Back to me

I'm not quite sure why but I have been in a funk lately. By funk I mean a rut or just basically not feeling like me. This is quite normal, seriously, who never has a bad week or so? So, I began thinking and decided that I very much needed a ME day. I have a hard time with this cause I hate to leave my kids , even when they drive me nutz! However, it was WAY over due! So this past weekend my loving hubby watched the kids for the WHOLE day for me! I couldnt believe it =) James ( my bff) and I had a great day. We had yummy food ( twice) and actually sat at a coffee shop and enjoyed ADULT conversation..I had almost forgotten how to do that! We also had pedicures, did some retail therapy, caught a movie and had a few drinks...( I know its ALOT but I dont get out much so we had to cram it all in)!!
This was great. I enjoyed myself but most importantly remembered about me. In my day all I do is my daily routines and often forget Im a person- not just a mommy. Although being a mommy is my favorite part of my life, I needed to be reminded that there are other layers to me. So on Sunday we had a great family day and then my children actually SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!! It was a perfect ending- to a perfect weekend! I now feel refreshed and officially out of my rut. Im ready to go back to my daily grind but now I have a smile on my face!

September

As a lifelong teacher and student I have ALWAYS dreaded the month of September. Either way I would start back at work or school or many times both! The month seems to drag on 4ever!! However, this month I am happy to report that I have jam packed it so full of fun stuff that the month is just breezing by! This works perfect for me because I am SOOO ready for the holiday season( meaning halloween, thanksgiving, and christmas)! These are my 3 favorite months of the year and Im over the moon that in 2 short weeks the festivities begin. But, anywayz, I seem to be gearing away from my original post, that was to keep every1 updated in our busty month. So, here it goes....
Nina- has started school and is doing rather well, she is really excelling which is a great confidence booster for her. She has started cheerleading and gymnastics which she LOVES! We can only hope that all these positive things will in turn help her be happy! Here is to hoping =-)
Crystal- My mush has started gymnastics as well. She is also going to the school of mommy =). Each week we have been focusing on a letter, number, color, and shape. It is along road ahead but we will get it together =) We are also working on her speech, which hopefully will also get itself together soon.
Giovanni- He is running around as always. Always happy and never sleeping. ( I think Ive just given up on all hope of ever getting any sleep). He still isnt saying much either, just the occasional dada and even less occasional mama. Im ok with that though, you all know how I feel about milestones, I take em with a grain of salt! He would be in football by now if I could put him in but not till hes 3 =*(..lol!
Nando- As most of you know he just got back on Thursday from being in ny the whole 1st half of the month. All work and no play as always but at least he had a 4 day weekend that just ended ( boo) but it was nice having him home and actually around =)
Me- hmmmm, well Im still sick , day 16 or so? Still on Cipro and hoping to get these sinuses leared up once and for all. Otherwise just gearing up for fall and other fun things that this fam has going on...
This month we FINALLY joined the aquarium! Which worked out perfectly because in september they do a pass swap with the zoo and mosi so we get to go free. So we went to the zoo this past weekend and Dora just happened to be there. It was very exciting for the lil lady mush! Next weekend we are going to MOsi , which is kinda like the long island childrens science muesum with a planeturium attached. So this pass has already paid for itself, plus I obviously get to go all year to the aquarium, which I love!
Next weekend im also having a me day with one of my bffs we r going to a spa to get a facial ( my 1st time) and pedicures. Im sure we will eat yummy food , have a few drinks =p, and gonna check out an imax flick since we got two tickets to there for free as well with the pass!! I cant wait!!!
This month we also went to see Disney on Ice with our good friends the lietzys. I highly recomend the show! It was sooooooo good! We cant wait till the 1st week of Oct , we are going to Disney with the lietzys as well to check out the halloween decorations! SWEET!! We are such disney fanatics!
Well that was the past 3 weeks in a nutshell! Sorry for the long post but I had lots to catch up on!! I wil try to stay more on top of things with this blog. =)

LIFE

***I would like to make my post today dedicated to every1 that lost their life in 9/11 eight years ago and to every1 who has ever lost a loved one. ***
In my daily grind I know I sometimes forget how precious life is and how 2morrow is not a guarantee. I get annoyed at trivial things that mean nothing and often overreact to things I just should chill out about. I struggle with this because then I think about all the people who are not as blessed as my family is and I feel guilty. I promise myself to be a better person and not get upset over such little things and to look at the big picture. However, on monumental days like today I reflect the most. I think of how lucky I am to be have an amazing husband who provides for my family, 3 amazing kids that grow and thrive each day, a family that is always there for me through good and bad times, and friends who have proven to me that the old saying " blood is thicker then water" is a crap saying!
I think about how tragedy can strike at any moment like it did 8 years ago and take a life, change a life or lives, or change a country and its history. So upon my reflection I pray for every1 who was lost and pray that their memory will never be forgotten. I pray for those that have lost people so close to them that their lives will never be the same but they must keep living. Being a nyer this event hit me especially hard, I know people who were lost and am family and friends to people that have lost their loved ones. Every1 who knows me, knows I can't talk about it, watch the movies, or even teach about it. But, today I chose to write about it and say that we will stand united, we will not forget and we will continue to live our lives unlike so many bad people in this world want us to.
I realize that I am not perfect and that I am going to have bad days. I realize that the things that seem so trivial are important to me and that just makes me who I am. Lastly, i realize that even though I stress out sometimes and feel like the walls are closing in that it is ok. It is ok because I also know how lucky I am, I know Im loved, and I know I dont say it enough but I truly love my life and every1 in it. That is the best way to show respect to the ones we have lost. Not just on one day saying a prayer for them, but living my life and trying as hard as I can to make the world a better place. To accept the fact that I cant change all things and that life is not perfect but to keep trying each day anyway.

vacations

Nando has 1 week left of vacation this year that he will be taking in the middle of october. His first week off was in March and we went away for Ninas bday. His second week off was in August where we did more local things and stayed home. Now, our dilemma is if we should go away or not. Of course we want to, but there are 2 other factors. Our anniversary is in November and we usually go away for the weekend and the other factor is we want to go away for a weekend in december to see disney for the holidays and go to ice ( this expedition walk through dome made of carved ice) soo is going away 3 times too much right before christmas, and the answer is yes!! So, should we not go away for our anniversary and go away in October or just go more all out for the December trip....too many ideas but I don't really know what to do...Of course these are all mini getaways, so maybe I can find some great deals..what does every1 else think..to vacation? or not to vacation?

GYMNASTICS IT IS

So, last weekend my girls tried out gymnastics for the 1st time. I was very torn being that I always wanted them in dance, but anyone that knows my crystal knows that her and a tutu just dont mix..lol! Anyway, I expected Nina to want to stay with dance but she surprised me by wanting to go into gymnastics. I was worried about the change at first but actually thought it could work? Maybe, just maybe, my 2 girls will for once have something in common and get along? ( hey a mother can dream right) So, today is their 1st official day of gymnastic class, Im so excited, so are they. Crystal was a little shy at first but I have a feeling she is going to be great at it. Nina to me has always been more of a dancer. She is very graceful and girly but she def has the build for gymnastics as well. We shall see how it all pans out. If she wants to go back to dance I will be ok with that too. For now though my two lil gymnists will be off for their first big day =) pictures will be coming dont worry =)
ps- is johnny 3 yet so i can put him in football =p!!!!!

My Nephew NIKO

So after almost 2 months of waiting i FINALLY met my nephew Niko last month when I went to NY for the big visit. I must say, I knew I was in love with him already, but looking at him and holding him were amazing. He is so big compared to my lil chunkers whenthey were born. He still looks liks a newborn to me..which I was happy about. However, he is eating, sleeping, and thriving wonderfully!He looks a lot like my brother, which of course means he has similiarities to Crystal when she was born since she does still look like my brothers clone. But, I did see a bit of Lori in him. He has dark hair and these blue-grey eyes..so amazingly precious! I hope they don't change like Giovanni's did. The time I spent with him was just not enough since poor Lori was in and out of the hospital my whole trip ( mostly in) but I still got chances to see him. I might bore him since he slept most of the time that I got to share with him but I loved watching him sleep peacefully. I have been waiting a VERY long time for a nephew for Costa and Lori and words can't describe how I feel! I cant wait till Lori gets better so they can come visit us out here and then I get to go see them again when I visit again in November. Babies grow way too quickly and I dont want to miss anything!
So every1 who reads this blog please pray that Lori gets better soon and that my miracle of a nephew continues to strive and be the perfect lil man that he is =)

MY LIFE OF PROCRASTINATION

I know, you were all thinking I either a) abandoned my blog or b) fell off the face of the earth...both are possibilities since I haven't posted in almost a month and things have been so crazy around here I sometimes wonder what world I am in. Whatever the case is...Im back!!
The trip to New York was wonderful and crazy all wrapped up in 1!! I will be back blogging alot this week to get every1 caught up....my topics will be about
- my trip to ny
- my nephew Niko
- nandos week off
-back to the old routine ( i hope)
- extra curricular activity choices
- to vacation or not to vacation..that is my internal question!!
so it will be a busy week on my blog to make up for my lack of blogs this past month...so this blog will be about my first topic...the big trip to ny
big events-
vikys engagement party! wow, almost a year has gone by and the day is quickly approaching( ok its still about 15 months away, this engagement is too long if u ask me..lol) however time does seem to fly by lately!
finally meeting Niko which deserves it's own blog! so that will be my next entry
seeing my godchildren which makes me smile and feel so happy! i miss them so much sometimes that it is just crazy!!! it was also Evan's 1st bday which is crazy to me..these kids need to stop growing up so fast!!!
the rest of the trip was nice at parts, crazy at parts, and stressful( being that my son was not a happy camper at all during the trip) but overall it was nice to be back in ny, with my family and friends who i love to pieces. It was nice to eat a REAL bagel..lol! It was good to catch up with people I HAVEN'T SEEN IN AGES.Overall it was a good trip!