musings

Haven't posted in a while. I know I owe lots of pictures, vacation and what-not. Just haven't had the time or inclination.

Markeese is here, and Johnley is completely out of sorts. It is interesting. Markeese is actually being really great (he always is at first - and I always have hopes that he will stay that way!), but Johnley got thrown, I guess.

He has been just miserable. For three days now. It's exhausting!

He was like this the first couple of days of vacation too. He apparently cannot handle change. At least not yet. And I can't say that I blame him, but some change is inevitable.

I guess this doesn't bode well for a camping trip!

I am up to my eyeballs in paper work. We are finalizing Johnley's adoption. I had to contact someone else who has been through this, to get a copy of all the paper work. She sent me three documents - complaints and judgements and such. I have to substitute all the information and then call the county clerk and find out what documents they need and submit them all. I'm not at all sure how that works.

We got out homestudy back from the social worker for Avena. So we had to make a copy of six documents, send them to be state certified, and simultaneously send them to get translated into french. We received those documents back in two days and then had to send them all to the Haitian Consulate in N.Y. to get authenticated. In the meantime, the adoption agency emailed us and asked if we were ready to send it in! Are you freaken kidding me!

Anyway, we got them back and gathered them all up to fed-ex. I was supposed to do that today, but I noticed we are missing a signature so I will have to wait till Nick comes home anyway.

And today I got another package in the mail of more paperwork to fill out for our match with Avena.... and the invoice.

So the money is flying out (every step has cost hundreds of $s) and my head is spinning!

And I still have to call the county clerk.

Today, the kids worked on grammar and math, (I have started Markeese working as if he were staying, cuz what the hell!) and the little kids worked on their alphabet.

The pool is almost completely clean (not warm yet, tho) and my house looks like a hurricane hit it.

That's my life in a nutshell.

This and that!

Not much has been going on around here. We are going to Hatteras next Sunday and we tend to slide into vacation/summer mode for a few week before hand! I have not even begun to pack yet, and anyone that knows me knows that by now I should at least have a dozen or so lists, and most of my stuff packed.

I have gone over the food list, extensively, but only because Merrille is doing half of it and she likes to get a head start. I would venture to guess that she is completely done by now. I haven't bought a single thing.

We plan on starting a new curriculum, in addition to adding Markeese to our homeschooling year, so we've been pretty busy planning for that. I'm actually really excited about this book that was recommended to me called "The Well Trained Mind". It's a bit overwhelming, and I certainly won't be using everything on it, but I think it is good for a basic program. We are going to try it out this year, and I expect that we will have a lot of stops and starts, while we figure things out, but I am confident that we will find our groove. The boys will be in kindergarten (or at least that age) so it should be some fun times.

Nick is in Chicago this weekend for a CIO boot camp. Its a really intensive training session, and an accomplishment just to be able to go. He was very excited about going. He left right from soccer yesterday.

And speaking of soccer; Sammy is doing phenomenal! He has definitely found his groove with it and went from kind of hanging around the ball to getting in there and kicking it and following through. He made like three goals yesterday! Johnley has made some great strides too, he gets on the field now! And that's progress!

Taishauna went to Boston last weekend with her Church group. She is such a beautiful young lady. She handled herself so great and thought to buy t-shirts for her brothers, which was wonderful. She had mucho fun with her friends and at the activities. Apparently they visited alot of churches, and that was BORING! But she had fun anyway!

I was thinking this morning that something is wrong with me because I used to be so organized and was able to accomplish alot. Lately I can't seem to accomplish ANYTHING. And then I realized that with a 4 year old and a 5 year old (not to mention the 14 year old) with me all the time, that is pretty much all I can do. Keeping them fed and dressed and sorta clean, and keeping the house sorta clean pretty much takes up my day!

Somehow I have to fit in packing, some spring cleaning, preparing the gardens and powerwashing the deck into that schedule.

Wish me luck!

So much new...

Lets see...


I painted a room....

A new baby was born! Ella Marie, April 13 6lbs, 10oz.

I bought a new tv for my car....best investment I ever made!

I also bought a membership to Liberty Science Center...so we went.



Then we went to the Franklin Institute.




And I got flowers.

We learned how to make pizza, had some for lunch and went home and made more for dinner!

We went to a class to make cookie bouquets!



I made two cakes...one for our play...

and one for a 7 year old girl....
This one was a big hit with all the girls...and boys, truth be told!





Oh yeah, and the boys found the dress up clothes!






Which really makes all the other pictures useless!!!!!!!!!!!

How to make a Mermaid

Take a beautiful girl....

Add some long hair....

Sprinkle on a little glitter....

And...TaDa....a beautiful mermaid

Super Spy Birthday

We had our super spy birthday on Sunday. We had treasure hunts, we played 'Who Am I?' and other such fun. There were lots of kids, lots of adults, too much food, and yet another masterpiece cake! A good time was had by all.


Recipe for a successful birthday? Lots of chocolate!

Super spys getting ready for the hunt...

My baby turned 5 today. I can't believe it. That's it; his childhood is over. He might as well be 16. I can't believe he isn't a baby anymore...I'm so sad.

Just 5 short years ago:

And Now:

Still cute as a button, but not a baby. Boo hoo.

So celebrate we did - at Robot Galaxy. For a mere weeks salary, they will make your dreams come true! Okay, I exaggerate, but only a little. It is actually a very cool place, building your own robots and all. Unfortunately, we had a lame party host, but the kids didn't know the difference. The robots are beyond cool, and they all say the nickname the kids gave them, and the kids name.

The robots and their kids (they put themselves in size order!)

A VERY cool power ranger cake. (Seriously, doesn't that look awesome?)

And Cara got right in there and blew out the candle --- so freakin cute. With that outfit, I'm surprised I even took any pictures of the boys at all!

And this one is for you Pam!

Could just eat this one up!

100th post

I got this idea from my friend here. For my 100th post I thought I would list 100 facts about me. I originally was going to list 100 INTERESTING facts about me, but it turns out they're not!



So here goes, in no particular order....



1. I once traveled from New Jersey to Seattle by bus.
2. I moved 5 times by the time I was 8.
3. I have been married 20 years – to the same man!
4. I once walked 15 miles in one day.
5. I once trained to do the Avon Breast Cancer 60 mile Walk. It was canceled after the first day.
6. I was a foster mom to 11 children.
7. I have adopted 3 children and am working on my fourth.
8. I didn’t learn to ski until I was 28. It took me all morning to get down the hill the first time and all afternoon to get down the second time.
9. I am still very afraid of ski lifts.
10. When I was 18 I marched Washington in a Pro-Life march.
11. When I was 18 I voted for Reagan.
12. When I was 18 I was stupid.
13. I have since marched on Washington for the Million Mom March against guns, the Woman’s Rights march and
14. Hopefully I have reversed the bad karma from 11!
15. I once worked as a chamber maid.
16. I worked as a nurse’s aid at both a nursing home and a hospital.
17. I worked in retail.
18. I worked as a waitress.
19. I worked as a computer operator.
20. I worked in a daycare – first as a teacher and then as an administrator.
21. I worked as a computer programmer.
22. I worked as a bartender. Aside from programming, that is where I made the most money. And drank the most liquor.
23. I learned the hard way that mind erasers really do erase your mind!
24. I once attended Norfolk State University, which is a predominantly black university. I only lasted one semester. Universities are hard!
25. I have attended 3 different colleges. And then I got my degree online.
26. When I started college I had to take introduction to college algebra 1 and 2 before I could take algebra 1 and 2.
27. I then went on to take Calculus 1 and 2. I got an A in Calculus 2. Who knew?
28. From the time I was 17 until I was married I moved 10 times.
29. I moved 6 times in my first 7 years of marriage.
30. I have lived at my current residence for 13 years.
31. I became an Aunt when I was 10.
32. I have been taking care of children ever since!
33. When I was 2 I almost drowned in the above ground pool in our back yard. My sister thought I was her life-size doll and pulled me out. I wonder what would have happened if she knew it was me I was blue, my mom ran in to get her purse, and when she came out I was playing on the swings.
34. When I was 4 I got caught in a whirlpool in a lake in Kentucky. My brother pulled me out.
35. I don’t remember either of those two incidents, but I am a little claustrophobic, and terrified of being dunked. (Being dunked hasn’t been an issue for quite some time, but it used to be a real problem).
36. I am number 9 of 10 children.
37. My parents were both only children (I guess they tried to make up for that!) so I never had any aunts, uncles or cousins.
38. All my grandparents died before I was born.
39. My given initials are ABC. My parents let my siblings vote on my name. I think they were running out of ideas.
40. I have 5 sisters and for a while when I was around 10, I shared a bedroom with three of them.
41. When I was 14 and my sister 16, we got a job on the Seaside boardwalk and we used to hitch-hike there everyday. That was when 37 was only one lane and it was bumper to bumper traffic. It was usually faster to walk.
42. When I was in 8th grade, I got suspended 5 times for smoking in the bathroom. I’ve been trying to quit ever since.
43. When I was 10 I was famous (yes, actually famous!) for being able to do a one-handed walk-over. My girlfriend and I would spend hours doing back-bends and such in the yard
44. I tried out to be a cheerleader once and didn’t make it.
45. When the Ocean County Mall opened, I got a job in a cheese shop. I had to wear the most ridiculous outfit. I wish I had a picture.
46. I was really bad in high school. I got caught smoking weed and told the principal that my mom just had a heart attack and if she was told it would kill her. I told them my father would call and then I had my brother in law call. I forgot to check the mail, though and my mom found out anyway!
47. I got kicked out of home economics in my senior year. My teacher freaked out on me because I told her she was really rude to the maintenance guy. (I felt sorry for him) The principal told me just hang out outside until the school year was over.
48. He also told me that if he saw me again, even just passing him in the hall, I was not going to graduate!
49. I didn’t see him again and I graduated!
50. I have taken typing 6 times in my life (once in high school and the rest in college) and failed all but once. The last time I took it the teacher just gave me a passing grade to get rid of me!
51. Once I started programming I could type 60 wpm.
52. I got married by the justice of the peace, mostly because I didn’t want my father to walk me up the aisle.
53. We had a wedding reception in my apartment.
54. I would do it exactly the same if I had to do it over.
55. We went to Washington DC for our honey moon.
56. I cried like a baby the first time I saw the Vietnam Memorial.
57. I met my husband in college.
58. We were best friends for two years before we even thought of dating.
59. My best girlfriend warned me not to get romantically involved with my husband, cuz it would ruin the friendship.
60. She was right!
61. I’ve had the same best friends since I was 10.
62. I have 19 nieces and nephews.
63. I have 14 great nieces and nephews…so far.
64. I went to my first concert when I was 13. It was Loggins and Messina and Fleetwood Mac.
65. I saw The Who five times.
66. They were my favorite band growing up.
67. We had a rivalry with the deadheads – I HATED the Grateful Dead.
68. My husband is a deadhead!
69. It is really hard for me to come up with 100 items.
70. I went to Europe with my sister on a 10 day bus tour.
71. I rode a ski lift to the top of the Swiss Alps.
72. I rode to the top of the Eiffel tower (well not the top, just as high as they let you go).
73. I was at Notre Dame during Pope John Paul II's funeral. It was being televised there and a huge crowd was watching.
74. I smoked weed in Amsterdam.
75. I spent the weekend in London.
76. My sister and I got in a fight in London and I stomped off in a huff, with absolutely NO WHERE to go...I had to eat crow and come crawling back!
77. I bought a coo-coo clock from a store in the Black Forest in Germany.
78. I used to waitress at Winklemans restaurant in Lakewood. It was a German restaurant. Herman Winkleman is now homeless and living in a tent in Lakewood.
79. Between adopting and fostering, I have had a home study done four times and had my fingerprints done 8 times.
80. Fingerprints don't ever change...why do they have to do them more than once?
81. I homeschool my children.
82. My daughter went to school until 4th grade, and I wish she didn't.
83. My boys still sleep with us, and I wouldn' t have it any other way.
84. My Ipod contains the whole first season of Weeds, 5 recently purchased games, and 40 photos of my kids.
85. I am one of those women who have no idea about our finances, my husband takes care of it all, but mostly because I know we don't have enough money and I don't want the stress!
86. I love to scrapbook, and I am great at buying scrapbook material, but I no longer have time to scrapbook.
87. Since I have gotten a third child, I no longer have time for anything!
88. I pride myself on being very organized.
89. I consider other bloggers, that I read regularly, but have never met, my friends.
90. I wish everyone I knew had a blog, so I could know what was going on in their life!
91. I taught myself how to cornrow so I could take care of my daughters hair.
92. When my nieces were young, I made three princess dresses, out of satin and netting and fake fur. They had ribbons and bows and capes. They were gorgeous, and I later made pillows out of them for the girls. One was pink, one was blue and one was purple.
93. I took home economics for 4 years and I can't sew or cook.
94. I hate to cook.
95. I love to eat.
96. I went to Disney world when T was 7 and I HATED it.
97. I am probably going to Disney next spring for the boys. Hopefully I won't hate it.
98. I fantasize about winning the lottery (who doesn't) and have completely redesigned my house, (including adding a story and where I would put the stairs), in my head 1000 times.
99. I don't like to drink anymore since I quit smoking.
100. I am really glad this list is over, and tomorrow I will probably think of 12 things I wish I had included.

The birthday dance

This week we are doing the birthday dance. It involves lots of yelling, lots of late nights, lots of running to the store. By Sunday the house will be clean, the cake will be decorated, the food will be cooked, the activities will be planned. And we will all be exhausted and mad at each other!

Easter (finally)

Okay, I promised people pictures of Easter so here goes.

We made chicks with our hand prints...

We made chicks out of jelly beans....

We dipped peeps in chocolate...

We made Grandmas cookies and decorated them for Easter.

We tye-dyed eggs....

We made gifts for our cousins....

And the Easter Bunny Came!

We celebrated with Nicks family....

and mine.... (notice how co-operative Sammy is!)


But my favorite pictures from the weekend are.....

This.....

and this!

Also....

This video