The Wiggles Live

Well, I haven't posted here in a while and I have to apologize. I know I need to make time to put my ridiculous ramblings back on here even if only a few people read them. I still think I am funny, and I love looking back at all the old posts.

So, for my first post back I will tell you about our trip last week to the Wiggles Live. I get pre-sale tickets for all the kids shows in Pittsburgh, so we had 10th row seats for this puppy! It was great, but I should tell you...... I love the stinkin Wiggles. I sing their songs, I do the dances.... if you know me in real life you know that its not a stretch to say that I am a ham. I don't embarrass easily (that comes from falling constantly --- you just get over the embarrassment when people laugh at you and learn to embrace it as a good thing).

So, back to the Wiggles Live.... we didn't take Lauren because we were fearful that one of us would end up standing outside. These shows can be a little intimidating for kids --- the people in costumes are huge and its dark and loud ! So, we decided to leave her with her Auntie Dawn for the show!

MJ loved it, she did all the dances and sang all the songs she knew!
But the best part of the show --- and any Mom who has kids who watch this show will tell you --- is ANTHONY -- purrrrrrrrrrrrr. This man is a goof, but HELLO~ he is a hottie ! Now, I don't know if he is really hot or I have been forced to watch this show so much that I have just found the least hideous of the crew to drool over. But over time, I have built Anthony up to be quite the hottie in my mind --- so whichever it is, works for me !

Overall, a very entertaining show.... they throw in alot of humor for the adults which I love! Like things you know weren't supposed to happen but they did just to mess with each other.

I don't know if MJ will be too old for the Wiggles next time they come or not, but I know I will get to see that Anthony Wiggle at least one more time with Lauren --- WHOO HOOO for me :)

Crazy busy ...

I am not complaining at all --- we have just been so busy this summer. We have had a ton of fun in the meantime, and so it was all worth it. I am not making excuses for my posts being, well, non-personal --- but I will try to do better from now.

So, if you remember correctly, last summer I was basically pregnant and miserable for the first two/thirds of the summer. I pretty much prayed the entire summer away so that I would be done being pregnant. For those who don't know --- it's hard being pregnant in the summer with a two year old wanting to do everything!!! Then, when I had Lauren I was a recluse just loving on her and getting used to being a mommy of two.

By the time I woke up from that daze, summer was over and we had done basically nothing. I was so angry all winter that I felt like I was jipped out of summer --- I whined alot about it truly!

So, this summer it was ON!

Not intentionally, but alot of things came up this summer. My good friend got married in Hilton Head.... and so we went down for that. Long drive, but an amazing time with my amazing friends. We had so much fun. We learned Madelyn was a fish in a former life, and has NO fear of water!

Then, we took our trek to our normal summertime hang - Geneva on the Lake. I was there for a few weeks, and got to meet up with Heather a few times. It was so nice to spend time with another mommy with a baby Lauren's age. Rhiannon was so sweet to MJ and I just had a ball with them!

My in laws were then gracious enough to invite us to go to Myrtle Beach with them, and we gladly took them up on it. We had an amazing condo overlooking the beautiful waters, and we had an incredible time. Very relaxing, and laid back --- just like we like it!

Then I went back to the lake for a few days --- it wasn't long enough, but it was nice to have the closure of going back to pack up the cottage. I miss the cottage so much in the winter, if it had a furnace I would probably go there and just sit --- because there is nothing to do there in the winter at all! I would still love it. I just like being there!

We are getting ready to close the summer out by heading up to Erie to spend some time with some buds who have babes the same age as MJ. We have known each other (most) since they were born and so we try to travel each year to visit. We are from all over the states and Canada, so its not possible for everyone to make it every year, but we sure try. I didn't get to go last year because Lauren was only a few days old when they left to meet up in Niagara Falls. This year it is in my homestate -- so you couldn't keep me away. Even though I will only be there for a day or two, it will still be nice to catch up with my buds and see all the kids together. I love that part!

Then, it will be getting ready for the school year to start!

So, here are some kid recaps :

Lauren is walking, wobbly but walking --- she says daddy and only daddy. She loves her mama but just WILL NOT say it! She is such a delight, has a wonderful personality and is really cute with her big ol' gap between her two front teeth! I later I will be cursing it, but for now it is just adorable !!!

Madelyn is FINALLY potty trained --- PRAISE JESUS!!! She is just as bubbly, social and talkative as ever. She never stops from the time she wakes until she is sleeping in her bed... talking, talking, talking. She loves everyone --- and just wants to be everyone's best friend! So funny!

Mike has finally moved to a schedule that allows him off Friday and Saturday each week --- so we finally HAVE A LIFE! We can go to weddings, go out and have a drink on a Friday night--- we couldn't be more excited about this! We can go catch a movie and get a sitter (not a school night). Wow, I better make a list of things we are going to do !

As for me, I am getting ready to sub again in the Fall. Hopeful that something long term will come my way early on, and I can complete a school year in one classroom. I am still teaching computers at the community college -- and I really love that. Also, I am supposed to go back to coaching the dance team this fall. My sister and I coached together for two years until I started having kids. Then she did it by herself. Now that she has moved to Texas, they needed a coach and asked me. Well, I am not sure ASKED is the right word to use. I am not sure how I feel about that yet. I guess it depends on how that falls in with everything else I have going on--- it will either be awesome or a pain. Not sure about that yet.

So I will post some pics from Erie after the weekend is over. Sorry for the catch up post. I hate that I had to do that... but I also don't want a blog just of pictures and no stories!

Here are some layouts I did yesterday for The Duchess using her new Girlfriends: Makenzie mini kit! I love these mini's --- they are very inexpensive and have enough inside for a few adorable layouts!!!

Happy Birthday Madelyn!

Well, today was my girl's third birthday. I truly can not believe three years has past since I had her; it seems like just yesterday. I know that is very cliche, but it is so true. I will never forget what it was like to have her, and bringing her home for the first time. She is so grown now... so helpful with Lauren --- a wonderful sense of humor and her mommy's clumsiness --- her Daddy's eyes -- and oh, that curly hair!

I know I am so lucky to have Madelyn -- I don't remember too much of what life was like without her. I know I was a totally different person, and she has changed me for the better. Anyway, I know she was given to me for a number of reasons.

A little story, when we found out that my Gram had cancer... I prayed and prayed. I am typically not an overly religious person, but I do pray. I prayed that my Gram would live long enough to see me graduate and to have a baby. Now, at this time having babies was actually the furthest thing from my mind. I was in college, working a few jobs to get by and just really focused on 'my' future career.

A few months later, I got pregnant with Madelyn. It was unexpected, and I really didn't know how this would affect my schooling - yes, that was my first thought. Once it all sunk in, both Mike and I were super ecstatic and very eager to move on to this phase in our lives together.

Unbelieveably it fit in perfect time-wise with my schooling. I ended up having my last final on a Friday afternoon, and giving birth to Madelyn the following Wednesday. We had set up 'back up plans', but it ended up working out perfectly.

So, when I had Madelyn my Gram was undergoing treatments so she was unable to come to the hospital to see us. We left the hospital and drove directly to her house. She met little Madelyn, and I will never forget how she held her and just talked about how 'perfect' she was. She stared at her for a long time, and just fell in love with her instantly.

That was in May, and my Gram passed away in September.

She didn't get to see me graduate the following May -- a difference of a mere few months.

I didn't understand why I had made that wish; that prayer for my Gram to see me graduate. I mean, I was proud of myself and I knew she was proud of me. But this wasn't my first degree, and it was never really a topic of conversation other than in passing. So, why was it so important to me that my Gram be there.

Well, I didn't realize a few things until after they were over.

First, my prayers really WERE answered in a way. God knew my Gram wasn't going to make it to my graduation -- that is why I got pregnant. It was His way of saying, ok then -- we are going to have to mix things up here.

Secondly, it was important to me that my Gram see me graduate because I was selected to be the speaker, although I didn't know it yet when I made the wish/prayer.

So, she didn't make it to see me graduate but, see, I know she was there. I am sure of this, and only 'some' could see -- she was actually standing behind me with her hand on my shoulder the whole time. Otherwise, I am not sure I would have made it through my speech with how scared I really was.

So, Madelyn may not remember her Great Gram but BOY oh BOY do I have stories for her ;)

Won't you wear a sweater day?

In honor of Mr. Rogers', who would be eighty tomorrow, please join me and participate in

WON'T YOU WEAR A SWEATER DAY?

The Lion King

Wow, how amazing is this show, you ask?

It was absolutely incredible. This was my first time seeing this show, and you know I love a musical but this knocked my socks off.

Ok, is it me? I get so overly emotionally at shows. I teared up several times during this one. Of course at the appropriate parts, like when Mufasa died, but also at inappropriate times like the opening number. It was so electrifying and it just swept me up in the momentum!

I thought perhaps it was that I really miss being onstage. Although that is hard to admit. I know I am not my former, young, entertaining self, and probably would fall on my face either metaphorically or literally! But a few times during the show I found myself thinking back to times when it was either Becky or myself perfoming in one show or another.

But alas, I must simply get to the theater more often. Hairspray is coming - I am desperate to see it!