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.

A Tribute to a Loved One

This post is dedicated to my cousin Laurie, who passed away last week. She was a faithful reader of our blog who always wanted to know more, more, more of what was going on up here in our neck of the woods. If I didn't write for awhile, she was the first to notice. Growing up, she was older than me, but a cousin whom I always looked up to. Her intelligence carried her far in life. She had a wonderful job at which she was able to retire at a young age and pursue her dream to move south with her family. She was one that always had a witty comment, and truly seemed to enjoy life. Laurie kept the Simmons/Petrie family connected. She will truly be missed.

Thank you, Laurie, for being part of our lives from afar, and for being you. You will never be forgotten.

Laurie A. Jones Williams

March 10, 2010

ADAMS CENTER, N.Y. — Laurie Anne Jones Williams, 48, formerly of Adams Center, passed away Monday morning, March 8, at her home in Clayton, NC.

A private family service was held in North Carolina.

Born Jan. 15, 1962, in Watertown, the daughter of David R. and Alma "Midge" Simmons Jones, she graduated in 1980 from South Jefferson Central School, Adams, N.Y.

Laurie was employed for many years with the NYS DOT in Syracuse, N.Y., before moving to North Carolina in 2005.

She married Randolph L. Williams on Dec. 31, 1981, in Lowville, N.Y.

Surviving are her husband Randy, Clayton, NC; her mother Alma S. (Midge) Jones, Clayton, N.C.; a sister, Lisa Jones Kerber and her husband Thomas, and their children, Nicholas and Matthew Kerber, Adams Center, N.Y.; a brother Dave Jones, Garner, N.C.; her paternal grandmother, Sylvia R. Oatman, Adams, N.Y.; her husband’s parents, Harvey and Carol Williams, Adams Center, N.Y.; and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Laurie was predeceased by her father, David R. Jones, Sr.

Arrangements are being made through McLaurin Funeral Home, Clayton, N.C.

Condolences may be made to the family at www.mclaurinatpinecrest.com

A memorial service in New York State will be held at a later date.

Donations can be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for the Cure, Attn: Donor Services, P.O. Box 650309, Dallas, TX 75265-0309.

Owen is 5!!

Owen Judson Newton. Welcomed into the world on 02/08/05.

Five years old. Wow.

For Owen's big day, he had a tournament at the War Memorial. We had a fun day, complete with watching the Crunch play and winning 5-0...Owen said they scored 5 goals for his 5th birthday.

It was a fun day all about him.