Make a Smilebox slideshow |
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Out of the mouth of one of my babes
Thursday, October 9, 2008
My own karate kid
Monday, September 29, 2008
20 Years gone by
Happily married with 3 kids. Check. How funny since I didn't have any kids at the 10 year.
Not working - homemaker. Check check.
Living in NYS. Check check check. We lived in Michigan at the time. See this proves that I always hoped we'd make it back. It just took a little longer and more moves than I ever imagined.
And lastly, happy. Quadruple check. My life is good. Despite the small crappy stuff. Like the fact that my computer crashed on the same weekend Andys car overheated. Now I'm spending my morning at the library using the computers with all the townfolks. And crap, my 30 minutes is almost up.
Got to run. Can't wait to see what the next 10 years has in store for me. I'll have to work on my predictions!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Say cheese
I'm trying to let go a little. And everyone knows, thats not an easy thing for me to do. Its all about baby steps. I decided to let them all pick out their own clothes for picture day. I could only overrule if the outfit was absolutely hideous. I won't name names but I had to overrule one outfit and the next outfit was much better. I should have taken a picture of the first outfit.
The true question is what will they look like when they actually get around to taking the picture. Libby should be early in the morning. Abby, on the other hand, was after lunch and recess last year so I'm thinking its even later this year. She has the least "mess-able" hair so we might be safe.
Hope you enjoy these pictures. When the real ones come back, we'll see if we enjoy those too!
Monday, September 22, 2008
College
Libby says, "Do you have to do work in college?" I respond yes. "Oh darn, I don't want to go to college then. I don't like to do work. Its too hard." She has no idea how much fun college can really be.
Then Abby chimes in, "But the best part is you get to wear your friends clothes whenever you want." Leave it to Abby to bring in the friends. She will just love college.
And Maddy adds, "And you get to stay up as late as you want, whenever you want. Even like one o'clock in the morning. But if you forget to say goodnight to your parents on the phone, you can go get on a bus, go home, ring the doorbell, go in, say goodnight, and get back on the bus to go back to college." I can only hope she misses me enough to want to get on a bus to come say goodnight.
All this in a 10 minute drive. I can't even tell them that they have no idea what they are in for. And I don't even want to think about it. Maybe they'll be different from me. I can only hope!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Fall is in the air
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Love
"Love means you can never be apart."
What a great thought. Its what keeps our family and marriage together even when we're not together. But recently, it means that the girls can know that I am always here even when they are at school. And more importantly, that I know they are in my heart even when they are at school. Libby and I still have a routine in the morning. Ever since reading The Kissing Heart, I kiss her hand every morning and she mine. It makes her smile but I think it makes me smile even more. She is so adorable and truly believes that one kiss stays with her all day.
I don't know who is taking this separation harder. I can't even imagine the kiss goodbye when they head off to college, or move out, or get married. There's a thought..my three girls getting married. Who's going to be their king?
Monday, September 8, 2008
What am I doing?
I just finished day three kidless. And I have to admit, I look back right before the kids get off the bus and think, what did I do? I told Andy, I have an adjustment period before I can jump right into the list of things to do while the kids are away. He gratefully told me that I do deserve a one hour lunch..how nice!
I wonder how long it will take me to finish my never-ending list, in no particular order:
Clean out the entire basement (okay, impossible - we've moved five times in the last 10 years..do you know how much stuff we have accumulated?)
Clean out the garage so we can park in there before the snow comes (I did finally put away the slip and slide and giant water slide today)
Stop drinking during the day
Stop stalking the playground
Avoid the windows because I know no one else is home on the street
Organize and create photo albums (Libby is turning five and I haven't even started an album so I'm at least five years behind)
Exercise (I did run the last three days..beyond to the mailbox)
Laundry and cleaning (that will never go away - I question whether I should have gotten the lasik surgery. Now I can't say that I don't see the dirt and dust)
and finally...stop make more lists to do on my great little pad of today, tomorrow and someday!
Tomorrow is another day.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Second verse same as the first
I just hope they all come home as happy and excited as they did yesterday. I couldn't have asked for a better day.
The only question left..will I swing by the playground around recess time again today? Only time will tell. Maybe Andy is right, I do need a job!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
This isn't the end, its just starting
Then two years ago, Maddy followed in her sisters footsteps and marched (or climbed) onto the bus in Massachusetts. She was going to do anything her sister did. Now she's moving on up to 2nd grade.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Did I ever mention I was French?
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Labor Day Weekend
Speaking of weddings, Andy and I celebrated our 10th anniversary with a little party at our house with our close friends and family.
We squeezed in some vacations..
...and some time around home with family and friends.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Its Fair Time
Monday, August 18, 2008
Just like the good old days
The girls were a bit quiet at first but loosened up soon enough and started to enjoy themselves. In the end, we know that they liked it because they asked if we could go back on Sunday.
My first question. Why can't I use this as a form of punishment? I wouldn't chop their heads off or anything. I would just put them in this thing and let them think about what they did wrong. Its even better than time out because they physically can't move. And if two of them were in trouble, they could just annoy each other with their bantering. Don't get me wrong. I adore my kids.
We also watched some jousting. The girls know that I used to ride horses in my younger days and asked if I ever did that. I said not with a sword and armour. I'm sure at some point, my sister and I tried to knock each other off our horses.
We ended the day with a huge strawberry shortcake. But first when Andy asked if they wanted dessert, being the honest kids that they are, they said they already had dessert when they had the fruit smoothie. We both laughed and said they could have another dessert. Now it was a REALLY good day!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Bunco is not for old people anymore
Before I met my husband, I don't know that I had ever heard of Bunco. I assumed, silly me, that it was like Bridge, a game for old ladies that have nothing better to do with their time. Fast forward to meeting Andy. His mother introduced me to the game of Bunco. A silly dice game that takes absolutely NO talent, has potential earnings, and involves snacks and drinks. I'm in. Then we moved away, and away, and away. Several kids later, my neighbor and I decide to start a bunco group in our neighborhood. A reason for the ladies to get together, complain (I mean talk) about our kids, husbands, jobs, etc. I thought it was a great success. Each place we lived, I tried and partially succeeded in starting a Bunco group. Then we move to our current home. There is talk on the street about starting a Bunco group. Perfect. I have all the goods and away we go.
We all knew each other on the street but yet it took Bunco to really get to know each other. I feel as though we are all so much comfortable with one another. Without even needing to say something, we can smile and know we can all relate to each other. We know more stories, more secrets, more of our personalities now.
I don't know why, but you get a group of gals together, mix in a few drinks, a couple of dice (I typed die but it looked weird), the conversations start flowing. The beginning of the night may start out a little slow, but it never fails, it doesn't end that way. Anything you wanted to say or was on your mind, will come out and 9 times out of 10 someone has thought the same things. All of us are married, most of us are parents. Some just starting out, some veterans. We have all faced many of the same problems in our day. And for some reason, it just makes us feel better that someone else has felt the same way. We are all different people and yet we are so alike when it comes down to the bottom line.
I'm going to end with my favorite line of the night, without naming names. My friend comes out of the bathroom and says laughing, "I can't believe I didn't notice, my underwear are on inside out." It truly takes another mother to understand that she probably had to get dressed with three kids holding her leg, while she was trying to protect her kids from the sight of the private area, while answering the phone and trying to turn the stove off. We all laughed for a good half an hour. Motherhood. Indescribable. Bunco. Priceless.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Girls just love to shop
When we made it to the mall, we ducked out of the car quick to beat the rain. I thought we would start with some shoes. How bad could that be? Explain that to one 4 year old who really didn't need to buy any why she couldn't have the hot pink suede ankle boots with a kitty cat on them. So I didn't explain and just bought them - they were only $14.99 after all. Then there is a 7 year old who has a foot size the size of a toddler so there are no "big girl shoes" in her size anywhere! She doesn't want baby shoes. The 8 year old gave up early after I shook my head at almost every shoe she showed me, but not without mumbling "this just isn't fair."
Then we hit some clothing stores. Some better than others. Fitting all four of us and a stroller into the dressing rooms is quite a sight. It amazes me that I walk out with anything. I had this great idea that I was going to take a picture of the three of them with their feet sticking out the bottom of the dressing room stall. I even brought my camera. But since we were shoved in the handicap stall, the door goes all the way to the floor. So no picture to remember this day. But I was able to use my 20% off coupons at the two big stores. So I'm saving us money, right? Thats when the thunder and lightening hit. I looked at my watch. It was already 2:30pm and we hadn't eaten lunch. Thankfully as we run through the rain with five bags, three girls and a stroller, we pass a hotdog stand. Miraculously, my daughter who detests hot dogs anytime we make them, was thrilled with the idea of a hotdog and chips. We made it in the car, into their seats and I passed out our gourmet lunch. My daughter noticed I hadn't bought one of those appealing looking hotdogs. But don't worry, I get to eat the ends of their hotdogs since they won't eat that part. That was enough to satisfy my hunger.
We were driving through the pounding rain on the way home. As I'm explaining to my husband on the phone how much money I saved today (which he didn't seem to care about) and that I didn't even buy anything for myself, my daughter decided to shove too much into her mouth, think she's choking and spit it out. As I rolled my eyes thinking about what a great day we had, like clockwork, my daughter says, "This was a great day wasn't it? You didn't even have to get angry at us." And she was right. All in all, it was a success. There was no yelling. No tears. No meltdowns. That in itself is priceless!
Now I just get to look forward to school shopping attempt #2 at the next mall. How many days until school starts?
Monday, August 11, 2008
Knees and toes
Hard to believe its coming to an end.
You can't take away summer