Play Ball!

Can you believe they won't let me on the field to take pictures?  Just kidding, I know that at W's age, the safest place for any bystander or fan is behind the fence.  It doesn't make for the best pictures, but it does minimize the risk of getting hit in the head with a pop up - at least most of the time.

Anyway, we had a great time at W's game. It was so nice just to sit in the sun and watch a baseball game.  Normally, by this time of year, we all have a great tan and have seen more pitches than I can count.  Not so much this season, but at least it's looking up and we'll have until Blue Ridge to get in all of the make up games.  It'll probably take that long.

The rest of the day was filled with errands, packing and making sure we'd taken care of everything the boys could possibly need while we're gone.  I'm sure I've forgotten something!

Another One Bites the Dust

The Bad News:

Another tree down.  Courtesy of Mother Natures storms and strong winds.  If this keeps up, the forest will be gone...replaced with the back nine.  

The Good News:

We won't have to buy firewood for a couple of years.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Today the forecast was better.  Only a 30% chance of rain.  It was sunny enough that H actually had a baseball game.  Of course, they only got in 2 innings before it got called for rain.  Big Surprise!  Jeff, W and I just finished dinner when the first storm ended.  We were lucky enough to catch this.....

It was beautiful.  The little thing that makes all of the rain worthwhile.  That is, until the next storm hits.  Which we just happened to catch a picture of too......

Looks lovely, doesn't it.  Fortunately, we're all home safe and sound and ready to weather the next storm....which will probably be in a few minutes.

Yikes!

That's what Jeff thought when he got home from work today!  This is our office.  Cleaning it has been at the top of the project list for a while.  It's the catch all room of the house.  The painting project didn't help that.  Anything that we don't know what to do with goes in the office.  Toys, bills, all the books we haven't read, garage sale stuff, etc.  It's the large version of the junk drawer. 

Today I found myself with no plans and it was raining, as usual.  So I decided it was the perfect day to tackle the office.  I started on one wall and worked my way around.  As you an tell, I didn't get it done.  But it's starting to be organized and clean.  Another day or two and I'll have it clean as a whistle and we'll all be able to use it (and find everything!). 

PS.  Can you tell we like to read?

Let's Try Again...

Dear Mother Nature,

It's me again!  I understand that I may have been a little hasty in writing you several weeks ago.  Normal April rainfall is 3-4 inches.  So far, we've exceeded 13 inches and you can see the forecast calls for more.  Please hear me when I ask you to knock it off!  We've paid hundreds of dollars for a baseball season that will be over next week...and they only got in 1/5th of their games.  My bridge has been washed away, the birds are starving due to the moat around their feeders.  The puppy is getting lost in foot high grass that we can't mow because the tractor would sink.  I can only wear flip flops if I intend to water ski, which I could in the farmers field next door.  My geocaches have probably washed away - I don't know since I can't get out to check them.  The automatic button on my umbrella has a wear mark and the water barrels are about to topple over.  As Jeff said, I'm so tired of water that I don't even want to drink it anymore.

I'm finding myself with little recourse except to run away!  I board my flight on Sunday.  Oh wait, that's the day that will be sunny, warm and DRY.  You really do have a sense of humor.  If you can't take my word for it, please check with the Easter Bunny.  I'm sure his deliveries were full of delays, mushy chocolates and we won't even address his colored eggs.  Hopefully, he was able to hitch a ride with Noah.

So my plea to you remains...please bring us warm temperatures, sunny skies and dry days.  And not to be picky, but could the dry days be consecutive.  The rivers would thank you.

Sincerely,

Seriously Soggy in Cincinnati

Look Mommy.....

Wow, what a day.  Pretty typical for a Monday, I guess. 

As usual, it's raining.  The news this morning said we had reached record rainfall for the month, 13 inches...and it was still raining when I was watching the news.  The good news on the news was that there would be a break in the rain for a couple of hours this afternoon.  During the break, I was staring out the window at a yard full of dandelions.  I could hear it like it was yesterday...."Look Mommy, we picked you flowers!"  Into the kitchen we would go, both kids with fistfuls of dandelions to find a dixie cup that would house my beautiful bouquets.  That was my inspiration for the picture I took today.  Now I'll have a permanent reminder of those beautiful flowers.

Then the boys came home....yeah!  The rain gave us a great family dinner at home.  The perfect time to talk about the fender bender and why you never take your eyes off the road.  Let's hope it's just a fender bender...I'm ready to leave for Blue Ridge NOW, and I need a way to tow the boat! 

Easter with the Puppies

Happy Easter!

For us, the day was quiet since the boys weren't home.  No boys = No Easter Bunny!  That didn't deter us from having a good day though.  A little bit of shopping, a great afternoon at home and Jeff's awesome steak dinner did the trick.  Thankfully, the rain held out for a while so we were able to get out (without a canoe!).  I rarely get an uninterrupted afternoon in the studio...with a helper.  So we took advantage of that and here are a couple of the shots that I got.  Not so easy with a 10 month old and a 2.5 month old!  I didn't get the chance to capture all of Seven's life, so I wanted to make sure that it was different with the puppies.

Willow

Zoey

The Story of the Crazy Sock

Happy Easter Eve!  Jeff and I are sitting here, patiently waiting for the Easter Bunny to come.  I'm hoping there is some wonderful chocolate in my future!  So while we're waiting, I thought I would tell you a little story about my cool "chick" socks.  Here goes.....

I'm not that outgoing.  If I know you, great...I can talk your ear off.  If I don't, I tend not to say anything.  I guess W gets it honestly.  I'm not a fan of strangers, work functions or any event outside of my immediate comfort zone.  And if it's something that draws attention to me (including airport security), I'm terrified.  Thirty eight years has made me good at hiding it, but not at getting over it.

So I wear crazy socks.  Holiday socks, crazy prints, polka dots, stripes and flowers.  Coffee pots, M&M's, snowflakes and Spongebob.  You name it, I have them all.  Most of the time, they're hidden by my shoes. 

A little piece of comfort in uncomfortable situations, sometimes in uncomfortable shoes. 

April Showers

April showers bring May flowers.  That's the saying, right?  Does anyone know what April flooding brings? 

With the boys in WV and Jeff still in Texas, I found myself with a little bit of time to find a great picture for today.  Unfortunately, I'm running our of ideas on how to photograph rain.  This is normally the time of year that I can toss my camera in my backpack, head out to the park and find some beautiful signs of spring.  The baby geese are starting to appear, the ducks have taken to the lakes again and the trees all have buds.  The rain has really hampered that plan.  I don't ever remember such a rainy spring.  It's not just raining, it's down pouring.  The news is calling for 2-3 more inches this weekend. 

In an effort not to give up, I headed out with my camera and an umbrella (hoping the lightening would hold off) and tried to find the magic that comes with the rain.  I found these little rain drops...strong and determined to stay where they were. 

Now I'm off to work on the ark!

Plan A

Plan A:  Hang out with the boys, watch movies and eat too much pizza.

The boys had to leave for a family emergency.

Plan B:  Eat pizza with the dogs and catch up on Extreme Couponing

Jeff cleaned the DVR before he left....no TV

Plan C:  Eat pizza, chase after the puppies and finish knitting the baby blanket for the studio

Austin called.


So there sits my ball of yarn...still waiting because sometimes, even the best laid plans fall apart.  Tonight, my heart is with all four of my boys.  I hope they are all safe and sound and know how much I love them.

Spring Break...Part II

Living with all boys has it's benefits.  I don't have to mow the lawn.  I don't have to reach anything on the top shelf.  I rarely have to pump gas.  But three is my limit.  So tonight is a little bit of a stretch for me.  Instead of my three boys, we have five.  Casey and James are spending the night for spring break.  So the afternoon has been filled with noisy war movies, barking dogs and just general chaos.  I'm sure the evening will be more of the same.  But if it makes the boys happy, I'm in.  We'll all survive one night.....right?

Bridge Under Troubled Water

Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream....and take my new bridge with you.  Last weekend, Jeff sat patiently on the deck and assembled my new prop.  Such a cute little bridge - perfect for spring, summer and fall pictures.  It made it one week.  The rains came last night (accompanied with A LOT of thunder) and this morning Jeff and I watched it wash my little bridge away. 

Tonight we're expecting another inch of rain.  By tomorrow, we won't have to worry about Lake Blue Ridge - we'll have enough of a lake in the back yard to water ski here.

Putting the Spring in Spring Break

I love Spring Break.  To me, it's a preview of summer vacation.  The only thing missing this week is the beautiful weather forecast.  Fortunately, it wasn't too bad today so we were able to get out and bother Jeff at work.  Of course, he doesn't see it as a bother and the boys certainly don't.  In the few hours we had, we managed to get in lunch, a visit with Tara and Mark and a tuxedo rental for H (hot pink tie and all). 

So to celebrate the first day of spring break, I thought I would find a subject that defines spring.  If a dandelion isn't it, I don't know what is. 

Everyone Loves a Hothead!

Burrito, that is. 

Maineville is moving up!  A month or two ago, El Picante opened.  Last week, HotHead Burritos.  This week, Pizza Hut and Wing Street.  And as we speak, they are breaking ground on a White Castle and Chick-Fil-A.  All this making, Spring Break (a.k.a. No Cooking Week) a little easier.  Seriously, I love HotHeads (as you can tell by my full sticker card!).  The boys and Jeff do too.  I'm sure the newness will wear off, just like Putters and Mexican but for right now, it's a new love.

Winter Levels

On such a rainy, crappy day...my mind drifts to blue skies, mountains, fishing poles and no wake zones.  I can't wait to get to Blue Ridge and I know that everyone is as excited as I am.  W is going to start working on his boating test, H can't wait to get out in the boat and Jeff is monitoring rain fall daily.   I know that the pictures of Blue Ridge looked less than promising, but I have faith.  Especially after Jeff showed me this one.  It's Blue Ridge at winter lake levels.  The same levels that are projected for the week of our vacation. 

Yep, there's a little more shore...more clay to dig my toes into. 

In-DUCK-tion

My phone rings a million times a day.  Between family, friends and the studio...it's a rare occasion that you won't find my phone attached to my ear most of the day.  And when it's not ringing, my phone is buzzing, beeping with notifications of appointments, emails and text messages.  So when my phone cried DROID this morning, I assumed it was an email or text from Jeff.  Instead, I found this picture and the text message of "I've been in-duck-ted!".  I laughed out loud. 

We found out yesterday that H had been accepted into the National Honor Society and today was the luncheon for all of the inductees.  The seniors throw a pizza party for all of the new juniors that are accepted and the afternoon becomes one big celebration.  

So on a day filled with sessions, web site building and stormy weather....this was just the break I needed.

Congrats, H!  I'm so very proud of you! 

Mr. Red

I remember when the boys were little and just getting involved with little league.  They used to love going to their first team meeting, just to learn which team they would be on.  We've been on the Astros, the Yankees, the Mets...you name it. 

So let me tell you how cute W was when he came in tonight with his Cincinnati Reds uniform on.  At over 6 feet tall, he looks like he could be a walk on at tomorrows game.  The only problem was...he was one number off.  His favorite number is 43 and he makes sure that's his uniform number every year (18 if it's not available).  This season he'll have to live with...

And now, the chaos really begins!

Dino-Mite!

"The world’s largest animatronic dinosaur park is coming to Kings Island this summer.  Officials made the announcement Friday afternoon at the Mason amusement park ending a week of speculation by park enthusiasts.  Teasers on the park’s website earlier this week read, “Millions of years in the making, something big is coming to Kings Island.”  Dinosaurs Alive!, which opens to the public May 26, will feature more than 60 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs along a 4,000-foot walking path on more than 12 wooded acres."

I'm so excited!  I love dinosaurs!  Rumor has it, it will be like having Jurassic Park in your back yard.  This might be the year that Jeff and I actually break down and buy tickets to the park.  Since W and H have season passes, we'll have to make sure that we make it a family event.  I can't wait!

Tonight, on our way home from date night, we passed by the park and thought we would try to find a cache or two.  We came up empty handed with the caches, but we did find this guy.  A life size T-Rex — which measures 72 feet long, 12 feet wide and 30 feet high.  Now I'm counting down the days, waiting to meet his friends.

Another season of Bunnies

Imagine my surprise when I found this little guy out in the flower beds.  He scared the daylights out of Jeff when he ran through his legs, looking for a place to hide.  With no blooms and recently trimmed bushes, he wasn't able to find a hole to hide in.  Instead, he sat by the house, letting me snap away.  Each Spring, we see lots of baby bunnies.  Most of the time they don't let me get to close.  So I wanted to capture the little, courageous guy who was willing to pose.  Pretty soon he'll be out eating clover in the yard with several others that seemed to have made our yard a home. 

Teamwork

Certainly not the best picture that I have taken.  The composition is off, the colors are a little too saturated, the water bottle is definitely out of place.  But what's happening in the picture is amazing. 

Algebra.  And just to clarify, I don't think algebra is amazing.  If you've known me for more than 5 minutes, you know that I find the calculator to be better than sliced bread.  But when one of us struggles with anything, that's when you know we're a family.

So when W starting having some trouble with Algebra....we called a family meeting.  And with two math geniuses in the house, they were all too eager to help.  Now we have a plan, W has all the help he could possibly need and we'll be back on track in no time.

That's what family is for.  When the going gets tough, they're the ones that you can count on for anything.  We're like the four musketeers...all for one and one for all.  We all sleep a little better at night because of it. 

100 Days

Yippee!  Today is the 100th blog entry this year. 

It also happens to be the first beautiful day of the year.  Temperatures above 80 degrees, no rain, no winds and plenty of sunshine.  It was the perfect day.  A day that you don't mind working in the yard, making the outside look like spring has arrived.  We spent the day picking up piles of branches the winter winds brought down, mowing, trimming, clearing and cleaning.  The patio furniture is back out, the yard looks amazing, the fire pit is starting to die out and my nose is a little pink.  All of that followed by the first grill out of the year.  There is no better way to end the day than with burgers and hot dogs, grilled to perfection.

I can't think of a better way to celebrate the 100th day of the year!

Turning the Page

More books.

This is the final weekend of the Borders Going Out of Business sale.  Without much ado, my favorite book store will close it's doors.  Now, will it be harder to find a book store?  No.  We still have a couple of my lesser favorites to choose from.  But for how long?  When you can read a book on your phone, your laptop, your Ipad or a Kindle...who needs book stores?

Everyone around me that has a Kindle (or similar device) has taken some heat from me about it.  It's not that I'm opposed to technology, I'm a self-proclaimed addict.  To me, technology is supposed to enhance your life...make it easier, faster or more efficient.  It's been explained to me that's what a Kindle (or like device) does.  You can store books, magazines and newspapers all on one device.  Faster, easier and more efficient.  I don't get it though, can't you still only read one page at a time?

I guess I'm getting old, but there is something about turning a page and the smell of a library.  I still find comfort in the worn pages of my favorite books.  I can't imagine reading a bedtime story to my grandkids and not seeing the excited look as they turn the last page.  Maybe it's just me or maybe technology isn't all it's cracked up to be.  But maybe, there is a place in the world for both.  Let's hope so.

The First Cherry Blossom Blooms

What a long day.  With the vendor show, H at baseball and the fact that it's Friday...I'm wiped out.  But while I was outside today, I made sure to capture a monumental event.  The lovely blooms pictured here are cherry blossoms.  Beautiful, little pinkish white flowers that bless us with their presence once a year for a week or two.  Unfortunately, the fight between winter and spring has not allowed the trees to bloom in four years.  I was just complaining to Dad last week that I'd only seen them bloom once since we'd planted them.  I was lucky enough to catch a little bee on them too.  Stay tuned, you're likely to see at least one more post when the trees are in full bloom.  I just can't resist!

Hope and a Prayer!

Lake Blue Ridge - It doesn't get much better than this.  That's what the sign reads.  And we believe it.  So much so that in January, we start to get the itch to go.  Actually, its probably more like October.  We spend the last days of winter discussing the water, the marina, the homes and how much we are looking forward to it.  Emails start passing back and forth between all the families, menus are planned long before March.  By the time April arrives, some are shopping for necessities, travel plans are being made and we're just waiting to get out and get the boat cleaned up for the trip. 

So when the rental agent called and said she needed to talk to us, we were a little nervous.  But we figured worse case scenario was the "cabin" had sold and we'd have to move to another location.  It never crossed our mind that they would tell us the lake had been drained, was 40 feet below last years levels and the shore was 35 yards further out...rendering the boat dock useless.  So is vacation ruined?  Not yet.  Spring rainfall may save the day, but impossible to predict. 

So if you're reading this, say a little prayer.  I know that I am.  But come hell or high water (or low water, in this case), on June 18th I will be sitting on the dock, listening to the lake, with my toes in the clay. 

Little Lady

Remember those little green buds on St. Patricks Day?  They've now turned into beautiful, bright yellow flowers.  They don't stick around long, so my plan was to head out and take a few pictures of them before they leave me for the season.  While searching for the perfect shot, I ran across this little lady.  Pretty soon,  hundreds of her friends will descend on our home.  I'll find them in our bathroom, sun room, living room and flying upstairs.  Chances are good, there will be a blog or two expressing my annoyance in them.  But today, she is a reminder that we can still find beauty in the the little things that may annoy us from time to time. 

38 Years of Thank You

Mother is the one we count on for the things that matter most of all. - Katherine Butler Hathaway

Birthdays.  I love them.  Not that I love getting older (which I really don't mind, yet) but they are a day that is all about you.  It's like your own national holiday.  As I said on W's birthday, there is not a bigger day to celebrate than the day you were born.  So since I can't be with you on your birthday, Mom, here is my gift to you.

Thanks for being my mom. 
Thanks for the special lunches on orthodontist appointment days. 
Thanks for not making me eat Grape Nuts. 
Thanks for making me eat poi. 
Thanks for changing the locks. 
Thanks for giving me a new key to those locks. 
Thanks for making me take dance classes. 
Thanks for dressing me up like a pig (no really, I mean it!). 
Thanks for teaching me how to garden. 
Thanks for the dinner bell.  
Thanks for my Cabbage Patch Kid.  He still sits in my bedroom.
Thanks for my surprise birthday party. 
Thanks for the picnic dinners on the porch in the farmhouse. 
Thanks for making me go to Girl Scout Camp and the Poison Ivy medication afterwards.
Thanks for all the dinners you freeze for me because you know I love them. 
Thanks for being such a great Grandma to the boys. 
Thanks for taking time to listen to me vent. 
Thanks for teaching me to cook (although I still don't think I have the hang of it). 
Thanks for Mackinac. 
Thanks for letting me spend the night at Penny's with only a moments notice. 
Thanks for making me share a room with Charlie and Michele...both were great! 
Thanks for not killing Charlie and I when we had crayon wars. 
Thanks for Gumdrop the hamster and Sam the cat. 
Thanks for moving to Ohio to be closer to us and understanding when I moved a couple years later. 
Thanks for making all of my Halloween costumes, they were much better than the plastic ones. 
Thanks for all of the parenting advice when I get to a situation I don't know how to handle. 
Thanks for going to Blue Ridge with us, it's my favorite week of the year.
Thanks for being my Girl Scout Troop leader...and sorting all of the cookies! 
Thanks for picking me up in the school nurses office a million times..and sorry I'm so clumsy. 
Thanks for introducing me to eggplant.
Thanks for supporting me when I decided to quit my job and follow my dream.
Thanks for cuddling with the boys.  They will never forget it.
Thanks for shipping me to Grandma and Grandpa's each the summer...those weeks created great memories.
Thanks for making me carry firewood in the snow, I have a better work ethic because of it. 
Thanks for sitting with me in my oxygen tent a million times in Pigeon....pnemonia stinks!
Thanks for our girls out days...they mean the world to me.
Thanks for painting the pink bedroom...it was hideous.
And lastly, thank for being my best friend. 

I'm so sorry that I can't spend today with you, sipping umbrella drinks and staring at the pool boy.

And to everyone else, take a minute to think about who you are thankful for...and let them know.  I know that I don't say thank you enough.

Ohio Grey

You can definitely tell that the weather's getting a little warmer...my camera and I have been hanging out outside.  No, this isn't a black and white picture.  That lovely shade of grey is the color the sky has been all day.  Well, for the most part.  There were several times the sky was much darker. 

Normally, I would be complaining about the downpours, the flooding and the cooler temperatures that will follow the storm.  But today, that's not the case.  The rain has given us an unexpected family night since the baseball fields are now a muddy mess.  I'm off to enjoy it!

Geocaching 101

Finally, a 75 degree day with no plans!  When Jeff and I heard the forecast for today, we knew that a day of geocaching was in the cards.  We had a wonderful time.  Thirteen caches found in one day, our personal record.  Hopefully we'll beat that again soon, as we have a goal of 140 new caches this year.  It's double the amount we found last year...so far we're at 23, including today.  Guess we have a ways to go.

For those that don't know what geocaching is, here's the deal.  Someone places a container with a log and some goodies (depending on size) somewhere on public property and lists the latitude and longitude online.  You plug those coordinates into your GPS and off on a search you go.  The containers can be from the size of a quarter (not easy to find in the woods) to a huge container...not too hard to find.  The larger containers contain SWAG (Stuff We All Get).  You take something and leave something new in it's place.  W has a whole collection of army men from geocaching.  We've collected lots of things...buckeyes, stickers, key chains, dice, pens, etc.  Once you find it, you log it and move on to the next one.  Sounds like fun, huh?

Anyway, the picture above is one of the caches that we found today.  That log, that's the container.  Not so easy to find in the woods, among the trees.  Today we were lucky, hopefully that continues. 

My Backup Plan

I was out this afternoon trying to find my little red friend.  He was on the feeder out back for a majority of the morning, but it was too cold and windy to head out with my camera.  Of course, by the time the the sun peaked out and the winds died down, the little red guy was no where to be found.  Instead, I found this little one hanging out in the trees out front...my backup plan. 

Family

Yesterday's post got me thinking.  As a parent, you love your kids more than anything.  After all, they are a part of you.  They have your eyes, your nose or your sense of humor.  Nephews, nieces...they fall in the same category.  You love them at birth, that bond is already there.  In those little faces you see the sibling that you love and family traits that go back generations.  You love them unconditionally, they're family.

Over the last few years, I've come to realize that love is not reserved for just family.  Bella stole my heart the day I met her. Santino doesn't give you more than a minute to fall in love with him.  And Mia, well, she's the one who I fell in love with in the hospital, hours old and such a small little miracle.  These small wonders didn't just capture my heart, but those of Jeff, H, and W too.  We've all watched them grow and are so lucky to have them as part of our lives.

Being a mom is the best, being an aunt is awesome.  Being loved unconditionally by those you don't share DNA with is a blessing.