Time with family. . .

While we were in Illinois this summer we spent a fabulous evening in Evanston with Dave and Renee, Mike and Becca. It was so nice to be together. . .and just be. Nothing was scheduled, we had nowhere to go, we just hung out and got caught up. . .on life. Of course, when you go to Renee's house, at some point you will enjoy a meal that is out of this world! You see for us, Renee is like having our very own Ina Garten in the family. She is a most amazing cook!

Connor and Christen were shocked and amazed that the trampoline and the tree house were both gone! It was no problem though. . .the kids hung out and played a little volleyball in the back yard.

Becca, you are a beautiful girl and I love what I see.

Just a slight family resemblence. . .

We are looking forward to seeing you all when you breeze through Connecticut on your whirlwind college tour. I cannot believe that you are going to be 18 and college bound, Mike! Best of luck. . .you are gonna love it!

July 11,2010

On July 11th we were invited to help raise money for childhood cancer by working a lemonade stand outside of our local grocery store. We eagerly accepted the invite! It was not just any lemonade stand though, it was one of Alex's Lemonade stands. Let me tell you a little bit about her. . .
Alexandra "Alex" Scott was born to Liz and Jay Scott
in Manchester, Connecticut on January 18, 1996, the second of four children.
Shortly before her first birthday, Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer. On her first birthday, the doctors informed Alex's parents that if she beat her cancer it was doubtful that she would ever walk again. Just two weeks later, Alex slightly moved her leg at her parents' request to kick. This was the first indication of who she would turn out to be - a determined, courageous, confident and inspiring child with big dreams and big accomplishments.
By her second birthday, Alex was crawling and able to stand up with leg braces. She worked hard to gain strength and to learn how to walk. She appeared to be beating the odds, until the shattering discovery within the next year that her tumors had started growing again. In the year 2000, the day after her fourth birthday, Alex received a stem cell transplant and informed her mother, "when I get out of the hospital I want to have a lemonade stand." She said she wanted to give the money to doctors to allow them to "help other kids, like they helped me." True to her word, she held her first lemonade stand later that year and raised an amazing $2,000 for "her hospital."
While bravely battling her own cancer, Alex continued to hold yearly lemonade stands in her front yard to benefit childhood cancer research. News spread of the remarkable sick child dedicated to helping other sick children. People from all over the world, moved by her story, held their own lemonade stands and donated the proceeds to Alex and her cause.
In August of 2004, Alex passed away at the age of 8, knowing that, with the help of others, she had raised over $1 million to help find a cure for the disease that took her life. Alex's family - including brothers Patrick, Eddie, and Joey - and supporters around the world are committed to continuing her inspiring legacy through Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.

The kids offered cookies and lemonade to anyone who would like some. They also asked everyone that they could if they would like to support childhood cancer research. Who could say no to that?

Why not consider hosting a lemonade stand in your community?

Just visit www.alexslemonade.org and click on "Get Involved" and then on "Ways To Fundraise". You will be glad that you did.

In just a few hours we were able to raise almost $1000 for childhood cancer!

As I watched the kids interact with the shoppers coming in and out of the store with such enthusiasm to make just a small difference all I could do was thank God for today. . .for their healthy bodies. . .and for being cancer free!

The Last Day of School. . .FINALLY!

It is hard to believe that the last day of school is finally here! It is also hard to believe how much change and growth can occur in just a few months. Connor and Christen are becoming such wonderful people. . .truly wonderful. They make us most proud!
Here is the Denison Drive Gang on the last day of school.

Connor and Christen last August on the first day of school.

Connor~Christen~Dana~Isabella

They look so little. . .only 9 months ago!

Our New Friend, May

This is May. She has lived in Guilford, CT he whole life. She is 98 years old and has soft skin, beautiful blue eyes, and the sweetest voice you have ever heard. Christen and I are so excited to become friends with her. There is a program in Guilford called "Friendly Visiting" that connects people wanting a friendly visit each week with volunteers. Christen and I have been waiting for the perfect friend since about February and at last, we have found May. May has been telling everyone that she is getting a brand new granddaughter and couldn't wait to meet Christen. First I met with May and then the three of us got together this past Tuesday. May offered us tea and Christen got to have ginger ale out of a beautiful stemmed glass. What a nice visit we had. May is one of 7 children in her family and the second born. She is the only one still living. Her sister just died last March at the age of 101! We spent over an hour with May and the time went by so fast. Christen didn't want to leave. We love her!

Christen and May

A Visit with Alison

I just want to say that we were quite blessed this week with a short, but sweet visit from Alison. As she was saying good bye to the kids she asked me to snap a couple of pictures. As you can see (if you look close) Montana wanted to have a little snack while no one was looking! Alison felt a tug on her roast beef sandwich and we all busted out laughing!

We also learned that Alison's mother wrote a book in the Nancy Drew Series. . .#128. Christen reads about one Nancy Drew book per day right now. She loves them!

Christen and the Roast Beef Thief!

(sound like a Nancy Drew Title)

"Her Story"

Christen's Brownie Troop hosted a great event at our Community Center as part of the requirement for "Bridging Up" to become Junior Girl Scouts.

They called it "Her Story".

Each girl invited a a guest. They asked their guests to share their stories about their lives and what lead them to do the things that they were doing now that were important to them. Christen asked me to share the story of my life and what lead me to my love of photography and children. I was quite touched and yet, I wasn't sure what to talk about that would be interesting to the girls. Then I got to thinking. . .we are each writing our story every day. As the authors of our own stories we have to decide how we want our story to read. The girls are at such an impressionable age right now so I wanted to say something that they might actually remember and call upon in their life if needed. I shared the story of my childhood. I told them about my seizure disorder and how that affected my life, how it made me feel so different. I told them how I was called names and how I would cry sometimes. I just wanted to be like everyone else, healthy. I wanted to be liked and accepted for who I was. Little did I know then that "My Story" was being written. I shared a few stories with the girls. One thing that I told them was that through all of the less than perfect and really quite awful times in my life one thing always remained perfect. . .and that was the love and support that I received from both of my parents. God chose them quite specifically to be my parents. He chose well. Even when there was really nothing that they could do to change my circumstances they always would listen to me, cry with me, and in the end they would inspire me to go on. They helped me to just put one foot in front of the other and go on. They always told me that they thought I was great and they thought that I had a lot to offer and they thought I would do great things in my life. Eventually, something great did happen. We met a doctor that changed everything for me and for my whole family. I stopped having seizures at night and had a "normal" life. I couldn't believe it when I would wake up in the morning and feel good. . .and rested! Life was good. I think that I saw beauty in things that most people my age might not have even noticed. . .sweet, little things. . . simple things. I think that is why today I see beautiful things when I look through the lens of my camera. The lens through which I see life, love, happiness, beauty, sadness, tears, triumph, and struggle. We all have a lens through which we see. Open it up all the way so you don't miss a thing. . .our stories are being written every day. . .every minute.

How will our stories read one day?
On my honor, I will try, to serve God and my country, to help people at all times, and to live by the Girl Scout Law.


Christen and Ms. Schofield.

A Special Passover Meal Shared with Friends

As our Passover holiday begins, we praise God for our festival of freedom,

a time with family and friends.

May these candles remind us that we must help and not hurt, cause joy and not sorrow, create and not destroy, and help all to be free.

We praise God for the gift of life and this happy time.

We were blessed enough to share this Passover meal and host our first seder in honor of our dear friends Alison and Sarah.

We borrowed a seder plate and Elijah Cup, as well as a perfect Children's Haggadah from our friends for the evening. These things made our seder very special.

The table was prepared with our finest linens and dishes.

On our seder plate we placed the following foods:

(Maror) ~ Biter herbs, such as a horseradish root, reminds us of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt.



(Z'roa) ~ A roasted bone reminds us of the special lamb that was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem on Passover as an offering to God.

(Beitsa) ~ In ancient days, on Jewish festivals of Passover, an offering would be brought to the Temple to be roasted in honor of the holiday. The roasted egg reminds us of that sacrifice.

(Karpas) ~ A green vegetable, such as parsley, reminds us that Passover occurs during the spring, when new life brings a feeling of hope.

(Charoset) ~ A mixture of nuts, apples, and wine reminds us of the clay our ancestors used to make the bricks for the Pharaoh in Egypt.

Also on the seder table you will find:

(Yayin) ~ During the seder meal we drink four cups of wine. They remind us of four of God's promises of freedom for the Jewish people.

(Mei-melach) ~ The salt water reminds us of the sad and bitter tears shed by our people when they were slaves, as well as the tears of those still not free today. We will dip the karpas in the salt water.

(Kos Eliyahu) ~ We set aside a special cup filled with wine for the prophet Elijah who, we hope, will visit us during the seder. The rabbis of long ago taught that Elijah will come and announce a time when all people will be free.

(Matzah) ~ Three matzot remind us that there are still three kinds of people: those who are not yet free, those who do not care about the freedom of others, and those who are free and work to help others to become free.

We all took turns reading. . .
. . .and listening
. . .asking questions and singing. We gave thanks for what we had eaten.

My Friend, Jackie.

I just got home from an amazing 40th birthday party. The party was for my friend Jackie who lives just up the street from us. One year ago she brought us a shamrock cake decorated beyond belief to welcome us to the neighborhood. We were blown away and thought, "Wow, what a great street we found. . .she was really nice." Tonight I baked and attempted to decorate a birthday cake for her, the "cakemaster".

The Murphy's kitchen was elbow to elbow people. . .all there to celebrate Jackie. I met a lot of new people tonight. Real people. And everyone agreed on one thing over and over again and that is this, once you make a friend in Jackie Murphy you have a friend for life. Jackie is the kind of friend who will be there for you when you need her most , she will laugh with you, she will cry with you, she will go to a movie with you. If you pop over she will make a cup of tea for you and ask "How are you?" and then she will sit and listen to every word you say. Jackie is the real deal all the way through and what you see is what you get. You will always know that you are dear to her. She has the truest heart and I hope this friendship never ends.

Jackie. . .here is to you!
You are loved by so many.
Happy Birthday!

Love,
Jodi

Knitting in the Treehouse

It has been such a beautiful weekend. . .55 and sunny and it even smells like spring! The kids have been busy riding scooters and bikes, playing in the treehouse and swinging on the treehouse swing. Anyhow, at one point Christen asked, "Mom, could you bring my knitting up to the treehouse for me?" How could I refuse. When I delivered it she said, "Mom, could you stay up here for a while so we can just chat?" So I did. We talked about how the warm sun felt on our backs and about how we could hear birds chirping and dogs barking in the distance. It was really a great moment. When I went into the house I told Larry. . ."Connecticut isn't so bad. Our daughter is knitting in the treehouse." The smile that spread across Larry's face was so wonderful!

This picture is for Granny, who taught Christen how to knit at Christmastime.

"See how long it is getting?"

Neville, the Flying Squirrel

We would like you to meet Neville. We (or should I say, Connor) believe that Neville is a flying squirrel. We also believe that Neville is nesting in our birdhouse and awaiting babies. Flying squirrels will readily use artificial nesting sites such as nesting boxes, especially in immature forested areas where natural cavities are uncommon. Does this mean they also move into vacant birdhouses like the one in our backyard?

Unnatural Homes, bird houses, stacked cordwood piles, attics of homes and other buildings have been utilized by flying squirrels as nesting sites and refugia since the colonization of North America by Europeans.
Isn't she cute? Click on these pictures for a close up view!

We waited to see if she would fly, but no such luck. I don't think she wanted to be too far away from her nest of babies.