I. Touched. The. Cup.

I was so nervous, I don't think I fully got to appreciate the greatness.

My favorite June pix

Shamus Henry

He was born June 12. My second nephew. I'm mum on the name. As any good aunt should be. :)

Gone fishin'

I spent a much-needed day off on the Yough today.

Makes me think hard about how I can fit in more of these kinds of days!

I will probably continue blogging sporadically throughout the summer. I bit off more than I can chew around the house this spring! I will be updating photos more regularly as soon as I can get my hands on some decent photo-editing software.

ASIDE: It occurred to me today that both me and my best friend of 20-plus years both like to fish. Yet I don't think either of us have ever seen each other with a fishing rod in hand. Odd.

And so it is...

I've been a little busy. Sealing the deck, installing the veggie garden, getting out the patio furniture, etc. I still haven't gotten my computer back up to speed (re: I have no photo editing software!) so I've been a little out of touch with the blog. I have tons of photos to share, so I need to remedy that soon. I'm still in anguish over all I lost when the drive crashed, but I'm slowly coming to terms with it and taking more photos to make up for it! (One should be lucky that I can't post the photo of Zoe puking all over the bathroom!!)

In the meantime, my latest sinus infection is kicking my ass, and the Pens are about the kick the Red Wings' asses. So it all balances out.

Here are a couple of (unedited) pics to tide over my guilt for lack of blogging. We have had a great couple of months, and I'll fill in the blanks soon. Hope those on Facebook will catch up with me there.

RIP SWeeT, 2006-2009

Shortly after my last post, I was syncing my phone, and my computer just signed off. So long. It's not you, it's me.

I want to blame it on Zoe playing Webkinz, or some electrical problem in my house that MUST be under my (expired) warranty, but really, I'm a freaking dumbass for never backing up my files. All drives will fail, and I am yet another idiot that ignored all the suggestions to back up as I shut down programs, thinking I would get to it tomorrow.

All my photos from the past three years, gone.

Zoe's spring concert. Campfires in the back yard. Jacob's first Easter. Vacations and Christmases and everyday things. Jacob BEING BORN.

All gone.

I'm taking a little solace in the fact that I can possibly recover the pictures... to the tune of roughly $1,000. It is worth it to me, really, the next time I come across that kind of cash. It's not a long shot, it's actually something I WILL do. But for now, my dining room picture frames will remain empty, a project I've been slowly working on, and I'm going to hurry and fill them with shit just so I don't have to look at them every day and think about what an asshole I am for NOT BACKING UP MY SHIT.

This was really devastating to me. I've cried and imbibed quite a bit to survive the loss of three years worth of my kids' childhoods. I've got my computer back, a clean slate, and it's going to take some time to get it back to where I recognize it. Lots of rehab. And if I can never get those pictures back, I'll have some years to think up the perfect excuse when my kids ask about first grade. Or being born.

My old drive was named "SWeet." My new drive is "SWeeT SuCCeSSoR." Never again will I go a week without saving my precious memories.

I suggest you back up your shit, NOW. And if you have a few photos of my kids from the past few years, please send them along. :(

Hoppy Easter!

Jacob seemed to like his football. I wanted to get him a real one, but I didn't want him to get frustrated. (ERRRR, I MEAN, NICE CHOICE, EASTER BUNNY.) Zoe pretty much whined throughout the day about how everyone else on the planet got more and better stuff from E.B. than she did. Ahh, to be 7 again and have such pain and torture.


We hit up Aunt Roberta's for some free food and candy. Zoe is in disguise with her Christmas dress, totally throwing everyone off.


Then we stopped by Liam's and Mom tried to crash. I really, really tried. Hard.

I was working for the weekend?

In a rare act of volunteerism that led me to remember why I'm not into volunteerism, I took on all four kids for a Saturday. I had not a moment to myself, not even a few minutes to run down and do laundry, which was all I wanted to accomplish. I really wasn't asking a lot. I'm talking LAUNDRY.

But..... sometimes it takes a day like this to make me slow down and realize what I have.

A brood of four self-centered children with appetites of truck drivers.

I sent them to the park every time they asked for a snack:


This was AFTER I gave them a gourmet lunch:


And finally Liam got off work and we took care of the Easter Bunny:



And after grass stains and raviolis, my laundry doubled. It would be nice if the Easter Bunny took care of it.