“Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
~Emma Lazarus, 1883
 

In 1903, this poem was cast onto a bronze plaque and mounted inside the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal.

The region’s top snocross riders raced against each other at New Hampshire’s Magic Mile. The kids were amazed to see the speed and power of the snowmobiles and the fearlessness of the riders.




The boys found another form of racing they’d like to try.

The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.
~ Helen Keller

loaded up

 This road-trip we wanted the kids to experience a little of our childhood memories. Remember those Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager days? 


 We put the back seats flat, covered them with sleeping bags and then stopped at parking lots for a few hours rest (or until the car got too cold) in between driving.

a pile of blankets

While it may not have been our best night of sleep, the kids said it was the "most fun ever!" 

One of the advantages of driving is getting to bring the Albert along. He didn't sleep a wink.


After 12 hours of driving we made it to Wilmington, NC for lunch


 and to drop of DaddyO's motorcycle for repairs.

unloading the trailer

a couple months and it should be a new ride

Another six hours of driving and we made it to family and a good night sleep.


This makes all the hours driving worth it!

The kids don't mind taking Albert for walks in the rain when the temperature hovers around 70 in the winter.

We found an art teacher from the neighborhood. She brought some wild azaleas from her yard when she came to meet the kids for the first time. The arrangement inspired EJ to paint and so she made this mini masterpiece for her teacher.


Looks like the beginning of a creative relationship.

A go to meal when on the go. So simple yet fills the kids up with the carbs and protein they need before a sports practice.

Just make some steaming hot rice and add a fresh egg on top.


Sprinkle with some Japanese furikake (seasoning.)


The rice is so hot that it cooks the egg into a creamy mixture.

I ❤️ our neighborhood’s wonderful collection of houses. This helps me classify the variety of architectural styles while walking around North Hill.
Ours is Victorian - Queen Anne - Hipped Roof:.

Over 6,000 runners participated in the 2020 Double Bridge Run and DaddyO was one of them!


He was out at the starting line by 7 a.m. Thankfully it was just a couple blocks south of our house so EJ and I were on the corner to cheer him on as he started the race.


The course starts in downtown Pensacola and takes the runners over two bridges to Pensacola Beach.


It was a Saturday full of swimming and soccer so we received updates from DaddyO as he progressed along the route.


He finished in 1:32:47 and received a medal to remember the accomplishment. Now he has his eye on a half marathon...