Saturday, June 28, 2008

Healing

A quick update on John's wounds. They are healing up nicely and they don't seem to bother him at all! Its interesting to see how scabbed his poor nose got, considering that right after it happened it didn't look like there was anything wrong with it!

Friday, June 27, 2008

Invites

Since 'people' are starting to get whiny about not getting their engraved invitation up here I am going to take ALL invites away! HA!! That'll show em... Just kidding. We love visitors, however we are visitors here ourselves so you'll have to check with The QUEEN...

Sleep Training

I have to say, as a Mommy, sleep training is about as hard as it gets (so far!). Its something we should have done a long time ago, but due to the circumstances of living on the boat and all, we didnt. John has always been a good sleeper but he has learned to fall asleep being rocked with a bottle... Well, he is getting to be a big boy and we are trying to teach him how to fall asleep on his own. Mandy and Jed gave us the book they used with Owen which is ther Ferber Method "Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems" by Richard Ferber, M.D. He has a schedule for letting the child cry it out (CIO) starting with 5 minuets and gradually increasing the intervals. Tonight is night 3 and John cried for 15 minutes and then I went in to reassure him (as the book says) and he cried another 10 minutes before he fell asleep. I was truly encouraged after last night when he only cried for 6 minutes! Today at nap time he had a hard time too- crying for an entire hour (checked on in regular intervals)!!! Jeff was down working on the stairs to the beach (I'll post pictures tomorrow!) so he wasn't here to offer moral support. Hearing your child cry and not soothing him has got to be the worst feeling in the world. That said... John is now sleeping and all is quiet. Last night he slept from 8-8... he rarely sleeps in that late! I even have the coffee maker set to start my morning brew at 7:15 because I know he'll be up by then! So much for fresh coffee this morning. I'll keep you posted (my loyal what, 5 readers?) on our progress with sleep training.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Busy Day!

Today we got up and got ourselves in gear right away to get down to Harbor Springs to go sailing! We were packed up and in the car by 9:30 but by the time we made it there the fog had rolled in. We had to check in with the harbor master because we got a mooring (finally!) for the season, but he wasn't in the office so we went and launched the dingy and motored out to the SWAN. Jeff spent a full day earlier in the week working on the big motor for the boat so he cranked it up and we motored through the fog to the 'courtesy dock' outside the harbormasters office. We were assigned mooring #259- which happens to be the closest one to where we were just anchored! We sailed back over to it and tied up for lunch- John inhaled macaroni & cheese, puffins, and grapes before he was ready for some milk (he is such a good eater!). After lunch we went for a sail, but just around the harbor because the fog kept rolling though, it would clear up for about 15 minutes and be hot in the sun and then it would fill back in and be cold- weird weather day. These are some shots I got of John sailing with Daddy- he had such a blast on the rail! Don't worry- he is wearing his new harness under his sweatshirt!





We sailed around the harbor looking at the big houses and expensive boats for awhile, John took a nice nap below for about an hour and then we went back to the mooring- we had errands to run! We had to carry the dingy up to the beach (John got a free ride) and unload everything up to the grass ready to load the car. While we were working John played in the sand- he is finally not trying to eat it by the fistfull and it is fun to watch him explore the texture. In case you can't read it- his shirt says 'the beach is my life' Perfect?! What a handsome boy!



WOUNDED!

This is the first of many, I am sure!


I was working on the computer yesterday, and on the phone with Danny, when I heard a knock at the door. I knew Jeff and John were playing outside so I ran up to see who it could be. I guess all the doors were locked so they were stuck outside, then I looked at John's face! He wasn't crying, so I wasn't sure at first, but it looked like a bloody nose- it turned out to be a raw spot just under his nose that was bright red! Also included are a spot on his forehead that is a little blueish, a spot under his eye that is a little raw, and some other spots on his nose! Poor little guy! He is a real sport about it- actually it doesn't seem to bother him in the least! I put neosporin on the spot under his nose last night after he had a nice bath to get all cleaned up. Today the spots that were red are a bit brown and scabbed, I'm sure it will all be healed within a week! I'm sure this is truly just a small taste of the future with a rambunctious, curious little boy!

"Look at my BELLY!!!"

I think the g-diaper makes it look bigger, but this is what he looks like right after dinner! Little Buddha Belly :) He's brushing up on his cleaning so he and Owen can clean the house next week.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Welcome!!!

Welcome to Blogger Mandy, Jed and Owen!!!
Check them out here !
You will quickly become addicted to this thing they call blogging....

Top 10 Part Deux

Why Joelle, David, Lyla and Pressley Turner should come visit us.....

#10
Nature



#9
A cool car to keep the 'boys' occupied



#8
Stairmaster!!! To work on our Mommy Buns!



#7
Seclusion- cell phones don't work up here!



#6
Oodles of toys!




#5
A romantic bedroom- complete with a bed for Pressley and Lyla!




#4
Johnny!! Who could resist this face?!


#3
A jacuzzi tub!



#2
Girl talk with a bottle of wine (or 4!)




#1!!
FAMILY!!!

Top 10 Reasons

Why Melissa, Craig and Sarah should come visit us!

#10
Nature



#9
A cool car to keep the 'boys' occupied



#8
Stairmaster!!! To work on our Mommy Buns!



#7
Seclusion- cell phones don't work up here!



#6
Oodles of toys!




#5
A romantic bedroom- complete with a bed for Sarah!




#4
Johnny!! Who could resist this face?!


#3
A jacuzzi tub!



#2
Girl talk with a bottle of wine (notice the glassware??)




#1!!
GOOD FRIENDS!!!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Morgan



For as long as I can remember my Dad has had this little red sports car. It is a 1953 Morgan, candy apple red, convertible. I can remember riding it in parades as a kid and throwing candy at the onlookers, riding in the back on the highway home from 'Morgan Owners' meetings... Unfortunately for the past few years it has lived in the garage in need of some maintenance. Dad and Jeff have worked together last summer and again this spring to bring it back to life- it is in need of a good scrub and wax, but at least we got her out of the garage today and took a little spin. John had a blast just playing in it- he liked to climb in 'Dukes of Hazard' style- over the door!






Hopefully we'll get some more driving in this summer!

Monday, June 23, 2008

Launching the Black Swan

Back in February, before we went to the Bahamas, Jeff found an AD for a Capri 26 sailboat in Marathon, Florida. We had been thinking about what to sail this summer, and 26 feet seemed like the perfect size, and it was the right price- new-ish sails, trailer, and tons of gear. Jeff went to look at it and we called Dad (poppop) to see if he'd like to be partners. A day or so later we were the proud new owners of the boat! We stored it in Marathon until we returned from the Bahamas, and then he towed it north with a rented vehicle. It has been in the driveway of the house here for a few weeks, Jeff has been working on buffing the hull to make it bright and shiny and a few other projects before its ready to sail. On Friday morning he finished up a few things, and we all piled into the Suburban and towed it down to Harbor Springs for the big launch.



The previous owner had said that the boat is 'ramp launchable' but we weren't sure, it draws about 3.5 feet so the ramp would have to be fairly steep. Luckily the ramp in Harbor Springs is steep enough, we were one of 3 sailboats that were launching that day! Jeff spent most of the day getting the mast ready to go up while John and I took a walk into town and played in the grass (I had to put socks on John for the grass because he HATES the feeling!!!).


When we were ready to put the mast up I had to give Jeff a hand and John was a real trooper, watching us with curiosity- I think he is going to be doing most of the work next time!
The mast was up and all secured, the boom and sails were on and furled, and dock lines were on the cleats but secured on deck so the car wheels wouldn't snag them, we were ready to launch! Jeff got into the Suburban and pulled the boat out while I secured John into his stroller with a toy and put him in a good (safe) place to watch the action. I went out onto the dock to be ready to grab the lines as Jeff eased the trailer down the ramp. I tried to tell him to get closer, but it is hard to gauge where the hull is when it is high on the trailer. When the rear wheels of the car were at the water I said "we're starting to float!" Jeff had just put the parking brake on and was about to get out to see how much farther he would have to reverse when the boat completely slipped off the trailer and into the water- but wait! I still didn't have a line!!! The boat was too far for me to reach it and I didn't have a boat hook or even a stick- and it was moving pretty fast towards the rocks- I had to think fast... Those of you who know me well know that I NEVER jump into water without first surveying the surroundings, testing the water, looking around a few more times, and then easing myself in... well, I jumped in! What else could I do? I grabbed the line and started swimming hard for the dock where Jeff and another guy were waiting to help. The line wasn't long enough to reach the dock so I held on tight to the bitter end while I held onto Jeff and the other guy to become a 'human dock line' until they could get the line and tie off the boat. There is no ladder on the dock there, (I guess in hindsight I could have just walked up the ramp!) so I made my way to the stern of the boat and climbed the ladder there, retrieving my shoes along the way (they're CROCS, they float!) The swim back to the stern was really difficult because 1) I was wearing jeans, which weigh you down when they're wet and 2) the water was COLD and I was having a hard time catching a breath! The lake this time of year is usually around 60, but this year it is even colder than normal- I don't recommend swimming yet! Luckily I had a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt in the car so I went and changed and got warm... what a day! My arms are still sore from the pulling. Oh, and John sat in his stroller and watched the while ordeal, probably thinking "my parents are such hacks!!!" We learned a lot that day- and for anyone reading this who might want to launch their boat in Harbor Springs, remember that the ramp is REALLY steep!!!!!


After the 'successful' launch of the Swan, we went for a short sail around Little Traverse Bay. John had not napped at all but the soothing rocking of the boat put him right to sleep!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Cute


Walking with Daddy


What?! I don't get into mischief!!!

Cabinet series... He likes to play IN the cabinets!