fiber one bars could never be mistaken for a candy bar....uugghh

Q&A's

I love Q & A's. i am always the first one to reply to those forwarded e-mails that ask all types of random questions, and i have always been the go to w/ all my friends for advice. so now's my chance to be DEAR ABBY. anything you want to know about me (ex. what nationality i am?) or you need advice (ex. what should i do about such and such or so and so?) on or even random questions you just want a silly answer to (ex. if you could be any animal what animal would you be?) ANYTHING and when i say ANYTHING i mean ANYTHING.........i am not easily embarrassed or shy at all and i will always give you a frank honest answer so ASK AWAY!

Also look for me to post random polls and quizzes for you to answer too.

Just a side not as you read my blog..........

Just a side not as you read my blog....I am gonna be real and frank and I wont hold back, I may curse, I'll rant and rave and brag. I won't use proper punctuation all the time (I'm no journalist) and I use the word "like" ALOT (i grew up in the 80's) but I will always speak from the heart and what you read will be the truth.

Kidspace with Jordan's class

Let me start off by saying this place is fun. The morning started off with us meeting up with his class at the museum because I don't do school busses with 50 loud 5 year olds. We got there and Jordan was holding hands with one of the other student which i took as a signal to mean they were paired up since the rest of the kids were also holding the hand of other students too. So I assumed as much. but when I noticed WHO he was actually paired with I was like GREAT.... and not in a good way, he was paired up with the kid who I have heard stories about all year from Jordan...."mom, today Luke bit a kid in my class", "mom, today Luke got sent to the principals office", "Mom, today Luke kicked a girl in the stomach" Mom, today Luke purposely stepped on my hand at circle time", so I was aware of what i might be in for. So after the introduction by the museum official we headed for the entrance and that's when a miracle (or so I thought) happened....the kids all let go of each others hands and got mixed into the crowd of the 3 kinder classes on this trip together. Jordan walked with us and Luke walked off with the teacher, and since the teacher never announced to the parents on the trip that we would be placed in pairs we walked off, needless to say I was relieved, and we began to enjoy our day at the museum. We saw an exhibit that showed us what the world looks like to an insect, we saw bug and bees, climbed on things, dug for fossils and looked at the koi pond, well on the way back from riding the bikes we ran into Jordan's teacher who said "I have been looking all over for you! Luke was supposed to stay with Jordan." all I could say was "oh uhh wow ok sorry" so we took Luke with us for the rest of our trip and while he did try to pull the fur out of the animal pelts on display, cried when a girl stole his seat at lunch and did the opposite of everything I said, we got through it and had a managed to have a good day.......

Mommy and Jordan having fun B.L.(before Luke)

I gotta get this kid an acting gig



Jordan and Daddy Jesse




You paired me up with who on this trip? Yikes!



If a picture is worth a 1,000 words then wtf do these say?

 These are the kinds of things you find on your camera when it has been in the hands of  5 & 7 year old boys....

Here we are 4 months till Halloween 2011 and I am just posting pics from Halloween 2010 So anywhoo here are the pics from Halloween....

I made my 2 little ones A Christmas Story themed costumes.

Ethan as Randy (he literally couldn't put his arms down either-I made sure of that LOL)

Jordan as Ralphie (the sad face is all an act-he loved his costume)

Mommy's an Antique

Yesterday while hanging out with my kids my 7 year old Ethan out of the blue just says 'mom I like old stuff just like you' (I love vintage and retro)We start to discuss how old things are cool and how we like to hear stories and learn about the past. He goes on to say that he was on amazon looking at toys and that he saw this 'vintage' Luke Skywalker doll (he is a big Star Wars fan). He said it was from the 70's! I laughed to myself realizing that that toy having come out in 1977, is a year younger than I am and is considered 'vintage' hahahahaha....Man, I'm getting old! But that was not the only thing I realized through that conversation. I also learned that of all the things my children have inherited from me other than my bad temper (hey we are italian),my passion (again, we are italian), my sarcasm, my giving nature and strong sense of family, they have also inherited my love of old things and that makes me feel good because I know that it means he knows we are a part of something bigger and deeper.

can't get enough of those kisses

Baseball Season

So with 4 boys and a hubby, you know sports will be a big part of your life, how big a part you cannot even imagine. Going to games and watching them on T.V. is one thing but when you have 3 of your 4 boys playing baseball at once it is a different story. To be a baseball mom you need many skills. The ability to schedule 5 practices, 5 games, and who brings snacks when is tough, not to mention trying to squeeze in homework, dinner, baths, storytime, trips to the market, family time and a little time with the hubby it can be near impossible let alone exhausting. Trying to do it all can really make you crazy! That's why I have stopped trying to do it all....well not really but I have stopped trying to do it all in one day especially during baseball season. I want to teach my children that school is important and that when they commit to something (baseball) they need to give it their all. That's why homework and practice do indeed get accomplished, but if the kids go to bed without a bath one night..no biggie, if we have take out instead of a home cooked meal a couple nights a week..so what, if we skip storytime in favor of singing our favorite silly songs in the car on the way from here to there..who cares. What matters most is that everything we do we do together. Sharing the triumphs and defeats with my boys is something I would never give up though, the feeling we get when one of the boys is up to bat is a mixture of pride and fear and hope. Seeing them hit the ball or make a great catch is a feeling of indescribable joy and pride only a parent can know. Being there to build them up again when they strike out or miss the ball and don't make the play is a priveledge I would never trade. My boys are my life and baseball is their life (right now) and I wouldn't change a thing.

Let's Play Ball!

 

Getting to Know you....

I guess i'll start off by intorducing this crazy cast of characters.
Key Players.... I am mom (Amanda) and I am married to hubby (Jesse). We have been married for 3 years (we are a blended family). My boys....oldest (Sam) next (Josh) third (Ethan) and baby (Jordan). Stepsons.... oldest (Jesse) and youngest (Jacob). We are pretty mixed up with Sam, Ethan and Jordan living with me and hubby and Josh living about an hour away with ex(he is with us on vacations and every other weekend) and stepsons living with their mom (we don't see them often):( not because we don't want to but because that's just the circumstances:(
Supporting Cast.........My sister (Dani) her hubby (George) Her kids (Gabe, Daniel, Mia and Ava), my mom (Pat or Gramma Nutt as her grandchildren call her) my dad (Joe or Big Papa), my brother (Jeff) his wife (Jenna) and their boys (Ryan and Liam). They all live together in one house!
Extras.........various cousins, friends, aunts, uncles and random people.

So here goes hope you enjoy our adventures as much as I do :)