Sunny days...sweeping the clouds away....

So, this is my life. :) Liam has joined soccer and the Cub Scouts. We see our buddies every week. I go to work Monday through Wednesday. I joined the Y and actually get to swim and go to step class. We drove to CT recently to watch my brother's band perform. Next weekend we go to NYC to see my sister and brother run a half marathon.

The leaves are changing and we are making plans for the long awaited Pumpkin Carving Party. It feels so good to be home....now Bill and I just need to find one of our own. We are so lucky my mom and David are letting us use their house. So so lucky. We are searching for just the right house and grateful for the luxury to take our time. It definitely feels like the sun is shining on us.

Here are the boys in CT.

Waiting for the school bus. It has rained nearly every morning!

This picture was taken at the Columbia County State Fair, Labor Day weekend. Good times.
Finn, Leah, Liam, Luke, and Skyler - biggest bunch of trouble you ever did see!

Bouncy Boy...

Here's a little clip of Finnster on the trampoline early one August morning...

Finn's Birthday Video

I know it was almost a month ago, but here's the video from Finn's birthday.

Liam started first grade yesterday, I started my job this week. We are all well, just adjusting to the new, very busy schedule. More pics and videos soon!

Summer of Bliss

I have always believed in notions such as: 'good things come to those who wait,' 'what goes around comes around,' and 'everything happens for a reason.' This summer is proving all those things to be true. Bill landed an awesome job and even I landed a job better than I could have imagined! A part-time school librarian job!!! Those rarely turn up and I feel so so lucky to have the chance to do what I love professionally, yet still be home 2.5 days of the week to be mommy all day long to Finn and get Liam off the bus, etc. Lucky, lucky, lucky, I tell ya.

This summer I have spent days at the beach (oceans and lakeside), biking along beautiful tree and sand dune lined bike paths, hiking mountains, swimming, picnic-ing under shady trees...truly the summer of bliss. Last night we celebrated Finn's 2nd birthday - his first in NY. I just can't say enough about being home. And while I miss my TX friends and family so so much, it is simply heaven to be in a place where my heart seems to beat in time with its surroundings.

This here is clearly Liam's "magnum" face.

Snyder's Lake - very tasty according to Finn...

Birthday boy's gluten/everything free cupcakes. The recipe came from the famous Babycakes bakery in NYC. The cupcakes (vanilla, with a hint of lemon), were actually very, very good. The chocolate frosting, however, was a complete bust. Probably had to throw away $20 of fancy pants ingredients...and ended up frosting them with Pillsbury's fudge in a can...not the greatest, but Finn can eat it and it seemed like most of the kids did not notice they were eating a very special cupcake. (I made an eggy/buttery brownie for us who know better.)
Young lovers frolicking in the fields...
I am pretty sure Finn imprinted on Skyler a few weeks ago. It's set in stone...
Not sure what's going on with these two...holding hands? They are the best of buds.
Billbers home for Finny's birthday was the best gift of all.
My view - all day, every day...well Jen and Skyler aren't always there...but geese (on the lake) sure are. (My war with them begins again...)


This is one of my favorite shots. The boys on the tree swing....right outside my door. :)
Oh, those two again!
Time to devour gluten, dairy, egg, nut-free cupcakes!!!
TRUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He can't get enough of them.
Frosting gone amuck!

I apologize...

I feel like apologizing....in my old life...the one I was living about 14 days ago, I had wi-fi at every corner, a computer or handheld device within inches 24/7. Now...I am out by the lake (too wet and dirty to even dare bring my phone), or tromping around on the hill, or simply 'out of range.' There's not even '3G' most of the places I drive!

So, the apology part is because, in my old life people knew what I was up to....so....in writing this...I have no idea who I am apologizing to because, certainly, there cannot be very many people missing my multiple daily updates on Facebook. BUT, I do know that there are people who might be missing ME...because I am missing them. It's so weird to not know what they are doing today...or yesterday....or when they have a dentist appointment or what time they're all meeting at Finch Park....Alas, I've been through this before - facebook kept me "in-the-know" with the daily/weekly doings of my friends in NY...but coming back is not the same. In Texas I was connected to my little black box, here, I have no desire to 'check-in.' Which in many ways is very, very good. But, in one way - the way where I feel remotely connected to people I love far away - it's not so good.

So...I guess this post is just about missing my friends in Texas. Dear friends, I am so, so happy to be back home, but know, that I miss each of you so very much.

The week in photos...

Well, technically, the last nine or so days....I stink at putting them in order when uploading, so forgive the sequence. Above you have Liam riding sans training wheels in our driveway.

Here's Finn at the Old Chatham Sheepherder's farm. While he's allergic to everything they sell, he is not allergic to the livestock!

This is us driving up our road with the truck. Many of the roads here are like this - winding and hugged by trees. I feel so nestled and secure all the time. I think that is one of the biggest differences between here and there.
And here's our 'front yard' so to speak. (For the time being.) It is the most magical, wonderful place to me.

Today we went to the summit of Mt. Greylock in Mass. We hiked about a half mile of the Appalachian Trail - It was a SUPER steep section and I had Finn in the backpack. We decided to take the car down about 2500 feet to a less steep trail which was a great idea.



And flashback to moving day - the truck empty...
And the truck busting at the seams...
Liam in the passenger seat - he rode shot gun nearly the entire trip!
This does not look steep, but it WAS, I swear! And now I see why Bill wanted to take this shot...
Best buds...
Billbers keeping watch...
Scenic overlook on the way up Mt. Greylock.
Finnster at the summit.
Finn loaning a big wheel from a friend.

Settling in...

Well, we're here. It's been one whole week since we pulled up. It seems like an eternity ago...and yet, it seems like yesterday I was licking Amber's frosting from my lips and hugging my dear Texas friends good-bye.

It's hard to explain how I feel. I was never unhappy in Texas, maybe in the beginning a little...but now that I am back home...I just feel....better. Better overall, even though I have no home of my own and an uncertain future (financially). I feel perfectly grounded and where I belong.

Here's a recap of the last week:

-The house:

Despite the maximum amount of grief a picky, partially psychotic buyer can give, we did finally close on our house. It actually finalized while we were somewhere across Tennessee. I fear for my dear sweet neighbors....

-The drive:

Amazingly, I had no problem! I thought I'd be falling asleep at the wheel, losing sensation in my butt, however, it appears that driving long distances suits me. Except for one puking incident after a harried lunch at the dirtiest McDonald's we've ever seen, Finny did great. Liam rode up in the big truck with his dad. Apparently, he did not watch one video or play a single video game. When I asked him what he and daddy were doing all those hours in the truck, he replied, "Just talking and singing rock music." Suffice to say, my six year old can now sing some Beastie Boys lyrics I am hoping he will forget before school starts in September.

The break down of our drive (in case you want to drive to us from Texas):

Day 1 - 6.5 hours Dallas to Forrest City, Arkansas

Day 2 - 12-ish hours to Wytheville, Virginia

Day 3 - 6.5 hours to just outside Harrisburg, Pennsylvania -we decided to take an extra day, because we were all worn from so many hours in the car

Day 4 - 5 hours to the house on the lake (near Albany, NY)

The reunions:

Blissful