Did you hear that it snowed here last night? There was nearly a foot of snow on my car. It's pretty well camouflaged out there.

Build-a-"Clarice"

Jacqueline got another good report card so we went to Build-a-Bear to make some reindeer. It was nearly 100° in the store that afternoon and the crowds were holiday size. She was thrilled and Clarice even got a smashing holiday ensemble. It's fun to be 6.

TROOP 61133

Monday night was our first Brownie meeting. All the girls were as excited and proud as Jacqueline. She earned 2 pins: the Brownie Pin and the Girl Scout pin. It was fun.

Hidden Pond Park

Pile-up at the end of the big slide. We got the kids outside before the drive home to CT. Fun for all.

Bubble Blower-Mower

We had a little play time while Jacqueline was at school. It was a pretty day here; sunny and cooler than it had been. Kevin has been working from home this week to help me out so we stole a few minutes of playtime. Bailey has this thing for his belly button and we were wondering if maybe he thinks it's a Bailey-Button...

Back to School

All smiles in her new back-to-school outfit, Jacqueline was ready to go this morning. She's at school all day, until 3:15 when we meet her at the bus stop again. I'm still so proud of her.

BOSTON

We took the kids to Boston for a trip to the Aquarium. They both really enjoyed it - so did we.

Birthday Vistors

Tante Lily and Margot came up to CT for the day for birthday lunch and ice-cream. (Margot currently lives in Frankfurt Germany, though we all wish for her return stateside.)

It was a good day. (Photos by Kama & Jacqueline)

fathers day photo shoot

Are they cute or what?

Jacqueline #5

It was HOT! But Jacqueline played in 4 games at the Jamboree. They were rewarded with ice-pops afterward - what more could you ask for?

Memorial Day

Aidan and Tina came up to CT for a visit and we went on to Sturbridge for a day at the Lake. Kids had a blast on this perfect sunny day - it'd be hard not to enjoy a day like that. More photos are uploaded to Picasa. The series of Aidan and his super soaker preceded me getting super soaked right in the face! Yup. Note to self; don't temp a 5 year old with a loaded super soaker.

It's been a Year

I have these monthly pictures of Bailey on the same chair to "chart his growth". He is by the way OFF the charts in height at 32.5" long. If you didn't get the email link about the picasa web album, here's the link.

I love CUPCAKES

yummy!

Bailey's Turning One

On Sunday we had a quick 1st birthday celebration with the Cawleys and Motschenbachers. Bailey caught on to being the center of attention pretty quickly. He had help from big sister Jacqueline & Mommy when it came time to blow out the candle. He was less impressed with the cupcake than we all expected - maybe he was too tired to eat? Hmm... that doesn't sound right in this house.

a simsbury landmark

Flamigs Farm was a perfect way to spend our afternoon Wednesday. The sun was out and we had a picnic lunch with Aunt Kama and Claire. We fed the animals in the petting zoo including goats and donkeys and fresh ponies. Afterward we went to another Simsbury landmark, Tullmeadow Dairy for some local ice cream! DELISH.

Jacqueline Takes Aim

There she is in her new face mask taking aim at the goal. Jacqueline was so excited about lacrosse today. She did great.

She and her Dad are going shopping for a REAL STICK this weekend.

He's cute

A preview of his Easter outfit. He's too much.

M O M M Y needs C O F F E E

On one of the CDs we have committed to memory there's a song of this title. My favorite verse:

I want a latte
A cappucino
And tonight I think I'll have a cup of VINO

Ah.. Ralph's World gets the credit for those words of wisdom.

10 months old

Dinos in New Haven!

We drove to New Haven to go to the Peabody Museum of Natural History. We knew there was a dinosaur exhibit and Jacq is into dinosaurs. We didn't know that they had a special exhibit on the Solar System - her other favorite thing. Then there was a Polar Bear, an Alaskan Brown Bear, Bison, Ducks, Birds and a discovery room where she could check out xray films.
She wanted to know if we could go there again for another report card treat. Sure.

I have to brag a little.

I had a teacher conference today with Mrs. Hoerle, Jacqueline's Kindergarten teacher. The opening line was "Thanks for sending me such a peach". Jacqueline is doing very well and hitting all the appropriate goals for a kindergartner. She's really improving on her reading and writing. Her report card was great. We're planning to take her to the Peabody Museum at Yale where they have a super cool dinosaur exhibit as a reward. I'll let you know how it is.

St. Patricks Snow Day

You can't read it, but Bailey's shirt says "I'd rather be Lucky than Good".

Sounds about right.

Again with the Snow

Seriously.

There's the mustang covered in another 4 inches of snow. And it's still falling. The kids are used to being in the family room... Jacq is watching a Dinosaur movie from the library while Bailey looks for trouble wherever he might find it. Maybe when Spring hits next week, this will be over.

ha ha ha

I miss you Uncle Mani.

To me he was Uncle Mani or Papa Klima, but he was my parents best friend, my best friends father and force in many lives. I think of him often. To Heide and Mama Klima I'm sending hugs and wishing we were all sharing some tea and brownies on the red couch. Better yet, a glass of wine out in the gardens on a warm evening. (This summer FOR SURE)

I remember driving to German School in the little MG. I remember all that time at the beach, walking to Kismet, re-lighting the lighthouse, racing to beat the toll. Too many memories to list, and I am just one little part. All those people at the celebration last year, and the memorial/dedication have their stories and memories.

You know, I'm a Cancer and we're sappy and sentimental and I couldn't let this day go without a remembrance.

Not a Box

Moving has provided Jacqueline with even more "toys". She made this box into her own Pony Car. Notice the grill detail.

If I run an errand in the "Pony Car", then she'll come with me. In the Taurus... she'd rather stay home and watch Animal Planet.

Percussion section wannabee

oh boy... he liked this a lot. Too Much....

I guess I'll be calling on Dawn & Jim for pointers on boys and drum kits.

New Doctor

Bailey had a well-visit today for his 9-month check up. We went to Claire's Doctor; Dr. Pericat. She's very nice but I always say Dr. Pussycat in my mind. Anyway, Bailey weighed in
at 21# 5oz (70%) and was longer than ever at 30.75" (98%).

So he's healthy and growing and everything's normal. Not sleeping? Normal. Eating at every waking moment? Normal. Constantly on the move? Normal.

I guess I'll be exhausted indefinitely.

All Things Goldenrod

No, really, each appliance is @ 40 yrs old and all in that quintessentially late 60's hue we call "Goldenrod". Gives me hives just typing it. The stove top gets top billing here as my FAVE appliance since it's not only such a great color, it also has push button controls for the burners. Seriously.

I left a brand new ceramic stove top in Marietta. Boo hoo.

Even the dryer is goldenrod; the hall bath tub, toilet & sink, of course as well as the half bath fixtures are goldenrod. And to add insult to injury, there are goldenrod DRAPES in the half bath and the family room. Can you see the striped wallpaper?

I guess knowing that it's temporary makes it sort of like a wacky adventure in kitchens & baths.

Turtleman Update

Turtle Man started a new chapter in his reptile life right before we left for Connecticut. After a dozen years with Kevin and I, he was taken in by the Patron Saints of Pets in Need, my cousins Suzanne and David Norman.

He's gone to his retirement villa in Riverdale, Georgia where he's got a larger tank and may even have a "lake house" this summer in Suzanne's beautiful water gardens. I'm sure he thinks we died and went to heaven.

Thank you Suzanne and David for opening your hearts to yet another pet. And thank you for taking special care of TM.

9 months old

The first monthly photo in CT. Same chair new house. He's getting so big and he's so curious. Always standing up, always wants a bite or a sip of what I'm having... He's funny.

Photo Op with Great Grandma

Is it me or does Claire look like she wants someone to save her from Bailey?

We had a very nice visit to the house in Sturbridge and lunch with Great Grandma Virginia.

Proud Girl

This was right after the school bus dropped Jacqueline back at home on her first day of kindergarten. She was so proud of herself! We are proud, too.

A New England Welcome

Here it is. Our rental house under 4 inches of snow. Jacqueline's first day of kindergarten was a snow day. How appropriate. She was totally bummed out last Wednesday and Thursday that she didn't get to go to school. Friday she rode the bus like a big kid and had a blast. More to come.

the new data:
37 August Road, Simsbury, CT 06070
(860) 408-0027
jenn5163@gmail.com
(not sure yet if I can keep the bellsouth email working... we'll see)

FINALLY - I can RANT

I am *SO* exasperated by this whole moving/set-up new services thing that I could cry. I spent, no exaggeration, 1:15 on the phone this afternoon with ATT/SBC Global setting up my DSL service. There's a huge story to go with this that involves a smoking modem, a reorder and the worst customer service ever... but right now I am so relieved to have ACCESS to the WORLD via the Internet that I needed to put something/anything up on the blog.

Note to self: there is no customer service. Stop expecting anyone to do their job and make a customer satisfied.

The Depot Debacle

I've been resisting the urge to rant and rave about our home improvement projects thus far but I can't today. We decided to get a few things done here so that the sale would come more easily and we decided to go with Home Depot thinking that it would be one-stop-shopping and therefore easier on us to manage.

Wow were we wrong. I don't know if any of you have used Depot's design "Services" but I am going on the record with an emphatic "DON'T DO IT!"

Today, with 5 days to go here before all that we own is loaded onto a truck, Depot strikes one final & devastating blow. The laminate flooring we've been waiting for in the entryway CANNOT be installed (without significant cost and time). Yup. That flooring that Kevin had to go to 2 different locations to collect for the job in at a frantic pace on Tuesday night. That flooring. They assured us it could be done. They sent out their measuring crew. They made a special visit to check on things. They failed to recognize the humps in the floor that pretty much limit us to carpet (The installer mentioned it in the first 5 seconds he was in the door!). Had we known that, let's see, 3 weeks ago when we racked-up $8,000 on a HD card we may have done it a little differently.

So, I had to get it out of my system and I am trying so hard to keep focused on packing and moving. I'm really trying, but I must advise anyone that I care about not to make this same mistake. Perhaps if time and money are not an issue, then Depot might be the right choice for you. In the case that you do have too much money and/or time, please let the rest of us know. We can offer you options for disposing of that surplus in your budgets.

The House

We finally set it up and our realtor Marty is going to put the house on MLS Wednesday. It's still a little hard to believe we're selling Our House. But I tell you what, it's never looked so good - well except for the piles of things waiting to be packed. But the new carpet & paint in the living room, the trim painted white, new kitchen counters, updates to the baths downstairs and my room is tidied up. Wow - it's a nice house when you pay it some attention!

More to come.

Little Rock Star

Jacqueline held her own with her older cousins on Sunday when they taught her how to play Guitar Hero. I'm so not cool enough to even know about this game but when I walked in, there she was playing Freebird! OK, she's 5 - how does she know how to "play guitar" like a rock star?

8 months old

Big old blue eyes is already 8 months old! Bailey is crawling and standing at every opportunity. He makes us laugh when he gets stuck standing - he's not so sure how to get back down. I've caught him acting like a hockey goalie on more than one occasion.

Bittersweet News

We are going to be relocating to Connecticut. A mere minutes away from my sister & her family.

Kevin accepted a job in the Hartford area. He begins his new job venture on February 12th. We're taking it step by step as that's our only real option and are moving up the week of February 5th (details pending). Kevin will be working for Jones Lang LaSalle in Hartford. Fortune listed the company at #66 of the Top 100 Companies to work for.

I've been slow to make this news public knowledge. I hate telling my ATL friends and family that we are leaving but on the other hand my NY/PA/CT/MA connections are thrilled at the news. It's definitely bittersweet. And right now it's a bit overwhelming. Packing things, cleaning house, interviewing agents, and all the money talk is such a stress. Yuck. I keep telling myself that it's all going to work out. Big hassle will hopefully equate to big payoff on the other side when we are having a regular old dinner with my sister, brother in law and baby niece. When the grandparents can join us for the kids birthdays the actual move will be a distant memory. Our friends in Georgia will remain close to our hearts.

We'll be renting a house to get a feel for the area over the next few months while our house in Marietta is on the market. Our new address will be 37 August Road, Simsbury, CT 06070. Phone #s will follow. I can be emailed at jenn5163@gmail.com.

Year end wrap up

So I did a miserable job taking any photos on our trip up to CT and PA. We got to see Oma & Grand Dad, Tina & Aidan in PA and in CT we saw Kama, Ryan and Miss Claire as well as Grandma& Grandpa. It was a whirlwind as our trips often are.

We drove - yes, 1000 miles each way. It's either brave or stupid, the jury is still out. But we survived and the kids were really great considering the amount of travel we subjected them to in so little time. Having her own DVD player for the ride home made Jacqueline's trip a little better. And Bailey took a few good long naps letting us make some decent time despite the fog & rain coming home.

So we think we're ready for 2007 to get underway. Maybe we can get a full night's sleep. Ha!