Nancy 9/365 - Orlando, Florida USA

October 9, 2010

Those dreaded soccer socks.

I was so glad it was Jeff's turn to wrestle them on for today's Monarch soccer game. The boy's thought it was hilarious that Daddy was so frustrated with them. I just enjoyed listening to the laughter.

Nancy 8/365 - Orlando, Florida

October 8, 2010

"Grandma! You're 68 today!"

He said it like she had won the lottery - as though turning 68 is THE. BEST. THING. EVER.

I think he's right. 68 is going to be AWESOME!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Nancy 7/365 - Orlando, Florida

October 7, 2010

Book those tickets to Roma! Arrivederci America, Buongiorno Italy!

It has taken me 4 years 2 months and 11 days to convince John to eat pasta. Lately I've told him that we can't go to Italy until he starts eating pasta. Maybe that worked or the fact that his brother loves pasta or that his Dad just came home from Italy. I don't care, I'm just thrilled he's eating it.

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Nancy 6/365 - Orlando, Florida

October 6, 2010

I love this stage.

He's happiest playing with everyday objects. Whenever I'm in the kitchen (which is frequently) he loves to play with the tupperware, mixing bowls and wooden spoons. It's awesome. Except that I'm constantly stepping over him and his stuff to get anything done in my small kitchen.

Nancy 5/365 - Orlando, Florida

October 5, 2010

wake

shower and get ready

devotion

breakfast

clean kitchen

vacuum

put owen down to nap

play cars

build a towering city with blocks

get beaten twice in candyland

play outside in the gorgeous weather

owen's up

lunch

haircut for john (school pics tomorrow!)

play in central park

whole foods

owen down for a nap (tho, no nap)

clean kitchen

phone calls for school

snack for john

pack dinner for boys

get john dressed - oh how i hate shin guards and those gigantic socks

25 minute drive with a fussy owen

watch soccer practice, feed owen, tame owen

20 minute drive with a passed out owen

tubby

clean kitchen

pass out

grateful for a hubby who fixes dinner. grateful for a happy little john. grateful for a sweet little owen.

Nancy 4/365 - Orlando, Florida

October 4, 2010

Mommy, Mommy I just found the most beautiful flower!

Look!

It's for you!

I love you!

melts my heart.

Nancy 3/365 - Orlando, Florida

October 3, 2010

These two just can't get enough of each other. They both think the other is the funniest thing ever. Tubby time is loud and usually involves a gigantic mess of water. I hope they always feel this way.

Nancy 2/365 - Orlando, Florida

October 2, 2010

Owen loves to attach himself to a particular item each day. Usually it is a utensil from John's little kitchen, sometimes it's a ball. Today it was a ladle. He carried it everywhere pounding it on various surfaces (and people). He alters his crawl - sort of a tripod scoot - so that he can carry his favorite objects. It's a hoot!

Nancy - 1/365 - Orlando, Florida

October 1, 2010

I came home from the shop today to find this. It filled my heart with joy to see so much love sitting there on the hammock.

And, yes Owen is topless.

reboot

You know how sometimes your computer or phone just isn't working right? It's running slow, you type in numbers/letters and nothing happens, the screen freezes or goes blank or even worse you get the blue screen of death if you are so unfortunate as to have a PC.... The machine is "working" or "busy," whatever that means. It's super frustrating and the only way to fix it is to turn it off, let it sit for a few minutes, and reboot.

Well, that's sort of like the last few months here at Casa Hanniford. We returned from vacation sick. All 4 of us. The sickness lasted for FIVE weeks and included infections of ears, eyes, sinuses and upper respiratory systems. TEN oral antibiotic prescriptions and THREE eye infection prescriptions were procured as well as way too much tylenol and advil for the little ones. This was followed by busy-ness surrounding the start of school and soccer practice coupled with Jeff's travel, travel, and yet more travel and inconsistent childcare (but consistent work).

No matter how hard I tried during this time of busy-ness, I just couldn't get to my 365 project. I had loads of intentions and plans but I was just busy with everything else and overwhelmed at the thought of catching up. Simply Overwhelmed.

Gladly I'm into the rhythm of school, Jana is back, Jeff is done traveling...life isn't slowing down I just have a better handle on it.

Soooooo, I've restarted this project. After ample downtime I have a new perspective on it and have deeply missed the daily documenting of my days in word and photo. So starting October 1 this machine is back up and running.

nancy - 81/365 - Aspen, Colorado USA

The drive up Castle Creek. B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.

July 12, 2010

Vacation Day 4

My 36th Birthday! What an awesome day!

• Jeff made an incredible breakfast of biscuits and eggs.
• Spent the morning cuddling with my boys and reading with John.
• Drove up Castle Creek Canyon for lunch at the Pine Creek Cookhouse. A stop everyone should make while in Aspen. It was chilly, but I was surrounded by both an amazing view and my favorite people.
• A stop in Aspen for a walk, a journey to the Explorer Bookstore (found some awesome new reads), and Heron Park. Jeff was incredibly bummed that John had no interest in building a dam in the stream at the park.
• A nice afternoon nap - just enough time to feel refreshed.
• Laid in the hammock for the late afternoon and evening hours - Started a new book, worked on my list - 37 things to do in my 37th year, and cloud-watched with John.
• Received phone calls, texts and emails from some of my favorite people.
• Amazing dinner made by my hubby - steak, saute'd mushrooms and onions, and grilled asparagus. Appetizer was stuffed squash blossoms.
• Jeff had a cake made by a spectacular chef in Aspen. Quite possibly the best carrot cake I've ever tasted.
• Fun gifts received!
• Took an evening walk with Jeff.
• Ended the evening with a few rounds of bananagrams.

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.

me & my boys at pine creek cookhouse!

my beautiful mom

maybe the iced tea wasn't the greatest idea...it probably kept me a bit chillier.

john burbon. my johnbug. buggy. the burbonator. john boy. my guy. snuggle-bug-in-a-rug.

Owen busily teething in Jeff's lap.

Owen & Grandma Hanniford

Owen. O. Baby O. The O-Man. Owie.

A capture on our stroll through Aspen. The Pitkin County Courthouse.

John patiently awaiting the birthday cake. He's really not drinking any wine. It just looks that way.

nancy - 80/365 - Aspen, Colorado USA

July 11, 2010

Vacation Day 3

• After getting up several times with Owen, who is most certainly in the midst of a sleep regression (though I don't think I can call it that if his sleep has never really progressed), Jeff let me sleep in a bit.
• Jeff woke up with the children and went into Basalt to find me a copy of the New York Times - a pre-birthday gift. Yay!
• This morning we drove into Basalt to the farmers market and purchased a few goodies including squash blossoms. Jeff is going to stuff and bake them for my birthday dinner tomorrow.
• I'm beginning to feel the altitude - shortness of breath, tired.
• We took a walk in the neighborhood. Jeff & John saw a fox.
• John discovered trout in the pond and is now feeding them crumbs. He spent most of his day hanging out in and around the stream. I think he'd be perfectly content if we spent the entire week at the house.

View from the yard:

John is loving the one on one time with his grandparents. He really enjoyed "fishing" and used rocks as bait to catch the fish.

A perfect moment:

nancy - 79/365 - Aspen, Colorado USA

July 10, 2010

Vacation Day 2 -

• Surprise, surprise. We all woke up early. Owen was up FOUR times over night (which meant I was up FOUR times). John got up for the day at 5:30 and Owen at 6:30. Not too shabby considering the time change.
  
• We headed to the Saturday market in Aspen and returned with quite the bounty - fresh cheese, cherries, peaches, apricots, bread and more. Yummy!
  
• Owen spent a lot of time hanging out on the porch playing with his toys. Thankfully he's not crawling yet.
  
• I spent a lovely afternoon lounging, napping and reading.
• Owen tasted non-puree'd food for the first time - Rice Crispies. He was mesmerized.
  
• John played in the stream for hours. HOURS. He was thrilled to be able to spend all day with his Daddy. How awesome.
  

Surveying the pond in the back:
And the pond in the front:
The stream that runs beside the property. The scene of much activity:
my boys:

Owen loving his Rice Crispies:

Nancy - 78/365 - Aspen, Colorado USA

July 9 - Vacation Day 1

The exhaustion of an early flight rewarded us with an early arrival to one of the most beautiful places on earth. The boys were awesome travelers, our flights were smooth and on time, we indulged in a tasty lunch at Schlotzky's in the Denver airport, the weather is spectacular, we got an awesome rental car...so thankful and thrilled to be on vacation.

Such awesomeness:


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Nancy - 77/365 - Orlando, florida

July 8

8:54 pm on the eve of summer vacation.

The children's clothes and toys are laid out and meticulously organized. All laundry is clean. Housesitter's info is complete. Bills paid. Glass of wine poured. I guess it's time for me to start packing.

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

nancy - 76/365 - Orlando, Florida USA

July 7

One can't go on vacation without a good haircut. Today I visited Sandy. She always knows exactly what we should do with it and I totally trust her judgment.

She thought my hair was weighing me down and taking too much time from this busy season of my life. She's totally right. I left a ton of hair on the floor of the salon. It was exactly what I needed. Freedom.

Amy - 75/365 - Perth, WA, AUS

Interests come and go with kids (heck with adults, too)! Lately, the trains have been abandoned for newer more exciting interests: Barbies, Lego's, engineer building sets, etc. We have invested a lot and have two big train bins: one with the original wooden and another with the Take-Along sets. I was happy when Logan asked me to help him build, "The super biggest track of all in his bedroom."

DATE: Sunday, July 4, 2010

Amy - 74/365 - Perth, WA, AUS

Introducing my latest addiction: Words With Friends

I've had the free version of this application loaded on my iPhone for a month or so and have been playing one friend - that's it. When I inherited Chad's iPad and uploaded the HD version, things really hit the ground running. It's sad to say, but I've REALLY been enjoying the mental exercise and socialization :)

DATE: Saturday, July 3, 2010

Amy - 73/365 - Perth, WA, AUS

Today was the last day of Term 2 and we are officially half-way through the school year! Lynsie's class hosted an afternoon tea/open class time for parents to come up and look over their work/progress. They sang a lovely little song to welcome us and then we spent the rest of the time together reading journals, seeing artwork, etc. It seems like just yesterday when we arrived in Australia and she wasn't even in school at all. Now she can read, write, add, subtract, and so much more. Where has our biggest baby gone? She has crossed an invisible threshold and is more like a teenager every day.

DATE: Friday, July 2, 2010

Amy - 72/365 - Perth, WA, AUS

12:30 a.m. - FINALLY!!! The movie has started! Could there be any more previews and/or commercials before movies these days? With as many they showed, you'd think we got our tickets for free or heavily discounted. The evening was success and I really enjoyed the movie. Though by the time I feel asleep, around 3:30 a.m., I was wondering if it was worth it?!? What happened to the days in college when I could stay up all night? Wait, I know how I survived those years, without kids waking me up before sunrise - LOL!!!

DATE: Thursday, July, 1, 2010