Enjoying the pets...

Neena is just growing cuter and cuter - doncha think?

Sam is a real southerner and getting ready for the colder months. Do you like his colour scheme?

Photo credits as well as fashion accessories - Benjamin Bear!


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A SCANNER!!!

My husband brought home the scanner from the office - where it had been installed for my use. As I am not longer the official secretary of Surplus Equipment Solutions - I have barely darkened the hallways of the warehouse for months! I am sure the warehouse has missed me more than I have missed it!

But now I can begin to share old photos and new drawings of and by those whom I love! What fun we will have with this aspect being added to the blog again. I have many children who love to draw and they all have a witty sense of humour which you can now enjoy once more.

In celebration of this new addition to my computer corner in the living room - I have added --- to todays postings.


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Three aunts and a niece

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Borrowing time....

I am pregnant. This is a fact I simply cannot ignore. Nor can I ignore that with pregnancy, especially at the age of fourty-six, brings with it fatigue. Add in to the mix the homeschooling of 8 children - yes the youngest is only three but she thinks she is being home schooled - which makes it the same as! She needs her time with her big book and crayons, her poetry time not to mention her cuddles. Throw in the effort to save money on bread by baking it. Then include with all of this - the starting of yet another new business with my husband. And it all adds up to a huge amount of exhaustion.
So I am borrowing a little time by posting another little article I wrote for my audition for the tea blog. This one had to a very short rendition of the health benefits of tea. I really enjoyed doing the research and was kind of sad when I did not get the job. However - that is no reason you, my loyal readers, should not get the benefit of my research so without further delay - here it is.

In a world filled with continuous warnings regarding our health and what we should consume, or not consume, is there any particular drink or food item we can feel safe in imbibing? I believe the general consensus is that tea, whether it be black, green or white, is not only safe to drink but actually offers us health benefits.

Is one of these three choices more healthy than the other? Let us start with the best known tea which is black. Black tea has been the choice of the majority of tea drinkers since Princess Catherine, Queen Consort of Charles II, introduced it to the English aristocracy in the 1600s. Until recently most research on the benefits of tea were focused on green tea which is known to contain valuable antioxidants. However, new research has determined that the compounds, also offer health benefits similar to those of the green tea. And with all the warnings against enjoying any of our vices, be they downing a bag a chips while ensconced on the couch watching a late night movie or adding too much salt to our favorite dishes, what can be better than to know that our favorite drink is helping and not harming us.

While both the green tea and the black originate from the plant Camellia sinensis, it is how they are aged that accounts for their difference in flavor and looks, and so, it seems, their health benefits. Green tea is steamed or pan fried immediately upon harvesting and thus retains its lighter look when brewed. However, black tea is fermented causing the compound epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) which green tea is loaded with, to be changed into the other compounds, theaflavins and thearubigens. These, we are just learning, offer us similar benefits to EGCg.

As if the benefits of oxidants was not reason enough to drink tea, recent studies completed in the Netherlands, are showing a correlation between tea drinking and the possible prevention of strokes. And in a society where stress is reported to be high, this brings a whole new meaning to the idea of sitting back and enjoying a relaxing cup of tea!

Resources used:

http://chinesefood.about.com/

http://www.tea.co.uk/

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Prayer request!

This little monkey! What a naughty, naughty baby she is! Two weeks ago - she was not only in a transverse position but she was also posterior. No wonder my back was aching so much, even with the chiropractic visits. A couple of days of the exercises my practitioner suggested and she flipped. She became horizontal and it seemed even vertex - or head down. She also turned towards my back and oh -I had a lovely two weeks with all of that pressure gone from her pressing against my back with every little twist and turn she made. I celebrated by making bread every two or three days!

But gradually I noticed the location of her hiccups were moving... upwards. Towards my belly button. I tried really hard to ignore this reality, but have finally had to face the truth - she is now breech - or head up...

While transverse babies cannot be delivered naturally, just ask Elsa my 12th baby and first c-section, breech babies can. However - that does not mean I want to deliver a baby in the breech position. I mean - let's not even go there and just say we did! Labour is painful enough!

So, as I begin my excercies again and patiently await better behaviour from this baby, I humbly ask for your prayers that this little one slips back HEAD DOWN and STAYS down until she is delivered.
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A new favourite...

... just found. Have you ever seen the What Every Catholic Knew blog? Well - if you haven't, pop over there and read a few encouraging and invigorating posts.

I am adding this blog to my side bar!



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Its really difficult

... not to have the energy I need to distract myself from the sad sorry miserable state I am in. If I were not 31 weeks pregnant and been awake since 4 am stressing over the anger I feel, I would have the energy I need to bake some delicious pumpkin bread and then I could enjoy the heart burn such a delightful snack would give me.

I should be teaching phonics, and or baking bread... but I am just too tired and distracted.

Guess I will try a few Hail Maries!
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A call to action

Please share this vital information with others - via blog, email or word of mouth.

To learn more about this teleconference call being co-ordinated by several Pro life groups - such as 40 Days For Life - click here.

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Oh Dear....

I would like to offer cool, wonderful inspiring thoughts about the outcome of the election.

I can't.

However, Margaret of Minnesota is thinking along the same lines as I am according to yesterdays post.

"Look, we’ve got to cling to something and if it’s not guns than it should definitely be religion. This is what’s getting me through today—specifically, the knowledge that we know the end of the story and tomorrow’s new president will not change it.

My focus, then, is on my God. It’s on the state of my soul…and it’s on my family."

This is why yesterday I did not listen to the radio and why I did not watch the election results. They would be what they would be, whether I suffered over their slow revelation or not. This is why I will not watch or listen to it for some time to come.

I am sad and depressed and not a little angry over the results. So 100 % of my thoughts and efforts the next weeks and months will be in praying for my family. It is all that is left to do right now. Pray and put one's faith in God's mercy. And God HAVE mercy on us!

This country has elected a pro death, pro infanticide president. God have MERCY!

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Some happy news...

...that I came across today as I searched for peaceful and joyful positive blogs. Kinda needing help in focusing my heart and mind in that direction.

Here is the touch of fresh air I discovered on this rather cloudy day, both literally and figuratively.




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Writing this on Tuesday....

... and because I experienced more than my share of angst over this upcoming election, as has had my husband, we both agreed to turn the radio, t.v. and Internet sources off for the day. So we have no idea what is going on with the exit polls and life is more peaceful as a result.

We are legal aliens and as such can not vote; although our 21 year old son was approached and encouraged to register to vote - even after he explained he was Canadian an not yet a citizen. Then he explained his views on the Candidates up for election and the woman walked away disgusted with him- no longer interested in registering him illegally. Maybe if he had been pro choice and pro Obama she would have tried harder.

So while we could not vote - we did what little we could. Both Hugo and I posted information on the candidates on various blogs, political and otherwise. We shared this information with friends leaning towards Obama. We prayed. We participated in Father Corapi's rosary and we attended daily Mass as part of our prayer campaign. Our son volunteered at the GOP office and my husband drove him back and forth (as our son's car died a month ago) and my husband and I made a meal for the office last week. One of our daughters baby sat for a neighbour so she could vote. And lastly we attended our parish's prayer vigil today. And as posted on Behold Your Mother we can only pray for a positive outcome from our prayers while also realizing the following: "God can and does answer prayer -- including the prayers of His saints -- though not always in the way we want Him to. We cannot manipulate heaven with our rosaries and lit candles, forcing the hosts of heaven to smooth out the bumps in the road ahead of us. All we can do is ask for their company to fortify us as we march along. As we prepare for the upcoming election, it's important to keep in mind that -- as much as we might want Him to -- God does not stuff ballot boxes. He gave us free choice and expects us to use reason and a rightly formed conscience to make those choices."

I have at times, felt extremely depressed over that comment, (I really wanted him to stuff those boxes for us!) but then my 17 year old daughter said this morning - "Well, God will not force His will on us. But He can make good out of something bad, if only we let Him." My job over the next while, should Obama win, will be to allow God to make something good out of the bad that I fear happening if Obama wins, beginning with allowing God to take my fear!

So who will have won by the time you read this - I do not yet know. I know I am praying for a pro life win. And - we have already begun to make new plans for our life- regardless of who wins. We are making some changes in our life and details about this will come out over the next month or two. Please pray for us. It will be challenging but I think fun and exciting. Nothing like starting a new approach to your life while also awaiting the arrival of a new life!

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This is what we were doing today at our parish...

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She had a motive for being so persistent.

The other day - I had my weekly chiropractic appointment. Hugo and I were ready to leave for it when Elsa appeared with pleading eyes and a determined twist to her mouth. She wanted to go with us. "Pleeeease!" she begged. "I want to tum with you!"

Hugo was willing to sit with her in the van as she was in no way dressed for public viewing. Not only did a single colour adorning her not match - it was evident she had been wearing this outfit all day and through several meals and snacks. So Hugo strapped her into her car seat and we just made it in time for my appointment. Typically I am in and out of their in less than fifteen minutes. Murphy's law though came into play and I waited at least a good twenty to twenty-five minutes before even being treated.

As I checked out, I remembered that I did not have my wallet so I stepped out to the van to borrow Hugo's bank card. The van was gone. I was able to reach him on the cell phone. Apparently he had taken my admonition that Elsa was under no circumstances to step foot in public, dressed as she was, and Elsa had needed the bathroom so he would be back momentarily.

As I saw our van pull into the vacant spot just in front of the office, I stepped out to grab the card from Hugo. I was astonished to see Elsa strapped back in her car seat even knowing tat she was not going to be allowed out of the van either! Hugo explained she had been especially determined to come back with him.

Well, apparently my astonishment was no less than Elsa's when she saw me. "But where is duh baby?" she asked with great disappointment. It seems she equated my seeing the doctor with the baby being born. No wonder she had been so extra determined to come back. I guess she wanted to be the first to see the new baby.





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Novena Reminder from Father Corapi

Last day... if you have not joined in - it is not too late to add your please to God's loving ear.

DAY NINE

I strongly urge every one of you to make a Novena and pray the Rosary to Our Lady of Victory between October 27th and Election Day, November 4th. Pray that God’s will be done and the most innocent and utterly vulnerable of our brothers and sisters will be protected from this barbaric and grossly sinful blight on society that is abortion. No woman, and no man, has the right to choose to murder an innocent human being.

May God grant us the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and counsel to form our conscience in accordance with authentic Catholic teaching, and then vote that well-formed Catholic conscience.

God Bless You

Fr. John Corapi

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Family stickers....

I came across a blog with a cool family sticker at the bottom of their blog and started to play around with one of my own... Now this was a large family - they are expecting their eighth. So it never dawned on me that maybe my family would be TOO big to include everyone.

But it is! So I played a little more with it and then had a brilliant idea - I know I will make TWO stickers. One for the family still at home and one for the children that live away from home. That was working - until I posted it straight to blogger.... only to discover it would not fit on the side bar... And now the HTML was gone - forever. I would have to rebuild my family.

Well - I would just have to do it another day as my yeast was proofed by then and I neede to start adding flour to it.

But if you want to see if you have better luck than me just click here. Check back later - maybe I will have had some more spare time to play and will have a little family sticker down at the bottom of my blog - its the only area it is likely to fit!
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Novena Reminder from Father Corapi

Not too late to join in!

DAY EIGHT

I strongly urge every one of you to make a Novena and pray the Rosary to Our Lady of Victory between October 27th and Election Day, November 4th. Pray that God’s will be done and the most innocent and utterly vulnerable of our brothers and sisters will be protected from this barbaric and grossly sinful blight on society that is abortion. No woman, and no man, has the right to choose to murder an innocent human being.

May God grant us the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and counsel to form our conscience in accordance with authentic Catholic teaching, and then vote that well-formed Catholic conscience.

God Bless You

Fr. John Corapi

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Maternity leave...

Like so many mums who are expecting I have signed up for a few automated emails that tell me little facts about the baby, week by week. I enjoy seeing the estimated weight and length and learning other small details about the baby's development.

One list has a to do list for the mum to be, this weeks is the following:

YOUR WEEK 31 TO-DO LIST
Worried about taking months away from your job? Or fantasizing about it? Either way, we've got all you need to know about maternity leave right here.

Hmmm, as a stay at home mum I guess I would approach either Hugo, or maybe the children, about my maternity leave rights? Any suggestions?

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Novena Reminder from Father Corapi

DAY SEVEN

I strongly urge every one of you to make a Novena and pray the Rosary to Our Lady of Victory between October 27th and Election Day, November 4th. Pray that God’s will be done and the most innocent and utterly vulnerable of our brothers and sisters will be protected from this barbaric and grossly sinful blight on society that is abortion. No woman, and no man, has the right to choose to murder an innocent human being.

May God grant us the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and counsel to form our conscience in accordance with authentic Catholic teaching, and then vote that well-formed Catholic conscience.

God Bless You

Fr. John Corapi

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Baked Spaghetti

The other night I was a little desperate as to what we were going to do for dinner. My back, as everyone knows has been causing me problems and so I had not gone out yet this week to get groceries. So I went to the pantry and stared at the cupboards - feeling a little like Mrs Hubbard. However, I found more than a bone and gathered up the tomatoes, a single onion and a box of pasta. I then threw together the following sauce and, in short order, the whole family was filing by the kitchen door sniffing and asking what was that delicious smell. I had the sauce simmering in about 20 minutes and left the rest of the meal in the capable hands of one of my older children. I had been baking most of the day and my back really wanted to rest. When my two teen aged daughters and I were coming up for a menu for the upcoming week - we decided to use this recipe to make baked Spaghetti. The only change my children suggested after sampling the baked spaghetti was that I make a more sauce. Next time around I will try four cans and leave the spices as they are and see if they are happy with the results or if I need to adjust the spices to accommodate the increased volume. If any adjustments need to be made I will include them here.

Sauce:

2 medium large onions (or about 4 cups/ 900 ml diced)
2 table spoons garlic
fry in 4 tbsp olive oil on medium heat (8 on my stove) until translucent

Add the following spices

1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp thyme leaves
1/2 tsp crushed rosemary
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp celery salt

Add 3 cans of diced (or stewed) tomatoes (of the 28 oz variety) One of these cans typically has basil added. Once I add the three cans - I soup out the basil - but one could leave them in if they wished. (I am looking forward to the day when I have my own tomatoes put up and can then use them instead of canned.)

Then I puree it with my little hand held blender.

Turn the burner up and when it starts to bubble - turn it to simmer and cover.

While it is simmering - prepare your pasta of choice.

You can stop at this point and serve with your favourite rolls or bread and/or a salad and you have a delicious homemade dinner that took about 30 minutes to prepare from start to finish.




For Baked Spaghetti I prepare 4 bags of egg noodles of the wide variety ( 12 oz 340 gm bag) I like to use disposable pans as 1) the cheese hardens when baking and cleaning it is difficult and 2) I do not currently own two pans large enough to hold the complete recipe, something I hope to remedy soon with something that can stand a strong scrubbing to get the cheese off!

When the pasta is ready - I drain it, mix it with the sauce and divide evenly between the two pans (13.88"L X 9.63 W X 2.88" D ) and then we evenly divide a bag a 32 oz (8 cups) of mozzarella cheese over it. I bake at 350 until the cheese is well melted. (About 10 - 15 minutes.) I serve it with a green vegetable, usually broccoli and and, if available, rolls.

Serves 14 - 18 people and can possibly go a little further if there are lots of rolls/garlic bread and salad or green vegetables to stretch it out.

Photos of the preparation...

Onions with the garlic just added.

Just added all the spices to the onions.

Ready to puree with my hand held blender.

Pured and ready to be brought to a light bubbling and then left on simmer.

Steaming and ready to be mixed with the sauce that is still simmering on the stove.

Split into the two pans and waiting for the cheese.

Blanketed with the cheese, the children like me to mix some of the cheese in as well, but I have not done that here. Once I have done that - it not so white with cheese.

About 10 - 15 minutes later the cheese is nicely melted and the broccoli is ready.

Bon Appetit!

Cost:
Onions: less than a dollar (.50)
Garlic: less than a dollar (.50)

Tomatoes: 1.19 a can (3.57)
Pasta: 1.09 a bag (4.36)

Cheese: just under 8 dollars.

Approximate cost was about 17 dollars and we had a whole pan left over that we will be able to use tomorrow. There were 10 people eating at this meal. Add in the 4 dollars for the broccoli we had on the side and we ate for about 2 dollars a person tonight and we have leftovers available.

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Novena Reminder from Father Corapi

DAY SIX

I strongly urge every one of you to make a Novena and pray the Rosary to Our Lady of Victory between October 27th and Election Day, November 4th. Pray that God’s will be done and the most innocent and utterly vulnerable of our brothers and sisters will be protected from this barbaric and grossly sinful blight on society that is abortion. No woman, and no man, has the right to choose to murder an innocent human being.

May God grant us the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and counsel to form our conscience in accordance with authentic Catholic teaching, and then vote that well-formed Catholic conscience.

God Bless You

Fr. John Corapi

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