I love the digital age. I love that I can give my son my old digital camera and get a glimpse of how he views the world. None of these shots are mistakes. If you ask him he can tell you exactly what he was photographing.
You also get to see who is important to him. There are lots of pictures of family members. These are the most flattering. Oh and thank you Walt Disney World for feeding his love of maps!
Giving Mim a camera also generates some wonderful self portraits.
He knows he has access to my camera when he wants it. I can’t wait to see what else develops. 😉
Does he make fun of her in a mean way behind her back?
Does he whine and complain about what she DOESN’T do for him?
Does he DREAD spending time with her?
Is he clueless about her likes, dislikes and dreams?
If the answers are yes, unless there is some sort of major issue, (i.e. mental illness, abuse or alcoholism), RUN, don’t walk away from this man.
On the other hand . . .
Is he respectful?
Does he offer help when she needs it?
Does he do things for her without being asked?
Does he talk to her because he wants to not because he feels obligated to?
Does he jerk her chain just to keep things real?
Does he buy things he think she’d like when they cross his path? I don’t mean for Christmas or birthdays (although he’s thoughtful and generous then) I mean if she says she’s running out of fertilizer and he’s at Big Orange, does he pick up a bag for her?
Is he supportive of the things she does? Showing up charity fundraiser she’s planned, helping her in the garden because it is her passion?
It was winter break, first there was Christmas and then the blizzard and oh my after four days in the house, Mama needed an escape! I’d had enough of shopping, and while the kids got gift cards for Christmas, I wanted to hold those in reserve for when the newness of the bounty they’d just received had worn off. Ice skating started to early (my kids had no interested in being dressed, fed and out the door by 11am over Christmas break). It was too windy to sled or snowshoe, and we couldn’t agree on a movie. Hmmm, what to do?
How about a Skate Escape? Skate Escape is a indoor rollerskating venue on Court Street in Laconia. Once we found the door, we had a blast!
Skate Escape is a converted store front, a quick Google search shows it used to be an Aubuchon’s Hardware. There’s plenty of parking, but we walked back and fourth several times before finally finding the main entrance (the old service entrance), located on the side of the building (away from Little Caesar’s).
Depending on when you skate, the cost is between $5-$8 per person and that includes admission, skate rental and protective equipment (available only on a first come, first served basis). Non-skating supervising adults pay $2. If you have your own skates (quad or inline), you can bring them, but wheels are checked at the door. They should be clean and smooth and Skate Escape reserves the right to prohibit the use of skates they deem unsafe or a damaging to the skate floor. I have a pair of inline skates. I washed the wheels with warm water and a paper towel before we left and I had no trouble.
I was really stoked for the opportunity to go rollerskating. When I was a kid, the nearest skating rink was Rollerama. The PTA sponsored a skating party in the fall and in the spring. On Saturday’s we’d go for free skate. I have some great memories tooling around the smooth wood floor. I can remember the rush to get in, get your skates and get on the floor. It seemed more often than not that I’d no sooner finish tying the last lace and head for floor when the song would change and the DJ would announce couples skate or Adult skate. My luck didn’t change this time, we got laced up and headed for the floor only to be turned back by a boys only skate. “I can go.” my son announced, but when I asked him if he really wanted to skate for the first time without me, he thought maybe he’d wait for an all skate.
Neither of my kids had roller skated before, so the first few trips around were a learning experience for sure. They have pint-sized chairs with tennis balls at the end of the legs that helped to keep Mim upright. Fish took a doozey of a spill the first time around and was a combination of hurt and embarrassed. She’s ice skated before, she rides a bike and skateboards so I think she was surprised roller skating was more of a challenge. It took a few more laps, but they got in the groove. and I even got a lap or two on my own. There was a skate guard on the floor at all times making sure everyone played safe. She was very kind and a great help to me trying to keep my eye on two kids. The DJ even gave a shout out to my mad skatin’ skillz when my son crashed to the floor in front of me and I was forced to quickly change position so I could pass over him rather than running into him.
When all was said and done the kids had fun and we all burned off some energy. We will definitely go back. When we do, I think we’ll bring our own safety gear (Fish said she wished she’d had a helmet). The walls and lolly columns are padded, but the concrete floor is unforgiving. Not that wood is a cushy, but there is some give, that just isn’t present in concrete. It is worth noting, that this isn’t an “official sized” rink, it really is a converted store. While support columns are not common place in a skating rink, they work especially with a crowd of in experienced skaters.
Public skate times are typically in the evenings and on weekends, they recommend checking their Facebook page for updates. You can also visit their website They also host birthday parties and the rink is available for private rentals.
If you are looking for a different activity to stave off cabin fever, I highly recommend Skate Escape.
I received no compensation for this post, these are my words and opinions.
Last Friday, we took a trip on The Polar Express and it was all of those things and so much more.
Surely you’ve heard of the The Polar Express, the award wining Children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg? It is the story of a little boy’s Christmas Eve adventure where he gets to pick the first gift of Christmas. Well, the Hobo Railroad and the Believe in Books Literacy Foundation have brought the book to life in a most delightful manner.
The trip was Grammy’s idea, she even bough the kids new pajamas for the occasion. We stopped for dinner at the Tilt ‘N Diner on our way to Lincoln for our 7:30 departure. There was snow on the ground in Lincoln which only added to the excitement of the trip. On our journey to the North pole chefs brought us delicious hot chocolate (it tasted like melted chocolate bars) and then they treated us to chocolate candies with nougat centers “as white as snow”. We sang Christmas carols and generally reveled in the experience.
Our lengthy trip to the North Pole zipped by in what felt like fifteen minutes. We arrived to a sea of elves with lanterns all making their way to a tent in the center of town. There the boy from the story, now a man, told us about his adventures that fateful Christmas Eve. When he was done, we were treated to a visit by the Jolly Old Elf, Santa himself. Santa visited with the audience and encouraged the kids to be good, but not perfect. “You should enjoy your childhood” he said.
Santa picked a boy from the audience to pick the first gift of Christmas. The boy looked remarkably like the boy in the story. Amazingly enough, his wish was for a bell from the reindeer’s harness. Santa was so pleased he offered the boy a second wish and the boy wished that all the boys and girls could have bells like his. Santa asked the elves to make it so on our ride home.
Santa had to get back to work and wished us all a Merry Christmas. The elves guided us back to the train wishing us Merry Christmas all the way. Our trip home flew by as we sang Christmas carols the whole way.
My children are in the “I’ll humor my parents” and the “logical questioning” stages of believing in Santa and they both enjoyed themselves immensely. This is a wonderful experience put on by volunteers to benefit a good cause. I would strongly recommend it to kids of any age.
Perhaps the most magical part of the night for me was watching the pure unadulterated awe on the face of a four year old little girl sitting in front of me. Dressed in Green Bay Packers feety pajamas and bright pink snow boots, she sat almost stock still as the man told his story and when Santa came out I thought she just might erupt out of her skin.
That my friends is the magic of Christmas.
I will be taking the next two weeks off to enjoy the Christmas with my family and New Year’s with our close friends. I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas (if you celebrate) and a joyous and prosperous New Year.
I was exploring the Concord Farmer’s market last summer, when I found Catamount Farms. Oh to have milk in glass bottles, delivered to my door again. I brought home samples of the 1% and the skim. Heaven. One sip and I was hooked. I was like a junky. I had to have my fix on a weekly basis. Thankfully Catamount farms happily obliges.
Catamount farms is based out of the Chichester Country Store on Route 28 in Chichester, they deliver fresh milk from Sherman Farms Dairy in Conway, NH along with products from Stonyfield Farms and other New Hampshire companies.
Catamount farms delivers all over central, Southern, and Eastern New Hampshire.
Visit their website to determine if they service your town. Select the products you want delivered and the appropriate interval for your family (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly). You can set up a one time delivery or a standing delivery. During the warmer months, I leave a cooler with icepacks outside. Jerry leaves me a milk crate for my empties and everything is billed to my credit card.
Typically we polish off one and a half to two gallons of milk a week. It helps, that neither my husband or my daughter is able to drink milk (I have to by Lactaid for them). This is a purchase based on value and quality, not price. As of this writing, a half gallon of milk is $3.65 plus a refundable $1.50 bottle deposit plus a $3.50 charge per delivery. That is almost double the cost per gallon of milk bought at a chain grocery store, but there is no comparing when it comes to quality. When most people think of skim milk they think of a blue tinged, watery, tasteless liquid. I even have a friend who refers to skim milk as “jelly bean juice” Not Sherman Farms skim milk! It is more like a store bought 1%. It has a solid white color and a nice full flavor. The 1% has even more depth oh and the seasonably available egg nog is to die for!! Thick and creamy, it is a dessert unto itself. I’m planning on buying some of their chocolate milk to use as hot cocoa on Christmas morning.
For me, this is about knowing where the milk comes from and making healthy choices for my family. It is about purchasing a quality product, and supporting local businesses.
Try some, you won’t regret it!
These words are my personal opinion. I am not affiliated with Catamount Farms or Sherman Farms Dairy. I did not receive any compensation for this post. I simply want to spread the word about two great companies and a wonderful product.
See, I had two envelopes, one with an address and a stamp and one with To: Michele From: Lee written on the front. It contained paperwork from the recently completed Girl Scout Fall Product Sale. Paperwork that was due today and the absence of said paperwork would make a ton of extra work for another volunteer. Guess which one I mailed? Yup, the Girl Scout paperwork.
First there is that stunned shock of OH NO I DIDN’T. Then as I heard the loud steel bang of the mail box chute closing there was the panic of OH YES, I DID!!
I called Michele and she suggested calling the Post Office. I finally reached a nice woman from the local distribution center who said the carrier that services that box hadn’t left yet. She took my number and told me she’d call me when he picked it up.
The mailbox was 7 minutes from my house. I wasn’t home but 10 minutes when my phone rang and the nice woman was telling me she had my wayward envelope and asked how far was I from the box.
WHEW!!!
I drove to meet her and thanked her profusely for making a special trip. Then I asked her name and which office she worked out of (I was thinking I’d send a note to her supervisor). Her name was Nancy oh, she IS THE POSTMASTER of CONCORD!
She wished me Happy Holidays and we went our separate ways. She didn’t have to do that. As Postmaster, I’m sure she has a few other things to attend to, especially this time of year, but I am really grateful that she took the time to help me out.
Christmas tree shopping when I was a kid was an involved process. It frequently took multiple trips to several locations within a 10 mile radius of our home to find “the” tree. Word to the wise, NEVER shop for a Christmas tree with a Virgo.
My tree shopping habits changed when I met A-man. We picked one location (usually a local business or charity) and picked a tree. It was that simple; it took a total of 20, 25 minutes tops! I hardly knew what to do with the extra time. For the last few years, we’ve followed the New England tradition and tagged our tree Thanksgiving weekend and then cut it down ourselves a few weeks before Christmas. The kids get a kick out of the two step process and we like supporting a micro business.
The Incredible Hulk of Christmas Tree Stands
Back to the early days. once it was clear that our relationship was headed towards permanent, A-man and I bought a tree stand. Oh and not just any stand, we bought a beefy, steel Christmas tree stand, the Incredible Hulk of Christmas tree stands. For many years, through cats and puppies, babies and toddlers, the Hulk tree stand served us well. Over the last few years, he’s been slipping a little. We had to install cup hooks so we could tie the tree to insure it wouldn’t fall over. Clearly, The Hulk was was loosing his grip.
This year’s tree tipping incident during the decorating process was the last straw. I’ll admit I was rather attached to The Hulk, but I’m more attached to the ceramic ornaments imprinted with my children’s infant footprints. Ornaments that have thankfully survived all tree crashes to date, but even I know that luck can’t hold out forever. It was time to retire The Hulk. A-man braved the two-weeks-before-Christmas Saturday crowds to find a replacement for The Hulk.
Ahem, have you any idea what it is like trying to find a tree stand two weeks before Christmas??
The New Christmas Tree Stand
Three stores and only two choices later, he returned with a tree stand designed to support a 10 foot tree. I would LOVE to have a 10 foot tree, but our 8 foot ceilings just won’t allow it. So, after much wrestling and turning of screws, we managed to stabilize our five foot tree (small even for us) but, we tied the little guy off just in case.
Ah, all is well with the world. Gate off the room to keep out the spastic puppy and on with our Christmas preparations.
Yeah, Not so much.
This is what we came down to this morning.
Christmas Treeus, Collapsus
Thank goodness for the cup hooks and twine. A-man wrestled with it for about 20 minutes this morning while I held it, but it would not stand upright. We are contemplating borrowing my MILs Christmas tree stand. Stay tuned!
This post is part two of a follow up to an earlier post I wrote about at Self Magazine article on how isolating infertility can be. You can read my infertility story part one and part two. A friend read my first post and offered to share her story with me.
Mother Nature had other plans. After a year of practice with no success, Sam was getting mixed messages from the medical field. Some said she hadn’t tried long enough, others said it was time to see a specialist. Sam trusted her gut and went the specialist route. Sam and her husband endured the usual battery of diagnostic tests with no conclusive results. Sam even endured the dreaded hyserosalpingogram (HSG) sans ibuprofen! The doctors prescribed Clomid and the mixed messages persisted. She was told her infertility was due to PCOS (this would later be disproved), she was told is was due to her weight (after losing forty pounds she STILL didn’t get pregnant).
Throughout this process, despite being close to her family, she didn’t share her struggles with them. Her husband was very supportive, but still she felt ashamed and wondered ‘What’s wrong with me?’. She wondered is her family was complete. Something told her no, she wasn’t finished having kids yet, so she shouldered on.
The next level of drugs her doctor was recommending was not covered by her insurance. A nurse at her doctor’s office recommended her for a study where IVF and the associated drugs would be paid for. It was time for some soul searching. She and her husband weighed the issues including the practical, travel and the logistics as well as the more complex, the higher risk of multiples and the issue of who would get custody of any unused embroys? Suddenly it wasn’t just “making a baby”. After many heart to heart talks Sam decided she couldn’t go through with the study. Her husband was relieved and supported her decision whole heartedly. In November, she stopped taking all medications and went about enjoying her daughter that much more.
One chilly December morning, she made her morning coffee and was utterly repulsed by the smell. At first she questioned the coffee and wondered what she did wrong. Belatedly it occurred to her that she hadn’t be able to stomach coffee while pregnant with her daughter. Bingo! Her son D was born the following August after 22 hours of labor. Six years after his sister.
Looking back, Sam is grateful for the support of her husband and the nurses at her infertility doctor’s office, but still it was a lonely time. Her advice to women struggling with infertility is to reach out, to find support. It is a very personal problem, but it can be less of a burden with support. Take the time to build a support system that works for you. She also advises educating yourself and advocating for your needs politely, but strongly.
After D’s birth, Sam knew her family was complete. She admits the age gap presents challenges, but deep down her children love each other and she’s grateful to have them both.
We’d had a lovely overnight at the Red Jacket Resort, and had just finished a delicious, made-to-order breakfast. It was a beautiful, crisp, fall New England day and we were in no rush to get home, so we decided to spend the day exploring North Conway. My son is obsessed with maps, so he picked up one of those promotional maps that highlights local attractions. Despite being ready to explode from breakfast, as soon as I saw the words White Mountain Cupcakery, I knew we had to stop.
The store is located at 2757 White Mountain Highway, the main drag through North Conway. The sunny yellow victorian is on your right as you head North (maybe to Storyland or Cranmore Mountain). We found a parking spot right out front and made our way in.
Co-owner Kathy Iannuzzi was there with a bright smile. She welcomed us as she filled an order for the people in front of us. I asked the woman ordering if the cupcakes were good and she replied with a resounding YES!
The cupcakes looked picturesque, something out of a Martha Stewart cookbook. The cake base was sizable, and the rippled pillows of frosting nestled on top just called out to my index finger (fortunately they were behind glass).
We each selected our own cupcake and although tempted by the seasonal offerings (Apple Pie and Pumpkin), we all stayed with some version of chocolate. The kids both went with Chocolate Avalanche (chocolate cupcake, chocolate frosting and chocolate chips), my husband picked a Chocolate Sno-Ball (chocolate cupcake, with buttercream frosting), and I went with Chocolate Raspberry (chocolate cupcake filled with raspberry filling finished with chocolate frosting).
As pretty as something looks, in my mind, it is the taste that truly matters. The cake was a rich chocolate and the raspberry filling added nice moisture. The frosting was chocolaty enough, but I’m a buttercream purist. I’m not wild about buttercream frosting that incorporates shortening. However, pure buttercream frosting is VERY difficult to work with especially in any kind of decorative manner. In this case, the frosting was a good blend of buttercream taste and shortening for structure.
The cupcakes are sizable lasted through a 12 day in the truck while we explored. We had half for dessert that night and the other half held up nicely the second day. All in all, a stop well worth making.
The White Mountain Cupcakery also prepares cakes and seasonal delicacies (Cannoli, GingerBread houses and a family recipe for Struffoli). Visit them online at wmcupcakery.com or like them on Facebook. Definitely stop by the next time you are ANYWHERE near North Conway. You won’t be disappointed.
Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome (HPS) is a rare genetic disorder that affects people from all races and nationalities. The HPS Network is a volunteer, non-profit organization that provides information and support to people with HPS and the medical professionals who treat them. The purpose of this post to help The HPS Network spread the word. Make sure you read all the way to the bottom for a little giveaway.
Imagine you have a beautiful baby. You are starting to suspect that she doesn’t see quite as well as she should. Like most babies learning to move through the world, she’s uncoordinated, but she also appears to have difficulty focusing on people or objects at distance. Her depth perception is off and she frequently bumps into things, perhaps more than the “average” child and she bruises easily.
When you take her for a check up, the doctor notices a bruise on her arm that looks like the imprint of your fingers. You explain she was about to go headlong down a set of stairs and you grabbed her arm to catch her. The next thing you know, Child Protective Services is at your door accusing you of abusing your daughter.
Sounds like an episode of Law and Order no? Sadly, it can be a reality for families of children with Hermansky Pudlak Syndrome (HPS). According to the HPS Network website, HPS is “is a genetic metabolic disorder which causes albinism, visual impairment, and a platelet dysfunction with prolonged bleeding.” People with certain types of HPS, also accumulate a waxy substance in their bowels, and/or their lungs or kidneys. The manifestation of HPS can be mild to debilitating.
Despite my work with albinism advocacy, I had never heard of HPS until my late teens when I met Donna Appell and her beautiful daughter Ashley. Donna is a force to be reckoned with. She founded the HPS Network in 1992 to educate those affected with the condition and the medical community as well as promoting research to improve treatments. She’ll kill me for even mentioning her here because she doesn’t want recognition, she’s too busy spreading the word about HPS, but the advances that have been made in identifying HPS patients, and improving treatments are due in no small part to Donna’s efforts. These days, she has a board of directors and a small but merry band of volunteers to support the efforts of the HPS Network. One of those volunteers is Heather Kirkwood. Aside from being skilled in all things communication and outreach, Heather is also a talented artist and sells some of her works to support the efforts of the HPS Network.
People with HPS albinism all suffer from problems with their blood clotting. It can be minor as in they just bleed a little longer than most, or it can be life altering as in minor dental work can require a hospital stay. I think it is important to note that despite these challenges, people with HPS can lead “normal” lives with simple precautions and connections to medical professionals who understand their special needs.
We take our good health for granted. The minor scrapes and cuts are easily forgotten, but for people with HPS, they can be life threatening. When I was twelve years old, I was out riding my bike with friends when another “friend” jumped in front me. I swerved to avoid her, but lost control of the bike and ended up slamming my head on the bumper of a car parked on the side of the road (these were the days pre-helemet). I don’t have HPS, so it only took five stitches to get me on the mend and back on my bike. How about you? What was your worst or most memorable childhood injury?
The HPS Network has produced as set of notecards featuring one of Heather’s paintings. I have a set of 10 notecards and envelopes to give away. To enter, just leave a comment telling me about your most memorable childhood accident. I will pick a random winner on Friday (12/10).
Live Fearless Lee 