CITIZENSHIP DAY!!!!

Today was a HUGE day for our family -- for Stuart, specifically.

Today is the day that Stuart became an American!

It was something I had said I would never force him to do when we first married. It had to be something he wanted. I didn't mind paying for a Green Card every 10 years.

But Stuart said he wanted to do it, to "belong." And he wanted to vote, to have a voice behind the taxes he pays. He said he would only do it when he could say the Oath and mean it.

And that day had come.

It was a beautiful -- if cold -- day! And we were all so excited and nervous as we headed into Philadelphia. And we were SO proud of him!

Birthday Boy

...on his birthday bike!

Last night, Stuart finally found an awesome deal on an awesome bike.

Doesn't he look awesome on it?

Now to accessorize....

Happiest Palindrome Birthday to My Bestest Friend and Hubby!

44!

Love this man!

We started the day with a power outage...so had an impromptu brekkie out...but it turned out to be a fun -- if busy -- day!

He's the best thing that ever happened on this day! xxoo

Saying Goodbye...

My hubby wrote this on his blog, in remembrance of Chaucer.

I think he said it so poignantly...

***************

Today has been a sad day. I just finished burying Chaucer, our beloved cat. He died Wednesday night after a really quick illness. We're still not really sure what happened.


Chaucer was a fantastic cat, really one of a kind. He came into our lives when my wife and kids adopted him from a shelter. I wasn't around at the time, and was pretty annoyed when I found out. After all, we had enough pets!

After that, Chaucer worked his way into all of our hearts. He seemed to know that he had to work hardest on me, and would sit on my lap any chance he got, letting out the loudest purrs imaginable. No matter how many times I turned him away, he always persisted until he got his way.

I was concerned that he would be a problem. After all, he had not been de-clawed, so five out of his six ends were pointy! I didn't have to worry; he never hurt anyone, no matter how much our children annoyed him.

We laid him to rest under a tree in our back yard. It's a sunny spot, surrounded by flowers in the summer. As I piled dirt back on the old Amazon box we put him in, I noticed the slogan on the side. It read: "Small package - big smiles!"

Small package - big smiles. Nothing could have summed up Chaucer more perfectly.

Goodbye, Chaucer. We'll miss you.

Mommyhood, Awesome Hubbies, and Night's Away

I'm sure I have mentioned that I'm married to the most wonderful, awesome, fabulous, marvelous, sweet man in the universe.

I have, right?

*wink-grin*

Well, in case I haven't, I am.

For a number of years, Stuart has offered to use his "points" to book me a free night in a nearby Holiday Inn just to give me a chance to get away. Being a mommy is a wonderfully rewarding job, but it's 24/7 with very few breaks. Add homeschooling to that, and there are nearly NO breaks.

Always, I told him that I appreciated his offer, but I didn't really need it.

Okay. Okay. I can hear the collective groan of a number of moms out there, wondering why I wouldn't take his offer and run. I guess I was just being silly...or feeling guilty...or both?

Anyways...

Enter Baby #3...and the fact that I'm now 38 and mothering three kids, one of which takes an exorbitant amount of time. (Hmm....wonder which one, huh?) Add to that the fact that I haven't had a full night of sleep since I got pregnant with Baby #3.

Now I was ready to take up Stuart on his offer.

So this past Friday, I headed to the Holiday Inn Express near the Reading Airport for a night away...my first one ever. I invited my BFF mom friend, Angel, to join me and prepared for a relaxing night of snacks, bubble baths, movies, and sleep...or nothingness, depending on what we fancied.


We managed the first three activities with great zeal and alacrity, but I wouldn't say getting to bed by 3 a.m. was exactly catching up on "Zs." Still, it was awesomely fun and refreshing -- something we hope to do again one day...maybe next year?


*wink-grin*

Have I mentioned that I'm married to the most wonderful, awesome, fabulous, marvelous, sweet man in the universe?

I have, right?

Well, in case I haven't, I am.