"Close your eyes and I'll kiss you"

This post's title comes from the Beatles' "All My Loving," an upbeat track that moved away from their simpler, boy-girl love songs of their earliest fame, like "She Loves You." It's the song I thought about when I looked at this photo, taken by our friend Mandy Baker (see our earlier post, below, about Mandy's photo session with us).

Mandy really wanted to take a photo of us where I would hold Our Mighty Moose out at arm's length, upside-down, while Becky and I kissed and our girls did a funny pose. After a few takes, the photo shown here is the best result.

It was harder than I thought it would be to grab Moose, twirl him upside-down with one hand, hold him there, and kiss Becky with my eyes closed, all when Mandy said "go" to take this particular shot. Hefting a 25-pound 13-month-old little boy upside-down with one hand proved challenging! But it's a classic photograph, and we have laughed a lot about it since.  

Recent family photos

For the past few months, we've seen friends of ours turn to our friend Mandy Baker to take their family's photos. She is terrific, and we wanted to get some updated pictures of our family as well. We all went to the Gore Place and Boston's Public Garden for a late afternoon-long photo session, which was a lot of fun! It helped to repeatedly stuff our kids with candy. Here are just a few of the hundreds of photos that Mandy took. She did an outstanding job keeping everyone happy (you all know how prima donna-ish Becky can be, right?!).

We could not be happier with the results:

Becky and Mandy picked out our clothes, going for the bright colors to contrast with the green of our surroundings. It did not help me that our iron stained two pairs of my pants right before our photo session, but we made it through. We brought extra clothes for our dirt-loving little guy, but he didn't need to change his outfit.

Hey look, Moose is finally cooperating by smiling above! It took him about an hour to warm up to the idea of being placed on the grass and sometimes being all by himself for some quick photos. Mandy did a herculean job of trying to get him to loosen up. She was jumping around, yelling, calling out his name...anything to make our little guy happier. And it worked!

Hands-down one of my new favorite pictures of our kids. They had all changed (especially Moose) since our friend Melanie took photos of us in early November. We really wanted to record our kids at this stage, and to get someone besides me or Becky to snap their photos. There were no tears, no fights, and no tantrums during our three-hour shoot, which is remarkable. 

Sure, we almost lost Moose into the murky, shallow depths of the Public Garden pond a few times--he was intent on catching a duck--but otherwise, no worries! We highly recommend Mandy Baker! We have been enormously pleased with her photos and her fun professionalism, and are happy to spread the word about her!

There is No C in Summer, Part 2

Continuing our "No C in Summer" blog-apade, the second C of our summer is canoeing.  As I mentioned a few posts ago, getting a canoe for our family has been high on my personal priority list for about 5 years--and especially so over the last six months.  Credit to my wife here, who ran with my passion and put out feelers through friends about a canoe--rather than the route I was taking, which was scowering Craigslist for reputable, don't-break-the-bank canoes. 

Our friends the McQuiveys were downsizing their canoe inventory, and our timing couldn't have been better.  I picked our canoe up two Saturdays ago, envisioning a summer full of Saturday morning or Saturday afternoon canoe trips with my little girls and a revolving door of dad friends and their kids, and canoe trips with my whole family, and canoe trips with just Becky.

On Saturday, June 9th, I eagerly took the canoe out a few hours after picking it up from the McQuiveys.  I called my friend Andrus, who was equally as excited to get out on the water, and our girls were thrilled to spend some time with their fun friend C.  Our canoe can fit two adults and two kids comfortably, but we managed to squeeze in three kids--with two sharing one of the rows between the adults.  This canoe is 14 feet long and takes two adults to load/unload it, which just means more fun outings than solitary canoe trips, and that's fine with me.  (I now want a kayak, but don't tell Becky...I have a dream of kayaking to work, and can do it almost door-to-door, with two stops for portage). 

Clocking into our third hour in the canoe, everyone was miraculously well-behaved despite having only one kids' paddle.  Our girls loved dipping their fingers in the cool Charles River water, dis- embarking for an hour-long romp at a playground that you can paddle right up to!, and laughing when they saw dogs with life jackets on them as their owners brought the pups along for their ride.

We took a brief detour to an island in the Charles River.  The girls quickly christened it "Goose Poop Island."  Self-explanatory.  From a distance over the years, I thought it looked like a fun spot for a lunch or dinner picnic once a canoe came into our life.  Now, not so much.



The Goose and the Mouse, and then Daddy with them and their friend C., on Goose Poop Island.  At the time, we didn't realize that Mouse was wearing the biggest life jacket and that Goose had had to squeeze into the smallest one.  We later corrected this gaffe.

Goose evacuating Goose Poop Island for our second leg of the canoe outing.  This photo was taken a few minutes after Andrus and I had stabilized my canoe, which took on water.  Andrus and I filled it up accidentally.  We managed this no-no as we tried to relocate the canoe closer to shore so the girls could hop right into it.  Lesson learned. 

Along one stretch of the Charles River, there's a huge house on a beautiful shoreline.  The owners have installed several massive statues of animals, including (as shown above) an alligator and a buffalo.  They also have a moose, an upright bear, and a monkey.  Our kids had a fun time trying to scan the shoreline for other animals.  The owners of the house also leave a basin filled with bottles of water on their dock, for anyone to take.   

Andrus rowing us back home, after 3+ hours out on the Charles. 

Seriously, this canoe is a terrific investment for our family.  We live in relatively close proximity to lakes, rivers, and ponds and now we have a fun little toy for us to use to explore our area better.  To get out of the house, away from the snare of tempting tech toys (and yes, I'm aware of talking about de-teching our family's life while I write about doing so on a laptop), to have some laid-back, quiet time with our friends and family.  Our friend James McQuivey, from whom we bought the canoe, told me that his canoe outings with his family were some of the happiest times in their family's life.  That's what I want for our family, too. 

Here's to many three-season canoe outings in all the years to come.  Before I know it, our kids will be able to paddle and lift the canoe with us!



There is No C in Summer, part 1

...but there will be in our summer!  Two C's, in fact: camping and canoeing.  And yes, I--an unabashed spelling freak--had to double-check that that is the correct spelling for getting out in a canoe.  With today being the official start to summer, I want to review one of our summer C events.  That would be camping.  I did not grow up camping.  My only camping recollection involves a single episode where my parents, my sister, and I all slept in a tent.  I awoke early the next morning to find my dad MIA.  As I scoured our site, our wood-paneled station wagon's door creaked open, and there was my rough-and-ready survivalist father reading that very morning's copy of The Boston Globe. 

Talk about roughin' it.  Let's stay at a campsite close to a convenience store for our daily must-haves!

Becky and I got into camping while we dated, and camped with friends each summer, including the first summer that we had our oldest little girl.  Thereafter, we took a break from the Great Outdoors.  But this spring, we got the camping bug again, thanks to some friends--the Cammacks and the Christensens--who organized an annual camping trip at Camp Joseph in bucolic Sharon, Vermont.

Roll that beautiful camping footage!

Goose getting her hot dog roasting on at a campsite near the Iverson's secluded cabin.  In the background, beyond Ben and Ryan, you see Dear Old Dad trying desperately to keep Moose from falling into, scampering toward, and generally getting an unfortunate first-hand encounter with fire. 

On Sunday morning of Memorial Day weekend, we all went to Sacrament meeting at the nearby chapel (which has been greatly expanded and renovated since we were last there in 2006).  Afterward, the Iversons, Becky, and Brenna Palkki managed a terrific Primary program for all of the kids.  Ben played his guitar to the kids' songs, while Brenna led the music.  Kids took turns walking up to the mic to say a few words about what they're thankful for.  It was very cool.

Mouse getting her turn at the mic. Look alive, Ben!

Sunday night dinner, managed by camping guru Brad Cammack.  I am not sure we could ever camp without Brad's expertise.  I'm not kidding.  He thought of everything and you could see the wheels turning in his head whenever we encountered a snafu in our plans for meals or activities.

Sunday evening ring-around-the-rosie sing-a-long with the Iversons and the Cammacks and a gaggle of fun-loving kids.  Another highlight of the camping trip.  There were so many kids and people really made an effort to make it as fun for the kids as it was for the adults.

Now, this might look like kids shagging fly balls on the huge lawn at Camp Joseph.  But under Brad's direction, this game is actually, "Let's drive the ball as far and away as possible to thoroughly exhaust the kids, right before bedtime!"

Becky, Goose, and Moose, who reveled in his filthiness the whole long weekend!   There was no way to keep this dude clean.  He did really well both nights, though he was up until about 10:30 each night.   

Roasting marshmallows and cooking hot dogs was a favorite activity.  In the background, behind Jenn, is our second tent--a "cry room" tent in case Moose kept our close-knit quarters up half the night.  In a 100-foot radius, there were at least five families, all with either a newborn or a toddler, or at least two kids.  Marvelously, all of these kids slept really well both nights.  

Me and Ben, testing out Ben's homemade root beer, which was awesome.  I think I drank 25% of that blue basin's total root beer content.  I had some right before bed (which I never do at home), dreamed of it during the night, and took a few swigs first-thing the next morning.

Moose and Sam, two chill dudes on their first camping trip.  Sam is about 2 1/2 months old than Moose.
  

Don't look now, but here's a photo of a relatively clean Moose!   This must have been taken right when we arrived on Saturday afternoon.  He was our biggest source of anxiety about camping, as he was barely a year old and had never slept in the same room as the rest of us (us and our kids, that is).  Turns out, Moose was a dream in many ways. 

Here is our cabin, Samuel.  We arrived at the site on Saturday afternoon to find that we were smack-dab in the middle of all of the party.  We all had breakfast on our front lawn both Sunday and Monday mornings, but actually, otherwise the party was up at the Iverson's isolated spot, which had its own campfire and was far enough away from the kids at night so the adults could sit around talking. 

Dads and their boys: Brad, Chris, me, and Ben.  

Ah, that's better!  Moose in all of his dirty glory.  I want to take him camping again soon, just so I can see how dirty he might get next time.  Can he outdo himself on his first camping trip?  Another thing I love about Vermont: In late May, it was still cool enough high in the Green Mountains so that we could wear hoodies in the morning and at night.  That's my idea of perfect camping: Being just cool enough for an extra layer, and a campfire not only to warm your food but to keep warm. 

Looking forward to getting back in the woods soon.  In fact, I'm taking our girls on a daddy-daughter camping trip on my day off this Friday with one of my friends and his little girl.  Sure, we don't have a site picked out yet, but we still have two days!  

Adieu, Pre-School!

Goose, our oldest, just completed her first year of public schooling, and we all bid farewell to her pre-school year. She had a really good experience over the last nine months, and there was never a moment when we thought, "Maybe this isn't for her, or for us." Her teachers, Miss Amy and Miss Karen, were terrific. Goose bonded with a few of her classmates and broaden her social circle, which is impressive because up until now, she has typically preferred to be around her parents and sister when we're out with friends. She got some great social interaction and is really hoping that Kindergarten is as much about having fun as pre-school was!

Goose and her friend G., who was squinting due to the bright sunshine in her eyes. I think G. was the classmate that our little girl talked about the most whenever we asked about pre-school.

In the afternoon of a spotless spring day, some pre-school parents threw the kids a fun party, with cake and cupcakes and juice boxes. I'm glad I left work early to see all of the revelry! We had the party at a nearby playground, so the classmates and their siblings could run off all of that sugar.

Here is Our Dear Goose collecting her pre-school certificate. We hope that she gets to stay in touch with some of her friends, even though not all of her classmates will be going to the same school starting in the fall. We also became good friends with several parents of other pre-schoolers, and hope to strenghten those bonds over time. Becky and I have both felt that this pre-school was a great win for us, too, in that it got us into the school community and broadened our circle of adult friends from  beyond our church.

Looking back, I can't believe that I had reservations about enrolling Goose in pre-school. She really had a fun experience. She never once came home unhappy or down about her friends or teachers or the program. And it's made her even more excited for Kindergarten (which she thinks begins in two weeks!). She brought home fun crafts at the end of each week, learned to read better, always told us what her activity or chore was in the classroom, and could ramble on for an hour about who played what with whom on which playground after school!

I'm thrilled that Goose made some nice friends, got a taste for schooling, and got to explore the world around her through a lot of hands-on activities about water, animals, and plants. I'm also glad that I was able to participate in her pre-school experience by driving her to school on my lunch hour a few times a month, and I made a point of asking, "What did you do for fun today?" after pre-school...and not so much the line of question, "What did you learn today?" I want to show Goose that I am actively engaged in her learning, and to instill in her a sense that learning can be tremendously fun.

I think this is a decision that we'll all be grateful that we made. It's also just the first step in our kids' school years. Wish us here, because here we go!

Mouse logic

Because, sometimes, you need to go for a post-dinner walk around the neighborhood...

in your pajamas...

with a winter cap on your head...

and with a hair cut joint's customer loyalty card in hand...

acting as your cell phone.


So glad that cute polka-dot hat still fits Our Mouse. 

On my mind, volume 1

Here are some late spring/early summer musings, filed under "Things I Think About."

• If Becky were the author of this blog, I am sure we would get way more comments than we do. Sometimes, just let us know you're out there reading.
• I keep joking that Our Mighty Moose is going to need knee pads. The little guy, so close to starting to walk, insists on crawling on concrete, pavement, asphalt--but never grass--when we are outside. His knees and shins look like we used a patch of sandpaper as a washcloth.

• As friends have suggested, given my interest in my parents' generation of history, music, movies, I was born a generation too late.  See below for more evidence of my musical taste:
• The first few seconds of The Mamas and the Papas' "Go Where You Wanna Go" (1966) might simply be the best intro to any song that I like, ever. Actually, it might be neck-and-neck in my book with The Beatles' "Ticket to Ride" (1965).  Of course, that high of praise owes some of its prominence due to my crush on the group's Michelle Phillips (photo above, in the hooded jacket). 
• On the other end, We Five's "You Were On My Mind" (1965) might have the best, last 10 seconds of a song from that era.  If I had just one decade to select to listen to forever, it would be the 1960s--and nothing before Beatlemania, so that only leaves me with 1964 through 1969.  Still better musically, I argye, than any half-decade or decade...before or since. 
• It's a bad habit, I know...But lately, I keep thinking, "We have x number of weeks until Goose goes off to Kindergarten."  Like earlier this week, the countdown to her big day hit T-minus three months. 
• This kitchen remodel is not going to get done by the summer.  If you're a betting person, put your money down for Columbus Day weekend.
• Mouse is currently in an angry-voice-75%-of-the-time phase.  Maddeningly so.  But it makes me wonder where she learned that a loud, impatient tone gets attention?  (Hi, that's me looking back at you in the mirror, Daddy.) 
• Here it is June, and I still have not biked to work once this spring.  On a good note, I've been driving home a couple times a week with one half of our friends Ben and Jenn, and it's been a fun commute.
• Since December, I've been battling a raging case of "Our family needs a canoe."  We live near a few rivers and ponds.  My mind has frequently drifted off to thoughts of early morning canoe trips before work, and taking each child out for a daddy-kid paddle once a week, and Saturday evening dates with Becky with a picnic basket.  We gotta make this happen.
• But after our recent camping trip, we've prioritized getting a family-sized tent first.  Or, so I think.  Right now.  
• Happy June!