Death of a Camera

Cameras and me... not a great track record right now. I am looking to turn that around... more on that later.

Please pause with me for a moment of silence.

Canon SD 800is. You were a good camera. You brought so much joy and gave us so many memories. You have been here through 2 Christmas's... almost a 3rd but alas, it wasn't meant to be. You endured being the primary camera for Adam... not an easy task as he is not gentle on his gadgets. You attempted to fill the void when I foolishly lost my camera and for that I am thankful. You didn't always focus correctly but I think you were doing your best and in the end, lens trouble is what took you down. Now I understand.

Rest well my friend.

And because mama can't be without a camera for long... meet my new companion.

I love you little Canon SD 780is. This is the start of a beautiful friendship.

PS. Ever the observant child... Chase's reaction...

The Big Engine That Couldn't

Yesterday the whole family went on a steam engine train ride through Western MD. I have been so excited for this trip and I've been prepping Chase for about a week.

When the steam engine pulled in front of us... Chase's eyes were as big as saucers. I am pretty sure I saw true love. It was awesome trip... even through some comical hiccups... and because pictures say it better...


Let me introduce you to everyone... from the left... Joe, Adam, Nick, Chase, John, Aunt Vicky, Sandy and Uncle Jimmy!


Going through the dining cart heading to the first class car... there is something about this picture that I just love... the busyness I guess.


Chase's go to toys are his Thomas magnetic trains so of course they came with us. Something so cute about a boy riding a giant cha-choo while playing with his smaller cha-choos ;~)


Once the train set off, we explored some of the other cars. At the very end they had this observation car where you could stick your head (carefully) out the window. Chase enjoyed it up until he got pelted with coal.


Who knew that a coal burning steam engine would put off flecks of coal... chalk one up for mother of the year ;~) He was fine... no long lasting dents or anything. Hey, at least I got the picture.


Much more enjoyable way to use the observation car.

My hope was that Chase would nap (even just a little bit) on the way to Cumberland (a good hour and a half car ride). My hopes were dashed.

As it turns out, didn't really matter. Between the excitement, family and trains... he was a very well behaved little boy.

Around 2:30 he started to get a little uncooperative so I set up a little mommy napping station on my chest. He was out within a few minutes.


So for the most part we are just chugging along... you know, like trains do. Chase is peacefully sleeping to the rhythmic motion of the train... until it starts to come to a halt... a jerky, sliding kind of halt.

As soon as the train stops, Chase's eyes pop open. I'd estimate 10 - 15 minutes of sleeping... *sigh*

The next few (re: 20) minutes the train does it's best to get the wheels working... all the while not really getting anywhere. It turns out we were on an incline and a curve with wet leaves on the track... not a good situation for a steam engine train.

We roll backwards until the train is straightened out to see if we can build up some good pressure and get her going to clear the curve.

Massive fail... not only do we not go around the curve, we don't make it past the point we rolled back to...

Poor engine just couldn't do it.

So the conductor announces that we will be waiting for a diesel engine to come along and push us the rest of the way to Frostburg (our turn around stop)... only a mere 40 minutes (re: hour ;~)

So like the good sports that we are, we bought a deck of cards and started enjoying the slow pace... I mean stopped pace.

Adam and I played Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Vicky in a game of Rummy 500. I got a crash course on the rules and definitely didn't do well the first go round...


but on the second... not too shabby!


Sandy, Joe, Nick and John played cards as well... I think they played Hearts.

I learned that I don't know a lot of card games.


I think we were up and moving when Adam took this picture...


And if you look to the very end of the train you will see our diesel savior ;~)


Chase watching the steam engine turn about.


I wanted one good family photo! YAY!


Funny story... Adam was standing this close to the engine... I was a few feet to the side of him with Chase... Sandy was behind us. We were all admiring the fire (just out of the shot) where the coal was burning and I was pointing out the wheels to Chase. Adam turned to see this little puff of steam and thought it would make a nice picture. No sooner did he snap the picture when a loud crack sounded and the biggest flood of steam was let loose. Adam was instantly engulfed... I mean you couldn't see his head, totally absorbed. I jumped back and let out a yelp while pulling Chase closer to me. I turned and got out of the path of the steam as quick as I could. As soon as it cleared, we all dissolved into laughter. Except Chase... poor thing was screaming. It scared the daylights out of him (and me for that matter) and he wasn't not happy with the cha-choo. He kept crying out "smokestack". After a moment he calmed down and we talked about the train not wanting to hurt him and how funny it was now that it was over. He seemed to buy it and I don't think he will have any long lasting resentments against trains.


So this was the schedule board when we left...


and this was the schedule board when we got back... only 120 minutes late ;~)

It really was a great experience and I would encourage anyone to do it... just be sure to get the first class car ;~)

Happy Halloween!

Trick or treating here we come!

Chase was Ty Pennington from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

I thought it was a brilliant costume... complete with the volunteers in blue! However, it was lost on most people.

While we were trick or treating, at least 3 people asked if we were either a. part of the PA build that just happened a few months ago... or b. here doing another new build. So apparently our t-shirts were a little too life like.

I even got Chase to say "Move that bus" on command (not an easy feat for this shy guy) but that didn't seem to make a difference.

I ended up explaining the costume and well, like a joke, it's just not funny if you have to explain it.

*sigh*

At least I had fun putting it together.


Riding in style for trick or treating!


I was so impressed with Chase. He really seemed to catch on quick to the whole deal. As we were walking up a driveway he would say "I wanna go knock knock knock". Once someone answered the door, daddy or I would prompt him to say "Move that bus" or "Trick or treat" (which came out something like "Tritch or treee")... which unbelievably he would say! They would let him pick (which we quickly taught him 1 or 2 pieces, not as much as will fit in your hand) and then we would say "Thank you" and move on.

He actually kind of delighted in putting the candy in his bag and heading off to the next house, he didn't once ask to eat the candy right then and there. Though if a bag of pretzels had come through, I am they would have been consumed immediately.


Picking out candy at a familiar house... hey, that's Uncle Nick!


So we've actually had Halloween stuff happening all week but I didn't want to post because I didn't want to show Chase's costume before I got a picture with the 3 of us. It really takes the 3 to complete the costume, in my mind anyway!

So a few scenes from the week.

Monday is story time at the public library and Chase and I are regular attenders. This past Monday was wear your costume day.

I love my little Ty.


Frankenstein and Ty hanging out.


Ty and Lexi the Chicken checking out their trick or treat bags.

Friday morning our group had a Halloween party complete with costumes, pumpkin painting, cookie decorating and tons of good food. Dear sweet Jessica hosted the chaos at her house... 11 moms and 13 kids under 3... and we are ever expanding!

The classic line up shot... older kids only... way too dangerous to put the newbies in there!

2 kids were AWOL for this shot... it's pretty impossible these days to get all the kids sitting at once... nevermind actually looking at the camera. We take what we can get ;~)


The next round of kiddos! Baby Ryan who just joined us 6 weeks ago and baby Chloe.


Pumpkin painting... and very intently at that.

His masterpiece:


So funny story... I looked for a smaller table size pumpkin the day before but couldn't find anything... soooo... I brought the pumpkin from the front porch. Daddy didn't get around to carving it so I thought we would put it to good use!


My little shirtless wonder vacuuming... Sadie seems to like that in a man... errr, toddler.

In addition to Halloween, we were also celebrating Laura's impending arrival and Katrina's birthday!

Laura is having a girl this time around so we were sure to load her down with lots of pinks and purples!


Cookie decorating... now who wouldn't want to eat that???

Actually... the answer is Chase. Took one bite and was done. I think he out sweeted himself.


Another favorite toy at Jess's house, the baby swing. Chase had a blast opening the tray, taking the baby out, putting the baby back in, closing the tray, adjusting the knobs, rocking the swing, opening the tray... you get the idea. He stood here for at least 10 minutes (aka, a lifetime in toddler time).

It was a great lead up to Halloween but I am glad it's over... I've had enough Halloween now... seriously... someone needs to come take the leftover candy away from me...

no more tootsie rolls. ever.

Inside Outside Upside Down

Just a little light reading for you...

Big day out...

Saturday was all about the kids... 2 years old and the in utero kind.

Chase's friend Claire had her second birthday party at the Jump Zone in Owings Mills and boy was it fun! I only wish they had this closer to Hagerstown, we would be there for free play at least weekly. (I should mention there is another bounce house around here but it isn't nearly as cool ;~)


The star of the day!


Chase climbing...


then getting a little help from daddy!


Down the pirate slide with mommy! Yeah... I had a little bit of fun!

The Sesame Street bounce house was the best...

Chase bounced through these doors for at least a good 15 minutes... absolutely LOVED them!


The girls... Victoria, Claire and Minhae enjoying some quality time together!


My sweaty little boy enjoying some pizza.


and digging into an Elmo cupcake!

After the party we headed to Annapolis and made it there in record time (with Chase napping in the back of course ;~). So we drove around our old stomping grounds... specifically...

*sigh* I miss it so much. I really had no idea how good we had it at BACC. I thought you move and just find another church but it really isn't that easy. We were so invested there and had so many friends... it's hard letting that go. Even after a year and a half.

Eventually we made it to Samantha and Tim's baby shower!


Chase and Mary fist-bumping.


Baby Aaron is set to arrive in about 7 weeks!

Congrats Tim and Sam! You're going to make wonderful parents!

In stark contradiction from the morning, Chase was an absolutely dream all day. Sans the whining before we left the house, he was cooperative, pleasant and sweet all day. I am seriously in love with this kid!

The reason I was late...

I am warning you now... although you have probably already seen it... but the first picture will give you the willies for hours... if not days.

So I am leaving our house to head to the in-laws house for Chase's birthday party... which means I have presents, balloons, food to make the pizzas, a diaper bag and a toddler... and I am meeting Adam there. So my hands were a little full.

I get us into the garage, get our shoes on and open the garage door, only to be met by this guy...


So the ick factor strikes you first... he just looks like a creepy spider. What you don't get as the viewer is the size. He was easily the size of a tennis ball.

My first thought was I am moving back to Crofton... I never ONCE saw a spider like this in Crofton. In my mind the house was packed and we were moving far away from these ridiculously large freaky country spiders.

My next thought was 'How the heck am I going to get out of here??' He had me trapped.



I threw a shoe in his general direction but he didn't even flinch. I banged the shoe a couple times in his general direction and nothing. I pushed him with the shoe a little bit and he just stood there. Oh he moved enough to let me know he was alive but he just stood there mocking me.

Then I started thinking that I didn't want him running off... because then I would know he was still out there... just waiting for me.

He needed to die.

The shoe wasn't an option... that put me WAY too close to him and the killing. This needed to be done from afar.

Enter Adam's golf club.

Ok... I can't just wail on this thing with a golf club... I can't see that.

So for his sake (so he didn't see it coming) and mine, I threw an envelope on him. Then I just beat the crap out of the envelope.


The weapon.

I am women, hear me roar.


And this is how I left the house... there was no way I was touching that envelope! Adam did the dirty work for me when we got home. Maybe it's not so much a roar as it is a dainty meow.

Whatever, I killed the sucker.

Family Party

We had a much more low key and quiet family party for Chase on his actual birthday. Bam-ma and Grandpa made sure to pile the Birthday Table high with gifts... which Chase promptly dug into.


Trying to get a good shot in front of the table/gifts... he's fairly uncooperative with the camera these days. Not to mention the fact that Adam's old camera sucks (sorry honey but it does) compared to mine... which I lost on the 3Day... which is still a sore subject. The point being, the pictures aren't nearly a good as I would have wanted. And with that... enjoy!


Chase blowing his new train whistle... well trying at least. He had just opened his haggled for set of Thomas trains!


Clearly he loves opening presents... he got very good at it!


Singing Happy Birthday with his name candles stuck in some leftover pumpkin cupcakes (thanks Bekah!)


I am pretty sure this truck was made with Chase in mind. All the cars and trucks that get put into one big truck that he can carry around with a handle... oh the never ending joy!

Slight issue I didn't think about when I bought it... we now have tiny little matchbox cars littering the house... on hardwood floors. Someone is going to bite it soon... just not sure who. Tip if you come over to the house, look down when walking!


Long hallway + bowling set = more fun then should be legal!


Roof Shampoo's youngest employee finally got his uniform!


John Deere tractors set... that's my country boy!


Remote controlled ATV... I think Adam just got a present!


Even our youngest employee doesn't take time off from fielding phone calls...

Monday night was really a lot of fun... just family, homemade pizza and Chase happy as a clam. It's a good life.

Coming up... the story about why I was late to the in-laws for Chase's party...