Full moon + 2 year olds + cupcakes!

This week was the full moon. You could see signs of its coming in the children I work with. The other teachers and I looked at each other as the week progressed and asked "Is it a full moon or something?" Friday started normally at the daycare center where I work although the kids' energy level (and volume) was higher than normal. It was Train Week and we had some extra fun things planned for the day! We brought out the recently donated "new" train that the kids had only seen a couple of times. That kept them busy for a little while. Jacob's parents had sent in a 48 pc. Thomas the Train puzzle. I tackled that with the 5 oldest children while my coworker kept the younger five busy on the other half of the room. The puzzle was hard even for me since I'd not seen the puzzle before but after a half hour or so it was complete! I like activities that keep the children's interest AND take a little bit of time to complete. On to clean up time, calendar time and then {gulp} snack time!

 One of our little guys had a birthday and brought cupcakes for the class to celebrate. Big cupcakes with alot of frosting. FYI- When two year olds eat cupcakes, most of them lick off the frosting (in this case red or blue with Mater rings on top)

and then pretty much crumble the cupcakes. The kids really enjoyed the cupcakes and it took almost 20 minutes to clean up the mess AFTER cleaning up the kids!

 So, by then most of the kids - have I mentioned that we had 8 boys and two girls that day? - were just running around and around and around hyped up on sugar. We advised them repeatedly to "Use your walking feet please!" to no avail. While I was changing a poopy diaper and the other teacher was in the bathroom with an almost-trained-and-needs-supervision little girl, two of the boys ran right into each other smacking their heads together. Both were now crying hysterically as I am changing a particularly nasty diaper. Not being able to be "hands on" at the moment, I encouraged the boys to "Tell him you're sorry and give him a hug to make him feel better." They hugged still sobbing. A few minutes later they were both sitting on chairs holding ice to their respective bumps on their heads.

Aye, aye, aye.......

We survived the rest of the morning painting a red caboose, going out for a walk, coming back and reading train books at story time. But it was a very long morning................ We have another birthday on Monday. I'm praying for skippy cups!

2012

The new year is 7 days old already and I haven't taken the time to really think about my goals for this new year. So here goes:

Figure out (or at least write down) things that bring me joy and DO THEM more often!
~I LOVE fireworks and they are FREE! Sometime,s they are so beautiful that they bring me to tears. At the very least I'm usually trying to restrain myself from jumping up and down.

~I really enjoy parades too (which are also FREE!)

~I have always LOVED going to the movies. The experience is so much better than sitting in front of the TV. I'd like to go at least once a month this year, even if I have to go alone. (note: saw 1st movie of the New Year - "We Bought a Zoo" with Matt Damon.)

~More music is on my list too: making it and going to concerts

~I'd like to spend more time outdoors this year, hiking new places, spending time by the water.

One of my goals has always been to be healthier. I recently joined a gym and love going! I love how I feel when I leave the gym. I am stronger, have less aches and pains now and am getting great decorating ideas while watching HGTV while doing cardio. This year I am concentrating on eating better, drinking more water, getting in my 5 fruits and vegetables everyday.

Pick a room and redecorate it! I have so many ideas for my house and every room needs painting. We need so much. Major purchases (like furniture, a new mattress and new appliances for the kitchen) aren't going to happen this year but maybe I could do our room! Curtains and bedding are faded. I have bedding and blinds already picked out at Kohls. Need to find curtains or at least valances and of course paint.

Spending more time with family is always on my list (with their cooperation of course). I would really like to spend one-on-one time with each of my kids this year. Any mother will tell you that as much as they LOVE their sons and daughters-in-law and their grandchildren, they would treasure "alone time" with their kids once in a while.

Go visit Megan in NYC! I'm going to make it happen this year!

It's going to be a good year!

Rajczak Family Christmas 2011

The annual Rajczak Family Christmas party is actually Christmas - Part 2 in my mind. This year it was hosted by Mike and Kelly Mayback. Their house looked like a Christmas wonderland! The delicious dinner (everyone brought something) was followed by the dessert buffet (courtesy of Kelly and Kathy). Then it was time for the gifts. The children, naturally, receive their gifts first. After that it was time for the Yankee Swap. This year's theme was "Classic" however you chose to interpret it. It was interesting to see what people gave and got. "The Hat" made it's appearance again this time with a rhinestone studded "R" on the front.

When I heard "Classic" I interpreted it as Classic Christmas and thought back to my childhood, what I considered classic. I thought of Bing Crosby, Mom's cookies (which we all still make) and the classic Christmas specials. I put together a Charlie Brown Christmas themed gift bag which I thought was indeed classic and fun! Other people interpreted classic differently. What immediately comes to mind was Atari themed gifts and He-Man DVDs. Jennifer was the recipient of the He-Man DVDs and she had no idea what He-Man was. Those DVDs no doubt will return disquised at next year's party. There were lots of different Christmas items - the snowman from Rudolph, a Grinch ornament in a stocking with "Home Alone" DVDs, Classic Christmas shows with a CD of favorite Christmas songs. There was also Mr. Potato Head (a classic toy) which actually had a gift card stuffed inside unbeknownst to the recipient. I really wanted the Christmas tablecloth and napkins but my nephew Matthew stole it from me! I went home with 3 LED Christmas trees for outdoor decorating. Funny thing- that was the gift John brought.

All in all, we had a wonderful time, laughed ALOT and made lots of memories together. It was a great way to end 2011.

Tuesdays with Livvie

I have been so blessed this summer to have Olivia with me on Tuesdays. She gets dropped off in the morning (sometimes at 7:00AM!) and is ready for anything. While waiting for me to shower and get dressed for whatever-we're-doing that day, she usually asks for paper, pencils, markers, scissors and starts "creating." This was a "floor" for the karaoke dance party she said they were having for her brother Cory's 1st birthday.

With a visit from the Proudfits the first couple weeks of summer, we spent Tuesdays with them. Crafts at the playground, lunch at Wegmans and another day a trip to Beaver Island were on the agenda!

Another Tuesday we packed a picnic lunch and went hiking the trails at Steiglmier Park.

It was so nice out we went to Beaver Island AGAIN...this time with the Maybacks.

Aunt Megan was home one week but it was cold and rainy. Another lunch at Wegmans (Joe joined us too) and then home to have hot chocolate and watch "Elf" under blankets.

Grandma Terry invited us to lunch one week. Then we went to Burchfield Nature Preserve and for ice cream. Livvie's eyes were bigger than her stomach.

Our last Tuesday together was a "stay at home" day. We spent the day doing crafts and watching Meerkat Manor.

They're here! (Part 3)

Tuesday was a Livvie day and we decided to spend the day at Beaver Island. We packed up our cooler, grabbed chairs and a blanket and we were off!
It was cloudy and very breezy there but we didn't mind. My nephew Danny met us there.
Megan, Danny and Taylor took the kids in the water while Becky and I read on the beach.
Olivia was a fish and was in the longest. The kids (and Taylor) played in the sand. We had a picnic lunch, lots of snacks and a great time!
That night while all the kids were at a different playground doing crafts, John remembered the girls' request and dug out the home movies from when they were kids. We all crowded into the living room, kids laying on the floor, as we watched (silent) movies from years ago. Time passes too quickly.........

Before we knew it, it was time to take Meg to the bus station to catch the overnight bus back to New Jersey.

The next day, Taylor spent much of the time packing while Becky and I hung out with the kids. Lucy saw the baby bunny in our yard. Jameson played with Grandpa's train one last time. Weston told me that he told his mom and dad that he wanted to stay in Buffalo forever. I asked what he liked best about Buffalo and he answered "You guys." I was choking back tears.......This was a great visit (with great weather too) and good byes were so hard. The kids will change so much before they make another trip to Buffalo. I'll have to arrange a trip to Arizona soon....I miss them so much.

Right at the time their plane was taking off, a HUGE thunderstorm blew in. We had a torrential downpour on and off for two hours washing away a whole week of chalk drawings. John and I had a glass of wine and quiet dinner on the porch. After the rain came a beautiful rainbow!

I miss my girls....

They're here! (Part 2)

The Proudfits came back from Canada on Saturday afternoon. We heard all about the Great Wolf Lodge and Marineland.

John was working on putting a stone floor under the gazebo, trying to get it done. Lucy decided to help him. She spent most of the afternoon outside with Grandpa. He gave her her own little shovel to help dig and put gravel in.
I spent the afternoon getting food ready to take to Colden the next day.

I got up at 3:00AM to pick Meg up from the airport. Knowing it would probably be the only "alone" time we would get (and knowing I would not be able to fall back asleep) we headed for Tim Hortons for a bite to eat. Only drive thru was open so we ended up sitting in the car with our food and chatting for two hours.

Sunday we went to Colden and celebrated Weston and Jameson's birthdays.

Actually ALL the kids ended up getting gifts! There was so much to do there and the kids had a blast!

We hiked in the gully - Sammi and David caught a bunch of salamanders! The guys played Kan Jam. The kids went on the swings, went out in the boat with Grandpa, fed the fish, played and ate a TON of snacks. We stayed and had our first bonfire of the season.
It was the perfect night for it. The sky was clear and the fireflies were out! Sammi caught fireflies, we made smores (with Reeses Peanut Butter Cups - yum!)


Monday was the 4th of July!!! Another beautiful day! Taylor, Becky, the kids and I went to a parade in Lancaster. Brandon was in the marching band! I LOVE parades and it's been years since I've been to one. The kids LOVED it! They enjoyed the music, floats and all the firetrucks. But what they enjoyed the most was the people in the parade throwing candy! They jumped up and down waving to people and went home with a ton of candy.

Monday night we went to Joe and Dar's for the annual 4th of July party. Darlene made goody bags for all the kids and they had a blast with their bubble guns! Most of the family was there and we had a wonderful time. My brothers outdid themselves this year with the fireworks putting on an awesome display! Afterwards, we ALL (adults included) played with sparklers! What a great day!

They're here! (Part 1)

9 days ago at 1:30AM, I was sitting out on my front steps when the rented car pulled up.

"Grandma Buffalo!!" screamed Weston.
"Grandma Buffalo, you're not asleep" commented Jameson.
Little Lucy shyly came up to me, eyes downward. "Hi Lucy" I said. "I'm Grandma Buffalo. Oh my goodness, you have pink toes!!"

"And pink shoes and pink pants and a pink bow and they match!" answered Lucy. I was in! She loved me!

The boys immediately looked for Grandpa, wondering if they could go in the basement and listen to records with him. They remembered from last year! Grandpa had to go to bed but promised that tomorrow they'd do it.

This started off a wonderful visit with Becky and Taylor and the kids. The week went by so quickly and was jam packed with activities, family and loads of fun!

After a good night's sleep, Jameson, Lucy and I made chocolate chip muffins for breakfast
Olivia was dropped off and we all went to the playground to do crafts (something we did with our kids growing up).
Becky got a boondoggle to do. The kids alternated between the swings, jungle gym, painting molds, slides, making necklaces and tether ball.


After that it was time for lunch and Taylor treated us all to lunch at Wegmans (a mandatory stop for every visit to Buffalo).
And then we all headed to Andersons for dessert! It was a hot day so I put out the sprinkler for the kids to run through. At Becky's request we made Sahlens hot dogs for dinner. That first night, Kara brought Connor over to meet his Arizona family, Jeff and Tara and the kids came over so the kids could get reaquainted and play.

Becky and Kara snuck out for a quick trip to Parkside Candy for orange chocolate and sponge candy.

Everyone was exhausted (and happy) by the time they fell into bed that night.

The next day the Proudfits headed to Canada for three days.