Meet the happiest drunk on the block

first day of first & third grade

Today was the first day of school.

Quite a different feel from last year when Seth went to Kindergarten for the first time. I cried and cried because my baby was a big boy. Today I wept tears of joy! I can actually accomplish a few things with out stopping to referee a fight. (Only had one at the bus stop.)

Amelia chose her own dress. Seth refused to have a hair cut, stating that he likes his hair long. I am trying to relinquish some of the decision making about their own appearances to them. I just can not figure out why these little people have such strong opinions!
I am ready to get back to volunteering both at the children's school and with the Boxer Rescue. I look forward to taking a pottery or painting class. Maybe I can even get the house clean!
Free at last. Free at last!
I have found myself looking up at the clock a good deal today. I wonder what they are doing. If they have friends to play with at recess. Truth be told, I am looking forward to the afternoon bus. I can not wait to hear how their day was.

Don't try logic tricks with this one

P's playing with a jelly treat and drops it.
Me: Better grab it before it runs away.
P: Food doesn't move.
Me: Piggies move.
Whining child: Not when they're cooked.

going to county

Swim Team is almost over. Our last regular meet was June 30. I thought my days as a pool-mom were coming to a halt. Lo and behold that girl of mine (mine...as in nonathletic me) has made it to the county meet!
She will swim in two relay races (Butterfly in the Medley Relay and Freestyle.) The event is held at the Olympic Stadium at Georgia Tech, next weekend. We are very excited. Neither kid ever had a swimming lesson before we joined the swim team in May. Both kids had a blast and want to do swim team next Summer as well!

happy father's day, ya'll

Seth is "mechanic-ing" with his dad today. They are fixing a broken part on the door of my van.

In a bit Randy and Nancy will come over with my parents. We will celebrate Father's Day with a brunch. (At 1:00, slow pokes!)

I have received a request to go back to the pool from Morgan. They had a fabulous time swimming together. Mostly they have been playing "dogs". Morgan has rescued Amelia from the dog pound several times. She is a very caring rescuer and always gives Amelia lots of good ear scratches and belly rubs!
The kids have been having a nice time together. Seth is a little bit of the odd man out and wishes his favorite cousin Daniel had come.
I am hopeful for a reunion next Summer.

swimmy-fishies

The kids had their first ever swim team meets last night.

Seth was Mr. Backstroke, taking second in his age group (Out of four heats!) And who knew? Amelia turned out to be a fly-girl! She only learned butterfly last week but place second in her age group.

Seth completely digs it. Loves swim team! On the way to practice this monring he said, "Thank you Mom for letting us do swim team." (An unsolicited thanks? Shocking!)

Amelia is less sure of herself and also had to swim at around 9:45 last night, which is waaay too late in her mind. It was pouring rain most of the meet. And it got cold.

Over all they did a great job. Hopefully the meets will go faster, with less rain in the future.

Old Pic

Carey and Corey doing not sure what in Virginia Reunion 1986

mea culpa part 2

There is also a new baby girl in San diego- randy's cousin's first grandchild. She has a head of hair such as I've never seen! We won't be meeting her yet
I really appreciate all of you who "check in" every once inb awhile via e-mail, facebook, etc. It means alot to me & I know it would to Mom, too. family is so importantto me, as it was to her. I have been negligent, but hope to do better as Spring settles in. I am saddened that there are some who never bother to be in touch, and i feel the loss of relationships- but it's a loss for them, mostly. We are a wonderful- crazy, creative, dysfunctional- family and we are all lucky to belong!!
Love You all. Nancy

mea culpa!!!

I have to confess that I have gotten into a "facebook mode", and have neglected the blog. I do feel I'm keeping up with some on facebook. Since I do not have a digital camera, or the know-how to download, I am dependent on family members to provide the pictures. Carey seems to do well at representative shots.
We had a rousing Easter (Corey, where are your pictures for the blo???- lol), following my childhood tradition of eggs outside, and jelly beans & marshmallow eggs inside., and baskets of course. It was quite a time- the first time Matthew really "got it",. Luckily it was nice enough that he & Morgan could go outside & burn up some extra energy.
Suzo will have surgery on Monday for her shatterd arm & shoulder- hopefully, all will go well & she'll recover well. Paris & the kids are there for a visit over Spring break. Randy & I plan to get up there sometime in May.
Randy & I are heading to Portland, OR for a long weekend this weekend to visit his brother & his family. The first grandchild in that family arrived in feb., and she's adorable from all the pictures. We're eager to meet her & have never had a real visit in Portland

Coogan Family Update

To avoid any details of anyone's "snot" I thought I would post a few recent pictures. Nothing very exciting going on in the Coogan household...simply the standard end of winter, beginning of spring, B-days, and Easter events. The above picture is Matthew talking on his banana-apple phone. It was quite the conversation he was having. In the very top picture, Matthew discovered his first payphone. He immediatly asked "What is this?" Of course, it was a non-working prop at the park district's train park. Was surprised to hear that people make calls on these kinds of phones...of course he immediately searched for any left change upon hearing that money is used.





Morgan, Matthew, and Harely playing "monster" and Grandma and Papa's...still not sure how it is played and who exactly was the "monster".

I have learned that it is not only little girls who like to play dress up...Matthew doesn't only wear Mommy's clothes, but enjoys wearing Daddy's clothes too ...he insisted on wearing Mike's sport coat when Mike got home.


Grandma, Papa, Matthew and I all went to the Field museum to see Sue, as Matthew has become quite interested in dinosaurs after taking a class with Papa last fall. Matthew was our tourguide through the museum, taking us in all directions while following his "map". He loved all the exhibits.


The last surprise snowfall of the year, Grandma, Morgan, Matthew, and I went sledding...here are Sam, Morgan, and Matthew all together...it was a fun but cold afternoon. The hot chocolate was definitely needed afterward.



Matthew and me resting on Date's settee.


Hope everyone is doing well...

Carey

really, people? really?

So, nobody has any news to share?
No babies doing cute things?
No happiness?
No heath concerns we should know about?
Really, people! The idea is to keep in touch.

40

I turned forty last Sunday. My parents surprised me by inviting almost all of my favorite people to dinner. We ate Vietnamese food a Chateau De Saigon. My favorite was the spicy eggplant. It was so nice to spend an evening with everyone.

It was especially nice to get to see my two bad sisters who have moved so far away! I miss them loads and almost cried when I saw them in the restaurant.

The whole gang. Adam is my lobster-red cousin.

He had been snow-boarding and came back for dinner!

My bad little sisters.

They gave me a Wii for my birthday, so I guess they aren't all that bad.

Rachel.

Super Happy Birthday to me!

Two cakes: Amaretto and Coffee! My parents made them. They were insanely good. (Seth just ate the hard chocolate off of the top so I was forced to eat his left overs.)

No such thing as too much of a good thing!

Seth, me, Grandma Irene, and Debbi

"Family picture " from Berkeley 1973

February review

Not a lot to report this morning.

I have been really busy with our current foster dog, Tulla.

She came in weighing almost 20 pounds less than our dog, Cooper. Tulla was a stray who was used to scrounging for her meals. She will be fatter than Grandma's Christmas goose in no time. I am crazy about her and under the gun to decide whether we should keep her for our very own. We get a new foster some times on Sunday, so I will know how it feels to have 3 dogs plus a foster. If you are wondering whether or not I have gone completely insane the answer is probably. It seems my mid-life crisis involves dogs. Dang. I was hoping for shiny red cars.

The kids are doing well. Seth has been asked to participate in a pilot program at his school which would put him in the same teacher's class again next year with half first graders and half Kindergarten student's. I am not so sure how I feel about this, yet. Anyone had any experiences like this?

Amelia is ready for soccer to start. (On Monday!) I think she has forgotten how insanely cold the field is on Winter afternoons! Last season I foolishly made a "deal" with Amelia to pay her for goals. In a single game, our little bulldog netted fifty bucks. Currently we are renegotiating her contract. (Maybe a buck a goal instead of five!)

Mark is plugging along as usual. Both kids soccer teams need help on game days and I am sure Mark will get drafted to help coach a bit.

Hope you are all well. Still hungry for more post from you all and especially more pictures.

Love to all,

Corey

Beth Dooley's 70th birthday party

Hi all!

I just got back from Connecticut where we celebrated my mom Beth Dooley's 70th. It was a great weekend and I hope to put up some pics soon. Here's what went down:
Anne, Steve, Steve's girlfriend Amy, Mark, Mark's wife Katie, and their kids James (4) and Elizabeth (2) took my mom to the Dia Beacon, an amazing modern art museum in New York State, then out to dinner at Seravan in Amenia, NY and then birthday cake and presents at the spread in Kent. Steve came up with the brilliant idea of giving Beth a 10-week series of pottery classes, which she loved. We also went on a number of hikes/walks (there's still ice on the ground so we stayed on the roads) and played our fave board games (scrabble, wise or otherwise, celebrity).

All the Best,

John

Daddy - Daughter Winter Camp out

Morgan and I spent the weekend in Brownstone, IN (near LaFayette)at Camp Tecumsah with our Indian Princess YMCA group for our annual Winter Camp out. We arrived Friday evening and got settled in, and then enjoyed a gigantic spaghetti dinner with our group (Morgan was in pasta heaven). Saturday started at 6:15 A.M. with screams of excitement from nine little girls who were anxiously awaiting the adventures for the day. We started with breakfast (french toast, so I know Morgan paid off the cook), and then began playing highly competitive group games until lunch time. After lunch we went sledding down the "Black Hole", and the "Bullet", and then moved on to Archery at which Morgan "whooped" me, as she put it, 22 to 14. The highly anticipated rifle range came next where we brushed up on our marksmanship skills with 22 rifles. A calming trip through the snow blanketed woods was next on the backs of "Lacy" and "Clifford", our two horses for the day. Again I have a strong suspicion that Morgan paid the cook, because again pasta was on the menu. After dinner we had a big bonfire ceremony in the woods, and returned to our cabin for a night of frenzied games of hide and go seek in the dark. Sunday started again at 6:15 A.M. (not quite so loud at this point), and after breakfast we got to stay and do every activity (except the horses) again. Needless to say we came home exhausted, but just in time for a cat nap and then an evening with Grandma and Grandpa for the Superbowl!

The Coogan's 1st Post

We also made gingerbread houses this year, although I think more of the decorations ended up in Matthew's mouth than on any of the houses. Morgan was very patient with her little cousin interfering with her design ideas and tasting everything.
Matthew trying out his new snowshoes he got for Christmas. We got plenty of snow this year to try them out with...
Matthew has said for a while that he wants to be a rockstar when he grows up...here he is practicing with Morgan.

snow day

in honor of the inauguration, we got a good snow yesterday. it wouldn't count as much for those of you who live up north, but it was the best snow we've gotten since i've been living in north carolina.

















it made me miss ohio a little bit.
















but just a little bit.



suki had never seen snow before and thought it was the greatest thing ever and wanted to know why we hadn't gotten her some of this stuff before. she had a grand time bounding about in it with a puppy from down the street.































calypso got a turn too:

















and rachel created a new pet for the occasion:

Taos revisited

I was sifting through a box of old pictures this morning and found these.

2000 was such a long time ago.

now I just need to figure out how to send some pictures!!!

HOORAY!!

If this works, I have finally figured this new-fangled thing out & can contribute!! And, I did it all by myself!! I've really enjoyed reading about all the kids & love the pictures. Snakes??- That is where I put my foot down in this house (as recently as this year).. they can be pretty & fascinating, but not in my home. Sorry Amelia. Caleb's story has great potential . He certainly has a vivid imagination, and I love the descriptions. I didn't ever get to write a novel, but am actually frequently encouraged to write a "family story" because our family is so interesting & had so many interesting experiences & personalities.Anyone want to help? The gingerbread house looks great- any pictures of the completed house? As Carey said, the attempt here was fun, but most of the candy was eaten, not put on the house. I haven't had the courage to try one from scratch for years- maybe before too long.I love Suki- she looks like a really good dog & is pretty- Age? Best & lots of love to everyone!!

snake handler

Amelia and Seth recently went to a "reptile birthday party". Seth was intrigued, but Amelia was mesmerized by all of the different creatures the "reptile guy" brought with him. She wanted to be as hands on as he would let her be. The guy even let her "snake-sit" after the party, while he packed up his gear. Amelia loves all kinds of animals, even scaly ones. She tells me that she wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up.

Seth doesn't seem to be attracted to a career with animals, but he surely had no fears at all about holding snakes. He likes danger and talks about being a fireman. I can see a bright future for Seth as a "Carny", if the whole "fireman" thing doesn't pan out.They asked if they could get a pet snake. I don't want to encourage that sort of thing. Speakin' in tongues is one thing...snake handlin'...well, that's an entirely different subject.

Christmas in Delaware

I thank you as well for taking the time and having the insight to get this going... I too miss everyone and am yearning for a family reunion.... Hint, hint... out there :) I wish everyone a happy New Year!! Caleb has begun his first novel... the beginning of which will be at the bottom here. He is very bright but we have some behavioral issues to work through.... did someone say a chip off the old block! lol Imani has just begun reading and it is very exciting to sit with her while she reads. They are both taking piano lessons and at least Caleb really enjoys it... practice though... does not happen. I am enjoying teaching... we are getting to the dissection phase of clase which I and the students really enjoy... Untill next time... Take Care... Love Paris, Caleb and Imani

Caleb's Story...
shark mutants assault
maryland.

chapter 1
Tag youre it i said to Imani.We where playing tag the summer after terror it's called summer after terror because of the horror that we faced last year...fish monsters.thousaunds of fish monsters.My name is Caleb Crockett age 8 and I had to fight fish monsters with my Anoyying sister named Imani age 6.I have very light black skin,blond hair,brown eyes.I'm a boy.Imani has the same color skin as me,brown eyes,big ears,black hair,girl.For a third grader i,m super smart.Imani is in first grade and shes still trying to learn to read.
chapter 2
It all started on a boat with our 88 year old grandpa named Paris.He's a mad scientist.He was testing on mutating sea animals that's when it all went wrong.All of the sudden a storm came out of nowere and sunk the boat luckaly no one got hurt but the potions had already affected the fish turning them into monsters and thats when it all started.The war of monsters and people.
chapter 3
We where going to Wallmart when suddenly we stoped becuase right in front of us was a walking shark raging towards us!We all got out of the way and ran.We looked back only to see the shark had been electricuted by a wire.We then knew how to defend ourselves from the shark mutants.
chapter 4
Immediately we went to the police station and told them about the incident and they said they would need proof so we were heading back to Wallmart when we saw not one not two but three shark mutants!We dashed to the power plant and quickly ran inside followed by the three shark mutants.Now you see there were lots of wires in the power plant so five minutes after we entered we herd a loud boom!

This is my new dog, Suki. She is a Aussie/Collie mix. She's great company. She enjoyed being home with Mom and Dad for Christmas and also has a serious affinity for Sarah, Corey, the way NC smells, and squirrels.

- Rachel

Fatty New Year

Stella wishes everyone a Happy New Year and extra dessert for all.