Kelly tagged me to go a meme, so here goes!
A- Attached or Single: Attached
B- Best Friend: My husband, of course!
C- Cake or Pie: Does cheesecake count?
D-Day of Choice: Saturday
E-Essential Item: Coffee
F-Favorite Color: Red
G-Greatest Accomplishment: Becoming a mommy :-) However, this year it was pulling up my big girl panties and leaving the place I called a job.
H-Hometown: Wilbraham, MA
I-Indulgences: Chinese Food!
J-January or July: July (with air conditioning!) and January (with a frech coating of snow, fire in the fireplace, and a snowday)
K-Kids: Tyler, I wouldn't trade him for the world!
L-Life is incomplete without: My family
M-Marriage: A life-long rollercoaster ride that I can't live without!
N-Number of Siblings: 1 sister
O-Oranges or Apples: Red Delicious apples
P-Phobias or fears: spiders and heights
Q-Quotes: To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. Elbert Hubbard
R-Reason to Smile: Family, life, health
S-Season: Fall
T-Tag Friends: Lisa
U-Unknown facts about me: My sheets and pillow cases always have to match.
V-Very favorite store(s): Target, Gap
W-Worst habit: Belching
X-X-ray or Ultra Sound: Ultrasound
Y-Your favorite food: Chinese food
Z-Zodiac: Leo
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Me, A to Z
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thankful
Happy Thanksgiving! As the holiday season has officially arrived, we have taken the time here to reflect on the great life we have been blessed with and to help those that are in need this holiday season (and the rest of the year). This past Saturday, Tyler and I bagged up some food items to delivery to a food drive that the Longmeadow Rotary Club was hosting on behalf of Open Door Social Services, the agency that helps run the Food Bank in Springfield. Tyler was very excited about helping those people who can not afford to buy their food. In fact, he referred to our donation as "feeding the people in the village". I guess it may take a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to feed a village!
On Saturday afternoon, we set off to deliver our food to "the man in the parking lot with the big truck". As we pulled up to the delivery sight, I asked Tyler if he wanted to help carry a bag. Of course he said yes. We got out of the car and I handed him a bag. It was slightly heavy, but he mustered all of his pride and handled it very well. As we got closer to the men collecting the goods, they all started clapping for my little guy. He was so proud! He handed the men their bags, shook hands with a few volunteers, and beamed from ear to ear. When we got back to the car and I was buckling him in, he said: "My daddy is going to be so proud of me!". Melt. My. Heart.
On Tuesday morning, I asked him what he is thankful for. I honestly had no idea where this was going to get me and I was a bit scared of the responses! Here is what Tyler said (in this order!):
After hearing these responses, I had a smile on my face all day. We are so thankful that we have such a wonderful young boy as our son and that is all I could ask for.
I hope that each of you find small things today to be thankful for as well and we wish you a fabulous holiday!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Muscles Marinara
Meet "Muscles Marinara", the newest WWE personality... He has a huge personality and thanks to his special medicine (ketchup), taken at every meal, he has the huge "guns" to match!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake, EVER!
Tonight I got to make the "Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever", a recipe off the Pioneer Woman Cooks website. Let me tell you, it was delish! Tyler was a great help- he helped me mix and kept me on top of what I was doing. Best of all, he helped me clean up....
Of course that meant I had to clean him up when he was done!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Lovin' Cousins!
This weekend, Grandma and Papa Genovese came for a visit and brought cousin Skylar with them. Tyler and Skylar always have a great time playing together, but often times, Skylar gets pushed to the side when cousin Conor is around-- after all, what girl wants to play Star Wars? But I guess "boys will be boys" as the saying goes! Grandma mentioned last week about bringing Skylar with them and we jumped at the idea. We ran it past Tyler, and he immediately wanted to call Skylar, Aunt Laurette, and Uncle Jim and ask if "Skylar could come for a play date this weekend"!
Saturday was a long way off, but when it finally arrived, Tyler was so excited! He waited by the door for when they pulled in the driveway and as soon as they did, these kids were off and running! The played upstairs, downstairs, inside, and outside! The ran, they walked, they even sat (just for a second!). I love to see how they play together, especially now that their imaginations are just forming and story lines are being formed. Once, Skylar said to Tyler "I'll be the mommy and you can be the kid." To which Tyler responded "No, I'll be the dad."!
They wasted no time in heading for the garage and the jeep-- Skylar wanted to drive and Tyler gave no complaints! Thank goodness for another mild, Fall weekend!
Back inside they made tracks to the basement and played their own version of Spiderman cards. As soon as I started snapping shots, they started hamming it up and this shot turned into this:
All full of giggles!
The adults relaxed for a few minutes before we left for dinner. Tyler kept saying that they were feeding Spike the dinosaur. I didn't realized that it meant they had strewn all the play food across the room!
I really don't know a more adorable sight. Not only is Skylar the apple of Tyler's eye, but she is only 3 1/2 months older than him, and my Goddaughter. It was great to have someone to share the pregnancy highs and lows with (my sister-in-law, Laurette) and someone to be up with in the middle of the night when we were all together. I remember the first time all the kids were together. Tyler was 1 week old and Skylar was 4 months old. Conor was 28 months. We sat all the kids on the couch and snapped pictures of them all. Tyler was a peanut (7 pounds) and Skylar was huge compared to him! Now they are almost identical in size. 
Band PracticeResult: Everyone awake!
Not a minute went by without these two doing something together. Even as everyone was preparing to leave on Sunday afternoon, they busied themselves with chalk drawings on the driveway!Saturday, November 1, 2008
Trick-or-Treat!
What a wonderful Halloween this year! After the weather last week, we really thought that Ty would have snow boots on with his costume, but the sun came out today, and Mother Nature heard our prayers! I was such a nice Fall night, warm temps, leaves rustling in the street, and clear skies!
When Tyler woke in the morning, he wanted to put his costume on right away. I told him it was packed for school and he would put it on there when it was time. When we arrived at school, he immediately want to show it to his teachers! He was so excited. As the morning progressed, the kids trick-or-treated at school and did a costume parade for their morning walk-- I am sure the neighbors loved it!
After school, we had dinner and then it came time to get dressed again! Ty was so good at being patient and waiting for each piece to go on just so-- the end result was awesome! And because it was a Friday night, we took out time and enjoyed played Power Rangers in costume inside the house. Tyler and I then set out to go around the circle while Frank stayed home and passed out candy to *lots* of kids!
Me and my super hero!
Striking a pose-- he did a wonderful job with his costume and even got into character for a few houses!
I felt like it was the first day of school and I had to capture every moment. This was the first year that he was really into trick-or-treating and Frank and I relished in every minute!
Dumping out all hit loot and checking what he got. The whole time we were out he kept saying "I am going to eat all this candy when I get home!". Well, he tried! 
What comes up, must come down! After a few mini-Twix bars, a Three Musketeers ("Mommy, this is really good, you have to try it!") and a Twizzler, he was done! (The ironic part is, that except for M&M's, Tyler has never enjoyed candy! I guess Frank and I will have some competition this year at the candy bowl! ) We put on comfy clothes enjoyed a little of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and then called it a night!