RodgersBloggers

Talking With Tori ---

2011-07-27T13:33:00.001-04:00

Just realized we never posted this to the family site. A little old, but here it is. We're also collecting video for the second episode of the groundbreaking variety show.

[Pennsylvania Vacation Special Series, Part I] Red Sox v Pirates: Kids First MLB Game ---

2011-06-27T21:38:00.006-04:00

***The family has been vacationing in Pennsylvania since Wednesday. It's hard to make updates on the road, but we're taking plenty of pictures and video and will posting as we go in our Pennsylvania Vacation Special Series. Enjoy Part I! ***

The family enjoyed their first Major League Baseball game on Sunday after morning after meeting. We've been to several AA games back when the CT Defenders where known as the Norwich Navigators, and Daddy's been to a game at Fenway, but this was the first Major League game the whole family attended.

As a Pennsylvania native, Mommy had a hard time deciding which team to root for. Her adoptive Boston Red Sox, or her hometown Pittsburgh Pirates. She split the vote and rooted for both, even buying a Pirates shirt on the way out.

During the game Eliza took a tour of the park and picked out Jonathan Papelbon in the bullpen. She was very excited to come back and tell Daddy about this, who went down and got pictures of Papelbon, Jason Varitek, and Daniel Bard. While browsing the gift a little boy, obviously a Pirates fan, came up and saw Eliza's David Ortiz jersey and said, "Oh, I can't look!" Eliza then wanted to leave the store because she felt awkward wearing her Sox jersey. Daddy clearly has some teaching to do regarding Red Sox pride. Eliza said of the game afterwards, "Awesome!"

Daddy enjoyed chanting "Let's go Red Sox!" with many of the other Red Sox fans at the game, until we got out-cheered by the Pirates fans. Also, he was wearing his black and gold Boston Bruins Championship shirt, whose colors are similar to the Pirates, so some of the Pirates fans were confused to see someone wearing what looked like a Pirates shirt and a Red Sox hat, until they stopped to get a closer look. Daddy also enjoyed being able to see Heinz Field where the Steelers play.

Ella Grace opted to read her book about half way through the game.

We had been hoping to get there early enough for batting practice and a chance at some autographs, but with the meeting in the morning and a long commute to the game we weren't able to do so. The family found PNC Park to be a very nice venue and the fans where enthused. Daddy was surprised to find the park so full, even if a quarter of the fans were Red Sox fans, given the low attendance they've had in the past. If the Pirates can continue putting together a winning season like they are presently, it should be a good time for baseball in Pittsburgh as there is clearly a devoted fan base to build on.

The weather was nearly perfect. It did slightly sprinkle around inning four, but otherwise it was picture perfect weather for baseball.

"We Are No Part of the World" Circuit Assembly ---

2011-03-19T22:14:00.005-04:00

The family enjoyed a weekend together last week up in Natick, MA. Mommy and Daddy enjoyed some time together sans kids, as the children have grown up enough to have their own circle of friends and are old enough to go off on their own for awhile during lunch and after session.

Bunches of Pictures ---

2011-03-05T13:34:00.003-05:00

Been far too long since our last post, so here's a bunch of pictures to fill in the gap a little.

Getting Ready for Summertime ---

2009-05-18T20:39:00.006-04:00

The family has taken up bowling as a pass-time. Eliza started last June in a local league and Mommy and Daddy followed suit this winter. Currently Mommy and Ella Grace are in a league and Eliza will be joining her second one this summer.

Now that the weather is warming the family has been having cook-outs again at Lala's and Fubbie's. Yard work has begun again. Eliza and Mommy have started seedlings and they've done their own flower arrangements this year. For the first time Eliza has gotten her hands dirty, planting her seeds this year without gloves.

Happy passed away the first week of September. Shortly after we adopted Greyhound, who's turned out to be a monster of a cat, over 20lbs at this point. We also adopted two more kittens, Cuddles and Cierra. They are very active and full of life and have brought a lot of joy to the house.

We are currently making preparation for Ella Grace's graduation from the Magnet School. She will next be going to the Dual Language Arts Academy in New London where she will be taught in Spanish every other week to help her learn the language. She continues to study Chinese as well.

Eliza is reading very well and even reads some of her books all by herself. She'll be switching to a bilingual class at the start of the next school year.

Preparing for School Changes ---

2009-02-28T01:38:00.002-05:00

While the end of the school year is still a long way off, Ella Grace has had some decisions to make since this is her last year at RMMS. Ella, Mom, and Dad went to an open house at the Isaac School, but it seemed to be the Bilingual Academy for the Arts that caught Ella's attention. At the open house Ella handed her application in without any prompting from Mom or Dad. Next Eliza will also no longer have big sister around. She seems to be okay with this and both children remain social creatures.

At the Bilingual Academy they alternate each week between teaching in English and Spanish. They also put on performance art shows to show the other students what they've been learning. By turning their studies into works of art the students are better able to retain the things that they have learned. It's a small school in New London, only about 70 students, which means the students all know each other and all of the teachers.

The family has been entertaining Emily and Dillon on the weekends and have been going out for activities as weather has permitted. We've spent time at the Mystic Aquarium as well as Chucky Cheese's. The kids have also enjoyed playing the Wii.

Working Together ---

2008-12-14T13:12:00.003-05:00

Ella Grace has found a new interest in cooking. She's been making us deserts which we've been enjoying. Today she made a chocolate mousse cake and later some grits for lunch. Eliza helps as long as it holds her attention.

On 11/15 the whole family enjoyed a Family Game Night (hopefully the first of many) with our Bookstudy Group. Mommy and Daddy got to introduce more of our friends to the Apples to Apples game. It wasn't too popular the first round, but after people got into it everyone enjoyed it greatly. Ella Grace had a great time playing with the adults and Eliza spent time taking orders and serving drinks, something she likes doing.

Ella Grace and Eliza had their first parent/teacher conferences and both are doing very well at school. Eliza is taking to reading with ease and enthusiasm and is already sounding words out as she sees them in day to day life. Ella Grace will soon need to decide where she would like to go for Middle School. Teachers have already invited her to come back to the Magnet School in her spare time to teach, particularly some Chinese words.

We have been over-run by cats! Each family member now has their own cat. Eliza adopted Greyhound, who has grown from kitten to Goliath-cat in about a month and a half... and he's not done growing! Ella Grace adopted Cuddles, who looks like Greyhound's kid brother, and Daddy adopted Cierra, Cuddles sister. It's all worked out as the cats have plenty of company to play with and Cuddles and Cierra engage in epic day-long kitten battles all over the house.

Daddy took a short trip to Florida this week to see Grandpa Erik and Grandma Liz and had a wonderful time. It was raining the first half of the day he was down, but he didn't mind as just being able to relax and have no worries for a day was better than any good weather. Grandpa
Erik says that Daddy looks a lot like Grandpa Karl which made Daddy happy. Daddy also saw a picture of Grandpa with a look on his face that Eliza has all the time. Very cute.

The tough economic times are, of course, having an effect on the family, however it's teaching all of us reliance on Jehovah, as we know times will get much worse before they get better. He has well trained his servants and in many ways the difficult times are only serving to draw us closer to one another.

Many Changes ---

2008-11-02T19:48:00.003-05:00

Since last posting Eliza has joined Ella Grace at the Regional Multi-Cultural Magnet School and has been loving it. It's Eliza's first year there and Ella Grace's last. Ella is enjoying being in the senior class and has taken Eliza under her wing so that Eliza has quickly befriended many of the teachers that Ella has come to know.

Ella spent a week at Nature's Classroom which she enjoyed. She camped out for a week in Iverton, CT, learning about nature and conservation.

Daddy has started a new job, he got a promotion within the company. It has been a long and stressful first comfortable months there but things are coming along slowly but surely.

Mommy has been auxiliary pioneering for the last two months and has been greatly enjoying it. She has had great participation in the current campaign and has been putting in more hours per month than is required.

The family has been spending a lot of time with cousins Emily and Dillon and invited them to come along to the Special Assembly Day last weekend. Though it was only a one day assembly, we left Friday day to enjoy Saturday and Sunday up in Natick, MA, using the swimming pool and relaxing in general.

Vacation at Poland Spring Resort ---

2008-08-31T12:17:00.004-04:00

We spent a week at the beginning of the month relaxing and doing as little as possible aside from having fun, thanks to Daddy Poppie and Naughny. Poland Spring of Maine was the perfect place to do so. The Resort was built by the founder of the Poland Spring bottling company, Hiram Riccar, as people used to travel far and wide to come to Poland Spring to buy the water there. There's a lot of history at the Resort, which we enjoyed learning about.

There was a lot of overcast weather while we were there but that didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves. The girls got at least one day of sun in the pool which they enjoyed. Even when it rained, however, it was still nice to just be able to sit back and not worry about anything. There were game rooms, arts and crafts, and a variety of entertainment to be enjoyed. The all-you-can-eat buffets for breakfast and dinner were also wonderful.

Ella Grace and Eliza took to the place and we received a lot of complements on what good children they are! Daddy enjoyed teaching Ella how to play pool, she picked it up quickly. In the "cottage" we stayed in (it was more like a house, to be honest) we found a small library of old books, including a couple printed by the Society back in the 50's and 60's. We also found an older version of the Gideon Bible that still retained Jehovah's name in it's proper place.

The congregation in Poland Spring is very nice and friendly, and Daddy Poppie enjoyed telling the family how much they had seen the congregation grow in the last 13 years they've been visiting. In that time they watched the Kingdom Hall need to be replaced by a larger one that still looks brand new after almost 10 years. We received several invitations to visit with our brothers and sisters the next time we visit, as well as a couple of jars of preserves prepared by one of the local brothers.

Eliza found a giant mushroom she enjoyed looking at every day until it was mowed down close to the end of our visit. Ella Grace enjoyed being able to play board games with the family every night. Daddy bought a book on the history of Poland Spring and enjoyed not have to think about work for a whole week, but was ready to get back to it by the end of the week, a vacation of perfect length.

On the way home we stopped at a local amusement park right on the coast. Ella Grace spent almost all day on the log flume ride, Eliza loved the kiddie rides (the log ride not so much), and Mommy and Daddy had a lot of fun being able to act like kids for a day!

Pictures are here.

A Month of History ---

2008-06-21T21:39:00.003-04:00

Ella Grace, Eliza, and Daddy got to dress up for a gathering for the children at the Johnson's. Mommy spent a lot of time putting together their costumes which was greatly appreciated. Ella Grace represented King Solomon, Eliza played Pharaoh's daughter (the one who saved baby Moses), and Daddy was young Timothy. A great time was had by all.

Pictures here.

Ella Grace and Daddy got to spend a day together at Plimoth Plantation where they learned a lot. There are no real exhibits at the museum, the characters simply go about their lives as though it were the 16th Century and will answer questions if asked.

Daddy chaperoned for five students, including Ella Grace, all of whom enjoyed learning about the time and feeding the goats. Daddy and Ella found Bible's in all of the homes among the settlers and where even able to find Jehovah's name in one, spelled Iehouah, at Psalms 83: 18. We also learned that among the Wampanoug people there was no specific age when a child became and adult, nor did they specifically give their children chores to do. The children chose which chores to take on so as to enjoy the rewards of their work. When a boy had taken on enough responsibilities he was then considered to be a man, regardless of how young or old he was.

Pictures here.

This last weekend we enjoyed Uncle Bob and Aunt Delorma's 50th Wedding Anniversary. We took a weekend trip to Brattleboro, VT and Richmond, NH. In Brattleboro we stayed at a motel where the kids enjoyed playing in the pool and went to the Kingdom Hall where our friends Maureen and Kyle attend, though we saw neither as they were out of town that day. We had a great time with the friends anyways, and Ella Grace made a new friend.

After the meeting we headed over to Richmond for the anniversary and had a great time with the family. It was nice to catch up with family we had not seen in awhile, and to get some of our family history. We particularly liked one gift given, a copy of the New York Times that was printed the day of Uncle Bob and Aunt Delorma's wedding.

Pictures here.

Difficult Times Hard to Deal With ---

2008-05-13T20:33:00.004-04:00

Sorry, no new pictures this time. Affairs have been too numerous to stop and document them. First of all Mommy was in yet another car accident last Friday and is still recovering from it to some degree. She was back to work the next Monday, but not without pain. There were no broken bones resulted from the incident, just broken cars. Both were totalled. Mommy had procured a ride to work from a co-worker and long-time friend and as they were headed to their destination they were cut off by a car that illegally attempted to cross through the intersection. Their car struck the offending car, a caravan, in it's right-side sliding door. The front of the car Mommy was traveling in was badly damaged, her side taking the brunt of the impact. Air-bags were deployed.

Daddy spent most of the day running between taking care of Mommy and providing for the kids, though help was received from Naughny-Na who took the kids for some time in the evening. Mommy spent most of that day and Saturday resting under the doctors orders. Saturday Daddy, Ella Grace, Eliza, and Naughny-Na spent at the carnival which was in town and had a great time despite the grey and damp weather. The entire family pulled together and got through the crises, each handling it in their own way.

Last week Mommy, Naughny-Na, and Daddy helped Ella Grace pull through a project she had fallen behind in at school. It took some time but in the end it was completed on time and Ella Grace was happy with the results. We still await a grade from the teacher, but regardless of what it ends up being we are proud of Ella Grace for sticking through a difficult assignment and for getting it done on time despite all the difficulties we experienced.

Through all of this Mommy's van was in the Grasso Tech automotive shop receiving much needed repairs. It took about a week and a half during which the family did well using and sharing our one remaining car, the Civic. The van is back with us now but will require some further work.

We also adopted a baby bird for about a day. It had fallen from it's nest and we suspect it may have hatched premature. We had it for about a day and were preparing to take it to someone who would know how to care for it, but sadly it died before we had the chance. From what little we learned it's an enormous amount of work to care for a baby bird, it's a full time job and very complicated. It's a credit to Jehovah's design that birds are able to do easily what is difficult for us acting only on the instinct he gave them.

Spring is Here ---

2008-04-28T11:39:00.003-04:00

After a long winter full of loss we were happy to welcome a new member into the family, Georgia. Georgia is an 8 month old cat we adopted from the Humane Society. She's very lovable and also fiesty. Her and Happy are still learning to get a long but are making progress. Georgia has a habit of scratching everyone, but she's beginning to mellow with some discipline.

Mommy, Ella Grace, and Eliza were able to travel to see Grannie Vick Vick the week before last. All had a great time, met Grannie Vick Vick's new dog, and enjoyed a week of sleeping in and good food.

Yard work has begun again for the year, and Ella Grace is now learning how to mow the lawn. She enjoys it and has picked it up quickly, showing talent for it.

In Memory of Hickory ---

2008-04-04T16:46:00.004-04:00

It is with great sadness that we inform everyone of the passing of Hickory, one of our beloved cats.

Hickory had been diagnosed with diabetes and after several months of trying to treat it we realized that he was not getting any better and that we were only prolonging his suffering. We made the painful and difficult decision to put him to sleep so as to ease his pain.

Hickory was a good cat who liked to get into trouble when he wasn't spending time with his brother, Happy. Hickory was taken in by Mommy from a bad home when he was a kitten. He tended to be shy and often didn't like strangers, but was loyal and attached to those he knew and loved. He loved the kids and became more outgoing once they were born. Hickory tended to Mommy when she was pregnant and was always patient with the kids when they were younger, tolerating them as they learned how to care for a pet. Hickory also spoke for Happy often as Happy doesn't meow for himself much.

Our landlady was nice enough to allow us to bury Hickory in our backyard. The family often goes out to the grave to say goodbye. He is dearly missed.

Pictures of Hickory here

A Happy Family ---

2008-03-27T14:23:00.006-04:00

The family has been growing closer throughout the winter and have been spending a lot of time together. We recently enjoyed observing the Memorial of Christ's Death, we spent our nights leading up to the day Jesus died reading scriptures about what Jesus was doing on that particular day.

Ella Grace, Eliza, and Daddy put a snowman together after our last good snow fall. We also had a wonderful day of sledding that ended up in a snowball fight, particularly between Mommy and Daddy.

Ella Grace is continuing to excel in learning Chinese, most of the family are now answering to their Chinese family title, Gi Gi for big sister, Mae Mae for little sister, etc. Eliza is picking up what she can from her big sister. Ella Grace also decided out in service that she is less nervous giving her presentation to a householder when she doesn't have anyone looking over her shoulder, so she's started going to the door alone with Mommy and Daddy usually watching from the car. What courage for her age!

Both girls are doing well at school and are growing at home as well, learning to help with chores. They continue to spend most of their time at home playing together and do not like to be apart from each other for long.

Snowman pictures here

Other winter pictures here

The Changing Seasons ---

2008-01-02T11:38:00.000-05:00

There's been lots of fun of late as we get into the winter. Our first snowfall was good for sledding and making snowballs, Ella Grace and Daddy got to do both on a pleasant Friday afternoon after a doctor's appointment. The snowball fight was lots of fun as they could throw the snowballs about as fast as they could pick up the snow, due to the snow being so wet.

The family talent night was also good fun. Ella Grace and Eliza helped out by being background clouds in a poem recital. Ella Grace also continued her fine work as a camera person.

Great-Grandpa came home from the rehab center on Friday, Daddy and Ella Grace had the privilege of helping with that. Great-Grandpa is doing much better now that he is at home according to all reports and has even been able to stand up out of his wheelchair with assistance, which he wasn't able to do before. Daddy and Ella Grace enjoyed running around the woods behind Great-Grandpa's house and making fake footprints in the snow for fun.

This last Saturday the whole family did some house cleaning, throwing a lot out and finding things we'd been looking for in some cases. Ella Grace is planning to help Daddy work on video editing for the family, and Mommy has been doing a spectacular job putting up family photos around the house.

The family also purchased a 2003 Honda Civic with only 27,000 miles on it to replace Daddy's deteriorating Volkswagon. Daddy was sad to part with the VW but is enjoying the Civic greatly. The dealership, Cardinal Honda, was immensely helpful in helping the family secure our transportation needs for what will hopefully be a long time.

Pictures scattered here until Daddy can organize them.

John, Lisa, and Layla visit Groton! ---

2007-12-01T16:29:00.000-05:00

Wednesday through Sunday we had a lot of fun with the Yarmosh's; John, Lisa, and newest member Layla. Layla takes after both parents and we couldn't help but notice that she has John's smile.

They arrived Wednesday afternoon, Daddy and John stayed up that night playing around with Civilization just like old times. Later on they got Daddy's computer and John's computer playing Civ together (one upstairs one downstairs) to complete the reminiscence of times gone by.

Thursday was kind of a lazy day as everyone caught up on rest and got situated. The meeting was a lot of fun as the friends got to meet Lisa and Layla and we could introduce some of our newer friends in the congregation to our long time friend.

Friday we enjoyed breakfast at Oh Boy's! and took our first trip to the mall, which Lisa enjoyed. Later on in the day we enjoyed Smokey Bones for dinner. The women got great deals shopping at The Christmas Tree Store as the men window shopped Best Buy and Border's Books.

Saturday John and Daddy got haircuts while Lisa and Mommy enjoyed a morning out in service. Daddy was beginning to feel fatigued at this point, which would culminate in him getting sick that night. Mommy, Eliza, and Layla would all come down with something before long. We shopped some more at the mall as Uncle Micah joined us, catching up with his long time buddy. That night we hosted a gathering of friends including the Bliven's, Champlain's, Bailey's, and Benson's, as well as Sister Martin. Uncle Pepsi brought Scene It, a DVD board game, and everyone had a great time, even John who suffered an accidental black eye during the night!

Sunday there was one last breakfast with friends before the Yarmosh's headed back to Pennsylvania. Thanks to the Internet John and Daddy can still play Civilization together. Everyone had a great time and we are making plans for another visit sometime this summer.

Pictures here!

Roller Skating ---

2007-11-17T21:50:00.001-05:00

After a nice day out in service we got to cleaning the house and getting ready for the Yarmosh's visit this coming week.

After that and our family study was done we got to go to the roller skating rink as some of the friends had rented it for the congregation for a couple of hours. There was a good turn out and all had a good time.

Sadly Mommy will have to buy a new pair of skates as one of her wheels broke. She's had the pair for over twenty years and only paid $15 for them! Unfortunately they don't make 'em like the used to.

More pictures here.

The Family Pulls Together ---

2007-11-01T09:57:00.000-04:00

The last few weeks have been difficult for everybody, but as a family we've been getting through our various trials and have enjoyed each others love, company, and support.

First there was Grandpa's heart attack. Everyone was supportive and understanding as Daddy spent many a day at Yale New Haven Hospital with Grandpa, Grammie, Auntie Rissa, and Uncle Map.

Grandpa was brought to the Pequot Walk-In by Grammie and Uncle Map were he received medication in an effort to open his blocked artery. That having failed, Grandpa was then flown to Yale via the Lifestar helicopter and received a stent to open the artery. It was determined that a triple by-pass would be necessary to prevent another attack from happening in the near future. These proved to be trying days for the family as Grandpa was in a lot of pain but everyone held up and held together through it. It was impressed upon Daddy and Uncle Map that they needed to look at their own health condition more seriously.

The family enjoyed a visit by Brother Brainard, our substitute Circuit Overseer while Brother Crispen was away. Daddy had a great day out in service with Brother Brainard and felt the love and support of the congregation through the difficult times. The whole family, including Naughny, enjoyed a morning out in service with Sister Brainard as well.

Ella Grace received new glasses for reading and watching TV and has been enjoying them. She did not get them in time for her first talk but she didn't seem to need them as she did a wonderful job with it. She was relaxed and natural while giving it with Mommy and seemed as though she had been giving talks her whole life. Most importantly she was herself, fluid and natural.

Ella Grace did get her glasses before the Special Day Assembly however and enjoyed showing them to everybody. The family did well and we were able to get to the hall early as we were planning. Even though the Assembly Hall was renovated only about ten years earlier it had already become difficult to schedule everyone for Assemblies as the Organization grows quickly. While there we enjoyed association and meeting old friends. One Sister whom we did not know personally stopped us at the hotel the night before the Assembly and said that she always looked forwards to seeing what we would be wearing the next day as Mommy always does a wonderful job arranging our clothing around a particular theme. Mommy and Daddy had the privilege of helping to keep the bathrooms clean during and the session. Ella Grace and Eliza had fun running around and taking pictures in the wooded park behind the small lake on the property.

Great Grandpa fell and broke a couple of bones, so the family visited him as much as possible at the Windham Hospital were he was recovering before being moved to the Mansfield Rehabilitation Center. Ella Grace made a card for him selecting Winnie the Pooh stickers to help cheer Great Grandpa up and invited the rest of the family to join in. Eliza is writing her name now and enjoyed adding it to the card.

We also got news that Uncle Map was in the worst pain of his life regarding one of his teeth. We were glad to hear that he was doing better but it was hard to hear that he was going through so much pain.

Recently Daddy and Daddy Poppy were able to get the web-cams working between Daddy Poppy's computer and Ella Grace's. The whole family enjoyed being able to see each other live on the computer.

Through it all the family has been enjoying each others company and the time we get to spend with one another.

Pictures of the Assembly are here.

Explorer of the Seas in New London ---

2007-09-06T11:00:00.001-04:00

This is a late post that got lost in editing.

This weekend we were treated to the first cruise liner to dock at the State Pier in New London. The sight drew quite a crowd.

Pictures here.

Illnesses ---

2007-08-19T11:37:00.000-04:00

Happy and Daddy have been a bit under the weather of late. Daddy was able to get some medicine for sinusitis and is feeling better. We're still not sure what's wrong with Happy.

Happy lost about 3 lbs and is looking very skinny even though he continues to eat regularly. The vet isn't too sure what's wrong with him, so he spent the day getting tests done today. We're still waiting for the results. Happy has been in good health for a cat 14 years old. He's been spending most of his time following Mommy around and snuggling her at night.

Groton Day 07 ---

2007-08-04T00:41:00.000-04:00

The family enjoyed an afternoon at Washington Park for Groton Day. Naughny-Na, Daddy-Poppie, and Auntie Ann were also there for hamburgers, hot dogs, and moon bounces. We collected a lot of freebies from the various kiosks of local companies. The free sno-cones were much appreciated on the hot day! We left as the mosquitoes came out in force but Ella, Eliza, and Daddy snuck in a ride on a horse drawn wagon first.

SailFest 07 ---

2007-07-16T23:35:00.000-04:00

Saturday was our first SailFest at the new house and we were happy to entertain family and friends for the day. Grammie, Grandpa, Aunt Fran, David, Alex and Erica attended, as well as the Glovers who were able to make it in time and cousins Dillon and Emily along with mother Sarah. We got the grill running for the first time this year and Grandpa helped out getting things ready for a BBQ. The kids played in the lopsided pool (the terrain isn't flat enough, a problem we'll be working out later) but the kids got lots of fun out of it before it collapsed later in the evening.

Grammie and Grandpa also got us an anniversary cake, a chocolate one, that was delicious. Thank you! The burgers were good and so was the wine. We started a fire for roasting marsh mellows but the kids weren't interested, probably shouldn't have given them smores just the day before. :)

It was nice to not have to fight with traffic, before or after the fireworks. Everyone enjoyed a game of Apples to Apples and some Walmart fireworks before heading down for the real show about 20 minutes before it began. We got a real good view, probably the best I can remember, of the show and everyone enjoyed it from beginning to end. Afterwards we all sat out in the front swapping stories while we watched the traffic slowly clear out. The kids enjoyed sparklers.

Pictures here!

Follow the Christ! District Convention ---

2007-07-02T10:37:00.001-04:00

Sorry! No pictures! We forgot the camera a couple of times this past week. On Wednesday we took our annual STA trip to Six Flags and for the most part had a great time. Daddy was becoming ill with some kind of respiratory infection and had a splitting headache which kept him from the rides, to his disappointment, but he got to rest by the pool with Daddy Poppy and enjoy some good conversation. The kids enjoyed the pool greatly and later on in the day went on rides, Eliza enjoying the new Wiggles section of the park, enjoying the kiddie rides. Ella Grace got to run around with the big kids for awhile go on big rides that she loves so much.

Thursday it was on to Amherst for our Convention. Things were not going well at first as Daddy Poppie became ill and missed the convention, but our prayers were with him. Daddy also became more ill Friday night and ran a high fever as his lungs seemed to try to hack their way out of his chest. But Jehovah provided, Daddy woke up on Saturday feeling much better and was able to continue the convention. The convention itself was one of the best we'd ever been to, it really emphasised Jesus love for humanity and for each one of us.

The girls of course enjoyed the pool. It was outside and freezing but they didn't seem to care. The children did very well all weekend and made their Mom and Dad proud. They got to spend time with cousins Emily and Dillon who sit very nicely. Dillon did get lost at one point but Daddy found him in bathroom, apparently he had to go and then waiting for someone to come find him! :)

Anjuli's Graduation Party ---

2007-06-25T00:01:00.000-04:00

The family spent a wonderful evening at the Denobrega's house Saturday night helping to celebrate Anjuli's completion of high school. It was a fine night of volleyball and dancing along with good food and lot's of laughs. Ella and Eliza got to play on the rope swing in the backyard as well.

Daddy and Uncle Pepsi also got to reminisce about high school days, learning that Alex Denobrega also went to Grasso Tech, as they had. They also got to play several games of foozeball.

Mommy and Daddy had a blast dancing to several swing songs, and Gene taught us the Cotten-Eye Joe dance. It's obnoxiously fun. Ella Grace got in her first game of manhunt, and Eliza did pretty much a little bit of everything.

Pictures here.

Great Grandpa's Cookout 07

2007-06-22T15:52:00.000-04:00

Thursday night we finally got back up to Great Grandpa's, as it had been far too long since we saw him last. When we first got the invitation we were disappointed as we thought we'd have to miss it as our meeting is on Thursday night (and Daddy has a talk this week). However, due to one of our sister congregations having their circuit overseer this week our Thursday meeting got changed to Friday, so we were able to attend both.

It was good to see family again. Everyone had a good time catching up with one another, roasting marshmellows, running with sparklers, and sharing a few stories from yesteryear. Mommy enjoyed talking with Uncle John, who tended the fire, and Ella Grace had fun spinning glow sticks with Alyssa, who is learning fire twirling.

A couple times we had some rain come in, Eliza did her best to chase it away singing "Rain, rain, go away!" We heard some thunder but never actually saw any lightning.

The backyard looks great, and Daddy spent some time reminiscing with Mommy about how it used to look with the old fire pit. Eliza felt right at home at Great Grandpa's, running around the house several times and enjoying the yard to the full.

We left shortly before midnight and everyone had a nice time relaxing and enjoying nature.

Pictures here.

Camera phone now working! ---

2007-06-09T11:22:00.000-04:00

It's taken awhile for Daddy to figure out how to get pictures and video off of his phone, but with a $10 card reader it can now be done with ease. We've only got one video up now but more will be coming, and pictures have been added to the Flickr account.

Pictures here

Backyardigans ---

2007-06-07T11:12:00.000-04:00

We've been getting a lot of work done in the back yard of late. Daddy's taken to mowing the lawn, Mommy's planting flowers, and Ella and Eliza are always ready to help. It's nice to have a yard of our own, and our landlady has been very generous in allowing us to use the fire pit (though Daddy was unsuccessful in getting a fire started there) and her grill, which we'll be bringing upstairs for the summer soon. Eliza particularly loves running through the sprinkler. Ella had devised a water slide with the basement trapdoor, but we sadly had to stop that as the water was leaking through downstairs.

Eliza planted her own flowers. Digging with a spade like it were a shovel she threw the dirt over her shoulder. She's careful and meticulous with her handiwork. Ella's been terrific at tended to her sister outside, trying to make sure Eliza stays safe and tending to her when she falls down.

Parties Galore! ---

2007-05-27T00:42:00.001-04:00

It's been a busy week in the house, lot's of fun! Eliza had an end of year party at Headstart that Mommy and Daddy attended with her. Then on Saturday Eliza had a tea party. A couple of her friends weren't able to attend for reasons beyond anyone's control, but Emily and Dillon made it and had a great time. From balloon popping to cake eating there was never a dull moment.

Friday Uncle Micah came over and we got a new toilet to replace the last one that never stopped running. We also got the screen door fixed (mostly) so now we can leave the door open in the summer time, as well as finally getting some glass on our side door so we could take off the plastic baggy that was covering it. Daddy also brought up one of the air conditioners and a window fan.

Eliza's tea party

End of year party

Weekend Vacation ---

2007-04-25T11:54:00.000-04:00

This last weekend the family traveled up to Boston and then Manchester, New Hampshire, for a little weekend getaway. We prevailed through some difficulties on Friday through Boston (where Daddy discovered the GPS on the Verizon phone to be quite handy, given his knack for getting himself lost), and arrived that night in Manchester, Uncle Fubbies home town. Mommy got us a great deal on our hotel through the mother of a child she drives to school on the bus. The kids enjoyed the pool and Daddy enjoyed the Red Sox / Yankees game in the weight room.

On Saturday we all enjoyed the petting zoo where we saw mountain lions, lynx's, bears, and a whole lot of goats. Eliza was timid about feeding the animals but did enjoy giving them some food (so long as they obeyed her directions) and Ella Grace particularly enjoyed the horses, remembering her riding days which will hopefully come again. Eliza did not, however, like all the mud and water left from all that rain we got as she thankfully remains a very clean-minded child. That night Daddy took the kids to the pool for more swimming and Mommy went out with Auntie Lala to see Lala's friend play her guitar at a local restaurant.

Sunday Daddy had to return to work (again using the GPS as he again got lost in Boston), and everyone else stayed with Lala to stomp around Fubies old stomping grounds.

Suessical ---

2007-03-31T22:02:00.000-04:00

We attended the Suessical musical at the Garde Arts today and enjoyed it, though Eliza got up for a couple of minutes near the end as she got a little bored. The play takes a number of Dr. Suess books and combines them into one story and sets the whole thing to music. It was well done and imaginative, and Daddy remembered how creative imaginations can be once you get wrapped up in a play, your mind filling in all the blanks made by the limitations of what you can do on stage. All the limitations movies spoil us by filling. It's more fun letting imagination do the special effects. Mommy loved it but was a little bothered by the fact that the Cat in the Hat had no tail. :)

At home the family has been enjoying reading the Bible together as we prepare for the Memorial of Christ's death on Monday. Ella Grace was amused by Jesus throwing the money changers out of the temple.

Assembly, Cars, and Snow ---

2007-03-19T17:27:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately our camera was not with us as we trekked up to Natick for our Assembly. I think we just forgot it with everything that was going on that day. Daddy's car wasn't well as an exhaust gasket had come detached (the bolts holding it together had rusted out) and Mommy's car went into the shop because it wasn't shifting again. When the guy called Daddy back he simply said "Your transmission is, ahhh... is no good." This turned out not to be true (Daddy was a little suspiscious how the mechanic would know that definativly just by hooking it up to the computer) but it did mean we were without car for the weekend. Not to worry, Daddy and Mommy had a car rental in line and picked that up for the trip.

The Assembly was on the subject of not storing up material riches, which was perfect for the weekend, and putting first things first we got through the weekend and had a great time. The kids went swimming, the food was great, and a good time was had by all. Ella Grace continues to make friends at every Assembly (they kind of attach themselves to her like barnacles on a ship as she walks around the Assembly Hall), and this time earned the privelege of sitting with one of her new friends for a session. Eliza was Eliza and pretty much ammused herself wherever she went.

After the Assembly, on the referral of a good friend, we got Mommy's car fixed at Stop and Go Transmission (the transmission was fine, it was a little black box outside the transmission that caused the trouble). It wasn't cheap but not too pricy as far as car repairs go. As Daddy can't free two of the bolts from the gasket to repair his car he spend $6 on C-clamps and put the pipe together that way. It's running fine for the time being.

We enjoyed the snow and tried to put together a snow man but it was difficult with the limited snow we've had this limited winter. The last snowfall was better and both the girls had a blast sledding down the hill at Fort Griswold, which is only a short walk from our house. Daddy had a good time too until the snow got into his shoe and melted, his nervous system is a little bit more developed than when he was a kid so the cold is more of a nuisance now.

Snow pictures are here.

New Beds ---

2007-01-28T13:52:00.000-05:00

We've gone a little IKEA mad over the last two weeks. Last week we were trying to make the flea market in New Haven but found out that they close at four o'clock, and it was after four that we found this out. So we decided to hop on over to IKEA for a look around and ended up purchasing Eliza a new bed, as we'd been wanting to get her one for awhile. She loves it. After bringing it home Eliza was very helpful in setting it up with Daddy. She busied herself with putting the screws together (which she figured out how to do watching Daddy do it, unbeknownst at the time to Daddy), and by helping hold the frame in place while Daddy screwed it together.

Yesterday, after roller skating with the kids, Mommy and Daddy decided to make another run down to IKEA to pick up the bed that they had been eyeing for some time in the catalogues. Feeling like old pros we were in and out in record time, even after stopping to get a bite to eat at the concession stand. This time it was colder, but that was alright, because it wasn't nearly as windy as it had been the week before. Getting the bed back was a small adventure, as the box stretched from the very back of the van to about half way between the two front seats.

This bed was a little harder to put up, but Mommy and Daddy got it done that night and enjoyed their first night at the new house in a proper bed. It was wonderful.

Eliza Gets High Fever, But it Subsides ---

2007-01-08T22:27:00.000-05:00

Last night Eliza woke up with a temperature of 102.3. We quickly gave her Tylenol and tried our best to make her comfortable and to bring her temperature down. Mom sat with her upstairs so she could watch some TV to comfort her and we were able to get her to go back to sleep. She slept most of today and Daddy was very relieved when he got home from work to hear that her temperature had dropped and she was up and about.

Not sure what it was but she did not become symptomatic in any other way, no cough or congestion or sneezing. Hopefully just one of those things.

Special Day Assembly 06 ---

2006-12-25T13:25:00.000-05:00

This is late but we have pictures from the Special Day Assembly we took on the second of this month. A good time was had by all, though Daddy had to leave right at the end of session to get back for work (one of his co-workers was good enough to stay and wait for him to show up). Enjoy the pictures of Eliza sulking, taking after her old man. Fortunately she's got her mother's resilience and she bounces out of it a lot faster. :) Can't keep a good girl down.

Ella Grace swims like a pro now and continues to grow into very much her own person. She continues to be a social person and so enjoys the crowds at the Assemblies.

Pictures are here.

Family Trip ---

2006-11-29T21:49:00.000-05:00

We had a great time this last week, traveling down to see Grannie Vick Vick and then to see the most recent addition to the burgeoning Yarmosh family. The proud dad can be seen in picture holding little Layla.

Eliza had a great time with Grannie Vick Vick (where the Victoria in Eliza Victoria Rose comes from), as did we all, and Grannie Vick Vick said Eliza gets her personality from her, Naughny-Na, and Daddy. Eliza talked everybody's ears off and held school in the living room several times a day. Ella Grace had fun with old fashioned video games (of the Atari 2600 variety) and Mom and Dad got a chance to relax and do nothing.

We attended their bookstudy on Friday and met some of the friends who were very nice and many of them surprisingly knew exactly where Groton is, something that doesn't happen too often. That night we spent at Nan's playing cards. They were supposed to be teaching us but Nan and Grannie Vick Vick kept swapping hands because they didn't like their own, so it got a little confusing. Ella, as usual, took lots of great pictures. She's quite good at catching people off guard.

Eliza crashed when we first got to John and Lisa's but was then up half the night. Layla was alert and entertained by all the attention Ella and Eliza gave her. She's got her mothers looks but her fathers expressions. We spent most of the evening at Eve's as she, as usual, outdid herself with a delicious dinner. We got to see Darryl and Justine again and the four of the kids spent a lot of time playing with each other.

John's in-laws were nice enough to let us spend the night at their place (which is right above John's) and John cooked us all breakfast in the morning.

Pictures can be found here.

Clyde's Cider Mill ---

2006-10-07T15:31:00.000-04:00

As Jan's father is up visiting from Pennsylvania, we took him down to Clyde's in Mystic to watch them press the apple cider. This was the first time the kids got to see them press the cider, although we've been at least once a year. We've always made the mistake of going too late in the year, when they start pressing as needed rather than on a schedule. Right now you can see it on the weekends, at 10AM, 1PM, and 3PM. The kids enjoyed it, and got to see a steam engine at work.

Then it was on to the store to get all manner of goodies, cider, candy, apple crisp, and more. It's very crowded this time of year, as it's not that big a store, but it was well worth all the gentle pushing and shoving.

More pictures are here.

Eliza gets a boo boo, but is all right ---

2006-10-04T15:15:00.000-04:00

Around noon today Eliza burned her right forearm on the iron, though she is okay and not seriously injured. We're not yet sure why the iron was on, although Eliza says she turned it on. We don't know if that's true or not, but Daddy did notice the iron did not seem to be up to full temperature directly after the incident.

The heat must have been radiating, because where Eliza was feeling the pain and where the burn ended up appearing where not the same place, so for the first five minutes or so ice was being applied to the wrong area. Eliza was mostly quiet through the ordeal, not initially acting as though she had been hurt, although she said that she was in a matter of fact way. After ten to fifteen minutes Eliza said the burn was not feeling any better, so Daddy brought her to Pequot to have a doctor make sure the burn wasn't severe.

It wasn't, and the doctor said it should heal itself in two to three days. He didn't feel it needed any treatment but had a dressing put on it to make Eliza happy (she had been wanting one). Before we even got to see the doctor she was jumping around again and asking to go home. Eliza missed school and spent the afternoon resting with Daddy and enjoyed pizza and ice cream.

The iron has been moved and is no longer within reach of Eliza.

Why We Left ---

2006-09-28T23:20:00.000-04:00

Article display page - theday.com

Branford Manor is getting a bit of press lately for all the robberies that have been going on. We're glad we got out when we did. Maybe part of the problem there is that the manager said she thinks the residents exaggerated the thefts. Real nice. Kind of hard to deal with a problem you don't admit. Maybe if she had been broken into she'd feel a little more drive to get these crimes solved. But, in a place where you can complain for eight years about rot and corrosion in your bathroom and not have anything done about it....

Furnature Additions ---

2006-09-24T23:11:00.000-04:00

IM000643
Originally uploaded by jonnierodsg.

We've recently added some new furnature to the new house. Ella Grace got a bunk bed with a futon below that she loves. We've also been given a couch and an old-fashioned clock. The clock doesn't run on batteries but has to be wound by hand every once in awhile. Daddy loves it because of the ticking sound at night, very soothing.

Click here, the last eight pics in the set are of the new stuff.

Eliza's First Day of School! ---

2006-09-20T14:33:00.000-04:00

IM000578
Originally uploaded by jonnierodsg.

Last Thursday was orientation, Monday was the first official day. Eliza is now at Headstart, the same program Ella Grace started with and loved, and so far Eliza loves it too. On her first day Mom and Dad were on hand, emotional, and promptly dismissed by Eliza who never looked back once arriving. Just like her big sister, Eliza took to school like a duck to water. Eliza is going on Monday through Thursdays, 12:30 - 4:00.

Pictures here.

Yvonne's Wedding ---

2006-09-20T14:16:00.000-04:00

IM000583
Originally uploaded by jonnierodsg.

On Saturday Mommy and Daddy went to the wedding of Ynonne Holland's (Daddy's family may remember she lived across the street from us in Colonial Manor and went to our bookstudy many moons ago). Yvonne was the one who's bible study with Jannai was what really drew her to the truth, also many moons ago. The wedding was nice, split between two country clubs for the wedding and the reception, and the food was bountiful. This was Mommy and Daddy's first "date", as in sans kids, also in many moons!

Pictures here.

Can't Leave Bad Enough Alone ---

2006-09-20T14:00:00.000-04:00

IM000639
Originally uploaded by jonnierodsg.

Last night, after the meeting, Daddy and Ella Grace were sitting on the couch watching some TV when there was suddenly a loud crash outside. Daddy turned to look out the window and saw a dark car speeding by, disappearing down the road. Daddy and Ella went outside to see what had happened, as did three other neighbors, and found that the driver had slammed into the side of Daddy's Volkswagon (the one that had just been fixed when the wheel had come off of the other side about a month ago). The rim is destroyed and there's a lot of cosmetic damage done to the left rear paneling. Whoever the jerk was who hit the car never came back to claim responsibility.

The police took information, but there's little chance of catching the guy at this point. We're trying to make arrangements to have the car fixed as soon as possible, and the insurance company and police where notified immediately.

The impact was hard enough to move the car sideways a little so it looks as though it had been parked by a drunk person. We're still waiting on the insurance company to have a look at it, and Daddy doesn't want to make any repairs until they do.

Movin' On Up ---

2006-08-14T12:24:00.000-04:00

IM000156
Originally uploaded by jonnierodsg.

Most of you already know this, but we will be moving out of the slums this September across town to a much nicer, and bigger, half of a duplex. For the first time as a family we will have a basement, and our own bedrooms. The extra space alone should make daily life more enjoyable, plus we have a fenced backyard for the kids.

As part of the deal we're painting the inside in trade for the washer and dryer downstairs, and the oil in the tank, so many a day has already been spent in the house working on it.

Eliza is ready to move already and is inconsolable when we have to leave for the day.

The picture is smudgy because there was a smudge on the lense when taken, which has since been removed.

WinterFest at Olde Mystic Village ---

2006-02-26T00:28:00.000-05:00

The family braved the elements on Saturday to take in the WinterFest at Olde Mystic Village as a light snow began to fall that accumulated to nothing. There was a clam chowder taste test being put on by some of the local restaurants, so we enjoyed a couple of paper cups worth of various competing recipes.

Eliza continues to enjoy shopping, as she walked around many of the stores picking up as many things as she could hold in her arms while she meandered the store. She was finally convinced to stick with just a stuffed little plush dog that she seemed particularly attached to, while Ella Grace picked up a big fat cat. They also enjoyed the Irish store, and Eliza liked the painting on one store wall of a Scandinavian viking, as she likes it when they play vikings on the Backyardigans.

The girls also got to see a live owl and what we think was a hawk, but they were actually more interested in the water pump nearby that Mommy and Daddy had never noticed before. A full set of pictures of the day can be found here.

Backyardigans ---

2006-01-31T14:24:00.000-05:00

Lately the kids show Backyardigans have taken over our TV, helped by the advent of the DVR. We record them every day for Eliza, and it's about the only show she ever wants to watch. Once in awhile she'll take in a Dora episode, but most of the time it's Backyardigans, which she says as "Backagains". Morning, noon, and night, you can usually find it playing on our TV.

Fortunately for everybody else it's an enjoyable show that parents can appreciate and not be annoyed with. The five kid animals share a backyard and play together. The show manages to portray them as being children without being condescending to either the characters or the audience. They're well spoken tykes who generally get along. The show also manages to give each episode it's moral lesson for the day without coming across like a public service announcement. There's also a lot of singing and dancing in each show which is more sophisticated than most kids shows. This is great for Eliza who likes to dance along, and dance in general. The show also centers around the childrens extensive use of their imagination and reminds me very much of playing in the backyard when I was a kid, something today's kids might miss out on.

This is the first show in which Eliza has remembered all the characters names, Pablo, Tyrone, Tasha, Uniqua, and Austin, and we think she might have a crush on Tyrone. :)

Disney On Ice ---

2006-01-20T20:38:00.000-05:00

Forgot to post this earlier, but recently the family enjoyed a trip down to Providence to see Disney On Ice, which the kids enjoyed very much. Cousins Emily and Dillan were brought along as well. A funny thing we parents noticed is that we got Ella and Eliza into the car, drove all the way to Providence, got them in the arena, all without either one of them even once asking us where we were going or what we were doing. This was great because when the characters started skating out on the ice it was a complete surprise to both of them. Guess we just have trusting kids! :) The show was two hours long with an intermission, and none of the kids ever appeared to get bored.

The Camera Returns ---

2006-01-06T01:12:00.000-05:00

Family05 018
Originally uploaded by jonnierodsg.

For awhile we've been without camera. The digital camera we had bought wasn't working and we really couldn't figure out why. It had been sitting peacefully with no one bothering it and just stopped working. Come to find out it was because we were using regular batteries and the camera didn't like that, it wanted to be fed with rechargables. We obliged and now the pictures can flow once again. To view pictures that were being stored on the camera all this time click here.

Rodgers Sweet Tooth ---

2005-12-26T11:58:00.000-05:00

It seems that Eliza has inherited the Rodgers' Sweet Tooth, which was actually first evidenced when Jannai was pregnant with her, Jannai developed a rabid appetite for sugar heavy foods, something she did not experience when pregnant with Ella Grace. With Ella it was all vegetables, which Ella ate in abundance once born. Eliza on the other hand, while enjoying healthy foods as well, craves candy above all else. Most every morning she wakes up and the first word out of her mouth is, "Candy." She's taken to hording and stealing candy lately, any which way she can. To make matters worse, she doesn't suck on the candy to enjoy all it's flavor, she chews it and moves on to the next one, meaning she cannot be left alone with a bag of it. Fortunately she does enjoy good foods as well, so it's not too hard to redirect her grazing habits, it's just a matter of keeping any and all candy under lock and key, and keeping an eye on her.

Rodgers On The Move---

2005-12-25T11:41:00.000-05:00

Jannai picked up a remote controlled car the other day, something she'd been wanting for some time now. Ella Grace seems to be enjoying it more, though, as she tears up the parking lot with the big-wheeler, jumping curbs on and off the sidewalk with it. Ella Grace has also been spending time at Naughny's and Daddy Poppi's, last night completing her third consecutive sleep-over, making good use of her time off of school.

Eliza has taken her long-distance running up a notch as she enjoys running away from her family at almost every opportunity. She seems to like being chased, and so far no amount of reasoning with her is disuading her from the activity, so she's had to be quarentined inside for intervals of time to get her to stop. She is cute when she's caught, however. As she's walked back to the house by hand she droops her head low in a look of defeat.

Boo Boo's ---

2005-12-21T22:38:00.000-05:00

Eliza took a particularly nasty spill out of her car seat the other day and gave her nose and upper lip a good scratching. The poor thing couldn't even smile yesterday because it hurt to do so. :( But with some vitamin-e it's healing up. Thankfully she's not scheduled for any pictures.

Eliza is also counting objects now, though by her own number system. "One, two, three, six, eight, nine..."

Like Fathers, Like Daughters ---

2005-12-20T20:00:00.000-05:00

Eliza seems to be picking up some of Daddy's traits, one of which is that she seems to be a little more emotionally fragile than Ella Grace. She's taken to running into the corner to cry when she's upset or frustrated. Fortunately she's relatively easy to comfort, so long as you see to it that she is comforted, she will not take the initiative, as Daddy remembers not doing either. She also seems to be developing the Rodgers humor as she likes playing jokes on people and really enjoys being teased. It's amazing to see at such a young age how often she gets the joke.

Ella Grace is continuing to do well at school and with her reading. She still loves reading to the family and has taken it upon herself to deliver the mail when it comes as she can now read everybodies names.

Standing Tall, Standing Proud ---

2005-10-11T16:05:00.000-04:00

I apologize for no posting in so long, almost forgot we had this blog. Will try to do better in the future.

Both girls are continuing to grow. Ella Grace is now in second grade and is coming along nicely with her reading. She likes to read to us in the car, and Eliza seems to enjoy this. She's also taken up horseback riding which she is becoming proficient at. She got stung by a bee while out on the trail one afternoon (so did the horse) and she kept her composure very well according to all accounts. We did film one of her recitals, but Ella doesn't seem to like to showcase her riding... I think it's something she finds personally enjoyable and is disinterested in sharing it with, which is good.

Eliza is beginning to put together sentences and leads a very active life around the house. Two years old now she likes to help with cooking and cleaning and still does a fair amount of finger wagging when she sees something she doesn't think is right, or just doesn't like. She's an avid Wiggles fan and watches the show every morning, I think because they do a fair amount of dancing on the show, which she joins in on. She's also a bit of a trouble maker and is already playing jokes on people for laughs.

Illness strikes ---

2004-12-09T13:49:00.000-05:00

Ella Grace has come down with what so far is a mild case of bronchitis, and we're trying to keep it that way. She visited the doctor this morning and has started taking some medicines to help. Her temperature did top a little over 104 this morning, so we have been concerned, but it seems that she should be okay now that we know what it is. She was very fatigued yesterday at school and when I showed up for her enrichment class they thought I had showed up to take her home! She slept pretty much the rest of the day, but then began to develop a fever. She is resting comfortably now and is getting lots and lots of sleep.

A Day in the Life ---

2004-12-06T15:45:00.000-05:00

Wow. Been far too long since the last post. Especially with how these girls grow.

Both Ella and Eliza have grown phenomenally in the last six months. Eliza has greatly increased in almost all ways her understanding of the world around her and her ability to manipulate it. She still loves food, it is her favorite thing. We have been teaching her sign language to help her communicate when her tongue won't do what she wants it to do (we can tell she's trying to say much much more, but just can't get it to come out) and she spends a great deal of her day signing "more food" to us. She's also discovered television and, like her mother and sister before her, is capable of becoming completely mezmerized by it. Eliza likes to play games now, mostly her own version of Simon Says. She's showing a great mechanical aptitude like her older sister, and loves to dance to music.

Ella Grace has begun to get the hang of reading. It's the first thing she's come across at school that she wasn't instantly good at, but she's now learning how to deal with that aspect of life quite nicely. Far from avoiding the subject completely as she had done in the past, she is now very interested in reading and does so whenever she can, either reading to us or reading along we read to her. Her collection of books is greatly increasing, and as Eliza likes to look at books they are spending more and more time together with them.

Elizasaurous ---

2004-08-24T21:09:00.000-04:00

Eliza has six teeth in now, and has very quickly found other uses for them than just eating food. When Eliza is tired of people holding her hand, she gently places their hand in her mouth... and chomps with all her might! Her favorite target is the back of people's hands. So stealthfully does she move, her victims rarely know they've been targeted until they are struck.

A Hole in the Head ---

2004-08-17T23:23:00.000-04:00

...well, ear, actually. Ella Grace got her ears pierced today at her request. We said we wouldn't get them done until she actually asked for it, and today she did. She claims it didn't hurt, and Jannai didn't even know they had done it until they told her Ella was a very brave girl. Of course, we already knew that! :)

Little Miss Attitude ---

2004-08-16T01:13:00.000-04:00

Not to be outdone by her older sister, Eliza has been demonstrating some newly acquired attitude of late. No longer a passive observer of the world, Eliza is now freely expressing her displeasure with various situations in a not-at-all bashful manner. She's expressed her happiness from day one, and still does more often than not. But beware of crossing her now! She's given Ella quite a few stern lectures in Eliza-talk, waving her finger in the air to make sure she has our attention. And a word to the wise: don't take anything from her. Like Ella did before, Eliza now shrieks at the top of her lungs should something in her possession be taken from her.

Eliza driving ---

2004-08-01T20:11:00.000-04:00

This afternoon Eliza drove for the first time in one of those car/shopping carts you see at the supermarket. She really enjoyed it and helped us shop, as she has been doing for a little while now (the other day she hand selected some clothes she liked). She really got into limes, literally, trying to bite through their skin. When that failed she started throwing them overboard as we were walking down the isle.

Eliza covering the basics ---

2004-07-27T21:19:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, Eliza for the first time, used a spoon to feed herself. She begged for the spoon, and then she dug in the bowl until she was sure there was something on the spoon to eat. If there was no food on the spoon, she went looking for some in the bowl. She's doing this regularly now.

In other news, Ella Grace is now riding her bike around her Auntie Lala's block. She is gaining confidence in her riding abilities. She would like to start learning how to ride without training wheels.

Eliza cutting up and cutting teeth ---

2004-07-04T01:09:00.000-04:00

Eliza has now officially cut a tooth, if she hadn't already. We had thought one had broken through the gum, and it may have, but it quickly disappeared. Now there is no doubt that her first tooth is up, as she bit Daddy with it on Friday. Of course this means her teeth are bothering her more now, but thanks to Orajel it's not too bad for her. She's now taking 10-20 steps at a time as she gets the walking thing down. She'd abandoned walking-exploration in favor of crawling shortly after she took her first steps. Before walking she had no interest in crawling, but now she's doing both quite well.

Eliza's also quite fond of clapping her hands together, something she learned a little while back. Now she's responding to things she likes by clapping her hands in approval. She's quite the clown in the family, even at a young age goofing around and playing games with others. Put her and Ella together and you're in for quite an entertaining show.

Ella Grace got to see an old friend (at 5 she has such friends) who moved away about a year ago. Ella hadn't seen her since she had left. The two picked up with their friendship right were they had left off.

Beginnings ---

2004-07-01T15:00:00.000-04:00

This is a blog to post family news and events. We're all looking forward to a good summer, as Jannai is off of work driving a school bus, Ella Grace is out of school, and Eliza is continuing to practice walking.