Tuesday, May 27, 2008

May Calendar Girls!


Hello Girls! I really look forward to every one's updates each month. I am very impressed with all of your computer skills-very creative!!

Greg & I just got back from a wedding in Disney World. It was so beautiful and lots of fun. We just went for the long weekend and the girls stayed with my Mom -so it was a nice little rendezvous for us. We have a trip planned to go back there this October with the girls. We are all really looking forward to that vacation.

Greg is doing well. He and his partner took over the insurance agency 2 years ago now- so far so good! He is still coaching, just finished his 11th year at THS. He plays on a men's league in the spring/summer. The team is taking a road trip to Nashville this summer for a tournament, that will be really cool for them. I've heard that it is a really fun city- the country music fan that I am.

Meghan is busy in 4th grade and really enjoying it. She is playing on an all girls travel soccer team, which she loves. She is also playing on her 1st hockey team-YEP Greg is the coach-classic! He has not coached the little kids in a while-both of them are enjoying it. They have bonded with quite a few early morning games and breakfasts together.

Shannon is enjoying 2nd grade. She is so easy going. She is finishing her 5th year of dance and is really looking forward to her recital and 5 year trophy. She can shake her groove thing-not sure where she gets that from! She also is doing Intro to hockey-which is usually a family event-Greg helps out-Meg usually skates as well and I work out above the rink and watch. It works out really nice.

As for me, I am doing well. I am still working 4 days, home for the girls after school which is great. Absolutely love my Fridays off. Most weeks I work at Greg's office I do the bookkeeping etc..but I can usually squeeze in a few errands -groceries-Starbucks-maybe a stop off at the LOFT...just enjoyable couple of hours. As for exercise I try to squeeze in the gym a couple of times a week with my sister in law Gina-not seeing many results but feel great when I am done.

Last month Wendy, Gina and I took my Mom away for a night to celebrate her 65th birthday. We had a great time, treated ourselves to the spa, dinner and drinks.... AHHH. The guys came up the next morning with the kids to surprise her and joined us for brunch. It was really nice.

That is all for now-looking forward to seeing most of you at camping and hopefully and girls night or happy hour on the beach this summer.....

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Bart's Family Update



Bart’s Family Update


Calendar Girl Excitement!


I would fist like to say hi to everyone and send a big thank you out to Jen for coming up with the idea of sending these family updates out. I have truly enjoyed reading the stories that have already been sent and look forward to the ones coming up in future months. So… a big GRACIAS to you Jen!!


What’s Going on with me...


Well, as you all know I am turning the big “4-0” this year and it made me realize that I haven’t really done much just for myself in the past 15 or so years. So… I decided I am going to do more things that interest me. I started searching the internet to find things I would like to do and came across some classes offered through Branford High Continuing Education.
The first class I took was a jazzercise class. Well, let me tell you, this girl don’t have any rhythm at all!! I did okay with the stretching and exercise parts, but when it came down to actually dancing – what a mess!! Although the women who already had the routine down were very encouraging, I felt very awkward with the movements and, needless to say, did not sign up for a second session.


I also took a cake decorating class. I had signed up for this class a few times when I lived in Stratford, but it always was cancelled due to lack of interest. I guess there are a lot more people who plan to bake cakes in Branford, because the class was packed! It was fun, but I knew a lot of the basics from working at Carvel, so didn’t really learn a lot. I did however learn how to make roses, so to me it was worth it! I plan to take an advanced cake decorating class later in the year. Who knows, maybe this could be a future career move for me!


Another thing I’m excited about is the cooking classes Rick and I will be signing up for next month. There is a chef in Guilford who does them right in her home. Our goal is to learn to make healthy, delicious meals, and to have a LOT of fun in the kitchen together, (when the girls aren’t around of course!) I’ve heard food can be very erotic! ;)
I would also like to take ballroom dance classes; give the dancing thing one more shot! Rick says he will take them with me on one condition - if I go sky diving with him. Not sure if ballroom dancing is really worth it!


There are a lot more things I want to do such as traveling, art classes, karate, etc., etc. Rick refers to this as my “bucket list”. I figure I might as well start crossing things off now, before the next 40 years fly by!


Home Depot - Still going strong!


Work for me is going well. I just hit my 17 year anniversary this month. Who would have thunk??!! When I first got hired, I figured I would be with the company for a year tops! It’s actually been a great company to work for. Being back in the District Office gives me a lot more flexibility than working in the store. My bosses are very understandable when it comes to the girls and allow me to take time off to attend school functions, doctor appointments, etc. I recently took Lauren with me on “Bring Your Daughter to Work Day”. Heck, they even let me bring the dog!!



















A recently shaved Shaia enjoys her day

at The Home Depot District Office


Rick is a Saint!


Poor man didn’t realize what he was getting into when he decided to settle down with me!! I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve him, but I am so happy he is willing to put up with all the chaos that my family and I have brought into his quiet and peaceful life. He is so patient and understanding it is unbelievable. He is building such a close relationship with Rebecca now. In the beginning we were a little worried about her accepting him, but now she refers to Rick as her “best friend.” Lauren has always adored him and their bond continues to grow every day. Nick respects him so much and constantly looks to him for advice. What a difference it makes in a relationship when everybody really likes each other!
He is still working with Behr Paint. He had thoughts of changing his career path and then realized that the freedom he has with this job is not worth giving up for a few more dollars and a lot more aggravation! He cherishes the time he has with me and the girls and does not want to jeopardize that at any cost.
He continues to do his spin class 4 times a week and works out every day. Yes, I mean EVERY day… sickening isn’t it? Wish I had that kind of commitment!



THE BIG DAY… IS IT EVER GOING TO HAPPEN??


Rick and I haven’t set a wedding date as of yet, but we are talking about doing something this summer, maybe at the house – if it ever gets finished. YES… we are doing MORE remodeling! DOES IT EVER END??!! We are currently opening up the kitchen/dining room area. We put in new stairs to the 2nd floor and are doing some things in the living room to make it more “cozy”. I KNOW… It’ll sure be nice once it’s all finished!
Watch the mail for a special invitation!!


Nick finishing his junior year


Can you believe Nick will be turning 21 this year?? I just can’t accept the fact that I’ll have a child old enough to go out and have a cocktail with!
He is wrapping up his junior year at Sacred Heart University and is doing very well. His major is in business, and he seems to easily comprehend it. He has always been intrigued on how businesses run, so hopefully that will help him to excel in his career once he is out of college. His last two semesters GPA’s were over 3.50 and he made the Dean’s list twice, which I’m very proud of.


Nick left The Home Depot to try working with Gary in construction. That didn’t work out and after a short stint with the Big Y Deli, he decided The Home Depot wasn’t so bad. Thanks to his “connections” he was rehired back into the Stratford store.


Jessica is still in the picture, but I think he’s realizing she is not the right one for him. He had a little scare with a bad mix of prescription drugs (Lexapro, to help him with slight depression and Prednisone, which was a steroid prescribed to him when he had pleurisy (an inflammation of the lungs). The chemical reaction of the two did something to bring his psyche to a crash and he ended up being admitted to Yale Psychiatric Hospital for a week – HOW SCARY! They straightened out his “meds” and put him on a different anti depressant and he is doing much better. I think the experience put things into perspective for him. It helped him to see how much everyone cares about him and how important he is to the people in his life. It also made him realize he needs to have people in his life. Nick has always been sort of an introvert, and after this happened he seems to be opening up and reaching out to people more, which is nice to see.

Unfortunately, I don’t have an updated picture on my computer of him to share. He’s growing his hair out, so just picture Tony Molina, only a little taller! I’ll definitely have a picture of him for my next newsletter!


Rebecca – A Talented Young Lady


Rebecca is finishing up the 2nd grade this year. She is doing very well; school comes very easy for her.

She is taking dance lessons (ballet, jazz, tap and hip-hop) and can really shake her booty! Unfortunately, she does not want to join again next year. I was kind of hoping she would stick with it, but oh well! Don’t want to pressure her. I asked if she wanted to try something else and nothing really sparks her interest. I’m thinking about signing her up for art classes over the summer, but we’ll see.

She does like to play the electric guitar I had gotten her for her birthday a couple of years ago. She sits on her bed, strums her guitar and makes up songs. Some of them are actually not bad! She is not interested in taking lessons, or else I’d sign her up in a second - I may have a future American Idol contestant on my hands!





Lauren – Like mother like daughter

Rick refers to Lauren as “mini – me”. She is such a clumsy, goofy girl with a big heart. It’s so funny to see so much of me in her – poor thing! She does a lot of things that I used to do as a kid. She LOVES all her “Stuffty” (stuff –tee) animals and sets them up on her bed and in their strollers all around her bed before going to sleep every night. They all have to be in their proper places. I had put one behind another one night and she said “Mommy, can you please not put that one behind him, because then he can’t see me.” Too cute!!

Lauren takes dance also, but like me is VERY uncoordinated! She is constantly fiddling with her hair and looking around to see what is going on instead of paying attention to her teacher. She definitely won’t be going next year – her choice of course!!
Lauren does well in first grade. She is in a “looping class”, which I think will be good for her. She really likes her teacher and her class mates. She loves to meet new kids and has no qualms about going up to someone she doesn’t know to try to make friends with them. (Hmmm… can that be a little Norm

coming out in her??!!)



















An Invitation...

Girls Night Out on the Beach!!


I will be hosting a jewelry party on Saturday, June 28th. There will be no pressure to buy. It’s just a time to get together with friends to enjoy some cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while browsing through a collection of Silpada Jewelry. An invitation will be sent out when it gets closer to the date. I hope you can make it!!






Until Next Time...
I’ll leave you all with a little poem that I thought was very fitting to the reason we decided to send these updates out…


Slow Dance

Have you ever watched kids on a merry go round?
Or listened to the rain slapping the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun in the fading night?
You better slow down, don’t dance so fast.
Time is short, the music won’t last.

Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask “How are you?” do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You’d better slow down, don’t dance so fast.
Time is short, the music won’t last.

Ever told your child we’ll do it tomorrow,
And in your haste not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch let a good friendship die
‘Cause you never had time to call and say “hi”?
You’d better slow down, don’t dance so fast.
Time is short, the music won’t last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift… thrown away.
Life is not a race, do take it slower,
Hear the music before the song is over.







I look forward to seeing everyone soon!
Love and miss you all!!
Love, Bart






Sunday, April 13, 2008

April Calendar Girls




Hello Everyone!This idea for creating a blog came from Jen when she was having trouble sending her February calendar girl information as an email. I decided to add - making a blog to my To Do List for Spring break. So here we are, on the web, thanks Jen!! The girls and I are home for Spring break this week and are thoroughly enjoying the relaxed pace of sleeping late and enjoying very unstructured days. We have been sleeping until 9:00 or 9:30 every day - I think we were all exhausted. Alex is traveling most of the week, first in Florida and currently in California. After we return from break I will have just two weeks left in my long term sub assignment. I think most of you know that I have been subbing since mid-January in the same classroom where I student taught for 12 weeks in the beginning of the school year. The experience has been amazing to say the least! The ending of my assignment is perfectly timed with a sales trip Alex won to...NYC! I don't care if I have been there a bunch of times, I am thrilled be going away with my husband. The only other time Alex and I have gone away together is the weekend we flew to GA to go house hunting. The dates of the trip are Wednesday 4/30 through Friday 5/2. I decided to pull the kids out of school for three days and take them with us - they will stay with my parents. While we are in the city Alex and I are going to see Jersey Boys and go on a food tour - yum, yum.Other new and exciting things.... The love of my life, my precious fury friend, Lucky has presented some emotional and financial challenges for the Muliero family (me especially - emotionally that is). We had an unfortunate incident where Lucky bit a neighbor's ankle - yikes. In Lucky's defense the kids rode their bikes into our yard (through his invisible fence) and the kids had previously teased and taunted him. Anyway, I was just devastated that he bit because I had no idea that he had that in him. So,... many tears and $500 later, we have been having a trainer come to our house to help work through his "fear aggression". Alex of course thinks it is a waste of money and calls the trainer a “quack” but I am determined to train him!The girls continue to flourish. Georgia has definitely become our home as we become more and more rooted in the schools, activities, and neighborhood stuff. Emily continues to play soccer and recently took up running through a program called Girls On the Run - it is a great program that encourages girls to develop self respect and a healthy life style through running. The culmination of the program is a 5K race on 4/26. Annie has been enjoying taking drama classes and cooking. The cooking takes place in my kitchen at often the craziest of times. I am trying not to squelch her enthusiasm but sometimes it does test my patience. This week she made brownies from scratch - I have to say that I have never done that myself - they came out great. Alex has been playing a lot of basketball, golfing, working out, and eating healthy! I wish I had his commitment. Emily has actually motivated me to try running. I am starting of slow with a walk/run combo with Lucky by my side - we'll see - I hope I can stick with it (I need the exercise).All of the Muliero's are excited about our trip in July and can't wait for our annual camping trip.I hope this blog actually works... I will try to attach some photos (I don't have too many recent ones since I lost both of my cameras on the flight back from CT over Christmas break - I just bought a new digital a couple of weeks ago). Maybe I'll attach a recipe too. I am looking forward to hearing from everyone!Love you!Erin