William Tell Overture for Moms

This is great. I know it's been around but in case you missed it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_oc1j5NakY

My favorite time of year

Fall is my favorite time of year. I'm ready to bake apple crisp, to cook up a nice hearty batch of stew and sip a cup of warm apple cider. I'm ready to pull on a warm, fuzzy sweater and my favorite pair of jeans and take a hike in the mountains. I'm ready for the scent of rotting leaves and the way the house smells when you bake an apple pie. I'm ready to take pics of the foliage and play with the kids in the leaves. I'm ready but there's just one little problem....

It was near 90 today and humid!!!!

I'm ready to be all warm and cozy and instead I'm just hot and sweaty. Oh well... It is New England. Next week I'll probably be complaining about the snow!!

Just for Fun

Okay everyone this was fun. I actually kinda like my Rock Star name, the rest are pretty silly. I challenge everyone to post yours!

~Rock Star Name (first pet & current car) -Nicky Expedition
~Gangsta Name (fav ice cream flavor & favorite cookie) - Phish Food Oreo
~“Fly Girl” Name (first initial of first name & first three letters of your last name) - Ccio
~Detective Name (favorite color & favorite animal) - Green Otter
~Soap Opera Name (middle name & city where you were born) - Sue Peterborough
~Star Wars Name (the first 3 letters of your last name & first 2 letters of your first) - Cioci
~Superhero Name (2nd favorite color & favorite drink put “The”) -The Purple Toasted Almond
~NASCAR Name (the first names of your grandfathers) - Earl John
~Stripper Name (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne & favorite candy)-Amber Kisses
~Witness Protection Name (mother’s & father’s middle names) - Lovejoy Wesley

Apple Picking!

We got to celebrate the first day of fall by going apple picking. Picking apples has become a fun family tradition. Though the location has changed throughout the years it is still something we all look forward to. This year we were lucky enough to get to go apple picking right in my parents backyard! Dad had a bumper crop of fruit on most all of his fruit trees this year, especially the apple trees. In fact his macintosh tree had so many apples that the branches were actually weighed down almost to the point of breaking. He actually had to prop up several branches with boards. The girls thought it was pretty neat to pick apples right at Grammy and Grampy's house. The dogs even got in on the fun playing with the dropped apples and chasing each other around the yard.

This was also a great opportunity for me to play around with my new camera!

I 've still got a lot to learn about the camera and I still need to play around on the computer to touch up photos but it sure was fun playing around!

My husband in Awesome!!!

I just need to tell everyone what a great guy I married. Not only is he kind, loving and a great dad, but he spoils me! As most of you know I enjoy scrapbooking which means of course I take lots of pictures. We have an okay digital camera but we've had it for several years and as with most electrical gadgets, technology is moving so quickly that within a few years what was just brand new is no longer the latest and greatest thing. So I have had my eye on a new digital camera for about a year now hoping that the price would come down and dropping hints to my husband that we really need to upgrade our camera since I do use it so often. Soooo....earlier this week he agreed and said that could be my Christmas gift, and did I want it early or to wait for Christmas. I of course said I wanted it now! I mean I live in New England and we are headed into the most beautiful season of the year with the turning of the foliage. So today he worked at home so he could watch Kenzie while I went to the dentist and just before I left he told me to swing by Circuit City on my way home to pick up my new camera. Woo Hooo!!


It is a Canon digital Rebel xti, exactly what I had my eye on. I am so excited though I really haven't had a chance to play around with it too much yet. Hopefully tomorrow!!

Here's a picture of my new toy! Now I have to start hinting around for some new lenses!

Fairies and Fast Cars

Sunday Dom and I were off to the Nascar race at NHIS. It was a pretty good race though the pole sitter pretty much ran away with the race. We didn't feel so bad leaving a little early when it became very obvious that he was going to win the whole thing. Four seconds might not seem like a long time in everyday life but at a race four seconds is big, and when the lead car can maintain a four second lead over the second place car he's got him beat.

While Dom and I were enjoying the race Becca and Kenzie were with their best friend Annie. Annie's mom, Audrey, took the girls to Strawberry Banke to build Fairy Houses. The girls even got to meet the author of the book Fairy Houses, Tracy Kane and get their book signed! I think I did a post about this book. I definitely recommend it. After the girls built their houses they left food and water for the fairies and while the girls ran off to play the fairies visited the houses and ate the food and water. This was very exciting. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to share yet, but hope to get some soon!

Bunnies!

So for about two years now the girls have been asking for bunnies and well we finally gave in.


The newest additions to the family are two ten week old little bunnies. They are sisters (at least they better be!). Kenzie named hers Thumper and Becca's is named Brownie. Thumper has one ear that stays up and one that stays down. She can't seem to decide if she wants to be a lop or not. They are very cute and very friendly and the girls adore them so far.














The bunnies are just my first step to having a farm. We do have fourteen acres and I have this very elaborate lay out in my head. I am sure you are wondering why bunnies are the first step.
Well bunny poo is very good for gardens and composting and easier to take care of than cows. So step two is garden, fruit trees and compost. I already have blueberry and raspberries and tons of wild blackberries. Step three is clearing more land. Step four is the barn. And finally step five is a few horses. That is my ten year plan!

Merrymeeting Lake 2007

Last week we spent at Merrymeeting Lake thanks to Nonna and Nonno. Because the lake is only about 15 mins. from our house we are able to go the week of Labor day and still easily get Becca to school and back everyday. It also means that we have the lake mostly to ourselves. As ususal we had lots of fun and good food. The weather was nice mostly 70s and 80s. The only down side was that we didn't catch any fish! Actually let me clarify by saying that Dom and I didn't catch any fish. We trolled all over the whole lake hoping to catch a salmon or even a lake trout. We couldn't even find them with the fish finder and when we did come across a few they weren't biting. It was still nice to cruise around the lake but this is the first year we didn't catch anything at all. Now Kenzie on the other hand became the mad fisherwoman. She was catching sunfish like crazy. We found her a great spot on the other side of the lake where they were biting at soon as her bobber hit the water. She had lots of fun. Becca has no interest in fishing at all but at least Dom's got one little fishing buddy!

We made a trip to York's Animal Kingdom on Labor day. It was okay, but having visited the Toronto Zoo earlier this year it was pretty pale in comparison. York's really could use some updating and when we went to grab something to eat they were sold out of just about everything! We won't be in any rush to visit again anytime soon. The rest of the week was spent hanging around camp. On Friday Dom and I celebrated out 11 year anniversary by going out to dinner.

Saturday we had to pack up and head home but not before enjoying the lake one more time. Thunderstorms rolled in way earlier than we expected and of course right when we were trying to get the boat out of the water. Dom got the trailer while I drove the boat over to the ramp and I was getting pretty nervous sitting out on the boat while lightening and thunder crashed overhead. Luckily we got the boat loaded quickly and without incident and the storm was over just as quickly. Now everyone is back to work and school and settling into our normal routine.

Becca and the Giant Peach

Just had to share this picture of the giant peach that Becca picked at Grampy's house earlier today. It is about the size of a grapefruit. We came home with lots of fresh peaches and plums today. Yum! Thanks Grampy!