What has the Collins Family been doing. Get it here ! !

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

My Grandfather's Clock


NEW OLD

Fisher Price is bringing back toys from "yesterday for kids of today" We resigtered for a few items and got a clock, when we were at Pat and Wanda's house Wanda says " I have that same clock, let me see if i can find it" moments later she proudly carryed the clock into the dining room and sets it down. From the inside the box our new clock looks nearly identical, Matt proceeds to tear open the box to investgate further. Conclusion, like most other things these day, the new clock doesn't even come close to craftsmanship. Normally you wouldn't think craftsmanship when your talking toys but think about it. Wanda's old clock is at least 30 years old (or older) and sure enough... it still plays! Yes there is some wear and tear but it's all still in one piece. I know I'm babbling but this is the kind of cheap $%*T that we have to deal with today. Wanda's Clock, wooden base, sturdy, MADE IN USA. Our Clock, Plastic, Stickers application and Made in CHINA. What gives ? ? ?

Anyways, here the words to the song that the clock plays: Click here to listen

My grandfather's clock
Was too large for the shelf,
So it stood ninety years on the floor;
It was taller by half
Than the old man himself,
Though it weighed not a pennyweight more.
It was bought on the morn
Of the day that he was born,
It was always his treasure and pride;

But it stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.
Ninety years without slumbering,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
His life seconds numbering,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
It stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.

In watching its pendulum
Swing to and fro,
Many hours had he spent while a boy;
And in childhood and manhood
The clock seemed to know,
And share both his grief and his joy.
And it struck twenty-four
When he entered at the door,
With a blooming and beautiful bride;

But it stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.
Ninety years without slumbering,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
His life seconds numbering,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
It stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.

Ninety years without slumbering,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
His life seconds numbering,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
It stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.

My grandfather said
That of those he could hire,
Not a servant so faithful he found;
For it wasted no time,
And had but one desire,
At the close of each week to be wound.
And it kept in its place,
Not a frown upon its face,
And its hand never hung by its side.

But it stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.
Ninety years without slumbering,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
His life seconds numbering,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
It stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.

It rang an alarm
In the dead of the night,
An alarm that for years had been dumb;
And we knew that his spirit
Was pluming his flight,
That his hour of departure had come.
Still the clock kept the time,
With a soft and muffled chime,
As we silently stood by his side.
But it stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.
Ninety years without slumbering,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
His life seconds numbering,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
It stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.

Baby Shower

On February 6th family and friends gathered to shower our new baby with bunches of gifts. HOLY TOLEDO !!! did we ever get showered with gifts. I couldn't believe the generousity of everyone. We have so much stuff for this little one. We will soon see whether we need it all or not. I had a great time, I wish I could have visited with everyone more.


Diaper cake made by my cousin Sandi










The three little preggo's ( April - due in Sept, me - due in March, & Melissa- due in July)
Julie, my high school bud, Alice our youth leader all through high school.

Stephanie and Madeleline, If it weren't for these two I wouldn't have any pictures from the shower. Thanks for being my camera man this time.


The Fry side of the family. There's a few missing (MOM what were you doing? )



Matt did not stay for the shower, but afterward he was very excited to see all that we got. When we got home he was so anxious to open everything and take all the tags off, find a place for everything. It's no where near done but we're getting closer.




Monday, January 18, 2010

I'm running out of time

Everything has been smooth sailing so far, but as our little one is making him/ herself more obvious. I'm beginning to realize all the changes we must prepare for. Most of the things are not do or die. Things I'd like to happen before my life is no longer my own.

1) Get the baby's scrapbook started so i can have it at the Shower (Feb 6)

2) Haul all our baby's gift back from Wyandotte and find a home of it all

3) Clean out the closet in the baby's room --- DONE (1/24/10)

4) Start and Finish Scott and Alison's Wedding album, it's only a year and a half overdue.

5) Learn how to pick up after myself, (not a week later but right when the mess happens)

6) Buy a new / used car so i don't have to crawl in the back of a two door car.

7) Figure out our work/ daycare schedule after my maternity leave is over.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!!


Don't worry, it's non alcoholic sparkling apple cider.

Christmas tree bonfire. Possibly a new tradition. Click here for the video.


Monday, December 28, 2009

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

I feel great

I'm well into my second trimester and I feel great. Matt and I are slowly getting ready for a bundle of joy (emphasize on slowly). A few weeks ago we registered at Babies-R-US, we also plan to register at Target (coming soon). So far it has been a very overwhelming process. There are so many things to research! Library books have been very helpful, such as the latest version of 'consumer reports on baby stuff'. I guess I shouldn't get hung up with buying all these "things". This baby will have a house full of love and everything else will just fall into place. It's not going to matter if we have the perfect room or the right car seat. It will work, I'm sure of it.

So anyways, more updates, I'm obviously preggo now and strangers are starting to ask me - "when are you due?" Also people at work coming up to me saying - "I didn't know your were pregnant". Well guess what - I am. For the most part I'm still wearing all of my normal clothes. Recent styles have lent a hand, low rise jeans that sit under my belly, empire waist shirts, and long tank tops that cover my growing belly. I've raided a couple of my girlfriends' closets for maternity clothes which have been extremely helpful (Thank you --- Jill, April, Elena and Stephanie). As I continue to grow, I'm sure I will be referring to those bags more and more. I bought my first piece of my own maternity wear, a BeBand. Basically the bottom half of a tank top, you put it over pants that can't button any more. Plus it hold up your pants, no more pants gaping in the back when you bend over. I'm starting to think that this item might make an appearance in my regular wardrobe (post maternity).

We moved one of our bookcases out of the baby's room to the basement office, and got rid of a few books from it. A little bit at a time I keep telling myself. I think we found the crib we want at a local store, they have several in stock so we wouldn't have to worry about shipping and getting the crib in time. Also when we were at the baby store we bought a night light, twilight turtle it is the cutest thing, i love it.


Sunday, November 29, 2009

Day 3 - BioSite and Balboa Park

On Wednesday we went to meet Elena at her work, BioSite. although we don't have any pictures from there it was really neat and intresting to see what she does at work.
Then we went to Balboa Park to see a photography exhibit along with the beautiful spanish architecture there.