Closer

Well, its getting closer and closer ( 9 days and counting) until The Harrisburg Angels home opener. I feel like lately all I have been doing is sleeping, eating and breating football. Not such a bad thing except when you are a mother of three. Though I have been ok with balancing things so far. D is an assistant coach with the team so that is nice and the kids do actually come to practice on occasion and hang out. They enjoy it.
I am attempting to not get burnt out by the whole thing.. lets hope not. I still have 8 games to play! Honestly, I can't wait. I have played sports before but nothing like this and the closer it gets the more excited I become.
Here is our schedule:

April 22nd
Tidewater Floods @ Harrisburg Angels
April 29th
Harrisburg Angels @ Baltimore Burn
May 6th
Harrisburg Angels @ DC Divas
May 20th
Maine Freeze @ Harrisburg Angels
May 27th
Harrisburg Angels @ Tidewater Floods
June 3rd
Baltimore Burn @ Harrisburg Angels
June 10th
DC Divas @ Harrisburg Angels
June 17th
Harrisburg Angels @ Maine Freeze

So, as you can see busy busy busy.
Check out the very cool website for more info and some great pictures. www.harrisburgangels.com!

Olivia is doing well with cheerleading. she seems to enjoy it. Hailey has ultimately told us that she no longer wants to take dance classes, but she is very much looking forward to going to kindergarden. I think that everyday she asks me when it starts! LOL
She had orientation recently, and is super excited. Good news is we meet with the speech therapists at the school in a few weeks to go over her therapy schedule for next year. So that will be a big relief for me as well. So all is well!

Life.. as it flies by

Things have been unbelievable busy around the Pratt household, as if they aren't always. With football, spring, yard work and everything else that has been coming up I have barely had time to think more or less post..
So here is about the last month in a nut shell!
The kids are doing well, Riley's head is finally healing, although his Harry Potter scar is still very visible and since D took him to get his hair cut last week, it really sticks out. He is getting more and more horrendously bad by the day.. He does exactly everything you tell him not to do. I suppose thats a boy for you! A couple of weeks ago he was getting into the van and he had a pink purse. I asked him why he was carrying a purse, he was a little boy after all. He turned to me and annouced that this purse was for his lip gloss.. All this just days after he announced to D that he wanted to be a ballerina when he grows up. I do believe it is time to find the boy some friends who are boys! LOL
The girls are also good, Hailey is officially registered for kindergarden and asks me every single day when she is starting. She is so excited. They have all day kindergarden at their school, so I think she will like it alot.
Same old same old with the 7 going on 16 year old. She made a competetive cheerleading squad called PA Extreme Cheer. She is doing well and excited to get competing.
Last Friday I took Olivia and Riley to the Shrine Circus. Hailey went to the races with D. The circus was fun.. I hadnt been there is forever. We rode the elephant, walked around trying to avoid the clowns so that Olivia didn't have a fit (she truly is scared of clowns). We ate ourselves silly. We had good seats right behind the sound booth, which was also where the ringmaster (who was a woman) was sitting. Honestly she looked just like my mom's friend Kim Bechtel, who is no longer Kim Bechtel because she just got married! (congrats Kim!) Even Olivia said how much they looked alike. Olivia actually thought it was her! Kim, did you join the circus and didn't tell us? LOL
Football is going well, more then well! Our first game is April 22 on City Island in Harrisburg, Pa. Please please check out our website at www.harrisburgangels.com! We actually have equipment now and are tackling etc. Its fantastic! Last night we were actually on the CBS 21 local news. The link is on the website.. It was a great piece. So watch it! Support us.. Woman's Football rocks!

My puppy!

I just had to throw this in there because he looks so darn cute..

Weekend Get away

Well, D and I finally went on a weekend (ok so it was only one night) get away. Honestly since our kids have been born, all of 7 years ago, we have only been away once without them and that was to the CMA awards in Nashville. Now, I know its hard to get a sitter to watch three children overnight. Unless you get a crazy person, ha! But we found one and went to Atlantic City on Sunday night.
It was really nice. The first time either of us have been there. We stayed at the Resorts Hotel and Casino. All I can say is wow. It was really really nice. We had a great room with two bathrooms, two huge beds, coach, chair and Ocean view! Ok, so I know it was only about 30 degrees outside but the ocean is amazing any time of year. On Sunday night we went to see a comedy show. The main comic was a guy named Mike Stankowitz. I couldn't find a website for him, but he was so funny. Funny enough that about half way through my face hurt. The lady beside me (from RI) was snorting it was so funny. He was just that guy that even when he wasn't saying anything people were laughing. He is probably one of the best comics I have seen in a long time. Very enjoyable!
After that D and I spent some time just hanging out in the casino, gambling, drinking.. I am sure you all know the drill. But it was fun to spend some time together just the two of us.
The next morning we got up and walked the boardwalk..

Which was very cool.. The ocean is beautiful regardless of the time of year. We walked down to a couple of other really cool resorts. Like Bailey's Wild Wild West.. the entire things is very well... wild west like. We hung out there for a while then walked around a little more. It was a little chilly outside so being on the boardwalk for a long time was not an option.
Then we walked back to the hotel and left. The ride back was uneventful but it was a nice night away.

Weekend, Birthday and stuff

Well it was an interesting weekend to say the least. I had practice yesterday, the kids had two birhtday parties and a million other things that were going on. On Sunday I was in the shower to get ready for practice (yes, I shower to go to practice and get all sweaty again, its just my thing).. and Riley and the girls were playing in the family room. I had just hopped out of the shower and was standing in front of my mirror in the bathroom downstairs when water started dripping through the ceiling. It took me a second to realize what was going on but then I raced upstairs only to find Riley standing on the edge of the bathtub watching the water flow over the sink and onto the floor.
He had plugged the sink with the soap and then turned on the water, stood back and watched the mayheim. I was so angry all I had to do was look at him and he just ran to his room. That and the numerous screaming, crying kicking fits that he and both of the girls had yesterday made for an interesting time.
Then, D came home early after being attacked by a drugged out crazy on the ambulance. There were a few scratches, but mostly just blood work and tests to ensure that he didn't catch anything from all the blood flying around.
So, yesterday was quite a day to say the least.
Today, is going much better, its my birthday (happy 28th birthday to me) so I am trying to have a good day regardless of the amount of work I have to do, all the things that i have to do tonight and all the stress that we are having due to the legal issues with the house and money.
I did see a good movie over the weekend, The Bad News Bears. It was very true to the original which I always liked. The little blond kid in the movie played by Timmy Deters was hilarious! Every time he opened his mouth he was swearing or threatening someone. In the one scene he goes after the bullies with a trash can. Nothing the kids should watch, there is a ton of swearing, but its was funny.

Riley is officially 3!

On Sunday we celebrated Riley's 3rd birthday! Now that my baby has officially turned three I feel really old! We had the usual guests, nan, pap, nena pop-pop etc. ..

He enjoyed himself, got lots of presents (although most of them were clothes which made me happier then it made him).

Victoria Secrets and my son

So Monday night Riley and I were laying in my bed watchign 24. D was in the family room watching the Wizards game and the girls were both in bed. The newest Valentines Day Victoria Secrets Commercial came on. I teased Riley and said.. you need to close your eyes you are too young to see this.
So he came back with this.. 'I don't like girls mom, I like women. But they don't like me when I pick my nose, right?'
Interesting the way kids look at things..

I also need to say Happy Birthday to my brother Tyler.. He turned 15 yesterday!

Long overdue pictures of Riley's latest emergency room mishap....
Since I waited so long to take the pics it doesn't look that bad, which is good, and the dermabond is starting to peel off. Although it is going to leave one heck of a nasty scar there..

You know your from Central PA when...

1. You refer to Pennsylvania as "PA."
2. "You guys" is a perfectly acceptable reference to a group of men & women.
3. You've never referred to Philadelphia as anything but "Philly."
4. At least 5 people on your block have electric "candles" in all or most of their windows all year long.
5. You own only three condiments "A-1, Heinz 57 and Heinz ketchup".
6. You live within 20mins of at least 3 different malls.
7. You can go 2 weeks in winter without sunshine and think this is normal.
8. Your turkey has "filling," not "stuffing," and most certainly, NOT "dressing."
9. You go to Sheetz or Turkey Hill...Not Wawa (or you've never even heard of Wawa)
10. Know that Yuengling is pronounced "Ying-ling," and believe that it really is a premium beer.
11. You're an Eagles fan even if you don't watch football.
12. You know 10 different ways to cook deer.
13. You have an uncontrollable urge to buy bread and milk when you hear the word "snow."
14. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.
15. You owe more money on your snowmobile or John Deere than your car.
16. The first day of "Buck Season" and "Doe Season" is a school holiday.
17. The only Jewish people that you've ever met have been from New York or New Jersey.
18. You love the Phillies (unless they stink) in which case you love the Orioles (unless they stink) in which case you solemnly swear that you've never even liked the Phillies or the Orioles, but have always been a Penn State fan.
19. You have over 500 students in your graduating class.
20. You call places "ghetto" even though to most people in other parts of the country it would be considered middle class.
21. They just tore down the old farm house across the street and put 12 new houses in its place.
22. While you're driving and stop at a red light, the people on all sides of you have the bass turned up so high on their radios that your windows start to shake.
23. For the cost of your house, you could own a small town in Iowa.
24. The local paper covers National and International headlines on 1/4 page but requires six pages for sports (especially during high school football season).
25. School closings due to snow take the radio stations a half an hour to finish, because just about every town has its own school district.
26. When someone says 1972, you think "Agnes," and when someone says 1979, you think "TMI."
27. Airplanes flying above your neighborhood is a normal occurrence.
28. You call sloppy joes "barbecue."
29. You think the start of deer hunting is a National Holiday.
30. At least ONE person in your family hunts, loves Nascar, or watches wrestling.
31. Freshman year at HACC is basically 13th grade.
32. If you stay on the same road long enough, it will eventually have 3 new names.
33. You only buy your beer and soda by the case.
34. You’re immune to race car motors because there is a track within a 5 mile radius of your house.
35. You know which leaves make good toilet paper.
36. You think the roads in any other state are smooth.
37. When you put on your turn signal to change lanes, the people next to you speed up.
38. You ask the waitress for "dippy eggs" for breakfast.
39. You know the four seasons: Winter, Still Winter, Almost Winter, and Construction.
40. There are still places you can still stop along the road to buy fruits & vegetables.
41. You never see any Confederate Flags, except on the Gettysburg Battlefield.
42. A rich white kid driving a BMW while blasting rap music is a common occurance.
43. You prefer Hershey's Chocolate to Godiva.4
4. You think its funny when out of towners get excited over Hershey Park...when you've lived by it practically your whole life (and know every word of the man’s speech on the ride at Chocolate World)
45. You consider Pittsburgh to be "out west," and you know the fastest way to Philly is the Turnpike.
46. Your high school mascot was some type of animal.
47. You high school was under construction, getting torn down, or they were building a NEW high school...while school was still in session.
48. Bomb threats happened at least once a year.
49. You or someone you knows basement (or yard) floods at least 3 times a year.
50. You know at least 6 different routes to go when the road to your house floods.
51. You have at least 2 refrigerators in your house.
52. It’s not uncommon to see giant colorful cows in the middle of town.
53. You’ve taken a drunken picture with one of those cows.
54. The letters CV give you feelings of deep hatred
55. "Downtown" or "Across the river" is Harrisburg & unless you live there, the only reason you go in the city is to eat or go to a bar.
56. When Kokomo's burns down no one cares anymore.
57. It’s named the "CAR"LISE Pike for a reason (dealerships)
58. The East Shore & West Shore actually mean something to you (and are like completely different planets)
59. You're accustomed to the smell of cows.
60. You've gotten a ticket or have been yelled at by a cop for double parking on a bridge during the Fireworks for Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day.
61. You know what Kapona is & you go every year.
62. No matter how many parking garages they build you can never find a place to park on 2nd street.
63. When people from other cities ask where your from you say "near Harrisburg" because its just easier to explain

For those of you not from Central PA you will have no idea about any of this stuff.. though some of it might make you laugh. For those of you from Central PA.. if you dont laugh at this.. you have no sense of humor.

Emergency Room trip

Well I should have know given the track record of this family that we couldnt possibly go too long without a trip to the emergency room.
So Sunday I was on my way to football practice (www.harrisburgangels.com) when D called me all in a panic. It seems that Riley had fallen and cut his head. Olivia got on the phone and told me that it was bleeding really bad. Then D got back on the phone and proceeded to tell me that it was bleeding alot, was really deep and was gaping wide open. I was to meet him at the hospital ASAP. So, I immediately drove to the hospital and inpatiently sat around waiting for him to get there. Riley was not crying and was fine (other then the big hole in his forehead) by the time they got there.. Though Olivia had thrown up in the van from all the blood. Great!
So we got Riley triaged, my mother in law came and got the girls, then we proceeded to sit and wait and wait and wait somemore until we finally got to go back. Meanwhile while we were waiting Riley was still bleeding, but running around hyper, jumping off benches etc..
They gave him this fantastic medicine that made him sleepy, actually it completely knocked him out, it was great. He ended up with 5 internal stictches and dermabond glue on the outside of the cut. He slept right through the entire thing. Didnt feel anything. As a mother, I just cannot take listening to any child scream in pain as they are doing stuff to him, so it was good for both of us.
Now he just has a huge red cut, the shiny dermabond and a spongebob bandaid. (I bought them to make him feel better and so he didnt pick at it).
I will post pictures tomorrow.

I suppose I should also mention the superbowl, but honestly the officiating made me so angry I cant even talk about it right now.

So tomorrow!

Other Random Birthday Pics

Olivia!

D with the puppy.. lol

Olivia, Tehya and Hailey

Riley and Ethan!

Olivia is now 7!

This past weekend was my oldest, Olivia's 7th birthday. Yes, I know I am getting completely old.
I told her that she was getting old, I mean she is 7 now. I said before you know it you will be 10..
and her reply was.. yeah but not as old as you.
Kids! lol
So instead of having a huge party we decided to let her have a friend overnight and then take them and do something fun. So she chose her friend Tehya and then of course her cousins, MaKenna and Gabby were there.. Below are some pics from our bowling outing.. lol..
It was hilarious.

Harrisburg Angels

I am going to post some pics of the football team practicing..
I can't wait for the season to start!

Thats me in the blue adidas pants with the yellow stripe.

5 year old!

On to bigger and better things.. Hailey Marie is now 5! Wow can you believe it.. It makes me feel very old. Her party was great.. there were a ton of people there and she got a ton of presents. I just can't believe that my little Hailey is 5 now.

Slacker

Ok, I know I am completely a slacker.. I dont know at this point if its being a slacker or just not having the time to post anything. Or just a combination of the both.
Work is going extrememly well for me.. and football also, we are still practicing like crazy anticipating our first offical scrimage which is sometime around the end of February.. SO thats definitely exciting.
The kids are great.. bad as ever.. Their christmas was amazing. They made out like bandits as usual. I think that for about three days you couldn't even walk in our living room because there was so much stuff everywhere.. and thats even being nice about it.
Christmas Eve D worked so I had my entire family over for dinner. We had a great time just being together and dinner was great. I didnt burn anything.. lol
Christmas morning I had to keep the kids at bay long enough for D to get home from work.. They were less then thrilled to have to sit and look at their presents without actually being able to open them. Riley was the only one that slept in and the only reason he slept in is because I could not COULD NOT get him to go to sleep on X-mas Eve. I tried everything and at 1:30 AM! he was still awake. So little man actually helped me carry the presents out from the office (Santa's Workshop)... He wasnt very thrilled that he wasnt allowed to open them right then and there.. lol
So christmas day was pretty much the same old same old.. family dinners, presents etc. I got a ton of Colts stuff! which was great.. and a good book. D got a chainsaw and a new cell phone.. he actually made out great.

Riley got these hands from the Fantastic Four for Christmas.. They are so cool and big and evertime he punches someone or something they make noises like breaking glass and stuff... They are very neat now if I could just get him to stop hitting his sister with them.

The rest of the Holidays were pretty calm and quiet. New Years was just a nice time with family, no wild parties or anything.. I love the holidays but boy am I glad they are over!

Funny kids stories

Ok.. So I have two hilarious.. Did they just say that.. Stories from the weekend.
The first one we were at sheetz getting gas and I was in the car with the kids and D ran in to pay. Well he was taking forever so I said out loud to the kids.. What do you think hes doing in there? and Riley (as cute as he is) said to me.. "oh hes talking to woman"..
I was like .. what? he was so insistent and it was hilarious. He cracks me up

The other one was from Hailey. I got her some new jeans and Olivia had made the comment that she wont wear jeans unless they are boot cut.. So later on in the evening Hailey brought her jeans out to me and told me she wouldn't wear them. I wanted to, of course, know why.. and she said "Because they arent boob cut" I had to ask her twice what she said but that was it.. It was hilarious. I tried not to laugh at her because I know she is sensitive about her speech and just didn't realize that wasn't what Olivia was saying.. But it was funny none the less..

SO that's it for my kids stories for today.. Everyone have a safe and happy holiday!

Christmas Time!

Well it is officially christmas time in the Pratt Household! There is decorations and cookie baking and all that good stuff.. christmas music and three page long christmas lists. We took the kids to see Santa on Saturday. The girls immediately ran to him, sat on the lap and told them all about what they wanted to Christmas. And what did Riley do, you ask... well he hid behind the stroller.. I asked him why he didn't want to go sit on Santa's lap and tell him what he wanted for Chritmas and he replied.. "becuase I was bad".. well then at least he realizes it. Though I will say that hasn't changed his behavior at all, he has still been unbelievably rotten.
So only about a week and a half until christmas. and you resident procrasinator is still not even close to being done with shopping. In fact I have only bought a few things and the girls presents for school.. I know I know! What am I waiting for. And on top of that.. my office is officially moving between christmas and new years so things have been crazy with packing, organizing etc there.. NO time to do anything.. when I get home I just want to go to sleep..
And watch Nip/Tuck which is getting so good. The two hour season finale is on next Tuesday night and they are unmasking the Carver.. can't wait!
Football has also been picking up.. the pre season officially starts in February so we have been practicing and haveing meetings and classes and fundraisers galore..
I love the holidays but I almost can't wait until they are over and I can just breathe. The only bad things about that is right after christmas I have three birthdays.. Hailey (jan 9) Olivia (jan 29) and Riley (feb 20) Fantastic!

Everyone have a safe and happy Holiday!

Snow Snow Snow

Wow.. the weather man was actually right this time. We actually did get snow this time and a whole lot of it! I would say that we got about 7 inches or so. It was amazing waking up. Not so amazing shoveling out though. I hate shoveling.
Our 1/2 mile long driveway wasn't plowed yet but I took a chance and tried to get down the driveway. We didn't hit any problems until the steep part when we started to slide. It was like being on a ride LOL.. the kids were screaming and I think that even I was a little freaked out and I never get that way driving in the snow. But the good news is that we made it, in one piece. I am sure that getting home will be interesting.

In other news there was a shooting near my house. Now we moved away from the city because we felt that we wanted to get away from people and shootings etc. Perry County is a fairly calm place as far as violence goes, and I feel very safe in my house. But the other night that was pretty much shattered. Click here to read the whole story. Basically an armed gunman broke into a house about two houses away from me, kicked in the door.. demanded money and then shot the two people inside. They still have no captured who did it. I have been extra cautious lately.. locking my car, locking my doors etc. I have never had to be scared before and I dont like having to be now, but whats a girl to do.. so I just act like nothing is wrong and have told the kids, who were petrified, that they have already caught the guy. So hopefully they will.

Only about three weeks till christmas, and I am not even close to ready. No tree, no decorations and very little shopping started. I am such a scrooge this year! Bah Humbug.

Wow

Aren't the Holidays so busy. I have barely had time to do anything more or less actually take the time to update this. Things are going well around the house. Snow on the ground, getting the Christmas tree this weekend. Got to finish the shopping (yes, I know I always wait until the last minute...)..
So when I have more I will update..