Food Man

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We usually discourage Zoe from playing with her dinner-- but when "Food Man" shows up at the dinner table, how can you turn him away?

Designed completely by Zoe, Food Man led a short but happy existence.  For now, we will spare you with all of the details of his graphic demise. RIP Food Man, and in the words of Tommy, "See ya on the flip side".

Ode to Zoe

Dear Zoe Mae,

Some gifts of Christmas are sparkly and magical;

Some gifts promise to love all the day and night through.

Some gifts have history and treasures within,

But the best gift of all, dear Zoe,  is YOU!

Man vs Tree

Felling a tree-- a time old Christmas tradition.  Well, this year Tommy decided to channel his inner Griswold.  In his sights: a 15' Fraser Fir and thousands of lights...

Granted, said Fraser Fir was a little bit thin on the bottom. ("We'll just face that side to the corner...")  It seems that Hudson Valley deer have an insatiable appetite for the best Christmas Trees. Combined with the fact that there's absolutely no place in the ranch for a 15' tree, Dr. C decided to take the good tree-grower's advice and "cut high."  

Boom! Christmas tree down.  No victory is too small to celebrate...

Merry Christmas!!

A Halloween Story

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Twas a dark and stormy night... Really-- it was.  In fact, it was one of the first rainy days we had gotten all fall, and yup, it was Halloween.  A fairy by day, Zoe decided that the inclement weather meant one thing-- she would transform into a Zobot for her first attempt at trick-or-treating with her good buddies--Triceratops and Luke Skywalker.

"Trick-or-Treat!  Be Bop..."

Back at the home front, a man (some call him Papa) wearing a 70's polyester shirt with a pattern that strangely resembles candy corn, orange blinking pumpkin shaped glasses, and green plastic "witches fingers"  handed out candy to the brave souls who traipsed through the puddles to our home.  About 100 of them in total-- 100 shy of what our neighborhood usually gets, but 100 more than our usual number of trick-or-treaters back in the Burgh.

As for our Zobot--- Success!  She weathered the drizzle, and then the rain.  She was not bothered by the hordes of kids in costume running from house to house.  She fearlessly and systematically procured candy from our new neighbors.  She was a pro.  "Trick or Treat!" -- "Thank You!"

"Thank you and have a good day!"

We've fallen out of touch, but not with the Fall...

Yes, it's been a while.  Yes, we've been busy.  Yes, we've fallen out of touch... but don't worry, we're back!

So why, do you say, did we stay silent for so long?  Well, not to make excuses, but we've been a tad busy.  Tommy -- I mean Dr. Costello -- officially earned his PhD this past spring (yay!!) and then he went and got a job (YAY!!).  He is now gainfully employed by SUNY Dutchess in a tenure-track gig: no small task in today's market. And he loves every minute of the job, which is great, because there sure are a lot of those minutes.

We sold the house in Pittsburgh and bought ourselves a cozy little place in Red Hook (a fabulous little town north of Poughkeepsie).  Essentially we traded our 1920s city townhouse for a 1950s ranch with a glorious backyard.

Cara is exploring the new world of being a stay-at-home mom while doing some distance work for Carnegie Mellon to keep her toes in the professional world.  She finished her yoga teaching certificate before leaving Pittsburgh and will be teaching in Red Hook soon (stay tuned).

We are happy as pie.

Speaking of pie, it's that season, and here's a taste of what fall has brought us so far.  After all, it wouldn't be fall without cute pictures of Zoe Mae and...

Wooly Bears!  and...

Lessons from Papa on how to cool off a hot head on an unexpectedly warm fall day, and...

A stunningly beautiful weekend at the River, and...

Apples! and...

Leaves...

 Oh glorious leaves!  

We'll leave you with a quote from our very own Zoe Mae.  As she was helping us move a ginormous pile of leaves (one of many) from our backyard to the curb, she exclaimed-- "This is so much fun, I can hardly believe it!!"  Never a wiser word was spoken. 

So on that note, we'll say goodbye for now, but not for good.  Stay tuned.

Sunday funday.

Perfecting her form:

Brownies and Bedtime

The Zoster can no longer be contained by a crib. A month or so ago she mysteriously appeared at the top of the stairs, which marked her first non-catastrophe escape from the crib.  When asked, she proudly showed us how she managed the escape:  Step 1) Throw all stuffed animals and blankets into the laundry basket next to the crib.  Step 2) Leap into the, now-cushy, bin of soft things.  Step 3) Freedom!

So we congratulated her on the accomplishment, moved the laundry basket across the room, and put her back in bed.  Only to have her reappear at the top of the stairs shortly thereafter.  Proudly she reenacted the new escape:  Step 1) Hoist oneself onto the top of the crib railing.  Step 2) Fall toward the dresser (~2ft away), and catch the top edge of the dresser with your hands.  Step 3) While holding on to the dresser, walk feet down the side of the crib.  Step 4) Freedom!

It was clear that, aside from putting a lid on the crib, physical barriers were not going to keep wee Zoe Mae in bed.  So we put the side of the crib down and confirmed that while she could get out, we preferred that she stay in bed and sleep. And then we got the dreaded big girl bed out of storage.

Suffice it to say, she loves the big girl bed.  And she loves getting out of the big girl bed.  On one occasion her brave papa repeated putting her to bed a record 52 times in a row before she realized that bedtime was non-negotiable. We even bought a wise owl who can tell Zoe when it's time to get up.  Nonsense.  She decided early on that she wasn't going to listen to an inanimate object when it came to bedtime.  Because brownies.

Snoe Mae

Zoster, chauffeured home from school:

Taking care of business, also known as shobbeling:

Blogging with Austerity

It would be fair to say that our blog posts have been something less than regular lately.  In fact, they've been something akin to non-existant.  Sorry 'bout that.  Maybe it's because of the reduced daylight hours, or the exceptionally snowy winter, or I suppose we could properly blame it on Hurricane Sandy, which did knock a tree onto our house, but all of those excuses would be just that: Excuses.  

No excuses here.  We've been juggling full plates lately, and thus haven't dedicated much effort to the blog.  I'd love to say that it was a conscious decision, but if you ask us, October seems like just a couple weeks ago.  Thus, in the interest of keeping the blog somewhat active, we're going to pull an Ireland and vote for blog austerity:

Needless to say, we're going for the second definition, unless it's the Zoster's bedtime, in which case we might err towards the first.  Or maybe we can propose another definition all together:

aus • ter • i • ty

• what happens to the blog while we work on a PhD, yoga teacher training program, and toddler.

Henceforth, blog entries will be short and picture-ful.  At least until the days are longer and more degrees are in-hand.

Zoe vs. the Polar Bears

This past weekend was Zoo Boo, a great excuse to get wee Zoe Mae into a recycled ladybug costume and take her out a frolicking.  Just how good is the Pittsburgh Zoo?  They have an aquarium where they keep scuba divers...  Perhaps you'd thought that divers were people too; nope, they're animals at the zoo.  Look: this one carves pumpkins!

Needless to say, all the excitement tuckered the Zoster right out, so we high-tailed it back to the homestead for a power nap. Once rested, the wee lass perched on our newly refurbished staircase and put on her full expedition gear. Wildlife be forewarned; this Zoe is coming to a neighborhood near you, and she won't be deterred by a little snurricane frankenstorm!

Now, where are those polar bears hiding?

This is a Quiz, This is Only a NSFW Quiz.

What is this "goodnight" of which you speak?

1) Tonight at bedtime, wee Zoe Mae:
          A) Quietly sang herself to sleep.
          B) Had a psycho dance party.
          C) Threw her blankets out of the bed.
          D) Took off her pajamas and threw them on the floor.
          E) Took off her diaper.
          F) Peed all over the bed.
          G) B, and then C, and then D and E and F.

2) Upon hearing the tell-tale cries of "my diaper, my diaper!" parental unit #2 responded and decided to:
          A) Reinstall the diaper as before.

          B) Ask the perp to refrain from repeating the offense.

          C) Reinstall the diaper with a onesie to thwart removal.
          D) Duct tape the diaper back on.

3) After her relocation back to bed, little Zoooey Mae Wosthello (as she calls herself) went on to:

          A) Quietly sing herself to sleep.
          B) Remove the diaper again.
          C) Jump directly out of the crib, for the first time ever.
          D) Write an entire chapter of papa's dissertation.

4) This means that the time has come for mama and papa to:

          A) Buy a bigger crib.

          B) Set up the toddler bed.

          C) Have a drink.

          D) Pray.

BONUS QUESTION:  Wee Zoe Mae is currently:

          A) Working on undoing the onesie/duct tape.

          B) Sound asleep, having learned her lesson.

          C) Airborne, having just climbed out of the crib.

          D) Singing herself quietly to bed.

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Thank you for taking the caraandtommyand quiz experience.  Feel free to share your answers in the comments below, and we'll give a fantastic prize to whomever gets gets the most answers correct, without going over.  Aww, heck - we're feeling generous - everyone gets the prize:
It's a brand new CAR!  No - book, BOOK!  A Brand New (couple year-old) Book! Read by a celebrity!

WARNING: The above video contains hilarious adult content. If you are: under 18; 

easily offended; or located in a very small cubicle; please do not click play above.

We hereby disclaim any and all responsibility for your delinquency, hurt feelings, 

premature firing, or potty mouth. Neither this video nor the words therein are new,

rather they explore the timeless struggle between parents, toddlers, and bedtime.

Northerly Dreaming

I'm sorry the swimming hole is so crowded. And deep.

Once upon a time there was a mighty river, way up north.  It was peacefully shared by two little countries, with sand and rocks and greenery aplenty.  The water was clean and the air, splendid.

Yes.

On this river is a storied island called Maple.  It is a private and wondrous place, peopled only by the friendliest spirits who can all swim curiously well.

Zoe's first actual leap into the River? Perhaps?

Maple has a little raft from which little girls can jump into the loving arms of their mothers.  The island is guarded by a gigantic happy turtle, who is always nearby to lend a helping flipper to wayward youths.

Land!

The inhabitants of this river often chase sunsets on boats piloted by canine navigators whose intrepid sense of direction can evade even the most shark-like shoals. It's a delicate dance; the shoal-avoiding dogs chauffeuring the locals who prefer shoal-finders.

There are also brilliant ladies dancing aboard the classiest of crafts.  Hacking through the water with a modicum of care, the belles tempt even the phoniest of cameras.

Ce n'est pas un choit.

Amidst toddling children, drunk on fresh summer air, even the puppies resort to deception and camouflage to secure a moment's rest.  Who can blame them when the veins of their petters are pulsing with swedish fish?

Etslay ogay!

Even the cars are magical. All of them are convertibles with secure spots for libations, and they average over 100mpg.  Airbags, like crashes, are virtually unknown in this place; instead, safety exists in brightly-colored life jackets and verdant muumuus.

Zoe Mae's first car-nap in over a year... Finally!

Or perhaps it was all just a dream... The idle minds of creative toddlers tempt us from our cities.

And She's Renovating the Stairway to... Upstairs.

Zoe rides on Papa's handlebars.
Baby rides on Zoe's handlebars. 

Wee Zoe Mae has had a busy summer...  After lots of visits everyplace and a new/used motorcycle of her own, she decided it was high time to hunker down and class the old homestead up a bit by tidying up the grand stairway of the Costownhousello.  She's a quick worker, so here's the before/after shots:

Can you guess which one came first?

Originally the risers were painted white, and - wait - strike that. Originally the risers were stained a dark walnut, with a clear lacquer. They were then painted an orangey-peach, and then painted yellow, and then painted minty-shamrock-shake-green, and then painted white, and then painted off-white, and then painted white again.  Yeah.

When we bought the house, the stairs looked as you see at left.  With a little bit (okay, a lot) of elbow grease, we removed all the paint and lacquer and got down to the wonderful original wood. Then a few coats of Minwax satin poly brightened things up and let that grain sing.

I know which one I'd prefer to tumble down.

The Zoster wisely decided that the stairs should be carpeted to expedite her climbing adventures. Rocco enthusiastically agreed, as his fluffpaws couldn't get proper purchase on the well-worn hardwood treads, so he had to either slow down or wipe out when hauling down the 15 steps to protect Zoe from the mailman. The carpet helps to brighten up the stairs and quiet things down a bit, while the refreshed risers add contrast, depth, and help to extend the woodgrain spirit that the original heart-of-pine floors provide for the rest of the house.

How snazzy!

All in all, a job well done for the little lass.  And yes nitpickers, we've yet to finish the quarter-round around the bottom stair because we need to order some special bendy moulding that will be able to follow the curve around that bottom baluster step.  Phew, that was tiring!

Zoe invented this bed, and makes it everyday for her babies to sleep on.

Midsummer Review

Time flies... so they say.  And so does wee Zoe Mae.  Since turning 2, the little tike has had many adventures.  So many in fact, that it's been hard to keep up with her.   Golly jeepers, we have to go all the way back to April!  Here's a brief tour of Zoe's summer thus far.  After her big b-day, Zoe got to celebrate again with Emma.  What do you get when two taurus birthday girls get together?  Have a look!

Zoe Mae, learning the fine art of exclamation upon the opening of presents.

Let's not forget about the rest of the Anderson cousins.  They were quick to show her the ways of country living.  Barbie jeeps and asphalt. Why walk down the driveway when you can drive?

Yo sista's driveway is so long they have parades in it!  Wait, what?

Then there was a trip to the River... but poor wee Zoe Mae fell victim to the worst virus she's experienced in her two years so far.  Some call it the River plague...  All of our pictures from Memorial Day weekend look something like this:

This is how fever-ridden-Zoe insisted upon napping. For hours each day.

Then we were back to chez Anderson for some more celebratory family fun.  A 40th anniversary and Bepa's birthday were the reason for cake this time around...

Nobody's getting any cake until you tell me who blew the candles out. I'm serious.

Back in Pittsburgh, Zoe had her first encounter with a friendly neighborhood alpaca.  After some encounters with goats who thought her necklace would be a tasty treat, the poor lass was a little too overwhelmed to appreciate the fluff on this guy:

Wait a minute... Is Rocco part alpaca?  An Alpacoodle?

Then, Zoe was back in the car for another epic road trip.  This time the destination was New York City!! Or Jersey... close enough.  Zoe had a lot of fun with her Jersey boy, Jack.  Her showed her his pool, and she played it cool.  Mama and Papa even snuck out to see a Broadway show one fine evening.  Not too shabby.

Direct sunlight? Check. Backyard with pool? Check. Driveway? Check. This is why people move out of NYC.

 After a fun filled weekend with Jack, we were on to Neversink.  While we were there, we fed carrots to the horses that live around the corner from Grandma every day. On her last day there,  Zoe even mustered up the courage to give a quick pat to our beloved horse, "Cupcake".

It looks so pastoral and innocent. But the shadows don't lie.

And there was more swimming!  Yippee!

Summer sure has been a blast so far.  Stay tuned for more!