The Adventures of Jim Aidan Molly & Shannon

The Horse Party

2008-08-06T09:07:00.005-04:00

The horse stallGetting ready for rides

"You ride, you clean up after your horse."

"Owden" rides too

Molly rides
Could you give the girl some room?

Even the "grown ups" get a ride
" We love horses!"

Thanks for all your help Julie!

Thanks Papa! You're the best!

The Birthday Girl!

2008-08-06T08:45:00.003-04:00

Where does the time go? 7 years old!

CC: BONUS DAY!!!

2008-07-22T23:44:00.006-04:00

Bonus Day Highlights: Aidan rides on. Mulz, Betty, Shannon & Jim do a 12 mile ocean-side bike loop. After 20 minutes at horsefly beach we depart for warm bay water, kitesurfers, and "pretty rocks" (some of which Poppy threw) at Great Island beach. Alas...still no fish. Nonny & Poppy watch the girls so that the rest of us can enjoy Mac's Shack..mmmmmmm...Tuna Mango Martini! We end the week with a last round of margueritas and Scrabble. A perfect bonus day, a perfect week full of perfect weather! It will be hard to top this year at the Cape...but we will certainly try in 2009!

Bonus Day!!!

Aidan enjoys a good beach read

Jim & Molly's kite

CC: Day 7

2008-07-22T23:36:00.010-04:00

Day 7 Highlights: Atypical Friday smiles. Cuffys and 15 new shirts for Poppy! Aidan learns to ride without training wheels! Duck Pond nude sun-bathing. Real onion rings, and Mulz's pizza! Cribbage. Bonus day is a go!

More Duck Pond!

Noodles & Margaritas

Nudist's house

CC: Day 6

2008-07-22T23:29:00.016-04:00

Day 6 Highlights: Surf boards are rented and attempted. Riptides and huge waves get the best of us. Jim's parents head home. We have onion ring failure and PORK. We meet "Betsy" and entertain the prospect of a "Bonus Day." Aidan melts down but we still make the Duck Harbor sunset before the sun does. A bubblebath (with a surprise visitor) washes away a long busy day for the girls. Another picture perfect day!

Someone's got to be first

Gosh, the waves look bigger from here

Is he going to come back?

Defeated by the waves

Duck Harbor Sunset

CC: Day 5

2008-07-22T23:24:00.010-04:00

Day 5 Highlights: We hit the bike trail and Aidan completes almost 12 miles on training wheels! Molly rides with Jim and smiles the whole time. Ice cream for lunch. Duck Pond....ahhhhhhh! Mayo beach, clammin' & kayaks. We hit PJ's for some traditional Cape Cod fare. Our 5th day in a row of perfect weather.

Your almost there Aidan (only a mile or two left)

She's tired but tough (plus we've promised ice cream for lunch if she finishes with a smile)

Cooling off at Duck Pond after our bike ride.

Mayo Beach
Not quite the crystal clear water of Duck Pond...but there were clams!

Dinner out at PJ's

"Oh Mulz"

CC: Day 4

2008-07-22T23:18:00.006-04:00

Day 4 Highlights: Still no fish for the boys. We hit the ocean to find huge waves. We have sand in "low places." Jim's parents arrive. We enjoy our first batch of clams....mmmmm! The mega bottle of wine is opened and enjoyed. More music, more laughs.

Uncle Mulz & Aidan goof off

CC: Day 3

2008-07-22T23:09:00.014-04:00

Day 3 Highlights: We discover Duck Pond! Shannon, Jim, and Poppy swim their hearts out. "Meet the Parents" ends successfully. We learn of the chicken massacre back home. We hit the Great Island and wrap up the day with some sausage & peppers (note the food theme) and some Pictionary...Shannon & Poppy annihilate Nonny & Betty while the boys provide background music. Shannon & Betty provide backup vocals until the wee hours of the morning.

Duck Pond

Poppy, you made it!

Great Island

Day 3 Dinner

CC: Day 2...

2008-07-22T23:00:00.007-04:00

Day 2 Highlights: Beach passes are issued. No fish are caught. "Meet the Parents" is going well; the dads even coordinate outfits for the occasion (see Mulzville for more Day 2 pictures). After a day of exfoliation treatments at the beach (a.k.a wind & sand), we enjoy L.I. corn, tomatoes, and some surf & turf! The Newlywed game is played with three marriages (and one set of hopefuls) still intact. Whew!

Molly has enough of the wind and whipping sand

Aidan is up to her neck (almost) in sand

Yo!

The 4th Annual Cape Cod adventure begins!

2008-07-22T22:27:00.008-04:00

Day 1 Highlights: We settle in..."the house is rustic and isolated," says Nonny. We're pleased with what we see. We enjoy yummy hamburgers cooked to perfection, salads and red peppers of course! We play Scrabble Junior thanks to Aidan's early birthday present and the girls have trouble tuning out the music while sleeping in their closet. Tomorrow is "Meet the Parents" day. The boys dream of catching "a big one."

Sun porch with deck outside

Our busy kitchen

A free weekend up at camp....ahhhhh!

2008-07-03T09:56:00.006-04:00

Max the Bunny even joined us

Mansfield with Mulz & Betty

2008-07-03T09:09:00.007-04:00

(Scroll down, start at the bottom of this post to work your way up the mountain.)

We made it...up! Now for the long, knee-breaking 5 mile trip back down.

"I like climbing rocks!"

Check out my socks!

Molly graduates from Pre-K!

2008-07-01T21:55:00.004-04:00

June Catch-up!

2008-07-01T10:30:00.009-04:00

The Pillow-Head Girls

Aidan's Gymnastics Demo

Father's Day Brunch with Poppy

Camping in the Adirondacks with Friends

Chicks arrive! Let the "farm fresh" egg experiment begin.

To be continued...

Molly's Spring Concert

Molly's Father's Day "Camp-o-ree"

Miscellaneous May

2008-06-30T21:34:00.014-04:00

Reading in the Hammock

Opening up Camp Memorial Day Weekend

We love sleeping in hammocks!

Taking a break

The water was a frigid 52 degrees,

but that didn't stop the kids (or Ava)!

Visiting Poppy at the Cabin

Molly's Mother's Day Tea at school

Ask and you shall receive...a zip line

The girls have their faces painted at a friend's party

And the beat goes on...Molly's 1st Dance Recital

2008-05-17T16:42:00.004-04:00

The proud big sister

The proud grandmother

Our beloved Ripley

2008-04-29T20:55:00.006-04:00

May 14, 1996 - April 29, 2008

Forever in our hearts...forever our friend

In honor of Ripley...

2008-04-29T20:50:00.001-04:00

Lessons we can learn from a dog…

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

--Author Unknown

Wagon Rides

2008-04-26T10:53:00.002-04:00

Spring has Sprung!

2008-04-26T10:33:00.002-04:00

A Visit with our "Cousins"

2008-04-26T10:17:00.005-04:00

Look out! She has a lead-foot!
Look out! She's busy chatting and not watching the road!

NYC

2008-04-26T09:05:00.014-04:00

"When is the train getting here?" "How many more minutes?"

"Are we there yet?" "How many more minutes?" asks Aidan

(5 minutes into the 50 minute train ride)

Grand Central

Picnic lunch at Rockefeller Center

(Aidan is still talking about that great sandwich Poppy made her)

The Ferris Wheel at the Times Square Toys R Us
American Museum of Natural History

"Goofa"

"Hope the car isn't towed when we get back"

Attack of the Flu!

2008-04-26T08:57:00.003-04:00

Just in case you didn't know this law of the universe...

Never, ever say, "Gosh, I can't even remember the last time the kids or I have been sick." Once you do, the universe laughs and sends an energy draining, week-long flu through your family just to remind you who is in charge.

Aidan's Citizenship Award at School

2008-04-04T17:23:00.002-04:00

Mulz & Betty

2008-03-28T23:00:00.004-04:00

The photo shoot...work it baby!

19 out of 20 Eggs Found

2008-03-28T22:24:00.005-04:00

Ripley...where's the egg?

Backyard Fun

2008-02-26T21:14:00.008-05:00

No children were harmed during the making of these films...really!

They came up smiling, I swear!

And here is how it looked 98% of the time...

White Mountains, NH

2008-02-23T21:29:00.006-05:00

"Live free or die"

Kancamagus Hwy Pit-stop

Appalachian Mtn Club Lodge

View on road leaving condo in Franconia

Cross-country skiing at Bear Notch

Getting ready to hit the pool!

Our daily dip! What a treat!

Goofing off back at the condo

A short (but sweet) visit with Mulz & Betty

2008-02-23T20:59:00.004-05:00

Teddy Bear Factory...

Miscellaneous February

2008-02-23T20:51:00.003-05:00

The bathing beauties

Aidan in her "reading box"
(Don't ask)

Skiing at Royal Mtn

2008-01-08T22:06:00.003-05:00

Had a perfect ski day on the 5th...warm weather, decent snow, and the perfect size hill to start out the girls on (Mommy likes the bunny slopes too)!

Look Mom, no hands!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-08T22:06:00.001-05:00

Happy new year! Well for J.A.M.S, the new year does bring some changes. The big one...Mommy is back to work! I've taken a job in the girls' school district working as a library aide in two different elementary schools. The benefits far outway the paycheck, and the environment is pretty close to what I envisioned for myself as I daydreamed about leaving my past position. We'll just have to wait and see where it takes me! I keep telling myself, "If you love what you do, the money will follow."

Neither Jim or I are big on New Year's resolutions, but here are some things we'd like to shoot for in 2008:

Less TV/idle time for the girls, more outside play (the fresh snow on Jan. 1 helped us start the new year off right with this one!). We also shut our TV off for the first week of the year (at least for the girls) to purge their systems of the beast.
Continue to exercise on a regular basis (at LEAST 3x week).
Take better photos...digital has made me lazy!
Yell less! Laugh more!

Aidan pulling Papa out of our igloo (yes he fit inside)

Merry Christmas!

2008-01-08T22:05:00.003-05:00

Ripley's guarding the loot!
"Santa" didn't forget Mommy's stocking this year!
Is it a Red Rider Double Shot Action Model Range BB Gun?"It's a big one!"

It's a Webkinz Christmas

Mommy's getting a diamond!

Christmas Eve

2008-01-08T22:05:00.001-05:00

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house...

Poppy gets the honor of reading "The Night Before Christmas"

before the girls head off to bed.

Molly's Christmas Concert

2008-01-08T21:59:00.001-05:00

Ain't she bea-u-ti-ful!

Christmas in Vermont!

2008-01-08T21:31:00.001-05:00

Christmas card hell

2008-01-08T21:08:00.000-05:00

Let me just confess...

Despite the smiles in the pictures below, this day will go down as one of the all time WORST days I've had home with the girls in years! All I wanted to do was to take one or two good pictures for our annual Christmas card, but no.....

Let's just say the afternoon ended in tears, some yelling, a Webkinz in timeout, and a few more gray hairs to add to the collection. Enjoy!

Mulz & Betty back for seconds...

2008-01-08T20:56:00.000-05:00

Making Christmas cookies

Xmas tree--hand picked by Mulz & Jim

Jim's childhood trains

Thanksgiving

2008-01-08T19:19:00.000-05:00

Okay, so it's January 8th and I'm finally getting to the backlogged blog. Here are some highlights from November...

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday complete with a crashing bottle of Pizzano, Christmas chains, and multiple scrabble tournaments. However, in the midst of all the fun and cooking, I captured very little of our time in photos. I am very thankful for everyone who joined our table including Bacca & Papa, Nonny & Poppy, Mulz & Betty, and Aunt Pat!

Thank you to Nonny for sharing these pictures...

Homemade Apple Pie!

Molly's first dance observation

2007-11-02T20:00:00.000-04:00

Forgive the choppy camera work Mulz!

Halloween parade

2007-11-02T19:43:00.000-04:00

Halloween Eve

2007-11-02T19:24:00.000-04:00

A horse pumpkin naturally...

Cowgirl & Sleeping Beauty (Aurora)

2007-11-02T19:20:00.000-04:00

Poppy's Pirate Ship (Hill Halloween Party)

2007-11-02T17:30:00.000-04:00

Turtle loading up the wagon full of kids

Shiver me timbers...there be pirates ahead!

Note the working cannon!

Adio Greece! Efcharisto!

2007-11-02T16:21:00.000-04:00

Time to head home to the girls!

Ancient Olympic Stadium & The Temple of Zeus

2007-11-02T16:02:00.000-04:00

Day 8: The Acropolis & Parthenon

2007-11-02T12:42:00.000-04:00

Day 7: Athens! View of Acropolis from hotel & Plaka

2007-11-02T12:23:00.001-04:00

Day 6: The sacred island of Delos

2007-11-02T12:02:00.000-04:00

Day 5: Cribbage, beer, & peoplewatching

2007-11-02T11:49:00.000-04:00

Mykonos town

2007-11-02T11:28:00.000-04:00

Day 4: Mykonos--Tharroe of Mykonos Hotel

2007-11-02T11:19:00.001-04:00

Day 3: Hike along the caldera rim from Fira to Oia

2007-11-01T21:15:00.000-04:00

Day 2: Red Beach

2007-11-01T21:04:00.000-04:00

Dinner our first night, complete with a sunset for dessert

2007-11-01T20:56:00.001-04:00

588 steps past donkeys & tourists to Skala port

2007-11-01T19:38:00.000-04:00

First ouzo!

2007-11-01T18:51:00.000-04:00

Santorini--The (amazing) Caldera Lillium Hotel

2007-11-01T13:57:00.000-04:00

Greece

2007-11-01T13:41:00.000-04:00

For 10 days, Jim and I had an adventure like none other. When friends ask me about our trip, I of course tell them about how absolutely stunningly beautiful Santorini is, or how great the weather was, or about how close our hotel in Athens was to the Acropolis and the Plaka, but even more than all of those things was how EASY and FUN it was for the two of us to travel together. Jim and I had backpacked through Europe after college, so I knew we'd be good travel companions, but wow, had I forgotten how easy it is to travel (sorry Aidan and Molly) without kids!

Sleeping in, catching a bite to eat (a Gyro here, a Greek salad there), reading by the pool, drinking a beer while playing cribbage at a cafe/taverna, drinking ouzo and walking everywhere (including a 12+ mile hike along the rim of the caldera) were some of the highlights of our trip.

Those things being said, the girls were missed immensely! Preparing for the trip and preparing to leave the girls for a week and a half was very hard, but if it reminded me of one thing, it was that you have to cherish even the hardest day!

What happened to October?

2007-11-01T13:27:00.000-04:00

"What happened to October?" you ask.

October has been a blur to say the least. School open houses, 6 am workouts, dance, soccer, gymnastics, GREECE, Halloween parties, and yes Halloween itself!

Hopefully I'll catch you all up on the blog here over the next day or two. Miss you all...especially Poppy (who I haven't seen it a while), and Mulz & Betty. Love you!

Thank you to everyone who helped with the girls while we were away (Nonny, Turtle, Poppy, Bacca, Kelly). A extra special thank you to Nonny who took the brunt of hectic school mornings, and exercised the upmost care in watching Aidan & Molly during Jim's and my adventure to Greece. I personally would never have left the country with my girls in the care of anybody else! Thank you Mom for affording Jim and I the opportunity of a lifetime (as you'll see soon in pics). Love, S

Fall Foliage

2007-09-30T10:34:00.001-04:00

Apple Picking

2007-09-30T10:31:00.000-04:00

Molly's newest adventure--Dance!

2007-09-12T16:49:00.000-04:00

Molly's first day of Pre-K

2007-09-11T18:14:00.001-04:00

Aidan's first Mayor's Cup

2007-09-11T18:00:00.000-04:00

Aidan's #8...in the dark picture she's the one fifth from the left playing with her loose tooth. Daddy is assistant coach!

Bean's Birthday!

2007-09-11T17:47:00.000-04:00

First day of school

2007-09-05T11:49:00.000-04:00

Birthday Adventures

2007-08-20T19:34:00.000-04:00

Between the beginning of August and the beginning of September, our family celebrates three out of our four birthdays...here are some of our birthday adventures.

Molly's birthday...stay tuned.

Shannon's birthday...spent camping up in the ADK's with two other families...even the racoons came out to celebrate.

August 17th..."What time is it?" Time for the premiere of HSM2 and Molly and Aidan's first joint sleepover/birthday party! We had a"fabulous" time!

Aidan's 6th birthday up at camp...

Aidan showing off some of her kayaking skills...

Quick Aidan! We're losing the cake!

Camp

2007-08-08T17:08:00.000-04:00

Tried to post these earlier in the month, but had technical difficulties.

Jim's latest adventure--Newfoundland

2007-07-30T20:20:00.000-04:00

Jim and his dad retraced some of Turtle's childhood roots in Newfoundland last week. 3,100 miles when all was said and done!

Yes, that is snow on the hills.

Yo Toothfairy!

2007-07-28T10:50:00.000-04:00

Another tooth bites the dust!

Zucchini harvest

2007-07-24T18:44:00.000-04:00

Zucchini, zucchini bread, zucchini soup, zucchini casserole...Poppy help!

Aidan's First Art Show

2007-07-24T18:26:00.000-04:00

Paper lanterns...her's is in the middle.

Felted wool...even cooler in person.

She's a biker!

2007-07-20T20:07:00.000-04:00

Happy early birthday! Hey Mulz & Betty...note the helmet!

The Butterfly Conservancy

2007-07-13T17:16:00.000-04:00

A margarita for butterflies?

Chameleon

Is there something on my head?

Atlas Moth

"Sadie" the Tortoise

It's too hot to do anything but float!

2007-07-13T17:03:00.000-04:00

Even Ripley gets in on the action!

A nice surprise visit from Mulz & Betty!

A happy fourth and a happy ten years!

2007-07-04T16:32:00.001-04:00

The results are in!

2007-07-04T16:23:00.000-04:00

"Daddy passed his test!"

"Daddy's the best!"

Until next year!

2007-07-04T16:04:00.000-04:00

One last amazing sunset off our deck.

Sporting our Cuffy's...note the non-conformists!

Friends come to play

2007-07-04T15:55:00.000-04:00

Karma and food

2007-07-04T15:34:00.000-04:00

Can you believe this weather? We finally cashed in on our previous bad weather karma from Chatham.

There were a handful of memories not captured in film...

The onion ring night...no need to say more.

The disasterous toe clip incident...how are those knees Liz?

P-town...how hard is it to find a nice place to drink a cocktail (hold the free lap dance please) with a view of the water in this town? Gheez.

Poppy got to visit "Doby Dicks" the restaurant his father often spoke of visiting years earlier. We had to wonder...did we sit at the same table he did? Of course this visit included (for those who like them), the coveted lobster roll.

Mac's Shack...an amazing sushi dinner...voted our best meal out on the Cape! Mmmmm, wave rolls!

A bicycle built for two

2007-07-04T15:15:00.000-04:00

Jim meets his personal goal for the day, and it is one we will always remember. A definite top ten Cape Cod memory!

The only thing we caught was a beautiful sunset

2007-07-04T14:58:00.000-04:00

You need a permit for this?

2007-07-04T14:51:00.001-04:00

Bay Beach

2007-07-04T14:33:00.000-04:00

The Dorks

2007-07-04T14:25:00.001-04:00

Umm Brian....do you have any fruit?

Ocean Beach

2007-07-04T14:15:00.000-04:00

Tailgating at Cuffy's

2007-07-04T14:01:00.000-04:00

Who could forget the infamous sweatshirt fiasco:

Buy 2 get 3 free...????
"I don't like pullovers."
"Why can't you just conform?"
"That man was adamant about getting 2XLs!"

Pomp & Circumstance

2007-06-22T12:35:00.000-04:00

This week Aidan graduated from Kindergarten and the whole time I'm thinking..."if I feel this much pride and emotion at kindergarten graduation, what will sixth grade graduation, and high school graduation, and college graduation be like???" Not to mention...when did kindergarteners start reading and doing addition and subtraction? I recall learning that in at least second or third grade. Are they dissecting frogs in elementary school now too? I certainly hope not!

"The Start of Something New..."

2007-06-21T20:59:00.000-04:00

Well, it has been almost a year since I've blogged, but I've chosen to have some more time on my hands and today, as my High School Musical obsessed daughters would sing "is the start of something new!"

Today was a pretty big day...the official start of summer, the official last day of school for the girls, and Mommy's official last day of work! I've decided to "retire" early after 11 years in higher education to stay home with the girls, recharge my very drained batteries, and to begin to envision the next chapter. Huge.

I couldn't think of a better way to start my semi-permanent vacation than to head out to the "Cod" with the family. Stay tuned for next week's adventures!

Despite two initial days of rain, we're having fun!

2006-07-07T22:54:00.000-04:00

The sun comes out and we hit the beach!

2006-07-07T22:37:00.000-04:00

No fish for Liz and Poppy

2006-07-07T22:21:00.000-04:00

Jim and his pole

2006-07-07T22:12:00.000-04:00

Afternoon cocktails

2006-07-07T21:34:00.000-04:00

Launching the kayaks

2006-07-07T18:26:00.000-04:00

Fishing on the beach

2006-07-07T18:18:00.000-04:00

Aidan & Molly lovin' the beach

2006-07-07T18:04:00.000-04:00

Molly sports her new Cuffy's hat and sweatshirt

2006-07-07T17:54:00.000-04:00

Fun with Uncle Brian and Lizzzzzzzzzz

2006-07-05T20:28:00.000-04:00