We're having a great week. Monday was Little Flowers Club, Wednesday was story time at the library for Tucker (who LOVES it), and Thursday we got to go to the Children's Theatre production of Cinderella. It was really precious. I ended up having to take Tucker with us at the last minute and while he squirmed like a wild man and kept running on stage while waiting for it to start, he was quiet and totally focused during the actual play. At one point I was rocking Charlie's bucket seat with one hand, holding onto Tucker in my lap with the other and Julia says, "Can I please sit on your lap?" She sat on Tucker's lap while he was on my lap for a while. That's how I get life done- multi-multi-tasking. :)

That afternoon BB's only sister, Aunt Judy, came to visit from Illinois to meet Charlie! When her plane landed she met two of her long-lost 3rd cousins for lunch and they came with her when she came to the house. I'd never met them before- they were wonderful.



Sweet Aunt Judy brought presents for everyone including an engraved silver cup for Charlie. He also got lots of snuggles-


Sissybug got three soft puppies (all named "Sunflower" according to Sissy) and a soft puppy house- she was so excited! She kept saying "Can BB's sister put me to bed? Can BB's sister read me a story?"



Cubscout Marky got a mini-game of Simon which he loved- (he is looking so grown up to me lately.



Silly Tuck Tuck kept us entertained and loved his Thomas toys-





I also started (literally...I'm leading) a new monthly Bible Study Wednesday night. It's on the Wisdom Literature in the Bible- we have 18 people signed up- I'm excited! Here's the first bit of truth I'm pondering-

Wisdom is sharing in God's ability to see and judge things as they really
are. ...

Only if we let ourselves be cleansed of the corruptibility of the "I"
and come thus gradually to live by God, to be united with God, do we come to a
true inner freedom of judgment, to a fearless independence of thinking and
deciding,that no longer cares about the approval or disapproval of others but
clings to the truth. ... It cannot take place without the suffering of the
vine that is pruned. But it makes possible the only form of power that leads, not
to slavery, but to freedom.

Pope Benedict XVI (Cardinal Ratzinger), Principles of
Catholic Theology

First Little Flowers Meeting

Ever since I heard about the Little Flowers catholic girls club I've wanted to try it- but I've been waiting until Sissybug was 5- the age you are supposed to start it. We started really, really small with just a couple girls at our house today and it went great. Each month we talk about a flower, virtue, Bible verse and a saint. We started by reading a story all about the life and faith of St. Catherine of Sienna.



Then we colored her picture-





We also learned about the virtue of Faith. And we learned the verse Heb. 11:1- and traced it on a sheet.







Then one of the big sisters taught them a tune to sing the verse to and they all sang along-



We also recited a simple act of faith and then made album pages to go in our Little Flowers binders. Our flower theme was sunflowers and our album page said, "Our faith may be compared to this flower since it's gaze is ever fixed above and turned towards the glorious and divine truth."







After the pages we had pink punch and a cookie in a real tea cup and saucer. Afterwards we sat on the porch and many people took a chance to exhibit their memory work including poetry and science and history facts. What a wonderful day.

In other news- I found these two boys snuggled up tonight-


Charles' shirt says "Little Brothers are Awesome!" and I think we'd all agree that little Charliehorse certainly fits that bill!



In other Charlie news- guess where he is sleeping now? In his nursery upstairs! Mommy is sort of sad- this is the view at the foot of my bed...



For 8 weeks I had a little punkinface sleeping right there and I could hear his breathing and grunts. Now those little bears are dancing for no one. :( Thanks to my digital video monitor we can still see him and hear him, but now the bassinet is empty. I do still tip toe past it though- it's just habit to be quiet as a mouse in this room. :) I'm telling you- this baby stuff flies by- I intend to "seize the infancy" as much as I can and rock and snuggle all I can while he'll still let me.

I had a fun night and got to go to dinner with one of my best girl friends from law school who I'd not seen since Christmas. I love people in this world who God sends to be an encouragement and with whom you can pick up where you left off and that's how it is with this friend. We prayed together all during law school and it was necessary for our sanity and peace. And here 10 years later we are still friends and still praying for each other. Thanks for dinner S!

It's time to put on music...

Tonight as Marc and I were looking at a picture of Charlie I said, "he's got your head shape- you know rectangular like Beaker". He said, "BEAKER? You mean "meep meep" Beaker from the muppet show?" And I said, "yes" and he said- "Well, if I'm Beaker then you are round-faced Dr. Bunson Honeydew". Then I googled it and we cracked up. So here we are! Do you see it?

Speaking of character look alikes- we have decided Curious George IS Tucker- in looks and personality-

Ups and Downs

My days here with the bambinos make me feel great and sometimes not so great- take these two quotes from today:

Daddy to Tucker: I love your sweet little face.
Tucker with a happy smile: I have a little face. (pause) Daddy has a great big face. (pause...I feel it coming) Mommy, you have the biggest face of all!

Mommy feels down. (And by the way he's a pot talkin' to a kettle)

BUT LATER.....

At dinner Marc had everyone go around the table and say what they loved about the other people. Marky got to me and said, "I love that Mommy looks beautiful when she's dressed up for church." That's my boy. And no, I'm not mad that he added the "when she's dressed for church" part- it's better than nothing! And it's certainly better than having the biggest face. Geez Louise.

Sing that song

I'm so glad Fashionista Holly lives in town now. We were cheerleaders together in high school and sorority sisters in college and now here we are raising our big Catholic families together- and singing karaoke. That's right- she called us Friday and said they had a big pot of chili and a karaoke machine and basically "let's do this." I thought I wouldn't want to sing- I mean, that's embarrassing....after a glass of wine and a lot of laughing....the music took over- three hours of rocking the mic- what's up. :)



I'm glad these words are blurry and you can't read the lyrics to "Creep" by TLC...



Holly and I did several duets including "Tell Him" (sorry Lindsey- I know that's your song) where we did our best Celine Dion and Barbara Streisand impressions. We also did "Leather and Lace" by Don Henley and Stevie Nicks- I mean is that the best song or what?- and some "Love Can Build a Bridge" by the Judds. I was also able to showcase my DEAD-ON (this fact is indisputable) Tina Turner (We don't need another hero) and Shakira (Whenever, Wherever) and Reba McIntire (Fancy) impressions. Holly, who is an actual singer, did all her songs perfectly including "What a Man" by salt-n-peppa. Marc jumped in with "Who you gonna call- Ghostbusters", "Devil went down to Georgia", "My girl likes to party all the time", "Whomp, there it is" and finally "Arms wide Open" so he could do his Creed impersonation.



Mr. Tad, who like Holly, can actually sing- did "Come Monday" and "Caught in a Trap"-two awesome songs. He also took a turn cuddling our audience- Charlie. The other kids came and danced a lot as well and even took a turn singing.



All this to say- what I thought would be awkward and embarrassing was, in fact, fun and hilarious. Lesson learned and stage mantle rocked.

Is there such a thing as too much lovin?

Oh goodness....here she comes again....gentle please....


Madame, please.... control yourself!


I suppose I really am too adorable to leave alone. Mommy sure thinks so!

And so it begins....

I think Marc and I are more excited than he is- but maybe not. If there is a type of kid that would love Cub Scouts- Marky would be that type. He has already asked me to buy him more rope so he can practice tying knots. Both his Daddy and his Poppy were long time Boy Scouts- I hope he enjoys it as much as they did.

Midweek ramblings....

I think Charlie is going to be a thinker- look at him sleeping- doesn't he look like he's thinking deep thoughts while scratching his chin? :) I need to put suede elbow patches on his doggie jammies.



Or maybe he'll be a psychiatrist like Frasier Crane- "I see...yes...expound on that if you will..."



Speaking of thinkers, I want to put down here for my aging memory some Marky quotes from today. While reading to him Augustus Caesar's World I was explaining how Augustus Caesar was entering into the time of Pax Romana- unprecedented peace in Rome and how before that time they were always busy conquering lands and fighting barbarians. Marky said, "yes, they were conquerors- but they were nothing compared to Jesus. You know what He conquered? Death."
We talked about how they believed in a geocentric solar system revolving around earth and he nodded and said, "that's so silly- and in Norse Mythology there were nine worlds and that was wrong too. Did you know Vikings came to America almost 500 years before Columbus?" (No I didn't). I mentioned how Venus looks like a star in the sky- and he said, "yes that's why we call it the morning star and also the evening star." (Is that right?) This happens everyday. I don't know how he remembers all the stuff he reads, but I am learning as much as he is everytime we study together. Usually he'll say the fact in a way that I can just nod and say, "yes, of course" as though I already knew that. :) I guess that's better than looking squinty faced and saying, "You serious, Clark?"

In other news, do you remember when Tucker was baby Jesus for a show on EWTN over two years ago when he was four months old? I saw it on TV tonight (finally!)- I have it on the DVR but how in the world will I get it OFF of the DVR so that people can watch it like my grandparents and parents (and Tucker when he is older)? All this fancy technology and all I really want is a recordable VHS tape right now. :( He was so precious- and so chubby and bald- I forgot how bald he was! So different from Charliehorse...aka "Elvis sideburns". They had a lot of closeups of his sweet baby face while the man sang "sleep Prince of Peace".

In other other news- will somebody start a diet with me? It's almost time to get serious about losing the baby weight (okay- it IS time...I just don't want to put in the work). I need motivation- I need a comrade. Who's with me? Our theme: Fat Sheddin' 2011!!!!!

The theme makes me laugh- when Hillary and I were both doing Dave Ramsey when we were first married we would call each other and have themes- Debt is through 2002, Debt Free 2003, and Debt No More 2004 come to mind. After Julia was born several friends and I did weight watchers and had "Operation Eye Candy". I think themes give you focus!

He knows what He's about

God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.

I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.

Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.

John Henry Cardinal Newman

P.S. Please pray for Noah today- he has an MRI.

Time for time

Most people know I LOVE homeschooling- it's been such a blessing for our family and I think I just like having TIME with my babies. And yet everyday at bedtime I think of how I wish I'd had more time with this one or that one or more time spent on some subject, etc. I can't imagine how I'd fit in all the conversations and stories and prayers I want to fit in if they were gone 8 hours. Tonight I was thinking of the wonderful conversations I've had with Marky lately and wondered if I would have had them under different circumstances.

While riding in the car to the wine-stomp festival I asked him "Why do we call Jesus the "new Adam""? We talked about it for 30 minutes- it was wonderful. Yesterday just sitting around talking about Julius Caeser (one of his favorite story CDs to listen to) I said what do you think Marc Antony meant when he said, "The evil that men do lives after them, The good is oft interred with their bones"? I realized he hadn't thought about it and we took our time and slowly, logically went through it. While eating breakfast I said, "what does it mean to say 'all roads lead to Rome? Do all roads still lead to Rome?'" Breakfast is never hurried around here- we take a long time and talk because we don't have anywhere to be. These moments are so precious to me and they almost always happen organically when we just have extra TIME together and aren't rushed.

And with Julia- she has so much to say and it's so precious if you catch her at the right moment- which usually means alone. The other day in a store a clerk said, "oh you have three boys and a girl- she's the boss isn't she- do you boss your brothers around?" I said, "no she doesn't". And she said, "Oh yes- little girls are bossy and sassy" and I (getting perturbed) said, "not my little girl- she is not bossy or sassy- she is very sweet to her brothers". And she is- she has her moments- but most of the time she is a giggly, silly, precious girl. Today she was flitting around the playroom in a princess dress with wings and saying "Marky will you kill all the dragons so I will be safe?" And she read me an entire Angelina Ballerina book perfectly.

Tucker is always shocking us with his ability to understand us and I love having time to discover what he knows and songs he loves. Today he was singing "oh little playmate, come out and play with me, and bring your dollies three, climb up my apple tree..." And everything he does comes with a big smile and dimple and curls over his ears that I adore.

And of course, it takes lots of time to hold Charlie the way he likes to be held and I work hard to earn his smiles. And we take naps together every day- I don't think we could if I had to be in carpool.

I'm just so grateful for this slower lifestyle and time to talk and time to think and time to LOVE. I want to be a good steward of it and a faithful servant with this precious gift from God.

Not so much a chiseled chin...

"I can tell this is going to be funny"....wait for it.....


"Haha! I knew it- Mommy is hilarious!"

Mornings with angel...

Charlie is always very content and happy in the mornings.


Although he did think Julia's story was a little long....



But Mommy's noises and smiles are hilarious! "Funny stuff Lady!"

Apple-Dandy Day

Today I took the kids to Steele's Apple Orchard for a mini field trip with some friends. They learned all about the different types of apples and fun facts- did you know that if you planted each seed from the core of ONE apple you would have all different types of apple trees grow? The only way to know what type of apple you are growing is by grafting a tree. Fascinating!




This sweet man taught them all about pollination and the bees roles in apple farming.



This sweet lady taught them all about Johnny Appleseed and fun facts from his life- did you know that he was the "Paul Revere" of the war of 1812- he warned a village that the "Indians are coming!"





And we learned how apples are sorted and stored and used to cook.



This post is entitled "Apple-Dandy Day" because one of our favorite books is "Tucker's Apple-Dandy Day", but sadly, little Tuck Tuck didn't get to go today. He came down with a cold and Daddy stayed home 1/2 day and took him to the doctor while we were at the orchard. He had a fun time though and worked hard in Sissy's kitchen while we were gone. :)

Sunday Afternoon

Splendid Saturday in the vineyard

Hello! (Charlie smirks!)



Today was a wonderful family-fun day. We started Saturday as we always do in the fall- with Marky's flag football game. It was fun- our team won and Marky got the best defense star. Today they had team pictures- Marc's two coaches are recent college grads who just wanted to "give back" to their community- how often do you see that?!





After the game we headed out to Morgan Creek Vineyards to their annual grape stomping festival and wine tasting. I'm pretty sure this will be a new tradition- it was a lot of fun and the weather was perfect. We started by having a full-moon bbq picnic on the grounds while a band played-



Here you can see the band- you'd think maybe they played bluegrass? Or something with an Italian tuscan theme? No- it was smooth-Luther-Vandross-lay-it-down-soul music- hilarious!



Tuck Tuck wondering what James Brown's "superbad" has to do with a harvest festival?


The three big kids made grape-inked footprint art-



Then it was time to do some grape stompin! And no- it's not for drinking- just for stomping!







I LOVE this picture- (Did anybody see the movie "A Walk in the Clouds"? This reminds me of that)



Time to scub off all that grape paint and grape juice!



Tucker says "It's cold!"



After wrangling kids in the heat through a picnic and all that crazy foot stuff- the grown ups were thrilled to get to the wine tasting! :)



Can I just say for the millionth time how much I love this little baby boy- he is such a joy to raise!



Walking in the muscadine vines- their speciality is muscadine wines!



After leaving the festival we found a couple cute shops in Chelsea to shop in and then made our way back to our part of town where we went to the park- Tucker LOVED hanging on the monkey bars-



And here is proof that Charlie was with us all day (although he did sleep almost the entire time) P.S. I think he and Sissy are going to end up looking a lot alike-



We left the park- had dinner at a Mexican restaurant and then came home and got everyone bathed and jammied and then proceeded with a playroom purge I decided we needed to have more peace in our home!

I decided this after I went and heard Dr. Ray Guarendi speak on Thursday night and got reinspired to be a better parent- more consistent, more structured. He said, "if you want a one in a hundred kid you need to be a one in a hundred parent- which will likely be met with scorn from the world." And he is so right! The world today so often takes the kids side instead of respecing the parent- "Oh- you are too tough on him- oh- let him have the cookie even though he didn't say thank you- oh- let him get a treat everywhere you go- oh- all kids fight with their siblings- oh- all kids watch this show- oh- all kids are dating in middle school now- you guys are so strict!" We have to swim against the current to maintain standards. He kept saying that in his clinical practice people come in and say "Is it normal...blah, blah, blah..." and he says, "yes, it's normal- SIN is normal- but is it RIGHT?" I answer to God alone in the raising of my children- and if He impresses on me that I need to protect them from something or someone I shouldn't worry about what other people think about that. That's easier said than done for a Southern girl who doesn't ever want to offend anyone.

Well, this post has taken a turn hasn't it! I need to get to the laundry (and to ironing patches on Marky's brand new CUB SCOUT uniform! We are so excited!) I leave you with precious punkinface who is just smiling all the time and sleeping all night- I couldn't ask for a sweeter baby-



Bye bye Ya'll!!