Jonathan Paul Mack...

" I am SIX today! And this is my best furry friend: Murray!"

(Photo taken @ Cleveland Botanical Gardens - Hershey Childrens Garden)

Jonathan's birthday wishes:

1. Go to Put In Bay

2. Go to Cedar Point...FINALLY!

3. See my favorite friends: Avery & Maxine!

Brotherly Love...

Usually this term is reserved for my tongue-in-cheek description of a brewing war over a toy. But one summer morning, I saw The Real Thing. Granted Daniel and Tommy (and Daniel's bestest furry friend Toby) were sleeping and had no idea that they were loving and cuddling and melting their mother's heart. So...the phrase "Take a picture, it will last longer!" came to mind and I frantically ran to find my digital to capture this precious and fleeting moment of Brotherly Love. Soon after they awoke...and...you can guess the rest of the story...!

School's Out!

Daniel & Mrs. Glinka on The LAST Day!

She is a wonderful teacher with a passion for special kiddos! We are grateful for a great year!
Miracles happen...we ALL made it on time to Daniel's

First Grade Portfolio Day at 7:30 AM! We ALL had wet hair...but we were there!
Jonathan's Montessori Graduation Day

This school has been the perfect fit for our tender, quiet and curious little guy.

Jonathan had enthusiastic and artistic Miss Sara for 2 years.

Jonathan with his Extended Day teacher Mrs. Johnson -- a native of Germany...and fellow boater! We visted her a week ago at her dock at Bay Point.

Jonathan & his good friend Avery at the school picnic.

For Philsy...Make that Dr. Philsy!

Could not resist, Papa!

February Update...Quickie Version!

OK...I started this "scrapbook" on Tommy's 2nd birthday -- July 26, 2008. We have just passed the 6-month mark and I am already falling behind. I have failed to document some really neat happenings -- especially around the holiday season. It almost seemed overwhelming at the time. BUT...I am NOT out of the game! A few more cliches come to mind...Better late than never...Something is better than nothing...Both so true when it comes to documenting my guys and their silly selves. So here is a quick update...a snapshot of our mid-winter life...and I promise to backtrack and get those other stories in here!

Sooner than later! Better late than never! Down but not out!

How about...I am Not a Lost Cause...YET!

So...here we go...

Daniel...Reading so much...telling time...getting the hang of $...loving our new rec center swim pass...enjoying more time with friends from school...still interested in boats...but planets have entered the scene...getting so tall...so good for Mrs. Glinka...goes to an adventure club (social skills) called Game On on Tuesday afternoons...participating in Cub Scout outings (bowling last week)...still an extremely picky eater...but started eating strawberries!!!...learning to downhill ski with Dad at Snow Trails! Telluride...here we come!

Playdate with friend Josh

Snow Trails with Daddy (yes, a Boarder!)

Bay Lanes (vintage!) with Cub Scouts

Jonathan...Still as sweet as ever...but no denying that slightly devilish passive-aggressive push-my-brothers'-buttons-when-my-mom-isn't-looking side (stuck in the middle...cannot totally blame the guy!)...learning lots about numbers and reading and animals at Montessori...loves his teachers Miss Sara and Mrs. Johnson (from Germany and a boater!)...pretend plays with Tommy (usually in closets...major mess)...gives me occassional parenting advice ("Mom, I think you should just ignore Daniel when he does that.") as well as occassional puppy training advice ("Mom, Annie is just a puppy -- she doesn't know better." -- as she chews the 5th leather shoe - and never a pair!)...loves to eat snow but still learning about where to safely dine...very interested in planets and geography/maps -- two big Christmas gifts...loves to find Oakland, CA on the map and think of Aunt Lisa (we need to field trip there!!)...enjoys the rec center pool but is longing for the day he hits the 48" mark so he go down the slides and lily pads with his tall brother (he makes me measure him every time we go...just in case he has grown that one inch overnight!?!)...is eating A LOT (like 2 dogs as an afterschool snack!)...simply a joy!

Duty calls - will finish post later - but am publishing any way!!!

To Be Continued...

MeMe Monday...

After-school treat at famous Mitchell's Ice Cream with MeMe!

Lucky Us! MeMe flew to Florida to be with her sisters this Tuesday...so we got to see her Monday afternoon and then deliver her to the airport . What a treat! While here MeMe got a glimpse into Daniel's first grade classroom. We were in charge of helping each student make a paper snowflake. Daniel did not know she was coming with me -- his surprised face was priceless! We then picked up Jonathan and Tommy from Montessori -- it was Tommy's first day in the new toddler class. He seems at home already with Mrs. Donegan and Miss Barnes -- except for a minor screaming session upon my departure.
Jonathan is also continuing to do well in his class. Miss Sara reported in an email just today that he is "really blossoming":

"Jonathan has really been making strides, and we can see such a difference in him...He is so much more verbal, and willingly verbal- it was so cute at sharing time, because when he was explaining who everyone was in your family photo, it went something like "This is me, and this is my big brother Daniel, and this is my little brother Tommy, who now goes here to our school...." it was so cute! This little mini-adult sort of speech!"

Back at home, MeMe also got a glimpse into what life is like with three boys 7 and under couped up in a not-so-big house in the heart of a frigid Ohio winter. (It is negative 12 as I write this!) Bouncing off of the walls is NOT an overstatement! Growing up in a three-girl sorority house is a different planet from our three-boy fraternity house! Loud, busy, high energy. Always. Oh - and throw in a 6-month old at-times hyper pup named Annie - who I dubbed this week our "Toddler In Fur"! When I told Mom that I was considering joining a local indoor rec center as an outlet for this "electricity", she fully endorsed the idea. I think her head is still spinning!
.

The Silver Lining of Strep...

No mother welcomes illness...like a strep infection. However, there is a slightly twisted side of me that appreciates the "side effects" of a minor health issue. For Daniel, having a cold or the flu brings back the long-ago abandoned (as in at age 23 months) daytime nap! Since he was 2, we have literally taken photos of this child napping in daylight hours. I kid you not...we have only FOUR nap photos! All illness-induced slumbers and a boat nap or two. For Tommy, a little bug means he might actually sit on the couch for more than 3 minutes at a time. A good thing for the mother (and wife) of Perpetual Motion Males. And...for Jonathan...a bug...like the strep infection of last week means...a quiet day at home...making art. Below is the latest "keeper"...MELT my heart!

Once Upon A Time...

..There was a little girl named Annie who lived in a NY orphanage...you know the story...she runs away and finds a fellow "orphan" Sandy the street dog. We did too -- back in 1996 -- on the streets of west Cleveland -- W. 76th to be precise. Ironically, in the summer of 2007 our sweet Sandy played the part of "Sandy" in BGSU's summer production of Little Orphan Annie.

So...what better name for Sandy's look-alike-successor who also was a street dog -- this time on the rural roads of Richland County...

Introducing...LUCKY Orphan Annie...just home from the Richland Co. Dog Pound! (We did not know you could shop for a stray like you shop for a boat or car or house -- here is a plug for petfinder.com. And very special credit goes to MeMe and Grampa for driving to Mansfield from Ashland to be first in line at 10am to "hold" her for us!)

Oh - and in Mack Family Dog-naming Tradition - there must be some nautical bend...first Beacon then Sandy...Annie just by chance has very nautical initials "L.O.A." - boater-talk for Length Overall!)
Much like Sandy, Annie is sweet, calm and loyal. But, unlike Sandy who had 5 years of HomeHighnessHood, Annie is quickly learning about being the youngest of 4 -- chase, catch, tickle, tackle...she WILL be a kid-dog, no doubt!

Our Dear West 76er!

That little greasy stray pup we found on West 76th Street in Cleveland had a pretty darn good life! Today marked 12 years, 8 months for our Sandy Barker Mack. It will be hard to fill her position at South Shore Marine -- the official greeter -- with a near-perfect attendance record! But ornery she was -- just last week she ran away from the office...to a neighboring business (beggin' for Scooby Snacks). On Friday she was playful, spunky and even helped deliver a new boat with Tom. That night she and Tom and Daniel took a long walk through Bay Village. By Monday she was gone. We are grateful for her quality of life! She certainly had a full life -- from exciting daily adventures as Tom's sidekick to the endless number of special FOS's (Friends of Sandy). We will miss our dear animal. Aunt Pris reports that Uncle John was just waiting for a sweet dog to join him -- and she is confident that our Sandy is now chasing balls thrown by dear Uncle John. What a great match!

Fall Fun

Our last (and coldest) trip of the season to Cedar Point... All summer I had avoided the dreaded Ferris Wheel - the slowest ride and (more importantly) the slowest line in the park. "But Mom! We haven't ridden it all year!" So, in 40 mph winds, we circled three SLOW times -- stopping at the top -- in the even-stronger and colder winds without proper clothing -- to load the opposite cars. It was miserable -- can't you tell from the looks on their faces!?! They LOVED it! They had time - at the top - to study every buoy, island, marina, bird...grain of sand...on Lake Erie! I, on the other hand, could not wait to get off! Next year, I will bite the bullet and surrender to our one-time-a-year ride on a warm day, light breeze! The park is full of Halloween decor and characters -- and at 4pm -- The Snoopy Halloween Parade down the main strip! They were in awe...My personal favorite was the wheelchair pumpkins. Very neat! And then...back in Bay Village...

Jonathan & Tommy in our colorful backyard. Mrs. Glinka's 1st grade class

A priceless moment...Superman prepping King Daniel for the Normandy Elementary Costume Parade...

Packed up and heading home for Trick or Treat...Daniel and his classmate Tommy...King Daniel, "Saint Jamie" & Jonathan as Thomas (again!) ready to trick-or-treat with the Sooy Family! Tommy refused a plethora of costume choices -- from monkey to fire fighter. He also refuses coats, jackets, sweatshirts, socks and covers. (Can you say "Philsey?") I think we better move south!The first stop -- our neighbor Miss Alice. She had two baskets -- candy and "stuff". Daniel chose chocolate - Jonathan chose a travel-size Purell. ???? Don't ask!

Shoulder Time

Cozy PJs + "Ba-Ba" + Daddy's Shoulder + Peaceful, Sleeping Toddler=

A Yummy & Rare Moment!

Mama PickPocket

- Exhibit A -

Mama PickPocket has the enviable job of emptying the pockets of dirty laundry produced by four boys. One particular "boy" is known for leaving behind (so to speak!) business cards, Sharpie markers and heavy bolts/nuts/screws. All of which, if missed by Mama, can cause great damage and/or drive our condo neighbors nutso due to clanking nutsoes in the dryer.

(That 42 year old will remain unnamed.)

However, the pocket filler best known, by far, for both the

great quantity and variety of premium pocket loot is...
Mr. Collector himself - Jonathan Paul Mack!
Last week alone, Jonathan managed to find everything in Exhibit A above. The pile grew and grew on the laundry room counter until I just had to document and inventory for historical sake.

Hey Mr. SandMan!

Setting: 2nd row of Honda Odyssey.

Parked at restaurant - heading in for dinner.

Tommy woke up from a deep "vannap."

(Any desperate-for-their-toddler-to-nap-parent knows what that is).

As he rubbed his crusty eyes he started wimpering:

"Mommy! There are sandcastles......on my face!"

Of course, MotherOfTheYear snapped a picture before helping her poor child! Too cute.

Happy Birthday Sweet Jonathan!

Jonathan's birthday started with his favorite breakfast splurge -- a Heinen's doughnut -- on our way to school. Later in the morning, Tommy and I joined Jonathan for his classroom birthday celebration. The Montessori tradition involves a special song and story about how many times the Earth has circled the Sun since that very special day -- September 25, 2003. Jonathan then opened the Dr. Suess books that our family donated to his classroom.
After school, Jonathan's birthday wish was to go to Mitchell's Ice Cream!

We then had an unexpected weekday trip back to Sandusky since Gramma Mack was admitted to the hospital. (She is fine now!) But since Uncle Mike and Aunt Sally were in from Williamstown, MA and staying at our condo for the week (when not sailing on Whitehawk), it was an added bonus to celebrate with them. We also fit in a short sunset dinghy ride...On this day we give great thanks for our 2nd born son Jonathan Paul Mack -- named after Molly's maternal grandfather. Jonathan is a wonderful brother -- patient with and kind to both his older brother Daniel and younger brother Tommy (most of the time anyway)! During the last year he has learned to ride a two-wheeled bike, become a strong swimmer, evolved into a confident preschooler and continues to make beautiful artwork -- often mailing creations to our favorite artist-in-residence MeMe...A few words to describe our 5-year-old guy:

sweet, kind, gentle, positive, creative, wise, sharp, sensitive and silly!

And most of all...precious!

Happy Birthday Jono!

A Fall Getaway

Thanks to the generous help of a small team, Tom and I were able to sneak away to beautiful Charleston, SC for a few days. I left two days early to meet up with some graduate school friends -- Bobbi, Stacie and Tracy. While we only spent 11 months together in our MA program, that time was intense -- and pretty hilarious looking back. How fun to stay connected despite the years, miles and busy kids!

Tom and I then spent two days at the Scout Boats dealer meeting with the very kind and oh-so-hilarious fellow Great Lakes dealers.

More photos coming soon...I cannot find them!