The small things...

I am a simple person, a plain Jane if you will. I always tell the family it's the little things that make me happy and grateful. Waking up to my little smiling faces makes me happy. Catching my kids hugging each other when noone is looking. Watching the birds at the bird feeder enjoy the seed my son threw out to them. Listening to prayers at night and hearing them asking for blessings upon their pets. Discovering my husband mopped the floors just to be helpful. These little things grow the gratitude in my heart. Recently Blaise asked me to read him one more story at bedtime just to "spend more time" with me. I melted and of course consented. It's the little things...

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
-Mother Teresa

Employees

Tony just let me know it is Employee Appreciation Day at work! He is thankful for all his co-workers and all the stuff they put up with!

TGIF

Thank goodness it is Friday! We made it thru the week...the kids are feeling better...Tony only has to work a "little" bit tomorrow....and the sun is shining right now!

Art

Imagine her surprise when she opened up her art book today and saw her activity for today. "this is perfect mommy"

Jan

Well the brain cells are on fire around here this morning. Everyone is thinking of what they can be thankful for. Collectively as a group we all mentioned grandma Connell at one time or another. She is so encouraging to the kids always sending them positive tidbits of mail and little things from garage sales. She keeps Tony on his toes by reminding him how to stay healthy and for me well she is faithful, humble, sweet and content. We love you grandma Jan and I know she would rather have me post a picture of a card she sent Julia then one of herself so here goes:

Laptop

Julia is still under the weather but has managed to come up with something she is thankful for. Her laptop. She loves to email her grandma Connell and her nana. She can write stories on it and do her school work as well!

Muscles

Benedict is thankful for the strong men in his life!

My faith

Emerson pondered all morning what she was thankful for and then piped up "I love my catholic faith" that was good enough for me.

Legomania

Blaise is thankful for his legos. He builds the biggest trucks and buildings. From morning until night this is where we find him constructing things.

Keurig K cup

Ok so this isn't an endorsement merely opinion. Today's attitude of gratitude stems from a week of little or no sleep. We seem to have a cold virus running thru the house and every night I have had one or more children wander in my room. This has resulted in a lack of sleep. If it was not for my Keurig ohh I don't know what I would do. I feel like I have my own little barista in my kitchen. I spin the carousel, pick a flavor, and get ready to face the day....

Hot Water Bottle

Tony is thankful for his hot water bottle. He has always had to use one to sleep. He has Never gone to sleep without one. It goes with him on trips and he recently bought a second one when kids started getting headaches too!

Naps

Benedict is thankful for naps and Mommy is too!

Soup

Julia's turn...she is thankful "that I have a good mother that makes me my favorite soup when I am sick"! Which she is sick today!

Tony

My turn....I am thankful for Tony. I am not normally a gusher but here goes: Thank you dear for going to work 6 days a week without complaining just so I can stay home. Thank you for always respecting our family values and faith and setting an example for the kids. Thank you for making me laugh when I don't feel like it and letting me cry when I want to! Most of all thank you for being respectful of me as your wife and never losing sight of what God has planned for our marriage.

Lily

I am thankful for my rabbit lily. God made her and she is mine to take care of.

An attitude of gratitude

The family every year makes a big turkey cut out and every morning we write on feathers what we are grateful for. By thanksgiving Tom turkey is filled with all our gratitude and it helps us to remember how blessed we are. This year Julia and Emerson requested that they get to post their thoughts of thankfulness with a picture instead. I thought we could change it up a bit too...so from now until thanksgiving we will be thinking of what we are truly thankful for. It will be nice to look back at end of month and see all the things, people, and ideas that we are gracious for! I told Blaise he can go first and I would help him! He told me he is thankful for Benedict because he is a boy! And because he gets a bunk bed now in his room!

Snail mail

Today in school Emerson will be learning the finer points of writing a friendly letter. When I gave her the heads up she sighed and said "but I don't know anyone's email address"! I realized a year ago I didn't have a cell phone, a consistent email address or a blog. I didn't want one as I felt the old fashioned method of a stamp and envelope was fine for me. Then Tony bought me an iPhone strictly for emergency use! Ha! I am a bona fide techie now! The art of snail mail will never die in our house though. I love writing to my grandmothers, girlfriend in Cleveland, and getting the homemade envelopes from my mother in law wondering what surprises she has sent. Emerson will learn the proper form of letter writing today. She will learn salutations and punctuation. Not because I expect when she is older that she will prefer to handwrite her notes or even afford the cost of a stamp! Simply because I think she should know how to compose thoughts with pencil and paper. Luckily God is easily accessible...could you imagine the postage on that letter?!?!? I know we are in trouble if she asks me his email address though!

Just a few more...

My mom gave me a few more from her side to remember and I also discovered I forgot some. So here goes and if you see a familiar name you may get nostalgic and want to submit a memory of that person.
John O'Green
Grace Clyde
Charles Clyde
Peter Connell
Roy Koppela
Shirley O'Green
Henry Wallace
Beulah Wallace
Betty Jane Robinette
John Koppela
Sophie Koppela
Pearl Knudsen
Ivy Christie

Prayer for poor souls

Julia wanted me to add her project from today. She made this poster for month of November and on each headstone we tried our best to write all names of the dead in both families. Julia has decided to offer up a sacrifice or do a good deed daily for each deceased person and then to pray for them.

"as a little child runs into arms of his mother, so we, at the time of death, run into the arms of Jesus."-St. Anselm

Emerson Reid Wallace

This was my mom's dad. He passed away when she was 18ish. He was a tall drink of water. I have often been told he was a very hard worker and a doting father. He was handsome and a true gentleman.

Arthur M. Schueler

My grandpa was a really smart man. He was a well known lawyer in Detroit. My last memory of him was driving to Sea World just he and I. My grandma stayed home so he could have a special day with me. After that trip he passed away a few months later suddenly. One interesting fact is that he didn't have a middle name so he chose the letter "m" I never knew why until my observant daughter Julia suggested it was for "middle"!

Beatrice

I was lucky I knew my great grandma into my early teens. She used to ride her bike and I sat in basket in back. She baked pies with me and on my birthday she drank a Shirley temple with me and gave me my first red mini skirt. But not too mini as she was a proper lady!

Ernie and Wanda

When Tony woke up today and I told him what Julia and I wanted to do all day today as far as remembering our departed ones he immediately mentioned his grandpa Ernie and grandma Wanda. This is what I remember about them: the first time I met them they welcomed me into the family with warmth and love. Grandpa had a twinkle in his eye and Grandma proudly showed me her beautiful garden by her house. I know where Tony gets his green thumb from. What really inspired me was the devotion and love they had for each other. I remember thinking I hope Tony and I can live such a long fulfilled life as them! I searched for a picture but I can't find one. If I do I will post it later on today!

Aunt Jeanie

This is what I tell the kids about Aunt Jeanne: she was pure and happy and kind! She had quite a memory for stats and she loved to make you feel good inside!

All Saints Day

Today is an important holy day for our faith. Normally the family goes to mass and then takes a moment or two to remember those that have departed. We also celebrate the saints and their lives they lived for God. I used to find this day so gloomy and sad. Who wants to think about death or mourning the loss of a loved one or thinking about ones own mortality. These are not things a young family wants to ponder. Last year Julia made a prayer list of family members that she may or may not have met that have passed on. My mother in law was crucial in helping me compile a complete list, for Tony has a much larger family. With each name we added we tried to tell her something special about that person. Today I plan on periodically reminding her and myself and anyone else about that special someone. With death comes new life. Looking at Benedict reminds me of that every day.

Ghoulish games

Pin tail on kitty....hide the fly....cookie contest
Scary antics!

Eek!

Dracula bunny!
Bug in a shoe!

Boo!

Happy Halloween

Did I really think we would get any school done today? The girls woke up with visions of candy corn dancing in their heads! We have been working since beginning of August so it didn't bother me too much to call off studies and have some fun. Sometimes learning comes in the shape of teamwork as they play a ghastly scavenger hunt game. Exercise is had by all as they run around the house playing attack of the bat and gross science experiments become the rage! For lunch the cafeteria is serving sliced fingertips (hotdogs) bloody veins(dyed spaghetti noodles) and eyeballs (hardboiled eggs) for dessert.....blood red velvet cake and spooky punch! We will attempt to construct a Halloween village made out of Graham crackers and play pin the tail on kitty! The library is having a spooky time tea party and then it is off to trick or treating. My trick for Tony is not the fake mouse in his shoe like last year....but something far more spookier! My treat for him will be that I will take the kids and their friends out tonight and he can sit at home in the toasty warm house with some cider. Here's something funny...one of our neighbors is also our dentist! He gives out large candy bars...job security he says!

Flu Shot

Well the kids sure enjoyed watching mommy and daddy getting their flu shots. With a baby in the house I really didn't want to risk bringing the flu into the house. This was our first time getting them. Tony found it odd getting his shot at same place he buys his pop and candy and vitamins! I am just glad to have an ounce of prevention!

Pumpkin Prayer

Dear Jesus,
As I carve my pumpkin help me pray this prayer:
Open my mind so I can learn about You. (cut top off of pumpkin)
Take all my sin and forgive the wrong that I do. (clean out the inside)
Open my eyes so your love I will see. (cut eyes shaped like hearts)
I'm sorry for times I turned up my nose at what you've given me. (cut nose in shape of cross)
Open my ears so your Word I will hear. (cut ears shaped like bible)
Open my mouth to tell others your near. (cut mouth in shape of fish)
Let your light shine in all I say and do!
Amen
(place candle inside and light it)
This prayer compliments of Julia and Emerson's religious Ed. Director