a picture a day

I did it!

2009-04-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I did it! An entire year in pictures. Visit my new Project 365 here.

Highlights of the past year include:
1. Deciding not to move to England on my recent spousal visa
2. Celebrating our 10-year anniversary (oops! never did add that picture!)
3. Getting Henley
4. Buying a new house
5. Sammy starting kindergarten

And my top 10 favorite posts:
Number 1
Number 2
Number 3
Number 4
Number 5
Number 6
Number 7
Number 8
Number 9
Number 10

365

2009-04-12T13:58:00.000-07:00

Spring is finally here!

364

2009-04-11T18:30:00.000-07:00

As an early birthday present, we took Sammy to the Baltimore Aquarium.

Until today, I've only known Baltimore in terms of immigration - spending countless days and big bucks attending various green card appointments, a US citizenship ceremony, and a few UK biometrics appointments over the years. And each of those times, I've been desperate to run home and wash myself.

Today, however, I was pleasantly surprised to see a side of Baltimore that was really nice!

Sammy studying the sharks. He's a marine biologist, remember?

363

2009-04-10T06:20:00.000-07:00

Sam's latest obsession is collecting money. Thanks to Uncle Chris, Pop, and even the dentist (!), Sammy has money from more countries than I could ever hope to visit.

Did I mention that he is obsessed? He even carries a money pouch around with him, strapped to his pants. It's a good thing he's so cute, because I can see his nerd qualities emerging. LOL.

362 (?)

2009-04-09T15:33:00.000-07:00

Two cute red-heads were waiting for me and Sam to get back from the dentist. And it only cost me $279.00! *rolls eyes*

But thankfully, I didn't have to pay for lunch.

357

2009-04-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

What this sign doesn't say is:
"Home to The Most Disgusting College Town in the Entire World".

How did I spend four years of my life in this sh$thole?!

But College Park is home to the coolest airplane museum outside of the Air and Space Museum!

356, part 2

2009-04-07T18:14:00.000-07:00

Peter and my dad scrumming down in their matching shirts. Freaks.

356

2009-04-07T07:10:00.000-07:00

Knocking back the "wine" at tonight's seder. Kids are so easily fooled.

355

2009-04-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

Spying on the little guys.

354

2009-04-05T10:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we dropped the kids off at my parents' house on route to PA to shoot a wedding. After racing each other to the car in a mad dash for freedom, we encountered our first obstacle: a flat tire. Since we didn't have time to deal with it then, we quickly transferred our gear to my mom's car and A Great Catastrophe was averted.

We planned a leisurely drive home today to get back for Peter's 1:45 soccer game. But when I heard muttering coming from the bathroom at 7:30am, I just knew there'd be trouble. Peter had left his red soccer shirts in the cursed car that he'd so carefully packed the day before. Without those damn red shirts, there would be no game. And, as you all know what a die-hard player he is, this was A Great Big Catastrophe.

The rest of the story is just too graphic to share. But it involved about an hour of high-stress, high-anxiety phone calls. He didn't have his wallet ... I didn't have the key to the other car. We had to pick-up Henley ... I had to work for a Monday deadline.

So he ended up buying all these crappy red T-shirts, which we'll have no use for after today. *sigh* Tomato costume, anyone?

353

2009-04-04T07:23:00.000-07:00

I didn't take any pictures of my own today, but spotted this rather athletic-looking one of me running to get out of Peter's way at the wedding he was shooting.

I've cropped/erased out the beautiful bride and handsome groom here, but they looked fabulous. Congratulations, Kim and Wes!

352, part 2

2009-04-03T12:33:00.000-07:00

Hilarious! Peter called them to point out the confusion between the parsley and the parsnip. And this just came in the mail, quite unexpectedly.

Yay, Ferry Morse!

352

2009-04-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

I was once an anti-dirt neat freak, but I've had to amend my ways.

And so the afternoon progressed.

351

2009-04-02T09:42:00.001-07:00

Hanging out at the barber shop, old school.

350

2009-04-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

The neighbors had their tree trimmed today.

This reminded Peter of a job he had applied for when he first came to the US as a "Tree Cutter". When he called to inquire about the position, he was asked what experience he had. He thought for a second and said, "Well, I liked to climb trees as a boy." There was a pause, and the lady pointed out through muffled laughter that a little more experience was crucial for this position.

Afterwards, Peter realized that it was like applying for an architect position because one had had experience playing with building blocks as a child. Needless to say, he didn't get the job.

349, part 2

2009-03-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

Had to add this, just because. Check out the difference an almost-year makes!

*But don't worry, my new 365 - starting April 13 - will have a separate place for overflow photos. So it will at least appear that I'm following the rules. :P

349

2009-03-31T09:30:00.000-07:00

Mutant Peter pushing Alex on the swing. I swear that his left hand really isn't a pincher claw.

348

2009-03-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

I love my early-morning walks with Henley, and spotted this happy sight near the lake.

347

2009-03-29T15:18:00.001-07:00

Dig a hole! It will keep your kids occupied for hours.

346

2009-03-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

These Here Boots
(bought in 1994)

Qualifications Summary
Over 14 years and hundreds of miles of hiking experience. Motivated, flexible, and adaptable; can climb large mountains and keep feet dry.

Experience
Today, March 28: three miles through woods in rain
2003-2009, US: various terrain; on lookout for bears
1999-2003, UK: all-weather walking through tons of livestock dung
1998, S Korea: continued uphill despite unreadable signposts
1994-1998, throughout Europe: met Peter near Nimes 1995

Career Highlights
* Crater of Vesuvius, Italy 2002
* Monhegan Island, Maine 2001
* Land's End to Durdle Door, Southwest Coastal Path, England 2000
* Jirisan, South Korea 1998
* Thira to Oia, Santorini, Greece 1996
* Picos de Europa, Spain 1995

References available on request

345

2009-03-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

Peter trying to sort out the latest car problem. How tedious!

344

2009-03-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

I had a rare urge to clean today, and stumbled across this letter - shoved up in the back of a kitchen drawer. Imagine my shock and horror to realize that I was supposed to have dealt with this yesterday.

Luckily, my number hadn't come up. But I'll consider this a warning! *slaps hand*

343

2009-03-25T14:33:00.000-07:00

This dog is not one to be contained by a measly fence!

342

2009-03-24T15:33:00.000-07:00

Which number should Daddy wear for tonight's game?

341

2009-03-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

He says: ACHOO!
She says: Bless you!

Over and over and over again. All. day. long.

340

2009-03-22T05:23:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from The Biography of Alexander the Soccer Great

"Although he took his first steps at 11 months in order to kick a ball [see photo below], we didn't realize that he had real talent until he was about 3," said his mother, speaking on the rooftop terrace overlooking the Mediterranean at one of their many vacation homes dotted around the world.

339

2009-03-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...

It's MINE!

338

2009-03-20T05:45:00.000-07:00

Making a boat to pull through these crocodile-infested waters.

337

2009-03-19T16:04:00.000-07:00

Sam chose an art class over soccer. I think he's going to take after Grandad!

336

2009-03-18T14:50:00.000-07:00

Hawaii has finally come to Maryland.

335

2009-03-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Electric Company:

You've got to be fu*king kidding me.

Sincerely,

One Shocked and Sickened Customer

334

2009-03-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

Top reasons to let your kid use your laptop
* keys will fall off!
* certain keys will stick!
* you'll see a nice snotty smear across your screen!
* if you're lucky, your kid will download a virus onto your hard drive!

*The above reasons have been tried and tested. Your mileage may vary.*

333

2009-03-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

Pretty pottery.

332

2009-03-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

Oh, god. Now we've got two little boys on bikes.

And a cheat, because I love this photo.

331

2009-03-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

Tinker toys: an excellent addition to any vegetable patch.

And please notice the packaging here - is it parsley, or is it a parsnip? Very confusing, indeed.

330

2009-03-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

Today's the day!

329

2009-03-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

Introducing 'Doggie', custom made by Alex at Build-a-Bear.

328, part 2

2009-03-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

Sammy lost his first tooth today at school and brought it home in this little treasure box. *sob*

Surprisingly, the two most emotional milestones for me have been him moving to a big boy bed and losing this tooth. *sniff*

328

2009-03-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

The boardwalk - my favorite part of my daily trek around the lake.

327

2009-03-09T14:05:00.000-07:00

Spring, spring, spring!

326

2009-03-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

In answer to your burning question ...

... yes, he does wear briefs.

325

2009-03-07T09:46:00.000-08:00

Future farmers of America?

324

2009-03-06T17:11:00.000-08:00

Dare I say that the worst winter weather is finally behind us? Today was mid 60s with brilliant blue sky.

So let Happy Hour begin!
*grin*

323

2009-03-05T09:33:00.000-08:00

Here's Peter, working hard on his latest photos.

What I really don't get, though, is how he copes with those legs of his. They're always contorted into some weird position because they take up way too much space.

322

2009-03-04T13:32:00.000-08:00

American Foxhound
This versatile breed can be used as a pillow or as a heater.

321

2009-03-03T05:34:00.000-08:00

A sunny disposition on a sunny morning. So sweet!

320

2009-03-02T09:36:00.000-08:00

This kid could not even wait for me to find his winter coat and hat! Craziness, I say.

319

2009-03-01T06:38:00.000-08:00

MEMO
TO: All Parents of Girls
DATE: Sometime around the year 2015
RE: Public Service Announcement

Beware of these dimples.
They will steal your daughter's heart and turn her to mush.

318

2009-02-28T11:58:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the short-term loan, Mom and Dad! Oh, and thanks again for lunch, too.

*all finished with the car theme, now*

317

2009-02-27T09:33:00.001-08:00

Uh-oh! Peter's playing virtual cricket again.

He's either:
a) very bored.
b) missing England today.

I'm not sure which it is yet.

316

2009-02-26T10:34:00.000-08:00

I was rather pleased with this flattering photo of me driving along.

315

2009-02-25T07:07:00.000-08:00

Guide to a Stressful Morning by Peter Evans
1. Wake up early to deal with flat tire; have photo shoot @ 11:30am
2. Find that bolts holding wheel on are all sheared off; car is undrivable
3. Cross fingers that sh$t, broken car starts
4. Realize sh$t, broken car needs gas; cycle to gas station
5. Find today, reverse is only working gear in shi$, broken car (wtf!)
6. Get ride to metro to pick up friend's car

Now who can top that for Stress of the Morning? Come on, I dare you!

*update: Peter finally got all the way to his photo shoot, only to learn that it had been postponed until tomorrow. Um, ... okay.

314

2009-02-24T07:05:00.000-08:00

Remember this? Now, this is Sammy's favorite part of the day.

313

2009-02-23T13:36:00.000-08:00

Brothers shooting marbles.

312

2009-02-22T15:34:00.000-08:00

The cousins' table at 5 Guys. Before the mess.

311

2009-02-21T15:08:00.000-08:00

Harpers Ferry.

And the view in the other direction.

This was the first big-boy hike that Sam did without complaint. Hooray, Sam!

310 - Competition!

2009-02-20T07:26:00.000-08:00

Words fail me here. Seriously. So, I'm running a competition today to see who can come up with the best caption.

Lurkers, come out - one and all! Join the fun! You can even post an anonymous caption if you'd like, but the winner will get a prize.

309

2009-02-19T10:58:00.000-08:00

Peter had to fix our tenant's showerhead, which explains this ridiculous packaging.

The thought of frozen nipples sends my body into convulsions. What kind of company comes up with this obscene terminology? No doubt a male-dominated one. :P

308

2009-02-18T10:33:00.001-08:00

February 18, 2006, early AM
* baby is breech
* doctors manually turn baby, baby flips back breech
* doctors manually turn baby again
* mother is induced b/c baby cannot be trusted to stay head down
* doctors predict baby will be stubborn and strong-willed

February 18, 2006, 11:56 PM
one healthy, stubborn, and strong-willed baby boy.

February 18, 2009, 4:30 PM
one very healthy, very stubborn, and very strong-willed 3-year-old.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALEX!

307

2009-02-17T09:26:00.000-08:00

He thought:

Good, there are at least 50 more miles left on this tank.

She thought:

God damn it, husband. Why is my tank bone-f**king dry?

306

2009-02-16T18:22:00.000-08:00

Time, I beg you to please stop passing me by.

305

2009-02-15T10:47:00.000-08:00

Beware of beavers! This tree looked very precarious, just hanging out by the lake.

304

2009-02-14T12:11:00.000-08:00

Have a 'Pre-Birthday' 3rd Birthday Party!
Celebrate 4 days early to ensure that your child isn't forgotten!
Perfect for the child whose 2nd birthday party was a failure because:
* the host got rushed to the hospital
* the parents got the wrong day

303

2009-02-13T15:13:00.000-08:00

The whole school-Valentine thing has Peter thoroughly confused. I reminded him yesterday to buy Valentines for the kids to take to school, and he had no idea what he was supposed to get.

I have such fond memories of bringing paper mailboxes home when I was a kid. But I can see Peter's point about it being a really bizarre tradition!

302

2009-02-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

Nothing could have sent my heart sinking more than opening this Playmobil box! It was like the worst Ikea nightmare you could ever have.

There were probably one million tiny little pieces to put together. This photo was taken at 10:30 and the damn thing was finally finished at 2:00. And to add insult to injury, the boys aren't really interested in it. *sigh, scream, cry*

301

2009-02-11T14:51:00.001-08:00

These little cuties are "pulling down the sun." According to them, it seemed to work - since now it's dark out.

Oh, to be a kid again!

300

2009-02-10T13:28:00.000-08:00

The following series of events associated with this photo are hilarious, and I promise it's all true.

1. This red sign has said, "FIELDS CLOSED TO ALL PLAY" for the past month or so, in order to protect the grass.
2. Today, the parking lot was full of police cars.
3. These police officers were playing (American) football on these fields that weren't supposed to be used. One cop even took a call complaint during the game that people were ruining the grass!
4. The officers saw us taking pictures and asked Peter if he wanted to play.
5. My never-before-played-American-football husband is now known to the entire police force as *English lightening*, after outrunning most of them.
6. And so, Peter has been invited to join their regularly-scheduled Tuesday games from now on.

I swear, randomness seems to follow Peter wherever he goes. I mean, really.

299

2009-02-09T13:38:00.000-08:00

Seriously? Nothing at all happened today worth taking a picture of.

298

2009-02-08T14:35:00.000-08:00

Classic Black Wellington Boot
* sturdy enough for even the most active
* calf-high insulation keeps little legs warm
* stylish enough to wear with or without pants

297

2009-02-07T12:16:00.000-08:00

Henley dove straight into the woods today, chasing after two huge bucks.

It's not clear in this photo, but this buck was massive. It jumped kangaroo-like, straight over Henley's body and ran off into the field. At this moment, Peter was very scared that it was going to turn and run straight at him.

Me? I just stood there and snapped pictures.

Hmm ... if you ever need emergency action, I'm probably not your best bet.

296

2009-02-06T09:46:00.000-08:00

Sad evidence that the world's market really is in decline. And this was one of my favorite stores.

295

2009-02-05T09:42:00.000-08:00

These church signs are everywhere, and they do make me laugh.

Who writes them? And do they have an endless supply of apostrophes that they feel they need to use?!

294

2009-02-04T09:15:00.001-08:00

E-Harmony Profile, under-4s
Interests: dump trucks, pee-pees, Backyardigans
Dislikes: bedtime, home-cooked food, socks
Hobbies: sucking thumb, jumping on bed, running around naked

293

2009-02-03T15:54:00.000-08:00

If you insist on partying in the woods, please don't smash your glass bottles on the ground! This is the third major cut-up in the past few months - poor Henley.

292

2009-02-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

It would appear that pants are optional, but that MY shoes are required.

291

2009-02-01T09:53:00.001-08:00

Sam wanted a coconut.

"But Daddy, how will we get the coconut milk out?"

"With an electric drill, of course!"

The coconut looks good, but what do we do with it? All suggestions are welcome!

290

2009-01-31T08:11:00.000-08:00

Everyone should experience an REI attic sale once in their lifetime! Okay, so I had to wait for an hour in the cold and fight my way through the crowds, but I scored over $300 worth of high-quality goods for $49.99.

Not bad for a days' work.

289

2009-01-30T10:02:00.000-08:00

If you've spent any time with me, you'd know that the very thought of traveling makes me giddy. My career path was set because I needed to earn money while I was traveling around the world in my early 20s - when I wanted to learn about as many different cultures as possible.

I am determined to pass on my love of travel to my kids. Luckily, Sam doesn't need any convincing - all these atlases are his and he can tell you anything you need to know about geography anywhere in the world.

He's going to make a wonderful travel companion. And if I have my say, his little brother will follow in his footsteps!

288

2009-01-29T16:02:00.000-08:00

Walking in the countryside and then ...

... sledding at dusk.

287

2009-01-28T08:19:00.000-08:00

The Better Business Bureau is now on my Favorites tab. Today I filed my second complaint in a month, regarding absolutely atrocious customer service. Either I'm getting less tolerant in my old age, or customer service has been reduced to a complete piss-take.

Whatever the case, I'm very grateful to have an organization looking out for the customer.

286

2009-01-27T13:11:00.000-08:00

Having fun sledding in the backyard.

Surprisingly, they had the day off of school today. For what - an inch of snow?

285

2009-01-26T15:00:00.000-08:00

Sam put together all of North and South America - and these are very tiny pieces!

Jigsaw puzzles RULE.

Day 284

2009-01-25T05:18:00.000-08:00

A traditional Burns supper includes haggis and poetry reading. Here's our Scottish friend, reciting the Address to a Haggis.

I could have posted pictures showing you exactly how this haggis was made from scratch in my kitchen, but for those of you with weak stomachs - like me - I'll be deleting those images from my memory card asap.

Day 283

2009-01-24T05:39:00.000-08:00

The UK does not treat its red heads kindly at all. The very fact that this article and this article and this article were even written clearly illustrates this point. And that's not to mention comedians like Catherine Tate, with entire skits dedicated to the issue.

Here in the US, a typical day out for us involves people admiring and commenting on how beautiful our boys' red hair is. In fact, hearing a variation of the "... my grandmother's cousin had red hair, but sadly it wasn't passed down to me or my children" story can get a bit tedious the 300 millionth time you've heard it while standing in line at the grocery store!

My boys are brimming with confidence, and have a healthy balance of self-belief mixed with a desire to treat other people nicely. Whether any of this came from getting such positive feedback about their own appearances is obviously up for debate, but I'm sure there's something in it somewhere.

I often wonder, though, how their outgoing and very self-assured personalities might change if we moved back to the UK. Instead of being proud of their unique coloring, they'd be made to feel ashamed of it.

Sometimes I look at these boys and am so happy that we decided to stay here.

Day 282, part 2

2009-01-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist adding this addendum to today's post, as proof that he *is* super-cute. I think we'll keep him.

Day 282

2009-01-23T09:13:00.000-08:00

This very naughty character who kept us up most of last night is now happily, blissfully asleep. He seems to think that it's perfectly acceptable to go to bed at 9pm and play at 3:00am because he can catch up on it all during the day.

It's a good thing for him that he's so damn cute. Just saying ... : X

Day 281

2009-01-22T06:34:00.000-08:00

I'll never know if it was my email that first alerted Trader Joe's to their embarrassing typo. But I did get a gracious reply from them.

Hopefully in their next round of bags, they'll close up that unsightly gap. LOL.

Day 280

2009-01-21T09:16:00.000-08:00

In January 2008, I was uninsured and paid $480 for an eye exam + a years' worth of contact lenses. Today, I paid $160 for the same exact service.

Thank god for decent health insurance. I mean, really.

Day 279

2009-01-20T16:29:00.000-08:00

Rather than head downtown today for the Inauguration, we went on a nice walk. Boy, was it cold!

Day 278

2009-01-19T14:51:00.000-08:00

These boys are so computer-literate it's frightening. I once caught the little guy (age 2) looking at sedans on Honda's website. WTF? I'll never know how he navigated that one!

**oh - by the way, my family doesn't wear the same clothes every day. It just looks that way. o :

Day 277

2009-01-18T11:17:00.000-08:00

Introducing ...drum roll ... the latest singing and dancing sensation!

Day 276

2009-01-17T19:14:00.000-08:00

I thought about going, but quickly realized what a silly mistake that would be. Especially since I've heard that 4 million people are in town, so there's no way I'd get a glimpse of anything.

Day 275

2009-01-16T16:25:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned how absolutely exhausting it is to have two little boys?

Day 274

2009-01-15T17:12:00.000-08:00

Sammy loves sushi.

We finally got wise to it and ordered him his own roll - so he'd stop swiping our pieces. (Although here, he's digging in to my masago.)

Day 273

2009-01-14T14:32:00.000-08:00

Watching Wind in the Willows.

Day 272

2009-01-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

Poor Henley has cut up his foot yet again. Rather than spending another $200 at the vet, Peter has been dressing it. Yuck.

Day 271

2009-01-12T11:40:00.000-08:00

The little artist, getting ready to do a masterpiece.

Ta-da!

Here it is, as he put it:

"A happy Alex with red hair. Just like me!"

Day 270

2009-01-11T14:03:00.000-08:00

Spotted this very happy message on the sidewalk near my house.

Day 269, part 2

2009-01-10T16:18:00.000-08:00

These gingerbread men were eaten too quickly to run away!

Day 269

2009-01-10T11:30:00.000-08:00

What can I say here? Roll on, spring.