Blast from the Past

Through this blog, I've been able to reconnect with some friends from high school. It's been fun the last few months getting to see them and their new lives filled with babies and husbands on their blogs. Yesterday, I got together with some of them for lunch. I think everybody looks exactly the same, just more beautiful and grown-up. I had such a fun time as we all informed eachother of the present and had many laughs about the past. I'm so glad I've been able to reconnect with these girls. A few years ago I remember telling John, in a sad voice, that I haven't talked to or seen anyone I used to be close to. I hope now, we can keep a little tradition going of getting together and keeping in touch. Thanks for the fun girls!

Kara, Court, Charity, Katrina, Heather, Amanda, & Teisha

Me and Charity

Christmas

We had a wonderful, fun Christmas this year. We were around lots of family, and the kids loved all the time they were able to visit with everyone. My dad and my sister's family came into to town. Also, my uncle, aunts, and cousins stayed for a couple of days. We made it to Grandpa Tony and Nana's house for a little bit on Christmas morning, even though it was pouring down rain.
On Christmas Eve, Corinne had heard so much about Santa coming to our house, that after we had put out the milk and fudge (not a cookie in the house) and carrots (for the reindeer) all hell broke loose. As soon as it was time for bed she freaked out. Anyone who has been around my daughter knows that she is very wary of strangers, especially male strangers. The thought of a big, jolly man creeping around her house while she slept terrified this two year old. It took a tag team of John and I taking turns going into her room about every five minutes for over an hour before she finally went to sleep. She was crying, saying she was scared of Santa and that he was going to "GET HER." Every so often she would hear a sound, start to panic, and ask, "Is that Santa?" We finally told her that Santa can't get past the house alarm, so he leaves the presents on the front porch. That seemed to relieve her a bit. We've made her street smart too soon. If a kid can't trust Santa, well then, who in the world can they trust? Santa understood and graciously left gifts at the front door. The kids had to drag us out of bed, and I was trying to not be grumpy, but how do they automatically wake up at dawn on Christmas? Any other day, they would have slept until, at least, 9:00. I quickly guzzled some coffee and became somewhat more holly and jolly. John and I enjoyed watching all the ripping and tearing, but not until we read every account of Jesus's birth out of the New Testament. Christian was becoming irritated that it was in multiple books.
Coy's dreams came true with his talking Glenda doll (don't ask) and his Jack in the Box. He's quite a unique kid. Don't worry, I also got him the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion figures so it would be a bit more manly. All other presents were ignored, and Coy spent the day after Christmas re-wrapping his Jack in the Box so he could experience the joy of opening it over and over again. He's a free bird and doesn't give a hoot about what anybody else is doing. He was in his own ecstatic little world with Jack and Glenda.
Christian was thrilled with his new Super Ball shoes that have bouncy balls all over the soles, but he was quickly disappointed when he realized they didn't make him jump higher. He gave his little brother a black eye on Christmas afternoon with his new light saber. Coy is a peaceful kid and decided he didn't enjoy fighting like a Jedi. So, Christian tormented everyone else with it until Grandpa finally hid them. The carpet skates Santa brought Christian were a lot of fun until I tried them out and pulled something that wasn't supposed to be pulled. Corinne's favorites were her new princess tricycle and her dress-up trunk. Oh, yes, and the Sleeping Beauty tea set and tea table have already gotten much use. Corinne had a hard time understanding that when the presents were all opened, that was it. She had a few days of opening presents, so when they were finally gone, she was very upset. The question of the day was, "Where's my present, mommy?" How do you explain to a two year old that Christmas is supposed to be a one day thing?
So, to sum it all up, we had a happy holiday filled with tons of food (I'm now regretting this part), fun with the fam, and much gratefulness for our Savior.

Picture Time

This picture says it all! Our recent trip to Sears to have some long overdue family pictures done was the adventure I thought it would be. Corinne would not smile for anything. She smirked cutely in a couple of pictures, but, for the most part, this was her expression. Corinne is not into strangers, especially male strangers. This poor photographer's attempts to make her smile with some weird looking stuffed monster was having the opposite affect. Every time this guy got within three feet of her, she grimaced and squealed. I bribed with happy meals, toys, and even getting to sleep with mom and dad, but she was not interested. Then, I tried the guilt thing. I told her she was making me sad because I couldn't see her beautiful smile. That worked for a little bit. I guess I should try guilt more often. Let's just say it will a few more years before we do the picture thing again.

Another Visit to See Cousins

We went to visit my sister and her kids a couple weeks ago for Luke's(nephew), 4th birthday. That was when I got to experience the fog. We had a fun time, and Luke loved all of his Incredible Hulk presents. If only they didn't live 10 hours away.

Visiting Family

At the beginning of December, thanks to my mother-in-law and her hubby, Debbie and Jim, we were able to visit John's sister Elise and her family in Salt Lake. My kids absolutely loved spending time with their cousins, Josh, Grant, and Lauren. We don't get to see them very often, so the kids were so excited to get to go on an airplane to visit. We did a lot of fun things, like going to a real farm and being attacked by hungry geese. My kids are city folk, so I think this was the first time they actually saw a real farm with all the animals. Also, we went to a fun children's museum and the "Festival of Trees" at the convention center. There were hundreds of beautiful trees and Christmas decorations that had all been uniquely decorated and donated by different families and companies. They all had been auctioned off to benefit the children's hospital. There were lots of yummy treats there, and fun activities for the kids. This was such a fun trip, and I even got an adult night out with my brother and sister-in-law, Jeff and Elise, to see a movie. (Thanks to Grandma Debbie and Jim for babysitting six hyper grandkids!) This little vacation was a memorable, great time. I wish John could have come with us, but the breadwinner was devout to his duty. I also have to thank Elise for working for Jet Blue, which makes all of these fun trips possible.

Snow Day Video

Snow Day Part II

Today was unbelievable! I've been in Vegas since day 1, and I've never seen any snow storm like this before. Monday was fun, but this was a true winter storm. I love looking at all the white covering the trees and the ground. You can't even see a trace of the ugly desert landscaping underneath. Driving in this craziness was kind of scary, but who wants to leave the house in this weather? Everything has shut down. Coy's Christmas program was cancelled, Christian's youth group at church was cancelled, and like I stated before.....school is cancelled!!! The kids have absolutely loved this. The video I'm about to post shows Coy in a grumpy, non-snow loving kind of mood. However, after a warm bath, he perked up and was begging to go play out in the snow. Of course, John had his typical, fun appeal that attracted kids from the neighborhood that I didn't even know existed. After several snowmen, snow forts, and snowball fights, everyone was ready for another warm bath and some hot chocolate. This unexpected weather has given us a memorable, fun 2008 holiday season that we will never forget. Heck, no work tomorrow? Babe, start another movie!

School Canceled!

Hee Hee! I don't have to work tomorrow! Thank you, God, for the miracle of white stuff. I love it!

No school Thursday due to bad weather
Wednesday December 17, 2008 - General

Due to weather conditions and for the safety of students, all Clark County School District schools will be closed tomorrow (Thursday). Students should not report to campus. All administrators, 12-month employees, and office staff should report to work as usual. Teachers, other classroom employees and bus drivers are not expected to report to work since a makeup day may be scheduled later in the year. All school-based Food Service personnel, Food Service truck drivers and warehousers are not to report for work. However, all other Food Service personnel shall report for work or contact their supervisor.

The last snow day was in 1979 when my mom was teaching and was very pregnant with my big sis. Too bad Christian is on track break; he would have loved the extra day off.

Snow Day

Yesterday, we had some crazy weather. It was raining from the time we woke up, and around 9 am the rain turned into little white flakes. The kids were in shock. I've always told them we wouldn't have any snow where we live because it's the desert. Coy yelled when he saw it and said, "See mom, I told you it can snow at our house. It's Christmas today!" That took a little explaining. I didn't realize that living so far southwest in the valley would be a noticeable change in temperature. As I drove Coy home from preschool about 15 miles away, the temperature dropped 10 degrees, and the rain turned into snow. The kids were very disappointed that their attempts at a snowman never left the ground. They tried to make snowballs, but they were just throwing slush. I'm not sure why, but they kept refilling huge Tupperware bowls full of ice and dumping them in the backyard. Somehow that added to the fun. The snow continued all day, and the cars were covered in white. But like any snow in Vegas, it didn't stick around. The only evidence of our snow day is the far off mountains that are now white. I'm glad the kids got to experience a little bit of true winter time. They were quite done with it after 30 minutes. They all ran inside and jumped in the tub. I guess the cold is only fun for a short while.

In a Fog

Fog is something I have seen in movies, scary movies. Fog doesn't really exist like that, right?? Well, that's what I thought until a couple of days ago. Being a desert rat my whole life, fog is folklore to me. I've always thought highly of California until now. It has Disneyland, much of my family, the warm beaches, the cold beaches, and beautiful scenery. This was my distorted view of CA, but not anymore. Thursday night, as I drove with my kids and mom to visit the sis in Yuba City, CA, I thought my death was going to include a semi and a sad call to the husband from the California highway patrol. I was in shock at the huge blanket of fog that surrounded me for about three hours. I could not see more than ten feet in front of me. My only hope of staying in the lane was by hyper-focusing on the two lines on either side of me. I'd heard of this evil fog getting people into big trouble on the road, and now, I'm a believer. I've never been so stressed in my life. As I look at my hands right now, I have three blisters on my palms from gripping the wheel so tightly. The kids were in the backseat fussing about snacks, which DVD to watch next, and who had dropped their toy on the floor. It was all I could do to not turn into Incredible Hulk momma and start some smashing of my own. I was very resentful of the fact that they were not sensing my stress level. My oldest, Christian, figured it out quickly and soon became nervous himself. I was praying like a mad-woman as my eyes started to play tricks on me. I considered just pulling over onto the shoulder and crying, but being in the middle of nowhere land, hanging out on the side of the road, didn't sound like such a good idea either. Well, did we pull through?? Eventually we made it to our destination, two hours behind schedule. Kids don't seem to appreciate being pulled from the car, sleeping at 2 am. I finally have a pro on my "Living in Las Vegas" side of the board. So, to put it mildly, fog is evil; I completely understand why it is in most scary movies now. It's terrifying.

Thanksgiving Pics

We had a fun Thanksgiving this year. It was quiet but nice. The kids were really into the Macy's Parade this year. While I was cooking, I had my non-sporty husband turn on a football game so it would feel like the Thanksgivings of my childhood. We had a visit from Uncle Jay and Aunt Lady (Katie). John also had a good friend from work join us for dinner. There was an abundance of food; my mom trained me well. I missed being with my parents and extended family, but we had our first Thanksgiving in our own house, and it was a good feeling.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We all hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. I thought it would be fun to have the kids tell me what they are thankful for this year. They, once again, amused me. I am very thankful for them. They make everyday interesting and fun, in one way or another.

H is for Hat

Coy was learning about the letter "H" last week in preschool. On Friday, they had Crazy Hat Day. Coy was very proud of his hat, and he kept it on all day.

Eight Years Later

A few weeks ago John and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. I can't believe how fast time has gone by. It was 12 years ago that I first laid eyes on my future guy to be. He looked so mysterious standing against the wall in the choir room as the teacher introduced him as the new kid from New Jersey. Oooh, he must be an East Coast bad boy with an accent, we all thought. He looked tall, dark, handsome, and mysterious. Just a short time later we learned the truth. He was actually from Kansas and Salt Lake, he walked on his hands more than his feet, and he thought he was one of the Backstreet Boys. If you could hear me now, I'm doing that "waaa waaa waaa" noise.....disappointment. After a couple years of just eye flirting and thinking the other one was stuck-up, we finally started dating. He has kept me laughing ever since. Even when I feel like throwing him out of a window, he still manages to do or say something to make me laugh; which makes me even more mad but definitely deescalates any tension. I put up with constant singing, cereal eating 'round the clock, movie impersonations, and random energy spurts which result in wrestling matches (non-sexual). I know what you were thinking! I've come to realize that these are some of the many things that I love about my John Jon.com. These are his characteristics that made me fall in love with him. He is slow to anger, quick to defend, a loving, playful father, a consistent, devoted provider, and a thoughtful, caring husband. I could go on and on, but to sum it up, I can't wait till we're old and gray. I think we'll be the most entertaining old folks on the block. John made this another special anniversary by taking me to one of my top three restaurants, P.F. Changs. Then, he took me to see Cirque de Soleil's "Love" at the Mirage. Nether one of us have been on an acid trip, but if we had, we imagine that this show would be similar to the experience. Not our favorite Cirque show to date, but, to state it mildly, psychedelic. We then went to the Palms Hotel for the night. Thanks mom, for the well-done babysitting. At the Palms, we were reminded that we seem to be getting old. Did we hit the blackjack tables, check out the nightlife, or just enjoy the night of mommy and daddy freedom?? Nope. We were two old fogies who crashed at 11:00 pm from exhaustion. We had a great time. He even took me to I-Hop the next morning. What a guy! Thanks for all the fun, baby!

My handsome sugar daddy

He always ruins our self-portraits.

Pumpkin Patch

Anyone in Vegas knows that a casino parking lot and a pumpkin patch are one and the same. They attempt to make the atmosphere more realistic by spreading hay all over the asphalt and placing pumpkins as far as the eye can see. The kids love it, and I used to think it was fun back when Christian was an only child. Now, all I feel is anxiety over fear that a carnie folk is going to snatch one of my offspring and put them to work walking sickly looking ponies around in circles. Well, not really, but the thought has entered my mind. Coy is a wonderer; never one to follow the crowd. Whenever I turn around he has disappeared, so I find these carnival/ pumpkin patches nerve wracking. Despite all that, I did my motherly duty and took them a couple of times this year.

Commander in Chief

It's 11:50 p.m., and after a glass of Riesling and a frozen burrito smothered in melted cheese, my sense of gloom and depression have yet to lift. John told me to just go to bed and not worry about it. He said, "It wouldn't have been much better if McCain had won." I understand his point, but now, I feel this overwhelming uneasiness about the future; about my children's future. Before yesterday, I knew the basic facts about the candidates' views and their positions on important issues. Based on what I was told by Fox News and Michael Savage, I was convinced that McCain was the best option and Obama simply wouldn't do. I'm not sure why, but after getting a poll call last night I started digging a little deeper into issues I've always deemed as being majorly important to me. This automated voice on the phone was being sponsored by some Catholic Republican organization, and they specifically pointed out a few details about Obama that I have previously heard. Being this close to the election, I took these detailed comments a bit more to heart. The voice on the phone mentioned that Barack Obama was in support of a woman's "Right to Choose" in any circumstance. This means that even if the woman is 9 months pregnant, if she has any reason for not wanting a baby, she should, by law, be allowed to have an abortion. Let's put foreign policy, the economy, and gay marriage aside for a second. Who is this new president we are dealing with? A man who could support and has repeatedly voted in favor for no penalty against physicians who perform partial-birth abortions. Words can only convey so much. I started to research a bit more into the world of abortion and late-term abortion, and to state it bluntly, I'm devastated. What I've seen through my searching over the last day or so has deeply affected me. I know this information has been available for a quite some time, but it is new to me. It's true that a picture is worth a million words. This is the first time I have been in tears over an image I was viewing. I am a mother, so perhaps I have stronger feelings than others, but this is what our new leader stands for......This is a picture of a baby who miraculously survived a late-term abortion. The doctor then, took him to another room and waited for him to suffocate.

There were so many gruesome images I wouldn't post, but this gives you an idea. This is what our nation will soon support, and it scares me.


Interesting way to view human life.
I have a feeling that things are going to get bad very quickly. This is just one of the many issues I have with our new president. An issue that seems to strike a chord within me. I've seen the following compilation of Bible verses several times before; now, it seems to be very relevant to what I am feeling.

Father's Love Letter

An Intimate Message From God To You.

My Child,You may not know me, but I know everything about you. Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up. Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways. Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image. Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring. Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived. Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation. Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb. Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born. Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me.John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. 1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. 1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father. Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore.Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you. Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession. Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul. Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things. Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires. Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth.Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus.John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being. Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you. Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. 1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. 1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again.Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen.Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father.Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…Will you be my child? John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you. Luke 15:11-32

Love,

Your Dad, Almighty God

What Happened, Dorothy?

Dorothy has been having some hard times.

Halloween Video

You have to pause the music at the bottom of the page to hear the video.

I Thought Halloween Was One Day

Halloween seemed to last a week this year. I'm not a big fan of this yearly event, but I know the kids love it. When I was little we didn't even acknowledge Halloween, and we just went to Disneyland because we always had the Nevada Day three-day weekend. The kids like to dress up, so I'll deal with it for a few more years. I told Christian we have a new family rule. No more dressing up after the age of ten. It irritates me to see junior highers running around late at night without their parents trying to get candy. This week started with a costume parade and harvest party at Coy's school. Then Christian had a parade and party at his school. I was the parent helper for the party, and I helped the kids decorate their own sugar cookies. On Halloween we went to Town Square for a bit, but it was insanely crowded. I kept thinking I was going to lose a child, so we didn't stay long. Corinne doesn't dig the adults that are dressed up; she's not sure if it's real or not, and there were a lot of adults dressed up at Town Square. Then, we went to our church for Trunk or Treat. The kids got lots of candy and their costumes were a hit. Corinne was Dorothy and Coy was the Tin Man. This is all because Coy has been obsessed with the Wizard of Oz recently. I tried to convince Christian to be the Scarecrow or the Cowardly Lion, but that was not cool. He had to be a ninja. It was a fun night, and the best part was bath time when all the face paint and sparkly makeup was floating in the water. We all slept very well that night. I also need to apologize to my kids for eating every single Reese's Peanut Butter Cup out of their treat bags. I have a problem. Mommy's going to get help.

Happy Halloween!

Sorry! I couldn't resist.

Some September Stuff

These last couple of months have been crazy. I haven't been able to keep up with posting or putting up pictures that I've wanted to. I thought that life out of the baby zone would be calmer, but it seems like the older they get, the more hectic the schedule is. At the end of September, I had a fun double date, birthday dinner with my main squeeze, Diana, and Tony. On my actual birthday I got home late from choir practice, and I was exhausted. So, we decided we would go out another night. Diana and I both have September B-Days, so we just decided to do an end of the month get together. We went to Benihana, and we had a lot of fun. It was mostly girl talk; the boys really weren't necessary. Oh wait, that's right; we needed them to pay. John and I love Benihana. It has sentimental value. He took me there for our senior prom...ahhhhh. Thanks Diana and Tony for my gift; I'm enjoying all of my new bath toys.

Props to the Real Teachers

For the last seven days I have been teaching a Pre-K Title 1 class in North Las Vegas. I normally only work a couple days of week, but a teacher I know asked me, a while ago, to take her class while she went on vacation. I've had two days to recover, and I'm still exhausted. Twenty 4-year-olds for six hours everyday, feeding them breakfast and lunch, trying to teach them the basics, dancing around and singing like an idiot with puppets and scarves, butchering the little Espanol that I remember from school, being sneezed on, bled on, and cried on all while trying to make these kiddos feel special. The end result, I went cross-eyed. This girl was not cut out to be a full-time working woman; especially when I start my second (more important job) when I get home. At least now I know, I am not real teacher material. I have gained a lot of respect for those moms that teach everyday, then come home to their own kids. It takes more energy than running a marathon. Then, I start to think about the single moms making it all work. Incredible! Why do these men and women not get paid more? Could I do it if I had to? Sure, but I would be one grouchy momma!

First Day

Yes, school started over a month ago, but I wanted to show Christian and Coy's first day of school pictures. Christian is now in second grade and Coy is in 4-year-old preschool. They both love school, and are doing very well. Christian (Mr. Smarty Pants) will nearly cry when he gets an A-. He is very competitive, especially at school. So, we are trying to help him understand that as long as he is doing his best, it doesn't matter what anyone else is doing. Christian is very social, of course he wants to be the leader, but he loves being around all the kids. Every activity going on at his school, he wants to be involved with. By the way, having your first born make school look like a piece of cake is not easy. I'm trying to keep an open mind that Christian is not the norm, so I won't automatically expect the same from Coy and Corinne. I already know that Coy learns much differently than Christian, and I have to work with him more. Coy loves preschool, I think mostly because of the dress-up corner. He already has found his future wife there, and the other night, during his prayers, he said,"Thank you for Kylie to be my wife when I am bigger." I guess big events do take place in preschool. The teachers at his school have had to rearrange a few things because of Coy's love for dressing up. One morning, Coy's teacher had noticed that he had been in the bathroom a very long time. Miss Lisa finally went in and discovered that Coy had taken every change of clothes out of the individual Ziploc baggies that were in the cabinet for the students in case of an accident. He was standing there buck naked about to try on yet another outfit. So, they had to move the emergency clothes to another bathroom. Another time, Coy had come home with his pants on backwards for the second time, and his underwear was seeming to vanish. I realized that he was, once again, getting into a high shelf in the preschool bathroom, taking off his underwear, and putting on the cool looking "Toy Story" pull-ups. Yes, those also had to be removed from his classroom's bathroom. He told me they were so cool, and he didn't care if they were for babies. I will be shocked if Coy is not an actor or performer of some kind. He always entertains me. Corinne will be in the 3-year-old preschool next year, and she can't wait. She always wants to stay when we drop Coy off. I am enjoying the girl time we have after we drop the boys off. So, here's the pictures.

Patience and Wisdom

This is so funny! Thanks for the forward, Debbie.

Summer Fun With Cousins

This past July and August we were able to visit with some of the cousins from my side of the family and John's side. The kids all had a blast together. In July we went to visit my sister in California after she had baby Eli. My mom and I tried to help by taking two of her kiddos, Tori and Luke with us to visit my dad in Eureka, CA. They all had fun visiting Grandpa and playing at the beach when it was 65 degrees outside. Then in August, John's sis, Elise, and her three kiddos, Josh, Grant, and Lauren came to visit for a couple of days. They all had fun together at the museum and swimming at the lagoon by Grandpa Tony and Diana's house. Yes, having all these kiddos together at the same time is very loud and lively, but I'm so glad they were all able to visit each other. My favorite memories as a kid are from when I went to visit and stay with cousins. Hopefully, my kids will have the same experience.

New Kids Fan For Life

So, there I was last Thursday morning just hanging out with the kiddos when I get a phone call. It's my sister, Bethany, and she has called me to brag that in eight hours she will be in Sacramento at the New Kids on the Block concert. Her husband, Lex, has agreed to go along because, well, he is confident in his masculinity and everyone will understand that he is just doing is husbandly duty. Here's a little background on this group and the Badouin girls. For both of us, it was our first concert in 1990. Bethany is my big sister, so of course whatever she thought was cool I did as well. We had every tape, the t-shirts, the dolls, the posters, the black hats that Jordan wore, and every Big Bopper magazine that they graced the cover of. We watched every New Kids cartoon on Saturday mornings, and my sister loyally wrote to them asking if they would come to her 13th birthday party. By the way, she did sit-ups religiously each night just knowing that soon she would meet them, and she needed to look her best. New Kids fizzled and they all went their separate ways, but last year they reunited to make a new album after 15 years and tour around the U.S. I tell my sis that I want to go and that it's not fair I can't be there. Bethany informs me that she had bought a four pack of tickets, so I should just zap myself up there and go with them. "Yeah right", I think, but then I start to plot how this could actually happen. My sweet sister-in-law works for Jet Blue and seems to make vacations happen, and both mom and dad are more than willing to give me their credit they had on Southwest which would expire soon if unused. My mom offers to be the nanny for the next couple of days and tells me to go for it. Could this miraculous event actually come to pass? One last obstacle to jump-convince the other half that this is a great idea and have him agree to let me jet off for a couple of days. Let's face it, the world crumbles for the little ones when mom's not around, especially for Corinne. This can be stressful when one is on daddy duty. As I cross my fingers and put a cute twang in my voice, he whole-heartedly tells me to have a great time. So, I rush to pack and scramble to make myself look like a cute New Kids fan. Lets face it, their fan base is a bunch of twenty to thirty something married moms; how hot am I expected to look? I got to the airport just in time, and my promises of candy and toys when I return is the only thing that keeps Corinne breathing. Coy just lets me know what kind of candy, exactly, he wants. Thank goodness Christian was still at school during this time, because if he knew I was going to visit his cousins without him, he would have thrown a fit. I enjoyed the first plane ride I have taken by myself since having children. Actually, this was my first trip alone in eight years. I had to just smile when I heard babies screaming on the plane. I looked at the moms with sympathy, but definitely with a sincere, "I'm glad that isn't me." I was even able to read during the flight. I forgot that was possible. Once Bethany and Lex arrived at the airport to pick me up I screamed out, "Hey Lex, are you ready to rock at the New Kids on the Block concert?" As people turned to look at him while he was blushing, my mission was accomplished. I told him not to be ashamed of his love for New Kids. The concert was great; I felt like a teeny bopper again, as did all the other grown women who had escaped life for one night to reunite with their former love. I saw lots of husbands with that, "I can't believe I let her drag me to this" look on their faces. So, by the time the night was over, Bethany, Lex, and I had been able to act like kids again. We got to relive a bit of the past. Thanks, sis, for the concert. It was the most fun I've had in a long time. I wish John could have been there. He would have loved it! We all know he was in junior high, up in his room, practicing the New Kids moves, hoping that one day he would be just like them. He still does the dances quite well. Maybe in 15 more years they'll have another reunion, and I'll be there dancing and singing, wrinkles and all.