Life is busy

After much thought and searching the web for a form of blogging I can do better with from my iPhone I have landed here. I'm going to make an effort to post daily. More photos, less words, honesty. Here goes.

A new beginning.

Independence Day, our way

Two hundred and thirty five years ago some pretty snarly guys set the record strait. We don't do well with people telling us what to do. Yesterday we celebrated just the three of us, at home, making our own traditions, well sort of. Jojo and I spent the day playing out side. the sun shined and the breeze blew and it was simply beautiful out. Just right for playing in some water and checking out the garden and the rest of the yard. I'm trying to get him outside as much as possible. He loves it and I love watching John cringe as he watches the little guy toddle across the concrete  with bare toes and knees. He's only picked up a few raw spots. We keep the neosporin handy. the booboos never seem to slow him down.  

 He is not to fond of the grass yet. It's kind of pokey...

 Checking out the flowers

 They even feel good.

 After all the rain we had the last couple days my Hollyhocks are starting to bloom. As a child my mom always kept a row of them along the back side of the deck at home. I can remember them towering over me each summer. They were the first flowers I knew I had to have in my garden when we started landscaping here. Even with all the wind out here they seem to fair well. To bad they don't smell as wonderful as they look.

 While hiding out in the bathroom yesterday morning, I came across this recipe for a quick peach dessert. Yes, there is a time most days that I head to the bathroom, even if I don't have to go. It's quiet and uninterrupted and filled with good reading material. It's a well spent five minutes here and there throughout the day. Back to the peaches, I can't think of anything more summer than a good peach. We had a peach tree in our side yard and every August peaches would fill the branches so plentiful that we would move the clothes line poles under the branches to help support them. The peaches were so ripe they juiced all over every last inch of your fingers as you ate them. Mom would clean them in the yard while we played for canning and offer us slices. I don't think I will ever eat a peach again as good as those. Dessert turned out so well that there is another in the oven as I type to take to dinner with a good friend tonight.

 Gel clings hold a special place in my heart.

 John cooked hot dogs on the grill. I don't think there is anything more American. Jojo tasted his first hot dog yesterday and ate the whole thing. Minus the bun of course.

 We ate inside with all the windows open to help bring the outside in it was just that nice.

 A little relaxing in the living room after dinner. iPhone in hand. We have to lock the phones because he is one smart little boy.

 This is the look the cat give Joey when he is in the middle of temper tantrum. It's one of a kind.

 My Mom stopped down with Dick after dinner and she took Joey for a wagon ride in the yard cart. The light was so nice I couldn't resist making a photo. I love having my mom so close, I'm pretty sure Joey and John feel the same.

After all the dishes were done and Joey went to bed John and I climbed into bed just in time to see the New York City fireworks. I started watching them a couple years a go when John showed them to me. He used to watch them all the time when he was living out east. They are fabulous. Last night I added "Watch the New York fireworks live" to my life list. It will happen.

Today I'm thankful for:

-Those five minutes in the bathroom.
-Beautiful weather.
-The ability to put the chores of life aside and just PLAY for a while.
-My mom's potato salad recipe, forever in my mind.
-A day free from nausea and exhaustion.

-All the love in the Universe-

Summer just got the best of us...

It's now July... Six more months until Christmas... There is so much to do before the snow comes.
We've been making the best of the warm weather and tacking advantage of the cool summer days. No one really likes 98 degrees with 90 percent humidity anyways.

We've hit up the flea market a few times. Jojo loves just riding in the wagon and John and I often grapple over who gets to do the pulling. It's so cool to look back and see those giant smiles.  

After a row garden filled with weeds last summer John and I gave square foot gardening a shot. It's really easy to get started and so far has been growing really well. i have cucumbers and green tomatoes on the vine. fingers crossed we should have some good eatin' in a month. 

Jojo has started walking. After 14 months he decided vertical was the way to be and hasn't looked back once. I suspect he will be running faster than my waddle in no time.  

Of course nap time is still a favorite of both his an ours. 

We joke that he eats like a cave man...but Bowls and plates are starting to stay on the tray of his highchair. 

He loves to help and vacuuming is his favorite, a whole 10 or so minutes of touching a cord he is otherwise forbidden to hold. 

We are trying to grow more grass and then it rained and washed almost all of our seed away. 

BUT we are successfully growing another family member. 

I can't wait for our trio to become a quartet in January.

I'm hoping to up date this more. and start making more photos again with a real camera and not this silly phone. I miss it, but I'm enjoying the moments each and everyone of them. Isn't that what it's really all about. 

Today I'm grateful for:

- Cheap peppermint mints from the vending machine. 

- The AC in my car. 

- The two wonderful boys waiting for me at home.

- John's wonderful ability to do dishes and laundry. 

All the LOVE in the Universe. 

Two minutes with Jojo:

Yeah I know it's been way to long. The days are getting longer and the air is just a little warmer. I can't wait for the real summer. Here's two minutes with Jojo for your viewing pleasure.


Backyard Breeze from Wendy Antrosiglio on Vimeo.

The first of many

The night before Joey's first birthday John and I took some time to write a letter to him. We placed it in his birthday card and later I'll put it in his special box... I hope some day he will read it and know how incredible he was first from the start. 

Joey,

When I look at you I can't help but smile in my heart. The first time I heard your cries my eyes filled with tears of joy and today as you, Dad and I celebrate your first birthday I can't help but think about that night, the moment that Daddy and my lives changed forever.

Since that first night we have grown so much as a family. We've learned from each other daily. Dad and I try our best and you remind us what it's like to see the world from your eyes. You help me  understand the most important things in life. From the moment I walk into your room each morning you fill my heart with joy. You used to gaze up at me from your crib and smile that once gummy smile. And now on mornings like this you eagerly pull the curtain aside and point at the sunrise just past the "big digger".

You are amazed with yourself, crawling, standing up, cruising on your own, exploring your world. You pinch with your fingers while eating O's on my lap each morning, the two of us curled up under you blanket. You lay in my arms, heavy but I could hold you so for the rest of my life. Your hair smells so sweet and your head, warm on my cheek so soft, so innocent. your voice unmistakeable as you point to birds at the feeder, laugh at a tickle, and cry as I leave for work each day. I promise always to come back to each night.

We promise to say no, less and distract you more.

We promise to think about what is best for you even of it's not best for Daddy and I.

We promise to show you how incredible the earth is even if Daddy isn't overly excited out walking sticks.

We promise to hold your hand even through your struggles.

We promise to let you struggle from time to time.

We promise to let you become the person you want to be.

We promise to love you more each day unconditionally.

Jojo, you are the best thing Daddy and I have ever done.

The world is a better place because of you.

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

We love you more than the sky is tall and the ocean is deep.

Mama & Daddy

P.S. Mama thinks you are the sweetest little boy in the whole world, and the world is a pretty big place.

ALL THE LOVE IN THE UNIVERSE!

More Snow

It snowed again... But I'm thankful. As the weather warms I sometimes forget how nice it is to just sit around and live. Thats what we did today. Made more bread, pizza dough and spice cake. Watched the birds eat at the feeder and played on the floor in our tent.

This was from snack time today. He had milk and cheese ducks... When I look at this photo I see a little a baby that has made the journey to a little boy. I'm incredibly excited and slightly saddened by this.
A week from today he will be a year old... It's kind of bitter sweet.

Grandma.

She's 80 today. That's 52 more years of learning lessons, living courageously, and loving whole heartily than I have. She one heck of a lady. "the thing of it is" life's to short to always play by the rules. Some times you have to make up your own.



All the LOVE in the universe.