Ya gotta check this out....

My hubby started a new blog! It's a blog for parents that shares stories, reviews and fun activities to do with your kids. The catch is...it's ALL written by dads! How cool is that?

Here it is! Go check it out!

Our Future Philadelphia Eagle

I can't believe that I even wrote that. I never imagined that either of my boys would ever play football. There are so many other sports and activities that don't include that same type of physical contact. I know I sound like such a sissy, but I cringe at the idea of someone tackling my babies. And then to think about the possible injuries...ugh! Again, I can imagine what you're probably thinking at this point. Luckily, my wonderful husband is a bit more sensible than me when it comes to things like this and I would truly never want to hold my kids back from something that they want to do.

Anyway, it's so funny how AJ has recently taken to football. He loves watching football with daddy and throughout the game, he runs over to our big screen TV, points at it and says "fooba". It's so cute! He also runs around the house playing with his football. I am pretty impressed with his ability to catch the ball.

I guess we have a few years before I have to worry too much, right?

...and Daddy got mad!!!

When I went to pick up Michael from preschool today, I was told that he had been telling stories about daddy. Apparently, during snack time he started telling everyone in the classroom about our dinnertime experience from last night and they all found it to be quite amusing. I decided to "quiz" him on the way home to see exactly what it was that he told everyone. This is the version I heard:

"Daddy got mad at AJ. AJ not eat dinner and daddy talk loud. Daddy say - You eat dinner, AJ! AJ not eat. AJ get down. AJ no like hot dog. Daddy frown at AJ. He not happy. AJ not good boy."

I guess you probably get the gist of the story. He was pretty accurate. As you can see in the picture above, he even demonstrated how daddy frowned at AJ. I couldn't contain my laughter.

AJ was always a very good eater, but has now decided that he will only eat his favorites (of which are very few) and doesn't particularly want to try out new foods. Breakfast (oatmeal and applesauce) is always easy, but lunchtime and dinnertime are becoming a real challenge. It can be very frustrating for Frank and I, but obviously Michael finds the whole experience to be very entertaining.

My baby has finally taken up reading!

It's funny to observe how different Michael and AJ really are. Michael is all about calm and quiet, often preferring to observe what's going on around him. He enjoys reading, watching Mickey Mouse Club House, playing with Play-Doh, playing with his train table and building with blocks.

AJ, on the other hand, wants to be doing some of what Michael is doing but in a noisy, physical way. He loves the train table, but instead of standing next to it like Michael, he prefers to crawl onto the table itself and sit right in the middle of the tracks. He also loves blocks...or at least the dumping out of them. Once they're all over the floor, then he's pretty much done with that activity. AJ also loves to watch Baby Einstein - Baby MacDonald being his current favorite! But, instead of quietly sitting in his chair, he climbs onto his little rocker and tries to tip it over. This child is fearless and an accident waiting to happen! I have come to realize that this is the one who we will be taking to the emergency room for broken bones, stitches, etc.

I can't believe it, but AJ is now starting to have an appreciation for reading! Can you tell how thrilled I am? He definitely doesn't have the attention span that Michael had at his age, but he is able to finally sit still long enough for me to read one of his favorite Touch and Feel books...and sometimes more than once!

Below are a few pics of AJ reading. Notice the various positions. Ya, that was all in less than 5 minutes.

Christmas

We had such a wonderful Christmas. It’s times like this that remind me how truly blessed I am.

Frank was gone from about noon til 9pm, so I started a few new traditions with the boys. Here are a few highlights from our evening:

- We went to the Christmas Eve Service at CCV. It was awesome, as usual. They’re always so creative and unique.

- We picked up dinner from Sonic on the way home from church. This was a special request from Michael. He LOVES their corn dogs and apple juice slushies!

- We watched Santa’s movements on Noradsanta.org and then tried to find him in the sky. As I was loading the kids up to go to church, Michael stood by the truck with his hands on his hips, looking up at the sky. He was so disappointed when he told me, “Mommy, I NOT see Santa!” I explained to him that he was still in China, but would be getting to our house later that night.

- We read the Christmas story, then watched Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. (Ya gotta appreciate those classics!)

- We prepared cookies and milk for Santa. Michael loved doing this.

- We made Jesus’ Birthday cake (angel food cake). Considering that this is a dairy-free cake, AJ was able to enjoy it with us.

- Frank and I enjoyed some special quiet time together once the kids were in bed. We sat by the Christmas tree and opened up our presents. What a perfect ending to a special day!

Michael got up early with Michael on Christmas morning. As soon as Michael got downstairs, he immediately went in search of the cookies he left for Santa. He couldn’t wait to tell Daddy that they were gone. Santa ate all the cookies and drank all the milk too! I love this age – filled with enthusiasm and still so much innocence.

AJ has been sleeping in lately (till around 9:30 or 10:00), so we waited until he was up and fed, then we let the kids open their presents. They had so much fun. Our families spoil these kids. What can I say…I guess it’s one of the perks of being the only grandchildren on both sides of the family.

The rest of the day was very quiet. I’m starting to get used to the quiet holidays now. Growing up, I was usually surrounded by my sister, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and great grandparents for the holidays. It was a lot of people, but always fun. It’s interesting to think how differently it will be for our boys. In some ways, I really miss being with all my family, but at the same time, I kind of enjoy the quiet, peaceful traditions that we have begun here. Without all the hustle and bustle, it makes it easier to appreciate and remember the true meaning of Christmas. I want that to always be the most important part of the holiday season for the boys. Who knows...maybe some day my family will be here for the holiday and we can all share in our new traditions together! :-)

I hope you and your families all had a wonderful Christmas!


Here are some pics from our holiday:

Michael showing me his favorite Christmas ornament.














Michael decorating the Christmas tree.
















AJ showing me the hanging kitty ornament.












My favorite present of all...a gift from Michael that he made in preschool!


















The boys-not wanting their picture taken.




















My favorite ornament- another special preschool project of Michael's.

















AJ unpacking the boxes of presents from MT...






















...and putting them under the tree.



















My other elf placing more presents under the tree.



















Michael sitting next to the cookies and milk we prepared for Santa.

Say Cheese!

This morning, I was in the living room changing the baby when Michael came downstairs. He was hiding around the corner and suddenly sprung out at me and said "Say Cheese!" while snapping pictures.

I couldn't stop laughing. He got this awesome waterproof digital camera from his Auntie Lori and Uncle Jim and absolutely LOVES it! He goes around the house taking pics of everything...and I do mean everything (i.e. me, Frank, AJ, toys, the cat, the table and the list goes on). It's such a great camera and so easy to use. He knows how to take pics, review them and delete the ones he doesn't like. You can save up to 50 pics on the camera.

To get the full effect, I guess it might be something you kinda have to see for yourself, but trust me...it's very funny when he tells the kitchen table to "Say Cheese!"

Still alive and kicking...

I'm sure that most of you are shocked, but I am still alive and kicking - just not bloggin'!

I do have some pretty good excuses though. First, I was busy working, then our computer crashed due to an awful virus (that I accidentally downloaded from Facebook). The clincher is that I used to NEVER download anything for this very reason AND I am not even that into facebook. Bummer for me, but mostly the hubby. He was so amazing in fixing this for me. It took him many, many hours and days to get rid of this virus. After trying everything (and keep in mind, he's really good with electronics), he had to wipe out EVERYTHING and reload all our files, programs, applications, etc. He also went out and bought an external hardrive for my pictures. It's 1 TB in size - which he tells me will last for the rest of my life. So, anyway, it looks like I am back in business. I was in the process of trying to download some pics from Halloween when our virus starting acting up. So, I might still put some out there.

I have to also share a conversation that I had with Michael this morning as he was getting ready for daddy to take him to school. It went like this:

Michael - "Where's daddy going?"

Me - "He's going out to pull the car up for ya."

Michael - "Daddy no do that."

Me - "Why?"

Michael - "Car too big for daddy pull." (While he's saying this he is motioning as if he's pulling his wagon.)

Me - "Oh, you're right. I meant that he's driving it up to get ya."

Michael - "Up?" (As he's pointing up...)

Me - "No, I guess that doesn't make sense either. He is driving the car over to us." (I then grabbed him and his bags, quickly brought him downstairs and passed him off to Frank as I was laughing.)

I guess having kids really makes you think about what you say. They take everything so literally.

Sometimes it makes me wonder...am I really qualified for this parenting thing?

Not again....

Yup. Unfortunately, Michael is sick again. The poor thing is on SIX meds per day and is to be getting meds via nebulizer three times a day. My poor baby. I hate giving him Albuterol because it really affects his personality. He goes from a normal angelic state to completely out of control. After just two doses yesterday, he started throwing toys and pushing his little brother around. He would just go right up to AJ, look at him and push until he fell down. AJ would then throw a temper tantrum out of frustration - kicking and screaming while trying to find Michael so he could bite him. Michael would then start crying because AJ was going after him like a shark. Eventually, we'd get them both calmed down and put Michael in a timeout (which normally works great for him, but not yesterday). This happened over and over and over again. Luckily, Frank was off yesterday. I'm sure the poor guy couldn't wait to get to work today! Hope Michael gets better soon so I can get him off of these awful meds - for both his sake and mine!

Happy Monday!

I don't know.

It's been one of those days...

The house looks like a tornado hit it, the boys were fighting all morning and I'm just exhausted from Michael getting up at least once (if not three times) EVERY night.

So, I decided to get them out of the house today - especially since it's so beautiful (64 degrees!) We went on a simple shopping trip to Walmart (which we haven't been to in months) to see if we could find some jammies for AJ and to get some baskets for a project for work (which I am not allowed to talk about or name online). Anyway, we didn't find any pajamas I liked, but we did find some cute (most importantly - inexpensive!) baskets that will work perfectly. The boys were so pleased just to be out and about.

On the way home, I decided to grab some fast food for Michael and I so that I could feed them quickly and then get them down for a nap. Oh, I'm so looking forward to a few minutes of quiet mommy time this afternoon! I absolutely adore my boys, but I do have these type of days once in a while. Anyway, I pulled into Wendy's to grab a hamburger and fries for us. As soon as we turned in Michael said, "Wendy's!" I didn't think he would know that - it's not like I go there that often. I know he's a very smart boy, but obviously I don't give him nearly enough credit. It's probably because of the fact that, until recently, he wasn't very verbal. In the last month, he has had such a burst in his overall speech. It's been an amazing thing to see. God's really done incredible things with this little boy. His largest delay was speech and he's finally making some huge progress now!

So, we got home with our food and I was sitting there in between the boys at the table feeding AJ and talking with Michael as he was eating his hamburger and fries. I asked him if he liked it and he said, "M-hm." I then asked him if he preferred McDonald's or Chic-Fil-A. He thought about it for a few minutes and then looked at me and said, "I don't know." I couldn't believe my ears. I know this doesn't sound like a big deal at all, but for anyone who knows Michael and what we've been through - this is a huge thing. He has NEVER said that before. Obviously, he's now starting to talk in full sentences! Yae!!!!!

I really needed something exciting like that, especially on a day like today.

Apple Picking

Last weekend we went to Highland Orchard to do some apple picking. This has been a tradition of ours since we moved out here almost ten years ago. We always go to the same location - Highland Orchard. It's a great place with lots of stuff to do - especially for the kids. They have a cute little playground, some goats (which we ALWAYS have to feed), a wonderful little store (with a great bakery!) and a deli. They drive you out to whatever orchard you want, based on the type of fruits you want to pick. We usually have some of our friends go with us. This year, our friends John and Cyndy (along with their daughter Ashleigh) and Mandy joined us.

The kids had so much fun feeding the goats. We then let them play on the playground for a few minutes before heading out to the orchards. The kids were such big helpers and had a blast! They all LOVED the apples - even AJ (who had never tried biting into a whole apple before). It was an absolutely perfect day to be outside. This is my favorite time of the year! The weather was gorgeous and the leaves were just starting to change color, making the valley a breathtaking sight.

We packed our apples up and headed out to catch a ride back to the store so we could get a few specialty items. Their apple cider donuts were unbelievable! I wish I had gotten more - one was not nearly enough. After we finished shopping, we stopped at Ludwig's Corner to buy some mums, hay, and pumpkins to decorate the entrance of our houses. Last, we headed to Isaac's for some lunch.

By the time we got home, the boys were exhausted. I put them to bed and started working on the apples (with my handy dandy apple/peeler/corer). It took a few hours, but I got them all peeled, cored and cut up. I made a pan of apple crisp and froze the rest. It's so nice to be able to make fresh apple desserts during the wintertime. It was such a fun day!

Older Parents, Younger Children

I have to admit that I am addicted to reading blogs. I don't feel bad about this since it was actually my husband who got me started (and he's MUCH worse than I am). So that makes it ok, right? Anyway, I usually try to read new ones and I came upon this one today. I couldn't help but laugh as I was reading this since Frank and I didn't start having children until we were in our 30's, whereas our parents were much younger when they had us. Below is an excerpt from the post. You can go here to see it in its entirety.

I’m not making fun of you 40-something parents, believe me. I’m one of you. I feel your pain…literally. It’s usually in my back, but sometimes I feel a little tightness in my hamstrings and pectorals. Sure, we could take drastic measures and consider something like getting into shape, but who has the time? If these kids aren’t getting us into shape, a whole year with Richard Simmons isn’t going to help.

That’s why I’ve developed a series of energy-saving activities that will allow you to make it through a day without first aid treatment, while still providing your children with delightful fun and exercise. Feel free to replicate these in your own home. There’s no charge.

*Hide - You’ve probably played more than a few games of hide and seek in your time, but have you ever tried playing “Hide”? In this game, you volunteer to do the hiding, and your rambunctious little one has to “Seek.” There are at least a few places in your home where your child won’t look, and let’s face it…they aren’t that great at seeking. Take a magazine with you, don’t make a sound, and relax. I’ve been known to get fifteen-to-twenty minutes of resting time with this technique, and my kids love it. They think I have magical powers.

*Teeter - You’ve probably gone on the teeter-totter in the park with your kids, but have you ever used the device as it was intended to be used? Put the little one on one side, sit down on the other….and then don’t move. Your child will remain teetering in the air, unable to escape, for as long as you need to rest. Listen to them squeal with delight as they stare danger in the face and survive.

*Time trials - A stop watch costs a few bucks, but it’s worth every penny. When the kid’s energy level is making him or her bounce off the walls, it’s time to head outside and do time trials. Fix yourself a nice cool (or hot) drink, grab a chair, pick a starting line and you’re all set. The key to this game is insisting on a circular path. I always make the boys run around the house. The house always remains the same size, and they can chart the improvement in their times.(Note: If you don’t want to buy a stopwatch, you can always count the seconds out loud. This makes them run even faster—and tends to tire them out.)

*Big Helper - After chasing Junior around the house all day, household chores become even more chore-like. But wait! You’ll never have to fetch another thing as long as your “Big Helper” is in the house. Phrasing the request correctly is essential. I recommend the following: “Do you think you’re a big enough boy to go fetch the garbage can upstairs?” That usually works. If it doesn’t, don’t forget the stopwatch. “I bet you can’t get the garbage can upstairs and bring it down here in thirty seconds. Ready? Go!”

The funny thing is - Frank is great with the boys at this time, but I could TOTALLY see him doing some of these things as he gets a bit older! Sorry honey! :-)

Tacos, Tacos and More Tacos

Boy do I miss my tacos! Oddly enough, Montana has GREAT Mexican food. They have wonderful sit-down and fast food restaurants. It took us years before we found a good Mexican restaurant in Pennsylvania - Los Aztecas. Luckily, it's only about 10 minutes from our house. Every time we go back to Montana, I make sure to get my fill of tacos. This visit was no exception. I ate tacos at least once a day, sometimes twice a day. This is no exaggeration. I was loving my tacos!

Michael had never tried a taco until this vacation. I didn't think he'd like them, but figured we should have him try one since we were frequenting those restaurants so much. He ended up loving them. (I guess there is a little bit of me in him!) Forget McDonald's - he only wanted to go get tacos every time we went out to eat. I was right there with him. My family got a little tired of tacos EVERY day, but who can deny Michael?

When we got home after vacation, I brought the boys to Chic-Fil-A for lunch (my favorite fast food here) and asked Michael what he'd like. He looked up at me and said "Tacos!" I tried to explain to him that we can only get those good tacos in Montana, so he thought for a minute and smiled up at me and said, "Go see Papa and Grandma and get tacos!" If only we could.

Papa helping Michael with his first taco.

He became an expert dipper and loved his chips and salsa!

He also tried fried ice cream for the first time and gave it a thumbs up!

THREE and ONE!!!

Can you even believe that my babies are three and one? I can't! August was an emotional month for me.


















First, Michael turned three on August 5th. What a day for my big boy! This is one day that his doctors could not predict. I have been waiting for the day he would turn three - ever since his specialists told us that he may not make it to his third birthday. There is nothing more heartbreaking to a mother than to hear those words. It was absolutely devastating and yet I have always known that God has really special plans for my little boy. Even when science and medicine would indicate otherwise. He truly is our little miracle! I thank God for him every night when I tuck him in and feel so blessed that God chose me to be his mother.














Michael - 3 weeks old

















Michael - 1 year old

















Michael - 2 years old









Next, AJ turned one on August 31st. It was another emotional day for me - thinking that my baby was no longer a baby. When he was born, I was so happy. I now had my two sons and our family was complete. Because he was my second, I was no longer nervous and I could truly enjoy him from the very beginning. He's always been such a happy baby. He has a smile on his face whenever anyone looks at him. He has been a true joy for me this last year, but I am so sad to think that each one of his firsts is also one of my lasts.












AJ - 4 weeks old
















AJ - one year old









I am so thankful for both of my boys. They have brought us so much joy and we have learned so much from them. I try to enjoy every single minute with them - knowing that time goes by so quickly.

Thirteen Years!

I can't believe that Frank and I have been married for 13 years now! The time has gone by so fast. We've lived in many different locations (seven to be exact!), made incredible friends along the way, experienced some of the most amazing times and most important of all had two sons together.

I am so thankful for my wonderful husband. He is truly an amazing, Godly man. He is my rock and has always been there for me. We've had some of the most challenging experiences I could ever imagine in the last four years and he has supported me and the boys through every one of them. He is the best father ever and we are all three blessed to have him in our lives.

I love you!

Papa's Trucks

On the first visit out to my dad's house, he showed Michael some of his old childhood trucks. Michael immediately fell in love with them and couldn't wait for Papa to take them down from the shelf so that he could play with them. He had so much fun. I hadn't seen those trucks in years and I had forgotten how beautifully they were made. My dad had always taken excellent care of them when he was young and I can't believe the perfect condition considering that they are over 50 years old!

AJ could see how much fun Michael and Papa were having playing with the trucks, so he had to join in! He's a big boy now!

What a sweet sight - Papa and his grandsons!

Montana Vacation

It's been forever since my last blog. We went to Montana for two weeks to visit family and attend my dad's wedding (or actually participate in it I should say!)

We had a great time and the kids were amazing throughout the trip and during the LONG 10-hour travel days, but I don't think we'll be going on any more long trips in the near future.

I will post details and pics of our trip very soon. Unfortunately, I only have one picture at the moment. The rest are on Frank's laptop and we didn't take the time to download them last night when we got home.

Below is a picture of ATVs on the main highway in Great Falls, MT. Some of the locals are starting to drive these in order to save money in gas. What a strange site!




















I'll post again as soon as I get our pictures downloaded!

Sharing

I just don't get it....

My husband is a wonderful man, but ever since I've know him (almost 14 years now), he has always refused to share his food with me. When we were dating, I would ask for a bite of his donut and he would tell me no and that I should I get my own. At first, I thought he was kidding, then I realized that he was totally serious. No matter what he was eating, it was always that same response. Initially, I kept trying to talk him into sharing "just a little bite" with me, in hopes that I would succeed - not because I wanted it, but it was more to make a point. After this many years, I have just resigned myself to the fact that this is the way it will always be...or so I thought.

But then recently, my husband started sharing. No, it's not even with me...it's with our son! Every time one of us is eating something, our three year old comes begging. He loves to be a part of everything we do, including eating what we are eating (even if that means having two dinners!) I can't even believe how it is that I can't get anything out of Frank, but yet Michael can just look up at him, give him a little smile, simply ask for a bite and is immediately given whatever he wants. (Ok, I guess I have to admit - I really can't tell him no either. If you had those big browns looking up at you, you probably couldn't deny him!)

Anyway, it's really not a big deal. I just found it very interesting how kids bring a whole new dynamic to the relationship. I love my hubby and he does so many wonderful things for me that I can easily overlook his lack of sharing! :-)

The Shoes

A few weeks ago, a friend and I had gone shopping for shoes for an upcoming wedding that I will be participating in. We came home with two pair. I thought I would try them both on again and make a final decision as to which one I would keep and which one I would return. I had left them in the living room so that I wouldn't forget to make the return right away.

The following day, this is what I found....

I would hope that you would notice those aren't my legs. Mine may be hairy - but not THAT hairy! :-)

I thought I would keep the above individuals' identity a secret for now...I may need some appropriate blackmail material for later!

Sidenote - although I really liked both shoes, we opted for the white ones.

Hold on AJ!!!

I try to rotate the boys' toys regularly so that they don't get bored. I happened to bring this wagon upstairs a few weeks ago thinking that Michael would love to put stuff in it and push/pull it around. It didn't take long before I realized what the "stuff" would end up being. Sure enough...Michael soon told me that he wanted to put AJ inside and AJ was more than happy to comply. So, I figured that it wouldn't hurt, as long as I was there to supervise.

As you can see from the pics, both boys were thrilled with the new arrangement. That is - until AJ decided that he had enough and wanted to get out. Michael wasn't quite done with him yet! At that point, I had to save AJ (thus no pics).