My sister-in-law once said I looked like Carey Grant "from here to here" showing my eyes.... Ok... So, I know its not true but I'll take a compliment when it comes my way. Here you go Louise; you can print this up and tell people I'm you're brother-in-law. :)
Tonight was Kindergarten orientation night at the school. Ryan matriculates into full day kindergarten in the fall and they went over the first orientation in an hour and it was good. Our town has 160 kids starting in the fall and Ryan is one of them. It was somewhat interesting to see that not much has changed since I started 31 years ago.
From the sound of it right now, I'd say no.
It's been a good day, and a good night so far. 
The last week we tried putting the boys down late to no avail, but tonight, they went down early. They were both in bed by around 6:30. Connor and Ryan went right to sleep with no repeat calls to come up and re-tuck in bears, monkeys or blah blah puppets. Lise and I to a chance to veg out in front of the TV and just enjoy each others company.
thumbed through a cookbook to look up a recipe that i wanted to try. Still in the back of my mind, there is a room that needs it's floor, and a bunch of things that need to be done at work, but with the little break, I get a chance to look at things from a different angle. 
I worked on the hardwood floors in the office today, and the kids and Lise had a great time on the slopes. Ryan loved zooming down the back yard hill. Connor, wasn't so sure. It's funny; Ryan must have the Canadian blood in him. He loves the winter and everything to do with it. Connor hates to be cold, have his nose run, and getting wet at all, and so... he lays in the snow and whines.
day getting the office/ guest room floor in. This was once again delayed, but I got more done than yesterday. By noon I had a good start, and by the end of the day, I got most of the room done (about 60%) and can probably complete the rest by noon next Saturday
. Of course, if there are naps, kids stuff to attend to and the occasional surprise, well.. then it's only one full days worth of work. If you want to see the progression, click on my face and it will run you through the change... I'll repost the link when it's done so you can get the full experience. Until then, I'll just pretend I completed it and feel fulfilled with the knowledge that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it's gleaming on shiny hardwood floors.
We regularly tell Ryan he is a "delay fish" which is a reference to the movie Nemo. This delay rippled into my pond today. It was a beautiful day out, but Connor once again kept us from sleeping, and we were tired as we started the day at the Flamingo place. When we got back, I got started on the office. It wasn't cleaned up from the day before, and so the delays began. I got the room clear, pulled the rug,staples and tack strips, and it was noon! WOW! I am usually at this point by 10am. I took the stuff to the dump, and when I got back, Ryan and Connor napped.... Till 3:30. :(
I pretty much gave up on the room at that point... 
I loaded it up with wood and tools and prepped for the next day. I was going to go pick up this cool "L" shaped adapter for my sawzall, but we went to dinner, and the kids went SLOW, and guess what we didn't have time for. I'm crabby... all this lack of closure makes me mental. Tomorrow will be a new day and hopefully, I'll be adding to the slide show.
Click on the picture to see it full sized!
Today was the first real snow storm for us this year. We easily got 7 inches of snow and then a little sleet and misty rain moved in to ice the top. The boys got excited and went right out with Lise this morning. I was a bit jealous being stuck in my little home office, but it was a much better fate than being stuck in my New London office. It has a view as well, but I would just as soon be home. 
I regularly ask Ryan what he wants to be when he grows up. The first answer is a truck driver or fireman, the second answer is “What do you do, Daddy?” and the third answer is typically, a Ninja Turtle. 
Tonight was awesome... the clouds were racing by and the moon is full. I didn't want to take night shots every week, but I'm finding them irresistible. When I got home, I changed my clothes, but couldn’t find my sweat pants, and I was too warm for jeans… so I froze my ass off in shorts. It was worth it.
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| starry night |
Our toy room overflowth to the point that perfectly good toys are waging war on other perfectly good toys in an effort to be noticed by the children. This evening, I found a crocodile snacking on a passing superhero. This must be a result of a lack of attention, or some twisted toy-pecking-order. Either way, Lise took it as a cue and retired some toys.
Last night was a long night. Maybe epic. Connor spent the most of the evening making noises as he slept. Apparently Ryan kept taking toys from him in his sleep, and kept saying stuff like "Ryyyaaannnn.... NO NO NO!" UGH. After a fitful night Connor, thinking of having a full blown pre-K inspired cold, looked like death warmed over. This morning, as he donned his Robin outfit, I thought he looked like a 42nd street bum. He looked like he’d been drinking all morning, and after getting Rachael off to the highway, we came home and napped. Well… Lise, Ryan and Connor napped… I got Connor to sleep (took 50 min), and then laid down myself. Lise had fallen asleep with Ryan and came in after an hour… I cuddled up to Lise and about 5 minutes later, Ryan, aka: “the Gestapo”, kicked the door down to see if we were asleep. I tried for 10 minutes to go back to sleep, but my adrenal glands had me on high alert, so I came back downstairs. There is this not-so-good parent in me that wants to kick in Ryan’s door at 3 am and ask him for a glass of water. The thought of it is enough to satiate the need…. But my vindictive nature has definitely been tested.
came down after a long nap, looking ghostly, but better than before, and after a banana and a movie looked about ready for bed. He and Ryan played nicely except for the usual brotherly pounding, and then ate a pretty good dinner. Lise and Ryan shared some time reading magazines while Connor and I watch another movie (yes, this was a down day, so we numbed out) and then we got the boys showered up. 
and Greivin came up and after a cup of tea and a full physical examination by Dr. Greivin and Ryan, we decided to head out to the park. As we walked outside, we were met by some of the horses from down the street, and the kids were able to give them a pet before we packed in the car and went on our merry way. We had a great time and made a new friend there. I love how this town is so friendly.
We got back and had dinner... the kids were exhausted... it's still early and it will be interesting to see how tonight goes. Rachael tells me that Greivin has been sleeping with her alot, so we'll see if popping him in Ryan's room will be a cure, or a problem. :) Always an adventure to be had here. 
with school about 15 minutes before Connor arrives home via the bus, so it's basically impossible for Lise to pick up Ryan and get home. I waited at the end of the driveway for about 10 minutes and Lise came from one direction
as the bus pulled around the corner from the other direction. I guess I'll be collecting Connor on Fridays for the rest of the year. :) So Lise got to be there and get Connor off the bus. Connor seemed more tired than anything and all was well.
During a failed attempt to nap, our lawyer arrived and we refinanced the house. It was a comedy of errors with misspelled names, and wrong rates, that required faxing, remote computer access, coffee and banana bread. Our paperwork completed, we sent our law-man back to the office to fix the rest of the papers and I headed out for an astrology reading. (yes, me... Lise set it up) It was an interesting experience, and reminded me of a therapy session. Regardless of your opinion on that kind of stuff, it was a fun experience and I'm glad I did it.
Today I got home from work and we took the boys out for dinner... they had been cooped up all day in the house and needed some freedom. We took them for dinner and ice cream at friendly’s, and we all had a great time.
reviewing my experiances with Lise, she suggested I had the bird connection I accused her of. (referring to my earlier entry when I suggested she might have an addiction to little birds) I can't as yet say if I do or don't, but I can say that if birds are good omens like I read on the internet, I have no clue what my encounters allude to... Only that it must be a sign that change is on the way, someone may throw a bag over me to put me outside, or a hunting acccident is eminant. None of this sounds too appealing this very second.(Don't worry Mom, I'll stay away from windows for a week or so)
From his fortress of solitude, Super Ryan man begins to execute his plan for world domination. First things first... He'll capture the world's reserve of fruit roll-up snacks...
Super Concon reflects on his role in the universe... being a superhero is a heavy burden to bear, and our hero takes a well deserved rest.
Today's word of the day is "cold". When we bought this house, I noted it had this cool fireplace insert that will be nice to have in the winter. I was right... it's nice to have it. Lise and I have been using less oil this year than last, and we pre-bought, so we're happy. The fireplace is so toasty that I don’t want to go up to bed.
Ryan contemplates the snow
Self Portrait
It was a fantastic morning. The sun came up and burned off the fog that has lingered for the last week, and when it finally got cleared up, it left a beautiful blue sky. The Wind began blowing as soon as we got ourselves bundled up and we all headed out to get Gigi for brunch. She was sleeping when we arrived, and was a little groggy, but she soon rallied and we all went out to La Luna in Branford. Nice place and the brunch was crazy big. It had your usual eggs, omelets, fruit and pancakes; however, it also had ribs, potatoes, Chicken piccata, and all sorts of desserts.
with the adults. Ryan ate a huge plate of shrimp and Connor ate everything in sight. He really enjoyed the whole experiance.
After eating about 6 jumbo shrimp, Ryan ate a bunch of Auntie Nee Nee's and scavenged the rest of the table. :) I can’t wait to come back when they are teens, this will be my saving grace for two hungry boys.
I love watching the kids play.. Today was a big construction day for us all, and Ryan and Connor were soon "clearing trees" and getting some hard work done. Lise and I went to the floor store today. In either a testament to our indecisiveness or our friendly disposition, we were quickly recognized by the lady that runs the store. After some designing by the ladies and me staring blankly at piles of tile and carpet, we left with a few samples. Then, off to the hardware store where it was Lise's turn to zone out as I picked out the baseboards for the house.
It looks like I'll be in the flooring installation business one weekend from next, and then a break will ensue until the middle of March, when I'll get the distinct pleasure of pulling out the entire powder room. In this chapter, I get to learn a new skill in the flooring trade.. installing a tile floor. We are all amused about what hell I have wrought once more. In the interum, I put up the lights I had taken down in the entryway and kitchen in the second floor hallway, in an attempt to finish something this weekend. 
Tonight at dinner, Ryan spent some time talking about the girls that we saw last night at dinner. I asked him if he thought they were cute... and he told me yes, but while he likes looking at girls, he still prefers "getting some action". I asked him what kind of action we were talking about here (being proud and somewhat frightened about the ensuing answer). "Running around with my friends action, DaaaD!"
So, yes I was crabby yesterday and I had every right to be. Don't misunderstand my last post... I wasn't getting plastered, but it made a good visual for how I felt. Anyway, time heals wounds, and if I remain positive, I can survive anything, blah blah blah... I worked from home today and I needed to get a driver disk and in the same holder was a few images from my trip in 1999 to the South Pacific. Being a shameless thief, I took the picture out and dropped it in the lead position for my blog. It prints up kinda dark, so I cleaned it up a bit before posting. This is a sunset in Cambodia, not far from Siem Reap. I loved that trip.
I think I might go through my pictures and post some of my favorites.. I promise I'll continue to take a picture every day, but there is nothing wrong with going to the archive now and then for inspiration. :)
Tonight, after work we took Connor's speech teacher out to dinner. She is an awesome person, and while she did a great job of teaching Connor, she has also become a good friend, and Lise and I hope she'll continue to make time for us in her busy schedule. We took her to the Hibachi place in town. True we went there on new years day, but I'm easily talked into dinner with a show and we went together. The boys had a fantastic time... and like any night on the town, we arrived dressed as batman and Robin. Many oohs and aahhh's were had before we settled into our sundry dishes.
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| Click to See Carol's Send off Pictures |
This weekend, we are going to take Marie out for Connor's birthday. I haven’t seen her in a few weeks and Lise tells me that she's checked out a bit this week, so I'm revving up to be party guy that day to see if I can get her Irish up.
There are days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. There are days when you just want to ask people what the hell are they thinking. There are days when you think you should probably just shut up before you get in trouble. I'm shutting up.
The fog persisted this morning and it was a somewhat introspectively eventful ride in to the office. As I drove, I had a flashback of my highschool English classes .... (Geeky, but true. Someone told me that I was pretty good at english during grade school, and I believed them enough to take AP english.) as I was driving, this poem by Carl Sandburg crepted back into my head:
I finally got home the kids were playing with their leapsters and having fun... although there were no naps today, they both were in good moods and very fun. Connor was peering over Ryans shoulder and asking him "What's that?" alot, and Ryan was very patient and 
answered him every time. After dinner, they sat with me and told me about their day... Ryan then showed me his Cars game on his leapster.. He's getting very good at listening the directions, especially, if they mean that he collects coins and gets a high score. They were tons of fun, and Lise and I actually got a few moments together (which I have alerady burned 15 of blogging) so for tonight, Adieu
I looked out my front door this evening and I thought that ET had landed across the street. :) It's one of those foggy nights here. I mentioned the weather before this month, so I wont go into the details and tell you how it's unseasonably warm here. Let's just say it's warm enough to get some fog going, and it's spooky out.
kids are in bed and trying to sleep. Ryan had a great first day of "lunch Bunch" at Preschool, and he's all proud of himself, even though he forgot to eat his sandwich and instead had a lunch of cheeze-its. It was a long day for everyone and I'm ready to hang my hat and call it a night myself. Connor was very sweet this evening and told me every time I went to put him in bed, that he loved me and then wanted a hug. It melts your heart, even though you know he's trying to stay up later, anyway possible. :) 
coastal, so I can guilt him into coming around.
Ryan starts his "Lunch bunch" today. The preschool holds a program for kids at lunch time to help them transition to Kindergarten next year. He is SOOO excited. He got a cool Batman lunchbox with a thermos for soup. (he never eats soup, but one can dream, no?) When I got home last night, he was bouncing like a ball, and told me all about it. There is nothing like having kids. Not only does he get excited about these things, but it's great to hear about his view of the world.
Connor is a brave soul and usually is up for anything, so we know he'll be fine. He's just younger than his brother was when he went to school, and it's 5 days a week. Lise will miss her companion, and we're wondering if Connor will too. On Fridays, Connor will take the bus and I have to admit, we are both a bit worried... it's nerve-wracking stupid parental anxiety, most likely unwarranted, but real to us.
This is a typical Chinese restaurant that is more expensive than the one Lise and I like to eat at, but the kids like the glasses which look like parrots. I’m not a huge fan of the food (it's not bad though), I think the local place by us does it better, but the service is friendly, they dote on the kids, and provide us with quick meals. During our last visit the kids got different glasses than we did (they got Hula dancers), and Ryan was a little disappointed (not enough to skip eating or drinking his ginger ale), so I’m hoping we broke the “curse of the parrots”. Although I have to admit, I felt a little nervous as I left, as if someone was watching me... knowing we'd be back soon, for a quick visit and Chicken Lo Mein.
we got back, Ryan played transformers, while I got a fire started and prepped for the impending game. I remarked to my wife how much the mask looks like the NLF mascot of late.
Today we celebrated Connor's 3rd birthday (actually on the 10th, but this weekend worked best). As you can see, he was pretty happy about the whole thing and I think everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly. It was good to see the kids getting together, and to see Connor and Ryan playing with their cousins and friends.
There is an old saying; if you don’t like the weather in New England, just wait a minute. Today was one of those days and depending on where you were, you got some sleet, rain, snow or just an overcast sky. Although the day was a precipitous one, the morning was beautiful and I couldn't help but jump out and get a few snaps of the sunrise. The sky was a pastel painting as I snuck outside in my sweats and a tee shirt in the warming morning breeze to try to capture it. The impending rain was heavy in the air and I have to admit it felt like I was stealing these pictures as they hung in a museum. Apparently, I like to steal.
and wash down my window as a submarine went by and the sky flashed shades of grey. When I left, it was still drab, but I was thinking about the abducted morning sky, sheltered on my camera at home and how beautiful it is.
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