Summer Craziness!!

Where does the time go? It is the middle of July. School starts in 6 weeks! Scary thought! The girls will be in 3rd and 6th grade and I will be starting school as a medical assistant. I am nervous starting school after all these years but I think if I study my but off I can succeed! After teaching pre-school for the past 2 years plus the prior 4 years. I think it's time to turn in my crayons for a stethoscope.

More on that later...

Summer has been great. We recently returned from our summer family vacation. We went to Disney World for 3 days and on a 4 night cruise. The trip was wonderful. It was a good time to have family bonding time.

I am setting sail on Thursday on another cruise with my mother and sister. It will be a great vacation filled with lots of laughs.

Hello Again!!

Where ever do I start.... since Face book I have neglected this blog and I am sorry. It's just that life passes by so fast and then in the blink of an eye the week is over. Chris has been deployed for 6 months and to be honest the time not dragged like I thought it would. I feel bad for Chris he is on his trip doing the same job over and over 7 days a week 24 hours a day without a break. I think I would have gone berserk by now doing the same routine. He calls it "ground hog day"
God will April 1st he ill be home and we can resume life as a crazy family.

The girls are doing great. Lindsey has been busy cheering and playing basketball and Emily is still in tawkondo and cheering as well. I am still working my part time job and making no money as I like to say I don't do it for the money I love working with the pre-schoolers.

I will try to keep this blog up and going starting today.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Turkey Day! I have my best friend Stacey visiting this week with her 4 kids. We have been having a good visit touring Jelly Belly, Leggo Land and still have more fun to be had this weekend.

A Visit from Chris...

So officially Chris left on August 10th for his long trip. We dropped him off a the airport and said our good byes. It was a crying session and hard for Chris to walk away.

Well last week Chris surprised us and came home for 3 days. It was a great 3 days. The girls were so happy to see Daddy that they actually cried. Then when we got home Miley went crazy. She loves Chris the most out of the family.

Well after 3 days it was time to say our good byes again. (It went a lot smoother) and drop Chris off at the airport again.

Chris is now in his new home in the dessert for the next 6 months. I spoke to him him the other night and he said everyone is very nice and the food is rather good.

With fall here it's time to dig out the warmer clothes and prepare for the blustery winter ahead.

Okay I'm a terrible Bloger

I am really bad at this blogging. With Face Book I communicate with the world daily. Lots have happened in a month. Chris is gone on hislong trip, the girls are back in school and I am back to loving my job as a teachers aide. The girls just went to there first concert. I took them to see Britney Spears this week. Little did I actually know it was going to be a sexy show with more for the adults eye then children. Overall they had the concert experience but if I had aclue it was going to be what it was we never would have gone.

Last weekend we had a San Diego reunion. A good friend who is more then crazy drove 15 hours each way for2 days. Yes Kris hasnot changedat all. She is just as fun and crazy as ever. It was a wonderful 48 hours. We talked, laughed and even managed to go to Jelly Belly. Now when you have been 5 times it is very exciting! NOT!! But the kids all loved it.

Okay enough with this boring blog. I will try harderto keep it up. The cold weather is coming soon so I will have something to complain about soon!

2009 Giammarino Grandchild Picure

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy is taking 5 kids to the picture studio for a picture. Enough said on that! After an hour I think the employees were more then ready for us to leave and get out!

Daddy's gone and Summer is almost gone too...

Chris left on Saturday for his trip. He will be in the Virginia area for the next month in training until he departs for his journey. The girls and I arrived in Atlanta yesterday. We drove 8 hours on Saturday and then spent the night in Kentucky. It was a fluke that we actually were able to have breakfast with our good friends of 15 years Then today I spend getting aquainted with Tyler. He is Ami's youngest son. The last time I saw him he was 8 months old so he had no clue who I was.

Were heading to 6 Flags on Saturday It should be fun visiting another 6 Flags theme park considering we have been to the Chicago location 25 times since May.

It's hard to beleive that school starts in 13 days! The girls are getting excited about having new teachers and starting a new grade. I start the 19th with new parent orientaion and then have a whole week to set up the class room. I am really looking forward to meeting the new 3 year olds this year.

2 days until Chirs leaves....

I didn't think this day was going to come for a while but here it is Friday night. Chris leaves in a day and a half for his 8 month trip. When you look at the trip yes it's for our country but his first obligation should be to the girls and I not the Navy. I know there is nothing I can do to change that but I can still vent over it.

So much has been going on since I last posted. The girls are 3 weeks away from school. Emily got braces and a spacer and not I am packed and heading on another trip. The girls and I are going to Atlanta on Sunday after dropping Chris off at the airport. We have not seen Ami & the boys since New Years. I am really looking forward to binding with my nephew Tyler. I talk to Brandon and Ryan on the phone but Tyler is only one so he has no clue who I am.

On another note I have a potential job at the girls school for the fall but something else has popped up and I am praying about what to do with this lead. Hopefully God will answer my prayers and help me with this decision.

Wow what a month!!

Wow is July actually almost over? Chris went on leave June 30th for 20 days and in that time we have been in Connecticut and Florida. It is amazing how tired one can get upon returning home. Chris returned back to work today and I spent the day doing errands and taking the girls to medical for follow up appointments. Tomorrow Miley has an appointment at the Doggie Spa. She needs a hair cut so bad! She is going to look like a different dog when Pet Smart is finished with her.

We are down to the final 3 weeks before Chris leaves for his trip. It is going to be a long 8 months but considering the time frame he is leaving I think we will be busy enough to make the time pass by fast.

The girls are 34 days away from starting 2nd and 5th grade. I cannot believe Lindsey will be in 5th grade. It was just yesterday that that was me. (okay it was 27 years ago but when I say it like that it seems like I am old) Emily is not happy about starting 2nd grade. She said she is quitting school and not going.

I better go for now. I am actually trying to grow flowers in the yard but I need to water them.

oh by the way... we had 85' weather for about 2 weeks so I am thinking that now that we are in the 70's summer is over...? More to come on that one.

Summer Vacation!

Summer vacation is here. The girls have been out of school for 2 weeks. The first week went by slow then last week the girls went to camp from 9-3 everyday and loved it. After camp we went to the local pool which has a water park. By 8:30 the girls were out like lights with exhaustion. This week we are heading to visit family in CT. It's been a while since the 4 of us have been home as a family so it should be a nice treat to my in laws to have everyone home. Chris's sister and her family are visiting as well. My in laws are very excited to have their 3 grand children together under one roof.

After we return from CT we will be flying to Florida to see my parents and have some fun in the sun. Chris and I are planning on taking to girls to Wannado City. It is in indoor interactive theme park that they love. It's boring for the parents but the girls have a good time playing pretend and acting like little adults. visit www.wannadocity.com to see what I am talking about. Chris also wants to go to a baseball game and to some restaurant he saw on food network.

Well congratulate me.... I survived a trip to the orthodontist with the girls. We had our first initial appointment this week so see what's going on in there mouths. Yes, both girls need braces. Emily will need 2 rounds of braces. Phase 1 will happen starting in August and that will be 4 braces and a spacer to make room in her mouth for the rest of her teeth to grow in. Then when she is about 10 she will need a full set of braces. It should be a long next few years. Lindsey will be getting upper and lower braces but not until next year. She still has a few teeth that need to come in before she is ready.

Well it's Saturday and we are off to our favorite place again. 6 Flags is calling. Chris is going to come with us today so it will be few hours of family fun.

2 days left of School!

OMG!! Summer is 2 days and 2 hours away. I say the 2 hours because the girls go to school Wednesday morning for 2 hours to get report cards etc. After school we are going to celebrate by going to Six Flags. We have passes that is why you see me writing in my posts that we go a lot. I wish it was Disney World but Six Flags will have to do for now.

Summer should be fun. We are heading to Connecticut the beginning of July for 9 days then we return home and 3 days later fly to Florida for 5 days. Then somewhere in there were going to Wisconsin Dells with the girls for 2 nights. Then the beginning of August the girls and I are heading to Atlanta for a week. Then it's time to return back to school again.

I would like to report that the weather has improved since my last posting but it is still the same. Chilly. I am convinced that the only summer we will have here is in August like last year.

The girls are very excited about school ending. Lindsey is going to miss her friends. She really loves school. Emily is a little nervous about going to second grade.

I may or may not have a job so I am sitting on the fence waiting to hear if my pre-school has enough enrollment for me to have a job. I won't know until August. I am keeping my fingers crossed on this one.

Going Camping... yes me!

Anyone who knows me knows that my idea of camping is a hotel with cable and a pool. Well the Mother of the Year, (Myself) is getting ready to go camping with the Girl Scouts & Brownies. We just got home from the girls soccer games, the girls had showers and now I need to decide what in the world to pack for this adventure. Luckily we are sleeping in an indoor cabin with 25 kids. Hope they have electricity because I am bringing the air mattress. More to come in an update when we return/ It's only a 24 hour camping trip and it's about 90 minutes away.

Off I go!

Spring...??

When does spring come? We had a few days of actual nice weather but now we are back to the 50's and 60's. I am thinking it does not exist here in Chicago. This past winter was the perfect winter for my first winter in the mid west. It was longer then long and colder then cold! I am already dreading next winter!

Hope all my friends are enjoying the season of spring. Send some this way! Please!!

1st Visit to 6 Flags this year!

Today we went to 6 Flags fo the first time this season. It was a great day!

A Horrible Blogger

I really thought that keeping a blog was going to be easy. Well I can honestly admit that I am a bad blogger. It's been almost a month since my last posting. I have such a crazy life with the girls in gymnastics, soccer practice twice a week, games on Saturdays and then we also have Brownies and Girl Scouts. Then Lindsey was just in a school play which she had extra rehearsals and everything else. She was a great Statue of Liberty and Susan B. Anthony. Emily has been super busy getting ready for 2nd grade. I am very impressed with her reading skills and the changes in personality since she began Zoloft. She has been on it for 6 weeks and there is a major change in her attitude. We had company for Easter weekend, Paula, David, Connor and 2 of David's family members came for Easter. They left on a Monday and my Father in law arrived on a Tuesday. He stayed for a week and then the following Tuesday the girls and I flew to Florida for 4 days. I was getting upset not seeing the sunshine and dealing with this long dreary winter we have had that I booked tickets for the girls and I. It was a great 4 days of well needed sunshine. Poor Emily ended up with a bad sunburn. I did find out that sunblock does expire. (Check those dates Parents!!) On a totally different note. We are a few weeks away from school being out and the weather is finally looking like spring. Yes the trees are blooming and the sun is actually shining from time to time. It is still chilly in the mornings and at night but it is warm enough for the kids to wear shorts. I will try to be a better at keeping up with my blog.

Is it actually Spring??

So here is the funny thing. The weather man announced that it was spring a few weeks ago except the weather here is getting colder and colder. We have had 2 snow falls in a week. I am so sick of this cold dreary weather. I told Chris last week that I was going to book airline tickets to Florida for the girls and I. I have a flights booked for the three of us to my parents house leaving the 21st.

The girls have spring break this week but we have company coming for Easter weekend so that was not a good time to go. Our house guest asked months ago is they could come for a visit and I am not one to say no to family. I knew moving to the Chicago area was going to be hard but this has really been a brutal winter. Here it is April 7th and it was only 37' outside. Enough is enough.

As I said company is coming for the weekend, then they leave Monday and my FIL comes Wednesday for 6 days. Then then following Tuesday he leaves and that same day the girls and I fly south. They have a short school week so I thought it would be a good time to go. Lindsey is upset with me because I am making her miss a day and a half of school. When I was a kid if I had the chance to go on a trip I jumped on it.

Backing up in time.......

We just returned from a trip to Wisconsin Dells, WI. It was a nice vacation spot to go to if you like water parks. It is the water park capitol. There are not only a million outside water parks but a lot of the hotels have indoor theme parks as well. We had a fun 3 days with the girls we stayed at a hotel called Mt. Olympus. It had an inside theme pars ad water park. I really feel bad for the Dells right now because th whole area was dead. I know it's April but the poor servers in the restaurants were making no money. I am sure they make a fortune in tips during the summer season.

The girls are good. Emily starts gymnastics next Monday and they both start soccer soon. Chris is busy registering for college. I am putting a fire under his but to finish his degree. Realistically he can retire in 2 years and be in the real world. I am trying to decide what to do with my life. I might go to school and finish my degree in teaching or maybe go to nursing school. It is my dream to work in a newborn nursery and I can do that with my CNA which is a short class. Either way after June 10th I will be un-employed for the summer and a full time Mommy again. So many things to decide on. I love my current job at the girls school but working 8-11:30 3 days a week is not putting any money in saving for the future, college or anything. I am going to have to pray for a miracle.

Another year older!

Well this post is about a week over due but my Emily turned 7! Yes as I like to say "she made 7!!"Things have been a bit rough with her attitude lately and Chris and I are working very hard along with her teachers at school to get her under control. I have decided to take television away from her unless it is something I say she can watch or it is a program we watch together. It Dawned on me that when Lindsey was her age she was not watching Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place not to mention I-Carley. These shows are good and all however I am thinking that Emily is trying too hard to act like the characters on the shows. I have on more then one occasion heard her say things that Zack & Cody would say from there show. I am done with the attitude. She is not happy with the decision about her selective TV shows but I am the Mother and I make the rules. I recorded Dragon Tales and Arthur today. She was angry with me about the shows I recorded but trying something new might help.

On another note. The weather is getting nicer here. Today was 55' and tomorrow will be 70'. I am convinced that we are not done with snow yet.

Until my next post....

Things kids say...

Yesterday the girls attended mass for ash Wednesday. I went to mass and sat with Lindsey. She and I went to the alter for communion. She was behind me in line. After receiving my bread I glanced back to see her receive hers and she smiled at the priest and walked away. She never took the bread. When she caught up to me I asked her why she didn't take the bread and she said, " I wasn't hungry" I could not believe my ears that she said that. I wanted to laugh out loud in the church. I then made her get back in line and go get her bread. The priest looked at her with a puzzled look as if to say, "did I see you a minute ago?"

That's right... kids say the darndest things!

I am back!

It has been a while since I have posted. Being back to work I have been working and going to physical therapy then taking care of the kids and the house. It's been very busy.

Things have been good. Cheerleading has ended so my stressful moments of dealing witht he 7th & 8th Graders is over. Well until next year.

We are in the process of looking for a new car. I have been looking for a while and it is AMAZING how prices can change in the blink of an eye. I want what I want and I will find the deal that is right for me. Chris really likes the cross-over type cars and I am set on a mini van. It's me. I do 95% of the driving and like a van.

So we are less then 2 weeks away from Emily's Birthday. Yes my baby is turning 7. I cannot believe it. It seems like yesterday she was created in the lab. I am working on a Birthday DVD for her with pictures in chronological order with her favorite songs. Then her birthday party is going to be at Pump it Up next Friday night. My parents are coming into town next Wednesday and I cannot wait! Yes I will get the usual from my mother on how much weight I have gained and a few other comments but that is to be expected. I just hope when the girls are older I don't do anything like that to them.

The weather is not getting any warmer. I wish it was but we woke up Saturday to more snow and are expecting more on Wednesday. I cannot wait until spring. Were going away for spring break to WI to an indoor water-park resort. I am looking forward to getting away. It should be fun for the girls.

I have finally posted pictures of the new house

I know it has taken a while for me to get around to posting pictures of the new house. Sorry I have been a bit busy. It's a great house and has a lot of space. It's rather easy to keep clean too as long as the girls don't leave there things down stairs and actually clean up there room. The bedroom with the doll house is Emily's room. The other one is Lindsey's room Then you saw our guest room/Chris's office. He is thrilled to have a place to call his own. I have a corner of our bedroom which is huge for my scrap booking. Overall minus the clod weather we could see ourselves staying in this house for many, many years.