Well, the big day has come and gone! We all survived and Sadie was excellent! She was very excited when she woke up Christmas morning and saw the presents under the tree. She stopped in front of it and said. "Wow!" It was so cute. She opened all her presents and was loved all her toys and books. We got her a kitchen so she could cook just like me and she actually pretends to cook. She brings the finished product over to us and makes us eat it. She likes the play food items too and puts them in her mouth and blows them out onto the floor. Jager likes the play food too! At Aana's house she likes her dollhouse and even knows what room the potty goes in! At Grammy's house (Grammy is now called Meme), Sadie likes her tricycle and her little rocking pony! I have tons of pictures from the big day and will post them hopefully this week! Hope everyone had a nice holiday!
-S

Snow day please!

Sadie enjoys climbing in and on everything is sight. Here she is inside Daddys file cabinet. He needs to put a lock on that!Here's Sadie climbing out of her book basket. She really is a book worm.
Little Sadie in her LL Bean suit. She wasnt quite sure about it at first but its so cozy on these snowy mornings.
Oh so much snow! Will it ever end? And I still havent had a snow day! A few early releases but NO snow day! Tomorrow is my last day of work before my Christmas vacation. Im done! The kids are crazy at school right now and my mood is terrible! I have so much to do before the big day! Im looking forward to Christmas this year with Sadie. She saw me wrapping one of her big presents the other night and she tried "helping" me! Well, helping by unwrap the present and saying "mine".

Happy Holidays...

Well, its now that season. We have 17 days until Christmas! We went to a Christmas party at the Ewell's house in Rowley the other night. It was weird because everyone was talking about their kids and how crazy they are and how big they are getting. Sadie included! The chocolate mint martinis were going down great and the food array was delicious! Hats off to the Ewell family once again!

Good Helper!

Here is little miss Sadie cleaning Aana's tub with the house cleaner!! She loves to help especially when it isnt expected of her!

Sadie Jane eating dinner at the table. She is too much! Very independent these days. She is so much fun to be around. Tonight she went through my purse and handed all my items to Daddy saying, "Here Dada". She is full of conversation. However, her little rants are only partially understood by the adults around her. Just ask her about Caillou. She'll tell you about a whole episode but you might not be able to understand it. But she knows what she is saying! Just wish I did! She's into causing trouble. Like going through all Daddy's old bill statements and ripping them up all over the floor. She likes to pick through the trash and eat the left over kitty food in the can. She likes to find pens or pencils and draw on the walls or the doors. We are constantly cleaning up after her. But we wouldnt change it for anything!

New Sadie Pictures!

I have had these pictures on my camera since the beginning of November. Here is Sadie Jane eating her dinner at the coffee table in her in her rocking chair. This is our nightly ritual and loves to feed herself! Here is Sadie on out living room floor. She is ready to go to bed and this is her way of telling us!
Oh boy! She loves her new four wheeler!! Yay! Lets teach her how to steer the thing now!
Here is Sadie under our kitchen table. She chased Ellie under there and then couldnt figure out how to get out!
And...this is Kate and I at the salon...it was raining out and we didnt want to ruin our hair!!

Ten Year Reunion Class of 1997

It was a bit frightening on my way to my ten year reunion Friday night. My nerves were haunting my stomach and I couldnt stop shaking. Jack had me pull over so he could throw up in an empty parking lot outside the hotel we were staying at. I knew he was nervous too! But we did it! We had a blast and laughed the whole night!
Jim N. threw my golf balls that I won from the raffle at everyone who was watching him.
Katie C. and I talked about girls we thought were our friends how they disappeared out of lives and we were better off with out them.
Ryan K. forgot to introduce Meg to his high school friends.
Mike A. chatted with everyone and anyone...yes, he yells at celebreties!
Adam A. makes flutes but doesnt play them and gives massages while he sells real estate.
Jack was still nervous after his anxiety got the best of him and he complained of a sore throat all night.
Paul G. tried to rescue his sister from Mike A. who was attached her hip.
Gary I. ate all the appetizers, so I hear.
Jeremy and Devon went home because it was their first real night with out the baby.
Bethany T. inspired me to look into certificate programs for becoming a behavior analyst.
Ben S. saved ME from Mike A.
Mike S. and Justin S. are gay and was the hottest couple there! I want them to hang out with me and go shopping with me. I told them that too!
Steve C. has the nicest girl friend because she let him leave with out her to get the suite in order for the after party!
Dana S. likes Aint No Fun and knows all the words just like me!
Lisa P. showed her peaches to Jim N.
Hmmmm...did I miss anything?? So much fun...cant wait to do it again!

Are you in the spirit of giving yet?

Have you started your shopping yet? Believe it or not I have!! I have a few things ordered for Skip and Sadie two favorites to shop for besides my sister!! I seem to be in the Christmas spirit quite early this year. Maybe its because I have a 1 yr. old. I dont know. But I, not just into giving to my friends and family. Id like to take this opportunity to suggest a few charities and organizations that could use your help.

1. The Pettingill House in Salisbury MA.- They always need food...canned items, boxes of pasta, diapers etc.

2. Donate to a child in need who lives around here. Contact your local school district and ask about their child in need holiday program.

3. The Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center- 2 Harris St. Newburyport. MA http://www.jeannegeigercrisiscenter.org/


4. The Salvation Army
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn.nsf

No...I wont go to sleep!!

Yes, thats what Sadie was thinking tonight as the clock ticked and still she refused to sleep. She started out with Daddy in the living room. I was in the bedroom on the lap top trying to get my progress notes completed for tomorrow. I could hear Sadie whining out with Daddy and I just continued to type and try and block her whine out. But I was thinking, "Why cant Skip just get her to sleep? How hard is it" Well, I would find out because Skip brought her in at 8 pm and plopped her non-sleepy giggling body on our bed. He said she was refusing to go to bed and needed me to put her down so he could go eat. So I just gave in and scooped the wiggle worm up and told her it was time to sleep. She moved her head from side to side. She kicked her feet in the air. She whined. She hit. She laughed. She ate peanuts in bed with me. She played with Ernie and called him Ellie. She cryed when Ernie got a little too rough with her. She ate more peanuts. She laughed at Jager who was snoring under the bed. She watched TV. She hit Mommy again so I put her in her crib and left the room. When I came back, she whined. She told me, "Up!" So I bargained with her...not a good idea...especially with a one year old...I told her if she came back to my bed she had to go to sleep. I plopped her down with a giant Winnie the Pooh and gave her a mushy pillow. She likes to put things over her eyes while she drifts off to sleep. And finally...she fell asleep! So here I am, on the computer writing about the little girl who would not go to sleep!
-S

Mean Mama!

So today I was called "mean mama"! Yes, my own daughter called me mean! She came up to me and asked me to read her the same book I had been reading all day long. So I told her to go find another book instead and then i would read it. She ran away to her books and cried, "Mean Mama!" Sometimes when she hits I tell her she is mean. Like when she pulls Jager's tail or beats up the kitties. Well today I was the mean one.

Sadie had a great weekend. We didn't do much Friday night but she spent the whole day Grammy on Friday. Saturday she went to Aunt Susie's house and spent some time tearing apart her house. Sadie likes her antique dolls and enjoys ripping the hair off their heads! Saturday night she had date night with Daddy. They got chinese food delivered and hit the hay early together! Sunday she went to Aana and Papa's in the morning to visit. Sunday afternoon she spent time with all her friends at Grammy and Grumpy's house. She played with Maddie, Anna, and Bella. And Monday she spent all day me! I was sick with sinuses that have been acting up for months. But we laid low in the house and she was just so happy watching her favorite show Caillou! Then we napped for 3 hours!!! And we cooked dinner together and then Daddy came home from hunting in the woods.

Sadie at Marinis Farm

Sadie went to Marinis Farm today with her Aana. She had so much fun playing in the pumpkins and hugged them! She is obsessed with the the PBS show Cailliou which I cant stand but she adores it. On one of the episodes Cailliou is playing in the pumpkin patch. Sadie went to the patch today and immediately related Cailliou with the pumpkins by calling out, "Cailliou, Cailliou"!

Go Red Sox!!

Im going to admit something that most you already know. I could care less about baseball! However...I am truly in support of the Red Sox right now while they are playing Cleveland. I dont like watching any of the games except for the games that really matter. Yes, I am a fairweather fan! I admit.

I want to crawl out my skin today. I just dont feel myself and all I want to do is sleep. Guess thats nothing new. Sadie has had so much energy lately that she never sits still. Today she played with Maddie and Anna Webb. She played outside with the girls for hours this morning and then this afternoon she played outside with Bella and Chanel Martin. We are going to get her a green fourwheeler that looks just like mine except its meant for kids. She was playing Bella's today and she loved it! Im also thinking about getting her a small tractor. Yah, a tractor. I know! She might as well have been born a boy. She loves boy things and its so cute! She also loves to read and color and pretend like she is cooking so I think a play kitchen might another purchase necessary!

Everyone have a great Monday! Off to peruse Ebay!

-S

Its official!

Well, its official! Hunting season starts tomorrow. Will I ever see my husband again? Not sure, but for now its kind of nice laying in my bed with the TV on and I am alone...except for Sadie and Jager and the two cats. So Im not really alone I suppose but its been nice. Not nice because I dont want Skip around, just nice that I was able to clean the house a bit like vacuum...mop the kitchen, and do the laundry with out feeling like I have to. Yes, I must say its been nice.

It was a great weekend for us all I think. Friday night the Red Sox game was on and they won! We all got together and watched the game, well the girls played cards in the house and laughed our butts off! Social, ladies! Saturday Sadie saw Aunt Susie for a bit and then we went to pick out appliances with Auntie Kate. Saturday night we all went out for sushi and chinese food oh and the tiki bowls! Sadie stayed behind with Grammy and Grumpy and pooped in their sink while taking a bath! Oh yes, I think thats a first for her! We came back to watch the race and the game but Skip and I couldnt stay up that long so we took Sadie and went home to bed. Today we went to Great Grammy Jeans for breakfast and Sadie ate 4 donut holes! Then our little family went to Shaws and Walmart to stock up on little things that we needed. Later we came home and Sadie and I took a nap for 2 hours which was quite nice! And now here we are! In bed!

I must ask. Any one totally addicted to "Kid Nation" on CBS Wednesday nights?? Oh my gosh! I have been watching all the episodes on demand this weekend and I am addicted! I love it! 40 kids, 40 days and no adults out in the middle of New Mexico! SO cute! Check it out and let me know what you think!

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/kid_nation/

Nothing new to report. Sadie's had a great two days at Aana's and Grumpy's house yesterday and today. She has been extra tired lately! Sleeping alot just like me! But she has been too funny! She started squawking like a chicken tonight! And I heard the words flower and out. Off to grocery shop...
-S

Pork Loin Success!

I was a little overwhelmed last week with work and the Harvest moon. Everyone was crazy including myself! The kids seemed to be out of sorts and my bio-rythmns were off. So I ordered a pork loin in my haste while grocery shopping on line before bed. The thing was over 8 pounds of pig which I knew was going to sit in my freezer for awhile. Thanks for all the recipes you sent and for the suggestions, however, I decided to pass the loin off to a real meat specialist. Dan. He sectioned the meat up into three pieces and marinated each piece with different seasonings. One marinade was garlic and peppercorn. Delicious!! It was juicy and almost melted in my mouth tonight! Hats off to Dan for cooking an amazing pork loin. My macaroni and cheese was no match for this pork roast.

Sadie had a great weekend! Friday night we were outside most of the afternoon playing darts in the garage and enjoying the weather. She used her swing which hangs from the scale hook used to measure the deer the boys shoot. Yes, a little red neck! Saturday I was exhausted and slept in while Skip took Sadie out in the woods to help Dan put up a tree stand at the farm. We spent most of the day on the couch at Grammy and Grumpy's house with Auntie waiting for Grammy to get home from her weekend with the ladies! Sadie was excellent all day and slept for about 3 hours in the afternoon! Then Grumpy came home from the dock party and insisted that we make an appearance with Sadie so everyone could meet her. She played with the kids on the swing set and in the sand until about 7:30pm and then we went back to Grammy and Grumpy's. Sunday we went to the farm for coffee and munchins and the Sadie went with Skip to the Webb's house to see the kids and baby Lucy. We didn't make to the fair this afternoon like we had hoped but it was just as well because it was a nice and relaxing Sunday cooking and eating! Now off to work tomorrow!
-Sarah

Pork Loin any one??

Any one know how to cook a pork loin? I have half a pig in my freezer! I ordered a poin loin from pea pod because Ive been inspired to cook lately, but I seem to have ordered a poin loin and I have NO idea how to cook one! This thing is HUGE!! Any ideas??

Dead Beat Mom

Ok...its official! Im a dead beat mom. I missed the delivery man bringing my groceries! Sadie and I were sleeping and Skip was out for awhile and the groceries came but we were sleeping! yah, I know, talk about lazy! Now it is 9:30 pm and I still dont have groceries. I cant go to bed until the groceries come! Seriously! I really am a dead beat mom.

So lets talk about Sadie! She is crazy with her all her new words! Turtle, chicken, Aana, boat, doctor, and the list goes on just from last week! She knows the letter "a" with no problem! She is one smart little cookie!

Well, Peapod just called and they are on there way! Yay!!

Docks come out this weekend. Im going to try and take Sadie down to watch the big doings and take some pictures but we'll see how the weather goes. The fair starts tomorrow too! So I think we will do the fair on Sunday during the day and see all the farm animals. And maybe do some rides too! I might take some pictures there too! So check back soon!

Off to get my groceries!
-Sarah

Friday night...

Sadie is feeling about 80% better! We found a new doctor who was willing to take her today! Cornerstone Family Practices in Rowley...great people, extremely nice and very easy to work with. AND you pay the co-payment when you first get there rather than at the end of the visit when your child is miserable for waiting in the DRS office for an hour. Im very happy I have finally found a place I feel comfortable with. Thanks Carol for the reccomendation! Sadie is eating and drinking now. Her rash is going away a little by little. Cornerstone and Aana actually came up with the same diagnosis. Rosiola? Not sure if that is spelled correctly but that is what Sadie is recovering from. Its just finally nice to know that its just not her teeth that are bugging her. She was actually sick with a virus. But on the mend now...fast asleep in her pjs lying next to me in bed...

Still not feeling well!

Sadie is a grump. Miserable and upset. She is happy for 10 minutes grumpy for 5 ALL DAY! Im having a horrible time with the doctors office for her. We are switching doctors today. Children's Health Care in Newburyport is a chop shop. They are way over crowded, under staffed, unprofessional and the list goes on! Here is my rant...
1-The receptionists like to diagnose over the phone. Are they qualified? NO!!
2-The receptionists are rude!
3-The doctors dont have any communication skills. (with the exception of 2)
Now my list can go on and on...For most of you who are reading this you have already heard this rant many times! Lets just say, we wont be going back to Children's Health Care unless it is to retrieve her records. Well, off to find a new pediatrician! Any suggestions?

Cold or teething??

Sadie Jane is miserable tonight. She did not eat dinner again tonight. She barely had an afternoon snack and the bottle before bed with rice in it was only half way gone before she fell asleep. Im not sure if I agree with the doctors. Skip called about her fever and lethargy this morning and they said it was her teeth. She' s going now going on 4 days with a fever. Luckily she has her 15 month checkup tomorrow so the doc is going to pay holy hell if she still has has a fever tomorrow afternoon. It could be her ears or it could be a cold or it could be her teeth. Im not a big fan of Children's Health in Newburyport. I think it could be a cold believe it or not. We had no heat for days and we had a few chilly nights. Also, working in a school can be very unhealthy. Who knows what I bring I home for germs and 2 students were out today and my staff has been sick as well! We will see tomorrow! Poor Sadie Jane!
-Sarah

I am happy to report!!

Yes, we finally have heat! I think Skip was a little annoyed by the way I wrapped myself in a fleece blanket from the minute I got home Monday to the minute I hopped in the shower this morning! The oil company came today and the thermostat is set to 65 tonight and Skip will turn it down tomorrow after I leave! Great compromising I must say!

Now, little miss Sadie Jane has been sick with a fever since Monday morning! Today she refused to eat or drink many liquids and even popsicles were of distaste! Her eyes are weary and she is very droopy in everything she does! Tylenol seems to be working but only when she agrees to take it. Otherwise I have to spike her juice or milk with bubblegum flavored liquid! yuck! But it does seem to be helping for now. I think we will watch until tomorrow morning and then call the doc if it hasnt gone away by the morning. Three days with a fever is not a good thing. Although we all seem to think that it is her teeth that is causing the problem. Diaper rash, drooling, fever, loss of appetite etc. We will keep you all posted!

Just curious??

So, my question to all of you...with the recent drop in temperatures have you turned your heat on yet? And Im curious what is your house hold heat policy? I ask this because it seems Skip and I have this ongoing battle over the temperature of the house! In the summer, he must have the air conditioners on to keep the house the cool. The house is so cold in the summer, Id rather be outside! I wear sweatshirts and long sleeve pants around house all summer long. Our house is so cold that our windows are glazed over with frost as the cold glass feels the hot air from the outside! This year we turned the heat off early, like maybe May?? Now living in New England you all know how the weather can be quite drastic from one day to the next! So here I sit bundled in my bed with 4 blankets wrapped around me like a tortilla and yet I am still cold. You ask, "Well, why not turn your heat on?" Hmmm...lets talk about this for a minute...oh yah, we have no oil because my husband let the tank run out. I ask, "Hon...Can you please get us heat soon?" We have a baby. The temperature on the thermostat reads 60 degrees. What does yours read? Are you warm? Can you turn your heat on this fall or will you be like me and Sadie huddled up in blankets with frost on the tips of our noses?

Another topic for discussion tonight...with the cold weather finally here, do you have an abundance of the large, hairy brown spiders creeping in your house? I have been fortunate that I have only seen one in my house so far, perhaps it is because it is warmer outside than it is inside my house. Spiders arent dumb. Its warmer for them to creep under a log or rock than it is to creep into my house! Brown hairy spiders give me that sick feeling in my stomach. Like Im not sure if I want to roll on the floor or throw up! My body shakes. I saw one of these spiders Friday night by the side of my bed. Luckily I had had a few drinks so I became brave and grabbed the nearest object which was a book and smacked the spider until it dropped. Legs curled in towards the middle of the spider and I knew its creeping days were over. Let know what your family's heat unspoken heat policy is. Im curious...

-Sarah

No jury duty for Skip...

No jury duty for Skip. I guess it pays to "stretch the truth". He was supposed to serve on the jury for a civil case in Newburyport today. However, when asked if he had ever had a doctor who had made a mistake while he was being treated, Skip said yes! Do any of you know of ANY time there was a question of malpractice during a surgery on Skip? No...I let you guys ask him the little white lie he told to get out of serving! Its clever!

I will leave you with a smile from Sadie at the aquarium a few weeks ago! Went to the aquarium in Boston with Auntie and Grammy. Sadie had her first train ride as well. She was fine until the last 15 minutes. She loved the fish but I think we'll take her again next year to see if she enjoys it more! She would have loved it more had the there been no one else to get in her way! Who can blame her!? Well, off to enjoy the last few minutes of the night before I call it a day...

PS...7300 steps!!! :)

Grrr...computer is slow tonight!! I just wanted to check my email for a few minutes once Sadie fell asleep and it is a challenge just logging in! Sadie was racing around the house tonight! I could hear her feet pounding on the floor as I was in the shower! She had a hard time settling down tonight, but all is well...she is fast asleep and slightly snoring! Off to try my email again!
Sarah

Oh Peapod how much we love you!!

I have just completed my grocery shopping. On line...I love peapod! I cant tell you how much it makes me so happy to sit in my bed, head propped up by 2 pillows, with two little feet kicking me and I just went grocery shopping...ON LINE!!! Oh, and I was watching TV at the same time! Talk about multi tasking!

Sadie has been in better moods than she was tonight! Can you say crabby like 5 times??? She was in 2 time outs for biting and hitting each of us! I was cooking dinner and felt these little teeth in my behind! It might give you a chuckle but I screamed!! How much longer can it be with these teeth? Off to relax after that tough bit of grocery shopping I did tonight! :)

Sarah

Mondays stink!

This is and older picture of Sadie but this is how we all feel in our house tonight! Mondays really stink and always seem to be the longest day of the week!

Sadie was extremely cranky today for Aana. We think it is her teeth. Her gums are swollen and she is miserable! She was fine when she got home but she is testy and somewhat grumpy. She is fast asleep right now in her little crib...bum up in the air and snoring! Good night!
Sarah

Im going to try and write on this every day but Im not sure how long I can keep it up! Id like this to be a way for family and friends to keep up with us and Sadie Jane. She is growing so fast and as she gets older we are trying to do lots of fun things with her. She had a very busy summer and went many places with family and friends. So check back often and keep up with whats going on with us!

Today we did absolutley nothing! Sadie is teething and is uncomfortable. She wasn't very fun to be around today! Skip was on the couch most of the day and me and Kate watched movies. Sadie ended up taking a really late nap and woke up cranky again! So off to be bed she went and hopefully she will wake up in a better mood! She is off to Aana's tomorrow so hopefully Sadie wont be so grumpy! Wish us luck!