Because I can't seem to pull together my thoughts enough to write a real post, here are some tidbits from my life at the moment...
A and I are looking at music programs for R for the fall. R is very musical and is interested in several instruments, but I think we're going to start him off in a group piano lesson/singing type thing that also teaches about music in general, recognizing chords, understanding rhythm and tempo, etc. Ultimately, I think the guitar will be his instrument of choice (just like his daddy), but I think starting with singing and piano will be easier for him. We're also looking at some kind of sports activity for him to try - most likely soccer.
I had to start using a BlackBerry for work (I fought against it for years because I hate the idea of constantly being available for work, but when every other director in my department had one and I didn't, it was embarrassing - because I'm the IT Director!). But I found Bible software for the BlackBerry, and it's been great! I read the Bible on the subway to and from work. So I get my daily Bible reading in, plus I don't have to carry the real thing and add extra weight to my backpack. When you're carrying a laptop, handbag, lunch, notebook, tissues, gum, etc. on your back every day, you start to get very conscious of any added weight. (I even dump out all my change before leaving for work - just a few coins make a difference!)
The bathroom project is done! Well, except for the final painting, which A has to do. But we have a vanity and toilet and working tub and shower, and it's so beautiful. It's the nicest room in our house now!
I can't believe the summer is nearly half over already. A and I feel badly because we really haven't done any big, special things yet with R. We've had our rocket outings and gone swimming (in our pool and at our town reservoir) and gone to the movies to see Wall-e (which we LOVED) and gone strawberry picking, but that's really it. We do have a big vacation coming up soon, but we need to start planning some day trips for the weekends. A wants to take R to a nearby water/amusement park and we'd also like to go visit my hometown of Plymouth, MA, to check out the Mayflower ship and some of the historic houses, maybe even Plimoth Plantation (which I highly recommend if you're up this way). It would be fun to go to the drive-in, too, which is really close to my dad's house. The weekends always seem to get eaten up with errands and little things, so we have to make an effort to do something out of the ordinary. One thing we've been promising our friends is hosting a "Margaritas and Chicken Wings" party. A has had cravings for these for awhile and keeps telling everyone, so we need to pony up. :-)
What fun things do you all have planned for the rest of the summer?
9 comments:
Sweetheart,
just a suggestion, I recommend Greenbriar Nature center and Heritage Plantation. There is something for everyone at Heritage Plantation. Gardens and orchards and museums and old cars, the trolley cars to ride, and acres and acres of lawn to rum and do somersaults on. Green briar has the jam kitchen, the gift shop, and the two hour nature trail walk. There is a little motel at the base of the Sagamore bridge, on the Boston side, that used to charge ten dollars a night for a SMALL cabin. Go to Friendlys and keep driving to the canal. You remember the way and the motel is right on the canal opposite the National Park center if I remember correctly. The hard part is driving by Friendlys, if that is possible. There is also the Sandwich glass works on the other side of the canal at the base of the bridge. It has the advantage of being on the road to Marshlands, probably the best restaurant and bakery in Massachusetts. Eat before you go into Heritage Plantation, there is a snack bar there but they have investment quality food. Don't move the windmill, I found out that they disapprove of that. Creamsicles and strawberry shortcake and your feet in the pool in your own back yard is also a nice thing.
The fear of being found out should be more than compensated for by the look of awe on people's faces when they find out how smart you really are. You are like a tectonic plate, slowly working toward a goal with unstoppable force, accented with unbelievable flashes of brilliance. Your patron saint should be Saint Helens,
all of my love, always, daddy
Thanks for the suggestions. We may just make it up that way soon. We picked the guitar for our son and so far so good. He seems to like it.
Kristen,
You do so many wonderful things with your boy! You don't have to feel badly! Often, it's the simple, quiet, unhurried times together that mean the most. The fun you have just playing together or doing yard work together. Not every event needs to be of historic proportions. Your beautiful boy has a full life with loving, concerned, and emotionally available parents. He is blessed. However, I suppose the "special" outings may be appreciated more at his age than in his teen years, when time with parents is dreaded and the bane of existence. Have you seen the commercial where the mom is lovingly calling her little boy to the dinner table at different stages of his boyhood years...and his response is joyful. Once her boy is in his advanced adolescence, she tries the same loving invitation and he screams, "You're ruining my life!" Life, you have to have a good sense of humor! Love you, Mom.
Hey, thanks for your encouragement and love, as always!!!! I have to contradict Dad on Heritage Plantation, it has a free carousel(or did in 2003) but is now run by little old ladies who insist that children TOUCH NOTHING! However, big ditto for Marshland, especially their hummus and tabouli roll up, and also, on the same route(it's on 6a, you can find it under Sandwich Trout Hatchery) there is a trout hatchery where you can buy food for quarters and the trout are all different ages, and they leap up out of the water like starving pirahnas, I used to bring DMR clients there all the time, also Mike when he was old enough, or just go by myself because it was really cool and gas was 99 cents a gallon and I had a Chevette. There are wild blackberry bushes around the two buildings on the right as you pull in, and usually one bored attendant who is desperate for conversation. Greenbriar is still pretty cool. The Thorton W Burgess museum is ok too. Plimoth Plantation was a great place to let a little kid run around, and not worry about getting hurt(although, the last time I was there, the Pilgrim side was completely authentic, and the Indian side had these teenagers that listlessly turned some charred item on a spit, while one of them said"which one a' deeys berries is wicked sweet, and which one is wicked taht? )I'm glad you've lightened your load some, and glad I'm not the only one who somehow let half of summer slip past-what the heck happened? Fortunately, there are about 100 VBS programs(most headed by Mom) and a free Lutheran daycamp here, so we didn't spend the last two weeks arguing and watching videos. Love you, can't wait to see you guys! Oh, btw, Julie Bennett just called me, said it was hard to track me down, but she found your number at work, no problem. So thank you, in a weird way, for giving her some further inspiration and bringing us together, she sends her love(and she has an 18 month old baby boy, Bennett!and her brother in law, Chris Hutchins, I think was in your class, but might have been the one after, has two kids, anyway, blah blah, love you)
Oh, and I didn't say before, but you just made me feel so much better about myself, with the someone's going to come and revoke the grownup license thing. Because coming from you, that's a really big deal. I think of you as the ideal grownup, working so hard all your life, and always taking the path that was wisest and hurt no one, anywhere. I'm astounded that you have ever felt the same way. But you really made me feel so much less, alone, or weird, or something.(I was just telling Shaun that I used to think, in my teen years, that Radiohead's "Creep" was my own personal anthem)Thank you, I love you. And I thank your CEO, indirectly, because really, it was your honesty and lack of self importance that prompted that conversation for you to repeat to reassure me. You don't know what you do, honey. Thanks.
Oh what memories you brought back...about 30 years ago, my husband and I flew to Porland Ma and rented a car and saw the Mayflower, and visited the Platation...Oh my goodness. It was like living history. It was wonderful and I would love to do it again.
Oh, we're taking the girls to the Gulf Coast for a week in just a few days, which will be nice and will give us a chance to catch up with some old friends we haven't seen in quite some time. Other than that, work is taking so much time from all of our lives that time away is next to impossible.
I definitely hear you about the blackberry. In my previous incarnation as a congressional staffer, I didn't have one for a long time and kept pushing to get one (particularly since I was a communications director and needed to be reachable by both my boss and the media). Well, I did -- and I've been addicted since. Need to find a way to hide it during vacation!!
Music and sports activities are always great for kids, but we've found that they have to want to do it. We've invested money in swim, ballet, and soccer lessons for our oldest, thinking that she would enjoy them all. Ballet has been alright, but the other two have been problematic at best and made us feel like we were throwing money out the car window. Regardless, the fact you want to provide R. with these opportunities means so much and will be priceless to him down the road.
Hope all is well with you and yours...
Most of the time I don't know what day it is, let alone that it's summer:)
I"m sure your little one will like whatever activity. My sister has taught kids music for ages and sometimes it is good to ask the teacher what they think a child is interested in and ready for.
Hope you enjoy your summer!
Oh man - I totally want a Blackberry - and for the Bible!!! Our music director has it and I just want to have the bible in my pocket all the time like he does. Oh...and so I can be available for work more, too. (NOT)
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