Aidan's first time

This afternoon we took the kids to Fiddlesticks to go mini golfing. We knew this was going to be quite the experience since Aidan has never gone before. Scarier thought was that Aidan would be swinging a metal club around. However, he actually did a great job. Everyone had a fun time and now Tony and I are exhausted.

Towson, the lampshade dog

Since May- yes, May, Towson has been sporting a cone/lampshade on his head. The poor dog has the worst allergies. Every time we take the cone off he starts chewing up his behind. He has been on countless allergy medicines, different food and been to the vet 3 times (he is costing us a small fortune). The little booger has figured out how to chew his nails while wearing the cone, which means it won't believe before he learns to chew other things. We had to purchase him a newer cone called the Elizabethan that was longer so it would prevent him from biting himself. Luckily the dog gets to go to get groomed today sans the lampshade. He is getting a pawidcure, ear cleaning and a bath. Hopefully with the winter months approaching his allergies will settle down and we can get Towson's head back to normal size. However he is still a cutie!

Where the Wild Things Are

On Saturday, Tony and I took the kids to Arizona Museum for Youth. We have been going there since Gabi was a baby and we still love it. They have tons of things for both kids to do-which is a plus in my book. The kids had a great time in the pretend kitchen, making crafts, and dressing up. Below are 4 of my favorite pictures from our trip. Aidan, dressed up as Max from Where the Wild Things Are, the kids in the kitchen making eggs and coffee (they learned that from their dad of course) and a cute one of the kids.

Happy Thanksgiving

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Arizona Dreaming on Such a Winter's Day (almost)

I found Aidan yesterday in the yard with his shoes off lying on the lounge chair in the sun. (He loves his jacket and wears it all day long-even in the house).
Then, I found Gabi this morning in the yard taking in the sun. She asked if she could put his bathing suit on. It's hot here, but not that hot.
Happy Fall!

B.F.F.'s- Aidan and Connor

Aidan and Connor are Best Friends and they have been pretty much their entire lives. They spend everyday together at school, which makes mommy pretty jealous. Today, Connor came over for a playdate. Seriously, it has been the cutest thing watching them play together. No fighting, no biting, no screaming over toys- just sharing. I really don't think that there are any 2 year old boys as cute as these two! I think we may need to have Connor move in. (more cute pix on facebook)

Gabi, the old Jewish Grandmother

Gabi is really starting to enjoy of the joys of the computer. This morning she was on youtube.com watching Miley Cyrus videos. This afternoon she was on my facebook account playing Farkle and Bejeweled. Tonight she saw me playing a different game and was hooked instantly. Gabi's new favorite game is Mah-Jong. She would have made her great-grandmother, Lily (who Gabi is named after, Gabriella Lily) very proud. Gabi did very well matching the Mah-Jong tiles. Next up, a game of Mah-Jong in
Mah-Jong alley at our pool club and a game at temple with the other old ladies.

Bundle Up...It's Cold

I had to go out and purchase gloves for Gabi this morning because she needed them for Sunday School. Our temple and all of the Sunday School classes were making a Turkey Train. The kids made a line and turkeys were carried down the kid assembly line and into the truck for donations for Thanksgiving. Gabi needed gloves since the turkeys were all frozen. Of course, Gabi couldn't get gloves without Aidan getting some as well (didn't need to start the day off with another tantrum). However, it took me 4 stores to find gloves in Arizona in the middle of November. I finally found a winter set at Walgreens for both kids. They were thrilled to put them on, but not too happy when the sun started shining. I think by mid-afternoon the temperature should get back up to toasty and hot. Hopefully we can wear the gloves, scarf and hat a few more times before it gets to be 100 degrees again.

MOVEMBER...putting a face on men's cancer

Tony is participating in Movember...

Movember is the month formerly known as November where men start clean shaven and commit to growing a Moustache. Back Tony's Moustache this November as he raises funds and awareness for men’s cancers – specifically prostate and testicular cancer. If anybody wants to help him raise money for prostate cancer and Live Strong then go to this web site and give what you can. Even if it is $1 that would help.

http://us.movember.com/mospace/146345/
(may need to cut and paste)

Great Expectations

We woke up with great news. My sister-in-law gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in the wee hours of the morning in Pa. Welcome Angelina Melissa to the world. She is named after Tony's late grandmother, Angelina and Melanie's sister, Melissa, that passed a few years ago. There hasn't been another Calabretti girl since Gabi was born in 2003! We are so happy for them.

Today is going to be a great day. Besides our wonderful family news, I can just feel that things will go better than expected. Tony is off to work (on Saturday-yippee) and I have planned some fun things to do with the kids. We are off to the library and then to the teacher store to do a fun Thanksgiving Day craft followed by lunch out. Sounds like a fun and easy plan...let's see if everyone cooperates. If not, Tony will be home by 2 and he can take over while I take a much needed nap.

Yummy Thanksgiving Treat

Gabi needed a quick and healthy snack for her Girl Scout troop. Saw this snack in Family Fun magaine, but made it easier.

Half a pear for turkey body
1 cutie for feathers
2 chocolate chips for eyes
1 tootpick for beak
1 dried cranberry for red thing

So easy even I was able to prepare it.

The Aidan Adventure Continues...

Today we started the morning with Aidan tumbling down half a flight of stairs in our house. Found out at school that he ended up getting a rug burn on his belly during the spill. I never thought of checking his belly. I thought he broke his arm at first. Rug burn, no biggie. Good news- he is fine. Mommy, not so much. He scared me half to death.

At school, Aidan looked so cute and adorable in his little Indian headband for Thanksgiving. However, he then had a meltdown over a chair and a muffin. Went to get Gabi at her Girl Scout meeting and yet another meltdown when it was time to go. There is nothing better than trying to pry your 2 year old in the car in front of other parents(especially those who send their kids to where you teach). As Aidan grabbed my neck, pinched me, and pulled the molding around the window down in the car, I just smiled and politely said, "Mommy said NO Thank You"!

Finally once we got home and then got Aidan out of the car, the one he doesn't want to leave now, another tantrums ensues. Aidan doesn't want to wash his hands for dinner. Down goes the kitchen garbage and an entire bottle of water on the floor. Aidan might take up permanent residence in the naughty corner.

Please tell me that these are the days I will cherish and long for in 20 years.

Caution...Aidan

As if the morning before school isn't hectic enough, add Aidan to the mix and the morning equals pure chaos. The kids wake up around 6 a.m. Within the hour all we need to do is get them dressed and downstairs for breakfast and to brush their teeth and hair by 7:15. Sounds pretty simple, but with Aidan around, we have found that this simple routine is nothing but simple.

There is normally the regular tantrum of not wanting to take off the Thomas jammies or wanting to wear something really inappropriate to school, like a sweatshirt when it's 100 degrees out. However, Aidan went up and above any regular tantrum this morning when he started breaking and shattering glass bottles this morning.

For almost 2 years we have had a lovely bathroom set in the bathroom filled with vanilla spray bottles, a candle and other sweet stuff. Aidan has never noticed them before...until this morning. This morning, he started throwing all of the little scented beads and tossing them to the dog like candy. Next up was the glass bottle of vanilla. In the bottle was decorative rocks and leaves. However, Aidan thought it would look better splattered on the floor. To make matters even more interesting this morning, Aidan decided he was going to throw the bottle at Gabi's feet. Good thing Gabi had her shoes on already and a pair of long pants on or she would have been cut!

With only 5 minutes to get out the door, Tony and I now needed to grab the dog and put him in his room so he didn't get cut, grab Gabi and check her for glass, get Aidan in the naughty chair, clean up the mess and most importanly, grab our coffee.

Luckily for me I still had to get both kids in the car and drive to school. Everyone greeted us as we enter the building and wondered why I looked exhausted already. Aidan flashed one of his infamous cheesy smiles and of course, no one believes that my little "angel" has been doing anything wrong.

I then got to start my day with 22 other kids!

Hope your morning was (will always be) better than mine!

Great Night

So, last night Tony and I did something a bit naughty. We opened up one of our Hannukah presents last night and played with it since Gabi was at a sleep over. We finally got a Wii!!!! We had a great night of bowling , tennis, duck hunting and ping pong. We played until we almost past out, which ironically enough was 9:30. The Wii has been put back into its boxes and it is back into its hiding spot until the start of Hannukah in 3 weeks.

Stephanie and Darcy- 1983 and 2009

2nd grade, 1983 in NY





all grown-up, 2009, AZ

Going to Tucson

So far the day has been less than pleasant...and it is only 7:30.
We are potty training Aidan and lets just say he has not mastered what NOT to do in "big boy" underwear yet. I was in for quite the surprise this morning when I went to change, what I thought was only wet underwear. I'll spare you the details, however there was a lot of gagging involved.

I am hoping for the day to dramatically improve as we head down to Tucson. We are taking the kids to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. While we are there we are meeting up with a friend that I haven't seen since the third grade! Gotta love facebook for bringing people together. Posted a picture circa. 1983 of when we were in school together. More pix to follow.