Since I can't get my act together to actually do any updates, I can at least share photos.
Rediscover this day - 8 years ago

December in Photos

Alissa & Kelsey singing at the Solstice Service

Shara next to her family tree on Heritage Day

Shara & the 4-7th graders, practicing tone chimes for the Winter Solstice Service

Shara, Alan & Brutus sharing the bed after some scary Hunger Games chapters

Mrs. Santa and Shara @ the Holly Faire

sefie

Cousin Liz fixing Shara's hair at Thanksgiving

Cousins!

Thanksgiving w/ Bubbe & daddy

Thanksgiving with Uma, daddy & Jidor

Photos!

Been busy but posting more to facebook. Here's a catch-up in photos.

Shara and her house

At yesterday's cookie party

cookie party

cookie party

Shara's selfie - showing her hair

Yesterday we had our annual cookie party. Pretty bad weekend to pick it but we had a very nice time with the couple of families who attended. Sometimes smaller is better as we had a chance talk and the kids played for most of the time all by themselves. Shara and Cadance are planning a sleepover since we didn't let them have one last night. Lots of fake crying.
















































We've been very busy with the Empty Bowls project at church. Read all about it here:
http://www.aroundthecommon.com/2014/01/local-businesses-schools-and-community.html

And see more photos of our painting parties -

You can see more things we do at church at: https://www.facebook.com/FPbwaterUU/photos_stream

Cleaned off the pool table

In preparing for Thanksgiving, which is what it took to do this, we finally put away Shara's art projects from her summer at Arts for Youth. We still need to frame some, but for now, here are some of the photos I took.

More Family Visits & Photo Catch-up

This weekend we went to Schenectady for my 25th High School reunion. Shara spent a nice evening with Bubbe and papa - they had dinner and watched the Yankees (eek). Earlier in the evening we looked through old family photos and found several of me when I was in high school and just after. Shara's comment about all of us back then was, "you had a lot of volume" - talking about our hair! I never realized how high it was at the time, but yup, looking back, there was quite a lot of it! We also went through the older generations and put names to the faces and tried to tell some stories. I need to get more pictures of the family so Shara will know who they are.

When we got back at 11 PM to pick her up, we found her half asleep on bubbe's lap. We then packed everything up and moved on to the next stop, Aunt Jill's. Crazy Aunt Jill was still wide awake and making Aunt Susan's apple crumb pie. You'd think Shara would have fallen right to sleep, but it took her over 1/2 hour to settle down and feel sleepy enough. About seven hours later we were up again and having a nice morning visit. Aunt Jill made a hearty breakfast and the girls all had a piece of the yummy apple pie. We all took turns showering and getting ready to go to the Empty Bowls Project event.

We met my friend Susan S. there and all got to know each other while waiting in the fairly long line. But with good company it went quickly. Shara found her favorite bowl right away. It's very different - footed with a textured pattern on the inside and out of pretty maroon/brown ovals. Alan picked out a beautifully shaped bowl in a greenish/brown color and the one that finally called to me was one that was the same shape as Alan's but blue. I hadn't even seen what he picked.

We went in to start sampling the soups. It was a little difficult to have all of us stick together, but we managed to cross paths and enjoy the soup as well. Shara's favorite was the Squash Bisque from Finnbar's Pub. I hadn't realized there was another Butternut Squash soup from Potter's Restaurant at Sterup Square. I would have loved to try that one too. I'd have to say my favorite was the Beet Borscht (Red beet broth with red beans, potatoes, and sliced beets.) from Muza's and the Broccoli Smoked Gouda from Chef Jackie Baldwin. Alan liked the broccoli the best as well.

We then said our sad goodbyes, made easier by bringing Liz back with us. We had a nice ride home - and even designed the menu for Thanksgiving. Shara discovered Netflix on the phone too. Oh yea, more tv! Hopefully she'll be refreshed tomorrow and not too exhausted after our whirlwind of a weekend!

More photos from the past month - follow this link.

Yom Kippur 2010

Last weekend we had a really fun time at Aunt Jill and Bubbe's for Yom Kippur. Alan wasn't able to join us because he was sick with what lots of other people had. We picked Liz up and were lucky to have her company for the ride there and back. The way out was relaxing and we had a very nice dinner at Sushi Thai in Clifton Park, before going to the Lookers. Shara loved her sushi and Liz's. They made her favorite, Sweet potato maki, and she had a whole bowl of miso soup, and 2 of Liz's California Roll. Liz had a boat - it was beautiful and she shared some of her fabulous sushi and sashimi with me too. I had pad thai, but no one really had any of that but me. It was very peanut buttery, but good. Not as good as Liz's white tuna though. So dinner out with Shara and Liz was like being out with a much older kid. She's so much fun and doesn't act like such a little girl any more but like a kid. And with a great sense of humor. Not just goofy kid things, but really funny stuff that makes me laugh. Of course I can't think of anything now, but will try to post when she says it. Ok, so after dinner we went to the Lookers and Liz got her big surprise of Samantha being home for the weekend too. We were assaulted by crazy Ruby, Dana's dog, but other than that, had a pleasant evening visiting.

The next morning we woke up before anyone else, except Andy of course, and had hot chocolate milk and tv. Shara didn't mind that I had to use hot fudge sundae topping. After getting ready, we had some breakfast and made the deal of the century for both of us. Shara didn't want to go to shull, but with the promise of two cider doughnuts, she agreed to be a well behaved child; no complaining, fussing, arguing, etc. She really didn't have that hard of a time keeping her promise. I was bored too so we went for a walk around the shull, played outside in the beautiful sun, relaxed, and had a nice time with each other. What was more impressive was how she keep herself busy at bubbe's while I helped get dinner together and ready for the company. Shara helped too by plating cookies, putting nuts in a dish and other odds and ends. Then when Jimmy and his girlfriend came, she was showered with attention. Then she wanted no part of me, of course. Later in the evening Liz, Samantha, Shara, Bubbe, Aunt Jill and I had fun playing with all of our cameras.

Sunday we decided to leave by noon and we made our schedule. This was very nice because we were able to relax and get our things packed up, enjoy breakfast, pick grapes! and watch aunt Jill make chocolate chip cookies. Liz was happy to have the room of the van to bring back more of her things and we liked having Liz for the ride home. We decided that we should stop for lunch, but Shara wasn't hungry, unless it was a cider doughnut, of course. Liz found a nice cafe in Lee and it was a great find. Liz & I split their grilled veggie sandwich with aioli on a baguette. Shara had a minestrone soup that she didn't love. She did really like Liz's Chai and my potato chips though. While there I saw a flier for a harvest fest, featuring famous cider doughnuts from Hilltop Orchards. Well it sounded like that was where we were headed next. We didn't realize that we would be going back toward New York but that was fine because we were exploring and not on a very tight schedule at all. And we had the GPS and a full tank of gas. Very important for being carefree. We found the orchard and were a bit surprised that it was so small and not really overcrowded. Apparently it was featured on the Today show and even had wine tastings. We had a couple tastes of wine and then got our doughnuts. Had to get 1/2 dozen because these things were right out of the fryer and loaded with cinnamon sugar and smelled great. They were. I had two, Shara and Liz each had one. These things were dangerous. We didn't pick apples, but I got a peck and we got back in the car and headed on to get Liz home. It was a fairly quiet trip. I let Shara watch her movies, which got very dull, but she was happy. So we dropped Liz off, and after we got back on the road, Shara started acting tired and cranky. So we got home and she was a little better and we had dinner and got to bed so we could get back to our normal weekly schedule.

Horseback Riding

Shara finally got to get her pony ride today and she loved it. Koren, who donated the ride from the church auction, though Shara was a natural. She was so comfortable on the pony. She wasn't scared at all and they started slow, but Shara wanted to hold the reins, and then they went on to halting and steering, and then Koren let out the rope a bit and Shara had a little room to go in a circle. After the lesson, Maya and Shara had a really fun time playing in the hay loft and then in the field. It was such a nice time and a great opportunity to get to know a fellow UU family.

20100912HorseBack

Pictures

2010-09-02

End of the Summer - boo

Shara & Jack looking spiffy on their first day of school.

Bus stop girls.

Fun time at the "labor day" party. 

Jack, relaxing in the sun

How cute!

Well, last weekend was the official end of summer. We had a nice time with family and friends at a Cuban themed cookout. Good mojitos, sangria, salsa and food.

It was nice that several people got to go into the pool. Unless there's a heatwave, and you never know!, I'm guessing it's pretty much the end of our swimming season. But what a season we had. I think we were in the pool at least 3/4 of the days, and many nights. Earl couldn't keep us out.

New Pictures

Holiday, It's a time to celebrate

Another case of "we've been doing so much there isn't time to talk about it". But actually, I had been planning Thanksgiving and not writing about what's been going on in our lives. Shara's still enjoying Kindergarten and KED. She loves going to Tina's after school. She's more than happy not to have an activity other than those. She likes to relax and really likes playing games. I'll update her holiday list today as well. I know a lot of you are asking what to get.


On Veteran's Day we, along with 1/2 the kids in the area, went to the Boston Children's Museum for the Nutcracker Day. It was really fun, though Shara was disappointed we didn't get to see the whole ballet, just a little look at what a practice might be like. We also had a musical treat - some of the horns from the orchestra were there to play for us and explain the different types of music an orchestra may play and told about tempo. The kids also got to try playing different instruments. We took the train into South Station and it worked out great.




Thanksgiving was a lot of fun. Wednesday I went to Shara's school to help out for their Thanksgiving Feast. It was so cute. The kids were so well behaved! I took Shara home with me, earlier than her normal release and she was thrilled about that. We got home and she helped me cut up the bread for the stuffing and then was on her own - didn't want to help but found so much to keep her busy - most of it involving dressing up and playing with Brutus.

Shara loves having her family here and doesn't have one favorite memory, but loved it all. The food was quite good and I know a few will make it on next year's menu. But I'll be sure to crisp up the tart before we eat it, or bake it before we eat, rather than in the morning.




Friday Bubbe, Papa joined us in a trip to Jordan's for the Enchanted Village. It was very nice and we got there in time to miss all the lines! Shara even sat on Santa's lap.