Every day with the Kellys

I can't even believe...

2009-03-30T21:41:00.006-04:00

it's been so long since I posted here. I miss all of my old bloggy friends. I also miss writing - I haven't done it in ages. I was reading my old posts the other day, and I got kind of sad. There were so many special details that I documented here. That's when I realized I can't stop doing that. While it seems nothing major has occured in my life lately, there have been lots of of little things. It's all the little things that I just don't want to forget.

* About a month ago, Matt asked me how Mary knows she is having a boy baby (has already had now.) I hesitated but said (to a almost 6 year-old) "well you know... boy babies and girl babies are different and..... He was quick to say, I know boys have privates but how can the doctor tell when the baby is still in her belly that it's a boy! Ummm what was I thinking? I told him the doctor takes a picture of the inside of her belly and can tell my that that it's a boy baby!

* Both my boys make me proud. Not just because they did great on their report cards but because they are nice kids. Matt told me that he doesn't really care about the things girls bring in for show n tell, but he listens and watches anyway, even though the other boys ignore the girls.

* John still can't figure out why none of the other third graders care about history!

* John felt Mary tap him when he was coming down the aisle in the highschool production of Oliver that he was in and said he didn't come out of character one bit! He said I just couldn't so I ignore her tap.

* Matt tells me that his cousin Abby "is so into dogs and her family!" That's a direct quote!

* He also says that his cousin William (2 years old) is going to be a great baseball player some day. He just knows it.

* Also Matt says that his cousin Charlie is really good at karate!

* John was so proud being in "Oliver". He was the only third grader from his school that was in it and that made him feel great!

* Watching the play made me feel so happy!

Anyway, these are just a few things that I wanted to jot down. I don't want everything to be all jumbled in my head. There are too many things I want to rememer! I will make a greater effort to record these moments! Hope all is well with you. Here's a pic of John as a pick-pocket. He's in full character!

By the way... check out my new web-site

Sorry - it's a little late....

2008-12-27T10:21:00.001-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and will have a happy New Year!

Christmas card out-takes....

2008-11-30T20:41:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I did a shoot with my 'lil punks! I had a scheduled shoot later on in the morning so I got my guys up early for out shoot. It turned out to be a great day, though one of my guys was not too enthusiastic. Any takers on who that would be? lol While I got some good shots, I am not sure which one will be my card pic! I left out a couple as I don't want to ruin the surprise. Then again, I may try it one more time. Seriously I think it's much easier to have someone else shoot your children (figuratively speaking of course! BAWAHAHAHA)

Have you thanked.....

2008-11-11T22:22:00.002-05:00

a veteran today? Happy Veterans Day to all the men and woman who are veterans. You deserve the utmost respect!

Here's my hubs whose a veteran and John before marching in the our Veteran's Day Parade here in Q-town.

I have been MIA....

2008-10-14T22:20:00.004-04:00

Sorry that I have been missing from the blogasphere! I have missed you girls (and you too Bob ;) ) I have been taking so many pictures lately, but not of my own guys! Yesterday I got the perfect picture op when we went for a hike at a Borderland State Park. To think I went to college 2 miles away from here, but never went here - it was awesome! You can probably tell how much fun Matt was having! Let's just say he was a bit pooped from the long weekend.

True Sacrifice .... make no mistake about it....

2008-10-02T23:14:00.003-04:00

Barack Obama for president, now that would be a mistake that this country can not afford!

My guys....

2008-09-30T22:34:00.003-04:00

Cooking the books and to vet or not to vet....

2008-09-29T21:21:00.007-04:00

My blood is boiling and guess what it's ALL due to? POLITICS!!! While I love to throw pictures up here and talk about happy stuff, I am compelled to speak of so much more. I ask how many of you know that the problems we face are due to greedy, crooked, democrats!!! Once again, you will not hear about this on the mainstream media (I know you say, there she goes again!), but it's the truth. This man, Franklin Raines cooked the books or made false accounting reports on the state of Fannie May. These lies and deceptions earned him almost $90 million in six years. His deception (and others who refused to acknowledge the brewing crisis) are the leading cause of the tumultuous state of our economy. His lies and greed are costing all Americans of all socioeconomic backgrounds. How many of you know that Franklin Raines is Obama's senior advisor for economics and housing. Now I ask, did Obama vet Mr. Raines properly?!?!? Is this an issue of Obama's bad judgment, inexperience or both?

Help this girl choose....

2008-09-27T13:10:00.004-04:00

and I am not talking politics here!!!( I am sure you already know my choice!)

lol From my previous post you can see, I did a photo shoot with my boys the other day. Since I did these in lieu of the school photos,

I must decide which one's to print! I promised myself I would make this official

and not just leave them on my hard drive. Now if you could be so kind,

please visit my photoblog for the complete shoot!

When you arrive there, click on my smug mug link for the gallery.

All the images have numbers - just click on them with your mouse.

Please, leave me a comment back here with your choices, and I will give out a prize to the lucky commenter! The deadline to enter this random drawing

will be Monday, September 29.

Thanks in advance for helping me out. =)

School pictures..... NOT!!!

2008-09-26T00:23:00.005-04:00

Today was picture day for the boys at school.

They skipped it (pictures not school).

After school, we headed to the beach for our own photo shoot!

Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

2008-09-24T20:17:00.004-04:00

I am sure you are, but Joe Biden - well that's another story. Just in case you haven't heard about his latest gaff (rest assured if it was Sara Palin who said this, there's no question you would have heard about it). Here's how it goes.....Biden was speaking about the turmoil in the financial markets. He was speaking about the role of the White House in a financial crisis. "Part of what being a leader does is to instill confidence is to demonstrate what he or she knows what they are talking about and to communicating to people ... this is how we can fix this," Biden said. "When the stock market crashed, Franklin Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just tak about the princes of greed. " Biden told Katie Couric. He said, 'look, here's what happened.'"

Um, what's wong here? Just in case you don't believe me. Check this out.

If you wondering.....

2008-09-23T22:26:00.005-04:00

I haven't jumped off any tall buildings or bridges due to politics!
No I have actually been quite busy!
I have started a new blog, in addition to this one.
Thanks Mary for creating it for me!
I will be back here soon.

You can also find me here.

Update: Thanks, Michelle I had put the wrong link to my new blog. It's fixed now!!!

Meet Bubba....

2008-09-19T22:58:00.009-04:00

Otherwise known as William!

Today was a gorgeous day!I enjoyed taking pictures of this little guy.As most people know,toddlers don't like to keep still.William was no exception!

Things that are pricking me on my left side....

2008-09-18T13:55:00.007-04:00

Yes - I said "pricking my side" as driving me crazy or aggravating the crap out of me. Okay now I can elaborate.

1. I forgot my "recyclable" grocery bags today.
2. I forgot my "recyclable" grocery bags last week too and bought more bags!
3. That so many people want "change" that they are willing to elect a president that is grossly unqualified for the job.
4. Some people actually believe what the media is throwing at them.
5. That Nancy Pelosi is going to make sure Governor Palin wasn't using her personal email for business, instead of acknowledging that someone (or people) hacked into her personal email UNLAWFULLY!!! Wait what is the actual problem here?!?!?
6. Congressman Charles Randel (D), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee which writes tax code has committed tax evasion.
7. That people really think the fact that Governor Palin has 5 children makes her unsuitable to be vice-president. A little hypocritical, don't you think?
8. That no matter what happens with this economy it will be blamed on President Bush. However, how many people actually know that President Clinton's people have been running Sallie Mae and Freddi Mac since the 1990's.
9. Additionally, Jim Johnson head of Obama's vice-president search committee has made millions as CEO of Fannie Mae.
10. Joe Biden thinks it is patriotic to accept tax increases - GIMME.A.BREAK!!!!
11. That the left wing, mainstream, liberal media fails to say that Obama is friends with William Ayers, a radical, left-wing, terrorist who was part of the Weatherman Underground. This group is responsible for the murder of a Boston Police Officer, two New York State Troopers, a bombing of the U.S. Capitol and a bombing of the Pentagon. You can pick your friends, right?!?
12. The mainstream media is slanted (just a wee bit!!!)
13. The mainstream media wants to elect the president.
14. Hope and Change are lovely words but they are just words.
15. That some people don't think morals and character really matter with respect to a president.
16. Obama has benefited greatly from Fannie Mae
17. Oh yeah, did I forget to say I forgot my "recyclable" grocery bags?

A little bitch & a few summer favorites....

2008-09-15T21:26:00.004-04:00

These are just a few pictures that I came across tonight.

They were taken last month. I am glad I stumbled upon them.

While some of you may be wondering why I used the "b" word -I'll tell you. You may remember this. Some times Matt confuses words with similar sounds. The other day John and I had taken Matt out to breakfast a couple of days before he started Kindergarten. Matt has some extra "salty" taste buds and always wants us to salt his food. Of course, we do not. We don't even know how his liking for salt even evolved, as we don't even have a salt shaker at the table. In any event, on this day, Matt asked John to salt his eggs. John said he didn't need any as they would taste just fine with out it. Matt went on to plead his case, asking once again. In his little convincing voice, he asked "please can I have a little salt, just a little bitch of salt!" He meant a "pinch" of salt. Hopefully his mixing up of similar sounding words will get remedied in Kindergarten!

Thank goodness....

2008-09-13T21:34:00.003-04:00

I have a photo shoot with people tomorrow!

I don't want you too get sick of all my flowers!

So my compulsions lately have

been photography & politics.

There could be worse things, right?

Feeling a bit....

2008-09-13T16:09:00.004-04:00

creative today.

Can it get any crazier?

2008-09-12T13:31:00.005-04:00

I am afraid it can, and probably will. Lately nothing ceases to amaze me. Each day democratic politics gets more crazy - it is spinning out of control. This sound bite is no exception. He is comparing Barack Hussein Obama to Jesus and Governor Palin to Pontius Pilate - nothing is more absurd.

The election should be based on the issues - the national security, the economy & the character of the candidates. However, it has become an election of lies and hypocrisy. The left-wing media is trying to elect the president rather than the citizens of this country. We can not let the media decide who are next leader will be. It has to stop.

Maggie.....

2008-09-10T22:26:00.005-04:00

Isn't she a cutie? Wow - could she move!
I had to act quickly, but it was fun!

You can give a pig a pancake.....

2008-09-09T21:58:00.002-04:00

but you can't guarantee he won't choke himself

on it and squash his chance for the presidency!!!

BHO has really sunk to an all time low.

Clearly this is rhetoric, but when the left-wing

wants to slant every Republican word ever spoken,

this comment can not go away.

BHO knew exactly what he was saying-

nothing comes out of a presidential candidate's mouth

that is not intended.

I have a third-grader too...

2008-09-09T14:26:00.004-04:00

In all my Kindergarten hoopla, I forgot to mention

that I have a third-grader too!

This is just too crazy - I actually

remember third grade, myself.

And it doesn't seem so long ago

(maybe this is just my mind's defense mechanism!!!)

If someone knows how to just freeze these moments,

do share your secret with me.

A first....

2008-09-08T22:32:00.002-04:00

Today was Matt's first day of Kindergarten.

I can hardly believe that this day has come and gone.

It seems like just yesterday I was praying

that he would finally sleep through the night!

I just don't know where the time has gone.

I do know that since I became a mother,

time just flies.

Before I had children,

one week seemed like a long time.

Now one year goes by in a blink -

five years has just flashed before me.

One comforting thought is that Matt

is pretty comfortable about school.

I think he's pretty proud of himself.

I only hope that the next twelve

school years will just slow done a bit.

I am not wishing them away at all!

She's having a ......

2008-09-05T12:08:00.002-04:00

a contest....

Well she's having a baby too,

but this post is to inform you about her give-away.

It marks here first year in blog-world.

I thought I would plug her 'cuz if it wasn't for her,

I probably wouldn't have my blog.

Additionally, I want others to enter her contest so I don't win -

I dont' need any of the tastey,

sweet things that she might be giving away!!!

(trust me - I don't need them or my butt doesn't!)

Go on over and join the fun - today is the last day to enter her give-away!

She's got a cute 'lil blog and a very cute 'lil guy!

She's the real thing.....

2008-09-04T16:56:00.002-04:00

If you haven't already heard it, check out highlights from Sara Palin's vice-presidential nomination speech last night - it was awesome. I am so excited that she is on the ticket. She's intelligent, conservative, and she's not just a politician! Most of all - she has EXPERIENCE!!!

Pictures, a bribe (or a few) & a bit of history....

2008-09-02T23:41:00.006-04:00

This morning I did a shoot with the Codners.

Of course it was a special one because they are part of my family!

It took a few bribes for Abby,

but it was a success!

William was not in to it at all -

he could think of many more

important things to do than pictures!

However, I was ready when he did a bit of exploring -

I got a great shot!

Charlie thought it was pretty neat because

we were in a historical cemetery.

It is across the street from the

Church of the Presidents which holds the the

crypt of two U.S. Presidents - John Adams and John Quincy Adams.

Relatives of the Adams are buried in this cemetery.

Newburyport....

2008-09-01T15:21:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, after the wedding John and I

had dinner in Newburyport.

It's a beautiful town, north of Boston.

It used to be whaling town.

The homes are beautiful, as many of them

were owned by ship captains.

The shops are so quaint.

I was particuliary amazed

by the gorgeous flower boxes - I love them.

Of course, we were acting like silly tourists,

taking pictures of each other.

Emma & Abby and a cute "old story"....

2008-08-31T21:55:00.003-04:00

I had a shoot with Emma and Abby today - they are twins!

We had a great time and they were a lot of fun.

Now switching gears - I was talking with my

grandmother at my sister's cookout today.

She told me something tonight

that I never knew.

It was about her and my grandfather.

My grandfather was a professional photographer.

She told me that on their wedding day,

my grandfather didn't trust any photographers

to take their pictures.

Instead, he took my grandmother to

a borrowed studio

and took hers and their portraits!

I think that is so cool!

Sometimes it's fun how new stories seem to trickle out.

Best brothers.... best friends....

2008-08-30T22:45:00.004-04:00

These were taken at last week at the farm -
it's one of my favorite picture-taking spots.
It's really a gem.
I am thankful that Mary
took us there last year.
I am grateful that these guys aren't
just brothers but best friends.
Last week my elderly neighbor passed away.
While visiting his family last week I was
amazed by the remarkable
sibling relationship that exists between them.
They are a unique family
in that they are all elderly siblings,
living together.
For whatever reason, life brought them
back together later in life.
They all take such great care of each other.
I was truly touched as they spoke
about their deceased brother.
Even in their late years,
the family bond was so great.
I can only hope that my boys
are that close too.

Kelson Family

2008-08-29T11:55:00.004-04:00

Last night I had a session with the Kelson's, our friends and neighbors.

It was a beautiful night.

They were all very photogenic.

It was fun to do!

A shot of the fam....

2008-08-26T23:46:00.005-04:00

I just love this shot!

Today we went for a hike.

We stopped at a farm on the way home,

where I did a little photo shoot.

I got a remote for my camera last month

and this was the first time I tried it out!

I have a bunch of other great shots to share tomorrow!

We were all smiling and laughing - hmmm???

Maybe it's because we were singing the "crap crap crap"

song (sung to the tune of jingle bells!)

Yes - anything to get everyone to smile and

laugh for a picture.

Note - we don't talk like this usually!

By the way, I need to hide that remote better -

can you see it?

Wedding continued....

2008-08-26T23:10:00.003-04:00

Here are a few more images from

Beth and Paul's wedding.

Beth and Paul

2008-08-25T23:45:00.002-04:00

Saturday I got the opportuniy to shoot

the wedding of Beth and Paul.

It was a gorgeous day which couldn't have been better

for their garden ceremony.

Here are just a few shots of their special day!

Back to the beach....

2008-08-22T22:39:00.002-04:00

Today was a fantastic beach day.

It will fit into my "top ten" for summer days!

We went to Natasket Beach, and the kids had a ball.

There is nothing like a good day at the beach!

Still feeling a little....

2008-08-20T22:57:00.003-04:00

flowery!!!

We had a fantastic day today.

We went on the "duck tours" in Boston.

Afterwards I had to pick up a lens that

I am renting for a wedding this weekend.

On the way home, we passed by the Arnold Aboretum.

This place was like a hidden gem for me.

I have passed it a million times but

have never been inside.

It was so beautiful.

I will have more pictures tomorrow of that and the "duck tour".

John, Matt, and Charlie quacked the whole way home!

Before they all go away.....

2008-08-19T15:59:00.002-04:00

I just thought it would be nice to capture these before

they are filed away with "summer" memories.

I want to think the summer won't end.

I love everything about summer.

Charlie K......

2008-08-18T22:27:00.004-04:00

I went out with my camera after dinner tonight (surprise, surprise!!!)

I didn't have many willing partakers - except for Charlie.

He is our friend and neighbor.

He has no problem smiling for the camera.

Aren't his eyes amazing?

Can you say...

2008-08-18T15:41:00.004-04:00

PUNK!!!

This is another out-take from the other night.

Yes - I was trying to capture a nice shot of the two of them.

This is pretty much what I got.

I have to remind myself these will tell a story

(somewhere down the line).

I guess it's all about capturing the moment -

not all moments are perfect!

Then again, what is perfect?

Assume she's the mother....

2008-08-17T22:29:00.003-04:00

Today I had one of those "open mouth - insert foot" type of moments, for sure. We were at the beach. I was talking by the water's edge to a woman. We had a pleasant conversation - she seemed to be in her late 40's or maybe a bit older. While talking, a little girl (about 5 or 6 years old) was calling, "grandma grandma" (or so I thought!!!) I told the woman that her granddaughter was calling her. She gasped, "my granddaughter - that's my daughter!!!! Oh sugar, I goofed - ROYALLY. At this point garbage was spewing out of my mouth while I tried to correct my mistake. There was no erasing this blunder. Never did I mean to insult this woman, though I did hear grandma. Hindsight is always 20/20 (or so they say!) Maybe she was really calling, "mama mama." In my defense, the woman did look like she could be the grandmother - though a young grandmother. In any event, I will always assume MOTHER - always mother and never GRANDMOTHER! I guess I can't go wrong doing this.

Ice cream didn't work....

2008-08-16T22:23:00.004-04:00

I was so looking forward to getting some

nice shots of the boys after dinner.

I got them ready, and we headed across to the beach.

I promised it would be quick and

we could get ice cream afterwards.

Apparently my bribe was not good enough.

They were beyond goofy,

knowing exactly how to press my buttons.

I know a bit of psychology works when

photographing children,

but I think everything goes out the window when

the children are your own!

Maybe its time to rent some kids (lol) - what do you think?

Just a few....

2008-08-15T22:45:00.007-04:00

Some might not agree....

2008-08-14T14:38:00.005-04:00

but I wish there was no such thing as Kindergarten!

Maybe this sounds a bit crazy.

I felt this way three years ago, and I feel the same way now.

I just can't believe that my little guy

is going to be in school - like in all day school.

He is excited - he thinks he will get to eat lunch with John.

He says he'll have John's back if there are any bullies

(I don't know where he gets this stuff!!!)

Of course we can't tell him otherwise, at least right now.

For the next two weeks, I am going to just soak up the two of them.

All good things must end - I guess.

Rent a kid....

2008-08-13T17:42:00.004-04:00

The sun is finally shining today - its gorgeous out!

We have been waiting a while for a sunny day.

My boys are away with my parents, camping for a couple of nights.

I miss them already.

I was so in the mood to click away with my camera today, but since I don't have any children right now, that was impossible.

John laughed at me when I said I'ld pay someone to let me take their picture today.

Before I was into photography, I use to think it was weird if someone (I didn't know) approached me to take a picture, especially of my children.

Now I think differently - I am always looking for new, willing subjects.

Since renting a child is not an option, I will have to wait until Friday when the boys return!

These are just a couple of shots from our vacation.

Because I just can't

2008-08-12T23:41:00.004-04:00

leave things alone!

I just wanted to try the distressed look on this.

Now switching gears... I just saw a commercial for the I phone.

Apparently the price has dropped considerably (1/2 what it was last year.)

I remember John's cell phone when we first met - the illustrious BAG PHONE!!!

Does anyone remember those darn things?

Seriously how did anyone look cool with a BAG PHONE?

A bit of inspiration......

2008-08-11T19:30:00.002-04:00

I have been playing around with a few new things that I have learned today.

Beth Feigner has been a source of inspiration for me for a while now.

She is wonderfully artistic and talented!

She stands alone....

2008-08-11T11:44:00.000-04:00

Party of Five....

2008-08-10T22:30:00.003-04:00

Today we went for a hike.

There is a forest only about 5 miles from my house

(yet it seems a world away).

Until last February, I had never hiked there.

(John opens my eyes to new things everyday!)

While I didn't feel like doing much of anything today,

John persuaded me to go.

I am so happy I did.

We had a lot of fun.

We hiked about a little over a mile up

a wooded hill to an observation tour.

When we reached the top, the boys played for a bit.

They had a blast hiding behind walls and

"shooting" with their walking sticks.

They were hilarious.

Moments like this make everything seem great for me.

The hike down was a bit challenging

or so little John told me.

It was starting to rain and the rocks were slick.

What I encountered on the way down was

nothing short of exhilarating.

I heard a little noise to my left -

there were five deer walking in the woods parallel to us!

They were so close.

It was awesome to see them.

Should they stay.....

2008-08-08T19:30:00.002-04:00

or should they go?

Tomorrow I am having a big yard-sale

(or as they say in some places tag/garage sale!)

I have a huge collection of Longaberger baskets,

as a LONG time ago I was a Longaberger consultant.

Currently I use a only small fraction of them, on occasion.

My hopes have always been to decorate

my kitchen/house with them

when my kitchen/house is finally complete.

Decorating has not been a priority right now for me.

I procrastinate a lot when it comes to this.

Right now, I feel like getting rid of everything.

John says to hang on to them or I might regret my actions.

Please give this girl some guidance!!!

I apologize for my....

2008-08-08T09:55:00.003-04:00

longest picture post, ever!

It was a trip chocked full of fun.

There was blueberry picking, fishing,

a vistit to Storyland, campfires, Pats Pizza, and so much more.

Our summer vacation of 2008 was a blast -

I wish it wasn't over!

See Matt jump...

2008-08-07T15:40:00.001-04:00

Matt was getting all friendly with the pony at School House Ice Cream,

while we were on vacation.

When he least expected it, she got his back!

He jumped a mile!

Well I spied

2008-08-06T22:40:00.005-04:00

a berry bush...

A highlight of our vacation, for me, was blueberry picking.
I haven't done this since I was a little girl, picking blueberries
at my grandmother's house.
This is one of my favorite memories,
as I could never wait for July to pick go blueberry picking
at my grandmother's.
We actually went twice on our vacation and fortunately we will have blueberries,
(which I froze) until Thanksgiving.
The boys enjoyed this outing,
and I think more went in Matt's mouth than his bucket!

Am I Crazy?

2008-08-06T22:07:00.005-04:00

I just haven't had much time to post my pics from vacation,

though I should be able soon.

Am I crazy that I can't stop hearing this Jonas Brothers' song in my head?

While on vacation, the boys got to play their c.d.s in the car.

This cd is by far their favorite and

this song has really grown on me - especially the lyrics.

Hold On
We don’t have time left to regret Hold on

It will take more than common sense Hold on

So stop your wondering, take a stand Hold on

Cause there’s more to life than just to live Hold on
Cause an empty room can be so loud

It’s too many tears to drown them out

So hold on, hold on

Hold on, hold on
One single smile, a helping hand Hold on

It’s not that hard to be a friend Hold on

So don’t give up, stand ‘til the end Hold on

Cause there’s more to life than just to live Hold on
Cause an empty room can be so loud

It’s too many tears to drown them out

So hold on, hold on

Hold on, hold on

When you love someone, and they break your heart

Don’t give up on love, have faith, restart

Just hold on, hold on

Hold on, hold on
When it falls apart, and you’re feeling lost

all your hope is gone, don’t forget to Hold on Hold on
Cause an empty room can be so loud

It’s too many tears to drown them out

So hold on, hold on, hold on

When you love someone, and they break your heart

Don’t give up on love, have faith, restart

Just hold on, hold on

Hold on, hold on
Cause an empty room can be so loud

It’s too many tears to drown them out

So hold on, hold on, hold on

When you love someone, and they break your heart

Don’t give up on love, have faith, restart

Just hold on, hold on

Hold on, hold on

Honey, I'm.....

2008-08-03T17:56:00.002-04:00

home!

Thanks to everyone for stopping by while I was gone. Wow - I was surprised to find out what that little terrorist did to me! lol Thanks, Mary!

I will be back in full force, just as soon as I get my stuff put away. In case I forget when my next vacation comes around - remind me to pack MUCH less. I really don't need everything but the kitchen sink! See you soon. =)

Here goes.........

2008-07-26T08:24:00.008-04:00

Okay people, I'm seriously risking my life here. It's probably a really good thing that I'm in the process of moving an additional 20 min from Amy.

Before we go any further I need to point out that I did not do this alone and will not go down alone. My Mother provided with these great pictures and I consulted with my sister Lisa for some of these answers.

Amy at 3 months old (my all time favorite of her!)........Hallie over at WWOW wants to know the grossest thing Amy ever ate. Amy HATES peas and one night when she was little she was told she couldn't leave the dinner table until she had a few bits of her veggies...........peas. My Dad never demanded such a thing ever again since she puked at the table while having a few bites of those veggies!
Another time she ate something horrible was when she was preggers with little John. We were driving and she reached in her pocket for a piece of candy. The next thing I know she's yelling at me to pull over. She did not bite into a piece of candy but rather a prenatal vitamin! Those of you that have taken these vitamins know how bad they are to swallow as quickly as possible never mind chewing them! Yuck!

Lisa J wants to know.........
1. How many kids in our family? There are three of us. In order, Amy, Lisa and Mary.
2. What is her favorite thing to do when the hubby and the kids aren't around? Blogging and getting a pedicure.
3. Does she make her bed every day? Yup she does!
4. Did she ever sneak out while living at home? Not to mine or my sister Lisa's knowledge. We grew up in a very small house that would be next to impossible to sneak out of without waking Big D!
5. Did I ever blackmail her with anything? Ummm, is this blackmail??
6. What will she say when she finds out you did this? I don't know because I'll probably be dead!

Amy just over a year old.........Michelle wants to know what the craziest think Amy ever did as a teenager. I really don't know. Sorry :( She also wanted to know if I ever had a crush on any of her boyfriends. Yup, I did. This guy that she went to the prom with. I used to love him and still remember his phone number to his mother's house! (weird, I know!) He was super kind to me. I was probably only around 8 or 9 when she dated me. Yeah, I was the annoying little sister!
Jenny wants to know if Amy ever did anything illegal and got arrested. No, she's never been arrested. She's married to law enforcement, remember? She did use a fake ID once and got it taken at the door.

Margaret, to my knowledge she did not keep a diary. So therefore I never read it. I did however use to love when she'd leave notes lying around from when she was in school! I use to feel super sneaky when reading them! And I'm not sure when her first kiss was however I do remember the first time I caught her making out with someone. I have been scarred for life ever since!

Mari, Amy never got into trouble. She was a gooda gooda :)

Kim-D, Amy gives me advice ALL the time and it's all valuable! She got good intuition :) The best advice she use to give me was probably when I was in college though. I hated college and struggled with it because I didn't want to be there. She spent countless hours on the phone with me while I'd cry talking me through things.
2. What do I like most about her? Her sense of humor. It's different than many would suspect. It's good, it's dirty and I love it!
3. What bugs me the most about her? (She's gonna kill me again!) Her disorganization.
4. Lisa, do we think she's as awesome as Kim thinks she is?
5. The age difference goes a little something like this........Amy is two year older than Lisa and Lisa is 5 years older than me. That makes Amy 7 years older than me! And I love being the baby!

Here's Amy circa 1983........And 1987.........
Amy being defiant. "I will not smile for the camera!"Well people that does it! It's been nice knowing you all. I'm going into hiding now!

Answers to your questions

2008-07-24T21:13:00.002-04:00

Hi there!
Mary here again. Just letting you know that I'm working on your questions and boy do I have pictures!
I should have something up some time tomorrow.
Don't forget to check back :)

Hijacked!

2008-07-22T10:05:00.003-04:00

Hey there party people!

This is Mary, Amy's sister, for those of you who don't know me.

Just wanted to let you all know that Amy is on vacation and I've got the keys to her blog!

hmmm.................I could have a lot of fun with this! he he he

So lets play a little game.

Ask me anything you want to know about Amy. You know, the kinds of things that only a little sister could answer :) Go ahead, fire away! I'll be taking questions until Thursday.

The best part about this, she has no internet access while she's away!

Hey, this is what little sisters are for, right ;)

Two is the lucky number.....

2008-07-14T21:37:00.004-04:00

two wheels that is. Matt learned to ride his two-wheel bike without training wheels today. Though the training wheels came off a few months ago, and he rode it a little, he had not mastered riding by himself. He couldn't start himself - that was until today. However, he needed a little persuasion. Earlier today, John and his friend were riding their bikes, and Matt wanted to also. However, he hadn't ridden in a while and was unsure of himself. Therefore, he asked John to put the training-wheels back on. John said, "no way." He didn't want him going backwards. Instead, he took Matt across the street to an empty, grassy lot that's kind of sunken down. He pushed him down the little hills and it was like he knew how, all along. It was his fear of fallen that had been holding him back. Well he couldn't get hurt on the grass - knowing this was all he needed. He did this a few times, and he got his confidence back. After dinner he wanted to do this more, however he still couldn't start himself. He wanted me to give him a push. I did this a few times then told him he could do it by himself. He was hesitant, but tried it. He did it! That was all she wrote - he can officially start, ride, and stop, a two-wheeler. Now I say, "where did my baby go?"

One-Eyed Willy and Miracle Rides....

2008-07-13T23:06:00.003-04:00

Matt attended a one week camp at his alma mata, Helping Hands Preschool. The theme of the camp was, of course, Pirates. When I picked him up on the final day, the teachers told me that he kept one of his eyes shut the entire day! Each child was asked to chose a Pirate name, and Matt picked "One-Eyed Willy". Matt lived up to his name - I wouldn't expect anything less.

Switching gears - yesterday on the way to the beach, Matt and John were talking. Matt told John that he didn't like Miracle Rides and the Miracle Ride music. It took me a few seconds to figure out what he meant. In case you're wondering, we passed a restaurant that had a Merry-Go-Round. Go figure - he thought they were called Miracle Rides. Thank goodness he will be having a hearing test this week at the ear doctor!

Per Her request....

2008-07-13T22:55:00.006-04:00

Per Lisa's request, I am posting some more beach pictures.

Don't mean to bore anyone - I took so many.

Life's a Beach....

2008-07-12T22:16:00.005-04:00

John's loving his birch beer. Not sure what it tastes like, the guys love it!
William snoozing!
Abby loves hanging with John. (I drive her crazy with my camera!)

Matt had something interesting to say!

and that's the way it should be. Today was an awesome beach day! The kids had a blast, and so did we. When we first arrived, it was a little cool and cloudy. The sun made its way out, and it got warm. We didn't even want to leave. Even William had fun! (and he had a great nap too!)

Poison Ivy, Fruit Flys, and "Pain Needles"...

2008-07-09T22:05:00.005-04:00

Well I guess it wouldn't be July if I didn't have Poison Ivy and alas I have it!

Apparently I must have contacted it when I was doing yard work last week.

I am sure I got it from cutting stuff along my neighbor's fence - Ugh!!!

Tonight John and I were sitting on the porch,

having a glass of wine, when fruit flies were

committing suicide in our glasses!

They just appeared in masses to end their lives in our wine!

Sounds gross but it was true.

They kept flying into our glasses and drowning - Gross!!!

Lastly, John has been suffering from sharp pains in his legs.

I am sure they are growing pains but he calls them "pain needles".

This all started when he was about 4 and had growing pains.

He confused the pains with the feeling of numbness, aka pins and needles.

Since then he has called these pains, pain needles -

a combination of "pins and needles" and "growing pains".

and because I felt like posting a picure -

here's Abby!

Simply Bloomin....

2008-07-07T22:44:00.004-04:00

If someone were to ask me what I love the most

(aside from God, my family and my friends, of course),

I would have to say my flowers (and my camera)!

I LOVE the summer because it brings me flowers.

I took these shots after dinner today.

Splish Splash....

2008-07-07T22:28:00.002-04:00

he wasn't taken a bath, BUT Thomas did call the little pool a "tubby"!

He had so much fun splashing around.

Thankfully, his splashing cooled us all off today - it surely was hot enough.

Independence....

2008-07-05T22:19:00.003-04:00

Happy Independence Day!

We had a great 4th of July.

The kids surely celebrated their independence,

having a blast.

Our street was blocked off for a neighbor's cookout.

The kids thought playing

in the street was the best thing -

they were truly independent!

Putt-n-around....

2008-06-27T22:23:00.002-04:00

Here's just a few from our afternoon of mini-golf.

We waited for some more monsoon-like rain and

thunder showers to pass.

Then we headed out for a round of golf.

Followed by dinner and ice-cream.

What a day!

Somebody's batteries.....

2008-06-25T21:36:00.004-04:00

were charged!!!

When I returned home today after a trip to Fenway Park,

followed by the boys' doctor appointments at Children's Hospital,

our local newspaper had the following picture on the front page.

Check out the link.

http://www.patriotledger.com/news/x390617829/Pot-of-gold

This is the rainbow that I enjoyed last night but wasn't able to capture!

Photography 101....

2008-06-24T21:19:00.003-04:00

I should preface this post by saying we had monsoon-like rains at dinner-time.

Without warning the sky turned black and the winds and rain blew in rapidly.

Thunder and lightening ensued.

The boys were a bit frightened.

I told them that before you know it, the rain will be over and the sun will be shining.

We'll probably even see a rainbow.

My prophecy came true.

The rain ended.

The sun came out.

While I was running along the beach, a rainbow appeared.

Finishing my run, I quickly made it home.

I replaced my dead camera battery and headed back across to the beach.

Not only was there a rainbow, but a magnificent sun-set too!

I began to snap away - my replacement battery was dead too!

Note to myself - always charge my batteries!!!

And you may have thought.....

2008-06-23T19:26:00.002-04:00

you were having a bad day!

Let's just say Abby was near the end of her

rope, after a fun-filled day!

This girl is full of expression

(and cuteness!!!!)

(and lots of drama!!!)

Summer luv'n....

2008-06-21T23:09:00.003-04:00

It was a bubble blowing. side-walk chalk drawing.

getting dirty. hanging out. dancing to the music.

kind of day!
Today was the "Back to the Beach" festival

at the beach across from my house.

There was a side-walk chalk contest, a sand sculptor,

a D.J., slushes and more.

Life is good!

The three amigos...

2008-06-20T21:02:00.002-04:00

This photo captured the day perfectly.
Yesterday we spent the entire at the zoo.
Thomas stayed in the stroller almost the whole time-
he was awesome!
At the end of the day, I bailed him out.
He LOVED roaming freely.
It was a great start to our summer.
Thankfully there will be more great days life this!
Next time we need our other buddies with us!

Not a little kid...

2008-06-20T20:46:00.002-04:00

Tonight John and I were leaving the grocery store when I rubbed the top of his newly cut, hair.

He quickly told me not to do that.

I asked him why?

He said, "Mom I'm not a little kid anymore!"

Ouch my heart hurts about now!

Not the best....

2008-06-20T20:26:00.000-04:00

quality photo, but it sure captures his personality!

Take Five

2008-06-20T07:39:00.007-04:00

Last night I ran my first 5 mile road-race of the season.

I ran it sans my running partner.

Usually by this time of year, we have already completed a few races, together.

Generally we operate as a team.

Lately circumstances just haven't allowed

us to run together,

in prepration for a season of road-races.

In any event, I drove to the event,

all the while wanting to stay home.

I have been running, but only in three mile increments.

Usually by now, I would have already run a few 5 milers or 10 K.

With the encouragement of John, I ran solo.

I am so happy that I ran anyway.

It was a great night for a run and the scenery

along the route was beautiful.

Afterwards, I met up with a friend for a

few drinks at an outdoor bar near the race's finish.

My confidence is up and I am ready for another race.

Here begins the road-race season-

better late than never!

Now I just hope my running partner

will be ready soon!

Standing up....

2008-06-18T21:14:00.003-04:00

while blogging - that's how I NOW roll!

In my efforts to keep my blogging addiction

under control,

I no longer blog sitting down during the day.

Instead, I keep my laptop on a shelf.

When I get a few minutes during the day,

I peruse my google reader, but I do NOT sit down.

For me, sitting leads to way too much blogging.

I love to read, but need to get things

accomplished during the day.

Mainly, I want to be outside enjoying the sun

that I missed so much during the long winter.

Have no worries though - in the evening,

I rest my dairy ere and "catch up" with all of you.

A great year...

2008-06-17T16:10:00.006-04:00

Today was the last day of second grade for John.

Each day, he looked forward to school.

His teacher was fantastic.

He flourished in her classrom.

She enclosed the following poem in a card to us.

Whose Child is This?

Author Unknown

"Whose child is this?" I asked one day

Seeing a little one out at play

"Mine", said the parent with a tender smile

"Mine" to keep a little while

To bathe his hands and comb his hair

To tell him what he is to wear

To prepare him that he may always be good

And each day do the things he should"

"Whose child is this?" I asked again

As the door opened and someone came in

"Mine", said the teacher with the same tender smile

"Mine, to keep just for a little while

To teach him how to be gentle and kind

To train and direct his dear little mind

To help him live by every rule

And get the best he can from school"

"Whose child is this?" I ask once more

Just as the little one entered the door

"Ours" said the parent and the teacher as they smiled

And each took the hand of the little child

"Ours to love and train together

Ours this blessed task forever."

My friend....

2008-06-16T21:40:00.003-04:00

and my sister!

You're a year older!

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

This means we will have to go shopping!

These are the times....

2008-06-15T22:51:00.002-04:00

to remember!

Matt and Charlie graduated from preschool Thursday night!

What a tear-jerker it was.

Where did our babies go?

We can be rest assured, the future will be bright with these guys!

Finding the good...

2008-06-11T22:29:00.002-04:00

Something became clear to me over the last couple of days. I have grown up thinking things are always black or white – good or bad. I know now this is not always the case. Often times there’s some gray mixed in – things can be cloudy. The same is true with people. I want to see the good things in people. I want to believe that there are some positive qualities in everyone. This may not always be true. However, if I don’t at least seek these out, I may never know. Sometimes good people make bad decisions or mistakes. This does not make them bad individuals. I want to see the good. Life is too fragile – it’s just too brief.

Gramma and me....

2008-06-09T23:06:00.002-04:00

I still have more pictures of Abby's recital.

Please bear with me. =)

A dancing princess.....

2008-06-08T23:19:00.002-04:00

otherwise known as Abby.

She had her dance recital today and she was awesome!

Children need love...

2008-06-06T22:13:00.009-04:00

I believe the children are our future Teach them well and let them lead the way Show them all the beauty they possess inside Give them a sense of pride… (Excerpt from the song, "Greatest Love of All" Written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed Performed by Whitney Houston)

I just have this on my mind today. Children need love. In order for our world to be a better place, all children need to be loved and need to know that they are loved. My mother always made a point to tell me that of course she and my father loved me, but additionally she would always go through the list of other people who cared (ie, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc). I grew up knowing that these people loved me and were proud of me too. These people also had high expectations of me. Knowing this, helped me to succeed. I wanted to make these people proud. Children need this love, and they need to know that other people are committed to them and rely on them. Of course children fail - we all do. Despite the failures, its easier to get back up again when one knows others are counting on them and believe in them. There can never be too many people cheering for a child. Whether it be your children, your friends', neighbors, family members' or neighbors' children, make all children know that they really matter. I think this would make our world a better place - they are our future.

Because you asked

2008-06-04T20:38:00.004-04:00

Not the best pictures, but they're all I could muster!You can just barely see my shoe, but trust me they were dazzling! lolJohn was a good sport regarding this shirt. I really like it though!

Forget the little black dress...

2008-06-01T20:47:00.006-04:00

its really all about the shoes! The shiny red shoes, that is. Upon my sister's coaxing the other day, I went shopping with her. While I had no intentions of buying anything, that notion quickly went out the window. It usually does, and thus I don't shop very often.

I bought the cutest outfit, which I wore to a party last night. The highlight of the outfit was, of course, the shiny red shoes. I have been told that there's nothing like wearing red shoes. Until last night, I did not know this first-hand. Alas, I have now experienced the "high" which they bring. If you've never tried them, I recommend purchasing a pair. They need not be expensive - mine weren't.

They say the 30's are like the 20's, the 40's are like the 30's and well forget that "little black dress" -now it's all about those sparkly red shoes!!! (The red necklace, earings and purse were great too, but let's just say I borrowed those items. It sounds better, right?) LOL

Built tough....

2008-05-30T21:50:00.004-04:00

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

2008-05-29T21:42:00.003-04:00

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

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

Best Buds

2008-05-28T13:43:00.005-04:00

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....

2008-05-27T18:15:00.004-04:00

fly a kite!

Sunday was the Kite Festival at the beach

across the street from our house.

It was a gorgeous day!

My guys....

2008-05-25T22:28:00.000-04:00

Irish guys!

2008-05-24T21:46:00.003-04:00

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....

2008-05-19T21:27:00.006-04:00

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.....

2008-05-18T10:28:00.009-04:00

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

Get the party started....

2008-05-17T10:20:00.003-04:00

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....

2008-05-16T17:51:00.002-04:00

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

Lilies for a Day and Thank you....

2008-05-13T16:58:00.008-04:00

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....

2008-05-12T21:47:00.006-04:00

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.....

2008-05-09T21:39:00.003-04:00

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.....

2008-05-08T09:53:00.003-04:00

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

2008-05-04T16:09:00.005-04:00

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....

2008-05-03T14:43:00.005-04:00

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!

Two little Marines....

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I can't forget two more little party goers who were

also decked out in camouflage for the birthday bash!

Semper fi.....

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Despite the rain, the party was a success.

The lunch menu was pizza and corn dogs. Could it get any better?

Party attire was camouflage, as was the cake.

The boys learned real first aid tips and rescue techniques.

The bandage up the soldier game was a hit -

toilet paper was the bandages!

While my prayers for sun weren't answered,

the ones for a fun time were!

Yes - it was a fun time for all.

As fun as it can be with a house full of ten boys, that is!!!!