Howdie Family and Friends - here are the going ons in the life of me. Stew shows up frequently. My family and friends visit a lot. My nieces and nephews are represented throughout. It's all about me and how I'm traveling along in this thing I call my life.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

POTD, March 17, 2012

The only picture I have with all four of them.  It's like herding cats.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Journal, March 16, 2012

Very full and awesome day, though it didn't start out that way.

Few weeks ago realized it was time to go for my yearly check up.  I've gone to the Walmart in Dundalk for, oh my goodness, years, since 1998 or something like that.  I loved my doctor there.  Thing is, she's gone now and though she hasn't gone far, the trip to Dundalk every time I need something done for my eyes is a drag.  I decided to make an appointment at the Walmart up here in Aberdeen.  What a flipping mistake.  Today, I finally went in to pick up my glass lenses.  I love my glass frames and only ordered replacement lenses since my eyes are getting worse and worse - it took them forever to finally fit them despite taking forever to measure the glasses when I ordered the lenses.  Now I have my contact prescription for the next year and my glasses and I don't have to go back there - I'm good with that.

After getting my glasses, I headed out to pick up MNP and MTP.  I had four of them with me for the night - nothing could make me happier.  Laura was coming down with WTK and GEP's parents were bringing him.

MNP and MTP were excited to show me their dog and they were ready to go.  It's funny to me that I need to remind them that they need to say good bye to their mom.  I know they love her but in all of the excitement of the weekend, they forget. 

We then headed to the grocery store.  These two...hahahaha.  At first they fought over who could sit in the "car" part of the cart.  They solved this by both squeezing in - then complained about how cramped it was.  Taking two kids to the grocery store is an interesting endeavor.  I'm still not sure how my mother did it with four of us - other than she had the fear of God on her side.  I let the kids pick out ice cream and donuts.  The decision to pick out the donut they wanted took a good long time and then they had to pick a special one out for GEP, too.  That was pretty cute.  MNP kept asking me which one I thought GEP would like.  I mean, it's pure sugar, right?  Which one wouldn't GEP like.

We get home just in time to see GEP get out of the car.  The kids are beyond excited.  They're running around like crazy and happy to be in each other's company.  Each of them are wearing their green for St. Patrick's day tomorrow.  MNP's shirt says he's pinch proof.  I had no idea what that meant - so I pinched him anyway.  HA!

The cries of I'm hungry consumed them next and it was time to settle them down to make some grilled cheese.  I like to have all of them cook with me and tonight I let each of them assemble their sandwich and flip it while it was on the stove.  They really enjoy this.





MNP's grilled cheese was missing a little bit of a vital ingredient - I wonder why!



After dinner, WTK arrived.  This is the first time that these four have had a chance to interact on this level and it was good to see that WTK fit right in.  The other three are a rambunctious sort but WTK missed nothing.  They played Hungry, Hungry Hippos.


They played with the cars.  They played with the balls in the toy room.  They had a blast.  MTP received a Barbie Playhouse for Christmas that we didn't get a chance to put together while she was here last week, so that was top on the priority list.  Laura and I sat down to assemble it with the help of little hands. 


 Laura and I are both mechanically challenged, so it took awhile but we eventually figure it out.
It was hysterical though that after we finished putting it together all of the boys wanted to play with it, too.  Poor MTP.  All of her cousins are boys except for SMP and SMP's in Germany and all of her brothers (MNP, A, and her two step brothers) - no little girls for her to play with.  After the boys realized that there were only girl Barbies they moved on to other things, namely the Wii and MTP and I played Barbies for awhile and then she played with them by herself while the energetic boys were in the other room.

She eventually wandered into the family room as well and all of them played the Wii, in between "beat up Aunt Gina" time.










Then it was pj time and movie time before bed. 

Bedtime was interesting.  This was WTK's first sleep over and the kids weren't doing a whole lot to help him get some sleep.  It's funny because I'm used to this - when the three kids are here, I'm used to the giggling and the chattering and the fight to get them to go to sleep.  Laura isn't and she was worried that WTK wouldn't get enough sleep with them disturbing him - which is probably true, but I think that's part of the fun of a sleepover.  These kids are always up later than they should be. 




We finally got them settled down though and they were all huddled in their sleeping bags in the living room sacked out.



Pretty normal day when the kids are around - the house is an almost disaster.  I'm exhausted and very, very happy.  We have a full day planned for tomorrow.  I need some sleep!

I forgot to mention that all of my kids got their St. Patrick's Day cards with the exception of WTK - his probably came today but he was already on his way down here.  GEP wore his to school and was sad that it broke, but his mom fixed it so it was okay.  MTP wrote me a thank you note which was so precious.  She drew animals on it to represent herself and MNP - and she wrote that the animals could be cats or dogs.  Awesome!


(I should mention that while all of this craziness was going on, Stew decided to head to the auction - no one can accuse that man of being stupid.)

POTD, March 16, 2012




Four for the price of one - we're bowling on the Wii.

Fast Fact Friday


1.  What is your favorite drink?  (How often do you drink it?)

Non alcoholic - I'd say water or unsweetened iced tea.  I drink water mostly.  All day, every day.  Alcoholic - no picky as long as tequila is involved.  Though have been known to down my fair share of Bailey and Kahlua shots.  Yummy.

2.  Who is your favorite team?

I have to pick just one?  Sigh.....I love lots of teams - my favorite though, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

3.  How do you like your steak?

I don't want my cow mooing - cook it all the way through, charred is just fine.

4.  What is your favorite toothpaste?

Crest Vivid White
5.  Where is your favorite place to shop?

Depends on what I'm buying really. 
Groceries: Wegman's 
Clothes:  Now that I'm large - Lane Bryant, before I was large: New York and Company
Scrapbooking Supplies: Twopeasinabucket.com
General Stuff: Target

Also like BJs; Bed, Bath and Beyond; Best Buy; Office Depot

Hell, I'm behind

Wow, the blog has been neglected since I started my new job.  I'm going to try to get it caught up with the daily entries, but for the past few days I've been letting the fact that I need to go back prevent me from going forward.  That sucks.  So I'm not doing that anymore.  I missed like three weeks - and that's okay.  I'm just going to pick up now and go back as I can.  Must let go of the perfectionistic tendencies. 

Back tonight with today's journal.  Should be a fun one - the kids are coming for the weekend. 

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Journal, March 15, 2012

Work consisted of more GCP training.  This course is taking forever - but you gotta do what you gotta do.  Stew came home from work, changed his clothes and we headed to Jersey to meet Ms. CEH and to see Ms. GDH.  GDH was her entertaining self.  She regaled us with stories, played with Uncle Stew and made us laugh.  CEH slept the whole time.  I just love little babies.  I held her for the entire time I was there with the exception of when I ate (pizza sub from that sub shop again, yummy goodness and I need to learn how to make what they serve for dessert.  Of course at the moment I can't think of the name but they're like fried dough balls.  So, so very good.  I should eat them first.)

Gave Matt his birthday present.  Stew wanted to get him the whole GI Joe cartoon series.  It was either that or Thundercats - I opted for GI Joe.  Thundercats, really Matt? 

Great night except for the traffic, but I wasn't driving so it was okay.  Very exciting weekend coming up.  I'm going to have my three kids.  I have so many plans of things I want to do - I'll have to narrow it down.








POTD, March 15, 2012

It's really blurry as we were actually moving when I took this.  The speed limit is 65 - are they mocking us.  We're going 10mph.  Glad Stew was driving.