We have an addition to our family!!!

Not another child. Good lord, the twins are enough!! We adopted a soldier. His name is Anthony Russell and he is currently serving in Iraq. We got him through a program called Adopt a US Soldier (http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/). This is a great program. He is serving in Iraq and we get to send him cards, and letters, e-mail and packages. We think that this is a privilege, especially for the boys. We want them to understand that there are real, true heroes in the world, not the pop stars, sports stars and stuff that they see on TV. We want them to understand that freedom is not free and that there are real people fighting for the freedoms that we take for granted. My niece was in Baghdad a few years ago and she was giving me tips and advice about being a soldier. She said that it was so important to know that there were people at home who were thinking of and praying for them. They feel so disconnected over there. If anyone else can get involved in this project, it would be great. It doesn't take anything more than sending a card or an e-mail to make their day, while they are away from their homes and families while they are protecting ours. (I lifted this picture from a blog I love to read daily - www.abbykey.blogspot.com. This picture was taken from a little restaurant across from Ground Zero in New York. Cool, huh?)

The Weekend

Did you like the view from our deck?? So did we this weekend, because that is as close as we got to the pool. You have to have pool tags to get in, even though I live across the street and you can see my house from the pool, the landlord didn't get us our tags, so there we were, the boys noses pressed against the sliding glass door, wanting to go in the pool. I had to explain to them a few times (read millions) that we did not have tags. They had a good weekend any way, they had a "camp out" in the living room with Daddy, watching movies and playing video games. I am bummed because Pittsburgh is down two games in the Stanley Cup. No one else cares, because it is not the Flyers, but Pittsburgh is my team. Other than that, nothing exciting. The boys have 12 days of school left. Yay??? They are so excited, me, not so much.

Well, off to make beds.

My life is so glamorous!!!

Hello Blogworld

Things are officially one million times better. We are in our own home again. It is a beautiful condo in Egg Harbor Township. It is wonderful. We are steps, yes steps from the pool. This is the view out my front deck. I swear it is like waking up at a hotel every morning. The pool was open three days last weekend and the boys and I were at the pool three days. It was awesome. It it so great to be back in our own home again. You don't realize what you have until you don't have it any more.

The boys only have 15 days of school left. They are counting the days. They did so well through our whole past ugly seven months. Straight A's. I have such good boys. Justin brought home something from school that said he likes to brag about his mom because she is the best cook ever! He loves my chocolate chip cookies and my homemade chocolate sauce. He is my little chocolate buddy.

I will try to be a more faithful blogger in the future.

My Little Fish Boys

They love to swim!! They pool at their school is open every Tuesday and Thursday night so we have been going on those night. They are like fish in water. They swim for the entire 2 hours we are there. I was amaze last night when Robbie jumped in the deep end. "what mom, we learned that in school". Apparently it was not as amazing to him as it was to me. They are growing up so fast. I also love the pool because it puts their little fishy butts right to sleep on the way home. Yes boys, we can go swimming every time the pool is open.

It is Official, I am My Mother!!!

I'm her. I have now officially moved into Joan Rocap mode. You know how you always think you will be so much cooler than you mom. It is true, I don't wear polyester pants with the seams sewn down the front, or those hideous house dresses that to this day still embarrass me that my mom wore, but the evidence is in the picture. I HAD TO BUY READING GLASSES!!!! You know the little glasses that your mom wore or wears, on the little chain (I don't have a little chain, please, I still do have some coolness in me). Well I now have a pair. Although they are cool, colorful stripes, they are still, well, old lady glasses. I was at my sister's house the other day and my cell phone rang and I was trying to see who it was and I was moving it around to try to focus on the number and Alice looked at me and said "What the heck are you doing, you look like Mommy."

At that point, I had to admit the obvious. I am my mother!!!

Don't laugh, you too will become your mother one day, trust me.

I Cried All Day Yesterday

Yesterday and today is the annual Cat Country Cares for St. Jude Radiothon. Every year I cry for two days listening to the stories about kids with cancer and all the good things that St. Jude does. Every year we become Partners in Hope, which means we contribute $25 per month to St. Judes. I took the boys to the Hamilton Mall last night to donate their little $2. I wanted them to understand that these kids are kids just like them and for them to realize that we may not have a lot of money and we may have had a really suckey few months, but they are healthy and they can go out and learn how to ride a bike or play with Tech Decks or whatever. They were so proud to put that $2 that they had saved from their allowence in that little box. In First grade, Justin's teacher asked the kids to write down what they would do if they had $100. Justin wrote that he would give his $100 to people with cancer. He knows that my mom died of cancer and he thought that $100 could help some other mommy not be sick.

Money, big houses, big cars, they are just things. I am so proud that my sons know that helping people is more important.

Don't my Piggies look Pretty

Aren't they beautiful!! My sister surprised me today and took me to have a pedicure. Which was so nice of her, because I got the good feet in the family, but in all fairness, she got the good hair. Her feet look like Fred Flintstone (no offense Alice). Even Mae, the pedicure lady (we've known her for years) said "You have such nice feet, your sister, not so much." But we had a nice afternoon getting pedicures, shopping at Kohl's and hanging out. I really needed a fun day with my sister and today was the day.

Thanks Al, next week Goodwill!!!

Presidents Day

This is how Robbie spent President's Day, learning how to ride his bike. Justin has ridden a bike for a while now, but Robbie just couldn't get the hang of it. That is, until his cousin Skye showed him how, then he just took off and rode. Apparently, Skye has the magic bike riding teaching touch. Here are some pictures of them.

Justin spent the day hanging with the big boys. My nephew BJ is 13 and Justin hung out with BJ, Matt and Rob yesterday. He thought he was so cool. The boys have always hung out with their older cousins. They are not like little annoying 8 year olds, they really can hang with the big boys. So here are a couple of pictures of BJ and Justin. Justin on the scooter, (which I let him ride around the block by himself with just Robbie and Matt, for the first time) and BJ and Skye.

All in all, it was a great day off!!

8 Years Old

My babies are 8 years old today. For a long time, I didn't think I would ever have them and now they are eight years old. They are typical eight year olds, loud, messy, fighting, smart mouthed. They are also sweet, thoughtful, kind little boys. Their Dad is in the hospital on their birthday, which makes them sad, but we will get a cake and go to the hospital, like we do every day after school so that we can have dinner as a family.

Happy Birthday my Babies!!!

Mommy Hearts You!!!!!

I'm Baaaaackk

I have been away for awhile, unfortunately not really away, but I haven't had access to a computer to post any of the extremely exciting things happening in our life. Oh wait, there is nothing exciting happening in our life. We are still staying with my sister in law (thank you Social Security) and we are still waiting for Bob's big retro check to come from Social Security so that we can finally have a home of our own again (again, THANKS Social Security). Just some general information for you, apparently Social Security works in dog years because I had a woman tell me the other day that waiting almost three months for his retro check to come "really isn't all that long". No maybe not for you, but for us it seems like forever.

We won't be going to Disney for our birthdays (once again, THANKS Social Security) We were going to take the boys for their birthdays and our birthdays, because in 2009 Disney is giving you a FREE ticket for your birthdany and since our birthdays are all within 3 days, it would have been perfect for us.

Anyway, enough whining. What is going on here?? Robbie has a girlfriend, Jackie. Apparently, you CAN get engaged in the second grade, who knew??? She is a little cutie and we hear about her every day. Justin is just hanging out, no girlfriend. They are doing extremely well in school. All A's, the little smarty pants!!! Sometimes though they are too smart for their own good.

I am so bored after being laid off, but I spoke to my boss and should be going back soon. Bob still has all his medical issues and even some new ones

I am so looking forward to the SuperBowl as this year it is on my birthday and my team is playing. I think all the Steeler players should consider that an appropriate birthday gift to me and play accordingly!!

Well, off to another boring day of doing nothing.