Barely six and already her teeth are falling out!

My baby is 6!!

We are just wrapping up Olive's birthday week - and what a week it has been. The highlights included:
a special visitor from Grace all the way from Texas; a spy kit; a big chocolate cake with all of our neighbors; cookies at school; a visit from Nona and a big party at the Y complete with a bouncy castle and a Spongebob pinata!!! Whew! No wonder I am so tired.

Here is the 2009 Olive birthday shirt design. It is my new favorite!

This is a great shot of Mari laughing as Olive tries to blow out the trick candles.

Another blow-out (with Mari in the foreground).

Olive loves being six. Me, not so much. My baby is getting so old so quickly!

the VERY incredible hulk

Halloween 2009

my big happy family

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Originally uploaded by JonShenton

this is a shot of my family from our summer reunion, complete set - minus two, nephew Josh and Betsy.

3D movie morning

David's brother gets married

Olive helped David celebrate his brother's wedding. We all had a great time and wish Andrew and Samantha many years of married bliss!

its official

Kindergarten photos are in!!



Believe it or not, it was not easy for Olive to choose this white undershirt for her class picture. I think this was the third outfit that she chose.

Soccer fun!

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Originally uploaded by JonShenton

I am now officially a soccer mom. Olive had her first soccer game today. She really had a great time. As you will see, she is smiling in every picture.

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Originally uploaded by JonShenton

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Originally uploaded by JonShenton

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Originally uploaded by JonShenton

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Lake Monsters!

kindergarten!!

Wow! Kindergarten. The day finally arrived - Olive was a stoic champ. Mom was a blubbering puddle of tears.

another first - camp!

I had so much fun, over sooo many summers, at camp. I went to overnight camp for 2 months from age 6 to age 18. Although there is no way that I could stand saying goodbye to Olive for that long, just yet, I am starting to make plans for her first month at overnight camp - maybe age 7 or 8. In the meantime, short day camps will have to do. This week was Olive's first week at camp - Science Camp. Camp was held at, what will soon be, Olive's elementary school. So, besides being full of fun science stuff, it was an opportunity for her to test the kindergarten waters. From all accounts she had a great week. They even took a field trip to...Price Chopper???. Anyway...Olive made a great new friend, Connor, who, unfortuneately lives in New Hampshire! Here they are:

summertime (finally)

Summertime,
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin'
And the cotton is high

staring contest

not sure who blinked first...

mom and dad's night at the ball park

Thanks to Sara, Betsy and Nanna Barb for looking after Olive for the night - Jon, Jonathan and I were able to go see Phish at Fenway. It was an amazing show at an amazing venue! Our seats were just about where Jacoby Ellsbury makes all those amazing catches!! It was hallowed ground!!!

like mother, like daughter - not so much

I am not exactly a whus about most things, but I don't love snakes and I really don't like spiders. I have tried hard not to pass my fears along to my daughter. Apparently I have done ok on the snake front -
Here is Olive hanging out with Josh's boa:

Wait. Was that an ape wearing a dicky?

sure 'nuf!

The B word

Today Olive and Gil rode together in the bike wagon. As I was pulling them I was listening to them have this argument:
Olive: Gil, it is not nice to use the 'B" word.
Gil: I didn't use the 'B" word.
Olive: Yes you did Gil. The 'B word is not a nice word and you shouldn't use it.
Gil: Olive, please dont tell Jessica.

Then of course my curiosity forced me to interrupt.
Me: Hey you two, what is the 'B' word?
Olive: Shit.

Needless to say, I laughed my B-ass off!!

We're back!!

We took a hiatus from the blog, but now we are back. And, what a better way to return than with some Olive original art. This is a photograph of the Mother's Day present Olive made for me - definitely the best present I have ever received. You will probably have to click on it to enlarge it so that you can read the story of Olive's birth - according to Olive.

out with the old

Happy New Year.
Olive was home from school for almost two weeks. One of the many vacation projects that we embarked on was making this New Year's pinata. Jon and Olive had a lot of fun making the paper mache. Olive and I decorated it and filled it with candy. Everyone at Sofi's New Year's Eve Party had fun wacking it. And many people around the world share in our joy of a New Year that brings a new president!!!

an alternate reality

Sorry - I've been away for awhile. I am back with yet another pledge to be a more faithful blogger.

Here is a story worthy of writing:

Sunday morning I was at the Coop with Olive picking up the final supplies for our fruitcake when I ran into an old friend - someone I had not seen in a few years. Before I could introduce him to Olive, he said "Is this your kid?" He put out his hand (high 5 style) and said: "Hey Little Man, nice to meet you." Olive slapped his hand with gusto. Then he said, something like, "way to be my man." Olive looked at me, kind of cock-eyed, as if to say "Why is this guy calling me a man?" I looked back with raised eyebrows, as if to say "You say whatever you need to say."

Olive turned to my friend and said "I am not a man, I am a boy."