leaving behind...

Four little monkeys...still in pj's, but not for long. Everyone was dressed (with new shoes on) by 7:50, and standing around waiting for something to do. I slurped down a second cup of coffee, and then wondered out the garden to pick a few more tomatoes, peppers and onions. Charlie and I chatted with some ladies who were passing thru the alley on bikes (one a retired teacher, who grinned that she wasn't missing this first day hoopla at all. Cute.) Before long Dad and the others had the bikes out of the garage and we were all headed off for a ride across town to grandmas. Home by ten, and mom's ready for a morning nap...
Wow, this is gonna take some getting used too...



Look out Miss Jackie (preschool teacher)...this one's gonna be trouble!!

And just like that, they're out the door

Another summer vacation ended...new school year has begun. (sigh.) I'll say it a million more times in this life, "Where does the time go?" (and why so quickly?) Alarm clocks sounded at seven this morning, setting off a frenzy of scurrying kids...making beds, brushing teeth, getting dressed in clothes that were laid out neatly the night before. More squeaky tennis shoes on the hardwood floors upstairs, and giggling, and a little bit of tension as 4 girls attempted to brush teeth over one sink. (Just wait till Rose and Lucy join that mix). The boys handled things with a little less worry...rolling out of bed like it was just another day, taking turns in the downstairs bathroom, and arguing over cereal bowls like it was no big deal. After a quick bowl of cereal and OJ to wash it down...girls were lining up in my room for "hair." Alice wanted french braids into a "funky" bun, Grace and Mary had special plans, and even Emma asked for hair help (the first time ever without my prompting)...my heart skipped a beat when she asked. Yep, things are changing. She didn't even ask to wear basketball shorts and a baggy tee on the first day. Not that I would have expected any different...but to see her come down the steps in clothes that fit her body, and had buttons and zippers, and matched, without stains. Wow...fifth grade is bringing changes I couldn't have imagined. And it's just the first day...

Ten minutes earlier than necessary, the kids were out on the front sidewalk meeting up with neighbor kids, posing for first-day pictures, and pretending like they weren't the least bit nervous/excited. Another neighbor mom and I shared a little "Wooohoooo" battle-cry, and then laughed that we let that slip outloud. Guess I am excited for the changes this school year will bring, not the least of which is a slower pace here at home. Next week Charlie will be heading out the door for 3 mornings per week preschool. When we moved into this house 5 years ago, Alice and Emma were finishing preschool, and Charlie was still in my belly. (another sigh...)

Here's to a wonderful new school year full of growing and learning and maturing. Praying I can roll with the changes gracefully...

speaking of back to school...

Can you hear the "squeak" of new sneakers??? There have been 10 pairs of new tennies in this house for the last couple weeks now...hiding in one of the closets, until this evening that is. Now everyone's showering up fast, and squeaking around the house in brand new shoes. How much fun is that?! (I'm jealous.) Maybe after baby comes I'll treat myself to a new pair of work-out tennies too. (I don't really have to work out though, do I?)
Back-packs full of supplies and tissues are lined up and ready for the morning. Clothes laid out with sock and new sneakers. Oh, what excitement to be a kid again.
I just set up the coffee pot for morning, and have a new bottle of French Vanilla creamer in the fridge...the day's gonna be nice here at home too, I think. Cheers.

insanely organized or out of my mind?

My husband's not yet sure.

School starts tomorrow already. So in an attempt to try to get ahead of the volumes of papers and crafts and appointments and schedule challenges, the girls helped me to put together a "control center" of sorts. In years past, we've managed the important papers by assigning each of the school kids their own magnet and place on the fridge to refer to. This year there are SEVEN school kids though, and even if the fridge did have room for everyone I've taken back it's doors as a place of (mostly clean) white space. No clutter. So where do we put the "important" school stuff now??!!

Here's my answer... with room to change/grow as needed.



We took an unused hallway wall, just off the kitchen, and added dry erase space for lists and shopping needs, my already in use desktop-turned-wall calendar that has plenty of space for all our appointments and comings/goings, as well as a clipboard for each of the school kids to hold important notes, papers, things to be signed/turned in later, artwork, etc. Everything (but the dry erase board) is mounted with the 3m Command strip hooks, so it can easily be moved/changed without damaging my freshly painted walls. (We are still hoping to have the house on the market soon, and didn't want to put dozens of holes in the walls.) We even had some cool sticky back name plates for each of the kids that my dad had made a while back...just waiting for a purpose. They work perfectly now mounted to the hooks holding the clipboards.
It's not too different than our system from years past, just all centrally located. I'm hoping this helps get the year started on the right foot...and helps me to keep my clear countertops/fridge door. We'll see how it goes. Enjoy a peaceful first day of school everyone!

I would LOVE to hear your tips for staying organized!!

the anxieties of young minds

Charlie came into the bedroom as I was getting dressed for church this morning, sobbing as if he'd lost his best friend. "Mom, how big is a half a inch?" he whimpered. I showed him with my fingers as I wiped away tears..."Why do you ask?"
"The weatherman says the moon is shrinking by a half a inch," he continued. Alice followed him in to explain that the weather channel was doing a bit on how over time the moon is gradually shrinking. Apparently it's smaller now by 1/2 an inch. (Amazing to think someone has made it a priority to measure.) Anyhow, little Charlie is worried he won't be able to see it anymore. A few hugs and tears wiped away...he seemed reasurred when he walked out that the moon would still be his for the watching. Poor guy.

John on the other hand has other things on his mind. I caught him hugging Lucy on Saturday and mumbling "It's okay Lucy, I'll still love you when the new baby comes." (This is certainly more his worry than hers...I can't begin to think that it's even crossed her mind.)
"John, what do you mean?" I asked.
"Well, when the new baby comes, you won't be able to love Lucy anymore, so I'll love her and you can love the new baby." He patted Lucy on the head again. She just smiled, oblivious.
His dad was in the room too, and we spent a few minutes talking about how our hearts grow bigger with each baby (just like our butts, I thought to myself with a giggle) allowing us to love more...not less. I promised I had room to love all the kids plus the new baby...too cute how their minds are working on these things.

Little Lucy, despite John's concern about lack of love is concerned with only the new baby right now. She "practices" baby all day long, from changing diapers (on her invisible baby), to feeding, to holding. She seems so excited. We purchased a few new outfits for the little baby to come...a couple pink, and a couple blue...and she loves to look at them constantly, giggling about the pink built-in bunny feet, or the ruffles on the back. It's very sweet. Her biggest worry seems to be about not having enough baby to go around. She keeps saying mom's having "TWO" babies, one for mom, and one for Lucy. Umm. Not planning on that (this time.) Might be a bit tricky to learn that whole "sharing" thing. Wish us luck...

OUr conversation with little John reminded me of this cartoon that my father-in-law shared a few years back. So true.

Top picks...

I am an experienced gardener by no means. I like to dabble, and occasionally have successful blooms to start with...and then I lose interest, or forget about it, or something goes sour, and I end up with brown, dead-looking yuck in my yard. I love small potted flowers for this reason. When they start to go bad, I can dump them and not feel too terrible about it. A few years back though, our neighbor lady and green thumb extroirdinaire introduced us to Zinnias. She sprinkled a few seeds along her fence row, forgot about them, and had the most beautiful vibrant colored flowers from summer, well into fall. I was amazed!
She offered us some seeds to save and replant the following spring...and we did...and they grew. Just like that. I watered a few times in the beginning as they just came up, but beyond that...it was survival of the fittest. Not only did they survive, they thrived! Beautifully!
We've been purchasing seed packets every year since(2 packets of seeds does a nice long row along the side of the house along our driveway, which gets full sun all day.) I would like to say that we saved and started seeds from previous years, but, well...like I said, I'm no green thumb. And for under $2 investment each year, it's worth it for me not to have to dry and store seeds.
Anyways. If you're not familiar with these, I highly recommend them. They're beautiful showy flowers in shades from white to pastels to vibrant bold and autumn colors. And they're perfect for cutting like we did here.
Pick some up next spring...and enjoy!

summer madness continues

Sometimes spontaneous is a good thing. Other times, my old body is telling me I ought to stop and think things out a little better before I try to spring some more summer fun on the kids.
Monday I got home from work, and once again found a handful of kids laying around the tv "bored" with "nothing to do." Ugh! That makes me crazy.
The weather was gorgeous with lower humidity...a perfect evening to be outdoors. So, hmmm....what to do? what to do? I'd picked up 'smores fixins at my last grocery outing, and John had just attained a bunch of dried firewood, so a backyard campfire was surely a start for late evening. My wheels couldn't stop spinning though. Maybe we could roll with that theme and set the tents up in the backyard too...a full on campout. The only bad thing (or good thing in hindsight) about that plan is that the younger kids would bail on camping after a short time and wind up in the house. I was hoping for all of us to enjoy something together. What about real camping?? (This is where I should have hit the brakes, and stuck with the plan to stay at home...the plan that allows all of us to end up in our own comfortable beds if we so desire...but NOOOOO...Jamie's going for broke and googling available campsites at our nearby Lake Loramie state park. (and the kids don't have a clue.)
A short time later, I had myself convinced I can pull this off and make some fun summer memories for the kids while we're at it. I pencil down a quick list of necessary supplies, and hand it to Sam to hunt for items from the garage and shed...2 tents, hammer (for the stakes), lawn chairs, firewood, roasting sticks, cooler, etc...
I let the other kids in on the plan (to lots of whoops and hollars) and then a few grumbles when I told them that I need to catch up on laundry first as they pull together pajamas, sleeping bags, pillows, etc and tidy up their rooms a bit while they're hunting/gathering. I had let my laundry duties slide over the weekend with canning, cooking and birthdays, etc. Keeping the washer and dryer running is the easy part, but folding and putting away is my downfall...outta sight, outta mind in our basement laundry room. It wasn't long before the kids had everything finished on their part, and Alice and Emma were joining me in an all-out fold fest. In about an hour all of our work was done. I spent a little time throwing snacks and drinks, and a simple picnic supper into the cooler, and we were ready to load up.
Our evening at the campground was all the fun I was hoping for...and more. First tents were raised (while the boys had sword fights with the tent stakes, and little girls left their artistic mark with some chalk drawings on the drive), then our easy dinner of pb&j's, granola bars, bananas, and koolaid. Off to the playground we headed where the kids kept busy building a city in their fully-loaded-with-toys, ginormous sandbox; chased each other eagerly in a few games of tag; and even played a few games of kickball in the open grassy area there. We had planned to do a nature hike along the lake/trails, but they were enjoying themselves so much playing, that it was getting dark, and time to head back to build a fire and wash up for the night. We did have 'smores, and a few other snacks to munch while we watched the fire a bit. By this times the younger ones were so revved up about sleeping in a tent (or at least playing in it) that they were begging for bed. I left the four oldest to keep an eye on the fire, while I settled the 6 younger ones into the larger of the two tents. A couple drifted off to sleep pretty quickly, but the others were way too excited to settle easily...this is the point I began to rethink whether tent-camping was such a great idea. You see, everyone packed a sleeping bag...everyone that is, but me. Someone thought to throw in the "extra" that nobody else claimed...a tiny little toddler size "Buzz Lightyear" sleeping bag that might have been perfect for Lucy...but not this pregnant, feeling-older-by-the-minute momma. Oy. My bones were not happy to be laying on the hard ground with just Buzz and a little cotton batting to pad the nest. By the time the little ones were fast asleep (maybe a 1/2 hour or so), I left the tent to find that the older ones had had enough of the fire and were headed into their own tent. Shoot. So much for scarey campfire stories, and silly songs...but they were excited about sleeping the tent, and ready for bed. And the firewood was nearly gone. I threw one last log on the fire, and sat up in the quiet by myself for a bit wishing John could have joined us for the night. This would be a nice peaceful time to sit and chat with him...a rare treat indeed. I'm laughing thinking of how surprised he's going to be when he arrives home to an empty house, and a note explaining where we're at. I decided to give him a quick call at work to let him in on our surprise. (He already knows I'm crazy...) And we both agreed, that he may as well stay home and not join us. One of us should get a good nights' sleep and be sharp for the morning.
Anyways, I joined the younger ones back in their tent, and called it a night. Unfortunately, sleep didn't happen for me. Buzz was useless. I spent the entire night shifting from one hip to the other, certain there would be noticeable bruises on both sides when I woke up in the morning. All the Hail Mary's in the world weren't going to work tonight. I'm too far along in this pregnancy to be able to lay flat on my back anymore, though I gave that a try a couple times too...Baby Bean didn't like it, and was awake and kicking more than ever. As if I wasn't feeling enough discomfort already. At one point I even stole all the pillows from the kids who weren't using them, and attempted a make-shift cot, but keeping my butt/hips/belly from falling through the cracks was as much of a discomfort as depending on Buzz alone for a little padding. I just couldn't win.
The kids were all awake by 6am...about the time I'd finally lost all feeling in both hips and shoulders, and was starting to fall asleep. Dangit. I managed to keep them in the tent, and fairly quiet telling stories and rolling up sleeping bags till around 7.
From there it was a quick run to the bathroom, a change back into clothes, and poptarts and leftover bananas for the kids while I started taking down the tents. The kids played again at the playground for a short time (within eyeshot of our campsight) as I loaded everything into the van. And as quickly as we set off...we were headed home again. The kids couldn't wait to get home to tell Dad about the "best night ever!" and me....I just wanted coffee. Lots of coffee, a warm shower and a soft bed. (Still waiting for the soft bed...but it's not far away now.)

Despite the inconveniences and discomfort (and the fact that I'll never be able to watch Toy Story again without cursing Buzz Lightyear's name), I'm grateful for this beautiful family, and the opportunity for such a wonderful little adventure (and for no visible bruises.) As we packed up in the morning, we were greeted by several of our campsite "neighbors" who had such nice comments about our large family, and what a blessing it was to see us out together. I love opportunities like that...for others to witness God's gift of children, and big family life. I'm sure it's easier for them to say nice things too...knowing that we're packing up and heading out :) We truly are blessed!

Hmm. Wonder what we can do tomorrow for fun? Just 1 week left till school starts!

Happy 4th Birthday Frank & Rose!

The twelve of us attended mass this morning on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary with an added sense of joy and gratitude today. Not only for the gift of our Heavenly Mother, but for the service and intercession she continues for our benefit, in her son's holy name. Today we also celebrate the birth and gift of life of our youngest twins Frank & Rose.
Happy Birthday Frank & Rosie!

I can't help but get choked up when I see their first picture together in the hospital, before Rose was transferred to the NICU at Dayton Children's an hour away. Frank was delivered first, a beautiful healthy 8# 7oz. baby boy. Rose followed just behind, 6# 9oz., though delivered in a much more urgent fashion only to discover she had no pulse, and could not breathe on her own. She was pale, terribly anemic and requiring blood transfusions as well as very swollen from all the fluid she had retained as her heart was working so hard in utero. She spent 10 days in Dayton before we brought her home...completely healthy, without the first follow-up appointment required. No looking back. Our miracle. My ob/gyn and I have talked many times since about the events leading up to their birth, and how things could have played out so differently...she doesn't hesitate to share that she could feel a divine presence during her work in the delivery room. Most certainly, I know the Blessed Mother was interceding for us on this, her Feast Day.

Below is one of my favorite photos, possibly because it's rare that I'm in any pictures with my kids, but likely because not only does it capture the love of this mother for her babies...but I can't help recognize the Miraculous Medal I'm wearing, and remember the love of our Heavenly Mother, and the active role she has in our everyday lives. I bought this medal at the gift shop of The Shrine of the Holy Relics in Maria Stein, after spending time in prayer there when I learned of complications during pregnancy with our second set of twins, John & Mary. I continue to wear it almost daily.

And lastly, in light of our community's annual Alumni Softball tournament going on this weekend here in town, I had to include the photo when we were finally able to bring Rosie home...all 11 of us together. We had our own little softball team at that point and had shirts made to celebrate it. It's hard to spot the babies there in the buggy, but they had matching shirts too. How grateful I am for this beautiful team!

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15th

(from today's first reading)
"God’s temple in heaven was opened,
and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars." Rev. 12


"...the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more full conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death."
~Pope Pious XII

My weekend work awaits...

The garden is producing bountifully, and plans are in the works to do a second round of canning today. I made 2 batches of salsa on Monday, and hope to get two more canned today. Grapes are ready too, and the simple juice recipe I use means even the kids can help. It's just unfortunate that canning season can't come in February, when it's not so bad to stand over a hot stove for the day.

Tomorrow is Frank & Rose's 4th birthday, so it seems as though we'll be baking cakes today as well. (can you say 'steamy kitchen'). I have memories of finishing the salsa/canning the night before they were born, and it was really hot that year too. I was induced a few weeks early with them (unplanned) and was relieved to have that work out of the way before they came into the world. I'll have to share more about the miracle of that day later. Kitchen is calling.

"We give thee thanks all mighty Lord, for all the benefits we recieve from your bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen."

starlite-starbright...

As my frenzied need to squeeze as much fun into these last days of summer continues...the kids and I ventured out to the Starlite drive in last night for some old-school movie madness. As are most of our plans, it was a last-minute decision to go, which seems to work best at motivating/exciting the kids. With just 10 minutes warning, they managed to scurry through the basement picking up toys, go potty and don jammies for the night out. In the meantime I threw some old blankets in the back of the van, some snacks (can you believe I was out of koolaid and popcorn, like my mom used to pack.) I had to settle for some non-traditional fare...vanilla wafers and pretzels was the best I could muster up.
We arrived at the drive-in just before dusk, and the older woman working the box office seemed a little disappointed that they wouldn't be making much money off of our crew that night. (They probably hate to see buses like ours pull in!) At $4. per adult, and kids 12 and under free...it was a great movie value...about 37cents a piece for us to see a new release. Not bad. And if we'd have stayed for the second movie...geesh, they'd practically be paying us to watch it.
We backed into the front row/grass area where the kids could spread out blankets and run like wild dogs with the other kids till the movie started. (Although surprisingly mine didn't run much.) They seemed so excited by the whole experience that they sat better before the movie started than they did once it began. It wasn't a very good movie...I'm not sure I'd even wait to see it on DVD for free from the library...Cats and Dogs was pretty lousy. But I can't tell you enough how much I enjoyed holding little Lucy in my arms for the last half hour, stargazing on the clear night, and whispering words to the song "Twinkle, twinkle little star..." together. My heart swelled with emotion as her eyelids got heavier, and her hands folded on her chest as if in prayer, and she settled peacefully off to sleep. Oh... this is is living, and loving. God is good.
We left before the second feature...well past the bedtime of the youngest half of our brood, and to the disappointment of our older crew. Ramona & Beezus was up next, and looks to be a fun movie to watch. Shoot, for $4 maybe we'll head back tonight.

Recipe Box

A cool cake to beat the blistering heat...can you say YUMMY!

I found this cake recipe a couple years back in the Kraft Foods magazine. I made it immediately and loved it, but somehow it got filed away and forgotten. (Did I mention I need a better, more organized system for filing recipes?)

Anyhow, with the crazy hot summer we're having, I did not have any desire to heat up the oven for Charlie's birthday cake. This recipe popped back into mind, and it was even better than I remembered. It's pretty enough for even the most special occasion (birthday, shower, dinner party, etc.) but simple enough to make "just because." Enjoy!

Oreo & Fudge Ice Cream Cake

1/2 cup Hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
8 OREO Cookies, chopped (about 1 cup)
12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches

POUR fudge topping into medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup COOL WHIP. Add dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. Stir in chopped cookies.

ARRANGE 4 ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on 24-inch-long piece of foil; top with half the COOL WHIP mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining sandwiches. Frost top and sides with remaining COOL WHIP. Bring up foil sides; double fold top and ends to loosely seal packet.

FREEZE 4 hours or until firm

Note...since the recipe only calls for 8 oreos, I crumbled a few extras to sprinkle on top, and piped a "Happy Birthday" on top with some of the leftover hot fudge. (Oh and then nibbled a few oreos too, of course!) It's beautiful all in white though...whichever you prefer.

In God We Trust, sometimes.

We've all heard the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." But what happens when one mother struggles with the feeling as though she's responsible for raising the whole village? A friend of mine recently called me about whether or not I'd heard of any support groups for moms of many, and unfortunately I have not. She's seeking support for a mom/friend of hers who found herself anxious and overwhelmed at learning she was expecting again, and then guilt-laden to learn she miscarried this gift she'd not completely yet accepted . It has less to do with not wanting more children, and more to do with lacking trust in God's plan for our lives. I can relate at times to the feeling of isolation/alienation that having a large family can bring. Certainly I know I too have questioned at times whether God has a real grip on how much He thought I could handle. (cause the saying goes, He won't give us any more than that...) I wonder at times if He's really getting the full picture...like when I lose it and scream at the kids for nonsense things, or when my frown while fixing a boo-boo leads one of my kids to ask "Mom, why are you mad at me?" Ugg. I'm not mad...I'm just overwhelmed...and my precious baby, whom I'm trying to comfort, is taking it personal. Ouch. Talk about adding salt to an open wound.
There must be some formal group out there though. Any of you have any suggestions?
In all honesty, I've felt grateful and incredibly blessed with each of my pregnancies. Though, I'd be lying if I said there weren't times when I stressed and worried about how much I thought I/we could handle; physically, emotionally, financially. I remember feeling as if four children in three years was my limit...and cried many nights to sleep praying for the strength/courage to quit contracepting and allow God to lead again. Thank Heaven for answered prayers. There's been no looking back since. I recall too when I was expecting our seventh child, that certainly life was going to go from organized chaos to out-of-control anarchy. It didn't. Seven is a holy number, and God graced us with a sense of peace in our home that I could never have imagined with 7 children, ages 5 and under. And look at us crazy kids now...expecting our 12th (eleven here on earth), and feeling confident in God's divine plan for our family (and sense of humor).
Still, there are moms out there, who in trying to remain faithful to our church's teachings, find themselves struggling to accept, let alone embrace the gift of more children. Good moms, good women, good wives, struggling. How can we reach out to them in support? How do we remind them that God in all of his Providence wants only what is good in our lives? That children are gifts from Him, and that the struggles and challenges that come with raising many young ones are worth it, now and for eternity. I can only speak for myself when I say that as we allow ourselves to trust...just little bits at a time, we allow His hand to lead, and see more of His plan for us revealed. Baby steps...growing in faith.
I pray tonight for moms struggling with infertility. I remember. I pray tonight for moms blessed with fertility and who are feeling alone, unsupported, and incredibly challenged by the many gifts they have been entrusted with. I have my moments there too. May we all find peace in knowing we can find rest and reassurance in His hands.

If you are aware of any support groups for moms of many or even words of advice/encouragement, please let me know, either in the comment box or e-mail me...I'd be so grateful to pass along the information.


Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.(Proverbs 3:5-6)

humming a familiar tune

I was thinking to myself tonight, what a hot/muggy summer it's been this year. Perhaps I'm becoming a wimp with age, perhaps its pregnancy (although I've been feeling wonderful just into my seventh month now), or maybe I've just gotten spoiled. We don't have central air conditioning in our home now, but window air conditioners have been running almost constantly keeping us plenty cool. We also have one fan in our hallway to help circulate the air throughout the main floor. It's a window "box" style fan we keep setting on the floor, that reminds me of hot summers as a kid, long before we'd heard of air conditioning. Each of us then, kept a square box fan in our bedroom windows to blow the warm air out of the house. It hummed all night long, and never seemed to allow the slightest breeze. Uggh. I can remember some miserably hot nights laying on top of the sheets listening to that cursed fan, wishing I could turn it around, but knowing Dad had some logic as to why it was pointing out. (The mosquitos stayed cooler than me.) Those old box fans were awesome for making tents in the family room though during the day. We'd clothespin bedsheets to the edges of the fans and allow the air to blow through to create a tent city for us to crawl through. I also recall singing into the fans repeatedly, always enjoying the vibrating effect it had on our voices as we'd sing...always the same song...always drawn out with a southern twang for a more vibrato effect. "Oh Suzanna, oh don't you cry for me..." was the best fan-singing-song around. If you don't believe me, give it a try. Don't forget to hang on the last line a little for the best effect..."I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee-eeeeeee" Love that vibrating sound!!!

I had to laugh when I found Charlie laying on the floor in the hallway today with his little green army man, calling out battle orders into the fan, enjoying the same sounds we enjoyed as kids. I couldn't help laying with him for awhile...and teaching him "Oh Suzanna." He liked it...almost as much as I did. Some of the older kids had friends over in the house to play, and I had to finally stop singing to prevent total embarrassment to my kids. It was a fun little trip down memory lane though, and it didn't take long for Frank to join his brother in my place as they continued singing. I walked away from them to their tune of "I love you mommmmmm! This fan is so cooooooooool." Yep. Way cool.

refusing to count-down

I find myself looking at the calendar these days with only one eye open. I know that ominous day is lurking right around the corner...but I'm trying desperately not to think of it. And yet everything around me is forcing me into the reality of it. School starts in less than 2 weeks! Just last week I broke down and took the kids shopping for "necessary" supplies as indicated by the back-to-school newletter we received. (I mean really...most of my kids still wipe their noses on their sleeve, so who's using the 12 boxes of tissues I'm required to send in?!)
School shoes have been purchased...new tennies for all. (And NO they may not be removed from the box until the first day of school!) Drawers have been stocked with new underwear and socks.
Most importantly, in my usual panic mode, I find myself trying to squeeze as much spontaneous, unscheduled fun into our days as possible before our carefree summer days are gone. Over the past few weeks ( now that baseball/softball/teeball/swim teams/and County fair projects are behind us) we've picniced at area parks again, gone adventuring through the rivers/creeks at Tawawa park in Sidney (where we caught and released Crawdads, Blue Gill, tiny "minnows" and various water bugs...all in a peanut butter jar!). We made our first visit to the Air Force Museum in Dayton yesterday, which we absolutely LOVED! We ventured back to the Lake Loramie State Park beach for some sand and water play, despite the 90+ heat/humidity. All in the name of summer fun.
Each year the first school day comes with a greater feeling of dread for me. Possibly in part due to the fact that I'm realizing that as the kids grow, they're pulled into more activities and responsiblities. Their youth seems too fleeting as it is. I realized early this summer, that teaching our kids to say no to some activities and "yes" to their commitment to being part of the family team is as valuable a lesson as can be learned from any extracurricular they may wish to sign up for. And yet, as I dread their return to school, I also remember the relaxing feeling I get from that quieter cup of coffee as the house empties out a bit. This year Charlie is heading off to morning preschool just a few days a week, leaving just 3 young ones at home with me...at least for a couple more months. It seems as though our schedule at home will also be changed by the fact that John will be switching to day shift (for the first time in almost 22 years), and I will be leaving the regular (one or two day per week) schedule of my nursing job to be home in his absence. Lots of changes on the horizon.
I find peace knowing God's hand is guiding them all. I am ever grateful for his Providence as we accept and embrace each changing day/season.

a different kind of name game

Frank has expressed a bit of jealousy that his twin Rose has her own flower of the same name. As we go out in the evenings to water a few of the potted plants, and more tender flowers it's always her job to water the miniature rose bush. Little Frank was always given a watering can and assigned the marigolds, but he always threw a little fit about it. I couldn't figure out what was upsetting him until he approached me to state rather matter-of-factly the other night, that he was going out to water the "Franks" on the front porch.

Alrighty then.

A marigold by any other name just wouldn't be the same.

name funnies

I'll share this little funny.
As my baby belly becomes more evident, the kids and I have more frequent conversations about the new baby to come, and one of the hottest topics relates to what we'll call this little bean.
I have a few ideas of my own. But it's fun to stir up the conversation by suggesting silly names, like "How about 'Jack' for Jack-o-lantern, if it's a boy born on halloween, or 'Casper'?" Our family has ribbed us in the past that we're not very original with names as we've recycled several siblings'/parents'/grandparents' names. Emma came up with a catchy one at dinner the other evening. She thought we could name a girl after my mom (Anita) and John's sister (Bonnie, who's given name is Bonita) and call the little one Anita Bonita, or "Annie Bananie" for short. We all cracked up with that one. Fun.

So, any suggestions to add to our list?

I'm still here...

and I have lots of things to tell you about...but having a hard time finding the time...
No promises, but I'm hoping to post a few updates this week about what we've been up to. Tomatoes and grapes are ready this week though, which means canning season has begun, and even less time to sit at the computer. I'll try...

Living the Gospel

My sweet boy Charlie is turning 5 tomorrow~FIVE!
Wow.

(waiting for my head to quit spinning, wondering where the time goes...)

Anyhow, we started celebrating a few days early as Godparents dropped by on Sunday to share some birthday wishes, cupcakes, a few spankin's and pinches, and a couple gifts as well.
He was thrilled with all the gifts he received...everyone was so generous. But one small unexpected "trinket" caught his eye more than any other. I cringed...cause it caught my eye as well...and my thoughts immediately turned (with a snicker at God's humor) to Sunday's gospel reading.

To start the story, I have to backtrack a couple weeks. As Charlie and I (and all the boys) spent some time cleaning out drawers and closets, I came across an entire dresser drawer devoted to "treasures." There were special matchbox cars, shiny paper valentines, a few holy cards and craft projects from catechism classes and VBS, and some other unexplainable odds-n-ends. Included in this treasure hodge-podge were 2 yellow plastic duck-bill whistles, that happen to make the most annoying "quacking" sound imaginable (to a mom, that is.) Alice and Emma had gone on a Duck Boat tour in Cinci last year, and had over time bestowed their whistles on Charlie. Now, I tried to respect the boys needs to keep a few treasures, but the duck whistles were chucked quickly into the trashcan. Charlie didn't cry, but without a word he started to reach into the trashbag for them, as I mumbled just loud enough for him to hear "Don't even think about it." He pulled his hand away, defeated, but didn't argue with me. I thought that was the end of the story.

Fast forward to yesterday...and Charlie's birthday gifts. Seems as though his Godmother and family had also done a Duck Boat tour while in Wisconsin this summer, and decided to share their whistle as part of Charlie's birthday gift. (Curses.) His face BEAMED with excitement as he whistled through the kitchen, shooting me a look out of the corner of his eye as he quacked by. It was as if his prayers had been answered. I wonder if he'd wished for those whistles back a hundred times or more since we'd pitched them...and God was listening.

As for my prayers...well...no where did I ask for any noisy whistles (or 3 new giant bouncy balls, thank you very much Aunt Kathy!)...but God discerns our wants versus our needs. Charlie got what he wanted...me, I got what I needed...another opportunity to grow in patience and humility. Touche.


Thank you God for a good laugh on Charlie's birthday...this little guy is a beacon of your Holy joy.

thanks mom.

I wasn't familiar with her nationally syndicated column while it ran. But someone gave me a book, a collection of her most loved articles, and "Forever Erma" made me an instant fan of her writing. Mom just e-mailed me one of her quotes and I had to share...

"Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle." ~Erma Bombeck

Darned Socks

It is no exageration to say that we live in a completely "disposable" society. Remember when mom used to wash out ziploc bags and dry them over the kitchen faucet? or save and reuse aluminum foil? I gasp now to think about it. With paper plates, and swiffer dusters, disposable diapers...shoot we don't have to reuse a thing! I can remember when old socks became dust clothes, and washing out dirty diapers in my earliest babysitting jobs was par for the course. I find myself thinking that many products like clothing, and furnishings, and well, just about everything are made to be disposable nowadays...just not made to last for long.
When John and I were first married, he seemed shocked that I threw out a pair of his holey socks rather than mend them like his mom (mother of 12) would have done. I laughed and said...the only darning I'll do is when I throw them in the trash and scoff "Those DARN socks have a hole in them!" He didn't much see the humor.
As mom to 10 now, my thinking has changed slightly over the years. You see, having this big family has done many things for me, not the least of which is foster a keener awareness of the value of a dollar, and how far we can stretch it. Don't get me wrong...there are times when I'd rather throw an extra 10 pack of socks in my Walmart cart, than sit and take the time to darn socks...but sometimes, time wins out. Other times it has nothing to do with money, but about the effort and love that goes into it.
Tonight Sam was gearing up for his tournament baseball game. He walked through the kitchen with his game shirt tucked neatly into his belted baseball pants; hat just so; tall black socks; a total look that said this boy means business...except wait...what's that?? A big toe peaking through the end of his sock, and about to be tucked into his cleats. (sound of screaching brakes!) Hold it right there!! I asked him if I could fix them for him...it would just take a couple minutes. He grinned from ear to ear. "Really? You can do that?" he asked. Of course, I'd be glad to. (okay, so I briefly cursed under my breath about the fact that this single pair of black baseball socks cost more than the 10-packer of white sweat socks from Walmart...and that they just don't make things to last nowadays. But, I digress.)
He pulled off one sock, and in just a matter of minutes he had a mended sock that could corral even the wildest big toe. All the while I stitched, little Lucy watched and asked "Why mom? Why?"
"Because we love Sammy," I said.
"And darned socks means love."

thought for the day

Why is picking away at wallpaper so much more fun (and inviting) when you're NOT supposed to be doing it??

For the last 5 years I've "lived" with the wallpaper in our front hallway. After experiencing the joys of wallpaper removal in our previous home...from every room, I decided one short (only slightly hideous) hallway of paper was livable. Now that we're looking at our home through the eyes of potential buyers though, the paper has GOT TO GO! Especially now that my kids have had 5 years to pick their way down the seams, and crayola a whole new pattern. Yup. I decided to go for it today...soaking it down with a mix of warm water/fabric softener in a mist bottle, scraping, and repeating. Not horrible work, just tedious. And where are my pickers now?? Grinning somewhere else. (And I can't say I blame them.) This is not much fun at all...ah but even just 1/3 of the way through it, it looks better already. I keep wondering why we didn't do some of these projects sooner. I'm afraid if I keep at these little projects, we may just decide to stay awhile longer. Hmmm.

Falling back in with Family this Fourth

What a wonderfully exhausting holiday weekend it was!
My brother and his family drove in on Friday from Knoxville, TN. Their homecoming is always reason to celebrate, so beginning Friday evening already we did just that. John was scheduled to work his usual Friday evening shift, so the kids and I headed over to mom and dads for a pizza and cold beverages on the patio, along with a few mean games of kickball for young and old to enjoy. Saturday brought us all back to mom and dad's for more visiting, backyard games, and even a late-night campfire after the kids were in bed. So nice to catch up and enjoy conversation and good laughs.
In addition to hosting my brother's family, mom and dad were also preparing their home and yard for a Fourth of July family reunion. It's a long story, with more than one, more than simple explanation, but Dad's side hasn't kept in touch well...hardly at all over the years. In fact it's been over 15 years since I've seen or talked with any of my first cousins on that side, and for Dad and his cousins, it may have been longer. Much too long overdue! On a whim, my parents planned for and threw together the reunion to be held at their home, and to their surprise more than 5o folks were able to make it. Just wonderful! I met so many incredible people, some I'd met as a small child...at funerals, or weddings; reunited with cousins my kids didn't even know I had, shared stories and tales of my great-grandparents that even my Dad hadn't heard before. Just awesome! I'm so grateful for the day, and for a full weekend of family bonding. The saying is true, "better late, than never." Dad sent me a picture from the weekend...several came later and missed sitting for the pic. Glad to say that my family circle just got bigger.

“The love of a family is life's greatest blessing”

Special Prayer Intentions for the day...

For the return of a Loved One(s) to the Church:

Lord Jesus, I know that you give everyone the grace to seek and to find you in their lives; so I want to pray for someone who is very dear to me, someone who was in the church but who has turned away.

Grant your grace to this person, Lord that he (she) may come back to full union with you in the church. Grant him (her) the eyes of faith to see that only in your true church the fullness of life can be found.

Let my life and the lives of all the faithful be so truly Christian that they may be a sign and an invitation to reconversion for this person and for all who may have fallen away. I ask this, Lord in you name and through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, Mother of the Church. Amen.

okay...so it was a "little white one."

I promised I was done, but I do have a bit more to elaborate on with regards to Niagara.

I got so caught up in talking about the details of the trip, that I nearly left out the best part...the Falls in all their awesome-ness. (Is that a word?) It is breathtaking. The power and force behind the water, the shear volume (and I didn't even pay attention to the numbers of gallons that fall per minute...but someone has figured that out), it leaves you feeling so in awe of all that God is capable of. This same creator of birds and flowers, the Author of Life, the Master of our Universe didn't settle on anything...right down to this massive flow of water. Just AMAZING!

I had to smile while at mass at the Basilica that Sunday the reading would be about what else? water! From Zecharia's first reading about God cleansing us with his Grace, and sending down a huge fountain, to the mention in the second reading about being clothed in Christ through the waters of Baptism. Even the psalm response was about our souls thirsting for our Lord. It was one of those humbling little God moments, helping to remind me of His prescence in all things small and great! Certainly if we thirst for Him...he will quench us with His love...shower us with his graces, bless us in ways we cannot fathom.

The week after we arrived home a friend sent us this e-mail with rare pictures of the Falls back in 1911...when the Falls were frozen, and folks actually were able to walk across the ice. Can you imagine? This same God, capable of creating such a force of nature can just as easily calm it. Incredible.

How great is our God!

Niagara Falls

In Pictures.
(and the last time I'll bring it up....promise.)

The 12 of us...plus baby bump to be. That's the American Falls just behind us, and I believe (tho we didn't travel it) that is the Rainbow Bridge beyond which connects the U.S. and Canada.

Story of any young man's life...wishin' he was a little bit taller. Little John can't see NOTHIN' from this darn thing!
Sam posin' for his mom. Can you say "CHEESE!" It is really amazing to think that just a few feet...very few feet, and one tiny little railing seperate my babies from this raging falls. (Breathe Jamie, just breathe. This is only the first evening.)
Cutie pies Lucy and Rose, grab a quiet moment, and each other while they wait for the rest to "move on." Too sweet.
Rosie and Frank (and Grace in the background) trying to buck the wind and the mist in their fun ponchos. The Maid of the Mist boat ride was a must do! Even the little ones LOVED it. (and we big ones had fun too!)
Just after the Maid of the Mist, Grandpa poses with the grandkids who made the trip.
Okay, this looks like a really great photo-op...sweet smile, rocks, nature, calm waters...but my heart was pounding to snap the pic, and get her OUT OF THE WATER!!! Just a few yards beyond are the raging rapids that in a matter of seconds could sweep my baby girl down the Horseshoe Falls. And nope, no railing. Nothing to keep us from being silly and wandering out there....nothing. (Gulp) I couldn't get the kids away from here fast enough. This was taken on the 3rd (and tiniest) of the Three Sisters Islands, which are actually a great little spot to check out...tiny islands connected with foot bridges overlooking the rapids that lead to the falls.
17 cousins, posing on Three Sisters.
This was one of many stops for the little trolley that took us around the State Park. I think adults ride for $2, kids a buck, and ages 6 and under are free. Top of the Falls restaurant was at this stop...and the Falls were at our backs.
Too sweet Cousin Katie, with her Uncle Steve. Ahhh... if we could all be little kids again. I felt like collapsing just like this a couple times. (unfortunately, nobody would be willing or able to haul my big hiney around quite like this. Darnit.)

Niagara Falls

(part 2 in a series about our recent vacation adventure)

For us, traveling as a large family means one thing...attempting to have a plan, and then being willing to throw it out the window when things don't go accordingly.
Things started out well. We met at Dad's and after joining hands in prayer for safe travels, and a few kids car-swapping for the first leg of the trip, we were off. Cell phones and walkie talkies kept lines of communication open, allowing us to learn from one family traveling ahead of us that the rest-stop we were planning as our lunch stop was closed...the first (and maybe simplest) in a series of adjustments to the "plan." (Walkie Talkies for the kids in the caravan would be my first fun travel tip). We mapped out another rest-stop and met up with 2 other cars. There would now be 6 cars in our caravan, and 2 others well ahead of us.
There are only so many things I can try to predict and plan for when preparing...how much food to bring, how many changes of clothes, what sites we plan to try to visit, and sometimes even what we'll do for a plan B if weather (or kids) are rotten. One thing I didn't factor on was the CROWDS of people that come to visit the Falls. Hundreds, thousands maybe. My life seems to be a constant head count the way it is, and with crowds as they were, it was magnified.
Often as we walked, it was with our entire group (39 people.) The kids loved hanging out with their cousins, and aunts and uncles, and I'd often find more than one of mine enjoying a shoulder ride through the park. This was wonderfully reassuring, and at the same time incredibly stressful to not have them constantly at my side...within head-count range. Throughout the entire trip (and in my sleep even) my mind was constantly at work...Alice, Emma, Sam, Grace, Mary, John? John? John? white shirt? okay there's John, Charlie, Frank, Rose? Rose? Rose was with cousin Jessi right? Yep, there's Rose...and Lucy (usually with John or I, and easiest to keep count of.) Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. It was unsettling. Note, my second tip, this time for SAFE traveling: Dress the entire family in a matching color, preferrably something neon. I say this only half-jokingly. Definitely dress alike, even though I laugh when I see it on tv...Duggar style, but neon is optional. Alice and Emma wore matching neon yellow camp shirts one night, and they were the easiest to locate, despite the fact that they were most often apart from the crowd.
We spent our two nights there at the Holiday Inn Niagara Falls (NY side), which turned out to be a perfect location...walking distance to the Falls, and lots of great little sites within the State Park...and yes, State Park spells cheap (and in some cases, for kids 6 and under, FREE). There were lots of walking paths and trails, access to the observation tower and viewing sites for both the American and Horseshoe falls, trolley rides on Goat Island, 3 Sisters Islands, and lots of other little gems. What we didn't even realize until we were leaving on Sunday, was that a block behind us was the commercialized part of the Falls...a section of town that was nothing but t-shirt stands, carnival-type rides, street vendors galore...certainly something enjoyable for some families, but nothing that we had budgeted for in our trip, and something we were tickled pink to have blissfully avoided all weekend. There are fireworks over the falls on Friday and Sunday nights thru the summer months, and they were well-worth staying out late with young ones. We could view them perfectly just across the street from our hotel. Perfect!
Most of the rest of the family ate at and enjoyed Top of the Falls restaurant (on Goat Island?), which had prime dining with a view of the falls. We were planning to join them, until all 10 of the kids, while reviewing the menu during our wait outside, chose Cheese Pizza as their entree from the kids menu. At $8.95 per kid, we opted to return to the hotel and order in pizza pool-side with a few of the others who also opted out. The view sounded really nice, and I was told the food was excellent, but when feeding these masses, we have to be budget-realistic. No pizza is worth $89.50. My days of fine dining have come and gone...and will be back before I know it, but now is not the time. Tip #3, relating to group traveling, sometimes you just have to break from the crowd. For me, ordering pizza poolside was so much more relaxing than the thought of hushing my wild bunch after a hot day of long walks along trails. And vacation is about relaxing (at least a little bit, right?!) Do what works for you and your family.
On Sunday, everyone broke to go their seperate ways. Some had actually left early Saturday evening to be back home for other plans, some were going to be staying over longer in Cleveland on the way home, and still others wanted to spend a bit more time at the Falls. We opted to go to mass at The National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, just 10 minutes north of the falls. Unfortunately, we had one sick little one (a stomach virus), and the Basilica where mass was held was HOT, steaming HOT. So while we managed to make it through mass without event, we didn't get to stay and tour the beautiful grounds. It did have a life-size statue garden with many (50 or more?) statues of the saints. It was beautiful from a distance as we passed by, and wish we could have spent the afternoon wandering around there. It was the perfect end to and ready-to-end mini vacation. I recommend a stop there if you're in the area.
Overall, it was a WONDERFUL trip. I'm so glad we went, and enjoyed traveling (for the first time I think) with family in such a large group. I worried unneccesarily beforehand about how group-travel would be...and turns out it was great. I hope it becomes tradition. John's dad turned 80 earlier this year, and none of us know what time will bring. I'm glad to have these memories of a family vacation with him, and think he might have enjoyed it too. I'm certain he was glad that his days of head-counting his 12 kids are over, and could relax a bit...though it was no "walk in the park" for him, I'm sure. I think it's safe to say we ALL slept better in our own beds when we got home.
Happy, safe travels to all of you this summer.

Busy B's...

~on Bricks, Baseball, Baby showers, and Beating the heat...

Just breathing (and putting my feet up this evening) after another incredibly busy weekend.

I've been continuing to clean and declutter my way through the house, one closet...one corner...one room at a time. Friday and Saturday, the kids helped me in the basement. It's been the kids' "haven" since we moved in here, which works perfectly well for us. But with the intention of selling the house soon, it seemed necessary to "take back" some of the space, and show off it's full potential. There's a brick fireplace down there (which we've never used, and in fact has remained hidden behind a large storage chest) that someone would love, I think. Friday evening, we took down posters and kids' artwork, scrubbed walls (ahhh...to be rid of the crayon markings), and took apart the large wall of desks the older kids have been enjoying for some time now as their "big kid space." We moved and rearranged the cozy couch and loveseat around the fireplace to make a nice seating/tv area. On Saturday we sorted and reorganized all the toys to a smaller designated area of the basement. Between the two areas is a table and chairs for games/coloring/etc. It all flows so much nicer now, and looks clean and tidy. I love it. Alice and Emma helped me with a really cool white-washing paint technique on the very dark, dated brickwork around the fireplace. It turned out gorgeous and I could kick myself for not doing if 5 years ago. The basement just seems generally brighter and more family-friendly, rather than just a giant rompous room. So glad to have that job under my belt...now we just have to work to keep it tidy. (no easy task.)

Sam had a baseball tournament all day on Saturday in nearby Versailles. With games at 11a, 2:30, and 5:30p and temperatures in the 90's...it was sure to be a HOT one. John spent the day there with him, while the other kids and I stayed home getting jobs done in the basement. We met them for the 5:30 game, but with delays in the schedule it didn't get started till closer to 7. Wow. I was hot and tired just sitting around waiting...I can't imagine how tuckered those boys felt (and parents who were out there all day with them!) It was 9 till we were home and ordered some pizza. We met up with other families to end the day with some cold drinks and fireworks at one of the teammates home. They didn't fare well in the tourney, but it was a good learning experience. This is Sam's first year on the traveling team, and he seems to be enjoying it, and learning...it's all good. As for me, I'm learning too. Expect delays, pack more cold water, and lawn chairs beat bleachers anyday. Pack them!
On Sunday the girls and I attended a baby shower for our niece. There was another young first-time mom there, who would probably be horrified to know I'm including her on the blog here. But I must admit, I left feeling so grateful to know that my kids are not the only one in the world who managed to spit up all over their aunties, or to poop all over someone else's carpet. Poor little mama. She handled it all in great stride...quite gracefully I thought. I remember feeling so horrified everytime we went to a party and one of my babies would most certainly, spit up an entire feeding all over the most well dressed auntie in the place. Or leak a poopy diaper all over someone's lap. Without fail. And it was only my kids that did this, I was certain. Oh, it was nice to be on the observing end for once, and not have to feel apologetic and guilt-ridden for the messes my kids left behind. I left with a feeling of understanding...been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. Grateful to know we mom's are not alone in our personal miseries of doo-doo, spit-up mishaps that our kids leave behind to keep us humble.

As for beating the heat....well, just grinning and bearing it. Sounds like we'll be getting a reprieve here the next couple days. Praise the Lord! Can't wait to open the windows and get fresh air circulating through the house again. I've got some more touch-up painting to do this week. The fresh air will be nice.

Have a blessed week everyone!

Bartering Band-its.

Are your kids into these?

Silly bands, Crazy bands, whatever you call them...I wish I'd thunk them up! Simple, colorful rubberbands that take the shape of all sorts of things from sports themes, treats, animals, you name it. When you take them off, they return to their cool shape. My kids are NUTS about them.

I bought a couple packs for vacation as something small that the kids could trade in the van. My sisters-in-law did the same, and as our kids swapped vans for the long haul to NY, they also spent hours (and I do mean HOURS) swapping bracelets as well. Boys and girls alike, all ages, it was a crazy phenomenon happening. Just when you thought all was settled a tiny voice 4 benches behind me would hollar out, "Does someone want to trade an ice cream cone for a hockey stick?" And the bartering would begin again.

Oh, I'm sure it will be short-lived like every little fad, and I am tired of finding them all over the house, but what great travel entertainment it provided. I even caught the kids trading with newfound friends while at the Falls. Very cool indeed...like the jelly bracelets of the 80's with a cool twist.

Niagara Falls: A travel log

First in a series of posts about our recent travels to New York

Setting the scene:

Our plans were to meet at Grandpa's house early Friday morning, to meet and caravan to New York...leaving by 9am. We would be celebrating Fathers Day at Niagara Falls with John's dad, and 7 other of John's siblings...some bringing kids, some not. Some families had extended travel plans before or after, but there would end up being 6 vehicles traveling together on Friday during some part of the trip, and 39 of us enjoying the weekend together.

Back track 24 hours...

~Laundry is in full swing, and it doesn't matter how full I stuff my washer, kids still seem to be dirtying clothes faster than I can get them clean. I may just have to stuff the kids (in dirty clothes) into the suitcases.

~Groceries (car snacks, breakfast foods to eat in our hotel room, picnic lunch for the drive, and other trip essentials like non-ginormous-size shampoo/conditioner bottles) have been purchased and hidden in the basement so that they might actually still be here when it's time to pack.

~Suitcases have been brought down from the storage closet and aired out (dusted) to get ready for packing (if I can get ahead on laundry.)

My plan is to pack for the twelve of us for a 3 day trip (leaving Fri, returning either Sun or Mon.)

That means 3 sets of clothing each(4 for the younger more accident prone), pajamas, swimsuits, jackets, shoes, and of course food. I usually try to pack games and small toys, but space in the van is at a premium...so we'd have to choose only necessities.

~By 11pm, I had the bags packed. We managed to fit all our things into 1 luggage set...the kids clothes in the largest case, John and I had our clothes in the smaller suitcase, jackets in a small duffle, all swimgear in a backpack, and a final bag for bathroom essentials, diapers, and pj's. And good news...it all fit in the 10 inch space in the back of our 15 passenger van. (these vans were definitely designed to haul people...not stuff.) A large cooler fit between the front seats (which meant I would be unable to climb to the back without gymnastics involved.) and a few small bags of snack/groceries fit under the front bench seat. The kids were allowed to pack games or books...only what they could fit into a small tote that remained in their seat. It would be tight.

I had everything packed into the van with the exception of the cooler by 1am. Kids clothes were laid out for morning, coffee pot set-up...planning to eat, load the cooler and head out. We'll see what Friday morning brings...

...more to come in another post.

so, that's where that got to!

I cleaned out the linen closet last evening.


Pause for a moment while I go look again.... yep, she's a thing of beauty.


When I open the door, I hear sweet music, and a choir with lights shining down...it's heavenly.
All items neatly folded, each shelf organized by bed-size...full size, twin size, queen size, toddler bed sheets...lovely. There are even labels on the shelves indicating what belongs where. I placed the labels there years ago, but they've not been seen in many moons. Somehow, 10 year olds helping with laundry, and middle of the night linen emergencies wreak havoc on a linen closet. But things are sorted once more, and all is right with the world again. Oh so nice. Martha Stewart would be pleased. It's a good thing, indeed.
Even more magical are the treasures I found on the floor...items that rolled in under the door from the hardwood hallway that lies beyond. It was like opening a time capsule. There was John's matchbox little red van (a mini version of what his dad drives) that he got for pooping on the potty for the first time (3+ years ago.) Emma had drumsticks once...then things got quiet...now we know why. They rolled into the silence of the linen closet. Polly Pocket had stored an entire wardrobe in one corner. Oh, and there were bouncy balls. But shhhhh. What the kids don't know, won't hurt them right? I know NOTHING of any bouncy balls...nope nothing. All gone. Bye bye bouncies...forever....to a place much more permanent than the confines of my sheets and blankies.

Yes...my sheets and blankies. Let me go peak again.

Just lovely. I love organization. It's a good thing.

half-baked

It's been over a week ago now since I had my routine ultrasound to check on little baby to be. I'd wanted to scan a picture to share, but seeing as I'm not getting it done, I thought I'd better update without it. We're past the half-way mark now, and little baby is developing beautifully. I never cease to be amazed at the miracle of life as witnessed on an ultrasound monitor...all that movement, and activity and growth going on inside the womb. And all the time I'm almost completely unaware, except for the occasional flutters and kicks. Amazing. I saw the baby gripping it's ear with tiny little fingers, kicking it's legs and flailing little arms. Just awesome! I've managed to cry through every ultrasound...it just doesn't get old. A perfect miracle called life.
The technician at the hospital was very thorough in all aspects of measurement...leg length, head and abdomen circumfrence, even looking at little kidneys, checking the developing spine, listening to and counting the heartbeat (150 beautiful beats per minute), and checking for sufficient amniotic fluid for the little bean to continue to thrive in. Thorough that is, until it came to checking for "private parts," which I asked her for now to keep private. No peeks down there until baby arrives in late October/early November.
So the naming game continues, brothers and sisters keep guessing, and I'm so incredibly excited to meet the little him or her, face-to-face for the first time.
God is good. Thanks for continued prayers.

...oh, and any name suggestions?

Spring Cleaning

~better late than never.

Blogger is offering new designs, so I've decided to spruce up around here and redecorate a bit. It goes right along with what we've been up to here on the homefront too. Aside from just returning from a weekender in Niagara Falls. (That packing, planning, vacation adventure will have to wait for another post.)
The bigger news is that we're looking to put our house on the market, so we've been busy sprucing up, cleaning out, tossing, sorting, scrubbing crayon-marked walls, and all sorts of little tidy-up jobs that will hopefully help make for a smooth (i.e. "quick") sale. We've been looking at another home...our "forever" home, if you will. No details to spill about that just yet though, until things are more final on that front.
John and I knew when we moved in here that it would likely only be for a few years. We were expecting our 7th child then, and figured 5-10 years here would be our max. The location has been ideal for us though...so close to school, pool, parks, everything in walking/biking distance for the kids. But we've outgrown it several times over, and with baby #11 coming, God seemed to place this next (and final) home right there within our reach. It's so perfect for our big family...can't wait to finalize a contract so I can spill more about that.
For now...keep us in your prayers, that if it's meant to be, it will. So many things happened so perfectly up until this point, I can't help but think it's His hand making it happen. And if it's not, well...He's certainly given me hope that the right place is out there for us...and for that I'm grateful too. Good night, and God bless.

(oh, and if you know someone who's looking to move to this area...)

Let me take you down...

...cause I'm going to, strawberry fields. ~the Beatles.

(okay, so I'm too young to know what that song is really about...but that was our adventure for the week. Strawberry pickin'!!)

It's funny, I haven't picked strawberries at a fruit farm since I was a wee little kid. My older neighbor lady asked mom if she could borrow us kids for the day to help her pick berries. (Yes...free, slave labor.) And my memories of that day are not kind. It seems to me we picked berries in the sweltering sun and heat ALL DAY LONG, and ended with nothing to show for it. Uggh. Bet she made some nice pies though. (curses.)

So, I got to thinking. Why should I have all the fond memories. Our kids are old enough to enjoy a day in the fields, picking, and swiping a few fresh berries along the way. They'll LOVE it. Right??

Actually. They did. It was a cooler morning on Tuesday, and we spent only an hour bent over gathering the sweetest, ripest berries we could muster. It was easy work...apparently a bumper-crop year for strawberries here. And the kids didn't complain at all. Huh. How 'bout that! All the kids (minus Alice and Emma who were at camp this week) went with us, and picked till their ice cream bucket's were full. Oh, except Lucy too. She spent the hour traipsing aimlessly between the rows, giggling with delight as the sweet berry juice covered her face and dripped down her elbows. She was tickled pink. Literally. Turns out they all want to do it again next year. As for me...well, my knees and thighs are feeling the pain from all that scrunching. And my fingers seem permanently stained red from all the strawberries I've been putting up this week...several pies, lots of frozen berries, and 24 pints of jam later...I think it will take me the whole year to muster up the energy to go back again.

We picked 8 buckets of the juicy red berries. Delicious!!

Enough to keep Lucy smiling and sweet as ever. (Note the pink drips going down the front of her shirt. I didn't think to bring the camera along...the pink seed-smeared face, hands, elbows, and knees was priceless!)
Ahhh...and the rewards of our labors...fresh strawberry pie (and jam, and sauce, and plain berries. Yumm!)

Abram would be so disappointed...

I found it funny, ironic, silly, a little God-smiling moment that this Sunday's first reading was of Abram giving one tenth of all that he had to God. These words came on the heels of a conversation I had earlier this week with the kids about saving money. (They are going to eat their way through their savings on ice cream from the local Tasty Treat by mid-July if they don't buckle down a bit.) I reminded them that they have to consider "wants" vs. "needs" and the importance of good spending/saving habits...the usual mom-spiel that typically falls on deaf ears. Five-year-old John was certain he understood when he smacked down his fist on the table, and announced "That's it! No more money in my church envelope! It's wasting!"

Ummm.

That's not what I meant. So how do I explain my way out of this one. Sure enough, as the kids picked through their change jars for their Sunday offering envelope, he minimized for sure. He's serious about his cutting back.

The little miser.

the Litany of my little Saints

"How do you keep them all straight?"

I'm asked the question so often, I don't think much of it anymore. And in fact, even parents (and grandparents) of just a couple seem to have the same trouble. You surely know how it goes...looking directly into the eyes of one of your little saints, you scramble through the entire list of names before you get to the right one, often settling on a "oh, you know who you are!" type finish before the verbal reprimand ensues. (It is usually when one of the saints is in trouble, that we typically fluster through the names, right?)

Anyhow, a dear friend and I were talking at the pool last night about this same subject, and she jokingly called this name-fumbling her "Litany" of her little Saints. She suggested that if she considers each misnomer an offering of prayer for the names mentioned, then by the time she gets to the right name, she'll have prayed for her kiddos, as well as hopefully gained a little more patience for the "saint" she's intending to deal with at that time.

LOVE that idea!!! Thanks April. You've changed the way I feel about calling the wrong names...now it's a good thing, and will hopefully put my heart in the right place by the time I get to name #10.