Holy cow...

Just in this last week...

• I cried as I saw John in his groomsman suit.
• I cried during the mother of the bride speech.
• I cried while biting into my homemade hamburger at the table with John and Constantine.
• I cried while brushing my teeth.
• I cried mid sentance while eating out with my parents, Clara, and Rose. This one was the cry that Oprah calls the "ugly cry" when your face contorts and your shoulders shake up and down. I had to hide behind a napkin.
  
  
  
  Please, please hormones, no more! I have a reputation to uphold here!

Traveling with Tini the Termite

**How to calm a fussy baby

In short, anything that I expected to happen actually did not happen when it came to traveling with Constantine. Here, let me expound...

Flight from and to Phoenix (3 hours)-
Expectation: Chaos, tears (from both of us), and swearing (me, not him)
Reality: Sleeping in my arms the majority of both ways, peace, tranquility, silent prayers of Thanksgiving to the Almighty

Drive from Nashville to Gatlinburg (4 hours)-
Expectation: Calmness. gleeful play, occasional snooze
Reality: Frustration, loss of control, crying evolving into screaming, no snooze, mom plugging her own ears with fingers, and near outburst of verbal rage by mother

Scenic drives in Gatlinburg (2- 1 hour trips)-
See "Drive from Nashville to Gatlinburg"

Drive from Gatlinburg to Chicago (11 hours)-
See "Drive from Nashville to Gatlinburg"

Drive from Klocek home to Men's Wearhouse (20 minutes)-
Expectation: Fussiness
Reality: Immediate sleep (ARE YOU KIDDING ME????)

All in all, we had a wonderful trip visitng family. And like all other trips, I was not ready to come home. However, back to reality and back to the small things that make life sweet.

Old Aunt

Apparently, in my old age, I forgot that I actually DID meet my 5 year old nephew, Aiden... back in 2005 when he was 6 weeks old... doh!

Bad and Sad Aunt

This Friday, along with my husband and Constantine, I will be meeting one of my nephews for the first time. I realize that this is not terribly unusual but the thing is Aiden is now FIVE years old. How the hell heck did this happen? Can I blame it on just plain life (away in Alaska, a marriage, then babies)? Or have I been absolutely negligent in my duties to visit my sister and her family in Nashville from time to time? Most likely it is the latter and I am terribly ashamed.

However, moving forward I simply cannot wait to meet the big bugger! Further, I am excited to see all of my sister's family.

What is interesting is that I rarely cry but whenever I see her kids and embrace them I bawl like a big, big baby. It is really quite embarressing.

Velcro was invented in 1948...

Halfmoon

While on the phone I got a great view of a delicious dimpled, rubbery bun.

June Woodstock Visit

My sister-in-law, Mary, took these pictures back in June when we went to Chicago for John's Purple and thought I'd share them... (John tied for second in the tournament, by the way)...

Benny, Constantine, Jack, and Dominic

Constantine (11 months) and Dominic (9 months)

Grandpa and Grandma Klocek with all their grandchildren.

Dominic and Constantine



Klocek boys: John, Constantine, Andrew, Tim, Patrick and Brent (non-Klocek-but-looks-like-Klocek)