The Rhetoric

Yesterday Kirsten “called out” so we could spend the day as a family. I’m glad she did. Our work and school schedules rarely allow for us to be together during the day. And the day was absolutely gorgeous. Fleece weather, my favorite. We brought the cameras along.

Enjoy.

Kirsten made a wonderful breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese, toast, grits, bacon, orange juice and coffee. How lucky am I?!? Jenna read to us the book, “Fairly Stupid Tales”, which is hilarious, especially the way she reads it. At different parts she is quiet, loud, fast, slow, and inflects her voice where appropriate. It was great fun to listen to, and watch, her read this super silly story.

After breakfast we all went to church. Kirsten hasn’t had many experiences with church outside of Mormonism and I really wanted her to see how religion is done right. Hayley and Skye went to Sunday School after the children’s sermon and Jenna stayed with us up on the balcony. It was nice to be alone with her for a short time. Kirsten enjoyed the experience, as did I.

Related posts:
An Atheist and the UCC - Oct. 3, 2008

Skye didn’t have to twist my arm too much to get me to take the family to Portland Head Light. I’m so glad it is becoming one of their favorite places, too.

Related posts:
My Favorite Place - Oct. 14, 2008
My Cathedral - Oct. 27, 2008

We did a family photo then shots of the girls together and individually before releasing them to go play on the rocks. Kirsten and I enjoyed each other’s company as we talked, watched the girls play, and relished being Mainers.

I always tell the girls, “just one more”, while we’re doing a shoot. It’s never just one more. It’s become a running joke. After every shot I told them, “just one more”, and by the time I took this they were all in stitches.

My first trip to Maine was a stopover in Bangor on the way to England. We were dragging across the pond a couple of F-16 fighter aircraft the Belgians had recently purchased. The Maineiacs of the 101st ARW were very good to us. I noticed their sticker on the flagpole at Fort Williams State Park a while ago and have been meaning to take a picture of it ever since.

To get their picture walking back to the car I repeatedly told the girls to “freeze!”. Skye seems to have overacted just a bit. :)

The girls always love going to the Children’s Museum of Maine. And, since we have an annual pass, we go whenever they ask. They played for a long time as Kirsten and I talked and flirted with each other. They enjoyed themselves so much they didn’t even get to the second floor by the time we had to leave.

I hadn’t eaten since breakfast so Kirsten made me one of my favorite meals, a Reuben sandwich. It was wonderful!

Be sure to leave a comment.

family, hayley, jenna, kirsten, skye brent, children's museum, lighthouse, maine, phl, portland head light

Skye has been asking me to take her to Boston for a while now. She loves the city. Her GT (gifted/talented) class is going in four years and she’s wonderfully excited. She said she loves Boston more than she loves Maine.

I have most of this week off work and about a bazillion Choice Privileges Points so I decided to take the girls on a mini-vacation before it gets too cold. Kirsten, unfortunately, had to work. :(

Sunday morning we drove to Boston, parked the car at Quincy Center, and took the Red Line train into Park Street Station. Skye wanted to check out the Granary Burying Grounds so we headed over there. Then we strolled around Washington Street before heading to Marriott’s Custom House (my favorite Boston building) where we would see the city from the 26th floor observation deck.

After the girls were too cold to stand out on the observation deck at the Custom House Tower we walked over to the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. The girls enjoyed running around a fountain and playing on the concrete structures.

When they finally tired of playing and decided it was time for swimming we walked to Government Center where we boarded the Green Line. At Park Street Station we switched to the outbound Red Line (Braintree) train. The drive to Hull from Quincy was nice. Our hotel was the Clarion Nantasket Beach Resort Hotel and Spa. Our room had a balcony with ocean view, fireplace and whirlpool tub. The girls were very excited! After spending a long time in the swimming pool Jenna and I played Battleship while Skye and Hayley watched Cartoon Network.

Monday morning we got all freshened up, went downstairs, and enjoyed a long breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant. The girls, especially, loved the buffet. After breakfast we got a late checkout so Skye and Hayley could go swimming again. After a brief swim (and bath) we strolled along the beach in front of the hotel before again driving to Quincy Center to catch the inbound Red Line subway.

I asked Hayley, “Do you not like mornings?” “I do like mornings, I’m just really tired.” She is always the last daughter awake and is usually the last to fall asleep at night. Interesting.

The girls insisted that we go to the Custom House Tower again so, after getting off at Downtown Crossing, we ran and walked as fast as we could through the financial district. We got to the Custom House right at two o’clock, which is when the daily tour starts. We were all a bit tuckered out after that. The views were impressive and the weather significantly warmer this day.

After the girls were done at the Tower we took the Blue Line from Aquarium to Government Center where we switched to the Green Line to Boylston Station. Our waitress at the hotel told us we could ride the Swan Boats for a dollar but they weren’t running. So, we walked around the Boston Common and Public Garden and took lots of pictures.

From the Common and Public Garden we made our way up the Commonwealth Avenue Mall to Copley Square and the Boston Public Library.

When we were done at the library the girls and I were tired and missed Kirsten. Besides, it was getting dark and the mercury was falling. We decided to call it a couple days and head home. On the way home the girls were very hungry (they hadn’t eaten since breakfast) and Jenna asked if we could have dinner at Hooters. We had a great time there (is there any way to not have a great time at Hooters?). Hint: if you ever go to the Hooters in Saugus, Massachusetts, be sure to sit at Tia’s table. She’s stunning and sweet.

It was a wonderful two days in our favorite city, but we were all glad to get home and give Kirsten a great big hug!

These photos were taken with my DSLR, phone and video recorder. Quality varies accordingly.

family, hayley, jenna, skye boston, brent, vacation

As an atheist I do not like that in 1954 the phrase “under God” was added to the Pledge of Allegiance. Obviously. Nevertheless, the girls recite it each morning before they begin their studies.

The very notion of reciting, in unison, a pledge of allegiance to anything is nothing less than thought reform and has no place in an institution of learning where minds should be challenged and dissension encouraged.

On a lighter note, Hayley loves being in kindergarten and adores her teacher. Several times she has been selected to be the Star of the Week and enjoys the responsibility and attention each time. She tells me she doesn’t learn anything and attempts to placate me by saying that it’s just the way kindergarten is.

hayley atheism, education, kindergarten, pledge of allegiance, video, youtube

Birthdays aren’t a big deal to me. This year I spent mine watching the first presidential debate and hanging out at the new Hooters in Saugus, Massachusetts.

It was nice to return home Saturday evening to one of my favorite meals and my wonderful girls. Kirsten baked macaroni and cheese from my mom’s old recipe. Yummy! She also made my favorite black forest cake. The candles were the trick kind that relight themselves after they’re blown out. Fun.

Kirsten gave me a flourescent light so I (we) can read in bed at night. Skye gave me a small Rubik’s Cube. Hayley gave me 9¢ to buy my favorite (candy) bar. They each made me a card. How cool is that? I love those girls.

Kirsten dressed extra sexy, as she does whenever I’m returning from a road trip. I appreciate that a lot!

Several friends and family called or left messages on my Facebook page. I guess if there’s one thing good about having a birthday it is having an excuse to reconnect.

family, hayley, jenna, kirsten, skye birthday, brent

Hayley is, and always will be, my baby girl.  Which is why today was filled with mixed emotions: I was excited for her to begin her formal academic journey yet selfishly missing her while she was away.  Last year we wrestled every morning after putting Skye and Jenna on the bus.  Today the house was eerily quiet.  I missed my little buddy, Hayley.

Before leaving for work this morning Kirsten had insured the girls’ backpacks and lunches were ready to go.  Sadly, she had to leave too early to be able to watch her little girl ride off to school on that big yellow school bus.  She made sure to leave her camera out and had me promise to capture the moment.

Hayley has been looking forward to going to school and this morning was especially giddy with excitement, as expected.  She had been through her academic and physical evaluations (and was told by her teacher that she was the smartest kid in her class).  She has watched her sisters return from school every afternoon for years and was ready for it to be her turn.  She already knows how to read and do basic arithmetic, but she really wanted to make new friends and play on the playground.

Today she ate french toast in the classroom and went to gym.  She said gym was her favorite part of the day even though she didn’t get to participate (she had forgotten her sneakers).  She said what they were doing looked like fun, anyways.  On recess she played tag with her friends Joey and Marinda (our neighbors).  Her teacher is Mrs. Arnold.

She also went to music where they listened to different instruments to know what each sounds like. Unfortunately she didn’t get to show everybody how good she is at math or reading. There’s always tomorrow.

She loved her day and is excited to return tomorrow.

I’m going to miss spending time with my baby, my little buddy. But I’m glad for this new chapter in her life.

family, hayley kindergarten, school

Kirsten is SO mean. She put water in a bowl and froze it over night. Then she had me pour a layer of Hayley’s favorite breakfast cereal, Kix, over the ice and add a little milk to make it look like a bowl FULL of Kix. Hayley was not amused. Every time she sees this video she reminds me that she didn’t think it was funny, that she was only laughing because I made her.

She also put a looooooooooong dark thread in Jenna’s shirt with only a couple inches hanging out. In the morning I pointed Jenna’s attention to the wayward thread. She couldn’t be bothered by it. I told her to remove it. She pulled and pulled at the thread of seemingly infinite length. Skye wondered aloud where the thread was coming from since the shirt Jenna was wearing didn’t even contain that dark color.

Kirsten, you’re mean! Funny, though.

hayley, jenna, kirsten 2008, april, april fool, april fool's day, cereal ice, fool, frozen, funny, thread, video

Yes, that’s a keyfob. And, because it’s a Volkswagon Jetta keyfob, it’s also the key.

Last Sunday the girls asked me to take them to Portland Head Light to climb on the rocks, hike and take pictures. The answer to that request will always be an enthusiastic “yes”. While I took pictures the girls made a “house” out of driftwood, mangled lobster pots and rocks. I climbed all over the cliffs and boulders trying to capture the lighthouses from new and interesting perspectives.

I laid on a rock about six inches above the surface of the water to get this shot.

And got really low to capture this reflection.

Then I waited for the girls to be done playing. After a long while I suggested we go play on the swings before heading to the hospital to get Kirsten. The sun was getting low and the tide was coming in and I was getting a bit chilly.

Skye and Hayley headed to the playground while Jenna and I went to get the car and drive it down. I couldn’t find the key! It wasn’t in my pants, jacket or camera bag. Nowhere. If it were down on those rocks the tide would, in a very short time, completely cover it. Besides, it was getting dark and there were about a bazillion round rocks it could have fallen between. And, it was getting dark. And, the park would be closing at sunset. And, Kirsten needed a ride home after her twelve hour shift at the hospital. Fuck.

Jenna and I walked to the playground to get her sisters then headed back down the tall granite cliffs to the rocky shore where we had spent most of the afternoon. I scanned the ground in what I knew was a futile attempt to locate the missing key. I suspected it had fallen out of my jacket pocket in either of the two places I had laid down.

The girls were too slow over the cliffs and boulders so I told them to go to the top of the cliff and walk around. That way they wouldn’t slow me down and I could keep an eye on them.

At the first location, where I had laid on a rock to shoot Ram Island Ledge Light, the rock was submerged by the rising tide. I looked through the clear water but couldn’t see the key. I hurried to the second spot and, when I rounded the last corner, saw the bright red PANIC button of the keyfob at eye level. Whew!!! After snapping a few pics for this blog post I retrieved the key and headed back to tell the girls the good news. I had no idea the adventure had just begun.

The girls hadn’t gone up to the cliff, but were still down on the beach. Apparently they hadn’t heard me or communicated to each other. And they couldn’t hear me now, they were too far away. When they were in range I called out to Jenna and Skye and asked them where was Hayley. I figured she was behing a large rocks and was just out of sight. All I got was a shoulder shrug. I yelled for Skye to go find her and off Skye went. When I finally reached Jenna I was missing two girls, but was confident Skye would find her sister and we could finally leave.

As Jenna and I climbed up the cliff there were about fifteen people standing on the edge watching us. When we got close to the top a women asked if I was the dad. I told her I was a dad. She said they found my daughter, which was nice. I didn’t think they were lost, really. Pretty soon Skye rounded the corner and everybody looked quite pleased about the reunion. Until I told them I have three daughters. Those happy expressions instantly changed back to concern and panic.

With Skye and Jenna close behind I walked around the top edge of the cliffs yelling for Hayley. After only a few very long seconds we heard a man yelling that he had found her. I could tell by his voice that she was okay. She had a huge smile on her face as he carried her up to us. Everybody was relieved and happy our little family was back together. Hayley had been several hundred yards away from where I had left her. She was trying to find us but was going the wrong direction over very large, sharp and treacherous boulders.

I was never as concerned as any of the spectators. The girls are very good on the rocks and hardly ever fall off them.

family, hayley, jenna, skye 2008, adventure, cape elizabeth, emergency, found, keyfob, lighthouse, lost, panic, phl, portland

Yesterday evening Kirsten suggested we take the girls to Hooters for pool, beer, and a snack. She didn’t have to ask me twice. Kirsten and I played pool, drank a pitcher of Amber Bock, ate a plate of wings, talked, and watched hockey.  The girls colored their menus and ate quesadillas at their own little table on the other side of the restaurant.  They also played a driving arcade game that Skye always enjoys.

After an hour or so the girls bored of coloring and joined us at the pool table.  In this picture Hayley is “messing up Mommy.“  We all had a great time.

family, hayley, kirsten fun, hooters