Gotta ♥ NJ

Well, it has been a couple of weeks.  I had several subjects lined up and then mother nature dealt us a few blows that made S and I sadder than expected.  First, let me say that I realize mother nature did nothing to us like she has done to so many others lately.  We have had beautiful and/or helpful weather all spring.  We had some great warm weather, then two weeks of rain. Near the end of the two weeks, I thought we might all go a little nutso.  I just kept reminding myself that the rain we were getting was a whole lot better than the drought our friends in Texas was experiencing.  We got a little heat wave after the rain and even had to turn on the air, but it dropped back down into the 70's this week.  I LOVE the 70's!  The point is, I realize that our little setbacks were just that, little.

In May, I was ready to unveil our robin's nest

Mama and Papa robin had built a nest right under my bedroom window.  We have a toy box that acts as a window seat, sowe all had perfect views of the babies that were soon to come. 

The week I was going to write the piece, the nestlings had finally started hatching.  The girls and I were super excited.  The blue eggs had been beautiful but I was really looking forward to the girls being able to witness baby birds learning to fly.  To be honest, I was really looking forward to me getting to see the birds learn to fly.  I had never had a nest so low that I could see into before.

I was worried about the babies from the beginning because they began to hatch during the two weeks of rain. Instead of hunting for food for them, Mama just kept sitting on them to keep them dry and warm.  It was cool to see the water bead on her wings.  Wednesday dawned, the day I was going to write the little blurb about our closeness with nature.  I looked out the window first thing as I had been doing for several weeks now (yes, you may call me a nerd!) and there was nothing but an empty nest.  I was so sad!  Uncle Birdwatcher has assured me that an animal probably got the nestlings since robins don't normally eat their own young (I was really afraid she had due to their weak state).  So, that was our first brush with the harsh reality of the animal kingdom.

The rain finally ended just in time for the Kirby Karnival, S and A's school carnival. I was sure it would be rained out, but the day dawned not only bright but hot!  We went and had a great time playing games that had Under the Sea themes.  We threw rings onto dolphin noses and bean bags through shark teeth.  The girls painted shells.  S and I played a game to win a fish where you throw a ping pong ball into a bowl.  They gave her two tickets to redeem for two fish when the carnival was over.  I don't know if your 5 year old is like this, but as soon as S thinks that she is going to get something she is done playing and just wants her prize.  She was like that at Disney World also.

Anyway, she wanted her fish and I didn't see any reason to wait since S usually had some sort of toy, be it a plush animal or a figurine-type animal like Littlest Pet Shop, in her hands at all times.  She has been like that since she was a baby.  We keep waiting for her to grow out of it, but I wonder now if she will.  The point is, I didn't mind her carrying the fish around because I knew she would not lose it.   So, we went over to the area indicated by the volunteer who was running the game and I got a SHOCK! They were giving away REAL fish.  I could not believe it.  Needless to say, I did not let her get her fish right away and high-tailed it back to the game area so that I could stop Eric from playing the game with A.  I knew there was no way not to get the two fish we had already won since S had been BEGGING for her own fish/turtle/frog for two years now, but I did not want a whole load of these things.

At the end of our stay at the carnival, which by-the-way was much shorter, I believe, due to the excitement over the new fish, S got to scoop out two fish from the big fish tank and bring them home.

She named them Goldie and Swimmy.  We went straight from the carnival to the pet store and bought one of those bowls.  After a couple of days of 1. having to change water almost everyday and it still being cloudy and 2. feeling guilty because I would hate to have so little room to move around in, I went to a different pet store and bought a 5 gallon tank with filter and installed it in S's room.  As you can see, both girls were quite pleased.

And so, just as I was beginning not to worry about the fish and their well being and the possibility that one or both of them would die because we did get them at a carnival, Goldie died.  S found her one morning stuck under the filter. She cried the entire morning.  I being the wimp that I am, took her to the pet store even getting there 10 min. before it opened to get her another Goldie.  Unfortunately, or fortunately really, but you know, the pet store employee would not sell us a $0.13 comet goldfish because really a 5 gallon tank is two small for even one! Apparently, they are very cheap but can become very large.  Instead of a new Goldie, I just had a very sad girl.  Harsh reality of the animal kingdom strikes again.

S still talks about Goldie and we have checked out all the books on goldfish and aquarium maintenance from our local library.  I have also researched other fish that remain small that might enjoy a five gallon tank just in case we end up at the pet store early one morning, again.

I am not sure that I do love NJ right now, but it sure is helping my daughters and me have those good ol' fashioned life experiences.

Gotta ♥ NJ

I thought last week that perhaps I would have to scale back the Gotta ♥ series because I was running out of things to love.  You know how once something becomes the norm, it is hard to see the goodness in them.  I mean it is still good, but you lose that wonder or that desire to talk about it because you assume everyone already knows.  That is how Germany went also.  I raved about it for about a year or so and then it just became our lives.  I thought NJ might be losing its sparkle after just a few months.  Then a couple of things happened and I am back to thinking this is a pretty cool place to live.

This week I would like to focus on my redneck side.  I have one, ya know.  I am from Tennessee.  You can't help but have some redneck in you if you are from there.  Nothing over the top, just a little love for things not quite hip.  I've heard that NJ has its fair share of rednecks, but we live in a pretty yuppy town, so we don't see much of that here.  I also assume that NJ rednecks are like those people on Jersey Shore.  I could be way off since I have never seen the show. I am just giving you my impression.  Anyway, I got to let my redneck side out this weekend when E put up the...Tire Swing!! (in the front yard, no less!)

In Texas we had those pesky things called Home Owners Associations (HOA).  I mean, I got "reminders" about my driveway needing a cleaning or the fact that I dared to put a bench in the front of my house (so I could sit and watch my kids play).  The "reminders" were quite annoying.  I, being from TN, totally understood that the point was to keep people from putting cars up on blocks in the front yard or putting out a flock of flamingos (I've always thought that was sort of funny though).  But the HOA took itself a bit too seriously in my opinion.  I mean, limiting the height of play structures in your own backyard. Please.

Where we live now, houses have been here for 50+ years.  People buy them, renovate them, change the neighborhood.  There is no HOA.  And that means that I can have a tire swing in my front yard and that my family and I can INTERACT with neighbors while enjoying our currently wonderful weather.

So, I gotta love NJ for mature trees and no HOA's!!

Gotta ♥ NJ

This post is actually an apology.  In my last Gotta ♥ NJ post, I hinted that this spring was not going to be warm and inviting.  I now have to say that I was wrong.  Not only is this turning out to be a gorgeous spring, it is a nice warm one also.  The girls even wore short sleeves and shorts to school today.

This post is a little later than normal because I went out this morning to take a picture of one or more of the lovely trees and bushes surrounding us so that you far away folks could appreciate what I am saying.  This idea did not come to fruition because my memory card was in my computer instead of my camera where it was suppose to be.  That means you will have to take my word for it when I say that it is beautiful here. I can not figure out what trees with white blossoms line Main Street, but they are plentiful and pretty.  Around our circle we are enjoying forsythia bushes, magnolia trees, and dogwoods.  There are many more that I can not identify.

So, if you can't guess, I gotta love New Jersey for its spring.  It is made all the more precious by the winter.  I also must mention that the kids are enjoying the heretofore unknown experience of having windows in the house opened as well as driving with the windows down.  It is really like a whole new world!

Gotta ♥ NJ

It is cold here.  Did you know?  I actually like having four seasons.  I like a bit of snow each year. So far, I am not deterred by 50F in April.  I, of course, have not had to endure a full winter.  I have not had to walk my child to school in the snow or freezing rain.  There has not been a power outage, yet.

With that said, I gotta love NJ because it is making me realize the merits of...the beach.  I am not a beach person.  I hate the heat.  I hate the sand.  Not the sand at the beach, but the sand that comes home with you and takes up residence in every crevice of clean clothes, fresh shoes, and crisp bedsheets.  Despite my misgivings, I still joined those who headed to the beach for Spring Break.  I pushed my stroller through Disney World.  I watched sand castle construction and destruction.  I even enjoyed myself.  I am a person who has to see differences to appreciate them.  This Spring Break, after months of snow and cold, I took advantage of the heat of Florida to get out, get the girls out.  I relished many moments knowing that the NJ Spring was awaiting us at home.

The girls with Belle.  Belle and Cinderella were the only characters A would get near.

The girls and I on Dumbo.  This ride was a favorite!

So, I gotta love NJ because it has finally made me appreciate the beach.  I have a lot of friends and some family that can all chorus, "Finally."  It only took 37 years and a NJ winter.

Taking a Break

Had to take a break! Between an unending sinus infection, taxes, and Disney World, I have no time.

However, I will share what I recently found out. I don't have to pay taxes on clothes!! Yay.

See you in a few weeks.

Gotta ♥ NJ

Well, to be honest, I was about to call todays post Gotta hate NJ.  I'm just in one of those moods to spout out all the reasons this place annoys me.  The thing is, most of those reasons deal with moving and the hassle that comes with it.  OK, there is the weather.  Again though, to be honest, every place has weather swings.  Maybe not so drastic as 70F on Friday 32F with 4 in. of snow on Wednesday.  I also had to stop and remember that some of this mood is post visitor sadness and couldn't be blamed on the poor state.

So, today you gotta ♥ NJ because it has some, not all, but some towns where you can walk everywhere. Ours happens to be one of them.  Yay!

Gina and Jason came to visit recently.  Gina and I walked down to the nail salon place and got a pedicure.  Then we walked up Main St. just to see what it had to offer.  Did you know that we have a cupcake store?  I didn't.  The next day we did our part for the town and its businesses during our no kids/no dog shopping trip.  That night the four of us were able to do our own little Madison pub crawl (OK, just two pubs, but still!).  After that, we walked happily home.

My shopping buddy wearing MY new jacket!

I ♥ towns that you can walk in!  So, I gotta love NJ!

Gotta ♥ NJ

because even though there is at least 2 in. of snow on the ground and it is still snowing, my kids are going to school!  Haircut here I come!

New bird feeder with snow

Gotta ♥ NJ

for its birds!

Birds, you may ask.  Here is the tale.

Due to our move to NJ, we spent a lot of time in TN during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.  We were dropping cars and dogs off as well as trying to keep plans that we had made before finding out about our move. During that Thanksgiving trip, my mom gave S an Audubon Field Guide to North American Birds.  You may think this an odd gift, but S loves these types of books and gets them out periodically to marvel at our world.  She has an Animals of North America one that she has enjoyed for a couple of years now. The point, however, was that S was in a bird phase.  She kept the book with her all through Christmas.

When we got to NJ, we began receiving the free newspapers that give info on local events.  We are not very good newspaper people, but we were trying so that we might learn about our new place.  So, there I was eating my bagel and drinking my coffee on a peaceful Saturday morning when I see it: A Winter Bird Walk for kids 4-6 at The Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center in Chatham, NJ which is about 10 minutes from our house.  Yay! I called up the babysitter and made a date so that S and I could enjoy a tour the following Monday.

The walk was a bit of a bust since the temperature dropped about 10 degrees while the nice guide was familiarizing us with common birds of this region.  But we did get to enjoy the birds that were around the feeders outside while he was speaking! He also had stuffed specimens which should have been a bit sad, but really they were better than just photos.  AND the tour introduced us to the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)!

The GBBC is a project that allows bird watchers of all shapes, sizes, and expertise levels to help scientists get an idea of bird populations and movements around North America.  All you have to do is bird watch for at least  15 minutes, take note of what you see, and then submit your findings on the website.

I would not have been a very helpful participant as all I can do is say, "Look I see a bird." Unless said bird is a robin, cardinal, or blue jay, I am clueless. However, the girls have a particular uncle in TN who just so happened to have taken a couple of ornithology classes during his time at college and unlike most of us, he remembers what he learned!  So, it was plain ol' good luck that our trip down corresponded with the GBBC.

One afternoon during Presidents' Day weekend,  Uncle Birdwatcher took Tante Sonja, Tante Heather and four kids on a bird watching walk near their house.  We saw hawks, vultures, woodpeckers, chickadees, and several others that I have now forgotten.  We even heard (and could identify) others by their calls.  It was quite a cool afternoon activity.

Now, we are back home and I don't know the reason, be it mature trees in the yard or just the variety of birds here or perhaps being so close to a National Refuge,  but we are seeing new birds everyday.  And with the help of  a certain field guide (which we are still learning to use), an iPhone app, and a few calls to Uncle Birdwatcher we are starting to see and identify more of our feathered friends.  Our new bird feeder is also helping attract the fast little critters so that we have more time to identify them.

S below new bird feeder.  Notice the rain boots.  Apparently, our backyard is a little swamp of its own!

A Carolina Chickadee (Could be a Black-capped Chickadee but I think it is a Carolina one.)

Northern Cardinal-a bit blurry but they are quick and the feeder spins.

So, Ive gotta love NJ for its birds!

Gotta ♥ NJ

Because visits from family and friends lead to doing things that you have always wanted to do.

Poor A fell asleep before we could get the picture taken!

Glad Bret and Angie didn't mind us tagging along on their sightseeing trip!

Gotta ♥ NJ

Because it is ONLY (said sarcastically) 10 hours from Tennessee!  10 hours is ridiculous, but a lot shorter than 17 which is how long the trip is from Texas.  This means that when feeling particularly optimistic I can agree to come home for my niece's birthday party so that my girls can have Tinker Bell buckets.  Of course, I regretted this optimism several times before and during the trip.  But honestly, it was worth it!!

S, A, and the birthday girl

A with Opa and yes, he is sporting Ariel sunglasses!

Gotta ♥ NJ

Gotta ♥ NJ because there is a Dunkin Donuts on every corner.  I used to be a Krispy Kreme gal, but these munchkins might change my mind!

Gotta ♥ NJ

It is hard for us and others to believe that we are excited about living in New Jersey.  First, we left really good friends in Texas not to mention  those of our daughters.  We also left the harsh summer months for harsh winter ones.  Then when you start speaking of the cost of living, no one would believe that we are excited to be here, not even us.  However, we are excited and to remind myself of that even on days when things (Verizon internet) frustrates me, I am starting a It is Wednesday and you gotta ♥ NJ post.  Here is the first one.

I gotta love NJ because they have Pretty Pretty Princess Teas at the Y for my 5 year old.  Thank you Y!