Total Pageviews

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Playing Catch Up

Hey there everyone!  So it has been a long time since I wrote last.  It is amazing how fast time flies.  Things are good.  We are still living in New Jersey, but hoping our next station will be closer to family and friends.  Cort will be 12 years old Saturday and starts middle school next Thursday.  Elizabeth starts 3rd grade next Thursday also.  Cort is interested in running cross country for his school.  I hope he does.  I loved doing it and I only did it my senior year. If he starts now by the time he is in high school he will be very good. 
 
 Cort and Elizabeth.  They are growing so fast. 
 
 
Since my last post (May 2013) we have lost several members of our family. My brother-in-law Frank lost his brother Dee.  Dee was an amazing man.  He was a great friend, an awesome nurse, a talented musician and a funny guy.  He is missed dearly. My kids still talk about Uncle Dee and I will make sure they continue to.  Also, Scotty, our beloved lab went to heaven on January 18, 2014. It was a very, very difficult day. For weeks after I looked for him at the door when I got home, and was sad when he wasn't there. In August 2014 we started to look around at getting another lab. Through family and friends I was put in contact with a breeder in Pennsylvania. She was waiting for her female chocolate lab, Missy to go into heat. She finally did in October and our puppy was born on January 4, 2015 (1.4.15). We drove all the way out to the middle of PA the beginning of February to pick our puppy.  We had pick of the liter.  Seeing all those little puppies, it was hard to choose but Raider won out.  We decided to name him Raider after our high school mascot, Rockledge High School Raiders. He is quite the little stinker. He believes if he can reach it, it is his...this includes things on the counters, tables, beds, etc. Nothing is safe anymore. He is a lot more stubborn than Scotty ever was but he is very affectionate. He still climbs up into my lap like he weighs nothing. In all honesty, he weighs about 65 pounds and he is 7 1/2 months old. His Daddy, Smoky, was a big, beautiful black lab and I think Raider is going to take after him. Oh, and he likes to talk back to you. It is so funny having such an opinionated dog.
 
 
 
 

Raider at 4 1/2 weeks old
Such a lovable face
 

He's growing so fast
4 1/2 weeks old.  We had
 pick of the liter and we picked him.
 
 

The silly ways he sleeps
 

His dad, Smoky

Trip to Walmart with Mommy

I am attempting to drive and this is where he decides he wants to sleep. 
He is such a cuddly dog. 
 
 

 
 
The kids and I have had a busy summer.  After school was out we immediately hit the Jersey Shore with our good friends Erika, and her kids - Dominic and Angelina. and Crystal, and her kids - Lily and Addy.   It was a fun day jumping waves and then walking the boardwalk.  
 





 Seaside Heights, NJ

Seaside Heights, NJ 
 Crystal with Addy and Lily
 
 
The gang getting ice cream at White Dottie on the last day of school.
 
 
 
 

Elizabeth and Angelina on the last day of school, our new little 3rd graders.


We have also been traveling this summer.  We spent three weeks in Florida visiting family.  It was a wonderful trip and we had a great time.  In August, the kids and I went to Pittsburgh to visit family and be there for the annual Fiumara Family picnic.  It was awesome.  We had such a great time with family.  I also took the kids to Kennywood and the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.   We were there for a week but it went by so fast, I could have stayed another week.  LOL. 
 
Here are a few pictures from Pittsburgh and the Fiumara family picnic.
 
 
 
Elizabeth helping Uncle Fred cook.  She is definitely learning from the best.
 
Cousins - Berto, Nancy, Elizabeth and Cort
 
The picnic is underway....
 
Siblings - Uncle Fred, my mom - Carol, Aunt Carmen and Uncle John
 
My cousins - Bert and Anita/Sarah and Dustin
 
Uncle John, Aunt Patty, my mom - Carol, Aunt Anna and Uncle Fred
 
Mom's friends from grade school.  She was so very happy to see them and spend time with them. 



Well I think that is all for now. I promise to do better posting things regarding life here in New Jersey and the kids. 
My love to all. 
-Jen