A few items of note

1.) Nicholas had his end of the year hockey banquet tonight which was really just a 3-ring circus with little boys darting around the room knocking everything (and everyone) over while high on sugar. My boy got yet another trophy for his overflowing trophy shelf.


2.) Finally, finally, finally! I broke down and bought myself a new camera. And this is what I got...

Nothing fancy but it should do the trick. I want the camera to do all the hard work for me. It even has an "easy" mode. Gotta love that!

Well...except this picture Danny took tonight. I'm hoping it's because he didn't know how to use the new camera???

3.) Right now I'm overdosing on Friendly's Butter Crunch ice cream as I'm writing this. It was buy one get one free today at the store. In a moment of weakness, I made the purchase and now I'm regretting it. Oh...and what good would the ice cream be without tons and tons of chocolate jimmies? Talk about sugar highs...and...oh dear...I just found the nutritional info for it on line. Yes, I've eaten way more than a 1/2 cup. Not good.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1/2 Cup (67g)
Calories 150 Calories from Fat 60

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 4.5g 22%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 25mg 8%
Sodium 120mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 16g
Protein 2g 4%

4.) Thank goodness the hot weather is gone. I thought I was going to have heat stroke. Gianna didn't really like it much either although she did have fun in her pool the other day. We played with her mermaid dolls and I, as usual, played the role of the boy dolls. I'm always the boys.

a BIG thank you

I have to say a BIG Thank You to my sisters, Auntie Kimmy and Auntie Kerry, and my Dad, better known as Papa, for entertaining, taking care of and giving lots of love to our three kiddies while we were gone for the day yesterday. They had a GREAT day playing at Nantasket Beach (on the second most glorious day so far this spring) and having a yummy dinner and dessert at Friendly's. They had lots of fun stories to share when we came home. Auntie Kerry taught them some funny stuff we learned when we were kids (you should have seen Gianna doing the "blowing out the candle" story last night). It makes me so proud to hear that they were well behaved and fun to be with. It truly is THE best compliment a Mommy can ever get!!!

This vacation week has had its ups and downs. One of the ups was bowling with Papa and CeCe the other day. We bowled, ate pizza and played in the arcade for hours. Papa was a real trooper bowling with the kids and really out-bowled us all! His back isn't what it used to be and you know what? He never complains!!! A lesson we can all learn from him! And CeCe...well...she had one minor "slip" up. Wish my camera was rolling for that one!

One of the prizes Julia picked out at the arcade...

And I had to include this picture to show how this girl ALWAYS points her toes! A true dancer...

And the downs??? A bout of the stomach bug which Nicholas kindly passed on to Mom & Dad. Yuck.

Artwork

"Shooting Star" by Gianna

"Mermaids" (Mommy, Julia & Gianna) by Julia

"Goalie" by Nicholas

Mite A's

Nicholas made the Mite A team for next year! Way to go Nicholas!!!!

Hockey Champions & Opening Day

Hockey is over...for now anyway. Nicholas' team won the championships!! The game was SO exciting! Lets rewind though for a minute. His team played in the semi final game a few weeks ago. Turns out the other team brought in their #1 Mite A goalie (Nicholas is on the Mite C team). It was completely unethical, not to mention against the rules, to have anyone play who is not on the roster from the start of the year. Nicholas' coach confronted the other teams coach after the game but he gave a lame answer and quickly left. Thankfully, our coach didn't let it go and went to the league about it. Our kids deserved better after a fantastic first year of playing hockey! Long story short, the other team forfeited and the coach apologized. The kids on both teams were taught quite a lesson.

So our kids got their chance to play in the Championship game last weekend! The game ended up being tied 2-2. They had a 5-minute overtime that ended up with no goals so they went to a shoot out! Each team picked their 5 best players (Nicholas got to go second). Each team scored a goal so it was tied again! Then they picked five more players from each team. This time our team scored the winning goal! To make it even sweeter, the boy who scored the goal was our coaches 6-year-old son! Our goalie's Mom was in tears the whole time and my knees were shaking! I'm so proud of my boy! He is the fastest skater on the team...no question about that. You just know he'll be the first one to the puck and always has tons of break aways. Now...if we can just get him to stand up on those skates for the entire time he's out on the ice!!! We lovingly call him the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. He has a tough time standing on both feet off the ice, never mind on the ice!

The coaches hosted a party for all the kids and their families last night. They got to ride on these motor boats. They had a blast! They also played soccer and dodge ball in another part of the building, ate pizza and munched on lots of chips, cookies and brownies.

Today was opening day for our town's T-Ball / Baseball season. Nicholas has now graduated from T-Ball to baseball playing in the 7-year-old division. His team is the Red Sox (which he is so thrilled about). Our town had a parade early this morning.

The girls waiting for the parade...

Nicholas is just to the right of the sign. See who's in the picture way on the right with the little boy on his shoulders? (Click on it to make it bigger.) His son is on our team again this year. Maybe he'll hang out on our porch again this summer??? Mom, you coming over this time?

Girls on the boat:

Nicholas on the boat:

Oh what a morning...

This girl just cost me $56.00. Her new movie opened today and of course Julia was dying to see it. The kids' elementary school was having a private showing of the movie this morning at 10:00. I bought 4 tickets for me and the kids about two weeks ago. You know me...Miss Organization. I put it on the calendar so I wouldn't forget. I got the kids ready early this morning, stopped off at the store to buy candy (the prices at the theatre are ridiculous), and arrived at the movies a good 15 minutes early. Huh?? We are the only ones in the parking lot. I pull out the ticket to make sure I have the time right and yes it was starting at 10:00. I laugh thinking how punctual I am and how late everyone else is. A few more minutes go by and I decide to look at the ticket again. It says Foxboro on it. Why didn't I know that??? You would think that since we all live in NA that they would pick the theatre right down the street in NA...not Foxboro! By this time it was almost 10:00 and there was no way we could make it there. By now Julia is in tears and Gianna starts crying too and asks me if we have to return the candy to the store. (That's all she cared about...her Skittles.) I called the theatre in Foxboro when we got home and they said the next three shows there were sold out and there wasn't anything they could do about our tickets.

Being the good Mom that I am, I took the kids to the 12:00 show in NA. I had to dish out another $32.00 on top of the $24.00 I lost on the first showing at 10:00. That doesn't include the candy and popcorn.

Julia loved it...Nicholas thought it was OK...and Gianna only liked the parts when Hannah sang. I think she thought she was going to see her live on stage. She looked up at the little window where they show the movie from and asked if Hannah was going to come out of that small hole. : )

7 weeks

I can't believe it has already been 7 weeks now since I've seen my little boy...and I still miss him so much.

This picture was taken five years ago. He looks so young and healthy here. His fur is so thick and shiny.

And this picture just cracks me up. It wasn't taken all that long ago. He was just enjoying a nice day on the deck...sound asleep right in the middle of the floor.

The weather was so beautiful yesterday and as I was sitting on the back stairs enjoying the sunshine, I just missed him so much. I know he would have been laying right at my feet. The weather he loved is now here and yesterday would have brought him so much joy. I just hope wherever he is, and I have to believe he IS somewhere waiting for me, that the sun is shining down on him and a warm breeze is blowing for him.

1987

Was I really ever that fresh faced???


Did I really wear a bikini???

What the heck happened to me. Amazing what 22 years does to you. What a life I had back then. Hardly any responsibilities at all. Just a job. Lived at home...no boyfriend...no kids...I was dancing a lot thus the bathing suit...man oh man. If I knew then what I know now...I would have taken better care of this body and skin of mine.

Gianna is 4

Yesterday was Gianna's 4th birthday! She had so much FUN! But then again...this girl always has fun!

Her Scoobie Doo cake turned her blue!

She got some of her favorite things like:

and

as well as some more furry friends.

My favorite word

joy
Noun
1. something that brings deep happiness and contentment

Look at what you love to do.
Look at what brings you JOY.
Look at what gives you peace.
There is your calling, waiting for you to embrace it.

What brings me JOY?

Watching Danny play with our kids.
His warm smile.
Nicholas and his gentle soul.
Julia's sweetness.
Gianna's silliness.
Memories of Lucky.
The color Yellow.
Summer.
Our home.

Just a few on a list a mile long.

Girls at play

Not sure what they were playing but when I walked into the room Gianna was all cozy on the loveseat with a crown on her head surrounded by her furry friends and Julia was singing songs for her.


They are getting to be friends now...and that's why I had Gianna...to give my Julia a sister. I know how important my sisters are to me and I wanted her to have that too.

A day in the life of Me

Thursday, March 19th

6:00 a.m. - Alarm goes off as I'm determined to get back into an exercise routine.

6:01 - Shut the alarm off and decide I will start that exercise routine tomorrow morning instead.

7:00 - Get up, get the kids breakfast, get Nicholas' backpack ready for school, take my shower and get dressed.

8:00 - Start the 20 minutes of nagging Nicholas to get ready for school.

8:25 - Put Nicholas on the school bus...wave bye to him even though he doesn't notice me anymore because he's with his friends.

8:30 - Get Gianna and Julia ready so we can drive Gianna to preschool.

8:35 - Try to convince Gianna why she shouldn't bring Nemo for show & tell for the umpteenth millionth time.

8:36: Gianna puts Nemo in her show & tell bag anyway.

8:50: Leave to take Gianna to school.

8:57: Arrive at Little Blessings and grab one of the other hockey Moms by the sleeve as she's walking down the hall to see if she can drive Nicholas to hockey practice later in the day as I have to be in two places at the same time.

8:58: Grab another Mom by the sleeve as I frantically remember Gianna is celebrating her birthday in school next week and her son has a life threatening peanut allergy. Not sure if my birthday snack will kill her child or not.

9:00: Say bye to my sweet little girl and notice her making one of her weird faces at another little girl. She yells at Gianna to stop.

9:10: Back home to play Nancy Drew with Julia for about 10 minutes until I have to stop and clean up the disaster of a house around me.

11:30: Back to Little Blessings to pick up Gianna. As I peek through the classroom window I notice Gianna is still tormenting that poor little girl who sits next to her in circle time with those faces she likes to make at others. Note to self..must talk to Gianna about this.

11:45: Back home and must get Julia lunch, pack her backpack and get her ready for school.

12:10: Wait in the driveway for the school bus while playing games of "Mother May I", "Red Light Green Light" and "Simon Says".

12:15: Bus arrives. Julia gets into her seat on the bus and looks out the window at me with the same worried face she has every single day as if she is being driven off to the gas chamber and blows me kisses.

12:20: Go back in the house and ask Gianna if she wants to go to McDonalds for lunch (a.k.a. kill time). She wants to go the McDonalds clear on the other side of town because it is the "funnest place".

12:40: Arrive at McDonalds, eat and go into the playroom which is heaven for Gianna. I happen to take a seat by the door and good thing too. I stop many children from leaving the premises as their teenage mothers text endlessly on their cell phones and ignore their children.

1:30: Convince Gianna it is time to leave as my head is about to blow off with all the noise and extra parenting I am doing.

1:45: Arrive back home and hand Gianna over to the babysitter (TV) with some apple juice and start making dinner (chicken casserole...Martha would be so proud).

2:15: Play with Gianna with one hand and check work emails with the other.

3:30: Bus is here. Nicholas and Julia crash through the door yelling for snacks as if they haven't eaten in weeks. Plop Nicholas down at the table right away to do his homework as we have to leave again in 40 minutes.

3:31: Hand out snacks, frantically gather hockey equipment and coloring books, get Julia to change into her leotard for gymnastics, put up her hair and supervise homework being done.

4:10: Drop Nicholas off at a neighbor's house for hockey practice.

4:30: Arrive at the gym for Julia's gymnastics class.

4:45: Julia rings the cow bell for the very first time (which tells everyone that someone has learned a new trick and all eyes are on that gymnast to watch).

4:46: Gianna announces she has to pee while Julia makes her way over to the floor to show off her new trick.

4:46 and 1 second: Tell Gianna to hold her pee but see she is grabbing herself.

4:46 and 2 seconds: Drag Gianna to the bathroom and throw her on the potty and stick my head out the door in the nick of time to watch Julia do a back bend kick over by herself!

4:46 and 3 seconds: Clap like crazy for my girl and then get back to wiping Gianna.

6:00: Gymnastics is over and after watching these kids work out for 1 1/2 hours, somehow in my mind I feel like I've exercised too so I don't feel that guilty about shutting off the alarm at 6:00 a.m.

6:15: Arrive back home and starving for my chicken casserole. Danny arrives home with Nicholas and we all sit down to eat the delicious meal I slaved over in the afternoon. The grown ups love it but the kids decide they would rather go to bed hungry and forgo dessert than eat it.

6:30: Drill Nicholas on his spelling words for his test the next day as he is falling off his chair in exhaustion from hockey. He continuously misspells "said" as "sed" and "fly" as "fli". I sit and curse the person who thought of how to spell these words in the first place.

7:00: Too tired for baths and hope the kids don't smell at school the next day from all the exercise they just did.

8:00 p.m.: Put the kids to bed and climb into bed myself. Eyes...won't...stay... open...

Can't wait for Saturday morning when Nicholas has a hockey game at 7:00 a.m., cub scouts pinewood derby race at 9:00, Julia has dancing at 10:00 and gymnastics at 12:00 and I have a hair appointment at 12:30.

funny & cute stuff

After I told Gianna I couldn't find her color wonder markers...
Gianna: "Momma, my face is really down."
Me: "What??? Why?"
Gianna: "Because I'm really sad."

Julia to Gianna: "Gianna. Get that for me over there on the floor. Not that. No. Not that. No...forward...left...go over there...YES! That. Give me that." (Julia wanted the clicker for the TV).
Julia: As she notices me glaring at her for bossing Gianna around. "What?!? She's my robot!"

When Nicholas got home from school yesterday, he asked Gianna if she had a good day at preschool. Then he noticed the picture of the sun she had made at school and told her he loved it. Then he gave her a big hug. He's 7! Pretty amazing.

What we've been up to...

Face painting...

Standing on our heads...

and jumping up and down...

Come on over and join us!

Been there before...

The house was built in 1718...

Nicholas had gone to this house on Sunday afternoon for a play date with a friend from school. When I dropped him off, the Dad told me the house was for sale and gave me a tour of the downstairs. It's a great old house with tons of character. I was back to pick up Nicholas later that afternoon and he said he had lots of fun doing all the typical kid stuff...playing video games, climbing trees, etc.

Later that night when Danny and Nicholas were in the car, Nicholas was telling Danny about his day at his friend's house. He started telling Danny how he "knew" the house he was in that day. At first, Danny was thinking he had been over there before, but then Nicholas said it was his first time there to play but he "felt" like he had been there before. He started telling Danny how he knew where all the rooms were...like the stairs to the attic and the door to the basement. Now in this house, because it is so old, the doors are in different locations unlike newer houses. Nicholas said he remembered the "bump on the floor under the carpet" in the hallway upstairs. He said "they never fixed it". And he said they painted the bathroom sink black when it used to be stone. He also commented on how he "knew" the backyard which is really, really big. He said he remembered the woods.

Has he been there before in another life or something??? Nicholas never said anything to me about it so when Danny told me the story last night I was totally creaped out. I got goose bumps. I asked Nicholas about it this morning and he was telling me all the things he told Danny. I have no explanation for this. I personally don't believe in reincarnation...or maybe I prefer not to. The whole idea of it just freaks me out.

On a lighter note...this morning when Gianna woke up, she asked me if she had "crap" on her face. I said "What??? Cracks?" And she said, "NO...CRAP!" I asked her who uses that word. And she said..."You". Oh. Sometimes I say things out of frustration. Not good.

Danger Will Robinson!!!

Danger...Danger...Danger!!!!

We have a new Dr. Smith in charge!!!

So proud of you Skimmy...ahhh...sorry...I mean..."DR. SMITH". (I'll have to get used to that one...oh the pain...the pain.)

Congratulations!!!

My little gymnast

Julia had been bugging me to go back to gymnastics. So a few weeks ago, I signed her up for a one-hour class once a week. After her second class, the teacher tells Danny that Julia's "got it" and we should really consider putting her on their Cub Team. This girl does "have it". I have a feeling she will be good at everything she does. She's loving the team. She's now dancing two hours a week and taking gymnastics 3 hours a week. It seems like a lot to me but she's happy and having fun so that's all that matters.

Providence Bruins Part 2

Nicholas got to play at the PB game again last night. This time it was a full game. They played before the PB game started. Each player was introduced one at a time, they played all that great music between plays and they showed replays on the jumbotron. After the game, the coaches had a pizza party for the kids. Our team lost but it really didn't matter. It will be something he'll always remember. How fun for them!!

(Nicholas is #10 in red, left wing)

The kids couldn't wait to have snacks while watching the PB. Popcorn, ice cream and Mmmmmmm...blue cotton candy!!! Just a little messy...

Snuggling with Daddy...and Nemo of course!

Her favorite stuffed friend...

A heavy heart...

I keep my favorite picture of Lucky with some of his things on my kitchen counter. They bring me comfort. I am anxiously awaiting his ashes too. I will feel much better when he is back home with us.

I can't believe how much of my day was spent looking after him. I never even realized it. I feel such loss not having him to look after, holding him and the comfort he provided me. He was such a huge part of my life for the past 12 years. He would wake us up most mornings very, very early looking for his treats and to go outside. Throughout the day I was always checking on him to be sure he was around and safe, especially if he was outside. In the summertime, he loved drinking out of our pool and even fell in once. Thank goodness he got out that time. It was funny though seeing him soaking wet. I miss the time spent feeding him, changing his water, making sure the kids weren't bothering him, making sure the shades and curtains were open so he could look out the windows or lay in the sun, checking to see if he wanted to come in the house especially when it was cold outside, making sure the basement door was open in the winter months in case he needed his litter box or that he wasn't accidentally locked downstairs, and most importantly, making sure he was in the house before it got dark at night so he wouldn't get hurt.

The evenings are the worst for me. That's when he would finally let us pat him. During the day he was so aloof but not at night. He loved to lay on our laps after the kids went to bed and when he was feeling good, he would follow us upstairs to sleep with us on our bed. He would lay right on my chest and then as the night went on he would end up wedged between our legs for warmth and comfort.

His favorite spot on the living room ottoman looking out the window is now empty. At night we would always pull the blind only 3/4 of the way down so he could look out the window at night. I've cried each night now when it gets dark, not having the heart to pull the shade down all the way. And I still leave the basement door ajar like always. The spot on the kitchen floor where his water dish and food were is now empty. All reminders...

He was such a huge part of our lives....my life. It really hurts right now. I wish it were two weeks from now so it wouldn't hurt so much. I know it will get better but right now I'm just really sad and miss him terribly.

I love you and miss you my sweet boy.

our Lucky Boy

These were taken today...

We'll miss you...

so so much. We love you.

To my four Valentine's

Happy Valentine's Day to my four lovies...

I'm grateful for my three babies who are so beautiful, funny, smart and sweet. But most of all I'm grateful for my bigger babe who has really, really loved me for the past twenty years which I find truly amazing.

tooth #7

Nicholas lost tooth #7 last night. I wasn't home but he left me a note before he went to bed...

Just in case you need help reading it, it says "Dear Mommy, I lost my tooth tonight. Julia rolled on my face."

Friends

Gianna and some of her best "friends"....

This girl loves, loves, loves her stuffed friends. At bedtime she piles them all over her bed and barely has room for herself. And then every morning we hear her tossing them down the stairs one by one so she can play with them all day long. She usually has one favorite for the day that will go with her everywhere. She has given them each very unique names like "small doggie", "big doggie" and "bear". I know one day she will outgrow her "friends" but I know I'll never be able to part with any of them.

Feeling housebound

As we were driving the other day, Gianna looked out the window and said, "I don't want it to be Christmas anymore." Even the kids are getting sick of the snow! I can't wait for spring.

Here are some summertime videos to help with the winter blahs...