JULIA turns EIGHT

Our beautiful little girl turned 8 yesterday...we celebrated early in the morning with opening presents...because she had big plans later in the day...

She invited 6 cute friends over to help her celebrate...

They had lots of yummy food...Julia asked for her favorite North End Deli pizza...

They swam...

and were VERY VERY loud...oh my poor neighbors...thankfully some of the little guests ARE neighbors...

one of her favorite gifts...earrings...for her newly pierced ears...

She always picks out the prettiest cakes...

Yes, even her hyper-super-jealous-because-it's-not-his-birthday brother joined the festivities...

They ended the night with a fun movie and a sleepover...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIA!!!

BSB for the second time this summer...

And what a show it was!!! They were fantastic!!! We had 4th row seats! So close this time...

I really hope we don't have to wait another two years to see them again.

Late summer adventures

We took the kids to the Museum of Science on Friday. I thought the museum was rather boring...but they didn't seem to think so. I wished we had gone back to the Children's Museum which is way more fun...


Afterwards, we went over to Faneuil Hall which was way better than the museum. I had ice cream for dinner. It doesn't get much better than that.




We listened to music and watched a street performer...

I bought the kids these cool spinny things. I thought it would be a fun souvenir for the day. Gianna said it "relaxed" her...

Yesterday was a BIG day for Julia...she and her friend got their ears pierced for their upcoming 8th birthdays...


Yes, Julia is a shorty...either that or her friend is really tall...or maybe it's a little bit of both.
I really thought Julia would either back out or freak out and carry on with tears...but she surprised me and did neither!

I was so proud of her! She was so happy!

Gianna at Faneuil Hall...she didn't care if anyone was watching her...she just lives in the moment...

Vacation Bible School

The girls went to Vacation Bible School this week at Little Blessings and tonight was the closing show. They had a wonderful time. I'm still not ready to move on from that school...but it looks like I have too. Time marches on and school starts in a few weeks. It feels strange to be the Mom of "children" and not "little ones" anymore. But every age brings something new...some good and some not so good...but I'm enjoying each and every moment with them...and I'm trying to savor all these precious moments.



This morning while the girls were at camp, Nicholas stayed home with me. Strangely, it was a rare moment because he's always off and running somewhere. But this morning it was just us. We went for a nice long walk around the neighborhood. I got to hear this and that about his little life and got a peak into his thoughts for a bit. Every once in a while he would reach out for my hand and bring it up to his lips for a sweet kiss. Oh how he tugs at my heartstrings. Then we went to the mall where we walked with arms wrapped around each other. How did we get so lucky to have such a wonderful little boy with so much love in his heart?


So lucky...

The funniest birthday card...ever

I've mentioned before that Danny always buys me a funny birthday card every year...but this one is the funniest ever...

It says...

For my wife on her birthday. The TOP TEN things I don't say often enough...

10. I hate to miss the game, but this floor could really use a good scrubbing.

9. Why don't you buy a nice new pair of shoes to go with that outfit?

8. Let's rent a romantic movie. If I see one more car chase, I'm gonna hurl!

7. Yeah, I'm pretty tired, too, so let's just cuddle.

6. Why can't they show real-looking women in those lingerie catalogs?

5. My thumb's getting tired. Would you mind holding the remote for a while?

4. I'm not sure we've seen enough of your family lately.

3. You got enough blankets over there?

2. Sure, I'll be glad to hold your purse while we're standing next to this construction site.

And the NUMBER ONE thing I don't say often enough...

1. I'll love you forever! (And I sure hope you know it!)

Just the best card ever! Thank you, Danny, for making my birthday extra special this year!

Two birthdays, an anniversary, a funeral and time away

So Nicholas turned 9 this week.
He really wanted to go to Chuckie Cheese on his birthday so that's what we did. We were joined by two aunties and Nana. I forgot to bring my camera so there are no photos of the fun we had...but a fun time WAS had by all.

Wonder what he's wishing for??? More expensive gadgets perhaps??? He got an iPod from us...which has already been taken away for misbehaving. I think we're in for it with this new age of 9. He's already commented a few times that I treat him like a "baby".


The next day, me and the kiddies went to Ogunquit for a few days to visit Auntie Kimmy and Auntie Paula. The weather was simply GLORIOUS.


We did all our favorite Ogunquit things...like riding the trolley, Perkin's Cove...

and ate yummy candy from our favorite candy store...

I want to live in this house...

What a view...

and just a spectacular day...

Then we went to the beach...

The kids went crazy running and playing...

I love this picture of Gianna...she has such a sway in her back that it makes her belly look HUGE...but check out that muscle in her leg. She's going to be quite the athlete...you wait and see...

We went to the York Zoo. The girls rode horses...

we all went on paddle boats...

and fed deer...

Gianna loved the goats...she just loves animals period...

There was a butterfly exhibit...

There's a butterfly called the "Julia" butterfly...but our Julia doesn't like butterflies...kind of ironic, don't you think? You would have thought they were bats flying around by her reaction. She was getting so freaked out...it was kinda funny...

These were the prettiest butterflies by far...one landed on a woman with a similar color shirt as the butterfly...so so pretty...

The zoo and the rides were great...but the food? Not so much. Poor Auntie Paula got sick after eating her lunch. The wait for the food was ridiculous...and the actual food...ridiculously gross.

But THIS was good!!! Fried dough! The picture doesn't do it justice as to how BIG it was! It was the size of a large pizza! So yummy...

The rides were fun too. Thank you Aunties for making the day so much fun!

Then after dinner, it was off to this place for ICE CREAM! Make your own sundaes!!!

Mmmmmm....

A perfect getaway...

My birthday was Friday. 'Nuff said. Don't like my birthdays anymore. But I have to do a separate post about the card Danny got me. The funniest card I've ever seen.

Today was Uncle Stan's funeral. What is it with dying in August? Makes me want to skip August all together next summer. My Uncle Stan was a great, great man. Loved by ALL who met him. There was a gathering after the funeral today where quite a few family and friends got up to speak about him. Everyone said the same thing...he never, ever spoke a bad word about anyone. Isn't that a wonderful thing to be remembered for? No question, he lived his life to the fullest each and every day. He will be missed.

And last but not least, today is the one year anniversary of my dear friend Berta's passing. I cannot believe she has been gone one year already. I think of her all the time...maybe more smiles will replace the tears as the years go by. I hope so. I love and miss you, Berta.