I have officially signed on to do the Ragnar Relay race this coming October 21-22nd.  I've joined a 6 person Ultra team that will run a total of 195 miles day and night.  It's going to be painful yet SO rewarding.  I'd like to say I'm looking forward to it but as of now I'm too darn nervous.

  

Go team "Cereal Killas!"

For weeks now I've been asking Kadence the same two questions everyday after school...
1) How was school today?
2) What did you learn in school today?

For weeks now I have receved the same two following answers...
1) Um...good!
2) Just things and stuff!

I guess it's better than saying she learned nothing.  I can really tell she's absorbing a lot and she really likes going to school.  She asks if she can go everyday!

Happy Birthday

.....to my beautiful sister!

9 11 10 years later...

2001 --The Attacks

Ground Zero

From Ground Zero I can see,
A city of people in misery.

A misery that has caused hearts to ache all over,
Everyone is lending a hand or a shoulder.

Lives were lost in a blink of an eye,
Not having a clue they were about to die.

People coming from far and wide,
With feelings and emotions they cannot hide.

Rescue workers, working night and day,
Hoping for a miracle to come their way.

Lives destroyed by terrorists and two planes by noon,
Our hearts bleed for the people that have left us too soon.

This tragedy has touched our hearts, which have sighed,
A million tears our nation has cried.

Now, stronger than ever our country will be,
The home of the brave and the land of the free.

I am proud to be an American and you should be too,
Living in the country of red, white, and blue.

By,
Chelsea Griswold - 8th Grade (2001)
Age:13
Haddam-Killingworth Middle School

2007 -- 5 years later

This is the amazing "Teardrop Monument" located on the Northeast corner of the Bayonne Penninsula in New Jersey.  Created by artist Zurab Teseretii, it was made and installed  by Russia on the 5th anniversary of 9 11 in 2007 to honor those who died and as a statement against world terrorism.  The tear drop is lined up with the Statue of Liberty.  

The names of the persons killed on 9 11 are inscribed on the base.  Like the Vietnam Memorial Wall.  What a magnificent structure.

2011 -- 10 years later


The ground zero memorial will officially be open to the public September 12, 2011 10 years after the Al Qaeda attacks on the twin towers.  The National September 11 Memorial is a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993.
The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in the North America. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood. Architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker created the Memorial design selected from a global design competition that included more than 5,200 entries from 63 nations.
The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools, a powerful reminder of the largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest single loss of rescue personnel in American history.

I came across this book, which is neat Poetry after 9/11.  It's a compilation of poems that were found after 9/11 on telephone poles, on firehouse walls, in the bus shelters, and on the internet.  For someone who does not live in New York, what a healing sight that must have been to see.  I love poetry (although I do not write much myself) so of course this book is right up my alley.  

I remember exactly what I was doing that day, where I was, all of the people I was with and saw.  Sometimes it's hard to imagine that something of this magnitude happened in my lifetime.  I wonder if my girls will experience something like this in theirs.....

First Day of Pre-School

"The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives."

 ~Robert Maynard Hutchins

Summer Vacation Recap

Is it really September 1st???  It's hard to believe that Summer is coming to an end.  We have had a fun, full-filled, busy one.

For starters, Dominic and I both  began new jobs.  Keith and Dominic's event racing company was acquired by Lifetime Fitness and with that he became a full time employee of Lifetime.  He still does the same job but with different headaches and stresses than before and a lot less pressure.  He's good at what he does and I'm fairly certain he enjoys it.  I decided to take a break from the "stay at home" mom gig and go back to work.  For now I'm just waiting tables 3-4 nights a week while Dom stays home with the kids.  So far it's working out great even though I haven't managed to adjust quite yet.

JUNE

First event of the summer was the Diamond Kids Triathlon of which Kady participated in the fun run.  She looked SO cute and had a ton of fun....

Immediately following was a quick 24hr trip out to California for myself to attend a friend's "Royal Wedding" themed bridal luncheon.  The setting, an amazing mansion set high up on a ridge in the Anaheim Hills.  It was stunning and us ladies and our cocktail hats were a hit.  Here's a picture of the hat I made....

Next was a trip to Lake Cascade, ID where we met my parents for a long weekend.  Dom had a triathlon to put on and I competed.  Yours truly took 3rd place overall female in the triathlon as well....Go me :) Our furry kids were able to join us for this one.  The kids got some quality one on one time with Grandma and Grandpa where Kadence learned how to fish and caught her first one ever.  She ended up catching more fish then Dom, myself and my dad combined.  Is it beginners luck or skill inherited from her grandfather??  Who knows but I'm sure the pink barbie pole had something to do with it...

JULY

July started off with a BANG!  We hosted a 4th of July going away bash for our dear friends Mike and Halee.  He's in the Air Force and had been re-stationed to New Mexico.   There were tons of friends, food, booze, water balloons, jello shots, fireworks....shenanigans.  It was a good time...

We spent 10 days on the East Coast at Dominic's parents house.  His sister and family drove down with there camper from Maryland to join us for the week and set up shop at a nice beach front campground.  We did a lot of eating, shopping, hanging out on the beach, surf fishing and had a celebration for Nana's 90th birthday.  It's always a special time seeing the in-laws.  I just wish it could be more often.  We took Zoe's for her first time to the beach.  It's safe to say she's fearless and loved every bit of it. If only she loved the 5hr plane flight over. Ha! ...

AUGUST

Kadence began swim lessons this August.  Out of no where for some reason she became scared to death of the pool and swimming.  Odd because we spend so much time in our own pool out back.  She is 5 weeks in and making slow but great progress every day.  Even though she fights me every week to go, I think she secretly loves it...

Zoe sprouted 5 teeth over the summer.  Her vocabulary is vastly improving.  She says a new word everyday.  It's just hard to get her to repeat that word at the appropriate times.  Like always, she was a good and faithful companion and side kick this summer.  She sure does keep us on our toes.  The girls have been invited to more kids birthday parties this month then we could attend.  It's tough being so popular...

 Dominic and I were able to fit in plenty of date nights four ourselves this summer...always a must.  We went to a few different concerts outdoors poolside and what not.  Super fun...

Summer was a BLAST and I'm sad to see it go.  I am more than ready for fall though and some much needed COOLER weather.  By the way, Costco has Christmas stuff out already.  And I thought planning Halloween 2 months in advance was early.  Whoa...