The Makings of a Social Butterfly . . .

One of my biggest concerns about moving was that the kids were going to be leaving their friends.  We've always had play dates for Megan.  Usually one or two a week.  She likes to be kept busy.  The boys would play for hours on their own ~ lost in a game of cars, blocks, super heroes, etc.  Megan prefers interaction with others while playing.  If a friend or family member isn't up to the task then she always has an imaginary friend or two ready to jump in.  : )  She is a natural born teacher and, in fact, is more often then not, "teaching" a ballet class or hostessing a good round of "show and tell."  I love eavesdropping on her when she does this!!  Lol!!!

A recent tea party at Nana's.

During Christmas vacation a couple of her girlfriends and their moms came to visit for the day from where we used to live.  Our daughters became friends first and then we realized how much we enjoyed each others' company.  We had such a great day!!  It was so nice to talk with friends that I hadn't seen since we moved in November.  I really don't know many people in our new town which is so strange to me.  I go to pick Meg up from school and I barely know a soul.  I go to the grocery store and I don't know anybody.  We just moved from a town where I grew up and knew more people than not. 

In all honesty, I'm pretty much okay with this.  I get my grocery shopping done a heck of a lot quicker.  I've even gone out a couple of times without any (GASP) makeup.  Haha!!!  However, this is the town where my daughter is going to be growing up now and I want her to have what she had before we moved.  So last night, I pulled out her class list and emailed the parents of one of the little girls in her class that she talks about all the time.  They're going to be having their first play date here after school today and then we're going to take them back to the school tonight for a PTA fundraising screening of the Minion Movie.   She also has her first birthday party up here on Sunday.  Chuckie Cheese here we come!!!!  Ugghh!!!  : )

I'm so excited for Megan!!  I'm hoping this is the start of a wonderful new friendship!!  I'll let you know how it goes.  : )


Happy weekend to you all.  The temperatures are supposed to be going up and we're expecting some rain.  Now that my Mr. Bigglesworth is back home safe and sound, I want it to SNOW SNOW SNOW!!!!!  Are you listening Mother Nature???


~ Wendy

A House Update and a Bit of Sad News . . .

We've been in our new house for almost four weeks already.  So hard to believe.  Everyone is still adjusting to all of the changes but it's going very well.  Brendan and Megan are happy in their new schools. The kids from our old neighborhood come and visit on a regular basis thankfully and we're getting the house in order slowly but surely.

Our new stained glass lamp that my mother gave us as a house warming gift.

Curtains in our front window.

Our still empty fire place.  The chimney man is coming next week to make sure everything is okay to use it since the previous owners of the house hadn't used it in a couple of years.  It's actually worked out well because it's been very mild here in New York still.

A few pictures waiting to be hung.

This is an oak dresser that my neighbor from the old 'hood had put out for the garbage men to cart away.  Needless to say, I carried it right over to my garage as soon as I saw it.  We have it in our new dining room now and it looks perfect!!

This is a view of our backyard from the dining room windows.  We have an in-ground pool and patio around it.  This was definitely one of the things about our new house that we used to bribe the kids into being okay with moving.  : )

I started decorating for Christmas today and I look forward to sharing more photos as the decorating progresses.  I have so much more space to decorate this year which means I get to take things out that have been packed away in boxes for such a long time.  : )

On a sadder note . . .

I think the hardest adjustment to do with our move has been on our fur babies.  It's getting better and our dogs are starting to relax a bit more but it hasn't been easy.  Two of my three cats have adjusted very well to now being indoor cats for the time being.  My third cat, Mr. Bigglesworth, sadly got out of the house 10 days ago and we haven't seen him since.  I've posted his photo every where and shared on Facebook numerous times.  There have been some possible sightings but none of them have panned out.  I'm just beside myself thinking about him being outside in a location that he knows nothing about.  He was an outdoor cat when when we adopted him and he wanted nothing more then to get back outside from the time we moved.  My plan was to ease him into going out but we believe he escaped thru an open window.

Mr. Bigglesworth.  : (

I refuse to believe that I will never see him again.  I've told the new owners of our old house to be on the look out for him.  It would be quite a feat for him to make it back to our old house but I wouldn't put it passed him.  He is a bad-ass Ninja cat if I've ever met one.  : )

And another sad note . . .

My mother's beautiful Newfoundland Chloe was put to sleep today.  She was the epitome of a gentle giant and had the most soulful eyes you ever saw on a dog.  My mother gave her the best life but her ability to walk had greatly deteriorated recently and my mother knew it was time.

You will be missed beautiful Chloe.  XOXOXOXOXO


Many blessings ~ Wendy

Saying Goodbye to the Little Cottage in the Woods . . .

Last Tuesday, we packed up my mom and her two dogs and all of their belongings and moved them three miles down the road to join us in our new home.  If you've been reading my blog for the last couple of years then you know just how much I loved that little cottage she lived in and, maybe even just a little bit more, I loved where it was located.

It may not have been the prettiest thing to look at from the outside due to years of wear and tear and lack of care by the landlord but, with its fireplace and lace curtains in the windows, it still had such a sense of charm.

 I'll definitely miss taking photos there.  The first photo that I ever sold was taken on the property there . . .

 a fawn that was born two years ago.

Before we said goodbye, I cut a whole bunch of bittersweet off of the bush in the front yard.  I can't wait to see how it looks on my mantel!!!  I may have to make some midnight bittersweet cutting runs up there next fall. 

 I'm not kidding!!!!!!  : )

 Happy Thursday my friends ~ Wendy

Settling In . . .

Greetings from Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY!!!  We made it and we're settling into our new house nicely.  No small feat when you've added a mother (mine) and her two dogs to the mix just three days after moving in.  The three of them will be staying in our family room until their new apartment is built in our garage.  They have a nice big room and their own bathroom.  It looks like a little studio apartment complete with her own refrigerator and cook top.  Megan has been going down to hang out with her Nana nightly.  I heard them giggling last night.  I know they're both so happy to be able to spend much more time together.  : ) 

I've also located my camera charger and a cord to load the few photos I've been taking onto the computer finally.  Right now it's more of a focus on unpacking than photo taking.  We are still a very long way from being unpacked but we're working on it every day and we've even started to decorate a little bit.  

Our new front door.

A corner of our yard.

Finnegan taking in some sun thru our dining room window. 

One of many rock walls in our neighborhood.  I just love them!!!

 

We woke up to a marathon running passed our house last Sunday morning which was kind of surprising considering how quiet our neighborhood is. 

These have since been cleared away.  : )

Now I'm off to do a much needed grocery shop.  It's cloudy and chilly here today and I'm in the mood to make something warm and rib sticking for dinner tonight.  I'm open to suggestions!!  : )

I also want to say how sad I am for the people of Paris and all of France.  My thoughts and prayers are with you all.  I know how much the terrorist attacks of 9/11 changed us here in the U.S.  It is a new day for you all.  Things are different but life will go on and you will all be a stronger nation because of it.  I would also like to add that not everybody in this country is happy with how our President is handling this war on terrorism  nor was everybody happy with his lack of support during the Charlie Hebdo incident.  Sometimes we are just plain baffled by his actions or, should I say, inaction.  And that's all I'm going to say on that.  I felt it just needed to be said.

Have a beautiful Wednesday ~ Wendy

Trunk or Treating and Trick or Treating . . .

We tried our hand at "trunk or treating" for the first time last week.  If you're not familiar with this (we weren't until recently), it was created as a safer environment for kids to trick or treat in.  People open up the trunk or back of their cars and decorate them.  Compared to other trunks, ours was pretty lame.  Lol!!  Had we known they were giving out prizes for the best trunks and that people were so competitive we would've pulled out all the stops for sure. We're hoping Megan's new elementary school participates in "trunk or treating" so we can redeem ourselves next year and,  let me tell you,  we are not above hooking up a fog machine!!  : )

We also did our more traditional trick or treating on Halloween.  Megan was kind of a bust to walk around with.  She was raring to go in the beginning.  She and her little friend Michaela walked down our street and Megan crapped out before we even got to the cul-de-sac at the end of the block.  I felt so bad for Michaela but she was a trooper and took it all in stride.  I think Megan was hungry and tired and figured she had enough candy to last her for a while and that was good enough for her.  We said our goodbyes and Megan went inside and ate a big bowl of hot soup and watched Bubble Guppies and all was right with her world once again.  : )

So now it's on to a new month and the busy season of giving.  Now it's on to a new house and a new neighborhood.  We're hoping the stress will be kept to a minimum and it will be an easy transition.  I'm ready for it.  There's a possibility that we'll be moving this weekend.  Fingers crossed.  : )


Many blessings for a beautiful Monday ~ Wendy