salute the ones who died...

we all love....

the long weekend.

the bbq's.

the decorations.

the "celebration".

the americana sense around town.

and the ringing in of summer.

but.

memorial day is REALLY not all these things.

it is much more.

it is somber.

it is to remember our fallen heros.

who lost their lives for US.

last year on memorial day we prayed for our hero, my brother in law, who was fighting the war overseas.

this is my little man with his hero, his uncle, several years ago before he left for overseas.

this year we thank God he is home safe.

but there are many soldiers not home safe.

many will never return home.

so in between your parades and backyard BBQ's and celebrations in the comfort of your backyard. with the ones you love.

take a moment to pray for those families who have lost loved ones.

and those families whose men & women are deployed today.

this weekend i will listen to "Chicken Fried" by The Zac Brown Band... with

AMERICAN PRIDE

i will undoubtedly cry when the soliders march by at the parade in town.

i will sing god bless america and the star spangled banner - proudly and loudly!

and i will teach my children about the true meaning of this Memorial Day.

"i thank god for my life

And for the stars and striped

may freedom forever fly, let it ring.

salute the ones who died.

the ones who gave their lives.

so we don't have to sacrifice.

all the things we love."

the zac brown band

keep calm and carry on....

have you ever set yourself up for disaster?

i did! i really believe that good self-reflection is required in order to be a good person, partner, and parent! so.... this was my bad!

well earlier this week jack had a SUPER fun day!

he went to school... a stay day so it was until 2pm.

at pick up his friend asked

*with giant puppy dog eyes*

if jack could come back to his house to play.

it was a HOT day.

the teachers had already informed me they were all in "rare form"

i looked at two adorable sweaty boys,

one mom

(who had apparently lost her mind thinking that 3 boys that were already tired coming to her house was a good idea),

and a few teachers looking at me like "how could you say no?"

so i said "are you sure?" about 20 times to the mom.

questioned her sanity jokingly of course.

and sent my little man off for a play date with 2 of his pals.

i gave him the riot act about being on his bestest behavior!

crossing my fingers.

second guessing myself the entire time he was gone.

there were two scenarios outcomes:

1. upon picking him up hearing that he was a royal you know what

OR

2. upon picking him up getting a raving report how wonderful he was... to quickly learn that he saved his exhausted rotten behavior for yours truly once we got his tired self home.

SO I PREPARED MYSELF!

can you guess what the outcome was?

i picked him up a couple of hours later and found this...

he had a BLAST! the beginning of good old fashioned summer fun!

he said, "mommy can we go to the store now and buy one?!"

after some coaxing & minor bribing, i got him to leave.

we got home... and as expected... meltdown central!

the good news is he held it together at the playdate and saved is monsterousness (this is my own word) for me!

and... the better news is, since i had prepared myself, i remained calm.

(i got this picture off google image... not mine)

despite his ridiculous efforts to antagonize me.

(these photos are not great... it was a moment, and i did not have time to change settings)

running away because i asked him to come to dinner! the horror!

and dinner was good... a regular in our house.

broccoli, chicken & pasta with roasted red pepper sauce. yum!

soooo...

i ignored his statments like:

"your a mean bossy mommy"

"im gonna squash your jewelry"

and one of my personal favorites... "im not gonna play with you in the morning mommy"!

i chuckled to myself with my relatively "off sense of humor" and thought ...

"do you promise i don't have to play with you when you wake up before 6 am?!?"

but i kept my antagonistic comments to myself like a grown up!

i simply & calmly told him he hurt my feelings.

i said things like... "i know sammy (his lil bro) i wish jack would be nice too"

or

"i miss jackabie at the dinner table its not the same without him"

i even tried to feed the drama queen dinner myself!

i did remind him a few times that behaving this way after a playdate was not going to get him future play dates. i certainly wasn't going to just let him behave this way and ignore it entirely!

but seriously... he couldn't hear me.

he was just too tired! he wasn't even making sense! and i am the mommy that let him go play when i knew he probably needed a little down time.

and at one point even said, "no smiling jack... your busy being grumpy"

i got this beautiful smile for half a second until he realized my "social working" worked and then screamed about the sauce on his pasta that he was refusing to eat.

i was so cheesy i was bothering myself.

BUT IT WORKED!

i didn't exhaust myself with arguing, reasoning, or anything else.

i refused to engage!

i KNEW he was tired.

i created the scenario by letting him go.

i don't regret it... its a learning lesson for both of us!

in the middle of all this daddy called, he filled him in on how horrible he thought i was!

eventually he ate.

and then off to bed!

he was fast asleep in moments.

he even told me he loved me still.

and it was a fun day! despite his antics at the end!

here is to the warm weather!

xo

bravest boy i know

we are very blessed to be surrounded by many amazing people in our lives.

this family... are very dear friends of ours.

we spend a LOT of time with them.

and would be lost without them.

they are... family.

our lives crossed when that little man in the middle and my little man were born.

they are besties.... wheather they like it or not

(which sometimes they do and sometimes they don't!)

those two cuties on either side of him are my god children...

they are twins!

id like you to meet the bravest boy i know!

he was born 6 weeks early in August 2009 (while i was on vacation the little bugger) because his sister, the drama queen that she is, decided she was ready for her debut!

i had never seen something so tiny.

so amazing.

and such a miracle.

he grew fast.... i just LOVE this photograph of him!

nathan has craniostynosis. check out jorge posada's foundation for more information on it.

this past wednesday i spent the day... a very long day... at NYU while this amazing dr operated on him for better than 6 hours.

we prayed.

ate.

walked.

ate.

talked.

ate.

and prayed some more.

and let's be honest and say we ate some more!

these things helped us through....

there was humor with pickle eating starting at 830 am!

a sweet amazing great aunt to sleeping on the "love chair" in a crowded waiting room which made us all have a good smile.

some elevator mishaps.

ipad envy.

some crazy.

and

the clock stood still ALL day long.

and because he is a warrior... he did amazing, of course!

finally... the nurse and doctors came out to tell us he did great!

i love how he plays with his toes.

this is my little man sammy at his 1st birthday party...

he didn't smile the entire time.

until his buddies arrived!

this is his twin sister, macy girl, who is just too cute to not share at least one picture of her.

i'd kill for those eyes... or eye lashes!

this is he and i just a few days before his surgery.

he is wearing a shirt that says "lock up your daughters" :)

he is doing great! he whimpers this sad little semi-cry because it just plain sucks... right!?!?!

he should be screaming... i would be.

he is a WAY better patient that myself, or anyone i know for that matter!

he is brave... and courageous!

he is recovering slowly but surely... and is surrounded by so many people who love him!

so as his godmother i feel its my job to ask people to pray for him!

so say a little prayer for nathan today... that his recovery speeds up!

and that life can resume to normal soon :)

and once he is through his recovery...

stay tuned for some more pictures of this amazing bambino!

thanks for stopping by......... and thanks for keeping my little godson in your prayers today.

climbing is exhausting...

for ME!

meet my baby.

this is sammy... he is

sweet

content (except for the first 3 months... that is for another post)

funny

loving

snugglie

has the most wild hair

looks NOTHING like anyone in our family

loved tremendously

easy going

and suddenly he does things like....

THIS!!!!

i found him here one day too!

and then the other day i found him here... sitting like a cheshire cat on his chair.

i don't know how he got there!

he thinks he's hilarious!

he climbs everywhere...

i have also discovered him on the couch.

inside the bakers rack on the second shelf.

on top of the train table

and coffee table

on the fort... up the ladder of the swing set!

AND IN THE TUB!

i can not leave him alone. it's exhausting.

not a fan of his new found skills. its giving me a mild heart attack and causing extreme exhaustion.

he is my baby.

and shall remain that way.

i forgot how bad this stage was.

sometimes i think... "how could he do this? he is my "easy" baby?"

and then i remember that he is related to this child......

this is his big brother jack

sitting on the top of our stairs with his feet dangling down from the landing.

i had a friend over who asked, "is it okay that jack is doing that?"

i snapped a photo first then scolded him!

(i still laugh at her asking if it was OKAY?!?!?!)

my jackabie is a thrill seeker... always has been... sometimes we call him "super jack"

no one said it would be easy!

in the meantime i will just hold my breath and pray they don't get hurt!

happy weekend my friends!

boys will be boys...

RIGHT?!?!?!?!!?

i have spent my better than 4 years of parenting avoiding guns (or anything else highly aggressive)for my first son.

but its innate in him. it continues to suprise me how he figures out cops & robbers, cowboys, army men, good guys & bad guys, etc... its truely part of his nature and being.

i say no guns... he makes a stick, a carrot, a toothbrush or simply his finger as a gun. he knows the sounds it makes. i didn't teach him, we don't watch stuff with guns... its just part of him.

but they scare me... this day & age these things SCARE me.

then i wonder... all this sheltering kids from bad... does it push them to want it more? think about "that kid" you knew in college that went wild when they finally got out from under their parents strict rules.... drugs, drinking, sex, tattoos, etc. not just experimental stuff... you know, that kid who went wild! does sheilding them from guns and violence just push them to want it more.

when i ignore the "poopy talk" it goes away. maybe not 100%, but it lessons.

the times i choose to ignore stuff and catch him being good... the annoying behavior stops.

so anywho... i surrendered! i still cringe every time i hear the sound effects (and i'm sure many grown ups around us are cringing at it too). but im holding out hope the novelty wears off soon and we will move onto other "boy issues"! so many people have said "its what boys do".

so i surrendered! no pun intended!

and he had a blast!

and we have this family across the street, and the 13 year old girl who is FABULOUS with kids, everyone should be so lucky to have her across the street... well she got him playing the game so they were shooting pretend lemonade and soda instead of bullets! GENIUS!

and then there is this guy...

(anyone know how to make this picture view bigger? ive tried for WAY too long! HELP!!!)

this is his uncle... a true army hero, captain in the army... we are VERY proud of him! and my little man thinks the world of him... they are cut from the same thread... adventurous, funny, kind, honorable, brave, athletic, and kids at heart (at times to a fault!).... but who better to learn "army men games" from than your own real army man uncle!

stay tuned my friends!

some crazy weather

today the weather is unpredictable!
when i woke up the sun with shining... an hour later, RAIN! then hot muggy sun. then cool sun. more rain... thunderstorms lurking! Which makes for planning fun challenging!

this is something that keeps jack busy for hours!
WARNING: MESSY MESSY project.
BUT: its like occupational therapy and total relaxation for all involved!

how to.... mix corn starch in water. its very bizarre. go slow. get dirty!
(note: you are better off going light on the water and adding as you go. once you add too much you can not go backwards)

here are a few photos of my little man enjoying the moment..... well it was more than a moment, he enjoyed this for hours... which for him is a huge deal!



what do you call these? we call them "pruney fingers" in my family. and jack thought this was way way cool!















and how does this picture not just make you want to get messy all the time!??!?!

stay tuned... happy weekend!

raising boys is....

... well... is very "bipolar".

seeeeeee.....

we have coined this "crooked face"... how do you think he gets his face that crooked? we can't figure it out!

**this means no disrespect to those suffering from this illness. im a social worker in my pre-mom days and have the utmost respect for this challenging illness**

today... (just a snap shot... if i captured the entire day we'd be here a long time)

he woke up all snuggly and told me how much he loved me

two seconds later he was literally POUNDING his feet around like a dinosaur... at 615 am.

then gave me the most nasty look ever when i asked him to stop because his brother is sleeping

then had a tantrum because he was told he had to earn back a toy he had lost from previous day

then slammed door

then declared he was not eating

then demanded breakfast?!?!?!?!

i made breakfast. the one he asked for.

then he decided it was NOT what he wanted. at all.

baby fell down 3 steps (he is fine) he scurried worriedly to make sure he was okay... sweet moment!

then he rode around on his brothers ride on toy as if he were on a race track screaming at the top of his lungs....

then simply watching tv quiet as a mouse all snuggled up and professed his love for me.

then i got up to answer the phone and came back to find him punching his 1 year old brother.

he didn't seem to care when sent to his room- which annoyed me further.

(gosh i wish my husband were coming home to deal with this)

then said "momma, can you kiss my boo boo, your kisses make it alllll better"

and that my friends is the one moment in the day that i cling to in order to remain sane.... sane not being the opperative word!

this is him living life to the fullest having 150% fun

ahhh...asleep on the plane! a miracle!

im off to bed shortly... my little man exhausted me today....stay tuned my friends

and so it began!

so here we are. i have thought about doing this for some time now. i follow blogs like

her

and

her

obsessively!

lets see... i have a 'thing' about lower case font.

i love to cook but wish i had more ambition about it.

i am passionate about pictures. i hate when people say "you have a great camera"... no, its the person behind the camera people!!!

im not crafty. but i'd like to be. i like to shop... but don't have much time for it anymore.

i love to give ... and receive monogrammed gifts.

im sarcastic. and honest. i really hate confrontation. it makes me wildly uncomfortable. i really like things organized.

i find humor in inappropriate things.

i call my mother every single day, by choice.

i am a mom of 2 amazing little boys... i marvel every day at how different they are. and for that i am truly grateful. it keeps me on my toes. there is never a dull moment in my house.

i am the youngest of five. they all still think of me as a baby. and i think of them as babies. but thats for an entirely different blog ;) i love my big family and hate being alone because i grew up with people around... many people.... always. it was nice!

i consider myself very blessed and fortunate in life.

i'm surrounded by amazing people... i have more than my fair share of beautiful friends. inside & out. id be lost forever without them. i believe life should be simple, but sometimes its hard to keep it that way... but i try!!!!!!

sometimes i talk to much... which is obvious to you if your still reading!

i married my high school sweet heart! how lucky am i? ? ? he is the most hard working man ive ever met in my life... that in itself comes with lots of pros & cons........ which leads me to how i came to this place.

"the happily married single momma".

i do it all myself monday through friday. and the weekends come and its a mad dash to spend family time, couple time, me time, and get all the house hold stuff done too. we (me and my little men) bust at the seems at who gets him first (my baby's daddy that is)!

so thats it. well that is the beginning. here i hope to captivate and maybe even inspire you with my antics of a day in our life.... im not complaining (well sometimes i do) i'm just tellin' it like it is!

i always have a camera with me... i have tons of pictures, which i will share here. this is an attempt, one of hundreds, for a picture of my little men... it sums up life perfectly!

stay tuned as i figure this whole blog world out!

xo