We all know marriage is tough, but I really think they could have tried harder and ended the show. Forget "reality show curse", that's B.S. I haven't been married for 25 or 50 years and I don't know the Gosselins, but I'm really sad for those kids...really sad.

Happy Father's Day!

The boys woke up at 6:15 this morning and with that started Father's Day! Big shout out to Keith for being a wonderful dad to our boys. Even though they spend the day with me, as soon as they hear daddy walk in the door they jump and yell for him! So excited! It's really a joy to see!
This father's day was very relaxing...until Dinner. My dad called earlier and asked if we wanted to meet up for dinner at Longhorns. Sounds great, thanks for the invite. Well, we get there and the boys will NOT sit still! Between Keith, me, my dad and step-mom we did not sit still until our table was called. Then we gave them crackers, crayons, anything to keep them quiet! And to make matters worse, it was hot!!!! The air was on fully (so they say) but it was really sweltering! Anyway, the chicken tenders finally arrived and all was right with the world. Next year will be better, my sweet husband, I guarentee it! Happy Father's Day! We love you!!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Boys!

Better late than never! Last weekend we had a blast with my mom, brother and his fiance in town. We enjoyed a nice day at the beach on Friday, Saturday, I went and found my bridesmaids dress at David's bridal for my brothers wedding ($40.00, thank you very much!) and Sunday was the birthday party!

Seriously, how can the days drag on forever, yet the years fly!!! My boys turned 3 and are the most amazing, crazy little people you have ever laid your eyes on! They are so smart, caring, and loving! I love that they are so easy to pick up on different emotions and ask if you are ok. I also love that they are willing to help around the house. Evan loves to sweep and use the dustpan and Aidan loves to clean the lint trap from the dryer. Every day they seem to amaze me with the things they say. For example: When I took out the potty, Evan looked at me and said "oh, this is the big time"...I called Keith immediately! Too cute! Aidan is still struggling with his speech but like I said learning new words every day! They had their physical on Friday and were very healthy. Evan is weighing in at 30 lbs even and Aidan is 28. I'm not sure of the percentiles for weight but for their height I know they were in the 50th percentile.
They really enjoyed having company over and loved visiting with their Grammy, Uncle Joe-Joe, and soon-to-be Aunt Sara. The weekend flew by but not without a birthday party for our little guys!
On Sunday, we celebrated with some family and some MOPS friends. We really had a great time with everyone even though it was excruciatingly hot! Poor Keith ran the grill in 90 degree weather, the burgers and hot dogs were very good, babe!! Thanks! Almost everyone took a dip in the pool and cooled off. It was a perfectly sunny day and to the best of my knowledge everyone seemed to have a good time! Thanks to everyone who participated! Here are some pictures!

6 years

On some days it feels like yesterday that we got married, others it feels like a lifetime. I'm sure you can all relate. Yesterday was our 6 year anniversary and all day long we were saying stuff like "right now, we would have been getting to the church", etc. When I think back over the past 6 years it really has been a rollercoaster. We had some wonderful years filled with the happiest of times, and some of the worst years you could possibly imagine. All in all in those worst years, we were very fortunate to have memorable good times as well. Weddings, births, birthdays, anniversaries-a true celebration of life. I'm so thankful for the life of love I have, and I'm thankful for the love of my life.

Miss you already....

Keith and his father with our boys-Christmas 2007

I wish I had better news to share, but we have lost one of the most wonderful men I have ever been honored to know-Keith's father, my father-in-law and the grandfather to my children. He's was in hospice for about a week, and they said that he wasn't going to make it through the day last Thursday. He was called home to Heaven on Friday, May 22, 2009 at 3:45 am. If I could tell you how much this man meant to us all, it would still be an understatement. He was a wonderful father and husband, a generous and funny friend, and an adored grandfather. We only wish our children could have grown to know him better, but with them being so young and us living so far away, it wasn't meant to be. He'd been sick for 11 years with a condition called scleroderma. To learn more about it, please visit www.scleroderma.org.

Stan, I want to say thank you from the bottom of our heart for making our family a wonderful one. You were strong beyond any measure and we love you just as much if not more than that. Rest In Peace, Dad, and God Bless you now and always.

Happy Mother's Day

This whole weekend was great, except for the fact that Keith had to work on Saturday. But Saturday night after he got home, we took the kids to a little carnival in which they rode two rides because of the height restrictions. Then went to Johnny Rockets for dinner- in one word-yum! Sunday morning I slept in until 8:30! Yay! The boys gave me their cards and I relaxed with them this morning. I then got a wonderful present of going to the beach ALL BY MYSELF! Keith took care of the kids and I went to Little Hickory Island in Bonita Springs. The weather was perfect, the water was perfect, there wasn't a cloud in the sky! I got home, Keith made dinner, and he did the dishes! The day just got better!!!! We put the kids to bed and topped off the night with Dairy Queen!!! Again-yum! Thanks, Keith for an amazing day-I'm so proud to be your wife and you kids' mommy-they are the greatest gift of all! Hope you all had a great day!

Being honest...

So today I thought of something I could post and share with you all. Before kids I was a spender...a big spender. Keith and I had a great life (not that we don't now) where we could go shopping at fancy big name stores at the drop of a hat. I bought clothes, shoes, scarves, bathing suits, etc...and never blinked an eye. Before we moved to Florida I worked at a law firm in Philadelphia and for some reason, I always wanted to impress and be taken seriously. My age was a big factor because I was the baby of the group and I felt like no one took me seriously. So I started to spend big at big stores and before I knew it I was spending money where I was almost not making enough to cover the minimum on my credit cards.

Now it seems that I have been paying for it ten fold. I buy mostly generic and never shop for clothes for myself unless its a special occassion. The only shopping I do now is grocery shopping and you know what? When I look at my closet, yes, I have an amazing assortment of stuff but that's all it is-stuff. After you start to grow up you realize that people are going to take you for what you are not what you wear.

For some reason I had to share this, I guess its more of a diary entry than a blog or the fact that I'm almost thirty and realized how far I've come...

Hi-Wanted to let you all know that I've decided to start selling Avon. Well, Avon products seem to sell themselves, I just help you get them! Anyway, if you're looking for a gift for someone else or yourself contact me through my website:
www.youravon.com/jreeedell

WASH YOUR HANDS!!!

I wanted to pass this along to you all regarding the swine flu-I found this info on the American Academy of Pediatrics website-Link to the right on here. Article is on the homepage. Stay safe!

First Beach Day of 2009

Keith and Evan

Aidan taking a break

Evan playing

Aidan-happiest boy ever!

Today, with family in town, we decided to head out to the beach. Keith got off work early and the weather was threatning with warnings of thunderstorms, but it turned out to be a wonderful afternoon. This year was wonderful as the boys actually stayed still for a few minutes at a time. Last year it was so crazy, I remember running up and down the beach, and in and out of the water. Anyway, all of us had a fantastic time. Here are the pics to prove it!

Happy Easter!

Look at all the Easter Baskets!

Keith and the boys in the pool...



A beautiful day in the great humid state of Florida but none the less a blast was had in the pool due to this glorious weather. (Was that a run on sentence?) Anyway, the boys woke up and we gave them their baskets. Aidan did not like his peeps so he put them in Evan's basket. Then we got dressed and went to my parents house where we had an Easter Egg Hunt and a delicious breakfast. The kids had a lot of fun as their cousins and my brother and sis-in-law were in from NY. Evan had a bit of a meltdown though because he wanted to go in the lake so we took him home for some much needed rest. They had lunch and went to bed for a couple of hours. Afterwards we got up and went back to Naples and had dinner at the clubhouse. Everything was delicious. The boys had a great time and Keith and I were able to enjoy a few morsels of food ourselves. A lot of people joined us for dinner and as far as I could see a good time was had by all. The boys then went into the pool. I stayed out fearing that people would mistake me for a beluga whale. (SIGH). Anyway, the boys had a great time with everyone in the pool, here are some pics from our wonderful Easter!

New Beds!

Here are the boys new beds. They really seem to like them...as I hoped they would, Keith put a lot of work into them! The comforters weren't on at this point, I have to wash everything before they go on their beds and we were waiting on them to dry. If it looks like one bed is larger than the other, its because they are bunk beds but will not become bunk beds for a few years!

Chuck E. Cheese!

The boys first trip!

Keith's Birthday!

Keith and his boys


Cake

These are so late! Here are some pics from Keith's birthday!

Atlanta Trip

Hi Everyone, Here are some pictures of our trip to Atlanta to visit my mom and the rest of our family. We took a long a weekend to go up there. The weather was beautiful-a little chilly but nonetheless very comfortable. During our visit we went to the Georgia Aquarium, Stone Mountain and to my cousin's house where we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Enjoy the pictures and thanks to my mom, and the rest of our family for a wonderful visit!
GA Aquarium-Reef

Baluga Whale

Us

Beyond Blessed...

So many times in my life, I tend to focus so much on the bad things instead of the good-I have to work on that. Today is not one of those days. I could not get over the amount of birthday wishes I received today. It is so wonderful to know that I have my wonderful family and so many people that care enough to call or just send a note to say happy birthday. It really meant a lot. So tonight when I go to sleep, I'll thank God for you all, and wish many years to come of this blissful reminder of my many blessings in life. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart!
Love,
Jen

Am I Crazy?

Well, the time has come for me to tell you folks that I am headed back to college to finish my degree in education. My original major was psychology, and I'm hoping all the credits transfer. It was a tough decision for me to go back to school but like my step-mom said, "It's never too late". I was scared at first of my decision to return but I know in the long run it will be great for our family. I'm planning on attending Edison State in the fall (or maybe start sooner in the summer) but only time will tell. I'm very excited yet very nervous, but my husband backs me up and so do my parents. My main inspiration comes from a very unlikely source: my step-mom. As most of you know her and I didn't get along for years, then once I had my own kids I looked back to my high school years one day and said "ok, she worked full-time, raised 4 kids, and studied until the whee hours of the morning. Now, we've had our share of problems but all in all...she did it. She got her degree. So thanks Pat, for being my inspiration in going back to school because if she can do it so can I. Say some prayers for me!

Are you ready for some football?

I am! This game is a little sentimental for me because of the fact that the Cardinals were my step-dad's favorite team. I don't see him anymore but I guess because he was a Cardinals fan, I feel the need to be also. So go Cardinals!

Updates...

I'm behind the ball with my updating you on our family-so sorry! Things have been very good here. I'm happy to report that Keith is over his nasty cold that he had for the past few weeks, and UNBELIEVABLY neither me nor the kids got sick! Anyway, the boys had a check up a couple of weeks ago and they are growing so fast. Evan is just over 30 lbs and Aidan is at 28 lbs. I thought they would be tall for their age but again they are right on target. That's good for us! We're very proud of them!
I'm also having my rear end kicked by Jillian Michaels (The Biggest Loser) on Comcast On Demand. It's been very hard but as I keep going its getting easier. Wish me luck. Talk to you soon!

25 Random Things

Here's the game: These are 25 random things about me. If I tagged you, I want to know more about YOU. So, share 25 things about yourself and then tag 25 people. Make sure you tag me! Thanks.
Okay, here goes:

1. I have a very vivid imagination. I can twist and turn things around in my head and believe things that really aren't real.

2. After almost 10 years of living together, my husband has this nervous cough that still makes me jump 3 feet in the air.

3. I'm very tired at night but yet cannot break my gaze from my computer.

4. I love to take long walks.

5. I tend to hug people more than shake their hands when I first meet them.

6. I have horrible OCD. I wash my hands non-stop.

7. I have always imagined myself a teacher.

8. I spend too much time living in the past resenting people that are in the present.

9. I often dream about things and then they come true. (Still waiting on that lottery dream, LOL!) I had a dream one night that I had two boys-guess you know what showed up the next morning in the ultrasound...

10. I have a dry sense of humor.

11. I'm the type of person who is so unsettled that if you put me in a forest, I would find a way to adapt.

12. I absolutely love animals but will never get another one.

13. I have an extraordinary relationship with my mother-in-law. I consider her not only family, but a good friend.

14. I believe heavily in karma and do my best to treat others good and fairly because I know it will come back to me 10-fold.

15. I believe one of my greatest accomplishments so far is that my children are now saying, "please", "thank you" and "bless you" without prompting.

16. I love having a clean kitchen and doing the dishes, isn't that crazy?

17. I love when I wake up super early and realize I have a few hours before I have to get up.

18. I keep all my childrens photos on CD's. I have about 1000 pictures of them so far (my computer counts for me, I don't have time!)

19. My mother and I have the same laugh. Sometimes when people here me laugh really hard they'll say "I thought your mother was here".

20. I have a hard time with family relationships. I feel uncomfortable around some of my relatives and can't explain why.

21. I love looking at snow falling but cannot stand to drive in it. My knuckles turn white from holding onto the steering wheel so tight.

22. I have gained a lot of weight since moving to Florida which sucks since we live in the land of tank tops and shorts.

23. New Jersey is not just a state, its a state of mind and I'm proud to be a born and bred Jersey Girl.

24. I tend to dwell too much on negative things but have recently caught myself and have turned it into a posititve.

25. I miss my Grandmother so much and I miss my time as a very young child...I felt like it definitely didn't last long.

I hearby tag Megan, Jen G , Jennifer P, Jennifer K, Lisa, Kim,and Michelle.

It's History...

Whether you are Republican or Democrat, White or Black, we're all Americans and today was history and brings change for the good in our country. Never in my life have I ever been so excited to witness the historical event that unfolded today. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Sloppy job, McNabb...

I was really looking forward to the Eagles winning today, but God had other plans. In case you missed it, the first half of the game was really sloppy to say the least, but once the second half started, the Eagles really were soaring (no punt intended).The Cardinals had other plans and went on to win the championship. Here is a video I have of Aidan cheering on the Eagles with me at halftime. I guess there's always next year!

My baby brother is engaged!

Well, the day has finally arrived and I am so happy to share that my brother is now engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Sara. The proposal took place on Friday night at the club where they originally met. See the video below of the proposal. Our family is so happy and guys, we love you so much. CONGRATULATIONS!

Engagment

Something to Ponder...

I received this from my aunt and I really enjoyed it. Just thought I'd share it with you and hope you can get something from it too!



A GREAT RECIPE...
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement,

My purpose is to__________ today. I am thankful for______________'

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

10 Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, what will this matter?'

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change

21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23 Each night before you go to bed complete the following
statements:
I am thankful for__________. Today I accomplished_________.

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it.

Happy New Year!

Ahhh, the holidays are over, and now its time to settle into a new year...2009. Wow, how time flies!
Last night we tried unsuccessfully to keep the boys up for the Dick Clark Rocking New Years Eve Show, but they were getting fussy so we put them to bed at 9:00pm. Keith and I were able to stay up until after midnight. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law were in a race up in NYC and I couldn't stop thinking of them being it was said it was 2 degrees there! They did very well as far as their time went so I was very proud to hear that, and just happy they didn't get hypothermia!
So onto today, the boys woke up around 7:00 with Keith, (I was so dead tired I didn't even hear Keith get up with them!) We had breakfast and hung at home until 3:00 pm when we went to a New Year's BBQ! (Living the Florida life when you can say BBQ and New Years in the same sentence!) We couldn't stay long because the kids were very fussy and totally thrown off schedule. So we left, went to Coconut Point Mall, took the little train around the complex, and then headed up to Bass Pro Shops per Keith's request. We walked around there and then stopped to pick up pizza and came home, ate, and relaxed. It was a good start to the New Year, spending time with the fmaily is always great, no matter what the holiday. Hope you were all able to enjoy the day as well, whether it was busy or relaxing!
Talk again soon!