The kids getting a tour of the inner workings of the theater.
I have a feeling this won't be the last time she is on stage!
Exploring the set.
Checking out the props.
Grace and all her questions.

In the Protection of My Big Brother

It was really warm the past week. SO last night to cool off and relax we turned on the fans and watched Chicken Run. The movie was getting pretty intense (the people were chasing the chickens) and Zeke cuddled up to Asa. Excuse the fuzziness of the photo. Zeke must have gotten a hold of the camera earlier. By the time I wiped down the lens the moment was over.

Who's Shoes?

Zeke loves to wear all of our shoes around the house. Yesterday he decided Grace's shoes were the most comfortable, and he added Asa's hat to finish it all off. Too cute!

My Niece's Photos

My niece Ciarra took some phots today and sent them to me. I thought I would post my faves. She did a pretty impressive job if i do say so myself!

random pictures

I love it when Grace dresses herself. What you can't se is her blue flowered socks. "I have flowers on my chompo and on my socks. I match!"
My new hair. Its really awkward to try to take a picture of your self. The red doesn't come through in the photo but it looks great!!

More Ballet Pictures

Asa's happy face!
Group photo

Love that Face!

We went to Yinghua Academy's Spring Carnival and the kids had a great time (so did we, really). There were games and great food (the best Chinese noodles I have had thus far!). One of the teachers was doing face painting, this is what the kids dreamed up. Grace met the teachers and really liked it. After we left Asa said "When I get old enough to go to school I want to go there!"

Cousin Love

Just like Asa, Zeke has come to adore his older cousin Giovanni. This picture was taken after a wrestling session on the air mattress.

Just too Cute

Asa Riding a Horse

Asa is riding his trusty steed with his sidekick "George the Monkey". Asa's favorite part was falling off his horse into the laundry.

The Ballet Recital!

My camera died after this photo. Asa was hilarious while dancing. When I first saw Asa's costume I wasn't sure how I felt about it. But he put it on and yelled "Look Mom Im a duck!" and started running around like the crazy boy he is. One of the other Mom's is going to give me her photos she took so I will post em when I get em.

Zeke the Dance Machine

He just loves to dance and I feel compelled to get it all on video. Click here.

Making It More Our Own

The enclosed side deck/porch along with the 8 inches of pea rock and baby Zeke!
The shed in the background is also gone! With a 2 car garage and 2 basements who needs a storage shed!
What a mess! Funny how Grace can sense someone taking a photo! (notice the absence of pea rock and the appearance of grass too!)

We are causing some damage and making quite a mess! We love our house but we have had plans to make the house a bit more....us if you will. So this weekend my Dad came down to help us out (along with friends from church). We will be expanding the yard tis summer and we look forward to some base ball and soccer to begin soon (after we clean up the mess that is!).

The pictures you see are when we were looking and buying our home. and the others are after most of the demo. I was so busy with the sick boys that I didn't even think to take pictures of the process! (sigh)

Poor Zeke

He got really sick on Wednesday, running a high temp, over all a lump on the couch. Then I saw that familiar rash. I brought him in to the Doc and my gut was right...scarlet fever. Then yesterday (Saturday) Asa popped a temp. Yep. Zeke spread the scarlet fever love. So 2 scripts of antibiotics later the boys are no longer contagious and on their way to well!

Spaghetti Monday's

I have my night class (VLI) on Monday nights. It has turned into "Spaghetti night" because its so easy to make and I head out the instant Barnabas comes home. Here is what happened last Monday. Click here to see video.

Found in the Archives

I was going through iPhoto and found this little video. It was taken back when it was cold (hence the hat). I was cleaning the house and had the radio on and realized we were listening to "highway to Hell" by AC/DC so I went to change the station. Thats when I saw Zeke dancing and got him on tape!

More Earth Day Fun

After the clean up we got lunch and watched a drum line. The kids loved it! They also sat and drew pictures on the pavement. Zeke loved the drum line. Click here for a video of him dancing. The sound on the camera does no justice to the talent and intensity of the drum line.

Earth Day Clean Up

The kids and I worked hard on Earth Day. We went to a park by our church (I can't remember the name of it!) And painted over graffiti and picked up garbage. We had a great time and the kids felt so grown up helping out! And yes Mom, we had gloves!

The hard part is that there were some "homes" we had to take down. We found spots of multiple sleeping bags and there was one spot that had plastic tied between trees along with a shirt hanging on one of the branches. It was sad to know that people were calling this open field home.

So true....

I got this from my uncle in NY as a forward. I laughed so hard I had to put it here.

The difference between Italian Kids and American Kids:

American Kids: Move out when they're 18 with the full support of their parents.
Italian Kids: Move out when they're 28, having saved for that nice house and are a week away from getting married .... unless there's room in the basement for the newlyweds.

American Kids: When their Mom visits them she brings a nice bundt cake and you sip coffee and chat.
Italian Kids: When their Mom visits them she brings 3 days worth of food and begins to immediately tidy up, dust, do the laundry or rearrange the furniture.

American Kids: Their dads always call before they come over to visit them and its usually
only on special occasions.
Italian Kids: Are not at all fazed when their dads come over, unannounced, on a Saturday morning at 8:00 and starts pruning the fruit trees. And if there are no fruit trees, he will plant some!

American Parents: You can leave your kids with them and you always worry if everything is going to be ok plus you have to feed them after you pick them up.
Italian Parents: No problem, leave your kids there and if they get out of line your parents
can set them straight .... plus they get fed.

American Kids: Always pay retail and look in the yellow pages when they need something
done.
Italian Kids: Just call their dad or uncle and ask for another dad's or uncle's phone number to get it done .... cash deal, knowwhatImean?

American Kids: Will come over for cake and coffee and get only cake and coffee, no more.
Italian Kids: Will come over for cake and coffee and get antipasto, a few bottles of wine, a pasta dish, a choice of two meats, salad, bread, potatoes, a nice dessert cake, fruit, coffee and a few after dinner drinks .... time permitting there will be a late lunch as well.

American Kids: Think that being Italian is a great thing.
Italian Kids: Know that being Italian is a great thing.

American Kids: Never ask the reason you have no food.
Italian Kids: Are the reason you have no food.

American Kids: Will say 'hello".
Italian Kids: Will give you a big hug and a kiss, pinch your cheeks, and pat you on the back.

American Kids: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
Italian Kids: Call your parents Mom and Dad.

American Kids: Have never seen you cry.
Italian Kids: Cry with you.

American Kids: Will eat at your dinner table and leave.
Italian Kids: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing and just being together.

American Kids: Borrow your stuff for a few days then give it back.
Italian Kids: Keep your stuff so long they forget it's yours.

American Kids: Know a few things about you.
Italian Kids: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

American Kids: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
Italian Kids: Will kick the whole crowds' ass that left you.

American Kids: Would knock on your door.
Italian Kids: Walk right in and say, "I'm home!"

American Kids: Are for a while.
Italian Kids: Are for life.

American Kids: Will ignore this.
Italian Kids: Will forward this.