A lesson in Perspective

On receiving 30 inches of snow, and only having a hand shovel in my garage...

If you are kind to others, they will be kind to you.

On taking thirty plus minutes to dress two excited toddlers for play... twice in one day...

The view from the top and flowing kisses that followed were worth it.

On the oven going out on Friday, and costing $200 to fix...one week later

I still have heat, electricity, and (clutching my latpop to my chest) wireless.

On having to go to work on a snow day...

Working from home has its benefits.

On not having my husband here for the weekend Blizzard...

It just matters that he made it home safely.

On the forecast of receiving another foot of snow tomorrow...

If we could dig out of 30 inches, we can dig out of another 12. It could be more!

Time is Priceless

Amount of time it takes to prepare for a history making storm...one week.

Amount of time it takes 30 inches of snow to paralyze a region of the US...24 hours.

Amount of time it takes one girl from Texas to shovel a pathway to the neighbors...1 hour.

Not bad, ya'll!

Amount of time it takes my rent-a-husband neighbor to rescue me and blow the driveway...2 hours.

(We miss and love you, Daddy)

Amount of time it takes to dress two toddlers in head to toe snow gear for one picture next to a snow drift...30 minutes.

Amount of time it takes to undress one toddler from head to toe snow gear for bathroom plea...5 minutes.

Amount of time it takes to redress one toddler for picture (take 2)...10 minutes.

Amount of time one toddler decides it is too windy and wants to go inside...5 minutes.

Amount of time our lazy, psycho dog can run in the snow before he is out of breath...1 minute.

Amount of time we can enjoy this blizzard memory...forever.

Pledging in what you believe in

When I was a young girl, once a month on Saturday, my father would tip toe into my bedroom in the early morning hours and gently scoop me out of bed. He would relocate me (pajamas and blanket) into the folded front seat of his yellow Mercury Gia, and we would head 100 miles out of town.

It was Army Reserves weekend, and this was our routine.

Just as the sun would begin it's early morning rise, he would drop me at Grandma's house to continue my slumber. While I can still remember the stiffness of his fatigues, strong smell of the KWIK shoe polish, and how I got so much kick out of unlacing his boots...it wasn't until many years later that I would come to appreciate the importance for which he drove those 100 miles one weekend a month.

My Pa had a love for many things. Golf, God, his family, a good Italian meal, and his country. He was in the United States Navy during the end of World War II, and as I later heard, fibbed his age to enlist. Like my Father, I didn't truly understand all he had contributed, experienced, and sacrificed for our country until my adult years. Had I known then what I know now, I would have asked him to share more stories. I would have thanked him more often.

So, while many express their appreciation on Memorial Day or Veteran's Day. I am taking this opportunity to express mine. To all my family, friends, and fellow citizens who serve, we support the cause for which you have so bravely chosen. Let it be known that we salute you! Today and everyday. Thank you.

We're gonna score tonight

Since the thermometer barely topped twenty degrees Fahrenheit this weekend, we went looking for something to keep the kids busy and entertained. Our area was due to get hit with a few inches of snow, so we decided to play it safe and remain local. Joe and I were anxious to get out of the house, and while the Bowling Alley isn't the most sanitary of facilities, the cold pitcher of beer and over boiled hot dogs sounded like a good idea.

This is the first time our kids have been to the Bowling Alley, so I share with you this first picture. Let's just call this...The Observation.

I wasn't too sure how it was going to go, but we grabbed four pairs of shoes and went for it. Oh...my...gawd....the shoes. Here is our littlest trying them on for size.

Conor took to it like fish to water. Besides the fact he was trying to carry a ball that weighed a quarter of what he did, he's a natural. Check out my "Babe" calling his shots.

At 22 months, he did better than his Mama, and I took bowling in College! I wasn't great then either, but received training none the less. Will you check out his strike on frame 5? For real?

The kids had a blast, each attempting the new challenge their own way.

Grab your shoes Mom Mom and Pop Pop, Kate wants to bowl when she gets to Texas.

Celebrating toilets

Jump to your feet, throw your arms straight above your head, stomp your feet, begin turning in circles, and start chanting...cele-brate, cele-brate in your fastest, most Soprano of a voice...

This was the sound and scene in the kids bathroom tonight.

You see, we have a few routines around here. I'm a planner like that. Our nightly bathing ritual for the kids begins with them stripping down to their bare bums, laundry thrown in the baskets, a quick visit to the loon, and finally a dip in the tub. Conor is at the age where he does everything (and I mean everything) his sister does. She puts on a costume, he puts on a costume. She wants a drink, he wants a drink. She puts on panties, he....you get the idea. So, we got to the third step of our bathing routine (the toilet) tonight, and as he has done so many times before, our little Con Man sat on the trainer toilet in front of the throne of his sister and attempted the almighty. Since this scene was not unusual, my attention was averted to the temperature of the tub water when I heard..."Mommy! Look at Conor!"

Yowser! He was peeing in (and out) of the little toilet. My little man.

I quickly assisted the little guy, and returned the wide grin he was so proudly offering me. While it wasn't much, it sent all three of us to our feet, arms in the air, stomping to the beat of cele-brate, cele-brate, cele-brate! I have never seen him more proud.

Now, I am no fool. This was a total fluke. Still, I am going to celebrate...and maybe cry.

A Toddlers Tale

Here we go! We loaded up this weekend and headed down the Eastern shore to visit GrandMom and Pop. They, like many of their friends, were gearing up to migrate South for February, and we wanted to see them before they left.

Dad says the off season is one of the best times to go to the beach because nobody is there. So, we decided to venture out and make the most of our time and the empty little beach town.

We started by visiting the wild ponies on Assateague Island! So cool!

This one looks like my sister...always posing for a picture.
Dad says there are 150 ponies on the island, but we only saw a handful that day. Despite Kate's repeated calls to them, they didn't seem to want to play. Mom says they were huddled together as a family in the brush, trying to keep warm. I guess ponies need to nap too.
Next, we headed over to the boardwalk arcade. Mom said they had the best rides, and she was right! Dad and I scored a bunch of tickets in "Knock Down", while my sister chose to ride "Dino" the Dinosaur. Dad and I got so many tickets, we turned them in for a little car for me and a Princess wand for my sister. It was so much fun! On our way to grab Thrashers fries, we passed by Ripleys and saw this....

Awesome! I love sharks!

When we were leaving, the wind was so rough, Mom caught this picture of the Coast Guard Boat almost tipping over! The waves were huge!

When we got home, we put our jammies on and laughed about all the fun we had.

Then, we loaded up the car and headed back home to PA. Mom says when she was a kid, she used to go on road trips with Uncle Brad, just like me and my sister do. She said Uncle Brad used to sleep on the floor board and play "Slug Bug" the whole time. I still can't figure out how they saw bugs at night?

Gotta go...Finding Nemo is on!

Surviving one Doctor at a time

A year ago, I made an appointment for Kate's first dental appointment. However, as the year progressed, we were faced with many unexpected medical appointments, tests, and hospital visits which led me to prioritize who we were supporting in the medical field. Since learning our family dentist charged $50 for a missed appointment (tis true), he was the first to get the boot.

We have seen many Doctors, each offering their own experience. Here are a few as the kids know them:

"The Kid Doctor". He fixed (stiched) Katie's head when she met the coffee table falling backwards off the couch almost two years ago. They always let her play with the stethoscope when visiting, and shower her with stickers and pictures to color when she leaves. Oh, and the fish in the waiting room are a hit too.

"The Ear Doctor". When Conor came home from his surgery, Kate asked, "Did Conor get new ears?" For a small fee, you can have some too. Heh.

"Dr Jesse". When Kate broke her arm last summer, Dr Jesse was the young intern in the ER that reset, cast, and made her arm feel better. He even took a few extra minutes to remove the bandaid from the bend in her arm and place it in the same place on top of her cast. It was one of the first things she noticed when she woke from the anesthesia.

"The Bone Doctor". While she was a champ in the ER, it was the trip to the Orthopaedic to remove the cast that literally left a scar an inch long on her left arm. She still shows it to whomever will listen. He is not a fan favorite.

So, alas, it was time to introduce her to the "The Teeth Doctor". Is he going to fix my teeth?" asked Kate. "No," I said. "Doctors don't always fix things. Sometimes, they just help to keep us well. The Teeth Doctor is going to count and polish your teeth!" "Just like a Princess?" she asked. "Just like a Princess," I replied (whatever that means).

When her name was called, she skipped back to the room and up into the chair. Clipped on her paper bib with excitement, and listened to the Hygenist explain what her "tools" were for. She was thrilled when she heard "The Explorer" had found twenty teeth in her mouth, and "The Mirror" didn't see any cavities. It was the sound of "The Polisher", however, that caused her to opt out of any further service.

I quickly determined the sound of the toothbrush was too familiar to another spinning sound which had traumatized her, and asked to end the adventure after polishing eight teeth. Call me what you want. I couldn't do it. We thanked "The Teeth Doctor" for his help, accepted the cool, new toothbrush he offered, and bid our good byes. As we left, Kate said, "Mom, I like the Teeth Doctor. Can we come again?"

Whew. We survived another one.