wishing I had time to write

a decent personal post about how life is like as a mum of 13 who is still unpacking from the move in July and trying to get the school room set up in time to start school by Labour Day.
But to give you an idea of why this has not really been possible - I will share with you a brief break down of how some of my days go. Now not all days are as crazy like this - but some weeks seem to have more than their share of crazies!

6 am got up

got Noah up and asked him to walk dog.

got little girls up

got Teddy and Nathaniel up...

Woke Gabriela (Anna was away babysitting our grand daughter Lydia)

Back to little girls' room and pulled dresses out of closet and despite that the high which will be in the high twenties possibly low 30s (or about 100 F) we need sweaters or long sleeves for the 7 am Mass.

got everyone dressed and hair brushed and up

Gathered laundry to put on at the old rectory as there is no hook up here (that we have yet to discover anyway....)

Deposited * put on laundry as we walked to Mass

7 am
Attended Mass

Talked to Barbara about joining the Y and a guest pass for today

7:40
Stopped at Rectory to switch wash to dryer.

Ate Breakfast

10 to 8
Hugo left for work

worked on insurance paper work until 9 am and got it ready to take to the office in the afternoon while girls are at piano lessons in L...

Then worked until 11 am coming up with a menu and recipes and shopping list

Kids had snack

11:30
out to buy groceries and pick up prescription

Met a parishioner while there and as she walked away she called back to thank me for some shirts I gave her - I stared at her blankly and she thanked me again, but as she was still yet further from me I really could not hear her. Wondered when I gave HER a shirt and just how bad is my memory getting???
(Turns out I gave them to her sister who gave them to her...)

2:00 pm Much to the horror of the little ones only now do I get back from buying groceries - we are supposed to already be at the Y - for at least an hour now!

realized Hugo had left w/o lunch and had a small breakfast so I made him lunch to drop off at school but this would require back tracking on the way to the Y - kids started to get worried we would not make it there today

Chopped up ingredients for Crock Pot Pea soup & put it on to simmer while we are out... BOY - were we looking forward to homemade pea soup tonight

drove out to school on way to Y to drop off Hugo's lunch, stopping for 15 dollars gas on the way and was still on empty after... Gas is just too pricy!

Called Piano teacher to say we will miss one of the three lessons as we are really behind schedule AND only two of the three girls in lessons are home anyway...

dropped off Hugo's lunch and FINALLY got to Y ONLY to discover that Miss Cecilia has huge poopy diaper which she followed up with a huge melt down while we struggled to change her diapers... In the process we discovered that our HUGE OVERSTUFFED diaper bag had not ONE wipe in it... what's with that?

Older kids heave collective sigh of relief when I release them give them permission to go to the pool...

Emma and I talked about gratitude and appreciating the splash pad even though she clearly wants to go back to the pool where she played the day before with another family... and she was not taking no for an answer - so I had to spell it out very clearly what this meant. Splash pad with a smile or EVERYONE leaves Y to go home... Emma quickly saw how unpopular this would make her and plastered a smile on her little pixie face that soon became genuine once she was actually on the splash pad.

An adult guest showed up on Splash Pad and pulled some kiddy toys out the beach bag and

suggested kids throw balls on splash pad... I told them in Spanish to not do so... they understand (YIPPEE) and stop trying to throw balls in the splash buckets!

The guest asked (sounding miffed) if I don't want them to play with the toys s/he brought... I say "not here as there are other kids who could get hit." S/he seems fine with that. Chats with me for a while and goes back to pool...

HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF

35 minutes later I realized we were going to be extra late for piano lesson after already telling teacher we will be miss first lesson of the three scheduled

started to gather up kids from around the splash pad and then strapped baby into stroller - she protested

hauled kids through pool area searching for 1 blond and several brunet heads in the pool

3:20 get text from Hugo

"Are you picking me up???"

Huh - I thought he was driving back with the nuns....

I text back "in 10 minutes???"

20 minutes later I finally was able to pick him up

3:40 realized we are only going to get one class in out of three and there is no way I am getting the paper work I completed this AM dropped off... so I did the most sensible thing possible. Pulled out a stamp and put the envelope in a mail box. But I am getting ahead of myself...

Got home, dropped off kids

picked up piano books

take off for L...

Drop girls off at the teacher's house

drove to the dollar store to buy ice cream for Noah and this is when I really mailed the paper work!

drove back for the girls

Then we visited with Ash for about 10 minutes and headed home

Walked in & drew in deep delicious smells of the simmering crock pot soup.

Asked Hugo how his presentation went

Checked on soup only to discover I forgot to put the lid on - note dear readers that crock pots DON'T COOK WELL w/o their lid so soup was was not even close to being ready and it was 6:30....

Changed menu around so that tomorrows lunch of canned soup became todays supper - and the home made soup for lunch tomorrow

Got kids to do chores

Eat supper

Joked around with Ashely, our DIL who is living with us.

Hugo and I had a talk with one of the children about a problem they were having.

I watched end of Little Mermaid with the little girls

The I bribed them that if they got ready for bed they could watch Cinderella...

8:3o pm
Noah, Gabriela, Bethany and I gathered books for library and headed off with baby in tow in her nephew's stroller (Which she loves. I am not sure Alexander will get to use it much - I might have to buy him a new one :)

Got Bethany a library card

We all picked out some books and a few movies

Everyone got books signed out ASAP cause library was closing in ten minutes

Walked home in the dark - kinda cool (Only about 3 - 4 blocks away from our house)

9:30pm Told Hugo and Kids I was heading to bed ASAP as I had missed a few days of my Thyroid meds (thats what I picked up this am) and needed to rest to make sure I don't lose my milk for Cecilia.
BUT then I checked my email - saw email from oldest daughter Aimee and suddenly I was about 26 minutes late for bed as I just HAD to write back immediately!

Whew - I bet you all thought it was going to be some sort of super mom post, didn't you? But now that you have read about what a crazy day for me is like - you have seen just how normal life with a family of nine at home really is. Still - when you add in all of the unpacking I am typically adding into my day, and a sick baby the past week you can understand why posting just hasn't been happening as regularly!

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An excellent book...

about Mary... but don't take my word for it. Instead hear what MinnesotaMom has to say about it. Myself - I intend to buy me a copy as soon as hubbie gets his first pay cheque! Unless, of course, someone would like to buy me a copy sooner. If you would like to meet author Meredith HENNING click here.

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Walking the walk and not just talking the talk!

In the past year we have seen some well known Catholic Colleges take actions that flew in the face of their Catholic Heritage - so it is wonderful when we have the opportunity to see a Catholic School uphold the teachings of the church and incorporate them in their policies.

Recently Belmont Abbey College was advised by the EEOC that they have been found to be discriminating against female employees as the University's current health plan will not cover abortion, prescription birth control or sterilization.

According to President Thierfelder "As a Roman Catholic institution, Belmont Abbey College is not able to and will not offer nor subsidize medical services that contradict the clear teaching of the Catholic Church,... There was no other course of action possible if we were to operate in fidelity to our mission and to our identity as a Catholic college."

To read Belmont Abbey's full response to this accusation - click here.
To respectfully express your concern or support for Belmont Abbey's religious freedom to choose the health plan that reflects our Catholic values, you can write to:

Reuben Daniels, Jr.,
EEOC Charlotte District Office Director
129 West Trade Street
Suite 400
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
fax: 704-344-6734
or call 1 800 669 8000

You can also write to:

Stuart Ishimaru,
Chairman, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
131 M Street, NE
Washington, DC 20507

An email address is also available info@eeoc.gov
phone numbers available for this location are:
1 202 669 4900
& TTY 1 202 669 4494

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March of Dimes

We have all heard of March of Dimes - but have we all heard how pro abortion they are despite their claims of being neutral in the controversy? Read this article from Rockforlife and have your eyes opened before you make a future donation to an organization that is clearly pro-death if you are less than perfect in the womb.

Please note that comments, while open, are moderated. There are two simple rules for your comments to be approved for this post.

1) You can not post ANONYMOUSLY - if you leave an anonymous comment - it will not be posted. If you do not have a google account - you must at least leave a first name and an initial for your last name.
2) Whether you are leaving a positive or negative reaction to this post - you must be polite.

Rudeness will not be tolerated so if you can not be polite and have not the courage of your convictions to sign your name to your comment - you will not be heard - not on this blog. Thank you for your co-operation.

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Prayer of a Parent for a Departing Soldier

Prayer of a Parent for a Departing Soldier

Father all-powerful and ever-loving God,
from before we were born,
your love has nurtured and sustained us.
Hear my prayer for N., my son/daughter.
Keep him/her safe in time of battle
and faithful to you, day in and day out.
Bring him/her safely home to those who love him/her.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Prayers courtesy of:
Committee on the Liturgy
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194

One of my favorite pictures of Miguel Alexander from his sister's wedding - 3 summers ago.
Today Miguel leaves for Military Prep School in Columbus SC, then it's off to train as a Calvary Scout in Kentucky, then Air Borne Training in Georgia. His wife, Ashley, moved in with us this weekend. She is expecting their first child, Alexander Ryan, this coming fall. Last week she went into premature labour - leading us all to decide she needed to live with us for the next few months - until Miguel finishes his training. Please keep us all in your prayers as we adjust to this HUGE change in our lives. Especially keep Ashely and her unborn child in her prayers as she continues to need oral meds to keep her from labouring.

THANK YOU, as always for your prayers.

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Have a chuckle...

compliments of Here we are . Click here to read his incisive post as to why men don't live as long as women.


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Sunday Snippits

I joined this Catholic Group some time ago. But have been so busy I have not had time to create a Sunday Snippit most Sundays since then. But here is my Sunday Snippit for this Sunday. Read more!

Oh my...

Oh My is actually the title of the post I am linking to. And this is exactly what I found myself saying in my head as I read... Oooh My! Especially the part about answering the same question again and agan. I recently told my children that I thought that maybe they should form a "question committee" so as to avoid being the inevitable child who receives a growled answer to the 10th rendition of the same question. At least one child was insulted by this slightly tongue in cheek suggestion while others laughed. You guessed it - the one insulted was the child recovering from a growled response. But ooooh my! Go read what Sister Faustina would say about my 'question committee" & equanimity! Perhaps I need to locate a copy of this book.

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Is it 1984

or 2009? Perhaps George Orwell was only off in the choice of his title of Nineteen Eighty-four. Perhaps it should have been Two Thousand and Nine.


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A great idea

...should always be shared. Something we will be taking into consideration in our home - click here to see what I am thinking about.


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Price of admission - 25 cents

I am used to the little ones coming up to me and asking if I might have a spare nickel, dime quarter or even just a penny. Typically my pockets are empty and so I apologize and keep moving. So it was today that I did not really take notice when the little girls asked me if I had a quarter on me until later when I over heard them complaining bitterly that NO ONE had a quarter and so they could not buy a ticket to get into their brothers room.

"What!?" I exclaimed. "You have to pay to get into the boys room?"

"Yes." They sighed heavily, "and no one had a quarter that we can use to buy a ticket." I was sorely tempted to call the boys bluff by finding each of the girls a quarter - yet I could not bring myself to reward the boys' behaviour with money.

I just know there was a brilliant solution to this scenario but I was not feeling particularly brilliant today given I finally succumbed to taking pain medication for my back that left me almost pain free but ... brainless. Read more!

Prayer Request

Today I see the Dermatologist and have the biopsies completed. Keep me in your prayers please! Cindy D is driving me and Peggy is watching the majority of the children. Anna is in Belmont watching her niece and Gabriela will come with me and help with the baby. It will be a full day.

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Life imitiating ...life

There has been a friendship blossoming between two children: a young lady who is not yet 7 and a young man who is also in the single digits. But of late my darling daughter has begun to complain that her newly found friend was avoiding her and she was bitterly disappointed as she has not yet made many friends her own age.

Then today she came to me all excited.
"Mummy - now I know why 'X' doesn't want to play with me these days. "
Before I could ask why she burst forth with the explanation.
"Its because I talk so much, he said. He just wants to play but I just talk, talk, talk!", her hands flew in added demonstration of how she just talks, talks, talks!
Before I could commiserate she rushed to tell me: "So now I know what to do - talk less!" With that she flew away to practicing playing... with less talking.

Hmmm - this might be a challenge for this little one of mone - there is a reason her father has nick named her motor mouth...
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Choosing Life...

I would like to share a link to a very special post - written by a mother who has walked the talk - not just talked. Her post says it all - so I will not say another word but just send you right over to her post.

Hope to be back posting regularly soon. We are s l o w l y settling in. Thanks to you to all who have been praying for us - a move is so stressful, along with a new job. My back is continuing to trouble me and I can not get a referral to my chiropractor as my family doctor I have recently learned does not believe in Chiropractic care of any kind... so please keep that in your prayers.

I also need prayers for courage please as I have to go see a dermatologist to have three biopsies done and will have to go alone. It is a one hour drive one way - due to our move... please keep me in your prayers. I dislike driving to new places intensely and am not particularly fond of doctors and especially dislike meeting new ones... Thank you again for all of your prayers!
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To support this ad go here.


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Where did mum2twelve - now a bakers dozen dissapear to?

Well - after washing all that laundry at my friends house - mother nature saw fit to wash our beautiful earth and in the process knocked our Internet connection out. At the same time my husbands cell phone took a dying breath gasped and gave up the ghost - literally. All of his contacts went with it... (As in they were on a card that was readable on his phone....)

We were waiting patiently for his new phone and once it arrived... we needed the INTERNET to activate the phone and we needed the phone to call the IT guy about the Internet... took a while but we got this vicious cycle beat and here I am!

But I'm just too busy to blog today - so a quick hello to you all! I will be back with an important link - tomorrow. Now I am off the run errands, errands and more errands!


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Many thanks to...

...to Good Remedy for allowing us all to hang at her house ALL day and for a good portion of the evening so we could roll out load after load of clean laundry! We currently do not have a washer and dryer hook up so lets look at the math:

(nine kids + two adults) X (no laundry facilities) = countless baskets of laundry

Peggy - what would I do without you ?


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Prayer request

My good friend Dorry is in GHANA with her family. Dorry and I have been friends since we moved to the US twelve and half years ago. Her son, Charles, was one of my second daughter's best friends and was in her wedding party.

This is a once in a life time opportunity for Dorry and her family. Please keep them in their prayers as they travel and enjoy the country of her husband's origins. Pray for peace (we all know how stressful traveling can be - heck sometimes I have a nervous breakdown shepherding everyone to the library - never mind flying halfway across the world!) safety and good health. After all who wants a summer cold on the trip of a life time. Tony and Dorry both work full time, while raising their large family and really deserve this lovely vacation.

How moving it must be for Tony to show his children his birth place. I am sitting here listening to a Ghana radio station to get a feel for what the kids and Dorry are experiencing - sound wise. However, the Internet has not yet come up with a way for one to experience the smells or climate of a foreign country. So I am depending on photos and my imagination to participate vicariously in my friends' journey to the other side of the earth.

Jenny and Charles, after she tied the knot with John!

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Quote of the day

Elsa (4) "Daddy, can I help wash the dishes? There are plenty of them to wash..."
The 'plenty of them ' was added in an emphatic tone as if to convince him to share his sacred toy with her.

Question of the day - will she still be asking that in her teens?

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what is our newest addition doing these days

• pointing at everything with her index finger, carefully checking it out before then grasping the object and stuffing it in her mouth.

• staring intently at any and all food as it leaves our plates and enters our mouths, often grabbing at the food.

• practicing with the intensity of a soldier under heavy fire - the combat crawl. Occasionally her bottom wags up in the air and she steadies herself for one or two 'steps' forward on her knees and hands and then her bottom wiggles wildly and she topples over and continues to 'soldier' on to her goal.

• grabbing 9 year old Nataniel red hair and pulingl it with all her might, as often as she can. She seems to love Elsa's red locks with the same intensity. Both deserves medals for their patience with her for this 'lovin' she heaps on them whenever they are in grabbing distance.

• has one little tooth peeking out of her tiny pink gums on the bottom.

• when not chewing on her toes, she is chewing on her fingers and sometimes concentrating on her thumb - naughty girl!

• is the object of the intense love of all her siblings, especially those at home who are enjoying her goofy grins, shining blue eyes that follow you with love and the energy that radiates from her as she concentrates on picking something up and then gumming it to death.
  

We are all so grateful for this lovely little addition to our family who is just a little over six months old. Thank you Jesus for our little darling baby and all of my other twelve blessings!

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day dreaming

A girl can dream, can't she?

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Bleary eyed...

...tired and too fatigued to even think of a post worthy of my audience taking the time to read so I will just wish you all abundant blessings on this day!

I'll be back as soon as I can muster the energy. Maybe I should go look for my vitamins. I'm sure they're in a box somewhere around here....

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Today we

...walked to Mass and were not late!

This afternoon we visited with new neighbors, walked to the library which was closed - but that was okay because today I learned what one of my favorite trees is called and got to know my neighbor just a little better. Old friends and fellow parishioners stopped by - all with a helping hand extended.

Some children went to a movie while another won a water fight deemed a "war" so proclaimed by the loser! (Sorry Peg!) Yet another family came to dinner bringing homemade lemonade with them.

Tonight we have little ones tucked in bed, while the adults and older children enjoy steaming hot mugs of tea and delicious thick slices of pound cake that the same neighbor brought over for us.

Never have we ever felt so welcome! Life is good and God is gracious....


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moving update

Last night I thought I was going to lose it and either I called Peggy or Peggy called me... and she asked if I would like her to pick up pizza for dinner. TOTALLY!

Today she passed by twice and the last time gave me the hug I badly needed. Earlier she dropped off clothes for Cecilia who is rapidly growing out of hers. She then took away laundry with her. 'Peggy you totally ROCK!' (I promise not to give away your email address as I am sure many of my readers are thinking 'I need a Peggy in my life!')

Somehow, between God's graces (thank you to all of you who are praying) and Peggy's cheerful smile as she looks at the towering mess and assures me that we are making progress, I am holding it together.

Sad to say - the piano is still safely tucked away .... in the OLD HOUSE! We simply did not have enough man power to try and move it and we absolutely don't want anyone getting hurt in the process. I tell you though - it was the but of many a joke throughout the day as we all pondered how to haul it over here. My washer and dryer are taking a well deserved vacation - also in the old house... and even once they are moved over here... they might still be in hiatus for a while as, GASP, there does not appear to be a washer and dryer hook up. This might be easily remedied and then again - it might not. Feel free to pray... please!

In addition to these important members of our household... there are all kinds of odds and ends still tucked away that must be dug out, boxed and brought... home. That has a nice ring to it. It is starting to feel like home.

And now I must toddle away to bed where I will say a few prayers, thanking God for the graces received, the friends He has brought our way, the lovely home He has provided and then I will ask for safety for all who are helping tomorrow as well as inspiration as how to move that dang pianer!


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About half way there

Today we make possibly the last push to our move... a number of people are coming today with trucks to help us move the larger items. We hope to move the washer, dryer fridge and GASP the P I A N O ! Please add your prayers to mine. The idea of moving the piano is frightening!

Pray for safety for all involved as we load, drive it 30 minutes to the new location and then unload it again. Anyone know a good piano tuner - I think we are going to need a tune up after this!

I think we will move Sam today, so please keep him in your prayers as well. Moving is very stressful to him! (Ha - who isn't stressed by a move, eh? Ask Cecilia about moving stress and she will tell you how its waking her up at 2 am and causing her to cry for half an hour before falling back to sleep in her parents' exhausted arms!)

As always - thank you in advance for your prayers. Look for pictures to come... eventually. I'm just a little disorganized right now.

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When someone else has ...

...said it so well - why say it all over again. Take heed mamas and maybe papas too. When you don't get sufficent beauty rest - suffice to say it is not just one's beauty that suffers but your mood can get kinda ugly too. Thanks Jennie for the link to this post by Dawn.

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Day dreaming...

Cecilia recently celebrated her 1/2 birthday and I am thinking of splurging on a gift for her and I to share. We are still using her boppy pillow and in fact if she is fussing for me and we tell her to get her boppy pillow she instantly starts smiling because then she knows she is going to get to sit with mummy and nurse. The cover on our current boppy is well... faded and becoming stained.

Tell me what you think of this lovely cover? While it only has three reviews they are very positive! I thought about making one - but by the time you pay for the pattern, buy the material and then actually find the time to make one - you really are no further ahead than if you just plopped down your 19.95 plus S&H, don't you think? And it seems I'm not the only blogging mama who likes her boppy to be pretty and comfortable. When I look at that tiny baby sleeping in his boppy pillow I have to wonder was Cecilia ever really that little that she was once able to do that too?
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A stroll down memroy's lane...

Enjoy a post I wrote - was it really four years ago? Where has the time gone? The child who was the baby of the family at the time is now four and is an aunt, as well as a big sister. In fact she is enjoying being a big sister so much she is hoping maybe we will have another baby - this time a boy. I made no promises but told her that before she knows it - she will have another niece or nephew. As much as she loves her little niece - she wasn't going for it.

Ah well - here is a post you might enjoy again - or for a first time - originally written way back in August of 2005.
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Freedom

"Freedom is not just something with which we are born; it is something we achieve. America did not receive a perpetual endowment of freedom; it has had to struggle and fight to preserve it. Freedom is not an heirloom or an antique; it is a life that must fight against the corrosive powers of death and nourish itself on the daily bread of goodness and virtue.",
Cardinal Fulton Sheen Read more!

A must read ...

...for those of us who live in hurricane highway, tornado alley and anywhere else severe weather could leave you high and dry - sans food, drinking water, electricity etc. Jenni experienced something of the sort last winter just before the birth of her baby - and we were without electricity for five days when Emma was 2 months old - in the dead of winter after a severe ice storm. SO without further adieu I send you over to Jenni's so you can see what she has to say on the matter.
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Happy Independence Day

We ask the Patron Saint of the America's to pray for the U.S.A on its day of Independence.




Here are some of my favorite spots that we have visited over the past seven years while traveling for business.






Saint Augustine, Florida
(picture from here)

Columbus, Ohio - during the Christmas Season as we loved the block long nativity scene they put up every year!
(Picture from here)

Charleston, South Carolina
(Picture from Charleston Visitor Bureau)

And finally one of our most favorite spots is almost in our own back yard, about an hour and half away in the mountains.

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Small Successes

1) Hugo and I taught a successful seminar on the 30th (Tuesday of this week)

2) I finished my CD for the seminar and we successfully labeled and burned 30 copies of it.

3) Successfully packed ONE whole book shelf so that I have at least one that is completely empty. We have packed about 10 boxes of books, but so far only one bookshelf is completely empty. It is so restful to glance at one that is totally empty and know eventually they all will be empty.

4) And last, but not least, plugging on despite a ranging headache that just makes me want to cry. It is very tempting to give in and give up! But several boxes of clothes have joined the boxes of books... Like someone afraid of heights trying to climb a ladder or tree - I just simply must not look down, but look ahead! And PRAY! I must pray - quietly in my head all day "Lord - Help me, Mary - please pray for me!"

ignore that blamed darn read more that I can't figure out to get rid of.

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learning to sit

Sometimes we leaned too far back... with predictible results!

Ooops! This time we leaned too far forward!

This time we got it just right!

And sometimes when we got it just right we were able to enjoy such delights as a flower with our sister, Bethany!






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three good kids for sale...

I picked up an excellent bargain while in the mountains last week and, NO, I will not resell them for they are too priceless!





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Now we begin to pack....

This morning we begin to do some serious packing with me actually involved. I have tried not to stress out over the number of boxes being packed the past week with who knows what and stacked here and there through out the house. The plan is to begin moving a little into the house each day. Its going to be hot, hectic and hopefully fun too. We are all excited about moving to this new house. It needs some work but we are not afraid of work. This house is owned by our parish and they want to sell it to help add to the new building fund campaign so every little repair we make we will see as a gift to our parish.

Fellow parishioners will be helping us to move as well and everyone so far has been excited to hear we are moving to the same city as the church. I have not yet arranged for Internet at the new house and sadly the company we have been with for the past three years is not yet available in the area. So I am not sure what we will be doing for Internet. I might be blogging from the local library so in anticipation of that I will post some scheduled postings which due to time constraints will mostly be pictures from our recent trip to the mountains.

Stay tuned for Internet details....
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Happy Canada Day

We have often enjoyed watching the change of the guard as we lived in Ottawa for years.

One of my favorite views - from my dad and step mums back yard! They have a bread and breakfast in New Brunswick and it is a beautiful place to visit.

And here are a few links you can visit to see some pretty places I have either lived in or visited with Hugo, when we lived in Canada.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA

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Today...

... is the day! Counting down hours now instead of weeks and days! Hugo and I will pack up the van with the equipment (projectors, computer, screen etc) this afternoon, have an early dinner with the kids and then head off to set up around 5 pm.

Again... prayers please! And thank you in advance!

News Flash...Update..... News Flash...Update.....News Flash...Update.....News Flash...

Twenty Two CDs burnt, labeled and in their sleeves, 8 more already burned waiting to be labeled with our new lightscribe. Will provide a photo of the CD when I remember where I placed my camera for safe keeping. (Excuse me... Saint Anthony - I have a rather urgent request! Could you please pray with me that I find this camera SOON!)

This accomplishment is due to not just a little thanks to my good friend Peggy who has come to my rescue more than once when it was time to print something for our seminars. After playing email tag for a while yesterday afternoon as we emailed the document back and forth until I was happy with the resulting pdf file. Then she graciously offered to keep a pot of decaf coffee in the offing in case my burner did not work and I needed to go to her house to burn the 30 CDs. This, despite two sleepless nights in a row due to a teething toddler! Thank you Peg!

Tonight S.I.T , in a near by town, hosts our seminar. Continue to pray please! Again - thank you in advance!


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Tomorrow...

drum roll please.... Tomorrow is our first English Seminar. I have heard a rumor circulating that a local tv news team has been invited to view our seminar. No pressure there.... I'm totally cool with that! Not a problem... really!

Okay so I'm a liar - any volunteers to take my place? I'm a good coach & I could have you ready by 5 pm tomorrow night - Honest! Oops forgot I just admitted that I'm a liar!

Prayers PLEASE!

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chillin'

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An award!

for little old me! Now I have to share 7 things about myself you are not likely to know and then I'm to pick 7 other creative blogs! Hmmmm.... I have some work cut out for me. But as I am still swamped with trying to burn and label 35 cds for our seminar this will have to wait but I was so tickled about being give an award that I just had to share the surprising news. Thank you Squelly and if you have not met her yet - pop on over and check her out!

Stay tuned for 7 unknown facts about me and 7 nominations for this fun award!
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our babies are growing....

Enjoying a leg of lamb in May

Cooling off in Daddy's arms with a little water sprinkled on her by her oldest brother, Jonathan on Father's Day

Time for bed. Baby boys need their beauty rest if they are to grow in strength and size.
Night Night Blaze!

There is only one month, almost to the day, between Cecilia and Blaze who are now 5.5 months and 4.5 months. (In the picture of Blaze he is about 3.5 months)
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Basketball a la cuatro

This father's day we had all five boys at home and the four oldest decided to play a quick game of basketball. When I saw them out there in the parking lot next door, I quickly grabbed the camera. With Miguel shipping out for bootcamp in early August to train as a calvary scout (and then airborne training) we don't know how many more opportunities there will be for this brotherly comradeship with the four of them and I needed to make sure I got this 'on tape'. We are hoping for at least one more chance for some fun like this before Miguel leaves, if everyone's work schedules allow for it.














Finale! Noah accidentally shot the final basket into the goal when it belonged to the other team - giving them the winning ball. Benjamin and Jonathan are celebrating while Miguel is grasping his head in disbelief and Noah looks as if he is celebrating but is actually laughing/groaning at himself for the stupid mistake he made!

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We are...

...moving! We get the keys to our new home July 10th and moving day is set for the 11th so mark your calendars. I expect you all out front with dollies, working gloves and I'll provide the water and snacks while you all help us load up and move out.

Seriously though, we are very excited about this new home. It is in the town where my husband will be employed this coming August. Living in the same town will be invaluable for him as there is much for him to do to help prepare the technology classroom before the school's doors opening in August.

Look for pictures of our new home to come. While I have been there several times the past week - I have forgotten every time to bring my camera.

In the meantime I will be extremely busy... reviewing and preparing for our first English 'Parenting Kids Online' seminars. Some of you may remember that at the end of May early June we did our first Spanish seminars. Please keep this seminar in mind when you do your prayers and also, if you don't mind, please also pray for our success in continuing to procure funding for this important mission we have undertaken. We are also trying to create a professional looking website where one can learn more about what we are trying to do with these seminars. (informing Spanish & English speaking parents of the inherent dangers of the internet as well as some of the dangers of unsupervised use of camera enable cell phones and internet capable wireless mp3 players. )

In addition to this we will be packing up a five bedroom home to move to another 5 bedroom home - in under 20 days. Oy! Prayers, prayers, prayers please! Please also pray for our eBay business as at this time (until August) it is our only source of income but Hugo does not have much time to dedicate to it while he is preparing for his new job. We also have a vehicle up for sale and if it sold - the money would go a long way to help us meet some of our upcoming bills. We are only asking 800 for this classic vehicle so hopefully it will move soon.

God Bless you all and thank you in advance for your prayers.
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promised photos

My talented friend, Peg, printed these out and she and her 11 yr old daughter cut them in preparation for the afternoons assembly line that was to take place at our house that afternoon.

The take out platters assembled by a variety of ages from 8 up 18 yrs of age. This is a project that can accommodate a range of ages.

French Fry holder

Nathaniel 8 yrs old helped tape a number of these closed after I folded them for him. The whole process of assembling FIFTEEN happy meals took less than 30 minutes. I don't think McDonalds has a thing on us - try ordering 15 happy meals to go and see how long it takes them to fill the order!



A close up of the finished product. The burgers are brownies cut out with circular shaped cookie cutters. And the buns are white cupcakes. The deliciously salted fries are sugar cookies that were baked and sliced and 'salted' with regular sugar earlier that morning by Peg. Did I mention she is talented. My daughter Anna (we both have daughters by that name) baked the brownies following a teasing debate as to whether brownies should be made with cocoa powder or squares... Squares won out since (my) Anna was baking them and would have to clean up the mess anyway.

fifteen happy meals to go

Drooling over Smiling in anticipation of a happy meal!

If you have not yet seen Peg's post at Good Remedy hop on over and enjoy some pics of the kids devouring these delicious meals. A few kids were obviously filling more than the checkered trays and fry holders as some were just too full to be able to eat their whole meal. They were chastised that if they did not finish their "meals" there would be no dessert.

To view the original post about these fun meals travel on over to Bakerella's site. This is an awesome site to spend time. However, beware if you are feeling in need of a chocolate or sweet fix - this is a hazardous site to visit. If you go anyway - don't say I didn't warn you!


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Happy Father's Day

... to all of our spiritual fathers - our priests and our God Fathers. To our earthly fathers, whether our own or the fathers of our children. We entrust you all to our heavenly foster father, St. Joseph.


"O Glorious Saint Joseph, you were chosen by God to be the foster father of Jesus, the most pure spouse of Mary, ever Virgin, and the head of the Holy Family. You have been chosen by Christ's Vicar as the heavenly Patron and Protector of the Church founded by Christ.

Protect the Sovereign Pontiff and all bishops and priests united with him. Be the protector of all who labor for souls amid the trials and tribulations of this life; and grant that all peoples and fathers of the world may be docile to the Church without which there is no salvation."

Thank you Heavenly Father both for my father and the father of my children. Both of them are awesome men who are much to be admired. Both are hard working men after the spirit of St Joseph, both are lovers of Christ after the heart of St. Joseph. And both have blessed my life greatly and for that I am profoundly grateful. Thank you Dad and Thank you Hugo.

(prayer found here)
(picture found here)


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So lazy...

and uh busy... that I am simply directing to my friend's blog, Good Remedy so you can see what we have been up to lately. I have to admit I mainly directed traffic, err maybe I should say quality control for this project. My friend Peg is about 89% responsible for the success of this project, and Anna, who made the brownies, is responsible for the another 10%. The rest of us carried about 1% of the work - unless you count eating the happy meals. In that case we were all about 100% responsible.

I will post pictures later, I think promise. But honestly - Pegs pics are better than mine as I ran out of battery when we got to the important part - the EATING!


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Hats off to Scribbit...

... who once again shares a cool and inexpensive way to have fun with your kids with a new twist on an old game - Concentration. Read more!

SAY WHAT???

Cardinal Newman Society uncovers ten CATHOLIC Colleges that are promoting student internships with organizations whose missions or activities are directly opposed to the moral teachings of the Catholic Church, including on fundamental issues such as abortion and marriage. Click here to read the article.

Thank you Kathy H. for sharing this article.

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Interrupted...

As I am too busy dealing with the interruptions that life as the mother of a large family brings with it I am once more stealing borrowing from Elizabeth Foss. I need to add her to my favourites list on the side if I have not already done so. When I am not so busy dealing with all of these interruptions - I will double check and add her if she is not already there!

In the mean time, if I am not already on the top of your prayer list - please put me on it. This is promising to be a rather stressful summer. However, I promise that in between interruptions I will continue to post about the joys and struggles of being the mum of a large family. So keep popping in and checking to see if I have had a moment to share a thought, whether serious, joyful or just plain silly.

I am also hoping to do a review and possibly a giveaway sometime this summer. Note I am not being rash enough to say this month... or within a few weeks. I am giving myself lots of leeway!

Ok - brief respite from interruptions, aka my life, is over. See you soon - I HOPE!

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DEFIED but not defeated!

On the sly I have been slowing eradicating sweets and replacing them with fresh and sometimes canned fruit. There have been less and less cookies purchased with the groceries the past two months.

This morning I opened my desk drawer and instead of the pen I was looking for I found this. Now I am left with several questions:

1) Who bought it... logical answer - the person most recently out for milk and bread and that was NOT me. I am sure you are rapidly coming to the same conclusion. My husband is in cahoots with the kids.

2) Who would be silly enough to hide it in MY desk drawer? Logical conclusion - someone with a guilty conscience. However, when I pulled it out of the drawer my surprise was met with a roomful of nervous giggles and some chuckling. No one sounded too laden with a heavy conscience. However the chuckles quickly became groans when I cheerfully announced that this unexpected treasure should be placed in the coffee cupboard so that we can use it as a coffee flavouring....

"Not for chocolate milk?" one lone voice dared to call out?

I did not dignify it with an answer but simply grinned. I may have been defied but I am not yet defeated.

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Borrowed...

I am borrowing a link from Blessed Among Men with whom I offer my AMEN!

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I am sad to say

...that one too many editorial disagreements between Blaze and my assistant blogger has lead to Marley (aka Ninja) to pack his bags in a huff and move to the local SPCA where he is waiting for reassignment so if anyone would care for a most excellent should partner I can forward job offers to his new address.

In truth, Marley's life was in danger from a rather impetuous puppy who was overly friendly in his attempts to play with Marley. The last straw was when he accidentally pawed one of the children in the face, just missing her eye as he tried to reach Marley. I had for days been trying to decide whether to keep the kitten or not - that accident made it abundantly clear. A kitten and a puppy do not good bed fellows make. We need the dog but we do not need another cat at this time.... But I do miss his editorial assistance.

(Note Blaze is very good about not pawing at the children, has learned to sit, wait and is generally well behaved, but he just could not resist playing with that little furball that looked like a living toy!)

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heard from the back of the van

As we were driving around looking at possible rentals, scribbling numbers down, quipping about small houses and fitting our crew into them I heard a tiny voice from the back call out to her father:

"Daddy, how will we fit everything into our van when we move?"

I love the four year old mind as it struggles to understand the world around it.


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Misplaced

You know you are misplacing your phone a lot when your first thought when you can't find your sunglasses is to call them....


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BUSY BUSY BUSY

Elizabeth Foss posted this quote this week:

The reason that we are not fully at ease in heart and soul is because we seek rest in these things that are so little and have no rest within them, and pay no attention to our God, who is Almighty, All-wise, All-good, and the only real rest.
~Blessed Julian of Norwich

Today I read Elizabeth Foss' post on being at rest for which she had posted the above quote. She reflected on how close she came to death in the emergency delivery of her youngest child born last October and how she found perfect rest in the Lord as she "settled into a room and continued to wait to see how God would write this chapter"

With so many changes on the horizon for us... I am busy, busy, busy. And have been far from feeling at rest in the Lord. Some difficult decisions have loomed in front of us and I was worried about decisions being made through the lack of action. Not a good way to make important decisions.

Finally I wrote and asked you my readers for prayers and wrote to Jesus Himself asking for guidance. Later while resting in the afternoon I prayed some more and a thought came to me. I immediately shared it with Cecilia's God Father, who is also a priest and he agreed that it was a perfect step in the right direction. I have found a way to take action while leaving room for God to act. Hopefully in doing so we will hear God's voice in our confusion and He will make it clear the path to take. I know what I want, but I do not know if that is what God wants.

Finding a way to move forward with physical action while leaving the door open for God to act even; if it is not the answer I might be wanting to hear... gave me the same rest in the Lord that Elizabeth Foss shares in her post. I am not talking about a possible life altering crisis yet I was still needing to fine peace. Peace from depending on God for my answer and not my actions, or of those around me.

So if you have not yet meet Elizabeth Foss - its time you did. I think you will enjoy meeting this quiet, unassuming, talented writer who is so close to God and a great inspiration to me.

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A Job....

I have wonderful news to share with my readers. After using our savings to live on so that Hugo could go back to graduate school in hopes of improving his chances of a job, he has indeed procured a job. He has been hired to teach in a private school as the technology teacher. As an entry level teacher his salary is on the lower end of the scale so we are not totally out of the woods, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

We are continuing to pursue the creation of our seminar business and have already taught one seminar in Spanish last weekend. We are scheduled to teach another at the end of June. We are very excited by all of this.

However this excitement is tempered by the fact that it will be August before the salary for the new job kicks in and bills still need to be paid and we are praying we can move to the town where the job is located. There are many reasons for this. Chiefly with the gas prices moving up and our only vehicle being a 15 passenger van - well you can do the math and see that an already tight budget will be squeezed significantly by the cost of gas. Add in that the van has over 200,000 miles and is monthly spewing out this belt and that belt and revealing a hole here and there you live with the constant fear that this trip is its last trip and we are too far from the town to expect another teacher to be able to swing by and pick him up should the van be out of commission for a day or two.

But if any of you have been unemployed for a significant period or have been self employed - you are well aware the negative impact this can have on your credit history - the life blood of today's economy. So renting a home in the new town might prove dicey... Another straw on the proverbial camel's back is that the rent is about to go up where we are... Add that to the increasing gas costs.... our worries are high.

So we are extremely grateful for the job and all the wonderful opportunities this door is opening for us - but we could use some prayers as we face these new challenges. God is good and we thank Him for these blessings and now humbly ask Him to guide us in the decisions facing us the next couple of weeks as we must make a decision about this house within the next week. Very scary...

THANK YOU all for your past prayers and continued prayers!

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Goldie Locks and the Bears

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Prayers please

Tomorrow is our first seminar, "Siendo Padres en la era de la Internet". Please pray for the graces we need to do a good job, and that we have a good showing.

Below are some pics of my prep for binding the Parental Tool Box manuals as well as the finished product.




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New Blogging partner...

As you all know, of late I have been pressed for time and sometimes unable to get things posted on a daily basis so I have hired an assistant blogger. You can see pictures of him assisting in the writing of his first post below. In future all comments will be moderated by him so I would suggest that no one write any derisive cat jokes or comments as I believe he will simply delete them or possibly even retaliate.

Here the budding journalist is seen chatting with fellow residents about some of his ideas for new posts. He would like to see some articles on the conditions of the local SPCA as well as how they drag their feet picking up strays. Then he thought better of that, recently having been homeless himself.

Then he got down to the serious business of implementing some his ideas for future posts.

A little spell checking and we were good to go on this post.
So please would one and all readers take the time to welcome the newest member of this blogging team. A poll will follow to help him settle on a pseudonym for his posts. Currently he is known as Marley- of the Dickens sort, being an orphan and all.

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Update on Michael B

In this day and age - we can all use the good news of a miracle. Do you remember when less than a month ago we were pleading for prayers for our son's girl friend's 14 yr old brother. The day we learned how ill Michael was, he had received what used to be referred to as the last rites and is now called the anointing of the sick. Michael's sister, Alicia, and our son, Jonathan were called that morning and told to hurry home to the state of T. as the outlook for Michael was grim.

Even as I type this I get a lump in my throat remembering. It was mother's day and I could not imagine being in this mother's shoes. Sitting helplessly by my son's bedside praying desperately for a miracle.

Well, we were granted one. Less than a week later Michael was released and since returning home has continued to grow in strength. At this time it looks that there is not even any damage to his kidneys, that on that Mother's day were shutting down. At that time if Michael even survived it was not known if he would need dialysis on a permanent basis.

Praise God for this miracle and thank you for all of your prayers! THANK YOU from us and his family that has repeatedly asked us to thank all who prayed for him.


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Over heard

My husband has worked hard to help, almost 9 yr old, Nathaniel develop a sense of humour. Nathaniel is very puritan in that regard. So the other day Hugo remarked to Nathaniel as to how cute he was. Even just a year ago that would have brought scowls and growls from him. This time he just grinned and said;

"I haven't been cute since weeks ago." Then he stopped up short and exclaimed; "WAIT, no! I haven't been cute for .......... 8 years now!"

Now that, I have to say, is just plain ... CUTE - sorry Nathaniel! You will always be cute to me!

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Stated ...

as only a four year old can state it:

"Mummy there is a black baby kitten here. Do you think it has raibins cause I don't. I think it is a poor kitten. Nosey might have raibins too."


Again I ask - does anyone want a black baby kitten... especially since Elsa has declared it free of raibins? I think I will be visiting the SPCA again... soon.

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