It's Thursday, and I have nothing exciting to share, but I hated to go another day without a post so here goes. This serves as a shout out to Jim for all the things he did this past week:

1. Thanks for taking the LIVE mouse out of the mouse trap and throwing him in the garbage can so that I could fret everytime I opened the lid before finally hauling it to the curb last night.

2. Thank you for replacing the rope on Matty's baby swing so that he could enjoy the fresh air with the other two boys last night. We've made the 15 min on the play structure a nightly routine.

3. Thank you for fixing the waterfall in the backyard so that I don't have to look at the science experiment that we were apparently growing on the rocks anymore.

4. Thank you for remembering to hang our American Flag on the front porch in honor of Memorial Day (by the way, the wind did me the honor of taking it down on Tuesday).

5. And most importantly, thank you for always being my rock and my right hand while we journey through this adventure of craziness together. I wouldn't want to share it with anyone else.

Stay tuned for more exciting news from the Riggio family as we have an eventful weekend planned!

Memories of the Past this Memorial Day

I think my sister pinned it best today as I remember the people who have impacted my life in more ways than I remember. 2009 has been a year of change, and a year of loss. Last month I said goodbye to my last living biological grandparent. I am saddened to know that my boys will never know the wonderful men and women that shaped my life in so many ways. I am the person I am today because of them.

http://huestisfamily.blogspot.com/2009/05/in-memory.html

This Memorial Day, my thoughts and prayers go out to my friends Marcella and Stephanie who lost their father's this month. May you both find peace today in remembering the very special men that had a hand in molding your lives.

Since the weather was a bit on the cool side today, a trip to the Water park was out. So we loaded up the boys and headed downtown to see a matinee. The movie of choice was the brand new Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. I will say this; it was worth the $21 we paid to get in, but I think the boys prefer the first movie in the series. Jim and I enjoyed the non-stop action, and the more adult themed rendition that this movie created. We were joined by the Mazur family, so it was quite an adventure. Just imagine four kids with "ants in their pants" and a need to use the restroom several times in the middle of the movie. Thank goodness I was in charge of Matty and he chose to sleep on me during the entire show. I can't wait for this one to come out on video.

After the movie, we were invited over to the Mazur house for dinner. Between four tired adults, and four battle prone kids, we spent most of the night arguing and assigning time outs. We did, however, carve out 30 minutes for Guitar Hero...our favorite. We arrived home at 6:15 and got everyone ready for bed, after which I crashed almost immediately. I'm looking forward to a less hectic day tomorrow filled with grocery store shopping and house cleaning. Fun, fun.

To Read, or Not to Read....

....that is the question? And yes, he did indeed! Joshua received a medal at the awards ceremony yesterday for being a devoted reader in our home. Over four weeks in April and May, the students at Bauer Speck are tasked with completing a bookmark a week, reporting their reading efforts in home. 1st graders are required to read a minimum of 60 minutes per week. If they complete this task successfully, they are honored at a medal ceremony for their efforts. Joshua was so proud to be on stage for a second year in a row, and we couldn't be prouder of him. Since Kindergarten he has struggled to read, and we finally feel like his (and our) efforts are paying off. He is approaching grade level and will hopefully finish the school year in 3 weeks at a level 16. Way to go, buddy!!

Mrs. Spencer and Joshua

A Glowing Tribute

It still amazes me how many people my grandfather touched in his life. My mom received the below letter yesterday. Although it is a tribute to my grandparents dog, Kady, it is because of the relationship my grandfather had with Dr. Clark that this donation exists. I can only hope that Kady and grandpa know just how very much they were loved.

"Dear Burke family,

The Pet Tribute at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University recently received a generous monetary contribution from Southwest Veterinary Hospital in honor of your special friend, Kady.

The Pet Tribute honors the human-animal bond by supporting veterinary medicine at Kansas State University. Through this donation, Kady will live on through perpetuity and this gift will make a difference in the lives of countless other animals.

The name "Kady", along with yours, will be recorded in a memorial book which is displayed in the Veterinary Medical Library so that your friendship will forever be celebrated and to recognize one of life's greatest pleasures: animal companionship.

We would like to express our deepest sympathy for your recent loss and hope that the thoughtfulness of Dr. Clark will somehow help you during this difficult time."

Gettin' in the Groove

In case I haven't told you yet, Matty LOVES to dance. Anytime he hears music, he has this funny way of wiggling his body up and down, no matter where he is or what he is doing. Last night, Jim pressed play on Darius Rucker, and we attempted to capture him on video. The best part is that Jim got in the groove too! Check it out and let us know what you think.

The Long and Short of It

Yes, the time had come again for Dominic to visit our local barber Tim for a cut. He was so excited to see him as it had been a while. Tim invested in some character jersey shirts for the boys to wear while having their hair cut. Dominic chose Spider-Man. What would life be like without this little bundle of energy....and the cowboy boots?? Isn't he handsome?

Tim and Dominic

.....and of course I couldn't forget to post a picture of the littlest spectator..

Happy Mother's Day from Jim

I was so happy when Jim finally arrived home yesterday morning after nearly 11 days on duty. Although I had everything under control at home, I was missing the adult interaction that I am regularly accustomed to. With a hectic training schedule over the past week, I have juggled time with the boys, maintained housework duties, and arranged sitters amongst the chaos. Unfortunately, Jim's work schedule prevented him from appropriately honoring Mother's Day, which created some animosity of sorts between him and I. After a veeerrry long week (that isn't over until tomorrow), I arrived home to find the following. Jim typed this up on my laptop and left a rose on the keyboard for me to find. How very sweet of him.....

Happy Mothers Day



To a Mother who loves her boys

To a Daughter who loves her toys

To a Wife who loves her man

To a Sister who loves Disneyland

To an Aunt who loves her feet rubbed

To a Cousin who loves her bathtub

To a Granddaughter who loves to give

To a Woman who loves to live



Love you with all my heart

Jimmy

....and yes, he wrote this on his own. It is a true work of art devoted just to me :)

Thank you, honey, for being you and for choosing to share the rest of your life with me. How lucky I truly am. I love you!

Happy Mother's Day

I awoke this morning to see my three beautiful boys and took a moment to thank God for these treasures in my life. How lucky I am to not only be called Mom, but to be the Mother of these wonderful little human beings. An even better treat were the gifts that each of them made. Unfortunately, Dominic's gift was damaged beyond repair by little hands yesterday so I do not have a photo of it.

Joshua drew a picture of me and then wrote about how special I am, and what he loves about me (and the fact that he hates it when I ask him to put his clothes in the hamper)

A special flower handprint from Joshua

I LOVE the gift Matty gave me. In case you can't tell, on the right is a picture of his handprint and a teary poem about him growing up.

Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day

With little time to stop and pray

For life's been anything but calm

Since You called on me to be a mom

Running errands, matching socks

Building dreams with building blocks

Cooking, cleaning, and finding shoes

And other stuff that children lose

Fitting lids on bottled bugs

Wiping tears and giving hugs

A stack of last weeks mail to read

So where's the quiet time I need?

Yet when I steal a minute, Lord

Just at the sink or ironing board

To ask the blessings of Your grace

I see then, in my small one's face

That you have blessed me

All the while

And I stop to kiss

That precious smile

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in my life. I hope you enjoy your special day.

Mohawk Man

The result of a fun night in the bath tub! I decided to join my three favorite little guys for some splashing fun which is always a treat. Matty was more than happy to pose for a few pics.

Goodbye, Kady

It's amazing how a pet can be an extension of a person, almost like one's own child. That was Kady! Kady WAS my grandma and grandpa in every way. She joined them for coffee each morning and snacked on the same foods as they did, which explains her fluctuating weight throughout her life. She lived for her daily walks and loved to be scratched and brushed. If any one being was impacted the most over the past six years, it was undoubtedly her in her own mind. She survived being left to a single parent when grandma had her stroke, and certainly she did not mind the Alzheimer's that impacted grandpa every day he lived from that day forward. She lived for these people, especially my grandfather; she was his right hand lady. How distraught and lonely she must have been when grandpa left her a year and a half ago, but she plugged along; continued to howl and wag her tail anytime she received a visit. She truly was a good dog.

Last night, she joined grandma and grandpa in heaven, and boy was she excited to see them. It's amazing that she kept plugging away; like she was waiting for one of them to walk back through the door and hand her a cookie and sit down for a talk. She must have known that they were both waiting patiently for her, and that it was okay for her to leave this world. What a beloved companion she was (and still is). Thank you, Kady, for being the light in my grandpa's day as the disease took over, and for hanging on till the end. You were a good dog, and a blessing to us all.

And now, because of her departure, we can all move on. She was the last of the crew in the Burke house. Closure; much needed closure.

What was I thinking?

I am now, more than ever, convinced that I am absolutely crazy to have braved Disneyland alone. Despite the fact that our friends Jason and Michelle joined us (and they truly have been a blessing helping keep an eye on the boys), my boys are truly a handful....especially Dominic. After another wild and crazy day, I am pooped and ready to go home.

I had a difficult time sleeping last night as the elevators at the Paradise Pier were apparently experiencing technical difficulties which caused a very irritating noise every time they went up and down. I dealt with if for an hour or so and finally phoned the front desk to request a room change today. The guest services representative was less than friendly AND less than helpful, not characteristic of the "Disney experience" I expect when staying at this property. I opted to fall asleep gracefully once the elevators halted at around 12:45pm after all other guests arrived back from the park. I awoke this morning and called the front desk to speak to a supervisor. Donnie was fantastic, and was gracious enough to honor not only a room change, but an upgrade to a park view room, $100 off my room rate for last night, AND free character breakfast tomorrow morning for me and the boys...WOW! Now that's what I call service!

We met Jason and Michelle at Disneyland when they opened at 10am. After waiting in line to see Pluto and Goofy, we hit main street with hopes of a photo opp in front of the castle. Not only did we get a fantastic picture, but we were just in time to see "Mickey and his Band," something we have never had the opportunity of partaking in. The boys absolutely loved all the characters, and I enjoyed the music from the band. What a great way to start our visit. We hopped on Buzz Lightyear and then grabbed some lunch, where I was more than willing to offer Dominic to Darth Vadar (who was putting on a show at the pavilion we ate at). Dominic was being characteristically ornery which I suspect was a product of needing a nap.

After lunch, Jason and I took Joshua and Coleman on the Matterhorn and then I sat out as everyone else spun around on the teacups. We passed on Fantasyland due to long lines, and headed straight to Pirates on the Caribbean...every body's favorite ride. We also took a ride on the Haunted Mansion (only about a 10 min wait) and Winnie the Pooh. California Adventure was next, and we stumbled on several new attractions. If you haven't checked out the Sorcerer's Workshop, it is a MUST. I was absolutely amazed at all the activities it had, and all of us enjoyed recording our own voice over to Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho. This one is moving to the top of my list for sure.

It is 8pm, and I am thrilled beyond words that all three boys are bathed, teeth brushed, jammies on, and headed off to dream land (Matty of course crashed over an hour ago). I am hopeful that this will be a quiet and uneventful night so that I can wake up refreshed tomorrow for another exciting and fast paced day. Wish me luck!

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who's the biggest handful of all?

Joshua and Dominic were building a story about themselves at the Sorcerer's Workshop. This was a really fun and cool activity.

Not Another Trip to Disneyland

I do realize that I have taken serious advantage of our annual passes thus far this year, but this trip was brought in part by Coleman Silvas' 3rd birthday. Our friends Jason and Michelle invited us along and seeing as Joshua has not missed any school this year, we obliged.

We arrived to sunny skies and what appeared to be a myriad of guests, but later found that the California Adventure park really wasn't all too bad. We were joined by my friend Pam and her daughter Lindsay and spent the afternoon at the pool. The boys enjoyed the water slide and Matty and I enjoyed the company and a little sun. Unfortunately, the 50 SPF baby sunblock I sprayed on my arms and chest did not seem to work. I'm convinced that it is only meant for young skin and that it doesn't do a darn thing for us old folk....hence the reason I have red arms!

We ate dinner at the restaurant inside our hotel (Paradise Pier) and finally ventured to California Adventure at around 6:30pm. We quickly hopped in line for Midway Mania, every ones favorite ride. I had to laugh as I stumbled across one of my co-workers in line for the same ride. I never see anyone I know here. It was then off to Bug's Life Land and several rides with the kids before we finally found an ice cream stand. I can't believe I allowed my boys to consume sugar at 9:00 at night, but what the heck! We quickly grabbed a seat on the taxi in the Monster's Inc. ride before heading out.

We arrived back at the hotel right at 10pm and the boys all crashed....Joshua and Dominic didn't even take a bath. We will rise early and hope for another fun and exciting day tomorrow.

Joshua works on his school work before hitting the pool

Dominic hammed it up for the camera

Matthew wanted absolutely nothing to do with the pool, that is, until Mommy got in

Joshua and Lindsay

Jason forgot he was an adult

Matthew climbed up in this chair all by himself - what a cutie!

This is the video room at the hotel

The crew awaits a ride on Midway Mania

What was I thinking? Ice cream at what time?

Dominic, Joshua, and Coleman

I think it's about time to retire this sweatshirt

Congratulations, Kimrah and Nick!

Tonight, Kimrah Drahos (our babysitter and friend) became Mrs. Kimrah Doiel. Jim and I attended the wedding and brought Dominic along for the event. It was a beautiful ceremony as it took place late this afternoon on Nick's grandparents property right on Nacimiento Lake. There couldn't have been a more perfect day for the blessed event.

You may now kiss the bride! This was exactly the moment that Dominic realized that he was not going to have the opportunity to marry Miss Kimrah, and he broke down crying.

Kimrah tries to console Dominic as he sobs on her shoulder. This little man had his heart broken tonight.

Marcella, Kimrah, and Tom

A perfect photo opp

Yes, Jim had a bit too much to drink. He crashed the second we got home and I can hear him snoring as I'm typing - never a good sign

Kyler, Westin, Kimrah, and Dominic

aka Rowdy Bunch

Dominic and Kimrah enjoy a dance

I posed with Ashley and Logan - boy we miss them so much!