add two to the mix

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T23:29:00.001-04:00

Well, today was my first Mother's Day. I didn't think that I would actually ever have a son that wouldn't be old enough to wish me a happy Mother' Day, but even though he couldn't say it, he made it memorable. Leo made pancakes for brunch. I also got some pcitures in a nice frame and a digital picture frame which is really nice. Leo and I have been wanting to take Tyler for a hike for awhile now. We weren't sure if today would be that day. It was really windy today. After checking the weather and realizing there was less wind where we were heading, we embarked on our little adventure. We went to George Childs Park first. There was more hiking in here. It was beautiful and not a very difficult hike. Tyler was like a little sponge and took in everything he saw. Leo was surprised how adaptable he was. He wasn't sure if Tyler would be scared of the noise of the waterfalls. It wasn't too loud though. Part of the hiking took you on walkways that were pretty close to the falls, but it never did get as loud as some places we have been. It also didn't phase Tyler. He just stared at them and looked around at the woods that surrounded us. Everyone remarked that he was alert. Many seemed surprised when I said he was four months old. While on the trail, we came upon another family. They had a little girl that was probably between 2-3 three years old. She and her grandmother came over and asked if the little girl could see Tyler. She is fascinated with babies. Leo bent down a little bit and the next thing we knew she took her little hands and put them on Tyler's cheeks and kissed him. Her grandmother yelled at her a little bit. Obviously, you don't want to encourage her doing that, but it was cute. I happen to be taking their picture when she did, and caught it on film. Tyler just took it in stride. When we finished the hike, Leo fed Tyler. Tyler had gotten a little fussy because he was hungry towards the end of the hike. After that we were off to park number two. We went to see Dingmans Falls. This was a smaller walk all on a boardwalk. It was a very nice little walk. I liked that it was handicap accesible and easy to walk for all types of people. I want to go back when the rhodendrens are in bloom as the whole walkway is surrounded by them. We switched Tyler to his regular hat since it was a little more out in the sun over here. We had many people offer to take our pictures, so we have some more family pictures. I even had someone, who recognized that it was my first Mother's Day, actually come back to wish me a happy day. When we got home, Leo made dinner which was also good. Tyler was over-tired as he didn't nap much today. He refused to fall asleep, but finally did crash around 9PM. I must say that today was a very nice day that I enjoyed very much. Just a side note, the pictures in the collage are straight out of the camera. I didn't do any effects on them or adjust them. They all are like the lighting that we had when I took them.

More Tyler

2009-04-05T14:20:00.000-04:00

More Birds

2009-04-05T14:17:00.001-04:00

Here are some more pictures I took of the birds after I cleaned the sliding glass doors. I am sure they will go missing next week when a certain person comes to visit.

Three Months Old and Birds

2009-04-05T14:13:00.001-04:00

Today, as hard as it is to believe, Tyler turns three months old. Time is already flying by. As far as development goes, two days ago he started pulling him up to a standing position. Yes, you are reading it correctly. It can even be verified by his father. Kid refuses to roll over, but can pull himself up. I personally think he can roll over but doesn't like being on his stomach, so he just keeps from going over. I have seen him come within an inch and then throw himself the other direction to stop himself. He also can sometimes sit up by himself. It doesn't last long, but he can do the motions. Leo got me a deck mount so that we can bring the birds closer to house. It has been fun watching them. Hopefully the bears won't bother it. I don't think they will bother. They have plenty to eat around here. Plus, we haven't had a problem since that one time. They seem to avoid our yard. If anything I think they would raid the deer feeding station because that is easier. We will see what happens.

Cousin Love

2009-03-09T18:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, we went to my parents house. Tyler got to meet his cousin, Lexie. She was very excited to be seeing him. She met us at the door. The big test was going to be when Nana held Ty, but she did well. Instead of being jealous, she just wanted to help with him. Leo, my dad, and Pap went to the sugar shack to make maple syrup. Lex, Mom, Ty, and I stayed at the house. The funny part of the day was when Tyler and Lexie were lying on a blanket together. Mom and I were working on dinner. I looked into the living room to check on the kids and saw my son covered with the Sunday K-mart flyer. It was on him like a little tent. I asked Lexie why he was wearing the flyer. Her response was she thought he was cold and couldn't find a blanket. The flyer was there and she thought that would keep him warm. I had an extra blanket although he was far from cold. She fed him. The problem ended up being that she was trying to be too helpful. She was constantly poking him and in his face. This led to very little sleep, but I would rather have this problem than her being jealous of him. Tara came up with Kameron and Kenzie. Lex grabbed Kam so that she could introduce him to her baby cousin. She made my dad take pictures, so he could print them out on his printer for her to take home with her. Overall, it was a nice trip home. I am also hoping Leo will post about his trip to the shack. We got to take a quart of the syrup they made, and he learned a lot about the process.

Cousins

2009-03-02T13:44:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, while Leo, Adrian, and Stephen were out on the mountain covered with snow, Katie got the chance to play with her little cousin. It was a nice visit. She must have worn Ty out because he slept real well last night. Katie also got to enjoy Mario Kart on the Wii before Stephen got back and annoyed her. She started out a little rough, but overall got the hang of it and did pretty good. This morning here we had some snow. We got about three inches. Now, the sun is out. Tyler enjoyed the Disney channel. He seemed to really like the Information Workers which I take it are the next generation of the Wiggles. We also watched Winnie the Pooh together. He is now napping from his busy morning.

Aunt Christine's Blanket

2009-02-27T15:00:00.000-05:00

Here's Tyler relaxing with the blanket Christine made for him. I have the windows opened and decided to cover him. It is 48 degrees outside right now. One thing about this house is that it keeps its heat for a long time. It has only dropped three degrees inside and the windows have been open most of the afternoon. Tyler woke up for a little bit from his nap, but went back to sleep. He has been sleeping much better through the night. He gets up only to eat and then goes back to sleep. He also hasn't been getting up until later morning now. His mother can live with that choice. Tomorrow, Leo is gone on his little work excursion. It is supposed to be sunny and in the forties here, so Tyler and I hopefully can outside for a little time. The deer were here today. There were ten bucks and it now has been confirmed that both the monster boy and the other large ten point made it through hunting season and the winter. They were with the bachelor group today. There were actually ten bucks in total together. In a few weeks, I will start prepping the hill for the food plot. It will take a little work, but I think the effort will be worth it in the end especially if Elizabeth bags a nice buck her first year. I think it is only fair that John bagged a nice one last year that we work on getting the kid hers this year.

Sleep

2009-02-24T11:30:00.000-05:00

Tyler got back to sleeping half way decent during the night. He ate and then went right back to sleep. The previous days he has been getting up at 4AM and then staying awake starting his day. The problem was that his early start wasn't working for his parents. He was cranky yesterday late afternoon and early evening because he wouldn't nap, but that worked in our favor (well more in my favor since I am the one who gets up with him during the week). He then didn't get up until 8AM. I hope this keeps up for the rest of the week. Leo goes to Jamaica on Saturday, so I don't get my weekend break. I also don't want him to be cranky tomorrow because I have a doctor's appointment, and he obviously has to go with me. He also is a much happier child when he sleeps at night as opposed to when he takes a long nap in the morning. He was laughing up a storm this morning. Apparently, I was very entertaining. He actually has a little laugh now. He has been smile for a few weeks. Now, he does that almost everytime he sees me. Last night, Leo was holding him while I was making dinner, an Tyler kept trying to look over the couch to find me. Leo brought him out to the kitchen, and he broke out into an ear to ear grin. I guess spending all day with him isn't enough for Tyler.

Quiet Day

2009-02-18T16:42:00.000-05:00

We are having a quiet day today. I was up sick most of the night. Luckily, Tyler took a good morning nap and I could get some sleep. I feel much better this afternoon. It is snowing here this afternoon. It is a light snow. I don't think that we are supposed to get a lot of snow here. Snow totals are becoming a relative thing at this point up here. Our snow was just melting when this came. So far we only have a dusting. Tyler is really starting to smile now. He is also cooing quite a bit. It is working out well because he will now fall asleep on his own if he is put down even if he is more awake when he lays down. He talks to himself until he falls asleep. Hopefully, he will be awake tonight when Leo gets home. Yesterday, he slept until right before Leo went to bed, so they did get to spend any quality time together. Maybe tonight they will get a chance to play together.

Party Time

2009-02-15T22:13:00.000-05:00

Today was the twins birthday party. It is hard tob believe that they are four already. Timmy met Baby Tyler as he calls him at the door when we arrived. Tyler does seem to really like him. When he was crying before we left, it was Timmy that ended up quieting him. Tyler other favorite does seem to be Grampy. He has spent time with all of his grandparents and he always lets Grampy calm him and does seem to listen to what Grampy tells him. Tyler slept some in the car. He ate when he got home and then fell asleep. We will see how long that lasts. Hopefully for a little bit and then he gets back on schedule. The last time he went without napping he slept for ten hours ate and went right back to sleep. Leo is going to get up with him tonight, so I will at least get more than four hours of sleep. That will be a nice little break.

One Month Old

2009-02-05T14:04:00.000-05:00

Today, Tyler turned one month old. It is hard to believe that he has been here for a month already. If you go back on the pictures, you can see that he is getting bigger. He is starting to fill out and is getting much longer. His legs have caught up witht he rest of his body. He fills clothes that didn't fit him when he came home. Some of his newborn clothes are getting tight. He even had to go up a diaper size even though that doesn't stop him from finding ways to pee out of them. In honor of Grampy, he is celebrating his being here a month by wearing a train outfit.

Super Sunday

2009-02-02T00:12:00.002-05:00

Well, Tyler didn't see most of the Superbowl. He was doing this most of the time. He is doing better on formula number three. He doesn't have gas and isn't breaking out where his spit up touches his skin. He isn't spitting up much now since we changed his feeding style. We are feeding him in a regular sitting position instead of reclined. We then keep him sitting for at least 30 minutes after he is done. He does much better that way. Today, he went outside and met the neighbor girls. They were outside being pulled in their sleds by John's quad. We didn't keep him out long but it was warm enough for him to go outside for a little bit. Tomorrow, Leo goes back to work. It was nice that he could take as much time off as he did. It is going to be strange not having him here during the day. Tyler and I will just have to get into our own little routine. We kind of do that at night when he is up. I am hoping to be able to get him on a better sleep schedule. His eating doesn't suffer no matter how much sleep he gets. I also realized that he looks more like a Spaeth than a Lebo. My cousin put a picture of her nephew around the same age as Tyler. There is a striking resemblence. With the exception of hair and Tyler has more slanted eyes the two of them look very much alike. I had already started to see my Uncle Bill in him. It was just reiterated once I saw Cooper's picture.

Much Happier Boy

2009-01-28T15:38:00.002-05:00

Well, we had to change Tyler's formula. His gas problem got to the point that he couldn't rest and was constantly screaming because his stomach hurt. He had always had a little problem, but it got much worse as his formula intake increased. He is now on a formula that has less lactose and partially broken down proteins. He wasn't having full blown allergic reactions, so we decided to go this route instead of putting him on a soy based or hypoallergenic formula. What I didn't expect is how quickly he would benefit him. Within 24 hours, he is a different baby. Before it got bad he was a happy baby, but this is even better. Because he is now not constantly battling pain, he is more alert when awake. He is now smiling more and just generally much more happy and fun to be around. Well, there is only so much fun you can have with a three week old, but it is definitely better than listening to him scream and know that he is in constant pain. He is lso taking in his surroundings more. It is nice to see him so happy again.

More Sledding Fun

2009-01-25T17:35:00.000-05:00

We didn't realize how much use our hill would get when it comes to sledding. The twins brought their sleds with them today, and many runs down the hill were made. They not only got Ted going down them but they also Leo riding with them. Not that Leo needs much encouragement to sled down the hill. They were out for quite a while. It was a lot of fun watching them. I think the best part was listening to Bridget laugh as she was sledding. Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun. They also wore out their Uncle Leo as he is now sleeping on the couch. After the sledding fun was over, everyone came inside and played Wii including the kids who did a very good job boxing. It was a very good time.

Tyler and the Twins

2009-01-25T17:28:00.000-05:00

Today, Tyler met Timmy and Bridget. Oh, and they brought their parents with them. As you can see in the pictures, they all got along real well. Timmy was especiall interested in his new cousin, Baby Tyler. He held him real well, and did a great job putting Tyler's pacifier in his mouth when it fell out. He also was constantly checking on the baby to make sure he was okay. It was the first thing he did when he came back in from sledding. It was really nice seeing them all together. It was a very fun day having them here.

Happy Boy

2009-01-24T23:22:00.000-05:00

Ashlea got a picture of Tyler smiling. He is beginning to do this a lot. He has always done it in his sleep like this picture, but he is now doing it more when he looks at you. This is the only picture we have of him smiling at this point, but he does look cute when he does it. On another front, Leo came in second in his snowshoe race that he did today. He won a headlamp and a gift certificate. He also got a free lift ticket for the place the race was held, but didn't ski all that long due to it being crowded and there was a lot of ice on the slopes. The conditions were awful and since he didn't pay for it, he left early.

Apple/Tree

2009-01-24T23:17:00.000-05:00

We didn't get real good pictures of Jason and Tyler. It has been widely suggested that Tyler strongly resmebles Jason. Leo first thought when he saw Tyler was that he was the spitting image of Jason. He does look quite a bit like Jason when Jason was the same age. Let's just hope that he doesn't end up looking like this when he gets older.

Tyler Meets Uncle Jason and Aunt Ashlea

2009-01-24T23:12:00.000-05:00

My sister-in-law called yesterday to say that their church had flooded and wanted to know if they could come here to see Tyler. Of course, we told her that they could come here and see him. Tyler was awake for most of their visit, so that was nice. He didn't crash until early afternoon today. We had to explain to him that he wasn't to listen to anything the Uncle Jason tried to teach him. He was telling him that he needed to say to Nana "Woman get me some food." This is the type of thing my brother thinks is important to teach him. Jason also made a video in which he tells Tyler that women belong in the kitchen and they need to wait on their men. I will be sure to let him watch that many times. Overall, it was a nice visit. They also brought their dog Zoie. Wrangler enjoyed having her here to play. They ran around quite a bit. The cats, on the other hand were not very happy to have her here. They seemed very relieved to have Zoie go home.

More Pics of Tyler

2009-01-19T13:43:00.002-05:00

Here are some pictures taken with the Nikon of Tyler. They are in backwards order on here going from the dates of 1/8/09 to 1/18/09. You can see some of the changes in him since he has been home. Leo is out snowshoeing somewhere right now. Ty is sleeping. He should be out for another two hours and then it will be time to eat again. He also watched some of the Steelers game last night and actually seemed interested in what was going on. I think he just liked looking at the lights on television. The deer have been coming most of the day. We are down to just five that come, but that is really enough to feed this time of year. Leo got some nice shots of them yesterday in the snow. I will have to get him to post them on his site.

Pics of Tyler Awake

2009-01-17T14:36:00.000-05:00

We don't have too many pictures of the little man awake. After all, he is a baby and they tend to sleep quite a bit. Last night, he was awake for a bit. Leo took some pictures of him. He was looking for the most part at one of the cats that was sitting on top of the couch. These give some idea of some of his expressions.

First Doctor Visit

2009-01-15T18:58:00.002-05:00

Today, Tyle went to the doctor's. He is now 19.5 inches long. He is also back up to his birth weight. The doctor was impressed with his grip and how long and strong he can hold his neck up when on his stomach. Overall, he got a good report and was deemed healthy. He goes back in six weeks for his next appointment. He wasn't impressed with his trip outside. He screamed almost the whole time he was there and the whole car ride home. He then stayed awake for a couple of hours after we got home. He was back to his normal self this evening.

Getting Into a Routine

2009-01-14T12:48:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Tyler was extremely cranky. I think that was a combination of him eating from the bottles that bother his stomach and being out of a routine. With people being here over the past couple days, there was no way to establish a routine for him. Yesterday, he hardly slept at all during the day. I don't think he knew whether or not he should be awake or asleep, eating or not, or just hanging out. During the night, I got him back on the schedule he had been on since he was home and he was the happy baby he normally is. So far during the day, he is back to himself. I think it is just that he is on his three hour periods of time that he likes. It is fine by me to live the day in three hour increments if it means a happy child. In the picture, you can see he is hugging his pacifier. We couldn't wrestle it away from him, so I just took of picture instead.

New Friends

2009-01-12T01:28:00.000-05:00

I figure that I should start writing about Tyler being home. After all, this blog was started about becoming and being a family. As you can tell by the picture, Wrangler has no problem with Tyler. Although, we are careful to make sure he doesn't accidentally jump on him. Satin just started acknowledging him really today. So far, there have been no real problems. He only is cranky if he is hungry or needs changed. He is basically sleeping through the night. He does get up to eat but is usually back to sleep in minutes. the same if he needs to be changed. Right now we have everything set up in the living room. I can't sleep in the bed with someone in it until the staples come out, so I have been covering hte night duty. I get a little sleep here and there when Tyler is sleeping. The only problem is that cats are up most of the night running around which keeps me awake. Leo gets up early to take over and then I go to bed. By the end of this week, we are going to move him into the bedroom which will makes some things easier. He is on a pretty good schedule. He eats every three hours. We have to watch how much he eats. He would eat a ton if we let him do so. Right now he is eating close to two ounces at a time. I have discovered that Playtex drop in bottles are the best invention. Keeps him eating slower without the gas and spitting up. He has been much happier since we started using them. He only seems to like soothie pacifiers. I think that is because they use them while doing hte circumsicion and he has bonded with that pacifier. He loves sitting in his Boppy pillow. He is a very expressive and active kid. He is always moving his arms and legs and has many facial expressions he uses. I have been really impressed how he already has picked up using his hands to hold he pacifier in place. The past two days he also has been putting them around the bottle when he eats. He also has one heck of a grip. With his long fingers, that has pitcher written all over it. We will try to get more pictures. We haven't taken that many of him to be honest. I really don't need a ton of pictures of him sleeping. Once he is awake more and does more interesting things, I am sre that both of us will be taking many pictures.

Kids

2009-01-12T01:08:00.000-05:00

This weekend Ammy and Grampy came to see Tyler for the first time. Luckily, they got here yesterday before the snowstorm started. We didn't get as much snow as they originally said we were but we got enough for some youngsters to go out and have fun. Leo had cut out a trail with his kayak. I didn't go outside with them, but didn't have to when I could sit on the couch with Tyler and watch through the window. You didn't have to turn on a television. Of course, I did have the football game playing while they were outside. It was definitely something to see. I also think that our neighbor now knows that Leo comes by it naturally as John drove past while this was taking place.

We're Home

2009-01-08T14:10:00.000-05:00

We came home from the hospital this morning. This is Tyler lying in his pack and play. The pets don't seem to mind his arrival. They just look at him and that is about it. We have discovered that Tyler can sleep through barking dogs. Satin seemed to be real happy that I am now home. She gave me a nice greeting. Wrangler seemed more interested in his new brother. Leo hasn't been feeding the deer while we have had this ordeal. We'll see how long it is before they realize that I am home. I am obviously on restrictions for a bit and not allowed to do much of anything. Tyler and I both have appointments the end of next week. Leo went down to fill my prescriptions and Stephen Uncle Leo also bought guitar hero while out, so you are now all set the next time you come up here. You can fight you uncle for the Wii time.

New Year's Day

2009-01-01T19:58:00.002-05:00

Well, we spent most of our day at the ER vet clinic with Satin. She woke up. She went to the bathroom and then came inside and vomited. Nothing there to get to alarmed about since our pets are known to do this on occassion. The part that became troubling is that she realy couldn't walk and wouldn't eat anything including people food that was offered to her. She just laid down and moaned. We debated on taking her but she was getting worse as the day was going on, and we decided that she couldn't wait. Of course, she rebounded once there. She was like taking the car to the mechanic. Of course, most of that was adrenaline related. It turns out she is going to live. Her bladder infection appears to have returned. The other problem is that her arthritis is getting worse, and the meds she was on isn't working really for her. The problem with them is that she is at a weight that is between safe dosages for her liver. This doctor changed to a new medication that seems to be working great. She got an injection while there and was walking the best that she has in a long time. We got the oral medication of that drug and some antibiotics for her bladder and were on our way. By the time we got home, she was pretty much back to normal. We also did bloodwork while there and that is the best it has been, so she is doing well otherwise. The place we took her to was very nice. It is an hour away, but all ER facitlities are that distance or more. For it being an emergency clinic, the prices were actually better than what we pay at the regular vet clinic. We also got to travel to an area we haven't been to and found that the ara also has many specialty stores and things like that. I guess it turned out to be a productive trip.

New Purchases

2008-12-26T19:05:00.000-05:00

Leo and I decided instead of buying actual gifts for each other for Christmas we would just get a family gift. We had been looking for a Wii, but couldn't find one in stock when we were looking. Yesterday, I was talking to my cousin and she was saying that the Walmart by them got a late shipment in and were selling them at a nice discount because they couldn't sell them. We decided to try the Walmart by us today. They didn't have the console at the price Tara's had because they were sold out. Luckily, they did have the Wii sports bundle which was also on sale. They didn't have many left, but as long as they had one we were all set. The above pictures is of Leo playing the game that came with the bundle. We didn't purchase any other games yet, but they will be coming. One of the things we ahve to get is either Guitar Hero or Rockband. I want to do some research to see which one would be better. We purchased some LED Christmas lights while at Walmart also. They were 50% off, so we are all set or next year. We got some this year to try and we fell in love with them. On our way home we stopped at the furniture store that is going out of business. The owner of the store passed away and none of his family lives close by to run the store. It is a shame in some ways as this store has been in exsistence with the same family running it for 50 years. We just wanted to see what they had, and they had a really nice rocker at a great price that we couldn't pass up. This was needed because we didn't have anything like that for the nursery. We were just going to get a cheaper glider to put in there until we found this rocker. We got the great rocker for a great price which turned out even better. Then, we got home put in the nursery and it matches the crib perfectly. It looks like they were made as a set. Today, has seemed like such a productive day even though we really haven't done much other than going to two stores.

Some People Use Sleds. Others........

2008-12-21T12:35:00.000-05:00

I was watching the pre-game show when Wrangler ran to the window and started whining. At first, I thought maybe that there was a deer out there. No, what do I see. I see Leo walking up the hill towing a kayak. I guess this is his form of sledding. Since snow is a form of water, he figured that this was the way to go. It is moments like this that I am glad that we only have one set of neighbors that can see our place. I am waiting for the neighbor girls to come over here. He has a good trail cut that will be good for their sleds.

Fun for Leo

2008-12-19T15:51:00.000-05:00

Here's Leo riding his quad in the snow. He ran around the house before heading into the woods and down the trail. It looked like he was having fun. I hear him running it now, so I am assuming he is plowing our driveway. The regular road is snow covered again because of the amount of snow coming down. Hopefully, this will let up some soon, or we will be well on our way to over a foot of snow.

More Fun

2008-12-19T15:37:00.000-05:00

I think the dogs had more fun with Leo playing with them. He can get down and play as opposed to me. They are starting to get a little tired now. It won't be long before they are taking naps. At least, this should make them behave tonight. We are approaching 10 inches of snow here. As you can tell from th pictures, it is the light powder type of snow. The ski slopes will be packed come tomorrow with the quality of this snow.

Landscape

2008-12-19T13:56:00.000-05:00

Here are some of the views from the hill today. Leo got home a little bit ago. It took him an hour to make the drive from work to here. He said the roads are barely touched. Not that you can keep up with a storm that is dumping two inches of snow an hour. It is a nice day to just be indoors. Later, we will get a fire going. I already have teh spaghetti sauce and homemade meatballs going in the crockpot for dinner. Leo may take the dogs out to run around again. I could only stand being our there so long. It isn't really all that cold. It is the snow blowing in your face that bothers you. Well, not the dogs really. They don't seem to mind.

Playtime in the Snow.

2008-12-19T13:45:00.001-05:00

The snow started falling around 10:30AM. So far in three hours we have six inches of snow and hours to go yet. I took the dogs out to play. They seemed to have enjoyed themselves although Wrangler kept trying to go to the deer food and dig it up. Something tells me he wasn't doing it so they didn't have to when they come later. Satin didn't did in the snow. She did get snow covered by walking under our deck.

The Storm's A Coming.

2008-12-18T18:11:00.002-05:00

Well, we are getting what is considered the first big storm of the year. Of course, we had snow in these parts that was pretty decent, but this is the first for widespread snow. Leo is over to his friend's to pick up his quad. He had kept it there after riding it the other day due to us waiting for the title to our trailer to come. He wanted to make sure it was here just in case he needed to clear the road in an emergency. He starts his leave, but is going on early to finish up some loose ends that way he can be home before the storm really gets going. It isn't supposed to really start snowing here until after 9AM. My appointment for tomorrow was rescheduled for Monday afternoon. The did that earlier today forseeing what the weather is going to be like. I didn't feel like going out with an inch plus snow an hour with blowing snow on top of that anyways. This is especially true since our roads will be the last to be cleared. The road we live on isn't even plowed at all. Hence, why Leo is picking up the quad. At least, I will be home where you can just enjoy the snow. I am sure the dogs are going to want to go out an play. Plus, the girls next door will be sledding on the hill around here. If nothing else, this storm plus the one on Sunday should make for a white Christmas around here.

It's looking like Christmas.

2008-12-14T17:23:00.002-05:00

Well, we finally got our tree and decorated it yesterday. It is nice to have the scent of pine in the air. Of course, we always have to monitor where we decorate so the cats aren't attracted to the ornaments. We also had to move a few because of wagging dog tails. It turned out nice I think. We also bought the LED lights this year. They make a big difference. I would suggest them to anyone who needs to get lights for their trees or outside. We have them for our outside deocoration also. Not only do they use a lot less electricity. They are also much brighter, but yet with a soft glow. Since we have a fireplace mantle now, I decided to buy a little village and put that up. It also has lighted buildings which I like. I tried to take some pictures with the lights. I added the few that give you the best idea of things. We also have the top of the bookcase deocrated with snowmen, a X-mas bear, and nutcrackers that we bought our first Christmas and were still in the bag that they came in when we bought them. Another interesting fact around here, is the deer are starting to come out of hiding. Apparently, they have an internal clock that told them that hunting season ended yesterday. One of the ten points was in our front yard last night. Today, the three point that thinks he owns our hill was back taking over his territory. He didn't even move when the dogs went out to go to the bathroom. I think he is glad to be back over here. Plus, he also was a tad bit hungry and since I do have food out he figured he would make up for lost time. I am sure there will be none around come Christmas Day since Dad will be here. We know how they like to hide when he comes.

Much Better Than Outdoors.

2008-12-07T17:14:00.000-05:00

Here is my fire for the night.

Snowplow

2008-12-07T17:12:00.000-05:00

Here is the quad with the snowplow attachment.

New Toy

2008-12-07T16:59:00.000-05:00

Here is Leo riding his new quad. He picked it up yesterday. He has only ridden it around the house so far. If John was home, I am sure the two of them would have been on the trails behind John and Jen's place. Leo has also worked on trying to get the garage door openers connected. So far, they still aren't up. He has had some issues and needs some different tools. I, on the other hand, am sitting in ront of a fire and watching the Steelers play. I think it is much better in here than outside in the cold. It is only supposed to on the single digits tonight. I was out in the garage for a little bit. It didn't seem to be too cold out there, but definitely warmer inside.

And Then There Was One Less.

2008-12-02T20:28:00.000-05:00

For those who have been following the saga, this big boy is no longer with us. John got him this afternoon. It was fun taking part of his excitement this evening. We got the phone call that he had the big eight in his driveway. Leo got to witness some part of the not so fun part of gutting the deer. Leo also took pictures for John with Leo's Nikon. It is something that we have this deer from being in velvet to being down on the ground. We are also getting some venison out of the deal. He was a very heavy body deer. We will get a better idea of weight but it appears that he will field dress near 200 pounds. This makes me laugh thinking of how the teachers in Aberdeen thought that little buck weighed 300 pounds. Of course, my feeding these guys did help with the weight, so I think I get some credit for it. Overall, it was a great night that made a lot of hard work worth it.

Daylight Big Boy

2008-11-25T16:22:00.000-05:00

Well, the ten point showed up today in the daylight. First time I have seen him during the day since he was in velvet. This may not pose so well for him come Monday. Nocturnal bucks shouldn't start playing in daytime hours during gun season. It also means that Dad may actually get his moment of seeing the deer when he comes here. Of course, John will be mad if you throw things off for his hunting Monday. We only got about three inches of snow overnight. It was done by morning. I put extra deer food out. I have to feed the deer with the crooked tail fawns. She got injured somehow, and probably isn't with us anymore, but I promised that I would look after the two of them. The were late fawns, so they are more susceptible in the winter.

Second Time Around

2008-11-19T16:50:00.000-05:00

The second rut is going. That basically means that the little dudes get their chance to breed. Apparently, this six point won the breeding rights for this. He has been here a few times with different does. The big boys, I am assuming, are back across the road. It will be interesting to see if they make another appearance around our place or not.

Rough Being Wrangler

2008-11-18T22:32:00.000-05:00

I think that it was really nice of us to buy Wrangler a new couch. As you can see, he really enjoys lounging around on it. Apparently, the little playing in the snow he did today wore him out. This is how he spent most of his night.

More Pictures

2008-11-18T08:58:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures with better lighting. I included the picture of the driveway and some pictures of finches eating at the feeders.

Morning View

2008-11-18T07:39:00.002-05:00

This is the view we had this morning. What was supposed to be flurries ended up being two inches of snow. Dave is here this morning doing what he can until the rest of the stone arrives. Due to the weather, that will be coming later today. Dave said the roads aren't snow cover that they are covered in black ice which is much worse of course. Leo had a government car this morning which is the car he is cleaning off in the above picture. They are calling for another inch or two of snow come Thursday. Too bad Anthony wasn't here. He could actually get to see the snow he missed last year.

Slight Chance of Snow

2008-11-17T23:30:00.002-05:00

The call for tonight was a 30 percent chance of flurries and occassional snow showers. Well, that turned out to be 100% chance of snow showers. It has been snowing most of the night. I noticed earlier that it was accumulating a little bit. I just looked a few minutes ago and there is an inch plus out there. So much for that little chance of snow. We still aren't in a watch or anything like that, so I am assuming that this should be over relatively shortly. We aren't supposed to get snow again for a few days. I don't know how much of this will melt as it is supposed to be around the freezing mark for the next few days. Dave is supposed to put the stone around tomorrow. This shouldn't stop that plan from taking place. It will just slow things down a little bit I think.

The Pole Barn Saga Continued

2008-11-15T19:35:00.003-05:00

Well, the floor to the garage looks good. The concrete guys were here until 5:15AM Friday to finish the job. I learned a lot about concrete floors and the process that goes into dealing with concrete. Once a job is started, you have to follow all the steps in order. You just can't go and come back the following day. Things need to be done when they are ready, or you stand the chance of the floor cracking or being unlevel. We spent part of the early morning hours watching deer. It definitely was one of the nicer dealings in the building of the garage. The color swatch arrived today, and it is the color we ordered, but as Leo saw today light makes a big different on how the color looks. What we did realize is that the garage wasn't built to our specifications. The garage doors were supposed to be offset giving us storage on the side. They built it equal all the way across. Leo is still deciding what he will do. Monday the bay doors will be installed. Either Monday or Tuesday, Dave, the excavator, will be here to put the stone down and re-grade the driveway. Luckily, there was a lot of stone left over from the concrete floor, and the concrete guys did a good job distributing it, so there is less that Dave needs to do.

Update....upon further review of the plans that were sent to Leo, the garage was built to the specs the blueprints were set. Leo didn't look at them real well when he got them. Now, he has decided that he likes the equal bay look better anyway and we still have plenty of storage out there, so we are keeping it as is.

On a Lighter Note.

2008-11-13T22:14:00.002-05:00

Many of you are aware of the hunting saga that has been taken place here. John has taken the most of this week off to hopefully bag a big deer. Now we haven't seen any of the big boys for weeks. That was until today. Earlier today the cement guys made a comment about the big deer we have. I asked if they had seen one and they proceed to tell me that there is one across the street right now. Sure enough I look and the ten point is chasing a doe right next to the ditch across the road. They head down right towards where John stand is. Now, I think John may have him because I know John has been sitting in that stand for two days. Well, I look over and here comes John from the hunting area behind his house. I call over there and he hurries across the street. The deer are gone by the time he gets there. He stays out there for hours in the rain, but no deer come. Well, tonight we have all the big boys in our backyard. Even got to witness a two deer fighting and locking antlers. In case you are wondering, I bought a spotlight so we could see such events. Well the deer are still up there. It seems that they are spending the night. I called over to John to let him know. The good thing about this is that they seem like they are going to be heading in different directions come morning, so it shouldn't matter which stand John goes. We will see what happens. Hopefully tomorrow someone's head will be heading to the taxidermist.

Pole Barn Saga

2008-11-13T14:46:00.002-05:00

Well, the pole barn started out well. On Tuesday, they got the outside structuring done. Leo took pictures since he was off from work. Yesterday, was when everything went downhill. I knew we were in trouble when only the younger guys showed up for work. The older forman gentleman was not with them. They got here and I heard yelling and looked out to see two of them wrestling over a tool belt in the front yard. They spent most of the morning screwing around to the point that I wasn't sure the barn was going to get done for the cement to be put in today. Now, there were two hard working guys in the group and they were doing their best to get things done. One of them eventually called to the powers that be to see what he could do to get the project done. As they started to put up the siding, it didn't look anywhere near the color we picked out. We will get to that a little later. So the oldest kid comes to get me to say they are almost done and to show me everything. It looked pretty good except for the color. Well, they left without saying anything when they were done. Leo gets home and what they did was left trash all over the place. Most of which was either inside the garage or blocking bays. Now this poses a problem because we have the cement guys coming today. Now, we had said that they could leave the excess materials here and the trash. After all, we can burn it and the excess we could always use on other projects. What we didn't expect was for them to leave everything where it was. You would think that it would have been organized. Plus, they cut everything in the driveway and left nails there. Leo spent a good portion of his night cleaning this up, so nothing was blocked for the cement crew. They got here this morning and actually got on their hands and knees looking for nails, so they didn't run over any. They found a few that were still left and got rid of them. They go inside and the kids from yesterday hadn't smoothed the floor, so these guys had to do it before they start. While we were out there, we checked on the color. The cement guys also agreed it was the wrong color. Later on, we realized that it is the right color but lighting reflection is extreme and changes the color drastically. The one guy from today said that it has to do with the steel siding. It would have been nice for the salesman to tell us that would happen. We would have picked a darker color due to the fact that the sun will be shining on the building and makes it look yellow instead of dark beige. At least the cement guys are good. Then, I had an electrician here to give an estimate to put electric in the garage. There are many names to describe this man. None of which are nice, so I will not use them. He was nasty in his tone. I had to call Leo because he wanted spot for spot on what we wanted out there. Now, Leo didn't tell him anything really different than I did. I did hear him say to his assistant that he hates dealing with women. Needless to say, we will not be using him. The garage doors will be installed on Monday. Sometime next week, Dave, the excavator, will be back to put the stone outside the garage and to regrade the driveway so we can pull into the garage easier. It is nice dealing with the subcontractors. The problem has been in dealing with the main group who you would think would be nicer since they are the ones that get the money. Oh, just to point out, the pole barn was not built by the Amish. I think part of the problem arose when they found out we were a non-inspected job. Since the barn is under 1000 square feet, it isn't required to be inspected by our townships laws. I believe the pole barn company took the chance to send a second rate team to build it instead of their top of line group. It will be nice once things are done.

Phitin' Phils

2008-10-29T23:03:00.002-04:00

It was the moment I waited for 28 years to see. The Phillies won the World Series tonight. I became a Phillies fan during the last World Series they won. It has been a long ride. As every Phillies fan knows, you love them, but they don't make it easy for you. You have to take the good with the bad. They can go years without a winning season. Tonight though, they became the best in the land, and it was a moment the everyone who has stayed with them through the years can be proud.

Fun In The Snow

2008-10-28T23:35:00.000-04:00

Leo was let out of work early today due to the weather. He said the roads weren't too bad. The biggest problem was down tree limbs. Since he was home, he decided to take the dogs out to play in the snow. Both of the dogs love playing in it. They played a little earlier in the day, but I can only do so much at this point. They were extremely tired this evening due to their playing. They will be upset when the snow melts.

Out In The Open

2008-10-28T23:29:00.000-04:00

There was no hiding by the deer as suggested by a certain commentor. They were out in good numbers this evening. This little guy decided to get a jump on eating before everyone else arrived. I also think he is out there eating as I type this. With all the snow and wind our motion lights on the side keeps getting tripped. The bright spot of that is that the snow on the ground is causing a nice illumination and we can see the deer eating that are coming at dark. For those of you who met John, he missed one of the large deer. In fairness to him, he didn't get a good shot and the wind played a big factor. There hadn't been one in this spot all season long, so to say he was surprised was an understatement. The good news is that he was with a doe meaning that he most likely will be back there tomorrow when there should be better weather conditions. We will get one of these boys on his wall before the end of the season.

Winter Wonderland

2008-10-28T15:50:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures from today's snowstorm. So far, it hasn't been as bad as originally predicted, but I have noticed in the past hour that the intensity and wind have increased.

Winter Weather Preparation Afternoon

2008-10-27T17:14:00.002-04:00

Well, my original game plan was to run some errands tomorrow instead of going out today. That was until I saw the weather forecast for tomorrow. We are supposed to be getting 3-6 inces of snow tomorrow. That left much to do to make sure we are ready. I looked to make sure that we had food to make that doesn't require electricity to make. Well, we were a little short on that so, I had to run to the grocery store. We were also low on dog food, so i had to get that because I knew we didn't have enough for tomorrow night, and since I had to go out anyways that was added to the list. I got what we needed plus some more deer food knowing that they would be here in full force with the weather that was being called. I then decided to go check the wood pile. Even though it had bothered my allergies, we used the past few days and I was fine. We were using it for Phillies good luck. They lost the game that we didn't have a fire going. Sometimes you have to take one for the team. Plus, if we lose electricity, we can still have some sort of heat. The nice part of having a fireplace is for situations that could happen. I brought in some wood to dry better. It had gotten wet overnight. Leo hadn't covered it. It was actually supposed to be a nice day today as of yesterday's weather news. That didn't end up being the case. I put the wood in the utility room. That room is extremely dry with the furnace being in there. I also covered the wood pile that was left so it can continue to dry and doesn't get wet with the rain and snow we are going to get by tomorrow night. I think that we should be pretty well set no matter what the weather brings tomorrow. I think the wind tomorrow will actually be the worse thing in the storm tomorrow. That is supposed to reach 40mph, so that may cause the worse of the problems. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

First Part Finished

2008-10-24T11:55:00.001-04:00

The first part of the garage construction is finished. Of course, I and I am sure my neighbors could have done without the 5:30AM start time today. I thought something crashed into the house early this morning only to look out of the house and realize that Dave was getting an early start to his day. He was banging the side of the truck trying to load it because it was hard to see in the dark. Needless to say, I went out and proceeded to tell him he had to keep the noise down. After all, my neighbors do have children who were probably still sleeping. If not their children, the children in the next county. It was very loud noises. At least this part is done. In about two weeks, we will have a garage. Also note how the deer were bothered by what was taking place this morning. The one doe was very curious. I guess if you want to see wildlife here you must bring big machinery.

Excavation

2008-10-23T21:09:00.000-04:00

Here is some pictures from today's big dig. Much to the dismany of Dave, the excavator, there really wasn't that many big rocks. The area cleared was basically top soil. This is most likely the only spot of the yard that was mostly top soil. It didn't take him nearly as long as he thought it would to do. Our neighbor took the dirt which was still good even if it was top soil. We need to keep the res of the yard the way it is for the most part due to the fact that it is built the way it is for drainage. There was also some concern that the process would scare away the deer, but as you can see in the picture they were very interested in what was happening. They also were here eating this evening, so they can't be too upset. All that is left for tomorrow is for him to cut the swell and evel everything. It is expected that is will be done on the early side. The materials for the garage itself will be delivered on November 3rd. The construction will take place later that week.

Short Lived

2008-10-21T22:02:00.002-04:00

Looks like the fireplace will be used very sparingly. After using it for two days, my breathing has taken a nose dive. I have found over the years that having the use of breathing through your nostrils is a good thing. At the moment, that really isn't possible. I also over the years like to be able to breathe without feeling like their is a ton of weight on my chest. That too is not possible at the moment. I wasn't like this before using the fireplace. It is amazing how it didn't long for it to take effect. It isn't like I didn't know that this was a possibility. We will use it every once in awhile, but it won't be used on a daily basis.

Fire From Tonight.

2008-10-20T20:38:00.000-04:00

Here is the fire from tonight. It is much nicer looking than the one last night.

The First Fire.

2008-10-20T20:32:00.000-04:00

With the dropping evening temperatures, we decided to utilize our fireplace. It isn't a practice that I know that we can continue to do on a regular basis with my allergies and asthma, but it wasn't too bad last evening. Leo bought a chainsaw and axes. We also had to buy fireplace tools. We also got a holder to stack the wood outside. The wood was still a tad wet, so it didn't burn that great. Today, I went and bought some Duraflame logs to use to give the wood some time to cure. These logs are supposed to burn cleaner than wood and also last four hours. Right now it is working well although I do admit that I miss the woodburning smell that usually comes with fires. Leo got home from work tonight and chopped more wood. The bright spot is that there is plenty of wood down on the property that we can use for a long time. It isn't like we had to go try and find some wood. It was right here all along. Since it is supposed to rain tomorrow and then snow overnight, we wanted to get what he had cut up with the chainsaw chopped and stacked. I did my part in carrying the smaller pieces down to the chopping station. Obviously, Leo was going to have to care of the larger pieces. I also filled the birdfeeders since it is getting colder. Plus, the deer needed more corn put down. Of course, I could let them forage for themselves, but since the ten point is bedding down at night in our backyard, he needed to be fed. Can't let him start wandering unto other properties. The only place that I will allow him to go is mounted on John's wall.

The disappearing Deer.

2008-10-20T20:17:00.002-04:00

For both of his trips here, Dad has tried to view the normally abundant wildlife. I even tried timing feeding them, so that they would be more prevalent while he was here. That game plan did not work. I think they got a little shy with all of the commotion that was taking place during the party. The above pictures were taken the following day. Notice the same large rock that Dad is sitting has deer standing behind it later that afternoon. Even though he didn't see them, he was pretty close to where they eventually went.

The New Car

2008-10-20T20:08:00.000-04:00

Here are the pictures of hte new 4Runner.

Our New Wheels

2008-10-17T20:08:00.002-04:00

Leo and I bought a new car yesterday. Well, it isn't brand new but pretty close. We have been trying to unload the VUE due to problems that we had been experiencing. After going back and forth on things, we decided on buying a Toyota 4Runner. We knew we wanted to get a good used vehicle. We went to the dealership last night when Leo got home from work, and they had a 2007 with 30,000 miles on it that was kept in meticulous shape. Owner made an impulse buy when coming in for his regular oil change. The car color is driftwood pearl which is fancy for darker gold. It is a 4 wheel drive. It came with the towing package. It is also the first car we have owned that has power windows and locks. It also has great cargo space. Plus, it makes you feel real tall when you drive it. The dealership we went to was one of the fanciest things I have ever seen. First off, there is a Dunkin Donuts in the showroom. Even more impressive was the workshop area they had. It had 26 bays that looked like a NASCAR race shop. It was very clean even in the areas that they were working on cars. They really took care of us, and not in that pushy kind of a way that you get when buying cars. It was a real nice experience. They gave us a great deal on the car price and even went above blue book value on our car. Like Leo said, if only buying a house could be that pleasant and easy. I will post a picture tomorrow once I get a chance to do it daylight.

Feeling Better

2008-10-06T17:58:00.003-04:00

I am feeling much better today. It must have been some 24 hour virus. I got some of the things I wanted to get done around the house. Leo is waiting at the Atlanta airport for his flight home. It leaves at 6:45 if there are no problems. The deer have been here in full force this afternoon. Hopefully, they will be around on Sunday when everybody is here. I am finding it entertaining watching them eat apples. Just like with people every one seems to have its own style in doing it. Some actually spin the apple in their mouth while eating it. Others eats parts at time. One actually used it hoof to break it up and then eat it. You would think they would all do it the same way. I have to take the dogs out and then give them a bath. Something tells me that they aren't going to be thrilled with my evening plans. Hopefully this time I can keep Wrangler in the tub.

Sick Sunday

2008-10-05T21:00:00.002-04:00

I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a fever. I took some Tylenol and then I had to run to the store for some food. On the way to the store, the VUE's engine cut out at a stop sign. It didn't seem to have the right power while I was driving it, but then all of a sudden kicked into gear. I made it home okay and don't have to travel tomorrow. Leo comes home tomorrow night and has Tuesday off. We will run it down to the shop on Tuesday. I am thinking spark plugs or possible fuel injector issue. We'll see what transpires. I unloaded the groceries. Took apples and corn up to the deer feeding spot. Then, finished watching the Phillies clinch to go to the NLCS. I then took a nap. Woke up feeling better but still tired. Unfortunately with Leo being gone, I had to deal with all the pets. I did manage to a play a little catch with the dogs, so they aren't out of control tonight. Leo called tonight. He seems to be having fun on his little trip. My father called tonight. My grandmother is back in the hospital. She should only be in for a few days. This is actually the longest in a bit that she has gone between hospitalizations. Now, I am watching the Red Sox and Steelers games. Not at the same time, I am flipping back and forth between the two. Hopefully tomorrow I will fell back to normal. I have some things around the house that I want to get done.

Ever Wonder What People Are Thinking

2008-10-03T23:11:00.000-04:00

You ever wonder how people justify their thoughts. I have read numerous articles today about the banning of teaching yoga in a certain school district. Parents and religious leaders arguing that it teaches religious principals of Hinduism. Now, from what I read, the aspect of its religious involvement isn't being discussed. It is just using the stretching and breathing techniques to help reduce stress. The argument is the good old separation of church and state. First off, I know many people of all different religions that use yoga on a regular basis. Are they going against their original religion by doing yoga? I am sure that every single one of them will convert to Hindu now that they do it. That was actually a point a parent against the yoga tried to make by the way. Apparently, this isn't the first district to have this problem. Yoga has actually been banned due to parent protest in a few districts although it is used in over 100 with more planning on adding it to their curriculum. Ironically, some of these same parents fought to keep under God in the Pledge of Allegiance. Why is that? Oh yeah, that is something that supports their ideals. Doesn't matter apparently that actually mentions a God of any sort. Don't get me wrong. I don't think that under God should be removed. I am just saying that if you are going to argue for that you are being a tad bit hypocritical. People are afraid that it may cause conflict in their children. If you are raising your children right in your church thoughts, they should be grounded enough to realize that for most now yoga is just something to make you relax and something of benefit. I can't believe that some people have nothing better to do with their time than come up with things like this to challenge. At least the post I read on book banning/ challenging had some good insight on merits for and against. I at least had something with some thought behind its argument to read. The anti-yoga people should take that approach.

Hmmm!

2008-10-02T18:46:00.000-04:00

Leo is on his way to a kayaking vacation in TN. Now, where this story takes a blogging turn is when the airline called the house. I didn't get to the phone in time, and they left a message. The message was along the lines of they were sorry for any inconvenience that problems with Leo's flight may have caused. He should go see a customer service agent as soon as he gets to the airport to assist him with his plans. This call came at 5:48 pm. Leo's original flight time was 6:00pm. I called Leo to see what was going on with his flight. He was surprised that I knew there was even a delay. His flight wasn't going to be taking off until 7:30. I told him about the phone call. Leo said they explained everything to him when he checked in at 4:30. Now, here's the question. If one is still at home at 5:48pm how are you going to make a 6:00pm flight. Luckily, if you were still at home you had time to play around, but still. It isn't like they didn't know that there was a problem earlier. It was like when Leo got to the airport over an hour earlier. Like Leo said it would have been nice to know earlier because he could have done some more things a work instead of leaving early and sitting around at the airport for three hours. I guess in the airline world there is no need for speedy notices.

Getting Things Done

2008-09-24T18:31:00.000-04:00

While Leo is in St. Louis listening to bad lectures, eating at sports bars, and attending baseball games, I have been doing things that I have wanted to for a bit. Yesterday, I had to do my typical weekly shopping. Then, on the way out I realized that the VUE really needed to be cleaned. I looked for my car washing things and couldn't find them, so I bought some new ones. After I put the groceries away and put down then deer corn and apples, I washed the car. I also straightened up some things around the house. Today, I waxed the car. I always like waiting a day in between washing and waxing. That way, the car is real dry and if you missed a spot of dirt you can take care of it before waxing it into the car. I also burned some cardboard and paper that we had lying around that I have been wanted to dispose. Since it is supposed to rain from tomorrow until Monday, I figured that today was probably my best chance. Tomorrow, I have to pick up Satin's latest round of antibiotics, and finish cleaning the house. I don't know how the weather will play with Leo's travel plans. He is supposed to be coming home late Friday night, but with all the rain and wind we are supposed to be having, it may delay his return. We will see what happens. Hopefully, he can get back without too many hitches.

Pretty Calm Day.

2008-09-15T00:12:00.000-04:00

It was hot and miserable outside today. It wasn't so much the heat as it was the humidity that made it so you didn't want to go outside. Worked fine for me since it is a Sunday during football season. I was more than happy to sit on my new couch and watch games all day. Also, threw in the NASCAR race, but that was flipped back and forth between breaks in games. I had to let Leo watch something that he wanted to see. The Steelers won and Michael Phelps was at the game. Apparently, after you win eight gold medals, your rink of choice becomes Corona in a can. They showed him numerous times with one in his hand and others lined up in front of him. Pretty good free advertising if you ask me. It was a very relaxing day made even nicer since we have the new furniture.

The New Furniture is Here

2008-09-13T18:35:00.000-04:00

Our new sectional and coffee table arrived today. Needless to say, we are very happy. The whole set matched all the other furniture that we had in the living room. On the ends of the sectional are recliners. We moved our old couch downstairs to the bar area. It served its purpose well for years and will still be used, but it was time for new stuff to go into the main living area. I will say that the sectional is ver comfortable. It has the pillowtop backing. I also like the fact that all cushions are attached which means Wrangler can't rearrange them. Leo has been very busy today. He vaccuumed the floor and cleaned the tile floor downstairs. He also got all the containers from downstairs that could be put in the attic and moved them there. For good measure, he also went and mowed the lawn before it started raining. I have been watching Notre Dame beat up on Michigan who were heavily favored. Also, we have Phillies coverage and they are winning in an important game that has playoff implications. It was also just shown that the worthless Mets are no losing to the Braves, so that is even better news. Now to add to what all Leo has done, tonight he completely rearranged the room downstairs where we just had cat items. He put down our throw rug and moved the old couch into there. He also put out old lamp in there. It basically looks like our old living room except there isn't a television in there at this time. It is a much better use of that room for the time being.

The Huge Eight Point

2008-09-13T18:23:00.000-04:00

This is the big eight point that has been around here. He only shows up at dusk, so it is hard getting good pictures of him. He was actually foloowing some does after I took these pictures. He has a very tall rack. I hope to get a few shots of these guys out of velvet to see what the racks really became.

NIne and Six Point Bucks

2008-09-13T18:19:00.000-04:00

Here is the nine and six point bucks we had hanging around. I haven't seen any of the big boys for a bit. I am sure they will be back though in the next few weeks. We do have does that come here every day that are sure to attract them here.

Ten Point Buck for Stephen

2008-09-13T18:10:00.000-04:00

Here are Some More

2008-09-13T18:04:00.000-04:00

Here is a little herd that was here the other morning. The really got after the Mountain Laurel.

Here are Some Recent Deer Pics

2008-09-13T18:01:00.000-04:00

Things Are Falling Into Place.

2008-09-10T17:26:00.000-04:00

Well, since we had things picked out if we were having a girl, we were back to drawing board with what we were going to do with the nursery now that we are having a boy. Originally, we wanted to do a sports theme, but then couldn't find one that we liked. We did find a jungle theme that we both really liked, so we bought it. Our nursery is going to look something like this.....http://www.babymania.com/JungleBabiesbyNojo6PieceCribSet-idv-15463-198.html. Our walls are going to be more of a sage or light green color to go with it. Now, we have the nursery done as far as what it is going to look like. The name is all picked out. Now, we just have to get the crib, nursery painted, and the room put together once everything arrives. It could take eight weeks, so we have time to relax in between. We also got our registry done at Baby R Us. That is another thing done on the to do list. Although, I keep adding to it. I keep thinking of other things that we should have. It is hard to do when you are on the site for the first time because you can always think of other things later.

german food and more family news

2008-08-27T18:31:00.000-04:00

We had our lunch at the Alpine Restaurant. It was very good. If Eileen ever comes here, we know where to take her out to eat. It was a German cuisine for the most part. We both had the sausage platter. We picked different sausages and sauerkraut and I got mashed potatoes while Leo picked german potato salad. We both enjoyed our meal very much, and may even go back tomorrow for the very nice priced all you can eat buffet for dinner. After our lunch, we went to the Wildlife Sanctuary. The trail part of it is free to the public, so we went on a little walk through the woods. We didn't want to overdo it for my sake, so we did one of the easier trails. We then came home and received a call from my sister, Kari, who is now engaged. That means next year my parents are having two new grandchildren and a wedding to help plan. Good thing my dad retired.

Staycation

2008-08-26T17:16:00.000-04:00

Leo is on vacation this week. Since we didn't travel anywhere, we have been referring to this week as our staycation. Not that we are staying home all. Yesterday we went to Cooperstown, NY to go to the Baseball Hall of Fame. We were a little disappointed in the layout of things. It kind of jumped around and I would have like to see a little more modern history of things. They did have some cool things in the Babe Ruth room. It was also interesting to see the old gloves, and they had some contracts from the beginning of the century on display. They have sure gone up in price. We also got mixed in a crowd from the Boston area that were there playing baseball. There was a youth tournament of some sort going on. Well, it turns out the one lady was friends with Mike Timlin and actually took a picture of his picture that was hanging on the wall and sent it to his cell phone. We also walked around the downtown shop area. We didn't find anything we wanted to buy. The drive there and back was real nice. We were mostly traveling on back roads in the mountains. The only navigational problem was getting around deer that were playing in the road. Today we decided to go out to lunch. We ate at the Boat House Restaurant. It was very good. I got a pound of steamers and a pulled pork sandwich that also came with fries. Leo got the ranch buffalo chicken sandwich. We also both got homemade lemonade. The whole lunch was fantastic. We then went down to the lake since we were right in that area. We watched some people pit their boats in which was probably as exciting as Harry watching the big trucks today. We came home and then watched the birds at our bird feeders including some hummingbirds. We put up the feeders the other day. We'll see how long it lasts before the bear discovers that they are there. It seems that it has been avoiding our yard, so we figured that we would try to put out the feeders. There were also some deer eating out there also. Tomorrow we are going to try the Alpine Restaurant for lunch and probably go to the glass museum and wildlife sanctuary. We want to get memberships, so we can use the trails. It is nice to live in an area where there is much to do.

Busy Shopping Day

2008-08-23T18:06:00.000-04:00

We decided to go look for new furniture today. We went to the best furniture store that I have ever been called Van Gorders. They have two locations. We went to the one by Lake Wallenpaupack. It had many floor models to give you an idea of what you had. We had to decide what type of living room set we wanted. We decided the best route for us to go would be a sectional. The next step was picking out what kind. The salesman started asking us questions about our lifestyle and it didn't take long to determine with the dogs, cats, and kid on the way, a sturdy microfiber was in order. Well, the brand we chose had tear sheets that you could take with measurements. Also, we picked the sectionals that you build yourself meaning we could choose what we wanted in the sectional. Leo and I came home to measure and decided on what size would work and then we ran back to the store to place our order. We decided to have a sectional that is a couch with a recliner on each end. We also got a new coffee table that matches the pieces of furniture that we already have. I also got complimented on my choice of color combination. We picked a rust color for the sectional and I picked fabric that went well with it. I got told that I have a good eye for the match. Leo thinks they tell that to everyone. The pillows that come with it are free. That was a plus. Even better is that the turn around time for the company is rather quick, and we should have delivery in three weeks. We also took a walk on the path by the lake while we were in that area. We also made a run to Home Depot, so that Leo could buy bug spray for the yard. He also had to buy hornet spray as we have a large nest we noticed today that needs to be dealt with. While there, we started looking around and bought some bird feed and a hummingbird feeder since we have a few of those that hang around. We are going to put up my feeder. Leo cleared some brush which will eventually be turned in to a garden path and horseshoe pits. We then bought what we needed to make the tree protectors from the deer and we added two burning bushes to plant. We may go shopping for some other trees this week since Leo is on vacation.

Happy Birthday!

2008-08-20T22:05:00.001-04:00

Today is Wrangler's 6th birthday. He seemed to like Leo singing Happy Birthday to him. I don't really think he knew what the song reall was. I think he just liked the attention. He spent most of his birthday on deer watch. He likes to stand or sit and look out the windows. Now, most of the time he barks and there is nothing there. The deer that do come on a regular basis like to tease him and stand right outside the window that he is looking, and get him all riled. Today, they didn't come. We did have some bucks around, but they weren't in his line of sight. Funny thing about the two of them was that one was a three point. He decided to try to take on the bigger buck that was on the hill. Needless to say, the little guy lost that battle but it was sure funny to watch. I think that it won't be long before the bucks are out more often. They are already doing small scrapes. I guess when the time comes Wrangler will have plenty to watch out of the window.

Little Gymnast.

2008-08-12T23:32:00.000-04:00

I was watching the Olympics last night. For those who haven't seen or read the news, the men's gymnastic team medaled after no one thought they could. Well, all three men had high bar routines that were terrific. The crowd went crazy, and apparently the baby thought it was good too because the baby started moving around like crazy. It was right on cue. The baby was moving before, and has done it after but not like this. When the replays were on tonight the baby went crazy again. Apparently, the kid wants to do the high bar when it gets older. Hasn't done it tonight during the women's competition. For those who think American youth sports are out of hand, the Chinese have us beat. They take kids at age three and train them like elite athletes. These kids also only see their parents once a year, and it is kept this way until their Olympic careers are over. I know other countries have similar programs, but the Chinese seem to start it at the youngest age. In other news, my parents are going from one grandchild to three. My sister, Kelly, is pregnant and due around my birthday. It will be nice for the baby to have a cousin that close in age. It is also nice that we live closer now, so they can spend time together.

Promised Land State Park

2008-07-26T20:50:00.001-04:00

Today, Leo and I went to Promised Land State Park to check it out. Impressive doesn't even describe the place. We went to one of the lakes first. This appears to be the main area of the park. There is a beach here with a swimming area. There also was a boat rental place where you can rent canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and paddleboats. There were plenty of picnic areas plus some pavillions. There is also a snack bar. Then, we went over to a nature viewing area. There weren't any large birds around when we were there. We drove up the road a little trying to find the village that is in the park. We didn't get to the village, but we went on a nature trail that was a nice short hike that had another lake you walked around. There were plenty of benches to sit on to take in the scenery if you wanted. There are also plenty of other trails here that we didn't do. There are also campgrounds and what looked like some very nice cabins that people can rent. In the winter, the park has snowmobile and cross country ski trails. It was very nice.

Who Needs A Park

2008-07-26T20:48:00.000-04:00

Who needs a park when you have this in your backyard? The three does and two fawns were back tonight. I didn't get any pictures of the fawns. The ran up the hill to play, and they were too small to be seen where they were located. The other three were eating up the berries in the backyard. They eventually worked their way all the way up, and disappeared over the hill. I am sure that they will be back. They seem to be coming regularly.

Dog Fun

2008-07-26T20:42:00.000-04:00

This is the dogs having fun tonight playing in the backyard. They really enjoy being able to run around and play in a real backyard. It is nice to be able to wear them out, and have them calmer outside. We are taking them out before it gets dark, so we don't have to worry if the bear is out there or not. Tonight we had to wait for a few deer to get done eating and out of the yard before we let them out. Figured it would only be nice to let the deer have their dinner in peace.

Not Dog Print

2008-07-26T20:36:00.000-04:00

This would have been left behind by a certain black animal that has been seen in the area. This time, instead of staying at top of hill, the said bear came into yard. Now, the yard wasn't good enough that it had to come up and unto back deck and play with the grill cover which now has a puncture mark in it. We had heard a weird nose, but thought that it was the cats playing downstairs. It was until the next morning that the evidence was found. I guess it liked the smell of the burgers that we had made for dinner.

Dog Print

2008-07-26T20:31:00.000-04:00

This is Wrangler's print.

Adventures and Deer

2008-07-22T22:30:00.000-04:00

For the past few days, we have had deer in the backyard eating our berries. Yesterday it was three does and two fawns. The deer around our house tend to be pretty tame. There are some that are real skittish, but there are other that will let you watch them and come up pretty close. I was sitting on the swing on our back deck and one of the does came up and actually stuck her nose through the bars on the railing to look at me. Tonight there was only one that came and she didn't seem to mind me watching her. Wrangler hasn't been happy about the deer in the yard. I had to put him in his crate yesterday because he kept jumping up against the sliding glass door. Today, my sister, Kelly, came with her niece. Her nephew had open heart surgery last week and she has been watching his sister. Kelly took the wrong road to our house. She is now swearing that is where Jimmy Hoffa is really buried. We took the road after lunch to see where it led. Kelly had turned around the first time. Well, we went from being 2 miles away from house to ending up on the other side Hawley. It was quite the ride, and for those of you who think our road is bad, we found that was by far worse than anything we have to drive on regularly.

bear

2008-07-16T21:38:00.000-04:00

Here is the larger picture. It is blurry because the bear was moving faster than Leo changing the setting on the camera. It is one of the reasons that I used the smaller collage pictures. I guess I forgot that some of the readers require the larger pictures.

Backyard

2008-07-16T20:12:00.000-04:00

Leo and I were on our back deck this evening. We had gone out earlier because there were some deer eating in the backyard. We were sitting on the glider when there was some rusling. Leo said he thought he saw a deer, but the trees were blocking the view. Then, he said he thought that it might be a bear and that was exactly what it was. We had seen the deer from earlier running at the top of the ridge like something had spooked them. I guess they also ran into this guy. It was a nice sized bear. Not the biggest that there is but it was a pretty good size. This is definitely something that we wouldn't have seen at out townhouse in Jersey.

Welcome from Blueberry Hill

2008-07-01T17:10:00.000-04:00

Well, we finally got our phone hooked up today. Verizon didn't come yesterday as scheduled, nor did they call to tell us they weren't going to get to us. Leo had to travel down into town to find out what was going on. He was treated with a nice oh well attitude. Problem with some companies today is that you are talking to someone with a fake american name living in India who can't help you and since they don't live in the US have no idea what kind of customer service skills they should be possessing. Leo got this firsthand. If that wasn't bad enough, first Indian person he spoke to that set up service didn't tell him that he needed to call a special number and department to set up our DSL being turned on. That wasn't done today, but Leo got a Netzero CD to use until it is, but it is dial up so it is real slow. Needless to say, he wasn't happy about any of this. He started biking yesterday and is back out today. The weather has been nice. Only the male turkey was around for most of the day. Haven't seen any deer since the last one we saw when Leo parents were here. I do have some pictures on the other computer to put up once we get real internet. If anyone wants blueberries, feel free to come and pick you own. There are plenty here for you to get and even more to come.

Active Child

2008-06-19T20:46:00.000-04:00

First off, we are now owners of a new house. There was a little bit of drama, but it worked out in the end. By the way Patti, Leo is blaming you for the little problem we had. Apparently, someone said that there is always a snag in these things. On other news, I had my doctor's appointment today. The baby has grown considerably. Due to the size increase the baby's due date has been pushed up to January 6th not that it really matters all that much. We had another ultrasound, and the child was all over the place. Didn't stop moving the whole time we were watching. It was pretty fun to watch. Leo was excited to see it since he missed the first time. He wasn't excited about watching me have my blood drawn.

For Laughs You Have To Read This

2008-06-16T00:11:00.000-04:00

http://next-20-years.blogspot.com/2008/06/this-one-comes-with-disclaimer.html
This was a link from one of the blogs I read. This is her mother's humorous approach to a very sad, bad situation.

Alex is Special Campaign

2008-06-15T23:49:00.001-04:00

This is not referring to our Alex even though he is great kid also. This a campaign that was started over the autistic child that was thrown out of his kindergarten class by someone that should never be allowed to by children in my opinion. Since this time, Alex has stated that he isn't special. I am assuming it was probably one of the many things that this teacher had the other kids say to him that day. If you want to read and hopefull partake in the campaign, go to
http://www.mommylife.net/archives/2008/05/alex_is_special.html. This link will tell you what you need to do.

Sometimes It Is Better Not To Be The One To Know

2008-06-15T23:27:00.000-04:00

Well, today I thought it might be a good day to call my grandfather. You ever feel sorry you dialed the phone. He answered like he pretty much usually does. After the typical discussion of the weather, and his latest favorite of have you gotten fat yet, he put my grandmother on the line. I noticed she was overly chipper today. Halfway through the conversation, my grandmother tells me that she has to tell me a secret because she has to tell someone. I couldn't imagine what the thing was. What I didn't expect it to be was the words "I will be seeing you Friday." It took a minute to register what she was saying. Then, it hit. They are planning on coming to wedding, and yes, they weren't going to tell anyone. It is a surprise. Well, being the good daughter I am, I decided that isn't the surprise that either one of my parents needed the day before the wedding. I called them as soon as I got off the phone with my grandparents. Now, I have the job of trying to get all the information out of them. We don't want them to know I talked to my parents becuase then I have to deal with that wrath. I have to find out if the morons got room reservations and where they are planning to say. I also have to find out if my grandparents made oxygen accomodations as she only gets two small cannisters every few days. That is not going to be enough for her to come here and go back home. You know them coming up here has disaster written all over it. Oh, and he is apparently in bad health, so I suggest all stay away from any part of I95 Wednesday to Friday of this week. I am not sure exactly when they have to go home yet. Pap has to get some tests run because his bloodwork isn't good. I don't know what all the tests are. It is really amazing my family doesn't have a real drinking problem because these two are enough to make you drink. Good thing they through in the bar for the wedding reception....wait, I can't drink.

Movin' Soon

2008-06-10T22:07:00.000-04:00

The closing of the house was moved up to June 18th which is next Wednesday. We have a few things to do that Thursday and then Jason's wedding is that weekend. Leo is coming home on Saturday because the packing company will be here on Sunday. As it stands now, we will be living in PA full-time come Wednesday the 25th. It is going to be a very busy few days.

Making New Friends

2008-06-08T21:41:00.001-04:00

We all know that my father has had some winning moments in his life. On weekends, he works at Watkins Glen Racetrack. Well, it was a pretty busy weekend, but dad had time to make a new friend. Before the start of the Porsche race, Bob noticed that a driver dropped part of his radio. Well, my dad picked it up and took it to the driver. The driver was very thankful, and even searched out my father after the race. They proceeded to spend most of the afternoon together talking and hanging out. After which, the driver tells my father how refreshing it was to spend time getting to know someone who didn't have another agenda such as asking him for his autograph. My father didn't think he was all that good of a driver, so he couldn't figure out why people would want his autograph, but decides to play the comment off by saying he doesn't like to bother the drivers for things like that. Meanwhile, my father would risk bodily injury to get his favorite driver's autograph. He then starts thinking that this guy must do something else for a living. He calls my sister later in the day to ask her if she knows this Patrick Dempsey guy. She proceeds to tell him that he is one of the hottest actors in Hollywood right now and he is on the top show on TV. She couldn't believe that he had no idea who spent the afternoon and made friends. Of course, my dad probably would have screwed his new friendship up if he knew who it was, but it does go to show how these people are just normal people.

Out With the Old

2008-06-05T01:55:00.001-04:00

Today Leo went to Home Depot and bought a new dishwasher for our house. The old one was barely working and he felt that it would be an extra incentive for someone to buy the house. It never hurts to add some new things after all. Leo got a real good deal on the it, so the price couldn't be beat. He spent all night unhooking the old one and then starting to hook up the new one. It looks pretty good. He does have to get a longer hose so that it can be used. He should finish up the project tomorrow. That is the latest goings on over here.

Happy Brithday!

2008-06-02T22:17:00.000-04:00

This here picture is the only one that I had of the birthday girl. I especially enjoy Dad in the background looking like one of the senile patients that escaped from the home. I figured it fit his comments from the day. Back to the brithday girl though.....as being an oldest child obviously I didn't have any older siblings. It is nice actually being the youngest person in the family surrounded by people eith 40 or pushing 40. It is nice to know that I will be the last to hit any major age milestones for a change. I don't get to say that for my own family. Also, in saying that, it is nice having older siblings to make fun of and to find wonderful pictures such as this one to put on the internet for all to see. Did you really think I was going to be nice in all this? Happy Brithday Christine.

Change

2008-06-02T01:07:00.000-04:00

I got rid of the pink blog. I got thinking that it might lead to unthinkable things. No reason to take a chance to lead to jinxing things. Yes, I probably need some sort of mental intervention, but it is the way my works. Speaking of changes, my grandparents are putting their house on the market and already have someone interested in it. Don't worry my mom is all on this and has scoped out a retirement community for them to live. My aunt and uncle already live there, and love it. Even better, they will be 20 minutes away from family and two hours from me which is a more important buffer zone. For those of you making fun of my family over their apparent lack of enthusiasm over the new baby, my mother has already bought numerous outfits in neutral colors and got the fabric for a fleece Steelers blanket for my sister to make. Wait to we find out what we are having, and the woman will be on a mission. We are just waiting around for the big wedding to take place in a few weeks. It should be fun.

Update

2008-05-24T17:36:00.001-04:00

Well, Leo feels that I made his health seem better than what it was. I re-read my post, and I see it as he kept food down all day. He was trying to say that I said he ate all day yesterday which didn't occur. Today, he didn't go anywhere. He feels that his recovery is going slow and he isn't close to 100%. Just want to clarify. Don't want him to seem better than he is apparently. I feel fine still, so hopefully that keeps up.

Getting Better.

2008-05-23T22:49:00.000-04:00

Leo is doing much better today. He did have to take off of work, but has been able to keep food and fluids down all day, so that is good. He even stayed up tonight, so I take that as a good sign. He was even talking about the possibility of going kayaking tomorrow which is really good sign. So far so good for me. I am feeling fine with the exception of some pregnancy related things. The preganncy might have come in handy. I am on prescription vitamins that are supposed to boost your immune system. They may have worked, or at least I hope so. I don't know what we are going to do for the weekend other than our plans on Monday. It is supposed to be nice, so I would hope to be able to get out of the house. I do have to go food shopping one day this weekend. Hopefully, the stores won't be too crowded.

Sick Day

2008-05-22T23:04:00.000-04:00

Leo came home sick from work today. Yesterday his stomach was bothering him and he chalked it up to stress. Unfortunately, that assessment was incorrect. He has some sort of stomach virus with fever. He has spent most of hte day in bed and has been throwing up. Of course, there is only so much I can do. I obviously don't want to catch it. I am having my own stomach issues. I don't need his on top of my own. I did go out and get some chicken noodle soup. He didn't want to eat anything, but he did drink some gatorade. Hopefully, he will be feeling better tomorrow.

Surprise!

2008-05-20T14:49:00.001-04:00

Well, today's appointment went well. I was pretty impressed about how fast the office moved. I was there for an hour and part of that was filling out paperwork. In case anyone is wondering the reason for the appointment was to confirm that I am pregnant. Yes, you read that correctly. I am pregnant. It was confirmed and I got to see the baby and have the pictures from the sonogram to prove it. There will be a new little Kolshorn the early part of January. Well, everyone goes late in my family, so that may not be until the middle of January. This will make it so that there will be one less January birthday than March in the family. Can't wait to see the comments on this post.