Now you are 4...note to my baby boy...

As you say...today is your "happy day!"

Wow, I can't believe it, you are 4!! These 4 years have gone so fast. I remember all the details from when you were born. I thought you would be just like your big brother but, you are your very own person. You came along fast and with determination and that is how you have grown up.

You are not a patient child, I like to say that you do not get that from me but, we all know the truth. You have taught me to be more patient and I will try to teach you the same. You are our firecracker, our stubborn boy, our joy. You can have quite a temper, something else we will work on. You have calmed down a lot over these 4 years (especially this last year). You are also sweet, funny, cute, appreciative and smart. You love your gebbi (spaghetti) and burgers. You like to do everything on your own and like to say "I do it by myself".

One of my favorite parts of the day is putting you to bed...reading books, telling you a story and singing "ABC's" and "Twinkle, Twinkle". I love how you lay on me, holding my arm to keep me with you longer and how you say "not yet!" before I close the door so you can get comfy in your bed. I love how you run to me when I pick you up at preschool.

I love hearing about all the things you learn and all the things you think about. I can't wait to see what "4" will bring and to watch you grow some more. I know you will always want to be "bigger" like your brother but, I hope you enjoy being "little" for a while more.

You will always be my "baby boy" and I will love you forever. Happy Birthday - enjoy your "happy day"!

Simple Summer Survey

This blog idea was taken from my friend Aimee who writes the-mother-loan and she took the idea from someone else.

Simple Summer Survey....Summer is coming to a close and the time has come to reflectand to renew. Instead of a lengthy essay, like the ones you did back in school, fill-in short answers to complete the question-(Fill in as many as you can.)

What I did with my summer vacation.....
Played outside a lot with the boys, extended bedtimes and had a lot of fun!

A book that you read and would recommend to others......
I read "Remember Me" by Sophie Kinsella...her books are 'chick-lit', easy read, fun books. I also read "Last summer of You and Me" and that was very good as well...it is by the same author of the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" series, Anne Brashares.

A project you completed.......

Planted and grew tomatoes from seeds...waiting for them to turn red, then I will make sauce with the basil and parsley that is also growing in my garden. There is not much that is more satisfying then growing your own produce in the summer. Last year we had a hedge (literally) of green beans, it was GREAT! The boys loved picking the veggies for dinner. I also got some long overdue cleaning projects done this week.

A great outing you had with friends......

Not really any big outings with friends, everyone is so busy during the summer. I had some fun "GNO's" with my other mom friends. We always look forward to those!

A new food/drink discovery...

Pomengrante martini's...yummy!

A new purchase....

I just received an I-Pod touch for an early anniversary gift, it is very nice and has lots of great features and apps to help me have music and pics with me and to be able to get online when I am away from home.

A new attitude you adopted about something or someone....

I need to work harder than I did before and appreciate everything in my life.

A favorite trip you took....

SIC is always a favorite. We have SO much fun at the beach. It is relaxing and fun for us and the boys. We love seeing the family. We also went to Ohio to visit family and had a great time there and at the "Feast". Shortly after that I got to go to Denver, CO to visit my mom. The Rockies were beautiful and breathtaking.

A favor or act of kindness someone did for you.....

Getting a phone call from someone offering to co-teach my preschool-age Sunday school class with me.

An accomplishment of any kind.....

I read about 5 books this Summer and that makes me happy!

What are four things you are looking forward to this fall?

School for the boys (Logan in preschool and Michael in 3rd grade), pumpkins, piles of leaves, candy corn.

Eight is Great

My first baby boy is going to turn 8 years old tomorrow at 845AM. These years have flown by. I remember it all…when I found out I was pregnant after so many months of waiting. When I first heard his heart and saw him on the screen at the doctor’s office. When I first felt him move in my belly. When he was born and I found out that "it" was a "he". How I would hold him and he was so small he fit on my chest and I would lie on the couch for 3 hours so I could hold him while he napped. When he first laughed, first talked, first walked, all his firsts… I love when he runs to me when I get home from work, when he says "I love you mom".

Now he will be 8, he has been "7 ¾" for a few months already…always wanting to grow up too fast. I tell him to enjoy being a kid, that being a grown up is not always as much fun as it looks. He loves to play, to draw, to be silly. I love to make him laugh, and I love when he makes me laugh. When he was a baby I would make him laugh till he got the hiccups. I love days when we can be silly, when I put aside my to-do list and spend time with him, he loves those days too.

He still holds my hand, still wants me to read to him, and sometimes he still asks me to lay with him and sing "Twinkle Twinkle". I love those moments when he still is a little boy.

He is also caring, sensitive and kind. He says "God, I hope everyone is OK" when he hears a siren, donates things to others, and helps his friends. He asks deeper questions about religion and life then he did before. He is a big brother now and he loves his little brother. I love watching them play and seeing him teach his little brother to be silly.

He wants to be an astronaut (and at one time about a million other things too). He loves space and we read a lot of books about it and went to NASA last year. I think what it will be like to sit in the stands and watching him go to the moon on the space shuttle one day. I hope he reaches all his dreams.

Happy Birthday baby boy...I love you!

Interview with Michael

I am stealing this idea from another blog: http://www.the-mother-load.blogspot.com/ you should check out that blog too--it is great!

I interviewed my oldest son and here it is:


1. What is something Mom always says to you?
"how was school?"
That is correct

2. What makes Mom happy?
When I hug her when she gets home
Yes, it makes me very happy!

3. What makes Mom sad?
When I don’t give her a hug
Yes, correct

4. How does Mom make you laugh?
When she tickles me
I love to do that--it is so easy to make him laugh

5. What was Mom like as a child?
She was "kind of crazy" and she used to beat up her sister
I have scarring that proves I was not the only one at fault!

6. How old is Mom?
33 yrs
Exactly correct...for one more week!

7. How tall is Mom?
6 ft
hahaha funny

8. What's Mom's favorite thing to do?
Watch Jon and Kate plus Eight
Yep!

9. What does Mom do when you're not around?
Goes on the computer
Right again!

10. If Mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
For becoming Miss Pennsylvania
What a sweetie!

11. What is Mom really good at?
Playing Wii fit
Now if I would just do it more often!

12. What is Mom not very good at?
Wrestling
Lies! I can out-wrestle him anyday! :)

13. What does Mom do for her job?
Banking
Yes!

14. What is Mom's favorite food?
Pizza
Actually burgers and fries but, pizza is near the top.

15. What makes you proud of Mom?
How she is very nice and kind and gentle
He says I am a great nurse.

16. If Mom was a cartoon character, who would she be?
Supermom
:)

17. What do you and Mom do together?
Soon we will go bowling and we play Wii together


18. How are you and Mom the same?
We are both human
Love that answer...

19. How are you and Mom different?
Mom is a girl
...that one too!

20 How do you know Mom loves you?
After work she always hugs me
:)

21. Where is Mom's favorite place to go?
The mall
...Without the kids

Baby turns 3

My baby boy just turned 3 and is not a baby anymore. He will always be my baby boy. He is sweet, feisty, stubborn and loving. I love him so much. I love when he says "mommy I la you!" It is so cute the way he says "la" instead of "love". All day he says "I la ….( ice cream, burger, toys, food, soccer, roars, etc)" It is great and I am cherishing every moment. Roars are dinosaurs, by the way. Yesterday, on his birthday, we heard "I la to look at roar bones". And he had a GREAT time doing just that!

He is also testing the limits and learning the boundaries. I am putting my foot down on the "quiet, mommy" and "shhh" because he does not say it in a nice way. It is still funny when he says it but, I do not laugh I put him in time-out. He is SO strong willed that sometimes it can get very frustrating but, I am sure it is very hard to be 3 and be trying to learn how to express your feelings. The other battle is the potty. We do well for a few days then bad again. I am trying not to stress about it and just realize that it will happen eventually.

He is smart and loves animals and dinosaurs. He knows a few dinosaur names and I love to hear him say "ceritops". He knows all the animals—rattles of all their names when he sees pictures of them. When he says rhinoceros it sounds like a motorcycle starting up "rhininininos". And then there is "elephanant" with its extra syllable. I love this age with all its mispronunciations and bigger sentences. My older son now says "spaghetti" but, I will always remember when it was "bisgetti".

I love you, my baby boy, and I am looking forward to all the new things you will do this year!

2 Years Ago Today...

...I started my career in Banking! It was a great move for me and I love my job. I still remember where I was standing (in the kitchen) and what I was doing (feeding Logan in the high chair) when they called to offer me the job. I have met a ton of great people who have become good friends. I have learned so much about banking, businesses, and what I am able to accomplish if I put my mind to it. I was really nervous 2 years ago taking that drive up to the training department for my first day...how would the job go? Would I like it? Would I be able to handle it? Would I do a good job? Where would I be in a year? 2 years? Would I be a Branch Manager? I had never done business calling before, gone to mixers, or been really involved in the community. 2 years later I am a Branch Manager for 1 1/2 years, on the Board of the Chamber and I go to almost all the mixers. I am in the Lions Club, planning a Gala and I participate in other activities when I can. I really love learning about other businesses, meeting CEO's, going after the "deal" and getting the "deal".

I like researching businesses, finding out who the owners are, trying to get an appointment to see them and finally getting in the door. The biggest surprise for me was how long that process can take. It can take months and months of talking, checking in, emailing, etc to get a meeting and more time to get accounts, etc. Thankfully I am persistent or I would be going crazy!

My husband is very supportive with me learning my job, the after-work meetings, classes I am taking, etc. He wants me to be CEO so he can stay home with the kids so, he really does not have a choice! :) It is cool, too, because my oldest son can understand what I do and he asks how it is going and did so-and-so decide if they were coming to my bank or "are they still thinking about it?" I have taken him to different events and he can see how nice it feels to help out and give back.

I spent a long time in retail and the change to banking was a great change for me! I look forward to going to work everyday and I am proud of the success I have had in my career.

25 Random Things About Me

25 things are a lot to come up with--if you want to do it and make less of a list that is fine!



1. I love my husband and he is my best friend.

2. My oldest son wants to be an astronaut and I hope I get to watch him go into space one day.

3. My youngest son loves dinosaurs and I hope he becomes an archaeologist.

4. I am not patient…at all. Sometimes it is a problem. I am working on it.

5. I wish I could balance the family/work thing better.

6. I am addicted to Coca-Cola.

7. I sing in the car all the time.

8. I still know all the words to the 80’s hairband songs (Poison, Warrant, Slaughter, etc).

9. I taught Michael a lot of his baseball skills the summer after I had Logan.

10. I really like to play softball and wish I was better at it/more in shape.

11. I like the smell of coffee but, don’t drink coffee.

12. I cannot eat non-breakfast foods before 11AM—once Mike made soup for breakfast and I could not even stand the smell.

13. I really love my job and hope to go far in banking.

14. I would love to live at the beach.

15. I am very competitive.

16. When I was younger I wanted to be a record producer and even got information from the Full Sail school.

17. I also wanted to be a lawyer because of "LA Law" then I had to interview one for a project and it did not sound that fun anymore.

18. I watched "Models Inc" and was very sad when it was cancelled.

19. I can recite "The Cutting Edge" and "Major League" because I have seen both movies a million times.

20. If I am flipping thru channels and "Shawshank Redemption" is on I have to watch it.

21. I am a big smart-ass, which has to be very much curbed at my job.

22. I always get places early.

23. I am nervous about getting lost when I am going somewhere for the first time.

24. I cannot eat "Marie’s Southwest Ranch" dressing—I had it right before the first time I got morning sickness. I could not even look at the bottle. I made Mike give it to his parents.

25. My favorite thing to do is hang out with Mike when we are having fun and laughing a lot.