Our Nation's Capital

We had a great three days in DC visiting my cousins, Julia and Tom. They are laid back and easy to be around. They were quite generous and got us tickets for TWO nights at the Nationals and showed me how to get around the Metro. The kids and I visited the National Zoo one day and then hit two Smithsonians: American History and Air and Space. We had a wonderful time, took lots of pictures and some video.

The neatest thing about the Nationals game was how they honor our Veterans. They announce the disabled veterans that are at the ball game and show them on the big screen and the best part: the whole stadium gives them a standing ovation. I saw the same thing when I went to a parade in Fairfax in 2002. The spectators gave every Military group a standing ovation as they marched by.



Things I love about my kids:

1. They got excited about everything at the zoo. They loved it as much as they did when they were 5 and 3.

2. Loved watching Kate looking at the Bradford dollhouse in the American History museum. That house was SO COOL.

3. Jack tracking down the Stephen Colbert "painting".

4. Both of them enjoying the hands on science.

5. Who is Julia Child's? (after seeing her kitchen) A: the Original Foodnetwork star.

6. Watching them read about Lincoln, War of 1812 and laughing at the "pig family".

7. Listening to them play: who could take who? while on the Metro.

8. Finding Amelia Earhardt's jacket in the Air and Space.

9. Jack taking pictures on all the WWII stuff for Stew.

10. Teaching Kate how to read a score board.

COOLING OFF







Jack loves his turtles!




Meerkat Manor in DC. These guys were the cutest. I could have spent hours just watching them!

Check out FB for pictures and I will post more on here tomorrow.

BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!

"I cannot live without books."
Thomas Jefferson

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love books. While I love going to a Borders, Barnes & Noble or even an independent store like Young Heart Books, I fell in love with them at Riverhead Free Library. I remember catching the bus in the summer and going to the book exchange they had. Think of it ... a town that supported a bus route in the summer to pick up kids and bring them to the library! It was fun getting to the bus stop and doing that book exchange with the other kids from the neighborhood, a break from backyard baseball and swimming lessons at the Sound. I also remember being allowed to walk there after school at St. John's to work on a book report. Freedom.

It was so much fun going there that I kept it up as an adult. When I was pregnant with Jack, I visited the library in Richland. I got a great pregnancy book out and renewed it for 9 months. When he was born we took our first visit at 9 months. He stood holding onto a table and watched as I named animals in the puzzle we did "together". It even had a "stage" for puppet shows and other events.

When I moved to Somerset, I joined Mary S Biesecker library. They always have new books, and they have new great activities for kids. Though its the tiniest library I have ever been in, it has the best summer programs for kids and always spends $ getting new books.

We still go to the Riverhead Library when we visit the old homestead. There is always something going on there, magic shows, art and crafts, book clubs and ...Annie and Chris...remember the Friday night movies?? Such fun. Now it has a cafe and I can pick up Reading Teacher and pretend I am educated.

Visit your local library!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK

Happy Birthday to my son Jack!

I wrote about Kate two months ago and what her birthday reminds me of. The struggles and strength I found in her little eyes. Well here goes my memories of that first year with Jack.

Kate saved my life, but Jack opened the door. Everything I thought I ever wanted or needed seemed meaningless after I had him. He was/is everything. I made life long friends that school year I was off with him and reconnected with lost friends from college and high school. He was such a joy, always so happy and smiling ALL the TIME. And laughing and cooing and talking at 3 weeks, incredible. He slept, napped and nursed like a trooper. He was always so happy, it was contagious and he is still the same way. Even when he started school at Berlin, the parents of his friends became my friends. My circle of support widened and was stronger than ever. He has the most easy going personality and its fun as he gets older. We enjoy so many of the same things in books, TV, games, sports. He keeps me grounded and sane. He is good to his sister and always so funny.

The other day they saw how upset I was about work and I said well when will you be done with college, (Kate about 10 years) In ten years I'll only be 55 and can't retire. That is when they started talking about where they will be in 10 years. Kate-in Virginia or somewhere it is warm. Then Jack said as he stroked his chin, "Hmmm, in 10 years I'll be 24 and on my first wife."

He is quite a character and a joy to be around. Thanks to everyone who loves him and sees his specialness. I am truly blessed to have him in my life.

TRACK

Some of the girls rejuvenating with oranges

Boys on the track team.

Congratulating the Relay Team

Two Collins taking off for the hundred.

Jack waiting for High Jump.

Kate clearing the High Jump.

Kate doing the Javelin.

Kate and Jack had a track meet this Saturday. They did javelin, long jump and high jump. It was a long day but lots of fun.

Paradox

Thanks Cathy for the great book suggestion!!!

The Block Party is in town, carni-folk everywhere and having a "hamburg" is essential. Why am I so sarcastic and negative about this Berlin Fireman's Annual Event that not only brings alumni but every rugrat, out of every crevice and rock out there. Most people don't even live around here that go to it. My goal this year is to not set foot on the lot. J & K went over to get themselves dinner and get a goldfish. Sometimes it is nice having older kids that can look out for each other.

It started Sunday morning as Kate and I left for church. The folded up rides with years of grime and dirty, dilapidated campers started pulling up. If these things aren't carrying some rare disease, untreatable by any medicine known to man, it's a miracle. Each family that lives in one of these, has a combined - one set of teeth. The poor kids that travel in these.

Cathy K - your book talked about Pakistan not spending a dollar a day on education for their children-well they have nothing over the parents that raise their kids at the carni. We need to set up tutoring for them.

Annie- car wash for Stubenville? those youth should be spending their money and time trying to reach these people and make them educate their children!

Chris- we could donate boxes of books from 250 Shade Tree Lane and left overs from your library. Jack could do it for an Eagle Scout project and NJHS community service. Your pretentious neighbors could not even comprehend that this element lives in America.

The paradox of this town is the sound of Church bells at 9pm being drowned out by the screams on the cheap rides at the block party.

Enjoy the picturesque view from my front porch. I took these as I was enjoying the second Mitford book. Thank you Cathy and Jan Karon for giving me some peace.

Sunset

Town Ambulance

Carni

View of the Carni

Carni Trailer

One of the Rides

Home

I don't know what I'll do if Kate ever decides to go camping for a week. I can barely handle Jack going and when she is ready to go.....they will have to commit me.

I missed him terribly this time. He was really mad at me and hardly said good-bye. I practically crushed him when he walked in the house, made some of his favorite foods and bought his choice of chips.

I feel like crying right now, mostly from relief that he is back and safe and in one piece and he doesn't hate me, I think.

Kate is following him around telling him everything. She is even talking to him as he takes his shower.

I missed that boy.

Pray for me.

Scouting

Jack was not too happy with me this morning at 6:30am when I got him up for a canoe trip with scouts. We couldn't find his hat, he took forever in the shower and was just plain mad at me for signing him up for this canoe trip.

I always worry about him when he goes and now its worse. Chris, Matt, ....I should have had him call you guys. You always make him feel better about going.

The trip should be fun, but he was in such a bad mood....and he is never in a bad mood (it's usually the girl)

Think of me this weekend but more importantly, think if Jack. I guess this will be one of those things he tells his therapist about.

plus, the air conditioning in my car isn't working

If work were supposed to be fun, it would be called going to "fun" but its called going to work-"exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil." not fun - "something that provides mirth or amusement"

I had to conduct an inservice today with some of our aides today and I had to read this to them. They had been using their cell phones at work. "everyone else does". I said I have to be the parent then "I don;t care what everyone else does, I care what you d0" Interesting meeting. Needed to be said and I said it, for better or for worse.