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!