So here I am with 3 weeks to be home with the kids...and wow it just becomes more fun. Tonight is the eve of our first ever tent camping trip. Of course storms are predicted, but for this evening who cares. As we play in the backyard watching a storm roll in., exciting as they always are. The clouds making the night suddenly appear in the middle of the day, the thunder still off in the distance, the wind kicking up.
Now inside the kids and I listen to the great music of MJ. They are having fun, on the edge of out of control, but with no other adults to speak to, the chaos is less grating. That is why sometimes on your own with the kids is easier.

Chris gets into the spirit of the evening gleefully grabbing the calculator and saying I am going to do 3 times 300!! Oh this is a wild Friday night before vacation!

random

It has been too long between posts! I see now I even have a follower to this blog, so maybe I should take it a bit more seriously as my fans are waiting with baited breath for my next riveting family of Bo story.

Well we have been up to too much to even consider sharing all of it. School is coming to a close and Matthew and Christopher have made me endlessly proud.
So we need to get ready for summer. Plans are being made. Once such plan includes the 7 of us and a 3 room tent.

So this weekend was the trial run. I was mercifully saved from this trial by Matthew who chose not to sleep out in the tent in Nonni's backyard. What motivated him to skip these shenanigans is a mystery still to me.
Rumor and a few snapshots indicate that a wild night was had in the wilds of Queens with those who chose to tough out the adventure. Matthew and I snuck out to the movies and then had a quiet breakfast the next day. What was at the root of this move by Matthew was never actually discovered, but it was still a good evening for everyone in their respective places. This marks the 3rd night since coming home from the hospital that the babies have been out for an entire night without me.

The babies have started to vacation without me, it is a disturbing trend. Previous to the camping trip was an independent 2 night adventure at gram and pappas' which they accomplished apparently without an ounce of regret. Well good for them, I guess.

Some prize remarks from the 5 amigos
" I keep my butt in my underwear!"-Mark
" YOu people are RIDICULOUS!" Cara
passing a graveyard " oh look at all the people who got killed, was there a battle there?"-Matt
"I still love Lauren, but I don't want Matt to know"-Chris
"Cosmo's not a real dog"
"how do you know"
"he don't poop"-Mikie

Thats it for today!

What a day

Some days are fun, big gifts...like going to the amusement park, or the beach. They come wrapped in bright paper with big bows on top. You anticipate their arrival and dust off the camera.

Other days you are more like today. You can't even identify them as a gift, because there is no wrapping paper, no bows in sight. You just wake up and a gloriously simple day rolls out to you. Where the kids play in patches on sunlight on your living room floor. They stop to give you a quick hug or share a thought. The smell of something baking in the oven as you move seamlessly even dare I say effortlessly, toward a good meal at the end of this day, this true gift. A chance to enjoy the efforts of all you have worked for. Breathe it in, move slowly, don't distract yourself with thought, just be in the moment, be in the gift.

got to the beach

So maybe we are pushing the whole summer agenda, by hitting the beach the minute the mercury goes above 50, if any of those thermometers use mercury anymore. This beach picture was taken, when avoiding the water was still the goal. After a bit several of them lost their fear and shoes, socks and pants were wet and crusty with sand. Luckily our car usually has random pieces of clothing we can throw on.

Where are you?

On my way to work each morning I pass a high school with dozens of kids streaming off the public buses, down the streets and onto their campus. I look though the crowd and try to find Matthew and Christopher. Oh that's what he'll be like, no wait, not that disheveled, no not that.... well, pierced. I can never find Matthew, though that maybe just a reflection of the neighborhood that does not produce many blond kids. Though his hair may be darker by then, at least in the winter.
This trip I realized I should look for a Cara, Mark and a Mike as well. Cara I can see in almost all of the pretty girls in their stylish jeans and furry boots, long glossy hair spilling out of their "Eskimo" coats. Walking with friends or boyfriends. I see her in the Pizza parlor I often share with the high school lunch crowd. I overhear pieces of her future conversations about the swim team, the school work and peals of laughter drifting off the table where she sits in clumps of kids.
I can't seem to find all of my boys though. I don't have any idea what they will look like, the roles they will either choose or be forced into. It takes my breath away when I see a table full of these energetic and healthy teenagers and realize there are just 5 sitting there. My lucky dining room table in 10 short years,at least on the days I can get them there all together, ah my future is so bright I have to wear shades!
What will we be like? Can we talk? How can I bring the relationships now into the future? It is scary and exciting. On rough days they want to sit close to me, they glow when I make the time to sit and play a game, and endless desire to hold my attention. A bad patch made up for by swooping the kid into my arms kissing the bridge of his nose, or ticking his tummy. These easy outs for mistakes, harsh words or lost patience will no longer be available to me. What will take their place? Will I have learned to be more cautious, not criticize and hold my tongue? What will the cost of that be? They will no longer really know me if I can't speak directly, if each word is guarded. There will be an inevitable gap.
I do see, despite what every ICarly, and Hannah Montana show would like you to believe, parents close to their teenagers. I look with trepidation and despite my misgiving excitement toward the kids future. I think they will continue to bring me laughter and heartbreak similarly to how it is now.

skiiing!

Well we finally did it, laid down our kings ransom to get the kids up on ski's. There was varying levels of success and I am limitlessly proud of each kid for giving it their all!

It was a beautiful day, even warm, and when it wasn't torturous it was down right fun. The torture came in the form of getting skis, putting on boots skis, taking them off 20 minutes later, getting an endless supply of dry, fresh gloves, drinks and snack! The enjoyment came watching the kids take their first stab at skiing.

Matthew and Chris somberly waited in line for the skis, after a brief and trying lesson from Steve, Matthew looks at me and says "I'm going". He went, with no help not even a heartbeat later he is off, I call to Steve he can't believe it and rushes down after him. He made it fine and continues to do just that for a few runs, with a couple of glitches.

Chris quickly hands his skis off to Mikey. Chris did well, but it was just not for him this trip. Mikey was happy, if not a bit unwieldy, just freestyling it down the hill while holding onto his Dad's hand.

We did manage to lose Matt as he made his way up the hill on his own. After 10 minutes I am heading to find an authority, I check on the three I had to leave alone to do this, and who is there but Matthew and some kind looking woman. I will let you know that I didn't cry. He had gotten off track, and an instructor said to him "are you in here?" smart Matt replies "no, I am lost." and they got him to the right person to help him! That was more heart-racing then a black diamond!

The new year is no starting out on the best of notes. The economy is in the gutter , Russ and I ditched the run the sugar cake top that I ordered did not arrive on time for the birthday party and then pink eye canceled the party outright.

One bright spot was the dance recital. Despite the fact that no one could make it but Nonni, Nonno and the reluctant twins (though they were cheered by the cupcakes offered at the reception). Mikie was not even supposed to dance, his a drop out of the program, but somehow became once again enthusiastic about the program insisted he dance in the recital. It was all really strange thank goodness the teacher was sympathetic to Mikie's lack of comprehension of registration requirements and payment requirements and allowed him to dance.

Cara is stunning in her black shimmering outfit. She doesn't seem to understand at all why she is there or what the moves are, every time she did the dance it appeared to be the first time she ever heard about it.

Mikie is all confident nonchalance, expertly hitting each move, though he has only attended one practice. When he comes out for his curtain call he is holding a bagel in one hand, seemingly neutral at being back on stage, upon spotting me, he gives a closed mouth smile, a raise of the eyebrows and a quick low wave. Putting out a vibe of "hey, nice of you to come, good to see you, I'm looking great, no?"

Mark was home with his goopy eye and his dad. He didn't even get dressed that day. Mark likes to stay in his PJ's all day. This is because he doesn't like to leave the house. everything he needs and all the people he loves are either in his house or will come soon to see him. The world outside is no place for a 4 year old as far as he can tell. Once he told us that he can't go out with us after dark, because of the dinosaurs, foxes and crocodiles. He's the kind of kid that five minutes after you arrive he is saying "can we go home now?"

Ahhh 4 years since my triple miracle. And a miracle they were! It has flown by, well okay not the first 5 months....but after that! Happy Birthday Cara so, so Mikie and handro!