From The Home Office

Peppermint Bark and Snow

Published on December 6, 2006

I'm writing this on Monday. Each year, when we get a good early snow, I drag the children outside for the annual Christmas card photo. We usually get a bit of snow in November but we haven't had any this year so far. It's snowing right now, but there's only a tiny bit on the ground. I prefer a raging snowstorm (heh...) for the photo but it looks like I might have to settle for a dusting this year. I told Ali to ride the bus home if it's snowing at 2:00 p.m. Richard will pick Frank up and Zach has promised to be here on time, too. I'll bundle up all the children, drag them outside and make them stand and smile for a good five minutes while I snap a few dozens photos, looking for just the right one. Matt is part of our family now, too, as he lives here when he's not at school. But, he won't be home from school until December 20th and it never snowed over the Thanksgiving holiday while he was here. So, I might try to superimpose a photo of him into the snow picture. We love Photoshop! …

Our Cuddly Monkey

Published on November 29, 2006

We had a wonderful and very long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I only got online to check for emergencies each evening. And, boy oh boy, did I pay for that on Monday when I had a flood of emails to answer. The time we spent with the children made it well worth it. We feasted on Thursday, shopped and wrapped presents on Friday, bought our tree on Saturday, and decorated it on Sunday. …

Tradition!

Published on November 22, 2006

Ah, I always get that Fiddler on the Roof song stuck in my head around this time of the year. Matt and Aubri are home again, but this time for the entire week. So, the house is quite full and very festive! …

Holidays Coming Fast and Furious

Published on November 15, 2006

This weekend, Matt and Aubri were home so we had a fun time with them. Aubri is always a huge help with the baby and Matt and Aubri both helped put up a new storm door. Things got a bit confusing and Aubri's dad had to come over and save the day. They'll be home for a whole week for Thanksgiving so all the children are excited about that. …

My Baby Brother…the Missionary

Published on November 1, 2006

My brother sent us all into a panic this week when he phoned and emailed my mom to let us all know that he and his beautiful wife are currently stuck in another country. …

Mom Comes And Goes…

Published on October 25, 2006

My mom came to visit for the weekend. I hadn't seen her in a year and she was only here for about three days total so I was very sad to see her go. I don't know when we'll see her next so that made her parting all the more painful. …

In-Laws Gone; Mom Incoming

Published on October 18, 2006

Richard's mom and her boyfriend left on Tuesday morning. We had a fun visit and, on leaving, his mom hugged me and said I was a "good hostess." So, I want to thank all of you who sent in easy recipes for me to use while they were here! I'll admit, we did eat out while they were here, too, but that sure can get expensive. I enjoy cooking at home much more. We took them to Bar Harbor for a day, to our favorite antique mall, and spent Sunday driving to our land, which was resplendent in its fall colors! It was gorgeous and we are dreaming of next spring when we'll start building. …

Fall Cleaning

Published on October 11, 2006

In anticipation of the arrival of my mother-in-law this week, we cleaned the house from top to bottom. Ali (age 15) complained the ENTIRE time I spent in her room rearranging drawers, sorting clothes, looking under her bed and hope chest (pretty scary!), and arranging her books, among other fun things. But, she was very happy with her new room when I was finished. The very next morning, I walked into her room and was horrified to discover it looked like I've never even been in there! …

PTSD Update, School Shootings and Lack of Lunch

Published on October 4, 2006

Last week, I posted a note about my recent surgery that followed a litany of other challenges we've experienced over the Summer, including the doctor telling us Mason might die, and my resulting anxiety attack. I went to the doctor last week and posted an update to last week's missive on Wednesday afternoon. If you read the issue before the update was posted, you can see the update HERE. …

My Cancer Scare

Published on September 20, 2006

I'm a high anxiety type of person and nothing makes me more anxious than something that is beyond my control - namely health issues. Two weeks ago, I was literally freaking out. I can't think of a more accurate term. I was too upset to write about it then, but I can write about it now. …

Baby Sneezes…

Published on September 13, 2006

Max has been nursing a cold and I was terrified Mason would catch it. After our ordeal with Mason's hospitalization when he was 12 days old, I was absolutely thrilled when, at his 2-month checkup last week, the doctor said these 6 magic words, "You have a perfectly healthy baby!" …

Troubling Truck Stop Bathroom Conversation…

Published on September 6, 2006

We stopped at a truck stop diner for lunch during our trip last week. Richard offered to take Mason to the men's room for a diaper change, but I am a bit nervous in truck stops so I told him I'd take him to the women's restroom instead. That was a decision I would live to regret. …

Kids’ Orifices…

Published on August 30, 2006

I was sitting next to Max in the RV on the way from New York to Massachusetts. He kept making blowing noises with his nose. When I saw him put his finger in his nose, I asked him if he needed a tissue. He replied, "No." I said, "Don't you have boogies?" He said, "No, it's a rock." …

Angela Is On Vacation, But…

Published on August 23, 2006

We're currently on vacation in Pennsylvania. We left last week in our RV and meandered our way down here. The weather is a bit warmer than we're accustomed to, and humid, too, but the delicious home cooking found here, along with the beautiful scenery, makes it all definitely worthwhile! You can read about our travels here: https://www.wirelesstrips.com Now, if you'll excuse me, the children want me to take them swimmming. ;) GUEST COLUMNIST! …

One Of The Scariest Days Ever…

Published on August 16, 2006

Last weekend, Max, who will be five years old next month, came upstairs, into our bedroom, and asked if he could watch cartoons. I told him no because I was working, and needed it to be quiet. He walked out. Richard was downstairs preparing for our upcoming RV trip. Mason (age 7 weeks) was asleep on my lap. The other kids were away for a day trip to a friend's camp. About 30 minutes later, Richard came upstairs and asked, "Where's Max?" …

Goodbye Grandma…

Published on August 9, 2006

Last Thursday afternoon, Grandma finally decided to leave us and join her parents, husband and sister. We were sad because we'll miss talking to her, but also happy for her because she's been missing her husband for so long and now they're together again. The memorial service will be in Pennsylvania at the end of this month so we'll take the RV down there in a couple of weeks. …

Chapstick (R) Butt Balm

Published on August 2, 2006

While the in-laws were here, we drove out to our new land. When we got there, which is located an inconvenient distance from any store, I was horrified to realize we'd left the diaper rash cream at home. Mason has very sensitive skin and his bottom was flaming red that day. In a panic, I reached for a tube of Chapstick that was in the diaper bag... …

Oh Dear! The In-Laws Are STILL Here!!

Published on July 26, 2006

We've been to Bar Harbor, on a day-trip to our land, out to a great lunch with author Mark LaFlamme (The Pink Room) and his wife, and to an endless array of restaurants. We've been shopping, the women have been cooking together, and the men have been fixing things around the house. …

Oh Dear! The In-Laws are Here!!

Published on July 19, 2006

Richard's dad and step-mom are here for a 9-day stay. We'll be entertaining them during the day on most days and we'll be working nights to stay caught up. We have lots of fun, touristy activities planned. …

Mason’s Feeling Much Better!

Published on July 12, 2006

We don't know how to even begin to thank everyone for their prayers and warm wishes sent after learning Mason was in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit last week. We received hundreds of emails from all over the world. After I read a few dozen, I started saving them to print for Mason's baby book. He's going to have one thick baby book and he's going to love reading those loving notes someday! …

Welcome Home, Mason!!!

Published on June 28, 2006

Last Wednesday, I woke up at 4:30 a.m. with a somewhat painful contraction. Since I'd had three weeks of off and on contractions, I didn't give it much thought... …

Yes (Sigh), I’m Still Pregnant…

Published on June 21, 2006

Mason's due date came and went on Father's Day. I sure was looking forward to giving Richard the ultimate Father's Day gift. However, it's now going to be a bit late. …

False Signs Of Labor

Published on June 14, 2006

I've been monitoring my body for the past two weeks, and even taking notes, and have come to the conclusion that I've been misinterpreting my body's actions and nothing, and I mean nothing, I've experienced means that labor is imminent. …

Baby Breech

Published on May 31, 2006

After bragging over the past few weeks about the baby being fully engaged and ready for launch, we were shocked to learn last week that Mason's head is NOT fully engaged after all... …

The Birth Blog

Published on May 24, 2006

We are having the baby at home (unless something happens, of course), and Ali, our 15-year-old daughter, will be helping Richard blog the event with frequent updates and maybe even some photos (no nudity, not to worry - I'm far too modest for that!) if things are progressing slowly. We were originally going to set up the blog up for family and friends, but so many readers and authors have asked to be notified of the event that Richard set up an email list so we can tell everyone when I go into labor and where to access the blog. …

My Salad Tree

Published on May 17, 2006

We escaped the northeast flooding and it was sunny and warm here all weekend long. My computer was in the shop so we spent the entire weekend outside. …

Are We Nuts? We’ll Let You Know!

Published on May 10, 2006

Here's something you may or may not know about us. While Richard can fix just about any computer or electronic gadget, we usually hire someone to fix things around the house (plumbing, electrical, roof, etc.). We've always wanted to be a bit more handy, but just haven't gotten around to learning about those types of things. …

Driving Us To The Poor House

Published on May 3, 2006

The weekend was absolutely gorgeous here and we spent several hours lounging in the sun while watching the river lazily slip by. Well, the children and I lounged. Richard did some work on the RV and bought supplies to fix the fence where it shifted during the winter due to frost heave. …

Our Green Thumbs

Published on April 26, 2006

Max enjoyed helping me plant seeds for leeks, onions, two different kinds of sugar peas, green beans, tomatoes, hot peppers, and much more. I'm wondering if the garden is even big enough for the ambitious plans we have for this year! …

I Can Count On One Hand…

Published on April 19, 2006

I've been fighting a croupy bug for almost two weeks now. I'd get a little better, then worse, then better, again. I felt better on Friday and ran some errands. We then went to our friends' for dinner that night. On Saturday, I woke up very ill and spent the day in bed. I can count on one hand how many days I've spent in bed for an illness...and that includes childbirth. …

A Friendly Family Wager…

Published on April 12, 2006

Zach (age 19) got two new Beta fish over the weekend. You can't put them together because they'll fight to the death, so Zach's aquarium has a separator in it. Since Zach is such a busy guy and is rarely home, and since we have four cats, the rest of us placed a friendly family wager on how long the fish would survive. Frank bet three weeks, Ali bet six weeks, I bet three months (the 4th of July to be exact), and Richard just rolled his eyes and shook his head. …

Sugar-Free Momma

Published on April 5, 2006

Two weeks ago I got to drink a nasty orange concoction and then have my blood tested. Last week, the results were in and I was told I'm borderline diabetic. I was pretty discouraged by that news and was ordered to cut way back on sugar and carbs for the remainder of the pregnancy (lots of protein and veggies, brown rice instead of white, that sort of thing). …

Bloody Thursday

Published on March 29, 2006

Unfortunately, we had to take a surprise trip to the emergency room last Thursday night. No, it wasn't for one of the children. It was me. …

More Maxisms

Published on March 22, 2006

Gifford's opened for the season last weekend and we were very excited. The opening of Gifford's is a sign that Spring is imminent. We asked Max (age 4) is he remembered what Gifford's was. His response was a puzzled look. …

Maxisms

Published on March 15, 2006

Last week, I told you Max (age 4) said he was pregnant. The other night, he crawled up on our bed, lay down, and started rubbing his stomach and moaning. I looked at him and noticed his face was quickly turning red. I knew he was pretending something and asked, "What are you doing?" …

Max is Pregnant

Published on March 8, 2006

After weeks of feeling the baby move in my tummy, Max (age 4) has announced he's pregnant, too. His baby is a "grill" (that's how he pronounces girl) and if you put your hand on his tummy, he pushes it way out and says his baby just kicked you. …

Is That Gatorade in Your Ear, Dear?!

Published on March 1, 2006

The old cell phone model I use is a gadget our children now call archaic. Richard keeps asking me if I want to upgrade but I always say no. My first excuse was that I didn't want to spend the money. Only when Richard let me know the new phone would be free with our plan did I admit my true reservations, whining, "But then I'd have to learn how to use a new phone all over again!" …

Man Can’t Live On Bread Alone…Unless He Eats Here

Published on February 22, 2006

Before we knew it, I had three humongous piles of bread dough on the table. We had to remove all but one shelf in the oven because the dough was rising so high. It was actually fun...albeit a bit scary (how big will it grow?!). …

Online Dating for 4-Year-Olds!

Published on February 15, 2006

We recently taught Max (age 4) how to use the TIVO controller so he can now rewind and replay his favorite parts of Blues Clues over and over again. However, today, I kept hearing the same dialogue from the television in the other room. I investigated and discovered that Max was watching an eHarmony.com dating service commercial over...and over...and over again (sigh...). …

Spring Fever…

Published on February 8, 2006

We've had a really unusual winter this year. As I am writing this, there is no snow on the ground. Yes, that's right. It's supposed to be the coldest, nastiest time of the year for Mainers. But, it was in the 50's last weekend, sunny, breezy, and downrights Springish! I ran errands on Saturday and didn't even need a sweater. …

Izzy’s Emerging Development

Published on February 1, 2006

At the new sonogram, she was MUCH bigger and they couldn't get her entire body on the screen at one time. She was moving her mouth (chewing) for a few minutes, and later was sucking on her finger. Max thought that was just the neatest thing in the world. (He thought the blue goo they put on my belly was pretty neat, too.) Needless to say, we were all absolutely shocked into hysterics, when the technician panned over Izzy again and a very prominent, very large... …

Baby Sign Language And The Full VBAC Story

Published on January 25, 2006

In anticipation of the new baby's arrival, we've all been learning sign language. Babies can sign long before they have the ability to speak. Surprisingly, Max (age 4) has tackled signing with gusto. He can easily learn and remember 5-10 new signs each day. He's been watching a baby signing video and he's now teaching all of us new signs. He was signing to me at a lunch last week with some women I'd never met and I had to tell them that, yes, he can speak. He just prefers signing right now. It's really neat to watch him get so excited about learning something new! …

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