So Much Fun!

Hannah, Paul and I have had the best time in the past few days! The weather has finally turned fall-ish, just perfect for playing outside. Yesterday we took the training wheels off her bike and practiced a little bit. We flew a kite. We ran races and played hide and seek. Hannah doesn't really understand this game. She wanted to hide first so I counted loudly then announced, "Ready or not, here I come!" I turned to find Hannah standing in the middle of the yard with her hands over her eyes, giggling hysterically.
Today we went to Christian's soccer practice and again ran races. Hannah brought her Spiderman ball, so we also played a little soccer. She found it hilarious when I chased her:

Gigglebox by nataliehin

We have also been playing all of her favorite games including "Neighbor", "Evil Villein" (or as she says, ebil billum), "Customer" and of course, the classic "Baby Ghost." Here she is "rockin' out" with Baby Ghost.

Glen Cove Mansion

I went for a meeting this week in New York; Long Island, to be exact. It was one of those meetings when you come back all energized and ready to do some good work.

This Gold Coast mansion has been used in many different films such as Sabrina, North by Northwest and most recently Sex & the City 2.

Glen Cove was also the home of Billy Joel, Mel Gibson, J.P. Getty, J.P. Morgan, Franklin Woolworth and Telly Savalas.

Other than the fancy meeting rooms and really comfy guest rooms, it also has a 5 mile path to the Atlantic, a bowling alley in the basement, and an outdoor ice skating rink (in the winter, of course!)

Oh, and while I was gone, Hannah ate a small metal toy. No worries though, Hannah informed me that she was "still working on it" to get it to come out.

Just Call Me Doris

This post was originally published in January 2009. I got nothin' here folks. Waiting for the writing muse to appear.

When I woke up today I looked in the mirror and thought I looked old. Not old all over, I just had "old face." I've never really noticed before, because old doesn't bother me, since the alternative is dead. I'm pretty sure I would be bothered by dead. So I went to work on my old face. I thought that surely this was a mistake and I must have slept wrong. You know, like an all over sheet mark or something. I pinched my cheeks to get the blood flowing, just like Scarlett O'Hara- still old. I put on an extra coat of makeup but then I just looked like an old floozy. I find that red lipstick usually cures most ails but my reddest red didn't even do the trick (unless I plan on turning tricks, then maybe I'm set.) So I went to work with the best face I could muster. I told some co-workers about my old face and got the response I was looking for, "What? Old? You? You look great!!" (Or at least that was what I heard.) But, no matter what I was eventually able to convince myself of, it ended the moment a customer ran after me shouting, "Doris, Doris, DORIS!" I finally realized she was talking to me. She had confused me for her friend, Doris. I will apologize now to all those 20 year old Dorises out there, but I'm pretty sure that Doris is an old lady name that fits with my old lady face.

This is Doris Lessing, not me.

Blue & Red

The first few weeks in preschool have been quite productive. Not only did she learn to spell, but she has also had several jobs such as line leader, crayon passer-outer, and door holder.

Why Be Normal?

Sometimes I wonder if she will go to grade school in these crazy getups. You guys let me know if you get tired of seeing Hannah in funny costumes, cause I never get tired of it, but I'm the Mama.

W. Eugene Smith

W. Eugene Smith was inspired to be a photojournalist after the suicide of his father was ill reported. He was known for his thorny personality, his refusal to compromise his standards, and his workaholic personality. He became a world renowned war correspondent, famous for heartbreaking photos like this one, Wounded, Dying Infant Found by American Soldier in Saipan Mountains, June 1944:

Smith was severely injured in Okinawa during his 13th campaign. It was uncertain if he would ever take a photo again. After two years of recuperating and thirty surgeries he was inspired to take his first photo since his injury, my favorite photo, "The Walk to Paradise Garden".

“The day I again tried for the first time to make a photograph I could barely load the roll of film into the camera. Yet I was determined that the first photograph would be a contrast to the war photographs and that it would speak an affirmation of life. Thus I took a picture of two children. My children.”

Here is another one of his that I adore, Awaiting Survivors of the Andrea Doria:

Apple Fest at Jackson's Orchard

I LOVE FALL!!!!!!!!!!!! I love being cold-ish. I love warm sweaters. I love jeans. I love Daylight Savings Time (or the end of it!) I love the smell of leaves rotting. I love my mama's pumpkin bread with cream cheese on it! I love Jackson's Orchard!

Fried peach pies, peach ice cream, apple cider, caramel apples. Yum! Yum!

The Bike That Makes Me Drool

I walked purposefully into Nat's Outdoors today to donate a couple of old, beat up bikes to their Bike for Kids thing they do. My heart was full of good intentions. Then the bike of my dreams rang it's lovely bell and suddenly my heart was full of bike lust. I NEED THIS BIKE!! This is an Electra Blanc et Noir. See? Even the name is fancy. I feel certain that if Audrey Hepburn was still alive, she would own this bike and would wear a silk scarf while riding it!

I'm pretty sure my hiney could never hurt on such a beautiful saddle!

I think I like the black tires better than the lime green ones, don't you?

Look at the bell! So perfect!