HAPPY BIRTHDAY KARRICK

Karrick is 5

Well really tomorrow, but we celebrated it today

actually it started yesterday at school. He brought his hamster to school, pound cake 

covered in gummi bears and goody bags for his classmates

He got a special button and crown to wear for the day

March was a busy month for us McGintys, in a span of 

3 weeks we celebrated 13 years of marriage.Tim's, 

Callahan's and Karrick's birthday...an endless wait for the 

5 year old

I can't believe my "bonus baby" is 5

(Melissa coined that phrase)

He was a surprise (cosmopolitans by the pool will do that)

I had all kinds of problems during my pregnancy

My OB/GYN said at 7 weeks she never had a successful pregnancy with

such low hcg and progesterone levels

Couldn't find a heart beat

pre term labor at 31 weeks, 5 weeks bed rest

It was just meant to be

Karrick James McGinty was born 2 weeks early at 9 lbs

preemie my ass!

We couldn't image life without him and he has been a delight,

not to mention he has been about the cutest baby/little boy ever

now a big boy of 5!

I couldn't help but put in a ton of pics

Karrick at his Christening 5 weeks old and the last time my mom held or saw him

I think he is done and ready for bed

GOODNIGHT sweet baby

A Night Out at the Theater

It was my big night out with my boys. We were going downtown to

the Oriental Theater to see Mary Poppins. You think Mary Poppins and a warm fuzzy feeling

comes over you,  reminiscent of your childhood days.

We started our night with a nice dinner (I envisioned a steak house) the

boys wanted Arby's.

It's about being together, right?

Whatever...

We did some shopping on State Street and with 15 min to curtain we headed across the

street to the Oriental Theater

only to find out ...

It was at the Palace theater 3 blocks down


Again, WHATEVER!

We get to our seats giddy with anticipation

The curtain goes up and the show begins, the next 1 1/2 hours

went something like this

"sniff sniff in" "sniff sniff out" "sniff in, sniff out"

hmmm

"sniff sniff in" "sniff sniff out" "sniff in, sniff out"

hmmm

"sniff sniff in" "sniff sniff out" "sniff in, sniff out"

hmmm

"Where's Mary Poppins?"

"sniff sniff in" "sniff sniff out" "sniff in, sniff out"

hmmm

"sniff sniff in" "sniff sniff out" "sniff in, sniff out"

hmmm

"sniff sniff in" "sniff sniff out" "sniff in, sniff out"

hmmm

"Where'd  Mary Poppins go?"

"I told you I didn't want to come, where's Mary Poppins?"

"sniff sniff in" "sniff sniff out" "sniff in, sniff out"

hmmm

"sniff sniff in" "sniff sniff out" "sniff in, sniff out"

hmmm

"sniff sniff in" "sniff sniff out" "sniff in, sniff out"

hmmm

I felt as though I was staring in my own version of "Stomp"

If possible, I gladly would have eaten a bullet

 right then and there

TJ has this sinus problem that apparently makes him breath

in Tempo

And Callahan w/o knowing it lets out a little hum every 45 sec like clock work

I had one them on each side of me and you guessed it, Karrick (while on my lap)

asked every scene change "where's Mary Poppins"

"I want to go home"

"I'm never coming here again"

When TJ wasn't sniffing in and out in tempo

he did manage a snide

"I don't get it, it doesn't make sense, there's no plot"

"It's  Mary F-ing Poppins"

 What don't you get?

Holy Crap are you frigging kidding me?

Have I failed as a parent?

My kids don't get Disney?

3 min into  supercalafragilistic...expiealadoscious

 and 5 min before intermission

I packed it in

I took the sniffer, the hummer and the whiner and went home

I giggled the whole way home, cause this shit only

happens to me

I honestly had a good time with my boys

When a House is a Home

As I brought the garbage cans to the curb this morning
making sure to dodge all the crap that adorns my
driveway, it hit me. We are "that house"
Instead of being mortified, I wear my badge of disarray
with honor. I stood and just took in the sight.
I have a house full of boys, my 3 and always
extras. Kids are always coming and going until the sun goes down
My property is littered with scooters, rip sticks, basketballs and footballs.
Hot wheels, that have gravitated to the neighbors lawn. Ready to choke any lawn mower that gets in their way.
My garage is always home to foreign bikes, left long after kids get picked up due to darkness
Chalk pieces that have been discarded after the 4 square
has been drawn
All items lay there frozen in time, waiting for the sounds of kids
being kids
I enjoy my kids friends, nice kids from nice families.
I like knowing where my kids are
I also get a lot of information about what's going on in the

 middle and elementary schools

I love being "that house" 

Not the biggest or fanciest, just

a home that my kids are proud to share with their friends

Pit...A Dream Come True

Karrick has been dying for his own hamster

since The Brothers got hamsters a year ago. We took Karrick's pitcher

of change and headed to the jewel, then

off to Petsmart to find Pit

Pit is the Angel from Super Smash Bros, he is Karrick's

latest hero and his world revolves around him

At least it's an Angel

$131 smackers

We bought a female hamster (other 2 are female)

that was an interesting conversation to have with a 4 yo on why it had 

to be a girl

We also bought another habitat as Pit has to remain alone for 3 days

We will then slowly introduce her to Chubbles and Lenny

Karrick just loves his new hamster Pit  and even ate his dinner on the floor while watching 

her 

If they all get along we can connect the habitats 

Karrick's shirt totally blends in with TJ's rug

I can't help myself...

As everyone knows, this is my favorite time of year.

BASEBALL!

I pretty much live for baseball

We start now and will go straight thru Oct

TJ plays on 2 teams, in-house and travel

Today TJ had his first practice with his current White Sox team.

Tj and 5 other players from his AAA White Sox team of 12,

moved up to Majors this year. There are 4 other new players to this team

Only 10 players which leaves no room for injury

Our line up looks fierce on paper

only time will tell if that will transfer to the field

Tj's not one to waste time while waiting for his ride

I don't think anyone has longer legs then TJ

well, besides me

Ahhhhhhhhh

Is it Mother Nature or Saint Patrick
we have to thank for such a beautiful day?
Either way, it was meant to be enjoyed outside.
Karrick and I rode all over town and ended up at the park

Seasons first treasure

Little windy

Cal has enter the world of double digits...10

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALLAHAN!!!!!!!!

Callahan Patrick McGinty arrived 10 years ago today

He came into this world screaming and 

continued to scream for the first year of his

 life

If you look up Colic in the dictionary they have a picture of Cal

Once he worked through his Colic, ear infections, dairy intolerance etc.

He became the most easy going independent little boy. He could sit for hours 

by age 2 and build very detailed cars and structures with Lego's

Not the Duplo or Mega bloks, teeny tiny little Lego's

Cal has a very advanced sense of humor, that at times

gets him in some hot water.

Teachers have told me they need to watch

 their puns

because he is the only kid in class that gets them (by the smirk on his face)

Homemade brownies, trick candles, Irish coins...

Tj just couldn't contain himself. He gave Cal

a pile of paper

Yesterday Grandma took Cal to lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise

then shopping

10 years old! Double digits

Not a little guy anymore

Seems like yesterday he was graduating from the Academy

Sports, sports and more sports

This weekend closed the basketball season. Both my boys had a very positive

experience with their coaches, team mates and over all personal

performance

Thank You Kevin Chriskie for donating your time

to coach the 3/4th and 7/8th grade teams

TJ and I had just enough time to celebrate with the team at Dairy Queen

before running off to the opening of baseball season with

a 2 hour practice

A Lovely Weekend

Saturday after Callahan's final basketball game we decided to

spend the day and night at the Holiday Inn in Oak Brook.

If I didn't know better, I would on thought I was at the Drake

It was beautiful

Mahogany and marble throughout and mahogany shelved Sitting room's off the lobby

At the good ole Holiday Inn price

We went shopping, swimming, watched movies and 

even had breakfast for dinner at Denny's

He may have the mind of Mensa, but he eats ice cream like any other normal 9 year old

Friday Night

I watched Jillian Chriskie Friday night while all the Mcginty and Chriskie

boys were at basketball

I love the fact that:

TJ and Jake

Cal and Josh 

Karrick and Jillian

are all the same ages

At one point Karrick and Jillian were playing and

as Karrick gazed at Jillian he says

"I really love your shirt, it's so pretty"

"Do you think it's soft?" asks Jillian

still gazing, karrick caresses Jillian's shirt while

muttering

"Oh, yeeees it's sooooo soooooft"