Don't judge me, HELP me!

I would say we had a busy week, but I seem to say that every week. So I will just concede that we have a busy life. Most of it self-induced, but so be it.

I will get to Lucy's adoption story one of these days, she is too cute for words.

In trying to give this new dog a stable environment (which reads "I don't want her chewing things while we are out of the house"), Lucy, Jackson and I took a trip to the pet store to buy a crate and a few other things she desperately needed (the knit sweater is an absolute must for a short haired, underweight dog in the winter!).

As soon as we arrived at the automatic doors I realized she probably has never been shopping (how uncivilized!). Skittish and pulling in the opposite direction were good indicators.

We managed to get through the doors and she actually seemed to enjoy the outing. All kinds of people petting her, dogs wagging their tails at her and picking out new toys had her relaxed a bit...until we had to walk through the doors again.

This time the doors freaked her enough that she got in the way of the shopping cart. So jumpy, she pulled her neck right out of her collar and ran right across the parking lot. Heart pounding I yelled her name, but why would she come to me? I am a perfect stranger to her, I have traumatized her and she has only been called Lucy since August. I am sure she keeps looking at all of us calling her this and thinking, "Who the HELL is Lucy??!!"

Telling Jackson to stay by the cart on the sidewalk, I walked quickly across the parking lot to the little spot of grass Lucy had found and is sniffing (thank you town of Leesburg for perfectly placing that fire hydrant!). I grabbed her by the skin of her neck, put the collar back on and dragged her to our car. While I am opening the car door and getting her situated, I see my little man strolling up behind me.

My three year old crossing the busy parking lot, I nearly fainted. I closed the door to keep the dog in, hugged little man tight and just kept asking him, "did you even look for cars?" And then saying "buddy, you can't cross streets like that by yourself."

Pretty much in shock over the entire situation, this elderly woman walked by shaking her head at me and my stellar parenting skills and muttered, "he didn't look, you know."

Thankfully, thankfully, I believe the good people outweigh the bad. As I am in disbelief that this woman just said this to me, another woman is pushing my cart across the parking lot over to my car, asking me if everyone is ok. I almost cried and I almost hugged her. Thankfully we are all ok. A little rattled, but ok.

Hershey Park

So much fun!

After trying to meet friends at Hershey Park this summer without success, we finally made it towards the end of September. We had great weather and so much fun!
The kids all got along really well, the boys enjoyed many of the rides.



Avery's favorite ride was the Frog Hopper. She went on it many, many times. It was so much fun watching their faces.


Jackson went on a lot of rides, but there were some that he wasn't quite big enough for...yet. While the big kids went on other rides, we found a toddler scrambler for him to enjoy.



Charlie experienced his first big rollercoaster! While he says he liked it, he also says it was very scary. And while the husbands went on all the crazy coasters, the wives and kids enjoyed the more tame ones.

It was so great to get the two families together, we hope to do this again next year.

A lot of fall fun

We have been blessed with a lot of beautiful weather this fall. We have taken advantage and the kids are having so much fun!

Yesterday Jackson and I met Charlie's kindergarten class at the farm we visit frequently. It was nice to see Charlie interact with his class and meet some other kids and parents. The kids picked pumpkins, learned about growing pumpkins and apples and then fed some of the animals. Always a fun place to visit.



Went pumpkin picking and the kids had a great time trying to lift the heaviest ones into the wagon.


This was the first time visiting this local farm and it was great. Really close to our house, family run, great picking and prices. Looking forward to their strawberries and raspberries next year.

A visit to the Lake

Two wonderful visits to Grandma and Grandpa's lake house this summer. Seeing the area from the water is fun and so beautiful. The kids have never been on a boat, so they were excited!




We beached the boat in a cove to let the kids get out and swim and explore.


A view of the 'hood from the water.

September 11

I was trying to figure out the appropriate way to spend Sunday, the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on our country. The kids don't know a thing about the day, have never seen images, have never talked about it, so I knew it was up to me to make the day special in my eyes, to remember all those lives lost.

I knew there was going to be a special presentation at church, so I was a little nervous about the oldest going into service with me. Thankfully there were no photos included in the presentation, she is still oblivious which is fine with me at age 7.

We heard from an American Airlines pilot who lost many of his colleagues that day. What is typically his flight, 77 from Dulles to Los Angeles (which eventually hit the Pentagon), was scheduled for another pilot that day. He was able to help support the families of those that lost their loved ones, the most memorable moment, his pick up of the deceased pilot's car from the airport parking lot. He also told us about his orders to fly that flight 77, changed to 149, for the first time once it was reinstated September 21, 2001. He told us how the crew prayed together before take off and when they landed, how they all cried that flight 77 had finally reached its final destination.

We also heard from a couple who owned a bed and breakfast in Cape May. How they took in a man with no luggage, no home address, no phone number and no credit card number in October 2001. The couple's mission, to take in all who are weary and weak and need a place to rest, housed this man for weeks while he got his life back together. He had lost 13 staff members in the towers falling and was not able to get to his lower Manhattan apartment due to the damage and toxic smoke. He needed that place of refuge and the B&B was able to help him start healing from the horrific events.

It was so touching to hear these stories.

(A fantastic Raven's win should be noted for making the day exceptional)

The evening was pretty special as well.

Our little town unveiled a memorial statue, dedicated to all first responders, especially those who lose their lives in the act of saving lives. The statue is one of the I-Beams from Tower Two of the World Trade Center, the stone that supports it was found near the crash of flight 93 in Pennsylvania and the flag flying was flown over the Pentagon days after the attacks. Three local men came up with the design, local high school students help weld the piece together and the town came out to pay tribute to all first responders. It was a wonderful ceremony and quite emotional to watch local fireman touch the I-Beam and start crying.

I love that this town paid tribute to the day in such a special way.

The child that will sleep anywhere

First child, I was the sleep nazi. That child slept in her crib for every nap and bedtime, not a chance of her being lulled to sleep in the moving car, stroller or rocking in someone's arms, she was to learn how to fall asleep without any aide.

Second child, still the sleep nazi. But probably because first child had places to go, things to do, he fell asleep in the car more than once. But I really focused on being home when it was naptime so he could teach himself to fall asleep as well.

That is what I learned from the books. And it worked. Much to the chagrin of my mother-in-law, the babies could cry in their cribs and eventually learn to soothe themselves and fall asleep.

Third child. His life has been in upheaval since the day he was born, well, even before then. When I arrived home from the hospital, the house had to be packed for our move. He didn't have a schedule, it was pretty much survival. Pack, eat, feed baby, put baby back down, sleep, repeat.
The books say not to start any type of sleep, eat schedule for at least four weeks after birth, so I was relieved I had time to let things slide. Little did I know that with the third child you let a lot of things slide.

Whether it is his personality, parenting the third child or a combination of both, this child has never had a sleep, eat schedule. It does not suit him and because life was so hectic, I couldn't obsess about not doing it "correctly." HA! As if there is a perfect way to parent any child.

This laid back child sleeps anywhere, eats foods the other two still do not eat, and is up for any adventure. It is terrific! But he does have sleep issues. I question whether his bad sleeping habits (up past bedtime most mights, up in middle of night some nights, up early some mornings) are due to his personality or my lack of teaching him a scheduled sleep pattern.

But who has time to care?

Instead I cherish that he wants me to lay down with him so he can fall asleep easier, that he falls asleep in my arms out in public, or that we find him on the steps, couch, floor happily sound asleep.

The good in growing older

There certainly is a lot "out there" telling us we need to stay young