May 24 Party at Carol's!

May 23 New House, new chair and a half!

We had a successful shopping adventure today. It really only took three stops to find the couch we wanted. This picture is the style of our chair and a half- although we went with a light tan color (not shown). Raymour and Flanigan will be delivering it on Tuesday, along with the matching couch. We will use them in the family room until the big move. Hopefully, the new furniture will be just the touch we need to showcase our beautiful fireplace room, and finally get this house sold!

May 22 Malta Drive-In

Night at the Museum 2 gets two thumbs up! We enjoyed a fun evening at the Malta Drive-In tonight. We met the Sanders there with about an hour to spare before sundown. The kids threw the monster disc and kicked the soccer ball around, while Jim, Kirk, and I tossed the football. The movie was great, and a fun time was had by all.

May 21

May 20

May 19

May 18

May 17 Jackson is baptised

I LOVE this picture of Jackson sitting in the tiny Radio Flyer wagon great Grandpa and great Grandma Hinckley gave him! Tina & Nick threw a nice party for Jackson's baptism at their house, complete with Boccie, tree climbing, and of course, a full compliment of food and beverage! Whoo Hoo for parties!

May 16 Family Movie Night

We stayed in tonight and rented a movie from the Red Box (always a bargain). Tonight's feature presentation was "Bolt." We popped popcorn, turned the lights down low, and snuggled on the couch. Although the kids had already seen it, they said it was just as good the second time around - and Jim and I thought it was awesome! A good family rental. Two thumbs up!

May 15 Middle School Dance

Brendan went to the last Middle School dance of the year this evening. Apparently, there wasn't much actual dancing at this dance, but he did have a good time - and managed to find $7.00 in small bills and loose change on the floor. Grandpa Hinckley, who always had a nose for finding coins on the ground, would be so proud!

May 14 Why Moms are Weird... and turn into hoarders?

I have a few chapters left in this book. It is a strange book- about a daughter who comes back home to help her mom & sister, and struggles to fit in with the family, after moving across the country and being away for a while. What compelled me to buy it was the jacket teaser saying that the mom turned into a massive hoarder (oh, and it was 50% off). Somehow, I thought that by reading this book, I might have better insight into the whole hoarding mentality & maybe how to fix it? That didn't really pan out, but the book was a quick read, and finishing it will clear the way for my summer reading pile!

May 13 New Favorite Magazine

It's official. REAL SIMPLE magazine has dethroned the "O" Magazine as my new favorite. Who would have guessed? This magazine is chock-full of practical ideas, check lists, and websites month after month. I can't wait to get it in the mail every month and read it, cover to cover immediately!

May 12 Tara falls fron Grace

The Biggest Loser Season Finale was amazing! Tara, seen here, had not only lost 155 lbs during the season, but had NEVER fallen below the yellow line the entire season. Tonight, she was upset for the $250,000 prize by 48 year old Helen. Helen was a worthy competitor and looked AMAZING at 117 lbs for the finale. It was a great show!

May 11 TJ Maxx find

This photograph doesn't do the picture justice. But, after the Friendly's feast yesterday, some of the sisters went to TJ Maxx. I found this gem for just $29.99 and I just LOVE it! In real life, it showcases many of my favorite colors - shades of blue, teal, etc. It has clean lines, and is set up like many of my recent scrapbook layouts... and I can't WAIT to find a new home for it in my new home. Hopefully, soon!

May 10 Mother's Day

This year, the sisters took mom (& dad) to the movies for Mother's Day. Carol, Diane, Teresa, Nance, Megan & Mare enjoyed the movie "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past." Afterward, we enjoyed ice cream at Friendly's. We had a good time!

May 9 Soccer

The boys each had really good soccer games today. They both gave 100%, and (although we really don't keep score in this league), both of their teams won. Brendan and Liam are off to good seasons so far this spring.

May 8 Grandpa Bill visits

Uncle Billy and Grandpa Bill stopped by for a visit tonight. Grandpa Bill had driven himself up from Florida a week ago, and wanted to visit with the family before he headed back. Naturally, he brought treasures for the boys - a bunch of model trains, and a pile of coins for them to start a coin collection. The boys were thrilled!

May 7 Family Bicycle Ride

More things we will miss when we move:
* family bike rides or jogs through the Luther Forest Trails
* forever wild in our back yard
* the Malta park

May 6 Soccer

The boys enjoy a snack of Air Heads after mid-week soccer practice. Nothing says, "job well done" like a pure sugar treat before dinner!

May 5 A House of a differet color

In seemingly fruitless attempts to sell our house, we have made a series of minor improvements over the past two months. From brand new carpeting and closet doors to fresh coats of paint, we hope each little change will attract the right family to make us an offer. The latest addition to our list is a freshly painted front porch. I've invested a lot of sweat & tears into this project - two coats turn a blue porch into a fresh white porch. We'll see if it was worth it...

May 4 More Flowers

The garden is starting to burst with the colors of Spring. While I won't miss fretting over finding time and energy to weed - not to mention accidentally pulling actual flowers, I will miss the colors of the season when we move.

May 3 the boys make a fort

Liam and Brendan made a fort in Jim's chair this morning. They had a ball! Making forts is one of their favorite past times :)

May 2 Happy National Scrapbook Day !

HAPPY NATIONAL SCRAPBOOK DAY! This year, I celebrated NSD with a 12-hour crop at the Malta Ambulance Corp. I had 10 scrappers in attendance & everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. We even posted a group photo on the CM Face Book site, along side at least 1,000 other groups celebrating NSD around the country. Gotta love modern technology!

May 1 Happy Birthday to me...

Well, it's not REALLY my birthday, but we really are having my birthday dinner at the 99 restaurant! Due to circumstances beyond our control, this celebration is about 4 months overdue. In the end, though, the meal was great! I had prime rib complete with an awesome dessert. Yum, Yum!

April 30 New Obsession

I resisted playing the Mafia Wars game on Face Book for MONTHS.... and finally decided to give it a try. Now I'm completely obsessed, playing it every chance I get. I find myself trying to calculate in my head how much energy I've earned since the last time I logged on; I try to figure out how to work myself up the Mafia ranks without asking the Godfather for assistance. A healthy obsession? Maybe, maybe not. But, it does take my mind of a world of real troubles, and in my book, there's nothing wrong with that!

April 29 Double booked

We had a full plate this evening. Between the four of us, we had to choose between two soccer practices, one choir rehearsal, and the last meeting of Cub Scouts for the year. Jim ended up taking Liam to Scouts; I took Brendan to his practice, and Liam's soccer & my choir lost. Well, there's always next week, when the juggling game starts again.

April 28 Liam

This morning, Liam and I sat on the couch together watching Jerry. We opened the window for Jerry to enjoy a refreshing breeze & get a closer look at the birds. We had a good time together, even if it was only for a few minutes. The morning routine can't wait for very long!

April 27 Memorial Slone Kettering

We drove down to NYC today to meet with the doctors at Memorial Slone Kettering. About 4 miles away from the hospital, we got a flat tire (just before entering a tunnel, of all the rotten luck). I was hoping that was not foreshadowing of things to come.

Jim felt comfortable with the doctor and the facility, so decided he will be treated there.

April 26 Jim

I like this picture of Jim. He was talking on the phone with Larry Woods about his illness. I will hold this picture in my mind's eye, and remember it when Jim is in the hospital during and after his transplant.

April 25 1st day of soccer

It was unseasonably warm for the first day of spring soccer. The sun was out, and the temperature reached 90 degrees! The boys enjoyed their practices and got back into the swing of things quickly. It's going to be a good season!

April 24 Spring has sprung

My garden is alive with the color of my Spring flowers in bloom. This afternoon, John McGarry was kind enough to come over and help me tame the bushes in front, as well as fertilize the gardens. Maybe the bloom of the full garden will be enough to lure a potential buyer into making an offer!

April 23

April 22 Pinewood Derby

This evening was the Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby. Liam tells me his two favorite things from this year's Derby were: His car coming in first in its heat 3 of 4 times; and being only one place away from the grand finals.

Aril 21 Look Ma, No cavities

Brendan and Liam were in the "no cavities club" this morning at Dr. McDonnell's office. Liam's spacer is doing fine, and word at the dentist's office is that Brendan probably won't need braces. Whoo Hoo!

April 20 Our kitchen is in... sort of!

We went through the house today with high expectations of seeing our cabinets "in." My idea of "in" was "installed." Turns out, they were just "in boxes!" Well, at least we got to see how the rooms look with the overhead lighting in place. It's coming along nicely. Now, if we could just sell our old house...

April 19 Three Layers

Friday night I was so cold in the tent that I thought my feet had turned into blocks of ice. The forecast for last evening was cold and possibly rainy, so I bundled up for sure! Here, I am showing off my three bottom layers: long underwear, sweatpants and more sweatpants! We had a great time camping with the scouts, but now we are ready to go back home.

April 18 Mining for Diamonds

Today, we spent the day at the Herkimer Diamond Mine. We hammered, and clawed, and used chisels... but when it really came down to it, we found the best diamonds right on the ground with our gloved hands! In the evening, we enjoyed pizza at the campground, and even went out for ice cream! Camping was fun, but I'll be happy to be back home and pet the cats.

April 17 Boy Scout camping

We went to Herkimer today on a Boy Scout family campover. Even though it was very windy, the skies were sunny and it was not raining. Here, Jake and Brendan take a minute to rest after having set up their tent. We enjoyed a BBQ chicken dinner tonight with baked potatoes and corn. Tomorrow will be a fun day of mining for "diamonds" at the Herkimer Diamond Mine.

April 16 Maggie knows we're leaving

Maggie always knows when we are packing for a trip. Tonight, she discovered our camping luggage for tomorrow's outing. I think she figures we can't leave her alone with Jerry, if she's asleep in our suitcase! Sorry, Maggie! See you in two days...

April 15

April 14 Diane's CM party

Diane had a great Creative Memories party tonight. Among those in attendance were Pat and Anna, Nance & Teresa. Carol even called from Hawaii! Anna played with the cats and couldn't believe that you can actually make a fluffy sheep page accent out of a simple flower punch. It was a fun party. Afterward, Diane got me caught up to date on this season's American Idol. Gotta love the DVR!

April 13 Maggie May

Maggie kept me company tonight. She is a good companion when I am alone downstairs watching TV. I'm sure if there were an intruder, Maggie would claw his eyes out and keep me safe!

April 12 Happy Easter

This year, the Easter Bunny was joined by his friend, the Easter Platypus. Together, they hid plastic money-filled eggs around our house for the boys to discover. They had a fun time hunting, and were greatly rewarded.

After church, we went to Diane's house for the traditional brunch and enjoyed her beautiful new kitchen.

April 11 Visiting with Uncle Billy & Aunt Maria

Today we met Uncle Billy & Aunt Maria for lunch at the Circus Cafe. Afterward, we took a walk through Congress Park. Although Spit & Spat were still boarded up for the winter and the Carousel hadn't opened for the season yet, we still enjoyed a nice walk through the park.

April 10 Elise and Rebecca come over

April 9 Jackson visits the new house

Jackson (& Tina) took an inside tour of our new house today. Jackson LOVED it! So far, the sheet rock is up, the place is painted (white~ we'll customize later), and some of the linoleum is down. It's coming along nicely & we're getting excited for the end of this journey.

April 8 the library is closed!

We had a house showing tonight, AND Cub Scouts, plus choir rehearsal. Since we were displaced from the house, we decided to go out for pizza. After dinner, we had time to kill before going to choir practice. Brendan was interested in going to the library. Unfortunately, we got there at 7:08. Brendan posed for this picture, showing his displeasure!

April 7 National Junior Honor Society Induction

Brendan was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society this evening (pictured here with his friend Morgan). We are so proud of him. He is a fine Boy Scout, has many academic accomplishments, and also has a strong and straight moral compass. Good job, Brendan. We love you!

April 6 Jerry helps Brendan with his homework

Jerry "helped" Brendan with his homework this evening. And by this, I mean that Jerry kept attacking Brendan's pencil, as Brendan tried to write with it. Eventually, Brendan provided Jerry with his own pencil to bat around, and everyone lived happily ever after!

April 5 Donna's home !

Donna, Kirk & Olivia came home from their FL vacation late last night. The boys and I had been watching Lyle and Lumpy while they were away, so we were officially relieved of our feeding and poopy scooping duties! What better way to celebrate Donna's last official day of vacation than with drinks @ Tina & Bob's house... which is exactly what we did! The drinks shown here are a hard pink lemonade concoction, and were quite yummy.

April 4 Photo shoot with Jerry

Jerry had a nap with me today. When I woke up, I took the opportunity to have a photo shoot with the still-sleepy cat. He posed for several good shots & this is one of my favorites.

April 3 More testing

Jim had his bone marrow biopsy today at Dr. Lamparello's office in Albany. Apparently, the procedure was less painful and less traumatic than expected. I was super annoyed that I wasn't invited to observe the procedure. I definitely missed my calling as a scrub nurse... They got a nice good sample, and now we wait for the results, to determine the proper course of treatment.

April 2 No more training wheels!

Liam has finally mastered the fine art of bike riding at age 8! It only took two assists from daddy for him to realize that he could do it all by himself. Now that he's an "expert," he's got all sorts of family bike rides planned for this summer. Good job, bud ~ we knew you could do it !

April 1 Making up for lost time

I had lunch with Mary and Max today at the Fortunate Cup in Saratoga. It's been a while since we really sat down for a chat, so we had a lot of ground to make up. Since my life is CRAZY right now, I did most of the talking! I told her about selling the house, building, and of course, Jim. It was good to get together with Mare & I vow to do it again soon.

March 31 Forever Wild

The sight from my bedroom window this morning was of fog lifting through the woods behind our house. The sun was just rising when I took this photo. When we move, I will surely miss the forever wild woods and trails, which run not only behind our house, but throughout Luther Forest.

March 30 the Doctor is in

Jim and I drove to Boston today to meet with an Oncologist at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. The facility was large and filled with people hoping for the best; both patients and doctors. The two doctors and Fellow who met with us were all very friendly and knowledgeable. We left with a wealth of information, a lot of homework, but also a feeling of contentment about the level of care which would be provided to Jim, if he chooses to go there for his treatments.

March 29 Fun at the Lake

The only thing better than a delicious dinner @ Carol & Dale's house is fun on the Lake after dinner! Today, mom & dad, the O'Connells, and Anna enjoyed a num yummy dinner with Carol & Dale. Afterward, the O'Connells and Care went for a small ride in the pedal boat, while Dale and Anna broke through ice in the canoe. It was fun for all!

March 28 A walk in the park

It was a beautiful day today; sunny and 60 degrees. To celebrate the coming of spring, we picked up Subs and took them to a nearby park. We threw the football around, we kicked the soccer ball around, and we even took a walk on a little nature trail. It was the perfect diversion from thinking about selling the house and getting Jim better. It was a great family day!

March 27 Meeting Phil & Lil

We finally met Phil & Lil tonight! Anna had to coax Lil out from under her couch, while Phil remained under her bed for the most part. But when they finally emerged, we could see that they were beautiful orange marmalade kitties! We stayed for just a few minutes, then took Anna out for dinner. When we returned to drop Anna off @ home, Phil and Lil were waiting for her in the bedroom window ~ so cute!