A Blessed Journey

Happy Epiphany!

2012-01-06T21:37:00.002-05:00

We ended this Christmas season on a high note, having an Epiphany party at my parents house. This feast day celebrates the Three Kings journey to the baby Jesus and their acknowledgment of Him as the promised Messiah. As this feast centers around three kings and the King of Kings, crowns were a central decorating theme.

The kids helped me make a yellow paper garland, cut with a fancy border which we strung above the counter. Front and center was the nativity cupcake scene. I printed out cross cupcake wrappers (with my new silhouette cameo!) and nativity silhouettes for cupcake toppers.

Yesterday the kids helped me bake a couple loaves of Three Kings Bread. A tasty sweet bread, it's packed with yummy additions of oranges, pineapple, coconut, raisins, and chocolate chips which represent the gifts offered to the infant Jesus.

Before we dug into our pizza and goodies we had a procession through the house.

The kids dressed up as the three kings, complete with gifts, and I held a paper star and a flashlight, leading the way.

We marched through the house, winding through the up and downstairs, singing We Three Kings as we made our way to the baby Jesus in the manger. When we arrived the kids all took turns placing their gift in front of him; small boxes of gold foil wrapped chocolates.

Then we said a short prayer and made our way to the dining room for our little feast. We all had a wonderful time, the kids even asked to march and sing some more after dinner; each taking turns being the star and guiding the way.

Dear Jesus, as You led the Three Kings to You by the light of a star, please draw us ever closer to You by the light of Faith. Help us to desire You as ardently as they did. Give us the grace to overcome all the obstacles that keep us far from You. May we, like them, have something to give You when we appear before You. Mary, Our Mother, help us to know Your Son. Amen.

She's Here!

2011-12-19T17:58:00.002-05:00

I woke early in the morning on 12/8 with labor pains that were regular, though 10-15 minutes apart. I progressed slowly through the morning, hovering between 8 and 10 minutes apart for several hours. The pace picked up quickly right around the kids quiet time though and we headed off to the hospital. A quick check determined that I was 4.5 cm dilated and we would be staying! We were quite happy to hear that after a few false starts.

They didn't have a labor room for me, so we spent a few hours in the small room where they determine if you're actually in labor or not. My contractions started getting harder and we were having a hard time figuring out how to help me cope. By the time they moved me to the labor room I had progressed to 7cm and was entering transition. I asked for an epidural at that point and thankfully the anesthesiologist was right next door. The epidural worked better on one side that the other and never really got a chance to take full effect, 45 minutes later I was ready to push. 8 minutes later our healthy, beautiful baby girl was born!

Named for my sister, Margaret Jade was born at 8:22pm on the feast of the Immaculate Conception. I had a special devotion to St. Anne during my pregnancy so it seems rather fitting that Mara be born on the day that celebrates Anne's conception of Mary. Her nickname, Mara, means "Mary" in Hebrew.

She weighed in at 8lbs 5oz, our largest baby by far!

In the past week and a half she has proven to be a wonderfully cuddly baby, with eyes like deep pools, and the ability to make everyone coo adoringly.

Her brother and sisters are absolutely enthralled with her. They're quick to go to her when she cries, and offer help whenever asked.

Gabe seems especially taken, coming to her several times a day to give her cuddles and kisses saying, "I love you, baby,"

Our parents have been wonderful, coming almost every day to help out as we all adjust to daily life with a newborn. The frequent lack of sleep can be painful, but mostly we're all just adoring this beautiful gift God has given us.

How truly blessed we are!

Waiting...

2011-12-03T15:40:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the lack of posting lately, things have been in high gear around here for a while. Steve and I have spent the last month getting the house ready for the new baby by cleaning, organizing, and doing as much as possible. My nesting has been in overdrive. So we've been incredibly productive and have gotten done everything on my To Do list! I keep finding more things that can be done, but have reached the point where my body is no longer cooperating. Lately the days have me feeling uncomfortable and quite exhausted. When I do have the energy to do something I've been doing odd little crafts and projects for myself and our home instead of cleaning. It's nice to take a break from that, since we've done most of it anyway, and do something I enjoy that I know I'll get little chance to do once baby makes her debut.

So, now we wait. We've had 2 false starts and are feeling very much in limbo but are trying to keep on with the every day, knowing that she'll be here before we know it.

Halloween!

2011-11-01T08:08:00.001-04:00

It was rainy and chilly here last night but we ventured out with the kids for some trick or treating.

Silly faces from the crew!

We started off early, heading to our little downtown to walk around the shops. It was raining fairly steadily at that point so Steve, mom, and I each took a kid under a golf umbrella.

Kitty cat... very excited to be wearing makeup.

Not all the shops were participating so we made the rounds pretty fast. We decided to take a break and see if the rain would let up so we headed back to the house for a quick pizza dinner.

Captain America!

It was still pretty drizzly when we finished eating so we decided to try our local mall. As we should have predicted, the entire city seemed to have the same idea and the experience was less than enjoyable. The kids were all troopers though, and took it in stride. A lollipop seemed to eradicate any dissapointment.

Dora! She actually kept the wig on for most of the night!

Fortunately, at this point, the rain had stopped so we made our way to a larger section of our neighborhood. We made good use of our car and drove until we found several houses near each other that were handing out candy. Then we'd all jump down, make the rounds, and pile back into the car. I can see why people do this every year, regardless of the weather. Everyone's moods really starting picking up and we all had a great time. The decorations and lights thrilled the kids and the houses participating were all terrifically nice... and gave out huge handfuls of candy. The haul the kids got is insane.

We ended up back at our house around 8:15 and everyone was pooped. One little girl had an especially long and hysterical, though not unexpected, tantrum. Everyone was glad to get cleaned up and into bed for the night.

Addie's on the left, Gabe's on the right.

We had left our pumpkins and ghost lanterns lit along with a bowl of candy on the front porch while we were gone, but it seemed like it hadn't been touched.

Milk jug lanterns decorated with a sharpie marker, filled with sand, and lit by an electric tea light candle.

We had a total count of one trick-or-treater after we returned home so our candy stash grew even bigger. We're going to have to set some serious limits.

All said and done, we had a great Halloween. The kids are already talking about what they want to be next year....

Costume Prep

2011-10-28T08:55:00.000-04:00

Growing up we frequently made our own costumes using our clothes, our parents clothes, or things from the dress up bin. I remember going as a 3 legged person one year. I stuffed one leg of a pair of jeans and pinned on a sock and shoe, then clipped it to my waist with a belt. To finish off the look I threw on a trench coat and one of my dad's hats. Imagination can take you places when it comes to Halloween. :) I'm making the girls costumes this year. Addie is going as a black cat and Ana is going as Dora the Explorer, no surprise there. Gabe is going as Captain America, using a costume he received for his birthday with the addition of a small shield.

For Addie's costume I rounded up a black turtleneck, black velvet skirt, black leggings and shoes. Pretty standard pieces that she can continue to wear through the fall and winter seasons. I picked up some chenille boas at AC Moore to make wrist cuffs and a tail that I"ll be finishing up this weekend. I also grabbed some black and pink felt and sewed a set of cat ears to a black headband following this tutorial. To finish off the look I'll be painting a cute little nose and whiskers on her face.

Ana's costume was even easier, being simply a pink shirt, orange shorts, and yellow socks. I wasn't able to find her a purple backpack, but I don't think she minds. I made her a little bracelet out of yellow pony beads and hot glued on a little green flower from a hair elastic. I also made her a wig using this tutorial. I used black card stock, staples, black felt, and hot glue. It came together very quickly and looks really cute, if I do say so myself. It has the added benefit of keeping her head warm if the night turns out to be a little chilly.

I was able to put both of these costumes together for around $7 total. (Not including the clothes I purchased at consignment, because those can be worn as regular clothing!) I think they're super cute and have so much more appeal than store bought costumes. I'm not opposed to them, they can be very cute and we used them the past 2 years. But their use is very limited and they're expensive (between $15 and $25 each.)

Now I need to put my own costume together. I'm borrowing an idea from my mom (and some clothing items) that I think will be really cute. No spoilers here, I think this one will speak better with pictures. :)

Singing the Truth

2011-10-13T16:55:00.000-04:00

Addie finds me leaning over my exercise ball and asks what I'm doing. I tell her that my back hurts and this helps. She starts patting my back to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus, "The sound of your back is hurt, hurt, hurt. Hurt, hurt, hurt. Maybe there's a boo boo on your back. Ooooon yooouuuuur baaaaack."

What we've been up to

2011-10-11T07:17:00.000-04:00

We've been very busy lately. Trying to get the house ready for the new baby, prepping for homeschool, and rearranging our playroom has taken up most of our time for the past month. Yesterday was our first official day of homeschooling. The kids were excited by the new set up of our playroom and anxious to begin.

Our first day was... interesting. Ana actually has developed a fever so she was incredibly cranky during that hour. We also started later in the morning than I had planned on (we had to make an emergency trip out to our restaurant to take in some food supplies that were forgotten in our fridge,) so snack time came in the middle of work time and it was hard to get everyone back on track afterwards. Today is a new day though, and I am excited to start again!

He'll have the Number One

2011-09-12T10:31:00.000-04:00

It's a...

2011-08-26T11:37:00.002-04:00

Steve couldn't be with me for the ultrasound appointment so I had the technician write the sex of our baby on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope. Later, I dropped it off at a local bakery and asked them to make me a special cake. A simple two layer, round cake, frosted all in white... but hiding a surprise, blue frosting between the layers if our baby is a boy or pink if the baby is a girl! We met our family at our restaurant the next day for the cake cutting. This was such a fun way to find out and celebrate!

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Finger Painting

2011-07-25T10:30:00.002-04:00

I busted out our vinyl mat and smocks this morning and set the kids up to finger paint. I taped the corners of their paper down and also taped the small paper plates to the mat. Paint covered fingers get quite slick and everything has a tendency to move around if not properly anchored.

This is messy. So, of course, Gabe loves it.

Ana daintily uses just her fingertips.

Addie smears the paint everywhere then makes designs with her fingernails.

Washing up in the bathroom made as much of a mess as the actual painting. Lots of little hands splashing and rubbing sent dirty water all over the mirror, walls and floor. It's just water though, and after wiping it all up the bathroom was cleaner than when we went in. I'd say that's a plus!

Clean up time meant I wasn't snapping any more pictures, though. Otherwise you would have seen the paint on the chairs, the chair rail, the door frame, the sink, the bathroom walls, and their clothes. But this is why we use washable paint. It wipes off with a damp cloth in just a few seconds. I'm all for an activity that causes the house to be cleaner at the end. It's a good practice of patience and letting things go.

Who needs a nap?

2011-07-24T16:56:00.000-04:00

This afternoon the girls put up a fuss about taking a nap, so we told them they could play quietly in their room. This is what we found when we went to get them.

Passed out together in a fairly smooshed tent.

This never happened when the twins were sharing a room.

Surprise Blessing

2011-07-21T15:53:00.001-04:00

I am very happy to announce that we are expecting a baby this December! We are so blessed by having Addie, Gabe, and Ana in our lives and this baby is such a wonderful gift. Our hearts overflow with love for our children and we are so excited to meet this little butterbean!
Addie and Gabe are especially excited. They give my belly rubs, pats, and kisses every day saying, "I love you, baby!" We're reading books about having a new baby in the house but Ana doesn't seem to grasp the idea yet. Maybe as my belly gets bigger she will start to make a connection.

Stamping

2011-07-19T14:01:00.002-04:00

I've been wanting to do some stamping with the kids for a while, but we haven't had any stamps to work with. We have some sponge shapes but they soak up a ton of paint and are easy to smear. Today I was looking through my kids craft drawer and came upon a large assortment of foam stickers. I had heard somewhere of these being used as stamps so I decided to give it a go.

I grabbed a handful of craft sticks (bought in packs of 100 at the Dollar Tree) and started applying the stickers. I used glue to help them adhere really well and glued a second layer of sticks on the back for added strength and thickness.

These pictures were obviously taken after our stamping adventure. We used washable paint that we applied with paintbrushes. A stamp pad would probably be neater and give a clearer image, but we didn't have any washable stamp pads. Addie loved painting the stamps though and Ana was happy to simply paint with a brush on her paper. It worked out well for us this way. The images come out well if you don't slop on the paint (definitely don't dip the stamp into paint, it will smear everywhere.)

This was a great activity that everyone, (even Mommy!), really enjoyed doing.

A New Favorite

2011-07-11T06:50:00.000-04:00

We took the kids to a playground this past Saturday. It was a little out of the way but so worth the drive. There was a nice sized play structure, a picnic area, a couple of swings, a large sand area (complete with awesome water feature), and the best part... a sprayground. I had never been to a sprayground before. I had never even heard of one until a couple of days ago. But it's awesome. Really, really awesome.

On stiffling hot days in the summer there is no better way to take the kids out to play and be sure that everyone can cool down, too. When the parents got too hot we simply sat on the wall around the sprayers and let the wind carry the mist to us. Heaven!

Aside from the sprayers the most popular activity was the sand and water area.

The stone fountain allows the water to flow like a river down to the sand.

Collecting for a while in the sand, allowing for building castles, making dams, or simply a little foot splashing.

Ana played here for almost the entire two hour visit. She had a wonderful time!

She did venture out a couple of times to try out the swings. She was too little to use them on her own but found an acceptable solution.

Introductions

2011-07-08T21:00:00.001-04:00

Addie loves to dance. It's rare for a day to pass without her leaping, twirling, and tapping across the floors. She likes to watch Angelina Ballerina sometimes, too. Picking up the introduction from that show, she has started asking us to announce her before she dances into the room, "Introducing... Addison Ballerina!"

One day, she picked up one of Ana's blankets and held it in front of her face as she made her own introduction then dropped it immediately after. Her version of a big reveal. Ana watched her do this a few times before picking up her other blanket. She walked up next to her with blanket held high and dropped it down as she joyfully squealed, "ME!"

A Berry Good Morning

2011-07-02T15:25:00.002-04:00

We headed out to a U-Pic farm this morning with some friends. The biggest farm of this kind that I've been to, they have a huge selection of produce. Currently, you can pick blackberries, blueberries, and tomatoes. Soon peaches will be available, too. We started with the blackberries first,

heading down the long rows, marveling at the sheer size of these gorgeous berries.

The twins did really well with picking. They had never eaten blackberries before and were a little unsure at first, until they tasted them... then they were really excited to search the rows.

They did a great job of selective picking and got most of what they picked in their buckets.

Juliana did not have a bucket. What she found she ate.

Very excitedly.

We also picked blueberries but didn't get any pictures. The kids were more interested in eating everything they picked. They had buckets but never filled them. They mostly ran giggling around the bushes as they popped berries in their mouths, making occasional pronouncements of, "Dis is yummy! Bwue-bewwies are my favowite." We ended up with 20 lbs of berries after our hour and a half trip.

We all had a great time and we're now in the process of rationing out our stockpile. Several pounds are chilling in the freezer, some we will eat fresh or with pancakes, and I'm looking forward to making gobs of jam! Possibly some fruit crisps, too. One thing we're sure of, we will be going back. Often and with friends.

It's Gone!

2011-06-22T13:35:00.002-04:00

Steve got home a short time ago and is doing well. It took 3 sessions to remove all of the cancer cells, going down to the cartilage and muscle. However, they were able to close with stitches instead of a graft so there should be minimal scarring. He will probably start swelling soon and may develop "raccoon eyes." He's taken some Tylenol and is sleeping now. We are so very grateful that everything went as well as it did, he was apparently only one session away from needing a graft. Thank you to everyone for your prayers!

Surgery

2011-06-22T07:56:00.000-04:00

Steve is having his Mohs surgery this morning. Depending on how deep the cancer is, the procedure could take several hours. There will be lots of waiting around between sessions on his part, 45 minutes or more while they determine where, exactly, there are still cancer cells to be removed. We are praying that it is small. I will post an update once his surgery is over and we have the final results.

Science For Breakfast

2011-06-21T08:13:00.004-04:00

This morning cried out for pancakes and bacon. It happens. The kids love to help cook and bake so I had Gabe pull up a chair and help put all the ingredients together. We talked about what was going in the bowl, counted cups and teaspoons, and Gabe gave a sniff test to everything added. He declared that flour smells "dewishous." When the griddle was hot enough I poured on the batter, we watched the bubbles and talked about irreversible change. Not your typical breakfast conversation, I know. We can thank Sid the Science Kid for this one. They watched the "perfect pancake" episode while I finished up cooking and plating. They ate applesauce with their pancakes though we didn't make our own like they do in the show. That's for next time.

Old Fashion Pancakes

3/4 cup (each) white and whole wheat flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/3 cup milk
1 egg
3 Tbsp applesauce
1 Tbsp veg oil
1/2 tsp vanilla

Whisk dry ingredients together then add wet, whisking until well combined. Pour 1/4 cup on griddle set at med-low heat, cooking until edges set and bubbles pop without refilling. Flip and cook another 45 seconds - 1 minute until browned. Yields approx 12 pancakes.

Enjoying the Great Outdoors

2011-06-20T16:18:00.001-04:00

While taking a spontaneous joy drive with the kids last week I happened upon a nature preserve. I had seen the sign on the side of the street before, but had never ventured in to take a look. The kids were behaving well so I turned in and we set out to see what was there. We passed a large, attractive picnic shelter and soon found ourselves at a welcome center of sorts, surrounded by mini gardens, wildlife statues, birdbaths, and all number of scampering squirrels. A little further in was the entrance to the trails, a few of them at just under a mile long.

Feeling excited and adventurous we set out to see the creek at the bottom of the bluffs.

There were many, many stairs to be descended but soon we had reached the bottom and found ourselves surrounded by trees and enveloped in complete shade (a real blessing on these scorching hot days!)

We continued across bridges and boardwalks, looking at different kinds of plants and trees, collecting fallen nuts to offer to squirrels, oohing and aahhing over the creek, and simply enjoying being out in this beautiful area. Ana got tired of walking eventually and often asked to be carried. She knows she's hard to resist.

Eventually we completed the trail loop and found ourselves back at the stairs. We took a break for snacks at one of the decks.

I was so pleased we were able to venture out and try something new. Often times keeping up with my littles in new situations can be frustrating and anxiety riddled. But this place is perfect for keeping the calm, getting some exercise and fresh air, and simply enjoying their company. I hope to make many trips back this summer.

A Bump in the Road

2011-06-02T15:55:00.007-04:00

A little over a week ago Steve went to a dermatologist to have a bump removed from his nose. Yesterday we received a call from the doctors office informing us that the results had come back as basal-cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer.

He has surgery scheduled for the end of this month. He will be receiving Mohs Micrographic surgery, the most effective treatment for basal-cell cancer. There's a very informative video about this treatment on the ACMS (American College of Mohs Surgery) website. His doctor actually established the Mohs surgery program at Tulane University, serving as it's director for almost a decade.

We will keep everyone posted on his situation and are hoping for the best. In the mean time, we ask for your prayers, as we pray to the Lord for healing and strength, and pray to St. Peregrine, the patron saint of cancer, for his intercession.

Snack Time

2011-05-15T12:42:00.000-04:00

Gabe, after seeing Addie eating crackers: "I want some crakuhs, too. Wiff peanut buttuh."

Me: "Ok. But I'm only making you two since you just had a rice cake."

Gabe: "Ooooh, tough guy!"

Just Like Daddy

2011-04-30T11:54:00.000-04:00

Almost. She did it herself!

How Great Thou Art

2011-04-28T18:18:00.002-04:00

The most powerful rendition of this song that I've ever heard

Little Miss Sunshine

2011-04-26T13:16:00.001-04:00

Easter Fun

2011-04-25T13:25:00.002-04:00

This is the only time of year we ever remember to get a shot of the whole family.

Hey, it was hot.

On the hunt.

"I think we found them all!"

Trying to keep up with the twins. She walked around happily while the twins were racing blurs.

Showing off their spoils.

I see you!

Getting the hang of paddle ball.

Teamwork!

Fierce determination.

The Condensed Version

2011-04-25T07:48:00.003-04:00

Addie narrating the Easter story using the resurrection set on our mantle:

"But Mary went a tomb, but He's not in the tomb. But then Peter, he's at a tomb but not Jesus. But then, surprise! Jesus is alive! Clap your hands!"'

Mystery Seedlings

2011-04-20T10:54:00.001-04:00

We've been keeping a close eye on the seedlings coming up in our garden lately. The kids love going out and watering them and pulling out weeds and grass. The other day though, I noticed several seedlings coming up where they shouldn't be. It would seem that while helping to plant the seeds one of the kids got a hold of a packet and dumped the seeds around our okra plants.

You can see the cluster at the bottom of the picture, I count around 8... and that's just what was in frame. (The okra plant is at the top.)

The problem I'm having is that I can't identify these seedlings. I have looked up pictures of everything that we planted (okra, sugar snap peas, romaine, dill, beets, and green onions), and none of them look like like these.

They look like mini tree leaves, not the thin green leaves that I expect to see.

These are actually the real leaves. The first to grow are thin and green, but the second set (or first real set) are these reddish, jagged leaves.

Anyone have a guess?

Spontaneous Acts of Affection

2011-03-27T19:54:00.000-04:00

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Small Successes

2011-03-24T08:33:00.001-04:00

1. We did some rearranging and completely cleared off our back deck! We've always had our grill there and since the grill is rather large and the deck is rather small there was never any useable space left. We moved the grill down near the side of the house and set up some lawn chairs with a cooler-table in the now opened space. It's wonderful to be able to sit up in the shade with a great view of the yard. Even the kids love to sit up there! I see this getting much use this spring and summer!

2. The garden is prepped for planting! After digging out two years of neglect we mixed in top soil, compost, and peat moss. We've also got our seeds planted and sunning upstairs on the desk in our room. We even have a few seedlings coming up! It's just sweet peppers so far but soon we should see sprouts for romaine, mizuna, jalapenos, peas, okra, garlic chives, dill, and cilantro! We're waiting on sowing and planting directly in the garden bed until we have the kids early birthday present assembled... a sandbox!

3. I frequently take the kids to a great little playground near our restaurant that's fully fenced in. So far it's the only outdoor play area I've found where I'm comfortable taking all the kids by myself. With all three of the kids prone to running off in different directions at once it's important to have that perimeter! Directly across from this little playground though, is a short trail and this week we walked it! All by ourselves and with no strollers for anyone! It was a nice stroll and, for the most part, everyone listened well, ending our playtime on a high note. (And the extra energy spent on the trail after playing hard at the playground meant that there was no fussing about getting in the car to go home. Bonus!)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T13:18:00.003-04:00

Enjoying our sweet treats. :)

I also wanted to share how to make these awesome pretzel shamrocks. I found the idea in Family Fun magazine... I think. Not a lot of effort, and a super fun snack.

Lay out three yogurt (or white chocolate) covered pretzels and arrange them in the shamrock shape. Break off a piece of another pretzel and place for the stem. Melt some vanilla candy wafers according to package instructions. Pour melted candy into a piping bag with a small round tip and squeeze onto center joints of the pretzels, filling in all the gaps and making sure everything's stuck together. Let dry.

Tint some decorator icing green and pipe a line around the edges of the pretzels and down the stem to make the shamrock. Press down into a bowl filled with coarse green sugar. Allow the icing to set.

Voila! So easy and the kids love them.

St. Patrick Prep

2011-03-16T14:39:00.005-04:00

We've been getting ready to celebrate St. Patrick's Day tomorrow! We have shamrocks up all over the downstairs and a nice banner for our wall. On the biggest shamrock we added cut-outs to symbolize the Holy Trinity.

I also made a paper bag puppet of St. Patrick using the tutorial over at Catholic Icing. Addie will put her puppet together tomorrow. She thinks he's so cute.

We've been singing this super cute song all day, the kids love it!

They will also help make some special green pudding (vanilla with food coloring... not a fan of pistachio), and we'll chow down on shamrock pretzels

while watching this short Veggie Tales video.

St. Patrick's Prayer

May the Strength of God pilot us.
May the Power of God preserve us.

May the Wisdom of God instruct us.

May the Hand of God protect us.

May the Way of God direct us.

May the Shield of God defend us.

May the Host of God guard us.

Against the snares of the evil ones.

Against temptations of the world

May Christ be with us!
May Christ be before us!

May Christ be in us,

Christ be over all!

May Thy Salvation, Lord,

Always be ours,

This day, O Lord, and evermore. Amen.

My Little Loves

2011-03-04T07:33:00.002-05:00

As a mom, I think about my kids all the time. What they're doing, saying, eating, playing, learning, and loving is on my mind fairly well from morning to night. These three little people who live in my house mean the world to me and I thank the Lord for the gift that they are.

But I also have two other children who live in God's house. Though I never met them, I hold a deep love for them and think of them every day. Especially now, when I would have been holding the youngest in my arms, our family adjusting to a new baby in the house. I have several friends who were pregnant the same time as me and are now all giving birth to healthy, beautiful children. I am genuinely happy for them, though I will probably always look at these children throughout their life and think, "My baby would have been your age...."

But it does not give me grief, for I know they are with our Lord, and I have faith and hope that I will meet them one day. Until then, I will hold them in my thoughts and in my heart, always thankful for them and the blessings they brought to our family; helping us to grow together in love and strengthening our faith in our Lord.

My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me
I cannot see the colours He worketh steadily.
Oft times He weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper and I the underside.

Not till the looms are silent and the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful in the Weaver’s skilful hands
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.
~Author unknown

Our Little Artist

2011-02-28T07:30:00.000-05:00

Put a marker in her hand and she's golden. Her favorite color?

"Puh-poh."

Building Shapes

2011-02-25T11:45:00.000-05:00

I found a great idea for working with shapes at Shannon's Tot School. If you're looking for great ideas for crafts and activities for kids, her blog is a goldmine. What's even better is that she gives "from the trenches" reviews, giving her impressions, safety and cleanliness tips, the reception of the crafts by her children, and a rating for the activity.

I tweaked the activity only slightly, using different colored popsicle sticks for each shape. I traced the sticks in each shape on plain white paper, then wrote the name of the shape in the middle, matching the color to the sticks. (For durability for repeated use I would laminate the paper.)

On each stick I wrote the name of the shape it would be used to make and a drawing of the shape on each end of the stick. I then mixed them all together then laid them out for her to pick through.

Addie had a great time with this activity, and was very pleased with the shapes she was able to make.

Activities that involve some tracing on my part and then matching on theirs seem to go over very well.

Sisterly Love

2011-02-23T17:18:00.000-05:00

Ana came downstairs after her nap and Addie immediately scooted over to make room to cuddle.

Best Moment of the Day

2011-02-20T18:06:00.002-05:00

At Mass:

Fr: "The Lord be with you."
Gabe: "WITH YOU!"

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T10:35:00.003-05:00

You can find information about St Valentine here.
The kids came downstairs this morning to find some special decorations.

The garland was made using an idea from Family Fun magazine. Toilet paper tubes were painted (inside and out) with red paint and allowed to dry. I then flattened the tubes to form creases and cut each tube in 4 pieces, making 1 inch circles. If you push the top crease on the circles down it forms a heart! I then strung them with beads to form the simple garland.
Each of our downstairs windows has one of these heart snowflakes. The snowflakes were cut from coffee filters and then glued onto tissue paper. On a window it has a nice stained glass effect.

For breakfast we feasted on special pancakes and strawberry milk while watching the Veggie Tales
Silly Little Thing Called Love.

We will be delivering some Valentines today as well. Addie had a great time coloring the hearts and using glitter glue, tracing her hand for the I Love You sign, putting on stickers, and dropping candies in between the layers.

We also made some special bouquets for their grandmothers! This process was a little more involved and I'm hoping to get up a post about how to make them soon. The girls had a fantastic time with this, too.

The story of Saint Valentine is a legend, it is true.
But legends are delightful and very lovely, too.
The legend says Saint Valentine, imprisoned in a cell,
was thinking of his little flock he had always loved so well.
He wanted to assure them of his friendship and his love,
so he picked a bunch of violets and sent them by a dove.
And on the violet's velvet leaves he pierced these lines divine...
they simply said "I Love You and I'm your Valentine."
So through the years that followed, from that day unto this,
folks still send messages of love and seal them with a kiss.
Because a Saint in prison reached outside his bars one day
and picked a bunch of violets and sent them out to say
that Faith and Love can triumph no matter where you are,
for Faith and Love are greater than the strongest prison bar.
~ Helen Steiner Rice

Candlemas

2011-02-02T15:09:00.003-05:00

"When the day came to purify them according to the law Of Moses, the couple brought him up to Jerusalem so that He could be presented to the Lord "Every first-born male shall Be consecrated to the Lord." -Luke 2:22-23

It was Simeon to whom Mary presented Jesus, and in his prophecy to her, he told Mary her heart would be pierced with a sword, a prophecy found in the second chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke 2:34-35:

And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.

Now, before Simeon gave this prophecy to Our Lady, he referred to her Infant Son as the Light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and because of this, light and candles play an important role before and during the Mass, hence the most common name for this Feast -- "Candlemas."
(*This is a brief excerpt from Fish Eaters' wonderful explanation of this feast day.)

Our craft for today was making candles! We painted toilet paper rolls, used construction paper, tissue paper, and foam heart stickers for the flames, and put glitter glue, or "Spah-ker-les" as Addie would say, all over everything; silver for the candle and gold for the flame.

Lord God, you are the source of everlasting light.

Your son, our beloved Lord Jesus

was presented in the temple 40 days after his birth.

He was recognized by Simeon and Anna,

and welcomed as the promised Messiah.

May we like them, behold the glory of the Lord Jesus.

Grant that we may stand before you

with hearts cleansed by your forgiving love.

May we serve you all our days

and make your name known

as we worship you as our Lord.

So may we come by your grace

to eternal life .

Amen.

Celebrating St. Brigid

2011-02-01T12:24:00.009-05:00

Today is the feast of St. Brigid, one of the patron saints of Ireland, and a woman of extraordinary spirituality, boundless charity, and compassion for others. There's a wonderful background about her here, and several books about her here.

Our day started with a cup of Irish tea and a fresh loaf of St. Brigid's Oaten Bread. (Which is really wonderful, I have a love of all things soda bread.)

We also made some St. Brigid's crosses

out of pipe cleaners using this tutorial. Addie really had a wonderful time making them, being able to do most of it herself.

St. Brigid, brilliant star of sanctity in the early days of Irish faith and love for the omnipotent God Who has never forsaken us, we look up to you now in earnest, hopeful prayer. By your glorious sacrifice of earthly riches, joys and affections obtain for us grace to "seek first the Kingdom of God and His justice" with constant trust in His fatherly care. By your life of laborious charity to the poor, the sick, the many seekers for light and comfort, obtain for us grace to be God's helpers to the utmost of our power during our stay on earth, looking forward, as you did, to our life with Him during eternity. By the sanctified peace of your death-bed, obtain for us that we may receive the fullness of pardon and peace when the hour comes that will summon us to the judgment seat of our just and most merciful Lord. Amen.

Tea Time!

2011-01-25T15:09:00.000-05:00

Photo Catch-up

2011-01-25T08:57:00.000-05:00

7 Quick Takes

2011-01-21T07:50:00.001-05:00

1. The past 2 months have been so hectic (filled with Christmas, work, and illness,) that we've been taking a break from any kind of formal homeschooling. (And by formal, I mean weekly themes, library books, activity sheets, and planned crafts.) But yesterday I decided, spur of the moment, to do a simple craft with Addie (Gabe wasn't interested) that I found over at Catholic Icing. We had a great time painting with the glue and sticking on tissue paper, and the results were really pretty! It's gotten me excited to get back in to the rhythm of things again.

2. Someone has replaced my adorable, happy, little baby with an adorable, cranky, little toddler. I'm pretty sure she's having a molar or two come in, which is never any fun. She has also started mimicking Gabe's tantrums when she doesn't get her way. She will sit down on the floor, slooooowly lower herself down on her back, and then proceed to kick and yell. If she weren't so upset it would be really funny.

3. Not all is unhappy with Ana though, she's started repeating words back to us and it couldn't be more adorable. Diaper: Dah-poh. Ziti: See-tee. Cracker: Cah-kowh. Please: Peas. Cake: Chhk. Cookie: Cooh-kee. Addie: Ah-tee. Grandpa: Guh-bawh. Cheese: Chhsss. All Done: Ahh Guhh

4. We had our most difficult moment of the week on Wednesday. It was during the horrible-no-good-very-bad-Walmart-trip. Aside from getting fingers closed in the sliding car door, dropping food on a carton of eggs, and a meltdown at the checkout line, there was one very memorable moment in the bathroom. Gabe had a potty accident in an aisle so we rush to the bathroom to clean up and change. But then all the kids went their own way at once: Gabe waddled around the bathroom with wet pants around his ankles, Juliana dumped an entire bag of pea crisps on the floor and then tried to eat them, and Addie opened the door to leave the bathroom all together! There was a brief moment of yelling and pushing back tears on my part before... brainwave. I started to sing a verse of This Day God Gives Me and everyone calmed down and stopped what they were doing, possibly because it was so unexpected. But it helped to center me and bring me back. Definitely worth remembering.

5. I have made some serious decluttering progress in Juliana's room (and my own) to prepare for a massive cleansing on Saturday. We have several large pieces of busted up or unusable furniture that are finally (finally!) making their way to the dump. I am so excited for Ana to actually have her own room that all the kids can play in, and space in my room to organize my office, homeschool, and crafting supplies. Woo Hoo!!

6. I've been trying to do yoga again in the mornings. It's a nice, calm way to get in some exercising before the kids wake up. The past few mornings though, the kids have made their way downstairs before 7am and have found me in some pretty funny positions. Gabe asked what I was doing and I told him it was called yoga. He said, "Yeah. I do yoga, too!" And proceeded to go into the warrior pose in which he found me.

7. Mom came over and helped me sort through all the kids toys yesterday. After the chaos of Christmas we still had boxes of unsorted gifts and random toys. We ended up filling an entire large garbage bag full of trash, a box for the attic, and a box for goodwill. I had picked up some plastic bins at the dollar tree so now everything else has its own place! Ahh... I feel like I can breathe again.

This post linked to 7 Quick Takes.

Little Mommy

2011-01-18T06:40:00.000-05:00

She loves to mother her dolly near Juliana.

And when Dolly's not around she loves to mother Juliana. Addie, like most 3.5 year olds, still has some issues with listening and obedience, but we never have to ask her twice to help Juliana. Running upstairs to get a blanket, helping us find her sippy, or fetching new diapers is never a chore for her. She will also bring toys, hugs and kisses to Ana when she's sad, tenderly petting her head. She is such a sweet and gentle little helper.

Playing Mass

2011-01-03T09:53:00.001-05:00

The twins decided to play Mass today. Addie walked to the front of the room, placed her hands together to pray, closed her eyes, and started talking slowly with deep inflections.

"We at Church. I a priest. A priest and Jesus are friends. We come a Church to pray a Jesus and God. (incoherent mumblings) And up a cup as well."

She then sang Yes Jesus Loves Me to her congregation.

Gabe took over at this point and prayed the Our Father, actually getting a great deal of it correct. We finished with the sign of the cross and Addie offered her blessing of, "Good Job!"

Mary Video

2010-12-20T19:02:00.002-05:00

A wonderful explanation of devotion to Mary!

Happy St Nicholas Day!

2010-12-06T10:31:00.003-05:00

All powerful God,
you made St. Nicholas a bishop and leader of the church
to inspire your people with his teaching and example.
May we give fitting honor to his memory
and always have the assistance of his prayers.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever—and ever. Amen.

The kids and I are celebrating the day with hot cocoa, speculaas cookies, special books, and the Veggie Tales story of the saint. When they wake up from naps later, daddy will be home and there will be special treats tucked in their stockings!

Our Jesse Tree - Revisited

2010-11-23T14:55:00.005-05:00

Things have been really busy here lately (hence the absence of posts,) but I did manage to put together a new plan for our Jesse Tree this year.

Last year we simply used our regular sized tree, strung it with purple lights, and hung our ornaments on it each night. It was simple... in theory. In actuality, the kids took down the ornaments over, and over, and over. Every day. I also noticed that since all the ornaments were the same size and shape with the same background color, they were too similar for any of them to be eye catching. So my plans for this year were to address those two problems.

I started by making a tree out of stiffened felt, using hot glue to attach the pieces together. It's approximately 3 feet tall and will be hung on our oversized bulliten board in the playroom ... out of reach of tiny hands.

Next came the ornaments. I couldn't use the same ones as last year so I set about looking for a new (printable) set. I found some gorgeous printouts at Catholic Artworks, (though they don't seem to be offering free downloads anymore, you can still purchase a full set.) I was able to download about 14 ornaments from their site, each with a front and back image and brief description. I still had several days to fill in so I made some of my own ornaments simply using pictures from Google images and adding the reading at the bottom. I also knew I wanted to have ornaments for the O Antiphons, but since I couldn't find anything ready to print, I designed some dual sided ones using these beautiful images.

I printed all the ornaments in color, laminated them, and used a hole punch at the top to be able to hang them. (I will use rounded push pins on the felt tree but could easily pull some ribbon through if I wanted to hang them on a real tree.)

I snapped this image as I was making sure all of the ornaments would fit, making last minute adjustments to the tree pieces before gluing anything. It's from my phone's camera so the quality isn't very good, but you can get the idea. The star on top has the Chi Rho symbol in it, making it the final ornament hung on Christmas Day.

I love that this layout will allow for easier viewing of all the ornaments.

JESSE TREE SCRIPTURES AND ORNAMENTS

December 1 ~ Creation: Gen. 1:1-31; 2:1-4 Symbol: earth
December 2 ~ Adam and Eve: Gen. 2:7-9, 18-24
December 3 ~ Fall of Man: Gen. 3:1-7 and 23-24 Symbol: apple
December 4 ~ Noah: Gen. 6:5-8, 13-22; 7:17, 23, 24; 8:1, 6-22
December 5 ~ Abraham: Gen. 12:1-3
December 6 ~ Isaac: Gen. 22:1-14
December 7 ~ Jacob: Gen. 25:1-34; 28:10-15
December 8 ~ Joseph: Gen. 37:23-28; 45:3-15
December 9 ~ Moses: Ex. 2:1-10
December 10 ~ Samuel: 1 Sam. 3:1-18 Symbol: lamp
December 11~ Jesse: 1 Sam. 16:1-13
December 12 ~ David: 1 Sam. 17:12-51
December 13 ~ Solomon: 1 Kings 3:5-14, 16-28 Symbol: scales of justice
December 14 ~ Joseph: Matt. 1:18-25
December 15 ~ Mary: Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38
December 16 ~ John the Baptist: Mark 1:1-8 Symbol: shell with water
December 17 ~ O Sapientia : O Wisdom
December 18 ~ O Adonai : O Lord
December 19 ~ O Radix Jesse : O Root of Jesse
December 20 ~ O Clavis David : O Key of David
December 21 ~ O Oriens : O Rising Dawn
December 22 ~ O Rex Gentium : O King of Nations
December 23 ~ O Emmanuel : O God-With-Us
December 24 ~ The Birth of Jesus (infant Jesus)…Luke 2:1-20
December 25 ~ Christ Our Lord (Chi Rho star)…John 1:1-18

This Day God Gives Me

2010-11-14T07:40:00.001-05:00

A beautiful way to begin our day! (lyrics below)

This day God gives me strength of high heaven,
sun and moon shining, flame in my hearth,
flashing of lightning, wind in its swiftness,
deeps of the ocean, firmness of earth.

This day God sends me strength as my guardian,
might to uphold me, wisdom as guide.
Your eyes are watchful, Your ears are listening,
Your lips are speaking, friend at my side.

God’s way is my way, God’s shield is round me,
God’s host defends me, saving from ill.
Angels of heaven, drive from me always
all that would harm me, stand by me still.

Rising, I thank Thee, mighty and strong One,
King of creation, Giver of rest.
Firmly confessing God in three Persons,
Oneness of Godhead, Trinity blest.

Firmly confessing God in three Persons,
Oneness of Godhead, Trinity blest.

Seven Quick Takes

2010-11-05T07:14:00.003-04:00

1. Halloween went by quickly this year and without a working camera we weren't able to get many pictures. But the kids had a great time (minus a minor meltdown before bedtime) and collected a serious amount of candy. Addie (a Candy Corn Witch) was fearless, excitedly troting up to each house and saying Trick or Treat before the door was even opened. Gabe (Thomas the Tank Engine) was more cautious, only venturing up when the bowl of goodies came out and all dogs were properly restrained. Juliana (a ladybug) came out for a bit with Gran, riding in the stroller for a while then tottering up to the houses to be awwed over.

2. We are all finally kicking off the last shackles of illness. I think it was 3 solid weeks of fevers, colds, coughs, and croupe. We're ready to get back to visiting family and friends!

3. Every morning we end our Circle Time with a blessing for each of the kids. It took Gabe a few days to learn the proper response of, Amen. It used to be
Me: "May God bless you and your angel watch over you today."
Gabe: "Yeeeah"

4. Some of our best friends are going sky diving on Sunday. Needless to say, we turned down the invitation. (I barely like going flying as it is. You couldn't pay me to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.) But we will be going out to watch the jump and cheer them on. It should be a memorable afternoon!

5. Gabe sat down at the latptop the other day and looked at the logo. He then pointed to each letter in turn and said, quickly and confidently, "T-O-S-H-I-B-A." He is always surprising me with how quickly he's learning.

6. I have seriously fallen behind in some things around here, namely yoga (I did it for 2 solid weeks and felt wonderful! Then we all got sick and that went right out the window) and meal planning. I've gotten better about figuring out dinner earlier in the day to avoid last minute panic, but I need to get back to pre-planning a whole week. It takes away so much hassel.

7. We have been receiving wonderful feedback at our restaurant and are getting closer and closer to the break even point. Quite a feat since we've only been open 5 months. We change some of our menu seasonaly and are exicted to be introducing soups and hot pastas soon! Ahhh, the ability to have an idea and implement it with no obstacles... priceless!

*this posted linked to Conversion Diary*

Chicken Pot Pie

2010-10-25T14:17:00.012-04:00

This is actually an adaptation of my Chicken Pasty recipe; simple and yet so effective. In a crockpot combine:
2 cups cubed red potatoes
1 med. sweet onion, chopped
3 med. carrots, chopped
2 tsp mushroom base mixed into 2 cups hot water
1 packet chicken gravy mix
roughly 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut in 1 inch cubes
oregano, basil, garlic salt, and pepper to taste
Cook on high for 2.5 hours.

While that is cooking go ahead and make the pie dough.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
6 Tbsp ice water

In a medium bowl wisk together flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in butter until it resembles cornmeal (small, pea-sized bits.) Using a wooden spoon, stir in the ice water, 2 Tbsp at a time, until the dough starts pulling together. You just want it to be able to squish together and stay together, not crumble apart. Add more water if needed. DO NOT OVERKNEAD! I push and pat the dough just enough to make the whole thing come together and form it into a ball. (You want to leave those big pats of butter right where they are... they are what will make your cust flaky and wonderful. :) Wrap it in saran wrap and stick it in the fridge for at least an hour.

Look at me. Now to the crock pot... now back to me. It's the filling, it's done and it's wonderful. Drain the vegetables, reserving the cooking liquid, and stir in some frozen peas. Transfer liquid to a small sauce pan and stir in 4 oz sour cream and 2 tsp worcester sauce. Wisk in 2-3 tsp cornstarch (mixed into ~1 tsp cold water) to help it thicken over med-low heat. This is the filling your filling could taste like.

While your sauce thickens, roll out your pie dough into 2 10 inch circles. (It may need to sit at room temp for a few minutes to become more pliable.) Place one crust in a greased and floured deep dish pie pan. Add enough filling to cover the bottom of the pie and pour some gravy over top. Repeat layers, finishing with all remaining gravy poured on top. Place on the second pie crust, trim and crimp edges. Cut slits in the center. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes. (You may need to cover the edges of the crust with tin foil to prevent burning, just remove them 10 minutes prior to the end of bake time.)

**This recipe recommeded by Gabe. "Mmahm mahm. Dis GOOD."
***Check out lots of other great food ideas at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday Blog Carnival!

Sustainable Communities

2010-10-12T15:03:00.001-04:00

For the past several years, Steve and I have discussed how we long to live in a close, rural community; Neighbors helping eachother, bartering services and goods. I found a fantastic post about this at Down To Earth. Some of our friends and family have expressed similiar interest in the idea, making even the possibility of having something like this be a reality, a bit exciting.

OBX Wedding

2010-10-10T15:05:00.000-04:00

We spent Saturday on the coast celebrating the wedding of a family friend. (The in-laws in-laws to be more precise. Or to confuse you more... take your pick.) Addie and Gabe stayed home and had a wonderful time with Uncle John and Aunt Julie (and Aunt Mellanie!) Juliana did very well with us, though she became a little fragile as the evening wore on. (Hence the neon green pacy in most of the pictures.) But she was like a little magnet, attracting the attention of everyone around her. I've never seen so many big-manly-biker-men get so googly over a baby.

**Thank you, Meg, for the wrap. It was perfect!

Nick Vujicic: Life Without Limbs

2010-10-01T07:04:00.002-04:00

This is truly inspiring. You may need to keep the tissues handy.

The New HP Movie

2010-09-23T12:09:00.002-04:00

Oh yes, we will be seeing this in the theaters. Oh yes.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-22T06:08:00.000-04:00

Brunch

2010-09-21T21:02:00.001-04:00

At the restaurant on Sunday afternoon.

Zoo!

2010-09-20T15:39:00.000-04:00

Everyone had a great time, though it was a lot of walking. We brought the double stroller so the twins could ride if they tired (and a carrier for Ana) but only Addie took advantage. Gabe walked the entire time, minus the tram rides and lunch.

We Believe

2010-09-17T11:14:00.003-04:00

In One God! This was our craft for the number 1.

The kids loved having their hands traced (though we ended up using larger ones of my hand), gluing the nails on and the fingers down, and picking their shape and colors.

Lazy Days

2010-09-13T21:24:00.000-04:00

We have been taking full advantage of the cooling weather, spending much of our days playing and lounging outside. A thick blanket makes a wonderfully soft (bug free) spot for us to lay back and sky-watch. Today there wasn't a cloud to be seen, but that didn't stop us. Laying head to head in the shade with a cool breeze bringing the smell of freshly cut grass, we watched dragonflies dart about, birds circle and airplanes pass high above. Such special moments, I soak them in... and know that I would rather be here than anywhere else.

All About Thomas

2010-09-11T13:32:00.007-04:00

Well, hello... what's this?

What could be hiding inside?

It's Thomas!!!! I completed a few Tot Books I've been working on for the kids, the first of which is all about Thomas The Tank Engine... a very popular guy in this house. I found the idea and several of the templates over at 1+1+1=1. What a gold mine of ideas! The shape cards (which I printed 2 sets of to make a matching and memory game,) the Thomas and Friends book and the counting booklet all came from her website.

I found the puzzle and the coloring pages at the Thomas and Friends website. The color game I made myself.

I also added in the kids names and pictures in the Thomas and Friends book. They love to flip through it and find themselves at the end!

A lot of cutting and laminating, but very worth it. Next up... Veggie Tales and The Very Hungry Caterpillar!

Time to Pray

2010-09-05T13:43:00.009-04:00

Steve is currently out of town visiting his father in the hospital. He recently suffered a stroke but had remained in stable, though serious, condition. Last night however he took a turn for the worse experiencing organ failure and sepsis. His condition is precarious and uncertain. One thing we know for sure, we must pray.

I had taken the kids outside this afternoon and was pushing them in their swings when I reminded them that we should pray for their grandfather again. "Do you remember how I told you that Papa Randy is very sick? We should say some prayers for him, he may be going to see Jesus soon." They responded with shrieks of glee and clapping, catching me off guard though only for a moment. Truly the response we should have at the thought of meeting our Lord.

I began to pray the Our Father, slowly so that they could repeat me, and they followed right along. We followed it up with a Hail Mary, which they asked to repeat 2 more times. At this point I remembered that I had heard a song based on the Divine Mercy prayers. It had a good rhythm to it that matched well with the tempo of their swinging so we started praying with song, singing our way through an entire decade. The kids really enjoyed it, and it was so wonderful to have them be focused, attentive and engaged for the prayers we offered for their grandfather. I think God may have a soft spot for prayers from such small, innocent children... I know I do.

Jumping In

2010-08-31T21:46:00.003-04:00

I just finished my last lesson plan for our first taste of homeschooling. I've printed, prepped, and planned for the first 5 weeks, not wanting to commit to more before I know how this will work. We will be taking things slowly and open to changing plans, beginning our journey with the preparatory curriculum at Brightly Beaming.
We will be following their base lesson plan though we have made some changes and additions. We'll also be looking to places like Catholic Icing for alphabet and number based crafts and activities.

So... yea. I'm excited. Nervous. Anxious. All that. But still, trying not to put a lot of pressure on myself.

Taking a Hike

2010-08-30T16:23:00.001-04:00

Thankfully the trail was mostly shaded and it was cool enough that we could actually enjoy ourselves. Though the kids did get tired after a while. At one point, Addie sat down in the middle of the path and said she couldn't walk anymore. But, energy was regained... right about the time we passed through the playground on the way to the car.

Play Time!

2010-08-23T14:15:00.001-04:00

*Click on the slide show to watch at Picasa and view the videos.

Baby Love

2010-08-21T07:26:00.000-04:00

Ana has made a new best friend... a soft, white teddy bear from Gran! She loves how soft he is and giggles uncontrollably when playing with him. She also gives him huge hugs, tackling him over onto the floor and burying her head in his fur. Now we just have to decide what to name him....

Best Buddies

2010-08-19T07:00:00.005-04:00

She walks!

2010-08-18T12:19:00.002-04:00

Ana decided to skip right over cruising the furniture. One minute, she was bopping up and down holding on to the couch, and the next, she crawled over to the wagon, pulled herself up and off she went!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Wonder Twins

2010-08-13T15:50:00.002-04:00

A. Those blue eyes are piercing. Goodness.

B. When did they get this big?

Crossing New Bridges

2010-08-11T07:12:00.001-04:00

I have long had a phobia of crossing bridges that are over water. Usually, just in a car. Something about the idea of being trapped in the car if the bridge collapsed into water made it more terrifying to me. I have made real progress in dealing with this fear though, and have progressed to the point where I can drive over and look out over smaller bridges. You will not find me heading to Key West or checking out the Golden Gate Bridge though. But I have assumed that this fear of bridges was simply about driving over them. I hadn't figured on being afraid to walk across some.

This past weekend we found a state park in our area that has lots of wonderful hiking trails down by a river. We took the kids out for a little hike and came to a suspension bridge. Steve wore Ana in the carrier and walked out with Gabe as I followed shortly after holding Addie's hand. I got as far as seeing the water below the bridge when I stopped. Had to stop. A wave of anxiety hit me and I told Steve I had to turn around. I apologized to the people behind us, who were very polite, and came off the bridge. Steve wanted to help me conquer this fear and encouraged me to try again. I asked to go first, so that I wouldn't see the bridge swaying as he walked, grabbed Addie's hand and started out again.

At first, I told myself, "Just look at the bridge, just look at the bridge."
But as the bridge swayed and dipped with every step I soon found myself saying, "anywhere but the bridge. anywhere but the bridge!"
My eyes shot out to the trees beside us and I tried to focus on them, but even they were swaying in the wind. I finally focused my eyes on the unmoving bridge anchors at the end and, taking very small steps and deep breaths, made it all the way across. I sat down on a bench, feeling slightly dizzy, my body buzzing from adrenaline or fear, and on the verge of tears. The feeling passed quickly though as we continued our hike. Of course we had to cross the bridge again to get back out, but I did better that time.

The rest of the day I felt good. Really good. Empowered, even. I hadn't expected to conquer a fear that day, especially one I didn't even know I had. A small accomplishment, but having that knowledge that you can do something you thought you couldn't... priceless.

Good ol' Boy

2010-08-10T07:40:00.001-04:00

We have recently noticed that Gabe seems to be developing a southern accent. Steve and I do have accents ourselves, though I wouldn't say they're terribly pronounced. Unlike this child who seems to have been steeped in some strong, southern style tea.
Toys : "toe-ways"
wind mill : "win-mee-ow."

You know it's been a long day when...

2010-08-06T12:22:00.000-04:00

You walk into the playroom and see your children riding a toppled over basketball goal like a slide and see the baby chewing on a piece of chalk, and your only response is to turn and walk out of the room.

Small Successes

2010-08-05T13:09:00.000-04:00

1. We are making progress at getting the nursery cleared out for Ana. We moved her into the room earlier than we had anticipated (we had also been considering rooming her with the twins. Yeah, big fat no to that.) There is still a lot to be done, but at least her co-sleeper (got to get that kid a crib) is not still stuffed in a corner surround by huge boxes and bins. heh.

2. We've had two great homemade dinners in a row this week. Which is somewhat surprising since I haven't made a meal plan in ages and these were both by-the-seat-of-my-pants dinners. The first was chicken pasty... without the pasty. Essentially, it's a filling of ground chicken, red potatoes, onion, carrot, and corn. Topped with a brown gravy and served over biscuits, it was excellent! The second dinner (last night) I breaded chicken pieces and zucchini slices in panko, parmesan, and ranch mix. They were baked at 400 for a while, then finished up under the broiler. I also made some risotto to go with it. Yum.

3. Steve and I cleared out all the toys from under the couches and entertainment center. We put them with the other jumble of toys in the playroom (that was taking over everything) and re-sorted and stored them. All. It makes me so happy and the kids are getting better at putting one activity away before getting out another. Win-win!

Pretend Play

2010-08-02T11:00:00.002-04:00

In the past few days the twins and I have come up with some fun games for them to play that use their imaginations and have them sharing and taking turns. (Hoorah!)

The first game I came up with on the spot because Gabe was carrying his fishing pole around, obviously wanting to use it, banging it on the floors and walls. Not wanting him to break his precious pole I decided to make him a fishing game. I cut about 15 different sized fish out of colored construction paper and drew eyes, smiles, and scales on them, then put on a small piece of double stick tape. I grabbed his pole and wound more double stick tape around the end and he was ready to go! I turned over an activity mat and we used that for the water, spreading out all the fish on it. Then he went to town, picking out his fish, lowering his rod, tapping the fish gently, reeling a little and then lifting up his prize. He was so excited. I think we played for a solid hour the first day. When Addie came home she was excited, too so we set up her pole the same way. We've played this game every day since. Not only do they have to take turns in this game, but we name the colors of the fish as they're caught, count them when we're done, and fish for them by size ("Catch the smallest fish!")

In the second game they get to pretend to be garbage truck drivers! First, we used bristle blocks to build the garbage trucks. Then we rounded up six small containers to use as garbage cans and filled them up with crumpled up bits of construction paper. We set the cans out, 3 per street, and got each kid a truck to start their route! Driving down the street, one house at a time, they carefully lift each can and dump its contents in to the back of the truck. After they've emptied all the cans they drive to the dumps and unload their trash. Then we fill the cans back up, set them out on the streets again and switch routes! They're having a great time, making sound effects and taking turns.

Being Artsy

2010-07-28T22:25:00.000-04:00

And some random pictures around the house...
Thanks to the aunts for the awesome easel and art supplies!!!
(watch at the picasa site to see a few videos, too)

The Lord is my strength

2010-07-26T17:44:00.005-04:00

My Doctor confirmed this afternoon that we lost our baby. I am scheduled to have a D&E tomorrow morning. I ask for your prayers for our family during this difficult time.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. - Jeremiah 1:5

"The child lives. Instead of the wind he hears the sound of angels singing before Gods throne. Instead of the beauty that passes he sees everlasting Beauty, he sees Gods face. He was created and lived a short time so that the image of his parents imprinted on his face may stand before The Lord as their personal intercessor. He knows secrets of heaven unknown to men on earth. He laughs with a special joy that only the innocent possess. Gods ways are not the ways of man. He creates for His Kingdom and each creature fills a place in that Kingdom that could not be filled by another. He was created for Gods joy and his parents merits. He has never seen pain or sin. He has never felt hunger or pain. The Lord breathed a soul into a seed, made it grow, and called it forth." - Mother M. Angelica

Small Successes

2010-07-22T17:02:00.001-04:00

1. I have been able to get a handle on my nausea. Hooray! I've been eating small meals and snacks every 1.5-2 hours and, at the recommendation of a pharmacist, am taking a daily dose of the B6 vitamin. It's not an instant cure, but taken daily has really helped to quell the queasies.

2. The kids went back to gymnastics today after a 2 week absence. I was worried that the time away would make them forget how the class progressed and things like paying attention and sitting when asked to. (Not so simple for a 3 year old.) But their teachers (one of whom is a close friend from early childhood) said that they were fantastic, 98% improvement from their last classes! They each have 2 make-up classes to take and I have signed them up for separate classes. Addie will have 2 weeks of ballet/tap (squee! leotards and slippers, hooray!) and Gabe will have 2 weeks of sports introduction (golf, baseball, soccer, football, and hockey, oh my!)

3. Ana has taken her first (assisted) steps! For quite a while now she has pulled herself to a standing position and just stood there or bopped up and down gently. But today, she grabbed hold of my fingers and proceeded to walk a good 4 feet across the kitchen! She still has a ways to go to get the coordination figured out, currently it's more of

Raise left leg up and SLAP it down 5 inches in front of herself.
Tiny step with right leg.
Bop up and down.
Tiny shuffle of right leg to even up with left.
Repeat.

Cupcake Carnage

2010-07-08T21:12:00.000-04:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

When did this happen?

2010-07-08T17:20:00.000-04:00

Our baby girl is one! (Look at the picture, "I'm one" she says!) Her birthday was actually yesterday, but the cupcake smashing is happening today!! Will post pictures soon.

Nana Love

2010-07-04T08:48:00.000-04:00

Feeling Good by Getting Dirty Part II

2010-07-02T10:43:00.001-04:00

Feeling Good by Getting Dirty

2010-06-30T06:37:00.001-04:00

I have several pictures like the one in this great post over at Simple Mom. Set my twins out in our garden bed (we gave up on trying to grow anything this year) with a shovel and some construction vehicles (or race cars, school buses... anything can be a dump truck) and their in hog heaven. It's a good day when they're covered in dirt, sweat, and smiles.

Surprise, Surprise!

2010-06-28T09:45:00.002-04:00

We're having a baby! Again! Heh. Though this pregnancy was definitely a surprise, we are excited to meet this newest butterbean. The prospect of having four children under four is certainly daunting, but we trust in the Lord to guide us as we know He doesn't give you more than you can handle.

The reactions from family and friends have been positive. We're so blessed to have such wonderful people around us who not only understand but also respect and support our faith and life choices. (I did have one friend compare me to the Duggar family. Hmm, 4 kids to 19. That's a bit of a stretch, don't you think?) But in the sense that we leave the ultimate decisions of children to God, she is correct. (Though, I don't know if the Duggars practice NFP as we do.)

It is still very early in the first trimester, around 6 weeks, so I am deep in the throes of all-day-sickness ("morning" sickness is a joke) and exhaustion. I'm managing fairly well with sleep, going to bed early and trying to nap and rest when the kids are sleeping. I am really struggling with the nausea, though. I have found some tea that seems to be helping, Get Maternal, but it can only do so much. I am trying to snack every two hours or so, but I am finding it increasingly difficult to find foods I am able to eat.

I have suffered from moderate to severe IBS for over a decade now, though I have found ways to manage my symptoms very effectively. Unfortunately, many of the things I have given up eating are the very things recommended for pregnant mothers. I cannot eat ANY type of dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt, etc) or high fat foods (anything fried obviously, but things like egg yolks and avocados, too.) I know my stomach can handle things like crackers and pretzels but, funny enough, their lack of flavor can actually aggravate my nausea. One of the only things I can consistently get down is a toasted bagel with Toffuti Brand Cream Cheese. It's a great snack because it has a decent amount of protein and carbs. Ideally, all my snacks should include those two. I'm having serious problems thinking of other things to eat though! (I would normally say hummus, but the smell and taste are too much for me right now.) Anyone have any ideas?

Voyage of the Dawn Treader Trailer

2010-06-17T17:46:00.001-04:00

I am looking forward to seeing this installment in the Narnia series. I do hope that the plot is stuck to more than with Prince Caspian, though. These stories don't need embellishing.

Keeping Cool

2010-06-06T20:43:00.003-04:00

We visited Steve's brother, Shane, and our nephews, Jacob and Michael, today. We all headed to the pool and spent a few hours splashing, playing catch, cooling off, and having a great time. The kids are anxious to go back, I'm hoping to start teaching them to swim this summer.

**If you view this album at Picasa online (follow the link of the album title) pictures number 24 and 52 are actually videos.**

Cuteness Overload

2010-05-19T06:41:00.000-04:00

Taking hands to say grace over dinner, Addie gives Gabe her hand and he says, "Sankyou mery much!" then they lean over their clasped hands to kiss. GAH!!!

(yes, some of you may recognize this as my facebook status. I just had to share... and this blog is the closest thing I have to a memory book. heh.)

An English Tea

2010-05-07T20:28:00.002-04:00

Mom, Gigi, Mary and I went out for tea this afternoon and it was lovely. The tea room was simple but beautiful, decorated with tiny tea cups, flowers and other Victorian inspired touches. While sipping delicious teas like Peach Oolong, Jasmine and Christmas we sampled cheesecake, fresh fruit and truffles. Cucumber sandwiches, quiches and turkey rolls. Savory shortbread cookies and scones with lemon curd and Devonshire cream. And chocolate dipped strawberries. Of course. The owner (a pastry chef) and her husband run the tea room together and were very friendly and accommodating. All in all a wonderful way to end this visit with family.

Pinky out!

Play time!

2010-04-25T18:37:00.000-04:00

Cuties

2010-04-20T14:04:00.000-04:00

Silk Dyed Eggs

2010-04-05T14:59:00.000-04:00

I am so glad I decided to give these a try this year. The process was so simple and they turned out beautifully. While it is quite a mish-mash of patterns, each egg on it's own is stunning and they all taught me a bit for next year.

My favorite is the black and white marbled one.

Easter

2010-04-05T08:05:00.001-04:00

Speckled Eggs

2010-03-31T07:00:00.002-04:00

I'm committed to making the silk dyed eggs this year, but these are awfully tempting. Seriously, I'm in love.

Spring Wreath Craft

2010-03-30T13:20:00.003-04:00

The kids and I had a great time putting together this craft today. There were parts of the activity that were too advanced for them to do on their own, but they had a great time applying glue and sticking things everywhere.

Supplies:
~ A large piece of poster board or cardboard.
~ Glue (we used Prang roll on, it's a green gel... works great)
~ An egg carton
~ Scissors
~ Colored PomPoms
~ 2 sheets of green construction paper
~ One piece of yarn, approx 10-12 inches

Prep
Trace a large circle on the cardboard (roughly 12 inches in diameter). Trace a second, slightly smaller, circle inside the large circle. Cut both circles and you'll be left with a thin ring (about an inch wide.) This is your wreath base.
Cut the top off of the egg carton and proceed to cut apart all of the cups. Next take each cup and make small cuts, almost to the middle, all the way around. Press open and place under a heavy book to help flatten.
Cut different size leaf shapes from the construction paper.

Assemble
Apply glue to the bottom of the egg cup flowers and press onto base circle. (You want the flowers to curve up towards you.) Let dry.
Put some glue inside the center of each flower and press in one pompom.
Apply glue to one end of each leaf cutout and press onto the base circle between the flowers. Let dry.
Tie a loop of yarn around the wreath and hang!

Dinner Conversation

2010-03-30T09:46:00.000-04:00

Gabe points to the ceiling in the living room and says, "It's Rocket! Up high in da sky! He's eating. It's a hotdog!"

Addie has her dinner plates, cup and a piece of toast lined up on the table in front of her. Going down the row she points to each one in turn, looks to us and says, "Is it... dis one? Nooo. Too heaby (heavy). Is it... dis one? Noooo. Not dat one. How about... that one? Nooo. Too far."
I still have no idea what we were looking for.

Silk Tie Easter Eggs

2010-03-28T12:05:00.002-04:00

I've already been to GoodWill to pick out my 100% silk ties for dyeing eggs this year. The instructions show it's super simple, I can't wait to give it a try!

Close Enough

2010-03-22T10:23:00.001-04:00

We're currently debating whether or not we will grow anything in our garden this year. It has been cleared and the soil prepped no matter what our decision. In the meantime though, the kids have claimed it for their "sand box."

It's the Little Things

2010-03-20T08:15:00.002-04:00

I came across this beautiful reflection on being a mother while blog-hopping. Though, I would caution to have some kleenex nearby. (I say as I sit here blowing my nose and dabbing my eyes only moments before the kids come downstairs. Extra kisses this morning.)

St Patricks Day Parade

2010-03-16T15:13:00.000-04:00

Hiding

2010-03-07T08:04:00.001-05:00

Worth a Look

2010-02-28T14:41:00.000-05:00

A great idea for a kids Lenten activity.

A Blessed Journey

Happy Epiphany!

She's Here!

Waiting...

Halloween!

Costume Prep

Singing the Truth

What we've been up to

He'll have the Number One

It's a...

Finger Painting

Who needs a nap?

Surprise Blessing

Stamping

A New Favorite

Introductions

A Berry Good Morning

It's Gone!

Surgery

Science For Breakfast

Enjoying the Great Outdoors

A Bump in the Road

Snack Time

Just Like Daddy

How Great Thou Art

Little Miss Sunshine

Easter Fun

The Condensed Version

Mystery Seedlings

Spontaneous Acts of Affection

Small Successes

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

St. Patrick Prep

My Little Loves

Our Little Artist

Building Shapes

Sisterly Love

Best Moment of the Day

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

You can find information about St Valentine here. The kids came downstairs this morning to find some special decorations.

You can find information about St Valentine here.

The kids came downstairs this morning to find some special decorations.

Each of our downstairs windows has one of these heart snowflakes. The snowflakes were cut from coffee filters and then glued onto tissue paper. On a window it has a nice stained glass effect.

The story of Saint Valentine is a legend, it is true.

But legends are delightful and very lovely, too.

The legend says Saint Valentine, imprisoned in a cell,

was thinking of his little flock he had always loved so well.

He wanted to assure them of his friendship and his love,

so he picked a bunch of violets and sent them by a dove.

And on the violet's velvet leaves he pierced these lines divine...

they simply said "I Love You and I'm your Valentine."

So through the years that followed, from that day unto this,

folks still send messages of love and seal them with a kiss.

Because a Saint in prison reached outside his bars one day

and picked a bunch of violets and sent them out to say

that Faith and Love can triumph no matter where you are,

for Faith and Love are greater than the strongest prison bar.

~ Helen Steiner Rice

Candlemas

Celebrating St. Brigid

Tea Time!

Photo Catch-up

7 Quick Takes

Little Mommy

Playing Mass

Mary Video

Happy St Nicholas Day!

Our Jesse Tree - Revisited

This Day God Gives Me

Seven Quick Takes

Chicken Pot Pie

Sustainable Communities

OBX Wedding

Nick Vujicic: Life Without Limbs

The New HP Movie

Wordless Wednesday

Brunch

Zoo!

We Believe

Lazy Days

You can find information about St Valentine here.
The kids came downstairs this morning to find some special decorations.