what to do on a Monday night

Travis is on a bromance man date with his best friend, at a bar watching the Bears game. 

The kids are asleep (finally!  nap time was horrible today!) and my headache has finally gone away (maybe it was all the water I drank?).

So now I can finally post a picture of my kids on Halloween.

A knight, a princess, and a lion.  roar!

Wow those kids are cute!  How 'bout we look at some more pictures of them?

I caught Lydia "reading" the Bible.  She was actually saying the words to the Guardian Angel prayer.  (Do you know that prayer? So good:  Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here.  Ever this day be at my side to light, to rule, to guard, to guide.  It's a great prayer to start the day, at bedtime, when you've got the heebie jeebies, or when you're about to blow your top.)

Also, Lydia's been practically living in her Rapunzel dress since mid October.  She's so cute.

James, greeting me at the door.  Did you know he's walking now?  He's walking now.

Bennet, super happy about his gigantic, warm from the oven, made from scratch chocolate chip cookie.

Do you remember awhile ago when I was on a serious hunt for the. best. chocolate. chip. cookie. recipe. EVAH!?  I found it.  That's what one looks like.

It is possible that Bennet may not be wearing pants or a diaper in this picture.

This was gearing-up-for-quiet-time time.  (Yes, I know it's lame that I do that but sometimes it's needed.)  Put on a PBS Kids show from Netflix to occupy L and B while I lay James down and then send the other two upstairs. 

Notice how spread out Lydia is?  I had just painted her toenails and fingernails and she's letting them dry. 

Need something a little different to read?  My dear, dear friend, Crafty Katie, has started a blog to chronicle her year on sabatical.  She turned down a teaching position and is living off savings and a small income from working as DRE at her church.  Already her blog is great.  God check it out: 

Look to Him and Be Radiant

Lastly, if you don't like country music or you didn't got to MTHS don't click on the following link.  But if you do like country, went to my high school, or want to see my high school crush is up to these days then check out Jake Maurer. 

I had a serious, mad crush on that man some 12 years ago.  Whew!  It's almost embarrassing to think about it now.

The crazy thing is that last night I spent the first half of my sleeping dreaming about Jacob and the Black Smoke Monster (does he have a name?  I never caught it.)  And the second half of the night I was dreaming that I was back in high school, dating Jake.  So it was interesting when I saw the link to his updated website on Facebook today. 

And I know what you're thinking.  But I was not stalking him - I saw it in my newsfeed.

Good night!

Sweetie Pie is 3!

The day of her party, showing off her bed head and the Happy Birthday sign written with bar soap on the mirror. 

Pendant banners sewn by Crafty Katie, Lydia's godmother.

They were made by cutting up scrapbook paper and sewing it to ribbon.

So cute!

A favorite gift.

Her pink birthday cake.

Oh how I love you, Lydia Anne!  You bring such joy to my life!

7 quick takes

-1-

Important question:  was anyone out there asking for Archbishop Sheen's intercession during the 61 minutes that James did not have a pulse? 

Probably not since it was from about 2-3am but I need to know for sure when people began asking for his intercession.

-2-

I want to have a tea party and watch the Royal Wedding of Will and Kate but I'm not so sure since they're getting hitched at 5am my time.  I've still got 2 more hours in bed at that point! 

But maybe I'll go ahead and invite some lucky friends over for tea, crumpets, and cake anyways.  I'm sure there will be highlights of it all day long. 

-3-

I've been updating my food blog, the bonnie dinner table.  I have been trying all kinds of new recipes so watch out for even more good food!

-4-

Here's the run down on what's been doing on with James:

- surgery went well and the site seems to be healing well.

- while he was "going under" with the anestesia he had a small seizure.  Our family doctor and the surgeon are not too concered and said that anestesia can sometimes trigger a seizure.  We spoke with the on-call neurologist while at the hospital but I'm waiting to meet with James' regular neuro before a definitive opinion is formed.  We have not, however, put James back on the anti-siezure meds at this time since everyone still seems to believe that he's still at a low risk of having another one.

- while recooping from surgery James came down with a small case of pnuemonia.  Fortunately it is most likely not from aspirating but from the head cold he had.  Thanks to his antibiotics he's already feeling better.

-5-

I keep saying that apart from his miraculous healing the poor guy can't catch a break!

-6-

Tonight I go to my friend's house to make the invitations for Lydia's 3rd birthday party.  Every year we have scrapbooked the invites using pictures of the kids.  It's so much fun for me and I'm always thrilled to see what great ideas Katie comes up with as I am barely creative at all.

-7- 

I have saved the best for last, ladies and gentlemen.

With all of my kids getting better Lydia and Bennet have both slept through the night the last two nights and James only woke up twice!  After 3 weeks of very, very rough nights we are so grateful for normal sleep again!   

Yep, two years ago yesterday my sweetie pie was washed clean of original sin and brought into covenant with God, officially become His daughter and a member of the Roman Catholic Church. In short - she was Baptised!

We celebrated by going to the zoo with some friends. (Let's not talk about the disgusting amount of junk food I ate for lunch.)

After a good long nap for the kids, the family had dinner with Lydia's beloved godmother, who brought her three more pearls in honor of the day. We then completed the celebration by heading over to the Dairy Barn for ice cream cones.

It was a fun, beautiful day.

All praise and thanksgiving to God for the wonderful gift He has given our family in Lydia, and for the gift of salvation He has given us through His Son and Sacraments!

So what about you? Do you and your family celebrate the anniversary of Baptisms? If so, how? I'd love to hear some great ideas if you've got any.

long overdue pictures of Lydia's 2nd Birthday

Keeping the birthday girl busy pre-party.  She's making a bug.  Clearly.

Keeping Bennet happy pre-party.  Isn't he such a little man?!

Lydia loves owls so I made the invitations with owls ("Whoooo is two?" next to an owl stamp.) and requested an owl cake.  Crafty Katie's mom made the cake, just like she made our wedding cakes.  It took her 3 hours to decorate this and she only wanted $16.

I like to have a photo album for people to look through.  The one on the table was scrapbooked by Crafty Katie as a shower gift.  I also have a tradition of a birthday cake for me.  It's a different cake for each child, and the pre-selected cake is prepared while I'm in labor, or shortly after.  I then make the cake every year for the birthday party in honor of what I did that day.  (Because it was a lot of work!)  Pineapple Upside Down cake is the Lydia Birthday Cake.  yum.

Lydia wearing her new jewels.

So cute reading a card.

Opening gifts.

Pictured with her godparents.

The dinner buffet. 

To make things easier on myself I invited Lydia's grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and godparents for cake and ice cream.  Then, the day of I invited people to stay for a dinner of homemade pizza.  There was less prep work and not as many mouths to feed.  The menu also included fruit salad, lettuce salad, Cheetos (because I never buy Cheetos) and chips and guac.  yum.

Rob Blagojevich holding my son. 

The day after the party. 

Lydia is wearing a new shirt and drinking tea from her new tea set and dishes. 

She is also not wearing pants or a diaper. 

7 Quick Takes Friday - the Mother's Day edition

-1-

Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be as heroically generous as my mom.


I've been sick this week and she' taken care of the kids single-handily, straightened up the house, cleaned up the physical evidence of my sickness (tmi?) and brought me water, fruit pops and toast.

The woman doesn't complain. She doesn't accept apologies for the messiness of my life that she's cleaning up. She never seems to run out of patience or compassion.

She just gives and gives, joyfully and wholeheartedly.

-2-

Last week I was driving, thinking about all the books I'd like to read. I was fantasizing about having the time to sit on my sofa in the middle of the afternoon and pick up a book. I was daydreaming about uninterrupted reading - how glorious! Once again I could get through a book in a week - or less! I could devour one after another, a memoir, a novel, a collection of essays, American lit, poetry, theology...

You see, I don't have much time to read, especially anything too deep. There isn't the time or energy budgeted in my days for such things as novels.

And then I had this very comforting thought: right now I do not have time for such things, and that is okay. In another season of my life, when my kids are older and I have some grey hair, then I will be able to read again. This thought was much more like a promise from God, an acknowledgement of my longing with a glimpse of what is waiting ahead. Knowing this makes it much easier to not read now, as I focus on my kids, husband, home, and friends.

-3-

A woman I barely know offered to help me clean my home for Lydia's birthday party. She is from Northern Ireland and is living in the US until her visa expires in July. She has been able to travel much of Europe and America in her 26 years. While I listened to her talk I felt the pang of remorse that I never studied abroad while in college. I also felt the itch to travel.

And then we talked about my life as a stay at home mom.  I warned her to devour information now, because it seems that with every child a woman pushes out of her body she loses a portion of her knowledge, memory and ability to assemble intelligent, thorough sentences.  (Ya gotta stock pile those things now so you come out even in the end, I figure.)

She talked about her desire for kids, a lot of kids, and to live the life I was living.  She thought the grass was greener on my side of the fence.  And in my heart I agreed.

-4-

When I became pregnant with the baby I am currently carrying I heard several people make acclamations of "I'm glad it's you and not me!" What they said with all honesty, and meant as a reflection of their personal preferences and limits, hurt a little.  It sounded like an insult, or a warning.  Sometimes it sounded like I was being damned, or that I already had been!  Usually it sounded like they weren't happy my newest child is alive and growing in my womb.

But I was sure not to take it personally, because I have said the exact same thing, with the exact same intentions, to mothers of twins.  And so, to the mothers of twins that I know and have made this comment to, I would like to apologize.  Your children are beautiful, wonderful and lovable.  I consider you blessed, and I praise God for the gifts you've been given.

-5- 

A few weeks ago I was feeding Bennet some baby food pears, making silly faces so he'd open his mouth and allow me to put the spoon in.  Lydia stood by our side singing the Alphabet Song.  In the midst of the simplicity and silliness I had a deep sense of knowing that there was no where else I'd rather be and nothing else I'd rather be doing.  It was like getting a blue ribbon from God.

-6-

As I have already mentioned, I've been sick this week and I've had to rely on friends, along with my mom and husband, to help take care of the kids.  Even though they are not moms, they mothered me and my kids at times when things were pretty messy.  There was Liz, who walked into our house as I was "spitting up" (as Lydia calls it) and came to see if I needed my hair held.  She then cared for my kids for the next several hours while I napped.  And there was Katie, who changed a poopy, leaky diaper; rocked a fussy baby to sleep; and was fortunate enough to stick around for my daughter to "spit up" into her bag of books, all over my clothes, her clothes, and on the floor.  Katie salvaged the books, put our clothes in the washing machine, and bathed my daughter.  God bless you both!!!!

-7-

To any women who struggle with infertility and may read my blog:  I want you to know that I think of and pray for you every day.  I pray for your health, your doctors, your wombs, your adoptions, your families, your hearts, your wounds, your sufferings, and your joys.  I want you to know that I honor you this Mother's Day - you are not forgotten!

Anita!

Anita, woman I only met once at the 4H fair, cousin of my dear friend.  I feel I know you far better than I do because of all the wonderful things Crafty Katie has shared.

I meant to write you a Thank You note when you bought me the Burt's Bees mama's belly ointment. 
And I meant to write you again when you made me the wonderful, possibly too-hip-for-me nursing  cover.

But I never did because I'm lazy or forgetful or busy or all those things at different moments.

But please don't think I am not grateful and that I don't love those things you gave me.  Because I am grateful and I do love them.

So THANK YOU for your thoughtfulness and generousity.  May God bless you in your goodness.

The mechanic's daughter was right!

The problem with the Stratus was the fuel pump. Way to go, Katie B!

July pictures

Lydia with her Daddy waiting for fireworks.

Asleep in the car - sooo cute!

Petting bunnies with her godmother at the 4H fair.

Checking out the animals at the zoo.

Playing with balloons at her cousin's party.

Going down the dirty stairs.

Pretending to be Nick after having eating out at Firehouse Pizza.

(Because Nick always wears pink socks when he's fighting fires.)

Baptism Anniversary Gift

Lydia's Godmother, the lovely Katie B., made the following gift in honor of the day Lydia was washed of the stain of original sin and brought into the family of God. This gift is so great, so beautiful and thoughtful that I wanted to share it with everyone.

The box was marked with Lydia's initials. When it's opened you find a small, homemade, trifold card and a little envelope marked "Lydia's Pearls".

The card includes several Bible quotes, along with a note about what it means to be Baptised and loved by God.
The envelope includes 3 pearls, each representing a member of the Holy Trinity. Every year on the anniversary of her Baptism, Katie will give Lydia 3 more pearls until she's 18 and will have enough for a necklace.

Travis and I were both so touched by this gift. We absolutely love it and know that as Lydia grows up she too will cherish the gift and all its symbolism.

Gift

I made this box (with help from Crafty Katie) for a friend who is getting married in June. Inside are bunches of letters all grouped together by theme: vocation, motherhood, love, etc. They include quotes from Scripture, a handful of books and my own thoughts, plus some blank ones for her to record her own favorite quotes and memories. She liked it when she opened it, I hope she continues to like it as she reads through them.


I also made her a couple of CDs with songs like "Real Love" by Regina Spektor and "Question" by The Old 97's.

Katie's good idea

I'm going to feature some good ideas from my friend, Katie. This is the first one.

The centerpiece of her kitchen table is a bowl filled with Scrabble pieces. She bought an incomplete game at a second hand store. Clearly, she uses it to decorate for the season, but she also uses it as a conversation starter. It is inevitable that when you sit at her table you will begin to spell out words and string together phrases, almost unconsciously. It's fun to see what everyone doodles out.

I love this idea but won't be doing it until we get to a point where Scrabble pieces are not the same things as choking hazards.

Gratitude Wrap

The lovely Miss Katie made this Gratitude Wrap for me, along with the personalized stationary. She saw the idea on my blog and decided it was a good idea and would make a good Christmas gift. I got the prototype.

And I love it!