Here are more pictures from Florida until we can get up the gumption to write actual entries!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Postcards
Dear family and friends,
Sam and Kira arrive at Camp
Dad introduces TJ to Myrtle Beach, SC
TJ learns a new word - share - with Chad
TJ, dad, and Grandma explore the Blue Hole
Tales of our adventures and escapades will be posted eventually! We're only half way there!
We are on vacation - road tripping down the east coast. We'll write more later but for now here are some pictures to share.
Sam and Kira arrive at Camp
Dad introduces TJ to Myrtle Beach, SC
TJ learns a new word - share - with Chad
Mommy and TJ check out the alligators at the Homasassa Wildlife Park
TJ, dad, and Grandma explore the Blue Hole
Tales of our adventures and escapades will be posted eventually! We're only half way there!
Monday, July 07, 2008
4th of July Special Celebration (Part II of II)
The summer is the time for cook outs, pools, and fireworks. Growing up in my family in Orange County, NY, the summers meant something else on Saturday nights - stock car racing. It's been twenty years since I went but on Saturday night Lisa, TJ, Andy and I went to the races.
Easily dismissed as a dirty, red neck, NASCAR wanna-be sport, dirt track racing is a fun family event and something I grew up with for half of my life. Every Saturday my dad would load twenty fire extinguishers into the back of his Monroe Lumber Chevy pick up truck, check the glove compartment for the red emergency light and drive to the Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, NY. He spent the night sitting in the first turn until there was the inevitable wreck and out he'd roll with his other racing buddies and assist the driver and wrecker crews to get the races started again..
Dad would tell you that he had a part time job driving the safety truck when in reality he was just a glorified fan who paired up his firefighting skills with his love of racing for the best seat in the house.
Orange County Fair Speedway is a 5/8th mile, hard clay track built for open wheeled stock cars. The track sits on the same piece of prime real estate that hosts the Orange County Fair every year. The track dries out enough during the races that dust flies up as the cars go by and then gets into everything - clothes, hair, teeth, food. Okay - so the sport is dirty.
When I an infant my mom would bring me to the races to visit dad. When I was about Samantha's age I started going with dad to the races. This was a BIG deal. First, dad would take me to McDonald's. This was in the late 1970's when there was only two McD's in the whole county. I'd get my cheeseburger and fries and wait until we got to the track before being allowed to eat. Dad would always drive through the pits, stopping to talk to everyone; drivers, officials, crew. Dad was a social butterfly. Just before warm ups we'd find ourselves backed into turn one, behind the wall, waiting.
It wasn't a free ride. My job was to plug in the red light when we rolled out. As I got older I got to ride on the back of the truck and hand out fire extinguishers. When I was 16 I got a job there working security. When I was a kid, mom came and took me home before it got too late. When I worked there - as eventually Andy did - we'd all come home after midnight, covered in dust and dirt.
Going back two decades from my last visit very little has changed. The drive in is full of tailgaters; families who make a night of it. The grand stands, the dirt, the smell of the food is all the same. It was a time warp.
The first time the cars barreled down the front stretch at over 100mph TJ shook and was intimidated. The sound shakes you and drowns out any other noise (the video below is nothing). By the end of the night he was looking for the cars and watching them break into the turns. He pointed with anticipation.
For some reason taking him to the races was a big deal to me. Something I can't even quite describe. I took TJ because it is was part of me, part of his grandfather. TJ ate the same dirt that I did as a boy, the same dirt his grandfather ate for 25+ years. I connected TJ with his name sake the only way I knew how.
Easily dismissed as a dirty, red neck, NASCAR wanna-be sport, dirt track racing is a fun family event and something I grew up with for half of my life. Every Saturday my dad would load twenty fire extinguishers into the back of his Monroe Lumber Chevy pick up truck, check the glove compartment for the red emergency light and drive to the Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, NY. He spent the night sitting in the first turn until there was the inevitable wreck and out he'd roll with his other racing buddies and assist the driver and wrecker crews to get the races started again..
Dad would tell you that he had a part time job driving the safety truck when in reality he was just a glorified fan who paired up his firefighting skills with his love of racing for the best seat in the house.
Orange County Fair Speedway is a 5/8th mile, hard clay track built for open wheeled stock cars. The track sits on the same piece of prime real estate that hosts the Orange County Fair every year. The track dries out enough during the races that dust flies up as the cars go by and then gets into everything - clothes, hair, teeth, food. Okay - so the sport is dirty.
When I an infant my mom would bring me to the races to visit dad. When I was about Samantha's age I started going with dad to the races. This was a BIG deal. First, dad would take me to McDonald's. This was in the late 1970's when there was only two McD's in the whole county. I'd get my cheeseburger and fries and wait until we got to the track before being allowed to eat. Dad would always drive through the pits, stopping to talk to everyone; drivers, officials, crew. Dad was a social butterfly. Just before warm ups we'd find ourselves backed into turn one, behind the wall, waiting.
It wasn't a free ride. My job was to plug in the red light when we rolled out. As I got older I got to ride on the back of the truck and hand out fire extinguishers. When I was 16 I got a job there working security. When I was a kid, mom came and took me home before it got too late. When I worked there - as eventually Andy did - we'd all come home after midnight, covered in dust and dirt.
Going back two decades from my last visit very little has changed. The drive in is full of tailgaters; families who make a night of it. The grand stands, the dirt, the smell of the food is all the same. It was a time warp.
The first time the cars barreled down the front stretch at over 100mph TJ shook and was intimidated. The sound shakes you and drowns out any other noise (the video below is nothing). By the end of the night he was looking for the cars and watching them break into the turns. He pointed with anticipation.
For some reason taking him to the races was a big deal to me. Something I can't even quite describe. I took TJ because it is was part of me, part of his grandfather. TJ ate the same dirt that I did as a boy, the same dirt his grandfather ate for 25+ years. I connected TJ with his name sake the only way I knew how.
4th of July Special Celebration (Part I of II)
The fourth of July marks the day in our nation's history where we-- as Americans-- take pause to celebrate our independence from England, our freedom and sense of liberty. As we were celebrating this 4th of July, TJ gave us an other reason to celebrate: his independence from his walker toy and mommy/daddy's hands. He is free, independent, and on his own two feet. YEP, TJ IS WALKING!
Rich, TJ and I went to Rich's brother's house for July 4th. We were all hanging out on the front lawn. Rich had just finished playing catch with our nephew Lucas, and I had just finished escorting TJ up and down the long driveway on his walker toy. Man, he loved that thing. He discovered a new thrill of going extra fast due to the driveway's slight incline. He was practically running to keep up with gravity and inertia.
I thought TJ was tuckered out. Ends up that he was just getting warmed up and the fast pace was just what he needed to make the mental/physical bridge to walking on his own. Dad brought TJ to the lawn and put a safe distance between him and our niece, Alyssa. Dad then stood TJ up, TJ caught his balance and then ventured off toward the smiling Alyssa. TJ ended up on his bottom for the first two attempts, but by the third attempt, he was successfully taking three steps without falling. Could it be? Is he getting the hang of it? Do we have a toddler in our midst?
Alyssa and Dad increased the distance between them and TJ showed signs of excitement. We continued. We changed partners. Gradually, TJ was taking at least eight steps and making it successfully from one pair of outstretched of arms to another. HE IS WALKING!
I tell you, there is nothing more amazing than watching your 12 month old son walk toward you with a big huge smile of victory on his face. Right then and there I was so proud of my little boy. I let the emotion take over. Yes, I did cry. TJ has found his own sense of independence on our nation's Independence Day. How ironic is that?
He still does appreciate the crutch of having someone or something near by to grab if he needs to, but TJ is discovering the thrill of finding his balance and using his feet to get from point A to point B. I can imagine that in the next two weeks he will prefer walking to crawling and a whole new world will open up to this little boy (and of course to all of those who have to run after him).
Great job, TJ.
Rich, TJ and I went to Rich's brother's house for July 4th. We were all hanging out on the front lawn. Rich had just finished playing catch with our nephew Lucas, and I had just finished escorting TJ up and down the long driveway on his walker toy. Man, he loved that thing. He discovered a new thrill of going extra fast due to the driveway's slight incline. He was practically running to keep up with gravity and inertia.
I thought TJ was tuckered out. Ends up that he was just getting warmed up and the fast pace was just what he needed to make the mental/physical bridge to walking on his own. Dad brought TJ to the lawn and put a safe distance between him and our niece, Alyssa. Dad then stood TJ up, TJ caught his balance and then ventured off toward the smiling Alyssa. TJ ended up on his bottom for the first two attempts, but by the third attempt, he was successfully taking three steps without falling. Could it be? Is he getting the hang of it? Do we have a toddler in our midst?
Alyssa and Dad increased the distance between them and TJ showed signs of excitement. We continued. We changed partners. Gradually, TJ was taking at least eight steps and making it successfully from one pair of outstretched of arms to another. HE IS WALKING!
I tell you, there is nothing more amazing than watching your 12 month old son walk toward you with a big huge smile of victory on his face. Right then and there I was so proud of my little boy. I let the emotion take over. Yes, I did cry. TJ has found his own sense of independence on our nation's Independence Day. How ironic is that?
He still does appreciate the crutch of having someone or something near by to grab if he needs to, but TJ is discovering the thrill of finding his balance and using his feet to get from point A to point B. I can imagine that in the next two weeks he will prefer walking to crawling and a whole new world will open up to this little boy (and of course to all of those who have to run after him).
Great job, TJ.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
First Birthday Party
TJ celebrated his first birthday party!On the list of people who showed up were our friends Darci, Paul and Emily Gier with their girls, Olga and her children, Tony and Helen from across the street, and Glenn (my old boss). Oddly enough each person entered into the back yard everyone seemed to know each other from something other than Lisa or I.
Glenn, Paul and Emily knew each other from Lime Hollow Nature Center. Emily knew Tony from working at the hospital. Darci and Glenn knew each other from SUNY Cortland, and Olga knew Tony from being next door to him with TJ. What a small, strange circle of friends. Not that the people are strange, but that they are all interconnected.
TJ was a perfectly behaved one year old who was dotted on by her sister and the two girls, Alex and Natalie. He smiled a lot and got passed around to everyone.
It was a great night in the back yard. The set on the front of the house and the temperature was perfect for grilling and hanging out. Glenn held a seminar on "How To Hold a Garage Sale." Darci bubbled with excitement knowing that her husband was on his way home from Afghanistan for leave. The kids played and we even let Poly join the group. All that was missing was some tiki torches and mosquitoes.
TJ opened his presents with the help of his mommy and the girls. He tore through a bunch of great presents but his favorite was the Radio Flyer ATW red wagon from his mommy and daddy. We put him in the back and pulled him around the party. You would have thought he was the prince of Persia the way he smiled at his "subjects" and waved. What a ham.
TJ had a h-u-g-e cake made for him. He couldn't figure out the blowing out of the candle or that it was okay to sink his hands into the big red icing X on it. So we were a little late in getting the party organized and executed as evidenced by the writing on the cake in the video. Cake writing is not an Op Ed piece...
Thank you to everyone who came out. Thank you to everyone for the presents. We had a great party!
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