ADK Day

We headed to Inlet for the Frozen Fire and Ice day yesterday. That's ice skating at Fern Park, sledding on the big hill, a bon fire, dinner at the Screaming Eagle ( love that place), and fireworks over the lake. It's kind of a tradition now, as this was our second year attending. What a GREAT day we had playing outside in the Adirondacks. Ava was great, she put on the little skates and away she went. She skated alone, and then pushing a chair like the other little ones. People were amazed that she was only 2. Miranda, oh Miranda. I wish we lived near ice. That girl glides accross the ice and was even adding some arabesques, and skating on one leg. It's the 3rd time she has skated. It's natural to her. Anna was happy with a couple laps around and the hot chocolate and doughnut they offered.

The fireworks were amazing. Over our heads over the lake, stars in the sky, and a great bonfire going. Here are some shots from our adirondack day and night:

Il bel far niente

Il bel far niente. It's Italian for the beauty of doing nothing, which is exactly why I have no balance in my life. I can't sit idle. I never do things for myself and myself alone, and I run, run, run without taking time to savor, time for pleasure, time to just sit and listen to the world.

I am reading a great book, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Funny, we were in Target recently and when I looked on the endcap of the book section, I saw that I have read 2 recent NY Times Best Sellers. I typically don't read books because they make that list. I talk to people about what they are reading, and what was good. Lately, though, at the library, all I have time to pick are books from the table up front, as I help my 3 daughters negotiate the library and pick just the right books for them. So, in the moments we are checking out, I grab books that look interesting off this front table. Turns out this must be a recent bestseller table.

This book is really helping me see some things about my life, like the absence of il bel far niente. However, I think half the reason I go go go all the time is that I have all these things I still want to do in my life, so I half expect that when I get done with my obligations, I will have time to do these things. I consider myself a lifelong learner. Not just with things I have to learn and update for work, but life experiences. For instance, I want to learn to sail. When I retire, I want to spend my idle days sailing on some beautiful Adirondack lake when Brian is golfing or fishing. I want to glide accross the lake, listen to the loons, and enjoy the beauty of the mountains. I want to sail my boat alone, and spend some time with myself. That is just one glimpse of the things I still want to learn in my lifetime, I have many more.

I guess I figure there will be time to be idle in my life and do nothing, and these are the days that I don't get that luxury.

Somebody Stop Me!

WE had a fabulous time in Albany yesterday. Shopped till we dropped. The girls rode home in blissful happiness. Miranda, when asked what her best was said seeing Sandi. ( it's a family thing, the question "what was your best". It means what was the best part of your day. The girls got home, scarfed down Pizza Mia from Pizza Hut ( surprisingly only 5 WW points each), and were talking to Brian a mile a min. They were so animated. Ava, in between bites of her pizza, kept saying " We do again, ok Daddy?"
So When I looked over my own purchases, I had to laugh. ORganizational things. I bought some nice under the bed storage bags for my summer clothes, and I bought each girl a Hallmark Keepsake Card box for the cards they save. ORganized that last night. I scoped out the penny cand jars and half baskets I want to organize the pantry. That will require a trip to the Christmas Tree Shop in Syracuse later this month, as I finish up painting the pantry shelves.
Today? A load of laundry, and a trip to ALdi's and the bread outlet to stock up the cabintets and freezer for the next month. Another great day on the docket. Oh, and some reading time with Anna and Miranda to read books with them. Top of the Morning!

Glamour Girls

I love this photo from summer. I call it "Charlie's Angels." They were up this AM at 6. Excited because we are going to Albany to meet up with "Aunt Sandi"
and go shopping. We have upped the ante this year, why mess around with Sangertown when you can head East. They cleaned closets last night and are ready for new clothes and shoes. How did I get blessed with 3 organizied shopping partners for life? Life is good. Head East little girls!

Balance

I love February break. It is typically a time I go through the girls closets, weed out clothes that don't fit or are torn or stained, and we go shopping for some "fill" clothes to get us through the rest of winter. It is kind of our tradition, the shopping thing. Then I clean, organize, restock the pantry and get ready to go till Spring break.
So far this has been a great productive break. I ran some errands Friday, painted the pantry, organized all the girls hair accessories in a really pretty box I got from Tuesday Mornings, and got a few items of clothing at a real bargain yesterday.
I took the girls to the library yesterday to stock up on books for the week. I have decided when they get on my nerves, we "stop drop and read." They found some great books, one book I am looking forward to reading with Miranda, life of a little girl in the Mohawk Valley in the 1920's. I even found a book for me, one my neighbor recommended a while back, " Eat, Pray, and Love." It's about a 36 year old woman ( fancy that!) searching for balance in her life. Despite having "it all", the author feels her life is at a pivital moment and strikes off to 3 countries to find balance. I realized, in reading the Preface, I too am lacking Balance. Most days I feel like I am careening out of control just to get to work, take care of kids, take care of home, cook, etc....I never feel an internal balance. I can't look ahead into my future to see when this careening will stop and sometimes I have anxiety. I am interested in what the author will find out, as I really can't ( or don't want to is a better word!) divorce my husband and head out on a journey. Looks like a good read!

Spiced Up Kitchen

Actually, gutted out and started from scratch is more like it! Starting to really come together. The contractor was done late October, but then we had to become the contractors. At 90.00/hour, we just let him do the stuff we couldn't. We gutted it out late August through September. Hauled all the scraps away. Lived with a floorless pit for a month while we plumbed ( Brian and his dad, they had to move the sink plumbing, and get copper pipes ready for new fridge with water and ice maker). The electrician had to come and bring us up to codes ( nothing was GFP'd, in the kitchen, can you stand it?). I now have ground fault protected outlets! We had to move outlets up from near the floor, install wiring box for self venting micro, put in boxes for recessed lighting above sink, and dimmer switch for new recessed lights.
Contractor installed new floor and worked on joists ( sunk 2 inches with age), put down a new sub floor, ceramic tiled floor with decorative Italian tile border, hung cabinets, put in tin celiling, and installed new countertops. We are left with painting, trimming, putting in crown molding, new wainscoating around kitchen, and decorating. The Island is being crafted by Brian, and will likely be ready by the spring. So here is a peek of work in progress, but first you have to see the old:

Friday Funnies

Stressful week. Sick baby = Miserable baby. Thankfully, some funny things said here this week. Ava was playing little people. She said " Little People boy, WHAZZZUP". Then, as we were sitting at dinner " Oh, MAN". Not to be undone in humor, Anna and I were in the office. The washing machine was draining, and sometimes, it makes the downstairs toilet bubble or gurgle. She looked into the bathroom and said " I think it's going to blow." Does she even understand how funny she is? Love her humor. As Ava was in between throwing up and messy diapers, at least I had some humor.


And, Brian is currently on a wine run. We ralized my 29 bottle wine chiller was just chilling beer. I told him to come home with no less than 4 bottles of wine. I picked 3 and told him to choose a "wild card." That and a fish fry tonight will perk me up I think. I have been up with Ava 2 nights in a row. 3rd time is not a charm. Got my goblet all ready. Maybe I will chill it.

It's Sooooo Good

5:11 am. Can't sleep. Decide to get up and check on the weather. Dang. Not a flake. No snow day. I figure since I am up, good time to load more music into the ipod ( working on Dana Dance Mix.....it's like having my own station to program). 5:15am. Ava's saying " Mommy". Go rescue her so she doesn't wake the rest of the girls. 5:20am. Turn on TV, watch in confusion as I see my school's name scrolling. SNOW DAY!!!!!!!!!! Must be in anticipation of ice?? 5:25am. Brian decides to head in so he can get out early. Somehow, he sets off the car alarm ( the one we never actually need to use, since we live in a Norman Rockwell kind of neighborhood). 5:27am. Miranda is now up. So much for my peaceful work time.
Somehow, I do get to work on this playlist. I now have about 100mb's of FIERCE dance music loaded into the ipod. My next workout will rock the house! I am still quite pleased with myself. Now I understand why ever kid in high school has a loaded ipod. Way cooler than radio. I am currently jamming to Donna Summer's I Feel Love, the Rolo- Remix from 2000."It's soo good, baby it's soooooo good" 8.12 min of pure dance enjoyment. Fierce.
Happy Snow Day! And it figures, I got really organized at work, and was going to see about 10 kids today for counseling. Oh well, guess my Monday will hop.