From Liesel

Hi Mom and Dad! I think it's time we do a check in. As always, you're doing a pretty good job raising me but there's of course room for improvement. Here are some suggestions:

1. WHAT is my name? I used to think it was Liesel but you've been calling me Liesel-lu, munchkin, munchkincito, nooker, stinker, strawberry tart, monkey, pequena traviesa, etc. How in blazes do you expect me to learn proper English if you can't even start me out properly with my name?

2. As I'm fine-tuning my fine motor skills, I find repetitive motions to my liking. Like the two of you, I also don't like leaving projects undone. When faced with a small container of floss, I like to see exactly how much is in there. It seems like the toilet paper roll goes on forever. I'm fascinated that when I pull out ALL the tissues from one of those colorful boxes, they take up so much more room outside the box than in! I still can't figure out how they get them in there which is why I also try to pick them up off the floor and stuff them back in. Don't you guys ever want to just see the bottom of those things? It's fascinating, trust me.

3. Mom, for some reason you've been taking every opportunity to hold babies. As if I haven't been clear enough, I do NOT like it! Oh, and the time you tried to get ME to hold the baby, uh, uh... not cool. What is with you lately? You have a baby and that is me so you should be set. Ugh, we're going to have to work on this one I can tell.

4. I may have a limited vocabulary but when I shake my head it means I don't want something, plain and simple. Even if you offer me a food I've had before and loved, when I shake my head all bets are off. Get it out of my face! Don't play with me, make me laugh and bring it around again. This isn't my first time at the rodeo folks! I'm on to you and I know what you're doing so just stop.

5. Shoes, oh how I love them! Well, let me qualify that. I love all the shoes that aren't on my feet. When you pull off my pedipeds because I've been begging to put on my Nikes, as soon as they're on I want my sandals. I think the best solution to this quandry is for Dad to just buy me more shoes *hint* *hint*

6. Mom, you really need to relax. I've been trying to convey this to you subtly by pulling out my hair mere moments after you finish styling it. It's not that I don't like looking pretty, it's just that well, you're not meant to be a hairdresser. Rather than painstakingly taking your time, I think you should just take a load off. And what is with putting the ribbons next to my elastics? I like them in my bangs and really think it's an up and coming look.

7. WHEN am I getting my own blogger account?

Garbage, Grapes and Groves

While nannying for us this summer, my sister Whitney told us about a Grape Festival near Rochester, NY. Apparently they grow a special type of grape in the Finger Lakes region and every year there's a festival around harvest time. She'd never been to the actual festival but had partaken in the goods from it. She told us the grape pies are best with some heated peanut butter drizzled over them. That was enough to pique our interest and it just so happens the festival coincided with a much needed break for both Brent and I so we've spent this weekend in upstate NY.

When we got into Rochester on Friday night we decided to go to Nick Tahou Hots, home of the garbage plate (another Whitney suggestion). There's no doubt about it, the place is a dive but the atmosphere more than makes up for it. As we were nearing Rochester, Brent noticed the place closed at 8 PM and the GPS had our ETA as 7:45 PM. If we hit any traffic, we'd miss it. He called to see if we could do take out just in case and the owner told him if we were close he'd keep the place open for us. Then he asked about our position, down to the mile marker and warned us about some construction between here and there. Turns out he used to be a truck driver so he really knew what he was talking about. They weren't kidding about the garbage plate... it literally looks like a plate of garbage but it was warm and tasty and perfect for a family that had been on the road for 6 1/2 hours. Nick Tahou Hots definitely has a special feeling to it. We talked with the owner and his wife as we left and they are salt of the earth people... the kind we need more of in this world. He was so happy we'd made it and talked highly of the missionaries who frequent the place. He joked we could tell Whitney to expect her commission check in the mail.

The Grape Festival started on Saturday and it was... interesting. It takes place in Naples, NY and they're not kidding about their grapes. The fire hydrants are grape purple. The ambulances have grapes on them. A good 1/3 of the people attending the festival were dressed in grape-colored clothing. There's no doubt what this town is all about. They sold not only grape pies, but "grapples" which are grape flavored candy apples, grape bread, grape tarts, grape preserves, etc. I've never been into grapes much but I have to admit the pie was strangely good. We didn't have any melted peanut butter to drizzle on it but we purchased an extra pie to take home and we'll try it there. The artisans were quite the dissappointment. Many people were selling what looked like their trash out on their yards. There was one booth were some young girls were selling friendship bracelets... exactly like the ones I used to make when I was their age 20 years ago. But the drive there and back was just gorgeous so that made up for it. I wouldn't go again, but if someone offered me some of that pie I'd jump at the chance. I've never tasted anything like it!

After the Grape Festival we headed to Fayette and Palmyra to see some of the church history sites we missed when we went to the pageant last summer. The missionaries still remembered Whitney fondly and apparently she had really talked up her Boston relatives so we got the star treatment. Some of them even recognized Liesel from a photo Whitney shared! The Whitmer Farm, EB Grandin Print Shop and Martin Harris Farm were beautifully restored and had a very special feeling to them. We left feeling spiritually recharged which is exactly what we were looking for. The best part? Brent had enough Marriott points for the hotel so we only paid for gas and food. It was just perfect for us because we're still pinching but we really needed to get away as a family. We've taken advantage of the hot tub and Liesel has loved sleeping with us in the king-sized bed. In the middle of the night I've been awaken by her patting my face kind of like she's just checking to see if I'm still there. Last night Brent tried to put her on the floor on some cushions but at 3 AM a fuzzy haired toddler pleaded out of the darkness "Up?" so she was back in bed with us much to her delight. Right now Brent's with Liesel in the Sacred Grove while I relax and pack up our stuff to head home. It's may not sound like much, but it's really been a great vacation!

Need a Laugh?

My sister Whitney sent me this one and I just had to pass it along. My favorite part? "I'll buy almost anything that's shiny and made by Apple." Don't we all know someone like that?

Did I Mention?

Due March 19th.

How Do You Like THEM Apples?

This year we returned to Carlson Orchard in Harvard, MA for apple picking. Much to our surprise, Liesel LOVED it! Because we went early enough in the season, there were still tons of apples on the lower branches just at Liesel's height. There's no maze or pumpkin shop but there IS a huge stone in the middle of the orchard which makes for a nice, cool place to rest after climbing trees. Their relatively simple shop has some sparkling apple juice and the VERY best part: an oven which perpetually delivers hot apple crisp. YUM!

I read an article about how east coast orchards really have a brilliant idea by opening up their grounds for people to go apple-picking. Other orchards such as those in California pay migrant workers while those here actually charge people to harvest for them; all the while considering it a novelty. That doesn't bother me as much as the fact we bought a bunch of apples at the grocery store the day before knowing we were going apple picking. What were we thinking?

First Day of School

Well okay, or daycare. Liesel doesn't have a backpack but she has a tote so I thought I'd get a picture of that. After a summer hiatus with Aunt Whitney as her nanny and some quality time with the grandparents, she went back to KinderCare on Monday. The transition wasn't quite as smooth as I'd hoped. When we went to her new classroom (she's now in Toddler 1 as opposed to the Infant room), a lot of the toddler's older siblings were there. They walked right up to Liesel and started touching her hair, demanding to know her name, crowding her etc. She just backed into my legs and clung to me and then cried when we said "goodbye." However, she perked up when she saw they had food. Lots of her old buddies are back with her which is great and when we picked her up Friday afternoon she was all smiles. I'd love to stay home with her but since that's currently not an option, I'm so happy she goes somewhere she can play with friends and enjoy herself.

Tessie

Although we're not season ticket holders, and Red Sox tickets are like gold out here (no really, have you ever seen empty seats when the Red Sox are home?), Brent and I manage to make it to a game or two every year. This is thanks to our good luck and the wonderful companies we work for who do random drawings. Up until recently I had always won the tickets or managed to snag some from a coworker selling them at the last minute. Well Brent finally started contributing to the marriage and he won some tickets from HIS company. I have to admit, the seats were amazing. My only complaint is that in the elevator on the way up I found myself among a bunch of polo-clad business types. They were talking about acquisitions and NOT in terms of baseball. One of them glanced at his ticket and flippantly said, "Who are we playing tonight?" That infuriated me. Give your ticket to one of the thousands of people who will REALLY appreciate it and not only know who we are playing, but who's pitching, who's injured and what the lineup is. Ugh, that bugged me to no end.

Once I met up with Brent (I had been doing some pre-game shopping of course), I was handed a menu which included clam chowder, lobster rolls, and burger bites. Brent informed me they'd take credit cards. The vendor or waitress or whatever stopped by often to make sure we were comfortable. We'd left Liesel with friends so it was a nice evening with just the two of us. Unfortunately, we lost but at least we got to see Big Papi up to bat. His presence at the plate is still so impressive to me. The Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster even made a visit to our section. You would have thought he was Brad Pitt by all the commotion! Ahhhh, only at Fenway.

I actually didn't mind the loss because Brent is sooooo cute when he's bummed about the Red Sox. He looks like a little kid anyway, but when they lose he looks like a little kid who's dog has just died. Even his incredulity at the poor playing seems somehow young and innocent. Yes honey, he SHOULD have fielded that ball better. LOL, it makes me want to kiss his forehead and give him a bowl of soup to make him feel better.

After the game we walked from Fenway to the Boston Commons parking garage. Personally I don't think it's worth it to get shoved onto a crowded train with beer soaked people just to try and make it down the street a little faster. Walking is a nice way to work off the Fenway frank and just enjoy the evening a bit longer. After a few blocks we struck up a conversation with a really nice guy who it turns out was also from Belmont. His son now works for the Red Sox but he can't get his wife to go to a game with him. He kind of looked like Steven Spielberg (who I believe is also a Red Sox fan) and I wonder if we'll ever run into him again.

I can't wait to see how the BOSOX do this month!

A Clockwork Orange

I came home from work one day to discover Liesel eyelids were rimmed in red. I was worried she had conjunctivitis or had somehow hit herself. It definitely didn't look right. Whitney was in the kitchen and I asked what happened to which she responded, "Oh, I have pictures."

While Whitney was distracted, Liesel managed to climb up to the dining room table, grab my favorite (discontinued) berry colored lipstick and well, did this:

I'm SO glad Whitney took pictures! Our Mom always told us when our child does something destructive, don't get mad just take a picture. It's always funny down the road once the frustration has worn off. This is now the screen saver on my blackberry and I love the reaction I get from people who beg to see a recent photo. This one really does say a thousand words!