Waterfront Festival

On Sunday, my sister (KK)and her husband (Squishy) and the girls and I, went to New Bedford, MA to their waterfront festival. It was a little rainy and a little hot, but lots of fun, nonetheless. The boats in New Bedford are at least twice the size of the boats at the Chatham Fish Pier and there are LOTS of them! Most of these boats are draggers (they drag big metal nets behind their boats and scoop up whatever gets in their way, including gill nets of hubbies, but that's another story...) There were also scallop boats. We went on one scallop boat that looked similar to the boats on the Deadliest Catch!

Ropes are an integral part to any fishing boat, this includes twine, string and yarn? I just thought the colors were pretty.

As with many maritime celebrations, there was a blessing of the fleet. The special thing at this blessing, was that Miss New Bedford was there! I took this especially for you Melisa! Check out that tiara!
We also got to go aboard a tug boat. I had never been on one of those before and it was very cute. Well, as cute as a boat can get. 
Squishy really liked the tugboat and was as excited as a little kid on Christmas morning. Here he is squealing with my sissy.
Here are the girls and me posing in front of the BIG boats.

B got a sweet crabby tattoo for her cheek. 

We didn't go into the Whaling Museum, but the whale's tail out in the front was pretty cool! Looks like we may have an excuse to go back another time!

2 weddings!

This weekend's working wedding is interrupted by me ATTENDING  a wedding. 

Well actually, I got to attend 2 weddings on the same day!

2 fishermen in town got married this weekend and we got invited to both weddings! Since we had known and DH had worked with one couple more than the other, we went to that wedding first. 

Kelly, the beautiful bride, is also my hairdresser. This is the only bride I know that jumped in to do her bridesmaids' hair!

The room was a bevy of activity with her bridesmaids, relatives and 2 soon to be step daughters. They (the step daughters)  happen to be friends with B, so it was a thrill for me to help them get into their dresses! 

This picture cracks me up. Chaos at best!

The ceremony was lovely and Kelly giggled through the whole thing which was very cute!

 Kelly reads this blog and evidently was very worried about how I might "trash" her wedding on it. Kelly, there is nothing to trash, you did a super job with the whole thing! Everyone was beautiful, you were the most gracious bride I have ever seen. Kelly kept asking ME if I needed anything in the bridal suite before she got married!

Here is a pic. of me and my DH taken by my mom (yes, my mom and dad were also at this wedding!).

Had to return the favor and take a picture of my mom and dad.

The funniest thing of the whole wedding was the DJ. There was one DJ and an assistant DJ? The assistant wore a lime green shirt with quite a few buttons undone. He thought he was very suave for sure! They played the Electric Slide and were not happy with how the guests danced to it, so DJ lime shirt gets on the floor and shows us how it is done. I don't think he ever wanted to get off the floor! He was a Solid Gold Wanna-be if I ever saw one!

So, we scooted out of Kelly and Ryan's wedding to get to the end of Greg and Mariann's wedding. We got there just in time for the dancing. Wait, I am sorry, I got there in time for the dancing, DH stood around the bar and talked up fellow fishermen. My sister and brother-in-law and DH's brother and sister-in-law were at this wedding. We had a great time dancing and the bride and groom were beautiful at this wedding too! Lot's of happiness on Cape Cod on Saturday, despite the weather! G and M had a delicious chocolate cake and set off some really cool fireworks on the beach. 

I know that DH and I wish these 2 fisher-couples the best of luck and are so grateful that we could be part of each of their days!

Later, we went to the local watering hole and once friends of ours started singing bad karaoke and one friend's pants fell down in the bar, we decided to call it a night!

Calm Before the Storm

I took this yesterday of B and my friend's 2 kids. They all look like they could come from the same family! Meanwhile, in front of them, the local Agway was rushing to bring all it's mums into shelter. Looks like we are going to have a lot of wind and rain for the next few days. This morning I will be baking, because what is a storm without yummy baked goods?

Today's Youth....

On 9/16 I posted about a class I was taking for 3 weeks called Raising Strong Girls.

 Wow. I seriously think that all parents should have parenting classes offered to them every couple of years. 

We watched a documentary on girls ages 11-14 and how they thought the media affected them. Now this was done about 6 or so years ago when Brittany, Mandy Moore and Christina Aguillara were the hot young things. It is frightening the things our girls absorb just from the media. That is tv and magazines. Now with the computer such a popular item, I am sure it is worse.

2 weeks of the class and I want to never buy a magazine other than Real Simple, want to take away tv and computer until my kids are 30 and basically never let them out of the house. The other 5 moms and I want to live in a bubble on Costa Rica. Not very probable, but a fantasy, nonetheless.

The 4th grade girls have been a group since preschool that we knew to watch out for. OK, so B is one of them. It is just a class of very strong willed leader type girls. They had cliques when they were 4. I wouldn't believe it, if I hadn't have seen it with my own eyes. Now that they are 9, things are getting worse. B came home talking about the different "groups" of kids and considers herself a "floater". Today she told me that there is a group of girls that is known as the mean girls and are saying things like, "You're a loser", "Those earrings are so ugly, why are you wearing them" and "you are mean" to various girls in the class. 

I just don't get how gjrls get this way. Well, I guess I do, but I would rather not. These are girls that I have known since they were like 2 years old. I am friends with their parents. 

One of the things we (the moms in the class) decided was to try to get our kids involved in something they loved, whether it be sports, drama or music. I know, growing up, I was a ski racer and didn't want anything to interfere with my Olympic goal. I didn't quite make it to the Olympics, but I never got into too much trouble in high school either. 

I think reading some of the books I suggested last week whether you have girls or boys would be the first step toward a better world. I suppose, petitioning the media for less sex or sexiness in shows, commercials, videos, etc... would be the next thing. 

Soccer Season has Begun!

Soccer season is off to a great start! Finally a beautiful, sunny weekend to play! B rocks at the defense!

K is some midfield position that spends the entire game running. Ugh. Better her than me!

I am having fun with the picnik site. It is a fun place to go to if you want to doctor up your pictures!

wedding #17

Bloggin' Ease

Thank heavens for kids and their ideas for blogs. It's almost like I don't have to think of the topic anymore. Today, my nephew J, B and K played with the bunny from the barn. I think his name is Chocolate Chip, but for today it may as well been Scarlet O'Hara. K made sure to tell me that this might be blog worthy before they started. I had my camera at the ready!

Scarlet's house was a little small in the beginning, but was offering a lot more fresh air and grass than her regular homestead.

Scarlet got plenty of love along the building process.
Tara grew by leaps and bounds.
Here, Scarlet is enjoying the rec area. There is also a kitchen (complete with carrots), a bedroom a guard horse, a statue of a horse(evidently every "rich" bunny needs one) and a fire pit for bun-bun to stay warm.
Scarlet is stylin' in her new specs.

The other day, K, had to use "nature" to make a paint brush and paint so she could make some cave paintings at school.We picked some sweet (as in cool, I think they were poison-like so we didn't eat them) berries. She put on one of Daddy's gross fishing shirts and got busy!

Yeah, she's on the bathroom floor. Hope you can't see the dirt and grime.

The paintbrush was made of goat, horse and dog hair. Quite creative if I do say so myself. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. LOL. 

Keep it up girls, mama needs more blogging material....

Butt Bra

This weekend, we worked on clearing and cleaning the bedrooms. The girls' bedrooms that is. It's amazing how their clothes just pile up. Not to say anything about the other stuff. Neither one wanted to clean their rooms or organize their clothes, so I said I would help and that we would donate whatever they didn't want or didn't fit anymore to the kids in Texas who just experienced Hurricane Ike. That got them into it. I am proud that my kids like to help other kids when they can. 

So, anyway, as I am folding underwear, I notice a smaller size underwear than I had just bought for K. 

me, " K, you are not this size anymore, right? Can I throw this away?"

K, " No, I have a few of that size and I like them for their firmness."

me, "What?"

K, "They are like a bra for my butt. When I wear them they sort of lift my butt up, not like the bigger size."

Words to live by from the mouth of a babe, I mean, pre-teen.

Raising Strong Girls

I attended a fabulous class today led by Dr. Karol Maybury. It was called Raising Strong Girls and you can check out her website here. And she just started a blog that we can all comment on, here.

This class is essential (my opinion) if you have a daughter or daughters. Today we talked about our hopes and dreams for our girls. Then we talked about our fears for our girls. (frightening!) Out of the 6 women in the class, I knew 5 extremely well which made for a great conversation. Today I ran off to Borders to buy Queen Bees and Wannabees by Rosalind Wiseman, The Talk by Sharon Maxwell,  Women Who Run With the Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes and Mommies Who Drink by Brett Paesel (but that was not because of this class, but because the title hit home a little). 

I will keep you posted on the class for the next few weeks. I thought I was doing ok as a mom during the class and was able to offer up stories and suggestions freely. Then, K, had a tantrum all the way to the orthodontist's office this afternoon which made me rethink every parenting technique I have ever tried. Ooh she was brutal and all I wanted to do was pull over and let her out. 

Maybe I should get to work on my reading.

wedding #15-16

Tough Life

This is what I have been sharing the couch with during my convalescence. Yeah, we lead a tough life.

Pens, Crayons, Markers, OH MY!

My name is Sue and I have a problem. (OK, more than one, but let's focus on this one today, OK?)

It has to do with writing utensils.

Here is the evidence.

Yes, I have a pen, pencil, marker, sharpie addiction.

I am drawn to the pen aisle in any store. If there is a sale on Crayola or Sharpies I am skipping for joy in the aisle. The colors attract me the most. Ooooh, I could write in permanent marker in seafoam green? hot pink? baby blue? I must have them!!!

Let's review how this all started (because it is just not my fault)...

My Grandmother gave me crayons and paper for every Christmas as long as I remember.(and I looked forward to it!)

My Mom would always buy me fun pens and mail them to me while I was in college. Remember calligraphy pens? Ooooh we had a bunch of those at one point even though we couldn't write calligraphy. Just the fact that you could hold the pen one way and write a skinny line, turn it and write a fat line.

When I was a teacher, I loved seeing all the new boxes of Crayolas that would come in. I almost cried one time (with joy) when I saw a box of crayons that had about 500 brand spanking new crayons in my classroom. The smell is delicious!

Before email, for those of you that remember that time in the world, people actually used to WRITE letters. I loved writing letters and would specifically choose a certain color pen, or decorate an envelope, or doodle on the sides depending on which friend it was.

One of my favorite pen-like items these days are Paint Pens. How great is that? I can't write with a paint brush like I can with a pen, so with this invention I can "paint" on everything and it stays! Don't let any plastic enter my house, if you don't want it decorated with a paint pen.
However, like with any obsession, this one needs to be scaled back a bit. So today, since my sniffles are a little better, but I am trying to lay low so I can tackle the double header of wedding duties this weekend, I am going to organize my pens. Having 4 pen holders on my (small) counter is not cutting it. And I am trying to de-clutter. And I can't stand grabbing a pen and not having it work.

Hours later:
OK, I did it! I checked to see if they worked and threw away the ones that didn't . Now I have to find some nifty containers (haha, that I can label with the paint pens) to put them all in. Oh shoot, I will have to go shopping.....hmmm maybe the container aisle is near the writing utensil aisle.......

I wonder.....

I am sitting on my couch typing and blowing my nose inbetween sentences. Welcome to the back to school cold. It's all through the house, but of course I sent my kids to school. No fever, no vomit, no green boogers, hop on the bus. So I am pondering some thoughts...

*Why can't I just feel comfortable laying on my couch and watching tv 

all day today? What propelled me to clean the dog, the shower and the dishes before I could sit here? My nose is a faucet. That leads me to wonder, even though I cleaned all those things, are they really clean?

*Why do dogs feel the need to roll in horse shit?

*Why is it every time I don't feel well, my husband feels worse?

*What made him think going to bed at 7:30 last night was OK, while I was at a School Comm meeting and the girls hadn't finished their homework? Evidently

 they put themselves to bed at 8:30. When I got home K was asleep with her homework open on her bed under her legs. 

*What made the girls think they could go on the computer this morninig/watch tv with homework not finished?

*Why do I remember my chemistry's teacher name(Mrs. Capone) in High School? I am a relatively smart woman, but got a D in chemistry. Science wasn't my thing. I am having flashbacks because K is working on the periodic table and she is only in the 6th grade!

*I wonder if I can invent something that goes over your nose to

 catch the drippings and make it look cool/stylish.

*I am wondering if you have seen the high heel Crocs that are out? 

I just got a pair (for 1/2 price, yippee!) and I think they are higher than any other shoes I have. I hope they are comfortable because I am wearing them to a wedding that I am attending, not shooting, in a few weeks.

*It's my mom's first day of work at a shop downtown, so I am wondering how she is doing. Maybe after my nap, I will go check on her.  Plus I need more kleenex. 

Wedding #14

Ogunquit, Maine

OK, I have tried posting this 3 different ways, but I think I have come upon the final draft. Our trip to Maine was a blast. My mom and dad owned a house in Ogunquit for 20 years or so. My mom took us there on the last day of school and we came back to Acton the day before school started. My dad would come up on the weekends and for a week vacation. It was the best place to spend the summers. We could walk to the beach, play kick the can, walk downtown and of course, when we got older we got jobs (and significant others). So a summer is not complete without a trip down memory lane in Ogunquit. 

This trip was "just girls"... my mom, my sister (KK), K, B and me. We stayed in a friends house in the old "hood". This old hood just happen to be the same hood that Wonderful World of Wieners lived in. Her house is the second of the slideshow. I wish we had known each other better then because other than her Morbid Mondays, we have a lot in common. 

So we went to Perkin's Cove the first afternoon there. We searched for seaglass and rocks shaped as hearts. We walked through the shops and then had dinner at Barnacle Billy's. After a few rum punches, we all got a little giddy. K does a great impression on my mom laughing (see slideshow)

We spend the next day on beautiful Ogunquit Beach. It was just ranked the top beach in the US. Yeah, it's that good. The sand is soft as "buttah". We made a dribble castle on B while she read. She hadn't finished her "summer reading", so we were trying anything to get her to read. My roommate from college came down (she lives in New Gloucester, ME) with her 2 girls that are my girls'  'cousins'. They tell people that they are more than friends, but not blood related. We went back to Perkins Cove and had dinner once again at BB. They have a great outdoor deck. That's where we saw the abomination sitting next to us. Cute, but eeewwww! You'll have to look at the slideshow now. Beck wound up going home, but I kept her girls. The next day at the beach was a blast. The kids all played, I read my book. OK, I went swimming too. I ran the girls up to Freeport to drop off K and E (Becky's girls), spent 30 minutes running into my favorite stores: bought 2 lunchboxes and a cool new pair of flip flops. 

Next day we cleaned up the house that is going to be torn down this winter and rebuilt. We ran to the Marginal way and took some funny pictures and worked our way home. First KK had to get a gift certificate at BB's for a friend. The girl who gave her the GF was pretty rude and the name on her name tag was Lil Pie. I kid you not. Why would anyone put that on their nametag? Anyhoo, on the way home we stopped in Kittery, (outlets),   stopped at Kimball Farm in Westford , MA for the world's best ice-cream and  stopped at Idylwilde Farm (Acton, MA) for the worlds best farm produce.

All in all, a fabulous few days. Want to come next year?

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

2 Things

I am sure this is coming across as very fancy because I am writing from my new laptop! I feel so high tech! I had the computer boys come over and add a wireless component to my house because I have no brain when it comes to techy stuff. So there is a 50 or so year old man and a 19 (hmmm, not bad) kid asking me a million questions while I try not to sound like a complete idiot. So because I am SO funny and SO sarcastic, the guy asks me what I want to name my wireless system. How am I suppose to know? So I say, "Sue Rocks?" and he says "Um, ok". Hellooooo, I was joking! But hey, they used it anyway and so anytime I want to go wireless my computer tells me I rock. Obviously, if no one else is going to be throwing compliments at me, my computer may as well. 

My other tidbit of the day was bus stop related. I walk down to the end of my street to take B to the bus stop. Now the beginning of my road leaves much to be desired. One house is underground with so much shit on top of it we don't even walk on that side of the street for fear of getting sucked into to some sort of vortex. The house across the street from this "house" has been cleaned up a little, but the people like to collect "stuff". Then there is the house directly across from the bus stop that 2 families live in and freely use the laundry line to hang their unmentionables. So B gets on the bus and Gretel and I are strolling back toward our house. I sniff the air and think, "no, it couldn't be" take another whiff and now I am sure.

 I am smelling pot at 8:00 in the morning, 5 yards away from the elementary school bus stop.

 I am not sure which of the 3 houses was producing the smell, but am hoping that maybe tomorrow they hold off till mid morning.

Oh and stop by tomorrow for a wrap up of my Maine trip with the girls, and my mom and my sister. Now I can access the pictures from my lap top and share them with you! I know, you've been very patiently waiting.....

Guardian Angel

Maybe some of you can relate to this.... I was looking at my house today, thinking I needed to get my butt in gear and organize and clean. The house was looking like it had taken a hard hit on summer vacation and needed some tender loving care. The girls have been a little crazy trying to find their "stuff" and get off to school. I can't think straight and more importantly feel guilty for wanting to read a book/blog more than organizing a house. So I got in my car and ran some errands. Mind you,my car didn't look much better than my house. A few road trips and the markers, books, map of the country with 1/2 the states filled in because we saw those license plates, napkins from every fast food restaurant within the northeast and a few pairs of shoes was leaving me dissatisfied with disorganization.

I was coming out of the post office and a white haired lady had parked near my car and was looking at it with an amused expression. I was expecting her to say "I bumped your car" or "you should be ashamed of yourself with that mess" , but instead she chuckled and asked if I had a little girl. I said I had 2 (maybe 9 and 11 aren't so little, but they are kids and girls). She said that she enjoyed seeing all the drawings and markers in the back seat. She then went on to say that she had a litter of kids (6-8 of them, I can't remember) back in her day. She was very into keeping things clean and neat for appearance sake. For the past 3 years she has had full custody of her granddaughter (who was starting 1st grade today). She said that time has taught her that spending time and ENJOYING her granddaughter are what is important. She figures that her granddaughter will remember all the drawings and playing with her grandma more than if her grandmother had the neatest house/car in the neighborhood.

I swear she was a little angel coming to remind me of what is important in life. Many times it is so easy to get caught up in the little things that society holds so dear....everything has it's place, my car is washed and polished, my kids have on the latest trends.I think what is really important is the love and respect you share with your kids. I am grateful for that Grandma/Mother to remind me to slow down and take stalk in all the wonderful moments and things in my life. Hopefully, she will be spreading her word to more errand running moms. I am pretty sure I will.

First Day of School!

Today was the first day of school here on Cape Cod. I know, some of you midwesteners have been in school for weeks. We like to enjoy our summer through Labor Day around these parts. Yesterday was a beautiful beach day, today it felt like fall and I was at a loss all day. I am one of those parents who actually miss their kids when they go back to school. (After the tantrum I just listened to, one might wonder why). The girls and I work really well on the "summer" schedule. Especially when we don't have to be somewhere at a specific time (you know, like school). K started 6th grade, B started 4th grade. It is B's last year in the elementary school and she started it off as the "king" of the school by sitting in the back of the bus. You know you've made it when you are allowed to sit in the back of the bus.

K took her Lamby to school with her. How cute is that? I actually got Lamby from my mom when K started Kindergarten. Lamby came in the mail just for me so I would have something to cuddle with while my eldest was in school. K came home from school that day, fell in love and Lamby was never mine again. Every year, Lamby has gone to school for the first day and things were no different today. Although K was sporting an Aeropostale shirt which made her extra cool.

While they were at school, I stopped by my friend Helen's back to school mimosa/bloody mary party. No I didn't partake in the beverages, just the donuts. This has been a tradition since our eldests have entered Kindergarten. It is a good time to reconnect with friends we have been to busy to see during the summer.

A thumbs up from each kid at pick up today made me so happy. 2 great teachers and 2 good first days. Then,of course, to Dairy Queen with 2 friends and their kids made it all complete. Now the stress from holding in the real emotions all day and the fact that K is tired and is having a tantrum/nervous breakdown. I must go cuddle and make all the stress go away. Thank God that Mommy's have some serious magic powers.

Wedding #13