To all my family and friends.
I hope the new year brings many happy and wonderful wishes to you and your family and friends.

here

Toasting to A Great Year!!!

Family

 

These sweet girls are our Nieces, Haley & Lauren who we are very proud of.  Both girls play instruments, sports and are very intelligent.  We don't get to see them nearly enough, but are always on mind and in our hearts.   

Haley

Lauren

We can't believe that they are growing up so fast, seems like just yesterday they were toddling around. 

It's around the holidays that we miss them so much more and thankfully we can Skype to talk face to face.

   

As Nico and I always say....."We love you both to the moon & back!!"

Until our next "proud moment" adventure......



Family Traditions

Cookie Day 2011

Every year my Aunts, Cousins and Kids all get together for Family Cookie Day at Aunt Pam's.  It's a day filled with Christmas Music, cookie dough and trying not to burn the cookies.  You don't realize how important these days are when you are Nico's age, but as I get older I do appreciate spending time with my family and all the fun and laughter we have.  One day I hope Nico will realize how special it is to have such a loving, large family to spend the Christmas Holiday with. 

Believe it or not this is not even close to being all of us.....On this side of the family we were counting and I think we have close to 55+ with Grandma Eaver having 6 Girls, the Girls had a total of 15 Grandchildren and the Grandchildren having 19 Great-Grandchildren, plus husbands......and more in the future I am sure!!!

Now readers, don't get excited....not with me of course but I am sure my cousins will have more babies to love.

Until our next "baking" adventure......



Santa is Coming to Town!!!

 Until our next "Santa" adventure......

Morning Conversations with a 5 Year Old

Mommy:  "Good Morning Nico, did you sleep good?"

Nico:  "I had a dream"

Mommy:  "What did you dream about Baby?"

Nico:  "There was a shirt with a butterfly on it and first it was his wing and then it grew into a butterfly"

Mommy:  "What happened to the butterfly?"

Nico:  "It was on the shirt"

Not really sure what all that means, but surely did give me a chuckle which is exactly what I needed this cold wintry morning!

Love you Nico!!!

Until our next "butterfly" adventure.....



The Countdown Has Officially Begun!!!!

Until our next "countdown" adventure.....

Our Great Wolf Lodge Adventures

Sandusky, Ohio

Great Wolf Lodge

Violet & Nico

It's raining inside Mommy!!!

Watch out below!!!

Right before the "BIG" Slide with Daddy



Once was enough, but it was fun!!!

It was a great time swimming, sliding and being lazy....Great Wolf is a great indoor waterpark that is age appropriate for toddlers to pre-teens and for us "old" folk who want to have some water fun!  Although Nico went down the big slides only three times it was well worth the fun without the sun because it's always 84 degrees at Great Wolf WaterPark!

Until our next "Great Wolf" adventures.......



Found here





Best Friends:  Twenty Years Later

This is the only picture I was approved to post

Flashback to 1991......going to band thinking is it time to go home yet, and getting to sit next to a new girl who would forever change my life....I mean at 13 we all know what life is about, right??   It was the days of boys, makeup, clothes, football games and dances.....how those were the days and if only we could go back in time and slap ourselves for being over dramatic over nothing....but I regress....

How many people can say they have had the same best friend for over twenty years....and it all began with the slamming of the door....remember Ter, so many years ago that seems like yesterday....

You see Ter and I have been through it all....and even had rough patches throughout the years but no matter the reason we have always stuck it out because it seems that this is a once in a lifetime shot someone who will always pick me up when I fall and be there even if I call her at 3am and need a ride.....

There are so many memories and not enough blog entries to cover it but from starting HS, boyfriends,HS graduation, to our College years, to marriage, me moving away, kids on the way, houses bought, kids recitals and plays, loss of loved ones, trips taken, holidays celebrated and so much more......

No matter how long we have gone from seeing each other or talking or new friends are made...we will always be there for each other and no matter how crazy it sounds we will always be Best Friends Forever....like our necklaces said so many years ago.

Happy 20 years Terri....can't wait to see what trouble we can get into the next 50 years or more.......

'Tis the Season to be Thankful

As Thanksgiving approaches us, I was sitting here thinking how Thankful I really should be for all the blessings God has given us over this past year and years past.  

I am truly thankful for my boys.....both who I love and adore more than life itself.  We have had so many opportunities this year to spend so much time together....living, loving and laughing. 

 

Nico has been a joy in our lives and we are so thankful for the years we have had with him and can't wait to see what the rest of his life holds.  We are definitely thankful we have been blessed with him in our lives.

Daddy is the best Daddy in the world, I am so thankful and blessed he loves us more than anything in this world.  The last 15 years, almost 16 years together has been the best of my life and I can't imagine raising our almost "perfect" son with anyone else. 

Our family is next on my list....so many of you and you can't imagine how grateful we are to have each and everyone of you in our lives.  Although sometimes life is a challenge we are all bound to each other in one way or another, and without all of you, our lives would not be complete.  We love you all unconditionally and are grateful to go through our lives adventures with you.

Our Friends....so many of you who have been near and dear to us and have gotten us through the roughest times in our lives....we love you more than just friends, but family.   No words can explain how near and dear to our hearts all of you are.

Athena, our puppy....I know it may sound silly to some of you, but she has been with us for almost 12 years and has been through our rough ride and no matter the day we have had we come home to unconditional love.....that's something that always puts a smile on our faces.

Our Health....we all take advantage of it, but until you have face a problem you don't realize how lucky we all are.  Although it's been a challenge these past years.....we are definitely grateful in the end of how healthy we really are.

Our list could go on and on, but simply we are thankful for all those people in our lives and if it seems we don't say we love you enough, we do and you are always in our hearts no matter how far you live.

Until our next "thankful" adventure....

 My Little Burrito!

Until our next "little burrito" moment......

Happy Halloween!!!

Until our next "Halloween" adventure.....

Flash Back

I had one of those moments when Nico's life just flashed by me.......this reminds me how fast time is flying by and how big he is getting.  He is 5 already, how did that happen??  Wasn't it just yesterday we were painting his room and getting ready for him to be born???  It's been a great adventure and I wouldn't take a minute back, but it makes me realize that in the hustle and bustle of our lives we need to take a step back and really enjoy each and every memory.....because before you know it we'll be packing his bags for college. 

Totally freaking out right now......does anyone else have moments like this or am I crazy??

Until our next "flash back" moment.....

Another Great Season!!!

Boy how a year has made a difference, last year we were on the sidelines the entire season.  This year he was on the field running with the kids.  We had a great Coach and a great Season! 

Until our next "soccer" adventure.......



Memories

Until our next "high wire" adventure.......

Dear Nico,

Happy 5th Birthday!  I know what you are thinking....not another letter Mommy, but one day you will hopefully reflect back on these letters and scrapbooks to know how much we love you and have loved watching you grow into the little man you have become.

It's been such a fun year, you have been on so many adventures.....starting the year off with our Vacation to Mexico on what you called the Cruise Ship....it wasn't a Cruise we went on.....it was a Cruise Ship.  We had so much fun and it is so great to be able to do all these fun things with you, but the best part about it was spending time with family.  Whether you realize it or not, your family loves you more than anything and it's great that there are so many who everyday love you more and more, and even though you may not realize it now...that's one of the most important things in life. 

Not only did you get to go on a Cruise at 4......we went our Beach vacation to Myrtle Beach and how things have changes since the first time you were at the Ocean....you loved it and kept going out for more bathing suit or clothes, you just wanted to be in the water!  It was great to watch Daddy give you more confidence to learn to finally SWIM and you passed Pike....we are so proud of you and celebrated with Ice Cream!!! 

Also this year, you played T-Ball for the first time and Soccer which has been so much fun to see how you have matured and are turning into a little team player.  What's so special about you is that you don't want to take something from someone....and are so passive that you will run with the team but take the soccer ball from someone....not a chance....at least not yet. 

We are so proud of your accomplishments this year, learning to write, learning to spell...a few words, the value of coins, your address, phone numbers, and you’re favorite past time these days the IPad....who would of thought you at 4 years old would be able to work it better than Mommy.  I am sure that I have forgotten so many things, but we just want you to know that we are so proud of you and the Little Man you have become.  You show us every day how sweet and innocent you are to us and everyone around you. 

So today we celebrate you and know that we love you more than life itself.  You are the best thing that has ever happened to us and we can't wait to see what next year’s adventures bring!

Happy 5th Birthday, Nico!

We love you to the moon and back

Happy Birthday Week Nico!!!

3 More Days......

Seems like just yesterday you were sleeping in our arms

We love you to the Moon and Back Little Man!!!

Until our next "birthday" adventure......

Is it true....Nico will be 5 in 4 days?!?!?!

My little boy is no longer my baby boy....

Never thought I'd be this sad but 5 already?!?!?

Wasn't it just yesterday he wasn't potty trained

or

was drinking from a bottle??!

How did this happen so fast?!!?

Happy Almost Birthday My Favorite Almost 5 year old!!!

Off to Cry now......big sigh :p

Look At What I Learned Today!!!

Until our next "editing" adventure......

Never Forgotten

9/11/01

Twin Towers Memorial
New York City, New York
*Found Here

Pentagon Memorial
Washington, DC

Flight 93 Memorial
Somerset, PA

We'll never forget.....

The 2,819 people who lives were taken that day.....

The 2,309 Soldiers who have died defending our country.....

How each and every person's life have been changed since that day....

Where we were or who we were with or wondering what was going to happen next....

How we feel every time someone brings up that day....

A day I will never forget and a day that even now

10 years later still brings me to goosebumps

even at the mention of it.

We'll never forget and we'll always remember those who lost

their lives that day and those who did defending

our country and continue too.

Thank you to all those who serve our country

and for all those first responding who tried to save so many lives

and continue to do so.

No one will ever be forgotten....

We'll Never Forget

9/11/2011

To the Best Daddy, Friend, and Husband in the World!!

Happy Birthday!!!!

We love you!

My Little Fish!!!

Until our next "jumping" adventure.......