Been Busy

Things sure have been just rolling right along. Yesterday was my last day working at the job I started at the beginning of the year. The school is expanding and my position would have been full time starting in the fall. Claire will be in all day kindergarten by that time, but not during the hours I would have to be at work. So I decided to leave a little earlier and have the summer off. I'm looking forward to it.

We've been spending a lot of time on the yard this spring. Moles dug up our backyard last fall, so we have been planting a lot of new grass. Its actually going much better than I expected it to. In the front yard, we dug up a lot of sad looking bushes. Since the house faces east, the plants there get just a little bit of morning sun before the big maple trees along the street put them in the shade. I'm thinking its a perfect place for some hostas.














I'm not sure what the plant is that we left on the end, but I like it. I think it has bright orange flowers in the late spring. I'm not sure it will stay where it is, but with no new location picked out, its safe for the time being. Its been fun going to greenhouses and looking at all the options.

I'm on my way.

I have had this in the basement for quite a while:




























Its my pottery room. I have wanted this room since I threw (read: made on the wheel) my first bowl six or seven years ago. I took a ceramics class at MATC the summer Mike and I were living on State Street in Madison. I needed something to do as he studied the nights away for the MCAT, and a friend suggested we take a pottery class together. I enjoyed it more than any other kind of art I have ever tried. For the past few years I have been slowly collecting the things I need to make pottery on my own, in my own house. I've had the wheel for a while, but I just recently found a kiln. So today, in the basement, I had this:



















A working kiln. Unbelievable. I didn't know what to expect. The kiln is very gently used, but it is also very very old, so I'm excited to find out that it works perfectly. I just need one more thing, a vent to get rid of all the nasties firing creates, and I'll be good to go! Ha!

Almost Spring

We're ready for it. Any day now its going to be 60 and sunny, I just know it.

Last month at Claire's school was color month. Every day the kids talked about and wore a different color, and Claire embraced this from her ponytail holders down to her socks. She absolutely loved the color themed days. The last class of color month was 'Wear Every Color Day', and she did that well too. Every morning I'd tell her what color to wear, and she'd put together her outfit on her own. Every Color day was no different, and I think she did a very good job of covering the rainbow. And you can't see them, but her pants are blue and her boots are purple.



















Yesterday we spent some time at Mackworth Island, which I've posted about before. Its a beautiful place and definitely one of my favorite places to hike within Portland. This time we saw a harbor seal sitting around on the beach, and of course, we made a fairy house. It wasn't nearly as cold as it looks in the pictures.

The Emerald City

Things have been pretty hectic here, but last weekend we took a much needed break and spent the weekend with friends at their family camp (Maine for cabin). The main event was skiing.










































We all had fun, with the exception of my friend Jaime, who made the mistake of allowing me to take her to the top of the hill on the lift. People who know nothing about skiing should not ski together. Lesson learned.

And now that we are back, we get to watch our fill of NCAA basketball. We helped Claire fill out her bracket, and unfortunately she is already not doing so well. The logic behind her choices was interesting, but not exactly helpful when choosing a winner. She chose Portland State (referring to them as Portland, ME) to go all the way to the elite eight. She liked San Diego, sending them to the final four, because she likes Go Diego Go. And she picked Temple to go all the way to championship because she likes the show Legends of the Hidden Temple. She refused to pick North Carolina, insisting that South Carolina would win. In the end, she chose Wisconsin to win it all saying "Wisconsin, please. Thats what I would pick if I were you!" So we'll see. These brackets can be pretty unpredictable.

Longer Days

Yesterday I noticed that it was about 5:30pm, and the sun was still up. It's nice.

Sometimes the little things make all the difference.

Claire is sick with some kind of stomach bug, and like other times when she's been sick, I'm so thankful to have a washer and dryer in the basement. And I'm glad I didn't throw away all of the old sheets and towels last time I organized the closet.

Claire is a really sweet sick person, as far as moods go. She'll quietly go through a list of questions about her symptoms as she is falling asleep, and then assures me that "Its not your fault I'm sick, Mom. I just got some bad germs." She almost always appears more calm than I feel inside, which is comforting to me, though I know it should be the other way around. She has always been a very healthy kid, so even at four years old, I'm just not used to her being sick. So I do what I can, which doesn't feel like much. A back rub, a song, a cool pillow and some clean-up is just about all that is required. But she appreciates it. As she snuggles down under the covers, she'll reach a warm hand up to rub my cheek and say "Thanks Mom", and I feel like I should call my mom and thank her for doing the same for me. But I'm guessing she would appreciate it more if I called at a time other than 12:30am.

Eclipse

Last night was the lunar eclipse, and we (mostly me) were really excited to see it through the telescope Claire got for Christmas this year. It was very cool, all rusty red and brown. And we had the bonus of seeing Saturn, which is at its closest and brightest this month, and its rings as well. And for even more fun, the telescope comes with a camera, so I was able to take a few pictures. I am still learning how to use it, there are a few features I didn't figure out last night, but here is what I got:




























The rosy red moon and Saturn. I believe there is not a zoom option with the camera, but there are features for sharpness and contrast/white balance etc. And also, Saturn is pictured on its side, but it was level, like everyone imagines it, when looking through the telescope so I have something to figure out there as well. But anyway, through the high-power lens Saturn was crystal clear and amazing (and the moon was too, of course). We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful night to see the sky.

Obama in Bangor

The three of us drove up to Bangor, ME yesterday to see Barack Obama speak. 7,500 people packed the auditorium, and 2,000 more were turned away. The line to get in was over a half mile long. Fortunately, we decided to walk with a group of people who knew about a side entrance. If we hadn't, I'm sure we would never have gotten in. We didn't have the best seats, but we went to listen, and we could do that from the nosebleed section.




























The energy was unbelievable. The crowd was excited, to say the least. And loud.



















It was the best speech either of us have ever been to, and the first one to be broadcast on national television. It was a lot of fun. Today we had our caucus, another first for us both. I was surprised at how unofficial it all was. And they are already claiming it as a victory for Obama. I guess when you don't have to count actual ballots, you get the results a lot faster!

Claire on the phone.

What? Thats okay. Where were you? You couldn't make it to the phone in time?

Do you want to hear a song? We're going to make it to the church on time... (repeat and repeat and repeat) Isn't that a great song? Its about someone getting to the church in time. No dilly-dallying!

That means waste time.

WHAT! You have a groundhog? Whats a groundhog?

Is it a pretend groundhog or an alive groundhog? MOM! Maddie has an alive groundhog!

How did you get it?...Mom! Someone bought an alive groundhog and gave it to Maddie!

Oh. Actually Mom, its just a pretend groundhog.

I have a purple mermaid crown. It has jewels on it and its not alive. I can bring it to your house to show you, if you want.

When does the Flyman show start. Oh. 4:00.

Okay. Well, goodbye, I'm hanging up now.

A week makes a difference

We've pretty much settled into a rhythm this week. I ended up putting Claire back in her old preschool three times a week because for some reason, I was a bit distracted with her in the classroom with me every day. Its difficult enough to learn about a class full of kids and their behavioral plans without your own 4 year old begging you to play at every turn. She's happy to be back, it sounds like the class is happy to have her back, and I'm definitely happy to send her again. Everyone wins.

Other than that, not much is happening. Claire did draw a picture of us all in our individual showers, however. She's been learning to draw one new thing every day, and yesterday she chose a shower. So here we all are.



















Thats Mike on the left, me in the middle and Claire on the right. And the sun is up there in a window. Its kind of obvious that Claire has put herself in some kind of Kohler Dream Shower/Spa what with all the rainbows and ribbons and balloons. Mike and I, on the other hand, aren't so lucky. I believe Mike's shower is outdoors, since Claire said that the green floor of his stall is actually grass. I at least have a few hearts to dress up the walls, but we definitely were denied the luxury she saved for herself. And she doesn't even like showers. I guess maybe if rainbows came out of the shower head instead of water, it would be a different story.

A Few Changes

Yesterday was Claire's last day at her current school. I took a job as a teacher at a preschool and I'm able to take Claire with me. I'm really looking forward to it. The school is a 'special purpose' school, with the goal of integrating children with developmental delays (specifically Autism spectrum) with typically developing children. They have a range of classrooms, from an intensive one-on-one setting to a fully integrated preschool classroom, where Claire and I both will be. We start tomorrow. I loved working with the Autism Project in Wisconsin, so I'm really happy to have found something similar here. The news hasn't really been an issue for Claire. I think I was more sad when I picked her up yesterday than she was. Maybe I'll get some resistance in the coming weeks, but as of right now, she's just thrilled she gets to go to school every day.

And I think she's going to need five days a week to start teaching her new classmates the fine art of fashion. She's been making some really wonderful choices lately. A lot of times, we'll be just about to head out, and she'll say "Wait wait wait! I'll be right back!" and then run off to find a missing piece of her outfit. Today it was goggles (to keep cold wind out of her eyes) and the shorts over the pants. She wore it to the grocery store, post office and bank.



















She has also has been getting a lot better at jumping on her bed.














And a few days ago we were able to catch the sunset at the beach. We do this quite a bit in the summer, but with the sun setting so early in the winter its more difficult to make it in time. You wouldn't even know that it is winter by these pictures. There isn't a lot of snow left anymore.

Game Day

We're going over to friends' house tonight to watch the big game, but that doesn't mean we (Claire) haven't been preparing our house for the event.

Variety of appropriately colored shirts to choose from? Check.














'Decorations' in every room? Check.






































Signs made? Check.














Looks like we are ready. The only thing missing is Mike. He is on his way home from Wisconsin right now. Where he actually is, though, is any body's guess. His flight from Chicago to Boston was canceled, so he could show up any time. I just hope its before game time.

My Family's Visit

It was great to have my family out for a little post-Christmas Christmas celebration. Nice to extend the holidays a little bit. Since it was Dave's first visit, we tried to fit a lot of stuff in. All the best restaurants (Gilbert's and Becky's), the Portland Head Light, steaming our own lobster, and a hike. Dave wasn't too sure about the lobster at first, and my mom wasn't all that excited about holding one. But they both were very brave. Claire was shocked.










































They picked a wonderful week to come. They were able to see the two feet of snow we had on the ground at their arrival, and then watch it steadily melt off as we had over a week of temperatures above freezing both night and day. One day had an official high temperature of 64 degrees. I get the feeling it would take many many winters to figure out what a 'typical' winter is like here in Maine.

Apart from that, Claire has started swimming lessons. She's taken lessons before, but always with Mike or I in the pool with her, and always with very mixed results. This is her first time in a pool with an instructor. I have to admit, given my past experience with Claire in a pool (earplugs are of more service than nose plugs), I was preparing myself to see her resist it completely. But I was wrong. She did fantastic. She had a little floatie and actually "swam" around completely on her own. She loved it. She was almost as proud of her self as I was of her.

My Sister

I realize I don't post very often...okay basically never. But after a very small gathering with Emily's closest friends from Chicago and Milwaukee who came to visit in Portland, I just needed to share some of these pictures. Isn't she beautiful?! It is just so exciting to have these little ones joining our family!





I've also included a picture of my new kitten Gus. I guess I've had him for about 2 months now but like I said, I don't really post much. He's adorably sweet and growing fast! Still half the size of George who is enjoying the company (most of the time).

Happy New Year

What a great holiday season. For New Years Eve, we went to a friend's and had a great time. Not knowing anyone willing to watch Claire until after midnight, it was really nice to spend this particular holiday with friends who have kids. The adults all had a great time while the kids ran around and did the same, but with slightly more energy.













The holiday celebrating isn't quite over yet. My family is coming to visit us this week. It will be my brother's first time in Maine, so I'm looking forward to showing him around. I have a list of the usual places people like to see. They will feel slightly different in the winter, but thats fine. There is a certain charm that comes with almost two feet of snow, which is how much was on our deck this afternoon. We are in the middle of another snow storm, however, so its safe to say that by the morning, we'll be well over the two foot mark. Good thing we all have snowshoes.





























We also had another reason to celebrate this past week, Mike's last call night of residency. I'm not sure what lies beyond residency as far as fellowships and such, but it could very well have been his last call night...in general. It seems pretty unbelievable, if thats true. Still, this past month Mike's call nights have had a sliver lining, for me anyway. We are a little over halfway through a boys vs girls exercise competition with two friends. At the end of thirty days, whichever team has worked out the most (only one work out per day is counted) is the winner. Mike hasn't been able to work out on his call nights, which has put the girl's team into a comfortable lead, since we have managed to exercise every day for the past 19 days. In other words, the girls have a perfect score so far. Of course this isn't just for glory and physical improvement. There are some nice prizes involved. When the girls win, we'll be treated to dinner and a Soak. If the guys could have pulled it off, we would have cooked them a five course dinner. Our competition ends on January 8th, but I'm sure there will be a round two. Better luck to the guys then!

Winter Fun

Maine has gotten a ton of snow this year. When I am up before five trying to rush to work it is annoying to shovel and hope my car will start but when I am off the snow is sweet and I can't wait to go ski or snowshoe or make a snowfort for Claire - like today. Here are some pics.

Merry Christmas from Maine

Its what you'd expect. Surfing during the day (not us, but fun to watch anyway), and a lobster dinner at night.

A few more days.

Christmas always sneaks up on me. Obviously I'm aware its coming, but it goes from two weeks away to two days away overnight it seems. I don't know how it happens. We have three countdown-type decorations in the house, and Claire asks every day how many days are left. But it is a busy time of the year, and December always flies past.








We are finished with our shopping, and have been for a while now. Everything has been shipped out as well, so we haven't had to go out for retail reasons lately. From what I hear, that is a good thing. Battling the crowds isn't something I enjoy doing. However, I am hoping to get out and walk around downtown after dark to look at the lights. Maybe with a hot chocolate.

Also, in even more exciting news, I'm an Aunt for the first time. Jim and Monnie had their little boy, Henry, on the 19th. We are very excited to meet the little guy. There are a lot of pictures on Jim's webpage. Take a look, he is very sweet. Henry, that is.

And the Finished Product

We finished the tree, and we put up a few other decorations...















































I was also able to make a stocking for myself, and hang it with the others on an actual fireplace for the first time. Claire and Mike have had a stocking for the past few years, but I never got around to mine. We missed St. Nicks night, which was on December 5th, but we're planning on making it up this weekend. Our tradition is that each person puts a small present in everyone else's stocking. Usually its something hand made or some candies. Claire is old enough this year to handle it herself. It will be fun to see what she comes up with.

Completely unrelated, I've been using the side bar on the blog as a place to put stuff I've been looking at online. I'll probably keep four or so things up, and just rotate the oldest ones off. I also have a poll about the color of lights on your tree. We've always had clear. A lot of people I've talked to have a definite opinion, and it made me curious. So please vote, if you will. Its only for my own entertainment.

Decorating Day

We brought our tree home yesterday. We went out meaning to cut our own, as we did last year, but we never found the tree farm we were looking for. We finally reached our limit for driving around and settled for a real, but pre-cut tree. 'Settled' is probably the wrong word. Its a beautiful tree and it smells really nice, we were just looking forward to the process of cutting our own. However, we were guaranteed that its one of the best trees in Maine, and honestly, having someone net the tree an then put it on our car was pretty nice. But either way, today is decorating day. Claire and I are really looking forward to it. It won't look like this for long:

Winter is here.

Its cold in Maine, relatively speaking. Ask anyone out here, and they'll tell you that December has been frigid. I'd probably agree with them, if I hadn't just been in Wisconsin, where it actually IS cold. Maine is balmy by comparison. People don't always believe me when I tell them what the weather is like in Wisconsin.

The first big storm of the winter last weekend started as rain and then ended with snow. All summer long I'll wish we had gutters on our house, but in the winter I'm glad we don't. Without gutters, we get some of the prettiest icicles.



















Its snowing again tonight, and another storm should be here on Tuesday. I'm really hoping we get completely buried in snow this winter. Its been a good start. I'd love to see six feet in the back yard, which I've heard isn't uncommon in Maine.

Wisconsin Visit

Our flight home to Maine landed just in time last weekend. We left Wisconsin as the snow was ending there, and landed in Maine just before it started here. Our trip was pretty smooth (other than the actual flights, which were quite bumpy), given the circumstances. There were many people in Detroit who were not as lucky, trying to find a way out on already over-crowded flights. Our timing worked out to be perfect.

The trip was wonderful. It started out exactly as I wanted with a Packer game and Thanksgiving dinner at John and Leslie's house. A few weeks before our trip, Mike asked me what I wanted to do for Thanksgiving, and I told him that if I could do anything, it would be to have dinner at John and Leslie's, even though that wasn't an option at the time. I enjoy dinner there more than almost any other place. Its all so warm and happy, with all the best people in each room. I was very glad that in the end, thats exactly what we did.

We saw a huge number of people this trip, from the Fitzgerald Thanksgiving at the very beginning to Grandpa Halberg's funeral at the very end, and friends and my family between the two. I feel very caught up. We were able to spend a lot of time with Jim and Monnie as well, and that was really nice. Its kind of funny to think the next time we see them they'll be parents. And I'll be an Aunt for the first time. Claire has been giving me some 'lessons' on how to be a good Aunt, just like Monnie.
"An Aunt is like a Mom, except she doesn't live at your house with you. She gives you hugs. An Aunt plays with you and takes care of you and bakes cookies with you. Or bread. Or cake. An Aunt also sends you letters and packages, like a box of dominoes, or some candy and stickers. Or a dollar or two or three."
Sounds like I better start saving up my dollars. Its going to be fun.