Merry Christmas from the Dog

People, Really?!

Photo Courtesy of Dog Gone Beautiful

101 Washables and He Chooses Permanent

During the Christmas season, I am thankful that I can shop online any day, any time. However, I just found out that it is not such a good idea during the day with a two year old in the house. He WAS playing trains in his own room when I left him unsupervised. I no longer heard the toot, toot which always means bad things are happening. "To what to my wondering eyes should appear":

Sam in Noah's room with bare arms and Sharpie markers.

Why is that every one of my children have artistic natures, but refuse to use PAPER?!!

Snow Day

Christmas Spirit - Adams Style

On Sunday, the Elliott gang got together for a "Christmas Story" of our own. There was festive snow in the air with Christmas music being played up and down the street. Even the dogs were dressed for the event! Poor I-Z missed the fun. We left him home as we didn't know if the little boys would stay on the float. To our surprise, the boys performed with their best parade waves and smiles. Thanks to all of the Elliott family and staff that helped to win Elliott Realty, Inc - BEST IN SHOW! I am pretty sure that it was the Elliott, Andiorio, and Newton Boys that took it over the top! The cousins were literally "kissin' cousins" for the day. Mr. Ethan cracks us up, he loves Sammy so. The afternoon ended with caroling, courtesy of the Adams Methodist Church, cocoa from our awesome Scouts and Leaders that Adams offers, and a "Christmas Vacation" setting of the tree lighting (thanks Matt & Kyle for the narrating)! A big thank you to Aunt Co Co and the Chamber for hosting such a fun event. The kids loved it!

Carving The Bird

Thanksgiving morning was spent with the Macy's Parade, cooking, carving the Thanksgiving Pumpkin, helping one another, and well, a bit of crazy boy chaos just like any other day. Below are three of the five boys cleaning the pumpkin. Noah was helping Grandma and Grandpa set up for dinner down the hill. He came home with a smile on his face, proud of himself for helping others. I-Z was under foot licking the floor clean. I love our canine vacuum.

Our afternoon was fun, very loud, with most all of the Newton family under one roof. Just the way Thanksgiving should be. Jeremy, Patrick, and Christopher were missed. We very much enjoyed Avery surrounding us with her love. She is opening up to the boys with many unprompted hugs and kisses. She truly is a blessing.

After we wore out our welcome at Grandma and Grandpa's we traveled to see some of the Petrie Family. I enjoyed seeing Sammy tickle Grandpa Pete's heart. He is the one in the Newton Family that brings that light into Grandpas eyes that I remember witnessing when we were kids. Grandma was there in spirit through all her children and her famous recipes. The boys adore all of the big kid cousins, and eat up all of the attention that they get. We love all of the Petrie cousins. Each are unique in their own way and have turned out to be phenomenal adults. I looked in the living room last night with the hopes that we will see our own children in the same way.

One of my highlights was the newest Petrie member. Zachary is a proud father of a 4 month old german shepard. Unfortunately we didn't get any pictures as we were all to busy lovin' on Mr. Drake. He is a big, furry smart mess of love.

We missed the Elliott side of the family this year. It was different without Grandma Durma being present to lead us. We all miss her so much. Dad, Mom, Matt, Kate, and Ethan traveled to New Jersey safely. We plan to celebrate big with them during our cookie marathon along with all of the Wright Street festivities that happen this time of year. Sure did miss our Big E, but we know that he was sure to enjoy his uncles and Aunt Sophia.

We eulogized the turkey day. Happy Holidays everyone!

Giving Thanks

It is time to harvest our souls and say thank you to God as well as our founding fathers for our families, our homes, and the food we eat. The day is a reminder of not only how much we have, but how little we truly need. May our children heed this...as well as the annual turkey gobble calls!

A little bit of history for us to reflect on (courtesy of history.com):

In September 1620, a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England, carrying 102 passengers—an assortment of religious separatists seeking a new home where they could freely practice their faith and other individuals lured by the promise of prosperity and land ownership in the New World. After a treacherous and uncomfortable crossing that lasted 66 days, they dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod, far north of their intended destination at the mouth of the Hudson River. One month later, the Mayflower crossed MassachusettsBay, where the Pilgrims, as they are now commonly known, began the work of establishing a village at Plymouth.

Throughout that first brutal winter, most of the colonists remained on board the ship, where they suffered from exposure, scurvy and outbreaks of contagious disease. Only half of the Mayflower’s original passengers and crew lived to see their first New England spring. In March, the remaining settlers moved ashore, where they received an astonishing visit from an Abenaki Indian who greeted them in English. Several days later, he returned with another Native American, Squanto, a member of the Pawtuxet tribe who had been kidnapped by an English sea captain and sold into slavery before escaping to London and returning to his homeland on an exploratory expedition. Squanto taught the Pilgrims, weakened by malnutrition and illness, how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish in the rivers and avoid poisonous plants. He also helped the settlers forge an alliance with theWampanoag, a local tribe, which would endure for more than 50 years and tragically remains one of the sole examples of harmony between European colonists and Native Americans.

In November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast and invited a group of the fledgling colony’s Native American allies, including the Wampanoag chief Massasoit. Now remembered as American’s “first Thanksgiving”—although the Pilgrims themselves may not have used the term at the time—the festival lasted for three days. While no record exists of the historic banquet’s exact menu, the Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow wrote in his journal that Governor Bradford sent four men on a “fowling” mission in preparation for the event, and that the Wampanoag guests arrived bearing five deer. Historians have suggested that many of the dishes were likely prepared using traditional Native American spices and cooking methods. Because the Pilgrims had no oven and the Mayflower’s sugar supply had dwindled by the fall of 1621, the meal did not feature pies, cakes or other desserts, which have become a hallmark of contemporary celebrations.

Pilgrims held their second Thanksgiving celebration in 1623 to mark the end of a long drought that had threatened the year’s harvest and prompted Governor Bradford to call for a religious fast. Days of fasting and thanksgiving on an annual or occasional basis became common practice in other New England settlements as well. During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress designated one or more days of thanksgiving a year, and in 1789 George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation by the national government of the United States; in it, he called upon Americans to express their gratitude for the happy conclusion to the country’s war of independence and the successful ratification of the U.S. Constitution. His successors John Adams and James Madison also designated days of thanks during their presidencies.

In 1817, New York became the first of several states to officially adopt an annual Thanksgiving holiday; each celebrated it on a different day, however, and the American South remained largely unfamiliar with the tradition. In 1827, the noted magazine editor and prolific writer Sarah Josepha Hale—author, among countless other things, of the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb”—launched a campaign to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday. For 36 years, she published numerous editorials and sent scores of letters to governors, senators, presidents and other politicians. Abraham Lincoln finally heeded her request in 1863, at the height of the Civil War, in a proclamation entreating all Americans to ask God to “commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.” He scheduled Thanksgiving for the final Thursday in November, and it was celebrated on that day every year until 1939, whenFranklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week in an attempt to spur retail sales during the Great Depression. Roosevelt’s plan, known derisively as Franksgiving, was met with passionate opposition, and in 1941 the president reluctantly signed a bill making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November.

He cried "I Can", all the way home!

Very exciting news on Friday, 11/19/2010 in the Kindergarten world of Owen Judson Newton. He was the first in his class to complete and bring home his I Can ribbon. The ribbon began the first day of school, showing progress of this grades goals. Each sticker is a task mastered. Such as counting to 100, knowing the seasons in order, reciting your address, identifying and reciting the alphabet, phone number, etc.

As I watched Owen get off the bus, he reminded me of Isaac when we arrive home after a trip. He was so excited, he was about to jump out of his skin. Owen is a character where he wants everything to be a surprise, so he made me wait until we arrived in the kitchen where I promised to close my eyes. He then proceeded to tell me to open them, where he shook out this ribbon about as tall as him with all of his mastery stickers. The grin was priceless as well as the proud moment when he exclaimed that he was the first, the very first, Mom, to bring home "I Can". I jumped up and down with him looking at me like I was a fool, and he finished by saying, "Now I can graduate"!

Here he is admiring his work:

Gluten Free Fun

Our family is on a healthy Owen journey. Skinny, pale little O is currently free of gluten and red dye. We are slowly weeding out our kitchen of foods that make Owen ill. Since beginning a week and a half ago, we are not hearing the "I feel wacky inside". His stomach pain and such are dissipating. Although difficult as we are away from home so much with three active boys, he seems to understand the concept of what is agreeable with his body. We have found that eating out is extremely difficult, so we are steering clear of restaurants. It is believed that gluten may be the root of many of his allergies. We are praying that the answers will soon be sought as well as confirmed. Along with Owen developing by who he is, not by his aliments.

11/22/2010 Update - Our first set back of this journey. Can't pharmaceutical companies compound an antibiotic that does not include red dye or gluten for kids?!

Introducing our Cousin

Miss Avery Lin Xuan was born in China, but met her parents of the heart in July of this year. They have been discovering each other for a few months now, and we are pleased to announce that the Newton Family now has a girl. A baby girl has been foreign to Steve's family for over 60 years. We are so thrilled for Gary and Allison. They have waited a very long time to begin their family. The boys, Steve, and I look forward to experiencing family life with the Newton 3.

**These beautiful photos are courtesy of our brother Gary. The backdrop is the front porch of Great Aunt Nancy and Uncle Tom's home. We all traveled south for the Great Pumpkin Hunt of 2010 and Grandpa Lew and Grandma Vi's 68th wedding anniversary. (How awesome is this that our children are taking part in an anniversary party of this magnitude!) The shots were not staged. This is where the kids landed sharing a few moments of cousin-ness. As always, Gary was with camera in hand at the opportune moment. If you are a reader outside of the family and are looking for an talented photographer, please send us an email or comment. We will be sure to pass on Gary's business information.

I've seen this image before...

Hockey has officially started! We're off to a great start: 2-0 after the first weekend. Here's a neat picture before this past Sunday's game - just like an AT&T commercial.

MORE BARS IN MORE PLACES!

*The above post was written by a proud Father*

A note from a proud Mom - Noah is a first year Peewee and he has gained a position on the tournament bound travel team for 2010-2011. Noah seems to have a passion for the sport now, and this season has us on the edge of our seats. Thankfully, the checking is a lot less scary than I originally thought it would be. I am finding out that hockey is definitely not for wimpy mothers!

It has been exciting getting to know a new group of families, and reconnecting with some that Noah has not skated with since he was four years old. I am confident that many of these relationships we have formed will be long lasting. For that I am grateful for this sport.

Owen is in his second year of hockey, and a member of the Mite team. The team consists of over 30 skaters/families, and is organized craziness at the rink on Tuesday and Friday nights. There are all levels of abilities, and the coaches make it tons of fun for the kids. Owen has been a bit ill, so hockey has been hit or miss with him. He went back on Tuesday this week and had a ball. He has mentioned that he thinks he may want to play indoor soccer next year. This child is a mover and a shaker, so laid back skill-honing practice is not enough. He wants games!

Oh yeah, I don't believe we have mentioned how redneck hockey we are. We have an actual clothes dryer in our driveway that serves as a puck target. This free broken down target has been relocated from one Wright Street address to ours, and was escorted by Grandpa's big John Deere tractor that landed it in our driveway. Who needs nets?!

SJCS Kicks Against Cancer

This was being painted during Noah's last soccer game of this season. Two members of our family that our children never met, are on the board. May their legacies forever live on.

The Boy With The Long Neck

Owen has shared each day of Kindergarten at home. We are thankful that he is a sharing kind of kid, as we love to hear the classroom stories. The funniest one yet, was around day four of school. This is how the conversation went:

Beth: "O, did you have some free time today to explore Mrs. Evans toys and talk to some new friends?"

Owen: "Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you! I made friends with the boy with the long neck!"

First Day of School - 2010

Owen waiting with much anticipation, fighting back the tears for his first day of Kindergarten. Noah, going with the flow, looking cool, and way older than 11 for his first day of middle school.

The kindergartener and the middle schooler.

The Wright Street Gang. Our friends, The Blevins' have helped get Noah off to school since 3rd grade. This year, we are driving Mr. Zach and Mr. Ryan to school with Owen and Sam in tow. Noah is riding to school with Mrs. Blevins since she works in the same building. It is nice to have this time every morning with the school aged kids. They are so funny to listen to. They talk about their classrooms, their teachers, what's for lunch, hockey, baseball, what they did the night before, what happens on the bus on the way home, who gets in trouble, they sing, they dance, they raise the roof...oh my goodness...I never new you could have so much fun at 7:15 am.

The three amigos on their way through the Mannsville doors. The first day Owen went off with the two other boys without looking back. I cried all the way home with Sam asking me if I was okay. The next two weeks were not so easy for Owen. He cried, he screamed, he had me by the pants and would not let go. This was torture for both of us. My heart hurt leaving him every day like this. He tried to tell me that he could learn at home, he was sick, that two minutes away from me was to many...but, with the help of the Blevins' boys and the school staff, we turned the corner, and surprise, no more tears. I will never forget those weeks, and how he still wanted his Mommy. I couldn't tell him, but I wanted him to stay with me just as bad.

This first day of school felt like five days to me watching the clock, Sam asking when the boys would be home, and the dog following me since his buddies were gone. It all ended well, with the best moment I could witness with two brothers sharing their day while meeting up in the driveway. These minutes as a mom, visualizing the love, make my throat close with emotion.

And, then there was this...Owen removed his jacket with a huge smile as he proudly displayed the chocolate milk he was covered in for half a day. BOYS!!

This is Noah in September 2004 on his way to Mannsville for his first day of Kindergarten. Owen was born the following February. It is crazy how life changes and you are given exactly what you pray for.

Labor Day 2010

This Labor Day was a first for Sammy. He along with Owen, Maia, and Maddy Chamberlain rode on the SJ Chamber float in the Adams parade. He had his fill of lots of good treats from Mrs. Tonya that kept him occupied. Unfortunately, the tractor malfunction put a bit of a damper on the start of the day. But, like Daddy always does, he fixed it on the fly just in time to sneak Aunt Co Co and Mrs. Marlene's creation right in line where it needed to be. It was a fun way to end the summer.

We will miss you Uncle Dick

Richard H. Ladue

August 27, 2010

HENDERSON HARBOR, N.Y. — Richard H. Ladue, 62, of Henderson Harbor, a retired New York State Police senior investigator, passed away early Thursday morning in the village of Clayton.

The funeral Mass will be said 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 30, at St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church, Grove Street, Adams, with Rev. Patrick Ratigan officiating. Burial will follow with military honors in Brookside Cemetery, Watertown.

Calling hours are 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29, at the Reed & Benoit Funeral Home, 632 State St., Watertown.

Born July 1, 1948, in Watertown, a son of Hobart H. and Virginia Gotham Ladue, he graduated in 1967 from Watertown High School. He received his associate's degree in business administration in 1969 from Jefferson Community College. Following his education, he served with the Army for two years.

Mr. Ladue joined the New York State Police on Jan. 1, 1974. He was promoted to investigator on Nov. 1, 1984, and to the rank of sergeant on Nov. 10, 1988. He was promoted to senior investigator on Feb. 22, 1996, and retired from the New York State Police April 3 , 2007.

He married Jacqueline A. Petrie on Aug. 25, 1979, at St. Cecilia's Catholic Church, Adams.

He enjoyed fishing, boating and the company of his family and friends.

Surviving are his wife, Jacqueline A., Henderson Harbor; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Maj. Richard H., Jr. and Jami, Colorado, and Chad B., Henderson Harbor; a daughter and her husband, Amy and Aaron Reid, New Hampshire; three grandchildren, Harrison (Bailey), Kaitlyn and Tristan; a sister, Sandra J. DeLand, Punta Gorda, Fla.; several nieces and nephews.

A brother, Bruce H., died July 13, 1982.

The family has requested that contributions be made to the Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, or to the American Cancer Society.

Condolences and thoughts of remembrance may be expressed at www.reedbenoit.com.

A pretty special Dad

The boys each had special items for Daddy on Father's Day that made Steve's day a memorable one. Noah made a jigsaw puzzle picture frame, Owen made a bluebird house with Poppy and GM to surprise Daddy with, and Sam wore a shirt all day that said "My Dad is a Rockstar". Isaac took on the role of protector to give Daddy the day off. He stood guard on the back forty for most of the day.

Since we are weeks later, the picture frame surrounds Noah and is proudly displayed on Daddy's dresser, the birdhouse has been hung and birds have built a nest in it, and the shirt...well, it is a bit stained, but when Sam put it on the other day, he said "This is Daddy's shirt".

Living My Own Toy Story

Noah and Owen pretty much take care of their things. Sam on the other hand, not so much. Sammy tears things apart, rips off heads, saws into stuffed animals - crazy stuff. He is like Sid, the neighbor from Toy Story. I am hoping when this hooligan grows up he will be some type of engineer, doctor, or construction worker. All professions that would prove to be the origin of this insane behavior at two.

Below is just an example of the toy carnage in our house...

Sorry Joe, off to the landfill you will go.

P.S. We cannot wait to see Toy Story 3 this weekend!!

Special Birthday for a Special 11 Year Old

Sometimes I am unable to wrap my brain around motherhood. The ups, the down, the ins, the outs. Occasionally it is like I am in someone else's body. Blissfully happy, but tortured by the never ending list of things to do. I pinch myself as if I am going to wake up from this dream. The ultimate dream come true...a mother of three happy, healthy children.

Noah recently turned 11 and is beginning juvenescence. It seems that he is unsure if he wants to be a little boy or adolescent. I am right there with him. There are days that I look at him like he is an alien spawn from some unknown planet (ironic, as he was an alien for living art in his last elementary art show--picture below). Other times I want to squeeze him and never let go. Funny, as I type, I am believing he probably thinks the same of me. You know, because when you become a certain age, your parents no longer know what's best.

On April 30th, the boy turned 11. He and I had a special date. A mother and son date with a good friend and her oldest son. We dressed the boy's up and introduced them to some big kid stuff. It was a sunny day with a peaceful ride to Seneca Lake. (I enjoyed my adult time, too!) We stopped at a beautiful castle for brunch. The boys enjoyed the 3 room buffet of food. They each had Shirley Temple's - big deal ya' know! They were very well behaved, with their napkins on their laps and using their manners. So not like our tables at home were we constantly have to remind them!

From the castle we traveled to Rochester to see Wicked. After seeing the show in January, I knew that Noah and Andrew would love it. We were not disappointed. The theater, the sets, the costumes, the orchestra, and yes, even the singing seemed to impress. Noah cracked me up as he was keeping beat with the orchestra. He didn't even realize that he was doing it. A bit of a distraction for the three of us with him, but his band teacher would have been proud. A stop for some ice cream on the way home with some motherly torture of making the boys converse with us during the car ride. We decided no video games, they had to discuss their highs of the day. Isn't it great to be a Mom where you can do evil things like this?!

Noah is the orange alien. His good friend Anthony is the grey guy.

And, their alien pods...ART - an expression of oneself.

I swear I will never question him! I was a weird art student once, too.

I melted crayons, splattered them on paper, and won awards.

Perhaps I should change this whole post - his weirdness is my fault, isn't it?!!

Heaven

My vision of heaven....

Until we meet again.

Our Heavy Hearts

Durma P. Elliott

April 11, 2010

ADAMS, N.Y. — Durma Pearl Butts Elliott, 94, went to be with her Lord on April 9. She was under the loving care of her family and the 3rd floor staff of Samaritan Medical Center, Watertown.

Born Jan. 13, 1916, in Pulaski, she was the middle child of Charles and Verna Butts, she grew up in Watertown and graduated in 1934 from Watertown High School. After high school, she was employed by the F.W. Woolworth chain.

In 1936 she met and married Garnet E. Elliott of Hounsfield. They started their married life in Watertown and soon built a house on Pillar Point on the shores of Lake Ontario.

In the winter of 1946 during a blizzard when Garnet had to snow shoe to Dexter for food, the decision was made to leave the shore and move to Dexter where Garnet began employment with I. R. Poole Gas. They lived in Dexter until 1953 when they moved to Adams and the opened the Poole Appliance store located on Main Street which is now Cafe Mira, and then to Spring St. which is now Whitney’s. Durma was also employed by Belloffs Dept. Store as a sales clerk. She worked there until she and Garnet opened Elliott’s Liquor Store on Rt. 11.

They retired from the store in 1975 and wintered in Kissimmee, Fla., returning home summers, living next door to their son, Bill, and family on Route 11. They were happily able to continue the best of both worlds and climates until Garnet died in June 15, 1992.

Durma continued traveling back and forth for a few more years until she decided to spend her winters living with her daughter Connie in Buford, Ga., and near daughter Kay and her family also of Buford, Ga., then returning north in the summer living in an apartment at the Zoar Road farm of her daughter Lori and family. In 2001, Durma returned to the north country permanently and moved into Country View Apartments where she continued to live until her death.

She is survived by five children, Connie Elliott, Jim and wife Nancy, Bill and wife Debbie, Lori and Bruce Porter, all of Adams, and Kay and husband Jack, Buford, Ga.; a loving niece, Dee Templeton and husband Bill, Kissimmee, Fla.; 10 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and a great-great grandchild, making Durma part of five generations.

Her parents, brother, Durwood, a sister, Dorothy Crossman, and an infant grandson all died before her.

One of her greatest joys was being able to regularly attend South Jefferson sporting events, where she is one of their biggest and most loyal fans. Until her death Durma continued to enjoy sewing and crocheting and being able to share a bit of her, every time she gave one of her creations to a friend or a loved one.

Contributions in her memory can be made to the South Jeff Rescue Squad Adams NY. In lieu of flowers, her wishes were to fill the church with Lilacs.

Memorial service will be 11:00 am Saturday, May 8, 2010, at the Adams United Methodist Church, with Rev Bill Mudge and Rev. Mona Fargo officiating. There are no calling hours. Arrangements are with the Piddock Funeral Home, Adams.

Sammy is 2 and Steve is 42!

On March 24th, Sam turned two. He seems much wiser than two. Perhaps there is an old soul behind those big blue eyes. He is very much a mover and a shaker and doesn't sit still for long. His personality is beginning to mold at this interesting age, and I do believe he is the child that during his lifetime will be able to get away with about anything. Again, did I mention his crystal blue eyes and long lashes?! They are trouble with a capital T. Check back in 20 years, and we will see if I am right.

To celebrate, we had a special evening with the five of us which included Sam and Daddy's favorites - homemade pizza and ice cream cake. With hockey and FOSPA coming to an end, we are planning a family party at a later date. (Now later yet, as I believe Owen has chicken pox.)

Well, Happy Birthday to our littlest man and the boss, Big Daddy - AKA The Birthday Boy as Owen labeled Steve. This was absolutely knock your knee funny when Owen came out with this statement to his 42 year old father! Steve's day was made special by homemade cards, kisses, hugs, and lots of laughs from these funny boys of ours.