Aunt Lauie Plus Google=Good Things!!!

Thank you Aunt Laurie for making Jake's night! I bought Jake an ice cream bowl a few years ago and it cracked about a month ago. Leave it to his Aunt Laurie to google and find it! So now each kid has one for ice cream, I am sure Linds will be eating some soon! Thank you!! We love you and can't wait to see you!

Let the Play Time Begin

Today I was really hoping for warm sunny weather but we got cool and partly cloudy instead. It was our first big play date of summer. I can remember a few years ago when it was Seth, Annabelle, and Jacob but now we add in all the brothers and sisters and that makes 7 kids total now! Whoohoo!! They all got to play outside for a bit while the weather held out and then ventured in. We all had lunch and played some more before they were all ready for nap time!!! It was a great play date with my 2 wonderful friends Lisa and Jen! Next time, we need to do a girls night out play date!!

ENOUGH ALREADY!!

OK I have just about had enough of this rainy weather! The overcast skies and rainy cool weather--I am done with it! BUT there is hope, it looks like sunshine for the weekend!! Maybe once June 30th is over, the crappy weather will go with it, let's hope!

A Visit from a Long Friend and Lindsey's First Boo-Boo

This past weekend I had a wonderful life long friend from home visit. It was refreshing and just nice to have her here. We don't get to see each other that often but no matter where we are or how long it has been, we can pick up the pieces and laugh and chat for hours. And that was basically what we did all weekend! Jake was thrilled because Katy played some new board games with him and he was on his best behavior. I completely forgot to take a picture with her and the kids thought. On Sunday we went to the park and Jake got bit by a bee on his right eye, he wasn't too happy. Katy and I got pedi/manis together before heading back here to hang with the kids again. It was great to have company and I hope she makes it back up in September!
Tonight was the first time I heard Lindsey cry from getting hurt and saw huge tears running down her face. I was starting to make dinner and she was playing on the floor. I was watching her roll all over. She was sitting up and in the next second lunged forward and fell on her face on top of a toy. Boy, did she yell! I scooped her up and with a few kisses from me and Jake and a drink of water she finally was feeling better. I took a picture of her cheek that was all red!

An Italian Feast

In a way, it is kind of sad that I will only be here for one more yummy Mt Carmel Feast festival at our church, but I am so glad I got to take the kids on Friday night for a bit to enjoy it. We all ate yummy food and Jake rode a couple rides. He really wanted to play a few games and he won one of them. He had a choice of a prize or money and he picked money! I seriously think he has more cash in his wallet than I do. (On a side note, I let him buy a scratch off ticket the next day at the store and he won 2 more dollars!) He has such a pure heart and did have a good time at the festival however he was missing his Dad. We all do and we can't wait for him to come home!

I am the Proud Owner of 2 Fish!!

I know you must all be thinking (especially Lee)--OH God-what did she buy now-BUT--I really am the proud owner of 2 "human" fish! Lee and I both love the water, swimming, the beach, etc., anything to do with water we love it! I would be suprised if our kids weren't the same and in the last few days I have discovered, they are just like us! They are my FISH! I finally had a chance to put Lindsey in Jacob's little pool in all her cute swimsuits! The first time was on Friday and then I did again today! She loves the water as much as Jacob and he absolutely loves having her in the pool with him--and vice versa. My children are such a blessing and I love seeing them smile and laugh at each other! Lindsey in her bathing suit, well, that is another story all in itself. She is eating everything she can with no real aversion to anything. She is chubby as can be and I love every inch of her! She is sitting up by herself and pulling herself up to sit. She also clapped her hands 3 times today for the first time! Enjoy the bathing beauties!

Spaghetti!!

She is a true Italian! Lindsey loves to eat spaghetti and lasagna, especially when she gets to feed herself! What a messy girl!

Poser!!

If anyone should be in modeling, it would be Linds! She stops everything as soon as she sees a camera or video camera! My sister and I swear she poses everytime she catches up taking a picture of her. On Tuesday, she was rolling on the floor and we were snapping pictures, she was totally hamming it up for the camera! She is too funny, check out those thighs! I don't know if modeling is in her future with those rolls but I love them and I could squeeze the heck out of her!! You can see in one of the picturs that she is attempting to crawl, but not quite there yet!

Chocolate World

Chocolate world was...well...yummy! We left there with Peanut Butter Cups and a few Hershey Bars! Aunt Laurie was there too, she was taking the pictures!

Swimming!!

The boys loved playing in Sam's pool all weekend, they are like Fish!! My sister had a drink bucket, so we filled up and put Lindsey in it on Monday. She loved it, not to mention how cute she looked in her bathing suit! When we went to the amusement park I didn't realize that I could have brought her bathing suit, the splash park was perfect for babies too! We decided to put her in the water anyway and she really loved it! I will have to get some of my sister's pictures for my blog too, she took over 150!

Still more pictures....

More Pictures....

Our First and Fabulous Vacation of Summer

We just got back from a long week of travelling, but it was so much fun with so many stories to tell! Last Wednesday we packed up and headed to my parents house. We spent all of Wed and Thurs there before heading to my sister Donna's house on Friday. Lindsey got to try out the little red car now that she is sitting so well. She loves it so much we decided to bring it back to NY!!
It has been a couple years since I was there and it really was the first time my whole family (sisters and parents) have had a long family vacation together (minus Lee, who we missed)!! Jacob and Lindsey were great in the car on all the road trips and didn't do too bad sleeping at night either considering a different house and beds. On Friday we got to see some family friends we hadn't seen in a while and then we took a little trip to Mr. Eds! Why I didn't take a picture is beyond me. It was a candy and peanut store. However, in the store was also this GIANT collection by the owner of Elephants, anything and everything with having to do with elephants! Almost a bit creepy! Friday night we got a pizza and hung out. On Saturday, it was blazing hot so we decided to stay in and let the kids swim pretty much all day. Jacob and Sam had a blast. They played really well together the entire weekend, I was really proud of Jake. Lindsey was excited to roll all over Aunt Donna's floors. She is getting up on all fours but not crawling yet. On Sunday, the girls took the kids to Inner Harbor Baltimore. It was a very hot day again but we went to the aquarium and had lunch. Our kids were pooped and both passed out on the way home. Then we cooked out that night for Father's Day! On Monday we went to Dutch Wonderland, what a great park for little kids! It wasn't crowded or too hot. They boys loved the splash park and the rides. Jake was tall enough to ride the big coaster with Papa and he loved it!! Lindsey tried vanilla ice cream and loved it and rode on the train! On our way home to my parents on Tuesday we stopped at Hershey's Chocolate World. I promised Jake to take him to see the place where chocolate is made. He loved it and so did I, who can resist a piece of chocolate! Finally, we headed back to NY on Tuesday, not before Lindsey got to feed herself a bowl of spaghetti at Nana's house. I took so many pictures and so did my sister, I will try to get as many as I can loaded on here! We really had a great time, we all got along, ( we had our moments but 4 sisters usually do) and it was a great start to summer!

Last Day of Nursery School

Last Tuesday was Jacob's official last day of nursery school! He is on to bigger and better--PreSchool!! He will be attending the same school and have the same amazing teachers he did this year! I am so grateful for Mrs Puccia and Miss Mary! They helped Jacob learn and grow and I couldn't be happier with the school! Before you know it, he will be in high school...for now....watch out Pre-K here he comes!

Date Night

Yesterday, Bethany watched Lindsey and I took Jake to see ChooChoo Soul in concert in Watertown. The concert was a blast, non-stop singing and dancing for one hour. He loved it, epecially DC's breakdancing and beatboxing! He kept asking, "How did he do that?" Afterwards, we ran an errand to Target to kill some time while waiting for a table at the Roadhouse. Jacob's restaurant pick for the night. We had a great time and he was really well behaved. All except for after that show, he wanted to stay with ChooChoo Soul or somehow go with them. He was thrilled that he got his picture with them but he cried his eyes out in the car, it was a bit sad. He gets very emotional over things when Lee is away, pook kid. I love him so much and I can't imagine what goes on in his little head. I know it is so hard for him and confusing for his Dad to not be here. October can't come soon enough for him to see Lee.

Bath Time!!

Last night we had our friends, the Charltons, over for dinner. I was craving pulled pork and didn't want to make it for myself. It is much more fun to cook for friends. The kids played nice as usual and Ro was able to fix the tire swing (thank you)!!!!
I had tried Lindsey in Leah's old bath seat once before, but she wasn't quite ready. Last night we tried it with Leah in the tub! It was perfect and the babies are really getting interested in each other. It is super cute!
Tonight, I promised Jake he could take a bath with Lindsey! He was really good with her in the tub and wanting to make sure she was OK. She was fascinated by him as usual! We had a really great day together. After swim tonight I took both kids for ice cream, maybe soon Lindsey will get some vanilla ice cream! I think it is in her near future!

School Picnic

Today, Jacob's school had a picnic and all the kids, Pre-K thru 5th grade and their families, were invited to attend. We went and had a great time meeting up with some friends. Jake and his friend Deven really enjoy playing together, we plan on definitely getting the boys together this summer! Lindsey was happy as always playing on the blanket and the weather was perfect!