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Monday, December 29, 2008

Merry Christmas!

Our holiday was great! We hope yours was just as fun! Poor Todd and Benjamin had a cold and Matthew on the tail end of one but we didn't let that ruin our fun! WE only had the big kids until 11 so I didn't get many pics of them-that's one thing that is harder with three kids-picking up the camera and just taking pics of it all! Maria got what she wanted, an emerald ring, matthew got what he wanted-books, the tag system and they both got some little extras like the movie Wall-E. Ben of course didn't have any wants this year but one new found love are the yogurt melts that he got in his stocking! I was lucky to get a pair of sapphire earrings and Santa brought Todd some tools he wanted. The best part of the day was just being with each other, our pancake breakfast cooked by Todd and the hugs and kisses that were given (you wonder why we all get colds at the same time, I had this cold with Maria first) Here's my picture overload!!











(of course my fav one that the flash didn't fire on)

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Decorations

We're in the spirit here!! I just love the decorations, bright colors, happy lights, reasons to celebrate and join together. Here is our tree and here is Ben trying on a new outfit Julia gave him, Thanks Juls!! And isn't my sister the greatest?? She made all those stockings BY HAND, counted crossstiched and even sewed them together. She said next year I get one too!! And how cute is it that Matthew wanted to display his paperchain proudly in the front?? Merry Christmas, enjoy your good health!! I can't help but think of the little children who are battling cancer now at the holidays and one in particular, Dante, 2 yrs old, neuroblastoma, on hospice :( And my buddy Coleman who is struggling with side effects from treatment. God bless their little souls.





v

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Calendar Complications

I stayed up til 12 AM to get my calendar finished and printed for a steal of $10. each from winkflash. I was done at 11 AM and thought I won the battle of digiscrapping! But it took more than an hr for that thing to load up to winkflash so I missed the sale and now it would be too pricey to print...for now...how bummed I was Sunday night. But at least I get to share it with you all anyway. digitally scrapbooked calendar

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Merry Christmas!

It has been a great holiday season so far, of course I haven't done any shopping yet... :) We got our tree on Saturday, a cold day but full of sun! This year Matthew cut down and Maria held it, which gave me the liberty to just go around and take pics! Then at record speed the kids helped put the lights on and decorate the tree. The Christmas spirit is here! even though Todd still doesn't have a job, we know how lucky we are to be alive and well and enjoying this year. This will be the first CHristmas for my father and my good childhood woman mentor CLaire Dowling, to be celebrating in heaven, may their souls be at rest this year.





Saturday, November 29, 2008

Help a grad student out PLEASE!!

For my grad class we had to "take action" on something that made us mad about eco juctice. My group had to watch a movie called The Cost of Cool. Then I built this blog as our "action". Each of us contributed, I am sure you can tell my part. On the blog is a visitor counter, unique visitor that is. I would love during my presentation to be able to prove that we have reached X amount of people. Could you just go to the blog ?? You don't have to view or do anything, just type the blog address in, let it load and count as a visitor :D You would have to go before Monday at 4PM as that is when my presentation is :D And imagine if I had followers besides me!!!! ;) THanks so much for helping out!!!

http://www.consumerawareness508.blogspot.com

Friday, November 28, 2008

Thanksgiving

Since the big kids were going to Nonna's for Thanksgiving we had ours here on Saturday. I make a kid friendly version. I make chicken, stove top stuffing, velveeta mac and cheese, canned green beans, pilsbury crescent rolls,gravy for mom, and brownies, all their favs! Sounds yucky to us adults but the kids love it! Todd and I were both recovering from colds so we didn't get all dressed up but we had fun just the same. Did you notice Maria's artwork displayed on the table? She worked hard on making that for our table! Funny thing was I told Matthew that we were having Thanksgiving now, he had a fit, crying and yelling, we finally got out of him that he didn't want to do Thanksgiving because that was BORING. After we were done making brownies and ate our kid meal, while watching Kung Fu Panda he said that was the BEST Thanksgiving ever, can we do it again??? Funny guy :) Here are some pics, I didn't take many we were too busy having fun :)






Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Chugging along




Somedays unemployment is hard and sometimes we are taken away from the stress by these sweet faces we were blessed with, all the time we are praying for guidance to the right job. Still no job for Todd. He is so ready to start working again! Prayers for some work soon would help :)
Here are some pics that I was smiling at to remind me that life is GOOD, even with no job for Todd.Sorry I got lazy and just posted the pics blog style, but school work is calling, only one more month left of this semester, then I will be half way done with my degree. I included a pic of my friend Julia from HS, and her new little son Julian, isn't he sweet? WE're hoping Ben and Julian will be friends, they're only 7 months apart! The pic I promised of Maria as a mermaid and the boys on a bike ride with Todd. Did I tell you what an awesome Dad Todd is??? :) He took them on a bike ride AND remembered to take a pic!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Hope

Well, Todd as my usual amazing guy has landed himself an interview already. Now of course it's not a shoe in or a given and quite likely not get the job, but I have to leave it to God's choice. It is in RI which sounds like the only downside. But if he gets offered he will do it, the at least hr drive. Tonight we went and bought him a suit, tie, dress shoes, shirt and even the belt, with kids in tow, quite interesting! All I can say is red head kid shouting there's 6 Matthews dancing in this mirror. Todd and I were both out of our element but mission accomplished. He needed a professional outfit badly, he's been lucky at his past job to have the luck of wearing t shirts and shorts to work every day. So say your prayers for Tuesday morning!! Here's a random picture of BEnjamin flying with Daddy. Can you see him smiling??

Friday, November 7, 2008

Halloween Pics

WEll, here are the late halloween pictures. Things are ok here. We have our health which is lots to be thankful for. The kids are chugging along in school, I have 5 weeks of school left, Ben has two new top teeth, the holidays are before us, always fun times. Todd unfortunately lost his job, such tough timing and scary economy for that to happen (of course the economy is the reason he lost his job). Despite the sudden and sad event he is determined to find a new job. AS he looks for a new job we will all enjoy this extra time together. I am missing the pics of Maria alone, I will get those up, they were on a different computer :( These pics aren't the best as I no longer have my fav RAW photo editor (trial ended but I keep shooting in RAW) DUMB!





Sunday, October 19, 2008

New family member!

We went to NY last weekend and got ourselves a new kitty. My sister had a stray kitty come to her pregnant and so we agreed to take one in. His name is wildfire and all the kids love him!! He seems so small to us, which I am sure will change soon. Benjamin likes him the most I think. Whenever he sees the kitty he goes crawling over, grabs him and slobbers on him. Wildfire plays with Ben's toys and puts up with the rough hugs. It's been fun!



More Erin pics!

Erin was nice enough to shoot our family again since the first time we didn't get a good shot of everyone. Tell me what you think!!
http://www.erinbellphotography.com go to bellkids and then our password is my maiden last name and the number2

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Happy 7 months Benjamin!

Since Benjamin turned 7 months old today I decided we would celebrate with a halloween shoot. Isn't he a cute monkey! I can't wait to dress Maria and Matthew up now too!!!



Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Quick post

Time is flying by. School is school. Maria is doing great in school, she loves it! Matthew is also doing pretty good! Maria brings her homework to the table and Matthew does it with her, smart boy. It's amazing how fast they are BOTH learning to read. Benjamin is officially mobile, yup the army crawl, with a hip hop in the middle LOL This weekend we go to New York to see my sister to get our new kitten, yes I know, I am crazy!!