and a little paint, makes a girl what she ain't...Saturday night, Rick and I stepped to the annual gala fundraiser for our parish's school. I forgot my camera at home, hoping others will post pictures soon on Facebook. We had a great time talking, eatng and dancing. So, we took pictures of ourselves when we came home. Either of us our great photographer, so here we are...
Marriage
11/21/2011
09/04/2011
Farewell Summer, my old friend
This past week was action-packed. We played host to our neighborhood friends whose Mom is a teacher. She went back to school to set up her classroom. I am also providing childcare and homework help to two lovely young ladies who go to our parochial school which started classes two weeks ago. My girls, the youngest of the bunch, had a great time with friends, new and old. During the week, we swam, took a trip to the aquarium, went to the library, and all seven of us ventured out to the zoo.
We had a ball this last week of summer, however it also was hectic. As for myself, I had little time for pray, I did not write on this blog, and my husband and I were like passing strangers in the night. Also, the housework got a little backed up.
I know I could not keep up this pace for long, but I wanted my Ladybug’s last week of freedom to be fun. On Tuesday, we all start a new chapter in our lives as she steps on the bus and heads off to first grade in public school. I am bittersweet about this decision. She is petite, weighing a mere 37 pounds, however as our neighbor boy exclaimed,
“She is the biggest tomboy I’ve ever seen.”
04/27/2011
Lucky 13
13 years ago this week, my husband and I were married in a simple outdoor civil ceremony. So many things have changed since then, my journey back to the practice of my faith, the blessing of our marriage in the Church, Rick’s conversion to Catholicism, and our decision to say yes to parenthood when we were in our 40s. Yes, so many changes, yet some things never change especially when it comes to my husband:
02/14/2011
The Best Valentine's Gift
Over the weekend, I read a great article by 4unate entitled What Your Husband REALLY wants for Valentine's Day. One of her suggestions was to "take a meaningful moment today and stop and tell your husband the top 5 things that he admire about him."
It being Valentine's Day, I thought I would share my list with you.
I admire my husband for:
his love of simplicity
his faith in God
his sense of humor
his positive attitude
his gentleness
But even more than these things, I would also like to tell you a little story about my husband.
02/08/2011
A few of my favorite things...
Don't forget Thursday is book review day, I am participating in "Bookin it 2011" hosted by Life as Mom. This week I will be reviewing The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. Speaking of happiness, I know money cannot buy joy, but here are a list of a few of my favorite things that make everyday life just a little sweeter...
01/28/2011
7 Quick Takes Friday Volume 29
1. Sunday, Ladybug beat her Girl Scout cookie goal of 200 by 11 boxes. Thanks for all of you who bought or donated cookies. You should have seen her working the Knight of Columbus hall during the chili cook-off last week. She is a very determined little girl.
2. Monday, my husband was the bus captain for our church to the March for Life in Washington, D.C. Despite the cold weather, he said the amount of people was astounding, media reports pegged the number of approximately 400,000. The crowd was friendly and prayerful. It consisted mainly of young people, and hundreds of religious: priests, monks, and sisters in traditional habits. This was his third year attending the March and he felt the best one yet. One day when the girls get older, I would like to attend too.
3. Tuesday, I was shopping at our local Asian market when the clerk pointed at my girls and asked me, "Are you their GRANDMOTHER?" When I told my husband about it, he laughed and said, "Well, you ARE old enough to be their grandmother. " OUCH!
4. Wednesday, I finally started reading The Story of the Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux. I am drawn to St. Therese and her "Little Ways". I hope in reading this book and reflecting on her life, I can be a better person, more patient and less cranky. See #3.
5. Thursday, my friend, Bridget, over at The Ivey League, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. What a blessing for all!
6. Tonight, Rick and I are going to a wine and food pairing potluck. I am looking forward to some good food, some great wine, and some adult conversation. Have a great weekend!
7. For more Quick Takes, hop on over to Jennifer at Conversion Diary
01/19/2011
Enjoy the Moment
Yesterday is gone, tomorrow has yet to come, trust in the Lord, and live for today; I recently wrote as a comment on my friend, Bridget's blog, The Ivey League. If only I could follow this advice myself, I added. Often times, I struggle with letting things go, and relaxing. I let the anxieties of life crowd my mind, and leave no room for fun.
As a home schooling Mom, I worry that my kindergartner is not keeping up with her parochial school counterparts, so I push her. On Monday, we had instruction even though it was a school holiday. We learned about Martin Luther King, and watched an excerpt of his "I Had a Dream" speech on you tube, along with our usual Catechism, Math, Science, and Language Art curriculum.
At the beginning of the year, I choose the word BALANCE for 2011. I realize I must place a balance between work and fun. I also need to be trully present to my husband, and my children, and not being distracted by my mental "to do" list. One thing I am trying to do is to enjoy the moment.
Last night was such a moment. It was the chili cook-off at the Knights of Columbus hall. Nothing fancy, it was a simple, family event. However, it was one of wonderful evenings when everyone was having fun. There was no fighting, no crying, and no misbehaving. So, we ended up closing the place down, and the girls went to bed at 10:00 pm, an unheard bedtime for children in our house. Today, we all with the exception of Daddy, woke up late. As I write this at 9:30 am, we are still in our pajamas. Last semester, I would be freaking out. I would be pushing the girls to get dressed, to brush their teeth, and to start circle time. This semester, I am going to have another cup of coffee...
01/14/2011
7 Quick Takes: Home School A Day in the Life (with a 5 and a 3 year old)
This is our second semester of home schooling. I am STILL on a steep learning curve...2011 is our year for BALANCE. My girls are best friends, they share a room, they share their toys, and they share their home schooling day together. My three year old wants to participate as much as my kindergartner. My aim is to keep them engaged in the learning process, to have fun, without me going crazy in the process.
1. Early Morning:
I try to get up no later than 6:15 am. My husband usually attends 6:30 am Mass at our parish which is less than 5 minutes away. It is a simple service so he is usually back by 7:00 am. I use this time for private prayer and reflection. I also drink coffee, and briefly go on-line. When my husband returns he makes breakfast for the two of us. This is our time to talk before the girls get up. They LOVE to sleep so it takes awhile to get them moving . Last semester, I pushed them so our day started at 8:00 am, however it was too much so I backed off, and let them get up on their own time. This has allows me to have some time with my husband, time for me to exercise, and a less stressful start to our day.
Not yet, Mommy, we still waking up!
Continue reading "7 Quick Takes: Home School A Day in the Life (with a 5 and a 3 year old) " »
12/19/2010
How was your day, honey?
Since I became a parent five years ago, making the time and finding the energy to enrich and develop my marriage has been a struggle for me. Now, don't get me wrong, I have a great husband and I love him deeply. And now, that I am home with our children, things have gotten a LOT better. I do not feel like I am on a hamster wheel, rushing out of the house at 6:45 am and coming home at 5:45 pm. I can actually start thinking about how I can improve myself whereas before I was in survival mode. That being said, I know "I" could do a better job when it comes to building our relationship.
I think it is very easy for me as a stay at-home mother to have my children become the priority in my life. They, at three and five years old, are still very dependent on me for many things. Being a home schooling Mom, I am also with them ALL THE TIME. However, there are things I can do to help balance my life and ensure my marriage is the priority relationship in the family. I recently realized, I need to look no further than my parents for an example.
Growing up, when my father came home, he greeted us with hugs and kisses, but then he headed straight into the kitchen to talk to my mother. He sat down at our pink tiled peninsula on his special stool. He then poured two glasses of wine, one for my mother, and one for himself, out of a Carlo Rossi jug he had fetched from the cabinet nearby. My mother would be preparing the evening meal, and they would chat about the day. It only lasted about fifteen minutes, the amount of time it took they to share a glass of wine, but we, children, knew better than to interrupt this conversation. After that, my father would head down the hallway and change out of his suit and tie.
As a child, I had no doubt my father loved my mother. I also knew that their marriage took priority over all other relationships in the family. It was their loving example of a Christian marriage, and parenting, I hope to pass this on to my daughters.
How was your day, honey? How about a glass of Carlo Rossi?
Growing up, when my father came home, he greeted us with hugs and kisses, but then he headed straight into the kitchen to talk to my mother. He sat down at our pink tiled peninsula on his special stool. He then poured two glasses of wine, one for my mother, and one for himself, out of a Carlo Rossi jug he had fetched from the cabinet nearby. My mother would be preparing the evening meal, and they would chat about the day. It only lasted about fifteen minutes, the amount of time it took they to share a glass of wine, but we, children, knew better than to interrupt this conversation. After that, my father would head down the hallway and change out of his suit and tie.
As a child, I had no doubt my father loved my mother. I also knew that their marriage took priority over all other relationships in the family. It was their loving example of a Christian marriage, and parenting, I hope to pass this on to my daughters.
How was your day, honey? How about a glass of Carlo Rossi?
11/24/2010
WW: A Little Powder, a little paint...
makes a girl what she ain't... Me with my Knight in shining armor at our parish school gala fundraiser.
