CHRISTMAS 2011

The christmas tree didnt look so promising at the tree store but once we brought it home it really looked nice. As the years have gone by we've tried different things on the tree. We started with only white lights and a different angel and now its all white lights and a couple of strings of colored lights. Its good that the ornaments are hung all over the place. I dont think a neat tree would really fit with these kids. Every year we tend to lose some due to breakage.

Another Christmas Eve tradition is my reading of the Night Before Christmas book. Its quite unbelievable that we have the same book as I read to Jimmy his first year. The last two years i've had to read it before I went to work but we still had laughs.

I never thought the back yard room would be clean again after the tornado of presents hit.

closest to the camera will show that now, every family in america has a flat screen television as we were the last family to get one. Thank you Santa.

For some reason the "that was easy" button keeps getting lost.....

Catherine yells out with every gift showing us what she got like she had been waiting fifty years to get it. She's so cute and appreciative.

Jimmy got a phone.

Another Holiday season

Christmas time around here....whew, talk about nonstop action. I suppose with four kids we should expect nothing less. Its not the things we expect to be busy with, its the things that are the proverbial forks in the road. There was no sleep around the house this week as we all got ready for the little chubby guy to show up with his reindeers. I suppose we all get sappy this time of year. I cant help but think back to all those years on Broadway street and wonder how my parents did it with nine kids and kept us all happy. I remember specific things like my mother worrying that we didnt get enough stuff, of course I always thought there were plenty of toys for us. I remember the Big Wheel one year. I rode that sucker until the wheels practically fell off. Then there was the Huffy 4 bike, all black with spokes. I remember it was so shiny and I swear I can still smell the newness of it. Mum let me ride it on Madonna circle on Christmas morning in the snow. I thought that was so cool riding my bike through the snow. I know I had it for a long time. Its amazing I never got into motorcycles after riding that thing for miles and miles around town. Then there was the year that Santa accidentally left presents in the closet near the tree the next day after Christmas. We must have missed them on Christmas morning because we hadn't seen them but mom found them the next day. There were stockings nailed on the wall....I mean, literally socks nailed on the wall with oranges and apples and some change stuffed inside of them. I was always so happy to see all the stuff lying around the front room. Mom, I just want to let you know, I was never disappointed with Christmas at our house. I loved every moment of it. Those are the moments I want my kids to have. I wonder what memories my little angels will have from Christmas.
Here in Christmas 2011, my little Jackie will most likely remember this year as the one that he has his first cast on his left arm. When he was getting it placed on his arm, he was telling the cast guy that he checked and knows that it wont affect his ability to open presents on Christmas morning. Catherine had a blast putting up ornaments on the Christmas tree. It was her year to put the angel on the top of the tree. She told me for three days straight how she wanted to be the one to put it there this year. Its an irish lady and after much practice and some patience she was able to nail it on the first (or second, maybe third) attempt. She's got such a precious little voice and she appreciates every moment of the season. Laura just loves to sing and play everything out. We have practiced alot of Christmas songs. She loves to add her own words. She wants us to make a video of Grandma got run over by a reindeer. Auntie Paula actually googled the lyrics to the song so i think we will make a video of it. I have to get that girl into acting classes. Our Jimmy has grown up this year and makes a comment to me every time I mention Santa Clause, if you know what I mean. I have not given in one inch. I am in denial about the whole thing about him growing up. We've gone from Barney toys to Xbox games a little too fast if you ask me. I know he's ten but there is no need to rush these things. i just want him to remain a little boy a bit longer. He was so good with Jacks new injury this week. While he was playing his games he had Jack come downstairs and he even brought a pillow with him so Jack could rest his arm and be comfortable. Really cute. He is a good kid.
Lyn has been running around like crazy making sure everything is in place for this weekend. Every bit of extra time she's been mad shopping and making things right around the house for the holiday madness.
We have our own traditions now and we absolutely cherish them. Its funny how Christmas isnt played out too much in this house though. We like to have our fun all year round. I know it sounds corny but we do certain things all the time that make Christmas just seem like a commericalized stop over for the other things that we do. Our traditions are spending time at Georges with the Ump and Auntie Paula or taking some Sundays to spend together playing ball. There is alot of singing that goes around here. We go to Nana's house a couple of times a week and they all love her spaghetti and wandering around her apartment getting into trouble with Doe. I hope they remember those things just as much, if not more than having Santa come on Christmas morning. They all have good friends and wonderul adults who cater to them all the time. I hope they remember Aunt Jo coming over on Saturdays making Gingerbread men, doing puzzles,bringing munchkins and spoiling the hell out of them.
As I'm sitting here at almost 1am Jack just fell out of Catherine's bed and into the sliding drawer on the side of her bed. He is a transient sleeper. Its a chore some nights to figure out where he laid his head to fall asleep. He is a wanderer that one. One night Lyn sent me a text picture of him lying on the hallway carpet outside our bedroom fast asleep. Every time I get flustered with him I have to take a breath and realize that he is me, or I was him at that age. According to all that knew me anyway. Poor Patrick......I wonder what stories Jimmy will remember or how he terrorized him!!! The next two days should be fun.

Look what he's done now

Year in review

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncr-qHEGdxc&feature=youtube_gdata

Peter Pan day in Boston

Or as Jack would call him, Peter Panda. Aunt Jo had given us all tickets for mister pan's show for Christmas so off we went today. We all piled into the swagger wagon a little before noontime and headed to pick up mommy from work for the show. With plenty of time to spare we got into the show tent and stuffed ourselves on popcorn, sprite and coke. What a great show for the kids. Uncle Jamie and Kara, Jacob, Emily and Erin joined us for this star studded event. The venue was a portable theater that was set up to hold about 1,500 people inside of an air tent. Because it was Peter Pan, there had to be some sort of steel structure to it to hold the wires for the people flying all over the place during the show. Jack sat over with mommy and was really into the fight scenes where Peter was fighting with captain hook. He was cheering for Captain Hook of course, the villain. Everything about the show was done perfectly, especially the timing because it didnt seem to drag on or be too quick or too long. The acting was great and everything was right in front of us so everyone was able to keep up with the story.
After the end of the show, we had dinner reservations at the Fire and Ice restaurant in copley. Umple Eddie came and met us there with Andrea. We took the Green line from government center to copley, which was fun with them The kids really love it at Fire and ice. So much so that they keep asking to go there.

As a refresher on what Fire and Ice is, I will say that you go around the outer perimeter of the restaurant, pick up raw food and bring it to the center of the floor where about five or six chefs cook the meal right in front of you. Its a really fun thing to do with the kids. After the food is sufficiently dead and eaten then its time for the ice cream and plenty of fillings. It was very loud at the restaurant tonight which is a good thing because we don't have to shooshing our little buggahs. no matter though because all seven of them were very, very well behaved. I had to keep my ear open for what Laura was saying to Andrea. There are very little secrets with Laura around so its always a bit hairy when she gets that sweet laugh of hers going on. She's told some really good ones before. Jack didn't smash anything and Laura didnt seem to give out the family secrets at all so i think we survived just fine. The kids also brought some of their electronics to keep them occupied while we waited.
After we filled ourselves up to the rim, we left behind the ump and Andy and off we went to the frozen confines of the North End. I dropped the lot of them off at a coffee shop next to Mike's pastries and returned shortly after. It was a nice place where all the kids were sharing tables like adults eating pastries and drinking soda or water. they are getting older and its so fun to hang with the cousins because they all get along so well with each other.

When you look back at the whole darn day, we are so lucky to have times like these with the kids and friends we have. Its such a blessing that all the kids just adore each other. they practically interchangable with each other. Also, the kids love their Umple Eddie and share most every special moment they have with him. I am glad they have such a great time because they make it so much fun for everyone around them. They are definitely spoiled but so are we.

First Family Christmas party

Here it is, this time of year is officially beginning. The weather has been absolutely beautiful for this time of year. The only blip we had was halloween but otherwise its been great. Today was my family Christmas party. Jimmy had to go to baseball practice in the morning and we had to go pick him up then rush to the party. For the second year in a row, we had our debit card attacked and now again we are approaching the holiday season with no card to buy anything. Arggh! Last year, it was the Santa Claus at the mall who got our card grabbed. This year, i think it was the itunes thingamajig that sucked us in.

Umple Eddie and auntie Paula joined us at the party. I walked in and Paula was up boogying on the dance floor. Between Paula and Eddie they have lost about two hundred pounds this year. I think I might be the bad influence with all the bad food that I love.

I'm thinking that I miss the days where Jackie cried every time he saw Santa Claus. Now he is so cool with him and they get deep in conversation. He's such a womanizer. Last week we went to Friendly's with the ump and mommy and Jack wrote his name and phone number (my cell phone number) on the paper mat.

Kyle with Tommy. Of course Jack also spent alot of the time chasing Kyle around the place.

Auntie Paula went right over to Santa's lap and gave her wish list.

Jimmy is getting so

Black Friday at the Gahden...second year in a row

For the second year in a row, James and I took in the Bruins game at the Gahden. As is our custom with regards to Bruins games, we took the train in and had a blast, especially me just listening to his take on how the game was going to go. We've had some good times going to Bruin games over the years and have also seen some good games. Usually, we get into the North Station early and Jimmy wants 10 chicken mcnuggets, large french fries and a large drink. He must have been all snacked out because we walked to the counter and he decided not to have anything at all.......He snapped out of it once we got inside the garden. Not his usually empty stomach but he still put down a whole pizza by himself. We also took in the usual trips to the crowded bathroom. I'm always so aware of the people around us and its funny to see how much older Jimmy is getting. Where I used to make sure he wasn't two feet away from me, I can now say to him that I'll meet him at the sinks when we are done and trust him to be there.....well, i'm still watching his every move. We have a pre planned place to meet just about everywhere. If we get hopelessly lost he knows to either meet me at our seats (which now I know that he knows how to get to) or I just know he's getting old enough to wait for me without freaking out. He's probably happy that i'm giving him this little freedom. While we were waiting in the line, both of us bouncing because we really really had to go, I told him that in the old Boston Garden people would just get sick of waiting and would go into the stairwell and pee right there. He laughed and didnt believe me....but it was true. Several people near us in line overheard me and chuckled because it brought back memories to them too. Oh, those old days!

During the game, there was a lady (well, umph) two rows in back of us that everytime she opened her mouth she sounded like a pig squealing. The fans in back of us took note and started getting on her. She, of course, was a Red Wings fan. Every time she squealed Jimmy and I would just laugh and laugh. I started my improvised squealing. yes, two immature little boys we were but a great laugh just the same. Those guys behind us just kept doing thier imitations and telling her boyfriend what a lucky guy he must be. It was all in good fun as she seemed to not be bothered by it all and just kept on with her squealing. Good thing we werent in Vancouver.
When we got into the garden, there were a couple of bikini (uh huh) clad girls giving away t-shirts. I told Jimmy to stand next to a little hottie for a picture. He didnt want to but the bad influence that I am, i talked him into it along with the assistance of the little trollup girl.
Charlie was also headed to the game today with his brother Sam and his uncle and aunt. We are first row balcony when we go and believe it or not, charlie and company were right below us. Eventually, we were able to get his attention which made Jimmy very happy. Jimmy is learning how to text and is bothering us non stop about getting his own phone. He told me today that he is demanding that we get him one of those slide phones that make it easy for him to text. Yeah, thats all we need. He used mine all day and was texting with charlie before the game and after. what did we ever do before these inventions. After the game, we slid right into the train to head back home. It was pretty comfortable just chilling out listening to his take on the game. He's pretty fun to be with.

kids 005.AVI

Halloween 2011

Another year of ghosts and goblins wandering around the hood This year added some punch in terms of weather, power outages and displaced kids. They all had a great time dressing up, including Jimmy, who we thought wasnt going to dress up. But alas, he did. This was Jackies year of running around collecting all the candy. He even grabbed an extra bag and told people he was collecting double for his doggie...

Catherine Q joined the kids around white maple tree. Dermot walked with us.

Pumpkin carving. Why o why dont i take classes in this "art".

Nana handed out our candies again this year. Jackie looked great as an astronaut.

Catherine loved, loved, loved her witch outfit as did Laura with her devil...This came after about two months of planning where she would bring me a magazine with different costumes and i would put the kabosh to them. They need to make more outfits for KIDS, not little harlets. She would show me these costumes that were not very appropriate.......ooooooo, how i'll love the teenage years.








She's such a smiling happy one!!! Just like the rest of them

Jimmy saw this one and loved the gore and blood.