Thanks to my supportive team!

I just wanted to Thank everyone for the encouraging remarks and suggestions from everyone. It really makes me feel better and it really means a lot to me. I know that we are making the best decision for our family and that is what is important. I am going to be working 2 days a week. It looks like Monday and Wednesday. Like Melissa said (and of course I don't mind you reading) it gets you out of the house a little. :) I need to see my peoples. Again, Thank you everyone! I really do appreciate it!!!!

This thing makes me nuts!!

Ok. . .sorry for the pictures being all not in order and posted all over the place. I am having a hard time downloading them and writing underneath them. Stef makes it look so easy. I guess I need a little Blogging 101. So bear with me!!!

Anyway, I am having a little turmoil going on in my head. Some of you know what I am talking about. I am trying to decide whether I should become a "Stay at home Mom". I know that I will not regret it, but I am so torn making sure I don't let anyone down.

1-I don't want to let my kiddos down and I want to make sure that I am the best mom that I can be.
2-I don't want to let my husband down by not being the best mom I can be, and not bringing in some income. He likes being able to play poker and go to Vegas and all that. etc.
3-I don't want to let my parents down at work. I know that the other girls can't do their jobs and my job too. So therefore, I don't want to put my parents in a pickle as far as being shorthanded.
4-I don't want to let Denise or Natalie down for choosing to be a "Stay at home mom" when I know that they would like to stay home but can't really. I don't want them to be resentful or have any hard feeling towards me.
I know I am not really making a lot of sense, I am just trying to write out how I feel about the whole situation. I did talk it over with Bubba and my parents and they are 100% supportive of me. I just know, I can't keep going like I am going. Especially with a 3rd one. The other day I put 50 miles on my car in one day just taking the kids to Marilyn's , School and going to work. It was nuts. If anyone has any suggestions or comments, please feel free to share them. I know it will all work out in the end, but I am stressing!

Nana Nita's Birthday

On Sunday night we celebrated Nana Nita's 84th Birthday. The kids love to blow the candles out and sing Happy Birthday.

Lordy. . .Lordy. . . Guess who's 40???????

Scotty turned 40! On January 24th our cousin Scott turned 40. Yep, He is the first to reach this milestone out of all of us. We all went to Benihana's to celebrate the Big Birthday! Here are some pictures of the Birthday Boy and the rest of the family!

These are some silly glasses that we got for Scott to wear. Haley looks hilarious!

Hot Bubba with a Goatee

Bubba has been on vacation from the firehouse since New Year's so he was able to grow a goatee while he has been off. I am usually not a fan of facial hair, but I like goatee's. When Bubba and I first started dating he had a mustache and I think it made him look really mean. . .which if you know Bubba he is far from. So anyways here are some pictures of him while he had the goatee. I think he looks HOT and I wish he could keep it. But he can't. I told him to get an office job, then he can keep it. haha

Braxton's 1st Birthday

This weekend we went to Braxton's 1st Birthday Party. He is so cute and smiley. He just went witht the flow and took it all in. In case you are wondering who is Braxton? He is Marilyn's grandson. For those who don't know who Marilyn is. . . She is a cousin on the Calabrese side and she is also my children's adopted Grandma because she has been with my children every day since they were 6 weeks old. She takes care of them while I work. If it wasn't for her, I don't know if I could honestly work. I am so content and happy knowing that when I drop my kiddos off in the morning that they are with someone that truly loves them and will take care of them like I would. She seriously is the BEST! I could go on and on how much I love and appreciate what she does. . .Anyway I had to put this picture of Braxton and then a picture of Carlie and you tell me that they are not a spitting image of each other. It is so funny how the genetics go through all the generations.

Carlie at approx. 17 months


Braxton at 12 months

Good-Bye Rock Sales

So the day after Christmas. . .It was offical. Rock Sales is gone gone gone. Denise and I are now in a little trailer on wheels. It is real cozy and only supposed to be temporary. We'll see.

Here is a before picture before Dad got crazy with the loader. He was so cute. Like a little kid having the time of his life!











Here is Dad on the little loader. He started at the scale and worked his way forward to the sales office.















Here is where I used to sit. Before he hit it, I saw my Tim McGraw calendar for 2007 hanging on the wall. It went down with the buliding. sniff sniff Then the final picture of it all torn down before it was hauled off to the dump.

MISC

Here is Carlie on Christmas Eve. Auntie got her this cool microphone so she was really putting on a show.

















Colin and Vinnie were dancing away at her rocking out songs.















Then of course, Carson had to have a turn on the mic.
















This is Christmas morning. Carlie got her telescope that she ask Santa for. Too Bad we had such crummy weather. She is going to have to wait to look at the stars.















Carson got this workbench from Santa as well as a "Firetruck". He loves to fix things with all the tools he got with it.






























These last 2 pictures were supposed to be first on the post, but I am still learning how to do all this, so sorry and bear with me. I finally downloaded my software for my new camera therefore, I can finally share pictures with everyone. So here are some random shots. These ones are from way back on Dec. 17th. We went to the Botanical Gardens to see the lights. They were so pretty. We went with a bunch of Fireman buddies. Mikey, Johnny, Scotty, and Tommy. Notice they all end in the "y". Then the kids are Johnny's son Jackson, Mikey's son Jake, and Carlie and Carson. They kids had a great time. I think Carlie was kind of sweet on Jackson! It's already starting.

Here is us getting ready to get into the water with the dolphins. Don't we look cute with our life jackets and our snorkel masks.













Miss Carlie loving every minute of it!

This little dolphin was soooo sweet. He name was Pukie. (POO-KEY)

ALOHA

Hi Everyone!
We are having a fabulous time in Hawaii!!! After a day of LOOOOOOOOOONG traveling, we made it to Kona. We sat on the tarmac in Denver for 2 hours before making our almost 8 hour trip. It was definitely worth it. The kids were sooo soooo good. Carson kept telling me, "Were not flying." I don't know if he thought we were going shoot up like a rocket into outer space or something. haha
Thursday we spent the day relaxing out at the pool and eating and more relaxing. Friday the guys played golf and we all went Humpback whale watching. What an experience. We took a catamaran out and it was soooo beautiful. The kids loved it. Carson stayed back with my mom which was really good. I think I would have been petrified. It was rocking pretty good.
Today we went and swam with the dolphins. That was awesome. Carlie had such a great time and the kids learned a lot! It was the coolest thing we have done so far. We also snorkeled a little in the lagoon. Until I spotted an eel. . .then I had to high tail it out. I don't do snakes. We also saw a huge turtle. That was pretty cool too. I think I could so live here, or at least try for a month or so. Carson keeps asking me, "Is this our new house?" haha

I will update with pictures when we get home. I promise. I love you all and I will write more later!

ALOHA

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I cannot believe how fast 2007 went by. I am looking forward to 2008. Especially meeting our final addition to our family.
My New Year's resolutions are:

---To Blog More and add pictures
---Have more patience
---Exercise a little bit ;)
---Go to church more often then once a year. . .
---Save money
---drink less Diet Dr Pepper
---Remember to stop and enjoy every little thing that happens. Life is too short to be so darn busy.

If anyone reads Stef's blog. . .Then you will know what I am going to be talking about next. If not I will fill you in a little bit. So on Christmas Eve we had 30 or so people at our house. We within 48 hours of Christmas Eve everyone was dropping like flies with a little stomach bug. . .(including myself). Thank goodness it only lasted about 24 hours. I guess now the total is up to 13 people that have come down with the highly contagious little bug! Poor Colin was the last to get sick and he is the least one that can afford to lose any weight. Poor thing. I hope he is feeling better and I sure hope that next year everyone still decides to come to our house!!!!!! I was wondering if maybe it could have been food poisoning but I don't think so if Colin just come down with it. Yuck!!!!

Well, on a different note. . . we are still thinking of names. Cash is definitely out. Bubba thinks that he will get made fun of. Carter is still a maybe. Although Carlie doesn't like it. She told me it was a girls name. I couldn't figure out why she thought that until she said. . ."Remember June Carter?" Hahahaha I guess we could name him Carter Cash Calabrese. That would be funny. (In case nobody gets it. June Carter and Johnny Cash fans here!) We did think of Cameron Lewis Calabrese? We are still open to suggestions!!!!

I am sorry for the long blog, but I actually have a free minute to myself for once! Love you all and I'll talk to you later!