A Whole Bunch of Things!

Yes! Christine, we have been slippin' and a slidin'!
The question of the day starts about 9am, "Can we go slip and slide?"

Sweetie Pie is 9 months old!! I cannot believe it. It can't be. She doesn't look 9 months,
can't we just pretend she is, say, only 6 months?

She loves to play with her big sisters in her soon-to-be bedroom.

My garden is starting to look beautiful and I haven't even done anything yet.

I plan to put in my garden this weekend and plant my flowers around the mailbox and in pots, which is why....

to answer everyone's question, no I will not be going to the conference this weekend.

I really do want to hear Margaret speak, really I do. But that's all. I don't want to go and be tempted to spend a bunch of money on a school year I have not given much thought to yet.

(OK, I have been looking in the catalogs a little)

We are just finishing up this year though, this week.

But, but, but.....

I'm a wuss.

I hate being away from my family. I miss the kiddos and my hubby too much.

The last time I went to the conference, we left Friday afternoon and by Saturday around 9am, I was almost in tears missing them.

Don't get me wrong, I need a break just as much as all the mamas out there, but I only need like 5-10 minutes here and there, maybe a Mass or Adoration.

SO, no, I'm not going.

My favorite summer product. These work great for babies and kiddos faces. They don't get into their eyes and they are not greasy or runny. I use the lotion for the rest of their bodies, but for faces and ears, I use these roll on's. Love them. I even remembered to bring them today....

to our much needed break! We went on a picnic to a wonderful park and had a wonderful time!

I opted for the easy Burger Time picnic and thought the $15 was well worth the convenience of it! (Hey! I packed bananas, apples and raisins)

The kiddos went frog lookin' and....

caught a turtle, who they named "Turt". They always have to name what they catch!

I love SUMMER!!!!! I love the warm sun, the beautiful flowers, going to parks every day, slip-n-slides, the smell of cut grass, sweaty necks, rosy cheeks, tan bodies, dirty feet and.....

sweet babes in strollers!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

God bless our fallen soldiers, their families and anyone who has lost a loved one.

Wordless Wednesday (Babies!)

(The lacy, cute, chubby, slobbery, happy, nakid, baby edition)

Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse's Alternate LOST Endings

Lost Final Conversation!

I thought this picture was quite ironic and kind of funny. No disrespect intended, so please don't be offended. If you have not watched the final episode, don't read on!
I was very excited last night to sit down after a long weekend away in Fargo. Some of the kids and I drove to Fargo to spend the weekend for a First Communion/Confirmation, which was wonderful.
I cried through the whole show.
Every time someone would "remember", I'd cry. It was great! I thought, "Yes! This is going to end sooooo good!" It was so fun seeing all the couples getting back together.
Poor Ben here, he was still so lost at the end of Lost. I suppose he was just like the rest of us.
The rest of us who still have a ton of questions.
SO, my biggest question is how long have they been dead?
For me, it seemed like they didn't know how to end it, so they did it this way.
For me, I loved the whole last show, until the very very end. Then I was disappointed.
Were you?

It had to end somehow and I suppose it had to end kind of like they have always ended each show, with some things answered and some things not answered.

I'm sure it will be the same way when we die, some things answered and some things not answered and it won't matter at that point.

Kiss Goodnight

Kiss Goodnight

That's the name of this print.

Oh, if it were that simple.

Bedtime is just not that simple with children.

At least not my children.

At least not my girls.

Jedi, at bedtime, gets his kiss, hug and blessing and is off to bed. Period. He's not seen again until morning.

Not so with the girls.

Who are supposed to go to bed 1/2 hour earlier than him, are rarely "in bed" by then.

Oh, we start early with them, but there are fights, "Moooooooom Babycakes is out of bed!!!" "Moooooooooooom, they won't be quiet!" "Mooooooooooom I can't sleep, I'm sooooo hot!" and the list goes on and on.

Do people really have the kind of bedtimes they show in the movies? The ones where the kids all go to sleep "Goodnight John-boy" kind of bedtimes?

Bedtime is my least patient time of the whole day. So much so that I usually do baths in the morning, because I'm patient then and allow play time.

I admit it.

After supper, I can't wait until bedtime. (for the kiddos)

I love my kiddos, but 13 1/2 hours straight with them is just, well, it's time for bed.

It's the whole getting ready thing too. My kiddos don't just go brush their teeth and put their jammies on without me telling them several times, and then asking one final time, threatening to smell their breath...."Okay, I'll brush them"

They start dancing and running, at bedtime. Why at bedtime? It never fails. They get sooo wound up at bedtime.

My ideal bedtime is jammies on, teeth brushed, bedtime stories, prayers, kisses and well, that should be it, right?

It usually ends with threats to send someone to the basement with the spiders.

I'm serious.

I wonder is it just girls? Or, is it just multiple girls?

Is it because they share a room?

Would it be better if they each had their own room, like Jedi?

(that's not happening)

Is it just my kids?

When people ask me if Sweetie Pie sleeps through the night, I have to laugh, because, does that really matter, when I have 3 other girls who each get up at least once in the night for something? Like last night, for over an hour around 1am, I was up with coughing girls, who woke each other up.

Kiss goodnight.

Sounds so simple.

What's Happening Here

Our newest member of Tae Kwon Do. (isn't she cute?)

Don't mess with my children, they can protect themselves and me!
With Daddy and 3 of the children gone Tuesday and Thursday evenings, it gives me lots of "mommy time" with Babycakes....and Sweetie Pie who is very busy these days....

....watching her sisters and brother jump on the trampoline.....

Wish I'd thought of this watching by the window before this, she loves it!

She makes just as big a mess as her sisters now, loving to dig in all the toys.

That playing wears her out though, so big sis lets her sleep on her while mama takes a shower!

When she is fussy at night and mama is busy....daddy holds her "way up in the sky" and she's happy...until he brings her down again.

She is taking lots of baths now....

....because every time she eats, she gets carrots in her hair, bananas in her eyebrows and cheerios on her bottom and legs....(the food falls down or she puts it down there)

Then, more window watching.....

Happy Wednesday everyone!

May Flowers!

Here's a quick, easy way to paint something beautiful!
The girls were so very creative!

We used scrubbers (found years ago at a dollar store), paint sponges and flower painting stamps.

I think the trick to painting with kiddos is to just BE THERE. It's not something you can set up and go blog or something. There's constantly paint to refill, hands to wipe, new papers to give out, papers to take away to dry and then clean up!

Around the Yard

We've had a week of rain, rain, rain. We've needed it, see how green everything is?
The rain hasn't kept the kiddos in the whole time, there's mud pies to make!

I really love when they play with stuff from nature! It's so creative and fun to watch. Hopefully it will be the things they remember about childhood.

(yes, we still have our sleds out....we do live in MN)

Today the glorious sun is shining and everyone is happy.

See?

I hope to be back to post a craft, but maybe not until Monday, so have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

The Ascension and Our Lady of Fatima

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, you can read about it here.

One of the amazing things I learned once I got serious about my faith, (conversion I'd suppose) was all the miracles, all the Saints, all the treasures we have. I mean, Fatima, I'd never heard of until this time (mid 20's) and there were 70,000 witnesses of the miracle of the sun!! Why doesn't everyone know about this?

This is how we are celebrating tonight. I made these wonderful muffins from Barbara

Then added cool whip, yellow sprinkles and mandarin oranges to make a sun!

A little healthier than frosted cupcakes and man oh man, I can't open any chocolate chips for a face, I'll be eating chocolate chips after every meal for the next few days, until the bag is gone. Bag not open, bag not tempting.

The Ascension of Jesus is today, but celebrated Sunday. SO today for dessert we had pudding in a cloud. (Jesus ascending on a cloud) We used sugar free pudding so this is a low cal dessert.

Yummy!

Sunday we will have our famous "Ascension Pancakes"! The kids have been asking when we are going to have them, today or Sunday. Sounds like a good brunch meal!

Nameless

Did anyone else notice he has no name?

I felt sorry for him last night.

They should have made him ugly. He's not ugly.

Maybe they will make him good in the end?

Blood Money, Planned Parenthood's Legacy

This documentary is coming out soon, to see the trailer, go here.

It looks so good, I sure hope and pray that it changes so many hearts. My heart went out to the older woman on the clip who states how many abortions she's responsible for. She's turning that around. How wonderful.
The movie reminds me of this book. Wow, one of the best books I've ever read.
Because of this book, (and because of all the babies that are aborted)
we do the Planned Parenthood Boycott.
Yep. No Disney, no Johnson & Johnson, no Girl Scout cookies.
I've been doing the boycott for many years now and over the years have seen so many companies stop contributing to Planned Parenthood, Pepsi, General Mills and many others. Money really does talk.

I'm Back!

Our family just got back from a mini vacation to Duluth, MN

We have never taken a long weekend away and it was a much needed and much enjoyed time!
I was in desperate need of just "enjoying" my children, instead of working. You know, dishes, laundry, cooking, cleaning, life. I was so excited to just go somewhere and not worry about anything. It was a perfect Mother's day!

Wow! What a city! I'd have to say Duluth is the most beautiful city in Minnesota. I've been there before, but now in my old age, I think I appreciated so much more this time.

I loved the beautiful way they have preserved the old downtown area and the Lake. Lake Superior was just breathtaking. I loved the rocks everywhere and beautiful lighthouses.

Therese-we visited your state like 3 times. It was fun to go over the draw bridge!

And the way the kiddos slept all the way home.

Almost all the kiddos.

Let's say all the LOUD kiddos slept all the way home.

Or at least half way until we stopped for a late lunch.

Happy Mother's day to all you wonderful ladies out there. I thought of you and prayed for you at Mass. We found a church where not many young people were in attendance. Mary Hannah, saying quite loudly in the front pew "There's all old people here", with a disgusted face.

Glad I didn't hear it, but daddy was embarrassed.

Thank you to all who nominated me for this sunshine award. I love it! (it does have a flower on it) I give it to all who come here and comment. You are my sunshine in bloggy world.

I'm sick, sick, sick.

I lost my voice on Saturday and it has not returned. I'm whispering and coughing and not sleeping at all.

Tea, cough drops, water, nothing works
Glad it's raining out, I don't feel guilty for not going anywhere!

Movie Reviews and Lost

Ah, another great movie! This one, I thought was funny and very well done! Hey! It's Robert Downey Jr, he IS a really great actor. It seemed through the movie to be black magic stuff, but Sherlock Holmes proves it to not be. Very good. Very good.

OK, this one is not a movie, but my husband and I started watching this series. (we use Netflix) So far, (we've watched 3 shows) it's been pretty good. Kind of an "Oceans Eleven" kind of show every episode. Cool, spy, sneaky music. Humor. Pretty good. Best thing by using Netflix, no commercials!
This probably doesn't need a review. It was great! My good friend Sarah and I watched it and loved it. It is based on a true story and in the end, they show the real people.
If you haven't seen this one, you must!


Now, this movie was a little creepy, because of the story line. A little girl is abducted, which is every parent's nightmare. But, there is so much more to this movie, that I really thought it was pretty good. Just when it would get to the point where you think you can't watch....

they would show you a beautiful scene like this one. The imaging and filming was amazing. I'd watch the movie just for that. This little girl is caught between Heaven and hell and struggles to help her father solve her murder. (see? Kind of dark) It does have a very good ending. Otherwise, I would not have liked it.
RED ALERT!!! SPOILER AHEAD!!
(sorry Regan)



Alright, how many Lost's are left? I'm getting antsy. I wanted more last night.


I want it to be over, so I can know the answers. But it's so good, I'll miss it!!





What the heck happened last night?


I kind of felt like, it's all coming together and they will all be living in the end, right?


Jack is the hero.


He's the greatest.


I so thought they were going to show him giving mouth to mouth to Sawyer...so glad they didn't!


I'm glad they are making him the hero.


I'm glad they figured out the big lock-monster and what he's really up to.


Oh, and alright Sayid!! You are no longer in a lock trance. Oh, but now you are dead.


OK, I guess you are a hero too.


But Jack is still the greatest.