Thankful...

I am thankful for the invention on the telephone without it I would never survive the day.

I am thankful for scarfs the make me feel pulled together even when wearing yoga pants and flip flops.

I am thankful that my fat jeans still fit and that I have not gotten so fat that I need new fat jeans.

I am thankful that my husband still finds me attractive and loves me even if I am wearing my fat jeans.

I am thankful that my boys do not care what I dress them in and most days never give it a second thought.

I am thankful that I have friends that I can give a look to and they know exactly what I am thinking.

I am thankful for Facebook it makes me feel so much closer to those that are far away.

I am thankful for my dishwasher I think it is what makes my marriage a happy relationship.

I am thankful that my boys love music and often bust a move because they feel like it.

I am thankful for Nick Jr and that there is always something on tv for the boys if I need it.

I am thankful for the fact that Noah loves to play in the pack & play most days.

I am thankful that I have been able to breastfeed all three of my boys even if it ment I missed 14 months of cheese and ice cream, your welcome Samuel.

I am thankful for JetBlue direct flights without them I may never see my family and friends.

I am thankful for family traditions and keeping them and adding to them.

I am thankful that my husband works so damn hard and is an honest man.

I am thankful for Skype.

I am thankful that I have family I can call even in the middle of the night if I need them.

I am thankful that I have friendships that don't need daily or even monthly contact but are still special.

I am thankful for the people who love my boys and want to be a part of their lives!

I am thankful that my mother passed on the her love of reading.

I am thankful that my father passed on his love of travel.

I am thankful for my boys and that they make me be a better person and to strive for greatness.

I am thankful that GOD has blessed me with this amazing life that has had a few rough patches but for the most part everyday is DAMN GOOD!!!

This is a tiny list of what I am thankful for, I could go on and on but for now that's just a few.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Five on Friday

Friday, YIPPPEEE it's Friday which means two days with my husband and boys! Have I ever mentioned how much I love my husband and how amazing he is, well he is & I think often and wonder how the hell did I get so lucky. So, this five on Friday is about being lucky and thankful.

1. I am lucky to have the support system of girlfriends near and far you know who you are, without all of these women I would never make it through the day.

2. I am lucky and thankful to have a husband who busts his ass everyday at work to provide for our family.

3. I am lucky that I have three healthy boys with fantastic and original personalities, if I do say so.

4. I am lucky to have two bathrooms because that middle man of mine Samuel flushed a ball down the toilet and now it is broken and may possibly need to be removed. I know that this is very funny and someday I will chuckle about it I am sure.

5. I am lucky that back in October 1995 Cookie waited over an hour for me to show up for our first date because if he had not then the list above would not even exist!

ANGRY!!!!!!

That is how Noah must feel when I trap him in the exersaucer so I can get things done. If he would just stay still then I would not be forced to out him in there, why do they get so big so quick? Why did I never by that gate to go across the playroom into the living room?

RING RING RING.....

BANANA PHONE....RING RING RING....BANANA PHOOOOONNNNNEEE!!!!!!!!!







---dedicated to Auntie Kiki the best singer of Banana Phone

The house that...

The house that Elijah & Daddy built is very cool according to Elijah. Cookie surprised the boys with a project on Sunday afternoon of a small wooden house to build. Elijah was super excited and could not wait to start after nap. Samuel did not want to wait and nor was he really interested once the project started. Elijah loved it and even got to journey to the basement to finish hammering in some nails which was a good idea since Elijah with a hammer makes me a little nervous. He was so proud to show me his finished project and just thinks it is the coolest house ever & I do too!

Five on Friday

There are a few simple things that I look forward to everyday and when they don't happen it really effects my day....so here they are.

1. My morning shower, everyday I take an extremely hot shower before Cookie leaves for work. I LOVE this part of my day and really do need it to function well.

2. My morning chat with Michelle and my mom, as soon as I see their number on the caller id I smile.

3. My ice coffee with coffee mate original creamer and five splenda (I like it sweet).

4. Mid afternoon phone call from Cookie, I love that he calls and checks to see how our day is going.

5. The silence that fills the house at 9pm when the boys are all finally asleep and Cookie is out walking the dog. At this moment I can actually hear myself breath and I love it!

Mission

Noah started to really crawl this week and there is no stopping him. It is so much fun to watch him eye something and then get to it with such determination. The mission tonight was Samuel's cup which was located under the exersaucer. Well, mission accomplished he made it there and got!

Hop on Pop

"New" Style

Today was school picture day and also the day the Elijah decided to bust out in his "new" style. As everyone knows I LOVE his hair super short, the shorter the better but we have been crazy busy so he is over due on getting him hair cut. This morning while combing his hair he informed me that he had a new style that he would be sporting for picture day. I resisted the fight and let him express himself & off we went to school after a few practice runs with smiles. Here is a peak at his "new" style.

Happy Birthday Cookie!

Thirty six years ago a woman gave birth to a baby boy who grew up to be my dream come true! Happy Birthday to the best husband, father, confidant, supporter, son, brother, and friend a person could ask for. Happy 36th Birthday Cookie!

Cookie and I have celebrated many birthdays together at this point in our lives and they are very different now than they once were. This year was a very low key year, I was in class all day and the boys have all been sick so we celebrated with some singing, cake, and a few homemade gifts.

Only four more years till the big 40....I better get planning the bash now!

Five on Friday

I hope those that have logged on looking for my FoF don't fall off their chair when they see that I have actually posted for I believe the fifth time this week! So, here it is the first Friday in November I can not believe that it is already November where the HELL has the year gone? November marks the start of the busy season here in the Popotte house with birthday celebrations, anniversary, and holiday happenings from now till Memorial Day we will be busy. Anyways here are some well not some rather five random thoughts, ideas, or comments for Friday.

1. Election day was this past Tuesday, I LOVE to vote, I LOVE the power, the freedom, the excitement, the ideas of expressing what I want or think should change. I really would like to be more informed about local politics and know who is who and what they stand for and what they are doing day in and out. The next time I have a spare second I might investigate this a bit.

2. Noah sleeps all night long and I love it! I did not realize how exhusted I was until he started sleeping all night long. I just wish my boobs would regulate and catch up to his sleeping pattern.

3. Elijah has his first virus of the season this week. He has had a fever off and on the past few days along with a cough but nothing else. I hate seeing him sick and wiped out but I am happy that it took a full two months of being in school before he caught something. Now the question at hand is did he share his tiny ugly germs with his brothers and hence will it distroy Noah's fabulous sleeping?

4. Cookie's birthday is tomorrow (Nov. 6th) and sadly I will be in class all day and unable to shower him with attention, love, and answer to his every need and want. He will be spending the day taking care of the boys and then off to Jack's 2nd birthday party which Elijah is already confused on why it is not for his dad as well.

5. I have class this weekend which I am super excited about I love going to school and actually thinking and sharing ideas and thoughts with other adults but beyond missing Cookie on his birthday I am also sad that I will not be able to take Elijah to church this week. I hope he isn't too disappointed he really enjoyed himself last week and we have been talking about it and GOD a ton this past week. I am working on teaching him the "Our Father" but for some reason he continually mixes it up with the words from the song "Grand Ole Flag". I am sure one day he will get it and make me proud!

10

Ten years ago my life changed forever with one horrible phone call. Ten years ago a mother lost her son, a father lost his son, a beautiful amazing young woman lost her first love, many friends lost a friend, a sister lost her big brother, a brother lost his role model, and I lost faith! Ten years ago today a young man I had know most of my life died all because of a series of bad decisions and choices but how does not really matter what matters is that the past ten years have gone on without the laugh, comments, cockiness, and presence of a Matt. I smile when I think of him and still often get teary eyed. If you were lucky enough to have shared even one encounter with Matt you know what the world lost ten years ago. But in loosing him I gained a value of life and the day and what is here now. I gained the knowledge to appreciate everything thing and everybody and that even if it is a hard day it it's not as hard as it could be. I regained a trust in GOD and knowing that everything will be ok on the other end of a tragic event, even if it takes years for that to be the case. I know this because his mother amazes me and gets out of bed and functions everyday and that young woman who last her first love found a second love and is happy and living an amazing life with an amazing man.

So, today is a sad day because Matt is not here with us but I am choosing to celebrate him. I will celebrate his short life by visiting his grave, sharing a funny story with my boys about him, send a donation off to the Matthew K. Hunt scholarship fund, maybe make some cupcakes, and say a prayer for how lucky I am to have known such a confident young man and how blessed I am to have three healthy sons of my own.

Pop!

Samuel is a boy after his mommma's heart and loves a sweet of any kind. Today I went up to put Noah in for his afternoon nap and told Samuel I would be right down. Well, before I could even get my boobs back in my bra from feeding Noah I heard the kitchen stool sliding across the floor. I listened closely and heard the tussle of wrappers and his feet scurry back to the living room where I had safely left him in front of the tv. I laid Noah down and returned downstairs to find Samuel with five lollipops, a candy bar, m&m's, and a piece of gum in his tiny fists. He instantly smiled at me and with a huge ear to ear smile in his ever so Samuel scratchy load voice said, "CANDY!". I am a sucker for an afro headed kid with a smile and I let him keep the pops and that made his day he was over the moon and eventually on a a sugar high that ended in a really hard crash.

Noah Kelly

Just because I have been a blogging slacker and because he is simply too cute here are some pictures of the last month. In the last month a few big things have happened for Noah, he turned six months and was 19 pounds at his check up, he started food and is in love with eating, he is sitting all by himself, rolling all around, and crawling backwards. He also now was the fabulous skill of sleeping all night long thanks to the dedication of the entire household in listening to him scream for a few nights before he figured out how to go to sleep on his own. I am madly in love with this baby of mine. I smile at him all day and he smiles back. He loves to laugh which the boys think is just too funny for words & he loves to watch them do anything. I can tell there is a small glimmer of trouble in his eye and a year from now he is going to be causing craziness in the house just like his older brothers but in before that happens I am just going to squeeze him and kiss him all over!

Halloween 2010

Halloween 2010 was full of parties, crafts, and candy. We have been celebrating Halloween all month long which makes me smile, I love Halloween! Heck, I LOVE any chance to dress up in any fashion. We had a great day that started with Cookie and the boys an their annual pumpkin carving. I love that Elijah and Samuel designed the face and Cookie then cuts it out with the assistance with a power hand saw. The boys were then lucky enough to watch a few Halloween shows while skipping nap. After a power snack/early dinner it was time to transform my boys into Spiderman and Venom. It was a freezing cold night so after several layers of clothing on went the costumes and out came the smiles. Elijah and Samuel LOVED being dressed up. I surprised them each with a glow stick because what kid doesn't love a glow stick and off they went plastic pumpkins in hand to go trick or treating with the world's best dad. Noah the cutest pumpkin and I a stayed home to give out candy. Over two hours later Cookie and two very tired boys returned home with tons of candy half of which they can not eat because it has nuts in it....too bad for them but good for me! It was an awesome Halloween season and I can not wait for next year!!!!