Small Successes

1. Sent out new family pictures to friends and family. I am terrible at this for some reason. I know it is fairly easy to upload pictures and then send them out to people via Kodak, but still, I rarely do it.

2. We have had a great two weeks of homeschooling and lots of efficient planning by moi, thanks to great new organization system called workboxing. We have learned a lot and done some fun and creative things too.

3. Almost finished decorating the big girls' room. We bought a new chest and lamps from IKEA and I finished putting up the border which is made from sweet alphabet fairy cards. There are a couple of more things I need to do, but overall it is coming together and looks like a real cozy bedroom, not just a room with two twin beds!

Interview with a mom

I found this on Sara's blog. I did this with all of the kids individually and they did not hear or know the other's answers. I thought this was so funny and a wonderful capture of us at a point in time. Their answers really surprised me and were kind of wierd at times ( I have never, ever done any ballet!)Jake-10 Ryan-9 Luke-6 and Laine-6



1. What is something your mom always says to you?

J-That is unacceptable!

R-I love you

Lu-400

La-sit down!




2. What makes your mom happy?

J-Love notes

R-being obedient

Lu-when I make her bed and clean her room without asking

La-tickling her



3. What makes your mom sad?

J-Disobeidence

R-when you're disobedient

Lu-I don't know

La-when someone dies

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

J-When she brings out the tickle machine

R-by tickling me

Lu-saying funny stuff

La-tickling me



5. What was your mom like as a child?

J-I don't really know

R-I don't know

Lu-I don't know

La-she had long hair and she looked like Aunt Anne



6. How old is your mom?

J-35

R-33

Lu-34

La-34



7. How tall is your mom?

J-5'3

R-I don't know

Lu-83 inches

La-50 feet



8. What is her favorite thing to do?

J-have free time with all the kids

R-do things with her kids

Lu-play with Sara

La-do work



9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

J- work on the computer

R-I don't know

Lu-only God knows that

La-do work



10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

J-for being the best mom ever

R-being the greatest mom in the world

Lu-dancing (!)

La-dancing (again ?!?)



11. What is your mom really good at?

J-talking

R-crocheting

Lu-ballet (?)

La-typing really fast




12. What is your mom not very good at?

J-talking quietly

R-basketball

Lu-hulahooping

La-putting away things



13. What does your mom do for a job?

J-be a mom

R-cleans up around the house

Lu-I don't know

La-she talks to Dad about work



14.What is your mom's favorite food?

J-I don't know

R-lasagna

Lu-pizza

La-pizza



15.What makes you proud of your mom?

J-when she crochets

R-that she is my mom

Lu-when she cleans up our rooms

La-when she kisses me goodnight



16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

J-Daisy Duck

R-Olive Oil

Lu-Sandy from Sponge Bob

La-Sleeping Beauty




17. What do you and your mom do together?

J-sit on the couch and talk

R-eat ice cream

Lu-I don't know

La-we sing



18. How are you and your mom the same?

J-We have the same size feet

R-we have the same faces

Lu-we have the same eye color

La-we have brown eyes




19. How are you and your mom different?

J-She's a girl

R-We have different colored eyes

Lu-I'm wearing these and your wearing those

La- My mom has black hair



20. How do you know your mom loves you?

J-cause she says it every night

R-because she makes rules for us

Lu-she always does

La-becasue I am her daughter



21. What does your mom like most about your dad?

J-his humor

R-he's funny

Lu-I don't know, that's a hard question

La-he's happy


22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?

J-everywhere

R-Mad Italian

Lu-the grocery store

La-the grocery store

Unfortunately

funny meme: try typing your name and unfortunately into google and see what crazy things you have been up to:

Unfortunately, Tracy is not eligible to benefit from the reforms because of the date she was arrested.

Unfortunately, Tracy has been on the show before, and on that occasion he tried to stab Conan.

Unfortunately, Tracy didn't have her camera with her.

Unfortunately, Tracy makes it worse by crying about it, just like last year.

Unfortunately, Tracy was dogged by a not unusual demon of the gifted: booze.

Daybook

Outside My Window...Very overcast and gray. A few brown shrunken oak leaves are still clinging on, but for the most part the trees are empty.



I am thankful for... family who travelled to be here last weekend to celebrate Granddad's 86th birthday and Sara's baptism



I am thinking... about my upcoming silent retreat.



From the kitchen...not much! It is in complete dissaray. We are having it renovated so I am clearing it all out.



From the schoolroom...see previous daybook entry :)



I am wearing...khaki corderoys and an old t-shirt. I was looking fairly nice earlier because I went to a program at Mary Clare's preschool, but I had to change my shirt after Sara burped all over me.



I am creating...again see previous entry



I am going...on a silent retreat this weekend and my best friend is coming along! I hope we can maintain the silence, that will be very challenging.



I am reading...the latest First Things magazine



I am hoping...that the 2 dads can keep up with the 8 children they will be taking care of this weekend!



I am hearing...brids tweeting and the baby swing



I am praying for... Marcia an amazing and gentle homeschooling mom and her family, she is not doing so well.



Observing the Liturgical Calendar...hmm, I am still thinking on that Candlemas thing.



One of my favorite things...a hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning.



Around the house...pots and pans and everything from the kitchen but the kitchen sink!



A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...cleaning and straightening the house for our company.



Here is picture I am sharing...

Daybook

I have found a great format to make myself blog more. Yay for fill in the blank formats!



Outside My Window...
The sun is shining and the sky is clear, not one cloud!



I am thankful for...
a decent nights sleep



I am thinking...
about all that needs to be done around the home and all that I want to do around the home



From the kitchen...
Another meal has been brought to us by yet another wonderful family. We have been so blessed by all of the meals that various friends and family have shared with us. I did not truly appreciate this awesome ministry of mothering until this time of need in our lives. I received some meals when the twins were born and also when Mary Clare came home but this time I am even more thankful, I think because our need has been so great recently.



From the schoolroom...
We are in workbook school for now. It is fine, surely not ideal, but sufficient for the time being.


I am wearing...
khaki pants and a pink sweater



I am creating...
um, this blog? does that count?



I am going...
to nurse Sara in a few minutes


I am reading...
Graced and Gifted by Kimberly Hahn. This is a perfect new year's read for me. I am also reading other various mystery novels.



I am hoping...
our old heating system survives this severe cold front



I am hearing...
Lee's muffled voice as he makes his umpteenth phone call today and also intermittent shrieks and screams coming from the direction of the trampoline in the backyard



I am praying for...
Marcia an amazing and gentle homeschooling mom and her family



Observing the Liturgical Calendar...
We are now in Ordinary Time. I have really slipped on our liturgical celebrations in the home. Maybe we can do something for Candlemas, Feb 2



One of my favorite things...
a warm, content baby resting on my chest



Around the house...
several Christmas decorations still hanging around, laundry in the washer and dryer too many dishes in the sink



A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
Lee's birthday's on Saturday, we will have some Mexican food and I will pull out the blender for some celebratory margaritas. Jake has altar server refresher training (much needed sadly)


Here is picture I am sharing:

Memory

What a busy and wonderful year 2008 was. I hope I remember it in years to come.

I have often said to Lee that one of my hopes for heaven is to be able to have a perfect and clear memory of life on earth. I hope to picture and remember all of the precious and sweet moments with babies, loving moments with my husband, fun times with friends and all of the goofy things my kids do. Other productive parents diligently commit these moments to scrapbooks and home movies, but I am barely treading water in the memory keeping department and am very thankful for my friends and family who remember to bring their cameras to big events.

Of course, the drawback to a perfect and clear memory in heaven is replaying all of the yucky shameful and embarrassing moments I have experienced that are now forgotten. Perhaps I can ask my Lord to edit those parts out for me!

Heaven seems a long way off now anyway, so I will do my best to blog more in an effort to prompt my feeble memory and remind myself of the wonderful moments 2009 will surely bring. I will probably not record the ugly ones, but I reserve the right to change my mind on that. Sometimes you have to remember the oooky to appreciate the good.

To re-cap 2008:

1. Mary Clare began pre-school, which she loves!
2. We made a family trip to Disney World.
3. We made several new family friends, the F**o family being one of them.
4. Celebrated the 4th of July with extended family.
5. Had a record number of visits from the Tooth Fairy.
6. Enjoyed a trip to the beach.
7. Ryan received two 'first' sacraments.
8. Jake began karate.
9. Ryan played flag-football and Luke played soccer.
10. Laine began gymnastics.
11. Welcomed a new daughter and sister
12. Lee broke his ankle one week after welcoming new daughter and sister

I hope to write more about our end of year experiences, but I am still processing all that happened right there at the end of December, so that may come later.

Blast!

I have already failed. I set a very high goal for myself back in the summer where I was going to ease back into writing and promised myself I would post at least once a month. I suck.
Goodbye October. Luckily, not too many interesting things happened in October '08 anyway.

In other news.

I spent the early part of this week diligently avoiding all media. I put myself on a media blackout hoping it would keep me from being anxious about the election. It worked a little bit.

I have some sort of cold/flu thing currently. I am also very pregnant (way more than I was back when I was only 3 months pregnant, then just a little pregnant you know) and it is getting hard to properly diagnose myself.

Tired? Yes, since April.
Achy? Why yes, since late September actually.
Irritable? Mind your own damn business.
Heartburn? Every 4 hours or so, my chest feels as if I just had a shot of cheap tequila but sadly I continue to be completely sober.
Stuffy nose? Well, I can now see how people get addicted to Afrin. Not me, of course, but my Mom really is and she says it all began with a bun in the oven AKA Anne, my little sister. At least one nostril has been blocked for over 3 months now and it is not alwys the same one. Tricky.

However, the fever is always a big clue that it is not just the normal pregnant fun I am feeling.

I am hoping recovery is soon, so I can get back to my regularly unscheduled life.

My boys are off camping with other dads and boys. I called Lee to check in and they are having a great time. He said they were having some beer and sangria (??) Not the kids, just the dads. The kids are having jello shooters, of course. I am trying to forget the call completely and not worry about all those poor boys with their dads all crazy with sangria (??) and s'mores. I am sure everything will be fine.

My girls are at my in-laws house being spoiled rotten. Since my MIL had to work, my FIL took the girls to some garage sales this morning. I had no idea he had ever been to a garage sale before. This was a strange revelation. They had McDonalds for lunch and have been watching way to many cartoons I am positive. They probably won't want to come home tomorrow.

I have spent the day on the couch drinking lots of fluids, reading and trying to rest. It has been eerily quiet. I enjoyed the peace and quiet until around 2pm and since then I have been lonely and bored. Trusty old Sparky has kept me company. He is a good companion, even if a little stinky. And of course my sweet Sara. She is always with me. She twists and stretches and hiccups often reminding me I am not really alone.