Lily loses Top teeth in Wisconsin 7:8:11

Lily loses Top teeth in Wisconsin 7:8:11, a photo by oldforest on Flickr.

Given that they're gone for three weeks, I'd expect that I'd miss a moment or "milestone", or two(teeth)...

Lily and Zoe in Wisc 6:30:11

Lily and Zoe in Wisc 6:30:11, a photo by oldforest on Flickr.

Asa and Grandpa Kuduk 6:30:11

Asa and Grandpa Kuduk 6:30:11, a photo by oldforest on Flickr.

Asa's Chemlab T-Shirt Gets Noticed...

Chemlab Kids T-Shirt --Back
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Today, when I picked up Asa from preschool, one of his teachers asked if I could refrain from sending Asa to class wearing the t-shirt pictured here. The teacher herself could clearly have cared less, but evidently another parent was offended enough to speak up...what's funny, is that without any encouragement on my part, this has become one of Asa's favorite shirts(along with his green Diego shirt that lights up). He had actually worn it yesterday, then to bed last night and then absolutely refused to change out of it this morning -- and as I've learned(as cliche as it sounds), you pick your battles, and getting Asa to change shirts wasn't one worth fighting. Ironically, the shirt has a hole in it now and given the fact that Fall is on its way, there weren't going to be too many more opportunities to wear it anyway...of course, despite the fact that I'm just not a black t-shirt guy, I almost want to dig out the adult sized version, which is not nearly as tame, and wear it when Asa's got class.

Chemlab Kids T-shirt --Front
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Now that I'm thinking about it, this picture was taken the same day as the "Sneak A Peak" event at Bradley Hills Elementary School where Lily now goes for kindergarten. That means that although no one spoke up, potentially Asa was able offend another entire group of parents and kids -- and unlike, the other two-year olds in his class, most of the elementary school kids can read(oh, the horror!)...

I'm Not Sure Why I'm Surprised...

Yet, I can't believe what a sad, pathetic bunch the Republicans have become -- and the tactics they have been reduced to. Yesterday, someone with a lot of nerve placed a "HONK If you’re paying my mortgage." sticker on the front bumper of my van. Was whoever, actually hoping I'd drive around without noticing it?

I don't know who these jokers are, but this is certainly not my parent's GOP...

Lemonade Stand, 7/11/09

Lemonade Stand, 7/11/09
Originally uploaded by oldforest

While Heather was having a garage sale a couple of weeks back, the girls helped Grant and Logan, the next-door neighbor kids with their lemonade stand.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kudukhsu/sets/72157621787748635/

These pics were taken by our neighbor Carly.

Time Flies...

Time Flies...
Originally uploaded by oldforest

It doesn't seem possible, but Lily is 5 years-old today.

Zoe at Megan's 4th "Fairy" Party, 5/30/09

Zoe at Megan's 4th "Fairy" Party, 5/30/09
Originally uploaded by oldforest

This past weekend was a crazy weekend for birthday parties. Not one, or two, but three parties were on the docket. Lily and Zoe each had a party to go to on Saturday and both were invited to the same party on Sunday.

Kalina's "Out of This World" Space Party. 5/30/09

Kalina's "Out of This World" Space Party. 5/30/09
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Lily's the kid in the picture wearing fairy wings...and no, she did not attend the "fairy" birthday party that Zoe went to earlier in the day.

On Your Marks...

On Your Marks...
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Lily gets ready to race at Dillon's "Race Car Birthday Adventure" , 5/31/09.
It was her second and our third party of the weekend.

Parachutes Are Always Great Fun...

Parachutes Are Always Great Fun...
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Zoe continues to party hard at her second party of the weekend.

Asa, Our Little Boy Racer...

Our Little Boy Racer...
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Although Asa wasn't "invited" to any of the weekend's parties, he clearly found them exhausting. After Dillon's party Sunday afternoon, he napped from 4:30-10:00pm -- and yes, that did screw-up "bedtime". He didn't go to bed until 2am.

Zoe's Last Day at Kenwood Kids

Zoe's Last Day at Kenwood Kids
Originally uploaded by oldforest

A sad day indeed. Not only was this Zoe's last day at Kenwood Kids, but it was the last day of the preschool's existence. After three years, Laura Hills, the school's director, had decided to throw in the proverbial towel. Lily had been there for all three years and Zoe for the last two.

Saying Goodbye to Grandpa, 5/16/09

Saying Goodbye to Grandpa
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Although, my father died last September, it wasn't until this past weekend that we had a service and buried his ashes. We also used the occasion to do the same for my Uncle "Chops" (who had died a year before my Dad). While the kids are certainly too young to appreciate the weekend's events, having them along helped ease the emotions and sadness that might have overwhelmed the occasion. It was the first time I had seen my Uncle Dick and cousin Charles since high school, and the first time since our wedding that I had seen my stepmother Mildred and cousin Arun. This was also the first time that I had met my stepsister Yvonne and Dick's wife Michelle. So, despite the reason for the reunion, it became a reunion nevertheless.

While my cousins attended the service in Westfield, NJ and joined us for lunch afterwards at the hotel restaurant, the rest of us stayed at the Newark Airport Marriott. At least for the kids, it seemed like a vacation -- and certainly the weekend wasn't devoid of fun for them(not when the hotel has a pool) and other light moments. Some were almost predictable, Asa stumbled into my Chops' hole at one point and getting the kids not to play hopscotch in the cemetery would have been an impossible task.

Just Days Away...

Heather is doing the Avon Breast Cancer Walk this weekend and is still quite short of the required $1,800 she committed to raise. Who knew fundraising for charity would be as hard as selling used books? One can find out more about the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and view Heather's personal page using the link below:

http://walk.avonfoundation.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=1760&px=4616087

Baseball Predictions '09

I can't believe how soon Opening Day will be a reality. As always, it is with great anticipation that I welcome the start of the season, although I'll admit I have no real feel or strong convictions about which teams are poised to do well. Based on the talent on paper one could make a case that the Mets and the Yankees could meet in the Series. As a fan of two wretched local teams, I'd like to see both the Nats and the O's be the '09 version of the '08 Tampa Bay team that went worst to first, but to be honest I doubt that either scenario is likely. For me, this year is a real crap shoot. Both local squads should improve on their dismal performance from last year, with the O's having a chance to be the most improved team in the American League -- that's not to say they won't finish fourth in the division.

With that said, I'm going to go against conventional wisdom, which has the Yanks, Red Sox and Rays battling for the Al East crown, and pick the O's to shock everyone and take the division. More than likely, the O's don't have enough pitching and are a couple years from contending, but stranger things have happened. The Red Sox will still make the post season as a wild-card, while the Yanks will, for all their talent on paper closely resemble the '08 Tigers. As for the AL Central, the Twins would won the crown last year if the one-game playoff had been in the Metrodome and this year appear to be the least flawed team in a weak division. In the AL West, the A's remain the pick of the pundits, but I'm hard pressed to pick against A's general manager Billy Beane -- who after years of being frugal, has assembled a team to "win now". Matt Holliday will earn a MVP while chasing next year's big paycheck and the A's this year will reap the rewards. On paper, I'll admit the A's pitching seems awfully young.

In the National League East, while it appears to be a two-horse race between the Mets and Phillies, I'm picking the Braves to eek it out against the Marlins. The Braves have the deepest pitching(a formula that has worked for them in the past) in the division and the young Marlins with my choice for NL MVP Hanley Ramirez could surprise like last year's Rays. In the NL Central, the Cubs are the odds on favorites and I can't make a case against it. Although, it always pains me to pick against La Russa's Cards and the third winningest manager in MLB history. In the NL West, I think the Dodgers may have to settle for a wild-card even after resigning Manny because along with the Braves, The Diamondbacks might have the best pitching in the National League.

So, to recap -- in the AL: O's, Twins and A's. In the NL: Braves, Cubs and Diamondbacks. Wild-cards going to the Red Sox(AL) and Dodgers(NL). MVPs to Matt Holliday(AL) and Hanley Ramirez(NL). Cy Young Awards to Felix Hernandez(AL) and Jake Peavy(NL) -- oddly, both are on what I predict to be last place teams in the Western divisions.

Finally(drum roll please), The A's over the Cubs in the World Series.

For my Dad, a lifelong Yankees fan...

25 Completely Random Things About Me

From my Facebook page:

Today at 12:46pm

Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. Sorry if this is obnoxious(kind of like a chain-letter), but today it's a snow day and I figured it would might be fun. If I tagged you it’s because I you're an old friend that will cut me some slack or I wish that I'd kept up with better.

1) Attempting to do this on a snow day while the kids are home and awake is probably a bad idea.

2) I hated to read as a kid and my parents for a time would force me to read for at least half an hour a day. The irony is not lost on me.

3) In the mid-80's, while in Philadelphia at a restaurant(I never did know it's name) on South Street, I ate a meal of linguine and shrimp in a garlic and white wine sauce that has never been topped.

4) Before Peter Angelos ruined the franchise, being the radio voice of the Orioles was my fantasy dream job.

5) I was once offered and turned down a job to run a record label in NYC -- the salary was only $13,000, and I was too young to grasp the bigger picture.

6) Being an only child, I watch my kids and am already glad that they have each other.

7) While I have always wished that I could go back in time and see my mother's house in Shanghai as it was when she lived there(before Mao), I have little desire to go to China now.

8) It seems that I remember my life in the 80's better than I do the 90's, that's not to say my memory isn't full of holes.

9) I can't stand my own cooking, but most everyone else seems to like it.

10) Although I have kids, I rarely "feel" like an adult.

11) Other than hunting for books and records, I do not enjoy shopping.

12) I wish I had better rhythm.

13) Most of the clothes in my closet are t-shirts.

14) Also in the 80's, I took the Sex Pistols tune to heart ("...I got you in my camera a second of your life ruined forever") and hated having my picture taken. Of course, now I regret it.

15) My parents told me when I was little, I had lots of trouble saying "of course"

16) I watched a documentary about the Clash last night, and remembered how much I wished I had gone to see them at Ritchie Coliseum with Clark Chapin in '79. He had shown up unannounced at my door at the last minute with tickets, and there was just no convincing the parents(I hadn't done my afternoon reading, I'm not kidding...not to mention, I was what 14 at the time). I did end up seeing them a number of years later though.

17) I don't miss the day to day grind of the bookshop, losing money, or difficult customers. I miss the social aspect of having the shop, that old friends could drop-in unexpectedly (especially at the holidays).

18) I love routine.

19) Watching my kids sleep is surprisingly cool.

20) The bed I sleep in now(in my 40's), is in the same physical spot that my bed was in when I was 7 years old.

21) I haven't changed my haircut or barbershop since 10th grade.

22) I wish my father had seen his grandson.

23) Each of my kids has come over to the computer to sit with me at some point while I have been writing this. None of them seem at all concerned that they are still in their pajamas.

24) This whole exercise has been more interesting than I might have imagined(thanks Carol and Robin).

25) Right on cue, I hear at least one little boy melting down. It must be nap time.

Even More Minor...

It often seems like the kids never sleep or nap when you want them to, and on the flip side always fall asleep at precisely the wrong time. This morning, which had been going too smoothly for me not to be worried, Asa fell asleep on the way to the grocery store(the "ghetto" Safeway on Arlington Road). It was only 10:00am, and Asa hasn't been a two (morning and afternoon) nap boy for a long, long time. If Asa was still an infant in a removable travel car seat, his napping would not have been an issue, but 9 days shy of his second birthday he presented a little dilemma. What to do? I could go home, put him in his crib and let him sleep until it was time to get the girls from preschool(conceding any hopes of running a few errands) I could wake him, go and get the diapers and milk I desperately needed, and risk having him go napless for the rest of day(never pretty by the late afternoon). The third option, which I would never seriously consider, was to leave him sleeping in the van and go in and get what I need -- it's only going to be two minutes after all, right? -- and more than one mother has admitted to me that they've chosen this option at some point in their parenting career. So, what did I do? I took him out of the van, threw him over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and crossed my fingers that he wouldn't wake up as I tiptoed into the Safeway. I never believed Asa would actually stay sleeping, but he did. Something else that was impressive was how many folks offered to assist me in my shopping while I walked around with him...by the way, I was wrong a second time as well. As I write this, Asa is still upstairs taking his second nap of the day.

A Minor Amazing Feat...

A few parents I know will appreciate this(I think). Earlier this afternoon, I pulled off a "double transfer" with Asa. He fell asleep in the van when I was picking Zoe up from preschool and I managed to transfer him to his crib without waking him, then about two hours later when it was time to drop-off Lily at her first ever drop-off and leave play date I was able to get him back in the van without waking him again!

Then...

Then...
Originally uploaded by oldforest

An old Polaroid of Jared and me taken by Ellie about 25 years ago...my guess is that we're at the old 9:30 Club.

...and Now, 9/19/08

...and Now, 9/19/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Has the 25 years been kind?

Of course, we're pictured here with our sons. Jared with Django and me with Asa.

Trick or Treat?

Trick or Treat?
Originally uploaded by oldforest

On any given day or week, there are periods when any one kid can singlehandedly be more than the proverbial handful. Recently, it seems, probably because he's fast approaching two, Asa's the one keeping me on my toes, but not always...

Yesterday afternoon, Lily left the bathroom sink running for about and hour and discovered that a nearly new container of fish food made for great confetti. Then, this morning, Lily crawled into bed with me at 5:15am. After I fell back asleep(I can almost imagine her waiting for the fact), Lily went to our bathroom and got into all sorts of things --including Heather's make-up...pictured here is the result.

Sometimes...

I just got to wonder why the kids can't get sick more conveniently. Or, at the very least give me some warning that NOW would be the time to cover EVERYTHING in plastic.

Zoe with Grandpa Yuanyo, 6/12/06

Zoe with Grandpa Yuanyo, 6/12/06
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Yuanyo Hsu
June 20, 1922 - September 24, 2008

My Dad was supposed to visit next month for Asa's baptism and Zoe's third birthday.

Vacation Pics

4-Wheeling at Como Town
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Well, all the pictures from the big event of our summer are up now.
A collection of over two hundred photos from our trip to Wisconsin in July can now be seen on Flickr. The collection has been divided into seven smaller sets.

Highlights from Our Trip to Wisconsin '08:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kudukhsu/collections/72157606501009858/

Some Recent Wisconsin Pics...

Asa with Uncle Shane, 7/9/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

I've taken a break from uploading pictures to Flickr in chronological order(I was caught-up to about Halloween '07) and decided to put up pics of our recent trip to Wisconsin. So far, I've posted about a hundred, which is less than half of what I took, but certainly enough to take a look.

Lily Chooses a Pumpkin Bigger than her Head

Lily Chooses a Pumpkin Bigger than her Head
Originally uploaded by oldforest

I think I wrote last week that I was "nearly ready" to organize into a set, photos Heather had taken of the girls trip to Butler's Orchard last Fall. Who was I kidding? It took more than a few of hours(including about 45 minutes of uploading time) to choose and fiddle with the forty plus pictures that make up the "Pumpkin Festival Fun at Butler's Orchard" set:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kudukhsu/sets/72157605306552996/

Granted, it wasn't like my undivided attention was devoted to the task. Even with Lily gone with Heather on a school field trip to Philly, Zoe and Asa(who was still napping when I started the project) provide plenty of distractions -- and like many of the sets I've uploaded, captions(and tags) for each individual photo for the most part will have to be added at a later date(if ever).

Anyway, if my memory serves me, the calender said it was time to pick pumpkins for Halloween, but the weather was hot as if it were August. Yet, regardless of the weather, the girls(and Lily's friend Holly), judging by the pictures Heather took and by all reports, had a blast. I think I had another commitment that afternoon and didn't arrive with Asa until about half an hour before closing, just in time for the hay wagon ride to the pumpkin patch.

A Krispy Kreme "Field Trip" 5/4/08

Asa at Krispy Kreme
Originally uploaded by oldforest

How is it, that there's so many more Dunkin' Donuts than Krispy Kremes? We ended up at the location in Gaithersburg by chance actually, we just needed to kill some time -- our intended destination was Creative Playthings to look at "swing sets" for the yard. Nevertheless, our visit to Krispy Kreme kind of turned into a mini field trip.

Zoe at Krispy Kreme
Originally uploaded by oldforest

There's a large viewing area to watch as the donuts are being made, and of course there's these cool paper hats that the kids are wearing. For some reason, I'm reminded of the times as a kid when I went to Shakey's Pizza(which long ago inhabited the corner of East West Highway and Old Georgetown Road) and could watch them make pizza. It was all quite a big hit.

Lily at Krispy Kreme, 5/4/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

To top it off, as if they didn't have enough of a sugar high, the kids were given piping hot samples of what they had just seen being made. They probably had as much fun there as they did later testing out the swing sets at Creative Playthings, which are swing sets in name only, and can cost as much as my first car -- which was a 1983 Dodge Colt.

Zoe with Angelina Ballerina, 5/3/08

Zoe with Angelina Ballerina, 5/3/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

I'm not sure any further explanation is needed...

Asa and Zoe Gymboree, 5/2/08

Asa and Zoe Gymboree, 5/2/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Like I said, sometimes Asa has more fun at Gymboree than Zoe.

Asa with Alina Rosenfeld in Georgetown, 4/26/08

Asa with Alina Rosenfeld in Georgetown, 4/26/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Next to the computer, there's a frame with several photos in it, including one of Alina at ballet. She couldn't be much older than Lily is now in that picture. Heather was the Rosenfeld's nanny then. Now, Alina's almost all grown-up, a sophomore in High School(at GDS) and a member of the crew team(GDS has a crew team, who knew?).

Who was I kidding?

Grandma Kuduk and Zoe at New Fortune, 4/20/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Clearly last week, I was exceedingly optimistic in thinking that I could compose a dozen posts while I the kids were napping. Hopefully, I will succeed in finishing-up. While we had made no plans this holiday weekend, other than today we have kept busy. At the moment, Heather is outside reading a book while the girls play in one of those cheap plastic kiddie pools from Bruce Variety. Meanwhile, the boy is upstairs sleeping.

As for the photo, Heather's mom put in for a "voluntary lay-off" at work last month, and used the time to come out for a visit. While I think she had a good time, I think the kids got the best of her...she kept saying something about the the springs in her head had sprung.

Zoe and Lily on the Slide at Norwood Park, 4/18/08

Zoe and Lily on the Slide at Norwood Park, 4/18/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Going Down the Slide Together, 4/18/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Lily Riding Her Bicycle into Bethesda, 4/17/08

Lily Riding Her Bicycle, 4/17/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Lily, more or less, made it from our house to Freeland Park(next to the Bethesda Library) while I walked Zoe and Asa in the double Baby Jogger. She still has trouble on hills and had to walk the bike on the dirt path, but all things considered, I was quite impressed.

Asa @ 16 months

Asa @ 16 months
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Not really a little baby anymore...

Asa at Gymboree, 4/11/08

Asa at Gymboree, 4/11/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Officially, Asa is still just tagging along for Zoe's Gymboree class, but to be truthful he has just as much fun as she does, sometimes more...

Lily Shows off her John Deere Bicycle

Lily Shows off her John Deere Bicycle
Originally uploaded by oldforest

We ended up buying Lily this bike(Zoe got a green one to match) at the Pole Tavern John Deere store in Elmer, New Jersey. We were on our way home from Cape May over the Easter holiday weekend. What had really amounted to pit stop, ended up taking a couple of hours when we decided to buy Zoe a bicycle. Unfortunately, the store didn't have a bike on display in Zoe's size(we wanted to make sure she fit on it), so we had to wait around while the clerk assembled one, which we did end up buying. Lily ended up with hers, even though she already has a Barbie bicycle, because she seemed so much more capable on the John Deere -- which she rode around and around the store while we waited.

Asa and Zoe Go for a Wagon Ride, 4/10/08

Asa and Zoe Go for a Wagon Ride, 4/10/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Heather has taken them for a walk around the neighborhood in their spiffy Radio Flyer several times, and to be honest I don't know how she does it. I was barely a block from the house before they were climbing out and refusing to stay put. It turned out to be a very short walk.

Zoe Swings at Candy Cane City, 3/26/08

Zoe Swings at Candy Cane City, 3/26/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Okay, as anyone who has checked this blog or the Flickr site knows, I am over 6 months behind in uploading photos. I literally have hundreds of photos that I'd like to post and organize into sets. For some time now, I've been putting them up in chronological order, which at the moment has me current through Zoe's second birthday. For months now I have been "nearly ready" to post some very cute pics of everyone at the pumpkin patch at Butler's Orchard from last Fall...anyway, with that said, assuming that all 3 kids remain napping, I'm going to post more recent stuff, maybe a dozen of the better pictures I just downloaded to the computer taken last month.

Baseball Predictions '08

I know that technically, I’m a little late in making my baseball predictions...evidently the season started this past Tuesday in Japan. Can the season really start, if no one in the States was awake to watch?

Anyway, both Nats and O’s fans have something to cheer about. The Nats have a brand new park to show-off and the O’s are FINALLY rebuilding. Hopefully, the Nats will improve on last season and play respectable .500 ball in their new digs. The O’s on the other hand are hoping not to be historically bad.

As for the bigger picture, I’m picking the Tigers(as I did last year) to beat the Braves in the World Series. On paper, who’s going to beat Detroit. In Miguel Cabrera, they added a MVP caliber player to an already scary lineup. In Dontrelle Willis, they added a potential ace(if he returns to form) almost as an afterthought. The Braves, with the return of Tom Glavine(along with Smoltz and Hudson), again have a 1-2-3 punch at the top of their rotation. While Mark Teixiera will put up MVP numbers as he gets more comfortable in the National League.

My division and wild-card picks are a little different from last year. In the AL, I have the Yankees, Tigers and Mariners winning pennants and the Indians earning the wild-card. In the NL, I have the Braves, Brewers and Dodgers winning pennants and the Phillies earning a wild-card. I know, I’m in the minority, in thinking that the hated-Yankees can take the division from the Red Sox nation, but that’s just it, I can’t believe that Boston can be so arrogant after tasting a little success -- watch out for karmic pay back. Also, I’m still not convinced that Terry Francona is as good of a manager as recent results might indicate. While the Yankees, didn’t treat Joe Torre with the respect he deserved, Joe Giraldi is a very good replacement(he would still be the Marlins’ manager if he could have gotten along the the owner). In the Central, The Indians were no fluke, they just didn’t do enough to keep up with the Tigers. Last year, I liked the Mariners and Felix Hernandez for the Cy Young in the West, and I still do. While the Mariners may one day regret the loss of Adam Jones, they did add an ace to their rotation in Erk Bedard with their trade with the O’s. Bedard and Hernandez is a pretty nice 1-2 at the top of the rotation.

While I expect the Braves to return to the top of the NL East, I still assume that the Phillies with Howard and Rollins in the heart of their lineup should not be dismissed as a contender. As it did last year, the Brewers fortunes hinge on the health of their ace Ben Sheets. If he stays healthy, he’ll be in the running for the Cy Young(along with Peavy and Webb). In the West, I remain suspect that the Rockies are for real. I expect Joe Torre to mold the Dodgers into the division winners that on paper they should have been last year.

To recap: NL Pennants to the Braves, Brewers and Dodgers (wild-card to the Phillies), AL Pennants to the Yankees, Tigers and Mariners (wild-card to the Indians), MVPs for Miguel Cabrera(AL) and Mark Teixiera(NL), and Cy Young awards for Felix Hernandez(AL) and Ben Sheets(NL).

Let the season REALLY begin...

At Congress Hall, 3/23/08

At Congress Hall, 3/23/08
Originally uploaded by oldforest

We got back from our annual Easter weekend trip to Cape May last night. While it was a little cold, it was much nicer than last year(no snow!). The kids are pictured here, right after the Easter egg hunt -- the girls are wearing their Sunday's best. This photo was taken by the Exit Zero(a free weekly) photographer who was there for the Easter egg hunt. It was e-mailed to me this morning.

A Little House "Renovation"on Wilson Lane

A Little House "Renovation"on Wilson Lane
Originally uploaded by oldforest

While these pictures were taken last week, this little renovation project began sometime in November of last year. It just happens that my friend Nancy lives directly behind this chaos, so she and her husband Brian, have had to suffer through all the noise and mess it has caused. Not to mention, they haven't exactly had free and clear access to their own property, given that their house shares a driveway with the one pictured here. Judging from our conversations, the mud can get a wee bit overwhelming.

A Little House "Renovation" on Wilson Lane #2
Originally uploaded by oldforest

The view from the rear gives a better idea of what's really going on. Technically speaking, the county calls this construction an addition on to an existing house. Evidently, if 50% of the first floor walls are kept, it isn't considered new construction. Pretty absurd, if you ask me.

What's the Clown Doing with that Balloon?

What's the Clown Doing with that Balloon?
Originally uploaded by oldforest

It's a lot easier taking pictures than it is uploading or organizing them. As always, I'm way behind. Pictured here is Lily and Zoe(Asa's in the stroller) at the annual NICU reunion held back in September. It was about a month earlier than usual this time around, and as hoped, the weather was much nicer than in the past. A few dozen photos from the day are together in a set that can be seen at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kudukhsu/sets/72157603702326567/

Oh, So Fashionable...

Cynthia & Kim Legion Field, Athens, GA(circa '82)
Originally uploaded by oldforest

My friend Cynthia, who is Lily's Godmother, e-mailed me this old picture of herself yesterday. It was taken sometime in the early 1980's at an outdoor concert at Legion Field in Athens, Georgia. She thinks Gang of Four may have played. Evidently, the photo is going to be used in a new work of fiction about Athens.

Small Wonders

Nap Time, 10/16/07
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Like he is pictured here(a few weeks ago), it is not extraordinary for Asa to nap in his "pack n' play". What is quite rare is for all three kids to nap AT THE SAME TIME, like they did today from 12:30-2:30. Instead of checking e-mail, I probably should have been napping...

On the Path to the Lighthouse...

On the Path to the Lighthouse...
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Despite the fact that the lighthouse was closed and we wouldn't be able to take in the view from the top, our annual long weekend in Chincoteague was quite enjoyable. As usual, it was really too cold for the girls to play much on the beach, but I did let them run around a little...

I'll eventually get all the photos from the trip up.

Pumpkin Harvest Fun at Butler's Orchard

Zoe, Lily and Holly in the Pumpkin Carriage at Butler's Orchard, 10/21/07
Originally uploaded by oldforest

According to the calendar, it's time to visit the pumpkin patch...so yesterday, even though the weather warranted shorts and short sleeves, Heather took the girls out to Butler's Orchard for all the fun of Fall. Asa and I met up with them near the end of the afternoon, and by all reports the girls had a blast.

Pony Ride for the Birthday Girl

Pony Ride for the Birthday Girl
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Zoe's birthday party was yesterday at the Reston Zoo.

A Birthday Tradition...

A Birthday Tradition...
Originally uploaded by oldforest

As I did with her last year and with Lily for the past three years, I chronicled Zoe's entire day today from the time she woke up to the time she went to sleep. Other than the photo here, nothing else has been posted, but eventually...as anyone who's visited the photo sharing site recently knows, I'm about six weeks behind from being current. Zoe's birthday party isn't for a few days, but she did get a present of sorts, she got to go to pre-school. Like Lily, Zoe's attending Kenwood Kids. Heather took the day off from work so she could mark the event in person.

Saying Goodbye to RFK, 9/21/07

Saying Goodbye to RFK, 9/21/07
Originally uploaded by oldforest

I won't pretend that I have a lifetime of memories at RFK. I stopped being a devoted 'Skins fan at age 9, on Thanksgiving Day in 1974 -- Clint Longley's Hail Mary pass to Drew Pearson was not something that I, as a little boy, could recover from. That's not to say that I never went to RFK before the Nats' arrival, I just can't wax poetic about the place. Nevertheless, it was a fine temporary home for the Nats, with a certain amount charm and character...

Fun on the Mall...

Lily on the Carousel
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Even if Saturday's National Book Fair on the Mall wasn't as much fun as it could have been -- it was too crowded and disorganized -- the girls weren't disappointed by the carousel rides or ice cream.

Zoe on the Carousel, 9/29/07
Originally uploaded by oldforest

Ice Cream on the Mall...
Originally uploaded by oldforest