Can it really have been two years since I posted? That is excessive slacking, even for me.

Life here is crazy as usual. Today we made our return trip to 6 Flags in NJ. We went in June for Patrick's birthday and it poured all day. They ended up closing the park at 1 pm and since we had purchased 10 tickets, they gave us vouchers to return another time. Today we had no rain, but it was hot. We roasted and I am pretty sunburned. But it wasn't crowded and the kids has fun. I can't believe that my youngest child is already 16. Where does the time go?

Matt has finished a year of college and is bored silly being home for the weekend. He wants to find a job or an internship in the city next summer so he isn't stuck here at home. Of course, that will probably be affected by his dating status. Time will tell. He will be 20 in a few months. Out of his teens and into adulthood. I hope he is prepared for it.

A quiet house

Prom has come and gone and they looked great. Ally looked like a princess and Matt carried off the tux very well. They had a great time. Track is over and Patrick is off to Penn State for 3 days for PJAS. The house is so quiet. Randy and I had a relaxing dinner tonight with no one whining or complaining. No arguments or insults across the table. It was really nice. I told Randy that it was like being able to look into the future and see our lived in a few years when they are both away at college.

I am getting ready for the end of the school year. I will be starting to work on exams and study guides within the next few days, I am sure. That is always a nice feeling. Knowing that there are only a few weeks of classes and all of the fun stuff left before the year ends. I hope it goes quickly because I have a ton of stuff that I want to get done to the house before we go on our cruise in July. Lots of cleaning, organizing, and purging. This house is bursting at the seams with crap!

I am also trying to get a scrapbook completed for Jeffrey before June 15th. That is the night he graduates. I only have pictures from his freshman and sophomore years of high school and wanted to have it done. That won't be happening, but at least I can give him what I do have finished. Then I am back to finishing Matt's high school book and starting Patrick's. Always lots to do.

spring has sprung

Spring appears to finally be here and with it, my allergies are in full bloom. I am faithfully going for shots and taking my medicine and hoping that I feel better soon. Patrick is coughing and sneezing a little bit too, but he won't admit it. He's too cool these days for anything. Well, actually, he's just afraid that if he feels sick again that he will have to go back to weekly shots. Poor kid.
We are getting ready for prom here. It's next weekend already and Matt has stuff under control, or so he says. The tux and flowers are ordered, the limo is reserved, and he is looking forward to the night. I am looking forward to it myself. It should provide me with lots of good pictures. It's hard to believe that he is old enough to be going to prom. And next year Patrick will be in high school too. I am totally not ready for this stage of our lives.
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Waitin' on a Sunny Day

Spring is coming! I just know it is. The weather here has been weird. Record lows one day, then highs the next. Yesterday we had a snow day and by next week we are supposed to hit 60 degrees. I am so ready for spring. I just feel better about life when the green is poking through and the trees and flowers start to bloom. I can't wait! Randy and I are booked on a short cruise this summer with some friends....no children! We have never done this before and I am really excited. It should be a lot of fun. I am already dreaming of beaches, sunshine, and umbrella drinks. It can't get here fast enough for me! To tide me over, I am looking at beautiful pictures of past trips like this one. Trying to pretend I am still there. I really need to retire somewhere warm and beautiful.

Merry Christmas! It was a nice day and a good ending to a crazy and hectic couple of weeks. With the exception of severe allergies going on right now (good-bye Christmas tree!) everyone is pretty healthy. We drove to Ocean City on Saturday for Christmas with the Hugheses and then yesterday Mom and Dad K came to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with us. Teri, Mariah, and Chris joined us for an early dinner. The boys were all spoiled by their gifts and quite pleased with what they got. I have to say I got spoiled pretty much myself. And now I am tired! I think I really need to sleep in tomorrow! Maybe even every day this week!
The picture here was taken on Christmas Eve after church. It's kind of a fake. Matt wasn't really with us in church. He had to work a long shift at Wegman's. But since he recently missed three weeks of work, we really couldn't complain too much!

Holiday Thoughts

I'm trying really hard to get in the holiday spirit. I really am. But it just isn't happening. I don't have it in me this year. The house isn't decorated, I haven't been playing the music, and I don't have much shopping done. I don't know what it is this year that is making me feel this way. I think it started with being away over Thanksgiving. That is usually my time to get in the holiday mood. I pull out the cds and start playing the holiday music and decorating the day after Thanksgiving. But this year we were in Florida through that weekend. That meant I missed my big holiday kickoff day. Then the kids got sick...Matt with mono and Pat with an upper respiratory infection. We ended up cancelling our Christmas party. And the kids won't give me a reasonable gift list. So I am boycotting this year. It is the 9th of December and I have done very little! And I just don't care! But I did start printing some of our pictures from Florida, including the one here. That counts for something, right?

September roundup

What books and/or magazines did I read this month? I finally finished Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and I also read The Kite Runner and Gods in Alabama. I liked them all, but Midnight was my least favorite.

What movies and/or tv shows did I watch this month? not a thing

What special days did I celebrate and how? my birthday...29 again. We went out to eat the night before with John and Cyndi at Henry's. We were also celebrating their 20th anniversary and our 18th. Then on my actual birthday we went to the Outback as a family.

What illnesses or health concerns did I have? sinus infection, which really appears to be allergies

What fun things did I do with my friends and/or family? exercise class with some girls from work, dinner with John and Cyndi. Dinner at the outback with the guys.

What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try this month? Henry's Salt of the Sea

What special or unusual purchases did I make? hmmm, nothing I can think of

What were this month’s disappointments? I don't think there were any that were new or different

What were my accomplishments this month? I joined Weight Watchers and started an exercise class

'Anything else noteworthy to record? nope