Happy Birthday to my little boy.....Davey!

Today is my little boy Davey's 5th Birthday! Happy Birthday to my beautiful little boy! Davey came into our lives 5 years ago unexpectedly. We were praying for a miracle, and the Lord answered our prayers in such a wonderful and beautiful way!

Davey came on May 3, 2004.....yes his birthday is on March 1st, but he joined our family on May 3rd. What a blessing our little boy has been to us! Davey keeps us busy here at home. He's a very active little 5 year old, into so many great things. I could never imagine my life without him filling it with with so many wonderful "adventures."

Here are some pictures of Davey when he was a baby....he was the cutest little baby boy in the world.......

So, again, Happy Birthday to my little boy Davey......may this year bring you great happiness, joy, many fun things to do and explore. I pray the Lord's protection upon your little life as you grow and experience different things.......and please don't swallow anything that isn't food!

Mommy, Daddy, and Becca love you so very much!

Too Sick to Blog!

I know it, I haven't been posting much. I've been sick all week with a terrible sinus infection, fever, you name it. I've actually been in bed since Tuesday afternoon. Today will be the first day up and around and doing things, but I still had to take a long nap this afternoon. I was so sick on Wednesday that I had to keep Becca, my 12 year old home from school to help with Davey, my 4 year old.

You see that pretty lady there in the picture, well that was me. It all started on Monday, I felt sick, then Tuesday came and I even went to the doctor, and she said it's just a cold! Yeah, Right!!! Wednesday was the worse day, delirious from the fever, and pain from the sinus infection, and my hubby had to work the day shift all week. Thursday came and I called the doctor and I finally got an antibiotic to help. Today I am so much better, no fever but still very weak at times.

I haven't been sick like this in 10 years, yes, I've been very healthy. Let's hope for another 10 years!

My Little Boy....and the magnets he swallowed!

Yes, it's been more than a week since I posted. Life here at home is always busy, and a little crazy too. I say crazy because I have this terrific little boy, Davey, who does these things, and honestly makes my life, like I said, "CRAZY!!!"

Anyway, last Wednesday night, my hubby finally went back to work. He was off for 6 days, because he was sick with a sinus infection. So, off my hubby goes to work. I was a little relieved to have things in the house back to normal. So, like usual do, I put Davey to bed, relieved to have some time alone, cause I never get any time alone....and not 2 minutes later, Davey is screaming, "mommy, mommy I swallowed my Magnetix!!!" I almost lost it. "WHAT? how many did you swallow, and WHY?" Well, I finally got my senses, and calmed down. Davey swallowed two of those recalled (yes, I know, and I don't want to hear it!!!) Magnetix's!!! So, I immediately call my hubby, he has to turn around and meet us at the hospital. I was frantic remembering what I've heard if a child swallowed one of those toys, and that my little boy would have to have emergency surgery!

We got in the car rushed him to the hospital, frantic, like I said, praying and asking the Lord to calm me down so I could drive safely. We get to the hospital, and all the memories of my Dad's death came to me, I was hoping we wouldn't have the same ER room where my Dad died so many months ago. They immediately took Davey, took an x-ray, sure enough there they were, in Davey's stomach. The ER doctor wasn't concerned, and said they should "pass". That's it? No surgery, no harm done? Wow that was really easy, so I thought!

Relieved that all will be well, and knowing that I would have to search through "poop" for the next couple of days, not happy about THAT!!!! I put Davey back to bed, and I sat down and watched my favorite show, "American Idol." Well not too long after that, I called our family pediatrician to let him know what happened, he told me how concerned he is, and that we have to watch Davey very closely, cause there have been deaths due to swallowing these things......thanks, all I needed to hear! Davey needed another x-ray the next day to see if the magnets were "moving along". So the next day Davey got another x-ray, and the magnets were in his lower intestine, which is a very good thing, and I would have to continue checking his poop....oh joy! But really it's a good thing, and he should pass them very soon.....so the doctor said.

Two days past, and still no magnets, so I was so concern, my poor doctor got phone calls from me, he already knows I'm a worry wort when it comes to my kids, after all they are my LIFE!!!! On Saturday, yes Valentine's Day, I had a wonderful day with our family. My hubby bought me a cute "Build A Bear" teddy bear, that was such a surprised, and no candy this year, thank you hunny. I made a special homemade waffle breakfast...and all during the day I was "blessed" with checking my sons "poop"!

Now I tell you, usaually Davey only poops (sorry!) once a day, but that day he HAD to poop like four times! So I checked and checked, and the doctor said maybe I missed the magnets....I don't think so, I was very thorough!!! I was really worried that day, cause like I said, I have heard such horror stories of the damage these magnets can do to a child's intestines if they're not passed quickly..... the doctor said to bring Davey in on Monday for another x-ray if I find nothing over the weekend......Monday, that's too late, what if something happends over the weekend?

Finally at 7pm that night I was given the best Valentine's present of them all.......yes it was the magnets!!! I was so excited when I "found" them, I think the whole state of NJ heard me shout for joy! I think all of heaven heard my shouts of joy and thankfulness to our Lord, too! But truly the Lord was faithful again, and spared my little boys life yet again! Thank you Lord!

Just to let you know, we threw out all the Magnetix....even though Davey loved playing with them. We still find some here and there, and it's so cute to see Davey taking them and putting them into the garbage. I asked Davey why he swallowed them, he said it was "on purpose, and he didn't want to go to bed".....unbelievable!!! I told you life here can be crazy! Wanna come for a visit?

Happy Birthday to ME!

This was me when I was 16 years old. Wow, 16 was a long time ago....today I turned 43! I still can't believe I'm 43. I feel so young. I really enjoyed my youth. I have so many happy memories growing up with my family and "church family" friends. I found a box of old pictures in the attic the other day. My mom and sister came over yesterday to celebrate my birthday, and what a GREAT time we had going through the box. We found so many great pictures.......I put a lot of them up on facebook today, and hearing all the comments from old friends has really brought back so many happy memories.

I had a wonderful childhood. We were brought up in Queens, NY, (and yes I have a NY accent, and I'm proud of it!). Our whole life was surrounded by church activities since my Dad was the pastor many years ago. Life was good. Back then I wanted to be older and do older things, but I'm glad my parents instilled good morals in me, and I will forever be grateful to them. Today I'm doing the same with my 12 year old daughter Becca...hopefully she will take to heart the things I've been talking to her about...we'll see.

Here are more pictures of me when I was younger. I always "stood" out amongst all my friends back then. I was the tallest girl in the world back then, well at least I thought I was. I was 6' at age 13.......and sometimes I felt really awkward. When I was 15, I had scoliosis surgery, my spine was in an "S"....so I had to have surgery on my spine, a steel rod was inserted to hold my spine straight...I still have it too! It was a hard time for me and my parents. The pain was awful afterwards, and I had to wear a body-cast for 7 1/2 months.....no showers, no swimming, and it was during the very hot summer months, and I loved the water, and giving up swimming was very hard for me. I had great support from my family and friends during those hard and trying months. Finally after those long 7 1/2 months, I got my cast taken off, and we all celebrated with my Sweet 16 party...had over 50 of my friends at our house...what a great time we all had.

Mom and Me with the body cast on 1981

My best friends Lisa and Suzy

My Sweet Sixteen Party....that's Dad on the Right!
Suzy, my sister Lois, Me, and Janice
Thank you all for your wonderful birthday wishes....I really had a wonderful day. I went out for coffee with my friends Christine, Sue and Beth. We laughed so hard all morning long. Then I came home to find my hubby preparing lunch, crab cakes and pasta salad (store bought, of course). We had a very quiet day, a very wonderful birthday indeed. I missed my parents phone call this morning...the one with them both singing to me. Mom and Dad would always call first thing in the morning and sing happy birthday to me. This year Mom called but didn't have the heart to sing. But the phone rang off the hook with many birthday wishes.....I am loved!

I do have the best hubby.......in the world....sometimes I have to remind myself of it.....

Hi everyone....well I want to show you all my birthday present. Yes, I my birthday is next Monday, and if you know me, you know I start celebrating days in advance. I will be turning 43 this year...wow sure doesn't feel it. I feel like I'm 25, really. We will be celebrating on Sunday with my family. My mom, sister and her family are all coming. We usually go to my mom's house, but we've been there a lot recently, so I wanted them all to come by me for once. I better start getting this house in order, and I'm cooking...YUM! Mom usually cooks my favorite meal. She would call me a couple of weeks before, and ask want I would like for my birthday meal, and I would really look forward to it, and Mom would make it so very special for me....thanks Mom! This year will be very bittersweet for me.....my Dad won't be with us, and he really always made my birthday nice, sitting at the head of the table, he would be the one to say the "birthday prayer".....he was always just there, and this year he won't be, very hard for me, and I'm sure for my family as well.

Today our water well pump broke. We had no water all morning. At first I went to the phone and wanted to dial Dad's number here in NJ, and I had to stop. I would have immediately called Dad to tell him what was going on, he would have given me his "two sense" good or bad, but it was the comfort of just telling him. Then when all was done, and it was fixed, $1200 later.......I wanted to call Dad again, just to let him know it was fixed...and he would have said, "Thank God." It's hard with Dad being gone.

Anyway, on a more cheerful note, I wanted to tell you all what my wonderful Hubby got me for my birthday, yes a little early, but it's fine with me. I wanted something different this year. Something I wouldn't just go out and buy for myself. So I wanted a new handbag. All my friends have "Vera Bradley" bags, and I just love them, but like I said, it's something I wouldn't just go out and buy for myself. So, my hubby asked me what I would like, and I told him. I went to the store this past Monday, all by myself, HOW NICE, to look at all the bags, try them on, and I really loved them all. I picked out a great bag, wallet, and I even got a little "pouch" thing free. So, today even though it was a crazy morning with the well pump dying, and the men here fixing it, and the mess, and the crazyiness of my world, that is so normal....we went to the store, and we picked up the handbag and wallet, and free "pouch." I am so thrilled, the pattern will match almost everything for spring/summer....and I just love it. This bag is so me....the name should be called..."Liz"....HA!

Thank you Honey for all you do for me. For loving me, and for always wanting to please me, support me, and for buying me this GREAT new Vera handbag. I know sometimes I give you grief......but the bottom line is..... I love you! Are you all blushing???? I hope so.

Farm Fresh........

Hi Everyone.... Happy Ground Hogs Day to you all! I know, the groundhog saw his shadow...big deal, it's only February 2nd, do you really think we're towards the end of Winter? Not here in good old NJ...it's gonna snow again tonight and into tomorrow.

Anyway, I wanted to let you all know how our chickens are doing. We've had the "girls" now for 6 months, and they are doing so well. They are really loving their "hen house." My hubby takes such good care of them. They are laying 6 eggs a day, can you believe we get 42 eggs a WEEK!!!! It's amazing! I give some away, and even sell about 18 every 2 weeks to my friend Diana....she won't take them for free.....whatever I don't care.

Farm fresh eggs are the best, they make the fluffiest omelets, the best quiches, and everyone raves about my eggs. The "girls" are warm during the day and at night. We have a heat lamp on day and night for them. Even when we had those frigid temps back some weeks ago, I feared for them, wondering if they would freeze, but their little hen house sheltered them from the very cold and kept them warm, and they still continued to lay eggs for us!

The other day my hubby brought in our daily 6 eggs, and we couldn't believe the size of one....it was huge! I feel sorry for the hen who laid that egg....ouch!

In 2 weeks we are getting half a pig butchered. We are buying it from a friend from church, and this is suppose to be the best pork ever! Everything will come wrapped, and labeled, just like I like it (I know you were thinking I was gonna have to chop it up, but NO.....calm your heart my dear sister Lois). We're getting pork chops, pork roasts, pork loins, sausage, 2 smoked hams, ham steaks, spare ribs, bacon, you name it. Today my hubby and I had to cleaned out our deep freezer in the garage to make sure we have the room, and we do. Next fall we plan on getting 1/4 of a cow....the best beef around. Can't wait to eat those T-bone steaks....what a treat this will be for us...can't remember the last time I had a steak!

Enjoy the rest of winter.....I am.