These are a couple pictures I took a few days ago during an ice storm.  I was waiting for Sal to get off the bus, and snapped these.  Beautiful, I think, although very damaging.

A couple weeks ago, my parents came into town, and Sal and I headed to Cleveland, to see one of our favorite bands, Wilco, in concert.  The band was awesome live; 2 hours straight of playing.  An amazing show.  We then headed to a hotel that I had found on the Internet, with a Jacuzzi in it!  It was a beautiful room; actually a converted bank~ wonderful tall ceilings, tiles on the floor, huge windows, wood floors…… wonderful.  It was some much needed time for the two of us.  The next day, we wandered around the city, went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and just goofed off.  It has been so long since I just hung out with my husband~ it reminded me of our dating days.  A very nice time, but too short.

Blaise has a cold, an ear infection, and is using the nebulizer again.  He has passed his cold onto me, and yesterday Salvatore was diagnosed with Strep.  Bummer.  Sal will be well enough to attend a birthday party of a friend on Saturday, which happens to be a bowling party!  What fun.  I wish I could go, but I have a singing commitment at church.  I’m sure he’ll have fun, if he’s feeling well enough.

Next weekend my parents are coming back, and we are going to Bristol, TN with another couple here in town to see the NASCAR race on Sunday.  Woo Hoo!  Sal has been to several with my Dad, but I have never been.  We got a hotel room that we are going to share with our friends, and we have tickets for the first row, turn 4 on the track.  I hope I am healthy by then, and hope Sal doesn’t get sick between now and then.  I can’t wait.  In addition to going to my first race, I’ll get another break from the kids!  I’m a terrible Mom!

The weekend following that, we will head to SB for Easter.  Divided celebrations, to spend with both families.  Another whirlwind tour.  I can’t believe Easter is almost here….. I’m ready for warmer weather and no muddy/snowy messes.  Tired of being trapped indoors.  Come Spring, Come!

This is a website that I can download my videos on, and share them with family and friends.  Pretty fun!

I finally caught Blaise walking, so this is the newest video I have on the site. 

We dumped most of the tadpoles back into the creek today, and kept about 15.  We’ll see how they do.

Going to the annual picnic for Butech this Saturday; at the country club.  Steak, chicken, or fish grilled, along with sides and desserts.  Volleyball nets, basketball, backgammon, playground area, paddleboats, and even a small lake with beach front for the kids.  Should be fun……

This is the name my son decided to call us after we collected all these little guys.  Here’s the story:  As I wrote in my previous entry, Salvatore discovered frog eggs last Monday.  We went back to the creek on Thursday, and since we had had no rain, it was drying up.  We only got about 20 eggs on Monday, but the rest of the bunch was right at the line for drying up and dying in the creek.  We then went home, got a large jar, and scooped up as many eggs as we could.  The result was about 100 eggs total, and they all hatched over the weekend!  We now have about 70 tadpoles swimming in that jar.  Oh boy!  I think I will wait until they are larger, and maybe even until they have legs, then release most of them back into the creek.  It depends on how quickly and how large they get.  I plan on giving all my family and friends frogs for Christmas.

Blaise had his one year checkup and immunizations on Friday.  He was grumpy and running a fever Friday and Saturday because of the shots.  Yesterday and today, he was just grumpy in general.  The poor kid is popping out teeth like there is no tomorrow!  He has three molars, and a couple eyeteeth, not to mention the top and bottom front 4.  I’ve been staying on top of the drugs for his comfort, and my sanity.  He actually took a couple steps on Friday, but I can’t catch it on camera.  I’m sure he’ll be running around before long.

My sister is doing well; only 5 weeks left in her pregnancy.  I’m trying to figure out a way to get there, via my parents.  Sal is not comfortable with me driving the boys alone, though.  I need to talk him into it.  If I could just drive to SB, then I could ride with my folks to WI.  I’ll do my best to work it out; I know it would mean a lot to my sister.  And, I want to meet my new nephew!

The touch me nots are starting to flower around here; but the pods are still too skinny to pop.  Salvatore saw them and was so excited!  We had a lot of fun hunting them down and squeezing them last year.  I’m sure we spread a lot of seeds around.  Something fun to look forward to.

We are also planning a trip to Michigan.  We haven’t been to my in laws place up North for over 2 years, and have carved out some time to do it this year.  It will be wonderful to go to the beach, and visit with his parents.  We’ll be going the Wednesday before Labor day, and coming back home on Labor day.  Salvatore will start kindergarten on the 5th.  I’m a little worried about being out of town before he starts school; I wanted to get him used to getting to bed early and getting up early.  That won’t happen when we are up North~ it’s always late nights and late mornings.  I’m hoping he will be resilient enough to bounce back.  Besides, it’s only 3 days of school that week. 

My husband actually said something about getting a sitter for the weekend so we could spend some time along…… woo-hoo!  We’ll see if it happens!

Here are some eggs that Salvatore discovered at the creek 2 days ago.  We are hoping they are frog eggs, and we will get some tadpoles soon.  This is a lousy picture, though.  I can’t seem to zoom in on stuff….. bummer.

This week is low key; Just hanging out, tolerating the heat.  Blaise has his one year check up/shots on Friday.  I did some rearranging of plants in the kitchen so we will have less to block from the baby~ I’m tired of stepping over stuff.  The kid is into everything.  Exhausting and fun all at the same time.  He isn’t walking yet, but I can tell he’s thinking about it.  He is desperate to communicate, and will often just start yelling in frustration.  He now says Mama, Dada, ow, uh-oh, and we think kitty.  He has just started saying SSSSSSSS, so maybe his next word will be “Sal”.  He would be so thrilled!! 

Time to play with my baby!

On Friday night, we went over to our neighbors, Jack and Leah’s, to roast some brats and hotdogs.  We then roasted marshmallows, shot off our remaining fireworks, and Salvatore and I stayed the night in their camper (in the drive way) while Dad took Blaisie home.  It was some much needed time for both my son and myself.  We watched a movie and at popcorn in the tiny bed in the camper, then snuggled in sleeping bags all night.  What fun!

And here are a couple pictures from Mill Creek Park where we took a little hike yesterday~ very nice.

This is on Blaise’s actual birthday, July 13.  It was very low key; we invited the neighbors over for cake and ice cream.  Although he still doesn’t put food in his mouth, Blaise had a lot more fun smashing his cake this time around, as you can see.  He got a book from Jack and Leah, some tub toys from big brother Salvatore, and a soothing musical light toy for his crib from us, in hopes that he will actually sleep in his crib.  We’re still working on that one.

We had beautiful weather for Blaisie’s birthday party in SB.  Our shelter was right by the river, and there was a wonderful breeze blowing.  Blaise loved all the attention, although I think he was a little overwhelmed by all the people cheering and watching him as he dove into his cake.  He didn’t get too messy.  The pinata was a big hit with all the kids, and we had tons of food. 

The next day we were off to NM a day early for a 4th of July party with our friends.  Salvatore had fun playing with all the kids, and the fireworks were AWESOME!  (Blaisie fell asleep during them!).  We were on the road by 10:30 AM the next day because we had a 5 1/2 hour drive in front of us.  But, 45 minutes into the drive, we blew a heater hose.  Thank goodness it happened in Fort Wayne, and not a dinky town.  We were able to call Greg, and he picked us up and kept us another night at his home.  We were fortunate to have this bad luck, because then we were able to see Annie!  Hurray!  We called a garage first thing in the morning, and our van was towed and fixed that day.  We were back on the road by 5:30 PM, and home by 10ish.  A big THANK YOU to our friends Greg and Annie for bailing our butts out of that mess!!!

This Friday is Blaise’s actual birthday.  I will make him another smash cake, in hopes of getting some fun messy pictures.  We may have our neighbors over for cake and ice cream, but that will be the extent of the celebration.  I don’t even know if we will get him a gift!  He won’t know the difference, and really doesn’t need anything.  I may pick up a few helium balloons, just because he loves them. 

My hubby has a cold, and Salvatore is complaining of a sore throat.  Blaise has been coughing, and has a runny nose.  So far, no symptoms for me.  (knock on wood).  I noticed yesterday while feeding Blaise that he has a molar!  I don’t know when it came in, that’s how horrible of a mother I am!  He has been whiny these past couple weeks, and he wasn’t feeling himself over the 4th.  I guess that’s why! 

Rain here today, finally.  Our grass was pretty brown when we came back from our extended trip.  We’ve been watering faithfully every day in hopes of keeping it alive.  I think it worked. 

I’m off to change a stinky diaper!  It’s endless!

Playing dress up……..

Making pasta for dinner……

Hanging out at the creek…….

Cuddling.

It was a nice week with my niece here.  On Saturday we are off to SB to have a picnic for Blaisie’s first birthday, and then to a friends for 4th of July celebrations.  I believe we will be home for quite a spell after that.  (I hope!)

I was able to meet up with my good friend Kim, whom I’ve known since junior high.  She met us at my nephew’s graduation party, which was in Indy where she lives.  We caught up on our lives, and sat back and enjoyed listening to my brother play bass in a band that he occasionally preforms with.  Tension was high with my brother and sister in law and myself, but I survived.  Salvatore really enjoyed playing with his cousins, whom he hasn’t seen for 2 years. 

These are a little out of order.  This is from the boatride we took in WI when we visited my sister.  This is her father in law’s boat, and we took a nice tour of Milwaukee on it.  It is a beautiful boat, complete with a kitchen area, small table attached to kitchen area, queen size bed, toilet and shower.  Wow.  Who the heck can afford that?!  Anyway, Salvie loved it, and wants to go on the boat again sometime.  So do I!

This was the day after the graduation party, at my brothers house.  We posed for a nice picture, and then took a “silly” one.  I think I may have been squeezing a bit too hard on my brothers neck!  My sister, Cathie, is glowing here.  She is 6 months pregnant, and doing very well.

These are the Raab cousins; my brothers 3 boys, my niece, and my guys.  Doing a goofy picture.  As I said before, Sal loved seeing his cousins again, and was rattling off our address to them before we left, in hopes that they would come to visit.  Such a sweet boy.

And finally, after our boat ride in Milwaukee, we decided to stop and dip our toes in the lake.  Salvie got his shirt wet, so we took it off.  Then his jeans got soaked, and he had to keep pulling them up so his undies wouldn’t show.  We decided to have a splashing contest, which as you can see, I won.  My sister took quite a few good action shots that day.  It was a great time.

Right now, my niece is here for a week or so to “get some practice” with my boys on being a big sister (she’s 14, and an only child till September).  My folks will come at the end of the week, stay a few days, and then take her back to SB.  In a couple weeks, we will be heading back to SB to celebrate Blaisie’s birthday, and 4th of July with some friends.  I think that will be the end of our traveling for a while!