A Labor of Love

Somebody in my house has a big birthday this weekend. Since she's a college student several states away we decided to fly her home for the long weekend so she could have a family celebration just a little bit early. She has friends who will make sure her actual birth date is special so don't you worry.

And actually, we didn't fly her home but rather to an airport in close proximity to her sister's home so they could hang out together on Friday night. Which they did. They hadn't seen each other in person since May so there was much talking to be done. fyi-when it comes to my girls there is always much talking to be done.

Saturday morning they hopped in the car and met us at a marina on Maryland's Eastern Shore to spend the remainder of the Labor Day holiday weekend with us. My sister and brother in law have a boat in this particular marina and my three siblings, their spouses and their children all came too. The boat can handle a crowd and I think you know how we all feel about the water.

It was fun to have all the siblings together. That doesn't happen very often since we're somewhat spread out so we felt a toast was in order. Saturday night my sister had arranged a special dinner on the pool deck in honor of Daughter2, the birthday girl.

A birthday girl needs a crown, right? She also needs a sister who appreciates it-

My nephew is the lone boy in a sea of grown up girl cousins but he doesn't really mind. He was not too sure if he wanted his picture taken but he's learning that we girls can be persistent so its best just to get on with it.

Once upon a time we lived in Maryland and the gentleman who was our next door neighbor there just so happens to reside now in this little marina town... he also joined the party-

We hadn't seen him in about ten years so needless to say he was surprised by our grown up girls. This neighbor taught hubs everything he knows about how to grow and maintain a great lawn and they share a love of good turf.

Chocolate cake makes some people so happy...

I had seen an idea for a cake on pinterest that I was anxious to try along with some fun cupcakes. The cake turned out so cute...it was a Martha Stewart project and let me just say that placing that number of M & M's on the icing is a bit more tedious than it first appears. I wonder how many people Martha had helping her? I bet she never said, "Just get them on there and don't worry about a pattern." My mom and sister pitched in to help me out (thank goodness) or I might still be sitting at the kitchen table sticking candy to icing.

I had special ordered the M & M's because I loved the color scheme. That blue is Daughter2's color plus it all felt very nautical plus that's what Martha did and who am I to question the Queen of Crafting and Cooking? I had some of the M & M's personalized with her name, 21, love, and birthday girl on them and that was fun. Pricey but definitely fun. Hey, you only turn 21 once, right?

Daughter2 is something of a shark aficionado too so I wanted to make these super cute shark cupcakes I'd also seen on pinterest. Who says pinterest is a waste of time? Not me!

Are these not adorable? My mother cut chocolate bars into triangles for the fins and I used white lifesavers for the life preserver which made the icing a little minty. Yes indeed I did add red gel stripes to each and every one. Daughter2 is worth the trouble.

On Sunday morning my brother in law also put his ski boat in the water and we broke out the tube. For the record, I don't tube. I love water and I love to swim and I love speed but I no longer enjoy tubing. I am the worry wart on the boat watching to make sure no one is knocked unconscious or run over by a boat propeller. Really every boat needs someone like me on board.

Anyway, the girls went first. Daughter2 was wearing contacts and for those of you who've never tubed you should know there will be some water spraying your face. The combined weight of my two girls is less than a fig newton so they really fly. It helps to have a little weight on the tube.

Unless that weight is in the form of my husband in which case you'll be wishing you were on your own. His goal is to catch air and he does everything he can to make the tube go airborne.

Hmmm...that might be the real reason I no longer tube. When he's thru he likes to do a back flip while the boat speeds away. Good times. Actually hubs is a good guy to have around when you are boating. Let's say the chain that attaches your gas cap to the boat suddenly falls apart while you are busy at the pump and that darn cap drops right on down into the dark muddy depths of mucky, murky blackness. Well then, he's your guy. No sooner did that gas cap sink than hubs was off the boat and into the water. I'm telling you, I have to watch him every second people. He later said going eight feet under the dock was way scarier than scuba diving three times that depth in the Persian Gulf but he did rescue that darn gas cap and he also surfaced in one piece so yay hubs!

After the girls tubed we all acted as cheerleader to convince my nephew to give it a try. His dad promised they'd go slow and his mom rode beside him. He wasn't too sure about the whole proposition but he put on a brave face. By the end of the day he was asking for another turn. Even his cousin's spectacular cartwheel across the river after a too fast turn (another reason I don't tube) did not deter him from wanting another ride.

Sunday evening all four members of my little family were in their glory. We had our most favorite meal-steamed blue crabs picked while sitting beside the water. It is a messy business eating a blue crab (they are blue before you cook them) but it is more than worth it.

We throw newspaper down on the tables and then everyone changes out of their white tops because there is no way to eat a crab without getting some of the crab debris and Old Bay on your clothes and truth be told you don't want to be worrying about staying neat. Go for it! That's the best and only way to eat crabs and these were delicious.

It was so great to be able to celebrate with daughter2. A September birthday and university classes several states away mean I haven't gotten the chance to do that in recent years so this was special for all of us. I'm going to end this post with my favorite picture from the weekend. I think I said something on my blog yesterday about a picture being worth a thousand words.

Pretty sure this is one of those.

Prepared for the Wednesday Hodgepodge Vol 43

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge...so glad you joined the party today. Add your link at the bottom of my post and be sure to visit the neighbors. Here are my answers to this week's questions-

1. What is one piece of advice you would give a 'just-turning' 21 year old adult?

Some of the most important decisions of your life are made in these young adult years. Talk to God early and often. Listen too. The listening is as important as the talking.

2. Besides cooler weather (or warmer weather, depending on your hemisphere) what is one thing you are looking forward to this fall?

The leaves changing color...our back woods turn a most gorgeous golden yellow and I never get tired of looking at this-

I'm also going to enjoy our fire pit this fall. I look forward to putting on my jeans, wrapping up in a fleece, and watching the stars in the autumn sky while we sit around a cozy outdoor fire. Fall is my favorite time of year.

3. What sound lulls you to sleep?

As my hubs can attest pretty much any sound will lull me to sleep. I do not have trouble falling asleep. Staying asleep is another matter but I excel at falling asleep. I especially love the sound of water lapping the side of a boat. I do my best sleeping on the water.

4. September is National Preparedness Month...does your family have an emergency 'kit' and/or disaster plan in place?

I've been thinking about this recently in light of the earthquake and hurricane we experienced on the East Coast. Back around 9/11 we did have a family plan. We had bottled water and canned food in the house, kept gas in the cars and some cash on hand. My girls were in middle school then and we discussed what would happen if we were somehow separated due to an emergency situation.

Time marched on and we all relaxed a little and I guess let our preparedness lag. Two weeks ago my daughter was in downtown DC mid earthquake and it occurred to me that we need to revisit our family emergency plans. We're spread out over three states these days and I think we need to discuss as a family what we would do in the event of an emergency that required evacuations or conversely, staying put for days at a time. Putting that on my to-do list.

5. How has your blog changed since you started blogging? Or has it?

I haven't consciously changed my blog but it is a reflection of my life and life has certainly changed since I fell into the world of blogging. I guess its fair to say my blog has changed some too. I've had this same look for a while now. I am not a big fan of the busy backgrounds so the simplicity of this background combined with my personalized header still makes me happy. I continue to write about mid life, parenting young adults, travel and lots of random. I never imagined I'd host a meme...it just sort of happened. That's the case with most things on my blog.

6. What's something you've recently learned to do on the computer?

um. I'm not good with new. I like familiar. I like to learn one way of doing something and when a new and sometimes better way of doing that same task is demonstrated for me I will dig in my heels and resist. Actually, this happens other places in life besides the computer but that's a post for another day. ahem.

I make my daughters crazy because they show me shortcuts and I don't use them. Then I have to phone them for i.t. assistance. Neither of my girls can stand to be looking over my shoulder while I'm trying to find something on the computer. It literally makes them want to jump out of their skin. They try not to let it show but I know. Now all that being said, I do know how to do quite a bit on the computer. I've set up my blog, made videos, uploaded photos, added and resized a logo from an attachment to a flyer, and much more. So I'm really much better than I've made myself out to be. Right girls??

7. Is a picture worth a thousand words? Elaborate.

Sometimes. Yet I always feel the need to add words which is why I'm no good at the Wordless Wednesday thing. I like to explain. When I hear that expression "A picture is worth a thousand words" there is one particular photo that comes to mind. I'll post it here and try to resist the urge to add a caption and/or explanation.

No can do. Hubs took this photo many years ago and it sits in a frame in our house. People always stop and look at this photo and they always comment on the softness, the light, and the feelings it invokes. It seems to stir up a sense of nostalgia and longing in almost everyone who sees it.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm participating in an online read along and discussion of the book of James every Wednesday for the next several weeks. The read along is hosted by Marla Taviano and her motto is the more the merrier. If you're interested in reading along with us hop over here to get the 411.

Laboring over this week's Questions-Vol 43

Whew! We've had a busy long weekend which I'll be sure to recap shortly (and by shortly I mean shortly as in soon, not shortly as in succinctly) but for now I'm going to leave you with this week's Hodgepodge Questions. Be sure to come back tomorrow to link answers...

1. What is one piece of advice you would give a 'just turning' 21- year old adult?

2. Besides cooler weather (or warmer weather, depending on your hemisphere) what is one thing you are looking forward to this fall?

3. What sound lulls you to sleep?

4. September is National Preparedness Month...does your family have an emergency 'kit' and/or disaster plan in place?

5. How has your blog changed since you started blogging? Or has it?

6. What's something you've recently learned to do on the computer?

7. Is a picture worth a thousand words? Elaborate.

8. Insert your own random here.

Birthday Boy

Today is my hubs birthday. Happy Birthday hubs! Most years it feels like his birthday rolls right on by without much fanfare. Maybe he should take a cue from me and talk endlessly about the fact that he's got a birthday coming up and then he'd end up with a fabulous party or trip.

His birthday always lands somewhere near the Labor Day weekend so there's usually something going on that distracts me from giving his birthday the attention it deserves. Most years that something is daughter2 because did I mention someone else in our family is celebrating a birthday very soon and I've been busy getting things ready for her big day. She obviously has been paying attention and is not going to allow her day to go by unnoticed.

Hubs gets it. He doesn't mind. In fact he said when he wants something he just buys it so happy birthday to him. We do have a fun weekend planned and best of all he'll have both girls home to celebrate. He hasn't seen Daughter2 since May and my girls have not seen each other since then either. That is just so wrong. I'm pretty sure it wasn't that many years ago they solemnly promised to live with us forever. Humph!

Anyway, back to hubs (the cute brother above left and below right)...in honor of his special day today here are ten random but candid facts about the birthday boy-

1. He has two settings-on and off. When he is on, which is most of the time, he has more energy than any other person I know.

2. He is a good dancer.

3. He wears his heart on his sleeve.

4. He is so funny. Sometimes when I'm mad he'll make me laugh. That makes me madder but only for a minute. It also makes it easy to forgive and move on.

5. He always does the right thing.

6. He is an excellent father to daughters. He loves with his whole heart and believes they can do anything. He tells them so on a regular basis.

7. He makes friends wherever he goes.

8. He does not mind shopping and has excellent taste. He's never bought me an item of clothing or a piece of jewelry that I did not love.

9. He runs the vacuum, wipes down the shower, and hangs up his clothes without a word from me.

10. He is not afraid of life and runs headlong into it.

Happy Birthday Hubs!

xo

The Hodgepodge is never a chore-Vol 42

Welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge...add your link at the bottom and join the party. Here are my answers to this week's questions-

1. Do you think the world became a more dangerous place on September 11, 2001 or are we just more aware of the danger? How has your own life changed as a result of that day?

I think I lost my naivete about the world long before 9/11. It left me in December of 1988 when a Pan Am jet with my dearly loved next door neighbors aboard fell from the sky. The world has been full of evil since long before any of us reading here were born. I think it is only in America that we have felt mostly safe from a particular type of evil but 9/11 pretty much put an end to that.

We moved overseas post 9/11 and that definitely gives you a different perspective, not only on America but on how the rest of the world views America, which fyi is not all sunshine and roses. We still travel a lot, most often by air, and every time I'm in an airport I think about our personal safety. Air travel used to be a little bit exciting but those days are gone, replaced by liquids in a bag and full body scans. Its no longer just airports either, that have amped up security. My bag was thoroughly searched and I was patted down before the football game at Giants stadium on Monday night. I didn't bat an eye.

2. Did you think your parents were too strict when you were growing up? How about in hindsight?

My parents had rules but I don't remember thinking they were too unreasonable. I was a kid who liked rules so I'm pretty sure I didn't complain too much. There are times as a kid when you feel pressure to participate in something you don't really want to be part of and its nice to throw the blame on your parents rules as in "I'd love to go to the party but my super strict parents said no." I would say that while my dad had a gruff exterior he didn't worry the way my mom did and was more inclined to say yes to certain things. My mom liked to tick off the dangers and what ifs. I do not fall far from that tree. Ahem. All that being said, my dad definitely had high expectations and if you were in trouble you went to mom first. I think my own kids do the same so maybe that's a girl thing.

3. Share one random but candid fact about yourself.

Have you ever read my 100 things about me post? Why not? I wrote it a couple of years ago and its chock full of random candid facts about me. I'm struggling to think of something that hasn't already been said. How about this-I started subbing in our local school system last spring. I love kids and I've taught school in the past, plus I liked the flexibility subbing offered. It has been a long time since I've been in the public school system and on Day 1 I suddenly remembered that teaching and subbing are nothing alike. Oh my.

4. Would your nearest and dearest describe you as simple or far too complicated?

My hubs says I'm complicated. That's a compliment, right?

5. What is your favorite stadium or carnival food?

I'm not even sure what qualifies as stadium/carnival food anymore since it seems like you can get almost anything at ball parks and fairgrounds nowadays. I had roast turkey with cranberry sauce at the Jets game Monday night. We were in the company box and there is usually a buffet of typical game day foods-hotdogs, dips, chicken wings, etc. available for snacking. I've really been watching my diet and I wondered what I'd find to eat that wasn't too unhealthy. I was pleasantly surprised to find turkey and it was really delicious. If fat and calories were not an issue I'd go for a hot dog with mustard and sauerkraut.

6. Tornado, hurricane, earthquake...how many of these natural disasters have you experienced? Which do you think would be the scariest?

Supposedly the recent East Coast earthquake was felt in our area but I was oblivious. I've never been in a tornado but I have been in two hurricanes. Irene was mostly a non-event at our house although when you live behind a hillside full of huge trees, strong winds and rain are nerve wracking. We lived in Annapolis during Hurricane Floyd and that was scary. My mom was visiting and hubs was out of town and couldn't get home. It was my birthday weekend and we were without power for days. My girls and I played hours of dominoes with my mom all by the light of our camping lantern. I'm thinking this may be what put them off the game for years to come. Hmmm.....

I think they're all pretty scary but if I have to pick the scariest I'd say earthquakes. At least you can take some precautions if you know a hurricane or tornado watch is in place, and certainly with hurricanes we have a lot of warning and the opportunity to get out of harms way. Earthquakes occur without warning and there's not a whole lot you can do when the ground opens up.

7. Labor day weekend is approaching so a work related question seems appropriate. Growing up, did your parents assign you regular chores? Were you paid for doing those chores. If you're a parent do you assign chores to your own children? Why or why not?

That last question was inspired by a post Mindee wrote on Monday. Everyone go say hi to Mindee. She blogs at Our Front Door and she's funny.

I had chores growing up. My mom always had a list on Saturday mornings for my younger sister and I to have done before the end of the day. We usually argued over some of those chores but I believe bickering with a sibling is a key component of the kid -chore package. And of course arguing and complaining never got us out of the actual doing.

During the week we set the table and did the dishes after supper. Saturdays were for cleaning our room and bathroom, dusting downstairs and our least liked job-vacuuming the steps. My mom would look things over when we finished too. We did not get paid for doing chores. We were part of the household and most likely its primary mess makers so why wouldn't we have to participate in the care and keeping of the house? As a ten year old I may not have seen it in quite those terms, but as a mother you better believe I did, which is why my own girls had chores too.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

We saw The Patriot Flag unfurled at the Giants/Jets game on Monday night. The flag is 56 feet wide and 30 feet high and has been touring around the country all year. It's been in all 50 states and will fly at all three 9/11 sites on the 10 year anniversary date in a little over a week. It is an impressive and moving site to see in person.

It's that time again-Vol 42

Here are the questions for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Be sure to come back tomorrow and link your answers with the world wide web. Everyone is invited to join the party...

1. Do you think the world became a more dangerous place on September 11, 2001 or did we just become more aware of the danger? How has your own life changed as a result of that day?

2. Did you think your parents were too strict when you were growing up? How about in hindsight?

3. Share one random but candid fact about yourself.

4. Would your nearest and dearest describe you as simple or far too complicated?

5. What is your favorite stadium or carnival food?

6. Tornado, hurricane, earthquake...how many of these natural disasters have you experienced? Which event do you think would be the scariest?

7. Labor Day weekend is approaching so a work related question seems appropriate. Growing up, did your parents assign you regular chores? Were you paid for doing those chores? If you're a parent do you assign chores to your own children? Why or why not?

That last question was inspired by a post Mindee wrote on Monday. Everyone go say hi to Mindee-she blogs at Our Front Door and she's funny.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

'I can see clearly now the rain is gone...'

So what did you do this weekend? Anything fun?

We had some fun if you count staying mostly tucked snugly into the confines of our own house listening to the wind blow and the rain lash while we watched a forest full of huge trees on the hill behind us sway and dance to the music of Irene.

Saturday was gray and drizzly but we ventured out early in the day to do a little shopping because someone has a birthday coming up and birthdays wait for no man. Or in this case, woman. Why are hurricanes women? One of the stops we made was at Best Buy and we were surprised at the crowds in the store. People were buying televisions and appliances and all sorts of electronics as a hurricane zipped up the coast. Something about that seemed strange but maybe they all had daughters with birthdays in the next few weeks too. And daughter2, in case you are reading this, rest assured you are not getting an appliance for your birthday. Nor are you getting a big TV but I think you already knew that.

We stopped for lunch on the way home because Irene was determined to put a damper on the minimalist cooking mantra I adopt on the weekends. We always eat out at least one meal on the weekends and hubs usually grills the rest. Hurricanes and grilling do not mix although I know some people resorted to boiling water for coffee on their grills Sunday morning. We do what we have to, right?

The worst of the storm hit here after midnight on Sunday morning. Hubs was asleep on the couch and the next day pronounced that it wasn't too bad. You do know its only people who sleep thru hurricanes that say things like that, don't you? I was awake throughout because someone needed to worry about the possibility of falling trees and flooded basements. We never did lose power so I was able to distract myself browsing Pinterest.

Sunday was a nasty day weather wise and although the storm had technically passed by early morning the winds and rain continued most of the day. We came thru it without anything more than some tree branches down and leaves scattered across the yard but there is significant flooding in our area and many are still without power. Hubs is working from home this morning since we know his route to work has 'issues' but the sun is shining in a bright blue sky and the air outside feels like fall.

This morning we have a chimney inspection scheduled in preparation for cooler weather and tonite we're going to a football game. Summer is winding down and we're gearing up for autumn, my favorite season of the year. Minus the hurricanes of course.