better than butterfly kisses...

I was scheduled to work today...the kind where I actually punch a time clock...so my morning was a little more hectic than usual. I woke before the rest of the group, put on coffee, showered, dressed, and then woke little Lucy to nurse her before I had to rush out. I actually enjoy that time with her more than I could have ever imagined possible, and when the house is quiet, it's even more special. Anyhow, spending time alone with her, makes me push the clock that much later, so I passed her off to her dad, grabbed some coffee and a breakfast bar and out the door I went. It's usually as I exit the van and walk towards the door to work that I take time to check my shirt for baby spit-up, spilled coffee, or granola crumbles, to at least give my co-workers the appearance that I have it all together. As I was doing the usual scan, I noticed a red blotch on my forearm, and upon closer examination, found it to be a perfect imprint of Lucy's little ear. A beautiful reminder of the quiet prayerful time we had just spent together, that lasted well into my first hour at work. I am ever-grateful for little blessings such as these.
Peace to you all!

things will be quiet for awhile.

No, not at my house, but here in cyberville. My computer took a nose-dive, and as we shop for a new one, posting will be few and far between. Wish us luck in our search, and keep checking back from time to time as I post occassionally from moms.

Charlie's big day

God Bless Charlie! He turned 3 on Sunday, and everybody knows its not a party till someone's wearing underwear on their head! Good times were had by all, and the neighbors have plenty to talk about now. And in case you're trying to picture it in your head, it was Charlie, Frank and Rosie sporting new Lightning McQueen size 4's. I'm sure it will be all the rage in no time! (As Sam suggested though...just be sure they're clean!)

expanding my horizons

just learning how to hyperlink. Don't click if you're not up for checking out some new duds

by golly, i think it worked.

my many hats

I am a child of God. Woman, daughter, wife, mother, nurse, chief cook and bottle washer. I am a catechist, chauffeur, organizing guru, runner, reader, writer, homework assistant. I fix boo-boos, manage schedules, remove stains, and shop. I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in the pan, and have eggs, potatoes and toast ready with it. It's true I wear all these hats and more. Today however, with my headband tied firmly at the back of my head, I am a ninja warrior! (and by the raised eyebrows the boys are giving me, I'm guessing they didn't know their mom had moves!)

it's all good.

Our trip to the zoo was enjoyed by all, no doubt. We seemed to scurry from one exhibit to the next doing constant headcounts until we covered it all. The last stop was the Capuchin monkeys (everyone's favorite, I think). Time seemed to stand still for a moment as John and I sat back on a park bench holding hands as all 10 kids lined up by the fence in front of us entertained by the little creatures. It was beautiful and humbling to see all these 10 blessings spread out before us. For that moment all was right with the world.

zoo news

when asked what animals he would like to see at the zoo tomorrow, (almost) 3 yr old Charlie responded with "real ones."

more pics (inside edition)

some pics from the road...

10 little monkeys jumping on the bed...

Okay, lots of people have asked. Yes, there was plenty of room for all of us to sleep in this RV. You forget that our children are all still very small and several little bodies sleep better in tight spaces than 1 large one any day. We had two fold-down dinettes, a fold-out couch, a queen sleeper, and 2 bunk beds. (Alright, the first night, mom slept on the floor, but by night 2 we had it all figured out.) Truth is, my kids are great sleepers anywhere, and once we get through that 1/2 hour of "settling down" it's all down hill. And don't feel sorry for me sleeping on the floor. It's actually one of my best memories of the trip. Before I settled on the floor, I laid with the 2 youngest boys and whispered the prayers of the rosary in their ears as they drifted off to sleep. I think they were out by the 3rd decade. I was humbled to be on this pilgrimmage with such beautiful little people, and grateful to offer up my spot.

little funnies...

of all the things we did, and all the things we saw...

4 year old John is excited to tell everyone "We drove through this one town and saw a big light pole." (referring, I think to a smoke stack, but I'm not sure)

8 year old Emma laughs when she remembers the best part of her trip was "when Sam farted really loud in the camper!"

...good times.

...and we're back

I'm still in denial that the trip is over, and despite the mounds of laundry in my basement, and piles of junk on my countertops...we're still acting like vacation isn't over. I actually cried coming home. I just didn't want it to end. And so, I'm not letting it. We're still sleeping in late, having campfires in the backyard at days' end, and tomorrow hopefully, one last trip to a zoo or museum.
As I think back to all we did over the last week (12oo+ miles on the road, a wedding, camping, touring an old coal mine in West Virginia, lots of swimming and hiking, etc.) I just can't help but think that this trip had much greater purpose than just a family vacation. I listened to the words of a song by Mercy Me driving home, and they continue to ring in my head..."Bless me indeed, open wide my horizon to share Your name." I believe maybe this trip was an opportunity for our family to share God's blessings with others.
Let's face it, I can't quote scripture and I'm not well educated on the history of our Catholic church. I'm a simple person, with a simple faith. And I hope and pray that our faith is evident in our daily lives. I hope to live as an example to others of Gods abundant blessings and mercy, so that others can see the precious gift of family...to see that children are not burdens, but blessings.
We seemed to be a spectacle wherever we went. People pointing, visibly counting, and some even daring to ask if they're "all ours?" I was humbled on this trip by the generosity of strangers, by their kind words, and acceptance of our little crowd everywhere we traveled. It was empowering, enlightening, and all around good fun...and I can't wait to do it again.
More to follow...
God Bless!
jamie

oh, and is it all bad to end every day with one 'Smore and a Corona with lime?

...and we're off!

May not be posting for awhile. Our adventure begins...

2 adults

10kids

1 RV

7 days

hundreds of miles to explore!

John brought the RV home yesterday, and the kids cheered and screamed from the front porch with excitement. We spent most of the day (and into the night) loading up, and so we're off.

Plan to journal, and will try to post along the way, otherwise, we'll see you all next week!

God Bless us all!

love,

jamie

read to me some more

Today, 4 year old John found his fishing pole that he got 2 christmas's ago still in the package, buried behind some boxes in the laundry room. Apparently we put it away "till summer" and forgot all about it. What a fun find!! Anyhow, as I fed Lucy, he sat patiently in the chair next to me waiting for me to open it for him. (This boy does have the patience of Job!) As he waited he "read" the package instructions to me..."Mom, it says...'Dear John August, Hope you have fun fishing with your Dad! I love you, Santa' (and looking at me then) That's what it says Mom!"

He can "read" to me anytime.

providence revisited

I have always believed in Divine Providence. It only makes sense that our loving God who has known us and loved us before our birth, would have some plan or direction or intention for our lives. It wasn't until recently though that I've really come to understand that it's more than just a plan or map laid out for us. Part of providence is the care and love He shows for us along the way. His love and concern is evident in the tools He provides for us, the blessings and graces shared to help us along this path. He wants us to get to Him! Sure we manage to forge our own path along the way, and He accomodates for our choices and gives us even more opportunities to find Him again. A prime example is the way he "provides" for us, even when we can't imagine how. A budget? on one income? with 10 kids? are you kidding?! He may not drop a load of cash on our doorstep (as nice as that might be). But I am confident He does take care!
Just this week, I noticed the dresser in the boys room was on it's last leg. It was cheap (by every meaning of the word) and beyond repair. I figured after vacation dust settled, we'd look around for a good used one, but not worry about it for now. Instead, my brother called today, and said he was parting with a small dresser, and wondered if we wanted it. Of course we did. It's in perfect condition. I hung up the phone and gave a quiet "thank you" to our God who knows our needs, and takes care.

God's Blessings to you on this beautiful Sunday!

if you're traveling...

came across this website in our church bulletin...

www.masstimes.org

to find a nearby church and mass times. Was very helpful!

my cleaning tip for the day...

Change your sweeper bag, my friends!!!

I was a tad alarmed this morning when Emma hollered from the tv room..."Mom the sweeper's busted...I can't push it at all!"
She was in the middle of one of her cleaning frenzies (I love when they get like this!) Picking up, vacuuming anything that gets in their path, volunteering for more chores...it's rare, but it happens. Anyhow, I thought maybe in her haste she might have sucked up one of the little guys, so I hurried in. Yep, she was right, it was pushing tough. But the suction was awesome. Then it dawned on me...the other day after sweeping up 2 whole boxes of cereal that Frank had mistaken for "Party-in-a-box," I changed the sweeper bag. This baby wasn't broken...it was working!!! I took great pleasure in finishing up for her...not having to bend over once to move a stubborn piece of lint...we got it first pass.
Emma moved on to her bedroom, throwing out a garbage bag full of paper trash from her desk, even cleaning under the bed, and hanging up a pile of clothes I had just taken off hangers to put into storage. But that's okay, I'll pull it out and box it next time I'm in her closet.
Sam caught the bug too and refolded all the clothes in his drawers and even dusted his bedroom.
Ahh, it was a productive Saturday: Cleaning Day.
Now if only I could get myself motivated to start that packing. 2 days left...maybe right after the next load of laundry.

sweeper bag good friends, sweeper bag.

Hi Mom!

Just heard from my mom tonight from across the globe in Australia. Gone walk-about down under? No, she's there with a group of 85 others (chaperones and youth)from her home parish attending World Youth Day. Sounds like she's staying quite busy and enjoying the trip very much. We're praying for her to have a wonderful faith-filled experience, and a safe return. God Bless!

Pre-Vacation blues...

3 days remain before our much anticipated summer vacation, and the thought of packing looms over me like a dark storm cloud. 12 of us in an RV for a week, plus throw in dress clothes for a wedding as well. Yikes, what are we thinking?!
I have lists like it's nobody's business...including lists for camping gear, food, clothing, kids toys/entertainment, groceries, just to name a few. Have I done anything with these lists yet? No. I keep waiting to finish laundry, which should be right before we're ready to go. So hopefully, it will just all fall right into place. Oh, and did I mention we're renting this RV, so I don't really even know how anything is going to fit. Yet another reason for my procrastination.
The silver lining here is that we couldn't be any more excited in this house. You can just feel the anxious energy as everyone awaits the moment Dad comes pulling in the drive with that 30 ft. fun-mobile! I feel like a kid again, and just know we'll be talking about this one for years.
Will keep you posted!

dog days of summer

I'm going to venture a guess as to why they're the "dog days" of summer...cause at this house we are dog-tired by the end of each day. Yesterday was a prime example. The kids and I headed out to join some other members of our local moms group for a playgroup/picnic at the park for lunch. It was a beautiful hot/sunny day, so a blanket under the shade tree felt nice to watch the older kids play. Alice managed to corral a small tree frog, and I was quite happy when she finally released it back to it's home. All the kids were interested in it though, and it was cute to watch little Rosie giggle as it would hop and jump around her.
It was a perfect pool day, but unfortunately the three oldest had strict orders from their ball coaches "no pool today" in light of the evening tournament play. So, after the park, the 4 youngest took naps while the older ones had "quiet time" reading books and watching a short movie. I always look forward to quiet times! I managed to get a couple more loads of laundry folded and put away before John got home from work, and then it was hot dogs and brats on the grill with a cold pasta salad. Yumm. I love summer foods.
Off to the ball diamonds for our last evening of games for the summer. What fun games to watch too...the girls had a real nail-biter, losing 19-18 in extra innings. Sam's team won their first game in extra innings as well, and so it was a double header for him...winning and becoming Rookie League Champs. They all played so well, and enjoyed themselves immensely!
Of course no summer day is complete without a sprinkling of popsicles, a few stubbed toes and band-aids, bike-rides around the block and checking in with the neighborkids.
A quick feet-washin' in the tub and everyone sleeps well on these dog-days of summer!