How is it....

... that at nine when it is time to pray and we have to turn the movie off, it is a life crisis for my four year old but when we are able to take a break and turn it back on - coming to see it has become a chore. Our announcment that "her" movie is back on is met with a sigh that could beat a piece of lead in its weight and she wearily responds with "ooookaay...."

Whatcha wanna bet though that if I turned it off - we would have another nervous breakdown on our hands.... Read more!

Sugar Bugs and four year olds...

Recently I introduced to Emma the concept that sugar, if not brushed off your teeth, can cause sugar bugs. It has not produced the result I was looking if her recent comments and questions are any indication.
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"Mamma, I need to feed my sugar bugs. You know the ones in my mouth."

"Mamma, can I have something to give to my sugar bugs."

"Mamma, I think my sugar bugs are hungry, I need to give them something right away."

"Mamma, can sugar bugs fly?"
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I wish Honey, I sure wish they could just fly away! Read more!

Has your vocaulary changed?

Have the past two weeks caused a change in your vocabulary? It has mine.

Where I used to ask, if I wanted to listen to the news:
"Would someone turn the radio on?"
I now say;
"Anybody care to turn Anna Nicole on?"

Anyone else out there experiencing a similar change in vocabulary? Read more!

I think we need to review...

...the meaning of the word sacrifice with Nathaniel.

Bethany: What are you giving up for Lent Tanny?

Nathaniel: Spicy stuff. Weally spicy stuff.

Bethany: But you don't LIKE spicy stuff.

Nathaniel: I know. That's why I'm giving it up. Read more!

Okay, so I can't spell!

Student; "Mummy, it says in my document that seminarian is spelt wrong, but I spelt it the way you had it."

me; "Oh, maybe I made a type o."

student; "A typoe o? But you wrote it, you didn't type it. "

me; "Oh!" Read more!

What do you do...

...when to your wondering eyes should appear a beautiful, somewhat large, wild brown bird with sharp eyes and an equally sharp beak. And it is on the mirror of your dresser. And in front of the dresser is.... one of your cats. The one who is particularly good at hunting mice.

However, this bird is clearly out of your cat's league as the devastation that slowly meets your eye professes. The dresser is all but cleared of its decor, and the prayer basket filled with bible and notes is upturned beside the bed. Milo sits there in the midst of the pillage, tail switching not willing to accept defeat.

To add to the stress of the moment, the 22 month old wanders in. Clearly it is time for decisive action. So what did I do?

Scooped up cat and baby and unceremoniously dumped both outside the bedroom door and slammed door closed before they had time to react and leaned against it, and eyeballed this 10 inch sized brown bird. Sensing a foe more to its equal, said bird panicked and dive bombed me before landing on the door frame. I hastily retreated to the middle of the room and had a light bulb moment.

Quickly I pulled up the venitian blinds and opened the top window where there was no screen. My lovely guest felt, rather than saw the opening as fresh cool air flowed into the room. He swooped about searching the source of the temperature change and suddenly he was gone, free as a ... bird.

Guessing that nobody would believe this adventure I had the wits to capture a picture of my guest on his favourite perch. My mirror. And if you don't believe me, see for yourself below! Read more!

Read more!

A Lenten Project...

We have a grapevine wreath that we have filled with round tooth picks that replicate the thorns that Jesus' head was pieced with. Within the crown of thorns are flowers.

Throughout Lent when someone in our family does a kind deed (act of charity) or does says some extra prayers, they may remove a thorn from this crown and place it on the cross which will be next to our crown of thorns.

This cross will help us to focus during Lent on how Jesus died for us and took our sins upon himself. Slowly throughout the fourty days of fasting and prayer that our Church will be engaged in, it is hoped that we will completely remove all these thorns from the crown and by Easter perhaps the Cross will be filled with them, and Jesus will have a beautiful crown of flowers. Each thorn that we remove is replaced by a flower that represents the act of charity or perhaps an act of penance that we have completed.

To help inspire us as to what kind of things we might do as acts of charity or penance we have two decorated jars on the same table. One is labeled with Corporal Acts of Mercy and the other Spiritual Acts of Mercy. Within the jar of Corporal acts will be chores that not done on a regular basis such as wash the white wood work on the stairs. Wash the two door frames in the dining room. Within our jar of spiritual works of mercy will be various prayers that people can pray as well as suggestions of people to pray for; perhaps a friend who is ill, someone we know who is looking for work as well as the many priests we know.

Once it is completly set up, I will update this photo or post a second photo, so drop by again soon.

I pray you will all have a Holy lent.

Read more!

Oh say it isn't so...

Not yet two, Elsa now responds to most comments and requests with ...

WHY?

It's time to change your diapers, Elsa.
Why?
Because they are stinky.
Elsa gets up to change diapers.

Elsa, lets go eat.
Why?
Because it's time to eat.
Elsa gets up to go eat.

Elsa, put your book up please.
Why?
Because I want you to.
Elsa puts book on shelf.

Thankfully she has not yet advanced to Emma's level of why...

Emma: "Momma why is that boy crying?" She points to the little boy behind us in the check out line at the doctor's office.
Momma: "Oh, I guess he is sick."
Emma; "Oh, why is he sick."
Momma: "I'm not sure. I guess he got some germs."
Emma: "Oh WHY? WHY did the little boy get germs Momma?"
Momma: "Ummm, maybe he didn't wash his hands?"
Emma: "But why didn't he wash his hands Momma?
Momma: "I don't know Emma, why do YOU think he didn't wash his hands?"
Emma: " I don't know Momma, Why, why didn't he wash his hands, why is he sick Momma?
Momma: Sighs heavily and wishes little boy had washed his hands and was not sick and was not crying and trys to change subject. "Look Emma, there's a picture of pretty girl with some kittens."
Emma: "Oh she is pretty. Why does she have three kittens Momma. Why?

Now that I think about it, I guess I know why Elsa now says why to almost everything I say or ask... she is spending too much time with her big sister Emma. Read more!

What makes Momma a nice momma?

Emma: Momma, can I have some candy pleeeease? Pleeeease Momma?

Momma: Emma! No! It's too early in the morning. You still have to eat your breakfast. What kind of momma would I be if I gave you candy before breakfast.

Emma: A nice momma! A really nice momma!

I was tempted... very tempted. Read more!

Have I become disposable?

Recently Elsa, not quite two, climbed up on my lap and wrapped her arms around my waist, leaned into me as if to cuddle. Then she quickly rubbed her face back and forth rapidly. She stopped, flashed a grin at me and then quickly rubbed her face back and forth once more against my shirt. Seemingly satisfied with this quick cuddle she slid off my lap and was off to play once more.

Puzzled, I wondered if perhaps she liked how soft the shirt was that I was wearing. Then I glanced down and all was revealed. I had simply been used as a kleenex... Read more!

This afternoon as I addressed an envelope with notes, drawings and some stickers that one of my younger children was sending to some friends of hers in a nearby town, I thought to myself 'why don't I surprise their mum with a note'? After all, the kids are enjoying receiving mail in the mailbox; why should they be the only ones to enjoy this? Of late, my children have been receiving mail from friends who live in various states and that satisfying rip of the envelope simply can not be reproduced by clicking the mouse and seeing a number representing how many emails you have. Then I thought why stop at one friend, I have a few friends that might enjoy that nice feeling of a thick envelope that does not bear the address of the local utility company. And why, I asked myself, should my pretty snowflake stamps be wasted on only bills? Why not also use them to grace an envelope bearing good cheer and happy tidings?

I pulled out a stack of unlined paper and searched my desk for the pen that had just been there and began. There was a very satisfying feeling as blue letters flowed across the page and I found myself writing:

"I decided to write to you the old fashioned way, with ink and paper" and as I wrote that a thought struck me. How can this actually be so old fashioned when only a few short years ago this was still the principle means of communication, after the phone of course. Following this was another thought - will it soon come to pass that relatives will no longer find bundles of letters tied with a faded ribbon, forgotten in an old desk that had belonged to Grampa? Will instead our descendants find lost and damaged hard drives kicking around in the dusty corners of attics or basements, with only the most intuitive relative thinking that there just might be communications saved on that ancient piece of machinery. And, if they are able to retrieve anything at all off that hard drive - will they be letters, or saved emails and chats?

I love this era of emails and instant messaging, as well as the ease of being able to backspace when I realize I have left off an e, or missed a word entirely. I was not able to easily remedy these mistakes as I wrote my notes to a variety of friends this morning. But while I appreciate the wonder and practicality of this modern means of communications, it has dawned on me that if I do not make an effort to send the occasional "snail mail", and unless I save and print off most of my emails to my children, extended family and friends a valuable piece of family history will be lost.

Not even this blog is assured of perpetual existence. Thankfully I have saved most of my articles that I have written, but already this piece of our family history is divided between two hard drives. Should I print them off, tie them with a ribbon and stick them in the far corner of a desk drawer? Or perhaps I should download them onto a CD and carefully preserve them this way? And unless I label the CD and the jewel case carefully; should a great granddaughter find what will surely seem, to her, to be an 'ancient' means of keeping information, she might decide throw this useless old CD out.

However, if I print off the essays and articles I have written, even if the ink has faded and the paper yellowed and the dust causes her to sneeze uncontrollably; that faded ribbon will signify to her to that something of value is wrapped within. Read more!

Mid Week Post!

Elsa: "Heavy breathing as she reaches up and grasps mummy's neck. Grunts with effort to heave herself up onto mummy's lap. "
Mummy: "Feels like Mount Rushmore, eh? Getting up here!"
Elsa: answers with a breathless "Yeah!"
Mummy: Wonders if skipping the bike ride this morning was such a good idea after all, given Elsa's quick yes! Then quickly comforts herself with the thought that a 22 month old does not know, after all, what Mount Rushmore is. Read more!

How goes your day...

...when the majority of your children become ill and you have not yet managed to route them all through your new doctors office that insists on "well check ups" before your children fall ill.

Mine goes something like this:

Wake up squeezed between coughing, hacking babies and roll quickly out of the way of the one gaging on the mucus in her throat.

Get partially dressed, opting to stay in jammie bottoms to save time.

Organize cleaning party with those still healthy enough to clean, so as to clean up from supper last night since everyone was too tired to clean up last night.

Blow a kiss good bye to husband as he escapes to the office.

Call and cancel visit to friends house, realizing that bringing this plague to their house would be a good way to wreck a blooming friendship. Promise to pray the Rosary at about 2 pm when we would have been able to pray together.

Smile admiringly as proud son shows you the large bowl of pudding he has just finished whipping and then swallow back sarcatic remark when the bowl flips over and out of his hands. Whince as he lifts the bowl up and try not to think about how much milk is sitting there in that large dark chocolate mountain, slowly ebbing from the kitchen floor out onto the dining room floor.

Chase down 20 month old and with help from other kids wrestle her to the ground so as to change her and while you are at it - clean her nose.

Plug cell phone in so it can charge while you wait for the Doctor on call to call back - for your 20 year old son. You haven't dared call the pediatricans office yet to try and determine which of the ones who have not yet had their well check ups can actually be seen.

While in kitchen spooning up jello and pudding for those too ill to swallow anything thicker than liquid you miss cell phone call from Doctor because somehow the setting on the cell phone has switched to auto voicemail after 2 rings. Maybe the fact that the 20 month old is forever pushing the buttons on the phone can explain this mysterious change in settings?

Call office back and ask if the Doctor would mind calling again...

Chase down 20 month old again, and with help from other kids wrestle her to the ground so as to change her and while you are at it - clean her nose - again. Jump back when she gags on mucus....

After fielding second call from a very patient Doctor, you get a call from your husband asking if he should still go into the hospital for his out patient proceedures scheduled for Monday as his throat is starting to hurt. You pull out paperwork and look up reasons for postponing - there in bold letters is "fever, sore throat, cold symtoms."

Sighing, you offer to call the hospital for him and several calls later the surgeon decides that your husband should continue fasting and call in the morning if he is not feeling better, at which time he will call in antibiotics in case he has Strep like the 20 year old son does... but please, if possible, do not call during church hours... Hmmm, I actually liked that, so I asked what time he attended church and duely wrote it down.

Chase down twenty month old and beg her to eat just a little of the chocolate pudding you have served her. She looks at it and than looks at you and says "catpoo!" You offer her butterscotch pudding and meet with success until she gags on more mucus and decides she is full.

Later, much later, you remember to call husband and tell him to keep fasting. Your 20 year old reminds you that his prescription is still waiting to be picked up at the pharmacy. Thankfully you remember, as you grab the keys off the mantle, the decision you made early this morning as a time saving mechanism and go change into a pair of pants before leaving...

So how was your day? Read more!