Testing 1 ...2 ...3 ......

So perhaps you've noticed that this blog has been a smidge quite since, oh, 2013. You, my friend, are VERY perceptive.

At first I was just slacking. I'll write a post tomorrow, I'd think. Then tomorrow would come and I'd be distracted starting other projects (that I'd never complete) and I'd be busy and tired and once again, I'd think 'I'll write a post tomorrow!'.  And on and on 'til the breaka breaka mid-2014.

Around Summer of last year I thought "Enough is enough!  It's been too long - today is the day!".   I went to the computer and attempted to log into my Blogspot account  ... but I couldn't. Was I using the wrong password? Did I type my email wrong? I tried again and again and again. Denied, denied, DENIED!! I figured I had my password wrong and clicked on the option to have a password reset link sent to me. But the email address linked to my account that the password reset email went to? It was an old work email address. An old work email address that was no longer in service. Annnd there was NO WAY to change that email address without logging into my account. Which I couldn't log into because I couldn't remember the right password. Sad sad sad. I thought my blogging days were over, until today!

I was in the middle of cleaning out one of my junk drawers (what, you don't have multiple junk drawers?) and had just tossed a piece of scrap paper into the trash when I noticed it had an email address on it, along with something that looked like a password. 'Better shred that to be safe!', I thought, When I picked it up I noticed that written on the bottom of the paper were 4 little letters that brought a sparkle to my old, forgetful eyes - "BLOG". I ran to the computer, crossed everything cross-able and attempted to log in.  AND I'M IN!!!!! I can't believe my little corner of the internet is still here. I thought for sure they'd have closed it down due to inactivity. Life lesson people - keep all your important accounts updated with your current information.


There is so much to catch up on - my sweet babies are not so much babies anymore. Jack just started 5th grade and Kate is in KINDERGARTEN. What the!?! Little baby Kate is in KINDERGARTEN. Proof:

That is all I have time now as Jack has golf lessons this evening and I have yet to brush my hair or put on make-up today. Back off, Iggy Azela, I am the one who is SO FANCY.  I plan to write a post recapping some of my favorite moments from the past couple years with pictures galore so stay tuned!  I'll write that post tomorrow.  Really this time.

Do do do-do dooo do doo do DOOO do do do ...

That subject line was me whistling "Sweet Georgia Brown" in case you couldn't tell.  But I'm sure you could totally tell.

Last weekend the Cronin/Gifford boys went to the Patriot Center to see the Harlem Globetrotters!  Mike, Steph, Evan, Noah and Shaun (I'm going to need to come up with a combined name for them b/c that is just way too long to type out) came down to VA for the big event.  Mike C got tickets through a friend and was even able to score passes for a meet and greet with the players prior to the game.   While the boys were away the girls (Mima, Granny, Steph, Kate and me) and the babies (Shaun) lazed on the couch and ate a lot of food (Mmm Cafe Rio).  OH what a night!

Here are some pictures of all the cousins pre-game.  Note:  It is very VERY hard to get a good picture of all the cousins.

A little castle play.

Two oh-so-sweet brothers.

And oh MAH goodness how much do we love our newest cousin?  SO much.  Just look at that face!

Jack found him totally irresistible.  I love this picture beyond words.

All da boyz at the Patriot Center.

From the meet and greet.

Two cousins and two Globetrotters.

The little boys on the court before the game.

The highlight of the game was when Jack and Evan got picked to go down on the court in front of all the THOUSANDS (okay maybe hundreds) of fans packing the stands to participate in a kids relay race!  Missed it?  No worries - Mike G got video.  Note the moment when the camera shakes - that was Mike G reacting to Jack making a basket in front of all the THOUSANDS (hundreds - whatever) of fans packing the stands.



After that the Globetrotters team manager tried to recruit Jack but Mike was just all like "Sorry, he needs to finish second grade".  

We don't see our cousins as often as we'd like but when we do we have a BLAST!  Thanks again to Mike, Steph, Evan, Noah and Shaun (Hmmm how about Mistevenosh!  Pronounced Meh-stev-uh-nosh.  I like it.  I like it a lot.)  for making the long trip from NJ to VA.  And thanks to Granny and Gramps for coming out to the big event.  We love you all very much!

Carpe Diems (and the diems and the diems)

Seize the DAYS.  And the days and the days and the days because boy have there been a LOT of them since I've last posted.  I cannot beeeeeee-lieve the last thing I wrote about was the first day of school.  Can.NOT. believe.  So this post is going to be an attempted quick catch up of everything that has happened since September.  I shall then review said quick catch up and go back and elaborate on anything  that needs elaborating on.  Without further delay ....

TEETH!  We lost teeth!  Well, tooth.  Since Kindergarten Jack has been surrounded by classmates who drop teeth like they're hot (drop teeth like they're hoooot .. drop teeth like they're hoooot - you know I had to work some song lyrics into this post somewhere).  But Jack?  Not so much.  After two long years of wondering if his time would ever come, it finally came right after the start of school.  Here is my toothless wonder writing a letter to the tooth fairy.

My not so toothless wonder insisted on writing a letter as well.

The finished product.  With a map - because Jack is thoughtful like that.

A close up of the tooth box we made.

On the sides we record which tooth was lost when.  Inventive, no?

The official tooth fairy table!  This is how we left it when Jack went to sleep.

And this is how the tooth fairy found it when she went in to make her exchange.  JGif likes to decorate just like his mama does.

And for perspective -  because I still cannot believe how teeny tiny his itty bitty baby teeth are.

The loot.  That's five one dollar bills wrapped up in a ribbon.  And YES it's actually shimmering with special tooth fairy shimmer powder.  And it was accompanied by a new little lego mini figure guy.  Hey, you only lose your first tooth once!

Jack played soccer again which he VERY much enjoyed.  He played harder, ran faster, got better and emerged stronger.  It was like the Kanye West of soccer seasons for him.  (More song lyrics.  I.am.on.FIRE!))

He definitely got way more aggressive.

He caught some air.

He got more handsome by the second (Beckham who?)

I have no idea what is going on here.  Just love the looks on all the faces.

And most importantly he made some friends and had some fun!

Both kids loved Halloween.

Like jump for joy loved it.

This one makes me laugh so hard I don't even know what to do with myself.

Jack had a blast with his friends.  And yes, that is a blinged out Pickachu.  That is how the Pokemon roll in our hood!

Kate was out of control insanely cute the entire night.  This was the first time she was able to run from house to house by herself as opposed to me/Mike pushing her the entire way in her stroller.  Each time she'd ring the bell with all the confidence in the world and shout "Twick or Tweet!".  Then whomever answered the door would die over her cuteness, revive themselves, and give her candy.  And every.single.time she was just completely taken aback by what had just gone down.  The second they put the candy in her bag ....

Kate:  MAMA.   They gave me CANDY!  I cannot believe it.  I CANNOT believe it.  I so excited!

Shining her flashlight on a lolipop to make sure it wasn't just an illusion.

Next house - same exact reaction.  Next house - same thing.  And the next.  And the next.  For like 35 - 40 houses.   And on house 40 she was just as taken aback by the fact that they gave her candy as she was the first time it happened.  She was like Taylor Swift winning everything at the Country Music Awards but way more genuine.  My face ached from smiling so much when we got home.  Then Kate grabbed my phone and immediately took to the couch for some relaxing because all that being taken aback makes a baby tired.

She did get a brief second wind in which she helped her ninja brother sort some candy.

And then almost two months later their mom finally posted pictures about it and then realized it was 11:00 at night and she needed to go to sleep before she fell asleep at the computer.

More to come .... but seriously worth the wait so far, no?

First day of SECOND grade!

The first day of school for us was waaaay back on August 20th.  As usual I am waaaay late with the blog update.  My little guy is totally a professional second grader at this point.  Totally.

Per Gifford tradition we kicked off the first day of school with breakfast in bed!  Mini pancakes that I woke up extra early to microwave personally. June Cleaver ain't got nothin' on me.

Kate was entirely too busy to eat.  The girl loves playing in Jack's room.  It's like her own personal Disney World.

They were both so excited for bus stop time.

First day of school porch picture.

LOOK at how excited he was to learn!

Actually it was more like ...

Me:  Come on, Jack - smile!   Give me a good back to school face.
Jack:  This IS my good back to school face.
Me:  Well then give me a "I just won all the Legos in the world" face.
Click!  Perfect.

Reuniting with bus stop friends.

All the kiddos in their first day of school finest.  

There he goes...

This was supposed to be a shot of Kate waving goodbye to the bus - but she stuck her fingers back in her mouth right as I was snapping the picture.  She loves those fingers.  And as a bonus you get a shot of her handsome daddy's handsome chin.  Lucky you!

                           

See ya, second grader!

Tanks for the memories!

Today is the last day of Summer.  For us at least.  At 8:10 a.m. tomorrow morning Jack G will be boarding the school bus for his first day of SECOND GRADE.  Where in the world does the time go? And why in the world do we start school so early around here?!

We sent off Summer with a bang - literally - by attending the annual open house of the Tank Farm aka the Americans in Wartime Museum.  The event takes place in August each year and features the 3rd largest private collection of military vehicles in the world.  There were 50+ tanks, military jeeps and other various armored vehicles, WWII re-enactments featuring a flame thrower, vehicle demonstrations and also snacks.  SNACKS!  Could this day get any better?  Jack and Mike were in Heaven.

These guys passed us in the parking lot.  Kate smiled and waved, obviously not phased at all by the big 'ol gun they were toting.

The vehicles on display were quite impressive.  Here is a sampling ...

And one in action!   Also, I'm no war expert but wouldn't the soldiers be safer riding inside of the tank?

Jack was all "Take a picture of me and this big tank!"

Then Kate was all "I wanna picture TOO!"

And then of course Jack insisted I take one of the both of them.  

My boy could totally be a soldier in the army of handsomeness!

Jack enjoyed looking at lots of guns.

And pretending to shoot lots of guns.

And holding some enormous bullet like projectile things (I should totally get a job as a war historian).

Meanwhile Kate enjoyed meeting a horse!

She even got to pet him!  Why is Rodney Dangerfield looking at her all crazy like?  Because seriously doesn't that soldier look just like Rodney Dangerfield?

And then she got all shy and that made Rodney smile!

 Reenactment time!

These guys thought they were being all sneaky.  Totally spotted 'em.

And did I mention - FLAME THROWER?!  Coolest part of the day.

We signed up to support the museum by becoming members and were therefore entered into a drawing for a vehicle ride.  AND WE WON!  Incidentally pretty much everyone who signed up to be a member won a ride that day but still, exciting! Mike and Jack took the ride while Kate and I watched.

Jack was on the ride too but he's just a little too short to be able to see out of the top.  And also since the ride was on the same ground the reenactment just took place on he was a little scared that if he peeked out there would be people shooting at him.  I love that boy so much.

While the boys took their ride Kate looked like this.

And also, like this.

Those eyelashes!!!  Why can't I have those eyelashes!?

Best. Day. EVER!

The end.

PS:  "Tanks for the memories!"  I'm still laughing at that.