Colonial Williamsburg & Busch Gardens Europe

Steve and the kids watching the band
Guarding the building
They've been caught!
Smashing Grapes
Pony Ride

Packing up the car

and heading to VA. We are leaving early this morning for Virginia. I booked a trip to Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens and Water Country. When we leave VA on Tuesday, we'll be driving to PA to visit Tracey, Rich and the kids. Steve and Rich also have their fantasy football draft that night. Hope you have a good weekend!

Happy Birthday Judy!

Last night a few friends and I took out another friend of ours for her Birthday. We arrived at the shopping center where the restaurant was a bit ahead of time and walked around the stores. We relaxed in the 'back store' and tried on hats in another. There were 9 of us for dinner at Bensi. We started with appetizers and took our time getting to dinner. We laughed the whole time. Everyone enjoyed the food and I was glad because I recommended the place. After dinner, some of us went bowling. Again, we had a lot of laughs and a ton of fun. Even though I was tired, I did not want the night to end. I hope we can make this a monthly event!

Exaggerated

The Yankees are totally my team. AND I love baseball. But, the commercial that shows Joba Chamberlain throwing balls at a brick wall and only able to throw through it after putting on a Yankees magnetic necklace is ridiculous. If that is not completely exaggerate, I don't know what it. I mean, isn't that like false advertising or something?

Bird fear

I am a birdaphobe. I do not like birds AT ALL. They scare the crap out of me. Today while I was at work, Steve noticed this in our yard:

All I can say, is THANK GOD I WAS NOT HOME.

Back to school shopping

My beautiful friend Kristen was kind enough to accompany me to the mall last Friday so that I could pick up a few things for David to begin his school year. We got him new sneakers (Ava as well) and some cute clothes from Gymboree. Thanks to Kristen, I was able to actually get things done. She wrangled Ava when needed and even took David to the potty! LOVE HER.

Tonight, I should have asked her to come along. I took the back to school suppplies list and the kids to KMart. I put Ava in one of their carts and David was walking beside. Well, when we get inside, David spots these new carts that are equipped with a TV. He asked if I would get one and I said OK - but must have been OUT OF MY MIND! The thrill of it lasted 3 minutes and I was stuck with it the rest of the time. She climbed out of the front window! I went to get her and when I got back - David was crying. He thought I left him. UGH! My daughter WANTS me to leave her and my son has abandonment issues. Go figure. I am sure you can imagine how stressful and crazy the rest of the trip was. Upon leaving I was asked over 100 times for a slurpee. I wanted to turn off my hearing.

No more shopping trips alone - or at least with the kids alone. If I could be all alone to shop - that would be ideal.

Unexpected

I had today off to take the kids to a new allergy doctor and was super happy when I got the Meet the Teacher day invitation with today's date on it. My grandparents watched Ava and the 3 of us went. We were greeted by the vice principal. She took the time to get David's name and shake his hand. Very cute. Then we went and sat in the gym. Our neighbors up the street have twins and we sat with them. Next thing I know, the principal is asking the kindergarteners to line up with their teacher and wave good bye to their parents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Totally NOT what I was expecting! As soon as he left the gym, the water works started. I could not believe it! Here I am thinking - 'this is no big deal - every kid goes to kindergarten - and instead - I am crying! Big baby! Any who, the rest of the morning was nice. We learned a lot about what their day and year will be like. The nurse spoke too, which made me (the mother of the allergic kid) feel better. We also had a chance to see them in their classroom and get to know the teacher. She seems perfect for David. He really enjoyed himself and is now looking forward to his first big day. As am I.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me and DADDY!

Today my Dad will officially turn 60. I say that because we really celebrated it last month in a group. But, today is the official calendar date. I, on the other hand is be 33. I love birthdays and especially my own. I think it's because I am born in the summer, but I always have the best birthday celebrations. This year Steve and I are going to golf with Mark and Jen and then have a family party at my parents house. I am making my new favorite dip (avacado) and my Mom is making her Friggin Dip. Dad is cooking up some dinner. All will be good.

Enjoy your special day Daddy!

I'll take...

This afternoon is our fantasy football draft. We are in a keeper league that I really wish would change. I am hoping that next year we can start from scratch. There are 12 teams that get to keep 2 people. So most of the great RB's are kept and there is not much left to choose from. Steve and I discussed who I should take, but I am unsure. He picks 2 turns before me, so the guy he gets will be better - damn him. I hope I get Big Ben again - I love him. Wish me luck!

All teched out

In case you were unaware, my 33rd birthday is Sunday. Yes, this coming Sunday. I LOVE my birthday and I LOVE presents. I really LOVE techy presents. My laptop bit the dust a few months back so my darling hubby has purchased me a newbie for my birthday! I ordered it on Wed. and it should arrive in early September. I was able to add some software that I have always wanted on it and get a few upgrades and stay within budget. Super happy and excited. Best part - IT'S PURPLE! Woo hoo!

Adding to my tech-ish gifts, I was due for a phone upgrade. I checked online to see what my options were and I was torn between the Palm and the Blackberry. I picked myself up the Blackberry Curve in pink! I know - it's not purple and I am a purple girl, but it is pretty non the less. The pink is pearly so it is not 'very pink'. I am still getting used to it and learning the ins and outs, so if you have one and have any tips, please let me know. Even changing the ring tone was difficult!

Now, if I can just win that camera strap for my DSLR - I'd be all set!

Win a Camera Strap

These are great! Shealynn makes and sells these fantastic camera strap covers for DSLR cameras. She is giving away one. Visit The Vintage Pearl to enter. While you are there, check out her beautiful jewelry. I purchased this little number for myself and will be back for more! Boy I love Etsy!

Kids Day = Parents Nite Off

My parents took the kids to Pt. Pleasant this afternoon for Kid's Day. That left me and Steve free! We did a few things around the house and then we decided to go out to dinner. We ended up at our favorite restaurant Bensi after a few errands. It was so nice to be able to sit, eat, drink and relax. When we go out to dinner with the kids we are constantly rushing and correcting behavior. I got to eat my meal and actually taste it. Best of all, I did not have little fingers picking at it! I was tempted to even get dessert, but I really could not fit it in. I was so stuffed. When we left the restaurant, we browsed through The Children's Place to check out what they had for David's school shopping and bought some stuff at Yankee Candle. We took the scenic route to pick up the kids. It really was a nice night.

Like my new header?

Delicious Design Studio has launched a new fabulous website. Go check it out! She does fantastic work. They even have free stuff...that is where I got my new header!

Chopped it off

My hair that is. Last night we went to my Aunt and Uncles for dinner. Holly was kind enough to trim Ava's bangs and give me a nice new style. I was torn between Rachel Ray's new cut and the angled bob look. I ended up with something in between. I have no photos at the moment, but I will post some later in the week. I do feel very free and light!

Pix

Here are some photos of the weekend:

Mr. Fix it
David and Ty
David, Ty, Ally and Ava
Going home
Jen and Ava at Aunt Carol's

Handyman

We're going to PA today to visit Tracey, Rich and the kids. While we're there, Steve will be doing some electrical work in their laundry room. It's so great to have a handyman in the family. The kids are super excited. They love being with Tyler and Ally. I know us adults will have a great time too.

Mission Complete

Steve put David's furniture back in his room and did some re-arranging. His room is definitely not babyish anymore. When I got home, I went up and put some things back in order and got rid of some items that we won't use now. David really likes his room. I am hoping that the bedtime situation will continue to stay good. He is such a happier boy when he gets a good night sleep. I'll post some photos of the room so you can see it. We still need to hang pictures and shelving, but you'll get the idea.

Puppy

Last night my cousin John dropped off his puppy Axe for us to babysit. He and his girlfriend are going to LBI for a long weekend. The dog is adorable and very well behaved. I must admit I was a tad nervous about having a dog in the house after not having one for 8 months, but he has been a pleasure. The kids love him - especially Ava. I love watching her with him. John and Holly had warned us that he is a chewer, so when I ran out to the A&P this evening, I locked him in the bathroom....or so I thought. When we got home, I saw his cute little face in the living room window. I was nervous that he might have done something, but when I got in the house, I was pleasantly surprised. I will not be getting a new dog anytime soon, but Axe is always welcome.

Not in the mood

So, we are going to busy this weekend and I really need my nails done. I called my Mom earlier today to ask what night is better for her to stay so I could make an appt. She told me to go today. At my 5 pm appt., the girl is starting to do my nails and they all start to pop off. She proceeds to tell me that I need a new set! I ask her how much that will run me and she says $85. I reply by telling her that $85 is more than my total bill after a fill, wax and pedi. So she explains that I really need it. Then I remembered that I had gotten a coupon for their salon in the mail. Sure enough, there is a coupon for a free spa pedicure with a new set. So I agreed. I got a fabulous lemon pedicure while I soaked off the rest of my nails. What I did not realize was that the new set was going to take forever. I did not get home until 7:35 pm and I did not even get waxed. I rescheduled that part for tomorrow. UGH! I do have to admit, I really like my pedi and new nails.

Visiting

I took the kids to visit Grandmom tonight. She came to the door as we were walking up the sidewalk and I could not believe how great she looked! If I did not know she had surgery, I would never have been able to tell. The only thing she could not do, was pick Ava up. We had a nice visit. The kids were well behaved and she had some new coloring books and crayons for them. Grandpop is still not feeling his best. You can hear it when he talks. I hope he goes to the doctor soon and gets some meds. We did not stay all that long because the kids were getting tired and I wanted Grandmom to get her rest. I was so glad we went over to cheer her up and so I could see for myself that she is doing well.

Grandmom update

This morning was Grandmom's surgery. My parents were at the hospital when she was out of recovery. My Mom called to let me know she did great. Everything went well. They removed 3 lymphnodes and found nothing. They are still sending what they removed for biopsy. She went home this afternoon. I called Grandpop on my way home from work and he said she was resting. I'll take the kids over one night this week.

Thank you for all your prayers and good wishes.

Rain helps

I promised myself we would not be going to the fair today and we didn't. I cleaned the house and the kids played pretty well. David was back to building Lego's and Ava wanted her blocks. The fair ended at 6, but Steve did not come home until 9:30. Poor guy. He was soaking wet and exhausted. I am glad we'll be back to the routine this week.

Christening

My cousin's baby was christened today. The ceremony was very nice and very personal. The priest has baptised all the babies in that family, so he knows them well. That is always nice. The baby was so good and so beautiful. She has the biggest eyes. Afterward they had a party back at their home. They transformed their backyard into a great party area. The appetizers were right up my alley. Shrimp, mussels, artichoke dip, guacamole dip - I tried it all. Ava had a great time playing with the kids. David on the other hand was a pain in the ass. All he wanted to do was go home and build Legos. Finally he annoyed me so much, we left - even before the food was served. I just could not take it any more.

Ella and her Godmother

Ava and Lizzie

When we got home, he built Lego's and I put Ava down. Well, she decided not to take a nap and scream instead. I could not take it anymore, so we left and went up to the fair. I just needed to have someone else take their crap for a while. We ate and did some things, but did not stay too long. I could not wait to get them to bed and myself for that matter. I can't wait until this fair is over.

Ava eating fried oreos

County Fair

Steve helped his cousin Walt out again with the County Fair. I took the kids tonight so they could go on the rides. I met my cousin Mark, his wife Jen and their baby Ryan when we first arrived while David helped Steve get some lights on. Ryan is adorable and such a good baby. They did not stay too late and after they left I met back up with Steve and David. Steve got me a delicious brownie sundae and we watched this guy do like a comedy magic show. Of course I took the kids home super late and they were exhausted. As was I. Long Day.

Ava on the boat ride

Ryan

David and John checking out the horses

Wake Up Call

Tonight we took David to his first concert! He is a huge fan of Maroon 5 and they played at a local outdoor ampitheatre so I bought some tickets. We gave him the full experience. Arrived early and tailgated then went in late to the show. Found a spot just in time for Maroon 5 to take the stage. They played a great show. David was very quiet, but I could tell he was taking it all in and enjoying himself. Later I asked why he was not singing and he said "Mom, I did not want all those people to hear me." I assured him that they were listening to the band and not to him and that he can sing at his next concert! Too damn cute.

Tailgating

A tad loud

Love the unexpected

I worked a bit later than usual today and on my way home my friend and co-worker texted me. Her and her boyfriend were going for Chinese at a great restaurant by me. She invited the kids and I to join them. So we did. The kids were not on their best behavior, but certainly not their worst. We ate our dinner and then the kids wanted to see the water fall and fish tank. Ava wanted Kristen to take her and she did just that. I was talking with Lou about fixing up the house so I invited them over to see Steve's handy work in the kitchen. David was very excited to have them come over. He wanted Lou to watch him play Wii. Ava put on her crazy wild show and must have banged her head 4 times! She is too much. I was so happy they asked us to spend the evening with them. We had a great time and they are a very sweet couple. I told them next time we'll have to have an adult outing!

What is on your face?

When I got off the treadmill I was looking for some old pictures in the basement. David came down to ask me if he had blood coming out of his eye. Although it's an odd question, I looked and saw nothing. I figured he was a 5 year old boy with a crazy imagination. Until he came back down with a red line from his eye to his neck that he drew with red marker! When I saw him I immediately asked him what happened to which he responded that it was blood. I quickly informed him it was not and asked if it was in fact marker. We went to the computer desk where I could see the drawer open and the red wipe off marker uncapped. After I scrubbed the red line off his handsome little face - we sat down. And had a talk. His behavior lately had not been normal. He is usually a very good boy. Aside from the normal 'boy stuff' he is never in trouble. I put him on my lap and held him tight. I explained how sometimes when something is bothering someone, they act out. I asked him if this was what he was doing. He then opened up and told me that going on the bus is making him scared. He is also nervous about having to do projects at home like his friend Harlee who is going into 1st grade told him would happen. I calmly explained to him that the bus would be fun and that he would meet some new friends. I also let him know that the first day I would be there to put him on and take him off the bus. As for the projects, he could always count on his Dad and I to give him some assitance if he got stuck. This talk must have helped him immensely, because he fell asleep within 5 minutes.

My baby boy...growing up so fast...going through so many changes...I wish I could hold him on my lap forever...

Grandmom update

I spoke to my Grandmom today after she talked to her doctor. Her surgery is next Monday 8/11 and she does not need to go for pre-admit testing. Her EKG's and other tests from last month are recent enough to count. I think that relieved some of her worry. Please keep her in your thoughts.

And so it begins

Each summer Steve takes a week to help his cousin with the County Fair. The fair starts tomorrow, but Steve started working today. He was gone from 9 am to about 7 pm. A very long and hot day. While he was gone, I took the kids to Lowe's to get some paint rollers for Steve and PetSmart for a new beta fish. The one David chose is blue, so he named him Obi Wan since he has a blue lightsaber. When we got home, we put the fish in his bowl and the kids just watched him for a while. Very cute. I fed them lunch and Ava went down for a nice long nap. I took the opportunity to walk on the treadmill and get some things done that I have been trying to get done for months. She woke up pretty happy and we played outside for a bit. When it was time for dinner, I made them pork roll but decided to wait and eat with Steve. When Steve got home, we had stuffed sole and twice baked potatoes - YUM! Ava was still awake and wanted to sit with me while I ate. She kept trying to touch the fish, so I told her not too because she is allergic. So I hear her say "nuts, nuts, nuts". She is so friggin smart & cute...she knows she is allergic to nuts! Steve and I were cracking up!

Steve has a very busy week ahead. But, the money is good.

Steve - angry?

My dear hubby did some painting in David's room today. He is about 1/2 done. I thought to reward his hard work we'd take a ride with the kids to Pt. Pleasant. We'd grab dinner and let the kids hit the arcade and rides. On our trip down, Ava fell asleep and David was a sneak. He asked if he could have a fruit roll up that I had in the diaper bag and I told him yes, but to only eat the one. The rest were for later and some were for Ava. Before I could turn back around, he polished off 2 packs of fruit gushers and 1 fruit roll up. Steve and I were PISSED. Next, he began complaining of a belly ache. Hmmm, wonder why?

We got to the boardwalk and decided to eat at Jenk's. We went to the area in the back where you get waiter service and there was so much going on. There were tons of people and a band. Not to mention you could see the beach and ocean from our table. Ava was great. She sat in her highchair enjoying the people and food. David was BAD. So bad in fact, that we ate dinner (in misery) and drove home. There were no rides, no arcade, no ice cream. The ride home, as you can imagine sucked. He screamed and cried, so SHE screamed and cried. BUT, we HAD to do it. He will never learn if we keep rewarding his shitty behavior.

Needless to say we were pissed. Even Steve was angry.

My Grandmom

I have a fantastic Grandmom. I know most people feel that way about their Grandmom, but I really mean it. She is sweet, caring and kind. There is never a negative thing said by her. Whenever I need her, she is there. For me or my kids. When I was little, she always let us do crazy things that only a Grandmom would. She is always so much fun.

Today we got some sad news. My Grandmom has stage 1 breast cancer. She found a lump last week and was diagnosed today. She goes Monday for pre-admit testing for a lumpectomy some time next week. She is scared, but optomistic. And so are the doctors. The lump is less than an inch and like I said, in stage 1. I know in my heart that she is going to be fine, but I am scared for her as well. I am also pissed that this is happening to her.

So, if you are a person of prayer, say one for her. Thank you.