Soccer again

 Back with our old team - this will be Matteo's SIXTH season with these coaches.  And back together with the same team we have enjoyed for so many seasons.

 

Look for some strong defense movies in the future. Go Cardinals !!

Intrepid

We enjoyed a trip to NYC today courtesy of the local library and took in the Intrepid.  Something we have been trying to do since April.

The kids enjoyed getting inside everything possible and trying it out.

We all enjoyed the largeness of the space to shuttle.  Such a sight to behold.

And I will never get  over the skyline.  I was fortunate enough that Jules, Matteo & Poppi went into a submarine in the end, Chloe fell asleep and I just sat and took in the beauty of this skyline for well over an hour.  And as Chloe woke up I headed down 3 levels only to discover the elevator was not working and hence, carrying CHloe and managing the stroller we ventured downstairs.

So fortunate Poppi came to stay for the weekend and will be sad to see him leave tomorrow.

Hawaiian Day

Loved Matteo's outfit for Hawaiian day!

 

And yes, the bus has been quiet for a bit now.

Sleeping & Reading

Matteo has gone back to sleeping well at night.  Even laughing in his sleep, which is always a great sign.

And his reading 15 minutes a day continues to explode.  What a wonder to be part of, a child learning to read.

Day off

Having off from school today - I would say the better part of the morning was spent with me cleaning out closets and drawers and the kids playing nicely  - - side by side, though separate in their actions.  

It was lovely.

mismatch day

Mismatch day at school (and yes, Dolly too got in on the action with the different shoes....all day).

days off

Matteo had off from school Monday and Tuesday this week for the Jewish Holidays.  At one point Matteo informed me he didn't like having off four days and missed his teacher and bus driver.  To which I thought to myself, "Oh Matteo that bus driver does not miss you"  LOL. 

Fire pit

Remember our fire pit I told you about.  I simply love sitting around it - quiet, talking doing our own thing.  The kids enjoy it as well.

Happy Birthday Kevin

At a friends birthday party - Matteo felt comfortable enough to strip down to his underwear and take one last swim for the season.

 

Happy Birthday to our friend and neighbor Kevin

stick gathering

Making use of the quad and gathering sticks for the outdoor fire pit.

Driveway

I love sitting in the driveway after school and relishing in the joy of Matteo & Chloe playing.  Daddy often joins me at this hour.

 

Thankfully Matteo is learning the rules of the bus and all is starting to calm down.  

School he enjoys, however the waking at night and having difficulty falling asleep is still present. 

Yet another bus incident

I'm pretty sure I'm going to relabel my blog "the school bus", because when the bus pulled up today  - - - and oh if ever there was a cat who ate the canary, Matteo's look on his face said it all.  Now mind you today was the first FULL day, so two other sets of parents where there waiting, and I learned super early on, never get close to the bus for fear you will be spoken to.  Well today the driver actually said, "errr.r.... Mrs. G, can you come here."  And there I stood smiling and waving, to which he repeated it again so sadly I learned that Matteo took part in hitting another child - though playfully, still hitting.  Of which Matteo stood at the bus doors profusely saying "she told me to, she told me to."  AND I BELIEVED HIM!!!!!!!  But when he came inside and I questioned him further, seems he was following another childs lead.

We sat down and wrote the girl an apology note. 

I called our friend Ms. Marisa and asked her to come over tomorrow at 4 PM to get Matteo off the bus because I don't think I can.  Either that or I will need 2 ounces of wine to just get me to go to the bus stop.

But let me tell you Matteo comes off the bus hands me his bookbag and outside he is playing and running and riding the quad Uncle Rocco lent us for over an hour.  I have to drag him in for dinner.  School has done nothing to slow Matteo down. 

Pjs

Because who doesn't enjoy playing outside in their pjs.

Today Daddy and I jarred 13 cans of applesauce after picking 2 bushels of apples these past few weeks.  We are preparing for winter.

3rd day

....and on the THIRD half day of school when the bus pulled up and Matteo was sitting all the way up front.... I simply waved to the driver and walked away.  When I questioned Matteo as to why he was sitting up front he replied, I'm still learning the rules, but I don't mind."  And i'm thinking that's good Matteo because get used to it LOL. 

fibbed

When the bus pulled up after Matteo's second half day of school and I asked the driver how Matteo is doing - and he replied "he's a little loud" - I fibbed and said "well he'll settle down, it's just a little exciting right now."  You know I lied  -- - - Matteo is all about energy and excitement.  But really, I know this man has another 178 days with Matteo I don't want to crush him early on :-) 

Besides, how innocent does he look :-)  

Kindergarten

It's official - Matteo is a kindergartner!!

September 5, 2012 Matteo enjoyed his first day of Kindergarten.  His teacher - Mrs. H was a welcome  surprise - though I did write the school district requesting her after the rave reviews from our pal Caleb.

And after about a week of waking up in the middle of the night, anywhere from 1-3 x, unable to go back to sleep I attributed this all to the unknown of what would happen during kindergarten.  After all who wouldn't be nervous/afraid of leaving Mommy, riding with a strange bus driver and going to a new facility with people you don't really know.  

But alas when the bus pulled up, Matteo ran right up joining his friend Patrick and laughing.  No tears on my end - - I felt as though Matteo was ready. 

And with only a half day for the first three days, you know we lived it up in the afternoon.  Shaving cream and all.

Mission accomplished

LANDED!  - the client that is.  Way to go Daddy & welcome home!

Michigan

The only reason we came home from the cabin a day early (arriving home at 2 AM): Daddy was to take a 1 PM flight to Michigan to try to land a client.  Good luck Daddy!

On a much sadder note, Matteo spent the better part of the morning crying over having had to leave the cabin (which of course made Daddy feel horrible) and then the better part of dinner crying (which made mommy feel horrible) due to his missing daddy.  Granted the cabin was grand and we do miss Daddy, but I am thinking someone is nervous for Wednesday Kindergarten. 

Last day

My nightly view of the campfire.

 

Enjoying being young.

 And we toasted hotdogs on a stick over the open fire.  Delicious.

Quad riding

Exhausted.

It felt like we were on a cloud these past 4 days.  limited cellphone use, making use of what we had, showering under a tree, etc.  It was a dream.  I now understand the allure of camping (though not the camp grounds with all the organized activities, etc.).  The simple life has always been my way of life and continues to be.

We left around 10 PM for a 4 hour drive home.  The kids sleeping.  Daddy had an unavoiable business trip he was scheduled to take Monday.  and let me tell you when Matteo woke when I put him in his bed at 3 AM - I laid with him for about 30 minutes as he cried and cried at having had to leave the cabin.  I cried too, it was that much fun.

More cabin fun

There is also a stream a down a small hill that we all played in to keep cool or amuse ourselves. Here we caught crayfish, frogs, etc.  Nothing huge, and they were always released back into the wild.

 

 

Remember how I told you we always sat around the fire?

 And the kids often enjoyed the stream as well.

Yesterday I woke with a UTI - my second in my life.  Thank you to my sister whom I was able to call at 4 AM - by the miracle of God - as we had zero cellphone service.  We later traveled 30 minutes into town where I called my dr. and he prescribed a medication.  I was back to good operating condition and back on my feet.  The lack of sleep was barely noticed. 

Daily happenings at the cabin

Some events from yesterday.

It was on his trip that Matteo learned the DSI - ironic as we are out in the wilderness. 

 

I very much enjoyed mowing the small parcel of lawn that was supposed to be mowed.

 

Lunch was often around a campfire and simple.

 

And Matteo and little Rocco took to climbing this tree - not exactly the safest.

Life is really simple here - just quiet, family and having fun.  Lots of food and drink as well.  The sleep was limited as Jules, his brother and myself would often sit by the campfire until 1 or 2 AM - - watching the fire, talking.  On this particular night we shot off fireworks in light of the blue moon - which I read only happens once every 2-3 years.

The Cabin

I never understood the allure of camping out - this cabin was built by Jules' brother and his friend.  

No running water, no electricity and no bathroom.

The kitchen.

 The outhouse

We stayed up until 2 AM talking by the campfire (though the kids were obviously in bed by 9 PM).

The Park

Today the kids and I alone ventured up to my old stomping grounds to visit a lake I grew up at.  I needed to be alone for a bit and quiet with the kids - somewhere where I wasn't known.  Jules was a bit stressed out last week having to book a business trip and not liking the conditions, so I felt bad/negative energy in the house.

 Jules did meet us later in the day as we were all packed and ready for a weekend at his brothers cabin - 5 hours from our house located on 25 acres of land.  Remote indeed.

Before that trip, while at the park, we met up with some friends after having some quiet alone time.

 One of my dearest friends from JH school.

So with 10 gallons of water, frozen food, two coolers, blankets, pillows and clothes we spent the night at Jules' family's house in preparation for our trip tomorrow.

Legos

Matteo is certainly getting into legos.

Below is his latest creation.  And what I like about this, is it is Matteo's own creation, from his imagination. 

And today we enjoyed an afternoon of apple picking.

Rained out low tide

Meeting Matteo's friend at the beach today proved not so fun when the rains washed away our playdate at low tide.  However coming home to spend a quiet afternoon as a family was indeed enjoyable.

Low tide

Not wanting summer to end, we decided to enjoy low tide at our local beach today - after church of course.

Couch potatoes

After all of yesterdays waves and higher waves, Matteo was more than water logged today - and spent most of the day on the couch listening to the cd of Where the Red Fern Grows (a personal favorite of mine).

Here's another great video from yesterday.  Though tossed in the waves, the smile never left Matteo's face.

Montauk

Thanks to our local library, we made use of the library pass today and enjoyed a visit to a semi-local museum.  This museum was about creatures native to our area - including a touch tank.

Then we went on a small hike and enjoyed looking for turtles in the pond.  

 

We also used the binoaculars to bird watch.  

A small museum, but packed with information and excitement.

We then ventured another 45 minutes to Montauk.  The waves were 8 feet high Daddy said and came 15 feet onto the shore - washing ours and other beach goers blankets and towels many times.

Matteo & Daddy - as always - enjoyed the water and waves.

And it was this visit to Montauk that I will never forget.

You see I was sitting on the blanket, and Daddy had just walked over and was talking to me.  Matteo & Chloe met new friends and were playing with them, about 5 feet away.  I saw them both walking back over to me - Matteo in front and Chloe trailing behind.  Matteo reached me first - and as I reached in the collor to grab two sandwiches - I looked back up and didn't see Chloe.  I knew she was gone instantly.  I quickly went to where I last saw her and inquired with the family.  They didn't see her - and now Jules too was looking.  Wit the waves coming as far on shore as they were, I decided not to waste a minute and ran over to the lifeguards and said she was missing.  They quickly sprang up - as well as about 5-7 people sitting nearby.  These few minutes seemed like a lifetime.  I started running to the direction I last saw Chloe walking and thank God I saw a woman walking her back - safely.  Those 3-4 minutes I will never forget.  Never forget the woman Marget who said she noticed Chloe walking and crying calling "Mommy."  She said she sat there for a moment and then decided to do something - rather than read about this little girl in the coming day.  She didn't know she was lost, but her instinct too told her something was wrong.  I will never forget that woman, her kindness, and as she says "if she see something, do something."  Many poeple on the beach spoke to us - told us how quickly it happens, but how it happeend to many of them.  Gave us a few tips for the future - but wow, what an experience.  Like I said words cannot express my appreciation towards that woman.

though we often butt heads - something I don't remember as much with Matteo - 

 she's still my Dolly -

And I love her Dearly.  We all do.

 

You see because of the large waves, we moved our blanket back a bit - and when matteo turned in 4 feet, Chloe May didn't see him do that, and kept going straight, hence her getting lost. 

meeting our classmates

Today Matteo, as well as all the other Kindergartners, were invited to the school playground.  There they wore the same color shirts, depending on what class they were in, and enjoyed a story by the principal and an ice cream pop.

 

And after a bit of coaxing, Matteo got his haircut - after 4 months.  It was fun and gorgeous and appropriate for all of our long days at the beach, but now in order to get ready for school, I would like it more cleaned up. 

Mission Accomplished!

 

And remember our pal Maris - well her new bundle of joy has arrived - GABRIELLE ROSE!!!  Congrats to our friend and her family - and we can't wait to meet our new friend. 

Fair Grounds

Going to a not so local (4 counties away) fair - had us up and out early today.

Watching the woman weave some wool.

 

Thankfully we didn't get spit on by the llamas. 

And the game was a success with prizes for all!

And back to Nanny's for dinner with Uncle Rocco and cousin Rocco had us - as always - pulling in way past our bedtime.

Meeting the teacher

We were delighted when matteo received his teaching assignment - Mrs. H.  Our friend Caleb had Mrs. H and while 2 other K teachers also come highly recommended, we went with Caleb's recommendation - as his mama always has great suggestions.  And bonus, as of last year Mrs. H allowed mother's helpers, a policy I am hoping continues this year so I can volunteer.  

So today we were off to meet Mrs. H, as well as Matteo's other classmates - and Matteo also enjoyed a bus ride.  Last night going to bed, Matteo was all a bundle of nerves, so he fell asleep in my bed.  Today he was a bit nervous going in, but by the time I picked him up off the bus, laughing and playing with a boy whom he sat with on the bus.  Here's to more smiles comes September 5th.

 

And after a lego get together at library and a playdate with our pal Charlie - off to Nanny's we went for an overnight visit and a trip to a fair on Wednesday.

Waves

Visiting a new beach today - had us enjoying the waves.  And by "us" I mean Daddy & Matteo (who truly is a fish in the water).  I often live vicariously through Matteo - but the water is often too cold for my liking.

When not enjoying the waves and water, Matteo & Chloe May dug yet another huge trench.

 And Chloe May was often buried in the sand by Daddy - much to her liking.

stay at home

With all the excitement, a stay at home day was in order.

Aquarium

Meeting our friends Charlie and Clara at the local aquarium today.

You know Matteo always enjoys it when the birds sit on him.

 

Later that evening, because of Matteo & Chloe May's great summer reading, we were treated to a show at the library which had us all in stitches.