The Skroski Times

Another year gone without Blogging.........Here's a copy of our 2010 Christmas Update that we enclosed in Christmas Cards-

2011-01-05T09:55:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas!2010 Skroski Family UpdatesCaroline: Age 6 and in the 1st Grade. Played Soccer this Fall and loved spotting and identifying Birds while out on the Field.She Started Tae Kwon Do this Fall, enjoys being in her big sisters class and having John as the instructor. One of the big highlights this year for Caroline, is that she is in the early stages of reading and doing really well! She

Our Annual Christmas Letter!

2010-01-03T10:21:00.002-05:00

December 2009Dear Family and Friends-Happy Holidays from our home to yours! We hope that 2009 has been a Healthy and Happy year for all of you. We hit a big milestone this year when our youngest, Caroline entered Full Day Kindergarten. We’ve had at least one of the girls home with us for the past 11½ years, so having an empty house during the day has been an adjustment! All 3 girls

Getting Financially Organized

2010-01-03T10:12:00.005-05:00

One of my goals for 2010 is to get financially organized. I saw these helpful tips on THE TODAY SHOW, so thought I'd share. I've started our File System- let's hope I can keep it going throughout the year. My system lately had been just a large Tote Bag- stuffed with latest Bills, stuff to be filed etc. Anything is an improvement over that!!!!http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34619902/Had trouble

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-08T10:56:00.001-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

A Few Reasons why we love going to Camp!

2009-10-31T22:13:00.006-04:00

Visiting with Family the Sunday after the Reunion!

2009-10-31T21:53:00.007-04:00

Visiting in Greenfield with Mom and Grandma Girls with Great Grandma Burek This Dog (Xavier) is HUGE, but extremely friendly Mom , I want a Golf Cart for our House! Dad with Chris and John Fun in the Hotel Pool Visiting Dzadiu This is the last picture we have of the barn that is no

The Skroski Family Reunion!

2009-10-31T21:14:00.006-04:00

We went to the first Skroski Family Reunion August 15th at John's cousin Don and Ellen's home in Whately Mass. What a wonderful time we had catching up with everyone! Here are some of the fun facts we learned:** The Reunion took place at the original Skroski homestead that was built in 1909. This is where John's Great Grandparents Frank and Helen raised their 7 children, one of which was John's

Peter and Stacey's Wedding!

2009-10-17T09:04:00.003-04:00

My cousin Peter finally found the Women of his dreams! He and Stacey were married on June 20th at the Grace Episcopal Church in New Bedford, MA. This is the same church my Grandparents were married in and my Aunt and Uncle (Peter's parents). It also sits across the street from the house my Mom grew up in! It was a beautiful Wedding! The Reception was held at Wilbur Point under tents in

Caroline turned 5 May 24th!

2009-10-17T08:06:00.007-04:00

I can't believe my baby is now almost 5 and a half! John and I often talk about how fast time flies by. Caroline's Birthday was lots of fun. We had a cake and presents from us on her actual Birthday and then had a friend/family Birthday party on May 31st. The theme for her party centered around bugs! We had a Bug Hunt in the back yard, Pin the bee on the flower, face painting, etc. It was lots of

The Bike Rodeo!

2009-09-10T16:01:00.005-04:00

The Phippsburg Bike Rodeo and Community Safety Day took place in May! It's always a lot of work to put together, but thanks to many helping hands , it ran very smoothly this year! Kids get free Bike Helmets and are guided through a Bike Safety Course. There was also Bike Inspection, School Bus Safety, a K9 Demonstration, a Bike accident Demo, Karate demo, Bounce House, Face Painting, free Hotdogs

April Happenings!

2009-09-09T11:36:00.012-04:00

Okay, so I know it's September!!! I am trying hard to catch up on the Good ole Blog, so here are a few snipits of some of the things we did in April......... Keep in mind, they are in no particular order----We took the kids to Boston over April Vacation and went to Fenway Park to see the Red Sox! The kids had seen a Red Sox game in Baltimore 4 years ago, but had never been to Fenway- We had a

March Happenings!

2009-07-03T21:52:00.008-04:00

March was filled with Cousin Time! We celebrated my nephew Matt's B-day at Jokers- which was a lot of fun! Jokers is an indoor play place which the kids can't get enough of, they love it.We also had Nathan, Carson and Jack for a whole day! The morning was spent making a snowman and we had a small hike in the afternoon. The girls were great babysitters to 17 month old Jack, they wouldn't leave him

February Happenings!

2009-06-07T15:38:00.028-04:00

In February, Christine turned 11!!! We celebrated her Birthday in New Hampshire at a hotel we stayed in. We were down there for a Karate Tournament- she also ended up having a cake at home too. We decided not to do a "friend" Birthday this year for Chris, much to her Chagrin- To make it fair we've decided that we will take every one's 11th Birthday off from Friend B-day parties- At any rate it

2009-03-29T06:38:00.002-04:00

I cannot believe I haven't posted here in 1 1/2 months- yikes! I need to catch up! I think Facebook has seriously distracted me. At any rate- all is well at our house. We still have deep patches of snow, but also have bulbs popping through our flower beds and actually one crocus in bloom! I am currently on a 14 day stretch of vacation and have lots to accomplish- we'll see what I get done-

Valentines Day!

2009-02-15T17:01:00.005-05:00

We had a fun Valentine's Day. Chris had two of her friends from church Chloe and Nina over Friday night for a sleepover. They didn't get a whole lot of sleep, but had fun. We spent the day sledding on our homemade snow hill, ice skating etc. John and I enjoyed an afternoon movie while the kids played at our neighbors. It was "The Man in the Moon" a 1991 1960's flick with Reese Witherspoon-

Happy 11th Birthday Christine!

2009-02-11T02:20:00.006-05:00

This year we celebrated Christine's Birthday a little differently. We planned a short trip to NH so she and John could be in a Karate Tournament. We decided that even though her Birthday fell on Sunday, we would celebrate it on Friday because how cool would it be to have a family party at a hotel??? John and I also unfortunately both had to work at different times on her actually Birthday (

CPR on the last remaining Gerbil!

2009-01-29T02:19:00.002-05:00

So it's about 2:20am and I am working, actually taking a little break at this time, so thought I'd update the Blog a little bit. Last evening, John went to put a empty Paper Towel roll into Mackenzie's (Christine's Gerbil)cage and found her to be cold, but still alive and barely moving. We think maybe she has had a stroke because she isn't really moving one of her legs. Christine is bound and

Crazy Caroline!

2009-01-29T02:09:00.005-05:00

We have some pretty funny conversations with Caroline- Thought I'd share a couple We have had lately-Caroline: "Mom, did you know I know someone from Washington?"Me: "No Caroline, who do you know from Washington?"Caroline: "You know the guy on the back of the Dollar Bill, he's from Washington"Me: "You mean George Washington"Caroline: "Yeah Mom, I told you I knew someone from Washington"__________

Christmas

2009-01-09T18:39:00.002-05:00

We had a nice quiet Christmas this year. Christmas Eve we had our traditional Polish meal. Kielbasa,Perogis etc and then headed to the Congregational Church in town for their Candlelight service. We had never been to a Christmas Eve service as our church normally has their Christmas service the Sunday before Christmas. The Congregational church is 206 years old and has so much traditional New

Christmas Letter

2008-12-20T07:23:00.003-05:00

This is our Christmas letter this year. Now if I could just get it printed and sent out, we'll be all set!! Seasons Greetings Family and Friends- We hope this finds you all healthy and happy! Here is the latest update from our house-Caroline is now 4 ½ and continues to bring laughter into our home. She asked to play an Internet game the other day in this manner, “Mom can you get me

The Ice Storm that made me CRAZY!!

2008-12-20T06:12:00.004-05:00

On December 12th, at 6pm we were suppose to be at "The Ward Christmas Dinner". This is a Turkey Dinner that our church has been having for years now. Since I am the Ward Activities Chairperson at this time, I am in charge of it. It tends to take up quite a bit of my time. I shop for 6 20+ Turkeys, 90 Lbs of Potatoes, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, Vegetables, Paper Products etc. I have sign ups for

2008-12-17T07:52:00.003-05:00

Last Saturday, we traveled up to my Sister's house and had a family get together with my Uncle Buzz and Uncle Dave. They have come up almost every December since my Mom passed away 4 1/2 years ago. Last year my Uncle Dave had just had Hip surgery so they couldn't come up from Massachusetts. This year, we had a nice time reconnecting and celebrating Christmastime with them. It's amazing how much

2008-12-17T07:50:00.000-05:00

The Search for the Perfect Christmas Tree!

2008-12-07T05:31:00.005-05:00

We have made it a Family Tradition to go get our Christmas Tree at a "Cut your own" Tree Farm. This is a tradition that I remember doing as a child. I also remember my Aunt Ruthie and Uncle Hap coming up to our house in Western Mass from CT every year to cut their tree down. One year, we must have been out there for hours trying to find the perfect tree for them, Betsey and I almost had

Thanksgiving!

2008-11-29T06:55:00.004-05:00

John and Christine started the day by going to The Turkey Bowl which is a traditional Football game that men from our church play. It's always The Young Men versus The Old Men and usually The Young Men win which they did yet again this year! John has gotten hurt just about every game he has played in the past, but this year he made it through injury free-YAY! Madeline, Caroline and I went for

Our Trip to Bangor!

2008-11-23T13:40:00.004-05:00

Last Weekend we drove up to Bangor for the Morse Football Game. I used Priceline yet again and bid on a 3 star hotel thinking it would definitely have a POOL and low and behold they gave me a Sheraton with NO POOL!! NO CANCELLATIONS, NO EXCEPTIONS! The kids and John were pretty upset with me because of course the Pool is always the big highlight of the hotel stay. At any rate we decided to visit

Sisters!

2008-11-13T20:47:00.002-05:00

November is a month set aside for Gratitude. I just want to say how Thankful I am for my Sisters. I honestly don't know where I would be without them. I have 4 of them, 2 of which I was able to have lunch with today. We had so much fun laughing, talking, complaining and just plan catching up! It was great!

Celebrating the BIG 36!

2008-11-09T16:04:00.003-05:00

So I turned 36 last Wednesday! How did I celebrate, you ask? I went and got a new Drivers License in the morning. I love how the DMV asks for an updated address, but not an updated weight! According to my License I am still the same weight I was pre kids 12 years ago (30 pounds less then what I REALLY am)!!! Hey maybe, I'll be that weight again someday, so it's really not worth it to change it

High School Football!

2008-11-09T15:22:00.003-05:00

Last Saturday we took the kids to our High School Football away game in Winslow. We have lived here for 7 years years and have never been to one. It was a bit chilly but lots of fun! We had our friends Sydney and Scott with us too! Morse is in the Playoffs and is doing Awesome this season and has now shut out the last 4 teams they have played! We know a few of the players from town here and one

Halloween!

2008-11-04T11:35:00.002-05:00

The girls had a ball Trick or Treating this year! John was actually able to go with us and worked after we were done, which was nice. Sherry Masters gave them these really cool skeleton head toys that they love! You can actually see blood and brains when you squeeze the heads, they are lovely, so I had to get a picture. We had fun catching up with people we don't see often. It was great to see

Maine State Museum

2008-11-04T11:17:00.004-05:00

Last Friday Caroline and I went with Maddy's class on a Field Trip to the Maine State Museum. I only was in charge of Maddy, her friend Michaela and Caroline, so it was a nice group. There was lots of things to see that were extremely interesting. It's amazing how much heritage the town we live in has. There was a whole display on the Popham Colony which was founded in our town by the English in

End of the Cheering Season!

2008-11-04T11:03:00.003-05:00

Madeline and Christine cheered for their last 2008 game last Thursday. They had a Pizza Party and Awards Ceremony afterwards. They really enjoyed the program and often are making up cheers at home! They received Trophies from Coach Kim which they are thrilled about.

Childrens Sacrament Meeting Presentation!

2008-11-01T07:31:00.003-04:00

The kids had their Sacrament Meeting Presentation at church last Sunday!! This is a program that is dedicated to the children and happens once a year! They did a great job and sang the songs wonderfully. This was the first time John and I were able to sit in the audience without any children as Caroline was old enough to be in the program this year- it was a weird feeling, but nice at the same

Church Halloween Party!

2008-10-29T19:08:00.003-04:00

Here are a few pictures from our Ward Halloween Party at Church. We did a Chili/Chowder Cook off and Trunk or Treat. For Costumes this year, Christine is a Japanese girl, Madeline Sharpay (from HS Musical) and Caroline a witch. The Derrs had an Awesome Pirate Ship Trunk so I included a photo of that too. It was a fun event!

A Tragedy that the Skroski family will never forget!

2008-10-24T20:47:00.020-04:00

If you want to hear a mother, daughter cry story then your on the right blog but if you want to hear a better blog then go to it now ! At 1:30 p.m. Friday the 24th, 2008 a sad sad sad sad time happened , the biggest pumpkin you could ever think of was ruined!!!!! a Skroski member was helping her lovely children clean out their disgusting pumpkin stuff. After two hours of hard and painful pumpkin

Gray Wildlife Park

2008-10-17T09:37:00.002-04:00

On Columbus day we took the girls to the Gray Wildlife Park. John had never been and we all really enjoyed it. We saw all sorts of cool Animals and even got to see the Owls eating mice during feeding time, it was lovely!

A look back at First Grade!

2008-10-17T08:49:00.007-04:00

So, I copied this picture off a Classmates Facebook account! This was my First Grade class! Can you guess which one is me???!!! I can't believe there were only 2 boys in our class! Mrs. Malo was our Teacher and she was a hoot. She not only taught me how to read, but she taight me how to sew. She fell and broke her ankle one winter and I remember my Mom taking me to visit her at her

Bradbury Mountain!

2008-10-17T08:20:00.004-04:00

The Girls had last Friday off from School so I took them on a hike up Bradbury Mountain to check out the Foliage. The colors were beautiful!

Apple Picking!

2008-10-08T14:59:00.007-04:00

A Fall Tradition we love doing is Apple Picking. There is a fun Orchard that we have been going to ever since we have lived in the Mid coast area. There is nothing like an apple fresh off the tree. We picked about 40 pounds, so now I have a lot of pies and sauce to make. There are a couple pictures from 2005 too. I can't believe how fast 3 years flies by! Sorry about the Sunlight issues, I need

Saturday Night Live Video~!

2008-10-07T19:34:00.001-04:00

For those of you who haven't seen this video yet, here it is! We couldn't stop laughing!

Our Trip to Boston!

2008-09-30T16:22:00.003-04:00

John and I decided to get away this past weekend to help celebrate our Anniversary that was last month. Thanks to my sister Betsey and Brother in law David we were able to go Kid less. They had 7 kids between ours and theirs for the weekend!! Our kids had a ball! Saturday morning, we took the train down to Boston from Portland. It was so convenient, and it was great not to have to deal with

Cheerleading!

2008-09-26T12:06:00.002-04:00

Madeline and Christine are Cheering for the Rec Dept. Last night was their first game! They had fun and did well. Coach Kim gave Caroline a sweatshirt so that she can be an Honorary Cheerleader too, she was so excited!

Got Dog Hair????????

2008-09-23T16:26:00.002-04:00

This is our Dog Autumn after a Brushing session. Isn't she beautiful?!!! Yes all that hair is from just this afternoon- Help, it's SHEDDING season!

Anyone need an Acorn washed?

2008-09-22T08:52:00.002-04:00

What will they come up with next?

We are in Mourning!

2008-09-18T12:48:00.003-04:00

Yesterday evening John found that Madeline's Gerbil Mackenzie Michaela (aka Chippers) passed on to a better life. He went to put a paper towel roll in the cage and saw Mackenzie's sister Jasmin working diligently, but Mackenie was not showing her face. Digging a little deeper, he found her cold body with teeth still attached to one of her toys. The girls and I came home from a Church Activity

Sunflower

2008-09-15T22:13:00.002-04:00

This Russian Mammoth Sunflower grew to an astounding 10ft 5 1/2 inches tall! It took allot of tlc but it survived the Japaneese Beetles and Deer!

2008-09-14T15:35:00.001-04:00

After Chris and Melanie's Wedding, John's Mom and Sister Alicia and Family came up to Maine to visit. We hadn't seen Alicia in 9 years and had never met her husband Ezzedine or daughter Ameena because they live in California. We had a fun visit! Ameena is adorable and is really a "miracle" baby as she was born at 24 weeks gestation. She loved being in the 60 degree Ocean water but hated the warm

Catch up Time!

2008-09-14T14:48:00.002-04:00

So, I thought I'd catch up on a couple things we did over the last couple weeks of School Vacation! Here's a slideshow of a fun Cookout we had at my sister Betsey's house and also a day we spent in Portland with our friends the Flynn's. Chris Flynn and I have been friends since Kindergarten! They still live in Mass but were up vacationing in York. Fun Memories!

Six Flags!

2008-09-12T11:05:00.007-04:00

When we were in Mass a couple weeks ago, we went to Six Flags with John's Brother Jeff and family! We had a great time. John and i went on "The Superman" Rollercoater. It was INTENSE to say the least. It goes 77 miles per hour and quite a bit of the time your butt isn't even touching the seat. I closed my eyes through much of it, can't wait to do it again!!!!!! The kids had a blast too!

Saying Goodbye to Jen!

2008-09-12T10:52:00.002-04:00

We have been blessed for the last year or so to have an Awesome Babysitter! Jen has always been so dependable and the kids absolutely love her. She would come once a week and babysit when I needed to sleep (after working a night shift) and John had to work. She would take the kids to the Beach, paint their nails, play games etc etc. Well Jen has now moved up North to pursue her education in

Caroline's First Day of PreSchool

2008-09-09T17:11:00.003-04:00

Caroline had her First Day of PreSchool today! It was a Full day, so she's pretty tired. All went well and she says her favorite part of the day was "playing with friends". She'll be going one Full Day and two 1/2 days a week. The last picture is of Caroline and one of her teachers, Miss Jen. I was teary as we dropped her off this AM, I can't imagine what her first day of Kindergarten will be

Portland SeaDogs Game!

2008-09-07T17:09:00.006-04:00

Friday, John called from work and had the idea of going out and "doing something" as a family. I looked at the movie selections and nothing was appealing, so I went on the Minor League Baseball team's website and found out they were having a Home Game! This was at 5:30pm and the game started at 7pm. I called John back and said we were going to a Baseball Game! He was not keen on the idea as "

First Day of School!

2008-09-07T16:31:00.004-04:00

Last Wednesday Madeline and Christine started school, Christine 5th grade and Madeline 3rd. John's Mom was here for the occasion which was a treat as she has never been visiting on the first day before. The girls had a great Day and are looking forward to a fun year. Christine has Mrs. Snell this year and Madeline, Mrs. Mott. Caroline wanted it to be her first day of Pre-School, she insisted she

Chris and Melanie's Wedding!

2008-09-03T16:35:00.003-04:00

Last Saturday, John's younger brother Chris got married! The Wedding turned out really nice and Caroline was thrilled to be one of their Flower Girls. It was great to see and catch up with so many relatives and friends that we don't see very often. Chris and Melanie did a wonderful job decorating and putting everything together- great job guys! Congratulations and welcome (officially) to the

Happy 15th Anniversary Honey!

2008-08-26T10:13:00.004-04:00

What is his name? John Brendon SkroskiHow long have you been married? 15 years today!How long did you date? 3 years 6 monthsHow old is he? 36Who eats more sweets? I think we're about equal in this category.Who said I love you first? He did. Who is taller? He is. He's 5'7" and I'm 5'1"Who can sing better? Neither of us has inherited this talent. We try but it's best to cover your ears when

Camp!

2008-08-18T07:44:00.003-04:00

My Father built our Camp in the late 70's, so I grew up going there. I always relive childhood memories at camp and in a way feel closer to my Mom and Dad when I am there. We all share Camp now and usually get a couple weeks in the Summer. We had a fun time there last week. Christine brought her friend Maddy and she seemed to really like it. We kayaked, canoed, swam, saw Moose, Biked, Fished, ate

Pictures from Camp!

2008-08-17T19:25:00.001-04:00

Find a Bathroom or A Tree Next Time!

2008-08-16T19:41:00.004-04:00

So I am on patrol this afternoon in my fully marked Ford Expedition crusier around 4:00 p.m headed north on Rt. 209,past the Center Store. This section of road is flat and wide with break down lane on both sides. There are two cars in front of me and one car headed south bound. I notice a bicyclist headed south in the south bound break down lane. He stopped his bike and in plain view takes a leak

BROOK TROUT !

2008-08-16T18:48:00.009-04:00

We spent a little bit of our precious time at camp fishing. I have had a love of fishing since I was a kid. My stepfather Charlie would take me and my sister Alicia fishing for bass on his boat in Lakeville, MA. I have loved fishing ever since, it's not always about the sport of catching a fish. I enjoy those fleeting moments of solitude coupled with the rush of adrenaline when you get a "fish on

2008-08-10T00:30:00.002-04:00

Our Nephew Dan is now a Married Man! He and Alicia were married Friday in the Boston Temple. It was great to be there to help celebrate such a speical occasion. Saturday night was their Ring Ceramony and Reception- It was Beautiful! Congratulations Dan and Alicia- we love you!

Very Shocking Experience!!!!

2008-08-01T21:55:00.007-04:00

Today I attended Taser Training at the Topsham Police Department put on by Brunswick Police Department. The class was about six hours long. This was my first orientation and training in the non lethal electronic immobilization device. This device can save lives and reduce officer and suspect injuries! Myself and two of my part time Officers Doug and Andy Attended the training. To call the

2008-08-01T16:06:00.004-04:00

Our friends the Earles came to visit from Mass for a couple days this past week. Not long after they arrived on Tuesday, we went to the Beach. Traci and I decided to go for a walk and left all 7 kids in the trusty hands of John. We came back to find the kids buried in sand! All that was showing was their heads and their feet!! It was a hoot! We had a great visit although it was too short!

John 5 1" Pine Board Break - Forearm

2008-07-27T13:56:00.000-04:00

Husking Corn!

2008-07-26T17:26:00.000-04:00

While husking corn this evening, this was part of the conversation Caroline and I had-Mom: "Caroline, don't bite the ears(of corn), they're not cooked yet."Caroline: "Mom, those aren't ears, there's no mouth, they're not even people"I couldn't help but laugh!

Christine is home!

2008-07-25T23:59:00.000-04:00

Kadi, Madeline, Caroline and I drove out to Lincolnville, ME today to pick up Christine from her week at camp Tanglewood. Camp Tanglewood is a 4H camp that is held in conjunction with Maine Audubon that focuses on the outdoors and environment. It was so nice to see Chris again as we missed her so much! The house wasn't the same without her. Its amazing how the dynamics of a household change with

Hawk on Rt. 90 West Rockport

2008-07-25T23:49:00.000-04:00

We were bringing Christine back from her week at Camp Tanglewood and passing down Rt. 90 in West Rockport. I saw a hawk sitting on the telephone wires looking over a field. I spun the car around and headed back quickly. I had Kadi snap a couple of photos.

"Dad it's a Choo Choo"

2008-07-25T23:44:00.000-04:00

These pictures are of a passing train in downtown Bath, ME today. Caroline loves trains hence her quote in the title!

2008-07-25T10:04:00.000-04:00

The newest member of the Skroski Lawnmowing team deep in concentration.

2008-07-25T09:48:00.000-04:00

Caroline: "Mom, I'm moving into your room"Mom: "Oh no your not"Caroline: "Yes I am, Madeline's nnoying (annoying) me. I won't sleep in your bed Mom, I'll sleep on the carpet"This is part of the conversation we had this morning. I went upstairs to find Caroline's sleeping bag, pillow and bear all laid out in my room for bedtime tonight Caroline even packed her bags and had a pile of pajamas

2008-07-22T18:59:00.000-04:00

Today Caroline, Madeline and I went to Boothbay Harbor with our friends The Varians. We went to the Botanical Gardens there and also went to the Maine State Aquarium. The Gardens were Spectactular and the girls were thrilled to build their own Fairy Houses. The Aquarium is always a hit, especially the Touch Tank and the Shark Pool. We learned that the Lobster in the picture is 50 years old and

Christine goes to Summer Camp!

2008-07-21T21:03:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we brought Christine to her first overnight Summer Camp. It's a 4H Camp tucked in the woods. It's been pretty rainy here so I'm sure she is getting a little wet. She was really looking forward to a fun week! We sure do miss her and can't wait to hear about her Camp experience on Friday.

2008-07-21T17:10:00.000-04:00

Here are a couple Pool videos from our trip to Mass! Camden is the one with the Somersault. Caroline was initially hesitant to jump off the Diving Board. She got motivated when she saw Colin and Moira (2 year old twins) do it without a blink of the eye. She loved it!

Our trip back to Western Mass

2008-07-19T23:33:00.000-04:00

The girls and I took a quick trip to Western Mass last week. We had lots of fun visiting with Family and Friends. I even gave the girls a quick tour of Goshen where I grew up. It was fun to show them my old house, school etc.... We fit in lots of stuff in just a short time. It was a great trip!

Skroski Garden Update July 19th 2008

2008-07-19T16:40:00.000-04:00

Well I promised you all an update on our garden we planted last end of May. Things are growing great this year. One of our Mammoth Russian Sunflowers is already 72" tall (six feet). According to the seed package it should grow 7-8 feet tall. We harvested some radishes, lettuce, and summer squash today. We have several tomatoes growing, but they are still green. Cucumber's have flowered but no

2008-07-13T17:23:00.000-04:00

We're proud of this guy! I've always felt somewhat guilty that John dropped out of practicing Karate in the early 90's. After all we had just started dating and other interests took over. I'm so glad he is back into it and what an accomplishment to earn his Brown Belt! It was great watching the test yesterday- he worked extremely hard, his uniform hardly had any dryness left with all the sweating

19 Year's Later

2008-07-12T23:12:00.000-04:00

I tested for my brown belt today after 19 years. The test was long (4 hours) and very hard physically. Four other students tested for their yellow belts. We all earned our new rank and celebrated with ice cream sundaes afterwards. My teacher Jeff Vanoudenhove a 4th dan blackbelt from Chicopee, MA conducted the test. He brought a friend of his from MA who holds black belt in Tae Kwon Do,

Oh the words that come out of the mouth of a 4 year old!

2008-07-10T20:49:00.000-04:00

Caroline never ceases to make us laugh! Just the other day she, Christine and Madeline were playing Restaurant and she ran by me in the hall towards the Bathroom, exclaiming, "The Chef HAS to go Potty!". Today she said, "Mom, your have a big Butt" (as if I didn't know that already). Last month on our way home from Cousins weekend, Caroline had to go to the bathroom. We had to stop at an Olive

Happy July 4th!

2008-07-06T16:48:00.002-04:00

The Kelly Family arrived Thursday night for the July 4th weekend! We had a ball going to the Parade and Fireworks. We spent lots of time at the Beach which was great. The kids had fun sleeping out in a tent and having a bonfire complete with Sparklers and Smores. I was in my glory with Lobsters, Steamers and Scallops wrapped in Bacon last night for dinner! Unfortunately John had to work most of

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-07-06T16:48:00.001-04:00

2008-06-30T12:24:00.000-04:00

The Top 10 Things we loved about our 2008Kingman Cousins Weekend at the Beach House!10. Getting overstuffed Candy Bags from Aunt Betsey9. Tie Dying8. Getting Rope Bracelets from Cousin Peter and a fun Kid Cookbook from Megan, Katie and Jack7. Playing Croquet and Pickle6. Collecting Sea Glass and other treasures5. Swimming in the Water and going on Boat Rides4. Eating lots of Yummy Food3. "Selling

A visit to the Audobon Center!

2008-06-25T17:20:00.000-04:00

Today, I took the girls to the Audubon Center. They had a Bird Banding Demo going on. It was fun! There also is 2 large Peony Gardens that were in full bloom. Peonies are one of my favorite flowers. They are gorgeous and have a beautiful scent. I actually have one in my yard this yearMadeline does not look thrilled because we had just been to the Dentist's where she had a filling done. She

Max and Kadi!

2008-06-24T16:12:00.001-04:00

Max and Kadi lounging around as usual. I wish I could get her motivated!

Girls Just Want to Have Summer Fun !!!!!

2008-06-23T22:28:00.000-04:00

Christine, Madeline and Caroline are so excited for summer fun. They transformed our little jungle gym into a mini water park. They had a blast all afternoon playing with the sprinklers spraying them down! Hey its cheaper than driving to Fun Town Splash Town in Saco!!John

Ducklings!

2008-06-23T21:30:00.000-04:00

While I was on patrol the other day I came to a sudden stop as a duck and its duckling's started crossing the Stoneybrook Road. They all made it across safely and dove into the pond across the street from the brook. I was able to capture this photo very quickly before they disappeared into the abyss!

Girls Sleeping

2008-06-23T21:22:00.000-04:00

I found my girls all asleep in one bed and an adjoining chair the other night! They never cease to amaze or shock me with there everyday antics!

A Proper Burial

2008-06-22T17:37:00.000-04:00

Upon coming home from church today, I noticed a small bird that was stuck in the grille of my Part time Officers pickup parked in our dooryard. Christine and Madeline were very curious and saddened by the early demise of this young Canadian Warbler. They insisted that our feathered friend have a proper Burial under our Bird feeder. They took it upon themselves to dig a hole and place the bird on

Yikes, I went SHORT!

2008-06-20T13:16:00.000-04:00

In honor of my Mom's Birthday, I decided to get my haircut and do something for myself. She would have been 74 today! I had 10 inches of hair chopped off! I've been wanting to donate it to Locks for Love and finally had the guts to just do it! I figured since I was doing it, I would get Highlights too. I'm still getting used to it but, I think it will be good for Summer!

Last Day of School!

2008-06-19T22:41:00.000-04:00

We now have a Preschooler, a 3rd Grader and a 5th Grader! Today was Chris and Maddie's last day of School for the Summer. They are really going to miss their Teacher's as they have each had them for 2 years (they loop at our school). Madeline, however will have Mrs. Mott (who was Christine's teacher) next year. Miss. Harkins was Madeline's Teacher for the last 2 years and Christine's for 2 years

Field Day

2008-06-19T22:34:00.000-04:00

Field Day was on Monday! Unfortunately the Weather was rainy, so the kids had almost all their games except Tye dying inside. Christine's class had their portion of the games postponed until Tuesday. At any rate, they had lots of fun. I helped out with a Picnic style Lunch, so Caroline was thrilled to eat with "the big kids".

Fathers Day!

2008-06-19T22:14:00.000-04:00

Last weekend was my weekend to work. There's nothing like saying, "Sorry honey, I have to work, so on Fathers Day you need to get all 3 girls up, make sure they are dressed, feed them and then bring them to church all by yourself"! Since I have to work about 3 out of 9 weekends, this is a common occurrence. I did however feel a little bad that my weekend fell on Fathers Day this year. At any rate

Boston Celtics Rule!

2008-06-19T21:41:00.000-04:00

Quote To Note: “Oh, my goodness, man, this is just an unbelievable experience. If you’re going to win a championship, you want to win one with the Boston Celtics, man. I can’t put into words how to describe how I’m feeling right now, just … this has been great, man. This has been great.”—Paul Pierce, who was voted Finals MVP.We are so proud of the Celtics! They really did an outstanding job

Caroline Out Again!

2008-06-13T21:45:00.000-04:00

I was driving Caroline to Ruby Tuesday's and suddenly did not hear her singing. I looked back and found her suddenly sound asleep again. She first had her hand under her chin until I made turn and her head fell to her side. Yes I am multi talented and can take digital pictures while driving. They taught us how to do that at the Police Academy!

Tim Russert of N.B.C Passes Suddenly at 58 - Huge Loss

2008-06-13T20:54:00.000-04:00

Kadi and I took Christine and Caroline to Ruby Tuesday's to dinner before she headed out to work. Madeline was sleeping over a friends house for the night. We sat down in our booth and Kadi immediately noticed something on the T.V above us, Breaking News Tim Russert dead at 58.Well if you know anything about U.S politics or news, you definitely knew who Tim Russert was. Needles to say I am still

The School Spring Concert!

2008-06-11T13:03:00.000-04:00

Last night Madeline and Christine had their Spring Concert. They did a great job. Here is some video coverage. Sorry for the shakiness- I'm just an Amatuer. The video of the Band is "Another One Bite's the Dust" by Queen. I couldn't help but remember how I loved to RollerSkate to that song when I was a kid- it was my FAVORITE song.

Our Yard Sale!

2008-06-11T12:45:00.000-04:00

So Saturday I decided would be a great day for a Yard Sale. After All, we tend to be collectors and really needed to get rid of lots of stuff. In fact I had a whole corner in my basement which had been piling up for years, that was designated to be sold at a Yard Sale. So I woke up at 6am and started hauling stuff out to be transported to the end of our subdivision. There's an open space that we

Snapping Turtle Rescue

2008-06-07T22:07:00.000-04:00

I was headed to a report of two four wheelers racing up and down Rt. 209, when I came across this huge snapping turtle in the middle of Rt. 209 Phippsburg's major road. I pulled over and put on my emergency lights to warn traffic and grabbed my big plastic shovel. The turtle was extremely aggressive trying to snap at me. I was able to get it over onto the soft shoulder after a couple of minutes.

Car Wash on a Rainy Day ?

2008-06-06T18:28:00.000-04:00

I had scheduled a car wash/bake sale fundraiser to help purchase Tee Shirts for our Tae Kwon Do Class. I scheduled it for today over a week ago when the extended forecast showed the weather being hot, 85 degrees with sun. Well the forecast changed and it was raining most of the day. I had several parents including my wife who thought maybe I should cancel because of the inclement weather. I

Caroline's last Swim Lesson till Fall

2008-06-05T13:04:00.000-04:00

Caroline completed her 6 weeks of swim lessons today. She really enjoyed it and learned quite a bit. She swam across the kid pool today without even a bubble on! That video came out a little too blurry though, so I decided to share this other one.

2008-06-05T13:03:00.000-04:00

2008-06-05T12:46:00.000-04:00

Today Christine's class did a Wax Museum at school. They all dressed up in costume acted frozen until you pressed a "button". After pressing their button, each student would tell you about the character they represented from memory. Christine was Clara Barton. There were various famous people represented from Princess Diana to Walt Disney to Albert Einstein and the list goes on. The Slide