bittersweet symphony

10 on tues...well now wednesday

1.this is late because all the computers in the house were being used...fantasy football draft night.  It must be getting close to fall! Eddie is only in 3 leagues this year. He is quite serious with his excel spreadsheets and graphs. You think I kid, but it's all true.

2. Riley is now 6! hopefully I will be back with a birthday recap this week. We basically started celebrating his birthday Thursday night and wrapped it up Sunday afternoon with ice cream cake and presents.

3. We went camping this weekend - our church retreat. And Saturday was a crazy weather day - cold, cloudy, rainy, some sun and lots of wind. But that didn't stop the boys from having fun. We got there set up camp, next to grammy & papa. Everyone else stayed in cabins with indoor plumbing. We took a walk with the our charges - trying to keep them busy until lunch time. Lunch and then free time. Dinner, campfire then a hayride. Now the hay trailer was pulled by Farmer Bob and he wasn't driving a tractor - but a ford f150. More on that later. I don't think the boys have run so much. They had a blast. They even went on a snipe hunt thanks to mr. m, but the snipe got away.

4.Now I am more of a camp in a cabin with dish tv and a hot tub kind of girl, but growing up we did camp. Well if you call a tarp thrown over a clothesline, between 2 trees, by a river in a cow pasture in Shenandoah  -camping - then we camped. For as long as I can remember - all the men in my family would go to the river around the 4th of july for a week or so. My grandpa (before his stroke) my dad, uncles, cousins. Later on my dad would take my nephews and brother in law.  But when I was little-  I remember going on this camping trip. I know my mom was probably a nervous wreck all the time, and didn't enjoy it. But I remember it being fun. I remember my uncle denny catching an eel and trying to whack it before it squirmed back into the river. And that would become a yearly tradition - who would catch the eel this year.  I remember my dad's green coleman grill that he would cook eggs and spam  on the iron skillet in for breakfast. I remember catfish for dinner. I have so many memories, but I am sure I only went a couple times, maybe only once, and maybe those memories are the stories I have heard so many times. But I want my children to experience stuff like this, even if it is out of my comfort zone. I don't want them to see that. I want them to have happy memories, I want to be that mama that "does" instead of the "does not".

5. wow, sorry about that tangent up there. Thanks to my 2 readers if you are still with me. Hi Marie! Hi Missy!

6. Missy, I hope everything goes smoothly this week as classes start back. And I hope your new employee works out!

7. Now that the boys have bunk beds, Brady doesn't roll out of bed every night and come to my side of the bed. To tell you the truth, I miss it.  I miss his little face at my bedside, I miss the little snuggles and whispers. I miss the weight of his little body as I carry him back to bed.

8. Fall is in the air - which means fall TV. What are you watching? Me: glee, Grey's,' parenthood, heroes, private practice, modern family.  I need a break from reality tv.

9. The Hornets lost their game on Friday night. Hopefully they can keep this streak up. We are going to the game Friday night to see Daddy & the band. I don't want to see the home team stomp North Royalton. I would really like to see my husband in October.

10. Swim lessons and piano lessons will be put on the schedule this week. We didn't make the soccer registration due to a mix up with the spring team - but it's okay. Riley got a set of golf clubs for his birthday (and not the fisher price kind either) so I don't think he will be missing soccer this fall.

is it wrong?

is it wrong...that riley put on a pair of 5t shorts today - they were way too tight  - so i turned around and put them on brady - and they fit!

is it wrong...that last night instead of posting pictures on my blog, i sat and held brady for 1.5 hours? after he crawled up into my lap and feel asleep.

is it wrong...that while I made mac & cheese for the boys tonight I ate cereal and counted that as dinner? (for me not them - they had mac & cheese, grapes & applesauce)

is it wrong...instead of going to the 1st football game of the season, I want to sit in my driveway after the kids go to bed and have grown up talk with grown up drinks? For the record, I can't wait to see the band this year, they are doing a band dance with fist pumping!

okay I made an back to school album...

10 on tuesday - kindergarten edition

1. Today was Riley's 1st day of Kindergarten. I took the day off. We started the morning off with pancakes, after we slept in until almost 8am!

2. All morning - Riley kept saying how excited he was for school! I can't wait to go to school! I wonder if mrs. miller (his teacher) will be wearing a new shirt too?  I remember she was wearing that green dress last time (okay the one and only time he saw her at open house!)

3. Today was also the day bunk beds and the new love seat were being delivered.

4. So the boys and I spent the morning cleaning out their room, Riley helped me take down the crib. Brady helped carried the parts out the door, until he got hurt.  Tried to sort more clothes, put away the baby stuff still in their room. Their room is turning into a big boy room! We have a few projects to complete, maybe a canvas or 2.

5. Speaking of projects- eddie is probably glad garage sale season is over. 2 dressers stripped, sanded, primed, one painted & new hardware, the other waiting for color.

6. Time for lunch, getting riley dressed for school. New shirt! new shoes! new supplies! Take some pictures inside and out. Brady was just as excited as Riley. He had to have the Cars backpack and happily posed with pictures.

7. Early arrival! wait outside, line up. The bell rings. Time to walk to the classroom. This week - parents can walk them to their locker, next week parents need to say goodbye at the outside doors. Mass chaos, as students, parents & siblings walk to the 2 kindergarten classrooms. We find riley's locker (#157) hang up his backpack, time for a quick hug, and off he goes to his teacher. Just.like.that.

8. Brady and I walk down the long hallway, tears are already stinging my eyes. Getting brady buckled in the van, call my mother in law. She knows I would call. I choke back the tears as I tell her what happened. She laughs and remembers the day the twins were in kindergarten and kenny was out the door to the middle school. I don't think it will get easier when it's brady's turn.  I dial my sister in law, leaving a shaky voice mail. she calls right back. She followed the bus to school to watch her 1st grader go to her class.  I call Eddie, he answers I barely can speak with the lump in my throat.  But he reminds me I get to spend some solo time with Brady.

9. Brady and I head home to make some chocolate chip cookies. At 1:00- Brady says: let's go get ridey, mama. Yeah buddy I miss him too, but he is at school for a couple more hours. They have been playing so well together this summer. Riley is patient with Brady and even builds him star war's lego ships and guys.

10. Eddie gets home in time so we can all go to pick up Riley. We get there early. Wait on the sidewalk. The Kindergarten's come out and stand by their teachers. I tell eddie - go get him! Did he get bigger in the 2.5 hours he was away from us? Riley smiles big when he sees Daddy. We all get a quick hug, then hand in hand riley & daddy walk back to the van, already chatting about the days events. Gingerbread story and a cookie. No playground today. Had to learn first then they could play. I pull out riley's folder and see a pictured that has been colored by a professional!  We get home, I start dinner (turkey meatloaf, cheesy potatoes, green beans) while the boys start building their new bunk beds. They couldn't wait to go to bed!

Will come back and post pictures hopefully tomorrow. I just wanted to get this day down before I forgot the little details. I am so proud of Riley. He was so excited to go to school, no hesitation, no fear.  I hope he always enjoys school and is excited to go.  Next week he turns 6!

summer so far...

summer school for eddie

safety town & graduation for riley - kindergarten in the fall

t-ball

playing in the sprinkler

lots of new bruises for brady

un-workshop trip to NY with marie

mint chocolate chip ice cream cones

eating lunch/dinner outside

too many smoothies

strawberries everywhere

failed at growing a "salsa" garden

trip to the Cleveland zoo with lots of friends

playing with cousins

1st friend, non-cousin birthday party for Riley (he got to play mini golf)

lots of questions about life and death from Riley

lots of "whys" from brady

lots of homework, note cards, emails, printer ink, computer parts for eddie

too many trips to Target

kids swim at sue's (18 kids and 8 mama's)

toy story 3

Eclipse

Eclipse (had to see it twice!)

stalling on home projects

attending a 10 year vow renewal ceremony

getting ready for family garage sale

staying up way too late

4th of July parade (oh my goodness was it hot !! too loud for Brady)

too many turkey hot dogs

root beer floats

visits with friends near & far

strawberry freezer jam

swimming at a lake with Aunt Deena, Dagen, DJ & mr. & mrs. crane

excited for newly pregnant friends (and the not so newly pregnant friends! not twins!)

long dinners with well behaved children in public

so you think you can dance

star wars legos

campfires, smores & catching fireflies for the 1st time

almost seeing the fireworks 

too many flies

celebrating birthdays

sunscreen 

dreaming of a beach vacation

new sunday school class for Brady - he and riley are now in the same class

corona light with lime

and not taking very many pictures!! Trying to enjoy being in the moment with my boys! As Ali Edwards would say "It's OK."  And that's okay with me.

6-18-10 safety town graduation... Riley had a lot of fun...I can't believe he is going to Kindergarten in a couple months. Whenever we drive by Silver Lake Church - Brady will say: ridey - there's your school! And Riley will say: Brady, that's my OLD school. Lincoln (abraham) is my new school!  Riley says he is so excited to go to his new school & learn new things! I hope he is still excited on the 1st day.

strawberry freezer jam

hello? anybody out there?

it's time to jump back into blogging. I have been off the radar since may?  Sorry! Before I lose my 3-5 readers, I thought I would share my new favorite recipe with you.

Growing up, my mom canned sauce, veggies, fruit & made strawberry & grape jelly.  Who has time to can these days? Let alone have a garden to tend to. So thanks to my www.kraftrecipes.com  magazine ( it's free for a year, comes with great easy recipes and coupons!) I came across this recipe and knew I could at least manage this.

Acme was having a great sale on strawberries...and I had been saving empty glass jars (canning variety and spaghetti sauce). Here you go....30 minutes to homemade strawberry freezer jam.

What you need:

2 cups crushed strawberries ( buy 1 qt fully ripe strawberries)

4 cups sugar, measured into a separate bowl

3/4  cup water

1 box Sure.Jell Fruit Pectin

make it:

1. rinse 5 (1-cup) glass or plastic containers & lids with boiling water. Dry completely. Stem & crush strawberries, 1 cup at a time. Measure exactly 2 cups prepared fruit into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Let stand 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Mix water and pectin in small saucepan. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling and stirring 1 minute. Add to fruit mixture; stir 3 minutes or until sugar is almost dissolved. A few sugar crystals may remain.

3. Fill all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch from the top. Wipe off edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or in freezer up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

That's it!!

verdict:it is so yummy! So fresh! I will never buy Smucker's again.

and since a post is boring without a picture, I thought I would post a little bit of a a recap of may-until present with each new post...

Since big brother got to play t-ball this year (may-june) Brady wanted to get the tee and bat out just about every time we are outside. And you know what? he has a pretty good swing.  I love that he is wearing the Lebron High tops that Uncle Jim got riley. Love the sun glare and the look on his face. Tball this year was pretty awesome. Eddie was coach again alongside Matt from our church.  Eddie & Riley worked hard all season. You could see the progress through the season with everyone's skills improving. We had great parents who were ready to help whenever or bring an extra snack for the siblings of the players. Next year coach pitch for Riley and t-ball for Brady. I hope Eddie can be Brady's 1st coach too.
  

ohio = crazy weather

today: 5.5 earthquake in Ontario, Canada...it came across the lake.

Breaking News into the Fox 8 Newsroom, an earthquake shook Cleveland and surrounding suburbs just after 1:50 pm.

According to Michael Hanson of the Ohio Seismic Network, an earthquake took place but its size is not yet known.

Viewers are reporting their houses shaking and swaying from Hudson to Painesville to Canton.

-

Did you feel it? I did not. But some people down the hall from me swear their computer monitors were shaking.

Now we have severe thunderstorm warnings and tornado warnings until 3:15 today.

Only in ohio, in one day:

earthquake

severe thunderstorm warnings

tornado warnings

meet the meatball

aka. Anthony James

jordan's little bro, Joanie & JD's baby.  I can't get enough of those cheeks. And he has mama's perfect little cupid mouth.

these were taken over memorial day weekend. And yes, he's a Bengals fan by default. Poor kid, will never know any different. Maybe when he gets older his Uncle Eddie and Uncle D can tell him about the other brown & orange team in Ohio.

 
 
  
  

peace and strength

This past week has been full of emotions. I have been praying all week but couldn't find the right words. Thank you to Pastor Ross, as he served Eddie communion on Sunday, he said: may you have peace and strength. Hearing Eddie tell me this on the way to calling hours yesterday gave me comfort and peace.

To go back a bit, last Wednesday, Eddie left on the band trip with 130 Highland Students and parents. Also that morning another fatal car accident was reported. Involving 3 Highland Students. I won't go into details, as it has been all over the news. But 2 students, a sister and brother lost their lives. Neither driver was at fault.

Eddie texted me the news an hour after he left. The sister of the other driver was on the band trip. Her brother was later released that day, but I am sure will endure a long road to recovery.  I was already praying when eddie left that morning for their safe travels and adventures.

Wednesday was spent in suspense waiting for the updates on the student. I had plans with my friend Stacy and her daughter for dinner. They provided a good distraction.  While the kids ran around we tried to catch up - had it really been 6 months since we saw each other last?

thursday - my mom came over for dinner. still praying but couldn't find the words. it was stressful, tense at moments, yet felt like old times. 

Friday  - I had moments of comfort today. dinner @ Hibachi's with marie, cassie and jen. It was so wonderful to laugh, drink a glass of wine, share stories, eat sushi, take pictures. thank you for the fun evening ladies!

saturday - day full of errands, cooking, baking, playing. No scrapping for me on this NSD. I spent the whole day with my boys. Oh how much I love them. They can crack me up one minute and make me want to scream the next, and I wouldn't change a thing. They are really missing daddy at this point - we make a card for his homecoming on Sunday.

(this is riley and daddy fishing - they are in a the boat - riley is next to a bucket full of fish -the purple things are fish jumping out of the water with water droplets. an apple tree with a vine, and a red sun. I love this so much because they have never been fishing -only talked about it & riley's writing is getting more controlled. brady's circles are on the left and more inside the card.) 

sunday - daddy's home @ 7:15 am! Brady was the 1st to greet him. Sunday school, so many more things to pray for, church,thank you Ben for the music, you couldn't have known a week ago when these songs were picked, lunch @ Olive Garden with missy & maya - a girls day (thank you miss for the break in reality) including 5 little girlies excited to see the Sleeping Beauty Ballet. Hearing the news that Shelly & Chris made it home with their new son!  Coming home to turn around again and go to calling hours for 2 students. Standing in line for 2 1/2 hours to get inside. Winding paths of people.  So much sadness for these students, parents, teachers and staff.  Watching a student cling to Eddie in grief tore my heart out, watching his dad try to keep it together long enough to thank eddie for being there. Hearing all the parents thank Eddie, thank you for taking care of my child. I wanted to be there for him to comfort him, but that wasn't working out. I couldn't stay strong enough. Then Ross's words rang in my heart again. MAY YOU HAVE PEACE AND STRENGTH. I just kept them on repeat as I shook the hands with their mother, older sister and step dad.   We couldn't make it home fast enough to gather up our boys from the Caps, take them home, hug them and tuck them into bed.

monday - I pray for more peace and strength as the double funeral happens today and as life keeps marching forward regardless.  

Sorry for the rambling, but some words I just needed to get down, for me. Life is a bittersweet journey and I am thankful for this place to share.

no running water

I am taking refuge at grammie & papa's today with the boys...while eddie is at home fixing this..

yes that would be our bathroom...but something very important is missing....like the floor and the toilet!

thank goodness I have a handy husband who was at Lowe's at 6:30 am this morning. In the end we will have a new tile floor, new toilet, new sink fixtures and running water.  :)

in other home improvement news...we have a new tile black splash in the kitchen...

ahhh so nice, it took eddie about 18 hours in between working on pop's house with his brothers and working on this until one night until 2 am. Of course this was over break, so he had lots of time.  And I even got to help with the grout part and now I am ready to tile the kitchen floor!  

 

weekend recap

With a new season quickly approaching, I feel a shift in myself. I love fall. I love the fresh crisp in the air, I love everything that comes with this season. (Except when the Highland Hornets go to playoffs!)With that said, I am still trying.  I just want to be happy, healthy and mindful. 

I don't want to forget this weekend.  I want to remember the little things, each step along the way. Seeing the light in everything.

Friday night: A quick dinner at Applebee's with my family (because I didn't feel like cooking). The last family dinner we will have on a Friday night for at least 12 weeks due to friday night football games. Sure I will take the boys and we will go visit eddie at one of the home games. Riley will follow Daddy around, while I try to keep Brady off of the football field and the sweet band moms will try to distract him with homemade cookies.  I can't wait to hear the band play some Bon Jovi.   After dinner, it was home for bedtime.  Eddie put the boys to bed while I packed up some brownies and went to grab my sister in law missy.  We went to Sarah's vineyard. Oh my goodness! Such fun and good wine! thank you Cec, Nancy, Mis, and Karen (we missed you Courtney!) I can't wait to go back! And get the table with the fire pit.

Saturday, cereal with the boys, early morning grocery shopping. Tag teaming, eddie off to do his errands - he needed some back to school ties and a visit to the butcher. Playing outside with the boys, coming inside to make riley's favorite lunch: Egg salad. To which he says" I would LOVE to help you mama!  Getting a text: the D'Amicos are coming over for dinner @ 5:30! Get lunch cleaned up and start the mad dash in getting the house cleaned up! (why do we only clean when company is coming over? anyone else do this?)  Eddie getting chicken to grill. Making salad & mac and cheese. Sitting down with friends who have had a whirlwind 2 months.  Getting to see & hug JD for the 1st time since June. Getting him a Sunkist. So good to see him up and about. And he was grateful for the change of scenery. He is a changed man, not just physically - he will bear those scars for the rest of his life, but changed in heart, mind, spirit.  As he was talking, I got goosebumps. I just love that guy and (joanie and Jordie too!) and so thankful my boys get to  call him Uncle Jim. And watching Jordie play with our bubble machine? delightful in her bare toes. After the boys went to bed, Eddie went back over to their house to watch the Browns trounce on another team. I watched some DVR'd shows with a brownie ice cream sundae, looked at my scrap table.

sunday. An interesting sunday school lesson about leaders. As our fearless leader was gone, another church member stepped up and lead our class. It was fitting.  We made it through church (well riley and I did) Brady couldn't handle it after being left behind at the children's message.  Dinner at Grammie & Papa's. Such a tender place to be as Meem continues the good fight.  Aware of the need for everyone to kiss and touch meem and tell her hello. Lifting Brady up so he could kiss her cheek. Feeling her hand reach for you knowing she might not know who you are, but she knows you are there. For her. For Pop. For her daughter. For her son. For her grand kids. For her great grand kids.  Sitting next to my sister in law observing the insane chaos that is now family dinners. Can you pass the butter, Cec?  To others this might be too much to take- but this is family, Ohana,  and I wouldn't change it.  And besides after dinner, you can always send at least 9 of kids downstairs to play!  Laney is the only one on this side of the gate, but not for long.  Going home putting Brady down for a lap. Listening to Eddie and riley play ball on the stairs, or take a break and watch some James Bond movie (with Roger Moore as Bond). Sitting down to my scrap table and actually work on some pages. working on easter 2008. Brady wakes up.  All the boys go outside to play. Get lost in laundry and paper and glue while I enjoy some quiet time. Boys come back in - get the full report from Riley - we played 4 sports mama: soccer, football, baseball and rode bikes! Washing dirty feet and a dirty baby.  Nothing beats a baby fresh from the tub in some jammies sitting on your lap. Even if this baby is 2 years old, 31 pounds and has a stuffed bear and cow in his lap. Cuddle next to riley watching the last of the James bond movie while Eddie checks on fantasy football and Gary the Gecko on his laptop. Putting the boys to bed with books and prayers. Looking at older pictures and can't believe they were ever that little, cute, tiny, happy and sweet. Our cup runneth over. Putting newer pictures in Eddie's frames to take to work. turning off my scrap light at 11:00pm realizing it's time to sleep and start the week all over again.

I don't have many pictures that go with this post. But if you are still out there, I promise to post lots of pictures this week and a lot less words...