some photos from our camping trip last weekend by clicking here...