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I just have a hard time realizing that my kids are actually going to be (and are now) teenagers. She just seems so young, but Maddie wants to start shaving her legs. It must be time because even Richard is saying, "Yeah, it's time," with that what-are-you-waiting-for look on his face. And he is usually opposed to letting them "grow up too fast." So, brand new razor coming home soon.
Okay, I wanna know who starting shaving past 17. JK

I've Been Tagged (my first)

FIVE THINGS...

I WAS DOING FIVE YEARS AGO

Adjusting to life in a new town
Adjusting to life in a new job
Adjusting to life in a new marriage
Missing all my friends and family
Realizing I was pregnant again
(I call that year HELL YEAR, by the way)

ON MY LIST TODAY

Laundry (almost check)
Put up Halloween decorations (check)
Make banana bread (check)
Call credit card company to dispute a fee
Exercise

YOU'LL NEVER WEAR AGAIN

Uncomfortable shoes (I don't care how cute they are)
A wedding dress!
Long hair (I think I'm just too old now)
My pearl earrings (one got lost in Utah. I am in so much trouble)
A waitress uniform (been a while for that one--thank goodness)

BAD HABITS

Procrastinating
Leaving my clothes on my bed at the end of the day
Never sending cards (thank you, birthday, etc.)
Chewing gum (I guess it's bad, but I'll never quit)
Eating to avoid work

SONGS I KNOW THE LYRICS TO

*Disclaimer: I am a music junkie. There's no way I can single out just 5 songs that I know the lyrics to, so I have to be more general. (**This was Brooke's disclaimer, but I gotta go with it too. I'll try to think of some of my firsts.)

Almost every Beach Boys song
Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer/Gambler--Kenny Rogers This was the first album I ever bought with my own money.
Coat of Many Colors and all the other songs on that Dolly Parton album
Carpenters
Tons of Bette Midler
Really, way too many to list. If you ever listen to the radio with me you will know that I can while away many hours just singing old songs.



AND FINALLY, "Tag! You're it!..."

Joni, Christina, Erin H.

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On to New York

This is Maine

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We're Back

What a whirlwind tour of New England that turned out to be. We had a great time, saw a ton of stuff, and ate well. Happily, we are all safe and sound back at home. I will report in chunks because I probably won't be able to do it all in one sitting.

The first day was Boston. We never did get the stroller rental figured out, so we ended up doing the trolley tour to save our feet and our ears (from all the whining). We started at Faneuil Hall and picked up the Liberty Trail from there. We saw Paul Revere's house and saw a play done by "his wife" there, the Old North Church (1 if by land, 2 if by sea), Boston Harbor, etc. We spent quite a bit of time in the Public Garden. We had planned to ride the swan boats, but unfortunately they had already closed for the season. Bummer! But we did find Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings. The kids had a much better time there than anywhere else and couldn't figure out why we were traipsing all over Boston. They just weren't very excited about US history sites.