Do You Believe?

Yesterday, out of the blue, Chance asked me if I believe in Santa. I knew it was coming; he'd been saying things over the last few weeks that led me to believe that his faith, if you will, is wavering. I know now that he's in first grade he's hearing more kids talking about Santa and whether or not he's real. So I wasn't surprised that he asked...I just didn't know exactly how I'd answer.

You see, I don't like lying to my kids. I may edit the truth now and then (I view it as a need-to-know thing...how much do they truly need to know in each case?) but I try not to lie to them. When we're at the doctor's office for shots and the nurse says "This won't hurt a bit." I look my kids in the eyes and tell them it will, but only for a few seconds and then it'll be done. Why lie?

Santa, however, is different.

I don't know, maybe I've read The Polar Express a few too many times but I think that believing in Santa is a magical gift we give our children. It's part of the charm of the season to me, the thought of someone who gives gifts just because he's nice. He rewards good (behavior) and discourages bad and teaches kids to "be good for goodness sake". Not bad lessons if you ask me.

So, there I was looking Chance dead in the eye and telling him "Yes, I believe". But, you know something? I didn't really lie to him. I'm Santa. Sean's Santa. We're all a little Santa every time we do something nice for someone else...just because.

Christmas is Coming!!!

It's that time of year again: Time to deck the halls, put up the tree and make our Christmas lists. Whew! Just thinking about it is exhausting!

The kids have been egging me on to get the house decorated all last week so now we're looking properly festive in the house. This weekend we got our tree and decorated it so it's officially Christmastime in our house. I have to confess, when we started decorating the tree I was feeling very Grinchy but with each ornament I pulled out of the box my mood lightened. By the time we reached the bottom of the box I was feeling properly festive and smiling broadly as I looked the tree over. There are so many memories hanging on that tree - each ornament has a story and some meaning to it.

Now for the really tough part, though: Christmas lists and shopping. I'm honestly stymied about what to do for the kids. We've been talking about what they want Santa to bring them and Chance's list seems to grow hourly. Maia, thank goodness, is too young to completely grasp the greedier aspects of the holiday so her list is short. Sean is nearly impossible and I'm having my toughest year yet figuring out what to get him. I want to surprise him with something cool/needed/wanted/what-made-you-think-of-that but I'm drawing a blank. Well, there's still some time left to shop...perhaps I'll get inspired while surfing the Web someday soon.

Anyway, enough of my stressing. I'm going to sit back, listen to the Christmas carols playing and turn on the tree lights while I do my work. When it comes to Christmas I think I might just be the biggest kid in the house.

Copper Update

Big Mama: Tod, that Copper is going to come back a hunting dog, a real killer.
Young Tod: Oh no, not my friend Copper. He won't ever change.
~ The Fox and the Hound, Walt Disney Pictures (1981)

Some days I think Tod was right: He won't ever change but then he does.

Training Copper has been, shall we say, challenging. Like any good hound he's got a very thick head when it comes to training. Previous experience with hounds tells me that when they finally decide to come around to your way of thinking they make wonderful pets. It's just waiting for that to happen that will just about kill ya.

All that being said, we are making some progress...today was Copper's first day off a leash in our yard with just his IF collar on. He did GREAT!!! I don't think I've seen him this happy and carefree since we brought him home. He romped around the yard, climbed halfway up every tree within the fencing, and did lap after lap at full tilt. He was a happy dog. We went out several times together since I'm not quite ready to let him go solo yet and I think each time it was mostly so he could just run around and enjoy the experience. Let's hope it continues to go so well.

In the meantime, we start another round of obedience classes tomorrow evening. Keep your fingers crossed for us! (We need all the help we can get!)

Musings on Becoming One's Parents

Last night, as I sat in the Pediatric Emergency Dept. with Maia, it struck me how much I'm becoming my parents. I was sitting beside Maia's bed and rubbing her little back to relax her, something my mother did to me countless times as I was growing up. (Gosh, I think the last time I remember her rubbing my back was when I was sick as a dog while home from college on break! But I digress....)

Late last week I was thinking similar thoughts as I quoted my father to Chance, telling him what my dad always said to me when someone was picking on me.

I've often been struck by how much my parenting is evolving into a hybrid of my parent's styles and that of my own, but it never fails to bemuse me when I hear my mother or father's words tumbling out of my own mouth.

I've also come to realize how much of my pain they must have shared with me. As I listened to Chance talk about the boys treating him badly on the playground I felt his pain and remembered my own childhood angst. And as I sat beside Maia rubbing her back I thought that maybe my mom rubbed my back to reassure herself as much as to soothe me.

Whatever their motives, having children has made me realize how deeply my parents love(d) me. I look at my two and wonder if someday, far from now, they'll look at their own children and suddenly realize that their mean ol' mom loved them with the same fierceness they love their own children. Maybe, as they rub their backs.

Going Home

Home is a funny thing: I've lived out here for *gulp* 21 years and, yet, when I talk about going to Granville it's always "Home". I guess you never truly lose that sense of hominess (is that even a word? the spelling checker doesn't think so) that comes with growing up in one place for 18+ years. Oh well...I know I'm rambling but cut me some slack - it's 4:45 am!

One thing that's struck me many times since moving away so many years ago is that I really enjoy going back to visit. Of course a major part of it is that my family is there; I'm fortunate to have a family that I really enjoy spending time with. But there's something about that area that I love and truly miss now that I don't live there any more.

When I was in high school I longed to get away from Granville and the cliques, gossip, and small town feeling that everyone knew your business. I couldn't cough on my walk home from school without my parents knowing by the time I arrived home! I left as soon as I could to attend college in Burlington and then Rochester searching for that larger city in which I could find all that Granville didn't have to offer. Although now that I'm older and raising children of my own, I find myself nostalgic for a town where you know many of those you see at the store and where you feel your kids are safe because Art &Dolly, Curly & Min, Sam & Louise and so many others know them and will look out for them just as if they were your parents, too.

While I'm waxing nostalgic, though, let me tell you a little about my hometown of Granville. It's nestled in between the foothills of the Adirondacks and the Green Mountains of Vermont. Everywhere you look there are hills. It's truly beautiful. There are fields of corn, cows grazing, and slate quarries nearly everywhere you turn. Although it may not be the most economically rich place it makes up for it in views, heritage and friendliness.

This weekend I returned with a trunk full of souvenirs - roughly a dozen pieces of red, purple, and green slate slabs for Sean's garden path project. They are pieces of home and, in a way, pieces of me.

Toronto Getaway

Sean and I had a mini-vacation in Toronto last weekend and had a fantastic time. It's been several years since we've gone there and it was just as friendly and familiar as it always is (as long as you overlook the exchange rate).

Probably the highlight of the weekend was our trip to the Toronto Islands just off the "south coast" of Toronto (as if you couldn't guess that part). We started with a visit to the St. Lawrence Market to gather some tasty treats for a picnic lunch. A little cheese, pate, dips and baguette later and we were off to catch the ferry.

Sean did all the planning and prep (of course) and found several caches on the islands for us to hunt down. After renting a couple bikes we set off in search of our caches. We managed to find three of them with the one on Snake Island being one of the best. Here are some pictures:


We also had a chance to tour the Steam Whistle Brewery and sample their fine pilsner. We have a soft spot for Steam Whistle because years ago when we first discovered them they were about to close but still offered us each a generous tasting and apologized up and down for not being able to accommodate us. So this time were able to get the full tour and more than a couple tasting glasses. Just the right thing on a hot day.

Copper Update

Life with a puppy is seldom dull. Copper is keeping us on our toes as he tries to establish his role in the house...and we try to help him learn that he's got to accept being the Omega in our pack.

A recent discussion in a board I frequent online is prompting this post this morning so pardon me as I ramble a bit....

I'm having a tough time with Copper. I'm very in 'like' with him but am finding it nearly impossible not to compare him with Hunter. I think maybe I acted too soon in getting another dog when I'm clearly not done mourning Hunter. I thought that getting another sweet faced hound would help me heal but I don't know that it is. To add to this, Copper isn't bonding to me. He challenges me daily and, aside from not listening to me, tries to jockey me for pack position all the time. This is especially hard because Hunter was my dog - he listened to me best, he went with me wherever I went, he would cuddle with me constantly, he was my baby. Now there's Copper and he acts as though he couldn't care less about me.

We'll be starting obedience classes soon and I'm hoping that as we work together more he'll become more bonded to me and a better member of the household. I really do hope so.

I wish I'd waited. I wish I didn't miss Hunter so much it hurts. I wish....

Fern 2007

What can I say about this year's vacation other than it was another wonderful week at Fern.

I think I understand why people enjoy cruises so much; I mean, if it's anything like being at Fern (and I think it is a little bit) then it's such a relaxing and satisfying vacation. There's always something to do (or not, if that's what you want), the kids have so much fun and you don't need to lift a finger to do anything. Oh, and let's not forget the food! Yup, why risk sea sickness when you can have all the amenities of cruising while sitting at the edge of a beautiful Canadian lake?

The only downside of our trip was that it was a bit windy that week. The weather was very cooperative with sun and all but the wind made it a little cooler. Also, I had hoped to get a lot more kayaking in than I did - the lake was just too choppy and rough to enjoy a paddle most days. I did, however, get a chance to explore a little deeper into the marsh on the north(?) end of the property. That was like a trip into some far-away jungle...very cool.

Next year we're thinking we're going to take the kids to Disney World, which should be lots of fun, but we're already lamenting that we won't be able to do a week at Fern and do Disney. Guess I'd better stock up on lottery tickets, eh?

Welcoming Copper

We have a new addition to our family: Copper!

It all started late last month when I made the "mistake" of checking the Lollypop Farm website (the local SPCA). I saw this picture of the most adorable 4 month old Black & Tan Coonhound and knew I had to go look at him. After giving Sean my most pathetic looks he caved and agreed to go take a look at him the next day. I was afraid he'd be gone by the time we got there so we rushed out the door that Sunday morning while the kids were still barely awake.

Copper was there and quickly took to us - between sniffs of the meet-and-greet room - and a few signatures later we were headed home.

It's now been just over three weeks since we brought him home and we're all still adjusting - he's slowly learning the rules of the house and we're trying to re-adjust to having a puppy in the house. We've all called him Hunter more than once but, fortunately, he's the forgiving type and lets it pass without notice.

Stay tuned for more of Copper's misadventures as we begin obedience classes this fall. I'm sure it'll be worth a laugh or two.

Weekend Getaway

Sean and I had a nice weekend getaway - we went camping in Watkins Glen State Park and attended the Finger Lakes Wine Festival. Meanwhile, the kids had a mini-vacation at Camp Grammy & Grampa.

The Wine Fest was great, but more than a little over-crowded. There are so many wineries in the Finger Lakes Region but we only were able to muscle our way through to a couple dozen or so. Still, it's a great way to discover new-to-us wineries and sample what they have to offer. I found a few new places to look for the next time I'm looking for wine, which is always nice.

The only downside to the weekend was that it ended too soon. It was the first time Sean and I camped in about seven years and I realized how much I've missed it. Being outdoors, sitting around the fire, hanging out with good friends, and enjoying being unplugged for a few days all make for a very relaxing getaway.

Maybe it's time to introduce the kids to the great outdoors.

Maybe we'll start with the backyard. ;)

A Caching First

While out caching on Sunday we had our first "run in" with the law. A very nice (albeit stoic) NYS Trooper approached me about my "suspicious activity" at an abandoned rest stop on I490. Turns out that this rest stop is often frequented by *ahem* single men and he wanted to find out what I was doing out behind a tree.

We had a little chat about Geocaching, showed him our GPSr and promised to let the cache's owner know that relocating it might be a good idea. Yes sir.

What has Sean and I baffled is that law enforcement personnel aren't always familiar with Geocaching after nearly 7 yrs as a sport . Wouldn't you think that someone would've sent a memo out on this by now?!

Our Annual Birthday Bash

Yesterday was our annual Birthday Bash and we had a blockbuster turnout. The weather cooperated and instead of rain and thunderstorms we got sun and HOT weather.

Sean set up the Slip 'n' Slide and sprinkler and by the end of the day we had loads of wet muddy kids and a soggy lawn. Good thing we warned all the parents to come prepared.

Thank you to all who came and made our party so special - we count ourselves very lucky to have so many wonderful friends. These parties wouldn't be what they are without you. In case you missed it this year, well, maybe next year you can join us for all the food and fun.

Give me a a little time and I'll put a link to our invitation this year. It was another big hit and a testament to Sean's humor.

So long and thanks for all the fish.

Locusts

We are beset by locusts. I hesitate to call it a "plague" of locusts because I'm not talking about the actual insects - I'm talking about my children.

I'm sure if you're a parent you're nodding your head in agreement by now...it's truly amazing how much two (relatively) small children can pack away in a day. Hardly an hour passes without one of them chanting "I'm hungry!"

It's maddening.

I try to keep the house stocked with good choices (there's no need for them to know about Mom's secret stash of circus peanuts, now is there?) so they can snack to their heart's (and tummy's) content on good things. But after awhile it gets tough trying to keep enough bananas, apples, grapes, etc. on hand.

What's worse is that so many people have told Sean and me that if we think this is bad, try having a teenage boy in the house. Greeeeeeat. At least we have several years before that happens.

Mother's Day

Wow, barely up two hours and so far it's been an incredible Mother's Day!

The kids presented me with great cards and the cutest handmade gifts. Each signed their own cards (which is really good for Maia at her age...she even wrote MOM and added x's and o's!) But, the piece de resistance was the gift from Sean and the kids: a 19" wide-screen LCD monitor for my computer!! Now we're talkin'!

It's good to be Queen.

An added bonus is that my in-laws will be joining us later today for a gourmet dinner by Chef Sean.

Life is good.

Chance's Birthday

Wow, am I falling behind. Of course, it didn't help that every time I came here to write something new I'd see Hunter's picture and get all teary-eyed again. *sigh* It's been a looong month.

Anyway, on a much happier note: Chance celebrated his 6th birthday!!

It's hard to believe that my little boy is 6! Wow, where'd that go? I find myself looking at him and marveling at how big he is and how his mind is constantly going a million miles a minute!

Here's a picture of him at his family birthday party. He's holding a Buffalo Sabres shirt and couldn't have been happier. He loves watching the Sabres and cheering on all his favorites. Let's just hope that he doesn't start asking to play hockey.

In Memorium

Yesterday, February 6th, my beloved Hunter passed away at the age of 11. He was so much more than "just a dog" - he was a devoted companion and a true credit to his species. He was sweet, loyal, goofy, the friendliest guard dog, squirrel-chaser extrodinaire, and beloved family member.

Now, in spite of two young children, our house is too quiet, the couch too empty.

Hunter, we love you and miss you. You will not be forgotten.