The Fabulous B@ker Blog

I took the last week off to spend some time doing college related stuff with Cam, and relaxing it wasn't. Cam is finally home from his world travels and camp counselor job (eight weeks away with just about 10 days at home that whole time), so we really needed to get down to business and do some activities related to getting him ready for his senior year. First off, we took a trip to visit the University of Buffalo on Tuesday, and, while a nice campus (HUGE!) he was not swayed from his first choice, RIT. We spent of a lot of Tuesday rushing from Fairport to Buffalo and back again to be back in time for his senior picture photo shoot. Despite much kicking and screaming (figuratively...), he turned out to be a very cooperative subject and the results were amazing! The formal picture was nice enough, but the black and white casual shots blew us away. We were very pleased and have an appointment tomorrow to finalize our order (side note: very very expensive - they obviously pull you in ...

As often happens, this year we recognized that we would like to mulch the beds around the house, which is fine, but FOR GOD'S SAKE IT'S ALMOST SEPTEMBER. Anyway, we recently had two yards of mulch delivered, and once that happens Mark is ob sessed with getting the beds cleaned out and the mulch spread. He takes great pride in his home, inside and out, and it shows with our beautiful gardens. While I do help, he really gets the most credit, and it feels really good to both of us at the end of the day to have a well kept lawn and surrounding plant beds. That being said, two yards was not enough for the all the areas and another two yards are being delivered tomorrow. Sigh. For a couple of years I've wanted to remedy are really problematic section of our yard, which is a Y shaped pathway leading from the side yard to the patio. My suggestion was to replace the flat stones that serve as walkway (which are constantly surrounded by weeds that grow faster than I can pull them) wi...

Cam came home from his summer camp gig for a 20 hour visit on Friday night before heading back yesterday at 4pm, and brought with him some interesting looking markings on his face. At first I thought he had a series of bug bites that were swelling up, but yesterday morning, on closer inspection, I thought a trip to the doctor was in order. It's a good thing we went because he had a fresh case of poison ivy all over his cheek and both sides of his chin. It was amazing to me that after probably seven years of summers at Camp Bristol, first as a camper and later as an employee, neither he (or Annalisse) has never had poison ivy. I suppose we're due. He's now on an eight day intensive course of Prednisone (steroid) to help clear it up. I know when he went back yesterday he was really itchy, so I'm hoping the medication works quickly so he can fully enjoy his last week (washing dishes mostly - he's working for at a music camp that is renting the facilities from Saturday ...

I was looking through some old pictures and I came across this one, which was taken on our first trip to Florida (St. Pete Beach/Tampa), which we took with Sue. What year? Hmmm....it was probably around 2002, which would mean that Annalisse was six (about to turn seven) and Cam was nine. There are a couple of pictures in my collection that really stand out for me, and this is one of them. What fun we had with Sue!!

Isn't it funny how, in the weeks leading up to a vacation or a break, you can't wait to have a change of routine, pace and scenery, then by the time you get home you are looking forward to getting back into the routine? We humans, always wanting the opposite of what we have! That's what it feels like for me right now. It's been non-stop since the kids got out of school, and Mark and I (mostly "I") have been on the go a lot in the last month. Of course, Cam has been gone (to Germany, then camp) since June 25 (I think we counted that he's been home for maybe 10 days in the last month-and-a-half), and Annalisse has been enjoying our family vacations, time traveling with her friend, Mo, and a week at camp herself. No wonder the years seem to fly by!! This morning for the first time in what seems like months we're heading to the Fairport farmer's market to stock up on fruits and vegetables , and will also make a stop at the meat market to fill the fre...

This has been another not-great-news week, just like last week's (and month's) non-great-news week as Annalisse's good friend's (Taylor's) mom passed away suddenly last Wednesday. We are all very upset for Taylor and her sister and two brothers. To lose a parent anytime is devastating, but to lose your mom suddenly in your teen years will be a very difficult thing for them to overcome, if they ever do. Very, very sad. I thought as the calendar turned to August 1 I would have a respite from the doom and gloom, and get some good news, but my August 1 included a speeding ticket on my way home from a whirlwind trip to Massena . I earned this special token I thought I was in a 55 mph zone but apparently I had just recently entered a 55 mph zone (I definitely saw the 55 mph sign, checked my speed, and settled in at 57) after exiting a 45mph zone and was 12 miles over the speed limit. Freakin ' Route 12 between Ogdensburg and Morristown !! To be fair, the sheriff...