Remember When Wednesday - No Snow Before Halloween

Alright, my memory is okay.

It could be better.

It definitely gets better when I force myself to go back and clear out the fog in my head.

But Snow Before HALLOWEEN in NEPA??

I don't think I can remember in my 20 years, before moving to MA, snow before Halloween?????

I was reading the newspaper online and I almost died in shock at the snow on the ground, and in the trees.

My beautiful friend Carebear, emailed me a picture of her backyard with 6 inches of snow, and deer trying to eat through it.

It was so pretty. She lives in the mountains and so she got more than in the lower valley.

I told her I wanted to sit at her table and have Hot Cocoa..with her and look at that deer in beautiful snowy forest backyard.

But then it hit me....this same friend and I used to go trick or treating and it never, ever snowed for us.

I guess by Friday, they are calling for the snow to melt, so officially the kids won't go trick or treating with snowsuits on under their costumes.

Good thing too, or my nieces would have a hard time squeezing into their pirate costumes, my brother J mentioned they would be.

One of these days my scanner will work, so I could put more older pictures from my memories, like me dressed as a punk rocker/Casper the friendly ghost and I think I remember a Cinderella in there....

Wish I had old pictures of our Halloween memories....along with other memories of my old neighborhood and friends:-)

But in the meantime, you can enjoy these pictures of my Dad in 1948 dressed as a Hobo!! I love him!!

Keep Warm for Halloween!!

Can You Say DISTRACTED????

To say I've been distracted, is an understatement.

Someone turned me onto one of those myspace type places, where I decided to give in and join.

Two weeks later, I'm finally picking my head up from my induced glassy haze and remembering...oh yeah....my blog...hehe

Matthew has had a lingering cold for over a week now, that started out with two days of on and off fevers, but really has just kept this horrific cough and sometimes congestion. We only missed one day of school, so far.

The other night they had a Halloween Party at his school and Matthew finally agreed to be the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costume that his Aunt K. thankfully passed down to us, from his cousin C.

Matthew loves it, but when realizing that it was going to be his Halloween costume, he tried to get me to allow Spiderman again. I said "No!" Mommy has had enough of him, three years worth.

But at least, due the amount of activities they have these days (compared to when I was a kid - don't you love that Mommy line), is a way to make us both happy. Friday night, he was Michelangelo (TMNT) and Saturday at the Halloween Prowl in the center of town, he was Venom (Evil Spiderman).

I told him he has no idea how lucky he is. When his Dad and I were little, we had ONE NIGHT only and it wasn't to visit a fire station or jump on bouncy things, or have faces painted, it was to GET CANDY.

He said "See Now Mommy that you are all grown up, you can go on top of the firetruck with me in a parade!"

I said, "That's right."

Girl inside of me dying and wishing it was a horse and carriage with Cinderella's foots man, escorting me to the ball.....but OK....Firetruck will do.

Here is to an awesome week of turtles, spiderman's, and other ghosts and goblins!!

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!!

Happy First Day Of Fall....I've been hiding, I know.

Well, Well, Well. What do we know?

I could start my post by telling you a million and one excuses, of why I haven't been here in the past 7 months, but we don't have enough space.

To put in a nutshell, I have spent my whole life worrying about other people's opinions of me. I'm now done with their issues, and believe with all my heart....that I need a place to vent, a place to create, a place to be somewhat real without offending anyone.

Some of what I've written or will write again someday, has to be somewhat "rosied up" (for lack of a better word). My profile is only so many characters and so as not to turn people away, I have to make it fit. No one has a perfect life, and the main object of this blog is to help me get out some of what I'm feeling - not all.

If you want to know the behind the scenes all, or the between the rosy lines - call me. A real friend is there for you no matter what, and I will gladly pour my honest heart out and let you do the same- I'm a good listener. But for now, other than my pride of my miracle that God gave me - that's about the most honest I can get, without stepping on other people's feelings.

Now let's start this again:

Happy First Day Of Fall

Matthew is now starting his 3rd week of Kindergarten and taking the bus and he is loving every moment of it.

Everyday he tells me of a new friend on the bus who he met and wants to go to their house, but with limited information. Friday, it was a little girl who lives down this street, but "I don't know her name Mommy". The day before that we went on a wild goose chase looking for a little boy, with only a first name, white house, doesn't live on lake, but on a sunny road, that wanted ME to bake him 5 cakes.

I am enjoying every minute of his adventurous and wonderful, loving, kind, sweet, funny moments.

He is also now playing soccer and I think he is doing awesome. Yesterday my father asked him if he is #1 on his team? (meaning like the star player), and he answered NO Grandpa!! I'm number 7.

Well, today I'm cutting it short because I have had an abscessed wisdom tooth and on antibiotics, that don't do anything for the pain. I have to get something stronger, but not too strong so I can still function for my little guy.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Friday Recap

Well, this week definitely was better than last.

Matthew made it to school and is over his cold, for the most part. With the Red Sox winning the World Series to start the week off, we knew we were going to have a good week.

Halloween in the middle of the week to add to the excitement was like icing on the cake.

Today we got to finish off the yummy week with some warm and wonderful friends to play at our house.

Matthew and R have more than one thing in common. They are both boys and only 4 months apart and both are used to being the only "boy" in their household other than Daddy, so at times they have to be reminded (mostly Matthew today) that they both have to share.

R's little sister is heaven. She is the most cutest, quietest, sweetest little angel of a little girl. She is so little girl. She also loves to play with her brother though and get into dirt and play with sticks and rocks, but she does it in a dainty way.

It was nice for me to drag out Matthew's kitchen set again. I thought for sure that was going to be sold by now, but as soon as he heard that N was coming over, he immediately pulled out the buffet and made her soup.

We had a nice lunch while picking out toys we would like from Santa and Matthew explained how he wants to sell his baby toys to go to Disneyworld.

We wound up playing outside today. It was a little nippy. 50 degrees in the sun. I don't know about the shade near the water.

They really played OK though overall.

For the brief moments when they used teamwork and looked like the best of buddies, I just sighed and took pictures to make the moment last longer.

Happy Halloween

I can't believe that today is Matthew's official 5th Halloween.

The first year being a new and thrilled mom that had finally been given the gift of a child to celebrate the holiday spirit in me and with me, I bought him two costumes. And this year is the first year since then that I only bought one. I get a little excited with him.

This morning, he was so excited when he woke up. You would think it was Christmas instead of Halloween. I wished him a Happy Halloween and he whispered and squeezed it back to me, like Christmas Morning wishing you love. He was an extra special cuddlebug this morning, making it hard for Mommy to get motivated and him ready for school. He said "Just 5 more minutes and 5 more cuddles."

He thought maybe at his Halloween party at school today that there might be skeleton cookies with sprinkles on top!!!! Extra pronunciation on the SPRINKLES ON TOP.

I will be heading early today to his school, where they will have him dressed in his Black Spiderman outfit and they will have made pumpkins with vegetable faces. It is going to be alot of fun.

Here are a few more for memories sake:

MANIC MONDAY - BUT A GOOD MANIA...FOR ONCE

IT'S JUST ANOTHER MANIC MONDAY...LA, LA, LA....WISH IT WERE SUNDAY...

CAUSE THAT'S MY FUN DAY...LA LA LA

RED SOX AND THE PATRIOTS (THAT i AGAIN DIDN'T WATCH) LA, LA, LA, LA, LA...

WORLD SERIES WIN AND SMASHING THE REDSKINS 52-SOMETHIN...LA, LA, LA, LA, LA

sorry....actually yesterday I wasn't feeling good so I was thrilled to find myself up at midnight last night watching the wonderful game with the red sox winning. I clapped to loud though and woke up Matthew, but not before actually watching the whole game.

I love them all. Jacoby is my favorite though. What an experience for someone with that Little League little boyish grin and what a talent he is!! Thank you Jacoby!!! Thank you Mike Lowell for your Home Run last night:-) Thank you for giving us that fourth run. Talk about a finger biting, glued to my seat last inning. I could go on and on but this is going to be short. I have to pick up Matthew from school because he actually made it today.

Here is a picture of my little guy modeling his Halloween attire this morning. Front and Back for Mommy.

What Do You Get When You Take One Housebound little boy who has been sick and AND add in a few toys around the house and some chocolate chips?

Answer:

ALA Chocolate Chip cookies crumbled with peanut butter and Candy Corn AND A HALLOWEEN PARTY

He was insistent on making cheese and milk with oil to make cookies but when he started pulling out my pans to bake the concoction....

I hurriedly picked other ingredients that were available RIGHT THEN AND NOW & didn't have to be baked.

They are now in a covered container awaiting Daddy's taste test when he gets home from work.

Today for one child, he has played with every toy he owns, a little baking and creating and all with Mommy running around trying to play with him and keep up after every mess. He's worth it...

Although, we could have done without the orange juice spilled on Daddy's rug and couch pillows, applesauce spilled on the floor and Mommy's second degree burns on my left toes as scolding hot pizza fell out of the toaster oven and on my foot instead of the plate.

That's ok...It's my fault for trying to make lunch while changing the channel on the remote and insisting he wash his hands and cleaning up the latest toy in the kitchen that wasn't there two seconds earlier.

I am looking forward to tomorrow night. I am going with some moms from the meet up group I belong to on a Coach Bus to Mohegan Sun...yeah!!! I don't gamble, but from 6PM until 2 am (if I'm not sleeping), I will be forgetting all about the spills on the floor and the pizza burn on my toes.

Short But Sweet Wednesday

Matthew's cold is in high gear and I thought he would be going to school today. Instead we stayed home and brought out the nebulizer. Every year around this time it's needed and then knock on wood, we will be good for the rest of the year...

Good News today though is last night I finally got my pics uploaded to the computer. There were pictures as far back as August. I haven't been that bad since we lived in the apartment when our addition was being done and sometimes didn't have adequate computer access.

If you scroll down my blog to the first few days of October, you'll see my first picture of my punkin' in the punkin patch in 2003.

Here is the one from a few weeks ago, same pathetic punkin patch.

BUT WHAT A CUTE PUNKIN!!

What you see AND What you don't see

This is as good as it gets these days for a picture of Mommy & Matthew. Taken by the moms Meetup group that I am part of.

We went to an unbelievable (thank God we had a group discount or I would have been disappointed) farm with our wonderful new friend N and her son R and other moms that are also apart of this same group.

Tougas Farm was actually beautiful with some animals and a really cool playground with an upper boardwalk type ramp for the goats to climb over (really cool), a tractor ride into a pumpkin patch, some apple cider and apple donuts.

My favorite part of the whole moment was entering this town, I was in PA. The beautiful leaves on the trees with the beautiful hills (not mountains) surrounding little valleys and it was a sunny day, to boot!

As you can see by my attire, I am sporting Eric's Patriots hat these days. I need more hats but right now, I don't have that luxury. I only have maybe one more month and my hair should be all one length again and I can stop wearing my hats all together.

I can't win, today I overdressed us. Home was nippy and the weatherman called for 58 degrees in Northboro, MA so I thought I was all set, sporting a nice turtleneck and fleece jacket and Matthew in his sweater and turtleneck with a jean jacket on. He later threw that at me.

After leaving the farm, we headed toward home and decided to have a "Friendly" lunch with coupon and to buy some much needed long sleeve shirts and sweaters for Matthew. Tomorrow is school picture day so we are now all set.

He went on some Spiderman and Batman rides also today so he is now satisfied and watching Frosty the Snowman as he anticipates Christmas.

He was awesome in traffic on the way to the farm today. He didn't care. He was mentioning what a beautiful day it was, what a beautiful truck that was, what a beautiful car that was. I mentioned that was nice and that he was my beautiful little boy. He said Thanks Mom. Your my beautiful Big Girl.

The other day he told me I was beautiful and I almost broke down and cried because I was the farthest thing from it.

After we left Friendly's and clothes shopping, he mentioned how beautiful today was, how it was such a great day to go to the farm, on the tractor, pick a pumpkin, have lunch at Friendly's with Monster Mash ice cream, go on Spiderman, go on Batman, go on Dump Truck rides and then buy some shirts....what a beautiful day...sigh...

He is so funny.

We are comparing his little life to ours growing up. We mention how, No,Our Moms didn't have us in playgroups, playdates, this park and that zoo.

But we also agree that the difference is, the moms now all work or most of them do. There are no family's hanging out on the block playing kickball. At least not in my neighborhood. And most moms agree with me that when you have large family in the area, that forms your child's family network, it is totally different and you are not spending every waking moment trying to fill that void.

Many children today (Unfortunately) don't have "that" family network, that social network and if they are an only child (chosen or not to be) they need rewarding and fulfilling moments to help add opportunities for them to be the most special person that they can be. By just sitting by and not creating positive moments in their lives, it's like you just want to leave it up to the world to create who your child is going to be.

I'm having too much fun, tears, rewards, crying, laughing, loving, proud mom moments now to give it up.

This has been my reward for being that stay at home mom.

Anyone have any tips on keeping warm for the mama over here on the lake?

Alright I know I am a daily wimp but there has to be an answer out there somewhere, without keeping the heat on 24/7.

I'm not complaining. I'm not complaining. I'm not complaining. I love my house that my husband built. I'm not complaining. I'm not complaining. It's kind of like I think I can, I think I can...maybe if I say it often enough somehow I'll just make myself warm. I'm in Hawaii, I'm in Hawaii, I'm in Hawaii.

This is a picture of our little house, a million years ago before we did the addition:

As you can see the lake is 100 feet behind the house, and with old windows it was unbearable in the winter. We have a nice wood stove in the basement but unless we keep it always on it is still crazy down there. That is one of our next projects. Right up there with the garage. We would like to have like a family/game/hobby room down there with a nice big screen projector for movies for Mommy and Daddy to watch after Matthew goes to sleep, but not yet.

Now here are the pictures before the final painting was done. It is now all yellow and so beautiful, but for some reason with the lake being close and the amount of windows we put in, I am always cold. The temperature here is always 10 degrees colder than up the street and sometimes more shadier, so it is deceiving until you get off of our road and then it's like your in another world.

So like I said, due to how beautiful my house turned out, who am I to complain? I'm not complaining about the house. I'm complaining about my skinny body that has the incapacity to be warm. Eric will tell me to just put layers on or get under the covers. But then I don't get out of the covers and if I put anymore layers on, I'm going to start looking like an onion.

And it's only October 15Th:-) If you don't hear from me in a few months, send the people to peel the onion.

To get off of the subject, this morning Matthew was again so wonderful getting ready for school. He actually is reminding me now of stuff that I need to do for him, which is awesome. This morning, he was pointing to my kitchen window saying he needed the spiderman things!! I'm looking with a blank face at the window clueless as to what he was talking about because Spiderman isn't there and there is no Halloween spider webs. Finally he started pointing like a madman, claiming Mommy!!! My Spiderman things!!! I need them!!! And then the fog cleared and I saw that he had been pointing to his vitamins!! Yeah!!!! He asked me for his vitamins!!

Little things make me happy.

On the way to school he announced something funny. The other night when he wasn't around I mentioned to Eric that I wanted to go to PA for at least my mother's birthday to go to her grave. I haven't been there since August and I thought even if I just disappear and go myself for two days, it's OK. Matthew mentioned to me as were driving to school "Mommy, Maybe we can go see Grandpa and R in Pennsylvania sometime?" I told him how sweet that was but to remember that R lives in NJ and she would have to be visiting Grandpa and we would have to talk to her and plan it. I then mentioned that Mommy was thinking of going soon and that I was going to go by myself, but if he wanted to join me because he missed Pennsylvania that he could come too. He then said "I do miss Pennsylvania Mommy, I go with you."

So I guess that is planned.

Well my fingers have gotten a little warmer by typing, but now I have to go get him from school.

Back In Time - Because I'm still not able to upload from my camera

I am going through withdrawal. I need a desk where I can be organized. Without my printer being hooked up there is no way for me to upload my pictures to the computer, so I am digging out from the archives.

I have so much on my mind again that I want to post about but now it is getting late and I have to pick up Matthew from school and it is now down pouring. yuck...

This was his first pumpkin patch. My little punkin in the punkin patch.

Mommy's letter to Matthew (week in review)

Dear Matthew,

This week you made Mommy so proud. You had a busy week at school and play dates with some new and old friends.

You are really doing great at keeping us both busy.

While you're building your own friendships, you unknowingly are making friends for Mommy (the moms of your new friends).

You are so outgoing, personable and caring that I know you are going far in life with these qualities alone.

In one week, we've gone to the playground with the triplets and her sister, to school, to have lunch and play with a new schoolmate and her twin brothers and today to a wonderful little zoo and playground that we love with R and N and their mom.

You had such a wonderful time and you and R are becoming such good buddies. You even thanked him for inviting you to his "Scooby Doo Party" next week. As usual, your loving ways with N, touched her heart and mine. I'm told you are number #2 on her birthday list in January.

You made a Red Sox Buddie at school while celebrating Red Sox week.

They are in the playoffs again and tonight Daisuke Matsuzaka will be pitching against the Angel's. Everyone in MA is cheering them on. Your Red Sox Buddie is so cute with the body of a baseball that you drew and cut out with your scissors. It is right up in the window next to our Halloween decorations for the world to see. Last week you made a really cute green wiggly worm because it was Apple Week.

You are loving the songs you learn everyday. Sometimes you remember the words, but sometimes you don't. That's ok, because you also have the uncanny ability to come up with your own words. The other day in the car you sang a song about Mickey Mouse.

When Mommy told you how much I loved that song, you mentioned "Every time I look at something, my brain makes me want to sing".

I taught you the word "INSPIRATION".

I explained that inspiration is what Mommy used to have, when she would write her own lyrics 20 years ago. I said that for Mommy though, I needed a moment on the riverbank with a notebook and pen and no distractions for my creativity to flow. I told you that you don't have that problem, you have the talent of immediate creativity to create that song.

Sometime before today is done, we are making that scarecrow that Mommy promised and decorate the front of the house with that little bale of hay I bought. You really are loving this season and having fun doing anything arts and crafts.

Over the weekend, you and Daddy made two black construction paper projects with Halloween velvet stickers on them and they came out awesome!

Last but not least. Yesterday I asked you again (for the millionth time) if you would marry Mommy? You mentioned (for the millionth time) no, that I'm married to Daddy. I said "But I want to be married to both of you".

You said "I CAN'T MOMMY...................................DADDY LOVED YOU FIRST.."

I LOVE YOU HONEY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING MY MIRACLE AND MY WORLD.
Love
Mommy

xoxoxox

On The First Day Of October...

I gave to me.

An orange and black blog with cute little Casper the friendly ghost.

Alright, so I'm weird. I'm entitled. I have a four and a half year old little boy. I'm allowed now to do those things that I waited my whole life to do and people used to think I was weird then.

Now I have someone to show off my "child friendly" side.

Today October came in with a coldness that reminded me that I have to buy Matthew a winter coat, gloves and a hat soon.

Cold mornings, warm afternoons and cold evenings. I wish it would just make up it's mind. This morning I left for his school wearing a sweater and one of my new fall coats that I found on www.classiccloseouts.com. This site is incredible. I feel like I am in the old Eynon Drug store in PA or the old department store Eric used to work for. Great buys at really great prices.

Anyway now that I'm done advertising, I was the only mom all bundled up this morning. They all show up in short sleeves and shorts. I know living on a lake makes the weather at home completely unrealistic to the weather just up the street, but really. I think my being so skinny and having previous bouts of hypothyroidism, I am just always going to be cold.

Matthew wasn't helping me this morning. He was cold as well and so he didn't want me to stop cuddling to eat, to stop cuddling to get dressed. It really puts crooks in my morning when he wants to cuddle. I'm not complaining because I love those kind of crooks in my morning.

Over the weekend, we spent two days in a row visiting Grandma & Grandpa K for their anniversary so Matthew had a great weekend. Last night we had dinner to celebrate and he loved just being around his cousins and Aunts and Uncles, not to mention Grandma & Grandpa.

This week is going to be another busy week with new friends, play dates at the parks with new and old friends. Last year we made friends with a mom who had three year old triplets (one girl and two boys). Natural, no infertility and she was pregnant with another when we last saw her. The triplets went to school with Matthew at his brief stint of school and I just felt for that mom. And she amazingly made everything look so effortless. The kids were all well behaved, quiet, smiled and her 7 months pregnant at the time acting like everything was wonderful. I would and still look at her with pride.

Her triplets were so used to automatically having playmates from birth that they were already well advanced at socialization. They were content to just be quiet and listen to a story or sit and play next to each other. The little girl was the mother hen always pulling them behind her at the playground like a great little mom.

Today we are meeting them again a a local park with their new baby sister who will be one in December.

At least now the girls even out the boys. They are an automatic team wherever they go.

Later this week, we are having lunch with the mom from Brazil and her little girl and twin boys. Then also we are meeting some moms at a local playground.

The end of next week brings something exciting for all of us. One of our new friends little boy will be turning 5 and we are invited to his party. Matthew is so excited. He is excited to have Daddy meet the kids. He's met the mom when we went out one night for Smithwicks (beer I love from Ireland) but they had just sold out so we had our Irish dinner instead. For anyone who cares, Smithwicks is now available at the local supermarket in MA if it carries beer. I go to Ireland in my mind every time I drink it.

This mom and I have more than a few things in common and I really am glad that God put her in my life. She has made a small difference in what I have been praying for - for a long time. A friend who lives close, has a little boy that we can share ups and downs of life with, have similar backgrounds and goals in life and is extremely family oriented and friend oriented. She is one of the most outgoing people I have met in a long time. She never stops networking and never stops trying to find ways to climb this mountain of motherhood challenges. She is fun loving down on the ground playing and duck duck goosing kind of girl. The kind my son really admires. She is something to watch with her own children but also for me, with Matthew. She treats him like her own. She has this magic thing she does at the playground where she goes under the kids (because she is only 5'2") and runs out and they wind up going high. Matthew has now had it with me because he feels like why can't Mommy do what she does. Mommy is 5'11" and if I ran under the swings I would knock myself out, Matthew off the swing. It wouldn't be pretty.

She also has alot of similarities to my best friend K in PA. I've showed her pictures and told her so. She might have alot of similarities, but each one now has a different special place in my heart. My heart is big enough to hold more than one friend in it (that's why I am also always striving for more). I don't have my family here and this is my way of creating that family for myself. And if these two ever met, they would hit it off enormously. Maybe one day.