This and that

We've had a good week.  The weather has been so mild that the children just live outside.  The other day I couldn't find Charlie and finally saw him through the window.  He was just sitting quietly in his sandbox enjoying the day.  I could just eat this little teddy bear up!

"I wuv you Mommy".  :)

Daddy brought home Valentine's Day flowers tonight!  He always brings me a dozen with one for Sissybug.  :)  She loves it and keeps it in her room.

Last night I went to meeting for the Confraternity of Christian Mothers.  The speaker was going to be a doctor who talked about miscarriage.  Unfortunately the doctor didn't make it, and they asked me to lead the group conversation.  I have been talking about this for years now and yet I could not put two words together without weeping.  I guess that's how grief works- it comes in waves.

School is going well this year.  Both Marc and Julia are finishing up their writing programs tomorrow, and I am just so proud of all of us for getting through it.  It's a lot of work on teacher, but I have to say Marc has turned into a really eloquent writer so I guess the hard work was worth it.  And yes, we will start the next level in a few weeks, but we are basking in our accomplishments for today.
Overheard:

Daddy;  Charlie do not dip your roast beef into your water cup
Tucker:  But Daddy, Charlie likes his food really fresh.  :)

Running late to art class Tucker walks in as they are already seated...
Tucker:  Hello everyone!  I am so sorry I am late, but do not worry I have brought you all wonderful Valentines!

Daddy:  Isn't Mommy pretty?
Tucker:  Yes, but the most beautiful mother of all is the Blessed Mother in heaven- Jesus's mommy.

Looking at a puzzle-
Daddy- Texas doesn't look like its in their right.
Marc- Yes, as Mommy would say it's "whomperjawed".

Trampoline, Bball, Sunday pics

This weekend we got a new trampoline.  You may remember we already had one that we got four years ago.  Shana came over and helped us put it together...

But alas, the weather had made the padding and net too thin for my comfort- I wanted a safer and more secure trampoline so we got one Saturday.  BB and Poppy came over to help us take down the old and put up the new.  Julia, Marc Jr. and Tucker were huge helps.  They all used screwdrivers to take apart the old one.  They also helped clean off the concrete pad.

Yes, our "helper" Tuck Tuck several times jumped on the trampoline before it was put together and had to be corrected.  That's life with Mr. T- he does what he likes and he likes what he does.  :)

 The kids are beside themselves- this trampoline is 2 feet bigger than our other one so they think it's a huge treat-

Marc Jr. had a big basketball game on Saturday- the two teams stayed within one point of each other almost the whole game, and they are rivals.  Marc started off by getting fouled during a shot and then making his free throw.  Then he scored three more baskets- the final score was 15-13.  Go big Bubba!

So glad BB and Poppy got to see his great game!

And this morning for church-  

Fat Thursday? :)

Our precious neighbors sent us a huge, delicious king cake from a local bakery.  The children were so excited.  We will be traveling on Fat Tuesday this year so we called tonight's party Fat Thursday.  :)

Overheard:

Julia:  I wonder who will get the baby Jesus in their piece of cake?
Charlie:  I will because I am da wittlewist one.  :)

Tucker:  Oh my, these sprinkles are divine!  (we don't know why he talks this way?!)

Lessons from history

I am just loving one of our history books this year.  Written by nuns in 1954, it is just refreshing.  I loved learning that "freedom" is not an end in itself without purpose.

Reading about Rome today...

And teachers that aren't loyal to a country aren't the best teachers?

Artistic Lions

Julia's

Marc's

Candelmas

Today was the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.  This is one of mine and Marc's favorite scenes in the Bible- when Simeon, who was told he would see the Messiah before he died, sees Mary and Joseph coming with 8-day-old Jesus and says, 

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

The Church traditionally blesses candles on this day.  Marc Jr. is under the weather so we couldn't get to mass today, but we had blessed candles that we made with beeswax two years ago.  :)  We read the story of Simeon and Anna from The Life of Our Lord for Children and colored some coloring pages.  Then we made candle cookies!

Sissy melted the chocolate.  Kind of- I have never really successfully melted white chocolate.

Tucker made the flames by dipping diagonally-cut marshmallows into sprinkles.  I didn't have color any but red.

We finally gave up on the melted chocolate and used frosting to attach the "flame" and didn't worry about the cool drip lines I had planned on making.  The kids loved them.

And tomorrow for St. Blaise's day (where you get your throat blessed between two candles) we will eat them again.  :)

Tonight after supper Tucker started drilling Charlie on his state border songs.  He was pointing with the chicken kabob stick.  :)  We have a geography song CD that they love and they were trying to remember the song lyrics.  You can see how Tucker is his professor- he's constantly teaching and drilling Charlie.

And Sissy had horseback riding today.  She has learned to canter now.  :)