Our Random Update

Nothing too exciting going on this week. Preston started Soccer Shots at his school. It’s an eight week program for an hour on Tuesdays for the kids to learn the fundamentals of the game. Preston loves to run so I figured this would be a great activity for him. Also, the selfish part of me wants to see if he loves the game before devoting on day a week for practice and my entire weekend at a soccer field. Let’s see if he likes it first. So far, he does. Here is a picture of Pres taking after his Aunt Tinka with faces in a picture. He is depicting the baseball on his shirt:

What is the obsession with Phineas and Ferb? Preston just adores this show on Disney XD. The sad thing is you find yourself as an adult watching the show. You cannot help it. I have caught my father on numerous occasions. I totally think he has added it to his “Series” on his DVR box.

And this is just a picture of my handsome little dude:

Last year seeds from a plant that was in our front garden that did not grow, must have gotten into the soil, chilled out while Virginia got 100 inches of snow and this summer has grown like wildfire. This past week honey bees have been working like mad to gather honey from the flowers. Yet as soon as the sun goes down, the bees fall asleep-right on the flowers! It’s hysterical!

A colony of wasps has also moved in and I have seen some wounded honey bees on the ground. My mother and I have decided we are not getting involved in that war.

Today, Preston and I made harvest inspired cupcakes. I was speaking to Marrah this morning and she was going to make cupcakes with Finn. I mocked her telling her my cupcakes would be a lot cooler than her cupcakes. (Mature, I know). Here are our pics-challenge me if you dare Mar!

And to prove Pres was smitten with his finished product:

Our home is progressing along. My townhouse is the second one in. You can see that they are bumping out the kitchen on the second floor. So exciting!

Lastly, I have been trying to wrap my head around the fact Preston is going to be five. His latest milestone was the booster seat. I remember the milestone of him progressing at six to seven months into the carseat. Here is Preston circa fall 2006 on our car ride home from Richmond (the first time I took my parents down to look). He was such a beautiful baby.

Random Pics and Annapolis!

For Mother’s Day, Katie and I bought my mother plants for the garden.  We bought her a decent sized coleus plant.  Decent sized.  Well evidently they grow pretty well in 100 degree weather.  The decent sized plant has invaded the front garden!

Reluctantly, we are getting into the fall spirit with some mums:

This past weekend was the Regional LPA event in Annapolis.  Pres and I decided to drive up for the day and see the Hall, Green, Yiannakis and Davis families.  We all met for a boat ride in the harbor in Annapolis first. Due to some serious traffic I thought we would never make it, but fate opened up a parking spot right at the harbor and we made the boat with five minutes to spare.  I am so glad we did because it was such a beautiful day.

 

We then stopped with the Greene’s to get gelati.  Preston insisted on the green gelati (mint chocolate chip).  After about ten bites he told me it tasted like medicine.  What’s a mom to do except finish it!  Then we were then off to the park, where the kiddos played in dirt!  Pres brought his trucks (except for his orange cab which no one was allowed to touch except Destini and Paula when he went potty).  The boys had a blast.  Because we were at the park, they all got bathed with wipes!  It was so much fun seeing everyone again.  I love our POLP family and cherish all of our times together!

Here was the happy boy on the way home:

This morning he could not WAIT to put together his new puzzle from Simon! Thank you Simon!

Back to School!

Preston doesn’t technically have a summer vacation.  His school becomes a summer camp in late June.  I was very excited about the start of the new Montessori year! He was ready (and mommy) for routine to kick in (*read 7:30 bedtime). This year the school has two Montessori classrooms.  He is with the four-five year olds and has some new children in his class.  The night before school started we headed over to Rita’s for some end of summer ice cream!

Last Tuesday started with the neighborhood First Day of School Breakfast!  All the neighbors and kids get together for pictures and head up to the bus stop together.  Here is Pres eating a very nutritious breakfast.

Then we headed over to school and I was snapping away.  This is his last year before kindergarten!

Here’s to a wonderful year Preston! Mommy knows you will do amazing!

Saturday I took Preston to the Barnes & Noble Story Time.  The theme was Clifford Teaches Fire Safety. We started out by making a Clifford fire dog craft. Then it was time for the stories. They were going to have three stories, but instead there was one story with Clifford before the Chesterfield Fire Department showed up!  The kids were so excited.  What I enjoyed was the fireman came and showed the kids all the gear he would have on in a fire and how he would sound with the breathing mask so they would not be frightened should they ever be in a fire.  I thought that was a really great idea. He started in a tee shirt and pants and put everything on one by one. They also learned to stay low and get to a safe place outside the home.  And of course, stop, drop and roll.  But nothing was more of a joy than getting to climb and explore the hook and ladder and pumper trucks. 

This picture both cracks me up and annoys me.  Pres was totally onto the fact that Clifford was a person.  He turned right to me and said, “Is there a person in there?”  Nevertheless I wanted a picture of Pres with Clifford.  This very annoying kid would not move and his parents heard me ask for him to move and they stood there.  I was so annoyed and Pres was annoyed that I had .567th of a second to snap the picture before Pres was back on the fire truck.  So good to know that at least this kid blocked any indecency Clifford would have shown us.  No redaction necessary.

My news of the weekend-It appears we are progressing on the house finally!  After staring at dirt and weeds for four months-we have foundation!

Never Forget

This year I watched a video on YouTube of September 11, 2001. And the pain has not eased. My stomach still knotted, even though I knew what would be coming on the video. My eyes welled with tears at the images that will forever be ingrained in my mind. Images I wish no one ever witnessed. The pain of that day, coupled with losing my grandmother the day before and then finding out that our family friend, who was my same age, did not make it out of the top floors of the North Tower; that pain still remains. It does not dampen. It does not fade with time. Severe clear. That was how the day was described. Not a cloud in the sky. As I crossed the Throgs Neck Bridge that morning and glanced as I always did to my left, I never knew that would be the last time the Towers would anchor the city skyline. When I crossed that bridge again, one day later and looked then to my right, all that remained was a fiery smoke pit. I could write thousand of words about that day. I wish I didn't have to. I wish the planes reached their destinations. I wish that the toughest decision for people in those towers that day was deciding where to eat for lunch, not deciding whether to stay or jump. I wish that when I cross that bridge, the towers are still there. I wish Matt were still alive. I wish that thousands were not grieving today. I wish my son did not have to grow up in a world that worries when the next attack will be.

Today and always, I remember. God Bless You. God Bless those that fight for my freedom and my country's freedom every single day. Who witness unspeakable horrors so I can go about my mundane life. God Bless America.

Better Late Than Never

I finally uploaded the pictures from our trip to New York a couple of weeks ago to celebrate my cousin Matt’s wedding to Jessica.  It was just so nice to spend a few days with the family.  The first night we spent at my parents’ apartment in NYC.

The next day was brunch at Big Daddy’s and walking around the city! It was an icky day weather wise so we also spent some time back at the apartment before heading to the rehearsal dinner.

Preston-a great kid for helping out those outer thigh muscles.

The whole family!

The next day Pres and I spent the day with Nana (my grandmother) and then met the whole family out for dinner on Long Island for (*real) Italian food!

And here are some pics from the wedding.  It was a truly lovely day! Congratulations Matt & Jessica!

 

The next day we had lunch at Aunt Pat and Uncle Dennis’ with the family before going home the next day.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Labor Day weekend!