Presque Isle Sun

Here are some pictures of our family taken this past weekend on Presque Isle. This was most likely the last nice weekend of the year. I'm glad we captured them.

Sophia

So sweet

Overly kind

Piece of the sky love

Heavenly

Intelligent eyes

Advocate for father

Olivia

Outstanding secret keeper

Loves all the world

Irreplaceable soul

Vivacious moods

Iridescent
Adorable laugh

Madelyn
Made after me
Acuity abounds
Divine
Enormous strength

Love with no bounds

Yearns to be loved
Neologism in her own right

Family

The House

The first wave of projects are complete. The contractor has left and gone home. I hope he comes back soon-we've a lot still to do here.

This is our personal contractor a.k.a. Terry Mason. He flew out here about 2 weeks ago just to lay our new wood floors. He worked tirelessly everyday on the floors, but he also taught us many valuable things we needed to know about this house. We're sad he's gone, but I'm sure he's happy to be home and getting a break.

Here is our kitchen before the remodeling.

Here it is after. We refinished the cabinets, refinished the floors, bought new appliances and new counter tops are coming soon.--this was a lot of work for us. Our last 2 homes were new construction, but we wanted a home with a little more character this time, which we discovered thrives in older homes. But with older homes comes a lot of work and all the different styles of all the previous owners. This home we bought, had a hodgepodge of different themes going on, but hopefully we'll be able to change that, and make it more of our style. We love the location, less then a block from the coast of Lake Erie. Our back yard boarders Federally Reserved marsh lands and is absolutely gorgeous with the cattails and indigenous flowers.

This is the finished dining room, I somehow deleted the before picture(sometimes I hate Blogger) with the awesome carpet(pink roses and forest green leaves) Seriously it's a big change just removing that carpet and laying new floors.

Before-front entry, oh if you look real close at the top of the picture you get a glimpse of the awesome carpet that had to go.

After

This is the bathroom that I first practiced the refinishing on

Here it is finished. The pictures don't do it justice. Thank you so much to my sisters neighbor Amy for answering all my questions, and showing me how to do this to my cabinets.

This is the sun room-my favorite room, not really any furniture in there, but it will come someday. It's a three season room, so it doesn't get much use right now, but when spring comes I have big plans of reading and relaxing out there, just soaking up the sun that shines about once every 5 days (hence the term Dreary Erie).

The family room-I have shelf space I don't quite know what to do with, give me some suggestions please. I thought of books, but all the books are in the living room bookshelves and also most of our pictures are also in the living room. I could be like my mom and fill it with nick knacks, and that is probable whats going to happen-unless someone has a great idea. Also I need interesting, mismatched frames for very old pictures. The photos are all odd shapes, not standard photo sizes. If anyone knows of a place that sells frames like that I'd love to get their name.

So those are some highlights from the new house. Next project is changing the shutters and moldings on the outside, from a faded red (actually more like reds ugly sister pink) to black.

Thank you Terry so much again for all your hard work, we really, really appreciate it.,

Halloween 2009

Halloween was a bit different this year. Normally I have their costumes bought before the end of August, but this year was different. I had been so overwhelmed with the move and selling the house that I hadn't done anything to prepare, it had barely crossed my mind so as you'll see, they basically dressed themselves.-I've been a terrible mom lately I'm afraid.
The Friday we moved up here it snowed, luckily it didn't stick and stay, but still there haven't been too many nice days to go outside and explore the woods around our new home. This picture captures the first day we were really able to get out and explore. Olivia had been home with H1N1, so we had more free time then normal. It was a good afternoon.

Here they are in their costumes. Olivia called herself a ballerina(it works) Maddie's costume was the exact same but she called herself a Flanting Princess Fairy(um we are still trying to figure out what that means). Sophia was a butterfly(Maddie's costume from 2 years ago). Most importantly they were happy and excited.

We were very fortunate to be invited to a Halloween party, being new and not really knowing anyone. Luckily with Olivia riding the bus we were able to meet some other children in the neighborhood. It was a good Halloween despite the fact of being so disorganized and running out of candy in the first half hour(I didn't have to deal with the angry kids and the throwing of our pumpkins, Trent handed out the candy, I took the girls around the neighborhood)

Ode to the Past

This is now my past. It hurts a little to see our old house. It still feels like our neighborhood. This is where we've raised our kids and made so many memories. It's only a building in the end, which can crumble and be lost, but it was a good home, but even more it belonged in a great neighborhood with some of our best friends.One night not long before we left, doing what we normally did on a good weather night-a theme appeared.

I wonder if this can happen in many other cities. (If you can not tell, every single person out that night was wearing Steelers clothing, children included)

The old neighborhood packed into our van, yeah I drive a van-it's awesome.

The Haufbrahus was our destination-a farewell party of sorts-with loads of beer-that's why we drove of course. "I hope life treats you kind, and I hope you have all you dreamed of, and I wish you joy and happiness, but above all this I wish you Love. And I will always love you, you I will always love you" this is an original quote do not copy.

Catching Up

It has been a long time since I've updated my blog. So much has happened in our lives. I'll give as brief a summary as I can without leaving out the important things. So first picture is Maddie on her first day of the old pre-school. She was so excited and loved it. She's a very bright little girl.

The picture above is of Olivia leaving on her first day of school at Center Township Elementary, where she no longer goes since we've moved. And the one below is all three girls on Olivia's first day of 1st grade.

Our old neighborhood hanging out at Lake Aurthur. We really miss all of them.

Olivia lost her 1st tooth right after starting 1st grade. She was pretty excited, she has since lost 3 more. She has pulled them all out except one which her dad pulled out. I can't watch, I'm usually fine with stuff like that, but seeing Trent pull out my little girls tooth made my skin crawl.

These next few pictures are from way back in July, when we went up to the cottage in Michigan. Man I wish it was July now.

Olivia below guarding our Tye died shirts.

Since this is a catch up, I guess I need to tell the rest of our summer story. I'm not much in a humorous mood, so this will be quite dry. On our way home from that trip to Michigan, Trent recieved a call from the CEO of Erie General Electric Credit Union. She offered him a job as their CMO, which we could not turn down. We have lived the the Pittsburgh area for going on 5 years. It was not a decision we made easily. But ultimately we decided to go for it. We put the house up for sale right around the same time school started. We were very lucky, it sold fast and we were able to buy a house up here in Erie, the 11th snowiest city in our nation. We've been here since October 16th. We are adjusting and Liv loves school. Its always hard to move and change jobs. This is our 3rd home in the 5th city we've lived in since we were married in 2001. It stills feels like an adventure. I'm excited to explore Erie when it's warm and sunny. We live just a block and a half up from the coast of Lake Erie and it's beautiful. See very dry-well onto the next post.....soon.

Real Post to come-just wait

Just wait till Trent decides which computer to buy, he's only bought 3 and returned all three this past week. I'm planning an awesome blog about the move to Erie, Halloween and the remodeling of the kitchen. Seriously awesome, so just wait cause someday it will be done!

1st Annual Stratford Heights "fun" Run 5K aka Trent's Cardiac Challenge

GUEST COMMENTARY BY TRENT:
So, this all started over a couple pitchers of beer at a local brewery (no not the Mormon, it wasn't that exciting of a party) when a couple guys started giving each other a hard time about who could run a 5K the fastest. The only woman participating in the discussion remained pretty quiet about it all, even up until the next day when we found ourselves at a muggy aired chalk-drawn starting line "warming up".

Here is our impromptu audience and the conspicuously quiet lady herself. Pam was probably visualizing what it would feel like to absolutely destroy some cocky boys on the course, while the girls were no doubt visualizing how great it would feel to see their dad tear through the makeshift finish line flags they made out of paper towels and food coloring.

And they're off! Trent gets out to an early lead, while Dave and John conserve for the road ahead. Notice that even though Trent is at top speed, Pam is right there, only breathing normally.

Our neighborhood is really one long hill that is about .5 miles long. So, here then is our own little version of the Boston Marathon's "Heartbreak" Hill or as Trent now calls it "The Heart Stopper" or "Where I lost the only lead of any race I ever ran".

Well, after a pretty quick almost 3 miles, here is our winner. I know that all the women in the neighborhood were so proud! They should all go on Oprah and talk about just how inspiring this all was.

And what about this guy? He was leading for a bit... What happened Big Guy? Back to the treadmill with you until Labor Day.

Dave finishes in a respectable time and third which is pretty good for a man of his - how shall I say, maturity? Just kidding. He has P90X to thank for all of his success.

Trent finished 4th which isn't quite as respectable, but good for a man of his, how shall I say, stature? Hey, at least it was better than last! Sorry John, had to rub it in until Labor Day when you will no doubt lay the hammer down on me. Olivia told me later that night that she wanted me to win and was disappointed in my finish, but I told her that I met my three goals: 1.) To finish, 2.) to finish without walking, and 3.) to finish without dying.

And so it ended, everyone stumbling around in a grog of delirium - some from drinking the sweet cup of victory, others just wandered around trying to remember why we did this in the first place. It kind of ended how it began I guess, only this time there wasn't any alcohol. (Well, that I know of. John is sneaky that way.) Pam was still quiet, but I saw more than one smile creep across her face and even she couldn't resist rubbing it in that her treadmill training paid off big time. There is a new sheriff in town... Until next Labor Day, that is.