Day 72

"It does not matter how expensive your kitchen is if you are a bad cook." ~Loesje (Dutch Fictional Character-"Active and International Girl")

Just a quick shot of the kitchen in the condo that we are staying in. Every time we come down here, it always strikes me as odd that our vacation timeshare is nicer (and bigger) than the first apartment that Rob and I shared. The kitchen is still nicer than the one in my house...perhaps some day, we'll redo it. (It might just seem nicer, because it looks NEW...no dishes in the sink, the stove isn't all scratched up, etc.)

Day 71

"I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me...help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." ~Albus Dumbledore

Abby and I went to Universal Islands of Adventure, for the express purpose of visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. (or, Harry Potter World-as we've been calling it) The people who designed it did a fabulous job...for any fan, it was like being transported to another time and another place. Abby and I are both HUGE Harry Potter fans, so this was like a trip to Mecca for us. It was really very cool...to be standing in line, and be able to strike up a conversation about Harry Potter. Abby was in her GLORY...she had such a great time seeing the places that are talked about in the series that she loves so much.

Day 70

"The waiting is the hardest part" ~Tom Petty

As everyone knows, waiting in line is sort of a given when someone is at Disney. The weather looked pretty ominous for a while, so we went into the area in Toon Town where the Princesses hang out. The options for character meet and greet were the Princesses and Tinkerbell and her Fairy Friends. The girls were ALL over Tinkerbell. They've met the Princesses several times, and they've NEVER met more than just Tinkerbell. (of course, unfortunately, they are aware that it's pretend...but it doesn't make them less excited about it) The wait time was 45 minutes. The girls were happy to do the waiting. We weren't out in the rain, or the humidity...so I was happy. One thing that Disney does well, they don't rush you through the meet and greets. They are aware that you've waited for almost an hour, and you really don't want to just get a picture and be shoved out. We had about 10 minutes with the Fairies before they moved us along.

Day 69

"I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse." ~Walt Disney

I think this is my favorite view in the whole world. Walking up "Main Street, USA" and seeing the Castle for the first time each trip is just total magic to me. I'm so glad my girls love going to Disney as much as I do.

Day 68

"I can't drive 55" ~Sammy Hagar

Apparently, I also can't even drive 45, which is the speed limit on the road I was driving on. I get extremely annoyed when people don't go the speed limit. I'll admit that I have quite a heavy foot. In NH, where I learned to drive, the speed limit is merely a suggestion...even the State Troopers travel at about 10 miles over the limit. However, I don't get TOO impatient when people go the speed limit...but 15 miles per hour UNDER the speed limit, on a bright, shiny, not a cloud in the sky day? Ridiculous!

Day 66

"I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but she uses a smoke alarm as a timer." ~Bob Monkhouse

My friend Missi cooked dinner, and after she checked the pork in the over, she tossed the oven mitt onto the stove. She had completely forgotten that the burner was still hot, though it was off. We smelled the smoke starting, and thought the meat was burning...it's a good think we figured it out, or we risked burning down the house.

Day 64

"An injury is much sooner forgotten than an insult" ~Lord Chesterfield

I have crap knees. I've had crap knees for as long as I can remember. I had the left on "fixed" when I was 16. It would have been great, if the surgery had worked. It didn't, so I had a traumatic surgery, a TON of pain, and lovely scar...and the same problem. Today, however, it's my RIGHT knee acting up. It's going to rain (which I just realized, when the local weatherman asked me what I did to my knee, I told him, "well, it's going to rain." Which he answered, "oh, REALLY?") I also must have twisted or stepped funny this morning. All I know is that it started to hurt during "circle" at work this morning, and by "snack" I was fighting tears with every step. I had to buy a new brace, since all the ones I had were purchased when I weighed 70lbs more, and they were all sleeve style...so they didn't stay ON, let alone support anything. Let's just hope this resolves itself before we leave for Disney. Disney with knee pain would be NO FUN!

Day 63

"There is no place more delightful than one's own fireplace." ~Marcus Tullius Cicero

We had an impromptu party last night. With the girls out of town, it's a bit easier to have people over at night. The nature of Rob's job means that many of his co-workers don't even finish up work until midnight. Unfortunately, though it was a ton of fun to have everyone over, I still had to get up for work this morning. I stayed up FAR too late for the 7:30AM wake up call.

Day 62

"I was ecstatic they re-named "French Fries" as "Freedom Fries. Grown men and women, in positions of power in the US Government, showing themselves as idiots" ~Johnny Depp

Rob and I headed to "Five Guy's Burgers and Fries" for lunch. A SMALL fry is almost too big for the TWO of us to share. They fill a cup with fries, and then, drop at least the same amount into the bag of food. The burgers are divine as well. It's probably more fat and calories than I need to eat for a week...but it was SO good. As long as we don't do it every day...everything in moderation, and all that jazz.

Day 61

"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people."
~W C Fields

We spent the day at the Saratoga horse track. It's was a very nice day, very sunny and warm, but not too humid. We didn't really make any money...but I don't think we lost any, either. I pick horses by their names, not by their stats. Sometimes, it works well...others, not so much.

Day 60

"But remember, spa treatments are essential in today's fast paced lifestyle to keep your mother healthy and feeling great!"~Hannelore R. Leavy

The girls left for their adventure today, and by a happy coincidence, one of my friends was heading to the nail place to get her nails filled. I asked if she wanted some company, as I was planning on getting a pedicure while the girls were gone, anyway. The place we go does a lovely pedicure...not only do they give a great pedicure, they also give a hot rock massage to your feet and legs. I have happy feet now.

Day 59

"Those who say you can't take it with you never saw a car packed for a vacation trip" ~author unknown

The girls will be leaving in the morning for their annual vacation adventure with my parents. This year they will be visiting Virginia with a day trip into Washington, DC. Surprisingly, I packed them very lightly. My mom will have a washer and dryer in the condo, so I only packed 4 outfits. My belief is that as long as the meds and the machine is packed, anything that's forgotten can be purchased.

Day 58

"We are in the stickiest situation since Sticky the Stick Insect got caught on a sticky bun" ~Rowen Atkinson

I could have gone my whole life without seeing one of these things in person. However, I've seen two of them in the last week. They are actually quite amazing, and really DO look just like sticks. This one, that I saw this morning as I left for work, actually looked like it had been broken off of a branch...I think it was the head side, looked almost frayed, as if it had been twisted off of a larger branch.

Day 57

The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows. ~Sydney J. Harris

This is the entrance to the school I've been spending my mornings this week. I've been subbing in the "severe" room. There are 6 children, all with learning disabilities. Three of them are also basically non-verbal. It's been a really fun few days. I'm kind of sorry I'm not working on Thursday...I'm going to miss this group of kids.

Day 56

"Another belief of mine; that everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in disguise." ~Margaret Atwood

This is my friend Jacki. On Monday, she retired the pink "Hello Kitty" wallet she's been using for longer than my girls have been alive. She picked out a lovely purple GROWN UP wallet to use instead. Somehow, I doubt she'll be throwing the Hello Kitty one away.

Day 55

"Little works, little thoughts, little loves, little prayers for little Christians, and larger and larger as the years grow." ~Charles Henry Parkhurst

Forgive the poor quality, I've finally figured out how to access the pictures from my phone, and unfortunately,it doesn't take very good pictures. The girls were sitting in the front pew waiting for church to start this morning. Because I sing in the choir, the girls either sit with Rob, or their Sunday School teacher. Today, however, they wanted to sit on their own in the front. I don't think anyone has EVER sat in the front pew, when they weren't serving Communion or something. It was a little odd to see them there. I'm glad they are comfortable enough in church to sit there.

Day 54

"Into each life, some rain must fall." ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

As I went to bed last night, the local news station tweeted about scary gross air quality warnings. I woke up, and put the garbage out, and the humidity was stifling. In the afternoon, we had a blast of storm come through. Thunder, lightening, dark skies. I'm waiting to open the door, to see if the humidity has abated. The weather people weren't optimistic about THAT.

Day 53

"Sometimes I wish I could go back the the days when I was six and my biggest problem was what kind of dress to put on Barbie or whether or not I had enough Legos to build a fort" ~Unknown

It rained all day, so the girls were left to their own devices for entertainment. Without the option to go outside and play with chalk or on the swingset, they had to get creative. After they went to bed, I peeked into the playroom, and saw this. I'm not sure what they were playing, or if they were just looking for a little place to get away. Apparently, Cody thought it was pretty neat too.

Day 52

Han: "What's going on...Buddy?"

Lando: "You're being put into carbon-freeze."

Abby and Daddy went to see "Star Wars in Concert" ( http://www.starwarsinconcert.com/ ) tonight. Along with the show, there were movie props and costumed characters. Rob's been brainwashing, I mean...sharing Star Wars with Abby since about 4 days after she was born. (seriously, I have a picture of him with 4 day old Abby on his lap, watching Star Wars) It was neat that they were able to share this concert together.

Day 51

"I have set My Rainbow in the clouds,
and it will be the sign of the
covenant between Me and earth." - Genesis 9:13

We had a little storm come through this evening. Well before the rain ended, the sky was back to a beautiful blue. Abby was convinced we would see a rainbow. Turns out she was right. I immediately pulled over to the side of the road, and put on my hazard lights, so the girls could get a good look. THEN, I drove to a safer place to pull over, so I could get out and take pictures. I didn't want the girls to miss it while I was looking for a parking space. I was reminded of the first time Abby saw a rainbow, she wasn't yet 3. After we stopped to look at the rainbow, she said to me, "Momma, can we say a prayer to say thank you to God for such a beautiful rainbow." Now, whenever we see a rainbow in the sky, we always say a little prayer of thanks to God for such a thing of beauty.

Day 50

"Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again." ~L. Frank Baum

I decided to torture Mariella by taking a picture during treatment time. As you can see, the Trek is sitting next to her, and she's moved on to airway clearance. As necessary as clearance is, it is just about the grossest thing in the world. That little device somehow causes enough percussion in the lungs to loosen the mucus, so that Mariella can cough and move it up and out. It's nice that I don't have to do actual chest PT on her, though when she's really bad, I do...the Acapella makes it so that I don't have to beat on her chest and back a couple times a day. She does this at least twice a day, if not more. It generally does help to keep flares at a minimum, most of them.

Day 49

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." - Lewis Grizzard

I picked 3 tomatoes from my little plant tonight. For a total of 5 so far. I do have a bunch more that are green, and will probably be ready in a few days. I keep trying to convince the girls to try them...but I haven't been successful so far. Oh, well...they don't know what they're missing, and if they don't want them, I don't have to share. I DID, however, make myself a hero to my borrowed son, because cherry tomatoes are his favorite in the world, and I gave one to him the other day. He was SO excited about it.

Day 48

Kittens can happen to anyone. ~Paul Gallico

This morning, when Mariella and I were getting ready for church, then hanging out in the playroom, because it's the only room that light come in...Cody ran and leaped into the basket of the doll stroller. I'm pretty sure he would have stayed there, and taken a walk, if we had decided to roll the stroller around.

Day 47

Golf is a good walk spoiled. ~Mark Twain

Our property borders a golf course. Right behind our yard is the 13th green. If you look carefully, the white spot in the grass is the golf ball. In the distance is the woods that is the border of our property. There is 20+ feet of woods, before you get onto the golf course. I can't imagine what the golfer that landed his ball in our yard must have been doing to mess up quite so badly. Ah, well...one more ball for Rob's collection.

Day 46

"I taste Grampy's Famous Mac" ~Dominic

I made "Grampy's Famous Mac" for supper tonight. My father developed a microwave recipe for mac and cheese, and my girls LOVE it. Even my friend's super picky son really enjoys it. In fact, he was the one who requested it. (the quote is from a "5 senses project he did in school last year) It's so unbelievably easy to make...you need equal parts of milk and cheese (whatever kind of cheese you want) and 3 rounded tbs of flour for each cup of milk. Equal parts of flour and butter. (so I use 2 cups of milk, 2 cups of cheese, 6 tbs of flour and 6 tbs of butter for 1 lb of pasta) Whisk the flour into the cold milk, then add the butter and cheese. Put it into the microwave for 10 minutes, watching it, and stirring occasionally. If I'm making it just for the girls, I also add either broccoli or broccoli/cauliflower mix to it as well.

(Kerri, this is the mac and cheese I'm making for you when you come live on my couch)

Day 45

"My songs are just little letters to me." ~Ani Difranco

Abby wrote us a letter from camp. It came yesterday, and I've been reading it over and over all day. I'm so glad that she's made friends, and that she's having a good time. (and I'm glad she misses me, but not too much)

Day 44

"People, let me tell you 'bout my best friend" ~Courtship of Eddy's Father

I'm babysitting for my borrowed son tonight. Both the kids are feeling crappy...he's on his sick plan, which includes 3 neb treatments. I COULD have taken a picture of them doing their airway clearance together too. There are just about 6 months between them in age, and they are so alike in many ways. In fact, I nearly laughed hysterically, when less than a year after D got his glasses, we found out Mariella needed them as well...it's just a bit bizarre.

Day 41

"A lot of parents pack up their troubles and send them off to summer camp." ~Raymond Duncan

Abby went off to summer camp on Sunday. This is a picture of the camp store. We deposited some money into her account, and she can use it how she will...I'm sure that means candy and crap...but hopefully something useful and meaningful too. We really, really miss her.

Day 40

I don't pretend to be captain weird. I just do what I do.
Johnny Depp

I'm not going to take credit for this picture...but it was on my camera...perhaps I'm stretching the rules...but, oh well. Rob went to a local comic book convention, to support a friend...this was one of the pictures he took.

Day 37

"It only takes a spark to get a fire going" ~Pass it On by Kurt Kaiser

This is the campfire at the council circle at the girls day camp. They light it for Parent's Night. It was a fun night of skits and pranks. After the show, both my girls spent the night under the stars at camp.

Day 36

"If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies." ~Author Unknown

I apologize for the poor quality. I was juggling 2 backpacks, my purse, and my keys when I saw this beauty land on the Butterfly Bush by our door. I was lucky I had my camera with me, so I grabbed it, and took as good a picture as I could. As soon as I took it, it flew away. I'm glad the bush is bringing butterflies to the yard. (of course, it will also bring bees...but I'll do my part to help the honey bee population too.)

day 35

"A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins." ~Laurie Colwin-Home Cooking

I have an almost ripe tomato on my hanging tomato thing. Fresh tomatoes make me happy. I'm OK with a small crop...I'm the only one who eats tomatoes. I can't wait till this one is ripe enough to pick.

Day 34

"Thought when sober, said while drunk" ~unknown

I'm not a drinker, really. I don't drink often, and it doesn't take me much to get drunk. However, my friends all tell me I'm a fun drunk...I don't get all emotional, or belligerent. I just get giggly. I'm the one with my hand in front of my face. I have NO idea what we're talking about here...but I'm sure I'm laughing. (and, for the record, I remember the whole day and night.)

Day 33

"Jessica, want some buffalo wings? Sorry, I don't eat buffalo" ~Jessica Simpson

Due to a packing failure, no camera was brought to the July 3 celebration...because if said failure, there was no picture of the day. So, I'll put up a picture of the yummy did that my sister-in-law made. It's buffalo chicken dip, and it's super yummy.

Day 32

"I pledge allegiance to the flag..."

I dropped the girls off at camp this morning...and got to talking to another mom. As I was leaving, they were beginning the flag ceremony. Right after I snapped the picture, they started the Pledge...and it was really neat, hearing the entire camp saying it in unison. (The girls are in there somewhere)

Day 31

"I never drink water because of the disgusting things fish do in it." ~W.C. Fields

Rob and I met some friends at the Chinese Buffet for lunch, and apparently...feeding the koi was the thing to do. As soon as anyone threw food in, they came to the surface of the pool, and it was LOUD. Some of the fish even leaped out of the water to get to the fish first...it was crazy.

Day 30

As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat. ~Ellen Perry Berkeley

Pardon the poor picture quality. This is how I spend most of my evenings, after I've settled the girls into bed, and gotten anything that needs done, done, and I can finally settle down for the evening. Cody settles into my arms, belly up, just like an infant, and promptly falls asleep. If I had been able to capture the entire scene, you would have seen Piper sitting next to me, getting her head scratched. I just love my babies.

Day twenty nine

"You are without a doubt the worst pirate I’ve ever heard of." – Pirates of the Caribbean

My friend and I went to Stu Leonard's today. Basically, it's a grocery store...but it's a gourmet grocery store, I guess. All around the store, there are buttons to push, and different animated things happen. In the fish market, this parrot waits for his button to get pressed, so he can sing annoying songs. I WISH I had taken a picture of the elderly lady dancing along.

Day 28

"Badges mean nothing in themselves, but they mark a certain achievement and they are a link between the rich and the poor. For when one girl sees a badge on a sister Scout's arm, if that girl has won the same badge, it at once awakens an interest and sympathy between them."
Juliette G. Low

Abby began Girl Scouting about 4 months ago. She has earned 13 badges so far, with 2 nearly finished. I'm running out of room to sew them onto her vest. There are girls who have been in Brownies for 2 years who don't have as many badges as Abby does. She will be moving up to Juniors in September, and will have opportunities to earn new and different badges. I hope she will be as gung ho about it then as well.

Day 27

"A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand." ~unknown (at least to me)

We had friends over for supper on Sunday, and when tasked with getting dessert, one of them brought a cookie cake. She didn't get anything written on it, which, to Abby was horrible. Rob got out a can of frosting and a piping tip, and Abby proceeded to draw "daddy" on the cookie. Notice the lovely flower in his "hair"

Day 26

"Kilroy was here"

I know it's not the exact image...Abby ducked down as I was taking the picture, and when I saw it on the camera, it made me think of Kilroy.

Day 25

"Cousins are friends who will love you forever"

Mariella and her cousin playing together. If you look closely, you will see the tubing for her neb. She is playing one handed, and holding her Sprint cup at the same time.

Day 24

"Never rely on the glory of the morning, nor the smiles of your mother-in-law" ~Japanese Proverb

My In-Laws sitting outside at the Cape House. We are very lucky that they let us come and stay there...it's a very nice vacation spot, that we are able to use, free of charge, whenever we want to.

Day 23

"Drab habitat of whom? Tabernacle or Tomb-or Dome or Warren-or Porch of Gnome-or some Elf's Catacomb?" ~Emily Dickenson

My father in law collects Garden Gnomes. They live outside at their Cape Cod house all summer long, and in the winter, he brings them in...they have a special shelf they live on, and he paints and repairs them, so they are fresh and bright for the next summer.

Hiatus

I have pictures from the weekend, I just haven't gotten them up...I will get them up today or tomorrow. I'm a total slacker!

Day 22

"They're sure housework won't kill you, but why take the risk?" ~Author Unknown

Apparently, all it takes is a well placed threat to get the girls to clean their playroom. It's actually done, and done well. Daddy said we weren't leaving on vacation until the playroom was cleaned...since they want to leave as early as possible...they took the time to really clean it well today. We can't leave things on the floor when we're gone, because the cats might find it inviting to pee on. We'll be having someone staying here, but she will have to leave to go to work...so we need to keep it clean.

Day twenty one

"It's natural. It's logical. It's kind and compassionate to all cats. It works." ~Cat Faeries

These are the products that will hopefully stop my cat from peeing on the couch. There is a cleaner that is supposed to be the best on the market...so they don't continue to pee where they have peed before, and a pheromone product that supposedly tells the cats that they don't WANT to pee there. I hope so, because I love my cats like my own children, but I can't be cleaning up pee all the time, and I don't want my house to smell like a kennel...so, hopefully we can get this problem under control.

Day 20

"When life gives you limes...Make a Mojito" ~Dan Storey

We had company for dinner, and while Rob is the one who likes to cook, I enjoy making dessert. I actually really like to bake, but it was far too hot to actually turn on the oven. This is a frozen Mojito cake. (it contains no rum) The crust is crushed pretzels combined with butter. The topping is cream cheese, cool whip, fresh mint and lime. It was really very delicious.

Day 19

"I found I could say things with with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way- things I had no words for." ~Georgia O'Keefe

Abby is working on a badge called "Color and Shapes." One of the activities included mixing paint colors to see what happened. We used finger paints. She mixed the primary colors, as well as red and white. The girls had a great time painting. Abby used her fingers, Mariella isn't so fond of slimy textures on her hands...so she painted with a plastic fork.

Day 18

"You can't argue with a river, it is going to flow. You can dam it up, †put it to useful purposes, †deflect it, but you can't argue with it." ~Dean Gooderham Acheson

We went out for ice cream tonight after dinner. The ice cream shop had a porch area that overlooked this. I'm not sure if it's a dam or a natural formation...my assumption is that it's a dam, but one never knows.

Day 17

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" ~Nelson Mandela

Mariella had "Kindergarten Graduation" today. The 3 classes put on a little show, sang songs and showed off what they had learned. We learned that her teacher is moving on to teach second grade (2 teachers are retiring) and the Paraprofessional that has been at Granger School, in the kindergarten for 22 years is being transferred to another school. Due to declining enrollment, they are dropping one of the kindergarten classes. I guess we are all happy that they aren't laying her off, but her presence in OUR school will be missed.

I can't believe my baby is almost officially a FIRST grade student. On Monday afternoon, I will have a first grader and a fourth grader. I'm sure I'm not old enough for THAT.