Aidan's Mario Galaxy Super FIVE Fun Fest

Aidan's fifth birthday party was out of this world! Well, more like into the Mario Galaxy. We celebrated his half-decade of life on a beautiful fall day indulging in his latest obsession--Mario Brothers. We kicked it old school with party games like duck duck goose, hot potato, and limbo. The kids LOVED it!! Aidan couldn't stop smiling all day all his best pals from school and his cousins helped him celebrate.

Aidan (dressed as Mario) blows out his candles. It was cute --he did make a wish before blowing out the candles. He whispered "I wish I had every videogame. (sorry world peace, it will have to wait for birthday #6 maybe) to himself then blew out the candles

The birthday cake. After a disasterous first try baking, this one came out pretty good! I surprised the kids with a galaxy blue layer of cake.

Kaitlin didn't quite get the 'hot potato' game, but she sure loved dancing in the center!

The group playing our Mario version of hot potato (hot galaxy stars). It may have appeared rigged, but the first two winners were Jake and Aidan.

Before we began the chocolate gold coin search, everyone needed to don their Mario mustaches and hats.

The many Marios spread out over the yard to find the gold coins.

Corinna got into the spirit of things...

Limbo--you never fail to make for a good time.

Why I  love this picture: Corinna seizes the moment, while Kaitlin is distracted by the game, to run over and try to steal her chocolates.

Pre-Wedding Jitters

Well, they aren't my pre-wedding jitters necessarily, but there's excitement in the air for my sister's wedding. It's coming this weekend and it will be quite an event. It's a double ceremony, Tamil and a quicky justice of the peace ceremony. Corinna and the boys are in the wedding and I am a bridesmaid.  I can't wait to see the kids all dolled up and celebrating. It's been a while since they've seen their aunts. We are finishing our last minute pre-wedding trip errands and packing for the event. What an exciting time. Corinna will be a flower girl, Aidan a ring bearer, and Jake will play a special role in the Hindu ceremony.

It is sort of an event bookend to the summer. The 2010 summer has proven to be one of the wildest, most unpredictable summers I can remember. With all the excitement of the summer, it will be awesome to get everyone on a schedule again. I'm sure once we're in the throws of my cake classes starting back up, Jake's soccer games, Corinna's My Gym, Aidan's gymnastics....homework, lunches, and all that, I'll long for the "lazy" days of summer. However, the schedule and routine sounds pretty appealing.

Some big news on our end, Miss Not Quite 20 months used the potty! Incriminating picture to prove it! (however, in the interest of not totally embarrassing her, I subbed in this picture) It appears to be a one time thing, but we got pretty excited at the thought of one day not changing diapers for the first time in 7+ years!

I am so happy to report that Jake has fallen in love with reading. For the first time, he is eager to sit down and read the first book he's reading 100% on his own. Diary of a Wimpy Kid. he loves it and it seems perfect for someone his age. I LOVE seeing a picture like this!

Aidan is gearing up for his Kindergarten orientation soon and is excited to ride the bus and be with the 'big kids' at school. He's been sitting on his own and working on his kindergarten book that he begged for. So it's been fun to watch him so excited. How did it happen so fast!

Home Sweet Home

The cardboard box or two in every room is a clear sign that we aren't fully settled in just yet.

But, the boys are registered in their new school, the post office is forwarding our mail, and little knick-knacks are filling the shelves. The official close date on this house was July 23 and though the monsoon-like rain slowed things down a bit, that's when we moved into the new digs. It's a great house with lots of room. It's in an adorable neighborhood bustling with people, dogs, and kids. (though no ice cream truck yet, how odd!)

Spike is settling into life working from home. Either the cat or dog spends the majority of the day with him in the office. Even Corinna understands that 'daddy's at work now' when he goes upstairs. This was not an easy move, but we had lots and lots of help which made this crazy transition that much easier. It's hard for me to get used to life in the 'burbs. The pace of things is very different for us than it was in Westtown. It's all just a bit faster here.

As cliche as it sounds there are mornings when I wake up wondering whose room I'm in and miss our old home terribly and there are other mornings when I wake up and feel like I've lived here my whole life.

18 Months, Just Not a Fan

There are people who look at toddlers and whistfully say, "Oh I just *LOVE* that age!"

WHAAATTT?? I am convinced that when someone confides in me, after looking at little Miss 18 Months, that they "L-O-V-E" that age-- they are clearly having a short-term memory lapse of what having an 18 month old is like. It is tantrums, and teething, and "MINE!", and "ME DO" and refusals and whining.

It's watching every second because, unlike her brothers, she CLIMBS on EVERYTHING. She is fearless in a way her brothers never were! Let's stand on the kitchen table! Let's jump off the bed! Let's pull the dog's tail--HARD! (Good Buster!!) Let's just never stop moving. Run, Walk, Climb, Pull, Push!

In your eyes Little Corinna, I know it must be hard to be 18 months. Razor sharp teeth are trying to poke their way through your soft gums. You know what you want, but no real way to communicate it. You have a few words, but not enough for us silly grown-ups to decipher. You have no idea what the big deal is if you are standing on the table, holding a glass, or grabbing for knives. You do NOT want to be slowed down for a diaper change OR be buckled in the car seat.

BUT-there are the glimmers of hope that it's not permanent. That it's not all bad...Like when you sleep like an angel in your crib (your brothers never did) sucking your thumb and never far from bun-bun. Or when you light up when you hear daddy come through the front door. Or the run-across-the-room-to-tackle-hug-you move. Or the sweet sound of humming before you fall asleep. Or when you make a joke out of asking everyone in the house to nurse. It's chasing your brothers and watching them give you whatever you want simply because you are cute as anything.

I know that the next year will be rough...welcome terrible twos...followed by the often less pleasant threes. But then, all of the sudden, something changes. Like a magic wand. I know the tantrums will stop (most of them) the watch-like-a-hawk phase dies down, and the 'NO! NO!" goes away mostly. And the funny, energetic, playful side of you will get a chance to shine. But as for now, at 18 months, not a fan........

Signs of Summer

Oh summer time. I love it! I don't quite get to live the 'lazy-do-nothing' days of my childhood (or, heck even last summer was lazier!) but there are certain signs of summer I love. I'll spare you the pictures of the boys peeing outside-which is their most favorite thing in the world to do in summer. The heatwave of last week broke and the breezy high 70s weather of today made it a huge treat. Finding a snake SKIN as opposed to the actual snake....priceless!!

ice pops, playing outside, bubbles...you know you love it...

Best part about that picture...I didn't pose them! They chose to sit that way...awww.

"Mom, look at the funny face, mooooommmmm, loookit this face! MomMomMom, look another face!Mom, Mom"

Talk about mad chalk skillz.

Well, she is my daughter, so there was no guarantee that she'd know the difference between soccer, baseball, basketball...

I love the yard after a good day's play. See the BIG shed, that's where mommy snake hides with her two baby snakes. Oh what fun playing the 'will or won't we see them' when we open the door.

Outdoor Pokemon battle. Fine by me...fresh air does wonders.

What says summer nights more than catching some lightning bugs??  Aidan was KING CATCHER. He did great. Lightning bugs it turns out, are not the stealth get awayers that their cousins the house flies are. About 20 came in the house, and about 17 ended up in the ceiling in our bedroom.

Fun at the park with friends.

Moving Ahead

Ah, so clever with the title...Yes, it seems that it's been quite some time since I have updated the ol' blog. And well, it's because there's been a bit of "craziness" going on around here. End result: We're moving to Syracuse in July. It's been a whirlwind and it's sure to be an adventure once we get there. I'm moving to a house sight unseen! Spike and several other people have gone through it, but I just haven't made it there and won't get a chance to until the closing! The boys are excited about having a new room and a playroom and being by their cousins. I don't think they totally get what's involved in the move. They'll do great, I know it.

Aidan finished up preschool with a really sweet graduation ceremony this week and he's more than ready for kindergarten in the fall. We of course followed up with a much deserved trip to Chuck E. Cheese.

Earlier this month he danced in his first recital and he did GREAT!

Last weekend we FINALLY visited Brooklyn to visit Aunt Tara. The kids had a great time. Though, they were most excited about seeing Taxi Cabs. Every single one they saw, they yelled "TAAAAAXXXXXIIII".

The Gartner Girls

Jake is turning 7 next week and I brought in cupcakes to school to help celebrate. Cupcakes with fondant Cobras and Coral Snakes! EW. But he loved them. Here his class is singing happy birthday to him while his teacher makes him dance marionette style.

Jake is finishing his last day at Minisink Elementary and last day of first grade as I type. It's a bittersweet day all around. The menacing clouds overhead don't do too much to help things, either!

Hoppy Easter

It was a hippity hop good Easter here at the house! The Easter Bunny brought a bunch of cute little things for the kids and hid a few eggs around. Mostly it was great because family was around. Aunt Tara, Aunt Lainie and Uncle Bavan came to spend the day. It was gorgeous out and we spent most of the day outside. We even ate under the gazebo, which Spike had just put the cover on that morning! Here's hoping it doesn't blow down!!

Spike really outdid himself cooking this year. He prepared BBQ chicken and amazing turkey burgers. He also whipped together this fruit salad that was delish! Lainie worked on feeding the fish-eaters...she created a glazed salmon that was a hit. Lainie and Bavan brought an enormous apple pie with them and we all over-indulged. I didn't fare so well in the baking department. I attempted to make my mother's famous easter braided raisin bread for the very first time. Bread yeast and I do not get along. After two sad attempts, I had a half-raised loaf in the garbage. I will not give up though--I will try again!!

The Easter Bunny also learned a lesson yesterday. He is NOT allowed to bring kites for the kids anymore. They seem like such a good idea at the time and it was a nice breezy day, but oh the tangles, and oohh the fighting of the boys with the kites....and the no-fly frustrations...did I mention the fighting??? So kite-free spring from now on!!