Flashback Friday

If you look at the header picture you can see Jeffrey has changed a little. :) You can tell from this picture that my hair isn't going anywhere :)

This picture was on our drive up Mt. Washington Auto Road. We were way underdressed for the top of the mtn. That's always the way, 70-80 degrees at the base and 30-40 at the summet. But dang we looked good anyway!

Wacky Weather

If you ask me, this winter has been weird. No snow, snow, rain, snow, no snow, grass showing, rain, freezing temps. What the heck is going on? We have been able to get some sledding in. The boys and I have gone to Amy's house a couple of times because she has a hilly golf course in her back yard.

Since I opted for the bulkier camera, it doesn't make it's way to all activities. I had to depend on Amy taking pictures. Getting her to upload them was another story :) But here are some.

This boy is all about the adrenalin. The faster and bumpier the better!It was one of those days. You know the kind when Mom is expected to remember to grab everything. Usually Joshua is so particular about what he wants to bring that he packs a bag himself. Packing only helps so much if you don't bring the bag. So we arrived at our friends for sledding without a coat, boots or snowpants. Thank god the kid has some big feet. He used Amy's husbands hiking boots!And after all that, I forgot my boots at her house.

This is Brady. He is just so darn cute. He was such a trooper. First of all he wanted to go by himself. Let's just say if you look in the background you can see the contraption that teenagers concocted to grind their snowboards on. Ya that's right. I'm hip with the lingo. Anyway, the first day we went sledding it took on a new use, as in a decapitator for poor Brady's head. All good though, no blood, no stitches. This little man walked up the hill over and over again without complaint, when I wasn't pulling him that is. Amy hurt her shoulder skiing (I think she learned we are too old for that sh..stuff) I got a little workout so I didn't feel too guilty eating the yummy chocolate no bake cookies Auntie reminded me about.

Number 1 reason I love Facebook

This was me and Amy many moons ago. We were childhood friends up until I moved to the city with my dad. We used to do fun hick things like carry our cabbage patch kids around, ride bikes to buy my mom cigarettes at the diner, make forts in the woods and swing on a swing made of a rope and a board. Some of the best memories of my life. Many years later we reconnected on Facebook thanks to Auntie Chris (she will be looking for the credit).

This is us now. A little weird how we are mysteriously both blond after all these years :)This is a picture of Amy, me and Jeanne at a dance recital. Do they even have baton anymore?

Notice how Jeanne is slightly more outgoing nowadays than she was back in this picture.

And for the record I still am getting used to standing next to Amy as I used to be taller than her as evidenced by the old photos and now at at least 6ft. she towers over me!

Flashback Friday

Just because he was so gosh darn cute, I couldn't pick just one. But technically I scanned them together as one...so I get away with one. I always thought I wanted a girl but found that boys have been so much fun. I also had so much fun picking out clothes for them...I loved it. Don't get me wrong, when I am in JCP I practically drool over the baby girl clothes. I am glad I had nieces to buy clothes for once in a while. And just for the record....if I had free babysitting, I would probably go for the girl. My husband wouldn't agree to it...but....any takers on the free babysitting. I mean come on, look at those (I mean that) picture(s), I make a cute baby!

Flasback Friday

Just a wee bit late. I had all good intentions but forgot to go back to it. That's because I fell asleep at 8 before the kids :) oops



This picture is not that great...it is an oldie. But it is to for all those people who think I have BIG hair NOW.

My hair was giving some competition to the Bishop's Miter [I looked that up :) ]

Fiber is your Friend

These are my favorite finds to help get me on my way to lets just say, a better shape.

I bought this video at the suggested of a fellow blogger. I say bought it, but didn't actually open it. I'm a girl in need of a motivator and company. Auntie Chris wants no part of jumping up and down with her...top half...and elderly bladder :) so I couldn't wait for Auntie Jeanne to come after Christmas. She has been on a get in shape journey and I knew she would motivate me. I like the video because it has three levels, which can also be modified so I have lots of life out of the video. It has three circuits of 3 minutes stretching, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs. Each set of minutes is again divided into 30 second exercises so you are always changing and not getting bored or frustrated with an exercise. I for one ate the push ups, but they are in the first circuit and I'm done with them after the first 6 minutes!!! It is a little harder keeping it up without Jeanne, but I'll keep at it.

As far as the eating....I learned long ago from Weight Watcher that Fiber is your friend. I don't use it for regularity, I use it to cut the calories. The more fiber a food has, the less it counts against you. These are my yummy finds! Michelle, the first one is for you. You said you wanted a milkshake. I know this is not what you had in mind, but after you try it, you will keep your fridge stocked.

It is thick, sweet and just plain ole yummy! Not one bit of fiber taste. I was amazed. Believe it or not, most foods that are packed with fiber don't actually taste as you would imagine. It's a great breakfast alternative.

This is my favorite cereal. Love it!

Recently I decided to take it one step further. I had been making Rice Krispy treats for the kids and thought about making them with these. They are so awesome! I have also made the Monkey Munch with it. Thats the mix that has usually chex, chocolate and peanut butter coated and then rolled in powdered sugar. It just makes you feel less guilty about eating it. I shouldn't tell you that I have gone so far as to eat the cereal with the fiber shake instead of milk :) Two birds, one stone.

These are my latest find. I was a fan of them Fiber One bars too, but I got bored of them. South Beach has a lot of these but only a few are the fiber kind. There are a few that I am switching between. They are helping me fill my sweet tooth and I keep them in my top drawer at work.

Time Heals

They say time heals all wounds. This summer, I had a hard time believing that. It had been a year and a half and I was still crying when I thought of my dad, especially being in the places he loved.

But I can honestly say now, that I think some healing is happening. You see, Jan. 7 was Jenna's birthday. It was also my Dad's. The weird thing was, I didn't think about it being his birthday, only Jenna's. Not that I forgot, because I had just talked about it days before with Jeanne, but it is a little easier.

So Happy Birthday to Jenna...

And Happy Birthday to Dad.

Another one bites the dust...

Tooth that is. It seems Jacob has had loose top teeth forever. He must have been inspired with Jenna losing her tooth when they visited, because he had been workin it since she left. Speaking of obsessions, Jim just couldn't keep his hands off the kid. He wanted the tooth more than Jacob did. He tried to trick him, bribe him, threaten him (not really of course) and finally he wrestled him and popped it out.

Kids reactions are so funny. As much as they want it to come out, they freak when it does. Jacob at first laughed, like Jenna, then he cried, like Jenna. "I don't like how it feels, I want it back". By the next day he say, "I'm going to have to thank Daddy when he gets home for knocking it out" and he did :)

Say Cheese

This is what happens when you leave your camera in your 8 year old's room (on accident). This is just a sampling. Seems he just can't keeps his hands off cameras. You don't know how many times I go to look at my phone and find lots of new blurry, odd pictures on it. He just can't help himself, kinda like this oral obsession...he can't keep things out of his mouth. If Jacob is missing a tire or ski to one of his toys, we know to look to Joshua. They say kids have a different perspective on life and I have seem times when they have done projects with images from kids. I should get him one of his own, many of them are cheap enough these days.

Flashback Friday

In honor of the Patriots who take on the Playoff challenge this weekend. They will need all the help they can get!!!

I Feel Like I have a big 'L' on my Forehead

I always feel like the week goes by and it was hectic. I do not watch much tv, but do go on the computer in it's place. (I just don't find Jim's shows that funny and unless I want to listen to him complain, I watch my reality shows when he's not around)

Looking for a good transition here, but can't come up with one quick, so it will appear random but it is connected...promise...stay with me here.

The boys are two years apart in school and as they say, the more things change the more they stay the same. Jacob is coming home with the same homework assignments and projects as Joshua did in the first grade.

Well this week a homework paper came home and as soon as I saw it, I cringed and went to whisper in Jim's ear. I said, "I felt just as unimportant doing this paper the first time as I do now!" The paper required Jacob to draw pictures to depict important events that go on in our family on Mon through Fri ( dance lessons, sports practice, music lessons etc.) We've got nothin! The only thing we could come up with was to draw Jeffrey on Wed. because that is the night he comes and Auntie on Thurs. because she has the day off and frequently picks them up. And that was it...he said, "I have to draw something for the other days", so I had him draw a book since he has to read a book each night.

How pathetic is that??? Someone stamp me with the big old 'L' now!

We feel busy, but nada...weekends are when sports are and there aren't any practices during the week.

Out of the mouths of Babes

I know many times stories are not as funny to others and "you had to be there". But I have to share these Jamisms.

As I said, she cracks me up. She is only 4 and a half. Who knows how she comes up with these things.

While opening presents, she was standing next to Uncle Jim. Jeanne had gotten him a shaving kit with some smelly stuff. Jim said, "How did you know I needed something to make me smell good?" to which she wasted no time responding, "Because you're stinky" in her southern yet Boston (missing the r's) accent. Mind you, she hadn't seen him in a year and still felt comfortable enough to say it.
Our first plan was to go to Chunky's to see the Chipmunk movie but it was sold out. Since we were going to eat lunch and watch, we had to find an alternative plan for lunch and then see the movie at a regular theater. While eating lunch at Boston Market she says, "Mom, just so you know, when I get older and am a mom, I am going to change my name. Jamie is not really a mom name".


The day before they left we brought them to Bounce-U. Jamie was a little less enthused than the others. I took advantage of it to get some cuddle hugs in. I asked her, "What is the first thing you are going to do when you get home?" (They left the day after Christmas without much time to play with their new toys.)...to which she said, again in her southern cute as can be 4 1/2 year old voice, "Miss you". Now you know why I love this girl!!!

The Week in Review

This past week we had visitors from Tennessee. Jeanne was unable to come for a visit this summer because of her surgery. We were lucky enough to have them here the day after Christmas.

I had been hoping for snow for when they came. I just love that they can come to sled since they don't get to at home. We kept getting little bits of snow and then rain and warm temps. I was so worried. They went right out into the snow the first night. We knew we were expecting more rain...It was a good thing we did because it was 51 the next day!!!Jacob was a gentleman pulling Jamie up the hill.I can not believe I convinced my sister to go down on her belly...heck, you only live once :)

The day we went to the mall. Auntie Chris was having no part of that. She said something like I was 'crazy'. Four kids right after Christmas and rain didn't seem to mix for me so I said let's do it. Jeanne was worried about missing the Bath and Body clearance sale so we hit it up. She's ready for the year ahead for birthdays and such.

The boys love when Auntie Jeanne comes because she likes to bring them in the woods for little hikes. Cold weather is just not my thing, sledding is one thing, but walking in the woods is another. They absolutely love it and she lets them stomp on the ice...after she tests it that is. That was after she had to fetch Jenna out of the shallow stream last year. Poor Jenna...they all remember every detail :)Jeanne also likes to play with her camera. This was her telling the kids to pretend they were stuck in the woods for a couple of days. Does anyone want to hand out any Oscars?

Movie day was on a freeeeeezing windy day. They all have been looking forward to seeing the Squeakwal. I, of course, had to fight off a nap. For me, movies=nap. It was cute and the kids all enjoyed it. I don't event think we had one bathroom break...except Auntie Chris, of course!

The temperature dropped from 15 degrees to 11 degrees on the way home. The whole half mile of it.

Auntie Jeanne is also the crafty one. I may be creative, buy she is crafty and loves to bring a fun one to do with the kids. This year she came prepared with her paints and canvases and all of the little artists went right to work. They all did a great job. It was fun to see all of their different talents.

Jenna lost her tooth while she was here. The thing had been hanging on my a hair for quite some time. She has been hanging on to it because she doesn't want the tooth fairy to take it. As you can see from the pictures, it was a traumatic experience. I think more so for Jamie. Jeanne could be in trouble when it is her turn to lose teeth if she remembers it :)

The inbetween times were spent boxing, playing Uno and playing Hide and Go seek in the boys 10X12 foot room :)Now I love all my kids and I love all of my nieces, but this girl cracks me up!!! She has the cutest things to say (which I will post about later since these damn pictures have taken this entry over an hour) and she make the funniest faces and poses. I could just squeeze her up and eat her for every meal!!!

She let me do her hair. And she did mine a couple of times too. I was just quicker than Auntie Jeanne's camera to get it documented :)