Time=Love

(Just a reminder, esp. to myself!)

Question:  How do kids spell L-O-V-E?

Answer:  T-I-M-E


Lord, grant us, mothers, the TIME to spend with each of our kids, letting them know how special and unique they are to us.  Grant us the graces to deal patiently with them, loving them, truly being there for them, giving of our TIME to them, even if it is undistracted 10 mins.  Let them know we love them, no matter how busy we can get.  Please give us the graces of empathy for our family members, to listen, to support... to help save a soul to spend Eternity with You.  Amen.

God bless,
M

One thing I despise doing is bringing my kids food shopping. 

There are many other moms out there that swear by it, saying it teaches them many virtues etc...blah, blah, blah.  But for me, I have many other opportunities to teach my kids virtue many times a day.  So, for food shopping, that is this Momma's trip by herself.  

Food shopping w/kids....It's not a risk that I want to freely endure.  A risk to forget half of my shopping list, and buying too much of the wrong things, listening to fighting or whining or cyring, putting kids in time-out, taking away privledges or rewards b/c of bad behavior and then listening to them crying or pouting about it.  And of yeah, I was supposed to be shopping for a family of 9 for an entire week.  As if that would be a good mix...I think not.  Of course if I absolutely have to, have to, have to, then by all means, I will bring them.  For us, my hubby and I arrange it so that I go some night during the week and usually again on Saturday and my hubby is so wonderful that he stays home w/all the kids while I do this.  I love my man. 

Today we hit the point where I had to go out and get some food, at least some to hold us over till a super big shopping spree on Saturday.  Usually I would have gone on Wed. night this week but I have been really pregnancy tired and fried lately!   So I had to go out.

I told my hubby that I was going to do a small shopping quickly before dinner.  He agreed and I felt generous so I brought along 2 of my boys-my 6 yr old and 3 yr old.  They did great!  There were about 3 times that my 3 yr old almost 'lost it' over something or another, but I am so proud of him b/c he held it together.  Even on the way out, he was on the verge but, once again, held it together and woman behind us noticed and commented on how obedient he was!  That melted my heart.

But something else that is so funny is that when we started loading up the belt with all our food (and BTW, my boys did great at that too!) my 6 year old said quite loudly:

"Woa, Mom!  Who is moving that thing?!" 

I had to laugh and I saw out of the corner of my eye, the cashier looking at us pretty strangely!!! I just had to belt out some laughter b/c I guess I really do not bring my kids out shopping much, huh?!?!?  :)

Now that my kids have finally quieted down and went to sleep (it's about time, wouldn't you say?!?! ahh.) and my hubby is fast alseep too, I am going to try to read a little bit and quiet myself down to sleep as well. 

Good night and God bless,
Mary

I've never had a kid like this before!

It's bad enough when your 2 yr old is a bad sleeper.  Really bad.  Bad enough that I had to make that phone call.  You know, the one to the seasoned mom of say...12...and ask her "What should I do now?!?!" 

Just b/c I am having my 7th baby does not make me part of the 'seasoned and experienced' momhood. 

Noway.

You see, it's b/c I have never had a child like this 2 yr old that I have now.  He went from incredibly sweet and always had to check things out first before jumping in type of child.  He had to see him Momma before he turned and ran and never ran too far from me.  He had to snuggle a bit longer than usual.  He liked to obey and make his Momma happy by tidying up and obeying quickly. 

That is...Till he turned 2.

All within a week of turning that number....2....he went from that to this....

This is the only picture that I have captured so far.  Do you see what he is doing?  Ripping apart tea bags!!!!I have not any other pics simply b/c I have been crying or in shock over all the other things he has been into.

This is surely not the first thing he has done. 

Oh no.

All within a 4 day span, he has:

• openend and dumped 13 packets of oatmeal all over my kitchen, laying in it making snow angels.
• spread red glitter all over our *carpeted* school room.
• threw green glitter all over that *carpeted* school room.
• broke eggs on my kitchen floor
• unzipped one of the cushions on our couch and ripped out the insides?
• tore up tea bags, not once...but twice-including today (the pic you see above).

Now, you may ask me...how can he get away with this?

 

I have no idea! 

 

Did you know that I keep my oatmeal and tea bags way up high in our pantry?  (Of course you did not know that!).

Did you know that the glitter in up high in our (uh, yes) UP HIGH in our school closet that is with a baby proof lock?  ( I guess not tested on this specific child!).

This is child #6 and if it was something that was genetic....uhm, I think it would have happened before at least with one of my other children?!?  Argh.

Ok, I also have a 3 yr old that is not as innocent as he looks either.  He is quite the teddy bear and such a lovey too.  Interesting...when I have these 2 companions separated, rarely a problem will arise.  BUT when these 2 are together--watch out!  Double Trouble!

Do you have any child like this?
Do you have any advice for me? 
I could really use it!

Thanks and God bless,
Mary

Taaa Daaaa --- Pumpkin!!!





7 Months along

"A mother is the most important person on earth. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any Cathedral -- a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body."

---Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty

A few of my favorite things...

There are a few things in life that I just can't live without (well, sorta...you get the point).  One is coffee.  I love my coffee.  I love it first thing in the morning, preferably when all the kids are sleeping (that's a hoot, as if that ever happens but IT DID this week!!! yay!  I do wonder if it can happen again.  Please God? Thanks.) 

Second, My next favorite thing is my ice cream.  I love ice cream. Really, I do.  Always have and I am sure always will.  So, please tell me why on earth did I choose to buy 'store brand' ice cream?!  AHH!  It was a great deal and I am a sucker for good deals (as you've seen in my previous posts on tag/yard/garage sales:))

So, this ice cream deal was a good deal, but not a great one.  They had a huge sign that read "Ice Cream $2.49!)  Who could resist?  Obviously, I was suckered in....

I've learned my lesson.  Yuck.  Plain yuck.  I even got 2 different types and they both taste like...oh, I don't know....cardboard or something!!!  I am so disappointed.  I like my ice cream mid-day---I'd like to blame it on a pregnancy craving!  But I have to admit that I like ice cream anytime of the day anytime of the year, prego or not prego!!! :) heee heee!!! My favorite ice cream is by Breyers!

Just lookin' at those makes my mouth water.  Yum!

Thirdly, I love my pampered chef STONE and since we have moved, I have not found it YET!!! 

If any of you use it then you surely know what I am talking about!!!

Right???!!! :) 

I am wondering if our moving company broke it and didn't have the guts to tell me!  argh.   My homemade pizza and my cookies and scones just don't taste the same.  The kids whole heartedly agree too!!!

Scone, where are you?!?!? We miss you!

God bless,
Mary

Finally! Success!

As a homeschooling mom, one often wonders if she is getting through to her students, her children.  Is it working?  Does something need to change?  Do they 'get it'?   Do they need to be challenged more or do they need to spend more time on a certain subject or problem? 

For me, these questions go through my mind daily.   I am juggling a 4th grader and 2-1st graders and a kindergartener.  I wonder at my children.  As I am teaching them, I am often re-teaching myself!  It suprises me often how much I either did not learn or failed to remember!  Either way, I find it fantastic that I am learning once again, even if it is grammar school subjects :) 

Today was a terrific day. 

Minus the torn into bag of trash and minus the cracked eggs on our kitchen floor and all the other things that happened b/c I simply turned my head for a short minute. 

Today was a terrific day.

It was terrific b/c a certain child 'finally got it'. 
It was a terrific day b/c I was there to see her confidence rise. 
It was a terrific day b/c I got to give her a great big hug and words of affirmation. 
It was a terrific day b/c I know she has been struggling with reading for the last 2 years.  I know the pain and frustration she has been enduring.  I know the lonely feeling she has felt as her peers flew ahead of her with reading.  I know b/c I am her Mom.  I know b/c she is my child.  I know b/c she is my student.  I am the Mom and being the Mom brings the gift of being able to feel exactly what my child is going through.

It was a terrific day b/c the once reluctant, shy child who claimed she could not read, has boldly claimed today that "I can read, Mom!"

Tis' a Terrific day, indeed!
Thank You God for this blessing.

God bless,
Mary

Oats and more oats

Daugher #4 runs to me: "Mom! Come quick! Hurry! Oatmeal is everywhere!"

I walked upstairs to find my 2 and 3 yr old BOYS making snow angels in tons of dry oatmeal covering my kitchen floor.

Double Trouble!!!

ahh!!!!

I can't take my eyes OFF THEM!!!! They truly are double trouble, those 2!

Lord, help me.

God bless,
Mary

Fall Time!

Time for Apples!

Time for Running!

Time for Biking!

Time for Playgrounds!

Time for being a cute 2 yr old boy who just has to have one shoe and sock OFF and his pants off too. 

Only cutie 2yr olds can pull this off!!!

Time for big brothers showing little brothers where to ride bikes!

Time for speeding by in a bike, finally confident enough to use last year's Christmas gift!

Time for using a jump rope the way any little boy would use one, right?

Time for tying it to his little sisters' bike and pretending she is his horse!

And, now, it's time for me to go!

God bless,

Mary

A Momma's wonderings...

Whatever I do today, whatever my family will do today...
let us do it together.

Let us be together and relish our time together.

This time we have...together...is..... just ....so.... short. 

TIME...what a gift.

My oldest will be out of our home in probably 8 short years.  We've had him under our care longer now than compared with what we have left.

Have I done a decent job?   A good job being his momma? 

Have I held him enough, read to him enough, talked with him enough, listened enough? 

Does he know the depth of my love for him?

Is he secure in his love for God, and in his knowledge of how much GOD LOVES HIM? 

Will he stay close to Jesus and Mary all through his life?

Will he keep close to the Sacraments, gaining those graces he so desperately needs to have in this world? 

Does he know he can come to me and find his safe haven?

Will he trust me enough to confide in me his worries, his concerns, his innermost desires?

Not that I have too much on my mind lately..... HA!

(Of course all these thoughts pertain to ALL of my wonderful children, but b/c my oldest is my oldest and this is all new terrain to this Momma, I directed these wonderings towards him.)

So, this is my goal for today.  Sunday.  Be together.  Be present for  and to each other.

What will you do today that can't be put off till tomorrow? 

God bless,
Mary

Busy, busy, busy

We're researching what saint that each of my kids want to be...dialy it is changing! haaa haaa :)

Our homeschool group has a All Saints Day party next weekend (so excited about it!!!) and I really need to get this figured out so I can shop this weekend.   I am trying I have to remind myself.  This is not supposed to be a reflection of my artistic capability...but I can't help but marvel over blog posts such as THIS one and THIS one!

My oldest daughter is trying to decide between a 'pretty' saint like St.  Elizabeth of Hungary and a nun saint such as St. Therese or St. Clare (as her little sister is going to be St. Therese).  It is quite a learning experience for her!  It is great to see her growing up and seeing the difference between just pleasing her little girl friends and to stand out among others with something pretty on versus being humble and learning about the Saint and her virtues that she would like to imitate and think are beautiful in God's eyes.

What to do....what to do....

Who to be.....who to be... 

So far, we have:  (mind you, it can and may just change ion 15 mins or by tomorrow! :))

Kid #1---St. John Vianney or St. John Bosco
Kid  #2---St. Elizabeth of  Hungary or St. Therese/St. Clare
Kid #3---St. Patrick
Kid #4---St. Therese
Kid #5 ---St. Peregrine
Kid #6---St. Francis or St. Padre Pio or any Franciscan monk saint :)

But nonetheless, we are having a great opportunity to learn about the saints and reading lots of them! 

Each year, there is some repeats of Saints in our family and some new ones too!  We find it a great way to witness to our neighborhood and even though some of my kids ask why they can't dress as Spiderman or whatever, it has never gotten into a fight.  The homeschool and friend All Saints Parties ALWAYS help b/c they see their friends and peers doing the same. 

Afterall, our family is not the only crazy Catholic one out there!!! haaaa haaaa

God bless,
Mary

Toy Review Tuesday

PLAYAWAY's

I found these at my library a few weeks ago and my kids are really enjoying them!

We have the  Boxcar Children one, and the Chronicals of Narnia one.

It fits nicely into a pocket or have  it hang from their necks.  They remind me of an IPOD -really small and portable.  The only catch is that we have to provide the headphones and we only have one pair!  It sounds easy enough to just go out to buy another pair or 2 more....but my memory fails me.  Oh well!

God bless,
Mary

A Fall Poem and Coloring

Come, Little Leaves

By: George Cooper

Come, little leaves,
Said the wind one day;

Come to the meadows

With me and play.

Put on your dresses

Of red and gold;

For summer is past,

And the days grow cold.

Soon as the leaves

Heard the wind's loud call,

Down they came fluttering,

One and all.

Over the meadows

They danced and flew,

All singing the soft

Little songs they knew.

Dancing and flying,

The leaves went along,

Til Winter called them
To end their sweet song.

Soon, fast asleep

In their earthy beds,

The snow lay a coverlet

O'er their heads.

We're reading and trying so hard to memorize this poem this week as we are trying our hardest to believe that we are entering into this great season of Fall~!  It has been tough to believe since it is going to be in the high 80's today and most of the week!!! :)
 
Tons (and I mean tons!) of acorns have been falling in our backyard.  The kids keep yelling "Chicken Little!" if they hear them starting to fall, or if they hit our deck or even if they get hit by them!  They are not small, by any means, and have even brought some of my kids to tears by the shear force of them falling from trees up 100+feet high above.
 
I have joked about them calling them "acron grenades" b/c they surely sound like it as they hit the roof of our house and sometimes have even woken me up during the night by the sound of them!
Here are some acorn coloring pages I've printed out to be colored:
 
HERE
 
and HERE
 
and I couldn't resist THIS one!!!
 
Happy Fall!
 
God bless,
Mary
 
 

Edible Rosary

This was really fun for the kids on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary a few days ago.  They really followed along and anticipated to say their "Hail Mary"!
God bless,
Mary

Q&A about Heaven w/ a 5 yr old

While my kids were watching "The Sound of Music", my sweetie 5 yr old runs up to me and says:

"Mom?  Can we sleep in Heaven?"

I replied with a smile and did not quite know what to say.  So, I said what every other educated Mommy out there would have said.  I said:

"Well, honey, what do YOU think?  Do YOU think we'll sleep in Heaven?"
She replies:

"Oh, I don't know..." 

She does a little twirl dance (what every 5 yr old does! :)heee heee) and then says this sentence in giggles and smiles:

"But, Mom, I will surely need to sleep in Heaven!  I will definetly need to sleep!  B/c I will just fall asleep, I'll be so tired!"

Don't you just LOVE 5 yr old kids?!?!
They are so innocent, so happy, so very adorable!

I think that question was answered.
Enough said from our sweet 5 yr old. :)

God bless,
Mary

Our favorite toy lately for ALL my kids

OPPS!  I'm one day late for that 'Toy Review Tuesday'! 

It's funny when you 'hide' some toys for a while then bring them out again how excited the kids get!!! This has been my saving grace the last few mornings, as I sip away at my coffee (or 2!) trying to wake up. 



Over the years, I have always picked up those big duplo lego blocks at tag sales and now I have a huge rubbermaid tub full of them.  Enough for 6 kids to play with out getting into too many fights!  Grandma also bought a bunch of those little people to go along with the blocks.  This has to be one of our favorite toys in our household for all the kids for years now.  Without a doubt.



And that great table above?  Oh yeah, I found that on the side of the road! ha! 

God bless,
Mary

Celebrate being Catholic~!

And that we sure did!

This past weekend, we attended a "Catholic Heritage Festival" and it was joyous!  It was very multi-cultural, which is so beautiful.  My hubby ate Korean food, I ate Indian food and my kids at least ate a little bit of Mexican taquittos and then a bunch of American hot dogs and hamburgers! :)

This great singer was there and I enjoyed her music a lot; along with a terrific lineup of culturally different music.  Our whole family enjoyed the day, and it being a sunshine-y day since we have been enduring much rain the past week and a 1/2.

The best part, my hubby and I think, is that it only cost us $5 per vehicle and all the kids entertainment (fun and games, jumpy's and slides) were all free.  oh yeah!  Of course that is where you found us for just about the entire time!

Here are some pics: 

I loved this festival so much, simply b/c it showed our great culturals and how we are all Catholic!  It was great to see numerous cultural backgrounds coming together and for my kids to see how big our Church really is.
 
God bless,
Mary

St. Francis, pray for us!

This is a special day....it is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi!

Since he is our patron saint of our school year (along w/St. Elizabeth Ann Seton), we are really going to really do it up today :)

I printed out these coloring pages
HERE
HERE
and HERE.

We've also been learning about birds, fish and mammals during science the last few weeks.  We do have a little field trip at the end of the week to the...pet store!  haaa!  Cheap and really fun-the kids are esctatic about going there and the zoo....I figured it is a whole lot cheaper and closer so...why not!?!?

Since it is feast day, we are going to do a few crafts today using all those toliet paper rolls that I've been saving:
The Bald Eagle

The Woodpecker

The Octopus

Another Octopus craft

And of course we will celebrate w/a cake topped w/ icing and little animals-the kids always look forward to making AND decorating AND eating the yummy cake!

Best go.  Lots to do today! :)

St. Francis, Pleas Pray for us!

God bless,
Mary

Happy feast of St. Therese!!!

I remember so clearly this day last year.  It was totally last minute and we had a little St. Therese party to celebrate her feast day.  We had little rosey pink cupcakes, colored pictures of St. Therese and watched half of THIS movie (which, BTW, if you have yet to see it, it is a great one!).

This year, we did not get to a St. Therese party nor the rosey pink cupcakes nor the movie.

But to my delight, she came through for me.  That good ol' Saint Therese. 

A new friend brought me a ROSE! :)

We planned on having her children meet my children to see if it would be a good match for babysitters.  We need 2 babysitters, ya know, with all these wild kids around~heee heeee!).  Sure enough, my prayers are answered and we think it will work out for her 15 yr old son and 13 yr old daughter to watch my 6.  They are also homeschooled which is really cool too. 

She came over for this quick hour visit carrying a ......ROSE!

I started the novena to St. Therese the first 2 days then plainly forgot and got frustrated b/c I can never seem to remember to do those novenas! argh! 

Sure enough, the ROSE came along and my faith restored. 

Good thing for great saints to help pick us back up. 

"Be not afraid to tell Jesus that you love Him; even though it be without feeling, this is the way to oblige Him to help you, and carry you like a little child too feeble to walk."

-St. Therese
St. Therese, pray for us!

"My mission-to make God loved-will begin after my death.

I will spend my heaven doing good on earth.

I will send a shower of roses."

~ St. Thérèse

~~~~~~
 

“You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions,

nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.”

~ St. Thérèse

 

For tonight's dinner, I will make "Rosey Penne"- half alfredo sauce and half red scuce over penne...yum!

Happy Feast day!

God bless,
Mary