Buddy is doing much better now. When I first brought him here he was scared to even step foot in the house now he roams around like he's been here all his life. He'll hang on the screened porch when we are out there, other than that, he lays around the house. He takes turns sleeping in each of our beds during the night and as you can see in the pictures above, he loves sleeping with his daddy!

Taylor's Birthday

I know I am late posting Taylor's birthday pictures but the day of her birthday the cable company made a mistake and shut off our service a couple days too soon. I could have added them but it took three hours just to post the house pictures. After her birthday dinner we took the kids to see Santa, which they really enjoyed.

Happy 11th Birthday Taylor Marie

I lost a few pictures this morning when Chip started opening her gifts because of the camera batteries dying on me. I had pictures of her opening the cards from Nani, Poppa and Nani Celli but they were not on the camera, sorry guys, I tried.

We all woke Tay up this morning with "Happy Birthday" and then she was off and running to her gifts. Jimmy worked hard last night making his big sister a card, he even hid one with a toy he found in his room (I am sure he will take this one back!) I think she really liked most of her gifts; Eric and I got her a new CD player but I don't think it was the one she wanted so I will take her to exchange it in the coming week.

I can't believe my baby girl is already eleven, time has just flown by with her, it makes me very sad to see her getting older but I know it has to happen. We are taking Taylor to The Cheesecake Factory for her birthday dinner and some mall shopping, she has been waiting for this evening for a few weeks now. Taylor I hope you have a wonderful birthday, we all love you!!

Dad and Mom: CD player, Camp Rock bedspread
Jimmy: 2 homemade cards, $20, a plastic skateboard keychain, 2 Camp Rock throw pillows
Grandpa and Nani: $20
Poppa and Nani Celli: $20

Our Afternoon Out

After a late start today we spent some time with Auntie G this afternoon. She was having a problem with her cable so Eric came to the rescue on that. We visited with her for about an hour before the kids started complaining of being hungry. Eric took us to a little seafood restaurant in Lake Wales which was okay, not the best but I would go back. After we finished dinner we went to their oyster bar where Eric, Jimmy and I shared 2 dozen oysters. I have to say, Jimmy takes after his mommy, he ate a half dozen by himself. Above are a few pictures we snapped while sitting outside of the restaurant while having a smoke break.

Our Buddy

Just a couple pictures of Buddy. He is a lot of joy for all of us and I have to say he is a very smart cat. He has started trying to unlock our deadbolt when he wants to venture outside. Last night he actually stayed put until 8 am, he usually has to go outside between 3 and 5 so we were pleased with that. He has made his own set times to eat and I have to say, it seems to be the same times everyday. I'm glad Eric took him in, we all love Buddy very much.

Auntie G and Jimmy

These pictures were taken the day her cable and telephone were installed. She did not want her picture taken because she wasn't getting her hair done until the next day but I talked her into one with Jimmy. I will post more of her within the coming week.

Cyber-Bullying

I got on AOL today to check my mail and as I often do, look through some of the news stories of the day. The one that caught my eye was on Lori Drew, the woman who created a fake Myspace and bullied the 13-year-old Megan Meier. Megan took her life after this mother pretended to be a boy who liked Megan and then started saying very cruel things to her. I have to add that Megan is not the first and only, and I have to add, probably not the last, to take their young lives because of bullying of any kind, not just online.

I was looking through these photos of all these young children and of course thinking of my own. We all know we can't stop bullying, it has gone on for as long as time I am sure, but how do we protect our children? I have a few suggestions:

1st off, social networking is not for children (by saying children I also mean teenagers.) We don't know who is behind that profile, is it really who we think it is? The best way to protect our children is telling them no. Tay has begged me for a year for one but I stand my ground and let her know when she is of age (18) she may have one.

2ND, know your child and their friends, who are they and what are they doing? I listen to Taylor talking when she is on the phone, if something is questionable, I confront her on it and as a parent I can tell when she is holding back and I can get it out. I know where she is and what she is doing, she may hate it but I know one day she will understand and that is fine with me.

3rd, make sure it's not your child who is doing the bullying. I nip this in the bud anytime I hear Taylor or Jimmy getting that snotty voice with kids outside. I want them to stick up for themselves but not at anytime are they to talk about a child or speak hateful words to them.

4Th, WE have to be parents to our children. I cannot stress this too much. We brought them in this world to care and love but people tend to let their children run free after they get past that toddler age. STOP...TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILD!! Get them up in the morning, make sure they eat their breakfast and help them dress (or at least let them know they make good choices on their outfit they picked out), get them off to school and when they get home look over their school work and if they have homework help them. I say help them because all I hear around my neighborhood at "homework time" is parents screaming at their children. OMG, this irks me more than anything else, have they thought that maybe their children are having a hard time and need help from the parent? Know where your children are, if they are playing outside, know the parents of the children they play with, know the children, make sure they are in ear shot so you know what is going on in their social lives. You are not a bad parent for not letting your children roam free.

5Th, let's love them. Show them each and everyday what joy they have brought you, what they are worth. Children are not a burden and I hate to hear parents complain about their children. It's one thing to have a bad day, we all have them, but don't make our children think they are to blame. I notice for myself that my children react to how I am feeling and I get a little more edgy with them than normal when I am agitated. Let them know daily, hug them, kiss them and tell them what special qualities they have that makes them so special to you (very important if you have more than one child.)

I am so saddened that children think that is the only way out of this. We all say "Children are cruel" but we as parents need to make sure our children are not and show our children they are loved and valued. Lets stop this horrible cycle. Say no to computers in bedrooms, if you are not home invest in computer software that shows page by page and keystrokes your children are performing--it may surprise you what your child is looking or talking about. We are responsible for our children's safety and help keep them from predators inside and outside of our home.

Eric brought home boxes of every size last night for me to begin filling. I was already exhausted from cleaning out closets that I could have done without seeing what lies ahead for the next week. I ended up heading over to see Auntie G last night, the two of us sat in her room watching TV, talking and laughing. She is doing so well these days, it's like a totally different person from last year at this time. She was so happy when she saw me walk in and I have to say that is a great feeling. I have loved Auntie G since I was young, I remember stay with her and JB and I loved it. She had a spare room that she always said was mine so whenever I was at her house I would announce to whoever would listen that it was my room.

I do have to say she complained about the weather yesterday saying, "I thought Florida didn't get cold!" We do have a cold front moving through which has put a damper on everything but it should be warming up in the next couple of days. I do have to say, I am glad she's here and I enjoy the time I get to spend with her.

It's Been A Long Day

I have never been so glad to be home finally. We were on the move since we woke up this morning and I will be the first to admit I am not a morning person. I had to meet the cable guys over at Auntie G's, so now she has cable for her new TV and we added a phone line to her room. She is doing so well since she has been down here and now is only on 5 medications. When she first arrived here they knew right off the bat what was wrong with her, she was on 15 heart meds 3x a day and 3 blood pressure meds 3x a day not to mention several others for various other things. She has started to walk again which they told me would never happen and is able to dress herself. It's amazing how so much has change in a short period of time. I took her three new outfits today and a chocolate Frosty from Wendy's, she was in heaven.

We were at the facility for 3 hours and then I had to rush to Eric's work to pick up boxes. We thought we would have a few more days before we had to move so I have to really put a rush on things on my end. When they said we would be signing on the house next Wednesday I was amazed it was sooner, I was actually scared we'd be pushed back. Taylor was a little disappointed at first because she thought it would cut into her birthday plans but she cheered up when I told her it would still go as planned.

Since we celebrate our Thanksgiving in September I was not planning anything special for next Thursday but my husband asked if I would make him another turkey to which I agreed. I am not planning a big feast but I will have turkey and cranberries for sure. I actually have bought up several bags of cranberries to freeze because they are not in the stores when I celebrate Mabon, I am not going another year without them.

I also want to add that I have passed another class in my natural healing course. I am now on my fourth which will take about six months so only a year to go until I am complete. I am seriously considering becoming an homeopathic healer once my children are grown, I will just keep this under my belt until then. I have already started it on my family and I think I have mentioned before we are now done with medical doctors and drugs, only natural will be used on us.

I want to also note that Maw Maw has started her treatment from the Guardian machine for her cancer and they can already see a difference. She has many tumors in her stomach at the present time and her legs have swollen so big she can barely walk, her toes have turned purple. They say that is caused from a tumor that is pressing against her kidney. She started the treatment less than a week ago and the swelling has already started going down. I have high hopes for this and know that many people have been totally cured of cancer. Please keep her in your thoughts. Please read more on The Guardian and click on health, it will then take you to pages and pages written on this. It is helpful to everyone (I also plan on purchasing one for my family) because it balances your body. I wish I could explain more but it's very complicated, you need to read more on it, the results are shocking. I will keep you informed on her progress.

Ultrasounds of the New Babies

Above are the first sonogram pictures of my niece or nephew. Stephi is due May 27th (it's somewhere around that date.) She should be finding the sex of the baby shortly and we are anxious to know for sure. No one in our family has had two boys in a row...will she make Maucelli history???


Matt and Becky just found out they are expecting a baby boy April 8th of next year. They also have twin daughters, Lauren and Macie. Congratulations on your new addition, boys are a lot of fun!

Aunt Carol and Uncle Bob's

Taylor and Jimmy

Taylor and Jimmy

Taylor

Jimmy

Taylor

Jimmy

Taylor and Jimmy

Jimmy Swimming

Jimmy learned to swim under water yesterday so I took a video of my "Little Fish" for all to see. I am so proud of him!!

Forever With Me

Through the death of a loved one, I have opened my eyes to appreciate all the people in my life today, right now. The hardest struggle I face at this time is the pain that comes from a suicide, the guilt of not knowing the person's pain and struggles, not realizing is so hard to deal with. Watching everyone I love crumble at the news, the sadness that envelopes around us, the shock, the never ending grief; it's almost too much to bare. Several months later, I still feel the pain, shock, hurt and even sometimes anger-not at him, at myself for not letting him know how much he meant to me, how much him being in my life meant. I have told him many times the words, but never why or what made me feel the way I do. I said the words like a robot as I was leaving-I'm sorry for that.

Such a gentle soul, not able to deal with all the pressures of the world. I see two children without a father, a baby without a grandpa and a woman without her rock, her best friend, her soul mate. I see family that has lost a huge chunk from one lovely man and friends who will never laugh the way they did when he was around. I never knew how much you could miss hearing someone's voice and how I try to replay some of the things he has said, but each day that voice seems to fade-please don't let me lose that. I was always excited when I saw him, even as an adult, I always loved being around him.

September 15th will forever be a sad day in my life, I hate to think that it's coming up-I dread it. There is so many questions I have that will go unanswered, so many feelings and emotions that I can't express. I love and miss you so much. I wish I could go back and tell you what was on my mind, the real way I felt-I know it wouldn't have changed what happened but at least you would have known.

I have come to realize that everything happens for a reason, every person has a purpose, when their purpose is complete they leave us, I can handle that. What is so hard to understand is what exactly that purpose was and why sometimes it's over so soon. I know he is in a better place where no one can harm him any longer, no one can break his pride. If you didn't know while you were here-you were loved and very special to many people, you were special to me.

I talk to him everyday, I tell my kids about him, he will never be forgotten. Dooley, that is your fault, you consume our lives and I know you are laughing about that now. I know he's around, I feel him and I know everyone else does as well. I am very sad and hurt that he's gone but I am happy for him, I know he's free now, free from this hateful world.

My mind is filled with movies of your Memories, my heart is filled with songs of love-you will forever be alive within me.