Foto Friday

More Blogthings Therapy

What Your Fridge Says About You

You like to be surrounded by things you love. You aren't exactly greedy, but you can be materialistic at times. You are a very thrifty person. You don't like to waste money... or food. You don't tend to be a very adventurous person, but you do surprise everyone now and then. You have a bit of a wild side. You are responsible, together, and mature. You act like an adult, even when you don't feel like it. You are likely to be married - and very busy.

What Do the Contents of Your Refrigerator Say About You?

Who Needs a Therapist When There's Blogthings?

Your Ice Cream Personality:

You like to think of yourself as a fairly modest person. And it's true that you don't talk yourself up... but you're also pretty happy with who you are. You are incredibly cautious. You rather miss out on something than make a mistake. No one would ever call you wild... but they would call you responsible. You are a somewhat open minded person, but deep down you're fairly conservative. You don't like trying new things very much. And if you do find something new you like, you stick with it. You tend to have a one track mind. You prefer not to multitask. You can be a bit dramatic and over the top sometimes. You are bold in every way

The Ice Cream Personality Test

Songs of Summer

Tom at Science, Religion, and Miscellaneous Babble asks, "What songs remind you of summer?"

The answers are in my Playlist, in honor of the unofficial start of summer.

God Bless Our Troops

How to Observe Memorial Day

Foto Friday

Look up 'Exhausted' in Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary and you'll find:

Why Bitty Might Not Live To See Six

"Mom, were you born in 2008?"

"No, I was born in 1969... why?"

"Wow...is that the old days? Like when you had to wash clothes on rocks or something?"

Bittyman's Birthday Bash

Bowling with Bitty

Grandmai and Bittyman

Bitty and His Buddy, Kai

Happy 5th Birthday, Bittyman!

Bittyman's Birth Day:

First "Elmo" Birthday:

Second "Hot Wheels" Birthday:

Third "Hot Wheels" (Again) Birthday:

Fourth "Chuck-E-Cheese" Birthday:

UPDATE - Fifth "Spiderman/Transformer" Birthday:

My head is just spinning. How can my Bittyman be 5? Starting Kindergarten in August?

Cue the tears...

Happy Pentecost and Happy Mother's Day!

To Grandmai, Grandma E., Sisters-in-Law and all of my Mom Friends!

Foto Friday

Guess who is 'graduating' from preschool today:



Guess who will be wearing waterproof mascara today.

UPDATE
Pictures from before the ceremony:

Pay Cut from 2007

This year I'm only worth $116,805.

Meme Me

I tagged myself for this meme posted by Tom at Science, Religion, and Miscellaneous Babble. 'Cause it looked more fun than putting away 3 loads of laundry which is what I should be doing.

The Questions (and my responses):

What were you doing 10 years ago?

Seriously? 10 years ago? Ittyboy is still nursing at night. Cut me some meme slack.

I vaguely remember being fairly newlywed, living in this same city (but on the other side of town) in an apartment... working as a Princess (don't ask), doing local commercials and spokesmodeling at conventions... heady stuff.

Name 5 things on your to-do list today:

1. Buy Bittyman a shirt and tie for his preschool graduation on Friday
2. Go to the party store to pick up Transformers birthday items
3. Learn 2 psalms for this weekend's masses
4. Pick up a few items at Fresh & Easy
5. Choir rehearsal at 7:30pm

What things would you do if you were a billionaire?

1. Pay off all our debt
2. Buy a house with a big backyard for the Heroes
3. Make a generous donation to our humble parish so they can fix everything that's broken
4. Send the boys to private Catholic school
5. Set up college funds for the Heroes and my 19 nieces and nephews
6. Send my parents on a world cruise
7. Take a really, really, really long vacation.
   

Name 3 bad habits or qualities:

1. I leave the toilet seat down (a bad habit according to Bittyman)
2. I steal the covers (a bad habit according to Dan)
3. I'm too prideful to seriously list three bad qualities

Name 5 places you've lived:

1. Falls Church, Virginia
2. Harrisonburg, Virginia (Go, Dukes!)
3. Miami, Florida (Home port, m/s Sensation cruise ship)
4. Port Canaveral, Florida (Home port, m/s Fantasy cruise ship)
5. Long Beach, California (Home port, m/s Holiday cruise ship)

Name 5 jobs you've had:

1. Lifeguard/Swim Instructor
2. Executive Assistant to the President
   
3. Singing Doorperson
   
4. Special Events Coordinator
   
5. Miss Crown Royal

Name 5 books you've read recently:
(Books... recently... obviously a meme composed by someone without small children.)

1. Faith & Family magazine
2. Real Simple magazine
   
3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
   
4. Rachel Ray Express Lane Meals
5. Saving Dinner

Name 5 people you tag for this meme:

1. Tracey
   
2. Jen
3. Sharon
4. Kristen
5. Colette

One Year Ago Today

Ittyboy's Baptism ~ May 6, 2007

I can hardly believe the itty baby in Fr. Phil's arms is our Ittyboy. Heck, Bittyman looks so, well, bitty too!

Fr. Phil often reminds Dan and me that life is a journey - and the journey is a gift from Him. But for me, the journey is racing by too quickly. Bittyman turns five a week from today and my newborn is already one. I wish I could apply the brakes but since stopping is not on the itinerary, I'm trying to embrace every minute of the journey. (Including all the exhausting, frustrating and stressful potholes that are part of the road!)

And speaking of journeys, last night we were all in the living room helping Ittyboy practice 'walkie-walkies'. Dan and I sat a few feet apart and tried to coax Itty to walk between us. Our little Hero would take a step or two then fall. Over and over again.

Well Bittyman wanted in on the action so he commanded, "Itty, come walkie-walkie to me!"

Ittyboy turned towards his big brother, who was standing on the other side of the room, and gleefully took off towards him - 9 steps - only falling when the screams of excitement coming from the rest of us overwhelmed him. But Itty immediately sat up, clapped for himself, then reached out for Bitty's hands.

I was instantly reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Pope John Paul II: "The greatest gift you can give your child is another sibling." What a gift these two have in each other and it's already so apparent!

(I'll be sure to remind them of this Hallmark moment when, in a few years, they are inevitably beating the crud outta each other!)

Monday Musings

Bittyman has a 'super silver spacer' in place of his 'super silver tooth' (which is now enshrined in an orange plastic case). To reward our young Hero for his bravery, Daddy took him to kmart to pick out a toy of his choice. The winner:


(You know you're old when the toys you played with as a child are now considered 'retro' and 'classic'.)

Even Ittyboy got in on the action:



Place your bets. When do you think Ittyboy will be walking? As of this weekend his favorite pastime is standing on his own. Last night I snapped this shot:



Moments later he took 2 steps on his own, his longest solo journey to date. But Itty is also suffering through tooth issues, with 3 more little white chicklets about to pop through. On my to-do list today is a trip to Walgreens for more infant Motrin. The littlest hero is miserable. (Unless he's standing on his own, then he's beaming with pride!)

Busy week ahead. It's Bitty's final week of preschool with 'graduation' on Friday, cap & gown and all. It's also Dan's final week in the lounge at the hotel where his band performs full-time. After a week hiatus (fancy word for unpaid time off) they will reopen in the hotel's newly remodeled showroom on Monday May 19 at noon. For those of you local, try and stop by to show your support. It was stressful for a few weeks as we waited to learn if the band would receive another contract since their lounge is being turned into a T.G.I.Friday's. But with more than 10 years tenure, the band indeed will play on.

And of course, Sunday is Mother's Day. Dan braved the mall with the Heroes last Saturday. I'm sure that was entertaining but they all returned safe and sound, if slightly jacked up on too many Mrs. Field's cookies. So after I've cantored two Masses I'll be looking forward to... whatever they have planned! As long as it doesn't require me to cook and includes something chocolate-covered I'll love whatever the day brings. I'll be spending it with my three favorite men.

Foto Friday

Finally, the video of Ittyboy eating his first birthday cake uploaded to YouTube: