The love astounds me

Owen was upset at his sister this afternoon and yelled quite rudely at her. I told him he had to write a list of four things he liked about her as an apology. This is what I got:































Not quite what I had in mind, so I told him to try again. Second time:



Letting it go for now.  That's a battle for after dinner, at least.

So true, so true

When my parents took the kids to San Francisco a couple weeks ago, they brought home some chocolate fortune cookies from China Town. I gave the kids each one with their lunch today. These are their fortunes, in birth order. Very accurate!!

Thankful day 22

Happy Thanksgiving! I thoroughly enjoyed my little family today, and I pray you did as well.

Thankful day 21

I am thankful for the abundance of food we have been blessed with.

Thankful day 20

I am thankful that my husband is such a hard worker. He should enjoy his sleep tonight, he's earned it!

Thankful day 19

I am thankful for cooking lessons for the kids, delicious food to eat, and a house full of family to visit with.

Thankful day 18

I am thankful for safe travel for everyone this weekend.

Thankful day 17

I am thankful for amazing music, free suite tickets, and headphones. Great night, awesome concert.

Thankful day 16

I am thankful for a husband who picks up take out on his way home. My day included an appointment at the DMV - where they didn't have any record of my appointment!! TGIF!

Thankful day 15

I am thankful for new opportunities to learn. You're never too old to learn!

Thankful day 14

I am thankful for brilliant children. We had parent teachers conferences today and both kids have straight A's! Celebrating tonight with ice cream sundaes.

Thankful day 13

I am thankful for my comfy bed, with flannel sheets and new pillows, that I can spend enough time in it every night to wake up feeling refreshed for a new day. Buona notte!

Thankful day 12

I am thankful for my wonderful, hardworking husband!

Thankful day 11

Thankful day 10

Thankful for family: my parents for taking the kids to San Fran for the long weekend, lots of cousins to celebrate big birthday bashes with, and aunts for chauffeuring us around!

Thankful day 9

I am thankful for appliances and electricity.

Thankful day 8

I am thankful for the rain and our warm, dry house.

Shining as Lights in the World

Below was part of today's reading at Mass. I thought it was so very appropriate for the day after our election!

P.hilippians 2:12-16

My beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work.
Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Thankful day 7

I am so very thankful that this beautiful little girl is in my life!! I love my niece!!

Thankful day 6

I am thankful for the right to vote. In God we trust!

Thankful day 5

I am thankful for friends that make me laugh, even when we both want to cry about 3rd Grade homework.

Thankful day 4

I am thankful for our Catholic school and church community. Lauren's class was the choir at Mass this morning. I love hearing the kids sing!

Thankful day 3

I am thankful for days when we have absolutely nothing on the calendar. Few and far between, they are these days! My goal for today was to stay in my bathrobe all day - accomplished!

Thankful day 2

I am thankful for a flexible job schedule that allows me to take care of the rest of the things life sends my way.

Thankful day 1

I am thankful for friends, young and old. Attended a funeral today for a friend, a spunky little 83 year old. I'm going to miss our chats, Mary!

Happy All Saints Day.

I got this from a friend who knows me well...

Nearly six years to the day...

...just one day shy.

Our little man, less than two weeks old, being baptized by his great great Uncle John.

And today, two handsome men, at the same spot!

Parked

They've been riding up and down the sidewalk for hours. Found them in the garage like this!

"Oh brother!"

Owen just spilled milk and Lauren said, "Oh, brother!" Owen said, "Don't say that, I'm not your brother." We all glanced sideways at each other as Owen said "Oh, I forgot!" Then we all cracked up laughing. Thinking they got too much sun today!

Last game of the season

Well, it's all over now.  No more rushing home from school, tossing some food in their general direction while wrestling through homework only to jump into uniforms and run out again.  But I'm pretty sure they've had a good time with it.  Here are a couple snapshots from their last T-ball game of the season.

Owen guards the plate with a gut-shot... Yer OUT!

I've had enough with this sweaty gear...

Who little ol' me?  Is this a "double hat trick" ?

Yes, my son, payback can be a %!@$ sometimes... like this straight arm'd ball to the chin!

Lauren stares me down for taking her picture... but with those red freckled cheeks who could resist?

It was such a hot afternoon they let the kids cool off in the sprinklers after the game.  They did at least give us fair warning to bring towels today.

"What was that coach?  You said don't touch the sprinkler?  Did you mean, don't touch it like this?"

Now I know some of you may be concerned that she's mastered the "evil grin" so early in life, but honestly at this point I don't think we should sweat it until she gets to the pinky finger at the corner of the mouth, talking about sharks with laser beams.

Breaking news...

Owen has his first loose tooth!

My babies

Dusting - a health hazard?

Golf camp!

My two most favorite dorks

Happy Easter!

Morning at the museum

A little video proof of the fun:

Free babysitting?

Major league

" I think Little League is wonderful. It keeps the kids out of the house."

- Y.ogi B.erra

Thanks for the picture, Auntie!

Homemade Sunday fun

Lazy afternoon relaxing in a fort with a good book:

Bazooka!

Thanks to Uncle Chad, the kids had their first taste of Bazooka bubble gum. You know, now that they're baseball players!

Thanks to Uncle John!

I'd been thinking of getting the kids a new L.ego set a couple days before this, but didn't really have time to shop around. It was a three day weekend and I was recovering from the flu, so I wanted something new to keep their attention.

After church on Sunday morning I was reading the newspaper and was looking at the T.oys R Us ad. The kids saw the ad about the same time and asked if we could go use their gifts cards from Christmas for new L.egos. I said, "Sure, go get some shoes on!" They looked at each other in disbelief, then ran to their rooms for shoes. They were shocked that I would say yes so easily!

They wandered the L.ego aisle for about 20 minutes before deciding on this set. We also picked up a few extra people, including a small S.tar Wars droid set. You can never have enough L.ego people, right?!

We came home and they got straight to work. They cleared off a coffee table so they'd have a fresh work space. Of course, Daddy jumped right in to "help" them.

They put it together and literally spent at least the next 5 hours playing with it. They even declined dinner! They played with it the whole next day, too. Definitely a smart purchase for a long rainy weekend!

Daddy always gets in the holiday spirit

Rock star? or incognito Jedi?

He begged me to take this picture.

Yes, they are, it's true.