Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day Eric!!!

I feel bad Eric got the fuzzy end of the lollipop on this Father's Day. Mommy got some sort of stomach flu bug yesterday, and has spent some Signficant time this weekend in the bathroom. I usually like to make Eric breakfast on Father's Day, but as food was not appealing in actuality or in theory, so Eric had to make his own breakfast...and lunch. I didn't even get to wrap Eric's presents, I felt too crummy. I just pulled them out of the car. Chris and Sam each got Daddy a new running shoe (1 shoe from each child to make a pair). Eric wanted to try them on, but he had to fight Chris for them, Chris wanted to put them on and go around the house. Silly goose. I didn't feel good enough to go to church today, which was a bummer, because Eric was guest singing with the Contemporary Band, and they were going to do My Father's House.

So I had to miss it. Apparently they did well, but I'm not surprised. Sam and I spent the morning with me trying desperately to nap. And failing. Pretty much as soon as Eric and Chris got back from church, they had lunch, and I went to bed. I got a good hour nap there, while Sam was awake, then again later we threw Sam in the swing and he slept. After naps, Eric and Chris drove down to my Dad's for Father's Day festivities. Which Sam and I missed. Sam spent half that time asleep on my chest. He'd scream out, want fed, then conk out on me. This afternoon he's been a cuddlebug, and I feel bad that Daddy had to miss it. But Daddy got to play with Chris.

Every year I take a picture of Eric on Father's Day. This was last year's shot.


How much more awesome is this year! We have been super blessed with our new addition, Samuel. Between Chris and Sam, even a crummy Father's Day is still a good Father's Day.



Happy Father's Day to all and to all a good night!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Friday Fill-in

1. All children alarm their parents, if only because you are forever expecting the other shoe to drop.

2. Show me a good loser and I will show you a person who will WIN in the long run. Ever notice how so many successful people were the picked on geek in school.

3. The new Brownie Batter Blizzard is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs at one time. Well, without the alcohol fix. Seriously, that thing is CHOCOLATEY!

4. Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy and out doing something else and not running the county. They are the ones we need right now.

5. I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine
parenthood and romance. My magazines are full of suggestions, but you don't hear the menfolk complaining.

6. It is impossible to think of any good meal, no matter how plain or elegant, without dessert or carbs in it. Been toying with getting back on the bandwagon, unfortunately the Carbs keep Mama sane, especially in the form of milkshakes or alcohol!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to meeting Eric for supper in Plainfield, he just called with a surprise plan. He wanted to try to lose the kids so we could have a date, but Chris was such a bear this morning, I wouldn't want to torture anyone by doing that, I told him we "wouldn't want to burn a gift horse", (see how badly I need to get out) tomorrow my plans include seeing Cute Kids in Swim Class and Sunday, I want to take a nap uninterrupted, but since that's highly unlikely, I'll settle for spoiling my husband a bit, and a big beastly Dinner at my Dad's!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Try some more

That was fun. My friends know my babies! Yesterday's guessers guessed right Baby A was Chris and Baby B was Sam.

Contrary to popular believe the boys are NOT happy all the time. Can you guess which one is which again?

A.


B.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Which Baby Bear?

So you all say Chris and Sam look alike. I have a tendency to agree.
Now for a little fun...

Which Baby is Sam and Which Baby is Chris?

A.


B.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Rainbow Day



Caught this out my living room window last week. Sums up my day, a bit of rain through the sunshine.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Where'd my relaxing day go?

My friend Kathleen and I escaped on Wednesday. We ran away from it all, left the kids with the daddies and left. We went for Pedicures! Eric had gotten me a gift card for this place here in town, the em studio salon which was FABULOUS! Kathleen and I were in our own cozy nook getting our tootsies done. It was quite nice, and NO TODDLERS yelling "MommyMommyMommyMommyMommy...."!



After our tootsie pampering, I decided that it was time to get a haircut.
Before:



I donated about 7 inches to Locks of Love! Woo hoo, now I can feel the summer breeze on the back of my neck. Ahh....
After:



From there we went and had quick drinks at Starbucks. However, Eric had spent at least an hour bouncing Sam, and Kathleen was too preggers to stay out too late, so the fun didn't last long. When I got home, Eric was tired, his huddled masses were yearning to breathe free. He went pretty much straight to bed, and Sam didn't want to sleep. I was relaxed I didn't mind.

Now 2 days later, I'm feeling more stressed. The kids are griping, and it's exhausting. Where did all my happiness and relaxation go? I need to get away again. Today it's not an option.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Goodbye Grandma Neva



We had a service for Grandma today. It was really nice and simple, held in the St. Francis hospital chapel. We woke the boys to make it to the church on time, though we were still late. Then, of course, Sam wanted to eat halfway through the service. My Dad asked one favor of me, that I help present the communion elements, with my cousin and sister. Well, I was out of the room nursing Sam when that time came, and I blew it. I feel crummy about that. There were a lot more folks there than I thought there would be. We almost filled that chapel. It was good to see friends and coworkers of my Dad and Stepmom being so supportive. My Dad delivered a great eulogy, particularly dwelling on how Grandma told lots of stories. She was a big talker. It was rarely silent around her, even if she'd told you the same story a zillion times, she'd say, well, I like to tell it. I know that she's in such a better place. The priest mentioned that we were "celebrating her dash". You know, she lived from 1914-2009. It's that dash in the middle, that's our life, and that was what we were celebrating today, how she lived that dash. And she Lived it.
Dad said she used to be a good cook, but got distracted when we were around. She once was making green beans, sauteed them in olive oil, then went to put lemon pepper on them, accidently grabbed cinnamon instead. Instead of pitching them, she rinsed them in water, and piled on the lemon pepper. My father had this rule, we had to eat everything on our plate that Grandma cooked. Those were the worst green beans I've ever eaten. To this day, I don't eat fancied up green beans. I like them plain. But I'll never look at fancied up green beans and not think of my Grandma. I remember laughing about those beans for years after. I kept it together, but when Dad touched on that story in the eulogy, I teared up. I will say that it was refreshing to have Sam and Chris with me though. They have this Gift. I can't help but appreciate their new and developing lives, and treasure them that much more in the face of Grandma's passing.



I'll miss you Grandma.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Grandma Neva

We lost my Grandma last Friday morning. She was 94. Sam and I had gone to visit Thursday night, and she really wasn't looking well. We knew it would be soon. I'm glad she's no longer suffering. From start to finish this whole episode of illness was only 3 weeks. That's it. Just a couple months ago, she was doing well, self-sufficient practically. But this whole thing just crept up so fast. First she got pneumonia, then a mini-stroke, then a secondary infection, then just about the time they get the infections under control. Bam! She has a hemorrhagic stroke, a brain-bleed if you will. This was the whammy, the one she wasn't going to come back from. In fact, after that stroke on the 29th, Grandma herself was no longer there. They moved her into hospice that night, and stopped all measures but painkillers.
But she was strong, not just in personality, but in body, and she hung on for a whole week.

Years ago, she sent me a handful of pictures from back in the days when she and my grandfather were dating. They divorced in the 60s, but she never remarried. I scanned them in this week so that my Dad could use them for a photo presentation. She was looking good!

This first one was early in their marriage when Grandma and Grandpa were visiting his parents in La Jolla, CA. Grandpa came from a long line of Navy men, he bucked the system and went in the Army. Grandma was content to be an Army wife, though she'd worked at Hallmark in the days prior to meeting Grandpa.



This is one of my favs, Grandma on their D.C. home's front porch just after they adopted my Dad from Ireland.



Happiness comes from fondly remembering the departed.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Mommy's New Toy

Good morning! I'm writing to you this morning from my kitchen table. Now having a laptop by with which blog is not anything tremondously new around here. Eric's had one for years, a great beast of a computer, that weighs more than Sam.

Yesterday marked 11 years of marriage for Eric and I. And he got me a wonderful present. A netbook.

It's PINK!



I feel like Elle Woods with her cute little orange mac. I have a pink computer. I love that Eric picked this out for me just because I mentioned in passing, I like the idea of a laptop but that his laptop is such a great honking beast, I don't like it.
So now, I sit, telling Eric that there is a chance for storms today, as I sit in the shadow of my anniversary roses, eating my homemade breakfast. Eggs in windows. Does it get much better?

I am so Blessed!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Ganked from Lisa

Five things you will find if you open my purse:
1. A green wallet
2. a vial of ibuprofen that also has tylenol in it
3. my pocketknife with clippers attached
4. makeup case
5. checkbook

Five things in my bedroom:
1. Sam's pack-and-play
2. A mountain of clean laundry that needs to be put away
3. 2 dressers
4. 1 nightstand
5. Fina's crate which doubles as a third dresser

Five things I have always wanted to do in my life:
1. Travel
2. become a jeweler
3. open a restaurant
4. take up Beading
5. have one of those homes that whenever someone stopped by unannounced, it was always clean (I'd settle for clutter-free!)

Five things that make me very happy:
1. Food
2. My Boys' smiles
3. picnics
4. doin' Lunch
5. Starbucks

Five things I am currently into:
1. Facebook
2. The PBS Kids lineup
3. trying to read the bible in a year (I'm 4 books behind)
4. reading First Year Week by Week
5. Photography / Getting my photographs organized

Five things on my To-Do list: (I only get five?!?)
1. Do Laundry
2. Put away Laundry
3. Help my father somehow
4. Make my children stop yelling
5. Clear off any surface that has an abundance of clutter (if I individualized it, that would count for like 20)


Five things some people may or may not know about you:

1. I love coffee flavored things, like ice cream and candy, but the beverages I get at Starbucks would barely be considered coffee. I can't drink a plain cup of black coffee...ewww. Love the smell though.
2. Though Eric and met in the marching band, in high school, I played viola.
3. The first pet I owned was a parakeet, named Bud (Rosebud for girl, Buddy for a boy, we weren't sure which one it was)
4. I don't like Pepperoni
5. I've donated my hair to Locks-of-love a few times, and I'm thinking I may do it again next week!

Five most important moments of the last year:
1. Sam!
2. 10 year wedding anniversary
3. Chris's feeding tube surgery
4. Buying our new plot of land
5. Visiting family members for the last time

Five things you enjoy doing during your free time (what free time?)
1. crochet
2. reading
3. sleeping
4. watching tv or the occasional netflixed movie/series
5. festive beverages from Starbucks/Dairy Queen

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Wordless Wednesday


From yesterday.

Tiny Tweety Trooper

I can't believe my Grandma is still kicking.
She's one tough little bird.
They've had her in hospice for 4 days. On Friday they gave her 2-4 days. Period. Once they removed the chest tube and stopped the antibiotics her oxygen levels dropped pretty fast. We thought we were going to lose her Sunday, then Monday. But then the last two days she's kind of leveled off. She was getting a bit twitchy. Dad and MB could tell that when the nurses came in (or other strange voices) she'd get upset, like she was afraid they were going to move her. She's on a steady morphine drip, that they just up when she indicates she's in pain. It's so sad. It hurts her to be moved, even for vital signs, so they've kicked it down to just moving her and doing vitals once a day. Her weight has dropped like 5 pounds just since they moved her (her bed will do weight at the push of a button--so much easier than back in the day when I was a CNA). She wasn't exactly a hulky thing before, and now she really is just a little bird. It's weird to know that she's not there, and yet she still is.

Please pray the H.S. comes to take her quickly, as well as continued strength for my Father. My heart hurts for them.