"It's Cooold"

Last Wednesday was the day before Thanksgiving. I was able to get out of work early and met Hamer and Chad for a beer. The day before Thanksgiving is traditionally a nice day to go out and celebrate the holiday with friends. I missed going back to Millis to see family and friends this year but we all had a very nice time.

Thursday morning we woke up went straight up to Gray to Grandie and Pop Pops cabin. This year it was just the four of us, the two of them, and Uncle Mike. When we arrived we got settled and Grandie got out some markers and construction paper. JD and Grandie cut out some paper to create place cards so that everyone would know just where they were sitting for dinner. When Grandie went to pick up Mike at the airport, JD wrote every one's name on the cards and set their places.

Mom made her apple pie while Pop Pop made just about everything else. We had a rotisserie grilled turkey, mashed potato, a bean dish, and tons of other stuff. Just before we arrived Pop Pop told us how the turkey caught fire on the grill! It didn't effect the taste at all, but must have been quite the sight. Just before dinner Mom and Grandie had both prepared a toast and each were a bit emotional but a nice way to start the weekend.

Ad, you played on the rocking horse and with the toy garage for a good first part of the day. You really ride that horse well. You and the horse are quite proportional and it actually looks like you're riding a real horse when you get going. Both of you climbed the stairs and were looking down over the catwalk too. Adam, you thought this was so funny. JD was trying to get you in trouble by telling you to throw things over and down to the first floor!

By the time Mike arrived back we were almost ready to eat. We were informed a few weeks earlier that he is not going to move back to New England as we originally thought. This was bummer but I'm sure he's doing what's best for him and that is what's really important.

Mike and I watched quite a bit of college football this weekend, actually I think I watched more on that weekend than I have in years at one stretch. Both of you watched 101 Dalmatians after dinner, and after this Addie was promptly off to bed, and he was TIRED.

As Pop, Michael and I went back into the TV room to watch football, JD, Mom and Grandie started to play UNO. I wasn't quite sure what you guys where doing out there for so long and eventually I went out to see what was up. You asked if I wanted to play and I obliged. JD, you were played UNO like a true pro. You got little to no help the first night and for the rest of the weekend you got no help at all. You stayed up until 11:00 played UNO with the three of us. It was so fun to see you so concentrated and aware of the rules!

The next day, Friday, was very cold out, about 30 degrees! After breakfast Ad, JD and I went outside to throw around the football. This lasted all of about a half hour until we decided to go back in to get warm. We then rounded up Grandie and Mom and played some more UNO. On this morning we decided to play up to 200 points. JD, you won! Fair and square, you WON! I lost.. We all got a kick out of seeing you win. You followed all of the rules and you liked it best when you made one of us draw 4 cards!

Later in the day we all took a walk along the lake. It was a beautiful fall/winter day. Adam sat in the stroller and enjoyed the ride and JD took Mom's old bike for most of the way. It was very nice to get out and stroll around with everyone. When we arrived back at the cabin Adam was ready to get out of his seat. Uncle Mike took him for a ride on the bike and then the scooter!

Adam, you have talking more and more each week. This week you have been saying, "Go Outside", and "Its cooold", amongst other things.

The next morning JD, Michael, Frank and I did some outside exploring. JD and I started off down at the dock. The lake is so low that we could walk about 6 or 7 feet further out than is typical. We tried to break the ice with rocks and had contests to see how far the rocks could glide on the ice. From there Pop Pop took us on a hunt for deer and we walked the perimeter of their property. We noticed different types of trees and trees broken, stuck by lightning. JD, you had a lot of questions about the outdoors and what we were seeing.

We arrived home on Sunday. It was a very nice weekend to spend with the family. Grandy and Pop Pop always take such good care of us when we go up there. Their homemade meals are certainly amongst the best. You both had tons of fun. Good meals, good drink, and good company rarely disappoint.

Brruuuucceeeee!

The last two weeks have really kind of run together for me so I'll do my best to recap.

Last weekend both of you and I decided to go outside and do some burning. JD and I loaded up the wheelbarrow from the garage where we had quite a bit of scrap wood and wheeled it outback. JD, you helped me create a tee pee with the wood and crumpled up some paper so that we could light it up. It caught quick and we ended up burning wood for about 4 hours. While the fire burned Adam played in his sandbox with his shovels and trucks. We all played football and soccer while coming back to the fire to warm up every so often.

After the fire was extinguished we came inside. You both LOVE to color. I have probably written about this before and if I haven't, I should have. You both can sit at the table with our jar of markers and just color forever. JD, you have been sounding out words better and better each day, and writing the letters down as you go. Adam you scribble and scribble with all sorts of colors and say, "Daddy, see" about 100 times for each drawing you make!

JD, last weekend you also wanted to learn how to tie you shoes. One of the mornings you came over to me and said, "Dad, can you teach me how to tie my shoes today?" This was the same way you asked me how to ride your bike, and three hours later you learned how to ride. Same thing for the shoes. You concentrated very hard and it payed off quite quickly!

We also had Chad, Ash, Chris, Tara, and Chad and Caden over for dinner last weekend. Mom made her famous lasagna and other people brought salad and dessert. The food was great and the company even better. We are going to try and get into a routine with our friends about having Sunday dinners a few times a month. We're all very busy, but typically things slow down a bit in the winter.

This weekend was very special for JD and I. It was finally time to watch Bruce at the Garden in Boston! JD you and I went down to Nana's on Sunday morning and arrived just before 11 am. Grampie's new dog, "Brick" was there. He is a little boxer. This is the first time you have ever really dealt with a puppy. He was very cute and loved to play. He thought you were a little puppy and jumped on you and tackled your legs! You didn't like when he nipped you but you dealt with it very well! Brick will be a nice new addition to the family!

Grammie and Grampie came over later in the day for lunch. It was nice to chat with Grampie about the Celtics and Patriots. He used to have season tickets when the Celts were great in the 80's so it was fun to get his take on how he likes them now. Grammie is so getting frail, but she was in good spirits. She wanted to help Nana clean up but her body had other ideas. I know this was weighing on her mind. You sat with Grammie and Nana and went though a toy catalog and discussed Christmas gifts! You enjoyed this and we enjoyed watching you!

Finally 3:30 rolled around and it was time to pick up Cauf and Denise to head into Boston. We met Brown and Benoit at the T and went in from there. We arrived first at Hurricane O'Reilly's. They were pumping The Boss out the door and there looked to be tables inside, so we went in and planted ourselves here for a few hours. You had an awesome time talking to Jeff, Benoit and Cauf. You couldn't get over the HUGE TV they had on the wall. This was a long time for you in one restaurant and you enjoyed every minute.

Later in the night I got a call from my cousin Kim who was with Tiff and Uncle Don right next door at Boston Beer Works. We paid up and went next door to say hello to them. After talking with them we found that they had seats in the very row in front of us!! Donnie is the biggest fan I know and certainly contributed to my initial interest in Bruce. It is always great to catch up and spend time with them.

From there it was time to find our seats. We were seated way up in the nose bleed section of the Garden but you loved riding up all of the escalators. You really wanted to get a concert shirt on this night, but I had a hard time justifying 35 bucks for a kids T shirt! Grampie and Tiff gave you money to put towards the shirt and you were so happy to pick it out. Bruce switches up his set lists each night but the first song is currently your favorite, Radio Nowhere. We had to wait in line for the shirt for quite a while and as we were waiting you said, "C'mon Dad, I don't want to miss Radio Nowhere!" I assured you that we had plenty of time.

After visiting Donnie, Kim and Tiff at their close by seats, we took ours and waited for the show to begin. Just as we sat down and started to talk about the Celtic banners on the ceiling, the whole place went black! All of sudden we heard Bruce say, "Is there anybody alive out there?!!" You climbed up to stand on your seat so you could see but you looked a little scared. I don't think I realized how overwhelming it would initially be for you. Twenty thousand people, two giant screens, and truly loud rock and roll music. You mentioned how loud it was but you loosened up by song three, your other favorite, "Lonesome Day." Though out the whole show you clapped and clapped.

In the bars, on the street, and in the Garden people kept coming up to you and saying how cool it was that you where there. They would ask what your favorite song was and you would rattle off the names to three or four. Most people were so surprised and you couldn't figure out why. Honestly, I couldn't either.

I know that anyone can listen to whatever type of music they want to but I sometimes I don't get why everyone doesn't listen to Bruce. The message, the power, the realism, that's what people should get out of music. I know that other bands have this too, but none as pure as Springsteen. I am always searching and listening to new stuff and haven't stumbled across anything even close, maybe U2, but... Anyway, I wanted to share this with you (and hopefully Addie) before Bruce gets too old and stops touring. I know that there's a strong possibility you wont even remember that night, but maybe you'll remember the feeling of being at your first rock show with your Dad..

After the show you laughed and laughed with the boys on the train back to Riverside Station. I watched you and could tell that you had such a nice time. There was nothing you weren't included in all night long by everyone you encountered. By the time we got back to Nans you were dead asleep. I put you in bed and just before you went to sleep you said, "Daddy, I had so much fun tonight." So did I, J.

Novemeber 18, 2007 JD's first Rock n Roll show Setlist:

Radio Nowhere
No Surrender
Lonesome Day
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason to Believe
Jackson Cage
She's the One
Livin' in the Future
The Promised Land
I'll Work For Your Love
Tunnel of Love
Working on the Highway
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
* * *
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
Jungleland
Born to Run
Dancing in the Dark
American Land

Cool Fall Days

JD, each Thursday of the week, is your day for show and tell at school. Mrs. Hill told us that the kids are allowed to "Pass" on show and tell if they chose to do so, but you haven't done that yet. Last Thursday you chose to show you're favorite, "Magic Tree House" book, "Pirates." You brought in the book and talked about the map inside. You told the class about how sometimes at home you make maps and hunt for treasure too!

Adam, you have been a chatter-box as of late. The last two to three weeks especially. You've been repeating everything you can, and trying to repeat words that you can't yet pronounce. You're favorite new thing to do is to walk into the a room, look at Mom or I and say, "C'mon", while motioning your arm for us to follow. You have also learned how to turn off and on the lights in the big room. This made for a dark dinner last weekend!

Friday night, Chad, Chad, Chris and I went out for some drinks and to watch the Celtics opener (they won!). JD, stayed up a bit to see Ashley and Tara as they were coming over to spend some time with Mom.

Saturday the weather was awful. It poured and poured and was very windy outside. Adam has enjoyed playing ball in the house lately. Mom doesn't like this, but sometimes when she is upstairs I play with you, Ad. You have learned how to throw very well. You try hard to catch, but that will come later. You have also started to learn how to play with the blocks in the playroom. Up until a few weeks ago, you enjoyed crashing our buildings, but now you have started to put block on top of block. Your favorite activity is still simply to color though. You do this for hours some days.

JD, your teacher has been giving us two books each week to read and talk about. You are doing a great job at learning how to read. This week we read about a Fiesta and Snow Days. You have really done a good job at sounding out letters and creating words. The other night I was cleaning up dinner and you got a piece of paper and started copying words off of the jars in the fridge. You are excited to learn how to read and it has been fun to watch.

Football Sunday came quick this week. The Pats were playing the Colts for the biggest regular season game of the year. The three of us went outside pretty early. The sky had cleared and it was still a bit wet on the ground but it was a beautiful, cool fall day. We brought out the football and played passer/receiver in the side yard. We pretended we were Tom Brady and Randy Moss. Adam you were right in the middle of things, running after the ball and throwing it with all of your might.

After football we moved to the basketball hoop. Adam, if I had to chose a favorite sport of yours at this young age, I would have to say it's basketball. Each time we go outside you walk over to the garage and want me to open it so that you can grab a basketball. You then shoot on your little hoop, or back up to me so that I can pick you up and you can dunk the ball in the big hoop. Lately you have even tried to do some dribbling!

We also ventured down to the beat up old horse stable, the boy's clubhouse. You both climbed up the ladder to the loft and peaked in. JD, you liked climbing the fence to get to the stable while I carried Ad on my shoulders. You both played in here for a good half hour. JD, you talked about how you want to have this be your, "Tree house." How you want to have your pals sleep over in the loft when you get older!

All in all it was a great weekend. So nice to see the sun come back on Sunday and we are doing our best to soak up what we can before the snow hits us. One of the nicest parts of this weekend for me was watching the two of you play ball together. I had to run into the house to grab something and on the way out I watched you guys for a minute. Throwing the ball back and forth, watching you run and laugh and fight for the ball. It was nice for me to see.