This is the true story (TRUE STORY) of 11 family members picked to live in a house and have their lives taped to find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real.  The Real World.  Beach Week!

 

Now that I’m on Facebook, this would be considered, I believe, a TBT – throw back Thursday – or a FBF – flashback Friday!  Yes, you’re reading correctly.  Barb Sciandra is on Facebook!  Never say never, right??!!  I have a total ulterior motive, though.  It’s called Paint Pittston Pink.  There is more on that – keep reading.

 

First, we were invited to the beach with Sal’s brother-in-law’s family again this year.  It was a great time.  The kids have instant friends on the beach since there are between 75 and 100 family members that attend.  The ages range from a few months old to over 60ish.  Everyone can find someone their age to play with.  And the 11 people in our house had much less drama than what’s seen on MTV’s, The Real World!  Except for when Audra found her laundry in the middle of the sunroom floor.  WTF?!!  I’d still love to know how Jameson or Chase did it!  That WASN’T. NOT. FUNNY!

 

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the week:

Cameron loved the ocean.  She called it the pool all week!  And wasn’t afraid to run in as fast as she could!

Jameson needs less sleep than Chase.  If Chase doesn’t get a full 12 hours, he’s shot.  We kept Jameson out until 11 one night.  We put her in her PJs and took her for ice cream.  She LOVED it!  These are the kinds of things that kids remember…..I think!

Jameson couldn’t have ice cream without Chase keeping track of it.  So, the next day, I believe, Sal took Chase for a bike ride (in his PJs) and they stopped for ice cream on the way back!  Let’s go Irish!

These last 2 pics are my favorite.  Being at the beach reminds me of my Dad.  As Jameson was learning how to jump the waves and dive under them, it brought my mind back to the Jersey shore when I was her age.  My Dad used to take me out a little farther every time.   There is something very calming about being near the ocean.  I think I like the constant reminder of being surrounded my something mysterious and much, much bigger than me.

 

We also met up with the Darmstadters again.  The carnie games were a bust this year and Chase was over tired and freaked out on the Ferris Wheel!  Lee saved the day by hooking Chase up with a basketball – that he’s been bouncing non-stop day and night preparing for basketball camp next week.  Thanks, Dad!  Haha!  😉

 

I had a rough week leading up to our beach departure.  Dr. Penugonda dropped the bomb on me during Cam’s 2 year well visit.  Please keep in mind that Dr. Penugonda was my pediatrician growing up.  I love her and trust her more than anyone in the world.  She had a health issue and is thinking of retiring at the end of the year.  FYI:  I am a “normal crier” – weddings, funerals, graduations, movies, television commercials, etc.  Sal says that motherhood softened me!  Let’s just say that I cry even more now.  I thought Doc was going to have to give me smelling salts because I was on the verge of passing out!  I was bawling!  Maria, thanks for talking to me on my way home.  You’re the only other person who understands!  Imagine what an ass I looked like walking into the gym after this appointment.

• Gym staff:  Barb, what’s wrong?  Are you ok?
• Me:  Yes, I’m ok.  It’s just that……my kids’ pediatrician is retiring!!!  Whaaaaaahhhhh-Bah-ha-ha!

OMG!!  Crazy lady right here!!  Honestly, Dr. Penugonda is such a wonderful person and is a terrific pediatrician.  I don’t blame her for thinking about retiring.  She deserves to relax and enjoy her life, too.  If this does come to fruition, I am really going to miss her.

As a side note, Sal had a field day with this and continued to call me Ross Gellar for the rest of the week.  Look it up if you’re not a fan of Friends.

 

So, Netflix was ruining my life for a while.  Now that HIMYM is no longer on, here’s what I’ve watched:

• Girls (HBO series – you can bang out 2 seasons in less than a week – HBO on demand)
• House of Cards (Netflix series – again, you’ll bang out 2 seasons in a week or 2)
• Breaking Bad (this show was awesome!!  My sister nicknamed Cameron, Pinkman, because she’s pretty sure that Cameron is going to start calling everyone, BITCH!  Really, if you have the time or are bored at night, tune into this series.  There were 5 seasons, I believe – one better than the next.)
• Orange is the New Black (Netflix series – awesome!  You’ll watch both seasons in a week if you’re a binge watcher like me!)

Seriously, it was becoming a problem!  I was like a crack addict!  I was up until 2 or 3 in the morning watching “just one more episode”.  I have trouble sleeping to begin with and Netflix wasn’t making it any better!

 

Here are some updates on the kids:

CHASE:  Some funny things have been coming out of Chase’s mouth lately:  True story; that’s how we do it; lesson learned; and my all time favorite – remember, you’re a champion!  You all know where true story came from, but the other ones – I have no idea!  He’s a piece of work!  Chase also scored his first real black eye – from his big sister!  We have Sal to thank for this one, ladies and gentlemen!  Sal taught Chase how to punch properly which in turn led to Chase teaching Jameson how to punch properly which led to Jameson missing Chase’s hand and popping him in the eye!  I had to reschedule Chase’s 6th birthday pics!  Chase will be entering kindergarten in the fall.  We were worried that we made a mistake in having him do an extra year of preschool this past year but I think that Sal and I are realizing that it’s the best thing we ever did for Chase.

 

CAMERON:  Cameron has been wearing a vest around the pool like a pet who has just been spayed or neutered.  That kid is unbelievable.  She is non-stop.  I often think about my friend’s sister who has 4 kids (now older) and traveled all over the country by herself, usually, when the kids were small due to her husband’s job.  I have no idea how she did it.  I can barely manage 3 kids in one town with a husband whose job allows him to be present!  Cameron is a really special little girl.  She really and truly is.  She’s very well-behaved as long as she’s occupied 24/7.  She always has to be doing something – a true gal on the go!  We are working on getting a bed for Cameron being that she refuses to stay in her crib.  She’s totally over it and climbs out every chance that she gets.  Her bedroom window overlooks our deck and pool so we often find her knocking on her bedroom window, waving and yelling ME POOL as loud as she can!  Her favorite word right now is BOLDIE which we’re trying to stop her from saying!  She says it with her whole body – very Italian!  She throws her right arm and points to strangers at the grocery store – YOU, BOLDIE!

 

JAMESON:  Jameson is doing very well.  She is really coming into her own.  She has quite the opinion on her hair and attire.  She had her first art class and really loved it.  She loves to read and play the piano and her favorite movie right now is The Princess Bride.  At the moment, she wants to be an orthodontist when she grows up.  Jameson really and truly is the kindest and most thoughtful child that I’ve ever met and I’m not just saying it because she’s my daughter.  She amazes me every day.  I’m not sure how I lucked out.  I’m going to thank Sal for this one!

 

The days in our house are beyond crazy.  They are exhausting and sometimes very frustrating but I am thankful every day that I’m here, doing exactly this.  One day I know that I’ll wish that my kids were 7, 6 and 2 again.  I’m grateful for my health and I feel so very fortunate to be alive.  I feel as though my life has a purpose beyond what I realize it to be at this very moment and I’m doing my best to fulfill whatever that may be.  Paint Pittston Pink seems to be a step in the right direction.  At least that’s where I feel as though I’m being led.

 

So, I am on Facebook.  Welcome to the 90’s, Mr. Banks!  I’m on Facebook to promote Paint Pittston Pink – a 3 day community event to promote breast cancer awareness and to raise money for breast cancer research.  Please, look up the page on THE book!  Like it and Share it!  Apparently, it’s THE thing to do!  All I wanted to do was set up a page for Paint Pittston Pink.  I created my own page first because I am clueless.  I had no idea that I needed my own page to create an event page.  Nonetheless, it’s pretty cool connecting with people who I haven’t seen in a really long time.

Here is some info on Paint Pittston Pink:

• It’s a weekend long event that is sure to be a ton of fun!
• All proceeds will benefit Dr. Brian Czerniecki’s breast cancer research vaccine through the Pennies in Action Fund at The University of Pennsylvania.
• Friday, October 3, 2014:  Celebrity Bartending Night at The Red Mill on Main Street in Pittston from 7pm-9pm
• Saturday, October 4, 2014:  5K Race where we’ll throw pink cornstarch at you while you run followed immediately by The Caped CURE-Sader Family Fun Walk (kids 10 and under will receive a Pittston CURE-Sader cape)
• Sunday, October 5, 2014:  Silent auction, beer and wine tasting event at Arts on Main and Callahan’s on Main in Pittston sponsored by the Susquehanna Brewing Company and Bartolai Winery

 

We have 2 fundraisers underway right now.  We are selling t-shirts and flags.  The t-shirts are $15 for sizes YS to 3X.  Checks can be made out to, Paint Pittston Pink, and can be sent to 70 Pinewood Drive in Laflin, PA 18702.  The ordering deadline for shirts is August 5.  Flags are $150 and will line Main Street in Pittston for the month of October.  Checks can be made payable to, The Pittston Downtown Improvement District, and can be sent to 70 Pinewood Drive in Laflin, PA 18702.  We can sell a maximum of 100 flags and I know that these will sell quickly.  The Pittston Downtown Improvement District is a registered 5013c so you can use this purchase as a charitable tax write off.  Take advantage of this opportunity to support this worthwhile cause!

No names will appear on the flags, but Paint Pittston Pink plans on running a full-page ad in our local paper, The Sunday Dispatch, with the names of those who have purchased flags.  You are welcome to purchase the flags in honor of someone, in memory of someone, etc.  All of that information will be listed on our ad in The Dispatch.  I am also working on another way to commemorate the first of what will hopefully be many Paint Pittston Pinks in the city!  Stay tuned!

So, if you choose to purchase a flag, I need your name, how you would like your name to appear in the paper, if you are making a donation in honor of or in memory of someone and your check for $150 made payable to The Pittston Downtown Improvement District.

 

 

I need to thank Qiana Murphy Lehman who has been my right hand lady through all of this planning.  Qiana has been awesome.  I’m not sure if I should call her The Don or Tom Hagen!  I think that what all of you are witnessing right now is the start of our own 5013c.  Qiana has applied for an EIN# which will make Paint Pittston Pink a non-profit.  We will most likely be filing as a charitable non-profit next if these events are a success so we can continue knocking it out of the park year after year.  Thanks, Qiana.  I couldn’t have done this without you.  You’re the best!

 

I also need to once again thank Liberty Tax – Mark and Jeanna Mihalka, Joe and Amy Mihalka and Bob and Christy Savakinas.  Because of you and the events that you held last year, I have enough money saved to get the ball rolling with these events.  It takes money to make money.  Thanks for being awesome.

 

I do have to vent about something Facebook related right now.  Mean people suck!  In less than a month, Paint Pittston Pink has gotten almost 900 likes which I’m told is pretty damn good.  Out of those 900 people, I’ve only received negative comments from 2 people who I can’t help but take to heart.  Someone wrote that this is a corporate slam and to save your money.  He also said that cancer loves and thanks us.  Nice.  It’s a crappy feeling when someone you don’t even know is questioning your integrity.  I don’t know this jackass personally, but his FB page shows his business name which, ironically, I’ve utilized.  I am very supportive of freedom of speech but I do not appreciate ignorance.  Think before you speak and be educated before making hurtful remarks.  This asshole doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about.  Oh, and YOUR means something that you own and YOU’RE means you are.  THERE is a place and THEY’RE means they are.

 

I hate the word, boobies.  I also hate the words, tits, milkers, tatas, etc.  They’re derogatory and I find them to be very offensive.  Save the tatas is the most ridiculous campaign that’s ever existed.  How about don’t save the tatas??  How about cut the tatas off??  Breast cancer isn’t cute and it’s not funny.  This is a disease that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with.  I’m all about having a sense of humor but try to be a little more sensitive.

 

Thank you!  I feel better now!

 

I had my first booster shot last Friday.  We took Jameson and Chase (and my sister, Ann, who was nice enough to spend 2 weeks with us.  Some vacation, Ann!  Nice and relaxing, right?!!  You need a vacation from the vacation!) with us.  I hate that cancer is a normal thing to these kids.  But, what are we supposed to do?  Hide it from them?  I know for a fact that when you do stuff like that or try to shelter your kids from real life stuff, it will come back to bite you.  It’s not pretty.

 

 

The restaurant on South Street had their menu on Viewfinders!  Talk about TBT or FBF!

 

Anyway, Dr. Czerniecki is so excited that we’re raising funds for him.  Vaccines are in the works for ovarian and esophageal cancer utilizing the same concept.  HER2 cells are also present in these types of cancer and the research results have been very promising.  Keep your fingers crossed.

 

Speaking of sheltering the kids….Jameson and Chase attended their second funeral ever two weeks ago.  I don’t think that they’re too young to experience this.  Death is a part of life.  They attended their first funeral last year at exactly the same time.  They have a lot of questions that we answer the best way that we can.  I heard something pretty smart.  The funeral director said that kids are like a chalkboard.  They start off with a clean slate and aren’t marked with anything until we choose to imprint on them.  We project our fears onto them.  Sal and I try really hard not to do that.  As a morbid side note, I can’t help but worrying that I’m preparing my kids for my own funeral someday.  Well, I actually hope that I am.  I hope I die before my kids.  But I hope that it isn’t for at least 60 years from now.

 

To end tonight, because now I’m starting to ramble, I encourage you once again to support cancer research.  Know where your money is going.  There are websites available that allow you to see if the CEO draws a salary, what the non-profits net income is, etc.  Not only were these facets important to me, but I also wanted to support an organization that was working to eradicate the disease and wasn’t just treating the patient.  Do your own research, though.

 

LIVESTRONG and God Bless!

……and please like and share Paint Pittston Pink on Facebook!