Grandpa and Grandma are in town!

According to my Mom and Dad...our house is freezing! Most people would say we keep it pretty warm! This is my Dad's attempt to stay warm! :)

Our Angel strikes again.

So I'm turning 30 on Sunday...and quite devastated about it! Mom and Dad drove in from KY to help us celebrate and obviously to love on Anna and Micah. I thought if I just pretended like it wasn't happening (the turning 30 that is) then it might not happen...turns out things don't work that way. I'm sure I'll put up more pics of our time with them. Anna and Micah are LOVING having them here!

Ladies watch out!!!!

My son the Rock Star!! To die for adorable!!!

I got this shirt just for Daddy and Uncle Mike.

Sometimes someone else just says it better...

Your love is better than ice cream
better than anything else that I've tried
and your love is better than ice cream
everyone here know how to fight
and it's a long way down
it's a long way down
it's a long way down to the place
where we started from
Your love is better than chocolate
better than anything else that I've tried
oh love is better than chocolate
everyone here knows how to cry
it's a long way down
it's a long way down
it's a long way down to the place
where we started from...

Shout Out!!!!

This is my SHOUT OUT to Elizabeth and Andrea! My faithful followers! Oh, how I love Thee...let me count the ways...:)

Other shots from my morning...

This is me playing around with my new (old) zoom lens. Thanks Cathy!

View from the kitchen window...seems like I spend ALOT of time in there.

This is my little shout out to Holly! Saw her do this over Christmas and loved it! So now we have one. Vanilla candle, with coffee beans...smells so good!

Oh the joy of radiator heat...pans of water everywhere to try and keep all of us from drying up like prunes!

The thorn in my side...laundry, and not just any laundry, but WHITES! I hate whites! Socks, little socks, undershirts...arrrrrgggg!

So there's just random tidbits of my day! Enjoy! And if you ever look at this blog please leave a comment every now and then...cause I feel sometimes like it's all in vain! And I will STOP!! I swear! :)

Lunch Time...again. :)

I really don't know why I think anyone cares but I'm having fun taking pictures...but here's our lunch today. Sorry you can't have breakfast or dinner.
My favorite soup of all times...well...one of them...

Other key ingredients.

Micah's lunch...green beans, peas, and yogurt.

Anna's soup.

Anna's 'grilled cheese'.

My lunch...don't you love the layout? :)

Lunch Time

Here's what we had today for lunch. Not that you care, but because I like to take pictures of bright colors! :) And I am proud of my daughter for how great she eats! Even things I hate...tomatoes, cucumbers. Blaaa!

My lunch. Mmmmm. Eggs, carrots, snap peas, pirate booty!
That's right! I had booty for lunch! :)

Anna's lunch. Cheese, carrot, tomatoes, and puffs.

Micah's lunch. Carrots and Yellow Squash.

My Day....and I'm alive to tell about it!

So we had playgroup, which was really good since we've been out of the social loop for awhile. Anna had a ball. We then ran to the grocery store. Came home. Lunch. After I got the kiddos down, I spent my ENTIRE afternoon doing this...

Squash, peas, kale, mangos, blueberries, apples, peaches, carrots, green beans, cherries...

So for dinner I offered my little guy peas, squash, and blueberry/apple sauce.

This was his response...happy but spitting every bite out...is my son a vampire?

Snot nose little boy anyone? I had to strip him, obviously!

It was one of those days. Nonstop. Crying. Wiping noses. Wiping butts. More crying. Cooking. Pureeing. Cooking. Cleaning. Dishes. The last two hours of our night was me holding one crying kid, while on the phone, while trying to hold the other, while, while, while...etc.
Now they are both asleep! Never been so happy for kids that sleep so good!!

Snow Day

Today we got 6 inches of perfect fluffy snow! Franco and Anna enjoyed it as much as possible. Of course Micah and I chilled inside. Maybe next year Buddy.
Here are some cute shots.

Anyone need their driveways shoveled?

Thanks for pretty much the whole outfit Aunt Nikki!

Sledding in circles!

Kicking snow at Daddy.

High Five for snow!

Snow angel...or snow stud?

Sickos

I currently abide in a house of SICKOS. Every single one of us has the wonderful 'cold'. Anna started out with it about a week ago. Micah started to show signs end of this last week, then Franco and I were next. Franco who works five million jobs, seriously, and goes to school, and Me...the caretaker of our home. Not fun. So I expect great sympathy from you...and from others of you I'm sure I can get some empathy!
Franco is currently in class on this fine freezing day here in PA. I just laid both of my children down for naps...which begs the question, why in the world am I on the computer instead of fast asleep? Who knows! Anna is almost three and this is the 2nd time she's ever been sick, the other time was that fun bought of Croup we had about two months ago. So in three years of being a Mom, this is the first time I feel the pain of sick kids in a whole new way. Can't leave the house, can't be social (not like we could anyway since ALL of my friends are with child!!!!!! seriously! ALL of them!!), so here we are. Stuck. Stuck in our house. But we have a roof over heads, plenty of food to eat, water, and warm beds to call our own. I should count my blessings.
And my since we live in a two bedroom apartment, Micah is still in our room with us. So whenever he coughs, or breathes weird, I'm up. Plus poor little guy does not know how to blow his nose, so he just snots everywhere until we bust out the fabulous 'snot sucker' and then he cries and screams. So I actually slept in the living room last night, and tonight Franco gets a turn. All we ask is ONE night of uninterrupted rest. One night.

All I'm trying to whine is...sickness sucks!

For the Grandma's :)

Sweet Sibling Love.

Sick Angel. :(

Daddy trying to read a story to both of them...Micah wants to make a run for it!

That's right...he's standing now!!!!!!!!!! Pulling up on everything.

Anna mid air...jumping queen!!

Me....
I grew up mostly as an only child...big sis and big bro were 9 and 7 years older. Yet I have all the traits of the youngest...plus some.
My childhood consist of motorbike rides across vacant plains and muddy jungles. More plane rides (with me puking my guts up) then I ever care to remember. I saw more wild animal by the time I was 10, then most people will see in their lives...Zoo's included.
Tween years...crushes and turmoil, learning to shave and wear bras. Same as everyone. A little more drama than most, just for flavor. I think I got punished for being dramatic...not cool.
Teen years were defined by heartbreaks, best friends, bike rides across Kenya, climbing Moutains, dancing in the rain, first kisses, and of course Eddie Veddar and U2.
College...love, heartbreak, real lasting love, friends, more friends, cafeteria conversations, running, planning, late night trips to Walmart, dollar movies, half-priced apps at Applebee's, dressing like a hooker just for fun, pictures, Papa John's pizza, dancing with redheads, singing with roomates, and I think some classes were in there somewhere.
Newlywed years...parents got divorced, parents got remarried to each other, first salaried job, quit a few jobs, got fired, world got rocked in good and bad ways, ran some more, gained a whole lot of weight, so I ran some more, Church, youth group, Fazoli's and Arby's for deep meaningful conversations, bought a home, sold a home, moved, Eintein's, aerobics, quarterpounders, moved again, got pregnant (finally :)), moved to another state.
Then I had kids...first a girl, perfect in everyway, Angel. Moved again, made friends, found a church, job, quit job, more friends, got pregnant again, first son, huge and adorable, smile, sweet...
Tonight as my husband cared for our kids, bathed them, cleaned up their poop and their puke, washed sheets, held them...I was off wandering, thinking, feeling. Often my sweet Man lets me escape. If you are a mom you get it. We all need it. Some of us more than others. Escape = a better mommy! And I was thinking about my life, what it's been, meant...defining moments...too many to recap I'm sure. Just thought I'd share some of Me with You.

Now to figure out what the rest of my life is suppose to be made up of...what's it suppose to mean?

Bathtime and other adventures...

I don't know why but for some reason pictures of kiddos in the bath are always cute. So here are my two cuties getting a bath from Daddy. I am not really sure why, but Anna felt the need to stand and dance when I brought my camera in. And Micah as always would NOT stop moving and was trying to tackle his sister.

Franco's New Blog...

Franco has started a new blog about his preparation and pilgrimage to Italy in June. Check it out! It's a large piece of our lives over the next few months!
http://pilgrimagetoitaly.blogspot.com/

Christmas Highlights with the Laws

My little Buckeye Boy!

Getting loved on by Aunt Steph

Smooches....

Christmas Eve Party.

Caleb by far got the most rockin' Christmas!

Check out the robbed Queens!

Beautiful Rachel!

Opening presents Christmas morning with Daddy.

Yeah Baby!!