Antoinette Tufano

It's really hard to see someone you love leave and to see your loved ones here hurting. My grandmother was a spunky, fun-loving yet serious person. Below are a list of some memories that make me smile and some pictures...
I will always remember ...
*her cooking "gravy" and making me fried meatballs special
*her having her pocketbook clutched in her hand
*her feathered pillows that would make me sneeze uncontrollably
*sleeping over her house and laying awake because she snored...just a bit :)(I do believe I remember trying to tape this with either Maria or Rocky)
*going downstairs to her slotted doors when she lived with us in Howard Beach
*her trying to convince me that rice pudding was great and always saying "Agh, this is your cousin Geraldine's favorite..you kids you never know what you like!"
*always telling me I didn't eat enough (trust me I do now)
*her dining room display with everyones pictures. I went to it every visit to see what pictures were new.
*her saying "agh, go scratch your ass with a broken bottle"
*her wiping the crumbs on the floor when she cleaned the table...(i actually think of her when I do this lol)
*her jumping out of my dad's truck when he would drive her to Long Island "Grandma's Here!"
*her laughing -sometimes when she got started she could never stop! "Are we there yet?"
*leaving my sister Maria with her when we went on vacation...and trusting her.
*finding her wallet under her rocking sofa chair when we our house in howard beach was broken in to. "Those Bastards!"
*Her always worrying about the kids no matter how old she was..."Annette- Watch her!"
*Stella D'Oro Anisette Cookies or the "S" shaped ones...one of the 'always-there' items in her plastic bag that she would bring to our house when visiting.
*Peppermint candies in the bottom of her bag
*Her always dancing at every party
*her no matter what she was going through always being concerned about Scott and his grandmother
*her never wanting to go in the water no matter HOW HOT it was outside
*going on the bus to visit grandpas grave
*her coming to our first home for the first time
*how she lit up when she saw Brooke and Lucas
There are a lot of other memories and I'm glad that we got to see our grandmother so often. I will always remember my grandmother...we all loved her very much.

Couldn't Help Myself!

I wanted Marie to be the first to blog about it but I am just so elated that my FIRST EVER NEPHEW has officially arrived. I will not post a picture until it has been approved...so let me know!

Its odd being so happy about a child that is not your own. Its actually very, very exciting with the benefit that you do not have to hear them scream at 1 am in the morning!

I haven't met baby Nico yet but I love him already...and I never knew that was possible! It's crazy the cards (and feelings) that life has been throwing me...and I love a lot of them!

Welcome Nico...our first nephew and cousin for the kids! We are all so, so excited to meet you...you're the talk of the household!

My Real Age....drumroll please....

Calendar Age
35.4 Difference
-2.7 RealAge
32.7

That's not to shabby and I am DETERMINED to make it in the twenties! Here are a few things that I got going for me....
-working out
-eating breakfast
-wearing seat belt
-no cell phone in the car anymore
-no longer with bad habits 4 months baby!
-having family and friends
-heart rate
-vitamins

Things I don't have going for me:
-stressful life events
-working out (it seems that I need to eat differently to keep up with the level)
-floss more (i admit i am not an EVERY DAY flosser
-speeding over 5mph of speed limit
-omega 3's and other vitamins that i am not getting. I NEED TO GO AND GET A MULTI-VITAMIN!

So lets see if I can be 16 again lol...not sure I can do that but lets shoot for 29! Check out what your real age is and share! Scott- I am a bit nervous to see what yours is....i'm pretty sure they aren't going to add 20 points for eating 16 pieces of bread at one sitting!

The site is

www.realage.com

Screw the Groundhog...

When does it really start warming up? I want to be positive and be able to look forward to a date or general time frame... Is it mid-march? I want it to warm up enough that I can take my bike out without freezing my or the "chosen" childs (i only have one seat) face off. Lets hear it...and don't tell me April...please!

What is this thing?

What is this thing called cancer? Has life ever smacked you in the face? Did you wake up? So many times I've heard people talk about cancer. So many times I have heard stories about loved ones passing too early from cancer. I've heard about the treatments, the radiation, the hair loss, the kids that were left without a mom or dad too soon, the spouses that had to do it on their own. I have heard so many stories, so many I don't even have enough fingers .

What I can't do is say that I ever truly internalized it. It was always someone else and I never really saw or felt the hurt the family was going through. I just 'heard' about it. My friend Debbie is battling cancer and it is aggressively getting the best of her. We went to visit her the other night and although she seemed exhausted and beat she still had a bit of quick wit about her. Her husband sat next to her in such a way that said "I am here for you and I love you no matter what". Her father continously checked on her calling her "his little girl". Her mother hugged and embraced us and welcomed us in her home even though she is struggling with what I believe, has to be the hardest thing a mother ever would have to do deal with. It brings tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat just thinking about what they are all going through.

It hurts a whole lot to see someone sick. Someone that you smiled with, talked with, laughed with, celebrated with, someone that became part of your life. I'm awake and I am listening and I know one thing -I hate this thing called cancer and what it does to waayyyy too many people and their families.

Please continue to pray for Debbie and her family.

A Lil' Bit of Reading and A Lil' Bit of Jumping

Lucas...Break-it-Down

Bah-Mornings

So if you have ever lived with me you know mornings are not my favorite. It is, lets say, a challenge to get up. Once I get up I feel great and happy that I am up (94% of the time)...the problem is that 100% of the time I feel so comfi in my bed. By the morning I have all the blankets wrapped so perfectly around me, my pillow has just the right dent, I am warm and so snuggly. Just talking about it makes me yawn!

The problem is with two kids-the luxury of sleep-doesn't really fit in. If I want a smoothe and productive day I NEED to be showered and prepared before they even start rising. When I don't do this the WHOLE day is about 25% harder..sometimes more. (I seem to really be into my percentages with this post lol).

So today Scott suggested I go take a shower. This doesn't sound like rocket science but when you are laying there and you can't figure out how you will feel even the slight bit awake, a shower seems like a Fan-Tas-Tic and new idea! So babes, keep those groundbreaking ideas coming. I promise I may get used to it soon.