Riley the Hawk and Davey the Cat

This is Our Land!!

Boy, has it been a while. I guess I just got a little blogged out. Plus, a little something called Facebook has been taking up my internet time these days. Sorry! But something of such great significance has happened in my life recently that I had to come back to share pictures. We have somehow finally found land to buy and even secured a loan in the midst of the current credit crisis. (Thank goodness for small, responsible banks.)

It is 48 acres in Marlboro, VT, near 3 different friends that live in the area, less than 20 min. from town, yet so peaceful and remote feeling. We are headed up there this weekend to build a fire, drink some champagne, and maybe, just maybe, camp out overnight!

Strolling of the Heifers 2008

The Strolling of the Heifers is becoming quite an event around here. It just keeps getting bigger with each passing year. I'm not much of a parade gal in general, but the real community nature of this one has won me over! And how could I resist when my own son decided to march with his school?

Of course the heifers, sweet pretty symbols of our local agriculture, start off the parade.

We love you Bernie! No sign, no pomp and circumstance, he really is not your typical politician.

In addition to more traditional parade fare (marching bands, the token beauty queen of some sort), this one delves into community activism and spirit. Here is the plastic bag monster!!

Here come the old tractors. This was one of David's favorite parts. "Trac-trac!! Trac-trac!!"

A lot of the local schools march...
Here comes Riley...

Hilltop's theme was save our soil, and Riley wanted to have an ant hat. Well, with Grandpa (man in the mask) and Daddy involved, it of course evolved into a ride on ant! It's hard to see it well in this picture, but if you click on it I think you can get a better look. He took the whole thing in such stride, excited and unphased. Not like his mother at that age, for sure.

Back to the nontraditional parade marchers... protesters of Vermont Yankee (our old, nearby nuclear power plant that is operating 20% beyond its designed capacity and is up for a license renewal in a few years).

And of course little Davey sitting somewhat overwhelmed on the sidelines, except for when he kept trying to join the parade.

Busy Bee

At least part of the evening "Witching Hour" (when children whine, cry, throw themselves on the floor, pull desperately on your leg, and the like...) has been salvaged through water play!!

Does anyone recognize the apron?

Sometimes Daddy's hand is all a sleepyhead needs.

Candles have become a necessity at dinner these days. Davey demands "can cans" mainly for the fun of blowing them out after we are done eating.

Green!! Life Continues...

I feel as though life is just entering that Summertime mode where you realize how fleeting it really is. The calendar is filling up and the world is truly green again. Broccoli and peas have been planted, along with that garlic that was planted last fall.

Pure Joy

Admiration.

My Little Actor

I love these pictures of Riley's attempts at capturing different emotions. It was like a real photo shoot (or what I would imagine one to be like). Oh, the drama!

Scared

Sad

Excited

Angry

Montshire Museum

More than a month ago now, we went to the Montshire Museum about an hour north of here in Norwich, VT. We explored all their wonderful indoor exhibits and want to go back soon to see all the outdoor areas we missed due to snow cover. The following descriptions are brought to you by Riley...


This is a ball machine. There were lots of silver balls inside that came up when you cranked a handle. And there was this track that led the balls down.

This is special rotating chair. Somebody spun it and then you were spinning around too fast and then you fell off. (This did not really happen.)

Davey is touching the silver squares that you shot with the air cannon. To shoot the air cannon you had to bang the back which was made of cloth (rubber, actually) then a air shot came out and made the silver squares shake.

Here you can see Daddy and me downstairs by the sailing table.

This is Davey playing in the playroom of the Montshire.

Happy Late Easter!

Of course my Easter post is a bit late, but at least Easter was so early this year that it kinds of evens out, right? We headed down to Rhode Island to spend the weekend with Grancy, Aunt Pat, and Tio Nathan. It was a quick trip (only one night), but really fun. Saturday was actually the more festive day, what with Patty-Pat there, and with everyone still riding the excitement of arrival.

It wouldn't be Easter without coloring eggs with carcinogenic dye!!
Sometimes ritual trumps logic...

A cold, but gloriously sunny day had us outside. What better way to celebrate the arrival of spring?

And of course some non-weapons grade rocket launching fun.

Self-portrait.

Tio practicing his ever improving child handling skills.

The volcano that was sort of fun to watch...

and the diet coke and mentos combination that far surpassed it. (Tio and Nathan get bored easily away from life's larger responsibilities, like work.)

A little wine made everyone a little silly. The yams were also worn as Grancy's horns and nostril decorations...

After all was said and done, an afternoon nap on the couch was surely in order.

Happy Spring!!

Well, it's official. Spring has arrived. This is by far the longest, hardest winter I have ever experienced in my almost 33 years. Crocuses may not be blooming, but the snow is melting at its own glacial pace, and that lingering sunshine at Davey's bedtime can't be wrong. Plus, even though the sidewalks have not reemerged yet, Riley is back on his bike. We resumed our previous habit of walking/riding to the local church playground, only this time Davey was on the tricycle instead of in the stroller, and joining in with our calls of "car", adding "caw" to the chorus. It must be spring!







And here is further proof...actual flowers!! (The only ones I've seen so far.)

Madison Part IV

Please scroll down and start at the beginning...backwards, I know.

And here is the main reason we travelled so far...Nathan's Grandpa. His health is failing and it has been 2 years since we've last seen him and Grandma.

Great Grandma made us a delicious mid-western meal for dinner. BBQ chicken, rice, greenbeans from Dawn and Linda's garden...oh, and a spectacular chocolate cake for dessert (Grandpa's favorite).

It was so good to see them, and the goodbye was more emotional than we anticipated. We love you Grandpa and Grandma!!