New Strategy

It is simply taking too long to keep up with "blogging" each photo. So I am uploading to a web album. I've inserted a link below. Let me know if you have trouble with it.

365 Photos 2009

Keeping Up

21/365: O.K. it is harder to keep up with this picture a day thing than I anticipated. It is also challenging to keep up with the posting. I keep this dry-erase calendar in the kitchen to keep track of the week's activities. Sky has decided it is more fun to illustrate them than to have them written down. Monday and Tuesday are snowflakes. Wednesday is her riding to gymnastics in Megan's car. Thursday is Sky "Happy" because Nana is picking her up. Friday -- I have no idea...




22/365: Parker's iMac decided to quit working this weekend. After several hours on phone support, I decided to trek to Raleigh to the Apple Store for repairs. It was a simple solution - a bad Ram chip which was quickly replaced. Oddly, the woman sitting next to me at the "Genius Bar" was also from Wilmington. They really do need a service provider in our area.











23/365: You really can't see it in the picture, but we had to have a large pine tree taken down in the back. Typically we don't do much maintenance in the "forest", but this tree was definitely rotten and looked like it would fall on my office. In case you've never seen someone take down a 60 foot pine, the tree climber climbs it with his chain saw and begins to lop it down from the top. In this picture he is just above the word "tree climber".











24/365: Zen and "Turtwig" (one of Sky's Pokemon) snuggle at Bald Head.

Martin Luther King Weekend

17/365: Saturday Morning was COLD - the pond had significant ice. Sky tried to skate in the sandbox with her barefeet. I reminded her that since it was only 28 degrees she should consider wearing a coat and shoes. (1/17/09)




















18/365: Clif is reading "Little House in the Big Woods" to Sky. I distinctly rememember my mom reading this to me when I was 7. I can recall several of the stories - but that may be because I re-read it so many times. I think both Sky and Clif are enjoying their first journey through this classic. (1/18/09)

















19 /365: Parker, Sky and I went to the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher for Martin Luther King Day. We didn't realize it was also "free" day at the aquarium. Luckily the crowds were not too bad. Sky is looking at the octopus. I had a better picture of the octopus, but liked how this picture captured both of them. (1/19/09)













20/365: INAUGURATION/SNOW Day: Nautica enjoys a rare moment in the snow. Zen was actually somewhat disturbed by the stuff falling from above. The kids were ecstatic, but didn't like it once their hands were soaked etc... We only got a dusting, but it was really pretty coming down. There hasn't been significant (and by significant I mean a dusting) in about 5 years here in Wilmington. Can you believe they cancelled school for this? For a while I was thinking we'd wind up with just rain. Since I'd considered taking Parker out of school to watch the Inauguration anyway, but it worked out well since the kids got to play in the "snow" and watch the Inauguration too! I had to include the picture of the weather from my iPhone as the snow on the forecast is such a rare sight! (1/20/09)

A few more pics

16/365: It is cold today (currently 30 degrees at 5 p.m.), so we tried Zen on the treadmill for his daily walk. He wasn't too sure about it at first, but did o.k.. Nautica did NOT like it. Overall I think we'll stick to walking outside for the dogs.
















15/365: Are Wii Fit?
Sky and Parker running with Wii Fit! Running in place with the Wii Fit is pretty entertaining, you pass other characters, a dog runs with you and the scenery is good. Sky did this for about 10 minutes.

















14/365: NAUTICA!!
Some days finding the "perfect" picture is harder than others. This is a common Nautica pose, she & Zen think the couch is for them and that they sometimes let humans use it. Interestingly I've never seen them get on the t.v. room couch (which is not quite as comfortable). Fortunately leather seems to hold up well.

I want a mouse!

12 of 365: We were at Petco getting bird supplies and Sky decided that when our cats die we should get a mouse. A good reason to take care of the cats!


13/365: I've been on a homemade bread kick. This is one of my better looking bread machine loafs and whole wheat too!

Play Date

11 of 365: Sky had a "playdate" with a friend from school. An enormous amount of time was spent changing into various dress-up clothes. They also did "art" and spent time on the air bounce.

Catching Up

6 of 365: Galloway joined us for some Pizza

7 of 365: Parker is ready for a shower after hockey. He is on a new team and they work them hard!

8 of 365: Parker and Sky check out Club Penguin before school. Note - Sky doesn't have socks on yet.

9 of 365: Clif and I went flying today. The air was clear, but most of my pictures wound up overexposed. However I played around with this image of Old Baldy.

The Next 3!

3/365: Parker prepared dinner on Saturday night. He selected the menu (Spaghetti & Meatballs) with homemade bread and did the majority of the cooking. Sky set the table, folded napkins and had Dad light the candles to turn the table into an "Italian Restaurant".

4/365: Last year we cut some pool noodles in half to make "swords". Since then that has been a very popular toy at our house. Parker's friend Tyler came over on Sunday afternoon. In addition to a lot of computer time there were some serious battles.

5/365: Today was the first day back after Christmas break and Sky was pleased to bring the class bear "Galloway" home for the night. He goes home with each student on a rotating basis. He returns with a photo essay and a "diary" from his adventure.

2 of 365

After several weeks on a "catventure" our cat "Clawed Le Mew" returned today! We have no idea where he goes, but he appears well fed. We assume he has a second home.

A Resolution?

I read a neat idea of trying to take a photo each day, then at the end of the year make a photobook. So, I'm going to try to do this in 2009. While I'll try to take a picture a day, I'm not sure I'll get them uploaded every day. It should be interesting to see what they are of, hopefully not all of the kids. Also to watch the kids changed through the year etc... So check back often, since I haven't updated the Skybox since September 2007 - this should at least give it a breath of life!

ART GIRL

Sky has recently become a very prolific artist. Last week I decided to bring home all her school art on Friday rather than each day. That was a mistake as she had to go through each paper and explain what it was. That is better tackled day-by-day. However she loves to paint and color with marker and will do so for hours. (The paper companies should be filled with glee). We are thankful for washable markers.

Chalk Art

Sky and Parker spent time chalk drawing this morning on the driveway. Most of it was washed away by a rainstorm later in the afternoon. Sky is becoming quite the artist.

4 on the 4th!

Sky had a fantastic birthday weekend! (double click on the album to see the images larger)
On Saturday Sky had a party at a local amusement park, Jungle Rapids. They have a great indoor area for the 8 and under set with ball pits, tunnels, air bounce and slides. She and her friends ran around until they were hot and sweaty. Parker had a wonderful time too. He is too old for this area of the amusement park now unless he "escorts" Sky!
The kids enjoyed a snack of pizza and then cake. Her cake included a photo of Sky and a picture of Cinderella with the caption "Perfect Princess". (No, the captions "Almost Perfect Princess" or "Sometimes Cranky Princess" were not available). Sky was awed when everyone sang to her. After singing along with the beginning of Happy Birthday she relaxed and enjoyed being sung too. It turns out Sky is not a big cake fan. Although it was imperative she have a cake, of the several times we offered cake, she only ate a few bites. The rest of the family and friends found it quite good. Her 4 year old presents include: Polly Pocket doll, a Webkinz toy, a baby doll, clothes, Groovy Girls dolls and bed, a Snow White doll etc... Most important, a gift card at Target so she can go select something she didn't get, but really wants. (item still to be determined)
On Sunday, Nana and Grandpa came over to our house for a "family party". As you can see from the photos, Sky deemed full princess regalia appropriate for this occasion. She decided to keep this on along with headphones and sunglasses to help Clif mow the lawn later in the day. The princess on the lawn mower.

And the Rockets Red Glare....

We started off the day decorating Sky's bike for the neighborhood parade and cookout on Nana & Grandpa's street. Parker opted to decorate himself and used rollerblades!
I couldn't pick just a few photos, so flip through our album!
Our children enjoyed the sparklers quite a bit more than we expected. I thought Sky would be nervous, but that was not the case! We regretted having purchased only one box. In most of the pictures they appear to be practicing using wands like in Harry Potter.
Later in the evening we enjoyed a neighborhood fireworks show. Our neighbors spent quite a bit of money in South Carolina on the type of fireworks that are illegal in North Carolina, so we sat on the lawn and enjoyed the show!

A DECADE of PARKER

Who can believe Parker is 10?? Certainly not his parents! Double digits!! We had an exciting day. Twice in 10 years I've planned an outdoor party. Twice in 10 years rain has threatened to cancel. It has been dry and gorgeous for weeks, until Saturday afternoon when Parker' pool party was scheduled. After racking our brains, we developed an alternate plan of an indoor Wii (Nintendo game system) party. I think Parker liked this plan just as well, but fortunately the rain held off just long enough. Actually the lightning held off. We had the kids in the pool swimming in the rain. I'd hired a lifeguard for the occasion (I didn't feel competent to supervise a pack of 10 year old boys in the pool) -- she'd lifeguarded at Wrightsville Beach and knew just when to pull them out. So they got an hour of swimming -- then cake and presents! Parker's gifts from his friends included Lego Sets, pool toys and a game programming manual. At his family party the next day he received books, gift cards, Mario Party 8 (a Nintendo game), a USB flash key, and some "event" presents like a trip to Jungle Rapids and a movie. Amazing how the gifts change as you get older, but it was a great birthday.

Parker's 10 year old stats --
Height: 5'0"
Weight: 90 lbs
Reading Level:12.1
Interests: computers, video games, hockey, Harry Potter, Star Wars...
Currently Reading: Lord of the Rings Trilogy (just started Return of the King) & Foxtrot Anthology (comic)

China Girl 2

Sky wore her lovely chinese silk dress out to Carraba's (Italian) for Parker's Birthday Dinner.
Amazingly she managed to keep it very clean, probably because we held off on desert until she got home! Parker enjoyed having the staff sing Happy Birthday to him in Italian!