TeleGrahams

christmas 2010

2010-12-07T10:04:00.001-05:00

Shining Snowflakes Christmas Card

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Downtown Tree Lighting

2010-12-04T09:09:00.015-05:00

We attended downtown Oneonta's annual Christmas tree lighting festivities, and Graham certainly was full of the holiday spirit!
The kids got to meet Blitzen who made the long trip up with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

(Blitzen and Graham apparently have the same attitude when it comes to smiling for pictures!)

There were free horse drawn wagon rides...

and the store windows had live dancers!

Killian and Graham were mesmerized by the twirling beauties.

(Later, as we're getting ready for bed, Graham asked us if the dancers could come over to our house. He specifically asked for the purple dress lady below. I guess she made an impression!)

We then stopped into the Historical Society to see what they had going for the holiday.

They have restored a player piano that was originally built by a company right here in Oneonta back in the early 1900's and I was glad to see that some of the Christmas rolls I had donated were out to be enjoyed. It's been awhile since I had mine, but it felt good to get back on the bench again, and before long a crowd had gathered behind us to sing carols. (Funny side note, Killians mom Erika saw me at the piano and was stunned to hear me play so beautifully!)
Look Ma, no hands!

They were also exhibiting an interactive electric train display that I think was the highlight of Grahams evening.

Soon it was time to go, but there are still a lot more things to do before Christmas arrives!

It really is something special to relive the magic of the season through Graham's eyes.

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train 2010

2010-11-30T12:00:00.003-05:00

The Canadian Pacific Train came to Oneonta again this year. It's a fun event that really gets you in the spirit of giving. The train pulls into town all decked out in Christmas lights for a special concert right on the tracks. They encourage attendees to bring a donation for the local foodbank and Canadian Pacific also makes a monetary donation at each stop along their trip.

Graham enjoyed the music this year (last year was just too loud). But the highlight was getting to say hello to the big man in the red suit.

Santa gave candy canes to all the kids and made quite an impression on Graham. Here he's too busy enjoying his treat to pose with the adorable Harter trio...

After the show, we rushed home to watch the train pass by from our back yard. Here you'll see a glum little boy say goodbye to Santa as he pulls out of town.

Holiday Decorating

2010-11-29T12:00:00.009-05:00

It's that time of year again when 58 Hudson gets ready for it's annual Christmas display! My Nemesis down the street had his decorations up the day after Halloween, but we like to take a bit more time to plan, especially because this year Melissa consented to let me break the tradition of having a classy Martha Stewart style display and go for something a bit more kid friendly:
Retro 1950's blow molds! Behold the Santa train!

That's a great picture of Graham. It kind of looks like he's suddenly hi-jacked the train and a startled Santa's ready to swat him off to protect the toyload.

Graham had a ball playing with it in the living room, and I cannot tell you how mad he was when he came home from preschool and saw I had put it on the roof. ("Daddy, WHAT DID YOU DOOOO?!")

Here's a daytime shot of the finished set up. (Big shout-out Thank you to Jason for his help with the garland!)

The 2 lamp posts by the porch are also blow molds that came from the old Bresee's department store displays that people are still talking about. (They were a gift to us from Melissa's sister who scored them at auction. Thanks Amanda!) I kept the lighting the same red and white configuration we usually have, (no need to go overboard all at once, I figure I'll add a bit more each year to keep under Mel's radar!)

I also need to thank Abby who was this years winner of the "Who gets shoved up the tiny hatchway into the dark, dirty attic crawlspace to pull the wreath up" contest. Although Amanda currently holds the record for this event, Graham was very excited to see the debacle unfold and may be a threat to her title in the coming years. ("Abs! What did you find up there? Are there toys? Did you find a Thomas train? Can I see? What are you doo-ing?")

Here's a night shot-

We're also planning on multicolored lights for this year's tree (Melissa liked the pure white look, but Graham has something different in mind!)

Arctic Explorers

2010-11-29T11:59:00.002-05:00

Abby and Jason came to town the weekend after Thanksgiving, so we headed to the Farm to join them for dinner. During dessert Graham suddenly asked if we could take the 4 wheeler out... at night... in the cold. Sure. Why not.

After much effort bundling up and getting our act together Jason, Graham and I made a quick run to the top of the hill to look at the stars. The view truly was amazing, and as I showed Graham all the beauty of the night sky, he simply replied "That's good, can we go back to the house and get some hot toe-toe (cocoa)? I'm cold." Sure. Why not.

Back at the house Graham enjoyed all the attention Abby and Jason were sharing with him.

In fact the fun Jason and he were having was still going strong when we had to extract him to go home to bed!

The Perfect Greeting

2010-11-29T01:00:00.002-05:00

So it's that time of year -- the time I stress about having the perfect photo for the holiday card. We got lucky last year (see above) --a stranger snapped a cute shot in October which we pulled out for our card project a couple months later. Unfortunately there's been a lot less cooperation in the "Say Cheese!" Department this fall, so we have enlisted our friend Diana to take a few pics for us in early December...

In the meantime I have been perusing Shutterfly for "the card" that will hold the yet to be taken perfect holiday photo. We've used Shutterfly for about 5 years now-- we upload all our photos there (they store them for free and you can order archive dvds really affordably). Plus you can even keep a blog with them (also free!) -- we used this special feature when we collected family photos from my aunts and uncles for Grandma Shirley's 90th birthday. We then easily imported them to make an awesome photo book for her (and some relatives ordered their own copies and even specific photos. Being able to get copies of JUST the old photos each person wanted was an added bonus and Grandma loved her present).

I love to think I will pull together another huge project like that before the holidays, but time isn't on my side, I guess. I may fit in a photo calendar. Fingers crossed we get a great shot this weekend. But if we don't we can always use one of their non-photo card to send our holiday cheer!

***

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Cousins

2010-11-26T11:59:00.002-05:00

Aunt June and Jaci stopped by on Friday so we could play with Hannah. She's so cute-- I definitely think she and Graham look related.

One lesson learned: photographing 2 kids smiling at the same time is basically impossible. I decided to post this picture where neither of them is crying or making a ridiculous expression. It's the best I could get :).

Turkey Day

2010-11-26T11:58:00.010-05:00

Graham was very interested in the Macy's parade this year. We hooked him up with some tasty pancakes, bacon and coffee (and dippy sirr-rup). I thought it would be Dora or the balloons that would get the biggest cheer; the funniest comment was, "I like the Kicking Girls!" So let's hear it for the Rockettes!

Here's father and son practicing their best turkey calls in what I expect will become an annual fight for the lime light...

Oneonta Parade

2010-11-21T11:58:00.006-05:00

The holiday season began with the annual Christmas parade along Main Street. All the important people were there, like the Elves

the Penguins

the Alpacas (?)

and of course a few good friends:

Left to right are Sadie, her mom Sara, her brother Paul, Melissa and Graham, Joseph and his mom Nicole, and Killian and his mom Erika and strapped to her chest is little baby Declan (a.k.a. Duckling).

Santa also made his big debut, and Mrs. Claus took particular notice of Graham (thanks to his beloved "chi-chen" hat):

Farm Friday Holiday Edition

2010-11-20T11:58:00.005-05:00

Aunt Amanda came down for a visit, so this "Farm Friday" was an exceptionally special one.
Grandma Jean took the day off and while Grandpa Paul and I did wood, Graham and the girls were busy making pies (and having a lot of fun!)

Quality control is a very important job!

All in all 2 large, and 2 small apple pies were made, as well as a small blueberry roll. (Graham loves his blueberries!)

Mr. Jones

2010-11-20T11:57:00.003-05:00

Jonesey hits a milestone- 100 thousand miles and still going strong!

Mr Jones, (my fathers old 1996 Chevy pickup) has been the setting for some of my most fondest memories of both my father and my son.

Even though they've never met, (Pop died several years before Graham was born) this old truck has become a sort of connection between the two of them for me.
There really is something special about the quality time spent together in the cab of a truck. (Even if the adventure is only a trip to the store!)

Harvest Lunch

2010-11-18T11:57:00.002-05:00

Bugbee (Graham's preschool) hosted a Thanksgiving luncheon for all the parents and kids in the big gymnasium and it was quite a treat to see all the kids having fun. Each class helped make one of the side dishes. When Graham reported back his ingredients were corn and sour cream, we weren't quite sure what to expect, but the meal was delicious and we learned that Graham probably eats more different foods than we know about... like stuffing and he even had some turkey!

Graham's biggest disappointment was the way they roped of the indoor play sets and slides!

Camp Bristow

2010-11-15T11:57:00.007-05:00

Abby might have missed out on the fun at the zoo, but she made up for it quickly with a baking and crafting combo session Friday night. There was cake to be made...

and a model train to be built (from recycled items no less).

Watch for the foreshadowing in this video clip... in fact there was plenty of laundry to be done later that evening, but the cake batter was the least of our worries.

It was a good thing we got all our projects in so quickly, because the plague that took out Jim on Friday night hit Graham and wiped him out on the couch all day Saturday. Sad, sad, sad.

Ever the hostess, Abby made sure we had plenty of fluids, lots of rest and a bowl at the ready. (Most people don't know this, but she has super fast reflexes that come in handy when reacting to vomitous preschoolers.)

The National Zoo

2010-11-15T11:56:00.005-05:00

During our time in VA we took a trip to the National Zoo. Abby had to work so Uncle Jason took over the role as tour guide. Our day started off with a highly anticipated trip on the Metro train. Here Uncle Jason and Graham wait patiently for the train. (notice their cleverly crossed ankles)

Graham loved the ride, utilizing some of his time to review the morning news.

The Zoo itself is full of wonderful exhibits, and Graham was all smiles.

We even saw the new baby gorilla!

And a very sleepy tiger.

Here a concerned Graham checks out the dinosaur skull. (Who's that kid photobombing my son??)

Nice pic, even if he is trying to escape my grasp to go look at the pandas!

Stepping on shadows became a great way to help him keep up with us!

Outside the Zoo.

Here we stopped for a break on the way back to the Metro to do a little yelling.

Thanks Uncle Jason!

Team work

2010-11-09T11:56:00.003-05:00

Graham is really excited to help out with snow removal this year. We're taking bets on how long before he realizes that it isn't a treat to get to shovel.

Guess who's coming for tea?

2010-11-08T23:15:00.016-05:00

It started innocent enough.... Graham began talking about a girl he saw on television. Her name is Stephanie, and she's the star of Lazytown.

He began talking about how he wanted her to come over to play in the tea house Grandma and I built for him last Christmas.

Alas, his love for Stephanie didn't last long when he discovered the Scooby-Doo mysteries and more importantly- the older and more sophisticated Daphne.

His desire for Daphne's company was so great he began creating clever ways to meet her. He came up with the idea that if Plex, the robot from Yo Gabba Gabba shrunk him down, he could crawl into a little hole in the side of the TV. (He assured us he would take some camping gear so he could sleep with the girls in their tent (!?), and bring a sandwich so we didn't have to worry about him.)

He even suggested calling Team Umi-Zoomi to use their mighty math skills to help him, because helping people is what they do best.

(Funny side story- while in CT we let the maid clean the hotel room after a few days and when we got back Graham was alarmed that someone had taken the crackers he had left on the table. He went to the room phone (that I had disconnected the first day we were there) and shouted, "Help! Help me Team Umi Zoomi! My crackers and milk are gone!" Melissa and I were all smiles at this imaginative play until he said, "Mommy can't help me". It was then I noticed the phone was back by the bedside and I quickly took it from him and heard the woman at the front desk asking him, "Are you alone in the room?" Apparently the maid reconnected the phone, and after explaining the situation the woman laughed and said his snacks were probably in the fridge. I told him this, and after running over to see it was indeed true, he shouted, "Thank you team Umi-Zoomi. I knew you could help!" So now whenever there's a problem, they're the first people he calls.)

The fixation on Daphne and the gang got so bad one morning he even told me he couldn't go on a play date at his friend's house because, "Daphne is coming over- she'll be here ANY MINUTE." I told him we could leave a note for her telling her where we'd be. "That's a great idea!" he said excitedly, and composed his first love letter-

Translated (exactly as it was read to me by Graham) :
Dear Daphne, I'm going over to Killian's house, you can play with his toys there, or you can have a snack. You are my friend- Graham

But sadly she never came (probably too busy with that Fred guy) and soon his attention drifted to another. Can you guess which one?

That saucy redhead on the right is Marina, from the Fresh Beat Band. She plays drums, and sings, and dances, and has some really cool friends, and suddenly Graham decided wanted to join the band and enjoy making music and sipping frosty smoothies at the "Groovy Smoothie" Snack Shack. These adventures with the Band filled his dreams. (Every morning he'd tell us about them.) It seemed that Marina had everything a boy could ask for.

Except a cupcake theme.

Enter Strawberry Shortcake. (Not the original, but the new one on the right)
Graham saw her on a bottle of bubble bath at the store and new right away she was the one for him, and seeing her in the New Adventures of Strawberry Shortcake on TV clinched the deal.
Not only was she everything he liked in a woman, but she had friends like "Lemon-Cake what's her name," "Blueberry something or other,", and "the Plum Girl".

Truly this was a romance that would last forever, right?

Wrong.

BARNEY?!
Oh, for the love! He's not even a girl, or a redhead. (Or even human for that matter.)
I thought it would be a passing fancy but it's gone on for a few days now. He's even talking about asking Santa Claus to "Go to the Dino store where he can get me a Barney toy that would go POP and then Barney would come to life and have a party at my house."

We gotta cut back on the TV time.

The White Stuff

2010-11-08T17:00:00.002-05:00

Looks like Jim's going to have help with the sidewalk this year!

Procrastination

2010-11-07T18:45:00.008-05:00

Graham has become quite skilled in resisting bedtime. Tactics include: request for snack (2 animal crackers and an inch of milk); request to use the potty (he knows we won't refuse); and adorable antics like singing and kicking to keep himself awake as long as possible. On this particular night he was a one man show:

Happy Birthday to Me

2010-11-07T18:26:00.011-05:00

On the morning of my birthday, I woke Graham up with a kiss and asked him if he would sing me Happy Birthday. He responded, Not now Sweetheart-- in five minutes. And promptly rolled back over to go back to sleep! Luckily Jim came home shortly there after and was willing to hand out the birthday wishes...

Once we got the sleepy head up and dressed, we headed out to vote. It was our first time to try the new scanning machines. I miss the old lever; but I tried not to let it get me down. There's just something satisfying about that noise. But I digress.

Jim had to work that night, but Grandma and Grandpa joined Graham and me for pizza and a homemade Grandma's Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (which Graham helped to mix before we sat down to eat). When it was time to bring the cake to the table, it took all three of them to steady the platter and make sure the house (or a kid) didn't catch on fire. It was pretty adorable.

As you can see here, Graham was more than happy to help serve as well (although he likely just wanted more of that frosting for himself!)

Happy Hallowe'en!

2010-11-01T20:10:00.010-04:00

After much practice and anticipation, Hallowe'en was finally here!

It was a rough start to our evening when the first trick or treaters arrived (very early) at our house. Graham got very upset, tears flowed, and he began yelling that it was his candy, and he didn't want to share it. I hurried the startled kids down the steps ("Quick- take it! Go! Go! Go!") while Mommy took him inside and explained that although we are giving some candy away, we would go out soon and get some back. He accepted this for the moment, but I don't think he really believed it until we actually started going door to door, then it was all smiles! (Trust me it's there!)

Graham has become a bit camera shy (he prefers taking the pictures these days) so we told him to look at the birds so we could get at least one full body shot of his costume with his ears propped up.

After hitting a few houses along our street we headed over to the Harter's for their annual Hallowe'en party. This year's delicacy was the ever tasty ghoulish meat hand! (The onion finger nails and cheddar cheese skin made it extra creepy and delicious!)

While the rest of the kids finished their trick or treating, Graham joined me back at our house to pass out candy. This time he eagerly awaited the kids stating, "Here comes another customer," every time one approached. He was very strict about how candy would be distributed. Candy could not be served from a bowl-- only from the original bag -- and only he was allowed hand it out. ("It's my job!") Luckily he was generous, giving very big hand fulls of candy to each visitor.

Then- it snowed!

The kids didn't let that dampen the fun.

By 7, it was time to head out to the parade. Graham had become tired of changing in and out of the bunny costume, and was just happy to wear his new warm chicken hat. (Hey, it worked!)

He also brought his new french horn to play along with the bands!

The costumes never cease to amaze. We didn't get any great pics along the parade route, but Mel's favorite was a kid dressed up like a Lego person. And our neighbors actually one a prize for Cruella DeVille (mom), Henchman (dad), and three (kid) dalmations. We LOVE Hallowe'en!

Gearing Up

2010-11-01T20:06:00.001-04:00

The Monday morning after his cowboy birthday party, Graham informed me (unprovoked) that for Hallowe'en he would be a Mean Witch or a Pink and White Bunny. This was a bit surprising (and a bit disappointing) as I had been prepping him that his Cowboy Party duds would also be a costume for later in the month.
Knowing that age (almost) 3 can be a fickle time, I let him ponder on it for a couple days; he was decidedly in the bunny camp by Wednesday, so the sewing machine came back out.

The body and tail were completed first. When I tried to get him to do a fitting, he refused until I had completed the ears. For real. And once it was all done, he was quite pleased. More than once he said, Mommy I REALLY like my bunny costume. Also for real. And that made it all worth it.

Graham and Daddy did some practice trick or treating until he was comfortable with the candy exchange particulars:

There were several dress up events in the community before the actual holiday, but we didn't jump in until Saturday 10/30 when we trick or treated on Main Street. The candy barely made it in the bag before Graham was hopping off to the next store front!

After an hour he was pretty tuckered out-- understandable as we were an hour late for nap by that point. But you'd never be able to tell from the smile!

Pumpkin Slaughter

2010-11-01T13:36:00.011-04:00

We took our pumpkins to the Harter's house for our annual carving night. Graham had picked his own little pumpkin this year, and we were a little concerned about how he would react to us stabbing it... luckily once he saw the girls elbow-deep in pumpkin seeds he wanted to participate. Not touch the guts, but you know-- use the knife! After that initial struggle (I won), he drew me a picture of what his jack o'lantern should look like. Tons of squiggly lines look cool, but I had to simplify it down a bit in order to make it carvable (and to make it look like a face for that matter).

Emily and Anna's designs get more elaborate every year. Wesley (of course) won the award for speed carving. Jim turned his stem into a nose in a nod to Graham's signature "silly face." And my own pumpkin was transformed into a cat, in memory of our old friend, Killer.

3 Year Check Up

2010-10-27T22:25:00.002-04:00

Graham weighed in at 35.1 pounds and measured 38.5 inches tall-- that's seventy fifth percentile for both measurements. He kept Dr. Mooney on task, continually asking, Okay, what do we check next?

Graham got to use the blood pressure cuff for the first time and did terrific big breaths while she listened with her stethescope. When she explained the nurses were going to give him some shots, our little chatterbox told her, No-- that's owie! They did it quickly but there were real tears and an emphatic proclamation, I'm SO MAD!

...One chocolate milk shake later, he seems to be no worse for wear.

South Norwalk

2010-10-27T22:23:00.006-04:00

We Stopped off at the Stepping Stones Museum during our recent visit to Connecticut, only to discover it is closed for renovations until November. Luckily the Maritime Center was open so we went there instead!

The seal feeding is always a big hit-

And this year they added a Meerkat exhibit! They had a tunnel through the exhibit where you could crawl in to see what the meerkats see. We had to try it out...

I was pretty sure we'd be stuck in there for awhile, good thing I'm limber!

The touch tank took a bit getting used to- "It's slimy!"

Ahoy Capt'n!

Love this shot.

We made a quick trip to the top of the parking garage to see the view of the ocean.

It reminded Graham of the Mary Poppins rooftop scene, (it's one of his favorite movies) and we all enjoyed a impromptu version of "Step in time" before heading back to the hotel for a much needed rest.

A Weekend Away

2010-10-27T22:23:00.004-04:00

Once again we made a business/pleasure trip to Connecticut. We enjoyed a few wonderful nights at Grandma Strolin's house where Graham played non-stop with his cousin Rachael, but in true Daddy style I took absolutely no photos. (I left the camera at the hotel)

Grandma spoiled Graham with some belated Birthday presents and 2 cakes, one for just us on Wednesday night and another for the whole family on Thursday.

(That makes the grand total of 5 different Birthday cakes Graham has enjoyed this month!)

We also made not one, but TWO trips to Stew Leonard's to see Graham's friend Clover the Cow.

And Graham got a new winter hat!

We also got to visit Uncle Baci (Anthony) and Uncle Cookie (Ed) and share some yummy Halloween cupcakes. I tried to warn everyone that the frosting stained my finger, but before they would listen Graham had already put his face in one, and Uncle Cookie, ever the comedian, gave himself a Groucho mustache!

On the way out of town we stopped by to see Betsy and Chris. Dean was not there, he was scoping out colleges, but so far SUNY seems to be in the lead of his choices. It would be awesome if he were to live close by so we could help keep an eye on him!

Here's a neat shot of Mommy taking a picture of Graham ...

who was taking a picture of Mommy!

Happy Birthday, Anna

2010-10-24T19:11:00.004-04:00

Anna turned 10, and the gift of choice was a lava lamp. I remember coveting one when I was about her age. Very cool!

Graham loves hanging out with the "big kids." In fact he wasn't satisfied until he inserted himself smack dab in the middle of the action:

Number Three

2010-10-20T02:24:00.000-04:00

Our little boy has some very clear ideas about what he wants and is never to shy to share them.

After the cowboy party, I tried to explain that we would have another special celebration with Grandma and Grandpa on his real birthday. He politely turned me down, "No thank you, I had enough party!"

He passed on his crown at school; he explained to his teacher, I'm not a king and no singing! He did however eat his cupcake happily and reported back that it had lots of sprinkles.

We were able to coerce him to wear the crown while we mixed the cake.

I had made the design choices for the weekend, so for this cake it was Graham's pick: vanilla with blue frosting.

All the festivities must have taken a toll. He slept until nearly 10 AM this morning, but it was worth it!

Taste of the Catskills

2010-10-20T01:58:00.000-04:00

We took a short ride out to the Maple Shade Farm for a harvest festival they sponsored.
It was a beautiful setting for a great family event, filled with games, treats and animals.
The crisp air, bright foliage, and fresh homemade goodies really put us in the mood for fall.
Summers in Upstate NY are fun, but the the Autumns here are downright fantastic!

Birthday Hoedown

2010-10-20T01:52:00.002-04:00

Nearly 2 dozen little cowpokes and their families joined us for Graham's big celebration.

I made some cowboy beanbags, and the big kids helped the little kids knock down a pyramid of empty cans. And how many people have a coin operated horse and an old school arcade gun game in the basement? It's like Jim had been preparing for this party for the last 10 years.

Thanks to the Harters for sharing their yard. Aren't they adorable?

The apple cider was a delicious addition.

But Buster Brown was the real hit of the party... Graham didn't know about this special surprise until the trailer pulled up on Hudson Street.

Graham was eager to give "his boy" some love. (And check out the boots that came from Aunt Betsy! So cute!)

But it wasn't until after he had his cake that he was willing to actually get in the saddle. (This cowboy has priorities!)

Thanks to Jamie Tirbs and her family for making the trip into town.

Here's some video from the special day:

Many Hands

2010-10-20T01:48:00.000-04:00

If you read our blog, you probably know first hand that I believe birthdays should be a big deal :). After pestering Jim for months, he finally conceded that a Cowboy theme really would be great. In reality, credit is probably due to Jim's friend Jamie who offered to bring a real live pony; I think that sealed the deal.

While Jim was busy ordering cowboy hats, sheriff badges and harmonicas, I set to work on sewing matching cowboy vests for Graham and Froggie.

We took a couple days off from work just to make sure we would have all the details in place for almost 60 guests but even with our crazy planning skills we couldn't do it alone. Grandparents, Aunties and Uncles all lent a hand.

Grandpa Paul and Jim coordinated the hay bales, and tables and chairs.

Graham and Grandma were in charge of frosting production. We even tried fondant for the Sheriff Star Cake. Mom's mad rolling pin skills were definitely key to that success.

Blocks and blocks of cheddar were shredded and pounds of pasta boiled by my sisters while Uncle Jason helped Jim pull the arcade game and mechanical horse from the basement. Here Graham and Abby try their luck at sharpshooting:

There was no rest for the weary as Jason also took the roll chief hot dog griller the next day while the rest of the crew rolled up their sleeves to make cider. Ethan drove in on just a few hours sleep to assist the apple pressers. He and Amanda both took a few bee stings in the process. (Sorry about that, you guys.)

Dad always told us, If everybody does a little, nobody does a lot, and it's true. Thank you to each and every one of you for pitching in with a smile... we can't wait until we can return the favor with your own little cowboys and cowgirls.

xoxo

Super Spooky

2010-10-18T11:16:00.083-04:00

Our Halloween decorations are up! This years display contains 3 flying ghosts that glide around our neighbor's yard, and a scarecrow witch that stirs her cauldron.

Below Graham helps set up the cauldron. The stirring stick works off of an old windshield wiper motor, and the witches head is hooked up to a desk fan I hacked so her head moves back and forth. There's a fog chiller connected to the cauldron to help pump the eerie mist.

and here he supervises the ghost set up.

Here's a short clip of everything in action.

Coffee to die for...

2010-10-06T16:24:00.059-04:00

"Deadly Grounds Coffee" is a new venture for my friend Tommy, and during a recent visit he brought Graham one of the company t-shirts to help advertise the line. (He knows how much Graham loves a good cup of coffee!)
He also asked me to participate in an online commercial campaign- I'm the official driver of the Deadly Grounds hearse! (You can check out my big debut here.)

Good luck Tom!

Waffles and puppets and cider. Oh my!

2010-10-03T19:01:00.009-04:00

There is certainly no shortage of weekend festivals this time of year. And it didn't take much to convince our friend Tom to make the trip up from CT to help us check a few out.

We started at Brewery Ommegang for Waffles and Puppets. We learned our lesson from last year and arrived in time to taste the delicious sugar waffles with chocolate for ourselves. Nice and chewy with a super crispy and sweet exterior. I'd say it was worth standing in the 20 minute line, but Jim did the waiting for me... :) Thanks, honey!

While Jim took one for the team, Graham and I watched a clown with some amazing juggling tricks. I was surprised that Graham was really engaged with the show. After a quick break for some more delicious pumpkin soup and brats, we made our way back into the tent for a marionette show.

Mr. Independent settled himself right into the middle of the kids without a thought of leaving us on the sidelines.

I kept a watchful eye -- my position had the added benefit of checking out the behind the scenes action!

After the show we made our way to Fly Creek for some cider. The line literally wrapped around the building, so we spent some time outside and enjoyed some ice cream and fed the ducks. Graham decided that he certainly DID like cider (three samples later, thank you very much) and even cooperated for the the annual measuring on the apple yardstick.

Little Feat

2010-10-01T19:01:00.003-04:00

The Oneonta Theater is under new ownership and it was so exciting to see people dancing in the aisles. The last time I'd been in was a few years ago to see the March of the Penguins movie. It was drafty, cold and practically empty. I hope they can keep the entertainment mix relevant to their audience and their ticket prices low so there's another 100 years of live entertainment in the space.

The Great Pumpkin

2010-09-27T19:18:00.005-04:00

Aunt Lizzie joined us at the Cooperstown Pumpkinfest, and this year they had some whoppers. We watched as they hoisted them onto the scale with heavy equipment --the biggest was over 1500 pounds... that's a lot of pie.

We enjoyed pumpkin soup, and cotton candy, and made friends with some alpacas.

Sunday morning we made our way to Pie in the Sky for pancakes and some pumpkins of our own.

Here Graham helps Jim pick the most perfect pumpkin in the patch. (No... that one!)

Trike

2010-09-23T19:15:00.003-04:00

Gone are the days of my little buddy riding on my bike with me. He's now grown so big I doubt he'd fit into the carrier even if I could talk him into trying. At least he still lets us ride with him!

Fiber Fest

2010-09-18T19:18:00.003-04:00

Grandma, Graham and I took a road trip to DeeDee and Ethan's to check out a fiber festival (wool-- not bran).

It was a long ride, and Graham had a potty training triumph-- he drank about 20 ounces of water during the trip and made it to Geneva before needing to go. Which he did on the sidewalk leading up to their apartment. He was pleased to show DeeDee his puddle and wouldn't continue inside until we redressed him. At least he has some semblance of modesty!

Sadly the fiber festival was a bust -- two year olds don't have much interest in yarn. But we did get to go on a nice birdwatching walk (where we think we interuppted a drug deal) and we had a nice dinner at Aunt Lorraine and Uncle David's. I also survived about a six meltdowns as a solo parent, so I am chalking the weekend up as a win.

Labor Day

2010-09-07T19:43:00.007-04:00

Abby and Amanda joined Super Graham to celebrate the end of summer.

There was a mighty big wrestling match Friday night to kick off the festivities.

Uncle Jason joined us on Saturday for a trip to Main Street. Scout also came into town for a vacation from the farm (while Mom and Dad were on a cruise). Can you believe this is the only way to get her to eat? Oh Scout.

The boys stayed in Saturday night, while the girls hit the town... we headed to Cooperstown to see Sugarland play at Doubleday Field.

We wouldn't admit it to Jason, but it was a little chilly up in the bleachers. Thankfully Amanda was prepared with handwarmers for each of us.

After the show, we grabbed a beer, stopped by the hospital to say hi to Jim and then got pulled over for an out headlight. No tickets were issued.

The next morning, Uncle Jason received a picture and happy pajama dance performance for babysitting services rendered.

Back to School

2010-09-02T19:15:00.004-04:00

Graham's been moved to a new class on the 2nd floor and so far he loves it. He took the change of teachers better than we did.

He even has a new locker (Bigger than the one I had in High School!) for his coat and dragon backpack.

Keep On Rollin'

2010-09-01T19:17:00.002-04:00

Graham and I came home from Bugbee to find this cool little roller parked on the street. The workmen were on their lunch break, so I didn't think there'd be any harm in checking it out. Of course upon closer inspection, Graham wanted to know how the guys climb on it. No sooner had I shown him the step than he was up and wiggling the shifting lever trying to start it up. A little bit like a certain Grandpa I know!

Maddie and Ethan

2010-08-27T19:17:00.004-04:00

My friend David and his wife Sam were in town for a visit to the Hall of Fame. We met up for ice cream and caught up on what was new since our days at the Q, while Ethan, Maddie and Graham played a rousing game of hide and seek. I am always so grateful when older kids take an interest in Graham and Maddie and Ethan both were so kind and patient with him. It was a real treat to spend time with such a very special family.

Rocket Ship

2010-08-23T19:14:00.003-04:00

And like generations of kids before them, these 3 decided that the cardboard box is the most interesting toy in the house.

Killian, Joseph and Graham collect a "planet" as they pretend to be astronauts in their "Rocket ship" box!

Holiday with Hollis and Ray

2010-08-22T19:16:00.003-04:00

Aunt Hollis and Uncle Ray came for baseball. They ended up with a soggy tent. So, we took them to Pie in the Sky. Ice Cream cures all.

Photographer

2010-08-21T19:14:00.009-04:00

Graham has taken a liking to using our digital camera, and after a few hundred trial and error pictures of his fingers blocking the lens, he's finally mastered it.
The neat thing is, he has several very cool shots, all from his perspective that I'm thinking of making into a book or something. Here's a few examples-

"Pepper's nose"

"Playtime"

"Drums"

"Melon on the counter"

"Afghan on red chair"

"Ebony and Ivory"

(This next one is tricky)
"Upside-down Cowboy doll on 70's shag rug from Mommy's old dollhouse"

And finally, "We need more juice"
(I had to yell at 3 times to close the refrigerator.)

Garlicious

2010-08-15T19:17:00.004-04:00

We grew GARLIC! Sharyn shared the plants last year. Not knowing (exactly) what it was, I never harvested it. It came back this spring and it's such a nice addition to our fresh tomato sauce... next year, we'll do it on purpose!

DeeDee

2010-08-15T19:16:00.003-04:00

Amanda came into town for a nice laid back visit that included nap time pedicures for her and me in trade for hair cuts she performed on Korky and Pepper. Mom and Dad really got their money's worth out of the Saturday Seminar. Thanks, DeeDee!

Girls love a man with a tractor!

2010-08-15T03:11:00.000-04:00

Aunt Amanda helps model (and steer) the newly restored tractor I finally finished for Graham as a neighborhood friend watches.
Here's a shot of it before the restoration-

I rushed to get it finished this Summer because I thought he was going to be too big for it, but in reality he barely reaches the pedals so luckily we'll get a few more good years out of it!

It's been painted Farmall red to match Grandpa's tractor and Graham proudly rides it shirtless which is all the rage around these parts.

Muddy Puddles

2010-08-12T19:16:00.009-04:00

This summer has been SO MUCH better than last year's which was more of a Monsoon Season. The rains we have gotten have been warm and fun to play in.

Jim got a great deal on this wagon from a friend who is moving out of state. I was a little skeptical (it's our third wagon?) but Graham is a huge fan. And I love hearing him yell, "Faster Daddy, faster!"

Graham loves putting on his rain boots "all by himself" to play in the puddles. Half the time they are on the right feet. Jim has done a good job teaching Graham that the biggest puddles create the most splash. So even when we're out for a walk, we can't let one of those pass by!

County Fair

2010-08-04T20:07:00.008-04:00

The first signal that summer is coming to an end is the traditional trip to the Otsego County Fair. It's a sure way to see everyone Melissa knows from childhood in one fell swoop. This year we were lucky enough to meet up with her friend Joan Booker and family. (Sadly, we have no photographic evidence but her little girl Katie is a doll!)

The fair was full of the usual excitement- the parade, animals and delicious fair foods. (Melissa likes the special french fries, Graham's a big fan of the pink cotton candy.)

A mama pig and her piglets and sheep kisses.

And this year I even took time for one of the rides. Look carefully below and you'll see Graham and I enjoying his first Ferris wheel ride ever! (I tried to get him on the toddler rides, but he wanted nothing to do with them, insisting he wanted to go on the "Big Circle.")

Graham was very impressed with the ride as it was loading, but as it began to go full speed he stated, "Ok, let's go see Mommy" and repeatedly attempted to exit the car. I told him gently he had to remain seated, because Daddy is scared of heights and will pee himself if he starts to rock the friggin' carriage. (I didn't really say that last part out loud, but the sentiment was there.)

It won't be long before we hit our first roller coaster!

Halcyon Days 2010

2010-08-02T20:06:00.005-04:00

This summer marks 20 years since my friend Katie and I first met in our freshman dorm room. She's still short. And she still makes me laugh. And she understands my deep love of homonyms.

We've been through good times, and bad. But mostly good. And if you'd told me 20 years ago I would be lucky enough to sit on the porch at Halcyon in 2010 and take the picture of our children you see here, I could only hope you would be right.

Shreyas and Shivanjali are bright, loving and engaging. And so sweet to Graham who tried hard to keep up!

The weather was gorgeous; our hostesses so lovely. Our time at the lake was practically perfect in every way.

Graham's first game of mini golf. (3 holes would have been enough.)

Molly Malone's in the Village.

The Skipper.

And Maryann.

A late afternoon swim.

A bath before dinner.

One happy tired boy and his mama.

Thank you Katie and family for sharing Halcyon (again and again).

The Museum

2010-07-30T20:05:00.002-04:00

Graham has been talking about "Art Museums," thanks to the Upside Down Show, so on our way to Lake George, we took a quick stop at the State Museum in Albany. We saw live music, portraits, the Fire Engine Collection, and took a spin on the carousel. But of course he was most interested in watching the Sesame Street video. About 6 times. Oh well, we tried.

Blueberries

2010-07-26T20:07:00.006-04:00

Summer's finally in full swing, so Graham and I took a 4 wheeler ride around the farm to find (and eat) the wild raspberries, and black caps that are ripening.

Safety first!

The blueberries are also ripening, so we decided it was time Graham joined Grandma in a blueberry outing at the Otsdawa Blueberry Farm.

Grandma Jean takes her blueberry picking very seriously, and it's become a kind of therapeutic addiction for her. It's one we encourage because not only is it a nice relaxing way to spend a summer afternoon, but we get to reap the benefits of her labor in the form of muffins, pancakes and pies throughout the year!

Our short visit yeilded 5 pounds, plus whatever Graham ate.

Now all we need some homemade vanilla ice cream!

Water Sports

2010-07-25T20:05:00.004-04:00

Duckling, Graham and Killian beat the heat with a run in the sprinklers. Graham decided maybe babies can be fun (to tickle).

Summer Concerts

2010-07-16T20:05:00.003-04:00

The Neahwa Park Thursday night concerts are good family fun. You can bring a snack, enjoy a show and not worry that your soon-to-be-preschooler wants to dance, dance, dance! (Who can complain about a free evening out?)

Graham walked the entire way there, and still had enough energy for a full fledged wrestling match with Daddy Boy. On the walk home, he needed a little help; trust me, carrying a 32 pound kiddo home is quite a work out.

Despite the literal weight on our shoulders it was enjoyable, and a great chance to talk about all the different flowers our neighbors grow. We picked some Queen Anne's Lace under the highway, and brought it home for a special lesson my mom taught Abby, Amanda and me back in the day-- food color + water makes a very pretty display. I hope I remember sooner next year so we can do it with daisies in the spring.

Happy Birthday Addie

2010-07-10T20:06:00.005-04:00

We recently attended the 2nd Birthday bash for the youngest daughter of one of our Momma friends, who cleverly planned it to coincide with her towns "Heritage Day" festival, so right down the block there was a petting zoo!

The animals and cotton candy were nice, but this cute little train ride was definitely the favorite. Mel made me chase them around the block the first time. The "Hillbilly Express" is faster than you might think!

It's going to be hard to top when Graham's birthday comes around.

And we're back!

2010-07-07T20:05:00.006-04:00

Summer is gone, but the memories aren't.

Please excuse our absence; grab a cup of mulled cider;

and catch up on what was happening when we weren't blogging...

Independence Day

2010-07-06T09:27:00.006-04:00

We celebrated the 4th with a BBQ Birthday celebration for Melissa's Mom.

Pictured above are Aunt Karen (Jack's wife) Aunt Lorraine (Mom's sister) Mom, Abby, Jack (Mom's brother) and Amanda.

Mom unveiled a beautiful quilt she made for Abby and Jason. The picture truly does not do it justice.

Graham loved the attention everyone showered on him.

Here he cheeses for a shot with his Aunties

and here he is posing with Grandpa wearing a matching "Black Cat fireworks" hat.

Graham has no idea about Grandpa's love of fireworks yet, but I'm sure it won't be long before we introduce him to the wonderful world of home pyrotechnics.

Uncle Jason and Uncle Ethan were also on hand to play some games.

Among Graham's favorites were "Duck, duck-Goose", "Ring around the Rosie" and the the tickle game below which to an outside observer looks more like a toddler mugging.

Later in the evening we went downtown to see the city's fireworks show.

Although Graham loves the colors, he is still very sensitive to loud noises (other than his own!) so he spent the entire hour like this:

Yay for glow sticks!

Week In The Woods

2010-07-03T09:06:00.014-04:00

We spent our vacation relaxing for a week camping at Gilbert Lake. The cabins are surprisingly affordable, and roomy enough to accommodate Uncle Baci, Aunt Liz and Uncle Cookie as well!

Jeff and Alecia were camping in the tent area, so Maya and Gabriella got to stop by for a visit.

The park not only offers a beautiful beach and trails to explore, but all sorts of wildlife to spot. We saw frogs, birds, a beaver, and this little guy who I later found out was slightly poisonous, but only if you eat them.

Luckily, Melissa and Uncle Baci had dinner ready, so we just let him run free.

Although our cabin had electricity, a full kitchen, a toilet and a great fireplace, it did not have hot water, or a bathtub, (the shower station was about a half mile away) so Melissa heated some water on the stove and Graham got a taste of how they did it in the olden days.

Grandma and Grandpa lent us their paddle boat so we could tour the lake in style. Needless to say I was the only one who paddled it.

The campsite is also pet friendly, so the pups got to come along as well, which was nice because it's always nice to have a snuggle buddy in bed on a chilly night!

Speaking of bedtime cuddles, Graham had some fun wake ups with Uncle Cookie-

caught a few hand fulls of morning sun with Mommy-

and even got some quiet time with Lizzie-

Mid-week Grandma and Grandpa (and Scout!) came up for dinner to help celebrate my birthday.
Here we are sporting our stylish bear tee shirts Melissa made us for this years vacation theme!

Grandma even made me a swiss roll cake. This is a chocolate cake sheet, filled with homemade whipped cream and rolled, and then topped with chocolate ganache. It's basically like a giant Ho-Ho and it's fantastic!

The following day Aunt June, Jaci and Uncle Robin stopped by to play and give Robin a chance to show off his excellent castle making skills.

Here's a nice picture of Melissa taken by Graham-

Here Aunt Lizzie waits paitently for "Uncle Yeti" who was rumored to be roaming the deep woods...

Before we knew it the week had passed us by and it was time to hit the trail home.

Being so close and affordable, we're sure to be doing this again next year.

Let us know if you'd like to join us!

Fathers' Day

2010-06-24T17:00:00.002-04:00

For Father's day morning I came home from work and got a sweet card and a happy Father's day song and dance from Graham. Later, we went out to the farm where Melissa and Jean temporarily released us from the time out cage so we could enjoy a nice dinner in the house.
Who knew being a Dad would have so many perks?

Lawn Mower

2010-06-24T16:58:00.000-04:00

More "Farm Friday" fun as we helped Grandpa Paul get the riding mower down from the barn into the garage where we could work on it.

This one runs fine for now on Paul power, but I may have to put some wood blocks on the pedals if he's going to mow the lawn anytime soon.

Raptor Project

2010-06-17T13:43:00.005-04:00

We put our membership to the Popp Butterfly Conservatory here in Oneonta to good use by taking Graham to see the Raptor Project. Jonathan Wood travels around the country showing his gallery of rehabilitated falcons, eagles, owls and other predatory birds.

Graham got to see a lot of them up close, including these baby falcons-

After the show we went inside to see the birds, lizards, turtles and of course, the butterflies in the conservatory.

It's not a big facility, but there's always lots to see, and it does let you get really close to the action.

When we entered the show we each got a little ladybug stamp on our hands showing we paid admission and as we left, the woman who runs the place offered Graham a few different stamps.
He got a little bird stamped on his hand, and then a very inky butterfly on his forearm. Unfortunately it was so inky that even after a short walk to the car it hadn't dried yet, and Graham, while wiping his brow, marked himself.

Luckily whatever they put in those baby wipes was good enough to get most of it off, leaving just a gray shadow for a day or two.

Citizen of the Year

2010-06-16T14:22:00.004-04:00

The Colonel Harper Grange surprised my Mom at their meeting this month. She was awarded with a certificate for Community Citizenship. It was nice to hear how much her customers enjoy and appreciate her. There was a heartfelt speech about how much she does for them (you can take a listen below) after which we shared some very tasty cake.

We're happy for her well deserved recognition. Congratulations, Mom!

Graham was quite a ham during the festivities. Here's one of our favorite songs to sing when bedtime is coming too quick:

Rainy Day

2010-06-12T11:33:00.010-04:00

The terrible rain forced me to pull out the finger paints. I'd been storing them since Graham received them for his (first) birthday. They're as gooey as I remembered. He was over the moon when I told him what he had in store, "YAY FINGERPAINT!" And my child, true to self, refused to use said fingers, but chose instead the popscicle stick and a plastic fork to create his masterpieces. What a funny boy.

The Baa Baa Shop

2010-06-11T16:54:00.008-04:00

It was Farm Friday again, where Graham and I go to the farm to see Grandpa Paul. Grandpa had called the day before and told us he had a big surprise for us... the sheep would be getting sheared while were were there!

I coached Graham on some appropriate humor:
Q: Where do sheep get their hair cut?
A: The Baa Baa Shop!
It never gets old!

Nancy (who also owns an ice cream shop in Morris) did the clipping while Graham watched and offered some reassurance to the little lambs waiting in the pen. ("It's OK babies, it's just a haircut.")

All clean and white, the sheep went out in the meadow to reacquaint with the lambs who didn't recognize them right away.

Then it was time for work. We all went to Filor Hill to load the trucks up with logs. Graham insisted we help him carry logs too big to drag with a truck, and when I handed him a small chunk he could manage himself, he told me he wanted to do it together with Grandpa like I had been doing.

After unloading my truck Graham had some time to investigate the fields with a new magnifying glass we got at a hardware store. Science is fun!

And so is visiting Grandpa!

Here's some action footage:

The Long and Winding Road

2010-06-10T17:05:00.005-04:00

It was really great to spend the weekend in CT and spend time with friends and family. (And for those of you we missed, we'll be back soon!)

Graham fell asleep before we hit the NYS border. Tuckered out, but quite happy as evidenced by the smile on his sleepy face.

Calf Pasture Beach

2010-06-09T16:23:00.006-04:00

During out trip to Norwalk, we took Graham to my old stomping grounds at Calf Pasture Beach. This was Graham's first visit to an actual oceanside beach and he was eager to get his feet wet.

Mommy supervised the sand castle construction while Graham and I made several trips to the tideline to fetch water for her.

We even got lucky and found a crab!

Graham loved the water and sand, but was a bit skittish about the seaweed. He said he didn't like the way it tickled his feet. Melissa wanted to relax in the sun, so I told her Graham and I would go check out the playground. What we found however, was that the old snack bar (now run by Stew Leonard's) had opened and that they were serving ice cream.

After not hearing from us in awhile, Melissa came looking and we were busted.

After assuring her were were really going to bring her back something, we all walked out to the long pier to see the view and watch a few fishermen. Although dissapointed he didn't have a fishing pole with him, Graham was happy to find there was a spicket for splashing around in.

Here he runs all the way back to shore:

The beach seemed smaller than I remember it, but it still holds that same warm feeling of family for me.

Stepping Stones Museum

2010-06-08T17:02:00.003-04:00

On Friday, we had a special morning with Gramma Strolin at the Stepping Stones Museum. There were lots of fun things to do but the best-- by far-- was the amazing water table room (complete with rubber smocks, a whirlpool, steam table and 2 rivers).

Here are some snapshots from our super fun morning:

And here are some clips of the fun games we played:

Road Trip

2010-06-07T16:49:00.006-04:00

Here are a few extra photos from our recent visit to Connecticut. It seems that no matter how long we stay, there's never enough time for everything we want to do.
Our friend Tomas took these 2 pics after meeting us for a last minute breakfast:

We also attended Jeff's 40th birthday party, and in the chaos of the festivities we managed to take only one picture. Here's Uncle Bacci, Melissa and Uncle Cookie outside the restaurant:

Stew Leonard's is always a mandatory stop.
Here Graham enjoys a sip from a water fountain I drank from when I was a kid:

He enjoyed the many animatronic displays:

Here he learns that pushing a button can have surprising effects:

And last, but not least, I wanted to include this pic of Graham and Aunt Kit:

The webbed cage contains some newly hatched butterflies that the family raised from caterpillar-hood. We saw 2 butterflies emerge while we were there. (Mel's company actually takes the order calls for this cool product.)

Annutto's

2010-06-05T16:20:00.005-04:00

We went to Annutto's to buy herbs and tomatoes for our raised garden, and took some time to run through the sprinklers. Seeing Graham so happy really makes me miss being a kid. Fortunately I get to relive these simple summertime pleasures with him.

By the way, Graham is a pro at working the hose, so if you see him holding it, and it looks like he's struggling, be warned- It's a trick.

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T21:21:00.014-04:00

We attended the Memorial Day Parade in Gilbertsville. Mom and Dad brought Grandma Shirley. We saw many old friends: the Swifts, my classmates Chris and Steve, the Sperls... the familiarity is comfortable and reassuring.

And yet there were reminders that time passes. Mr. Sadlocha was in the crowd instead of marching with the Boy Scouts. Mrs. Pochy wasn't in uniform with the Ladies Fire Auxilary this year. Rev. Palada played his harmonica during the service at the cemetary; this is his last week preaching in Gilbertsville. It's been 20 years. Mrs. Barb told us that the flag flown was Dotsie's. Just regular people, but they are (like many others) the heart of a small town.

Of course it wasn't all sadness!

There was a kid on a pogo stick, waving flags and the band sounded particularly good (let's hope that's a good sign for Sherburne Pageant of Bands next weekend).

Here's some video for those of you who couldn't make it.

And here's our annual Anniversary photo. Graham was (again) not feeling it. He told us he was shy, and even the promise of some Scooby Dooby Yummy Gummies couldn't convince him to cooperate. Thanks to Grandma and Ruthann for snapping the shots below:

Baby Shower

2010-05-30T21:28:00.008-04:00

Baby Hannah Melody is due at the beginning of August. Michelle is really glowing. And how cute is Justin in this pic? They're going to be terrific parents. The party was very relaxed. Michelle received so many cute presents. There was lots of yummy food, and lots of good jokes about the (lack of) safety precautions used with babies 30 years ago. Thank goodness Lisa and I were strong enough to survive ;).

Grandma Shirley holding 3 generations on her lap.
She didn't think her knees were strong enough but she was a good sport:

And check out these pretty girls! It was a great day.

Up and Away

2010-05-30T21:18:00.014-04:00

As I was coming home from work I spotted this hot air balloon floating over our neighborhood, and I called Melissa so she and Graham could see it. He has been a big fan of them ever since last year's Balloon Festival at Neahwa park . On more than one occasion he woke up and told us stories of how he saw a hot air balloon at his school (apparently in his dreams), so I knew he'd be excited.

By the time I got home it had already passed over our house and was heading East, so while Melissa started the coffee, I grabbed Graham (still in his pj's) and we started to chase it down Main Street. We stopped at a few parking lots along the way, and pulled over so Graham could stand on the truck tool box and wave as they passed overhead. They were low enough that they could see us, and Graham was thrilled when they waved and shouted back.

I asked him where he thought they were going, and he replied, "They going Price Chopper to get cheese." It was an odd answer, but since Price Chopper was only a few more blocks in the right direction, I took him there to watch it pass over one last time, and wouldn't you know it?

He was right.

The balloon looked lower than ever, and it suddenly occurred to me that it may actually hit a light pole or tree, (or Price Chopper itself) and I may be faced with the guilt of forever scarring my 2.5 year old with an eye witness account of a toddler size version of the Hindenburg.

Luckily, it cleared all obstacles and proceeded to land in a tiny grass area of to the side of the lot. Here's some video of the almost perfect landing.

We walked over and shook hands with everyone, and as we watched the balloon deflate, I told them of Graham's prediction, and one of the gentleman riding told him that he did in fact like cheese, and that he would be sure to go over to get some.

Graham was delighted.

Water Sports

2010-05-28T21:20:00.010-04:00

Looks like warm weather is finally here! It even got hot enough to break out the kiddie pool and have some fun with the hose.

It's going to be a great Summer!

Another Year

2010-05-23T22:24:00.008-04:00

Today is Grandma Jeanie's birthday. We called her from Geneva to sing her the birthday song with Amanda and Ethan early this morning. Graham cried (shocker).

Things went much better when we later stopped by the farm to enjoy a piece of homemade cake (way to go Grandpa!) and celebrate.

Happy birthday, Mom! I wish you a year filled with kisses and lots of chocolate cake. XO

Road Trip

2010-05-23T22:23:00.014-04:00

We took a trip this weekend to visit Aunt Amanda and Uncle Ethan in Geneva, and while en route, we made a quick detour to see Taughannock Falls . It's been 2 years since Melissa and Graham had been there with Grandma Jean, and although the falls may not have changed much, Graham sure has!

Graham was definitely more interested in the falls than posing for the camera this time, but we were able to capture a few quick smiles.

After a quick snack and diaper change, we were off to Amanda's where she and Ethan took us to the Seneca Yacht Club for a delicious BBQ by the lakeside.

We just about finished dinner when raindrops caused us to pack everything up and go for ice cream. (Which of course was perfectly fine with Graham)

The next morning we headed out to visit Aunt Lizzie and see her new house!

It's a beautiful 1950's 2 story with a finished basement I'm still a bit jealous of. (Complete with gas stove hook up and 2 giant work sinks that were used for canning by the original owner)Graham loved the tour of the house, but the big thrill for him was the storm door on the back porch. He must have opened and closed that thing about a hundred times.

After enjoying lunch with Liz and her Mom, we then headed off to the Lilac Festival. Graham loves pointing out buses he sees in our everyday travels, but you can't imagine the excitement he had when he learned we were actually going to ride on a real school bus that shuttled us to the event.

It was really the best part of the festival!

The next morning Amanda made us delicious crepes while Uncle Ethan showed Graham the awesome responsibility of the sous chef.

It was a very tasty end to a really fun weekend!

Curious Little Monkey

2010-05-21T22:39:00.023-04:00

"You never do know what's around the bend-

A big adventure, or a brand new friend

When you're curious, like Curious George! "

Melissa and I surprised Graham by taking the day off, letting him skip school, and going to see the new "Curious George Live!" show at the Stanley Theatre in Utica. We splurged a bit to get the special front row "monkey seats" and an exclusive meet and greet with George himself!

Graham was not shy at all about running up to meet the ape sized monkey, and was even ready for another turn when the other kids had all had their chances.

Melissa and I made this our Mother's/Father's day gifts, and this hug was worth every penny.

Mommy had her share of the love as well, as Graham cuddled with her for the entire performance.

The storyline revolved around Georges friend Chef Pisghetti who is devastated when he loses all his customers to a two bit inventor who created a machine that pumps out square meatballs in a fraction of the time it takes Chef to make his. Seeing how sad Chef is, George enters him in a Golden Meatball Competition to prove once and for all who's balls are better.

Why am I telling you all this? To explain the following photo-

One of the funniest sequences in the show involved the 2 ladies dressed as dancing plates of spaghetti and golden meatballs during the Vegas style cook-off. (This may be this year's Halloween costume idea, if we can convince Graham to wear the chef's hat!)

George of course helps win the competition, and everyone is happy. The finale had 2 loud bursts from a confetti cannon that was a bit startling, but the excitement of the multi colored ribbons floating down around us was more than enough to make up for it. Melissa commented that she felt like she'd just won America's Funniest Home Videos. All of us in the front row were scooping up handfuls of confetti and throwing it back up in the air, trying to prolong the fun.

But soon it was time to go, and the trip to the car was filled with talk of meatballs and monkeys, and a little bit of ribbon kept to "show the puppies".

I bought Graham a shirt from the show. I'd like to make it a tradition to buy one from each concert we attend. It'll be interesting to see how many he'll acquire in his lifetime.

P.S. Batman ice cream may make little kids happy, they taste horrible and leave your face blue.

Graham Armstrong

2010-05-17T17:37:00.012-04:00

Aunt Betsy and Dean gave us this terrific tricycle. "Daddy Boy" screwed some blocks to the pedals (plus a little duct tape for style) and with a little practice, it was full steam ahead.
Next stop, Tour de France!

(Please note- The wheels have since been well oiled, sorry about the noise!)

S'moretastic

2010-05-16T17:47:00.008-04:00

More kids in the hot tub... (7! A new record!)

More smokey fire...

More marshmallows...

Sweet Smiles...

And sticky situations :)

When Mel said it was the year of the s'more she wasn't joking. What she failed to mention is that BEETS would be added. Yes, she has found at least 2 other people who love that veggie as much as she does! (I obviously am not one of them.)

Beet Lovers of the World, Unite!

This has become a welcome monthly ritual that hopefully will continue throughout the Summer. (The s'mores, not the beets.)

Here's Graham rocking out at the after party. Check out his Front Man Swagger:

Sand castles

2010-05-16T17:33:00.004-04:00

Graham and I spent a breezy Saturday at Gilbert Lake State Park. My goal was to check out the cabin we're renting for a week in June. Graham's goal was to play in the sand. We got lucky and the Maintenance Crew was cleaning our cabin so we got to go inside... it has a fireplace and plenty of room.

With that out of the way, we made our way down to the sandy beach.

It was a little chilly but we dipped our toes in the lake and got nice and "mussy!"

Graham also had a great time on the playground. He's getting adventurous-- climbed up the big slide without hesitation ... but wanted a hand when he came down that first time. Not for nothing, but when I climbed up for a turn, I turned a little green. It's a high one!

Spring Lambs

2010-05-11T17:44:00.006-04:00

We got a call from Grandpa Paul that the baby lambs have started arriving! Graham, Abby and I took a quick peek at the first 3 born. (There have been 8 more births since this visit!)

They have already been in the barnyard to enjoy the warm spring afternoons.

Here Farmer Graham helps out in the barn. I love the enthusiastic "You did it!" he gives them when they eat from his hand.

Bright Idea

2010-05-10T17:32:00.002-04:00

I think he was saying, "Ice Cream!"

Check up

2010-05-08T17:31:00.001-04:00

This visit was much different from his 24 month checkup -- no stranger anxiety, and his memory from the last set of immunizations must have faded. Graham was excited to hear his heart, and offered the opportunity to the nurse before we were even settled into the room.

Graham now weighs 32 pounds and Dr. Mooney was very impressed by his conversation skills as well as his alphabet knowledge. (We promised her we really weren't coaching him on the "Corfu Diner" sign outside the exam room window!)

Here's a scintillating conversation we had while waiting for the doctor to join us:

Accessorize

2010-05-07T17:26:00.002-04:00

If the clothes make the man, he's well on his way.

I'm just not sure where he's going...

60 Day Celebration

2010-05-03T17:30:00.004-04:00

Grandma Jeanie is turning 60 on May 23rd, so we thought we'd start off early and celebrate through the 4th of July! The weather was balmy. We had a delicious brunch. Abby baked our favorite Grandma Grace's chocolate cake with a vegan ganache. And Amanda picked up some nifty color changing candles. Unfortunately, none of those things were enough to overcome the sadness Graham feels everytime we sing the Happy Birthday Song:

Happy Birthday, Grandma Shirley

2010-05-02T17:27:00.015-04:00

Grandma Shirley celebrated her 90th birthday on May 1st. It was a real treat to be reacquainted with the aunts, uncles and cousins who travelled so far to share this special day.

(To you all who mock my goofy open mouth smile, here's proof I can't help it-- genetics! look at that grin! :) )

Abby, Amanda and I coordinated efforts before the party to collect over 1000 photos that we used to design a 100 page album, featuring images from Grandma's childhood through her years as a young mother of the 1940's and 50's, to the fabulous 1960's and 1970's at the kennel all the way through this spring.

Aunt June did a great job planning the event. Jessie cooked up a storm; Abby made Grandma's Ginger Crinkles; Amanda made her delicious squash biscuits; and Graham approved of the M+M's.

Aunts and cousins, above. Four lovely ladies, below.

And a group shot courtesy of Rev. Palada:

Here Amanda gets intimate with our newest family member (baby Hannah, in Michelle's belly) and whatever Jim ate for lunch.

In this family of HAMS, no one passed up the chance to get up and Karaoke :). Here's Jason just before he snuck some of Grandma's birthday gin to kill the pain.

Uncle Jon ended the party with his typical panache...

For live action footage, watch a video montage of the day:

Mutual Admiration Society

2010-05-02T16:23:00.007-04:00

Graham just can't get enough of these two ladies. They are silly. And smart. And just look at those smiles! Don't you feel the same way? :)

He said it

2010-05-02T10:31:00.005-04:00

Jim leaving for work, tries to get a kiss goodbye:

No, me go work. Sick people need me.

Oh really, how will you help them?

Me open gate.

Sitting around the table trying to say grace:

Me no play that game!

Behind the closed door of my office:

Go 'way. Me working.

Plymouth Meeting Mall

2010-05-01T17:41:00.014-04:00

The great thing about Mommy's office is that it's connected to a mall. This is where Graham and I would casually wander around and kill a few hours when he was very small.

It's not a big mall, but it does have a nice fountain, and it seems like just yesterday that I would feed him a bottle, park the stroller nearby and he'd gaze at the water until he drifted off to sleep.

Yeah, well today's toddler isn't so easily amused. Now it takes money! Lots and lots of money!

We must have dumped about 5 dollars in change into that thing!

On the other end of the mall is a beautiful 2 tier Carousel, and although the horses were nice, it was the spinning teacup that was the hit of the day.

We must have rode this thing for at least an hour!

Interesting side note: This is the same carousel used off location in the movie "Hannibal" , which means Graham and I have ridden the same carousel as Sir Anthony Hopkins!

Of course there was also the obligatory stop for ice cream, or in this case frozen yogurt!

Sadly Melissa's office is being moved, so this may have been our final visit to this mall for awhile. Hopefully her new location will be near some new fun things to do!

Elmwood Park Zoo

2010-05-01T17:39:00.005-04:00

Graham and I accompanied Melissa on her monthly trek to PA, and spent a few hours at The Elmwood park Zoo.

It's a tiny zoo in our old hometown of Norristown, and for it's size it does have a surprising amount of things to see, which is good because all Graham wanted to do was "find more animals".

Whatever we'd see he'd stop, identify it and continue running along as if it were a timed scavenger hunt.

The Jaguar may not of gotten a second look, but the "Mommy and Daddy Fox" at least got a pause.

They did have a petting area, and Graham was thrilled to see a barn "like Grandpa's" and to play with the animals he's familiar with.

They also had pony rides! We all know from past experience how much Graham loves a good pony ride!

Grandpa Paul is already talking about riding lessons.

Hand Stitched

2010-04-30T10:25:00.009-04:00

A couple recent projects:

A handful of photo envelopes from Kata Golda's new book to give as gifts. And baby booties for my (very pregnant and adorable) coworker Steph-- using a free pattern from C&T Publishing.

I am always surprised by the satisfation I get from embroidery. I really need keep a project in my hand bag. It's so exciting to finish a project within the same year I started it!

Happy Birthday Killian

2010-04-27T18:22:00.004-04:00

Graham's buddy Killian turned 3 this week and we were all invited to a big Dr. Seuss themed party. Here Killian's dad Sean greets us at the door.
Here's the birthday boy climbing on me. As soon as I began tickling him, all the rest of the kids jumped in for a big tickle fest free for all. (Screaming was mandatory.)

Below is Charlie, one of the sweet girls of our friend Diana. Charlie is a strict boy hater, and I truly delight in pushing her buttons when it comes to our "friendship". She insists we will never be friends because I'm not only a boy, but a grown up. I keep telling her that I'm not really a grown up, but an Ogre (like Shrek) and that I'm only 6. You can't imagine the looks I get from her. ;)

Killian's house has literally hundreds of toys. Action figures, train tables, games, you name it, and they probably have it. With all these playthings, the one item that was the focus of Graham's interest was a toy vacuum cleaner. In fact it was coveted by a few kids in the group to the point of arguing over who gets to do the rug. I need to buy him a Dustbuster so he can really help around the house!

Here's Graham modeling the superstar sunglasses he got in his take home goodie bag.

He kinda looks like Elton John.

Sadly, more pictures were not taken. Melissa and I each thought the other would take them and we simply slacked off. We promise to be more diligent in the future!

More S'mores

2010-04-26T10:10:00.008-04:00

When I declared 2010 "The Year of the S'more," I wasn't joking around. Not even C.C. can resist gooey marshmallow-y goodness.

Luckily the weekend weather was just a touch warmer than it had been midweek, so the kids were able to enjoy a dip in the tub.

Nicole's grin-- visible proof of supreme happiness brought on by a perfectly browned and delicious toasted marshmallow. (Not to mention the love of holding baby Declan!)

Now if only I could find a subtle way to ask Abby to make us some homemade Graham Crackers for this weekend...

April Showers

2010-04-25T10:10:00.004-04:00

Maybe it's the adorable rubber boots, or maybe it's his devilish grin when he finds a puddle ... either way, his enthusiasm is infectious!

Yellow Finch

2010-04-25T10:09:00.002-04:00

We're calling him Sunny.

Yo Ho Ho

2010-04-24T22:19:00.002-04:00

Was it a mistake to teach Graham the "And A Bottle of Rum" part? I hope not. This particular pirate was was of the attractions at OH Fest. I'm still bummed out that I missed the BonJovi cover band performance, but at least I heard a tiny bit of their set from the backyard.

2010, The Year of the S'more

2010-04-23T14:49:00.005-04:00

I'm declaring an early start on summer! It was a little chilly in the backyard, but the smokey wood fire kept the marshmallows (and our toes) toasty warm.

Grocery Bag

2010-04-21T13:32:00.002-04:00

The Sleepover

2010-04-19T20:58:00.003-04:00

Graham, Grandpa and Grandma had a sleep over at the farm Saturday night. Before the visit, we got Graham a new book. The storyline was too perfect to pass up:

Little Critter is having a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's farm! Join Little Critter as he helps his grandparents milk the cows, pick blueberries, and bake a pie for the contest at the Country Fair.
Sunday morning, Graham woke Grandma up at 6:45 and told her it was time to make a Blueberry Pie! And indeed they did. (Grandma is an excellent sport.)

Here's the victor with the spoils. It was, as Graham says, "Dee-wish-ous!"

Sweet Bay Morgan Farm

2010-04-11T15:40:00.005-04:00

Sue Jack, a co-worker/friend of mine needed some fence posts for her horse farm, so Melissa, Graham and I all piled into the truck and took a ride out to make the delivery.

We timed it just right because one of her mares had a foal just a few hours before we arrived and we got to meet the new filly and her nervous mother. (Mama horse was a bit apprehensive, so after a quick peek in the barn we went inside the house and watched them via a video monitor set up in the kitchen.)

Graham loved the horses, as well as the bunny, the sheep, and the cats and dogs, and as you can see in the picture above he shed is clothes to become one with the animals. (Actually it was a diaper malfunction, and a dog with muddy paws that contributed, but it was very warm out so we just let him go free)
The horse above is Athena, his favorite. She followed him along the fence line and came to him when he patted his leg and called her.

When asked if he wanted his own horse, he said "Yes, this one".

That being said, I think we'll need to visit again soon.

Easter Weekend

2010-04-10T15:59:00.011-04:00

The day before Easter we went to Capresso's, a coffee shop here in town, to meet Mother Goose who read stories and hosted an Easter egg hunt. As always, Graham was eager to participate, especially when there were candy filled eggs to be found.

After a nap we headed to the farm for a fun afternoon with Amanda, Ethan, Abby, Jason and of course Grandma, Grandpa and Scout.

Aunt Lorraine sent some really fun outdoor toys.

Easter morning arrived, and although I had to work the night before, I was home in time to wake everyone up and let them know the Easter Bunny had been here! Along with a nice basket of Goodies, the Easter Bunny dug out a big treat Santa had hidden in the cellar from a few years ago. Behold the Estate Wagon!

After finding it (cleverly hidden by the stove) Graham's new ride was the hit of the day.

Although his legs are just a tiny bit too short to pedal it himself, he has become a master at working the tailgate and loading and unloading everything he can fit in it. He pretends he is heading to Price Chopper and has a different grocery list each time (although usually cupcakes are on the list).

Among the other treats in his basket, Graham got a new boat for the hot tub!

After a few times around the tub, we hurried to get dressed and get to church for the Easter service. As always Graham was eager to join the other kids front and center up at the altar. This time he happy came back to his seat when the children's sermon was done (phew!).

Here's a great shot of him with a hymnal.

He looks so angelic, you'd never know he actually wasn't too crazy about everyone singing. At the pause of each verse he would gladly (and loudly in the hushed moment) say "The End" only to be disappointed when the singing of the next verse continued. It must have happened at least 7 times, much to the delight of the congregation. I don't recall what song it was, but even I was surprised at how many verses there were.

Next, we were off to the farm for Easter dinner. Graham was thrilled to find out that the Easter Bunny had also left some goodies for him there as well!

Amanda, Ethan, and Abby, helped with an egg hunt (which could have gone on forever since eggs kept dropping out of his basket!)

Some eggs were hidden higher than others!

Graham also enjoyed a paddle catch game with Uncle Jase-

Afterwards, we went inside to help peel Easter eggs, and enjoy a delicious ham dinner.

It was nice to have everyone together for the holiday, but boy all that excitement was tiring... Graham and I napped about 5 hours afterwards, and still felt sleepy!