Happy Birthday Ryan!

So it is almost 4:30pm. Eleven years ago at this time my second angel was being born, about 4+ weeks early. Ryan was a good size baby for being early, 5lbs. 10ozs.. He was so round from being an emergency section from being breech. I remember it like it were yesterday. Stephen came in and said "I am a big brother". We were so proud that he was accepting of the new baby being 2 1/2 and in the toddler stage. He was a little hesitant to go on the bed with me because of the IV but he still hopped up and hugged his new baby and me. He had a big brother shirt on and was proud to sport it for many weeks after the birth. Ryan was a good baby until we got him home and colic set in. He was still a pleasure to have despite the 3 hour crying session from 4-7 every eve. Smack dab in at the dinner hour. Good thing for the den w/a/c to block out the screaming for the neighbors. lol lol lol !!!!!!! So to my creative, funny, smart, clean and caring big kid, Ryan happy eleventh birthday......Mom and dad love you so much.....God Bless!

More car troubles.......

So once again almost to the garage home with lots of groceries a "light" goes on. UGH,,,I swear when one thing goes they all do.......This however was not under the warrenty. A four year old car with ten year old problems.......What can ya do? It could be worse. So the conversation of asking the husband for a new car did not go as planned. I tried to point out it is "only money and ya can't take it when you die"...Yeah that did nothing. His idea of a car that is paid for has to be fixed not replaced. Well I never heard such a thing...Well I have but I am being me and if you really know me well enough I am semi-joking about being a brat.....I do value all we have and work had at having the boys learn the value of a dollar. At this point I even think they have it more down pat than I do. So after a day of waiting and waiting and waiting somemore, it is fixed. Boy do those waiting rooms remind me of the hospital....the car hospital that is........

It's a girl!

So the baby was born....The one we got to buy all the stuff for and oh and ah over new baby items not to mention really cute stuff..........I think I am more excited than my husband. It is his assistants daughter not my co-workers daughter. I guess it is a woman thing. I only met this man a half dozen or so times at the yearly Christmas parties or summer outings but you feel like you know these people so well b/c your spouse spends hours with them. I got a call on Thursday from Mike Smith thanking me for doing such a great job with all the awesome stuff for the baby. He had the need to point put they were going to try cloth diapers to "save on waste" I did not want to burst his bubble but yeah that will last an hour........Really I am the recycle queen of Middleton and agree on helping the enviornment but new parents out there...Please heed the warning...........Disposable diapers were invented to HELP you through the very long and tedious task of lots of pee and poop that will seem like an endless river on some days. I did say to "hold on" to the packs for now as you may decide to use them. I do have the slip to return the packs but I do not see that in the near future......I made a joke out of it but in my head I was screaming YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING!!!!!!! I would like to be a fly on the wall the first week home. Also on trips to the mall or friend and familes houses or just out and about.....EWWWWW I just don't want to go there with the "cloth diaper" issue. Funny, I did get two packs of them as they are great to use a "BURP CLOTHES" but my intention was not for bottom use. So to lil Charlotte Ellen Smith, Happy Birthday lil girl ...........Hope your daddies boss gives him lots of time off....Hint Hint...Michael let the poor boy have a long vacation.......

What am I doing wrong?

A fellow blogger posted an article about a man who makes $100.-$200. a day being a "commuter helper". The article was about a man who saves people from sitting in traffic in the Bay area of CA. by sitting in the car to use the carpool lane. Why didn't I think of that? This man can earn @72,000 a year under the table mind you to go up and down the highway all day. This world has gone crazy. Why I ask you why? My mind does over time day in and day out of things to do to make a lil more money than the "bear" money. I tell ya bear $ is bearly (no punn inteneded) enough for groceries for the week and maybe a take out dinner on Friday. So why am I spending so much time in the workshop when I could be on 93 out with a sign to drive up and down the road? Well I am sure not too many of our grumpy Bostonians would freely pick up a chatty gal to ride in the car and I am very sure my husband would hit the roof if I were to travel in many strangers cars daily. BUT!!!!! He is all about me bringing in some cash so maybe, just maybe Monday morning I may try to stand outside the Callahan Tunnel with a sign that reads "Need some chit/chat on the way to work and fly in the carpool lane?" So Karen what do ya think...? You do south to north, I do north to south.....lol lol lol

"When the Bear hits the fan"

Well let me tell you! Why I never came up with the idea of "stuff your own furry friend" is beyond me. That is a money maker of a buisness in an unstable econonmy let me tell you. I just wish I came up with the concept first. Our CEB (Cheif Executive Bear) really that is what she is in BABW terms really has something with this. Let me point out that it takes @ $30.00 to fill my midsize sadans tank with gas. The $30.00 plush cars are flying out of our workshop. OK $30.00 for a plush car that a BEAR sits in........The world has gone mad....We can not make 'em fast enough. Furry Friends were being stuffed left and right today....lots of cash to be made there, not that I see hugh chunks but come on people. This world is a crazy place when parents spend over $100.00 + on bears and clothes and cell phones and shoes, not to forget cars and I Pods FOR BEARS......we have daily plan goals we have to meet by a certain time and when I left today we were 50% over our 5:00pm goal...well I left at 2:45 and we sold over $4,000 of stuff for bears....Ok people lets put just a little of that "bear" money in an account and SAVE it for some higher education.....And I don't mean Bear University (which I have graduated from) I mean a REAL Place of higher education...............GO BU!

Last Day Of School!!!

I am sure we can all recall the glorious day that we had when it was the "last day of school". My younger son has been singing a catchy lil tune all moring long to show his excitment for this wonderous day. I now have it in my head and may be hummin' it also. He really and truly loves school, his binder was filled with papers from this year with great writing and drawing assignments that were taken home yesterday. Lots of A's on these papers, we are so proud. The thing that makes us happy is that he was born early and all the studies show that premature babies are "slower" in development. So it was a tiny bit of worry in the back of our minds. Well by the looks of it he as they saw "caught up"...Glad to report........So go forth today and have a catchy tune of "Last day of schooooolllllllll, it is sooooo coooooolllllll!!!!! Don't have to go baaaack yippie no schooooolllllll........................" Have a Furbulous Friday as we say in the land of Build-A-Bears....................Bear Huggin' and Lovin' xoxoxoxo

The official first day of summer...is tom.

It is very nice to say it is not winter. I love the fact that the snow is no where in site. I must say though in New England we are not fortuate to experience a really nice spring like many years ago. It has ALWAYS been my ever most favorite season. I choose to marry in spring for the reason of loving April and May mostly April....It has such a pretty ring to the sound of the word too....April.....growing up there was a girl with that name and I did think it was weird that she was named after a month. I never liked the sweet sounding word as a girls name but loved the fact of flowers blooming and the sweet smells of spring. So as summer comes tom. @ 826am I do wish we could say it is springtime...We go from 45* to 92* in a matter of hours and could only hope that in springs to come we can have a gradual increse of 40/50/60/70/80/then the ever humid 90's/////So to all you summer lovers out there...."Summer lovin' have you a blast"!!!!

Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there!

It gives me great pleasure to say these words and mean it! There are so many deserving fathers out there that do wonderful jobs all year long and should celebrate the day the way they want. To all the dads and papas that are no longer with us, to them we fondly remember the times we were blessed with them here on Earth. Growing up I never got to make a big deal of this day having no father "in the picture", then to have a dead beat so-called "step-father" that was no use either. SO now to have a wonderful, loving and dear husband that loves and cherishes our children, I can be proud of this day. Also to have a FIL that is so great helps a hugh bunch. I always had a handsome, funny, silly uncle that I got to call and give happy wishes to so that at least eased the burden of shame. Uncle Steve, without any hesitation was elated to walk me down the isle on my wedding day. The hansome man smelling oh so nice with a smile ear to ear. At the time his daughter was about 2 and I was scared to ask that of him knowing he would want the "walk" to be with her, but that was not at all a problem. It was like I had a piece of my dear loving papa at my side. This man meant so much to me that on his 25th Aniversary his children being only 11 and 4 were not able to do something special and his in-laws were not breaking down doors neither, so I threw a shindig for them....It was a feeling like (I am sure some of you have had this) when your parents are a wonderful role model and it makes you proud. So I got to be proud of the love and parenting they show. They will be married 38 years in October and still are silly and screamy at the same time..(b/c his wife is crazy lol lol Only kiddin Auntie Val).......So to all the men who made a mark on my soul......Happy Fathers Day......"Anyone can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a "daddy"....That was always a pharse that brought tears to my eyes even when I was a small girl. So be good to the daddies, they are good to you........xoxoxoxo Thanks to God, Our Heavenly Father....(Thats another story, as a lil girl in Catholic School with a Catholic upbringing we were told he is OUR FATHER...So if I was asked the dreaded "why don't you have a father" I would think to myself but we all have "THE FATHER"..................

Everythings coming up baby!!!!

Its a ........?boy/girl? No! not us.....My husbands co-worker. We had to do some, I mean lots of baby shopping tonight for the "shower" on Wednesday. Oh the things they have these days. When our children were born 13 and 11 years ago there was no where near what there is now. The new stuff is mindblowing. I know I would love to have had some of those things when our boys were small and just b/c they are now on the market does not mean I want them just for the sake of getting them. I do think Michael was getting that baby feeling tonight. I see him with our young niece and 2 nephews and friends lil ones and I see how he loves lil ones. Well if you know me I am baby/toddler/kid person all the way.....BUT.....An INFANT....I could not imagine sleepless nights, packing large diaperbags full of stuff and lugging lots of stuff in the trunk.. Beside hockey and golf bags the trunk these days has no room for any such baby items. And those bags I speak of are carried by stapping strong older boys...lol .........I knew the feeling to have an infant thrown at you at 13 years old...and fun it was not..........when your mother makes you get off the phone to "watch" the baby, you have no desire to do so in your teen years. SO I would not like to do that to our children. As much as a baby is so filling we had our fill and love to experience "the next level". I got to take care of many a child day after day that were not my own so I think that helped fill my need for more children......I will gladly take care of your children as long as you return to claim your precious gift from God and take them back to the place they live.........So any time you need some watching call on the Auntie Stephies Daycare place lol lol ..........

Did you see the hugh thing in the sky? I think they call it the sun!

All hail the sunshine.........Go SUN Go Sun! At last the yellow ball of fire has made an apearence. I could not be happier. Yesterday I vacumed and cleaned the car, It looked very nice and a bit new.......But noooooooo it is not new it is a whopping 4 years old w/@ 50,000 miles on it....And going to school drop off this morn my very observant almost 11 year old said "lower the radio, something sounds weird" so I did I di dnot hear a thing well he said it sounds differnt. He is very observent with things like that. I leave hi and his friend off and at the stop light it starts to grind and bounce and do weird things....Yup Ryan was correct something was "not right"...SO off to the dealer for a new car....lol lol No I wish ........I dropped it off to be cked with hopes it is covered under the warranty. If not then new car....yeah once again NOT!........So lets keep the fingers crossed it is not a major problem....Working and pick=ups you need a car...SO I got the truck from the man but have to p/u and drop off him too............What a bummer........We will see......
I leave you with "here comes the sun , here comes the sun...doh doh doh doh " Yippie for the sun......

Enough Already......

Rain rain go away! Am I the only one who is very sick of this? I swear the sun is on vacation.....Please come back you nice warm sun......

A day without the bears!

I have always defined myself with titles......Like wife, mom, busdriver, teacher aide, Rel. Ed. teacher, baker, cook, day care provider, and most recent master bear builder ......
That is what they call you there at the BABW! So when the schd. for this week came out last Thursday I was surprised to see I did not have to work my reg. 9:30 -2:30 on Friday at all no on call nothing not a time in the slot. Well great I could meet JoAnn for some muffins maybe at the Gingerbread Workshop (got to atleast be in a "workshop" lol) but as plans have it she cannot. I quess I am a creature of habit and NEED to stay true to the SCHD> of my life. It is a lil OCD in all of us but I think it is somewhat major here at times...(Norma will attest to that). You would think that I would be so happy to have a day to myself but NO I have the need to go to work. It is what defines me. Should it? I often wonder do I have to work and prove to others I am not a lazy schlep like my mother was in her days here on the Earth or do I just have to stay true to "just what is expected by society"? With that have a great day at work or at play. I hope the phone rings and school needs me to sub or even do the dreeded "lunch duty in the calf for the kids who need help with their milk" lol .....I would even be happy doing that even though I complained many a days about recesse duty........Have a good one....tooodddllleesss....

My only Godchilds Birthday,,,,,,,,

On June 7th 2006 my one and only heaven sent Goddaughter will be the big 5! Happy Birthday to Miss Veronica....Auntie Stephie Loves you so much! I remember the day she made this world a brighter place. I got in my car, did not care it was like a Friday afternoon hugh summer traffic time to go from the north shore to the south on RT. 3 to a hospital I have never been to, alone. I braved the traffic because through hell or high water I was going to see the little girl my best friend and her wonderful husband had. It was an extermly hot day I recall. It did not matter, I was going. You must realize that people in the "north" going to the "cape" or any where south of Boston are like "world travlas" I mean it, when Normie made the move to "the south" boy that took alot of getting used to ...........So it was a blessing to hold this lil gal with a head full of dark hair and the roundest most fullest face I'd ever seen. She had all the looks of her dad with the colors of her mom. She could of very well passed for my daughter lol ........Then again for years growing up Normie and I would get the question "are you sisters?", as we walked and walked AND walked the streets of EB.....Oh no that sounds bad .......We walked for exercise we were "good girls" well I WAS! Only kiddin'//////We both were. SO a special wish to the gals that made my heart full of Godmother love and a lifetime of being proud of the girl I call my God Child....xoxoxooxxo Love your Auntie Stephie....Love ya V

Yet another concert......

Son #2 had a very very long and hot concert this eve. Yes another concert just a differnt child. Same locatation differnt songs and kids. The 4th graders had to wait so very long in their seats till at least an hour and 35 mins into this eve of song and band. Boy was it great. yeah that is what you say to your child at the end and you like all the other parents have that same look in your eye. We had the pleasure to sit with 3 very funny and nice families that we have got to know in the past almost 9 years here. We all have 7th and 4 graders so we get to go to "all" these lovely things together. One of the dads has a great scence of humor alot like mine (Norma hears all about Mr. F from the hockey rink times we share). He had us in gut belly laughs and at one point we got the evil eye from the PRINCIPAL who might I say looked lovely in her Green Dress that she wears at EVERY event that we have attened for the past 5 years. She is a highly paid person b/c her salary is posted in the local paper every year (public tax payers money) so it is just an on going joke we have at most events from our oldest childern to our youngest. At one point we all looked over at her and her Elton John husband and she was fast asleep towards the end of the concernt....See even she wanted to be some place other than there. Our friend Mr. F was humming the tune to Rocket Man and we all "got it" as we feed into his humor and laughed, his wife pleads that we don't encourage him. We can not help it, his humor is great. It is like being back in school yourself and getting into trouble when you just can not control yourself. The 50/50 drawing went well. I would of had liked to win. I prominsed the 3 other familes a dinner of meatballs and "gravy" with homemade ravioliies (sp)........But I did not win. A nice family who NEEDS it I mean NEEDS it won.........They lost everything in the recent flooding here in Massachusetts. They were on the news and a house blew up next door to them and damaged ther house also .....So I am sure $300.00 is not enough to fix things but make a little better. SO good for them and I am sure that pasta dinner will get made for the 4th of July parade that goes by our house on June 24th lol lol yes it is the "4TH" of July parade on June 24th.......come on we are in the BOONIES what do you expect...........

Rain, Rain go away!!!

Ok Alright already! Why is it so bleaping wet? I am sick of wearing 3/4 lenght sleaves in JUNE! Went to the dentist early this morning and had to take off the t-shirt and put on the longer but not longest sleaves. My sons being tween and teen wore t-shirts and were "fine". I tell ya in work they keep saying it is summer now! Where where is it? you tell me! So if you are a duck have a great wet day and if you are like me try to be happy and have a kinda sorta nice day....

It is hot......

Ok what do you get when it is hot and there in no a/c at the Build A Bear Workshop? I very sweaty Stephie. Yes the hottest day yet and the workshops a/c kicked the bucket....Well they said they would be in at 9:30am the HVAC man (a cute man) came at 1:20pm. Yes 1 hour to go and I got some cooling. I tell ya fur bears and fluff make a person hot. I did find the approved shorts for my job. I know there were some @ $30.00.....Well I was like no way....I found a pair for 17.00 with 30% off AND had a $10.00 coupon from the mail from the NEW Macys opening up at the Filenes location. Yes the total was a hugh bank breaking $1.89. I said under $2.00. I could not buy a bottled water for that price lol. SO I am pleased that it did not break the bank.