All Things Rachael

So Rachael has had a few things going on lately, and she seems a little "erked" that she hasn't been "posted" about. Our lives aren't all that interesting, so I was holding a little back. It is some good stuff, so it would make for primo posting news down the road. Rachael doesn't think so and she wanted me to post immediately.

So guess what Rach?? Here's your post! Mommy loves you!

Rachael - Part 1:

Rachael has this HUGE project going on. This project was called "The Living Museum". It was very fun and Rachael loved doing it. Shocker, she chose to do her project on Mia Hamm! The project had many different items to complete. She completed an essay, a powerpoint (which she built herself, she taught me powerpoint - it isn't that hard), a presentation board, and lastly, dress up as your character and tell about yourself to the visitors. With so much going on this past week, Erin and I had to split up schoool functions. I'm still trying to figure out how he got both Earth Day and Living Museum .... hummmmm

Rachael - Part 2:

Rachael recently participated in a school competition called "Battle of the Books". It is heavily pushed by the Media Specialist. The student are given a list 0f books, I think around 15. The students read them and the competition is based around question of this book. Each classrom has a team of 3, plus an alternate. Rach was the captain of her team. Here are the pics:

Rachael is in the middle, many people at school mixup her and her friend on the right.

Earth Day Concert Pictures

Here are a few pictures of Earth Day and the 4th Grade Butterfly Garden. I'm trying to figure how to post video...The performance was absolutely priceless....

Earth Day Concert

Today was the big day! The 1st grade sang to "Recycle, Recycle, Recycle today!". And I hear it was too cute! Rachael's class presented the Butterfly Garden that they have been working so hard on. And again, I hear it looks great!

Erin took the video camera and the digital camera. I am sure I have lots of pictures to post. Our camera's USB cord is among the missing, so I need to find it asap! Or off to Best Buy we go!

Erin did such a good Daddy deed today. It was also the school book fair and both Rachael and Erin were told that Thursday was the day that I would take them. But that promise was before Trevor came down with the latest sickness. So they scammed Daddy big time! They walked away with some loot, but it was books ..... so that's okay!!

I missed the concert this morning because Trevor is still sick. He is on the antibiotics for the ear infections, but he now has Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease. Which isn't really a disease, it is a very nasty virus that causes a fever, sores in his little mouth and throat. He is a very pitiful little boy right now .....

Pictures to come very, very soon !! PROMISE .....

Jonas Brothers !

Yes, there is a new boy band that is all the rage!! My BFF, Michele, and I thought it would be a great idea to take the girls to see the Jonas Brothers, and we are so glad we did! They had such an awesome time!

To make it a special "Girls Night Out" we went to Chili's for dinner before the concert. Rachael, Alexandra and Courtney wore their Jo Bros T-shirts, they had the hair streaks going and the bling bling in their hair! The girls were all so giddy and excited that they couldn't sit still for a second. All they kept asking is if they were going to be late! It was so funny.

After dinner we were off to the concert! We arrived in time to see the opening band "Rooney". It was too cute, they didn't understand why the Jo Bros weren't coming out. Try explaining the opening band thing to them on the top of your lungs over the loud music ... quite comical!!

Jonas Brothers were really quite good. I've become a Jonas Brothers fan, since they are the 2nd most popular CD in my van. They are 2nd only to Mylie Cyrus.

Here some some pics of the girls ...... How cute are they in their Jonas Brother T-shirts!

Courtney on the left, Rachael in the middle and Alexandra on the right

Earth Day ! Are you a Little Green?

I'll admit it, a few years ago if you mentioned Earth Day to me, I wouldn't have given it second thought. But, with all the chitter chatter this year about carbon footprints and global warming, it makes you stop and think. And if you haven't heard the word "Green" at least once a day this past year than you certainly AREN'T living on Planet Earth.

Most of the reason that our family is become aware of Earth day is Rachael. Rachael is our little "Green Girl". When I call her this, she snickers and rolls her eyes with embarassment. She knows a lot about the Earth, and how she thinks we can help save it. She started a recycling program in our home. And she gets a little "erked" if she catches a plastic bottle in the trash and not in the recycle container. She will hunt down the guilty party and remind them, in a not so gently way, where the recycling container can be found. Her not so gentle reminders usually involve a pointed finger in the general direction of the garage, a foot stomp, and eyeroll and something like "get with the program"!!

I am quite proud of her. She has really become quite a force to be reckoned with. And while I do believe that some of the people who have gone "green" are really just doing it because it seems to be the "in" thing to do, I know Rachael has the right intentions. She believes in her cause and she lives by it. I do think that she gained alot of her knowledge through her school teacher, Mrs. Sawyer. Mrs. Sawyer is an "outdoors" person, as Rachael calls it. But she has given Rachael a new passion. And this is a passion that I do not see fading into the sunset. It seems to get stronger everyday. How can you not respect that????

So what is your gift to Planet Earth this year? If you need some ideas, you can ask Rachael. She has plenty of them.

Happy Earth Day!!

Next Thursday, April 24th, Rachael and Erin have an "Earth Day Concert" at school. Erin is singing about recycling and Rachael is presenting the new "Butterfly Garden". I'll have lots of pictures later this week.

Poor Baby

Trevor has double ear infections .... Poor Baby. He is really quite pathetic when he is sick. He is such a bubbly little guy, that when he isn't feeling well your heart just breaks.

I got the call about 4:30pm, while I was on my way home. Yup, I knew it was coming sooner or later. He has had a runny, nasty nose and small cough for about a week. And being a 4th child, you sit tight and let it runs its course. I'd say 60% of the time, it'll run its course and we'll good to go. But then there is that other 40%. Logistically speaking, this was going to be a tough one. Rachael had soccer practice, Erin wanted to go home to play and Trevor need to go to Pediatric After Hours asap. I got everyone where they needed to go and I jetted off to the Pediatric After Hours in hopes that there was no wait and I could get Rachael and her Friend, Hannah from practice at 7:30. These things only come up when it is my turn in the car pool!

Surprise !! The planets must have been in alignment. Virtually no wait. YIPPEE !

Trevor has a huge issue with Doctor offices. From the moment we walk in he starts crying and says "bye bye" through the tears. He even does his sign language for "all done" while crying. It is really sad. But all the Doctors and nurses think he is so darn cute because of his sign language!!

Now he is resting comfortably with ear drops to numb his little inner ear and 10 days of antibiotics. I'm sure there will be another post and maybe a picture or two of Erin and I covered in antibiotics......

Trevor's 1st Haircut!

In better late than never news ....

Trevor had his first haircut. Suzanne, our family hairstylist, called it an eyelash cut. Nonetheless, it was a haircut and his very first one!

I was completely against it. I may have been more traumatized than Trevor. But Erin insisted that he needed one because he had this one piece of hair that looked just like an 80's rat tail. So we agreed on a little trim, nothing to short. I really didn't want him to lose that baby look. You know, it only lasts for a short time and I just wasn't ready to give it up.

When Little Erin had his first haircut he was such a good boy. He sat so still and didn't move. Everyone in the salon stopped and watched, I guessed they just assumed he was going to scream and when he didn't they were in shock. SOOOOO, I thought Trevor's would be the same way! NOPE! Trevor wasn't too thrilled with the whole sit still and get a little trim thing. He sat still for an entire 20 seconds and that was it. I eventually sat down and had him sit on my lap. He looked so upset, it broke my heart.

His hair was trimmed and he still looks like my baby boy! Well, at least for a little while longer.

Spring = More Soccer

Most of you know, that our family is very soccer oriented. It never really was meant to be this way, it just developed. It started out as an innocent game that Kasey wanted to try back in 1999, and 9 years later it has taken over our life. Most weekends are based around soccer games for Kasey, Rachael and Erin and what times Kasey needs to Referee. I'm not sure if I would call it an obsession, addiction or madness. Maybe all three.

Spring soccer is focused on fun, fun, and more fun. There is little or no competition and the focus is to have the kids go out there and kick around a little, a way to keep them busy. I really enjoy spring soccer, even with all my competitive tendencies, it is nice to sit in my chair and soak up some rays and ,of course, chase Trevor off the fields.

Here are a few pics of Erin playing Spring Soccer. He is enjoying himself a lot. It is getting hot out there, so the kids aren't moving as fast as they did in the Winter League.

Sea World

Nanny and I took the kids to Seaworld on Friday. Believe it or not, my kiddies enjoy Sea World more than the Disney World these days. They are very much outdoors kids and love animals, I think that is why they prefer Sea World. It also has a little bit for everyone. Kasey is nearly 17 years old and Trevor is 21 months, that is a big difference in ages. Little Erin loves the Sea Lion and Otter show the most. Rachael is my "green girl", so anything about saving animals and the earth is right up her alley. Trevor thought the ducks along the pavement were really neat! The ducks are really well fed now, they ate a lot of graham crackers coutesy of Trevor. Don't tell anyone, but the sharks outside the Shark Encounter had a few too :)

Besides a small delay on I-4, we arrived fairly early and were able to see a couple shows and wander around the park. I have more pictures to come, but they haven't been downloaded yet. Trevor was quite a little trooper. He hung in there most of the day. The temps were in the 80's, but the humidity was reasonable. Unfortunately Daddy Erin couldn't come, he was working. We missed him.

Here are a few:

Kasey, Rachael and Erin on the Water Walkway

Shamu Stadium "Believe"

Kasey and Trevor waiting for Shamu
This is a great pic of Trevor and Kasey.
(Erin is constantly telling me my skills in photo taking are limited)

Feeding the Stingrays at the lagoon

Erin getting ready to feed the Sea Lions

Kasey and Rachael at the Sea Lion and Otter Show

Trevor enjoying the day. I am sure it involved the ducks

A Conversation with Trevor

Me: Trevor are you in the fridge again?
Trevor: Noooooo
Me: Okay, would you like some graham cracker bees?
Trevor: NO
Me: Do you want some juice?
Trevor: Noooooo
Me: Alright, than you can have some juice.
Trevor: Nooooo (he hands me the graham cracker bees)
Me: So you want juice and bees?
Trevor: Noooooo
Me: Here you go!
Trevor: Ank U

Are you confused? Noooooo means yes and NO means No.

HaHaHa.... This is a typical conversation. And he loves to play in the Fridge!

Happy Birthday Nanny!

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you!

We love you and hope you have a magnificent day!

Happy Birthday!

Spring Break In Florida

Spring Break in Florida! What to do, what to do! It is a week when the kids are out of school, daycare is on vacation. So I do the very best thing .... I call in back-up. I call up Grandma, aka Nanny.
And, that is where she takes over. The kids are spoiled and loved for a week and I don't have to worry about them at all! It is great. They are sleeping very good at night.
The pool isn't quite warm. But the kids are jumping in for a few minutes at a time. Last check, Erin went in and didn't complain, so it has to be warming up a bit. Trevor is getting used to the water again. He hasn't cared much for it the last couple of times.
Temps here are around 85 degrees everyday. It is the most beautiful time of the year before the humidity sets in. Playing outside is perfect for Spring Break!

Soccer Mom's are brutal

Why is it that when a team is losing 4-2, that the parents of the opposing team feel the need to scream and yell and jump up and down when the team sinks another goal? They go from Soccer Mom's to Bleacher Creatures. I can see little Susie's Mom jumping up and down if her little girl scored the goal, but the entire side line. Come on ... It gets to be a little much.

I'm all for competition. I am the most competitive soccer mom out there. I yell and scream with the best of them. I wear my team shirt with pride and yell for Rachael at every kick. But every real Soccer Mom has some limits. At least I have mine and they may be very loose limits, but I will stop when it comes to making a team feel completely deflated.

Rachael played hard this weekend at the Suncoast Spring Classic. Her team won one and lost two. Maybe I am a little bitter that the linesman failed to make 3 critical offsides calls, and that cost us those 3 crucial goals and playing in the finals. But my daughter played her heart out and never quit.

Rachael is a true champion!

Who doesn't love Flat Stanley??

I have the entire family running around with this paper doll called Flat Stanley. There used to be a time when you had to mail Flat Stanley, but the world wide web allows for Flat Stanley to be e-mailed. Little E is doing a 1st grade geography project, "Where in the world is Flat Stanley". We are truly enjoying it. FS has been everywhere. He has been on a Southwest Jet Cockpit(Thanks Dewey), A Delta Jet Cockpit (Pappy is the best), All over New England (Nanny Rocks) and Times Square in NY (Thanks Suz). He went to a St. Patty's Day parade and put on a Sheriff's cruiser (2 Thumbs up Papa). He is an addicting little guy!

Anyone else want Flat Stanley? He is just an e-mail away ....

It can't be that hard

So I'm going to give this blogging thing a try. A little bit of effort to let our families into our everyday life. They are all over the country. From Califonia to Massachusetts and points in between, our family is everywhere!

I hope you check back alot! My goal is to update this everyother day. Hopefully share a funny story or two. Post a new picture of the kids. Share a little of our life with all of you. It certainly can be entertaining!!

We miss all of you!! Enjoy!!