It's Christmas, everyone's miserable

Well, not everyone, but it was close. So, what started out with Nico on Tuesday has now spread to me, Anthony, Dom, and Grandma and who knows where it may end up. As if getting the stomach flu isn't bad enough, but getting it at Christmas, well, it isn't what I asked for that is for sure. However, by some miracle no one was sick this morning for presents. Thankfully those who needed to be sick waited until after nap time. I have done more loads of sheets and laundry in the last 4 days than I care to count, cleaned up more than my share of messes on carpets and pillows, and definitely done my time in the super gross diaper department.

But to say it was a terrible Christmas wouldn't be true. The family was together, the kids laughed and smiled and are still playing with their gifts into the evening, and as of 4 or so no one has gotten sick, so things could be worse. I just feel bad that the kids weren't really feeling perfect for the day, but they soldiered through like they always do. They definitely handled it better than I did!

So, I am praying this super bug, whatever it may be, is on its way out of our home and off to terrorize some other unsuspecting family because it has overstayed its unwelcome!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and could find the blessings amid the rubble that often clouds our lives. Christ was born, Praise the Lord!

It's CHRISTMAS!

It has been rainy here in southern CA and I LOVE IT! It makes it feel ever so slightly more like Christmases that I remember. The fire is going, the slippers are donned, and the coffee is hot all day long. Did I mention that I love Christmas? I do, even the shopping. Although I do most of my shopping online in the comfort of my own slippers. I am not even sick of Christmas music quite yet.

Speaking of Christmas music, the kids have been learning songs at school and from family and friends and singing them all the time. Of course Dom has trouble figuring out the words sometimes, especially when his cousin Gavin is the one teaching him the song, so he has been running around singing "Deck the halls with all the trollies." And Nico's favorite is "We wish you a hairy Christmas." And speaking of the kids and learning things, they are learning all kinds of things at school this time of year. Dom's teacher is jewish and so in addition to talking about Christmas traditions she has been teaching them about Hannukah and even made them latkes last week. Dom didn't care for them but he did try it so he wouldn't "make the teacher sad" he said.

Both boys will be having Christmas parties in their classes and I am going to have to perform some sort of super hero feat in order to be in two places at once, but by golly I am going to be at both parties! I think there is a 15 minute window where I can get from one to the other. Wish me luck!

I am not sure how much of this Nico gets, and to be honest I hope he stay kind of clueless for a little bit longer. He will enjoy opening gifts, but I think he will enjoy having family around even more. We are trying hard to remind the boys of what this time of year is really about. We have a box that we are filling with change and we will "open" it on Christmas and see how much we have and then decide as a family what to do with the money as a gift to someone else. It is cute, however, to hear the boys talk about Jesus and God in such matter of fact ways. For instance, yesterday Anthony was talking about something and said, "but Jesus could just do that because he is so cool". And on a slightly different note, Dom has been saying his prayers extra loud lately, I guess to make sure God hears them, but last night he started yelling in the middle of the night. I went in to see what was wrong and he was dead asleep yelling a prayer.

I hope you are all enjoying this season and can find the blessings amidst the madness. If we are going to see you this holiday season please know how much your time with us means and how much we look forward to spending time with family and friends. That is the best gift of all. If we won't see you we wish you happiness and joy.

Merry Christmas!

What the kids are saying

Just wanted to share a few more things the kids have said recently. I really need to start recording the entire day so I can capture all their words of wisdom.

Ok, so Thanksgiving we had our friends RJ and Hailey and their three kids over for the meal. Their oldest, Maddy, is 1 year younger than Dom. They really like each other and were flirting and being super cute all afternoon. Then it came time to eat and Dom asked Maddy to sit by him and she said, of course! So Maddy's daddy, in jest, said "keep your distance" to Dom. In response Dom said, "Keep your dignity!" Not sure where he got that but we all had a good laugh.

A few days later we had a big rain storm and while we were eating lunch and watching the rain and hail Dom noticed the trees blowing in the wind. His response was "the trees are cheering for us!"

There was one other funny things Dom said on the list and Anthony was reading it today and asked, "what do I have to do to get on this list, say something funny?" Needless to say, he is now on the list.

Nicolas says things all the time that are hilarious but our favorite right now is when he goes to bed instead of being tucked in he wants to be tucked up. "Mommy, tuck me up!" So cute.

Tis the season...

It's Christmas and I love this time of year! The lights, the music, the food! However, this Christmas I have been really struck by how many people are struggling this holiday season to just survive, let alone make any sort of Christmas happen for their families. It seems that this time in history is testing so many of us in ways we never imagined. While that is trying and oftentimes disheartening at the same time trials build character and show us who we truly are. While putting our Christmas letter together this year I tried to think back to some of my favorite Christmases assuming the big ones would be where I got my doll house (a great Christmas, but not my fave) or some other great gift. Instead the first Christmas that popped into mind was one where things were tight, so tight in fact that we couldn't afford a tree that year so instead we decorated a plant we had in the house. The pic of my brother and I sitting next to our Christmas plant is still one of my favorites! I remember really liking the plant because it was at my level, I could decorate the entire thing, not just the bottom. Our small smattering of presents were scattered underneath and if I remember correctly I am gazing fondly at our improvised tree with a huge smile. I can only imagine the dismay my parents must have felt that year when they realized that we couldn't afford to buy a real tree and probably sat down once my brother and I were in bed to try and figure out if there was any way at all they could make that happen for us. Little did they know that that Christmas was one of my favorites, the one that sticks in my mind more than any others. I don't remember any of the gifts I got, but I do remember loving how special our family was. It didn't matter what we put the gifts under, or if there were even gifts at all! What mattered was that we were together, that we made the best of not the best situation, and we were happy. It is easy to stress about gifts, especially if you enjoy giving like I do, but in the end the gifts and wrappings will be forgotten, but the special memories that are made will last forever. Sometimes the more we are tested the more we pull together. The Christmas plant year will forever live in my memory as a great Christmas. I hope you all can find your Christmas plant among the madness of this season. And as corny as it sounds, it isn't the presents under the tree that matter but the presence of Christ that makes Christmas special. Happy Holidays to you all!

Halloween Time!

Well, the holidays have officially started in the Spinozzi house. This year Halloween has been especially fun since all three boys get the idea of trick or treating. We have decorated the house a lot more and just had a lot of fun gearing up for the big night. On Halloween morning Anthony started asking at 7 am how many hours until we go trick or treating? There were even a few tears shed when he was told that going trick or treating at 1 pm wouldn't result in any candy, people wouldn't be ready.

So, we dressed up our Star Wars heroes and went over to our friends' house to trick or treat in their much more kid-friendly neghborhood. The boys had a blast and came away with more candy than I have ever seen! Then we came back here and Joe took them around our neighborhood for a little while while I gave out candy. We had kids coming until about 9 pm! it was a lot of fun to see all the costumes. There were some pretty great ones.

Enjoy the pics

Nothing new, just life

There are no major events to tell you about, just some everyday things I thought might make you smile.

To begin with, I have two little boys who can both read and ride two wheeler bikes now! It is so exciting. As Dominic says, I read in my head, not out loud. He just needed a little boost of confidence, and his PEP class has given him just that. He just read the word "different" with hardly a pause. We come home from getting Anthony and go straight to homework. I figure getting them in the habit of getting it done right away will be helpful in the future. So, we make a snack, pick out the books we want to read for reading time, and then head right into homework. Dom doesn't really have homework yet, aside from reading with us, but I give him little assignments and we have workbooks he can do so he feels like a big kid like Anthony. Luckily Nico is sleeping at this point so I don't have to deal with him getting into trouble, which he will do of course!

So that brings me to Nico. Oh, before I go there, let me share another Dominism with you. This weekend we were talking about the weekend, what it means, what we do, etc. Mostly, we decided, it is the time in the week when you don't have to go to school. What was Dom's response? "Oh, Sunday is the day you get to be dumb." You heard it here first, folks.

So Nico, precious Nico. He is getting more used to having his brothers gone most of the day. He no longer cries at the drop of a hat and actually thinks up games to play all by himself. Games like, put all the clean clothes in the sink, or pour all my goldfish into the couch cushions. The kid is creative, I will give him that. Today he decided to literally run in circles for about 3 minutes straight. He didn't fall or run into anything. It must be some sort of 2 year old record, right? He is definitely learning how to communicate better. In complete sentences like "I don't want that lunch", or "I don't want to get Dominic." Most of his sentiments are in the negative at the moment. We are working on that. Of course he is still a little spitfire, loves to tell jokes, and loves to laugh. I find that trying to "eat" any part of his face or tummy gets a good giggleout of him. His new favvorite is what we call a "grandpa kiss." Grandpa Bernie invented it and it just a kiss, but instead of giving a kiss, you blow raspberries. He laughs so hard!

Three boys. We are still trying to wrap our minds around what that will mean for a food budget in the coming years. Or how we will deal with the stinky socks and shoes. I vote for quaratining them in their own wing of the house. Don't ask don't tell will be instituted. It is so neat to have three boys, three boys who already love each other so much. Anthony is the consumate older brother, always looking out for his younger siblings, teaching them and guiding them, and sometimes getting super annoyed with them. Dom is your basic second kid. He does what he wants, bothers his older brother, gets annoyed with his younger, has mastered the art of "not listening". Nico, sweet Nico. I still haven't figured him out yet. He is hilarious and smart and curious and adorable. He wants to be just like his brothers but different, if that makes any sense. He loves Mickey Mouse and also loves Speed Racer. He is sturdy and tough and can handle anything you throw his way, except getting put to bed before everyone else, that still really bugs him! He calls kids he meets "buddy" and asks if you are ok after you cough or sneeze.

I just love how different they all are and yet how much you can tell they are brothers. The years ahead will be full, I know that, and I can't wait. I mean, I can, I am trying really hard to cherish these times with all of them home most of the time and playing together. I know it is only a few short years away when one will be at soccer, one at baseball, one on a date, etc. Hard to imagine them as anything but toddlers and gradeschoolers, but that is the truth of life. I am blessed with a houseful of wonderful men and I could no be happier.

I have a seven year old! (and I am not sure how I feel about that)

Today Anthony turns seven. I am not sure you heard me, I said, SEVEN!!! So, that makes me, well, older than I feel. Now, don't get me wrong, I love having older kids. They dress and feed themselves, occasionally they will clean up after themselves, they can entertain themselves for long periods of time, and they are so much fun to talk to. It is just that, well, I can't possibly be old enough to have a seven year old. But alas, here I am, celebrating my first born's seventh year of birth. I thought I would tell some of my favorite Anthony stories in honor of this momentous day.

To begin with, I was pretty sure Anthony wasn't going to arrive at all. I was all set for him to arrive on September 7th, or there abouts, but 3 days later, nope, 5 days later, nope, a week later, NOTHING! At that point the doctor asked if I wanted to induce. Um, YES! So, on September 16th, at about 4 am I woke up, showered, packed my bag and Joe and I went off to have our first baby. He arrived after only 14 hours of labor a delivery. I pushed twice, and then just like that, Joe and I were parents, we were a family instead of just a couple. It was magical and miraculous and ever so slightly terrifying.

Anthony was the perfect baby, on a schedule right away, only cried when he was hungry or tired, slept peacefully and ate quickly. We were in heaven! He was easy to take places, slept pretty much all the time, and at 9 months even went with us to Cancun and did amazing. Well, except for one incident that involved a very messy diaper, a highchair at a restaurant, and daddy cleaning him up in the restroom. But he smiled the entire time!

As he grew we were amazed at how thoughtful and observant he was. He never went through the terrible two's, although potty training had it's moments. But as is so like him, he fought and fought and fought, and then one day just decided to do it. Things have to happen on his time, whether it is apologizing to one of his brothers or coming to the dinner table. He has this uncanny ability to block out the sound of your voice if you are saying something he doesn't like.

Let's skip ahead a few years. One of the things Joe and I try really hard to do is keep track, and write down, the funny things our kids say. Anthony has had some great ones. One of my personal favorites was once, back when we had kitties, he said to me, "I am going to go ask the kitty where she is going." Then he walked over to her, got right in her face, and said "meow, meow, meow, Roxy." Of course he knew that speaking her language would make it easy for her to understand. Perhaps he will be a diplomat someday.

Anthony is such a blessing in our lives and as he grows and becomes older and more mature we are constantly amazed at how smart, thoughtful, and just awesome he is! He is the first to help Nicolas if he can't get something to work, and the first to reach him when he is getting into something naughty! He watches out for both of his brothers and is a friend to everyone he meets. Last year I heard numerous times from moms that Anthony was one of their child's "best friends" at school. He never excludes anyone and just wants to get to know you. It warmed my heart to know that he wasn't part of a clique but rather befriended everyone. His sensitive spirit is definitely one of his best qualities. While I am still in shock that he is seven I am also so excited for the future and the young man he will become. I know he will grow to be an amazing man because he is already an amazing kid! Of course, he has some of the best examples any boy could ask for. Thank you daddy and grandpas and uncles! I can't tell you much it means to this mother of three boys to know that her children have a wealth of wonderful, kind, strong, honest men to look up to in this world when men, real men, are become a rarity. I know my boys will grow up to have integrity, morals, self-esteem, and respect for themselves and others. Joe and I certainly could not do this alone, that is for sure!

Please know that as we rejoice with Anthony today for coming into our lives that we also rejoice in the fact that he came into the family that he did. Joe and I know just how lucky we are to have the families we do.

Day two...

So, I bet you thought all the excitement would be limited to the first day of school. Well, you clearly don't know my children very well! Let's see, it started last night with Dom coming into our room about 4 times claiming he had a bad dream. (This has been going on for a week or so and we are trying really hard to break him of the habit.) So, needless to say, he was exhausted even before he woke up! But, he did wake up ready to go to school, that is until he realized that daddy would not be taking him to school like he does Anthony. Now, this was our mistake, since last year we kept telling him that once he started school he could ride with Anthony in daddy's car. What we failed to take into consideration was that they would go to different schools for a year! So, there were many tears as daddy drove away with Anthony. To make up for my mistake I let Dom play Wii for a bit this morning before we left. Yet another mistake on my part. When I told him it was time to go he lost it!! But, he rebounds quickly and once we were on the way to school he got excited again and was ready for his day.

That leads me to Nicolas. I knew the transition to both brothers being at school would cause a little strain on him, but you would think he was having his toenails ripped out every 5 minutes! He will be playing fine or we will be doing something like building with blocks and then all of a sudden he throws himself on the ground face first and screams! He did this at Dom's school while we waited for the bell. So, I am trying to make it easier, playing games, giving him some extra snacks to take his mind off how lonely he is. I am watching a friend's daughter this morning, which is kind of helping, otherwise I would have taken him somewhere like the park, but I have a feeling it wouldn't be much different there either. He would just realize that his brothers aren't there and want to sit by me the entire time. So, I guess we have a few weeks of adjusting to go through before we are all on "school year" time. I am looking forward to me time with just Nicolas and I hope he gets used to being an only child for a few hours a day. But at the same time it warms my heart how much my boys love each other.

Hopefully day 3 will be quieter.

First day of school

Today is the first day of school for both Anthony and Dominic. It was a busy morning; up at 6:30, breakfast for everyone (don't forget the coffee for mom and dad), get everyone dressed, pack lunches, pack backpacks, load the car, off we go!! Anthony was first and he was so excited! He couldn't wait to see who was in his class this year from last year and to meet his new teacher. He is in a bungalow this year, for those of you unfamiliar, it is like a adjunct classroom. They use trailers, like on construction sites. He was super excited to be in a bungalow! So, we waited for the teacher, lined up, and said goodbye. Then it was off to Dom's school. There was a lot of waiting around since we got there super early, but that was fine. Joe had never been to the school before so he was able to look around and check things out. Dom was so excited he couldn't keep still! He waited in line so well, though, once he was asked. Then it was kisses and hugs for him and in he went, his first day of real school! I am so proud of them both and excited for the year ahead and the things they will learn and the friends they will make. So now Nico and I are sitting in the kitchen talking about what to do today. He apparently wants crackers, so, that is easy. I on the other hand need to find something to distract me from the immense quiet that now surrounds me! My little boys are growing up and I am so happy about that, but today I am feeling a little lonesome for my guys. Enjoy the pics.

Some thoughts on my life

33-that is how old I am. Well, 33 and a little more than half at this point. So, I am no spring chicken. But I am also not over the hill, at least I don't think so. Is 30 the new 20 or the new 40? I can't keep track. At any rate, us generation x-ers are kind of caught in a strange spot, at least a lot of the ones I know and talk to. Yes, of course there are plenty of us who are right where we wanted to be at this point; doctors, lawyers, pastors, teachers, etc. But there are plenty of us who either graduated and got our MRS degrees and then had children or who continued on with school and are now graduating with masters and PhDs with very few options for employment in the current climate. I am one of those MRS and children folks, and don't get me wrong, I would not change the path I took for anything, but I often wonder where I would be and what I would be doing had I not gotten married right out of college. And that gets me wondering what I would do if I could go back to work right now. I am not all that qualified for anything. I have a BA in English Lit. So, I can read and write and talk to you until I am blue in the face about themes and under currents in various classic novels or bring you up to speed on Dante's Inferno. Know anyone who is hiring with those criteria? I didn't think so. I have done clerical work and my last job was actually pretty cool, some technical writing and other things, but again, that was almost 7 years ago!! Ugh, who would hire me now? That gets me thinking about going back to school. But of course several questions come up; what would I study and how would I pay for it? It is one thing to be a stay at home mom with a wonderful husband who works so hard so I can be with the kids during these formative years, but it is quite another to be a stay at home mom who then has to take classes when she has time all the while asking more from her husband who already works like a dog! We could make it work, I know that, but is that a stress I want to add to our lives right now? Not really. Plus there is the whole issue of what would I study? My immediate inclination is to study something recession proof, like medical transcription or pharmacy tech, but those don't make me stand up and yell "woohoo!" when I talk about them. So then I think, what do I want to do? And that is where I get stumped. I don't know. I would love to be a photographer, but that is a slow and expensive career to pursue and it will cost me in the beginning and who knows if I will ever make enough money for it to be worthwhile! I love creating things and sewing and crocheting, but those don't pull in the big bucks either. Not that I want big bucks, it would just be nice to have regular bucks, even just a few.

So I get to this point in my thinking and realize that a small finger has been poking my leg for who knows how long and a small voice has been saying "mommy, guess what?" who knows how many times and I am reminded of where my priorities and my heart are at the moment. I look down to see my two year old with that gleem in his eye, he wants to tell me a knock knock joke. He usually makes them up, something like "knock, knock" (who's there) "I love you" (I love you who?) "I love you, get outta here!" Then he throws his head back and says "ohhhh" and laughs. Then I hear my older two upstairs playing with legos, building, taking apart, and rebuliding their new Lego Star Wars ships. They are laughing and pretending and I can't help but smile. Now don't get me wrong, my days are not all knock knock jokes and brotherly love. It is about 50/50 with the niceness and the constant bickering and whining. Like right now they are arguing about, I am not really even sure, but there is a lot of "what do you think you are doing" and " I'm telling mommy!" Luckily the two year old is napping, but that didn't come easy either. Some days I feel like I really have a handle on this parenting thing, and especially the stay at home mom thing. Some days, not so much. Some days I realize they have been watching TV for 47 hours and haven't eaten one fruit or vegetable and haven't been bathed for days. Other days we have been to the museum and the grocery store all before lunch and the two year old goes down for a nap with a new diaper! Those are good days, and they don't happen regularly. I feel like a terrible mom on the days when we don't do anything, just stay at home, but at the same time, what mom can do something or plan something every single day?! Well, I know they are out there, but I am not one of them. Things will change once school starts and there is less time for TV and video games and that will be a welcome change for all of us. But I have to keep reminding myself that I am not perfect. But I also think I am a pretty good mom. For instance, today was Dom's orientation for his pre-kindergarten. It was a lot sitting around in the heat listening to grown-ups talk about things that could have easily been printed on a sheet and handed out. Dom kept whispering to me "I'm bored." I would whisper back "me too, but we need to listen for just a few more minutes." He sat so nicely, albeit making some pretty hilarious bored faces. Then we went to the classroom and the teacher asked all the kids to sit on the rainbow rug while she pointed out the different areas in the room. Immediately a groups of mostly boys started kicking each other and taking things off shelves and making a lot of noise. I looked around, expecting one of them to be Dom, but instead he was sitting quietly, with his bored face on, waiting for the teacher to finish talking. I was so proud. I kept waiting for the parents of the loud boys to step in, but they didn't. The teacher finally asked them to settle down and they sort of listened. It occurred to me that if nothing else, I am raising children who know how to behave in a classroom and around other adults and children. At least I hope so. That's not to say they won't act up or get in trouble, that is part of being a kid, and especially being a boy, but for the most part I think even with PJ and TV days notwithstanding, they are turning out pretty great. I might be biased, but I might also be right. So, when I think about what I want to do, I have to admit, I am doing it. It isn't always easy and I don't always feel like doing it and of course I complain, but who doesn't about their job? Ok, maybe the Pope, but you never know. I have been blessed with an amazing family, the most wonderful husband, the coolest kids, and the knowledge that what I am doing now does mean something. I am preparing my children to one day be productive, responsible citizens. At least they will be able to sit still and listen in class, which is more than I can say for a lot of the kids out there. I just hope I can remember this at 4:30 pm today when all three are whining about being hungry, there are toys EVERYWHERE, and all I want is to lay down and rest. I will let you know.

More wedding pics

Just a few more pics from the wedding. Not sure if editing them or taking them is more fun!

My first wedding shoot!

Hey all. I just did my first wedding shoot this past weekend and wanted to share a few of my pics. They are in no particular order as I am still editing and organizing them. I had so much fun and learned alot. These were friends of ours and they were so gracious to let me get my sea legs so to speak at their wonderful wedding! I just might be able to do this again! Enjoy!

It's August already?!

I can hardly believe how fast the summer has flown by. I feel like just yesterday Anthony had his last day of kindergarten and we were making plans for what we would do during his time off. Well, we have done plenty it seems and while I feel like I could use three more months of summer, I am also really excited about the school year ahead and what it will be like having a first grader! Yes, my first born is going to be in first grade, he is going to be SEVEN on September 16th! It is so hard to believe. But the saying does hold true, time really does fly.

Perhaps the best part of the summer has been watching the all three boys really bond and become friends. Nicolas is finally at an age where he can, sort of, play with his big brothers and whether he is actually participating or not, he tries his hardest to join in with their games. Anthony is always ready to let him play and is so patient and kind to his little bro. Dom is just happy to have another kid to rough house with, and Nico is definitely the one for the job! Anthony tends to shy away from games like that but Nico joins right in and I fear that in not too many years he will be pass both is brothers in height and weight! I am already preparing myself for the fact that he will most likely be on the football team as some sort of linebacker. The kid is made of bricks, I swear!

So far this summer we have been to Bakersfield twice ( I am there now as a matter of fact), I have gone to Pittsburgh to see old friends, Joe has gone to Austin for his yearly trade show, and we have made numerous trips to the beach which has been so fun! Grandma Pat will be coming at the end of the month for a couple weeks as well. It is so wonderful to spend time wtih family. I hope you all know that our home is always open should you need a getaway! We love having company. The older boys are little fish this year and I think next year we will finally have all three really swimming and we can start trying new things like boogie boarding and surfing. I can't wait!

As they grow the things they think and say get better and better. Anthony is still a sponge and is so eager to learn new things. He is also learning some tougher lessons as well and while there have been some tough times in this ragard, he is becoming such a young man. Learning that your actions have consequences is HUGE and he is starting to really understand the concept.

Dom is, well, Dom is something else. I have heard many times this trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house how much he reminds Grandma Janis of Joey at the same age. Full of energy and lacking in common sense much of the time. But his smile and sweet words make up for it most of the time. Dom is always quick to complement your outfit or tell you he loves you with no prompting. He lives by emotion and sometimes this is great and sometimes I am cringing wondering if we will soon be making a trip to the emergency room.

Nicolas continues to make us laugh at every turn. His new favorite thing is singing the Speed Racer theme song. I have a video I will post soon of all three singing and it is hilarious! But he still loves his guitar and singing songs and watching Looney Tunes (that is what we are doing right now as a matter of fact) and pretending to read his books. His vocabulary grows daily which is so much fun. It is a whole new world when your child can finally communicate with you and you can understand them! No more guessing what he is trying to say.

Joe's business is going well despite the economy. There are always lean times when you own your own company but he and his partner have built such a great company that it will be tough for them to fail. They have a great group of employees who are dedicated and loyal, so loyal that recently they all agreed to go unpaid for two weeks to save expenses!! Happily everyone is back to work full time and there is more work than employees!! That is the kind of problem you want to have.

Well, I hope I have caught you all up enough. We love you all!

What the kids are saying

Well, I am sure I will forget most of the awesome things my kids have sad recently, but I will try to recount as much as I can.

Going in order from most recent :

1. While playing with his little friend Maddy (a girl) Dom said, "Let's play dinosaurs!" Maddy replied "Yeah!" So Dom started walking like a raptor with claws and teeth out, and Maddy started prancing like a princess. Now the game has turned into "house" with dinosaurs with Dom as the baby dinosaur.

2. When sitting down to lunch with said princess dinosaur Dom said "I want to sit by Maddy because she is beautiful."

3. All three boys LOVE Looney Tunes and watch them all the time. Nicolas is especially a fan and quotes it all the time. He will randomly say "rabbit season rabbit season!" or "you're dispicable (of course he doesn't get that quite right which makes it so much funnier)".

4. The other day I was telling the boys who were upstairs at the time that they needed to be cleaning their room. I was standing downstairs near the banister. Nico stood next to me and just yelled and repeated everything I said. Then about 5 minutes after I had left that spot he went back and told the boys a few more things he wanted them to do. He ended his request with "ok?" yelled as loudly as he could.

5. Nico has started calling me "mom" for some reason, so when he does that I say "I'm mommy" to which he quickly replies "I'm Nikki!"

That is all I can remember at the moment. Hope they made you smile.

Oh yeah, I forgot about this

About a week ago Nicolas got a hold of our phone. This is nothing new. I heard him pushing buttons and thought he couldn't possiblymake an actual call. I was wrong. He ended up hitting redial somehow and called daddy. They had a nice chat.

It had to happen sometime....

...when one of my children would eat something that wasn't food. Nicolas ate a lego tonight, we think. I heard the boys yelling at him to spit it out and when I got there there was nothing to spit out. He says he ate a cheerio, which could be true. With the state of our house right now there are any number of random things on the floor, the majority of which tend to be legos and cheerios for some reason. Anyway, it was swallowed, whatever it was. Anthony was upset, because he was worried about Nico I presumed. Not so. Turns out he is more concerned about the missing lego, if it is missing. Oh well. I told him he is welcome to dig through poopy diapers tomorrow to look for the lego if he likes but I am considering that lego long gone.

sticking something up nose - check
eating something that isn't food - check

Nicolas is on a roll, all we need now is stitches or a broken bone and he should be good to go until college, right? Right?!?! AAAAAAHHHH, please com visit me in the looney bin, please.

I just can't keep it inside!

Consider this a venting blog, which is why not everyone on my mailing list is getting it this time. I know what you are thinking, aren't all of her blogs venting blogs? Very funny, but no, they aren't. Most are just an attempt at recording the craziness around here for future generations, namely my son's wives to be who will hopefully get a kick our of hearing about their antics as children.

So, let the venting begin:

I HATE PACKING!
I HATE BOXES!
I HATE THE SOUND PACKING TAPE MAKES WHEN YOU STRETCH IT OVER A BOX!
I HATE NOT BEING ABLE Y PTO FIND ANYTHING!
I HATE THAT I HAVE PARKED MY KIDS IN FRONT ON LOONEY TUNES ALL DAY JUST SO I CAN PACK!
I HATE THAT NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY I CAN'T SEEM TO FINISH PACKING THE MASTER BEDROOM!
I HATE HOW CARDBOARD BOXES SMELL!
I HATE THINKING ABOUT HAVING TO UNPACK ALL I HAVE JUST PACKED!
I HATE BEING SWEATY PRETTY MUCH FROM MORNING TIL NIGHT!

Wow, that felt good. Ok, much better. Now add a glass of wine to this vent and I will be doing alright. Actually, just add a couple snuggles from my boys and I will be doing great! Thanks for listening, all.

It could be worse...

As if packing and living out of boxes and amidst a gigantic mess isn't hard enough, leave it to my 2 year old to add to the chaos. This morning he got into the pantry and opened up our tupperware tub that holds our pancake powder mix. He poured about half on the floor (this is from Costco mind you, so not a small amount by any means). Then he opened up the vanilla extract and poured it into the remaining mix that was left in the tupperware and created a lovely smelling sludge. Then he helped himself to some chips and spilled most of the bag on the floor. I would just like to add that most of the above mentioned items are currently packed in boxes so he actually had to search for them, find them, take them out, and create a mess. As I have said, he has a gift.

On to the move. I spent most of yesterday at our old house cleaning and patching paint. It was so strange to be there, not just because it was completely empty, but because it still holds so many memories. I stumbled across some toys that had been lost in the bushes and remembered how they got there. As I cleaned the tiny bathroom I actually had a fond memory of being able to hear what was going on in EVERY room of the house from that particular place. I am excited about the new couple moving into our home and I hope it will hold as many wonderful memories for them as it did for us.

I am still packing away. I feel like there has to be a bottom somewhere, but at the moment it is like looking into a giant chasm of boxes and misc junk. I started on the boys' room today and discovered that 5 years worth of books doesn't fit in just one box, or at least not one box that someone other than Hulk Hogan can lift! So, that meant yet another box that had to be packed. So much for streamlining things. The hardest part is figuring out what to pack and what to keep out as I will be going out of town the day we move and need to have clothes and other things available for packing and the boys will be going to grandma's condo for the weekend or at least part of it so they will need clothes and diapers and toys, etc. Part of me wants to try and be super organized and have us all packed and ready for anything tomorrow! And the other part of me just wants to pack MY bag, get outta town and let daddy deal with the rest. But that would be unfair and I would never do such a thing. Please don't take my actually getting out of town as me being hypocritical. I scheduled this trip long before I knew we were going to move.

I will say that I have gotten rid of a ton of stuff, which seems amazing to me seeing as how we just had a garage sale AND I got rid of a ton of stuff a year ago when we moved last time. I guess we just have tons of stuff, which means I could get rid of a lot more if I really tried.

Anyway, I must return to my boxes and tape and hope that somewhere in there dinner gets made without knowing where any of my pots and pans and utensils are packed and the kids have jammies tonight for bed. Talk to me in a week when I am on a plane to Pittsburgh. I bet my attitude will be a whole lot different!

Just had to share...

So a little while ago Nicolas got int trouble for saying something unkind to mommy. So like a good mommy she put said toddler in time out. He sat down, all the while holding his cell phone that he carries everywhere. Pretty much anytime he gets put in time out he immediately says "Sorry mommy" so he can get up right away, but I make him sit there for at least a minute regardless. This time, however, he felt the need to share his sorrow. So after saying sorry and not being allowed to get up he opens up his cell phone and says, "hello, grandma, I crying." It was worth a shot, maybe grandma would let him get up.

At least life is never dull...

Well, some of you know and some of you don't know that we will be moving at the end of the month. No big change, just switching to a little cheaper house in the same neighborhood. This will make two moves in a year and I hope it means no moves for a while. While renting definitely has its perks it can be a pain when you are renting out a place of your own. We were thinking for a little while there that we might have to move back into our tiny house because we couldn't find any renters. But, the Lord has blessed us with a great couple to rent our home and hopefully they will want to stay longer than a year. So, now comes the tricky part, packing up all our stuff to move it two blocks. Oh, did I mention I will be out of town the weekend we need to move? Yep, either I planned this really well or made a horrible mistake, we shall see. Regardless, I am packing my little brains out trying to have things basically organized for when moving day finally arrives. In the midst of all of this Joe got a serious staph infection in his elbow and even had to be hospitalized for a day to get IV antibiotics. Luckily everyone else has been well aside from a case of double pink eye in all three boys, but the drops worked and now everyone is well and ready for the move.

Aside from the stresses of moving we are feeling very blessed. Anthony is in his last full week of school and already talking about 1st grade and how excited he is to go to a new class with new kids. Being that he is our shy guy this makes a mother's heart very warm. He has had a great year of school and that means so much. Dominic will stay home another year which was a tough decision to make. We waited with Anthony to start him in school as he would have been the youngest in the class had we started him when he turned 5 and we really see how waiting has benifited him. So, we will do the same with Dominic and give him that same edge.

Nicolas is still our little covert operator. The kid is so fast and so quiet that it really blows your mind. The government should really study his tactics, I think they could learn a thing or two. I won't go into detail, as there is too much to tell, but he has recently stolen off-limit cookies, made long distance calls on our phone, emptied the printer of paper, poured water on the couch, and let's not forget pouring dishsoap all over freshly made rice krispy treats. The kid has a gift, it is his choice to use it for good or evil.

Dominic continues to be a spitfire. He moves constantly and it is actually hard for him to simply walk in a straght line. He has to skip, spin, jump, or dive from place to place. Of course we love this about him, most of the time, and his energy can be really infectious at times. Other times you just want to put him in a padded room so you can get a little peace and quiet. But then he smiles at you and all is forgiven. Since he was a baby that smile has melted many a heart and we are already seeing the effects it has on the ladies. He is like the pied piper with little girls. They just follow him around and he has no clue why, he just loves having friends to play with!

Well, I think I have caught you up on our lives and now I must get back to packing, ugh!! Just when I think I have a handle on things I find another cabinet full of random junk we don't need. At least this is a good chance to get rid of stuff. Anyway, hope you are all well.

Summer Vacation

As summer approaches I can't help but think about summer vacation; not because I will be taking one, but because I have already taken so many wonderful ones! As a child I can't remember a summer when we didn't go on some kind of vacation. Whether it was camping at Mount Shasta or staying in a cabin in Cape Cod, our family always made a point of being together for a week each summer. My memories of these trips are all wonderful even though I know many of them were plagued by broken bones, rain, trips to the hospital, and boats flying off of trailers, nonetheless we endured and created some of my favorite memories. Learning how to body surf in Cape Cod, eating BUCKETS of fried clams, once again in Cape Cod, having my dad use his underwear to keep his head warm at night during a particularly cold camping trip, seeing my mom tough it out with crutches and a broken ankle during a very rainy east coast camping trip. Some memories belong to my parents rather than me, like when I locked myself in a port a potty at the age of 3 and they thought I had fallen in the lake, or when I said to my mom, who was very concerned about bears attacking us at night and would sleep with a spoon and pan, "bears are very quiet you know." The summer meant no school, running through sprinklers, swiming at the community pool, and of course, vacation. Sometimes we would incorporate our vacation with driving my brother to camp, which always made me sad. I would cry and cry as we drove away from his camp, missing him terribly!

And the vacations didn't stop after leaving home. I have been blessed as an adult to have visited some of the most beautiful places on earth. My honeymoon it Italy, while not a summer vacation, still stands out as one of the most amazing trips I have ever taken! SCUBA diving in the Caymen Islands, Bahamas, Hawaii, and Cancun also stand out. Cancun was our first vacation with a baby. Anthony was only 9 months old when we took him to Mexico and he was the BEST! There was only one incident where he pooped all over himself and his highchair. Daddy took care of that mess and I am still paying for it to this day! Then there was the Bahamas with both Anthony and Dominic. Again, such a fun trip. Dominic almost walking in the condo living room, Anthony sleeping on the floor, practically under Grandma and Grandpa's bed. Daddy going diving with SHARKS! Then there was the Caymen Islands for the second time, again with Anthony and Dominic, and learning that Auntie Erin would soon have a baby of her own! Joe losing the van keys in the ocean on a dinner cruise. Oh, and to go back a little, Australia, where we celebrated Chrsitmas in the heat and humidity, and with a slightly tipsy Santa. Soon after this trip we learned we were pregnant with Anthony.

All of these trips hold such wonderful memories, both big and small, and I wish I could go back and take them all over again! I have no idea what future vacations will hold, probably some trips a little closer to home. I would love the boys to see the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and other national parks. I want Joe to see Cape Cod, and I want to see the Florida Keys! So, we have a lot of planning and vactioning to do. Thanks for letting me share some memories.

When it rains, it doesn't just pour, it deluges!

So, you all know about Nico. I won't go into details with his latest antics, I will simply say; he has eaten toothpaste, filled up a huge bowl with water from the sink and spilled it, put his monkey in the toilet, and poured aftershave all over the floor. So, that is that. Now I also have two boys with pink eye (recovering, but still a pain) 1 husband who still has a staph infection in his elbow, and we still need renters for our house and to find a new rental of our own! It seems like I should be really frazzled, but I am not. Somehow the Lord is giving me peace amongst the chaos. Not to say that I haven't had my moments over the last couple days, but for the most part, I am doing ok. Hope you are all doing well yourselves.

Just my life over the last few days

Ok, so I really don't want to sound like I am complaining. I mostly want to document the last few days so I can look back and laugh because at the moment I am walking around in a daze. So, Nicolas. Where to start. The kid needs to be a spy or something. I have never known a kid as stealthy and determined. Many of you know that for a while we had to put all our chairs and bar stools up because he would climb and get into trouble. Well, I thought we had passed that stage so for the last month or so all the chairs have been down and he hasn't gotten into anything! That is until last weekend. He pushed a bar stool to the back counter where I keep the dish soap, knives, bananas, and other random things I don't want him or the other kids getting into. But as I mentioned, he is determined. So he grabs a banana and the soap and pours about a cup all over the banana. Then he grabs a steak knife and cuts the banana several times. Thank goodness I found him before he cut himself or tried to eat his creation! A couple days later he pushed the bar stool to our other counter with the coffee pot. He took my freshly poured mug, drank and spilled a bunch, then tried to refil the mug wtih creamer, which of course spilled all over him, the counter, and the floor. Yesterday he woke up completely naked, diaper and jammies off. Then he tried to take everything off two more times. This morning, same thing, diaper and jammy bottoms off. Now again with the bar stool, pushed it to coffee counter OPENED THE CABINET and helped himself to a mug. Luckily I heard him before he tried to pur himself some coffee!!! And last but not least, he once again pushed a chair to the back counter where I had accidentally left the milk out after making smoothies. It did have the lid on, but he twisted the lid off, found a cup, and poured himself a big old glass, of course spilling most of it on the counter, cabinets, floor, and chair he used to climb on. He then carried it all the way to the couch, without spillng nearly as much as I would have thought considering how full the glass was.

So, I am tired, needless to say. The kid needs a dog bell.

Some more Dom wisdom

Just wanted to share a couple more Dominisms. While driving in the car one day he says, "My head can say things that I don't say." He had discovered his inner monologue. In the car yesterday he wanted me to look at something and I said I couldn't because I was driving. His response was, "but I thought you had eyes on the back of your head."

There will be many more of these I am sure. I just love how kids' minds work.

4 year old wisdom

Ok, some of you already saw this on facebook, but I wanted to share with everyone. Today while driving home from the gym Dom and I got on the topic of poop. With three boys that is pretty much a given during car rides. Anyway, I made some silly joke about peanut butter looking like poop since Dom wanted a PB sandwich for lunch and he very seriously replied, "poop is black, mom, because it sucks up all the darkness inside of you and then you poop it out." So, in case you were wondering why poop is the color it is, now you know! I love kids!

It's the little things

It has been way too long. I won't waste time with excuses but will instead get right to the good stuff. Have I mentioned how much I enjoy having three boys? Well, I do. Boys have a special way of making everything more exciting, and dirty, and wondrous. Any stick can be a light saber, every bug is a dinosaur fossil, and blowing bubbles becomes a contact sport. One of our great joys right now is watching Nicolas grow into a big boy. He is talking all the time and the things he says, and sings (he is our little musician) almost always make us smile. He has this little toy guitar (a miniature of a real acoustic) and he carries it around playing and singing songs like "Happy Birthday, "I Like to Eat, Eat Apples and Bananas," and "Old McDonald." Oh, he also loves the song from the Bumble Bee tuna commercial (I like bumble bee, bumble bee tuna...). He sings in bed as he falls asleep, he sings in the car, he sings all the time. And when he isn't singing he is saying "mommy, watch this" and then he does something silly, like pretend a toy car is his guitar, or he says "mommy, look" and then points out something obvious like Dominic sitting on the couch. The best is when he gets into a silly contest with one of his brothers and they fall down giggling. Boys are awesome!

I am also truly enjoying introducing my kids to new things. This morning I put on an old "gray" movie, as Dom called it, with Cary Grant. Dom has been sitting on the couch watching it with me for almost an hour and h e LOVES it! By the way, it is called "Topper" and I highly recommend it. Very funny. One of my favorite times of the day is any time I am in the car with all three. I know, that sounds crazy!!! But it is one of the only times I have their complete attention and they really listen. We talk about God, math, superheroes, and karate. Yesterday we talked about odd and even numbers and addition and they didn't want to stop!! Sometimes Dom or Anthony will ask a really deep question like, where does God live? Then of course Nico has to chime in with "mommy, look, tractor."

Three boys might seem like a lot, but for us it is just right.

White belts and dollar scoops

Well, last night it happened, the boys earned their white belts in karate. It was quite an evening. It was the last class of the session so everyone got promoted in one way or another, some got new color belts and some added stripes to existing belts. It was really neat and all the kids were so proud!!! We watched some black belts break boards and even watched a little guy break his first board!!!

Afterwards we went to Baskin Robins for their dollar scoop night. Much fun was had by all. Enjoy the pics.

2 is oh so fun!

I thought we had already entered the "terrible twos" but I am learning that all that came before was just an appetizer, a small sampling of what my innocent little baby is truly capable of. We have officially started time out with Nicolas and he definitely understands when and why he is put in time out. He will sit, as long as we are close by, for as long as it takes to get the tantrum out of his system. Unfortunately we haven't determined just how long that is yet!! He has stamina, I will put it that way. So, here is an example of a typical time out: Nicolas throws something or hits someone when he is upset. That is a no no. So, he is put in time out. He cries and screams, but he sits. He is told he can get up when he says sorry to whomever he offended, usually mommy. So, he sits for a minute, is asked, "do you want to get up?" He nods yes, then is told "you can get up when you tell mommy sorry." "NOOOOOO!!!!" "Ok, then you need to keep sitting until you tell mommy sorry." (Lots of crying and screaming, often some leg kicking and lying down occurs as well.) He calms down a bit "do you want to get up?" Head nods and says "ok". "Then tell mommy sorry." "Truck?" "ok?" (Anthing to distract you so I don't have to say sorry.) Now, I know some of you are thinking, he doesn't understand sorry, just let him get up already. Well, let me tell you, he totally understands. Here is how I know. This last time he was in time out it was close to bath time and bed time so he needed to get up and get in the bath. He did give me a hug, which is part of the apology. But he still wouldn't say sorry. So, we go through bath time, jammy time, and then it is off to bed. He gets his hugs and kisses and as SOON as I had shut the door to his room to go downstairs I hear, "sorry mommy". That little stinker! So, we have a stubborn Swede on our hands. Hmm, that is so strange because no one else in this house is like that.

What the kids are saying....

I fear there is no way to keep track of all the wonderful, terrible, hilarious, and sweet things my kids say, but I am going to try!!!!

Just a minute ago Dom gets off his chair while eating dinner and announces "do you want to hear my remember verse from church?" Of course I did!!!! Then in a way only Dom can do, he acts it out "Be strong (arms up flexing), be brave (arms on hips, legs akimbo), the Lord is with you (pointing up and then at me.)" I hope he "remembers" that verse forever, it is one of the more important ones after all.

Just wanted to share. I love how a child can put a smile on your face even when your arms are elbow deep in spaghetti dishwater. Thanks Dom, I love you so much!

Chocolate milk and Jesus

Hey there. Just thought I would share some cute things the kids have said lately. The first is more sweet than funny. Anthony and Dominic learned a little about Lent at karate class last week, basically the instructor talked about sacrifice. Later on Grandma expanded to include Jesus and His sacrifice for all of us. The next day, obviously after much thought and contemplation, Anthony said to me "Mommy, I want to give up chocolate milk so Jesus doesn't feel bad." Still brings a tear to my eye. What a sweetheart.

This past weekend we went out to dinner for Auntie Erin's birthday and while we waited for our table I asked the boys what they wanted for dinner. Dominic replied "chicken hands." He obviously meant chicken fingers, but I like his version better.

And not to be left out, Nico has had his share of funny sayings lately as well. Mostly he is just talking all the time, repeating everything he hears, and it is so adorable! A couple weeks ago in Walmart we were walking down the snack aisle and all of a sudden he starts yelling and pointing "go f*%^&!" It took me a second to realize he had spotted the goldfish crackers and really wanted me to get some. He still can't quite say it correctly and whenever he does say it he usually yells it. So funny.

That's it. Hope this made you smile.

Things I've recently realized about myself, and also some cute things the kids have said

I will start with the story that is foremost in my mind because, as of late, things do not remain there long and once they are gone they are gone for good. As most of you know I am on facebook which keeps me in touch and up to date on friends and family both near and far, past and present. There are several "apps" in facebook where you can share different information; websites, videos, movies you like, and music you are listening to. What I have discovered about myself is that, well, I seem to be stuck in a musical rutt. My friends and family are posting songs from people I have never heard of! I am feeling very out of the loop at the moment. When I stopped and tried to figure out why I am so behind in music (my ipod has Third Eye Blind and Oasis on it, not to mention Frank Sinatra) I came to a few conclusions. The first conclusion was that I spend way too much time listening to talk radio than music radio, and when I do listen to music it is either my much outdated ipod or country music. Another conclusion was I just don't have the time. Keeping up with new artists and songs could be a full time job, and is for some people!!! I go to iTunes and just about pop a blood vessel when I try to navigate through new artists, artists that artists suggest, celebrity playlists, and the list goes on and on. And it is just as time consuming keeping up with artists my friends and family are suggesting. So, for now I will continue to be a country girl who occasionally puts on her "stuck in the 90's" ipod when she needs a change. Maybe when the kids are in college I will have time to catch up.

Ok, on to cute things the kids are saying. Well, the most recent was cute and sweet, at least to me. I took Nico and Dom to an indoor play-place for an hour so they could get some energy out. It is a place where you must wear socks and leave your shoes at the door. So, upon leaving I had the boys sit on the bench to put their shoes back on and there was a little girl sitting there. She was not happy about sharing "her" bench and kept saying, very loudly "my side, my side" to Nicolas, who was sitting closest to her. Dom looked over after he had put on his shoes and got in her face and said "that's my baby brother, you don't yell at him!" After I told him it wasn't nice to yell back either and to say sorry, I smiled to myself secretly. The warm fuzzies of brotherly love are still tingling in my chest and there is a tear in my eye. Dom loves Nico afterall.

The big boys started karate this week. Let me just say this blanket statement; karate has changed our lives. How you may ask? Well, let me tell you. For one thing, they are taking their classes at the YMCA, which still stresses community, Christian values, and self confidence in all their activities. So we get to their first lesson and immediately the instructor is asking them to "stand strong" (straight with hands behind backs and feet slightly apart) and say "yes sir" and "thank you" when the instructor asks them to do something or gives them something. The boys were LOVING it!!!! They had no idea what they were doing, but they were so excited to be just like the other kids who were listening and being respectful. The best part is that in this class, the first belt they earn, the white belt, is given to them my us, the parents. To receive it the boys must exhibit the tenants of Tai Kwon Do which include respect, kindness, helpfulness, love, patience, and being polite. They have a list of things they must do for an amount of time the parents choose, and then they can receive their first belt. In order to make this process easier to follow for them, and fun too, I went online and found a site that makes online goal charts for kids. So, they both made their charts with all the things they have to do in a given day, like brushing teeth, cleaning their room, not fighting, etc, AND all the things they must do to earn their belts. This has been an amazing challenge for them and they are doing so great!!!! They are being kind to each other, more helpful around the house, not throwing tantrums at the drop of a hat, and learning how to control themselves. I realize it is only the first week, but they are catching on to how much better life is when you live this way. So, thank you YMCA, thank you!!!

More cuteness, if I may. Nicolas is chattering away even as I write. He likes to go through his entire repertoire occasionally saying all the words and phrases he knows. Some of his favorites are "baby Jesus", "applesauce", "whoa, cool", "whoa", "see dat?". It is so fun to watch and listen to him pick things up. He is imitating his brothers all the time now and it just makes me smile. There is nothing cuter than a two year old imitating a 4 year old who is imitating a 6 year old. Ahh, the circle of life.

The latest

Hey all. OK, I promise no politics this time. Just some good, old fashioned stories about the kiddos. I know, so strange and unpredictable of me. I have to say, Joe and I have a hard time keeping up with all the creative, hilarious, and sometimes awful things our kids say, but we try. We had a list going for a long time but ran out of room and never added more paper. I think the addition of another child hampered our efforts at documenting even the simplest of quotes.

The first story isn't actually a quote but rather an event. My friend Lesley was over on Monday and I made the kids shells and cheese. Dom and Mack were having fun eating and sticking the noodles on the ends of their tongues or fingers. Not wanting to be outdone, Nicolas put one in each ear. Luckily Mack informed me before he shoved them too far in. Unfortunately no one saw him stick one up his nose. I looked over and he had his finger in his nose and was making a funy face. I knew right away what had happened. Let me just say, moms, be sure to have tweezers in your house. For whatever reason I had none and so I tried to think of another way to get the noodle out of his nose. He had crammed it pretty far up in there and I started having visions of it drifting into his eye cavity or having to have surgery to remove it. I tried using our battery powered nose aspirator (you suck boogers out with it) but that only shoved it further in. Eventually I took Dom and Nico to the drug store and got some tweezers. It was all to no avail, the noodle was too squishy and I couldn't get a good grip on it with the tweezers. So, I put him down for his nap with a noodle up his nose. Anthony and I even made up a nick name for him, noodle nose Nico. Joe was home by the time he woke up and took a look up his nose and said he could see the noodle and wanted a try and extracting. So, he got the tweezers and managed to work it down to a point where I could squeeze it out of his nose. I know, too much info, but it is what it is. It was bigger than I thought and I am glad it is out of there, for his and my sakes.

As long as we are talking about not so funny moments in my kids' lives, let's move on to yesterday morning. Anthony and daddy were getting ready to leave for the day and Dom was following Anthony around as usual. Let's just say that Anthony is not fond of mornings, or at least mornings where he has to get ready for school, and Dom was bugging him just a little too much. I didn't see this happen, but as Joe put it, Dom flew backward like from a scene in a movie. Anthony had pushed him out of annoyance. Daddy had to get involved and that is serious business. So far there have been no more pushing incidents that I am aware of.

Now for a nice story. I may have already told this one, but one day a few weeks ago we were going to pick Anthony up from school and as we parked the car Dom says "Thanks for the ride, pretty lady." It still makes me smile. Such a goof ball.

And let me just praise my kids for a minute. We went to the La Brea Tar Pits on Sat, which is in LA. What should have only been a 1.5 hour drive ended up being close to 2.5 hours and the kids were so great the entire time!!!! I was so proud of them.

Today

Unlike my other posts, this blog will not contain photos or stories about my family. I felt compelled to write about the inauguration and my personal feelings and thoughts. I will admit that I didn't plan on watching the inauguration today. Then I though, why? Out of spite? On principal? I did not want to be that person. While I may not agree with Obama on most of his policies, I am called as a Christian to honor my leaders. He has been entrusted to lead this country and I have to believe that he has our best interests in mind. Just because our views on how to achieve those interests differ greatly does not make him a bad person or a bad president. In so many ways I truly feel sorry for him. So much has been placed on his shoulders that it will be impossible to live up to it all. He will fail in more ways than he will succeed, as do most presidents, but in his case it will mean more for some reason. While I think the race issue is actually a non-issue, it has become THE issue. I don't care whether he is black or white, red or yellow. What I do care about is what he plans on doing while in office. However, most of the country has put their hopes and dreams in a man based on his skin color, at least in part. But that is for another post I suppose. Right now I am kind of taken up in the moment. Regardless of who is being sworn in today, it is the beginning of a new era for our country.

The media has taken it upon themselves to keep race as a focal point. Almost every person they have done close ups on this morning has been a person of color. Why? Aren't there plenty of white folks out there who are just as excited wbout Obama being sworn in today? I am fearful of the next four, and most likely 8 years. I believe so many of the problems we are facing as a nation have been caused by the exact same kinds of policies that Obama wishes to institute. But I also have to have some hope. If I sit here complaining and harping on this administration I am simply adding to the problem. I have become what I despise. If I want change I must make it myself. But how? I don't know at the moment. But I will figure it out. So as I listen to our now 44th president give his acceptance speech, I feel proud. Proud of this nation, proud that we have the ability to change our circumstances and proud that we have the freedom to speak our minds. I heard a quote recently in a movie I can't recall that said, you don't have to agree with your government, you just have to believe in it. And I do. I am blessed to live in this country, blessed to have the freedoms I do, and I believe that our government has the ability to make this country even greater. I know for so many people this is a big day and I respect that. So, let's move forward and do what we can to make things better. I think it really comes down to each person doing what they can. One man cannot change the world, but we as a nation can change things dramatically, so let's get out there and do it!! As Obama just said, the world has changed and we must change with it. But let's not change so much that we forget who we are. We are a country founded on freedom, founded on the belief that the people of this nation have the ability to make this country great, not just the president. So let's put some of our hope in Obama, but most of our hope in ourselves.

New Year

Hi all. I know it has been way too long. In an attempt to document the things our kids say and do I am posting another blog full of Dominisms and Nico cuteness.

The age of Star Wars has begun at our house. The boys all have light sabers, they have a Star Wars video game they love to play, they have seen some of the classic star wars movies as well as some of the new ones as well. They play light saber battle all the time. During one such battle Anthony and Dom come bounding into the family room and I hear Dom say" I'm going to pay you for this!" If you could have seen the serious look on his face it would have cracked you up even more. We use that one alot now.

Nico has turned into such a little talker these days. He is stringing two and three words together and the simple fact that he can communicate his wants and desires more easily makes my life so much nicer! But he is a little comic that is for sure. One of his new favorite things to do is to get one of his brothers' Buzz Lightyear toys (it is like a big action figure) and lay him down on one of our end tables. Then he goes and gets a package of diapers and brings them to the table all the while chanting "ucky biaper" which of course means "yucky diaper" which is what we say when we change him. Then he proceeds to try and put a diaper on Buzz. One of the cutest things he does now is how he answers pretty much any question. When he asks for more of anything he says "More drink, ok" and then shakes his head up and down. If he really wants to emphasize his desire he adds a "yeah" with the head nod.

Rather than being cute Anthony just amazes us with the things he knows. He can name every dinosaur and pronounce the names accurately. Not only that, he can READ all the names. He has several dinosaur books and I have to ask for his help in pronouncing the names when I read it to him. He knows more about the dinosaurs than most people and wants to be a paleontologist when he grows up. He is such a little sponge and it is so cool to watch him learn.