I've been tagged again...

♥♥♥ My Favorite Things ♥♥♥

Each player uses this list. The person who is tagged needs to post the list on their blog, answer the questions about their favorite things and post these rules. At the end of your blog, you need to choose one person to be "it" and list their name/blog. Don't forget to leave a comment on their blog telling them they are tagged and to read your blog.

Here goes:

Favorite food: PIZZA! I can eat it every day, any time of day, hot/cold~whatever! I am a huge fan of Sal's Pizza and they are popping up everywhere now. Great for me! Not great for my diet! They've also got the best chocolate cupcakes EVER!

Favorite dessert: I usually go for the cheesecake at any restaurant but anything chocolate will do and I'm a weakling for a canoli or any Italian pastry. At home, there's nothing better than freshly baked Ghirardelli brownies! If you're using Betty Crocker or one of those types, make the switch! You'll thank me!

Favorite vacation destination: We don't travel a heck of alot. I do love North Conway and being up there but my dream destination would be an African safari. I WILL get there someday.

Favorite song: Not a huge music fan. It's hard to pick a favorite b/c they represent different times and people in life and there have been so many. One that just gets me and stands out is 'She Talks to Angels' by the Black Crows. I am a rocker at heart.

Favorite outfit: I would agree w/ Mary and say black capri pants w/ any top, preferably a tank (I wish) and flipflops. Love the look, simple and clean and FLATTERING!

Favorite holiday: Without question Christmas for all the spirit and joy that it brings and I also LOVE Halloween!!! So much FUN!

Favorite season: I love winter but there's nothing better than getting back outside and seeing things turn green again in the spring. It's starting anew and I really look forward to that this year. It's been a tough fall & winter for me and my family.

Favorite book/author: I Know This Much Is True/Wally Lamb...unforgettable. I'll also read anything that's based on a true story. I'm actually embarrassed to be in my book section at Barnes&Noble. I go to the Crime section and look for biographies/autobiographies about serial killers and psychos. I have no idea why I'm so intrigued and it only make me fearful when I'm alone anywhere or not even alone for that matter. Although, I suppose by reading and watching those shows on TV, I'm more aware of how many psychos there are around us. It does make this world a crazy and scary place to live in.

Favorite movie: Goodwill Hunting. I love it from start to finish. I love the story, I love who it represents, I love who wrote it and their story, etc. I also like Ben Stiller comedies but NO action films. I like dramas and even moreso, documentaries. I just love a movie that I can take something away from or relate to. More favs are Ever After, Riding In Car With Boys (LOVE Drew Barrymore!), The Color Purple, the Brat Pack thang, Grease, all that stuff.

Favorite magazine: People

Favorite sport: baseball if any

Favorite cocktail/drink: Head Hunter...wow! I'm fun after a few of those!

Favorite TV show: American Idol hands down but I love all reality TV. I watch a few sitcoms, The Office has to be one of the best ever!

Favorite gift you ever received: My engagement ring. Jay and I met at the Choatbridge Pub here in Ipswich when I was 20...we dated, moved in together, blah, blah, blah. A few years later we looked at rings and I picked one but never knew he was making payments on it. I never expected it so soon. Well, we went to the Pub one night and lo and behold, he proposed to me. He tried to get the same spot where we met, but it was taken. We sat next to the popcorn machine and he had planted the ring in the drawer. It came out of nowhere and I was utterly shocked and so happy. He told a few people what he was up to that night and they made sure to be there w/ champagne and their cameras. It was a great night and to me, very romantic. Right after, I called my parents and my dad picked up the phone and I told him the good news. He said his congrats and that I sounded like I was in a bar and I said, well I am, this is where we met. Not the proudest moment, but still a HAPPY one. ;)

Favorite gift you ever gave: Cassidy got a puppy for her ninth birthday. It was a great gift and so much fun. Emmet was 2lbs. and the size of my foot, maybe smaller! Dream dog! God, that dog was SO much more loved before the little ones were born. Poor Emmet.

Favorite way to spend a Saturday afternoon: Out shopping somewhere, not foodshopping though (dread that!). I like to think of things I need and GO GET 'EM!!! Sometimes I come home w/ toiletries, sometimes I come home w/ a delivery truck behind me. I like to keep Jay excited! haha

Favorite date night: Night at the Pub w/ Jay. Great memories, great friends. We always leave there (buzzed) loving life and loving the life we've made.

Favorite animal: Our dog Emmet! We owe you Emmet! You're a good boy!

Favorite blog site: Hungry For Life site. The support is just amazing! LOVE YOU DENNIS!


I am now tagging Jeannie from the Maxwell Family Blog.

These poor starving children...

Are your children all "starving" too? All day, every day? Every time I turn around, this is what I see. Thank you Nana for the desk and chair set, but this is what it's mostly used for. This little chair gets carried all over the house and gives these two the power to get what they want. And they take their chances too, knowing that MOMMA is comin' around the corner a screamin' & hollerin'. They don't care! I assume Caragh's the lookout.

Look who's almost 3!

Caragh will be 3 in just a few days, our last little baby isn't really a baby anymore! :(

Along w/ age 3 has come nap rebellion. Caragh has said NO to naptime but can't quite make it through the day w/out one. She eventually konks (is that a word?) out around dinner time, in this case while eating dinner. And no, she doesn't still use a high chair, I have it for the daycare kids and every now and then she'll jump in for fun...okay, okay she was eating rice and Emmet doesn't like rice. haha

Fun w/ the Lyles!

Erin, Matt & the boys came to hang out yesterday. It was a great time, love you guys!!! ♥♥♥♥

How much does Caragh look like her mommy?!?! She's my mini-me!!! It's crazy!

We awoke the monster!!! Oh No!

Where's Reed???

Auntie Erin & the gals!

Happy Birthday Auntie Pat!!! ♥

We celebrated Jay's Aunt Pat's 65th birthday this afternoon w/ a Winter Luau. We had a great time, it was so nice to see everyone! Wow, you don't realize how much you've been hibernating all winter! It was soooo nice to see people! Here are some pics of the special day~

All the girls! Auntie Pat is in the green...65 years young!!! We love you Auntie!!!

Here's a pic of Diane (a family friend), Mary & Nana Coughlin (love you guys!). Nice little story...Dianne has been a pediatric nurse forever. She took care of Jay in the nursery at Beverly Hospital when he was born. Now fast forward, oh about 37 or so years...she cared for Reilly & Caragh too! I bet she even cared for Cass, but we just hadn't officially met yet. She's such a nice person and it was good to see her along w/ so many other special people.

Here's a great pic. Check out Papa Jack's coconuts! Aloooooha!!! ;)

Let it snow!!!

I thought I was so through with winter BUT I really do ♥ a snowstorm! We are getting 6-10 inches and it's already started! I'm one of the few people who look forward to winter and actually like it more than summer. I live for snowstorms (or any storm). It's just so cozy~LOVE IT!
I've got nothing to really blog about today but felt the need to refresh. It gets boring seeing the same old post after a few days.
I thought I'd share w/ everyone (or the few ppl who read this!) that next weekend I will be going to see John Edward (the psychic) in Portland, ME. My sisters and I are definately into the psychic thing and we cannot wait! This is HUGE to us!!! It's something we've talked about doing for years. We'll all be there along w/ our sister-in-law Jodi and a few friends. We are making a night of it, doing dinner beforehand at some Japanese restaurant and then off to THE SHOW! Our chances of a reading are pretty slim, but you just never know! Just being there will be fun! If we do happen to get a reading, I'm sure you'll read about it on ALL our blogs!

Anyway, here's a pic of what's going on here snow-wise in Ipswich...


Stay warm and enjoy this while it lasts! haha

Coughlin Girls & Somers Boys

Here are some pics of Reilly & Caragh w/ Alexander (Reilly's "boyfriend") & Max.

They 're family friends who came for a visit last night. Reilly has been completely and utterly in love w/ this kid for years. I know, she's only pushing 5!

Check out the outfit she put on before they arrived. I was told that she didn't care what I said, she's borrowing my boots b/c her boyfriend is coming over.

If this a glimpse of her teenage years, we are in some serious trouble!

Happy Birthday Rex!

Look who's 2 years old today!!!

We love you Rex and we hope you have a super duper birthday!

Lots of love,

Your Godfather Uncle Jay, Auntie Kelli, Cassidy, Reilly, Caragh & Emmet ♥

Meet Kendall, Pajammie & Jelly Belly

Our new pets~two African Dwarf frogs & a snail

If these guys aren't as easy as the pamphlet claims they should be...swooooosh! Swirly! ;)

j/k The kids are loving them.

Bon Voyage Cassidy

Cass left this morning for CA to visit her dad. Reilly & Caragh were sad to see her go. They miss their big sisters, Katie & Megann (who live in VA), every single day and now have one more big sis to miss. It's just a few days though. She told them she'd be back and to stay out of her room...big sisters are no fun! ☺
We miss you already Cass! We love you! xxoo

Build-A-Bear Workshop

Reilly came up with the idea to go to Build-A-Bear for Valentine's Day. I think it'll be a nice annual tradition. Lord knows Valentine's Day ain't cheap no matter how you cut it! That bear's undies cost as much as mine! haha~TMI (too much info!)
The kids had fun creating their new friends and then we went out to dinner (Kelly's Roast Beef~booyah!).
Nice family night w/ all my Valentines. ♥

Reilly w/ Angie (she wants to know why it's called Build A Bear when she built a hippo.)

Caragh w/ Drita (we were told afterwards that her name is Drita, "just like the chips." lol

Katie asked for outtakes...

I saved the best, or I should say worst for last...

There you go Auntie Katie, hope you like 'em. ☺

♥♥♥ Happy Valentine's Day ♥♥♥

We had lots of fun baking Valentine cupcakes. I think the kids are getting tired of me & my camera though.
Blog pressure.....☺
The pics below are me telling Reilly to show the finished product and her telling me, "What, I want to pose like the Statue of Liberty." (???)

I've been TAGGED!!!

Thanks Katie! This is MUCH harder than I thought! My goorsh!


Rules for the “Five Random Facts”:

Each player starts with five random facts/habits/stories about themselves. Anything will do. Be creative.

The person who is tagged needs to write a post on their own blog (about their five things) and post these rules.

At the end of your blog, you need to choose one person to get tagged and list their name/blog. Don’t forget to leave a comment on their blog telling them they’re tagged and to read your blog.


and here goes...


1) When I was in high school, I had every intention of joining the Peace Corps right after graduation. Yup, I got the paperwork and everything but it just wasn't something people we knew did and little by little I got discouraged. I'd still love to go somewhere, do something like that in the future. I'm thinking maybe the Coughlins will become missionaries~can't you see that???


2) I'm a FOODIE and have been since childhood. Growing up, my biggest idol was Julia Child and I actually quit dancing school to stay home and watch her show after school. I still find myself dreaming of being the next Julia Child (drunk and all).

3) Lately, I've been thinking about going back to school when the kids are a little older. I'd go for Criminal Justice (have you seen that commercial for ITT Tech?). I would LOVE to be a forensic scientist, a parole officer, prison guard, jail therapist, etc.
As you can see, I believe that I would be good at many things and have many callings. Hmmm, decisions, decisions. Jay often laughs at all the professions I dream of having.

4) I have a hard time distinguishing my left from my right. Embarrassing, but NO JOKE.


5) My BIGGEST fear in life:

So, there are 5 facts about me...love 'em or hate 'em/love me or hate me. ;)
Hey, I'm a thinker, not a do-er. I've always had great intentions and aspirations in life but just haven't followed through w/ all of them YET (key word). Life is my oyster! ♥


Haha Jeannie and w/ that~YOU ARE TAGGED! ♥♥♥♥♥♥ Maxwell Family Blog

Kathleen Madison (Madi)

I wanted to dedicate this post to my new niece, Kathleen Madison Feener.
Better late than never! Sorry~you'll learn that Auntie is a scatterbrain!

So, HERE'S TO YOU MADI!

Good job Mary & Dave, two of the best and most deserving parents I know. I enjoy hearing all about your happiness, and all about lil' miss fussy pants! Cannot wait to see her again!

I love you all and wish you the best!

Here are some pics from the hospital...I know, I know, a month late!!!

Pad Thai or BBQ?

We saw Rex & Auntie Katie this weekend, always a fun time! The kids get along so well and Katie & I could talk (& eat~haha) for days. Rex & Reilly are such pals! They really adore eachother. Can't wait until Reese is in the mix!
Here are some pics of the kooky cousins...

L.A. Ink's got nothin' on Caragh...

Oh and the date on my camera is incorrect, gotta fix that.

Where do they get this stuff?!?

This morning, after returning home from ballet, Reilly went and changed her outfit. She said that she didn't want to look like a "loser" walking around in her dance clothes all day.

This kid is too much! Gotta love the outfit, huh?!

We really need a vacation!

I mentioned to Reilly that maybe we'd go on a weekend get-away w/ all her aunties and cousins (IN MARCH!). She disappeared for a bit and then came upstairs lugging her really packed suitcase behind her saying, "I'm ready to go see all my cousins!".
We're NOT too bored w/ winter, huh?
Anyway, I just had to get a pic and they just had to do the Coughlin thang!


Oh and they dressed themselves today. Not worth the battle. It was just one of those days, one of those weeks! This weather is crappy!