It's Time Again

So, here we are again, at the beginning of another school year.  Summer has come and gone.  We have swapped the suits and sandals for uniforms and and new tennis shoes.  Every year I swear they start school earlier than the year before.  Or is it just possible that time really does fly, especially when you are flying first class on the flight of raising young children.  Everything seems to go so fast with them, yet at the same time our days and our routine can go. very. slow.  I convince myself that we will never be out of this stage, whatever that stage may be.  Screaming children at Mass, picky eaters, more food on the floor than in their stomachs, waking up during the nights, wearing diapers, wetting the bed...you get the idea.  But the stages do pass, they do learn things you never thought they could when you are in the middle of struggling with it.  Nevertheless, staring another grade at school, always makes me a bit sad.  It's affirmation that they are indeed growing up and that it is all going too fast.
I wanted to make Sunday a little special for them, but really for me to remember that we did have fun and live up summer until the very last day.  In the afternoon Thomas and Annie helped to make a special dessert for after dinner.  Peach cobbler.  Oh, my.

I had planned a little scavenger hunt for them using clues from some of the things we did that summer. The garden, piano lessons, summer with the saints, swimming lessons, taking the boat out, camping trip, the books on tape we listened to, the Robin's nest we had in our hanging baskets....

It was fun to watch Bev run five steps behind them, only to catch up with them and watch them take off again. Poor thing.



At the end of the hunt they found a basket with squirt guns and some candy.  We then had a family squirt gun fight... simple, but fun. 

I wonder if they will remember these first days of school.  I must have a terrible memory because I can't recall any one of my first days of school.  I do remember my outfit I wore on my first day of first grade, but only because my mom took a picture of me standing outside in front of our house.

 

I hope they don't remember that we were late the first day of school.  I had good intentions of being early, mind you, but then Thomas and I went to confession at 6:30 at the Pink Sisters together before starting the new year.  It was a wonderful thing to do together, and I know he'll remember waking up early and driving in the dark to get there.  And I'm sure he'll remember that we stopped to get doughnuts on the way home, however, that made us late.  I hope they erase from their memory the fact that I had to just pull up to school, open the door and say, "good-by" have a great first day, Thomas help your sister find the second grade classroom..."  No pictures of them standing all shy like with their new classmates.  Just a get in there and good luck.  At least when we were at Mass I made sure to see both of them with their right teachers!  Monsignor gave a wonderful homily about the feast of the Queenship of Mary which was being celebrated in the church that day.  He spoke about Mary sharing in Jesus' crown of glory in heaven and that we too will have a crown of glory when we get to heaven.  My friend Lindsay posted about this a while back.  She had a brilliant idea of making this visual for her children by having them each get a crown to put a jewel on when they make a sacrifice, do something joyfully, or put others first. It was the perfect thing for us to do to celebrate the Queenship of Mary, as well as begin our school year really trying to focus on others and joyfully doing what someone asks of you.

We ended the day by making a crown cake for dessert.  Another reminder that our Blessed Mother is Queen of Heaven and Earth.

I wanted to make the kids their lunches this year instead of having them get hot lunch every day.  Throughout the summer some friends and I had brainstormed ideas of good, healthy, fun foods to pack in their lunches.  I had thought of making the kids cloth napkins but in lieu of my non-sewing skills, never got it done.  Until, I had a brilliant idea!  Why not ask my sister who had just spent four days entertaining my children, caring for her 16month old, and being 35 weeks pregnant....if she would make them for me.  Brilliant, I tell you.  She so willingly agreed to come to the fabric store with me, pick out different fabrics, and then stay up until 12:30am sewing them together.  I cut, while she sewed.  I love them.  I am so grateful to her for making them.  Thomas and Annie thought they were pretty cool, Thomas especially loving the Husker and fish prints!



There is a special little zipper in the front of their lunch boxes that I told them to check because you'll never know what you may find in there...A fun fact about rivers, a tiny bag of skittles, and special note with a star burst is my idea of giving them my special love when I can't physically be there at school with them.  A good friend of mine once told me that she prays to the Blessed Virgin every day she sends her children to school. She asks for Mary's motherly protection for her children since she can't be with them.  I thought that was a beautiful prayer and so I too pray, asking Mary to protect and love Thomas and Annie while I am not with them.

And so, we begin again.  A new school year. Many adventures to be had, I'm sure.

The Canning Queen

This is the second summer where my sister and her husband took Thomas and Annie back to their house to spend four days with them.  The kids have looked forward to the trip all summer.  And why shouldn't they....when they get to do lots of fun activities, stay up late, and play with their cousin.  When TJ and I got there on Thursday afternoon, we walked in to the kitchen to a beautiful sight.

The three of them were canning peaches.  Aprons and all.  They looked extra darling since I hadn't seen them in four days.

My sister is a master caner, in my book.  She has learned, along with a friend of hers, how to can practically anything.  She has had the privilege of watching and learning first hand from Jarod's grandmother, who is still living, how to make homemade salsa and can it.  We have canned together, along with my mom's guidance, strawberry jam after strawberry picking at Roca and have also done my grandma Glady's Russian Dill Pickles, also thanks to our mom showing us how the first few times.  But Laura has taken it to a new level...she cans cherries, apples, applesauce, pickles, jam, peaches, tomato soup, salsa, green beans, apple butter, and more.  And whats even better is that almost everything she cans is home grown from a garden or picked off a tree. 

So, while we were there, she helped me can some of our grandma's pickles to take home.  Eating some of hers that she had already canned made me crave them even more.  And whats even better is that Laura has all the right canning gear to make the canning experience way more pleasant.... way better than spooning with an over sized ladle hot, sticky, strawberry jam into a steaming jar that you are holding with a towel because you don't have the correct tool to handle the burning jar, while dripping the sticky, hot, mess down the jar since you neglected to buy a funnel....I'm just sayin'.  Some people do it that way...

35 weeks pregnant...

20 weeks pregnant....

The smell of dill sends my nostrils into a frenzy.  I LOVE dill.





And then, as if we hadn't been in the kitchen long enough, Laura suggests that we make home made salsa for dinner.  Of course.



My sister's kitchen ALWAYS has some fresh, just picked produce lying on the counter.  Between her own garden, her mother-in-law's garden, and her friend's garden, she always has something fresh to prepare.

I love that my children had so much fun with their aunt and uncle and cousin.  And I delight in the fact that we can send our children to their house and know that they are being taken such good care of.  Thank you Laura and Jarod, our children will always remember the days spent at your house!



If Only I Could Remember This Everyday

I am always, always inspired to be a better wife, mother and to live out my catholic faith a bit more after reading Elizabeth Foss.  If only I could remember this every day and put it into practice. 

What is the good that I can accomplish today?

http://www.elizabethfoss.com/reallearning/2011/08/the-warmth-of-your-smile.html

Lazlos, Red Robin, Scooters...oh my!

We decided to end the week off with a bang, I guess.  Thomas and Annie had been gone since Sunday night and we planned on eating out for dinners that week.  Fun. Fun. Fun.  Yes, I would get sick of the greasy food if we did this every night, all the time.  And yes, I would feel the pull to get back into my kitchen and hear all it's pots, pans, and utensils calling to me after a long absence.  But this was fun, not to think about preparing dinners for just a few days.

We ended up at Lazlos rather early, 5:30ish I think.  We had been sitting/playing outside and TJ looks at me about 4:30 and lets me know he's hungry, and that come to think of it, so am I.  We changed and picked up TJ's parents who had just gotten back in town from spending a week away for their anniversary.  Eating outside at Lazlos is one of our favorite spots.  It's a favorite for his parents too!  And let me just add that it was a bonus to have grammy with us...she gives them so much attention while waiting for food to come!



Working on "here's the church, here's the steeple, open the doors and see all the people."

Lavoish with lots of hot sauce....try it.  Made my baby wiggle and jiggle all around!

After a lovely dinner, we had to run by the Sprint store.  And wouldn't you know, there is a Red Robin right next to it.  If you've never had a chocolate shake from Red Robin, go get one.  Now.  Lindsay introduced me to these babies!



And then the next morning, we wandered over to the Scooters which is convienly located in our neighborhood.  Sat at the counter and sipped our coffee and watched them both.  Evelyn in her pink and orange jammies....



The biggest gift we were given this week was not, not having to cook and clean the kitchen (although that was definitely a bonus) but more than that, I was able to be more present with George and Evie.  I was able to sit and listen to TJ with fewer distractions.  I could give more one on one attention to them.  And yet, the absence of two of them made me realize just how much I love our children.  The fact that they have each other turns out to be the best gift of all.  The greatest gift we can give our children is siblings.  George and Evie kept asking where Thomas and Annie were for three days.  And while there is bickering, fighting, and yelling that happens daily at our house, there is love.  Much love between them all.  And that will only grow as they grow up.  I'm looking forward to watching them. 

I wouldn't trade having five children for anything, ever.  They make our life full and lively and fun. Oh, and messy.  I can't forget messy. 

Watching Them Play

A Priceless Moment

Oh, how I wish I had my camera in hand this morning to capture George.

Last night, my mom came over to watch George and Evie while we dinned out alone.  Evie was already in bed, and George was all ready to go down.  He didn't rest at all that day, and by 7:00 I told him it was time to head south.  My mom got here right at seven and so we told him he could stay up and play legos with her for about thirty more minutes.  On one condition....he was to go to bed right away when she said and that he had to stay in bed.  I even told him that I might get him the blue Thomas the Train that he picks up and wants every time we go into Walgreen's.  That did the trick.  Mom said he went to bed and only came down twice, but that he went right back up and fell right asleep.

So, when I heard his little feet making their way downstairs this morning, I knew what was coming.  The first words out of his mouth were, Is nama still here, I stayed in my bed all night long. Can we go to Walgreen's to get my train?  Before coming home last night, we ran into Walgreen's to get a few things and I went ahead and got the train for him.  I'm so glad that I did.  When I told him how proud of him I was and that I just might have a surprise for him right now, he started in with the over laughing.  When I pulled out the train, he laughed for a minute straight.  The joy, and excitement plastered all over his face was priceless.  And I was proud of him.  I had wanted to do a little something special for him this week anyways..... I think this took care of that.  He's been playing trains all morning.