The 'Stache

In honor of Aunt Sheryl, Rachel and Uncle Justin's love of the 'stache I had to buy this shirt and Seth wore it proudly to school today.

We Love Soccer

 Leah is on her very first soccer team and we were so excited to see her play her first game last night. Leah was able to join the U6 Davidson team with some kids that she knows from Sherman Elementary and she did so well. During Kicks for Kids she tended to pick her nose and chew on her jersey, but last night she really tried hard. She was running and she got the ball a few times. It was the highlight of my week.

Such a great little group of kiddos.

I was thinking last night that we should have bought land near the Fairgrounds Y, we are there three to four times a week now, but we love soccer and love the fact that the kids love it. We are very proud of them.

Feeling Blessed

My students know that I love Kit Kats and today I got the BEST gift from a sweet 5th grader. It totally made my whole day and put a smile on my face.

Feeling grateful for great people in my life.

Weekend in Review Halloween Style

 We finally took our first step as land owners and it felt GREAT to do something with it and get it ready for winter. We hired someone to brush hog it. What a wonderful feeling and so very exciting. Let's just say that was the easy part. Our next steps are becoming quite an education.

 Saturday I took the kids and Seth's friend Evan to Zoo Boo. It was a little crazy with so many littles running around, BUT it turned out to be super fun. They had all sorts of games, candy and crafts. I think the kids had tons of fun and I know I enjoyed myself.

 Saturday night we had our first game of winter season back on the small field. :( We miss the big field and the kids really had a hard time adjusting to the lack of space. Our team won and they all wore their pink in support of breast cancer. We love Watertown FC-B.

 Seth is currently addicted to wearing his new hoodie and I think it is so stinking cute with his name on the back. Proud mom.

 Leah had another family craft due for school and she LOVES crafts so we tried to be as creative as possible. She did great and it turned out super cute. Love that chick.

Liebster Award

I was nominated for The Liebster Award by my friend and Nina, who blogs at The Whole Self.  Nina is a friend from before kiddos when we were wild and crazy married couples (ha ha) and continues to be a long distance friend and someone I truly look up to.  I'm honored to accept the award, and to spread the love of blogging!   

Nina left me with 11 questions to answer and they are as follows::

1.  What is the best scary decision you ever made?

2.  What is something you are doing now in your life that you never thought you'd be doing?

3.  What is your absolute favorite dinner?

4.  What draws you to blogging?  How long have you been blogging for?

5.  What are three adjectives that describe you best?

6.  What symbol represents you?

7.  What thing grosses you out the most?

8.  What's your favorite way to unwind?

9.  What's your favorite restaurant?

10.  What's your biggest accomplishment?

11.  What is your spirit animal?

1. The best scary decision WE have ever made was to buy 12 acres of land and prepare to build our dream house. We have always wanted to do this, but we've been too scared to do it. Well, now we have and we are taking a giant leap of faith and changing our lives forever.

2. Something that we are currently doing in our lives that we NEVER thought we'd do is preparing to sell a home, design a new one and build. This will require tons of patience, but we are truly grateful for this opportunity.

3. My absolute favorite dinner is my best friend Kristen's homemade meatballs paired with her mom's homemade lasagna. Homemade ROCKS and Italian food warms the soul. I miss both of these ladies terribly at the moment and hope for some of their home cooking next summer.

4. A: I am drawn to blogging because I love to take pictures and document the life that I have been blessed with. I am so lucky for the family and friends that surround me and being able to look back years from now on all the incredible adventures we go on will be amazing. It's sort of like The Notebook, maybe someday I'll need this blog to look back on my life. People say we are always on the go and they are right, we have one life to live and we are living it to the best of our ability. No grass grows under our feet...YOLO. B: I have been blogging for 8.5 years now.

5.Three adjectives to describe me best are...adventurous, thoughtful and nervous. The first and third seem to cancel each other out, but I love to try new things, experience new places and live life so I am definitely adventurous. I am always trying to do special things for other people, it brings me great joy; making a treat, sending a care package, handing down clothing, etc. I am also very nervous. Change is exciting,  but I am very nervous at heart, but I am definitely working on that one.

6. A symbol to represent myself would be... is there a symbol for someone who is going going all the time? Someone who is in the car driving to and from work, to and from the kids school, to and from sports games and practices. If there is a symbol for that it would be me at this point in my life. No complaints whatsoever though, this is also coming from the mom who is truly bummed that there is one Saturday in November where Seth doesn't have a game. Saturdays are my favorite day, not only because there is no work, but watching Seth play soccer is the best part of my week. I'm getting off topic...I guess I don't know what my symbol would be.

7. Something that grosses me out the most would be kids who pick their nose (I wish Leah would stop ick) and snakes. Just typing the word "snakes" gives me goose bumps.

8. My favorite way to unwind would be to either sit on the deck or bow of the boat with a good book or to catch up on the DVR with all of my trashy reality shows.

9. My favorite restaurant is a tie between Ryan's Lookout in Henderson Harbor and The Melting Pot. I love love love the family style salad, seafood bisque and Chicken of the Harbor from Ryan's Lookout. I look forward to it all winter long while they are closed. I also love myself a big 'ol fondue dinner. It's super fun in the first place and all the yummy courses of veggies, meat and fruit is my absolute fave.

10. My biggest accomplishment is becoming a mom. It certainly wasn't easy at first and I struggled with the change when Seth was born, but now it is the BEST thing in the world. I get to be a kid again and I love every minute getting to watch the kids in their stages of life. Life is certainly busy with school and sports, but I am so proud of both of my kids and love them to pieces.

11. My spirit animal is... no clue. I love taking the kids to the zoo, but I don't have a favorite animal and I don't feel connected to animals in any certain way. They are beautiful and wonderful, but I don't feel as if one if a part of me spiritually.

**Thank you dear friend Nina for making me take a good long look as myself and THINK. This was fun.

 

Week + Weekend in Review

 Last week Roland took Seth to the 76ers vs. Knicks game at the Dome. It was every little boys dream come true or at least our die hard orange fan. They went to Varsity for pizza prior and even ran into some friends from Watertown. I guess the dome isn't that big is it?

 An SU student photographer took this picture of Seth and a couple of friends from home. It turned out spectacular.

 Happy Belated Birthday to our wonderful god daughter Lindsey who turned 5 yesterday. We were able to Skype and catch up a bit with her in the afternoon. Words can't express how much we miss that family.

 Seth and Leah had friends over Sunday afternoon. The girls were all about working on crafts and the boys played outside and sang. It was too funny.

This week I'll be a single parent most of the week and a great big thanks goes out to Grandma Bonnie and Grandma Barb for helping me out all week while Roland is gone.

 Land news of the week...we hired someone to brush hog a huge chunk of the front, Roland worked with the chain saw this weekend hauling out dead trees in the front and we are getting ready to meet with a friend who is helping with our blue prints very soon.

Dreams DO Come True

 In late August we were invited to our friends new home for a BBQ with a few other families from Knickerbocker School. While we were talking the topic of a piece of land close by that was for sale came up. If you know us at all you know that we have been looking at houses for years and years. We have gone around and around trying to decide if we should find a house and move, stay in our current house or build. I have personally been too scared to take the plunge and build, but secretly it has been what I've wanted more than anything. After the BBQ I asked Roland to call the number and set up a walk of the land. That day is as clear as can be in my mind and I remember feeling at peace and just "knowing" that we were going to own that land and build our dream house. The process of buying land is a very interesting process let me tell you and I have learned a ton about finance and how banking works. We have the most amazing banker and we are truly lucky to now own 12 acres on Gotham Street Road which we will some day call home.

 Anyone with a brush hog, backhoe, riding mower, etc that wants to come help you are more than welcome.

Proof we will someday have water.

LONG Weekend in Review ~ Sunday

 Sunday we split up and the girls went to Old McDonald's Farm and the boys went golfing. It was another gorgeous day and we took full advantage of all the fun on the farm.

 Then we made our pumpkins look silly.

 Finally, we brought dinner to Lowville and spent the evening with Great Gram and Gramp.

 Leah and Gram had tons of fun playing Old Maid.

LONG Weekend in Review ~ Saturday

 On Friday the kids had the day off and we had our closing at the bank so Roland brought them down for our bank appointment and I got permission for them to visit at school with me for the afternoon. They LOVED it. They went to two classes with me, gym and a school assembly at the end of the day. I loved having them with me and having them see what I do on a daily basis.

 On Saturday morning Seth had a soccer game and they WON. Seth had four goals and was on top of the world.

 Then we took full advantage of the gorgeous day and went to Mexico apple picking.

 We walked through the orchard, picked tons and tons of apples, went on a hay ride, walked through the corn maze and ate the largest homemade cookies ever.

 

After apple picking we headed to the Salmon River Falls. It was absolutely gorgeous and such a perfect day to see the falls and take a little walk. It was a picture perfect fall day.

Missing this right about now and wishing summer was back.

Missing warm summer days on the lake and Pizza Shack Pizza on the boat.

I love our carefree and full of smiles days.

This work and school thing is overrated and full of stress.

Weekend in Review

 The weekend was calmly busy if that makes any sense at all. Seth has been making quite a few new friends between his new soccer team and basketball starting up so he was invited to the WHS vs. Carthage football game Friday night and he was thrilled. We took Leah to the mall and attempted to find some high brown boots, but weren't successful. It was a very peaceful evening.

 Saturday Seth begged his coach to let him try out being goalie and he ROCKED it. No goals for the first half and he had tons of saves. We were super nervous though.

  I took Leah to the library for their fall festival. She was in heaven between the face painting and all of the crafts.

Sunday I cooked up a storm. I made homemade half hots and stuffed shells. Too bad I'm not Italian, I think I'd fit in pretty good .

This week is full of soccer, basketball, soccer, more basketball, Roland going away and Tom's birthday.

Can you say busy?

Thank goodness for long weekends.

TRUTH

My Dad sent the following in an email to me and it really struck a cord.

 Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life.

And when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is Not credited to us.
 What we haven't used up that day is forever lost.
Yesterday is forever gone.
Each morning the time is refilled, but can be taken away at any time WITHOUT WARNING...
SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?
Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars. 
Think about it and remember to enjoy every second of your life, because time 
races by so much quicker than you think.
So take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply and enjoy life!
Here's wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day. Start “spending your time wisely”...
DON’T COMPLAIN ABOUT GROWING OLD…!
SOME PEOPLE DON'T GET THE PRIVILEGE!

 There have been several deaths surrounding my life lately so this truly hit me hard.

 Enjoy your weekend friends and family.