things to think about

I'm making a list of things I want to blog about. I can never remember any of my ideas when I come here to type so as I think of them I will post them here and then cross them off as I get to them. :) IF there is anything that you guys want me to post about... any stories you would like me to share, please feel free to ask and I will probably just ignore your requests... but hey it will up my comments right?? JUST KIDDING! :P I will most definitely post about them... it will give me more blog material right?? right!!

My List Of Posts I Want To Do!

~ Plans for a trip to Disney

~ New Years stuff ~ thoughts and plans for 2009

~ 9.5 months till the girls go to pre-k full time

~ Going back to work... or not

~ Pictures of the house and how it is coming along

~ Trevor and all that is wonderful with him

~ Lauren and all that is wonderful with her

~ Brooke and all that is wonderful with her

~ Being stalked by "friends"

~ School district issues

~ Getting more organized with everything ~ time, life, kids, house etc.

*** adding more to my list, already***

~ Tattoo ideas... what I want and where I want it

~ Bryan's tatoo ideas when and where he will get them

that is all I can think of for now... I'm sure I'll add to it here and there. but for now that is a great start to give me some blogging material. :)

*gasp*

Finally!!!

Some pictures of the "new" house!!

~

the kitchen...

we are going to clean it up the best we can for NOW...

this is going to be our first project once we have the downstairs all done

and have upstairs ready to move into ...

~ we are going to replace all the cabinets.

~ we are getting new appliances ~ stove, fridge, dishwasher.

~ we are going to replace all counter top with granite (we think granite, we aren't 100% sure)

~ we are going to put a stone back splash (little tile stones)

~ where the wall oven was, we are going to open that wall up to make one big pantry

~ we are going to add cabinets on the wall and an "L" shape on the wall on the left hand side of the picture

~ and eventually if you were standing where I was when I took the picture, there is a wall with a big window in it that goes to the play room. we are going to either open that wall up as a big walk way into that room or we are going to make a regular doorway size opening and make the window a counter area with bar stools or something... we aren't sure yet. I'll try to get a picture of the window next time I go over to the house... probably tomorrow. We are also thinking of putting in a "front" door in the kitchen, but we would have to extend the porch around from the back of the house to have a wrap around porch and then have stairs come up from the driveway.

We are thinking of doing the cabinets in dark cherry color or java. I love the way the dark wood looks. I am also thinking of doing a paint treatment in the kitchen that would consist of a base coat that would be a sunflower yellow color and then a terracotta color over that wiped off with a rag to show the yellow through in places. But I'm not 100% sure about that just yet. The floor will be tiled with 12 x 12 tiles that will match, not be the same as, but match the counter top and back splash.

We are also getting black appliances. We were going to go with SS but since the landlord is replacing them for us we have to stay within a budget, so maybe some time down the road we would replace them ourselves with SS. We'll see.

These are shelves or built in book case that are on the way down the stairs. The stairs are split, which makes me happy b/c then I think the kids will get less hurt when they fall down them... and I did say WHEN because I think it is inevitable that they will... although I hope I'm wrong.

This picture also shows the paneling that is in the living room, since the stairs come up in the living room. I'm not crazy at all about paneling, BUT for some reason this is growing on me. I don't mind it so much. And that is good b/c it will be staying for a while till we can replace it with sheetrock... and we will also cut a window or two into the living room, where there aren't any. Only one at the top of the stairs, but that isn't in the living room really.

Here are the first set of stairs that head down to the lower level. I love that they are open. It makes it look really nice and it doesn't seem to take up as much space as if they were were all closed in. I love the stairs. :)

This pictures is a little dark, sorry. And I'm too lazy to try to fix it for you all. BUT this is our fire place... the thing that is in the front will come out and a gas insert will replace it. It will look just like burning logs, only we will just flip a switch to turn it on!! :) I love the fire place too. It needs some TLC but not any replacing or renovations. :)

This is the play room. It is a HUGE room! What you are seeing is about 3/4 of it... so this will work PERFECTLY for all the kids toys! I'm so excited to have a playroom again, and also this could be doubled for people to say over when we have our big New Years Party or other parties when people stay over. :) I love all the windows in it and it opens up the back deck. :)

(we are also going to make the back deck bigger, even if we don't wrap it around the front of the house)

I will post some more pictures when I get back over there to take some... I have mostly been focusing on taking pictures of the demo work downstairs. Ripping out walls and insulation and all that... But I will get more pictures of the house to post. Tomorrow I think we will all be over there working/cleaning and hanging out. Trevor is off from school so we can spend the entire day!! :)

Fun Family Outings!!

The sky is blue and the sun is shining here!! :) Yay!! Sure it is cold and windy out but that is okay from inside my little bubble aka my house, things look great in the outside world. :)

Well yesterday, Monday, the skies were blue and the sun shone brightly! Today it is crummy out... dark, over cast and YUCKY! No sign of the sun, it is cold again and windy and we are supposed to get some snow, ice or rain! Poo Poo!!!

So since today seems like a bright cherry day and I really want it to be Spring already with warm sunny days, flowers and trees blooming and nice green grass... I have been thinking of all the places I would like to go this Spring/Summer and take the kids. :)

Family Outings of 2008!

The Statue of Liberty We aren't too far from NYC so this is definitely a doable trip. I think they will be amazed at how big the statue actually is, at least Trevor will be, the girls may not understand so much. They will all love the boat/ferry ride over to the Statue of Liberty and I think it would just be a fun day and a great experience. :) We could also drive 1/2 way and then take the train down as another experience to have with them. Although Trevor has been on the subway before. :) Brooke and Lauren have not... well not yet.

Next on our list...

The Bronx Zoo! I would love to take the kids here, I thought about going last year, but with the wedding and then everything that followed, birthdays, another wedding, and everything else it was hard to work it out to actually get there!! This year I really want to do this. I love zoo's and I know that all three of the kids would LOVE this!! Believe it or not, I have lived in NY all my life and have never been to the Bronx Zoo. Most of the schools do field trips there, but not mine. Oh well this will be my chance to see it and even better show it to my children. :)

after this we'll make our way to...

Hayden Planetarium I cannot wait to go here!! I love LOVE love things like this... I know call me a DORK. Okay... did you really have to?? I know I may be by myself when I say that I really enjoy things like this... but I do. I love learning new things, and I also really love the smell of these kinds of buildings and museums. I know I'm strange, I can't help this, you know!! ;)

and then I would like to go to....

National Baseball Hall of Fame this is something that I would like to see and I think Bryan would enjoy as well, but I know my father would LOVE this place!!! I'm not sure the kids would get much out of it, but I know Trevor likes baseball so maybe he would find it a little bit interesting.

something the for the kids that they would LOVE...

The Toy Town Museum, this sounds great. Sounds like the adults could look back to their childhood through with different toys they see and the kids would have a blast looking at millions of interesting and cool toys all day!! Seems like everyone wins with this stop on our list.

in a New York minute... only it would take longer!! :)

Astroland Amusement Park & Wonder Wheel aka Cony Island. I have never been here, but think it would be really cool to go. I also heard something the other day about it possibly closing... I think it would be cool to take the kids this year if it will be closed next year... I mean this is Cony Island it is sort of like a museum in itself. :)

Our next stop will be...

The Maritime Aquarium! This is in Connecticut and I would really love to go here!! As much as I like going to the zoo, the aquarium is even more amazing and awesome!! This will be so fun to take them too!! I know they will be amazed and wowed with every turn we take and every new thing they see and discover. :) We took Trevor to an aquarium in SC when we were in Myrtle Beach and he loved it. He was one year younger than the girls will be this year so I know they will all really enjoy it. :) (the aquarium we took Trevor too was the Ripely's Aquarium)

while in Connecticut camping on the Long Island Sound, which we do every year since I was about 9 years old, I would like to go to...

The Mystic Seaport Aquarium! This isn't as impressive, I don't think as the Maritime Aquarium in Connecticut, but we will sure enjoy it and it is close to where we camp. ;) I think that the kids will enjoy every trip we take this year. They are all going to be some where they haven't been before and will see new things and even learn something at the same time. :) Just thinking about all this is making me want to pack some things and charge up the camera battery and hit the road. ;) But there are still a lot more places I want to take the kids...

keep on traveling with me as we go to....

Santa's Workshop This is in North Pole, NY. My parents took us here when we were little and we loved it. I also remember seeing dolphins here, which didn't happen, but I'm still pretty sure this was an amazing trip for us!! I think this will would be great to do this summer, they are all a good age, but I also think we have a few more summers to go that would work for this trip. :)

and another place up north of us...

White Face Mountain This is in upstate NY as well and this was some where we went when were did our Santa's Workshop trip... it was pretty cool to drive up the mountain and then once on top, or close to the top you can go into the mountain and take a tour to the very top! I think there was also a restaurant up there too. :) There isn't much there to see but it was still fun and something different we did and something I think my kids would also enjoy and look back at with fond memories.

up North even more...

Niagara Falls in NY and then go over to Canada while we are up that far. I think this would be amazing. I would love to go on a boat to see the falls, but not sure if the kids could or would do this. :) I'll have to check into this trip a little more. I have never seen Niagara Falls. We did go to Canada when I was younger and we did see Eisenhower Locks too, which I enjoyed, I thought it was really cool how the lock system works, but I'm not sure my kids would find enjoyment in that at this age. The falls they would think are amazing!! I know I would too!

while in Northern NY...

Great Escape ~ Six Flags & Splash Water Kingdom This is in Lake George, which I want to go to just to take the kids to Lake George, NY also. :) I think I will add this to my list as well, even though we will be in Lake George to go to Great Escape! I have never been to Lk George or Great Escape, but I'm sure this would be a great trip. I have heard a lot of wonderful things about both, the area and the park and what perfect family vacation spot this is!!

near Great Escape is...

Water Slide World if Trevor was/is tall enough to do the slides at this park it would be totally awesome!! Brooke & Lauren aren't tall enough, old enough or interested in water slides just yet, so this wouldn't be too much of a thrill for them, but when they are a little bit older they would love it like Trevor will this summer!! :)

obviously next will be...

Lake George, NY I'm not going to type much here b/c I pretty much summed this one up with the Great Escape trip above. :)

this sounds like fun...

Midway Park this seems like it would have something for everyone!! :) Family friendly park with rides and kiddie rides too! Just what we are looking for!! I will have to see if there is a campground near by that we could stay at. :) fun fun!!

speaking of family friendly parks this one I hold near and dear to my heart. my parents have taken us here many many times, and I still really love the place...

Knoebels Amusement Resort this place is awesome. They have everything, it is very family friendly and almost a home town fair feeling. The people are great the food is Yummy! The prices are reasonable and the entire vacation will be wonderful!! There is a campground right next door to the park so we could camp there and it would make life so easy. No loading the kids up in the car to go to the park for the day, I can take the girls back for naps while Trevor and Bryan explore the park some more. We could eat some of our meals at the camper to save some money! :) You have to check this place out it is stinkin' AWESOME!!!!

for a day trip...

Wild West City in NJ This place is very cool!! Especially for little boys!! My parents took, me, Trevor and my nephew Matthew here a few summers ago, Trevor was pretty little so he didn't get much out of it... but Matthew sure did enjoy it!! It was great. My parents took us here when we were little too, and we loved it!! This is something I really want to do with Trevor. I know he is at the PERFECT age to really LOVE it!! :)

for the girls and I think Trevor would still love it too!!

Sesame Place in PA I have looked at this before to take Trevor before we had the girls, but thought that he was maybe a little bit too young. Now I think they would all really LOVE it. This is more than a day trip... it is a pretty big place. Not Disney big, but big enough for three little kiddies, they would go crazy for all the Sesame Street characters!! :) This is one that is near the top of my list of things to do this summer!

while in PA...

The Crayola Factory we took my nephew here when he was about Trevor's age, and he thought it was fun. It isn't anything more than day trip, and not even a full day at that, but if we are near there already camping, then it is definitely something very cute and fun to do with the kids. :) It is pretty impressive to see how they make crayons and makers and a few other things as well. :)

I also want to take the kids to a bunch other things here are some more of my ideas:

• local fairs, we LOVE them!!
• Monster Truck show, at least take Trevor
• Stock Car races in Middletown, Trevor would like to see this and we could all go as a family something different to do
• a BIG Circus, there is one in Madison Square Garden soon, but I don't think we are going to be making it to that one
• into NYC for the day, just to spend the day, and go to the park, walk around go to FAO Schwartz and things like that.

And there are a million other things on my list... I have to work on it some more, but didn't want to keep this as a draft any longer so I will just post again some of my other ideas!!! :) I hope you are all having a good Tuesday!!! Toodles!