Sweet Mercies

Christmas Card.. take 2

2011-12-23T09:34:00.005-06:00

I guess the "Christmas Card" I put together doesn't open for most people. So, I guess I will just post a few of the pictures I used separately here. Sorry!

Myriah (18)

James (16)

Madison (15)

Magdalene (11)

Lawrence (8)

Engaged 2011

Kolbe (6)

Merry Christmas from our home to yours! May your Christmas be blessed with family, friends, smiles and laughter!

Christmas Card 2011

2011-12-22T10:28:00.003-06:00

I just didn't get around to getting this put together soon enough to be able to mail it in time for Christmas. So... for this year, I am doing a "virtual" Christmas Card. I will hope to be more on top of things next year!

May your Christmas be blessed!

Dog on Ice.

2011-12-17T12:57:00.004-06:00

Not what we expected when we went for a hike on the trails by the river, but glad we found him. We waited for about 45 minutes for the first officer to arrive after I called 911, but once he notified the fire department, it didn't take too long to get him. He was able to walk out of the woods on his own with the officer on the way to the vet... tail still wagging. Happy Ending!

Sighted on our way home.

2011-12-16T12:51:00.009-06:00

BEAUTIFUL!

ELEVEN!

2011-12-07T21:40:00.004-06:00

Happy Birthday to a my sweet girl!

We love you, sweetheart!

Thank-you, Godparents Ron and Amy, for helping us celebrate.

Happy Feast Day!

2011-12-06T19:14:00.013-06:00

Today we celebrated the Feast Day of St. Nicholas, bishop and martyr.

Each year we start the feast day with a few gifts left in our stockings.

This year we all received "Santa" hats.

Even Kolbe dressed for the occasion.

After we open our stockings, we put up our tree (actually 2 trees) and decorate the house.

Mary and Joseph begin their travels to the Bethlehem...

Where the stable is currently inhabited by creatures great and small.

Near the fireplace stands our "memory tree" where hang special ornaments in memory of our family members no longer able to share in the holidays here on earth, but who remain close in our hearts.

We also have a tree to decorate our living room bay window.

Beautiful all lit up.

The view from outside looking in!

Feast Days

2011-09-15T09:18:00.004-05:00

September 14th

Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You

Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

September 15th

Our Lady of Sorrows

And your own soul a sword shall pierce. Luke 2:35

2 WEEKS ON THE ROAD (Part 4)

2011-08-26T13:19:00.007-05:00

Monday... Destination = Ohio Friends = Steve and Emily

The next leg of our journey took us to Ohio to visit some friends who use to live in MN. It had been a few years since our last chance to see each other and it was great being able to spend some time catching up and enjoying each other's company.

The kids got along great. They had so much fun together.

My godson, Adam. What a pleasure to see him growing into such a fine young man!

Thank you, Steve and Emily and family, for making us feel so welcome!!

We had the opportunity to visit their store. Steve and Emily, we wish you all the best in your new adventure!

Want a great deal? You can get all this for just $99.99. Any Takers?

2 WEEKS ON THE ROAD (Part 3)

2011-08-23T23:23:00.014-05:00

Wednesday. Destination = Tennessee. Family = Mark's family

We arrived in TN late Wednesday night (actually, early Thursday morning). After sleeping in

Thursday, we rode up the Incline Railway to the top of Lookout Mountain; a mile high trolley ride ending with a 72.7% grade incline.

We then crossed the boarder into Georgia to drive through the Chickamauga Battlefield. This was the sight of the second bloodiest battle (second to Gettysburg) of the Civil War. It encompasses over 5300 acres and includes 705 monuments and historical markers.

Friday we drove up into the Smoky Mountains. We went to Cade's Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Friday evening were treated to a southern meal for dinner at Mark's parents... fried taters, fried okra, cucumber salad, beans, and corn bread. YUM! Thanks, Audrey. It was delicious.

Saturday we were invited to Mark's sister's home for swimming and a cook out. Unfortunately, Mark's older sister and her family and Mark's dad left before we thought to get a group photo. Thank-you, Maria and Scotty, we had a great time.

After Mass on Sunday, we spent the afternoon driving around Chattanooga and visiting some local attractions.

Mark's home is a short drive from the McKee Foods Corp. McKee is the company that makes Little Debbie products. It was fun to drive by the plant and visit the bakery store. Every time we restocked snacks for driving, Little Debbies were included, so it was great to get them at a discount! Each one of us was able to find our favorite.

Of course, no trip to Chattanooga would be complete without a stop to see the Chattanooga Choo-Choo!! It is, after all, the "World's Most Famous Railroad Station!"

To finish off our visit in town we took a ride on the indoor carousel.

Next post... Monday... Destination = Ohio Friends = Steve and Emily

2 WEEKS ON THE ROAD (Part 2)

2011-08-17T22:35:00.006-05:00

Wednesday... Destination = Kentucky. Friends = Jennifer and boys.

What a treat Wednesday provided. We chose to go add a couple hours drive time to our Wednesday travels so I would have the opportunity to meet an online friend. I have known Jennifer online for 5 (or more) years and she is the wonderful woman who blessed me with a beautiful handmade rosary shortly after my husband passed away a few years ago. I was glad to finally be able to meet her IRL (in real life). And she is just as sweet and fun in person!!!

What a fun break from the long day in the suburban. We so enjoyed meeting you and your family, Jennifer.

Our youngest boys.

Jennifer, I am so blessed to count you among my friends. I was so glad you were able to take a couple hours out of your busy day to meet us. What a pleasure!!! Oh! and thank you so much for the sub sandwiches and water.

Next post... Wednesday. Destination = Tennessee. Family = Mark's family

2 WEEKS ON THE ROAD AND HOME AGAIN!!

2011-08-16T13:16:00.007-05:00

This summer we spent a great couple weeks on the road, traveling from state to state, visiting family and friends. In two weeks time we traveled through MN, IA, IL, IN, KY, TN, KY, OH, MI, IN, IL, WI, and finally returned to MN.

Bright and early on a Monday morning, we packed up 7 duffle bags, 5/6 sleeping bags, 7 pillows, a basket full of snack foods, a cooler, 6 personal "to-do" bags, travel games, trivia cards, 3 laptops, 5 mp3/ipods, 2 kindles, 2 Nintendo DS, 1 iPad, 2 cameras, 1 video camera, 2 adults, 2 wanna-be adults, 3 kids, 2 turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree!!

Monday... Destination = Iowa. Family = Gary and Colleen and kids.

While there we were treated to Colleen's AWESOME pancakes!!!

We spent a great day at the beach swimming, kayaking, grilling, and playing cards.

THANK YOU, Gary, Colleen, Katie, Caleb, Luke, and Elizabeth.

We had so much fun!

Next post...

Wednesday... Destination = Kentucky. Friends = Jennifer and boys.

Feast of the Assumption.

2011-08-15T11:50:00.003-05:00

Today we celebrate the Assumption of our Blessed Mother Mary into Heaven.

From the Gospel for Mass today... Luke 1:46-55

Mary's Magnificat

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever."

Father in heaven,
all creation rightly gives you praise,
for all life and all holiness come from you.
In the plan of your wisdom
she who bore the Christ in her womb
was raised body and soul in glory to be with him in heaven.
May we follow her example in reflecting your holiness
and join in her hymn of endless love and praise.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Wow! Time sure does fly!

2011-08-13T20:30:00.006-05:00

On July 16th, my little girl turned 18. 18 years gone by already... really??? How is it possibly that I now have an adult daughter?! I think I blinked one time too often!

Myriah spent the week prior to her birthday helping to coordinate a mission thru our church, ending on Friday (the evening prior to her b-day). The morning of her birthday had her leaving again for Missouri on yet another mission, for yet another week. Since they were heading out bright and early on Sat., Myriah stayed Friday night at a friend's who lives much closer to church than we do. Deciding to surprise her, we all woke up at 3:30am to be at the church in time to sing her "Happy Birthday", eat donuts with her mission team, have a pillow fight (yes, we all brought our pillows with us just for such a purpose) and give her a birthday gift. She was surprised and we all had a great time celebrating her birthday and seeing her off!

Myriah, I have so enjoyed watching you grow-up!

I am so grateful to be your mother and am so glad that you are my daughter!

We all love you, so very much!

Feast of St. Lawrence

2011-08-11T16:05:00.006-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of catholic deacon and martyr, St. Lawrence. St. Lawrence died on the gridiron. Maintaining his trust in Christ and his sense of joy, even while suffering through such an agonizing death, he told his tormentors "Turn me over! I'm done on this side." So, in his honor we grilled hotdogs and enjoyed a "grill cake."

You can read about this wonderful saint and see the inspiration for our dessert at the Catholic Cuisine blog. So many great ideas for celebrating the faith can be found on the website.

Prayer to Saint Lawrence
O glorious Saint Lawrence, Martyr and Deacon, who, being subjected to the most bitter torments, didst not lose thy faith nor thy constancy in confessing Jesus Christ, obtain in like manner for us such an active and solid faith, that we shall never be ashamed to be true followers of Jesus Christ, and fervent Christians in word and in deed.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be
V. Pray for us, O holy Lawrence,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, the grace to quench the flames of our vices, Thou who didst enable blessed Lawrence to overcome his fiery torments. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Pentecost Sunday

2011-06-12T07:36:00.002-05:00

Come Holy Spirit

and fill the hearts of your faithful,

and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit

and we shall be created.

And you shall renew the face of the earth.

And now he's eight!

2011-06-06T15:42:00.005-05:00

And what an adventure to eight it turned out to be.

Thursday evening my little man was involved in a head to chin collision which lead to a two and half hour emergency room visit. His bottom teeth were pushed up far enough to puncture the gums directly behind the upper front two teeth. (Lots of blood!) All looked ok enough to be sent home with instructions to head to the dentist in the am. The instructions also included lots of popsicles and ice cream on the menu to help reduce some of the swelling. So, Friday morning, after being wished a quick happy birthday by his siblings, off we went to visit the dentist (after all, which kid wouldn't want to spend their birthday morning in a dental office.) After x-rays, it was confirmed that the front teeth were pretty loose and would need to be splinted. Lawrence is now sporting a very attractive wire metal strip that is adhered to his two front teeth and the tooth on each side. His activity and diet are restricted for two weeks as we wait to see if the teeth tighten up in there again. We are praying the two front ones will survive!

After hearing that he is only allowed soft foods for two weeks, there was great fear that his birthday dinner would need to be postponed. After assuring the dentist that I would cut his pizza into less than bite size pieces, Lawrence was given the "go ahead". And much to his pleasure, he was also informed he could eat lots and lots of ice cream and have a nice large piece of cake to go with it; after all, they would be considered "soft foods". (Of course he had to also agree that he would rinse his mouth out and brush his teeth really well when finished). So, thankfully, the birthday dinner proceeded as planned.

Cake... yum!!

What caused this excitement you might ask...

A nerf machine gun, of course!

(Sometimes, garage sales really pay off)

Thanks, Mark, for the cool spider.

(Even mom likes this one! She's not too fond of the "natural" spiders creeping through her house)

Happy Birthday, my little man!

Thanks for handling all the excitement so well. You're a tough little cookie!

And such a cute one too!

We love you!

Confirmation!

2011-05-30T14:02:00.008-05:00

CONFIRMATION: The sacrament in which, through the laying on of hands, anointing with chrism, and prayer, those already baptized are strengthened in the Holy Spirit in order that they made steadfastly profess the faith and faithfully live up to their profession. (Catholic Dictionary; John A Hardon, S.J.)

With the Archbishop.

My apologies to those I just could not fit into the frame.

James and Madison with our parish priest, Fr. Jon VanderPloeg

Madison with her confirmation sponsor, Aunt Marie and her godparents, Mary (family friend) and Uncle Steve.

James with his confirmation sponsors, Mr. M and Uncle David

Yes, I know. But you don't understand just how difficult it is to get a picture of Madison with her eyes open.

I am so proud of you both. You both put forth a great deal of effort in preparing for this day. I pray you will continue to let the Holy Spirit have His way in your heart and in your life. May you be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and live in such a way to put those gifts to good use in the years ahead. I love you both so very much. Congratulations.

G'ma Jan

James and some friends, Isaiah and Andy.

Well, Madison, you should feel loved!!

Prom 2011!

2011-05-27T22:05:00.007-05:00

Yes, I know. I should have had these posted awhile ago. People have been waiting after all. Well, I thank you all for your patience. Here are Myriah's prom pictures!

She had a wonderful night!

A Blessed Day!!!

2011-05-02T11:56:00.009-05:00

Sunday was a day filled with celebration.

Lawrence received his First Holy Communion!

Congratulations, Lawrence! This was such a great moment in your faith journey!

I have such wonderful kids!!

Thanks G'ma for joining us at Mass. It was a joy having you with us.

Thank you, Lawrence for one good picture with your mother!

Lawrence, I hope it was a day you will always remember!

Jesus, we trust in you!

Blessed John Paul II, pray for us!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-13T21:55:00.003-05:00

Finally Arrived!

2011-04-12T19:49:00.006-05:00

The days have been warm, although the evenings are still cool, the snow is pretty much all gone, the river has flooded, we've heard thunder and seen lightning, we've listened to the sound of the rain, and the mosquitoes are flying (and biting). Yes, I do believe we can say it is finally here!

WELCOME BACK TO MINNESOTA, SPRING!!! SO GLAD YOU HAVE FINALLY ARRIVED!

And what better way to welcome spring than with a campfire and smores!

First: Gather the needed ingredients.

Second: Roast your marshmallow.

Third: Assemble your smore!

Finally: Enjoy!!!

And if you happen to be allergic to corn (which is in both the graham crackers and the marshmallows) you grab your version of sorbet and enjoy your own treat!!

YEP! Good times!!

16!!

2011-04-05T12:27:00.004-05:00

James turned 16 on Saturday. Aunts, uncles, cousins,

g'ma, sisters, brother and mom all joined in the fun!

These are my favorite pictures of the day!

Doesn't James look so handsome struttin' around with his new purses.

I do believe they were his favorite gifts!

(ok... so the purses really belong to my nieces, but we all got a few good laughs from this)

Hope you had a wonderful birthday, James. Know that you are loved dearly!

A good school day!

2011-03-31T19:37:00.003-05:00

We had such a fun homeschool day last week. We were working on a language lesson and each child (all except Lawrence) had the assignment of writing a poem. "A Sea Song" was our model and each child had to write a "song" of their own. We spent the afternoon working through the poems together, helping each person brainstorm and work through difficulties. Everyone had a good time and the poems turned out great. I thought I would share them here

This is the first stanza of "A Sea Song", the poem used as our model.

A Sea Song

by Allan Cunningham

A wet sheet and a flowing sea

A wind that follows fast,

And fills the white and rustling sail

And bends the gallant mast;

And bends the gallant mast, my boys,

While, like the eagle free,

Away the good ship flies and leaves

Old England on the lee.

This next poem is the one I wrote. The kids were a little worried about being able to do this assignment. Writing poetry is not something we have worked much on. I figured the best way to "prove" to the kids that this wasn't that difficult of an assignment was write one myself. I have never been very good at writing poems, but I have to admit, I really had fun. So, here it is...

The Mass Song

by Kristina

A peaceful prayer and an uplifting song

A word that to us speaks true,

And encourages the mind and contrite heart

And fills the spirit anew;

And fills the spirit anew, dear friends,

While, like the angels praise

United the faithful worship and adore

To Christ, their souls they raise.

Now here are the poems completed by each of the children. I think they did a great job.

A Soccer Song

by Myriah (17)

A firm coach and excited fans

And athletes determined to win,

With mighty sprints and fancy foot-work

And a goal they must defend;

And a goal they must defend, my friends,

While the game is almost done

Away the ball is kicked and scores

And now the game is won.

A Kolbe Song

by James (15)

A loud yip and an annoying jump

An excitement that never misses,

And keeps the day happy and fun

And ends with lots of kisses;

And ends with lots of kisses, my friend,

While like a cat he plays

Our crazy dog cuddles and purrs,

And in our heart he stays.

A Horse Song

by Madison (14)

A gentle mare and a friendly foal

A head that is lifted high,

And sends a soft and peaceful neigh

And calls the stallion nigh,

And calls the stallion nigh once more,

While like the river flows

The graceful herd gathers and gallops,

Through the glistening snow.

A Family Song

by Magdalene (10)

A cozy home and a prayerful family

A mother that loves deeply,

and fills the children's hearts and minds

and teaches the faith so sweetly;

and teaches the faith so sweetly, my friends.

While like the sisters are sweet,

The brothers are silly and fun.

Our family is so neat.

The Annunciation.

2011-03-25T16:36:00.002-05:00

Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the Child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. I must admit, I forgot about the feast until last night. Thankfully, I came up with these little cupcakes. The kids thought they were fun. The angle is of course for the Archangel Gabriel. The cupcake with blue frosting is for the Blessed Virgin Mary, as she is often pictured wearing blue. I tried to put a red hot inside each cupcake to represent Jesus, however, little did I know they just melt down and disappear. (We did taste the cinnamon flavor it added though!) And together we prayed the Angelus. Happy Feast Day!

Mary, may we follow your example and say "YES!"

to all that God would ask of us.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

Let it snow! Let it snow!

2010-12-11T19:57:00.007-06:00

Our Winter has been a very snowy winter thus far; and, really, it is not even officially winter until December 21st.

Our first snow storm of the year hit the day before Thanksgiving. It really wasn't all that bad, but it was pretty and did slow down driving some that evening. But, not enough to keep me totally home bound.

It was just too nice not to grab my camera and take some pictures at the park. Actually, Mark was amazed that we were getting that much snow and it wasn't even Thanksgiving yet, so he was trying to take a few pictures with his cell phone. That was all the encouragement I needed to grab my camera and tripod and have some fun.
(Now, some of you may be wondering "Who is Mark?" That is another post entirely. Some day I may even get around to that. For now, let me just say "Thank you Catholic Match for bringing TN and MN together!")

Tuesday, November 30th, we awoke to a winter wonderland.

Friday, December 3rd, ushered in yet another storm. Which provided plenty of fun for Magdalene's 10th Birthday party on Sunday, the 5th. I will post pictures of her birthday in a separate blog!

Now today we were hit with the biggest snow storm yet. I guess some are saying our biggest snow storm since the Halloween Blizzard of 1991.

So, tonight after dinner we all bundled up in our snow gear and went out to play.

Oh no... I am being swallowed by a snow-a- constrictor!

The kids really enjoyed burying me in the snow!

I don't think Kolbe enjoyed it much! In some places the snow was taller than he is so it was hard for him to walk around the yard.

We finished the evening off with hot chocolate and a game of Apples to Apples.

Days like today are just such fun!

Feast of St. Nicholas

2010-12-06T17:54:00.009-06:00

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

In hopes the St. Nicholas soon would be there...."

He did not disappoint. We awoke this morning to goodies in our stockings.

Some of us worked hard to get our trees up

Some of us not so much!

We watched a movie and read a book about St. Nick

We are now enjoying ice cream and watching a Christmas movie.

Happy Feast Day from our family to yours.

Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children,

Pray for us as we continue to prepare our hearts for the coming

of Christ at Christmas.

Winter Wonderland

2010-11-30T09:23:00.005-06:00

We awoke this morning to a white covered world. A few inches of fresh snow fell through the night and it is BEAUTIFUL outside.

Our Favorite Novena

2010-11-29T22:52:00.003-06:00

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

Even though most novenas are prayed each day for 9 consecutives days, this novena is to begin on the feast of St. Andrew (November 30th) and, prayed 15 times each day, continues until Christmas. My children and I pray this novena together each evening throughout Advent as we prepare for our Lord's birth at Christmas. Every year we write our intentions in a special prayer book. It has been a blessing and encouragement to see how God has answered our prayers throughout the years.

REMEMBER WHO YOU BELONG TO!

2010-11-16T23:08:00.005-06:00

As Christians we believe that we have been redeemed, ransomed, purchased by a great price. That price was the death of Christ on a cross. We belong to the King of Kings, and we are heirs to the Heaven.

Whenever my children and I part, my last words to them are always "Remember who you belong to!" I hope these few words serve to remind them of two things...

1. They are loved (loved so much that Christ went to the cross on their behalf)

2.Their behavior should reflect that which we believe and serve as a witness to others.

Not long ago I put the words in vinyl lettering next to a crucifix on the wall in my dining room. Now the kids and I see the words "Remember who you belong to" often throughout the day.

Days gone by...

2010-11-16T22:30:00.005-06:00

I figured I could at least take a few posts to share some of what has happened in our lives over the past few months...

For starters.. every year, in October, my family gets together and heads to the Pine Tree Apple Orchard.

No one can pass up the carmel apples, not even little Laney.

A totem of kids!

Magdalene on James' shoulders. Lawrence on Myriah's. My great-niece Alayna on her mamma's shoulders (my niece Cora).

Unfortunately, I didn't charge my camera battery ahead of time. I was hoping for a lot more pictures. Oh well, such is life sometimes. And camera or not, we all had a very fun day.

My return!

2010-11-16T22:03:00.006-06:00

I know. I have been neglecting my blog for quite some time. My apologies. I could list a variety of excuses: like the internet issues we had for awhile or the business of life that took priority. But, if truth be told, it's as simple as the longer I spent away from blogging, the harder it was to get back to it. Well, Madison celebrated her 14th birthday on the 14th and what better reason post!

Her favorite gift was a karaoke player. We were all well entertained. The young nieces especially enjoyed singing their pre-school songs and hearing their voices over the microphone. The adults had to take turns acting as referee, making sure each girl had the opportunity to showcase her talents!

Hope you had a wonderful "golden" birthday, my dear Madison! We all love you very much!

Birthday fun!

2010-06-03T19:46:00.005-05:00

Family and friends!

(Yes, Myriah was here too. She is behind the camera)

Cupcakes (and ice cream)!

Waterballoons!

Games!

Gifts!

I love you, Teddy Bear! Happy Birthday!

Summer begins!

2010-06-01T16:50:00.006-05:00

And we are off to a great start! The Minnesota Catholic Home school Conference was this past weekend. I always enjoy getting a couple days to visit with other "like-minded" moms, listen to the speakers, and, my favorite part, browse through the numerous books and curriculum ideas on display. It is nice to have the time set apart to think through our last school year and to make some decisions about what to accomplish in the next. And it is always fun to come home with a few new books to share with the kids.

Myriah took a few classes at the public high school this past year as well. Due to an incentive program that allows the students to miss the last day of the trimester if there attendance was good, Myriah was done with classes on Friday. So, last night I allowed to kids to start their summer vacation with a camp out, campfire, and smores. (the 2 extra girls are neighbors who joined in on the fun)

Along with the arrival of summer come the critters... some enjoyable, some not so enjoyable.

Here are a couple of are more enjoyable ones. The little redbelly snake (James named Junior) stayed with us in a little tank for a couple of days. He was actually pretty cute and fun to play with (yes, those are my fingers he is wrapped around) but the kids released him today. I am sure we will have plenty more snakes through out the summer. Not a one of my children are the least bit squeamish when it comes to snakes.

As of now, I am listening to the sound of the thunder and rain and enjoying the refreshing cool breeze floating through the window. A perfect opportunity to grab a cup of hot cocoa, a picture book, and a kid or two (or three, or four, or even five) and curl up for a good read. Off to go find a few of those kids...

Beautiful Spring Day ??

2010-05-07T20:41:00.004-05:00

Yes, even when it snows in May it is still beautiful!! Especially with such big flakes as were falling today!

A Gift from Heaven!

2010-05-07T20:05:00.006-05:00

The card simply read:

"A gift from heaven.

Happy Mother's Day

Love you forever!"

A very sweet bright spot in a difficult week.

All I can say is "thank you. You brought a much needed smile to my face and a little peace to my heart."

PROM

2010-05-01T18:02:00.007-05:00

Isn't she lovely!!

Girl's Night!

2010-04-30T20:31:00.007-05:00

With Myriah going to prom tomorrow, tonight became prep night. She wanted to do her nails, I needed to practice doing a few hair styles to find one she likes, and the other girls (including two neighbor girls) wanted to get in on the fun. So it turned into a girl's night.

I am still sitting here wondering how they talked me into putting on fake nails. But, I guess I have to admitt... doing it with my girls was fun. We'll see how long they last.

BEFORE!

AFTER!

After all the fun, the girls wanted to watch a "chick flick." So we all sat down and watched "Confessions of a Shopaholic"... cute show!

You may wonder where my boys were in all of this. Before you think we planned to exclude them, let me assure you we offered to let in on the fun. They, however, did not see any fun in our choice of activity. In fact, as quick as they could, they headed for the a neighbor's down the road. A neighbor with boys to play with. Can't say as I blame them!

Arts in Bloom

2010-04-30T19:26:00.006-05:00

Last night, thanks to the public library, the kids and I were able to take a coach ride to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts to enjoy the Art in Bloom displays. I didn't have to drive into the city, the kids were exposed to the great art at the museum, my mother -in-law was able to join us, and we all had fun seeing how art could inspire a floral arrangement. It was an enjoyable (and educational) evening for us all!

You can click on any photo to enlarge it if you want a closer look at the floral arrangements.

This is Magdalene's favorite. Her home school group class is currently studying China. Magdalene has asked if we can try to make a replica of this out of artificial flowers for presentation day. Next week we will be heading to the craft store to see what artificial plants we can find.

I really liked these flowers. I had never seen Protea before. I think they are very different, intriguing and just plain fun.

This bunch I get to enjoiy at home everyday! Aren't they sweet!

They are home!

2010-04-27T14:43:00.003-05:00

They had fun, but, I missed them! So good to have them home.

Learning Curve!!

2010-04-22T20:03:00.004-05:00

All the interesting things I must now learn being single!! After spending most of the day in Eagan, driving home in crazy traffic (due to construction season.. ugh), shopping and running errands, and putting away groceries, I sat down this evening to look through my lawn mower's owner's manual hoping that it wouldn't require much to get it ready for mowing.

Recommended each season... new spark plugs, oil & filter change, an air
filter change and a few other things I can't remember at the moment.

I do enjoy learning new things, and once I have this down I'm sure it won't be so bad... but I am just not up to attempting my first oil change after every thing else today. And the owner's manual just doesn't have enough pictures in my opinion!! Besides I will need to go to the store first anyhow and get the things I need. Just too much for tonight! So instead I took a nice long walk, came home and had a banana split and am going to watch a movie with the kids. I'll learn something new later!!

More dancing!

2010-04-10T01:18:00.001-05:00

Maybe not... I have been trying to post the two other videos I have of the kids dancing, but it just doesn't seem to want to work. :( So sorry! They are fun!

Swing Dancing

2010-04-09T22:46:00.003-05:00

A group of youth from church wanted to get together and go swing dancing, again. They went about a month ago for the the first time and really enjoyed themselves. Yesterday a group got together and went out again. Quite a few of the kids have been taking dance lessons through home school group and really have fun dancing on a real dance floor with a live orchestra. And it is fun for us parents to see our teens dress up, watch our young men act like gentlemen when they ask a lady for a dance and escort her onto the dance floor, and see our young ladies twirl around a dance floor!

James and Myriah agreed to comply with their mother's request (ok, so it was more like pleading) to get a video clip of the two of them dancing together. Of course, we had to go off to the side! But at least I have them on film!! Actually, I think they kind of have fun dancing together. They danced a few dances together out on the dance floor and at home they will even dance in the living room!

I do have a couple other videos that for some reason are not downloading to blogger. I will try in another post, maybe tomorrow.

Christ is Risen!!

2010-04-04T08:58:00.006-05:00

Truly He is risen! Alleluia!

HAPPY EASTER!

The Thorn

2010-04-03T21:45:00.004-05:00

Today, thanks to my mother in law, my children and I (along with other family members) attened a wonderful performance telling the story of our Lord's passion and His resurrection. (The Thorn, put on by North Heights Lutheran Church) We went with a group of others through Gary Block Tours. If you ever have the opportunity to take one of their tours, I highly recommend it. There were games on the bus, a very tasty lunch, and we all enjoyed ourselves very much today. Thanks Mom!!

FIFTEEN!

2010-04-03T21:37:00.003-05:00

My son turned 15 years old today! And what a wonderful young man he is becoming!

James, May you continue to grow in the grace of our heavenly Father. Know that you are loved beyond measure! Happy Birthday, my son. I hope you enjoyed your breakfast banana split :)

Divine Mercy

2010-04-02T16:47:00.004-05:00

Just a reminder... the Divine Mercy Novena begins to day!

For the sake of His sorrowful passion,
have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Holy Thursday!

2010-04-01T22:35:00.004-05:00

We celebrated the Passover with some friends this evening. We adapted the prayers of the Passover Seder meal, and we lit candles, ate unleavened bread, drank wine (ok, raspberry juice), and consumed the lamb.

After dinner we processed through the woods with Christ (the kids carried a large picture of Jesus) and candles to the "Garden of Gethsemane" to pray. Jennifer read the scripture account of Christ in His agony in the garden,

we prayed through the 1st mystery of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, and then Jesus was arrested and carried away.

We had a very pleasant evening!

The Passover

2010-04-01T16:24:00.004-05:00

"Everyone of your families must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household. If a family is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join the nearest household in procuring one and shall share in the lamb..." Exodus 12: 3-4

Ok, so my family would have no problem devouring this lamb on our own; however, we do intend to share it tonight with another household and although it is not roasted, nor is it without blemish (I am just not that skilled of a cake decorator) it will be enjoyed as we remember the Passover and our Lord's Last Supper.

May our Lord draw you into His passion as you await the joys of His resurrection.

Prayers for a blessed Holy Week!

2010-03-31T16:36:00.002-05:00

A very busy week.

2010-03-29T16:04:00.006-05:00

Last week we were once again blessed with an opportunity to go to Breezy Point! All I can say is a very big "thank you" to those friends who so generously shared their time-share. The kids and I had a wonderful four days swimming, walking, relaxing and visiting with friends. This trip to Breezy Point coincided with the vacation of two other families we know from "mom's group" and it was a blessing to share our vacation with such good friends.

We headed to Breezy Point on Saturday, stayed until Wednesday morning. The boys had some appointments on Thursday and Friday we packed up again and headed out of town to my mother's. Due to a change in position for her job, she now has to work Easter Sunday. So, we had our Easter dinner yesterday, hid some candy filled eggs for the kids, and spent some time visiting.

Now we are trying to stay focused for a few days, get everything unpacked, get some school work finished, and clean up around the house.

Lent is almost over, Holy Week is already upon us and Easter will soon arrive. Another busy week ahead!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T13:53:00.006-05:00

Well, we didn't have corned beef and cabbage, but, we had a little celebration for St. Patrick anyways. I made a big lunch with stuffing, baked chicken, and green beans. Even though this is not a traditional St. Patty's day meal, we did serve it all up on green dishes. We listened to the story of St. Patrick and had shamrock cookies (yes, I know... as you can see I took the easy way out and bought ready made cookies I just had to bake!) and we drank green milk (food color can turn lots of foods and beverages into holiday fare!) The kids thought it was fun and I heard lots of "thanks, Mom" so I know they are happy and that makes me happy!

St. Patrick's Breastplate

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this today to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the star lit heaven,
The glorious sun’s life giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Saturday

2010-03-16T21:53:00.006-05:00

This past Saturday (thanks to my mother-in-law for organizing) the kids and I joined some family members to pray outside Planned Parenthood in St. Cloud for an end to abortion. I believe our family count was 19 of us in St. Cloud and 3 more at a Planned Parenthood in Michigan during the same time period. We took an hour for the 40 Days For Life campaign. We enjoyed ourselves and, hopefully, our time there was fruitful. When I checked the 40 Days website the count was... day 28, 319 babies saved!!

Field trip

2010-03-10T15:07:00.013-06:00

Since Myriah had Monday off at the high school we decided to go on a filed trip. We drove to St. Paul to visit the Cathedral and then went over to the Science Museum.

The Cathedral is truly a very beautiful church. The children were in awe as we walked around looking at the various statues and stained glass windows.

But... the highlight and, really, what prompted the visit to the cathedral in the first place:

An exact replica of Michelangelo's "La Pieta" (Italian for "pity")

After my first miscarriage, back in 1997, the Pieta became my greatest source of comfort. I was 17 weeks along and needed to be induced to deliver my baby. Holding little Lewis' body in my hands, all I could think of was Our Lady holding the broken body of her Son after His death for us, and in the suffering of my heavenly Mother I found comfort for my own. Through the 4 other miscarriages and the loss of my husband, the imagine of the Pieta and the Seven Sorrows of Mary have become very dear to my heart.

Unlike visitors to Rome, here you are able to walk around the statue, seeing it from all sides. What a beautiful piece of art! So hard to imagine how Michelangelo could take a hunk of rock and carve such a detailed wonder.

Look close and you see the scars in His side, in His feet, and in His hand.

Sitting and praying in front my Mother as she cradles her Son, I was struck with such a sense of awe. Such suffering depicted and, yet, such beauty to be found. It was truly a grace filled moment for me that day! A gift from my Lord and His Mother. I found myself wondering, would I ever find the beauty of my own suffering and truly be grateful for it?

Here is a picture of the plaque that stands beside the statue. Click on it to enlarge it. It is worth the read. You can also find more information here.

After visiting the Cathedral we headed over to the Science Museum for the IMAX film on Vincent Van Gogh. Although it could not compare to the time spent at the Cathedral, it was very informational and an enjoyable addition to the day. I never knew Van Gogh had produced so many paintings in his lifetime; 900 paintings and 1100 sketches and drawings (only selling one while he was still living.)

Finally, I return

2010-03-06T18:32:00.006-06:00

It has been a very long time since I have take the time to post! Life has been twisting and turning and heading full speed ahead!

As many of you know, I started grad. school in January. As it turns out, the timing is not right for grad. school. But, not to worry. Grad school will always be there!

My oldest son has been diagnosed with Developmental Dyslexia and I have a few others that may have it as well. So, I am looking into specialized training so I will be able to tutor students and adults with dyslexia, starting with my own children. It is very empowering to finally have some very clear answers to some of the things we have been struggling with for years!

Since my last post the kids have been busy with school, but, finding time to enjoy the wonderful weather outside. Bikes, skateboards, and scooters have found their way out of the shed. Last weekend we all headed out to the wild life refuge. I wanted to take some winter pictures to go with our summer and fall shots. Unfortunately, after driving all the way there this is what we found!

So my photo was limited to a distance.

But we chose to find another trail still open to hikers and enjoyed our evening in the woods just the same!

Epiphany

2010-01-09T11:51:00.005-06:00

Every year we celebrate Epiphany Sunday (the second Sunday after Christmas.) The readings at Mass tell of the wise men that made the journey bearing gifts to honor the new born King. Before our first child was born, Paul and I decided we would set apart this day each year to give our gifts to our children and make this day special just for us. It gives us a chance to celebrate throughout the 12 days of Christmas. We have visited with extended family. We have welcomed a new year.

This year Epiphany was January 3rd. Right away in the morning I put a pork loin and carrots in the slow cooker, set the table and listened to a chorus of "Mom, when are we going to open gifts?" You would think they would remember from year to year that we do not open gifts until we get home from Mass; but, every year they forget (yeah... forget? Oh, I'm sure not! They just hope I will forget and let them open them sooner. Nice try kids!)

After Mass, we walked in the door to the wonderful smell of dinner cooking. After putting the potatoes on to cook, I took pity on the children and we gathered in the living room to open gifts. Before opening the our presents, we sing "We Three Kings" and add our wise men to the nativity set. This year we add something new. I found gold, frankincense, and myrrh in decorative boxes. As we sang "We Three Kings, the kids took turns placing the gifts near the manger. Then we all gave our gifts to Jesus for the up coming year. These gifts can be anything that you feel God wants you to work on in the year ahead. We write our gifts on a slip of paper and place them in a small box that sits on our family altar throughout the year. Then the kids were finally able to open their gifts.

After gifts we had a wonderful dinner together. Apparently, I can still cook! The kids loved it! We decided we wanted to spend the rest of the evening playing games, but what do you do when 6 people all want to play something different?? I had everyone write a game on a slip of paper and put them in a bag. We drew out one slip and played that game for awhile and moved on to another Apples to Apples was the first draw and mom came out victorious!! Then we played movies charades. Lawrence put in NERF war. That was the third and final draw. We split up and played three on three (little did I know we had 6 nerf guns in the house) and each team defended one end of the house. Which ever team commandeered the most nerf bullets by the set time would win! Myriah, Magdalene and I took on James, Madison, and Lawrence. After almost an hour of running, chasing, dodging, and laughing we all dropped. By unanimous decision, games were over and it was time to add songs to the new mp3 players and watch a movie. We had fun!!! It was a very good day!

Hello again!

2010-01-06T19:13:00.013-06:00

Yes, I know! It has been a looonnngggg time since I last posted on my blog; too long. I am not even sure why. I guess I wasn't much up for blogging in December. The holidays were still a little difficult for me this year. In some ways even more difficult than last year. Talking with a few widow friends of mine I soon discovered that it is normal for the second year to be some what harder than the first. We are not in the same "fog" we were in last year, but, the reality of his absence is just that much more pronounced.

We did have a very nice holiday with family however. Due to the pending winter storm that was due to hit Christmas Eve and continue through the weekend, we packed in a rush and headed to my mother's Wednesday, a full 2 days earlier than planned.

Christmas Eve day was spent just relaxing and visiting with my mom. This is our 1st Christmas since Grandma died (my mom's mom) and I am glad we were there to spend the day. Later that evening we headed into Mass. The church was beautiful and the homily was great.

I usually do not give my children gifts until Epiphany Sunday (the 2nd Sunday after Christmas) but I did allow them to open one gift Christmas Eve. It really wasn't from me though, so I could justify it. Thanks to some VERY generous friends my kids were THRILLED with their Christmas Eve gift.

Yes, I made sure the anticipation had time to build. "Humor your mother and sit for a picture OR we don't open the present tonight " :) I need to use all the leverage I can at times.
Hmmm... do you think they liked it? I'm just not sure! What was so thrilling, you ask. Why, a Wii, of course. Now I have even more leverage for getting that schoolwork and chores finished!!

Thankfully we chose to head out of town when we did as the storm hit as predicted and I would have chosen to stay home.
It was, without a doubt, a white Christmas. Very beautiful, I might add. Of course, we had already safely arrived at our destination. If I had been forced to drive in it, or been stranded someplace I had not expected to be, I might have thought differently. But, like I said, we had already arrived, so Christmas morning the kids and I cranked up the CD with the song "Let It Snow" and we sang along!

That afternoon my older sister and her son and my younger sister, her husband and their 4 girls joined us for dinner and fun. After gifts we played Apples to Apples (bible edition) and Phase Ten. A few of the younger ones spent some time enjoying all the snow.

After our fun at Nana's, Saturday we headed out in the snow and drove to Grandma's house (Paul's mom) for another round of fun. Saturday we went to Mass with Grandma and back to her house for a wonderful dinner. Paul's brother, Tim, his wife, Jen, and their daughter Ava joined us and we had a nice evening visiting while the kids played. Sunday afternoon was spent at Julie (Paul's sister)and Richard's with the MN siblings and families, and Mom, of course.

Monday we finally left for home. We had originally thought we would leave Christmas day (Friday) and head home Sunday evening. Well, after leaving 2 days early and coming home one day later than planned, we were all glad to finally be home again. It is always fun to get away for awhile and we really enjoyed our time with family; but, there is something about coming home again!!

The feast of Saint Nicholas

2009-12-08T17:30:00.007-06:00

Saint Nicholas has come and filled our stockings each year on his feast day... December 6th. This year we happened to be at Nana's (my mom's). St. Nick found us there as well.!

December 6th is also my mom's birthday and since December 7th is Magdalene's birthday, my sisters and their children joined us for cupcakes and ice cream.

Another teenager.

2009-11-14T22:36:00.008-06:00

Madison has finally joined her older sister and brother in the teenage years! Today was her 13th birthday and we celebrated with the help of family and friends.

The highlight of the evening: "Silly Hat Game." Madison requested that each guest bring a "silly hat" to the party. She and her sisters would judge and award prizes for the two most silly.

And the winners are...

2nd place goes to Mary (Madison's godmother)

1st place goes to Mom (and yes, the pull up is a clean one)

Madison... I hope you enjoyed your party! Welcome to the teenage years! May you continue to grow in God's grace! We love you. Happy Birthday!

Pumpkins!

2009-11-14T22:22:00.003-06:00

Yes, I know... this should have been blogged awhile ago. Oh, well!

Fall visit to Police Hill

2009-10-28T18:58:00.005-05:00

We had one nice day sneak in amidst Octobers days of chilly, misty, rainy weather. We took advantage of it and headed back to Police Hill. This time we ventured a little further into the woods, full of evidence that autumn is in full bloom. I really enjoy the change of seasons that comes with living in MN.

View from the top of the hill.

Heading down the hill. (It really is steeper than it looks.) Looking back up once we reached bottom. If you look closely at the top of the picture you can see the "overlook."

The boys had a grand time being our protectors as we traversed through uncharted territory. At one point we were an SG (stargate) team exploring a new planet.

Fencing!

2009-10-23T19:44:00.003-05:00

Uncle David and Aunt Kari... you were right! James and Lawrence have been participating in a fencing class and having a grand time! I think they look very cool in their gear!

Another year older!

2009-10-15T11:59:00.005-05:00

Today I'm another year older and I have some of the sweetest children on earth (well, sometimes; like today) First off, they let me sleep in a little. Then my day started with all of my children coming into my room and waking me with "Happy Birthday, Mom!" I received breakfast in bed, made by my 6 yr old (Lawrence) along with a couple of pictures he made for me. Magdalene (8 yrs old) molded a flower out of tin foil and decorated two cards (one she made from her and dad... isn't that sweet.) Madison (12) molded some foil monkeys, stamped a card, and wrote me a poem. James (14) made home-made chocolate chip cookies and baked an extra big cookie just for me. Myriah (16) biked into town early this morning to go to the floral shop and pick up 5 carnations (one for each kid)! I'm telling you, their thoughtfulness just brings tears to me eyes and joy to my heart!

I Love You, Mom by Madison
I love my mom. She is always there when I'm hurt.
I love it when she reads. She makes the stories come to life.
I love her cheesy potatoes (but Dad's were the best.)
I'm happy that she's my mom.
She might be busy a lot,
But she always has time for family and friends.
Oh, how I love my mom.
I love her cooking; she's the best.
I love how much she tries to make us happy.
I'm use to hearing "Not now"
But only one thing I love to hear the most,
"I love you!"
I love when she takes us shopping,
Even though we get on her nerves.
My mom is so special.
She is so beautiful;
Especially when she goes out with friends.
Oh, how I love my mom.
If you saw her you would love her, too.
I love how she is there for me when I'm sad.
So, happy birthday and thanks for everything .
Oh, how I love you, Mom.

Love, Madison

New Skill Learned!

2009-10-12T15:22:00.004-05:00

I learned how to turn these

into

Thanks to a friend of mine, I now know how to can!! We had a fun afternoon of peeling, juicing, cooking and finally canning apple sauce, apple cider, and apple jelly!

Snow Soccer??

2009-10-12T15:00:00.005-05:00

Well, you just never know in MN! The first snow fall of the year hit Saturday, Oct 9th! A little too soon, I think. But, the soccer games went on as scheduled! We Minnesotans are a hearty bunch and it takes more than a little snow to scare us off!

"Pret??"

2009-10-09T22:00:00.003-05:00

"Oui!"

"Allez!"

My boys and I are learning French! Isn't that exciting??

Well, I knew I was picking up a few new words in French, the boys just knew they were learning a few terms needed for their new sport. Any guesses as to what that new sport may be??

I think I'll make you wait a couple weeks until they have class again and I can take pictures of them. They looked really cute tonight in their gear! (Please, don't tell them I said that!)

They both had a lot of fun!! They are excited for the next class, and so am I!

Our Lady of the Rosary

2009-10-07T13:07:00.009-05:00

In honor of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, which we celebrate today, the kids and I prayed our rosary a little differently than usual. I put together a candy rosary. (After a great deal of searching, I even managed to find candy marked with an "M" just for Mary... ok, maybe it was an easy find.) Each of the kids lead one decade and collected an m&m for each "Hail Mary" in their decade. I collected the m&ms for the beginning prayers and for each "Our Father."
I don't remeber the last time the kids were so excited to pray a rosary. I may have to do this more often.

Apple Orchard 2009

2009-10-05T22:58:00.012-05:00

My extended family gets together every year and heads to the Pine Tree Apple Orchard. It is a fun time of family, hay rides, carmel apples,laughter and fun! After the appl orchard, we all head to my cousins' house. They serve up stew and chili (homemade and very tasty). We sit around and visit, enjoy a bonfire, and eat! The one downside is that this year's get-together was on the same weekend Magdalene and Lawrence were away with G'man Jan for another cousin's birthday party. (But listening to them share about their trip, they sure didn't mind. They had all kinds of fun themselves)

My sister, Michelle

My sister, Denise and her hubby, Vince

Denise

My cousin, Ryan

Myriah and my niece, Tori

My mom Nana and the kids

Me and my kids

I really like this picture of Myriah.

Pyramids are made by
someone every year.

Piggy-back ride anyone?? I think James could hold a few more, maybe??

Mom, my sisters, and me
Joyce and her girls, Michelle, Wendy, & Mary

YUM... those carmel apples are really good!

Breezy Point

2009-10-05T22:30:00.006-05:00

Thanks to some wonderful friends, my kids and I were able to enjoy some time away at Breezy Point Resort. It was wonderful to just do whatever... no "business-y" phone calls (well, except a couple that couldn't wait), no neighbors, no school; just swimming, walking, hot tubs, playing games and enjoying each other.

Give a kid a camera and...

2009-09-22T21:26:00.005-05:00

you just never know what photos you'll find!

Hey, he even brushes when I'm not looking!

Crickets... I can't stand crickets, and yet this one captivated my children for quite some time!
I just don't know???
If you know Lawrence at all, you know how fitting this picture is.
Playdough spaghetti. Hungry, anyone??

Police Hill

2009-09-15T22:02:00.013-05:00

For some reason I have had issues with Blogger not wanting to post my pictures. Hopefully today will be the day I can finally get caught up on blogging.

A couple weekends ago we finally had an opportunity to go hiking on what we call "Police Hill." The kids so named it due to the fact that often as we pass by police cars are parked in the parking lot out front. In actuallity, it is part of a wildlife refuge that the kids and I enjoy hiking through. This was the first time we visited this area of the refuge.

We also had the pleasure of Uncle Tim and Ava joining us. The hike was beautiful and the kids really enjoyed themselves.

It brought out the kids' adventurous and imaginative side. At one point we were the fellowship (from Lord of the Rings) on the journey through Middle Earth. At another point we were the 7 dwarfs on a hike back to the little cabin in the woods.

We even saw evidence of "Big Foot" (AKA: sasquatch, AKA: James)

We plan on making another trip out to "Police Hill" when the leaves are changing color. It will be fun to see how the place looks during different seasons of the year.

St. Peter, pray for us!

2009-08-31T22:04:00.003-05:00

Our day was filled with physical science, american history, catholcism, biology, algebra, pre-algebra, general science, nouns and verbs, spelling, writing, reading, phonics, counting, and play dough! (oh, and of course, the ice cream we had before bed as a thank you for a job well done!) Can you guess what we did today?? One day down.... more than 100 left to go! I am proud of the effort my children put forth today! Today's schedule is complete (except for a couple math pages I still need to correct!) and I actually heard a few laughs while they were busy working away! I think we are off to a good start with our school year!

You may wonder why I invoked the prayers of St. Peter. Well, he is the patron of our school. A few years into this homeschool endeavor, Paul and I decided we should name our school. I asked Paul if he would pray about it and name our school himself. All I asked was that he would tell me why the name was so chosen. One day after some time in adoration, Paul came home to tell me he had the name for our school. It would be St. Peter's Catholic Home School. Paul went on to explain that since our desire in home educating our children is to give them a firm foundation in the faith first and for most, what better patron than St. Peter; the very foundation on which Christ chose to build His Church. I had to agree!

Our daily morning prayer:

O Holy Apostle, because you are the Rock upon which Almighty God has built His Church, obtain for me I pray you: lively faith, firm hope, and burning love, complete detachment from myself, contempt of the world, patience in adversity, humility in prosperity, recollection in prayer, purity of heart, a right intention in all my works, diligence in fulfilling the duties of my state in life, constancy in my resolutions, resignation to the will of God and perseverance in the grace of God even unto death; that so, by means of your intercession and your glorious merits, I may be made worthy to appear before the Chief and Eternal Shepherd of Souls, Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns forever. Amen

Sweet Sorrow

2009-08-29T14:30:00.003-05:00

Sweet: the many wonderful memories of almost 16 years spent married to the man of my dreams.

Sweet: the hugs and kisses given me today by the 5 beautiful children my marriage blessed me with.

Sweet: the time spent today praying in front of the Tabernacle.

Sweet: the friends with whom I will spend some time laughing this evening.

Sorrow: the absence of his physical presence here with me to celebrate what would have been our 17th anniversary.

Loving you today, Paul, and always. Thankful for all the blessings that our marriage gave to my life!

Sunday Afternoon Tea

2009-08-23T23:03:00.003-05:00

I was invited to tea today. I brought dessert! We had a splendid little visit!

A visit with the MI "cousins"

2009-08-18T12:59:00.004-05:00

A trip to Michigan had to include sometime visiting with Kari's brother's family. Their family became our family when Dave and Kari were married. Our kids have just considered each other cousins ever since. Kevin and Bridget's family are a great family to be "related" to and the kids always enjoy spending time together.

Being impulsive can be fun!

2009-08-18T10:44:00.006-05:00

I'm not quite sure what got into me; but, last Monday I just decided to call my brother-in-law and his wife and see if they were up for a visit! An impromptu visit to family... not usually a big deal, right? Well it is when they live 4 states away and you decide to pack up 6 people and a dog on the spur of the moment! When I called on Monday evening, Dave and Kari happened to be driving home from a long weekend vacation themselves. Still, Kari answered the phone with "Hello, so are you planning a trip out?" My reply, "Well, actually, the reason I called was... what if we showed up at your house on Wednesday?" All she said was, "start packing!!!" I even had to ask if she wanted to run it by David first. "oh, I'll just let him know you're coming, just get packing and start driving!" So, pack we did! We had a few things scheduled for Tuesday morning so I knew we wouldn't be able to leave MN until mid-afternoon. I planned to drive to the Chicago area and find a place to sleep for the night and finish the drive on Wed. This worked out perfectly.

We arrived Wednesday, a couple of hours before Dave and Kari arrived home from work. This gave us a chance to rest up a little before the fun began. We had a nice visit Wednesday evening, the kids all got reacquainted, and we settled in for a few days!

Thursday we headed for the park. The playground was built to resemble a castle with plenty of towers to climb and tunnels to crawl through.

James and Madison struck quite a pose. Can you guess which playwright's story they have thoroughly enjoyed this past school year?

Myriah has always been the first one to start climbing, so it didn't take her long to find the highest stop and climb on up. It provided a great place for a group photo.
Here is Magdalene with my sweet little nephew Will.

Lawrence had a lot of fun climbing and crawling.

It was a very hot day and it wasn't long before we all gravitated to a near by creek to cool down.

The creek proved to be a great spot to take some nice photos. We were able to get a great family picture.

I was also able to capture quite a bit of Will's personality as he splashed in the water. You can see more over at Will Wonders.

To be continued......

3rd Annual MN Bloggers Tea

2009-08-10T22:37:00.007-05:00

This past Saturday I had a great opportunity to meet some fellow MN bloggers IRL (in real life.) Even though this was the third Tea, this was the first year I was able to join them; and I'm so very glad I did.

We had such a lovely time drinking tea, eating lunch, and of course, snapping pictures (after all, we needed pictures for blogging, what kind of bloggers would we be if we didn't plan to blog our tea?) We shared stories of our faith, our families, and our home schooling; our joys, our successes, and even our struggles.

Starting clockwise from me we have:

Meredith (a very dear friend IRL for the past few years) Heavenly Perspective

Sarah (who won the door prize for the farthest traveled) With A Hopeful Heart

Jamie (a very pregnant mamma) Lord, Make Me A Saint

Josefa (who brought her sweet little guy for us all to enjoy and who won a beautiful rosary made by Tracy's husband) My Farm and Home

Margaret (who has a great post up of our tea on her blog) Minnesota Mom

Tracy (our wonderful hostess whom I "met" through her blog last year after sending her an email when I saw her wedding picture she posted and noticed I went to high school with her husband) Pinewood Castle

Tracy, thank you for organizing a wonderful tea. Ladies, it was such a pleasure meeting you all and I am looking forward to next year's get together. Hopefully, we will not have to wait a full year for our paths to cross again. It is always such a blessing to be able to spend time with women whose company you enjoy and, as Margaret worded so well, "whose hearts & minds are in accord with your own."

Vacation Bible School

2009-08-10T21:53:00.006-05:00

VBS is always such a busy week. But we always have fun as well!! Here are some random shots.

These first 4 shots are of the kids performance piece at the pie and ice cream social Thursday evening. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get the videos to post. When I have some time, I'll see what I can do to get them on the blog. They all did a great job!

VBS 7th grade campout

2009-07-31T13:21:00.009-05:00

Madison participated in the VBS campout this year. The campers learn how to do Christian Mime during the camp and then put on a presentation for family the last evening. It has always proved to be a very powerful experience for the campers, and this year was no exception. Madison was very nervous about attending the camp this year. She has struggled a lot with overnights away from home since dad died last year. Myriah and James both agreed to be a part of the teen team of volunteers per Madison's request so she would have family there with her. The prayer time on Wednesday evening was very moving for Madison. She shed lots of tears during the prayer time and I am sure it was a great release and brought healing to her as well. I am so proud of what she accomplished this week. She has really grown! For the presentation each small group acted out a parable. The families were then asked to guess which parable it was. Here is Madison's small group. I will reveal which parable at the end of this post.

After the parables were complete, the entire group of 7th graders performed a mime to the song "Shine Down" by Sandi Patti. This is performed each year and is considered a high light by the campers every year. For some reason that video clip does not want to download, so I'll try again another time to post that video. For now I'll leave you with some photos instead.

Next week is VBS week. Thursday evening will be the pie and ice cream social. Each grade level will get to perform a song. Then 7th graders will get to perform a new mime that they will learn during VBS. This time the performnce will be for a much larger crowd. VBS is always a very fun; but, extremely exhausting week! We are all looking forward to it!

And; the parable in the video... The Feeding of the 5,000

Bowling

2009-07-24T23:37:00.013-05:00

Every year while Paul's grandma and grandpa are up from Arizona, the family gets together for an afternoon of bowling. This usually happens in August around grandpa's birthday (and will again this year), however, we had to squeeze in an extra evening of bowling this year during the brief leave one of the brother's had from the army (they are preparing to head to Iraq). If was a fun evening for all of us, for the kids and adults alike!
Of course bowling has to include some yummy food! I think Ava would agree!

Lawrence was just a happy kid!

Tim (on right) was in Iraq a little over a year ago, Jay (left) will soon be headed there. So the evening included looking at a map of Iraq.
By the end of the evening some of us were quite content just to watch all the action.

Grandpa
Grandma (my mother-in-law with her mom)

.
And, well, this last picture is for the brothers-in-law! I just couldn't resist throwing this picture in as well! Thanks, Jay, for planning the evening. It was lots of fun!

The birthday party

2009-07-21T20:09:00.004-05:00

was on Sunday.

Myriah is now 16!! This year was her golden birthday. Unfortunately, she was away on missions over her birthday; but, her fellow mission team members celebrated with her on the actual day. Then her friends and family joined us on Sunday. A special thanks to her friend, Andrea, and her family for throwing her a party and to Aunt Jen for making a terrific cake. And,thanks to all who came to help her celebrate!! Myriah enjoyed herself!

Hope you had a great birthday this year, Bug. We love you very much!!

They're home!

2009-07-17T23:29:00.003-05:00

I have all 5 of my children under one roof again! Myriah and James are home... with lots of stories to catch us up on and lots of sleep to catch themselves up on!! It's so nice to have 'em home!

2 are gone!

2009-07-15T00:21:00.002-05:00

I have had the oldest two gone since Sunday morning after Mass. Both Myriah and James are participating in the local mission at our church. I'm sure they are having a great time, but, I miss them. Madison, Magdalene, Lawrence and I have enjoyed our days together visiting friends, visiting family and doing a few extra fun things without the big kids though. I am surprised how busy things can get with very little forwarning (even with part of the family missing.)

She coming home!

2009-07-11T11:15:00.003-05:00

Myriah will be home sometime late tonight! She has been away in North Dakota on a mission trip with our church this past week and I miss her! The down side is: she will only be home for the night. Tomorrow I take her and James to church and they will both be gone for a local mission this next week. These mission opportunities are great experiences for teens to step outside of themselves and give to others. Myriah has been involved in the missions for 4 years now and her faith and maturity have grown immensely because of the experiences she's had. This will be James' first mission experience and I am anxious to see what impact it makes on him!

Cruisin' in style!

2009-07-10T18:55:00.002-05:00

I use to drive

Now I drive

Fireworks!

2009-07-07T17:02:00.007-05:00

We usually spend the 4th of July with my family. But, this year we stayed a little closer to home; I just didn't have it in me to drive very far. (Myriah is in Mandaree, North Dakota on a mission trip for church, so I was down one.) We chose to enjoy a rather laid back morning and afternoon just hanging around the house. Then we headed off to join Tim(brother-in-law, his wife, Jen, and their daughter Ava for fireworks. After the city display we were invited back to their house for a midnight snack and some backyard (ok..I think we used the frontyard)fireworks. It was a very fun evening and the kids were good and worn out!! Thanks Tim and Jen, for the invite. We enjoyed ourselves.

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-04T11:34:00.003-05:00

The Life of Madison

2009-07-02T10:27:00.006-05:00

This is a poem written by Madison. It was an assignment for her home school group class! Sorry for the Second word being pulled, but, I do not wish to put the town we live in directly on the blog.

The Life of Madison ......, by Madison ......

In ....., where I live;
With a giant, black clock
that all day long goes tick, tock.
Historical, nostalgic musuem
with trains, and you can see 'em.
Disappointing and depressing cemetery,
that's where my dad was buried.

My Family with;
Delightful and humorous Father's Day,
which is almost a year away.
Happy and affectionate parents,
to each other so much meant.
Loving and grieving moments,
since last year my dad to Heaven went.

My Hobbies with;
Miniature and favorite horses,
and I really want some moreses.
Collectable and lovable Pet Shops,
I look for them in all the shops.
Adventurous and super biking,
the wind in my face I'm really liking.

My Diet with;
Minty and chocolatly oreo truffles,
we eat them by the mouthfuls.
Juicy and sweet oranges,
and you know, nothing rhymes with oranges.
Salty and crunchy popcorn,
without it I would be forlorn.

My Friends with,
Silly and exciting Andrea Henry,
our time together is always full of energy.
Moody and fun Kate,
we get into debates.
Kind and enjoyable Krysta,
being with her is just like a fiesta.

My Faith with,
Prayerful and powerful Rosary,
which shows my love for Mary.
Wonderful and majestic holy water,
which is a blessing from the Father.
Holy and mighty tabernacle,
the body of Jesus is spectacular.

The life of Madison ......,
enjoyment, excitement, and love!

One year ago today...

2009-06-27T14:08:00.007-05:00

...on another rainy, cloudy June 27th, a police officer came knocking on my door. With the words, "is there someplace we could talk?" my world started to unravel. So unexpectedly, Paul was called home to be with our heavenly Father. His life here on earth was done and we were to continue living without his physical presence here in our lives. It has been a tough year to say the least. So much my children and I have had to learn... how to fix and do the things Paul did; how to navigate the world of insurance forms, autopsies, social security, and title tranfers and most importantly; how to support and encourage each other when we all grieve so differently; how to enjoy being with one another again without Paul's laughter; how to sit and eat dinner as a family with his chair empty, and how to be a family in a single parent home. One year seems like such a brief moment. Some days the grief still sneaks in from no-where and catches us by surprise. BUT... we are moving forward. I am trying hard ot keep my promise to Paul that we will make him proud. We still cry at times, we still miss his presence. I think I have come to the conclusion that in some way a small part of that "grief" will stay with us forever. This has truley changed us, it's a part of us, it had formed us into the people we are today. We loved (and still love)Paul deeply, and so we hurt deeply. But, inspite of the hurt our hearts still feel at times, we choose to laugh, we choose to love, and we choose to go on living the lives God has laid out before us. We find hope in our faith, we find joy in the things we do together, and we find love in our family and friends!

Today two of Paul's brothers and their families and Paul's mother joined us at the cemetery. The military gives a footplate to a deceased vetran and today Paul's was placed in the ground. We each had an opportunity to sign the back of the footplate and Paul's brother Tim did a wonderful job making the cement slab the plate is now mounted to.

Then, today Tim, Steve, James and Myriah "planted" it.

It looks great!

After lunch here at the house, the three older kids joined Paul's mom for a cousin's wedding celebration (a wedding is not my first choice of activites for today, so I am glad the kids had a chance to go as I know they will have fun.) The younger kids and I will be joining Tim, Jen and Ava for some fun at a food fest. All in all, not a half bad day!

Thanks for all the love, support, and encouragement from all of our family and friends this past year. We would not have come this far without each and everyone of you! We love you all and pray for you often!

And now for today!

2009-06-14T22:07:00.005-05:00

Today we celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi. A day set aside to honor our Lord and His presence in the Holy Eucharist.

James served at Mass this morning and was able to serve during the Corpus Christi procession as well.

Catch up, part 4

2009-06-14T21:49:00.004-05:00

Parade!! Yep, it's that time of year again. This year we had a few friends join us.

I think we mothers mostly thought "oh, what we do for our children!" But, despite all the effort put into it, I think we all enjoyed ourselves as well.

Don't my girls just look cute in their hats!

Catch up, part 3

2009-06-14T21:36:00.003-05:00

I guess that brings us to the birthday pictures of Lawrence I had hoped to post a week ago (ok, maybe it's a little more than a week ago). All I can say is we have been so busy with our summer I haven't had time to post them (yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

So, here he is, missing his top front teeth and looking as cute as ever!!

Catch up, part 2

2009-06-14T21:07:00.004-05:00

Memorial Day was a little more special this year. There was a flag raising ceremony at the cemetery honoring the local men and women who have served our country and have died, as a vetran or in combat. These six flags are the flags that were presented to the families at the time of the funeral. Paul's flag is the 2nd one from the right. It was nice to have him honored!

Paul's brother, Tim (retired army) came in his dress uniform. He looked great and it meant a lot to me and to the kids as we knew he was dressed in his uniform to honor his brother. Paul's mother, Tim's wife and daughter, Paul's sister and her two children and a friend of Myriah's and her mother had joined us as well. It was great to have the support of family with us as we remembered Paul!

Of course, we had to stop by Paul's grave and "visit" for awhile. The kids and I each placed a flag near the headstone.

I absolutly love this picture of Lawrence spending time with his daddy!