We're back!! Now when do I get a vacation???

Disney World was according to my children "awesome", which means I have done my job well. :) Brian and I on the other hand are exhausted. So I am now wondering....when do I get a vacation???? I know, I know, when I retire....right?? Even if I'm wrong, let me live in ignorance for the next 22 odd years until I get there. :)


Pictures speak a thousand words, and if I haven't made it clear already, I am tired...so here in a picture fest is our vacation... :)


Ricky showing how happy he is to be at Disney World...

Help! A shark ate my boys!!

Matthew staring as Sleeping Beauty's prince!! (What a cute couple!)Noah preparing for Driver's Ed...(according to him, he is an excellent driver)

Light Weights!!! (Ha!)

Quality Dad time...except for Ricky...too busy trying to catch lizards..... Mama's boys...yes I am aware that I have several chins...did I mention I'm thinking of starting weight watchers soon??

The whole family (minus the girls)....at Hollywood Studios....

My girls....at home...not at Disney World....

Don't you just love hand me down clothes? My girls were soooo happy to get a bag full from cousin Bella! Ruby couldn't wait to put on some new duds, and ALL of the baggy full of "pretties" in her hair!

That's all for now, I'll post more Disney pics as I unwind and get the time.

God is good. All the time.

And the Winner is...!!!

I guess in blogland I would be considered a blog loser. I do not have people begging me to post helpful hints, or bits of witticism. I'm thinking it may this way since I have no helpful hints, and am not nearly as witty as I would like to think. My blog is basically just bits and pieces of my crazy life, and the occasional rant. Even my enticing offer of a Webkinz could not convince a very long list of comment leavers. However, to be true to my word...we had a drawing here!




First we wrote down the names of the lucky comment leavers....
Then we folded them and threw them into a bowl... Next I asked Matthew to put the bowl on his head...

Matthew was confused...so Ricky filled inAnd pulled out the lucky winner of a new white mouse lil' kinz!!!

Yea Heather! I'll get that little white mouse out to you at our next 1/2 friend/sisterly sis convention!

Thank you for your lovely comments!!!

God is good. All the time.

Happy Birthday Ricky!

It's hard to believe the my once tiny ten pound eight ounce baby boy is now a baseball slingin' football playing, grown up steak eatin' seven year old. We had a Chuck E. Cheese party for friends on Sunday, and today we went to the sprinkler park in Canton, and out to dinner. Ricky picked Lone Star...and insisted on ordering a "grown up" steak. He ate it ALL and his salad, and his potato...maybe football isn't such a good idea after all!

In honor of his birthday, here are the top seven things I love about Ricky...

1. His beautiful blue eyes.

2. His tender heart.

3. His laugh.

4. His ability to make friends wherever he goes.

5. He is so very smart!

6. The way he still plays with his hair when he's tired.

7. The fact that he is still my snuggle bug...as long as his friends aren't looking!

I could go on and on, but the fact of the matter is that I think that I am one of the luckiest moms in the world to be blessed with such a wonderful son.

Happy birthday kiddo!!

Beware of Barbers that wear Clip On Ties with Tank Tops...

He may look innocent enough...and the price may be right, but he tends to take off waaaayyyyy too much hair in the front. Just ask his latest client...

It's not all his fault that Ruby is sporting a new chin length bob with bangs (if you look really closely at the few hairs left in that general vicinity) Matthew found Ruby trying to cut her own hair...so he helped her so she wouldn't "mess it up and look weird".

Thank goodness for Cookie Cutters salon.

We're adjusting.

God is good. All the time.

No We're Not Starting a Nudist Colony...and the 50th post!!

Well...here we are, the 50th post! Any commenters will be entered into a drawing for a WEBKINZ! I'm not sure which one, I'll have to check my stash, but it will be new, with unused tags!

I wanted to dedicate this post to my Noah since he is usually absent from the photos, but we've been doing so much I feel the need to talk about everyone...but here is my "football star" as he calls himself!

Look out Notre Dame....Noah started football practice this week! Much to his very over protective worry wart mother's chagrin, HE LOVES IT! He is working out like a champion, trying to eat a healthier, more sport oriented diet, and even more importantly, bonding with his dad. Brian is VERY proud of how well Noah is doing. I am also very proud of my son. I can't believe the amount of running and exercising the boys have been doing. The coaches are like drill sergeants complete with "yes sir" after every question, and Noah is taking it all in stride. He is not very naturally athletically talented, but his heart is in the right place! I never thought I would see him doing the things he has done this week. I will never again underestimate that kid!!

Ricky also started football this week, although his first practice was today. I had to leave early as he was crying and begging me to take him with me. That boy who IS very athletically inclined does not like to do anything that isn't easy for him. He's also a little tender hearted, although when he's tearing through the house a mile a minute it's easy to forget that fact. Football will be good for him in other ways, and it's nice to give Noah the upper hand for once. He is usually in his brother's shadow in sports. This time, Noah is the one who's got it together. Yea Noah!

I've succeeded in potty training the girls for the most part. They wear underwear now, but the problem being, they prefer being naked. Thus the title! Here's Clara at the beach! And Ruby in the front yard... My neighbor asked me the other day if we had joined a Nudist Colony. (He was teasing!) I told him that we hadn't yet, as if we did, I would be naked too, and it's tough to sell houses in this neighborhood right now! I also told the poor guy that this was what he had to look forward to! He's a new daddy himself!

We just got back from a lovely kid filled visit with my bff Missy. The kids had a GREAT time and really didn't want to leave. Missy and I pretty much just hung out and enjoyed each other's company. Meems also whipped up a couple of dressed for the girls which they LOVE. Haven't been able to get them out of them since we got home! I did manage to wash them last night, but they put them right back on again this morning! Here are some pictures from my "vacation



Ricky's birthday party is this Sunday. Hard to believe he is turning seven already. After that, we'll be getting ready for our "real" vacation, which the boys still believe is to New Jersey. Tee hee!

Little voices are calling from upstairs (I'm pretty sure they're not in my head!)

Don't forget to leave a comment to win yourself a Webkinz!!

God is good. All the time.

Getting Close to 50....

I am getting dangerously close to my 50th post, which I guess in blog land means you are supposed to have some type of drawing and lovely hand made prize for a lucky commenter. I am not near so craftily talented as my friends, so I am quite thankful that most times the only person who comments is my sister. I can exclude her from winning since she is related to me. As for the rest of my commenters (few as they are) I don't think any of them are in need of anything produced by my hands! Besides...I need a new needle in my sewing machine.

Maybe I'll do a drawing for a Webkinz...who knows???

We had a lovely 4th, spending the afternoon and evening with dear friends and family. The boys were really disappointed about the cancellation of the Ford Lake fireworks, so Brian tried to make it up to them by buying as many fireworks as he could at Walmart. Truth be told, I think the dads had more fun with the fireworks than the kids...what do you think??

Here are Maurice, Brian and Donny trying to light as many fireworks as possible simultaneously in order to put on a big show for "the kids".

My sister let Bella attempt to spend the night. She had a blast (even though she didn't officially sleep over) and fit right in with our wild children.
Here's another shot of the gang
Although it may appear that Bella is in the process of being ignited, I can assure you dear sister that she was safely on the lawn...she was going back to her assigned spot as I snapped this picture!

Bella rejoined us on the 5th (bright and early I might add) for some swimming fun with the cousins. Yes, I know her swimsuit is on backwards, and so did she, but she thought it was "just fine". Who am I to argue?? My kids are usually naked!
Here's Clara in her new "cheese" pose. If I tell her to say "cheese" she holds her hands out like that. I'm hoping it's just a phase. Although to look on the bright side, at least she's holding still! Here's Ruby...or trouble as she should have been named. (Notice the hose in her hand!!) You know what they say about the baby of the family...

I've started to worry about the absence of Noah in my pictures. Being the oldest, he is always doing his own thing...I think I may have to dedicate my 50th post to just him. :)

Check back soon for more pics and the details of Bella's birthday party.

God is good. All the time.

Summer Lovin'....

Not like the kind of lovin' from Grease...I mean we are lovin' summer, but that title may not have had the same type of power to make you want to read more. (Always the teacher...)

We are enjoying summer! I have been professionally developed, and now am a certifiable advanced CFG coach. If you don't know what that means, don't feel bad...I'm not always completely certain either! :) I do know I spent a couple of days networking with colleagues in other buildings discussing ways to raise student achievement, which is of course a passion of mine.

I am also being allowed to sleep in until 7:30ish, with some good snuggle time after the peeling open of eyelids. I am usually awakened by a small voice asking "Do I dot skoo doday" or..."Do I dot baseball doday?"(Matthew) or "Mama...what doin?" (Ruby) or a much louder, bossier voice saying "Wate up Mama!" followed by an ear piercing repeat of "Wate up!!!!!" I'll have to leave you to guess who wakes me up in that fashion. :)

Of course summer means staying up late, which means I feel no more refreshed than usual, but the relaxed pace of summer makes things so much more bearable.

Our favorite summer thing to do is to get ice cream! (Thus explaining my waist line....) Here's Clara being told, "Find your shoes, so we can go get some ice cream"

Here's the crew enjoying ice cream...

And perhaps my favorite picture so far this summer....my Ruby showing us all that life is meant to be enjoyed. (Notice she has not one but TWO ice cream cones in her hands!) Either that or she is teaching us the life lesson of "Don't set your ice cream cone down if you don't want your sister to eat it..." Either way, I still love this picture!

God is good. All the time.