Brothers~ August

The lower right picture is of Kaleb giving "Big Brudder" a kiss.

A Visitor

This was a pretty big spider that had spun a web between the VW and the truck.

Visiting Maura and Missy

It was good to see Maura and to finally meet Missy! We enjoyed a nice relaxing afternoon in Branford catching up. On the way back, we took the scenic route, stopping near the ocean.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Family Night: Court Jesters

So I decided just for giggles to enter my name in a raffle at work to win (4) tickets to see the Court Jesters (Click title for link to their page) play at the PHS. I figured, if I won it would be a fun thing to do with Jake..if I didn't win, no big deal. Well, I won!

Nana was able to join us in the fun and catch the team play the Plfld HS Athletic Boosters/Plfld Fire Dept. (proceeds benefited both PLFLD DEPTS). She entered a 50/50 raffle and won (and was so kind as to share her winnings)!! Jake was able to get a cool basketball with all of their signatures.

The show was quite fun...very comical! Jakob enjoyed himself, especially when the kids were able to go onto the court at half time and dance. The main player was "Rainbow"- was he a hoot! He wore a microphone and would yell "WHOOT!" as he played and would also make comments and raze players on the other team. He would often end up in the audience grabbing men's butts and mimicking the way the girls would walk by sticking his butt out! At one point, Jake and I went out to go get a drink. I had a feeling Rainbow" might see us walk by, so I tried to make a dash for the door...yeah, he saw us and grabbed on to Jake's arm and tried to pull him on the court- FUNNY!

The best part was when "Rainbow", kneeling down with his back to the basket , made a shot from the middle of the court. It was great! And if you hadn't already guessed, the Court Jesters won.

We love the library

The boys at the library (yesterday and while I was on vacation).

Little Critter

This little snapping turtle made its way into the factory (heat treat area) last week.

Squirt! Squirt!

Well, Jake not wanting to go on a new road didn't last long. We headed out Saturday and that was the firs thing he said. Here is a pic of Jakob playing with some squirt toys at the Looney's house.

Tasty Treats and New Streets

Missy and her gang joined us for pizza tonight and we decided to go for ice cream afterwards . Buttonwoods was PACKED, so we headed over to The Brown Cow Cafe (part of Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm- click the title above for the link to the farm). This was our first time...not many people as it was close to closing. It is the cutest place- they have animals for the kids to check out, home made goodies, local products (chips, soda, jams, etc). We all had home made ice cream, while Todd added an "apple cider slushie". We took home a turkey pie (frozen and like a pot pie) for dinner Saturday night (**it was all gravy and turkey and was it YUMMY!).

With Jake always wanting to take a new road any time he is in the car, I had Todd go down Stone Hill Rd. from Rt. 49 (star on the right side of the picture) on the way home from ice cream. The road goes through Pachaug forest and brings you to Rt. 201. After about 15 minutes and deep into the forest (yeah, it was dark and I told Todd to take the wrong trail...yadda yadda yadda), Jakob was not liking the new road (all dirt and very bumpy!) and was scarred. It was a tad bit spooky, but I wasn't going to let on that I thought so! We were supposed to be on the outskirts of the forest, but I had directed Todd to take a left instead of a right which brought us through the middle of the forest. We had a bat fly right near our car!! Todd not knowing where he was (I have made it through twice, taking different ways on my own) didn't help make Jake feel better. He kept saying things like "I hope the gates aren't locked!". Anyway...we finally made it out (of the main entrance..star on left of picture)..and Jakob says "NO MORE NEW ROADS FOR ME!".

Sunflowers 2007

We made it in time this year to see the beautiful fields of sunflowers at Buttonwood Farm (last year that were wilting). Click the title above for more info on "sunflowers for wishes". The image above was perfect, but I wanted to make it special.

Spent the day at Jacob R.'s birthday and headed down to see the flowers. On the way back, we found a new road, a very old cemetary, a wild turkey and her babies, and a coyote or fox.

Family Day: CT Eastern Railroad Museum

Started the day off with lunch at Cinco de Mayo (not my fav mx establishment) and then ventured over to the RR Museum.

The museum is in an odd location and wasn't what I had expected. It is all outdoors..... and there are a ton of bugs. The museum houses buildings, coaches, cars, a turn table, and a roundhouse.

Columbia Junction Roundhouse
The Columbia Junction Roundhouse was completed in November 1892 and was used for servicing and repairing steam engines. It is believed that the roundhouse was razed during the later 1920’s or early 1930’s and the remaining walls were bulldozed into the six pits inside the roundhouse. In 1991, work began on clearing the roundhouse site of trees, brush and debris. Plans for a new roundhouse were drawn up using the original plans as a guide. The shell of the new roundhouse building was completed in August 2000 on the original foundation. The doors have been installed and a brick paver floor is being laid. For a donation, people can have a paver inscribed and placed in the floor. Windows will be installed in the near future and the roundhouse will be used to store and display equipment.

Jakob "driving" EMD FL9
This dual-mode FL9 was built for the New Haven Railroad in November 1960 at General Motor's Electro-Motive Division (EMD) and assigned road number 2057. It was rebuilt by the Chrome Locomotive Companyin Silvas, IL in 1985 at which time it was renumbered as #2023, and served both Connecticut and New York until retired from service in September 2002. It was donated to the museum by the Connecticut DOT Office of Rail and arrived at the museum on February 7, 2003 with help from the Providence & Worcester and New England Central railroads. The dual-mode FL9 operates normally in diesel-electric mode but converts to electified operation while in motion by lowering a shoe which makes contact with an energized third rail. At that time the diesel engine is shut down and the electric motors take over, a transition that occurs so smoothly that passengers are not even aware that it has taken place. On the New Haven Railroad, the changeover to electric operation occured when approaching New York City in the area of Woodlawn, NY. When leaving the city, the third rail shoes were raised and the diesel engines took over.

Happy Birthday Daddy

Todd's friend Chris and his boys Tommy and Jacob joined us for pizza and ice cream cake to celebrate his 34th birthday.

Fourth of July

We decided to keep it low key today..have been running since Saturday.

Enjoyed some time outside playing with toys and blowing bubbles. Todd cooked dogs and burgers for lunch...Jake even ate a cheeseburger!!

For dinner he grilled yummy chicken and we also had squash, corn on the cob, and pasta salad too! Even though it started raining later, we could here the fire works from the lake.

It wasn't exactly the way Martha's came out, but this was dessert...(the biscuits are shaped like stars).

Pooped!

The boys pages will be updated with more pictures of them from today.

Happy

Vacation next week!!

Happy Father's Day!

Visit with Grampa S.

Big Foot

A favorite monster truck came to visit Wibberly's (we missed the car crushing). Todd was able to finish work early today, so we met Nana and Jake over there.

Jakob was so amazed at the big truck.

The Boys~ June

Memorial Day

We walked into town this morning to see the parade. It was short, but nice. There were 3 marching bands, 3 Fire Departments, the Ambulance & Forestry Companies, Brownies & Scouts, to name a few. Todd and the baby headed back on East Main while Jake and I took the "long way back" (all of the side streets on North Main to get to East Main). On the way back, we saw fighter jets...they were really low!

Top of the monument in Fanning Park in memory of soldiers from our town.

Lets not forget the true meaning of Memorial Day! Remember a moment of silence at 3 o'clock to remember those who died while serving our country.

“ Last Monday in May”©
By
John T. Bird

We pause to remember those who died
With so much courage, so much pride

They’ll never come back, yet memories endure
To remind us of freedom: fragile, pure

We’re worthy of their sacrifice if we pause each day
Not just on the last Monday in May

Family Day: The Aquarium

We had a busy day today! After going to BJ's and the mall (Todd needed new lenses...he didn't understand why the anti-glare could have possibly come off after he keeps soaking his glasses in Oxy Clean...) and lunch at the Olive Garden (both kids were good...kept having to remind Todd and Jake to speak in their "quiet voices" while in the restaurant..heehee) we headed to the aquarium.

Aside from it being a tad bit hot out (over 90) it was a good visit. Jakob had so much fun this time around...asking questions and wanting to learn about everything. He thought it was cool when a cownose ray came up out of the water and he was able to touch it. I think after our membership expires in September we will not renew. For me, it is disappointing for the amount of money you spend. We had also stopped by to check out the "Birds of the Outback"- supposedly in a 1200 sq. ft. aviary (it was a screened area outside and it seemed no bigger than my entire downstairs)- we didn't go in the exhibit another $2 per person and the birds didn't look like anything special). It was Kaleb's first trip..he slept most of the time and I was a little worried with it being so hot. He woke up while we were inside and cried a bit because it was a little dark and he wasn't sure of his surroundings- after a bottle, he was good to go.

Relief?!

So my eye really hasn't improved much this week and is still whacked out...the pharmacy is not making me happy at this moment...so I will write about this another day. We will just say that I am calling my Opthamalagist (?) tomorrow for an appt.

Taken last weekend...

Aller...gieeees

I have had year round allergies all of my life. Causing other problems such as ear infections, tubes in my ears, nose bleeds, and asthma along with typical allergy symptoms. Since getting pregnant with Jakob, the allergies and asthma pretty much went away and I have only had to use my inhalers or take meds a handful of times in 5 years. UNTIL THIS YEAR! My word, it is really bad. Of course I had to go online to WebMD to find the names of the eye drops (Patanol) and meds (R-Tanna, because nothing else works for me) I prefer since it has been so long. I picked up some Claratin at Wallyworldand it worked for a day. Guess I need to call the DR tomorrow.

So this it what my right eye has looked like all day. I had to hold it closed on the ride into work because it was stinging so bad. If you look close enough you can see the zig-zag sutures from my cornea transplant.

Speaking of sneezes...Kaleb sneezed with a mouth full of food resulting in my second shower of the day.

Mother's Day

My Mother's Day Presents from Jakob

All I wanted today was quiet, maybe a quick nap, and a chance to read. My day is 3/4 of the way over and I might get a chance to read (haha).

I was up by 7 (Todd slept until 8:30), showered- almost burned my skin off...something was up with the hot water!, fed the boys, and took Jake grocery shopping. Little disappointed that the line at the coffee shop was a gazilion miles long so I left. I made lunch, did dishes, went for a walk with the kiddos (more on Jake's page), cleaned, and paid the bills. I still have to get dinner ready, Jake ready for school tomorrow, and give the kids a bath. Typical Mother's Day! Oh, forgot to mention Todd had a nap- I think having to feed Kaleb lunch and clean his messy poo while I was at the store wore him out. A plus, I discovered Reese's Peanut Butter topping at the store!!

But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters most is that my kids are happy and they love Todd and I.

Here is the cake Jake picked out for me...

Mother's Day Pages

Family Day: Eric Carle Museum

We started off a little late, but we made it to the museum around 3 p.m. Should've driven an extra 30 minutes nad we would've been in VT! Stopped by Friendly's and enjoyed lunch and some yummy ice cream.

I thought the museum would have been more geared for kids....only the library and art studio was. The museum is 40,000 sq and it really only had 2 small galleries and the center gallery (which had 4 murals), a library, gift store and art studio for kids. I think the rest of it was the auditorium. Maybe we can go back when Jakob and Kaleb will 1) be able to appreciate art 2) appreciate the art gallery setting (QUIET!). I do have to say Kaleb was excellent the entire day and Jake was pretty quiet while in the galleries.

East Gallery
Picture Stories: A Celebration of African American IllustratorsMarch 24 - June 17, 2007
Celebrating the art of twelve African-American illustrators, Picture Stories provides an engaging and informative overview of the African-American tapestry through visual narratives, which resound with authentic voices. The art, chosen to present a wide spectrum of scenes and events, includes folktales, traditions, cultural experiences, and individual contributions, all of which define the proud heritage of Black History.

West Gallery
The Art of Eric Carle: Eric Carle Picture WriterFebruary 9 - September 2, 2007
As one of the most acclaimed authors and illustrators of our time, Eric Carle’s work has world-wide appeal. Selections from Eric Carle Picture Writer explore the sources of some of Carle’s stories, his highly acclaimed collage technique, and a small glimpse at some of the preliminary stages involved in the creation of a book. This exhibition will also feature examples of Carle’s non-book art, as well as recent acquisitions from the Museum’s permanent collection.

Central Gallery
Birds of a Feather: The Art of Eric Carle and Leo LionniMay 11 - December 9, 2007
When Eric Carle returned to America in 1952, a meeting with Leo Lionni resulted in a friendship and a job lead. The rest, as they say, is history. Neither Eric Carle nor Leo Lionni ever imagined they later would create some of the most memorable picture books of our time. The similarities between these two artists are quite striking: their pictures are filled with animals and nature; they drew inspiration from their childhood experiences; and their early careers in graphic design can be seen in their bold simplicity and elegant sense of design.

I couldn't wait to get home because my allergies were really bothering me. Jake kept asking for a drink and told us to get off Exit 18...well exit 18...we had to drive a good 10 miles before we could find a place to stop....and the whole way we heard "Is this this exit for water..nope!". Aaaaahhhh!!!!

Spring Fever

It has been pretty warm this week, so I took Kaleb's 22 week picture outside yesterday.

Hoping to go to the Eric Carle Museum in the next couple of weeks: http://www.picturebookart.org/Home