Best Waker-Upper Ever!!!

It is already day two of Matthew and I being back to school and I am embarrassed to admit that I have overslept both days.  I'm embarrassed....not shocked.  Clearly there is a difference there.  The first night (Sunday), I just couldn't get to sleep and that was excuse number one for snoozing two times past my normal snooze count.  Last night I took my shower (I shower at night so I can "sleep in later"--I know my mind is distorted) and was so exhausted that I didn't even blow dry my hair, I just passed out.  This morning I was again two snoozes behind because clearly my body was trying to catch up from the night before.  I'm positive by Saturday I'll be all caught up to then start this cycle again next Monday morning.

Matthew on the other hand has the best waker-upper ever.  I have the standard waker-upper, the good ole alarm clock.  Matthew's waker-upper is furry, smelly, slobbery, and wiggly. 

Every morning I go in to wake up Matt at the same time.  I start off by lightly rubbing his arm, softly speaking to him, asking him to wake up and join the world.  That quiet, soothing, calming lady only lasts approximately 7.4 seconds (because as you remember, I tend to oversleep) and then the soft strokes up and down his arm become semi-violent shakes that are supposed to get him to at least crack an eye lid and let me know he is alive.  After several attempts to get him up, I then bring in the guarantee waker-upper.  The Notorious T...E...D.

I actually love this part of the morning.  When I feel that I have given Matt enough chances to hear me, feel me or whatever... I simply say..."Teddy???  Where's your Matthew??  Where is he??  You better go get him!!!!"  And Teddy takes off for Matthew's bedroom at top speed and flies through the air landing somewhere around Matt's face and licks him to death until he wakes.  It never takes long and I can hear Matthew giggle like crazy.   Teddy is the best waker-upper ever!!!

I know you are probably thinking...maybe Teddy should be my waker-upper.  This is a bad idea and let me tell you why...our family has grown to love this little dude.  If Teddy were to be used as my waker-upper, I'd almost guarantee the first time he flew onto my bed at top speed and tried to lick me to death....he would be launched at warp speed against the nearest wall.  I'm simply not a morning person.  :)

The break between 3rd and 4th.

I know this might be strange to most of you, but I live my life by a modified calendar.  My teacher friends get this, the general public does not.  I live my life by sessions, if you will.  All the sessions have important things in them and some fun things to look forward to.  The weird part of all of this is that my sessions start in August and finish in July.  The sessions are August to October, October to December, January to March, March to May, and June to August.  My current session is my almost favorite.  It's the session that gets me in the mood for my most favorite. 

The break between the 3rd and 4th quarter in school is time where I start to get that excitement feeling.  A light at the end of the tunnel feeling.  The "THANK GOD IT'S ALMOST OVER" feeling.  This break is a taste of what is to come.  A taste of going to bed after midnight and sleeping in late, a taste of regular trips to the bookstore, a taste of lazy mornings with an assortment of coffee creamers to choose from, a taste of no make-up or curling irons or flat irons, a taste of play dates with friends so that we don't kill our children because were not used to being home with them for this long, a taste of what it is like to be caught up with the laundry and have the house straightened in case someone drops by.  All of these "tastes" get me excited for my favorite session...June to August.

When I head back to school...its game on until the end of May.  Field trips, state testing, open house projects, report cards, all of these biggies that are saved for the end are now sitting between me and my favorite session of year and I want them done and gone!  Bring on summer session.

Recap of my between the 3rd and 4th....

• I read a total of seven books.  It would have been more, but my sister was here and it would be in poor taste to ignore her and feed my addiction.  Speaking of addiction...I am addicted to a new author that is so good, but she is also terrifying and I often want to sleep with the lights on.  Just saying.....
• Sleeping in daily and not setting an alarm clock are two things that are essential to a happy Heather.  Rich knows this and he has been kind not to make too many negative comments as I have come out of our bedroom clearly long after the rest of the house has been awake for a while.
• Spent as much time with my sister and niece as I possibly could.  Rich often asks what is it we do when we are hanging out and I say nothing exciting...talk, eat, drink, catch up.  You know....girl stuff!  We went out to dinner a few times with friends, went shopping, had fabulous lunches and fabulous happy hours.  Girl stuff...get over it!
• March Madness Baby!!!!  Enough said!
• Fun family trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.  It is always fun with my kids, but Natalie's enthusiasm just adds so much more to our enjoyment.
• And finally, just being able to spend time with my niece.  I love her love for books (which she got from me....I KNOW THIS), I love her kisses, I love her smiles, and most of all I love watching her be happy.  That is the best part.

Her last visit to our house, she found a love for my pantry and a even bigger love for our assortment of cereals.  She would disappear into the pantry and reappear with several boxes.  So, she had a little cereal buffet!!

Searching....

Ready to break for it...



She found a little Mickey hat to wear too.

The loot.

The buffet assortment.

Success! :)

And finally, one of my favorite pictures from the visit!!!

The Last DL Post...well, for the next eight months at least. :)

Have you stopped checking in?  I wouldn't blame you if you did.  Another bleeping Disneyland post, I know!  How boring.  I get it, I do.  However, this one is different because it's just not us...we brought friends with us this time!!!!  My sister, Greg, Natalie, Nana Bobbie, Greg's parents and his brother Kelvin all joined us this time.  Table for eleven please!!!!  So, show some love for just a little bit longer and see some pics from our trip and then I promise not to post anymore DL for a while.  Pinky promise.

This girl LOVES her some Disneyland. 

Her favorite ride is Dumbo.  This was the first flight of the trip.  Pure happiness!!!

She just saw Matthew in the Dumbo ahead.

Tea Cups run in a close second on her favorites.

Here's part of the gang taking a cruise through the Smallest World.

Here is Matthew new favorite part of California Adventure.  He loves the rock wall.

On Monday we headed to ESPN Zone for some lunch followed by the game place upstairs.

A little Foose Ball Hockey.  Two games played.  Ryan 2, Matthew 0.

He's in mid air...does that express his feelings towards beating his brother????

How cool is this.  Matt played first and we thought it was too big for Ryan.  He would not take no for an answer and this is him winning the argument.  Truth be told...the kid had a better shot than his brother.

Waiting again to take flight!!!  Let us on!!!

Favorite part of this picture....my mom's face because it shows her fight to keep them from turning it and making them all sick.

Weekend Catch-up!

Well, this past weekend we seemed to be quite busy.  Games, birthdays, dinners, naps...you name it, we did it.

On Friday it was Rich's 41st birthday.  He's settling into his forties like a pro.  On Thursday night he and his bestie Frank had themselves a little mandate and went to the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings hockey game.  I had gotten these tickets for Rich for Christmas and I was excited for him that finally after two months, he could use his gift.  During the game Frank had posted a picture on Facebook of the rink from their seats and using my good eyes (as Ryan calls them) I could tell that the $35 dollar a seat tickets were pretty much just short of them hanging from the rafters.  Which I half feel guilty about and I half don't.  Here's my I feel guilty---he loves the Red Wings and has only seen them play a handful of times and it was his Christmas gift.  Here's my I DON'T feel guilty---I married that guy who when you charge something, fifteen minutes later he wants to know what the amount "pending" is for and where I went and why did I need it????  Four months into marriage, answering those questions daily, taught me to take his offer of a cash allowance monthly no questions asked deal and RUN WITH IT!!!!!  However, my cash allowance doesn't come close to two tickets behind the glass at a hockey game.  Please keep in mind the Bon Jovi tickets he's gotten me for gifts in the past haven't exactly been within bra throwing distance from the stage...So, I felt bad for Frank, however---fine for Rich.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! 

Friday night we went to one of "our" (mine really) favorite restaurants, Shir-Ra-Soni, for his actual birthday.  We have not been to this restaurant for some time because Matthew was not a huge fan of the onion volcano action.  Times have not changed, he hid behind the fish tank this time to "escape" the danger.  Dinner was delish.

On Saturday Matthew had back-to-back basketball games.  One started at 11:00, the next one at 12:15.  So we finished one, grabbed our snack and drink and flew across town to start the new season of YMCA.  Bottom line, he just wants to play basketball as much as he possibly can, so there was not a whole lot of disappointment at the lack of cheerleaders and tunnel announcing.  I told him....Welcome to the real world!
I do have to share that we have really been on him about his shooting lately and wanting to take so many outside shots.  His new coach instructed them the other day to not take a shot outside of the key ever...that lasted two possessions and then Matthew went into Matthew mode, tuned him out, and shot three feet past the key.  The new coach is not feeling the love for Mr. But I Can Make The Shot From Out Here Marini.  Anyway, back to us getting on him....at a recent game he was just throwing up random shots and not hitting any of them.  They were so off so we told him....STOP!!!  The coach was telling him to STOP!!!  After the game we said you have to stop and his response was...."But that's how you get the fans going during the game."  Anyone want to take this one????

Sunday was a lazy day followed by a dinner out at our other favorite restaurant Dave Wongs.  Good eats for the birthday weekend.

My sister and her family are coming out tomorrow....SO EXCITED!!!!  So I am sure there will be lots of pictures soon followed by fun cousin stories.  Stay tuned....

Vincent Matthew Guido 2-28-11

 Ahh...Baby Guido is here.  After such an exciting day yesterday, our dear friend Kelly (who has made several cameo appearances on the blog) finally had her baby!!  Vincent Matthew Guido was born on February 28th, weighed 7lbs. 15oz. and was 18 1/2 inches long.  He is so cute and he smells sooooo good.  

Kelly was a rockstar yesterday and knocked this kid out in no time.  At 8:00am we got a text saying she had just gotten to the hospital and he was here by 2:47pm.  We think the main purpose for the quick labor was due to the fact that Lynn had an ice chest full of sliced salami and cheddar cheese chilling, just waiting to be eaten.  Kelly's been off deli meat and cheeses for nine months now and that's like asking Joey Tribbiani to give up sandwiches for a year.  It wasn't pretty folks!  Or maybe just because she couldn't wait to see him and hold him for the first time.

The prize at the end is so worth it!      

 Lynn and I couldn't wait to get back to the hospital last night.  We needed to hold him, examine him, smell him, and love on him.

 Happiness.  This is where Kelly hit the jackpot.  My arms were meant to do this exact thing.  So anytime this needs to happen?  I'm there.  I've already offered to come and do night feedings because I'm weird and strange that way.  I love them and I know she needs her sleep, so why not?

Welcome to world VinnieLouie!!!