Camode lake

Lying in bed yesterday with Lyn and Catherine we had this funny sense that something was not quite right. Jack had been just a bit too quiet in the other room and that is never good. Then there was this funny noise, sounding a bit like the river down the street. I would hear Lyn about ten seconds later and the next thing I knew I was ankle deep in bathroom water. Jack had stuffed a whole roll of toilet paper in the toilet. He just stood there looking at me..like what..me?? what you lookin at daddy?? He's so lucky he's cute.

The girls have been all over me to let them create their own blog, like the nick show i-carly.com. so we have an i-laura.com and i-princesscatherine.com and others with jimmy and jack.

Jimmy has been doing fantastic in sports. Today in his basketball game, he scored 14 points and his team won 18-4. He's an agressive player. Sometimes it seems like its tackle basketball. Threw another hockey picture in there too.

Catherine has been trying like crazy to spell her name. Its not quite fair that she has such a long complicated name. we make it as homework and its on the wall for her.

I got to go to Laura and Catherines dance this week. We played with Jen's kids in the play room. Those kids are hoots. they like to sing and smile.

Jack has been his regular crazy self. He's been very clingy lately too. He's like my little mini-me. Lyn says that he's just like me.

The three youngest also put on a play for us in the living room today.

Because our anniversary is coming up the girls made us a cake today. Got some cute pictures of them making the chocolate cake.

Aunt Jo gave us some scratch tickets for our anniversary and we won $90.

Weee Hoooooooooooooooooooooo

Jimmy had a hockey game on Saturday against, by far, the most obnoxious team in the state. He was goalie and was stopping everything that they threw at him. The score was 1-0 the whole game when for some reason the coach for the other team called for a penalty shot against us. He didnt take losing very well. I kind of took Jimmy out of the shot because I was busy watching. I got a little fired up as did the rest of the fans in the stands. The game ended at 1-0

After watching the video for about the 100th time I realized I matched them for being obnoxious. Its hard not to get carried away though when the other fans are screaming like they were, not to mention the phantom penalty.....Another page right out of the perfect parenting book that must have been ripped out before I read it.

Jimmy's Pro debut

The long awaited debut came on sunday prior to the Lowell Devils hockey game. Down 4-0 in the second period, the maroon team needed a spark. What they got was two goals in a row from our own little number 5. He had 32 fans show up for the game to cheer him on. He said he didnt hear us in the crowd but he was grinning ear to ear. His goals turned the tide and his team ended up in a 4-4 tie.
After the game we all stayed for the 'real' pro game. There is this mascot that walks around, the Devil Dawg. Catherine was absolutely petrified of the devil. As we took a couple of walks around the stadium during the game, she would absolutely freak out whenever we went by the little Dawg. By the end of the game my little angel saw Laura and Makayla going up to him and she eventually caved in and joined them.
All the kids somehow fit into the doghouse. pretty cool day. We were so excited about his game. It wasnt so much the actual goals but the hustle he has. Manny, he is not.

The Ump's Birthday party

Tonight was the ump's birthday party at the old ranch. Aunt Paula and uncle Bobby came by to celebrate along with Aunt Janie, Chrissy, Kara, Nana, Doe, Makayla and Dominick, Erin and the little buggahs. We had a football birthday cake and some cool gifts for the ump. The kids were very excited all week to be able to sing and celebrate. Bobby brought two pounds of shrimp and I must say, they were very good.
After the party we went to the gentlemans club for some entertainment and liquid refreshments.
Catherine wasnt feeling all too good tonight as she passed out before seven p.m.. She ended up in bed with us last night so I think she was out of sorts.
Plans were made for a trip to Camden yards this year. It will be Jimmy's first trip on an airplane and everyone is so nervous about it. I dont think it will be a problem for him to be left alone in the hotel room so that Eddie and I can go out....nah...I'm thinking his hand wont leave mine the whole weekend.
Aunt Jo watched the kids all day while Mommy and I went to Boston for my monthly appointments. Jack was very good I hear....but I dont hear the bad...but I reallly think he was okay. Laura and Jimmy went skiing tonight again and some guy tried picking up Lyn asking her if there was a Mr. Snow Bunny...........I cant leave her anywhere.

Kidding ourselves

The problem about growing up in New England AND growing up a Red Sox fan, well, there are lots..but the major point is that when things (like the weather) are going well, you keep reading to find out when the blizzard is coming.
I dont want to get too excited about spring coming but the good news is that today was the first sign of the (Sp)Rings. We had only seen them to wave since the winter has begun. One of the benefits of this neighborhood is to see them outside enjoying themselves with their grandkids. We spend alot of time either on the streets or in the yards riding bikes or gabbing up a storm with them and just having fun with the kids.
Today was such a beautiful day. After I got home from work it seemed like such a shame to go to sleep so we went out and did some errands and had breakfast with the two youngest. After breakfast we went over to the cheap card and gift store where Catherine finally got her journal and Jack got a pen. My mother always used to tell me that if you do for one you have to do for all. So when Laura got home from school we knew it was a matter of time before she would be out of sorts because Catherine got special treatment. Laura was a little off when she got home from school. Lyn and I took her to the bedroom to try and find out what was wrong but it ended up being a girlie moment, she said she was angry because there was nothing on TV.
Being the textbook parent I figured I would buy my way out of her bad mood so I took her and Catherine to WalMart and bought them a High School musical DVD. Again, it was no use going there with only one because you cant go without the other. After we got in the car Laura was right back to being Laura. She was gabbing up a storm. She is so funny just to have a conversation with. During the ride she was telling me about one of her friends from school who doesnt talk that much. Laura apparently goes over to her at recess while she is sitting alone on the ground and joins her. The recess monitor tells them to get up and move around so they dont freeze to the ground. Laura somehow processed in her mind and thought it was very funny.
Frankie still hasnt gotten over the whole tree through the roof thing. He never used to bark when people would come to the door. Only since the missile launch.
The whole family went over Nana's house without me tonight. I was supposed to be sleeping. It could really just be too quiet to sleep.
Lyn and I have plotted the course for an anniversary weekend. The checklists have started. Number one on the list is to make sure to read the menu before ordering. Last year, we drank two bottles of $400 wine(I say "we" to be kind to the bride). It was one of those really needed weekends where it just didnt matter anyway.
I really liked the place we are staying, same as last year. The only thing, the toilet bowl.......the bathroom is so very spacious but the toilet bowl, the toilet bowl, seems to be in the middle of the room. I prefer to have my toilet bowls up against a wall or tucked in a corner, not really plopped in the middle of the room with little room for dividers. You feel like you are out there for the whole world to see.

Six of one, half dozen of the other...grrr

And I thought I just posted the other day. This week just absolutely flew by. Most of the time we dont know what day it is until the kids tell us that its almost pizza day (Friday). Speaking of Friday, the two oldest are just loving their skiing lessons. That Laura has just improved so much on the slopes, I'm so impressed. The camera is coming with me this Friday to catch her. I watched her last week and didnt even see her fall once....not once, maybe ten times...hardy har har...she actually was awesome. Jimmy is another story, he is just flying all over the place. I dont remember why, but on Saturday Jimmy didnt make his basketball game.....might have been something religious.....see what I mean, who the hell knows.
On Sunday, mommy went to a baby shower for cousin Rachel. That gave us kids the chance to go outside in the snow and raise hell. Jimmy stayed inside because he wasnt feeling all that well. He said he wanted to watch us like he did on Easter. Well, the girls sat on the snowbank on the street and told me it was Laura's house. Jack and I sat on the tailgate of the hillbilly minivan for a spell and then he sat inside the car because he just wanted to watch. At one point the girls went to stickland and to make us more of the white trash family, I got an outdoor chair and plopped it in the snow so I could bring jack over and just sit there, instead of having to stand or get my bottom wet. We were out there for quite a while until Catherine was getting cold and we went in the house.
Its amazing how much Jack has just been singing on and on. Its Blues Clues mostly but he's added "so what" (i'm a rock star) with Catherine's help. I guess its a popular song with all the kiddies. He came over to me tonight, jumped on my lap and demanded for me to do the "wheels on the bus". He likes it when the people on the bus go up and down. He clenches his fist to say "again, again, again". I think Kara taught us that move a long long time ago.
The email came the other day about the baseball season. I have to get the kids motivated to play because his mind has been preoccupied with hockey. Next years hockey is four days a week. stay tuned for that one. I am manager again this year and I put in for Mike(Clayton) and Bill(Zachary) to be on the team. I also asked for Charlie but they told me that limit is two requests. I needed the coaches.
Laura had irish step tonight and she was teaching Jack and Catherine how to do the Pirouette. (I just checked the spelling on that word and I think I got it right,I"m so impressed). Anyway, she was correcting me as to where my foot should be when i am spinning. Jack seemed a little too good at it and Catherine just cannot wait to start irish step this September. She already does the tap tap thing.
I was cleaning out my old camera the other day and found some old videos that were in it. One of them was Jimmy's first baseball game and what I think was his first ever hit in a game. Even then he was so methodical about his stance, how far from the plate and such. it was very cute.

200th and....That Laura

Daddy, do you know a bum bum feels like a fruit snack??? She was just randomly walking around drawing cards for her classmates for the 100th day of class. When asked to clarify she says she said thumb thumb but I think she said bum bum. eee gads.
200th meant....my 200th post on this here blog.

Happy February

Another weekend and month done, where in the world does all the time go? This week is going to be quite different as I change shifts once again.....
The kids were pretty well behaved today as umple eddie and Scotty came over to watch the Super Bowl. Lyn wasn't feeling too good but she made some damn good food for all to eat. I ate wayyy too much. After all that food the ump wanted some Pizza Hut pizza so we had that too.
Catherine keeps getting cuter every day. She just snuggles up and is so happy with whatever we do. She keeps talking about her birthday and what we are going to do for it. She's been talking about going to Chucky Cheese for along time. No matter what we do with her she is just such a smiling, happy, little girl.
Jimmy and Laura made a video where they pretended they were on the moon and were bouncing up and down. Jimmy, of course, took the opportunity to lift his shirt and rub his belly like the guy we saw at the Bruins game. And speaking of professional hockey games......James will be playing in a pro stadium next month with his team. I would like to tell you he is out of his mind psyched but I cant see beyond my excitement for him. I love when the kids go to his hockey games and cheer him on, especially Jack.
Tonight I walked downstairs and hardly felt any pain in my back. I didnt (and dont) know what to do so I"m here writing. I woke up Lyn to tell her so she told me to have fun with it then....whatever that means....Maybe the secret is to stuff my face with all kinds of fatty foods, devil dogs, pizza and ice cream cake. That might be it.
Jimmy also had his second basketball game yesterday and he did so much better. He was passing the ball well as well as dribbling. I had a bad influence on my direct right hand side so I had to bow my head during halftime at the Christian basketball league and promise not to look up...or else I think. Jimmy ended up with four points again with much less shots. He was really impressive.
Speaking of the religious child, James had his first penance on Saturday. We went into the church and the church lady was at the front of the church and directed us all as to what to do. Nana showed up. Jimmy was nervous, cute actually, before he went in. I could see him as he was talking to the priest. I actually felt bad that I was watching but its kind of irresistable because he is so cute. Anyway, we went and lit a candle for Grammy Franny and Pop pop and then left a little while later. When we went home later on, he was downstairs and he approached me sort of cautiously. I could tell he had something to say. He and his buddy Zach had put masking tape on the wood floor downstairs to mark the floor hockey area. He was so afraid that he was going to be in trouble for it. He even asked "Am I in trouble for this?". Maybe I should have taken advantage...not really. First communion is coming soon.