Yeah, Sure.

Me:  Hey, Maddie - ya know, your birthday is coming up.  What do you want this year?
Maddie:  (After some serious thinking)  I want my own TV.
Me:  Well, that's not happening.
Maddie: {grunt}  Okay, fine.  I'll just take an iPad.

BDEM:  Lunch with my big brother, Derek.  His bff (our brother) Johnny has recently moved away, so I'm doing my best to swoop in at his vulnerable time and break up their brotherly friendship....ensuring that I am everyone's favorite sibling.

Any Guesses?

BDEM:  Family night with the kiddos.

Homemade Hero

The other day Maddie stopped me and said, "Mom, did you know that when I go to my friends' birthday parties their dads don't come?"

I asked, "You mean the dads aren't home?" She said, "No - they are.  They are just doing something else like being on the computer or working or something.  It's so nice that my dad always comes to my birthday parties, isn't it?"

Indeed it is.

It is also so nice that when giving Rob a sentimental gift from his kids, I can guarantee that his reaction will look like this:

I love seeing his "I love my family" tears.  Luckily for me, they come out often.

I cannot even begin to express how much I love this man and the father that he is.

My kids and I couldn't have asked for more.

BDEM:  Above moment.  




A great big thank you to all of the wonderful fathers out there - especially mine.  I am blessed to have several father figures in my life, and I love and appreciate them all.  Love you Dad, David and Ross! 

T-Ball Pros

...pay no attention to the fact that in ALL my pictures, the bat has already swung past the ball that is still sitting on the tee.  Because with the exception of that....I assure you, they are pros.

Prepared Fielders

Check out the gross factor on this pink eye victim.  You should have seen her sneeze - I thought my friend Stacy was going to vomit!  

"I think I look cuter with my hat on sideways - but it's your call, Mom."

Her adorable T-Ball buddy, Makinlee

Cheering on the Fireballs

Almost a homerun

Almost a hit into the innocent fans.

I see a strong future for them both in the major leagues.  

BDEM:  My friend, Katie, hosted a super-cool party for her son - and the three older kids couldn't have been happier.  They must have thanked me ten times for letting them go (as if I have ever said no to someone else entertaining my kids for a couple of hours?!).  

Ode to Oliver

Today I pulled out the old hose and after three weeks, washed away the chalk greeting that has been by our front door.  Anyone that has come over has seen the words, "I love you Oliver" before entering our home.

Kind of a long story, but the quick version is that one day while walking the neighborhood we noticed that the words "I love you Maddie" were by the front door of Oliver's house.  MADDIE WAS ECSTATIC.  She could not stop telling everyone that her boyfriend had written her name outside his front door, so she came home to do the exact same thing to our front door.

I didn't have the heart to tell Maddie that the words in front of Oliver's door were actually written by a friend of Oliver's sister...who just so happens to be named Maddie - and had absolutely nothing to do with her.

So this afternoon as I washed away Maddie's love note, I realized that I hadn't ever blogged about the song that Maddie wrote for Oliver.

It was written at the beginning of the school year - so there are a few slightly misspelled words - but I'm pretty sure you can get the gist of it.  

Apparently it was written at a low point in their relationship.

By: Maddie             Song Colde:  You are the best

Ooooooooo Olivr you are the best.  You are the best in the wold. It yoost to be fine intel I ast you to play end then you said no.  What do I do withoat you?  Ooooooooo Olivr you are the best. The best in the wold.

You should hear her sing it.  The Oooooos are just more than I can take.

BDEM:  In the past 24 hours we have mini golfed, bowled, hit the batting cages, and ridden a 3-D roller coaster for (basically) free.  I love you, pass of all passes!  

Childhood Hero

Loved him as a child....love him now.




"Let's give the fish some food."

BDEM:  The carnival is in town.  That means we overpaid for disgusting delicious food and germ-infested rides.  Yes carnivals are gross...but I still love them!  

This week we were planning on taking the kids to a  parade that looked a little something like this:

We've never taken the kids - who are DYING to go - and this week seemed like the perfect time.  Then a couple of things happened, and we were no longer able to squeeze it into our schedule.  Want to see me depressed?  Just say that you're going to Disney in front of me.  My brother and his wife (who we were planning on going with) are gearing up for the trip, while we are  gearing up for another parade on our "stay cation"  (BTW - do people just use that term to be optimistic?  Is there anything really fun about staying when you could be leaving instead?!)

Our local parade will probably look something like this:

Hopefully the kids won't know the difference.  After all - they haven't ever been to a parade before...so maybe this will be awesome for them.

...kind of like the time we took them to Disney on Ice and told them it was Disneyland.  

BDEM:  Spur of the moment lunch date with the ladies in my neighborhood.  I'm so glad they are looking out for my social life - I certainly don't.  

Government Folk

Yesterday Rob had to call the post office - and after hanging up the phone he said, "Man...working for the government must be miserable.  These people are always so rude and unhappy."

That might just be working for the postal service in general. (Although, for a while our postman was delightful.  Then he got transferred and we were assigned the mail grinch.)

Then today our recycling pick up didn't come for the second week in a row.  I tried calling the number on the website - but they explained I'd need to call someone else and courteously gave me the number for the correct department.  I called the second department and the woman told me that she had no information on that - and that I would need to call Waste Management instead. Okay, fine....happy to do it.  She then starts giving me the number - but her phone keeps cutting out.

Twice I tell her that her phone is cutting out, and that I can't hear the last numbers she is trying to give me.

She finally says, "Well...if you would just stop talking you'd be able to hear me."

HELLO!  I know these people are miserable, but I didn't see THAT coming.

Remember the couple of times that "Comcast Cares" left comments on my blog about my being unhappy with Comcast?  (Rob was surprised they didn't enter to win cookies)

Do you think there's a government department out there scanning blogs to make sure we are happy with the government's handling of customer service?  Yeah, me neither.  At least Comcast cares.  I can be happy with that (while my Dish Network cable runs in the background)  

BDEM:  High of 79?  Perfection!

Cute, No?

I'm constantly on the look out for awesome short hairstyles.  I found this one and pinned it:

But then I somehow stumbled (I really don't know where I clicked) to a page of "similar cuts" and they were completely NOT my style.  So much so that I began to question the actual cuteness of this haircut.

It's cute....right?  

Even though I'm "trying" to grow out my hair - I keep looking at Kat's hair....and envying it...and then obviously looking online for similar cuts.  How does a  lady this pregnant look SO STINKING HOT?!!  

I always feel like I have to grow out my hair to be pretty....but by golly - I just love how rockstar Kat looks.  Ahhhh....the punk in me will always prevail.  Somebody get this girl a (new) spike armband.  

BDEM:  Getting called out on being baby hungry.  I still don't know that I am...but hearing someone say it really made me wonder if I possibly was!  

Big Winners

Using a random number generator I entered 1-27, and it picked the numbers 5 and 25.

That means our lucky winners are:

(....DRUMROLL.....)

#5 - Bruce

#25 - Bonnie

Congratulations to you both - I will whip up some cookies (most likely on Sunday) and get them sent out (or hand delivered) by the beginning of next week.

For all of you others - thank you so much for all your comments and entries.  I WILL continue to do baking giveaways, because - truth is...I LOVE to bake...and hate to have all those extra goodies sitting around my house!

I have to say that it is nice to be back.  Not blogging that first night was brutal.  It actually woke me up in a panic a couple of times, but I HAD to prove to myself that life would go on even if I didn't blog.  And guess what?  It did.

I'll keep updating, whenever I feel like I have something important to say - which I'm sure is much more frequently than you'd think.

Thanks again to everyone that entered...I was expecting maybe five entries, but was very flattered by all of you that stopped by to comment!

Till tomorrow next time!

You Came Back?

{I sure am glad that you did. I ain't making no promises or nothin, though.}  


This came in the mail today.

Upon seeing it Ella said, "MOM!  Why there's a picture of you?!" (Thats not an error. Those were her exact words.)


Oddly enough, it wasn't the first time the connection has been made.

BDEM:  I fell in love with THREE shirts at Downeast today.  That never happens.  Even more than the shirts, I fell in love with another dress.  Granted, I didn't buy any of them - but I do love successful browsing.  It's always good for the self esteem!  

Don't forget to enter Thursday's cookie giveaway - I'll draw two names on Monday!!

Water:  NEVER AGAIN.  That died with the daily blogging.