Celebrating 14 with a trip to Benihana!

We took Jordan and her "people" to Benihana for a birthday luncheon!  How fun!  The girls were great and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves!  I'm so happy my kids have such great friends!

The Whole Gang!

Jordan & her BFF Kali!

Hannah & Brooke!

Our Chefs!

A Happy Birthday Heart! 

Braces Off! & a Card!

Jordan got her braces off!  It's been two and a half years of appointments, rubber bands, head gear, sore teeth and most importantly NO POPCORN!  However as of July 12th, Jordan is free!  She looks even more beautiful than I ever thought she would!  First thing she ate, POPCORN!  Snack, POPCORN, dinner, yup POPCORN!  She's is in heaven!  Here's the before and after pictures!

Here's the Thank you Card for the Orthodontist!

Loss and Trying to Get Back into the Crafty Groove...

It's been some time since I've posted.  I lost my Dad on June 13, 2011.  He was the one person in my life other than my husband and kids, who was always there for me.  I miss him every minute of every day.  I had no idea that a loss so profound as this would cause such collateral damage in my life.  It took the loss of my Dad to show me who really cares.  I had my light bulb moment in the days that followed his death.  People who I thought for sure would come to support me during this horrible time, completely walked away.  Others, friends who I haven't seen in years, let alone talk to, came and it was as if we didn't skip a beat.  My very best friend from childhood, got in her car, drove nine hours to be there for me.  But friends who live blocks aways couldn't even bother.  My bestest friend, Lisa, she was there in the darkest moments of my grief and for that I am forever grateful.  I have come to the realization that I have just invested too much in people.  I can't constantly go "all in", when there is absolutely NO attempt of their mutual reciprocation.  I am not friends with people in hopes to get something from them.  I choose my friends because they inspire me, they make me happy, they are interesting to me and I want to be a part of their life too.  They are good influences to me and we often might not share the same ideas, but its those differences that keep our relationship going and interesting.  I'm done.  I have a few friends that I'll hold onto for dear life until my last breath on this earth, but others, those I thought shared in my beliefs about our friendship are no longer in my life. 

It has been hard to get back into the crafting mood.  I find myself sitting at my craft table, with plenty to do, but just staring off into space.  I just miss my Dad.  I'm just bone sad.  I just want to have him back and make my life whole again.  I know that's not going to happen, but I can dream.  I'll get better.  Each day is a little easier.  I think acceptance is the hardest thing.  I can't just pick up the phone and call him.  I know he's ok, he's not suffering or in pain anymore but I'm selfish, I want him here.

I am hoping to get some crafty things done and posted real soon.  Thanks for listening.

My Dad!

Hello again....

Well it's sure has been awhile! School started, Halloween has come and gone and now Thanksgiving is but a mere memory. I feel like I've been away for a million years! It's been an interesting and somewhat sad autumn in my household. The kids and the hubs are great, I however, have been diagnosed with diabetes, which let me just say SUCKS! It really is overwhelming, and so much to learn. Everyone has been kind offering advice, cut out all candy, don't eat bread, go on Atkins! There's more to it than that. It's been a learning process for sure, but hopefully I can figure it all out. My wonderful Dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. CANCER SUCKS! He is a former smoker, and had no real symptoms, other than the tumble he took at my niece's field hockey game. He fell asleep and just sort of rolled down onto the grass, he hurt his arm and when he went for xrays they saw "something". Turns out to be cancer, tomorrow is the broncoscopy, let hope the news gets better.

Well that was all the depression I can deal with for now! I started to crochet! AHHHH another craft! My poor husband is gonna kill me! It's fun though! I learned via DVD just like I learned to knit. Made my first blanket, thank you very much! Gave it to a friend's new grandson.

My house is deocrated, the tree is up, and I am done shopping so yeah me! Now I just have to wrap!

Summer Stuff!

Jordan & Hannah & the Phillie Phanatic!

It's August and it's hot as hell here in NJ. I cannot believe how unbelievably stinkin' hot it's been this summer! It's like NJ was moved to the equator! I hate it! Although my power company loves me, because all of you who know me know how much I hate to be hot! So it's a major score for the power company!

Anyhoo, we've had a nice summer so far. We did a little local site seeing, Philadelphia and the historical area, very nice! It's only 10 minutes from our front door, the place where our country became a country and we just this summer went to so take a look. I guess it's one of those things that we take for granted. The girls had fun and so did I.

Ben Franklin at the Constitution Center

Independence Hall - Philadelphia 2010

We also went to the shore. Now here in Jersey went don't go to the beach, we go down the shore. Before anyone comments,

NO, IT IS NOTHING LIKE THAT RIDICULOUS SHOW ON TV!

I lose brain cells when the commericals come on for that train wreck!

We go to Long Beach Island (LBI), beautiful white sand beaches, totally family oriented and just a relaxing fun time! I am not at one with the sun however. For some reason I really pissed the sun off at some point in my earlier years and now I am a target for the sun's evil rays! I sat under an umbrella, with a towel across my legs, one around my shoulders and applied sunscreen 3 times an hour and still got sun poisoning! GOOD TIMES! It didn't ruin my vacation, it hit when I got home though! Jordan and Hannah were practically growing gills at the shore! It was so fun to watch them enjoy the ocean!

Hannah getting ready to hit the waves!

Jordan on her boogie board!

Mom, Michelle & Taylor, see my umbrella!

We have weak trees...

I don't know about you, but I really never think that trees can "break". I know the leaves fall off, branches die, some have annoying little fruity things on them and the stupid squirrels fight for the last one, but "break"? Really? Last week our apparently "fragile" Bradford Pear broke. Yes there was a storm, but not the kind you think would do this sort of damage. We woke up to 50% lying on the backyard lawn. I never thought it was a BIG tree, but damn, when that sucker fell over, OMG it was huge! I went out to inspect after 2 cups of coffee and a shower and it was like wild kingdom! Chipmunks, Cardinals, squirrels, a few Blue Jays, 2 rabbits, all I needed was a partridge in my broken pear tree and I'd be set!

We decided that the best thing to do was to cut it all down. Not a cheap thing to do mind you, but these 3 wonderful, I do believe half primate men came and chopped it up, put it through the wood chipper, cleaned up and were gone in under 2 hours! It was amazing! Now my bedroom will offically have sun ALL DAY LONG! As most of you know I HATE being hot so this is not a good thing for me. But my weak tree is gone, I don't have to clean up and someone is getting some decent mulch! I recycle, just on a larger scale!

A teenager has arrived.....

Well, it's official! I am now the mother of a teenager! UGH! When the hell did that happen?! My daughter Jordan turned 13 today! She is such a great kid! I just hope that as we muddle our way through the next chapter in our "story", that she isn't as difficult as I remember being! I did very well in school, had great friends, was involved in lots of stuff, but I knew how to push my Mom's buttons better than anyone! I just had to get the last word every single time! Jordan is not like me in that respect! Thank goodness! She's a great daughter, sister & friend, and I am so lucky that she's all ours!

Hannah turns 10 in March. Let's see how that goes! I need a drink.......