documenting an unschooled life...

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2010-04-10T20:39:00.002-04:00

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Newfound & Webster Lake (70's style!)

2009-05-26T21:41:00.006-04:00

On Memorial day we got nostalgic for our old stomping grounds and headed north to Newfound Lake.The weather looked great only thing is we forgot to check the wind gusts. Go figure. We had to stake the children down lest they blow away. Newman O's did the trick. They're very heavy cookies...

Rich tried to pretend we weren't sitting in the vortex of a cyclone but only Gabe believed him. We lasted an hour or so before packing it all up and saying farewell to the giant Smokey.Gabe's hair cracks me up. I was not kidding about the wind...

So back south we headed to Wester Lake, our backyard body of water when we lived in Franklin. Thankfully, the breeze was not nearly as brutal and we managed to salvage our day. Gabe and Simone occupied themselves playing with Pokemons and Bakugans in the grass after a quick dip.And Rich tortured Caden with the water sprayer.(Don't ask about that poor child's swim suit. His usual attire was no where to be found that morning.)

New Castle quickie

2009-05-19T21:33:00.000-04:00

I always mean to take a pic of this funny artist frame thingy. So we did.
After we went out on the jetty a bit.The wind made us fear for our lives so home we went.

Gone Fishin'

2009-05-17T00:04:00.005-04:00

Man those monkeys love to fish. Good thing their Daddy does to!Actually catching them isn't necessary though it's definitely a bonus!Unless of course, yours looks like this after. Blech.Munchie's got the hang of it too.
Three for three!

Caden turns THREE!!

2009-05-14T23:42:00.004-04:00

And sadly we learned he can't blow out candles.Not that he didn't give it an honest effort...
Phew! Thanks to a little inconspicuous help from Daddy.He got another chance a few days later when we threw a little family party but again...it took a little assistance to get the job done.But present opening... he's got it down!

A Shameless Plug (it's been awhile!)

2009-05-13T23:27:00.000-04:00

Speaking of Mother's Day, (someone did speak of it, right?!) how's this for a Mama?(That's baby number four in the oven!) See the rest right here; Captured by Jess. ;)

Nature Club Wednesdays

2009-05-13T22:22:00.005-04:00

Nature Club brought us to Kids Kove where behind the playground, are trails...alongside a river. And quite a raging river at that!And LOUD too! Caden was fascinated with it.

Finally at the very bottom, a seemingly nice sandy beach...
and a big rock.A perfect spot to practice our trail marker signs... (or so we thought!)I believe this ones means you are supposed to take as many steps foward as represented in the square...So according to Olivia's marker, please take approximately five dozens paces!This young lass demonstrates the stick through a leaf technique used for pointing in which direction one should follow.And though I can't be entirely sure, this convoluted message using multiple signs...may have been the reason half our group traipsed through this evil ivy (as discovered a day or two later for some unfortunate friends).

Mother's Day herbs

2009-05-10T23:11:00.001-04:00

Every year my fear of planting sends Rich off to Home Depot to buy my herbs for the season. I love them for cooking, I love having my barrels filled with prolific plants but honestly, I want nothing to do with it. Thank god for Mother's Day!

Enter a couple of blonde heads to get things going... (two is always better than one!)

add some dirty hands...and don't forget to "nose" their delicious scent!And voila! A mommy made happy!

Newcastle Commons (again)

2009-04-29T15:48:00.005-04:00

Favorite things to remember at the beach today...

The "babies" exploring the rocks together...and logging miles running their trucks up and down the coast all day.

Gabe's curly beach hair and the rash guard he feels naked without...Caden in his easy-to-spot tie dye shirt...True glee...

Little surfer dude's...Happy slinging babes...

Empty crab shells...And rainbow kites!

Water Play & Shark Boy (by Munchie)

2009-04-27T15:34:00.003-04:00

A hot April day! What an oxymoron! Caden stripped to his birthday suit to celebrate and splashed,funneled,noodle scooped,and attempted a funnel-noodle duo (to no avail).Afterwards with Gabriel's blessing, he got busy in the sand box as Shark Boy.Life is good!

The Nut Weevil

2009-04-22T15:00:00.008-04:00

Gabriel, our resident bug/spider/frog magnet, scored a new little critter today and identified it all by himself! After a mad dash to his room looking for a specific bug book, he had it all figured out.It was indeed, a nut weevil! But how he figured out that something that looks so monstrous...was actually this size:is beyond me! (Up close and personal for your viewing pleasure!)

Simone's FIVE

2009-04-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

It's official though we suspect she has been five for quite some time already. We celebrated anyway with a few friends and a photographic scavenger hunt that I sadly did not document. Let it be known, it was a hit. The last clue led them to their goody bags containing silly string among other things.
What a fun mess!Poor Stephen's new "dreads" took quite a hit.He cried a bit. Believe me.As always we partied into the night stopping only briefly for a little last minute cupcake decorating.Caden graced us with his typical fit at not blowing out the candles...though quickly settled into cake and ice cream minutes later.

Random extras...

2009-04-20T23:46:00.004-04:00

In no particular order and for no particular reason...

A tattooed forehead. Another not so easy to remove area...

Sleeping beauties.Playing in the rain.Yummy honey and wheat germ covered bananas. A fav.Laundry before....laundry after. (Wow, was I really that bored?!)This next series is Stephen on Manny duty (hard to believe he's actually wearing different shirts in every pic!):BFF's.Spring chicken sledding. Simone demonstrating her top notch Mommy skills...Gameboying and chick-sitting.And... the Eye of Smoke.

Fluff, 2 weeks later

2009-04-18T23:41:00.000-04:00

They grow so fast. Sigh.

First beach day of the year!

2009-04-17T23:29:00.002-04:00

Finally! Back at New Castle where we belong...Partners in crime these two are...LEAPing forward to a zillion identical blog posts about our weekly trips to our sandy oasis. ;)

Art in April: Fractals

2009-04-16T23:03:00.000-04:00

We headed down to Lenore's pond and woods in the hopes of discovering fractals in nature. While most of the kids took off for the swampy woods...I stayed behind with Caden as he poked the pond with sticks and threw a rock or two.And guess what? A fractal was created right before our eyes...After doing some research on my own about fractals, I've decided to revisit the theme next month when I host "Nature in May" on wednesdays. Fractals are everywhere!

Eggstravaganza!!!

2009-04-14T22:45:00.006-04:00

Nobody can pass up a good hunt! Two days after Easter, we found ourselves in Weare sniffing out plenty more plastic eggs. You can never have too many plastic eggs around. Well, actually you can but that's another story...(That would be a tattoo around her neck. Not a great spot as we learned upon removal.)The thrill is definitely in the hunt and not so much the loot as it turns out...Diane Kordas(sp?) made an appearance with some puppets, instruments and songs...which promptly made my anti-entertainment children clam up and revert to infantile speech and behaviors. I tried to send them off to the woods but the arrival of puppets sent them over the edge. Luckily Stephen's lap was available for comforting.

And you better believe nobody clapped their hands, shook a tambourine or even mouthed the words to a single song. You wouldn't catch my monkeys participting in such antics. Ever.

Easter with a side of Simone's birthday

2009-04-12T22:20:00.006-04:00

Our 3rd annual Easter egg hunt at the Doherty's was highly anticipated.The search and rescue mission begins...Then it was back inside to sort whose was whose.

Can't say I know what that face is all about...Caden didn't understand our genius mastermind of dumping your loot in one big pile and redistributing the eggs to their rightful (and labeled) owners but forgave us when he discovered his favorite candy inside. If it looks like Nerds... and sounds like Nerds... then it must be Nerds! Later on, we celebrated Simone's 5 years of age with more genius; Bunny cupcakes! Almost too cute to eat! Almost... And finally, Simone garnered quite a few gifts from her generous friends. Pokemon's...ant farms...and unique Webkinz to name a few! And sadly, another year goes by where I didn't get a picture of the spread of food. Turkey tenderloin, I will not soon forget you!

Art in April

2009-04-09T21:50:00.002-04:00

Honestly, I'm so far behind on blogging, I can't even begin to remember what artist we were focusing on for the day on this fine thursday... Or maybe it's because my kids were too busy frolicking around the yard...
And I may have been too busy eating Lenore's famous pasta salad while sunning myself on a blanket. But that's just a theory...

Early birthday present

2009-04-04T17:23:00.005-04:00

It's tough buying the perfect gift for Simone. If it's not breathing then what's the point? This saturday we got up bright and early to check out a chicken swap and see if we could find a few baby bantam hens for Simone to call her own. Chicks we found, but hens? We have yet to find out... (fingers crossed!)Meet Peach,Basil,and the favorite around here, Fluff. They are bantam silkies and in time will grow to look something like this funky chicken (except for Peach who is crossed with an unknown parent):Until then, they are enjoying life in a bin in our living room and being handled around the clock.

Random side note pic: Caden HAD to check out the gigantic tractor/snow plow? at the swap...

Old fashioned block building

2009-04-03T01:06:00.000-04:00

I just loved these shots of Caden imitating Gabriel. His only contribution was not knocking Gabe's creation over.Munchie's so proud. ;)Gabe decided he couldn't trust Caden afterall and built on the table afterwards...

Art in April: Cristo and Miro

2009-04-02T23:55:00.003-04:00

I suppose I could ransack someone else's blog for more detailed artist info but I'm so far behind, it certainly must be better to just keep moving forward, don't you agree? All I know is Simone participated. Sort of. You were supposed to be blindfolded for the first activity...Simone, not so much...She decided to work on her freehand instead. It's coming along!
Props to Lenore for her fancy posters!And the second project...we didn't quite "get", but dived right in anyway...

3 headless kids

2009-04-02T17:14:00.000-04:00

Caden sleeping places: Part 3

2009-04-01T00:21:00.000-04:00

Here he goes again...(Okay, the last one might not seem so random, but he hasn't slept in the car for MONTHS!)

Missed parts one and two? Catch it here.

Maple Sugar Tour, Laconia, NH

2009-03-31T23:47:00.001-04:00

I miss doing the sugar house thing every year. I was determined to make it this time before the temps rose and ruined the flow of sap. Success! A huge group of LEAPers and "Relaxed Homeschoolers" of Goffstown (I believe) showed up.We trekked down to the sugar house where half way there, Caden announced, "I nose candy!" And boy did it smell delicious! The kids each carried in some firewood as their "ticket" in.Inside, the teacher taught. Not exactly tailoring her lecture to the age range nor interest level of the kids, the tour guide was determined to make it through her schpeal. It was rough going for awhile there...Luckily the sampling of the syrup saved us all.Once outside, our tour continued with tree identification and a tapping demonstration.This is one of many buckets that collected the sap.Here the girls are certainly discussing the possible age this baby sugar maple is and whether or not it can handle their combined weight as they play "May Pole" with it.And here Gabriel contemplates life void of forests, maple trees and tapping traditions. Not very sweet is it!?So let's get to it! First you drill...And then, the miracle of the tap! And a Native American one at that! (Even the tour guides were impressed it worked!) If only I had videoed longer you would've witnessed Caden repeatedly cutting the line and filling his palms with sap and licking it off doggy style. Such charm and manners he possesses. It's beautiful to see.

Then it was onward to a quick stop at the giant hollow tree...

crossing the bridge, and back to the much-loved-by-parents rock cliff.

A birthday card

2009-03-28T23:42:00.003-04:00

Simone insisted on signing everyone's name on her friend's b-day card... Cracks me up that she called me "Jess". (FYI, Rich was unable to attend that day hence the exclusion.)
They had a great time painting their stained glass sea creatures...

Cut & Pierce

2009-03-21T23:25:00.002-04:00

On a spur of the moment, Simone and I decided this particular Saturday would make a great day to get a haircut and pierced ears in preparation for turning 5. She obliged me one "before" photo...First up, the hair cut...Make no mistake that she was less than thrilled about the 30 minutes of sitting still. Not so under her breath, she muttered, "She is taking FOREVER!"Next stop, the mall. She wanted to head straight to the Piercing Pagoda, no lunch breaks on the way.
And Simone "after"... (yes, that would be PINK FLOWER earrings she chose, much to my surprise!)

Caden at the Chiro

2009-03-20T00:25:00.001-04:00

I thought this video said it all as Caden's first visits at the chiropractor office couldn't have been more opposite (i.e. clinging to me and refusing any contact with the table) than what he experiences these days...

The whole transformation took about a month. He loves "Doc-a-To-de", a.k.a Dr. Tony. :)

Randomness

2009-03-19T23:51:00.006-04:00

In the olden days (circa 2004-ish), I used to post random creations Gabe built all the time. Poor Munchie gets lost in his siblings shadows half the time. But FYI, he's a builder/liner-upper too you know!He works best in jammies and a diaper of course! (Oh, and he watches TV in waste baskets too!)Gabe is still up to his old shenanigans. Though as of late, his themes are consistently a Star Wars one. I don't always see it, but believe me there's a whole story here...I was just blinded by Caden's adoration of his big brother. So cute.Later that day, Gabe rebuilt his empire above sea level to avoid destruction by said little brother.And to top off the complete randomness, a quick shot of Simone in fairy-clown-princess regalia; because god knows how else I would've fit that one in...

The Ecotarium on St. Patty's Day

2009-03-17T13:19:00.000-04:00

It took us a couple years to check this place out but we're glad we did because they had big rocks which is very important if you have mountian goats as children.

Just to keep you on your toes, they had giant dinos as well.Happily, the Ecotarium's indoor exhibits were hands-on and required little to no mommy explanations. Yay!

Mostly though, we spent the day outside enjoying the playground, the animal exhibits...and the much-loved train ride.

Griffin Park

2009-03-16T15:03:00.000-04:00

Only the first of 100 trips we'll take there this year...
Wouldn't be a Niles outting if there wasn't some form of a pout going on.

Beavers be damned!

2009-03-15T15:07:00.001-04:00

On this beautiful sunny Sunday, Gabe decided our low-flow stream could use a little dam. This is the best time of year to be out back. NO BUGS!Caden appears to be having a hard time transitioning to the 60º weather. He found a patch of snow in the woods to drive his cars around in.

Tramps' up!

2009-03-15T15:00:00.001-04:00

Spring is in the air!

2009-03-14T14:11:00.003-04:00

The monkeys had a blast at Nottingham's playground. Smiles, laughter,and leaping Wook's all around.

LEAP Field Trip: Aquarium

2009-03-12T16:15:00.003-04:00

Determined to make good use of our membership, we trekked to Boston yet again. This time with our van packed to the max with 8 people. Man we know how to carpool! We made the usual rounds...Simone held that freaky soft crab. Blech.Missed the baby seahorses last time...I fell into the spell of the jellies yet again.Got a closer pic of Myrtle. At least I think this one is Myrtle...
And we caught feeding time with the divers!

LEAP Field Trip: Planetarium

2009-03-10T15:51:00.006-04:00

The old planetarium is now called the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. Sadly they spent more time on the new name instead of consulting with moms on how to improve and maximize their space. Gabe enjoyed this building set but too bad it wasn't the old one that had wires and plugs so you could turn your creation into a robot.The other two were bored out of their gourd downstairs.Before checking out the new upstairs, we had lunch at the "Countdown Cafe". Hands down, the best part of the place! I had a panini with fresh (and local!) veggies and a side of potato salad. Delish! The girls mirrored the moms and lazily enjoyed lunch and the downtime to catch up with each other.Upstairs, the kids fiddled with turbines, completing circuits,determinig our household gigawatt usage,and comparing wattage from various lightbulbs and other electrical devices.
All in a day's work. Maybe we'll be ready to visit again next year...?

Puddle

2009-03-09T23:35:00.001-04:00

Can you say "ham"?How about "showoff"?Boundless energy this one has...Wet tush and all!

Superhero of the Night

2009-03-08T15:29:00.001-04:00

On an unseasonably warm March evening, Simone donned her Spiderman skin and mud boots and went for a hike in the woods.But not before stopping to see if Smokey recognized her first. He was unimpressed.Next morning, March returned with another few inches of powder.

It's 60º...what to do!?

2009-03-07T14:28:00.006-05:00

Get your butt outside, that's what!

Caden discovered his long lost sand trucks and was in heaven. Sand is for babies anyway...And Simone kept busy with Smokey...A horse can never have too many hugs.This theory has been well tested.Even Caden got in on the grooming this time. He tends to keep his distance.Simone worked on picking up Smokey's hooves by herself...

All the while, Gabe took advantage of the empty house and surprised us with a crepe paper web/limbo contest.

Glee

2009-03-02T13:24:00.003-05:00

(Just playing around with PhotoShop...)

"Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? " ~ Picasso

2009-03-02T11:34:00.004-05:00

Boy have we been neglecting our inner artists! Paints, brushes and sponges made us feel so much better...Who can resist a fresh palette of colors?Not these two!

Daddy's little monkeys

2009-02-28T18:13:00.002-05:00

What could possibly make a father more proud than two little monkeys following in his climbing holds and chalk bag?

Winter Walk

2009-02-26T16:41:00.002-05:00

We set out in search of animal tracks...
armed with water guns of course, just in case.Finding NOTHING but hearing a strange noise, we followed.
Across the stream...Caden insisting he go it alone...and found the source. A tree chipper mulcher machine.That's it's official name I'm told.

We're well-adjusted!

2009-02-19T13:33:00.001-05:00

Dr. Tony at the Family Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Merrrimack has become quite a part of our lives these days. The kids and I are there three times a week getting adjustments, pep talks and hugs from Dr. Tony who is passionate about reaching optimal health through preventative chiropractic care and education.

Gabriel, as it turns out, has several subluxations that are pretty severe for his age. His hips are completely out of whack which has sent his spine in the wrong direction leading to another considerable subluxation in his neck. I have been wanting to get him to a chiropractor since he was born especially due to his shoulder dystocia he experienced in the birth canal. Sadly I waited too long and now he'll need more adjustments than the average child to get him back on track.

Simone, also has misaligned hips and a subluxation in her back and neck.Dr. Tony uses this device to adjust her neck until she's a little older and can be adjusted lying down.Caden is in the best condition of course though still benefits from a once weekly adjustment. He has just become comfortable lying on the table for Dr. Tony instead of clinging to me like a spider monkey. Now he thinks the whole thing is hilarious and is upset when we visit and it's not his turn.One of his adjustments involves being dangled and "tickled" by Dr. Tony. That one is really cause for some giggles.Despite his face in this picture, he is happy he gets to do this one just like Simone. He didn't use to let Dr. Tony come near him with it but he has since warmed up. Once our health savings account has replenished itself, it will be Rich's turn to join the family in our pursuit of restoring and maintaining health by treating the person as a whole while avoiding medical treatment that only addresses symptoms and prescribes a chemical or surgical approach.

Mind your spine. Keep it in line!

An evening at the Aquarium

2009-02-18T17:25:00.003-05:00

We used our Aquarium membership (thanks Grandma!) for the first time during a members-only family night. They opened up after hours for members to avoid the school vacation crowd. The kids have been dying to go. This is the only shot I got with all three of them in it... Isn't it awesome!?First up, the jellies!Always a big hit for everyone, except Caden that is. He was NOT impressed with the darkened exhibit hall (or the whole darkish aquarium for awhile) and clung to Daddy the whole time. The other two were mesmorized.Probably the most enjoyed was the hands-on sea critters exhibit. They would stay there for hours if they could.And Caden thought splashing in water was a fine way to spend his time. Well that and alternating with poking sea stars.Simone said her favorite part of the whole Aquarium was this horseshoe crab. Go figure.Nevermind the sharks...the 560 pound sea turtle...or the creepy moray eel!Climbing in with the horseshoe crabs will do just fine!

Simone's big question for the aquarium staff was "Where do you get your creatures?" Though she was too shy to ask so Gabriel said he would. His raised hand kills me. Not only is it his Miss America-esque hand shape that gets me, he had no idea that when he didn't get picked to ask his question, he should put his hand down. Every other kid would do it and Gabe just held steadfast with his hand held high the whole time the staff member was talking. So funny.

Caden eventually warmed up to the rest of the aquarium just fine even though he thought the shark was going to bite him.He really liked the little statues that were sprinkled around the whole place.So did the others.Gabe looks especially thrilled about them.All in all, a fun night out! We just won't talk about the ride home... in a snow storm, with Simone crying for at least 25 minutes, and Caden basically climbing out of his car seat because he was "hot", or my stomach rumbling the whole time because the cafe was closed at the aquarium... no- we won't talk about any of it. Glub glub.

Co-op: Dover Children's Museum (again)

2009-02-17T13:08:00.000-05:00

A busy day at the museum.... what were we thinking coming during school vacation?

Anyway, I tried to only take pictures of new things the kids did. Like this straw and connector set.

Gabe really got into it.He loves any sort of construction sets and kept busy designing Star Wars structures.Simone, wearing a skirt and tights for the first time in months, played mail lady as usual.Gabe got in a turn as well.
The trains held Caden's attention for a few short minutes.Mirror fun was a bigger hit.

Sledding & chickens.... what else?

2009-02-16T01:16:00.001-05:00

I literally made the kids go outside today. Simone and Caden happily obliged. Gabe said, "You can't make me!!" Well, guess what. I did. Bad, bad, unschooly mama. I just couldn't take another day with him not exerting some energy out-of-doors! I told them to get some chickens and some sleds and have at it.They did.I came out to this (please don't call animal control, they really enjoyed it):

Still not satisfied with the amount of energy exerted, I dragged out the Gator...Until it died, then it was bikes to see if everyone retained their riding abilities.They did. However Simone required a switcheroo from boots to sneakers, then all was golden.Caden worked his bike as if Fall was just yesterday. The best thing about snowpants? No scraped knees.

Munchie and his machines

2009-02-16T00:52:00.000-05:00

We've created a monster. Webkinz, GameBoys... whatever it is, Caden has GOT to have it/do it too. He's even caught on that Simone has been adopting his Webkinz for him, so after hours, we try to play around on the site. (Gee, who inherited Rich's giant feet and Mommy's MacBook?)He's pretty handy with the track pad though it's hard to double click sometimes, he doesn't give up!And don't even get him started on the "Nay Boy" as he calls it. I don't know what I was thinking when I didn't get him one for x-mas like the rest of the kids. Now he has to fight for one.
Only Simone has it in her to share her NayBoy. And let's just take a moment and thank the gods above for that!Because what would I do if I didn't get to see his legs do this!?!?

Dick & Jane

2009-02-15T16:01:00.005-05:00

Who would've thought Simone would enjoy some old-school Dick and Jane stories?So much so that she has started reading them herself!It must be that cute little kitten named "Puff"... who could resist her?What a gift for her to have started to read on her own terms. No coercion, no agenda. None. Just what she wants and when she wants it (not to mention not at all if she so chooses!).

Spring time in February

2009-02-15T15:46:00.001-05:00

Barely a hint of Spring in the air but Smokey has been shedding like mad. Simone and I headed out for a grooming session peppered with lots of scratches and hugs.
I tried braiding his fluffy forelock but Simone said he looked too girly...Looks like the chickens smell some Spring too because we collected a whopping 18 eggs!And Munch enjoyed this patch of Spring-like grass.Maybe that groundhog didn't see his shadow afterall!

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-14T13:00:00.000-05:00

Bite me HB 367 & HB 368

2009-02-11T12:49:00.000-05:00

In the states effort to attack homeschoolers and invade their lives by proposing needless legislation, we were back at the state house along with several hundreds of other concerned "home educators" to show our opposition.
We packed the house and the hallways with an estimated 1000 homeschoolers.Rich and I sat knee to knee with the representatives while listening to over 5 hours of testimonies. What a birthday treat for Rich!Here's to the reps doing the right thing and voting ITL on these poorly thought out legislations.

Co-op: Valentine Cookies and Rainbow Snow

2009-02-10T12:25:00.004-05:00

Apparently we couldn't get enough of Valentine's Day and extended it another week with sugar cookies galore.No surprise that my two candyholics were front and center at the decorating table.Gabe, who has been extremely sensitive to sugars lately, kept busy dyeing the snow with spray bottles instead.And for your random pleasure... With two sets of identical twin boys on the premises, a photo op was born.

Co-op: Valentine Crafts

2009-02-03T13:05:00.000-05:00

Lenore's dining room table was barfed upon by Valentine's Day:The big hit was Shrinky Dinks. Sadly I forgot pics of the end results. Gabe drew some sort of monster squid of course.The rest of co-op included Caden hogging IS's stuffed pig (haha), as usual...Snowy piggy-back rides...
And the use of some various multimedia like GameBoys...and an episode of "Little Einsteins" on the iPod.

Busted!

2009-01-30T11:41:00.000-05:00

Simone took the camera to her room. This is what I got back...
No wonder his chiropractic x-rays showed severe hip misalignment and spine subluxations! We'll be keeping Dr. Tony in business for quite a while.

Co-op: Masks!

2009-01-27T11:36:00.000-05:00

Chicken (not so ) little

2009-01-26T21:07:00.003-05:00

Drum roll please....Tada! It's Munchie with a genuine smile and full eye contact. A miracle. A fluke. A completely lucky shot. Regardless, I am so proud. It didn't last long. I wouldn't have expected it to. Back to the familiar tongue. I told him the chicken would bite it off. Mean Mommy.And back to ignoring me. Guess that's what I get for the biting comment.
In other cute-related Munchie news, I caught him unguarded, once again, watching TV in his outfit du jour: jammie top, bare legs and pink socks on his hands.Coming in for a close-up...Looks like it was a really good show.

Munchie sleeping places- part deux

2009-01-26T19:58:00.000-05:00

He's been at it again... (and with Simone's GameBoy too!)
Missed part one?

Boston Children's Museum

2009-01-20T15:47:00.011-05:00

Someone has got to teach me a new way to do collages as the amount of pictures I post is getting ridiculous. But until then, here goes!

Climbing the walls...My least favorite, the water room. Somehow we ended up here first instead of at the end of the day.Caden of course, doused himself with that bucket of water directly over his open-holed crocs and pants. He didn't seemed bothered by it so you'd think I'd could chill but wet clothes send me into a tizzy. Stupidly I left our change of clothes in the car. You know, the one parked down a couple blocks, up 5 levels in the parking garage on a freezing cold Boston day. Oh well. He dried. I lived.These girls are always hamming it up. ;)Ah the light table. One of the few things that Rich never made me even though I asked several times. What's up with that?! (I still wouldn't mind one. Even a mini version!)I'm not sure if this is a normal reaction, but when our crowd turned the corner to find the giant-sized chess pieces, it was more like a war battle broke out. :SThey started barreling them down and smashing pieces into each other. And since I was on edge about the wet clothes, I had to put a stop to it. That's me, the fun sucker!

Gabe, Caden (and I) made boats using a ruler, hand drill, saw, and a hole punch. I was sweating afterwards. Both boys were itching to get their hands on those tools though due to their sharp nature, I was unable to take pictures at the same time.Simone was disappointed to find herself boat-less later on but I reminded her that she hogged the wheelchair while we were busy building. (Oh yeah.)

Since this was Caden's first time to the museum as a "big boy", he was VERY excited to see the car room. A dream come true! The car pulley was a fun touch and Caden didn't even bop Cavan on the head when his best friend kept taking the car off the platform. I was able to distract Gabriel with the manipulative's area as the chaos in the car room was building to uncomfortable levels. Once that kid gets too riled up, all hope is lost for keeping himself sane the rest of the day. And then MY sanity is compromised of which recovery is nil.All the kids loved the mini-town. Especially the grocery store. Lots of ringing up and shopping was done. I'm surprised Simone put on the clerk's costume.

Moving on, the ball room was a hit with Munchie too.

Scientist Bomey preferred the microscopes...And as usual, the big win was the giant suspended "self-regulating" climbing maze.Apparently none of my children have inherited my claustrophobic tendencies cause this thing would be a big no-no.And this is what a two and a half year old looks like after 5 hours in a 3-leveled museum:Time to go home!

Sunday Sledding at Roby Park

2009-01-18T11:12:00.001-05:00

Photos courtesy of Daddy. We are lucky to get any at all...

Co-op: Games & Salad People

2009-01-13T13:28:00.007-05:00

23 kids and 9 adults somehow stuffed themselves into our house on Tuesday for this week's co-op. A plethora of food followed.Some kids designed games to play.Check out this baby's mastermind!But the big hit was the creation of Salad People! Assorted fruit, vegetables and cheese arranged into edible people. Let me tell you, the prep work wasn't quick!

The kids got busy in no time.And behold! Salad people!

Best part was, they actually ATE them and there was very little waste at the end of the day. The chickens enjoyed the remnants. :)

Snow Angels

2009-01-12T13:07:00.000-05:00

When the kids go out to play, Caden is always content to stay in and enjoy his alone time but on this day he said, "I outside too? Ma, outside ah me?" So much for tidying up!Of course no sooner did we get out there that chaos erupted. It began with something as harmless as snow angels. First one...Then another...Then Caden's turn... except he laid in his sister's snow angel. The nerve!And Simone's world came crashing down around her. Just like that.And because I'm a horrible mother, I came in tight for a close-up. What a wretched thing to do. The destruction of the snow angel I mean...Not to worry, true to her nickname "Bi-polar Bomey", she was happy as a clam after capturing Pete yet again.
Speaking of happy, Smoke says "Hiya- got any sugar cubes for this smirking goofball!?!"

Snowy Smoke

2009-01-11T15:48:00.004-05:00

Belly high snow has gotta suck. Mini horses sure do get the raw end of the deal after a storm...Simone had a similar raw deal as she wanted to walk Smokey around and not just stand there holding the lead rope. That's a full-on pout she's got going on there.Luckily she was able to capture our free range bunny and entertained herself by making him a temporary cage. I'm sure Pete got a little nervous confined by those walls...Gabe did what he does best.And Rich got himself a little exercise...

All in all, a good snowy Sunday.

Dover Childrens' Museum

2009-01-08T01:07:00.001-05:00

Finally, we made it here with the P&S to capture it all. Usually, I'm forced to succumb to my camera phone. And what a good day for it... They opened a new section they had been working on since we last visited and oh boy-was it a hit! I admit it was very cool... a beaver dam (with a loft!) complete with stuffed twigs, branches, rocks and fish to horde- I mean- tote around & share with friends! They couldn't get enough of it. (Sadly no pics of the new sailboat no one was interested in... maybe next time!)The underside hideout was popular... It's a dream of mine to decorate a kid's room similar to this.Caden enjoyed the new exhibit too but the train track mural was enticing just the same!So much so that he actually came back to pose and "cheese". Wow.Very unusual; the art and manipulative's area was a magnet for us today (pun intended).Caden was a crafting fiend. So focused and cute I couldn't stand it! The boy loves glue.And chalk too.Gabe and Finn spent forEVER at this table building dozens of 3-D shapes. At one point a young volunteer came over and chatted with them and suggested a set of instructions to follow specific designs. Both boys ignored his intrusion and continued with their vision. Who needs directions when you're creating imaginatively!?!?!And since I was stuck here watching the big kids while some OTHER Mommies were upstairs with the littles, I was forced to entertain myself by taking pictures of the ginormous paper mache-esque heads that decorated the craft section. They were definitely "da guys" a.k.a "scary guys" as proclaimed by Munchie... I mean c'mon! I hope these weren't based on actual people!This one was the freakiest. I'm not sure I got the best angle though you get the idea...She was the most beguiling I think with the curls and all. But the three squawking orphaned goslings nesting in her wreath kinda turned me off.Moving on... apparently the submarine had new features that excited Gabriel SOOOO much that we had to make a deal that we would re-visit the museum in FIVE days so he could work the camera and buttons on the sub again. Look how serious he is about it... My under-the-sea boy was in love.This is the outside of the vessel... You can see Caden in the window if you squint.Last up, the usual stuff- the music wall. I love that thing.The trolley with Simone as the resident mail lady. (See messenger bag filled with letters.)And in conclusion, this freaky pic from the plastic peg board. That's Gabe's scream forever immortalized. It sounds just as it looks!

Get Ready!!! National Recess Week is March 2-6th!

2009-01-05T00:49:00.000-05:00

Well, that's what I learned from the Cartoon Network today! "Experts say fresh air and play give kids an edge in their schoolwork." If the experts are saying it, well then, recess it is! We are going to give it our all... 24/7/365... Addy says, "3 cheers and a chunk of ice to that!"
Recess on a partially frozen stream kicks butt!All those in favor of recess?!I thought so!

New Years in North Conway

2009-01-01T21:26:00.001-05:00

Seems we can't stay away from this town! Back we went to celebrate the New Year with some friends. Don't we just emanate fun!? Sometimes I wish we could contain our enthusiasm better.I didn't take out my camera until the next day (or was it the day after that?) when I followed the kids out to sled the hills.First they practiced on the mini hill right out back.And good thing too! They needed it.You have to build up your stamina for the big hill.At last everyone was ready to make the trek deeper into the woods. It was a musical-sled team effort to get there. Kids pushed Daddies...Daddies pulled big boys x 2 while carrying babies... Little girls pulled empty sleds...Boys pulled other boys...Daddies pulled babies...And preggo's paved the way pulling a kid while carrying another... It's the journey, they say- not so much the destination but you know, I may have to disagree.
We were greeted by the peak of Mt. Washington...I had a really hard time exposing for the mountain top hence the underexposed woods which weren't really all that dark as the picture depicts.And then the sledding resumed.

Those tireless troops climbed that hill over and over longer than I could stay warm. Happy New Year!

Christmas at Kahuna Laguna, North Conway, NH

2008-12-25T12:02:00.000-05:00

In an effort to curb some of the insanity during the holidays, the Niles Family traded in the usual toy-filled Christmas morning for a mini vacation at the indoor water park in North Conway.

Who could resist this?? The view from the hot tub:The hot tub itself with a floating Wook, completely in his element, at one with the water... ;)

The wave pool was definitely the all-around favorite... Get ready for it... get ready!!!!!Slammed by a wave...Caden felt safer 4 feet above wave level.Gabriel was moving way too fast for me most of the time and had no interest in stopping to pose. By luck, I caught this interesting exit from a water slide... Work it Gabe!Simone on the other hand did everything I asked her to. "Run through the spouts!" "Stop and turn on the climbing net!" (All this screamed at the top of my lungs... the place was LOUD!!!)"Be a freak!" Or something like that...Daddy and a reluctant Caden posed in the sprinkler zone. Late hotel nights mixed with water park fun totally wore out that Munch. Sleepy you think?!I think. (Give Rich anything remotely horizontal and napping ensues.)Whenever dry and possible, I tried experimenting with the camera. The lighting conditions made it challenging though I like this water shot...3/5th's of a family shot, the closest I could get!See you next year!

Simone's job

2008-12-20T12:52:00.000-05:00

Since I am not so fond of mopping, we tend to do more of a spot cleaning method when it comes to the floors and lucky for me, Simone calls this her number one job. Hand her some non-toxic cleaner and a washcloth and she's off fighting the spills one by one.

The girl is all about elbow grease...

Often Gabriel wants in as well and then they fight over the cleaner, of course. Note to self: buy 2 spray bottles.Caden is no dummy and chooses ice cream (and wine?!) over the floors.Oh and yes- she does windows too! (Second note to self: buy safer window cleaner...)

Underwater Wook World

2008-12-19T21:24:00.000-05:00

Gabriel's fascination with everything under the sea has not wavered for years. The boy has got a serious case of fish-on-the-brain. Even during everyday conversations he'll bust out random thoughts on the matter. Example:

Me: Gabe, do you want a sandwich for lunch?

Gabe: Are jellyfish fish?

Me: Uh, I guess so since it has "fish" in the name... So do want a sandwich?

Gabe: Then Jellyfish are my favorite fish!

Me: Oh, great! Soooo, sandwich?? Yes or no?

Gabe: Huh? What? I cannot hear you.

And so it goes. I often wonder what it's like to be in his brain where fish, sharks and manta rays are constantly swimming around blocking the sound of my voice.

And just to be clear, the cuter animals of the sea do not generally interest him. Dolphins and baby sea lions? Give me a break. Angler fish, krill, whale sharks and moray eels... now you're talking!

Speaking of angler fish, here's his latest work of art titled, "Angler Fish Monster" as photographed by Gabriel himself:

He also works in 3D to create masterpieces such as this octopus (or was it a jellyfish!?):
Aching for more? Watch Gabe's favorite angler fish video here.

(The Making of) The Christmas Card

2008-12-17T10:28:00.003-05:00

Having a third child forever changed my family picture photo ops. They NEVER can look at one place at the same time. EVER. Add to that, Caden has been ignoring my lens since he was four months old and I am not kidding. So for your viewing pleasure, I will walk you through what it took to get the final product *this* year...
This was the only shot that Caden was looking at me but alas, he's squinty and the other two are bad.This was my favorite of Caden but now Simone is making a slightly fake smile along with Gabe's "I'm-showing-my-missing-tooth" smile which drives me batty.This one was almost good enough for me but I decided I just couldn't take Gabriel's lower-jaw-jutting-out smile. But I loved Simone here the best... Shame.So, I compromised and used this picture where Gabe's smile was much more natural and Simone had a nice laugh though not looking at the camera (errr). However Caden's face was just unacceptable.But with the magic of PhotoShop and weilding my latest tricks in head swapping (or in this case, full body swapping), I cut Caden out of photo #2 and pulled him into this one. And voila! A Christmas card is born. Phew.Those little stinkers really make me work for it. Oh and look! They ARE all looking at me. I lied. It happens. So long as tongues are involved...Happily I was also able to get new head shots that I adore...I so wish this one was in focus... :(And lookie here! All eyes on me again! I believe a retraction is in order.
Merry Christmas!!

36 hours without power...

2008-12-16T18:43:00.002-05:00

Give or take a few... We were very lucky considering some people STILL haven't got their power back on after last weekend's ice storm. And since we borrowed a generator, we still had heat and a bit of electricity for the important things... DVD's on the computer and coffee in the morning.
I managed to drag my tight and spasmy back outside for a quick pic as it all melted away...Doesn't seem like it was only a couple months ago that everything looked more like this *sigh*:Some friends of ours weren't as lucky so came to stay with us for a few days. After making an emergency stop at a health clinic for drugs for my back I was raring to go the next day and took our guests (the teen ones) out for a quick photo shoot.
Don't you just want to pinch their cheeks!!

New plates!

2008-12-15T18:03:00.001-05:00

It was sooo time to retire the WOOKA plate we've had for years. I was all done explaining what it meant to strangers. Of course, the new one is apt to be a conversation starter as well. Usually, I explain unschooling as fast as possible with a one liner... "It's like homeschooling but cooler!" and move on because most people really aren't interested.

Sometimes we come across people who are fascinated and ask genuine questions. Those folks I love talking to and I am proud to have told them about a way of life they never knew existed.
However often we are met with furrowed brows and a look of disdain as if we have just spat on their shoes. We get the "Oh- I could never do that!" or "You must have a lot of patience!" comments.

What I'd like to say is, "Yes you can and no, I don't have a lot of patience actually. What I DO have is freedom to live life our way. Freedom from schedules implemented by an institution, freedom to follow my children's interests, freedom to explore our passions. We have lazy mornings and pajama days, we have playgroups and co-ops and field trip days. We have fun and do things that bring us joy. We have frustrations and grumpy days too. We have each other and I wouldn't have it any other way.

O Chistmas Tree!

2008-12-12T16:58:00.005-05:00

That time of year again... braving the bitter cold, we checked out a new tree farm in search of a Fraser Fir to chop down. Sadly, all the cut-your-owns were gone but we found a suitable shrub anyway.

The real excitement was meeting Santa. Don't they look thrilled?!?!Simone much preferred toasting marshmallows by the fire.Poor thing was coming down with a cold that very day, weepy eyes, under eye circles and snot. The works!Next up, a tractor ride! Tractors = heaven for Munchie. Looks like my new (cheap) point & shoot can't handle the motion too well. Neither could I for that matter, my back still thrown out and getting worse by the day. :(Last, some hot chocolate! This place had it all!Apparently hot chocolate also ='s heaven for Munchie.This was Gabriel's x-mas tree shot after decorating all night. Nice tight crop with a tilt. Atta boy!

A little glimpse into the night...

Boston Museum of Science

2008-12-11T23:14:00.008-05:00

Tuesday's co-op flew the coop and we ended up field tripping it at the museum. Unfortunately for me, I threw my back out that morning and had to painfully shuffle my way around all day but fortunately for me, I had one of my teen photographers to pick up the slack camera-wise:I'm short on words so here's a quick run-down of the days events.
Sheep heart and lungs, mmmm:

Hatching chicks, a Munchie favorite:Some sort of pulley thing-a-ma-jig??Peg play:

Astronaut beds (man those things must be like 30 years old by now!):Giant honeycombs:Monster-sized light bright:And a little heel kicking:Best for last: Caden cut the top of his head in the "5 and under section", on god knows what, and so the paramedic was called, the museum director, supervisors etc... to cover their butts in case his "head injury" turned serious. Munch was not impressed by all the attention and I couldn't pick him up because of the aforementioned back pain.Great day in the city!

Tuesday Co-op Catch-ups

2008-12-05T22:59:00.005-05:00

Our unschooling co-op has been going strong even if my documentation hasn't. A few weeks ago the kids explored electrity through an old school race track and a snap circuit kit among other things...And a couple of weeks later, we hosted 20+ kids for a day of ice. Ice experiments, ice play and an ice cream feast to top it all off! A success on all counts.

Thanksgiving outtakes

2008-11-27T19:44:00.003-05:00

Three kids freshly washed, hair combed, teeth brushed and dressed for Thanksgiving?? If that doesn't scream photo op, I don't know what does. I may have scored one keeper for the x-mas card but my god, the rest have got to go... Blech.Simone, my little poser, was the only one to hang around and try to get some individual shots. She is currently my favorite.And a family shot for the hell of it. I have got to do something about that brown hair. :S

Catching Zzzzz's

2008-11-26T19:12:00.000-05:00

I used to have picture file titled "Simone sleeping places" because she used to fall asleep anywhere on anything. Caden has taken over that role and now I have a file for him...
Will somebody put that baby to bed already!?

PhotoBooth

2008-11-25T12:32:00.001-05:00

Seven kids + one MacBook Pro (& PhotoBooth) =

New Point & Shoot

2008-11-23T13:07:00.000-05:00

Simone is having a great time with the new P&S...
Keeps 'em busy!

Sugar Gliders!

2008-11-22T17:50:00.004-05:00

Our latest animal obsession? Sugar gliders! (It's always something isn't it?)In my pursuit of the perfect pet for Simone I found these guys. They are smart, love to be held, bond to their humans, live a long time (15 years!), and are the cutest things you ever saw. Being nocturnal, they will sleep in a pouch around your neck (or pocket or hood) all day long only becoming active in the evenings when they'll need at least 2 hours of playtime a night.Just as their name suggests, they can glide through the air using their "patagia" the extra skin membranes that extend when in flight (much like a flying squirrel).Unlike squirrels, they are actually marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea.
Simone impressed the breeder with her instinctual ability to handle the tiny creatures calmly and confidently. "She's only FOUR?"Now it's only the price tag holding us back. We are currently in saving-for-gliders mode. ;)

Sugar cubes + glue (+ a sleeping Munch) =

2008-11-22T17:40:00.003-05:00

peace & quiet for over an hour!
Gabe chose to start his pyramid in an orderly fashion. We measured the sides for equal lengths...and he glued the cubes meticulously.Simone, on the other hand, wanted no help or instruction...and glued hers all wily nily.
I wish I had pictures of the final products but Daddy threw them out before I got 'em.(And the secret ingredient!)

Busy Photog

2008-11-20T17:06:00.000-05:00

This was a fun family and the kids quickly turned into my new best friends.
Self-promotion over. Check out the other blog for more pics. ;)

Funny Munch

2008-11-18T17:03:00.002-05:00

Of course he'll pose for shots like these...

Classic Unschooling at work...

2008-11-17T11:10:00.006-05:00

Simone has never had a lesson in letters, writing, spelling or even the ABC's for that matter but when you have 15 envelopes (filled with stickers for friends) that need addressing, you buckle down and get the job done right!As usual, her choice of work surface was the floor.The better to wiggle, squirm and roll around between names.She quickly came to realize her handwriting was a tad too large and adjusted it accordingly for her 8 and 9 lettered friends. Phew!Using the 3-D magnets off the fridge, she was able to study the letters in a way that worked best for her. ("R's" are tricky you know!)I love watching her play and have fun all while soaking up the written word. It's almost scandalous!Oh but wait- that's unschooling for us everyday!

Why do I love Unschoolers?

2008-11-06T18:18:00.002-05:00

Let me count the ways... (caution: this post is full of Sony camera pics) :P

First, they grow up and can do manual labor of the hard core sort. (And if you think a miniature horse has miniature manure you'd be very wrong.)

They will come over in the middle of the week to clean out an entire corral in exchange for photography lessons. Isn't that handy?!

The younger unschoolers are good for keeping themselves busy catching free-range rabbits and hypnotizing them. (Pete is loving it, can't you tell?)

Even in the rain, they will entertain each other at length.And if they find a bin (or two) big enough to make like a boat, they will experiment with doing so. (Not everyone made it out dry.)

And after some serious studying of the concepts of shutter speed, aperture and ISO, those big unschoolers produce images such as these- both taken in natural light in a dark house (end Sony camera pics):

Look at that camera tilt! Ah, my protege's... till next time!

LEAP co-op #??

2008-11-05T18:00:00.000-05:00

It was such a beautiful day on tuesday that we went on a long walk to a local playground this time around. A couple of scooters and bikes, a pair of skates and one stroller later...we made it!They still have some of the same equipment from the olden days when I used to go there. Metal rocks!These two were selling ice cream cones though business was slow...Munchie thought his pretty little face would help kick things into gear.I think it did the trick!

Biking with Grandma?

2008-11-04T17:43:00.000-05:00

When the kids bike with Grandma, they always manage to drag her into the woods at some point or another. What's left of them anyways... Growing up, this little clearing was only a small part of the forest we used to ride horses in, and later on when the horses were too slow; ATV's. The trails were never-ending back in the day, before condo's and "associations" descended upon us.
But I digress... These monkeys are pretty happy with what's left over.Gabriel's project began when he saw a fort barely begun and decided to finish it.From what I was told, he wanted no help, but instructed Simone to "sit by the fire to stay warm". She did as she was told.It took some time and it definitely took some muscle but at last... success!An insider's view:The happy campers:

Godzilla is in the Hizouse

2008-11-03T21:31:00.007-05:00

It was deliberately impulsive, inviting this gecko into our home. It was supposed to happen when Gabriel turned 8, a magical age when the gene for responsible pet care kicks in. However after an impromtu search on Craigslist came up with this little spotted gal;(and after Rich agreed to take on all care and feeding of it) we decided to surprise the kids a couple of years early. It was a good day to be a Wook...Simone is now hoping we're insane enough to drop the age of lizard ownership down to 4.Dream on, Bome.Needless to say, we have three (or four) very excited monkeys 'round these parts...

It's going to be a fun 15-20 years!

Two-wheeled Wonders

2008-11-03T19:21:00.006-05:00

While I was in Virginia last weekend, Gabe learned to ride a two-wheeler!One week in and he's gone pro.

No shrinking violet, Simone thought she'd give it a whirl as well.Under Grandma's tutelage and several practice sessions during the week, it seems we're down 2 sets of training wheels!

Trick-o-Treat!

2008-10-31T23:32:00.001-04:00

Finally- the night they've been waiting for!! Who would've thought the monkeys would be completely satisfied wearing last year's costumes?!?! Don't they look thrilled about it? (Caden went as a grumpy toddler and wouldn't let me take one picture of him.)Simone actually wore her costume IN FRONT OF PEOPLE! Though this year she changed it up and was a rabid kangaroo. Watch out!Once again we hit the pitch black neighborhood, nary a street lamp to guide us...and begged for candy at every mansion along the way.I don't know what's more fun... collecting the candy or finding out what you got!
I believe Gabriel might think the latter...Caden too.I wonder what this guy's favorite part of Halloween is. Hmmm....

Octoberfest in the Haus

2008-10-30T20:30:00.006-04:00

Halloween being the kids' very favorite holiday (or tied with X-mas at least), we decided to throw a little party in it's honor. 23 kids later, our party was not so little anymore, but definitely merrier! We did some ring tossing...and gourd throwing...

The boys revisited their intense love of the Target dumptruck that plagued our Camp Out last month and fought over who was the rightful owner. Again.

There was jumping of course.We even had a pouty princess who forbid anyone to slide past her. I love pouty princesses.But best of all was PaPa's treasure hunt!

Over the stream & through the woods...Till the gargantuan bag of candy was discovered!Papa's map was right on.After the ruckus of divvying up the loot, Grandma practiced her storytelling to quite an attentive crowd.

And last, the guest of honor, little Miss Stella aka the midget genius.Happy Halloween Eve!

Chasing Apples

2008-10-21T18:45:00.008-04:00

Co-op rocked the house once again. This week we featured Texas Sarah who was in town visiting with the fam. Using apples and 2x4's we experimented with levers, fulcrums and gravity. The kids set up the boards in various arrangementsLined up the apples...And away they jumped!Big heads aside, Gabe launched eight apples successfully!Afterwards a good ole fashioned game of chase ensued. My monkeys live for this stuff.Caden kept a safe distance away from the crazies but was making mental notes of "how to attack a 14 year old" for future reference.Gabriel got his butt kicked once again and loved every minute of it. It started with an innocent enough hug of sorts...

And ended up looking something like this...

Lastly, a rare group photo...

SEE Science Center

2008-10-14T17:38:00.000-04:00

Not my favorite place but the kids always enjoy it. They actually had a few new things we hadn't seen before like this cool pulley system chair thingy.And these red ball thing-a-ma-bobs. Too bad I can't remember what they were trying to teach us but Caden enjoyed letting them slam into each other.Gabriel always hogs the robotic arm exhibit.This is Caden's serious focused face when he was finally given a turn operating the arm.We did the usual brick building...And the MoonWalk.While Caden stuck to the roller beads and chalk...Minutes before closing, we had the static electricity demonstration done for us which was a hit.

Exciting park days

2008-10-14T17:06:00.004-04:00

So we took the rugrats to the park to play with all the other rugrats. They climbed.They checked out the pond.They got rowdy.One of them made like a monkey...The other two, not so much.

The End.

Hoe Down Town

2008-10-12T21:22:00.000-04:00

Our second hoe down and what a great day for it! Let me tell you, these people know how to throw a party and I would know because I'm a party professional. I really am.

Tons of people,tons of kids, tons of food& drinks (that's the Godfather of the hoe down, BTW...)and plenty to do! Like bounce in the big purple castle...Or watch said purple castle from a distance like this too-shy-to-bounce Munch Man. ;)Gabriel surprised me by lining up to bob for apples. The kid who is addicted to wearing a mask if water is going to come in contact with his face willingly dunked his noggin repeatedly until he sunk his teeth into an apple.I think the kids waiting were counting to 20 per turn but Gabriel wasn't going to budge until he got it. (And no hands were involved!)

Later, another kid was trying unsuccessfully to bob and I heard Gabriel say to him, "Don't give up! You just have to keep trying!" Then he instructed him with the trick of pushing the apple to the side of the barrel. :)Simone, on the other hand, discovered just how frustrating apple bobbing can be... Of course not wanting to get completely soaked may have had something to do with it.But there wasn't time to grump when the next activity was ready to go. Diving for treasure in a hay stack! I couldn't stick around since flying hay aggravates my allergies. What a wuss, eh?Next up, a Three Legged Race with your Daddy who is 20 times (give or take) your size! What fun! What a great idea!

It's all sunshine and blonde hair... until your Daddy turns the name of the game into the Three Legged Drag...and Twist...and Drop to the Ground...But they won. And that's ALL that matters. Do you hear me!? The Niles Family will not tolerate losing!!
Moving on... the hay ride was the highlight for me no doubt. We got to stop along the way for a peek at a few barnyard animals and even though I know Farmer Jess has been put on the back burner lately...let's hear it for the pigs! Oh- I have always wanted a pig. I wonder why I haven't convinced Rich already. Hmmm. Maybe it has something to do with all the cameras and lenses and workshops and Macs... Ill be quiet now.But even more cool was this dude:The horns on this bull were unbelievable. I was mesmerized. So much so, that despite everyone's warnings that I be careful, my camera (and therefore, head) got a tad bonked.No worries though... all is well and the apologetic bull rocked this pic just for me. I love him for it. (And I want him too, don't tell!)Three cheers for the hay ride driver! See ya next year!Sweet dreams Hoe Down, sweet dreams...

Love,

LEAP co-op #3

2008-10-11T00:26:00.000-04:00

Last week Gabriel exclaimed how he would like to make soap and put little "guys", (a.k.a lizards, army men, rocks, etc...) in it. I said, maybe we could do that with our lil' co-op and lo and behold, a week later, VOILA! Glycerin soap & little guys...

Ummm... uhh... except I forgot to take pictures of that part. Here's another mom's shot of the counter where we worked... It was fun, it was smelly, it was messy. I'm sure we'll be re-creating this in our own kitchen.Meanwhile, some kids were upstairs playing as well... Like Bomey... again captured by another Mommy...

However, we also made goop! And I was there to document that with horrid pictures...

Gabriel was utterly fascinated with the slimey mixture and it continues to live in our bathroom in a zip-loc baggy for god knows how long... :S

Checking in on Franklin

2008-10-10T23:59:00.001-04:00

The kids never pass up an opportunity to visit our old house in Franklin so when Rich spent the day there on friday prepping the place for a new paint job, we headed up to help out. And I use that term loosely because really what we did was fool around the ol' ceder tree for old times sake. Always great to climb and even more so to take pictures in (if you ask me).All I had to do to get all three in the tree in the same formation as a similar shot I did 2 years ago, was bribe them with ice cubes from my large McDonalds coke. Good thing that Munch loves ice steeped in caffeine.Anyway, we did take on a project whilst there. The sadly overgrown and dying rain garden was in need of some trimming, so three pairs of clippers later...we were able to do some damage...We really know how to help a house get painted!

Trains & Tilton

2008-10-10T22:27:00.004-04:00

On our way to Franklin, we pulled over for a look-see at the antique trains that live just off exit 19. Well, actually, I don't know that they are really antiques but they look old and cool and I knew Caden would go wild for them. He did.He was so excited he couldn't stay still for a second to sit by the big train wheel...Oh no, he had to run up and down the tracks and point and shout and exclaim, "CHOO CHOO!!" about a zillion times.
Simone, on the other hand, was happy to do her part and humor me. She even said, "I'm going to do this pose." (See pose below.)And here's where she's pretending to drive the train but really she's faking the action to just look cute. I'm sure she'd like you to note her "flat" hair. Everyday she wets it down and brushes it as straight as possible before she's happy. She's under the impression that wet hair stays wet and flat all day. Alas, those waves inevitably appear...A final romp on the tracks and if you think I set this shot up you're CRAZY!I would never do such a thing.

Shhh! (it's around the corner!)

2008-10-06T14:20:00.002-04:00

Whatever will I do for fun when he can pronounce "fish" the right way?!?

Letterboxing in B&W

2008-10-02T19:17:00.005-04:00

Our second week of the totally rad LEAP co-op led us to letterboxing in Londonderry. A good day for taking pictures of the backs of kids...Caden LOVED crossing this puddle via the plank.Gabriel made friends with a grasshopper...And we spied some tracks in the mud!On our way out we found a dead baby turtle. I wanted to see it but I was repulsed at the same time. Now you can feel the same way!
The rest of the day took a more colorful turn as we picnic'd at an apple orchard, decorated bags for a scavenger hunt that never took place (we got rained out) and frolicked amongst the fruit trees.