Happy Memorial Day!

After enjoying a wonderful Memorial Day weekend(will post about it later) I wanted to highlight my two grandfathers who were servicemen. Thanks to all the men and women out there who have served this country past and present!!


My Mom's Dad, Harry Hooper, served in the Navy. He was left a paraplegic after an papella shaft caught him by the shirt at the neck and fliped him and broke his neck and back.


My Dad's father, Richard Murphy, also served. He was stationed up in Gander, Newfoundland when he met my grandmother who was working as a secretary on base.

"I thank God for my life and the stars and stripes. May Freedom forever fly. Let it ring. Salute the ones who died, the ones who give their lives, so we don't have to sacrifice the things we love." - Zac Brown Band

Menu Plan Monday

This will be my last MPM post for a while. Just like last year, I will not post a menu until Labor Day. We grill so much or our over someones else house, that menu planning is a bit boring during the summer. I'll still be posting recipes through out the summer, so keep checking in for those! Enjoy your Memorial Day!

Monday: Ribs on the slow cooker, yum!
Tuesday: Steak Tips Salad
Wednesday: Grilled Pizza
Thursday: Chicken Kabobs
Friday: Dinner at my Dad & Jan's

Nicole's New Venture

My sister Nicole has a new venture! Selling Mary Kay products. I always thought they were just makeup, but after checking out her website, I realized they have a lot more!

You can host a party and she can come right to your house for a fun night with friends or if you don't live close or can't fit time in for a party, you can order right off her website! Who knows, maybe she'll be driving a pink Cadillac soon, haha. Does Mary Kay still do that? Check out her website!

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Homemade Italians
Tuesday:Balsamic Maple Chicken & green beans
Wednesday: Tater Tot Casserole & salad
Thursday: Texas Hash
Friday: Takeout

Busy Saturday

Another bites the dust!

You are allowed 2 turkeys with the superpack hunting license, so at 4:30am, Pete and his Dad went hunting and he got another one! Two Saturday's in a row. This one is 21 1/2 pounds.

It's 6am Jack & Peter are up, so why not get in a photo with Daddy & Grampie!


Since everyone was up early, we decided we wanted to get as much done as we could Saturday morning. My Mom called and asked if we wanted to do breakfast, so we met them at Charlie's Diner and enjoyed a good breakfast. We then headed to BJ's and Home Depot to get a bunch of stuff we wanted/needed.


My friend Kelli had her baby shower this afternoon. She lives across the street so it was very convenient for me :) Our friend Melissa, who's baby shower was a few weeks ago, also was there. All our boys will be playing together next summer!


We've always wanted a garden since we bought our home. Groundhogs have been a problem. Thanks to a "relocation" effort by Pete, they are now worried about staying alive in our backyard, so we haven't seen many this year. We thought we would start small this summer and if we can keep the plants alive, we'll get bigger next year. We bought a tomato plant, green pepper plant, 4 cucumber plants, and some herbs... basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme and oregano. We planted them when I got back from Kelli's shower.


No idea, why the rest of the blog shows a link.. starting to really have problems and not like blogger!

My tomato plant and green pepper plant hang on the shed.

The cucumbers & herbs on the deck!
After we planted all the veggies & herbs, Since the end of the world didn't happen, we headed back over to Kelli & Brandon's for a post baby shower cookout with their family. We had a great end to our Saturday!

Picture People Photos

I love Picture People!! Yes, they are more expensive then going to Sears but I have never gone without a coupon so I always have gotten a good deal. You can always get coupons off their site. When Peter was 10 weeks old, I went and had photos taken of him. So of course I had to take Jack!! He did great and thanks to Nonni for her silly dancing we were able to convince Peter to take a photo with his brother and I'm happy with how it came out. They were having a Father's Day special and with the coupon I brought with me, I couldn't pass it up! All the Grandparents and Aunt's will be getting the photo above but if there is any family or close friends who reads this and would like one, just let me know and I would be happy to send you one!

This the the wall of photos that is in my living room. Middle top is the picture of Peter at 10 weeks. Bottom middle is Jack at 10 weeks.

Book Pile

I use to be able to read at least a book a week. Back before kids, I would read 3 or 4 a week! I LOVE to dive into a book and escape. I had three big bookcases filled with books. Since we live in a small ranch, I gave away almost all of them because we just didn't have the room. Now with two kids, I've read two books in 10 weeks. I first read Two Kisses for Maddy. Then, because of the Royal Wedding, I went to the library and just finished reading A Royal Duty by Paul Burrell. I am currently reading How to Bake the Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal , another library book and I am enjoying it. My book pile is backing up and most are from the library so I need to get on it! I always try to get my books from the library, since I usually read them so fast, I think it's a waste of money to buy them right now.

Here is a list of books I currently have at my house to read:

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
44 Charles St by Danielle Steel
A Place of Yes by Bethenny Frankel
Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
Friendship Bread by Darien Gee
The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers

Some of the books I want to read by 2012:

Life's That Way by Jim Beaver
Too Many Cooks by Emily Franklin
Happy Birthday by Danielle Steel
Escape by Barbara Delinsky
The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks
The Lost Recipe of Happiness by Barbara O'Neal
The Secret of Everything by Barbara O'Neal
Inconceivable by Carolyn & Sean Savage

OCC Chopper

4 years ago Orange County Choppers made two custom bikes for the company Airgas. Jr. designed one and Sr. designed the other. The bike that Paul Jr. made is on tour with Airgas right now and stopped at my Mom's work today. I took the boys over to check it out. We took a bunch of photos but, I am so annoyed at blogger right now that these are the only ones I am putting on. NOT happy right now!


In a few more years, he can reach the handlebars, haha!!

Going for a ride.... I wish!

Nonni riding like a bad ass!

Menu Plan Monday

There is nothing better then sitting outside on the deck enjoying dinner with my family:) As you can see, we are starting to grill a lot!It is suppose to rain most of the week but we'll still use the grill. My menu will start to get a bit boring with it basically all grilling so as usual, MPM will go on hiatus from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Monday: Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
Tuesday: Hamburgers
Wednesday: Taco's
Thursday: BBQ Chicken Thighs
Friday: Takeout :)

Nate's 30th Party

She pulled it off!! After lots of hard work and planning, on May 7th, Nicole surprised Nate for his 30th birthday! We all had a great time!

Mom & I waiting for Nate to arrive.

Jack & Laura waiting for Nate to arrive.

Laura & Nate in front of the dessert table she created of all his favorite foods. I think I ate half the cheese balls, haha! For more photos of it, go to Live Smile Celebrate's blog

having a good time :)
Nonni, Gwen & Peter playing.

Sisters :)

Preggo Nicole :)
After the kids have gone back to the hotel with Nonni & Poppi!

This is when the night started to turn ugly.....karoke!

Turkey Hunter

Pete got a turkey! 21 lbs. A rather large turkey. He can register it with the Maine Longbeard Society. He was very happy!

Double beard turkey, they more commonly, just have one.


Daddy & Peter

Yard Work

....we hate it. Yes, it's true. I love the look of a beautifully landscaped lawn but I don't like to do it. My Dad and Jan spend their weekends outside, all day cleaning, working and improving their yard. It looks beautiful, I would love their yard,but even if we had the time, Pete and I wouldn't spend it that way. Yesterday afternoon it was beautiful out, the daycare kids had all just left and we we're enjoying some family time in the front yard. I mentioned wanting to get mulch this weekend and Pete decided to go up to Storey's Garden Center right then. One less thing we would have to do this weekend!

Peter wanted to help, so I got his winter shovel out of the garage so he could help :)

Jack enjoyed watching everyone else work!

Putting the mulch around the mailbox

Bela was behaving out on the front yard, thanks to doggie daycare!