Life was good at the Rooney house. I went undetected for some time. Food was plentiful at the base of the bird feeder. I would get my dinner and settle in under a bookcase in the garage. But you know what they say...the grass is always greener. So I decided to start venturing into warmer recesses. I found a way into the house (the Rooneys are still trying to find my entry point) and the wonders there! Children playing with toys under the tree, leftover food abound, a warm stove to hunker down underneath. This is Nirvana, baby! And I can poo wherever I want and they clean it up! But alas, all good things must come to an end. The peanut butter on the trap was just too enticing, and I fell into my death. It was good while it lasted.
Rest in peace, Christmouse! And don't haunt your friends and tell them about our house!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
'The Elf on the Shelf'
A few years ago I helped Nolan make a video for his first grade holiday tradition presentation. Now it's Thomas' turn.
Thomas wanted talk about Eddie, the elf who hides in our house to watch him and then report back to Santa. There is a book that tells Eddie's story titled "The Elf on the Shelf." So he read it for his video. Here's what we came up with...
Thomas wanted talk about Eddie, the elf who hides in our house to watch him and then report back to Santa. There is a book that tells Eddie's story titled "The Elf on the Shelf." So he read it for his video. Here's what we came up with...
Monday, December 14, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Advent
Today is the third Sunday of Advent, the pink candle which stands for the joy and anticipation of Christmas. It's a nice breath of fresh air, really. A lot of the readings for Advent are about making sure we are ready for Christ's coming - they can be a little heavy. Advent is supposed to be a time when we get in touch with our emptiness and longings and accept them for what they are. We are more than that. It's okay to be unfinished and not have it all figured out. See...heavy stuff! So the pink candle reminds us to rejoice in the good stuff...and not to sweat the small stuff. We did that today.
Today we went to find the Yule Log at a magical place called Dyken Pond. The tradition is that people would hide a yule log on the winter solstice and celebrate the shortest day to the year by finding it and burning it throughout the night. Dyken Pond is a great preserve in Rensselaer county with educational programs and 6 miles of trails through woods, swamps and streams. The yule log is hidden somewhere in the preserve and we're given a few hints. The hunt was on! Of course, a group of teenagers found it before we did, but at least we were on the right trail. We dragged the sled with us so Thomas could ride whenever he got tired. Chester enjoyed all the smells. We were all bundled warm and it was a beautiful, snowy day to be out in the woods. Breathing that cold fresh air instead of being in the hubbub at the stuffy mall wins in my book, any day of the week.
So, I think we are as ready as we'll ever be for Christmas to come. Chris and I went to his station's holiday party this week. The Christmas cards are out and I'm half-way through wrapping. The house smells like cookies and fir tree. The kids are counting the days, although they still haven't really said what they want for Christmas. As long as there are some kind of presents, I guess they are happy! So come on Christmas, bring it on!
Today we went to find the Yule Log at a magical place called Dyken Pond. The tradition is that people would hide a yule log on the winter solstice and celebrate the shortest day to the year by finding it and burning it throughout the night. Dyken Pond is a great preserve in Rensselaer county with educational programs and 6 miles of trails through woods, swamps and streams. The yule log is hidden somewhere in the preserve and we're given a few hints. The hunt was on! Of course, a group of teenagers found it before we did, but at least we were on the right trail. We dragged the sled with us so Thomas could ride whenever he got tired. Chester enjoyed all the smells. We were all bundled warm and it was a beautiful, snowy day to be out in the woods. Breathing that cold fresh air instead of being in the hubbub at the stuffy mall wins in my book, any day of the week.
So, I think we are as ready as we'll ever be for Christmas to come. Chris and I went to his station's holiday party this week. The Christmas cards are out and I'm half-way through wrapping. The house smells like cookies and fir tree. The kids are counting the days, although they still haven't really said what they want for Christmas. As long as there are some kind of presents, I guess they are happy! So come on Christmas, bring it on!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Christmas prep
We got our Christmas tree on Sunday at a little farm in Milton. The trees were small but that's what we wanted anyway. It was the first time we showed up, saw a tree right away that we agreed on, cut it and left. All under an hour-wow! So we are all decorated and the shopping is done. We still have cards, wrapping and baking to do.
Thomas is about to get off the bus. Nolan is staying late at school because he's going to working at being in a spelling bee. We pick him up, have swim lessons and then we hit the books. Chris and Nolan are going to the library tonight to see a man acting as Teddy Roosevelt. All a day in the life of the Rooneys!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Thomas the Pitchman
Thomas built a big marble thingamajig. In the process of showing it off for the camera he soon broke into his Billy Mays impression.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thanksgiving is coming...
and I am so excited to host this year for my whole family. I have had my parents before, but never my sister's family too. So I went grocery shopping today to get all the Thanksgiving fixin's, and I already put up some Christmas decorations so it will be festive. The turkey is in the refrigerator thawing. It will be great for all of us to be together, crammed in our little dining room, but together.
So what's new with us. Nolan is doing great in the advanced math class. He's learning to multiply and divide double digits now. He asked me the other day if they had exponents when I went to school (yes, I'm not that old!). He's been devouring The 39 Clues series. He won a drawing contest at the orthodontist's office and got a $20 gift card to Barnes and Noble, so he plans to buy the next books in the series. He has his first reconciliation retreat this weekend. I'm amazed at how much he is learning and growing this year. Especially today. I went to visit a friend who just had a baby at St. Peter's Hospital today. I haven't been there since Nolan was born. It brought back so many memories of when I was on bed rest, and those days in the NICU. He's our miracle baby! He's doing great on the violin and is starting to learn Jingle Bells. He's in chorus too, and playing basketball on Saturdays. He came home really proud this week that he made a touchdown playing football at recess. Okay, ehough bragging about Nolan. Time to brag about Thomas.
Thomas finished his session of swim lessons and like it so much that we're doing the next session now too! This is such a change from when he wouldn't even get in the water. He's been loving school, learning how to add and subtract and reading new words every day. He told me he won the race at gym today. He is still getting pulled out of class for speech twice a week, but he's really improving and I'm thinking he may not need it anymore after this year. He has a new friend Craig that we're having over this weekend. His favorite job is ushering at church! About once a month, he is in charge of passing the basket around and passing out the bulletins at the end. He LOVES it, and everybody loves seeing him do it. I think he likes the attention and being able to get up during church, but that's fine by me!
The Thanksgiving Parade is in Schenectady this Saturday night and we have to deliver popcorn this weekend too.
That's all the boring, simple stuff we're up to lately. It's great! I am so grateful for my family and the wonderful life we get to live together. Happy Thanksgiving!
So what's new with us. Nolan is doing great in the advanced math class. He's learning to multiply and divide double digits now. He asked me the other day if they had exponents when I went to school (yes, I'm not that old!). He's been devouring The 39 Clues series. He won a drawing contest at the orthodontist's office and got a $20 gift card to Barnes and Noble, so he plans to buy the next books in the series. He has his first reconciliation retreat this weekend. I'm amazed at how much he is learning and growing this year. Especially today. I went to visit a friend who just had a baby at St. Peter's Hospital today. I haven't been there since Nolan was born. It brought back so many memories of when I was on bed rest, and those days in the NICU. He's our miracle baby! He's doing great on the violin and is starting to learn Jingle Bells. He's in chorus too, and playing basketball on Saturdays. He came home really proud this week that he made a touchdown playing football at recess. Okay, ehough bragging about Nolan. Time to brag about Thomas.
Thomas finished his session of swim lessons and like it so much that we're doing the next session now too! This is such a change from when he wouldn't even get in the water. He's been loving school, learning how to add and subtract and reading new words every day. He told me he won the race at gym today. He is still getting pulled out of class for speech twice a week, but he's really improving and I'm thinking he may not need it anymore after this year. He has a new friend Craig that we're having over this weekend. His favorite job is ushering at church! About once a month, he is in charge of passing the basket around and passing out the bulletins at the end. He LOVES it, and everybody loves seeing him do it. I think he likes the attention and being able to get up during church, but that's fine by me!
The Thanksgiving Parade is in Schenectady this Saturday night and we have to deliver popcorn this weekend too.
That's all the boring, simple stuff we're up to lately. It's great! I am so grateful for my family and the wonderful life we get to live together. Happy Thanksgiving!
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