Happy 18th Birthday, Taylor!

Where oh where has the time gone?  18 years ago, yesterday, on January 5, 1994, I had the chance to help deliver my niece Taylor Elizabeth.  You all have watched her change over the past 5 years since I started this blog.  And change she has.  She's now a HS senior, who has decided to attend Southern Maine Community College in the fall, with the long-term goal of being a nutritionist.  But, back to that snowy night 18 years ago. Here are a couple of pics of her:

I always tease Theresa that I got to give her her first hugs and kisses (which I did), but being able to hand Theresa her daughter was one of the most moving moments I ever had as a Maternity nurse.  The look of pure love from mother to daughter was awesome.

Christmas Dance

I almost forgot to add these in...here are this year's pictures of Taylor and Shelby before the Stearns Christmas Dance.  They just get prettier and prettier every year.

Christmas Day

Here are the few shots we took on Christmas Day...a good time on a 90 minute nap.  Almost looks like Christmas Eve in the dayllight, doesn't it?

Merry Christmas!!! and a warm hello for the week leading up to Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve in Birtville as well as the whole week here, was wonderful.  Because I had gotten my act together early this year, I had a very calm week before Christmas.  I had a chance to make cookies, wrap gifts at my own speed, STAY HOME instead of being on the road every day, and just plain ole' enjoy Christmas.  I worked Christmas Eve at the nursing home from  11p-7am on Christmas morning.  When I got home, Adam had left the Christmas lights on for me so it was really peaceful and quiet.  I managed to get a few minutes rest before everyone got up and then the day began.  Gift exchange, breakfast in front of the fire, a nice seafood chowder and a movie with the boys, all made for a wonderful day.  I was also in bed by 5 pm and slept until about 10 the next morning.  Not as young as I used to be for sure.

Because I was working our Christmas Eve in Birtville was quieter than usual.  Julie, Alex, Jude, and Jett were here and spent the evening.  Adam and I both got some pics and here are some of the pics of both the Birtville Christmas Eve and our Christmas Day.

Ok, so we've got the cookies covered....

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

While it's all done now...this is what it looks like in the making

The reindeer is one of my two favorite Christmas decorations.  It was made by Adam when he was in Kindergarten or first grade.   He came home from school one day and the conversation went like this: "Hi honey, was your day at school?"
"It was great Mom.  By the way I need a panty ho for school tomorrow".  Hmmmm..." You need a panty ho?  What's a panty ho?"  "It's one leg of your panty hose!"  Yes, it made sense to a 5-year-old. 

This is my other favorite Christmas decoration.  Justin made this when he was in kindergarten or first-grade.All the money in the world couldn't buy anything better!

Happy "hohohoHolidays from all of us in Birtville!

Day before Thanksgiving 2011

It's that time of year again and where has the year gone?  I last wrote just after we got back from NYC in October and here we are only 8 or so weeks later and it's almost Christmas.  It's been a fairly eventful fall.  First off, the weather has been awesome!  A very nice fall indeed.  We've had a couple of big snowstorms but so far nothing has lasted very long.  We had one storm a few days before Halloween that dumped about a foot of snow in various places, and then one the day before Thanksgiving that dumped another foot of snow.  Both of those melted very quickly and right now we still have green grass.  Had some flurries this morning which made it very slippery driving for awhile but I was at home sooooooooooooooooooooo.....that's right, folks--I wasn't rammin' the roads at the time.

As you can see, Shelby and Taylor were Christmas Elves.  This was for the Christmas parade in Millinocket and they were Elves for their Auntie Dianne at her Spa, called "Steel Magnolia's",  They were pretty damned cute, if I must say so myself.

Some of you also know that Justin now has his own place. It's a really nice new condo over in a new area in South Portland and he seems very happy there.  It's so quiet here without him but Adam is still around and he makes up for it.  The next time I'm over there I'll have to get some pictures to post.  For now though, here is a picture of his Christmas tree.

Justin also had his appendix out in October about a week after we got home from NYC.  Wasn't something he elected to do by any stretch of the imagination but he is now doing very well and back to his normal activity pretty much.

Adam had a good semester.  He's trying to get his grading completed so he can relax and enjoy the rest of the "year" and the holidays.  He's having his wisdom teeth out this coming Monday, the 19th and hopefully he'll be all healed or at least mostly healed by Christmas Eve.  He and Justin have been able to see some rock concerts this fall and even meet a few of the bands.

They also played soccer this fall until Justin's appendix blew up and Adam tore his quadriceps muscle.  Here is a picture of their team.  It was a good fall and as soon as we get some Christmas snow, it will be an even better Winter.

Time to Catch Up from Summer

Ahhhh Fall!  My favorite time of the year.  The school year starts, temperatures drop, humidity starts to go away, the leaves turn, and I could go on and on.  This is my favorite time of the year.  Since I last updated everyone quite a bit has happened in Birtville.  Taylor has started her Senior year in High School, Shelby is a Freshman and playing on the Varsity Field Hockey team, and doing very well I might add.  Justin will be moving to a new home around the first of November.  Adam is teaching 3 classes this fall as an adjunct and while he loves it, it's still not something full-time with benefits but someday something like that will come along.  Art is taking courses towards a graduate certificate in Human Resources, which raises eyebrows with all of us who live with him, and I continue my daily, no minute by minute struggle with my weight, being able to move, and blah, blah, blah. 

In July, we did our yearly trek to Boston to see the Red Sox play.  While it was on one of the hottest and muggiest days of the year, we still had a great time and got to see all of our favorite players from Josh Beckett, to Youk, to Pedroia, Varitek, and of course Jonathan Papelbon.  They won which made the nasty hot and humid weather all worth it.  Steve and Theresa also brought a couple of Shorty's and Tay's girlfriends with them, Mikayla and Leah and an awesome time was had by all.

Shelby, Leah, Mikayla, and Taylor getting ready to head to Boston

With Art in the subway in Boston

At Quincy Market

At "Dick's Last Resort" in the marketplace

Justin with his "condom" hat

FENWAY!!!!

Seattle Mariners at batting practice before the game

So even, as hot as it was, you can see we all had a very good time.  Shelby and Taylor spent the last week of July here in Birtville and we had a ball.  We did our yearly "Harry Potter" movie, saw a play at the Maine State Music Theater, shopped, and did all the things that we like to do.  And to make matters even better, Shortbus didn't get motion sick AT ALL!  A plus in everyone's thoughts, but mostly hers.

In July, I also gave up the ghost and let my SAAB, my little car of almost 12 years go to the great used car lot in the sky.  While I had full intentions of purchasing a Toyota RAV4 or Highlander it didn't turn out that way.  While I like both vehicles and the Highlander was sooooooooooo comfortable, I happen to get behind the wheel of a little 2011 Prius.  You know, Toyota's hybrid?  Not only did it feel like me, it gets anywhere between 40 and 51 MPG of gas!  It's awesome! and I love it even more when I pull into the gas pumps.

"DIL" Julie turned 30 this year...Happy Birthday, honey!

August brought busy times for all.  My yearly CT scan, which was negative by the way, and I'm now starting my fourth year cancer free.  Had a great lunch with a nursing school friend from Concord Hospital School of Nursing.  And while I didn't finish that program, Jan and I have remained very close over the years.

She hasn't aged a bit!

Jude and Jett had birthday's in August.  Jude turned 6 and is starting kindergarten, while Jett is now "free" and will be doing something 1 day a week this fall while Jude is in school.  Jude loves school and Julie says he seems to be enjoying it.  Hockey has started and of course he is playing.

Brothers

Jude, age 6, first day of kindergarten

Getting off the bus

Along towards the end of August, just prior to the start of another school year, I had the opportunity to get better acquainted with the lady that was to become my co-worker in the nursing program.  We are working well together and definitely like our new digs in what used to be the bachelor officers quarters at the now defunct Brunswick Naval Air Station.  While it stilll looks an awful lot like a Navy base, it's very, very quiet here.  Only a couple of families remain while the Navy is finishing up the deomissioning of the base. 

Building 512

New digs

New office

September was pretty uneventful with everybody doing fun things.  Steve and Theresa took the girls to concerts in Bangor, my sister Wendy finished a job and has started a new one, and life goes on.  Now, to October.  Art and I and the boys spent Columbus Day weekend in NYC.  Justin had never been and while the rest of us have, it's been a long time.  We only had two days so we made the most of it.  Saw many things, some new and some the good old stand by's.  One thing that was decided though, we had a fantastic time and can't wait to do another family trip soon!

I think we had some favorites--Bodies the Exhibition, a broadway play that proved that Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) can sing and dance extremely well, a significant walk through the Highline Park.  Adam was able to take all kinds of pics and at some point over the next year I"m sure he's going to put them on disk so I can share them on here.  We walked and walked and I have to say, that I managed to keep up pretty well.  Hard to believe, isn't it?  While I can't share all the pictures I'd like to, I'm going to show you some and then will post more of Adam's when they become available.

A carriage ride in NYC

Times Square

For Theresa, BAZINGA!

M&M's...YUM!

Ahh Taylor...look, I didn't even have to stalk anyone!

Awesome show!

The Red Stairs

Advertising for Bette Midler's new show

2011 New Year's Ball

You'll find Mickey in the strangest places

Big Bang