Combat Boots and Ballet Shoes

Love is...

2012-02-01T22:50:00.000-05:00

Spilt Orange Juice

2012-01-24T00:30:00.000-05:00

We're not supposed to cry over spilt milk. But my daughter didn't spill her milk. It was orange juice. And the tears came. Not from her, but from me.

Not a big deal, orange juice washes out of a table cloth. And most people come to expect a 2 year old to spill their drinks more often than not. But my 2 year old is different. It wasn't her young hands that failed her, it was her brain. She had a seizure. One of many she has every day.

We are one and a half years into a diagnosis process. A diagnosis of epilepsy.

And I'm tired.

I'm tired physically. From dragging a two year old, and at times the whole family, to doctors appointments and new hospitals. From adminstering medicine over and over, day after day, sometimes easily, sometimes with a difficult two year old who likes to make things challenging. I'm tired, mentally, from trying to make decisions about treatment. From racking my brain for answers that will most likely never be there. From trying to understand what doctors go to school for years to understand. I'm tired emotionally. From anger at old doctors who seem to have not done all they could to find an answer. From trying to stay calm when "explaining" that someone might see something unusual with my daughter every so often, but don't worry. She's fine. Tired from knowing she's not fine. Tired from trying not to freak out when grandparents react to what I must pretend not to notice every. single. day. to keep life "normal" for my kids. Tired from seeing other kids who are suffering much more than my child and there is nothing I can do about it.

I'm tired. And it is so hard to be strong when you are tired, but strong I must be. Strong for my children because they don't know that their sister has something "wrong" with her. And they shouldn't. Strong for my husband or else he would have to carry this weight on his shoulders alone. Strong for our extended family who do react. Because they care. They don't know how to not care, which of course makes us blessed.

We are so very blessed. Blessed to have a new doctor who is eager to get answers. Blessed to have an amazing hospital nearby that is full of people who not only want sick kids to get better, but to smile as much as possible while they get better. Blessed to have a beautiful daughter who is so full of life that she makes us laugh more than enough to make us forget her "issues" most of the time.

But most importantly, blessed to have a Father who, though I forget to turn to Him all of the time, never forgets to be there for me. To tell me to "Be Not Afraid." I've had to cling to this scripture over the last year and a half. Because I am afraid, a lot. But there really is no reason to be afraid. Because God's plan is perfect. And as long as I can remember that, there is peace.

And I can always buy more orange juice.

Be a Burning Light

2012-01-23T00:30:00.000-05:00

"If we remember that God loves us, and that we can love others as He loves us, then America can become a sign of peace for the world. From here, a sign of care for the weakest of the weak - the unborn child - must go out to the world. If you become a burning light of justice and peace in the world, then really you will be true to what the founders of this country stood for. God bless you!"

~ Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, National Prayer Breakfast 1994

from OrthodoxyToday.org

2012 Book List

2012-01-21T19:52:00.001-05:00

In an attempt to "use what I got," I went through the house and collected all of the books I haven't read yet. There really is no reason for me to step into a bookstore (or in reality, log on to Amazon) for quite some time. So here is my list of books to get through in 2012. To be fair, I've started a lot of them, but in the chaos I like to call my life, things happen and for whatever reason, I never get around to finishing.
In no particular order:

Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry

Weightless: Making Peace With Your Body

How to Raise Good Catholic Children

Adventures in Orthodoxy

God Is Love: Deus Caritas Est

The Catholic Way: Faith for Living Today

Pardon and Peace: A Sinner's Guide to Confession

The 5 Love Languages of Children

The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics

The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse

Clare and Her Sisters: Lovers of the Poor Christ

Large Family Logistics

Beautiful Girlhood: Revised by Karen Andreola

Strengthening Your Family: A Catholic Approach to Holiness at Home

Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids

Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living

The education of Catholic girls

How to Pray Well

Small Steps for Catholic Moms

Choosing Beauty: A 30-Day Spiritual Makeover for Women

Educating the WholeHearted Child -- Third Edition

Playful Learning: Develop Your Child's Sense of Joy and Wonder

A Mom After God's Own Heart: 10 Ways to Love Your Children

And maybe I'll fit in that last Jane Austen novel.

What will you be reading?

Weightless Virtual Study

2012-01-20T14:01:00.000-05:00

I got my copy of Weightless: Making Peace With Your Body!

Did you get yours?

Kate Wicker, the book's amazing author, has offered to participate in an online book club session (as life allows, of course).

Are you interested?

Leave a comment or send me an email letting me know you are interested, and I'll make it happen. Right now I am thinking a weekly post, chapter by chapter. This would allow you plenty of time in the week to fit in reading. I hope you'll join me!

Happy Friday!

Brought Tears to My Eyes

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: I apparently put a bad link in before, but it should be fixed now. Thanks, Noreen for letting me know!

Did you see this during the Bronco/Patriot game?

Love. It.

To Do List

2012-01-16T08:41:00.000-05:00

~ laundry
~ finish Christmas cards
~ laundry
~ hang some items throughout the house
~ laundry
~ reading
~ laundry
~ attacking the calendar for a 6 month outlook
~ and you guessed it...more laundry

Happy Monday!

Stopping in to share...

2012-01-09T22:06:00.000-05:00

I want to say things are crazy busy here right now, but I think I will just stick with things are crazy here. But I wanted to share these couple of things with you before I lose track of them, again.

Both of these were shared on Facebook by friends of mine.

Blessed Are the Uncool

Don't Carpe Diem

Here's to a great Tuesday!

Drumroll, Please!

2012-01-08T14:28:00.000-05:00

And the winners are...

A Catholic Woman's Book of Days:

Aimee!

The GIVE Jewlery bracelet:

Amy N.!

The Udder Cover:

Dee!

The Pride & Prejudice dvd:

Momma Holmes!

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are:

Momma Holmes!

The iTunes gift card:

Aimee!

The Mary Saintly Softie:

JOYfilled Family

Weightless: Making Peace With Your Body:

Noreen!

Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home:

Melanie G.!

The cookie cutters:

Noreen

The St. Francis Retablo:

Nancy!

And last, but definitely not least,

the lia sophia necklace:

Lisa S.!

If you are a lucky winner, please email me your address (see my sidebar) so I can send you your prize. Thank you so much for participating in these 12 Days of Giveaways! I really enjoyed it!

Happy Epiphany!

Party Time!

2012-01-06T08:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Solemnity of the Epiphany! (I know...we are really celebrating at Mass on Sunday.)

The 12 Days of Christmas have come and gone and now the 12th Day of Giveaways is finally here!

We're throwing a little Epiphany party tonight. And of course, for a party, we need to get all gussied up! My last giveaway for you will help you gussy up for your next party. It's a beautiful necklace from lia sophia!

I love this jewelry! I have the same necklace (and a few more!) and I think it could be worn casually and for more dressy occasions. I never wore a lot of jewelry when I was younger, mostly just earrings, but I'm really finding that jewelry is helping me feel a little less like a frumpy mom these days. I get my hair done, on average, about once a year, and I don't shop for new clothes too often, but I find that if I put on pretty piece of jewelry, I brighten up my appearance a bit. And of course, what girl doesn't like to look nice!

For your chance to win this necklace, leave a comment on what you like to do to lift your spirits up when you're feeling like a frump-a-lump. For this particular giveaway, I'm going to give you guys until midnight of Jan. 7th, tomorrow, as a bonus to enter. All of the other giveaways end tonight!

This has been a lot of fun and I'm so glad so many of you participated. I have to go bake some more for tonight! I'll announce all of the winners on Sunday. How exciting!

Have a great weekend!

Just Keep Blogging, Just Keep Blogging

2012-01-05T00:31:00.000-05:00

If you are a blogger trying to motivate yourself to post more frequently, just promise people a giveaway. If I didn't know you were waiting for today's awesome prize, I so would not be sitting at this computer right now. Mama is tired! Darn Iowans! (I'm actually quite happy with Iowans today, but that's all I'll say about that right now).

I am very excited about today's giveaway!!! I actually just came across this wonderful etsy shop as I was doing my Christmas shopping a couple of months ago. Let me introduce you to Art4theSoul! Ann has such beautiful and unique creations. From Ann:

My featured works are called "Retablos" which originated as Mexican devotional paintings consisting mostly of images based on centuries old depictions of Catholic saints and spiritual symbols.

These small paintings were primarily done on tin most often done by untrained artists. My retablos are done on wood. Retablos appeared after the Spanish conquest of Mexico, as a desire to possess a sacred object which would ensure health, fertility, and an abundance of crops.

During the 1700 and 1800's retablo painting flourished. These Retablos also reflect a lively spirit and a true devotion to God. Retablos were sometimes commissioned by individuals but most were sold by peddlers door to door.

In my Retablo shop I hope to create a renewed excitement for the historical art of retablo making! Although my retablos don't necessarily mimic the traditional look of the Spanish folk art and mexican cultural paintings, they contain in them the roots and symbolism which represent the heart and soul of the craft. I hope you become captivated by these pieces - each of which has his own unique story of love.

I ordered Ann's St. Joan of Arc retablo for my godmother for Christmas and couldn't have been happier when I received it. Plus, my godmother LOVED it! I love that these retablos are so unique as I find that when looking at saint statues and pictures or icons, there is not usually a lot of variety. I also love that these are handmade and made here in the United States. Double bonus! I have my eye on Our Lady of Altagracia, Our Lady of Guadalupe (of course), and The Mother of Christmas. Although, to be honest, every time I go and look at Ann's shop, I find another one that I want!

Ann has blessed me by partnering with me to give away a lovely St. Francis of Assisi retablo.

Ann didn't know this when she chose St. Francis for this, but St. Francis is very special to my family as our baby that we never got to meet is named after St. Francis. And now you could be blessed enough to win this lovely retablo of one of our favorite saints. Once again, just leave a comment, this time telling me about a saint that is important in your life and you'll be entered in the drawing. The contest is open between now and Jan. 6th, and I will announce the winners of all of the 12 giveaways on Jan. 8th.

And with that, good night!

Party Prep

2012-01-04T00:41:00.001-05:00

It's a little crazy around my house these days trying to get ready for a big dessert open house this Friday to celebrate Epiphany. We've been cleaning and then on Thursday, I'll have a lot of baking to do.

Along the baking lines, today's giveaway is for a couple of beautiful cookie cutters! I have a Fleur de Lis

and an Angel for you.

Does this seem random to you? Let me explain. Back in October, my precious Victoria was baptized. Trying to plan for that party, I purchased these cookie cutters thinking I would use them to make themed cookies. We go to a church named for Saint Louis, King of France, which explains the fleur de lis, an unofficial symbol of France, (as well as a symbol with religious meaning referencing our Blessed Mother). The angel was in honor of the date of her baptism, the Feast of the Guardian Angels. Unfortunately, I never got around to using them, and trying to be honest with myself, it will be a while before I will. But that is good news for you, because now you have a chance to win them! They are a good size cutter and I think the copper is pretty, so they would even make great decorations in a kitchen.

Leave me a comment, between now and Jan. 6th, and these beautiful cookie cutters could be yours. And maybe you'll send me some yummy cookies when you win! To make it interesting and to learn a little more about you, in your comment let me know what your favorite kind of cookie is. My mom has a great oatmeal butterscotch recipe that I love, but I've also been really digging a good classic chocolate chip cookie lately. Like the other giveaways, I'll announce winners on Jan. 8th. And because I can't help myself, let me share a picture from the day that inspired all of this...

Isn't she beautiful?

Just Keeping You on Your Toes

2012-01-03T22:25:00.000-05:00

Things have been a little crazy around here and I'm just now getting around to posting today's giveaway. It's funny, though, because today's giveaway is a clue to what all of our craziness is about. (I'll definitely fill you in on it all later.)

Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home is one of the few books I have read all the way through more than once and I am trying to figure out the best time for me to read it again (wait until you see my booklist for this year). It is full of so much information and inspiration. It is labeled as an education, homeschooling, and parenting book, but I would also label it as a guide for living. Living a faithful and fruitful life. There are so many treasures to be found in this book that I would love to go on and on, but it's already late and I want to get this posted for you and work on tomorrow's post as well. I will leave you with a quote from the jacket of the book:

"More than a curriculum guide, it is a look at a lifestyle which aims to nourish the whole child, the whole family - heart, soul, and mind."

And who wouldn't benefit from that?

Leave a comment between now and Jan. 6th, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win a copy of Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home. I'll announce the winners on Jan. 8th! Good luck!

New Year, New Start

2012-01-02T12:24:00.000-05:00

So have you made a resolution to lose weight and/or get healthy in the new year? Most people do. I know I have some goals I'd like to reach.

Kate Wicker has written a book called Weightless: Making Peace with Your Body.

Kate occasionally writes about body image issues, amongst other things, on her blog, and while I love everything she writes, I haven't yet read her book. Never having been a big fan of my own body, I did not want to deal with those demons I might have to face while reading the book. But it's a new year and I think I am ready. I need to be ready, both for myself, and for my house full of daughters. I want my daughters to be grateful to God for the bodies He gave them and appreciate how they can use their bodies to do His will. So I'm going to read it and I'd love to read it with you!

From Amazon:

There's a wave of body dissatisfaction sweeping across society. While bookstore shelves are well-stocked with tomes on how to overcome body image problems, very few take a faith-based, much less Catholic, approach to self-healing. Weightless: Making Peace With Your Body speaks not only to those who may have faced an eating disorder, but also to anyone who wants to live an abundant life, unencumbered by our culture's obsession with thinness, physical beauty, youth, or food.

A review from Elizabeth Foss:

Rare is the family that is untouched by negative body image, whether it's just the longing to lose a few pounds or a full-fledged eating disorder. With honesty and candor, Kate Wicker's book is a valuable tool in reclaiming femininity and authentic beauty for ourselves and our daughters.

You can read more reviews here. If you'd like to buy the book directly from Kate, click here. But don't click too fast, because I'm giving away a copy today. And, because I am blessed to know Kate, she will sign the book for you and leave a note.

Like all of the other giveaways, just leave a comment now through Jan.6th and I will announce winners on Jan. 8th.

Mary, Mother Of God

2012-01-01T17:49:00.000-05:00

Hail, Holy Mother, who gave birth to the King, who rules heaven and earth for ever. ~Today's Entrance Antiphon

Happy 2012!

I hope that the new year is off to a great start and that today as we celebrate our Mother, you are feeling refreshed in your role as mother.

From the Saintly Silver Etsy site

Have you seen Saintly Silver's softies? These dolls are so cute! I was actually introduced to the dolls in our pew at our last church when some wonderful people, who would become great friends, sat down next to us. Their daughter had this same Mary doll. On the back is the Hail Mary prayer. And since then, St. Anne, St. Clare, and St. Isabel of Portugal have arrived in our house (via shoes on St. Nicholas day if I remember correctly). And I have a strong suspicion that St. Victoria may arrive via Easter basket this year. There are tons of saints to choose from on the site, but if they don't have the particular saint you are looking for, you can work with them to create a new doll. I happen to know that St. Nicholas had to go through this process with our St. Isabel doll and he told me that it was such a pleasure to do work with Saintly Silver. Because all of these dolls are custom made, you do need to allow some time for delivery, but Easter is still a few months away. So, today, in honor of Our Lady, I am giving away one Mary softie! Just leave a comment between now and Jan. 6th, letting me know what your favorite title/image of Mary is. We are big fans of Our Lady of Guadalupe in our house. I'll announce winners for this, and all of the giveaways, on Jan. 8th.

Prayers for a blessed 2012!

Happy New Year's Eve!

2011-12-31T14:41:00.000-05:00

When I think of New Year's Eve, I think of parties and celebrating, which makes me think of dancing! And of course to have dancing, you need great music! So today's giveaway is a $10 gift card for iTunes. (If you don't use iTunes, we'll figure something else out.)

Of course, you won't have it in time for tonight's festivities, but there are so many other reasons for great music. Maybe you want something calm to listen to after this busy season, or something to cheer you up, if the cold, dark days of winter get you down. Something inspirational might be just the thing with Lent right around the corner (can you believe it?).

To have a chance at winning this gift card, leave a comment below with your favorite New Year's Eve tradition. We really don't have any, yet, so I'd love to read what you do. As far as our house, we'll probably treat it as a fairly normal night, since we have been lacking in those lately and the girls aren't all that aware of what's going on. We could all use the sleep and I have Christmas cards to finish!

Whatever you do, stay safe! Coming home from Delaware last night, we drove through a sobriety checkpoint and it reminded us that there are people who will not be making good decisions tonight. I'll be praying for them and for you.

1,000 Gifts

2011-12-30T06:36:00.006-05:00

I have to make this quick today. We are headed up to see my grandmother, one of the gifts of moving to this part of the country.

Speaking of gifts, today you have a chance to win a copy of One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. While I haven't actually read the book, it's on my list for 2012 (to be posted soon), and it was my favorite thing to give as a birthday gift in 2011 because I had heard such great things about it.

And now I'd like to give it to you. Again, just leave a comment between now and Jan. 6th and I'll let you know the winner on Jan. 8th.

And you can check out more Ann Voskamp at her blog, A Holy Experience.

Don't forget the other giveaways so far...

It's Giveaway Day

1 Bracelet-1 Child-1Week of Food

One of Those Nights

Pop the Popcorn

Top 10 Reasons For Hope in 2011

2011-12-29T17:47:00.000-05:00

From CatholicVote.org:

Here's to more hope in 2012!

Pop the Popcorn!

2011-12-29T08:52:00.002-05:00

Today's giveaway is just for you! You work hard to take care of your family and this time of year the work, while usually enjoyable, is that much more...well...work. So today I am giving away my favorite movie so that you can "escape" a little!

Whenever I think about it, I want to kick myself that it took me so long to read Jane Austen. (I didn't start reading her books until after college.) I LOVE her work! The first time I read Pride and Prejudice, I ended up finishing it on a plane (probably the only book I could tell you where I was when I read it) and when I was done I had a very physical reaction. I just wanted to burst! It was such a great book!!! I was also a little disappointed that it was over, which I didn't ever really remember feeling about a book before. I was always happy to finish books, the story being complete.

Then came the movie...

...and I've been hooked ever since. This is my absolute favorite movie. I watch it when I'm happy or sad, calm or stressed. I've used the movie as an escape more than once from a bad mommy day. I've watched it so many times that even my husband has parts memorized! And now I want to pass it on to you! Just leave a comment telling me either your favorite movie or your favorite Jane Austen book (I also really love Persuasion) or both between now and Jan. 6th and you'll be entered to win! Like all of the other giveaways, I'll be "drawing" a random winner and announce all of the winners on Jan. 8th.

One of Those Nights

2011-12-28T09:19:00.000-05:00

I started to write a post last night for today's giveaway. It was going to be nice and incorporate today's Feast of the Holy Innocents. But, it was indeed one of those nights. One of those nights where there was no soothing the baby. She didn't want Daddy. Only Mommy. One of those nights where, as soon as she latched on, she would pass out asleep, but if I tried to put her in the crib, she would wake up screaming. Soooo, here I am this morning, trying to throw together something quickly so you can get your chance at today's giveaway.

Speaking of nursing babies...(I know, great transition, right?) today's giveaway is a nursing cover from Udder Covers. I LOVE my nursing cover. I don't know how I managed without one for my first 3 babies. I can remember one time, standing in line at Disney World, trying to balance a sweater on my shoulder while nursing Maire because she just couldn't wait until we got on the ride. Having a cover would have been so great then! But now I have the Maria, and life is so much easier when I need to nurse Victoria in public.

Today, I'm giving away one nursing cover! Just leave a comment below and if you'd like, tell me what one of your favorite "tools" for mothering has been. And don't worry if you are not in need of a cover yourself, they make great gifts!

My sweet baby is crying now, so I must go. Happy Wednesday!

1 Bracelet-1 Child-1 Week of Food

2011-12-27T00:01:00.001-05:00

Bracelets with purpose. What could be better than that?

I'm so excited to introduce you to Give Jewelry!

Give Jewelry is a sustainable movement to provide food for children in orphanages throughout Indonesia. The vision is simple: every bracelet purchased directly benefits kids in need. So no matter what type of bracelet you choose: friendship bracelets, charm bracelets, leather bracelets, beaded bracelets, cuff bracelets or any of our other bracelets, you’re really choosing to make a difference.

I first learned about Give Jewelry over at Elizabeth Foss' blog. I was hooked instantly! What could be better than helping orphans and wearing cool jewelry at the same time? I loved the idea so much, I had my girls each pick out a bracelet to give to their godmothers for Christmas. We decided on the Rock Charm Bracelets, and the girls each picked out a different color. And I was so happy when I received them in the mail. They shipped quickly, they were packaged beautifully, and the bracelets were amazing! And I've already decided to get one for my godmother, when her birthday rolls around. (I had already bought her Christmas present, another one of my giveaways!)

You want to buy one don't you? Of course you do! Friendship Bracelets, charm bracelets, leather bracelets, beaded bracelets, cuff bracelets and more… With every bracelet you purchase, Give Jewelry provides one week of nutritious food (that's 21 meals!) for a child in need. It's such an easy way to do a good thing for a child in need. And when you make your purchase, make sure you put "Stina" in the comment box and you will receive a free Survivor Purple Cancer Awareness Bracelet or Pink Breast Cancer Awareness bracelet. This is Give Jewelry's way of saying thank you!

I am going to make another purchase here soon, for myself, with some money I received for Christmas. I've had my eye on this one. But, as part of my 12 Days of Giveaways, I'm going to buy a bracelet for a lucky winner, too! Just leave a comment on this post, between now and Jan. 6th, telling me which bracelet you would like to win. I'll announce the winner on Jan. 8th!

If you'd like more chances to win, all you have to do is one or more of the following and leave additional comments saying you've done so!

• Subscribe to the Give Jewelry blog: http://www.thegiveteam.com/
• “Like” Give Jewelry on Facebook: www.facebook.com/givejewelry
• Follow Give Jewelry on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GiveJewelryTeam
• Subscribe to Give Jewelry YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/givejewelry
• Post about Give Jewelry on THEIR blog, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube: http://www.give-jewelry.com/

Remember, for each of the above actions, leave a separate comment on this post and you get that many more chances to win!

From Our Friends Across the Pond

2011-12-26T22:34:00.000-05:00

Here is an article about these lovely ladies and this beautiful song.

Thanks to Wreaths Across America for sharing!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-26T14:47:00.003-05:00

May the Good News of our Saviour's birth bring peace and joy to you and your loved ones!

It's Giveaway Day!!!

2011-12-26T10:31:00.003-05:00

I hope you and your families were blessed with peace, joy, and maybe a few presents yesterday! It was slightly chaotic around here, but fun was had and love was present. But you don't want to hear about that, do you? You heard there's a giveaway!

Yes! 12 Days of Giveaways, actually! I feel so blessed to be able to do this for you and I'm very excited! (Did I mention that Gifts are my love language?) So visit everyday to see what is the prize of the day!

Today's giveaway is a wonderful book by Amy Welborn.

From her website:

The Catholic Woman’s Book of Days is a 365-day devotional for Catholic women. It is loosely tied to the liturgical year, is a very handy size, and features special devotions for several saints. It is not structured to be tied to any particular year. So it’s sort of perennial. And no, I don’t know about the crosses on the cover. People always ask me about them, thinking they’re mine.

What a perfect way to start out the upcoming new year! This is one of the books I keep in my bedside table. What's great about Amy's book is that the devotions are not time-consuming, so even the busiest of women can fit it in.

Sadly, I'm not great at the daily devotional thing. It seems like I'm always in such a rush in the morning that I don't think about it and then at night, I'm so quick to pass out from exhaustion when I got to bed. I know this is a priority issue and I plan on working on it in 2012.

Do you have a daily devotional? Do you use a book or go to a specific place each day to be with God? Leave a comment, now through Jan. 6th, telling me about your daily devotional time, or what you would like it to be, and you'll have a chance to win this book. I'll annouce winners, for this and all of the giveaways, on Jan. 8th, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.

Merry Christmas!

Before Becoming a Mommy...

2011-12-22T11:30:00.000-05:00

...I never thought that making beds could count as a workout.

Bonus calories burned for additional kids, bunk beds, and/or leaving half the load of linens in the living room, requiring additional trips up the stairs.

On My Mind

2011-12-18T18:54:00.003-05:00

Love Them Through Christmas

The stress has been high here for the last few weeks, who am I kidding, the last 6 months!!! I need to stop and refocus on the kiddos. I can't do it all, and even if I could, it wouldn't be worth it, if my family wasn't happy and healthy.

Peace and blessings to you in this last week of preparation!

12 Days of Giveaways!

2011-12-17T16:31:00.003-05:00

Plans are in the works for something I am very excited about!!! Make sure you check back starting December 26th to see all of the goodies!

It's Hitting the Fan

2011-12-17T15:44:00.006-05:00

Well, maybe not the fan.

I've been used as a personal toilet by 3 of my 4 children today.

I'm done.

Maire's diaper was at capacity this morning, before anyone got around to changing her, and she just barely leaked through onto my pants. But really, is that a way to start the day?

And Victoria's incident was just a typical case of exploding baby diaper. But it was the third time for me today, and no, it was not a charm.

But my poor sweet Alexis. Yes, she's 4. Yes, she's potty trained. But we all know that accidents happen. And like her dance teacher said, it even happens to adults some times. Why was I talking to her dance teacher about this? Because it happened at dance. During class. My poor sweet baby. She was so traumatized. She's never really had a public accident like that. Luckily, I had made her wear sweats (top and bottom) over her leotard because it was cold outside, so she had something to change into. All of the other moms tried to make me feel better, but you know how that goes, it usually only makes you feel worse because it verifies that they know what happened. I do have to say that I'm happy with how I reacted, though, to the whole situation. Normally, incidents that involve functions that find home in a diaper irritate me to no end. Screaming is sometimes involved, anger, almost always. It's a fault of mine. I own it. But I managed to be the poster child for calm this morning. It must have been the mortified look on my daughter's face. I could feel her embarassment. And let's be honest, my embarrassment as well. Of course, this is just a glimpse of the hurt she is yet to feel as she grows. Oh the prayers yet to be prayed!

I know I'm not usually one to write on this subject. I leave that to the experts. (Love ya, Kate!) But I really needed to vent on this one, so thanks for letting me!

The Audacity of a Baby...

2011-12-17T10:32:00.002-05:00

...to want to eat when she wants and sleep when she wants.

Instead of submitting to her selfish mother's schedule.

Who does she think she is, anyway?

A perfect gift from above or something?

Happy Feast of St. Nicholas!

2011-12-06T10:17:00.001-05:00

What was in your shoe?

Before Becoming a Mommy...

2011-12-05T11:06:00.001-05:00

...I never thought I would be using the phrase "stealth attack" to describe the happenings of my daughter's diaper.

{this moment}

2011-12-02T10:34:00.003-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. Photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Grocery List

2011-12-01T21:51:00.003-05:00

After hinting that maybe Tom should take the baby to the store as a distraction, he asked what he was going to the store for.

~sanity

~more hours in the day

~all of the right answers

Which we all know really means chocolate!

What is the New Translation for Funny?

2011-12-01T00:21:00.001-05:00

Because we all need to be able to laugh at ourselves...

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

It's Not About Me

2011-12-01T00:12:00.003-05:00

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. ~Proverbs 3:5-6

Grace, Not Perfection

I'm Just Not That Important

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart... ~Jeremiah 29:11-13

How Do You...?

2011-11-30T19:38:00.004-05:00

How do you teach your kids the concept of a morning offering?

First of all, let me say that I struggle with this practice myself. And since this was not something done in my house growing up, I'm kind of winging it. I only have one child who reads so far, so the idea of morning Bible time is not realistic for us, yet. And forget anything requiring self-discipline with our 2 year old. We are still working on making the bed, and that's something tangible, something she can see and touch to understand. So how do you teach and enforce a proper way for your children to start their day by giving it to the Lord?

In our house, I'm really trying to develop habits in my kids, so I knew some kind of prayer routine would be needed. Since my kids all need some degree of help to get ready in the morning, I am all over the place. Until breakfast. So I decided to incorporate our offering of our day into our breakfast prayer. But, again, not having anything from my past to fall back on, I found myself writing a prayer for this purpose. Crazy, I know! I knew it had to be simple, both to be able to learn, and to understand, and I also know how the girls like rhyming. This is what I came up with:

Thank you, God, for this food

And for all who made it taste so good.

And thank you, Lord, for this special day,

That we may please* you in all we do and say.

Be with us from up above

So we can share your awesome love.

Amen!

The girls love it! They want to say it at lunch and dinner, too. Kind of defeats the idea of a "morning" offering, huh?

So, again, I ask, how do YOU, or do you, teach your children the concept of giving each day to the Lord? Please leave your comment, or even a link to a post you may want to write about this idea.

I can't wait to learn from you!

*(I'm thinking about changing the "please" to "serve." What do you think?)

One of the Best Things I've Read on the Mommy Wars

2011-11-30T18:55:00.004-05:00

Um, No, I Don't Think So

Elizabeth Foss never fails to inspire me.

And while I'm sad at the end of Faith and Family Magazine, I'm hopeful for what Danielle Bean and the F&F writers will continue to do for sharing the faith through media.

HI!

2011-11-28T23:31:00.003-05:00

I'm back. Again. Reentering cyberspace. Again.

I've come to terms with the reality that this blog, and it's, um, dry spells, are just a reflection of my life. It's been a crazy few months with a move across country and a new baby as just two of the ups and downs on this roller coaster, with many more twists and turns than I could have ever imagined. So taking a step away from the blog was ok. But a hint of normalcy is returning to my life and now I'm back. Trying again. I'm sure there will be more "breaks." But the when and why are yet to be determined. So if you've been here before, thanks for sticking with me. If you're new to my little corner of the blogsphere, welcome! I'd love to know who you are, so if you are so inclined, leave a comment. New friends are always a blessing!

For now, good night!

Snapshot ~ November 28, 2011

2011-11-28T16:12:00.005-05:00

Outside ~ The warm weather does not have this Colorado girl feeling like it’s about to be December. I think it is supposed to cool off later in the week.

Inside ~ It’s pretty quiet. I’m grabbing some computer time while the 2 littlest are sleeping and the 2 big girls are outside with Dad.

I am wearing ~ jeans, a raspberry knit shirt with black cardigan, and jewelry! I volunteered in Isabel’s classroom today, so I was motivated to get up and get ready properly.

Blessings to be Counted ~ family that can visit ~ a roof over our heads ~ answers to health issues

On my mind ~ my daughters’ education ~ a potential business opportunity (actually, a couple of them)

With love and prayers ~ for converted hearts; PATIENCE; peace; health for loved ones

Living the Faith ~ We’ve received our new issues of Magnificat and MagnifiKid to help us learn the new translation of the Mass.

Making Lists ~ to prepare for Christmas. There are presents to be bought, recipes to be made, and parties to plan!

From the Bookshelf ~ I’ve started so many books! I just can never seem to finish them. I’m trying to organize my books that I need to read on a list so I can hold myself accountable. Oh, yeah, and not buy any more books!

From my iPod ~ I’m listening to the playlist of songs I created to celebrate the girls’ baptisms. (I’ve put them all into one playlist so I can listen to them all without having to switch lists.)
~ I also can’t get enough of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” this time of year. I have a new favorite version.

From the kitchen ~ Struggling to follow the plan. We are getting better.

From the School Room ~ Struggling here as well. I have definitely fallen into a little pit (of despair) that I’m desperately trying to climb out of. I need to find some motivation somewhere.

From the Calendar ~ There are glimpses of a rhythm developing. Not as fast as I had hoped though.

Keeping the Castle ~ The Advent wreath is out, along with our Advent/Christmas books for the kids. Tom has started decorating the outside of the house with more to do. We have mapped out a plan of “attack” to prepare our home for the Baby Jesus.

Keeping the Temple ~ The scale was not as mean as I expected this morning. I started the C2K program for a week and then got derailed by a husband’s trip and an injured toe. Have not found the motivation/energy to get back to it. This is the goal for this week.

Creative Expression ~ Have you been on Pinterest? I plan to do a whole post on my love of this site. So much inspiration to be found. And I’ve actually attempted a few of my pins.

Wanting to Share ~ If You Send Mommy to Get Mail

~ Affordable Nativity Sets For Kids

~ Lovin Change

~ The Sole Purpose of this Post is to Make You Feel Better About Yourself

The Children ~ Isabel is still “expressing herself” a little too much for mommy’s comfort. We need to work on some politeness. But she is still a big help.
~Alexis jumps at the chance to comfort the baby when she is fussy. It brings joy to my heart to see her try to make her smile.
~We finally have some answers for Maire’s health issues. Still waiting to map out a course of action.
~I like to call Victoria my “Angel Baby.” She is definitely easy and I have even been able to sleep for more than 6 hours a few nights.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week ~ School, another medical appt., a birthday party, organization

Captured Memories ~

It's a New Liturgical Year!

2011-11-27T14:57:00.001-05:00

Hello!

2011-08-08T10:09:00.003-04:00

Victoria Kathleen is here and a week old now! She is a beautiful blessing and the whole house is overflowing with love for our newest addition.

Checking In and Prayer Requests

2011-07-03T21:35:00.006-04:00

We've made it to Virginia and are trying to set up house as fast as we can, hoping to have as normal a living space as possible before the baby comes. The last month has been a whirlwind between traveling 2/3 of the country, sleeping in multiple places, learning our way around our new "hometown" and just being VERY PREGNANT. I also managed to catch some nasty virus that has made me even less helpful to my husband over the last couple of weeks. The good news is that I'm starting to feel better and we are making progress on the house. Obviously, all of this "adventure" has kept me from blogging. And it's just been over the last few nights that I've been on my computer to read my usual blogs. I think I had 300 posts waiting for me in Reader. So bear with me as I catch up. While you are so patiently waiting for me to post something new, if you could say a prayer that Baby stays put for a little while longer, so we can get the house "finished," (is a house ever finished?) we would appreciate it. I'm definitely okay with an on-time arrival this go-round. But more importantly, if you could pray for another baby to stay put until he/she is supposed to. Do you read Kate's blog? If not, I highly recommend it!

Happy Independence Day! Stay safe!

Oh...and while I may not be posting much myself, as I get caught up with my favorite blogs, I will still be sharing my favorite posts under my Shared Items. So don't hesitate to check in to see what other brilliant bloggers are saying!

That's What I Get For Complaining

2011-05-29T12:20:00.003-04:00

Even jokingly.

Apparently, things were going a little too smoothly around here, so why not add in a little Pink Eye? My sweet Maire is the first victim. :( So Tom spent 3 hours in the ER with her last night and any plans of productivity for today are being altered to comfort my baby and contain her germs. And if missing Mass this morning isn't disappointing enough, we are also missing a sweet new baby's baptism. This is our first experience with Pink Eye in our house, and here's praying that it is a short one with limited victims.

Sunday Blessings!

A Request for Uncle Sam

2011-05-26T23:55:00.003-04:00

Uncle Sam, the next time you would like my husband to drag his family across the country, could you please check with my womb first? This pregnant while moving thing is not all that it's cracked up to be. The aching back, inability to lift too much weight, extreme fatigue, and my brain's inability to function properly are not exactly speeding up the moving process. Oh, and then there is the moodiness! Not that it affects me all that much, but I don't like to see the other people who live in my house get upset when I bite their head off. I think it a mothering thing.

Just thought I would put that out there.

Thanks,
A Cranky, But Still Proud, Military Wife

You Got Me There

2011-05-25T22:19:00.003-04:00

Mommy to Puppy: "Avalanche, what are you eating?"

Alexis to Mommy: "Mom, you know he can't talk, right?"

On Marriage

2011-05-22T20:43:00.002-04:00

This wondeful article talks about marrying young, but I think it holds truths about marriage that all ages should understand. Enjoy!

Twenty and Engaged

{this moment: sleeping sisters}

2011-05-20T05:00:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. Photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Little Flowers Wreath I Crafts

2011-05-18T20:50:00.010-04:00

I'm finally getting around to sharing our crafts from Little Flowers this year. When we started out, I had every intention of doing wonderful posts like Jessica's, but it just didn't happen. I got the idea for these crafts from Jessica's blog, the Little Flowers Craft Companion, the internet, and even my mom. Along with our crafts, we also put together Jessica's scrapbook pages at each meeting. We also had some creative snacks, but unfortunately, I didn't always remember to take pictures of them. I also forgot to take pictures of the crafts at most of the meetings, so these pictures are from the day after the Tea Party in May, so they've been a little squished in the girls' binders. Our Little Flowers group had girls from ages 3 to 6 (a little younger than the average group, I think) so these crafts were kept simple, and the moms helped a lot, too.

Our pipe cleaner Sunflower from the Craft Companion for our first meeting

The second meeting of the year used Ivy as symbol of how Hope should cling to your heart. With my mom's help, we came up with this sewing craft. We used a Cricut machine to cut out 2 hearts for each girl and I punched holes around the edges of the heart of both and 2 hole on the front heart for the bow. Using green yarn as Ivy, the girls sewed the 2 hearts into a little pouch which they could keep something, prayers, a rosary, etc... The third meeting's virtue was Love of God. I found this craft at my local Michael's and all I had to do way buy it. One package had more than enough for all of the girls to make one. I especially liked it because not only could you read it as "Love God", but also as "God is Love", a very important lesson!

The fourth meeting's virtue was Love of Neighbor. We held this meeting in January and with St. Valentine's Day coming up, I found this craft online. Obviously, this example shows the young age of our members, but they still had fun making them.

The next meeting's flower was the carnation and I found the instructions for these coffee filter carnations online here.

The next meeting's virtue was Piety. We used this coloring page of the "Colors of Piety" from Jessica as our craft for this month.

For the next meeting, our saint was St. Catherine Laboure who Our Lady appeared to and gave the Miraculous Medal. We made our own medals using paper plates based on the coloring page here.

Front

Back

For our next meeting, I was horribly sick and stuck in bed. Our saint was St. Frances Xavier Cabrini so I printed out these coloring sheets that I found in Jessica's post and one of the other wonderful moms stepped up and led that meeting.

For our final meeting, the flower was the narcissus, not a popular flower for crafting (or snacks, I will add). I took a hint from Jessica, once again, and tracked down this craft online. I know it's a lily, but it did the trick and the girls enjoyed making another flower. I think it's especially cute because it uses their handprint.

I hope this post gets your creativity flowing and helps you realize there are lots of resources out there to help you if you think you might want to start a Little Flowers group of your own. This first year was far from the perfect picture I had in my head at the beginning, but factoring life in, I think we managed to do a pretty good job with the girls, and most importantly they had fun learning about their faith.

5 Years of Birthday Cakes

2011-05-18T15:33:00.025-04:00

At our parish playgroup this morning, we had a discussion about birthday cakes. The talents in the group varied from master bakers to super artistic decorators to those of us who are really good at handing over our credit card. This made me think of all of the cakes we have had for our girls and how I have traveled the spectrum myself with the cakes I have "provided." So, for your viewing pleasure, here is a look at the birthday cake history of my 3 daughters.

We'll start with the cakes I actually baked and decorated myself. (Note: by baked, I mean from a box.)

This is my first child's first birthday cake, hence it is my masterpiece. I went all out, bought a cute pan, changed the suggested icing colors to match the theme of the party, and had major cramping in my hands from piping the icing all by myself. I even made a foil covered cake board to put it on. (I also made some extra pink frosted cupcakes with the little flowers on them, since the cake wasn't enough to feed all of the party goers.)

Isabel's 1st Birthday ~ A (Cute) Bug Theme

After that first cake, everything became much simpler. I can't remember where I got the idea, maybe from a blog, but this is flower cake. I just baked a 2 layer round cake and iced it yellow, and baked cupcakes, iced them pink and placed them around the round cake for the petals. Very easy, especially if you don't mind baking your own cake but are more intimidated by fancing frosting work.
Alexis' 1st Birthday ~ An April Showers Theme (April birthday)

This next cake I'm a little prouder of because the idea was mine. Again, I just baked a 2 layer round cake, dyed some icing the color of the ocean, and made sea shells with a candy mold and placed them around the base of the cake. I also baked additional cupcakes with a candy on top of each. I did buy the Ariel topper. Again, this is another cake that is good for bakers who are intimidated by fancy icing work.

Isabel's 4th Birthday ~ A Little Mermaid theme

Are you starting to notice a theme about intimidation and art on the cake? Here's another way I got around having to "draw" anything on a cake. Based on the number of people coming to this party (there's always more for First Birthdays aren't there?), I knew purchasing a "1" shaped pan would not be enough, so I made a "1" out of cupcakes. I frosted them with pink icing to match the decorations and also put sprinkles on them to add a little more fun. I just placed them directly on the table in the desired shape, after a few practice drawings. Very easy, and no messy slicing of cake required. (This also intimidates me, trying to get equal sized pieces. I usually leave this job to my husband, master of knives!)

Maire's 1st Birthday ~ A 1st Birthday theme

I didn't bake or decorate this next cake, but I didn't buy it either. My sweet friend, who was going through culinary school to be a pastry chef at the time, graciously volunteered to make it. It turned out so great!!! She also made matching cupcakes that had the other characters on them. We got the idea and instructions from the Nickelodeon website.

Isabel's 2nd Birthday ~ A Backyardigans theme

The rest of the cakes in this post, I shelled out cash for. While I feel a lot of "Mom Guilt" when I do that, the timing of the parties makes me realize that it's just a sacrifice I need to make. This cake was for a party 2 weeks after Maire was born. (Walmart)

Alexis' 2nd Birthday ~ A Mickey and Minnie Mouse theme

Have I mentioned there are only 20 days between Maire and Alexis' birthdays? I know there are those of you out there with much closer birthdays to celebrate, but this time frame definitely intimidates me, especially when Easter falls in between. We barely get the decorations down from Maire's birthday before we have to plan for Alexis'. So, Alexis tends to get store-bought cakes. This cake is actually a bunch of cupcakes. Enough cupcakes weren't included, so I asked the baker to add the extra orange ones. (Walmart)

Alexis' 3rd Birthday ~ A Dora theme

There is a month and a half between Alexis and Isabel's birthday, so theoretically, I should have time to plan a cake, but with this party, the crafts/activity planning took over. I had grand thoughts of a Mardi Gras worthy cake, but ended up last minute going with a store purchase. This is definitely an easy route when you have a popular kids theme party. (Walmart)

Isabel's 5th Birthday ~ A Princess and the Frog/Mardi Gras theme

For Maire's last birthday, we went with a generic puppy dog theme. I looked online for ideas, but everything I came across scared me. BUT...when we looked at the local grocery stores, we didn't find anything we liked, either. So we went with a Blue's Clues themed cake because Blue is a puppy, and Maire does like to watch the show from time to time. Buying the cake turned out to be a blessing because 2 days before her party, I came down with some awful virus that stuck me in bed for 5 days. We post-poned the party a week and stuck the cake in the freezer. All of this, my husband took care of, so we were actually blessed to have an ordered cake. (Base Comissary)
Maire's 2nd Birthday ~ A Puppy theme

This next cake was for a party the week of our moving from Boston to Colorado. I don't know if I even felt guilty about buying it. I don't know if there was even technically a theme. We did send out Dora invitations and had a Mexican Eye pinata. (We have a pinata at every party.) (Stop and Shop, I think)

Isabel's 3rd Birthday ~ A semi-Dora theme

And finally, the last cake on our list. I honestly had every intention of a "semi-homemade" cake for this one, based on my pregnancy and preparing for our upcoming move. The theme was Strawberry Shortcake and I had all of these pictures in my head of a store bought cake frosted with white icing that I would bring home and decorate with fresh strawberries and maybe a picture of the actual character. But alas, this party happened exactly 2 weeks after the "new" date of Maire's party and we had a last minute surprise out-of-town visitor (a wonderful blessing) for the party. Plus I was not fully recovered from my illness. So the day of the party, we went to Walmart, our guest needed to do some last minute shopping of his own, and I found this cake. White with pink and red decoration. Good enough! I just had them pipe the wording on it right there and we were good to go! I should also mention that the activity for the party was creating your own dessert with those individual shortcake cups, whip cream, strawberries and blueberries. The cake was more for the ceremony of blowing out the candles and something for the grown-ups to eat. (Walmart)

Alexis' 4th Birthday ~ A Strawberry Shortcake theme

There you have it! We actually have another birthday party this weekend. The cake will be purchased as the movers come in 12 days and we are busy preparing the house and dealing with all of the end of school year activities that don't normally interfere with Isabel's birthday. It will also be a larger than normal event, since Isabel is sad to leave her friends and we allowed her to have an unlimited number of invites. A post to come...

Random Thoughts

2011-05-16T13:13:00.003-04:00

Why are jeans and an oversized hoodie soooo comfortable?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Laundry used to be my favorite chore. And then I had kids. Girls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I actually had to make lunch today. What's up with that?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The weather here lately is making it much easier to leave Colorado and head east. I know I'll be having different thoughts in July. In Virginia. 9 months pregnant. (Have I mentioned I'm not a big fan of humidity?)

{this moment: sunshine and smiles}

2011-05-13T17:31:00.002-04:00

Living a Life of Luxury

2011-05-04T21:31:00.003-04:00

Who needs a personal assistant (or the salary required to employ one) when you have a 2 year old who will not only escort you into the bathroom every time you need to go, but will also lift the toilet lid for you?

Hormones and Terrorists

2011-05-03T00:45:00.003-04:00

So big news over the weekend, right? Not the wedding. Not the beatification. That other piece of news.

A bad man is dead.

Tom and I first found out when my MIL called to see if we had heard the news. We hadn't had the tv on at all, except to watch that other news-worthy event, the celebration of a great man, so it was definitely news to us. I let the news set in while Tom and his mom talked. I checked Facebook, which was all abuzz with the news. I finally turned the tv on. And I was kind of bothered by what I saw. Crowds of people in Times Square and at the White House acting like it was New Year's Eve or after a big championship game. I was torn about how to feel. Now if you know me, or have ever been in my house, you know my love of this great country. And I am definitely a fan of putting boots "you know where" a la Toby Keith when needed. The American military is made up of the bravest, most capable people on earth, and they deserve to be celebrated for what they do. But I was still disturbed to see such joy out of people over the death of a man. I assumed that my emotional confusion was due to the hormonal craziness taking place inside of me. Becoming a mother definitely changes the way you see the world, especially during the nine months of pregnancy. When I'm pregnant, there are certain movies I won't watch because their effect on me is so strong emotionally, and sometimes physically. (And then there are the crazy dreams I am prone to have during those 9 months.) Being a mother wakes up your compassion. To all human beings. Death and war are, unfortunately, a part of life. I know that. There was a time in my life that I was prepared to be the cause of death should Uncle Sam ask that of me. But that doesn't mean that death should be a cause for joy. In all likelihood, this man will spend eternity in Hell. The saying, "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy" comes to mind. All of these feelings were overwhelming me, but I couldn't exactly put into words how I truly felt about the news. Until I read a friend's status on Facebook, quoting the Vatican's official statement. "Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibility of everyone before God and man, and hopes and pledges that every event is not an opportunity for a further growth of hatred, but of peace." As for me, I will be grateful for our military and their success, hopeful that we are one step closer to peace, and joyful that while most are focused on the death of bad man, a holy man is celebrated for the good he did and leading more of the faithful to our Lord. Blessed John Paul II, pray for us!

The I'm Back Daybook

2011-05-02T00:56:00.008-04:00

Outside my window: It's dark. I started this post a long time ago, but am just getting around to finishing it now. I'm afraid to look too close outside, though, because it's been doing a funky snow-like thing all day. Seriously, it is May, right?

I am listening to: The sounds of the tv in the other room as Tom and I sit at the table on our computers. The girls and dog are in bed, so all else is quiet.

I am wearing: My volleyball team sweats. Comfort takes priority a lot these days and looking outside has made me feel a little chill all day.

I am Thankful for: a husband who puts up with my irrational stress freak outs.
~ wonderful families with beautiful little girls for my daughters to grow in their faith with.
~the brave men and women of our Armed Forces.

I am Planning: EVERYTHING. We are embarking on three major adventures this summer, all of which require a lot of planning. Any guesses on what the adventures are?

I am reading: Educating the Wholehearted Child

From the kitchen: Uh…a trip to the commissary is desperately needed. We have friends coming for dinner on Wednesday, so groceries will definitely be needed by then. Hopefully, something Mexican for Cinco De Mayo!

On being Healthy: Our eating habits have much room for improvement, another piece of Mommy guilt I’m dealing with, but sometimes we have to just make do and try to be better again tomorrow. I have a feeling “convenience” will trump most things for the next month.

I am Thinking: About all of the news this weekend. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what happened yesterday in Pakistan. A different post to come on that later.

I am Creating: not much. This past weekend’s tea party was the most creative I’ve been in a while, and besides a birthday party still to be planned for later this month, there really is no time for extraneous projects. I plan to make up for this later this summer.

On my iPod: Tom and I have been adding Children’s music to our inventory for a certain road trip next month.

In the Learning Baskets: Nothing here for a few months…again, see me later this summer. Isabel finishes up school in a few weeks.

Towards Rhythm and Beauty: Our Rhythm is about to be seriously disrupted. We are just surviving the month of May now with a new rhythm to be established in a new location.

To Live the Liturgy: The Beatification of John Paul II is still on the dvr, which I’m sure we will be visiting again multiple times in the next week.

I am Hoping and Praying: for converted hearts; brand new babies; PATIENCE; peace; health for loved ones

In the Garden: (sigh) One word…SNOW

Around the house: Cleaning, organizing, PURGING!!! I attempted 40 bags for Lent, but a few major things derailed progress. I did collect quite a few bags today, though, so I feel slightly productive. I will still see how much more I can purge in the next 30 days.

On Keeping Home: So much learning needs to be done on my part. It really is embarrassing.

One of my Favorite Things: A dvr so that I can still sleep normal hours, but still “take part” in major events around the world.

The Children: Isabel is “expressing herself” a little too much for mommy’s comfort. We need to work on some politeness. But she is still a big help, especially for 5.
Alexis is STUBBORN. But she still amazes me at how much joy is in her soul.
Maire is a sweety, as usual, but she is definitely testing her two year old boundaries. Lots of prayers for her, still, as we continue to wait and see what the future holds with her health.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week: School, purging stuff, friends for dinner, ballet class/dress rehearsal/recital, BABY SHOWER

A Picture Thought I’m Sharing: We are in the middle of what I like to call “Birthday Season”. Here are the birthday girls of March and April.

Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for May

2011-05-02T00:49:00.003-04:00

General Intention: That those who work in the media may always respect truth, solidarity and the dignity of each person.

Missionary Intention: That the Lord may grant the Church in China the capacity to persevere in fidelity to the Gospel and to grow in unity.

Cute!

2011-05-02T00:17:00.000-04:00

Little Flowers Tea Party 2011

2011-05-01T21:48:00.026-04:00

This weekend, my daughters and I hosted the end of year Little Flowers Tea for our Little Flowers group. Don't know what Little Flowers is? Visit here.

The girls' table (with all of our craft projects from the year displayed on the wall).

I ~~copied~~ took inspiration from Jessica's Tea Parties and was hoping to have our party outside. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate (it snowed later that day and the rest of the weekend) and I changed my plans to inside. It was a little crowded getting around the tables at times, but I think we made the best of it. Because of the relocation of the festivities, I decided to buy some flowered garland at the craft store (roses and wisteria) to give a little garden atmosphere to my dining room. The pictures aren't the greatest. The sun glare was fighting with me and I was slightly rushed to get pictures taken before our guests arrived.

A view of both tables and some of the added flora

The little table to the left was for our 2 and under crowd

One more angle

This was the first time I had ever hosted a tea party. I don't even own a teapot! So I had to get creative on some things. A lot of what I used was borrowed. At both tables, there were borrowed teapots, cream and sugar sets, lemonade pitchers, and half of the napkins (the flowered ones). At the Mothers' Table, I used my china and crystal.
Mothers' table place setting

At the girls' table, I used cups from my punch bowl set for their tea cups and some borrowed glass plates. I used Holy Cards of the saints we were learning about as prizes all year, so I continued the theme in the place settings. I put the holy cards under the plates, which I thought was a cool effect.
Girls' table place setting

We had three courses and in between courses we had activities for the girls to include Jessica's word search and a Memory Game.

The activity table

This is our version of the Memory Game

We also did a craft, using all of the flowers I had purchased for the individual meetings throughout the year.

The craft prep area

This craft project is also in the Craft Companion guide

One of the finished hats (Dad got involved A LOT with this one)

The food was delicious! Each of the other moms was so helpful and brought a couple of dishes. We had three courses, which I think the girls got a kick out of. I forgot to take a picture of the first course, but it included strawberries, raspberries, grapes, and blueberry scones.

The second course included tortilla roll-ups, cucumber and egg salad sandwiches, and ham and cheese and jelly and creme cheese flower shaped sandwiches. Don't they look amazing?

The third course was DESSERT!

Brownies topped with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles, strawberry creme cupcakes, and a strawberry puff pastry dessert. YUMMY!

Despite all of my stress and worries, it turned out to be a wonderful time and most importantly, I think the girls had a lot of fun.

(Please bear with the poor formatting. Obviously, I've been away from blogging for awhile and I'm a little rusty. I just don't have the energy to fight with Blogger anymore tonight.)

REJOICE!!!

2011-04-25T15:44:00.003-04:00

Happy Easter, from our home to yours!

Coming Soon...

2010-12-16T15:16:00.003-05:00

I know it has been a while, but life has been busy and kept me from blogging. I do have plans to return with the new year, but we all know how planning goes, right? Until then, I hope you are having a Happy Advent and that everyone has a Merry Christmas!

The Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for September

2010-09-03T23:58:00.003-04:00

The Word of God as Sign of Social Development
General: That in less developed parts of the world the proclamation of the Word of God may renew people's hearts, encouraging them to work actively toward authentic social progress.

The End of War
Missionary: That by opening our hearts to love we may put an end to the numerous wars and conflicts which continue to bloody our world.

Hint, Hint

2010-08-13T13:47:00.003-04:00

Rationing toilet paper from a central location in the house is probably a big clue that a trip to the store is needed.

Right?

LOVE. IT.

2010-08-12T01:34:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Tanya for sharing.

The Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for August

2010-08-01T02:30:00.002-04:00

The Unemployed and Homeless
General: That those who are without work or homes or who are otherwise in serious need may find understanding and welcome, as well as concrete help in overcoming their difficulties.

Victims of Discrimination, Hunger and Forced Emigration
Missionary: That the Church may be a "home" for all people, ready to open its doors to any who are suffering from racial or religious discrimination, hunger, or wars forcing them to emigrate to other countries.

I would be blogging...

2010-07-09T21:11:00.001-04:00

...but there is a serious dance party going on! The star of the show...1 year old Maire!

Mommy Joy

2010-06-14T14:38:00.003-04:00

I cannot contain my pride. My. kids. are. AMAZING! Please don't be jealous. Not everyone's children can be so talented.

What has me so overjoyed?

Synchronized pooping!

Motherhood ROCKS!

In Flanders Fields

2010-05-31T01:23:00.004-04:00

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

~Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1917)

Canadian Army

Making a Comeback

2010-05-18T13:37:00.002-04:00

It is quite possible that the enormous headache I am dealing with today could be from the number of potential blog posts I have floating around in my brain. With the end of the school year, dance, volleyball and only one more trip on the horizon, I may actually have time to put thoughts to paper, or keyboard, sometime in the near future. Until then...

My New Favorite Picture

2010-04-23T19:32:00.004-04:00

Check out more "sweet" pictures of Pope Benedict XVI at Anna Arco's Diary. A special thanks to Faith and Family Live for sharing the link!

Lenten Motivation

2010-02-16T21:36:00.002-05:00

"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me,

then no sacrifice can be

too great for me to make for Him."

-C T Studd

Not Getting A Lot of Sleep

2010-02-10T03:16:00.004-05:00

Why am I on my blog at 1:15 in the morning?

My brain will not stop, which means I can't sleep.

We found out yesterday that we will be in a new house next week. So I'm constantly thinking about furniture arrangements, new curtains, how to pack all of this stuff...

I have a 3 day volleyball tournament this weekend that is out-of-town, which requires extra planning since now I will have the baby while Tom stays home with the big girls to pack. Plus, there are the 12 middle school girls that I will be worrying about all weekend.

Family is coming in 3 weeks for Tom's promotion.

I'm falling behind on everything else and I can't stop thinking about it. Did I mention that February was turning out to be way too busy even before we found out about the move?

Oh, and Maire still doesn't want to sleep longer than 2 hours at any one time so I'm exhausted through all of this. Needless to say, I need to scale back on anything that does not immediately benefit my family. Simplify, simplify, simplify.

If you don't hear from me until after Easter, you know why.

Praying for Donuts

2010-02-01T00:28:00.003-05:00

SECONDS after telling the 2 year old that she was not behaving and would not be getting a donut after Mass, this is what we saw...

Be There, Even if You Can't Be There!

2010-01-21T20:14:00.001-05:00

A Middle of January Daybook

2010-01-19T09:03:00.003-05:00

Outside my window: It is still pretty dark. I think all of the snow has melted in our back yard, so it must be time for another storm.

I am listening to: Nothing. The girls are all still sleeping and Tom is downstairs working. All is quiet up here.

I am wearing: Navy blue sweatpants and tshirt from the high school volleyball team I coach and tennis shoes with my hair pulled back in a pony tail. I just finished working out with the Wii.

I am Thankful for: a husband who ignores my stupidity when I am feeling bad about myself and tries to refocus my thoughts to the positive.

I am Planning: EVERYTHING. Really trying to get the family’s act together with schedules and activities instead of just surviving from day to day.

I am reading: Signs of Life and Total Money Makeover but not making much progress on either

From the kitchen: I am trying to tighten the belt on groceries this month, so we’ll be emptying our cupboards and freezer. It’s all about using what we already have.

On being Healthy: Increased exercise, decreased snacking, those are the goals and I haven't been doing very well. Tom bought a new workout "game" for the Wii that I did for the first time this morning. Definite potential for getting the job done. I also need to focus on getting more sleep at night.

I am Thinking: about how tired I am and why do I never get anything I want done. Maybe one of these days I will realize it’s not about what I want, but what He wants.

I am Creating: A space to CREATE!!! We are PURGING quite a bit in the house (we should have done this long ago!) and I am getting a new craft space. The ideas are FLOWING on what to do with it.

On my iPod: I recently received a new iPod Touch. I have not spent a lot of time getting things on it yet. A little Christmas music to get through Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas morning, but I am really looking forward to customizing it and learning from my last iPod.

In the Learning Baskets: The letter R and Winter books are filling the baskets this week. I haven't been doing everything I want with the girls and I am letting it get me down.

Towards Rhythm and Beauty: The focus is all about establishing SCHEDULES in order to establish rhythm in our house. Again, there are many struggles in this area of my life. Just have to keep trying.

To Live the Liturgy: We don't have much planned this week. I am VERY EXCITED about a mom's bible study beginning next month at church.

I am Hoping and Praying: for converted hearts; brand new babies; PATIENCE; comfort to those lives touched by the tragedy in Haiti

In the Garden: All of the snow is gone out back and we've had some really nice days, but I'm trying not to get my gardening wheels spinning too fast because we most likely have plenty of snow to come still this winter.

Around the house: Cleaning, organizing, PURGING!!! We finally put away all of the Christmas decorations last week. Current projects include rearranging girls' room, switching out sizes in the closets, reorganizing the basement, getting rid of general clutter.

On Keeping Home: So much learning needs to be done on my part. It really is embarrassing.

One of my Favorite Things: little girls all tangled up in my bed, sleeping soundly

The Children: Isabel and Alexis went ice skating for the first time this weekend and did suprisingly well, especially Alexis. Afterward, I said that was all I needed, a ballerina AND a figure skater. Bring on the sequins!
~Maire slept for 6 hours last night. And that is all that I need to say about that :)

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week: Maire's 9 month pictures this afternoon, volleyball practice and then our first tournament of the season this weekend. This coach is a little nervous, both for the girls and herself.

A Picture Thought I’m Sharing:

See more Daybooks here.

The Trouble Tree

2010-01-15T01:46:00.000-05:00

The Trouble Tree

-Author unknown

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start.

While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. Upon arrival, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles. He hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward, he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier. "Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again."

"Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."

Two Reasons I Love the Blogosphere

2010-01-14T23:31:00.000-05:00

Empty Yourself

Sacramental Windfall...

Shopping for a Church

2010-01-14T23:13:00.000-05:00

Over at Faith and Family Live!, they are having a discussion about whether or not to "shop" for a parish. I went to put my two cents in and came out with a comment that deserved its own post.

Ideally, I think you should attend your home parish. If it's broke, then you be the one to fix it. Or at least get the solution started.

Having said that, I think I have "shopped" for every parish I've belonged to in my married life and have been greatly blessed by doing so. When we were stationed in Utah, just finding a Catholic church was difficult. We really only had 2 options. The church off base turned off my then Protestant fiance with the very senior priest's fire and brimstone homilies. We ended up becoming members of the base chapel, mostly because my husband worked with the woman who was in charge of the RCIA program on base which he became a part of. I will always cherish that chapel because that is where my husband entered the Church and because of a very important couple we met there.

We then moved to Boston and encountered the exact opposite, having a Catholic church on every block it seemed. Of course, the Church in Boston is facing great challenges which has affected its attendance. We attended Mass at our "official" parish that first Sunday in a large, beautiful church. It did not feel welcoming, however, with only a few parishioners in attendance and most of them elderly. We eventually became members of the next closest parish, still only 5 minutes away. This parish was a blessing because of the priest who was very personable and great with children. He even attended our oldest daughter's birthday party once. I have yet to see another priest so involved with his parishioners, especially the children.

Moving once more, we took a different approach this time. We "shopped" for a parish before we decided where to live, in hopes of influencing our decision. Having decided on a parish (a large factor was the number of young families with children in attendance) it is still not our "official" parish because we decided to live on base. But, for some of the same reasons as Michelle stated in her comment, we have stayed with the off base parish. It still isn't perfect, I don't care for the architecture and I don't know if the priest recognizes us (despite baptizing one of our children and our very regular attendance at Mass), and we didn't put our 4 yo in CCD/Faith Formation this year because of some negative comments we heard. But this is where I can step up for this parish and help to strengthen what may be a weak link. Maybe that is why God put me here. And again, the blessings are many. A new family sat in "our pew" a month ago and we are fast becoming good friends. And remember that special couple from the chapel in Utah? They were already parishioners here (the Air Force is a small world) and have since become godparents to our youngest child, not only blessing her, but spiritually supporting our entire family.

This is all not to say that we won't be switching again. I have already thought about it due to our oldest attending Catholic school at a different parish because this church does not have a school. If we were to move off base, a possibility in the not so distant future, this would be a HUGE consideration.

Reality

2010-01-14T13:24:00.002-05:00

So, obviously my last post was not of the positive variety. I know a lot of bloggers choose to focus on only the positive in their life and try not to use their blogs as a tool for complaining. I don't feel like I whine too much on here, but I do want to keep it real. The other night, I was feeling pretty bad about myself. I was yelling at the kids, even the baby, and had zero patience for anything and anybody, including myself. Of course, after a little sleep and some fresh perspective in the morning, things looked a little less horrible. I went a head and posted my thoughts, though, because sometimes it is nice to know that other people are struggling and we are not alone in facing our challenges. Life is hard. But with God's grace, we can get through any tough time. And sometimes, just sharing our thoughts (letting it out, so to speak) can help relieve a little of the stress. That is a lesson I desperately need to learn!

Feeling Like the Worst Mother Ever

2010-01-12T22:20:00.000-05:00

(and wife, friend, etc...)

And that's all I've got to say about that.

Before Becoming a Mommy...

2010-01-12T13:00:00.000-05:00

...I didn't realize that phones only ring when

-I'm nursing a baby.

-I'm changing a diaper.

-I'm putting a child down for a nap.

Out of the Mouths of Husbands

2010-01-10T21:55:00.001-05:00

"Women's attitudes are like tiny delicate snowflakes.

That land on steep, snow covered mountains.

And snowball into avalanches. And whoa to the man that be in its path!"

~~~

"There are no answers on the test with women."

~~~

"Maire is the anchor of this ship. Things are pretty easy with the older two and you can get things done. But having Maire around stops everything."

Just Like Grace

2010-01-08T12:12:00.000-05:00

AMAZING!

9 Months

2010-01-07T18:57:00.001-05:00

Epiphany Treat

2010-01-06T12:26:00.000-05:00

Isabel took these treats into school today for snack time. I thought they turned out pretty well. I used the original recipe for Rice Krispies Treats, spread it into a rectangular cookie sheet and cut out the crowns using a cutter I found at Hobby Lobby for 99 cents. You could easily decorate the crowns more elaborately with candies and icing. I didn't because the school tries to discourage a lot of sweets and snacks with icing, although I probably could have gotten away with it on a feast day like today. Simple, inexpensive, and yummy!

Happy Epiphany!

Did the Wise Men make it to your stable?

You Know Epiphany is Upon Us...

2010-01-05T11:06:00.000-05:00

Did you or your kids happen to watch Disney's new Christmas special this year, Prep and Landing? We've seen it again and again thanks to the dvr. In the show, an elf gets frustrated at one point and says, "Oh, Frostbite." This has caught on in our house and is considered pretty funny. Today, however, as I was fighting with a diaper box, one of the panels ripped and what came out of my mouth?

"Oh, Frankincense!"

A New Start Daybook

2010-01-04T11:48:00.000-05:00

Outside my window: The sun is very deceiving. Especially in the car, blazing through the windshield. One step outside brings the reality of 20 degree temps.

I am listening to: The sounds of the tv in the other room and Alexis and Maire letting Mommy have a few minutes on the computer.

I am wearing: The jeans and tshirt I threw on to get Isabel to school. After a rough night with the baby (partially due to a power outage) I didn’t get up at the planned hour and didn’t get to properly shower and dress this morning. A baseball cap and oversized sweatshirt were also involved in getting us all out of the house.

I am Thankful for: my new Blackberry. It allowed me to be productive last night and continue to use the internet even though the power went out at 10pm.

~ new friends in our Parish and starting to feel a greater sense of community there.

~Christmas cards on the way to the post office. A huge weight off of my shoulders.

I am Planning: EVERYTHING. Really trying to get the family’s act together with schedules and activities instead of just surviving from day to day.

I am reading: Signs of Life and Total Money Makeover

From the kitchen: It’s Isabel’s turn to bring snacks into school on Wednesday, so I will be making Rice Krispies Treats in the shape of crowns to celebrate the Epiphany. I am also trying to tighten the belt on groceries this month, so we’ll be emptying our cupboards and freezer. It’s all about using what we already have.

On being Healthy: We busted out the Wii Fit we got for Christmas last year a couple of weeks ago. It’s about time, right? The expanding Miis can be quite motivational. Increased exercise, decreased snacking, those are the goals.

I am Thinking: about how tired I am and why do I never get anything I want done. Maybe one of these days I will realize it’s not about what I want, but what He wants.

I am Creating: A space to CREATE!!! We are PURGING quite a bit in the house (we should have done this long ago!) and I am getting a new craft space. The ideas are FLOWING on what to do with it. This weekend will also be a scrapbooking weekend!

On my iPod: I recently received a new iPod Touch. I have not spent a lot of time getting things on it yet. A little Christmas music to get through Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas morning, but I am really looking forward to customizing it and learning from my last iPod.

In the Learning Baskets: The letter I, Epiphany, and Winter books are filling the baskets this week.

Towards Rhythm and Beauty: The focus is all about establishing SCHEDULES in order to establish rhythm in our house. I am also testing out a new planner that I have put together myself.

To Live the Liturgy: The Wise Men are almost to the Stable to see the Baby Jesus. The older girls are loving the search each morning to discover where they have traveled over night. A great new tradition.

I am Hoping and Praying: for converted hearts; brand new babies; PATIENCE

In the Garden: (sigh) It looks very much like winter outside with barely a sign of life except the evergreens. Planning for the spring will be very exciting indeed!

Around the house: Cleaning, organizing, PURGING!!! I think the tree and ornaments will come down on Thursday due to obligations over the weekend.

On Keeping Home: So much learning needs to be done on my part. It really is embarrassing.

One of my Favorite Things: I was blessed with many great presents this Christmas, but my IT present was from my husband. He surprised me with this

"The Prayer at Valley Forge" was painted to serve the cause of liberty, to remind Americans of the deep spiritual roots of our beloved country, to recall a place of cold, and pain and sacrifice, to pay tribute to the tall and lonely man who alone held the struggling nation together, General Washington, driven to his knees there in the bitter snows of Valley Forge. -FribergFineArt.com

The Children: Isabel surprises me with the things she seems to understand, from the events of the first Christmas to visiting a loved one’s grave.
~Alexis is growing out of toddlerhood. Her thoughts, vocabulary, physical skills are all reminders that her 3rd birthday is not that far away. She has become quite the helper, but the two-year old tantrums are still there. Potty training is in the very near future.
~Maire, of course, is changing the quickest. She is testing her vocal abilities and shows her displeasure by making a sound similar to rolling your Rs. We are continuously looking for new foods to give her and she is eating pretty well. She is still getting up every couple of hours at night to nurse which is definitely wearing on Mommy. There was a little bit of hope in this department the other night with two four hour stretches. We’ll see if it continues.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week: Pre-school, ballet, and volleyball start up again. I’m hoping for some success in establishing a schedule and accomplishing SOMETHING.

A Picture Thought I’m Sharing:

See more Daybooks here.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T23:52:00.000-05:00

May you rejoice in the good news of our Savior's birth!

Fight

2009-12-17T23:20:00.000-05:00

Quick Takes - The What I'm Loving Right Now Edition

2009-12-11T11:27:00.000-05:00

~~1~~

8 month olds who stare wide-eyed with all the curiosity in the world at those strange things on Mommy's head, otherwise known as sunglasses.

~~2~~

2 year olds who don't just ask for a snack, but specifically ask for CHOCOLATE! With a please, of course.

~~3~~

4 year olds who ask Mommy to sing "Silent Night" again.

~~4~~

A scheduled dinner with a girlfriend next week.

~~5~~

My new club volleyball team. The girls seem so eager to learn and improve their game, all with a smile.

~~6~~

A husband who is so excited about this book that he can't wait to get whatever job done so he can get back to reading.

~~7~~

Christmas Cards!!!

Check out more Quick Takes at Jen's.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-09T08:18:00.000-05:00

Holiday Weight Management

2009-12-01T11:58:00.000-05:00

Two words. Stomach virus.

Thanksgiving -0, Stina-1

Enough said.

It's December!

2009-12-01T11:47:00.000-05:00

My blogging fast is over and the Lord has so generously given me the chance to stay in bed all day catching up on what I missed in November by giving me Strep throat! Lovely! (My husband says I need to focus more on the positive. How's that?) Look for updates on what we've been up to in November (hint: some of it involves a mouse and a castle), but for now, the codeine and the 500+ posts in Google Reader call.

Going Off Line

2009-11-04T00:30:00.000-05:00

If you have been in the blogosphere at all this fall, you've probably seen a post or two about burnout and illness. Our house has been plagued by both, hence my lack of posting. I keep telling myself I will get on here and let you in on what's been going on, I just never get around to it. I'm definitely at a breaking point right now (there may or may not have been tears involved tonight) so I am finally going to do what I probably should have done a month ago, put blogging on hold. This means I won't be posting any in November, and now I won't feel guilty about not posting since I've told you, but the biggest thing is that I won't be reading blogs as well. I'm just going to take the time to help "catch up" a little around here and focus on this household and what we need to be doing without trying to "keep up" with the wonderful ladies out here in blog land. We are going on two trips in November, so I'll be away from my computer any ways, but I really need to quiet my brain a little and I think this will help. I will still be available by email or through Facebook, so if you want to stay in touch that way, I'd love to hear from you. Otherwise, I'll say goodbye for now and see you in December!

Fifteen

2009-10-26T10:33:00.000-04:00

-not the number of kisses I received this morning.
-not the number of minutes I hit the snooze for.
-not even the number of dollars in my wallet.

The number of DEGREES on the thermometer!!!

I hope you are staying warm wherever you are.

Friday Funny

2009-10-16T15:56:00.000-04:00

From an email I received this morning...

During these serious times, people of all faiths should remember these four basic religious truths:

1. Muslims do not recognize Jews as God's chosen people.

2. Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

3. Protestants do not recognize the Pope as the leader of the Christian world.

4. Baptists do not recognize each other at Hooters.

Hee, hee, hee. Have a great weekend!

Rooting For the Home Team

2009-10-11T14:29:00.000-04:00

Sorry Patriots.

In a two-year old's world

2009-10-05T23:55:00.001-04:00

It apparently makes you quieter if you say "Tiptoe, tiptoe" while tiptoeing down the hall to announce that the baby is crying.

The Last Day of Summer...

2009-09-21T12:53:00.000-04:00

...and it's SNOWING!

*I hope to get a picture up later, but I need to go pick up Isabel.

Hospitality

2009-09-17T21:56:00.000-04:00

"But in the culture of ancient Israel, out of which the church was born, hospitality was among the moral foundation stones of society. Israel was a wandering stranger, and God took her in, and fed her and clothed her and housed her; and in response, Israel was to care for the alien and stranger in her midst. Christians in their turn saw hospitality as a basic way in which members of the Christian community could emulate and hand on the welcome they had received from God."

-excerpt from Keeping House: The Litany of Everyday Life

Ballerinas and Butterflies

2009-09-16T23:08:00.000-04:00

I'm taking this break from the craziness in my life right now, to share this video with you. Of course, there is ballerina in it!

Years ago, my husband's sister was a recipient of a Make-a-Wish after she was diagnosed with leukemia. Unfortunately, God called her home soon after, but the family still remembers her wish with great joy.

Wordless Wednesday...

2009-09-09T13:53:00.000-04:00

...because there are no words, only tears.