Monica and Michael

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Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:24:52 GMT

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Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:24:51 GMT

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Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:24:49 GMT

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Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:24:48 GMT

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Album: Halloween 2008

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:12:44 GMT

Well fall is upon us and it's time for pumpkin carving and trick or treating again. Marissa is a fifie's girl and Mack is a nerd. Very easy costumes!

Blog: The Kitten and The Cross Bones

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:28:51 GMT

Last night the pumpkin carving festivities were in full swing at our house. Marissa loved getting all the seeds and gooey stuff out of her pumpkin. Mack cleaned his out very well too. Marissa had picked a kitten design and Mack picked the cross bones/skull design.

We started at 7pm and two hours later it was all over! Michael did great carving the pumpkins. The kitten was a bit of a challenge. Marissa watched very closely. When it came time for Mack's, Michael started it for him and then he finished it himself. After all he is a big boy now! Hah!

We lit them up to see the full effect. Yeah they look awesome! We kept them inside last night cause we didn't want to risk any monkey business that any of the teenagers might pull on mischief night. So in a few hours they will be lit and put on the front porch for all to see and the kiddos will be out trick or treating!

Have a fun, safe Halloween everyone!

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Blog: Peanut's new winter coat

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:42:44 GMT

So our weather if finally feeling very seasonal, fall like. Peanut does not like the cold at all. She refuses to go outside if it's windy, rainy or just down right cold!

So Peanut got a special present yesterday, a new coat. It looks so darn cute on her. I gotta say she took to it very easily, letting me put it on her without a fuss. But once she had it on, she didn't move! You would have thought I sat a bag of rocks on her back. She froze and just looked at me with that "What the Hell did you do to me" look!

So I thought let's put it to the test. Surely if I put her outside she will not shake and shiver and should be just fine. Well I kid you not when I say the spot I left her in when I put her out back was the same spot I found her in 15 minutes later. She had not moved an inch. And she had the saddest look on her face. I just started laughing and thought oh well I guess it will take some time to get used to her new coat!

Monica

Blog: The Big One huh

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:36:05 GMT

Monica's blog entry made me laugh.....so I had to play on photoshop a little.
Michael

Blog: In Search of the Big One

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:43:56 GMT

Now get your mind out of the gutter...we are talking pumpkins!!

That's right we made our annual treck to the pumpkin farm last weekend. But this year was a little different. Mack decided he would rather go over his buddie's house than go pick pumpkins. Oh well I guess he is growing up. But Marissa was ready to go as soon as she woke up Sunday morning...it was a perfectly sunny, fall morning.

We did the hayride out to the fields. She took off after the "big one" and rather quickly found one that made her happy! (the one in the picture) It was passed her knees when she stood next to it and nice and round with a flat face that will be perfect for carving! Yeah! We picked one more because even though Mack didn't come he still told me to make sure we got one for him to carve!

So after sipping some cider, weighing our pumpkins (the big one wieghed 32lbs) and posing with the silly cut outs...we loaded up the car and headed home.

This weekend we will carve the pumpkins. Not sure of the designs just yet...last year's will be hard to beat...Michael carved a Ravens head! It was really cool...so the challenge is on...stay tuned!

Happy Trick or Treating everyone!!

Monica

Blog: Thank you for 18 years

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:55:29 GMT

I was pleasantly surprised when I came home from work on Monday, October 6 and found a bouquet of 18 roses sitting in our kitchen. Michael surprised me with roses for our anniversary. Oh my gosh they smelled so wonderful!

I just want to thank my husband for being my best friend, a great father to Mack and Marissa, for always being there when I needed him and for always making me smile. His jokes I may have heard a thousand times over, but I still laugh. I couldn't imagine waking up and not seeing him next to me. We have been together over half of my life. I feel very blessed.

So thank you Michael for really 21 years (we dated 3 years before our wedding) of good times, sad times, but most of all time together. You are my constant. I love you.

Album: Soccer 2008

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:01:56 GMT

Marissa starting playing soccer for the first time this fall. She is #7 on her team. She loves it! Her team is the Pink Flamingos. She was so thrilled when she scored her first goal!

Blog: Soccer Star

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:26:47 GMT

Well I finally had a Saturday off and was able to make it to one of Marissa's soccer games......Before the game started she told me she was going to have a good game because I was her good luck charm........She was the goalie the first half and had six saves and did not give up any goals.........The second half she played center and she scored her first goal .......she was very excited......and was given a rally of high fives from her team and coaches...I thought for sure she was going to take her jersey off and circle the field swinging it over her head, but she restrained herself.......the final score was 2 to 0 the Pink Flamingos had won their first game.
Michael

Album: Marissa starts Kindergarten

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 22:03:11 GMT

First day gradual entry pics and then of course the first day of school getting on the bus pics! Where has the time gone?

Blog: Back to School

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 21:57:09 GMT

School started the end of August for our kiddos. Mack went into middle school and Marissa started kindergarten.

Getting Mack up an hour ealier than last year proved to be no challenge...he was up...showered and out the door on time...whoo hoo!! Of course now that he is a big "6th grader" there was no first day pics or walking him to the bus stop. But I watched from the driveway as my baby boy got on the bus. He said the best part of middle of school is the freedom...he said "Mom I don't have to line up for anything! I just get out of my seat and go on my own when it's time!" I thought this was a very good point. He has adjusted very well to managing his time and mastering his locker combination. I think he was most concerned that he would not be able to work his locker. But it's all good.

Then it was Marissa's turn. We had a gradual entry on Monday. I went with her for 2 hours. She got to meet half of her class and then walked to the caffeteria to go through the motions of buying lunch. Of course at this point she is brown bagging it. So Tuesday was the real deal. Well I was trying not to get emotional at the bus stop until my neighbor walked up with tears in her eyes cause her little girl was getting on the bus for the first time too! Ugghh! So I started boo hooing too!

After a kiss and a hug the bus pulled up. Marissa stopped and posed for me she as she got on the bus. My baby is going to "big girl school" now as she calls it! Kindergarten is all day now where we live. One thing that makes me feel comfortable is knowing she is very familiar with her school and many of the teachers and personnel since her big brother just graduated from there and she has been there many times.

Happy to say she survived her first day. She came home with some great stories to tell. She said lunch was way too long..."Mommy you need to give me more food...I was done and just had to sit there! I thought lunch would never end!" LOL She was the class helper her first day and received a special coin saying "I was caught being good!" She couldn't wait to go back the next day. She sits on the bus in the front seat with her BFF Emma. I can only hope she keeps this positive attitude the whole year. Of course everyone already refers to her as Mack's little sister!

Blog: Summer is over, oops forgot to talk about vacation

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 22:18:04 GMT

We did our anual Ocean City, Maryland family vacation in August. We shortened it this year though, we only went for 4 days instead of a week. My parents had taken the kids to Myrtle Beach in July for a week. We didn't go...remember it was our time to smell the roses! But we decided we needed our beach fix and family time away from home too. This year was also different in another way. We went with Michael's parents and his brothers and their families. We had fantastic weather. No rain. No jellyfish in the ocean. This is unusual for August along the Eastern Shore. The water was very refreshing and cold. Again unusual for August.

We stayed right on the boardwalk in a nice hotel with two pools. Our days began with heading to the beach for a couple of hours and then ending the day at the pool for a couple of more hours. We played mini golf, played arcarde games, rode the rides and saw some terrific sunsets. We ate at our favorite places. Fishtales and Tony's Pizza are always a must. And of course we walked the boards every night. And every night the guys played football on the beach and the kids climbed the lifeguard stands. We had our Fisher's popcorn too. We visited with Michael's boss who was also down at the same time. He has a very nice townhouse on the bay. We cooked out one night with him and saw a another beautiful sunset.

Four days was fast but just the right amount of time for a nice getaway..but we are already making our plans for next year and have said we will do a week again. Something 'bout OC that just draws us back year after year. Our pics are all loaded into our gallery. Take a look!

Album: Ocean City 2008

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:31:20 GMT

We went to OC for our annual family vacation. This year we were joined by Michael's parents, his brothers and all the cousins. It was a great week at the beach!

Album: Cowtown Rodeo

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:57:02 GMT

Last Saturday night we went to the rodeo in New Jersey.

Album: Spring/Summer 2008

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:38:51 GMT

Pictures from Marissa's recital in May, 2008, High School Musical. Also her Trike-A-Thon at pre-school. The John Carroll Country Fair and Mack's spring concert. And Marissa's field trip to Applewood Farms, Mother's Day at Miller's Island were we visited Fort Howard before having dinner at Dock of the Day. Marissa showing off her new bike she got for graduating pre-school. A few pics of Marissa with sparklers on 4th of July and then swimming at a friend's pool on 4th of July weekend. Whew that was a busy few months!

Album: Graduations 2008

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:11:43 GMT

Mack graduated from 5th grade in June and Marissa graduated from pre-school in May. In September I will have a kindergartener and a middle schooler. Where did the time go?

Album: Baseball 2008

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:02:03 GMT

Mack once again played baseball for Emmorton Rec. He mainly played second or third base. This year was special because Michael was the assistant coach. The team made it to the third round of the playoffs and ended the season in 3rd place. It was a fun season!

Calendar: Playa Here we come

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 00:54:10 GMT

2006-09-07

Calendar: Martin Luther King Day

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 19:58:00 GMT

2007-01-15
In the name of love...remembering an American hero.

Calendar: Ground Hog Day

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 18:58:44 GMT

2007-02-02
Will the ground hog see his shadow?

Calendar: New Year's Eve

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 18:54:43 GMT

2006-12-31
Time for a little Auld Lang Syne.

Calendar: Merry Christmas!

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 18:53:24 GMT

2006-12-25
Ho! Ho! Ho! It's Christmas Day.

Calendar: Hanukkah

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 18:52:02 GMT

2006-12-16
Hanukkah begins at sundown

Calendar: Happy Kwanzaa!

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 18:51:24 GMT

2006-12-26
Celebrate Kwanzaa.

Calendar: Thanksgiving

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 18:47:54 GMT

2006-11-23
Happy Turkey Day!