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Saturday, May 29, 2010

Stick Boy

My kid LOVES sticks.  What can I say.  The first thing he does when he goes outside is search for the perfect one.  He does not discriminate either.  All sticks are his friends....of course the bigger the better right?  Well I guess that depends on his mood (or what is available).  

 Big Stick

 Walking Stick

Music Directing Stick

Two Sticks

Good Luck Stick

Dress Stick (for special occasions)

Keeping his sticks nearby as he reluctantly touches a leaf


Tuesday, May 25, 2010

A Love Story

Every marriage has it's own story... in this case it was truly a family affair in every sense of the word.  This story is an amazing one, so I will try my best to tell it in a concise and  non-confusing sort of way in the way that it has been shared time and time again with me!

Many years ago, two first grade boys met and became best friends, not realizing the impact their friendship would have on so many people and circumstances.  Fast forward 20+ years.  Boy #1 travels with a friend (who just so happens to be Boy #2's brother-in-law) for a weekend getaway to a cabin near a mountain lake.  Boy #1 loves it so much that he tells his parents about it and they secretly decide to buy a house and retire on that lake.  Boy #1 visits his parents one summer weekend after helping them move and meets the Girl Next Door.  Boy #1 is enthralled with the Girl Next Door and falls madly in love and marries her :).  Girl Next Door introduces her Best Friend to Boy #1, who in turn introduces her to the (very large) family of Boy #2 who instantly welcome  the girl next door and her best friend with open arms.  --side note-- Girl Next Door introduces her Brother to her Friend who just happens to be Cousin to Boy #2.  They hit it off and fall madly in love and get married.  --end side note-- Best Friend of Girl Next Door is introduced by Boy #1 and Girl Next Door to Little Brother of Boy #2.  They hit it off and after a beautiful courtship and engagement they become married in a beautiful wedding where Boy #1, Boy # 2, Girl Next Door and the son of Boy #1 and Girl Next Door and God Son (for which this blog is essentially about) to Best Friend/Bride  play a role in this very special day.  All of the family and friends who supported all characters in this story were also happily present.  Now more than ever I truly believe there is a plan for us and all things come full circle, which incidentally is the shape of the rings we all wear to remind of this wonderful love story.

Cast of Characters:
Boy #1 - Frank (Husband & Daddy)
Boy #2 - Tommy (Best Friend of Daddy & Godfather)
Girl Next Door - Me! (Wife & Mommy)
Brother of GND - A.J. (Uncle)
Friend & Cousin - Maggie (Aunt)
Best Friend/Bride - (Tara & God Mother)
Little Brother of Boy #2 (Terrence -True Passionate Philly Sports Fan)

Did you follow all of that?  In case you missed anything, the important thing to know is that we are very blessed.  When I think about this intricate web of people and circumstances I feel so grateful to have my brother and best friend be in the same close knit circle for life.  Not every girl gets so lucky as to marry into an extended "family" such as this one...

Frank, Jackson and I are honored that we were a part of your beautiful relationship and wedding day!  We love you both!

And now, some pictures of the most beautiful bride, and ADORABLE ring bearer.  And yes....to those of you still wondering.....with the help of Patch, Jackson walked all the way down the isle (at 14 months!!!!!).  Sadly all Mommy and Daddy could see was the top of his little blond noggin boppin' down the isle as we happily stood up for our friends.

He could be a model!

 Beautiful Bride



Cutest Ring Bearers EVER!

So Serious


The Boys


This looks like a pack of smokes



My Favorite Family Shot

Monday, May 17, 2010

Rough And Tumble

Boy do we have a BOY on our hands.  A rough and tumble, stick and stone carrying, running, jumping, climbing and wrestling kind of boy!  On Saturday we helped Frank's good friend Mike enter into to his 40's at a wonderful party thrown by his beautiful wife Gloria.  The party was awesome and we all had a lot of fun....especially Jack who loved LOVED the moon bounce that they had set up for the kids.  Jumping, falling, running, pushing, sliding, climbing, throwing down other babies in the moon bounce was obviously his idea of a good time.  Even though it was a close race between the delicious (and I do mean delicious) cookie with sugary sprinkles, and the playhouse in the backyard (complete with a really fun door to open and close) we are pretty sure the moon bounce was his favorite.
Lovin' the moon bounce

trying desperately to climb up

king of the mountain

wrestling with T.J.


loved sliding down...headfirst

didn't want to take turn with the 'big kids'

 enjoying that sugary yummy cookie!

Happy 40th Mike!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Personal Style....What (Where) Is It?

I usually don't post like this but I am in major need of some stylistic help...so if you are a mom and have been through this, or you have a shred of fashion sense please help me!

Where, oh where, has my sense of fashion gone?  I used to think of myself as a fairly put together person.  I really enjoy cute clothes and shoes and putting outfits together.  Now with a 14 month old.......well let's just say that my personal style (and personal self) is suffering.  The way I see it, this is a multi-facited problem. 

First problem:  Time (or lack there of)  I have lots of clothes to choose from but not enough time to think an outfit through which results in rush attempt at looking good, which then in turn doesn't look so good.  My only free time is really and truely after Jackson goes to bed, but all moms know that it's not really free...that time is spent cleaning up dinner, or throwing in a load of laundry or about one of the other 5 million things that need to be done before I crash for the night.

Second Problem:  Inspiration and Vision (or once again, lack there of)  I guess that the inspiration is there....I lately have taken to reading fashion blogs (thanks Lauren for the links on your page, they really got me thinking...) and have truely been inspired to try new things, but I feel overwhelmed.  I can't fully visualize an outfit all the way through...or what I think looks good when I put it on, I later feel self-conscious about.  I am really afraid it seems to think outside of the box and step out of my comfortzone (t-shirt and sweats --mommy uniform-- and at work...well....BORING).

Third Problem:  $$$$ (Definitely a lack there of)  being on the tightest of budgets (as we dreamily plan our future) I feel like the money I would really like to spend on myself for clothes and accesories either A.  get reallocated to other things like food, Frank or something that Jackson needs, and B.  the logical part of me settles for the $2 Target t-shirt rather than the $20 cute Target sandles (still a deal).

Fourth Problem:  Accessories      I do have some of these, but not nearly enough to make things interesting.  I really love jewerly but rarely wear it for fear that it will be ripped from my body by a toddler's curious grasp, or just because I forget to open up my jewelery box to pull out something to complement my outfit (even if I did have time to do this, at think point I wouldn't know where to start)

Are these all just excuses?  Maybe.  So my question to all of you Mommies who still posses some sense of personal style.....where do I start?

Oh yeah....one more thing....I really feel like I am in major need of a hair makeover.  Half of it fell out after giving birth and is now growing back into a stringy, whispy mess that usually gets pulled into a messy ponytail or makeshift bun (I know, so healthy for the hair that remains right?)  I really want to take a risk but I am MAJORLY scared to change my hair.  I really want something edgy but cute and functional....perfect hair cut....come my way please.   

(I am not posting any pictures because today I am wearing capris that I have had for almost 10 years that are now two sizes too big and a orange striped sweater that was cute five or six years ago that now requires a tank top under it because of it's legnth....you can probably visualize it to be cuter than it is.....oh yeah and old jcrew flip flops -fancy and professional)

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Happy Mother's/Birth Day

Happy Bother's  DayHappy Mirthday.  Happy Mother's Day Mommy.  Happy Birthday Daddy.

 

As much as everyone derserves a special day to themselves I am blessed to share this day with my husband, partner, best friend (on most days), and love.  It also gave us a really good excuse to open up a really nice bottle of wine and eat crabcakes (Daddy's specialty).  When it comes down to it, after all of the craziness that our lives posess, I am truely blessed to be a mother and a wife.

So...to me...Happy Mother's Day.




and....to Frank.....Happy 40th Birthday!


And.....the kid that makes everything in life perfect....

Monday, May 10, 2010

The Big 4-0

This weekend we celebrated Frank's 40th Birthday with a surprise party that, well, sort of surprised him.  I did my best to not let on what was in the works for months.  So many times I almost slipped, but I managed not too say things like "please clean up your stuff in the guest room for your parents this weekend" or "I want to make sure Jack has a good nap and a bath before the party" or "when I was at Dennis and Betty's the other day..." and "I'll just take the 5 pounds of baked beans to the party later" (which by the way I thought I came up with a really good story to explain that one...I mean doesn't every make 5lbs of baked beans for Mother's Day?)  I had asked him weeks before to keep Saturday open so that we could "do something as a family".  I didn't think this was off base because we haven't had very much family time lately with all of the happenings lately.  He didn't ask any questions and I didn't let on that anything was going on.  We both played it cool, him all the time suspecting that something was up...until we pulled up for the picnic where Rich and T.C. were about to announce their "news" and there were only a few cars out front.  He may have suspected something but I was one step ahead and asked everyone that would normally not be there to move their cars!  HA!  So even though he says he knew something was up, he was still surprised....kind of.....for a split second any way!

Thank you to all of our family and friends that helped Frank enter into his forties.  It really means a lot to both of us that we have so many wonderful people in our lives!  And to my wonderful husband and Jackson's Daddy:  We love you so much and are so blessed to help you celebrate this milestone!  Here's to another 40 wonderful years!

 Happy Birthday Daddy!

 Right before he put out the sparker candle with his fingertips....feeling no pain?


The Guys

Best Friends for most of 40 years

The Next Generation


Friday, May 7, 2010

My (Crazy) Stage Debut.....Kind Of



You're A Good Man Charlie Brown was a HUGE success....and our family survived all of the craziness that goes into putting a show together!   The students put on four AMAZING shows, one of which really tested their team work and ability to think on their feet (mine too).  After three practically flawless shows, I was sure that the Sunday matinee would be a breeze as well.   Boy, was I mistaken!  Our "Lucy" got sick right before the show and even though she persevered through and went on stage, we realized very quickly that she was unable to sing.  That is when the sheer panic set in.......in the back of my mind I kept thinking the old, yet very cliche phrase, the show must go on.  Before I even knew what was happening I was singing all of Lucy's parts and songs from backstage....yeah that's right....me.  The funny part of it all was that I could not see her or the pit orchestra, and at one point she ended running off stage to get sick again, while my voice continued singing over the speakers....whoops.  Talk about a night-mare that I wasn't waking up from.  As crazy as I, and everyone involved in the show thought it was, the audience really didn't seem to notice that much was different....whew!  By the time the second act was ready to begin poor Lucy had gone home, and Miss Mandi (THANK GOD SHE WAS THERE) had reworked the second act giving three very deserving young actresses some much deserved stage time!  When push comes to shove, I am truly amazed at what middle school kids are able to accomplish.  They not only learned a huge lesson in what live theater is all about, but also proved to be wise way beyond their experience!  I am so proud of the cast and crew for making a potentially awful situation into a really wonderful experience that we will always look back on and smile, knowing that they were able to achieve something very special.

Below are some pics of the show and of course of my very favorite Charlie Brown (sorry Devin), or maybe I should call him Linus because no matter what the temperature he seems to love his blankie....  he'll trade pants for a blanket any day!

The Cast

Linus, Lucy, Charlie Brown, Sally, Schroeder, Snoopy


 Who knew Charlie Brown doesn't wear pants?           
Showing us some of his dancin' moves

                                Is the show over already?