Iced Tea

We currently have about 4 inches of snow on the ground and we expect a LOT more tonight! The weather team expects 6-10 inches of snow overnight! I could place a wager on no school tomorrow, but everyone would bet with me!

I did brave the roads, though, as I craved the newest cuisine in town! Less than a mile away they opened an authentic Mexican taco shop! I went in to order the much-longed-for carne asada and I came out with those awesome marinated carrots, authentic hot sauce, both red and green, and a chicken tostada that was to die for! Don't worry, Nicolee got a chicken quesadilla! Mmmm, but I have been craving some horchata and pollo asada! I am so glad they're in the neighborhood!

Anyway, as I was sitting at a table, the manager told me to help myself to a complimentary cup of coffee... Or tea... Or hot chocolate! This guy had it all! I filled my dixie cup with hot water and added a tea bag.... I love the smell of steeping tea! I sipped on it until my order was ready. I thanked the man and headed out the door. It was snowing pretty heavily (as I said before we should expect 10 MORE inches by morning!).... And my cup was dusted with snow! Not too much, though. I took a sip as I was driving off and it was COLD! Ah.... The other day I WAS wishing for hot weather and iced tea! I guess a snowstorm and iced tea will just have to do!

So the doc and I get to watch the Bourne Ultimatum (he's seen it already, but I haven't so please don't give up the story for me!)... The Bourne series has got to be one of my favorites! So cool! So action packed! Matt Damon lacks a little in the acting department sometimes, but I think the story line makes up for it!!!

Anyway, next week I will post my Christmas card letter for you.... You'll like it, it's funny. I mean, come on! You know me!!!

Difference is good

NY is unlike any other place I've been.

Even Tink agrees, although she is a native New Yorker (and I will always be a California girl)! She is funny to watch in the snow! First off, the doc has shaved her again, this time a little closer to the skin. She's very soft, but not very well-insulated! She LOVES to go out in the snow, though!


First she pounces into the snow and digs her head in. Then she starts sniffing the frozen precipitation and begins rooting around. When she stands still, she looks like an ostrich with her head buried in the ground. Then she starts following whatever scent she can find under that blanket and chases it.... Like a lawnmower, moving everything in its path! By the time she comes back to the porch, she's covered in snow! And she loves it! We head inside to wipe off he snow, which is stuck in her fur like big, white, furry boots and then she takes off, tracking her wet prints all around the house. It's quite a chore AND a funny sight!










The doc loves it. He plans to start snowshoeing after Christmas.... Granted a certain something ends up under the tree! It's cold, yes. But he LOVES the fireplace, with all of the lovely firewood, compliments of ME. But on the cold nights, after dinner is prepared but not yet served, he discovered another way to keep warm. Dinner. My important job of recent has been to serve warm, filling meals...









Soups, stews, baked yummies..... For this reason!



When interviewed, Nicole even said she likes the snow. No, she loves the snow. She hikes through it, sleds over it, jumps in it, and she even admits to eating a bit..... Don't worry, I have taught her color that discrimination is alright, ONLY when it comes to snow! We have yet to make a snowman, but I don't think that less than 6 inches will be enough snow. No worries, we are in snow country, near the Adirondacks, close to Canada, further north than CA. Snowmen will come!I, on the other hand, love it and hate it. I love the cold, brisk sunshine with big puffy flakes falling from the sky! I love cuddling by the fire with hot chocolate and Ga Ga's afghans... I just can't seem to get rid of that perpetual chill straight down my spine. It never leaves. I'm always cold!!!!! (But Tink is my own personal temperature control unit! That girl is COOKIN'! And she loves to sit on my feet!!!) (pics to come) Now if only I could get her to warm my gloves while I am at work!!!So wherever you spend your winter months, stay warm!!!

Pet Peeves

• when moms lick their fingers and wipe their child's faces..... I never did this with Nicole (But she did it to me yesterday before we left for school!)
• when Tink won't come inside after I let her outside... I call her and call her, but the lawn is covered with ice. I'm not walking out there to get her!
• drivers that do not understand the 4 way stop. If you can't understand it, don't go that way! I don't just think you're being nice if you wave me on when it's your turn!
• when a driver sits at a flashing red light in front of me for 2 minutes because he doesn't know what he's, supposed to do, despite the honking!!!

Tag - I'm it!

I've been tagged!!

The rules:
A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then go to their blogs and leave them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1) I never want to sit on the couch in the living room..... But it's the best couch and the most comfortable couch ever!!! When the doc was in med school, he sat on the center cushion to study..... for like 5+ hours a day! Now there is a permanent dip in the couch. It's no longer comfortable. :(

2) I am an art junkie..... But I think I am an art supply junkie instead.... I seem to have a LOT more supplies than I have acual finished products...

3) I would rather shop in a thrift store for unique things than Target or Walmart..

4) I have become laaaaaaaaaazy. I park my car in the front now, then by the time I'm ready for bed, the ONLY thing that gets me moving to move my car to the garage is the fact that I WILL get a ticket for parking my car on the street between 11pm and 5 am..... Darn it!

5) I make lists every day. It's the only way to get my days organized! I make to do lists, shopping lists, and sometimes I feel like I make lists of lists. I ALWAYS have a list with me!

6) When I am talking on the phone or kinda zoning out, I like to draw daisies ALL OVER! All over everything!

Okay, now the almost ineffective part of my blog. Bobby, Ann, Shannon, Sarah, Shaybert, ah, only 5.... you're all it. And GO!

Band aids

I'm feeling a little better..... After all, it's all about me, right? We fixed the external problem this afternoon. Nicole was pampered in the dentist's chair as they cleaned her teeth and then we headed to what Nicole called 'the barber shop.' She's just adorable, no matter what!

the barber shop next door

Dear Nicolee is just like me. She's a people pleaser. We're both sad when other people are not happy. I just need to teach her to draw the line when that someone feels happy means cutting Nicole's hair! This is the 2nd time it's happened. I know Nicole's hair is too beautiful to resist, but please....

Isn't her hair beautiful???

Well, it was..... Now it's gone :(

Mmmm, sweet OJ. Tangy OJ. Rancid OJ.... WHAT?

I love orange juice. It's a little too tart for me in the morning (especially since I don't like to drink it 'when I get up'... 5 for all you that don't know!), but I still love it! I especially like this orange, strawberry banana blend here in NY... But I'm the only one who likes it. I have to drink it ALL! It takes me a while to finish the entire liter!

That should be my first clue.

I reached into the cupboard for a small glass for the OJ and a coffee mug fell on top of it. The glass shattered in my hand!

That should have been a sign.

After cleaning up the shards of glass, I grabbed a 2nd glass and took a whiff of the pitcher.

That should have been a 3rd clue!

A little sip made my tongue fuzzy.

Clue # 4.

I took a BIG gulp.... And it burned all the way down.

That was 5!

After a sour face, a second whiff of the pitcher, and a churning gut for hours and hours, I finally deduced.....

It was old.

I'm in the City and the City's in Me

We went to NYC this weekend and I LOVE LOVE LOVED it! It was a busy day, without a doubt. We stayed in Puqueepse (a little spelling help, please!) overnight and then rode the train in the early morning... After finagling a ticket out of the machine and scrambling into the subways, we headed to the Statue of Liberty. Even though I have already been there, it is still beautiful. Breathtaking.... And it bordered on being cold.... Jacket on, jacket off... But look at her standing in all that glory.... Who wouldn't be overwhelmed by freedom and liberty and the thought of hauling over all of that copper?

Then we went to Ellis Island and Dave and Nicole played peekaboo while the 'rents checked out their family history in the computers... Silly kidS! I looked at the wall and read my families names.... Wondering if I had heard of those individuals or not.... After a quick lunch on liberty island, where Dave caught a pigeon with his hands and Nicole begged to be able to do that all day, we left the island, saw some very strange dancers in Grand Central Station (One in particular played the drums and had a giant pole attached to the top of his hat with a VERY long ribbon tied to the top and waved it around to the beat! It was interesting for sure!), serenaders, begging for a buck, Arabs preaching about 9/11 not being their fault, but ours, and the giant construction site where the twin towers were.

Then we headed to the Empire State Building. I always feel a little cooler when I go there..... Since my dad grew up in NYC, I often asked if he went to the statue of liberty and the empire state building, and he always told me that he had never been, had no desire to go.... So I kinda felt like I did a 'first' by going to these..... But looking at the long lines, I know I really wasn't first!

Macy's caught our eye, of course.... Who wouldn't want to be in a 9 story department store that takes up a whole block? Well, I wouldn't, but I love shopping! I bought Nicole a Christmas present (shhh), omehow stumbled across the New Year's ball in the basement, you know, the one that they drop, and Nicole found a mouse running under all of the racks in the children's department! She named her 'Macy Mouse' and tried really hard to catch her!

By now, we were starving again.... New York City is quite the melting pot, eh? We found a Mexican restaurant right underneath the Empire State Building! (well, that would be on one of its corners, right?) Chipotle. Awesome burritos. Very filling, but a little more on the healthy side for fast food (as long as you don't eat the WHOLE thing!).

And then we were about done. We saw a little of this and a little of that before we got back on the subway and the train, but my dogs were barking the whole ride home! Sleeping in on Sunday never felt so good! I missed seeing my good friend Ange in the city, but we've got time, right babe?

You know me....

I will do anything for a laugh.... And I usually find them everywhere, too! This morning, as I was taking Nicole to school, I was discussing some of the traffic laws,like understanding the lights. P.S. I have explained this to her a million times already! I believe that Nicole should understand her world around her, not just look at it! So her response? "I know, mom... I already know everything because I am in Kindergarten!" Maybe I should go back to Kindergarten!

Also, as we turned around the corner to jump into the drop off line, a little boy came around the corner on his skateboard.... Skateboarding to school! I haven't seen that in AGES!!!

a fatal attraction

Today was the grand opening of a McDonald's in our town.... A Mc Donald's that supposedly burned down and then was rebuilt! EVERYONE and their mother was there! I went with a friend, Nicole, and her kids... We walked into the playroom and let the kids GO! As soon as they kicked off their shoes, they were gone! We looked around for a table, a bench, A chair.... Between all of the customers and onlookers, there was no room! Finally we snagged the table right next to the jungle gym.

After a good 15 minutes of marveling at the insane amounts of energy contained in our children, I finally took an 'order' and headed to the front lines! From the moment I stepped into line to the moment I actually walked away with my tray, 35 minutes had passed. You read correctly, 35. You see, I already told you everybody and their mother was at this place! This local yocal town has a great turn out for every occasion, be in small or grandiose...

This McDonald's happens to be a cuisine of choice. Most of those 35 minutes were spent behind 14 other members of the line. Plus I had a large order to place! And after consuming my drenched snack wrap and fries, which now sit like a sack of wet rags in my gut, I still consider whether or not the endeavor was truly worth it.... Is it worth it to fill my system with saturated whatchamacallit and preservatives just so that we can follow the crowd and play on the indoor playground?

Next time I will make my own chicken nuggets, place them in a brown paper bag with a smiley face on it, call it my own happy meal, and save a LOT of calories.....

Next time I'll order a grumpy mel from Mickey D's!

I am Batman

Seriously, not. But every morning on my way to work, I turn down Gotham. They pronounce it a little differently, which makes me giggle inside and think about Batman a little more! But Gotham street is a little more familiar now.... Can't say that about the rest of the grid, though! I can find my way around, though, just give me a little time, I'll pull off some random turns and FIND a street that I know! I think my sense of direction is getting a little better! Yesterday I was coming home from work and my car started to act little funny. It was acting like it didn;'t want to drive.... And then it shut off. Luckily I had pulled over to the curb, so I coasted out of the MIDDLE of the street! I would start and roll over fine, but then it would DIE! I gave up on it. I turned it off, grabbed everything out of the car thta I needed, and started walking home... But which direction was home? I turned down a couple of streets.... I was thinking of knocking on a door and asking which direction was State Street.... But did it! I found my way! I was pretty stupid, though. I grabbed EVERYTHING out of my car. The soup cans I just bought, my bag full of books, my jacket, a few other random things I had left in my car, and I carried them all the way home. At LEAST a mile! Okay, maybe JUST a mile.... But that's enough for me! My car is fine, just finicky, now.... I need to learn the streets better! However, if I WAS Batman, I wouldn't have to worry about the car OR the streets so much, would I?

Pavlov's dog...

... Her name is Tink.

I never had to condition her, but there are certain sounds that cause her to come running. Some of those sounds: keys (makes sense), wrappers (all dogs love food), the lazy susan (it squeaks RELLY bad), and the icemaker... This one makes me wonder.... Maybe she sits and waits for me to drop an ice cube for her? But there is something about the rattling and crushing of ice that brings her running!

Tink, my pavlovian dog. This one's for you (Oh, I just ran the ice maker!!)

Mmm, the familiar smell of World's Finest Chocolate

You know, I never had a lemonade stand as a child, I was required to sell chocolate for my school. I believe I have fulfilled my sales quote for my LIFETIME! In 6th grade, I sold 10 cases of chocolate, with the help of my bother and sinister, of course, and my whole family got tickets to Disneyland. Currently, the students at IHC are selling it. The aroma fills the halls and I try not to get too distracted as I click clack type away in the computer lab! I have withstood the pressure this long, the sale is almost over! Some things remain the same, though... A bar/box is still $2.00... An amount that I never seem to have in my wallet at one time. God thing, though!



And in other news, I am 99.8482108975% over my cold/virus/gift from the wonderful realm of education! It seems that I always catch something in the beginning of the school year. Is it the bonding of kids after a whole summer apart? Is it the lack of handwashing while sitting at the desk all day? Anyway, I came down with this horrible virus, thekind you can't do anything about! After a week, I am proud to say that I have a little sniffle left and a lack of taste. Seriously. That bottle of Frank's is my best friend! I put it on everything cause I taste nothing! I may have a problem with vinegar after this!

My Pursuit of 101 Things

#12 Teach Nicole how to read.

I believe I accomplished this OVER the last 5 years, but she is successfully reading words. Soaking them up wherever she can find them. Scrutinizing the cereal box for words she can sound out. I am so proud!

Like daughter, like grandfather.

There are certain traits which repeat from generation to generation. There also seem to be some that skip a generation! My daughter is a hard worker. When she has a task at hand, she focuses, directs all of her attentin on the task at hand, and sets forward. Sometimes she is in her own little bubble, her own little world. And the sure sign is the tongue. It is the sign of hard work, determination, and possibly a little silliness.... Who do you think she gets it from?

Scatterbrain!!!

We had some guests come over for dinner the other night! I made a gorgeous salmon with pesto and dijon (Dave wasn't brave enough so he had a steak!) and they opened a bottle of wine. (I say they because I can't stand wine!) And after a dessert of gooey chocolatey goodness (snaps to Laura!), we all settled on the couch to watch a movie. Iriving picked Zodiac. Now most of you know about me and scary/suspenseful movies! I won't even sit still for them! But this one was different! I am still intrigued! It's like like the old Unsolved Mysteries aired late on Sunday nights in the late 80's, early 90's! They left so many questions, but the whole case was like that! I'm not a bit shaken by the eerieness of the plot, I am still baffled as to why there really are psycho things in life...

But I can't even think straight! I've got work starting Tuesday, a messy house to clean, and I need to find a car.... So don't even bother to ask the point of this blog. The title speaks it all. I was just trying to clear my head!

A Local Hike and a late breaking story

Less that 500 feet from our front door is the entrance to Thompson Park. Well, if you count the grass in the circle and the division between the streets and the rotary, it's more like 20 feet from the front door. Regardless, Dave, Nicole, Tink and I headed out the door with the hope of covering new ground! We walked up the hill and followed Olmstead Trail. It led us all over the side of the hill, up and down, sideways, under 'things...' But we ended up back on Thompson Park Drive. Kinda like all roads lead to Thompson Park Drive! Tink had to be carried after a mile, poor thing, but Nicole trekked through three whole miles oftdusty and rocky terrain, some grass, and rocks, too. She complained every 20 minutes that her feet hurt (and mine did, too, but Nicole said it for the both of us), but she made it the WHOLE way! What a big girl!

Also, to add to my procrastination, yesterday we went to a local Cider Mill. The grow, harvest, press, and mill the apples and sell their own cider! It was very tasty, nice and ice cold... A little foamy as it came out of the tap... It was really good. There wasn't much to see in lieu of the process. We saw the guy cleaning the machine, but that's it. There were other things to see, though. They had a large crate of apples outside, waiting their turn to go through the press. They also had a chalkboard behing the register that said: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away. But if the doctor is cute, throw out the fruit!" Believe me, for Dr. Dave, I will be pitching the apples ;)!!

There really is a lot to do in this town.... I can't wait for New York in the Fall!

10 minutes and 7 minutes

I got a new job! I am the part time computer lab lady/proctor/teacher's assistant at Case Middle School! But PLEASE, PLEASE pray that I am able to get a car soon! That time up there is thetime it takes me to get to get to and from the middle school on my bike. I have no problem riding my bike, I just know winter is coming.... And fast! It's already in the 60's and it's August! (In CA it's in the upper 90's still!) More importantly, I need peace. Jesus' peace. I know He's in control. He provided the job and I trust Him for the means to get to work. Maybe Tuesday He will introduce me to someone who will let me carpool with them...... Peace AND grace.... Thank you Jesus!

Ahhhh, a day at the beach!

Yes, we went to the beach today! Don't get all excited, we weren't any closer to the coast, but we were a little closer to Canada! We went to Lake Ontario. The vast horizon led me to believe that we really were facing a sea. Nicole was adorable, of course! Nicole buried herself in the sand (okay, up to her thighs as she was sitting on the ground), spent over an hour trying to catch a lethargic catfish that was 10' off shore, and collecting rocks... not seashells! We left at 11:00.... I brought snacks, not lunch (smart mama?)! We ate a LOT of grapes and drank tons of water!!! The water was JUST right and the sun was hot, so we slathered on tons of sunscreen..... But tonight as I gave Nicole a bath, to wash off all thta sand... I found finger stripes on her back... Hey, I never said I was great at putting on sunscreen! But I do put on some killer aloe vera! (I had it refrigerated! So it was very cool and soothing!) .

By the time we mosied on home, it was time for dinner.... We had big salads all to ourselves! (I am pleasantly surprised at how much Nicole loves produce! Almost as much as I do! She and I could both survive on nothing but salads every day! But how healthy is it really if we always have cheese, olives, and really good dressing? We at least get kudos for trying!)

P.S. I still feel that warm sun on my back and face! Maybe it's because I'm a little red, too!

The new skateboarding...

Or surfing... Or trick skiing... Is now kayaking!

We went over to the 'bus barn' today to introduce Nicole to the bus systems. She toured the bus, learned the correct loading and unloading protocol, and then they fed us a complimentary lunch! We took the hot dogs outside to eat since it was such a nice day.... Actoss the grass, we saw 2 umnanned police cars with their lights on, no sirens, and a crowd of people leaning over the bridge. Being the important people we are (wink wink, nudge nudge), we headed over to see what was going on!

It was a kayaking event! A competition of trick kayaking, complete with flips, turns, and whatever tricks they could muster up while coasting over the rapid! (I say THE rapid, singular, cause there was really only one big dip with a spray and currents on either side!) People came from all over the world for this event! (Don't be too surprised, there were only about 10 people in each category!) It was the young men's competition, we left before the women's competition.... But I wish I had a kayak! I may not be able to brave the 'rapid' but I would love to get out and coast on the water!

Anyway, it started out, BEFORE that, with some yummy Swedish pancakes! We tried to serve breakfast in bed to Dave, but he beat us to the punch! I thought doctors wew supposed to sleep in on their ONE day off!!! Oh well, it was good and he loved it!

I also found some great socks today at Walmart! They are infused with aloe! They are SO soft, I felt pampered just putting them on! So to all you mommies out there, here is a pampering item worthy of multitasking!

TAG, you're it!

P.S. Just a word of caution. I HATE forwards. I am talking a serious, passionate disliking to the letters FW: in front of ANYthing sent to me. If I read into this too much, or any other surveys, I might call myself a hypocrite!!Anyway.....

TAG!I'm it, now you're it...
Here's how you play: Once you have been tagged, you have to write a blog w/ 10 weird, random things, facts, habits or goals about yourself. At the end choose 10 people to be tagged, listing their names and why you chose them. Don't forget to leave them a comment ("You're It") and to read your blog. You can't tag the person who tagged you. Since you can't tag me back, let me know when you've posted your blog so I can see your answers!

MY "its."

1. I am dyslexic. Seriously dyslexic. Hilariously dyslexic. A number of things come into play. When thinking before I write, I don't have to consider how things are spelled, conjugated, etc, I have to think about which direction to write my letters! I also mix up and jumble letters (even though I am adamant about correctly spelling everything [not necessarily TYPING, though!])... My mind actually jumbles the letters for me in every word. So when I first read something, I can calculate many other alphabetical possibilities... For example, in National Treasure I knew that Valley Forge was comin'.... Who, honestly picks 'fargo levy' as a password???

2. I miss playing basketball. Sometimes when I am sitting in the chair, I have an almost out-of-body experience where I feel like I'm driving down the key..... But it's sometimes just gravity as the recliner rocks forward! And when chasing Tink around the yard, when she changes direction, I automatically think, 'pik and roll' or 'weak side' or back door'.... Seriously, talk about engrained practices, Coach Grainger (do you think he read that???)

3. I work a Sudoku book from back to front. Get to the REAL challenges first! Then I usually give up by the time they're too easy... I also play mental sudoku when my eyes are closed.

4. I abhor all twangs of country music. I feel betrayed when those close to me choose to listen to it in my presence. I also feel betrayed since my dad, who taught me to hate the genre, is starting to sing it himself! How sad...

5. I am not addicted to myspace. Or e mail. Or IM. Or the internet. I am addicted to the computer. I could get my 'fix' by creating a spreadsheet or database, just as easily as I could by reading entertaining e mails or headlines!!!

6. Contrary to my dear husband's movie preference, I love ACTION films! Cheesy, I know! But I think it stems from my deep, secret desire to participate in the WNBA... Or the CIA... Or something that keeps me MOVING!

7. I sincerely enjoy entertaining. I want to have someone over for dinner EVERYday. I want to create millions of brand new, inspiring meals that people love.... But I don't want to spend more than 15 minutes cooking... And I usually accompish the last two! So that means you need to come over and help me accomplish the first part!

8. I am a goof. Not a secret, but there are secrets as to why!

9. My biggest fear in life is having bad breath. Not only do I brush my teeth quite often, but I ALWAYS carry breathmints, gum, or mouthwash.... Sometimes all 3!

10. I still remember Mitosis from high school biology. The 5 phases are1. Interphase, 2. Prophase, 3. Metaphase, 4. Anaphase, and 5. Telephase. I know it's pointless, useless information to you and me... At least Miss Wagner would be proud of me!!!

Who's IT?

1. Shannon.... cause you're always laughing at me, it's your turn to make me laugh!
2. Kelle... I know you've got some great answers for this!
3. Amy.. beacause you love ME!
4. the other Shannon! (how do you know which one's which?) 'cause you have so much time for this.... and what's another 10 minutes on myspace, anyway? It's not like it's wasted or anything!
5. Robin... As a psychologist, I know you've got some depth to ya!
6. Valerie... Cause I picked you
7. Emily, you're my kindred spirit,
8. Lourdes... Cause I CAN pick you!
9. Angela... Cause now that you have a baby, you have lots of time for this
10. yeah, 9'sit... Cause I can bet you anything Zach Braff won't even realize that he's been tagged.... Even if I forcibly send him an e mail....

Old Mac Donald Had a Farm

E-I-E-I-O....
And on that farm we saw a:

We went to Old Mac Donald's Farm in Sackett's Harbor today! It was a blast! They have a wagon ride with the Wizard of Oz charaters set up all over the place! They movie is played (audio only) as we drive through the farm! We passed all the animals and heard about the history of the farm, fed the animals, Nicole rode a pony, and we had ice cream from the creamery! It was fun! P.S. Silage is probably the worst thing in the world. I hope none of you even come ACROSS it in life!
Also, Tink has rightfully earned the nickname 'Stink.' She is so devious and contrary and weird! Dave finally caught onto that, too!

Well. This town is still fun! We have a lot to discover!!!

The Whole Enchilada

"bn hjhnmkc` v= " That's Tink's contribution...



Mmmmm, I love Mexican food! It's been scarce since we left San Diego... So, I make my own. These enchiladas rocked! Most Mexican food really isn't that pretty, but it sure is yummy!

We also took Tink on a walk last night. She is doing REALLY well with the leash! We went around the block and Tink pointed out this funny sign to us... I really couldn't decide of I should laugh or be disgusted.... So I took a picture!

We saw lots of lovely things! But getting fresh air with family was best!

Hmmm, a little late

I admit, I forgot. I had other things to do. I wanted to post something... Okay, I just didn't do it. Here's a very late unbirthday post...

But Nicole had a BLAST on her birthday! We invited over Elizabeth, her mommy, and her brother. (Christian is such a cool name!) I'm so glad that we have new friends in our new town! She wanted a ratatouille party... Have you seen ANY of that in the stores? So we made it up..... And didn't tell anyone! First, we created our own pizzas. I bought mini Boboli crusts at the local bakery outlet store and set out lots of cheese and a zillion toppings! I forgot those pics... Then, after consuming half of the pizzas with a mountain of cheese a a tiny piece of sausage on top, we brought out the birthday..... cupcakes! With candles! After blowing them out, we gave the kids their own cupcakes and a glob of frosting... Then we set out:

and they had a blast! After so much time, I couldn't even find the cupcake anymore! Can you find it?

We loved having Nana and Lindsey here! LJ bought Nicole some 'clothes' for Tink. Is it a phase? Do you think Nicole will have to grow out of it??? Tink wasn't so fond of the Minnie Mouse smock (but LJ also got her a cute little jogging jacket! She needs shoes now for when it snows!!!)...

But the next day, we went to Alexandria Bay. I love it there, too. I could own a vacation home there! (It gets WAAAY colder there!)

We took the Thousand Islands tour. (Dressing, anyone?) It's funny how they categorize an island! It has to have a tree on it. So it could be a lump of sand coming out of the water, but if it has a tree, it's an island! We saw awesome vacation hoomes, slides into the water, lots of fishing and crusing boats, and the Boldt castle! (Heart Island means ICE CREAM!) It was beautiful, not too hot, not cold. And Nicole wore MY hat! Look how cute she is!

Also, Nana took Nicole clothes shopping while she was here, for her first days of school! Nicole is going to be the CUTEST girl ever! (No bias, honestly!) Wouldn't you kill for a wardrobe like this?
We finished the pre-K screening yesterday, now it's official. We just have to wait for school to start! (P.S Nicole was very apprehensive about going to school with other kids! But she is SO bright and SO smart, I know she'll do well! At the screening, they tested her base knowledge and Nicole thought it was a bunch of games! She WILL do great! P.S. She can't remember her phone number. The fact that we still have the WV are code throws her off so she doesn't think she knows it at all! Same number.)

So, countdown. 21 days til school starts!!!