Joy of Love: Day 10

This past week has been very draining. Nicholas started with a fever of 102.6 on Thursday, diagnosed with the beginning stages of bronchitis on Monday and wasn't able to go back to school until Tuesday. Isabella got the fever on Sat, diagnosed with an ear infection on Monday, went back to school Wednesday but got sent home early with a low-grade fever and is still trying to recover today. Gabriella so far has no symptoms of anything but has woken up in the middle of the night the last 2 nights. Not a big deal IF I was able to go back to sleep after shuffling her back to bed at 1:00am. So for me, no fever, no ailments, but extremely tired.

Which brings us to today's prompt...

Joy of Love: Day 10

Space-Where They are Comfortable

With Isabella at home and me working with 11 other children, it limits her "space" where she can go.
Today it's the couch with the tv, a soft blanket and a fluffy pillow.
Hope she's comfortable (and feels better soon)!

Joy of Love: Day 9

Joy of Love: Day 9

Passions and Hobbies

Anyone who knows Jeffrey knows that he LOVES and LIVES to fish. As previously written, if there is nothing pressing waiting for him, he is off to fish. He prepares the night before, hooks up the boat to the truck, and first thing in the morning he just hops in his truck and heads to the lake of his choice... he has yearly passes for 2 different lakes.

If the actual act of fishing isn't part of his day, he watches fishing shows claiming that he is "learning"how to do something.

At any rate, it is safe to say that most days, successful or not, he'd rather be on his boat than anywhere else!

One of his successful trips!!

Joy of Love: Day 8

*sigh*
This one took some thought.
Joy of Love: Day 8

Gift From the Heart

My husband and I have known each other for 17 years and we have given the other many gifts during that time. Some gifts are easy to recall, others need to be refreshed by pictures or stories. Our children are definitely a gift, our family is a gift, the home we've built, the life we've made....all gifts from the heart. But when I reflect on all of the things I have in my life currently, none of it would be possible or mean as much without Jeffrey.
When I first met Jeff, he was in the military so some of our 17 years was spent apart. Some overnighters, various training exercises that lasted a month or more, or the big one where he was in Germany for 2 years. During that time, I lived for phone calls that were sometimes weekly, other times monthly.
To pass the time, or when I just needed to "hear" his voice, I would read letters that definitely came more frequently. Some days, I would pull them all out and re-read each one. I knew in those letters were true thoughts and true feelings from a man that was away and only wanted to come back to me. More importantly, they were HIS words written by HIS hand.
Just recently, we pulled out the box with all of our letters and read each one. He would read, I would listen then vise versa. Those little while envelopes and lined paper hold promises, hopes for our future together, thoughts about children, and just words from our time apart. Sometimes it was nothing more than our daily lives, or counting down days til we could see each other, and other times it was all of our hopes and dreams.
When I think about a gift from the heart I think of these letters. Nothing is more personal than a handwritten letter on faded lined paper with the words from your heart written right there for your beloved to read.

Joy of Love

The prompt for Day 7 is:

GENERATIONS
While there are so many pictures I could post from both sides of our family, I settled on 2 old pictures from my side and a recent one from Jeffrey's side.
My side of the family lives on the opposite coast which has lead to the kids and I taking a trip every summer "back home" to see them. Jeffrey was actually able to make it with us this year for the first time since he and I left the East Coast in Dec 1999. While we are there, I tend to take SO many pictures so I have them with me when I get back. So for this project, I picked 2 older ones but both so prominent to me.

This past summer, my Grandma turned 88 and we had a nice dinner and dessert night. Although this is 2 tears old, this photo is my Grandma with all 3 of our children.

Here is another photo of my Grandma with my neice. Grandma is the oldest from our side and Logan is the youngest.

Grandma and great grandchild:

Jeff's sisters were able to make it in for the holidays this year and this is 3 generations of Butticci's. A perfect representation :-)


List of things to do:

Take pictures when Grandma Rose is feeling better!

Take current pictures with Grandma Pasden when we go home.

Take pictures when my Dad is here. Spending two weeks with us soon!!!!

Joy of Love

This weekend was a pretty busy one due to 2 soccer games, sick children, and a bunch of normal clean up to get ready for the week ahead, not to mention the Superbowl! Now I find myself a couple days behind on the Joy of Love project so I've got a little catching up to do.

Day 6:

Who They Love

Aside from the love the kids have for each other and members of our family, they all have a love for our pets. Gabriella is more of the pet lover and is the one who takes it upon herself to feed them, let them in/out, or seek them out for some love but all three kids love our two cats.

Gordon, yes, named after Jeff Gordon, has been with our family since Aug of 2007. We got him at PetSmart, the children picked him out, and he has turned out to be a terrific cat.

August 2008, Godzilla came into our family a little differently. While working on a blistering summer day, Jeffrey found him walking out of a cornfield. We rushed him to the vet where it was determined that he was a healthy YOUNG kitten although he weighed under one pound. Now at 2 and a half, this kitten is HUGE and is living up to his name.

Mutually, both cats love the children. Every single night Godzilla can be found sleeping with Nicholas and Gordon is usually in Isabella's bed before she is. During the day, both are snuggled into Gabriella's bed, wrapped up in her covers.




Our sweet beautiful Gordon.
Our beautiful soft Godzilla.

Joy of Love: Day 5

I have literally been thinking about this prompt since it showed up in my email inbox. At first it didn't make sense in my head (as is often the case). How can you love to hate something? You either love it or you hate it. How does it go together?? I asked my hubby what it meant to him, I called my Mom and asked what it means to her, I asked my Mother in law what it meant to her but still it really didn't mean anything to me.
DAY 5: Love To Hate
I first focused on Jeffrey but I couldn't think of anything that he does that I love to hate. I could think of a hundred things that he probably hates about me but I couldn't think of the vise versa. (A little wake up call) Then he laid across the bed, turned on the tv and started recording all of his fishing shows. THAT'S IT!!!! I could focus on Jeffrey and his love of fishing. His multiple fishing poles which I know are supposed to catch different fish but why do you need so many? Really, I should count them while he's gone tomorrow. Gone where you ask? Fishing of course! He fishes on his days off and on the days where he can't fish, he watches other people fish on the multiple fishing shows that he has recorded. BUT is it a love to hate??? Not really! Why??? Because he always asks if it is ok for him to go, if the kids have anything that he has to do/attend, or if I mind if he goes. It can't really be a hate if it doesn't interfere with anyone else and he's doing it just to have some time or if it's just a fun day for him and Nicholas.
Back to square one. *sigh*
Focus on me and the fact that I drive myself crazy when I repeatedly can't find my keys or my wallet or my sunglasses or my black bag or my..... The list is endless but I can't really write about me can I???
I decide to take a break from thinking and throw in a load of laundry while the kids are watching a movie when all of a sudden it hit me like a ton of bricks. I FOUND MY LOVE TO HATE!!!! The thing that drives me crazy each time I see it! No matter how many times I say NOT to do it or SHOW them how to do it, they still do it! The thing that makes me talk under my breath! The thing that makes me say words in my thoughts that I can't repeat while the children are around!
What is it???
Socks that get thrown in the laundry INSIDE OUT!
I don't want to fix them, I can't wash them inside out because they won't get clean, and if they had just taken them off the right way.....blah blah blah!
So to everyone that lives in my house, I hate the fact that ALL of your socks end up inside out but I love you all enough to put them right before I throw them in the wash. Then when they are folded and put away and ready for you to wear again, you'll notice how clean they are and want to take them off the right way.
No??
I know I know...
Wishful thinking :-)


But I do love all of you!!!

Joy of Love: Day 4

I am having so much fun with this project. Taking pictures of the kids every day, going through old photos that haven't been looked at in ages, and talking with the family each night about what I posted that day and what the idea is for the next day. Conjures up a whole bunch of fun conversation!

Today's prompt:

What They Wear
With Nicholas sleeping in this morning recovering from a 102.6 fever yesterday, Gabby watching a few minutes of tv before she gets picked up for school, that left Isabella to be my subject this morning and believe me when I tell you that this child LOVES to have her picture taken. It turned into my lucky day when she walked out wearing her pink boots that are a staple in her wardrobe. (Again, going back to Day 2 of Project Joy of Love, the boots were worn with purple pants and a blue and gold West Virginia jersey...jersey day at school). Crazy kid!
Oh yea, the boots!! She's had her first pair when she was 4 or 5 and we keep replacing them as her feet grow. She loves them! This particular pair, we couldn't find anywhere but eventually got lucky when Jeff and I went to Vegas in Sept. Upon our arrival back home, having not seen us for 3 days, Isabella was definitely more excited to have new pink boots than give us hugs and kisses!
So this morning, we took about a dozen pictures of her boots but this one shows the love that is worn on and out of them....

While I was downloading the boot pictures to the computer so Isabella could put her own seal of approval on them, she walked into the kitchen, grabbed a glass of milk, and came back out to the classroom looking like this...
It occurred to me that she was "wearing a milk mustache" and I snapped about 4 pictures of her as she and I were having a great laugh :-)

Joy of Love: Day 3

Our prompt for today is:

Then and Now

SOOOOOO many pictures that I could post about how much all of us have changed over the years but after weeding through discs and discs of saved photos, I decided on a group picture of the kids!!!

Nicholas, Isabella, and Gabriella

APRIL 2006

Nicholas, Isabella, and Gabriella
January 2011
WOW

Day 2: Part 2

I was just visiting the facebook page of where some folks are uploading their photos and I've noticed that most are just posting a picture with one line of journaling. Definitely cuts down on time and while I did post there as well, I'm using my blog to further the story.

As I was looking through old photos, I found this one of a very sad day for Nicholas. In the spirit of keeping it simple, I'll say....
How he looks after hitting his head on a raised cement flower bed.

Joy of Love, Day 2

I just got caught up on Day 1, I wrote it but it needed fine tuning before publishing it, and it's already Day 2. Is it possible to be behind already????
Day 2 prompt:
How They Look
This prompt just makes me laugh. Anyone who knows me or has been around my children for any length of time will tell you that sometimes they look ridiculous. This doesn't hurt my feelings in the least bit and I'm actually ok with it. Crazy? Maybe!

YES, I am "that parent" that doesn't care how my children dress when they leave the house or go to school. I'm just not! I have been spotted at the grocery store and Target with Superman, Batman, Tinkerbell, Belle, Spiderman and Cinderella just to name a few. My children wear snow boots in the summer, rain boots just because, clothes that don't come close to matching, and tank tops over shirts because they can't decide which shirt they like better that day.

For school, my only requirement is that their body is covered and they have shoes on their feet. I do the quick check in the morning when they first come out of their rooms, see that they are ready for their day, and let the thought disappear. Half the time, I can't tell you specifically what they had on but I know they were dressed! And let me tell you, some "doozy" outfits have walked out of this house.

I'm almost positive that anyone who sees my children can (hopefully) tell that my children dress themselves. I have encouraged it from the time they were small. I may not have liked what they picked but who am I to tell them that polka dots and stripes don't go together. (Just a sidenote, they now sell outfits with a striped top with polka dot bottoms. Funny to me!!)

Now, don't get me wrong. If we need to go to an event that requires me pulling my "style" card, I will. When my children hear me say that they look "ridiculous," they don't argue but go in and make another choice. Sometimes it's for the better, sometimes not so much.

My children have mastered their own look. Lately, Nicholas's style is skinny jeans with a tee shirt. He went through a phase where he would not wear jeans. Dead of winter, this kid is in shorts. In pre-school, his favorite shirts were Hawaiian, to him, his Fancy shirts. Last year, it was rare that you saw him without his favorite pink shirt with a volleyball on the front. Why it is his favorite is a story for another day but I had to buy three because he wore it so often!

Isabella's look is just out there. She wears jeans under her dresses, tanks over shirts, skirts over leggings, three shirts at one time but NONE of it that I would have pieced together. That's not to say that it doesn't look good on her because for her, she makes it work. I shake my head but she pulls it off!

Gabriella's look always involves stripes. She loves them. She has more striped pants than I can count. Striped shirts and striped tights too but lately it's been the solid shirt with the striped pants.

My children may always look a little mis-matched and people may look twice at their outfits, wonder how I could've dressed them in "that," but to me, it isn't an issue. They are very independent, capable of making their own choices, not afraid to try new things, and I am free to worry about if homework was done and if they all ate before leaving and starting their day!

This photo was taken Spring of 2010, Pismo beach. Bella with several shirts on, grey sweats, and boots. Nicholas looking good. Gabby with striped pants, and a striped shirt under her camo shirt.

The Joy of Love

I am participating in a fun little project for the month of February called The Joy of Love! Anyone is able to join and I promise to post the link here in case anyone else is interested but I need to figure out HOW to do it first! At any rate, you are sent a prompt every day and your job is to take a picture of how the prompt best fits you, journal about it if you have time and post it.
I not only found the picture taking part of it interesting but I figured it would keep me in line as far as keeping up with the lives of my children and blogging about them at the same time.
That being said, Day 1 prompt is:
What They Do
Because my children are busy and seem like their own individual hurricanes at different points during the day, I thought I would keep the craziness to a minimum and journal about what seems to occupy most of our life right now... Soccer
Nicholas, age 9, is the one who plays while the rest of us participate in our own roles.
Jeffrey, age 38, aka Dad, takes Nicholas to practice every Tuesday and Thursday for 2 hours. He is out on the field, practicing with the boys, running drills, scrimmaging against them, all the while dressed in heavy winter clothing because YES, it gets cold here in CA too. Game day, 2 games every Saturday, he's making sure Nicholas is in the right frame of mind, pumped up, ready to go, cleats on, bags packed, chairs in the car.
On practice days, Michelle, age 39, aka Me, is home, taking care of the girls and getting little things done around the house, dinner, baths, homework, etc. Game day, I'm the photographer, the soccer Mom screaming on the sidelines, and the pack mule that carries everything from the car to the field and back again!
The girls, Isabella, age 7, and Gabriella, age 5, are with their Grandma on game days when the weather is cold and rainy or with us when the weather allows. When they are on the sidelines, referee, snack coordinator and supervisor gets added to my role as the girls play with each other or on the nearby playground.
With Grandma at home with the girls or on the field with us, she becomes another cheerleader for Nicholas and supervisor for the girls.
Another cheerleader for our soccer player (and any other sport he plays) is PAPA. He is at every single game and loves to watch him play.
So, soccer!! I do believe that this sport is shaping up to be Nick's favorite. He's played other sports, basketball and baseball, but the constant running seems to fit him. He has played rec soccer for 6 years now, always liked it, but in Nov, he decided to try out for the Under 10 boys traveling competitive team.
Try-outs were 2 weeks long and only 12 boys could make the team. We talked to him about the possibility that he may not make it because the spots were limited, that it was OK to not make it the first time he tried out, (all of the things a parent is supposed to say so the disappointment isn't so drastic) but all of it was a mute point when he found out he was part of the team. We were all SUPER EXCITED! And after a month of practice, twice a week for 2 hours, Nicholas, the youngest on his team, has been given the role of team captain. What an honor to be the one chosen to be the leader.
Now, every Saturday, twice a day, we gather on the soccer field to watch our little ALL-STAR play soccer. With each of us having our own role to play, we watch and hope that we all end up with a GOAL :-)

This one actually was a goal!!

A corner kick, for fun!