Charlie's birthday, Julia's rodeo, this and that

 Our sweet Charlie turned nine this past month!  Charliebear, we love you so much.  You are a smart, athletic, fun, easy-going boy.  You are confident and kind, and we are so proud of you!

We had a little party at home with our little family.  

I had gone to a Charlotte Mason homeschool conference for two nights, so Daddy got and wrapped the presents and decorated the cake.  We celebrated as soon as I walked in the door.  Way to go, Daddy!

P.S. The conference was wonderful and I learned so much about habits.  Habits help relieve us from the tediousness of decision making.  They are worth the effort!

Charlie loves Lego toys and was happy to let Tucker help him put together the first toy.  

He went on a shopping trip with BB and got a Lego helicarrier  It was a big project, but he put it together by himself.  

Sometimes she isn't sleepy at night.  :)  She looks right in the camera and calls me or Daddy.  :)  Hard to resist that sweetness- she usually gets another snuggle.  We have a long bedtime routine with her because she is our miracle baby.  We read a ton of stories, drink a bottle, sing tons of lullabyes while I rock her in the dark and then I lay her down and say, "night, night."  She says, "Night, night Mommy."  ANGEL!  Babies don't keep- I don't wish these days away.  Daddy loves to put her to bed, and will call if he's running late and say, "don't put her to bed- I want to do it!"

Lots of pictures in restaurants as we have gone all summer with no kitchen.  

The very final touch ups of our new kitchen were completed on a Friday.  That next Sunday I walked through the the floorboards were squishy and raised.  It appears our newly installed dishwasher had a hole in a hose and had been leaking into the subfloor for WEEKS.  I went to the basement and saw water stains in the ceiling.  So now we are back living without our upstairs or downstairs kitchens.  They have not been able to dry the subfloor and have opened up most of the ceiling downstairs and now they have moved the island and are taking up all the floorboards in front of the dishwasher.  

This was the first day- now MOST of the ceiling is cut away.  

We are moving boxes of belongings into a pod in order to have our entire first floor refinshed.  

Daddy and Tucker went to Fraternus ranch, and Marky was like "little Daddy" helping out with Annie while we got through the week.  

Sissy spent last week riding a new horse to get ready for her first rodeo!  All that matters in western riding is speed and stay on the horse.  They don't care how you are sitting or how your hands are placed- just go fast!  Julia loves it.  

Friday night they rehearsed for the big day.  

It was in a really nice covered arena in my college town.  

While she practiced we took the boys to see the campus.  We walked all around, and I even showed the the TV station where I anchored the news.  The first time Marc ever saw me was on his TV anchoring the news.  His roommate said, "Hey- I know her."  And Marc said, "Why have you not introduced us?!"  :)

The next day she was ready to go!

Last Sunday was a special memorial for Our Lady of the Snows.  (In memory of the event where snow fell in August in Rome in 352 A.D. to show where God wanted a basilica built- it is now St. Mary Major- one of the most beautiful churches in the world.)  To commemorate this special event, white rose petals cascaded from the ceiling of the cathedral.  It was so beautiful.  

Later that day our friends had their beautiful baby girl baptized.  

I love all these pictures.  

We have been trying to get a lot of things done before "school" starts.  Dentist appointments, hair cuts, well-child check ups, etc.  The other day I took all four the eye doctor for a routine exam.   They had their eyes dilated and wore sunglasses after.  We also wanted to run by confession at the church where you have to wear masks.  They looked like an outlaw gang on the church steps.  :)  The good news is they all had great check ups and nobody seems to take after me with my poor vision.  I was in contacts by 6th grade.  

That's all for now.  More pics later!