Irish Baby

[Invitations I made for my soon-to-be niece's baby shower]

As I write this, my family is all together back home for my sister's baby shower. Even though I was not able to fly out, I am there in heart! I remember how sad I was that my family wouldn't see me when I was pregnant (with Drew). And if my surprise shower wasn't enough, they brought out my special gift: my mom & sister Megan! They had secretly flown out to see me. I wish I could have "gotten them back" on this occasion, but not this time! We did, however, surprise my mom for Drew's 1st Christmas (2004)! She had NO CLUE we were coming. My dad even had to make up some lame excuse to get out of the house to pick us up from the airport! She had no clue until she walked in the room and there was Drew sitting under the tree. I think she said, "Who's kid is that???" I don't think it clicked until we jumped out and yelled SURPRISE! Anyway, I do miss not being with my family today, but hopefully soon we'll be heading out to Chicago!

This was Shannon back at Thanksgiving time when she was 4 months pregnant. She only has 6 weeks left now!

Eskimo Hut

Yesterday, John's dad took Drew for a couple of hours in the afternoon.

This was the end result. As he was shoveling off his driveway, it was breaking apart into big chunks. So he thought it would be fun to build an igloo with Drew. Mind you, most of the work was done prior to dad picking up Drew. It was still pretty cold out and even though Drew is a New England baby, he doesn't last outside too long!

MY BOSOM FRIEND

[erin & stephanie]

[ PICTURE TAKEN IN 1994, OUR FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL ]

IT'S NOT OFTEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT STAYS IN YOUR LIFE FOR SUCH AN EXTENDED LENGTH OF TIME~OUTSIDE OF FAMILY, YOUR SPOUSE, YOUR CHILDREN. THIS FRIENDSHIP STARTED ON A TRAIL HIKE AT A CHURCH PICNIC BACK IN THE 5th GRADE. IT HAS BEEN BEST OF FRIENDS EVER SINCE. WE HAVE STORMED THE TRIALS OF FRIENDSHIP & HAVE COME OUT CLOSER & STRONGER. JUST WHEN WE GOT CLOSE, STEPH MOVED OVER 300 MILES AWAY. BUT SHE MOVED TO MY GRANDPARENTS CHURCH IN GA. HOW WONDERFUL. WE ENDED UP REUNITING IN COLLEGE. THEN WORKED CAMP TOGETHER. TRANSFERRED TOGETHER. TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHO OUR LIFE MATE WOULD BE ALL WHILE RUNNING BACK TO THE OTHER WITH THE LATEST STORY. STEPHANIE HAS MADE MY LIFE FULL OF ADVENTURE & SO MANY FUNNY STORIES. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR SUCH A FRIEND. AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE STILL JUST AS CLOSE, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE MILES APART & EVER SO BUSY.

LOVE YOU, MY FRIEND

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y !

LOOK WHAT I JUST FOUND IN THE BASEMENT!

I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS ONE!

WHAT GREAT TIMING!

[July, 29, 2000]

Chris & Stephanie's Wedding Day

Missing You

Christmas Memory

4 Generations

June 2004

SHE PASSED FROM OUR LIVES ONE YEAR AGO TODAY.

IT IS AMAZING TO ME HOW QUICKLY A YEAR CAN GO BY.

MY GRAMMA HAS ALWAYS BEEN SUCH A PART OF MY LIFE. ALWAYS AROUND. A FRIEND TO EVERYONE. ALWAYS THERE DURING CHRISTMAS, SPOILING US WITH EACH NEW HOLIDAY. WE MOVE ON AFTER THOSE SO SPECIAL TO US DEPART. BUT MAY WE NEVER BE THE SAME FROM THE TOUCH THEY HAD ON OUR LIFE.

I WISH I COULD HAVE HAD ONE LAST CHANCE TO SAY GOODBYE.

This is me, at about 2 years old.
The Holly Hobby doll in the picture
is one of 13 that my Gramma Quinn
got me my first Christmas.

That's right, 13!!!
She was an extravagant giver!

These are the dolls now!

They are the last remnants

of my childhood.

One is missing her left arm.

Certainly a sign of a much loved life!

JACK

SWEET LITTLE JACK

Today marks the day of JACK being a part of our little fam for 4 months. Just physically, though. I just counted and he has been making himself known for 13 months total now! So, you see, 4 months is nothing when you see it in perspective! Those early days of nausea, then my growing belly, then the kicking and poking, the fatigue, leg cramps, swollen fingers (no wedding ring those last 2 months) & the final hours before he was really in our arms! All that wrapped up in this wonderful, precious gift! Sometimes these gifts can seem to overwhelm my day & my "flow" of life. But just when I feel frustration overcoming me, I try to stop and think, "Now what better thing would I be doing if I didn't have these boys to fuss over? So--- I spend my day wiping runny noses & cleaning messy diapers & doing endless loads of laundry & striving to create a haven for a home & cook nutritious meals & put out baked goodies & keep the boys rooms picked up & all the while keeping a smile on my face! So it's tough & lonely sometimes. SO WHAT! There is truly no greater reward than when I get a gummy smile from Jack & a sweet, "I like you sooooo much, mommy" from drew. In case ANY of you out there are wondering, IT IS ALL WORTH IT!!!!!

FAST FACTS:

a Jack weighs appx. 16lbs. (weighed right after a feeding)

a His ticklish spot is under his chin

a He loves to be with the family at the dinner table

a It has been said that he looks like his grandpa quinn's baby pictures. I think he might also have his irish tenor vocal cords; jack was "singing" along with me the other day! (watch out, Wrigley Field!)

This is how I usually find his socks!

(although they are not typically found together!)

He is a little kicker!!!

So far, this seems to be Jack's favorite little toy.

He holds these little "oooohing" converstaions with it & slobbers it to death! It is very cute.

Drew loves to help out, but has learned to keep his distance during bath time. Jack decided to test his "plumbing" during his first bath & it ended up all over Drew. He was a good sport about it & thought is was very funny!

But I really don't want to take my nap!!

OK, maybe I do after all! I LOVE my sleep!

"Hey, Mom, you want ME in this picture?"

And Drew would want me to show off his new little scratch on his arm that has fascinated him all day!

P.S. We finally got our new camera! We bought a Nikon Coolpix L6, for those interested! This is the 1st post using it. I am still learning all the ins & outs...but it has video mode...so watch out! I might be a little video happy once I figure out how to blog it!

BUZZ

Drew is sick again.

Someone was sick & he asked, "Mommy, did they swallow a bug?"

I had to think for a moment.

Ah, he must have heard me say, "There's a bug going around."

Now Drew caught the bug. The bug going around...& the J A C K bug!

A Bit About Myself

I'm IT in the cyberspace game of TAG! The title is Things I've Never Done...like the nap I was going to go catch this afternoon! But now I better finish what I've started! Thanks Loraena! :) Here goes nothing:

1. Which dramatic role have I never had?
a. Rumpelstiltskin, title role, 4th grade skit
b. Amaryllis, piano lesson girl in "The Music Man", 6th grade, community musical
c Fairy in "Dance of the Swan" , 3rd grade ballet
d. Emily in "Our Town," high school play

NONE. The first thing I remember being in was the 2nd grade Thanksgiving play our class did. I was a mother, that's all I really remember. And we sang "We Gather Together." As I got into high school, my "acting career" started, and ended! :) I was in some kind of acting scene every year for competition (A Midsummers Night Dream, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Heiress, Pilgrims Progress). We also had a fabulous english teacher who put on a HS play each year. This was the highlight of our spring! Some of the plays were Esther, Lady Jane Eyre...ok, this is a great brain exercise! I can't think of the others at the moment, but we did one each year! For some reason, I was ALWAYS casted the "evil role." It was either my great acting ability...or it just came so naturally??? Hmmm...??? I wasn't able to do anything in college. Just too busy, I guess, and not really that good at it when in the "big" fish bowl! I did LOVE it and have so many great memories of all the practices and performances! Sidenote: my dad was just in "Our Town" 2 years ago. Not as Emily, though, of course.

2. On which athletic team did I never compete?
a. softball
b. field hockey
c. tennis
d. swimming

C. & D. if you count high school PE where we played A & B. We loved floor hockey...it was pretty brutal among high school girls, as you could imagine! That was where we got down & dirty! :) Although I did compete on our V.Ball team for 7 years (jr. high, hs, 1 yr. of college) and played soccer for 3 years of college. Those 2 sports are by far my FAVORITE!!! Something I definitely miss doing! We did have a tennis court across from our house, but nothing more than summertime fun. And we did visit the local public pool regularly on those hot summer days. Although I NEVER went off the high dive! Something I kind of regret to this day...I even managed to get up to the top one day...but never jumped! Oh well...I am just a big scardy cat when it comes to heights!

3. What kind of lessons have I never taken?
a. piano
b. riding
c. tap dance
d. etiquette

Never taken b, c, or d. I took piano in 3rd grade and practiced at home on a little key board. I think it only had 2 octaves. Then I started up again in high school and took all 4 years. No piano in college. I really do wish I would have stuck with it more as I am weekly reminded of how much practice I need. I love to play but am so rusty in the theory dept. I never competed in High School and I think only played one offertory. There were so many "better" pianists my age, so I never persued it heavily. But even the little bit has payed off as I play 3 times a week for our church! As for the horse riding...um, that has a great story! Never lessons, but the last time I rode a horse was in college on my first date (off campus) with John. We went to a friends farm to go horse back riding. Well, lets just say my horse spooked amd took off across the field back to the barn, while brushing me off its back from a tree it ran under. It left me knocked out, a branch sticking an inch away from my right eye, and 2 broken fingers! (those were my first broken bones!) So...needless to say, that was the last time I have been on a horse. Although I do hope to someday get up on another one! (maybe I should have stuck to the high dive jumping! still scary...but a much softer fall!)


4. Which type of vehicle have I never driven?
a. stick shift car
b. dirt bike
c. pickup truck
d. ATV

I have driven all 4! Although I don't know if you could call it actually driving for all of them! The stick shift...which I still don't know how to drive, was my dear friend Steph's boyfriends (now husband)car. At Northland he tried teaching us...and it ended in many, many laughs! Dirt bike & ATV were driven at friends of ours here. They live on about 30acres with trails and he has all the toys (including snowmobiles!) Again, not knowing how to drive stick, I didn't make it very far on the dirt bike! The ATV's are pretty fun. I like the 2-ups especially! And the pickup truck I used to do deliveries when I worked at the lighting store (b4 kids, john & i worked there together)

5. What is my favorite genre of literature?
a. historical fiction
b. science fiction
c. romantic fiction
d. nonfiction

Ugh...no sci fi here! Although I have seen a couple things that has not made me totally hate it. I just don't think it would ever be worth it for me to invest the time that reading takes. Even though history was one of my least favorite subjects (sorry, dad!) I do really enjoy stories set in war times. No romance flings here...unless it is intertwined with a great solid story! And I would probably say I have read a lot of non-fiction over the course of my days. I did just save my college american lit book because I want to reread some of those great classics! And I have all my side notes in it still!

I TAG STEPHANIE & LEAH