Meet Max

This is Max. He is the son of my friend Amanda. I had a "girls weekend" away and went to visit Amanda and friends in Minneapolis. Max is Bella's male counterpart complete with Lipstick. Bella was born on the day that Amanda found out that Max was a boy. Max was supposed to be her Isabella Rose. Max and Bella will meet one day and will fight to rule the world!

A fun night out with the kids!

We took the kids to the fair this weekend! They had a fun time! Steve enjoyed his sausage and peppers.

Bella wanted Steven to go on the roller coaster with her....he was thrilled!








Bella going for a ride

So we are actually trying to explain to the 15 month old that she is too young and short to go on anything. She is not happy!


"Tell me again why I can't go Mom"



"Cause you short and you smell funny chunka monka!"





This was supposed to be me, Bella in the middle and Steven on the end. Well Bella chickened out when she reached the top and jumped on my lap



Oh we flew down!


Steven losing his blanket and Bella scared out of her mind!


then he went right off the slide onto the grass...lol





Samantha was here too but was running from ride to ride since she was the only one big enough to go on most

Grown MEN!!!

Rock on Boys!




They have groupies!!!

‘MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL’

You say you will never forget where you were when
you heard the news On September 11, 2001.
Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room
with a man who called his wife to say ‘Good-Bye.’ I
held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the
peace to say, ‘Honey, I am not going to make it, but it
is OK..I am ready to go.’

I was with his wife when he called as she fed
breakfast to their children. I held her up as she
tried to understand his words and as she realized
he wasn’t coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a
woman cried out to Me for help. ‘I have been
knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!’ I said.
‘Of course I will show you the way home - only
believe in Me now.’

I was at the base of the building with the Priest
ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He
heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat,
with every prayer. I was with the crew as they
were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the
believers there, comforting and assuring them that their
faith has saved them.

I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan .
I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew
every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me
for the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought Me with their last breath.
Some couldn’t hear Me calling to them through the
smoke and flames; ‘Come to Me… this way… take
my hand.’ Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You
may not know why, but I do. However, if you were
there in that explosive moment in time, would you have
reached for Me?

Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey
for you. But someday your journey will end. And I
will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may
be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are
‘ready to go.’

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

God

Happy Anniversary to US!!!

It's 8 years and going strong!! In fact as I write this post 8 years ago today at this time I was in the limo heading to the church. Oh and the weather is the same also. I can't believe it has been 8 years already and I am not sure where the time has gone. There has been 3 houses, 4 kids, 4 dogs - more up's than down's which is always a good sign! Our lives are hectic and we are always running in 2 different directions but we somehow manage to keep it together. We may only, if were lucky, get to see each other for a little time at the end of our crazy days but it is always time well spent! I am luckier now then I have ever been. As I tell my daughters - I only hope that 1 day they are as lucky as me in finding someone to love and take care of them as well as their Daddy does for me. They are big shoes to fill! Happy Day Babe I love you!

3 down 1 to go!!

Yahhhhhh it's back to school!!! The kids have been so excited to go back to school! They are jumping out of bed fully dressed at 6am and then get mad when I tell them they are way to early.

So we start with Miss Bella! I took her pictures at the house but didn't realize until the next day that I had no memory card in my camera which resulted in no pictures other than these 2 which were taken with my phone:







Up next is short man! He was/is SO excited about starting his new school. He gets to ride a bus and eat in a cafeteria. He is really excited about his locker. His says his locker is 6 lockers from his class and so it's easy for him to get to.




OK this was taken at 6:30 and so Sophia wasn't happy about getting up early but Steve was leaving on business and we needed to drop him off at the train




Buckling his seatbelt - I don't remember seat belts on the bus when I went to school?!?!?

Awww there goes my littleman....



Finally here is Sam..and Frank, Ryan and Vincent. I forgot to take her pictures at the house. Hey it's been crazy getting everyone ready for school some things got forgotten - I will do it next week and in 10 years from now she'll never know it wasn't the first day of school - unless of course YOU tell her!


Then left home with me is the terror! Miss Sophia with her new pigtail - she defintely will keep things interesting!


Look at that look - she is up to no good!

Sophia and her corn

Aside from the frogs Sophia's 2nd favorite thing in the whole world appears to be corn. Not any corn it has to be her Daddy's secret recipe corn on the cob. This was all the kid would eat for dinner last night

Looky what my 2 big strong men made me !!!!!!

SERIOUSLY Steve and Steven did this ALL BY THEMSELVES!! Steve made 2 trips to Home Depot for the wood and had this up in less than 3 hrs. Now the reason why I stress this is because the day before he told me of his idea and as you all know Steve and my description of his "handiness" you can imagine the laughter that followed after he told me of his plans. OK so maybe there was more than laughter and possibly a little ridicule - COME ON you would'nt have believed it either

As of this posting all is still intact and holding firm! I don't think I can make fun of him and his lack of "handiness" anymore - he did a really good job!

Yes Sophia helped also - someone needed to collect the fallen nails



It's a loft in our shed - Yippeeeeee - Steve has so much stuff ( he can't seem to ever throw anything out) he is running out of space and decided to go up :)



Looks good right?!?! It's pretty spacious!



The short man was so proud!




GOOD JOB BOYS!! I am working on your next project :)

Pencils, Notebooks and Backpacks OH MY!

So I have been collecting the kids school supplies for the past few weeks and letting it pile up. The only thing missing STILL is the blue glue gel Steven needs :

With school starting in 3 days I needed to get the supplies in order:



Here is Sam's "pile" now she is a 2nd grader this year:


Here is Steven's "pile" and this is for Kindergarten!!!! I don't even know how he is getting all of this to school:


Bella only needed a backpack but I felt bad with having nothing in her pile so she is donating a pack of baby wipes, tissues and some markers. I think she got the cutest backpack



So in less than 72 hrs I am going to be a Mom to one 2nd grader, one kindergartner and one pre-schooler - what will I do with all my "free time"

OH thats right there is still 1 kid left:



Something tells me I am going miss the other 3 terribly and will welcome a trade of this daredevil