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Monday, August 25, 2008

2nd 1St Birthday Party





While we were in Indiana, we threw Gracie another 1st Birthday party with all of our family. My sister has a huge park size backyard with a pool so we invited everyone over for a cookout and party. My brother in law made some yummy BBQ Pork and we had hot dogs and burgers for the kids who refuse to eat that. My cousin Robyn made delicious Mac and Cheese, Grandma made a Pistachio salad and brought homemade dill pickles (they are too die for. I have the recipe just need to try and make them sometime). We also had a hash brown casserole that I made and a fresh fruit salad mom made. Aunt Karen brought garlic toast , a cheese spread( I need to get that recipe) and a pasta salad. Jaimee brought a veggie pizza appetizer that is made on crescent rolls. There were other things but this is just food that people don't seem to make in Jersey. They are comfort foods to me. I love good home cooking. I just wish I had kids that loved to eat.

We got Gracie a chocolate cake that had rubber duckies on the top of it and she got her own little cake to dive into. You should have seen the expression on her face when we put it and her on a towel. I don't think she knew what to do first. She thoroughly enjoyed it and her diapers for the next few days proved it. I never saw so many shades of green and blue. We had a tough time keeping Mindi's Dog Halley away. Of course Gracie wanted to share with her too.

She got some really nice clothes for the fall. She will be quite the little fashion plate.

The kids enjoyed swimming and playing with their cousins. I loved catching up with everyone.

Gloomy Monday

Well, we are back from a wonderful refreshing vacation. We spent a lot of time with family and friends and had a lot of outdoor fun. I wish I could say I feel de-stressed but as soon as we pulled back into Jersey I got a knot in the pit of my stomach. It looked so dirty, ugly and crowded. You have to remember that I was looking at green all week and open space. It was so weird to look out of my parents window and see our car parked out front with maybe a handful more of cars. You didn't have to circle around a hundred times trying to find a parking space. Traffic to them is 10 cars at a light. I miss the BLUE skies, green lawns, hearing the crickets at nights, and just everyone being friendly. Everywhere you go people say hello to you and smile. I have already gotten so harden by the East. I seem to rarely smile when I am out and about. I realized it a lot while on this trip. I think I was more aware of it because people would smile at me and I would realize that I wasn't. I must have looked like such a mean grumpy person. I really am not that way.
I am sorry that this post is such a downer. I had decided a long time ago that I wanted to be completely really in this blog and not hold back. I seem to wear my emotions on my sleeve anyway.
The kids have said several times that they miss their MeMa and Pop Pop. In fact Rey cried several times on the trek home because he was sad and missed them. Kiarrah too. She said it again this morning. I miss them too. I miss all of my family. I need to get out of this funk.
I will post more later hopefully with lots of fun stories and pictures from our adventure.