Fall Soccer Already?

Guess where we are headed first thing tomorrow morning...fall travel soccer tryouts! Can you believe it, already! The competition is even more fierce for the fall league with only 8 positions open between two teams. At least I think that's how it works. I guess we'll learn more tomorrow. Last night we went to the soccer party for Katie's team. It was relatively boring but Ed and I did get a chance to get to know some of the parents better, which was nice. Allison split her lip open and then smeared the blood all over her face so she looked pretty awful. Of course the split lip came after a rather loud protest about wanting to be on the trampoline. Leave it to the Cooks to provide the entertainment. Sometimes I swear there is a hidden camera pointed at me...there are plenty of moments when this life of mine would make a great sitcom!

The girls and I hit the mall this morning. Filene's was having a huge sale! I cleaned up big time on very cute things for Allison. I didn't find anything for anyone else, however, we did find some things at Old Navy and Sears. I've discovered the one brand of jeans that won't let me down...Levi's, juniors Levi's. Misses sizes aren't made for someone with no hips so I finally tried the junior's and like the way they fit. And for all of you in Maine, Bean's is having their annual Summer sale. Check it out, there was lots of good stuff there over the weekend.

Since moving we've been inundated with telemarketer calls. My dad reminded me about the do not call list. www.donotcall.gov will take you to the site where you register to be on the do not call list. Registering virtually eliminates calls from telemarketers. I can't wait for it to go into effect! It can take up to 30 days to start working.

Here are a couple pics of the landscaping work in progress. The wall is done now,, as is the walkway and a couple of trees have been planted. We need to get up to the nursery this weekend to pick out the other plants to go in the new beds. Ed is going to work on the patio by the pool this weekend. Right now it's a giant mud pit!

I'll try to post more pics this weekend. Blogger can be so finicky! Make sure you take in a parade or fireworks this long weekend! Get out and DO something WITH your family. Sitting at a cookout while your kids play with other kids doesn't count. Make a memory...

We are back home after an extended trip to Maine. Our niece Jocelyn Jody was born last Tuesday, June 20. She weighed in at 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 19 inches long. She has a head full of dark hair and I think she looks like her mom. Maybe she'll have brown eyes. She's so sweet and small and I just loved holding her. It seems like a million years ago that any of my girls were that tiny. Katie couldn't get enough of her, she was so careful and gentle with her. Becky got to feed her a bottle and was pretty excited about it. And Allison was definitely beginning to understand a little bit about babies. By the end of our visit she was rubbing Jocelyn's head very gently and saying things like, "Aw, you're so cute." I'm glad we were able to be there right after Jocelyn was born. My mother in law was so thrilled to have all of her eight grandchildren together. Now that we live away it's more special to have everyone in the same place at the same time.

It was nice to spend time with my parents and my in laws. I love where we live in Massachusetts. I love my house and community. And I definitely feel like God brought us to this place but I do miss having family close by. It's hard to fit in all the visiting we'd like to do when we go to Maine. We're so torn between spending time with Ed's family and mine as well as trying to get together with old friends. I guess I just have to get used to the fact that that part of our lives (the living close by family) is different now. The time we spend with them is different. There's just no possible way to spend as much time with them as we used to. When people ask me if I miss Maine I say I miss the people we love there, not necessarily Maine. I actually really like living in Massachusetts---WHAT!?---Did I just say that? I never thought I'd admit that but it's true. When we were on the Mass. Pike and we came to the Berkshire mountains I was glad to be back among their beauty.

Here they are enjoying the new pool. The look on their faces is one of SHOCK as they get used to the 64 degree water! Today it is 87 degrees outsided and the pool is up to about 74 degrees. I won't get in until it's up to 78 or so. The girls have been in the pool all day, since right after lunch. And, I can hardly believe it, but they are playing together and getting along really great!! It may be a peaceful Summer. Hmmm...why have we waited until now to have a pool? The area all around it is dirt. I'm not real nuts about that but it is temporary. Tomorrow crushed stone will be delivered to go around the perimeter. That will help alot.

Yesterday we went biking on the local bike path. I'm not sure how to pronounce the name of the trail but you can try to figure it out from the sign (above). The trail itself is over 11 miles long. It used to be a railroad line. But in 1990 it was turned over to the state and made into this beautiful bike path.I set the camera on a bench and set the timer to get this picture of all of us on the trail. Allison loved riding in the tow behind trailer. She had snacks, toys, and protection from the sprinkly rain. It was cool and a little muggy.

This is a whistle pole from the railroad days. It's a marker that indicates to the engineer that a crossing is coming up ahead and he needs to blow the whistle. It's about 6 feet tall and made of stone with the "W" carved into it. Neat.

The trail winds through some lush trees and along a lake for a bit. It runs parallel to a road for a stretch too. It's very peaceful with georgeous views. We saw several families of geese. The goslings are getting big now and starting to look more like their parents.

I took this picture from a bridge that crossed the trail. Isn't the stream pretty? The girls would've loved to go down and look for some frogs or turtles.

We covered about 7 miles round trip. It was a lot of fun. Another hidden treasure right close by. Maybe we'll get into roller blading next...

Kindergym

Our local community center runs a program twice a week for pre-schoolers called Kindergym. They set up the gym with all kinds of play equipments and toys. There's slides and see saws, balls and parachutes, stories and crafts. All of this for $3 a visit. Allison and I went several times and had a great time. Today was the end of the year picnic at a nearby park. There were bouncy houses, pony rides, a playground, snacks, a clown making balloon animals and lots of other things too. The best part was that it was all FREE. Allison had a blast! Check her out riding the horse! She seems to be a natural.

Here she is loving the bouncy house. This was by far her favorite part of the picnic.

What a perfect day for this. It was a little cloudy, a little muggy, and not too hot. Allison discovered the sprinkler that was set up and got quite soaked. She kept saying, "Mommy, I'm going in the sprinkly". So cute. Her friend from next door was there and they had fun playing in the sand together and running through the water. It's stuff like this picnic that really make this feel like a small town. It's really neat and makes me glad we are in this community.

Here's another picture of the pool, from the deck. I've got two garden hoses in it today. I thought it would look really small but it's actually a nice size. I think it's just right for us.

I'm not sure if it shows up real well in this picture but this a pathway we created in the trees behind our house. We laid mulch down and put some plant pots along it. I'll see if I can get some better pictures of it. Allison calls it her "castle garden" and Becky says it's her favorite part of the back yard. Speaking of Becky, she seems to have recovered from her fall without complication. I'm glad. I miss her today, she's good company. Four more days of school.

Our pool is going up as we speak. I think it's taking the installers a little longer than they thought it would. That's okay, it'll get done. Next we have to fill it up. Most people around here use the garden hose. Hmmm...how long do you think that'll take. We have incredible water pressure so that'll help things along a little. We're supposed to have some sunny days with warming temperatures by the weekend so the water will have a chance to warm up. We're all looking forward to trying it out.

Rebecca is home from school today. She had a bit of a mishap this morning. As I was in the shower this morning Katie started banging on the bathroom door saying that something was wrong with Becky. She was pretty scared. Ed was downstairs with Becky. I hurried down and found Ed on the phone with 911 ( I kid you not) and Rebecca lying in his lap saying she did not want to go to the doctor. I convinced Ed that we did not need an ambulance and we would call the doctor and bring her there. After some Q & A it became apparent that she tripped and fell, landing on her chin, and knocked herself out! Ed said she was completely unconscious for 10 - 15 seconds! Poor Ed, he was pretty worried about his Becky. Poor Katie, her eyes were as big as saucers! Poor Allison, never mind, Allison just kept eating her breakfast through the whole ordeal. And poor little Becky, can you imagine getting knocked out from a fall?! After talking with the nurse at the Dr. office we made an appointment and brought her in. I was very surprised when the Doctor said she need a CT scan. I guess when a person is knocked unconscious from a head injury a CT scan is a standard precautionary measure. Fortunately the test came back completely normal and now we are watching her for signs of a concussion. The doctor thinks a concussion is completely unlikely but better safe than sorry. I thought it wise to keep an eye on her at home for today. Allison is quite pleased to have her home to play with! Just another exciting morning at the Cook house.

A Vacation

We are going back to Walt Disney World! We're going in the fall for 9 days. It'll have been two years since we were there. I know many of you don't understand why we keep going back. I'll try to explain. There's a certain level of entertainment that few places have mastered quite the way Disney has. It's service unmatched, imagination that has become reality, and memories that last a lifetime. There's something so special about seeing your child's reaction when they see their favorite characters in person. Children feel like they know these characters personally because they've seen them in books or movies and to actually see and touch them is magical to them. The princesses in particular are especially amazing to meet. Katie had lip prints on her cheek after a meeting with Cinderella when she was three and she just beamed the whole rest of the day. Rebecca saw Pooh and proceeded to go to the front of the line waiting to meet him. I caught her but the people who were to go next insisted she have her turn. She was one and she ran up to him and hugged him. It was so sweet. The couple who let her go ahead of them were from Korea, I think, and had no children with them, and they video taped Becky hugging her Pooh. They were smiling and laughing, just like Ed and I, at her reaction to her favorite character. Somewhere in Asia Rebecca is in a home movie! I can't wait to go with Allison this time now that she knows all the princesses and especially loves Cinderella.

The pictures in this post are from our Oct. '04 trip. The weather is still Summer then and the fall decorations are beautiful. We also go to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party where the kids dress in costume and go trick or treating in the Magic Kingdom. There's a special parade and fireworks and all the rides are open with no lines. It was really fun and we're looking forward to going again.

We're going to try Universal Orlando this time. We've not been there. Katie is definitely into the thrill rides and Becky does whatever she's tall enough to do so I think they'll really enjoy it. Our neighbors were just there last week and said it was awesome. It's good to mix in the new things with the stuff we always enjoy.

We're staying at an off-site hotel for the first time. The Caribe Royale Resort is an all suite hotel just minutes away from WDW with complimentary shuttle service to the parks. Mousesavers.com gave it great reviews. Unfortunately there aren't affordable resort options for a family of five on-site. It'll be great to have the extra space! And the pool looks fantastic! The girls are excited about the slide.

It's still raining...I hope those of you outside of New England are enjoying some dry weather! Send some our way, would ya!

Have a great day!

Site Work

The man was here yesterday to do the site work yesterday. How come all projects start out looking really bad? This one looks really bad. Especially today since it's been raining non stop. Now I have a huge mud pit in my backyard!!


Allison enjoyed watching the "man in the little red truck". It kept her entertained most of the afternoon. It was cloudy all day but warm so we enjoyed being on the back deck. There were trucks all over the neighborhood that day doing one thing or another so it was a bit loud.

I love this picture of the back wheels OFF the ground. Very interesting. I sure hope this looks nice after it's all done. The man who actually puts the pool up called to say he is delayed because of the rain but we are the next ones he'll do. So as soon as things dry out some we should see him. Now, will the weather warm up? Good grief, I hope so.

Katie is going to visit her new Middle School today with the other 5th graders. They'll stay through lunch time which I think is a fine idea. I hope she has a good experience today and will be excited to go there. It's a nice school, brand new, and a great floor plan. Ed & I will go to a parent orientation next week. I'm looking forward to that.

I'm glad the school year is winding down. I'm looking forward to a break in the rountine, some lazy mornings, and spending time with my girls. It'll be fun to spend some time in Maine with friends and family. Our family is anxiously waiting for the arrival of our newest member. She's due mid June so we'll be up to see her. Allison is about to be dethroned as the baby of the Cook family, lucky for her she'll keep her baby status on my side! It'll be interesting to see how she likes the baby. Yesterday at the Bible study I went to, one of the younger children was crying for her mother. She's about 18 months old. Allison started crying too and then she hollered, "BE QUIET BABY!" I found it quite funny! Must be my weird sense of humor. The child just cracks me up, even now as I'm typing this I'm laughing out loud!

The landscape crew is supposed to come out next week so be on the lookout for before and after pictures. I'll be sure and post some of the pool when it's up too.

Finally after two bad haircuts since we've been here I got a decent one. The first place I tried was this little hole in the wall in small strip mall. I thought, "It won't be so bad inside." Wrong! Upon entering the salon I immediately noticed a couple of ladies under the dryer with their shampoo sets. I stayed calm. Then I noticed a couple more ladies with perm rods in their hair, tiny little blue perm rods. I also took note that all of the hairstylists were at least 60 years old. Now I was worried. Maybe this doesn't mean anything to someone who hasn't spent a great deal of time in a hair salon but for the former hairdresser in me it spelled BAD HAIRCUT! These ladies hadn't seen someone my age darken the door of that place in years! How could I expect them to understand what I wanted?! I sat down in the chair and thought "It's only hair, it'll be fine." My hairstylist began cutting...randomly...no rhyme or reason to her technique. She told me how she's been cutting hair for 40 years, that's right 40 years! I don't think she's current on latest trends and hairstyling tools but experience must count for something, I was still giving her the benefit of the doubt. When it was all said and done my hair was shorter, mostly, and I still managed to do something with it. Then there was the second place I tried, also in a strip mall but definitely more hip. My hairdresser was more my age as were other people there. The overall atmosphere wasn't very professional and it really was more of a Hair Cuts R Us type of place as opposed to a full service salon. The haircut itself was an improvement over the last place but not quite what I was hoping for. In Maine I had the best hairdresser! She was good at her job as well as fun to talk to. I looked forward to visiting with her each time I went in and the environment was very welcoming and professional. At my last MOPS meeting I met a woman who does hair at a nice salon in nearby Lenox. She looked like she'd do a good job ( you know what I mean ) so I made an appointment and went in. She did a nice job and she was fun to chat with. I will definitely go back to see her. Phew...the difficult parts of moving that we don't think about.

We went to the Boston Museum of Science with the Woodside 5th graders on Thursday. Fun. We got there a little after they did but we had no trouble finding Katie's friend Lily and her mom. The class was spread all over the museum so we ran into different people all day. We were with Lily and her mom just about the whole time. It felt like we'd never left. The kids were all so happy to see Katie and they were glad that she was there. That kind of thing always does a mother's heart good. At one point I had an "I can't believe I live in Massachusetts" moment. Being with the Woodside group felt comfortable and familiar. I know it'll feel that way here someday too, sometimes it actually does. The day ended much too soon but we had a great time and I'm glad we went.

Last night we had a pizza party for Becky's friends. There were 10 little girls here! All the girls in her class were invited and all of them came. I was really pleased about the turnout. It was a little loud and crazy here for a couple of hours but it was worth it to meet the girls Becky plays with and some of their parents. I think they had a good time and I know it meant a lot to Becky. She was the perfect hostess, taking care of her guests' needs and trying to make them feel at home. It was a nice evening.

It's raining...It has been raining for a couple of days. We watched Katie's soccer game this afternoon in the rain. Let me say that I enjoy watching her games, I just enjoy them more when it's nice out. I also feel bad for the girls on the field. They're soaked through and they get all dirty. I know, I know, but I don't like it when they're dirty.

We also went to see "Over the Hedge". It was really cute and funny. I'd definitely recommend it for kids of all ages.

Just Pictures

For whatever reason I couldn't post these pictures with my Mount Greylock entry so I'm giving them their own post. This top photo is Ed and Ally and Katie meandering up the path to the summit. Below that is the view from the road on the way up the mountain. As you can see it wasn't exactly a clear day but it was warm and the view was still impressive. The last picture is of the beautiful war memorial which sits at the summit. Doesn't it remind you of a lighthouse? You'd almost expect the ocean to be just beyond the monument. We also noticed that the leaves aren't yet in full bloom at that elevation. Interesting.