BOO!

What a week!  Peter and Allison from New York City! kicked off Halloween for us.  Huge treat!  Peter (my twinner) is working as an oral surgeon intern and Allison is working for a firm in Manhatten.  Don't it sound glamorous?  We enjoyed a Proctor football game, helping Nellie sell his scout popcorn, pumpkins, walks, talking, eating, and watching "The Family Stone" when the kids were in bed.  

Peter likes to pinch Paige

Gregor was so excited he did a little jig

 I got to go for a run while Allison and Pete carved the pumpkins - win win?

 We were sad to drop them off at the Concord rail station but so enjoyed the visit.  Please come back!

Cope thinks the only fair thing would be to visit them in NYC.  And see Wicked of course.

 On Friday Paige joined the Proctor daycare and preschool for some on-campus trick or treating.  This is Edna, beloved dessert chef to all and Camden the monkey.  Cute!

Paige can't believe her good luck!

Friday night was our church trunk or treat.  The primary was in charge this year so I had a lot to do!  I DO believe in delegation.  It was a great event and we had a huge turn out.  Games, prizes, hayride, prizes.  Much fun.  Thanks to ourbestbites.com for the great food ideas.

 Another elf princess

Sleeping Beauty.  

I was going to be a witch...again. I have these great Halloween ideas of what I want to be (Malificant!) but then time is up and I have no costume!  And then a friend needed my witch hat so 30 minutes before leaving the house I ran downstairs and found my ancient drumsticks and ratted my hair a bit.  80's band girl - dream fulfilled!

 Cope aka "Mary Queen of Scots" or "Elf Princess" from Lord of the Rings was not deterred by her mother's shenanigans.  She looked at me in horror when I came into the living room.  It was definitely worth it.
I made Gregor dress up as a giant dog.  It's got this huge really hideous and smelly head.  All the kids voted on who they thought the dog was but when he peed on Grandma Heather, my children had a pretty good idea.  You know, shouldn't decorum start at home?

 Striking a pose.  The costume inspired great regality.

She even practiced the piano better.

And then we were off!

What else was on Halloween?  Our primary program!  This is the event we've been planning for and practicing for months.  Songs, special musical numbers, memorizing parts, a giant whale eating Jonah, reverence (Do NOT grab the microphone darling children).  It all came together.  And made me cry.  I love my primary kids.

Here's Nelson after church, running around, shirt untucked, tie about to be thrown off.  Happy boy.  Just like it should be.

So Halloween is on Sunday this year and before I said anything about trick or treating, the kids said, "Ah man!  Halloween is on Sunday.  That stinks."  I really appreciated that they made the decision to stay home instead of going out.  We got plenty of junk friday and on Saturday our neighbors had us over for trick or treating.  Wasn't that nice?  Since there is only one other child on the street they kindof cater to us.

Happy Halloween.  One of my most favorite times of year!

Persist in Doing

The alarm sounds at 5:11 a.m.

It is pitch black outside.

It is pouring rain.

It is doubtful the sun will make an appearance at all; it's that foreboding.

My eyes open to look at the clock.  I quickly scoot out of bed as to not wake husband and sleeping child next to me.

I dress in the dark.

I let the dog out but he doesn't want to go.  It's too wet.

I put some food in my mouth.  Lace up my running shoes.  Wonder if I'm dressed for the weather:  a long sleeve white shirt and black running tights.

I wait by the door.

The headlights come around the corner like I know they will.  She doesn't ever skip.  Sarah always comes, rain or shine.

It's been a year a half since I started this 5 a.m. running.  Just Wednesdays and Fridays.

It used to be painful.  I'd wake up hourly, look at the clock, and be so thankful for a few more hours, a few more minutes.  Oh, it was so hard to get up.

The other day it struck me.  It's just something I do now.  I don't dread it anymore.  My mind and my body has been trained.

I need someone outside waiting for me, but still, I can do it.

Before, there were times I wished I could get out of it.  Some days I wished she'd accidentally sleep in so  I could crawl back to bed even though I wouldn't sleep very well.  Some days I had to pray for help; I wasn't strong enough.

I stepped outside this morning.  It was like taking a shower it was so wet.  Sarah had to wear the head lamp the entire run it was so dark.

We went 6.2.  Up that dreaded hill.  But running hills in the dark is better than during the day; you can't see what's ahead of you.

I screamed twice when Sarah's arm went through her headlamp and I thought the shadow was a monster.

My shoes sloshed.

We got on the rail trail to head home.  It was still black as night.  Our feet hit hundreds of fallen leaves.

It was an unusually warm rain.

And I felt so good.

I was running in the rain and nothing hurt.  Everything felt right.

I stood on my porch afterward wondering if the sun was going to make an appearance.  I stretched my hands high and I smiled.

I remembered a quote I have always loved.

"That which we persist in doing becomes easier - not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Fall Garland

I often feel crafty, and I love looking at other people homes and blogs, but when it comes down to actually doing a craft, it goes right at the bottom of my list and rarely gets done.  I've come to terms with this.  I have other things I enjoy doing.  Right now all my scrapbook stuff is spread out on a table in the living room.  I want to finish 2009 before Thanksgiving.  It's driving Gregor crazy - he hates the clutter.  I think this will be my last year before I go completely digital (sorry Becky!)

Anyway, a craft I actually did was this leaf garland.  I got the idea from another blogging mama.  The best part was taking a leaf walk with my kids.  They had so much fun finding the "prettiest" leaf.

Instead of dipping the leaf in wax, I ironed them in-between waxed paper.  I've heard of people preserving leaves this way, but this was my first attempt.   Ta-Da!

It actually works!  The heat melts the wax onto the leaf.  How amazing.

I found some clear string at Wal-mart and actually glue-gunned the leaves to the string.  Ta-Da!  That worked too.

Then I taped it up on the corners of the window.  Wow.  I did a craft.

And it was fun and probably only took about an hour.

It makes me happy, every time I walk into my orange kitchen.

Beautiful New England

There were flurries this morning - NO!  The "S" word is not allowed for a few more weeks.  Sadly, as much as I want to hold it off, winter comes and stays for a good long while here in New Hampshire.  Fall is much too short.  

I snapped some pictures the first weekend of October.  It's been a gorgeous couple of weeks.

This hill, "D'yers Crossing" goes right up to our house.  It is beautiful and it's also my nemesis.  It's always the hill I have to run back up to get home.  I took this picture half-way up.  It really lasts about 3/4 of a mile.  This was right before all the color popped.

Mr. Goody's 

The Rail Trail.  Almost all of my runs incorporate some part of the rail trail; a converted running/biking/walking path that goes more than 9 miles now.  Plans are underway for even more!  Hurray.

A home on Maple Street.  I suppose Photo Shop would make these colors look more "real" but oh well...I love the swing in this photo.

Guess how many apples we got this year?  ONE!  Our first apple.  It was surprisingly delicious!

We are ready for Halloween - might just be my favorite holiday

Of the many cemeteries in Andover, this one is near the top.  It's beautiful and sits atop Maple Street, my favorite road in Andover.

General Conference weekend we went for a hike up the Proctor ski hill.  A loooonnnng way to the top. When we lived on campus this was another quad/lung burning run.  Paige said, "oh this is gonna be hard for me," even before we started.  She did great and I didn't have to carry her once!  The view was worth it.

A spectacular view of Proctor

The descent down the ski slope.  We were worried b/c Tenny chased a porcupine into the woods but he came back eventually - without the quills in his nose.

Buddies

Paige spent a good deal of the time down here.  She thought it was funny to keep falling.

Made it and smiled into the sun

The kids loved getting a ride in the Gator

On the way home...

Lawrence Street and Blackwater Creek.

Nate's Newsroom: Pray For Him

Such an eloquent post for my uncle who just suffered a massive heart attack.  He is doing better...thanks Nate.


Nate's Newsroom: Pray For Him: "Today I wake up to the sound of rain. I shower, dress, eat breakfast, and walk outside to a downpour. I'm drenched by the time I get to..."

Fall Soccer

So now it's my kid's turn to have some soccer fun.

This weekend marked the end of fall soccer for my kids.  It's been so much fun but I'm exhausted and ready for a break.  I was Cope's coach again this year for the 5/6th grade girls.

What was so great about doing it for two years is you see the great growth the girls make in just one year.  We moved these two girls up last year when they were only in 4th grade - they're that good.  Danika on the left is going to be a varsity goalie someday, and Katie B. on the right is going to dominate the field on the varsity level.  Not only, that, but their attitudes were something I wish everyone brought. We had quite a bit of drama this year....GIRLS!

We had practice every Tuesday after school.  I would leave the house at 2:30 with Paige and her lunch box full of snacks.  I'd pick the kids up from school, drop Nelson off at daddy's football field to play, and bring Brynne and Paige down to the Blackwater Field from 3-5.  Cope liked to walk with her friends.  Luckily, there is a playground and the girls were really good about playing.  Sometimes Paige would wander over, without her shoes, and want me to hold her.  Overall though, they were so good.

Then, games were every Thursday night and every Saturday afternoon.  There was a lot of travel this year.

Cope of course was on my team.  What a great year she had!  She loved it so much she's begging me to play year-round - indoor this winter.  (This makes me so happy :) She liked playing center defense and was good at it.  That position requires settling the ball in a stressful situation and then distributing it well.  Her dad saw her play and suggested we try her at center half.  I think that's the hardest position on the field because you control the middle.  You again have to settle the ball quickly and find an open player to pass to. 

But as a midfielder you also have to run, run, and run some more.

She was nervous when I put her there.

She even cried and yelled for a sub more than once.  "I can't do this," she cried.

But after a pep talk and some perseverance, the magic happened.

She was awesome.

And she found her position.  Good girl.

This is one of the reasons I love sports.  It can be scary and it can be hard. But when you find that it, you feel it, you know it, and you own it.

She came away with a lot of confidence.

And here's my Nellie-Bell.  He had a great year on the 3rd/4th grade team!  It was fun to see his skills improve.  He had quite a few goals and is already signed up to play with some buddies on an indoor team (in addition to basketball!)  He had practice every Wed. night and a game every Saturday afternoon.  Can you say logistics?

The team bench.  In between kung-fu moves and wrestling. Hilarious.

A future Gatorade ad.

Off he goes.

His coach was so great.  Boy am I glad for good coaches.  Jeff taught the boys to play, have sportsmanship, and gave everyone equal playing time.

After a game, there is always time for leaf-jumping

The team after a good win.  Aren't they cute?

This is the Andover Beacon photo.

Our tournament this weekend.  Thanks goodness I didn't have to drag the other kids.  Daddy had them during parent's weekend.  What a trooper.  The tournament was a blast despite 40mph winds in 40 degree temperatures.  It was a round robin and we played 5 games, 25 minutes each.

My girl

And here's the latest soccer player in the family!  Brynne thought it was ok and only had to go every Saturday morning.  She missed half the practices we were so busy.

Brynne liked this part of practice the best!

So, there it is.  Another year of fall soccer come and gone.  Boy oh boy do I love it - cold, wind, drama, fatigue, wins, losses...bring it on.  We'll be back for more.

Cope Can See!

After Cope miserably failed her eye appointment last month we made an appointment at Dr. Barban's.  She was jumping up and down she was so excited.  Glasses!  Who knew?

Reading to Paige in the waiting area - a GREAT help to mama.

It's just fun to observe this transformation

I had Cope go in by herself but the nurse came out and said she wanted me.  This made me happy.  I didn't even have to be pushy about it!

Cope was sad we didn't immediately leave with the glasses, but with an Rx in hand, she was sufficiently assuaged.

"Mom, stop it," she says.  After the dilation, and squinting at sunlight, she wore my sunglasses into the grocery store.  I had insisted she was going back to school but after begging and pleading, I let her come home for the rest of the day.

Thanks to Deb for the great web find:  39dollarglasses.com!  Cope's glasses were just that:  $39!  They came quickly and the Rx was perfect.  The family gathered around for the unveiling.  She chose the design and color herself:  burgundy starfish.  Lovely.

Brynne and Paige keep yelling, "I want glasses too!"

A studious Brynne

Glasses changed the way Cope looks.  Cope kept telling her sisters, "I'm still me!" As we drove she kept saying,  "Mom, I can see all the individual leafs!"  

With her beret, glasses, and long sweater, that girl is finding a style all her own.  I love it.  Off she goes to school, nervous about what her peers will have to say.  They were all nice.

Speaking of peers and style.

Cope has her first "Homecoming" dance tonight.  6:30-9:20.

Sixth-Eighth graders.  Boys and Girls.

In the dark.  All that "jungle" music.  (ha ha, I'm kidding kindof)

No parents allowed.

Isn't that strange?

I need an explanation!

All the sixth grade girls are super duper excited.  The outfits have been planned, (jeans, t-shirts, messy buns or loose.  No dresses or fancy hair), the boys have been asked for one slow dance each and boy oh boy am I milking it.  Cope has never cleaned her room so fast or practiced the piano so well!

This is a very exciting night. I'm still trying to figure out how to sneak in without getting caught.  If I'm arrested for espionage, you'll bail me out, right?

On another fun note, check out my article HERE for an edited version of a blog post I wrote about Cope!

(Post-edit comment...Cope declared the dance "the best night of my life."  She was asked to "go out" with three boys, which she declined :) That's my girl!  As my dad used to always tell me..."boys are bad.")