Emma's Future In Photography

Emma's favorite Christmas toy this year seems to be the Fisher Price digital camera. She has been taking pictures everyday since Santa brought it! This little girl will hop out of no where and yell "Say Cheese!". Watch out Brangelina there's a new Paparazzi photographer in town, and she's only 3 ft tall!

Merry Christmas!

This was the best Christmas todat! It was our first Christmas in our new home, and the kids seemed to be really excited about Santa this year.

Yesterday started off very icy, however we were still able to make it out to the grocery store for some last minute food items that we needed for Christmas dinner. All day Emma was very excited about Santa coming, and Teddy fed off her excitement, which was totally awesome! After the grocery store the kids and I went for our annual Christmas eve lunch, which we do every year. All during lunch Emma was still a buzz about Santa! When we got home, Emma had received her very own personal video mail from Santa! It really seemed to make the day magical for her. After dinner, the kids and I listened to Christmas music, and baked some cookies for Santa to have as a little snack when stopped by for his visit. The kids were so excited at bedtime that it was hard to get them to bed, after a phone call from Grammy saying she spotted Rudolph's shiny red nose flying over her house, the kids went to bed.

I have to say I was packed full of excitement this morning waiting for Emma and Teddy to wake up! Every hour of last night was spent waking up and looking at a clock! Finally at 5:30 I heard a stir in one of the bedrooms....YAY! Emma was up and Ted would be sure to follow in a few minutes ! When Ted got up about a second after Emma he was the first one to practically knock everyone over, and run down stairs! He was like a little Lightning McQueen running over to the Christmas tree, clapping his hands! Emma was so excited she couldn't speak, then finally she said " He came, He really came!" The magic of that whole morning will forever be engraved in my memory. After our dinner was in our bellies, and our guests had gone home, Emma was playing around her backpack. She pulled out a little package, and brought over to where I was sitting, and said here Mommy, I made you a present. She does little things like this all time, so I thought I would just play along. Much to my surprise when I opened up the package, there really was something inside this time. Emma made the cutest little Santa handprint ornament, and another one with her school picture on it! A tear came to my eye, when she said " Merry Quismas Mommy, I wuv you !" Needless to say she got the biggest bear hug any Mom could give, and I have to say I got the most important gift anyone could get this Christmas.....My wonderful husband and cildren, whom I adore to the ends of the earth!

Kit Kittredge:An American Girl

The kids and I watched Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. It takes place during the depression era, and is a very clean family movie. Emmy and Ted were glued, they sat through the WHOLE movie, I kid you not!

Emma was even asking questions about certain parts of the movie. Dan and I were amazed at how interested they both were. Emma, was very concerned about a little girl in the movie whose house had been foreclosed on. In this particular scene they were taking her bed, and Emma asks "Why are they taking here bed? Where is she going to sleep?" We explained to her in 3 year old language what was happening, and she says "I can share my bed if it 's okay."

I highly recommend this movie, it was very cute!

Happy Birthday To My Little Angels!

Emma Louise the day you were born was a very happy day! I will never forget the first time I held you in my arms, it was glorious moment in my life! Daddy and I couldn't believe how beautiful you were, and still are. Your "no nonsense" personality was apparent from day one. You are a very sweet and special little girl! Daddy and I love you very much!

Theodore Roosevelt Miller II, always my little clown, and knowing where you wanted to be, deciding to make your debut during Emma's Birthday party, and arriving 5 weeks early. You were a tiny little thing weighing in at 6lbs 1oz! The nurses told us your name was too big for such a tiny baby, but we told them you would grow into it! You are a wonderful little boy, and you keep life hopping around here! You remind me very much of your Grandfather, Daddy and I named you right. Stay as laid back, and happy as you are! We love you!

To my little loves I say Happy Birthday and many more to come! Daddy and I love you both very much!

A Way of Saying Thank You !

Remembering Grandmom

As I look back through my life there have been many special women in my life, but none as special as my Grandmom, Mildred Nyce DeCarlo. Grandmom had an extraordinary life, she gave birth to six children, survived the depression, worked her fingers to the bone during World War II, and saw 15 Presidents take office. She always had a cookies in the cookie jar, and jellybeans at Easter.

Grandmom was born April 8, 1909 in Conshocken, Pennsylvania to James and Estelle Nyce. The only girl of four children. She left school in 1924 to work and Married my Dominic DeCarlo in 1930. She had six children between 1931 and 1943. In 1948 my grandfather died of cancer, leaving Grandmom to raise all six children alone. She never remarried! In her lifetime there had been many heartaches she lost 2 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild to accidents, but never let that get her down.

My fondest memory of Grandmom was on my 10th Birthday when she had bought me a cake, and had the waitresses at the restaurant we were eating bring it to me and sing Happy Birthday! Grandmom was very easy to talk and we often talked about her younger days as a flapper, and many other moments of her life! Her best piece of advice that she ever gave to me was " to be the best person that you can be, and that will take you far in life".

Grandmom died December 10, 2000 at 91 years old! I miss her today just as much as I did when she died. I often look at my own children and see a little piece of Grandmom in them, and often think at how much she would have enjoyed them. Her legacy lives on through me and my children, and I take her words of wisdom with me from day to day!

It's Par-Tay Time!

Yesterday we celebrated Emma and Teddy's birthday! For anyone who does not know Emma and Teddy are not twins.....They were born on the same day one year apart! Every year we celebrate with one BIG Birthday Party! Yesterday was no different than the year before, only there were about 20 more people there, and we had it at our house!




We packed about 70 people in my house...it was great! The kids did stuffed animals, in shifts mind you, but they all seemed to have a GREAT time! This was my favorite party to date! The house was so packed my I couldn't tell which were my kids! After everyone went home...Emma told me that she had a really fun time, and in her words "That was cwazy mom!" It was an awesome funfilled day! It was most special because it was Emma and Teddy's first birthday in their new home with their many new friends that they have made! Thank you all for making this day such a special one for Emma and Teddy!

Emmy's Birthday Present

Emma received a Birthday present in the mail today from her Aunt Ginny and Uncle Jim in Florida. She was so excited. As she opened the gift, the necklace inside fell out. As proud as can be as Emmy says " Mommy Aunt Ginny sent me a box with nothing in it....I love it!"

Hey Emma, forget toys this year for Christmas, Daddy and I will just wrap the boxes!

Niagra Falls....In My Basement!

Yesterday a pipe broke on our washtub while we were out. The water leaked everywhere, and I do mean everywhere! It went down into our heating vents to flood the storage room in our basement! It was an absolute mess! Here are some pictures.

Four Years Later!

Tomorrow Dan and I will be married 4 years....I can't believe it! It seems like yesterday that we met in the computer lab at school. I went over to sit at a computer, and accidentally whacked Dan in the head with my book bag....He just kind of looked over and smiled at me, as I said "I am sorry". That day is still so vivid in my memory...it gives me goose bumps just thinking of it. There were so many fun times before we were engaged...Dan propose on July 5, 2003 in Havre de Grace, Maryland during their Fourth of July fireworks, and the rest is history....We married on November 27th, 2004, 3 years to the date of our first meeting. Looking down the aisle that day and seeing Dan was the one of the happiest days of my life....I have never looked back! We have been together 7 years and they have been full of so many happy and sad times. We have gotten through them for better or for worse!

Happy Anniversary Dannybear! You are the LOVE of my life!

Fun In The Snow!

Yesterday Emma and Teddy helped me shovel the driveway! It was so weird to see snow yesterday, we had a lot of fun. Teddy wasn't too sure about the snow at first, but Emma couldn't wait to get out in it! Afterward we all enjoyed a great cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows!

Elf Yourself

Thanks Nancy at Three's Company for the Elf yourel ecards, this was a lot of fun!

Emma's "Mr. Hanky"

After months of trying to get Emma to do #2 in the potty it has finally happened on a "regular" basis. She is so proud of herself when she goes, that she insist we all come into the bathroom to look at what she did...ah to be 2 again.? After we look at it, Em will flush it down the toilet, and proudly say "Bye poopy, see you next time!".

Tonight we went out for supper, and right on schedule Emma told us she had to go to the bathroom (which we are very happy she does). After she was done, Emma comes out of the bathroom, and proudly yells across the restaurant to Dan "Daddy, I went poopy!". How Dan kept a straight face is beyond me, because I know my face felt flushed.....Let's just say Mr. Hanky has been a proud and defining moment Em's life!

Santa It's Only November, But You are Seriously Stressin' Me Out!

In April for some reason I decide to take on the responsibility of being the Breakfast With Santa chairperson at Emma's pre-school. Can you sucker? In the back of my clueless mind, I figured this would be a piece of cake....WRONG! Since July Me and one of the other mom's at the school have been trying to get donations from local businesses, and we have gotten a lot of good ones, like an American Girl doll to raffle off, and a Bowling party from Palace Bowling. Why so stressed you ask? The breakfast is only 3 weeks away, and there is still so much to be done! Programs have to be printed, decisions, and more decisions have to be made. I seriously got my first gray hair over this. This is the first year that the school is doing a continental breakfast instead of cooking pancakes and sausage. We are hoping that this goes over well, but we just have to wait for December 13th to find out don't we. It is very worrisome to me about volunteers to help during the breakfast, we haven't gotten many offers yet, and I am worried about the amount of help we will have for that day.

Emma said to her dad the other day " Don't bother mom she's stressed over Santa Clause". It gave us a good chuckle!

A Urinal For Toddlers.....Who Knew!

Yesterday Ted literally went in and sat on the potty chair and peed....yes he is a typical male with bad aim, but for 23 months I thought it was a pretty good try. Never gave it another thought, just figured he did it by accident. However, he did it again yesterday afternoon! A very shocking moment, the thought never crossed my mind that he might be ready for potty training. Now, he won't wear a diaper....We went to to Target yesterday and bought him some little boy briefs, and let me tell you he looks so darn cute! I don't want to push him to use the potty, but if he is interested maybe we should give it a go? Any advice would be great!

As for the potty chair however, it just won't do. His little noodle is too short to go down inside, and Babies r Us does not sell the deflector for the potty and poor Ted just kept taking his pointer finger trying push that noodle down, and would look at us in confusion so..................we had to buy a new potty just for a little boy. But the part that kind of made me chuckle was when googling potty chairs it was discovered that they make a urinal just for toddlers....yes you read that right, a urinal for toddlers! You can purchase this urinal for a mere $40! It just kind of boggles the mind, wonder who thought that up because the concept make sense.

Pump It Up

Today we took the kids to Pump It Up a new moon bounce on East Union Street in West Chester. It was an awesome place with lots of cool things to do.....even a rock wall. Emma had a blast. She went from moon bounce to moon bounce! It was hard to get her to go home. Thanks Chester County Moms for Setting this up for all of the mommy bloggers! The kids had an awesome time!

New Kids on The Block

What an amazing night of old school entertainment! Those New Kids On The Block still got it!

Channels 3 and 6 were there interviewing people going into the concert. The Wachovia Center was absolute mayhem last night! It was literally bumper to bumper getting off 95, and just about every car was going into The Wachovia Center.

Natasha Benningfield was the opening act, and she was great. I loved her, and would actually pay just see her next time she is in Philly.When the New Kids came on stage the whole place literally shook with all the screaming, and cheering! It was an amazing night....Wish I remembered my camera.

Thank you Dan for such a great anniversary gift!

The Right Stuff

Tonight is my big night! Dan is taking me to see New Kids on The Block for our anniversary! I have been looking forward to this for months...and my night is finally HERE! I am sure there are people out there saying Why The New Kids? Well, let me explain some....Back in the late 80's early 90's they were to me like Hannah Montana is to Emma.....GODS! The bed sheets, the lunch box, and the dolls were in my possesion....I owned it all, but I never got to see a concert. Always wanted to go, but never got to. My wonderful husband is making my dream come true tonight, and love him very much for it! So far it has been a GREAT week Obama is going to the White House, and New Kids on The Block are in Philly.....What more could a girl ask for?

Election 2008 Coverage

For those of you who fall asleep tonight during the election coverage, I plan on staying up tonight with a note pad, and some extra strong coffee, to bring you election updates! Stay tuned.......

John McCain-Kentucky,Tennessee,South Carolina, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas,Louisiana,Texas,Kanasas,Nebraska,South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and Alaska=146 Electoral Votes

Barack Obama-Vermont,Maine, Massachusetts,Connecticut,New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, D.C., Illinois,New Hamshire, Rhode Island,Penssylvania, Ohio, New York, Virginia, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minessota, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington,and Hawaii=349 Electoral Votes.

Get Out and Vote.....Then Go To Starbucks For A Free Coffee !

Starbucks is giving free coffee tomorrow to those who vote. For more information click here. If you vote in an area that does not give voting proof, they will simply use the honor system, and give you your free coffee! How easy is that? GO VOTE!

Happy Halloween!

We had a lot of fun Trick-or-Treating tonight! When we started out tonight, I figured the kids would only be up for a few houses, I totally misjudged them! They walked for three blocks tonight with a group of their friends! They just wanted to keep going,going,and going, like little energizer bunnies! It was an awesome Halloween!