Two different girls..........

It's so amazing to me how we could have two children that are so very different. Not look-wise, they have similarities there, in their eye & hair color. But that is definitely where it ends.







Samantha is quiet.







Quiet at school.







Quiet at dance.







Quiet at religion.







Not so quiet at home.







In fact she talks all the time. You may think to yourself, "there's no way a child could talk all the time..." but she does.







It doesn't matter what I'm doing.... cooking, cleaning, reading, watching t.v., or even typing this blog, she is talking to me. Now trust me, when I reach the point where I really can't take it much more ......................







(I know how this sounds, but think about it, ALL the time..... you are doing laundry & she follows you downstairs, you try to pee, she comes in with you............... you're on the phone ................, etc. etc. )







....................... it is then that i think to myself........... she's almost 11. And she still wants to talk to me. HOORAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!How much longer will that last? Will there come a day when I go into the bathroom to brush my teeth, and there is no one there talking to me? Will I have to follow her around? How sad will that be.......... So I continue to discuss, chat, and converse with my girl, for as long as she will let me...







Samantha also gets embarrassed real easy. The monthly book report at school takes a lot out of her. Reserved, I guess would be the best way to describe her. In fact, it is the perfect word for her, (not at home), but in general....................she has progressed leaps and bounds lately.......... In fact for the Christmas play at church this year she is hoping for a "big" speaking part. Maybe Mary or the angel Gabriel. Whatever makes her happy and keeps her in her comfort zone works for me :)







Now Libby.







Not so quiet.







Super well behaved.







Student of the month her first month at school.







Perfect behavior every day at school (we get nightly notes, so i know this is true).







But loud, bold, and so so so unique.







Libby is also going to be in the play at church. Last year she was technically a star, she waved her star spun around and smiled......... Don't ask her what she was though, she'll tell you she was THE star. Of the whole play. Move over baby Jesus.................







This year, I read her the choices for her age..........







me: Okay Libby, here are your choices, you can be a dancing angel, a cow, a sheep, a Shepard, a star, or a solider.







Libby: Okay, I'll be the Christmas Tree.







me: Honey there isn't a Christmas Tree, your choices are an angel, a cow, a sheep, a Shepard, a star, or a solider.







Libby: I Know, but I am going to be the tree.







And somehow, someway, and it makes me nervous, I'm sure she'll figure it out.







Tonight at the Junior High School they had a Glenn Colton Concert for the girls' whole school. I'll post some pictures......







Libby sat with her teacher instead of us. It was more interesting over there I guess....







Samantha sat with her friends. They were clapping and dancing along. And after about 30 minutes, she joined in too, as long as Sam & I weren't watching. Reserved.







Libby was dancing her heart out. She polka'd, she hustled, she did the twist, then came a dance that required a conga line. A child from the audience was picked to lead the line. It started that way. And Libby was in the middle. Until the end, then somehow, someway, she ended up leading the line. The entire line. The whole school. She wasn't picked for it, but she made it happen. And no one minded. They loved it.







I'm sure she'll end up being a tree too..... Maybe I should get her involved in politics..........







But Libby doesn't really talk to me. Don't get me wrong we have conversations, I just have to initiate them. She's usually pretty busy doing her own thing. Dancing to the beat of her own drum.







I wonder if it's because she can't get a word in edgewise ! lol. Speaking of my chit-chatty girl, she's been quiet the last minute of so, and she just handed me a note.......... "hi mom" . And here I thought she had forgotten about me.............







I'm going to go to bed now & snuggle with my reserved little girl & my little christmas tree.







25 more days..........................

Samantha , sooooooo embarrassed........ in the conga line :)

See.................. the middle of the conga line is where she started................

Here she is with her little girlfriend creeping up onto to the stage, during the show!!!!......... She loves the spotlight!

One month away!!!!

Here are some pictures from the last week or so...... We put up our inside decorations on Saturday night & the outside stuff today. Libby & Sam dressed up to fit the occasion and Samantha made a beard to add to Libby's costume !

Check this out

Here is what Sam, Libby, Samantha & I do on the day we put up our christmas tree :)


http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9594478464

Happy Almost Thanksgiving !!!

What I want........

I want my own bedroom. Now don't take this the wrong way, I love Sam. But I want my own bedroom, free from clutter and dirty socks, and collections of things I find under the bed. No snoring, hogging covers, or asking me to turn the TV down. (if the before mentioned snoring was not an issue, the TV wouldn't have to be so loud.)

I don't like my grown up room. I want stuffed animals, and posters of the men I have crushes on on the wall. (Drew Carey, Jeremy Piven, Steve Buscemi)........ I would hit the snooze button for a full 45 minutes & not feel guilty about it. It would smell lke lotions & pretty body sprays.... And never like degree, or axe body spray. Or feet.

I know Sam wants an Indianapolis Colts bedroom. He hasn't expressed it in so many words, but I know he does. What guy wouldn't.... ( not necessarily the Colts but substitute whatever team he loves.) I would let him do that.... in his own room.

Now I'm realistic & I know my marriage would suffer if we had seperate bedrooms, at least a certain aspect of our marriage ................ That and the fact that we only have three bedrooms makes my dream impossible. But ....... can you imagine..........

Santa Claus is coming to town.........

Did you know that Santa is coming to all the Malls today ? Wegmans has had the old video store decked out in Christmas trees since a few weeks before Halloween. Even the dollar store, had Halloween products right next to Christmas ones, before Halloween.

This really causes a rise in some people. Not me. I love Christmas. Peace & Goodwill towards all men.

I'm not sure about everyone else, but with the excitement & anticipation I find myself just a little more patient, just a little bit nicer, and just a little bit friendlier. I also find that the majority of people are the same way.

Now, I acknowledge the crowds, the parking, and carrying my coat plus Libby's, plus Samantha's, and a purse through the overheated mall. I wish Libby would go back in a stroller, at least there was a coat rack then...........

But then instead of thinking of the crowds, and people in such a hurry, I think of it as the hustle and bustle of the season. All of those people at the mall, toys r us, wal-mart, target where have you, are out buying for christmas/ hannakah / kwanza or whatever holiday season they celebrate. They are buying gifts. For other people.

It's the season of giving. Giving isn't always easy. Giving gifts or giving your time, not always easy. But isn't it great?

So if someone wants to set up early, go ahead !!!!

I think we are all just a little bit of a better person come holiday time.

How can that be a bad thing?

Merry Christmas to All and to all a Happy November 10. :)

A few pictures :)

Those two pics are from the Amerks game on Friday... Samantha was so excited, she saved her money & bought an Amerks jersey..... Libby's first game, & she was really into it, one of the players even gave her a puck!




My girlies



Libby had a few little friends to have a belated birthday celebration !

A proud moment

As a parent I have had a lot of proud moments.... Everytime I get a compliment about how well behaved one of my girls are (and I hear it a lot, from teachers, dance teachers, their friends' parents)..... Now I'm not always sure who they send back home to me, but I think I'd rather have it that way, then for them to be holy terrors elsewhere.

Samantha (our quiet one) had a very busy time last February, she won Student of the Month at school & she came in second place in the spelling bee out of all of the 4th graders!!! We were so proud.

And little Libby won Student of the month her very first month as a Kindergartner! Amazing.

Then there was yesterday, and Libby brought home her artwork. They had to draw a picture of a monster (i'm thinking it was a leftover Halloween thing). And my little peanut told her teacher that her monster eats cheese, and lighters. Yup lighters.

What do I do? Do I send in a note & let the teacher know that we use candles, and that the lighters are up on top of the fridge for only that purpose? We've had the safe/unsafe talk about matches lighters........ They did it at school too......... and I even quit my 2 cigarette a night habit a while ago. ARRRRGGGGGGGG.

So proud !

I love Ragu.

I don't mind cooking, I really don't.... but I don't however believe that the complexity of what I prepare reflects back on me as a mother, a wife, or a human being.

Two of the pickiest eaters that I have ever met live in my house. Samantha & me! This means that I am always preparing more than one dinner.............

Sam (husband) doesn't like vegetables except a yearly green bean casserole, (trust me, i've tried it when it wasn't Thanksgiving & the dish that he really loved on Thanksgiving gets a "what is this? No I don't think I like it? Well that was Thankgiving..") , potatoes, & I'm not sure ...... have they been banished as a vegetable & moved into the horrific carb catagory?

Here is my theory........ I enjoy homemade macaroni & cheese as much as the next girl, but I like "Velveeta" macaroni & cheese better, so do my girls, it takes a tenth of the time to make, and costs extremely less (about $3 for 2 boxes). Therefore.......................

I have made homemade chicken & dumplings. (and please don't infer that I prepared it wrong, because my father-in-law is a FANTASTIC cook & he taught me), it was good, but, I have also made boxed, (yup I said it BOXED) chicken & dumplings, there was a can, I added a few things, and there was a bisquick kind of mix that I added to & presto, fasto, inexpensive-o, delicious-o.
It was about $5. FOR THE ENTIRE kit.........

Now I know that some of you are cringing, I just refered to the ingrediants for making a meal as a kit. Why the heck not. Seriously.

Now some things I agree (on a personal level I will never judge someone else's food preperation methods, ever, ever, ever...) But personally, I like real mashed potatoes (and again, in order to get some vegetable in Sam, I make them that way.....) I prefer homemade pizza to frozen.

But preffering to cook NOT completely from scratch does not mean that I love my family less. It means that I am practical. It means that unless I want dinner prepared at 3:00, and left warming, or warmed back up, that I am staring dinner at around 5:45 and want to put my kids to bed a a decent time.

Do not judge me by the way the ingrediants came into my house, judge the final outcome. The results are good. And it works for me.

Whatever works for you, congratulations. Whether you only order out, order in, or cook all day with things i cannot pronounce, or if your family adores spaghetti-o's. I think you are great, because some days remebering to feed everyone is an accomplishment in & of itself !!!!

p.s. I love Ragu Sauce, tater tots, Lipton Noodle soup in a box, and hamburger helper.

I stay home........

It's funny because my lofty ambitions growing up (once I got over the fact that I would never be a solid gold dancer or a nun) was just to be a Mom. I wanted to pack lunches and car pool and go on field trips, and volunteer. And I have reached that goal.

When I was at a volunteer training course (every year gotta love Spencerport Central) I was listening to the woman in the room, and they were all stay at homes Mom's. Well, not only was I everything I wanted to be be, but here I was in a whole group of my idols....

When it came to me, I proudly announced my name and that I also didn't work & was a stay at home Mom. But my hours of availability were limited until after 9:00 a.m. and before 3:00 p.m. and never on school vacations & nothing during the summer because I am a liscened home day care. It was at this moment that a Mom at my table leaned over to me, and corrected me. Not only IS a stay at home Mom WORK, but I also WORK. I thought she's right.

Every morning I cook, that's right cook (except one cereal day) breakfast for 9 children. (7 come in & 2 of my own).
I settle disagreements about card games, K'Nex peices, TV channels, who's turn it is on the computer, if So & So is lying about how many Pokemon cards he has, if Yu-Gi-O is better than Pokemon, and who is touching who, or looking at who.
I listen to stories & events that heppened the night before or 2 years before, to gossip about the neighbors & sometimes some really interesting family information.
While doing this I help my kids get up and ready. Samantha likes (needs) my undivided, so I have to try, and every day I know she's awake because she begins to chant "Mom, what's the high, MOm, what's the high, MOM what's the high"

Right about now I wish there was a high , trust me, but she dresses very true to the weather forecast, and it can change over night, soooo....

Then there is always the last minute, "oh yeah, I'm supposed to wear red today." The rest goes like this....
me --> "so put on your red shirt"
her --> "I can't find it, where is it?"
me ---> "Did you check your drawers?"
her --> "yes, it's not in there"
me --> "what about your closet?"
her ---> "It's not in there"
---------meanwhile in the playroom an arguement has broken out about whether Spiderman or Superman is stronger and if Hannah Montana is prettier than Gabriella --------- so I leave my perch at the bottom of the stairs & settle this----------
her ----> "Mooooooom, I can't find my red shirt"
me ----> "WELL I DON'T WEARYOUR CLOTHES AND I KNOW I JUST WASHED IT SO IT'S CLEAN SO JUST LOOK"

------- 5 minutes later-----------

her "Mom...."
me "fine, i'm coming", and i check the closet, and the drawers, and it's really not there. so she goes without and i wonder...... She wears pink.


Now, Libby just got out of her cast which thank goodness means although I am still getting paged from upstairs "MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMY", "MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMOMMY", she can move on her own. Although, she has begun wetting the bed, so i have to clean her up in the morning, then I try to sneak back upstairs to clear the sheets off her bed.

I make sure that everyone has a lunch, a snack, a coat, shoes tied, their homework, and backpack, those who should brush their teeth have, and that everyone gets on the bus with a smile. Unless of course there is a special project that can't be carried on the bus, then I drive him or her in.

I come home *the bustop is now down the street instead of at my house (love Spencerport Central) * and I clean up breakfast, and toothpaste spit, and I go onto my usual things, and realize that a laundry basket is missing, I check Samantha's room, there it is, she never put her laundry away, and guess what is on top? Yup, the red shirt.

I won't even get into the regular Mom duties & house stuff, we all know that in & of itself is work. And I only have two kids.

Then there are the after-school kids, but that would take about three more pages.............

Anyway, my point after all of this rambling is that NOW I am offended when someone comments that I don't work. This is a very select group of people. And I'm sure they have no idea that they are offending me. But offense taken. I work. Come walk in my shoes, try to stay patient for more than 15 minutes, I dare you.................

p.s. I also volunteer 3 days a week at the school, and teach religion on Sundays........... and all the Mom & house stuff.

I work.

Eddie Bauer Diaper Bag

The big concert !!!

Last night at the Amerks hockey game, the 5th grade bands from the four elementary schools in Spencerport had the opportunity to play the National Anthem. We videoed Samantha, so after about 2 hours of trying to e-mail it to everyone, I figured I would try to put it on youtube. I think it worked. I say, "I think" because I spent DAYS trying to post Sam's demolition derby heat on there & nada. So today after my alleged sucess, I tried again....

SO ! When & if you follow this link you SHOULD find Samantha playing her flute, and you may even find Sammy winning his heat of the demolition derby (He's in the green car).

http://www.youtube.com/kristinecerami

Last night was great! Other than a light layer of clothes under there costumes, there was no need for coats, hats, gloves, umberellas, etc. Which we all know that in Rochester these are usually necessary.

We packed the wagon with flashlights, bags, and I won't tell you what Sam put in there, but he did make sure that there was room for Libby. (it the little things like that that count i guess.... )

We went for our costumes about 2 months ago, sounds crazy right? Well if you have little girls who want to be "Hannah Montana" and "Gabriella" (High School Musical), then you know that if you don't get there early, they will be gone, because all the little girls want to be Hannah, or someone from High School Musical, and your girlies will be wearing a compilation of your leftover jr. high clothing mixed with a couple old dance costumes, and instead of Hannah's blonde wig, or Gabriella's Black one, you'll be looking for anything that you can hot glue together to resemble a wig, yarn, string, tape, spaghetti.....

So anyway Libby tried on Gabriella, it is simply a red dress, just like in the movie, very true to the original in fact (i know this because i have seen the movie 862 times) Unfortunately Libby looked a little bit like a slutty cocktail waitress in it, so i nixed that. On to Sharpay (also High School Musical for those of you without kids, nieces, neighbors, or grandkids) Now this looked alright , maybe a little show girlish, but with the wig it was alright. But you see when you are 5 (4 at the time) and you put on a costume you expect that when you look in the mirror that you will see Gabriella or Sharpay looking right back at you, Libby saw herself in a showgirl dress and a cheap wig, so onto the Disney Princesses........ Belle, Cinderella, Tinkerbell, who knew that the selection of a Halloween costume was so difficult. I mean, I had an idea, I showed them the catalog, went online, had them pre-pick........... anyway....... Libby ended up choosing a pink power ranger. She did not know what a power ranger was. But the costume had a mask. And she looked just like the picture on the package. SO there you have it.

Meanwhile Samantha wanted to be Hannah Montanta, super cute costume, but not for her. Honestly, I may be over-analyzing it, but I could not send my almost 11 year old out in a min min mini skirt, with a half shirt and a blonde wig. It was reministint of Julia ROberts in the begining of Pretty Woman. Now I have seen this costume on younger kids, and it's cute, super cute, but with Samantha getting older, I just couldn't let her. Well she was fine with it and immediatley chose another costume, a 1960's "Hippy Chick". Easy enough.

So off we went, Samantha wanted to run house to house, Libby is still limping pretty bad, and tires out easy, plus she can't do steps. But she had her big sister to help her out (with a minimal amount of grumbling)... So we muddled through, about 2/3 of the way Samantha fell and scraped up her arm pretty bad, and she was very upset and hurt, and Libby was pooped, but we made it, and upon arrival at home each girlie was allowed three pieces of candy........

Then, "fine one more, but no more then you are brushing your teeth."

Then ," you know what go ahead eat what you want, but don't cry to me when you have a belly ache. " A Mom can only take so much grumbling, crying, tiredness, and injuries.

We saw a lot of costumes out there. Princesses, Pirates, Cats, Giraffes, Pumpkins, and even the enegizer bunny. But i want to tell you about one special costume i saw......

One of Samantha's classmates is one of six kids, we ran into her, three of her sisters and her Mom & a friend .

This little girl was wearing a snugli with a couple babies shoved in it, there was a baby taped to her calf holding on for dear life, one in a stroller, one on her shoulder, and her friend was dressed up as another. She had on a blonde wig (mom is a blonde) and painted on spit up over her shoulder. She was dressed as her Mom. And I thought how funny, how original, but when I got home and thought about it, I thought it was beautiful. Any woman who can do that is my hero.

On a side note, she lost one of her babies on the halloween trail, luckily it ended up at my Mom's house so she will be recovered, her Mom has never done this, guess even the elaborate costume couldn't compare.

I "checked" the kids candy before they dove in. But I may have to "check" it again today. and tonight, and tomorrow..........