The important thing is...

to remember what is actually important.  The last two weeks could be defined as dismal, but, scattered throughout the flooded basement and dried up well, we had Finn's 3rd birthday, a wonderful visit with my mother-in-law, and the boys' first trip to Six Flags Great Escape.  

Here's the little man becoming not so little.

 My attempt at the requested 'race car' cake.  Finn insisted on Lightening McQueen AND Hot Wheels.  I'd like to add that this is one of the best dairy/egg/nut free cakes I have ever made.  Chocolate with a vanilla 'buttercream' frosting.


 Big brother taking some memorable photos.

 Bill's mom blowing bubbles with friends.














My mom teaching Finn the finer points of frisbee throwing.

CAKE TIME!!!

And more importantly, licking-the-frosting-off-of-the-decorations time!!!!!

 Present time...

Love your mama time...

Love your grandmamas time...

And, cuddle with your aunt in sheer exhaustion time...

The next day we tried to get some grandma/grandson shots.  Liam is very good at this.  Finn not so much.

Yesterday I got to take the boys to the Great Escape with some friends.  What a blast. Liam is still small enough to ride on the 'kiddie' rides - which he did, with his brother, and the smiles were so big no camera lens would have done them justice.  A little later on we separated.  I was a little sad because Liam went off with his friend and said friend's mom to ride on his first upside down roller coaster and other big kid rides.  I am glad they didn't get on The Comet - the old wooden roller coaster.  Bill and I want to be the ones to take him on that for the first time.

On the flip side, I had the rare chance to spend a few hours at the park alone with Finn - his first amusement park experience.  I got to ride on the teacups and airplane rides with him and just focus on him.  It was so, so nice.

I think he rode this 'mack truck' ride about six times.

The swings were always my favorite ride when I was a kid.  I think Finn said "more" after each and every ride.  He loved it.  Looks like both my boys are thrill seekers.  Shocking, I'm sure.

This race car ride was Finn's second favorite, also ridden about 6 times.  For some reason, even though it was a gorgeous day, the lines were surprisingly short and sometimes non-existent!!!  Look at that smile...  He fell asleep before we were out of the parking lot, slept on the seat at the Denny's we stopped at for dinner, slept the whole way home, and until 7:30 the next morning (which is very late for him!).

I cannot tell you how emotionally draining the past two weeks have been.  After walking into my flooded basement my heart lodged itself in my throat for days.  After getting the bills for the clean up and sump pump installation my stomach tied itself in knots that I am not sure have unknotted.  

Poor Finny's birthday, a wonderful day, was marred by Liam behaving in ways that shame me.  I know it is not my fault that he chooses the things he chooses, but I still feel responsible.  He IS my son and trying to figure out the best way to 'discipline'/guide him leaves me tattered and feeling like I've been hung out on a line.

Having our well dry out (right in the middle of a shower!!!) and hearing estimates in the near $10K range to fix it nearly put me in a comatose state of shock (we are getting other, lower, estimates...nothing sorted just yet and we are living on MAJOR conservation mode,  but that is totally fine).  

Putting Bill's mother on the plane back to far away Texas sent waves and waves of tears and missing throughout my whole being.  Watching the boys cuddle and play with her all week and knowing it will be months before they can again breaks my heart.  And it made me miss *a part* of my life in Texas.  The one filled with regular dinner and lunch dates, friends and kids only a stones throw away always calling or stopping by, and family, precious family, only minutes down the road.  It's amazing what you sacrifice to be 'happy.'  I wouldn't trade this house (floods and all), this little spot of the earth we call home for anything...but it does come with a price.

AND I did not land a job.  Not a single one.  Not that there were many to choose from.  And, as you can see, another income would be especially handy at the moment.

BUT, all that doom and gloom said, I am not dwelling on it.  It feels good to write it out, it always does.   I am honestly thrilled that I will be home for Liam and Finn.  Finn has been accepted to a free preschool program AT the elementary school he'll be attending in two years.  I am psyched for him to meet some kids his age that live locally.  I am psyched that for two hours a day I get to do...well...whatever.  Hopefully RUN and occasionally cook or clean the house.  Maybe I'll actually write a book I want to send to a publisher. Who knows?  

Most importantly, I will dwell on the things and people who make me happy.  

Best summer ever

I don't know how to explain it and I don't know exactly what it is, but this is the best summer I have had in a long, long time.  Maybe it's because we are back in NY.  Maybe it's because we found this perfect little house.  Maybe it's because after so many years of uncertainty, things are finally falling into place.  Sure, I don't have a job yet, but no matter what happens, we will be in this house, climbing the same trees, breathing the same air, sleeping in the same beds...I feel centered.  Rooted.

After returning from Norway, we have been busy, busy, busy with all the fun things you associate with summer in the country.  Two days off the plane, the boys and I headed off to MONSTER JAM at the local race track.  Liam's face pretty much says it all.  I did not expect how much fun we would have watching monster trucks soar through the air.

The tires are bigger than Finny!!!!

In case you didn't know, the headlights are STICKERS!!!  Who knew???

Finn had 'ear muffs.' It was quite loud.

 Our next summer adventure took us to the Jersey Shore.  My dad, stepmom, and some siblings were in town.  We had a dinner picnic on the beach and enjoyed some live music from Chuckie and Mira.  It was an amazing night.

My gorgeous brother.

My beautiful stepmama and handsome dad.

Chuck and Mira

Sunset

Moving right along.  We were going to go camping this weekend, however headaches and lack of planning intervened.  Instead, we began some hardcore potty training with Finn AND building a tree house.  Below is the path we made.  The spot we chose is set back and we had to make a path through one of the stone walls running through our property.  The path is quite long and winding and I feel like it makes our woods SUPER cool.  Bill and I started thinking of clearing little walking paths all over the 'grounds.' (Yeah, we have grounds, people....well 5 acres, enough for us and a couple of paths.)  :p

Here is the gracious tree we chose.  I have to tell you, it has been a life long dream to have/build a tree house like the one we are currently erecting.  One of the first things i imagined when I saw this property was the tree house.  And Bill...sweet, dear Bill.  He could have done anything with his three days off...and in 82 degree heat with nearly 100% humidity, he diligently went to Home Depot each morning to buy a day's worth of wood.  All I could do was hold beams in place as he drilled and wrenched and hammered.  I wish I was more helpful....

The picture below is just the beginning of the frame and I am sure it will be a good year before we are truly finished. But, by next week we should have the floor and a railing finished and perhaps a couple of entry points.

Finally, our parsley has been taken over by caterpillars that will be some kind of black swallowtail butterflies.  When they first arrived, I suggested to Bill that we move them to another part of the yard, but apparently they ONLY eat parsley.  Or they will die.  So, I have decided to pardon the pillars and give up our parsley.  They have eaten nearly all of it in three days and doubled in size.  It's kind of neat.

As for my 'other' garden, the big one.  It's doing okay.  The carrots seem to be growing great...their orange tips teasing us in the dirt...just enough to let us know there's a carrot under there, but now clue as to how big...I'm told I just have to wait.  We have cucumbers and tomatoes.  We've eaten a bunch of beets and anxiously await the rest that are getting bigger each day under my rocky soil.  The green beans and peas didn't really take off.  Enough to each a few as we water the garden, never enough for a meal - I will rectify that next year.  Even though some thing didn't work out, it's fun to see what happens and make plans for next year's garden.

Also this summer, my best friend had her fourth baby, my mother in law is coming for a week long visit, and we end the summer with a big birthday celebration at the beach.  My happiness for all the good things that have happened and to come is effervescent.  Does that make sense?  It fills me with a bubbly, overflowing sensation...effervescent, right?