Tax Season Has Arrived

While poking around the IRS website I found an area that might be of use to some of you who prepare your own tax return. Below is the link. I hope you all get a big fat refund, or at a minimum do not get gauged. I wonder what the next four years have in store for us...

For tax law changes that will impact your 2008 tax return:
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/content/0,,id=178012,00.html

For instructions to filing your Form 1040:
http://search.irs.gov/web/query.html?col=allirs&charset=utf-8&qp=&qs=-Wct%3A%22Internal+Revenue+Manual%22&qc=&qm=0&rf=0&oq=&qt=Form+1040+Instructions&search.x=13&search.y=9

Or simply type the following into your browser and save the document to your computer:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040.pdf

Congratulations Tommy

Tommy is having a really great week this week. His indoor soccer team, the Wrumblers, lead by Coach Foxx has made the playoffs and will be playing a 25 minute game at 4:30pm at Fore Kicks on Monday 1/19/09. If, or shall I say when (in the words of Coach Foxx), they emerge victorious they will likely meet the rival Wrentham team for a second chance at bragging rites in school! The game to "win it all" will follow immediately at 5pm and will be a full game.

Tommy was also nominated by Judy Haughey, and invited to participate in the National Young Leaders Program held in Boston this Summer. Mrs. Haughey chose Tommy as an "outstanding student with leadership ability." Quite frankly, I couldn't be any prouder, (even though attendance will require me opening my wallet in a substantial amount - but it's a privilege even to be nominated, right??).

Congratulations to Tommy! Keep up the good work!

Happy New Year

We ended 2008 with a wonderful holiday season. According to the three oldest children, this was, "the best Christmas ever." One of the highlights was our trip to Edaville Railroad with the Reiners. We sat down to share some of our holiday favorites and things we are anticipating in 2009. They are as follows:

Favorite Christmas Tradition:

Mom & Dad: The gingerbread house competition

Hannah: Going to Jenna's house Christmas Eve and dressing in matching PJ's with all the girls.

Tommy: Going to Grammy's Christmas Day

Maegan: Making gingerbread men

Grayson: Addisyn's birthday cakes

Favorite 2008 Christmas Memory:

Mom & Dad: Watching the children open their gifts from Santa.

Hannah: Opening my backpack, lunchbox and dictionary

Tommy: Opening all three things I wanted from Santa first.

Maegan: All the presents at Aunt Candy's

Grayson: Singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus

Favorite Christmas gifts:

Hannah: Backpack, lunchbox, dictionary and "Apples to Apples"

Tommy: IPod Shuffle

Maegan: Barbie Dream House

Grayson: Sippy Cups!

2008 Something to be proud of:

Hannah: Getting straight "A's"

Tommy: Getting a "hat trick" during indoor soccer

Maegan: Learning to make my bed

Grayson: Speaking in sentences

What we are looking forward to in 2009:

Hannah: Playing Spring Soccer w/ Explosion

Tommy: Being first string "QB"

Maegan: "Doing it all over again"

Grayson: Having Mommy all to myself during school hours

New Year's Resolutions:

Mom & Dad: Being healthier, more physically fit and more environmental.

Hannah: To be nicer to my siblings

Tommy: Being more helpful around the house

Children's Favorites:

Color:

Hannah: Blue, Red & Green

Tommy: Black

Maegan: Purple

Food:

Hannah: Too many to name

Tommy: Pizza with Ketchup

Maegan: Lucky Charms

Grayson: Candy

Sport:

Hannah & Maegan: Soccer

Tommy: Football and Lax

Grayson: Boxing (with Addisyn)

Thing to do:

Hannah: Read, draw & cook/bake

Tommy: Draw

Maegan: Play Barbies

Grayson: Take a tubby or shower

God bless you with a happy and healthy 2009!!

Tommy's Wrentham Rec. Basketball Schedule

All games are played on Saturdays as listed below at King Philip High School:

1/3 9:30 a.m.
1/10 8:00a.m.
1/17 9:30a.m.
1/24 8:00a.m.
1/31 8:00a.m.
2/7 8:00a.m.
2/14 8:00a.m.
2/21 8:00a.m.

http://www.wrenthamsports.org/.
For Team Schedule:
Click on Team
Select your league
Select your Team
Next click on Schedule or Calendar

For All Teams:
Click on Association
Click on Master Schedule

Hannah's Wrentham Rec. Basketball Schedule 2009

All games are at 9a.m. on the dates listed below. Games are played in Gibbons Gym at Delaney Elementary school in Wrentham.


1/3/09
1/10/09
1/17/09
1/24/09
1/31/09
2/7/09
2/14/09
2/21/09

Hannah is also playing in an intramural basketball league after school. The scheduled games to date are as follows and will also be played in the Gibbons gym at Delaney Elementary School:

Friday 1/9/2009 3:20pm
Friday 1/16/2009 at 3:20pm
Monday 1/26/2009 2:45pm
Wednesday 1/28/2009 4:05pm
Friday 1/30/2009 2:45pm
Monday 2/2/08 (Happy b-day daddy) 2:45pm
Friday 2/6/08 4:10pm
Wednesday 2/11/09 2:50 pm (location change: Roderick cafeteria)
Monday 3/2/09 4:10pm (back at Gibbons Gym again...)
NEW GAME!!!
Friday 3/6/09 4:10pm
play off games will be posted as they come available!

Congratulations!

Just a quick shout out to Erik and Kristy for having their bid accepted on, what I hear is, a beautiful condo in Franklin, MA. They are due to be closing on the purchase in late January or early February. Good luck and congratulations!!

Also, congrats to "Yee Haw" for their second consecutive win in

the annual Ginger Bread House making contest. They were almost eliminated from the competition for off site assembly and rumored use of a hot glue gun. However, they're a bunch of whiners, so we let it go! They won with 40% of the vote; YEE HAW!! Good luck next year. You have the option to maintain the same team...

Hannah's 10th Birthday

Hannah entered "double digits" on December 3. We celebrated Saturday with our third annual gingerbread house making contest. See pictures and voting polls on the lower right hand side of the website for the family and go to http://havenhannah.blogspot.com/ to vote on the houses made by Hannah and her friends. As usual the Flaherty house was filled with chaos and fun on Saturday. The girls who stayed over did their best to pull an "all nighter" and I think some were successful! Those who weren't were drawn on with marker by the other girls.

In sports news, Tommy had a "hat trick" during his indoor soccer game this past Monday. Maegan followed last weeks "hat trick" with SIX goals in her Wednesday morning pre-school soccer league. And, Hannah played a great Futsol game with Explosion Black today scoring one goal, making lots of nice passes and playing an almost perfect first half in goal. It was a good week!

Finally, don't think you've been left of this year's Christmas card list. We are gearing up for the holidays, but have decided to forgo sending cards this year and instead make a donation to our Church's "Grand Annual Fund." It's a difficult economic time for everyone, including the church.

Enjoy your holiday season & God bless!

Explosion FC Futsol 2008/2009 Schedule

Sun Dec 7 NESA FC v. Explosion FC Black score: 2-2
Sun-Dec 14 Darby v Explosion FC Black score: 0-4 Explosion loss
Sun-Dec 21 Explosion FC Black v ESA Red 12:50
Sun-Jan 4 Explosion FC Orange v Explosion FC Black 12:00 4-0
Sun-Jan 11 Explosion FC Black v ESA Black 12:50
Sun-Feb 8 Explosion FC Black v Darby 12:50
Sun-Feb 22 Explosion FC Black v Scorpions Black 12:00

Tennative Schedule, please know that it can change at any time. All games are played at the Mansfield Sports Complex. The schedule is not finalized but the link can be found on the right under our "Sports Links." Once you click on the link select "Schedule" from the options on the left and then click on the date of interest in the calendar. A schedule will appear. You are looking for Explosion Black not Explosion Orange, (although we typically wear orange; go figure!).

Maegan's Basketball 2008/2009 Schedule

Maegan is on Team "California." All games are played at the Foxboro YMCA.

Saturday 1/10/2009 1pm
Saturday 1/17/2009 1pm
Saturday 1/24/2009 1pm
Saturday 1/31/2009 1pm
Saturday 2/7/2009 1pm

Josh's Care Package Party

Today we hosted a party to coordinate a care package to be sent to Josh in Iraq. Aimee had the perfect idea of using strips of red & green construction paper to write messages on, that could then be assembled into a Christmas paper chain to decorate Josh's room. My personal favorite was "If you think I'm cute, you should meet my COUSINS" and "Knock, Knock, whose there? Iraq. Iraq who? I "raqed" my tank!" Unfortunately, I was so busy harassing people with our new video camera, that I didn't get any good still shots to post. However, Paul and I are working on editing the video and will try to post that to the site soon. Stay tuned!

Also this week, Murphy was neutered. Hence, the fashionable cone. And, Paul and I joined Facebook, and our world has not been the same sense. I can not believe the time we have invested into that site. However, I am truly happy that I have gotten in touch with some old and dear friends, as has Paul, and I am REALLY looking forward to having lunch with my freshman year roommate, Audra. As much time as we have "wasted" poking around Facebook, to reconnect with people who have left footprints on our heart is more valuable than any amount of time or money. Here's to wishing everyone a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING. We are so thankful for our friends, family and good fortune. God bless.

PS - Vote for team names for our upcoming Ginger Bread House contest...

Explosion Outdoor Season Concludes

The Fall Explosion FC season ended today with two victorious make up games against the Scorpions C and D teams. Explosion FC held a fall record of 8-1-0. Hannah has had a blast playing with the club and making friends from neighboring towns. She particularly enjoys her carpool rides with the Foxboro girls. We have been thoroughly impressed with the caliber of play from the girls, the class and sportsmanship with which they carry themselves and the quality coaching that is devoted to them by their three coaches. We are looking forward to the indoor season. All indoor games will be at the Mansfield Sports Complex. The first indoor game will be 12/7, time TBD.


We also shared a festive evening at Heather and Andy's house this weekend celebrating Andy's 30th Birthday. It was a really good time and we enjoyed the QT with family. Happy Birthday Andy!

Sun Chronicle

I just thought that everyone who voted for my sister Kaitlin as MVP and who knows our family, might enjoy this article that ran in the local paper; The Sun Chronicle. Click the link and check it out. We are so blessed with a loving supportive family that is always here when you need them. I too have realized the selfless generosity of my family and I don't know where I would be without their support of my husband, my children and myself.
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2008/11/11/sports/3916985.txt