There are no pictures to show this very full day.  The sun has been shining finally after a whole week of rain, which we sorely needed.  I am not complaining.  So, while we have been indoors we have gotten much done.  The whole house is clean.  Much fixing has been accomplished.  Organizing has been done in preparation for Jason’s leaving for college.

Today since the sun was shining finally much needed to get done that you can’t do in the rain.  So, away went the camera and the computer.  Five loads of laundry went onto the clothesline.  The washroom got cleaned out.  Jason got a tractor fixed and put back together that has been sitting in the shop for months.  Much of the shop got cleaned up and reorganized.  The garage go cleaned up and some of the garden got weeded.  Now only the lawn needs mowing and the trimming needs to be done. 

I think I prefer the camera and the computer.  Tomorrow is a day of rest and I think we will take a trip to Mount Hope and take a picnic.  We can hike and fish and just enjoy the scenery that God has put there for our enjoyment.

We walked down to the neighbors last evening to see if Allison was home from the hospital yet.  While we were there Jason got drawn (forcefully) into a game of hide and seek with Perry and Payton.  Then they found that he was so much fun that they got out the sidewalk chalk and here he is drawing for them on the driveway.

Perry taught Jason how to play hopscotch.  They are both very bossy but I guess that Jason needs a lot of instruction.  He was following their direction pretty well.

Payton can be pretty forceful when she wants to be also.  But they had a lot of fun. 

Then they moved around to the backyard and the swingset.  Perry ended up falling off the swing but Payton stayed on for the duration.  They think Jason is just great.  They hated to see him leave.  They called good-bye to him until he was out of sight.  I always knew he was good with the under 10 and over 60 crowd.

When a child is absent and their birthday roles around what is a mother to do?  After all we are all used to celebrating birthdays in this house.  Of course the only solution is to go ahead and celebrate anyway.  So the cards were sent out (with confetti in them of course).  More than one and for several days in advance so that the fun can go on and on. 

Then on the day younger sister bakes a gingerbread.  We adorn it with a candle (shaped like a heart because we love you Adam)  The candle is lit and we all sing Happy Birthday and blow the candle out together.  Then we all partook of the very delicious and moist gingerbread.

A piece was cut for Adam and put on the special plate. (a family tradition for birthdays and other special occasions). 

So that is what you do when a child is absent and his birthday comes around. 

Happy Birthday to Adam.  Twenty-One years ago today Adam couldn’t wait to be born.  He came out with a smile on his face and he has been that way for almost all of his 21 years.

It is very difficult to find a picture with Adam not smiling in it. 

I bet you remember this little scene from your past.  Adam’s imagination is just as vivid as your own.  When he wasn’t being the victim of your imagination he was pretty good at making up his own type of play.

How proud he is to have shared his First Communion Day with Grandpa’s Birthday.  He and Grandpa are still close, although I think he has tempered his old habit of starting every conversation with the phrase “Grandpa, guess what…..”

One of Adam’s favorite activities was to serve Our Lord on the altar.  After awhile he became Father Morelle’s right-hand man. 

Now he is becoming indispensible to the US Navy. (at least I like to think so)  Twenty-One well spent years.  I pray that he has many, many more.

A pretty good brother?

The neighbors got to laugh at the funny farmers wife again this week.  Their she was in the ditch looking at the milkweed plants.  Little do they know what a bonanza that trip yielded. 

We now have four monarch butterfly caterpillers in a fish bowl in our kitchen.  Everyday Mary-Kate and Elizabeth go out and get them fresh milkweed leaves and empty the “poops” from the bowl.  One of these days we will wake-up and find little green houses with gold nails hanging in their.

This morning one of them was hanging from the side.  Is he ready to make his house?  We are watching patiently to see if he will be the first.

In the meantime we are planning more trips to the ditches and fields where the milkweeds grow to see if they will offer us some more of their bounty.

Elizabeth is a girl who knows what she likes and what she wants.  Lately she has taken to despising her toys.  (and that is not too strong a word)  Don’t even say the word in front of her unless you enjoy watching her have a good cry. 

She likes the swings and the slide and she can do it herself (and she’ll be sure to tell you if you make the mistake of trying to help)  She is a dare devil.  The ladder on the swingset is for sissies to use not for our girl. 

Someone must have had the nerve to tell her that she couldn’t go outside yet and she burst into tear.  Doesn’t that look just make your heart melt?  Mine either.  She really hates it when we all burst into laughter when she gets like this.

Now she may look a little anxious here, and she is because it is a new situation for her.  We went to a farm where she had never been.  But within 5 minutes she was in total control.  She even had the youngest boy who happens to be 7 years-old under her total control before we left.  That is the power of Elizabeth.

Of course the puppies and their mother couldn’t be controlled by her but she seems willing to forgive them.  She was even quiet and gentle with them for a change. 

Such are the many moods of Elizabeth.

Sunday started out kind of overcast and the weather man was calling for showers but as usual we don’t let a poor weather report spoil our fun so we packed the Durango and set out for the great north.

First we made a quick stop at our local WalMart to surprise Matthew and Mary-Kate with new digital cameras.  They both have been wanting them for quite awhile.  These made for some interesting times in the car on the way north.  It also was a good way to keep them occupied during the drive. 

Then it was time to hit the highway and proceed toward the great Adirondack mountains.  Our destination was Bald Mountain, a family favorite.  We made a quick stop in Thendara on the way to see the Adirondack Scenic Railroad.  Both trains were in the station so it was an exciting stop.  We also took the time to have a snack and stretch our legs.  Next stop Bald Mountain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When we got to Bald Mountain we broke out the sandwich fixins’ and had a quick lunch and then strapped on our day packs and hit the trail.  Matthew chose to run his way up the mountain as usual while the rest of us took a more leisurely time about it.  Doug and I went at Mary-Kate’s pace.  You would never believe that she is 9 weeks post-op.  She made it all the way up to the top as you can see by the picture of her in the tower.

 The scenery was admired by all and the usual pictures were taken.  It was a lot of fun but the members of our family that were missing were sorely missed by all.  Matthew tried to make up for that though with his usual antics.

Then we visited the Old Forge Hardware and General Store and on to Nicks Lake.  There we all relaxed and enjoyed the scenery.  The temperature was 71 degrees with a stiff breeze blowing so we all opted to stay out of the water.  Matthew and Mary-Kate played on the beach and Doug and I hiked the trail around the lake, the whole 6 miles. 

Then more food and pack up the car to get to Oneida in time to pick up Jason from his trip to Massachusets.  What a great time we all had on our respective trips this weekend.

The Graduate.  Doesn’t he look smarter than he did the last time that you saw him?

The family of the graduate.  Even the dog had to get in on this picture.  Everyone is done with the preparations and is waiting for the guests to arrive.

 The graduation cake designed by the sister of the graduate.  She has a sense of humor.  Now he does.  For more about the party go to either tenkidsandadog.blogspot.com and/or artservent.blogspot.com

Today a package came in the mail for Matthew.  I had ordered a junior sized Mass kit for him.  He had a good time opening each and every little box to discover what was inside. 

Then out came the piano bench and he had to set up his altar, all the while telling us what each thing is and its place and significance.

The quality and heft of the pieces is suprisingly good and we are quite pleased with the purchase.  I think that Matthew will get a lot of enjoyment out of his Mass kit.

I told you when I talked to you today that something was happening to our trees.  They are beginning to turn into Ents.  Each one has developed its own personality. 

This one looks like it is a little mean.  Maybe like one of the trees in the forest in the Wizard of Oz maybe.  Don’t go picking one of its apples off of its branches.  It just may reach out and slap you  on the hand.

This one is definitely zoned out on too much sunshine or something like that.  It’s high and not afraid to show it.  It’s all that fresh country air that it’s been breathing.  Or maybe it’s all that fresh manure from the pig pen that Matthew shovelled out today.