This is our yard after the last rain a few days ago… thankfully, only a little puddle came in and was met by a pile of towels in front of the basement door. But, I’m thinking the holding our breath and crossing our fingers approach won’t be a sufficient long-term plan. Sigh.

Walking… @[468145629903112:274:Fort Ritchie at Cascade]

Walking

Taking hearing protection seriously…. ha!

Smiley Cukes
~~~
Thanks, neighbor, for sharing your garden goodness. 🙂

Walking, with Joe, through Dan Ryanville…. sigh…

Joe at a Payphone. Does anyone use these anymore?
Reminded him of this song… http://youtu.be/SOUwxaAmoAk (“explicit” lyrics, but funny)

My enthusiastic walking buddy…

The Girl with No Name
~~~
Seven years ago today, Baby Petite #3 arrived in the world after almost being born in the car. Even with this big book of names Joe brought me when he came to meet his new baby sister, it still took us another day to decide on a name. But, then our nameless newborn became, Zofia Roze Petite; more than just third in line, but a force that would shift the dynamics of our family and cause us all to grow in new ways. Happy Birthday to Zofia!

The Girl with No Name
~~~
Seven years ago today, Baby Petite #3 arrived in the world after almost being born in the car. Even with this big book of names Joe brought me when he came to meet his new baby sister, it still took us another day to decide on a name. But, then our nameless newborn became, Zofia Roze Petite; more than just third in line, but a force that would shift the dynamics of our family and cause us all to grow in new ways. Happy Birthday to Zofia; the apple of my eye… or, the tomato

Late night movie with Joe. We recently read The Giver. The movie was pretty good.

Trimester 2 commences… bring it on! 🙂

Precious cargo heading your way!

Isn’t this an oxymoron? MallWart… sigh…

I’m in my second trimester now with MUIH, and though I attend on-line, I have been wanting to check out the actual campus, which is only about an hour away. Today, I took Joe to one of his travel hockey games nearby, so on the way home we stopped for a quick tour. Good energy!

Fun Day with Joe
~~~
Today, I took Joe to Reistertown for one of his travel hockey games. His team didn’t win, but he enjoyed his first game of the season, anyway, and was consoled by lunch at Roots Market on the way home!

Fun Day with Joe
~~~
Today, I took Joe to Reistertown for one of his travel hockey games. His team didn’t win, but he enjoyed his first game of the season, anyway, and was consoled by lunch at Roots Market on the way home!

Saturday Hockey Game
~~~
Today, I took Joe to Reistertown for one of his travel hockey games. His team didn’t win, but he enjoyed his first game of the season, anyway, and was happy to see his buddy, Graydon. 🙂

Fun Day with Joe
~~~
Today, I took Joe to Reistertown for one of his travel hockey games. His team didn’t win, but he enjoyed his first game of the season, anyway, and was consoled by lunch at Roots Market on the way home!

Not exactly how Joe envisioned his first hockey tournament of the season… just a sprain, though. Go Bulldogs!

Saturday morning soccer with Joe… warming up before the game…

“Where dreams come to die” ~ @[100002256238606:2048:Flo Petite]

Just a little time in the great outdoors…

Apparently, I’m the only one who finds faux fur collars annoying… I think I’ve exhausted my coat search…. If you see me sporting a coat with a fuzzy hood, I have given up… :-p

Connecting with Conner on the way to @[108178322578174:274:Playlist Live]

Homeschoolers are all about uniformity 😛

Re-purposed Room
~~~
Our awkwardly shaped “great room” has been re-purposed many times in the past ten years, having been a sitting room, a homeschool/play room, a hockey rink, and just a catch-all for things that didn’t fit elsewhere… So, let’s try dining room/library/overflow of guitars and djembe drums room for awhile, and see how that works! 🙂

Just for the record, I am never doing this again! 😛

I’ve been studying a lot this week and been a bit distracted. So, when Zofia said she was going to “help” me and clean out the container cabinet, it didn’t quite register…. until later, when I went downstairs and saw the counter. “Oh, that stuff doesn’t fit anymore,” she says. Ok Zofia. Good job! We have too many containers, anyway. 🙂

Saturday afternoon out with Joe

It’s hard to believe, but Joe turned 12 yesterday! Where has the time gone? We had such a rough start his first year, I feel so blessed to see him healthy and happy twelve years later! We were so busy doing birthday things, we didn’t get a lot of pictures. But, he had a great day and is ready to make the most of this last year before the “teens!” Love you Joe!

Happy Holidays 2014
~~~
Our annual attempt at holiday family photos…. This year went surprisingly well! There was no teasing or complaining about standing still for five minutes. I guess we are maturing! Fa la la la la!

Happy Holidays 2014
~~~
Our annual attempt at holiday family photos…. This year went surprisingly well! There was no teasing or complaining about standing still for five minutes. I guess we are maturing! Fa la la la la!

Hugs and Smiles
~~~
Flo loving on Twizzie and Jayme’s classic smile… love it!

Thank you for the grapefruits, @[747388209:2048:Jessica]!

With two sick kids at home, and a big workload for graduate school, I’m not sure whether to spray myself with “focus” or “healing!”

Joe, just relaxing

Shiny & New… for now…
~~~
Our 11 year-old fridge bit the dust this week, and since the stove was not far behind, we replaced both… They look so shiny and new… completely not in keeping with the rest of the house! 😛

An enlightening way to spend a few hours… @[710266867:2048:Deane], Flo and Darren took you up on your challenge! I, on the other hand, think I am challenged enough for now… 😛

Time to make green juice… Bruno is eyeing the apples… his favorite. 🙂

Spring is coming… and we are faced with a thought-provoking dilemma; find a new lawn guy or buy a lawn mower…

@[606702166:2048:Darren] took Joe and Zofia to the monthly drum circle. Joe needed some nudging to get going this time, but seemed to get in the “zone” once he got there. Zofia was as enthusiastic, as always!

We saw some big construction going on at the end of the Martin’s plaza in North Hagerstown and got excited that something “good” might be coming in. I wasn’t holding my breath for a juice bar, vegetarian restaurant or groovy used book store or anything like that, but was thinking maybe something fun to liven up the plaza would be great. But, it looks like Meineke muffler is moving in… Yipee. 😛

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home… Well, I guess our heart has a crack in it… A little flood under the sink is a fun way to start off the weekend! But, apparently our Moen composite sink is still under warranty (15 years), so crossing our fingers it is covered! <3

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home… Well, I guess our heart has a crack in it… A little flood under the sink is a fun way to start off the weekend! But, apparently our Moen composite sink is still under warranty (15 years), so crossing our fingers it is covered! <3

We are such lurkers…

Thank you to Carol Reece for inviting me to speak about my health experiences at the The New Earth Granary today, and for the yummy foods she prepared! And a big thanks to the attendees for your thoughtful questions and sharing you experiences, as well! And, most importantly, thanks for eating all of my chocolate tart so I didn’t have to take any home!

Thank you to Carol Reece for inviting me to speak about my health experiences at the The New Earth Granary today, and for the yummy foods she prepared! And a big thanks to the attendees for your thoughtful questions and sharing you experiences, as well! And, most importantly, thanks for eating all of my chocolate tart so I didn’t have to take any home!

Thank you to Carol Reece for inviting me to speak about my health experiences at the The New Earth Granary today, and for the yummy foods she prepared! And a big thanks to the attendees for your thoughtful questions and sharing you experiences, as well! And, most importantly, thanks for eating all of my chocolate tart so I didn’t have to take any home!

Thank you to Carol Reece for inviting me to speak about my health experiences at the The New Earth Granary today, and for the yummy foods she prepared! And a big thanks to the attendees for your thoughtful questions and sharing you experiences, as well! And, most importantly, thanks for eating all of my chocolate tart so I didn’t have to take any home!

Aquamarine Reflections
~~~
On the way through Berkeley Springs today, this door on a local church caught my eye. It made me think of my grandmother, Florence, and the aquamarine color that seemed to be of favorite of hers and one I remember in much of her attire and even bathroom decor. So, of course, I had to stop and take a few pictures of Flo!

Aquamarine Reflections
~~~
My grandmother, Florence, and my dad, Joseph, at my parent’s wedding in April of 1969.

Aquamarine Reflections
~~~
On the way through Berkeley Springs today, this door on a local church caught my eye. It made me think of my grandmother, Florence, and the aquamarine color that seemed to be of favorite of hers and one I remember in much of her attire and even bathroom decor. So, of course, I had to stop and take a few pictures of Flo!

Springtime Memories with the LeBlanc’s
~~~
Tina (Darren’s sister) & Rod and their kids came down again this year for Easter. We shopped a bit, we sat in the sun a bit, we chatted, I worked diligently on my case summaries for graduate school, Zofia got sick, the dog threw up dinner leftovers, we coordinated a family photo, basketball was played, chocolate bunnies appeared mysteriously in the night, and more Springtime memories were made.

Springtime Memories with the LeBlanc’s
~~~
Tina (Darren’s sister) & Rod and their kids came down again this year for Easter. We shopped a bit, we sat in the sun a bit, we chatted, I worked diligently on my case summaries for graduate school, Zofia got sick, the dog threw up dinner leftovers, we coordinated a family photo, basketball was played, chocolate bunnies appeared mysteriously in the night, and more Springtime memories were made.

Springtime Memories with the LeBlanc’s
~~~
Tina (Darren’s sister) & Rod and their kids came down again this year for Easter. We shopped a bit, we sat in the sun a bit, we chatted, I worked diligently on my case summaries for graduate school, Zofia got sick, the dog threw up dinner leftovers, we coordinated a family photo, basketball was played, chocolate bunnies appeared mysteriously in the night, and more Springtime memories were made.

This is what it took to get a group shot… first trying to coordinate everyone… then, Grandma Carroll was behind the camera and was accidentally holding her finger down on the shutter button of my phone which takes like 10 pictures per second… Springtime Memories with the LeBlanc’s

Whoops… where did the day go? This is the best picture I got today… taking a break from yard work! Happy anniversary @[606702166:2048:Darren]! Wow… twenty-two years… Does this make us experts? 🙂 <3

A little gardening therapy was in order this past week… my first attempt at a keyhole garden

A little gardening therapy was in order this past week… my first attempt at a keyhole garden

A little gardening therapy was in order this past week… my first attempt at a keyhole garden

Rehydrating

Clear a path! Flo is now “permitted” to learn to drive!

Mother’s Day 2015
~~~
Mother’s Day started off with a visit from Grandma and ended with a late night “bounce-a-thon” in the basement with my three great kids. In between there was laundry, studying, a trip to Lowe’s to get a weed-wacker, pretty flowers, raw chocolate, a walk under the stars, some good discussions and some deep, motherly reflections. 🙂

Mother’s Day 2015
~~~
Mother’s Day started off with a visit from Grandma and ended with a late night “bounce-a-thon” in the basement with my three great kids. In between there was laundry, studying, a trip to Lowe’s to get a weed-wacker, pretty flowers, raw chocolate, a walk under the stars, some good discussions and some deep, motherly reflections. 🙂

Mother’s Day 2015
~~~
Mother’s Day started off with a visit from Grandma and ended with a late night “bounce-a-thon” in the basement with my three great kids. In between there was laundry, studying, a trip to Lowe’s to get a weed-wacker, pretty flowers, raw chocolate, a walk under the stars, some good discussions and some deep, motherly reflections. 🙂

Mother’s Day 2015
~~~
Mother’s Day started off with a visit from Grandma and ended with a late night “bounce-a-thon” in the basement with my three great kids. In between there was laundry, studying, a trip to Lowe’s to get a weed-wacker, pretty flowers, raw chocolate, a walk under the stars, some good discussions and some deep, motherly reflections. 🙂

Boonsboro Greenfest 2015
~~~
We woke up late Saturday morning and realized the Boonsboro Greenfest was today! Weren’t we just there? Where did the year go? The guys were away for hockey, so we got ourselves together and headed over. It was a beautiful day and we were happy to check out some of the neat vendors and bump into many friends!

Boonsboro Greenfest 2015
~~~
We woke up late Saturday morning and realized the Boonsboro Greenfest was today! Weren’t we just there? Where did the year go? The guys were away for hockey, so we got ourselves together and headed over. It was a beautiful day and we were happy to check out some of the neat vendors and bump into many friends!

Boonsboro Greenfest 2015
~~~
We woke up late Saturday morning and realized the Boonsboro Greenfest was today! Weren’t we just there? Where did the year go? The guys were away for hockey, so we got ourselves together and headed over. It was a beautiful day and we were happy to check out some of the neat vendors and bump into many friends!

Boonsboro Greenfest 2015
~~~
We woke up late Saturday morning and realized the Boonsboro Greenfest was today! Weren’t we just there? Where did the year go? The guys were away for hockey, so we got ourselves together and headed over. It was a beautiful day and we were happy to check out some of the neat vendors and bump into many friends!

Sunday Outing w/ The Girls
~~~
We headed out to Hancock, MD today, as Flo had a performance with Evolution Rock School. When the show was over, we headed down the road to Berkeley Springs. Zofia was thrilled to splash around in the springs and Flo and her friend, Hannah, checked out the little shops. We stopped at the little health food store on our way out of town for a snack, and just as we were leaving, a torrential downpour started. Despite a very slow drive home in the heavy rain, it was sunny when it needed to be and it was a very nice day!

Sunday Outing w/ The Girls
~~~
We headed out to Hancock, MD today, as Flo had a performance with Evolution Rock School. When the show was over, we headed down the road to Berkeley Springs. Zofia was thrilled to splash around in the springs and Flo and her friend, Hannah, checked out the little shops. We stopped at the little health food store on our way out of town for a snack, and just as we were leaving, a torrential downpour started. Despite a very slow drive home in the heavy rain, it was sunny when it needed to be and it was a very nice day!

Sunday Outing w/ The Girls
~~~
We headed out to Hancock, MD today, as Flo had a performance with Evolution Rock School. When the show was over, we headed down the road to Berkeley Springs. Zofia was thrilled to splash around in the springs and Flo and her friend, Hannah, checked out the little shops. We stopped at the little health food store on our way out of town for a snack, and just as we were leaving, a torrential downpour started. Despite a very slow drive home in the heavy rain, it was sunny when it needed to be and it was a very nice day!

Sunday Outing w/ The Girls
~~~
We headed out to Hancock, MD today, as Flo had a performance with Evolution Rock School. When the show was over, we headed down the road to Berkeley Springs. Zofia was thrilled to splash around in the springs and Flo and her friend, Hannah, checked out the little shops. We stopped at the little health food store on our way out of town for a snack, and just as we were leaving, a torrential downpour started. Despite a very slow drive home in the heavy rain, it was sunny when it needed to be and it was a very nice day!

PHLiC Spring 2015 Teen Social
~~~
Flo and Jayme trying to do a corny prom photo pose…

PHLiC Spring 2015 Teen Social
~~~
We helped organize a “dance” for the teens in our homeschooling group tonight. It was a nice evening, complete with good friends and great weather!

PHLiC Spring 2015 Teen Social
~~~
Flo and Ethan trying to ruin a good photo with nerdy expressions!

PHLiC Spring 2015 Teen Social
~~~
Moms in the parking lot…

PHLiC Spring 2015 Teen Social
~~~
Flo, looking thrilled with my photographic efforts…

PHLiC Spring 2015 Teen Social
~~~
We helped organize a “dance” for the teens in our homeschooling group tonight. It was a nice evening, complete with good friends and great weather!

PHLiC Spring 2015 Teen Social
~~~
We helped organize a “dance” for the teens in our homeschooling group tonight. It was a nice evening, complete with good friends and great weather!

PHLiC Spring 2015 Teen Social
~~~
Decorating crew blowing up balloons!

My walking partners are not setting a pace worthy of calling this exercise, but it sure is a nice night for a stroll through the park!

Avoidance
~~~
There was housework and studying to be done at home, but neither Darren nor I could focus with the weather being so nice out. So, we headed to Frederick to pick up Flo after a sleepover. While there, we met up at The Common Market with our friend, Anh Thu for a chat, and said hello to her cute doggies.

Avoidance
~~~
There was housework and studying to be done at home, but neither Darren nor I could focus with the weather being so nice out. So, we headed to Frederick to pick up Flo after a sleepover. While there, we met up at The Common Market with our friend, Anh Thu for a chat, and said hello to her cute doggies.

Avoidance
~~~
There was housework and studying to be done at home, but neither Darren nor I could focus with the weather being so nice out. So, we headed to Frederick to pick up Flo after a sleepover. While there, we met up at The Common Market with our friend, Anh Thu for a chat, and said hello to her cute doggies.

Avoidance
~~~
There was housework and studying to be done at home, but neither Darren nor I could focus with the weather being so nice out. So, we headed to Frederick to pick up Flo after a sleepover. While there, we met up at The Common Market with our friend, Anh Thu for a chat, and said hello to her cute doggies.

Cheers
~~~
Just stopping to smell the flowers… and the abandoned beer cans… We couldn’t miss this classic Hagerstown photo-op, walking through the park with Flo and Zofia.

Flo is lost in contemplative thought, but Dusty is REALLY excited about the new location of the rock school!

DC Green Festival 2015
~~~
Lunch from Khepra’s Raw Food Juice Bar and chatting with friends were the highlights of our daytrip to the DC Green Festival! And, I think Darren is now obsessed with tiny houses… or moving to a self-sustainable village in Central America! LOL

DC Green Festival 2015
~~~
Lunch from Khepra’s Raw Food Juice Bar and chatting with friends were the highlights of our daytrip to the DC Green Festival! And, I think Darren is now obsessed with tiny houses… or moving to a self-sustainable village in Central America! LOL

DC Green Festival 2015
~~~
Lunch from Khepra’s Raw Food Juice Bar and chatting with friends were the highlights of our daytrip to the DC Green Festival! And, I think Darren is now obsessed with tiny houses… or moving to a self-sustainable village in Central America! LOL

DC Green Festival 2015
~~~
Lunch from Khepra’s Raw Food Juice Bar and chatting with friends were the highlights of our daytrip to the DC Green Festival! And, I think Darren is now obsessed with tiny houses… or moving to a self-sustainable village in Central America! LOL

Just lounging at Goodwill before guitar lessons…

Just “lurking” in Greencastle parking lot. 😛

Reality Relief
~~~
So, I stayed up until almost 6am working on a project for school, and went to bed calculating the minutes I would get to sleep before having to get up to go pick up Flo from driver’s ed class.Unfortunately, I was startled awake around 10:30am by a bad dream. In the dream, I just found out @[606702166:2048:Darren] had signed a lease on a huge building with an Olympic-size pool for $10,000/month,. And, not only that, he reserved a “premium parking spot” (we were in California) for an additional $4,000/month! I was running around trying to find paperwork and figure out how we were going to pay for all this, and, what in the heck had possessed Darren, when I was jolted awake by my unconscious desire to return to reality!Sometimes reality is a relief! But, I think I’ll go review our budget! Happy day!

Couchsurfing Conversations
~~~
We were happy to host couchsurfing friend, Margie, last night as she heads north on vacation. She is a life coach, so it was nice to pick her brain a bit and hear about what she’s up to at the @[208302019281952:274:Floyd EcoVillage]. 🙂

Father’s Day 2015
~~~
We always try to get photos together on special days. But, this year, Zofia was in a snarly mood and wanted nothing to do with being photographed… except that she really DID want to be in the photo, but couldn’t admit it, because then she would have to stop being mad about whatever it is she was grumping about (maybe it was the fact that Daddy hadn’t got a chance to weed-wack yet). Just a day in the life for a great dad!

Father’s Day 2015
~~~
We always try to get photos together on special days. But, this year, Zofia was in a snarly mood and wanted nothing to do with being photographed… except that she really DID want to be in the photo, but couldn’t admit it, because then she would have to stop being mad about whatever it is she was grumping about (maybe it was the fact that Daddy hadn’t got a chance to weed-wack yet). Just a day in the life for a great dad!

Father’s Day 2015
~~~
We always try to get photos together on special days. But, this year, Zofia was in a snarly mood and wanted nothing to do with being photographed… except that she really DID want to be in the photo, but couldn’t admit it, because then she would have to stop being mad about whatever it is she was grumping about (maybe it was the fact that Daddy hadn’t got a chance to weed-wack yet). Just a day in the life for a great dad!

Weekend Bed-Building Adventure
~~~
Zofia has a tiny room with a small closet, so her clothes are often strewn around, as she dumps the bins of clothes to find things and doesn’t stack them back up… which is understandable… They’re unwieldly for a seven year-old to pick up. So, I’ve had a vision of building her a platform bed, which she could slide her bins under, but energy and time never quite matched up to get it done.This weekend, I went to Lowe’s twice with the intention to get all the materials, but got overwhelmed about halfway through and retreated into the breezy Summer eve, feeling somewhat relieved, yet unfulfilled. But, on Saturday afternoon, compelled by a sudden burst of energy and inexplicable inspiration, I returned to Lowe’s, resolving to stick with it this time, and get all the materials we’d need.My plan (inspired by Instructables.com) relied on having Lowe’s cut all the wood pieces in the store, because we don’t have a power saw. But, they couldn’t cut the leg pieces there, so I was contemplating buying a saw when we ran into our friends, Max and Karen, purchasing supplies for their own home improvement adventure. Max graciously offered to cut the leg pieces for us, and even delivered them! So, my bed-building energy was not thwarted, after all!

I arrived home around 8pm with the supplies, and Darren and I started building the bed shortly after. Despite our rapidly waning energy, we were an effective bed-building team, finishing up around 1am. I stayed up a little longer to sand everything, so we could paint it the next day. By the time I went to bed, sometime around 3am, I was questioning whether I’d be able to get up the next morning.

But, thanks to the restorative power of sleep, I awoke, on Sunday, inspired [enough] to forge onward with our bed-building adventure! After a few more hours of priming and painting, and disassembling and reassembling, Zofia is now the proud new owner of a very tall orange bed with lots of storage underneath!

I know it’s just a bed, but I feel like I victoriously just finished an endurance race! Thanks to my sponsors and support crew who helped make this vision a reality! LOL 🙂

Weekend Bed-Building Adventure
~~~
Zofia has a tiny room with a small closet, so her clothes are often strewn around, as she dumps the bins of clothes to find things and doesn’t stack them back up… which is understandable… They’re unwieldly for a seven year-old to pick up. So, I’ve had a vision of building her a platform bed, which she could slide her bins under, but energy and time never quite matched up to get it done.This weekend, I went to Lowe’s twice with the intention to get all the materials, but got overwhelmed about halfway through and retreated into the breezy Summer eve, feeling somewhat relieved, yet unfulfilled. But, on Saturday afternoon, compelled by a sudden burst of energy and inexplicable inspiration, I returned to Lowe’s, resolving to stick with it this time, and get all the materials we’d need.My plan (inspired by Instructables.com) relied on having Lowe’s cut all the wood pieces in the store, because we don’t have a power saw. But, they couldn’t cut the leg pieces there, so I was contemplating buying a saw when we ran into our friends, Max and Karen, purchasing supplies for their own home improvement adventure. Max graciously offered to cut the leg pieces for us, and even delivered them! So, my bed-building energy was not thwarted, after all!

I arrived home around 8pm with the supplies, and Darren and I started building the bed shortly after. Despite our rapidly waning energy, we were an effective bed-building team, finishing up around 1am. I stayed up a little longer to sand everything, so we could paint it the next day. By the time I went to bed, sometime around 3am, I was questioning whether I’d be able to get up the next morning.

But, thanks to the restorative power of sleep, I awoke, on Sunday, inspired [enough] to forge onward with our bed-building adventure! After a few more hours of priming and painting, and disassembling and reassembling, Zofia is now the proud new owner of a very tall orange bed with lots of storage underneath!

I know it’s just a bed, but I feel like I victoriously just finished an endurance race! Thanks to my sponsors and support crew who helped make this vision a reality! LOL 🙂

Weekend Bed-Building Adventure
~~~
Zofia has a tiny room with a small closet, so her clothes are often strewn around, as she dumps the bins of clothes to find things and doesn’t stack them back up… which is understandable… They’re unwieldly for a seven year-old to pick up. So, I’ve had a vision of building her a platform bed, which she could slide her bins under, but energy and time never quite matched up to get it done.This weekend, I went to Lowe’s twice with the intention to get all the materials, but got overwhelmed about halfway through and retreated into the breezy Summer eve, feeling somewhat relieved, yet unfulfilled. But, on Saturday afternoon, compelled by a sudden burst of energy and inexplicable inspiration, I returned to Lowe’s, resolving to stick with it this time, and get all the materials we’d need.My plan (inspired by Instructables.com) relied on having Lowe’s cut all the wood pieces in the store, because we don’t have a power saw. But, they couldn’t cut the leg pieces there, so I was contemplating buying a saw when we ran into our friends, Max and Karen, purchasing supplies for their own home improvement adventure. Max graciously offered to cut the leg pieces for us, and even delivered them! So, my bed-building energy was not thwarted, after all!

I arrived home around 8pm with the supplies, and Darren and I started building the bed shortly after. Despite our rapidly waning energy, we were an effective bed-building team, finishing up around 1am. I stayed up a little longer to sand everything, so we could paint it the next day. By the time I went to bed, sometime around 3am, I was questioning whether I’d be able to get up the next morning.

But, thanks to the restorative power of sleep, I awoke, on Sunday, inspired [enough] to forge onward with our bed-building adventure! After a few more hours of priming and painting, and disassembling and reassembling, Zofia is now the proud new owner of a very tall orange bed with lots of storage underneath!

I know it’s just a bed, but I feel like I victoriously just finished an endurance race! Thanks to my sponsors and support crew who helped make this vision a reality! LOL 🙂

Weekend Bed-Building Adventure
~~~
Zofia has a tiny room with a small closet, so her clothes are often strewn around, as she dumps the bins of clothes to find things and doesn’t stack them back up… which is understandable… They’re unwieldly for a seven year-old to pick up. So, I’ve had a vision of building her a platform bed, which she could slide her bins under, but energy and time never quite matched up to get it done.This weekend, I went to Lowe’s twice with the intention to get all the materials, but got overwhelmed about halfway through and retreated into the breezy Summer eve, feeling somewhat relieved, yet unfulfilled. But, on Saturday afternoon, compelled by a sudden burst of energy and inexplicable inspiration, I returned to Lowe’s, resolving to stick with it this time, and get all the materials we’d need.My plan (inspired by Instructables.com) relied on having Lowe’s cut all the wood pieces in the store, because we don’t have a power saw. But, they couldn’t cut the leg pieces there, so I was contemplating buying a saw when we ran into our friends, Max and Karen, purchasing supplies for their own home improvement adventure. Max graciously offered to cut the leg pieces for us, and even delivered them! So, my bed-building energy was not thwarted, after all!

I arrived home around 8pm with the supplies, and Darren and I started building the bed shortly after. Despite our rapidly waning energy, we were an effective bed-building team, finishing up around 1am. I stayed up a little longer to sand everything, so we could paint it the next day. By the time I went to bed, sometime around 3am, I was questioning whether I’d be able to get up the next morning.

But, thanks to the restorative power of sleep, I awoke, on Sunday, inspired [enough] to forge onward with our bed-building adventure! After a few more hours of priming and painting, and disassembling and reassembling, Zofia is now the proud new owner of a very tall orange bed with lots of storage underneath!

I know it’s just a bed, but I feel like I victoriously just finished an endurance race! Thanks to my sponsors and support crew who helped make this vision a reality! LOL 🙂

Kittens Looking for Forever Homes
~~~
My mom rescued five kittens from under a neighbor’s porch. She has taken them for their first vet check, and they have tested negative for feline diseases and got a clean bill of health. If you are interested, let me know, and I’ll give you her number. 🙂

Feisty Fred
~~~
My mom (Carroll) is fostering five kittens she rescued from underneath an elderly neighbor’s porch… one found a permanent home a few days ago… and today, our neighbor, Nicole, and family, decided to adopt two more of them. The remaining two have less friendly temperaments, especially “Feisty Fred,” as my mom has named him. Joe talked me into letting us “kittysit” Fred for a night or two, but we really cannot have a cat… Anyone have a lot of time and patience for a kitty needing some extra TLC?

Feisty Fred
~~~
My mom (Carroll) is fostering five kittens she rescued from underneath an elderly neighbor’s porch… one found a permanent home a few days ago… and today, our neighbor, Nicole, and family, decided to adopt two more of them. The remaining two have less friendly temperaments, especially “Feisty Fred,” as my mom has named him. Joe talked me into letting us “kittysit” Fred for a night or two, but we really cannot have a cat… Anyone have a lot of time and patience for a kitty needing some extra TLC?

Feisty Fred
~~~
My mom (Carroll) is fostering five kittens she rescued from underneath an elderly neighbor’s porch… one found a permanent home a few days ago… and today, our neighbor, Nicole, and family, decided to adopt two more of them. The remaining two have less friendly temperaments, especially “Feisty Fred,” as my mom has named him. Joe talked me into letting us “kittysit” Fred for a night or two, but we really cannot have a cat… Anyone have a lot of time and patience for a kitty needing some extra TLC?

Morning with Margie
~~~
Our produce co-op delivery came early today, so I was up in time for a little reflective conversation with our couchsurfer, @[556249619:2048:Margie]. before she headed back home to Floyd. Safe travels! 🙂

Isn’t It Ironic?
~~~
I love that I am pursuing a degree in health & wellness, yet in that pursuit, I am sitting on my butt hours everyday in front of the computer. I’m working on a final project for a nutrition class and fighting off the need for distraction… With my health in mind, I was just going to go take a break to go walk… then realized it’s raining. Nice. Well, it must be a sign to stay with the process of finishing this project! Digging deep into my energy reserves tonight. Thank you for participating in my momentary distraction! 🙂

Chillin’

Feisty Fred is in the House… again…
~~~
Fred is back! This guy is the last of the litter my mom found under a neighbor’s porch. His siblings have all found permanent homes, but Fred is looking for someone to give him a chance. He hisses a bit when we try to pick him up, but once we do, he will sit calmly with us and likes a good ear rub. He’s going to need a home with someone who has time to show him some extra love and attention. He’s had his initial vet check-up and is in good health. I would ALMOST think of keeping him ourselves, but Joe is definitely allergic (as he’s noticed handling Fred) and, as much as I love cats, I just can’t add the whole litter box routine to my life right now, anyway. So, if you know anyone who might be interested in giving Fred a good home, please pass this along. Thanks!

Miscommunication
~~~
Joe was home for a couple hours by himself after Grandma dropped him off and we were heading home from DC. I texted him to let him know when we’d be home. Sometimes texting is ridiculous. I was wavering between images of police at the door to something about hockey (the Washington Capitals “Caps”). Jeesh!

Budget Litter Box
~~~
My mom left the last kitty, Fred, with us to foster for a week or so, and hopefully find a good home for him, while she’s on vacation. She left him a tiny little litter pan and a scoop. To avoid having to deal with cat poo as much as possible, we devised this (after seeing a top entry litter box at PetSmart for $35) from and old Rubbermaid bin and some contractor grade trash bags. This has got me reflecting deeply on the whole topic of waste management….

Budget Litter Box
~~~
My mom left the last kitty, Fred, with us to foster for a week or so, and hopefully find a good home for him, while she’s on vacation. She left him a tiny little litter pan and a scoop. To avoid having to deal with cat poo as much as possible, we devised this (after seeing a top entry litter box at PetSmart for $35) from and old Rubbermaid bin and some contractor grade trash bags. This has got me reflecting deeply on the whole topic of waste management….

Huge Hybrid Squash-Pumpkin?
~~~
We uncovered this huge squash in our compost pile / garden today. Yikes!

Getting It In
~~~
Trying to get in a little exercise, with my support crew, before the daylight and my energy run out!

Where Spontaneity Meets the System
~~~
@[100002256238606:2048:Flo], taking a defiant stand against preparedness! Well, at least for the rest of the summer!

Open Mic Night Tour
~~~
On the road again with the Flo & Hannah Open Mic Night Tour… well, actually, just down to Frederick for an evening out with two creative girls, and Flo’s cousin, Samantha, who tagged along for support.

Open Mic Night Tour
~~~
On the road again with the Flo & Hannah Open Mic Night Tour… well, actually, just down to Frederick for an evening out with two creative girls, and Flo’s cousin, Samantha, who tagged along for support.

Open Mic Night Tour
~~~
On the road again with the Flo & Hannah Open Mic Night Tour… well, actually, just down to Frederick for an evening out with two creative girls, and Flo’s cousin, Samantha, who tagged along for support.

Open Mic Night Tour
~~~
On the road again with the Flo & Hannah Open Mic Night Tour… well, actually, just down to Frederick for an evening out with two creative girls, and Flo’s cousin, Samantha, who tagged along for support.

Animal Rights Conference 2015
~~~
I headed down to Alexandria to ARC 2015. Joe, Flo, her friends Ethan and Hannah, and Samantha joined me for the day. We spent a couple hours at the conference, talked to some inspiring exhibitors and friends, then stopped in Rockville at Whole Foods Market for dinner before heading home. 🙂

Animal Rights Conference 2015
~~~
I headed down to Alexandria to ARC 2015. Joe, Flo, her friends Ethan and Hannah, and Samantha joined me for the day. We spent a couple hours at the conference, talked to some inspiring exhibitors and friends, then stopped in Rockville at Whole Foods Market for dinner before heading home. 🙂

Animal Rights Conference 2015
~~~
I headed down to Alexandria to ARC 2015. Joe, Flo, her friends Ethan and Hannah, and Samantha joined me for the day. We spent a couple hours at the conference, talked to some inspiring exhibitors and friends, then stopped in Rockville at Whole Foods Market for dinner before heading home. 🙂

Animal Rights Conference 2015
~~~
I headed down to Alexandria to ARC 2015. Joe, Flo, her friends Ethan and Hannah, and Samantha joined me for the day. We spent a couple hours at the conference, talked to some inspiring exhibitors and friends, then stopped in Rockville at Whole Foods Market for dinner before heading home. 🙂

Animal Rights Conference 2015
~~~
I headed down to Alexandria to ARC 2015. Joe, Flo, her friends Ethan and Hannah, and Samantha joined me for the day. We spent a couple hours at the conference, talked to some inspiring exhibitors and friends, then stopped in Rockville at Whole Foods Market for dinner before heading home. 🙂

Animal Rights Conference 2015
~~~
I headed down to Alexandria to ARC 2015. Joe, Flo, her friends Ethan and Hannah, and Samantha joined me for the day. We spent a couple hours at the conference, talked to some inspiring exhibitors and friends, then stopped in Rockville at Whole Foods Market for dinner before heading home. 🙂

Animal Rights Conference 2015
~~~
I headed down to Alexandria to ARC 2015. Joe, Flo, her friends Ethan and Hannah, and Samantha joined me for the day. We spent a couple hours at the conference, talked to some inspiring exhibitors and friends, then stopped in Rockville at Whole Foods Market for dinner before heading home. 🙂

Animal Rights Conference 2015
~~~
I headed down to Alexandria to ARC 2015. Joe, Flo, her friends Ethan and Hannah, and Samantha joined me for the day. We spent a couple hours at the conference, talked to some inspiring exhibitors and friends, then stopped in Rockville at Whole Foods Market for dinner before heading home. 🙂

Animal Rights Conference 2015
~~~
I headed down to Alexandria to ARC 2015. Joe, Flo, her friends Ethan and Hannah, and Samantha joined me for the day. We spent a couple hours at the conference, talked to some inspiring exhibitors and friends, then stopped in Rockville at Whole Foods Market for dinner before heading home. 🙂

Animal Rights Conference 2015
~~~
I headed down to Alexandria to ARC 2015. Joe, Flo, her friends Ethan and Hannah, and Samantha joined me for the day. We spent a couple hours at the conference, talked to some inspiring exhibitors and friends, then stopped in Rockville at Whole Foods Market for dinner before heading home. 🙂

Sweet Sixteen
~~~
I know it’s cliché, but I can’t believe sixteen years have gone by already! Flo likes to call herself our “test child,” as our first born, and it’s true, we’ve learned a lot from her. But, despite our possible learning curve and being our inaugural run at parenting, Flo is growing into a self-directed gal with a solid character. Love her! <3For her special day, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan, and, Grandma and Tom, who were there way before us, as usual. We splashed around in the springs, found some tasty tomatoes at the market, went to the Black Cat Music store and strolled around in the sun. On the way home, we stopped at a little park, just over the line in Hancock, Maryland for a few more birthday photos.Flo rounded out the day by seeing “Ant Man” with her buddy, Hannah, which she admitted was much better than its title led her to believe it would be. Happy day!

Sweet Sixteen
~~~
I can’t believe sixteen years have passed. This year, I made Flo a raw vegan lemon poppy seed cake. It was pretty tasty.

Sweet Sixteen
~~~
I know it’s cliché, but I can’t believe sixteen years have gone by already! Flo likes to call herself our “test child,” as our first born, and it’s true, we’ve learned a lot from her. But, despite our possible learning curve and being our inaugural run at parenting, Flo is growing into a self-directed gal with a solid character. Love her! <3For her special day, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan, and, Grandma and Tom, who were there way before us, as usual. We splashed around in the springs, found some tasty tomatoes at the market, went to the Black Cat Music store and strolled around in the sun. On the way home, we stopped at a little park, just over the line in Hancock, Maryland for a few more birthday photos.Flo rounded out the day by seeing “Ant Man” with her buddy, Hannah, which she admitted was much better than its title led her to believe it would be. Happy day!

Sweet Sixteen
~~~
I know it’s cliché, but I can’t believe sixteen years have gone by already! Flo likes to call herself our “test child,” as our first born, and it’s true, we’ve learned a lot from her. But, despite our possible learning curve and being our inaugural run at parenting, Flo is growing into a self-directed gal with a solid character. Love her! <3For her special day, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan, and, Grandma and Tom, who were there way before us, as usual. We splashed around in the springs, found some tasty tomatoes at the market, went to the Black Cat Music store and strolled around in the sun. On the way home, we stopped at a little park, just over the line in Hancock, Maryland for a few more birthday photos.Flo rounded out the day by seeing “Ant Man” with her buddy, Hannah, which she admitted was much better than its title led her to believe it would be. Happy day!

Sweet Sixteen
~~~
I know it’s cliché, but I can’t believe sixteen years have gone by already! Flo likes to call herself our “test child,” as our first born, and it’s true, we’ve learned a lot from her. But, despite our possible learning curve and being our inaugural run at parenting, Flo is growing into a self-directed gal with a solid character. Love her! <3For her special day, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan, and, Grandma and Tom, who were there way before us, as usual. We splashed around in the springs, found some tasty tomatoes at the market, went to the Black Cat Music store and strolled around in the sun. On the way home, we stopped at a little park, just over the line in Hancock, Maryland for a few more birthday photos.Flo rounded out the day by seeing “Ant Man” with her buddy, Hannah, which she admitted was much better than its title led her to believe it would be. Happy day!

Sweet Sixteen
~~~
I know it’s cliché, but I can’t believe sixteen years have gone by already! Flo likes to call herself our “test child,” as our first born, and it’s true, we’ve learned a lot from her. But, despite our possible learning curve and being our inaugural run at parenting, Flo is growing into a self-directed gal with a solid character. Love her! <3For her special day, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan, and, Grandma and Tom, who were there way before us, as usual. We splashed around in the springs, found some tasty tomatoes at the market, went to the Black Cat Music store and strolled around in the sun. On the way home, we stopped at a little park, just over the line in Hancock, Maryland for a few more birthday photos.Flo rounded out the day by seeing “Ant Man” with her buddy, Hannah, which she admitted was much better than its title led her to believe it would be. Happy day!

Sweet Sixteen & Sidekick
~~~
For her birthday, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan.

Splashing in the Springs
~~~
For her birthday, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan, and, Grandma and Tom, who were there way before us, as usual. Joe and Zofia enjoyed splashing around in the springs for a couple hours.

Sweet Sixteen & Sidekick
~~~
For her birthday, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan.

Samantha at the Springs
~~~
For her birthday, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market. Samantha is visiting this week, so she got to tag along!

Sweet Sixteen
~~~
I know it’s cliché, but I can’t believe sixteen years have gone by already! Flo likes to call herself our “test child,” as our first born, and it’s true, we’ve learned a lot from her. But, despite our possible learning curve and being our inaugural run at parenting, Flo is growing into a self-directed gal with a solid character. Love her! <3For her special day, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan, and, Grandma and Tom, who were there way before us, as usual. We splashed around in the springs, found some tasty tomatoes at the market, went to the Black Cat Music store and strolled around in the sun. On the way home, we stopped at a little park, just over the line in Hancock, Maryland for a few more birthday photos.Flo rounded out the day by seeing “Ant Man” with her buddy, Hannah, which she admitted was much better than its title led her to believe it would be. Happy day!

Sweet Sixteen
~~~
I know it’s cliché, but I can’t believe sixteen years have gone by already! Flo likes to call herself our “test child,” as our first born, and it’s true, we’ve learned a lot from her. But, despite our possible learning curve and being our inaugural run at parenting, Flo is growing into a self-directed gal with a solid character. Love her! <3For her special day, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan, and, Grandma and Tom, who were there way before us, as usual. We splashed around in the springs, found some tasty tomatoes at the market, went to the Black Cat Music store and strolled around in the sun. On the way home, we stopped at a little park, just over the line in Hancock, Maryland for a few more birthday photos.Flo rounded out the day by seeing “Ant Man” with her buddy, Hannah, which she admitted was much better than its title led her to believe it would be. Happy day!

Sweet Sixteen
~~~
I know it’s cliché, but I can’t believe sixteen years have gone by already! Flo likes to call herself our “test child,” as our first born, and it’s true, we’ve learned a lot from her. But, despite our possible learning curve and being our inaugural run at parenting, Flo is growing into a self-directed gal with a solid character. Love her! <3For her special day, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan, and, Grandma and Tom, who were there way before us, as usual. We splashed around in the springs, found some tasty tomatoes at the market, went to the Black Cat Music store and strolled around in the sun. On the way home, we stopped at a little park, just over the line in Hancock, Maryland for a few more birthday photos.Flo rounded out the day by seeing “Ant Man” with her buddy, Hannah, which she admitted was much better than its title led her to believe it would be. Happy day!

Sweet Sixteen
~~~
I know it’s cliché, but I can’t believe sixteen years have gone by already! Flo likes to call herself our “test child,” as our first born, and it’s true, we’ve learned a lot from her. But, despite our possible learning curve and being our inaugural run at parenting, Flo is growing into a self-directed gal with a solid character. Love her! <3For her special day, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan, and, Grandma and Tom, who were there way before us, as usual. We splashed around in the springs, found some tasty tomatoes at the market, went to the Black Cat Music store and strolled around in the sun. On the way home, we stopped at a little park, just over the line in Hancock, Maryland for a few more birthday photos.Flo rounded out the day by seeing “Ant Man” with her buddy, Hannah, which she admitted was much better than its title led her to believe it would be. Happy day!

Sweet Sixteen
~~~
I know it’s cliché, but I can’t believe sixteen years have gone by already! Flo likes to call herself our “test child,” as our first born, and it’s true, we’ve learned a lot from her. But, despite our possible learning curve and being our inaugural run at parenting, Flo is growing into a self-directed gal with a solid character. Love her! <3For her special day, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan, and, Grandma and Tom, who were there way before us, as usual. We splashed around in the springs, found some tasty tomatoes at the market, went to the Black Cat Music store and strolled around in the sun. On the way home, we stopped at a little park, just over the line in Hancock, Maryland for a few more birthday photos.Flo rounded out the day by seeing “Ant Man” with her buddy, Hannah, which she admitted was much better than its title led her to believe it would be. Happy day!

Sweet Sixteen
~~~
I know it’s cliché, but I can’t believe sixteen years have gone by already! Flo likes to call herself our “test child,” as our first born, and it’s true, we’ve learned a lot from her. But, despite our possible learning curve and being our inaugural run at parenting, Flo is growing into a self-directed gal with a solid character. Love her! <3For her special day, Flo set the agenda. So, we headed out to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to check out the “art in the park” and farmer’s market and meet up with Ethan, and, Grandma and Tom, who were there way before us, as usual. We splashed around in the springs, found some tasty tomatoes at the market, went to the Black Cat Music store and strolled around in the sun. On the way home, we stopped at a little park, just over the line in Hancock, Maryland for a few more birthday photos.Flo rounded out the day by seeing “Ant Man” with her buddy, Hannah, which she admitted was much better than its title led her to believe it would be. Happy day!

Pit stop on the way to take Samantha back to the airport…

Hundreds of pairs of used hockey skates…. not one decent pair for Joe… but at least we know his size now… 7.5…

Poor Samantha
~~~
We dropped @[692416215:2048:Samantha] off at BWI today (yesterday) around 3:30pm for a 5:45 flight. We watched her get through security and headed out. It’s almost 1am and she’s still sitting in the terminal after multiple delays for a mechanical problem. Not an ideal finale to her week in Maryland, but wishing her a safe flight… and soon!

Una Passeggiata
~~~
A nice afternoon walk with my girls

See Flo Run
~~~
A nice afternoon walk with my girls

Una Passeggiata
~~~
A nice afternoon walk with my girls

Una Passeggiata
~~~
A nice afternoon walk with my girls

Una Passeggiata
~~~
A nice afternoon walk with my girls

Una Passeggiata
~~~
A nice afternoon walk with my girls

Una Passeggiata
~~~
A nice afternoon walk with my girls

Una Passeggiata
~~~
A nice afternoon walk with my girls

Farewell Flo
~~~
Flo is off to unschooling Summer camp in Tennessee for the week… Joe and Zofia reluctantly participated in a semi-group hug as Flo headed out. Have a great week, Flo!

Semi-Surprise Visit
~~~
Despite an email miscommunication, and still being in our pajamas when they arrived, we were so happy to see Shawna and her kids today. It was great to hang out for a bit and catch up!

Semi-Surprise Visit
~~~
Despite an email miscommunication, and still being in our pajamas when they arrived, we were so happy to see Shawna and her kids today. It was great to hang out for a bit and catch up!

Dental Day Trip
~~~
Joe and I headed down DC today for dental appointments, between pit-stops and traffic, it was a long day. But, we had fun hanging out together, especially after Joe’s novocain wore off!

Dental Day Trip
~~~
Joe and I headed down DC today for dental appointments, between pit-stops and traffic, it was a long day. But, we had fun hanging out together, especially after Joe’s novocain wore off!

Dental Day Trip
~~~
Joe and I headed down DC today for dental appointments, between pit-stops and traffic, it was a long day. But, we had fun hanging out together, especially after Joe’s novocain wore off!

Dental Day Trip
~~~
Joe and I headed down DC today for dental appointments, between pit-stops and traffic, it was a long day. But, we had fun hanging out together, especially after Joe’s novocain wore off!

Mission Accomplished
~~~
We gave up trying to find a good deal on a used pair of skates, and went to buy a new pair while we were down in the DC area for dentist appointments. After an hour of sizing, trying on skates, then “baking” and sharpening them, Joe is now ready for the hockey season to begin! 🙂

Mission Accomplished
~~~
We gave up trying to find a good deal on a used pair of skates, and went to buy a new pair while we were down in the DC area for dentist appointments. After an hour of sizing, trying on skates, then “baking” and sharpening them, Joe is now ready for the hockey season to begin! 🙂

Mission Accomplished
~~~
We gave up trying to find a good deal on a used pair of skates, and went to buy a new pair while we were down in the DC area for dentist appointments. After an hour of sizing, trying on skates, then “baking” and sharpening them, Joe is now ready for the hockey season to begin! 🙂

Accessorizing
~~~
Joe, entertaining himself while waiting for his new skates to be sharpened. 😛

The Life of an Unschooler
~~~
Since our county’s public schools commence today, and every one is posting pics of their kids heading off for their first day, I thought I’d post our first day of “school” pics, too. It also happens to be Zofia’s 8th birthday!

The Life of an Unschooler
~~~
Since our county’s public schools commence today, and every one is posting pics of their kids heading off for their first day, I thought I’d post our first day of “school” pics, too. Joe wouldn’t wake up, so I took his picture, anyway, as it pretty much characterizes most of his mornings.

The Life of an Unschooler
~~~
Since our county’s public schools commence today, and every one is posting pics of their kids heading off for their first day, I thought I’d post our first day of “school” pics, too. This book just happened to arrive in our Amazon order today. Ha!

The Life of an Unschooler
~~~
Since our county’s public schools commence today, and every one is posting pics of their kids heading off for their first day, I thought I’d post our first day of “school” pics, too.

National Sarcasm Society
~~~
Flo is soliciting new members. Anyone?

Prelude to Institutionalization
~~~
On my Errand Mission today, I took Flo along and we went to get her books for her first semester of community college that starts next week. Doesn’t she look enthused? The onlooker completes the scene! After some debate over backpack features, notebook styles and ink colors, we made it out unscathed! 🙂

Prelude to Institutionalization
~~~
On my Errand Mission today, I took Flo along and we went to get her books for her first semester of community college that starts next week. After some debate over backpack features, notebook styles and ink colors, we made it out unscathed! 🙂

Prelude to Institutionalization
~~~
On my Errand Mission today, I took Flo along and we went to get her books for her first semester of community college that starts next week. Doesn’t she look enthused? After some debate over backpack features, notebook styles and ink colors, we made it out unscathed! 🙂

Prelude to Institutionalization
~~~
On my Errand Mission today, I took Flo along and we went to get her books for her first semester of community college that starts next week. After some debate over backpack features, notebook styles and ink colors, we made it out unscathed! 🙂

Grade 11 on Campus
~~~
Flo starts a few community college course this week through the early-entry program for public and homeschooled high schoolers. It’s hard to believe we’re already to this point in our homeschooling journey. It seems like just yesterday we were getting started researching learning opportunities and seeking out social groups. Now she’s doing those things on her own and I’m grateful for all I’ve learned… so far! <3 🙂

Grade 11 on Campus
~~~
Flo starts a few community college course this week through the early-entry program for public and homeschooled high schoolers. It’s hard to believe we’re already to this point in our homeschooling journey. It seems like just yesterday we were getting started researching learning opportunities and seeking out social groups. Now she’s doing those things on her own and I’m grateful for all I’ve learned… so far! <3 🙂

National Dog Day
~~~
I wasn’t even aware that there was such a thing as National Dog Day until a few minutes ago when I saw my neighbor’s post. So, of course, we could let the day pass without acknowledging, Bruno, our quirky, yet gentle and very tolerant companion who has been with us almost a decade now!

Here’s Darren, Joe & Bruno at a park off the Geroge Washington Memorial Parkway on our way out of DC.

March 25, 2006

Poor Bruno… and Flo

August 29, 2011

Bruno is so tolerant of Zofia. He just sat there while she put dandelion bits on his head.

May 14, 2014

Social Profiling: The Worker & The Fooder
~~~
So, my last trimester of school starts this weekend. Last night I was immersed in some readings, trying to get a grip on the week ahead, and Zofia was obviously feeling slightly neglected. I turned to her and promised it wouldn’t be too much longer that I’m “in school” and feeling quite so busy.She seemed happy with this, and asked, “What will you do when you’re all done with college?”I replied by saying I wasn’t sure, but the logical progression would be for me to somehow put my education to use by working more diligently towards my business aspirations, or finding a job [not that I ever follow the logical progression of things].

She replied, “What? Then who would be the “fooder?”

“Fooder,” I inquired?

“Ya, if you are the worker, would Daddy be the fooder?”

I assured her Daddy would not be quitting his job anytime soon, nor would I cease to make sure she was fed. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but reflect on the fact that Zofia has reduced Darren and I down to the roles of bread-winner and meal-maker. I feel so socially profiled! Not to mention, not particularly enamored with my label of “fooder.” Certainly, we can come up with a more appealing titles, characteristic of the full spectrum of our responsibilities! 🙂

Made It Out
~~~
Darren and I have been trying to get to Dam #4 for a bike ride all Summer, but the the logistics of getting the kids motivated, all the bikes in two vehicles and everyone out there proved to be a feat too great for us. So, on a whim this evening, after dinner, we put our two bikes in the van and headed out. We got in a nice ride before it started getting dark and felt triumphant for actually getting there!

Made It Out
~~~
Darren and I have been trying to get to Dam #4 for a bike ride all Summer, but the the logistics of getting the kids motivated, all the bikes in two vehicles and everyone out there proved to be a feat too great for us. So, on a whim this evening, after dinner, we put our two bikes in the van and headed out. We got in a nice ride before it started getting dark and felt triumphant for actually getting there!

Made It Out
~~~
Darren and I have been trying to get to Dam #4 for a bike ride all Summer, but the the logistics of getting the kids motivated, all the bikes in two vehicles and everyone out there proved to be a feat too great for us. So, on a whim this evening, after dinner, we put our two bikes in the van and headed out. We got in a nice ride before it started getting dark and felt triumphant for actually getting there!

Made It Out
~~~
Darren and I have been trying to get to Dam #4 for a bike ride all Summer, but the the logistics of getting the kids motivated, all the bikes in two vehicles and everyone out there proved to be a feat too great for us. So, on a whim this evening, after dinner, we put our two bikes in the van and headed out. We got in a nice ride before it started getting dark and felt triumphant for actually getting there!

Made It Out
~~~
Darren and I have been trying to get to Dam #4 for a bike ride all Summer, but the the logistics of getting the kids motivated, all the bikes in two vehicles and everyone out there proved to be a feat too great for us. So, on a whim this evening, after dinner, we put our two bikes in the van and headed out. We got in a nice ride before it started getting dark and felt triumphant for actually getting there!

Made It Out
~~~
Darren and I have been trying to get to Dam #4 for a bike ride all Summer, but the the logistics of getting the kids motivated, all the bikes in two vehicles and everyone out there proved to be a feat too great for us. So, on a whim this evening, after dinner, we put our two bikes in the van and headed out. We got in a nice ride before it started getting dark and felt triumphant for actually getting there!

Made It Out
~~~
Darren and I have been trying to get to Dam #4 for a bike ride all Summer, but the the logistics of getting the kids motivated, all the bikes in two vehicles and everyone out there proved to be a feat too great for us. So, on a whim this evening, after dinner, we put our two bikes in the van and headed out. We got in a nice ride before it started getting dark and felt triumphant for actually getting there!

Made It Out
~~~
Darren and I have been trying to get to Dam #4 for a bike ride all Summer, but the the logistics of getting the kids motivated, all the bikes in two vehicles and everyone out there proved to be a feat too great for us. So, on a whim this evening, after dinner, we put our two bikes in the van and headed out. We got in a nice ride before it started getting dark and felt triumphant for actually getting there!

Dad Duty
~~~
Darren took Flo, Joe and friends, Hannah, Alicia and Rowan, up to the Shippensburg University tonight to see the band Panic! At The Disco.

Dad Duty
~~~
Darren took Flo, Joe and friends, Hannah, Alicia and Rowan, up to the Shippensburg University tonight to see the band Panic! At The Disco.

Dad Duty
~~~
Darren took Flo, Joe and friends, Hannah, Alicia and Rowan, up to the Shippensburg University tonight to see the band Panic! At The Disco.

Dad Duty
~~~
Darren took Flo, Joe and friends, Hannah, Alicia and Rowan, up to the Shippensburg University tonight to see the band Panic! At The Disco.

Pre-Meditated Whining on the Anatomy of Stress
~~~
It’s great that I’m in my LAST trimester of grad school. It’s not so great that BOTH of my last two classes are very research-intensive and between keeping up with my kids and daily life, it’s leaving little time for anything else. Hoping to resurface in 12 weeks with my health and sanity… bear with me.! 🙂
#gradschool #MUIH

Nowhere To Go
~~~
Funny how, these days, staying home all weekend seems like more of a vacation than an actual vacation.

Vroom vroom!

In the Study Zone
~~~
Since when did the YMCA get a decent wi-fi connection? I’m actually being productive while Joe is playing basketball. Go me! Eventually, I will put my membership to use to actually workout… But, for now, I’m happy to pay for the distraction-free space and internet connection!

Higher Learning
~~~
Communing with the Unbelievable Plum, aided by her Bottle of Mysterious Cloudy Liquid…

Taste the Rainbow of Chemicals
~~~
This mysteriously appeared on my desk tonight. However it got there, what a great opportunity to share some information, because I know nobody would WILLINGLY want to eat disease-causing chemicals. 😛
#veganbutnothealthy #notrealfood #cleanfoodiscool
http://hubpages.com/hub/WhatsInMyFoodSkittlesIngredientsExplained

From the Endline
~~~
I obviously have mad action photography skills. :-p

Turn, Turn, Turn… pages…
~~~
To everything there is a season… or, 11 of them on Netflix… and apparently, also, a novel that inspired it all… I think Joe is on a M.A.S.H. binge…https://youtu.be/xVOJla2vYx8

Low Fuel
~~~
I started out the day with an empty tank; metaphorically, with very little sleep, and, actually, I had no gas in the car. But, we got Flo to band practice downtown, got gas, and headed off to Columbia for Joe’s hockey game (they won!). After the game, we went to SkyZone, but when we got there, it was so crowded and the wait was long, Joe and Zofia didn’t want to stay. So, we went home, with pit stops at Roots Market, a highway rest area and a new little park in town. I had big study plans for the night, but that’s not happening. Must refuel (sleep)!

Low Fuel
~~~
I started out the day with an empty tank; metaphorically, with very little sleep, and, actually, I had no gas in the car. But, we got Flo to band practice downtown, got gas, and headed off to Columbia for Joe’s hockey game (they won!). After the game, we went to SkyZone, but when we got there, it was so crowded and the wait was long, Joe and Zofia didn’t want to stay. So, we went home, with pit stops at Roots Market, a highway rest area and a new little park in town. I had big study plans for the night, but that’s not happening. Must refuel (sleep)!

Low Fuel
~~~
I started out the day with an empty tank; metaphorically, with very little sleep, and, actually, I had no gas in the car. But, we got Flo to band practice downtown, got gas, and headed off to Columbia for Joe’s hockey game (they won!). After the game, we went to SkyZone, but when we got there, it was so crowded and the wait was long, Joe and Zofia didn’t want to stay. So, we went home, with pit stops at Roots Market, a highway rest area and a new little park in town. I had big study plans for the night, but that’s not happening. Must refuel (sleep)!

Low Fuel
~~~
I started out the day with an empty tank; metaphorically, with very little sleep, and, actually, I had no gas in the car. But, we got Flo to band practice downtown, got gas, and headed off to Columbia for Joe’s hockey game (they won!). After the game, we went to SkyZone, but when we got there, it was so crowded and the wait was long, Joe and Zofia didn’t want to stay. So, we went home, with pit stops at Roots Market, a highway rest area and a new little park in town. I had big study plans for the night, but that’s not happening. Must refuel (sleep)!

Low Fuel
~~~
I started out the day with an empty tank; metaphorically, with very little sleep, and, actually, I had no gas in the car. But, we got Flo to band practice downtown, got gas, and headed off to Columbia for Joe’s hockey game (they won!). After the game, we went to SkyZone, but when we got there, it was so crowded and the wait was long, Joe and Zofia didn’t want to stay. So, we went home, with pit stops at Roots Market, a highway rest area and a new little park in town. I had big study plans for the night, but that’s not happening. Must refuel (sleep)!

Low Fuel
~~~
I started out the day with an empty tank; metaphorically, with very little sleep, and, actually, I had no gas in the car. But, we got Flo to band practice downtown, got gas, and headed off to Columbia for Joe’s hockey game (they won!). After the game, we went to SkyZone, but when we got there, it was so crowded and the wait was long, Joe and Zofia didn’t want to stay. So, we went home, with pit stops at Roots Market, a highway rest area and a new little park in town. I had big study plans for the night, but that’s not happening. Must refuel (sleep)!

Low Fuel
~~~
I started out the day with an empty tank; metaphorically, with very little sleep, and, actually, I had no gas in the car. But, we got Flo to band practice downtown, got gas, and headed off to Columbia for Joe’s hockey game (they won!). After the game, we went to SkyZone, but when we got there, it was so crowded and the wait was long, Joe and Zofia didn’t want to stay. So, we went home, with pit stops at Roots Market, a highway rest area and a new little park in town. I had big study plans for the night, but that’s not happening. Must refuel (sleep)!

Unbridled Talent
~~~
Flo’s photos for her photography course keep uploading to my Dropbox. Despite my respect and appreciation for her vision, this last bunch she took during class provided me an interlude of intense [and much needed] laughter. The theme is “Still Life,” but may be more aptly titled “The Creepy Old Doll Series.” :-)*** Shared with permission of the artist, of course, for your own interpretation.

Unbridled Talent
~~~
Flo’s photos for her photography course keep uploading to my Dropbox. Despite my respect and appreciation for her vision, this last bunch she took during class provided me an interlude of intense [and much needed] laughter. The theme is “Still Life,” but may be more aptly titled “The Creepy Old Doll Series.” :-)*** Shared with permission of the artist, of course, for your own interpretation.

*** I’ve Got Your Back ***

Unbridled Talent
~~~
Flo’s photos for her photography course keep uploading to my Dropbox. Despite my respect and appreciation for her vision, this last bunch she took during class provided me an interlude of intense [and much needed] laughter. The theme is “Still Life,” but may be more aptly titled “The Creepy Old Doll Series.” 🙂

*** Shared with permission of the artist, of course, for your own interpretation.

Unbridled Talent
~~~
Flo’s photos for her photography course keep uploading to my Dropbox. Despite my respect and appreciation for her vision, this last bunch she took during class provided me an interlude of intense [and much needed] laughter. The theme is “Still Life,” but may be more aptly titled “The Creepy Old Doll Series.” :-)*** Shared with permission of the artist, of course, for your own interpretation.

Unbridled Talent
~~~
Flo’s photos for her photography course keep uploading to my Dropbox. Despite my respect and appreciation for her vision, this last bunch she took during class provided me an interlude of intense [and much needed] laughter. The theme is “Still Life,” but may be more aptly titled “The Creepy Old Doll Series.” :-)*** Shared with permission of the artist, of course, for your own interpretation.

Unbridled Talent
~~~
Flo’s photos for her photography course keep uploading to my Dropbox. Despite my respect and appreciation for her vision, this last bunch she took during class provided me an interlude of intense [and much needed] laughter. The theme is “Still Life,” but may be more aptly titled “The Creepy Old Doll Series.” :-)*** Shared with permission of the artist, of course, for your own interpretation.

Clear Communication
~~~
No subtleties for the Bulldogs… just say it like is… they can take it!

Intersection
~~~
The point at which our van and a deer intersected… the van (and its occupants) carried on, but sadly, the deer did not. It was a subtle reminder of how life can change in an instant.Now… any suggestions for auto body places in the Hagerstown area?

Fire in the Sky
~~~
Joe spotted this in the evening sky today and snapped a picture with my phone… Meteor?

Fall Fun with Friends
~~~
I took a much-needed study break today and took the kids down to Frederick to join our homeschooling group for some Fall festivities. We couldn’t have asked for better weather or company!

Fall Fun with Friends
~~~
I took a much-needed study break today and took the kids down to Frederick to join our homeschooling group for some Fall festivities. We couldn’t have asked for better weather or company!

Fall Fun with Friends
~~~
I took a much-needed study break today and took the kids down to Frederick to join our homeschooling group for some Fall festivities. We couldn’t have asked for better weather or company!

Fall Fun with Friends
~~~
I took a much-needed study break today and took the kids down to Frederick to join our homeschooling group for some Fall festivities. We couldn’t have asked for better weather or company!

Fall Fun with Friends
~~~
I took a much-needed study break today and took the kids down to Frederick to join our homeschooling group for some Fall festivities. We couldn’t have asked for better weather or company!

Fall Fun with Friends
~~~
I took a much-needed study break today and took the kids down to Frederick to join our homeschooling group for some Fall festivities. We couldn’t have asked for better weather or company!

The Pros and Cons of Only Having one Car (w/ Kids in Suburbia)
~~~
Pros: Not going anywhere
Cons: Not going anywhereWe always said since @[606702166:2048:Darren] works at home, having just one car would be easy. But, after the “deer incident,” the repairs on our van have taken longer than expected, and only having Old Blue (our truck) at our disposal has made me realize the “One Car Theory” may pose some logistical challenges with us all often having to be in different places at the same time.Thus, despite my aspirations of minimalism, I’m looking forward to our van being back from the body shop next week so every appointment or activity we need to get to doesn’t feel like an exercise in tactical skill development!

Post-Book Club Park Time
~~~
The late October weather was still agreeable, so Zofia enjoyed some time outside with friends after book club at the library today.

Post-Book Club Park Time
~~~
The late October weather was still agreeable, so Zofia enjoyed some time outside with friends after book club at the library today.

Dad/Coach/Driver & The Sporty Boy
~~~
Darren and @[100009878645608:2048:Joe] heading off to the “Rink of Dreams” game in Hershey. Leave it to Joe to be heading to his hockey game with a basketball (and sneakers to replace the flip-flops)… just in case the opportunity to throw a few shots avails itself!

Peace, Paychecks & Gratitude
~~~
When I met Darren, in high school in Canada, he had aspirations to join the military, like his big brother Darrell. He served a few years in the Canadian reserves before we got married, and then joined the U.S. Army for another 6 years. Thankfully his “time in” only provided us a paycheck, overseas travel, and educational opportunities, rather than the turmoil and pain I know many military families endure.After having our first child, Darren decided to take the leap back to civilian life. Some luck and good timing landed him a position with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He has worked there ever since, serving veterans, reshaping his own understanding of military service, and, being grateful for the peace and security it has afforded him, while honoring the sacrifices made by those who weren’t so fortunate.This is Darren sometime in 1993/94, right after getting in the US Army.

Peace, Paychecks & Gratitude
~~~
When I met Darren, in high school in Canada, he had aspirations to join the military, like his big brother Darrell. He served a few years in the Canadian reserves before we got married, and then joined the U.S. Army for another 6 years. Thankfully his “time in” only provided us a paycheck, overseas travel, and educational opportunities, rather than the turmoil and pain I know many military families endure.After having our first child, Darren decided to take the leap back to civilian life. Some luck and good timing landed him a position with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He has worked there ever since, serving veterans, reshaping his own understanding of military service, and, being grateful for the peace and security it has afforded him, while honoring the sacrifices made by those who weren’t so fortunate.This is Darren when he was in the Canadian Reserves.

Peace, Paychecks & Gratitude
~~~
When I met Darren, in high school in Canada, he had aspirations to join the military, like his big brother, Darrell. He served a few years in the Canadian reserves before we got married, and then joined the U.S. Army for another 6 years. Thankfully his “time in” only provided us a paycheck, overseas travel, and educational opportunities, rather than the turmoil and pain I know many military families endure.After having our first child, Darren decided to take the leap back to civilian life. Some luck, and good timing,
landed him a position with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He has worked there ever since, serving veterans, reshaping his own understanding of military service, and, being grateful for the peace and security it has afforded him, while honoring the sacrifices made by those who weren’t so fortunate.

Snip Snip
~~~
Zofia has a perpetual “rats nest” and hates having her hair brushed. Awhile ago, I mentioned that if she cut it short, it would be a lot easier to brush out, but she would have none of that. Then, in the past couple weeks, she’s started telling me that, maybe, she’d like to cut off “a little”… to her shoulders. So, despite seeming somewhat distrustful that I would cut off too much, she decided she wanted to liberate herself from the tangles (a little) and we chopped off about five inches. Thankfully, she is happy with the results. 🙂

Songwriter Showcase
~~~
I took Flo & Hannah out to the The New Earth Granary in Berkeley Springs tonight, so they could play a couple songs for the event, accompanied by their bandmate, Tyler, from Evolution Rock School. Turns out the event had a great turnout, but the kids got put at the very end, so we were there until almost 1am! But, they did a great job, and despite being exhausted, I enjoyed the evening, and am thankful for the support crew and fan club that stuck it out all evening, too!

Songwriter Showcase
~~~
I took Flo & Hannah out to the The New Earth Granary in Berkeley Springs tonight, so they could play a couple songs for the event, accompanied by their bandmate, Tyler, from Evolution Rock School. Turns out the event had a great turnout, but the kids got put at the very end, so we were there until almost 1am! But, they did a great job, and despite being exhausted, I enjoyed the evening, and am thankful for the support crew and fan club that stuck it out all evening, too!

Songwriter Showcase
~~~
I took Flo & Hannah out to the The New Earth Granary in Berkeley Springs tonight, so they could play a couple songs for the event, accompanied by their bandmate, Tyler, from Evolution Rock School. Turns out the event had a great turnout, but the kids got put at the very end, so we were there until almost 1am! But, they did a great job, and despite being exhausted, I enjoyed the evening, and am thankful for the support crew and fan club that stuck it out all evening, too!

Songwriter Showcase
~~~
I took Flo & Hannah out to the The New Earth Granary in Berkeley Springs tonight, so they could play a couple songs for the event, accompanied by their bandmate, Tyler, from Evolution Rock School. Turns out the event had a great turnout, but the kids got put at the very end, so we were there until almost 1am! But, they did a great job, and despite being exhausted, I enjoyed the evening, and am thankful for the support crew and fan club that stuck it out all evening, too!

Songwriter Showcase
~~~
I took Flo & Hannah out to the The New Earth Granary in Berkeley Springs tonight, so they could play a couple songs for the event, accompanied by their bandmate, Tyler, from Evolution Rock School. Turns out the event had a great turnout, but the kids got put at the very end, so we were there until almost 1am! But, they did a great job, and despite being exhausted, I enjoyed the evening, and am thankful for the support crew and fan club that stuck it out all evening, too!

Songwriter Showcase
~~~
I took Flo & Hannah out to the The New Earth Granary in Berkeley Springs tonight, so they could play a couple songs for the event, accompanied by their bandmate, Tyler, from Evolution Rock School. Turns out the event had a great turnout, but the kids got put at the very end, so we were there until almost 1am! But, they did a great job, and despite being exhausted, I enjoyed the evening, and am thankful for the support crew and fan club that stuck it out all evening, too!

Songwriter Showcase
~~~
I took Flo & Hannah out to the The New Earth Granary in Berkeley Springs tonight, so they could play a couple songs for the event, accompanied by their bandmate, Tyler, from Evolution Rock School. Turns out the event had a great turnout, but the kids got put at the very end, so we were there until almost 1am! But, they did a great job, and despite being exhausted, I enjoyed the evening, and am thankful for the support crew and fan club that stuck it out all evening, too!

Songwriter Showcase
~~~
I took Flo & Hannah out to the The New Earth Granary in Berkeley Springs tonight, so they could play a couple songs for the event, accompanied by their bandmate, Tyler, from Evolution Rock School. Turns out the event had a great turnout, but the kids got put at the very end, so we were there until almost 1am! But, they did a great job, and despite being exhausted, I enjoyed the evening, and am thankful for the support crew and fan club that stuck it out all evening, too!

Songwriter Showcase
~~~
I took Flo & Hannah out to the The New Earth Granary in Berkeley Springs tonight, so they could play a couple songs for the event, accompanied by their bandmate, Tyler, from Evolution Rock School. Turns out the event had a great turnout, but the kids got put at the very end, so we were there until almost 1am! But, they did a great job, and despite being exhausted, I enjoyed the evening, and am thankful for the support crew and fan club that stuck it out all evening, too!

Songwriter Showcase
~~~
I took Flo & Hannah out to the The New Earth Granary in Berkeley Springs tonight, so they could play a couple songs for the event, accompanied by their bandmate, Tyler, from Evolution Rock School. Turns out the event had a great turnout, but the kids got put at the very end, so we were there until almost 1am! But, they did a great job, and despite being exhausted, I enjoyed the evening, and am thankful for the support crew and fan club that stuck it out all evening, too!

Out with Joe
~~~
Hockey in Laurel… his team won…. now we both need a nap… 🙂

Doo-doo Duty
~~~
It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s gotta’ do it.

Sick Day
~~~
Zofia, unfortunately, is sick today with the Ick. I hate seeing my kids not feel well and hope she’s feeling better soon. I am, also, now summoning the Goddess of Graciousness to bestow immunity upon me as I trudge though the next two weeks of writing my capstone project… I will not get sick!

Shattered
~~~
I’m sure this is a metaphor for something. Third one this week. Going to have to head to the @[593080460708226:274:Corelle] outlet if I keep this up. 🙂

Stealth Dog
~~~
Old man, Bruno, got his nails clipped at the vet yesterday. So, he doesn’t make that clicking sound on the wood floors now, and he just snuck up on me while I was studying and made me jump out of my chair. Way too much adrenaline for 6am on no sleep. Good boy. Good night (morning).

Final Reflections
~~~
I submitted my final paper for my graduate degree with @[69998130816:274:Maryland University of Integrative Health] on Monday! But, the busyness of the season seems to have offered little opportunity to reflect on the fact that I am actually done! Phew!Now, after months of late night writing marathons, I’m looking forward to trying to regain some sort of normal sleep cycle and focusing my attention on self-care, family and friends, and whatever else intrigues me.Then, I’ll revisit what I want to be when I grow up… if I don’t get distracted by all the pretty colors. :-p

You’ve Come a Long Way Baby!
~~~
Joe was born at our home in Connecticut 13 years ago! The first picture is just minutes after he was born early on the morning of December 11, 2002. He has grown to be much more agreeable with our photo-taking efforts, even cracking a smile now and then. Though he gave us a real scare at four months old with Kawasaki Disease, and then spent his first year covered from head to toe in eczema, it’s been [relatively] easy sailing since, and I’m so thankful to have arrived at this point in our adventure together! Happy birthday Joe! Love you! <3

You’ve Come a Long Way Baby!
~~~
Joe was born at our home in Connecticut 13 years ago! The first picture is just minutes after he was born early on the morning of December 11, 2002. He has grown to be much more agreeable with our photo-taking efforts, even cracking a smile now and then. Though he gave us a real scare at four months old with Kawasaki Disease, and then spent his first year covered from head to toe in eczema, it’s been [relatively] easy sailing since, and I’m so thankful to have arrived at this point in our adventure together! Happy birthday Joe! Love you! <3

Empowerment
~~~
It’s amazing how the conscious transition from flip-flops with socks to sneakers can give the day a whole new outlook. It may be Sunday evening, but I’m going to get stuff done! :-)Note: The full transition from pj’s to regular clothes is likely to elicit even more long-lasting effects! But, I don’t want to overdo it… I’ll save that for tomorrow. 🙂

Color Balance
~~~
This was from after last week’s ACT holiday variety show. I think the color in this photo is as nicely balanced as our kids’ even temperaments. 🙂

Don’t Believe Everything You Think
~~~
Facebook facilitates this wisdom for me. I will sometimes spend a few moments composing a post, then pause to reflect upon it, only to be enlightened by my own words. So, having done their job, I delete them, and carry on with my day! 🙂

Holiday Close-Up
~~~
Found this picture on my phone this morning. Apparently, a little elf got a hold of it. Bruno is obviously inspired by the holiday spirit.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Another fun holiday gathering with members of our local vegan MeetUp group and veg-friendly friends.

Yuletide Yum Vegan Potluck 2015
~~~
Putting Eric and Jessica to work bagging up packing peanuts from our Frontier order that arrived during our gathering.

Yule 2015 & Holiday Reflections
~~~
Over the years we have grown into our own eclectic holiday traditions, celebrating the Winter Solstice with just a few hours of quiet family time and reflection on “rebirth” and the coming “light.” We usually have a small gift for each of the kids, too. We save some of our gift-giving to celebrate Christmas day, as well, just because we always have, and the world (at least in this country) seems to slow down a bit that day with more focus on togetherness, giving and rest, and there is value in that alone. And, of course, we rounded out the day with a holiday family selfie picture!Happy Holidays!https://www.flickr.com/gp/petitepics/V1SN4Q

Yule 2015 & Holiday Reflections
~~~
Over the years we have grown into our own eclectic holiday traditions, celebrating the Winter Solstice with just a few hours of quiet family time and reflection on “rebirth” and the coming “light.” We usually have a small gift for each of the kids, too. We save some of our gift-giving to celebrate Christmas day, as well, just because we always have, and the world (at least in this country) seems to slow down a bit that day with more focus on togetherness, giving and rest, and there is value in that alone. And, of course, we rounded out the day with a holiday family selfie picture!Happy Holidays!https://www.flickr.com/gp/petitepics/V1SN4Q

Yule 2015 & Holiday Reflections
~~~
Over the years we have grown into our own eclectic holiday traditions, celebrating the Winter Solstice with just a few hours of quiet family time and reflection on “rebirth” and the coming “light.” We usually have a small gift for each of the kids, too. We save some of our gift-giving to celebrate Christmas day, as well, just because we always have, and the world (at least in this country) seems to slow down a bit that day with more focus on togetherness, giving and rest, and there is value in that alone. And, of course, we rounded out the day with a holiday family selfie picture!Happy Holidays!https://www.flickr.com/gp/petitepics/V1SN4Q

Does anyone really worry about wrinkled sheets?

Bed-Building Therapy
~~~
This is the third one of these simple platform beds Darren and I have built. I think that building stuff relieves stress by forcing you to focus on the moment, which is probably why we have been drawn to these projects recently. This one is a twin size “daybed,” and will serve as an extra kid-sleeping or tv-watching spot in our bedroom. Only a couple more bed spots left in the house… then it’s on to yoga for stress management!

Bed-Building Therapy
~~~
This is the third one of these simple platform beds Darren and I have built. I think that building stuff relieves stress by forcing you to focus on the moment, which is probably why we have been drawn to these projects recently. This one is a twin size “daybed,” and will serve as an extra kid-sleeping or tv-watching spot in our bedroom. Only a couple more bed spots left in the house… then it’s on to yoga for stress management!

Bed-Building Therapy
~~~
This is the third one of these simple platform beds Darren and I have built. I think that building stuff relieves stress by forcing you to focus on the moment, which is probably why we have been drawn to these projects recently. This one is a twin size “daybed,” and will serve as an extra kid-sleeping or tv-watching spot in our bedroom. Only a couple more bed spots left in the house… then it’s on to yoga for stress management!

Bed-Building Therapy
~~~
This is the third one of these simple platform beds Darren and I have built. I think that building stuff relieves stress by forcing you to focus on the moment, which is probably why we have been drawn to these projects recently. This one is a twin size “daybed,” and will serve as an extra kid-sleeping or tv-watching spot in our bedroom. Only a couple more bed spots left in the house… then it’s on to yoga for stress management!

Bed-Building Therapy
~~~
This is the third one of these simple platform beds Darren and I have built. I think that building stuff relieves stress by forcing you to focus on the moment, which is probably why we have been drawn to these projects recently. This one is a twin size “daybed,” and will serve as an extra kid-sleeping or tv-watching spot in our bedroom. Only a couple more bed spots left in the house… then it’s on to yoga for stress management!