I am so bad at this!

I used to be fabulous at keeping up with a blog. Wow...I must be busy. Well, found out we have to move so the hunt for new housing is on! We have 2 appointments this weekend. Two nice homes we are thinking about buying...it's time to buy. Hate to suck up all of our money, but we need roots. Kids don't want to move anymore, and quite frankly, neither do I. All I know is we need a BIG house to hold all my critters. Maybe a barn with some stalls...7 to be exact! ;)

Tomorrow night is Emmalee's girlie birthday sleepover! I think we'll make pizzas, have cake and watch the new Tinkerbell Movie. The boys will be THRILLED! :) We are booting the 16 year old out to grandmother's house so he doesn't bug them. I just KNOW he'd love to put a werewolf mask on and get all creepy on the girls. Can't have that happen! So, I'll let him go creep out grandmom!

OK...that's it for today. Off to figure out dinner, take Alex to play rehearsal and getting ready for the Flyer's Playoff Game against the Devils!

GOOOOOOOO FLYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Playing With Pirate Backgrounds

HUGE GAP BETWEEN POSTS

OK...so, ummm...looks like it's been almost a year since I posted. Well, this is totally unacceptable. This has been a crazy year...big move from NJ to MD...mixed feelings about it all, but we are doing what we need to do. Kids are adjusting well. Bo is involved in all kinds of activities. Chess Club, school paper, community service projects, band...and soon to start indoor soccer. Ryan is taking a bit longer to feel at home here. He is playing soccer and is playing his drums...so it's all good. Emma is involved in soccer and after school activities too...but I think Alex has made the most amazing adjustment to MD life. JV soccer, indoor soccer, drama, honor roll. Kevin is doing terrific too. Who would have thought he'd be maninstreamed into a regular school, but he has! It's been a rough road for all the kids, but they have made me extremely proud!

Eric works in DC these days and likes his job...just hates the commute. Having him 3 hours away during the week pretty much sucks big air hose...but if we want to live on the Eastern Shore, that's just how it's going to be.

Christmas was awesome!! I was a bit homesick this year...wasn't quite the same as our Lambertville Christmas'. Missed having Mama Joyce and kellie stealing ham...and Olivia popping over in her jammies, yelling "ding dong" in the hallway when she walks in. Miss all the kids, the most! I really hope we can make friends and memories in our new home like we have in our old home. Hard to believe we have only been in Maryland for 4 months...it actually feels longer than that. I guess because we have all kept ourselves so busy. Being able to coach rec soccer in the fall helped me adjust. I miss my old team! But the kids I had this year were a blast!! It was tough getting accustomed to a much less organized soccer club. I had to really keep my mouth shut when i thought things were handled poorly. NOT easy for me and my big mouth!! Ryan, of course, was my lead goal scorer. He's my "hat trick kid"...

Guess that's about it, for now. Babies are good. Although, not babies anymore. Elliott starts school in September and Gi is 2 already. They keep me very busy!! Eh, who am I kidding...ALL my kids keep me very busy!!

I have a blog?

OMG!!! Dec 30th was apparently my last post! I apologize but I will try and keep up with this now! Especially since spring is on the horizon and there will be more to talk about and share!

Typing with a baby on my lap so this is short and sweet...kids are doing great!! We had a 72 degree day yesterday which was lovely!! Elliott and Gi had a blast at the park! The only bad thing was with all the snow melting, the park was filled with mud! Needless to say, after all of Gi's tumbles, he was covered in it! LOL. But what a day! The 2 Alex's were playing baseball, Elliott found a couple picnicking and decided to join them for some Sun Chips and ginger ale (leave it to Elliott to find junk food at the park)Then later, Big Alex's "friend", Julie, came and picked him up so they could go to South's girl's basketball championship game. After the game they came back and we BBQ'd...first one of the year! We made steaks, hamburgers and I made a shrimp pasta thing. Then we all sat around the table eating, laughing...I LOVE weekends with my family!

Not sure what's planned today. Probably a day of rest after the time change and maybe throwing some more stuff on the grill later.

Christmas is OVER!

Thank God! The house is still destroyed, but it's ok. Worth every messy second of it.

Anyway, have a lot going on...but please check out my new, updated website. It was so outdated and since now biz is booming, I needed to be more PRO.

Vov's Photo

I think it looks good. I just need to add some portraits to it so people can view samples of my work. I'll get it done after New Years.

Hope you all had a nice holiday!

Happy New Year!

Kids are off today!

UGH! The schools are all closed! Supposed to get real nasty today. Ice and snow...yuck! Anyway...I'll update more later when the baby isn't screaming in my ear! Grrrrrrr

Winter Storm Brewing

Well, possibly 6 inches tonight...I'm thinking no school tomorrow!! :)

The Absent Jersey Girl

OK...Julie left a message that I am real behind on this thing.

UPDATE:

Thanksgiving...everyone got the stomach bug! It was a horrible thing, but we all survived. Since then things have been sooooooooooooo busy! My photography stuff is booming! I have been working non-stop for 3 weeks.

The kids are great! My oldest son, Alex, has moved in with us as of last Wednesday. He started school today at South Hunterdon (our HS) where he will finish up his senior year! I never thought in a million years I'd be with him for his prom, graduation, etc. But, he's HERE!!! :)

...THAT was the BEST birthday present EVER! OK...so my birthday was Sunday...39. So, it's official...the last year I can say "I'm in my 30's" Grrrrrrrrrrrrr...I'm NOT liking that!But, time marches on so guess this is it. I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

We are finally starting to get ready for Christmas. It's been hard this year financially, emotionally, physically...aaaaaaaak...but we'll manage. I got a few things for Elliott last night while out buying Emma shoes. Today is the Holiday concert at school and Emma needed black shoes and stockings. So, it was off to Marshall's. We started at Famous Footwear...but they were famously EMPTY! There were NO shoes for her there. But Marshall's had a TON. She found a pair of black boots with a 1 inch heel she LOVES. Then Bo, who went with us, suckered me into buying him a new pair of shoes. (he did desperately need them) The shoes were on clearance for $12.00. He's so funny...he's so thrifty. Most boys his age would be in the expensive shoe section begging for the most expensive pair...but not my Bo-Man. He went right to the clearance aisle. He found the coolest sneakers. The kid cracks me up. He is a LEADER! He wears goofy hats to school...the other day he wore Elliott's Pokemon hat to school and the kids LOVE it. He is so independent and most definitely a trend setter! Class clown indeed. Anyway...I say that because the sneakers he got are white, black and PURPLE! Extremely flashy! Sooooooooooo BO!!! I love that kid!

Anyway...got off track there briefly. Emma looked beautiful going to school today. She has on a black, velvet dress, black stockings and black boots! VERY classy! She looked so grown up. I'll take pictures of the kids tonight at the concert to show off.

Well, that's it, for now. I promise NOT to be gone so long. It really has been CRAZY! Oh, and it's been snowing off and on this week. Tonight we get more snow, then again on Sunday AND they are already calling for snow Christmas Eve. :)

One Week to Turkey Day

I'm excited! One more week!!! We are decorating this weekend...tree is going up and the decorations. Yay! Well, let's see. Ryan is away at Camp Fairview this week. His class went...they are hiking, boating, learning science stuff...in the mountains and cold. Brrrr. They are even expected to get snow today! Funny enough, the night before, Ryan was a little worried about going. He tried to be tough, but he was a bit worried about being away from home for so long. I wanted to wrap him in a mommy cocoon, but instead, I shoved him out the door!! He needed this trip...but boy do I miss him. I went to pick up the bathroom and his jeans were on the floor and I felt myself tearing up! DUH! Eric keeps telling me I will have the worst case of empty nest when they are all gone...and I KNOW that's true! Anyhoo...I'm sure he's having a blast! They come home tomorrow! What else? Eric went back to work today after being out a week! He has been sooooooooooo sick. I don't think I've ever seen him this bad.

The transmission went on our van Saturday. We have a rental car (Impala...it's nice) until next Tuesday. The van is getting fixed and MIGHT be done as early as tomorrow. (fingers crossed)We decided to just fix the van. It's paid for and it's been a GREAT van...with a new tranny...it should be good to go for a few more years! We think after the Holidays, we'll get a second car. But for now, we'll just continue using the van.

Well, I guess that's about it. Tomorrow night is our soccer team's pizza party, losing ceremonies and I give out the trophies! Then soccer is DONE! Well, until March! :) Then Spring soccer kicks in. (no pun intended) Hahahaha.

OK...off to change a stinky butt! Oh...Gideon is going to be ONE YEAR OLD on Monday!!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!

Family Portrait Fundraiser

Hey...if you're in the area and want a Holiday Portrait taken...check this out! (click on the picture to see it LARGE)

So it Begins

http://special.cjonline.com/stories/110908/loc_353922770.shtml

Can this man get any more, ummmmm, unbelievable?

Planning under way for Obama holiday
The Capital-Journal
Published Sunday, November 09, 2008

Plans are being made to promote a national holiday for Barack Obama, who will become the nation's 44th president when he takes the oath of office Jan. 20.

"Yes We Can" planning rallies will be at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. every Tuesday at the downtown McDonald's restaurant, 1100 Kansas Ave., until Jan. 13. The goals are to secure a national holiday in Obama's honor, to organize celebrations around his inauguration and to celebrate the 200th birthday of President Abraham Lincoln, who was born on Feb. 12 1809.

At 7:30 a.m. on Inauguration Day, Obama Cake will be served at the downtown McDonald's, and a celebration is scheduled for 8 p.m. to midnight Jan. 20 at the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center, 420 S.E. 6th.

For more information, contact Sonny Scroggins, (785) 232-3761, 845-6148 or at biasbustersofkansas@yahoo.com; Lamont Lassiter, McDonald's general manager, 608-2739; Ava Chander-Beard, (785) 234-9138, ava.beard@sbcglobal.net

I have Pneumonia :(

Yup. Had to go back to the doctor last night because I was really having trouble breathing and just soooo weak again. Turns out my right lung is not doing too well. So, I'm starting ANOTHER series of antibiotics today and going for a chest x-ray. They want to see how bad it really is. I am SOOOOOO sick of being sick!!! They gave me an inhaler, as well. Unbelievable! When it rains, it pours!

On a positive note...my kitchen and living room are spotless! :) Art least I feel like I accomplished something today.

The 4 Day Weekend Countdown begins

*sigh*...the hoodlums are off for 4 days. God help me! And to top it off, it's a rainy mess. So, they are inside and bored. Big Alex has been here all week, so that's good...but without him, it would be super boring. Right now Big Alex, Lil' Alex and Ryan are on the xbox. Kevin just got up and is attacking candy corn for breakfast. (nutrition at its' finest) Emma and Bo are playing Monopoly (but I think they've made their own rules...lol) And Elliott and Gideon are playing with toys and being rotten to each other.

The kids are driving me nuts. No one wants to do their chores, the house is a mess...aaaaaaaaaaaak. Oh well...I promised myself a no stress day. And Kevin is already sitting here arguing with me about taking his meds AFTER his shower and I said before!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

OK...off to feed some hungry kids and get some work done.

Before I go...I found one more great use for duct tape...

I feel a lot of sadness today, because I think last night's election is a sign of the times.

The fact that America just elected a man who refuses to respect the flag and sing the anthem, a man who never served our country (sorry- "community service" in the name of advancing the damaging liberal agenda doesn't count in my book), a man who has the most liberal record (as weak as his record is), a man who does not value innocent life, a man who has chosen to surround himself with people such as Wright, Ayers, Fleger... (Need I go on?) All of these things and countless more worry me immensely that America's decline is gaining momentum.

It frightens me to think that the traditions, morals, values, and promise that used to define America and made it the greatest country on Earth are in jeopardy.

Americans are quickly taking God out of everything and before long, He'll be gone. BUT, I think this is all part of God's plan. Christians need to stay strong, pray and stay faithful to Him. This is God's test...he has given American's what they have wanted for quite some time. Freedom...liberalism, lack of morals so people are free to do what they want without any fear from God...forget about God and maybe he's really not there!

Our country may be punished as a whole for its disobedience to him......but his true children will not be forsaken.

VOTE DAMNIT!

24 More Hours

Can you believe tomorrow is Election Day already? It feels like I just started busting on Obama yesterday! Wow!

Anyway...regardless of which candidate you are supporting (vote McCain) just VOTE!!! (McCain)It's a true blessing that American's have a say on who is the next President. (President McCain) So, not to vote is anti-American (like Obama) So, get out and make a difference and vote. (for the old, wrinkly, white haired dude) *I think I am going to have terrible election withdrawal when this is over*...Who will I have to poke fun of? Oh well...I'm sure I'll find something.

Well, we lost our soccer game yesterday, 3-0. One more game left and then the tournament. Works for me!! I feel like the next 2 weeks are just going to be CRAZY!! Between work, kids and soccer...and then Thanksgiving!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaak!

Ryan and Emma are home sick today...and Elliott and Gideon aren't much better. Poor guys!

OK...off to shoprite.com to food shop! (love food shopping on-line...they'll deliver it here later today!) How easy is that? Can you say Carmen is SPOILED??? :)

Halloween Update

Sorry...things have been so crazy, I haven't had time to post anything!

The pictures are Ryan and his friend, Chad dressed up like 50's sisters! They were too funny! Emma was a Medieval Princess Bride. Bo was a "pie slayer"...he killed pies...very strange child. LOL. And for the short time Elliott wore his costume, he was a cute wizard! :)

Halloween was fun! Ryan went to a party with his friends and ended up not trick or treating. (guess he's too cool already?) Bo went with a bunch of his friends. Alex was at football. Elliott would NOT go...we only got him to try on his costume briefly before he took it off. He was still croupy, so I think that was part of it. He just isn't feeling well. So, Eric said he'd stay home with the babies...Emma, Kevin and I went out. Town was NUTS once again, but I love it. Every year they have new stuff! The haunted house was better than ever...and they even had one of the streets closed off with a live band playing. I swear...if anyone ever gets to come here for Halloween...it is most definitely New Jersey's Mardi Gras! The money spent in this town for decorations could feed a 3rd world country! For real!

OK...and I must remind everyone to VOTE!!! I'm excited...even though I'm a bit worried that Obama is going to be our next pres. For the first time ever, I may NOT be able to call him Pres Obama...it sits about as well as having my stomach filled with bad cheese! Yuck!

OK...off to coach...it's Sunday!

IT'S SNOWING!!!

NOT fair. Phillies game was postponed due to the rain. I have NO idea when they are going to finish playing since it is SNOWING and is supposed to rain through tomorrow. I thought it was fun watching them play in the rain...but I'm guessing, not so much fun for them, especially since it was a very COLD rain. LOL. Oh well...one positive thing about the rain...we probably won't be able to have soccer practice tonight! I need a night off, so that's a good thing!

I can't believe I am looking outside at snow! BIG FAT snow flakes in October! NOT trick or treating weather, that's for sure! :) But pretty, none the less.

OK...off to deal with a tired and grumpy 3 yr old. He woke up too early today and now he is doing nothing but complain!

Go Phillies!!!

Getting Ready for Halloween

Emma's Medieval Princess Bride Dress

My Boo-ssein Halloween Photo...I LOVE it!

Elliott's Wizard Costume

Well, it's almost that time again! :) Our favorite time of year!! Halloween!! I have been so sick (why I have been MIA for so long) I have bronchitis and am finally up and around. poor Eric finally went back to work yesterday. He's been home taking care of me and the kids! Ryan was funny...he came in my room on Monday morning and told me I was NEVER allowed to be sick again. Hahaha...they've had enough. Let's see...soccer is going well. We won our first game on Sunday!! 5-2...woo hooooooo! I am coaching the Division 4 Tournament Team...so our team is going to the Tourney (on Ryan's birthday weekend) That'll be a blast! I'm going to have a tailgating party for the kids and cake for Ryan. I just HOPE it's nice weather. (last year was cold, windy and wet) Anyway, between now and Nov 15th we are swamped with practices. I love soccer season, but I can't deny that I will be somewhat happy when it's over. Well, it's official. Ryan has his first girlfriend. It is just the sweetest thing ever! But there are a LOT of jealous girls! Poor Ryan is really going to have a rough time. Hahahaha. He has been quite the social guy..it used to be Bo. Ryan goes to the High School football games on Friday nights now with his group of friends...he has numerous parties coming up. One on Halloween and another Nov 1st...Me and another 6th grade Mom are putting together the 6th grade dance...there is just so much happening. Ryan is also getting ALL A's so far this year! I'm not sure what's gotten into him, but he's doing great! Everyone else is good too. Kevin is much better. He's started on a higher dosage of his meds and he seems to be feeling better. Alex is doing great...football and school. Emma is doing great! Bo is great! They're all great! :) OK...so Halloween...Ryan is being a girl with his friend Chad (they are dressing up as sisters). Bo wants to be a sock...I have to somehow make this for him. Emma is being a medieval princess bride (photo above) and Elliott is being a wizard (photo above). Gideon will be attached to me, so he will be dressed as himself. LOL. Alex will be at the football game, so no costume for him. I can't wait!! Let's see...OH...I am finally going through my adult education at St George's. Eric and I were worried that we wouldn't be able to join the church because we are both divorced. Normally, the church will make you have your marriage "annuled" which means the other ex-spouse has to agree and it's a process. Yuck. BUT, we found out...Eric was married by a judge, so the Catholic church doesn't recognize it as a marriage anyway. For me...because I was baptized Catholic as a baby, as a Catholic I was supposed to be married Catholic. I neither of my marriages are considered valid in the church's eyes. So, I don't need an annulment either!! So, now, I just have to go through the process (basically go through the sacriments) to join the church. Then, Eric and I can be married in the church and it will be blessed! (and it will truly be a "first" marriage for BOTH of us). I want that soooooooooooo much!! :) Ryan has been asking us if he can start going to CCD (which is basically classes that he attends and then gets confirmed, first communion, etc) I was so thrilled to hear him ASK. So, all the kids will start going. (with all their friends, of course) They usually go right from school to CCD class. Well, guess that's it!!! I'm going to go rest now. I'm soooooooooo sleepy!!