Tardiffclan

Fall 2010

2010-09-25T12:28:00.003-04:00

Jimmy being silly with the cones on the soccer field.

Madi and her friend Zachary from school.

Lil Lenny #9 :)

Hard to believe the Summer has come and gone and Fall is finally here. The Tardiff family has been super busy. Lenny started 1st grade at Hubbard and Madi started Kindergarten at Hubbard. Jimmy is still at Willard for Pre-k. With Lenny gone all day at school I have the opportunity to spend at least 2 1/2 hours one on one time with Madi and Jimmy. It has been great watching the children grow into the individual personalities they have.

With the kids now being school age they are allowed to play sports. Unfortunately Connecticut does not start sports early for kids like California. Sooooo Lenny and Madi started soccer. They are super cute to watch and love learning how to play soccer. A perk for Lenny is that Dad gets to be the assistant coach. I am so happy that Len gets to watch the kids and be around more this year then before. (Well he is still gone a lot but not for 7 months at a time)

On that note, we had family day last weekend and were told their unit will be moblizing to Afghanistan Spring of next year. We knew taking this duty station that there would be a 50/50 chance of Len deploying. To say the least, time is not on our side once again. He will be gone for a year. Longer than he has ever been away from me or the kids. But we will over come this obstacle as we have over come everything else. To include, Len's kidney disease. He is still stage 3 of 5. The doctors have been monitoring it and we hope to find out by the end of the year if they will continue to let him deploy. I am praying he does deploy for the sake that his disease has not gotten worse. I would rather have him healthy than not.

We have faced a lot of challenges for the month of September. Many funerals that have affected us personally and without the support of our family and friends we would not have overcome. We thank you and look to October to be a better month.

Summer Time 2010

2010-08-16T12:57:00.002-04:00

The kids have had a full summer with camping, playing, summer school, visits and just hanging out.

Lil Lenny was in summer school for 4 weeks to help him transition into the new school. He will be starting 1st grade at Hubbard and finally going to school all day. He can't wait to eat his lunch in the cafeteria and meet new friends.

Madi spent the summer with Mommy. We got our nails done, made yummy food and did a lot of shopping. She will be in morning Kindergarten with Lenny at Hubbard. She is excited to ride the bus to school with the other Kindergartner's.

Jimmy was also in summer school for 4 weeks. He did really well and even started to talk a little more. With Grandpa and Grandma's visit, Jimmy really took off talking. He is starting to use his words more and the behaviors are slowly subsiding. We knew all a long that once he started talking we would see the sweet Jimmy we know and love. He still has a few issues but is really trying to talk. With Jimmy being 3 1/2 we decided to attempt potty training. He has been doing really well for the past week. He will also be in preschool 4 days a week this school year at Willard. He has a different teacher and we look forward to seeing him excel.

Len is beginning his work ups for the deployment some time next year. We have not been given details. He goes to the doctors in a few weeks and hopefully will have more answers. I pray that he has not progressed in his diagnosis. He also will be starting his classes up for his Bachelor's degree soon.

I am going back to school, again. I was accepted into the graduate program at Penn State where I will be working on a BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) certificate. Classes start on the 23rd and I am looking forward to furthering my career.

Hard to believe summer is almost over with. The leaves are starting to fall off of the trees. We will have been a year at the end of the month. My how time flies. It seems like we just moved here. It amazes me how fast the kids grow up.

Grandpa and Grandma Visit

2010-08-04T12:47:00.001-04:00

Grandpa and Grandma arrived and the kids wanted to go eat at Hooters. The kids enjoyed having their undivided attention playing games and having a tea party. We went shopping and out to dinner and celebrated Madi's birthday.

It was a great visit and we all missed Grandpa and Grandma when they left. We are all looking forward to the next visit.

Madi's 5th Birthday

2010-08-02T12:50:00.000-04:00

Madi celebrated her birthday at Red Robin. She enjoyed the staff singing to her and eating an ice cream sundae. We went back to the house to eat cake and open presents. It was a special day for her.

4th of July- Charlie Brown Campground

2010-07-05T12:42:00.000-04:00

This weekend we went to Charlie Brown Campground in CT. Our location for the trailer was perfect. We had a river behind us and the tiny sand area was literally next to us. The kids spent most of the morning in the river and afternoon playing on the playground. We met new people, drank margaritas and roasted marshmallows by the fire.

Father's Day

2010-06-26T08:19:00.000-04:00

This year we celebrated Father's Day a week later. Lenny was training in CA for 3 weeks. It's just a hallmark day and you can celebrate it any day you want. (The kids were really cute. We got everything ready before Lenny came home on Saturday 6/26. We waited for an hour in the car for him to come out of the building after the marines were released. Then when they saw him they said, "Happy Father's Day! We missed you Daddy!" It was a perfect moment. We came home and Lenny opened up his presents that the kids made at school, a present from all of us and all of his cards. Then we ate the cake the kids and I had been working on the past three days before he came home. It was a memorable day. The kids ran around the house showing him EVERYTHING they did the past three weeks.

Last Day of School

2010-06-22T08:03:00.002-04:00

Well, the kids finished their first year of school in Connecticut. So hard to believe we have been here for 9 months now. Our time in Connecticut is going by fast.

Lenny is now in 1st grade. He is attending summer school to help with the transition into his new school which is down the street, Hubbard Elementary. He is looking forward to making new friends.

Madi is now a kindergartener. She transitioned into regular education at the end of this school year and will be riding the bus to school with all of her new friends. It's a big year for Madi. She has grown to be quite independent.

Jimmy started preschool two days a week after his 3rd birthday. He is doing well with his speech teacher and the team feels he needs to be at school longer to progress. He will also be going to summer school to keep him in the groove of going to school. He will be staying at Willard Elementary and attending school 4 days a week next year. We are excited to see Jimmy grow in the next year and look forward to positive results.

Lenny has been training in CA with his reservists f or the past 3 weeks. We are looking forward to him coming home. He goes back to the doctor in September to see what the next step is. We are praying for good things to happen for him also.

I am going back to school. I got into a graduate program and look forward to starting school in August.

We do what we can to keep busy. This summer is going to be great with the kids really interested in books. I can see us going to the library many times. They are little sponges and want to know everything. On our travels, Lenny and I like to stop at historic places and tell the kids the history of where we are. We are hoping to do a lot more site seeing adventures in the next few months.

Our lives are a challenge everyday and not one minute goes by that we don't count our blessings. Wishing you all a great summer.

Copake, NY

2010-06-06T20:11:00.005-04:00

Our Camper :)

Copake Falls, Mass / New York

Len, the kids and I celebrated Memorial weekend camping. We enjoyed playing horseshoes, going on many adventure walks and of course having a campfire. It was a great weekend to remember the people in our lives who gave the ultimate sacrifice. "Always remembered, never forgotten."

Lenny's 6th birthday

2010-05-25T08:17:00.000-04:00

Lenny had his 1st birthday party with his friends from school. He had a great time. Len and I got to know some of the parents from the school which was nice for a change. All the mothers told us what a joy Lenny is and how much their kids adore him. Our little Lenny really knows how to shine in his own special way.

Weekend adventures / Easter

2010-04-06T08:15:00.004-04:00

Easter baskets

Trailer in its spot

AAA to the rescue

Len fixing the dirt where the tires got stuck.

Stuck in the mud.

Completely stuck in the mud.

Lenny and I purchased our first recreational vehicle...a camping trailer. It wouldn't be like Lenny to have things go smoothly. So needless to say he got the Dodge and Camper stuck in the mud at our house. :) After an hour of trying to move the Dodge, AAA came to the rescue. Three hours later the truck and camper were out of the mud. We had a good laugh and the kids enjoyed being outside most of the day.

For Easter, I made ham and we spent the day at home relaxing. The kids liked playing outside with the bubbles and chalk. I love how the simple things keep them happy.

USS Constitution

2010-03-28T09:17:00.000-04:00

This weekend we celebrated my birthday by taking a trip to Charlestown. We went to look at the USS Constitution. Lil Lenny requested permission to come aboard and it was granted. It was really cute. :) It was a surprising cold day so we didn't last for the whole tour but was able to walk along the top. Len told the kids stories of the ship, and they were actually listening and asking questions.

Then we went to "Legal Seafood" for dinner. The food was great and our waitress was awesome. She catered to the kids so Len and I could enjoy our meal and a little conversation.

It was a great day and the kids had a lot fun. We look forward to our next adventure.

My How Time Flies

2010-03-09T10:27:00.002-05:00

I know it has been a long time since I have updated. We have been extremely busy since the new year and it seems like every time I sit down to blog...something comes up.

To start off, the kids are doing great. :)

Lenny received his first report card for Kindergarten and has been doing very well. We are so proud of him. After hiring an advocate for him, school has become fun for him again. He started physical therapy and is doing well with the extra help for P.E. He is happy learning and tells us all about it. I remember when he didn't talk and that was all we wanted. Now we can't get him to be quiet. LOL ...becareful what you wish for. His latest topic is "space". He wants to be an astronaut and see the stars.

Madi is growing up to be the little lady. She has many boyfriends at school and loves being chased by them. She is also doing well with school. Her latest topic is dolls. She is having fun playing dress up and being a mother to them.

Jimmy started school on his 3rd birthday. He goes twice a week to preschool and receives speech services through the school district. He is our tyrant and loves antagonizing Lenny and Madi. It has gotten to the point where we just let them rumble. :)

I have been accepted to Penn State for a graduate certificate in BCBA ( Board Certified Behavior Analysist). I enjoyed being a behavior therapist in Hawaii and can't wait to get back into it. Len and I have been going to the gym and loving that we get free babysitting for 2 hrs a day. We started a spin class and are having a blast. Some much needed us time. :)

Len has been going to the doctor's a lot trying to figure out what is going on with his protein levels. He had a kidney biopsy in February with the help of his mom and my parents, I was able to be at the hospital and to focus on a full recovery for Len. He found out he has a kidney disease called "IGA Nephroaphy (aka Berger's Disease)" There are 5 stages with the final stage being renal failure. He is in stage 2. There is no cure but they are trying to slow down the progression with medication. So far he is not responding the medications and will have a follow up in June to see what course needs to be taken.

We have been doing our best keeping spirits high and living each day to the fullest. All we can do is pray and hope for the best. We thank you for all the support that we have been receiving. It is much appreciated. I hope to be able to update more often and add some pictures. There might be some posts dated from last year so keep checking back. We hope everyone is doing well. :)

Visiting Great Grandma for the 1st time.

2009-11-08T08:24:00.000-05:00

Since moving to Connecticut, we are closer to Lenny's Grandma (His Mom's Mom). For her birthday we went to Longhorn Restaurant where the kids were able to meet her and their Uncle Nick for the 1st time.

Happy Halloween

2009-11-02T08:16:00.014-05:00

Lenny and his pumpkin
Madi concentrating on her pumpkin

Jimmy making sugar cookies

Sugar cookies

Len and the kids carving pumpkins

5 little pumpkins :)

The kids pumpkins

Trick or treating

James as Bumble Bee

Madi as Snow White and Lenny as Optimus Prime

We had a great month of October. The kids are settling into their school and showing off their unique personalities. We enjoyed doing all the stuff that Halloween has to offer. The kids made Halloween sugar cookies, carved pumpkins and went trick or treating. This was Jimmy's first year of truly understanding the concept of putting his bag out and saying "tr" for treat. :) Lenny told every house we went to that he was allergic to milk and will the candy make him sick. (LOL) Madi walked holding the front of her dress up like a princess. All three were too cute and we had a lot of fun. Hope everyone else had an enjoyable holiday.

2009-10-05T15:31:00.005-04:00

Lil Lenny's 1st roller coaster ride
All Aboard!

part of the fair

On the ferris wheel

ferris wheel

Jimmy's 1st carnival ride

Fall has arrived early in Connecticut. I cannot believe it is already October. Lenny's routine is pretty much set. He is extremely busy from October to January working on the Toys for Tots Campaign.

Lenny celebrated his 30th birthday with cake and the kids singing to him and
Berlin had their annual fair this past weekend. The kids had a great time riding the rides and winning 3 gold fish. :-) We saw cattle, sheep, pigs, etc. you name it, we saw it. The weather is dropping by the day. The evenings are now in the 30s and when I put Lil Lenny on the van in morning, I am now seeing my breath. Preparing for the winter. Not really ready for it.

All in all we are doing well. Still adjusting to Connecticut. But looking forward to Lenny having a four day weekend. Hopefully we can get some sight seeing in. :-)

2009-09-25T09:22:00.002-04:00

Our stuff arrived!!!! The majority of our furniture was damaged or destroyed so we are trying to work on our claim and get everything in order. The kids are very excited to have their own rooms, beds and toys back. We have been working around the clock trying to put the house together. Or I should say "I" have been working around the clock.

Lenny has been gone 4 days at a time for the past two weeks. Since he is the Toys for Tots coordinator, he is always gone and working late. But he does try to help when he is around. Between the Toys for Tots campaign, going to the field and doing funeral detail, he is one busy guy.

The kids are adjusting to CT life. It is colder than they are use to. (The heater has been set to 80 in the evening). I am told tonight it is going to get into the 30s. I am not looking forward to it getting colder.

Lil Lenny is liking Kindergarten. He is having a more difficult adjusting than the other two. Things are done differently here and he just does not understand.

Madi is doing extremely well in preschool. She is making friends and having fun. She is quite the little mother to Jimmy, following him around and telling on everything he does.

Jimmy is doing what he does best, getting into EVERYTHING. He recently had an assessment done for birth to 3 services and qualified. We will be starting someone coming to the house once a week for an hour to help with his speech and behavior. Unfortunately with the move, his speech has regressed tremendously and we are in the midst of getting everyone back on their routine.

I will post pictures as soon as I can.

We made it to Connecticut

2009-09-08T09:11:00.002-04:00

The past few months have been 0ne crazy roller coaster that still has not stopped. We arrived in Connecticut on August 28th at our new home. We are now just waiting for our housing stuff to arrive so we can settled and get back on a routine.

The trip started with an arrival to California where we picked up our van to drive across the USA. We stayed for 3 weeks celebrating Madi's 3rd birthday, grandma and aunt's birthdays, visiting family and friends and just relaxing with Dad and Mom.

The trip started on August 16th where we arrived at Daniel and Julies (we owe you a full weekend). The kids enjoyed having a sleepover and Lenny and I were able too eat good food and visit. Then off to Reno, Nevada the second day. The third day we arrived at Yellowstone to go camping and went to visit my cousin in Ennis, MT and happened to see my parents there who were attending my cousins wedding. The fourth day was Mt Rushmore in South Dakota. That was our worse day of the entire trip. The people were not friendly, the food was horrible and the kids had enough of sitting in a car driving for 12-14 hrs straight. Then we went camping in Minnesota and really enjoyed it. The kids were able to roast marshmallows and just run around making a lot of noise. The next few days were stayed in Wisconsin, where we visited our friends Josh and Andy. It was nice to sit around and relax and not have to sit in a moving car with fussy kids. The kids had a great time with the campfire, playing with Nora, running around, watching movies, going to the park and eating good food. Our next destination was Ohio. We stayed for 4 days and visited Lenny's family. The kids had fun meeting their cousins and running around in the back yard. By this time, the kids were adjusting to the time difference so Lenny and I were able to sleep a bit more. :-D Our final destination was East Berlin, CT. The drive took two full weeks. Overall the kids did really well in the car. We are very thankful for DVDs in the car.

We are starting our second week here. The kids started school and working on adjusting to the different ways things are done here. Lenny goes to school in the morning and Madi goes in the afternoon. They don't understand why they cannot go to school together. It actually works out well because it is teaching the kids to be individuals. They don't need to do EVERYTHING together. Although you would think they were twins the way they act. Jimmy is doing okay. He is very bored not having his toys to play with. He surprised us by wanting to potty train. So we have started that process. Lenny is now back to work. He will be traveling a lot in the next few months working on the Toys for Tots Campaign. He will be in a commercial to promote. Will keep you posted on when that happens. As for me, I am getting ready to go back to school. I am looking forward to writing research papers and having adult conversations. :-D

We hope all is well for everyone. Enjoyed see all that we were able to see and look forward to seeing everyone again.

We are moving, AGAIN!!!

2009-07-02T14:21:00.002-04:00

It is that time of year again, 3 years have gone by. Well actually 3 1/2 years have. With the jobs in the Marine Corps changing, Lenny's previous orders became null and void he is no longer nondeployable for the next three years. Lenny has been working on moving us off the island for a few months now and he finally received orders to Connecticut. You read right, we are moving as far west as the Marine Corps can put us, LOL. It is a drastic change from living in 80 degree weather and going to the beach year round. We are looking forward to the adventure. Lenny has to check in the end of August to the reserve unit in Plainville, CT. So we are in the middle of having the house packed up and getting off the island. Hoping to be back on the mainland in the middle / end of July. Here is hoping everything works out. So keep checking in for updates. I will do my best to update once we have more information on what is going on. :-)

Mokapu Point and lighthouse

2009-05-31T15:06:00.000-04:00

Pearl Harbor

2009-05-30T14:45:00.001-04:00

Lil Lenny watching the Arizona as we go back on the boat.

USS Arizona

Lenny and Jo

The Family

Mom and Dad

A Ship that was ported

The island of Oahu

Looking out at the USS Arizona

Dad's Birthday in Hawaii

2009-05-27T14:12:00.001-04:00

We all went to Buca to celebrate Dad's birthday. Had a great meal and enjoyed singing Happy Birthday. Enjoy the video.

Lil Lenny's 5th Birthday

2009-05-25T14:00:00.004-04:00

Lil Lenny celebrated his 5th birthday surrounded by family and friends. The theme was "marine" at the request of Lil Lenny. It was a fun filled event that included homemade pizza, cake, a pinata and jump house. He was excited to have my parents and daddy home to celebrate.

short and sweet

2009-04-29T20:02:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone, hope all is well. Everything is going good. Not much to update but do keep checking back. ;-) The kids are getting ready for summer. Hard to believe the school year is almost over with. Lenny starts kindergarten in August, along with Madi still in preschool, and Jimmy is finally moving up to the next room in 2 weeks. Len has been taking classes two nights a week. He is doing very well and seems to be enjoying it. We are busier than ever and always ready for the unexpected. So keep checking back. Ciao for now. :-)

Mess Night / Dining Out

2009-04-06T19:43:00.003-04:00

Headquarters Battalion had a mess night / dining out for Officers & SNCOs. We were newbies and it was a fun time. We were penalized for a small amount and had to pay the price of money or drinking from the "Grog". Lenny was a gentleman and drank for me when I was penalized. There was mingling, smiling, laughing and toasting. Definitely a night to remember and look forward to future dining outs.

Senator Fong's Plantation and Garden

2009-04-06T19:35:00.002-04:00

Lil Lenny and Madi

Lil Lenny showing me he got a lemon from the tree.

The view of our home from the plantation.

It says it all.

While the kids were on spring break, I was able to take some time off of work and go on mini trips. They had a great time going on a 1 mile hike. Something we will probably do again.

Catching Up

2009-04-02T03:25:00.002-04:00

Every time I think to update the website, I cannot get over how fast time has gone by. LEnny and Madi have been busy with Tae Kwon Do and going to the beach daily for spring break (They have a wonderful babysitter). Lenny went to his first kindergarten registration. We were able to meet the teachers and have an idea of what to expect next year. He has had his final meeting for the next school year and everything is falling into place. Madi will continue going to preschool at Mokapu to prepare her for kindergarten. Jimmy is a typical two year old and has transitioned over to the terrible twos. He gets into everything and his favorite and ONLY two words at the moment are "no and mine". Go figure. He continues to thrive at daycare and astonishes us with learning something new every day. The kids are growing up and Lenny and I are thankful everyday for all that they are able to accomplish. This month is Autism Awareness. Every 1 in 150 kids are diagonosed with Autism. The walk for Autism is coming up and it will be our 3rd year attending. :-)

As for Lenny he has started a new assignment as the Marine Corps Liaison to Army. For the time being he has to travel to Fort Shafter. We have been enjoying following each other into work every morning and getting a chance to talk uninterrupted. :-)

My work continues to progress as my name becomes known around the island. It is an accomplishment to see my clients grow more and more each day. :) As most of you know, I celebrated my 30th birthday. It was not as bad as I thought it would be although I am not too happy about it. Lenny makes sure the kids remind me daily that I am older than him. :-( It's okay, he will get his in 6 months. :-)

We hope everyone is doing well and has a Happy Easter.

Tae Kwon Do Yellow Belt Graduation

2009-03-02T19:42:00.002-05:00

Madi and Lenny after graduation
Lenny showing off his belt

Madi standing proud

Jimmy turns 2!!!

2009-03-02T19:27:00.009-05:00

Jimmy excited for his present
Blowing the candles out
Coming in the house to blow the candles

Jimmy's WALL-E Cake

Big Cheese Smile

All three on the bounce house

The living room

The rest of the living room

On Sunday, Jimmy had his first birthday party. Unfortunately none of his friends from school showed. It did not matter because he had a great day with lots of decorations, pizza, cake and a bounce house. He received a lot of presents. Watching his face as he opened his presents was priceless. All in all he had fun and the best part of all was having his Daddy home. Lenny missed his birth because he was deployed and then he deployed again a month before his first birthday.

Happy 2009!

2009-01-08T17:31:00.003-05:00

Aloha and Happy New Year!!!

We have had an enjoyable 3 weeks with Lenny being home. The kids were able to spend some real quality time with daddy while I worked through the holidays. We are anxiously waiting for school to resume next week. The kids are having a blast this week going to the beach everyday. They have such a hard life! LOL Nothing has changed much.

Christmas came and went. The kids loved all of their presents and eating the Christmas cookies I made. I am still getting asked every day to make more. We were homesick last year and definitely looking forward to visiting family for the holidays this year. :-)

Lenny ended up bringing in the New Year on his own. I unfortunately had a reaction to the medication that the doctor prescribed for my back and shoulder injury and went to bed early. None of the kids made it past 1opm. So Lenny woke me up, said happy new year and went to bed. We are hoping this years new year will be better.

We were lucky to be invited to get a tour of one of the nuclear submarines that was ported over the holidays. The kids really liked walking up and down the floor levels. It was fascinating seeing all that was there.

We hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday.

Cookies and more

2008-12-22T02:17:00.004-05:00

Happy Holidays!

The past few weeks have been a blur. It started with the tropical storm over Hawaii. The rain was so bad that the base was on lock down, all the schools and fwys were closed due to flooding. Thankfully Lenny called me as I was walking out the door to go to work. The wind and rain was blowing like crazy. It's been touch and go for the past week but nothing too drastic.

We attended my Christmas party for work. Everyone loved seeing the kids and it was nice to be out in Waikiki with the family. I even won a prize from the raffle.

Then of course I decide to slip and fall on 5 stairs at a clients house. Needless to say I spent 8 hours at Tripler and all that I have to show for it, are 3 stair marks on my back, vicodin and Motrin for the pain and a miserable week at work. I am now starting to feel better.

So to kick off the weekend before Christmas, we decided to make cookies. Well, I decided too. Lenny had no choice. I needed his help to grind the figs for the Cuccidati's. Today would have my grandmother's 92 birthday. She loved those Italian fig cookies. Thanks to my Aunt Chris, she gave me the recipe and my mom for answering the many phone calls of questions that I had. We baked and honored grandma today. Lenny and I even said that she was probably smiling down on us watching us make the cookies. It was a lot of fun and the kids LOVE them.

Hope all is well and that you all have safe travels for the holiday.

Ciao!

Let there be light...lots of lights

2008-12-04T00:52:00.002-05:00

Lenny finally got to put the lights up on the house. We have been in the holiday spirit since Thanksgiving. The whole family is enjoying the lights, Christmas music and movies. The kids are growing up so fast. Already asking to see Santa so they can tell him what they want for Christmas.

Sandy and Tink

2008-12-04T00:45:00.003-05:00

Lenny and I always said that we would never get a dog that looks like a rat. Well, we now have two of them. Welcome Sandy and Tink. They are Chihuahua and Terrier mix. Both are absolutely adorable and the kids love them. Toby is doing very well with them. He is like their big brother that protects them. It really is cute watching the three dogs together.

One Little Monkey...

2008-12-04T00:41:00.002-05:00

Our little monkey was trying his hardest to open the sliding door to the backyard. What he ended up doing was climb up the door.

Gobble Gobble Gobble

2008-12-01T22:06:00.003-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

It was a memorable time for us. Lenny has been away either training or deployed for the past four years. We all were very excited to celebrate finally as a complete family. I made everything. From the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrots, spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes, green beans, jello, pumpkin pie, apple pie and cranberry sauce. Wow, that was a lot of food and we ate ALL of it. The five of us and one of our dear friends came over.

To keep the holiday spirit going, we got our tree the next day and decorated the house. I think we started a new record of picking a tree out in under 5 min and it is a beautiful tree. Our first real tree since we have been together. The kids were excited to go get it and did a good job picking it out. We decorated the tree, remembering each ornament and the special occasion it marked. The house is done and we are enjoying the holiday spirit around the house. Unfortunately we will not be traveling this Christmas. So the five of will celebrate Christmas in Hawaii and enjoy the warm weather. :-) We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

A Tradition

2008-11-15T02:48:00.002-05:00

Over 60+ years, my mother wore a knitted yellow dress when she was three. This dress has been passed down to each daughter and granddaughter at the same age. It is now Madilynne's turn. We lucked out because Madi really liked the dress and did a great job smiling. I cannot believe how true the color stayed yellow.

Updated Pictures

2008-11-15T02:34:00.004-05:00

Halloween Pumpkin Carving with Grandpa and Grandma

233 Marine Corps Ball

A special visit from Grandpa and Grandma

2008-11-13T20:52:00.004-05:00

Time has gone by and it is hard to believe that it is almost Thanksgiving. The five of us have been busy. Since Jimmy and I came home from my grandmother's funeral, we have been on the go.

Jimmy and I did the best we could being away from the rest of the family while we were in CA. We enjoyed spending time with my parents, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins and so on. It has been so long since I have seen anyone. The funeral was beautiful and I of course got closure by doing a reading for the funeral. I am happy I was able to make it. My parents also took me to see my uncle's grave. He passed away in March while Lenny was deployed. My Uncle Harold played an active role in our family with frequent weekly phone calls when we moved away, and going to dinner once a week when we lived so close to him in CA. We were fortunate for him to marry Lenny and I, baptize all three kids, and be an avid listener when Lenny and I needed his guidance. He was much a part of us and we miss him dearly. At the cemetery I was able to say my goodbye to him. My visit was a purposeful one and I am at peace now.

Upon arrival to the HNL Airport. I was greeted with smiles, hugs and kisses. I really missed the kids. They talked the entire trip home.

My parents flew in the following week for two weeks. It was great because Lenny and I were able to go to the Marine Corps Ball, out to dinner a few times, a Halloween party and spending lots of time with them. It was a fun trip and we all were sad to see them go.

Now we are trying to get back into the routine of everything. With that, I will close for now and hopefully update soon.

Change of Plans

2008-10-16T21:28:00.002-04:00

Okay, so with talking to a lot of people yesterday I have my ticket to fly to CA. Lenny, Lil Lenny and Madi will not be traveling with me, but Jimmy is. So it will be an adventure. We are only staying for a week. Just looking forward to seeing family. Soooooo, I will see you soon. :-)

Memories of Grandma Leon

2008-10-16T00:45:00.003-04:00

So many memories come to mind when I think of my grandmother. She past away this morning. Of course with the time difference, it was 1 am for us when we received the call. The first thing that came to mind was to have a red cross message sent so we could try to make it to the funeral. Unfortunately, with the timing being off and Lenny back at work it does not seem like we are going to make it.

Emotions are running high because I loved my grandmother very much. She was there for me many times when I was really sick (or faked I was sick) so I could just spend time with her and grandpa. She always did what she could to make me feel better. We would play cards, take walks, watch soaps or just keep each other company while she cooked.

She was happy and loved taking care of people. She loved all of her family and especially looked forward to the holidays when EVERYONE would get together. I will never forget grandma and grandpa's 50th wedding anniversary. I think I was 12. I met cousins new and old. We sang, played cards, laughed, cried and just had a great time. Those were the days when getting together would last all weekend. Family and friends would drop by just to say hi or to see what grandma was cooking.

When I moved to Hawaii, I remember her telling me one day when I was visiting to take her with me and she will help me with the kids. I knew she would too. But the fondest memory I have of her is this past christmas. Lenny and I flew in with the kids before he deployed and Lenny and Madi loved talking to her. They would sit in her walker and play games and talk her ear off. Then of course the singing would start after the presents were all opened and everyone was content. She loved hearing Lil Lenny singing Christmas Carols. You could see the twinkle in her eye and the love she had for the little ones innocence. I will miss her dearly. I know grandpa is with her now, dancing and singing. The way it should be.

Sea Life Park

2008-10-06T20:59:00.004-04:00

What more is there to say other than, there are a bunch of fish in tanks. If you spend the money you can swim with the dolphins as long as you don't go across the line to where the dolphins really are. It took all of 30 min to walk the entire park. That included walking very slowly and giving Madi a chance to say goodbye to each animal. The best part was going across the street to the beach and having a family picnic.

Compromises

2008-10-06T20:52:00.003-04:00

There are many pinnacle moments in life; sweet sixteen, 21st birthday in Vegas, first true love and of course owning the soccer mom van. Yes, this is true we are now owners of a minivan. It was dearly needed and the kids are no longer antagonzing each other (a relief to any parent). They each have their own tv screens. What kid would not love that. Not only are the kids happy, we now have peace and quiet.

Tae Kwon Do

2008-10-06T20:11:00.006-04:00

Lenny and Madi started, "Tae Kwon Do". They are off to a great start. Both of them already earned their 1st belt. The white belt. It is too cute watching them together. I now know what it is like to run the kids all over the place to their events.

It's never too late for a first...

2008-09-20T03:51:00.000-04:00

Lenny and my roll is reversed at the moment. He gets to stay home with the kids one night a week while I work an evening case during his leave break. So I could not help but smile when I received a phone call on my way home from work this evening. Lenny was finishing up dinner with the kids and getting ready to give the kids baths. The past two nights, Jimmy has been lifting the toilet seat up so I have been letting him sit on it to see what it is like. When I answered the phone, Lenny was excitedly screaming at the top of his lungs, "Jimmy went potty in the toilet!!!" With all the firsts Lenny has missed of Jimmy's, I was very happy he got to experience one of them even if it was going potty on the toilet. It would have been perfect if Jimmy had said "Ta-da", however he did clap and say Ya. What more could a parent ask for.

All Gave Some; Some Gave All

2008-09-18T02:25:00.001-04:00

Being a military family there are some things that are expected of us to accept. We are our own family and we need to be there for others in a time of need.

Today Lenny and I went to our second memorial service for 2/3. There are no words to describe the memorial last year. It was a difficult deployment for the marines but also for the families. We lost 23 marines and they are always in our thoughts and prayers. Some of the marines that were lost, were not just a name or face, they were husbands, fathers, brothers, and friends. We are constantly reminded at some events the laughter and tears.

This deployment we lost three marines. Our Battalion Commander, the leader of all of 2/3 was one of the marines. I had the pleasure of meeting him and getting to know his wife and children. The thought of losing my better half after 20 years, sends chills up my spine. The image is unbearable. But I stood by my military family and watched as one of our wives stood at the end of a receiving line and accepted condolences. When it became my turn, all she could do was say my name, give me a hug holding me close and saying the words, "we will always be family". Tears that were shed were not for selfish reasons but for her heart being broken and for her children, that they will always know how great their father was. The Commanding Officer that took his place said it perfectly, "There will always be the question why he died and the answer will always be, he died protecting his brothers, his country and his family. "

I am constantly asked the question, why marry a military man. I thought about this one long and hard. I fell in love and whether he be a military man, a civilian or some bum on the street, I would do it all over again.

Just some food for thought. It has been a long morning and the day is just beginning.

Out with the old and in with the new

2008-09-18T02:25:00.000-04:00

With so many changes going on in our life we decided to retire our old website, http://www.tardiff-family.gotfamiliesonline.com/ You will still be able to access the website to see old pictures and blogs.

Our family has grown and time has become more precious. We needed a website that would be easier to download pictures and post random thoughts and events that happen in our lives. This way Lenny too will be able to add his pictures and blogs from Iraq to share his experiences being away and keeping up with the 3 kids.

So keep checking to see what's new with the Tardiff Clan.