KONY 2012

If you do anything today worth making a difference in this world - watch the video!

(remember to pause my music so that you can hear the video)

Bella Takes 1st place.....again!

This picture is perfect! Do you see why?!?! This was the picture the team took after SWEEPING this weekends tournament! They won all 4 games!

Meet the newest member of the NYPD!

OMG I can't believe I forgot to blog this! So my brother graduated from the New York Police Academy! I was/am so proud! I mean look he's my little brother and he's a pain in the ass at times but what little brothers aren't?? More importantly he is the only one out of the 3 of us that graduated from something! I didn't go to college (I know Steve you made the most effort to get me there) and I say I will get there someday but for now I will just be excited over this graduation. Graduation was held at Madison Square Garden and there was just over 1500 graduates

The graduation was amazing! It was over before I knew it but it was so nice!




I loved this - They are all clapping - the white gloves moving so fast was so funny:



This was the money shot! I was warned about it and prepared! I was so excited that I got it. At the end of the ceremony the new officers throw their gloves in the air - it's pretty cool!



Then at the very end canons filled with confetti goes off and it is a sight to be seen:



Anthony trying on his Uncle's bullet proof vest:



Now I get to speed and do other illegal things and get away with it right???

Very True!

If only people would get this! Not communicating gets you no where. It's very simple to me

A. you have a problem
B. work to fix the problem
C. if problem can't be fixed then..... WELL THAT'S JUST RIDICULOUS CAUSE THERE IS A SOLUTION FOR EVERYTHING

More importantly family is family and no matter what the issue is somehow it should be able to get worked out - with communication - of course!

and so it begins.....

The pod is here and our adventure of 2012 is to begin shortly. It's been a long time coming - 13 or so years. 5 kids and 3 houses later we are finally able to say this is the last house and we are finally making it exactly what we want. You could say in a way we are incorparating the last 2 houses into this one.....with some extra's :) We are bringing back the garage from the 1st one and our beloved porch from the 2nd. I'm most excited over the 2nd washer and dryer that we are adding upstairs. Seriously laundry for 7 is INSANE!!! The pod needs to hold the contents of our attic so I am gonna take advantage of the weekend and warm temps to pack it out. I want to spare Steve the hassle of doing it (ok really I want to spare myself of listening to Steve complain about how many christmas decorations one house needs) I'm not stupid :) You'll never know how much shit was ever up there babe...hehe!

I plan on documenting the whole process from start to finish. I'll throw in some birthday's and such here and there but since Steve is never home I don't want him to miss any of it.

Let's hope for a warm winter so come March I can be awoken by the sounds of hammers and saws - oh my!

Happy Everything this holiday!

Christmas Eve 2011 was a huge success! This is our 4th year hosting xmas eve for 45 people! WOW we've been hosting for 4 years now! Next year is year #5 - I'll have to pull out all the stops next year! Oh boy Steve I think we need all the reindeer and Santa with his sleigh next year...the ideas are already coming! It really is my favorite party to host! I love all the glitter and the sparkle of it all. My table is set weeks in advance and I fuss with it everyday until the day to only have it all torn apart when the family hit the table to make room for the food - jeesh can a candlestick get any respect?

Let's eat!

Kids opening gifts! Yes that is Steven's "OMG it's exactly what I wanted" face!

Organized Chaos

This year Santa came and it was the highlight of the evening. I can't speak for any of the other parents but my kids were just in complete awe of it

Samantha's face above Bella's face below say's it all:

Sam and her cousin Frank

Anthony and his cousin Michael:

Some of the men:

Here are just a few from christmas morning:

Insanity:

Steve all excited over his dinosaur:

New PJ's from Great Grandma:

It was a great weekend and that's why I really shouldn't focus on any of the negative but alas there was, as there usually is in some family's, when the holidays come around. Let me just say this - there were family members missing over the last 2 days of festivities. It is a shame that their differences couldn't have been put aside even during the holidays when this is the time that family should be together. It was disrespectful to parents and grandparents that only wish to see their family all together. The anger and bitterness that has been so consuming over the last few months should have been put aside during this time of year. After this I sadly see no resolution in sight and it will not be my loss nor will I let it be my children's. We all have choices to make to live our life to it's fullest and it saddens me to think that my family would have such a negative impact on someone else's life that they would feel the need to remove us from theirs.

So to my family that loves and respects me I wish you a wonderful 2012 and may all your hopes and dreams come true!

Don't be mad!

I know I promised to come back the next day and it's been like 3 weeks. I am a bad blogger! I have no excuse other than life and all my chaos!

Here's a random mess of pictures enjoy:

Samantha turns 10:

The best friend!

The boys:




There was a halloween party at the kids school I organized:





There was a 40th birthday for Steve. This picture sums it all up!





The cake!!!



The birthday boy:



Celebrating Guiseppe's 40th:



Breakfast with Santa last weekend:



OK I'll be back!