start of July 2011

July 4th is just around the corner. As I sit and listen to the fireworks going off all around our home. We will have a bbq and fireworks here on Monday. June went fast and I have a feeling that July will be just as fast. After the 4th we have 1 last week to finish planning VBS. The girls cant wait to go. They enjoy it a lot. Marissa has decided to join a bowling youth league. We have been going bowling every week and she has shown a desire to be part of a league. so I have looked into it and found one that I feel will be a good fit for her. Mikey has left for a 4 day weekend to go backpack camping in the redwood forest in California. Lisa has started her summer semester at college. Carissa wants to take swim lessons, Larissa and Tarissa Jean haven't decided what they want to take for the summer.
ciao for now:)

a retro lunch

Today we had what I called a retro lunch. When we were little you could go to the local mom pop store in ur neighborhood and buy a big thick slice of bologna on italian bread with a orange crush soda for .25cents. Well I decided to make this for the girls today to see if they would like it. times have changed and here we dont have mom pop stores so I needed to make it our selves. So I purchased the thickest bologna I could find (couldnt find the big hunks you cut yourselves) and made some fresh italian bread and bought some orange crush. oh and by the way way more than .25 cents it cost:) Well the girls came back a second and third time. A simple lunch but a good time sitting in the backyard and eating our lunch. Brought back memories!

June activities

Well, it is already the 15th of June and we have started our summer with a bang. We have had our AHG ceremony which was very lovely. the girls had a wonderful time. then we went to the great National get outdoors day. They fished and met Smokey the bear and Woodsy the owl. They learned to use a compound bow and arrow. Just an all around fun day.
Carissa has sprinkled the Holy Water at Mass on Sundays, this Sunday she read the Prayers of the faithful and she did an awesome job.
Marissa is getting ready for her 1st camping trip with her squad (without Mom and Dad) She is excited I am nervous.
Larissa and Tarissa are doing great in Speech.
Lisa and Mikey are almost done with their finals in College for this quarter.
I am ending this note with here is to another fun filled summer.

My Aunt, My friend a mom to me

Well it is with a heavy heart I write this. I lost my Aunt on April 30th 2011. I feel like a piece of my heart has died. We were very close even though we lived 3000 miles away.
She was more than just an Aunt to me, She was there through thick and thin and even when she didn't approve of things I did she would let me know but still be there even if just in heart. As like when The time came for me to leave New York and start a life in Washington it took her a bit to really talk to me again without a sarcastic tone but in the end she knew I did the right thing. She had been more of a Mom to me than my own mother. She was the matriarch of the family and would let everyone know that she had forgotten more in her lifetime than we would ever know. Aunt Bev was My son Michael's' Godmother and she let our youngest four call her Grammy because they didn't have a grandmother that bothered with them and they so wanted one. Our youngest daughter has her name Jean which is the name she wanted her to have. I had not seen her in 11 years since I had moved from New York. You know how you always think you have more time than you do and next thing you know it is too late. Well, that is what happened and now there is nothing I can do about it. We had plans to go there this summer but instead I had to make an emergency flight out to see her buried and she never got to meet the girls in person. I sit back and think how if only I had went sooner. Well, I have this to say let your love ones know you you love them and take that extra time to go see them as you never know when they will be gone. I Miss you and Love you Aunt Bev. May you Rest in Peace.

today, the trucks radiator went out so it went in to be fixed. Now that is done and the van has to go in tomorrow for the struts and then the truck goes in on Wednesday for air bags and something else. I swear the vehicles know when we have a little money stashed away. LOL. At least they will be running good.

Jenny

Today, I realized sometimes we forget things that happened in the past but when we do remember them it can bring a smile to our faces. I was sitting at the pc this morning and there was a pic of a donkey. Which made me remember when I was a little girl we had a donkey (actually several) But this one in particular was named Jenny. She would escape out of the pasture and run down the road across a little wood bridge that sat next to a big old factory. Jenny always escaped around lunch time and all the workers would be out sitting on the lawn and she would make her way down through the lawn eating from anyone who would feed her. We would realize it and a hand or one of us would go after her. The ladies who all worked there just loved her and she would bring a smile to there faces too. The factory is gone now and for that matter so is the farm but the memory still can make me smile when I remember old Jenny.:)

car hood

How many know how to open the car hood. I found out the other day I had no idea. So sad lol. It took my oldest daughter and I a good 10 minutes while we tried to figuer it out. Then after that and we get it open I realized I didnt even know what I was looking for. As there was steam coming from the radiator part. yea I at least know what that is. So I close it and drive away still not knowing wether I should be driving it or not. Ciao

a quiet evening

Today was a full one. Mass this morning then taught Sacremental prep with Carissa. She is already thinking about her First Communion dress. Then home made a nice pork roast on the rotisserie for dinner. Today was Aunt Bevs birthday wish I could have been there I really hope she had a nice one. We called and sang her Happy Birthday. Sometimes I feel like my heart is in 2 places and I am not sure where I belong. But thats another story lol.
Ciao for now from the great state of Washington.

The Goat

What a site we met this morning as we rounded the corner from our house. There running down the center of the road was a goat. So, we followed him and he turned the same way we did. The girls were watching but were afraid he would be hit by a car. When they spotted a car coming down the other side of the road. So I pull over and get out to try and catch the goat and see if he had any id. Well, I guess goats dont come to "here goatie goatie" he ran behind some house over there and headed into a field. So, I get back in the car and leave .I tried but he wanted no part of me so hopefully he will find his way home.
So ciao for now from our little corner of the world.

weather balloon found

Today a weather balloon was found. It was in a tree on a property that my husband does their landscaping. The kids were excited to learn how weather work. we looked up some info. But we are mailing this back to missouri and are hoping they can provide a little more info. So a science lesson has taken a different turn. I usually dont stray from our lessons but this may be a once in a life time opportunity so we will stray for a bit. Well ciao for now.

Real tree versus fake tree

Ya all are probably thinking why debate this now. But I am writing this so that I can remember what a mess 2010 tree left in the playroom. I had to have the biggest tree and didnt think of the consequences when that tree had to leave our house. It took almost 2 hours to clean up all the pine needles from that very large tree that was dragged thru the house to get it outside. but the playroom is back to normal even though I am sure there may still be a pine needle or 2 in there.
So note to self for the tree in december either pick a fake or pick a room that doesn't have carpet. lol
ciao for now

salesman and their double talk

2 years ago I bought a very expensive vaccum a Kirby. Which I am still paying on. But to the point the salesman said it was guaranteed for as long as i owned the vacuum he also said no matter what the problem was they would replace it for free. Well, the gosh darn thing isn't working and now they say it is only guaranteed for 3 years and that if I picked up something that jammed it the guarantee is null and void. Even though there salesman said even if I ran over Pennys and jammed it up they would cover it but now I know that isnt the case. So i get the lovely job of telling my dh the "greatest vacuum ever created that cost us over $2000.00 is not that great". ughh At least he is a understnading man and wont say I told you so.
Ciao for now

January 2011 16

Today was a quiet Sunday. We went to Mass and we brought the gifts up to the alter. It was so cute watching Tarissa trying to get her arms around the basket that carried the money All I could think of was she was going to trip and it would all go flying. By the way she didn't lol.
ciao for now:)

House hunt is on

As this new year starts we thought we had the financing all down we got preapproved the owner agreed verbally. Then decided to change his mind ughhh I could just scream. So we will start the new year off house hunting again. Lets see where this leads us. Only God knows the path we will take:).
ciao

the old raggedy doll

last night as I was cleaning off our youngest dds bed to change the bedding. I realized wow she has so many stuff animals and dolls on her bed. So as I was handing them to her to place where she wanted them to be on her bed I discovered an old raggedy looking doll. At this point in time I seen no possible good in this old thing. So, as we placed all the new ones from Christmas and all the other "good ones" I thought to my self she isn't going to notice if I toss this old one out. So I set it aside and we finished up and I picked up the pile of stuff (bedding - old doll) thinking she didn't even notice. But then I heard crying as she looked for that old ratty doll. I then realized even though I couldn't tell what color this dolls hair once was or where its old clothes had disappeared too She could. So I dug it out of the center of stuff I had in my arms and handed it to her. The smile on her face as she hugged that old thing left me speechless and as that doll took its "rightful place" on her pillow and was covered with the blanket I realized what I may find old and useless she finds Joy.