A Banner Fourth

Though You will notice that once any holiday rolls around, it inevitably becomes my favorite....but the 4th always holds an extra special place in my patriotic little heart....

so much so that I prayed extra hard last year when I so BIG and So CUMBERSOME and SO Pregnant...that the Bug Man would really want to have fireworks on his birthday every year, though he obviously was perfectly happy in his current rental space, and waited another very long and very hot three days.

This year, we celebrated with a go with the flow, fly by the seat of our pants strategy.....where the wind took us.....we went....With the Hubs off flying the not so friendly skies, and working hard to help keep our freedoms free......there wasn't much need for anything structured

Go figure, the Military man is the more structured of us.....the poor man has to live with a disorganized, forgetful free spirit....who's mantra is "why make the bed, when it gets messed up again in a few hours?".....But I'm slowly becoming a convert.....

I've even made the bed all week....though it's only Wednesday....just saying

So this fourth was me and the wee ones....dressing up in our red-white and blue, and seeing what South Jersey has to offer us.....

and we certainly weren't disappointed.

We opened our celebration with a jaunt to our local Fourth of July Parade.....where the lines of Boy Scouts, High school marching bands, police Bag-Pipers, and local patriots, took me back to all the wonderful small town 4th of July parades of my youth.....

though I don't remember ever seeing a mummer in our Small town Parades.....a Philadelphia region tradition....and I need to find out where I can snag that hat

We followed the Parade up with a scrumptious celebratory feast with all the fixings, including probably the most amazing pasta salad in the world.......

And of course......we had to finish off the night with the peace de resistance.......and took in an awesome show of pyrotechnic ingenuity.....

It was an almost perfect day, you can tell by how much dirt and chocolate ends up on the face of the wee-ones (and if it was really a banner day, even on mine) .......with only missing one very tall, and very handsome thing that would have been the absolute cherry on top....

I hope you all had a wonderful, blessed and safe Holiday.....

and now onto my next favorite holiday......Labor Day

Wish You Were Here

As the Boys and I get ready for today's Festivities of finding the absolute perfect spot in which to watch the annual 4th of July Parade, eating way more hotdogs than my scale would be happy with, and watch as the sky lights up, and twinkles in the eyes of a three year old...

we will be holding a spot, saving a plate and taking it all in for one person who is working so hard to make sure we are able to celebrate and enjoy our Nations Independence....

The Wild Blue Yonder has called once again.....and Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty are bosses that don't usually give holidays off......

So my amazing, wonderful Airman.......We wish you were here....

But I'll make sure to eat an extra hot dog for you






And to all of you My friends.....may you have a happy and safe 4th...


I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sitting there.
I said, "Your old courthouse is kinda run down."
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town."
I said, "Your flagpole has leaned a little bit,
And that's a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it.

He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down.
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town?"
I said, "I think it is." He said, "I don't like to brag,
But we're kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag."

"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing _Oh Say Can You See_.
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams."

"And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on through.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag."

"On Flanders Field in World War I
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun.
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp and low by the time it was through.
She was in Korea and Vietnam.
She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam."

"She waved from our ships upon the briny foam,
And now they've about quit waving her back here at home.
In her own good land she's been abused --
She's been burned, dishonored, denied and refused."

"And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land.
And she's getting threadbare and wearing thin,
But she's in good shape for the shape she's in.
'Cause she's been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more."

"So we raise her up every morning,
Take her down every night.
We don't let her touch the ground
And we fold her up right.
On second thought I DO like to brag,
'Cause I'm mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag."

Written by Johnny Cash

...With Baby Legs

September seems to be my month for beginnings....

This Blog was born in September, Noah Baby Boutique was created in September...and The Wee Bugster was lovingly conceived in September...Must be that seasonal change that gets my creativity buzzing....

the mornings are a little crisper, the leaves are just beginning to hint at the changes to come, and my husband breathes a little easier as my need for pedicures drops considerably.....

You can tell it's September

Because I'm at it Again...

I'm making the Leap...With Baby Legs...into the world of Portrait and Lifestyle Photography.

I think, I may need to go to group.....

as if I'm not busy enough with a 2 year old, a 2 month old, a not quite hobby-not quite business, and a blog....

heck....I attended Super Woman School.....though I dropped out after the first year, as I realized my butt is not attractive in the spandex uniform, and I may be able to know what mess my children are making behind a closed door, but I can't for the life of me see where I put my car keys...

But even Super Woman had an alter ego as a photographer....or was that Super Man.....

Just call me Clark Kent......or Lois Lane......

I'm so excited about this new journey I am embarking on...and as you can see, the Wee Man is pretty freaking excited too....

and in honor of my leap...with Baby Legs, he decided to sport his own....

and if you LOVE his adorable leg attire, stay tuned for later this week, as I'll be giving away a grab bag of Baby Legs to a lucky reader.....

Check out Lesley Worley Photography, and you can Book a Session if you live in the Camden or Burlington Counties in New Jersey.

I Heart September.....

Oh My Birth Announcements....

Who knew that picking out the PERFECT birth announcement could be such a monumental decision....I think that it can almost be considered harder than picking out wedding invitations, choosing your next president or the ever important....bangs or no bangs dilemma.....(my vote is for no bangs...)


So, since indecisiveness is my new middle name....next to Queen post pregnancy hormones, Miss caffine-aholic...and Senorita leaky boobs.....I am asking for your help... with the announcements...not the leaky boobs...though I'm sure that will be the topic of a poll question at a later date...


Here are my Top 4 Baby Announcement Choices......I'm putting the Poll at the bottom.....Let me know which one you think is the Coolest...Trendiest....hey, you'd like this on your fridge one out of the bunch......


You have no idea how much I and my leaky boobs appreciate this.....

Choice A:

Choice B:

Choice C:

Choice D:

Showered with Love!

Sunday, June 27th was a truly a wonderful day to Celebrate!


I am so very blessed to have amazing friends who showered Daddy, Noah, Buggie and Me with so much love!

It truly was an amazing Summer Shower!

A True Family Affair with Husbands and Kids invited to join in the festivites

There were Hamburgers out on the grill....and Kids running in the sprinkler.....

It was exactly how I wanted to celebrate the upcomong arrival of our Buggie!

I want to THANK everyone who came....and even those who couldn't be here....sent beautiful well wishes....

Our newest little guy was truly spoiled in both gifts and with friends.....

My Hostesses had me change halfway through the party into this ensemble....

The shirt reads

"It's all fun and games until someone gets pregnant"