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I think my cold is pretty much over, though J...
November 30, 2004 by Adam in Adam
I think my cold is pretty much over, though Jamie's still got the tail end of it. These days I'm mostly adjusting to the cold of riding to work these winter mornings. Work has actually been fairly relaxing as of late, with most of my major projects wrapped up. I've even had a chance to do some research on some future team projects.
In terms of life in general, things are going fairly well. Though the kids are a lot of work, it's been fun watching Emma learn to talk and Sam learn to read. My various computer game hobbies go fairly well. I've started planning a new adventure for a game that isn't coming out for a couple years, which is about how long the planning should take. We've also got the holidays to plan. Hopefully I can take a week or so off just to hang out with the family.
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After four days of whirlwind family activitie...
November 29, 2004 by Adam in Family
 After four days of whirlwind family activities, I'm heading back to work. Yesterday we all pulled ourselves out of bed, nearly everyone coughing but me. Sam played with his remote control car for awhile, then both kids ran around the basement as I played the music from Pirates of the Carribean. Evidently Sam couldn't help but run during the exciting parts.
We headed over to my mom's around noon for Robbie's birthday. Seraph was a trooper, making lunch and keeping everyone organized. Sam played with Isabell for a long stretch, then Destin once he arrived. Eventually we headed home with a Costco sized package of paper towels balanced on my head.
The rest of the day we tried hard to be fairly quiet. Sam played his new chess computer game a bit, though it was fairly hard. Emma and I took a short walk and admired all the people and animals wandering by. Before bedtime, I helped Sam read his second easy reader book. We'll have to hit the library and pick up some new ones for him to practice on. Fun stuff.
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Well, I finished up Half-Life 2
November 28, 2004 by Adam in Adam's Games
Well, I finished up Half-Life 2. The plot was pretty skimpy, especially at the end. Still, the gameplay was great, nicely divided into unique sections of the game. The gravity gun in particular was fun to play with. Being able to pick up most things in the world and throw it about is loads of fun. Sam's playing it at the moment and has decided to toss everything not nailed down out the window.
I'll probably give myself a couple weeks before picking up a new game. Vampire: Bloodlines is likely to be good, though only after they issue some patches to fix a few major bugs. Pirates! also came out, which looks appealing to me. I also have some assorted games I've yet to finish and my own games to make. I just opened up a Dragon Age section for documenting my development on this new project of mine.
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Saturday Thanksgiving with the Mellors has co...
November 28, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Saturday Thanksgiving with the Mellors has come and gone. Sam got his last wave of birthday presents including a remote controlled car that Emma's afraid of. Everyone had a great time, with Brant and Wendy driving over from Bend, Darrel coming in from Washington, Ray from Portland, and the assorted Eugene folks making an appearance as well. The food was good and everyone liked playing with the kids. Emma in particular loved all the attention. Jamie was still sick, remaining quiet to avoid hurting her sore throat.
It looks like today we're going over for a brief leftover lunch and birthday combo for Robbie at my mom's house, then we'll try to recover for the rest of the day.
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Despite the east coast weather, Thanksgiving ...
November 28, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Despite the east coast weather, Thanksgiving was wonderful. I am almost good enough at the banjo for a second lesson and re-tuning, and well rested enough to start a new project at work. Brian, the VISTA before me, is back for the weekend, and I'm excited to brainstorm with him about my progress and thoughts for the coming semester.
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It was a fairly exciting Friday
November 27, 2004 by Adam in Family
 It was a fairly exciting Friday. Sam turned six and a stream of well-wishers came by for cake and presents. In between guests, he played with his Robotix toy, his new boots, and the game Jenny and Destin got for him. Good fun.
Josh was over for much of the day, something that Emma and Sam enjoyed immensely. Emma in particular seemed enchanted with him, wanting to come up and hug him all the time.
Sam also got a couple first reader books from Judy. Last night we tried one of them. He sounded out the words as best he could, quickly starting to recognizing some by sight. Though it took awhile, he read the entire book. When I left him, he was trying to read his second book by himself. Sniff. Our boy is growing up.
Thanksgiving with the Mellors is today. I think we'll have eleven people coming over. Poor Jamie is still sick, though hopefully she'll get well soon.
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Sam got a couple early reader books for his b...
November 27, 2004 by Adam in Sam
Sam got a couple early reader books for his birthday, given to him by grandma Judy. I decided to forgo the usual bednight reading time and instead have Sam read to me. He worked hard at it, but managed to read an entire book. He was really proud of himself, almost as much as we were of him.
We finished tucking him in and he grabbed the second book. As I headed down stairs, I could hear him slowly sounding out the words as he read to himself. What a great kid.
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Generic Heading
November 26, 2004 by Betsy in Betsy
Happy Birthday Sam!
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It's Sam's birthday today
November 26, 2004 by Adam in Sam
 It's Sam's birthday today. Hard to believe that it was only six years ago when we brought the little critter home and our lives changed forever. He's been a great joy these last years, from his wacky sense of humor to his love for his family. Happy birthday kiddo.
We'll have family descending on our house starting around noon with the arrival of Jim and Judy. I think everyone else is arriving around 2 pm or so. It's day 2 of the four-day family and eating extravaganza.
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Emma's working hard at making sentences these...
November 26, 2004 by Adam in Emma
 Emma's working hard at making sentences these days. She'll say things like "Brush. Emma." when she wants to have the brush. There's also phrases that roll off her tongue as a single word such as "Holdyou" which means she wants to be picked up. She also says "yep" like "dep", which has resulted in the rest of our family picking up the expression, especially Sam.
It's a fun time, watching Emma learn how to communicate. She's getting increasingly good at it, using words, facial expressions, and hand gestures.
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Thanksgiving Day is coming to a close
November 26, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Thanksgiving Day is coming to a close. It's been a pretty packed day, with lots of kid watching and a big dinner at my mom's tonight. Fortunately Robbie and Isabell took Sam away to feed the ducks, giving Jamie and I a short break in the middle of the day. Then it was some wind down time before the big dinner. We all hiked over the hill to my mom's, though Jamie didn't stay too long. Her cough continues to make her feel lousy and she hasn't been able to talk much. Poor girl.
Tomorrow is Sam's birthday with Jim and Judy coming down from Portland to help out with everything. Plus we've got to do our cooking for Thanksgiving dinner with Jamie's family. Whew.
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Happy Thanksgiving to all
November 24, 2004 by Betsy in Betsy
Happy Thanksgiving to all. We do have much to be thankful for. I was thinking the other day about the big Thanksgiving do's at Grandma Jones house with the turkey cooked in a roaster on the back porch. I was at an auction a few years back and found the same roaster and bought it, except it had a stand. I love it for turkey as you can put it in the night before and slow cook it overnight. I made 5 turkeys for the church dinner last weekend and had an extra to take to some elderly friends of mine last night along with some homemade pumpkin pie. They are in their late 80's early 90's and I think Anna Belle secretly appreciated the chance not to have to cook.
I am sure you guys will have a big get together, the boys are off to Mike's farm for his family Thanksgiving and will be back late Friday night. The dogs and I will be busy however as some denegrate has brought fleas into the house so every square inch has to be cleansed and then exterminated. Creating a long drive with the cat and Red Dog in the car while the other dogs pace outside.
Will and Patrick have both been sick with a combination cold/fever bug with Will getting the worst of the cough and head cold. He is exteremly concerned he'll get his Grandma Tootsie sick and was practically hysterical before he left. Poor kid, some things he just doesn't understand.
All in all, Have a great Thanksgiving. P.
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Ah, mocha Friday
November 24, 2004 by Adam in Family
Ah, mocha Friday. Well, okay, it's really Wednesday but it's the end of the work week. I think I'll be heading home early anyway as Jamie's feeling lousy and suggested I not dally at work.
I managed to efficiently get both kids crying last night as I accidentally dropped Emma on Sam, bonking their heads together. They recovered in a minute or two but I felt miserable. I think my "safety dad" license has been temporarily revoked.
Not much news on the home front. I learned through the grapevine that my old friends Jason Kronholm and Bridget are expecting a baby. Funny how parenthood is sneaking up on the old crowd.
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My Half-Life 2 adventures continue
November 23, 2004 by Adam in Adam's Games
 My Half-Life 2 adventures continue. The game seems to be broken down into levels, each one highlighting a certain aspect of the game. There's areas that let you play around with the gravity gun, picking up and throwing objects about. There's a couple vehicle levels. There's another level that's focused on AI. Once a certain style of gameplay starts getting stale, the player is quickly plunked into a new environment and faces different challenges. It seems to work out quite nicely.
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Ah, I hope all is well with the clan
November 22, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Ah, I hope all is well with the clan. I wish I could return for Thanksgiving, but I still promise you Christmas. I have mid-tenure training next week in Littleton, MA with other VISTAs across the state, which should be helpful in jumpstarting next semester's work plan. I'd like to refocus on more fundamental but challanging directions. Poverty alleviation isn't quite as straightforward as it sounds, especially when required to go into an office every day and face the kiss of death that is email.
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I've been working on reading comprehension wi...
November 22, 2004 by Adam in Sam
I've been working on reading comprehension with Sam lately. Though he protests that he can't read, he's actually gotten pretty good with sounding out words and recognizing common ones. The trick is to have Sam-appropriate vocabulary. Last night it was "The orc ate the cat. The shark at the orc. Sam ate the shark." Good times.
I also had a lot of fun taking Sam to see The Incredibles yesterday. He has a really well-developed sense of humor so he not only understands my jokes but often comes up with some witty repartee as well.
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It was a packed Sunday, with kid playing in t...
November 22, 2004 by Adam in Family
 It was a packed Sunday, with kid playing in the morning then off to see The Incredibles with Sam around lunchtime. When I returned, Sam played with the neighbor boy Grahm for most of the afternoon while Emma and I went for a walk, watched Bug's Life (again), and generally played around.
Jamie unfortunately caught the horrible cough that we've all had for the last month. Hopefully she won't be quite as miserable as I've been.
It looks like Thanksgiving is slowly shaping up. It's going to be a busy one, with Thanksgiving at mom's Thursday, Sam's birthday party Friday, Thanksgiving at our house with Jamie's family on Saturday, and perhaps Robbie's birthday party in there somewhere. Hopefully I can find some time to relax too.
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It was a good Saturday as Saturdays go
November 21, 2004 by Adam in Family
 It was a good Saturday as Saturdays go. We played with the kids all morning, then headed to Sam's friend John's birthday party. Jamie and Emma went to shopping for Thanksgiving while Sam bowled and ate cake. It turns out that the rest of the free world had the same idea so it was a bit of a madhouse. Sam had fun bowling for the first time, even getting a strike.
Strangely enough, it turns out that Sharon's sister is someone we went to the teaching program with twelve years ago (Sharon is Jamie's friend and John's mother). It's a small world indeed.
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Emma loves Bug's Life
November 21, 2004 by Adam in Emma
 Emma loves Bug's Life. She watches it every day and everyone else in the family has memorized nearly every line. Emma in particular seems to contemplate the movie when not watching it. She even managed her first sentence: "Hopper. Bird. Eat 'em."
Of course she says it so often that as soon as she says "Hopper," everyone else in the family finishes the sentence for her. Then Emma just looks at us and says "Yep."
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Thought I'd post a quick note before heading ...
November 21, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
Thought I'd post a quick note before heading off to bed (I'm pretending that it's still night and not morning)!
Mom and I had a wonderful little visit. I forget how nice it is to complete a sentance with out little ones around.
This afternoon I went to The Incredables with my co-workers (all animation mjors). Fab movie! One of the girls and I went to the Disney store afterwards and were very tempted to get T-Shirts and interative Edna dolls (you gotta see it to believe it).
I then headed back to school to work on some projects until closing time at 11:45. Now it's off for some sleep before getting up and working on a couple of shortpapers in the morning. By the end of the term the mear word "microfiber" may have me twitching!
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Yet another mocha Friday
November 19, 2004 by Adam in Family
Yet another mocha Friday. My cough is finally subsiding, which makes life seem so much better.
Jamie had a surprise for me yesterday, though she spilled the beans a bit early. Sam kept the secret too, which was also impressive. Our old refrigerator that came with the house was replaced by a shiny new one, something that Jamie's been wanting for awhile. Emma and Sam had a great time taking all the packing tape off and we're slowly adjusting to the new food locations.
I'm hoping for another quiet weekend before the madness of Thanksgiving begins. Hopefully Sam and I can make it to The Incredibles, which sounds like our kind of movie. It would be nice to get outdoors before real winter hits. We'll see how ambitious I really get.
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I'm sending Robbie and Isabell off to Eugene ...
November 19, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
I'm sending Robbie and Isabell off to Eugene tomorrow on the train. While it will be a chance for me to get ahead on my homework and finals projects, it will be a fun adventure for them as well!
My birthday came and went, and I had a wonderful time catching up with old friends. Kai looks ready to pop, and the news of the evening was that Kate will be following suit!
We helped Raven and Cheikh celebrate the end of Ramadan, and have decided to put together a monthly potluck with them and some other friends.
Mom just called, and she'll be coming up tomorrow night so we can make a trip to Daisy Kingdom. It will be a fun to take a leasurly feildtrip.
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1
November 18, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
1. I'm learning to play the banjo, and it's going well.
2. I'm going to Rev. Spalding's house for Thanksgiving, which should be wonderful- he lives in an old church and I might get to ring the bell.
3. Work is good, but slow.
4. I'm moving my radio show from 7-8 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays to 8-9, so all of you west coast kids up at five in the morning know where to tune in- www.wcfm.williams.edu. I'll play anything you want. Don't leave me alone with my murder ballads and death row blues.
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Sam wacked his knee pretty hard the other night
November 18, 2004 by Adam in Sam
Sam wacked his knee pretty hard the other night. As usual, he's a real trooper when he first gets hurt. Of course, he's been using it as an excuse to avoid taking baths and doing exercise too. I suppose we can give him a couple more days grace before things return to normal.
In school news, Sam seems to enjoy the handwriting table. I wish I had more time to sit down and have reading lessons with him. With two kids, that and other things are a challenge. Hopefully his computer gaming skills will pan out.
Last night I was showing Sam the Google image search and he had a great time calling out things for me to search for. Eventually the requests got sillier and sillier until he called out "Search for poop!" I decided to call it a night.
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I was up at 4:30 this morning, given a charmi...
November 18, 2004 by Adam in Family
 I was up at 4:30 this morning, given a charming little baby as a wake up present. We've been playing for the last couple hours, waiting for Jamie to wake up and relieve me of my burden. Then it's off to work where I'll probably treat myself to a mocha . . . for medicinal reasons, of course.
I think my cough is a little better, though it's hard to tell. The inhaler isn't supposed to do much for a couple more days. It may just be that it'll improve on its own anyway.
I suspect I'll be continuing to rebuild my work computer. The new hardware should be faster and better but I find myself having to reinstall all the goodies I rely on.
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Well, I can honestly say that Half Life 2 is ...
November 18, 2004 by Adam in Adam's Games
 Well, I can honestly say that Half Life 2 is one of the best games I've ever played. I love the physics systems, the look, and the tone of the story so far. Lately I've been driving around my trusty airboat, doing crazy jumps and avoiding the evil Combine troops. Great fun.
There's a pesky stuttering that happens sometimes, so I think I'm going to have to take a closer look and see if there's some settings I can tweak.
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Wednesday is wrapping up and life seems to be...
November 17, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Wednesday is wrapping up and life seems to be looking up. My cough has been persisting for the last few weeks. The doctor visit went well and I picked up an anti-inflammatory inhaler to help a bit. My work computer died but I now have a very capable spare that should get me through the two months before my replacement.
Sam turns six in nine days. He seems so grown up these days that I forget he's only five. Reading is the next big skill we're working on. He does reasonable well if given the time and motivation. At this point he needs to build up his vocabulary and start recognizing more words at a glance.
Emma is quite the imp. She bit Jamie's leg the other day, then made puppy dog eyes and gave it a kiss. It seems to be a time for her to test the limits of what we'll do.
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I give up
November 17, 2004 by Adam in Adam
I give up. I've had my cough for nearly three weeks now and I've decided it's time to see a doctor (with some prodding from Jamie). Hopefully I'll get some antibotics and get sent on my way.
My work computer is still dead. It's slowly being worked on while I try to accomplish things on this borrowed laptop. It's just not the same, though.
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My work computer died today
November 16, 2004 by Adam in Adam
My work computer died today. I'm typing this on a borrowed laptop, but it's not the same. All the nifty utilities and files that I've accumulated over the years are gone and I'm stuck with only vanilla software. Sigh.
Hopefully I'll get it back later this day. I miss ol' Bessie.
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I woke up around two in the morning, dreaming...
November 16, 2004 by Adam in Adam's Games
I woke up around two in the morning, dreaming of Half-Life 2. At midnight this morning the game unlocked on my hard drive and was suddenly playable. I forced myself back to sleep, waking up at 4:30 am and delving into the game before work.
So far, it seems like the best first person shooter I've ever played. I love the physics gameplay, with exploding barrels, floating boxes, and falling debris. It's very much a thinking man's shooter, with plenty of real-life puzzles to solve.
For an example, there are these barnacle-like creatures that stick to the ceiling and trail a long sticky rope to grab anyone who comes by. I picked up a nearby flammable barrel, threw it down for it to catch, then set it on fire with a few pistol shots. By the time it pulled it up to the main body, it exploded and cleared out most of the barnacles in the area. Even better, the nearby ones picked up the debris and tried to eat it, giving me yet more room to run by.
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http://www
November 15, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
http://www.sorryeverybody.com
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I happen to be sitting at Adam's computer whi...
November 14, 2004 by Jamie in Jamie
 I happen to be sitting at Adam's computer while he and Emma play. I am going to make Adam's favorite Challah French Toast this morning because he has been whin...um, sick for so long ;-) I'm trying to add holiday preparations to my busy schedule...have found that procrastination is no longer an option in my life. I'm going to make a cake for Sam's birthday on the 26th. My mom is also coming down just for that day. I'm going to try to arrange an "at home" (in the grand Victorian tradition) when anyone who is around can drop by to wish Sam happy birthday. It is hard to plan parties for this poor boy with his birthday in the cold and holiday time.
I am hosting my boys and their entourages for Thanksgiving on the 28th. Happy Holidays!
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Saturday went fairly well
November 14, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Saturday went fairly well. We didn't try for anything too exciting, mostly just played with kids for most of the day. Sam and I managed to get a short hike in, climbing halfway up Spencer's Butte. The fog was thick all around us, giving it a magical quality. We also wandered off the path and came across a little altar made out of sticks, moss, mushrooms, and bark that someone had made.
When we got back, Emma and I wandered around outside for a bit while Jamie and Sam played a board game. I think the denziens of the garden call Emma "Snailbane" as she loves seeking them out and crushing them with her love.
The evening was a low-key continuation of the day. We watched Mission Impossible, gave Emma a bath, let Jamie have a little mud mask bath of her own, and quietly went to bed.
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I managed to get a zipper related injury on m...
November 12, 2004 by Adam in Family
I managed to get a zipper related injury on my lip this morning. Unfortunately it's not as risqué as it sounds. I was unzipping my rain jacket when I got to work and zipped over my lip. Oops.
It's fortunately sweet mocha Friday, which I'm happily enjoying at the moment. I don't think we have any particularly exciting weekend plans, other than me feeling like I need to get cracking on shopping for Sam's birthday and Christmas in general. It would be nice to have a quiet, restful weekend as this week has seemed so very busy.
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All the leaves are gone and it's snowing in w...
November 12, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
All the leaves are gone and it's snowing in wet, windless sheets. I'm staying in Williamstown for Thanksgiving and almost certainly for another year- a prospect that is comforting (I can't imagine leaving after having just learned the ropes of the community and college), but, looking out my window and reaching for a second sweater, also terrifying. I can only hope that x-country skiing grows on me and the townies I have gathered close will keep me company through the muffled isolation of a hill town winter. The college also lends vibrance to my life in countless ways- lectures, performances and good people. I will not be afraid, even as it, just now, begins to snow harder.
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Jamie reported a funny story about Emma this ...
November 11, 2004 by Adam in Emma
 Jamie reported a funny story about Emma this morning. Sam had crawled into bed with her and Jamie after he had bad dreams. When Emma woke up in the morning, she looked at Sam, said "shh", and gave him a kiss. Sam rolled over and went back to sleep.
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Jamie and Emma were woken up in the middle of...
November 11, 2004 by Adam in Family
Jamie and Emma were woken up in the middle of the night by a car alarm going off. I soon joined them in the kitchen for an impromptu midnight snack. It's been a bit of a bumpy week overall, with the kids and I coughing away and Jamie looking exhausted. Hopefully everyone will perk up by the weekend.
No exciting news. Sam and I have been incorporating the cushions from the basement couch into a variety of games these days. I can't say how many rafts, forts, and lava platforms we've constructed as of late. Emma's been taking lots of baths and likes to play on the computer (though I usually have to use the mouse for her). Jamie does Xtreme unwinding when I get home, trying to escape from the children for a few moments. Ah, the joys of life with children.
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Emma changes so quickly that it's hard to doc...
November 10, 2004 by Adam in Emma
 Emma changes so quickly that it's hard to document anything. She can hold conversations of a sort and is very good at getting her point across. "What's that?" is still her favorite expression. She's very good at naming all sorts of objects around the house.
Her teeth continue to pop in. I think she's finally getting her back molars. The only way I can really see is to get her laughing and tilt her back so she opens up wide.
Emma and I have a new game together. She'll say "Drop!" and I'll go into the bed room and start dropping her on the bed. There's lots of variations, such as pretending to sneeze and accidentally drop her. This was a favorite of Sam's too as I recall.
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Happy Birthday, Seraph! 'Thought I wake up ea...
November 10, 2004 by Hanni in Hanni
Happy Birthday, Seraph! 'Thought I wake up early enough to call you before you to took off to school. But since you leave in the wee hours in the morning when it is still dark, 7:30 AM was too late. All of us had a wonderful weekend celebrating your 28. Birthday,( I think I can still mention your age ?)first at my house and then the next day, Sunday, with your whole family at your Mom's house. There was so much talking going on around the dining room table that Isabell held her ears closed and ask us not to talk so loud, when actually her voice was several octaves louder than ours when she was expressing her opinion. I guess it is hard for a small child, who is the happiest in a one on one situation, to sit among a large group of people who jabber about all kinds of 'nonesense' she could not comprehend. Just putting myself into that situation as a child I can understand why she felt that way.I have been in a situation among Spanish speaking people when they debated about some thing I didn't understand, and I got the impression they were all mad at each other when that wasn't the case, but I felt like holding my ears shut.
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My annoying cough continues
November 10, 2004 by Adam in Adam
 My annoying cough continues. It's become tedious at this point, no longer exciting in any way. It's also earned me a spot in the guest bed for a week now, as my coughing keeps Jamie from sleeping.
Jamie sweetly got me a new shirt the other day. It reminds me of the ones from the original Star Trek. Fortunately it's blue and not red. The red shirt guys were always the first to die horribly after they beamed down to the planet.
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Ah, Betsy, I'll think of you when formulating...
November 10, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Ah, Betsy, I'll think of you when formulating my radio playlist tomorrow morning. Sometimes the blues is the best remedy for kickin' crack (or what have you).
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Sam and I made up a couple fun little games t...
November 10, 2004 by Adam in Sam
Sam and I made up a couple fun little games the other night. The first one involved couch cushions being safe to walk on, while the rest of the floor was either lava or water, depending on Sam's mood. In any case, it got him exercising pretty well, throwing pillows about and jumping from one to the other.
I also got this funny motion-sensor lock from work (it was for laptops but was never used). I'd build a structure out of blocks, place two "jewels" inside, then put the lock on top of the whole thing. As a master thief, his job was to carefully remove blocks and extract the jewels without setting off the alarm. I think he played at that one for close to an hour last night.
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This week has been soooooo bad that I'm consi...
November 09, 2004 by Betsy in Betsy
This week has been soooooo bad that I'm considering dropping out of society and becoming a crack addict. Any suggestions?????
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http://wcfm
November 09, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
http://wcfm.williams.edu/listenlive.htm
Listen to my show from 7:00-8:00 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
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It was wonderful to see everyone this weekend...
November 09, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
 It was wonderful to see everyone this weekend! Somehow the next best birthday gift, since the earlier request didn't come through, was just hanging out with my family!
We're all back in our regular routine here. Robbie and Isa are looking forward to a slightly shorter week due to the holiday. I may put them to work baking for this weekends Church Bizaar.
I'm plugging away at school, and even pulled a compliment from my hard core perfectionist drapping instructor! We'll see if I can keep it up!
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What a nice weekend! Seraph and I went shoppi...
November 09, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
What a nice weekend! Seraph and I went shopping at Goodwill;
her birthday present of cash stretched into two Jackie Kennedy coats and a number of shirts and sweaters. Also, we ran into Yayoe, that maven of second hand stuff, which was fun. Mr. Puente came for a few hours on Sunday morning and moved things out to the shed. He's back today working on one part of the garden. It was very fun to have everyone for brunch on Sunday, and I had a good long phone call with Sadie in the afternoon.
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The weekend has come and gone
November 08, 2004 by Adam in Family
 The weekend has come and gone. Sam's finishing up watching his Justice League episode, Emma's hanging out with Jamie, and I'm taking a short respite to relax.
Saturday was filled with playing with kids. Sam went over to his friend John's house, returning this morning after having lots of fun. It was pretty quiet without him. Jamie and I watched Pillow Talk, the classic romantic comedy from the 50's. It was a rare treat.
This morning we went to my mom's for Seraph's birthday. Everyone was in a good mood and Sam and Isabell played for nearly the entire time. As usual, there was plenty of good food and lots of conversation.
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This weekend was Williams homecoming, a rowdy...
November 07, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
This weekend was Williams homecoming, a rowdy anti-intellectual drunken bash that students love and alums return for. As I discovered, no one actually watches the game, but three thousand people mill around the grassy parking lot, eating chili, drinking beer, and bumping into friends. It was a working weekend for all the networking I did at the game. I also connected with one of the Yes Men on Friday night (the best documentary activits event- www.theyesmen.org) and am going to sell some of their merchandise at a fair trade gift show on campus. Then I met this awesome awesome senior who is going to make benefit holiday gift cards with me. A good week, for all it's low points.
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I played Myst IV a little more this morning
November 05, 2004 by Adam in Adam's Games
I played Myst IV a little more this morning. I've been stuck at a certain point for a week or so, not realizing I had to pet the snake from right to left, not left to right. I think I'm slowly wrapping up the game. I decided the puzzles were too hard, even with the hints at hand. Mostly it's turning into a pretty movie.
I'll probably fiddle with Sims 2 a bit more after that and wait patiently for Half-Life 2 to get finally released.
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Mocha Friday
November 05, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Mocha Friday. I slept like a rock last night. Jamie said I coughed, but I must have been so tired that I didn't wake up. Jamie's been a real trooper lately. Both of the kids have been feeling poorly, plus her husband hasn't been good for much over the last few days.
Sam's going to stay overnight at a friend's house this Saturday. Evidently he's pretty excited about it and it's nice having the house quiet for at least a little bit. Sam and I don't get enough time to play together as it is, so hopefully we can get some alone time together.
Other than that, I'm feeling generally disorganized. There's a variety of obligations that I suspect I'm going to meet only partly or not at all. These days it seems that I have everything I want except for time.
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I haven't chimmed in this week on elections a...
November 05, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
I haven't chimmed in this week on elections and and various events following. Most people I know are still walking around in a strange jet lagged stupor. I know a few people in Portland, including a columist I read that might be good resources for your political agenda Mom. Let me know if anythings starts to get put together.
I did want to post part of an article from one of the British newspapers I follow:
By Paul Majendie
LONDON, Nov 4 (Reuters) - When Queen Elizabeth opened a conference on global warming in Berlin this week, it shone a spotlight on her own efforts to keep Britain green.
Despite appearances -- the huge royal palaces, lavish state banquets and fleets of limousines -- environmentalists have praised "the Green Queen."
Without fanfare, she has tried to turn her many royal households into models of energy efficiency, they concede.
Already she has converted official cars to run on eco-friendly liquified petroleum gas fuel, switched to energy-saving light bulbs and has sunk a bore hole in Buckingham Palace garden as part of a low-energy heating system.
Now plans are being drawn up to build a hydro-electric plant on the River Thames which could generate enough electricity to power 900-year-old Windsor Castle without burning fossil fuels.
The 78-year-old monarch has always been notoriously thrifty, urging everyone in Buckingham Palace to turn out the lights on leaving a room. But officials say the energy-saving is not just motivated by money.
For royal spin doctors bidding to quell tabloid fever about the dysfunctional family's latest scandal, answering media queries about the queen's energy-saving plans comes as a welcome relief.
With a husband who headed the World Wildlife Fund for 35 years and an environmentally-conscious heir who has even admitted talking to his own vegetables, the family boasts solid green credentials.
"Some of the steps she has taken are extremely welcome," said a spokesman for the environmental pressure group Friends of the Earth which welcomed her opening, however symbolic, of the global warming conference during a state visit to Germany.
"Her participation sends a strong message around the world -- particularly to the United States -- on the need for urgent action on global warming," Neil Verlander told Reuters.
Maybe it's time to move back to my roots.
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Thanks for all your blog support- I'm almost ...
November 04, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Thanks for all your blog support- I'm almost articulate again after finishing off a couple of bottles of wine and blowing off steam with friends last night.
Mom, if you need any help with that civil union statute, give a holler- I can rally my peers, and you know that Morgan is currently working with United Way in Eugene.
I'm tired of seeing gay people portrayed as media minstrels who can be embraced by the popular imagination as an entertaining vacation from normative society and then denied when they step out of that role to demand equal rights.
And I'm afraid for the supreme court.
May the world forgive us, for the American people clearly know not what they do.
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Sweet blissful sleep
November 04, 2004 by Adam in Adam
Sweet blissful sleep. I finally got seven or so hours of sleep last night, though I kept waking myself up coughing. I gave in and drank the last of the cough syrup though there wasn't much left. Now I'm groggy but coughing less, slowly moving towards work.
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Well, all the swear words have elicited my ca...
November 04, 2004 by Jamie in Jamie
Well, all the swear words have elicited my caretaker side. Please, please don't be disheartened with humanity, Adam's family. This is only an excellent excuse to become more involved citizens..which this country could use no matter the adminitrative bent, eh? I love you all, and support freedom and compassion for all. And I hope those with the power to manifest these values will make at least some choices for the greater good as opposed to the misguided masses. Call me.
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Well, after all my family members used a vari...
November 03, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Well, after all my family members used a variety of colorful phrases to describe their election feelings, I'll probably have my site put on various blocking lists. You've all earned a mouth washing with extra soap!
I'm completely exhausted, having gotten very little sleep for two nights in a row. My mild cold has turned into an annoying cough that keeps me up. Cough medicine makes me spacey, which I counteract with coffee, and it's pretty much gone downhill from there. I hide at work to get some rest, knowing that I'll be swarmed by children when I arrive home tonight. I'd kill for a hot bath and a good book.
The family is well, with Emma being increasingly cute. She's getting really good at communicating using her hundred or so words. She's got the non-verbal communication down pat as well, with some really funny facial expressions. It's good these days to focus on the things that are going well.
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Well, just piss and shit all over that
November 03, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
Well, just piss and shit all over that. Betsy, you should have voted more. And I think your strategy is excellent; let's draft the twins. I talked with Floyd Prozanski this morning - he was out in his grubbies fixing that ratty old pick-up - we talked about working on a civil union statute.
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UGLY DISGUSING ELECTION RESULTS:I'm pissed an...
November 03, 2004 by Yayoe in Yayoe
UGLY DISGUSING ELECTION RESULTS:I'm pissed and horrified with the results of the election and agree with Sadie 1000%. Hey Sadie, so glad you finally learned to use the F word..hope that was due to my tutelage and influence! Meanwhile, the scary part of the election is that half OR MORE of this country is shaped by the religious,self-serving right. I thought our forefathers fought for separation of church and state. We also lost the vote for same-sex marriage. Another crushing disappontment. I worked at the Kerry headquarters all afternoon yesterday watching dedicated folks of all ages walking in the pouring rain and canvassing neighborhoods that had not voted yet. They were able to bring in ballots of those who couldn't get to the drop box or who didn't have time to vote until the knock came to the door. Meeting these dedicated people was very inspiring. We were hopeful and optimistic as we listened to the exit polls and then BAM>>>bad news. Maybe a miracle will happen if the provisional ballots and other votes are counted. The thought of 4 more years with that idiot SMUCK is more than I can take. The supreme court is also going to be shaped by the election as well. I may have to overdose and buy an apricot pie and eat it all by myself to get over this nightmare. Do you think I should use real or diet icecream as a topper? Later...
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If Jenna Bush were in Iraq instead of parting...
November 03, 2004 by Betsy in Betsy
If Jenna Bush were in Iraq instead of parting with Paris and Nikki Hilton, we wouldn't be at war. The small town of Tornville has sent off most of our youth in some position or another. We can't take much more. Fortunately God has watched over them so far but it can't last forever, and yes I still believe in God, even though I'm doubting the Democratic process. Tighten your purse strings and harden your heart because we are in for a rough 4 years.
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Mom, God hasn't blessed America, God fucked u...
November 03, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Mom, God hasn't blessed America, God fucked us with the fucking evangelical homophobic racist vote. Gay marriage bans across the nation? This democracy is a fucking joke.
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It's 2:10 am
November 03, 2004 by Adam in Adam
It's 2:10 am. My cough woke me up, annoyingly enough. I just read the latest election results. Blah.
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An election extra - Everyone I know is jitter...
November 03, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
An election extra - Everyone I know is jittery; Reta and I
parted this evening trying to decide whether the winner should buy the loser lunch tomorrow. I guess it's a good time to remember that the country has made it through 228
occasionally tumultuous years, and we will all still be Americans tomorrow, warts and all. God bless America, and make us wiser and more honorable as a country than we have often been. Love, the elder and getting elderier, mom
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John Cass came down for the Oregon-Washington...
November 02, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
John Cass came down for the Oregon-Washington game, which Oregon won handily. After the game we went to the Etta James concert - what a voice! Just want you to know there are other old broads besides me still functioning. We tried to get together with Lohring and Yayoe, but as you know, your Dad was a bit poorly. Jenny and the boys came over on Sunday afternoon. Jordan was a Tigger, Dez a Ninja Warrior.
I then went shopping, one of my least favorite tasks.
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Election day, finally
November 02, 2004 by Adam in Adam
Election day, finally. Hopefully today will mark the end of my obsessive analysis of polls and commentary. I'm really hoping the election isn't close at all as waiting for things to be decided in court would only prolong the agony.
I'm getting over a cold, now at the "scratchy throat/coughing" stage. I took some cough medicine last night and still feel somewhat spacy. Hopefully I can avoid the pink elephants and swirling colors on my bike ride to work this morning.
There was some excitement at work yesterday. Our smallish web services team suddenly doubled in size. A bunch of developers who reported to another manager now report to mine. Needless to say there was some concern about how it would all work out. Ah, the joys of reorganization.
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Ah, Mr
November 01, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Ah, Mr. Pletcher! I'd love him, with his broken neck and one soft patch of natural fur left just under his bum. I'm still confused about what I did and didn't do to make my relationship work. Mom and I were talking about Anne Morrow Lindbergh's Gift From the Sea last night. Anna and I had become the colony of shells. How can you know, with all those good parts and complex memories and habits layering on top of one another, when the double sunrise shell goes? Or the moon shell? Maybe it's still there, but the vestiges of commitment and distance grew over it on the ocean rock and I can't touch it or break off the other muscles to find it. And you, my commited family, my colony of inseperable shells, how do you know when to choose the moon shell over the rest? At 23, it seems like the safest choice to make when the possiblity of making the same choice, too late in the game, terrifies me. Thank you for thinking of me at this moment, and for sending all your good thought to Anna, who is (naturally and justifiably) hella pissed that I, the commitmentphile, could be this much of a jerk so suddenly.
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Halloween night is winding down
November 01, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Halloween night is winding down. We're trying to get rid of the last of our candy as the kids are exhausted from daylight savings time. They both had a great time going around the neighborhood, Sam as a vampire, Emma as a bat, and Jamie and I as Sam's victims. Good times.
The trip back from Portland went fairly well. We stopped by the outlet mall and did a little shopping. Upon arrival, we unpacked, entertained kids, went shopping, made dinner, and prepared for Halloween. Now I'm looking forward to my quiet time when the kids are in bed and I get to have my bowl of cereal and watch a show. Hopefully not much longer now.
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