We survived

We survived our first Maine winter.  Actually, it was very mild.  I think the kids only had one snow day.  Thankfully, there was plenty of snow on the slopes so the family became skiers this year.  Now we are getting serious Spring fever.  So what is new:
-The kids learned to ski
-The kids became advanced skaters
-They made new friends at school
-Kelsey became first chair for flute in band
-I reconnected with friends from high school. 
-I made a new best friend
-We spent all holidays with family and had 20 people over for Christmas.
-I had my parents over and they stayed over twice.  Pretty awesome for my mom who is in the late stages of Alzheimers.My mother and me
-I had hernia surgery.  They thought they were going to take something out but it turns out they shoved something back in.
-We had family to attend my kids' musical events
-We took in a foster dog for several weeks.Princess
-Tim and I kept working as usual.  He in a new job and me, thankfully, in the same job.  I love working online.
-Erin was invited to attend a writer's camp this summer
-Matthew has already been in the West branch of the Cathance river.  I think this is his new happy place.  There is an island out there.
-Got all three kids back in piano lessons with an awesome piano teacher right up the road in Bowdoinham.
-Helped Kelsey raise money to go on a NY, DC, PA trip.  She leaves Friday.

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

Just as the girls were finishing up the play White Chrismas, we got a good 6 inches of snow.  I don't have pictures yet, but I will try to get some up soon.  This picture is from the spring recital.  So, I am asking the Lord to open up the next opportunity that is not too pricey.

After spending weeks trying to find a dance school for the girls, this play came along that had song and dance numbers throughout.  Primarily tap, but Erin also did some ballet.

Chance encounters

Most of my friends know that Matthew has had some health issues that have kept himout of school.  He started back this week.  So, after dropping him off, I headed to a local coffee house to do some work on my laptop. The woman at the next table had recommended to me next to her.  So I spoke to the woman and asked her if she bought the book locally. Turns out, she has a son with similar issues. He is 8. We talked and exchanged numbers. Her name is Hope.


Then an older woman at the next table got up and spoke to us and said she works in corrections and that the book was excellent and the principles really work. She recommended another author as well.

So, as I was sitting there earlier today, there were two woman at two tables right next to mine who was processing the same stuff I am processing. One in the trenches like me and the other a professional. Neat huh?

Love these chance encounters that are not really chance.

Kelsey and Erin's Duet

Here is the link to K & E's duet.

Kelsey and Erin's Tap dance   press this link to the left

Erin loves the arts

I brought Erin and Kelsey to their first practice last night for White Christmas.  They sat there and went over a song over and over again.  I thought they would be bored and ready to quit trying to learn a tough new song and just sitting there with strangers.  But, when Erin got home, she wanted to go hear the song right away on YouTube.  It fits her so well.  Broadway Baby.  She watched many different versions and then sang it some more in bed.  On Saturday the cast was asked to bring tap shoes so I think this was an inspired substitute for the girls.  Thanks God.

So I decided to upload a practice from her spring dance recital.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8f5p5TwKKQ

My girls are nice and they are glamorous

Just as we were getting ready to leave Iowa, a friend of Kelsey's invited her to do a fundraiser for a group.  It was a version of glamour shots.  Of course there is the promise of a free picture.  Then they took at least 8 fabulous photos of each daughter.  So we splurged for the CD Rom so we could use at will.  It was a nice ending.  I am hearing that Erin looks like my niece Kristin and Kelsey favors me in some of them.  She always thought she didn't look like the family.  I am glad they got the chance to do this.  Soon we can get some developed and use them in our new house.

Can rafting in September make you sick?

This isn't really us because I didn't want to ruin our camera.  But this is what we did.  We took the kids white water rafting on the Kennebec and then the Dead River.  We had a great time.  We stayed in our camper for the first time all season.  So it was below 40 in the morning when we got up and we had no heat.  So the water was a little chilly.  Is that why two of my kids had fevers and sore throats this week?  After all, the other one had the sore throat last week. So, whether it was a wise decision or not, we all had great family time and after the hectic summer we had with so much up in the air, we needed the time away.  By the way, in our picture, we would all have helmets on.  Uncle Bob insists on it.