Sad Pictures of Borders

Today we went to the mall. I bought an iPad at the Apple store. On the way to the Apple store we had to go by Borders. I just had to stop and take some pictures. It's very sad.

The far right corner is where Paul and I used to sit (if it was empty) on Monday nights.



Here are a few more sad pictures.









The end of another era. I wonder where we will go to relax and read books. Maybe the library!

Izzy and Minnie's Birthday Party

Tomorrow is Izzy's 3rd birthday. When we got Minnie, the vet said that she was probably the same age as Izzy, so last year we celebrated their birthdays together. Marley and I got their treat supper set up (tuna fish and treats), along with three candles.

The cats were a little less than enthusiastic. I thought they would love the tuna but evidently they were not that hungry, and getting them both to eat at the same time along with the candles burning was not easy. Poor Marley was chasing Minnie under tables, behind couches, etc.

This might be their last birthday party!

Climbing Over Legs Game

Mason has a new thing. He loves to walk over your legs. He will do it over and over.

If you put your legs so that he can't get over them he will push on your legs and say, "Please" in his cute baby voice. You can't resist him, so you put your legs back and just let him walk on them.





The lengths that parents and grandparents will go to to humor their kids is amazing!

Yo Gabba Gabba

Tonight Mason and I watched Yo Gabba Gabba, again. He watches this at his house on Nick, Jr. We don't get Nick, Jr. here so I bought a DVD. He loves it and we watch it A LOT. The problem is the songs get stuck in my head. It really is cute though. Paul was playing with my camera tonight and took pictures while it was playing so I thought I would post them.

Borders is Closing!!!

Why, you might ask, is Paul sitting in the Children's Department at Borders? Because it is closing soon and the little cafe area with the leather chairs is closed, you can't even go in there.

This is so sad! I'm not sure what is going to be able to take its place. It was such a nice relaxing time, Monday night at Borders. It's not fair!

Mason's first visit to the Springfield Science Museum

It has become a tradition over the last few years to go to the museum with Marley on President's Day. This year Janelle and Mason came with us. It was Mason's first time to the museum and we were all excited to show him around. Marley was so good with him, introducing him to all of her favorite things. Unfortunately, I had my new camera set to a setting that made the pictures very compressed and, therefore, not great.

The museum had lots of things going on for kids because of school vacation. Paul, Marley and I went to a laser safari before Janelle and Mason got there that was pretty cool. The exhibit that the museum had this year was Reptiles, which was also very cool. They had lots of snakes, turtles, a couple of alligators, and other assorted reptiles. Marley really liked this and we spent quite a lot of time there.

I love the museums. I love to take Marley and now Mason. It is such a fun time!


Here are a few pictures of our day.










Every year I take a picture of Marley in this little Indian teepee. This was Marley's first time in 2002.



I tried to get a picture of Mason in the little Indian teepee. He was a little leery of going into the teepee, so this picture is not quite the same, but close.



This is a funny mirror that makes you look short and fat (I won't go anywhere near it!).

Cheese Run to Grafton, VT

Today we took a ride to Grafton, VT. It was a beautiful day and we decided that we needed a little get-away. We went to the cheese store in Grafton, and then had a picnic in our car down the street.

These pictures were taken from the covered bridge there.

The Coburn Drama Club

Tonight we went to Marley's school to see her perform in The Coburn Drama Club. Kris and Toby were babysitting for Mason so he came too. We sat in about the third row and every time she would come out on the stage he would call her, Aiye (not sure how to spell what he calls her but it is something like that), and then when she would leave the stage he would say, Uh-oh.



Marley was the teacher in the play. It was cute. Her class has been working on it all year!

Disney Sing-A-Long and Puzzles

Tonight Mason and Grandma watched Disney Sing-A-Long for the first time. This was one of Marley's favorites when she was Mason's age. He had a good time doing wooden puzzels too. I was surprised at how good he was at it!

P.S. This is Marley watching Disney Sing-A-Long at Mason's age

Dottie Burt

Yesterday Toby's grandmother passed away. Toby's grandparents Dottie and Bunny, and Kristen's grandparents Priscilla and Fred were good friends and spent a lot of time together over the years. The only one left now is Fred.

Sunday Dinner in Woburn

Janelle's mother invited us for Sunday dinner today. Great food, lots of laughs, enjoying each other's company. Marley had fun sliding on the hill in their back yard and Mason got a new riding toy to play with at "Ama" Stacia's house. Thanks, Stacia, for a wonderful time!

Kristen made the little sweater that Mason has on. Isn't it cute?

Valentine dinner

We celebrated Valentine's Day with some old friends tonight; we try to make this a yearly thing. Some years we go out to eat, and some years we have it at someone's house. Tonight it was at Carl and Gladys' house. We had lots of good food and lots of laughs; it was a fun night.

This was the cheesecake that Gladys made. Yum!




Earlier in the day we babysat for Mason at his house. He is so funny. He wears this tupperware thing like a hat. I love this age.

Oobleck

Last Sunday Marley wanted to make Oobleck and I told her that she could make it on Friday night. You make Oobleck with cornstarch and water. She added food coloring, among other things (!?!) to some of it and even baked it in the oven.



We also made "Hugs" for her Sunday School Valentine's party and her school party. We had quite a mess in the kitchen. She was good about helping to clean it up though. Quite a busy Friday night!

Bake Sale

Tonight the Girls Ministries at our church had a bake sale. The proceeds went to a "ministry called Europe's Children to purchase Bibles and curriculum and teaching materials for the Missionaries who reach the children with the love of Jesus."

SO MUCH SUGAR!!



I made the little pretzel hugs and Kristen made her famous carmel corn.



We ended up making over $500.

Then, on to Prims where we made no bake cookies (I think Pat is trying to kill me). This was the "craft" for our Cooking badge. The girls really did like making these cookies and I survived.



Pat is so much better at this stuff; she actually enjoyed doing it - LOL!

Sliding

This afternoon Paul and Marley went sliding at Southwick High school. Paul brought his homemade "ski sled." He made this contraption when he was about 10 or 12 years old. He took a pair of old skis and nailed a piece of wood between them, then drilled holes in the tips of the skis and attached a rope to pull it. He had a lot of fun with it when he was young.

They had a lot of fun sliding, and I had fun taking pictures of them.

When we got home Marley played outside for awhile on the snowbanks out front. They are still so big; it's going to take a long time for this snow to melt.