feeling so grateful

I am going to take a break in my catch up posts (I am still a month behind) and share my current feelings.  This week has been a wonderful week and tonight I was filled a strong feeling of gratitude and I want to remember this moment because I so quickly forget all the blessings in my life.

I am thankful for 7 happy years with Boyd.  We celebrated our anniversary this week.  Boyd was traveling on our actual day, so we really didn't get to celebrate and we really didn't expect to this week. Then as a nice surprise we were able to get away one night this week after Boyd returned. It was especially fun because I surprised Boyd.

 I am thankful for thoughtful  friends.. This week 2 of my friends cleaned my room for me.  That's right, cleaned my horrible messy room while I was away. I came  home expecting to spend my day cleaning it, and it was clean.  I felt like I was in a dream! 

I am thankful for my sweet boys.  Tonight we had a mommy and sons party.  We had a picnic in our living room, we watched a show, and we made, decorated, and ate sugar cookies! As I sang songs to them tonight, I was filled with so much joy that they are in my life.

 I am thankful that I get to live in New York.  There are so many  fun things going on this summer.  I got to attend Shakespeare in the Park (amazing free theater in central park, ) again this week.  The first time, I was lucky enough to get tickets to Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino, from some friends after we just missed getting some.  This week I got to attend with Sherilyn after she camped out with some friends to get tickets to A Winter's Tale.  It was so beautifully done..  Earlier this summer, Sherilyn and I attended the NY Philharmonic free concert in Central Park.  It was such an incredible concert, it was free, and we got to enjoy it under the stars surrounded by friends.

I am thankful for summer days with friends.  It has been so horribly hot in New York this summer.  It has been the hottest July in the history books.  So, I am grateful for the beach escape we had on Monday and I am grateful for them public pool that we discovered that we love that is only one block away and is perfect for the kids.  We had a lot of fun there this week with friends.  The boys are so happy.  Gavin is doing swim lessons and both Eli and Gav are taking soccer classes..


I am thankful for Sherilyn, who has made my life so much easier.  She has been very helpful and she is so good with the boys.  I am grateful that we are getting to know each other better.

I am thankful that I know that I can be a better person.  I often reflect too much on my faults, but today, I feel grateful for the person that I am, but know that with God's help and with hard work, I can be better.

Gavin's Toy Story and Nicholas' Bug 5th Birthday Party

Gavin and Nicholas have been friends since they were born.  Nicholas' parents met Boyd and I in Lamaze class and we have been friends ever since.  This year they were lucky enough to be in Prek together, so this year for their birthdays, we decided to do a joint birthday party.  We had two themes since they both wanted different ones.  It was fun for everyone!

The spread.. 

Rocket Balloons

A bug hunt

A buzz lightyear rescue mission to save the aliens

Millworm bug races

And of course the pinata.  And with the pinata came lots of tears. 

The birthday cake or cupcake tower

I think the birthday boy was pretty happy!

Welcome Sherilyn!

Sherilyn, Boyd's little sister moved in with us for the summer ! She is babysitting for us and for a another family friend and also has picked up some other babysitting jobs. The boys sure love her! -

One thing that has been very nice about having some extra help is that now, when I come home, I am often the hero. Let me explain. Boyd comes home from work and gets a hero's welcome every time! Normally, I elicit no response when I return from somewhere without the boys. I came home one day after running errands and when I walked in the door the kids were playing games with Sherilyn (they were having a great time) and they stopped everything they were doing and ran to me and screamed "MOMMY!" They jumped all over me and hugged me. It was a hero's welcome. I loved it. Now, I don't tell this story because they don't like being with Sherilyn, because they love it and have so much fun. I just think that they have spent a little more time away from me to realize that they miss me! On this particular occasion they asked where I was and I said, "picking up vegetables." They screamed "VEGETABLES!" They insisted on eating something, so I gave them a piece of swiss chard (see picture below) I thought it was quite funny.

PreK Graduation

I am so proud of our little graduate.  He made it through preK!  They had a sweet little ceremony for the kids and both Boyd and I could attend.

We have had an interesting experience in PReK to say the least.  There have been many times that I questioned my decision to do the public PREK.  I almost pulled him on several occasions. But, I do think Gavin grew up quite a bit from  the experience.  I realized more of how to be a parent of a child attending school and that I need to be a more assertive parent.

Here is the graduate with his medal and diploma!  Ms. Mota is behind him and she was his assistant teacher.





Ms. Santiago was his teacher.

Gavin met a lot of great friends and so did I.  Many times after school we would go to park and play at the Cave Park.  Several of his classmates also went.  I am grateful for the friendships formed. 

You have to check out this video.  I love watching Gavin dance and the little boy in his class is hilarious!

On to June

June was a busy month...

Father and Son's campout  2010.  It was extremely hot!






Strawberry picking!  I even made homemade strawberry Jam.

May catch up

I know.. May was 2 months ago, but I am behind.  I wanted to post a few pictures..

 Gavin took a gardening class at the New York Botanical Gardens again and he loved it.  He was lucky his friend Lilly was able to take the class too!






For Memorial Day we went to Jone's Beach for their air show.  It was so amazing.  It was great to be able to play on the beach as well  as enjoy and air show.  The boys loved it, although Eli did get a little scared of the fighter jets!