Sunday, October 12, 2008

Sukkot w00t! and muddy football players

Here's our Sukkah going up. We've spent the last week trying to locate reed fence because - you guessed it - we left ours in Va Beach when we moved. We tried Home Depot, Lowe's and even our trusty Sweetgrass Ace Hardware, to no avail. Just when we figured we were going to settle for a wood frame, plastic mesh and sticking all manner of grass, reeds and brush into it....I took one more lap around Lowe's and there, in the garden center stood a whole pallet of reed fence! Oh joy, rapture! So we picked up two of them and today when there was a (brief) break in the rain Danny and Yeshi got the frame up and then while Yeshi was at football practice Danny and I tied the reed fence to the frame. Then we drove over to Park Island (just a few blocks from us) where they are building a bunch of new homes and scavenged for palm leaves. Well, ok, I did cut fresh ones but I took them from several areas so they wouldn't be missed. I think a lot of the stuff will be cut out when they build the houses. The leaves will make excellent roofing material. Naturally it started raining again while I was trudging through the swamp but the big palm leaves kept most of it off. When I first went in to get them Danny yelled out to me to watch it (he was only wearing flip flops and I had on sneakers so I ended up doing the cutting) because he saw a really big spider. Turns out it was a little brown crab. They were all over the place and went skittering in every direction as I slogged through the squish to get my palm leaves. Tomorrow - hanging up the lights and decorations!

Oh yeah, don't let the look fool you. He had fun practicing in the rain. Apparently some rolling in the mud was involved. Gee, getting muddy playing football? Who would have thought? Note the gray sky - yeah, it's still raining.  And the pants used to be white...

Monday, September 22, 2008

Aaaaaah.....Fall!!!!

Phew! Just when I thought we couldn't possibly take any more heat. It's been wonderfully cool the last few days.Highs around low 80's and even down into the 70's during the day - 60's at night. The AC is OFF. My goal is to keep it that way until next summer. I've had my fill of $350/month electric bills. 

I love fall. The weather is perfect, bugs are on the way out and my favorite holiday approaches - Sukkot. What could be better than a holiday in which you build a fort? Although we don't really have any fall colors to speak of (yet) I thought I would post some from previous years.






Friday, September 19, 2008

4 generations, scenery and super models

Four generations of Crandalls - on the right, my Dad: Great Grandpa Joel, me, my daughter Atalya and little Ray. On the left Yeshi and Great Grandma Fran. 
The view from the Port Jefferson, Ny - Bridgeport, CT ferry.
My son, Yeshi, in his supermodel phase.

Great Grandma Sara, Ray and Atalya.

Ah, the love of a brother and sister.....

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

And the winner is.....

Smilebooks was having a smiles of summer contest so I sent in this picture and was one of the fourth place winners. If you go to smilebooks.com you will see my name listed under 4th place winners. Unfortunately they only posted the pictures of 1st through 3rd place and I thought everyone should see the cuteness of my grandson Ray with his Great Grandpa Joel. I think these guys are definitely first place material! 


Saturday, August 9, 2008

Ray's First Birthday

Although I know I probably shouldn't try to catch up on my blog....I have to at least put in Ray's birthday before jumping to the present. So here are some from his party "on the day" (remember he did have a party at Grandma Sara's also). Here's Uncle Yeshi doing his thing. Ray loves the tossing in the air.
And here he is with cousin Luke figuring out how to get at that laptop.
Luke had a shiner from running into a table and decides the bag of frozen peas he had for the injury would make a good present for Ray.
Ray loves the fish that Grandma Gloria crocheted for him.
Great Grandpa Joel lights the candle.
Uncle Yeshi is funny.
Mmmmm, frosting.....
Cuddles from Great Grandma - she kept heading Ray off at the stairs. He'd even start up a stair or two and then look to see who was going to come get him....

Friday, August 8, 2008

CAKE

Bubbe makes her famous salsa as Zaydie gets ready to make Ray's birthday cake. Little ROS hangs out hoping for a shmackeral of icing.
Time out to wrestle with Uncle Yeshi.
Zaydie has the cake ready for the oven, Mama is quality control.
Oh yeah, CAKE BATTER. No, it will not give you worms. Pity the poor children who have never licked a beater or eaten a hunk of raw cookie dough....

Thursday, August 7, 2008

To New Hampshire

Ray's first ferry ride. From Port Jefferson, NY to Bridgeport, CT. It was a beautiful day. We had a few brief showers but we were able to spend most of the time outside on deck. 

This one takes me back. I got to thinking about it and I think this is the first time I've been out on the water since I left the Navy 15 yrs. ago. Really a nice feeling to be "at sea" even if only on the LI Sound.

I think she's reading Harry Potter. Isn't that a kid's book? I may have to take a gander and see what all the hubbub is about.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Ray's NY birthday celebration

Prepare to be amazed at the cuteness of my grandson! This is his birthday celebration on Long Island at my Mom's house. A few days later we were in NH for our family reunion (Dad's side) which happened to be on the day of Ray's birthday so of course there was another small family celebration and cake. Here Ray got a big birthday brownie made by Uncle Ed. YUM.


















Sunday, August 3, 2008

To NY

Ooooo, more pretty clouds. This time as we were driving out to Long Island. We also saw a really pretty double rainbow but the pictures just don't do it justice so imagine.

At my mom's house in Port Jefferson. This is our little Ray of sunshine who was doing the great-grandparent tour with our daughter Atalya. ROS is a real sweetie pie. Smiles for everybody and is so good natured.

This is his latest impression - Winston Churchill.