That's right. My mother, in Florida, had knee surgery a few days ago. A total knee replacement of her right knee. She should have had this done 10 years ago. I am happy she had it done. Her birthday is today - 65. She came home from the hospital yesterday afternoon - nice b-day gift - home again and a new right knee. Dad will help take care of you - Happy Birthday mama :)

I'm reading Mermaids in the Basement now - it's southern chick lit by Michael Lee West and so far, I think I'm going to like this writer. Love the cover.

So my guys are into the Beatles right now. Have been for the past month or so. It's nice. I dig the Beatles, always have. J had his friend Benny over again for the weekend and come midnight from our family room I had Paul McCartney and John Lennon in my home singing and playing a mean guitar and keyboard ;)

It's late and my eyes are tired. Lots of baseball coming up this week - oh, and Confirmation for my 16 year old...

Goodnight all,
Paula

and I forgot my damn camera! Yesterday officially kicked off my son Phillip's high school baseball season (well, sort of), it was a scrimmage game, but a game non the less and it was a beautiful, sunny day. We hauled the family an hour and a half north and after arriving at the field I noticed I didn't have my camera. Oh well, it felt good to plop my butt in a chair on a gorgeous day and relax and watch a ball game for two and a half hours - and do NOTHING else. Phillip was happy, he started at first base and then also played some left field. I felt so lazy the rest of the day that I decided to do NOTHING the rest of the day. Baseball season kinda does that to me. Hey, NOTHING wrong with that once in awhile, right?

Well another busy week of work and school for me coming up... Has anyone seen a good movie lately?

Got to run - today's a busy day, unlike yesterday :(

Have a wonderful week,
Paula

Where did this week go? Oiy! The hubby turned 47 this past week. He's into tools, always has been. He asked for this huge tool, it's called a Miter Saw. Fun. He also got two books - John Grisham's The Appeal and Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants. Interesting title for a book, huh?

So yesterday my youngest son, J, had his best friend Benny, from where we used to live, over for the day and one of his brother Phillip's friends, Gage, was here too. They wanted to skateboard. So J uncovers his new quarter pipe that his Dad made him for Christmas for the first time this spring so they can do some cool stunts. I was in the house and after a while I hear screaming. Not good. I knew the voice, it was Joseph. I run outside to find him face down on the pavement (without his helmet on!) screaming and crying and the other kids were all leaning over around him. I took one look at him and he was a mess. There was some blood, cuts and a lot of swelling already taking place around his right eye, nose and forehead. I got him inside and we did ice and tylenol and found out what happened. After coming down from the quarter pipe back onto the pavement, his skateboard popped up hard and fast and hit him in the face. Ouch. So, of course, after 20 minutes of ice he was ready to go again. He had plans to go stay for a few days with his friend Benny and nothing was going to wreck that. Of course I called him twice that night to see how he was doing even if he thought I was being annoying - what are moms for other than being annoying and a nag? I haven't grounded him yet for not having his helmet on but even the helmet wouldn't have protected him from that freak accident. Anyway, here's a couple of pics that were taken before the injury...

Joseph and Benny

Joseph in action

Have a great week - my kids are on spring break this week - Oiy!
Paula

Spring is definitely on its way. It should be, it's the month of April already. My kids are so ready to get outside for some fresh air - and skateboarding, baseball and picking beautiful flowers. Today's forecast - sunny and 50. No doubt my youngest son will be out in shorts and a tee today. That's still a wee bit too cold for me but soon, yes soon, I'll be unpacking summer clothes and putting away the long underwear and winter boots until next October.

I started reading a new book this weekend - yes, another Jodi Picoult novel. It's her latest release Change of Heart. I'm not that far along yet, maybe page 50, but so far, I'm hooked. Check out Jodi's news at http://www.jodipicoult.com. She is one incredible woman, mom and writer.

Our spring issue of Mom Writer's Literary Magazine is out featuring Publisher Nancy Cleary - awesome issue. I learned some wonderful news the other day for MWLM. Our MWLM site was chosen for the third year in a row as one of the 101 Best Sites for Writers by Writer's Digest Magazine. Yippee! Thanks to everyone who voted for us - we appreciate your support for mom writers :)

Oh, check out this great site http://www.birthonlaborday.com/home.html. The founder of BOLD, Karen Brody (BirthOnLaborDay) and Playwright of Birth is an amazing woman. Lots of great things happening there...

OK, time for this mama to scoot. Have a super week and enjoy the sunshine!
~ Paula

and that it was.

My 16 year old son's school held a talent show this weekend. Phillip and my 13 year old, J and J's friend, Matt were one of the performers playing a song that Phillip wrote last month. This talent show was put together by a senior at my son's school for her Capstone Project. The talent show was to be just that - a talent show. There wasn't any judging or winners, just performers entertaining their peers and a large audience of very supportive friends and family. It was a lot of fun and there was some great talent that evening for sure. Even though my guys have entertained in the past, they were a bit nervous at first, being they were playing for such a large crowd this time around. They loved it and we thank Jordan for putting together this awesome show and for my guys to have the opportunity to play along with many other talented young students :)

My guys are ready for more!

Hope you have a sunny Sunday,
Paula

...great tune by Augustana :)

Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend! We did in Boston and as always, it passed too quickly.

Enjoy your week!
Paula

SO this afternoon was day 3 of auditions for our local talent show at our high school. Phillip, my 16 year old, Joseph, my 13 year old and Joseph's friend, Matt, also 13 had their audition at 4:45 with two songs that Phillip wrote and they said it was COOL. The show is the end of March and from what I hear, there will be some great talent performing here in our community that night. The boys have two more weeks to practice their performance in our basement AND two more weeks to decide on a name for their band (they change band names as much as they change their ring-tones).

I'm now reading Jodi Picoult's novel Mercy. The hubby read it before me and warned me that I probably will not be a big fan of this book. HA! How could that be, I love all of Jodi's books so far. Well, he may be right. So far, there is one major male jerk-off in the story and I am not happy with him. I'm hoping he gets what he deserves in this story - that or drops dead. I bought Jodi's new novel Change of Heart and that is my next read, however, to date, My Sister's Keeper is at the top of my list.

Easter is quickly approaching...we are really looking forward to some R&R in Boston :)

Time for this mom to go to sleep. Nicholas, it was so good to have you home the past three days and have fun in Montreal the rest of the week with your friends - oh, and when you talk to Jen again, tell her we said "HI!" and Tony, have a good time in Florida next week and give Meghan a hug for us :)

~Paula

OK, so I have another teenager around the house now and did I mention that I noticed a few more gray (well silver) hairs on the top of my head this week? Joseph turned 13 last Sunday and he wanted to know if he looked any taller. Right. It was nice that his older brother, Tony, surprised him from college and drove over for the night with his girlfriend, Meghan, to visit. We had his usual - Tacos and rice for lunch instead of dinner as we had the final games for the first tournament that his middle school team is playing in. And guess what? They won! Nice birthday gift :) Here are some pics from J's birthday (J gets Bongos) and the tournament...

Hey, spring is just around the corner and so is baseball season :)

Enjoy the rest of your week!

~Paula

I LOVE my MAC! It's set up and running and boy, I wish I had one three years ago. They are extremely user friendly and reliable. So that is one thing off my to do list. Thank you Apple.

I'm exhausted. The past week has been crazy busy with everything including my college classes...but, I love it. And, I'm reading another Jodi Picoult novel entitled Perfect Match. I guess you could say I'm losing sleep every night because I can't seem to stop reading and turn off the damn light - She is so good. And I am so tired. Such is life.

Well basketball season is over for my 10th grader, Phillip. I'm sad but he is ready to move on to baseball - his love. His team ended up at 17 and 5 and they won the trophy for the end of the season tournament so that was fun. My 7th grader, Joseph's season has ended but they are now playing their end of season tournament and they keep winning (and they did again today) so we continue playing next weekend over Joseph's 13th birthday :)

Damn, look at the time - got to run. My kids are on winter break this week...HELP!

Have a great week!
Paula

I'm getting a new computer - Yay! - and I can not wait.  My existing IBM is almost 3 1/2 years years old and has been slowly dying so this time around I am getting a MAC :)  I've heard such great things about Apple's MAC computers and I should have it this week.  I'm sure I will have lots of reading and learning to get it up and going but it will be worth it.  Anybody have a MAC and what are your thoughts on it versus a PC?  Please tell me good things :)

Anyway, we are having a full blown snow blizzard outside right now and with all the snow we have had dumped on us this winter, we may just get buried in the white stuff.  My sons keep asking me, "Mom, do you think we'll have a snow day tomorrow?"  God I hope not.  We just had two days with 2-hour school delays last week. My Anna banana does NOT want a snow day - she loves school and playing with her friends. 

So Joseph found out this past week that he was selected to go in March to the Northeast District Band Festival representing his middle school and playing the drums so that was nice.  Should be a fun night watching and listening to all the kids play their hearts out.  My guys are also entering their school's talent shows in March so that will be cool to see all the different acts put on by kids - and there are lots of them.  My hubby remembers his high school talent shows where he grew up in Michigan with Madonna singing and struting her stuff - Yes, Madonna.  And she was a brunette back then.  She was one grade up from him and in the same class with one of his sisters. 

Well, time for this mom to make some dinner....and maybe play outside in the snow ;)

Toodles, Paula