Built tough....

Matt took a hockey stick to the eye yesterday.

We iced it down, but sure enough, he woke up with a shiner!

Bumps, bruises, cuts, and scrapes -

that's what little boys are made of!

My 'lil Scout

Today was the Memorial Day program at John's school.

All the cub scouts and girl scouts wore their uniforms to school.

Best Buds

These are the times I cherish!

I love that they have so much love for each other.

I am so lucky.

Matt has been watching the time all afternoon and

waiting for John to be done with school.

He can't wait to play.

They really are the best of friends.

Let's go fly....

fly a kite!

Sunday was the Kite Festival at the beach

across the street from our house.

It was a gorgeous day!

My guys....

Irish guys!

Tonight while watching the Boston Celtics Game, Matt asked John (big), "Do all Irish guys have brown skin?"

John knew where the conversation was going and was trying not to laugh.

While 98% of the Celtics team have dark skin,

Matt thought they were all "Irish" because they wear green uniforms with shamrocks!

The Sisters Two Who Can Do....

In a past post, I blogged about "blog angels", and this is truly one of the most amazing results of entering the blog community. As I mentioned before "blog angels" surround us. Through blogging my nightly prayer ritual has increased vastly. Upon reading certain posts, I feel a profound sense of loyalty and commitment to my bloggy friends. I confess that sometimes I fall asleep before my list is done. Hopefully God knows my intentions and hears them anyway. In the morning I pick-up from where I left off the previous night - through out the day I think of you and pray for you.

Additionally, blogging has become my comic relief. I should say, my blog buddies provide me with awesome humor. Sometimes its the comments left from blog friends that lifts me during the day. I am entertained by others humor. Laughing and smiling is not only fun, but its healthy too. After reading certain posts, I do just that.

Recently my fellow bloggy friend, affectionately know as Kim-d left a dear comment on my sister's blog. She has been known to leave comments that, in fact, cause me to near wet my pants. Here is one from the other night, referring to some pictures I took and some cup-cakes that my talented sister made.

Mary! Did you make those? If so, I am extremely impressed. That is better than the guy on Rachael Ray yesterday who made a cake that looked like a big bowl of pasta! And he makes lotsa money! So I'm thinking you and Amy JEAN need to go into a cake decorating/photography business--you could call it, "The Sisters Two, Who Can Do". Huh? Huh? Not bad, huh? BWAHAHAHA!

After this, I could not resist my comment.

These rocked. Loved Kim-d's comments but her business title sounds like some bad porn to me!!! BWAHAHAHA!!!

And but of course, Kim-d followed with:

BWAHAHAHA! Why yes, yes it does sound like some VERY BAD porn. Fortunately or unfortunately--depending on how one looks at it--porn reels 'em in, so imagine all the business you girls would get. And all ya gotta do is bake cakes and take pictures of the babycakes--oopsies, I mean the cakes you baked. BWAHAHAHAHAAHA!

Sometimes a humerous comment is just what makes my night. I look forward to a good laugh. When its all in fun - it doesn't get much better. Additionally Kim-d may just be responsible for naming our future business (if we ever do just that). "The Sisters Two Who Can Do," it has a nice ring to it , don't you think? lol

I thought I would leave with a crazy picture!!!

Fantastically Four.....

Without a doubt, our dog - loving - girl, had a fantastic birthday party.
Here's to being four!

Get the party started....

Miss Abby turns 4 today.

Happy Birthday to her.

She is as sweet as she is cute!

Her birthday bash is this afternoon.

Matt crawled into bed with me this morning as asked to call Abby.

I dialed the phone and he took it. The conversation went like this.

Matt - Happy Birthday, Abby!

Abby - Thanks, Matt!

Matt - I'll be over at 3:oo to GET THE PARTY STARTED!

Family Parties are always fun!

I am sure this post will be continued!

Be sure to....

raise your white flag if you see this boy. Surrender or else!

Lilies for a Day and Thank you....

Dear Nancy,

Thank you for your gift to us - that is your flowers. They continue to thrive and mark the season. While the weather has not cooperated, instinctively your lilies know what to do. They are flourishing in abundance. They are the color on a blank canvas. They exude beauty and happiness. You have given us all a gift. Your love and passion for gardening crosses the generations - it is a family thing. While you are not here sharing the season with us, I know you are happy looking down on it all. We are working busily to paint this canvas - all of us. Soon the rich, vibrant colors, will arrive. Their presence bears beauty and strength. In a few months, each day, a new blossom will show it's face. They will make their beautiful presence and then be gone. They are more than pretty - they bring hope. Their vibrancy is something to which I look forward. Their delicacy is something I respect. I long to see them burst open each day. They are amazing.

Beyond your flowers and your nature lessons, you showed us all a different perspective. Additionally, I thank you for that too. You pointed out the beauty in nature's littlest wonders. You showed a way to look at nature's color and texture unlike any way I may have known. Thank you for these and many other things.

Love,

Amy (on behalf of the gang)

I am just not buying it....

global warming, that is! John has played four base-ball games in the last eight days. The out-door temperature for three of those games was less than 50 degrees. Isn't it May - almost half way through May? Clearly we are not warming here. I do not know all the scientific information regarding this, but my body knows that it is freezing here. My heat is still pumping, and we were dawning winter attire tonight, including hats and gloves! Mr. Heat Miser, where are you? Al Gore, I dare you to come sit through a base -ball game with me (well not with me, but here!) I guarantee you will be freezing your fat arse off too!

Its just the beginning.....

This is one of my summer babies - a hydrangea bush.

Its just starting to green-up, sprouting new life each day.

I can't wait until it blooms.

When it does, it will make new flowers all summer long.

It is one of my favorite things.

To be continued....

Its a girl.....

Recently I was thinking thinking of a labor and delivery moment, I thought I would share. I will spare you my birth story details except for one. After only 10 hours of labor (and a little bit of pushing), the nurse exclaimed, " that a girl!" "Its a girl", I cried (in happiness). "No. You're doing wonderful - THAT A GIRL!!" She cheered in a cheer-leader sort of way.

A few minutes later the doctor proclaimed, "its a boy!"

In only a few minutes, I went from thinking my second baby was a girl to finding out HE was a boy. Was I disappointed? Maybe for a split second. That was until I saw him for the very first time. Now I couldn't imagine my life any other way.

Almost but not quite out-smarted by

an 8 year-old. I should preface this post by saying that today was a rainy-stay-in-your-p.j.s-play-with-your-toys-build-blanket-forts-kind-of-day for my boys, that is. While my day was also pretty lazy and carefree, I did manage to get some cleaning and organizing done around here.

In my efforts to achieve order in this house after a rather unstructured day, I told my boys that we would not make chocolate-chip cookies until both the t.v. room and the playroom were perfect. Quick on his toes, John replied, "Mom. Nothing in life is perfect." Perhaps I used the wrong word. I replied, "John you are indeed correct. Nothing in life is perfect. That being said, I want these rooms neat, tidy, and everything put away - for me, that's pretty close to perfect. Now if you want to make cookies get these rooms pretty close to perfect!"

After some whining and cleaning, we all made chocolate-chip cookies!

Taking Care of Business....

Recently I was bestowed with some bloggy bling. My friend Jamie at Choosing My Own gave me the I puffy heart your blog award. Jamie is a wonderful bloggy friend. Her blog is one that I have been reading now for a while. I enjoy it wholeheartedly. She has two wonderfully adorable children. I love her style and perspective on things. I also envy the warm, sunny place where she lives.
Here is the next award that I received from Beth from Around the Funny Farm. Well like her blog name alludes, she lives on a farm. I enjoy reading about her day to day experiences on her farm. While her life sounds like a lot of work, it also sounds fun. One thing I love about blogging is the opportunity to see how people live. While farm life is so different from my life, I just love hearing about horses and tractors and all that stuff. I would also love to walk in Beth's boots for a day or two!
There is one final accolade for which I have bragging rights to today (though I am really not the bragging type!) I received this today from Robyn at Where's Jelly. Her blog is another one that I have been reading for a while, and I look forward to seeing her blog highlighted in my google reader. I enjoy hearing about her adorable little girl, aka Peanut Butter. Robyn recently started running and is doing quite well. I have come to learn something about Robyn - she is quite determined. I wish her the best of luck.

In keeping with the tradition of passing on awards, I will pass these along to some other deserving bloggers. Of course I will pass them to my sisters - Lisa and Mary. Additionally, I give them to Kim-d, Hallie, Kimmy, Jessica, Jaime, and Jenny. All of these woman are on my daily reading list. Yes you all get all three!!! Congrats to you girls!