So my kids have never really gotten to experience snow falling and playing in the snow. My daughter was born in South Florida, Boca Raton Community hospital to be exact. We lived in S. Florida until she was about 2yrs old. Then off to Italy we went. Now mind you, it doesn't snow in Naples, Italy however, we did take the kids up to a resort to go Ski'ing. Snow was already there, nothing falling from the sky. Lucas was almost one. Still wasn't walking yet so he just basically just sat with me watching everyone. Kiana tried ski'ing as so did I. Key word being Tried... I felt like i was on an eliptical machine.. lol. Needless to say, she did have fun but never really got to see how the snow got to be. So last wednesday, it snowed a little bit. Enough for her to go sledding down the driveway and onto the street. Eat snow and jump around in it. She had a blast! So here's the deal, her snow boots from last year still fit her so she was able to go out and play. Lucas' snow boots didn't fit anymore. So i wouldnt' let him go outside until he had some. So i went to the mall, went to almost every store that sold snow boots, including department stores like burlington Coat factory, and every store wanted at least $35.00 for some snow boots size 7/8 toddlers. I can't afford, nonetheless even if I could, spend more that much on a pair of snow boots that he will outgrow so fast. So finally after searching and searching, I found a pair at Rack Room shoes for $16.00!! YAY. well, by the time i got home, it was dinner time! So, my husband and I decided that we would sneak out after we put our daughter to bed, and take him for a ride in his new sled. Kiana went to bed, out we snuck out! Lucas had a blast!

So the weekend before last, I took a trip to see my brother, sister in law who I hadn't seen since my wedding, April 22, 2006!! AND TO MEET MY ADORABLE LIL nephew Charlie! Let me tell you about my Charlie...He is super handsome, great personality, just such a happy baby! Poor baby was sick all weekend long, but you would've never known. He masked it really well. He played so gentle and nicely with my daughter and son. Even when my son was trying to beat on him, he still was just as calm as ever, looking at my son like what are you doing cousin? My daughter has so much fun! She asked me why we never went to visit her Uncle John before... i said, well honey, we were miles and miles away in Italy. When we were stationed in Italy for 3 years, we didn't come back to the states at all, not even for a visit. I was afraid, we would miss the states and not want to go back to Italy. So we just took trips around Europe instead! How many 5yrs olds can say they went to DisneyWorld in PARIS??!!! lol.. Anyways, back to my weekend at my brothers. It was nice to see my brother and sister in law. Charlie was our super bonus! He has such an awesome 1st bday party too. I'm telling you, for a sick baby, he was such a good sport. Now in my days of parenting, i have seen some tantrums, sick babies, teething babies, cranky babies, just out right i don't want to listen babies... Charlie was none of the above! He was the smiling baby!!! That lil man could probably throw up and still manage to give out a smile! (kinda like my son did once) The day of Charlie's bday party, the weather was really nice out, so we got the oppurtunity to take the kids to a really nice park nearby. They had a blast! As many times as i have been to NYC, I have never once been to a kids park there. To my surprise, it was very nice! I'm from the subarbs, def not a city girl...so to be in a busy city at a nice park, was new and exciting for me! Charlie and his wonderful Nanny came with us for a little bit. Charlie loves the swings! He can swing too! His nanny was really nice. Charlie had lots of fun trying to chase around his cousins. I think if we would've stayed there for a week, Charlie for sure would be fast walking! He's super smart (duh, look at his parents, I know for a fact, my brother is one of the most intelligent, brainiacts out there), he picked up on everything my kids were doing. It was so cute, he would make his way to where they were and when he got there, my active children of mine, would run off to somewhere else. Poor Charlie, I could just tell he was cursing them out in baby language, telling them to keep their *sses in one place!! lol  He loves other kids though! So i think in the just few days we were there, i grew pretty fond of my nephew. My daughter grew very fond of him and her Uncle and Auntie too. So looks like we will make a trip up again sooner than later! Oh and Charlie has this AWESOME kitchen, so now my husband and I have decided that we will have to buy a kitchen for the kids. Maybe then, they'll stop taking my measuring cups, pots, tupperware from my kitchen!! lol. One advantage to Lucas having his birthday in January, we can hit the after Christmas sales!! lol. At for now it works. He wouldn't know the difference! Thank you to my brother and sister in law for making the trip possible for us to come. WE truly appreciated it!! Now you won't be able to keep us away! lol..

On another note, I didn't get to see my other brother. I really thought we were going to see him. Kinda hoped we were. But we didn't. Not too sure what's going on with him, but i guess if I would call him and keep better touch i would know these things huh? Well, there is another trip being sought out, so maybe then!

It turns out I my friend Sophia who lives in Stafford, Va has a best friend who lives in Manhattan, going to NYU. I met her last week, and Sophia and I were discussing driving up to NY all together in their mini van and split the costs. (her family and my family have taken a few trips together, us all crammed in their mini van) So yay, maybe we will def be coming back super soon!! 

So my Thanksgiving went well. We finally cleaned up our house well enough to have guests and accomodate 10 adults and 10 kids! The oldest being almost 7yrs old and the youngest being about 7mos old! It started off slow.. meaning i had told everyone to be at my house by 230pm and we would try to start to eat at 330pm. Well let's just say, other than my childhood friend Angie, and her fam coming 2 1/2hrs to our house got there at 130pm, everyone else started coming about 3pm. Rey was sitting in front of the couch in the living room, watching t.v and peeling potatoes for his garlic mashed potatoes!!! Needless to say, he wasn't the only one running behind (thank god). Last year I was the one running behind so this year, i made sure i did all the chopping and prepping first thing in the morning! I made home made celery and bread stuffing, homemade sweet potatoe casserole, green bean caserole, and well i burnt the candied yams casserole! lol. my sweet potatoes took like 40minutes to boil and then another 30minutes to bake once i made the casserole and Rey hadn't even boiled his potatoes! lol..Then we have a really nice dining room table that we a few years ago, has 2 leafs and 8chairs. well, we've never needed more than 6 chairs, so we never put the last 2 together. Well, when Rey went to put the 8th chair together, it had a broken leg. now we are down a chair and we only had enough chairs for the kids and ended up short 2 chairs for the adults. Well, by the time all the food everyone brought made it to the table, it looked like no one had room to seat. I began to kinda freak out. but in the end it all worked out! The guys decided to sit on the couch and eat on the tray tables we had and wath the football game! YAY!! So all in all, everyone had a great time! Great food! I cut open big trash bags and put them under the kids table and chairs, so there wasn't much of a mess in the end!

Now back to normal living and work! lol.. So I am thinking about getting another job! We are so broke and my husband still hasn't found a job... i'm trying to get him to just work at Kohls or Target during the day until we get word back from these jobs. Appearantly it takes a good 4-8mos to hear back and find out if you get a job from half these jobs that he's applied for. In the meantime, our bills aren't getting any less, and my paycheck isn't getting any higher! lol.. I can't even afford to go to my brothers for my nephews bday or my best friends for New years. I was planning on going to NY until my friend who just went, said it cost them about $150 in total for gas and tolls! Which isn't bad but then we still have to eat and it's expensive to eat there! Did I mention, my kids can eat!! Seriously, my daughter eats about the same amount of food as my husband especially if it's something she likes! Then i have to go on a business trip to Va Beach leaving Sunday night the 12th. So all in all.... now i can't go to NYC! ;( Maybe in January after we file taxes! That sounds like a plan! Note to self, if any of you are military, and you are transferring back to the states from overseas and your spouse has a government job (spousal hire) send them back a few months earlier if you can, to start job searching!!! I think if maybe Rey came back a few months earlier, he just may have a job by now. Even the people here, said it took like 8mos after they applied before they got a call back and then got hired. One family near us, said it took her husband almost 7mos after he applied and once they called to let them know he got the job, they had 6 weeks to pack up the family and move from California to here Maryland!!! (they did it too)!

Lucas, my son is talking up a storm nowadays but doesn't talk much at daycare! I went to pick him up one day, one of the caregivers there, heard him talking to me and was like...wow, he talks alot!! I haven't heard him talk that much since he's been coming here! Now, Lucas was on a waiting list for months and he finally got a spot. So we have to pay and send him to keep the spot just by slight chance Rey does get a job. We maybe send him twice a week since he doesn't have a job yet. This week, he's been going all week since our neighbor had a project he needed help with and paid Rey to help him. Then he has a resume/job search class today until friday. Lucas has also been going poopie in the potty at school everyday since last week!!! VERY IMPRESSIVE since he doesn't do it at home! lol.. So now we are potty training! I am not one to pour crap into a toilet so we are using the cushion seat on top of the toilet seat. It worked with our daughter so hopefully it will work with him! We'll see! until next time.............hope everyone has a wonderful day!!!