OMG... I'm in love!!!

**** SPOILER ALERT**** Mom... if you don't want to see what you are getting for Christmas (probably early because I am so excited) LOOK AWAY NOW!!!

I am in love with Uppercase Living new photo vinyl!!! I ordered my first photo vinyl and I will admit I was a bit skeptical. But I have to say I am absolutely thrilled. I ordered a 4' x 4' pic of the boys (yes that is 4 feet by 4 feet) and when you order a 4x4 or larger contour cut photo vinyl print you have the option of adding a value pack for only $14.95... the value pack includes two (2) 8" silhouettes (black only), one (1) 1o" (inch) color graphic and one (1) 18" (inch) color graphic. The 18" color graphic is what you see below above the stairs leading to my basement. And the best thing... they are removable and re-useable... so I can move it anywhere else I want. Now I just need to order a cute saying about "brothers" to go along with this pic.

I am not quite sure what to do with the silhouettes, but for now one is living above the coat rack... and the beauty of it is that I can remove it and put it somewhere else later.

(18" color graphic from value pack)

(10" silhouette)

If you have a great photo that you would like to seen blown up on your wall... go to my

Uppercase Living website for more info.

Buddy Walk, Trilliums and Down syndrome... OH MY!!!

We have been so busy the past few weeks with getting things ready for the Buddy Walk. The DDC Buddy Walk is at Lambs Farm and in the end it was clear that the past 8 months of planning really paid off. The Buddy Walk is the DDC's largest fundraiser of the year and this even allows us to offer workshops, holiday events, newsletters, playgroups, social gatherings, movies and other activities free of charge to our members.

One of our fundraising efforts at this year's Buddy Walk was working with artist Suzanne Loechl and The Trillium Project The Trillium Project. Suzanne prepares these beautiful hand painted slate tiles. She then sent them to us, and with special pens, the parents of the DDC wrote on each tile. Suzanne then cut the tiles into pendants that we sold at the Buddy Walk.

These pendants (or Trilliums) are absolutely gorgeous. They turned out amazing... just like our kids with Down syndrome each pendant is unique and special and a tiny reminder of a person with Down syndrome who touched our hearts that we can take with us where ever we go. Once cut into pendants, you can only catch a glimpse of a few words but it is the idea of being part of a great whole.

The Trilliums created by DDC families are now for sale... single pendants are $35 each and $48 with a leather cord... all pendants come in a black draw-string bag. If you are interested in purchasing a Trillium... just email me. There are lots of colors to choose from. This is a great way to be fashionable and support a good cause at the same time!!!

What do you get when you mix water and sidewalk chalk?

messy fun!!!

busy, busy, busy weekend

wheeeewwwww! We are back from an insanely busy weekend in Northern Michigan. It was a close call there but we survived...LOL For starters we took the boys to the local fair, we went to Pat's 25th high school reunion, we rode on the Powell Painters float in the parade with the cousins, the boys went up for a quick fly in my Dad's plane and Andrew went to a Beach Bum game with Grandma and Grandpa Moore.

Sometimes I never feel that we get to stay in any one place long enough to really relax but it was good to see everyone. The boys were exhausted and slept all the way back home... about 10 hours due to traffic. The pics are a brief recap of our crazy trip...

first day of school

Today Andrew and Sam start 2nd and 1st grades, respectively. Andrew is very excited and he insisted on dressing himself this morning (I allowed this outfit only because it is only a 1/2 day of school...we will make a bit more effort tomorrow...LOL). Sam was thrilled to be going back to school. He kept climbing into his wheelchair and checking out the window for the bus. Tomorrow will be both of their first full days of school.

I will be going to Sam's school tomorrow to show the nurse how to run his feeding pump. (I am sure she already knows but it will make me feel better) He will have to get a tube feeding at school... fingers crossed that will be a smooth transition for him. Andrew is excited because he LOVES all the hot lunch items lined up for the rest of the week... however he is less than thrilled with his selection of snack items I have for him (seriously... granola bars with rainbow chocolate chips, grapes, yogurt...you would think I was making him eat cow tongue).

So now it is just me and Sean at home. In 2 weeks we are starting the Little Listeners program (Mom and Tot early literacy/story time) at the library. He was a bit concerned when his brothers got on those big busses and rode away so I am sure he will be happy to greet them when they come home.

lions and tigers and bears... oh my

Today we took a family trip to the Brookfield Zoo... family day out for Sean's birthday. The big attraction was Dinosaurs Alive. They were huge and they growled and they moved... the kids loved it. Most of the other animals seemed to be either asleep or have some other prior engagement, but the boys got to see a lot.

Sean was most excited about the cop car that was stationed inside the zoo and the tram. He can't say it yet but he has this odd growl that means dinosaur, he was a bit apprehensive at first but very excited to see the pics when I pulled them up on the computer. In the Swamp House there was an otter that took a liking to him and kept swimming right up to where Sean was standing in front of the glass... the otter would pop up and pause for a second, nose to nose with Sean, and then dive again. He did this several times and it was quite cute.

Sam liked the dinos too but it was sprinkling when we were going through that exhibit and I think he was distracted by that. Unfortunately for him all the railings around the animal enclosures just happened to be exactly at his eye level when seated in his wheelchair. That combined with the fact that the animals you could see were sleeping and most blended in so well they were hard to spot... made them virtually invisible to Sam. Sam really liked the playground but for some reason he had more fun moving from picnic table to picnic table and kicking wood chips. I think the squishy rubber ground surrounding the jungle gyms felt funny to him. But he did an amazing job of stepping over raised roots coming up out of the ground and navigating other objects.

Andrew RAN through the dinosaur exhibit rattling off all the names and general facts about each one to anyone who would listen. He also learned some new things in the reptile house. And then we stopped at this little play ground in the Zoo. It was all fun and games until Andrew, while playing tag with a new friend, yells "OH SHIT" at the top of his lungs. Let me tell you that was one proud mama moment for me....NOT!

OMG he is 2! Where did the time go?

So these are more pics from the Sean's birthday and a few leading up to this day.

Sam is thinking... I want that hat!

Pat all geared up at the hospital just a few minutes before Sean was born.

I love this pic of Sam kissing Sean... he can't be more than a few days old.

Me and Sean home from the hospital.

Ok... you can say it... aaawwwwwwww!

This is me on my way to the hospital for Sean's c-section. My shirt says... "Does this shirt make me look fat?" I figured it would be the LAST time I would ever wear it.

This was taken the day before I delivered Sean. Obviously it was time to get him out as it would seem that I no longer had any shirts to cover up my belly.