We So Can't Wait For Spring to Officially Come Next WEEK!!- Matthew's LONGEST BASEBALL GAME EVER!

Matthew has had a cough since Monday. Over the weekend, the temperatures were warmer, so then typical New England weather the next day it will be freezing!

We are so ready for this long winter to be done, for more reasons than one.

It has been tough being housebound and the moment the sun comes out and the temperatures rise, the music gets turned up and you can just feel the change in the air, in the house...it's like we all breathe a sigh of relief...............aaahhhhhhhhh we made it! We survived again!

Then it gets cold again the next day, and Mama Swan can barely type and move her body due to her limbs being frozen all the time.

I am sick of wearing sweats and sweaters!! I wish the warm weather lasted a lot longer.

I know this sounds like a complaining blog..but really it's not. I'm just waiting for my fingers to warm up so I can blog more.

On a warmer note, one sign of spring is baseball season. The other day, I got an email from another mom, wanting me to register Matthew for the longest game ever. It is a 36 hour game that is being played in our town and to register him for free, it created the most awesome fundraising and proud mommy moment for me. It created a page with Matthew's picture, and his name was scattered throughout the page. I am copying some of it to protect our identity but still with sharing this awesome moment for my little T-Ball player:

TOP FUND-RAISING INCENTIVE PRIZE LUNCH WITH CURT SCHILLING Each player who raises $250 will be invited to a pizza lunch featuring Red Sox great, CURT SCHILLING. Curt will sign autographs, share stories and pose for pictures with the kids. The TOP 32 overall fund-raisers will get to sit at CURT'S table during lunch!


On the weekend of June 6 and 7 all 800 ____Massachusetts youth baseball and softball players including Matthew will attempt to set the WORLD RECORD for the longest baseball game ever played, 36 hours!

The event will take place in ____, Massachusetts at the __Complex.

Every player from each team will participate in the event.

The Longest Baseball Game will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday June 6 and end 36 hours later, at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 7.

The current world record for the Longest Baseball Game is 32 hours 29 minutes 25 seconds set October 13-14, 2007 in St. Louis, Mo.

In order for this event to be a success we need your help.

Please consider contributing towards Matthew's personal fund-raising goal. We're offering great incentive prizes for Matthew including a great top fund-raising prize to be announced soon!

Our goal is to raise $100,000 to distribute to charities that include the local DARE program, and March of Dimes. The entire game will be broadcast on the Internet at___.

The exact time of Matthew's game will be posted on the home page soon so you can listen to Matthew help set a WORLD RECORD!

Thank you for your support!

NOW, HOW COOL IS THAT!! AND SUCH AN AWESOME FUNDRAISING IDEA!!

Cinderella is now back to reality (at least for now)

Mama Swan got an unexpected treat this weekend. On Saturday we took Matthew to have his pictures taken for Soccer, and then headed into Boston for a Get Rid Of The Income Tax Rally held in Fanuill Hall.

Before we went, I got an email from my cousin Jeanne who mentioned she would be coming to Boston on Sunday for a conference and if I had time, we could get together.

My cousin Jeanne is not only the most warm hearted, giving, considerate, loving, generous, and devoted person, she also has the most beautiful voice and sings for a band in PA. She has been in a band in one way or another for the past 20 years. She also plays a mean keyboard.

She recently went to Nashville to record a cd that was produced by the same producer for Lorrie Morgan (Country artist). Jeanne has opened up for Lorrie Morgan, Heart, Jason Aldean, Journey and a number of other artists over the years.

I am her number one New England Fan, and would love to see her go far. She is the mom of two absolutely gorgeous children and not only does she sing with a band, but works at a full time job in addition to that, and is part of the town recreation department. She is also very active in church and is blessed in more ways than one. I've always admired her determination, devotion and strength to not let any obstacles get in her way of achieving her dreams. Her children are so blessed to have her as their mom.

On Friday night when I had my hour and a half with TwinsMom, I was listening to Jeanne's cd on the way, thinking to myself I wish we lived closer. Friday night I mentioned to TwinsMom that I wish we were rich and could just get a place to go, just to watch a movie. I secretly to myself wished I had a room just pop up out of nowhere to go to, a hotel...but knew it was just a dream.

When I got her email, at first I thought I would just be going in for a few hours Sunday night, due to the expensive cost of parking overnight in Boston. She offered to take care of everything. I was Julia Roberts without Richard Gere for 24 hours. I felt like I really just became Cinderella, and my gown was about to turn into rags again, as yesterday morning was coming to an end.

We walked to The Union House for a beer. I got us lost and Jeanne had to show ME how to get to the North End. That would have never happened a million years ago. I used to be THE tour guide for anyone coming to Boston from PA. I'm just out of practice.

We had a delicious dinner at G'Vanni's in the North End. I had not had veal since before Matthew was born. At first I felt like I couldn't order it, due to the expense but she insisted. When they brought my plate, I was embarrassed because it didn't look like much. But once I tasted the Vitello Piccata, they had in lemon with capers.....................my dream just got more intense. Not only was I in the North End with my cousin, but now it came with taste. I have never had a more delicious dinner in my life, it is now up there above lobster.

We had Tirimasu and Canoli's and Cappachino on Hanover Street as we walked toward the harbor side. We stopped at The Living Room for one more (two more) glasses of wine for Mama Swan.....and then Jeanne helped me crossing the street to the hotel.

She saw a sign for the Hard Rock, which I insisted was not on that side of town. I had been there many times, years before and I knew it wasn't there. She pointed to the sign...and what do you know, she became the tour guide again...instead of me. But she wasn't in the mood for a crazy atmosphere, so we declined.

We then hit the hay, and had breakfast at the awesomely decored Oceana restaurant in the Marriott, overlooking the harbor in the morning.

Talk about awesome ambiance. And then as I was eating my eggs benedict (another dream), it hit me...my dream was about to end....I had to get home to meet Matthew for lunch.

Mama Swan flew home, to meet him coming off the bus. He said "What did you do at Jeanne's Mommy?" I said "Oh we had dinner, and next time she comes she is going to bring her little guy for you to play with and come and visit our house."

Thanks to Eric for being so understanding in helping me, achieve this dream.

Then my mom and God kept at it and Eric got to go for free to the Red Sox game last night.

His friend/old boss called him, and last minute my car made the third trip three days in a row into Boston and he got to see them beat the Angels and now head into the ALCS 2008.

I know back to mopping the floors, laundry, dishes, vacuuming.....Cinderella is back to just enjoying the memory. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Chilly Weather and my Michelin Tire Baby

This morning was a nippy 43 degrees at 6:30 when we got up. I am really NOT a cold weather person, how I got farther north from PA to MA, is something. When I am cold, I literally freeze, as in bones frozen, so I can't even type, or walk around the house.

I know I've mentioned in the past the weather differences of living on the lake, but now that Matthew is going to school somehow Mommy has to pull up my bootstraps and get tougher.

I don't know if my being hypothyroid makes it worse. I know it is one of the symptoms, but I'm on medication for it...so shouldn't I be scalding hot now?

Yesterday, a note came home from school saying today would be "National Red Sox Day" to show our support, to send Matthew to school in his team attire.

Luckily he has a new sweatshirt that I got him.

This morning, the poor kid is all bundled up in this nice bulky sweatshirt to keep him warm, and then I put a light jacket over him, because it was so cold out. I feel like I'm always sending him out in public looking like the Michelin Tire Baby.

I'm the mom, who will pick up the Michelin Tire Baby from school and watch every other child come out of school with weather appropriate attire on. My house, my area down in the nook by the lake with the trees and leaves blowing...is freezing..........................up the street................Paradise on a Sunny Island in the Caribbean!

Here is a picture of Matthew from his T-Ball parade day taken in March? I know it was freezing, but how come he was the only Michelin Tire baby in that parade????????????

Have a warm, toasty and cozy day!!