Putting up the Tree

Yes we are one of those families who puts their Christmas tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving. The Christmas season is so short and the decorations are so beautiful that I have to get them up and keep them up as long as possible.

Decorating the tree is something I enjoy each year. It's fun to go through all the ornaments and remember who received which ones when. My most favorite part is the handmade ornaments the kids have given us as gifts over the years. I amazing how they change from year to year as they get older and more creative.

Each year I take the kids shopping for their own personal ornament so they will have the beginning of a collection when they move out on their own. I love watching them go through the ornaments thinking hard about which one they must have this year. The way their tastes change from year to year showing off their own personality and as they mature their so do their choices....

This year Hayley picked an Elvis ornament with blue shoes~ in memory of Grandma Ellen who love Elvis just about more than anything!

Happy Thanksgiving

I love that the school has kept with the kids having the day before Thanksgiving off. Until last year they would have a 1/2 day but now it's all day off. I love that the kids can help with the dessert baking for Thanksgiving dinner but the 1/2 day made it difficult to get everything done by a reasonable time.

What's even better is that the kids are getting old enough to work on certain tasks without me hovering every second; the finished product isn't always the most beautiful, but as long as it tastes good that's all that matters.

We got started nice an early...while I made stuffing and other side dishes the kids were all anxious to get started on the chocolate pie....

Connor started mixing the chocolate.... (Zack is in the background making cookies)

Of course if Connor is doing it then Riley needs a turn too....

Hayley was in charge of filling the pie crust....

Connor & Riley couldn't wait to get started licking the pudding bowl....not sure when or why they took off their shirts...when it comes to these 2 I have completly given up trying to figure this stuff out!

Thanksgiving Day.....

One of our favortie things everytime Uncle Norb comes over is to watch him with our crazy dogs. They LOVE him and do not leave his side all day. Norb spoils them with attention all day.

This year's Thanksgiving was a little light on the guests. We never really know from year to year who will be joining us; this year it was us and Gram Z, Uncle Ray & Uncle Norb

After dinner we played our annual dice game that Gram Z loves.

Family and Food; what more could you ask for? What a great day!

Fall Leaves

My favorite time of Fall is watching the kids in the leaves....this is one of the few times of the year that they work together and don't fight. Building the leaf pile as big as they can takes the work of everyone so they can take turns jumping in it.

This year the pups even participated!

Now it's time for the same fun in the snow!

Halloween 2009

Pumpkin Time

Well it's that time of year again...time to carve the pumpkins. This is one job I try my best to steer clear of ...this is a blue job 100% I hate the mess and I just don't have the patience.

Riley loves pulling out the pumpkin guts and squishing them in his hands...eeww

Zack carved Anthrax into his pumpkin...he is really going through a 90's rock phase

The boys worked hard to get as many seeds as they could for me....

I love pumpkin seeds

Connor found the template for Lucky the Leprechaun...it was really cool!

Riley is all about the Buffalo Sabres now so when I came across this on their website I knew it'd be a winner....we got a lot of compliments on this from the trick or treaters!

My Baby Girl is 12

Hayley's 12th birthday was quite an event. Since I was having surgery on 9/29 and would still be laid up on her birthday she was very worried that she would not be able to have her annual Slumber Party. We didn't want her to be disappointed so Kirk said she could have the party and he would handle everything.

For her birthday all Hayley wanted was a cell phone and since Verizon has a great family deal where you can add an additional line for only $10 we decided maybe it was time she had a phone so we could keep track of her while she's away from home.

We wrapped the phone in a bag with other small gifts and as she was opening the small gifts I called her new phone which started to play Happy Birthday.

Next up was the slumber party which we told her needed to be trimmed down to only a few girls...Hay's version of a few was 9. It's been wonderful to watch the girls change from year to year. Hayley's had a Slumber Party for the last 5 years and most of the girls are the same each year. They grow in many ways each year.

The best part about this year was watching Kirk handle everything himself. He certainly got a real taste of what I do for something that seems simple to him. I laid in recliner so I could be a part of everything and each time he sat down I reminded him of something else that needed to be done (dinner, cake, presents, etc) His reaction was repeatedly "but I just sat down"!

It was so much fun to witness I felt like it was my birthday too ;-)

Finally some good news

Went to the doctor again today to have my staples removed....her exact words "pathology came back negative" What an amazing statement to hear.
I don't remember the last time I felt such relief and happiness.
No I can just heal and not panic any longer...or for a while anyway.

Not Again...

I went to the doctor today after a couple weeks of testing to follow up from my hospital stay September 25-28. On the 25th they did a ct scan and found a blood clot in the vein to my ovary. They admitted me into the hospital and gave me blood thinners which did not work to break up the clot.

Since my release I have been going for all kinds of tests. Today the doctor told me I needed to have yet another surgery. This time not only did I have to have the blood clot removed I also needed to have my uterus removed because they found a mass. There is a lot of risk involved with surgery because vein the clot is in is the same vein that not only goes to my ovary but also the kidney; since I have only 1 kidney there is the risk of kidney damage. There is also a good chance the mass in my uterus is cancer again.

I was not ready for this. I felt fine until a few weeks ago when I started having cramping like labor pains. This is becoming very stressful but I know all I can do is have faith that everything will work itself out.

1st Day of School

Today was the 1st Day of School.

School started a week early this year which came with mixed feelings from all of us...I was obviously happy about it but stressed because I didn't have everything ready and was rushed.

This was a year full of milestones for the Lorkowski Kids....

Hayley started 6th Grade in the Middle School

& Zack started his first year in the High School

Connor started 4th Grade

& Riley started his 1st Day of Kindergarden!

this was Riley after he got off the bus and said "Oh Ry what's wrong are you OK?"

He simply replied "I didn't wanna come home I wanna sleep at school!"

Oh my gosh poor guy loves school so much!

Summer has FINALLY arrived!

It's August in Western New York and I am very excited and happy to say....Summer has finally arrived!

It has been a long long wait and the summer has been very cold and rainy and we have been constantly saying "the pool is such a waste", but finally after all the waiting it's here.

We are finally spending everyday in the pool and the water is perfect...not too cold....just perfect!

There is nothing I love more than being lazy on a hot summer day with my kids floating and splashing in the pool.

Yeah Summer!!!

It's Little Loop time again

Well it's that time of year again. Little Loop season has officially begun. It is by far the most crazy thing we have ever been involved in. Every night Monday-Friday from 6-8 (actually for me it's 5-9) we are at the William D. Williams Park for football & cheerleading practice.

This year Connor is a Lion and hasn't even complained about practice or the heat or anything. It's funny how drastically he changes from year to year. It has been simply amazing to watch him grow and mature from season to season. This year he can even put his own pads and belt on. Anyone who has ever fished a football belt throught he tiny little hole knows what a feat that is.

Hayley has moved up to the Launchers and seems to be loving it more than any other year. She has several girls that she has moved from team to team with and it's awe inspiring to watch their bonds grow more and more each year. They know each other so well and fall right back into sync at the first practice.

Things are a bit different for me there also with the official title of President that is a little stressful. The split second decisions that have to be made on a nightly basis have been a little nerve racking but exhilarating all the same. There is so much personal satisfaction is going home and thinking I did something good or I made the right decision tonight. However, I will admit it can be emotionally draining.

Riley is still running around like he owns the place waiting impatiently for his time to come to be on the team.

August is always crazy hectic but we wouldn't have it any other way!

Boys are Gross cuz Mud is Fun

I am often grateful that I have 3 boys....usually when Hayley is being a such girl. I like that the boys cost less and never "need" new clothes or more shoes and they never say "I hate you I wish I had a different Mother". But then there are days like this one when I realize boys are just gross. Why they do and like such disguising things will always be a mystery to me.

We have had a very very rainy summer. The pool has only been used a handful of times and it has been cold and icky. Today was nice and warm but everything was still wet from all the rain. Connor (who is always the one to spearhead such operations) decided it was a good idea to go down the slide; which of course had a puddle at the bottom. Well Riley saw that and of course had to follow suit!

Connor then decided it would be a good idea to take the bin full of rainwater and pour it down the slide to make it slippery; also make yet more mud at the bottom! They took turns going down the slide splashing in the mud until the puddle was almost splashed away and then guess what? They filled the bin with water and started all over again!

This went on forever, at first I resisted but I have learned it's just easier to let it go!

When I asked them why they were doing this they simply replied "cuz mud is fun!" How could I argue with that.

I did however require hosing off before entering the house.

***Note the bin in the wagon...that's how they got a full bin of water to the slide...the wagon...these boys are way to smart for their own good!

Who's daughter is this anyway?

Every time anyone in Kirk's family sees Hayley they always give her the "you look just like Koryn". Hayley just says "everyone says that", then later she asked if it's really true.

Well all I can really say is look at this picture... Who's daughter is this anyway?

Hayley is very excited about this picture and spent some time talking to Koryn about what everyone says to her. It's weird they even have the same difficult to deal with hair...btw Koryn I really needs some advice with how the heck to deal with it ;-)

Cousins

The best part of having 4 kids in your family is when you grow up and have kids there are cousins to enjoy!

We live in different parts of the country but we were all able get together this year. Although, under sad circumstances, we still had a wonderful time.

It has been 2 years since most have all been together (and never since Aydin was born). It was great to see all the kids interacting with each other. They all picked up right where they left off the last time they saw each other. It was like they see each other all the time. The bond of cousins is hard to explain but amazing to witness.

Saturday was Ron's Funeral and this picture is of all the kids at lunch all dressed up.

Left to Right - Nick & Hayden (Kraig's), Connor (in the checked shirt), Paige & Gavin (Krystin's), Hayley, Zack holding Aydin (Koryn's) and Riley

After the service we went to the Arcade Park to handout and play.

While there the adults decide to beat up the kids in a game of kickball. Wow what a competitive group these Lorkowski kids are. I think every kid there was crying at some point because they were taken out by the adults. Everyone had a blast, even the kids after they were done crying :)

All the kids playing a laughing game with Grandma Holly (Darrin's mom)

Sunday we were going to go to the beach but it was chilly so we opted to go to the Naval Park in Buffalo. We weren't sure how the girls would be about it but since we have our family is dominated by the boys we took our chances. It turned out to be wonderful. All the kids loved it and the parents too.

Paige, Gavin, Zack, Hayley, Connor, Nick, Riley, Hayden

It turned out to be a beautiful day and we walked down the water front to have lunch.

On Monday Gavin was fortunate to have a birthday with his cousins (something that he hasn't had since moving to Georgia) and a sleepover at our house.

It was so wonderful to see all the kids yet so hard to say goodbye.

We miss them all so much already.

Cousins are a wonderful thing.

All our Girls

In a house full of active boys and juggling their baseball games I feel the need to take a minute and appreciate all my girls who demand less of my time than the boys these summer days.

Puff, Hayley & Coco enjoying one of the few rain free days we have had this summer.

I love all my girls but I mostly love that Coco and Puff don't talk back or stomp their feet up the stairs!

4th of July

This year Grandpa Dickey was here for the 4th of July. Since, he hasn't been to the Chaffee-Sardinia Carnival since he moved to Texas he thought it would be fun to take his grandkids there.

Sammie & I were excited because we hadn't been there since we will young...all I'm gonna say is wow things have really changed and it's funny how everything seemed so much better when you were a kid.

The kids did have a great time and so did Grandpa.

Thanks Grandpa, we love you and miss you so much already!