It's Complicated

I'm sorry to have been a bit MIA this week. I've had a busy week at school and I have been exhausted this week. As a matter of fact I am writing this at 6:30 Friday night. When I'm done I'm heading to bed.

Two weeks ago Britt and I went out to lunch and the movies and had so much fun that we are trying it again today. She is meeting me for lunch at our favorite restaurant. Both of us are craving that french onion soup again.

After lunch we are heading to the movie theater to see It's Complicated. I am looking forward to a good laugh. Everyone I know that has seen this movie has loved it and said how funny it is. I like Meryl Streep and I think Steve


I have two more weeks of school before our February vacation. I have a week off. I am looking forward to a restful week.

I don't know what the weather is like where you live but it has been so COLD here. Yesterday it was 20º out for a high. The wind chill made it feel like 5º...yes I said 5º. It will warm up this weekend but not by much. I hope where ever you are you are staying warm.

take care,
Dawn

What is it with kids and ketchup?

My son Tim is such a picky eater. I have been trying to expand his repertoire of meals. He puts ketchup on EVERYTHING! This past Thanksgiving he ate turkey with ketchup. Sunday night I made a roast beef dinner and he ate it with ketchup. The worst so far has to be this past weekend. We got Chinese food last weekend and Tim ate beef teriyaki with ketchup!!!

I am happy that he is trying new foods but EWWWWW!!!!!!!!

take care,
Dawn

Happy Birthday Dad

This is a repost from Father's Day a couple of years ago. Today would have been my father's 76th birthday. He passed away in October of 1998 and I miss him so much. Tim and I made a birthday cake for him yesterday to have today in celebration of his birthday. Oh, how I wish he got to meet Tim.

So dear friends, here is my dad!

Here is my dad with me when I was a baby!

This is the way I remember my father most.

I made a small little scrapbook of my dad with a poem in it that says:

When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure

When I come to the end of the road,

and the sun has set me free

I want no rites in a gloom filled room

Why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little-but not too long

and not with your head bowed low,

Remember the love that we once shared

Miss me - but let me go

For this journey that we all must take

and each must go alone

It's all a part of the Master's plan

A step on the road home.

When you are lonely and sick at heart

Go to the hills we know

And bury your sorrow among the trees

Miss me- but let me go.

take care,

Dawn

Social Graces

I consider myself to be a very friendly person. I also like to think that I am well mannered. With this is mind, I have to say that I just don't understand why people can be unfriendly. I work in a public school and I can't tell you how many times I have passed someone in the hall and said hello to them with absolutely NO RESPONSE! How hard is is to be respectful and simply say hello.

I will say that there are many in my school who will say hello, share a smile and just make you feel good just to see happy people!

Speaking of school. I was home on Thursday sick. I spent most of the day in bed watching TV. I had a bit of a fever and an awful headache. I woke up on Friday feeling just fine and I am looking forward to my weekend.

I was supposed to bring the sweater I made for my great niece to her on Thursday but I am sure my niece wouldn't have liked it if I came by sick! I dropped it off after school on Friday. Luckily it is still a bit too big for her. I was worried that it would be too small.

Enjoy your weekend.

take care,
Dawn

Da Da...Da da da da da...da da da da...da da da da

In case you couldn't figure out from the title that is Mackenzie's new favorite song. It's the theme from Star Wars. On Saturday Mackenzie got a new Star Wars toy, Darth Maul. She was so excited to get it that she wanted to come over and play Star Wars with Tim. I picked her up on Sunday morning. She had her Star Wars lunch box full of her Star Wars guy ready to go. She and Tim played for hours!!!! Tim brought out his Star Wars Legos and they had a grand time.

Mackenzie is wearing the sweater I made for her last year. (If you click on the picture you can see a bigger version and see the sweater better).

I don't know how many of you are familiar with Massachusetts talk but "wicked" is a very popular word. When we were driving to my house she was telling me that when her brother Jack left with her Dad to go to a relatives house and when her mom left to do what she needed to do that their dog, Joey, would be "wicked" sad. I don't know how Joey felt, but we were "wicked" glad to have Mackenzie for the day.

take care,
Dawn

It is finally done!

This past summer I started a sweater set for my great niece, Christina. She was born in August and honestly, I didn't think it would take so long to finish. It was the kind of knitting that required me to think about what I was doing so I had to wait to find the times I could devote to doing so. On Monday morning I finished the collar on the sweater and then I made the hat on Monday. The hat was quick to knit. My fingers were sore by the end of the night.

I called my niece and told her it was done. I will be bringing to her on Thursday after school. I hope she likes it. I also hope that the baby hasn't outgrown it. It is a size 6 months and she should get some good "sweater" time out of it. Now, if my niece were to have another baby girl sometime it would be a great hand me down.

When my niece, Tonja (Christina's mom) was four years old I made a sweater for her. I found it years ago and Tim wore it. I've given it to Britt and Mackenzie has worn it. I am guessing Jack will have a go at it too. Who knows, Christina might even have the chance!

Now to go tackle that hat I'm trying to make myself.

take care,
Dawn

Our senses

I was watching something on TV yesterday and the character was talking about memories. A minute or two later it was said that the sense of sound and smell is stronger than the sound of sight in evoking memories. This struck me because just this weekend I came across a blog and the blogger posted a Joan Baez song. I clicked on her link to listen to the song and before I knew it I was so overwhelmed by memories that I started crying. Not because I was sad. I was just flooded with so many memories.

I ended up googling (sp?) the album I had as a teenager and apparently it is unavailable. I used to listen to the Joan Baez Ballard Book all the time. I spent a while on Rhapsody finding all of the songs and listening to it. I found this clip on YouTube of one of my favorite from the album



I have also noticed in the past that smells can do the same thing for me. Sometimes I smell things that remind me of my grandmother and great grandmother and it brings back a flood of memories.

I also have memories of the smell of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that has been in a metal lunch box. It reminds me of being in elementary school. I can almost picture the lunch table I was sitting at when I have that smell come to me.

I have rambled...sorry.

What do you think about how our senses trigger memories.

take care,
Dawn

Let Sleeping Boys and Dogs Lie

A few days after Christmas Jack and Mackenzie came over to spend the day. Jack wore himself out playing and crawled up onto the couch and fell asleep. Dexter saw him up there and joined him in a little nap.

Dexter just loves Mackenzie and Jack. He gets so excited when they come over. He is so good too. Jack loves to kiss and hug Dexter and Dexter lets him!

I decided to adopt Dexter a couple of months after Britt had good luck adopting a dog. Dexter is about half the size of Britt's dog, Joey. Dexter, however, acts like he is the biggest dog around. I guess he has good self esteem LOL!

take care,
Dawn

Lovely Lunch and The Lovely Bones

Britt and I had our day together yesterday. We met in the late morning to head out for lunch but got there about a half an hour before they opened. So we stopped at my mother's house. She lives right down the road from the restaurant. We were the first ones seated and picked the seat overlooking the water. The deck was still decorated with the Christmas garland.


Clancy's, the restaurant we went to, has the BEST French Onion soup. We both had a cup with our lunch.

Britt ordered the turkey club (with the understanding that she could have a bite of my burger LOL!).
I ordered the burger. Doesn't it look WONDERFUL!
After lunch we headed to the theater to see The Lovely Bones. I read the book this past summer and thoroughly enjoyed the book. The movie was true to the story line of the book for the most part. I thought the special effects were well done. There were parts of the movie that had me crying. I think if I were watching it at home I might have cried a little more.

The movie didn't have the same character development as the book (naturally) and some characters in the movie has a much smaller role than the did in the book. The villain was played very creepily (if that's a word) by Stanley Tucci.

I liked the movie. I am glad I saw it. :)

Britt and I had a wonderful time together. We have to plan on doing it again.



As an aside, if my sister Sam is reading this...♪ ♫ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! ♪ ♫

take care,
Dawn

The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones (PG13)

Based on the critically acclaimed best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, and directed by Oscar winner Peter Jackson from a screenplay by Jackson & Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens, "The Lovely Bones" centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family and her killer from heaven. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal. Oscar nominee Mark Wahlberg and Oscar winners Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon star along with Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli and Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan


I am so excited for Saturday. Britt and I are going out to lunch at my favorite restaurant and then we are headed to the theater to see the movie, The Lovely Bones. I read the book this past summer and called Britt to see if she had read it. She had :) Since finishing the book and finding out that it was coming out as a movie we have been anxiously waiting for this day.

I don't go to the movies often. I've probably seen three in the last 11 years! This will be a treat! I was talking to Britt on the phone the other day and she was telling me that she was excited for Saturday as well and how nice it will be that we will both not have kids with us, and then she corrected herself saying at least she wouldn't. I wasn't planning on bringing Tim so I didn't know why she said that until a day later when I realized I am in fact bringing my "kid"...her!

I'll let you know what I think of the movie.

take care,
Dawn

Giving it a try!

I have mentioned this week that I have recess duty at school. I have an old hat that I made and I don't like it. I made it years ago and it was with really cheap yarn. The pattern is very simple and boring to boot. I have decided to make myself a new one. The one thing I like about the old hat is that it is a loose fit. I don't like a hat clinging to my round face!

Last weekend I finally gave up finding a pattern that I liked so I have decided to make one! I got about half way through the hat and decided it was just too small. I ripped it all out and started again with a few more added stitches.

I have it half way done again and I am trying to figure out how I want to work the decreases to look (in keeping with the pattern). I hope to finish it this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed that I have the top of this hat figured out. I'll post pictures when it is done.

take care,
Dawn

American Idol 2010

I am writing this post on Tuesday about three hours before the start of the 2010 Season of American Idol. Tim is beside himself with the anticipation of the start of the show. I am very excited about seeing Ellen Degeneres as one of the judges. I think she is one of the funniest people. I find her so entertaining. I am sure there are people who don't like the change but I can't wait!!!

Are you an American Idol fan? Did you watch the show last night? What did you think?

take care,
Dawn

Random thoughts for the day

I received this in an email this week and found it fun to read. I hope you enjoy it as well.

I have to admit, there's a lot of truth to this................

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this--ever.

15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring, but when I immediately call back, it goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

18. My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day, "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?

19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with BUDWEISER than Kay.

take care,
Dawn

Car repairs

Last Saturday I did end up getting my oil change. I was up, out of the house, and at the Saturn dealership by 8:00. I had the oil changed and ask the repair man to take a look under the car and see if he could figure out why my car was making a clunking sound when I made a left hand turn.

I've been asking Rich to take a look at it for a while now, but gosh, he just hasn't found the time to do it. I suppose if my car were connected somehow to his truck he could figure it out easily!

It ended up being that the emergency brake cable had come loose. It cost me $9.50 for 1/10 of an hours work to reattach it. There is just something about that that bothers me. The math tells me it was 6 minutes or under to plug the cable in. Do you remember when people used to do things like this as a common courtesy? I know it is a business and all, but where do you draw the line?

While I'm on my car rant here is another. Two years ago I got to close to a cement pole at the gas station and scratched/broke the side door of my car. My insurance paid all but the deductible to fix it. Then I found out that I am getting a surcharge for the next three years for being a "bad driver". Now the thing that gets me is that I have been paying car insurance for about 25 years or so and I've never been at fault for any kind of an accident. I have never even gotten a ticket for that matter. Isn't the purpose of paying for insurance to use it if you need to. Why do you get charged to use something you buy? It baffles me. I guess scratching the door of my car makes me a menace on the road!

UGH!!!

take care,
Dawn

Recess

My least favorite part of my job is recess duty. It's not that I don't like being out there with the children. It is more that I have so much to do and recess duty isn't how I want to be spending my time.

We have had a bit of snow lately and the kids are coming to school with all of their snow gear. It takes so long to help get on snow pants, mittens, boots and then getting all of the coats zipped. I always thing of the scene in the movie "The Christmas Story" where the little boy is getting all bundled up and can't move LOL!

Yesterday was a day that I didn't have duty. I traded duty with the assistant in my room while she went to pick up lunch. It was snowing out and the kids were so excited. I brought the camera out with me and took some pictures. Of course I am only sharing pictures with no faces of the kids to show you what a great time they had. I was enjoying it myself!



take care,
Dawn

Not enough coffee

There just wasn't enough coffee this week to keep me going. This first week back after Christmas has me dragging. All I want to do is sleep.

After school yesterday I took Tim to the orthodontist and all I wanted to do while I was waiting for him was to close my eyes and take a nap! By the time I got home it was after five so I sent Rich out to get take out for dinner.

I was looking forward to sleeping in this weekend but I foolishly made an appointment for an oil change at 8:00 Saturday morning. What was I thinking.

Let's hope next week is a little easier!

take care,
Dawn

Dexter

Sometimes I think Dexter thinks he is a cat!!! During the Christmas season I had to move this chair to make room for the Christmas tree. It ended up by the window. Dexter has been spending a lot of time up here on the top of this chair. When he hears Rich come home he runs to the window and looks out to see if it is Rich's truck. I assume he does the same for me but I'm in the car so I can't be sure LOL! I almost don't want to move the chair back since Dexter likes it there so much. I might, however, but some kind of covering on the back!


Tim wanted a picture of Dexter with the hat that he (Tim) wore when he was a baby. Here are the two boys posing by the Christmas tree. Dexter was very good to tolerate the photo shoot :).

take care,
Dawn

Will we or won't we?

I've been getting together with a group of friends to knit for the past three years. It's always a fun time and yes, on occasion we actually knit LOL! The past month or so has been hard getting together. With the holidays something is always going on. I am hoping that we will be able to get together tonight without something getting in the way. Keep your fingers crossed that it will happen.

I love show and tell the most! When one of the girls brings something to show and tell I am usually inspired to try the project myself. That is where a great number of my projects come from.

This is one of those projects.

I made the top two for Tim's teachers. The bottom blue was a gift at our staff Yankee Swap Christmas party and the other brown is for a dear friend of mine. I haven't seen her yet so she hasn't received them. I also made a black less frilly pair for Tim and I'm working on two other pairs right now.

Keep us in your thoughts today and keep your fingers crossed that we will actually get together.

take care,
Dawn

The Grandkids!

Brittainy posted these pictures to her facebook page yesterday. I just fell in love with them. As a matter of fact I need her to send me the full size file so I can print and frame them. I have a frame in my computer room that says "Grandchildren" and for two years I've had it hanging with the pictures that come in the frame. Yes, I am hanging my head in shame!

I think Mackenzie has the most beautiful eyes. While she looks very "girly" she is not your typical girl. As a matter of fact, she asked Santa to bring her star wars and batman toys for Christmas. That is what she got. She likes to come over and play Star Wars with Tim. :)





Jack is going to be two next month and he is all BOY!!! He cracks me up. Here is a picture of him making his "funny face".

He talks up a storm and is a dare devil. The boy has no fear. He will climb and jump off anything! He is a joy to have around.

take care,
Dawn

The Clean Up

Why oh why do I always wait until the last day of vacation to do this. I am heading back to school today and I spent yesterday "de-Christmasing" the house. Actually I only got the living room done. I still have to pack up the kitchen. It took me hours to take things down and put the old back up. Rich complained about the five minutes it took him to carry the 8 totes and the tree up to the attic. (Not that I would want to do that job!). Our living room looks so bare. I think you can hear an echo in there if you try LOL!

Speaking of putting the old back up, here is a trick I learned years ago after so many years of struggling. When I hang my lace panel curtains back up I put a piece of scotch tape over the end of the wire rod and the lace doesn't get caught on the sharp edges. It just slides right into place. Please tell me I am not the last one to know about this :)

I also made a turkey dinner last night. I expect the have the leftovers all week. I'll make a turkey pie and then some turkey soup. My husband and son won't eat the soup but my friend that works with me will. I always send soup home to her husband as well. He appreciates my cooking!!!

take care,
Dawn

My New Year's Resolution

Hello friends. I have decided to make my blog my New Year's Resolution. Be forewarned my life is very boring so don't expect miracles LOL!

Today is a snowy day on Cape Cod. Rich had some tickets offered to him to go see the Celtics play tonight and because the weather is not good he doesn't want to drive to Boston. Not only is he disappointed but Tim is as well.

I feel badly for the two of them. They were both so excited and looking forward to going. Maybe another opportunity will come their way.

I, on the other hand, was planning on spending the night enjoying the end of my vacation. I have some thank you cards to write and some knitting I want to do. I'll try to get some pictures up to show you what I've been knitting the past few weeks.

take care,
Dawn