Success!!!!

My very good friend and I went shopping today with one mission in mind.. finding a great dress for the military formal this year. We headed to King of Prussia, one of THE largest malls on the East Coast and walked our feet off. We found this great little number in the second store we looked in!! Decided to do something different this year, going short, tight and sexy! I usually don't do animal prints but couldn't pass these shoes up! (well, they were my second choice.. My first choice were very cute too, just a little too expensive at $1100... can you believe people spend that sort of money on shoes!!!!! They were really cute though..) Anyway, very glad with my choice, going to do hair in a french twist and get some sparkly gold jewelry.. Hey Mom, you got anything to match this??

It was a great day. There is nothing that rejuvenates a woman more than a full day of shopping with a great friend...(and NO kids for 12 full hours.. did I mention no kids??) Cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory just topped it off!

Who's in school??

So Maria gets off the bus yesterday and runs up to me.. I am really excited to hear about her day and can't wait to hear everything! Is the teacher nice? Who's in her class? What did she do? I expected to hear a full report. So the first thing out of her mouth is.. "Mommy! YOU've got LOTS of homework to do. LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of homework!!!" I am stunned. I ask if she has any homework. She says "nah" and runs off to play. That's that. My child goes to school and I am stuck doing homework. Granted it is just paperwork, TONS of paperwork to fill out, but still work. Where is the justice in this.. I send my kid away for the day, relishing the quiet, and WHAMMO.. hears some work for you, as though I am being punished for enjoying my newfound freedom.

Tonight Lillian and Mikey had orientation at their preschool and met their teachers... I think they are going to have a great year, the teachers seem to be phenomenal. We had a picnic there and met a lot of other families that I have gotten to know over these past 2 years.. Finally, I am starting to feel as though I belong here, faces are familiar, I know the shortcuts to get around, and I am figuring out all the hoopla about extra-curricular activities for the kids (and me!). It is a nice feeling to feel a part of a community. Dutch country, PA is a very tough community to crack but once you do, you're in it for the long haul!

I don't have any new pics to post so I will attach one of the only family member who has remained unseen thus far, our dog, Fezzik.

Well, I better get going... I have not one, but TWO folders full of paperwork to fill out for the preschool.... Where is the justice!!!!

A Day of Firsts!!!

It is amazing how taking just one child out of the mix, it doesn't matter which child, can change the noise level of the house dramatically. Maria started her first day of First grade today. The house has been so quiet! Lillian immediately headed up to Maria's room to play with Maria's barbies and polly pockets... I later found her quietly laying on the floor with Hoops, reading him a story. She said she and Hoops are gonna miss Maria "well.... maybe just a little bit...". Mikey has been running around with his father all day (Mike is working nights for the next few days..). And I have been enjoying the newly regained tranquility of the house. Ahhhh..... it is so nice. Later this week Lillian will start preschool for 3 days a week and I am even going to send Mikey for an hour every Friday. That means for one hour each week I can sit on the couch and eat my breakfast and Little Debbie cake (or treat of choice) without any kids begging for any. I can't wait.

On another note, I have to tell you all that Mikey has decided to pee like a man. Yesterday he peed standing up. He likes making the bubbles. It is hilarious watching him because his little peepee barely clears the rim of the toilet. There he is, on his tiptoes all hunched over the bowl with his peepee in his fingers trying with all his might to make sure it flips over the edge of the toilet. My little guy is growing up!

Well I can't wait until Maria gets home and I can hear all about her first day of school! She is going to be exhausted I am sure... Until next time!

Cave Explorin'!

This morning we took the kids to some caverns nearby. It was definitely something different and an experience they will remember for a while! In their little minds, a cave equates to a small hole where bears sleep. Boy were they amazed! There is a train ride that departs from the caverns but it was getting too late (can't miss naptime when possible!! For the sanity of Mike and me, not so much for them!) So instead we stopped for ice cream... which to them is just as special if not better than a train ride.. and promised to do the train at a later date since it is so close. Pretty low-key day for the remainder.. I need to figure out what I'm doing for dinner! I forgot to set something out to thaw... Spaghetti it is!!

The symptoms of aging....

I'm getting old. I've succumbed to yet another sign that the years are adding up on my poor body. I tolerate all my joints cracking and popping whenever I move. I've come to terms with the fine lines and slight drooping of my face. This, by far, is the worst. I've developed allergies. I think I started showing symptoms last fall.. I was in denial. There is no denying it now. The burning, itching, watering eyes. The runny yet amazingly still stuffed up nose (I still haven't figured out how it can be both at the same time). And, oh yes, the sneezing. It totally sucks. I called my father and thanked him profusely for passing this genetic trait on to me. He was very gracious and accepted my thanks with glee.

I am taking advantage of this new development and am turning it into a medical research experiment. I've tried Allegra (well the generic form, but it is all the same..) It eased the eye irritations but that is about it. I have switched to Claritin and that seems to be a miricle drug so far. I only have to blow my nose about a thousand times during the day instead of the usual gazillion. Please tell me there is an end. There must be an end. AARRGHHH!!!!

At least I don't have any gray hair... Yet.......

New Car!!!

Well we finally got Mikey's new big boy bed in his room. He now has a twin sized red racing car bed and is thrilled!!!! It is his huge reward for being such a big boy and pottytraining like a champ. Now I know you all are gonna say it is impossible and that I must be crazy to think that you would believe such an outlandish thing... I was there with you all whenever I heard the "rumors" of such exceptionalism... I now have the proof.. Mikey pottytrained in one day.. I woke up and told him he wasn't going to wear diapers anymore and he was to use the big potty and that was that! No accidents, crying, whining.. And to think I had been dreading that moment and putting it off.. Lillian had been so hard!! Now I can't take any credit, I did nothing differently than I did with the girls. It was just right timing and Mikey's personality! Anyway, he is LOVIN' the new sleeping digs... Anything to do with wheels, especially "new Car" (aka Lightening Mcqueen..) and he is in heaven. He is definitely all boy. It is so funny the differences between the girls and him. It's like its hardwired in his brain from birth to like all the "boy" things.. tools, tractors, wheels... I am having a blast watching the kids grow and seeing how different they all are. They make me laugh everyday! ( and yell too, but we won't go into that...) I'll close with a great pic of Mikey showing his muscles.. They're gonna be huge just like daddy's!!

Sesame Place

We went to Sesame Place yesterday and had a blast!! The kids were all very good thoughout the WHOLE day and it was a great time. Thanks to Anheiser-Bush for allowing military to attend all their parks for free. It is a wonderful gesture and much appreciated!!! We put in a full day.. A couple dry rides when we arrived, photos with Elmo and Abby Cadabby, ice cream, a parade, a show, a few water rides and we were done! Just the right amount of variety and excitement. The kids LOVED everthing, note the face on Mikey on the ride... He was all smiles and giggles when it was over! Now it is a day of rest and recovery.. Gorgeous here, have my windows wide open, and plan on making Mike some more of his salsa...

Naptime....

My favorite time of day has arrived... naptime. If I'm lucky I get close to 2 hours of silent bliss. I should spend that time to do something productive but I usually don't. I usually use that time to sit on my butt and do nothing, eat things I don't want to share with the kids (that's horrible, isn't it?), and play mindless games on the computer... It's my down time. Mike, if you're reading this you now know my dirty little secret! Not much has been happening today. The kids have been playing a little Wii.. note the pic... (that bright spot in the corner is Hoops, my cat, trying to be the camera hog). They have been alright today, a little bit fussy with each other... I think they are still recovering from the company we had over the weekend.

Tomorrow we are planning to go to Sesame Place. It's free admission (up to 4 people) for military so we are taking advantage. Technically we have to pay for Mikey.. 24 months and older is about $50 a ticket!!!! We are going to try to pass him off as 23 months... Shhhhh... don't tell, alright? He's not that far off and he's a little guy.. As long as he doesn't talk we should be fine! I hope... Not very honest of us but worth saving $50!

I'll end this with some pics I discovered on my camera as I was getting ready to upload them... You never know what you're gonna find when someone hijacks your camera! It appears Nate has fun administering a little cat torture.. It's alright though... everyone in this household has to learn to be a Yankee fan.. including the pets!

YANKS WON!!!!!!

Well, its early Sunday morning and all the Gross men are still sleeping from a very long, fun day yesterday. We went into NY to watch a Yanks game. THEY WON!!!!!!! Pray to the heavens and thank the Lord that they finally won one! It was a very long game... Went to the bottom of the 13th and the new guy (Gardner, I think..) that they pulled up from AAA this week finally was able clinch it with a base hit. Very exciting! I think Nate had a good time. Mike and I really wanted to take his brothers to see a Yanks game in Yankee Stadium before it gets torn down next year. It is really too bad his other brother, Tom, couldn't come but his pigs came first! (long story, not worth explaining here.. He is a true hoosier.. need I say more?) Anyway, after the game we took Nate to Times Square and then headed home! It was a great day. Today is a day of recovery and Nate and my father-in-law are heading out to go back home later... I need to get another cup of coffee... man am I tired! Till next time!

Haircuts, errands, and whipping some MarioKart butt!!!

Well today has been a pretty busy day.. It started out with haircuts for all 3 children, Maria wanted to cut her long curls that took soooooo long to grow into a chin length bob.. We compromised and it is at her shoulders.. I am a little sad her long curls are gone but this is really cute too!! It is just hair... It will grow again... Eventually....

I am having a blast visiting with my brother-in-law! We have been battling at Wii MarioKart... Needless to say I have yet to win... I suck at that game! It's been fun though and I have been close a couple times to kicking his scrawy rear-end.. Maybe tonight is the night!

I have also temporarily lost my sanity a few times today and have allowed him to drive me around while running errands.. He just got his learner's permit and informed me when we got home that it was only his 3rd time driving around town... He did quite well, only a few more dings in the Tahoe than it had.... Only kidding.. He did do very well.

It's RIP for my pumpkin plant... I decided I didn't even want to bother trying to fix it and dug the sucker up.. Hopefully I caught it in time and it didn't spread to my tomatoes.. Time will tell!!

Speaking of tomatoes, I also made more salsa today.. Added a couple hotter peppers this time.. Mike really likes it.. too hot for me though!

Thats about it for today.. Bath and bed time for the kids, More MarioKart butt whooping tonight and bed... Yankee game tomorrow !!!!! Lets pray they win one for once this season!

Cleaning and powdery mildew......

Well this is my first post... Figured I had better start writing about something to get this thing going!!! I still have some things to do to finish up my page but at least it is up and running...

So anyway, My father-in-law is coming in today from IN... Needless to say I am cleaning house like a madwoman... I am looking forward to seeing Mike's little brother and giving him heck!!

On another note, as some of you know I am attempting a small bit of gardening with tomatoes and pumpkins.. I have the blackest thumb of them all so I am so excited that I am actually growing something!! My tomatoes are growing like crazy and I have been making salsa, also a first for me. My pumpkins are another story..... My friend gave me her son's pumpkin seed that he planted in camp this summer. I dumped it in a hole next to my tomatoes not really expecting it to do anything. Well to my astonishment that booger started sprouting like crazy! It is now about 6 feet long and has a plethera of male flowers... A few female buds have started but have died off before they matured... I was wondering why and this morning I think I discovered the culprit.. Powdery Mildew!!!! How the heck do I get rid of that! I am also very concerned that it might spread to my tomatoes right next to it! I am ready to just dig the whole plant up and dump it... I guess I need to do some research on the subject... If anyone has some advice please pass it on. I really like gardening when things are going well but when problems start to happen it really sucks!! Oh well... Hopefully this won't deter me from planting a bigger plot next summer.. I need to get back to cleaning and put the little monsters down for a nap so I will go for now... Keep checking back for updates on my life!! I will try to post everyday! Later!