Oh Christmas Tree...

As the Holidays come creeping up on me, really fast, as they always do. I go and agree to have a Tupperware party on Sunday. Amisdst the craziness of everything ELSE I have to do, clean the house in particular for the decorating of the Christmas Tree, we have decided to start a NEW family tradition this year. We are going to bundle the kids up, venture out and chop down a 9 foot, Blue spruce tree. I am sue it will be worth it, but I am afraid my littlest munchkin won't leave it alone. She is only 15 months old! A perfect age to ransack all my decor. Which is why I am usually decorated by now, but this year I am waiting a few weeks longer. It's a few weeks less stress, RIGHT? I am sure the tree will be beautiful when it is done, but the question of the day is, How long will it stay that way? I remember when Nico was her age. My tree only had decorations on it from halfway up. It was the most hiddeous looking tree you would ever lay eyes on. We will see hoe it goes...like everything else, wish me luck!

Off to see the wizzard...

Well, today is the day...
We are FINALLY getting the kids their H1N1 vaccinations!! HOORAYYY! I honestly didn't think we were ever going to get them. I was so worried about it, I couldn't sleep. Everynight you hear of more and more kids dying of this disease. It is awful. Nico will get the mist,and Abbie will get the injection. Then I believe in 21 days, they have to get another one. FUN!
I can't understand why they let things get so out of control before they actually do anything about them. Shut the schools down until it get's under control. I am a firm believer in keeping the disease isolated. Oh well, who the hell am I guess, just someone who worked in healthcare for 20 some years...
Wish us luck!

Everyday is more sad news

Seems to me that everday is more sad news reguarding this horrible H1N1 outbreak. It's become a huge epidemic around here. Now they have confirmed two definite deaths, a 31 yr old and a five month old. It is so rampid it's not even funny. My kids still are not vaccinated because no one has the shots available yet. You literally have to drive to Pittsburgh to get them. Being that both kids have to get two of them 21 days apart, that makes it a little difficult! I won't take the kids anywhere because it scares me too bad. I will be a happy camper when this is all over. Please, let it be soon!

A tale of the incredible shrinking family....

It seems to me that every year our family gets smaller and smaller at Christmas time. Either some one passes, or some one gets a divorce, or goes somewhere else for dinner. I am thinking back to the good ol' days when Mom started the tradition of everyone gathering at our house at Christmas Eve for a BIG dinner. After dinner, we would all help clean up, then exchange gifts, then mingle and listen to Christmas songs. By the time everyone finally went home, it was midnight. Mom, Dad and I spent weeks preparing for this event. Mom did all the cooking and baking, and dad and I decorated in and out! Granted, there was always fighting and bickering, but it was priceless. My sister would always come over and help Mom bake. I remember the year my dad was laid off work, and we didn't have a whole lot of money, she baked one thousand nut-rolls for some lady in Florida and had them shipped there. She was amazing. Still is! There are so many memories of Christmas's that I could sit here for hours reminicing,(and probably bore you to death). But now, since my Grandparents, and sister and brother-in-law passed, and my brother and one niece will not be here this year, they are both in jail and will be together!!??? My other niece is married and has her new family to tend to. My sister-in-law (who has always been like a sister to me) divorced my brother after way too many years of abuse and alcohol and drug use, will not be here either. It's so sad to think that just four years ago, my family was all together sitting around my dining room table on Christmas Eve saying "Grace" before a wonderful meal. This year, it's just me, my mom, dad and my little brood. I guess that's what they mean by when they say, "You start your own traditions". Because it's a something I never want to forget and something I want to carry over to my son and daughter. So Mom, I promise: Every Christmas Eve, no matter what, I will put dinner on my table for my family, in dedication of you and all those years you gave to us... Thank you for thise wonder ful memories... I love you! Shannon

Not already!!!!!!!!

Are you kidding me???? The flu???? I have been hit with the influenza flu bug on Friday the 13th!!! I am probably the biggest germophobe ever! There are signs in my house that say please wash your hands to help keep the H1N1 out of our home and away from our kids! I wash the buggy down when I go to Wal Mart and myself! When I walk throught the door, I scrub my hands. Where the HELL did I get the flu??? Hey, just so my kids don't get it, I will take it ten times. Wel, I feel much, much better today and I have my house that fell down around me. So, I need to get caught up on that. So, my fellow readers...talk at ya later!

Never forget how lucky we are...

It's funny, the other night, my parents came over so my husband and I could go out for awhile. I needed to get out and away from the kids. I was going crazy. I felt like the walls were closing in on me. We went to dinner at a local Chinese restaraunt. As we were sitting there eating, a family of four came in and sat down beside us. They had two small boys. One was severely handicapped and in a wheelchair. He was so pitiful looking in broke my heart. I could barely take another bite of food. I felt so horrible for wanting to get away from my perfect, healthy, beautiful,smart kids! What's wrong with me? Dae assures me that it's perfectly normal for parent's to feel like that from time to time. Mind you, I go from two kids Mon- Thurs to four kids Fri-Sat-Sun. I NEVER-EVER get a break! Not that I want one. But sometimes I get envious of the neighbor's when I see them all decked out going for a night out on the town. But I would much rather spend the evening with the kids screaming and running around the house, messing everything up begging me to make them something to eat...ANYDAY! Thank you God for my children! Please continue to keep them happy and healthy. Which is and always has been my nuber one priority!

Housewives of OC !!!!

Tomorrow is the Premiere for my favorite show... Housewives of Orange County!!!! Yes!!!! Oh, I am as shallow as the show. I LOVE that show, don't quite know why, just love it! It's fake, stupid, bitchy, you name it, but I love it! I started watching it in the first season when my son was napping one day on a Saturday. They had a marathon. I watched it ALL DAY! I got hooked! I always said I am going to start a series called the Housewives of PA or C'Ville! Anyone who wants to sign up... call me!