A Year ( and a half ) In Pictures

Comfort And Joy

Christmas Eve!!

Christmas Day!!

Good times!!

A perfect ending to a wonderful year!

I hope you had a great week too!

A Wake-Up Call

This morning it was pouring rain.  When this happens our street and part of our yard floods outside of our house.  So today I put the kids in the car and drove them to the corner to wait for the bus.

While we were sitting in our car a police car drove by.  We turned around in our seats to see where he would go.  He stopped where the water began to flood the street, parked, and started walking across our muddy grass.  He was walking to our front door.

A different kind of flood started happening--a flood of fear.  All I could think was that he was there to tell me Bill didn't make it to work.  Or that Billy's and Mary Kate's bus had an accident.

I quickly got the kids out of the car.  I asked Tommy and Ann to wait at the corner for the bus while I took Matt with me and started walking toward our house.  It was the longest 30 seconds walk.  In that time I was trying to figure out how to handle bad news in front of the children.  I wondered how the Sandy Hook Elementary parents felt this time last Friday waiting to hear about their loved ones.  I wondered how I would pull off Christmas.  I thought of my last encounters saying goodbye to them this morning.

The policeman walked up to me with a smile.  That is when I breathed again. Everyone was fine.  He was only there to inquire about the flooding because a neighbor had called about not being able to drive through it.

I have been thinking about it all day.  Does my family know I love them?  Does God know I'm thankful for them?  I remembered a quote I read on one of my favorite blogs that said,

photo credit

Powerful, isn't it?

This morning, like that quote, is a real eye-opener.  A reality check to be ever present in my relationships, both with God and my family and loved ones.




  

Everyday Happenings

First Basketball Game

Mary Kate's Concert

Click on picture; she's in the middle playing violin with white bow in her hair.

Meet Henry

Isn't he cute??

He and his sister Estelle have been spending some time here while their mom recovers from surgery. I'm not the only one getting a baby fix around here.

By the way, Estelle is pretty cute too.

And last but  not least....Christmas Tree Hunting!!!

And the winner is.....

Let's get cuttin'

Oh, the things I make them do for the blog.

The finished product:

How lovely are your branches!

Out Of The Mouth Of....

 
Matthew:

Me:  "I think I just figured out what Vader (our dog) ate last night.  It was the stuffed spider that squeaks.  I've found all the stuffing, but I can't find the squeaky part.  I wonder if it's stuck inside him.

Matthew: "Woof-squeak, woof-squeak."

Pretty good sense of humor for a 4 year old, don't you think?


Mary Kate:

We were playing a game at the dinner table where you say something nice about someone.  Billy had to say something nice to Mary Kate.  He was having tons of trouble looking at her while giving her the compliment. (typical 12 year old?). Finally, Mary Kate burst out and said....

"Who do you think I am?  Medusa?"

 

Maybe you had to be there, but she asked me to blog it.

My Home-Girl

I am a little afraid to publish this post, but this is the word I think of when I think of the Blessed Mother--sometimes.  I looked up the definition on urbandictionary.com and these were the first two entries.

	Home-girl
	A girl who is a friend to the end no matter what goes down you know SHE'S GOT YOUR BACK    Home-girl   The girl who's always there to talk to and who can talk to you back about all kinds of stuff. You've been through a lot together. Mary is both of those things, right?  Can I get a holla? Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Everyday happenings

*Basketball season is underway.  This year we not only have two players, we have three!  Billy and Tommy, of course, and now ANN!  Yes, Ann.  She has started instructional basketball which is held every Saturday morning at 8am.  At 7:45am I will be saying into the speaker, "Large coffee with cream and sugar please."

On the first day she was Ner-Vous!  Can you tell?

She cheered up long enough for me to get a better shot.

Doesn't she look like she's wearing a pair of spats?

There were tears because her nerves got the better of her, but once inside she found a good friend and the fear was gone.  She did great!


*I need to break up with my hairdresser. She is not happy I'm growing my hair long again. Doesn't she know I'm done looking like Alana de la Garza and now it's time to look like Kate Beckinsale?

(a girl can dream, can't she?) 


*Bill and I went out on a date Saturday night.  I had asked my sitter if we could drive her home since she only has her junior license and can't drive after 11pm. I was thinking we would be returning home really late.  Turns out we are not the party animals I thought we were.  We were exhausted by 9pm and forced ourselves to stay out until 10:30.  Sad, very sad.

*We had an awesome homily at mass on Sunday.  The priest was referencing the beautiful moons we had last week.  He spoke about how the moon doesn't shine itself; it is just a reflection of the sun's light. When the moon is hidden from the sun, that is when it's not shining or not full.  Then came the analogy....I LOVE analogies.  When we hide ourselves from the Son (get it?) we aren't going to shine and be all we can be.  Of course Father said it more eloquently than that, but that's the gist.

*Matthew's preschool teacher says we may want to think about holding him off from starting kindergarten next year because he will be one of the youngest in his class and he's showing signs of immaturity.

This morning he had left over, cold pizza for breakfast.  Seems to me he's already prepared for college.

Have a great day everyone!

You're Invited

 "Advent, this powerful liturgical season that we are beginning, invites us to pause in silence to 
 understand a presence. It is an invitation to understand that the individual events of the day are hints that God is giving us, signs of the attention he has for each one of us."

---Pope Benedict VXI, Homily at First Vespers of Advent, November 28, 2009

 I found this great website.

If you are like me and you're looking for ways to prepare your home and heart for Christmas this is a wonderful resource.  Each day has a new way to reflect on the coming of the Savior.  On there you will find easy ways to connect with the meaning of Advent, such as daily readings, suggested movies for a family movie night, stories of the saints, and visiting a Nativity Scene together.  Tonight we plan to start with the blessing of our advent wreath.   

 Happy Advent!

Wordless Wednesday