I Don’t Want to Work…

I just want to bang on my drums all dayyyyy!!!!!

Untitled from Amanda Sidell on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday PPLLC

It was two years ago today that life changed for what hopefully will be forever…

Peterson Properties LLC bought Pine Haven Mobile Home Park.

Oh Pine Haven, how you’ve changed our lives…

And here’s to being able to say that with a smile on our face in the next 5 years! 

Dreaming

We’re dreaming of summer…

”Mom, when we open the pool, I am going to going swimming and then sit by the pool and eat my lunch and as soon as I am done my lunch I am going to get back in the pool and float all around and splash all around and have so much fun.  Won’t that be awesome, Mom?”  

Yes, Soren, that will be AWESOME!

But in the meantime, we’ll just have to make due with snow…

A Trip to the Museum

Entertaining 5 little kids for 2 weeks can be a lot of work…So of course we took a day at the museum…

Untitled from Amanda Sidell on Vimeo.

who says the fun is only for the kids?

The Perpetual Sleep Over

If the loss of a parent does anything, it certainly brings families together.  When she heard of Papa’s failing, like any good daughter, Jessica came up to Maine (from MA) immediately.  We were happy and excited to host Aunty Jess, Uncle John, Mason, and Fiona for the visit.  Originally, Jess had plans of returning home and then coming back to Maine, but the weather did work with that plan.  Instead, Jess and family were here for two weeks.  I am now endearingly referring to this period as “The Perpetual Sleep Over”.  The kids had so much fun!  They have never gotten to spend that much time together as they are usually maxed out after 3 days and everyone heads home.  But they did so well and there were very few major melt-downs.  By the end of the visit, they had actually gotten into a nice routine.  Also, you know this was quality bonding time because by the end of the visit, the Kettell Kids were no longer listening to Kevin and Amanda, and the Peterson Boys were no longer listening to Jess and John—nothing says a kid is truly comfortable with a person like overt defiance! 

And the day after they left Soren spent a good 10 minutes searching the house for his cousins.  He couldn’t believe they were gone and boy was he sad!  We are certainly looking forward to the next Perpetual Sleep Over!!!!

Goodbye Papa

As you may have noticed, there has been a lull in blogging over the past few weeks.  This is because we have been busy caring for my father, Soren & Bodie’s Papa in the last days of his life, and taking care of all of the subsequent to-dos…

Goodbye Papa (click here for obit)

Bruce David Sidell
Old Town – Bruce D. Sidell, 62, died February 8, 2011, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Manchester, NH on March 20, 1948 the son of Michael and Annah (Burns) Sidell.
Bruce received his AB in Biology at Boston University in 1970, and his Master of Science and PhD in Physiology at the University of Illinois in 1972 and 1975. Bruce was a professor and founding director of the School of Marine Sciences at the University of Maine in Orono. Through his work as a researcher, educator and mentor, he traveled to Antarctica and received numerous awards for his work. Recently, the US Geological Survey and National Science Foundation named an Antarctic peninsula the "Sidell Spur" in honor of his many years of Antarctic research. His work and research were truly his passions in life and his contributions will live on in the scientific community. Bruce will be sadly missed by his family and all who knew him; especially his faithful canine companion Barnum.
Bruce is survived by his beloved wife Mary (Keegan); 3 daughters Amy Sidell and her husband Greg St. Pierre, Jessica Kettell and her husband John, and Amanda Sidell and her husband Kevin Peterson; 6 grandchildren, Nicholas and Timothy St. Pierre, Mason and Fiona Kettell, and Soren and Boden Peterson; sister, Judy McLean of Goffstown, NH; and his uncle Charles and Louise Ferazzi of Gloucester, MA. In addition to his parents, Bruce is predeceased by his brother-in-law Robert McLean.
Family and friends are invited to call from 6-8pm on Thursday, February 10 at Birmingham Funeral Home, 438 Main St., Old Town. In respect of Bruce's wishes there will be no formal services. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to the Bruce D. Sidell Scholarship supporting students in Marine Science at the University of Maine or to the Sidell Family Fund supporting the Holiday Gift Giving Fund through the University's Employee Assistance Program. Checks should be made payable to the University of Maine Foundation and sent to Two Alumni Place, Orono, ME 04469-5792. Kindly indicate to which fund the gift should be designated. Memorial gifts may also be given to New Hope Hospice, P.O. Box 757, Holden, ME 04429. Notes of condolences may be left at www.birminghamfuneralhome.com


But life does go on, and therefore, blogging proceeds as well…

Dr. Bruce

Dr Bruce from The St Pierre Family on Vimeo.

Devon for a Day

Soren and Bodie have a wonderful daycare provider by the name of Devon. She is energetic, perky, great with the kids, patient, and seems to still like the kids at the end of the day.  I fully admit I am in awe with her abilities as I am exhausted after watching my two only 4 days a week.  Anyway, this week, I found myself watching 4 kids for the day.  While I was a little nervous, I thought, if Devon can do this with a million kids every day, I can make it one day!

The day started off strong with a family style breakfast. (Soren was the only one who would look into the camera, and this is what I got)

We then moved on to play-doh.  The kids were doing so well, I thought it was a good idea to leave them to the play-doh while I check out Facebook for a while…it didn’t work out as well as I had hoped, but they had a great time.

We then moved into the tv room for story time followed by a snack.

Did some more playing, had some lunch, some quiet time, and some coloring, dinner, and finished they day, equally as strong but much more exhausted with a movie in the bedroom projected onto the wall (because what 3 and 1 year olds do not need a movie projector for their room)

By the end of the day, I was not what you would call energetic, perky, great with the kids, patient, or seeming to still like the kids. However, no one was bleeding, starving, or at least too emotionally traumatized, so I think that in my book , I would call the day a success! 

And I would like to give a big shout out to Devon for doing such a great job helping me raise my children! 

Our Little Minion

Accessorizing

Lucky for Soren, Bodie, Nick, and Tim, their cousins, Mason and Fiona joined them for movie night this week.  They enjoyed a showing of Monsters Vs Aliens. After which, they decided to do a little accessorizing with just a few things they found around the house…

Snow Day

A little fun sliding at Grandma’s!

Independent Little Guy

As mentioned previously, Bodie is an independent little guy.  He often refuses help with anything…

Including putting his pull-up on!