Work has begun!

It is that time of year again when all of our studies begin. I love the beginning of the school year. All things are possible. Mom has a plan and the kiddos still want to participate. My kiddos often know what they want the year to be about. I will let them add something if they are interested. For instance we are working on world History this year. Pickle wants to learn more about dinosaurs. Well I grabbed all the dinosaur books put them on the table. We watched a few dinosaur movies and then we moved on. I love this part of homeschooling. If you want to study something that isn't in the plan book you can and it won't ruin anything.
So world history works well with Bible stories for the younger ones. We start with the bible, then we move onto history. The older ones are doing world history and church history as well.
One thing that we want to include this year is everything that leads us to next year as we are still hoping and planning for our US History year that will include the fall full of travels to United States History spots.
Part of that preparing is knowing that we will not be around the parish for all the the Sacrament prep classes. We got permission for Sugar and Bear to receive Confirmation this year together. Pooker will be a teacher for the program and Goobers will be a teen assistant helping the program along. Princess will be working toward her First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Bagel is too young but I am having her tag along. These two do all their school work together so I want that to continue. We aren't sure how this will work in the long run but we want to be prepared.
Fr. Keller was visiting so he tagged along to the youth room to offer support for Bear and Sugar during their Confirmation testing. It is a simple test of the basics of the faith. Bear knew he better do well with his God-Father the priest watching.
In the end everyone is doing great and enjoying the routine of school again. I am loving the simple start this year knowing that we continue to get more intense each week. Everything is flowing a little easier this year knowing that we are working toward our goal for next years adventures.

Welcome Fall

Oh that's right, I live in Houston. Then it is more like "Welcome some what breathable air". Yeah! This has been depressing. The heat was/is bad. We have had a few hours of breaks here and there while the rain is falling. Last night, if you could with stand the mosquitoes, it was pleasant.

I am most thankful for the cooler air. It is so much better at 92 than at 98. I just can't get over how much I miss the crisp air and the smell of the leaves changing. I was researching the other day to see if we can view any leaves this year without driving too too too far. As it turns out there is a hidden place in Texas. Well I don't have much hope but there is a state park called Lost Maple and it pops up on the leaf seeing charts. It doesn't look that promising but we will give it a try. The pictures of the trees there are nice but it is one tree here and there with brown one around them. So while the tree might be pretty it fails in comparison to driving down the road with vibrant colors all around or driving through the hills and seeing the colors bleed into each other.
I am afraid it will not be nearly the site of the Ozarks but maybe we will check it out at the end of next month or even later. Click here for a small peak into the colors that God using the paint the world, or at least a few of the trees. My poor friends from Southern Texas and Louisiana have no idea the colors that God puts together. My Papa always said that "You will know that God loves you when you look at the beautiful art work in the trees. He painted them just for you!" Oh man I miss feeling that way. I can't describe it to the locals they just don't understand. It isn't just the site but the smells and the way the breeze kisses your checks. My only hope now is to hold out for next fall. We are busy busy busy trying to create a very filled school year including all the Sacrament preparations from the parish and helping Pooker free some time in her schedule. If things continue to fall into place we will spend the Fall of 2011 doing a American History tour. The plan will involve an RV, the entire family (with dad there when work allows), and US Historical sites. It looks like it will actually be several short trips with a few long ones to be completed by Christmas. We won't see everything but we hope to get a good taste of it. Believe me, if I have any say in where we go and when the trips will revolve around all the colors of the Autumn leaves.

10 Surprising Things About Me

I was casually reading friends blogs the other morning when I realized I was being called out. I love to read family blogs. I love to peak into others lives. I was surprised by the tag and yet grateful for the inspiration. It has been doormat lately. So thank you to Lillian @ Smithflections for the call out! Now onto the task. I try to be open about everything, sometimes I am too open I am told. So I will try for surprise, but might not get there.

10 Surprising Things about me:
1) I want to be a published author when I grow up. I have started several books. So many thoughts going around in my head. I have ideas for fiction and picture books. I have home school aide ideas, travel book ideas, and several children faith based book ideas.

2) My most organized book that I have started is one on parenting. I have 20 chapters started with an introduction and a conclusion. It is rough but good. I just don't know where to go with it. I have divided 20 very specific ideas into 20 chapters filled with a specific thoughts on parenting with advice and examples.

3) I am a very jealous person. I am most jealous of my own children. They have the neatest relationship with their dad and with each other. I am so thankful that my husband is everything I looked for when I was dating and that my children don't know how blessed they are. It means they don't know any different. Sometimes when I listen to Pooker talk with her dad my heart just aches with joy for her. Jason is a dad that is fun and happy and his kids know they are loved. He protects them from the world and yet lets them be real. They have no idea how rare he is and how their lives will be so much better because of him.

4) I wish I was more like my children for so many reasons. Pooker is so strong and amazing. Goobers is so loving and forgiving. Bear is so smart and funny. Sugar is so confident and so beautiful. Possible is open and doesn't know a stranger. Pickle is solid, right is right and wrong is wrong. Princess knows that she is loved and walks like a princess. Bagel is reserved and observant. Jumba is full of joy and loves everyone. They are all so close. They are best friends with each other. They know their own faults and those of their siblings and still love each other without condition. The world could take a huge lesson from this remarkable group of people.

5) My heart breaks for all my lost friends, those that I lost because of my own arrogance and stubbornness. I wish I was a better to friend. I work to be more trust worthy and kind. I feel guilty about any pain I have caused my loved ones.

6) I continually seek to learn. I don't think a degree is as important as knowledge but I am seeking the best and most affordable way for me to obtain a degree in Child Development or a related field.

7) It is rare when I have slept through the night. It started with the pregnancy that gave us Bagel and it comes and goes. I suspect all issues will balance out after all the woman changes have passed.

8) I desire a stronger faith with my whole being and yet fight my own laziness when it comes to implementing ideas that will strengthen it.

9) I love my friends and family but always fear that they will be at the door. Our home is always a mess. I lack good house cleaning skills and would much rather spend my time with my children than cleaning up after them. It does embarrass me but I don't really think it is something that I will change. I once knew a woman that would openly criticize people like me and say that we were letting down out husbands and God. Then I would look at her children and then at mine. My children are kind and hers were mean.

10) I have little patience for fake people and for those that mock others. I admire those that are not politically correct but are true to themselves. I respect the intellectuals but they loose it when they mock others. I might misspell a word here or there and I might forget punctuation but it doesn't mean I am not just as smart. I might not be as smart, so what, it doesn't make you more important. I respect faithful Christians but loose it when they judge those that don't live like them. I respect the medical world but loose it when that same world thinks that generalities need to be laws. I respect the physically fit and the natural eaters but loose it when they want to force their ideals on me.


Those are things that you might not know about me. I don't know if the intention was for such reflection but I have enjoyed this little exercise of my own thoughts.

PICKING MY NOOOOOOSE!

Jumba was hogging the screen time as the kids set up the living room to record them dancing. Instead Jumba steals the scene with his goofiness. Why do they act this way even when so young?

20 years!

"Where can I find words to describe adequately the happiness of that marriage which the church cements, which the oblation confirms and the blessing seals? The angels proclaim it and the heavenly Father ratifies it . . ." Tertullian {(Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus) ca. 160 – ca. 220 A.D. He was a prolific early Christian author and apologist.}

A Marriage blessed by God through the church is such a gift to the world and a gift to us. J and I didn't follow the rules and we were married very young. So many things that we were up against. No money, still in school, baby on the way, no real plans for the future except each other. What were we thinking? I still can't answer that except to say that from the very start we asked God to forgive us for all the wrong things we did and to help us find a way to make it. At a siblings wedding years later I was told by an older family friend that certain family members were betting how long we would last. She didn't think anyone thought we would make it to 15 years much less 20. So this morning that thought called to mind the words of Shania Twain's song " You're still the one!"

Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday

They said,
"I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together
still going strong

(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're the one I want for life

It ends with the words:
I'm so glad we made it
Look how far we've come my baby

The past 20 years have been wonderful, painful, joyful, scary and at times boring. Life has it's ups and downs. In truth I am so glad that I found the partner God created for me to enjoy the journey with. We spent the day looking back over the years and found such peace in the life that we are blessed to live.

The day started with roses and day lilies (they are the official flower of the 20Th). This was brought to me with breakfast and coffee that J had to go out to get before I woke up. That was a wonderful way to wake up. I was given a new book with the promise of the next 2 in the series based on a show I love.

After running out with the kiddos for a homeschool park event I can home to receive another gift. This one made me cry. I have had insomnia in some form or another since my pregnancy with Bagel. It has been bad at points and not so bad at others. This summer has been very hard with me getting very little sleep. After some research that I knew nothing about J found the Saint that I need to talk to about my sleep issues. The medal and the relic are just perfect. I know that this beautiful Saint Dymphna will be an intercessor for me. She was a beautiful Irish girl that has prayed for many others and I will begin asking her to pray for me as well. To me it was the most thoughtful and loving gift.

After the final gift of earrings we gathered the kiddos together to pray with us before heading to dinner. We were given a family "Blessing Cup" that we use on special occasions. We said the prayers, and prayed together. Then just J and I headed to dinner.
At dinner J and talked about how blessed we really are. We have 9 wonderful children enjoying life with us. We have two souls in heaven. We have each other. We have so many friends and great family. We spent the night enjoying our blessings. As dinner was ending we both decided we wanted to return home to celebrate with ice cream for the kiddos. We arrived home to a surprise of a memory lane created through out our home.

The kids had many of the actual facts wrong but they tried. J and I felt so loved. We laughed so hard as the kids tried to recreate our first date, they thought was a concert. Pickle was our rock star and everything after that was a blur. We laughed and we cried.
We felt so loved. As their memory lane ended for us we were in the dinning room where the kids had chocolate covered strawberries and sparkling cider waiting to toast our long marriage.
(J's bow tie and my veil were to remind us of our wedding. The hats were to remind of us the move to Texas!) The kids were so cleaver and creative. I hope that the next 20 years are filled with as much joy was we felt tonight! Lord Jesus, grant that I and my spouse may have a true and understanding love for each other. Grant that we may both be filled with faith and trust. Give us the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony. May we always bear with one another's weaknesses and grow from each other's strengths. Help us to forgive one another's failings and grant us patience, kindness, cheerfulness and the spirit of placing the well-being of one another ahead of self.

May the love that brought us together grow and mature with each passing year. Bring us both ever closer to You through our love for each other. Let our love grow to perfection. Amen!

Game with Uncle Resto

Once again we have been treated to a delightful afternoon. Uncle Resto was able to secure tickets for us and some friends for his game in Round Rock. We had not planned ahead so we missed lunch with Uncle Michael this time and the kiddos were not happy. Bagel asked over and over again if she was going to get to see her god-father and Jumba wanted time with his best friend.
Heading to the park helped. Triple A parks are so much fun. They parks in general are much more family orientated. We had a blast with all the entertainment outside the park waiting until our friends arrived.


The favorite was the pony ride. Jumba wasn't happy that we had not let him wear his boots.
Jumba was right at home.

Bagel seamed to know what she was doing as well.

Princess was always ready for a picture, even on a pony.
Pickle thinks that we should get one for home.
Sugar and Possible took the girls on a ride on the kiddy train.
Once our friends arrived we headed in and found our seat. It was the second to last game of the season and sold out so we were in the grass area. We didn't mind because it gave us a great shot of Uncle Resto playing left field.

The little ones are always so excited to see Unlce Resto on the field. They are proud and excited all at the same time.


Pooker had invited her good friend Keith A and his family. His mom and dad sat with us the whole time. While Keith his brother and his brother's wife were always out searching for the perfect brat.

Pooker loved knowing that she was going to spend time with her Uncle after spending time with her friends.

The coloring was very cool as the sun went down. A beautiful shadow across the field.



We stopped at a Sams earlier in the day. The little ones had purchased blow pops and sun flower seeds as the treat for the game. I had no idea that Jumba would like the seeds as much as he did. He called them candy. When I asked what he meant by candy his reply was "Flower Sun Seeds". In a way I guess guess they are candy.

Bear with Keith.
Resto hit a double and the kids went crazy. He was on the apposing team from the area and we were probably the only ones cheering for his team. I am sure we sounded like fools as we screamed with delight. The sad thing is that our wave never caught on.
Resto played First Base after the 7th inning. It allowed us to teach Jumba even more about the sport. He questioned everything that happened. He was keeping a close eye on his "best friend"!
We had a blast sitting in the grass watching Resto's team win with two runs that our Uncle ran in.

After the game the lights went out and we were treated to a holiday treat of fire works. Then the kids were invited to run the bases . This is such an exciting thing to do that the kids will wait for ever to get the chance to run onto the field.
Dad and Mr. A used the kiddos as their excuse to run the bases also. I guess the kids needed escorts.


Then our precious time with family came. This is the best part of visiting for a baseball game. The time we get to spend with Uncle Resto. We were all impressed that Jumba jumped into Uncle Resto's arms without any hesitation. That is huge if you know Jumba, he is kind of shy. No shyness around his Uncle, that is for sure.
Bagel could hardly keep her eyes open. She was fading fast. She had requested a special picture earlier in the day and Unlce Resto was very willing. Bagel's eyes show how tired we all felt by the end of this exciting day but also the joy we all felt having spent the time with our dear loved Uncle. We only wish we could have enjoyed the day with his wife and children. Bagel woke the next morning very early and came to me in tears. "It just isn't fair that we don't live closer to St. Louis. I wish we could Uncle Resto and the rest of our family everyday!" I know how she feels, I miss family time so much. A special thanks to Uncle Resto for being so willing to secure tickets for our large group and to spend time with us. We love you and we cherish the taste of family time we get when we see you!