A fond farewell...

After great consideration and prayer, and the reality that I have a lot of paperwork that musts be done, if I am to begin earning a steady wage to help augment the business income, I have come to the sad conclusion that, at least temporally, I must hang up my blogger's hat.

I love to write, but it takes a lot of time and right now I have so much on my plate that I simply can not afford the time to write for pleasure and not for financial gain. I am beginning a home study course that will require quite a few hours of private study, as well as attendance of an out of town workshop, the auditing of a series of childbirth courses, the attendance of six births etc. Once completed, and I pass my exam, I will be a certified DOULA. I hope to also become a certified birth educator, but am starting first as a DOULA, unless I can somehow combine the studies for both things.

I also need to earn the money to pay for the books as well as the workshops etc. (Our library has only ONE of the books on our required reading list!) Therefore, come January I will begin teaching ESL (or ELP) classes again. So I also need to begin to prepare a course outline for my paying clients. I already have a few interested. And of course, I will still be homeschooling, doing tax prep for the business, making travel arrangements for the business etc, and trying to be the best mummy and wife that I can be.

I do hope to continue, on a more relaxed basis, to write reviews and keep them in "storage" so that when I can begin blogging on a regular basis again, I will have a nice back up file of reviews ready for those weeks when time, illness or life does not allow you time to write, and so be able to provide my readers a steady flow of book and movie reviews. It is my hope to maybe someday be able to provide such a steady and reliable serving of reviews that readers will be willing to support it. But financial constraints will not allow me the time to actively follow this dream at this time.

It is very, very hard to let go of my blog, even temporarily. I hope all of my faithful readers (you number well over 100!!) and will check in now and then to see if I have been able to squeeze a post in. I hope that once I have my course work out of the way, and my DOULA /childbirth practice up and running I can begin to blog on a daily basis again. I can not tell you how hard this choice is, but it must be. I will try, once a week, to post something and preferably on the same day of the week.

In the meantime, I bid you Adieu and God Bless!
I will miss you all!
And as always... prayers gratefully accepted!

Happy New Year!!

Read more!

Emma is Grieving the Christmas Tree...

On December first, only about three weeks earlier than we normally put up our tree, there was a knock on the door. Bethany (8) opened the door and there, filling the whole doorway, was a 7 foot high, possibly 4 foot wide, tree.

"What the HECK!" exclaimed Bethany, and suddenly her older sister's face popped out from behind the tree grinning like a Christmas Elf bearing gifts.

I was shocked at the earliness of it's arrival and I tried to suggest we let it 'rest' in it's stand outside on the porch, suggesting that being out in the cold might keep it healthy and fresh longer. I was outvoted by 11 to 1. The tree went up and Advent was heralded in with the need to protect the tree from one 20 month old who was more than amazed by the sudden growth of a tree in her living room. A tree that sported shiny, breakable bulbs that made such nice tikling sounds as they hit the floor. By about the 23rd, she finally lost interest. We thought.

Then yesterday, after many hours of errands outside the home, I bribed the children with a movie in hopes of speeding up the completion of the supper chores. It worked and while we were relaxing as we watched a rather old movie Elsa, sitting on her God mother's lap, innocently reached up and tugged on a bright, red, shiny apple hanging within a tempting reach.

A sudden gasp caused all heads to swivel and more gasps joined the chorus as we watched the tree swivel in what seemed like slow motion but was, in fact, too fast for us to stop it or even react. Then it toppled over and both Elsa and Gabriela dissappeared from sight in a bower of branches. Bulbs tinkled as they hit the living room floor.

Miguel appeared as if from no where and lifted the tree up revealing a rather shocked set of children who, thankfully, were none the worse for wear and someone grabbed a broom and someone else a dust pan. Within minutes we had the tree back upright and the floor swept and tidy but the decision was made for us. I had hoped to eek a few days more out of the tree. However, the tangled decorations hanging from the tree were not much to look at anymore so today - it came down.

But Emma is mourning the loss of the Christmas tree. She sat on the floor surrounded by the needles and lovingly gathered them up. Tears filled her eyes as she glared accusingly at Miguel who had done the evil deed of hauling the tree out. I was suddenly inspired both by the aroma of pine needles that filled the room, as well as the pile of them that Emma had swept up with her bare hands.

A pillow, we could make a memory of the first tree that Emma remembers. Gabriela already has a tree that she has been embroidering that we will add the numbers 2006 to and sew onto the pillow. Emma is tickled by the idea and not so sad now.

But now, you must excuse me. The kitten just knocked the bird cage over. Read more!

Truth or Urban Legend?

Remember the old adage, truth is stranger than fiction… well, I do not know if this story is truth or urban legend, but it is food for thought so please read it and feel free to share it with others.

Know what money you are carrying! You will see why as you read!

Be sure every lady is aware of this . Share with it your wife and daughters.

Know what money you are carrying.

This was the first I have heard of a scheme like this. I wanted to pass it along. Be safe! It is something very serious to pay attention to.

Criminals are coming up with craftier, less threatening methods of attack, so we have to be extra cautious. Read on. I live in Alexandria , VA, but I often work in Lafayette, LA , staying
with friends when I'm there. As you know from America 's Most Wanted TV
program, as well as the news media, there is a serial killer in the
Lafayette area. I just want to let you know about an "incident " that happened
to me a few weeks and could have been deadly.

At first I didn't go to the police or anyone with it because I didn't realize how serious this encounter was. But since I work in a jail and I told a few people about it, it wasn't long before I was paraded into Internal Affairs to tell them my story.

The day of the incident it was proximately 5:15 a.m. in Opelousas , La. I had stayed with a friend there and was on my way to work. I stopped at the Exxon/Blimpie Pie station to get gas. I got $10 gas and a Diet Coke. I took into the store two $5 bills
and one $1 bill (just enough to get my stuff).

As I pulled away from the store, a man approached my truck from the back side of the store (an unlit area). He was an "approachable-looking" man (clean cut, clean shaven, dressed well, etc.).

He walked up to my window and knocked. Since I'm very paranoid and "always looking for the rapist or killer," I didn't open the window. I just asked what he wanted. He raised a $5 bill to my window and said, "You dropped this." Since I knew I had gone into the store with a certain amount of money, I knew I didn't drop it.

When I told him it wasn't mine, he began hitting the window and door, screaming at me to open my door, and insisting that I had dropped the money! At that point, I just drove away as fast as I could. After alking to the Internal Affairs Department and describing the man I saw, and the way he escalated from calm and polite to angry and volatile....it was determined that I could have possibly encountered the serial killer myself.

Up to this point, it had been unclear as to how he had gained access to his victims, since there has been no evidence of forced entry into victim's homes, cars, etc. And the fact that he has been attacking in the daytime, when women are less likely to have their guard up, means he is pretty BOLD.

So think about it...what gesture is nicer than returning money to someone that dropped it?!?!

So take care ladies and please share this with others. Truth or Urban Legend, it is something to beware of. Read more!

The upside...

... and the downside of a large bathroom cubicle.

Upside, when traveling with little ones - you can fit many of them in the cubicle with you.

Downside, it's very spaciousness makes it difficult, nay impossible, to stop four year olds from playing with the locks on the door... Read more!

Ohio, here we come!

Back into the natural swing of things after a weeks bout with the flu followed immeadiatly by Christmas. Today I have one child is drawing a poster sized themometer for me for a family project, (details to follow later) and several others are enjoying the art supplies they received from good Saint Nick and baby Jesus. (Anyone, besides me, wondering what Dan got Danielle??)

I am cleaning. cleaning and cleaning some more while I prepare for a 24 hour run to Ohio. Tim Hortens anyone? I am hoping to remember my camera and take pictures of the awesome Nativity scene they have in Columbus. Let us pray no more German Shepherds narrowly avoid suicide under our wheels. Not sure my heart can handle it.

Later I must check the weather and decide if I have to pull out mittens etc for this 24 hour run. Ack! It would probably be easier to do it the other way - have to head south in the winter months. Mittens would already be out and we could just dress in layers in clothes that are already in the childrens drawers.

Look for awesome pictures of the Nativity soon! Read more!

Keeping the baby Jesus' bed warm...

Each year we set out the Baby Jesus' bed at the beginning of Advent. On the first day we put it out, it is just an empty basket. Beside the basket is a vase filled with scraps of cloth and bits of yarn. Throughout Advent the family fills the bed with acts of charity.

There are few rules to follow.

1) Do not question the amount of yarn or cloth someone is putting in the basket. What they did to earn the right to put the amount they are putting in is between them and God.

2) Do not question how much cloth or yarn someone is taking out. If they have done something uncharitable - again, that is between that person and God how much they think they have hurt the baby Jesus by what they have done.

I guess, though, we did a pretty good job lining the Baby Jesus' bed as our kitten, Milo, seemed to be finding it very comfy a whole week before Christmas Eve! Read more!

Twins...

At Christmas Eve Mass two women joined Emma and I at the back of the church, and each were carrying in thier arms a child of about 15 months or so in age. Each little boy was dressed in blue dress pants, white sneakers, stripped shirt with a red sweater over it. They each had the same hair cut and, in short, were twins.

Emma stared. And stared some more. Looking confounded she glanced down at the floor, then peered around me at the twins again and finally stepped towards the women.

"Why," she asked with great puzzlement in her tone "are you both holding the same peoples at the same time?" Read more!

Boxing Day

For our family, today is Boxing day and this is the day that we traditionally have our Christmas turkey. This tradition began in our family about 12 years ago after we had one crisis or another ruin Christmas, one year after another. We finally decided that since Boxing day was still a holiday for us that we would relax on Christmas day, enjoy snacks, let the kids have free access to their stocking candy and not stress out for hours over the dinner preparations just to have everyone too full from Christmas cookies and candy to really enjoy dinner.

Today is also the Feast day of St Stephen. A somewhat forgotten feast day, I think. Learn more about St Stephen here and Boxing Day here! Read more!

Saint Nick...

... listened to you all and as the poll clearly indicated that Emma SHOULD get Shicken Run, she received it and has watched it a total of TWO times and moved on. Clearly she still loves it but is wise as what may happen to her beloved movie should she watch it non stop as she did when she was three! Thank you all who voted and helped St Nick with his deliema!

Merry Christmas to you all!!!

Answers			Votes	Percent
1.		Not sure...	3	4%
2.		Definitely - ask old St Nick to drop it in the stocking	30	43%
3.		Absolutely not, leave it as sister's treat.	16	23%
4.		What's Shicken Run??	21	30%

Read more!

Your reading glasses...

Emma: Daddy, Daddy! I have your weading glasses. I've been keeping them safe for you.

Daddy: busy with the lap top absently responds, "Hmmmm?"

Emma: Daddy!! Daddy! I have your weading glasses! I've been keeping them safe for you.

Daddy: Hmmm, oh, okay Emma.

"CLINK"

Sound of the protected reading glasses landing at Daddy's feet as Emma, glad to relinquish them, tossed them across the room at her father. They survived. Read more!

The Answer to the riddle of the chairs...

...to why the chairs are all laying down on the floor around the dining room table.

I loved the many guesses, esp the idea of some funny game having been played. Sadly that is not the reason as much as I love it. Rather it is Amanda that solved the riddle and so, wins an invitation to Christmas Dinner, (Of course, it helps that she is the oldest child in the family and already planning on coming home)

The reason the chairs are all on their backs is to keep 20 month old Elsa safely off the table.

She has learned how to move, push, arrange and climb on chairs and loves to dance on the table! And today I bought a Christmas gift for the family... a baby gate.

So today, the chairs are all on their four legs. Read more!

This Christmas Adam...

...my family and I add to Father's blessings (below), my family's prayers for you and our gratitude to all of my readers who have been here for us this past, and very difficult, year. You have been here for us spiritually and some of you financially. God Bless you all and thank YOU for your PRAYERS as well as any physical assistance you have extended to us. God has been good to us this Christmas, gifts from different sources have generously appeared, as if from no where, and our children will have a wonderful Christmas. You have all, one way or the other, made room for us in your inn, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

God Bless!

Christi, Hugo and their twelve blessings.

Read more!

Borrowing from Father Corapi again

Christmas is one of the greatest of our religious feasts in the Catholic and Christian world. It is in itself a most beautiful and joyous time. Existentially, it is a paradox, however, because large numbers of people suffer terribly at this time of year. Why? I suppose there are a lot of reasons, but one is that depression—one of the Enemy’s greatest weapons—gets the better of many of us. The world can be a cold place, and rejection and isolation in its various forms takes a terrible toll on humanity.

As Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem there was no room for them with their relatives, nor at the inns.

It was cold, dark, and desolate that night, and there was no room at the inn, no room that night for the Holy Family. After two millennia has anything changed? Is there indeed room in the inn of many human hearts and minds?

Countless people are alone at Christmas. They remember Christmases of days gone by-- families gathering, warmth, midnight Mass, gifts, good times and friendship. Now they are alone, aged in many cases, not so aged in others. The bitter cold of that long ago night when there was no room at the inn takes hold of them.

Often the greatest things are born of suffering and rejection, if only we can see that the preface of victory is battle. Out of the cold indifference of that long ago night in Bethlehem was born the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. He had Mary and Joseph, the cave, and the animals to keep Him warm. He was doing His Father’s will. That was enough.

This Christmas allow Jesus, Mary, and Joseph to fill you with the warmth of the Father’s love. Thank God for the gift of His only Son. Then go out of your way to radiate that love to someone who is most in need of it. A kind word, a little gift, an invitation to an elderly or shut-in person to come to dinner, etc. goes so far. Love is like fire. It illuminates the darkness and transmits heat to those around it.

God bless you and yours this Christmas, and forever,

Fr. John Corapi


Read more!

Dipes and Wipers please...

I eyed Elsa as she toddled by with a most unpleasant waft following her. I pushed my paper work aside and leaned over to pick her up. As I did so, I asked Anna to:
"Please bring me some dipes and a wiper."

This was met with peals of laughter and I looked at Anna.

"Dipes and a wiper?" she questioned me.

"Ah yeah, dipes and a wiper!" I said defensively!

Me thinks I am still a bit tired from the flu bug that has had us all in its nasty grip since Sunday! What says you? Read more!

A fun Christmas meme... borrowed from Mama Hefalump.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

We ALL love hot chocolate here in our home, esp. the homemade stuff I make with real whipped cream on top but Egg Nog is only available for purchase at Christmas time so I LOVE it most at Christmas time!!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

Baby Jesus (Nino Jesus in Spanish) and Saint Nick place the gifts under the tress, all of them. Saint Nick comes on Christmas even and sometimes Christmas Adam (the 23) to help me wrap gifts so he is using our paper. While he and I work, the children slide notes under the locked door to him and send us candy canes etc to sustain us!

3. Colored lights on tree or white?

Oh coloured and tiny! All the way!!

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

No, nor have I ever been kissed under it. Have I missed anything? LOL

5. When do you put your decorations up?

Usually on Gaudette Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, is typically when the tree goes up, but each Sunday as we draw closer to Christmas we put up a few more decorations until by the last Sunday before Christmas all the decorations are up. This year all that went out the window when our second oldest found a 7 foot tree for 50 dollars and brought it home on the 2^nd of December. Plus all of our decorations except the ones for the tree were lost in the move.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?

All of Christmas dinner is my favourite! I can’t pick. I love the potatoes and gravy, I love the stuffing. I love the turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce and mayo. Emmm!!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:

The year that my Christmas stocking came with a beautiful chocolate bell (colourfully wrapped) and greenery attached to it. It was so beautiful looking in the dawn light. It is my first Christmas memory, so the next year I expected the same but sadly that was the only year I ever received that beautiful chocolate!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

Hmmm… how does one answer that? Let’s just say that in our home Saint Nicolas who is a true Saint in heaven helps us at Christmas time.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

As a child we were always allowed to open one gift on Christmas Eve, but in our family there are no gifts under the tree until after baby Jesus arrives and is tucked into his manger by Saint Nicolas. Before though, baby Jesus helps Saint Nicolas arrange all of the gifts.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?

Each child has a bulb form their first Christmas that is hung with great care and then we have a real mish mash of decorations, including a box of cloth and wood ornaments, many of which my Grand mother made. These ornaments, not being fragile are placed on the bottom by the younger children and the more fragile ones are placed on the higher branches by the older children.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?

LOVE IT! Ditto, until March, that is, and then I am more than ready for spring. We really miss the snow here in the south.

12. Can you ice skate?

Yes and I miss it!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

Not really. But our first Christmas with a new baby was awesome, our first was born just 10 days before Christmas!

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?

Trying to keep Jesus as the center of the celebrations.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?

Shortbread, sugar cookies and molasses cookies decorated with chocolate M&Ms!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

The baby Jesus under the tree in His manger and all the children singing Happy Birthday to him before opening their gifts.

17. What tops your tree?

A beautiful Angel made from soft spun wool that is from sheep at Madonna house in Canada.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?

Oh I LOVE to give but it is fun to open my stocking that the oldest girls put together every year. Makes me feel like a little kid again.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?

I simply cannot choose, but I am enjoying much of the classical pieces that are being palyed on channel 113 on XM. Sadly they will stop on Boxing Day (the 26^th) and all of our Christmas music is lost, so we will not have any to listen to during the 12 days of Christmas.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum??

Oh, I definitly love Candy canes, esp when pregnant. The peppermint is so soothing on my tummy. I also really love the chocolate peppermint candy canes that came out recently. Yum yum yum!! Everyone here loves to stir their hot chocolate with a Candy cane too.

Read more!

Change of plans...

This week was going to be our all out bake-athon prepare for Christmas week. However, the metal bowls typically used in the kitchen have been called to duty all over the house. Some are here beside the bed in my room, others are lolling about the living room floor strategically placed between the couch and inflatable mattress that is covering the floor space between the couch and the TV. The TV is grinding along, cheerfully spinning out video after video and DVD after DVD entertaining those too ill to really care what is on the screen.

Your prayers are gratefully received and we beg for their continuance.

My posts may be a little sporatic over the next fews days, but do look for the results for the poll regarding Shicken Run and St Nick as well as what St Nick decided to do about this much loved
DVD.

In the meantime, during this lull in the storm I will do a little writing as well try to catch up with email.

God Bless
Christi aka mum2twelve Read more!

Buurp! Prayers Please!

Burb! Burb! Burb! A lot of us, esp myself are burping quite a bit these days. The question is - is it a pyscholocial response to a very sick baby girl who is tossing her cookies every hour, or are we all fighting this nasty bug that has baby Elsa in it's vicious grip!

So I am asking for prayers as we head into the last week of Advent when the light of coming birth of the Baby Jesus grows larger and our hope grows with it. I hope and pray that I can keep my eyes on Jesus this last week, whatever this week brings! I pray that Elsa recovers quickly. There is little harder in the world than to have to watch a child suffer, and it seems the younger they are, the harder it is.

And now (burp) I will head off in search of a tea and a little sustenance, both spiritual and physical. Read more!

You get three guesses...

And the first two don't count!

Why are all the dining room chairs like this?

Read more!

24 years ago today....

...I became a mother for the first time.

After many hours of labour at last my joy was held in my arms and a tiny bright eyed baby with the cutest red nose stared back up at me. She was three days early and perfect in every way. Her little nose earned her the nickname of Rudolf with the nurses in the nursery.

Today, twenty fours years later, I am still cuddling little ones, changing diapers and laughing at the antics of small people who are always imitating their elders. And while the baby gear has changed a lot over two decades, the joy that I experience as a parent has not.

Whether I am enjoying a cuddle with a little one, or sharing a cup of tea over the miles by chatting through IM with an adult child in another State, the wonder of being a parent is as miraculous now as it was that first day, twenty four years ago.

Happy Birthday Aimee! Read more!

But I thought...

Bethany: Emma, stop erasing the prayer off the board. Mummy, look what Emma is doing!

Me: Emma stop erasing the board!

Bethany: Mummy - look she is still doing it. EMMA - Stop!

Sound of Emma giggling!

Me: Emma stop! (This is accompanied by a stern look.)

More giggles followed by:

Bethany MUMMY!!

Me: Emma stop! (This time I remove her off the box she is standing on to reach the board)

Emma: Momma, can I have a chocolate?

Me: (Seeing an opportunity to teach sorrow for ones sins!) No, not after what you were just doing.

Emma: I'm sorry Momma.

Me: Thank you Emma.

Emma: Can I have a chocolate now?

Me: (A little exasperated) No Emma, you can't. Not after how you were behaving.

Emma: (Surprised) But I thought that if you were sorry you could have a chocolate! Read more!