We are family!

For the past week, our house has been full...really full. We hosted the Schoelles family reunion here in Salem last weekend and relatives from several states joined us. Craig's mom, sisters, brother, and their spouses arrived first, followed by a variety of Schoelles cousins. Some relatives stayed with us, some at local bed & breakfasts, with our house being the central gathering point.

Our reunion events began on Friday with fruit, wine and cheese at our house before our group of 20 headed to dinner at the Sugarcane, a wonderful Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant. Saturday, we had perfect weather for our family picnic at Forest River Park where we ate, shared photo albums, and wove the fabric of family a little tighter with the thread of stories from the past. On Sunday, we had 22 for a church service and lunch at our house.

All of this took months of planning (kudos to Donna and Karen, Craig's sisters who did all of the advance work!)and lots of help (cousin Judy and her husband brought stellar wine and cheese and cousin Sally brought tins of scrumptious homemade cookies.) Everyone pulled kitchen duty for both food prep and clean up. Even more important, my awesome mother-in-law, her off-spring and their spouses took turns keeping my kids entertained with stories, card tricks, wrestling matches, hugs, and good-natured teasing. What a pleasure!

We have a nice life here in Salem but the one thing we lack on a daily basis is extended family. Our relatives are spread across the country so seeing them is a rare treat; to have all of Craig's siblings and his mom at our dinner table with our own family is a precious gift. Adding in cousins my kids have never met before is the icing on the cake. Craig and I are so grateful to all of you who came up with this reunion idea, made it happen, and brought it to our home. We'll always treasure the memory of our house brimming with family and hope you'll come back again soon.

Here are a few of the memories I will treasure from the week, complete with pictures:

Tanya having a whole cheering section of aunts, uncles, and cousins for her final Little League softball game of the season!















Watching the paparazzi work at the picnic...














Our kids climbing rocks and hunting snails with their cousins.


































Kate and cousin Julie doing the tourist thing in downtown Salem.

































Girls night out with my sisters-in-law!














The kids thanking Uncle Dale for treating us all to pizza on Sunday night...






























Madiyar and Julie skyping each other on their laptops while sitting in my kitchen side-by-side...go figure.













It's quiet here now; everyone has gone home and it's just our little family of 7 (Ha!) It's time to get back to our project of cleaning, painting, and renovating the house we just bought. The kids will be doing their summer reading and preparing for a new school year while Craig and I begin packing for the upcoming move. I'll be busy as usual but thinking of the family I've joined not just by marriage...like our kids, I feel I've been adopted with love. I'm honored...

We are officially home owners...again!

It's a done deal. We closed on our new house last Wednesday, only one day late which allowed the lawyers to generate more paperwork for us to sign. Our closing attorney apologized for the inch thick stack of docs he presented to us for review and signature...but after compiling our 4 adoption dossiers for our kids which averaged 185 pages each, what's a paltry inch of papers for a house to raise them in?

The real fun has begun...we're cleaning and repairing, shopping for new appliances, choosing wallpaper and paint colors. After discovering that the kitchen cabinets are lacquered in about a decade of cooking grease and the countertop is in danger of collapse, we're getting estimates for another kitchen renovation. The kids are helping to wash woodwork, trim unruly bushes, sweep, and help Dad prepare the truly scary basement for powerwashing and painting. Craig has already added some electrical outlets and shop lights in the basement so at least it's not nearly as dark and creepy. The hot water heater is leaking and has to be replaced; no great loss since it's only 25 gallons, not nearly big enough for our family of 7. Craig met our trusty plumber at the house this morning to make a list of things that need to be repaired. The new dishwasher is being delivered around noon today so it can be connected while the other plumbing work is being done. The electrician is scheduled to come by tonight for an estimate on upgrading the ancient knob and tube wiring throughout the house. There's lots of painting in our future...so we're keeping busy.

Did I mention that Craig's family reunion is this weekend? Did I mention that it's here in Salem? His siblings, mom, assorted cousins, and various other relatives begin arriving tomorrow. By Friday, we'll all be together for a weekend of family activities. Actually, some folks might think this isn't perfect timing...but I'm thinking painting is a great family bonding activity!

Welcome to our new house...

As promised, I'm posting more pics of the house we're buying. (For those new to our house buying soap opera, we made our first offer on this place last fall to the original owner...then the house was foreclosed on before we could complete the purchase...but eventually we ended up getting a better price on the house from the bank.) We're scheduled to close at noon on Tuesday, July 27...keep your fingers crossed for us! In the meantime, we're scurrying around collecting paint chips and prioritizing needed repairs and updates. In a nutshell, the first floor looks pretty good except for the kitchen which needs to be renovated (sigh...). Initially, we'll have to make do with a good deep cleaning and new appliances, counters and cabinets will come later. See the breakfast bar where the purple cup is sitting? That wall separates the kitchen from the dining room, making the kitchen really cramped...so the wall is literally on our hit list. We'll be knocking it out to open up the space into a huge kitchen/dining area. Another advantage to removing the wall is that it opens up the "butler's pantry" that is tucked into a nook between the kitchen and dining room. This beautiful old built-in china closet will be the perfect place for my cut glass!


















The second floor has 4 bedrooms but another wall will be coming down to make a master suite/office combo for Mom and Dad. Eventually a 3rd bathroom will be added just off the master suite...but for now, we'll make do with minor repairs/updates to the two full baths currently in the house. As I mentioned in my last post, the girls have chosen the two attic bedrooms for their space. Kate in particular has always wanted to live in a quaint garret like a starving artist. Shhh, don't tell them there's no bathroom up there! Maybe they'd like a couple of quaint chamber pots.

The 3 boys are still debating whether they want to split up between the two remaining bedrooms or use one bedroom for sleeping quarters and the other as a study/computer space. Right now, we're thinking triple bunks in one room, desks and spare bed in the other room. That way, the boys can have more space to use daily but we'll still have a room that can be used for guests as needed.


The second floor also has another favorite of mine, a truly beautiful old walk-in closet with huge linen cupboards that will accommodate even our biggest comforters. I love the fact that the closet is big enough to store our vacuum cleaner, too.

There's a lot to like in the new place...but there's lots to do to fix it up, too. Did I mention the ancient knob and tube wiring? The walls made of horsehair plaster and lathe? How about the leaking hot water heater? And the roof leak? And then there's the basement...it's everything I hate in a basement. It's musty, creepy, damp, poorly lit and has big spiders. It smells like a basement (or a crypt). Ewww...However, it also is much needed space for our laundry room, storage, Craig's workshop, and a game room for the kids. Craig has a plan to powerwash the walls and floor, then paint the whole thing with Kilz to improve these conditions before we move in. Otherwise, I'll be going to the laundromat.

Photos of our new digs...

After months of struggles, monkey wrenches, and curve balls in the process which included foreclosure on the house we were trying to buy...we are within a few days of closing our deal. We have a mortgage commitment and a few hurdles have been cleared on the seller's side. That means the bank who owns the property scurried to make necessary repairs (adding smoke alarms and fixing unsafe stairs) and pay back fees owed on our future home. Even today, I was shooting emails and faxing documents to our lender and trading phone calls with our real estate agent...if all goes well, we'll sign the papers and pick up our keys on Tuesday, July 27. (Hmm...the stack of paperwork involved here is beginning to resemble an adoption dossier...good thing I have lots of experience with that sort of thing!)

Anyway, thought it might be fun to post some pics of our "new" place. The rooms are empty, it needs cleaning and painting, not to mention tons of updating...but it's 3 floors (not counting the basement), 6 bedrooms and quite a bit more square footage overall. These are good things with 5 kids; it also helps that we'll only be moving 2 blocks from where we are now...so no change in schools, not even a change in phone number.

Here are the dining room and living room.
























Here's Kate's attic room, complete with bookshelf and reading nook.


























Tanya's attic room has a built in desk and a ton of shelves.






















More pics soon, stay tuned to see where the rest of us will be sleeping!

Vacation Adventures

It's been a whirlwind of activity for us since the kids finished school. We celebrated July 4th with the requisite cookout followed by fireworks. We walked to our usual viewing spot at a local park which overlooks Salem Harbor. The kids ran up and down the beach and climbed on the rocks as dusk became dark; once the show began, they all settled down on a blanket with Mom and Dad to ooh and ahh over the display. As we returned home, the boys tried to scare each other with stories of zombies and monsters that lurk in the night while the girls ignored them, calling them "immature". All in all, it was a pretty normal family outing.

A few days later, we headed to New Hampshire for a week of vacation. We've owned a place in Lincoln, a great little town in the White Mountains, for several years now and we all love going there every few months. There's a lake for the kids to swim and fish in, not to mention a river and woods and hiking trails to explore.

There's also a rec center with a pool, an exercise room, racquetball courts, tennis courts, basketball, volleyball....well, you get the point.

Add in the fact that bedtimes are later, more snacks and junk food are consumed than normal, and bathing suits are worn from dawn to dusk, and it's the stuff that childhood dreams are made of under any circumstances. This time, it was made even better for a few reasons.



This summer, we invited Madiyar's friend from Kazakhstan to join us for our NH vacation. Borya (now known as James) was adopted by a family in PA at the same time we adopted Madiyar and Aniyar. Borya's mom Anne is a good friend and blogger buddy of mine so we have been able to keep the boys in touch and get them together a few times already. The summer plan we put together will end up giving the two friends almost 3 weeks together. Borya flew into Boston for his 9 day visit with us, then Borya and Madiyar flew to PA yesterday for 9 days with Borya's family. At the end of the visit, Madiyar will fly home again...no doubt immediately begging for another visit with his friend the second he steps off the plane.

We also celebrated Max's 13th birthday in NH, spreading it out over a couple of days since we were driving on his actual b-day. He didn't seem to mind getting his gifts on Friday, Saturday, and even the last present on Sunday. He tried out his new fishing rod and swim mask; he was especially delighted with the collection of James Bond movies that Dad got for him. Mom managed to rustle up his favorite food for his b-day dinner...barbecued baby back ribs...which we ate outside near the lake. Life was exceedingly good for Max since he could be as messy as he wanted, then jump in the lake to wash off. We even had a cake shaped like a cheeseburger for our newest teen.

Overall, the week was a blast even with an extra teenager to feed (and boy, can they eat!) Madiyar and James enjoyed walks into town to the Dollar Store where Madiyar used entirely too much of his spending money on candy and gum, then worried that he wouldn't have any money to spend in PA. (A lesson in budgeting, my son!) In general, the kids were all really good, probably due to the fact that they were in the lake for hours each day and when they weren't swimming or chasing minnows with a net, they were doing other fairly cool things.

One day, we went to Lost River Gorge where the kids explored caves and Max spent some of his b-day money (Thanks, Aunt Karen and Uncle Mike!) panning for gemstones at the Lost River mine. Another time, we went to Loon Mountain where we had all kinds of fun. We ziplined (yes, even Mom...in spite of my fear of heights, it was awesome! As I told the girls who put me in the safety harness, zipping across the Pemigewasset River on a thin cable is not nearly as dangerous as parenting 5 kids.) The kids also spent a few hours climbing the rock wall and jumping on the bungee trampoline (they loved doing back flips high in the air). We rode the gondola to the top of the mountain. The boys thought the gondola ride was too slow (they were hoping for a death-defying thrill ride) and there was nothing to see at the top (apparently they were unimpressed with the stunningly beautiful view on the surrounding mountains); the girls were thrilled to see a wedding in progress on the mountaintop and loved admiring the bride's gown and flowers. Men really are from Mars and women from Venus, it seems.

Kate and I managed to sneak in some horseback riding, realizing one of her dreams. We spent an hour riding on the mountain trails with a sweet college girl named Annie. She and Kate chattered away as Mom enjoyed the view from the back of the biggest horse I've ever ridden. Andre is a huge grey who is half draft horse; I loved talking to him softly and watching his ears swivel toward me at the sound of my voice. It was a relaxing hour in spite of the 90 degree heat.

The kids also liked tubing and body surfing at the Cascades Park, a part of the Pemi River that has some fun rapids to ride through. Mom and Dad preferred taking Dad's new kayak out on the lake where we could wave at our cherubs standing on the shore. We couldn't hear them bickering from the middle of the lake...it was a nice change of pace.)

Another positive of the vacation was the significantly reduced screen time, especially videogames. Except for a few pinball games in the Rec Center and some TV, the kids were off the couch without complaint. We did treat them to a movie at the theater in town where they saw "The Last Airbender"...and Dad liked it, too. Mom liked missing it in favor of some time in the whirlpool tub with a good book.

We drove home on Friday afternoon and were greeted by exuberant greyhounds who clearly missed us. We unpacked the vehicles, ordered pizza for dinner, and started some laundry. Madiyar repacked his bag with fresh clothes for his trip to PA and the two boys flew out on Saturday to start the next leg of their summer adventure. We now find ourselves with "only" four kids...and it feels a bit strange.

Now on to our next project...we close on our "new" house (as new as a 100 year old house can be) in a little over a week. Then the real fun begins...painting, repairs, moving. I can hardly wait...until our next vacation anyway!

Where does the time go?

Yikes! It's been almost a month since my last post and so much has happened that I hardly know where to begin. Here are the highlights:

My birthday was awesome because it was spent with 6 people who made it special in every way.

Father's Day was awesome for the same reason...and Dad got a kayak which will be a blast for both Mom and Dad. I'm a crafty gift giver....we're hoping for quality time in the middle of a lake in New Hampshire this summer.

The end of the school year brought moving on ceremonies and awards. Max finished 5th grade with high marks and an award in Physical Education. Kate captured high honors and an English award for the second year in a row. Madiyar also took high honors and Aniyar got an English award. Our Tanya worked hard all year and finished 6th grade with a perfect score on her final English project. She also had a great season in Little League softball and was chosen for the All-Star team. We couldn't be more proud of our kids.

Now for the biggest surprise! We were informed that the house we had hoped to buy previously was again on the market and the bank was willing to consider an offer from us. We made a lower offer than our original one and it was accepted...so in about another month, we will own another house. We've continued to spruce up this house in preparation for putting it back on the market again. We think the new kitchen will make our house more marketable so we're hoping for a good return on our investment.

Max's birthday is the next big event. We'll head to New Hampshire on July 9th, his 13th birthday, for a week of vacation. Another teenager...

When it comes to kids, five is a very big number...but it is also a good one. I'm a lucky woman.

Happy Birthday to me...

In a few hours, I'll be another year older...but will I be wiser than I was today? I don't much love birthdays at this point in my life but wisdom would be useful. I wake up each day hoping for more wisdom...and patience...and a crystal ball to help me negotiate the twists and turns of each day.

This morning, for example, I opened my eyes when my sweet spouse brought me a perfect latte...and the news that our youngest child had been up since 5:30 and was already sulking in his bed after a disagreement with Dad. I groggily checked the clock and determined that we had 30 minutes to set things right before the bus came to transport our boy to school. I stumbled out of bed and found our youngest huddled in his top bunk; he was cross and unrepentant but willing to accept a hug from Mom. He was unable to see how his behavior had been unacceptable...and trust me, it was...but due to a screw up with our mail order pharmacy, we've run out of his most vital medication and the lack of it is beginning to show. Our boy is struggling and the meds are somewhere in the mail...so now we dance, we cajole, we do what we can to keep life on a even keel. We were lucky today...our boy was able to pull himself together and go to school. He also had a good evening and a fun game of pick-up sticks with Mom. He's come so far, my special boy.

A nice birthday present would be the meds we need...but the best present is what I already have...my family, my life, each day's adventure.