Wearing the Mommy Hat for 7 years!

HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY to Caleb!

Crazy, I know! I've been a mom for 7 years!
7 years ago, we met little Caleb. He came 12 days early. I was due Jan. 2nd and since I carried small, everyone (especially my mother) had me convinced he would come well into January. So you could imagine my surprise, just 2 days before Christmas, the last thing I was planning was to go into labor! God showed himself faithful through that whole ordeal, from my midwife being available to being able to go without an epidural.... :o/
But that's a whole other story that will have to wait for another post. (maybe ;)
So that little early Christmas present came home with me from the hospital on Christmas morning. What a special Christmas that was!
What a good baby he was... And what a good boy he's become. So cool to watch him grow into who he is becoming today. He has such a sweet spirit, and so sensitive to his relationship with God. Boy! The questions he comes to me with! No specific ones are coming to mind at the moment, but the remarks he makes to me tell me of his concern to do the right thing to please his heavenly Father. Of corse he is not perfect, but who is? Just to know he is thinking about his actions (and what they affect) is remarkable to me.
Caleb loves sports! Anything that contains some kind of ball he is drawn to and seems to excel at. Since he was 1 and a half? he has been quite the sportsman. At 1.5 years he could pitch a ball to his Daddy right down the pike! When Daddy would come home from work he would be greeted with the request of "b-ball daddy" (Caleb's way of asking to play baseball with the soft bat and ball they would play I the living room - yes, baseball was allowed in the living room!)
Caleb loves all things Mario! His favorite character is Luigi. Last year he had a distain for Princess Peach, but after I explained everything Mario and Luigi does it to save Princess Peach because they love her, he has seemed to soften up to her :) I got a wii for Christmas last year and Caleb soon surpassed this Nintendo veteran in skill and knowledge, I tried to keep up, but he's committed!
Caleb is über creative and loves to draw! He's a bit of a perfectionist about it at times.
Caleb is great at school, especially math and he love handwriting. (i think this comes from his I've to draw)
Caleb loves church and his friends.
Caleb loves to make music with his mouth. Occasionally I will catch him doing a beatbox of sorts and seems like HE doesn't even realize he's doing it. Must come naturally to him like his Daddy.

For his actual birthday, Caleb asked if we could go to Chuck E. Cheese, so that's what we did. We picked up his cousin Anthoni from his half day of school and headed our for some fun and pizza!

Later that night, Pop pop, Grammy and Auntie Kelly came for hot dogs and mac & cheese (as requested by the b-day boy of course) Caleb got to open a present from Auntie Kel.that was the "Cars 2" movie. So after opening a couple more presents from Auntie Kel and his mom & dad we watched Cars 2 (with a snowman ice cream cake intermission :)

(in some of the pictures you may notice Caleb's face looks a tad different than usual... When getting in the car for Chuck E. Cheese, Daddy mentioned to me that Caleb looked older and his nose was getting bigger.... I then realized Caleb's nose was swelling from a collision he had 2 days before with his friend Jayden.)

Cars 2 cars from Grammy

 Lots of Cars stuff! and a Mario Bros shirt!

Auntie Kel picked up these cool Cars 2 napkins and cups just for tonight!

Caleb's Birthday Party....
We planned it for Jan 7th but after Emma contracted a stomach bug and then the following weekend being not good for some attendees we finally had the party 2 weeks after the scheduled one on Jan 21st!
The Giants (who almost ALL of the family are avid fans of) were doing well in the play-offs and the party was going to take place the day before the NFC Championship game. So with a little coaxing, we convinced Caleb to change his theme from Mario Bros to GIANTS! (and save Mario for next year)

And boy was he glad he did!

 Caleb with the Giants Jersey bunting :)

It snowed! The signs we made for 2008 Super Bowl. This is kind of what started the whole idea for a "Giants" themed party. We decided to put this up the week leading up to the NFC game.

Emma in one of Caleb's old shirts (she said while pointing to her shirt "this is for my memory verse: Genesis 1:1 God created the heavens and the earth"  :)

The "vintage" hats on the lamp shades are hats Grandpa used to give out at the gas station he owned

Yes... My mother is wearing football helmet earrings! :)

 This is the shirt Andy wore (without washing)  :o/ while he watched the last half of the 2007 Superbowl season. It is now retired.

Our now traditional birthday party feast of chili, hot dogs, rice and corn bread

Praying for the yummy food

The cake!

(not my proudest accomplishment, but I find many things wrong with all my cakes)

Present time!

I'll take that!

Nice zip up hoodie from Aunt Janis

Mario Bros for the DS!

(he's been waiting for this one)

GO GIANTS!!

And the next night after quite a bit of torturous football.....

THE NEW YORK GIANTS ARE GOING TO SUPER BOWL XLVI!!

Some kid quotes from 2011

I'm scanning through my old facebook posts and have come across some quotes from the kids over the past year. Since this is my scrapbook, I must record some of these!
(Emma 3 and Caleb 6 for most of this year)

From Emma on St. Patrick's Day: I tell Emma "you're gonna wear all green today because it's St. Patrick's Day, to which she replied "St. Pa-twicks? Oh, Like Sponge Bob?" (Sponge Bob's friend's name is Patrick)

From Caleb around Easter time: when I got out a pair of bright yellow dress shoes that Auntie Kelly got for Emma. Caleb being so impressed with the brightness of the color says "WOW! That's like God's glory!"
(from then on they were known as "the glory shoes")

From Emma in Aug: I'm in the kitchen cleaning up from dinner and Emma asks all in one breath "Mommy, are you making dessert? Cause I'm not making dessert today, I'm making it tomorrow." (reminder: she's 3!)

Emma in the summer: Emma was told about our annual church picnic days ahead of time and everyday would wake up and ask "When are we going to 'The Picnic Church'?"

Early 2011, Emma (who LOVES salad) says to me "I want salad with racoons." took me a while to figure out she meant "I want salad with croutons."!

Early 2011, Emma says to me before bed "I don't want me hair like this" (in a ponytail) "I want it flat and scwurly" (meaning down and curly)

March 2011, Caleb heard a car pass by with music playing that was .... well... not exactly the type he's used to hearing and says "Mommy, he must not know about God."

Oct 2011, Caleb says "If God was dead, who would we sing to? Who would we worship? Who would we pray to? Who would answer our prayers?"

Walking to the park in April, Caleb says "Perfect weather, perfect smell"\

February 2011, Kids playing with the "little people" manger and I overhear Emma saying "Ok Mary, it's your turn... Ok Joe-fish, it's your turn!"

Dec 2010: Overhear Emma singing a song she made up "we love the story of God.."

Thanksgiving 2010: Starts to snow, and Caleb says "That's weird... it's not Christmas"

Oct 2010:
‎5 year old Caleb asks Auntie Kelly (who is eating a cookie): "can I have one of those?"
Auntie Kelly: "You have to ask Mommy."
Caleb to Mommy: "I'm still HUNGRY. Can I have what Auntie Kelly is having?"
Mommy: "What is she having?"
Caleb: (knowing Mommy would say "no" to a cookie before dinner): "One of those circle things."
Nice try Buddy!

Told Emma while Daddy and Caleb are at the baseball game we're gonna do girl things like go and get our nails painted, to which she replied very enthusiastically "Wow Mommy! That's a "gate" idea!"

From Sept 2011: My sweet Caleb keeps asking me "what can I do to make you feel better Mommy?" and then said "You take care of me when I'm sick, so I take care of you when you're sick. That's what you do!"

Duct tape bandaids?

Yes, that's right, duct tape bandaids! 

Growing up with a Dad who is a mason (tough, dirty, covered in cement dust) I learned quickly that duct tape is good for many things, including first aid. Bang your thumb with a hammer? Wrap it in duct tape! Cut your finger with a sheet rock knife? Wrap it in duct tape! Trip over some bricks and break a leg? Wrap it in duct tape! 

Okay fine, not really that last one, but the other 2 scenarios are very plausible! 

I have taken this knowledge of duct tape bandaids into motherhood with me. I have save mucho deniro with this knowledge, fixed tens, no! hundreds of boo-boos and non-boo-boos alike, stopped countless tears with this very valuable knowledge of duct tape bandaids.

Now don't worry, if there is a big enough injury, I do cave in and breakout the dusty bandaid box. But for the most part for, hang nails, paper cuts and of course for the non-boo-boos - a little neosporin covered by a piece of tissue and then a strip of duct tape does the job. Actually does the job well! Stays on way better than anything Johnson and Johnson puts out and you can fashion any size or shape.

Now I'm pretty sure you need this knowledge from day one of Moommyhood, since I'd assume if your kids are used to Hello Kitty and Sponge Bob adorning their boo-boos the duct tape may not be accepted. Although you could try drawing smiley faces with a sharpie!

Here are my kids, (happily) showing off their Duct Tape Bandaids

Thanks Dad!

Emma is 4!

I cannot believe 4 years have past since I first met my precious little Emma! It has been such fun to watch her grow into the spunky 4 year old she is today!
Emma was totally different from her brother even before she was born. I often tell of when I was pregnant with Caleb: he would very seldomly stick his foot out to where I could see and feel his heel on the right side of my belly. I soon learned that I better not touch it or he would quickly retract and the cool experience of "seeing" his heel would vanish. Now when I was pregnant with Emma, she would do the same thing, but when I would go to touch it she would just gladly leave it there to get rubbed!
Anyway, I say all that to say: Even before she was born, she had her little personality.
Emma is: sweet, happy, courageous, bright, dramatic, LOVES to sing! (especially while playing by herself!)  shy, but when she gets comfortable - very bold. I am just recently starting to get reports of her "coming out of her shell" and talking when she's in her various classes. She loves playing with her "little people" and her and her bother have named them all - including 2 Sallys of which they had a birthday party for this morning, with a hand written sign and all! (I'm am currently writing this on Nov. 3 even though I will post this as the date of her birthday) She still loves Dora and Little Eisensteins. Emma has a great laugh! She loves to change her clothes! I have to put the reigns on that very often because laundry just becomes too much! She enjoys when I put braids in her hair (not while it's getting done, but once the torture of brushing is over) but at times asks for her hair to be left "flat and squrrily" (down and curly). She loves watching "Little House on the Prairie" and loves Laura.

On Emma's actual birthday, Mommy was at a Women's retreat in the morning :( but Daddy planned a great day that started at IHOP for pancakes where Emma got her usual smiley face pancakes,

 then they drove across the street to Jersey Gardens mall where Caleb and Emma got big balloons from Prato, but Emma's balloon flew away :( Daddy said she didn't cry.Next stop IKEA where they got to play in the ballroom and then ate frozen yogurt.

Soon after everyone was home and Mommy cooked up Emma's requested Birthday dinner: a gourmet meal of hot dogs, chips and salad. (yes, she requested salad :) Pop pop, Grammy Z and Auntie Kel came for the good eats and brought some presents and balloons!

Emma with her presents. She got 2 families from the Lil Woodzeez toys at Target (love these! So does Emma!) And she got some chocolate from Gertrude Hawk. (I gave her the little people sitting next to her on the chair in the morning via a present I left)

 Mommy brought home a chocolate cake for Dessert!

For Emma's birthday party, we had a pajama party!  We had it at Grammy Z's house as usual. 

 We had just family, and that alone gave us a party with 14 kids!

 Fun "Emma" flashlight and bowl from Oma.

The bed cake....

Happy Birthday to you.....

Make a wish...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA!

We love you!

Lancaster, PA.... again!

My first time to Aunt Lynn's....
For years, my sis and a few friends have frequently stayed in Lancaster with our friend Jana's Great-Aunt Lynn. Always making sure they are there for Friday when the Green Dragon flea market is open.
So Thursday night my sis and I picked up Jan (along with some mosquitos that ate me alive!) and we were off to Lancaster! Arrived at Aunt Lynn's after stopping at McDonalds around 9pm. We were greeted by Aunt Lynn at the door of her big, old and beautiful house. I was shown the living room where all seasons/holidays are represented on tables and by a big all-year Christmas tree covered in snowflakes she collects. Aunt Lynn seems to have little (some bigger) collections everywhere, wether it be the dinning room with various sunflower things, or a shelf with all things butterflies, or a small section of shelf devoted to her yellow volkswagen bug. And of course the collection I've heard most about... her owl collection. I was given a tour of the rest of the house where I saw the 2 apartments that are attached to the house, a music room with (as much as I saw) 2 pianos and a harp, the purple bathroom (which in thinking back, I don't remember seeing any purple :) Aunt Lynn's dressing room and the infamous "penthouse" on the 3rd floor where we all had the privilege of staying. After my tour we ate our (soggy :) McDonalds and then waited up for Danielle who was meeting us there after spending the day at Longwood Gardens for a concert featuring one of her favorite pianists. She arrived as we were watching her Yankees lose their last game of their season :( We all then retired to the penthouse.

Green Dragon Flea Market

Friday morn, after some english muffins and OJ, we were off to Ephrata where we find Green Dragon flea market! I have heard about this place and seen the treasures brought home for years, but now I finally got to experience it myself. AWESOME flea market to say the least! Great deals, fun/tasty food finds and of course - whoopee pies! :) After hours of shopping and emptying our wallets we were on our way back to Aunt Lynn's with a trunk full of goodies!

Once we got back and freshened up in the penthouse, we all took a walk to The Horse Inn. A cute little restaurant a few blocks away, where we were seated in a horse stall surrounded by lanterns and chandeliers made from wagon wheels. The girls each went with some sort of crab cake dish, while I followed Aunt Lynn's cue and got their beef tenderloin tips (which apparently is their signature dish) and boy was in glad I did! Scrumptious! We enjoyed our dinner while listening to some stories from Aunt Lynn.
I was so tickled that when asked a question, she would start off by telling you a story that seemed to have nothing to do with what I asked, but sure enough, it all made complete sense in the end. I very much enjoyed all of her stories!
After the Horse Inn, we made a quick stop at Giant (supermarket) where I got something to ease my million mosquito bites and Jan bought her mom sweet potato chips which apparently cannot be found in Jerz. Oh, Kelly bought pumpernickel pretzels and pickles. I know, strange! :)
Up to the penthouse one more time and then up in the morn for more english muffins before leaving Lancaster and Aunt Lynn. :(
Had a great time with the single gals, but was glad to get back to my Hubby and kids. Who, by the way, had a trip of their own: sleepover at "Little Grammy's" (what they call my mother-in-law) They spent the weekend with her and apparently went shopping for my birthday presents!
Trip well spent for all of us! ;)