Planting

We normally plant our garden over Memorial Day weekend, but Memorial Day falls so late this year that we thought that we would be behind if we waited that long.  So, last weekend, armed with plants and seeds, we set to work.  This year, the garden includes all of the usual suspects - yellow beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce, and green peppers - as well as a new addition - watermelon!  Elizabeth insisted that we plant watermelon and although we don't have any experience with it, we are giving it a try!  The girls really loved "helping" with the planting. 

Elizabeth gently pats down the soil around the pepper plants.

Emily carries a tomato plant to the garden.

"Here you go, Daddy."

Like me, Emily is a quite good at supervising.  :-)

Lee had to step in from time to time....

  

A pepper plant, courtesy of one Lee's many YMCA friends.

 

Emily finally started to get the hang of making holes.

Carefully planting some seeds.

Do It For Amy

Let me tell you a little something about FaceBook - it is a complete and utter time suck.  It keeps me up at night when I should be sleeping.  It causes me to spend more time on the computer and/or my iPhone than is necessary.  But it is also amazing, in that it allows me to connect with people with whom I've lost touch over the years.  It gives me a tiny glimpse into their lives and allows me to see the person that they have become.  In some instances, that opportunity is truly a gift.
Amy Capistran was one year behind me in high school - we had classes together, some of the same teachers, played sports together and ran in the same circle of friends.  After I graduated, we lost touch, but through the power of FaceBook, we reconnected about a year ago.  I learned some interesting things about Amy - after college, she served in Iraq as a member of the US Army; she's a Democrat; she works for the National Kidney Foundation; and one of her former co-workers at the NKF is the next door neighbor of my college roommate (small world!). 
But two weeks ago, I learned something truly remarkable.  Amy has decided to donate her left kidney to save the life of a little boy that she barely knows.  Why?  Because three years ago, her brother Chris (also a high school friend and fellow track team member) received a liver transplant, which saved his life (I also learned about Chris' story through our FaceBook connection).  Chris went to the emergency room complaining of abdominal pain and learned that not only did he have appendicitis, but also a rare liver cancer - his only chance of survival was a liver transplant, which he received a few months later.  Chris' experience, coupled with Amy's work at the NKF, led Amy to make the decision to be tested for potential organ donation.  She was matched with 2 1/2 year old Noah and in a few weeks, she will become a living donor.
I'm not quite sure why Amy's story has impacted me so much, but I think about her all the time now.  As a mother, I am incredibly grateful for her selfless act - saving the life of a child she wouldn't otherwise know.  As a person, I am in awe of her generosity - deep down inside, I don't know if I could donate an organ for a stranger.  And as her friend, I am proud of the person that she has grown to be - kind, generous, loving, completely and utterly amazing.  Please consider donating - even $5 - to Amy's NKF Team.

The Twins' Baptism

On Sunday, we attended the baptism of Margot and Tristan.  This was a special day for us because Nicole and Dave asked us to be Tristan's god parents!  It was a chaotic baptism, as there were as many children under the age of ten as there were adults (maybe more), but it was beautiful.   We are honored to be Tristan's god parents and we had a wonderful time.

A family picture before we left

Dave and Tristan

Margot

Dave, Tristan, Margot, Nicole and Anders

Tristan

Dave and Tristan

Margot

Nicole and Tristan

Just some of the kids playing.

Under the Big Top

We spent Mother's Day the Greatest Show on Earth - Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey's Funundrum, to be exact.  It was the girls' first trip to the circus - and possibly mine as well, as I don't ever remember going when I was little - and they really loved it.  Once we settled in with some pretzels and some popcorn, there was plenty of action to keep their interest for the entire show.  Lee and I were also impressed with the vast majority of the performances.  All in all, it was a great way to spend the afternoon! More photos here.

A nice family shot.

This guy actually stopped and posed for this picture, while the show was beginning.

The elephants were majestic!

The aerialists were magnificent!

The Ring Master (center) was unbelievably talented!

Contortionists

These guys from the Ukraine put on an impressive performance.

Elizabeth and Sucker Daddy.  She's smiling because he just bought her some outrageously priced circus keepsake.

Dancing elephants.

The Prom

Taylor, the girls' babysitter, went to her junior prom this weekend.  The girls were so excited to see her all dressed up and she looked fabulous - so fabulous, in fact, that she was runner up as Prom Queen. :-)  Taylor is so great that she suffered through all of us taking pictures of her and even posed for a few with the girls.  Later on, when Lee and I were relaxing by the fire, we realized that Taylor wasn't even born when I went to the junior prom.  Sigh.

  

Mother's Day

Last week, you saw what Emily made for me for Mother's Day, although she's already taken back the plant she gave me, claiming that it's hers. Anyway....On Mother's Day, I received a great present from Lee and a bunch of presents that Elizabeth made for me at school.

The card that Elizabeth made for me.

Notice that both girls like my cookies.  A big thanks to my mom for teaching me to bake!

  

And my present from Lee - popcorn is my absolute favorite snack and I'm very concerned that our popper, which is heading into its tenth year, is on it's last legs.  This one came highly recommended by Jen and Sheila!

A Beautiful Baby Shower

Last weekend, we celebrated the impending birth of my friend Melissa's little girl with a baby shower in Niantic.  Melissa got a ton of beautiful presents - as I know from experience, people love to buy clothes for little girls and she received some incredibly adorable outfits.  Her amazingly talented mother made her some gorgeous quilts.  Melissa looks wonderful and I simply cannot wait for the new addition to her family to arrive!  More pictures here.

The arrival (notice the station wagon, ahem, performance vehicle, in the background). 

A moses basket passed on from one of Mark's cousins, filled with wonderful goodies.

Just some of the cute outfits for the baby.

This is such a cool wine glass, for that first post-birth alcoholic beverage.

   

Elizabeth and Marcella

A Yankees onesie - thankfully, the Red Sox gear outnumbered the Yankees gear!

One of the beautiful quilts made by her mother.

Ten years ago next week, Melissa and I graduated from law school together.  My how times have changed!!

Salmon River Run

Last weekend, I participated in the Salmon River Run, a 5.5 mile race that starts and ends at the beautiful Comstock Covered Bridge.  It was an great day for running (cool) and even though it rained almost the entire race, it was refreshing and didn't seem to interfere with the run at all.  The course was a dream - uphill for the first two miles, level for the next two miles, flat or downhill for the last mile and a half.  It was almost all dirt road or trail, which I thought would be a challenge but was actually wonderful on the legs and knees.  I far exceeded my own expectation for a finish time - I finished with a time of 47:52 and had only hoped to finish in 50 minutes or less - I was the 22nd woman to finish, 5th in my age group (which included the winner).  This was my longest race ever and being able to complete it in a respectable time has gone a long way to moving me toward my ultimate goal for 2010.  Thanks, as always, to my biggest fans for coming out to cheer me on!!

The girls at the edge of the Salmon River.

Me and my girls before the start.

Waiting to start.

This fife band played the National Anthem and then started the race with the firing of muskets.

That's me at the finish - the blur behind the umbrella - I can't really complain about the photos, considering that Lee is a very unwilling photographer to begin with - at least he tries!

Devin is Two!

On May 2nd, we celebrated Devin's second birthday at a great party thrown by Cathy & Brian at Peckam Park.  They had a bounce house, which Emily just loved, and the kids had the use of the playground, which is always a huge hit.  Devin, who seems extraordinarily even tempered, just sat back and took in the festivities.  He broke out a cute grin when his sister snuggled up with him while everyone sang "Happy Birthday."  Happy 2nd Birthday Devin!!  Thanks for sharing your special day with us!!  More pictures here.

The birthday boy.

Taking it all in.

Emily in the bounce house.

Elizabeth in the bounce house!

Mmmm....lunch.

What are those guys doing over there?

Kyla

Cake time! 

   

Kyla and Devin

Gratuitous shot of my girls.