Pasta and Potatoes

I read this today....

2010-05-31T11:03:00.001-04:00

and, again, can't seem to stop thinking about it.

"Faced with apathy, I will take action. Faced with conflict, I will seek common ground. Faced with adversity, I will persevere."

At times I enjoy being apathetic, since, it seems to serve my overbooked schedule. However, I think this first piece of advice rings true.

At times I have no interest in finding common ground. I prefer just to quickly undo my opponent, or at least try, in an effort to obtain what I seek. However, again, I think there always more room in my life to seek common ground.

I will always persevere. Always.

Lunatic Fringe

2010-05-21T10:17:00.000-04:00

"Lunatic fringe....we can hear your footsteps!" When I started running last year Red Rider's "Lunatic Fringe" was the first song I put on my I-POD. Reflecting back on that time I'm sure it was a unconscious admission of the philosophical transformation that was informing my outlook on life. Why start running now? Why the need to enter races I had no hope of ever winning - ever. I often tell my family and friends how satisfying it is to run well and "out perform" my last performance. And it is. However, as in life, it isn't that simple. Indeed, nothing ever is. I've run two marathons, two half-marathons and two ten mile races in a twelve month span. Clearly, something else was driving this fanatical need to run?

I'm certainly not breaking any new ground here but I think, very likely, I'm chasing a few "demons." Or, if not demons, unquestionably I'm chasing my own mortality. Better yet, I'm running from it. To my consternation, the end of this year, this running fool turns 40. It's a sobering reality that I may have more years behind me than I have in front. I suppose everyone, at some point in their lives, wake up one morning and a stranger is staring back at them in the mirror.

It is often said that time waits for no man and as of late he seems to be whispering in my ear... carpe diem you old fuck! Indeed, I don't need to be told twice. So...what should I do in 2011 to beat back the clock? LUNATIC FRINGE....I KNOW YOU"RE OUT THERE!

I can't stop reading this poem....

2010-03-07T18:10:00.000-05:00

"If"If you can keep your head when all about youAre losing theirs and blaming it on you,If you can trust yourself when all men doubt youBut make allowance for their doubting too,If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,Or being hated, don't give way to hating,And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;If you can meet with Triumph and DisasterAnd treat those two impostors just the same;If you can bear to hear the truth you've spokenTwisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:If you can make one heap of all your winningsAnd risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,And lose, and start again at your beginningsAnd never breathe a word about your loss;If you can force your heart and nerve and sinewTo serve your turn long after they are gone,And so hold on when there is nothing in youExcept the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;If all men count with you, but none too much,If you can fill the unforgiving minuteWith sixty seconds' worth of distance run,Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!By Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936).

LET IT SNOW!!!

2010-02-23T21:40:00.000-05:00

Find a way to run ~ Winter be damned!

2010-01-03T16:10:00.005-05:00

Getting ready to run from the frozen winds of Cherry Hill.

Seven miles....done!

Haney Christmas 2009

2009-12-31T04:58:00.002-05:00

The extended Haney family stopped by for some Christmas cheer! The kids had a blast!

Hope loves her new Nintendo DS! Thanks SANTA!

Sean and his cars!

Chief Hope!

Hope and her cousin Ryan hanging out by the tree.

My that's a big one.

Aunt Gina can't wait to show Gavino his Christmas gift!

He loves it! Of course!

Alison, Erica and Corina stopped by to hang out with their cousins'!

New York at Christmas-Perfect!!!

2009-12-16T00:11:00.010-05:00

We had a fabulous time at American Girl! Staying at the Waldorf Astoria, seeing the famous New York City Rockettes, and.... shopping!!!

A Grand Experience - Philadelphia Marathon 2009

2009-11-24T20:08:00.018-05:00

Lately I've been paying closer attention to the movies I watch. Not sure why? I seem to be more influenced, or perhaps inspired, by the moral lessons the directors and writers are trying to convey.

Last night after running the Philadelphia Marathon I was watching the movie "Alive" which is about a rugby team's plane that crashed in the middle of the Andes mountains, and their immense will to survive and pull through...alive.

In one of the scenes Ethan Hawk's character describes how he feels when what lies before him is nothing more than an impossible task....

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not equating the "Miracle in the Andes" with running a marathon. However, this scene is a reflection, (a foggy one at that) of what I felt while running on Sunday. I felt closer to something? Something bigger than myself. I felt proud to be a "man on a day like this." The last six miles were, indeed, "magnificent." Magnificently painful. Magnificently exhilarating. A grand experience that only a few can understand.

I owe a debt of gratitude to a number of people for giving me the opportunity to finish a full marathon. First, I like to thank my friend Rob Rossi for pushing me through miles 10 through 20. I was in "bad" place physically and mentally and couldn't quite see the "green valley" ahead. He gave up his run to help me finish mine. I owe you one, brother. I also like to thank my friend Ira Krassan for training with me over the past year. You gave up untold amounts of time with your family to train with me. We pushed each other to our limits which I never could have done on my own. Good times, brother!

Finally, most importantly, I like to thank my beautiful wife Nicole. Your unyielding love and devotion to me and our family gave me the time I needed to realize my goal. Three kids under the age of five! Full time job! And a husband who is out running four nights a week...I don't know how you didn't kill me! A man couldn't ask for a better wife and friend. Eternally yours sweetheart...Rob.

Transformative figure...transformative journey.

2009-11-14T11:38:00.030-05:00

Politics and how they inform the socio-political landscape I live in, is entirely fascinating to me. I devour a multitude of books, magazines, journals and news articles to get my fix. It's an endless journey. One that I have no intention of ending, or, for that matter,looking for a destination. When we're young our teachers and parents offer us a steady stream of transformative figures to inspire and motivate us to better our lives, or perhaps to augment our aspirations. I got a steady dose of George Washington, Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan to feed the growth of my personality. Today, children are offered George Washington Carver, William Jefferson Clinton and Barack Obama instead, but that's a topic for another day. I digress.

Reflecting back on my youth, honestly, I was never truly inspired to transform my life in any measurable way, large or small, by men like George Washington. It was the people closest to me that had the greatest impact. Indeed, men like my father, Bobino, with his keen intellect, unyielding devotion and support for his family, and most importantly, his infinite amount of patience provided me with a clear vision of the kind of man I wanted to be.

Unquestionably, a number of people close to me have also filled the role of being a transformative figure in my life. Most importantly, my lovely wife Nicole as well as my adoring mother Helene.

However, today, I would like to "tip my hat" to the man who has inspired the journey I'm on now...a tranformative journey! Rob Rossi, my good friend and brother-in-law, has also filled the role of a transformative figure in my life. Twelve months ago after watching him complete his first marathon, and get in the best shape of his life, Rob encouraged me to join him for a repeat performance. Thankfully, after some prodding, I agreed. I've been training for the Philadelphia Marathon, essentially, for the last twelve months. Race day is next week and I'm excited to finish my first marathon. I say "first" because like so many other journeys that have been layed out before me by inspirational people in my life, ultimately, the destination becomes my own.

Emerson once wrote, "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail." Indeed, I think that is one of the greatest gifts a transformative figure can give ~ the ability to envision your own dreams. So next week as Rob and I, together, are enjoying the glorious experience of testing the limits of the human spirit; I will be joining him on his path and ultimately...beginning my own.

“Do or do not... there is no try.”

2009-10-19T00:23:00.017-04:00

As some of you may know I've been training for the Philadelphia Marathon for several months. For the most part I've hesitated to blog about it because I didn't think it was terribly interesting. However, lately, as the training level has intensified, as conflicts and turmoil have developed, perhaps something of value can be shared

Ya gotta love Yoda. Yoda can kick your ass, at 2'4", then he'll switch "hats" and become "all philosophical" as you lay bleeding in a corner. I was watching "The Empire Stikes Back" the other day and caught Yoda bloviating to Luke Skywalker about a thing or two. One thing he said caught my ear..."Do or do not...there is no try." I pushed pause on the DVR and pandered that one for a while. Why? Well, because for the last few weeks I've been battling an injury (Shin splints)that hampers my ability to train and, more importantly, complete a full marathon. Consequently I've also been having an debate with myself about whether I should continue training and run the marathon. Over and over in my mind I'd analyze the details of problems associated with shin splints. This constant perseverating about my ability to run the marathon, hobbled by shin splints, has made what was an enjoyable journey into an intolerable chore.

Which brings me back to Yoda. I think I'm going to take his advice. I'm going to do. There is no try. There is nothing else to perseverate about. Do or do not...I'm going to do. I feel the force flowing through me! See ya in 26.2!

Philadelphia Zoo and Smith Memoral Playground!

2009-09-30T20:25:00.006-04:00

Nicole made a strong move by picking up a season pass to the Philadelphia Zoo over the Summer. Every now and again we zip over to Philly to spend the day at the zoo and Smith Memorial Playground. The kids couldn't get enough...what an awesome day!

Happy Birthday Sean and Gavino!

2009-08-23T18:59:00.022-04:00

Last week we had a joint birthday party for Sean and Gavino. The morning of the party was a little nerve-racking due to the inclement weather but we lucked out and had several hour of clear skies.

Sean and Gavino LOVED the Spider-man cake Mommy bought for them!

Of course we couldn't celebrate Sean and Gavin's birthday alone so we invited about 80 of our family and friends over to eat cake, pizza and swim in the pool!

As always the slide was a big hit!

My cousin Brian Haney, who hails from New Mexico, was in town for the week visiting friends and family. Nicole and I were thrilled he made the time to come over and celebrate with us! As you can see the slide was a big hit with Brian as well;-)

Babies were EVERYWHERE!

Nicole made her famous banana pudding at my Uncle John's insistence. This enormous vat of pudding was gone in 60 seconds. Not a morsel left for Daddy!

Special thanks to my cousin Robert and his lovely wife Cindy for stopping by with their beautiful new-born son CJ.

Snakes, Dancing Queen and Yahtzee oh my!

2009-06-08T03:48:00.046-04:00

Hope had a great time at Dylan Rossi's birthday party this weekend! My sister, Colleen, had the party at a local wildlife preserve. Hope, Dylan and Travis couldn't get enough of the hands on demonstrations!

The next pic down is Hope and her "big cousin" Ryan. He is set for high school next year...geez I'm getting old! Oh...Gavino is in there as well...somewhere. Check out the kid behind Dylan...WUSSY!

What's Travis up to? Looks like he's about to perform a prostate exam on the snake?

Hope had her dance recital this weekend. Three HOURS of action packed excitement at the Washington Township Center for the Performing Arts. All kidding aside Hope was so damn cute up there, we had a great time!

Video of Hope cutting a rug up on stage...what talent!

I'll get to the "Yahtzee" story story tomorrow...as you can see from this photo layout still too hungover to remember.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

2009-04-29T00:32:00.007-04:00

I like to run alone. From time to time bringing someone along for the ride is a nice change of pace, however; running alone is therapeutic. It gives me a chance to clear my mind and think freely about where I’ve been and where I’m going…literally and figuratively. Since I’ve been running a lot more the past few months, I’ve tried to come up with the motivating force that gets me out of bed and on the road. Perhaps I strive not to win a race but, as Pre would say, to “test the limits of the human spirit?”

Perhaps I intrinsically long to whip my aging body into shape? Indeed, fight the good fight against father time and his bastard step child - love handles?

Maybe I’m hooked on the runners high and need a shot of endorphins now and again to get through the day?

Maybe I’d rather get out of the house and run myself silly than change one more feces filled diaper?

No…it could run deeper? Is it a religious journey? A quest to find a deeper meaning, a more salient aspect of the westernized consumeristic existence I currently lead?

F that, I know what it is. The answer didn’t come from within. No, I stand on the shoulders of a giant! A man the represents all men fighting to regain “something” that is lost. That man is Lester Burnham. Yes! I’m running because I want to look good naked! Nicole…here comes Daddy!

Easter Fun!

2009-04-15T20:16:00.013-04:00

The Easter Bunny brought, among other things, the kids brand new sunglasses! Hope and Sean ham it up with their new shades.

Gavino is all smiles as he fidgets with his new play-station.

Hope can't stop playing with her new paint set that the Easter Bunny had hidden under her basket!

Can I have a sip?

2009-03-12T20:32:00.003-04:00

I've never been one to share my food. Don't touch my fries, I'll buy you your own. No...you can't have a sip of my milkshake. I'm not sure where this obsession comes from? Perhaps it stems from the constant battles I had with my sisters' when we were kids? One box of Captain Crunch, three hungry kids, and a mad dash from the school bus to lay claim to the last bowl of the Captain's treasure. Enough of the pop culture psycho babble.

So, what's my point? The battle has reinvented itself. Now my kids, as well as my wife, keep eating my food! If we stop at King of Pizza, they want a sip of my soda. If we swing by McDonald's, they want some of my fries. Now, they've crossed the line! Tonight we stopped by Chick-Fil-A and had a quick bite to eat. I wasn't very hungry so I just ordered a small chocolate milkshake and tried to hide it behind the fake flowers on the table. King Sean and Mommy got a hold of it anyway and "just took a "sip". Two minutes later...GONE! The struggle for survival is eternal.

Look...it's a BULLET! WHAT!?

2009-03-09T13:42:00.018-04:00

We spent another morning exploring Adventure Aquarium in beautiful downtown Camden, NJ. Hope and Sean can't get enough of the giant turtles and sharks!

Hope Rita hamming it up with the scuba guy. Nicole said to me, "Wow...that guy has a great job, he gets to swim around in the tank and joke with the kids. When I told her they were volunteers she said, "WHAT!?" What an idiot! He's doing it for free? Why? That's my Nicole...such an altruist.

Daddy, Hope, and Mommy playing around with the fish-fart button.

We strolled outside to take a peak at "Big J" AKA.. the USS New Jersey.

Nicole asked me to get a pic of her and the kids next to the "big bullet" I said, "Excuse me?" "What bullet...you mean the propeller?" Nicole continued to shove her foot deeper into her mouth by stating, "No! It's a missile! It was probably shot out of the big guns on the USS New Jersey!" I'm pretty sure Nicole won't be confused for a sailor anytime soon. Ohh....Gavino came with us. He is somewhere in the back of the stroller.

WHY! Why do I do it every time!

2009-03-03T06:41:00.013-05:00

I did it again. Why do I find myself watching TV until 2 or 3am in the morning? It's the same pattern...I'll watch a movie, as I did last night, on HBO like the soon to be classic Aliens vs Predator - Requiem (good flick by the way). Then, right after, HBO will run a classic that I've seen at least 20 times. Time to go to bed, right! No! Reason and accountability suddenly becomes vacant in my mind. Then, for some unknown reason, staying up to 3am to watch Fast Times At Ridgemont High seems logical? Now I'm tired, cranky, and pissed at the world.

Sorry...I had to throw this pic in as well. I knew every guy reading this blog would want me to.

Fun day in the snow

2009-03-02T15:46:00.004-05:00

Hope and Lexy had a blast sledding together!

Third time's a yawn

2009-02-17T00:14:00.010-05:00

To say Nicole and I were over-protective of Hope after she was born could be described as an understatement. We followed her every move. Analyzed her every hiccup as being a potential medical development that required detailed analysis. Indeed, I spent too many nights on-line googling various "symptoms" to see if a potential problem loomed over the horizon. As much as Hope's birth was a blessing for us, it was also a emotional roller coaster filled with late night calls to the Pediatrician that must have seemed impossible stupid on their end.

In any event, Sean came along and our concerns remained; albeit somewhat reasonable rather than impossibly stupid. Sean was permitted to walk close to the pool without one to one supervision, two life vests and David Hasselhoff in tow watching for any and all sentinel events.

Then came Gavino. Who? Gavino, the other kid. You know - my third kid...yawn. I don't know if it's due to pure exhaustion or criminal negligence, but we let that boy dance with the devil in the pale moonlight.

Point in fact, tonight, our clan went to grab a bite for dinner at "The Famous King of Pizza" in Cherry Hill. We sat in our usual seat. Sean strapped in tightly in the high chair. Hope, tucked in the corner with care next to mommy. Gavino, who? Gavino...you know..my third kid. Sitting on my knee clinging to my shirt for some type of stability. I cut Sean's pizza in tiny squares to prevent choking and promote maximum cooling. Nicole, of course, did the same for Hope even as our daughter pleaded to do it herself. She might cut the pieces too big? What about Gavino? Who? Gavino...you know...my third kid. Well, he was busy eating a paper plate. He'll be fine we thought..I think paper plates have a lot of fiber? I'll have to look that up on-line.

Flashback

2009-02-11T10:04:00.009-05:00

It isn't too often that music causes me to have a flashback from my pre-Cherry Hill days. My parents' moved to Jersey when I was 9 and most of the memories I have are rather generic. In any event, I was walking through the supermarket this morning and Paul McCartney's Listen to What the Man Said came on inside the store and I got "hit" with a Philly flashback. It was kind of weird?

I was driving with my Dad in our brand new, blue, Dodge Aspen with vinyl seats that were scorching from the sun beating down on them. The AM radio was on and McCartney's song was PUMPING! It's odd how music has the ability to bring back memories you didn't know existed.

Beware the man who speaks in metaphors

2009-02-07T12:04:00.011-05:00

I read, somewhere, that you should "Beware the man who speaks in metaphors." At the time, as I do now, I took it as you should beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing (I guess you should beware of me.. lol). Take for example...oohh...President Obama - In one of his speeches he began to wax eloquently about "creating bridges of opportunity" for the disadvantaged and underrepresented folks in our country. Sounds kinda nice. How can you disagree with "building bridges of opportunity?" I can...but...I digress.

I seem to be surrounded by metaphors lately regarding the economy. I was driving down RT 70 and saw several signs in front of far too many businesses that read: " Liquidation Sale." I just drove right by and continued to think about what I had to do the rest of the day - work, take care of the kids, pay bills, ect... Then, I stopped. Why write "Liquidation Sale?"

What does it really mean? Well, it means that that guy who owns that business is F-d. Why not write I'm F-d, come buy all my stuff for really cheap? Without question I'm a realist at heart. I tend to see things for what they are, as opposed to what people wish them to be. However, I also like to think I'm more of a optimist than a pessimist. The glass is half full(beware)....you know the deal. In any event, the more liquidation sale signs I come across the more pessimistic I become about the prospects of our economy rebounding anytime soon. Moreover, I'm beginning to think things may get a lot worse. FDR said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." F that...I'm scared.

Snow ball FIGHT!

2009-02-04T17:34:00.006-05:00

Sean and Hope had another fun day in the snow this morning. However, I think a right of passage was realized; Sean started his first snow ball fight.

What is that smell?!

2009-02-02T13:06:00.025-05:00

Out of the mouth of babes! Isn't that what say? Today we took the kiddies to the ADVENTURE Aquarium in BEAUTIFUL down-town Camden, NJ. The first exhibit we entered was the Hungry Hungry Hippos! In a crowded room full of impressionable young kids Sean belted out "What is that smell!" All the elementary school kids thought it was HILARIOUS - I did too!

Hope and King Sean loved the shark exhibit! They both really wanted to "pet the cute Tiger sharks"...no...maybe not.

Our next stop was a larger tank filled with various fish that tend to inhabit the waters in and around New Jersey. Boring. After checking out the sharks who wants to see small, gray fish? Luckily there were a few guys in the tank cleaning the algae off the windows...Hope and Sean tried to help out...FUN!

The lobster pictured below was of no interest to my kids. I just thought it was cool so I took a picture. Man.....I can't believe people eat those things.

Finally, we stopped by a tank filled with various types of sting-rays. The kids loved them until Nicole reminded me of "that jungle guy" who was stuck in the heart with a barb from the tail of a sting-ray and tragically died. Of course kids tend to repeat everything they hear...so...now... King Sean keeps saying to his sister... "That sting ray is going to kill you Hope!" "No it's not!" "Yes it is!" Now, isn't that sweet?

Happy 2009

2009-01-03T22:05:00.002-05:00

The Magic of Christmas

2008-12-25T19:15:00.007-05:00

Hark! the Herald Angel Sings

2008-12-17T21:58:00.006-05:00

Hope has been attending Little Servant Sisters (LSS) pre-school for about a year and a half. She loves it! Moreover, Nicole and I love the wide variety of bacteria, germs, and potent viruses she brings home on a daily basis. Just kidding! Well sorta - not really..OK that part sucks. Today she had one of the LEAD roles in the annual Christmas show at LSS! Hope brought the house down with her moving yet inspirational rendition of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Nicole reports that her teacher chose Hope specifically for this role due to her ability to "dominate the room with her voice." Translation: Hope has a big mouth. Wonder where she got that from ;-)

Nothing Gold Can Stay

2008-12-14T20:04:00.023-05:00

Let's do it for Johnny man...let's do it for Johnny! I dig the movie "The Outsiders." I haven't watched it in a while, however; whenever it's on I grab a sleeve of Chips Ahoy cookies and a tall glass of milk then settle in for some high drama. As I get older I find myself appreciating some of the more..shall I say...symbolic aspects of this classic. At this point you're probably asking yourself, "Why does Haney have two pics of The Outsiders on his blog and another of a hat that reads - Whiteface?" Well - I'll tell you. My birthday came and went the other day without too much fanfare. I prefer it that way, indeed, most of the time I insist on it. Once I passed 35 it stopped being fun and started to become more of a chore. In any event, my friend Ira called a few weeks back and said he had a special birthday gift for me and couldn't wait to give it to me. I was intrigued! What could it be? The night before my birthday we went for a run, and after we thoroughly exhausted ourselves, Ira told me to close my eyes(I know...that sounds kind of gay so I inserted the fight sequence from The Outsiders to help out a little)and pulled out the Whiteface hat. I was shocked! I thought to myself, " Man..What a great gift!"

Now I'm not going to get into the history of the Whiteface hat because it isn't terribly important. The only thing that matters is I had been searching for this particular hat for quite some time - and Ira knew it. My boy called in a few favors and had some poor sap get in his car to pick up my hat in upstate New York. Nice! It's all about who you know! Anyway...so I'm sure you're still thinking what does this have to do with "The Outsiders" Haney! Relax...I'm getting to it..

Nothing Gold Can Stay is one of Robert Frost's most famous poems and is featured in the movie, "The Outsiders." There are an infinite number of interpretations of this poem, however; I have my own. I think one of the things he is trying to suggest in "Nothing Gold Can Stay" is materialistic things can only connect with you for a short amount of time - their meaningfulness is finite. While relationships, and the memories that forge them, last a life time - and beyond. I'm sure the hat cost my boy Ira very little money. However, the time, energy, and thought he put into my gift was truly appreciated. And in the end, it reflects the unique and life-long friendship we've shared for the last 20 years. Thanks brother!

Happy Birthday Mommy!

2008-12-01T20:34:00.010-05:00

Today is my beautiful wife's 35th birthday and since she has been bugging me to take her into the city for a while now we decided to take the whole family to see the Christmas light show at Wanamaker's. We took the speed line over which was a lot of fun for the kiddies, Sean and Hope took turns sitting next to the window to gaze down at the Delaware river as we traveled over the Ben Franklin Bridge. Quick tip - each show starts on the hour so time your travels accordingly or you'll be stuck waiting 30 minutes with multiple restless kids with a irresistible urge to hide under all the clothes racks - not fun.

Later on we worked together to make a cake for Mommy. Sean and Hope did their best to assist in spreading the icing on the cake, as you can see they need a little more practice.

Later on that night we sang Happy Birthday to Mommy and let the kids inhale far too much cake. As I sit here typing this blog entry Nicole is putting Sean in four point restraints due to a massive sugar overload - the poor kid can't fall asleep.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T22:14:00.008-05:00

Gavino! Our little stuffed turkey!

Hope Rita trying on her Thanksgiving hat she made in school.

Sean Robert just following his sister's lead.

Happy Birthday Hope!

2008-11-19T22:46:00.034-05:00

Zane Klinshaw chilling in the ball pit.

Hope contemplating a dive into the ball pit!

Wow - has it been four years already? Our beautiful daughter Hope turned four today and spent the day playing with all the toys she received at her party on Sunday. Her favorite thus far is a remote control "My Little Pony" motorcycle which is ridiculously noisy and may the parent who gave her the gift suffer one thousand sleepless nights due to a child's toy that they can't turn off.

Hope got a surprise from her "Nona" today when Mrs. Cirelli stopped by with an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. Mr. Cirelli had to drive to Burlington NJ to pick it up since most of them have closed in the area. We sang Happy Birthday and Hope's brother Sean helped blow out the candles. Man..I love those little chocolate crunchy things in a Dairy Queen ice cream cake!

Hope eagerly trying to explain to her friends how old she is now - "Four! One, two, three, FOUR!"

Dog pile on the rabbit! Poor Ryan Rossi is on the bottom of the pile!

The new,improved, and svelte Rob Rossi inhales some pizza as he hides out in the corner trying to avoid the mass of pre-school kiddies.

Hope gets a hug from her Aunt Gina....very nice! Later on Lexi and Hope strike a pose as they play dress up.

BOO!

2008-11-07T04:54:00.003-05:00

The kids had a great time this year trick or treating with their cousins' Zane and Travis. Hope raced from house to house in her "Bat Girl" costume while Sean put the cuffs on the bad guys with his "cop car" outfit as he liked to call it. Sean loved Zane's monster costume as he followed his older cousin around the neighborhood chanting "roarrr...monster monster!" Not to be outdone Hope and Travis sprinted from street to street in their super-hero outfits collecting an impressive nights catch of Halloween plunder.

Time in a bottle...

2008-11-04T10:28:00.005-05:00

I have vivid memories of my father racing to and fro trying to jam as much activity as possible into one 24 hour period. He would often start his day early, before the rest of us even considered pulling the covers off the bed. Under his breath I would invariably hear him mutter "there aren't enough hours in the day" as he brewed coffee, washed the dishes, took the trash out, let the dog out, ate breakfast, read the paper, then empty the dishwasher loud enough to wake the neighbors from a coma. Of course being young and stupid I would tell myself that the old man needed to take a load off and smell the flowers now and again. I know better now. Or perhaps, I'm just beginning to grasp his struggle with the relentless march of time. My lovely wife snapped a picture of me the other night that encapsulates the fight against time that I always seem to lose. Yes, that's right....you're looking at me filling up my Jeep with a container of gas that I use for my lawn mower. I didn't have time to stop at the gas station before work. I fell asleep one day and woke up looking at Bob Haney in the mirror....and that's a good thing!

Octoberfest!

2008-10-16T10:32:00.005-04:00

Fall! The brilliant colors and crisp morning air insisted that the Haney clan make a trip to Johnson's Farm in Medford, NJ. Nicole and I gathered our growing brood, packed the car with countless toys that the kids demanded we bring along, and popped in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" into the DVD to get he kiddies pumped up for the trip - not that they needed it.

For a Wednesday it was rather crowded but the kids didn't mind, just more "friends" to play with on all the new jungle gyms. Hope and Sean had a blast climbing on top of the various trains, tractors, and monkey bars. Gavino, well, he slept which is a good thing! After the kids exhausted themselves, which was a secondary plan, they foraged through the various pumpkin patches and picked out their favorite potential Jack-O-Lantern.

Finally, we did some shopping in the Farmers market and scooped up some goodies for the kids to munch on while we drove home. Sean played the Glutton stuffing an entire bag of cinnamon donuts in his mouth while Hope slurped down a Nantucket Nector lemonade. Nicole and I felt powerless as the surge of glucose hit our childrens' bloodstream - our dreams of an early bedtime dashed. Those donuts are ohh so gooood! The devil's work I tell ya!

The Simple Things

2008-09-29T11:36:00.002-04:00

I often marvel at how my children, indeed all children, can come up with the simplest household items and convert them into toys. Today, my son Sean, discovered.....HANGERS! Beautiful hangers. He has been playing with that hanger for two hours NON STOP! A read the paper, ate of bowl of cereal, watched the gloom and doom Fox news report without interruption. It was GLORIOUS!

Gavin's Baptism

2008-09-29T08:20:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we celebrated the Baptism of our newborn Gavin Joseph - or as we like to call him "Gavino"! Gavino clearly takes after my wife's side of the family with his olive skin and dark hair. When he was first born his traditional Italian features were so prominent that I would joke with the Cirelli's and call him "Diego" or "Jose". This didn't go over terribly well - so I continued to do it.

Erica Flemming and Jon Klinshaw served well as the Godparents'. The church service was uneventful other than the wardrobe malfunction that hopefully went unnoticed. Gavino's outfit was a hand-me-down from Sean's Baptism which fit Sean just fine. However, Gavino seems to be a bit portly at this stage and had to be shoe wedged into the outfit. In fact, his legs are so plump that we couldn't secure the snaps at the bottom. We tried to hide his legs with a blanket...poor kid...the third child syndrome has already begun.

The party after the service was held at our home and was immediate family only. Mrs. Cirelli cooked the food which was fantastic as usual and the kids did their best to destroy my basement. In the end, a good time was had by all. We had family, food, football, and a flat screen! What more do you need?

Monkey Boy

2008-08-30T09:24:00.005-04:00

Is this normal? I often wonder out loud if the things my children do and say are normal. I'm positive most parents think the same thing, you know how it goes - "my kid is SO unique!" So... is it normal for a just turned two year old to climb like this....or do I have a monkey boy on my hands?

Happy Birthday! Sean Robert Haney

2008-08-25T17:15:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we celebrated Sean's second birthday. The weather was perfect and the camaraderie was excellent. Nicole and I just marvel at how fast Sean is growing. Not a day goes by that he doesn't fascinate us with his ever expanding vocabulary. Many thanks to our family and friends for the generous gifts you gave our son. Except for the person who gave him the fire engine with the really loud siren that doesn't have an on/off switch. For you....I wish a thousand sleepless nights ;-)

Playing in the sprinkler

2008-08-17T08:12:00.003-04:00

I spend untold hours throughout the week toiling on the pool in my backyard. To my dismay, Sean and Hope would rather play in the sprinkler?

Idiot bunky bunk!

2008-08-15T09:11:00.004-04:00

Nicole received a new camera for Christmas and we're just now starting to explore it's capabilities. This morning while trying to figure out the video function of the camera I caught Sean calling his sister an IDIOT BUNKY BUNK! I have no idea where he picked that one up? Enjoy!

Fun day by the pool and around the house....enjoy!

2008-08-15T01:27:00.001-04:00

BOY! Are we busy now!

2008-08-14T14:53:00.003-04:00

The last few weeks have been a mind-numbing blur for the Haney family. We added a third to our growing brood and have been trying to master the art of chasing three kids under the age of four around the house. On July 11, 2008 we welcomed Gavin Joseph Haney to the Haney clan. Mom and baby are doing well! Hope and Sean love their little brother but have distinctive ideas about how to interact with him. Hope wants to rock him to sleep just like her mommy does...Sean, on the other hand, wants to put him in a head lock or jam his hand into his mouth. The fun has just begun!