And the winner of the St. Lazarus School spelling bee is.......

not me........... As you have noticed I am not a great speller. All my life I have had the worst time with pronouncing and spelling. Herbs are the worst. I boch the words and also flowers. I ask my children how to spell words from the computer when typing or writing letters. Ryan has never got under a 90% on his spelling tests. Stepen is also a good speller but has to think about it unlike Ry who belts it out lickety split. Was I lazy in studing in the lower grades? No I tried so hard and was very frustrated when Nana T would test me and I would get the word wrong over and over despite studing for them. She was very low key and di dnot get really mad when I would make the same spelling error over again. The words that Ryan comes home with are so over the top sometimes. I guess it is due to the BIG MCAS test that expects them to know everything. His most recent power word was juxblah blah posion.....it was out of my league. (Normie please post the proper spelling).......How do fifth graders get these over the top words...? I should resort to homeschooling.....LOL LOL LOL SO Ry can teach me a few things lol lol ........ This was the year I correctly spelt MASSACHUSETTS........Yippie It only took 35 years living here to get it!

Have you heard of Acai?

This stuff is GOOD 4 U! About 6 months ago I went in search for it at Wild Harvest to find frozen blocks of it. I was not pleased with the taste when adding it to our Yogurt Smooties at breakfast. It has an intense taste with a chocolate undertone. You would think I would go loopy with the taste of chocolate but it was too dence and lacked umph. SO I found it today in juice form with a choice of passion fruit or mango. I got both and LOVE passion fruit. You have got to try the stuff. It has more anitoxidents than blueberries and is so tasty. It was low in calorie content for the size of the bottle and the carbs or sugs it has is naturally occuring so that is better than processed sug. So give it a try if you can find it........Also Ponoranit Juice is yummy too......(I know I spelt it wrong) .........

In the mornings darkness.....

It is 645am and still rather "dark" out there. I am sure in 2 weeks it will be a bit more light when we turn the clocks back. Then I will type at 400pm and vent about how dark it is early. I tell you the truth I think I have a mild case of SAD when the fall ends and winter begins. I am an extermly stable and hapy person in mostly all aspects of my life but this winter thing has ALWAYS got me SAD....There is a real thing called Seasonal something Disorder. DR. Phil..HELPPPP!

I refuse to put on the heat!

OK raise your hand if you woke up this morning and it felt like December! <<<>>>...... I do not think that the heat should go on this early, yes we are frugal I mean cheep....lol BUT come on it is sooooo cold the outside temp read 27* HELLO! Why is it so cold so soon. We were in shorts last weekend when it was 70's and balmy. Ugh to how fast the weather changes in New England. I so badly wanted to stay under the toasty warm covers this morning so did the kids. I woke to Michael with the comforter over his head and at that point I knew it had to be cold in here. lol Even if I wanted to turn the heat on after he left for work it was not possible b/c we, I mean he shuts down the furnice in March and it may be turned on around November. I may have to turn it on this week because our neice Selena is coming for the day on Wednesday. Ryan has a half day of school and I took the day off from the bears. The little 2 year old peanut will freeze if she comes here and it is like this. I will have to resort to turning on the oven for an hour with the door open. That was a trick growing up in the triple decker in the winter when the electric went out during a storm the gas oven still worked so we could stay semi-warm in the kitchen. We now have an electric oven so that would not help in a power outage but it will on Wednesday before she comes lol. I leave you this morning with this, no more sandels no more short sleaves and wear your jackets, we have to come to the realization.. it is FREEZZZZZINNGGG these days,,,,,,,,,STAY WARM AND GIVE A BIG BEAR HUG TO THE ONES YOU LOVE>>>>>>>Bear Huggin' and Lovin'

Don't hit fast forward...just don't do it!

I was so excited to hear that "Click" the movie was out on DVD yesterday. I called the place near by (not many left) to hold it for us. I wanted to see it so badly when it first came out but we are mostly a family who "waits" for dvd. A fellow Blogger said it was a great movie and I have to agree 100%. I Love Adam Sandler movies so I knew that this would not be a disappointment. Ryan, at the start of the movie called the ending and I was in agreement because it just looked like it was heading in the direction that he stated. Smart boy that Ry. I must say it has an awesome undertone of a spiritiual meaning without being shoved on your face. If you have not yet watched it please do so. I was in stiches. It does not take much to put me in stiches but it was really cute and funny. It was well worth the $3.75 and think of all the $ saved from not going to the movies....not spending .....$10.50 x4=42for tickets /popcorn and soda $20.00... sitting on the couch with familyand a fuzzy fleace blanket priceless.......CLICK

Update............

Back in the summer I posted about "Jack", a little boy who was a member of our church and town. Everyone knows and LOVES this family. They are rays of sunshine any time you come across them. Well on Thursday Jack had his second opperation to remove the tumor in his head. The first one was not able to get the entire thing. With weeks of radiation and this last opperation I shout with thanks and praise to God that IT IS GONE! The opperation not only got rid of it, there is also no need to continue any radiation b/c that is how great this turned out. Thank you for your prayers far and wide and thanks to the Higher being that watches and blesses over us. I am typing through the tears, of thanks and joy and so gald to report this awesome update. Have a wonderful day and never loose faith. God Bless!

No Fried Dough...but Veggie Tempura was great..

.............not like there was "NO" fried dough, 5 stands to be exact. I was not in the mood for a piece of dough that cost $5.00. I can make a platter of it for under $2.00. SO thats what I am doing tomorrow. After apple pickin' in NH and Saturday eve Mass I will hit the kitchen with yummy smells of fried dough and apple yum yums. The fair was not overly crowded last night, I like that. We had some really fun family time together. It is always the same year after year. I think that is what makes it feel so special. I am glad we went to our yearly visit and am lookin' forward to the Apple Orchards......Next Apple Cider Donuts.....oh how yummy, hot and crisp....can you picture it? Can you almost taste it? The smell alone will send you to a sweet and tender place. See you at the orchards......

The Topsfield Fair...

...the oldest fair in our country, so the sign states. We will be there Thursday afternoon. Michael was able to buy reduced rate tickets from the bank. That is a help because the Fair is now $10.00 for adults and $6.00 for children. And what do you get for $10.00 you ask. A walk through the gate. Yes you and a lucky guest for $20.00 can mosey on through the turnstyle and enter to a world of smelly cow pooh and oil scents of the frydough queen. You may even take in a few whifs of pig smell with a nice aroma of gas on the side. It is a treasuretrove of smells. We do however enjoy our yearly visits. About 17 or so years ago Michael and I went there on a "date", it has been a tradition ever since. Back then we were just 2 people in the crowd. These days at the fair we walk about 3 feet and chat with all the other locals that we know from the TRI-Trown.....We cannot walk around without saying at least 500 hellos to fellow Middletonites and locals from church ect. It is like one big block party. It makes you think of the days 17 years ago when you were just another fair patron. Last year Ryan entered a freehand pencil drawing for the "artist" exihbit. He got an entry blue ribbon and many people mentioned they saw it was his. He did not place because his entry was "political" I guess politics and the fair do not mix. He drew an airplane (Army style) in the backround with an American Flag and an Airforce Solider saluting the flag and had the title as "Support Our Troops, God Bless America" ....I guess both the political and relg. aspects made it "an entry" and not a contender. Well I read the rules and regs and I guess I did not read them closely. So this year when the form came in the mail Ryan declned despite our encouragement to enter. We were not going to push him. I recall how proud he was when we were at the fair last year and his old art teacher came up to him and was so happy to see one of her students work. She made a hugh deal that he was her only student that has ever entered and he had the abilty to have an enrty worth entering. (got all that ) ....So I will be a bit sad to go to the art exhit hall and not see a Ryan original.(it now hangs proudly in his room) So this years fair also brings a step in the "growing" up stage for Stephen. He was at opening night on Friday. His best friend who lives in Topsfield (residence get opening night tickets free) had an extra ticket for him to go to opening night for free. We were hesitant to drop off and p/u and not be there. With lots of thinking and trusting we "let him go". Don't get me wrong my belly was in knots for 5 hours. Yes from 3:30-8:30 he was at the fair with "friends" and not us. Funny when you live in a small town how many people know you and "watch" out for the other kids. You can't do wrong when all eyes are watching. I have no notion that he would do worng because he has a great head on his shoulders and is a leader not a follower, the hard part is the "letting go" part. I know we can't be with then 24/7 but they are our"babies", they will always be our "babies". SO back to the fair stuff. We saw that Thursday is going to be at the most 63*..........We have gone to the fair in hot weather and it is not the same. It has to be cool, crisp, and fall like to truely be "The Fair".....SO folks I will give reports on how it goes and how yummy the bad for you fair food is.......Have a great day,,,stay warm by giving lots of bear huggggssss!

Happy Birthday....

.......to ALL the people who celebrate a birthday on this September 29........LOL LOL ALL the people...I know my BIL is 36 today and a year after he was born this gal from Philly was also born...........She is the BIG 35 today....A Beary Happy Birthday to her! I say Beary because she too is a "Bear" we are all bears at BABW....She is not just any bear she is the BIG A** IN CHARGE BEAR>>>>>The TOP BEAR<>AND A GREAT HEAD BEAR AT THAT>>>>A very happy weekend of fun and laughs to you Dana, the beary best boss bear ever.........

MISSING.............2 Hubcaps........

I am so angry and feel naked when I drive the car now. I discoved my two passenger side hubcaps missing when I got out of the car to go to work on Labor Day. Yes, Labor Day. I know it took me a while to "vent" about it. We were at a BBQ at MIL & FIL's and I have a feeling they were taken then. I looked on line and it would be @$90.00 to replace them......OK come one, I am sure they are PLASTIC stock reg small caps........UGH...I refuse to pay that kind of money to feel fully dressed. (lol) This post comes becasuse at school drop off today a very observant student came to the window to say hello. He was a funny, get in trouble but mean no harm kind of kid when I worked at the younger school. He was always respectful and made it a point to go out of his way to say hello at all costs. He said "Mrs. R did you hit a pot hole?" I was like no why Luke are my tires flat. He continued to tell me I had two missing hubcaps...Ph yes I know they were taken a month ago. He pipes in ........I think when you loose two it is because you hit a pot hole. NO KID LISTEN !......lol they were TAKEN.....He was very cute about it. Back in the day he was also a know it all kind of boy too. His grandmother owned the bus company for our town and he knew EVERYTHING there was to know about EVERYTHING., even at age 6. So I have this 11 year old making it a point to tell me to rethink and retrace where I may have hit a pothole to find out how they "feel" off. I still think they were taken. STOLEN TO BE EXACT! Someone told me I should find a car like mine in the mall lot and take back my hubs....Well he was joking a little and I know that karma is a *itch and I would NEVER TAKE what is not mine. AN eye for an eye would have this world in a tizzy if we took notion to do bad to others b/c they did bad to us. So I leave you with....I am OCD and it KILLS me to drive w/o 2 hub caps....the whole being of the car is off, uneven, I have no choice b/c I have more needed things to spend my money on. OH maybe this can render an entirely new car.....AHHHHH HAAAAA NOT! wishful thinking......Drivin' around half complete................What can I say it gets me to where I need to be.............sigh....................

Opps watch out for the tree....

As I was driving to pick up at school from work the radio station broke in with news that the Hood Blimp crashed in Manchster by the Sea (the place where old lady made us put the rock back on the beach). Just imagine what the residence may think of a big ugly over sized HOOD thing will do to their upscale ritz facad. I hear the driver was fine, just waiting a while to be saved by a helecopter or what not. It was a traffic nightmare reported from a friend who sat in it for almost an hour. At one point Mix 98.5 was poking jokes about it but in the end it could of been a real bad situation if he hit a building or other structure....I am just glad it did not POP because lots of milk would of been everywhere....Milk is what powers the entire inflated balloon...really it is.......ONLY JOKING>>>>>So hey Hood Man stay clear of the tree.....

Lots to see..

Yesterday we headed over to an office park(HOW FUN lol) to view a local airports runway. The small Beverly airport was too crowded to get an up close look so we got word from friends that a lot to the east was full of on lookers like ourselves. It was a great view and the boys and Michael were very impressed. Oh, did I mention they were using the new binoculars to see WWI and II fighter planes. They were doing an airshow for the day despite the strong winds. The HOOD blimp had to be grounded because of the wind. It was a sight to see. A nice older couple told us a story of his time in WWII and they were so sweet. She suggested a "ride" on a newer plane. I could tell she was joking because the cost per person was $250. OH MY .....you had to see the lines at the airport to take the short in a circle ride.People must have money to burn. First off don't have that kind of money, second I don't care if it were free.....the less I have to be airborn the better. I am not the happy fly for no reason type. Heck I am not the fly for a reason type. If it were up to me car trips would be my mode of travel to Florida all the time. Our trip ended with a yummy treat from a farm near the lot. We live one mile from a wonderful homemade farm icecream stand but enjoy this one better. I guess when you can get the cream near by it is worth the trip for a differnt type of cream. Have a nice day and get your head out of the clouds...

A Gray Day...........

We have needed a little rain to get the water levels up so it is not all that bad that it is so gray and glum today. I wish I had it in me to stay under the covers and be a veggie master this morn, but I just don't feel it is productive. I did stay in bed a little later thatn usual but get a guilty feeling when I do that. The more I type the faster and harder the rain comes down and the Chestnut Beauty on the hill next door is running in a circle and seems a bit confused. His overcoat and hair I am sure keeps him dry but I don't know maybe he should be in his stable? I can not make that call because I don't know the first thing about horse care so maybe I am out of line. So as I look out the slider and enjoy the sight of falling rain and a horse running amuck around in the mud.Enjoy your wet day and take the rain in stride.

What do you like?

I got this cute thing from an E-Mail buddy......See what you are........
If you were to choose ONE of these deserts what would it be...JUST ONE>>>>

Angel Food Cake/Brownies/Lemon Meringue/Vanilla Cake w/Chocolate Icing/Strawberry Shortcake/Chocolate Cake w/Chocolate Icing/Carrot Cake/Ice Cream
I for some reason picked Carrot Cake.......Most who know me would think I was a CHOCOLATE CAKE w/ CHOCOLATE ICING type........That is b/c I am addicted to chocolate.....BUT I DISLIKE cake that is chocolate....does that make any scence? Well I LOVE carrot cake with cream cheese frosting...YUM YUM>...SO see what you like do not read below before you pick....Pick first....and let me know....I wonder if this helps us get to know eachother better..... ; ) Bear Huggin' and Lovin' xoxoxoxo Stephie


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ANGEL FOOD CAKE.... Sweet, loving, cuddly. You love all warm and> fuzzy items. A little nutty at times. Sometimes you need an ice> cream cone at the end of the day.. Others perceive you as being> childlike and immature at times.>> BROWNIES... You are adventurous, love new ideas, and are a champion> of underdogs and a slayer of dragons. When tempers flare up, you> whip out your saber. You are always the oddball with a unique sense> of humor and direction. You tend to be v ery loyal.>> LEMON MERINGUE... Smooth, sexy, and articulate with your hands, you> are an excellent after-dinner speaker and a good teacher. But don't> try to walk and chew gum at the same time. A bit of a diva at> times, but you! have many good friends.>> VANILLA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING... Fun loving, sassy, humorous.> Not very grounded in life; very indecisive and! lack motivation.> Everyone enjoys being around you. You are a practical joker. Others> should be cautious in making you mad. However, you are a friend for> life.>> STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE... Romantic, warm, loving. You care about> other people and can be counted on in a pinch! You have many> friends who love to be around you. You also tend to melt. You can> be overly emotional at times. Your sense of loyalty and devotion> are paramount.>> CHOCOLATE ICING ON CHOCOLATE CAKE... Sexy; always ready to give and> receive. Very adventurous, ambitious and passionate. You can appear> to have a cold exterior but are warm on the inside. Not afraid to> take chances. Will not settle for anything average in life. Love to> laugh.>> ICE CREAM... You like sports, whether it is baseball, football,> basketball, or soccer. If you could, you would like to participate,> but you enjoy watching sports. You don't like to give up the remote> control. You tend to be self-centered and high maintenance.>> CARROT CAKE... You are a very fun loving person, who likes to> laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to hang ou t with you. You>are a very> warm hearted person and a little quirky at times. You have many loyal>friends.

It's ONLY Wednesday!

I am all for the saying "stop to smell the tulips". (thats my version)I like when time is an option and rushing is not needed, but come on. This week is as slow as can be. It is only hump day! I feel like it should be at least Friday or even Saturday. I think maybe because we have had very few people at the workshop. Cleaning takes up time but not that much. I feel the linger at home also. Homework has been taking forever on Ryans end. Boy do 5th graders get tons of homework or what. Stephens seems just as long as it always been and he is more independant than his brother. With youth group last night, Lego Robotics and four hokeys to go till Sunday I think this week may never come to an end. Please don't take this as a compliant, I am just stating the facts. It has been summer like the past 4 days and that may contribute to the time feeling like we are on slow motion. When it is nice and warm the days are longer and you get more done before the sun goes down. In the winter when the sun leaves before 5 pm that makes for a short day. I really really am not looking forward to that. I am sure alot of you are not too. SO I guess I will take this slow week in stride and be thankful that the time is not flying because the days will get shorter and so will my smile once we see a dark dinner sky.........Enjoy your day and hope "you stop to smell the tulips"........................

Our annual summer trip to Quincy Market in Boston

Well it felt like summer and we did not quite make it before Labor Day but what a time today. The weather was just awesome. I wish we could have days like this until Late November early December. We ate at the most fun place ever, Dicks Last Resort. The wait staff is over the top and the atmospher is crazy. They have the best food rated Photom Greatness from the show. We were also sent to Bearded Papas ( the best creampuff in the WORLD) I will tell you we were "sharing" two between the 4 of us...Well yeah after the two were gone we then HAD to get two more to share.....We should of just got 4 one for each...OH Well sharing is caring!!!! I of course had to make my way to the NEW Build a bear with a FRIENDS 2 B Made area......I know I spend my weekdays there all the time but this store was the best. They has so much more thatn we do and I wish we could have a friends 2 b made section in our store......I would be all over that........The boys waited outside with Michael but after being in the store "way too long" I got them in the door to find me. Hey I wait a long time at the GOLF stores so they can wait at the BABW! We saw atleast 4 street perfomers and they were a hoot........Funny how I always feel abliged to give a few dollars and Michael is like ahhh no.......Hey they entertained us a bit might as well....I do not like how you can not get into the main buildings while they are performing b/c the crowd blocks the doors.......I was very wigged out by the crowds there were so many people there today, I am sure the nice weather was alot of the reason. I love to people watch while the boys go in the stores I am not fond of like the Discovery Store. Thet spend a good 40 mins looking at all the stuff in there while I PEOPLE WATCH> I must say what a diverse world we live in ...I guess I have to leave my small town to see this more often. lol I rather just be in a small town ..I am no longer a CITY CHICK...I am a country girl.......and proud to proclaim it....
So that was the day........I am so glad we made the trip, it is a yearly tradition that I do not like to break...Our next yearly outings will be Appple/pumkin picking in NH and the Oldest Fair in America TOPSFIELD FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nice small town happenings no big city freakyness,.......hehehehe Have a great night....Bear Huggin' and Lovin'

A walk down memory lane.......

It is funny when you have a friend of the boys in the car and you listen to the conversation (pretending not to really listen but kepping track word for word) the things that 13 year old BOYS talk about. I recall when I was a 13 year old GIRL our chats were about the cute boys and things like that. Well boys do not hit the "girl crazies" as soon as the girls hit the "boy crazies" so I am not hearing any chit chat of the girls in eight grade. I am hearing of whos bike has hugh wheels, or whos roller blades has really fast spinning wheels, or who gets to ride 5 or 6 miles from their house to a busy area of town. It is funny what they talk about. Todays 35 to 40 min car ride to hockey practice was directed to me to recall funny events when the boys were little. This came from my sons friend (mentioned in a post from the summer) who is with us alot and has gotten to know not just the cordial funny Stephens mom but the also she can yell when she is streesed and be supper goofy when it is time ect....the good the bad the ugly...We all know that only certain friends we have grown up with get the entire package when they are always with that certain adopted family...you get the picture.....SO I basicly told them of the POT story from yet another previous post......I pointed out and made a hugh deal of just HOW BAD that was of "Eddie the tenant" to do that stuff but the boys found it to be super funny that I had the notion that it was Spanish Food smell and not Weed smell......So Stephens friend who has parents 18 years my senior said "You weren't a HIPPIE back in the 70's like most parents were?Pot was done often back then" ////AHHHHHHH NOOOOOOO KID b/c I was JUST BORN !!!!!!!!! lol lol lol How can you be a HIPPIE in a crib babling goo goo gah gah!!!! I was like how old do you think I AM !!!!!
I did say it in the most funny of ways........ I just tought it was maddening that a 13 year old has the notion that ALL parents were HIPPIES.......SO with that topic open they mentioned the "air heads" .....I guess a name given to students at the JR/High School that are suspected of being POT smokers.......OK so as I almost drove of the edge of 495 and into a gardrail I was like HUH? SO you mean to tell me you know of 8th graders with a cloud of suspiction that they "do pot"////I am like aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh! The best part of the story is one of the students they mentioned ( I know him as a trouble maker so no doubt there) is the gym teachers son. OK! His mom and dad are both PE teachers at all the schools in out TRI_TOWN School district......Yeah thats really health concious of the gym teachers son.....SO don't forget always open the door of communication so the "POT" talk is not left a secret and your 24 year old thinks it is SMELLY SPANISH FOOD>>>>>>If you know what I mean ........

Bear Hugin' and Lovin"

Always be beary friendly..Sharing is the beary best thing a bear can do.......Love your teddy bear.......Give it lots of care.......Bear huggin' and lovin'............................!!!!! We all have some bear qualties in us..........Show your true bear colors............Bears Rule!

More Pics

Last years school picture and last years hockey picture

Ryan Stephen

The top picture was taken on our 10 year Aniversary in 2002.....15 years in April baby!

Here are the pics..........

This was taken in December 2001 at my brother in laws wedding...The boys were Jr. Ushers....they look so young my how 5 years matures a person ...lol ........