We Will Meet Meet and Talk With Friends... Speak of Everything and Nothing...We WIll Laugh and Reminisce

I took a picture of this at Anthropologie, but the stock picture on the website did it much more justice. Loved it and immediately "got it", but decided to save the 15 bucks...maybe next time though. It reminded me of my last trip to Utica to see my dear friend Tara and her family. Precious times, really. And, as always, with old friends the conversation just flows. I love the "speak of everything and nothing"... those have always been our conversations. It's easy. Love it and miss it.


I love seeing this. I think she and I imagined it this way in high school...

Love these two...

The Beach

Last summer, we went to the Jersey Shore. We chose a more secluded beach to avoid fist pumping and cat fighting made famous on TV. I thought that since we were in that vicinity of the country, not going to the ocean was a bad move. Truth be told, we hated it. It was over 95 degrees. The sand burned our feet. The water was too scary for the kids. Adam's sensory quirks were not conducive at all to being covered with sand. There was little interest in building or digging in the sand. So, this year we were invited to Crystal Beach in Canada with a friend. I reluctantly agreed to go, secretly hoping that we'd wind up in her nice clean backyard pool.
Well, subtract 15 degrees, add a breeze, and a less threatening body of water, and we had a blast! Maybe we're beach people after all!

Swimming!

Snack time! Watch those birds! Everyone loves a beach nap
Castle O 'Vinkle


Lots of body burying...
Loving that water!

Forgot the camera, but had a great time.

We made the trek to The Poulsen's over my heavenly 2 week break.
I was impressed that we did not have to stop at all on the 3.5 hour long trip... (which in my opinion is 3.25 hours too far away).
We had fun... even after almost 3 years away our kids play great together and have a love for each other rarely found outside family. Pardon the cell phone pics!

The "big ones"


The "little ones"


It's Veggie Tales time!!

Exactly What I Needed

A few weeks ago I just had this feeling that I needed a friend. But, not just any friend... my "BFF" Tara. We must have been on the same wavelength because after a series of text messages (the preferred communication method between busy moms these days), or trip was planned. We got Adam all pumped to see his Selah Grace, and made the trek to Utica, NY for some relaxation. Now, mind you, relaxation is a different thing with 4 kids under 4 in one house, but we make the most of it! Let's just say that this was exactly what I needed. Several (many) cups of coffee, conversations that were (semi) able to be completed, seeing the kids play (fight), and some after-the-kids-were-in-bed reminiscing (bantering) about old times with Tara and her husband.... perfect (missed).

I also take this opportunity to give an excerpt of 3 year old conversation:
Selah: Adam, dance with me!
Adam: No thanks
Selah: Please Adam?
Adam: I no dance
Selah: But I'm a princess (lip quivering)
(both moms crack up)


So, here are some highlights... the camera got a little neglected this time.

I gave up getting them to "say cheese"

Seriously gorgeous. My future daughter-in-law (crossed fingers)

Adam attempts a smooch

Best Ever

Not to keep harping on the birthday thing, but I think it was the best ever! Due to the closeness of my birthday and Christmas, it's just one of those days that seems to come and go with the excitement of the holidays looming in everyone's minds (except my family). My mom always tried, and I can even remember that birthday in July pool party...
And, not that it's all about the gifts (who am I kidding), but I walked into work and my desk was covered in bags and wrapped packages from my work buddies. I had 3 cakes, an awesome surf and turf dinner out, and the following pictures speak for themselves...

Remember this post?
Awesome gift. Hours of mascara fun.


Soooo cute! I heart Purple Punch!


I won $25! Thanks Mikki! I never win anything so this was a treat!

And.... drumroll please....
My much anticipated Chamila bracelet becomes a reality!


Each bead has a special meaning.

From left to right: Green glass bead, from Paul and boys because they know I love green, Swirls from my cousin Marisa, it reminded her of something I would like, Beach ball for vacation fun, Brothers for my precious boys who love each other so much, Ladybug to remind me of how much the boys love ladybugs (and it's cute), a duplicate beach ball for more vacation fun (I will probably get a plum colored glass bead in its place), a cute as can be birthday bead, a daughter bead from my mom, a shopping bag from my sister, and a aqua glass bead from my sister that she knew I would love... cool huh?
Oh, and P.S- my party for the big 3-0 is Sunday, so I am sure I will have more to say then~

Sunday Sentiment

While I am not a professional photographer by any stretch of the imagination, every now and then I capture a lucky moment that melts me. Here is one I got the other day.
This is my best friends' son JJ and my son Adam.
JJ is very special to me.
Our two baby boys... neither a baby anymore but both of them are forever our first look/taste/smell of the joy and anticipation of motherhood... captured here as true boys.

Shout Outs

While sitting in the ever pleasant OB's office, I actually had time to sit and read a magazine article titled 6 Friends Every Mom Needs in August 2009's Parenting Magazine, one of the few parenting themed magazines I do not get in the mail. :


I immediately started thinking- do i have these? Who are they? Well, after some thought here you go! (oh, and pardon any lowercase "i's" you might come across, I have a sticky shift button and limited editing time).

The Mom in the Same Boat- This award goes out to my "BFF", of course- Tara. She's a mom of 3... and her two youngest are the same ages (one three months difference, one 6 days difference) as my boys. So, needless to say even from a distance we can not only usually finish my sentences, but they end in a unison "I KNOW!!" Some of this just comes from our 20 years of friendship (holy crap! we're getting old!), but seriously whether it's through texting, email, or talking... without her and what we share as moms and friends my life would not be the same! Honorable mention here, Nicole. She's a fantastic mom, one of the best listeners I know, and one of those people who as time flies by is now shifting into an old friend... I like that.
The No-Kids Pal I distinctly remember praying to the Lord when I was starting my job at Niagara Street School last year. I remember asking "please Lord, give me one friend in my boat. One who understands...etc, etc.". I guess I envisioned a 20- something mom chasing little ones at home, fighting the guilt complex and full time working mom exhaustion. Little did I know that God had Amanda in mind- a newlywed with no kids and no plans for them at the moment. With this new found friendship comes adult conversations that don't come round robin to whose kid poops more or who was up during the night. She has a cool car not jammed with car seats and kid junk, and I get invitations to massages and cool conferences out of town rather than play dates at Chuck-E-Cheese. But, more than anything she's a good friend who helps me connect on a level that does not involve the kids! P.S.- don't get my wrong, she loves my kids ( I mean c'mon... they are charmers), and I love Chuck-E-Cheese.
The Been-There, Done-That Mom- Amy, whose youngest is older than my oldest. She and her hubby Eric, are parents of 3 boys. They have been married over 10 years, and their two oldest are entering their pre-teen years. Often, when talking to Amy, I feel like she and Eric are like me and Paul, just 6 or 7 years ahead. When talking about my little ones, Amy will often empathize, remember, and relate to those toddler dilemmas I face daily. She also gives some pretty good previews on what to look forward to! Although we don't always get a chance to hang out, I always LOVE our conversations!
The I'll-Do-Anything-For-You Buddy How does that expression go... "a son is a son until he takes a wife, but a daughter is a daughter all her life"... Well, there you go. My mom takes the cake here. Need advice- ask mom, need a garage sale buddy- ask mom, need a sitter- ask mom, need taxes done- ask mom, need a great cup of coffee- mom again...and the list could go on and on... My mom loves my family like no one else does. Her love for my boys is second only to ours... Plus, she's a great friend- trustworthy, objective, and truthful.
The Slightly Glam Girlfriend- Top honors here got to my girl, Jill. Blonde, fearless, funny (and my dog loves her and has been known to even try to bust in on her in the shower). Jill who moves around the country to cool places, works at well known companies, travels north and south, and is just plain cool. In fact, she's about to move again soon, somewhere cool for sure....maybe Buffalo? And, I think slightly glam suits Jill... anyone who knows her will laugh right now... she's half glam, half Sunday football waving a Terrible Towel doing chest bumps with her hubby Steve.
The Brutally Honest Pal- sister and pal go hand in hand once you're past those brutal teen years. I can always count on both my sisters, Sarah and Eileen to tell me anything from if there is a booger in my nose or if my muffin top is obvious... and even more significant things such as if I was a little harsh or missed the mark somewhere in my usually impeccable social skills (lol). I can also throw out an honorable mention to my dear hubby here... with him I will never have the opportunity to leave the house in anything unflattering. He always tells me. And, and long as he keeps telling me when he thinks I look nice too, it will be more than appreciated.

I Heart Fall

Close you eyes and imagine... the taste of sweet cider and homemade chili, bright gold and radiant red leaves, carved pumpkins, crisp cool air... now if that does not make you smile, I don't know what will...


We took the annual trip to Becker Farm today and met up with some friends from church. It was a great time, and the perfect way to kick of the fall season!!

Zachary takes it all in...


Adam's apples (pun intended)


My world...


There are no words to describe that face!


My friends Amy and Melissa


Me and the boys


Z rides the pony


Adam's turn!


They were exhausted!

It's become a signature move for me. When I am out with the kids, and they get cranky I almost always have a nuk (paci, bink, boo-boo.. you know...) in my pocket ready to serve as the mute button for a meltdown. Sometimes two, or even three. You never know. I have recieved many knowing smiles from fellow moms, and appreciative looks of relief from those without children when this has happened.... I just pop it in and we're good to go...

So, Sunday as I headed off to my conference at Gaylord National Conference Center (a fun new area, take the trip!!), I was sure to clear out my pockets and head off for a grown up time. No nuks, diapers, goldfish crackers, or tantrums in sight.
The only thing missing was my husband... it would have been a nice romantic getaway, but it did not work out this year. The hotel is fabulous. Worth checking out. Just a hop, skip, and jump from DC, Alexandria (which I fell in love with), and Baltimore. Nice area. All new. Smells good. Not at all like Niagara Falls, where wiffs of chicken wings or garbage are the primary outdoor odors.
Oh, and yes... there was a purpose for the trip. I did attend a conference. It was through the U.S. Department of Education Safe and Drug Free Schools focused on school safety,, gangs, cyberbullying and more... very valuable...

My friend and co-worker Amanda also attended, and we had a blast on our "off" time!

A clear day to fly
The cool lobby, set up to look like a colonial street

My room... too bad I didn't have my hubby there to share it!

View of the harbor from the hotel

Me and Amanda

A darling view of Old Town Alexandria

The doors of the courthouse

Some fun sculpture at National Harbor
Up close~

Swarovski Cats! Fun!

The Kite Runner in Review

Lately I have struggled with things to write about. While my life is not boring, it does tend to get repetitive. Fortunately, this is just fine by me.

So, anyway, my goal of reading more this year is off to a slow start. But, I did recently finish The Kite Runner by Khalad Hosseni. What a neat book. Certainly not your "feel good" Nicolas Sparks type book, but an eye opener. One that makes you think- about relationships, about the easy life we have here in our luxury life of freedom and safety, even with the hardships of economy and daily life.

In the book, there are two boys... one a poor servant boy (Hassan)and the other the "servee", a rich and more fortunate child (Amir). Hassan and Amir are playmates, like brothers- one living in the main mansion, the other in the servant house. But, due to the cultural differences Amir is always above Hassan. Hassan is highly loyal to Amir, and a gentle spirit, unconditional friend. In the book, Hassan continually makes sacrifice (big ones) for Amir... and says "for you, 1000 times over...", to express his steadfast friendship. In the end, Amir has to attempt to friendship of his devoted Hassan.

I realized through this book that there are only a handful of people in my life that I can say "for you, 1000 times over". It's for those people I am who I am today.

You know who you are.

Unexpected joy!

Something that I have noticed lately as Adam is closer to turning three is that he is starting to make some little friends. He has always played well with others, but now he has actual little buddies that he laughs with and can name.
It's such a blessing to have him come home from school and talk about Ty, Derek, Jimmy, and Julie... and also tell me that Hannah had to go in time out, and that Mia went potty. When I see Adam and Selah, his BFF since infancny, playing and loving each other, I am blessed.
This may seem like an insignificant thing to some, but to me this is such an exciting thing!! Though sometimes I feel sad that my boys are growing so fast, I always prayed that they would make friends easily, and it looks like it's starting!

Trip to Utica

All the little kids just hanging out
Bath Time!
JJ and the babies
Gorgeous Miss Moriah

Well, we finally made the venture to visit our BFF's, the Poulsen's, in Marcy, NY. (For those of you unfamiliar with the term, BFF is old school for best friends forever, reminiscent of the necklaces...) Paul had to stay home due to work, so I braved it with the boys. Now, when I say BFF's, I mean of course that Tara is my all time BFF, but our children Adam and Selah are true playmates. The two of them are just hysterical to watch. First of all, they are total opposites, Selah is a busy, busy girl. She is the most expressive and affectionate child I have ever met. The only way to truly know what I am talking about is to meet her. Adam tends to be more timid and more likely to sit and play, although at this visit he asserted himself more than other times... He loves to hug, but on his terms. Put them together and they don't fail to entertain! I am so thankful that the two of them have bonded so much, and have hopes for their future (wink, wink).

Funny also is that Zachary and Moriah, just six days apart in age, also have opposite personalities. Zachary is loud and super smiley. Moriah is just the most quiet, content little angel. We will see what happens with that one....

It has just been such a blessing to have had our sets of children so close in age to each other. It has just made our friendship grow more and make more memories to add to the collection.

Though I am sad that they moved, I know that God is working in their lives and has placed them where they are, in ministry and in a great church. I also know God has us here and has blessed us as well with new jobs close to home, a nice house, a family that helps and supports us, and a church we love. So, for the time being we will have to make this trip to Utica and rely on pictures on the fridge to keep the kids connected. As for me and my"BFF", no worries... we've got a history that 3 and a half hours cannot impact at all!