The McGeary-Stella Family

Babies Get Baptized!

2012-01-16T11:23:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Madelyn and Carrington's baptism yesterday in grad style surrounded by wonderful friends and family! The girls were baptized at St. Vincent's in Madison, where Nicholas had been baptized. We were lucky enough to share our baptism with another set of twins who turned out to be part of a family that we have known for many years! It was a wonderful surprise for all of us!!

The girls wore beautiful handmade Christening gowns with their names embroidered in the slips that were a gift from Grandma and Pop-pop. They were baptized with water that their big brother and sister brought to the font and helped to pour into it. It was a beautiful ceremony attended by so many of our friends and family, making it that much more special.

After the baptism we headed over to the Ambulance corps building and celebrated the girls with everyone. The kids had a wonderful time playing at the craft table and taking photos of themselves with our camera set up with a wireless remote. The adults were able to catch up and hold the girls and enjoy lots of delicious food from Grandpa's restaurant and Grandma's kitchen.

It was a beautiful day that was made that much more wonderful by the presence, help, and love of all of those who were with us. Our friends and family were so helpful and generous and we are so very lucky to have them in our lives and in the lives of our children! Thank you so much to everyone for being with us and helping us, not just yesterday but everyday! A special thank you to grandma and pop-pop for everything and my friend Kate for her fabulous picture taking and crafting guidance! And a very special thank you to the girls' godparents for being so willing to take on the role of godparent and helping us to raise our kids with wonderfully generous and good people in their lives! Thank you Michelle, Uncle Mike, Uncle Geoff and Aunt Meaghan!

2012-01-14T23:04:00.000-05:00

We're busy getting ready for the girls' baptism tomorrow but I was cleaning off my camera tonight in preparation for tomorrow and found a bunch of pictures from last weekend. The kids had a ball playing outside in the unseasonably warm weather and it was nice to be able to take down all of the Christmas lights without freezing our hands off!

New Years Eve 2011

2012-01-02T20:06:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! We hope you had a wonderful end to 2011 and beginning to 2012!

We spent New Years Eve with family and friends at Pat's dad's restaurant and it was really a lot of fun and great food. The kids had a fabulous time playing with their cousins and Tommy and we had a great time catching up with Uncle Geoff and Aunt Jen and Aunt Cindy.

We really could not have asked for a better way to end 2011 and begin 2012!!

Farewell 2011- You were good to us!

2011-12-31T16:20:00.000-05:00

This is most likely the last post of 2011 for us!

2011 started off a little rocky for us but it ended up wonderfully!

As every year does, it had it's ups and downs and in the end we are unbelievably blessed with our family, friends and many good things.

A couple of pictures from the past few days. They are of the girls because getting Nicholas and Addison to stop for a picture is virtually impossible! I say that as they are, hopefully, up in their rooms resting so we can head to grandpa's restaurant for New Year's Eve tonight with friends and family!

The sisters hanging out the other night. We're getting smiles from both of them now, just not at the same time!

Miss Mady in her newest accessory for at least the next 6 weeks! We found out this past week that Mady has hip dysplasia and needs to be in a harness to help her hip joint develop correctly. She's in the harness between 23 and 24 hours a day and really doesn't seem to mind it too much. I took her out today for a quick bath and she did enjoy kicking in the bathtub which made me a little sad to have to put her back in the harness but if it means she'll be able to run up and down the basketball court and around the bases with no problems than I am A-OK with it! As you can see, she's sporting some super cute leg warmers on her chunky little legs!!

We'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a VERY Happy and Safe New Year!

We hope that 2011 was very good to you but that 2012 is even better!

May your new year be filled with wonderfully endless blessings and memories!

Happy New Year from our Family to Yours!

The 26th

2011-12-28T09:51:00.000-05:00

As we have in the past, we spent the day after Christmas with family!

After spending the morning playing with new toys and recovering from a wonderful Christmas, we packed up the car and headed down to P'burg to spend the afternoon at my aunt and uncle's house. The kids were excited to get out of the house and see everyone and we were looking forward to more family time and yummy food!

When we got there Nicholas and Addison were in awe of the GIANT tree and the awesome train running underneath it! They got to run around and play and they were even allowed to work the train a little bit, too! I think we'll be looking into a nice train set some time soon!!

We had such a nice time eating and talking and just enjoying the day after Christmas with family!

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T23:36:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

We hope that everyone had as nice and as blessed of a Christmas as we did. We were very lucky to be able to spend the past two days with family celebrating and enjoying the season.

Last night, as we do with every Christmas Eve, we headed to Pat's dad's house for the evening. The kids love spending time with grandpa and Aunt Liz and we always have such a nice time catching up and sharing the night before Christmas together. Pat's dad makes a delicious dinner and we get to spend the night talking and watching Christmas movies and eating lots of delicious food! And then the kids get to open up their presents and put on their Christmas PJs. It's a really nice night we look forward to each year.

After spending the evening at Grandpa's, we usually head home but this year we headed to Grandma and Pop-pop's. Each of the kids has woken up at Grandma and Pop-pop's house on their first Christmas and since it was the girls' first Christmas we thought it was only fitting to carry on the tradition. We got to the house and the kids and Daddy went to bed while Mommy went to work finishing up some last minute Christmas prep with Grandma.

When everyone woke up on Christmas morning it was clear that Santa had come and it was also clear that all of us are very blessed and lucky this year, and every year! Mady and Carrington had no clue what was going on but Santa left a few things for them, regardless. Nicholas and Addison, though, were so excited to see what Santa brought them! They opened their presents and Nicholas even took a break to hand out a whole bunch of presents. It was so wonderful to see how much the kids were enjoying the morning and Christmas, that was better than any gift I could have received!! After presents, we enjoyed yummy breakfast and the kids went off to play with some of their new toys while the adults went off to recover!!

The rest of day was spent eating, playing with toys, and snuggling babies! Not a bad way to spend Christmas!

We are very lucky and grateful for such a wonderful day and year!

Merry Christmas to you and yours from ours!

Christmas is Coming!

2011-12-19T00:20:00.000-05:00

Christmas preparation is in full swing around here!

Dozens of cookies were baked over the past few days. Our tree has been up since our annual tree trimming party a few weeks ago. Christmas outfits and pajamas are purchased and ready to be worn. And this past weekend we attended the first of our two Christmas concerts on the schedule and then helped Grandma and Pop-pop to put up their tree and decorate!

Friday night was Nicholas' Christmas pageant and concert. The kids did a great job and Nicholas was so excited to be singing for everyone. We can't wait for Thursday to see Addie's concert and go to her party!

On Saturday, the kids and I spent the day helping Grandma to decorate the house and get ready to put up their tree today. We were supposed to spend the day at the McGeary Christmas but since the girls are still so little and we're not really ready to expose them to a ton of people touching them, etc. we opted to stay home. We were sad to miss everyone but we need to make sure to keep the girls healthy!

Today, Grandma took Nicholas and Addison to Morristown to see the Nutcracker ballet and they LOVED it! When they got home, we decorated the Christmas tree and had a nice dinner with Aunt Jessica. The kids had a ball and are now even more excited about Christmas coming!

Four Eyes

2011-12-12T22:30:00.002-05:00

Nicholas came home last week with a note in his bookbag from the school nurse. Apparently, they had done eye exams in school that day and Nicholas did not do well. (The first "test" this year that Nicholas didn't get an A on!) I made an appointment and took the little man to the eye doctor and she confirmed exactly what the school nurse said, Nicholas needed glasses! After a little bit of arguing and a lot of trying on, we settled on a nice pair of glasses that will hopefully stand the test of time! Nicholas put them on and immediately said, "I finally look smart!" I couldn't help but laugh and tell him he always looked smart but he didn't want to hear it....he was just so excited to look smart and be able to see! The change for him was staggering, he was pointing out all kinds of things that he could see! Thank goodness the school checked him and pushed us to get him checked!

Here's our little smartypants!

Frecklefaced NYC

2011-12-11T23:26:00.001-05:00

We finished off a busy, but fun, weekend with a day in New York City!

Addie, grandma and I went into the city early this morning to kick off a full day devoted just to Addie and what she wanted to do and see! Part of me thinks she would have been thrilled with just the train ride in and home but we did tons of stuff once we got to the city.

We started off at Macy's on 34th street where we took the peek line to take a look at Santa and Santaland. We could have waited on line to actually meet Santa but 1) the line was 3 hours long, 2) we were all hungry, 3) Addie had just broken bread with Santa yesterday and 4) the line was 3 hours long. Needless to say, I'm glad we didn't wait because the peek we got of the fat man was enough to let me know that he was kind of a weak representation of the Mr. Claus.

After Macy's Addie chowed down on a dirty water hot dog and then we made our way to Columbus Circle, a holiday flea market, a stop in the Plaza Hotel, a trip through FAO Schwarz and then some lunch at Mickey Mantle's. After lunch it was time to head to our main attraction, a play called "Freckleface Strawberry". If you don't know anything about this book or show, google it. The show was adorable and the books are awesomely written by the actress Julianne Moore. The best part of the whole thing was that it focused on a little girl with red hair and freckles, like our Addie, and how she learns to love herself and who she is, no matter what!

We were going to hit the Tree at Rockefeller Center when the play was over but after the excitement of the performance and Addie getting autographs from the stars, we decided to hop in a cab and try to make the next train. And make it, we did!

Despite the fact that I want to rip my own feet off, it was a wonderfully awesome day and watching Addie's face continually light up at each new experience makes every single pain worth it!

Breakfast with Santa

2011-12-11T23:21:00.001-05:00

Yesterday morning was Pat's company's annual breakfast with Santa and we decided to take all 4 kids....without a stroller. Nicholas and Addison had a FABULOUS time eating, meeting tons of characters, watching live performances and, of course, meeting Santa! Carrington and Madelyn had no clue what was going on but got to meet TONS of people and also met Santa! I don't have copies on the computer of the kids and Santa and I didn't have a chance to take any shots with my own camera but, trust me, the Santa shots came our super cute!

Babies

2011-12-11T23:13:00.001-05:00

The girls have been doing really well lately! We had some formula issues and we're still working on those being settled but other than that, our little ladies are growing really well.

They went for their 2 month checkup this past Wednesday and it appears that our Miss Madelyn is 8lbs 13oz and our Carrington Jane is 7lbs 6oz. Carrington has consistently been smaller than Mady but they are both gaining beautifully and are healthy so we're not concerned. Mady goes for an ultrasound of her hips over the next week or so to check for hip dysplasia due to her breech status at birth. Carrington has been sleeping for much longer stretches at night, which is wonderful, and we're hoping that Mady follows suit soon!

We are all very excited for our first Christmas as a family of 6 and both girls have requested cookies and milk for their Christmas presents!

Madelyn in her Bumbo

Carrington hanging out

Christmas Tree Lighting

2011-11-26T23:08:00.000-05:00

The day after Thanksgiving- after I scored some awesome deals at Black Friday sales- we took the kids over to Lafayette Village for the annual Christmas Tree lighting. I didn't get a lot of pictures but a I did get a few. We've been going to the lighting for the past few years and it's a really nice way to kick off the Christmas season and start to get yourself in the spirit of the season. The kids love getting to run around with other kids under the Christmas lights and then they get to see Santa when he arrives via firetruck. It's just a wonderful family friendly event!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-25T21:15:00.001-05:00

We have so very much to be thankful for this year, and every year. We have been blessed with wonderful family and friends and we've added two of the most wonderful little people to our family in the past few weeks. Needless to say, our Thanksgiving was a wonderful one filled with many blessings and good things, as well as family and delicious food!!

Turkey Feast

2011-11-25T21:10:00.001-05:00

This past Wednesday grandma and I took Carrington and Madelyn to see their big sister perform in her school's Thanksgiving feast! Addison was a pilgrim and sang fabulous songs about Thanksgiving and God and Pilgrims- it was so cute and she did AWESOME!

Christmas Card 2011

2011-11-20T20:59:00.000-05:00

Well, it's the day after Thanksgiving and I got almost all of my Christmas shopping done last night and then came home and addressed all of our Christmas cards, stamped them and put them in the mail! I can't believe it but they are on their way before December has even hit!!

Because they are in the mail and on the way, I thought I'd share some of the pictures from our photo shoot. We were thinking about going down the shore to do the pictures on the beach where we go each summer but I wasn't really up for the drive with all of the kids. So, after we did a little house hunting one Saturday my mom and I took the kids to a local lake and we were able to get some really great pictures that combined the beach and the fall trees! I'm so glad that my dad had the idea and my mom gave me that extra nudge to do it!

Here are some of the shots I was able to get!

Cradle

2011-11-18T20:54:00.000-05:00

All of the kids on my dad's side of the family- including me and my cousins- were lucky enough to sleep in an heirloom cradle that had been in our family since my dad was younger. Both Nicholas and Addison slept in the cradle and we had to wait a bit before we had the twins in it for size reasons (their heads were so small that they would have gotten stuck in the slats) but now we've been able to have them nap in it during the day. The girls sleep sitting up at night because of some possible reflux issues but during the day we have them nap in the cradle and it's so special to be able to say and know that they are sleeping in the same place that so many of their relatives slept in before them!

Happy Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T20:01:00.000-04:00

After a weekend of snow and no power and dodging tree limbs and downed wires, we welcomed Halloween with open arms and eagerly empty plastic jack-o-lanterns!

Our pictures from this year are quite limited because I left my camera at grandma's house but I did manage to get a shot of Nicholas and Addison and their carved pumpkins. The girls slept through their first Halloween!

The kids took in a pretty good haul! Pat and I walked around two streets and then he took them out in the car to a few other neighborhoods while I stayed home to man the candy bowl! While they were out, our entire neighborhood lost power which meant more candy for mom!!

All in all, it was a pretty quiet Halloween but the kids had a great time and that's all that really matters!

Princess Aurora Addison

Mario Stella

Our Pumpkins expertly designed by Nicholas and Addison and then carved by Daddy!

Photo Shoot

2011-10-24T18:04:00.001-04:00

I wanted to get the girls' birth announcement out but since we really didn't have any good pictures of them for the card I needed to do a mini photo shoot with them. I was quite skeptical about how it would turn out but in the end, the girls were quite cooperative and I got some really good pictures! Here are just a few....I won't tell you which made the cut for the announcement because many of you will be getting them in the mail quite soon!!

Super Saturday

2011-10-22T19:53:00.001-04:00

We're getting back into the swing of things around here....slowly. Getting out of the house with four kids isn't necessarily hard but when two of them are newborns it makes it a bit more difficult. This morning was a big challenge for us! Nicholas and Addison had soccer pictures and then games but we all needed to be at the fields around the same time so we all needed to be out of the house by 8:15. Normally, this isn't a huge deal because we do get the kids to school by 7:45 each morning but today we needed to pack for the morning and plan everything out for all four kids!

We made it to the fields in time for Addie to have her pictures done and then head out to her game with Nicholas close behind. We found that twins are definitely an "attraction" for many people and absolutely an excuse to start a conversation. Everyone was so in love with our little bundles and luckily I didn't have to slap anyone's hand away from touching them.

After soccer we ran a few errands and then make a quick stop for some pumpkins. By the time we got home, everyone was hungry and tired! Definitely a busy Saturday that will most likely be the norm over the next few years!!

Stork Surprise

2011-10-22T19:41:00.005-04:00

We came home the other day and found that we had two 7 foot tall visitors on our lawn!

Grandma and Pop-pop surprised us with two Storks to celebrate the girls' arrival. Not only are the storks quite cute but the bundles that have been decorated with the girls' names are going to be removed and we can hang them up in their room!

We LOVE the storks even though they were QUITE the surprise!

Thank you Grandma and Pop-pop!!

Madelyn

Carrington

Homecoming

2011-10-20T19:45:00.000-04:00

Well, the girls turned 2 weeks old this past Wednesday and as a present to us they decided they were ready to come home!

We brought home our Carrington Jane and Madelyn Carter to grandma and pop-pop's house- just as their siblings before them were brought home. They were welcomed by Nicholas and Addison and are really getting settled in. Our first night was not too bad- we're just trying to get adjusted to everything at this point.

This morning the girls went for their first pediatrician visit and we found out that they have gained weight! Madelyn is now an even 5 pounds and Carrington is up to 4lbs 11oz! They are doing GREAT and we are so happy to have them home! We couldn't be more grateful for the love, support, prayers and everything else that we received from our family (especially grandma, pop-pop and Aunt Jessica) and friends. We are so lucky and can't wait to share our little miracles with everyone!!

Castle Park

2011-10-20T18:33:00.000-04:00

This past weekend while the girls were in the hospital, I took Nicholas and Addison to the Castle Park near grandma and pop-pop's house. Apparently, in their sleep, the kids somehow got a hold of sugar and were absolutely nuts on Sunday morning and really needed to burn off some energy!
We spent a good amount of time running around and climbing and just enjoying the cool Fall morning. After the park we headed to a local diner for breakfast and then back to grandma and pop-pop's so the kids could wait for Aunt Jessica.
They had a great time at the castle park and it was nice to be there and not have a million other people there! Clearly Sunday morning is time to be there!

Challenge

2011-10-17T16:34:00.005-04:00

Things have been moving along steadily here. The girls are doing very well. They are both finally off feeding tubes and we're hoping that they stay that way! They have both, also, surpassed their birth weights. Madelyn is now 4lbs 10oz and Carrington is 4lbs 8oz. And they really are thriving...thank GOD!

Today when we arrived at the NICU for the early morning feeding our day nurse informed us that the doctor wanted the girls to do their car seat challenge today. The car seat challenge is when the babies are placed in their infant car seats for 90 minutes and their heart rates and oxygen levels are monitored. The girls passed with flying colors and got tons of compliments while sleeping through their test! Now, we just wait to find out when they might be coming home....lots of prayers and fingers crossed that it's coming soon!!

Daddy and 2 of his 3 girls!

The girls during their car seat challenge

Stability

2011-10-13T23:46:00.001-04:00

Things are pretty stable around here lately. The girls have started to gain weight which we are THRILLED with!! They are still on feeding tubes but each day it seems like they take a bit more from their bottles. Originally, we had hoped they would be on their way home tomorrow but now it looks like we really don't know when they'll be home. Their homecoming is all dependent upon their eating and weight gain- which is completely understandable. Once we get the word that we can start preparing for homecoming, they have to go through a car seat challenge where they sit in their car seat for 90 minutes while hooked to monitors to make sure their breathing and heartrates can tolerate the seats. If all goes well there and they have passed all their other tests and requirements THEN we can take them home. It seems like a lot but I have come to realize that following all of these precautions and taking everyone one teeny baby step at a time is SO important. Our experience in the NICU so far has definitely had its share of ups and downs but we have been beyond satisfied and thrilled with the care and compassion that the girls have received at the hands of their highly skilled doctors and nurses. We are unbelievably lucky to have such a wonderful and highly rated NICU so close. I don't think we'll ever be able to repay the gift they have given us in keeping our little miracles safe and healthy!!

We'll keep you updated as we know more! Hopefully we'll have some good pictures to share, too, soon!!

Madelyn Carter

2011-10-10T21:49:00.003-04:00

Here is our Madelyn from last night. Both girls are doing well. They are actually back on feeding tubes because their feeds have been upped a lot and they are still adjusting. As long as they are gaining weight and growing, we are ok with it! Heading home from the hospital was not easy for me yesterday but I did go back last night with Pat to do a late feeding and that helped a ton! Today, grandma and I went over to feed the girls and we got to spend some quality time with them. I'll be back over there in the morning and afternoon tomorrow for some more feedings and time with them! I can't believe how much they have already changed and grown!! Their older siblings are SUPER excited to meet them and see them and we're preparing for the girls' eventual homecoming- we just want to make sure they are ready and healthy!!

Carrington Jane

2011-10-09T10:42:00.001-04:00

Our Little Chicken Carrington Jane from this morning

Mini Update

2011-10-09T09:30:00.003-04:00

Just a little update on how things are going. I'm still in the hospital but being discharged this afternoon. The girls will be staying, which is good because right now it's the best place for them. But they are doing pretty well! Madelyn is off all oxygen and feeding tubes and she's already changed, I think! Carrington has been back and forth on and off the feeding tube. When we went in to see her this morning the tube was back in but I'm confident it will be out very soon! She's definitely our tiny little chicken and needs to keep eating.

They will both, hopefully, be off IV fluids within the next day or two which also means that they will be moving to real cribs, too, and can actually wear preemie clothes. All exciting positive things!!

Nicholas and Addison are SUPER excited to meet their sisters and love seeing pictures of the girls. Nicholas' class made a whole bunch of cards for the girls and Addie drew tons of pictures for her sisters.

In addition to waiting for their sisters, Nicholas and Addison have been having a ball being with grandma and pop-pop and Aunt Jessica. I'm sure they all need a break from the two of them but everyone has been so great about occupying them and taking care of them- we couldn't be more appreciative! Also, Addison lost her SECOND tooth yesterday at grandma's house. I can't believe how fast she's growing....crazy crazy!

I don't have any new pictures because I really don't like bringing my phone into the NICU because of all of the germs that live on it. I'm planning on bringing in my good camera once I'm home and coming back and forth to see the girls so hopefully, I'll have much better pictures soon!

Thank you for all of the thoughts and prayers, please keep them coming, our little preemies can definitely use them!!

A few pictures

2011-10-06T19:20:00.001-04:00

Just a few pics....the first two are of Madelyn and the second two are of Carrington.
Enjoy!

Welcome Ladies!!

2011-10-06T06:50:00.001-04:00

After laboring all night Tuesday into Wednesday my contractions became too much to deal with at home and we headed into the hospital! After having spent the weekend in the hospital getting the girls ready for this exact moment, we were prepped for a c-section.
At 10:42am our baby a, Carrington Jane Stella entered the world weighing 4lbs 6oz and 16.75 inches long! Two minutes later our stubborn breech baby b Madelyn Carter Stella joined her sister! Madelyn weighed in at 4lbs 8oz and is 17 inches long!
Daddy escorted the girls to the NICU while my doctor finished up my surgery. He got a few good pictures but I'm hoping to get a few more.
I've only seen the girls briefly and in pictures but now that I can get out of bed, I should be able to spend more time with them!!
We do know that Carrington is already off oxygen and doing great! Madelyn was still using it last night but he doctors were hopeful that she'd be off by this morning.
We just want to thank everyone, especially grandma and pop-pop, for all of the love and support while the girls were growing and now as we move forward. We cannot tell you how grateful we are!! THANK YOU!
Hopefully, we'll have some pictures our gorgeous girls soon!!

Monday Monday

2011-10-03T19:35:00.004-04:00

Well, we are out of the hospital! YAY!

According to the doctors I saw today I could go into labor tonight or a week from now! That's helpful....

My doctor thinks it will be pretty soon but felt it was silly to have me stay in the hospital when my contractions had calmed down and the babies were doing well. We'll be 34 weeks on Wednesday, contrary to what the side ticker says, and once I go into labor we won't be stopping it. It will be a one way ticket to the OR for our c-section! The girls' lungs are good thanks to the steroids they gave me this weekend and now we're just working having them gain weight. Hopefully, the milkshake I had when I left the hospital this afternoon helped a bit!! :)

So, now we just sit and wait and let me tell you, sitting is NOT comfortable considering Baby A is SO LOW!! With the full moon coming this weekend I have a feeling we may be seeing these babies sooner than later! We'll keep you all updated and informed and, again, thank you so much for all of the kind thoughts and prayers!!!

Sunday Evening

2011-10-02T18:56:00.000-04:00

Well, we're still in the hospital. And when I say we, I mean me and the unborn bebes!

Truthfully, we have no real answer as to when we're being discharged. I've been moved to the Antepartum unit and will be here until discharge or until I'm delivered. I saw one of the high risk doctors this morning and basically it's day to day. I'm about 4cm dilated and they aren't exactly comfortable letting me go being that dilated with my third birth because I could easily go very quickly! Tomorrow, I'll be seeing another high risk doctor and my regular OB and we go from there. We were lucky enough to get both steroid shots on board which means that the girls should have pretty good lungs once they do come! The goal right now is to keep my pregnant until 35 weeks...whether or not that will actually happen, I really don't know! I have full confidence in my doctors and all of the staff and facilities here and I know that they have mine and the girls' best interests and health at the center of everything!

I can tell you that being in the hospital and not having the babies to care for or at least visit is not "fun" by any means. My parents have been awesome and have been taking care of the kids, along with Pat when he's not working. And as much as I'd like to have visitors, I want to make sure that Nicholas and Addison aren't being "slighted" or anything like that! It's pretty boring in here and lonely and I would love to just go outside for a bit! On the bright side, I did get my computer today AND I FINALLY got to take a shower! Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers, I can't even begin to tell you how much we appreciate them and everyone who has been helping with the kids or has offered, thank you!! It means so much to know that we are all well taken care of!!

Thanks! We'll keep you updated!

Another Update

2011-09-30T21:37:00.001-04:00

So, things have changed a bit in the past few days. After seeing my ob on Wednesday and finding out I'm 80% effaced and contracting, etc my doctor pretty much said it could be any time! Well it appears any time is within the next few days!
Right now, the girls and I are hanging out at the hospital hooked up to a bunch of meds that will hopefully keep my contractions at bay for another 36 hours- roughly. I've been given my first round of steroids to help mature the girls' lungs and my second dose will be tomorrow afternoon. I will most likely go in for my c-section on Sunday!!
Hoping for a smooth delivery and a quick recovery but more than anything else, two healthy girls!!!!

The Ladies

2011-09-27T16:44:00.001-04:00

Just a quick update on the girls! I had another highrisk appointment today and got some great time to look at the girls.

Baby A is VERY LOW and completely head down. We're pretty sure she's engaged and ready to go....I dropped sometime last week which has been nice for eating and breathing and not having horrible heartburn ALL THE TIME! She is weighing about 3lbs 14oz right now and is facing my back.

Baby B is also low, obviously not as low, but she has definitely moved down! She is now a full breech. Over the past few weeks she had been laying across my front right under my ribs. Now she is head up and feet down and she is about 4 inches lower than she has been.....although she does still enjoy ramming her head into my stomach, especially when I sleep! She is weighing about 4lbs 3oz. She is also facing my back.

Both are doing really well and have strong heartbeats. They were pretty active during the scan, baby B more than A, which is surprising because since Saturday I haven't felt them nearly as much as I had been. That could be a function of them really running out of room as well as them just being a lot lower than they had been!

Every day seems to bring with it a few more contractions than the previous day and they get a bit more intense, too. I'll be 33 weeks starting tomorrow and I have a feeling that the girls will be here very soon....don't ask me why, but I just do! Considering how baby B has positioned herself, the likelihood of me NOT having a C-section is SUPER low!

Unfortunately, the tech couldn't get any good pictures of the girls' faces because they are both facing my back. I was disappointed because they give them to me in 3-D and they are SO CLEAR but I figure the girls will be here before we know it and I'll be able to see them in person rather than in an ultrasound!!

Dos Bebes Update

2011-09-25T22:07:00.000-04:00

It's been an eventful few weeks since the last update on the girls!
I was never allowed to return to work courtesy of a climbing blood pressure, swelling and all kinds of uncomfortableness! A lot of my time is spent either taking the kids to school, picking them up or laying down- and in doctors' offices too!!

I'm about 32.5 weeks right now and I've been in the hospital twice- once with bad dehydration and most recently with preterm labor. It has become quite obvious that my body is getting ready to evict these little ladies!! Two weeks ago they were about 4.5lbs and 3.75lbs each- which is GREAT- and now we just wait! I head back to my high risk doctor on Tuesday and my regular doctor on Wednesday and I have a feeling they will both be quite informative appointments. Everyone seems to have an idea of when they think the babies will be here....I really feel like it will be sooner than later....like within the next two weeks at the most!

Last weekend, my mom and my closest friends and family came together to help get us prepared with the last few things we needed for the babies and also celebrate with me! It was wonderful being able to spend the afternoon with those people who mean the most to us and to our family! Everyone was so generous and my mom really together a wonderful day to celebrate these little girls who are on their way!! Everyone got to meet the girls' godmothers, too, and also find out the names that we've decided on! I really think we're all set and now it's just time to wait......

32.5 weeks = D.O.N.E.!

The girls' Godmothers

Two of my closest friends

Grandparents' to be....again!

Soccer Season Starts

2011-09-25T21:50:00.000-04:00

Our Saturday mornings are being spent at the soccer fields lately. We decided to have the kids join a bigger, more established, soccer league this year. After spending a few weeks this summer in soccer camps, the kids really wanted to keep playing- especially Nicholas- so we found a league in Sparta and luckily the kids have been practicing and playing for the past two weeks. Addison is taking to it much better than I thought she would and Nicholas just LOVES soccer....especially goalie! It's been pretty nice being able to sit and watch them play on Saturday mornings and we even "picnic" in between games with bagels and juice and coffee! It will be perfect once the bugs are gone and the real fall weather sets in!

First Day of School 2011

2011-09-25T21:42:00.000-04:00

The kids started a new school this year and we are SO happy with it....as are the kids! Nicholas is in a small class and has been given a ton of enrichment and opportunities to expand above and beyond the work that the class is doing. He is LOVING school and actually just came home on Friday and was named the Star of the Week!
Addison is in a smaller, more directed classroom and has been doing great there. She really needed more structure than her daycare was giving her and I really wanted he to be in a real school setting so she was ready for Kindergarten next year. She comes home talking about something new each day and we can see a definitely difference in how the new school has helped her!
The first day of school was all rain and we were running late so our pictures were taken in the parking lot at school! They had a great day and I LOVE that Nicholas' uniform polo this year is dark blue and NOT white!!

Irene

2011-09-25T21:37:00.000-04:00

We weathered Hurrican Irene fairly well. We did lose power for a few days and with two kids, that can be "interesting". There were points where I considered letting the kids put on their bathing suits and go outside and play in the rain but my logical side and my husband got the better of me....plus, the wind was kind of, um, strong! Once the storm died down and the rain had stopped for the most part, the kids and I ventured out to the car to let my iPhone charge and they got to play for a bit! Nothing too exciting but after being trapped in the dark and inside for a few days, this was QUITE welcomed!

Slip n Slide

2011-09-25T21:32:00.000-04:00

While the end of the Summer was quite warm, we had so much going on that we didn't get outside much. One of the last times we were able to get out, I set up the kids' slip n slide and they went to town on it! LOVING it!

Updates and Catching up!

2011-09-25T21:29:00.000-04:00

So, I lost my camera cord AND the battery charger for my camera. I actually lost them when we went to Florida in MARCH and I've been borrowing cords. Lately, I've been quite lazy and I finally got a new cord and borrowed a battery charger. So, now I have a bunch of updates......Enjoy.....I'm going to post them as individual posts.

Vacation 2011

2011-08-15T01:22:00.000-04:00

I figured it was time to post some of our vacation pictures!

We ventured down the shore again this year back to our regular house and, as always, had a wonderful time spending the week just steps from the beach and Wawa! Each year the kids seem to love the beach a bit more, although this year I think Nicholas really took the lead and embraced every bit of wave and sand that he could! Addison is not a huge fan of the heat, and really never has been, so the beach could be a bit much for her but she LOVED building sand castles. The best part is that now that we're home all she talks about is going to the beach and being in the waves!!

I didn't take nearly as many pictures this year as I have in the past. I spent the majority of the week in a sand chair right at the water's edge. It was quite HOT and considering I have two heat makers inside of me, I really couldn't run after the kids for pictures or for much of anything! The pictures I was able to get were pretty good! I'm looking forward to next year when we'll be able to take tons of pictures of all FOUR kids!!

Almost 25 Weeks

2011-08-03T20:51:00.000-04:00

Well, we're back from another great beach vacation with our entire family! The kids had a great time, Nicholas more than Addison since he is positively in love with the waves and boogie boarding. Addie likes the beach but isn't super great in the heat. Luckily, there's the boardwalk to occasionally entertain her.

I'll have pictures up soon!

In other news, things are moving right along! Today we went to get Nicholas' new school uniform since he'll be changing schools- as will Addie- come September. Plus, Nicholas has been in goalie camp this week and absolutely LOVING it! He is a HUGE soccer fan...much to my dismay! Addie has been tagging along with me everywhere this week. She had the special treat of coming with me to my ultrasound yesterday. She got to hear her sisters' heartbeats and see them on the screen. She wasn't overly impressed.....

The girls are doing quite well, measuring just under 2 pounds. Baby A is head down and lovingly pushing on my bladder. Baby B is transverse and ever so kindly pushing my stomach into my lungs and my lungs into my....well...there's nowhere for them to go at this point! But the girls are healthy and growing really well so that is really all that matters!!

The ultrasound pictures weren't all that great but I did manage to snap a picture of myself for those of you who have been begging for "belly shots". I've included it for your viewing pleasure at the bottom.

August will be over in no time! I know a lot you don't like that but believe me, I'm ready. I'm ready for the heat to be done and to move right through September and in to October!! It looks like the girls will be here by Halloween, which we are super excited about! Right now, I'm very much about getting everything ready from making sure we have enough diapers and bottles to starting to pack my hospital bag! I want to make sure that we're all set once I head back to work because who knows when I'll have the time or the energy to do any of it!!

Amidst all the craziness, we are enjoying these last moments of Summer and really will be sad to see another Summer come and go so quickly. But Fall brings with it so many new and exciting events and blessings that maybe this year we're pretty ok with saying goodbye to Summer!!

Zoo-riffic

2011-07-19T19:45:00.000-04:00

As part of getting ready for the girls to arrive we took Nicholas and Addison to a sibling class at St. Barnabas where I'll be delivering. The kids enjoyed the class and it was a great experience, especially for Nicholas, to be able to see the hospital and the nursery. It definitely got them excited and also put them at ease a bit.

After the class, we were so close to the Turtleback Zoo that we decided to take advantage of the cool morning and visit the zoo. The kids love it there because it's so interactive and it's small enough that you can see everything and it doesn't take all day. Plus, they have a great playground and a train ride. It's really a wonderful way to spend half a day!! Plus, it appears that the zoo is quite the popular spot for pregnant women! I couldn't believe the number of very pregnant women walking around the zoo! I decided that they were all trying to get their labors going and that the kids and I will be back come October to get my own moving!!

An Update on the Ladies

2011-07-06T21:41:00.000-04:00

We're more than halfway there with our twin little girls!

Yesterday I had my 20 week Anatomy ultrasound. My cousin Michelle came along since she'll be one of the girls' godmothers. We got to see the girls moving around quite a bit! The tech also confirmed, as the third person, that they are most definitely two little girls in there! We saw their hearts, brains, kidneys, legs, anything and everything. I also was able to see why I've been SO uncomfortable- both girls are head down and low....uncomfortably low!!

But they are both doing GREAT! Almost a pound each and measuring a tad ahead of schedule. All of their organs and limbs look good and we're moving along quite well. I really can't believe we're more than halfway there. My doctor has told me that there is no way we're going to 40 weeks and I'll be lucky to make it to 36 weeks. As long as the girls are healthy, I don't care!!

Now that we really know it's two girls, we've decided on names, godparents, and now it's time to start getting ready because as much as it feels like it took forever to get here, the next few months are going to fly....I hope!

Here are just a few pictures....

Summertime

2011-07-06T21:30:00.000-04:00

It's been hot as what I imagine hell is like. As much as I can't take the heat and would rather spend my afternoons in my lovely air conditioning, my kids are dying to get outside into the sweltering air! In an effort to keep my sanity, keep them happy and work on my tan, we've been spending some time outside in the the blow up pool.

I can honestly say that if it gets any hotter this summer I will be sitting in the pool rather than taking pictures from outside of it!

Updates Galore!!

2011-06-27T21:42:00.000-04:00

I FINALLY took my camera out of the bag today so that I could take pictures of the kids at their first day of Soccer camp! When I went to upload the pictures I found TONS of pictures that needed to be uploaded.

Pictures from Addison's 4th birthday in MARCH!!

Pictures from a trip to the Liberty Science Center in April!

(Nicholas was there, too!)

Pictures from Nicholas' T-Ball Team this Spring!

And Finally, Pictures from the first day of Soccer Camp and then Swimming at Grandpa's afterwards!

(A side note, it's a very good thing that Addison has some skills on the softball field because soccer may not be her forte!)

The Results Are In

2011-06-17T18:14:00.000-04:00

Roughly two weeks ago I went to see my high risk specialist for a growth check on the babies. According to my regular doctor, this is something new that they're doing with high risk pregnancies. And I can attest to that- we've already had more than 6 ultrasounds done on the babies. ANYWAY, when I went in for the growth check I asked the tech if she was able to tell what we were having. She took a good look and gave me an idea but told me she couldn't say 100% but that she would be super surprised if at my next appointment they told me something different.

This past Wednesday I had an appointment with my regular OB. Everything looks good and I, of course, had to ask if she was able to tell what the babies were. She confirmed what my last tech told me and it looks like come this Fall we will be welcoming two GIRLS to the family!

I was not expecting to hear to two girls either time but we are very excited nontheless and we've begun taking contributions for their weddings! (kidding!) In reality, we have decided on names and we are ready to really start getting prepared for them!

In addition to finding out about our two little girls on the way we have also put our house on the market so be sure to spread the word to anyone and everyone who wants a house!!!

Double Trouble Update

2011-05-25T16:49:00.000-04:00

I have been quite the lackadaisical blogger as of late and some of you have pointed that out to me!

Sorry for my absence....stuff has been happening but between work, doctor appointments, t-ball games, softball coaching and just being generally worn out blogging has been the last thing on my mind!

To start back let me give you two pictures of the little bears that have been causing my exhaustion and ALL DAY sickness!

Baby B

Baby A

These two pictures are from my Nuchal scan a few weeks ago. This scan measures the fluid at the back of baby's neck to determine the risk for chromosomal abnormalities. The scan, coupled with my bloodwork, showed that my risk was very low.

Baby B is already proving to be FAR more cooperative than their sibling! Baby B was stretched out on top of Baby A, closer to my stomach. So while Baby B is super easy to get pictures of, I blame him or her for all the nausea! ;) Baby A likes to stay curled up in a little ball in the "corner" of things. Baby A was much more difficult to get a clear picture of. The tech did a lot of jiggling of the ultrasound wand and tried gently tapping my stomach, too. Finally, Baby A stretched out just enough to get a good measurement.

Everyone is measuring up to date and looking very good! I go back to my high risk specialist to see how the babies are growing and have a few other things checked. I'm looking forward to a new picture! And then two weeks after that I head to see my regular doctor who is hoping to be able to tell us what we're having- boys, girls, one of each....we shall see!

I've officially entered the second trimester and I am eagerly awaiting the end of my nausea and maybe some energy returning! I spend a lot of time resting while Pat has picked up a lot of the slack around here- as have my parents. I am beyond grateful to everyone!! I can't even begin to tell you how different growing two babies is from growing one!!

We are eagerly anticipating the Fall and the arrival of our little bundles! It's going to be a long Summer! :)

Double Trouble

2011-04-13T18:17:00.000-04:00

Well, I haven't really posted in quite awhile for various reasons! One of the primary ones has been that I've been pretty sick and very tired....and for good reason!

We found out last night, and we're so excited that we can't contain ourselves, that we are expected TWINS in November!

The ultrasound showed two healthy babies measuring right on time....8 weeks....with super strong heartbeats. It's been a whirlwind 24 hours and we are cautiously optimistic but also very excited to be welcoming two new little ones to our family.

We are so excited to share the news with everyone and we are so appreciative of all of the support, love and well wishes we've already received!

I promise to get back to regular posting VERY soon!!

Any good, healthy thoughts and prayers you can send our way over these next few months would be greatly appreciated!!

Slacker

2011-03-12T16:51:00.000-05:00

I've been slacking in my blog posting!!

We've been quite busy lately! Basketball season ended and we rolled right into Softball season. Nicholas started hockey and he starts T-ball tomorrow! Addison will be starting dance soon AND turning 4 next weekend!! And Pat's new store opened (while we were away) with lots of success!!

The most fun and important thing we did was take our long awaited trip to Disney World with Grandma and Pop-pop!! We had an amazing time and it was WONDERFUL to get to see the kids just love every minute of the trip from the plane ride to the hotel to the pool to all of the parks, parades and rides!! I took quite a few pictures. I'll post a few and then also a slideshow of all of them!

Thanks for a GREAT trip grandma and pop-pop!!

Seeing Cinderella's Castle for the first time

(Just before Nicholas wandered off and got lost!)

Happy Birthday!

2011-02-13T23:19:00.000-05:00

We've been busy in the past month and I really haven't picked up my camera for a variety of reasons. I'm getting back into the picture taking swing of things and I have a ton of pictures from my camera and from my iphone to share!

We were quite busy this weekend and I have some pictures to prove it!

Nicholas turned SIX this past week and this weekend we celebrated with a bowling party and then a family party!! Nicholas had a few of his classmates and friends to Rockaway Lanes for a bowling party on Saturday afternoon. The kids had a good time and got to spend some time with one another outside of school. They had cake and played and and ran off some energy!

After the bowling party we headed to grandma and pop-pop's house for another party with family! Aunt Jessica came over and Uncle Mike and Michelle and an old friend Br. Tom. We had homemade pizza and MORE cake and then presents! It was a ton of fun and Nicholas was surrounded by friends and family for his birthday- just as it should be!!

*It should be noted that "someone" decided to get trick birthday candles for her asthmatic nephew and it took quite some time to finally get the candles extinguished, hence the look on his face when blowing out the candles in the above picture!!*

Sunday Sledding

2011-01-16T21:20:00.000-05:00

After the gym this morning, we decided to take the kids sledding again! Pat didn't get to enjoy the sledding the other day and we had some time before the kids and I headed to grandma and pop-pop's and Pat headed to work so off to the hill we went!

Today was even better than the other day! We took our giant inflatable pool raft and it was PERFECT! The snow was nice and packed, the tracks were there because everyone else had already been sledding and the hill was pretty much empty!! We had a GREAT time and took a TON of pictures! I really couldn't pick from all of the ones I liked so I'm posting a slideshow of all of them!

Enjoy!!

A slideshow design by Smilebox

STRIKE!

2011-01-15T20:03:00.000-05:00

Today has been a busy day!!

We started off by hosting a playdate with our friends this morning. The kids had a great time making snacks and playing with the mix of toys while the moms got to chat and sit for a bit!

After our playdate was over we headed out the door!

Nicholas needed a hair cut and we were heading to a birthday party for a little girl in his class who we have known outside of school, too! We got Nicholas an awesome haircut so that he looked handsome for the party and then we headed over to Rockaway Lanes to celebrate Nicholas' friend B's birthday!

Both kids were generously invited and had an AWESOME time! This was a first time bowling for both of them and the just loved it!

After bowling we ran a few errands, went to Church and then grabbed dinner- everyone is in bed now and the house is nice and quiet!!

The pictures aren't that great because it hard to get a good shot when their back is to you constantly!!

Sledding

2011-01-12T17:34:00.000-05:00

We had a snow day today! YAY!

Unfortunately, today was also Pat's long day at work which means that he's there until 10 at least. Since I knew that if the kids and I stayed home all day we probably wouldn't survive, I reached out to a few of my playgroup friends and we made a plan. We all met this afternoon and took the kids sledding and OH MY GOODNESS did the kids have fun!?!? And they killed a TON of energy!!

After a good 45 minutes in the snow and the cold I took the kids for an early dinner then home for baths and pjs. Bedtime is only moments away because they are SO tired and I'm ready for bed, too!

All in all a pretty good snow day!

SnowFun 2011

2011-01-07T17:27:00.000-05:00

As I said before, we had a snowstorm today. Nothing too major, but enough to close schools and make staying home a reality. We stayed inside for most of the day since I had parked myself on the couch and the kids were playing upstairs! I decided, late this afternoon, that the kids needed to get outside for a bit, and I needed to get off the couch, so we headed out into the snow!!

We suited up and went out into the snowy weather. I thought it had stopped snowing before we went outside but it hadn't and a lovely soft snow was coming down lightly. The kids had a ball throwing snow at one another, sliding down the huge piles of snow and just rolling around in the fluffy white stuff!! It was pretty cold so we didn't stay out too long but just enough time to satisfy their love for snow play and my need to get fresh air and take a bunch of pictures!

We're off to the shore tomorrow to spend the day with good friends and hopefully the kids will have a snow companion and more chances to play outside again! And tire themselves out!!

Life Goes On...With Pizza

2011-01-07T10:57:00.000-05:00

The first week of 2011 has been a difficult one for us. On Tuesday we found out that our August baby was gone. Our Wednesday I had surgery and I've spent the past few days at home resting and recovering. Yesterday, I got a phone call in the early afternoon from Nicholas' school saying that he had lost two teeth on the playground and would need to be picked up! We took him right over to the dentist and luckily, they were baby teeth!! Today, we're in the midst of a snowstorm and are just enjoying some time at home.

It has been quite a whirlwind week!

Last night, we decided to have some fun with dinner and we let the kids do make their own pizzas. They LOVED it! Pat helped them to stretch the dough, spread the sauce and add tons of cheese. They waited patiently for their pies to come out of the oven and once they did, the pizzas looked AWESOME! And they tasted pretty good, too!

Even in the wake of sadness and loss we are seeing that life truly does move forward! Kids lose teeth, snowstorms occur, and pizzas get made by little hands! Thank you to everyone who has been so wonderfully supportive and kind over these past few days, we cannot begin to express how much we appreciate your compassion!

New Year's Eve 2010

2011-01-01T01:40:00.000-05:00

As I write this it is January 1, 2011. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope that each of you had as wonderful a night as we did!

Normally, we have friends over or we go to spend the night with friends at their house. This year, so many of our friends were working tonight or tomorrow and Pat is working both that we ended up canceling out normal party. We decided that since we didn't really have any concrete plans that we would head to the family restaurant for the evening. I was a little concerned about the kids being able to make it to the 9pm seating and then staying up but looking back at it now, I really shouldn't have been!

Dinner was delicious and it was so nice to spend the evening with family and good food! After dinner, the kids started to hit their walls and were just about ready to sleep when their cousins arrived and injected a TON more energy into the evening! Grandpa turned on the disco ball in the dining room and started up the music and the kids were able to dance and run around and have tons of fun. Noisemakers and hats were handed out and everyone enjoyed the time until midnight. We counted down and wished a giant Happy New Year and then piled into our cars and headed home. The kids and Pat were asleep within minutes leaving me with the drive home to reflect on what a great night it turned out to be!

If our unexpected New Year's Eve is any indication of how great 2011 is shaping up to be, I am wholeheartedly looking forward to the coming year!

We hope that 2010 finished on a wonderful high note for you and that 2011 has already set the bar even higher! Wishing you a very Happy and Blessed New Year 2011, from our family to yours!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Blizzard Part Deux

2010-12-27T19:20:00.000-05:00

The wind is still whipping around pretty violently outside right now but the snow has stopped- thank goodness! We have been plowed and shoveled out and we're keeping nice and warm with homemade cookies and yummy hot chocolate with marshmallows.

Pat took the kids out to play in the snow this afternoon and they had a ton of fun, despite the frigid temperatures and blowing winds. They made more snow angels, played on the giant piles of snow and even created a few snow slides for some winter fun!

SNOWFUN: Blizzard 2010

2010-12-26T20:47:00.000-05:00

We're in the early hours of Blizzard 2010 right now and we're keeping warm and entertained. The kids are in bed after a day of playing with new toys and watching movies all while wearing their PJs. They were so excited to get out into the snow I decided that while our pizza baked I would throw them into their snowsuits really quickly and bring them outside!

We weren't outside for very long. While the snow looks pretty, the wind and below freezing temperatures are not so pretty! The kids made snow angels, threw a few snowballs, cleaned off daddy's car and discussed where they would build a snowman tomorrow! I froze my butt off and took a few pictures.

Merry Christmas 2010!

2010-12-25T20:38:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!

We hope that everyone had as wonderful and memory filled Christmas as we did! The kids slept in, for a little bit, and then we headed downstairs to see if Santa had made a stop. As you can see from the previous post, he most definitely did!

Nicholas and Addison actually took their time opening presents and seeing what Santa had left for them. There were points where we even had to tell them to keep unwrapping!! They were both very happy and excited with all of the goodies that Santa had left for them and enjoyed playing with them for a bit before heading to Grandma and Pop-pop's.

The rest of our day was spent with family at Grandma and Pop-pop's house. The kids were so excited to see that Santa had stopped there, too, and they were much more skilled at moving quite quickly through the presents that Santa had left there!

All in all it was a wonderful Christmas day filled with lots of love and joy and tons of food and fun! It was great to watch Nicholas and Addison really enjoy the day and all that it is meant to be filled with! We hope that your Christmas was just as great!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2010

2010-12-25T01:28:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas Eve- although it's very very early Christmas morning as I write this! At any rate, Merry Christmas!!

We spent Christmas Eve, as we always do, with Pat's family. After heading to church and then doing a little Christmas lights viewing, we heading to grandpa's house to celebrate the holiday with him and Aunt Liz and Sue. We had a wonderful time and the kids just loved spending time with their aunt and their grandpa! Plus, they were quite spoiled by an early visit from Santa!!

We wanted to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you and your families and very Merry and Blessed Christmas! We hope that your day is filled with beautiful memories, wonderful family and friends, and lots of love and joy!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Santa has already arrived and now we're just waiting for that early morning wake up call!

Merry Christmas!

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Luke 2:10-12

McGeary Christmas 2010

2010-12-18T22:36:00.000-05:00

We headed out to my Aunt and Uncle's house today to celebrate Christmas a week early, as is the tradition in our family!

We had a really wonderful day full of family and fun and delicious food- namely, some unbelievable Filet Mignon!!

It was wonderful watching the kids enjoy one another and run around and even go on a hay ride while the adults got to catch up and have fun!

Merry Christmas!!

Getting Ready for Christmas...and a Few from Turkey Day!

2010-12-15T21:16:00.000-05:00

My cousin came out to NJ this past weekend and she brought my camera. I can't tell you how happy I was to get it back and start snapping pictures- and also see what was on there still!
We had spent the weekend before Thanksgiving at her house celebrating with my dad's side of the family so there were pictures on the camera from that day. Here are just a few!

This past Sunday we headed to Grandma and Pop-pop's to help them get ready for Christmas. The kids did an awesome job helping to decorate the tree and put out all of the Christmas goodies! It definitely helped to put everyone in the spirit!!

Breakfast with Santa

2010-12-12T20:46:00.000-05:00

While I'm not always the biggest fan of Pat's hours and days that he works, I have to say that his company is very very good to their employees and their families. There are the general perks, like tickets to things and events that we attend as members of their "family". But the past two weekends have really made it clear to me that they value the hard work that their employees do and the sacrifices that their families make.

The Christmas party that we attended was wonderful and absolutely lovely. It was also an eye opener as to how many people stick around. The number of employees in upper management who have been with the company for 15 and 20 plus years was staggering and really quite refreshing to see. Yesterday, the kids and I went back to Perona Farms- where the Christmas Party was- to have breakfast with Santa courtesy of Pat's company. Let me tell you, it was incredible! The kids had a wonderful time seeing tons of their favorite cartoon characters, enjoying a delicious breakfast, making Christmas tree ornaments, riding on the Santa train and of course meeting Santa! It really was an amazing event and we could not be more grateful to Pat's company and the family that runs it! We had a wonderful time and cannot wait to do it again next year!

Christmas Card 2010- The Official Version

2010-12-06T12:29:00.000-05:00

Christmas Cards will be going out in the next day or two so I thought I'd post this up for everyone to see, just in case!

We did have to do a second card because I ran out of these! The other one is just different colors with the same pictures! Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Best Christmas Present Ever

2010-12-05T21:31:00.000-05:00

Christmas Tree Catch Up

2010-12-05T21:21:00.000-05:00

We're playing catch up over here for a few reasons! Two weeks ago I left my camera at my aunt's house on Long Island and I've been camera-less since then. I've had my dad's camera but I'm finding that I'm not taking nearly as many pictures! I can't wait to get mine back, even though it has been nice to have a small camera in my purse!

Since forgetting my camera, we've celebrated Thanksgiving with grandma and pop-pop, we attended a Christmas tree lighting, started baketball season, decorated the house (outside and in) for Christmas, attended Pat's company Christmas soiree, and held our annual Christmas Tree Trimming party!

We've been quite busy and enjoying the holiday season and watching how much the kids are just amazed by all the of wonderfulness of getting ready for Christmas and Jesus' Birthday!

Christmas Card 2010

2010-11-13T22:52:00.000-05:00

Before we spent the afternoon at Uncle Geoff and Aunt Jen's we went to the beach and took a TON of pictures for our Christmas card this year! I can't show you too many because I don't want to spoil the card for you, but here are a few that I'm pretty sure I won't be using! The kids had a GREAT time in the cool sand and playing on the beach. It was a GORGEOUS day and while it was cool, it wans't COLD and the beach had a good amount of people on it- for November!

Welcome Jack Henry

2010-11-13T22:47:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to our very good friends Uncle Geoff and Aunt Jen and Tommy who welcomed their newest member to the family on November 1st- Jack Henry George!

Today, the kids and I ventured down the shore for some beach time, photo shooting and to visit our new "nephew/cousin". Big Brother Tommy is great with Jack and keeps an eye on him at all times. He even went over to check on Jack when he started to cry in the swing. Addison and Nicholas were fascinated by Jack and LOVED holding him- as did mommy!!

Jack is a GREAT eater and so tiny! We loved meeting him and can't wait to get to know him more!

Corn A-Maze-ing

2010-11-06T21:44:00.000-04:00

We had another fun-filled Fall Saturday today!
Last month when we went pumpkin picking all Nicholas really wanted to do was go in the Corn Maze. In an effort to get him to focus on the pumpkins and fun we were having that day I promised him that we would go to a corn maze before Fall was over.
I can't stand corn mazes.
Today, I made good on my promise and we, along with a bunch of friends, went out to Chester and visited Alstede Farms and their GIANT corn maze.
Nicholas had a ton of fun! Mommy and Addie, would have been happy to walk around the farm and stay out of the corn maze.
The kids got to play on the bounce house, climb the giant hay mountain and crawl through a hay tunnel. They had a great time playing together and enjoying the Fall day!

Happy Halloween 2010!!

2010-11-01T19:04:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween everyone!

We hope that you all had as nice of a Halloween as we did! Pat and I were on our way back from friends' wedding on Sunday (pictures to come) and the kids were with Grandma and Pop-pop for the weekend so we spent our Halloween in Chatham. We carved pumpkins with Aunt Jessica in the afternoon and then had an early dinner before heading out for Trick-or-Treating.

Nicholas was Buzz Lightyear and Addie was Jessie- both from Toy Story. We decided to make it a family affair this year and Pat and I went as "poor" renditions of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head from Toy Story. I think the kids enjoyed our costumes more than anything else, well, after all the candy!

They had a great time going from house to house and getting lots of loot! Once we got home we stopped in to see Aunt Meaghan so the kids could show off their costumes and get one last piece of candy!

Wedding Bells

2010-10-30T19:10:00.000-04:00

Our friends Patrick and Bonnie got married this weekend on Long Island and Pat and I took the the weekend and spent it celebrating with them! We had a great time spending time away and with friends celebrating the wedding. The mass was beautiful, the reception had delicious food, great music, good company and just tons of fun!!

Congratulations to Patrick and Bonnie!

The Wine Boys

Pat, Patrick and Danny

Holly and I

The Wine Wives

The Gary's Alums

We all worked together at Gary's in Madison...many, many, moons ago!

Halloween Rehearsal

2010-10-30T00:54:00.000-04:00

Today was our Halloween Rehearsal, aka Nicholas' Halloween Parade and Trick-or-Treating at Lafayette Village!

I took a half-day from work and spent the afternoon at Nicholas' school for his Halloween festivities. The entire school gets dressed up and they parade around the parking lot and then head back to their classrooms for their parties. Nicholas was Buzz Lightyear- a costume he chose MONTHS ago- and he was so excited to be in the parade and be dressed up!

After the parade, we headed up to pick up Daddy and Addie- who had been at Addie's Halloween parade that morning. Addie dressed up as Jessie from Toy Story this year. She chose her costume months ago, as well, and both kids were so excited to wear their costumes that we kept them at Grandma and Pop-pop's house since we bought them. Once the kids were re-costumed we headed over to Lafayette Village, a group of shops by us, that was hosting trick-or-treating for the kids. They went from store to store getting candy and lots of smiles and laughs. They had a great time and enjoyed practicing for Sunday!!

Fall Fun

2010-10-30T00:46:00.000-04:00

Pat has been on vacation this past week and while I would have liked to be home, too, I had to work and Nicholas had school. But since Daddy and Addie spent the days together we were able to meet up when I was done with work each day and do something fun!

One day we met up in Sparta at Panera and the kids got to decorate cookies with the local radio station and one of their DJs. They had a great time frosting and decorating their delicious pumpkin cookies and then, of course, devouring them!

Sunday

2010-10-24T21:07:00.000-04:00

After celebrating last night, I had to get up to work a soccer tournament and then I met Pat with the kids at the family restaurant. The kids and I had some delicious food and got to spend some quality time with grandpa and uncle Matt. After that, I took the kids over to the Imagination Station playground. They LOVE going here because there is just so much to do and always a ton of kids to play with! I love it because it's fenced in and nearly impossible to lose them! We ended the day with ice cream from Cliff's and then headed home for an early bedtime to get ready for a new week!

Busy Celebrating!

2010-10-24T21:06:00.000-04:00

Another busy weekend was on tap for us! This weekend was all about celebrating and being outside!

Pop-pop, my dad, turned 60 today and yesterday we surprised him with a small dinner party at his and my mom's house. I think he was really surprised and I know that he had a really good time- as did we all!

We celebrated all night with lots of food, fun, family and good friends- really, it was the perfect way to spend a 60th birthday!

Pumpkin Picking 2010

2010-10-10T17:35:00.000-04:00

Another gorgeous fall weekend has led to another fun Fall outing with friends!

We spent today at Heaven Hill Farm with our friends Connie, John, Frankie and Leah. We rode a bunch of carnival rides and saw some animals and then we took an awesome hayride out to the pumpkin fields and scored some pumpkins that are just begging to be carved!!

After a gorgeous fun afternoon we stopped for some delicious eats and then parted ways. Pat and I decided to try and tire the kids out some more so we headed to the playground to round out the day! Definitely another wonderful Fall Sunday!

Columbus Day Weekend

2010-10-08T20:37:00.000-04:00

Columbus Day Weekend began early for us this year! Normally, I don't even get off for Columbus Day but this year we have Monday off and I took Friday off, too! Nicholas' school was closed today so I decided to use a personal day and spend the day at home with everyone. Pat had the day off too, unexpectedly!

We spent the morning sleeping in and then I had to run into work to bring something to a co-worker. After a quick stop at my work, we headed to the park where the kids got to run around and play! Nicholas even ran into a few kids from his class and had a great time with them.

After the park we had a late lunch and some ice cream and then we headed back home. Really, it was the perfect way to spend a day off and kick off the beginning of what should be a beautiful weekend filled with lots of Fall Fun!

Laurie Berkner Takes NYC!!

2010-10-03T21:52:00.000-04:00

Today, Nicholas, Addison, Grandma and I headed into NYC to see the Laurie Berkner Band play at Town Hall. We had a GREAT time both before, during and after the concert!

We took the train into the city, which is always an adventure. Then we had lunch at a wonderful little restaurant called Jack's. The food was DELICIOUS! I have never tasted French Toast like I did today! Then we headed over to Town Hall for the concert. The kids danced and sang and just had a wonderful time at the Birthday Party Themed concert.

After the concert, we took a cab- Nicholas' request- back to Penn Station where we hopped on a train and headed home!

It was a wonderfully fun and exhausting day!

Thanks Grandma!!

There are more pictures but due to uploading problems I can't add them right now!

Apples Take Two!

2010-10-02T21:34:00.010-04:00

We spent our Saturday afternoon with our playgroup out at the apple orchard!

Nicholas, Addison and I met up with everyone back at Pochuck Valley Farms in Glenwood and picked MORE apples! We had a great time hanging out and the kids had tons of fun running through the orchards and spending time with their friends.

The last batch of apples went to making caramel apple cupcakes, apple pie and a few other things. This batch is going to apple cake and another pie!!

Happy Anniversary!

2010-09-26T21:31:00.000-04:00

Today was a busy day!

The majority of the day was spent with family, which is always fun! The kids and I headed out to Alpha, NJ to celebrate my Aunt and Uncle's 25th Wedding Anniversary with a surprise party that was organized by my cousin, their daughter.

The kids got to run around and expend tons of energy and I was able to catch up a little bit with family that I haven't seen in awhile.

Happy Anniversary Uncle Mike and Aunt Janet!

This would be an even nicer picture if Addison wasn't guzzling liquid cocaine, AKA Hawaiian Punch!

We call him the Happy Uncle

This was right after my uncle took his own thumb off....it did NOT go over well!

SURPRISE!

25 Years

Cousins

More Cousins

Breakfast with the Princesses

2010-09-25T21:17:00.000-04:00

Addison and I got to have a special day together day!

I try to make sure to take at least one day a month to spend with each of the kids alone. It makes a WORLD of difference and it's so nice to just spend the day doing things they love to do!

Today, Addison and I went to breakfast with the Princesses at Imagine That in Florham Park, NJ. Addie got to meet Cinderella, Belle and Snow White. She didn't want to meet Sleeping Beauty thanks to Cinderella and her big mouth!

After breakfast, Addie had free run of the museum to play. She enjoyed running around and playing in all of the different rooms like the supermarket, giant dollhouse, and music room. Once we were done there we ran a few errands and then went over to grandma and pop-pop's to celebrate grandma's upcoming birthday!

All in all it was a really nice day with my Princess!

Remember the Titans

2010-09-23T18:49:00.000-04:00

One of our favorite movies around here, and a movie I use in my classroom, is "Remember the Titans". While Disney, admittedly, took liberties with the story, the message and lesson of the story is one of great importance. The message of tolerance and respect is something that I make sure I teach Nicholas and Addison and my kids in school, too.

Today, I had the opportunity to meet and listen to the REAL Herman Boone, the head coach of the Titans who was played by Denzel Washington. Coach Boone was invited to my school as part of a new athlete program we beginning at Morris Catholic. He was an incredible speaker and kept the students, and the adults, captivated. He was very honest about the discrepancies in the movie versus real life and answered numerous questions that the students asked. He shared a message of hard work, tolerance and respect and told all of us that with out those things success in life is virtually impossible.

I am incredibly glad that I had this opportunity and I only wish that Nicholas and Addison had been there, as well, to hear him speak and meet him.

Breast Cancer Walk 2010

2010-09-19T20:48:00.000-04:00

When Nicholas was just a baby he and I participated in the second Annual St. Clare's Walk for Breast Cancer. With the exception of the year that I was pregnant with Addison, we have done the walk every year since then. This year, we participated as part of a team building exercise for the girls' Softball team that I coach at work.

We were up bright and early and met up with most of the JV and Varsity team, and my Varsity coach. We totaled up all of our fundraising efforts, which came to $365, and then we headed out for the walk!

When Nicholas and I started doing this walk, there could not have been more than 150 people, today there was well over 500 plus!

It was a gorgeous morning and the walk was a success! I am quite proud of the girls and Nicholas and Addison for dedicating their Sunday morning to such a worthy and important cause!

Apple Picking

2010-09-18T16:17:00.000-04:00

After having a ton of fun at the Cat in the Hat, I decided to take Nicholas and Addison out for a treasured Fall activity- Apple Picking!

We are surrounded by plenty of orchards and wineries where apple picking is available- it's one of the things that I like about living up here (one of the few). We headed up to Glenwood, NJ to a small farm called Pochuck Valley Farms. The kids have been to the farm with their school and we went apple picking there last year, too! It's a small family run farm with delicious apples, doughnuts and cider and we just love going there!!

We got TONS of apples and I'm in the process of finding all sorts of recipes to make using all of them!