It's a Wonderful Life

What an awesome day! It was busy, but so much fun!

First of all, today is the first day of Tim's week home. That says a lot right there! It gives me a sense of peace. Of feeling like I have a partner in this game of life - at least for the next 7 days!

So, Tim took Kaitlyn to school this morning. I got myself and the triplets ready - can I just mention how EXCITED they were about going to their first gymnastics class!! I never saw them get dressed so fast in their four and a half short years of life! heehee

Class started at 9:15am and they have the same teacher as Kaitlyn. Her name is CeeCee (not sure how to spell it?!) and she is a cute, spunky young girl who makes it even more fun then it probably already is. The triplets joined right in and followed the instructions step-by-step. We were so proud! Tim and I watched from the little 'glass box' they call the waiting room. It's kind of funny because we were thinking all along that Morgan would be the most successful with gymnastics because she is physically strong and loves to climb, flip, swing. But - to our surprise, Madison actually stood out as one that will excel to becoming our 'little gymnast'! That made me even more happy because up until this point, it has been hard for us to find a physical activity that Madison is able to succeed in. She tends to be a scaredy-cat so she doesnt like swimming, jumping, swinging - that kind of thing. But with this - it was great to see a transformation in our tiniest little triplet! And she was proud of herself which made it even better! Morgan did well also, dont get me wrong. But it was nice to see Madison 'stand out' like that. I believe Megan will benefit the most from this activity though. She has some issues with her balance and body awareness, so what better way then practicing on a balance beam, going through obstacle courses, and using her arms and legs in ways she never has before. I could tell it was a bit of a struggle for her, but she didnt give up and with regular practice, I know she will grow more confident in herself. Overall it was just a great experience. They had a lot of fun and didnt even realize all of these little 'life lessons' they were learning in the process... lol! ;)

After gymnastics, we went to KMart (the only reasonable store within 5 minutes of our house) to search for leotards. Thankfully, we were able to find 4 coordinating body suits that will fit and work wonderfully. They even tried them on after school and were so proud of themselves! We finished up at KMart then rushed home for lunch and then off to school for our dear triplets.

Tim and I signed up to be the 'Mystery Reader' in Megan and Morgan's classroom today, which they have every Thursday and it's always a surprise to the kids who it will be each week. The girls were SHOCKED to see us! We went to school at 2:30pm and Tim read the book 'Dont Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus'. He did great reading in front of the class (I think he was a bit nervous) and the kids were very engaged and really enjoyed it. Then we sat in circle with them and sung a really cute song about a snowman and a bunny rabbit eating his carrot nose...cute! We walked to get Madison and Kaitlyn from their classrooms and walked out of school as a cozy family. I guess it would make more sense to explain slightly how the process of picking them up usually goes. I try hard to find a parking space somewhere within walking distance (it gets crazy in that parking lot) - wait by one of the doors, collect 2 girls, wait by another door, collect a 3rd, then race to the front of the school to get Kaitlyn as her teacher is standing there and she is the only child left waiting to get picked up...sigh. Needless to say, it gets crazy, stressful and feeling quite rushed. So today, was slow, peaceful and a happy experience...very nice.

After school, we came home so Kaitlyn could do her homework and we got busy making dinner. Just before 5:00, our new friend Jennifer and her 3 children arrived to share a nice evening together. Tim made yummy pasta and chicken parmesan with garlic bread. It was really good! I swear I gain 10 pounds everytime he's home. So we all had a nice time. The kids played together and I must say, it was quite loud in this house. But Tim was able to keep them entertained which meant Jennifer and I got the chance to sit and chat and learn more about each other. We sat at the kitchen table for well over an hour just talking. That's what I've missed the most since we moved here. Being able to sit and chat with friends. So it was a fun, successful family day!

Sorry I dont have any pics of the girls doing gymnastics yet, I felt kind of strange to bring my camera during our very first class. And its kind of hard to get pics from our little 'glass room', but its my goal for next week. The girls asked me at least 25 times, 'When do we go to that place again?' None of the triplets can pronounce the word gymnastics correctly, which makes it even cuter to me!

Also, I will be registering all four girls for soccer tomorrow. This little town of ours has a community soccer league which starts at age 4 and goes through 6th grade. It is a relaxed, non-competitive and fun way to spend our Saturday mornings at the park through the months of April and May. Busy Busy!

The Secret Life of Bees

I just finished reading this book last week. I had picked it up at a used book store several years ago. I re-discovered it on my bookshelf recently and thought I'd give it a try. Wow... It was really moving. I finished it in just a few days, which is pretty good considering I only really get to read before going to bed. I can't believe I waited so long to read it.

You can check it out on amazon...
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-Bees-Monk-Kidd/dp/0142001740/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201753827&sr=8-2

The Secret Life of Bees is set in the early 1960s during a time of racial violence and unrest. This is a coming-of-age story about 14-year-old Lily Owens, who lives with her abusive father on a Southern peach farm. Her mother died when she was four years old and Lily is led to believe that she killed her mother. She lives with fantasies of having a loving mother and the author is quite descriptive when talking about Lily being a 'motherless' daughter. The only reminder Lily has of her mother is a Black Madonna, with the words "Tiburon, South Carolina" on the back.

Lily and her black nanny, Rosaleen, take advantage of an opportunity to leave town and head to Tiburon, South Carolina, hoping to learn about Lily's mother. This is where they find out about Black Madonna Honey, produced by three middle-aged black sisters, August, June and May Boatwright. The Boatwright sisters allow Lily and Rosaleen to stay with them for awhile.

This story is about relationships between mothers & daughters, sisters & friends. It is about dealing with racism. There are lessons on trust and dealing with deep heart-felt pain. It is about learning to find happiness within yourself. I thought it was a touching book and Kidd uses charming analogies; at several points, I felt I was a part of the story.

I was excited to discover tonight that they are making this book into a movie and production began January 9th in North Carolina!

Information from www.suemonkkidd.com:
Written and directed by Gina Prince-Blythewood, the movie stars Dakota Fanning as Lily Owens and Academy Award Winner Jennifer Hudson as her caretaker and "stand-in" mother, Rosaleen. The two soon discover a trio of beekeeping sisters played by Queen Latifah (August), Alicia Keys (June) and Sophie Okonedo (May). Completing the cast is Paul Bettany as T. Ray, Tristan Wilds (Zach), Nate Parker (Neil) and Hilarie Burton (Deborah).

Producing for The Donner's Company are Lauren Shuler Donner and Jack Leslie and for Overbrook Entertainment, Will Smith and James Lassiter. Joe Pichirallo will also produce.

Fox anticipates a 2008 release.

Kaitlyn Started Gymnastics

Kaitlyn started gymnastics today and she LOVED IT!! I am so excited for her. Unfortunately, Tim got called away on a trip just before it was time to pick up the girls from school, so he missed it. :( So I picked everyone up at 3pm at school, came home so Kaitlyn could do her homework, I gave the girls snack and started preparing dinner. Kaitlyn got changed, I loaded everyone into the car and arrived at the gym with 5 minutes to spare! The class starts at 4:00pm. It is actually less than 5 minutes from our house and on warm days, we will just walk up the bike path - it's that close!

So of course I had the triplets with me, which was kind of nice because they enjoyed watching Kaitlyn. And I think it helped prepare them for what to expect on Thursday when they start their class. Most parents just drop off and then come back after the class to pick up. At least for now, I wanted to stay and watch (overprotective, maybe?!) Kaitlyn went right in and although a bit quiet, she was not afraid and did everything right along with the class. I was really proud of her. They worked on the mats, practiced making bridges, forward and backward rolls, cartwheels, hand stands. Then they played on the uneven bars, and other equipment which I'm not sure the names of (I never had gymnastics as a child...)

While waiting, there were a few moms there as well which I got to meet. One mom also has 2 daughters that will be in the triplets class on Thursday, so I think we'll see them a lot! Also, there was another mom of triplets there - yes TRIPLETS! Can you believe it? They were all girls as well, 9 years old, and there for the first time. It was so nice to speak with her, she was so friendly! It is refreshing sometimes to talk with other moms of multiples (especially triplets) because you instantly have something in common. With just a look, you can say 'I understand'!

So, the class was over at 5pm, we got coats on and were home by 5:05 for dinner! It was really nice. One thing I learned is that if I plan to stay there during Kaitlyn's class with the triplets, we will definitely bring some activities to keep them busy. An hour is a long time with 3 bored 4-year olds! I will let you know how the triplets do with their first class on Thursday, they are sooooo excited!!

Also, we watched my 'new' friend's daughter this morning for like an hour so she could go to a parent-teacher conference. And they are coming to have dinner with us on Thursday evening. With both of us having our husbands gone most weeks, it's almost like destiny brought us together and it is a relief to have that support and understanding so close to home. Our family calendar is starting to fill up, and it's really kind of nice! :)

One of my Top 5!!

With Tim's job, he has met and flown many famous people. Celebrities, Politicians, Athletes, Authors, Businesspeople and so on. I have gotten excited about a few in the past and thought how cool his job is.

But last weekend was the first time I actually BEGGED Tim to get an autograph (and photo if possible!) Tim was hesitant. That is against all the rules and he could lose his job if the client got upset or was offended by him asking.

He picked up this special person in South Carolina, flew him to Kansas and waited, then flew him home to New York around 1:30am Sunday. I am in no way a political person, I'm struggling just to follow this current election process. But this particular person intrigued me back in 1993 and kept me interested for the next eight years. I know he made some 'mistakes' and I'm sure people have some negative things to say about him. But that in no way changes my opinion.

If I could choose the Top 5 people I would like to meet and speak with one day, he would definitely be at the top of my list. And Tim, the lucky dog, got to do that! My dear husband did not let me down -- he got me the autograph AND a photo! Of course, the whole crew is in the picture, but that's ok! So, I wanted to share with all of you ... you may not be as excited as I was, but I hope you can appreciate my excitement! See, it's the small things in life that keep me going! hee hee :)

He actually signed my book!


This picture was taken around 1:30am after a LONG day...

Thankful

I am feeling thankful tonight. I have been reading blogs of families that are going through some serious issues in their lives. And saw on the news about a huge fire in Pottstown today - although no one was injured many are now left homeless. I think of the troops overseas, fighting for their lives and being away from their families. The list is endless.
I just feel I have so much to be thankful for. A husband who loves me. Four beautiful girls to drive me crazy. A warm house on a cold night. Healthy family. Ability to make warm nutritious meals for our family. Blessed to stay home with my girls. Living in a great school district, near the beach. Family and friends who truly care about us. Having the triplets in a great preschool that is FREE. I could go on and on, but you get the idea!
I have always kept a journal, for at least the last 10 years. Starting a few years ago, I have kept a daily journal. Tim jokes that every day of my life is documented! Two years ago, I decided to make it into a Gratitude Journal. So this is my third year with that. Honestly, it really does help me to focus on the positive things in my life. And each night at the top of the page, I list the Top 5 things that I am thankful for that day. Throughout the journal are quotes and scriptures about gratitude and thankfulness. I plan to share some of those here occasionally because they really speak to my heart. One I just read last night that I thought was really nice...
'Hem your blessings with gratitude so they don't unravel.' How true is that.

* SNOW! *

It snowed all afternoon here and we probably have about 3 inches out there. The girls BEGGED to play in the snow the whole ride home from school. So I finally gave in! One of their favorite things to do is try to catch snowflakes with their tongue (hence all the pics of tongues sticking out!) Do you think they had fun?!?!

Fun weekend

Kaitlyn seemed to feel better last night and this morning was acting totally normal. However, she still complained that her belly hurt, so we'll see. But I did send her to school and so far (1:00pm) no calls from the school nurse - that's a good thing!

I wanted to update about last weekend because we had such a nice time. My cousin Tommy and his fiance, Kim, came down last Friday afternoon (they both had off work) and they came to visit for the weekend. It was incredible. Truly. I am so thankful for their friendship. This was actually the first time that I really got to 'know' Kim and spend time with her, it was really nice.

So on Friday the triplets and I picked up Kaitlyn from school (they dont have school on Fridays). As we came down the street, they all screamed 'TOMMY!!!' when they saw him sitting there waiting for us. It took them a few minutes to warm up to Kim, but with my girls, that's all it takes - then she couldnt get them off of her! Luckily the weather was really nice, so we took the girls out back to play. They jumped on the trampolene, climbed on the play ship and I even got to snuggle one or two of the girls in the hammock. We all had a blast.

Then Tommy treated us for dinner and we ordered cheesesteaks and pizza from a local pizza place. It is amazing how much we take for granted when we have a certain life. I was so used to having company every weekend when we lived in PA, I didnt give it much thought. But now, it is so different. I treasure every moment, every meal, every conversation.

After dinner, we had movie night and watched Shrek 3 (a Christmas gift from Mommom and Poppop) and had popcorn. After the girls were in bed, Tommy and Kim went to Atlantic City for the night and I relaxed at home.

Saturday, we got up and out of the house fairly early and took the girls to the Atlantic City Aquarium. It's about 25 minutes from here and I had coupons, so we figured, 'Why not?' We had a nice time, but it was definitely one of those places that once you've been there, you don't hurry back any time soon! lol
After the aquarium, we got lunch at Wendy's and walked around the local mall - very small and bo bo (I think thats a word I made up heehee) But we enjoyed each other's company and even got to walk through a train display that is set up there year-round.
Then it was time to head home for naps - we were all so tired!
Saturday night, Tim and I went to a Murder Mystery Dinner Party at his work - so Tommy and Kim stayed and watched the girls. It is beyond words how thankful we were to have a night out and to know that the girls were well cared for (and even asleep in bed when we got home!) Unfortunately, Tim had an early morning flight the next day, so we were home before 11pm. But I am grateful that we had that time together.
Sunday morning, Tommy and I took the girls to church (Kim stayed home to rest because she hadnt slept well the night prior). Then we got lunch from the local deli (on the bike bath). It was just a nice, relaxing weekend and I really did enjoy every minute of it.

Here are a few pics I took of the girls with Tommy and Kim:
Jumping in the trampolene-

Resting-

Just after a silly game of duck, duck, goose-

Are we sick?

Yesterday at pick-up time, Kaitlyn's teacher came to tell me that there have been several kids in her class with a stomach bug during the last week. This morning Kaitlyn woke up and told me that her belly wasnt feeling good. 'Oh boy, here we go.' I thought as I talked her through it and took her to school. It wasnt adding up because as she was telling me that she felt sick, she began playing with her sisters, then chasing the cat, speaking normally. But then she couldnt finish her breakfast and again at school made a yucky face and gave me those eyes.

I got two calls this morning from the school nurse regarding Kaitlyn. She had come down complaining a few times that her belly hurt, but there were no other symptoms and she was acting fine otherwise. Finally, on the third time, I said why dont I just come get her when I drop the triplets off for school (12:30pm) and let her come home to rest. The nurse also mentioned that Kaitlyn was the fifth student from that classroom that had come to her this morning with a stomachache. So that's what we did. When I got there, she was in the middle of her math test, so I told her to go finish that. She turned the corner all perky and gave me a big smile. When we got home, she asked if she could play in the playroom. To that of course, I replied 'No you are home sick so you need to rest.'
Now we are sitting together in the Family room watching Little Bear on TV - such a cozy little cartoon for those 'feeling sick' days. I'm not sure how much of this is in her head (knowing much of her class has a bug). But at this point, I plan to make the most of these precious 2 hours alone with my big baby girl. We're gonna snuggle on the couch and enjoy the calming voice of Little Bear like we used to do when she was oh so small.

Autism Speaks

The band, Five for Fighting, is generously donating $0.49 to Autism Speaks for each time this video is viewed. The funding goes toward research studies to help find a cure for autism.

When you have a moment, please visit the link below to watch the video and pass it along to your loved ones. They are aiming for 10,000 hits, but hopefully we can help them to surpass this goal.

http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/408214

Finally Connected...

The girls and I had such a nice night tonight - we were invited to have dinner at a friend's house. Actually, I met her at the New Parent Orientation back in August - they moved here around the same time as us and her husband is gone all week for work and school. She has boy/girl twins who are in Kindergarten and a 2-year old daughter. So we have quite a bit in common already. We see each other every morning at drop-off and afternoon at pick-up at school. Up until now, we have really only talked at school. But last week, she mentioned it would be nice for us to get together while our husbands were away. She called over the weekend to invite us over tonight for dinner.
It was so nice to have adult conversation. The girls had fun playing with her kids. For the first time, I feel like I have made a 'connection' here in NJ. So now the girls are sleeping in bed and I'm watching American Idol feeling so relaxed and thankful!

Mental Feng Shui

From the Anthony Robbins organization

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR. When you say, 'I love you,' mean it.

FIVE. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.

SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

TEN. In disagreements, fight fairly.. No name calling.

ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives

TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN.. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY- ONE. Spend some time alone.

2007 Photo Review (Part 4)

(Please see below for Parts 1 thru 3)
~Pictures: September through December~

SEPTEMBER-
Kaitlyn's First day of First Grade at her new school!

American Idol Concert with my great college friend Colleen-

Go Blake!

Top of the Ferris Wheel with Unca Brian-

Posing on the boardwalk-

About to say goodbye :(

Mommom's Birthday visit-

OCTOBER:
Triplets First day of Preschool-

They were so excited!

Triplets last time in 'real' carseats-

Visit with Great Mommom in Maryland-

Family time with Great Mommom in PA-

Poppop's Birthday (during his month-long stay with us!)

Hayride on the boardwalk-

Trick-or-Treat Princesses-

NOVEMBER:
Sleepover with our cousins - so much fun!

Maria's visit-

Cape May Lighthouse visit with Tommy-

Say Cheese!

Mom and her trio-

DECEMBER:
I wont bore you with the holiday pictures that I just recently posted, so I'll end with our Family Portrait from Sears-

And that sums up our 2007 year in photos...in it's 'briefest' form! ;)

2007 Photo Review (Part 3)

(Please see below for Parts 1 & 2)
~Pictures: July through August~

JULY:
4th of July on Grandpop's Boat on Lake Wallenpaupack in the Poconos-

More boating fun-

Baby Ryan almost 8 months old-

Vacation Bible School in PA-

Triplets 4th Birthday ... wow that came so fast!

Happy Birthday Madison, Morgan & Megan-


AUGUST:
THE ABSOLUTELY BUSIEST MONTH...EVER!!!

August 4 - Uncle Gary & Aunt Beth's Wedding-

The Lovebirds-

Brotherly Love-

August 10th - Moving Day!

Just getting started - Empty Truck - Full of Energy!

Now it's time to UNLOAD at 10pm-

There are some tired faces...

Our last night with Maria, her sister Isabel and her mother Carmen-

Last Family dinner at Hard Rock Cafe in Atlantic City (was also one of our first family dinners just a 'short' year before)-

August 18th - Maria and Paul's Wedding-

The Little Flower Girls!

Washington, D.C.

One of my best gifts of 2007 was re-connecting with my cousin Karen-

The girls adore their cousins!

Cape May Zoo with Uncle Sean and Aunt Boochy-

...and 'Uncle' Tommy and 'Aunt' Kim-

Wildwood visit with Uncle Sean and Aunt Boochy-