Together For A Reason

Go Sparks!

2012-01-22T21:45:00.001-05:00

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Bros

2012-01-15T10:29:00.001-05:00

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3 months old

2012-01-02T19:00:00.001-05:00

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Preschool CCD Nativity Play

2011-12-18T20:59:00.000-05:00

Homemade Herbal Salve

2011-12-15T09:49:00.001-05:00

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'Tis the Season

2011-12-03T09:44:00.001-05:00

***Re-posting from last year*****

As you already know, the holiday season is fast approaching. Ryan and I will be busy getting our home ready for Thanksgiving in 16 days. Today I e-mailed him a "Thanksgiving prep" list that only had to do with the home. We will be starting on the list this week. A lot of it is boring stuff like cleaning, but I wanted to post it here because it's a handy way to keep track of our traditions.

These look like an easy way to spruce up a room.

Get frames for our new photos.

couch?

Get more silverware, kids dishes and silverware from Ikea?

10 Easy ways to decorate for fall

clean walls

dust

tidy back yard (firepit)

de-clutter sunroom; window panes?

clean school room and pantry

clean laundry room

fix shade

clean bathrooms

vacuum upstairs and downstairs

clean our bedroom

The Sunday after Thanksgiving, November 28, marks the beginning of Advent. I would like to re-visit some past traditions.

Jumping Back in with some wise Words:

Order Advent crafts from this website. The kids have loved doing these the past 2 years.

This and That

To Advent

To Prepare

Countdown to Christmas

On Dec. 6 St. Nicholas will be here! We will have to prepare for that very soon. Don't forget the chocolate coins!

St. Nicholas!

To Celebrate

Our Lady of Guadalupe

O Christmas Tree

A buncha' thespians, ain't We?

Remember to Breathe...

I can't forget about Teacher's Gifts!

Advent ~ Week 1

2011-11-27T18:11:00.001-05:00

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Pile O' Fun

2011-11-15T17:12:00.001-05:00

Heaven on Earth

2011-11-04T12:20:00.001-04:00

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Ryan's 10K Trail Race Recap

2011-07-21T20:17:00.006-04:00

I ran my first trail race on Sunday morning. It was a 10k in a race series that also had a 10m, 25k, and 50k. That's about 6, 10, 15, and 31 miles if you are bad at math. It was at Rosaryville state park in Upper Marlboro, MD. It is a really nice, wide open park with thick woods around the perimeter and rolling grass hills in the middle. The 10k was a little more than a half loop around the southern side of the park, while the 50k was three full loops. I didn't have a set time that I wanted to finish in, unlike the last 10K race I ran in Baltimore at the end of May. In that race, my goal was to finish in under 60 minutes. I missed the goal by 16 seconds. I was pleased with my time but somewhat disappointed in my effort. I took too many walking breaks when I should have sucked it up and kept running. For this trail race I knew I would have to run slower (to avoid tripping and falling) than I normally run on the road so it would have been foolish to try to beat a 60 minute finish. Instead my goal was to run hard and finish strong with minimal walk breaks on uphill sections. My finish time was 1:07:57 and I feel I met my goal and I only took a few walk breaks (only between 15-30 seconds) on the uphill sections.

The 50k racers, who obviously are deranged, started first at 7am, followed by the 25k racers at 7:30, the 15k racers at 7:33 and then us 10k slackers at 7:36. There were only 32 of us for the 10k (I finished in 22nd place, at least I beat 10 people!). The first half mile was on the asphalt road then we hit the woods which was a single-track hard packed dirt trail used by horse riders, hikers, and bikers (and runners). The trail winded thru the woods with lots of curves, turns and switchbacks going up and down the hills, rarely was there a time when you were running a straight path for more than 50 feet. Most of the time the trail was narrow with only enough room for one person along the main, well-worn path. You had to wait for a slightly wider section or hop thru a bit of overgrowth if you wanted to pass anybody. I started off pretty strong at the beginning on the asphalt and was only passed by a few people once on the trail. I passed several people during my run, probably some of the slower 10 miler runners who started just 3 minutes before us 10k-ers. Like this guy probably, who I had to pass just to get a better view, if nothing else:

There were lots of roots, fallen branches and loose rocks (and horse poop) along the trails that you had to constantly watch for while running, which required running at a slower pace to be careful. But staying alert and cautious was a nice distraction that made the miles seem to go by quicker. Plus it was nice scenery that was constantly changing, even if it was just a bunch of trees, rocks, and plant life, and it was nice to run in the shade with just the dappled sunlight coming through. There was an occasional puddle to hop over or around and one water crossing at the bottom of the ravine that was small enough to jump over with a good leap to keep your shoes dry. All of the other water crossings at the low points on the trail had small wooden bridges to cross.

When I run, I have to have music to keep me going, so I was a bit nervous before the race started when I didn't see anybody with earbuds in. I have heard that in some of the bigger races with big crowds, earbuds aren't allowed for safety/passing reasons. But nobody ever told me I couldn't and I eventually did see a few runners with them. I guess most of those weirdos like to talk when they run but I am too busy huffing and puffing to carry on a conversation. An eclectic mix of fast paced songs kept me going, including old school hip-hop (Run DMC, Rob Base, Tribe Called Quest, Fatboy Slim) classic rock (Metallica, the Ramones, Van Halen), modern rock (Audioslave, Foo Fighters, Black Keys, Sublime) and country (no wait, country music is terrible).

The three past races I have run (two 5k's and a 10k) had plenty of water stations along the way, but this one didn't. I had thought about bringing my water bottle with me but figured this race would be like the others and didn't want to have to carry anything besides my iPhone (for music and gps tracking the distance). There was only one water/aid station and it wasn't until about mile 4.5, so I was pretty thirsty at that point. I took a sec to chug a few cups of water and look at the text message I had just received from a buddy asking if I was done yet, since he knew it had been about an hour since starting and we ran the last 10k together in about an hour. I fought through the crushing blow to my ego (thanks Bryan!), and pushed through knowing I was almost done. The water/aid station was also the point where the different races broke off in different directions. The 10m and 25k runners went one way, the 50k-ers another, and us 10k-ers headed east back toward the start/finish along an asphalt road past an historic mansion and back onto the trail. The trail came out into a rolling grassy hill, then after a left turn past a group of trees the finish line could be seen about a quarter-mile away. I turned on the jets and sprinted up the gentle hill to the finish line to the subdued cheers of the few volunteers and the 10k-ers who beat me, where I was handed my medal and allowed to relax, grab some water and bask in my sense of accomplishment.

Not sure what is next, but I am definitely gonna keep running! Maybe the Marine Corps Marathon-10K (runs at the same time as the Marathon) in late October and the inaugural Annapolis Half-Marathon in late November, assuming I can do the proper training for it in the Fall...

Speaking of that, thanks to my lovely wife for putting up with my running and encouraging me. Especially since she is the one who got me started running. She worked thru the couch-to-5k and 10k training plans with ease last year and early this year, before the pregnancy, which inspired me to try it. She did it once, and I know she can do it again after the new little guy gets here. She will be beating me again in no time.

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

2011-07-19T22:01:00.001-04:00

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Baby MC aka Monkeybird aka Munchie

2011-07-18T10:52:00.002-04:00

Just popping In

2011-07-05T12:38:00.001-04:00

Our laptop is being repaired so I just wanted to pop in and say that we are very busy with swim team, playing at the pool, and vacation bible school last week but I've already been yelled at by my mom and sister to post more. So look for more frequent posts coming in August hopefully! In the meantime, I'd like to share a picture of Baby MC and B-Rad getting ready to go and watch the fireworks last night!

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Camera Phone Friday

2011-06-24T19:27:00.003-04:00

Camera Phone Friday

2011-06-17T20:15:00.002-04:00

my home sweet home

Camera Phone Friday

2011-06-10T09:31:00.003-04:00

my home sweet home

Camera Phone Friday

2011-06-03T10:30:00.003-04:00

Clearly, I need to take more pictures this week...now, where to find the time???

my home sweet home

2011-06-01T14:37:00.001-04:00

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Camera Phone Friday

2011-05-27T13:50:00.003-04:00

my home sweet home

Summertime

2011-05-25T19:00:00.000-04:00

I posted this last year, 2010, but the same applies this year...

I am so excited for Summer! I was inspired by Kelle over at Enjoying the Small Things and her post about Almost here... and her list of summer to-do's. I wanted to start a list of my own to check off throughout the summer. I feel like we got a jumpstart on our summer with our recent vacation to Myrtle Beach. Feel free to share your summer plans with me!

1. Birthday season is coming up yet again for us next month and a few in August, too. I love summer birthdays! I will plan to get creative and get back into having some really fun birthday parties for my kids.

2. We are planning on participating in Park Quest again! We will have to visit 10 of 24 Maryland state parks in order to be eligible to compete in the finale. This may or may not include camping. Maybe a Father's Day get-away? Camping at Assateague?

3. Speaking of camping, we are planning on participating in the Great American Backyard Campout! The girls, Rayzor and I are all making plans...so far they include friends, 2 BIG tents (1 for boys, 1 for girls), fun activities for kids...and adults! A fire pit, complete with smores and roasting hot dogs, and a big pancake breakfast in the morning!

4. A lot more backyard camping complete with snuggles in the cool evenings and looking at the stars!

5. We have joined a pool for the first time ever and are so excited to be with our friends and take some swim lessons and tennis lessons!

6. We will still be doing lessons throughout the summer and are looking forward to participating in the Summer Outdoor Hour Challenge!

7. Starting a garden, tidy up our yard by taking out ugly bushes and putting in new pretty bushes, and my sweet husband is putting up a clothesline...yeah!

8. Start cloth diapering again, (and hanging diapers on my new clothesline!) and start potty training Ev! Yeah!

9. Grilling outside almost every night!

10. Baby pool and sprinkler in our backyard!

11. Lots of PHOTOS!!!

12. Have a crab feast!

13. Add to my summertime playlist!

I will most likely add to this list as the weather gets hotter, and the days get longer! Summer, summer, summertime!

Camera Phone Friday

2011-05-20T14:06:00.002-04:00

my home sweet home

{this moment}{baby boy}

2011-05-20T10:50:00.002-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same,visit SouleMama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

*** *** ***

Chillin'

2011-05-18T21:51:00.001-04:00

Eating a pint of blueberries

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Test ~ BlogPress

2011-05-17T20:49:00.001-04:00

This is a test post from my iPhone to see if this works!

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Easter Parties 2011 - Week 3

2011-05-17T13:24:00.005-04:00

Here is our week 3 celebration from last year: Baby MC - 4 weeks old and The Good Shepherd's Pasture - Week 3 - The Heaven's Tell God's Glory!

Check out Catholic Cuisine to see more!

CAM 2011 - Purse State Park

2011-05-13T19:10:00.003-04:00

From the geocaching website: Purse State Park is located on the Potomac River on Wades Bay. Purse is a wooded undeveloped area that is used for hunting, bird watching, fishing and fossil hunting. Purse is available for public use year round, sunrise to sunset. You are looking for a camoed lock and lock .3mi from parking near the end of an easy but not wheelchair accessible trail. In the park the Aquia Formation which was deposited about 60 million years ago, in warm shallow water, a wide variety of organisms lived including sand tiger sharks, mackerel sharks, Eagle Rays, Cownose Rays, and Turritella (snails) among many other lifeforms. A pond that is stocked annually is an ideal place for anglers, young and old alike. Picnic tables are located throughout the park, and include accessible tables. Four pavilions are available for family and group picnics. One features a huge stone fireplace. Another has a panoramic view

of the pond. Two pavilions are located in close proximity to the swimming pool.

Our experience: This was our second stop on our southern Md CAM tour. This nice park made the long drive worth it. We really enjoyed walking along the wooded trail as the dappled sunlight came thru the tree canopy. The bigger kids enjoyed running up ahead and exploring and the little ones chased behind. They overshot GZ in their excitement of discovering the beach so we got to find this one with the help of our 3yo Ev ;) this was our 9th CAM cache and was on the Friday before the picnic. Unfortunately, other activities and responsibilities prevented us from getting to the 10th and final one to earn our way to the picnic, but we had a great time traveling the state once again visiting all of the great locations selected by this years group of dedicated hiders. Thanks for all the hard work and planning. Can't wait till next year!

Bird Nest Helper

2011-05-12T13:36:00.000-04:00

I'm itching to get started on summer again, just like last year. The weather here in Maryland has been beautiful all week!

I am looking forward to doing a post on our summer plans, but in the meantime this craft over at WhiMSy love caught my eye: how to make a bird nest helper! I loved following WhiMSy love last year during her Summer Break diary. A mother of 2 girls, Nikki kept a diary on her blog documenting a different craft/activity for every day her kids were on summer break...for 90 days! It really was amazing and we had so much fun reading and crafting along with them last summer. Nikki's tutorial on how to make a bird nest helper can be found here. And here is our final project: made by Joz, B-Rad, Seany, Ev, and Benny!

CAM 2011 - Newtowne Neck

2011-05-09T18:56:00.003-04:00

From the geocaching website:

Newtowne Neck Sate Park is one of the newest state parks in MD. Located in Compton, MD, it is the location of one of the oldest settlements in the state. The following is off the state website: Newtowne Neck State Park is a 776 acre peninsula surrounded by Breton Bay, St. Clements Bay, and the Potomac River. It has seven (7) miles of ecologically and recreationally important waterfront. Newtowne Neck was home to the Piscataway Native American Tribe and their ancestors for many centuries before its settlement by the colonists. The property, Newtowne Neck, is the site of the first settlement in Maryland after the original settlement in Saint Mary's City. The original colonists landed on St. Clement's Island in 1634. In 1640, William Bretton was granted 750 acres from Cecelius Calvert for the Newtowne Neck tract. In 1668, the Society of Jesus acquired the property from William Bretton in exchange for 40,000 pounds of tobacco. William and his wife, Temperance, donated one and one-half acres of their property in 1661 to the Society of Jesus to establish a chapel and cemetery. The property was maintained by the Society of Jesus until they withdrew from the land in 1967 to work in other areas.

Our experience:

In a last ditch effort to finish CAM, we headed to southern MD on the Friday before the picnic. Newtowne Neck SP was our first stop. The kids enjoyed an impromptu picnic near the waters edge with their happy meals while we got the stroller and babies ready. We were a little skeptical about walking on the road but it was a short walk and no cars even passed us. We ditched the stroller when we started into the woods from the field and made the quick hike thru the shaded forest. Joz made the find and the routine battle for the best prizes began. Snapped some pics and were off to Purse SP. TFTC!

Easter Parties 2011 - Week 2

2011-05-09T15:13:00.005-04:00

Joining in again with Jessica

and Charlotte

celebrating the 50 days of Easter

with the Garden of the Good Shepherd!

Here is our week 2 celebration from last year: The Good Shepherd's Pasture - Week 2 - Welcome to the Lord's Table!

We decided to have our party for lunch today!

Check out Catholic Cuisine to see more!

Confirmation

2011-05-09T15:06:00.003-04:00

A sacrament in which the Holy Ghost

is given to those already baptized

in order to make them strong and perfect Christians

and soldiers of Jesus Christ.

(taken from newadvent.org)

CAM 2011 - Hoopers Island

2011-05-07T10:56:00.003-04:00

From the Geocaching website:

Hoopers Island - with the "oo" pronounced like "book" not "hoop" - is the oldest settled area in Dorchester County. The "Island", which stretches over ten miles, is actually three islands -Upper Hoopers Island, Middle Hoopers Island, and Lower Hoopers Island. Allegedly, the Island was originally bought from the Yaocomaco Indian tribe for five woolen blankets. In 1667, Henry Hooper, an immigrant from England, received a patent for the 100 acre tract, and along with settlers from Calvert and St. Mary's Counties, and Tidewater, VA, helped form four villages among the three islands. The Lower Island was eventually abandoned in the 1920s because of erosion. Before television, Island natives spoke with a dialect similar to that of Shakespearean England. They originally grew wheat, tomatoes, and tobacco, but as of 1880, the majority of the residents have made their living in the seafood industry. Close to 500 residents call Hoopers Island their home, and for 300 years the descendants of the Island could be traced to just ten families.

Our experience:

The Hooper's Island CAM cache was our second stop on our midweek Eastern Shore CAM run. After stocking up on candy and snacks in Salisbury we were on our way to this far off, remote corner of the world. We had been down this way once before for a cache for the DeLorme MD/DE challenge but not quite as far south as today. The drive along the waterways was neat and it was interesting to see how the water was choppy on the Bay side of the road and calm on the river side. We found stage 1 quickly but never picked up the chirp signal on our Colorado GPS unit. We made the quick drive to the final but had some trouble finding it. The kids enjoyed climbing the big tree and playing in the field near GZ while we texted the 8 Searchers for some help. Of course they came thru with the help and reminded us about the recent change to the hiding spot that we had read about perviously but totally forgot. This area reminded us of Crisfield Md and it was a bit sad to think of how these once prosperous small water-towns, which thrived off of the Chesapeake Bay seafood business, have lost their way in the modern world. Thanks for bringing us here and showing us the charm of one of Maryland's important pieces of history.

CAM 2011 - Gibbs Ferry

2011-05-07T10:38:00.005-04:00

From the Geocaching website:

This cache is DNR Approved. It is in the Pocomoke River State Forest, which is open ONLY from Dawn to Dusk! A scenic walk past majestic trees and countless cypress knees leads to an historic area along the Pocomoke River. A forest trail will take you to a Reference Point and continue between Private Properties to a second Reference Point on State Forest Land, and open woods. If you’re lucky, you may see the resident woodcocks and evidence of roosting eagles!

Our experience:

We took advantage of a nice weather midweek day to head to the Lower Slower Eastern Shore for the two CAM caches. Gibbs Ferry on the Pocomoke River was our first stop. We have camped in this park before and been here a couple times for Park Quest and really enjoy this state park land. We pulled up to the parking spot and were glad To have the place to ourselves. The kids enjoyed stretching their legs while running on the trail and exploring the small stream alongside the trail. We were onto GZ before we knew it and B-rad made the quick find. As we stood there signing and checking out the cache we also picked off many tiny ticks that were all over our shoes and lower legs. We did a thorough check for ticks (and found plenty!) back at the van, but that's all part of the fun of caching and enjoying the great outdoors. Found the micro near the parking lot on the way back as we were parked right next to it! Tftc and for picking such a nice, serene spot.

Easter Parties 2011 - Week 1

2011-05-02T22:25:00.004-04:00

Once again, we are celebrating the 50 days of Easter with the Garden of the Good Shepherd with Jessica and Charlotte! We celebrated our first party, "The Good Shepherd's Pasture", tonight for dinner (and dessert!) Here is our week 1 celebration from last year: The Good Shepherd's Pasture and Baby MC - 2 weeks. What a difference a year makes! My Dad (POP) was able to join us this year. Rayzor chose him to be his sponsor for Confirmation, which is this Thursday! He will be staying with us all week!

Nice butter stain on the belly - 18 weeks pregnant!

We visited my grandfather's (my Dad's Dad) gravesite today, which sits right next to Our Lady of Grace!

Monkeybird enjoyed the Wolf Paw cookies!

Check out Catholic Cuisine to see more!

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T12:20:00.000-04:00

CAM 2011 - Jerusalem Mills

2011-04-04T09:47:00.003-04:00

From the Geocaching website: Historic Jerusalem Mill Village is a living history destination that spans the 18th through the early 20th centuries. One of the oldest, most intact mill villages in Maryland, Jerusalem is located in Harford County along the Little Gunpowder Falls, amid the pristine scenery of the Gunpowder Falls State Park.

Our experience: The kids were ready to get out and run after bingeing on candy and soda during the van ride from Hatchery Park to here. When we pulled up to the parking lot, we both had deja vu as the mill building and the park seemed very familiar, but we couldn't quite place it and we're pretty sure we haven't been here before. We did the quick math and with the hope it was correct, we hit the trail. The kids really enjoyed exploring along the waters edge, climbing trees, hopping across the rocks, and skipping stones into the water. At the small footbridge near GZ, we passed 2/4 of 'Terry and Billy' and 'Lori and Amy' who let us know we were close and the stroller could get right to the cache. Joz made the find and we thought it was neat being close to the covered bridge as the cars "thundered" across it. We passed Mr. and Mrs. Brushboy again and got a chance to to stop and chat for a minute. We decided this would be our last CAM cache for the week-end and headed home after 2 successful and enjoyable CAM hides. TFTC!

CAM 2011 - Hatchery Park

2011-04-04T09:35:00.003-04:00

From the Geocaching website: The cache is located at a closed state fish hatchery that has been converted to a local park. The Elkton Fish hatchery along the Big Elk River cultured largemouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch that were used in corrective stocking programs and population restoration work. The Hatchery closed about 1990 but the 10 large fish ponds plus a few other ponds still remain.

Our experience: This was our first stop on our second week-end of CAM. We arrived at the parking lot and briefly chatted with Mrs. Geohobs. We loaded up the Geo-Stroller and headed up the trail. We enjoyed the easy hike along the fish ponds and then made the quick climb up the hill to GZ where Rayzor made the find. Signed the log, traded trinkets, and grabbed the bonus cache info. We couldn't find the first one, the GPSr was bouncing all over the side of the hill but we found the other one on the way back to the van. We passed Mr. and Mrs. BrushBoy on the way out. We didn't see any fish in the ponds but we saw a group of almost fully grown tadpoles. It was nice to see this former Hatchery land turned into a nice park. TFTC!

1

2011-03-26T07:42:00.003-04:00

Dear Baby MC,

We knew you were a girl, we had found out at my 20 week sonogram, and we were all excited...and relieved. After 3 boys in a row, 2 years apart and 1 year apart, we were ready for you! So we got to get to know the girly you, still tucked inside your little hiding place for the last 20 weeks. Daddy had picked your name from the beginning, and we all started calling you MC. Your due date came and went (typically) and on this morning 1 year ago you were ready to have your birth day. We called Marmar and she ran over to watch your brothers and sisters so we could go to the hospital. The labor was typical, stalling as I got to the hospital, adding pitocin and an epidural, then waiting. Progression is normal and, like all of my babies, as soon as I get to 10 there is no waiting, no time for the midwife to get her gloves or gown on (I always warn them), and 1 or 2 pushes and you are out. Honestly I forget what time it was but sometime in the early afternoon I am holding you finally - all 10 pounds and 14 ounces of you! Good Lord! Baby, you didn't fit in the newborn diapers so they had to run down to pediatrics to get you a size 1! The nurses were teasing you about your fat gut hanging over the diaper, but we didn't care...like mother like daughter. Of course Daddy and Geema were there and held you as the afternoon sun came through the window. We all commented about how you looked different, but the same. Something about your nose...oh yes! You had poochie's nose! We love you so much. Happy Birthday, my sweet Baby MC!

CAM 2011 - Black Hill

2011-03-22T10:58:00.003-04:00

From the Geocaching website: With more than 2,000 acres, Black Hill Regional Park offers such a wide variety of outdoor activities that its impossible to experience it all in a single visit. You'll enjoy picnic shelters near playgrounds, volleyball courts, paved and natural surface trails, and spectacular views of Little Seneca Lake. The lake can be enjoyed from your private boat, rental boats, pontoon tour boat and the fishing pier. For those who love the solitude of the forest, miles of trails can be explored by foot, horseback or mountain bike. Nature programs and interpretive tours will enhance your understanding and appreciation of this beautiful park.

Our experience: Like others have stated, we knew we were in the right place when we pulled up to see so many cars, many with GEO-related accessories. We quickly ran into Mrs. Moonpie and Mrs. Bocco (and Ziggy) at the bridge and took a few minutes to chat. The kids were happy again for more chances for stream hopping like at Dan's Mountain and we enjoyed the nice walk along the reservoir. We passed WWCD while weaving along the wooded part of the trail. When we got near GZ we spotted a dad and his two children, who had passed us back at the bridge, with the cache. We gave them a few minutes to finish and we headed into the woods as they were coming out. We didn't catch their name but he remarked what a bizarre activity this must appear to be, running in and out of the woods with excitement Seany made the find after the bigger kids overlooked the hide spot. While signing and swapping we saw Mr. Bocco and Mr. Moonpie up on the trail. The bushwhacking wasn't too tough but getting the double jog stroller, which held the two youngest, off and back on the trail was difficult. (But the stroller has been to Maryland's highest point so it wasn't complaining.) We made our way back down the trail and decided to try the Turkey Loop trail to see if we could run into some more cachers who we knew were ahead of us but the steep hill made us slower than usual and we never caught up to anybody else. On the way back more stream hopping led to some wet feet and the discovery of a large cluster of frog eggs in one of the streams. We looked unsuccessfully for the cache at the bridge and the kids explored the water underneath, then it was time to hit the road after saying hi to Czar7 and Dad's GLC once again. TFTC!

CAM 2011 - Dan's Mountain

2011-03-22T10:43:00.004-04:00

From the Geocaching website: Dan's Mountain State Park serves as a day use seasonal recreational facility that covers 481 acres and offers a wide variety of wildlife,

mountain streams, overlooks and scenic beauty. The park is located on a 16-mile long mountain that takes its name from Daniel Cresap, one of the first settlers in Allegany County.

Daniel was known for being adventurous, often hunting with a Delaware Indian named Nemacolin. While pursuing a bear in a tree, Daniel fell and lay unconscious until Nemacolin found him, and dragged Daniel home to safety. Since that event, the mountain has been known as Dan's Mountain.

Our experience: This was our second stop Saturday morning after Friend's Delight. As soon as we entered the park we knew it was going to be a nice one. The big kids enjoyed exploring the bridge and the fish pond while we got the two littlest ones set up in the backpack carriers. We enjoyed the nice hike and the kids had a great time crossing the small stream near GZ. We were quick to use the clue with all the potential hiding spaces and Joz made the find. We signed the log and swapped trinkets and the kids took the opportunity to hop back and forth across the stream a few times. As we figured they might, Czar7 and Dad's GLC pulled up just a couple of minutes behind us and we passed them on the trail and chatted again for a minute. When we got back to the van we were happy to have two CAM's done before noon (that's pretty good for us!). We hit the road with plans for a lunch break before making our way to Black Hills. TFTC!

CAM 2011 - Friend's Delight

2011-03-22T10:25:00.002-04:00

From the Geocaching website: In October of 2008, the Maryland Park Service acquired Friend's Delight, an 81 acre tract of land, originally settled by John Friend in 1769 after bartering with the Shawnee tribe. The area that is open seasonally to the public includes a picnic shelter near the river and an Appalachian mountain heritage Store. Friend's Store has been a central point of contact for the Sang Run community for well over a century. The Friend family proprietor sold food staples in the tiny store and also bought, sold and traded ginseng. Look for the Friend's Store to reopen on weekends during the summer. The Youghiogheny River shelter, also known as Friend's Delight, is a great place to host your next event!

Our experience: We were excited for CAM 2011 to start and we staged ourselves in LaVale Friday night before. Our plan was to hit the farthest west caches and then CAMing our way back east to home. The hotel was pretty close to Dan's Mountain, but we decided to do Friend's Delight first. We pulled up to the first two stages and then figured our math was wrong because GZ seemed awfully close and we were expecting a longer hike. Czar7 and his daughter pulled up behind us and met us at GZ while the kids raided the well stocked cache. We enjoyed the quick history lesson and were glad to have our first CAM 2011 cache under our belts. We took some pictures on the hill and in front of the little building and then were off to Dan's Mountain. TFTC!

St. Patrick's Day 2011

2011-03-17T21:39:00.008-04:00

2011-03-13T15:14:00.000-04:00

O Lord and Ruler of Life, take from me the spirit of idleness, despair, cupidity, and empty talking. Yea, O Lord grant that I may see my own sins and not judge my brother. For thou art blessed forever and ever. Amen.

Busy

2011-03-07T09:27:00.002-05:00

As most families are, we have been very busy lately. First of all, we are very happy to have found out we are expecting Baby #8 due October 3!

We enjoyed our third year at Great Wolf Lodge. I did not take one picture because Baby MC aka Monkeybird a) hated the water and b) would not let anyone hold her besides Ryan and I. We really did have another great time. My seester took pictures with her nice camera so hopefully she will put those up on fb really soon so I can steal them (hint, hint).

There are so many good things coming up. This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, and we will be in our season of Lent for 40 days. As Catholics, we are encouraged to take the 40 days to grow spiritually by praying more, fasting, and giving alms. I have some ideas as a family what we will be fasting from, and I think my kids are on the right track, as I overheard Joz and Rayzor saying they will be giving up Wii (Joz) and computer (Rayzor). I don't think I'll attempt to make another King's Cake tomorrow, but I am planning on making another Lent Calendar. I am also looking forward to reading through the Small Steps Companion Journal this Lent.

Last week I ran 7 miles total. I plan on running today. Since I am still in my first trimester, I am feeling very tired and very nauseous. The past few weeks have been bad. Luckily I am busy! so I can keep my mind off of it most of the time. I am blessed that Rayzor babysits so I can rest in the afternoons. Ryan and I have signed up for another 5K on March 26, Baby MC's First birthday!

Speaking of Rayzor, he is preparing for his Confirmation on May 5! He has chosen my Dad, aka Pop, to be his sponsor, and he will be coming up from Florida for the big day. We are all very excited.

CAM is only 11 days away. We are all getting geared up to hit the trails!

Joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience, too.

211. Our newest little love... 212. In-laws who take 2-at-a-time to spend quality time with grandkids... 213. spending time with good friends... 214. resting and reading... 215. many arms and hands offering help at GWL: Ana, Geema, and Aunt V!... 216. Ev and Benny playing "Wake up, Jeff!!!"... 217. Math teachers who care enough to call their students!... 218. Spring is right around the corner... 219. new (cheap) sunglasses... 220. Ev lining up his toys...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-02T21:04:00.002-05:00

{this moment}

2011-02-25T18:09:00.003-05:00

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

*** *** ***

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-23T11:27:00.001-05:00

Multitude Monday (technically Tuesday)

2011-02-22T09:34:00.003-05:00

{Seany shows off the prize he won at bingo}

Strip me of all my "extras" Lord. Show me who I really am, and how I might grow in love and simplicity. (from today's Pray from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience (a day late!) and hundreds of others who are on their own 1000 Gift Lists journey. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

201. Another snow day... 202. A lovely dinner and time spent with our parish Priest... 203. baby standing alone... 204. no more 2 year old nose incidents... 205. embracing rest days... 206. 5 year old learning to read, with 10 year old's help... 207. a busy birdfeeder... 208. memories of this time last year, belly swollen, waiting... 209. a new healthy baby girl in the family (A.J.)... 210. I am God's daughter...

Running Re-Cap and Happy President's Day!

2011-02-21T09:29:00.003-05:00

Last week I ran 19 miles. Mostly on the treadmill but the last 2 runs were outside!

Ryan and I decided to run together on Friday evening last week, which was a really nice day temperature wise. We ran the loop around our neighborhood, slowly, and I was so proud of Ryan because he did the whole 30 minutes without stopping!

Katie has organized a local running club, and so on Saturday 7 of us moms met up and ran around our local park. Some walked, some ran/walked, 1 mom was barefoot, and 2 moms were pregnant! I had a great time.

So, yesterday I was supposed to run, but after Church I was just really tired. I managed to get a nap (thank you, Ryan!) and for the first time in 5 weeks, I talked myself out of running.

Today is President's Day, and Ryan is off. We don't have any plans so I'm not quite sure how this day will turn out! Happy President's Day!

{this moment} {monkeybird}

2011-02-18T14:08:00.003-05:00

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

*** *** ***

Congratulations B-Rad aka Nanny McB

2011-02-16T19:31:00.002-05:00

This certifies that B-Rad aka Nanny McB has completed the requirements of Second Grade* as set forth in the CHC Typical Course of Study. Awarded this 16th day of February 2011. "You are precious in My eyes and glorious, I love you." - Isaiah 43:4

*She is still doing second grade math, but she has completed all of her other subjects and will move up to third grade in all subjects but math.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-16T10:41:00.002-05:00

One Thousand Gifts

2011-02-15T09:25:00.003-05:00

"We can afford to lose castles, but we cannot let a day go by without attending Holy Mass." ~~ Blessed Charles of Blois (from today's Think from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience and hundreds of others who are on their own 1000 Gift Lists journey. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

191. The above quote by Blessed Charles of Blois... 192. My Small Steps book... 193. Authors Elizabeth Foss and Danielle Bean... 194. Rayzor's generous and understanding teachers... 195. God's whispers... 196. Benny signing and saying "Ya yoo" (I love you)... 197. My Valentine... 198. Being able to make valentine's with the kids... 199. A taste of spring yesterday... 200. Patient doctors with steady hands...

Running Re-cap, Life, and a funny Video

2011-02-13T19:29:00.007-05:00

This week I ran 22 miles - the most I've run in a week so far. I am really happy about it.
I was supposed to run with Katie yesterday (joining in on a small part of her long run), but I wimped out because of the cold weather. Katie is training to run the National Marathon next month. She is going to rock it!
Ryan's running has really turned a corner. He has enjoyed running outside the past couple of days. He is doing great.
This morning I had to take Benny to the Righttime Pediatrics to remove a bead he stuck up his nose. It took 3 of us to hold him down. He is unbelievably strong! The doctor got the bead out and he is fine now.
I made this for dinner tonight. It is not healthy, but it is the best thing I've ever made in my life. Bonus that there are leftovers for breakfast tomorrow.
Ryan and I will most likely sign up to do the Bowie Annual Spring 5K race. It is on March 26, which is also Baby MC's 1st birthday!
For fun, the kids have been running up and down our street. They will be ready when baseball season starts!
Happy St. Valentine's Day to all of our friends, followers, and family! If you want to see what we did for St. Valentine's Day last year, here's the link!
Just came across this funny video (no, they aren't my kids). Enjoy!

{this moment}

2011-02-11T13:55:00.003-05:00

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

*** *** ***

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-09T08:16:00.001-05:00

Multitude Monday

2011-02-07T14:19:00.003-05:00

I want to follow you today, Lord. Show me where you want me to go. (from today's Pray from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience and hundreds of others who are on their own 1000 Gift Lists journey. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

171. "Honk if you're happy"... 172. Watching The Incredible Hulk with 3 and 5 year old... 173. Putting babies to bed at 7 p.m... 174. Night before race day jitters... 175. Realizing when to say when... 176. Big Daddy to the rescue... 177. Daddies who dance happily with their daughters... 178. Surprise visit with Geema... 179. Surprise visit with Gam, Loons, and Aunt J... 180. Knowing I will eventually feel better... 181. Finishing a good book... 182. Real friends who support... 183. Legs to run on... 184. Racing with husband... 185. True exhaustion... 186. Pushing myself little by little... 187. Firsts... 188. Good news from Rayzor's teachers... 189. Joz's cooking skills... 190. Nanny McB...

Superbowl 5K Race Report - Amy's version

2011-02-06T15:09:00.005-05:00

Ryan and I ran our first 5K this morning! (We have walked several in the past, for fun.) The race was called the 2011 Superbowl 5K. We had the grandparents (M&P) coming over early to watch the kids so we could make the 45 min. drive to the race. Then, our friends texted us this morning while we were getting ready and said they were going to drive up and cheer us on, with THEIR 7 kids!, and asked if they could take a few of our kids with us. Of course we said yes! I wasn't feeling great because I had a nagging cough and cold all week, but it wasn't terrible enough to stop me from racing. Race time started at 10 a.m.

We got there early, around 9:15, and realized bib and t-shirt pick up was inside the gym of the community college. This was great because it was only about 35 degrees outside! We got a long sleeved purple t-shirt that said Baltimore County Police Memorial 5K on the front. I went to the bathroom right away and we decided to take our stuff back out to the car. We came back in the gym and they had a bunch of fresh fruit and pastries, as well as bottled water, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. At home, I had already had a cup of coffee, some water, and half a Luna bar, so I bypassed the food and drink. We walked a couple of laps around the gym, and decided to go outside to walk and warm up. Around 9:45 we came back in the gym to stretch, and then it was time to toe the line! As we were heading to the line, we heard a familiar voice and saw our friend B with 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 kids running behind him, carrying signs that said "Don't Puke!", "Run like Snot!" and a couple of others. Seeing all of them boosted my spirits and I felt so ready! Thanks B & E!

We started out in the middle, and I got my iphone ready with my nike + app. There were a few nice words in the beginning from the policemen and then a shotgun start! We were off! I decided to "follow" a girl (just randomly picked a girl) that had on a cool outfit. (Pink hat and shirt, and a great running skirt). I felt really great at first and was smiling (I like to smile, smiling's my favorite). Ryan took off and I was trying to keep up with his long legs. We kept bumping into each other, too. Once I realized I was going way too fast, I decided to slow down and I got behind him. I felt much better after settling into my naturally slow pace! Ryan did great running. We both passed the first mile and I was at a 9:50 mile. That made Ryan's first mile faster. Soon after Ryan stopped to walk, and I kept going. We had already decided that we wouldn't run together. That's when I also saw cool girl stopped on the side of the road stretching. Uh oh. The second mile was a blur, but I remember it being tough. I wasn't really focused on my music at all, and the view was not lovely so I was all about people watching. Like watching the really old guy run next to me, than pass me, than stop to walk, I would pass him, than he would pass me running, etc. At the half way point we circled around and just went back the way we came. I kept looking for Ryan and I spotted him, but he didn't see me. I could see he was busy looking at his phone. (He kept checking his pace and time). Finished mile 2 at 10:26. I was a little disappointed, but kept going. I just knew I wasn't going to stop to walk. There were hills that slowed me up (I'm used to running on the treadmill) and the wind was also a factor, too. No excuses, though. Finished mile 3 at 11:22 and was so excited to see the finish line. I started running HARD for the last .1 and I felt like I was flying. Flacco (a guy with a jersey on that kept doing the walk, run thing) and I raced each other to the finish. I saw my friend E with her camera and I was so happy!! I heard her and the kids shouts as I finished my race in 30:37. I walked around to where they were and was so glad to hear Ryan was right behind me with a time of 32:05. WOW!!! I was so happy for him. After chatting a bit we decided to go back in the gym to warm up and let the kids help themselves to fruit, water, and hot chocolate. They were playing music and N & L were dancing and making everybody laugh. All-in-all it was a great race and I am tired now! Thanks again to B & E for coming to cheer us on. It really was great. We will be at your next marathon or swim meet!!! Happy Superbowl Sunday to everyone, enjoy the game, and all of the FOOD! Right now Ryan is cooking away. Here are a few pictures from the day!

ETA: Just checked the race results details and saw that I was 325 out of 503 and my time was 30:44. Ryan was # 371.

A screen capture of the race route

After the race and cleaned up with our t-shirts on

Before the race, it was cold!!

Before the race...CHEESE

After the race. Thumbs up! Photo by ES.

{this moment} {monkeybird}

2011-02-04T15:34:00.003-05:00

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

*** *** ***

Congratulations Joz

2011-02-03T20:39:00.002-05:00

This certifies that Joz has completed the requirements of Fifth Grade as set forth in the CHC Typical Course of Study. Awarded this 3rd day of February 2011. "You are precious in My eyes and glorious, I love you." - Isaiah 43:4

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-02T08:59:00.002-05:00

This Week's Small Change

2011-02-01T11:36:00.006-05:00

This week Simplicity Parenting asks parents to

"focus on improving your own behavior - talk less, model more."

I think this is hard for 99% of parents to do all the time. Especially parents of many children! But that doesn't let me off the hook to try. I DO try to talk low and calm. But some things...sometimes...mostly when I am frustrated I raise my voice. This morning comes to mind! Always the spills!

The best thing I've heard in a long time was what Father D said: If you raise your voice and yell and get bent out of shape when your child spills the grape juice, do you think he/she will want to come to you when he/she has a "real" problem when he/she is a teen? Like drugs or teen pregnancy?

Think about it. We have to be calm and realize kids will be kids when it comes to minor things like spills. And I did think about what Father D said, although it was AFTER I got mad when Seany spilled the cereal all over the table and floor.

Dear Lord, help me to keep this in mind, this week and always!

How fitting that in Small Steps for Catholic Moms February's virtue to focus on is Simplicity! Please drop in at In the Heart of My Home to read more encouraging posts about how others are taking small steps toward Simplicity this month.

One Thousand Gifts

2011-01-31T11:36:00.003-05:00

"Joy is what makes life worth living, but for many joy seems hard to find. They complain that their lives are sorrowful and depressing. What then brings the joy we so much desire? Are some people just lucky, while others have run out of luck? Strange as it may sound, we can choose joy. Two people can be part of the same event, but one may choose to live it quite differently than the other. One may choose to trust that what happened, painful as it may be, holds a promise. The other may choose despair and be destroyed by it.

What makes us human is precisely this freedom of choice." ~~ Henri Nouwen

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience and hundreds of others who are on their own 1000 Gift Lists journey. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

161. Baby getting teeth... 162. news... 163. changing diapers x2... 164. legs to run with... 165. the roof over our head...always... 166. being able to feed my kids meals... 167. husband who does menu planning... 168. husband who lets me take an afternoon snooze and cooks a yummy dinner, too... 169. convenience of a washer and dryer... 170. hands to fold clothes...

My First Post about Running

2011-01-30T19:46:00.003-05:00

I wanted to write up a quick post about running, because as I mentioned in a previous post, I have become a bit obsessed about the subject. Not that I'm any good, or fast, or have a large amount of endurance, but I have been consistently running since June.

I was athletic as a child and a teenager, playing soccer, lacrosse, basketball, and running track. I played soccer from the age of 8, and played every single season until I was 17. When I was 14 I discovered lacrosse, and it was pure fun. Thank God for sports because I'm sure I would have never graduated from high school! (Thanks Mom and Dad for encouraging me!) My finest running moment was when I was 13 or 14 and I ran the Clyde's 10K and got 3rd place in my age group. I went to college and became very lazy, which was easy to do.

I walked during my first pregnancy (thanks Mom, my walking partner and coach!) and after I had baby #2 joined a gym and consistently went using the treadmill and running up to 5 miles. I really loved it. Fast forward to Baby #3, #4, #5, #6, and #7! No exercise (minimal walking, and geocaching, but nothing consistent). After Baby #7 we got a treadmill, put it in the garage, and I started C25K from Week 1 Day 1. I did well, really well, but kept at it slowly. I graduated with a pretty beat up ankle, but I did it! Being able to post my progress on facebook was key for me, I really needed the feedback of people telling me I was doing great (I know, needy right???) BUT it kept me going. I took a week off of running, walked for a week, and started building up my endurance to start B210K. Week 1 Day 1 of B210K has you running 10 minutes, walk 1 minute 4x and I had to be ready. I eased my way through this 6 week program, sometimes only running 1 or 2 times/week (with the programs you are supposed to run every other day). I graduated from B210K able to run 6.2 miles for 60 minutes straight.

Now I am on week 2 of half marathon training. This program has me starting from the bottom, running for small amounts of time (15-20 minutes) and it has me running 6 days/week. So far, so good. This week I've run 16 miles! I've discovered Daily Mile (like facebook for runners) where you can keep track of your miles, and there are tons of awesome mom runners/bloggers who are very inspiring. I guess I should mention my shoes. Before Baby #7 I wanted to start running so I got a nice pair of shoes, wore them once or twice, and they got shelved while pregnant. Those shoes are the same ones I am running with today, I think they are Mizuno Waves. Of course they are pink.

Ryan is on week 4 of C25K and is doing so great. I am so proud of him!!! We are running our first race, the Superbowl 5K, this Sunday 2/6! Next week I will post how we did. Do me a favor: If you know us IRL, please encourage us, especially Ryan, when you see him. It makes a difference!!

{this moment}

2011-01-29T07:48:00.003-05:00

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

*** *** ***

This Week's Small Change

2011-01-26T09:18:00.004-05:00

This week, the Simplicity Parenting blog asks,

"What has fallen by the way-side due to a new transition?"

Or in other words, getting back on track! This is perfect for me this week. I really need to dust off my daily docket, because I've been off my schedule the past couple of days. Monday was a great day with a friend, and her 3 boys. Tuesday was Seany's swim lessons, and Rayzor's carpool to pick up. Add on to that Benny being his typical 2 year old self, Baby MC getting a little cold, and some things that were weighing heavy on my mind. On a good note, I am becoming a little obsessed about running, and Ryan and I might be posting more thoughts on our journey as beginner runners as well as trying to accomplish our goals. (By the way, Ryan and I joined Daily Mile, so feel free to click on the link to the right to "friend" us on there!)

It's only Wednesday, so let's get back on track together!

Multitude Monday

2011-01-24T16:08:00.002-05:00

(photo taken by me 4/10)

"To be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives is easy, but to be grateful for all of our lives-the good as well as the bad, the moments of joy as well as the moments of sorrow, the successes as well as the failures, the rewards as well as the rejections-that requires hard spiritual work. Still, we are only truly grateful people when we can say thank you to all that has brought us to the present moment. As long as we keep dividing our lives between events and people we would like to remember and those we would rather forget, we cannot claim the fullness of our beings as a gift of God to be grateful for.

Let's not be afraid to look at everything that has brought us to where we are now and trust that we will soon see in it the guiding hand of a loving God."~~ Henri Nouwen

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience and hundreds of others who are also on their own 1000 Gift Lists journey. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

131. Quiet house at day's end... 132. Teen who let's 3 year old brother sleep with him... 133. Sleep sighs from the baby... 134. Darkness... 135. Icy roads that keep us home... 136. Fans and white noise... 137. A (finally) tuckered out 2 year old... 138. A Rosary said before bed... 139. Heavy lids... 140. Reading before sleep... 141. The way 3 year old says she's instead of her... 142. Comforting the crier/screamer... 143. The way 2 year old and 9 month old interact... 144. Boys love of cousin B... 145. My relationship with Aunt M...more than just an aunt...more like sister and friend rolled into one...time spent with her is a gift... 146. Hot soup ready when he walks in the door... 147. Watching teen and 2 year old playing outside... 148. Teen boy who does diapers... 149. Needed rest for 7 year old... 150. Letting brothers, age 5 and 3, duke it out...don't worry...the 3 year old holds his own...151. So blessed to be able to fall in love 8 times... 152. So blessed to have easy pregnancies... 153. So blessed to have easy births... 154. So blessed to have big healthy babies... 155. So blessed to have wide hips!... 156. So blessed to have an easy going temperament... 157. Ryan and I will be running a 5K on Superbowl Sunday... 158. Ryan is open to Life... 159. I'm a runner... 160. I was open to Life 14 years ago...

{this moment}

2011-01-21T13:04:00.004-05:00

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

*** *** ***

This Week's Small Change

2011-01-19T09:55:00.004-05:00

This week the Simplicity Parenting blog encourages us to take 20 minutes for what they call an "A-Ha moment" to watch a video by Brene Brown, PH.D. Dr. Brown's talk is on The Power of Vulnerability and the folks at Simplicity Parenting boast that I will not be disappointed. So last night I grabbed a pen and paper after the kids went to bed to watch Dr. Brown's talk hoping to not be disappointed. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. Nothing against Dr. Brown, she is a wonderful speaker and an amusing, super intelligent researcher/story teller. The first 10 minutes explains her background on how she is a social worker and often saw vulnerable people in her profession, so she decided to do research on vulnerability. She did years of research and came to the conclusion that there are 2 kinds of vulnerability. People who are vulnerable and are filled with shame, and people who are vulnerable and are filled with love and joy. So then she wanted to know what makes these 2 kinds of people different?

The meat of her talk is in the last minute. She has a powerpoint and says "Let ourselves be seen, Love with your whole hearts, Practice gratitude and joy, We are enough, and Be kinder and gentler to ourselves."

The first thing that came to mind was that some of these are things that Jesus has said. In the Bible. I was taught these ideas in elementary school.

I feel that this video is good for people who don't have religion or spirituality in their lives, because it could probably feel good for them. But, if you want to hear this kind of message on a weekly, or even daily basis? Well, we're waiting for you with open arms.

ETA: Why not take it a step further? How about, Be kinder and gentler to our neighbor? Or, Love your neighbor as yourself?

Small Steps {together}

2011-01-18T10:27:00.006-05:00

I finally took down the last of the Christmas decor yesterday. The antique Nativity that my mom got for me, the Merry Christmas blocks passed down from my mother-in-law, and the Advent calendar Aunt D made for us last year.

My poor mantel. It looked like how January feels sometimes. Maybe a little empty...where's the Joy? I took The Nester's advice and started to "shop the house for anything white you could use ~...".

I thought about the "theme" for January in Small Steps for Catholic Moms...Joy.

Joy is so easy to come by sometimes. When husband gets hard-earned kudos at work...

sharing ice cream with the teen...

tickling the baby's feet during a diaper change...

finishing the long run...

on payday...

But how to force Joy? In the moments when you are so down, not even the baby's smile cheers you, and the tears come, and you think how? How do I pick myself up, go downstairs, and be the Joy-ful mother?

God, give the grace to count my blessings instead of my crosses, my gains instead of my losses. Make me a joyful servant in all that I think and do and say today. (prayer from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Grab journal, scramble for pencil, continue listing...Gratitude.

There is magic in the listing. Heart swells...and...the JOY returns.

Joyfully joining in with Elizabeth...

One Thousand Gifts

2011-01-17T09:33:00.004-05:00

Many voices ask for our attention. There is a voice that says, "Prove that you are a good person." Another voice says, "You'd better be ashamed of yourself." There also is a voice that says, "Nobody really cares about you," and one that says, "Be sure to become successful, popular, and powerful." But underneath all these often very noisy voices is a still, small voice that says, "You are my Beloved, my favor rests on you." That's the voice we need most of all to hear. To hear that voice, however, requires special effort; it requires solitude, silence, and a strong determination to listen.

That's what prayer is. It is listening to the voice that calls us "my Beloved." ~ Henri Nouwen

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience and hundreds of others who are on their own 1000 Gift Lists journey. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

121. An extended week-end... 122. Chicken soup made with love by husband... 123. Toy Story... 124. Kids that sleep all night... 125. Old friends... 126. Husband and I growing old together... 127. Girls day at the mall with Geema... 128. Finally reading The 5 Love Languages... 129. New friends... 130. Experiences in life that keep me humble...

This Week's Small Change

2011-01-12T08:08:00.005-05:00

I am joining in with the Simplicity Parenting blog's weekly small changes (or challenges as I like to see them). I think I would give myself a B so far! The first small change was to pick one of the simplicity parenting's 4 layers (environment, rhythm, scheduling, and filtering) and to tackle it right now to bring more ease, comfort, or connection for your family. I decided to focus on rhythm and scheduling by getting up early before the kids wake up to exercise, shower, pray, and make breakfast. This is such a big challenge and I am still working on it. I can usually only manage to do this twice a week, so this is definitely a work in progress.

The second small change was to focus on your words. Before you speak, ask yourself "Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary?" To my surprise, we have all been incorporating this change into our daily habits. Even the kids will call Ryan and I out if we are not using our kind words. B-Rad will often say "Kind words are the music of the world!" And I am sure to let the kids know when they are not using kind words, as this usually occurs when they are speaking amongst themselves. I am very happy about this small change.

The third small change was to focus on any kind of extra preparation I can take to keep my daily life more organized and calm. I am happy to say that I am planning and cooking more dinners, and my overall day is more organized thanks to my daily docket that I mentioned in that post.

So...this week's small change is to commit to telling your children a story from your childhood. Simplicity Parenting cites Steve Barancik's blog Best Children's Books, particularly this article about the Importance of Storytelling.

Steve writes:

Your child needs stories. Here are just a few of the many reasons why:
1. Stories help children understand their place in the world.
2. A story can help your child cope with a difficult experience or situation.
3. Learning to tell stories helps your child become socially proficient.
4. Storytelling can be the perfect way to impart a life lesson.
5. It has been shown that telling stories about your own childhood is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen the child-parent bond.

I remember as a child my dad sharing his adventures as being the oldest son of 8 children. I'm sure that is part of what has shaped my life today! I also enjoy when I get a glimpse of my husband's childhood, either by him or by his family. I think "Oh, that's where (insert child's name here) got that from!!" I am going to try to work on telling more stories from my childhood this week. I know my kids are always engaged when I've shared bits and pieces of my childhood in the past.

Multitude Monday

2011-01-11T10:35:00.005-05:00

"Christ is risen and life is freed, Christ is risen and the tomb is emptied of the dead: for Christ, being risen from the dead, has become the Leader and Reviver of those who had fallen asleep." ~~ St. John Chrysostom (from today's Think from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience (a day late!) and hundreds of others who are also on their own 1000 Gift Lists journey. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

111. Today is 1/11/11... 112. working on my "cancer" (Father D challenged us to pick one thing to work on throughout the new year. He told us to ask our husbands what that 1 thing should be. Dangerous. But good.)... 113. my daily docket. I didn't realize how handy this would be... 114. realizing when to just stay home... 115. running for 1 hour straight... 116. Being with just my girls on Saturday... 117. my oldest son, who steps up when needed and makes me so proud... 118. Seany trying new things, and I am so proud of him, too... 119. Sprout... 120. Joy in winter...

This Week's Small Change

2011-01-05T10:14:00.004-05:00

(photo taken on B-Rad's 7th Birthday)

So far, thanks to the Simplicity Parenting blog, I am really trying to get up early (Monday - successful, Tuesday - sickness, Wednesday - crying child), and I am also really trying to encourage my kids to speak kinder, truer, and only if it is necessary. I am also really trying to speak kinder myself, although it is definitely harder than I thought. I really have to continue with last week's challenge because it is something that is hard to do once you are in the moment of a spill or a 2 year old meltdown!

For this week's small change (although, for me personally, so far these are really big changes), Simplicity Parenting explains:

We know that part of creating predictability requires us to be organized and prepared for the onslaught of tasks of work and school. Creating rhythm for cleaning, meals, morning and bedtime routines...these are the rhythms, the heart beats of our days. For the next 1/2 of the year to go smoothly take this opportunity to plan ahead!

For this week's small change: What needs your extra preparation this week in order to help and support you in keeping your daily life more organized and calm?

Many things come to mind for me when I read this small change.

1) I have come to realize I am calmer and happier when I start the day off early and running so I need to plan accordingly.

2) I am also calmer if I start my day off with Mass/prayer. I usually try to plan to go to Mass 4-5 days/week.

3) Planning dinners for the week! This is crucial for our large family of 9. This is a job for both parents before Monday rolls around. I also need to plan breakfast, lunch, and snacks for the week. So far this week, I have today planned.

4) Posting these Word Strengtheners around my home to help me stay calmer.

5)This daily docket that Tsh designed at Simple Mom looks interesting. Maybe I'll try it out to keep me on the track to being organized.

6) I love this small change that Mary Ellen posted on her blog Tales from the Bonny Blue House. I am thinking this would be a REALLY great thing for these juice junkies around here.

One thing, one day at a time, right?

By the way, Joz made these granola bars this morning that Simplicity Parenting recommended and they are great! We substituted wheat bran (because that is what we had in our pantry) for the wheat germ, and didn't use the raisins because Joz doesn't like them.

One Thousand Gifts

2011-01-04T09:12:00.002-05:00

God, help me to always hear your glad voice in the laughter of the ones I love. (from today's Pray from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience (a day late!) and hundreds of others who are on their own 1000 Gift Lists journey. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

101. Ann Voskamp... 102. the most wonderful husband who did not get angry when he got woken up from a dead sleep last night to Ev throwing up on him and all over his side of the bed and then comes home from work today and throws together a lovely dinner for 9, he is the most amazing person I know... 103. my friend L... 104. Father D... 105. clean sheets and comforter... 106. a clean tablecloth for dinner... 107. nearing my goal of running a 10K... 108. C... 109. the start of a New Year... 110. making a REAL resolution/goal for the first time: losing 30 pounds and running a half marathon...is it possible?...

7

2010-12-31T11:34:00.006-05:00

Dear B-Rad aka Nanny McB,

Happy 7th Birthday!!! Your Daddy and I love you so much.

You are growing into such a beautiful and kind young lady.

Last year at this time I never knew that I was carrying your best friend in my belly. As soon as Baby MC was born, we were all smitten, but you especially were. You love her so much and she loves you just as much. You care for her so lovingly and make her laugh at all the right times.

You took a ballet class and learned a fan dance!

I never knew that summers in our new hometown could be so fun, and you had such an exciting summer. You learned how to swim in our neighborhood pool, and you even jumped off the diving board! I knew the high dive was next on your list and you conquered that, too. You were even brave enough to join the mini swim team. I was so proud of you, and continue to be. You even had fun learning to play tennis. But the best part was meeting a kindred spirit in your new friend, K.

You were a soccer star in the fall, long legs running fast and scoring goals in every game you played.

You bless us with your beautiful voice as you sing the hymns you learn in the children's choir at our Parish.

You are smart and are such a good reader and writer and turning into quite the mathematician as well. You keep me on my schedule, even when I don't want to! You know what time and day things are supposed to happen. You are the Calendar Queen.

You are still feisty, messy, and funny. You make the silliest faces, and are quick with a joke. I don't know where you get it from.

Although you are tall and lean, you still love your candy, and I can get you to do most any chore with the prize of a stick of gum.

You are a very important part of this Party of Nine. Today is YOUR day, and you know it. You are glowing in it. As it should be. Many Blessings to you today and forever. We love you.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-29T11:43:00.002-05:00

Christmas 2010: Thank you for being part of our Village

2010-12-27T18:54:00.008-05:00

This Week's Small Change

2010-12-27T17:58:00.004-05:00

Simplicity Parenting has encouraged us today to stick with our small changes we've made last week, even if our plans have been thwarted by holiday festivities!

They, then, challenge us for this week's small change: What can you tweak about how you are handling the sibling rivalry or your own frustrations that send you into a mommy meltdown?

Can you strive to put...

"Before you say something, ask yourself these three questions: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?" (Simplicity Parenting, p. 192)

...into practice this week?

For this challenge, I will sit down with my kids and talk about thinking before talking and acting. I would like to put these 3 questions in a vicinity where everyone can see it and ponder it often.

Luckily, my kids DO get along fairly well. Most likely because we homeschool and we are in each other's company for large periods of time daily. They work things out themselves and if not, I swoop in and try to help out as evenly as possible. Then we diffuse the situation with an apology and a hug.

I would like them to speak more kindly to each other, so hopefully we will be successful in working on this challenge this week!

I could always use a reminder to speak kinder, too!

Multitude Monday

2010-12-27T16:11:00.003-05:00

(photo taken 12/09)

"Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you."~~ St. Jerome (from today's Think from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience and hundreds of others who have also began their own 1000 Gift Lists. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

81. Jesus is Born!!!... 82. toys for good little boys and girls... 83. leftovers... 84. a whole week of husband home!!!... 85. Just Dance 2... 86. Fresh Sugar Lemon...Perfume!(thanks, Hon)... 87. sleeping in on a cold winter's morn... 88. 12 whole days of Christmas!... 89. a good tired... 90. another birthday prep... 91. Christmas Eve traditions... 92. Christmas Day Mass... 93. spending Christmas Day with husband's family... 94. the snow storm that blew us back home... 95. Sunday Mass celebrating the Feast day of the Holy Family... 96. Safe travels... 97. Aunty, Uncle, and cousins that beckon us to play and continue the celebration... 98. our bed... 99. my sister, who keeps reserving a beautiful hotel room in hopes that the snow goes away and we can make it east... 100. we are able to make another reservation at Great Wolf Lodge!!!...

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-22T07:16:00.004-05:00

This Week's Small Change

2010-12-21T07:56:00.002-05:00

Oh how easy it is for me to fall back into old habits. It is also easy to justify these old habits.

I started off strong in the beginning of September, with making my daily schedule and my kids schedule. But that schedule has become non-existent.

I know the last week of Advent and the first week of Christmas is not the time to start anything drastic! But when reading the simplicity parenting blog this morning, and getting some re-inforcement last night, I decided to make a small change (big change?) this morning. I decided to get up early again. So, I got up and exercised, showered, and prayed (before any of the kids got up). And now I am getting ready to make breakfast with Joz for my crew. What a great way to start my day. Father L says that the first minute after you wake up is the hardest minute of your day and that you should jump out of bed like it's on fire.

Simplicity Parenting challenges us:

There are 4 layers of simplicity: environment, rhythm, scheduling, and filtering. Kim Payne addresses each simplicity layer in detail in his book.
When you think about simplifying your home environment or creating a needed, predictable daily/weekly routine, or cutting back on the schedule to include more downtime, or limiting media…what are you most interested or inspired to tackle right now?
Choose the layer and think about one small thing that could be tweaked to bring more ease, comfort, or connection for your family this week.

So my small change this week and for the coming weeks is to get up early. I'll start with that. Care to join me?

One Thousand Gifts

2010-12-20T10:33:00.002-05:00

St. Therese, you understood well what it was to work hard in a thousand little ways and still be unappreciated. Help me to keep giving and stop worrying about how my efforts are judged. Don't let me waste time explaining myself. Let me turn my attention, instead, to God - remembering that everything I do, I do for the glory of God. (from today's Pray from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience and hundreds of others who have also began their own 1000 Gift Lists. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

71. there are 4 more days until Christmas Eve... 72. generous friends and family...73. adjusting sleep schedules to make babies (and parents, and siblings) happier...74. my shy guy getting a little less shy... 75. a free day... 76. grandparents who enjoy spending time with their grandkids... 77. a good Confession... 78. the safe trip to husband's workplace... 79. a good magazine to read... 80. lighting the 4th candle...

Sacred Heart Preschool Nativity

2010-12-19T14:37:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-15T10:14:00.003-05:00

H is for Herb Twopence and St. Helen

2010-12-14T09:19:00.005-05:00

We are traveling along the Alphabet Path with Seany (5) and Ev (3) and anyone else who would like to join in! H is for Herb Twopence and St. Helen!

Art: H is for HAIR in Gilbert Stuart's George Washington.

(The boys copied George Washington's hair using markers)

We read Have you Pennies? I have Many! while listening to this CD! We read about St. Helen in An Alphabet of Catholic Saints.

H is for Honeybee

The Honey Makers

Honey in a Hive

The Bee Tree

The boys colored the Honeybee Coloring Page and the Honeybee Anatomy Worksheet thanks to Jessica over at Shower of Roses!

Author Study: H is for Michael Hague

The Book of Fairy Poetry

The Book of Dragons

Michael Hague's favorite Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales

The Wind in the Willows

Childhood Favorites

The High Hills

Hush Little Baby; a folk lullaby

H is for Hedgehog!

Multitude Monday

2010-12-13T08:19:00.002-05:00

"While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart." ~~ St. Francis of Assisi (from today's Think from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience and hundreds of others who have also began their own 1000 Gift Lists. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

61. a husband who tries very hard to make things better... 62. kids who do as they are told... 63. heat in the house and a fireplace that I can work!... 64. crispy green beans... 65. Pandora Peaceful Holidays... 66. the trick is to unplug it and plug it back in... 67. the babe who loves to nap and sleep... 68. clean socks...69. very good friends and fun conversation...70. Advent goodies from Aunt D...

'Tis the Season to be Merry

2010-12-11T19:54:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-08T08:23:00.002-05:00

One Thousand Gifts

2010-12-06T11:31:00.002-05:00

Jesus, the gifts I give that have the most enduring value are gifts of time and service. Through the intercession of St. Nicholas on his special feast day, I beg you to give me the grace and strength to be very, very generous this Advent with those gifts of great worth. (from today's Pray from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience and hundreds of others who have also began their own 1000 Gift Lists. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

51. my Mom... 52. my Dad... 53. K & J... 54. F & J... 55. my Seester... 56. my bro... 57. shoes filled with chocolate coins and happy little faces... 58. K... 59. Pre-school CCD and nursery at 10:00 Mass... 60. being forced to wait for Christmas...

{this moment}

2010-12-03T10:27:00.004-05:00

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

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Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-01T09:21:00.002-05:00

Multitude Monday

2010-11-29T10:03:00.003-05:00

"Because I am so weak, you have been pleased to grant my childish desires, and now you will grant the rest, other desires far greater than the Universe." ~~ St. Therese of Lisieux (from today's Think from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience and hundreds of others who have also began their own 1000 Gift Lists. And today, more than ever, I need to count my blessings, regroup, and get on with my day. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

41. Getting to Mass Monday morning... 42. the opportunity to hear a wonderful priest give an Advent reflection... 43. the opportunity to gather my thoughts and type up my blessings... 44. my good health... 45. my husband's good health... 46. my children's good health... 47. the realization to make changes around our home... 48. friends who understand what you are going through...49. the realization that things don't go as planned so I have to make a new plan...50. that it is early enough in the day that hopefully I can make things right for the rest of the day...

{this moment}

2010-11-26T10:38:00.003-05:00

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

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Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-24T09:13:00.001-05:00

One Thousand Gifts

2010-11-22T19:48:00.007-05:00

Open my eyes, Lord. I take so many things for granted that others must do without. Help me to see my many blessings and rejoice in your goodness. (from today's Pray from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience and hundreds of others who have also began their own 1000 Gift Lists. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

32. my friend E...33. our home...34. our first time "hosting" Thanksgiving this year!...35. spending the past several days with my Dad laughing...36. we will see him again at Christmas...37. my Dad's new nickname for Baby MC is "Monkey-Bird"!!!...38. Mass with my family on Sunday (grandmother, aunts, uncle, cousins, daughter)...39. "No means yes"!!! (Benny)...40. my Aunt M...

G is for Gorse Fairy and St. George

2010-11-22T07:53:00.006-05:00

We are traveling along the Alphabet Path with Seany (5) and Ev (3) and anyone else who wants to join in! G is for Gorse Fairy and St. George!

Art: G is for the child and his "game" in the painting Boy with a House of Cards by Drouais.

We read Gorse Fairy Tag while listening to this CD! We read about St. George in An Alphabet of Catholic Saints while coloring this page. Here is another St. George page the boys colored from Jessica over at Shower of Roses!

G is for Gardens

Miss Rumphius

Jack's Garden

Growing Vegetable Soup

Waiting for Wings

Sunflower House

Author Study: G is for Paul Galdone

Three Little Kittens

Henny Penny

Rumpelstiltskin

Childhood Favorites

Grandfather's Journey

Follow the Drinking Gourd

Goodnight Moon

The Grouchy Ladybug

G is for Gingerbread!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-17T10:08:00.002-05:00

Multitude Monday

2010-11-15T11:23:00.005-05:00

"Here ends another day, during which I have had eyes, ears, hands and the great world around me. Tomorrow begins another day. Why am I allowed two?"~~G.K. Chesterton (from today's Think from Small Steps for Catholic Moms)

Today I am joining in with Ann over at A Holy Experience and hundreds of others who have also began their own 1000 Gift Lists. Care to join me? These are in no particular order...

22. Baby MC's beautiful smile first thing in the (early) morning...23. Winning the battle of the alarm clock...24. My husband's playful side...25. Being able to listen to an inspiring Homily by a wonderful Priest...26. A few nice changes around the home...27. B-Rad beautifully singing hymns as she's putting away clean dishes...28. Chorepacks...29. Benny's "Hi, hi, hi" to Baby MC...30. An early and impromptu pumpkin pie from the grocery store...31. B-Rad's new nickname "Nanny McB"...

Hondo

2010-11-14T08:50:00.006-05:00

Ryan and I were very excited and proud that Rayzor's photo of Hondo (my Aunt M's horse) got picked in the Four Legged Photos contest happening over at The Pioneer Woman! There were 6 groups and Rayzor's photo was in Group 2. (Scroll down to the 3rd picture). Unfortunately, it was not picked as a finalist, but the competition was fierce! There was so much talent and the photos were all so beautiful. Make sure you scroll through to see the ones she picked. I'm looking forward to see who wins! Congratulations Rayzor!!

Here are a few other pictures he took of Hondo that day:

Here is the winning shot, after I edited it using the "Antique" setting in iphoto. Then I sent it to my iphone and used the "Pic Grunger" app to make it look old and scratched. Well done, Rayzor!

Thanks to Maurisa over at Half a Dozen Productions for being Rayzor's photography teacher and for assigning the task of taking a picture of a pet!

{this moment}

2010-11-12T14:40:00.004-05:00

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

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