Amy's Blog : weekend

You've Gotta Get One Of These

Amy Unger — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:16:00 GMT

Saturday was a beautiful fall day in Central Indiana, and we spent every minute of it outside at my stepdad's wooded lake property just south of Rockville, Indiana. The famous Covered Bridge Festival was going on at the same time, but we didn't get that far ...we were having way too much fun riding in grandpa's ARGO:

Not only does it go over virtually any terrain at a sometimes alarming speed, it also turns into a boat with no effort at all. Steven was in heaven, evidenced by the perma-smile. But what would you expect from being able to ride in such style to sites like this:

To do things like this:

Along paths like this:

Although the views were spectacular, I will always remember the day like this:

Too Early?

Amy Unger — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:36:00 GMT

Next to Christmas, Halloween is my favorite holiday. I'm looking forward to all thing spooky, and the years to come as Steven really gets into it. Soon he'll be moving from "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" to "Monster House," then onto "Halloween" and "Sleepy Hollow." But not too soon.

I love Halloween so much that I think I'll start celebrating....now.

Reflections

Amy Unger — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:26:00 GMT

I was a little bored waiting to be let into my brother's new house yesterday (we were early for the tour) and snapped this strange looking picture on his back deck. You can see the refection of the lake in the background, and the image of us in one side of the double pane glass is a kinda cool. I love the lone folding chair seen perfectly clear through the other door. Behind it you can see another reflection of the lake in the mirrored wall, which is opposite the doors. And yes, the house is 70s retro-fabulous. What was it about covering complete walls with mirrors that sounded like a good idea back then?

It also came with preinstalled in-wall speakers of a non-acceptable brand, but I'll be taking care of that soon. I'm such a good sister.

4 Years Old Today

Amy Unger — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:49:00 GMT

Weekend Photo

Happy Birthday, Steven!

I certainly remember where I was 4 years ago today. Ugh.

Anticipation

Amy Unger — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:09:00 GMT

Weekend Photo

The 4th of July. One of my favorite holidays. I hope someday Steven will share my enthusiasm for it, but of course it's hard to explain the concepts of our independence and patriotism to a three-year-old. My best approach for now is to make the day as enjoyable and memorable as possible, so maybe as he gets older he'll realize how special it is. I couldn't think of a better way to accomplish that this year than Symphony on the Prairie.

Cameras unfortunately were not permitted, so I smuggled my tiny compact digital to steal a few shots for posterity. This is one of an amazingly patient Steven, who--although surprisingly well-behaved, and even appreciative, throughout the 2 hour symphony--was constantly anticipating the close-range fireworks show, along with four huge artilery cannons featured during the 1812 Overture.

In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have warned him so early that those cannons were going to be ridiculously loud. Maybe a 30 second warning would've been sufficient, because every time I turned to look at him this is pretty much what I saw. But once the cannons and fireworks actually began to fire away, his hands were at his side and the look on his face was pure joy. Success.

Class of 2008

Amy Unger — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:15:00 GMT

I went to a local high school graduation ceremony over the weekend. Come to think of it, it was the first one I've been to since my own exactly 20 years ago this week. Did I just type the number twenty? Boy, I definitely didn't need to make that realization today.

Anyway, I was surpised at how emotional I felt, but it probably had less to do with the ceremony and more to do with me hearing Steven's name being read in the place of the actual graduates over and over in my head. I fear 15 years will go entirely too fast, and there is no way I will be fully prepared for its arrival.

Congrats to all the graduates this year; enjoy what lies ahead because you have a lot to be excited about...but do me a favor and don't forget the people who helped you get where you are. And call your mother once in a while.

An interesting side note for my faithful readers: Steven got to go to the swimming pool with grandpa rather than putting him through the torture of sitting still for two hours staring at, well, nothing really. When dad, who does not read my blog, told me all about their excursion, he said, "Steven is going to be exhausted... he must have gone up and down the slide 42 times."

No joke.

Now if I could just get my hands on some Khorns...

Amy Unger — Sat, 24 May 2008 20:14:00 GMT

Weekend Photo

While innocently browsing a local downtown antique store, we stumbled onto this Pioneer PL-71 turntable. I realize it isn't top of the line, but how else would Steven be able to listen to the album he couldn't put down? Plus they had a mint condition copy of The Jazz Singer. Sold!

Anyone know of good outlets for quality vinyl?

The History Nerd in Me is Showing

Amy Unger — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:59:00 GMT

One of my favorite local area attractions is Conner Prairie, located just south of Noblesville, Indiana. Where else can a kid flip through McGuffey's Readers in a one-room schoolhouse, milk a (fake) cow, grind rocks for clay pottery, pet a (real) horse who's head is bigger than he is, sit on the sidelines of a circa 1886 baseball field, or watch Union soldiers marching back from victory?

Of course, in ten years or so Steven will not be caught dead in such a geeky place with his geeky mom. I'll enjoy it while I can.

Scroll down for more photos

There Are Worse Things to be Addicted Too

Amy Unger — Sun, 11 May 2008 14:28:00 GMT

Weekend Photo

My mother's day gift. A complete surprise, considering I've never owned an iPod, nor indicated that I ever wanted one. Kind of like how it look me until 2004 to get a cell phone. It's true.

My second gift: Please remove child from my lap. It's making it too difficult to burn CDs. Must. Burn. Them. All.

Happy Mother's Day!

"That's Too Many Pictures, Mommy" Part II

Amy Unger — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:28:00 GMT

Weekend Photo 2

"That's Too Many Pictures, Mommy!"

Amy Unger — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:49:00 GMT

Weekend Photo:

~~The walking virus~~ Steven caught the flu bug yesterday, so here I sit on a Saturday doing some work while he's vegged out watching a random Wiggles DVD, because inevitably I will come down with it also and likely miss a day or two at the office. It's just a matter of time. Of course, he'll be fully recovered by tomorrow, while it will flatten me for weeks. That's typically how it goes.

One of the hazards of working from home is the urge to view non-work related things saved on my home computer...such as the myriad of pictures I took when I first got my camera last fall. Here's the next to last one I took of Steven at a park near my house. The last one resembles a solar eclipse, with only the top of his head showing over the lens cap.

I think he'd had just about enough.

Proud Mom

Amy Unger — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 14:19:00 GMT

Weekend Photo:

Yesterday was the last class of the semester for Steven's tumbling class, which I think I've mentioned here before is the greatest thing ever for toddlers. In this photo, they are receiving their medals for completing "Show Week," demonstrating all they have learned so far. Steven may not have been able to go through the routines by himself (actually, no one did), but what I'm most proud of is how quick he was to volunteer to go first solo in front of all the kids and parents at every station. And while Steven has never exactly had confidence problems, there were many kids in that class who did. I've seen them go through major changes in the past 12 weeks, and I'm proud of them all. A big note of appreciation for the four teachers, whose infinite patience and compassion for all their little students allow that to happen.

Side note...this class is for ages 3-5. Steven is the second to youngest (in the tie-die shirt). Yes, I'm raising a giant.

Early Indicator of an Adrenaline Junkie

Amy Unger — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:10:00 GMT

Even though I am still suffering the lingering effects of my last "traveling with a toddler" adventure, I booked a hotel room and set off for another weekend of being out of my comfort zone. Destination: Cuyahoga Falls, OH for a family get-together. This is where my mom grew up (technically, The Village of Silver Lake) and where my grandparents lived until their passing. I spent many summers and holidays here, and cherish the memories that are still fresh in my mind. I hoped to somehow share those magical times with Steven as he gets older, but I'm afraid my ties to the area are becoming increasingly thin. He'll likely have to rely on long-winded boring stories from dear-old-mom.

But, at least for this past weekend, we had a chance to run around and take "too many pictures, mommy!", in an attempt to pack a lifetime of memories onto one digital camera memory card. The thing that really stood out for this trip, however, was the tremendous difference 4 months makes in the maturity level of a toddler. Steven was an angel, a helper, and joy to be around. He was interested in every mundane sight I took him to see ("Look Steven, that's the house that used to be decorated GARISHLY for Christmas every year! Neat, huh?".... "Oooooh!, Neat, Mommy!!"). He was infinitely patient as I drove around, got in and out of the car, and lingered at virtually every location, taking pictures from all angles imaginable.

But after hanging out at the lake, hiking along the falls, playing ping pong and air hockey at my aunt's house, and even a trip to the local McDonalds, Steven's favorite part, and the thing he cannot stop talking about still today, is riding the elevator up the one floor to our hotel room. You'd think the lights surrounding it were from heaven above.

Horsing around this weekend

Amy Unger — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 20:17:00 GMT

Not something I expected to be doing at the end of the first week in October

Amy Unger — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 23:48:00 GMT