..and a Happy Palm Sunday to You!

My morning so far... 

Viv complaining her belly hurts. Me ignoring her and telling her to get ready for church. Viv falling down 5 stairs in her "high heel" (1/2 inch) shoes she "had to wear". Me catching Viv during said fall thus re-injuring the foot I had minor surgery on yesterday. Jude chimes in... "Mommy, what are we going to do with her? She is a mess" 
Viv screaming at Jude that she could have died falling down the stairs. 
Jude saying "but you didn't. Stop being dramatic!"
Viv stomping up the stairs screaming she is not dramatic and no-one cares. 

I swear a day at my house could be a sit-com... Or drama with Viv and her antics. 

And it is only 10:30!!!! 
Blahhhhhhh! Caffeine me NOW!!! 

Good news... Brad is home today and I am not alone to witness all of this silliness.

Santa Photo 2012

I took the kids to the mall to see Santa on Thursday night. The Beibs did great. She went right to him and was her normal super happy, smiley self. I was jumping around and making silly noises with the "Photo Elves" trying to get everyone to smile, concentrating more on The Beibs than Viv & Jude.

When I looked at the photos on the photographers monitor I saw THIS! There were a few other really good ones with all three kids smiling, but I LOVED THIS ONE. It totally captures Jude's 5 year old silliness.

Life with Viv - Back to school edition...

Viv and Jude both start pre-school tomorrow. Viv is in the 4 year old class and Jude is in the 2 year old class, one day a week.

Viv has had her outfit and shoes picked out for 2 weeks, but had to get her nails done today to match. She is the definition of high maitenence... and she is only 4! I am in BIG trouble! I can see it now. Her first day of high school, she will need a new car to match her outfit...oy-vey!

Tonight as we were getting ready for tomorrow morning, Viv asked me, "so..what is Jude going to wear tomorrow?" I said" I don't know swishy pants, sneaks and a t-shirt, I guess" and Viv said "oh- i guess that will work". I GUESS THAT WILL WORK? she is too much, that kid! My little fashionista.

I Have A Dream...

It is so fitting that Martin Luther King Day is the day before the inauguration of Barack Obama. As I was thinking of what to write about such an important moment in the history of our Nation. I realized the words have already been written in Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

I am a self proclaimed history geek and I have heard this speech dozens of times but reading it, actually reading it today gave me a new prospective and a renewed sense of Patriotism. I am so proud of the outcome of the election and so proud to be part of "The Change".

"I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."And if America is to be a great nation this must become true.

So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

- Martin Luther King Jr.

Happy Game Day!

Fly, Eagles fly, on the road to victory
Fight, Eagles, fight! Score a touchdown one-two-three
Hit 'em low, hit 'em high,
And watch our Eagles fly
Fly, Eagles fly, on the road to victory
E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!

Humpty Dumpty...

Jude had his first trip to the ER last night. His molars are coming in and he has been waking up around midnight every night for the past week. (Keep reading.. we didn't go because of his molars) So last night he woke up at midnight, I brought him into my room with me. I was holding him and after 20 minutes or so I thought he had fallen back to sleep so I slid out of bed to go to the bathroom. As soon as my feet hit the bathroom floor I heard a loud thump, thump, thump. My back was to my bed, but I knew it wasn't good. Jude wasn't asleep and tried to follow me to the bathroom, but instead fell off my bed hitting the nightstand then the floor. I ran out of my bathroom, scooped him up and ran downstairs to get ice. Within the few seconds it took me to get downstairs, a golf ball sized bump popped out. It immediately started to turn purple, he was screaming and wouldn't let me put ice on the bump. So I threw on my shoes, grabbed his coat & hat and we were off to the ER. I called Rachel and asked her to come over and stay with Viv. She loves calls from me at midnight. They are never good! Her house is only a few miles away so she hopped in the car and came right over. Thanx Rach!

Thankfully my mini-van has a DVD player. His bump and pain were no match for Elmo. As soon as his favorite furry, red monster came on he stopped crying.

The ER was empty so we were taken right back to an exam room. The nurse took his temp and he was telling her no and giving her "the eye brow". Then she took his pulse rate and he FREAKED out! Screaming "no, no, no, baby, no, no, no, baby". Not crying.. he was yelling at the nurse. She said she had never been yelled at by such a little baby. It was usually the older patients that yelled like that. She said he was cute so she would let him slide.

The doctor came right in and sent him in for a CAT-scan within minutes of our arrival. Thankfully, Brad got to the hospital right as they were taking us back so I let him have the honors of staying with Jude during the CAT-scan. I was a nervous wreck in the hallway. Jude did fine. I think I have seen one too many episodes of Grey's Anatomy because I was looking over the x-ray techs shoulder looking for.. I don't even know what.

After the CAT-scan, Jude decided he felt well enough to wander the ER halls. All the nurses kept telling him how cute he was, he was loving it! He is such a flirt!
Brad managed to get him back in the exam room as I was "Jude proofing" the room. We moved chairs in front of the drawers so he couldn't open them and de-sterilize everything. Brad blew up a latex glove and that kept him busy for all of 2 minutes. We were more entertained by it. There was an empty cabinet that we let him play with. He opened it, closed, it, put his book in it, took his book out all about 100 times.

The doctor came in and told us everything was okay and that he will just have a bump for a few days. He said "it probably won't be the last time Jude visits the ER. Boys will be boys" To that I say.... Ha! Not my boy. Any notion of Jude ever having a football career was squashed last night. He will be a "mathlete" not an athlete. My nerves won't be able to handle concussions or broken bones. I am looking into buying a bubble.



The morning after pics

Our 4 legged family members...

Duke was outside with Brad and I as we were cleaning out the garage. It was a really cold and windy day so we made him wear his galsses. Since his second cornea surgery we are very careful about protecting his eyes. He HATES his glasses, and managed to get them off after an hour or so.

Lenny was out with too. He is new to the outdoors and has just learned to climb trees.

Happy New Year!

Viv and Amelia celebrated at noon instead of midnight. They banged on pots and pans and shouted Happy New Year!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Vivi opening her Christmas Eve gift from Santa after church. While she was at church Mrs. Claus stopped by and dropped off 1 present and a special note from Santa that reminded Viv that she needed to go to bed early and reminded her to leave cookies out for Santa. Jude went to sleep at 7PM- like a good boy. That is why he isn't in any of the Christmas Eve pictures.

Christmas Day

Jude got a Little Tikes truck that he LOVES! He is in and out of it all day long. He has the bed of the truck loaded up with his tool box and a few of his favorite things (golf balls, snack trap, sippy cup.) He also got a gas pump, more cars and trucks, building blocks (the big cardboard ones) and LOTS of clothes.

Vivi got lots of Barbie things, a vanity, make up, lots of lippy, clothes, Camp Rock DVD (that we have watched about 50 times so far. - she knows ALL the songs already and sings at the top of her lungs), a MP3 player - so she can listen to her Cheetah Girls, Hannah Montana, Camp Rock tunes when she wants and I can have my IPOD back.
We listen to music during breakfast and lunch and lately it has been all Viv's music and Jude and I are a little Hannah'd out. Now that she has her own she can listen to her music on her own, whenever she wants. It is great!
Santa also brought her clothes, a few new purses and My Little Pony and Tinkerbelle stuff galore.
I have no idea where I am going to put all of the new goods. Since the playroom is already bursting at the seams. I have been tying day by day to make room. I wish our basement was finished!... Santa do you read our blog? If so that was a not so subtle hint!

After all the presents were opened a few of us went to see a movie -Valkerie - a nice cheery holiday flick. (written with sarcasm). After the movie we came home and Brad took his annual Christmas Day nap on the couch. Viv and I thought it would be fun to put make up on him while he slept. Brad's sister Shelby grabbed my camera and filmed the "beautification of Brad". I tried to download the video, but kept coming up with error messages. I will try again later. It is hilarious and Brad looked so "pretty" that I have to post it.

Dinner at Grandma's House

We had a great Christmas and hope you did too!

Christmas in Hershey

We took our annual family day trip to Hershey Park yesterday. It was 50 degrees out so it was a perfect night to be out and about. Viv and Jude had so much fun. Viv rode every kidd-o ride that was open. Jude went on the ones that I could ride with him. Thankfully, there were not too many of those.. I can only take so much round and round and round. Jude really liked the rides and was really mad when he couldn't go on some of the ones Viv did. Next year, Buddy.. next year!






We didn't get to ride through the Sweet Light display last year due to an ice storm that hit Central Pennsylvania the day before we visited,but this year the weather was perfect and the lights were shining bright.



These pictures don't do the display justice. I took these in the beginning of the display.. this display was NOTHING compared to the displays in the "Enchanted Woods". The whole drive through took about 45 minutes. We were all "ooohh-ing & ahh-ing" so much that I forgot to take more pictures.

These pictures should explain why you haven't received a Christmas card from us yet...


Ever since Jude started walking he WILL NOT be held or sit in a stroller. He is on the move from the minute his feet hit the floor in the morning. So, I am hoping maybe by President's Day I will snap a good pic of both kids looking at the camera, hopefully smiling. President's Day cards.. maybe I will start a new trend. I am sure Hallmark wouldn't mind.

Jude's 1st haircut ( December 10, 2008)

Waiting to get called back to get his hair cut.

Not so sure about "the cape"....

I tried to take a picture of Jude post- hair cut but he wouldn't sit still..

So I took this one the next morning.

Amusing...

Martha's Way
Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice-cream drips.
The Real Woman's Way
Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for God's sake. You are probably lying on the couch with your feet up eating it anyway.

Martha's Way
To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
The Real Woman's Way
Buy Instant mash mix and keep it in the cupboard for up to a year.

Martha's Way
When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking tin, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.
The Real Woman's Way
Acme sells cakes. They even do decorated versions.

Martha's Way
If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a potato slice.
The Real Woman's Way
If you over salt a dish while you are cooking, that's tough. Please recite with me the Real Woman's motto: 'I made it and you will eat it and I don't care how bad it tastes.

Martha's Way
Wrap celery in aluminium foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks
The Real Woman's Way
It could keep forever. Who eats it?

Martha's Way
Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead.. The throbbing will go away.
The Real Woman's Way
Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and drop it in 8 ounces of vodka. Drink the vodka. You might still have the headache, but you wont feel it anymore.

Martha's Way
If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dish washing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
The Real Woman's Way
Why do I have a man?
Finally the most important tip.....

Martha's Way
Freeze leftover wine into ice cubes for future use in casseroles
The Real Woman's Way
Left over wine???? Helllloooo!!

Congratulations....

Congratulations Shannon, Adam and Big Sister Amelia!
Baby Harper is just as cute as can be!

Harper Oliver, was born at 2:40am on November 22nd. He is a big boy and weighed in at 8pounds-8 ounces.

Viv's new do...

Jude is Walking....Yay!

Jude has been walking along the furniture for months, but this week he finally took his first steps not holding on to anything. Yay!
He also has started climbing up the stairs. Time to get the baby gates back out.

Laura is in this video with Jude (I was filming).

Credit Crunch Hits Car Sales; The Real Economy

5 Simple Rules For Happiness...

1. Free your heart of hatered.
2. Free your mind from worry.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Taco Tuesday!

Not by the cheese on his chiny-chin, chin!

Vivi the Jungle Girl!

Visiting The Bird's of Australia (Where are Jude's shoes? He won't wear them!)

We love to go to the zoo and we are trying to get in a few last trips before it gets too cold. We went last Wednesday and it seemed like we had the whole zoo to ourselves. It was great!

Happy Halloween!

We were parading fools this Halloween. We had our annual neighborhood parade, Vivi's school parade and our playgroup parade.

Vivi's parade at school. Grandma, Jude and I went to cheer our little Hannah Montana on.

Our playgroup parade. Jude dressed as Elmo. He really enjoyed the bucket of candy. REALLY enjoyed it! He didn't eat any..maybe next year!

Trick or Treat Night... Viv walked around the neighborhood with Amelia, Josie and Josie's little sister Kelsey. Amelia was a beautiful princess, Josie was a pretty ballerina and Kelsey was a cute little flower.
Jude and I hung out at home and passed out candy. We went through 5 bags of candy and 42 bags of Herr's chips. Viv, Josie & Amelia trick or treated my house at least 4times. They were too cute! they love the whole ring the bell get candy run to the next house thing. As a kid that rarely gets candy, Vivi wishes it could be Halloween everyday.