FOUR years later!

Oh my!  Has it really been that long?  Four years with no posts...no updates on the little cherubs or about our life.  Wow.  Well, a lot has happened since then.  We now reside on the beautiful Florida Space Coast.  The kids are both in full time school, the little Princess is in Kindergarten and the little Prince is in First Grade.  Time just flew by!

Yes.  You read that right. We now live in Florida.  We absolutely LOVE it here!  We have made some wonderful friends, we love being able to swim almost the WHOLE year, the sunsets are just outrageous and the kids have been to Disney so much they think we have a second home there.  We have found a wonderful church family and I sing weekly at the 9:30am mass.  We are beautifully blessed, but then that is nothing new...God has always been right beside us, blessing us all along.

Here's some photos of our life over the last few years...enjoy!

2011 was such a busy year!  Settling into our new home near the Jersey shore, our trip to Arizona to visit family, putting the house on the market through the summer, the kids starting school, selling the house and then moving to Florida in October!  Phew!  What a year!  Filled with so many blessings!

 2012 was all about becoming 'Floridians' and enjoying our new Florida life. It was also about Disney, making awesome friends, Disney, visiting family up north, Disney, having family stay with us in Florida, Disney, buying our new home and settling into it, Disney, both kids being in school full time and oh yeah...visits to DISNEY WORLD!

Looking at these pictures reminds me of how blessed we are and how God has been guiding us here to Florida all along.  We have been through some dark times, but God's hand has been over us all the while.  That is most likely our greatest lesson from the last four years...even in the darkest of times, joy is ever present. Joy is a special gift from God that we can have at any time, in any moment...all we have to do is reach out and embrace it.

May you embrace your joy today.

- The Mamasaurus

Stephen Silvio Carlino

Easter 2005

Before I close this year out with my blog, I must address something that is hard for me to talk about, but must be done.

As many of my friends already know, our family lost a truly spectacular person on October 25th, Sunday....my big brother, Stephen.

Never did I ever consider for a second that I might see one of my siblings pass away so young. Stephen was only 42 years old. My sister-in-law and three nephews are never far from my thoughts or prayers. My heart breaks for them, for all of us.

Stephen was a kindred spirit. He was someone who would help his friends, his co-workers, anyone...in any way he could. He was quick with a celebratory pat on the back or some sound, loving advice if you were struggling with something. He loved his family so very much, they were what he was about...and why he did all that he did.

As a brother...I couldn’t have asked for more. He always gave the best advice. He was my biggest fan (he loved this blog and would tell me to just ‘keep writing!’). He would sometimes get ticked off at me for not using my voice and it makes me smile to think about that now. He wanted me to sing more...do more with the gifts God gave me.

Amen, big brother...I will.

Missing Stephen was something I had already been used to...but missing someone because they’ve moved and missing them because they’re gone is very different. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t wish I could pick up the phone, or type an email to him.

Stephen moved away from the northeast to the southwest five years ago. Though I missed him dreadfully, I wanted him to be happy. Then, back in ’08, my hubby and I and our two children joined him out there. Although, as it turned out, staying in the southwest was not to be...for us. Worried about upsetting my brother, since he was tickled that we were living there, I tearfully told him one day that we would be moving back. Stephen was surprised, and although he wished we would give it more time, he said, “Look, I want you to be happy...I’d love for it to be here, but if it’s not, you need to go wherever is best for your family...because that’s what matters the most.”

I hugged him and silently thanked God for him. You see, he came all the way out to PA to drive a moving van with my hubby for three days across the country to move us out there. Now, we were moving back less than four months later. He didn’t scoff at us, he didn’t get upset...he just loved us. And that’s what Stephen did so well...he loved...and he showed it. He never failed to put himself in some else’s shoes. And if perchance he happened to be in the wrong...he would always be the first one to say, “I’m sorry.”

May we all strive to be that humble.

Memories throughout my childhood of Stephen and I are so clear to me now. Stephen and I singing Christmas carols, watching the Dukes of Hazard, Stephen working on his cars and teaching me all about 8 cylinder engines. He even taught me how to tell what kind of engine a car had by listening to it (he tested me often). Then, an added extra bonus was his girlfriend and my future sister-in-law, Stephanie. I loved her just as much as I loved him. She was really like a sister to me and still is. Then, he gave our family his three beautiful sons whom I love dearly. I am so thankful for these precious gifts he has left us all with. Especially the memories.

Ah...the memories.

Ever since I could remember, Stephen was there for me. One special memory stands out. It was back in my elementary school days. Back then, I had a lot of trouble in school and didn’t like it much. Okay, that’s putting it mildly...I HATED school. One of the reasons why was because I was bullied a lot in school...by people who did not understand the struggles that I faced every day. Our family had been going through some tough times. Kids can be cruel and they tend to pick on the ones that need the most love and understanding...ironically enough.

One particular day, close to the end of school, I was having a problem with one of the girls in school. She teased me mercilessly and made fun of me at every turn. I could do nothing without her saying something derogatory about me. Today, that wouldn’t fly...but then, teachers turned a blind eye and a deaf ear and often, they would join in. Sad, but true.

I wanted so much for people to see me differently...perhaps do something spectacular to ‘shut them up’ for a change.

I was walking out of the school yard to the bus stop on the corner. Past the ‘girl’ who kept whispering and saying some things loud enough for me to hear. I kept my feet moving as the snickering multiplied while I walked past. All of the sudden, the sound of a motor droned out above the din. A moped came buzzing into the lot with a mysterious looking guy on it, face hidden by his black helmet and shaded face guard. All of the girls behind me gasped and turned their attention from me to the mysterious guy on the bike. Hearing chatter behind me like: “Who is that?” and “Who’s he picking up?” and “Wow! Cool bike!” echoed the frantic beating of my heart.

Eventually the chattering became drowned out by the sound of the approaching bike. He pulled right up to me, and stopped...idling his engine. With a nod of his head and holding out his hand, he helped me onto the back of the bike. He handed me a helmet. Hearing the gasps, I looked up and saw a sea of faces with wide eyes. Suddenly possessing the moxie, I winked at our audience and put the helmet on. We sat there for a full moment, watching the jaws of everyone drop. My mysterious rider made sure to do a complete circle around the group of gawkers before pulling out of the school yard. I was smiling the biggest smile I had in a long time when I waved goodbye to those gawking faces. It was a moment I would never forget.

I hugged my mysterious rider tightly. He may as well been a knight in shining armor on a white horse that day.

I knew that the following Monday at school there would be questions and talk about who it could have been...I smiled to myself.

They would never know who was under that helmet.

They would never know that he was one of the best brothers any girl could ever have...a brother who somehow, instinctively knew that day, I needed him so much.

Stephen, you blessed my life so many times, just by being who you were. I hope where you are, you know that.

Till we meet again big bro, I promise to laugh more, love more and thank God for each day...to live life to the fullest.

Until I hear the sound of that moped again.

-The Mamasaurus

Merry Christmas 2009

It happened. Finally. That magical moment that, as a parent, we wait for. That moment when our children rub their sleepy eyes, hop excitedly out of bed and rush downstairs to see the presents Santa left with a look of wonder on their faces.

Last year my little ones weren't very aware of the Christmas tree or that Santa was leaving them presents. This year, it was very different, much to our delight. Seeing them get so excited was just pure joy. It will be etched in my memory forever.

To make things even more special, G.G. (short for Great-Grandma) was here to join in the festivities on Christmas morning. She loved watching the kids tear open their presents and laughed at their excited antics when they saw what was inside.

The gifts that were big hits this year?

Well, there's the dress up Disney Princess trunk for our little princess:

And my little guy's 'Little Einstiens' game for his VSmile:

Hubby got a Ryobi saw, which he really needed. I got Wii Resort...which we still have yet to unpack and play.

One of the most enojoyable moments was watching Annaliese open the gift her brother got her at his Christmas Fair in school. He was given five dollars and a list of people to buy for, to which we only put his sister's name.

Annaliese opening Marcus' gift:

Aww, thanks Marcus!

It's a froggy puppet!

Click title for slideshow: Christmas '09

Most definitely the best gift of all was family and the time to savor the holiday with them.

That gift surpasses all others.

Merry Christmas and a Happy, Blessed New Year to all.

- The Mamasaurus

Life in Fast Forward

Whoooosh! Did you blink? That's how fast time has moved for me! I cannot believe my last post was in APRIL!! Yikes!! Slideshows are added to catch everyone up on our amazing children and how much they've grown over the past six months.

Summer was a blast! Visits to Nanny's pool, a visit to Dutch Wonderland in beautiful Lancaster, PA, splashin' in the kiddie pool on our deck and lots of visits with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Ah summer...you went too fast!

Click the link beneath the photo for the complete slideshow, 'Summer Fun!'.

Summer Fun Slideshow

Then all of the sudden, summer was coming to an end and Marcus' first day of school was here. I choked back tears watching him board the bus for the first time. I just can't believe he's in school now...where has the time gone?

Here's a photo from that day. Click on the link below for the full slideshow, 'Marcus' First Day of School'.

Marcus' First Day of School Slideshow

Wow, Annaliese has been growing super-fast! She's also very much a 'girlie' girl...but don't let her love for pink, purple and all things 'Disney princess' fool you...you'll often find my precocious little girl wearing her 'dress up heels', holding a baby in one hand and a hammer in the other. She'll use a toy tool bench and tool box better than any Bob the Builder!

One day I saw her putting her trike upside down and taking a toy wrench to the tires. "I fik it Mommy!", she said, and continued to turn the wrench around the fake lug nut. Holy Smokes! She even knows what to turn and how to turn it! Where did she learn THAT from?

Here's a cute slideshow of Annaliese showing off her 'dress up' heels (I bought from the Dollar Tree, LOVE that store). She walks in them like a super-model (this must be in our genes, ladies) and knows how to stand in them, balancing her weight like a pro. Click the link for the slideshow.

'High' Heels Slideshow

Sometimes I wish I could freeze time and keep them little for a bit longer. Lately it seems as if their maturing and growing is stuck on 'fast-forward'. It's amazing and sad at the same time. I still remember the tiny little babies they were:

Marcus, 8 months old

Annaliese, 9 months old

Although they're still both babies, really, I miss the creeping-not-crawling-yet, pulling-to-stand, awkward-first-steps days. However, I look forward to the future with our two precious ones and all of the ways they'll continue to delight and amaze us!

God bless!

- The Mamasaurus 9/27/09

Balloons, Stroller Derbies & Easter Dresses...

Late March thru Late April 2009

BALLOONS!

Well Spring is finally underway and I don't know about you, but I'm SO thrilled about that. Still, it was rather fun coming up with new and exciting things for the kids to do indoors. One of their favorites is the balloon pit. Special thanks to my dear friend Robin, for giving us the ball pit (complete with all of the colorful balls).

One day in late March I decided to get it out and finally use it. I was able to find the netted pit but the balls were hard to reach, in a box stacked behind others that remained unopened due to our move back from Arizona last November. So I substituted balloons (gotta love the dollar tree) for the balls.

The result?

Sheer delight!

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OUTDOOR STROLLER DERBY!

One unusually warm day in early April, the kids and I decided to get out and enjoy our back deck. We tossed around some balls and the kids had a stroller derby (circling Mommy). I shot some great pictures that day. The joy of finally being outside in the warm weather is reflected in their eyes.

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Three Easter Dresses

Those of my fellow Moms who have little girls will most likely agree with me when I say: It's darned difficult to choose from all of those cute girl outfits out there! There are so many sweet and pretty things for girls! Between shoes, bows, hats, skirts, shirts, dresses...not to mention those adorable little tights in all different colors...it's really hard narrowing it down to one outfit for a special occasion.

This past Easter was no different. I wound up having to choose between two purchased dresses, one hand-me-down never worn and one hand-me down worn just once. One night I had Annaliese model three of the dresses for her Daddy and I.

The first dress was my favorite, a frilly yellow dress with embroidered flowers...alas, it was too big. I know she liked it best too because as soon as I put it on her, she began to twirl around. I think I have a little model on my hands!

Here's a slideshow of Annaliese's modeling debut:

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All in all, it's been a pretty good spring so far. I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to the landscape greening up, great playground weather and longer sunshine hours.

Happy Spring to all!

-The Mamasaurus

In Mommy's Shoes

And She Can Walk in Them Too!

Perhaps it's in our female DNA...that gene that

gives us the ability to walk in heels from the age of two.

My daughter. In heels.

Gulp.

I'll have to keep that closet door closed from now on...

seeing her in heels is waaay too premature for me...even if

the delighted look on her face is priceless.

-The Mamasaurus

Land and Sea March 2009

The Spell of The Ocean...

What possesed us to travel to the beach in March?

It was a 45 degrees...without the wind!

After collecting some unusual shells, throwing sand

(Marcus adored the sand...see photo) and playing

'chicken' with the surf (Annaliese loved this...I'm

sure her delight rang up and down the shoreline),

I decided it was time to get our little family in the car.

A few baby wipes (more than a few) and two sippy cups

later, we were on our way home. Almost home, I realize

our little darlings succumbed to the salty sea air, sound

asleep with cheeks still pink.

Yep, that's why we ventured out to Cape May.


-The Mamasaurus

She's TWO! A slideshow of the festivities...

Wow! Time passes so quickly!

We cannot believe our little girl is TWO!

Where did the time go?

Our little Princess sure had a great

time celebrating! Party at Aunt Jenn's,

party at Grandma's and her favorite: a

day at Chuck E. Cheese's...wow!

I knew we were getting close to 2

when she pitched a fit one day over the shoes

I put on her...she wanted to wear her brown ones

(they did not match her outfit). Yep, that's my girl.

Two years old and she's already got a fashion opinion.

I'm in trouble.

-The Mamasaurus

S P I D E R G I R L ! ! !

"How did she get up there?"

She's tiny...she's light-weight, she's flexible as a rubber band. She can scale six foot book cases in a minute flat. She can craft a ladder out of books/pillows/boots/dolls/trains/tissue boxes/etc. to climb to the top of the TV center. She has been known to give her mother gray hair and her father a look of pride.

She's SPIDERGIRL....and she scares the heck outta me.

My litte girl climbs EVERYTHING. So what, you say? All kids like to climb, you retort?

You. Don't. Understand.

EVERYTHING and ANTHING can be used to hoist her body to wherever she likes. She's the mini-McGuiver of ladder making. Sometimes, I can't believe what she uses to climb. I've seen her scale the OUTSIDE of a stair case, nearly to the top before I found her. She gets into places and I have no idea how she got there.

One day I might find her clinging from the ceiling.

My children can't have anything in their room that can be used for climbing...no bookcases, no chairs or tables, no toychests...heck, even books can be stacked and used as a platform. She's even used her brother's train to climb up to the top of her dresser. She's even used her brother! Marcus was quite insulted when he realized his sister saw his back as a means to climb up to the TV!

Baby gates are just a 'bump in the road' to her. She climbs right over them, resting her dainty little foot on nothing but air...it's the strength and flexibility in her lower ab's that gets her over. While it terrifies me that almost no place in my home is safe for my daughter, I can't help but feel rush of pride when I see her climb something impossible.

I wish I had abs like that.

Her last triumph was the top of Mount Kitchen...the play kitchen in their room. Assessed it, scaled it and proceeded to try to do happy dance at the top. Fortunately for her (and me) I heard her saying "No, no don't!" to her brother because he saw his opportunity to get back at his sister for turning him into a ladder...he was shaking Mount Kitchen with all his might.

I stopped the earthquake just seconds before my daughter tumbled to the playroom floor. To think this all happened before nap time. My husband suggested perhaps we buy an indoor gym.

I'm sure she'll love it. She's been searching for something to aide her climb of Mount Refrigerator in our real kitchen for quite a while.

My husband decided to lock all of the drawers in their room with child locks. This way she can't open them to make a staircase up to the top of the chest. I thought to myself, "A-HA! Now we've gotcha! No more climbing for you missy!" I did feel bad though when she realized her Daddy had taken her jungle gym away. My usually sweet-natured little girl threw a fit...rolling around on the floor and throwing her toys. Still, I felt victorious and figured, problem solved!

My victory was short-lived.

The other day I watched as she climbed to the top of her brother's dresser to explore the humidifier using nothing but the knobs on the closed and locked drawers. (See posted picture at beginning of entry).

Rock climbing-101.

I picked my jaw up off the floor, took a picture of her latest climb and gingerly picked her up from the dresser. I planted both her feet on the floor saying, "No climb!". She just looked up at me like, "Are you kidding? That was sweet!".

Then I went online to surf Craig's list for an indoor jungle gym. I also looked into rock climbing at the Y.

Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

- The Mamasaurus

Something about Christmastime...

No matter how busy the season gets...I still 'get into it'....the wonder...the magic...of Christmas. Ever since I was a little girl, I believed that miraculous things happened at Christmas...just look at the gift that God gave us...His only son. It's 'Christ'mas that makes us remember and celebrate it...even though the shadow of Calvary stretches out to us from the distant horizon. The miracle of Christ's birth isn't just in the praise songs and bible readings around Christmas...it's in the hearts of family, friends and strangers. It lights us up and makes us shine.

The same can be said about the miracle of Hannukah...the celebration of light...the light that against all odds kept burning. Hanukkah reminds us that the impossible is always possible...with God. That truth is enough to make anyone giddy. Around this time of year, bills take a back seat, family takes a front seat and joy rides shotgun. It's easy to get caught up in the magic of the season...to feel like your four years old all over again. Especially when you see the lights of the decorations reflected in your child's eyes. The stunned expression on their faces when they behold the Christmas Tree...towering above them with the Nativity underneath, lights, special keepsake ornaments and a sparkling, white Bethlehem star topping it all off. There's something so magical about the joy this time of year brings.

What a blessing it is to share my love for the Christmas season with my children! Our little family had an awesome Christmas! Getting together with the extended family was definitely a highlight! Marcus and Annaliese love their cousins and love playing with them. Their cousins are just as crazy about them, too. Now that we're here and not in Arizona, we really appreciated being able to see everyone.

This year our extended family did krist-kind gifts. We all put the names of our children in a hat and picked. I picked one, and the hubby picked one. It worked out very well because every child got a gift, but we all saved some money and there wasn't the massive 'opening' of tons of gifts that lasted for hours. Gift opening time was short and sweet. I felt there was less of an emphasis on gifts and more on spending the holiday with family. Gifts are a big part of Christmas, but I don't want the kids getting gorged on them. I want them to grow up knowing why we celebrate Christmas and that Jesus is the greatest gift of all. Right now though, all they know is that there's a lot more going on in the house...pretty things that they can't touch...lights everywhere and constant baking in the kitchen. I tell them the story of Christ's birth, show them pictures, sing the songs...I don't know if I'm making a dent yet...but sooner or later I know they're gonna get it.

Marcus received an Elmo Live doll (thank you, Gramma!) He plays with Elmo so much that now Elmo needs rehabilitation. Marcus sits there and pokes Elmo's belly and foot...wondering why he's not responding. He looks up at me and says, "Melmo?" I just smile and tell him that he's resting and he'll be up soon (if this weather doesn't warm up so that I can go get some more batteries he may be resting a bit longer...hang in there, Melmo!).

Annaliese got a Disney Princess stroller and a tiny white teddy bear that she has adopted as her 'baby'. She takes it everywhere. She puts it in her stroller and pushes it around. She covers it with her little blankie. She's tried to feed it macoroni and cheese (and I had to sneak it away from her so that I could wash it). One time I even caught her giving her 'baby' a good dressing down (I don't know what the little bear did but it must have been naughty...judging by the stern look on my daughter's face and the way she pointed her finger at it).

The kids are growing in leaps and bounds. Marcus is already growing out of things I bought him last month. He's having a growth spurt. He's saying more and more every day. He's insistant on doing everything himself. Annaliese is following in her big brother's foot steps...but still 'clings' to Mama quite often...much to her Mama's delight...(I admit it, I'm guilty).

Christmas this year for me has been more spiritual. Which is very good. I've been praying a lot lately...for family and other things...mostly for answers. When I didn't receive answers, I began to think that perhaps God is just not ready to answer me yet...and I trust in His timing. But then, this evening I realized He had answered my prayers.

He's given me something very valuable. I'll explain.

Tonight, I was deep in thought while relaxing on the couch after dinner. I was dragged out of my thoughts by Marcus. He had climbed up next to me with his silent 'Melmo' doll. He looked up at me with those soulful brown eyes of his, smiled, leaned in, gave me a kiss and snuggled into my side. Whatever I had been thinking about flew out of my head in that moment. I put my arms around my precious son, cuddled him close and told him I loved him very much. Marcus just kept laying there...for a full fifteen minutes. Then, almost too soon it seemed, cuddle time was over and it was time for him to get down and play with his Elmo phone (another gift from Santa). I watched him go and thanked God for that frozen moment in time. I hug and kiss and cuddle my children all the time, but Marcus is a very independent child...so he cuddles me back but is always in a rush to dash off to the next activity. I knew that this tiny moment we shared was a precious gift.

Christine, can you hear Me? This is God answering your prayers...I'm giving you a special gift here...use it well...enjoy it...savor it...cherish it.

I'd have to say that the greatest gift I got this Christmas was time.

Time with my husband. Time with my daughter. Time with my son. Time to savor. Time to enjoy the most important thing in my life...my family.

My prayer for all of you this Christmas is that you're able to savor the special moments with the ones you love the most...that the magical joy those moments give you lasts for another 364 days.

A Merry, Blessed Christmas to everyone.

- The Mamasaurus

Are We There Yet?

Goodness it's been a long time! My last full post was back in June. Well, there's lots of reasons for that. 1) Settling into our Arizona life took time and 2) Settling in our New Jersey life is taking longer.

Yes, that's right. You read it right.

For those who do not know, we have moved back to the North East. Why? Too much sun? Too much dust? Not enough to do out west? No. No and no. Arizona was beautiful and I will always look at our pictures of our short life there with feelings of nostalgia, but it just was not for us. We left family there too, who are heart broken, just like the family we left here when we moved. We will miss our family and friends (gosh so many friends!) in Arizona very much.

This path that we're traversing, the hubby, the kids and I, has come full circle.

The Hubbasaurus often says, "Sometimes we have to go backwards to go forwards". I think that perfectly describes our move back east. Did we make a mistake by going to AZ? I don't think so. We learned so much. We could not have done that had we stayed here. But after the lessons were learned, it made more sense to come back.

Our kids are troopers. Lord knows, our little family has been through the wringer these past five months. We actually drove back across the country. Two adults, two toddlers, three cats in a minivan. Even a camper would have been cramped after ten hours...try forty-five hours.

Yep. It wasn't pretty...but our family is strong. We made it.

We got to see the country! How many times do you get to do that? I must say though, all along I kept wishing for those ruby red shoes Dorothy had.

It would take us a long time to find home, however. We thought we had secured a rental for NJ back in AZ before we left. We signed a lease and everything. When we got to NJ we saw the rental...it wasn't fit for human inhabitants! I cried my eyes out that night. We had told no one that we were back because we wanted to surprise everyone on Halloween. Sort of like: "Trick or Treat...we're baaaack!". We finally broke down and told the hubby's sister who lived in the area. She was shocked, to say the least, and she put us up for two days. We wound up staying with family for a full week before finally finding a new rental. Looking back, I don't know how we got through it all...definitely by the grace of God. Well, we're here now and things are starting to settle down...just in time for the busiest time of the year...heh heh heh...oh well.

One thing remains very true. Family is always there. Yes, they may be annoying at times...they may make you want to scream a times. At times, they may say hurtful things that should not have been said, or worse, with-held something that should have been. They can drain you and lift you up all in the same day. We can allow these idiosyncracies to kill us this holiday season or we can that them roll off our shoulders and go on with life.

Most people dread the holidays because of all the things I mentioned above. I passed a Mom at Shop Rite the other day that said to her child, "I can't wait for the holidays to be over!". How sad...and yet...I've shared this thought, too. I used to love the holidays...what happened? I know a special family that has lost someone very dear, who face the holidays with heavy hearts but are determined to feel the joy and celebrate the season. These are the people I draw my courage from. In the end, you are the master of your own will. Will you celebrate the season...or will you survive it? The choice is yours...in every situation, in any family. The choice is STILL yours. What will you do with your holidays this year?

One of the biggest lessons we learned while in Arizona is that happiness is not a location, it's not how much money you have in the bank, how many trips you've taken, how many prized possessions you own...

Happiness very simply is having what you need and wanting what you have. I'd rather be joyful than happy any day. Happiness doesn't last. Joy comes from God. Joy is a choice in any situation. When you understand that...nothing can shake your God-given joy.

I choose joy.

Joy is my daughter's laughter...I can hear it ringing in my ears long after she's gone to sleep. It's my son's smile and the way he runs to me to give me a hug. Hearing, "I love you", from my hubby. My hubby's great smile and his wicked sense of humor...sitting here at my desk...I can recall many times when he's made me laugh so hard, I cried. Watching my daughter give her Daddy a kiss...and then seeing the look on his face as his heart melts. The looks on all the faces of our families when they saw us and realized we were back. The old friends I've regained contact with...the new friends I'm making here...the endless chances to experience joy tomorrow and the day after and the day after that...

See what I mean? Joy. Three letters, very big word. I think when you choose joy, you truly live your life during the holiday season...not just survive it. This is what that special family does that has lost someone very dear to them. It is what I will do this holiday season....what will you choose?

On my 'Things that I am Thankful For this Thanksgiving" are three things that explain everything: the gift of love, the gift of clarity and the gift of joy.

Love has always been a big part of my life. I've always been loved and have loved others. Clarity reminded me of this special gift. The result was joy.

Lord, bless us all with eyes that see and hearts that are grateful...because then, we will all be rich.

A Blessed Thanksgiving filled with the joy of life to you all...

-The Mamasaurus

The Actress

This is a video of our darling little girl hamming it up for the camera. Can you say...Academy Award?!

Moving...

"CAUTION! CONTENTS VERY FRAGILE!"

For those of you who don't already know (there can't be that many of you) our little family will be moving to Arizona next month! When I look back over the past three years spent in Pennsylvania, I can see the ups and downs of an amazing and sometimes very scary roller coaster ride.

Please hold onto the bar...

The hubbasaurus and I often talk about where God is leading us and how we feel about it. Pennsylvania to Arizona is a huge change, true, but one we've learned to embrace with faith.

Our children will become desert dwellers, like my nephews who already reside in the Valley of the Sun. They will adjust, grow, learn and become the people God means for them to be. We look forward to a simpler lifestyle and inevitable changes in us as individuals. Changes that can only happen when you let go and allow yourself to grow.

But change can be scary.

The hardest part of this move is the family and dear friends we will miss here in the Northeast. It's a huge sacrifice and one that has kept us from making this decision for three years...maybe more. We are grateful for the family we will have in our new home state, my brother, my sister-in-law (who I've known since I was a baby) and my nephews who are all very excited about our move to their neighborhood. If it's any consolation to the family and friends here, the missing will be just as strong from our end of the country...I promise you that. If we didn't feel like we were truly being led by God to make this move, we would never do it. I never thought that I would live in the west, much less in the desert! But then, I never knew I was going to adopt two children either! God's plans for us always out-do our own. You know the saying: "If you ever want to hear God laugh...tell Him your plans!"

My blog will eventually take on a new look as well, reflecting our new home. I will try to add some video links so the family can see our little angels in action. Right now they're just having fun running around all the boxes in our house. I worry for them and their new life out in Arizona, but I know that God holds us all in the palm of His hand.

I will always be grateful for our time in Pennsylvania. We went through a heck of a lot here, right from the very beginning. But we have beautiful memories that I will cherish forever. The theme of our life here in Pennsy seemed to be about 'big' change. Some changes were very hard...excruciating even...some changes were the most joyful ones we've ever experienced. Life here has certainly not been dull...that much is very true!

So now we say, "So long, Pennsylvania...thanks for the beautiful memories!"

To our family and friends: We love you and we'll miss you. Keep us in your prayers; we'll keep you in ours. Thank God we live in an age where the internet, telephone and digital camera can shrink our world! Let's use all of that to keep up-to-date with each other's lives and kids.

Love and Peace to all,

- The Mamasaurus

Tiny Moments

"Tea For Two"

Hello Spring!

Wow! It has been a while hasn't it? I've tried to find time to write sooner, but life has been rather nutty. After my last post, the next big event was my daughter's Christening. After that it was runny noses, sneezing and coughing, all four of us, for WEEKS on end. It got to be so bad that people started thinking I actually worked at my local pharmacy. I swear, if I wore white scrubs, my doctor would think I worked for him, too. Heck, after my last visit I had to stop myself from demanding my paycheck.

Well, goodbye sick days, hello spring! Thank God!

Annaliese and Marcus are doing very well. Annaliese still doesn't walk yet, but she's getting very close. She crawls up the stairs (mostly because of her Daddy's prodding), she cruises very well and sometimes, she almost looks like she's going to take a step. Then she thinks better about it and crawls instead.
Part of me thinks that she's just scared. Possibly. But I know she's smart and probably figured out that once she starts walking, Mommy won't be carrying her places anymore. Hmmm. Annaliese's favorite pastime is to cling. So I've been encouraging her and showing her how to follow after her brother, holding her under her arms and watching her little feet go. Chasing her brother around is becoming a new pastime (much to her brother's dismay).

I sort of share her fear about walking. I also know that when she starts, there's no turning back. She'll begin to go off on her own, exploring her world from a new viewpoint. It will be a wonderful sight to behold, but one that I am ashamed to say, I dread. My little Clingasaurus is not the only one that wants to cling. I want to cling to her, too. I see her almost take a step and out loud I say, "Yes! There you go!" and inside I say, "Look, there she goes...".
This is the part of parenting that doesn't hit you until you become a parent. You teach and show and train and encourage your children so they can grow and be able to stand on their own two feet...without you. Even though it hurts, you have to let go and let them become. This lesson about parenting only hits home after you've fallen deeply in love with two little feet, two chubby hands and an angelic face staring up at you adoringly.

One morning, while drinking my coffee and checking my e-mail, I heard Annaliese cackling. If you've never heard or seen her cackle before, it is something to behold. Her face scrunches up, little button nose all wrinkled and she laughs this deep, bass, cigar-smoker laugh. Needless to say, when she laughs, we ALL laugh.
I turned to see what was transpiring to set her off. What I found was too precious for words. Brother and sister, sitting across from one another, Stride-Rite to Stride-Rite. My son has a pot on his head from the little kitchen that's in their playroom. My daughter obviously thinks this is very clever and very funny. She's laughing, and he's smiling at her. He takes the pot off his head. She stops laughing. He puts it back on, she begins cackling again. Off. On. Off. On.

At some point I forgot all about my e-mails and began laughing as well, enchanted by the scene that was playing out in our family room. There was no time to get a camera, I didn't want to miss a second of it. It went on for at least five minutes. At the end, the cackles died down a bit and the pot was tossed on the floor in favor of a Sesame Street press and pop which both tried to play with at the same time.

Amid the yells of my son yanking his toy back from his sister and her's of indignation to keep said toy, the scene that had happened moments before played out in my mind. I could almost see a similar scene six years into the future, maybe making each other laugh as they talk about school or a soccer game, perhaps in high-school as they talk about proms and dates or maybe even beyond that, as they watch their own children play with one another at a family event.

The reverie takes just a moment, but the feeling it leaves me with is bittersweet. No parent wants to think about when their children get older, but we all strive to do our best to prepare our children for it. For life. These moments that they share now are forming a life-long bond that I hope will always be cherished by both of them.

One day, when the family room has been cleared if it's toys, when the pitter-patter has stopped and our household clutter is devoid of play keys, pacifiers and Cheerio containers, I will recall a sweet little boy, entertaining his sister, with a pot on his head, her infectious laughter and their little, smiling faces. I'm sure then, just like now, even as my eyes fill with tears, my heart will be filled with gratitude.

Life, indeed, is made up of tiny moments like these.

May I always remember to savor them.

- The Mamasaurus

Sibling rivalry...it starts...

Well February is almost over...thank God! We're getting closer to spring...despite that furry little critter's cold prediction on Feb. 2nd. That darn groundhog! He always dashes my hopes of an early spring. Someday, I'll have to hunt him down and have a serious talk with him and his phobia of shadows. If he wasn't such a cute little guy, I'd be more hostile. In any case, his predictions, so they say, are always pretty much right on. Geez, can't we get him to predict the winning lotto numbers then? Anyhoo...

Annaliese said her first clear word. You know what it is?

Da-da.

Yep. Da-da. Sure, why not? Mama's home with her all day. I change her Hazwa diapers (my nick name for the kind of diapers that make her 'Da-da' run in the other direction...it stands for "Hazardous Waste"), I sing to her, wipe her eyes when she cries and rock her to sleep for her naps. What do I get?

"Da-da".

Ah well, that's the way it goes I guess. Marcus' first word was 'Mama'. Sometimes he even calls Daddy 'Mama'. So I guess it's only fair that Annaliese says Da-da. She does say 'meh-meh' and 'ah-meh' and I believe that this is her saying Mama. But we can't be sure since her 'Da-da' is clear as a bell. When Daddy is home she says it even more and it's usually accompanied by her holding out her little hands to him to be picked up (does my little girl know how to butter up her Daddy or what?!).

Annaliese is pulling up on everything now. Standing on her own to play with the activity table only her brother could reach before. She's so determined to walk before her first birthday. The doctor is amazed at how well she's doing considering the fact that she still is 10 weeks preemie. She still meets every mile-stone she supposed to at each well baby visit. My response to this? Well, first of all, my daughter is a very determined little girl and secondly, no one told her that she was 10 weeks preemie.

Part of her progress has to do with her brother. She sees him walking around while she's crawling on the floor behind him and she's had enough of that, thank you very much! One day, she used her brother as leverage to stand. She climbed him like tree and stood on her own two feet proudly right beside him. Unfortunately for Marcus, she 'pants-ed' him in the process. Poor brother was screaming while his pajama bottoms were down around his knees and there's sister standing next him with a big accomplished grin on her face.

It starts.

Marcus is kicking everything now and I've thought seriously about changing his nick-name to 'Kickasaurus'. He actually follows after the item he's kicking and usually kicks it into or under something. The beginnings of a little soccer player. I am trying to foster this ability in him but it does have it's drawbacks. Especially when he kicks things like the car keys I've been looking for, my chapstick, his cup, his sister's bottle (he does this while she's crawling after him and yelling in her special 'baby language', "Baba da ga ba GAAH!" Which most likely means, "Give me my back my bottle or I'll spit in your sippy cup!").

It starts.

Territory lines have been drawn now. I've had to break up a few tussles over a toy because said toy was being pulled back and forth between two sets of chubby little hands. It's amazing how little they are and how they've already discovered the feeling of 'territory'. That 'this is mine and that's yours' thing happens rather quickly between sibs, I suppose. Unfortunately, they are still at the stage of 'this is mine and what's yours is mine'. That being said, Marcus does not understand that his cup is his and the bottle is his sister's. He just loves pulling the bottle out of his sister's mouth. I think he does it partially because he likes the loud 'pop' sound it makes when he yanks it out of her mouth mid-suck. I think he actually enjoys the excitement that follows while I chase after him to retreive it. He doesn't drink from it because he doesn't like it. He just doesn't want her to have it. Of course Annaliese screams her head off when he does this. I have visions of the future paybacks she will dole out to him.

It starts.

Well, I can hear my little ones waking up to start their day, right now. Annaliese is having a delightful conversation with the butterflies around her on the bumpers of her crib and by now Marcus, my little Throwasaurus, has most likely thrown his blanket, binky and giraffe out of his crib. This is his sign language for: "I'm done with this, get me out of the crib!".

BTW, the giraffe's name is Raffi...I know, I couldn't resist!

The baby monitor's lights are reaching the highest level. The natives are getting restless.

Time to go.

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day to all!

- The Mamasaurus