Seasons

Posted by Colleen     August 21, 2009

Summer’s End

Cricket’s chirp gets stronger

Heralding the season’s end.

Sing, sing your song!

Beckon back the warmer days.

Ask the summer

To stay a little longer.

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Posted by Colleen     April 1, 2009

One Brave Little Bloom

I was surprised to see this little viola blooming in the side yard flower bed. Here in West Michigan even our spring bulbs don’t really start to come up until at least the end of the month. It was still March when I took this photo the other day. After the long, freezing, snowy season we had this year I was as excited as the survivor of a nuclear winter to see this small sign of new life. It’s chilly and cloudy today, but this lone blossom is a promise of the warm days to come.

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Posted by Colleen     February 15, 2009

Chocolate Bunnies for Valentine’s Day

My son David almost ended up with Cadbury Cream Eggs for Valentine’s Day.

My husband Dave and I were shopping Friday afternoon, after our son left to go to my parent’s for the weekend, when I realized we forgot to get him something for Valentine’s Day. It was kind of a busy, hectic week and it just slipped my mind. (I know. Bad mommy! Bad mommy!) So we headed over to the seasonal aisle to pick up something to give David when he came home on Monday.

We arrived there to find just a few bags of Hershey’s Kisses. Where was everything? Surely they couldn’t have sold out of all the Valentine’s Day stuff?

Then I glanced farther down the aisle. There were stock boys filling empty shelves with chocolate Easter bunnies and egg coloring kits the day BEFORE Valentines’ Day.

The holiday wasn’t even over yet, and they’d already put away the lacy red hearts full of chocolates, and brought out the chick-shaped Peeps!

We weren’t the only people milling around looking dazed and confused, checking the date on our cell phones to make sure it was indeed still February 13th.

I thought it was insane when after trick-or-treating on Hall-O-Ween we went into a store to pick up some milk, and were greeted by a 20 foot fully decorated Christmas tree at the entrance. At least that holiday was in it’s waning hours before they moved on to the next.

I really didn’t know what to do for a moment as I stood pondering if David would think it strange to get a basket full of Robin’s Eggs for Valentine’s Day. Just how much would that confuse a four-year-old? Would it lead to years of therapy discussing issues about Conversation Hearts and Peter Cotton Tail?

We did find something for David at another store. But seriously. The hastiness of the retail sector to finish off one holiday so they can put their fingers in our wallets for the next is getting a little ridiculous.

I’m off now to go buy a chocolate bunny before they replace those with flags and plastic flowers for Memorial Day.

I’m pretty sure getting a wreath of fake red, white and blue carnations that says In Memoriam for Easter would lead to years of adolescent turmoil.

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Posted by Colleen     December 1, 2008

Winter Wonderland

We had our first really good snow storm of the season. Several inches came down over yesterday and this morning. David couldn’t wait to get outside and play in it.

It’s the heavy, wet kind of snow that sticks to everything. Look how pretty the trees are all frosted in white.

This really puts me in the mood for Christmas!

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Posted by Colleen     November 3, 2008

So Much to Say

Well, the morning sickness I thought I wasn’t going to have this time arrived last week. I spent a lot of the last few days on the couch. I am feeling better today. I read taking Ginger capsules and wearing Sea Bands can help, so I picked up both at the store yesterday. So far they seem to be doing the trick. I also discovered that for some strange reason Oreos seem to settle my stomach.

As if I need another reason to eat Oreos.

Anyway, now that I actually feel like sitting up long enough to blog, I have a lot to say. Let’s start with some Hall-O-Ween photos.

Here’s David dressed like, “A real fireman boy,” as he said. He seemed a little let down by Trick or Treating this year. I don’t think it lived up to the huge expectations he’d built up in his imagination. He did end up with a pretty good supply of candy. And we’ve been arguing over how many pieces he can eat in one day ever since Saturday.

The night before Hall-O-Ween we finally carved our pumpkin.

It was supposed to be just a grinning Jack-O-Lantern, but David insisted it needed teeth. So we ended up with a pumpkin with three teeth, badly in need of a dental plan.

Earlier that evening we made our annual trip to the apple orchard. Apple picking season was well past, but there was still plenty for David to do. Apple orchards around West Michigan are sort of like little amusement parks.

The big tube slide. I think it’s made out of a huge sewer pipe, but it is really fast.

This is the “train”. A bunch of 50 gallon drums on wheels pulled by a lawn tractor. Kids love it!

This ground trampoline is always a big hit.

But the zip line was David’s favorite thing this year. He went on that several times. They had a hay ride and corn maze too, but we learned last year that both last longer than David’s patience, so we stayed away from those this time.

And that’s how we crammed a whole fall’s worth of activities into two days. Oh, and did I mention I was nauseous the whole time? I haven’t even felt like sneaking some of David’s Hall-O-Ween candy. Not even the chocolate.

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Posted by Colleen     October 8, 2008

Wordless Wednesday

The last day at the beach a couple weeks ago. Find more Wordless Wednesday here.

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Posted by Colleen     October 1, 2008

Wordless Wednesday

Find more Wordless Wednesday here.

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