I'm here...

Just been busy enjoying a wonderful, wonderful Thanksgiving. And then tonight, for the first time ever, I actually had PURCHASED my advent wreath candles BEFORE the first Sunday in Advent and we had a sweet celebration blessing the wreath and singing carols and having ice cream- such a wonderful time of year! More on the big, family Thanksgiving (my first to host by myself!) to come!

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I happen to be Marky's Sunday School teacher and this morning we were learning about the "offering"- the part of the mass where the priest holds up the body and blood and says, "Through Him, with Him, in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are Yours, Almighty Father, forever and ever."

I was asking Marky why he thought we said, "through Him, with Him, in Him"....Who were we talking about? "Mommy, it's Jesus," he said. Yes, but why is it through Him that we access the Father? He said, "because every single person on earth should have been nailed upon the cross, but He did it for us instead- so now He opened heaven and we who are in Him can go in because of Him and with Him. It's so beautiful- it's more beautiful than the prettiest star or the prettiest song!"

On this feast day, where we end the liturgical year and celebrate Christ the King, it's wonderful to be reminded that our King of Kings was the Lamb that was slain. It is beautiful.

I know it's early...

...it's not time yet to get into the Christmas spirit....but I watched this tonight and cried (not that that's hard for me to do). Seeing something truly beautiful brought into the Christmas madness- what a contrast. He shall rein forever and ever!

Noahbug

Look at my precious nephew Noah with his beautiful, strong, amazing mommy! They are living it up in NYC this week- how about his hair coming in?!!!! And eyebrows! The docs said it was gone forever. They just don't know Noah. :) This pic was taken before getting on a helicopter ride over Manhattan. A couple weeks ago they went to the beach- such wonderful family time! Thanks for your continued prayers and well-wishes!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Today is my hubby's birthday! We had a wonderful date night last night to celebrate. It's not my place to tell you how old he is. However, I will say- that it was 10 years ago today that my boyfriend Marc came to visit me in law school and my roomates and I made him this cake!

And here we are 10 years later! And he spent his birthday cleaning out the attic with me- putting this (baby clothes)....

into this! Ha! (Of course he did that after he had raked all the leaves- no one said running a home and family was easy!)

Sunday Afternoon pic...

...knee socks version. :)

One Super Daddy

It's no secret I have a pretty amazing hubby. He is a very hard working Daddy. All week he has lots of meetings, dinners, cases, conference calls, busy, busy, busy and yet every night he comes home and wrestles and bathes and reads to and prays with our babies. Tonight he was exhausted- and had to fly home so he could pick up a meal to deliver to a family, deliver it with us, take us out to eat, run by Hobby Lobby to satisfy mommy's need for crafts, and then on the way home the kids start mentioning what a nice night it would be for camping. :) Mind you the man is still in a suit for Pete's sake. But being the loving Daddy he is, he said, "absolutely". And then he has the idea to treat the kids to ice cream sundaes. Juliabug thought that was brilliant.

Onto setting up the tent in chilly weather with special "helpers".

I did my part by getting the gear and the popcorn and waters ready.

Everyone has a sleeping bag, special blanket and a stuffed animal. Of course we had to take star turtle and the laptop so they could watch "The Phantom Menace", another sacrifice b/c it's Daddy's least favorite Star Wars movie.

Alright guys- you have fun in there. Thanks Daddy for sacrificing all your time and energy and making your babies so happy.

>

As for me, I guess I will be "stuck" crawling up in these covers, and watching Jane Eyre. I mean, somebody has to be inside to listen for the baby. And I may just read that brand new book Marc got today for his birthday, he won't have time to look at it tonight. Maybe I can join in the fun next time. :)

Because he really is....

"Mommy's Little Man".

He loves his little books....

And the real reason I taught Sissy to read so early...babysitting. :)

P.S. The playroom has skylights and my camera CANNOT deal with a combo of natural and artificial light-hence the blurry pics. Why?

Better to light one candle...

Things making me happy today:
1) We tried story time again today and this time it was basically a success. We went with two friends who have little girls Julia's age and the three amigos were able to sit together and enjoy themselves. I ended up leaving with Mr. T to do puzzles, but at least Julia got some much enjoyed girl time. :)

Hi, My name's Tuck Tuck, I don't sit still, but I'm really precious.

2.) Our next door neighbor gave Julia her old rain boots. I've never done rainboots before, but I'm a believer now. They are the "crocs" of winter- no shoelaces to tie, easily cleanable- she's wearing them all the time.

3.) Our heat is out. It's 40 degrees outside. Our heat went out Monday morning and they aren't coming until Thursday to repair it ('preciate cha). The upstairs heat works so the kids' rooms are fine, but it gets pretty chilly downstairs at night. So....tonight we decided to take action and make our first fire in the new house.

First a trip to Lowe's to get the gear- we haven't had a wood-burning fireplace in 6 years.

I'm so excited to have a wood-burning fireplace. We have gas logs in the front living room and our bedroom, but the great room has wood-burning and there is just nothing like it.

These precious children were just mesmerized.

Feeling all sentimental I even agreed to roast marshmallows. I have vivid memories of doing that in my house when I was five. It's weird to think my kids could remember this when they are parents themselves.

Flaming marshmallows!

Now we are all toasty! (Of course I have fleece jammies, fleece socks, a snuggie and a space heater- Marc's in a t-shirt). :)

This and that...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Seriously? Homewood put the Christmas tree lights on the street lights on Nov. 4th. What in the world?

Marc and I had a dinner last Thursday night downtown and ran by his office (which I never do). When I went in his office- this, ahem, beautiful picture of Sissy (at 6 mos old)was sitting on his desk in a frame. I said, "is this what you show people when they ask about your daughter?!!" Needless to say, I grabbed every frame and brought them home for updated pics. Lesson learned- keep up with Daddy's office pics.

Speaking of Daddy, he went to Annapolis this weekend for an argument his team had in the Maryland Supreme Court on Monday. He was giddy to get to go to the Naval Academy and brought home toy planes for the kiddes (including a stuffed airplane for baby boy) and a scarf for Mommy. He's a keeperI tell you.

And guys will understand that he HAD to find the gate where they filmed that scene in Patriot Games. You know what I'm talking about.

Switching gears, I hosted a small, church family baby shower this weekend and had the best time polishing silver and getting out all the pretty stuff.

Day to day, you don't really have need for the punch bowl.

The funniest part of the afternoon was that the mom-to-be went into labor during the shower. That's right- she left the shower, went to the hospital, and had a baby. Congratulations Catherine! Her fourth baby- is she not glowing?

Joy is not the end

I've been thinking so much about lately about how truly "radical" Christianity can mean that you are willing to radically die to yourself and your desires so that you are bored and unnoticed. Radically finding that in death there is life- a monastic view of things if you will. So I LOVED this post I read today reviewing a book by Peter Kreeft (who is an awesome author by the way) where he says,

We long for joy, and He tells us that He is our joy, and that He will be in us Himself, not that he gives us joy. (Jn 15:11) He is not a means, and our joy is not the end. That is idolatry. He is the end.

We may have joy- but feelings are not the goal. Christ is the goal. Read the post- it is full of insight.

2 more poems

Someone asked where we get the poems Marky learns and usually they come from his history program. I wanted to share two of them by Isaac Watts that I think are especially good. We learned the first one when we were learning about the creation and nature of man (i.e we are made in God's image). And the second we learned when we were studying the Israelites and Joseph being sold into slavery.

Let Dogs Delight to Bark and Bite
By: Isaac Watts

Let dogs delight to bark and bite,
For God hath made them so;
Let bears and lions growl and fight,
For 'tis their nature too.

But, children, you should never let
Such angry passions rise;
Your little hands were never made
To tear each other's eyes

Whatever brawls disturb the street
By: Isaac Watts

Whatever brawls disturb the street,
There should be peace at home;
Where sisters dwell and brothers meet
Quarrels should never come.

Birds in their little nests agree;
And ‘tis a shameful sight,
When children of one family
Fall out, and chide, and fight.

Grown up pizza party

Marc was away all night for election business so Shana came over and we made our first pizza. You know Shana is going to bring the drama...

Shana's like, "Hey- let's just roll it on the pan". Now I'm not saying she's bad at this (I mean, she did allegedly work in pizza in high school), but let's just say it was thin crust (paper) in the middle and chunky breadstick crust on the sides. :)

All of this took place with much laughter and Halloween candy consumption. Pour some sauce, eat a reese cup, spread some cheese, eat some skittles.

Yummy. Okay...maybe a little greasy. But it hit the spot and after the babies went to bed we watched Princess Kaiulani (a movie that Marc had declined to watch) and the dancing with the stars results show. Good times.

All Souls' Day

Today in celebration of All Souls' Day (not to be confused with the Feast of All Saints) we took a trip out to a local cemetery to visit the grave of my mom's oldest sister who was stillborn. I can't believe I've lived here this long and never visited the family graves.

Her tomb reads, "Born only unto God." The kids wanted pink flowers because she was a baby girl. I cried while arranging the flowers as I thought about the sorrow my sweet grandparents must have felt. Nannie always said, "what a precious child she must be- raised by the angels."

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace! Amen.