More from Eden, NY

This is the view walking up from the creek...
And the view walking down to the creek from the house...
Samantha walking Dandy...
One of the bats who lives in the garage...
Coming out of the garage after visiting the bat...

A tree root along the path...
Some thriving Hostas...
The side garden...
The side terrace...
The path up from the creek... There are flowers in the garden there from our wedding 13 years ago... we gave out seed packets at each place setting...

Samantha on the path to the driveway...
The big bridge...
A view of the bridge from the path to the driveway...
Dad is paving the driveway... it's a huge project...
Samantha with her camera capturing memories...

The huge rhododendrons along the front terrace...
Samantha along the path...
I loved this fern growing out of the side of this tree...
Samantha on the big bridge...

I have always loved this sycamore tree...

Our annual dinner at Tina's

A visit to see Uncle Jack

Visiting my high school: The Buffalo Seminary school for girls

Visiting the marina with Mom

Pepper and Dandy: The Girls

Zoni Bird

Playing in the creek at my parents

The beeping Audi

Dad doesn't wear his seat belt so the car beeps and beeps and beeps... he doesn't seem to care though...

On Saturday we all went into Hamburg, NY for the Hamburger Festival. They had hamburgers made with the original recipe: ground beef, coffee grounds and brown sugar. They were quite good. While we were waiting for our burgers Dad asked where the beer tent was. The Hamburger Guy told him that it didn't open until 3pm. When he saw how upset Dad was he got him a vodka and cranberry juice. Dad asked him how much he owed him for the drink and the Hamburger Guy said it was from the stash he brought to make it through the festival. Then when Dad was trying to put condiments on his burger he wouldn't let me hold the drink for him. I told him he was going to drop something but he said he didn't want me to get any of his drink. He cracks me up.

Our visit to my parents house in the country

Samantha and I are visiting my Mom and Dad for a few days. I just live coming around the bend and seeing the house peeking out from the trees...

Among the periwinkle is a new rhododendron. They have about 30 of them. When Dad trims the huge ones he sticks the trimmings in the ground and they grow into brand new bushes!

Larry Griffis' Sculptures

In the 1960's Mom and Dad were friends with this guy, Larry Griffis who was a sculptor. He did the sculptor of David in downtown Buffalo and one on Bidwell Parkway among many others. Anyway, he did this sculptor park in the hills on the way to Ellicotville, NY. There you are driving through the countryside and boom, there are these huge sculptors sprinkled throughout the countryside. It was really amazing to see.

It's been a while...

It's been about 2 weeks since I downloaded the pictures off of my camera and it's been a busy 2 weeks! We had the 4th of July, Book Club and John's dad was in town for a week and for the Good Guys car show. Then this weekend and through next week Samantha and I are venturing off to Eden,NY to visit with my parents. We really look forward to our visits to the country each summer. This week has been mostly a bunch of rushing around preparing for our trip and getting everything done at work. We went to the library and got 2 books on CD to listen to on the ride there and back. We got "The Spiderwick Chronicles" and "Hoot". We will also bring lots of games and books as my parents are not TV people. (Not to mention they do not have cable and only get 2 stations.)

This evening we went to Skyline Kid's Night. We didn't go last week because John's dad was here and it seemed like forever since I'd seen Kelly and Tacey. I sure was craving my chili burrito.

I also had to fill them in on the ride-along I did with Tammi, an officer when John is an officer. I usually ride with John once a year. I think it's important to remind myself what all his job entails. I feel it's important to keep in mind the potential for danger that being a police officer has as well as keeping in mind the kind of situations he has to deal with on a daily basis. He can come home and tell a story about a call they went on but when you actually experience it right there with them is gives you a much deeper insight that, as someone who doesn't do the job he does, might often overlook. Since John is on first shift I thought it might be fun to go with Tammi who is on 2nd shift. (Translation: I didn't want to get up at the crack of dawn.)

The night I rode with Tammi was a Saturday and resembled an episode of "Cops"... you know, drunks, dumb asses in wife beater tank tops and crack hoes. There was one particular incident that really bothered me: 2 Latino women who were in the country illegally and living in a shit hole trailer park got caught stealing at Wal Mart. They had stolen a table cloth, bug spray and a child's jewelry box. I talked with Samantha the next day at great length about how sorry I had felt for them yet how angry I was that they were able to, in a sense, get away with stealing because they were illegal. (There was no point in arresting them because they wouldn't have shown up for court and INS doesn't want them because they have bigger fish to fry.) The conservative in me was angry. Stealing is wrong. Yet, the mother in me felt bad because I know how you want pretty things for you child. And, the soft & mushy human side of me felt sorry for them. Well, Samantha was amazing. She said she understood exactly how I felt. I thought she may have just been saying that to make me feel better but then she explained what she meant and I was blown away. She said: You feel sorry for the way they live but not for what they did. She was exactly right! At that moment I realized that all the conversations I have with her about everything actually mean something to her. I am thankful beyond comprehension that she "gets" things and is growing up to be a really thoughtful girl. I am thankful that John and I are able to provide her with a stable, happy family and that she really gets something out of us spending time talking to her and explaining things to her. We have never censored what she was exposed to as far as talking about things in front of her or what she watches on TV and I see now that it is paying off. We make a huge effort to talk to her like an adult yet explain things to her on her level. I am thankful when I see that she forms her own opinions on things and doesn't just agree with her parents. She is learning how to stand up for things she believes in and how to express her thoughts. I am just in awe of her. When I talk to her I remember how my mom talked to me in much the same way and how she showed me that there was a giant world out there open for me to learn all I wanted about whatever I wanted. I want to give that same gift to Samantha and in hearing her express her thoughts and opinions I realize that John and I are succeeding.

Cats on leashes...

Everyday John's dad walks the cats... on leashes... Here is Samantha outside the RV with cats on leashes. It totally cracked me up. I helped walk them one evening. You mostly followed the cat and then waited for it to get up when it would stop and lie down. We met a couple a few RVs down who brought out her Himalayan cat. She said they call her a Fur Person because she thinks she's human. Samantha came home that evening and found her WebKinz Himalayan named Ginger. She came out with Ginger and said: Here's my Fur Person.

Scary Sky

One evening while John's dad was here we went to Dairy Queen and this was what the sky looked like. It looked so creepy that I had to take a picture of it.

Book Club

We had our second book club meeting. They read "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" By Kate DiCamillo. Sally, Ann's mom, lead the discussion this time and she did an activity at the end. Ann had drawn a picture of Edward that Sally photo copied and the girls drew clothes on him. Olivia got to pick the next book and she chose "Because of Winn-Dixie" also by Kate DiCamillo. Her mom said that she liked Edward Tulane so much that her 18 year old brother had gotten her "Because of Winn-Dixie" for her birthday. I thought that was so neat that he paid attention to his sister like that. I am so glad that we started the book club, it is really fun for the girls and rewarding for me to see the girls enjoying reading so much.

Spending the day with Grandpa

Samantha went and spent the day with her Grandpa in his RV a few of the days he was here when John and I had to work. She had the best time especially with the cats: Dusty and the one she's with here, Angel.

Setting up shop

Samantha set up a shop in her play room. It was so cute I just had to take a picture of it. The "glass figures" are partially my collection my mom started for me when I was little that I have continued for Samantha. And the snow globes are a collection John and I started for Samantha. We get her one from all the places we travel. In the lower left corner is the music box John gave me when we got married. It's also the one that I knocked the groom's head off of on our 10th anniversary when I was getting it off the shelf to show Samantha. And the doll house is the one my daddy made me when I was little that I have passed down to Samantha. In the picture you can see the little square needlepoint rug with an S on it that my mom made me. I love that I can share all my childhood memories with Samantha and that she can mix my childhood toys with her new things. When I watch her play it reminds me of the way I used to play and it brings me great joy.

The 4th of July

Here we are on the 4th of July waiting for the fireworks. Every year we got to the city where John is a police officer. There is a roped off area for the families to park which is nice. We park there and set up the back of the Element with books, games and snacks. It is my favorite holiday of all time. We sat with several other officer's families and here is Samantha playing Uno with them.

There is a baby under there...

Samantha has only gotten one headache since she got her glasses and I think it was because it was terribly hot and humid out and she's been outside a lot that day. I hadn't heard from her for a while and went to check on her and this is what I saw when I opened her bedroom door...

Rat Rod

These cars were really cool, they make them look old and ratty. These were my favorites. Samantha's favorites were the muscle cars and John's favorites were the gangster cars.

The Plymouth

During the Car Show I talked on the phone with my Daddy and he told me his first car had been a 1938 Plymouth. I looked but couldn't find a 1938 but this one was close...

1972 Dodge Demon

This past weekend we went to the Good Guys Car show with John's dad. This is his Demon. He's from New Mexico hence the aliens in the car. It was really fun to do something that we wouldn't normally have done.

Cousin It

The sun was really bright at the car show and Samantha was having trouble seeing her Nintendo DS so Mr. B helped her out. We kept poking her and telling her she looked like Cousin It.

My New Car...

Ok... so it's not really my new car but it sure was purty!

Cop Butts

Several years ago John and I got new cell phones and I got my first camera phone. I was very excited to take pictures with it and told John I would bring him some pictures from Com Fest where Samantha and I were going that evening. He requested some booby pictures from Com Fest. (Com Fest is this sort of Hippie festival with all sorts of bands and tye dyed stuff.) I told John that he really wouldn't care for the sorts of boobs you see at Com Fest... and that in some sort of convoluted way is how my collection of cop butt photos on my cell phone got started. And here I am at the awards ceremony at the car show we went to taking pictures of 2 more cop butts...

10 Things I Love Right Now:

1. Frozen Snickers Bars
2. The smell of one of John's shirts right after he's taken it off
3. Coffee
4. Rat Rods
5. Flip Flops
6. The earrings Tacey made me
7. Talking to Samantha on the phone when I'm at work and she's at Grandma's
8. Bats
9. Family walks in the evening
10. "Jon and Kate Plus 8" on TLC

Beef Roll-Ups

We are planning a trip to visit my parents as we do every summer. So, I was on the phone with my dad the other day and we were planning out where and what we are going to eat. One night will be Tina's which is an Italian place in town that has my favorite calzones. We have been going there for about 24 years, I think they opened in 1984. Then my dad suggested the lake one evening for hot dos, fries, ice cream and no doubt someone torturing me with the seagulls. You know how I love those birds. Then I said I would make enchiladas one night. Dad says: "I had Mexican once. I took one bite and barfed it all over the table. NO MEXICAN!" So, I asked him if he would make spare ribs with his amazing bbq sauce and then the other night I would make beef roll ups. He agreed and we went on chatting. Then Dad says: "Hey, wait a minute, a beef roll up is an enchilada isn't it!" That just cracked me up. Mom said he will have forgotten the whole conversation and that I should make the enchiladas and if he's hungry he'll eat them.

My mom has a 1974 BMW 2002tii that she bought new in 1974. She still drives it but only in the summers now. She likes to take it out on the open country roads instead of in town so she has been traveling south from her house about an hour to the Wal Mart Super Store this summer. It cracks me up to picture my mom in Wal Mart but she says she is really enjoying her shopping trips. I can't wait to go home and drive that car. It's fun because it doesn't have power steering and it's like driving the way driving was ment to be. Our plan is to go to Wal Mart to get the stuff to make the beef roll ups!

Up Up and Away...

We really enjoy the balloons that fly over our neighborhood in the evenings. They are so serene and beautiful. Someday Samantha and I wan tot ride in one. John won't go because he is afraid of heights... maybe we can trick him because I know he would enjoy it once he was up there.

We went for a family bike ride at Three Creeks park. They have extensive trails that go through woods, fields and along creeks. We love it there and this was our first family ride of the summer. Along one of the creeks there were people bringing a canoe up out of the creek. It looked like so much fun and reminded Samantha of our rafting trip in the Hocking Hills. There was a giant puddle that went across the entire trail that we had to ride through. On the way back there was a family wadding in it with their rubber rain boots and the dad was taking pictures of them. It is exactly why I love the park!