thosecrazyvolpes

What I've Been Up To

2011-07-14T12:17:00.000-07:00

i've been perfecting a new skill. wire wrapping. i've been making rosaries and jewelry for years and years but i had never ventured into wire wrapping. then, i received a special order in my etsy shop for some wedding jewelry. it was to be wire wrapped. so, i ventured into a new skill and i am really pleased with how it all turned out. i made four pairs of matching earrings, four bracelets and one necklace. the bridesmaids will each sport a pair of earrings and a bracelet and the bride will wear the same in addition to the necklace. this has spurred me to make some wire wrapped items to put in my etsy shop and show on my facebook page. i hope to have them completed soon. it takes quite a bit longer than making the other stuff i have done, but i just love the results.

Daily Funnies

2011-07-01T07:59:00.000-07:00

yep, two posts in one morning. it's a record. but, two things really made me chuckle yesterday and i know if i don't write them down they will be out of my mind as quickly as they came in.

#1, courtesy of my wonderful husband. a couple of weeks ago i had taken the kids strawberry picking at a wonderful local place called shady creek farms. i had not recorded the check i paid with in the ledger but the duplicate check was still in the book. my husband recorded the check into the log the other day. when i looked at it yesterday i read "check #blah, blah, blah - shady greek farm." hee, hee.

#2, i was reading the wonderful book "little acts of grace" to my youngest daughter yesterday. we were reading the section on holy water. after i had finished reading it i asked her why we bless ourselves with holy water as we enter the church. she said she couldn't remember. i said it was to remind you of something but she still couldn't remember what. so i said, "it reminds you of your ba...." waiting for her to quickly pick up and say "baptism." instead she responded, "i know, backwash!" um, not quite.

My Talented Friends

2011-07-01T05:53:00.000-07:00

i have so many ideas swirling around in my head, yet not too many of them come to fruition. yes, i know. there's a time and a season for everything. and as many people have told me many times, this is just simply not my season for getting things accomplished. with an eleven, eight, five and one year old, homeschooling and a house to take care of, i do well to keep my head above water most days. forget the finer things that i dream about like fine tuned organization, musical theatre (performing in it that is) and making all sorts of cool things ranging from sewing to jewelry (i do manage to get a bit of this done, you can check out my stuff here and here...when i actually have things listed) to cheese (yes, i said cheese). but, i wanted to direct you to two of my good friends who are doing things with their hands and their minds (that don't involve wiping little hands and behinds and reprimanding 'til the cows come home...and if mine ever do come home, my hoa laws will have something to say about that, but that's another story all together). so, i invite you to check out amy and beth and the wares they have to offer. amy and her really talented daughter have taken a big leap of faith and rented a stand at a local establishment called building character. they felt led by Our Lord (thought He definitely warranted a link too) and opened a lovely little spot called fresh vintage that provides even lovelier items for the little girl in your life. take a look at her posted pictures. they just scream "come up and pinch me 'cause i'm so darn cute!" they have quite the eye for what is fashionable and classy. my other friend beth has to be one of the most talented people i know. she can put together just about anything from nothing. and i really admire that when she thinks up something, she actually gets it accomplished. not just in her mind or possibly even drawn out on paper like i do all the time. when she has a good idea (which she does all the time) she makes it happen. beth has an etsy store that she has recently started filling back up again (yeah!) and she is also showcasing some of her lovely items at amy's place. so, if you are local, come stop by tonight during first friday and check out all the great items they have to offer. i'll be there. i'm also hoping to check out this great place. because you know...i need more craft and sewing supplies like a need a hole in the head. but, it's too good to pass up.

What The...?

2011-06-18T06:09:00.000-07:00

wow, first, posting two days in a row for me posting? definitely some kind of record. second off, i am flabbergasted by my local newspaper. not in a good way. we were trying to figure out if there were any areas around here where we could shave some more money off...or into...our budget, however you'd like to look at that. so, we were thinking of canceling our subscription to the local paper. we only get sunday anyway, for the coupons primarily, but we thought maybe we were spending more than we saved annually. so, we let the subscription lapse, didn't pay to renew and they stopped delivering a paper. ok. that's what we were looking to do. so, yesterday i decided that we should get the paper for a year, see how much the coupons saved us over that year and then reassess next year at this time. i went online and tried to do the renew function but it wouldn't let me because it said my subscription had been canceled. so i clicked on the subscribe button. i was floored by what i saw next. the bill to renew my paper for a year was $88. if i was not renewing and starting a subscription, my bill was going to be...drum roll please...$45 and some change. this prompted me to the "what the...?" title you see above. that's pretty much double the price. why? obviously because i have been a loyal subscriber for the past oh, ten years or so. gee, thanks. i see how you reward my loyalty. i really appreciate it. i went ahead and did the subscribe thing and then i got an e-mail from someone at the newspaper today saying that i couldn't do that and they will restart my paper again but that it won't be paid for the whole year. i almost felt like telling them to refund my money, that i didn't want it at all until they stop charging me double what a new subscriber is. aargh.

Cooking From God's Bounty

2011-06-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

cooking in the summer. i absolutely love it. ok, i should rephrase that. i don't love cooking in the summer when it's all hot and sweaty out and i've refused to use our air conditioning because i would rather save some cash and it's like 95 in my house. what i do like about cooking in the summer is the freshness of things that you can cook with. we live in an area that is so full of farms and road side stands that during the spring, summer and early fall months you can practically find any type of produce you are looking for that has been grown right around the corner. one example is strawberries...really yummy strawberries. i took the kids strawberry picking on a cool morning this past week. it was lovely and we came home with eight quarts of really yummy berries. mind you, we had already gotten about four or five quarts off of our own plants here at the house but, well, we ate them. what can i say. we're fiends and they don't last long. so, the berries we went down the road to pick were slated for homemade jam and freezing for later uses like smoothies and muffins. we ended up with twenty two jars of freezer jam (yes, i take the easy way out but i really do like the way it tastes better than the cooked kind and i also think it has way less sugar) and about eight bags of frozen fruit. the jam will last for awhile but i doubt the frozen fruit will make it past the end of the summer. that same day we went to a friends house down the road and picked five gallons of the tastiest snap peas. the pattern seemed to be "one into the bucket, one into my mouth." it was so good to see the kids adopting this pattern too. they just love these fresh peas. we were able to share a couple of bags and then freeze quite a few for ourselves. then, last night, (ok, here's where the real cooking part comes in) i made a yummy dish with chicken, tomatoes, mushrooms, parsley from the garden of my friend beth and spinach from my back porch. even the kids liked it and sometimes that is quite a miracle. it was so pretty and colorful and i simply loved how i knew where all of the produce came from...ok, aside from the mushrooms. we have been trying to figure out how we can do more of this lately and one step we have taken is to replace our dying silver maple tree in our front yard with an apple tree. we got a newtown pippin variety. we chose this type because it is a semi-dwarf and is self-polinating, two very good things when you live in a development and have a lack of space. we also have plans to put in some raspberry bushes and a small garden in a corner of space we aren't using. it feels good to finally be doing some things to the yard which will benefit us down the road. now to find somebody who has a tiller to get these tomato plants in the ground...

Check This Out!

2011-04-17T04:53:00.000-07:00

if you want an awesome free printable for celebrating Good Friday through Easter Sunday, go check out Catholic Icing. she has a beautiful cut out figure set that we plan on using this week. while you're there, check out everything else. this has to be one of the best liturgical sites around.

Happy Birthday Bubby!

2011-04-11T18:20:00.000-07:00

e year ago i got a hideous stomach bug. i was pregnant, but not due for another five weeks so i just thought i'd hang in there, try to get some rest and try to keep down some liquids. but then, the contractions started and even though we went to the hospital and they started an iv, the baby wasn't waiting. so, in the wee hours of the morning we welcomed a tiny silas matthew to our family. praise God he was healthy and didn't have any of the problems we had been told a preemie could have. little did we know that there would be other issues, those that wouldn't be so easy to diagnose or find someone to treat. it has been a difficult year but it has also been one oh so full of blessings. we love you so much our little bubby. thank you for teaching me to love, to trust and to hope. you are such a beaming light in our family. you have brought so much joy to all of us. i pray you may continue to grow and develop as a beautiful child of God.

Chobani. You Did Well For Yourself.

2011-03-21T10:09:00.000-07:00

today, i'm taking a little time out to do a plug for some darn good yogurt. i'm not usually one to act as a commercial, but this one is good. i promise. so here we go. a few years ago i began really watching my carb vs. protein intake and was on the look out for some really good...and quick...balanced snacks. that's when i found chobani. if you have never tried chobani, you really should. it an awesome, really thick greek yogurt which also comes with fruit, if that's your preference. the fruit at the bottom tastes really fresh and not of the gelatinous variety that it has been my previous experience to find at the bottom of a yogurt cup. it also has alot of protein and only between fifteen and twenty grams of carbs, depending on flavor. so yesterday it was on sale at giant and i thought i'd pick some up. i noticed there were a few flavors i had never seen before. one of those was strawberry banana. i had it for lunch today and OH MY WORD! it is quite possibly a little taste of heaven...and i don't feel guilty indulging in it either. so, if you're into really good yogurt i suggest trying one. you may now return to your regularly scheduled programming.

Planning...Not Really

2011-03-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

i would start out this post with, "wow, it's been a really long time since i've posted anything." but, when you blog as sparsely as i have for the past year, well...that opening line gets to be a bit redundant. yes, the last year has been sparse around here. to anybody who is still actually here, i'm sorry about that. when we introduced a sixth member to our family last april i thought i would get back in the saddle again alot more quickly than i have. to be fair to myself, i also didn't anticipate the obstacles that would be in our way with this little guy either. i didn't know that adjustment to a new norm would be one that contained a few minor surgeries, trips to other states, occupational therapists and physical therapists. so, as we approach the end of the first year of this "new norm" i am turning my mind back to planning. planning to make up some school areas that have fallen a little behind where i would like them to be. planning some days of cleaning and decluttering of this house that sometimes drives me crazy with it's jumbled mess. and liturgical planning. i think that is probably the planning we have missed most as a family. we love to celebrate the liturgical year together and since our garden of the good shepherd celebration ended abruptly with a stomach bug and an unexpected birth last Divine Mercy Sunday, we haven't done much of it. we've mostly been operating in survival mode. but now, i would like to get back to some of those celebrations we love so much. so, we started with lent. i pulled out our ark and i began making some stations of the cross candle holders from baby food jars. they aren't done yet mind you. i'm going to be lucky if i have fourteen done by Good Friday so that we can use them to pray the stations of the cross. but let's not think too much about that. we had planned to celebrate st. joseph's feast day saturday but those plans got derailed. so, i will continue to gather ideas and we will resume our st. joseph altar tradition next year. for Easter i hope to start over with our garden of the good shepherd and really celebrate the entire fifty days this year. i've also been going through the rest of the year and trying to compile a list of the days that we would really like to celebrate (including baptismal dates and anniversaries of first holy communions) and accompany them with project/craft/outing and recipe ideas for those celebrations. so far i haven't gotten very far. but slow and steady wins the race right? i have also pulled this back out.this is a little planner i printed and bound for myself awhile back. i also managed to sell a few through the wonderful hillside education. i had thought about printing some more and trying to sell them but i'm always afraid they will just sit around in my basement like the canvas bagsand the t-shirts
that we took a chance on. isn't that always the way? you have some great ideas but without marketing potential they never become lucrative. oh, but don't even get me started on that. it's an entirely fresh can of worms. so anyway, i'm trying to plan. i'm usually an organizational mess so i hope the planner can help me keep some of that in line. at least maybe i won't forget quite so many things. i don't think there is anything this side of a miracle which can help me remember it all. :)

The Deal

2011-01-23T15:59:00.000-08:00

yesterday afternoon in the grocery store check out i had one of those "praise be to Jesus" moments. you know. the ones that make you want to dance around in a circle and shout "praise God from whom all blessings flow" at the top of your lungs? ok, maybe you don't have those but i do...God wiiling. and i think it's quite good to have one of those at the check out because frankly, those are usually a much more of a "how could these groceries possibly cost this much?" and "how are we going to pay for this?" type of moment. anywho, i went into the grocery yesterday to purchase some cereal that was on sale. you see, for every four boxes you bought, you got six dollars off...and i came armed with coupons. but, much to my chagrin i only had a couple of coupons so i thought it was going to be a sort of lame, rather quick trip. but, upon arriving in the cereal aisle my little eye spied some boxes with three dollar coupons on them. yes! big, big score. so i hoisted three of those boxes in my cart...carefully pulled off the coupons...and selected yes, another thirteen boxes of cereal. then i carefully counted my boxes while fielding the usual stares from passers by wondering what the heck i was doing with sixteen boxes of cereal and headed to the check out. once everything was scanned the total was just shy of sixty dollars. and then the coupons were scanned and the sale offer of six bucks back came rolling off the total. that brought my total down to...drumroll please...twenty four bucks! but wait. it just kept getting better. you know those little coupon printing machines that are supposed to print for you after every transaction but are usually broken or out of paper or the cashier at target pretends like you won't notice and pockets the diaper coupon it prints out for you (but i digress)? it began to print off coupons for free milk...four coupons for a free gallon of milk. i could hardly contain my mirth. i'm sure if you took a look at the security camera footage i would be grinning ear to ear and looking around ecstatically like i expected the publisher's clearinghouse prize patrol to pop out from behind the gum rack any second. it was definitely a good day. i just love it when God blesses you with such a deal on stuff that your family really needs. i can't even begin to tell you how much cereal we go through over here. this bunch will last for a bit...but just a bit. and how blessed we are to have been gifted with it. oh, and i finally found the gift certificate that i've been tearing the house apart for. it's amazing what cleaning the basement can do for you. ;)

The Better Part

2010-12-19T04:46:00.000-08:00

first, as a preface (which usually does come first but hey, i'm always one for redundancy...my husband could surely tell you that), this post is not meant to toot my own horn. i surely have enough screw ups in one day to fill the ocean. but, i think for once, i've gotten something right. i'm not accomplishing anything...material that is. the house is a mess. i can't tell you how much spaghetti, how many frozen burgers and how many tacos we've consumed repetitively for dinner over the past months. the jesse tree ornaments were never completed. and last night, i let (ok, practically asked) my mom to buy the kids pajamas for christmas instead of me sewing them some with the material i purchased a few weeks ago. but you know what? i'm cuddling my little baby boy. i'm kissing his precious little head and feeling his soft hair against my cheek. i'm watching him attempts to crawl. i'm listening as he says 'cat,' his first word. i'm watching my other kids interact with him and love him just as much as myself and my husband do. and you know what. i'm loving it. it has taken me to kid number four to realize that getting nothing done right now is ok. it's ok to set boundaries for us and realize, it's just going to be slow going in the material end of things for awhile. sure, i've told this to other people for awhile, but never really allowed it for myself. and i'll tell you...it's bliss. do i still frequently feel guilty for what i haven't accomplished, or done for my children or prepared for this advent? sure. it's there. but it's only in the background sometimes. what is in the foreground is this handsome little man who has had so many problems and so many appointments and still does a bit. this little man, who has stolen my heart. this time and this effort is the joy. what a freeing and blissful joy to have finally, just for a short time, feel like you have chosen the better part.

Feast of St. Nicholas

2010-12-06T12:24:00.001-08:00

what else would a lego obsessed little boy do to celebrate st. nicholas day?

he continually amazes me with what he creates without instructions or anything. those are definitely his daddy's genes.

Summer

2010-08-17T04:04:00.000-07:00

it's almost over isn't it. the time has flown by and yet in some ways passed so slowly. i was inspired by this post from mary ellen awhile back. all summer long i sporadically worked on a post about everything i wanted to get accomplished this summer. the post still isn't done and neither are the things i wanted to accomplish. you see, it all started with the early arrival of a little man on april 11th. he's handsome. he's joyful. and overall, he's very healthy. but he has some issues. some feeding and muscular issues. i've hesitated to post about it because he isn't in any danger. we've managed to keep him fed, no matter how difficult and tedious it has been, and he is growing like a weed into quite the little line backer. that being said, i'm getting worn out by the marathon feedings and the many doctor's appointments which usually feel like we're chasing some solution that hasn't revealed itself. so, if you have a moment and could offer a short prayer for us, we'd all really appreciate it. school should be starting soon too and i just don't know how we are going to do it in the few stolen moments of the day. thank you. :)

Playing Around

2010-07-14T04:26:00.000-07:00

my husband, who enjoys all things techy and has a radio/television degree under his belt, has been playing around with making a green screen. his plan is to make an entire movie with the kids once he gets it just right. here is what he made yesterday that i thought was just oh too cute not to share.

Look What Showed Up...

2010-07-13T18:30:00.001-07:00

...in our neighborhood.i stepped out the front door to water the flowers on sunday evening and heard a really loud, strange noise. this balloon was just coming over the top of our house and seemed like it was so close i could touch it. so, i called for the kids and we all ran down the block following it as it came in. it landed just a few minutes later in the middle of the street about three or four houses from ours. our section of the development isn't complete yet so they had plenty of room to land. let's just say we had the most popular block in the whole development at that point! it really was great to stand out there and talk with the neighbors while we watched them take down this beautiful balloon. they even let all the kids help them take it down.
they told the kids that this balloon could fit 120,000 soccer balls inside and a soccer ball is one cubic square foot so this balloon holds 120,000 cubic feet of air. and at that point i said to myself, "school day...check." :)

Yep, It's Official...

2010-05-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

...they're in love! and i couldn't love that more. :)

Two Weeks

2010-04-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

it's hard to believe the newest addition to our family is two weeks old already. heck, i'm still having a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that i'm not still pregnant. he wasn't supposed to be here until may 11th you know. but here he is and already two weeks old. what a whirlwind this has been from labor in the middle of a hideous stomach flu (i always felt so bad for those women i heard about who went through labor while horribly ill...and i became one) to coming home to a house full of people who also had the stomach thing and/or strep throat. the first few days home were especially difficult with no help from a very ill husband and a newborn and three other sick kids to care for, but God provides. everyone is healthy now and we have this handsome little guy to cuddle.
it's definitely worth it all. :)

Say 'Hello' ...

2010-04-14T18:19:00.001-07:00

...to little Silas Matthew.the newest addition to our family. we are greatly blessed! :)

St. Joseph's Day

2010-03-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

yes, i realize my posting is a week late but, better late than never right? so anyway, we celebrated St. Joseph's feast day last friday in grand array over here. my in-laws were in town for their yearly visit so that made it even better to have a couple of more people to celebrate. it made it even more festive considering my the italian heritage of my husband's family and that his father's name is joseph. we had always wanted to celebrate the feast of St. Joseph with a grand altar and such ever since we spent the first year of our marriage living close to new orleans. our parish while we were there had the most magnificent St. Joseph's altar decked out with breads shaped like turtles, lobsters, crabs and all other sorts of creatures. they also liberally covered it with fava beans painted with various catholic symbols or italian flags. the entire parish joined in praying the novena to St. Joseph for the nine days leading up to his feast and then on the feast everyone joined for a beautiful mass which was followed by a feast of grand proportion featuring all kinds of pasta, seafood and treats. i still remember that this was the first time i had tried crawfish pizza. and the funny thing was...it came from dominos. they certainly don't offer that as a topping here in the northeast. :) so anyway, my husband whipped up a pretty nice altar if i do say so myself and we feasted. we had pasta with a tomato cream sauce that was loaded with sauteed mushrooms, sundried tomatoes and grilled chicken, a big ol' salad, whole wheat bread with melted cheese and some mock vino (sparkling grape juice). the kids also made shapes to represent St. Joseph out of crescent dough. then for dessert we had homemade cream puffs and homemade chocolate pizzeles. mmmm, yummy. i hope you had a most blessed feast day.

Big As A House And Exhausted

2010-03-17T05:42:00.000-07:00

yep, that's me these days. of course, my oh so lovely husband tells me that i'm not huge...i just look like i'm having a baby. but, despite this being the fourth time i've been to this point in a pregnancy, i still can't get over the unwelcome and unsolicited comments from complete strangers. one woman just simply pronounced, "you're huge! that must be a gigantic baby in there." and another told me that i looked as if i could 'go' at any minute. when i calmly (i tried, i swear i tried to smile) informed her that actually i had about eight weeks or so to go, she then said, "well, is it just one then? not twins?" i assured her that it was indeed just one and before i had to get out of that aisle of the store with her (before i let out an audible scream or moan) she told me then for certain it must be "one huge baby for me to be that big." gee, thanks. you think i don't know what i look like? trust me. i shower with this body. i put clothing on this body. heck, i even try to sleep with this watermelon located somewhere close to where my waist and hips used to be located. so, the smart...um, aleck...in me has been coming up with things to say to people when they feel the need to comment. the first was that i should start to sob without abandon and tell them that actually i'm not pregnant and that this is some undiagnosed mystery mass that is growing inside my abdomen that doctors can't figure out what it is or how to stop it and that actually they do believe i will physically burst soon as i seem to be filling with helium that is coming from some unknown origin. as a result of it's chemical properties i also have to wear weights in my shoes to keep from floating up into the atmosphere and that i must implement a voice changing device because it has changed my voice to resemble something that registers about 5 octaves above alvin and his rodent friends. for the second option i just thought about retorting with, "so when are you due?" and quickly walking away. not that i would really say either of these things to a complete stranger..ok, i don't think i would. but i have been rather surprised and dumbfounded by what has been coming out of my mouth since these hormones have taken hold. take for example a few weeks ago when i was in the burger king drive thru. things were going rather slowly and there was this lady behind me, also with a mini van full of kids. so, i pull up to the little box that magically produces a voice to take my order and let them know what we would like. when i was finished, i pulled up a tad but there was not enough room for the lady behind me to completely get up to the magical order taking box. in a few seconds the kids wanted to know why the car was moving. um, yeah. i'd like to know the same thing. so i looked in the rear view mirror and the lady behind me was physically attached to my bumper and her van was pushing mine forward. so i figured it must have been a mistake and edged forward slightly. just a few seconds later it happened again. so, i edged forward once again but was nearing within inches the bumper of the car in front of me. and sure enough, it happened a third time. and then...little old me...that would usually sit back and just fume to myself about this (are you ready for this?)...opened my door and stepped out of my van. without a second thought. i then proceeded to ask the lady behind me if she would please stop bumping me from behind because she had now done it three times. and then she informed me that it was 'ok' because she hadn't done it three times...it had only been twice. she said that she was trying to put in her order and her foot slipped off the brake pedal and that it wouldn't happen again. i then retorted, "well just put it in park would ya!" and got back in my van. when my husband came home from work later i told him about it and he said, "you got out of the van and you said that to her?" i responded, "well, yeah, she bumped me," just as calm as you please. to which he was just a little astounded and said that i would never do something like that if i wasn't pregnant. i hadn't thought about that before then but he was right. i'm pregnant and i'm tired and well...my attitude is swelling with my abdomen. i am trying to watch it and keep my mouth shut, but it's not coming easily. when someone as sarcastic as i am normally anyway loses much of their inhibitions about shooting off their mouth...it can be dangerous. and well, it is lent after all. :) so i'm trying to look before i leap so to speak and keep my random outbursts and sudden crying jags in check. and well, i wouldn't be able to do any of this without alot of help from alot of very good friends. not to mention all of their prayers but they have been so good to the angry, tired pregnant lady in other ways too. one friend called up out of the blue the other week and told me that within the hour she would be dropping off a big pot of chicken noodle soup for us. another friend sewed up a whole slew of blue knights outfits for me and she doesn't even have a son in the program. and then yesterday another wonderful friend let me cry on her shoulder for a bit and then let me...and my three kids...hang out at her house for hours in between activities so that i didn't have to drive the half hour home again (i had already forgotten my purse and been back there once) or entertain all of my kids in the car for three hours. these lovely ladies...and of course my wonderful, delightful, awesome husband (is that enough adjectives honey?)...are what are keeping me sane right now. so, here's to keeping my mouth shut...and a good nap. have a great day everybody. it's sunny and about sixty degrees here. who needs schoolwork? the kids can just play outside all day right?

The Sweetest Gift

2010-03-08T06:45:00.000-08:00

on saturday morning i was blessed to be able to attend a homeschool support type meeting with two of my good friends. i can't tell you whether i was more excited to have the morning out, to spend it with two really good friends or to get a free breakfast that was cooked for me. :) all together, i think it made a great morning. but in addition to this, i received the sweetest gift. one of these great friends, beth, over at simply sewn is a quilter extraordinaire. her quilts are absolutely beautiful and i just love the style of them. before i saw her quilts, i never thought of myself as someone who liked quilts. i always thought of them as something boring and sort of old lady like with all of their pastel colors, flowers and lace that only belonged on your grandma's bed. ok. i guess i was biased. but, beth's quilts changed my mind. they are truly beautiful and vibrant. the colors she picks are wonderful and the patterns are so unique. i just love them. in addition to her finished products, i have long admired the amount of time it takes her to get them completed. when she starts something...it actually gets done...in a timely manner. for me, i think about something...wait (procrastinate) awhile...purchase any needed supplies...wait (misplace the supplies) awhile...start on it...and then never finish. i still have spring dresses that i intended to sew for our oldest daughter (who will shortly be ten) that were cut out of the fabric...never sewn together...and are now even too small for our second daughter who is four. yep, that's the kind of progress i make. but anyway, i had joked with beth about a year ago that i thought i was going to have to have a another baby in order to own one of her marvelous quilts. well, on saturday morning she gifted me with this beautiful quilt.i just love it! :) i am so excited to finally own one of her quilts. it has the cutest little birdie fabric all through itand it is backed with an oh so soft light green and white polka dotted flannel.i can't wait to wrap our new little one in it and snuggle him or her. only about eight weeks left to go. :)

Creativity...Mine and That of Others

2010-03-04T06:13:00.000-08:00

well, first i must apologize for what the banner at the top of my blog has looked like for about the past month. i was changing and fiddling with some things a few weeks ago and i changed something that i didn't mean to and it ended up looking like it does. i have wanted my husband...a graphic designer...to help me do more designing for the site for awhile, but i have never gotten around to asking and planning. so, when i messed this up, i just didn't have the energy to poke back in there to see where i messed it up. i'm sure i could find it pretty quickly, but in the grand scheme of things...it hasn't made it to the top of my 'to-do' list. :)

in other news, i have actually been getting some sewing and other crafty type things done around the house, which i find sort of strange for a heftily pregnant woman that still has two months to go and is frankly starting to wonder how much more time she has before she ceases to be able to walk. seriously folks. this one is lying low and interfering with the ol' hip joints. i guess i'll just rent a hoover-round. i'm sure the kids and i could have a jolly old time with it. but anywho. my first project...actually first two projects...was to make two diaper bags for friends of mine who were having their little boys baptized a few weeks ago. here is the first one...and after searching through my pictures, i obviously must not have taken a picture of the second one. it was the same style, but with one pattern of darker purple, yellow and green plaid and a contrasting pattern of these squished oval sort of shapes in the same colors. how do you like that for a description? they were both made from this pattern by sew baby. i love their patterns. they are quick, practical and easy to use. this bag is "technically" a diaper bag but i have made tons of them and given them for all sorts of occasions. it uses two complementary fabrics (well, i guess you could use whatever you want...if you're into ugly bags) and is completely reversible. one side is solid fabric and the other has six deep pockets on the sides. the fabric is a home dec type so it is strong enough to withstand use yet still not too stiff. i particularly like the extra long straps on it as i am one to throw any bag i have over my shoulder. trying to wrangle three children just doesn't seem to lend itself well to a clutch purse. i am told these bags also make a great gardening organizer when stretched (pocket side out) over the outside of a bucket. i was remarking to my husband the other day that i have made about eight of these now for other people but have not kept even one for myself. i am now on the mission to find the perfect fabric and make a new diaper bag for me before this little one makes his or her appearance.

my second project was to make myself a new maternity skirt (ok, actually a couple, but only one is done as of yet). i have a maternity skirt i purchased a few years back with pregnancy number three that i really like. my plan was to fashion one off of that one without a pattern. i actually like not using a pattern if i can pull it off. patterns anger me. i think it's all the cutting and measuring and cutting again. much to precise for me. i'm just sewing for functionality here people, not to win some prize for the straightest seems. anyway, i'm not sure how but try number one came out a bit too narrow at the hips for my taste. so, since i had plenty of fabric left over, we went for try number two. here is what i ended up with...i was rather pleased. it fits and looks nice. that's all i needed. the bottom is a sort of pumkiny-brown with flowers embroidered in shades of rose and light green. i used a dark brown stretch knit for the stomach and top back area. i cut the stomach section a little deeper down than the back and it seemed to work well to keep the skirt in place and be very comfortable. i am hoping to get a denim one in the same style completed in the next few days. the lovely michele also lent me some great maternity patterns (the big pattern companies just don't sell many of them these days). i have a great fabric i picked up for a skirt for easter for myself that i am really excited about and i need to figure out if i would like to try one of the patterns on it or go with this 'model' i made. we shall see.

i have also been at work on my etsy shop again. i had left it completely empty for quite some time and thought maybe it was time to get it back up and running. it is mostly filled with jewelry and rosaries i have completed but there are also t-shirts and bags in there that my husband designed and we had printed awhile back. i don't sell much but i keep praying for that day i open it up and i've sold out. ha ha.

and last, but definitely not least, i received my first block for my quilt the other day. i am part of an online quilting bee and november was my month to send out my fabric. i don't think i actually got my fabric sent out until january though, truth be told. here is my lovely quilt block from the sweet and talented meredith...isn't it just too cute! i sent out the two different types of brown fabric on the block and i just love the green fabric she paired up with it. my plan for this quilt is for it to be something we can use outside to lay on when we go out in the yard and to the park. this springy first block sets the tone wonderfully!

and i need to think about spring with all the snow we have been getting. but, i can finally see some of the grass out there, which is quite the change from just a week or so ago when it looked like this outside.

over the period of less than a week we received about four feet of snow. it pretty much close everything around here for quite awhile but the kids loved it. we especially thought it was cool when the township had to bring in this big equipment to make our streets passable.sure, it was sort of interesting since they weren't plowed at all for about three days but you would be amazed at the large sections of roads a development can get cleaned off without the help of plows attached to trucks when each homeowner decides to shovel the street in front of their house. but, alot of it is gone now and it doesn't look like we will be getting the gigantic beginning of march storm that has been rumored for quite a few weeks. i can't say that i'm sad about that. i really didn't want to hide easter eggs in the snow and i'm afraid snow boots wouldn't look that great with the girl's dresses.

Happy Mardi Gras!

2010-02-16T19:00:00.000-08:00

just a quick entry to say happy mardi gras y'all and share a few random pics of the day.

first, we started off with a local favorite...the fasnacht.

and later we went to the home of some wonderful friends to share the king cake we had baked.

the kids had a wonderful time making masks, eating pizza and dressing up.

tomorrow we put away all the revelry and begin the lenten journey. may it be a fruitful one full of growth.

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas..Is Over

2010-01-12T13:37:00.001-08:00

...and i'm just finally posting about it. well, you'll need to excuse me as i'm trying to recoup the almost four months of my life i lost with severe morning sickness. i managed to celebrate christmas in the proper time frame but my productivity is still back in late october. please forgive me.

but anyway, without further ado, i bring you...christmas 2009.

ok, it wasn't exactly christmas yet, but we began the month of december celebrating st. nicholas day at our town's winterfest. it is a great family event with food, live music, reindeer
and visits with ol' st. nick himself.
a few days before christmas we received a lovely snowfall of almost two feet. it played havoc with my mother trying to fly in here for her visit, but it made a lovely white christmas and even lovelier snow forts that took up the entire front yard.
we attended christmas eve mass where our oldest sang in the choir
and i actually finished sewing everybody's pajamas before 9pm...it's a record. which was especially good considering they all chose different patterns.
the children awoke christmas morning to find their presents snuggly nestled under "douglas" our fine evergreen friend this year.
and we opened the gifts in front of the crackling fire.
and then we celebrated the new year with a small group of good friends.
oh, and we did celebrate the epiphany after that, but the pictures turned out horribly for some reason. so, i won't entertain you with those. i'm sure you're bothered.

anyway, that's it in a nutshell. at least the cyber part of my life is sort of caught up now. not that it really matters but doing this is so much more enjoyable than cooking, cleaning, doing laundry and lesson planning. :)

What We've Been Up To

2010-01-12T13:12:00.000-08:00

yep, it's the same old repetitive song and dance...it's been awhile. i have been trying to get "update blog" to fit in somewhere in my daily (or heck, even weekly) schedule but as you can see. it hasn't happened for some time. so, let's see. the last time you caught up with our family we were dressing up for halloween and celebrating all saints day. here's what we have been up to since then.

in early november we were treated for a few days to a visit from this not so little guy on our screen door.
if you remember, my son received a kit with a praying mantis cocoon in it for his birthday. about a bajillion teeny tiny praying mantises (or is that mantisi, mantiseye, who knows) hatched out of it and we had been seeing them periodically throughout the summer and fall while they grew, and grew and grew some more. well, that would lead us to believe that this visitor was probably one of them and we hope that there were some eggs laid somewhere around the yard somewhere when this critter went to the big mantis home in the sky as it got too cold for it.

then, towards the end of november we celebrated the fourth birthday of our youngest. it's hard to believe that she is four already. i made a dora birthday cake for her
which she seemed to enjoy thoroughly.

and the day after that we celebrated my husband's birthday. i'll spare him and won't post his age for the entire free world to see (or at least the six people who will read this). we gave him rock band for the wii.it has been a fun game to play with him. sometimes after the kids go to sleep we like to go downstairs and rock out for a bit. our world tour is going splendidly. thank you for asking. we will soon be coming to a city near you...i'm sure.

and just a couple of short days after that we celebrated thanksgiving with family (sorry, i just realized i don't have any pictures of the visiting family members), college friends that the kids love to use as a jungle gym
and this massive bird.if memory serves correctly, i believe he was a twenty two pounder. yep, we go all out.

so, that's about it. yes, i have stopped before talking about christmas but you know. i think that deserves a post all to itself. and if things go well, you won't have to wait until easter to read it. :)

I Made It!

2009-11-02T11:46:00.000-08:00

(figuratively and literally). what is it that i made it through...this weekend. friday was trick or treating here in our area. i guess the local government just can't do without telling us when our kids can go out and gather candy either. so, they changed it to friday instead of saturday. i'm sure there is some really great reason they do this...but i'm not privy to it. so anyway, the kids had a good time and made quite the haul.
this shift of days also allowed us to enjoy an all saints party at our parish on saturday night. my husband and i were blessed enough to attend the party with st. gianna...st. michael the archangel...and st. clare who blessed us by even bringing along the monstrance which she bravely used to drive back the advancing army...and, i feel rather accomplished through all of this because i was able to complete the daisy and st. clare costume for my oldest and a few parts of the st. michael for my son. i love it when i actually accomplish something...especially when it's at the sewing machine. maybe i should plug onward while i seem to be on a roll. i have a quilt block, two skirts for me, a winter cape for me, some purses and three pairs of kids jammies to crank out.

You Gotta Love Three Year Olds...

2009-10-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

ok, you don't really. and sometimes they are downright challenging. but sometimes they say the funniest things...so seriously.

today i was in the kitchen with my three year old little lady and she was shaking and gyrating profusely around the kitchen. her speed was enough to make anyone dizzy or sick to their stomach. i said to her jokingly, "be careful or you'll shake your brains right out." to which she responded, "huh uh, i don't have brains." :)

You Guessed It...

2009-10-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

it's been a long time since i posted. i just don't have the time or energy for it these days and sorry to say, i'm not so sure much interesting is going on around here anyway. it's pretty much alot of school, just about as many activities and classes, laundry, menu planning, cooking, grocery shopping. you know. the every day monotony which keeps you overly busy and drives you crazy. the weather has been yucky. it's exceptionally cold for mid october and the forecast of possible snow tomorrow night...with minor accumulation...certainly does not make me any more pleased. we're in southern pennsylvania for heaven's sake. there are some winters where we barely see a flake the whole year. unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be shaping up like it's going to be one of them. so, i guess that's about it for us. oh, and in case you are wondering, i made some really delightful and tasty and oh so moist pumpkin pancakes for dinner last night. i figure if it's fall and it's already going to be nasty weather, that i'm pulling out the fall, fill your tummy and keep you warm recipes early. you've got to roll with it, you know? hmm, it's not a stellar post. i know. but, it's all i've got in me right now. so leave some really interesting comments about what you've been up to and jazz it up a bit for me, OK? there should be something fun to report after the weekend. we are taking the kids on a little day trip on saturday which should be a blast. i'll let you know.

How Does A Homeschooler Spell Happiness?

2009-09-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

B-I-L-L-Y!

ok, enough with the homeschooling jokes already. yes, of course i know how to spell happiness for real...considering the post title. but, while i was gone today watching our oldest do some irish dancing for the renaissance faire, my dearest husband transformed our dining room from a pit of books and papers into my organizational dream.ok, actually he built the ikea bookcases and i put the stuff on the shelves but he is the one that brought me from my three shelf world that was big enough when we started out five years ago with one little one to today where now i have twelve shelves and three to store school books for. i cannot begin to explain to you the joy it gives me to go down there and know where everything is because wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles...all the books are off the floor...and arranged by child. ahhh, sweet victory. or at least for a few days until the organization goes to the nether-regions in a handbasket. but, at least i'll still have the shelves to shove it on. :)

Well, School Starts Tomorrow...

2009-08-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

and i'm trying to take my mind off of how unprepared i feel for this year to start but how i feel it needs to start to get my mind off of some other things so, i'm wasting time. yep, i'm so efficient. i should definitely teach a class on time management and how to maintain proper mental health while we're on a roll. but anywho, click on over and watch this little gem i found. i love this guy and i think this one might just be my favorite of his so far. enjoy!

A Beautiful Tribute

2009-08-26T17:55:00.000-07:00

if you haven't yet, please stop in over at The Bonny Blue House and watch a beautiful tribute to the life of an even more beautiful young man.

A Deep Loss

2009-08-14T10:05:00.001-07:00

It deeply saddens me to post that Ryan has drowned. Please surround this family with an outpouring of prayers. We pray for their entire family at the loss of this beautiful young man. May they know God's peace and deep love as they go through this time of great sorrow.

Urgent Prayer Request

2009-08-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

Please pray for Mary Ellen Barrett's son Ryan who has been missing since 5pm last night while on a camping trip.

Dear Lord, we implore you to surround Ryan with your protection and bring him safely home to his family. St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us! Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us!

Absolutely Beautiful!

2009-08-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

what a beautiful day! the wedding was wonderful and the reception was oh so fun. what a lovely day for an even more lovely couple to get married. we love you guys! thank you for asking us to be a part of your big day.

this was truly a blessed day to witness the union of these two. they were so happy. it was so cute. what else can i say? please say a prayer for this great couple as they begin their life together.

Tomorrow Is The Big Day!!!

2009-08-07T19:52:00.000-07:00

remember my friends i told you about some time ago? you know...the ones with the beautiful love story that unfortunately involved being deported and all that stuff? well, they are getting married tomorrow afternoon and i am so excited i can hardly contain myself. i'll post some pictures afterwards. i have know doubt that she is going to be one of the most beautiful brides ever. i am singing for their wedding and i just don't know how i'm going to get through it without being completely in tears. guess i should get them all out now. i did however buy a new dress (ok, actually two, i just couldn't choose) for the occasion. i was also extra thrilled to see i've lost two dress sizes since easter. yippee! that makes 5 or 6 dress sizes down since january. let's hope the trend continues. but anyway, i need to get to bed. tomorrow is going to be a rather long day and i want to make sure i have energy left to party it up!

Aaaw, How Cute!

2009-08-03T18:34:00.000-07:00

i'm all for supporting fellow Catholics in their business endeavors so i was really pleased to find these adorable little patron saints on etsy. check them out here.

It's Been A Long Time Since I Blogged

2009-07-31T06:36:00.000-07:00

hmm, that seems like a theme doesn't it? i guess blogging in the summer just isn't much for me, aside from these monthly check ins. we've had what seems like constant house guests (inlaws, mother, friends from college) which were all wonderful of course. but, by the time it was all over. i was beat. a month and a half of a house in flux...with extra people in it...took the wind from my sails. and once all of the guests cleared out i got to making stuff to sell at the fcl conference here in lancaster. i didn't quite sell as much as i would have liked to, but it was a lovely day. you can check out what i have left here: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5053535. unfortunately, i didn't sell any t-shirts and i had to order 24 to get them printed so...anybody need an assortment of marian t-shirts? :) i also managed to finish my super top secret project for the conference. it was simply a liturgical planner to keep track of your celebrating feasts and such. i have had a desire to have one for myself for a year now and i finally got my act together and made it. i was pleased that people seemed to think it was a good idea and i even sold a few. that was pretty cool if i must say so.

now i'm trying to get ready for school to start before we go away on vacation. i know i won't be able to do all of it once we get back. as always, there are some things i need to reevaluate and i need to give myself that pep talk of "you can do this, no matter what the rest of the world around you says or does...you can do it...and you are supposed to." that's the hard one. i need to psych myself up a few times every year like this. you'd think that going into the fifth year of this i wouldn't need to do it anymore but things move and change and i'm not a gal for moving and changing so it always catches me off guard. just my personality i guess. but, i'm hoping to get started on a few subjects next week just to give us the little "your kind of ahead so you can slack toward the end and still get in your 180 days" cushion that i do so love.

well, guess that's about it. somebody in the other room is having a fit over not getting the dora block that they wanted so i better go.

Wowee, It's Been A Long Time

2009-06-23T05:03:00.001-07:00

hmmm, i knew that it had been awhile since i updated...but not that long. it's not that nothing interesting has been happening around here. it's that too much interesting has been happening around here. we've had birthdays and out of town guests, a ten year anniversary for me and my husband and parties...and did i mention parties? we've had piano recitals and talent shows, picnics and cookouts, and so much more. not too mention all the day to day stuff like cooking, cleaning and laundry that still needed to be done amidst all of that. oh, one little thing i want to highlight. i went with a good friend of mine to the ihm homeschooling conference in virginia a week or so ago. it was fabulous. the one in virginia is obviously over for this year but they do still have ones coming up in cleveland, tampa and dallas/ft. worth. if you can swing a visit, i highly recommend it. the speakers were phenomenal and the vendor area had a ton of vendors. my only complaint is that i was exhausted when i came back home. i was mentally recharged but i severely felt like i had jet lag. there was alot to pack into one weekend (ok, and my son had his birthday party the day i got back and we had a cookout for ten girls the day after that) but it was well worth it. i think that our entire family is going to try and go next year. so anyway, after all this busy-ness, i stopped to look around the old homestead yesterday and take a gander at the loveliness i found...

yep, it's summer alright, even if it doesn't feel like it here. it has still been rather windy and on some days downright chilly. but, if i have to make the choice between this and 90 plus temps with one hundred percent humidity...i'll take this hands down. we haven't even had to turn the air conditioning on yet. i just love the fresh air and hate having the house closed up when it's so beautiful outside. if we can make it into july without closing up the house that will be a dream come true. well, without further ado, i should get going. i have a mondo stack of quilt blocks to finish for the virtual bee (i am the definite black sheep of the group and i think everybody is secretly organizing a coup to oust me so they can get a more martha stewart, on top of it kind of gal in my place) and i need to start up on some beading and other projects to hopefully sell here. make sure to join me there. it's sure to be a wonderful time!

Our Friends Have Been Arriving By Mail And By Air

2009-05-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

man, how do you like that subject line? i wish you could send yourself by mail. although, with the new postage rates, it would probably cost just about as much as an airline ticket...and no complimentary bag of pretzels. but it would be kind of fun to ride around with the mail carrier and make them carry you to somebody's door. oh wow. i'm derailing. so anyway, our friends that arrived through the mail are of the insect and amphibian nature. first, my son finally received his tadpoles.here they are in their "travel jars" while they get used to the temperature of the water.and here they are after being freed from those jars. we are waiting for them to turn into frongs but as of yet we haven't even seen front legs.

my son also received his "praying mantis pagoda" in the mail. i swear that i took pictures of this thing, but i can't find them right now. so, you'll just have to take my word for it that all we have right now is what looks like a chunk of brownish styrofoam or something lounging in a makeshift japanese swing in a mesh and plastic pagoda...on my kitchen counter. this is also another one that requires waiting. the instructions say that it will take three to six weeks for them to hatch. when they do hatch you have to get one out that you would like to keep for awhile and then release the other ones because if they are held together...they'll turn cannibal. i just keep hoping they don't hatch some day while we are gone and we come home to a hatched egg case and nobody left standing. but actually, i guess there would have to be one still alive even after that. so hey, we're good.

remember i also said our friends have been arriving through the air. well obviously these are of the feathered variety...eastern bluebirds and robins to be exact. remember the bluebirds i said were checking out the box in the backyard. well, to our initial excitement they moved in...built a nest...laid eggs...hatched the eggs...and turned into demon birds. yes, we are assured that bluebirds usually are docile little creatures that aren't that territorial but we got the renegade ones. we weren't able to check the box very often since every time you got with fifteen to twenty feet of the thing one of the adult birds would dive bomb you. we weren't sure how much damage they could really do to a person's head so we took to wearing bide helmets (obviously backward as denoted by this picture) if we had to get anywhere near the box to mow the lawn or anything. here is the only good picture of the nest or the babies we got before they flew the coop. the father bluebird actually stayed around a few days after the babies left and still terrorized us and the tree swallows that tried their best to move into one of the other boxes. he would pick them right out of the air and send them crashing into the ground. i never thought i would say this but...i'm pleased to report that the bluebirds have now left our backyard.

but now, we have robins. we have a large tree line only about a block or so from our house. so you would think that it would be the perfect place for a robin to make a great nest and raise babies right? well, it must be wrong because we have a robin that definitely prefers our backyard...on the roof of the kids cozy coupe.we were rather surprised to look out one rainy afternoon and see them building this. i guess they figured it was a dry place to stay. the kids at first were upset they couldn't play with their car but now they love that the robins are there. they, unlike the bluebirds, are very tolerant of us being around and sometimes even stay sitting on the nest while the kids swing. having them under the swingset has also given us a great opportunity to monitor them. first they laid four eggs and then we could see the mother sitting on them every day, moving them around in the nest and sitting on them some more. and then this weekend they began to hatch.this (taken through the floor boards of the slide platform) is after the first one hatched. i thought it looked rather like something out of the exorcist. looking closely we could also see small cracks and peck marks in the other three eggs. in about a days time they all hatched and by yesterday they had already grown rather big.we like to sit back from the nest and watch their little heads bob over the top of the nest while the mother and father feed them.

well, that's what has been going on with us. we're just trying to relax now that school is "officially" over for a little while. there's definitely not a lack of wildlife...that's for sure.

God Is Good!

2009-05-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

do you remember some time last summer when i posted about this lovely little couple? well...God has answered the prayers of many people and as of tonight...she will be back in the united states to stay. and get married in august! we can't wait to see her again and cry our eyes out at their wedding. :)

As If I Haven't Been Away For Long Enough

2009-05-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

and then i come back with a commercial. well, we've been having a wild ol' time here at the homestead and i've been a bit too preoccupied to write much more than bills and plans for next school year but...when there's something free involved, you can always count on me to slide on in to home (so to speak). so, here's the deal.

Rosetta Stone is the fastest way to learn a language and has been the #1 foreign language curriculum among homeschoolers for a while — and you can WIN the *all new* version 3 Rosetta Stone Homeschool LATIN program… FOR FREE! This is the first year you can get Latin in the brand new Version III update.

This is a $259 program (and believe me it’s worth every penny!)
This is a computer based curriculum and Rosetta Stone will also include a headset with microphone, and a supplementary “Audio Companion” CD so you can practice lessons in the car, on the go, or where-ever! Students participate in life-like conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program. Rosetta Stone incorporates listening, reading, grammar, vocabulary and writing along with speaking and pronunciation lessons. For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program to allow parents to easily enroll up to ten students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, grade completed work (the program grades the work automatically as the students progress- I love that!), and you can view and print reports for transcripts. Homeschooling a lot of kids at your house? This program is designed to enroll and track up to ten students (five users on two computers) and will work for nearly all ages — from beginning readers up to college students.

To win this most excellent Latin program copy these paragraphs and post them in (or as) your next blog post, and/OR link to the contest from your facebook page and/OR email the information to your homeschool support group – Then go to the original page Jeneric Jeneralities and leave a comment saying that you’ve posted about, or have linked to, the contest. Please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post. And good luck!

so there you go. it's my commercial for today. hopefully i'll get back here again really soon to tell you about everything that has been happening around here, because believe me...i could type your ear off. :)

I'm Still Here

2009-04-20T03:45:00.000-07:00

in case anybody actually was looking for me. i'm a little doubtful on that one...but just in case. holy week was blessed, Easter Sunday was beautiful (i was honored to be able to cantor for our 11 am mass with our holy bishop) and Easter week was terrific, fun and joyful...but also suuuuuper busy. there were random classes and lessons to get the kids to, music rehearsals for confirmation, a consignment sale, a homeschool conference, trying to buy curriculum for next year without going broke and great friends from college coming in for a visit. and, truth be told. i'm a wee teensy little bit tired. :) so, Happy Easter everybody! He is risen! alleluia! remember, Easter is a season, not a day. so continue to celebrate His resurrection in your hearts and in you homes. i have tons of pictures to post and stories to tell, but they will have to wait. schooling starts back up again today and my enthusiasm is waxing and waning to say the least. wish me luck.

Simply Monday - April 6th

2009-04-06T03:38:00.001-07:00

outside my window - the daylight is peaking through. i was a little late getting up this morning and therefore a little late finishing up my workout. i hope it's as nice as it was yesterday.

i am thinking - this will be a busy week with my mom visiting and all the other various holy week activities.

from the learning rooms - we are going to attempt to go full steam ahead this week and still get the usual amount of work completed while throwing in some extra stuff for this holiest of times. notice that i said "attempt to."

i am thankful for - a husband that will let me stay at church for a music rehearsal while he loads all three kids in the car for a trip to the airport to pick up my mom.

from the kitchen - last night we had my favorite, kabobs on the grill. there was beef (on some), chicken (on the others), red pepper, mushrooms and focaccia bread...all brushed with olive oil and italian seasoning...and then grilled to perfection. we also had a big chocolate chip cookie and some ice cream to celebrate my mom's birthday early.

i am wearing - hmmm, i guess i'll go with the boring workout clothes. it is still lent after all.

i am reading - curriculum catalogs and websites...and trying not to spend too much unnecessary money. just not too much. it wouldn't be planning season if i didn't pick up a few things that weren't actually on "the list."

i am hoping - for a blessed holy week for all of us. so we may fully rejoice on sunday.

i am creating - two...supposedly three...easter dresses. i don't really hold out hope for the third. that one's supposed to be mine. i think i'll go to the store today to try and find something for myself. i still hope to get the other two dresses done for the girls.

i am hearing - the clanking of breakfast dishes and cereal bags downstairs.

around the house - things need to be tidied and laundry could always be done.

one of my favorite things - is the holy thursday liturgy. i am blessed to be able to cantor the psalm this year.

a few plans for the rest of the week - clothes shopping, spanish, piano, irish dance, band practice and practicing all of my music for the easter triduum (i am cantoring the psalm on easter sunday for the mass with our wonderful bishop and i am a bit nervous...ok, a bit doesn't begin to scratch the tip of the iceberg).

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - my new goddaughter. isn't she beautiful!

have a wonderful week and check out all the other daybooks over at peggy's.

Simply Monday - March 30th

2009-03-30T03:33:00.001-07:00

outside my window - it's dark and it sounds like it's pretty windy. we had a big ol' storm yesterday with golf ball sized hail. i managed to get the van in the garage but not before it took a few minute chips to the paint.

i am thinking - of a good friend of mine who at final check was in labor last night. i am hoping and praying that the night was a productive one and that she is resting comfortably with her new little bundle of joy this morning.

from the learning rooms - we're getting by. enough said.

i am thankful for - the fact that the really nasty storm didn't turn into something alot nastier...like a tornado. there were a few funnel cloud sightings around here but nothing confirmed and that is a blessing.

from the kitchen - there needs to be a menu plan being put together quickly. i can't stand it when i start monday without one.

i am wearing - the workout clothes and not in a spunky, creative mood to come up with something better.

i am reading - a children's book called "kenny and the dragon" to see if it's any sort of fair for my oldest to read. she reads so fast and so much that it's almost impossible to furnish a continuous stream of good books for her.

i am hoping - for good weather today...to dry up the swamp of a yard we have courtesy of all the rain we have been getting. i went out to put some fertilizer on it yesterday and it was just squish, squish, squish and i certainly "enjoyed" feeling the mud splatter up the back of my pants.

i am creating - two quilt blocks and two easter dresses. considering next week is holy week, i'm thinking the dresses might need to come first. sorry girls. but really. the quilt blocks are already so late as it is...what's another few weeks right?

i am hearing - relative quiet except my dh trying to rouse the kids. but they haven't woke up enough yet to groan and complain...so i can still enjoy the quiet for a few more minutes.

around the house - there is tidying to be done and laundry of course.

one of my favorite things - is the Holy Thursday liturgy...and it's coming fast.

a few plans for the rest of the week - sewing, hopefully visiting my new goddaughter, a book sale with the homeschool group and a meeting for new and interested homeschoolers. mix that in with the regular school week activities and stir.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you -my little monkeys climbing in a tree.

make sure to stop by the other daybook entries all linked together in a snappy little package over at peggy's.

That Was A Doozey!

2009-03-29T15:06:00.001-07:00

this afternoon we had quite the storm. it came up rather quickly and the sky was completely black as night...at four in the afternoon. when the tornado warning sounded we headed for the basement. but not before getting one of the cars in the garage to escape the golf ball sized hail. this was definitely the largest and the most hail i have seen before. it hailed for at least ten minutes and all of it was that large size. after we were given the all clear i stepped out to snap a few pictures. alot of it had already melted but it was still quite the sight.here's one of the two to three inch deep pile of it that was left in front of the garage door.and here's the statue of Mom in the front yard surrounded by the gigantic hail.and finally, all the water rushing through our backyards. it looks like it's pretty deep down there. well, at least we know the new bluebird boxes will withstand some pretty severe weather. we had just gotten the pole they are mounted to into the ground as the storm started. i had also just gotten the lawn fertilized. it looks like it got plenty of water to start its work...that is if it's not plastered onto the sides of the house with all the other mulch and mud that flew up when the hail was pelting down into the ground.

Simply Monday - March 23rd

2009-03-23T03:23:00.000-07:00

outside my window - it's dark and i think it's supposed to be a bit more chilly today. i could really handle if it just got nice and stayed that way. my sinuses are going crazy.

i am thinking - that i might need to cough up the money and go see a nutritionist. i am working my behind off with this weight loss stuff and it just isn't working that well. i'm kind of at a loss. there is something that just isn't right.

from the learning rooms - we are plugging away and making good progress. i am happy to report that we have included much more science than before and other things still seem to be getting done. i want to start wrangling up stuff for our portfolio so that it doesn't completely overwhelm me in a couple of months.

i am thankful for - a weekend where we didn't have anyplace we had to go or something that we had to do.

from the kitchen - there will be a roast in the crock pot since dd has a meeting that goes late.

i am wearing - a monkey suit and carrying a large banana.

i am reading - nothing really at the moment. i have two books that i have been carrying around with me pretending like i am going to start them but the littlest kids don't seem to nap much anymore and that is making it a bit of a problem.

i am hoping - that we can actually figure out how to grow grass in our mutant backyard. yesterday evening i isolated a patch of grass at the edge of our yard, about a foot in diameter, that i want our entire yard to look like. i hope that maybe it will bring friends.

i am creating - a gift for a birthday thing on saturday, two (yes, now it's two) quilt blocks (i am soooo behind) and Easter dresses for my two daughters and myself. wish me luck...and that my sewing machine doesn't throw a fit. sometimes it just really starts acting up when i need to get alot of stuff done.

i am hearing - my dh searching through the dryer for some clothes for the littlest kids. yes, it's not folded. but it's washed. and really in the whole scope of things, i would deem that as the most important part.

around the house - there is laundry to be folded (obviously) and some to be washed. the kitchen could use a good overhaul but i'm not foreseeing the time for that today.

one of my favorite things - is sleeping in...and i finally got to do it on saturday. it was punctuated of course with many "stops and starts" that began at 5:30am but i did get a bit more sleep and it felt great.

a few plans for the rest of the week - going to see a play at the Catholic high school with the homeschool group, making a bluebird box at the park, gymnastics, irish dance, the dentist and a nature study.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - out of an entire museum of cool stuff...the three year old still gives the best in show award to the "rock" she could sit on.

have a great week and make sure to check out the other entries at peggy's.

The Idiocy of Popular Media

2009-03-18T12:23:00.001-07:00

well, most days i don't know whether to laugh or get really ticked off when i read the news headlines at cnn. today was no exception. of course i had to click on the headline "commentary, pope wrong on condoms." and let me tell you, this commentary piece by mr. martin is about as classic of an example of 'having no real information or background about the topic you are writing' as one can find. he starts off by telling us

"The church has long been opposed to the use of condoms and other forms of birth control because it strongly believes that sex is for procreation and enriching the union of a married couple."

ok, yeah, so he glossed over some pamphlet he found which actually correctly states the church's position on birth control but then he must have nodded off for the rest of the explanation because he goes on to say...

"What we need today are our church leaders preaching, teaching and imploring their members not to go to bed with anyone and everyone. We also need church leaders who are willing to stand up and tell folks that if they do choose to sin -- that's what the church and other faith leaders consider sex outside of marriage -- then you had better take the necessary precautions to protect yourself."

oh, so i get it now mr. martin. you acknowledge that the largest reason this disease is spreading so rapidly is that people are having sex outside of the bonds of matrimony and that the act of premarital sex is a sin. yet, if people are going to sin we should help them to feel safe and secure about doing it. super. i would imagine it's highly probable that you are also of the same camp that says, "well, i hope my teenage daughter isn't going to have sex but just in case she does i'm going to put her on the pill." it seems to me that these two mindsets usually walk hand in hand. and it also seems to me that those are the same people who are so distraught in a few years and can't understand why their daughter has five different sexually transmitted diseases and why she is leaving home to live with her boyfriend.

first, do i claim that the above scenario can't happen to a young lady from a strongly rooted, faithful Catholic family. no. i don't live in a cave somewhere. what i am saying is, we cannot promote sin and make it look attractive and like you can't possibly live up to what is being asked of us. i firmly believe that people will, for the most part, live up to the expectations you put before them. if you expect somebody to miss the mark and provide an easy out for them to do so, then they probably will. if you hold someone to the gold standard, usually they will try their hardest to make it. i think our world has gotten to where it is today largely in part by not expecting too much from people and allowing them to sin and fall in comfort. and that is a shame.

i see this whole condom issue like this. let's say you have a fourteen year old son who is really infatuated with your new sports car. you are leaving the house for a few hours and say to him, "son, you know that you aren't allowed to drive the car, but i also want you to know that the gas tank is full, i sat the keys on your pillow and i won't be mad if you drive it." let's go for another example. how about the parents who tell their underage child that they don't want them to drink and get drunk but heck, if you want to do it, please tell me so i can provide the alcohol and you can do it in my house.

enough said. simply put, we cannot be proponents of sin. we cannot provide an easy out. we are all to strive to be saints and making sin cushy is not the way to do it.

Simply Monday - March 16th

2009-03-16T03:39:00.001-07:00

outside my window - it's still dark and i have no clue what it's supposed to be like today. i simply hope it's warm enough and not too muddy for the kid's to go outside for awhile. they are stir crazy and just ready for summer. you know what? take a number kids. mom is too.

i am thinking - that i need to go see a nutritionist...or somebody. i'm exercising profusely and drastically watching what i eat and how much of it i eat and the weight still seems to really like to hang around with me. i am its favorite friend. yippee.

from the learning rooms - i am making plans for next year. yep, when the days stay breezy and dreary...i make book lists and curriculum plans. :)

i am thankful for - a cuddly little three year old who woke up in a good mood and snuggled in by my side.

from the kitchen - i need to make a menu plan using whatever is in the house. i am trying my best to not visit the grocery store...except for milk and bread. there are monthly payments to be made on the new vehicle and i'm trying to pinch every penny to make sure that isn't an ordeal.

i am wearing - a smile. i'm trying to be more positive this lent. it hasn't been working so well the past few weeks but i'm hear again this morning to try and make a new start.

i am reading - book and program reviews to try and figure out what we are going to use next year.

i am hoping - to get some of kids clothes culled that don't fit or are just to stained or ripped up to wear anymore. the stuff doesn't really fit in their drawers anymore, but from what they are coming down dressed in (and i am sending them back up to change) i know there is much in there that can be gotten rid of.

i am creating - a plan...for many things. now to just put it all into action, step by step (that's the part i'm bad at...conquer the world all at once...yes!...and actually accomplish nothing...yep, i'm there).

i am hearing - my five year old whine...about everything. it's been his mantra lately. i'm hoping it's just a phase and not a personality trait.

around the house - lots and lots o' laundry.

one of my favorite things - is seeing the tulips and such peeking up out of the ground. i am upset that i couldn't find my crocuses to dig up when we moved from the old house. i am going to put it on my long term check list to plant some crocuses and snow drops this fall. i'm also looking to get a start of a butterfly bush for the backyard.

a few plans for the rest of the week - spanish and piano, irish dance, gymnastics and art, and a irish dance performance on friday. but, there are two days at home...with nothing to do. yippee!

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - this was mardi gras at our house. yes, i know we are well into lent now. but i forgot to post these pictures and i thought it was too cute to pass up.

have a great week and check in on the other daybook entries over at peggy's.

Super...Just Super.

2009-03-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

well, obama never disappoints does he? he gives me a new reason to detest his presidency every day it seems. today was a dandy. i particularly "like" this quote, "In recent years, when it comes to stem cell research, rather than furthering discovery, our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral values." oh, is that so mr. president. i thought the basis of science and medicine was to do good for ALL people. oh yes, and it's kind of funny that you go on to say, "As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering." well, i guess that we only measure suffering now from the standpoint that a person is around to tell us about it. with talk like this i assume the euthanasia...oh, excuse me...physician assisted suicide law will be sliding across the desk any time now. i won't even go on to address the rest of the quotes in the article. the politically correct drivel isn't worth the word count.

Simply Monday - March 9th

2009-03-09T03:32:00.001-07:00

outside my window - i'm not really sure. it's still dark. but, if it's even partially as lovely as this weekend was...i'll take it.

i am thinking - that i have much sewing to do with the fabric i purchased this weekend, not to mention the fabric i already have in my stash.

from the learning rooms - we have made it through february! hurrah! now just to finish up through march and i think we will be in the clear. i have a few field trips and other things in the works to (hopefully) help facilitate this.

i am thankful for - the little things like conversations and smiles that make life so sweet.

from the kitchen - a menu plan should surface some time today. i usually do it over the weekend but this weekend was crazy!

i am wearing - many hats. today i will don those of teacher, prison warden, chef, jewelry maker and seamstress. the others will stay on the shelf in the closet for future use.

i am reading - "the father brown reader." someone from our homeschool group put together a book program for the kids to do and win prizes. my eight year old had to read a non-saint book by a Catholic author. so, since i thought "actual" chesterton was a little out of her league, i went with this. it's rather nice because they have a free study guide on the website also. that makes for really easy planning and schooling.

i am hoping - that this might actually be the beginning of some spring weather. i am seeing some buds peak their little heads out of the ground and know that they don't want any more snow or subzero temps either.

i am creating - a mental note of in what order i want to tackle my sewing projects. my oldest seems to think i should do the easter dresses first (so that they actually get done by easter) but i think that maybe i should whip up a pair of capris for her first. they will be so quick and easy and it might just be the confidence boost i need. or maybe i should whip up my second quilt block...which was for the month of february by the way. my mind is also stumbling back to that little secret project i talked about quite some time ago. the Lord keeps putting it on my heart and mind so i should really get a move on.

i am hearing - my wonderful husband doing the sometimes painful job of waking up the kids. he does it every morning and i am so grateful. this morning it's even harder because after that time change their little internal clocks are still telling them it's only 5:45 instead of a quarter to seven.

around the house - it is a disaster. we weren't home hardly at all this weekend and that always makes for a really cluttered house. shoes and clothing are left in random places where they were left in one of the frenzies to leave the house on time. there are bags of fabric that need to be put away, or quickly cut out into something and many...many birthday party favor bags to be sorted and put away. the kids between them had three birthday parties to attend this weekend and i need to make sure i get to the bubbles in the one bag before the three year old does.

one of my favorite things - is listening to the birds singing again. they were out in full force in the trees behind the house yesterday and it was music to my ears.

a few plans for the rest of the week - trying to keep it a little laid back with the regular classes and meetings to attend to. praise and worship on tuesday to add into the mix. wednesday is a free day...and i'm already pining for it.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - my first quilt block ever. this is for the virtual quilting bee i have been talking about. it was handed off to the recipient yesterday after mass and i was pleased to find out that mine wasn't the very last one. close...but not the very last.

have a wonderful day and make sure to stop by the other daybooks!

Who Knew?

2009-03-02T05:23:00.000-08:00

...that the weather was so much like my kids. it doesn't listen either. :)

i had a little talk with the weather last night and told it that i am fed up with winter and that it shouldn't snow today. but this is what it looks like right now outside my front door...there wasn't even a flake on the ground or in the sky when i woke at five this morning. now it looks like a winter wonderland outside and it's coming down fast. the kids are already making plans. guess i should go dig up the snow pants.

Simply Monday - March 2nd

2009-03-02T03:37:00.001-08:00

for today...

outside my window - it's snowing. it's march for goodness sake. yes, i am a little bummed that throughout the entire winter we didn't get one "really good" snow, just a bunch of little things that melted quickly and alot of ice. but let me assure you...i'm over it...i can deal. it just needs to be spring already. we one day last week which was sort of a teaser. the temperature was delightful, but it was raining. although we went out anyway because, well, these kids are crazy with bottled up energy.

i am thinking - that it is the second week of lent and i'm still not positive what my focus is...or should be for that matter. with all this battle with my weight and the rest of my health it's pretty much impossible to give up anything in the food realm (which i usually see as a bit of a cop out for myself anyway, but it seems that something in that realm will give rise to something in the spiritual realm usually). so why is it that now when i have given up anything and everything (unless fruits and veggies are something you are supposed to give up) i can't think of something spiritually to better myself. oh no, it's not that there isn't anything. that came across wrong. i'm just having trouble settling on one and oh yeah...doing it.

from the learning rooms - i promised my five year old there would be something fun today. so, i need to think of something. for him fun equals a mess and alot of activity. and if i pull that off it will have to be followed up by my idea of fun...a nap.

i am thankful for - two cars that are running. i forgot to tell you last week that we got a new van, well, it's used. but very new to us. we managed to get the payments where they seem like they will fit in our budget and i have to report i am thrilled with the gas mileage so far.

from the kitchen - nothing too spectacular. it is lent after all and i really don't need any additional temptations either.

i am wearing - workout clothes and slippers. it's quite the fashion combo if i do say so myself.

i am reading - the kid's various syllabi (if that's even a word) to see what we need to purchase for next year. and then my husband is reading the peril on my face as i realize how much all of this is going to cost.

i am hoping - that we can maintain a sense of order this week and really get into a good lenten family routine.

i am creating - two quilt blocks. one is completely cut out and just needs to be sewn. the other, well...i purchased the fabric. that counts for something right?

i am hearing - my eight year old completely over exaggerate our snow fall. she good at all things blown out of proportion. gee, i wonder where she gets that from? ;)

around the house - laundry and basement straightening. also some furniture i think i want to get rid of.

one of my favorite things - is knowing today is a day at home and that means NAP TIME!!!

a few plans for the rest of the week - spanish, piano, band rehearsal, book study, Bible study, gymnastics, dance, etc and etc. and really, i'm expecting so see a few of those things dropped because well, i'm just not good at the sprinters pace anymore.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you -
"are you sure this stuff makes maple syrup?"

make sure to stop by to check out all the other daybook entries.

Simply Monday - February 23rd

2009-02-23T04:49:00.000-08:00

for today...

outside my window - it is sunny in the early morning light and it seems rather windy still. i do like that there are only five houses on our road so far but i sort of wish they would at least build a few around the corner as a windbreak. the wind just rolls through here and takes everything with it. last fall it got so bad one day that it picked up our gas grill and through it out into the middle of the yard...breaking it into quite a few pieces.

i am thinking - about lent starting on wednesday and what i am personally going to do, as well as what we are going to take on as a family, to make this season a holy one.

from the learning rooms - i believe we are going to do the one last week of february (wow, where did that month go?) with the same old stuff while i try to find time to read all the resources i picked up at the library on the civil war, various science topics and hands on music so that we can do some more interesting unit studies to get us through march.

i am thankful for - so many things and the way the Lord has provided them.

from the kitchen - if all goes as planned, today will bring a baked chicken for dinner with red potatoes and also a king cake to celebrate mardi gras tomorrow.

i am wearing - green and purple flowered pajamas. i am done with exercising, had a shower and breakfast and now just need to get dressed and get the rest of my day started.

i am reading - ...ok, skimming, through "tales from shakespeare" by charles and mary lamb and "the children's shakespeare" by e. nesbit to see which one i like better. i checked them both out from the library and they are due today, which means i need to make a decision. i will be using one of them with my oldest to introduce her to shakespeare. anybody have a favorite?

i am hoping - to finish two quilt blocks so i don't get labeled as "the slacker" in the virtual quilting bee. and well, that would take first cleaning off my sewing desk...so make that hope number one and move "finishing the blocks" to number two.

i am creating - a big ol' pile of boxes filled with stuff to get rid of. i did this before we moved here last january and now i'm ready to do it again. i just get tired of stuff. i want even more minimalistic order and so...it must go...for my sanity.

i am hearing - my five year old and three year old playing happily without arguing, for the moment. that is music to my ears.

around the house - there is the ever present laundry and tidying to do. it's not too bad since we had people over on friday, we weren't here on saturday and had people over yesterday. but, it needs to stay nice and clean through wednesday when the builder is coming to check on the warranty items we sent in on our one year check list.

one of my favorite things - is getting things organized into a very usable manner...and keeping them that way. now just to find the way that works for the family. that's the predicament.

a few plans for the rest of the week - a diocesan norms for weddings presentation tonight (since i cantor for them and we're a mentor couple i thought it would do me well to attend), mardi gras, mass for ash wednesday and all the other random classes and errands. then, a saturday completely free. i'm thinking the garage needs big time cleaning and that's the day to do it. :)

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - thanks to cookie crisp for the happy morning pick me up. and just an aside, no, this is not what i eat in the morning while trying to lose massive amounts of weight. this belonged to my daughter. :)

don't forget to stop by peggy's and check out all the other daybooks. have a great day!

Simply Monday - February 16th

2009-02-16T03:38:00.001-08:00

outside my window - i am just beginning to see the first tiny rays of daylight. it's a little later than it normally is when i'm sitting here writing this. 5am has been coming just a bit too early, so i've been lingering in bed until 5:30. i need to work on getting it back to five.

i am thinking - that i am discouraged with this whole weight loss thing. for the past month i have been exercising my brains out and consuming quite little on the caloric and carb end of things and i'm not seeing too much progress. my husband keeps urging me to go and see a doctor again but i'm afraid it's going to be more of the same, "i don't think you are trying hard enough." i don't really feel that i can try any harder. i'm exercising two times a day, seven days a week and watching every little morsel. this is nerve wracking.

from the learning rooms - i am strongly considering scaling back on everything else and just really focusing on history and science for the next month or two. i have been studying the civil war with my oldest, she really likes it and there are so many cool activities to do, books to read and places to visit. we are sorely lacking in science so i think that awhile of concentrated study could really help in that department. but can i survive an entire month of planning for hands on days....:).

i am thankful for - a husband that stands by me no matter what.

from the kitchen - i am trying to come up with new interesting things to cook that don't involve and carbs but those that come from fruits, veggies or whole grains. growing up in the midwest my cooking in the past has tended toward casserole-ish or at least combine your meat and veggies in a dish with some sort of noodle or cool typ of rice. that just doesn't work so well when you are trying to make sure you have enough protein to balance out your carbs.

i am wearing - ye ole' workout clothes. nothing too exciting today.

i am reading - the mater amabilis syllabus over and over to make sure there aren't any glaring omissions in our work this year.

i am hoping - that our car loan comes through today or tomorrow with a payment that we can handle. i know the Lord will work something out right when we need it...i'm just getting impatient after a year or more of waiting.

i am creating - still the quilt block. it's all cut out and waiting for me, it's just finding the time to get to the sewing machine. i think part of it is that i have so much stuff to do but also that i'm afraid when i get going...it's all not going to match up. but, i need to get a move on because i have another one to finish too.

i am hearing - my youngest whine about being up for the day and my oldest two playing star wars (sure it's not even 7am, but they don't seem to mind).

around the house - there is much to tidy. all weekend long the kids continued to bring things down to the living room from their bedrooms and then leave them there. the floor is clean, but good luck navigating the chair, the couch, the love seat or the bench. and of course, i can hear the laundry calling my name from down the hall. the kids haven't said they are out of underwear yet though so things are at least good for one more day.

one of my favorite things - is reading all of the nice comments that people leave for me about my daybook. i try to get around to all of those who visited me at least but sometimes that doesn't happen. thank you all for the lovely comments about my picture from last week. it's one of my recent favorites.

a few plans for the rest of the week - hopefully purchasing a van, maybe a kids day at the super market today, spanish, piano, no gymnastics this week, but we have art, irish dance, dentist for the kids.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you -
i wish i could just hide under my bed when things started going badly. :)

don't forget to check out the other daybooks for today. have a great week! (i have to say that now because who knows if i'll get back here before next monday).

Simply Monday - February 9th

2009-02-09T03:39:00.000-08:00

for today...

outside my window - it's still dark (that seems to be a recurring theme, darn) and not too chilly. it's not supposed to be quite as nice today as it was this weekend but hey, it's about freezing and supposed to be sunny...so i'll take it. it's actually supposed to be about sixty on wednesday. i hope all of this mud dries up by then so the kids can actually play out there without ruining their clothes in the red clay (where no grass will grow because the builder sold all of the topsoil...but i digress).

i am thinking - that it's going to be a long week. this weekend was extra busy and that never makes the week get off to a good start.

from the learning rooms - we will hopefully be picking up some more art, music and geography this week to change things up a bit. we'll see how that goes.

i am thankful for - friends that help your very mechanically challenged husband change the brakes on a car that they gave us so it will hopefully pass inspection...without paying $1,000 to the mechanic, for friends from college that make a point to stop by and see us (unfortunately just for a couple of hours) on their way back to rhode island and my husband's wonderful and giving aunt who sent me stamps and $20 to "buy the kids some fruit" (she has to be one of the most wonderful women in the world, we are really blessed with her little acts of kindness).

from the kitchen - i need to bake up my hamantaschen (if i even spelled that somewhat close to what it's supposed to be). today i am presenting to the oldest group of girls at little flowers. we are talking about initiative (i guess you don't have to possess the virtue to teach about it :)), st. margaret of scotland and esther. esther showed great initiative when she went to talk with the king and ended up saving her people. this is where the jewish fest purim comes from. so, i am taking "haman's hats" for snack time.

i am wearing - my purple striped jammies. i started this daybook after my workout and then took a brief hiatus in the middle of "from the kitchen" to shower and eat breakfast with the family. now i'm back and just not quite completely ready for the day. could i just go back to bed? :)

i am reading - a slew of snippits from different books trying to decide what our family is going to do for lent this year.

i am hoping - that we are able to purchase a van that runs well that is also within our price range this week. we went out for quite a few hours on friday and all i have to say is...salesmen. it just stresses and tires me out trying to keep up "the game face" and get the best deal. we looked at an '02 and an '04 honda odyssey that we really liked (but the salesman didn't seem willing to budge), an '05 chrysler town and country (that the salesman seemed willing to do quite alot of wheelin' and dealin') and an '07 toyota sienna (that i think i must have slobbered on with delight but seems to be way out of the price comfort zone). anybody have any thoughts? do you have a van you really like? i have heard that the siennas run like nobody's business but their price tag is also rather hefty.

i am creating - a menu plan for the week and a quilt block for the virtual quilting bee. michele, i promise it will be there soon...maybe not really soon...but soon. :)

i am hearing - the satellite radio on some kid's channel (my dad got our family this for christmas and my kids love the children's station...my husband and i love the 80's first wave station, but anywho...) and sounds coming up through the heating vents of my oldest practicing piano in the basement.

around the house - it's surprisingly tidy around here since we had company for a bit this weekend.

one of my favorite things - is checking off "to-do" lists. i can't say i get much accomplished around here but when i do i make sure to scratch it off the list with a really nice pen and much gusto.

a few plans for the rest of the week - presenting at little flowers this afternoon, i think i'll go to our parish mom's group tomorrow since spanish and piano are not meeting this week and then sing for praise and worship that night, wednesday i am watching our friend's little boy so they can lay some flooring, thursday is gymnastics and dance and friday is nature study and a valentines party with the homeschool group. oh, and on saturday we are hoping to take a trip to nearby gettysburg to give our oldest a visual on some things we have been studying in history.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - our youngest marveling at the new kinex exhibit at a local hands on science museum.

have a wonderful day make sure to stop by the other daybooks. have a great monday!

It Missed Us

2009-02-04T05:40:00.000-08:00

last night our weather was clear, not a flake in the sky. but just a few miles to our east...and also to our south come to find out...it looked like this. i guess in some places the snow was coming down at a rate of two inches per hour. of course, it's always nice when you don't get severe weather but, we are without a car today and this would have kept the kids occupied rather nicely. oh well. have a wonderful wednesday, wherever you may be and whatever the weather.

Who Would Have Thunk It?

2009-02-02T17:56:00.000-08:00

well, i certainly didn't when i set out this morning to celebrate the feast of the presentation (candlemas) and groundhog's day. but bless The Lord is His great and unbridled mercy to me...there is a connection. you see, we watched this movie and i highly recommend it. in addition to all of the great 1980's sky high bangs, mullets and quiet riot t-shirts, it does a great job of telling all about the town of punxsutawney and how they became so famous for groundhogs telling the weather. in the 18th century german immigrants, commonly referred to around here as pa dutch brought this tradition to pennsylvania and the town of punxsutawney. in germany they had used the badger as their weather predictor. but since badgers were in short supply in their new home they assigned the duty to the plentiful groundhog. and all of this happened, you guessed it, on candlemas because "if candlemas be fair and bright, winter has another flight. if candlemas brings clouds and rain, winter will not come again." in other words, if it's sunny...he sees his shadow...and if it's not...well, you get it. so we had fun celebrating candlemas and groundhog's day that flowed out of this holy day. we made candle cookies out of pepperidge farms cookies with some red fruit roll up for the flamelike i saw over at catholic cuisine. and we made groundhogs
that "pop" out of their burrows.

overall, a great, very informative and enjoyable...yet very low key day. and those are the kind i love! :)

Simply Monday - February 2nd

2009-02-02T05:12:00.000-08:00

outside my window - it's sunny and clear. i'm not sure of the temp but it's most definitely brisk...and can't possibly compare to our lovely weather yesterday. they say we are supposed to have snow showers this afternoon.

i am thinking - that i can' believe it's february already. where did january go? and december for that matter? but, i guess that's good because that means i've gotten over one month of the winter blahs pretty much unscathed with only two (or three, depending on the good ol' weather) months to go.

from the learning rooms - i am trying to figure out what we will be done with in the next week or so in order to size up the holes that will be left to insert fun things like sewing, more hands on science, music and art. my hope is that this transition of material will help us to get through the previously referred to few "blah" months left.

i am thankful for - friends of ours who gave us an old car they had sitting in their garage. it won't go through inspection until the end of this week, so we aren't out of the woods yet, but at least we are getting there. it's amazing to know my husband is at work and that i still have a car to go to the grocery store. :)

from the kitchen - not much except a boatload of fruits and veggies i bought at costco yesterday. my kids were excited to see the ten pound bag of apples come through the door. i was happy that they cost less than eight bucks.

i am wearing - striped knit long sleeve shirt, jeans and slippers. nothing too exciting.

i am reading - still the stuff on insulin resistance. rereading and rereading.

i am hoping - that everyone is finally on the mend from the nasty respiratory thing we had pretty much all of last week. i know my husband and i are much better but i'm afraid my poor little boy with the dark puffy circles under his eyes who is coughing his head off is not.

i am creating - a bit of a unit for today on groundhog day. i picked up a quick movie and a book from the library. we will be making a craft this afternoon.

i am hearing - coughing and the rustling of star wars figures from down the hall, the washing machine and a certain somebody asking me if they can play instead of doing their writing assignment...uh, no.

around the house - arrgh, the laundry. the first load is in and i think there will be about three or four following close behind. today is one of my usual laundry days so there is usually two loads but i just couldn't function last week with the respiratory thing so the others didn't get done on thursday. oh well, at least we will be home all day so i can get them done. will they all get folded? yeah, right.

one of my favorite things - is being able to breathe through my nose. you don't know how good you have it until you can't.

a few plans for the rest of the week - spanish and piano, band rehearsal, gymnastics and dance. oh, and an extra dance inserted on tuesday. can't forget that.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you -after playing in the snow, nothing feels quite as good as a warm blanket. ok, hot chocolate possibly...but the blanket is alot easier for me to clean up. :)

make sure to stop by peggy's to take a gander at all the other day book entries.

The Mostest Awesomest Recipe Ever!

2009-02-01T16:36:00.000-08:00

well, as i think i have shared a little bit, i am trying to lose weight and battling out of whack hormones and insulin resistance. in reading i have been doing there has been much talk about how important it is to "link" all of your carbs with the appropriate amount of protein so as not to cause your body to go into the "carbo crazies." ok. that's a term i just made up, off the cuff, right here, right now. but, that's what it feels like. it takes over your body and screws everything up. i'm not eliminating all carbs. i'm just trying to eat the ones that come as close to their natural state as possible. you know, whole grains, veggies, fruits...and the occasional pita chip (i'm addicted). i'm not quite adjusted to...or excited about eating like this for the rest of my life but this recipe did quite alot to help me change my mind. you see. every saturday night since who knows when my family has been having pizza. it's quite the volpe tradition. but, with the whole carb thing i can have one half of a piece of pizza and still stay balanced. whoopty doo. so, in an effort to find a lower carb alternative i found a recipe for low carb, no flour pizza. this is definitely a keeper. i'll warn you, the texture is a bit more like lasagna. but, the taste is definitely pizza and is phenomenal. i firmly believe that if your kids don't do veggies, they would do this...as long as they don't see you assembling it. i topped mine with low fat ground beef, plain tomato sauce (not all the added sugar), mushrooms, more mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, a few more mushrooms and some mozzarella. wow. yummy. that's all i have to say. i couldn't wait to have some of the leftovers for lunch today. go. try it now. let me know what you think. i don't think you'll be disappointed.

Simply Monday - January 26th

2009-01-26T03:09:00.001-08:00

outside my window - it's dark and according to the weather man, pretty darn cold. we're supposed to have a snow/ice storm starting up and lasting through wednesday. super.

i am thinking - that this is going to be short this morning because i need to take dh to work. we sold his van to the scrapyard on saturday so we are strictly a one car family...hopefully for only a few days.

from the learning rooms - we are getting there. we have much math and science to do, like i said earlier, but we are running out of material in the other topics so i hope it all evens out.

i am thankful for - a home. we are coming up on our one year anniversary of being here and i could not be more thankful for this place.

from the kitchen - not much going on. no baking or anything as not to be a temptation to myself.

i am wearing - the workout clothes. no time for brazen creativity this morning.

i am reading - a couple of books on insulin resistance. maybe this will finally be the key to help me unlock how to get off these pounds and not put more on despite trying my hardest.

i am hoping - that the spots of antifreeze on the ground yesterday at the church were not from our car. it's such a never ending cycle and it gets me so worked up. oh well, i guess the proof will be on the garage floor this morning...or not.

i am creating - yes, still the blog post i referred to last week and a list of warranty items to fax into our builder. when we bought this place last year we got a one year warranty so now i need to fax in stuff that has come apart, dry wall cracks, etc.

i am hearing - my husband doing some sort of organizing/shuffling of papers on the other side of the room. something sounds like audio cassette cases.

around the house - laundry and paper clutter. i need to find a piece of furniture that will house my garbage can underneath it but will hold my bill payer thing and other whatnot on top. anybody have any ideas?

one of my favorite things - is seeing the scale say less than it did yesterday...although i wouldn't know the satisfaction of that yet.

a few plans for the rest of the week - little flowers, spanish, piano, napping on wednesday, gymnastics, dance and if the car holds out through all of that...maryland on friday to visit one of my bestest friends in the world (who also happens to be my oldest's godmother).

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you -

have yourself a rip roaring good monday y'all and stop on over to the other great daybook entries.

Well, I Did It

2009-01-19T05:06:00.000-08:00

just a quick note. i made it through breakfast. i usually have a bowl of cheerios or raisin bran and whole wheat toast. but today, in turning over the new leaf, i had a strawberry banana smoothie and an egg. i must confess, i sort of feel like i'm going to barf. maybe it's because all that filled me up so much more than the usual fare. i don't know. i couldn't even finish the whole smoothie. half of it is in the fridge for later. one meal down. i'm proud.

Simply Monday - January 19th

2009-01-19T03:42:00.000-08:00

outside my window - it's still dark with a dusting of snow on the ground. it has been bitterly cold here for the past few days but today is supposed to warm up a bit.

i am thinking - again about our cars. when i went out saturday morning to take our oldest to choir we found it was leaking fuel. i've had cars leak all sorts of stuff before but this was a new one...and one i definitely didn't desire. we called the mechanic but they couldn't get it in until today. so, we have the car that is at the mechanic (again) and the other one with no heat/defrost, that shudders and is now smoking to boot. i have made my husband promise that it will be gone for good shortly. i've had enough with that one and it's not going to pass inspection by the end of the month either. but, on the bright side, friends of ours are gifting us with an old car that has just been sitting in their garage. who knows what problems it may have but they assure us that it has heat. :)

from the learning rooms - i am happy to see that we are ahead on most of our other subjects so we should be able to spend the last small part of the school year (april and may) focusing much more heavily on science (which we are lacking) and math (which my oldest really needs some severe motivation in).

i am thankful for - a husband that is not afraid to remind me of all my blessings when i start flying off the handle about..."those cars"..."it's those cars again." i'm also thankful (sometimes) that he falls asleep leading family prayers (on a few nights) and says really funny things that make us all laugh.

from the kitchen - new low carb eating for me. as you know, i've been exercising five days a week for about five months now and watching what i eat (i was astounded to find i was eating within a good weight watchers points range for me without even knowing it) and still i having been gaining about a pound per month. it's very frustrating. i would have thought that cardio and over one hundred crunches a day would have at least shown some success. but, i do have some major hormone issues, which i have known about for sometime and through much reading and talking with some friends that have some of the main issues...i'm hoping this low carb may start to break the cycle so i can balance the hormones a bit and end some other health issues i deal with on a day to day basis.

i am wearing - lots of sweat from a tripled workout i did this morning. the other day michele told me that she would pray for me at night before she went to bed and i promised her that i would pray for her as i upped my workout time. i'll tell you. it's a good thing i promised that because that motivation is the only thing that is getting me out of bed and not just letting me give up and fell sorry for myself. thanks michele!

i am reading - well, i'm like two pages into graced and gifted. does that count?

i am hoping - that we get alot accomplished around here today, that i can get on the "i thought i was doing well already but i need to step up the nutrition even more to change my quality of life" wagon and not be bitter about the whole thing and that the car can be fixed easily without costing an arm and a leg...or that a new minivan just appears in our driveway...take your pick.

i am creating - a post about obama, the inauguration, abortion and foca which i should have done a long time ago. i apologize to those i may have left hanging, but family matters called and now i hope to finally finish it.

i am hearing - my son go through the usual morning mantra of how he doesn't want to get up, he is cold, he doesn't have any fun, it's dark outside, he's tired, he's missing a lego piece, his second knuckle on his right index finger hurts, etc, etc and quite alot more etc.

around the house - there is laundry to fold, laundry to wash, laundry to put away. you get the picture. and let's not even talk about clutter.

one of my favorite things - is cheese (while we're coming completely clean about everything).

a few plans for the rest of the week - the usual classes and such (if the car comes back) and the march for life on thursday. hope to see you there!

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - you know your tree was fresh cut when you are taking it down in the middle of january and find that it is growing fresh buds.

have a wonderful day and make sure to stop by and visit all the other entries.

I'm Twelve Shades Of Excited

2009-01-14T06:38:00.000-08:00

you see, my husband and i have been asked to be godparents for this little lady who will be making her appearance in the world in about two and a half months. i have never been a godmother before so this is even more exciting. :) beautiful little isa, i can't wait to meet you. you and your growing family are in my prayers.

(while you're at it you can check out the cape i made for isa's big sister xia. our littlest one received one from some of her favorite people for her birthday so i thought little xia would also enjoy it. i, of course, forgot my camera to take a picture of her. so scroll down a bit and you will see the pic. but don't scroll down too far or you'll see the picture of me modeling it. and i wouldn't want you to have that emblazoned in your memory.)

Simply Monday - January 12th

2009-01-12T03:52:00.000-08:00

outside my window - it's already light out (i'm a little late this morning getting to this) and rather chilly with some ice still left on the ground from our ice storm saturday night. although, it's not as chilly as it's supposed to be by the end of the week when we aren't going to get out of the teens.

i am thinking - last week i had the momentum coming off of vacation to conquer the world and make sure things went right. this week is just blah. this one is going to be the real struggle.

from the learning rooms - more of the same, plugging along. hopefully a unit study for my son on the united states using these books and figuring out how to incorporate more science into our school day while still adhering to the fact that there are only twenty four hours in a day.

i am thankful for - oh so many things. where to start? family, friends, home...

from the kitchen - a meal for a family with a new baby and dinner...yes, i assume that should be coming from my kitchen tonight? but what?

i am wearing - jeans, black vneck shirt and sweater. the sweater is my ever present companion in order to keep the heating bill a bit lower.

i am reading - the computer screen to make sure i don't have too many typos.

i am hoping - for good weather next thursday for the march for life. just not rain. that would be good. i will be taking our oldest while my husband stays at home with the younger two. this is such an important year to be taking a stand.

i am creating - a game plan in my head for whipping this place into shape...and to the chagrin of the rest of my family it includes many garbage bags and quite a few trips to the donation center.

i am hearing - the kids play down the hall and the washer on its final spin cycle. the kids are loud but i'm just thankful they aren't squabbling and bickering. it seems like that is all they do these days. i guess that's being cooped up in the winter for you.

around the house - there needs to be more organization. that is not my forte. anybody with a hankerin' to show me what to do is welcome to just show up on my doorstep any time...i don't hear the doorbell.

one of my favorite things - my sheets! in the almost ten years we have been married i had never purchased "real" sheets. we always had the jersey knit or whatever was cheapest or free (we have spent many nights on character sheets from our childhood). but, with money i received for my birthday i broke down and bought sheets that actually listed a thread count on them. i don't remember what that was, and they were the cheapest that did such, so i'm sure they aren't luxury or something. but they feel like sleeping in a cloud to me.

a few plans for the rest of the week - little flowers, spanish, piano, praise and worship, gymnastics, library, irish dance. yes, it's all in a week's work.

here's a picture thought i am sharing with you - our kids love it when we have energetic houseguests. :)

remember to polka on over to peggy's for the other day book entries.

Simply Monday - January 5th

2009-01-05T03:26:00.001-08:00

outside my window - it's still dark. i'm very grateful to say i haven't been up before the sun in two weeks. but here we are. back the the usual.

i am thinking - that it was so good to have a complete vacation and spend lots of family time for the past two weeks. so now i need to suck it up, be thankful and keep a positive attitude. i am hoping the positive attitude will carry over to the kids. my son was already in tears last night in bed when his daddy told him that he had to go back to work today. he loves having his daddy home. why shouldn't he? i laughed when my husband told me that our little boy and had told him that he wouldn't have any fun without him home. i said, "well of course, don't you know i'm the 'no fun' tyrant?"

i am thankful for - today finally being the appointment for my car to get the coolant leak checked. we haven't used it since last thursday morning and have been driving "the meat wagon." that's what i call my husband's van that has not heat. he and the kids affectionately call it "the polar express."

from the learning rooms - hopefully a peaceful and productive transition back into schoolwork. it will be interesting. i'm going to try and offer it up for all those other moms whom i know are easing back into this structure today too.

from the kitchen - there will be turkey casserole this evening and hopefully a batch of homemade cream of mushroom soup to stick in the freezer. i need to get a meal plan made. i have a plan for this evening but that's where it ends. i completely flew by the seat of my pants during vacation and that won't work now. i'm sure of it.

i am wearing - back to the old work out clothes. i totally slacked during the holidays but am back on the wagon as of this morning.

i am creating - well, i need to create a christmas gift for each of the kids that i never finished but we shall see. my goal is to sew more in the coming months. i was pleasantly pleased that i was able to whip together the pajamas for the kids so quickly. heaven knows i have enough fabric...if i would just do something with it. i need to see if i have some material and a pattern to make myself some skirts. they are desperately needed.

i am going - probably nowhere. the car, like i said, is gone. i would like to go to target because i'm pretty sure their christmas items will be ninety percent off today. oh well, we'll see when they call about the car. the place is within walking distance and it's supposed to be 42 today. it is so nice to know that we don't have any appointments and we get at least this day without craziness to ease back into the routine.

i am reading - nothing at the present but i do have three books that i want to start. i'm going to try and give our days a bit more structure and when everyone else has quiet time...i'm going to try and take it to, instead of using it to clean, cook, lesson plan or whatever else i try to catch up on. i think using a bit of this quiet time for reading would be a big benefit for my tired little brain.

i am hoping - that the car doesn't cost an arm and a leg. we don't have the limbs to spare. we are trying to save up and plan for a new vehicle that we need desperately but i'm not sure how we are going to do this. i would like to say we will cut corners here and there but already with no cable tv or other frivolities like that, i feel sometimes as if we already live in a sphere.

i am hearing - my daughter's door creak open as my husband tries to wake them for the day. here we go.

around the house - it is surprisingly clean for just coming off of a vacation. there is definitely some laundry that is calling...no, screaming...my name though.

one of my favorite things - is vacation. especially the kind we had these past two weeks. i can't even remember how many days we stayed in our jammies 'til noon. it was superb. we still managed to get a few things done around here and i think we all feel pretty rested.

a few plans for the rest of the week - hide my lack of motivation for schoolwork from the kids :) and really try to dive back it with a good attitude. i don't really make resolutions but i am going to try and pray more and be an overall happy, more positive mom. other than that (of course, that's easy right?) we have spanish, piano, gymnastics and irish dance. the usual suspects.

here is a picture thought i am sharing -oh how i love these happy little faces!

please hop, skip and jump on over to check out the other daybook entries. have a blessed and peaceful day! :)

Happy New Year!

2009-01-03T20:04:00.000-08:00

well, better late than never. it's the new year and tomorrow these guys......will be arriving at the stable. where does the time go?

i would usually say that we have been busy around here, running hither and yon, errand after errand. but no. we've just been enjoying hanging around home in our jammies and getting a few things done here and there...partially because we can't really go anywhere. you see. our cars have trouble. yep, the one that we usually drive has a coolant leak. and since we have already put what seems like bajillions into the head of this engine when it overheated before...we're playing it safe until monday when we have an appointment at the mechanic. the other car, well, it doesn't have heat...or defrost. they're kind of a package deal so i hear. anyway, traveling in what my husband has renamed "the polar express" wasn't high on the to-do list, but we braved it last night to do some necessary errands and also to get to our daughter's irish dance christmas ceili this evening. it was twenty seven degrees out, but we had blankets. so it wasn't that bad. i think the only addition i would have made was a ski mask so i could have felt my nose by the time we got home, but that's for another time. it's so funny how the kids don't care at all. they actually cheer when we pick up the blankets and head out for "daddy's car." it may be freezing, shutter once it reaches forty five miles an hour and not go over fifty five miles an hour...but to them, it's an adventure.

we have been praying for at least one new vehicle for over a year, but here we are. i accept that it must not be the right time for something like that to happen. but i can't help but admit that every time i think about the cars, i get a knot in my stomach and a lump in my throat. they are such a source of anxiety for me. i shouldn't let them be, but they are. we are blessed to have two vehicles that usually run...at least enough to get us where we need to go...or within a couple of blocks...and sometimes not back home. :) but if you think of it, could you send up a little prayer for us? it would help my anxiety level out immensely if we could get something that even brings us into this millenium. even into the late nineties would be nice. i really don't care what it looks like. purple with pink polka dots and flying monkeys painted on the hood? can we all fit in it and will we have to use the tow truck number that i've programmed into my cell? no? sign me up.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-29T05:59:00.001-08:00

i just realized today that is has been quite awhile since i have posted so i thought i would do my daybook...since it is monday after all. and i didn't do it at all last week. but, the daybook is on vacation for this week so i thought i'd post a short little something to let you know that i'm still here and that my lack of posting is because we are having such a blessed Christmastime around here. my mom visited for the week or so before Christmas and we shopped, baked cookies and all sorts of fun things. then my husband began his vacation. this is so cool! because of the way Christmas and new year's fell this year he was able to take off only a few days and get about two weeks. so, he doesn't go back to work until january 5th. this is the main reason for my lack of posting. we are just enjoying being a family. he has been working so much overtime lately that the sleeping in, eating leftovers for lunch and just being together has been so sweet. we have accomplished alot of things that have been needing to get done but we have also been playing much...and it is so good. there are many things i want to tell you and show you, like our gorgeous church all decked out for Our Savior's birth...or how i actually got all the pajamas done in time for them to go to sleep at a reasonable hour...or about the wii-ally wonderful fun wii have been having as a family...
or the Christmas miracle of all my children not losing any of their Christmas clothing and posing for this picture without crying, hitting or yelling...
but that will all have to wait.

so, have a most blessed Christmas and remember to keep celebrating His most glorious of birthdays.

On This Eve Squared...

2008-12-23T21:58:00.000-08:00

...i am proud to report that we have wrapped at least half of our gifts. this is a miracle for us because usually at 10pm on christmas eve i am still sifting through the closet to even find the kids gifts which finally get wrapped around 1am. and it's not that we get the kids millions of things. they each get four gifts total. i'm just that unorganized and that much of a procrastinator. it's been that way my entire life and i'm not expecting a complete change any time soon. although, that would be nice. but anyway, there is one thing i am a bit stressed about. you see. every year our kids get new jammies to wear to bed on christmas eve. and of course, like the completely anal perfectionist i am...i have to make them. but, when you factor in the procrastinator and unorganized side of me...do you know what you get? you get three pairs of pajama pants that are cut out without a stitch in them and three shirts that are waiting for some sort of appliqueing job to be done on them. and with one of those pairs of pants, there's a very real possibility that they won't work. my pattern didn't go small enough for our littlest lady so i pulled out a pair of her pants and just, sort of, cut out my own. all of this will be fine i assume if my sewing machine likes me tomorrow. otherwise, i may be finding out how late the stores are open tomorrow night. does anybody know where they have a sale on kid's jammies? :)

A Little Family Fun

2008-12-17T05:38:00.000-08:00

and when i say little i mean miniature, miniscule, minute and all those other words that mean really small that all start with "mini" and turn on the orthography loving section of my brain which says to myself, "hey self, the prefix min- or mini- must mean small." and to that you all say, "well duh." anywho, a few weeks ago i had a lovely 50% off coupon for the craft store and thought i would pick up a gingerbread house for us to decorate. so, when i stumbled upon thisi thought it would be grand because there are five houses...and five of us. so last night we got it out and realized when they say mini, don't let the picture on the box fool you...it's mini. so mini that i don't think there is any expanse of gingerbread in that box over four inches...and that's being a bit generous. but, despite the size it's a nice kit complete with candy and easy to make icing that actually seems to do what it's supposed to. dry like epoxy. anywho, here are the troops frosting the housesand sticking the candies with careone of the houses got too much snowfall (ie. icing piled) on the roof and accompanied by the addition of three gumdrops loving placed (ie. smashed into the roof) in that snow...the roof collapsed. i am happy to report however with much masonry work from my husband, more frosting and the assurance that a certain little person's house wasn't ruined...all turned out fine. here is the end product.i thought it turned out rather nicely. the kids thought my addition of the fence, trees and walkways was a nice addition. they also got a kick out of the outhouse my husband made, complete with a crescent moon on the front. now they just keep asking when they can eat them all. :)

Christmas Tour

2008-12-15T13:25:00.000-08:00

well, better late than never. so here it is. my contribution to the boomama christmas tour of homes 2008. and yes, i believe that i must post the complete and official title at every possible opportunity because well, i'm just like that. so, without further ado...welcome to my home...all hopped up on sugar and evergreens for the holidays.

first, say 'hello' to fred...no that's not an official name or something. it just sounded appropriate. this, by far, has to be the largest tree i have ever seen in anyone's living room...especially mine. we have had some large trees in the past but this one is absolutely mammoth. it has taken me the past two days to get used to it being in our living room. all day yesterday i would walk into the living room and jump because "ahh, what was this gigantic thing that was taking up a large portion of my living room." and here's fred in the dark...
isn't he charming? my husband promised when we moved into this house that i could pick out the largest tree that i could find. he actually refers to my taste as a 'christmas bush' because he says they are round and don't even have a shape. but, i think he may be wishing to take back the statement about having any one i wanted and i am insisting that the one this year has a tree shape.

so let's take a closer look at what fred is wearing...this is my favorite ornament of all. it always gets put on the very front of the tree so i can see it as i walk by. this ornament has a little story behind it. i believe i blogged about it last year but i'll give an abridged version for anybody who didn't read my tour last year. three years ago this thanksgiving i gave birth to our third child. i have always suffered with ppd after the births of our children but this one was particularly painful but i was also trying to fight it with all i had in me. in our old house, the chair i would sit in to cuddle and nurse our baby was directly in front of the christmas tree and one day i realized that this ornament was there...staring me in the face. for the rest of the christmas season i focused on that ornament whenever things were going particularly bad. did the ppd go away because of it? no. but it always reminded me that because of what was going on in that manger at the base of our tree, that there was hope, and He would see me through the depression and the pain and He would make me stronger because of it. redemptive suffering. true beauty.

now, on to fred's other adornments.

every year each of the children receive an ornament for the tree. the 'joy cross' belongs to our oldest. we began getting crosses for her when she was born and the ones that sport her middle name are her preferred ones. i just wish that ornament makers would realize that there are quite a few verses in the Bible referring to 'joy.' there are only so many ornaments that say "for the joy of the Lord is our strength" that one can put together on a tree. :) the other cross belongs to our youngest. she always gets an ornament of a nativity scene and i just loved this one. the thomas belongs to our middle child. he has received one of the hallmark puppies for the past five years, but the series ended, so i let him pick something else. he chose trains, so there you have it.

fred is also wearing some things that remind us of those we have lost like these two..the small white angel is the ornament my grandmother gave me while she dying of cancer. she died three days later. and the other angel is the ornament that we purchased this year for noel francis, our little baby we miscarried six years ago. each of the angels we have bought serve as a reminder to me that i may have lost one of my children but in that i also received a tremendous gift. i have a saint in heaven who loves me dearly and is praying for each member of our family every day.

there are also some things which remind us of funnier moments too...

like the heart with a picture of my husband and i on our first christmas morning. when we unpacked it the other day i remarked how young and unassuming we looked. he remarked how especially young i looked. i'm not sure how old he thinks i look now, but in the interest of a friendly night, we won't bridge that topic. there is also the mayor and coroner of munchkin land that the kids especially liked this year after watching the movie for the first time a few months ago. i have to admit it was really nice not having to explain to them who these two little strange men were that we were putting on our tree.

and under fred sits our nativity scene..you will note that the only people there as of yet are the shepherds and stable hand type people. mary, joseph and the donkey are over here...on the kitchen window. i was pretty pleased with how this little display turned out. and my son thought it was particularly nice that the sea monkeys had their very own christmas tree.

our advent wreath also has a nativity theme.we light the candles every night before dinner and then we sing a verse of 'o come, o come emmanuel.'

we also put up our jesse treeand read stories from this wonderful bookto trace the lineage of our Savior. the kids love this and can't wait to see what ornament they will get to hang on the tree each day.

and the kids also have their little trees in their bedrooms

and no christmas tour would be complete without showing you this decoration......the blue chair. every year in the old house we put the christmas tree in the spot that was usually occupied by this blue chair. so, it would go into our son's room. well, i thought that we could leave it in the living room this year but considering fred's girth, it wasn't possible. so there it sits, in my son's room.

well, if you're still with me after all of that, it's the end of the tour. i'll try and get pictures of our outdoor decorations up in a few days. but you know, that would take getting the outdoor decorations put up in a few days. :)

make sure to stop over to boomama' site and journey into everybody else's home tours. i was number four hundred and something so don't try to tackle it all in one night.

Simpy Monday - December 15th

2008-12-15T05:15:00.000-08:00

for today...

outside my window - it still looks pretty nice...but far from sunny and clear. from the looks of the weather forecast this morning, the next five days are all a combo of rain, ice and sleet. hmm, what a delightful outlook.

i am thinking - that i threw away our costco rebate check and renewal information. i'm glad that i enjoy throwing things away by the bundle but sometimes i wish i was a bit more thorough and selective.

from the learning rooms - not much going on except the necessities...reading/phonics, math and writing. the extra subjects have been giving away to story books, christmas cards, decorating, baking and crafts. and well, it's a joy to report for the first time that even in doing this, i don't feel like a slacker. aah, progress. :)

i am thankful for - oh so many things, but right now in particular, a husband that has five days of work left until his much needed and deserved large chunk of vacation time. he won't go back to work until after new years.

from the kitchen - hopefully today we will make our ginger bread house and make a list of the five...and i mean only five...types of cookies we will make (i can dream of keeping it to five, right?)

i am wearing - my jammies, purple/navy/white and grey striped. hair is still wet and slippers are on. i just couldn't pull myself out of bed after the busy weekend we had. i did exercise but it was a little later than usual so the shower, breakfast and consequentially, blogging, got pushed back a bit.

i am reading - well, i picked up a copy of a biography about tolkien to read, but i haven't started yet. at least i purchased this one so the library isn't going to be calling saying "are you done with that yet?" i also need to read the gospel of mark as per an assignment given to all of us by our parish priest. hmm, i think it was mark. maybe matthew. anybody?

i am hoping - to get the sinks and showers scrubbed and the kitchen organized before my mom arrives on wednesday or thursday. i know she doesn't care but i would like to at least give the illusion that i know how to keep a house.

i am creating - a blog post for boomama's christmas tour of homes. please join in. it's always delightful fun! and homemade gifts...a few pillows, two bags, some pajamas, a doll, doll furniture cushions, a hat and mittens set...and ten days (or less for some items) to do it in. yes, before you debate, i am a big time procrastinator and a wee bit crazy. and then there are jesse tree ornaments and o antiphons to make.

i am hearing - my two youngest playing around me. the quiet chatter of galactic heroes and littlest pet shop. you'd think that within feet of each other and me that they could possibly learn to share. think again.

around the house - laundry, and did i mention laundry. there's also much tidying of the halls of left overs from decking the halls. there are boxes and misc items, oh...everywhere. i also need to put together the swags to hang on the outdoor garage lights and a little glitter snowflake menagerie for the front porch. oh, i do dream. but maybe if i finish this i can entice my husband to help me put up the outdoor pine garland when he gets home.

one of my favorite things - having my christmas shopping done...i think.

a few plans for the rest of the week - just a few activities for the kids and finishing up the plethora of things that need to be done.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you -yes, it's rather large. trust me, i know. but it has a great shape, not one bald spot and the price was right.

take a one horse open sleigh over to peggy's to check out all the other daybook entries.

have a blessed third week of advent everyone. may you continue to prepare your hearts for the coming of Our Lord.

They Never Look Quite As Big...

2008-12-13T14:50:00.000-08:00

...as they do in your living room!(and in case you're wondering...that IS a gigantic picture window that it is standing in front of, or covering completely as the case may be)

hey kids! looks like we'll be using ALL of the ornaments this year! anybody got some more lights?

I'm Baaaack...

2008-12-12T13:23:00.000-08:00

it's always nice for somebody to go to the creepiness of psycho isn't it? anyway, i've been on a bit of a hiatus...in case you've actually noticed the low volume of posting. this is not to say that during these last few weeks (scratch that)less than two weeks before christmas i'll be posting like the wind or something. cause well, i've still got rosaries to make, gifts to wrap, a few to buy, a tree to purchase and decorate, a house to decorate, company to entertain and various items left to bake and/or cook. but i am going to try and be a little more frequent so i don't have to do another blanket post like the one you are about to endure.

first, while we have hit upon the topic of rosaries, i have posted pics of my rosaries and jewelry over at my flickr account. if you like what you see, let me know...and we'll work out a deal. ;)

now, let's see. first we had the artisan fair. it was a little chaotic at first but things turned out fine and i made a good profit. i forgot to take my camera with me. you can go to michele's to see a picture of my table and a few others. it was a fun day and it is always nice to spend the day chatting with fellow parishioners.

where to go next. how about here...

winterfest! every year the little town we now reside in has winterfest where they close off the entire downtown area and there are local organizations, restaurants, shops, music and all sorts of stuff lining the street. and yes, as you can tell from the picture...it was snowing. quite alot. yes, it added to the christmas ambiance but have you ever tried to convince three small children that eating pizza and this mondo stack of french fries (which was a steal at five bucks by the way) is the most fun that they could be having on a friday night? that's not an easy thing to do. and they are even less happy about it when they find out later that two of the local churches were open for you to come INSIDE...OUT OF THE SNOW...to eat. but hey, it makes a good story for them to tell to their kids, right? but despite the cold we had a good time. they had games for the kids, st. nicholas and even a narcoleptic reindeer. and we had...a little girl who was throwing a fit because she lost her gloves and now had gigantic hands (from borrowing daddy's gloves).

then this week porcupine head (or stegosaurus head, depending on how you look at it) had a dance performance at a local nursing home. she enjoyed herself and of course little miss crazy face had to get in on the action too. now come to think of it, that was such a gorgeous tree...i should have had all the kids stand in front of it and presto...christmas pictures. darn. think they would notice if we all randomly showed up in our sunday best, snapped a picture and ran?

and then the little man had what he thought was going to be his last gymnastics class. he really loves this class and so he was overjoyed when he found out that he could start up again in three weeks. i guess we know what the money i made at the artisan fair is going to pay for. that's alright. it's the cheapest gymnastics class we could find and the teachers (a homeschool mom and her daughters) are really top notch and so good with the kids.

and with that, i guess there's only one thing left. that's right. it's what emily has been waiting all week for...as i'm sure you have too. yep, the unveiling of the living room furniture.tada! so what do you think? it's such a step up from the ghetto that used to inhabit our living room. this was our christmas gift from my terrific father and his wife. this was so nice of them and we are really enjoying it. in fact, i took a nap on it the other day and i am pleased to report the virtues of its comfort level.

so there you have it. our week in a nutshell (help, help, i'm stuck in a nutshell). are you worn out? 'cause i am. actually, i spared you the details about the stomach bug this week too. but i thought you would be glad to be spared from any info about that. so far it has only hit one of us and for that i am grateful. we are going to get our tree tomorrow so it can just stay away. i don't think i want that to hit in the middle of the tree farm.

Simply Monday - December 8th

2008-12-08T09:12:00.001-08:00

outside my window - it's rather chilly and overcast. OK, "rather chilly" doesn't begin to explain it...it's just my way of trying not to complain too much. but, on the upside, yesterday was definitely worse. yesterday we had what i swear would classify as gale force winds and it was downright, bone chilling cold. i think the high was like 19 or something. but don't quote me on that.

i am thinking - that i have received many blessings today...we were able to find a mass despite the fact that the one that we showed up for that we were told was at a certain time actually happened 1 1/2 hours earlier, my husband has the day off and i can stop stressing about the doctor a bit.

from the learning rooms - we are doing nothing today and i'm not sweating it. when daddy is home i don't expect them to spend time on school work.

i am thankful for - friends who truly care, who pray fervently for you and who check in on you.

from the kitchen - i need to make another batch of applesauce and get a good start on the christmas baking. actually, first i need to narrow down what i'm going to bake. i always pick too many varieties, buy the supplies and then run out of steam. this year i think i'm setting my sights on five different cookies...that's it...yeah, we'll see. :)

i am wearing - jeans, a dark brown knit shirt, a lighter brown cardigan sweater and slippers.

i am reading - nothing yet again. wow, i'm exciting, motivated and intellectually stimulating.

i am hoping - that i am able to garner a bit more quiet and help my family to prepare in this season of advent for the birth of our Lord.

i am creating - christmas gifts for the kids. a dora hat, cushions for doll furniture and a boy doll for a little guy who is severely jealous of his bigger sister's doll.

i am hearing - my littlest watching veggie tales "the toy that saved christmas." it seems all tv rules fly out the window when daddy is off from work.

around the house - i need to put in some laundry. the downstairs is pretty clean since we had company over last night, but the upstairs could use some definite attention. and the basement? well we won't even talk about the basement.

one of my favorite things - is the red and green plaid down blanket we have in the living room. there is nothing warmer and it seems that every year i get colder, and colder, and colder. i think by the time i'm fifty i will be a block of ice from november to april.

a few plans for the rest of the week - take oldest dd to a meeting today, then everybody out to dinner and to her dance performance at the nursing home. tuesday is piano and praise and worship, wednesday to the doctor, thursday is gymnastics/spanish/dance/aaaaaah and friday we will be celebrating the feast of our lady of guadalupe. but i'm not quite sure how...yet. oh, and saturday we will go cut down our christmas tree. :)

here is a picture thought i am sharing - a preview to our new living room furniture that i have been promising a shot of. maybe i'll do the big unveiling this week. i know, you're holding your breath in expectation.

don't forgot to jog on over to peggy's to check out all the other entries. and yes, we all should jog, because those cookie exchanges are coming up.

Just Checking In

2008-12-06T22:02:00.001-08:00

tomorrow is the artisan fair at our parish. and heading it up, i've had a bit of a full plate. tonight things were a little sketchy for a bit but after some deep breathing, a good laugh with some great friends and a large cherry vanilla dr. pepper from sonic it was all okee-dokee. so, say a prayer that we all sell out tomorrow. yep, it's a big prayer i know. but, He's a big God and there's nothin' wrong with hope. :) have a blessed second sunday of advent y'all.

Yes, I Can...

2008-12-04T05:04:00.000-08:00

...and i will get things straightened and put together enough around here by december 15th to participate in the...

it was a jolly good time last year (and frankly, i'm still getting visitors to the ol' blog from it...and ya gotta love that) and i wouldn't miss it. unless of course it still looks like an atomic bomb of clutter went off here at the house. but in that case, i may just revel in the loveliness of having a walk in closet and do some creative mess shifting.

It's Been A Whirlwind...

2008-12-03T12:49:00.000-08:00

...and it shows no sign of slowing in the near future. i know it's been rather quiet here in bloggy land and the reason for that, well, i'm taking any spare time i can find to screw my head on straight. we had company for the week or so before/of thanksgiving which was also accompanied by the birthday brunch bash (or, the tons o' eggs incident...as it has come to be called around these here parts) which i believe i blogged about previously. so, the company left early on saturday morning just in time for us to run a whole slew of errands that had been neglected, and then mass (cantoring too), a few more errands and stuff around the house for sunday. and well, i thought this week was going to be quiet with all those naps. let's just say things look a bit rosier...when you forget to enter three appointments and/or meetings on your calendar. so, the nap was relegated to hmm, monday. yep, it's done...it's over...and i didn't even nap. i cleaned and did laundry. then, this weekend is the artisan fair at our parish. and wouldn't you know it, it's arranged by...yours truly. yes, i enjoy it but frankly i'm ready to just plan and set up the whole thing and not even sell any items myself. does anybody want to take a whole bunch of handmade rosaries and jewelry, plus a few gift baskets and food-esque items off of my hands? so yeah. all of this hot air to say i've been busy. makes me start to wonder how much of my issues could be solved by better time management, but that's another whole story all together. i'm dying to tell you about my shopping on black friday and our new living room furniture and our plans for various feasts and holy days...but those will have to wait. pretzels need to be chocolate coated and beads need to be wired and strung. let's hope i don't get confused or else we're going to end up with chocolate covered glass bead clusters and pretzel rosaries.

Simply Monday - December 1st

2008-12-01T03:28:00.000-08:00

for today -

outside my window - it's still dark...and wet. we had a doozy of a rain storm yesterday and through last night. it was rather yucky out (we had to run some errands)but i will take the rain anytime if the other choice is snow or ice. the weather says it's actually warmer outside than it looks so hopefully if the rain has to continue this afternoon (like they say it will) it will stay only rain.

i am thinking - that the kids need to put on their boots and get outside today. sure, they will complain that it's chilly but at least it's a little fresh air.

from the learning rooms - we are heading into the final week of our first term. hopefully last week's break has done us good and we will be off with new vim and vigor. also i hope the advent and feast day activities we have planned will help with the enthusiasm.

i am thankful for - having almost all of my christmas shopping completed so that i can focus on advent and preparing myself and my family instead of spending it out in the craziness. did i mention that i refuse to go near the mall again until after the first of the year? :)

from the kitchen - a meal plan needs to be made. i slacked quite a bit with company last week and with leftovers from a variety of things coming directly out of my ears. i want to concentrate on using what we have and hopefully only traveling to the store for milk and bread.

i am wearing - my brand new winter coat that my husband so graciously talked me into on saturday.i think i mentioned in the past how much i disliked my old one and how it didn't really fit so this one is delightful. it's pretty much just what i was looking for. (ok, it's not really so cold in the house that i have to wear a winter coat, but since i like it so much maybe i could turn down the heat and...)

i am reading - nothing. i'm too fixated on projects that i would like to do for advent with the kids and things i would like to complete for them for christmas.

i am hoping - that this week goes well in the schooling frontier and that i can get lesson plans completed which will take us up to christmas break.

i am creating - a plan on how to transform a regular child's winter hat and mittens pattern i purchased last week into a hat that looks like "dora" and mittens that look like "boots." i'll let you know how that goes through fits of screaming "this isn't working."

i am hearing - my husband bringing our littlest one from her bed to hear her say in a squeaky and rather groggy voice, "good morning mommy, i love you." ahh, music to my ears.

around the house - laundry, with an extra set of bedding from our house guests. much clutter that needs to be tackled and organized and a basement and garage that are in need of much help. i have a garage. something we dreamed about for years...but it doesn't house my car. it houses my husband's car (because he doesn't have heat or defrost...and well, his car can't get frosted up or he can't see to drive it...and, that's just another story all together) and my garage also houses stuff. i'm not even sure exactly what stuff is out there. all i know is that it needs to leave. quickly. if i don't know what is in the boxes i can just toss them all out without abandon...right?

one of my favorite things - is feeling rested. i think (and hope) that this last week of r & r did us all good. (aside from my lack of sleep last friday, but that is another post for another time).

a few plans for the rest of the week - a much slowed week with some activities missing, which i am grateful for. nothing today, piano tomorrow and picking up a surprise for the kids which i was offered by someone on freecycle and practice for myself in the evening, wednesday nothing, thursday is busy with gymnastics, spanish and irish dance and then friday nothing. ooh, looks like three nap days. :)

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - my oldest leaving last friday night for her first sleep over. i almost cried. yes, i'm a sap. but she's getting older. she had a great time. they painted nails, wore cucumber slices on their eyes and watched all the american girl movies. but, much to her dismay...they didn't get much sleep. she said that she tried to sleep but couldn't with the others awake. she was astounded that they didn't sleep. i guess i didn't fill her in well enough about what goes on at a slumber party...a lack of slumbering.

have a blessed first week of advent and stop over to peggy's to check out all the other day books.

Simply Monday - November 24th

2008-11-24T18:17:00.001-08:00

for today...

outside my window - it's dark. not because it's early, but because it's late. we had a very busy day today and i'm just getting to putting up my daybook after 9pm.

i am thinking - that today was long, but very good. it was my youngest child's third birthday today and my husband's yesterday. so, we went out to dinner this evening to celebrate both of their birthdays. this was after we went to get new furniture for the living room, to lunch and to the hershey factory. we had lots of fun...and now i'm ready to drop. ;)

from the learning rooms - we are taking a much needed break for the week. we have out of town company and are just enjoying them and getting ready for thanksgiving.

i am wearing - jeans, blue hooded "totus tuus maria" sweatshirt, argyle socks and sock monkey slippers. and no, this isn't some craziness that i made up this time. only an outfit this mismatched and strange could be true.

from the kitchen - absolutely nothing after what i cooked yesterday. you see, yesterday we had a party with a sort of large group of friends for the two aforementioned birthdays. it was in technical terms...a brunch. and me, well, i just love brunch. i think it's just about the coolest thing in the world. so i cooked and cooked and cooked some more. and well, i'm not too versed on exactly how much you should cook for a large crowd of people so let's just say we will be eating quiche, breakfast casserole and french toast bake for quite a number of days...until they are coming out of our ears to be precise. my oldest actually had the nerve to ask me if i was making pancakes this morning. "oh yeah honey, i'm just disregarding the spinach and mushroom quiche, bacon and tomato quiche, quiche lorraine, breakfast bake, sausage breakfast casserole, bacon and mushroom strata and cinnamon raisin french toast bake in the refrigerator and whipping you up some lovely pancakes."

i am reading - i haven't started little women. my mind is on to something else already. i'm so flighty. i'm thinking of picking up "the picture of dorian grey." i'll let you know on that one.

i am hoping - we are not sick for thanksgiving. we have been around those with a stomach bug, a bronchial thing and also those with a fever/aching thing and are so far in the clear. the oldest has spanish tomorrow and i'm trying to figure out if i want to risk it with the whole stomach bug thing again. that's certainly not how i want to spend my thanksgiving.

i am creating - a menu plan and grocery list for thanksgiving.

around the house - there's disorder. you know the kind that usually comes as holidays come and go and others approach. the kind that surfaces when you have house guests. and the kind that comes will, well frankly...having children.

one of my favorite things - is the type of chocolate cookie they have at shady maple. i can't figure out exactly what they are...but i need to know.

a few plans for the rest of the week - hopefully staying healthy, picking up our new living room furniture, thanksgiving and maybe some shopping on friday.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - ok, actually four. but she is so cute i can't resist.our little birthday girl with her "birdnoculars," as she calls them that she received as a gift.
and with her new shirt showing us how old she is.
and hiding under the couch talking with her new pet froggy.
and in a beautiful cape that was sewn and decorated for her by some friends.

have a great day...the approximately two hours that are left of it. and stop over to peggy's to check out the other daybooks.

Well, We Did It...

2008-11-19T03:29:00.000-08:00

...we turned the heat on. i know, not really earth shattering news, 'cause well, it is november 19th after all. but i sort of have this defeated feeling. i was hoping to make it to this weekend when we have company coming to "do it for their benefit." but when i got up at 5:30 this morning...and the thermostat read "57"...i just had to hit "on."

Simply Monday - November 17th

2008-11-17T03:23:00.000-08:00

for today...

outside my window - it's dark and rather chilly. the weatherman says the high for today is going to be somewhere in the upper thirties. it's quite a stark difference from the unseasonable seventy five degrees we had on saturday. i think it's officially time to get out the winter coats and turn on the heat. darn.

i am thinking - that i need a new winter coat. my old one doesn't fit that well and is one of those puffy kinds that i have to take off to drive the car...so i freeze anyway. i was unaware when i bought it that it's also the popular style among young men and women at a local high school who like to either wear their jeans too tight paired with a tube top showing their midriff or jeans sagging down to their knees so you can see the entirety of their underwear. not really the look i'm going for.

from the learning rooms - we will be plugging away with the promise of next week. a full week off!

i am thankful for - our home and a husband that has a job.

i am wearing - the stiletto heals with the bubble light (there you go emily) and so is my grandma...by the way. oh, and my exercise clothes. but it was really hard to stay on the elliptical machine in that footwear.

from the kitchen - today hopefully will see the completion of more applesauce and other jellies for christmas gifts. i need to find somewhere to locate peaches because i would like to make peach butter...but finding peaches here in november is like locating a needle in a haystack. anywho, i'm excited to finish up this stuff because i found the cutest little canning jars at the store yesterday. alright, i admit i'm rather upset that they don't show you just a picture of the jar itself so you can marvel at its cuteness. but i'm willing to bet oh, about a nickel, that if you put on your glasses and squinted to see the jar on the box label...you said "awwwww."

i am reading - well, i picked up little women at the library the other day but i can't say that i have begun. i'm a little ashamed to say that i made it through adolescence, high school and four years of college without picking this one up.

i am hoping - to get alot of things completed today...and get a nap. oh, how i love those days when we don't have to leave the house. it seems like we get quite a few of them this week. yippee!

i am creating - a blog post to respond to another recent comment on my blog about this guy and this. and trying to go back to that secret project. i'm setting for myself a deadline of november 30th to have the secret mission completed. wish me luck.

around the house - there are christmas crafts (for gifts) to be completed before they need to be wrapped up and sent to illinois with the free santa express right after thanksgiving. we made it through five children's crafts yesterday...all involving alot of paint...without out altercation. it was a miracle. of course there is also laundry that is crying out my name. but at least laundry means that there are people to wear it. and for that i am grateful.

one of my favorite things - is bed. yep, i'd be lying if i said anything to the contrary. i simply am in love with our mattress and new sheets. these actually displayed a thread count on the package. that's a big step up for us. it's just so cozy and warm when i climb in. i better stop or i'm bound to go back there instead of heading for the shower.

a few plans for the rest of the week - doctor's appointment for me this evening, spanish and piano for the oldest tomorrow and then a whirlwind day of gymnastics, spanish and irish dance on thursday. that's my most unfavorite day of the week. this week there is also a recital at irish dance to figure in. that should add an interesting element to the day. but then friday is free. did someone say three home days in one week? unheard of. :) that makes me so productive already.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - a picture my husband did of himself in a yearbook photo thing on facebook. i believe this way the template for 1989. it's creepy how much it really looks like him in 1989. how did they know? but then again...in 1989, almost every young man looked like "they wished that they had jesse's girl," right?

make sure to stop over to peggy's and check out all of the other daybook entries.

These Are Sure To Make Your Holidays Bright

2008-11-12T13:45:00.001-08:00

i was just clicking through some things at amazon looking for a bubble night light for my grandma. one of my fondest memories of christmas as a child is sitting with her in her living room and watching the bubble lights on her tree just go to town. so, i thought it would be a rather sentimental and nice gift for her. but little did i know that i would find the shoes that are sure to complete my holiday ensemble. check these babies out...i was not aware that a stiletto heel with a bubble light in the heel (and completely see through none the less) existed. i think i might order me up a pair for me and one for grandma. and then you can watch me break my neck...'cause i'm solely a flats kind of girl y'all. now grandma on the other hand. i'm thinking she could work it out.

This One's For You And Your White Trash BBQ

2008-11-10T05:24:00.000-08:00

ah, bizarre title i know. it was spawned by this comment (from someone calling themself, whitetrashbbq) which i received on my pre-election post about the frightening possibility (which has now become a reality) of obama becoming the next president of the united states.

What rock have you been living under? We've lost more rights and freedoms under bush than under all the previous administrations combined.

Thank God Obama won. It's time for sanity again. There's hope in the land again.

God bless and protect President Obama!

well, first to address the rock issue. what rock have i been living under? a very nice one where i'm free to practice my religion, educate my children and not be dependent upon government handouts...uh, i mean, programs...to control my every move...i mean help me. a rock that has as it's leader someone who believes in the rights of the unborn and has helped to restore a little of dignity to the value of a human life. and a rock where the leader doesn't consider a baby, who as the consequence of a "botched" abortion is still alive, as something to be thrown in the garbage and allowed to die there without consolation or medical assistance. this baby mind you, could be of a very viable age (witnessed by the survivors of abortion we have seen speaking out recently). i also love the fact that my rock isn't a place where i am forced to watch my taxes go directly into the coffers of planned parenthood to pay for them to "counsel" women into killing their babies, or as they call them "nameless clumps of tissue." and i see it as quite a fringe benefit of my life under the rock that hospitals and doctors who also oppose abortion are not forced to provide this procedure or risk being sued, fined or worse. so there's the intro to my neighborhood.

now, do you mind if i ask you a question? what rights and freedoms do you believe we have lost under the bush administration? if you are speaking of things like partial birth abortion and stem cell research...it's a moot issue with me and one that isn't worth trying to convince me otherwise. it can never be a right to kill another human being, pure and simple. our lives and the lives of others are not in our power to end or dispose of. both instances are killing and that is something that cannot be legislated. do any amount of research of scientific findings and you will see they are indeed alive...it doesn't matter that they aren't out here walking around yet. to deny this is to deny pure and scientific fact and a display of pure ignorance. this is what mr. obama displays when he states that knowing when human life begins is "above his pay grade." i call it ignorance while giving him the benefit of the doubt. but while looking at all of the speeches he has delivered to planned parenthood and others...i think it's more of trying to make up something to cover up an answer you don't really want to give because it would expose how revolting the whole thing actually is.

if you have other rights or freedoms that you believe we have lost...go ahead. i'm listening. but under all the previous administrations combined? wow, that's forty one other administrations (if my counting is correct considering grover cleveland is counted as the 22nd and 24th, but if you want to count both of his separately, we're at 42). i can't possibly see how george w. bush did more damage to the american people in eight years than a whole slew of other men did in approximately two hundred and eleven years. those are awfully big shoes to fill. but according to wikipedia, he is five foot eleven, so i guess he could have a pretty large shoe size...but anyway.

and just a little note, before i'm ordained as one...i'm not a george w. bush fanatic. am i crazy about everything he has done? nope. do i think he was the greatest president who ever lived? probably wouldn't get my vote. but, do i appreciate the small steps he has made to protect the dignity of all human life? yes, definitely. and while we're at it...i'm not some do or die mccain freak either. would he have been my choice for president if i could pick anyone in this world? no. but, in this election he was the only person that was offered to me who had a possibility of defeating the abortion touting, FOCA signing obama. frankly, i would have rather voted for palin instead of mccain, but i wasn't given that option. and before we even travel down the "but she doesn't have any experience" road...yes, she does. in fact, she has more executive experience than obama by a landslide. and for that matter, i don't really give senators that much clout in the legislative end of it either...so i'm calling that contest for her too. does she have the foreign policy experience? no, but either does obama.

and while we're on my favorite pick for the president, if i could choose anyone in the world, it would be this guy. so i guess that trumps the race card that you were possibly thinking of pulling too. let me say this, was i pleased that obama was elected strictly from the standpoint of equality for people of every skin color. yes. i have always said that i don't care if the person is purple with green polka dots as long as he or she stands up for what is right. but i just can't overlook his total disregard for the dignity of the human person. and i really can't understand how he doesn't see this as being an accomplice to the genocide of the african american people. he is acting as planned parenthood's trophy wife despite the fact that planned parenthood was started by this woman. and do you know some of her favorite activities? well, let me enlighten. they go by such happy titles as eugenics, racism, racial cleansing and selective breeding. just to name a few. she also gave popular talks to the ku klux klan and was given rather rave reviews from a not so cute little lad named hitler. and who is 1939 is quoted as saying "We don't want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population?" yep, you've guessed it. the foundress of planned parenthood herself.

so anyway, these are my thoughts. i hope i didn't spoil the bbq, but these are the things that need to be said. i am thanking God that obama won, only for the reason that it has served to strengthen my resolve to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. and just a sidenote, since the word fight came up, i don't believe that obama can really care for the lives of our soldiers in iraq when he seriously has some issues recognizing the dignity of a human life. but back to my hope. i do have hope. because God is on the throne, not because obama will be on his own personal man made throne in january. i have a messiah, and His name is Jesus Christ. i don't need one of God's own creatures to step in and try to play that part for me. God is in control. the mass readings ever since the election have been telling me that. they have been telling me not to fear and to know that everything works for His purpose and He will work it out. i just need to be strong and fight the good fight. God bless obama? yes, i pray He will...with wisdom and knowledge of the truth. nobody's conversion is too great for the power of God.

st. martin de porres...pray for us.

Holy Mighty God...save your people.

Simply Monday - November 10th

2008-11-10T03:04:00.000-08:00

for today...

outside my window - yep, you guessed it, still dark. i really don't love getting up at five (i am not a morning person, trust me, although lately i haven't been a night owl either, so i'm not sure i own any part of the day anymore) but it allows me to get a few things done before my day with the kids starts and i really need that for my sanity.

i am thinking - that i wish there was a law that stores could only start a holiday thirty days before the actual date. all this christmas nonsense already makes me want to barf. there was something wrong with shopping for halloween candy the day before halloween to "winter wonderland" being pumped through the store's speakers.

i am thankful for - a whole slew of things including a place to live, a good outcome of the pampered chef party and a pretty relaxing weekend including staying in my jammies yesterday until ten in the morning.

from the learning rooms - we are plugging away again. i have slowed the pace for my oldest (not to mention removing some privileges and adding some chores) and things seem to be working better. however, if anyone knows the way to get an eight year old girl to stop arguing with you...i'd love to hear it.

from the kitchen - i made strawberry and grape jelly last week for christmas gifts. this week it will be more applesauce, strawberry lemonade concentrate and maybe peach butter.

i am wearing - a chicken costume and a hula skirt...with a sombrero.

i am creating - a whole slew of christmas presents...which all must be done when my dad comes to visit for thanksgiving because in order to avoid shipping costs, i must send them back with him.

i am going - to spend most of the day at home until my oldest needs to go to little flowers late this afternoon. hopefully this means i will get schoolwork and some other stuff done around here.

i am reading - nothing really from cover to cover right now. i've picked up something here and then put it down. just too many other things going on right now.

i am hoping - that this week pans out better than last week.

i am hearing - dh sorting out some laundry for me (aw, isn't he sweet?) and my youngest lying on the floor next to me...talking to herself (one of her favorite past times).

around the house - it is still (thankfully) pretty clean after having the pampered chef party on saturday. however, i observed this morning that the kids have trashed the basement. think legos, plastic dishes/food and little people spewed all over the entire room. add in a few random video game controllers, dress up clothes and pieces of construction paper for good measure and you've got the picture. i think they will definitely be tending to that this morning.

one of my favorite things - is cuddling with freshly tubbed little people in warm winter jammies. my son knows i like this so much that he will run straight from the tub to find me so that i can smell his head. (yeah, we're weird...i don't need the confirmation.)

a few plans for the rest of the week - some random things here and there but mostly singing for praise and worship tuesday night (and that means spending some much needed time with the Big Guy Upstairs) and dh husband has the day off on friday. we really, really need this after all of the overtime he has been pulling.

here is a picture thought i am sharing -
ok, two picture thoughts. we didn't have a picture of the three of them together. but anyway, these are my little people at the all saints day party at our parish. the oldest is st. agnes, the little man is st. george (which he is every year by the way) and the youngest is our lady of guadalupe...sort of.

have a wonderful day and stop on over to peggy's to check out the other day book entries. she now has a page solely dedicated to the day book so i'm going to link to that one too because well, i'm a paranoid kind of girl that likes to cover all my bases. :)

I Want To Thank The Academy...

2008-11-04T03:21:00.000-08:00

...and michele for giving me and "i love your blog award." strategic campaigning and voting among the masses this was not, but since i never win anything...and to give a bit of levity to my morning on this election day...i'll certainly accept with a smile. :) see, there it is. and now, without further ado...on to the questions (of course any award needs to be accompanied by questions answered quickly and concisely in order to provide some great sound bites for the adoring fans...alright, the rules are that i have to answer them in one word...not so much for the sound bites).

1. where is your cell phone? purse
2. where is dh? store
3. your hair color? blonde
4. your mother? illinois
5. your father? illinois
6. your favorite thing? peace
7. your dream last night? varied
8. your dream/goal? heaven
9. the room you're in? bedroom
10. your hobby? beading
11. your fear? many
12. where do you want to be in six years? here
13. where were you last night? library
14. what you're not? organized
15. one of your wish list items? minivan
16. where you grew up? illinois
17. the last thing you did? exercise
18. what are you wearing? outfit
19. your tv? off
20. your pet? cat
21. your computer? old
22. your mood? dizzy (ok, i know that's more of a physical condition and now i've broken the one word thing but this morning it's really bad)
23. missing someone? yep
24. your car? fleeting
25. something you're not wearing? moonboots
26. favorite store? thrift
27. your summer? good
28. love someone? many
29. your favorite color? blue
30. when is the last time you laughed? seconds
31. last time you cried? yesterday

i nominate the following bloggers for this oh so prestigious award...
1. red cardigan...i mean erin...over at and sometimes tea
2. chris who is burning the candle at both ends
3. stephanie who blogs at xialife about their beautiful little girl and soon to be new addition to the family.

instructions for the recipients...
-display your award
-link back to the person who gave it to you
-nominate at least three other blogs
-put links to those blogs on yours
-leave a message on the blogs of people you have nominated
-enjoy your award
-have a good day
-go vote (for life)

ok, i added the last two (and i know someone has already voted) but hey, it's on my mind.

God Knew It...

2008-11-03T18:35:00.000-08:00

and right now you are saying, "well, of course...He knows everything." but exactly what "it" am i speaking of. what else are people speaking of these days, the election. i have been amazed in the past when i have heard God speak to me from the readings or the Gospel at mass. i have sat in utter amazement just thinking "wow, He knew, back when the whole system of readings and stuff were being put in place...He knew what i would need, right now, years and years later." but, i have been even more amazed that He knew about this election. i know this shouldn't surprise me like it does, but i can't help it. i have sat astounded for the past four sundays at how the Gospel is speaking to our situation as a country. i'm sure that this has been coming home to me at an even deeper level thanks to the absolutely home run, straight out of the park homilies which our parish priest has been delivering during this time period. every week has been on life issues and every week he has made it abundantly clear that as catholics, we must stand up for the innocent life of the unborn above all. this is the value that must be put into place before anything else can ever hope to be set right. without this core knowledge, hope and belief in the intrinsic, God given value of life in each and every human being, no matter what the situation in which they are conceived, no matter what the situation which they will be born into and no matter what special hurdles they may be born with, nothing else will ever stand. i have been finding it rather frightening lately while listening to obama and his push for all sorts of "social justice." i seem to remember this man who spoke elegantly about social reform for the good of the people and spreading the wealth around. and in my daughter's schoolwork we have been reading an awful lot about this man who was started a civilian militia which aided in the "re-education" of the people. and we all know what happened in both of those situations. and before people get all up in arms, no, i'm not calling obama "hitler" or "mao." but, let's just say i having been finding some very frightening parallels in policy design. but, essentially it boils down to, without the core belief that all people, no matter what, are created by God and deserve a chance to live, it all begins to fold. it has to. it has nowhere to stand, nowhere to lay it's head. all of the social policy, the antiwar rhetoric and the "for the common good" is a castle built on the sand. it has no foundation, so it will collapse in on itself and take all who dwell within with it.

this past summer we attended a different parish than usual one saturday evening and the priest began his homily by speaking of freedoms. he said how especially people in the united states believe that we have so many freedoms, which we do. but, gradually, day by day, year by year, we are giving those freedoms away. we are relinquishing them to what is "progressive," what is "the majority." every time we lose sight of what is true, what is good, what is holy and take a step away from Him, we lose another freedom. truth is what sets you free and i dare say this is one which we step further and further away from every day. in this same homily this priest spoke of Jesus giving peter the keys to the kingdom. he then asked if we believed God trusted us enough to give us the keys to the kingdom. and then he said, "to those of you who have children...He already has." this is the truth we are missing. other people...especially unborn ones...are the keys to the truth this country needs. they are not a problem, a burden, a mistake. they are the key. God gives the gift of a child and so many find that gift inconvenient, a burden, a problem. they find that maybe that gift isn't wrapped exactly as they think it should be because it is possible that it may have a disability. and frankly, when we do this we are just playing the rude little child at christmas that everybody hates who says, "this isn't what i wanted!" and goes off to pout and whine in the corner. it's time to cut the "i should get everything i want, exactly how i want it and only when i want it" crap and grow up.

so, with all of this being said, it has been a blessing for me that the month leading up to the election is respect life month. and, i am blessed enough to be a part of a parish where our priest has chosen to preach each week of this month on a different life issue. one week he led the congregation to paragraph 1849 in the catechism of the catholic church. the first part of this paragraph reads like this,

"Sin is an offense against reason, truth
and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor
caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods."

maybe i'm reading this wrong but i see that "perverse attachment to certain goods" in those who are choosing to vote for obama. this can especially be seen in those who actually seem to believe that a vote for obama is a vote for pro-life. they may have an attachment to social welfare or education or the war. but like i said before, through this attachment to something other than the basic kernel of life, they are mistaken.

a few weeks ago i was willing to throw in the towel, to say enough is enough and watch obama win. i've changed my mind. i am getting tired of wading through the manure that the media parades as the truth. i am sick of the skewed and sometimes downright false "facts," the underhanded motives that drive newspaper articles and the fact that most of the media has been campaigning for obama since the beginning under the guise of truth in reporting. i hate all of it and frankly have only found a few sites that i think, just maybe, i can trust to get the truth. but i am not tired of hoping, praying and working for the truth. in fact, today i threw all caution to the wind and met some others from our parish at the noon mass and followed it up with a rosary prayed for the intention of this election on front steps. it felt good to unite with others in prayer and it helped to quiet my heart a bit. on the way to a friend's house afterward my oldest daughter said that she wished she could do something. i told her that she could. she could pray. and that is a very important something. she then said that it just seemed like alot of people were going to vote for obama. i agreed but told her that is no reason for us to stop praying for a miracle because it is sure that God will work this out in accord with His plan. and then, i had to make sure that i reminded her that even if obama wins, we still have to know that God heard our prayers and that He has a plan for all of this. in reply, she exhibited such a grown up understanding when she said, "so it could be kind of like joseph." i was a little confused and asked her to explain. she said that with joseph, God brought good out of the bad. He took the evil that joseph's brothers committed and used it to save a people. what an observation. out of the mouth's of babes, right?

so, i will be praying without ceasing again tomorrow. please pray with me. pray for our children, our freedom and our country.

Simply Monday - November 3rd

2008-11-03T03:14:00.000-08:00

for today...

outside my window - it is still dark but the weather man says it's going to be a nice day...a not in the forties kind of day. i can really handle this kind of weather for the first few days of november.

i am thinking - about the election. who isn't?

from the learning rooms - thank you to all who wrote with encouragement last week about our school issues. we took the rest of the week (after a huge blow up on monday) away from math and had a happier house. both myself and my daughter needed the break as we were both just starting to be so anxious about her math and it was tainting the rest of the school day.

i am thankful for - time to relax yesterday. it was greatly needed by the entire family. our weekends have seemed so busy and everybody hanging out in their pjs until noon yesterday was just what we needed. we had went to mass on saturday night and stayed for an all saints day party (which i have yet to make the time to post about).

from the kitchen - i canned the applesauce and now i have been able to reclaim the space in my fridge. i need to make up another batch of breakfast sandwiches but i have to get some eggs first. i boiled up some stock this weekend from a chicken we had. i froze most of it but saved some to make chicken noodle soup for dinner tonight.

i am wearing - a spacesuit. i have no idea. just work with me here and know that i'm actually wearing the same boring workout clothes that i got tired of posting about.

i am reading - a few different books on canning and preserving, trying to decide whether i just want to go the traditional direction with the christmas gifts for family or if i'm going to branch out into something different. every year i hear some voices from the "it's the same thing...again" camp but i also know that if i deviate...those voices will suddenly become the "why did you change" camp. you just can't win.

i am hoping - that obama doesn't win this election. pure and simple. that is my greatest prayer, hope, wish and dream this week.

i am creating - a post about the election that i have been working on for the past month. i figure i should polish and finish it before the election...but of course not too far ahead of the election. procrastination and revision after revision...that's my style y'all.

i am hearing - the kids complaining about being chilly and getting their clothes on. you see. i am holding out and haven't turned the heat on yet. it's just a little chilly in here in the morning but it has been warming up nicely during the day.

around the house - yep, laundry and some other little projects. nothing too exciting. oh, and i got some curtains last night. now we just need to hang the rod and we'll be home free. i find it kind of an embarrassing commentary that we have been in this house eight months and i still haven't hung curtains. i'm sure our neighbors now know our schedules like clockwork.

one of my favorite things - is taking a nap. yesterday my husband and i had a discussion about what interests us. he listed off a few things and then asked me what interested me. i said, "interests? i don't have interests. i have children." i told him that i'm doing things with the kids all day so i can't do other things. obviously. he then asked what i liked to do when i was done being with the kids all day. to which i replied "sleep." he then made the proclamation that my interest was "sleeping." wow, that's great. thanks for pointing that out honey.

a few plans for the rest of this week - pray like crazy for this election, possibly have practice for "the band" on tuesday, and just a few little activities of the kids here and there. oh, and my pampered chef party on saturday. anybody need some kitchen gadgets?

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you -"and because i'm so cute...the nice people of the neighborhood gave me all of this!"

please jog on over to peggy's to check out all the other day book entries.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

well, today began the weekend my kids have been looking forward to for a month. when else can you spend two days dressing up, playing make believe...and getting tons of candy? the last day of october (all hallows eve) and the first day of november (all saints day), of course. so, we began our meager preparations on wednesday evening by carving our pumpkins. it had been so cold outside that there was frost inside of the pumpkins.
of course, it took some debating, but in the end we ended up with batman and princess dora...
and a sock monkey and a, um, er, window scene...i'm not even going to talk about that one. that's what our oldest calls "picking out something really easy so she can carve it herself and then expecting me to do it but getting mad that she can't do it because she didn't pick something simple like a face which i asked her to." but i digress.
then, last night we put the finishing touches on costumes like making a sheath for a sword and a whip out of a toilet paper tube, yarn and electric tape. i was rather proud of the whip. i felt like macgyver. and tonight, we put a grand spread of candy out on our porch and our little monkey, indiana jones and not so little ninja headed out to get some candy of their own.and did they ever get the candy.in fact, they brought home enough candy to build a "fort."we all had a wonderful night. i found myself enjoying it as much as the kids. this is something that we have dreamed of for our kids for years now. you see, while we lived in the city there was nowhere to trick or treat around our house that was safe. so, we would always load the kids up in the car and head off to somebody else's development. so this year it was such a blessing to be able to walk right out of our door and go. we saw that halloween in our development is such a family thing. the sidewalks and streets were teaming with costumed kids...with their brothers and sisters...and their parents. people were out in their driveways with their neighbors handing out candy and having a wonderful time. and the weather was beautiful too. tonight just added to the blessings we have received since moving here.
tomorrow night we will be having an all saints day party at our parish. so stay tuned for pictures of saint agnes, saint george and saint elizabeth/helen/gianna/blessed kateri/our lady of guadalupe...depending on the final decision our littlest little person.

Just As I've Expected

2008-10-27T19:09:00.000-07:00

i knew that the values in this country were off kilter and that liberals are against any sort of mocking or ridiculing of someone...as long as they aren't conservative, pro-life or for real family values. in that case, it's open season. but this double standard just takes all of the cake that i can bake.

Simply Monday - October 27th

2008-10-27T03:22:00.000-07:00

for today...

outside my window - it is still dark but not too chilly this time around. the weather this weekend was rather nice for the end of october but the weather man says it's going to get chilly this afternoon.

i am thinking - that i don't have time to search again for holy cards for the all saints party on saturday. you would think since i ordered them in the middle of last week that the company would have told me before today that they were backordered and they estimate they will be here in thirty days.

from the learning rooms - it's a slow go. last week was a hard one with alot of tears and such between my daughter and i. she is finding this year to be her first experience where she really has to try at schoolwork and has pretty much been operating under the guise that something is wrong and she shouldn't have to try. there are things we have been working on for two weeks now and she is not on iota closer to having them under her belt. i would not expect her to have them down pat in this period of time, but let me restate this...she's not one inch closer. we had a big talk and she promised through tears that she would try as hard as she could while i assured her through tears (i guess we are cut from the same sensitive cloth) that we wanted her here at the house to learn...but that doesn't change the fact that she needs to learn. it was a rough week. i've been feeling like a failure in the schooling arena especially lately. i hope this week starts looking up.

i am thankful for - finally getting the situation with the bug company and the whole theft thing sort of ironed out. they finally agreed to cancel our contract without any penalty. i personally think we should get it in writing. they never acknowledged the theft or apologized or repaid us for the items stolen but since they rarely would take or return our phone calls we decided that we needed to get to the most important part of the deal while we had them talking with us.

from the kitchen - i finally made (some) of the applesauce the other day. unfortunately, it is all still in my refrigerator in containers. i need to take it out this evening, warm it up and can it. then i have some cauliflower that i need to turn into soup and some more apples calling my name. at least dinner will be easy, meatball subs from the crock pot with the homemade meatballs. this also means really yummy sauce that is leftover for the week to be used in the middle of grilled cheese sandwiches and on homemade pizza.

i am wearing - a monkey suit, a ninja outfit and some miscellaneous pieces of indiana jones paraphernalia...in other words, trying to keep all of my children's halloween costumes within eye shot until they get dressed on friday evening. otherwise, something is bound to walk off to the land of no return and them i'm going to be left to "fix" it.

i am reading - "100 people who are screwing up america" by bernard goldberg. while i don't agree with everything he says and exactly how he thinks the united states should end up, this has been a great read so far. it's shocking to me that he could say the things he does about liberals and such and still have this be a nyt best seller.

i am hoping - that nothing happens this week that isn't already on the schedule. last week was permeated by surprise doctor's appointments that needed to be made and other things that cut into school time and also nap time (which i am the most saddened to report).

i am creating - a small unit study to use this week on the election for the kids. it would be promising if i actually get it finished before next tuesday.

i am hearing - my husband waking up the children and them saying/whining "noooooo, we can't get up while it's still dark. something has to be wrong." hmm, never mind the fact that they get up before dark oh, let's see, every day.

around the house - laundry needs to be done like always. i was going to start a load last night to get a jump on it but our entire development did not have water. i don't know what happened but it went out about seven in the evening. thank the good Lord it is back this morning. at our old house we were out for two days last year and that was not a fun two days for me and the kids at the house all day.

one of my favorite things - is when my husband comes home from work at normal time. he usually works overtime which equates to about a ten or eleven hour day. it's getting old and i'm getting tired. i know i should be thankful he still has a job...i am, trust me. we just need to slow down our weekends so that i can recoup before starting into another marathon week.

a few plans for the rest of the week - little flowers today, spanish and piano tomorrow and hopefully getting some new mums for the front porch (mine went to the great land beyond) at the auction, wednesday is naps, thursday has gymanstics and irish dance, friday...hey, naps again...in prep for trick or treating in the evening and saturday is the all saints party, organized by yours truly.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you -
ah, the torture of being made to eat one bite of everything that is on the table...when you swear that you don't like a single one of them.

have a good week, pray for the election and check out the other day book entries over at peggy's.

Simply Monday - October 20th

2008-10-20T03:17:00.000-07:00

for today...

outside my window - it is still dark and rather chilly. fall has definitely taken hold and winter is on its way. as far as the darkness goes, it always makes me laugh when we get the kids up and they say, "why are you getting us up now, it's still dark...so it can't possibly be time to wake up."

i am thinking - that at least three out of five days today include time for "nap time." jack pot!

from the learning rooms - it's week seven and things are still trucking along, which i am very grateful for. slacking in a few areas...ahem, science and latin. but it's just not here and there slacking, it's as totally missing slacking. so that's better right? then it can be done in its own intensive unit way...right? :) the little man is also doing much better than i anticipated and really enjoying himself. he finished his first phonics book last friday, which was supposed to take him until christmas to complete so that is good news. i guess i underestimated him. he really has a good grasp on it all too and is overjoyed to be reading his first few basic words but not upset that he isn't able to read more. and that is a very good combo for me as teacher. 'cause then i can stick with the phonics that i truly love and believe work like no other method of teaching reading and not have to interject those little books "to boost your child's confidence, entertain them and make them think they are learning to read but their actually only memorizing what tons of different words look like and when asked to sound something out they are up a creek." (says she who just started her sentence with "'cause"...literary genius...trust me, i know). oh sure, i'm all for sight words and know that there are some that only work that way...but not every word in the english language is a sight word.

i am thankful for - a very blessed weekend. saturday was very busy with a spiritual retreat for liturgical ministers at my parish in the morning and then a trip to baltimore with "the band" to play for a youth mass and holy hour there. and we actually made some money, so we can actually buy some recording time. all in all on saturday, i was blessed to attend mass twice (one for saturday and one for my sunday obligation) and spend time with Jesus exposed in the Eucharist on the altar three times. yippee! :) then last night we attended a dinner sponsored by our parish to support our parish school. the tickets are rather expensive but we were asked to attend by someone else and therefore had a wonderful night out for free. we were also able to sit at a table with some friends and some others whom we got to know. the conversation at the table turned political and to life issues and i would please ask you to keep everyone at the table in your prayers. those who are trying to uphold the sanctity of life and those who believe in that sanctity but do not believe they should push that belief on others. all in all it was a very good discussion and i believe there will be some wonderful fruits that come of it.

from the kitchen - well, today better include banana bread or else those bananas are going to adhere themselves to my counter.

i am wearing - the classiest cream business suit w/ a skirt you ever did see. black calf high boots with a stellar heel. my hair is in a great up-do and i have on some trendy gorgeous spectacles...oh, no. wait. that was governor palin when she was here in lancaster on saturday. and i had to miss her...again.

i am reading - well, i was trying to read "happy times in noisy village to my kids" but it is due today and when i tried to renew it, the system wouldn't let me because somebody has a hold on it. i hate how they don't tell you that beforehand so you can plan ahead for that. anybody have a copy they want to lend me?

i am hoping - to get some things done around the house this week since we have a bit of a laid back schedule this week.

i am creating - a few history unit studies and hopefully something else...i would allude to the secret project, but why bother. it's old hat, procrastination and poor time management now.

i am hearing - the clicking of the keyboard and other than that...silence. that is definitely my favorite benefit of getting up early. i certainly don't have that for the rest of the day.

around the house - there is laundry to be done, just like every monday. and the basement needs major straightening if i am to get any sewing done or know where the heck all of our school manipulatives and games are.

one of my favorite things - is spending time with my family just being. i just love when we are able to spend time here at the house all together without running here and there.

a few plans for the rest of the week - schoolwork of course, possibly some time at the library and "the band" traveling to a parish south of here to play for a holy hour (and get paid a little bit more to put to the recording money).

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - there's nothing like having one of your favorite uncles visit and push you in your swing...
...and your car. :)

don't forget to take a hop, skip and a jump over to peggy's to check out all of the other daybook entries.

Just As I've Suspected

2008-10-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

take a look at this story that mary ellen posted today. it affirms what we've been saying here at the ole' homestead for quite some time. many people...getting the wool pulled over their eyes...by a slick...fast talking...cult of personality...that they have no idea what he stands for. ugh. and double ugh.

Anger

2008-10-15T19:35:00.000-07:00

well, i'm sitting here watching ann what's her face talking to six poor souls and doing every thing she can to spin the facts and what they say to show how up a creek mccain is and what kind of a gift from above obama is. and you know what? i'm angry. i'm angry at the media who thinks they are so darned important that they should be able to latch on to a candidate from day one and then tell us what to think. and, i'm angry that so many of us allow the media to tell us what to think. we just lie down and take it and follow where they lead like sheep. it doesn't matter that this man lied through his teeth when he answered the question dealing with roe v. wade. when he is able to sit there, while supposedly fleshing out everything that he stands for, and completely backtrack against what he has already said about how he will pick supreme court justices and how he wants to insure that a woman can kill her child without asking anyone (insert his popular quote about the difficult decision between a woman and her spouse, minister, etc), without getting anyone's permission and at any time she wants to up until that child's body fully makes its entrance into the world on it's own. i'm frightened that the american people are allowing the wool to be pulled over their eyes by a slick talking man that seems to have all the answers all the time...even if the answer isn't the same twice.

Simple Monday - October 13th

2008-10-13T03:09:00.000-07:00

outside my window - it is dark and still a bit brisk, but it will only stay that way for a short time. today it is supposed to be in the upper seventies. it is october, right?

i am thinking - that i am truly afraid of what is going to happen in our country if obama becomes president. there have been many times that i have not liked a presidential candidate and hated to think what would happen if and when they were elected but his extremism and total disregard for life are just appalling and frightening.

from the learning rooms - we are entering week six of school. we have made it without any big issues and we are still on schedule as we should be...except for science. that always seems to fall by the wayside. arrgh. (look at that. i started out this heading feeling good and now i'm thinking how much of a science slacker i am. :) )

i am thankful for - my husband using a personal day (hopefully, if it's approved) this coming friday. the busyness of our weekends and the earliness of our days has me totally wiped out.

from the kitchen - i will make the applesauce this week, i will make the applesauce this week...say it with me now...

i am wearing - a floor length blue chiffon gown with a high neck and diamonds...lots of diamonds. my hair is in a terrific up-do which greatly accents my elegant blue feather boa and diamond tiara...i just really wanted to say something other than the same work out clothes...oh, and while we're at it, my children are perfectly groomed and well mannered.

i am reading - so much about this election it makes me want to vomit. it's so hard to wade through everything they want you to see and think and be able to find some truth with which you can do your own thinking. i guess that's what they want to avoid...thinking.

i am hoping - that the person from the company, which we had a problem with, will finally call my husband back today and we can get a suitable solution to the problem. it involves a service person and theft from our home so the better business bureau won't touch it and i'm not one to even think about the lawyer route...we just need to be let out of our contract without penalty at the least.

i am creating - a plan to use the american girl cookbooks and craft books for a fun day or two with my oldest to reinforce what we are studying in history right now. and i got derailed, but i'm heading back to the secret project again.

i am hearing - the cat purring, crickets and my husband doing a few things around the house before the kids get up.

around the house - there is a load or two of laundry to be done but like a week's worth to fold. i have no problem getting it washed and dried. it's just the folding and putting away that alludes me. isn't that somebody else's job?

one of my favorite things - is a day when we can all take a nap. those days are much too infrequent.

a few plans for the rest of the week - some activities, some school work and much general tidying of the house for my brother in law's visit at the end of the week.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you -most people would call it camel and that's that. i say, "turn it on it's side and you've got a penguin diving into icy water." and yes, this is what i do with my spare time.

don't forget to step in over at peggy's to take a gander at the other super gee golly terrific day book entries.

We Were Off To See The Wizard

2008-10-11T19:06:00.000-07:00

for the past two weeks we have been reading "the wizard of oz" at bedtime. we had promised the kids that we would watch the movie when we finished. and, since we finished the book last night, tonight was the night. since the kids had been waiting for this i wanted to make it something more special than popping in a video. so what else is there to do but have a theme dinner. i just love them. so, while the kids were watching the first half of the movie in the living room, my husband and i put together a feast just right for our munchkins. we whipped up "lion's courage elixir." otherwise known as black cherry kool aid (which we thought was going to be treat because they never get stuff like this, but they thought it was gross)"lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" animal crackers"tinman's axes," which were candied fruit slices with pretzel sticks for handles"scarecrow's stuffing," shoestring french friesand "follow the yellow brick road" pizza cut into bricks (my husband is a stickler for details some times)this was all laid out for them on blue gingham placemats to match dorothy's dress.and what trip down the yellow brick road is complete without a visit to the emerald cityconstructed out of lime knox blocks and reddiwip?

after dinner we finished up the movie and sent them off to bed. we had a wonderful night and it was so fun to do it with them.

Feasts, Farm Shows And Utter-ly Amazing Views

2008-10-11T18:14:00.001-07:00

well, despite my lack of posting, we have been busy little beavers around here. on tuesday we celebrated the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. i read to the children during the afternoon about this special day and then while they napped/had quiet time i baked up a little surprise. that evening (while i was out at music rehearsal...it's for "the band" man...ha,ha) my delightful husband helped them frost the surprise i had baked. yes, it must travel with the last name to have feast days revolve around cake. ;) a big ol' hat tip, thank you and "i love you" to my husband for this one. because we all know, when you add together an eight year old, a five year old, a two year old and some frosting......you never know what will happen. but there you have it. a very messy and sticky rosary (or at least a finger rosary, for the life of me i couldn't figure out what i would do with over fifty cupcakes for a full one, or where i would find all of that space to display it, crazy, yes, but i did ponder it).

on thursday we met friends of ours (who are also our neighbors) at the manheim farm show. it was family night and we were told that it was all free and there were quite a few bizarre competitions that the kids could participate in. and we were not disappointed. we missed the obstacle race, in which i'm told that one of the obstacles was jumping over the chocolate pudding "cow pie." but, we were lucky enough to witness the egg toss, the greased banana toss, the pumpkin toss (there's nothin' like grown men tossing ten pound pumpkins to each other across a baseball field) and the chicken catching contest.this is what my kids looked forward to all night long. just think twenty kids chasing after one chicken and just when you think one of them has caught it...nope, there comes the chicken between their legs and off they go again.
and just for the record. my children came nowhere near catching any of the chickens, but two of them did end up in tears. ah, childhood. they also had fun with friends...had a feeding frenzy on french fries...and one of them even ate quite alot of ketchup off of their friend's finger...other people may have stopped them. we just laughed and took pictures.

finally, today i sang at a wedding and then we ran some errands. on the way home we pulled up behind this on the interstate.we thought the view was "utterly amooosing!"

Breakfast Sandwiches...Finally!

2008-10-08T03:28:00.000-07:00

i am happy to report that the other day i finally tackled the task of the breakfast sandwiches. here is living color is the play by play action.

first, separate and toast your english muffins. and after they have toasted, lightly butter each half. you can do however many sandwiches you would like. if you do too few, it's not really worth the trouble. if you do too many, well, you could be here all day. i made twelve this time. it was completely bearable to make but i am rather bothered i took all that time and only have twelve in my freezer to show for it. anywho. oh, and i find that the best time to make these is when the ingredients coincide with a sale at the grocery store. for some reason our store usually has english muffins and bacon buy one get one the same week. i don't know why, but i'm not complaining.

while your various muffins are toasting, go ahead and cook your bacon. i coook mine in the microwave because i'm just not into all the grease flying around off the stove. we don't fry anything around here. i don't want to mess. if you want to cook your bacon in the microwave, line a microwave safe plate with a few paper towels and then lay out the bacon in a single file line (hee, hee). Then cover it with a few more paper towels and cook in microwave on high for about four to five minutes depending on your microwave and desired crispiness. when it's done, leave the bacon sit in the microwave...the plate, and the bacon are usually very hot. oh, and when cooking your bacon you need to have one slice for each muffin.

when you have the muffins and bacon squared away you can turn your attention to the eggs. of course, eggs are better when they come straight from the chicken...such as these. but ones from the store, of course, will work just fine. once again just like the bacon, you need one egg per muffin. cook each egg individually however you wish. i whip each of mine in a small bowl and then drop it on a hot griddle so it doesn't spread too much. when it's pretty much cooked i flip it over to get the other side. and if towards the end when the griddle is really hot...you find that your smoke detector goes off. well, pull yourself up a chair and fan it with an ad from the sunday paper...like i did. and then be thankful that your smoke detectors are hard wired through your house so if one goes off, they all go off. and then accept the fact that those same lovely smoke detectors have woke up your two year old who was napping upstairs. well, at least we know they do their job.

after all of the prep work is done it is time to assemble. on a square of paper towel, open up your muffin and place your egg, bacon and a slice of cheese on it. i find that i prefer the cheese in the middle because when you heat them back up it kind of holds the sandwich together. i have tried all kinds of cheese and they work equally well. after you have the sandwich assembled, wrap it up in the paper towel and place it in a freezer baggie. i put four of mine in a gallon sized bag but you can package however you like. then, put them in the freezer.

when you want to eat them again just pull one from the bag and put it in the microwave on high for thirty seconds, flip it over, and then do another thirty seconds. voila. a hot, ready to eat breakfast sandwich.

the original idea for this recipe was found in the frozen assets cookbook. i have tweaked it a bit here and there to fit our family. i highly recommend this book if you are into putting fully prepared food in the freezer for later use. this book is where i got my recipe for the meatballs that i prepare and freeze. i don't use the entire meal plan like it is outlined in the book, just various recipes.

In Case Anyone Is Wondering...

2008-10-06T09:41:00.001-07:00

...the itchys were deemed poison ivy by the doctor. since the poor little boy's body is completely covered, he will be taking an oral medication which will hopefully get rid of them quickly. he makes me itchy just looking at him. now to look around the yard and figure out where he got it from. he was two places (not at our house) where there was definitely poison ivy in the past two weeks but the doctor says that there was too much time between any possible exposure there and the time he broke out. who know. i'll probably never figure it out. and on a good note, i found out my daughter doesn't have a meeting this afternoon. i didn't check my paper calendar in conjunction with my mental calendar...and you know which one of those is flawed more often than not. :) so, that means we are home for the rest of the day (except to pick up the little man's prescription). yippee!

Simply Monday - October 6th

2008-10-06T03:34:00.000-07:00

outside my window - it is still dark and chilly.

i am thinking - that today is going to be a long day. my son broke out with some strange rash on saturday. so, today we are going to try and get as much schoolwork done before we need to leave for his doctor's appt at ten thirty and then decide whether we are going to come home or not before my daughter needs to be somewhere on the other side of town. i love living where we do now away from the city, but travels have to be planned with care.

from the learning rooms - there is alot of dawdling from my oldest. if staring off into nowhere and accomplishing nothing were an olympic sport...she would be champion of the world.

i am thankful for - not bringing all of my stuff back from the consignment sale. but, it was sheer craziness. that's a complete post in and of itself.

from the kitchen - today i am hoping to throw a loaf of bread in the machine for a meal i am taking to someone and then hopefully on to the applesauce.

i am wearing - ...yup, the workout clothes.

i am reading - multiple cooking magazines trying to jazz up our menu. i'm getting tired of cooking the same thing week after week. and who knows. they may be tired of eating it too.

i am hoping - to get my mind and my house straightened around this week and feel like i have some hold on order. things have been a jumble lately.

i am creating - some ideas on how to celebrate the liturgical calendar with my kids.

i am hearing - mostly quiet except the quiet chatter of my son in the bathroom down the hall as his daddy dries him off from his bath and covers him in hydrocortisone to stop his itchys.

around the house - there is laundry to wash and to fold (as per usual...or as per always), clutter that needs to be tamed and i really need to take all the summer stuff out of the kids drawers. i got out the pants and long sleeves but they keep showing up with shorts from somewhere.

one of my favorite things - is how my little boy's hair smells right after a bath. he always comes in and says "hey mommy, smell me. i smell good." and i have to take advantage of this right away because well, this is the little boy whose room has smelled like a locker room since he was eighteen months old.

a few plans for the rest of the week - the doctor's, little flowers, band rehearsal, spanish, piano, gymnastics, dance, nature study...oops, that's more than a few huh?

here's a picture thought i am sharing with you -
my animals put on a dancing show

have a great day and don't neglect all the other great daybooks that can be found over at peggy's.

...and i finally pull something off.

2008-10-01T17:57:00.000-07:00

happy feast of st. therese of the little flower! well, i would be lying if i told you that i was one of those catholic homeschooling moms that is always on top of things and every liturgical celebration here goes off without a hitch...or goes off at all for that matter. i always have the best plans. i swear i do. but usually, i frankly, just forget about them until it's too late. and i don't want all of my kids memories to be "yeah, do you remember when we finally celebrated st. patrick's day in june?" or "man, that was a cool craft we made for the epiphany...in may." yeah, you get the picture. so i was rather proud of myself when this morning (let's not plan too far ahead here, right?) i remembered that today was st. therese's feast day. i scoured some books i had and browsed the internet and came up with a few ideas that i thought were reasonable to accomplish in one day with three pretty small children. well of course, on the day i plan to do something fun after lunch, who should decide to take twelve years to complete her school work? yes, my third grader. so, at two thirty in the afternoon we were (finally) finishing up her school work (we had been at it since eight thirty, with only a half hour break for lunch) and i sent them all out to play (run off some of their energy that was driving me crazy) in the back yard. at three i decided that if i tried the special activities right then they wouldn't be so "special" after all, unless you think of world war three as special. we all went upstairs for quiet time/nap time and i thought that maybe we would get to the activities later. well, i am happy to report that we did. first, we made sacrifice beads with a lovely printable booklet from here. i knew that if i stopped for just a moment, i could make them without the instructions. but really, with a two, five and eight year old...who has time to stop and figure anything out. this little booklet is wonderful.

next, the kids colored pictures of st. therese acquired from waltzing matilda (check out all of her great coloring pages for tons of feast days, they are free and beautiful) while i tried to make these paper flowers. i think the people over at shower of roses had much better luck with theirs than i did with mine. next time i think i should print off the directions in higher resolution in order to actually figure out what is going on. so much for saving ink.

then we finished up our celebration with some "mini eclairs" from catholic cuisine. ours were particularly easy because they came pre-stuffed from the dairy section. i didn't have any frosting whipped up so we just melted some chocolate and spread it on the top. and whenever you can choose between butter cream frosting and pure dark chocolate from wilbur...well, the choice is quite obvious.

they even gave some of us "french" mustaches.

what a tasty end to our feast! i'm hoping to pull off another minor miracle tomorrow...say a prayer for me. :)