"Once our eyes are opened, we cannot pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act." Proverbs 24:12



“There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven’t yet met.”- William Butler Yeats





Saturday, June 6, 2009

yes we are!

big apple


I should've known better than to underestimate your astuteness! Yes, it was a "big" apple, but for some reason I didn't think most of you would guess! You impress me "big". No pun intended. Ok. Maybe a little.

As to keeping the doctor away? I wish! (Update on Kai coming soon.)

And the Twilight books? Sheesh...you've almost got me convinced to read it. Almost!

Back to NYC! It's turned out to a be bittersweet trip. Remember THIS post where I spoke about Amanda and her Quinces? Sadly, we have come to the conclusion that we are in no position financially to provide her with the much anticipated event, equivalent to a wedding and costing on a small scale more than $10k, peaking closer to $15k!

Instead, as a celebration of the momentous date, we offered her a trip with the entire family, to the place of her choice. After researching, pondering and dreaming, covering places from Costa Rica to Jamaica to Italy, she ended up choosing one of my her favorite places, New York City!!! WOOT! WOOT!

We'll be going in August. Tickets are purchased and hotel reservations are made!

Ahhh...but wait! There's icing on the cake. One of Amanda's very limited requests was the possibility of seeing the Broadway play Mamma Mia! Sweet hubby agreed and we were able to pull that off. So now we have center section orchestra seats to see the show that had her wailing serenading us with the famous Abba songs around the house for months!

Lastly, on top of every cake with icing there just has to be a cherry!

What is the cherry, you ask? (I just know this will be one of my favorite parts of the trip!)

There's quite a few of you that live in the northeast that I would love, love, love to see again or would love. love. love to meet and give big 'ol hugs in person to! I knew the family wouldn't go for my spending our first family vacation meeting friend after friend, since after all, a week flys by so quickly there. So, we came up with the idea of having a picnic for a couple of hours in Central Park! What do you think? Cool, huh? The kids could meet, frolick and play while the grown ups can pinch each other to make sure it's real! Ok, sorry! Really. No pinching will be involved. But I'd love to see you.

So if you're game, in the area (or would like to travel to meet up) please email me HERE and I will share the details I have in mind.

If you're a native New Yorker and have ideas or suggestions, you gotta know that those are always welcome since we're looking for inexpensive fun things to do with a teenager and 3 kiddos under 5, that all will enjoy!

In the meantime....we are psyched!


UPDATE: I've received a couple of emails from some of you worried that you don't have little kids, but would still like to come. Please don't think twice about it! I 'd love to see big people there, too. Oh, and of course, hubbies are very welcome....especially by Scott who already envisions himself surrounded by sweaty, screaming kids and lots of women talking about adoption. heh!






Wednesday, June 3, 2009

go ahead mom, just ask!

I came across this little quiz and thought it would be neat to ask all of my six kids what they thought about me.

Yep. I fully prepared myself for loaded questions, especially after telling them (the older ones specifically) to be 100% honest. Their answers made me laugh, smile and some even made me tear up.

Thank you to my big guys for indulging me. I know you guys don't like these "quizzy things". But, you gotta admit, we really had fun doing it and laughed quite a bit. I love you all....BIG!


181


Front Row: AJ (3), Anna Grace (4), Kai (5)

Back Row: Amanda (14), One very blessed Mama, Tito (26 and the only one that lives in another city), Adam (24)


Here are their unedited answers.


*It was interesting to see that some answers were so similar yet, they all answered separately without knowing or hearing any of the others' responses.



1. What is something your Mom always says to you?

TITO: "STOP!"

ADAM
: "I don't know, we'll see."

AMANDA
: "What Amanda? What Amanda? What?"

KAI:
"Be good at school."

ANNA GRACE: "Be a good girl."

AJ: "Give me kissies and huggies"


2. What makes your Mom happy?


TITO: Adopting kids

ADAM
: When i visit!

AMANDA: When we behave

KAI: Being good

ANNA GRACE: When we behave

AJ: When you give kissies


3. What makes Mom sad?


TITO
: Not adopting kids

ADAM
: Missing 24

AMANDA: When we behave badly.

KAI: When we not listen.

ANNA GRACE: When we don't listen.

AJ: Hurting feelings



4. How does your Mom make you laugh?

TITO
: Telling jokes

ADAM
: Tells me stories about what AJ did.

AMANDA: When she leaves the gallon of milk in the pantry.

KAI: She plays peek-a-boo.

ANNA GRACE: When you tickle me.

AJ: When she calls me silly cracker and chases me (don't ask, not what you think!)



5. How old is your Mom?


TITO
: 46 (Ugh!)

ADAM: 46 (Double ugh!)

AMANDA: 45 (One out of 6 got it right!)

KAI: 3

ANNA GRACE: 10

AJ: 3


6. How tall is your Mom? (No one got this one right!)

TITO: 5'5

ADAM:
5'8

AMANDA:
5'8

KAI: "this, this big" (jumping up with hands extended upwards)

ANNA GRACE: BIG!

AJ: BIG!


7. What is your Mom's favorite thing to watch on TV?


TITO: 24

ADAM
: 24

AMANDA:
24

KAI:
Kung Fu Panda and Over The Hedge

ANNA GRACE: Sleeping Beauty

AJ: Baseball (heh...i never watch baseball)



8. What does your Mom do when you're not around?

TITO: Live life.

ADAM: Get on the computer.

AMANDA: I don't know, I'm not around to see it.

KAI: I don't know, I not here.

ANNA GRACE: Play with AJ

AJ: Sit


9. What is your Mom really good at?

TITO: Taking care of us kids

ADAM: Mothering

AMANDA: Writing

KAI: Playing games

ANNA GRACE: Taking care of your babies

AJ: Folding clothes (this boy is too funny!)



10. What does your Mom do for her job?

TITO: Taking care of kids

ADAM: A housewife and Mom

AMANDA: She takes care of us

KAI: To take care of her babies

ANNA GRACE: To love her babies

AJ: To sit on the computer


11. What is your Mom's favorite food?


TITO: Scott's shepherd's pie

ADAM: Oxtail stew

AMANDA: Cuban food

KAI: Spaghetti and noodles

ANNA GRACE: Hot dogs (I hate hot dogs...heh!)

AJ: Carrots



12. What makes you proudest about your Mom?

TITO: Your involvement with us.

ADAM: She's always there for us.

AMANDA: That she adopted my brothers and sister.

KAI: Because you're a good listener!

ANNA GRACE: Because you love me.

AJ: She gives kissies and hugs



13. What do you and your Mom do together?

TITO: Talk on the phone all the time.

ADAM: Hang out

AMANDA: We shop.

KAI: We sing songs.

ANNA GRACE: Love ourselves (I think she meant love each other)

AJ: Watch TV



14. How are you and your Mom the same?

TITO: We're both stubborn.

ADAM: We both conserve our money (Gee, Adam....I wish Scott thought that!)

AMANDA: We're both strong-willed.

KAI: We have black hair.

ANNA GRACE: You and me (?)

AJ: 'cause



15. How are you and your Mom different?

TITO: I'm a guy!

ADAM: I'm more open minded, you stick to your ways.

AMANDA: Our opinions

KAI: I'm a boy, you a girl.

ANNA GRACE: You (?)

AJ: 'Cause you're bigger, but not a lot!



16. How do you know your Mom loves you?

TITO: We talk on the phone all othe time.

ADAM: She tells me.

AMANDA: She tells me everyday

KAI: She tells me so, so much and gives me kissies.

ANNA GRACE: You always tell me.

AJ: I ask Daddy.



17. What does your Mom like most about your Dad (Step-Dad)?

TITO: He's her "Sugar Daddy"; he never says no to her.

ADAM: His personality.

AMANDA: His personality

KAI: Daddy's a good cook.

ANNA GRACE: You hug each other.

AJ: His kissies.



18. What would your Mom do with a million dollars?

TITO: Spend $900,000 on adopting more kids and $100, 000 on taking care of them.

ADAM: Pay her bills and hopefully give the rest to me, but I don't think so.

AMANDA: After buying my much wanted bearded dragons, she'd adopt more kids!

KAI: Go to lots of stores and buy alot of stuff.

ANNA GRACE: You put it in a hole (heh! No clue where that came from. Maybe she's been reading Obamanomics.)

AJ: Spend it in a place.



19. What do you wish you could go and do with your Mom?


TITO: Buy lotto tickets and win!

ADAM: Travel

AMANDA: Bowling

KAI: Go to Sea World

ANNA GRACE: To the mailbox and get mail. (I can make her wish come true every day..heh!)

AJ: To the alligator station where you could touch them. It's O.K. they're nice alligators. (no idea what he's talking about!)



20. What is one thing you hope never changes about your Mom?

TITO: Your spirit. The way that you are!

ADAM: Our friendship

AMANDA: How quickly she forgives and gets over things.

KAI: I want her to be my best friend forevah and evah and evah.

ANNA GRACE: To love me.

AJ: She gives huggies and plays and shares


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