End of day

I am thankful that today is done! Ha ha! I know next year I will look back on this blog and laugh hysterically but today I just sigh and say thank goodness it is done! Let me vent for a moment: today was "supposed" to be an easy day! Julia was at nana's house, school was done and my two little hooligans known as Bonnie and Clyde were excited about going to McDonalds for a shake today! I never ever go to McDonalds and now I know why! Here's the lowdown we got our shakes and peppermint mocha (I couldn't resist) and I let Bonnie and Clyde talk me into sitting in play area. I never go to these places as it is a breeding ground for the bubonic plague! But I figured we could sit and watch everyone else get germy and then leave! I let my common sense take a nap and next thing I knew Bonnie and Clyde were at top of play structure. Here's where it all goes sour! Clyde is afraid of heights and Bonnie knows this so she scurries away leaving Clyde in a phobic tailspin! His blood curdling screams brought swarms of McD's employees running to my aide. They imagined a fire transpired or a broken arm. Concerned mothers came running to offer aide or support, all because Clyde would not go down the slide and Bonnie refused to help! I had to leave my sweet sleeping baby in arms of some strange woman while I climbed up play structure to rescue Clyde! I calmly asked Bonnie to come down as we were leaving. She coyly and sweetly looked me straight in face and said "no I am NOT leaving!" where I very sweetly said "well I am!" by then the strange lady holding my now screaming baby passed him back to me and he looked at me like I had abandoned him. I walked out of there like a cat on fire and was stopped by a man that reminded me my 7 year old was still refusing to come. I wanted to yell "call a cab" but that would have been mean since she had no money to pay for one. So I kept walking praying she would not call my bluff! I am happy to say all the children made it home safely and after a time out and a little donation of a toy to our St. Vincent pile I am feeling better. Now excuse me while I go bathe my children in some germ-x so we don't catch the bubonic plague or something. Thank Goodness today is done!
P.s. The McDonalds employees recommend we don't come back for awhile until Clyde gets over his fear of heights!

Crafty girl

Nana and Julia have been really good at updating us on all their antics! In the world of arts and crafts these two are a force to be reckoned with! They have made ornaments and pencil toppers and memories!

Sleepover

Julia went to my mom's house for a sleepover. She wanted to get away from chaos of little siblings. Every young girl needs time with her Nana. She left at 10 this morning and they went to my mom's house where they worked on a homemade book, ate a healthy lunch of avocado and cottage cheese and then went to library. I heard plans of more crafts and a movie later. These are times where memories are made between a girl and her nana!

Hamster Sitter Wanted

Julia is off to her Nana's house for the weekend. She is thrilled. I am happy for her but was informed that I would be taking over all duties in regards to Peanut "Charlotte " her hamster! I am thankful for Gods creation of animals just not when I have to touch them! Most everyone knows Julia is an animal lover and she truly pampers her pets! She left me detailed instructions on her hamster's feeding schedule, sleeping arrangements and playtime. This is one pampered pet let me tell you! Now I don't mind caring for her bunny as Daisy is a big ball of lovable fluff, but this small little "rodent" resembles the very reason why I fear walking in my garage right now! It appears like a vicious rat ready to strike at any moment! Thank Goodness for pot holders for that is only way I am picking up her little peanut! Which brings me to my next thought...what does one pay a hamster sitter?!?

Little Flowers

I just dropped the girls off to their little flowers meeting. It is a once a month girls club where they learn about virtues via female saints. They love interacting with the other homeschooled girls and they especially adore Mrs. Jacoby their fearless leader. She manages to set her table for twelve, host a tea party, teach a lesson and a craft all while the rest of us mommies do a drop and dash! That is where you drop off your kids and dash away before some one asks you to stay and help. I am truly thankful for this once a month treat! It offers me special time with my little guys and the girls are having fun too! Today happened to be all saint party so they dressed up as St. Philomena (Julia) and St. Maria (Emerson ).

Rainbows

Julia is thankful for rainbows. The real ones and the symbolic ones. We call happy endings around here a rainbow. We all know the Noah and ark story and I tell kids to look for a rainbow in every situation regardless of how disappointing life can be. Recently life has been a bit challenging for "juice" as she likes to be called. On the verge of becoming a tween life is not as peachy king as it was when she was six! The bumps in the road have caused her to try and look for the "rainbows" in her day. Normally a vivacious child this change has forced me to look for little rainbows as well! So this morning I am not going to worry about the little things that go wrong and be thankful for rainbows.

Library

The kids love Wednesdays! We always travel to Hartland and go to the Cromaine Library! They love it! It is in a small village and very quaint and personable! We discovered today just how thankful we are for librarians. The computers were down and not working but these ladies went above and beyond by personally helping each child locate every single book they needed. We generally check out at least 50 books between all of us! We lug in our bags fill them up and go home to a treasure of stories, fables, poems, and graphic novels! Today was special instead of sticking our nose in a computer to learn about a topic we received a hands on lesson of the Dewey decimal system, we learned patience as the librarian wrote out each title by hand, and we learned about serving others first. I love this library and the kids are sure thankful for all the librarians!

Talents

The subject of talents has come up quite a bit this week after the Sunday readings. We all have something we are especially good at. Julia is an amazing artist and writer, Emerson loves to dance and has a head for numbers, Blaise can build intricate creations out of legos, and Benedict is great at just being cute! Tony was blessed with an amazing sense of logic and geographical knowledge and for me...well I can organize and plan just about anything. These are talents bestowed upon us by God. What we do with them is up to us, how we are blessed by them is up to God! My neighbor has a talent for knitting and she generously made the kids hats. Just because is what she said. It was a sweet surprise and wonderful use of her talents!

Thanksgiving Day

Every year I do something with the kids before thanksgiving dinner. It is called the talking spoon. We all pass around a little spoon and say something nice about person next to us or we say what we are thankful for! This is a tradition we started with kids and I plan on keeping the "talking" spoon and passing it down to them! Tradition is important to our family. Tony and I both feel the importance of starting these types of traditions to keep the family united. Today I noticed all the Christmas decorations in the stores and all the glitz and glammer of the season. What about Thanksgiving the girls asked? Isn't it more important to be thankful then to be worried about what you are wanting for Christmas? I was proud that they noticed the oversight of Thanksgiving. Even as a vegetarian I look forward to Thanksgiving, sitting with my family and expressing my gratitude for how much they mean to me!

True Friends are Forever

Recently Julia and I had a heart to heart about friendship and what it means to be a true friend! She proudly told me her best friend was her bunny Daisy. It brought me back to my own memories of friends and one person kept popping up in my head. She is the kind of friend that is loyal and honest. We can go months without chatting and then pick right up where we left off. She was there when I first found my Catholic faith and even though she and I may disagree on issues we respect each other. She is witty and funny and very intelligent. Who would have thought I would have met my dear friend while part timing at a dry cleaners but that is where I met her! Karen I am thankful for you!

Back to Reality

Well the boys are home and the girls are dreading the Monday Morning routine. It is back to lessons and chores...party is over folks! I have been suffering from a horrible toothache and woke up grumpy at mere thought of dealing with a dental appointment this week! Blaise is realizing his place again in the family and in a hustle to get off to work Tony left a mess. Then here is how our God works in mysterious ways, as I am dressing Benedict this morning he is laughing and cooing at me without a care in the world. He has been congested for few days and I was thinking I may have to take him into doctor...but my little guy was smiling away at me and just making me so happy! Who can be grumpy around a baby! Then he decided to do a new trick today...he actually sat all by himself upright for 30 seconds just giggling and laughing away! He looked like a fat old man sitting and I couldn't help but break out in my own laugh. Ahh thanks God I needed that today on Monday!

Daddy is home

Emerson has been missing her dad. She loves being with me but she is so thankful her dad is home! Me too!

Sunday Morning

It is one of my favorite times of the week. I don't have to rush around with housework or school I simply have to get the family ready to head out the door. I get to sit for 45 minutes sometimes longer....it is my time to grow my faith as I listen to our priest. Any of the week's stress is washed away in an instant as I say "ahhh I am here Lord, I made it!"
It is like being refueled for the upcoming week. When I was in high school I had a civics teacher that always said the same thing every Friday to us as we left ..."do yourself a favor go to church on Sunday"

Waste Management

What is it about boys and garbage? Blaise adores the garbage men that come every Monday to pick up our trash! He waves and tells me one day maybe he will drive a garbage truck. From time he could drag a trash bag he has always helped with trash! He collects my trash cans every morning for me so I can empty them! I am so thankful for my little buddy that helps me!

Bottomless Pit

Ok so I have been fretting and fretting about Blaise and his diet lately! One trip to Grandma Jan's house and my nights of worries can stop!

Molasses Cookies and Ovaltine

Everyone has been asking how Blaise is doing. Well here is the update. Tony's mom has really made him feel at home. He has been showered upon with cars, trucks, and a cool suitcase on wheels that he loves to pull around. This morning he tried Ovaltine drink which his daddy used to drink. He loved it I am told. Grandma made some molasses cookies and he gobbled one up! I will have to get recipe!

Good Nights Rest

My mind is a blur this morning as to what exactly I am thankful for. With my son away I had planned on getting a good night sleep. Blaise is famous for toddling in at 3, 4, or 5 in morning to see if it is morning. I am guilty of thinking yahoo it is not my problem this weekend and I am sleeping in! Well ever hear of Murphy's Law...he came knocking on our door in wee hours of night in form of booming screeching fireworks! Not the pretty kind either, the screeching, fizzing annoying kind that lasted for hours it seemed. After finally settling down Emerson and reassuring her it wasn't a hunter shooting at our house, I laid down....then I heard it ..."mommy is it breakfast time I am hungry" ok so I am thankful for that nap I will be taking later on today! Zzzzzz

While the cats away

Ok so the boys are having their fun and we ladies (baby too) intend upon having our fun! We decided to go shopping at Hobby Lobby first and then we had a lunch guest! An afternoon puzzle was just the thing to pass the time and now we all put on our cozy pjs for a movie and popcorn affair! The girls miss daddy but are enjoying this girls weekend. (I see a tradition being set here) the boys go away and girls have their fun!