Category: Tuesday

Uganda and Back Again…

11864991_10205074510038400_3173914615367075047_oTuesday spent about 8 weeks over the summer, in Kampala, Uganda volunteering with Days for Girls. She had an incredible experience and I am so proud of her.  I am happy I was able to (in some small way) share this journey with her.  She transported and handed out the 75 kits that I was able to make (with the help of some incredible people).  I believe this was a truly life changing experience for her and I am glad she had the opportunity to go on this adventure.

dfgu kabale groupOf course, I missed her incredibly during this time, but enabling your children to explore the world is what it is all about…..learning to let them grow and learning to let go.

 

Christmas Stockings…finally finished…

 

Well….it only took about a year, but I finally finished everyone’s Christmas stockings….with the help of my mom.  Tuesday, Quinn and River all had stockings that my mom made.  Then, two years ago, Tuesday lost hers.  I don’t know how it happened…but I guess, somehow it got thrown away with all the Christmas wrapping paper.  I was convinced that it was lost somewhere in Tuesday’s room.  But, when we switched her room with River’s we took everything out and there was no stocking.  I was so sad that she wouldn’t have a stocking that my mom had made for her.  Then, Escher and Gray came along and they needed stockings.  I rummaged through my parents Christmas decorations and I found two stockings my mom had made for decorations…so they became Escher and Greys.  Then, I found something else she had cross stitched.  I was nervous to try to make it into a stocking….because if I messed up….there was nothing else to use.  But, after some thought and a lot of waiting, I finally did it.  It turned out pretty well.  What didn’t turn out well was my cross stitching with the names.  Oh well…I’m just not a cross stitcher!!

Yule Lads….

The Icelandic Yule Lads have begun to appear at our house…..Everyone has been putting their shoe in the window at night, except Escher and Grey.  Our rule is..if you can’t put your shoe in your window, then you don’t get to put a shoe in the window.  They will probably be ready next year!  I hope you’ve been good, otherwise you get a rotten potato left in your shoe.  I said they should borrow some dirty diapers and put them in the bad children’s shoes!

Halloween…sort of….

Well..it is Halloween…well, sort of….but there are no costumes, no school, no trick or treating…..everything has been postponed until Friday.  Hurricane Sandy has come and gone.  We were lucky….we had no damage in our area.  We never lost our electricity and we barely had any branches fall down.  A lot of New Jersey wasn’t so lucky.  So much flooding and devastation around the state….really scary stuff.  Half of our town is still without electricity..so they had to close the schools for another day.

It is very strange….being Halloween…yet…not Halloween.

First Day of School….

After much anticipation, River started Kindergarten!  She was so nervous and excited!  The rain stopped, just long enough to be able to walk to school.  Tuesday started high school, and almost missed her bus on the first day (though she missed it the next two days!).  Quinn took everything in stride and didn’t seem fazed by the first day of 7th grade!

Seeing River on her first day of school reminded me of Tuesday and Quinn…oh, so long ago!  I just had to post some photos from Tuesday and Quinn’s first days of Kindergarten.  Tuesday was terrified..as you can see by the look on her face.  Quinn was so excited..I don’t think he had time to be nervous!!

 

I survived the beach…..

Yes…I survived taking the babies to the beach.  I don’t like the beach…all the sun, sand and water.  But every year we go to the beach.  We don’t just go to the beach…that would be too easy…we bike to the beach, which seems crazy.  It is a tradition that my brother started, with his children, 15 years ago.  So, we continue the tradition, with him and our children.  But someone has to drive there..so I drive one way and my husband drives the other way.  It is a lot of fun…but I knew this year…it would be a lot of work.  Somehow, it all worked out and we all had a blast.  Thank goodness I insisted on bringing a baby pool because the babies loved it as much as they loved the pool and the sand.  Well, Escher did not like the sand..but Grey loved it!  She didn’t want to leave.  Also, I had a great time biking back from the beach.  It was Tuesday’s second year riding and Quinn’s first….and he did great!  He even rode back.

The Color Run….

I completely forgot to write a post about the Color Run 2012 in Philadelphia.  We had so much fun running it! It was my first 5k.  I wasn’t able to run the entire time..but I did a pretty good job..considering I hadn’t ran in over a year.  The first color station wasn’t impressive…but then we got to the next one and it was incredible!  you could barely see anything.  There were so many runners, but it didn’t feel crowded.  And the atmosphere was so much fun.  I can’t wait to do it next year, and I think I’ll bring my 5 year old along this time!  I highly recommend doing it if it is coming to your city or town.

Afterwards, we walked to Starbucks to get a bite to eat.  It was so much fun walking around the city seeing people in their colors!  People were everywhere covered in color!  We took the high speed line home and walked all the way home..which my children weren’t happy about…but I figured it was a good ending to a 5k.

The toughest part was cleaning up…..trying not to get the color everywhere in the house.  Even after washing and scrubbing…it was still a bit in our hair and on our skin.  There is also some still on the carpet, outside the bathroom!

Through River’s eyes….

River always wants to take photos with my phone or camera.  I love looking at children’s photography.  It is almost as good as their artwork!  Seeing the world from their perspective.  If you’ve never let your child use your camera..do it today.  You won’t be sorry.  Here are some of her photos.  Enjoy….

 

 

 

California….

Did I mention that I went on a trip last week?  To California!  And did I mention that I left behind the babies and River????  For my birthday, my husband surprised me with a trip to California, to visit my brother.  It was just me, Tuesday and Quinn.  Christopher took the week off and stayed home with River and the babies.  Though, I was sad that they didn’t come….we had a great time.  And I had a great time sleeping through the night!

We had a wonderful time in Long Beach, Palos Verdes, Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs, Hollywood and so many other places!!  The weather and views were incredible!

And the food was delicious!!  Every place my brother took us to was so good.  The weather was incredible……sun, snow, rainbows, rain..you name it..we encountered it.  Also,  we saw tons wild life….skunks, raccoons, parrots, hummingbirds, possum….and that was just in my brother’s backyard!!

I’ve been spending so much time with River and the babies…..it was great having time with Quinn and Tuesday!  My niece flew out with us and stayed for one day!!  We loved having her with us and we were so sad when she had to leave.

It rained in Palm Springs and we saw a rainbow!!  Then we took the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in Chino Canyon.  After the 10 minute ride the elevation at the Mountain Station is 8,516 ft…and it was a blizzard!  So fun!!  It was a great trip…but I was so happy to get home to my little ones!  I pumped the whole time I was gone…and it just isn’t the same as nursing!!