What have we been up to?

The answer to that is...what haven't we been up to? I miss blogging and keeping track of what my kids have been doing and saying and just life in general. Its fun to look back and relive those moments. So, with that..its the rebirth of my crazy life. Somehow in this busy life we live, time passed before our eyes and our kids grew up. In April I was laid off from a job that I had devoted myself to for the past 14 years. Its funny how such a HUGE change can bring so many blessings. I've had the awesome chance to play the roll of the stay at home mom. Its a roll I always imagined me playing and I have loved every last minute of it. Yes, even the endless cleaning and laundry and running here and there. Its been a blessing.

CRAZY!

That pretty much sums up the events of our lives these days. Wrestling, dance, school, homework, doctors appointments, new puppies, laundry that multiplies faster than bunnies...it’s crazy. Brandon is in the process of getting braces. He's in the growth plate and headgear phase. We're currently 4 weeks behind however because somehow he "lost" the strap to his headgear. Magically he found it in time for his appointment. Now, I'm not accusing anyone of hiding it...I'm just saying, seems kinda odd. The plan was for braces to be on in August, before school started. However, like all well laid plans...this too is falling apart. (see lost headgear strap) I've got great news for Brandon though. Summer break is almost here! That means he can now wear his headgear during the day as well as at night! I know this is going to excite him. Hopefully this will push us back on the schedule.

Thoughts in my head...

I've recently taken a break from facebook. I admit I enjoy scrolling through my news feed and seeing a quick glimpse in my friends life. It’s a great way for busy people to stay connected. I also notice that a majority of my "friends" portray their lives to be perfect. Many feel the need to exercise their limitless knowledge of being the perfect parent, passing judgment at the click of a mouse. I HATE that. I'm sure I'm guilty in some ways so before you get your panties ruffled calm down. I know I'm not perfect. Life is real. This isn’t a Lifetime movie and not everything always turns out to be happy. In the 15 years that Jeff and I have been married we have had our shares of ups and downs. We have struggled with difficult choices and even butt heads with final decisions. We have always done it as a team. Together. The captains of our crazy train. My point in this post is to say...I loved blogging. I want to blog more. I love looking back at old memories and reliving them through posts and pictures. I'm going to continue from this point on with a more "real" approach. I hope this doesn't bite me in the butt...

Life with ADHD

Well, maybe I should say life with a child with ADHD. I used to think ADHD was just a label doctors gave children who had a bit more energy then usual. That medication was perscribed to the lazy parents who couldn't spare the time to address difficult behavior. The key word to that is USED TO. When Brandon was about 4 I remember thinking that the difference between boys and girls was so big. His energy was through the roof. When school started I remember asking his teachers during conferances if they thought maybe he had a touch of ADD. The answer was always the same. "Just a typical boy". We would hear that from doctors and teachers for years. The truth is ADHD is real. Its not something doctors just label..as we found out. Its not something that can just be ignored. Its a challenge, not only to parent a child with ADHD but its difficult to watch your child struggle with its side effects. I'm not ashamed to say that he has it or that he has to take medication everyday to help manage its symptoms. I have hope for Brandon that in time he will learn to manage his behaviors and of course go on and have a successful adult life. For now, hes my handful. 10 years old, full of life. Always keeping me on my toes and making sure life has no dull moments. Sometimes I wish this wasn't a struggle intended for us, but I'm always reminded that God gives his strongest soldiers the toughest battles. ADHD is not just a diagnosis, it has a face.

San Gennaro Fest

This past weekend we went to the San Gennaro Feast. The San Gennaro Feast is an Italian food festival with all kids of rides, food, bouncy houses and a petting zoo. It was a perfect family day, well, besides the fact that we spent $30 on an unlimited ride pass for Brandon and the poor guy was only tall enough to ride like 3 "cool" rides. Jeff and Alyssa rode everything. Some took a little bribing to get Alyssa on them, but she ended up loving them. I'm looking forward to the next one already!

I didn't eat the chocolate pudding...

Guilty! The evidence is all over her mouth (:

Gabriella

Finally its cooling off enough to visit the park. Gabriella, of course, had a blast. Shes such a social butterfly and quickly makes "friends". Its fun to watch her play and interact with other kids.