Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Welcome to the Zoo


So much has happened in the last two weeks, and in some ways nothing at all has happened.  There are some things that are going on that I’m not going to talk about, or if I do it will only be in passing as it verges on the whole “dirty laundry” thing.

Anyhow, the last half of September has been fun and annoying at the same time in many ways.

I’ve finished up my initial training for being a Girl Scout leader.  We’re still working on getting Kat through the training and then, finally, we’ll be able to get our troop going.  I’ve been chomping at the bit about this since the end of August, but I think we’re finally getting under way.  I am so ready and feeling so overwhelmed at the same time.  Yep, it should be a grand adventure. 
I do know it’ll be fun trying to balance all the various meetings this involves (leader meetings for the service unit, not just regular troop meetings) with all of our schedules.  Rachel and Katie have been a huge help in coming over and playing with Boo for an hour or so between when I need to leave for a meeting and when Gak gets home from work.  Boo loves them both, but I really don’t want to become a pain and ask them every week.  I know they love playing with him, but I remember what it was like to have a family who demanded my entire weekend just about every weekend.  (Of course, those two boys were not as fun and easy as Boo… ages 2 and 10… the two-year-old wasn’t too bad by himself, but the older boy… ugh!)  So, I try and schedule things where I won’t need to depend on the girls all the time.  (Of course, Rachel is actually quite happy to come over, not only because she gets to play with Boo, but because it means she’s out of her dad’s house… things aren’t going well between her and the girlfriend and any excuse to not be there is a good one in her eyes.)


This weekend was Gak’s birthday.  We were finally able to go out to dinner just the two of us.  Boo spent the evening playing with his cousins at Kat’s house.  Everyone seemed to have a good time.  Gak and I went to dinner at Applebee’s finally using the gift card that Michelle sent us for our anniversary.  After that we went up to Celtic Classic in Bethlehem.  The band I wanted to see was playing at 8 and we got there just about 7.  We wandered around a bit, but didn’t see anything we really wanted to buy.  So we wander over to the tent where the Glengarry Bhoys were going to play.  It was extra crowded and we couldn’t get a seat.  I said I was happy to just stand at the edge of the tent, so we did.  Unfortunately, they got a bit of a late start and Gak’s knee was bugging him because he’d been dealing with some pretty heavy packages all day.  After a few songs (the Bhoys still have the magic) we decide to head out and get some dessert before picking up a boy-o.  We went to the shopping area that has the Barnes and Noble as well as a bunch of other shops including a Maggie Moo (same as a Coldstone).  I had some really yummy cinnamon ice cream with granola in it.  Gak had red velvet ice cream with chocolate and walnuts or something like that.  Anyhow, it was yummy.  We browsed through B&N but neither of us found anything that was leaping off the shelves at us.

Originally this weekend we were going to go to the Maryland Renaissance Faire and we both took Monday off.  But, with Jon’s wedding being this weekend, Gak decided he’d rather have Friday off than Monday, and when you don’t get paid vacation time, every day counts.  So, we stayed home.  But this meant I still had Monday off (since I could take both Monday and Friday this week since, again, I didn’t really take any vacation time in the first half of the year…).
Aunt Beverly and Uncle Richard have been on the East Coast for a week now and are staying with Mom and Dad this week.  So, Monday morning bright and early Boo and I headed down to meet them at the Y for a swim.  Then after breakfast at Amma’s house, we all (except Dad) piled into the car and headed to the Philadelphia Zoo!
I’m pretty sure I mentioned it before, but Jon and Becca got us a family membership to the Zoo for Christmas.  Unfortunately, we’ve only been able to use it once before now.  But, after this trip, we’ve definitely gotten their money’s worth out of it.  We were able to get all five of us in, even though it’s supposed to be for Gak, Seamus and I and two guests.  I mean, that does total five people, but I wasn’t sure how sticky they would be about it.  I guess they didn’t care because my ID matched one of the names on the card.

Anyhow, we had a very lovely day wandering around the Zoo.  There is a special event going on (only until the end of the month-ish) that’s been here all summer called X-stink-shun.  It’s actually a Jim Henson company production.  There are several stages with muppets at various times doing little informative (and very funny) sketches.  We got to watch Iggle the Eagle and Leo the Lion Tamarin.  Both were very fun.  We also saw a little movie about migration featuring Otis the Oriole (not part of the X-stink-shun project).

Boo really liked the birds this time.  We also got to see some of the big cats up close, which I thought was great!  When we went to see the tigers, they were coming right up to the glass and one did the very cat thing of the head-but/shoulder rub against the glass where someone was standing.  The other one did a very male cat thing of scent marking… right on the glass where a little girl was standing.  It startled everyone.  It both reminded me of how similar and how different these big, wild cats are to our more domesticated pets.  They have a lot of similar behaviors, but on a much larger scale and aren’t afraid to use those teeth or claws.  They may be handsome, or even cute as cubs, but they are not house pets.

So, I’m going to wrap this up here.  The picture at the top is one Amma got of Boo borrowing my camera.  I have a lot of pictures that need to be gone through and posted.  I just haven’t had the energy or drive to do it lately.

This weekend will be quite fun and awesome.  Friday is some general family gatherings and then on Saturday Jon and Becca will be wed.  I’m really looking forward to seeing all the family and seeing Jon and Becca officially join their lives together into one.  I’ll hopefully have some pictures to post from the weekend that’ll actually get posted before the month is out.

So, I bid you peace and may your adventures be grand, and your events wonderful.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Picture Pages

As it seems to be lately, it's been an entire week since I've gotten around to posting an update.  There is a lot I want to say, but I haven't sorted it out a bit.  I will say that last night I finished the last of the three training sessions I needed to become a Girl Scout leader.  I went to the first leader's meeting of my service unit last week as well.  Now to get the rest of my ducks in a row so we can get this thing going.

I have a handful of pictures from the last month or so that I have edited but just haven't gotten around to posting.  So, I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone.  Eventually they will all get up on Flickr, but for now, you'll have to live with these.



These two are from our camping trip.  This was Sunday afternoon.  As you can see, it was quite bright and sunny at the moment.  This was after our swim and while the boy-o and I were exploring on the bike.  There was a playground just around the corner almost from the bath house, so of course we had to stop there.  He had a lot of fun playing in and around that boat.  There was also a nice big slide he enjoyed for a bit as well.


This is from Monday morning.  This was the view that greeted us when we woke in the morning.  You can see the silver tarp off to the left-ish that started out covering the stuff on the table.  The blue tote on the table actually stayed sealed fairly well and only a little moisture got in.  I'm still amazed that the poles didn't self destruct in the blue tarp.  Everything was soaked, but OK.

This is the first sheet tent that I made Boo.  You can see him sound asleep in it.  This was at nap time, he slept there that night as well.  He actually slept in, too!  Anyhow, I made him one again last Saturday which didn't turn out quite as nice, but he still enjoyed it.

These next several are from our day at Knobels.  It really was a nice day even with the little shower right when we got there.


Boo and Gak shooting the water cannon at the pirates!



Boo actually driving his bumper car.  He'd either go racing off in a straight line and not turn, or he'd spin around in a circle until one of the operators shoved him in another direction.  Quite funny to watch.


Boo and I panning for pretty rocks.  We both had a lot of fun with this and he came away with quite a large handful of shineys.  (On a side note, I can actually see how much weight I've lost in this picture, the mere fact that this is a large t-shirt and the sleeves are loose... and the sides aren't lumpy.  Wow! Oh, and I only have one chin...)

This was Boo on the Pioneer train ride.  I just love this little smile.  He really is too darn cute.


Anyhow, that's about all I've got to say this evening.  I'm thankful that it hasn't rained since the weekend and there doesn't appear to be any more water in the forecast for a bit.  (At least I don't think so, I wasn't paying close attention earlier...)

One of these days I'll get a slightly more meaningful post about my Girl Scout adventures so far written.  For now, it's sloshing around in my tired and work-stressed brain.

I'm off to read a few pages and fall asleep (I hope).

Peace to all and may your pictures be good memories and your family adventures fun.


Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Not Abandoned

No, I have not abandoned this space.  I have lots and lots of things buzzing around in my head.  Some of them are post-worthy, most are not.

Life's been a little hectic, a lot gray and rainy and well, just moving along too fast in general recently.

Let's see here...I missed posting about that "awesome" earthquake in Virginia that made the water slosh all over in my water bottle at work and was kinda a cool experience.

I missed posting about the impending doom of Irene and all the wetness and annoyances she brought.  (Not much for me other than a bit of cabin fever, but Kat had 18 inches or so of water in her basement and before she could get it dried out, got another 10 to 12 with the rain yesterday.)

Oh, and did I mention that Irene hit almost exactly 6 years after Katrina?  No?  Well, it was a few days early, but yeah.  Do you know how I know this?  I know this because Katrina hit a few days after Gak's and my wedding.  So, yes, I missed posting a sappy lovie-dovie post to my wonderful husband of 6 years.  (What I remember most about Katrina was the fact that Gak and I had actually talked about going to NO for our honeymoon... but decided we'd rather do that for a long weekend or something...)

I didn't get around to talking about our Labor Day plans and adventures.  And don't even remind me about the photos from the camping trip a month ago now almost that I haven't edited, or the ones I haven't downloaded off the camera even.

I have a lot of various crafty type projects that I've been working on that I haven't had time to document or brag about a bit.  Mom helped me finish up a really cool bag (well, almost finish... I'm arguing with snaps...) over the weekend and I love it.  I've had so many other little projects going that I haven't even stopped to mention, let alone take pictures of.

So, yes, there has been a lot going on around here.  Including a boy-o who's growing like a weed.  Every time I turn around I think he grows another half inch!  I haven't talked much about all our wonderful bike rides and how cool all the kids at daycare think I am when I come to pick up Boo on the bike.  (Or at least they think the bike is super awesome and that Boo is so lucky because he gets to ride on it...)

It is now less than a month until my brother and Becca's wedding.  I'm so excited.  Not just because they're actually getting married, but because I get to see them both twice within the span of less than 4 months.  I still don't know what I'm going to wear, it all depends on the weather and if I feel like shopping at a store or within my own closet.  (I know Becca and Jon don't really care, but I do.  I want to look good in whatever I choose because, well, I want to look as good and as happy as I feel.  And I've found that if you feel good in your clothes (no matter the size or whatever) the better you feel in general.  The whole outside matching the inside and vice versa thing...)

I know I'm just rambling at this point.  I haven't mentioned a bunch of other things, like my newest obsession thanks to my brother.  (Thanks for the $5 bribe... er... free gift certificate... to get me hooked...)

Anyhow, I'm going to wrap up this not-quite bullet-point post right here.  I'm very tired since it was an interrupted sleep night last night because I was on call and someone had a problem that demanded my attention.

So, I wish you all peace and a chance to let your words and mind catch up to your life.