tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111909942012-01-01T16:53:13.090-06:00sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.comBlogger6521100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-88783245021924001432012-01-01T11:56:00.002-06:002012-01-01T11:59:23.136-06:00

Last January, the kids looked like this: and, according to my pictures, we didn't do all that much.  Probably because in February, Mike, Claire and I went to Germany to see castles, ski the Alps and do lots of fabulous things, including hanging out with Eric. In March, Milena had both her first ER visit and her first blood draw after I found her with a mouth full of extra strength Tylenol.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-15618246188238561932011-09-03T22:00:00.001-05:002011-09-03T22:02:46.434-05:00

The first day of third grade happened last week, which requires the standard picture.  I guess I hit my limit with the stand there and smile type. "I don't want to just stand here and smile, Mom." So she did a dance. Just for fun.  Here is last year, the first day of second grade.  No dancing, but Milena was able to get in there a bit. The first day of first grade, which also was Claire's

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-4391764149475850322011-08-31T14:49:00.002-05:002011-08-31T14:56:26.667-05:00

About two weeks ago, Mike came home from a particularly rough shift in a series of rough shifts and said, "If you don't book a vacation for next week, I will stop at Ho Chunk and spend money. I don't care where we go, but it needs to involve an airplane." When you go to work every day, and get your butt kicked for 12+ hours, its nice to have something to show for it.  And an end in sight to look

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-75603657593482601102011-07-23T14:52:00.000-05:002011-07-23T14:52:42.032-05:00

Met up with a friend at Olbrich today for the Blooming Butterflies. I kind of expected hundreds of butterflies flying everywhere, like the exhibit the Milwaukee Public Museum.  There weren't quite so many, so you had to really look for them.  Fun for Claire, but pretty boring for Milena.  She's only sitting there because I promised her ice cream if she did. We did find a few different types of

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-1334545030935342962011-06-02T21:29:00.000-05:002011-06-02T21:29:56.183-05:00

Saturday morning at 10:30 Mike said, "You know what we should do...we should go to St. Paul." So we did. We were able to see some residency friends and some medical school friends.  Its been right around five years now since Mike finished up med school, so it was really fun to catch up and meet the kids that have been had in that time.   Plus, we went to the Minnesota Museum of Science,

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-3136983111289091162011-05-17T14:13:00.000-05:002011-05-17T14:13:46.570-05:00

Hollie and I decided to treat ourselves to a girls only (because we happen to have all daughters) trip to Munising for Mother's Day.  It was a huge success.  We've talked about taking some bigger trips, and with this one under our belts, at least I am a lot more confident about taking a longer trip sometime in the future.   I'm pretty sure that we hit the best weekend the UP had seen to date,

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-43690939429570742672011-05-01T21:12:00.000-05:002011-05-01T21:12:14.937-05:00

Milena turned two last month.  We had such a fun time partying at the zoo with Annesley, Hollie and Tom last year, we decided a repeat was in order.  Hollie was smart and made a cupcake for Milena without frosting, though I did bring a poncho for Uncle Dave, just in case.  A lot has changed over the past year, but Milena's dislike for cake was not one of them.  She actually requested a 'rainbow

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-48488369268756729812011-04-07T23:05:00.000-05:002011-04-07T23:05:22.695-05:00

So its been a while. We have all been deep into a pretty ambitious Spring To Do list.  I've made some changes in the house, based on wanting to get rid of the red wall throughout the kitchen/living room.  I liked the red, but as it started getting nicer out, it was just so heavy.  And the curtains were so big and flowing.  I went in the opposite direction.  Green walls and only valances for

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-79579829231601633212011-02-27T21:23:00.001-06:002011-02-27T21:44:07.405-06:00

We just got back, a week or so ago, from Germany.  The Bavarian Alps, to be specific.  Originally, only Mike and I planned to go and meet Eric, but there were some changes and in the end we took Claire as well.  We've taken a number of amazing vacations with Eric now, enough that I think its become a kind of tradition (UK or bust this summer?), and this one was no exception.  He booked us a great

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-18369704788331969132010-12-28T21:00:00.000-06:002010-12-28T21:00:37.162-06:00

Hurray! Everyone was healthy by Christmas Eve.  We had a great weekend.  It was nice to have a lot of time, there were a lot of people to see. There was a lot of playing with new stuff and running around outside.  Milena hasn't liked winter weather from the beginning.  Hopefully she comes around, or I'll have a lot of pictures of her crying in the snow.  Maybe she'll see the light when

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-89821671151234550802010-12-22T12:01:00.000-06:002010-12-22T12:01:19.623-06:00

Three or four years ago, Mike, Claire and I had a terrible flu that peaked in its awfulness right on Christmas morning.  It was the worst flu I've ever had, and the timing could not have been worse.  I think my brother is still angry we had to break tradition and wait to open gifts until later that night.  This year, Claire seems to have come down with a bug, though not anywhere near as terrible

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-61475482790353445182010-12-12T21:15:00.000-06:002010-12-12T21:15:47.536-06:00

I found some more pictures from the first snowfall. These two pictures of Claire are fun.  I like to think she's trying to decide who to hit with her handful of snow.   Her father, who has definitely thrown his fair share of snowballs at Claire and deserves some retaliation, or her unsuspecting, attention getting little sister, heh.   But she must

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-41152197114007216172010-12-08T22:29:00.000-06:002010-12-08T22:29:32.666-06:00

This time of year I can not post for a few weeks and it seems like so much as happened.  Last time I posted was Halloween.  Thats like two holidays ago already. Milena has started in on the pretend play.  She likes to feed her animals.  It was like she realized one day that you could pretend to feed the stuffed animals, that pretending was a thing.  A lightbulb went off, and she pretends all the

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-27339043750708230622010-11-07T21:59:00.000-06:002010-11-07T21:59:34.606-06:00

Claire decided a year ago she wanted to be a paintbrush for Halloween.  We were making her costume, a doorbell, when she stopped, looked at her brush and said, "Next year, I want to be a paintbrush". And it stuck.  So I bought a bunch of black felt and nylon tule and shredded it to make a skirt which in my head looked a lot more paintbrush-like.  I think the problem was trying to make her upper

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-36607605538496532292010-10-03T20:48:00.000-05:002010-10-03T20:48:39.015-05:00

At the library, Milena is completely unwilling to look at books with Claire.  She wants to play with the trains.  While Claire is wandering around, Milena does everything she can to escape and get to the 'choo-choo choo-choo's.    Finally Claire has what she wants and we head over to the train table.  Milena is finally happy, and Claire talks about her book.  But not for long.  After all, it

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-82511218481937198332010-10-01T12:34:00.000-05:002010-10-01T12:34:26.344-05:00

A little bump on the head by the swing means some tears, if...wait, is someone ...watching?  Yes?  Definitely worth a fake cry.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-90182792793929475862010-09-26T20:55:00.003-05:002010-09-26T21:18:27.167-05:00

This is my favorite time of year for a lot of reasons.  I love the weather.  Cool and sunny or cloudy windy, whichever.  Some days the mix of clouds and sun seems to bump up the contrast of everything.  Colors are more vivid, and the change from green to rusty reds and oranges is so nice.  Sometimes the variation is surprising. I've been trying to get out as often as

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-33575006823694642902010-09-15T23:05:00.000-05:002010-09-15T23:05:32.521-05:00

I've been trying to get back to my New Years resolution to take a picture a day.  The goal was pushed to the back burner over the summer.  During the winter, when I was actually taking a picture each day, I thought it would be much easier to accomplish the goal in the summer.  Not so much.  Some days its difficult to pick only one to add to the official Picture of the Day list, some days the

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-12824258658517237442010-09-01T16:44:00.000-05:002010-09-01T16:44:18.408-05:00

Another year off and running.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-57773861250059590082010-08-24T13:59:00.001-05:002010-08-24T14:02:02.762-05:00

School starts September 1st.  Eight more days, but who's counting? We spent some more time in Door County earlier this month.  There is enough to do there that we can easily find something new each time we go, but we've definitely found some favorites as well.  Peninsula State Park, for example.  Milena enjoys the water, Claire enjoys the sand.  There are boats to rent and trails to hike.  A

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-20974765006173910252010-08-10T21:09:00.000-05:002010-08-10T21:09:40.895-05:00

Its been hot, and I generally don't like the heat.  However I do like it when its warm enough to skip a bath and play in the sprinkler at 8pm instead. I know I'm not the only one.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-39122431738407553552010-08-01T21:34:00.001-05:002010-08-01T21:35:01.434-05:00

Last week was a big one. We tried to go to Oregon on Thursday, but severe weather kept us home.  We tried again on Saturday and had much better luck.  We arrived right on time with a few new how-tos for traveling. 1. If you begin travel at night and your plane gets delayed, you don't have as many opportunities to get out the same day.  Pretty obvious.  This lesson cost us two days of vacation.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-83668873892253873492010-07-15T11:41:00.000-05:002010-07-15T11:41:15.035-05:00

The summer has been busy.  While we've had a lot on the calendar (summer school, tennis and lots of play-dates for Claire), its not anything I won't cancel when something better comes up. Last weekend we went to Door County.  All of us had fun, but I think Claire probably enjoyed it more than anyone else.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-56209569767994637872010-06-26T21:32:00.000-05:002010-06-26T21:32:15.788-05:00

Milena has two teeth now. By the amount of crying and general unhappiness in the house, I believe more must be on their way. Thankfully, Tylenol and Claire do wonders. When Claire gets home at 3:15, Milena is like a different kid, laughing and smiling. Its almost enough to go to school and pull Claire out early. Almost.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-91918565317245492462010-06-26T21:29:00.002-05:002010-06-26T21:31:10.761-05:00

We had a great Father's Day.  Claire put on a piano recital for the family, and despite all her nerves beforehand, it went great.  She planned decorations, appetizers and a lunch, and she collected admission.  $2 each, with all proceeds being donated to the Sun Prairie Public Library.  Her summer goal is to raise $150 and get one of those brick tiles with her name on it for the sidewalk in front

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-13459598787431129722010-06-13T20:23:00.002-05:002010-06-13T20:26:27.244-05:00

So as I said, we were in Ironwood for a few days this weekend.  Mike's Aunt Susie passed away and we went to attend the funeral.  Not anyone's favorite reason to have a reunion, but it was nice to see the the whole family again. Mike had a few days off, so we decided to stretch the trip out a bit.  We stayed at a great chalet at Powderhorn.  Being the off season, we got a fantastic deal that

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-36435799175180320582010-06-12T22:05:00.002-05:002010-06-12T22:07:42.533-05:00

This weekend we made a trip to Ironwood.  I have to say, I had my reservations about taking our Lumina on such a long trip.  Don't get me wrong, its a very reliable car and has never left us stranded, but it is getting up there in age and miles.  Milena often will say 'aaaaaaaahhhhhh' for long stretches of time when we are on the highway because the ride is rough enough that she likes how her

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-59586865585292468852010-05-21T17:16:00.004-05:002010-05-21T17:22:29.182-05:00

We took a quick trip to Chicago this week. We spent some time at the Shedd Aquarium and the Museum of Science and Industry. Hopefully we can make it an annual thing, its a super easy trip.I didn't take many pictures this time. Something about chasing around a 1 year-old that adds a bit of a challenge. Its been four or five years since the last time we've been to those attractions, and it was

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-70393974764615583802010-05-21T16:45:00.010-05:002010-05-21T17:25:26.397-05:00

Mike got an invite to ride the new 'Scorpian's Tail' water slide at Noah's Ark yesterday to test it out before it opened to the general public. Not sure he's ever had more fun on a water slide, and I'm not sure I ever had more fun watching people go on a water slide.I forgot to take a picture of the whole ride, but its all about the loop. You ride on your back and the slide takes you completely

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-77201887073588559492010-04-27T16:22:00.003-05:002010-04-27T16:36:15.115-05:00

Its garage sale time. I love going to garage sales. So far, I found a golden heart locket and a purple dress for Claire, a spring jacket and some pants for Milena, and an awesome puzzle for me:But the best find so far was a $20 headboard our neighbors were more than happy to see leave. I think because when they looked at it, they saw this:But when I looked at it, I saw a new orbital sander in

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-38196443248132596602010-04-19T20:09:00.004-05:002010-04-19T20:31:41.265-05:00

Milena and I had the chance to play with Henry for a few hours this morning. I think it was the first time they had some good one-on-one play. Usually Claire is around, and Henry thinks Claire is pretty cool. If the options are Claire and Milena, he goes Claire every time. So it was fun to see he and Milena interact a bit. He was very sweet to her.Knowing we don't have any of the cool toys (

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-60798417421499486172010-04-18T20:09:00.007-05:002010-04-19T20:25:16.054-05:00

Milena turned one today, so we had a party at the zoo. Lucky for us, we were able to share the day and do a combo birthday party with our friend's daughter. We met in Hawaii, and by chance they moved to Madison a few weeks ago. Thanks to Eric for setting us up.Milena was less than enthusiastic about the cake. She played along for a bit, took a few small bites from Claire which she later spit

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-63645050808989852482010-04-07T20:06:00.005-05:002010-04-07T20:21:24.763-05:00

Milena is so close to walking now. She long since been an ace at crawling. Then she pulled up to standing on furniture, the wall, your leg, whatever was there. But now she's able to stand up right in the middle of the floor, no handles, and she does it all the time. She's balancing there for longer and longer, and I know its just a matter of days before she takes those first few steps. She

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-46451440328979030532010-03-31T20:58:00.009-05:002010-03-31T22:00:19.065-05:00

Finally. It feels like its been a long time in coming, but I think Spring has finally arrived. This winter was tough for me. A Wisconsin winter is a far cry from a mild New England winter. I obviously knew what to expect, but I have to say that this winter was pretty depressing for me. All that time indoors is rough when you know that in Maine you'd likely be at the beach, perhaps even

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-64018566577437445062010-02-21T20:53:00.004-06:002010-02-21T21:05:43.263-06:00

One of New Years resolutions was to take one picture every day. So far its going awesome. I don't think I've missed a day yet. I find I take a lot of pictures with my iPhone (the best camera is the one you have with you). I play around a lot with my LensBaby. And I end up with some awesome pictures I'd never have had if not for the picture-a-day goal. So its going exactly as planned.Most of

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-28406127534567046372010-02-01T13:02:00.009-06:002010-02-01T13:34:26.168-06:00

I use my iPhone camera much more than I thought I would. I can even get a really nice 5x5 print from it. The only downside is that pictures stay on the phone for a long time because I rarely sync it with the computer. But I did last night, and so, here are some of my favorite pictures, taken with my iPhone.Claire and I having fun on a walk.Playing in bed with Milena while living at the

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-75062381760161441082010-01-01T13:02:00.006-06:002010-01-01T13:47:20.549-06:00

2009 was a big year for us. Lots of change. We started the year off right with a second trip to Hawaii.April brought a new baby. From day one Claire has been the best big sister anyone could ask for. Milena lights up when she's around. Claire graduated from Kindergarden.We moved back to Wisconsin. I found out that three years is more than enough time to make some really good friends who are

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-44907668813064048592009-12-18T08:54:00.003-06:002009-12-18T09:11:43.150-06:00

Last weekend was awesome. The girls and I spent a day at the Tundra Lodge in Green Bay, of which I have no pictures because I was in the water the whole time. It was awesome and so much more fun when you have a six year old. Claire had a great time and at the end of the day said "Mom, this is the most fun I've ever had with you." So I clearly scored some major points. Milena was unhappy with

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-48334856235596444312009-11-23T21:24:00.004-06:002009-11-23T21:51:09.550-06:00

The time between Halloween and Thanksgiving always goes so fast. And then its a blur all the way through New Years. Claire has been coming up with some great quotes lately, though she has no idea. She heard a truck backing up and mistook it for tv being censored. She explained that they play the BEEP over a bad word so you can't hear it. I asked her what kind of bad words they say, and she

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-11151180335156961002009-11-01T07:58:00.005-06:002010-09-26T22:10:03.642-05:00

Another successful year of trick-or-treating. Milena was a frog. A decision that was easy to make because we had a frog snowsuit in her size. She was warm and happy the entire time. Claire decided to be a doorbell. A little less obvious than the frog, but a much higher creativity score. We even rigged it up with an actual doorbell, so she rang if you pushed the lit up button.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-28266642876428452992009-10-17T11:24:00.003-05:002009-10-17T11:37:37.124-05:00

James and Elissa and family made the 20 hour drive from Texas to spend some time visiting in Wisconsin this week. We were lucky enough to have them stay with us a night. I'm amazed at how kids can just pick up where they left off. Its like they didn't even miss a beat. I guess the same was true for the adults. It didn't take long for us to settle in with Taboo, ice cream and drinks, just

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-86399919114397780282009-09-25T22:04:00.007-05:002009-09-25T22:51:40.681-05:00

Its been a busy week. We've had some kind of get-together every night this week, and its been really fun. Things are coming together with the house, furniture has been purchased, some pictures have been hung, but we kind of forgot to start settling in socially. Its nice to have started that. Even Milena is making some friends.Claire definitely has the advantage. She's friends with EVERYONE

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-13255807214568736082009-09-10T20:40:00.003-05:002009-09-10T20:58:14.380-05:00

Claire turned six on Tuesday. The highlights were bringing blueberry muffins to school, going out for pizza and of course opening a few presents. She's having a party this weekend, and we're all looking forward to that.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-80214814761814776732009-09-02T09:14:00.006-05:002009-09-02T10:05:46.176-05:00

We've been at the new house for almost two weeks now, and things are slowly getting to where they need to be. You can tell which rooms we spend the majority of our time in: the kitchen, living room, and Mike's office. Those rooms are pretty well set, but the others still need some attention.Its so nice to be able to just move right in, as opposed to the last house we bought, where everything

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-4251738567191074892009-08-19T10:04:00.007-05:002009-08-19T10:34:18.770-05:00

We had a great time last weekend at Dave and Erin's wedding. It was awesome to see he and his bride so happy. I don't have a lot of pictures of them together on the actual wedding day, but I had a great view for the main event. A camera might have been distracting during the ceremony, but I didn't hesitate to take pictures during the rehearsal, so just imagine them looking all fancy and such.I

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-56105144788331703762009-08-07T21:41:00.003-05:002009-08-07T22:02:28.362-05:00

By now I think everyone has seen many pictures of Tim and Josie's wedding, but here are my favorite two. (more here)All of my pictures are of everything leading up to the ceremony, with none of the wedding itself. Milena tired of the Baby Bjorn quickly at the ceremony, so I mostly walked around with her. And at the reception she was bombarded by 300 people in one tiny room having a great time (

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-57490744706406053452009-07-28T08:04:00.003-05:002009-07-28T08:10:31.622-05:00

Mike and I saw some great clouds last night. The sky looked so stormy and odd, but it never rained in our area.I've only seen clouds like this (mammatus clouds) once before, in Milwaukee a night or two before Jim and Monnie's wedding. And speaking of weddings, yesterday was our anniversary. Seven years!

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-16013561512052187772009-07-18T16:10:00.006-05:002009-07-18T16:23:19.518-05:00

We have been enjoying the summer. Art Fair on the Square, Concerts on the Square, Farmer's Market, buying a house, and relaxing on the balcony. It is good.This weekend Claire is camping with my parents. She was so so excited to go, and I've heard she's having a blast (and a rumor that she has her first loose tooth). Its given me some nice one-on -one time with Milena, and that has been

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-23471053535657259932009-07-07T13:17:00.002-05:002009-07-07T13:26:22.666-05:00

Today is Mike's first day as a not-in-training doctor. Finishing up residency gets quite a bit of attention, with the graduation ceremony and send-offs and such. There isn't any fanfare today, but its a big day nonetheless. Its like the first day of school. I kind of want a picture of him in his scrubs with a stethoscope around his neck standing by the front door.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-64442263119435374092009-07-05T21:08:00.003-05:002009-07-05T21:13:35.108-05:00

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-58646808312151556842009-07-04T12:48:00.004-05:002009-07-04T13:26:28.606-05:00

Its been a busy few weeks, but its starting to slow down again. We rented our Maine house, and then we packed up our stuff. Teresa, Claire, Milena and I hopped on a plane and flew to WI in about six hours (despite my worrying, Milena did awesome on the flights). Mike and Jim hopped in the car and made the trip in three days. After a few days staying with Jim and Teresa, our stuff arrived and

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-71638307593276561322009-06-16T19:35:00.003-05:002009-06-16T19:38:40.638-05:00

Claire has been helping me pack by decorating the inside of the boxes.She wants to pack her stuff in this one. I'm sure she'll be playing in this same box on the other end of the move.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-22229128791390822322009-06-14T20:36:00.005-05:002009-06-15T09:38:40.209-05:00

Three years ago, Mike, Claire and I went to the residency graduation. We sat in a huge room full of strangers and watched a handful of people we didn't know receive their diplomas. This past Friday, Mike, Claire, Milena and I sat in the same huge room filled with familiar faces as Mike and some of our best friends accepted their diplomas. Amazing what three years can do. It was so nice to

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-69023312620152521842009-06-11T09:07:00.002-05:002009-06-11T09:08:48.910-05:00

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-52967494281164498792009-06-07T09:53:00.004-05:002009-06-07T09:59:12.453-05:00

'"Mom, do you remember a long time ago Milena's room used to be Dad's office?"

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-2088949875279117582009-06-05T15:43:00.003-05:002009-06-05T15:57:26.314-05:00

In light of having only 18 more days left of living in Maine, I've been trying to take pictures of regular, day-to-day events. I've been bringing my camera along for things I usually wouldn't bother to take pictures of, like picking up Claire from school and stopping at the playground for a few minutes. After all, this is what I'm going to remember when I think about Claire's first year at

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-29875174722079498762009-06-04T19:49:00.001-05:002009-06-04T19:52:36.737-05:00

Enjoy your jetpack.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-78653094992358635692009-06-03T19:31:00.003-05:002009-06-03T19:34:40.257-05:00

Milena's first visit.So many new things to look at, hear, feel and smell. She'll be joining Claire in no time.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-27987837013719703802009-06-01T19:13:00.003-05:002009-06-01T19:19:47.184-05:00

On our way home from school Claire tries to jump up to reach the leaves.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-50974615318395083562009-05-31T20:08:00.006-05:002009-06-01T19:21:37.032-05:00

The past several days have been rainy, which combined with being down a car means that I've been spending my fair share of days inside the house. I'm sure its great for the flowers, however. I love the irises we have along our garage.This afternoon the clouds broke and we couldn't get out the door for a walk fast enough. Lately Claire and I have been playing the 'Alphabet' game on our walk.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-85037048028447887902009-05-23T16:25:00.002-05:002009-05-23T16:26:29.127-05:00

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-92096550998366280952009-05-20T08:34:00.004-05:002009-05-20T08:56:31.067-05:00

Robinson Woods in Cape Elizabeth has a beautiful series of trails . Its an easy walk with a lot of bridges over gurgling streams and small waterfalls. The perfect hike for a 5 year old who recently started a "Nature Club".

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-79517543204967481822009-05-18T20:32:00.006-05:002009-05-18T21:06:50.788-05:00

I really liked the side by side Claire/Milena pictures at five days old, so here are two more. Both were taken right around one month old and right after a bath. First Claire, then Milena, if it wasn't obvious.Also, Monnie sent some super cute leg warmers for Milena (as well as a box of goodies from her ArtFire store. Thanks Monnie!). Claire found them and figured they'd be perfect on her

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-62513047040932117512009-05-12T19:55:00.004-05:002009-05-12T20:14:07.976-05:00

So Milena is putting on some weight and being much more alert lately. I was even able to get a real smile out of her today (the first I've seen), not a half asleep reflex smile. She likes to make noises, she likes to lay around naked, and she likes to sleep. Who doesn't, right?Tonight I was on my own with Claire and Milena. Its not the first time, but it is rare enough that it deserves

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-27162450429456948412009-04-30T12:21:00.006-05:002009-04-30T12:40:43.440-05:00

We have been having the most unbelievable weather, so we've been spending a good amount of time outside. Earlier this week we went to the Bug Light to fly a kite. We weren't exactly in the same league as the others with our $4.99 hardware store kite, but we didn't let it stop us. Claire loved it. Milena slept.She sleeps a lot. But when she's awake she's pretty good natured, and she looks

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-51098786382555562592009-04-24T09:33:00.004-05:002009-04-24T09:38:33.211-05:00

Here is Claire at 5 days old...And Milena yesterday, at 5 days old...Definitely some resemblances going on there.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-44510379953697954892009-04-22T08:27:00.003-05:002009-04-22T08:30:43.322-05:00

I forgot how awesome some of the faces a newborn can make are.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-26339765561355585812009-04-20T15:00:00.001-05:002009-04-20T15:04:11.784-05:00

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-5513454151440974372009-04-19T21:36:00.004-05:002009-04-19T21:45:03.205-05:00

We're home, and its wonderful. I enjoyed being so well taken care of at the hospital, but home is home and you can't really beat it.Everything is still very new, and its mostly unbelievable that we have two kids. I know at some point I'll look back and not remember what it was like to only have Claire because I look back now and can hardly remember what life was like before her.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-85386003072192806312009-04-18T13:08:00.004-05:002009-04-18T13:19:43.821-05:00

Introducing Milena Rose. She was born at about 3am on April 18th. She is 7 lbs 9 oz and 21 inches long. She has the same thick head of black hair that Claire was born with, though Milena's looks like it might have a little curl to it. Labor was short, and pushing was even shorter. Just like Claire, Milena was ready before anyone else in the room was.Sisters meet for the first time.Its been a

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-48158186030513212342009-04-05T20:29:00.003-05:002009-04-05T20:41:18.541-05:00

We took a trip to Mackworth Island a few weeks ago, when we had a lot more time on our hands.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-64184473452004780072009-04-03T13:25:00.003-05:002009-04-03T13:34:13.056-05:00

This is the week I'm officially full term, and thats about it for pregnancy news. Thankfully, we have a lot of other things to keep us busy. The baby's room is finally put together with lots of nice gender-neutral green and brown. The crib has been assembled, which was much more difficult and time consuming than we expected or remembered. Little tiny onesies and blankets have been dug out of

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-22228120816071803942009-03-25T10:33:00.006-05:002009-03-25T10:37:30.029-05:00

Every morning I ask Claire what she wants for a hair style. Its usually pig tails or braids but earlier this week she requested a 'hair ball', and this is what she meant.It was super cute, but unfortunately the bobby pins made the hair ball a little too uncomfortable for an all day style, so it came out shortly after I took this photo.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-69830945814517118762009-03-11T20:23:00.004-05:002009-03-11T20:29:42.677-05:00

I bought yogurt today that expires a week after my due date. I guess that means either yogurt takes a long time to spoil, or we'll have two kids a lot sooner than I thought.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-13599389227689589112009-03-08T12:19:00.003-05:002009-03-08T12:33:36.111-05:00

Yesterday was beautiful, a little taste of Spring with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 50's.  Claire and I went to the beach, of course.    It was a bit cooler and cloudier there, but it was wonderful to be out.  Today is another day of beautiful weather, but Claire was sick all night and this morning, so we'll be staying in.  We have the windows open, though, and just hearing outside

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-10820740548728402452009-03-07T16:05:00.005-06:002009-03-07T16:33:17.492-06:00

Its been a long time coming.  I really don't like wires, and our old computers were getting a bit out of hand with how many they required.  I was happy to trade in this:for a sleek desktop that has only one cord.  Actually we have been looking at iMacs for awhile, but we were having a difficult time actually buying one.  Its not very often we buy something for that much money without getting some

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-15911203261871123192009-02-07T16:37:00.003-06:002009-02-07T16:50:47.426-06:00

Claire begged me last night to do a fabric art project. It was late, and I had no idea what she meant, so I held her off until this morning. Today she woke up, made a sketch, and then got to work. Its no surprise that Fabric Art is making a picture using only fabric and glue. It took quite a while and made a huge mess, but it was a lot of fun. Sometimes the most difficult part was choosing a

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-50200342578683896282009-01-26T12:06:00.004-06:002009-01-26T12:39:43.660-06:00

Today we're back to life as normal after spending the past week in Hawaii. We seemed to focus more on relaxing this time around, with an 'event' in the morning followed by playing on the beach after lunch. We stayed with Eric again (Thanks Eric!), at his 'new' place right on the beach. It was perfect.On the way, it was fun to talk with Claire about what she remembered from our last trip. She

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-24628107624594361242009-01-11T11:52:00.002-06:002009-01-11T11:58:48.720-06:00

I've heard people say (many times) that kids would rather play with the box/wrapping paper/bows/etc than the actual item that came in the box. It holds true for us. Claire has transformed a giant box that came filled with presents into a house/elevator/library/back porch/etc, and she has played with it every day since Christmas.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-84100620218964611412009-01-06T15:48:00.002-06:002009-01-06T15:52:21.561-06:00

2009 is going to be full of changes for us. We're looking forward to it.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-62953568194598199332008-12-29T20:38:00.003-06:002008-12-29T20:48:04.902-06:00

Mike and Claire went out to build a snowman today. Its been nice, around 50 degrees for the past day or two, so I thought they'd have a difficult time since most of the snow has melted. Turns out everything that is left is really wet and perfect for making giant snowmen. Who knew? I went out to take pictures and found he had enlisted help form our neighbors. I think he has character!

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-62927006724839566472008-12-27T11:51:00.006-06:002008-12-27T13:08:31.490-06:00

We have been celebrating all week. We spent the days right before Christmas at a hotel featuring an indoor water park. While we were there, we took a trip to the 'North Pole' on the Polar Express, which was pretty incredible. Tickets are distributed by lottery months in advance, but somehow Mike was able to track three down. It was worth the work. Basically you live the book, from the train

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-5367427234378216152008-12-12T16:34:00.000-06:002008-12-12T16:52:58.417-06:00

We had our first winter storm of the season last night and into this morning, and it covered everything in about one inch of ice. We spent the night and morning without electricity or heat, but just as we were about to leave for a warmer place everything magically came back on. I think just hearing the furnace finally kick on made me feel warmer. A few of our Maple trees lost branches, though

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-87333503920692035082008-12-05T13:29:00.000-06:002008-12-05T13:38:11.772-06:00

Today I had the big 20 week ultrasound. 20 weeks down, 20 more to go. Hopefully the second half will go as well as the first.We took Claire out of school for the day so she could come along and see the ultrasound. I think at first she was very unimpressed. She sat in the chair and read books. I don't blame her, those black and white pictures can be pretty obscure. But she really got into it

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-54800522381602173112008-11-29T17:14:00.000-06:002008-11-29T17:31:19.809-06:00

Today a candy maker down the street (Len Libby) held their annual 'Make Your Own Candy Cane' event. There was a long line when we showed up, but it moved along quickly, and the day was nice so it wasn't a big deal. Claire chose to make a heart candy cane on a stick which took all of 30 seconds, and we saw Lenny, who is apparently the world's only life-sized chocolate moose. So I can cross

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-78518579446921092072008-11-28T18:27:00.000-06:002008-11-28T18:36:11.565-06:00

We're thankful for good friends and good food.And good dogs that won't eat your cheese, even though they really really really really REALLY want to.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-29421232496879647312008-11-26T08:28:00.000-06:002008-11-26T08:40:59.364-06:00

Monday was a rare day in that Mike and I both had the day off, and Claire had school. We had a big breakfast of eggs, toast and ham, and then stopped by Dunkin Donuts for hot chocolate on the way to the beach.This rock wall caught my eye, the colors were so pretty.And one of the little things that makes me smile: Claire found a stash of paper bags in the closet, and she has been using them to

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-7290368242345812252008-11-09T16:14:00.000-06:002008-11-09T16:22:30.242-06:00

The past few days, I have been going a little stir crazy. Its been rainy and now it gets dark at 4:30 (I'm typing this at 5:00, and it might as well be midnight outside). AND Mike has been working afternoons. When he leaves its just Claire and I, inside with not much to do. So today we took full advantage of the sun and warm weather and went to the beach.We were there for a few hours a bit after

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-37808199383862926092008-11-04T14:58:00.000-06:002008-11-04T15:00:09.602-06:00

I voted. Not today, like the sticker says, but Mike and I absentee voted a few weeks ago. I'd recommend it to anyone, next time around, of course.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-66088948122297135062008-11-03T20:09:00.001-06:002008-11-03T20:37:10.908-06:00

Halloween went well. Claire dressed up as a red blood cell. I'm not sure many people knew what in the world she was, but she loved it and that is what counts. She earned a fair amount of candy, which she is very willing to share with Mike and I. After Halloween, we went to Boston. We got a hotel, had a nice dinner downtown and then spent the day today at the New England Aquarium and IMAX

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-85164882188002926112008-10-27T14:30:00.000-05:002008-10-27T14:42:22.676-05:00

Mike and I keep to the same basic schedule at Claire's bedtime. Pajamas on, teeth brushed, story and then lights out. We just do the story part a little differently. We both let Claire pick a book, and she usually chooses books like The Magic School Bus or Dr. Seuss, or something you'd find in the kids section of the bookstore or library. The difference is that Mike then follows that up with

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-72200424555014535302008-10-24T14:59:00.004-05:002008-10-24T15:13:26.477-05:00

Learning the download process for a new camera wasn't involved at all...Here is Claire playing in the leaves, Claire laughing at her own joke, and Claire eating a gummy eyeball.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-91927816858362412992008-10-23T12:27:00.000-05:002008-10-23T13:05:23.697-05:00

Its been well over a month since I've updated this blog. I don't really have a great excuse, but I'll do the best I can: I'm pregnant! I've been busy sleeping! And not eating anything and being nauseous! Thats kind of an excuse, right? Actually all the uncomfortable parts of being pregnant have been gradually getting better. I've just started my fourth month, so hopefully things keep moving

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-47075913842412786212008-09-09T16:27:00.000-05:002008-09-09T16:29:52.152-05:00

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-83522395352265031702008-09-07T17:18:00.000-05:002008-09-07T17:45:11.168-05:00

My parents have been in town visiting for a few days, and lucky for them, The Great State of Maine Air Show took place this weekend in Brunswick. The airshow was much more impressive than I thought it would be. Something was going on at all times in the sky, and planes of all shapes and sizes were on the ground, most of them open for walking through.We saw F-16s do their stuff in the air, which

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-27471487858825847132008-09-03T14:37:00.000-05:002008-09-03T14:51:58.808-05:00

Claire starts Kindergarten on Monday, so this week we are getting ready. Some stuff is more fun than others. For example, 5 year old immunizations are not fun, but shopping for the first day of school outfit is.I think by the end of the week we'll have covered it all. Dentist visit, Doctor visit, clothes shopping, Kindergarten screening, Kindergarten Open House, school supply shopping, and

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-82184013533569490432008-08-17T20:05:00.000-05:002008-08-17T20:23:48.757-05:00

I downloaded the pictures from my camera tonight, and I realized I have a little catching up to do.A few weeks ago, Mike, Claire and I took a canoe trip in the Scarborough Marsh. A few days later, Claire hosted an Olympic Party. Then we went to the airport where Claire did some interpretive dancing. We got on an airplane and started our two week Wisconsin Vacation. The beach house and camping

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-73138764265128836912008-07-31T12:56:00.000-05:002008-07-31T13:11:02.663-05:00

I spent a few hours this week cleaning out and re-arranging Claire's room. I took a lot of stuff out, and moving around the furniture always gives a room a fresh feel. I also found piles of treasure. Piles might be the wrong word, I found all kinds of small treasures carefully packed away in small pouches, containers, bags and boxes. Somehow Claire knew exactly what was where. I don't know

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-19374474732962878432008-07-19T11:41:00.000-05:002008-07-19T11:51:14.202-05:00

Two weeks ago we took a three day camping trip to Acadia National Park. Its a beautiful place, I'm glad to have made it before our three years here are through. In short, we climbed some mountains, jumped off some boulders, and saw a lot of wonderful stuff. I also took a lot of pictures. When you are in a place like Acadia, its not easy to stop.

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190994.post-71711344931747455002008-07-01T09:26:00.000-05:002008-07-01T09:52:10.530-05:00

Now it feels like summer is here. Its been raining quite a bit, just about every day, but I guess since we had such a nice spring that a rainy first half of summer is fair. It hasn't stopped us from getting out. We've been spending a lot more time around Portland, which has been nice. Its easy to forget how many beautiful things are within 10 minutes of the house. This picture was taken at

sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192869022252976985noreply@blogger.com5