20 days and counting...

Well call me crafty!!! Pretty cool huh?

I got tired of the "how many more days? when's vacation? how many more Saturdays? when we wake up? when school is out?, and on and on..." So, me and my clever self made a countdown for our Disney Vacation. We'll be in Orlando for Christmas this year, leaving on the 20th, and the kids' and ourselves couldn't be more excited. Each night, one of the boys gets to discard a Mickey head from the chain. Sounds brutal. There are actually less heads on there since this picture was taken. Our vacation begins when the chain gets shortened down to the last RED Mickey. Got it? I've reached my crafty capacity for the year.

All Aboard an Imax Experience!

Amazing! I wasn't sure I could stand another viewing of The Polar Express. Infact, now I know I hadn't actually seen it all the way through. Dominic loves this movie. We even have a Polar Express jingle bell ornament for our tree. After working most of the day, Rudy knew I was fed up with being cooped up with the boys and a house that was needing attention and not getting it. After getting home, Rudy took Dominic and I to the Esquire-Imax Theater to see this movie in 3-D. It was incredible. It felt like we were in the movie; the snow was falling around us; and we were amongst the herd of caribou that stopped the train from reaching the North Pole. It was so real. I often looked over at Dominic (in his cool 3-D glasses) and he'd have his ears covered from the sound of the train. It felt like we were on it. The way to the North Pole was an awesome ride... a true roller coaster experience. Hang on!

A Morning Run

Okay, so it was a walk. A nice 5K through slippery autumn leaves, dampness in the air and warmth all around with such giving people is what The Run to Feed the Hungry is all about. This year I left Donovan and Devin at home with Rudy to mend their colds. Dominic and I spent nearly 45 minutes on the road just to GET to the event, which should have only taken us about 15 minutes. We pinned on our bibs, installed our tracking devices to our shoes (new this year!) and proceeded to the start line where we met up with my friend Terra, her kids Maxx and Stevie and her mom - another gone-crazy-with-a-Nikon photographer. The event gets larger every year and is so much fun to do. Last year Kristie said we'd run the 5K this year - she ran the 10K with Bianca this year. Way to go gals! So next year she's challenging me to run the 10K! Wait a second.. who's the athlete of the two of us? Are you crazy? I'll keep dreaming...

Hey Tio! Do you think Dad would notice if I
wore your non-Cowboys hat backwards?

Our dessert for the evening: Rudy's birthday cake.

Cake for Thanksgiving?

Yep! Move over pumpkin pie. There's a birthday in the house! The 27th of November is always a very celebrated one, evenmoreso when it happens to be Thanksgiving. Rudy's birthday happens to be on the same day as Mom's (see post below). I guarantee Rudy will be enjoying his birthday watching his favorite Cowboys play on TV. Happy Birthday from your clan!

A Birthday! Cha, Cha, Cha!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Grandma Gertie celebrates another birthday and shares it with the Thanksgiving holiday (and also shares it with her son-in-law Rudy). We are all so very thankful for her love of her children and grandchildren and her natural ability to be creative... consuming herself in projects and photography. She's our paparrazzi! We all hope you have a wonderful birthday. We love you!

Gobble up the goodness!

Two turkeys and one restless native

Chief Iron Man

Gotta love this Butterball!

I'll take 'em with all the stuffin'!

Two for Tuesday

I rushed out of work after the 3:30 call that told me of Devin's temperature. Poor guy. His teeth are starting to cut through and has been tolerable so far, but now he has developed a little cold - thanks to the biggest brother. His nose has been runny and eyes watery. He reached his limit. Donovan, meanwhile, has been barking (not like Roxy or Fred either!) and is having a hard time loosening up the morning mucous. He seems to react well to the every 4-hour dosage of Triaminic we've managed to purchase from store shelves before it never existed again. He, too, is suffering.

I picked up the TWO kids with a makeshift ziploc diaper bag (I'm never prepared for these unexpected trips), headed over to Urgent Care (because I didn't want to wait until morning), plunked down TWO copayments after filling out TWO sign-in sheets. Rudy met us there because my TWO arms weren't going to be enough. (Thanks Mom for getting Dominic from school).

The medical assistant took us back to take vitals. No temp, oxygen levels superb, pulse excellent...times TWO. We're looking good! This is where I begin to think how dumb I look with TWO perfectly healthy patients taking up an urgently needed space in that office. Please, oh please Doctor, don't make me look like an overly paranoid mother.

We waited a good long while before being seen by a Doctor. Devin enjoyed the sanitary paper that lay across the examining table. Donovan enjoyed scoping out all the equipment in the room. We often saw the MA walk by the door and peek in. One time he came back with suckers and stickers. Donovan ate a sucker; Devin ate a sticker.

TWO hours since arriving, we were finally diagnosed with TWO ear infections - all on the same kid, Devin! So here's to EI #2 - or would that be #2 and #3? Donovan gets to ride out his viral illness. No prescriptions for him.

Weighing in at 19.2 lbs., the table paper would only
satisfy him until it was gone!
This crappy photo is from an inexperienced
cell phone photographer!

Game Over!

Soccer Season has come to an end. Finally! The season was brutal. It was painful to watch...

Painful to watch a kid on the field that has no desire to be there.

Painful to watch Rudy assistant coach a sport he is so passionate about, become so disgruntled and frustrated.

Painful were the early morning games in which getting up and ready and out of the house in time was a chore.

Painful to watch Donovan pout on the sidelines, waiting for the whistle from the ref, signing he may now use the field to kick the ball around on.

After today's early game, a lots of running around in between, our evening concluded with a potluck dinner and award ceremony. Dominic got his personal trophy, while the team gave Rudy a plaque with the team picture. Pretty cool.

All he wants for Christmas...

Hope and a Prayer

After spending the day in his pajamas, goofing off with
Dad and brothers at home while I was working...

Dominic mentally prepares himself
for the challenging rest of the week

... and prays that SOME day, I'll put an
Oscar Mayer Lunchables in his lunchbox.

A special moment

I looked outside to check on Donovan. Usually I'll find him playing with the hose, throwing rocks into the dogs water pail, playing on the swingset, riding his Hungry Hippo (which was a 1st birthday gift to Dominic 5 years ago!) or pushing around his airplane ride-on. Today was different...




The pictures show how dirty our bedroom window is, but it also shows what a special moment was had out in the backyard today. Apparently Donovan stuck Roxy in the dog run so that he could have his time with Fred....alone.

Vote, Vote, Vote!

I'm not a political person at all. I've always disliked politics, the subject. I'm not one to debate my political stance on things, because, well, I hate debating and usually can't do it successfully. This year, as most would agree though, it's monumental. It's amazing what brings people to the polls. I've been known to skip out on some elections, mainly non-presidential, because I refuse to listen to political advertisements or read up on the issue at stake. Not an excuse, I know.

My first non-interest in politics that I can remember was back in 6th Grade - 1984 (gulp!). I remember standing out in line waiting to go into our classroom from lunch (do they still do that at this level?) when a classmate asked me who I was voting for: Reagan or Mondale. Huh? We can't vote!?!? Why should I make a choice? My pick isn't going to count anyway. I'm sure my answer was typical, "I don't know", because even back then I was smart enough to not start any debates! ;)

I dreaded Government class in high school. I was afraid of Mr. Desmond. Most people were. I thought I avoided having him for a teacher when our school closed and we were transferred to Christian Brothers. Guess what? Mr. Desmond followed. Funny, he was a great guy, but everyone feared him. He barely cracked a smile, but always cracked a joke. He was serious! He always crossed his arms in front of him, wore a yellow cardigan sweater and breathed heavily through his nose, a big one! It was Mr. Desmond that taught us the electoral process, the privilege it is to vote, etc. and urged us nearly 18-year-olds to register to vote when we were able.

There isn't much more to my election influences. Just to vote for what I think is right and strongly believe in. May the best candidate win! Unfortunately I won't be able to cast my ballot until the end of the day, but I'm sure to sneak a peek as to what's going on and who's projected to win. Darn internet!

Get out and vote!

Down Came the Rain...

...and washed the spider out! Okay, our spider was spared such tragedy and stayed in the comfort of home with Grandma and Papa while Rudy, Spiderman, Jungle Fury Red Ranger and I went trick-or-treating around the block. The rain stayed away for most of the outing; coming down pretty good at some points, but didn't interrupt our path of travel really.

Our first stop every year is the house up at the top of our court, The Schlosser's, whom we have ties with for many years (even before moving to this neighborhood). Thunk-Thunk. Into the kids' TOT bags went the biggest Hershey's Symphony bars I have ever seen. The kids were off to a great start, dragging their bags already! Many homes were dark (many vacant) this year, and others carved less pumpkins and set out less decor than usual. Even my pumpkin-carving took a backseat this year! The boys ran from home to home gathering their loot. Donovan stayed back on some, as they were "too skeerie" for him.

Thanks to Gertie, Grandma and Papa for coming over to treat with us!