Just Family Blog

Sleddin' Party

2009-01-12T07:23:00.001-08:00

A family sledding party was a ton of fun last Sunday afternoon. We were behind my parent's house at the pond. "Lake Lemrise" some affectionately refer to it.

We enjoyed a cozy fire on the dock and roasted hot dogs and such.

It was so much fun we plan on doing it again this weekend and extending the invitation to anyone who might like to join us.

Our Christmas 2008....

2008-12-27T12:39:00.000-08:00

It was a nice Christmas, considering we all had a very nasty stomach flu. All were well by Christmas Eve, except Molly who still struggles to keep anything down. The Dr says it'll need to run it's course and has hit her harder for her age and size. My poor baby. But she seems better every day. Here's some of our Christmas...

Most of the Fam stopped by Christmas eve to exchange gifts and enjoy a few drinks and treats....

Then Santa came and I took a picture of the tree in the night after he left....

Christmas morning came (at 4:30 am for Frankie) and we eventually (at about 6:30 am) started to enjoy the wonderful things Santa brought us...

Just when we thought it was over, as we began ripping toys from their boxes and fighting the wires that threaten our sanity to get a small plastic pony toy from a cardboard form... someone noticed Santa had made a special stop in our basement...

Mary and Frankie in their astonishment as they lay their eyes on Santa's big surprise...

The Nintendo Wii

and another couple presents for each of them....

Frankie was happy to say the least...

Mary enjoys it as well.

Molly is content with her Little People House. Not interested in Wii. At least one of us isn't fighting for their turn on the Guitar Hero. The oath Mary Claire and Frankie took to "on my honor , never fight over the Wii" lasted about 2 hours.

So even with the stomach flu, Christmas still came for little "Molly Lou Who"

"Happy Candy Day"

2008-11-03T06:16:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2008 was a grand time! The weather was perfect and the kids looked great. We went to Aunt Bernadettes as we traditionally do. She served wonderful food for everyone, it's always a good time but the weather permitted more freedom this year and the kid's got to play in the back yard and everyone ate on the deck before trick-or-treat.

Frankie: Optimus Prime
Nellie: Leprechaun
Mary Claire: High School Musical Cheerleader
Molly: The "Pumpkin Fairy"

You did not have to tell Molly she was pretty she knew, telling everyone... "is peetee" and "peetee shoo" (she has a huge thing for shoes and I didn't give her the new orange shoes until costume time and she was very thrilled with the shoes). She caught on to "chickercheet" very well and was pronouncing it with perfection by the 4th or 5th house. She was also very good with her "Thank You". It was very much fun.

Here's the kids in action. Jess got some great shots of them begging at

various door-steps.

Posing in someones yard. I LOVE this picture.

Below we have Molly and Gabe, who was a scarecrow (who didn't like his hat), and not feeling well. But he too, caught on to the free candy and had a grand time.

I'll probably add more pictures as I get them from other sources. There were many cameras flashing and I'm sure to have more great shots.

HAPPY DAY!

2008-09-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

Miss Molly is 2 !!!!

We had a little party at our house with ice cream cake and the fam.

Ma is holding Jake's baby Liam, and sitting close by is Jake's baby Gabe (he had his birthday 10 days before Molly)
PRESENTS!!

We were late with her birthday as she was very super sick on the 1st. So we had a little party the following weekend. Yes, I'm VERY late in posting. Molly LOVES the Happy Birthday song and we sing it often. She also associates any cake, cupcake, and sometimes cookies with "HAPPY DAY". So if she sees a cake-like dessert, she not only yells "HAPPY DAY" but we then sing, and she blows out invisible candles. It's pretty damn cute.

The Oprah Winfrey Show

2008-09-03T06:56:00.000-07:00

So OMG, I know all about being an audience member at the Oprah show now! Me & Ma attended a taping yesterday. Here's the basics:

1. do your homework on public parking west of the loop. IT'S NOT PRETTY! In fact, do yourself a favor and just take the train, cab, etc.

2. get there early. Like stand in line with the "crazy people" for an hour before the appointed "arrival time". You'll have to stand a total of about 3 hours, in line, and then in the "holding cell" before being seated for the show. But the people who stood in line early, got the limited number of chairs available in the holding cell, and were first (among a few hundred) to be seated in the studio.

3. wear comfy shoes, for the reasons listed above.

Oprah is exactly like she looks on TV. Not too fat, not too thin. VERY pretty for her age, and yes, full of make-up but not that she looks any different than on TV. But my favorite part was when she came out and she was like... right...there ...wow! She's real and she's funny and she comes out barefoot and only puts her shoes on when she's in position to start the show, making jokes and telling the camera men to be sure to get a shot of these super cute shoes that hurt so band and stuff. That part was fun.

The studio is actually BIGGER than you think. I went in thinking it would seem small, and there would not be as many people as it seems on TV. But actually, it was rather big and there were like 360 people (they said the number at some point). She was closer to the audience on her sofa than it seems on tv, but we decided, depending on topic, she probably gets closer, or moves back. Being a rather "intimate and dramatic" topic, she was all cozy with the audience.

We were in the "balcony" area, but centered in the studio. Very good seats. (kinda by one of the tunnel-ways she comes out of, we were actually on the end of our section, if she had come out of that particular tunnel thing, we could have hi-fived her! Even though the studio is bigger than I expected, you were still very close to Oprah regardless of your seat.

The staff, all very fun and friendly and attractive, start the show with some direction and "do's", mostly "dont's". Like don't chew gum, dont sit down until your finished speaking (if you called on to speak) stuff like that. Then another rather attractive fun guy come out and starts getting us all psyched and "on-topic" before Oprah comes out. We dont yet meet the main character of the drama we're about to witness, but audience members are chosen to speak about their overwhelmedness (assuming thats a word?). Some were definitely overwhelmed, some just wanted to talk.

So the topic was "Overwhelmed Moms" but should have been called "The Worst Thing That Can Happen To A Busy Mom When She Changed Her Daily Routine" So yea, we cried. It was a terrible story of an accident that killed a 2 yr old girl. I hate ruining the show for you, but she was one of those toddlers, accidentally left in a hot car ALL DAY LONG, by a very GOOD and NORMAL and CUTE mom. It was not an easy thing to hear. Then some chatter about how we (as moms) often feel overwhelmed and not thinking clearly as a result of making our position harder than it needs to be. I could defiantly relate to some of the chatter. Even the how this could even happen to someone. I can see it.

She told her story so we might all slow down a little, and take a breath. Ask for help and always always know where everyone is.

So here's what I took from it: O M G . I wanna hug my babies and pay more attention, and be "checked-in" to THIS second and not the next one and the one after that one, and try to not sweat the small stuff, and who cares if I'm late for something, or if I'm not a "perfect mom", cause theres worse things than pushing yourself to be perfect cause you forget your goal in the first place and if this lady keeps on talking about this, I might puke, cause she's right there and I'm right here and she's a good person and something awful happened, an awful terrible accident and her 2 yr old baby girl died and I have a 2 yr old baby girl and I just cannot even imagine the guilt, the horror, the absolute destruction of oneself that this woman is trying to get across. THEN to make it worse, you hear the 911, you hear descriptions and horrible details, and they show some of the police interrogation, where she's moaning that she just wants to die. It was all because this was a TRAGIC accident, it was a horrible nightmare. I'm not even sure if I really enjoyed myself, given the grief we had to witness.

They could not give us a definite air date, just told us to watch the website for topic air dates.

So besides for the aching feet, sweating in the heat, thirst, hunger and despair, going to the Oprah show was kinda cool I guess.

School is soooooo COOL

2008-08-29T08:50:00.001-07:00

The first day was August 20th. Mary Claire is now in 3rd grade and Frankie is a bonified 1st grader. He's no longer on the bottom rung. He knows the names of most of the staff, he's got the lunch routine down (complete with charming a lunch lady) and is aware of which teachers are lax on recess duty, and which ones think climbing UP a slide is for some reason dangerous. So full of importance was Frankie, on that first day. He had a leg up in the world.

I've come a long way myself. No tears, no self-doubt or second-guessing. Just darn happy to see them off. The end-of-summer scuffles between the two were getting to be more that I could handle at times.

The bus comes at 7:15am. No bother... it's NEVER too early to get a couple kids out the door.

Michael started Kindergarten this year so we met him at the bus stop.

and their off.....

The house is so quiet now. Molly's adjusting to her new status as an only child for nearly 9 hours every day. She gets a bit clingy, like I'll disappear next if she doesn't keep an eye on me. At least one of us is watching the other.

Summer Fun comes along....

2008-06-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

The trip to the Lake and the beautiful weather since has us outside every day!

Mary Claire and her ice cream.

Frankie & Alyssa at the Lake. The "point" where the campfires take place.

The kids at the Waterpark on the way home.

Mary Claire at the Lake

Molly & the ice cream part one and two....

Frank & Noelle, looking smashing with nearly the same hair cut. As Noelle holds a long piece of grass in the photo...you know, for effect.

Frank with his signature sneaky grin. As adorable as ever....

That's all for now. Busy Busy summer. I'm sure to have more photos to share soon.

Frankies 6 !!

2008-05-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

Frankie turned six earlier this month. All of his (first) cousins (on my side) showed up for hot dogs and ice cream cake! It was a nice day outside. Thank the Lord above, because all of the kids inside is like a recipe for the perfect headache. But we were on the patio and it was lovely.

Frankie blows out a grill lighter, as his mom purchased everything needed for the party and assumed she had some birthday candles. There were none to be found. He didn't seem to mind.

my silly smallish someone....

2008-05-21T15:12:00.000-07:00

My Molly is at a very fun silly age. Making faces, acting "cutesie", posing silly, and just running around constantly. She's difficult to catch these days. Here's some Miss Molly from the past month.....

In her party dress on Mary Claire's communion day. Then she's taking off below... this is the view you usually have of Molly when playing outside... "catch me if you can"

Posing for the camera as she knows when she looks "pretty". Put anything in her hair or on her head... tell her she looks "boo-ti-ful" or pretty and she'll give you a big cheesy pose.

A trip to see Gramma Glynn and aunt Peggy. She got to play with her cousin baby Jack (above) and Gracie. As well as baby Jack & Gracie's toys. She got those sunglasses that day and they were a big hit. She knew they were "pretty".

At Frankie & Mary's school after the Kindergarten play. She poses for me above, then takes off!

Fun little Molly plans to run me in circles on our family vacation, coming soon. We'll post pictures of fun at the Lake after we get home and mom has time to recover from vacation!

Mother's Day 2008

2008-05-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

A happy morning!

I woke up to find a garden fountain from my dear husband and babies. As well as a hand-made crown and necklace from Mary Claire and Frankie. A very happy morning. Jason then worked the rest of the day, but this blog is a place to show off. I will keep my personal feelings about that bottled up (for now) :)

First Holy Communion

2008-05-21T14:46:00.001-07:00

Mary Claire received her First Holy Communion on May 4th.

It was a beautiful day. We held a reception at our house with many family and friends in attendance. Mary looked especially pretty and everything went smoothly.

Baptism

2008-03-31T06:14:00.000-07:00

Frankie & Molly were Baptised Sunday March 30th at St Joseph's Church. We wanted to do it small and quiet, considering how long we had put it off. With Mary Claire making her First Holy Communion next month, this was something we had neglected far too long.

Joining us were our parents, our kids, their sponsors, and the sponsor families.

Here's a photo tour of the day...

My babies all dressed up. Followed by Frankie with his Godparents and his Baptism.

Frankie with Annie & Mike his new Godparents. Below he negotiates his next sleep-over.

MOLLY'S TURN!

Godmothers Allie, Stephani, & Tina hold Molly as she is Baptised.

She SCREAMED her way through it.

Parents and Godparents hold the candle above her as she receives a special blessing.

Happy again and posing with her "fairy" Godmothers.

A quick family picture taken at Oak Ridge, where we enjoyed a

very nice lunch with everyone who attended.

It was a very nice day and Molly behaved like an angel in Church and during mass. We had a bit of trouble chasing the little devil out of her but she did surprisingly well for her age. Frankie was "nervous" all morning. But when the time came, he put his trust in his aunt Annie (Jason's sister) and uncle Mike (whom he has formed a strong attachment) and leaned back with a seriousness appropriate to the occasion. It was a bit surprising and yet he made us proud, handling the whole thing like such a big boy. He even managed to behave with restraint at lunch to eat and visit and enjoy himself.

So now my youngsters are all devoted to God and The Church. Watch for your invitation ... we'll celebrate again next month as Mary Claire receives her First Holy Communion. We're planning a party at our house following the service on Sunday, May 4th. Please save the date!

You need a BLOG

2008-02-22T08:44:00.000-08:00

That's what they tell me. I cannot agree more. I need somewhere to post the kids pictures and tell their stories. Welcome to The Just Family blog. Sometimes pictures, sometimes a little info on our latest happenings.

episode 1.

Being short on time (story of my life). I'll just post some quick pictures. More to come soon. I need somewhere to show off. So stop back for updates and more pictures.

This is myself and my Mary Claire. Now 8 years old. Her birthday was just last week. This picture was taken at baby Jack's Baptism party. For whom I hold the distinct title of Godmother. I love this picture because Mary is just beautiful, and I am usually the one behind the camera therefore I have very few of me with any of the kids.

This is easily the cutest 5 yr old boy I have ever seen. My favorite picture of Frankie, taken last spring...

Molly Joy just taken weeks ago, showcasing her beautiful eyes. Her only facial feature which sets her apart from being identical to Mary Claire's baby pictures. I don't mind mentioning, that those big beautiful eyes are mine.

The latest Family photo. Taken last spring..