a lesson learned

You know the big sticker warning you to keep zhu zhu pets away from hair? Take it seriously...very seriously!


I'm so glad it was Strawberry Shortcake's hair I was cutting and not my daughter's.

just for you Donna...now stop complaining :)

I don't need much encouragement to share photos, do I? Donna, these smiling faces are just for you. :)


Sam's bottle person (Tom Brady for any Non New England Patriots fans) He had to make one to accompany a biography he wrote of Tom Brady. He completed everything himself from planning to execution (except for cutting out the shirt and hot gluing the football). He deserved the 100% he received for this project.


Katie smiling her gap toothed grin over her new headband and bows made for her by our friend Liz. Thanks Liz!

super best friends

Wondergirl and Cheerleading Girl saving the world from bad guys, beasties and boogiemen one giggle at a time. Daisy is sleepily playing the part of the cute animal sidekick because every superheroine needs a cute animal sidekick.

Teresa's First Communion

I know I complained just last week how this girl drives me to drink. (Well, they all drive me to drink.) But here she is looking all holy and innocent in her beautiful white dress and sweet face. Even though she can turn me into a screaming meanie with a roll of those big brown eyes, I watched her make her First Holy Communion with so much pride and joy. She and I differed on how to wear her hair and she insisted on clasping her hands when I wanted her to put them together as if she were praying but you know, all that didn't matter. In the end, I watched her through teary eyes walk up to our priest and take Communion for the very first time. As an aside, when she tasted the wine at practice, she came back to me and said, quite loudly, "That was GOOD!" Oh boy...her teen years are going to be so much fun.

I found out after the Mass she was chosen to be partner to a boy in her class who has some special needs. Her teachers told me they specifically chose her because of her kindness to all the children and this boy in particular. They chose her because she takes his differences in stride and while making considerations for those differences still treats him like any other child. My heart nearly burst with love and pride for this girl. She may test me and my patience as often as she can, but like all the discussion (and that's putting it nicely) over her hair and her hands, it doesn't matter. She is a good person through and through and out in the world she quietly goes about demonstrating kindness and love and in the end, that's what's really important.

Mudge and his blankie

This dog is quite a character. He has more personality than an entire litter of puppies. Which can make him a handful more often than not. But it also ensures that you fall in love with him and his antics just when you think you're ready to lose it.

When we first brought the puppies home we'd spread an old blanket on the floor in the hopes that they would prefer that over the couch. I was NOT budging on the "no dogs on the couch" rule. Absolutely not even one little inch. Yeah, that lasted about 30 seconds. However, they did really seem to like that old blanket. We continue to put it on the floor and they often wrestle on it and sometimes, if the couch is full, will curl up and take a nap on it. I began putting it in their crate with them at night. Now, each morning I get up and let them out of the crate and out into the backyard. Ten minutes later they're at the door whining to come in. A lot like the kids do actually. As soon as I let them in, Mudge runs over to the crate and drags that old blanket out and pulls it into the living room. He especially, is in LOVE with that old blanket.


He likes to lay on top of it and nuzzle into the folds and creases as if he's looking for small animals. He gets quite vicious and winds up biting the blanket and rolling around until he's all tangled up and has strands hanging from his mouth.



And then, when he's exhausted himself hunting down all the small characters hiding out in his blankie and he is wrapped from nose to tail, he'll snuggle down and go to sleep.

I wish she came with a manual

Of my three children, it is Teresa that frustrates me the most. Don't get me wrong. She is glorious and shines with a light that makes my heart sing. Just to see her is a delight I never thought possible. But she is opinionated and stubborn and very strong willed and passionate. She must have the last word on everything and she is constantly comparing her portion of everything; food, drink, toys, attention, with that of her siblings. You would think Sam would be the most difficult, given all his challenges, but he isn't. Overall, I find myself seething over something Teresa has done or is saying or how she is acting. This gives me no end of guilt. I don't want her to look back and think that all we did was fight and butt heads. I don't want her to think I loved her any less than her siblings just because she's got more uumph and gumption and has to argue every little detail. I'm proud that she doesn't follow the group but does her own thing when she wants to because she wants to. I want her to remember the times she made me laugh in surprise at her jokes. I want her to think back and cherish the times we spent scrapbooking, talking and singing together. I want her to know that I celebrate the person she is every time I think of her. I hope I can parent her so as to nurture all of who she is without squashing any of who she is. Does that make any sense? I love her passion and opinions. It's such a fine line to walk. She needs to learn respect, but she is also entitled to speak her mind. She should learn to be fair and considerate, but understand that things won't always go her way. I do not want her to bend to the will of anyone, but there are times when she's going to need to be flexible. I look into those cinnamon colored eyes when I'm angry with her behavior and see through the steel into the sweet sweet core of her and wonder...how do I do this?

a conversation between friends

Mudge: Hey there! Hi there! I think there's room for two...budge over, will you?

HRH Benjamin Baadaabooty: GO AWAY!


HRH Benjamin Baadaabooty: Stop chewing on his Royal Majesty!!!

Mudge: I am NOT chewing on you. I'm just sniffing and nibbling to see if there is anything under all that fur. But I am NOT chewing!

HRH Benjamin Baadaabooty: Stop slobbering all over my perfectly groomed self and just GO AWAY!


Mudge: What was that you said? I didn't catch it. Listen, you're not all that big. I'm feeling a little cramped. Do you think you could please move over just a smidge?

HRH Benjamin Baadaabooty: mmmpppppfffpfpfpfpppppfpffffff!!!


Mudge: Ahhh yes. That's much better. You comfy too?

HRH Benjamin Baadaabooty: Hardly.

bloggography challenge focus

I have had many a potentially perfect picture ruined because it's blurry or the camera focused not on my subject but on something behind them. Lolli gave some great tips on how to keep the focus on your subject in the tutorial this past week. The challenge was to use the tips to lock in focus and there was the added challenge to make sure the eyes are the most important feature in the photo. As I mentioned in a previous post the last couple weeks have been super crazy busy and I haven't had the time I'd like to play around with my camera. So not fair. But I did spend a few minutes one sunny afternoon taking some photos of Mudge snuggling into his blankie. Yes, my puppy has a blankie.


I wish I had more opportunity to work on this challenge and had more photos to choose from but, that's life I guess. Check out the other amazing photos at Manic Mother and Better in Bulk.

I have excuses

I've been slacking here on the blog. I'm not one of those Mommy bloggers who can successfully juggle blogging and all of life's demands very well. Every once in a while life gets so crazy, somethings gotta give. And I'm so sorry, but the blog is the least likely to complain if I ignore it for a bit. Just a few of the things I've been busy with the last week or two.

Pinecones, pinecones and more pinecones. I started picking/raking up these stupid things a month ago and I haven't made a dent. My entire backyard is carpeted with them. Joe finally hit upon the perfect scheme and pays the kids five cents a cone. I think we owe them each about $1000.


Baseball (and softball but no photos yet...sorry Teresa!) We're at the fields at least three evenings and one weekend day a week.

Preschool screening (sob, sob, sob)

Learning how to put buns in squirming little girl's hair.


The constant never ending all consuming picking up. This here mess was generated in about fifteen minutes and required twice that amount of time to put away. This just seems to defy the laws of physics.

The daycare kids...love them dearly


Laundry...hate it from the depth of my soul


Don't try to hide Sir Benjamin Baadaabooty. Your shedding fur means the vacuum and I get to spend LOTS of quality time together.

The Elementary Art Show



Dance pictures, dress rehearsal and recital...oh my Lord, but those two girls have stage presence galore!


And we can't forget about these two crazy characters...they're a job and a half all by themselves. Which is why I've been busy reading....



Ummm...don't ask me how it's going with the training yet...jury's still out.


I also picked up a new hobby. Knitting! I have no idea what I'm doing and it's taken me about 3 months to make that knobby, mess of something there. Don't ask me what it's supposed to be. I have no idea. I'm just knitting.

I've been busy crafting a gift for my beautiful baby niece for her Baptism too. (Carol! Don't look!)

So as you see, I'm not neglecting you on purpose or because I've lost interest. I promise to post more regularly soon...I do! If only I were one of those super organized Mom's who can do it all. You know the ones. I secretly think they actually don't exist. They may look all put together but if you peeked in their windows I'll bet you'd find the beds unmade and the laundry piled high. That's what I tell myself to make myself feel better. Don't disillusion me.