SNIPS AND SNAILS AND PUPPY DOG TAILS...

WHAT WE DID OVER THE WEEKEND...

2009-05-04T18:01:00.000-07:00

We had a book sale on Saturday morning! Jammies and all...

Mikey climbed trees...

should I jump? should I, should I ?

I'm gonna jump...

This was BEFORE he broke off the branch...and fell...and declared, "oohhh that felt good!!"

AND...HURRAY for Matt! He learned how to ride his bike...and now he doesn't want to stop!!

Oh yeah...and Matt fell out of his bed. The bean bag looks most comfortable. He doesn't even remember this.

Good Night all!!!

HURT IN A CAR...

2009-05-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

I never pay attention to commercials, but some are definitely catchy. Mikey thinks so too. He was watching TV last week and told my mom, "Gramma Rosie if you ever get hurt in a car, call William Mattar." He also asked Brandon if he called William Mattar because of the accident he had last week and told him he should!

THE GUILT MUST'VE BEEN KILLING HIM...

2009-05-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

OK, so my dad says the kids are going to be brainwashed...but I say a little fear never hurt anyone. Here's my story:
I had the kids at the park today, and just like when I was little, they wanted to play on the bleachers, jump off the bleachers, and use their light sabers on the bleachers. I happened to catch them at the very top, "fighting" with the light sabers. I asked nicely for them to get down ( I was at the top of the hill with my dad) and they both walked over and up the hill and one of them says:
"We're mean at you and we want to get rid of you" while the other one says:
"I don't know why you always worry about everything."

I'll let you decide who said what.

So then, away they walk and SIT on the bleachers (surprisingly, they were not fighting with them). They were sitting so nicely and my dad and I could tell they were in deep conversation, but they were too far away, and we couldn't hear a thing. I even said to my dad that I wish I knew what they were talking about. When I said it was time to go, they came, unwillingly. Fast forward to the car ride home when they asked for something (cannot remember what!), and I just said:
"I don't think so. You just said how mean I was and my feelings are really hurt."

And then, I can only see Matt's BIG brown eyes staring at me through the rearview mirror and he nervously says:
"You heard us talking bad about you?"
"Yes"
"oh"
Finally, Mikey breaks the semi-silence and says,
" Mom, we're sorry for saying bad things, we're not mean at you anymore."

Well they should've thought about that before they opened their mouths...they didn't know that this mom has supersonic hearing. Wait til they find out that I have eyes in the back of my head too!

HAPPY EASTER

2009-04-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

making dessert for Easter dinner. I can't figure out how to flip the picture. sorry. you'll have to turn your head!

I had plenty of help...(notice the Star Wars glove)

The finished product....a double layer butter cake with strawberries and cool whip. and don't forget the chocolate sprinkles. We didn't have any mini chocolate chips, so we had to substitute. whatever works! I did catch Mikey taking bites of strawberries and trying to put them back ONTO the cake.

Coloring eggs...fun, fun, fun!

Grandpa Jim and Gramma Ginny came over for a visit...and brought some really cool stuff ( & candy, too!)

Looking for Easter baskets...

still looking...

That Easter bunny has some good hiding places...where could the baskets be?

FINALLY...

Lots of cool stuff from the Easter bunny...

and the best part....blue PEEPS for breakfast...

Artists at work...Easter bunny brought 16x20 canvases and paint. matt painted erupting volcanoes, trees, and a smoky sky. mikey painted the sand, the ocean, and a sunny sky! This kept the boys VERY quiet while I was doing some last minute things this morning!

Hope everyone had a nice day...gotta get two TIRED boys ready for bed now. They are starting to crash....

PRAYERS

2009-03-24T17:33:00.000-07:00

So, yeah, I am "homeschooling" Matt for religion this year...all because they were over-crowded, not enough teachers, and all that other nonsense...We have been working on our prayers, you know, for the First Penance (telling the priest all your horrible sins, such as, "I hit my brother, I talked back to my mom, I left my clothes on the floor....whatever...." I mean really, how bad can a 6 (almost 7) year old be? Especially when he belongs to me? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a big fan of confession. I used used to pretend I was sick so I didn't have to go to school that day. I haven't been there since I was in elementary school (maybe high school???)...but I digress. Back to the story...tonight Matt was saying his prayers (still learning them) and announces:
"Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy kingdom....stays"

Guess we better keep praying...

YES, HE DID ALL OF THIS HIMSELF...ON DELAWARE AVENUE...GLAD HE DIDN'T GET ARRESTED!

2009-03-19T20:44:00.001-07:00

and could you believe that he could NOT stop laughing?????

PROPERTY...PRIVACY...WHATEVER!!!

2009-03-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

I had to go to the chiropractor today, so Matt came along because he and I had to go shopping for a birthday present and then we went to dinner at Ted's (his choice!). Of course, he had to go to the bathroom at the doctor's office (it never fails)...so when he didn't come back quickly, I went to check on him. I knocked lightly and opened the door. He looked at me and said, "uh, could I have some property please?" I just started cracking up and asked if he meant privacy...He did, obviously, but I didn't want to embarrass him too much. We were both laughing..and I had to walk away ASAP because of the SMELL....wow, does he ever take after his father!! Glad no one else was there to enjoy the aroma...

LEARNING EARLY...

2009-02-24T18:38:00.000-08:00

Me: "Mikey, it's time to come up and take a shower."

Mikey: "Yes, dear."

FUNNY...

2009-01-20T18:45:00.000-08:00

When I got home from work today, I was laying in the recliner (because Mikey woke up with a bad dream at 3 a.m. and never went back to sleep) watching the inauguration parade. The commentator says that 59 million people did not vote for Obama...and out of my kitchen comes this little voice that says:

"yeah, and daddy was one of them."

Tonight at 6:30 and 7:00, the boys had doctor appointments...Mikey for his 4 year check-up (I can't believe it) and Matt for some ear "itching" (which could've been an infection, but isn't, thank goodness!) Matt and I got there first, then Mikey and Brandon came walking in. Mikey says, "Hi Mom" and the secretary peeks out and says "Hi Mikey" (and everyone knows my kids at the dr. office because of Aunt Geri). And without missing a trick, he steps back startled and says:

"oh, you scared me. I almost had a heart attack. Hi."

Seriously, I have no idea where they came from!

PRAYING FOR A SNOW DAY...

2009-01-15T18:46:00.000-08:00

Today, I picked Matt up from school and the announcements said that since everyone (3rd-6th graders) were exhausted this week from taking NYS ELA tests, they should hope for a snow day tomorrow. They were told to go home and flush ice cubes down the toilet, sleep with their PJs inside out, and sleep with a spoon under their pillow. I don't remember any of these when I was a kid...but hey, it's worth a shot. So, the boys flushed ice cubes down the toilet, Matt would NOT sleep with his jammies inside out, and I am going to put a spoon under their pillows right now!!!

Oh yeah, we also said a little prayer to the snow god...even using the sign of the cross to begin our prayer (Matt is practicing for his First Communion you know!)

BAD DREAMS...

2009-01-14T18:47:00.000-08:00

Lately, poor Mikey has been having some bad dreams. He was waking up in the middle of the night yelling for either me or Brandon, and last week the poor little thing was shaking like a leaf at about 3 a.m. He was terrified. I held him and rubbed his back and was wishing that it was Dad's turn to get up, but, I comforted him like any good mother would. He has been asking if daddy could beat up the hulk (and Batman and sharks and monsters. the list goes on...and on....and on). I have explained to him that monsters are not real and Matt has told him that if he sees something on TV, just to turn the channel. We cannot reassure him enough because everyday he asks the same thing. Last week, he was actually scared to go to gramma and papa's house. It must've been the dream. Then, the other night he was scared to take a bath. After I washed him and his hair (while he was sitting on the edge of the tub), I had to put him in the shower to rinse off.

Fast forward to bedtime. Mikey, so sweetly, asks if I can go to sleep with him. This is something new. He usually likes to go to bed (in Matt's room) after we read. I laid down with him and he was hugging me so tight...occasionally rubbing my back and kissing me telling me how much he "likes" me. Secretly, I love this because he is usually all about daddy. I'm thinking he is going to fall asleep any second.....until....he looks at me with a giant grin on his face. You know, something like this:

Then...proceeds to give himself a wet willy. He starts laughing uncontrollably and I am trying to be the mature one here and not laugh. But it was so hard. I turned my head the other way and told him that I was leaving if he didn't stop it. He eventually regained control of himself, fell asleep...and slept all night. Without any bad dreams....let's hope we chased all the monsters, hulk, batman, etc. away for good!

*He is still afraid to take a bath, but I convinced him that showers are good - because he would go forever and a day without one if he could!

UNTITLED

2009-01-10T19:53:00.000-08:00

My little angel...see the halo? Guess who?

My 2 Angels...

DATE NIGHT

2009-01-10T19:29:00.000-08:00

...no, not with my husband. With Matt. And it was fun. First, we went to see Wall-E at his school. It was family movie night. They even had bottled water and a bag of popcorn for $1. Can't beat that...he is a cheap date! Then it was off to Target so he could spend his gift card (plus some money that he saved up). He has been waiting very patiently for the toy he asked Santa for but didn't get. Santa doesn't remember seeing it on his list...build your own light saber. I love toys like these, you know, the ones with 5000 pieces. Ok, so I exaggerate a little. But it does have A LOT of pieces... and I'm sure 1 or 2 or more of these pieces will be missing soon. Anyway, we had a fun Friday night...but the movie...UGH! Has anyone seen this? Their is NO talking, just a little bit of robot speak (which I couldn't understand at all). Nor did I understand the movie. Seriously. My attention deficit disorder kicked in about 5 minutes after it started and I finally refocused when the lights came on. Matty knew exactly what was going on, so I pretended to be following along...you know, laughing when he laughed, etc. etc. etc.

And since I know that in couple of years, he will be embarrassed to be seen with me in public, I have to take these "dates" and treasure them for as long as I can.

And by the way...I have finally finished uploading the 100 or so pictures on the camera, so I will post some from christmas vacation. Don't worry, you won't be subjected to all of them!

A BUSY, BUSY MONTH...

2008-12-19T13:03:00.000-08:00

It has been a little hectic around here...but we have found time to do some great things with some of our favorite people!!!

The night before Thanksgiving, we baked some really special cookies. The boys watched and waited very patiently...

The end result: (and yes they were the actual handprints of my darlings...I even made the sugar cookie dough from scratch, traced their hands on paper, then traced and cut them (very carefully) on the dough. matt and mikey decorated...it was the least they could do after the seriously hard work!!!! I know, one is missing a finger or two.

Then, we had a Christmas party for our favorite friends. We all acted a little childish again (using the fart machine, playing drinking games, etc. etc. etc. It was just like old times...the guys and girls were separated (boys were playing poker in "mantown"), but, we girls are always so much fun, they boys couldn't stay away for long. They joined us for many, many laughs!!! apparently, everyone had fun...our last guests (Shannon, Jen, Cindy) didn't leave until 2:30 a.m. I was pretty useless the next day.

Mikey learned how to blow dry his hair...and now does so each time he gets out of the tub. He can't understand why his hair is always sticking up when he's done.

One of the most exciting things we did was get invited to a Christmas party at HSBC arena (Thank you John!!!). We thought it was for the night employess only until we were skating around and recognized (I recognized) Andrew Peters, Derek Roy, Ryan Miller, Patrick Kaleta, Jochen Hecht, Lindy Ruff, Teppo Numminen, Max Afinogenov, Drew Stafford, and the commentator guy. I was probably more excited than my husband and children, although Matt loved the arena and skated for about 2 1/2 out of the 3 hours we were there! Check out the cool pics. Here is Matt at center ice:

Brandon for the first time on skates....ever...if I am not mistaken. Andrew Peters chuckled at him. He did not fall though...and believe me, I was waiting.

Here is Matt on the bench and with Santa...neither of the boys would sit on his lap, so this is the best we could do.

Mikey on the bench...tried to get him to go in the penalty box...he would have none of that. This was also his first time ever on ice skates. This is how he felt about it: "I am never skating again. Stupid skates." (He did, however, try again after a little while).

I think Matt was skating as fast as he could at me to try and knock me over...he skated really well, and had a blast!! Matt with Aunt Jill and John (she, by the way, is pretty impressive. She even knows how to stop like a real hockey player!)

Catching snowflakes:

O CHRISTMAS TREE, O CHRISTMAS TREE...

We spent the Saturday after Thanksgiving going to a tree farm in North Collins and cutting down our tree. Even though there wasn't much snow, we still had fun. After a while, the trees all start to look the same. But Brandon picked out a really nice one this year! And mikey helped cut it down:

Here is our tree this year:

Very hard at work:

Merry Christmas everyone...I have to go wrap some presents.

THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT...

2008-11-24T18:55:00.000-08:00

"Michael is a joy to have in class, he has made much progress since the beginning of the school year; he is outgoing and agreat role model for the other children. Michael's favorite things to do at school are play with the trains, play in the loft, and look at books."

Yes, this is the REAL comment that I received on Mikey's report card. Is this my child or did she mix him up with some one else??

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!!

2008-11-24T17:52:00.000-08:00

Remember when I promised Halloween pictures? Well, now that Thanksgiving and Christmas are creeping up very very quickly, I figured now is the time to post the pictures of pumpkin painting and carving, THE HULK, DARTH VADER, and TWO OUT-OF-CONTROL GRANDMAS...

I carved the one on the left and in the middle. Beautiful, I know!

Notice Mikey is nowhere to be found in this picture...he was scared. really.

This is where he was instead! Far far away from the "witches."

He wasn't afraid for too long...anyone that would take him to get CANDY was his friend (even the neighbor who had to pick him up out of her mulch. I couldn't help, I was too busy LAUGHING. Can you believe it?

Here are the Grandmas...beautiful as ever!!

SO WHAT? I AM A ROCKSTAR...

2008-11-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

Don't mind the messy garage...or the boy picking his nose. I couldn't decide which I liked better, so I posted both. These were too funny to pass up...funnier than halloween pictures. Those will be posted soon. I promise.

THE GREAT PUMPKIN ROBBERY

2008-11-01T21:21:00.000-07:00

The guy who lives next door to my parents planted some pumpkin seeds for the boys over the summer. It has been a joke that the boys were going to "steal" the pumpkin from the neighbor's yard. Well, the pumpkin got REALLY big and they needed some (a lot) of help. Take a look:Looking for the GREAT pumpkin!

Here it is!

Thank goodness for the world's strongest Papa!

Finally! (good thing the HULK was there to help...Matt was too busy was too busy eating a cookie!

YOU MIGHT BE A REDNECK IF...

2008-11-01T21:17:00.001-07:00

OBSERVANT

2008-10-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

Driving in the car today with Michael and stuck at a red light, Mikey (of course) notices the guy in the car next to us picking his nose:

"mom, that man is picking him's nose. He's going to poke him's eye out."

I'm still laughing.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US...

2008-10-26T18:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is a few days late...but, better late than never. Happy 10 th Anniversary...I (We) love you!

GUINNESS

2008-10-24T18:58:00.000-07:00

Tuesday October 21st was a sad sad day around our house. We had made the decision to put our beloved Guinness to sleep. It was absolutely terrible and heartbreaking and I am still crying about it as I write. So here's the story...a couple weeks back he started to pee all over and we had been getting up with him during the night and if we didn't, you could be sure that he peed somewhere in the house. It was like having an infant around. seriously. One morning, I even slipped in it. Gross, I know. He peed in the basement and it was like syrup...extremely sticky. I called the vet, I got an appointment for a few days later, and we just had to take extra good care until we knew what was wrong. I did some research and emailed Brandon at work to say I thought it was diabetes. Long story short...I was right. He was diagnosed on Monday with pretty severe diabetes...the vet was having a hard time getting his sugar under control, even after 2 insulin shots. He spent the night at the vet and then came the time to make THE decision. I tried to be sensible and do what I thought was right for us and Guinness, too. After all, he was 12 years and 3 months old. Brandon said I had to call the vet and let him know what our decision was. I did...all while barely able to talk. The vet supported my decision and told me what Guinness would be in store for in the future. Cataracts, blindness.. not to mention that he started to lose his hearing...and taking care of a dog with diabetes was like having a full time job. We didn't think it was fair to him or to us...we didn't want to see him suffer.

I had, what you might call, a STRESSFUL day. The anticipation of knowing what we had to in a few hours was pure torture for me (ask my poor mother-in-law!). Brandon and I didn't speak a word to each other and I cried all the way home from work, all the way to and from the vet and more than once over the past few days. When we got to the vet, Guinness came out from the kennel...just like he did when he was a puppy. He was so happy to see us...tail wagging and bouncing around. Brandon even brought him about 2 pounds of venison to eat. Jill says it was his "Last Supper". We figured that if we chose to keep him alive, he would never be able to have that...so let him enjoy it. He certainly did.

I stayed out of the room until it was all over(Brandon stayed)...I was there when Casey died and I didn't want to see it again. It didn't make a difference...it was all-around bad. terrible.

It has been very strange around here. I find myself looking under the dining room table and it's almost like I can hear him. He was such a huge part of our lives..it is so hard to believe that he is gone. We always joked that when he died, we would stuff him and make a table out of him. Brandon even suggested that we stuff him (kidding, of course) in the sitting position and place him right next to the kitchen table (he liked to beg, to say the least). We cremated him instead of doing any of the foolish things mentioned above.

I tried my best to explain to the boys that Guinness was very sick and wouldn't be coming home again. They seem okay. I don't think they really understand the finality of it all. Matt brought home a really cute picture of Guinness with the blue sky and clouds and a tree behind him with the sentence: "I love my dog." Tears flowing again. I told them that now Guinness has his "angel wings" and is flying around doggy heaven with Casey girl. They thought that was pretty funny. Yesterday, Mikey and Matt were talking and I asked them if they missed Guinness. They both said "yes" and Mikey said: "now daddy don't have to pick up no more dog poop." He also said this to Matt (which made me smile!): "guess what matt? guinness got his angel strings and is flying around up there."

Truth be told...Guinness should have been gone a long time ago. We have had some close calls. I guess you could say he had the luck o the irish on his side. Here are some of the things we've dealt with over the last 12 years:

1. drank a half pot of grease (we used to make chicken fingers and mozzarella sticks at my parents house all the time. Gross, I know.)

2. he jumped through a giant glass window (and came out without even a scratch. He was a bit shaken up)

3. He got hit by a car.

4. Ate a bottle of tylenol pm.

5. Swam around our pool for 6 hours ( because he didn't know how to get out. casey was in and out all day. She knew enough to climb up the ladder.

6. Had a broken foot.

7. got a fish hook caught in his lip (brandon had to save him from drowning).

These are just a couple of the trials and tribulations...if I think of anymore, I'll be sure to post. Guinness was not only our friend...he was everybody's friend. When we left the vet on Tuesday, Brandon said, "Guinness was so nice to everyone. He wanted to be everyone's friend. He was never mean or nasty to anybody. He was such a good dog." He was. We said we will never put ourselves through this ever again...it truly is like losing a member of your family. Matt says maybe we can get a dog when he turns 10. We'll talk about it when he turns 10. Until then, we have our memories to make us smile and even laugh a little. R.I.P. Guinness...we love you!

OVERHEARD...

2008-10-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

Mikey: Matt, I just farted in the bathtub.

Matt: Oh, ya did?

Mikey: Yea (and can you believe he was laughing when he said it????)

Matt: (laughing) I wish I could see the bubbles come out of your butt.

simply disgusting.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

2008-10-12T19:41:00.001-07:00

no, no not my anniversary (that's next week)...but the anniversary of the surprise October storm. I remember waking up and thinking I was going to have get outside and shovel my car out (UGH...a painful reminder of what is coming) because...DUH..I had to go to work. This is

what I saw:

yes, that is the boat still in the driveway (and don't pay any attention to the date on the pictures...obviously, it's wrong.) And no, I didn't get to work that day. We also didn't have heat or lights for an entire week. On the bright side, this is what we did today...2 years later:

Sunny and 78 degrees today!!! A beautiful day at the Burchfield!

OH SHUTE (is that how it's spelled?)

2008-10-12T19:28:00.000-07:00

The following conversation happened today between me and Mikey:

me: "Oh Shute, I don't think I have any hot dog rolls."

Mikey: "Mommy, did you just say, "oh shute?"

me: "yes"

Mikey: "That's not a very nice word."

Mind you, these words are coming from a child that woke me up yesterday morning when I heard him say:

"Holy Shit, Matt..."

and I don't remember what else he said because my mind just completely blanked out after I heard that.

Nice.

DO I HAVE YOU BEAT?

2008-10-12T19:25:00.000-07:00

I know I said I was going to be on the ball as far as christmas is concerned this year. But, I never thought I would have my christmas cards ordered by now...but, I DO. And I have to pick them up on Thursday. Don't worry, you probably won't get them until December 26th...

TOTALLY DIFFERENT

2008-10-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

Last night after the kiddos went to bed (and knowing that hunting season is near), I had Brandon help me hang some things in the bathroom (it's never too late...it has been ONLY 3 years since the bathroom has been redone). I had pictures of the boys blown up to 8 x 10, matted and framed. They are now hanging perfectly straight, exact width apart, and I love it! This morning when Mikey woke up, he went to use the bathroom and I heard him say:

"Hey Matt, go see the pictures in the bathroom...it looks totally different!"

Not sure where we got him from...too funny!!

OH YES HE IS...

2008-09-21T18:50:00.000-07:00

It was my birthday last Thursday and lucky me had the day off. It was so nice. I went to Barnes and Noble and the mall and even bought myself a couple of things. It was 3 p.m. before long and I had to pick up my little darling from school. He looked so happy and started to tell me what he did...until... we got in the car... when he matter-of-factly stated:

"I'm am going back to that scary place NEVER again."

OH, YES, HE IS!!!

GUESS WHO LOST A TOOTH???

2008-09-11T18:53:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for the tooth fairy...She left $5 under Matt's pillow, but somehow, he had two five dollar bills under there. Guess the original tooth fairy was too cheap. $10 for ONE tooth..that's a pretty good deal. I hope he doesn't expect that for each one that falls out. The tooth fairy will have to get another job.

WHAT A LIAR!!!

2008-09-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

Now I know its not a nice thing to call your child a liar, but...my child is a liar!!!! Just a few minutes ago, he so sweetly asked me if he could have some fruit snacks, and I said yes. So a few minutes later, he asks me if he can have another package. I said no because Gramma Kissy is bringing him McDonalds for lunch (a sympathy lunch because he stepped on a nail last night...we'll save that story for another post). He said ok, but "is it okay if I just look at the Nemo snacks." Stupid me says it's fine because he doesn't know how to open the fruit snacks. Fast forward a few more minutes and I go back to the living room, no fruit snacks in sight, and ask where they are. He tells me they are back in the box, but I do NOT believe him. He has this grin on his face from ear to ear...telling me exactly what I already knew. So here is the conversation that follows:

Me: Mikey, did you eat the fruit snacks?"

Mikey: no

Me: Where are they?

Mikey: back in the box (grinning wildly)

Me: Did you eat them?

Mikey: Yes.

Me: How did you get them open?

Mikey: with the scissors (laughing wildly and running...uh, limping, away ---the nail, remember?)

Me: WHAT?????

Mikey: (stops to give me a hug and rub my back) - I SORRY MOM!

OMG!! I just burst out laughing, and so did he. I am in big trouble already...what a schmoozer!

By the way, I checked the garbage can, and sure enough, there were 2 empty fruit snack packages...neither of which were opened by a pair of scissors!!!

MIKEY's BIG DAY!!

2008-09-04T06:24:00.000-07:00

Today was Mikey's 1st day of school. I just got back from dropping him off and my heart is still breaking! He was fine when we got there and when it was time for me to go, he just broke down...my little tough guy! He was very excited (and has been for days) about going...see here, he had his backpack on long before he ate breakfast...

This is the best picture I have...and I shall cherish it because it is very difficult to get Michael to smile and pose. He, too, wore a "nice" shirt for me today (not without a little argument...he wanted his "guitar" t-shirt).

See what I mean about smiling.

Eating breakfast (and admiring his big brother!)

This is the last picture I took before Matt got on the bus...Michael didn't even want to wait for Matt's bus..he said "let's go to school!" (unfortunately he didn't feel the same way once we got there! I hope he doesn't end up in the office today!!!)

I know he'll be fine, but I hate to see him cry. I just left very quickly because I knew he would carry on if I stayed any longer. I'll be glad to pick him up at 3:00 p.m. to hear all about his day!!

BIG FIRST GRADER!

2008-09-03T05:41:00.001-07:00

Here is my big guy getting ready for his first day of First Grade!!

As you can see, Mikey is also getting ready. He thinks he is going to school today. I'm trying to figure out a way to keep him busy because he keeps asking, "when am I going to school?" I tried to tell him that he is going tomorrow, but he doesn't want to take that for an answer.

Waiting patiently for the bus! Mikey was so excited because he thought he
was going to school too. I hope he is that excited
tomorrow!

So handosome...he even wore a "nice" shirt for me today. He made a deal with me that I could pick his clothes out 3 days a weeks and he will pick out his clothes for the other 2 days. I think I'll let him pick on gym days!

Notice the size of the backpack..I hope the poor kid doesn't fall off the bus when he is getting out! All of his 1st grade supplies plus lunch and a water bottle. That think probably weighed 10 pounds...

FINALLY...the bus arrived about 10 minutes later than expected. And Ms. Jennie was not the driver. i hope this guy is just as nice...he didn't even say hi to Matt (or me). He just grumbled, "is that it?" I guess he thought Mikey was going too!

I won't lie...I had a couple of tears after he left.

FINALLY!!

2008-09-01T19:05:00.001-07:00

Okay..I don't even know if any of you are still reading...you probably all gave up on my blog, but, lo and behold...I am back. Now that school, work, craziness etc. is about to begin, I will most likely be a more efficient blogger. But, I digress...here are pictures from our best vacation ever. We had a really great summer.... a lot ( A LOT) of quality time together. I'm kind of sad to see it go, but I am ready for the routine that Fall brings (did I just say that?). The pictures are in no particular order because when I uploaded them (in order, they got all mixed up). Whatever...you'll get the point. The picture above is from Nauset Beach in Cape Cod. This day, the water was so turquoise, it looked like the Caribbean, but felt like the Arctic. Can you say c-c-c-c-old?????

Here is Mikey running from the monster waves,

and here is Mikey inside a monster wave. Occasionally, my children were diving into and under the waves... giving me a near heart attack. The boys would just get back up and go back for more (and more and more)The waves are crazy big and strong...they even knocked my manly-man of a husband over.

A nice picture of Gramma Kissy and Papu with the boys in Provincetown. It is quite the unique place...you all should visit sometime. I would have to guess that it might get kind of creepy hanging out there at night...some strange people indeed.

Mikey was so happy "watching tv" in this hole of sand. I heard about how dangerous it is to let your children play in deep holes like this, but he liked it. Honest. And it kept him very entertained!

If you have a problem, just call 1-800-super-mike.

"3 Little Monkeys Swinging from a Tree"...Mikey was watching to make sure Kyleigh did NOT touch him.

Matt with his new shark tooth necklace. He told everyone that he wrestled the shark (and won) in the ocean and pulled his tooth out.

"So Happy Together..."

We were watching some fireworks on the beach...the boys loved it. They were very nice and VERY loud, in which a baby started crying. You all know how witty Mikey can be so, without missing a trick, he says, "I think I hear Eric crying. He's a baby!" Eric is my 25 year-old cousin who still to this day HATES loud noises...he really did go back to the house (and hid under the bed) so he didn't have to hear the fireworks. Okay, I don't think he hid under the bed, but he did go back early! We just cracked up!

A nice family photo minus Mikey...we snuck out of the house very early one morning to go look for some ocean creatures. I know, we're mean. Maybe we can photoshop him in somehow.

Life is Good!

They begged to be buried in the sand...this is an okay picture, but I'm saving the best for their Christmas card this year. Yes, I know, I'm really on the ball!

Matt holding a real live lobster...he even ate some after they were cooked! They were delicioso!

Papa Dennis and Matt on another one of our early (7 a.m.) morning beach walks.

On the beach playground

We were gone for 15 days and this is what Matt's teeth looked like because he forgot his toothbrush. EEEEWWWWWW....

By the way, Mikey is TERRIFIED of these teeth. A great way to keep him in line!!!

we did do more than go to the beach. One rainy, rainy day we took the kiddos into Boston (we love this place, especially without the children, but there was no getting rid of them) and went to the aquarium. I looked online that morning and could've purchased our tickets, but how many people were really going to go to the aquarium on a rainy day? Oh, only about 3 or 4 hundred people standing in line with their rain slickers and umbrellas (on top of the already 4 or 5 hundred people already inside). Imagine the panic look on my face when I turned the corner and saw this atrocious line. What is the matter with these people? Don't they know that my children want to go to the aquarium? Well, somebody answered my prayers,because this very nice British girl asked if I was planning on going to the aquarium (this was, of course, after she saw the panicked look on my face). And I said, "yes." She told us to go into the IMAX theatre to by the tickets...and guess what? Their were about 4 people in line in front of us (we did have to purchase the IMAX tickets to see a show...and it was SOOO COOL. We all thought so, except for Mikey (who is really scared of the most ridiculous things). We saw the "under the ocean" show and had to wear those silly 3-d glasses. every time a fish would be swimming towards Michael, he would take off the glasses and swat it away. It was hilarious. He even commented at one point and said," we gotta get out of this place." But he was a trooper...he stayed for the whole thing. When it was over, we walked out and yes, we walked right into the aquarium. No lines, no waiting! And the aquarium line was just as long when we came out as it was when we went in!

I took some really neat pictures of some fish and penguins and sharks and sea turtles and then I broke the camera. We stopped on the way back and bought a new camera...and guess what, I broke that one five days later (I dropped it on the sand). So I went and bought another camera. Yes, I broke 2 cameras in five days, but managed to save all the pictures I took. Thank god!

And here, my friends, is the conclusion of our trip. This was after Matt threw up all over himself at 9.a.m. (only 3 hours into our 81/2 hour drive home from the Cape). Lovely...the poor kid was so car sick. Don't worry, though, Super-Mike was very consoling. He kept reassuring his brother that, "it's okay buddy, your gonna be okay." And he was. We made it the rest of the way without any more unexpected surprises. It was so nice to finally be home...

I'M BACK...

2008-08-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

but I am too tired to write about it right now. Stay tuned for lots of pictures and stories from our most FABULOUS 2 week vacation!

MIKEY'S FISH

2008-07-30T22:45:00.000-07:00

Here is one of Mikey's 4 fish that he caught in Allegany!

VALIUM, PLEASE!

2008-07-30T22:11:00.000-07:00

As you are probably already aware, we (extended family included) are going away for 2 weeks in approximately 27 hours. Right now , the computer clock says it's 1:13 a.m. Why in the world would I be sitting at the computer at this ridiculous hour? Because I have a million and one things going on in my head....AND I'M HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING! I had to start a list, and I must admit, I'm further ahead this year than I was last year. I already have the boys packed and all of the laundry done. DONE. ALL OF IT. I know, it's hard to believe - I can hardly believe it myself. But I feel like I'm just running in place and getting nowhere fast. I laid down in bed and within 5 minutes I was back up again...I am literally WIDE AWAKE. Each time I finish something on the TO DO list, I cross it off and add one (or 2) more things. They may never get done. That's okay. I am looking forward to just getting in the car and going. Actually, I'm looking more forward to getting where we're going safely. I think I worry too much...about everything. In just a few short days, I'll be lounging (yeah right) on the beach watching the kids have fun:

I know these picture are from 2 summers ago...but aren't they cute? matt hasn't changed much but Mikey sure has. Matt can't wait to get buried in the sand again and Mikey says he's not afraid of the big waves anymore. Last year he got knocked on his butt quite a few times, but says he's not scared now. Imagine that. Fearless. Great. Just one more thing to worry about.

Honestly, I am so looking forward to spending time with my family. We are always in such a rush to get here and there all time. Even my cousins are coming from North Carolina. I get to see "little Eric" who is not so little anymore, but is a big boy now. He is getting married in May. UGH...I am getting old. I used to change that boy's diapers, but he's 25, and all grown up now. We haven't had a vacation like this since we went to Florida 16 years ago when Megan stunk us out of the van (Sorry, Meg) and then off to Cape Cod, where we will be spending a week with Gramma Kissy,Papu, aunts, uncles and cousins. Hopefully, we will not see any raccoons on this trip. We are so lucky to be loved!!! maybe I don't need that valium after all!

I'm sure I'll have lots of pics to post and stories to tell when we return. Stay tuned!

SUPERNANNY

2008-07-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, Mikey certainly does give me a run for my money. Last week I was watching Supernanny and Matt had walked into the room right about the time the little girl on TV was....flipping out. Yes, kicking, punching, hitting and screaming at her mother. So sweet. Matt's eyes went from the TV to me and back to the TV again. He asked what I was watching. I told him it was Supernanny..and we could use a visit from her over this way. He laughed and so did I. Mikey also saw what was on TV and I told him that lady comes to little childrens houses when they don't behave He just looked at me with those big brown eyes as if to say, "yeah right." But I have been threatening him with a visit from her and he must be a little nervous because he keeps telling me, "don't let Supernanny at our house cause she will wreck my toys." Oh the joy I get in thinking that he might actually be scared of someone!!

HAPPY CAMPERS

2008-07-17T05:33:00.000-07:00

Day one: unloading all the wood for the many campfires. My poor kids are always working hard!

I must admit....I was not looking forward to our yearly camping trip. It is so stressful trying to get ready and packing up just about everything that isn't nailed down! But, it was so worth it...everyone had so much fun ( the boys especially!). It was great once we were there because there was no cooking or cleaning up for me...I pretended I didn't know how to use the new grill. That was ok anyways because Brandon is in love with his new grill, so he didn't mind!!!

My biggest fear about going were all the creepy animals. I'm not what you might call an outdoorswoman. I wasn't looking forward to a friendly bear knocking at my door looking for food (or children). Thankfully, I, didn't see a bear (but the boys did...and I thought they were just yankin' my chain...but it was the first animal they saw in the park...they weren't kidding with me!). They all thought it was very cool, but me, I was on the verge of an anxiety attack. I took a couple of deep breaths and told myself everything would be fine (and it was!).

But speaking of creepy animals...the moths were terrifying. Big, small, fast, slow, ugly, ugly...you name it, they were here, there, and everywhere. Even in my pants one night. IN. MY. PANTS. Talk about the heebie-jeebies...I invented a new dance that would have won me a spot on Dancing With The Stars! That was one of the last times I used the lovely smelling outhouse. I actually had the dry heaves walking out of there one day.

Here are some pictures from the trip...

Never fear..."Superman" would save us from anything (especially with that special headlamp and those boots)

I kept the boys busy one morning...they made their own t-shirts:

And look what Michael* wrote on the back of his: (* = Brandon)

We hiked up the BEAR CAVES and the boys were brave enough to go inside:

Here is the family (almost) at the top of the BEAR CAVES:

And the boys with their most favorite cousin Kyleigh:
Notice that Mikey isn't too close to her!

We spent most of our days at the beach (hangin'out and eating snacks!)

And sometimes the boys acted just plain silly...with the help of others (we won't mention any names!) - they thought this was hilarious:

Fishing Day: Mikey = 4, Matt = 1. We have a video of Mikey catching the fish...it is so funny. If I can ever figure out how to get it on to here, I will. But until then...

Yes, this is really what Matt's feet looked like everyday....and yes, I did keep cleaning them. It was pretty useless...GROSS!!!! Mikey decided that he "hated" the mud...had to keep cleaning him each time he got a little dirt on him.

And here...is our good friend Ricky...he visited us a couple of times during our stay...almost leading me (and Rachel and Aunt Dianne into a near heart attack. He even scared a FART right out of Aunt Dianne. I'm serious.) Aunt Dianne, if your reading this, I hope I didn't embarrass you!It was just too funny.

we really had a good time despite...animals, dirty feet, dirty cabins, uncomfortable beds, dead mouse under my fridge, etc. It was definitely worth all the memories made!!!

"I Hate That Stupid Bike"

2008-07-03T20:33:00.000-07:00

Since you all know what a green thumb I (don't) have, the hubby thought some mulch in the front would spruce things up (and it did). So off he goes to the nursery and comes back with a load of mulch for the yard. Matt was more than willing to help...Mikey was busy learning to ride his bike (thank god for helmets!!). The first thing he did was get on and glide down the driveway...right into the side of my car. All I could think was, "oh no, I'm afraid to look at the size of the dent." Surprisingly, no dent. Now Mikey is starting to get the hang of this pedaling thing...and pedals right into the side of Brandon's truck (each time, Mikey announces, "I am ok"). The last straw was when the little darling totally wipes out on the sidewalk (thank god for helmets!), gets up, throws his hands in the air and shouts, "I hate that stupid bike." I must admit that it was rather comical...and yes, I did laugh when he fell (even when he hit the cars), but so did his father! He is persistant though... five minutes later he was ready to ride again. And this time, it was rather boring...not even a tumble to grin at!!! (Go ahead...tell me how terrible I am....)

BOYS, BOYS, BOYS, and MORE BOYS (and 2 girls)...

2008-07-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

Now that school is out and I am off for the summer, we had a play date at our house yesterday. There were 12 (13 if you count baby Mary) little rugrats running wild in our backyard! Their was lots of boy talk (because they were all, what else...BOYS!! - except Maddie and Mary) about farts, peeing, pooping, gas, hysterical laughter...you get the idea. Getting a picture of them all together was...impossible, so, I did the best with what I had. If you can believe it, not a tear was shed (except from Mikey because I threw away his hot dog and he wanted to take a shower because he had some dirt on his feet - weird, I know) and nobody got hurt. It was amazing! check out all these handsome (and beautiful) little cherubs:

Yes, we had to drain the pool only once...(it was really pretty disgusting)...and then we refilled it. This created a GINORMOUS mud puddle! I didn't know that boys could get so excited over mud puddles...simple, I guess! Only today did I get the dirt out of my childrens toenails...a scrub brush hardly did the trick. I actually had to cut their nails...very gross! Catie and I were laughing because the boys (maddie was so sweet and quiet in comparison!) sound just like their mothers...very loud and plenty of conversation to go around! It looked like the play date was a huge success, but I'm sure all of us mothers would agree that a happy hour or two would be well deserved!

Still Trying To Figure This Blogging Thing Out...

2008-06-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

I have lots of pics to post, however, the last one took me about an hour! I couldn't add anymore pictures on the last post, so here we go again...Here is Matt getting ready for his first hockey game...a future in the NHL??? I wouldn't count on it, but he might be his brother's lawyer one day...

That's Matt taking the faceoff...and, yes, he won it! He didn't score any goals, but who's counting?

When my kids are bored, we make them clean...

But, it helps them build strong muscles...

even in their butts...

Guess who they learned the "pressed ham" trick from???

We also had a sleepover with Sam...it was so fun. We set up the air mattress, pillows, blankets, and the Spongebob movie:

We are looking forward to a summer of fun, fun, fun....

Where Did Six Years Go?

2008-06-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

I know, I know I was supposed to post pics a month ago, BUT, we have been a tad busy around here. We have been filled with school, hockey, birthday parties, more birthday parties, sleepovers, memorial day parties, and (only) one happy hour! First (and very high on the priority list), my BIG baby turned 6! YES, SIX!! It is hard to believe. Do you remember when he looked like this? This is probably my favorite picture ever...He was about 3 hours old. I get teary just looking at it:

And now...

Six years really does go by in the blink of an eye...Happy Birthday , Buddy!

Isn't He sweet?

2008-05-17T15:07:00.000-07:00

Today when the boys were playing a game on the computer, I was putting a picture of me and Brandon in a frame (that was previously broken by one of my two children), whenMikey so kindly looked at the picture and said:

"Mommy, that's when you were a princess."-

I guess I must not look like that picture everyday!

On Hiatus...

2008-05-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

Ok..I've been really bad at this blog thing. But I do have a good excuse...I started a new job. Teaching 3rd grade for the rest of the school year...I feel like I've been flying by the seat of my pants for the past week and a half. I have some great pictures to post...and i promise I'll do it tomorrow. i had agreat Mother's day...I hope you all did too. We are so lucky to have such amazing moms and children!!!
Speaking of amazing...got an email from matt's teacher today. She did a reading test with him...and "normal" kindergarten children are expected to get a 3 or 4. And guess what my little Einstein got....a 14. Yes, you saw it right.....a 14. She even commented on what a hard little worker he is. Brandon passed the email along to everyone he knows because he is so proud (and rightly so!) Now, i am a teacher but I haven't done "running records" for a LLLLOOOOOONNNNGGGGG time, so I don't really remember what the score means. And I was so excited about his score that i forgot to email her back to ask her what it means. I don't really want to sound stupid either! No, really, I'm curious to see what this means for 1st grade. I'm guessing something along the lines of a HIGH reading group. I don't mean to brag, but.....
Check back again for pics...and no, I don't have any of Joe falling off the rope ladder. I was too busy trying not to pee my pants. Even if I wasn't supposed to be laughing, i just couldn't help it. I hid in the house for a bit until I could get myself under control. And Joe, if your reading this, I REALLY am glad your okay....and your not going to sue us. I'll have Brandon build a staircase so you can see the bird's nest "next year, when you get big!"

BROTHERLY LOVE

2008-04-30T18:59:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's my ipod that they are sharing...and they can probably use it better than me!

ALL IN A DAY'S WORK

2008-04-30T18:43:00.000-07:00

We made cookies today..oatmeal raisin to be exact. And Mikey LOVES them. Matt not so much because he doesn't like the raisins, he'd rather they were chocolate chips (so would his father!). But we had fun..Matt gave up very early on, but not Mikey. And yes, I made them clean the marker/crayon off the counter...And no, that's not a "do rag" on Mikey's head, it is the Spiderman interchangable mask. Whatever makes him happy!!!

When the cookies were done, I shared of course. But after 2, I told Mikey that was enough. So a few minutes goes by and he yells from the other room:

"hey mommy, are you eating a cookie?"

"Uh, no Mike" (and I'm really NOT)

"Oh, you want a cookie?"

"No thanks"

"Then can I have a cookie?"

"no more, Mike, your gonna get sick"

Now imagine the sweetest voice you ever heard and those big brown eyes staring up at me...

"Pwease can I have a cookie?"

Ok, he won....not just 1 but two more cookies. And he didn't get sick!

MORE BUTTS...

2008-04-26T18:48:00.000-07:00

The only conversation around here lately has been about, you got it, butts. Mikey and Matt think that butts are funny...more potty humor, I guess. They are constantly slapping each others butts (or their dad's butt) and if they (Mikey) see Brandon in his boxers, he says....eeeewwww, daddy's naked and then he laughs and laughs. Tonight while getting them ready for bed, I tried to take a picture of them in their jammies and guess what they did? You know it! First, Matt turns around, moons me, and says "take a picture of my butt." And of course, monkey see, monkey do...my other little darling is turned around saying, "mom, take a picture of my butt." So, needless to say, I have no picture to post because I was afraid to expose their little, skinny butts on the internet. I know Matt would never talk about butts at school, but with Mikey, one can never tell. Do you think I'm headed for trouble when Mikey starts school??? HELP!!!

and by the way, I changed the blog name...not sure whether I'll keep it or not...I was thinking more along the lines of "The Queen and Her Servants..." : )

HELP!!!

2008-04-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

I named this blog in a hurry..I couldn't think of anything good. It's time to change the name. Anyone...suggestions? I have a couple I'm thinking of, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Brandon, don't say anything sarcastic! Or your dead...

SCIENCE LESSON AND YOUR BUTT...

2008-04-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

We have a bird's nest in the backyard playground. And Michael is FASCINATED (read: obsessed) with the eggs, the nest, and the baby's mamma. Everyday, we have to go out and check what's new in the nest. And everyday we have the same, L O N G discussion about what kind of bird (its a robin) what color the eggs are (blue), why she (baby mamma) sits in the nest (to keep the eggs warm) and where she is if she is not in the nest (getting food?). I said maybe she went on a date with the baby daddy. However, he is very careful not to go up in the play house when the mamma bird is in there. He doesn't want to scare her. And believe me, he has told everyone about the nest we had last year (does he even remember?) and how his brother went up there when the mamma was in the nest and scared her. She flew out and knocked one of the eggs out and it didn't make it. "You remember that, Matt" is what he says. Like he's never done anything by accident (just once, he ran Matt over -literally- with the tractor. Dad had to save the day!) Maybe we have another science teacher in the making???

On another note, yesterday the boys were sitting at the counter and Matt belts out this very CLASSY song. Here goes:

your butt, your butt, your butt is always there
you might think its not,
but when you turn around
your butt, your butt, your is always there
your butt, your butt, your butt is always with you.

DON'T ASK...I HAVE NO IDEA!! I guess I'll just have to get used to all this immature and silly potty humor. My children thought this song was just hysterical! And I'm sure if their dad was here, he would have been laughing right along with them, probably louder! Oh the joys of boys...

EXCUSE YOU...

2008-04-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

This morning when Mikey woke up and was ready to go downstairs, he sneezed a couple of times. When he was finished sneezing this is what he said:
"Dad"
"yeah mike"
"don't you say excuse you to me?"
"oh sorry mike, how about bless you?"
"thank you dad!"
He never fails to put a smile on my face!

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE...

2008-04-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

Matt brought these home from school on Friday. He drew them during his playtime. He is so thoughtful...my baby!!

I Can't Stop Laughing...

2008-04-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that when I see someone fall (even my own kids), that I can't contain my laughter. I am laughing out loud right now even thinking about what I witnessed today in my own backyard. The kids asked me around 5;30 if they could go out to play...I told them it was VERY muddy back ther, but they didn't care. So I put on their coats and rain boots and sent them on their way. I was watching them from the kitchen window when I saw Matt swinging on the swing but on his belly. Next thing I know, I kid you not, I see him do what appears to be a somersault, and I thought "oh great, now I have to wash his coat again." But whatever, that's fine. What I saw next was just hysterical...he starts walking towards the house and by this time I have lost any and all control that I may have had before. His cute little face is covered, I mean COVERED in mud. He opens the door and says he needs help...and I told him to just hang on a second, I had to get the camera to capture the moment. He wasn't laughing (but I was still...I just couldn't stop and the harder I tried the worse it got!) I did get a very good picture and I will post it tomorrow or whenever my hubby gets home cause I can't figure it out right now. I'm still laughing! Just make a mental image and tomorrow you can see the REAL THING. Oh, where was Mikey during all of this? He was outside stuck in the mud himself. He was yelling that he needed help too, and I told him to stand up...I didn't have any shoes on and his reply was: "then go put your sneakers on!" He was covered in mud as well, but somehow managed to keep his hands clean and he wouldn't put them in the mud to push himself off the ground. So, I had to put my boots on and go rescue the child! Everyone is cleaned up and happy now. Even Matt has forgiven me for laughing uncontrollably at him. Unconditional love...what could be better???

Love the Weekends...

2008-04-13T18:02:00.000-07:00

Hi all...we love the weekends around this house. Especially Sunday mornings when we usually lay around longer than usual! This morning, though barely awake, I heard the boys talking and laughing in Matt's bed, they got up to go to the bathroom (together), and went back to Matt's room. I knew that any second they would be in for their Sunday morning ritual. When I heard the pitter patter of their Fred Flinstone feet, I said to Brandon that we should hide so they can't see us (nice parenting!). So we did. Michael ALWAYS goes to Daddy's side and Matt ALWAYS comes to mine. Mikey looks and says,"hey Matt, where'd they go?" Matt said "I don't know" (he really should know us by know because we are ALWAYS trying to scare each other...like the time I jumped out of the closet very early in the AM when Brandon was getting ready for work. I scared him. He might tell you I didn't, but I did!!). When Matt touched the covers, I jumped out at him...and yes, I scared him. But he is a good sport...he just laughed and said "you scared me!" We were all laughing so hard...even Mikey with his SILLY belly laugh. It was a great start to a very good day together. We are looking forward to a week full of lazy, hangin out kind of days because WE ARE ON VACATION THIS WEEK!!!! HOORAY!!!

What A Week!!

2008-04-05T18:59:00.000-07:00

I know I was the one who had this blogging idea...and I haven't done it for almost 2 weeks, but, it has been a STRESSFUL (to say the least) week. We had a death in the family, Mikey was sick, Matt just got over being sick, the house is trashed, and the dryer stopped working! However, we did get some good news today...my friend Katie has a new baby GIRL (can you believe it? A girl!) She was a big one...8 lbs. 11 ounces...and her name is Mary Jane (not sure yet if it is one word or 2), but anyways, congrats to Kate, Mark and big sister Madison. We can't wait to meet her!
I have to share something that I am really proud of! Today, my husband wasn't feeling to great and he is MISERABLE. To make a long story short (in Harmonie's words), he really ticked me off. I was asking him something, but instead of answering me, he did the mature thing and turned the TV up. Really loud. So I unplugged it. It really pissed him off. Now, he actually took the time to get out of bed, go in the basement, and unhook MY TV in the kitchen and unplug the water heater. OK, whatever. So I go to plug in the water heater, and the plug doesn't reach. And I need an extension cord (that he obviously took and put someplace else). But, no way would I let him get to me. I am going to win this battle. So I took myself in the basement, said a little prayer that i wouldn't electrocute myself, and got to work. And guess what???? I figured out how to hook the cable back up, and I found the right extension cord (it was one with the 3 thing-a-ma-jiggers). Jill had a name for it, but I can't remember now because I am too busy patting myself on the back for a job well done! So now I have hot water as well. So I went upstairs and thanked my wonderful hubby for unhooking all these things. Because now I know how to fix them...something I couldn't do yesterday. So, Brandon, if your reading this, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.....MMMMUUUUUAAAAHHHH!!!! Oh, and the dryer...it wasn't working because I put too much stuff in there and they were too wet!

Happy (belated) Easter

2008-03-25T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hope the EasterBunny was good to all of you. We had a really nice day. The kids had a blast looking for their baskets and even more fun with the nerf velcro vest, dart gun, protective eyewear toy thingy. I'm not sure who had more fun....the big kid (Brandon) or the little guys?!?! We had a lot of darts flying around and lots of running and yelling....but, luckily, no trips to the ER. I was only caught in the crossfire a couple of times. All 3 of my children thought it was just hysterical when they hit me...nice, huh?
When all was said and done, and everyone (except me) settled in for the night, I finished painting the computer room..and I must say, I did a pretty good job. I just have to add some finishing touches ( when I get a few extra seconds to spare!)

CRAZY

2008-03-21T07:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, Matt and Mikey were sitting at the counter, very nicely eating their breakfast when, for NO reason, Mikey looks at Matt, smacks him and says, "You are driving me CRAZY." Then he (very nicely) got down off the stool and walked away. Matt and I looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders and just laughed. What is going on in that 3 year old head????

everybody else is doing it...

2008-03-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Ok...so this is my first blog. I said I'd never do it, but since I have oh so much time on my hands, I thought "what the hell?" I'm going to try and get the girls to do it as well...it will be a fun way to see what is going on in each other's lives, vent, and well, have a few good laughs! Since we are getting OLD, it is hard to talk on a daily basis and keep up with each others business (which we NEED to do), so girls (and guys too)...start blogging!