Simon knows that we don't let the cats outside because they like to eat birds. So this morning as he was yelling at the ants around his breakfast chair, as usual, he yelled "Go outside Ants! Go out eat birds!!"
Anna has figured out how to use the shape-sorter - she put a round piece into the round hole! Also she's been feeding herself pretty well now, although she still often enjoys the two-handed method.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Well I've gotten depressingly behind in my log again, and so the glum title. Maybe I can make it up a little bit here! Let's see...
Right now the kids are sick. Anna is actually pulling out pretty well, but Simon has gotten a secondary infection it appears and suffered a 103deg fever over the weekend. We thought he was pulling out this morning b/c his fever was way down, until lunchtime when we looked into his throat and it was spotted like an exotic fish! So we visited the doc for the second (business) day in a row. (Friday was Anna's 1-year checkup). Yes he's viral and a living contagion!
So..hmm....yes the past weekend was shot because both kids were sick...so nothing fun just some yardwork. Going backwards then.....
July 15 - Anna's Birthday
We had an intimate birthday lunch for Anna to celebrate her first birthday. Although we had in mind not freaking her out with a large group, having our neighbors' two kids and her grandmother over was enough for it! She recovered and we all had a really good time. Here are some pictures.
July 19/20 Weekend
This was a great summer weekend. On Saturday morning after Veronika's yoga class we joined friends at our local pool. The weather was classic and Simon loved kicking around in the olympic pool. We almost swam right into a favorite 80-year old neighbor from up the street. Afterwards we attended a warehouse sale downtown where we FINALLY found a kitchen table that we liked (some photos). Because it came with an axe buried in the middle, we got %75 off! (ok, it was just cracked a little bit). Sunday we spent at my aunt's house, swimming in the lake. This was Simon's first time riding basically solo in a floating raft that let his feet hang like a duck's - and he was kicking in little circles, and zooming around chasing his mechanical fish.
July 7 Week
This week was very busy!! But neither of us remember what happened.
4th of July Weekend
We spent the afternoon at my mother's house in anticipation of evening fireworks along the river. Of course we swam, and after spending some time cleaning and setting up the porch, we had a nice dinner just before the incredible rainstorm. So we drove home disappointed in the downpour. To our surprise however, Catonsville was dry and we were able to watch their late fireworks show from a sidestreet in the car, with the kids sleeping. Finally a moment of relaxation! And our first time seeing our own local fireworks show, which was as good as any we've seen in the area!
Actually driving along the beltway during the fireworks hour was pretty neat since we drove past many little towns having their own displays. I guess we identified at least a dozen different shows. It reminded me of years ago when I would take the boat out to see the fireworks - you could always see shows all around you in the dark, up and down the river.
The remainder of the weekend is unfortunately a blur at this point.
Right now the kids are sick. Anna is actually pulling out pretty well, but Simon has gotten a secondary infection it appears and suffered a 103deg fever over the weekend. We thought he was pulling out this morning b/c his fever was way down, until lunchtime when we looked into his throat and it was spotted like an exotic fish! So we visited the doc for the second (business) day in a row. (Friday was Anna's 1-year checkup). Yes he's viral and a living contagion!
So..hmm....yes the past weekend was shot because both kids were sick...so nothing fun just some yardwork. Going backwards then.....
July 15 - Anna's Birthday
We had an intimate birthday lunch for Anna to celebrate her first birthday. Although we had in mind not freaking her out with a large group, having our neighbors' two kids and her grandmother over was enough for it! She recovered and we all had a really good time. Here are some pictures.
July 19/20 Weekend
This was a great summer weekend. On Saturday morning after Veronika's yoga class we joined friends at our local pool. The weather was classic and Simon loved kicking around in the olympic pool. We almost swam right into a favorite 80-year old neighbor from up the street. Afterwards we attended a warehouse sale downtown where we FINALLY found a kitchen table that we liked (some photos). Because it came with an axe buried in the middle, we got %75 off! (ok, it was just cracked a little bit). Sunday we spent at my aunt's house, swimming in the lake. This was Simon's first time riding basically solo in a floating raft that let his feet hang like a duck's - and he was kicking in little circles, and zooming around chasing his mechanical fish.
July 7 Week
This week was very busy!! But neither of us remember what happened.
4th of July Weekend
We spent the afternoon at my mother's house in anticipation of evening fireworks along the river. Of course we swam, and after spending some time cleaning and setting up the porch, we had a nice dinner just before the incredible rainstorm. So we drove home disappointed in the downpour. To our surprise however, Catonsville was dry and we were able to watch their late fireworks show from a sidestreet in the car, with the kids sleeping. Finally a moment of relaxation! And our first time seeing our own local fireworks show, which was as good as any we've seen in the area!
Actually driving along the beltway during the fireworks hour was pretty neat since we drove past many little towns having their own displays. I guess we identified at least a dozen different shows. It reminded me of years ago when I would take the boat out to see the fireworks - you could always see shows all around you in the dark, up and down the river.
The remainder of the weekend is unfortunately a blur at this point.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
June Stuff
June has been stuffed. So far my blogging skills have lagged - it's always the last thing on the list, and I think I just have to shirk some more work to get this done! So here's what we've missed...
June 1
Simon's birthday! We planned a small gathering at a park that we like. They've got a great playground next to the long tables where we had a little lunchtime party. Although there were only 2 other kids of Simon's age there, his best pal Evan and longtime-friend Phoenix ;) - they had a great time and never touched the playground! Oh well! The kids loved uncle Stanley's balloon show, as he sent long balloons rocketing up into the air; and he got to pet some horses. Afterwards we went for a hike along the park trails near the river. It was a great day.
Here are some more photos.
The Camera
I placed an old security camera in my office with its b/w screen so the kids could play with it. Simon calls his image the “other Simon”, and holds up stuff for him to see. Anna points at the screen an smiles in delight. Simon is potty-training now, and today after breakfast he took his little potty up to the office. We didn’t know what he was doing, or even that he had his potty. When I entered the office, he had the potty in front of the camera and had apparently watched himself peeing on-screen! When we left to go shopping he said he had to go say goodbye to ‘other Simon’, and we heard him say “See you later, have a nice day!”
The 'Antiques' Trip
We have been talking about taking an "antiques trip" for over a year, and we finally planned it for the end of June. We need a kitchen table, and the trip is also a reward for completing our yard projects, which I hit hard this month in order to meet our goal. This included removing old chain and wood fences, building and installing a new fence, installing new garden walls/edgings, a new garden, sod, soil, and mulch. Also included are attic and basement work from earlier this year, but that was never completed.
So...the trip happened this past weekend (June 20-22) and we had a great time. However, we only really shopped antiques one morning - the rest of the time was spent hiking. Oh well! We didn't find anything, anyway - it was Strasburg - VA's "antiques capital"...so, why look any futher? Guess I'll be making the table, like I had planned anyway!
This is a glimpse of the trip.
Here are some pictures from the trip.
We did a loop starting in the Shenandoah valley - first in Strasburg for antiques, Luray to visit the caverns, then to Skyline Drive where we stayed at the cabins in Skyland. Our second time there and we love it - they have great rooms on the top of the mountain, and delicious buffets in the dining room! Not really camping at all.
The next day we headed south down Skyline Drive with beautiful weather - and headed west on 33 through Harrisonburg, where we stopped for lunch at the Artful Dodger, an arty cafe on the old town square, and continued west on 33. On the Virginia side of the mountains is a little side road that goes down to Lake Switzer. We ran around the lake access road for a while, where the Mazda forded its first river. That was a hoot; afterward Simon enjoyed throwing rocks into the lake. From there we headed west still and arrived in Brandywine, WV, where there is a little restaurant called The Cabin which I knew from years back. Back then they were famous for their homemade pies - huge, delicious, and all kinds of varieties - but it seems they've since declined. They still had pie though, and we were OK for a snack! Then it was on to Seneca Rocks. That's a really nice ride - but unfortunately, we got the runaround with our "resort cabin with outdoor jacuzzi" rental, and ended up in a fleabag motel room!!! YUK - I did my best to keep my head off the sheets all night while a stormed raged outside. Long night!
In the morning we climbed the trail up to the Seneca Rocks (where the town gets its name), a popular rock-climbing spot because of its 900-foot barefaced vertical climb. We didn't do any climbing of course since the kids were with us - but they have a nice climbing wall in town that was tempting. Torrential rains began after we arrived back down from the mount, so we drove south to Spruce Knob, the highest point in WV. You can drive all the way to the top, which was nice so the kids could sleep. Simon enjoyed the ride back down because the road is lined with farm animals. From there we headed home - too early really, the kids were not tired enough, and there was some gnashing of teeth! This was a great trip however.
June 1
Simon's birthday! We planned a small gathering at a park that we like. They've got a great playground next to the long tables where we had a little lunchtime party. Although there were only 2 other kids of Simon's age there, his best pal Evan and longtime-friend Phoenix ;) - they had a great time and never touched the playground! Oh well! The kids loved uncle Stanley's balloon show, as he sent long balloons rocketing up into the air; and he got to pet some horses. Afterwards we went for a hike along the park trails near the river. It was a great day.
Here are some more photos.The Camera
I placed an old security camera in my office with its b/w screen so the kids could play with it. Simon calls his image the “other Simon”, and holds up stuff for him to see. Anna points at the screen an smiles in delight. Simon is potty-training now, and today after breakfast he took his little potty up to the office. We didn’t know what he was doing, or even that he had his potty. When I entered the office, he had the potty in front of the camera and had apparently watched himself peeing on-screen! When we left to go shopping he said he had to go say goodbye to ‘other Simon’, and we heard him say “See you later, have a nice day!”
The 'Antiques' Trip
We have been talking about taking an "antiques trip" for over a year, and we finally planned it for the end of June. We need a kitchen table, and the trip is also a reward for completing our yard projects, which I hit hard this month in order to meet our goal. This included removing old chain and wood fences, building and installing a new fence, installing new garden walls/edgings, a new garden, sod, soil, and mulch. Also included are attic and basement work from earlier this year, but that was never completed.
So...the trip happened this past weekend (June 20-22) and we had a great time. However, we only really shopped antiques one morning - the rest of the time was spent hiking. Oh well! We didn't find anything, anyway - it was Strasburg - VA's "antiques capital"...so, why look any futher? Guess I'll be making the table, like I had planned anyway!
This is a glimpse of the trip.Here are some pictures from the trip.
We did a loop starting in the Shenandoah valley - first in Strasburg for antiques, Luray to visit the caverns, then to Skyline Drive where we stayed at the cabins in Skyland. Our second time there and we love it - they have great rooms on the top of the mountain, and delicious buffets in the dining room! Not really camping at all.
The next day we headed south down Skyline Drive with beautiful weather - and headed west on 33 through Harrisonburg, where we stopped for lunch at the Artful Dodger, an arty cafe on the old town square, and continued west on 33. On the Virginia side of the mountains is a little side road that goes down to Lake Switzer. We ran around the lake access road for a while, where the Mazda forded its first river. That was a hoot; afterward Simon enjoyed throwing rocks into the lake. From there we headed west still and arrived in Brandywine, WV, where there is a little restaurant called The Cabin which I knew from years back. Back then they were famous for their homemade pies - huge, delicious, and all kinds of varieties - but it seems they've since declined. They still had pie though, and we were OK for a snack! Then it was on to Seneca Rocks. That's a really nice ride - but unfortunately, we got the runaround with our "resort cabin with outdoor jacuzzi" rental, and ended up in a fleabag motel room!!! YUK - I did my best to keep my head off the sheets all night while a stormed raged outside. Long night!
In the morning we climbed the trail up to the Seneca Rocks (where the town gets its name), a popular rock-climbing spot because of its 900-foot barefaced vertical climb. We didn't do any climbing of course since the kids were with us - but they have a nice climbing wall in town that was tempting. Torrential rains began after we arrived back down from the mount, so we drove south to Spruce Knob, the highest point in WV. You can drive all the way to the top, which was nice so the kids could sleep. Simon enjoyed the ride back down because the road is lined with farm animals. From there we headed home - too early really, the kids were not tired enough, and there was some gnashing of teeth! This was a great trip however.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Memorial Day Weekend
After a month or more of cold rainy weather with the house at about 60-62 degrees inside, Memorial Day weekend finally arrived with sunny weather in the 70's. It was fantastic. We spent Saturday working in the yard. Simon and I went for a load of mulch in the morning - the supplier we go to has a huge yard will lots of big loaders and piles of soil, compost and mulches, and he loves to watch the tractors work. After spreading mulch in the back gardens, I installed a dry well in the low spot of our yard. In diging down about 3+ feet I found 2 old pint milk bottles, one marked "Catonsville Dairy". I will visit our local historical society and see if they know when the Catonsville Dairy would have operated. Our house was built in 1929 so probably not too much after that.
Sunday we spent in DC's National Zoo. Simon was really excited about riding the metro to get there, and suprisingly loved the hippo above all other animals. Maybe because it was swimming around underwater and he couldn't see the whole animal. He and Anna both were transfixed by the apes and chimps. I think we spent 45 minutes in the crowded, stinking primate house!
So Monday was a holiday and I actually didn't work, which was great. We went to our local part in the morning which has great hiking trails through the wooded hills. I took the family to a secluded spot and we plunked down for a picnic on what was a suspiciously wide trail. During our meal mountainbikers were swerving around our little picnic since we were right in the path! Not as secluded as I had thought! The afternoon we spent finishing up some yard projects; I think I was working on the stone wall around our front garden.
Sunday we spent in DC's National Zoo. Simon was really excited about riding the metro to get there, and suprisingly loved the hippo above all other animals. Maybe because it was swimming around underwater and he couldn't see the whole animal. He and Anna both were transfixed by the apes and chimps. I think we spent 45 minutes in the crowded, stinking primate house!
So Monday was a holiday and I actually didn't work, which was great. We went to our local part in the morning which has great hiking trails through the wooded hills. I took the family to a secluded spot and we plunked down for a picnic on what was a suspiciously wide trail. During our meal mountainbikers were swerving around our little picnic since we were right in the path! Not as secluded as I had thought! The afternoon we spent finishing up some yard projects; I think I was working on the stone wall around our front garden.
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