The Finer Neiners

"PAT QUINN"

2011-06-20T16:58:00.000-04:00

I was 5 years old.

I already thought my dad was the greatest thing in the world.

And this just confirmed it.

Happy Father's Day to a Legend!

Firsts

2011-04-28T14:18:00.001-04:00

Happy 19 months old, Caiden!

I wanted to take this special opportunity to share one of Caiden's FIRSTS.

No, it has nothing to do with words or food or inches. Rather, this little boy climbed up the ladder to his brothers top bunk. Then, according to a witness, proceeded to walk around, tripping on a bear and came tumbling down super man style after a somersault. I was not in the room. But I heard the thud...cry...and Caiden met me in the hall with tears streaming down. I am pretty sure the wind got knocked out of him and he has a bump on his head to show for it. But somehow, other than that, he is fine. The dr. did the full check because I was particularly scared about him hitting his head. But no signs of concussion. I was quite shaken up and I thought the scare of a fall would slow him down. But he seems to have been given wings in his new limitless discovery because he has been climbing onto everything he can get his hands and feet on. (he even revisited the ladder to the bunk...but did not get far at all! mom is keeping a hawk's eye on this one for awhile!)

Busy days all around. Sandwiched with beautiful weather (in between the rain) and homeschooling and a husband that is working an inordinate amount of hours...we're hoping things will start to balance out a teeny bit as we march through Spring.

"...because Big Boots mean an Adventure."

2011-04-20T00:58:00.001-04:00

"Sometimes life takes you uphill.

And it's just plain hard.

But I can guarantee it will be better going

if you wear happy, yellow boots."

Welcome, Spring. We are fully embracing you. Puddles and all. Does this mean I must come out of my cyber-hybernation? (that sounds like it could be a song right out of the 90's)

*photo via Instagram

2011-02-07T22:03:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe I have been so so neglectful to this little blog....but when I get the courage, I will return. I have so much catching up to do (um....can we say Christmas??) so I just keep putting it off.

Thankfully, it stays right here, doesn't collect any paperwork or dust, and just waits patiently until I am ready to pick it up again.

Hope my readers are too.

xo.

(the memory of this photo makes me laugh out loud. we were in PA visiting our great friends and they treated us to a ski resort for their huge tubing hill. we all traded off watching caiden in the lodge. he ended up literally eating his way through the whole entire day. no joke. thus the food in his mouth. and jack, sneaking a drink of my chai. he was just disappointed it wasn't coffee. seriously.)

::snow-globe effect::

2010-12-28T11:22:00.000-05:00

This is the most recent measurement on our back deck. It is in the snow drift, but still...you have to make it through the snow drifts too! There is actually something quite fun about being completely snowed in. We only needed an instant fireplace kit. Other than that, we were set with a Christmas movie, hot chocolate and lots of new toys.

The snow fall lasted from Sunday at 3pm until Monday afternoon. It has quieted down now and plows have been by and the driveway is shoveled (thanks, honey) and there is a path that is knee high that leads to a fort for the boys. And we are truly, if we ever doubted it, in a winter wonderland.

Happy In-Between of Celebration Time.

We are getting ready for our annual get together with our ever-fun friends, the Yarnells whom we'll be seeing tomorrow! Lots of laughs in store!

from our family to yours

2010-12-27T15:13:00.000-05:00

"Happy, Merry Christmas"

love,
the Neiners

on angel's wings

2010-12-22T01:01:00.001-05:00

...is how quickly Christmas feels like it's coming.

Unstoppable, yet so exciting.
Reverent, but jubilant.
Preparatory, but pausing.

I love how each Christmas holds the same dear patterns, yet each one awaits us with its own surprises.

I love letting the lights on the tree be the last ones on in the house at night. Their magic twinkling around the room.

I love how with each new day, the presents seem to multiply under the tree.

I love how even though there is so much more hustle and bustle going on out there, people are still overall more friendly and cheerful.

I love that our Post Office has an independent mailing machine that is open 24/7. And that there's no line at 11pm!

I love that I just found my little stash of clearance Christmas books from last year, including: The Nutcracker (Susan Jeffers), The Gift of the Magi (O. Henry, ill. by Lisbeth Zwerger), The Child's Christmas (Evelyn Sharp), and Who's That Knocking On Christmas Eve (Jan Brett).

I love (*attention: spoiler alert) that my living room smells like fresh roasted coffee. We just received 2 boxes from Mist Valley who's coffee we have been LOVING every morning for the past few months! Their coffee is FRESH!!!!!! And the proof is in the taste.

I love the excitement that is uncontainable in my children. And the sentimentality of adults. Particularly my dad. He sent me the sweetest FB message about how sad he is that we won't be together for Christmas. :(

I love that we have appx. 4 different types of advent calendars going on each day. Thankfully they are all simple enough to keep up with.

I love the simple message that this season brings. One of hope and joy in the precious gift of our Savior. The simple, yet magnificent gift that so many pause to sing of. The gift that will soon be forgotten but will still remain long after the tree is at the curbside. The true, though cliche, "reason for the season."

Jesus.

[photo above: our tree. filter done in Instagram. an awesome free iPhone app that I am loving]

the pace of s l o w

2010-12-11T17:05:00.004-05:00

Life these days tends to be one speed. Fast. I find myself eating lunch standing up, drinking my coffee while rescuing Caiden from another toilet catastrophe and helping the boys stay in motion with chores and cleanup. Sometimes, I get these thoughts of, "What in the world did I do with all my time when I just had baby Andrew?" The funny thing is, even though my life then as a mother could not be fairly compared to today, I still felt my days were so very full. It was all so new and every moment was spent enjoying, experiencing and enriching my baby's life. You see, this thing called motherhood, no matter how few or many children you have, no matter how busy, innovative or laid back they are, and no matter how organized or (cough*cough) unorganized you may be, is simply put, NOT FOR WHIMPS!!! It pulls from every corner of your being. Every physical, emotional and spiritual aspect. It bombards you every day with brand new challenges that expects you to be at peak performance. It doesn't regard the fact that you have taken care of a sick husband for a week, or that your teething baby was up not one, not two, but three times through the night and that your 4 year old is really going through a tough behavioral period. And it does not always wait for you to be ready to deal with each situation. As a matter of fact, I am quite suspicious that there is some kind of hidden signal embedded in our bathroom door and telephone that alerts the boys that "IT IS TIME TO ENGAGE"---for mom is having a quiet moment to herself.

So, when a few hours of quiet came along this past week, thanks to a particular grandmother who took the older boys to do some secretive Christmas shopping, I

immediately felt...wow. It is so q u i e t and s l o w here. This will be easy. Just Caid and I----I'll get so much done!

But, you know, those thoughts of "the easy good old days" hit me across the face. Because Caiden, who is much like Drew was in learning and playing, is not satisfied with sitting and playing with his toys for long periods of time. No. He wants to be moving, and trying, and "communicating" and testing and on.the.go. So, I was brought back to those full and busy days. Those days of one child, which is definitely less distracted and more focused time with the child, but I found that he was a little bit lost without the sibling avalanche going on around him to follow. So I called it a day of not getting those little things done and sat right down on the floor with him and followed his play. Which at that time, happened to be Mr. Potato Head.

and we practiced pointing to our eyes...

and had some good laughs.

Just the two of us.

Mr. Caiden is growing up oh, so fast. And I see such a difference in him being the third child. (third boy, to be specific). Because this kid knows how to swish a sword and dog pile on his brothers and laugh at their inside jokes as his life's goal right now is to keep up...keep up...keep up. But when the day comes to an end, it's still his momma that he wants to cuddle. And that, I am holding on to for as long as I can.

(p.s. Caiden clearly says momma...but still does not say dadda...and is totally playing his cards on this one! sorry, honey).

[caiden & momma on the train going downtown chicago. summer 2010]

month twelve.

2010-12-01T07:00:00.062-05:00

Happy December!

No, I haven't finished my Christmas shopping already! But we ARE starting THIS today and I am oh, so excited about it! It is our "advent calendar" for this year. I wrapped 24 books, labeled them and each night until Christmas the boys will get the chosen book read to them before bed. You can see my friends' version HERE who first shared this idea with me. For more advent ideas, see HERE.

These are the books that were selected for our first (annual ?) advent book reading, most of which we already owned. A few were a last minute rescue from our second hand store. You may also notice that I mixed in winter themed books with spiritual related books. We will be doing our Scripture advent reading separately.

Here is the list of books that we'll be reading:

1. Footprints in the Snow (Cynthia Benjamin)

2. Little Einstein's Christmas Wish (Disney)

3. The Little Drummer Boy (1968 Little Golden Book)

4. The Elves and the Shoemaker (Little Golden Book)

5. The Christmas Story (Little Golden Book)

6. Room For A Little One (Martin Waddell)

7. Owl Moon (Jane Yolen)

8. The Little Lost Angel

9. Katy and the BIG SNOW (Virginia Lee Burton)

10. The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Graham Percy)

11. The Little Drummer Boy (Ezra Jack Keats)

12. Who Is Coming To Our House? (Joseph Slate)

13. Noel (Little Board Books)

14. Jingle Bells

15. The Snowchild (Ill. by Deborah Kogan Ray)

16. The Christmas Mouse

17. Socks for Supper (Jack Kent)

18. Father and Son, A Nativity Story (Geraldine McCaughrea)

19. Madeline's Christmas (Ludwig Bemelmans)

20. The Apple Tree Christmas (Trinka Hakes Noble)

21. Spunky's First Christmas (Janette Oke)

22. Winnie the Pooh's Christmas (Bruce Talkington)

23. Red Boots for Christmas (Carol Greene)

24. Mortimer's Christmas Manger (Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman)

I also needed a new chapter book to start with the boys and came across THIS gem at the library:

So, looks like we're all booked up for December!!??

(sorry. I couldn't resist!!!) :)

What are some of YOUR (and your kids) favorite reads during "the most wonderful time of the year?"

thankful.ness

2010-11-19T16:12:00.001-05:00

Master Max transporting King Caiden around the Baburin's palace.

Thankful for friends. Old and New.

I have such a full garden of friends.

Each one blossoms me in a unique way.

And they are always a challenge and encouragement.

Some I get to see often. Some I only see annually.

Some I only talk to when there is a new baby.

Some I think about when I'm feeling nostalgic.

I have had a life full of wonderful, faithful friends.

thankful.ness

2010-11-18T17:43:00.002-05:00

I better jump on the bandwagon before it leaves without me! Can you really believe it is ONE WEEK away from Thanksgiving!!?? We all hold on tight to the end of autumn here while the retailers are SCREAMING Christmas at us. We love Thanksgiving around here. It is such an amazing tradition that brings our hearts close together. It is always the week of John's birthday...which means I get to try a new chocolate cake recipe, and we always try to focus our hearts on the blessings of the year. SO, with a week countdown...here's my thankful.ness for today.

*I am thankful for a full home. One that is always on the verge of chaos, creativity, ideas and abounding personalities daily taking form. Our little home is quickly filling to the brim with our treasures, toys, accessories, and projects waiting to take wings. It is always a balancing act between keep and leave. The boys spill over onto our climbing area in the basement when the energy can be bound no longer, and when they take to outside it is always with elation of checking up on their fort in the wooded area budded up to our property. We live in a wonderful, quiet little area other than the usual barking of dogs back and forth. There is a dog a couple of houses down that literally drags his owner out the door to come over when the boys are out playing. We have a special stash of doggy treats just for our canine visitors. We are thankful.

It's Beginning to Look A lot Like Christmas...

2010-11-15T22:11:00.003-05:00

What a reward for a full & busy day of homeschooling around here :: Look what ended up in my mailbox today!!! My new HOLIDAY magazine by Matthew Mead. I am finally getting to sit down with my cup of chai to have a short time before I pillow my head to slowly drift through the pages of a winter wonderland.

*on a side note: my smart phone has cool buttons like these ~<>€£¥•{}#%^*. But it cannot upload pictures from my camera roll to my blog?!?!?! (edit. picture added from the laptop. still need to figure the phone thing out, though.)

Oh, and always be sure to double check your spelling corrections. When I was texting my sister I typed "ooooooh" and it auto corrected it to "pooped!!!" What in the world??!! Good thing it was my sistah!

p.s. Come back later for a sneak peak inside HOLIDAY. I couldn't put it down!

Mama Said, There'd Be Days Like This . . .

2010-11-09T15:50:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was Monday.
It was a Monday in all its glory.
All other Mondays after this Monday will be jealous, for sure.

Here's a glimpse into our yesterday:

ICE STORM.

TREE FALLING IN BACK YARD.

GAS LEAK.

LUG THE KIDS QUICKLY OUTSIDE INTO THE COLD.
(which meant get caid up from his nap)

JOHN COMES HOME FROM WORK TO INSPECT.

GAS CO. SENDS SOMEONE OUT.

MAN LOOKS BEHIND THE OVEN. (ew).

MAN LOOKS AT BASEMENT PIPES.

FINDS LEAKS.

WHEW, LEAKS ARE FIXED IN THE SAME DAY.

DAY IS COMPLETELY TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.

WE PUT A TENT UP IN THE LIVING ROOM.

WE READ IN THE TENT.

CAIDEN TAKES 10 STEPS IN A ROW.

WE DON'T EAT DINNER UNTIL 7PM.

DINNER WAS FANTASTIC: sausage, sauteed onions & cheese quiche, fresh asparagus w. french grey sea salt, nutmeg applesauce.

HILARIOUS STORY TELLING AT THE DINNER TABLE. *see below

BED TIME FOR BOYS.

CAIDEN HAS NO DIAPERS.

MOM PROMISES THE BOYS EXTRA BEDTIME READING IF THEY CAN GET THEMSELVES COMPLETELY READY AND IN BED BY THE TIME I GET HOME. (John was home, getting caiden to bed and working on projects that keep screaming at him)

MOM RUNS TO THE STORE.

MOM COMES HOME TO GOOD LITTLE BOYS OVEREXCITED IN THEIR ROOM.

WE READ A FEW CHAPTERS FROM THIS CLASSIC BY BURGESS.

JOHN AND I CRASH AND WATCH THE LAST OF THIS EXCITING MODERN SHERLOCK HOLMES SERIES (you can watch online for free through dec. 7th HERE. for a lengthy & pretty good review, look HERE, but beware of spoilers.)

THE END.

* The story table was a mere survival idea to regain something back from a crazy day. I knew we needed some laughter. So as dinner was finishing, I grabbed 4 small toys from around the room. Each empty plate at the table received a toy, last nights choices being: a red (vintage) female GI Joe, a Japanese eraser of a bowl of green soup, a creche of baby penguins, an orange striped plastic spider. The rules were simple, we were going to tell a story together, one person at a time, each person using their toy to add to the story. Oh, my. It was good. I am very, very thankful I gave John the GI Joe and even more thankful he went first. That was probably key, because after the parents went, the story became increasingly sounding more and more like a sci. fi. creation. :) Also, having a "person" or "animal" as the key figure was great. The red GI Joe (who fell into a barrel of fire paint, thus why she was red, and then had to drink the green elixir to cure her...because, as you know, fire paint is extremely flammable, and she had to go to Antarctica to get the secret ingredient from the baby penguins, and then realized she had to go kill a poisonous spider in the dessert. Whew. Good thing she was highly trained!) was passed along to each story teller.

How do you create dinner table memories? Are they intentional or accidental? What has been your favorite memories around your dinner table? or from your childhood. Would LOVE to hear your moment(s).

// irony //

2010-11-04T13:01:00.001-04:00

// using my Matryoshka doll measuring cups

for our Irish oatmeal breakfast//

(love this M-CUPS set by FRED that I got as a b.day gift from my favorite person in the world.)

{Happy November}

2010-11-02T11:42:00.001-04:00

Can you really believe it is November!?!? I know everyone says that at the beginning of each month, but REALLY!!!! Well, the weather here is certainly trying to make its point that the transition of fall into winter is quickly upon us. Only a wee bit of a flurry the other day, but it was enough to remind me that I need to go through our stockpile of hats and gloves and boots to make sure we are all prepared.

SO, in the festivity of fall, I wanted to share this Matthew Mead link of printable freebies HERE. I am particularly fond of the OWLS and think an owl garland would be quite fall-tastic! I also LOVE the circle tags.

ALSO, news on the book-a-zine Holiday by Matthew Mead is that it is officially bound and OUT!!!!! Which means, it should be in my hands by the end of the week!!!! I am truly so excited!

Again, I FALL in love with Etsy.

2010-10-30T23:21:00.003-04:00

Here are some of my favorite ETSY finds that made my fall heart go pitter-patter.

Saffron dress by pamelatang

Mocha flower by JuJuBeesAndCo

Knitted Cream Bag by NzLbags

Paper Chain by PaperAddict

Acorn Print by LaneyButler

Stewart, the plaid owl by Gingiber

Vintage Picnic Blanket by SewnNatural

Wool Owl [love how both those words share the same letters...]

by SewnNatural

Wool Acorns by SewnNatural

Birch Baby Blanket by SewnNatural

Door Sweaters by the lovely [and my talented blogger friend] Cranny

Autumn dish towels [also] by Cranny

Caramel Wool Scarf by KnitFrekkies

Yellow Sparrow Necklace by [a personal friend and local artisan] LePetitPretty

[note: doing this post was like organizing my bedroom closet when company is coming over. company that will not see my closet. but somehow, it felt good to do. catching up, lots of catching up, coming soon.]

coming up for air...

2010-10-21T22:39:00.000-04:00

I am still here.

I promise.

I have so many bubble thoughts following me around they are bumping into the ceiling.

I have so many posts wishing to be written and photos waiting for their debut that are losing patience.

We are still here.

We are still doing school.

We are still finishing a few lingering summer projects.

We are celebrating birthday after birthday.

We are drinking up fall.

We are sometimes sprinting and sometimes dog-paddling.

It's just that, well, life happens. And unfortunately, when life happens, I sometimes let go. In a good way, but in a way I wish I could overcome and still-be-able-to-hold-all-the-strings-together kind of way.

However, I just wanted to let you know.

We're still here.

GO PINK!

2010-10-10T18:10:00.001-04:00

It's breast cancer awareness month. There is something we can all do: write a letter to a survivor, pray for and send a card to someone you know going through chemo, drop a line to your friend who lost their mother or grandmother to this cancer, join one of the many races or walks, buy that $1 donation at the grocery store, you can even buy pink grapefruit tic tacs to help bring awareness to the cause!

Here is a video of my awesome friend, Stephanie, doing a HUGE part as she is one of the directors of the Susan G. Komen branch in middle Georgia. See her interview below (she's the blonde one):

Go Pink!

Cannot wait...

2010-10-09T22:43:00.001-04:00

Guess what I am getting for my [belated] birthday present?

Here's what they have to say about it:

Holiday with Matthew Mead is a "book-azine" celebrating and offering inspiration for the Christmas holiday season. To be delivered in late October 2010, we are offering Holiday via online orders only - in limited quantities - and by simply following the BUY HOLIDAY MAGAZINE link below our banner, you will be directed to a secure shopping cart and checkout... with a guaranteed delivery of HOLIDAY straight to your mailbox! Be sure to stick around and read more about what you will find in the pages of Holiday, discover who ourfamous features are andwatch our video sneak peek here!

Who is Matthew Mead, you might ask? Well, I am not 100% sure, to be honest. But he was called a Creative Machine and this was written of him: "...the majority of best-selling covers for Country Home magazine were produced by Matthew. And of course, he created the cover for Flea Market Style 2010, and we all know how well that sold. :-) "

Some SNEAK PEAKS/ COVER MOCK-UPS:

This wonderful holiday book/magazine has caught my eye from the beginning and when my sister-in-law asked for birthday ideas, this popped into my head. HURRY---it's going to be printing soon and being shipped out at the end of this month! This would be an INCREDIBLE gift to a friend, sister, blogger, photographer, lover of the Christmas season, creative, decorator enthusiast, etc. AND, you have a gift done early! YAY!

You can go here (or send your awesome sister-in-law there like I did) if you want to order one. Or you can just check out their blog for great ideas, creative guest bloggers, giveaways or when you need to get in the Christmas spirit.

(already? I know... I pull out my Christmas music right at Thanksgiving. It's coming, folks!)

Irish Hospitality

2010-10-09T22:11:00.001-04:00

I love shopping second hand. I don't know what it is: the musty smell, the stained clothes, the 80's style that brings me back. Well, ok. It is certainly not any of THOSE things!!!! But what I DO love about second hand stores, even the less than stylish ones, is this thrill that overcomes me that a treasure is awaiting to be unburied. I cannot ever get over the excitement of finding something that I would never, ever be able to find in a chain store. And the price is never to be beat.

So, once in awhile, usually on Wednesday's when I have the goggle of goslings out and about doing errands with me, we end up in our local Salvation Army because that is Family Day. Which means every ticket (except one chosen color) is half off. I can always find something. I am quite afraid I have turned the boys into treasure hunters as well. I realized this when when we were talking about favorite things to do in the summer and Drew chimed in with "TAG SALES!!!!"

Well, our last S.A. trip I spotted this very unique embroidery piece. Thankfully, I had just seen something similar on etsy that really caught my eye. It was in a foreign language, but it was just beautiful. So, taking my chances, I snatched this piece and figured it couldn't be that bad for 75 cents. I'd look it up when we got home.

Well, the week went by and quite frankly, I forgot. So tonight as I walked by the framed handiwork, it kind of glanced at me funny, reminding me to look it up already. So thank you Mr. Google, again. And to my sweet, sweet surprise, I have definitely found a beautiful treasure.

You see, the translation of this Cead Mile Failte (pronunciation: kade meela fall-cheh) is "ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND WELCOMES." How beautiful is that? And to strike my fancy even deeper, the language is Gaelic. (John guessed Spanish. My friend Leah almost got an email for translation). Which just ties everything together so perfectly: my Irish roots, a vintage handmade item (maybe it came all the way from Ireland on the boat?), and a perfectly warm greeting to remind me to open our doors and hearts wide to those who enter here.

This is one of my new favorites!

Another Corner of the Blogworld.

2010-09-21T14:24:00.003-04:00

GUESS WHAT?

YOU CAN NOW ALSO FIND OUR HOMESCHOOL HAPPENINGS OVER AT:
MOSS HILL ACADEMY.

AN EXCITING YEAR FOR US, FOR SURE!

POP OVER AND HAVE A VISIT!

C is for CAIDEN

2010-09-19T18:53:00.002-04:00

"LITTLE BOY, LITTLE BOY,

MY OWN LITTLE BOY

WHY ARE YOU GROWING SO FAST?

CAN YOU NOT SLOW DOWN

JUST A WEE LITTLE BIT,

TO MAKE THIS MOMENT LAST?"

happy 1st birthday, to our mr. curiosity.

official celebration coming this week,

when grandma quinn arrives!

loosey, goosey

2010-09-10T17:33:00.004-04:00

Ah, the inevitable.

So many things that come with having kids, and right now it's loose teeth.

And the other, Mr. Drew could not sleep because his loose front tooth was torturing him. We try not to torture him over it, but this thing was hanging by a "thread." Literally. But to spare you the details, after some blood, sweat and tears with daddy in the bathroom...Mr. Lefty Front Tooth came out. In all it's glory. This makes #6 for Mr. Drew. He's racking up quite the nice little stash. Though he always has the dilemma of wanting to keep the tooth over giving it up for a few coins. Ah, decisions.

welcome, september.

2010-09-02T07:07:00.004-04:00

September brings:

cool weather, crunchy leaves, candy corn, caramel apples.

school, sweaters, soups, socks.

hoodies, hot cocoa, hay rides, home.

apple picking, apple pie, apple cider, The Apple Squeeze.

birthdays, The Big E, bonfires, beautiful surroundings.

mums, maple leaves, muesli, my mom.

fall foliage, fun, football, fashion.

pumpkins, preparations, possibilities, parks.

door sweaters, delicious homemade cooking, long drives, dreaming.

taffy apples, thankfulness, togetherness, treats.

saying goodbye to the garden, gourds, ginger snaps, God's goodness.

Did I forget anything? Pray, tell.

COMING SOON: some delightful sharings of postcards I have received.

From personally watercolored ones to one that traveled all the way from New Zealand!

Huge THANKS to everyone who participated (or is in lieu).

p.s. if you have a postcard sitting on your counter and oops...didn't get it out on time...I will definitely send one in return if one happens to show up in my mailbox with a sept. postmark! I would hate for that postcard to go to waste! ;)

HURRY! Only 2 days left!

2010-08-29T15:10:00.004-04:00

Postcards I've received:::

New York City

Tennessee (2)

Indiana

Piha, New Zealand

Want to join in? It's not too late! You have 2 MORE DAYS to get a lil' ol' postcard in the mail! Now how easy is that?!

***please don't forget to include YOUR address on the postcard somewhere!

[other notations of life:]

went to one of the longest running fairs.

watched a demolition derby.

cheered for the demolition derby.

enjoyed the demolition derby.

went to our neighborhoods 1st block party.

enjoying the last days of summer weather.

super-duper busy finishing up school planning.

enjoying this quiet moment. (John took 2 big boys to the lake. Almost-not-a-baby-anymore is still napping.)

the POSTCARD EXCHANGE

2010-08-18T08:18:00.010-04:00

My Little Idea: I have a slight weakness for postcards, and we have started a sweet little collection of them. Some from my sis-in-law + her hubby's summer travels in Europe, one from Oxford from my dad's visit, we sent one to the boys during our anniversary getaway to Maine last year, etc. etc. etc. I think postcards are the greatest little thing because it combines a picture and a personal note in one handy little card.

EYE CANDY + CONNECTION + NON-DIGITAL GREETING + NO XTRA PAPER TO THROW AWAY + A CHEAP STAMP....what's not to love???

SO, here is my great idea:

::for the rest of the month of August, I am opening the geographical doors. I would love to get a sprinkling...or flood, of postcards from around the country, or even world! But I need your help! I intend on using it as an exciting little geography project with my boys (note: ages 6, 3.5, 11mo.) to launch into our first "official" year of homeschooling.

::here are the rules, plain and simple. If you send me a postcard from your area (or wherever you're visiting) with a little note on it, postmarked in August 2010 (*don't forget to add your address!), I will drop one of these ferris wheel postcards in the mail for you with a little note and a sweet hello or maybe even a drawing from a little one. I would love to learn something fun with each postcard like what you love about your area, what you do in the summer, something unique about your location, what your area grows, what is your favorite little place to eat, something famous about your area, something beautiful, something weird, etc. etc. etc. Anything your little heart desires.

Here is a sneak peak at the postcard, front & back:

(*note, all images are copyrighted. please be kind, don't steal!)

Postcard stamps cost only 28c and postcards can be found sprinkled around town or you can even make your own! I think it would be great fun to add lots of new postcards to our little collection! Want to join in on the fun? Just look BELOW to get my little nests' address, drop one in the mail and wait for your postcard in return! And maybe you'll also find out how addicting postcard exchanges can be (though, I've never done one before. hee. hee.) *I should note there are limited quantities.

p.s. this may or may not be announcing an etsy shop, but it may or may not indicate that there are thoughts afar off heading in that direction and our life may or may not be at the right spot to start something like that but we may or may not have already chosen a name.......just saying.

Until then.........................................

*please, don't forget to put your return address on your postcard

or I'll have a really hard time finding you!

::first thing in the morning::

2010-08-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

SO, let's get down to business.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the really.quick.giveaway. And for your scary height stories which gave me the heebie-jeebies!

And........the lucky winner....who will be receiving a pack of postcards.......is........

M = Mary Ann!!!

(cards represent commenters names, either first or last. they were shuffled and this was the one to end up on top. no significance intended to the corresponding animal!) :)

Congratulations, Mary Ann!!!!!

Please email me your address so I can get those right out to you!!! ENJOY!

erin[at]thefinerneiners[dot]com

Busy morning at the garden::::::::but check back later for the special, exciting launch of "the project" ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

every little thing

2010-08-17T17:02:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, I had jury duty.

The usual dreaded by everyone-sit in a stuffy room-watch the news for 3 hours-doing your American duty-duty. But yesterday was different. See, I was called for jury duty last September, but I was a very pregnant near 9 months and needed an ultra sound that morning, so I showed up with my little form and was dismissed. So, here came full circle my make up date, which at the time seemed like an eternity away. Now this time, I was rather excited about this service I was asked to do. There was a new sense of pride in explaining to the boys what exactly I would be doing and all they could ask was, "Is that where the real judge is? And are there bad guys there?" And so the story goes, show up at 8am, thank you honey for watching the kiddos, my bag full of articles and planner organizing things to do. And, what do you know, I sit in the near empty room next to the talker. In a very good way. He seemed to be in his 60's, and somehow we got to talk about gardening. He said very humbly that he does some gardening. Well, with some more conversation I found out that he DOES SOME SERIOUS GARDENING. And, that we were practically neighbors and I knew right where his house was! He talked about how he was in the kitchen all day making 30-some quarts of salsa because he has some 300+ tomato plants throughout his yard. Well, our wonderful green thumb chat was cut short by being directed up stairs, where we walked in two straight lines like we were out of Madeline. Into the court room we went...all the while wondering what was going to happen. I was getting more and more excited just to be able to tell the boys I saw the judge. After some more information and questions, they call the jury. ERIN NEINER, #5, please step forward. That's me!!! So up I go...third one to be seated. They call 4 more and then the lawyers are conversing with the judge. The clerk turns and says, Erin Neiner, #5, you may step down. The officer kindly cautions me to watch my step and tells me that I am free to go. (But do I have to) is what I wanted to ask. But I dare not speak out of order. I tell you, there is a sense of the strictest order in the presence of a judge. So out I go, flashing a "good luck" smile to my new friend who was waiting to find out if he were next. Later that evening, we are on our way home and I am telling the story to John. Then I say, Hey, I know right where his house is. Wanna drive by and see if he is out? So we do. And as we are pulling out of the driveway because there is no sign of him, open goes his front door with the smiling friend coming out and waving. A new connection. A new friend. He invites us out for a tour of his yard which results in mouthfuls and armfuls and hatfuls of at least 9 varieties of tomatoes that he has started and grown from seed, the largest blackberries I have ever seen and lots of gardening wisdom. Oh, and a sweet peek and his '06 shiny blue corvette in his garage! So, all that to say, is watch out. You just never know when you'll make a new friend!

p.s. Please DON'T FORGET to comment on the previous post for today is the last day of the POSTCARD GIVEAWAY!!!!!

up & away + another giveaway

2010-08-15T23:03:00.002-04:00

I have been waiting and waiting for this.

I have been wanting and wanting to do this.

And finally, I have all my ducks in a row.

Well, it is really for YOU.

First off, I have a GIVEAWAY to hold. My 1st giveaway was so much fun and I am even more excited about this one!

When we visited my family back in June, we had such a wonderful time. We did fantastic things and made super special memories, this being one of them. The ferris wheel on Navy Pier. Now, some of us in this family are not afraid of heights. But others, well, let's face it, are not fans of the matter. So when we walked along the great Navy Pier in Chicago and the huge ferris wheel encompassed the skyline, my oldest son (6yrs.) swooned with amazement and the first thing out of his mouth was "I wanna go on that!" So, naturally, we bought the 2 tickets, headed toward the line, and I smiled sheepishly at my husband as I handed him the tickets and let him go on in line with Drew. Naturally. Because, after all, I needed to watch the baby. And Jack. And keep my sister and mom company. And, after all, John is the rock climber. You know, those huge sky scraping rocks. I like to keep my feet planted.

So, thus, came the birth of a great photo op. I watched them soar into the air and lost track of them about half way up the 150 foot wheel. And, later there was a chosen picture + my husband's knack at photoshop and illustrator + my constant idea-ing which resulted in this postcard:

[ F R O N T ]:

[ B A C K ]:

And, that brings us round to the giveaway. This time, I want to hear your scary or non-scary (but probably scary to me) height story, whether or not you mind heights, what the highest thing you've been on this summer, etc. Just leave it in the comment section and you enter to win

5 of these postcards

(+ 5 postcard stamps).

It doesn't have to be eloquent or completely award winning. But I bet my boys will get a kick out of them.

[a l l. p a c k e d. &. r e a d y. t o. g o]

*winner announced WED. AUG 18th. (my sister's birthday!)

Just a couple of short days!!!

*WAIT*......*WAIT*.....*WAIT*.....there's more. Don't go yet!

Be sure to check back on wednesday. Not only will I be announcing the winner, but I will also be launching a VERY EXCITING PROJECT!!! You won't want to miss it!

[signing off. I have jury duty tomorrow and plan to get lots done in the waiting room]

9 things I want to remember on our 9th anni.....

2010-08-05T14:28:00.004-04:00

We did have a delightful time together, as always.

SO, in the spirit of *9* and in reminiscing, I am decided to list 9 special little tid-bits I want to remember about our 9th anniversary:

1. John came home from work early.

2. I ran out w. the boys to the grocery store so he could take a quick ZZZZZ. (thus is the reality of life)

3. I was totally not ready when the *sitter-Gparents* came over...

4. even though they brought happy meals for the boys.

5. we decided to eat at Mad Jack's, a new southern BBQ in town. it was yummy.

6.after we ate, we went across the street to the artist storefront where the current displayed artist is the guy who drew characters such as spongebob, teenage mutant ninja turtles, and calvin and hobbes.

7. then we walked to the local bookstore. I bought this children's book. signed copy.

8. proceded down the street and stopped in Newberry's where I got raspberry sorbet and John got 2 mini eclairs.

9. ran into Barnes & Noble looking for this book, but to no avail. returned home to Grandparents needing to rush out the door because they just got a phone call from their other son across town, saying his very pregnant wife needs to go to the hospital. please come over. but all that, to no avail. no Livie, yet.

9 years being a Neiner...

2010-08-04T10:11:00.004-04:00

Happy 9th Anniversary to US!!!!!

Here's how we have celebrated our anniversaries of past:

The BIG DAY, (2001): we spent our honeymoon in the Grand Cayman Islands. It was glorious.

Year 1, (2002): at our friends Dean & Katelyn Setzler's wedding. spent the weekend in Boston.

Year 2, (2003): went up to Shelbourne Falls for a short getaway. Ate at a rustic restaurant and walked the town.

Year 3, (2004): packed a gourmet picnic to eat on the highest point in MA, Mt. Greylock.

Year 4, (2005): now that we had a baby in the mix, our anniversary came upon us and were caught by surprise. So we improvised and had a gift exchange by splitting up at the mall, each with the same amount of money, and secretly bought each other a gift. Then we went to Starbucks for coffee and the exchange. This one was so very fun.

Year 5, (2006): we were at Doug & Crystal's wedding, whom we share our anniversary with.

Year 6, (2007): we went to a steakhouse for dinner, which after 3 bites had to pack up our meal to get to a mezzo soprano performance at the Colonial which we were almost late to.

Year 7, (2008): I actually can't remember exactly what we did this year...but I think my parents were visiting and we all went to Maine: Bangor, Bar Harbor, Old Orchard Beach.

Year 8, (2009): Old Orchard Beach, Maine. I was VERY pregnant with Caiden, but we were complete beach bums. It was perfect.

Year 9, (2010): Looks like tonight the elder Neiner's are bringing happy meals for the boys so John & I can go wander down North Street and find a bite to eat. Nothing too fancy. Just time alone, hand in hand, with my very own *him.* ~check out this fun project of unusual signs posted down North street.

Innovation

2010-07-25T14:38:00.003-04:00

The mind of my oldest is quite............mechanical. Unlike me.

So it is always fun to see him put his creative juices into play time and come out with a new idea. I love to watch kids play when their imaginations are unleashed...the possibilities are endless.

I've learned, through my children, that many times solutions come from great curiosity, not being afraid to ask questions, trying again & again, and looking at things from a different angle.

[Drew: Lego Spy Car]

p.s. I am quite convinced that all boys come with built-in sound effects!

p.p.s. Has your household been bit by the silly bands revolution yet? I held off as long as possible, but it was inevitable. I am collecting yellow ones, if you wanted to send some my way! ;)

12 - 2 =

2010-07-19T16:26:00.015-04:00

T.E.N.

(months)

Which means, yes, indeed, we are just 2 short months away from somebody's first birthday!

Unbelievable!

This kid, a.k.a. Mr. Curiosities, doesn't quite seem to be a baby anymore. He is so. so. so. strong, busy, determined, cute, loved, focused and has a huge love of life right now. He has managed to maintain his dimply smile & deep brown eyes, obtain 5 teeth & blonde hair all the while seeing that every square inch of him is ticklish!

While he is getting over the cereal puffs, he is a lover of cheerios. He eats plenty of yobaby yogurt, and prefers his avocado with banana now. He points to something, and in his little baby voice yells, "Da---" (translation: that). Loves peek-a-boo. Laughs at you when you do a body shiver while saying the word. Loves the book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." Loves-loves-loves the water (except when mommy accidentally & unexpectedly dunks him under the water). He wants everything the big boys have and has managed to succumb many shared popsicles! He's fast, too. Crawls, pulls himself up, grabs, swipes, knocks over, into the mouth, bangs, pats, bites...whatever it takes! He totally held his own being "down" in nursery the other night and was into everything! However, he is still unsure of the grass. So he stays pretty well on a blanket in the middle of the yard. But always manages to get a handful of the green stuff into his mouth.

The other day while in the kitchen I watched him crawl over to his cereal puffs container. He picked it up and tried to pull the lid off. Didn't work. So he popped it off with his teeth, shoved his arm down the tubular container and out came a huge handful of the fruity stars. He was so proud of himself--and was like a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar!

I think back to when people would say, "Oh! You didn't get your girl..." and can't help but inwardly laugh, because the third boy has just rounded out our little family perfectly. And he seems to be a perfect balance between his two older brothers.

Time will surely tell.

hot with an H

2010-07-06T15:34:00.008-04:00

I am sitting here in my bedroom. About 5 ft. away from the AC unit, the only AC unit in our house. And it is a squelchering...well, the van read 100*, and I believe it! We New Englanders are not in anyway used to this kind of heat and wherever you go around town, you're sure to hear about it!

We really had a wonderful 4th/5th celebration. However, I have not a single snapshot to show for it. But the memories are well linked to in my minds eye, so that shall have to suffice for this year. Drew was a bit sick over the weekend, so he and I and Caiden hung out at the Grandparents watching the parade in the comfort of their living room while John, his dad and Jack pushed through the crowds, stood in the sun and slurped down snow cones & hot dogs during the hour and a half they stayed. Then everyone showed up, hot & sweaty, for a fabulous cold picnic lunch out back under the towering pine & oak trees. Cold, bacon wrapped BBQ meatloaf, corn chowder potato salad, raspberry-salsa layered dip, rolls, watermelon, sweet tea, brownies & blueberry cream pie. Yum! The stuff American 4th of July's are made of (thanks, mom)! Crystal is one month away from having her 3rd (a girl!), the cousins played their little games together in the yard, Drew and Jack put on a new magic trick with the assistance of John, John, Doug & I played pick-up volleyball and the boys found a treasure trove of Uncle Doug's old Lego collection in the basement. (whoa. we had to p-u-l-l them away from those!). Caiden giggled with delight while I swung him on dad's new hammock chair. He also practiced his new trick of waving to all passerbyers. We enjoyed the hot yet breezy peak-of-the-summer kind of day. It was a slow kind of day that seemed to keep going. The kind that seems to give you back time. I love those days.

Then on our way home, as we were all overheating by the moment, we made a quick dash into the house for a whirl-a-twirl change and darted across town for the lake. The overcrowded, worse-day-of-the-year, lake. But, oh, how fabulous the sandy beach, rocky bottom, cool water felt to all of us. Lots of sand castle building, throwing in the air (children, not sand), going under water, get those baby legs kicking went on there. After 2 hours and being water logged and sun soaked, we headed home in our wet clothes with not a care in the world. For we just enjoyed about the most perfect day of S.U.M.M.E.R. together.

Together.

Nothing beats it.

The end.

DRUMROLL, please.......

2010-07-01T08:16:00.009-04:00

I am pleased to announce that the names have been written & gathered:::

My early bird readily helped pick the names:::

And for some strange reason (probably because we watched the new Alice in Wonderland the other night, and I'm feeling a bit quirky) I decided beforehand that the winner would be the LAST name picked:::

(sorry, Debbie)

AND, SOOOOOOO, THE WINNER IS:::

CONGRATULATIONS, BETH!!!!!

Beth was on my hall in college and I remember her room being filled with handcrafted items like a twig photo frame & a funky curtain. I was always enthralled every time I entered her room! :) You can follow her life happenings w. her adorable 4 kids & great husband (who had a huge scare in the beginning of this year) here & her creative ventures here.

AND, since I am from a family of FAIRNESS to the max, I am going to give the runner-up, actually being the FIRST name drawn, a sample package, that being ONE CARD/ENV. of each color:::which goes to my friend (and recent addict of the cricut),

DEBBIE GRIFFIN!!!!

***and this all would have been announced earlier, but things like making rhubarb sauce, little boys taking way-to-long to finish their morning chores & a tired momma made it ONE of those mornings. (smile, smile* sigh, sigh*).

THANK YOU for joining in on this first giveaway.

There will DEFINITELY be more of these coming your way!!!!

(*winners: please email me---how's about FB message me---your addresses so I can get those lil' packages your way!)

My 1st Giveaway...

2010-06-18T13:58:00.018-04:00

You know all these great giveaway's around blog-world? With each submission, you hold your breath, imagining the wonderful prize hanging on your wall or sitting on your black bench or around your neck. The perfect addition to your home. to your wardrobe. to your creative archive. And you wait. and wait until the announcement. You click knowing the winner will be posted...with great anticipation that maybe, just maybe you will open that blog up and actually see YOUR NAME spelled out??? And for that fleeting moment you hold the hope and imagination of being the great-grand-prize-winner? WELL...we have been "holding our breath" for some time now concerning a wonderful challenge John was invited to be a part of.

Back in May, John was invited to participate in Crane & Co.'s Creative Challenge. This was an awesome opportunity for some of the local "creatives" to submit their design work and ideas to Crane while also getting a grand tour at Crane & Co. and get an inside perspective of what goes on behind those incredibly produced cards and invites, etc. Well, Crane & Co. is literally down the road from our house, but I would have never guessed the incredibleness (is that a word?) of all that was going on behind those closed walls. First of all, this factory has been in working order since 1844. The company dates back to 1801 and had been "green" since day 1 as they use cotton for their papers. They also have been the providers for our country's paper money from the beginning.

All that said, John came home from his tour (which was back in May:::SEE HERE) ranting & raving about this company. So, the next step was for him to submit more design work which was exciting after getting a first hand taste of their style and atmosphere. It was fun & challenging to see what he was working on, talking through each one...tweek this, add that, love that color, don't change a thing about that one! And then......we had to let it rest. It was done. There were many creatives also competing in this challenge, many of whom have been doing this type of thing for a long, long time.

And then, the day came. The email entered into John's inbox and was going to proclaim the winner of the challenge. It would either be a "thank you for your ideas....but..." type of response, or a desired "YOU ARE THE WINNER." Now, back to my blog-post giveaway writings. I neglected to mention that I have been quite avid in submitting my name to recent giveaways...only to be most disappointed...along with all the others...other than that one lucky chosen #. And that is truly ok. The chances are always against you in something like that, right!? And I tend to believe that the person that *really* needed it most.....got it. But this would be such a boost and help at this point in our lives. And so, like I said, the email came....and what do you know? It was plain and simple, yet so very clear:

Dear John,
Congratulations! You have been selected as the winner of the Berkshire Creative Challenge with Crane & Co.!
As the winner you will have the opportunity to develop a line of stationery products on a work-for-hire basis by Crane & Co.

...etc. etc. etc.

And here is what the site said:

On May 7, 2010, the thirteen selected participants toured Crane’s facilities in both Dalton and North Adams, and the Crane Museum to learn more about the company’s unique creative needs and production capabilities. (Click here to see pictures!)
“Crane & Co. really pulled out all the stops for the challenge participants”, said Helena Fruscio director of Berkshire Creative. “The participants saw every aspect of the product and production and got the real insiders tour of why Crane & Co. are leaders in their field. It was a great opportunity for all involved.”
Twelve of the 13 participants later submitted designs for review, and John Neiner of Pixel Graphic Design Studio of Pittsfield, was selected as the Creative Challenge winner.
“John stood out to everyone on the review committee. His work was impressive, organized, and imaginative,” said Megan Kuntze, Crane & Co.’s Brand Director, “We are looking forward to working with John on future creative assignments.”
As the winner, Neiner now has the opportunity to produce a stationery collection for Crane & Co.
SO, there you have it! Along with some of the greatest GREATS out there, John's work may indeed be it's new neighbor. And for fun, here are some of my favorites on Crane & Co.'s current site:

martha stewart peony

martha stewart water color birds

kate spade, posters of NY

collage frog

vintage bookplates

This was such a timely blessing and super exciting opportunity as there are also many changes going on over at Pixel Graphics Design Studio as Doug has been offered a new web position (though still holding ownership of the business) and John will be taking charge of the print productivity aspect.

And, since I ranted and raved about giveaways and I'd like to reward you for making it through my lengthy post, I am going to hold my VERY 1st GIVEAWAY!!!!

AND, to make it oh, so simple, all you have to do is comment. However, your name will only be submitted one time even if you want to comment a hundred times. Just saying. SO, staying in the theme of this post, the giveaway will be this set of what else other than a boxed set of CRANE stationary notecards.

[Product Information]

20 notes, 20 envelopes, 5 each.

Colors included are: Flame Red, Limon, Cambridge Blue, Espresso.

Valued at $24.00.

The winner will be drawn & announced this Thursday, July 1st, some time in the morning.

Good Luck!!!!

weddings...

2010-06-16T00:12:00.013-04:00

It has been some time since we have been to a wedding.

But for some reason, this weekend will be the 2nd one we'll be attending in one months time.

There's always something so endearing about a wedding. And the beauty that surrounds them is too good to keep to myself::::::::::::::::::::

{church details}

{the new Mr. & Mrs.}

*Mike & Clare

*John's fellow-employee at Pixel.

{beautiful flowering shrub}

{double date w. my brother/sister.in.law}

{gorgeous chand.'s that my husband delivered back in the day when he worked at the lighting store}

{the table numbers ::designed by my hubby:: each displayed a different story of a significant place to Mike & Clare, along with the story of specialness to them}

{awaiting our fabulous meal:: the steak was p.e.r.f.e.c.t.}

{towering centerpieces}

{delicate beauties}

{gifts. gifts. gifts.}

{one of the longest-together couples there}

{real + fake}

***CONGRATS, Mike & Clare!

Many happy & blessed days for you.

snip, snip...

2010-06-12T22:03:00.001-04:00

fresh for the summer.

a hip-30's cut.

mommy-of-3 doe-ability.

love it.

*thanks to my super-duper stylin' sister for the chop-chop.

newsies

2010-06-12T13:42:00.003-04:00

::just back from our chicago trip. so much to record. the memories are still flooding over. feels like I just finished the last page of a very favorite book. the kind you hope never ends.

::enjoy the new look? it may be completely different next time you stop by. going through some decision making. which, for me, is never a one time thing. :)

::it's good to be home.

five & twenty

2010-05-25T15:28:00.021-04:00

Okay, already. I get the hint(s).

I will no longer subside my lame excuses for yet another delinquent post.

I do have reasons, good ones at that.

But there really is no valid excuse.

Just the own I like to conjure up in my head, like everyone was sick, so sick, for a week straight.

And we are packing and cleaning and purchasing and planning for a very special trip happening in just a couple of days. Or it is oh, so gorgeous out and we'd rather be outside playing with the frog we found and filling up the little pool to splash in the cold water. Yes. All those, that make me feel better about the 75 posts in iPhoto that would love to make their debut onto blogger.

But then life happens, and there they stay. And posts like this give me the catch up reason to overload you all. Just saying.

OK. I was tagged, by one of my favorite B-loggers for the *random 25*:::::and boy, am I random. Here ya go, in my very own personal style.

oNe.

Even though I am a mid-westerner at heart, I now without thought, call that fizzy, sweet stuff SODA. And we don't go to garage sales....we go to Tag Sales!

tWo.

John and I love fine cheeses and enjoy trying out new ones all the time.

tHree.

Anytime my husband wants to use the expression for something that is "alot" he uses the number 75. (75-hundred, 75-million, etc.)

fOur.

I love. love. love. journals (maybe even more than the actual journaling). Right now I am currently filling in at least 8 on-going journals. (mind you, some are yearly, some are daily, some are seasonal, some are 'whenever.')

fIve.

I love hunting for a good find. 2nd hand, tag sales, flea markets...you name it. Which brings me to...

sIx

I love. really love. vintage. Metal wire baskets, hand-made pottery, printed oilcloth, skeleton keys, apothecary jars, grosgrain ribbon, milk glass, etc.

sEven

I married a fantastic artist. Yet, we have very little of his art on display (shameful, and on the to-do list. we talk about it all the time, and then never get to it. But oh, the love letters I have in my possession..........)

eIght

The boys and I are in a "garden club" this summer, where a small group is joining together to plant and care for a 20x24 foot ready-rich soil of a widow friend. I have learned to use a roto-tiller and have enjoyed some of her plenteous rhubarb.

nIne

When first married I always signed my last name "9er." My blog is named Finer Neiners. And we want to have 9 children. (*ha. just kidding about that last one. but more power to you if you do!)

tEn

I love dark chocolate and my very favorites are Lindt's 70% bar, Ghiradelli 60% chocolate chips, Ritter's chocolate covered biscuit and Nutella.

eLeven

My favorite flowers are hydrangeas & peony's. But there are so many I really do love. And I started teaching the boys the names of the flowers by putting it to a little jingle. (*they know forsynthia, roses, tulips, daffodils and we just learned iris today)

tWelve

For the past two months I have been working out 2 mornings a week w. some friends at the local YMCA doing the Boot Camp workout. Oh boy. That's been fun! Just this morning we did a total of 150 push-ups! (yikes)

tHirteen

Drew just opened a peppermint stick and said, "These make me feel good, because they remind me of Christmas." I love the way he communicates things.

fOurteen

One of my very favorite finds is our black bench (see pics below). It is rustic, scratched around the edges and originated on a farm house. The arm rests are chewed up from a dog. And I just love it. John surprised me with it after it was spotted but still being considered and paid for it with our year's worth of pocket change! (save those pennies).

fIfteen

I live in the same area as James Taylor (*met he & his wife a few years back while I was working), Eric Carle (*who I am quite sure I saw the other week---but didn't stop to ask him), and others past such as Emily Dickinson, Norman Rockwell, Herman Melville.....and quite sure many I am forgetting.

sIxteen

I just started a new book on organizing. It is called Sink Reflections. I have only read the first 2 chapters, but it has already revolutionized my kitchen sink flow. And given me more "counter space."

sEventeen

I have lost my keys. Cannot find them. It has been 2 weeks now.

eIghteen

My dream is to start a creative shop w. John. We have started an etsy shop, selected a name, but nothing in the shop yet. And not going to announce that "baby" until we're good and ready.

nIneteen

I started a sticker collection of the little stickers that come on fresh fruits and vegetables.

tWenty

My husband has started telling the boys *mystery man* stories. He completely makes them up and they are some of the best stories ever, little jingle included. Mystery man is the best super hero ever!

tWenty oNe

I have an ever-growing collection of re-usable shopping bags. Every color, every size. Any other part of this country on board with this "reuse" system or is it just us in new england?

tWenty tWo

I really want to do a 'lovely-gift' gift exchange, since I missed out on "Oh, Hello There" 's. Anyone want in on it?

tWenty tHree

I am very afraid of making pies, but I feel like Alexander the Great when it comes to making chocolate cakes.

tWenty fOur

I have been drinking green tea + honey in the morning and coffee (sweet & creamy) in the afternoon and evenings.

tWenty fIve

AND, last but not least, I-we-are learning so much this year. The Lord has allowed some challenging times which has brought an abundance of joy and has shown us His wonderful grace and endless provision in so many unexpected ways, for which we are glad.

AND some "75" pictures, for no apparent or maybe a little bit of a reason::::::::::::::

[and there you have it]

*sorry for the visual distaste of the photo layouts. they were placed so neatly in rows while creating this post and then....oops, blogger had another idea about it. also, please excuse my lack of linkage. if you have any questions about specifics, just ask. these are all my own pictures, however. in case you were wondering.

so long. for now.

{e.}

all about {mothers}

2010-05-08T20:02:00.008-04:00

::some excerpts on mothers of recent readings::

"With the sun streaming in the east window, Bertha looked at her new daughter, all wrapped up in a warm flannelette blanket, and decided that she had never seen such a beautiful baby. And Walter was just staring and staring at his child, stunned by an almost suffocating love.

'Look at her hair.'

It has dried out by now, and it was clear that it was going to be a color of red--orange, really--that was brighter than anything they'd ever seen on anyone's head....He touched the tiny head with his long fingers, and felt weak with the wonder of it all.

'Walter,' said Bertha, softly. 'What's her name? We couldn't decide, beforehand. But suddenly, I want her to have a name, right now.'

'We thought of four names,' he said, 'Jean and Janet and Dorothy...and Anne.' He smiled. 'I've looked at her and said the first three names. They don't fit. She's not Jean or Janet or Dorothy. But I knew right away that she was Anne. Not A-N-N. Anne with an e. She's our perfect, perfect Anne.'

-Before Green Gables, p. 25-26

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"One chief advantage of his (Hudson Taylor) childhood was that he was so continually under his mother's care....The mother was their companion from morning till night. She it was who worked with them, taught them, did everything for them, and was the sun and centre of their little system, radiating light and love without end.

This accounted largely for the influence she exerted over her little people. It was second nature to obey her, and she was always there to encourage or restrain. She was a woman of few words and unusual tact, with a quiet way of saying and doing things that were very effective. A mere suggestion from her lips went further than repeated injunctions from some people."

-Hudson Taylor in Early Years, p. 42

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When Louisa May Alcott was recording which facts were true to life from her book, Little Women, this is what was penned about her own, dear Marmee: "Mrs. March is all true, only not half good enough." This was later written about the famous author and her relationship with her sickly mother, "Mrs. Alcott grew rapidly worse, and her devoted daughter (Louisa) recognized the final parting was near. As Louisa watched by the bedside she wrote "My Girls" and finished "Under the Lilacs."

The journal tells the story of the last days of watching, and of the peaceful close of the mother's self-sacrificing yet blessed life. Louisa was very brave in the presence of death. She had no dark thoughts connected with it; and in her mother's case, after her long, hard life, she recognized how "growing age longed for its peaceful sleep."

The tie between this mother and daughter was exceptionally strong and tender. The mother saw all her own fine powers reproduced and developed in her daughter; and if she also recognized the passionate energy which had been the strength and the bane of her own life, it gave her only a more constant watchfulness to save her child from the struggles and regrets from which she had suffered herself.

Louisa's journal records such thoughts as, "...and I forgot myself in taking care of poor Marmee, who suffered much and longed to go." and "We thought she would not outlive her 77th birthday...but ...she got relief, and we had a sad little celebration, well knowing it would be the last. [They] came with fruit, flowers, smiling faces, and full hearts, we sat round the brave soul who faced death so calmly and was ready to go." Then, after her passing, she wrote, "My duty is done. Many kind letters from all who best knew and loved the noble woman. My only comfort is that I could make her last years comfortable, and lift off the burden she had carried so bravely all these years. She was so loyal, tender, and true; life was hard for her, and no one understood al she had to bear but we, her children." -circa 1876

-excerpts from Life, Letters and Journals by Louisa May Alcott

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HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

Hope you had a lovely day and remember how very special you are.

time

2010-03-25T10:44:00.006-04:00

Today, I get a day off.

I am going back in time and pretending like I only have one child because Drew & Jack went on a field trip with their grandparents to a sheep farm.

So, I am going to get some much-needed rest. Take a long, hot shower in the middle of the day. Do a bit of laundry and top-cleaning. Meet John for lunch. Browse at the library. Stop in at Salvation Army for a great find. Put my feet up and read with hot green tea. And just enjoy the quiet for today.

I did finally have a chance to read through, uninterrupted, while being able to link around, on this online *fantastic* downloadable magazine. If you have a spare (few) moments, take a peak. It's so much fun!!! LMNOP magazine. (*note: issue 8 was great. NYC, spring-time faves, children's interviews, etc...)

Although I often *wish* for these long, quiet days, I sure am not so motivated in them! And I know after today, I will miss the running in circles, endless questions, showing me the newest magic trick, guessing which super-hero-he-is-today kind of happenings that I am so accustomed to. Yes. There is really no going back. Once they're here, you're heart (no matter how bad of a day it has been) is never the same.

Well, I better get moving. I have a feeling I could absolutely waste this day away. And although I intend to absorb it slowly, I do want to have something to show forth!

Even if you don't get a whole day off today, take 5 mins to do something creative, refreshing or restful. Step outside by yourself and breathe in the sunshine. Leave a love note for someone. Lie down and close your eyes and dream of being far, far away. Doodle. Email someone an encouraging note. Reflect on a very favorite trip you went on. Tell a happy story about your childhood.

Very often I think I need hours and days and weeks to get everything done, but I'm re-learning to recapture those intermingled 5 mins throughout the day and make them count.

Happy day to you.

a new year.

2010-03-22T02:58:00.005-04:00

the partying is over.

the left-overs have been consumed.

memories have been made.

tomorrow is back to normal.

now, where to put all these new toys...

stands for:

2010-03-19T23:27:00.006-04:00

:number of years we have celebrated Drew's birth.

:number of years we have called ourselves parents.

:number of years (and many more to come) we have used car seats, high chairs, bibs, swings, bouncy seats, strollers, slings, baby tubs, diapers, wipes, cream, bubble bath, bulb syringe, rectal thermometer, little potty, tummy medicine, teethers, rattles, swaddlers, diaper bags, onesies, footed pj's, board books, flap books, squishy toys, furry toys, toys that make noise and light up, blocks, wooden animals, wooden rings, wooden food, schleich, playmobil, eric carle, winnie the pooh, beatrix potter, mother goose...and so much more I am sure.

But this year *6* feels like it is really moving into it's own direction. Leaving the "baby" things behind and progressing so quickly my head is spinning. We are in a whole new stage, which means times awaiting will no doubt be exciting, scary, fearful, wonderful, adventurous, frustrating, trying, joyful, tearful and full of learning. It's going to look like school, reading, math, world view, God's point of view, recorded history, loving & reaching out to others, showing forth the Gospel through our life, pulling your weight, giving up for others, leadership, travel, experience, try, fail, try again, bond, connect, communicate, feel, figuring out, dealing, waiting. All the while learning that balance of freely being a child while taking on the necessary responsibilities. Even though most days I get into my groove and easily loose sight of the sensitive nature of being a parent, these are the [pause] moments of life that bring back the reality of what's real, what's happening right here and right now, and remembering that every single word, action & decision on my part has a direct reaction & influence on our children. Sobering is what it is. Why do I so easily forget?

OK. And on the lighter side, I'd like to remember 6 things I didn't have as a first-time mother just 6 years ago---and not sure how I'd do without them now:

1. A Bumbo Chair.

2. Robeez crib shoes.

3. Method products.

4. A Sling.

5. Sophie, the giraffe.

6. A Blog.

(ok. and practically speaking, a dvd player in our van)

*what secret weapons have you added to your parenting arsenal over the (weeks, months, years)?

ps. due to the fact that I didn't have a blog at the time of drew's birth, I am pondering posting his birth story. just to warn you...

pps. one of the things I hope I ALWAYS remember about Drew on this birthday was that he split his first birthday check with his brother because he felt bad Jack wouldn't have any money to get a new toy. how sweet is that?

taste

2010-03-15T20:18:00.005-04:00

I have always had it as a goal to wait until my baby hits the 6 month mark before introducing the line of cereals, one at a time. I blame it on a radio blurb that I heard as a first time mother that was speaking about introducing babies to food before 6 months could increase the risk for food allergies. Of course, being the somewhat seasoned mother that I now am, I know both sides of the spectrum. I know mom's that have started the rice cereal with their 4 mo. old and never had a problem. I also know mom's that waited till the very last possible moment to deliver that first spoonful of ground rice goodness and their baby was a few months later diagnosed with this or that allergy (which does run in the siblings). So even though I have known both sides, I am a creature of habit. Like when my high school anatomy teacher (probably jokingly) said that if you eat all the right foods, you really don't need to take all those vitamins. And I am quite sure that that is the reason why I have resisted taking vitamins over the years(though so much better now with 3 pregnancies and 3 kids under my belt). Those little blurbs stick in my head.

Needless to say, Mr. Caiden has not started the slurpy rice cereal yet. He is actually so ready to "dig in." I can see it in his eyes when we're eating. It is on this week's to-do list for him. So don't worry, I am not starving my child. I am a tad concerned about food allergies since he's had continual patches of eczema for the past 4 months, so I am just being cautious. But even though this week marks having 6 years of motherhood experience in my favor, I am still amazed at how very different I have been at each child's stage in comparison to the others. And how I am continually changing as I learn and grow and how the industries and products are ever changing at our fingertips from one child to the next.

So, all this to say, that Caiden has actually already tasted the following: cream cheese frosting, pea pods, popsicles, ice cream, and I am sure there is something an older brother slipped in while mom wasn't looking. Isn't it so hard to resist that little curiosity sitting on your lap while everyone else is stuffing their face!?

Curious as to what you first introduced to your little one and when.

biscotti love

2010-03-08T13:04:00.001-05:00

love it when you find the perfect combo of tasty & healthy. and when you find second hand, hand-made pottery.

fresh

2010-03-07T23:14:00.001-05:00

SPRING IS IN THE AIR.

2010-03-01T16:25:00.007-05:00

Happy March.

And welcome to a month of polaroid favorites.

I only wish I really had a polaroid camera.

That, and an old typewriter.

But this will have do for now.

And probably will have to for ever.

TODAY, for nearly an hour we played with playdough that smells like limes. The green, organic kind that is off-limits to mixing with other colors. Drew did a stick-puppet show with his, talking non-stop for 4 1/2 minutes. Jack mixed, rolled, smushed his over and over again. Quietly with concentration and great intention. They are so different. It is so therapeutic when we are all moving in the same direction at the same time, even if it is in our own way.

Found out friends are coming in on wednesday. My heart flipped. Not sure if it was because I am so excited or because I at once realized how very much I have to do. It's the Gouge's. We haven't seen Dave in 8 years, when we were in the apartment our first year married. Now he is married and they have a little girl who just turned one.

My, how time has flown.

[five months]

2010-02-19T14:59:00.011-05:00

:::::::::::::::::::::a poem [of sorts]:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

[1.] bundled baby in the sak

[2.] cuddle time with brother jack

[3.] in my bumbo, being cute

[4.] holding hands with mom to suite

[5.] my very favorite sophie friend

[6.] this mask, my mommy I defend

[7.] sad, this sickness to defeat

[8.] my loafers have outgrown my feet

XO

2010-02-13T16:50:00.004-05:00

Lots of catching up to do on this blog of mine:

but thought I'd take a special post to sneak in some lovin'.....

And the real question is (which still stands undetermined in our house): which letter stands for the "kiss" and which letter stands for the "hug" in XO???

pause

2010-01-12T14:05:00.005-05:00

"Just when I figure out how to mother a kindergartner, it seems, I have a first-grader standing before me instead. I have just learned how to love and live with a nine-year-old when the nine-year-old vanishes leaving a preadolescent in his place. They don't stay still long enough for me to have my fill of them ever, at any stage. "Stop!" I want to shout. "Let's just do it this way for a while, let's stay right here." But the movement is inexorable--up and out, away, into the future."

-from Feminine Appeal.

(it's been a fun & fast 3 months!)

The Finer Neiners

"PAT QUINN"

Firsts

"...because Big Boots mean an Adventure."

::snow-globe effect::

from our family to yours

on angel's wings

the pace of s l o w

month twelve.

thankful.ness

thankful.ness

It's Beginning to Look A lot Like Christmas...

Mama Said, There'd Be Days Like This . . .

// irony //

{Happy November}

Again, I *FALL* in love with Etsy.

coming up for air...

GO PINK!

Cannot wait...

Irish Hospitality

Another Corner of the Blogworld.

C is for CAIDEN

loosey, goosey

welcome, september.

HURRY! Only 2 days left!

the POSTCARD EXCHANGE

::first thing in the morning::

every little thing

up & away + another giveaway

9 things I want to remember on our 9th anni.....

9 years being a Neiner...

Innovation

12 - 2 =

hot with an H

DRUMROLL, please.......

My 1st Giveaway...

weddings...

snip, snip...

newsies

five & twenty

all about {mothers}

time

a new year.

stands for:

taste

biscotti love

fresh

[five months]

XO

pause

Again, I FALL in love with Etsy.