Advent?

Also known as... "Nutmeg is soooo far behind in her Advent preps it ain't funny"


I plan on calling The Catholic Bookstore and seeing if they can ship me an advent wreath and candles. (my definition of planning ahead...)

No, I've never actually bought an Advent wreath.

Every year I say "THIS is the year!"

And every year, I scrounge for some sort of candle holders and different sized candles, throw them on a tray and declare that it will "do" for this year...

But next year will be different!



For other awesome ideas go to Studeo. I especially like the "place some straw in Baby Jesus' manger each time you do a good deed" idea. (Anyone know where I can have one sent to me?)

;)

Yum!

You Are Lemon Meringue Pie

You're the perfect combo of sassy and sweet Those who like you have well refined tastes

What Kind of Pie Are You?

Talking Turkey

Well, Turkey Weekend had a few false-starts on Wednesday:


1. 4 hours before my family was due to come in, I decided that the "easy off" treatment I had given the oven the night before, wasn't going to cut it. So I turned on the "self-clean" feature. Half an hour later, I turned it off and opened all the windows, and blasted all the fans due to the sudden appearance of smoky haze in the livingroom, and the distinct smell of burning (left-over) "easy off."

2. On the phone with my mom, 2 hours before their arrival, she sensed the panic in my voice as I tried (in vain) to unlock the oven door. Turns out, it won't unlock until the temp goes down. Good thing she asked me what was wrong, or I would have wrenched the lock off by sheer force! All I could think was, "How am I going to cook Thanksgiving dinner if my oven is locked?!?"

3. 1 hour before arrival, I hear screams from the backyard and the sound of water gushing from somewhere. I run out to see my darling DS #1 trying to turn off the hose (which has the power sprayer attachment on full blast, BTW) the wrong way, spraying mud everywhere in the process. By the time I was able to get the dang thing turned off, he and I and one entire front corner of the house was covered in mud.


Luckily, these mis-haps were isolated to pre-guests and none reared their ugly heads while guests were actually present.

It was lovely to have family in town. Thanksgiving dinner was again co-ordinated most perfectly by my Mom. I am getting spoiled here, I realized this year. Not only do I get to have dinner at my own home, I have someone else to worry about it all! :) It's wonderful to have two people double-checking the finer details. I was constantly worrying that I forgot something.

We had our post-Thanksgiving soccer game on Friday morning. I love playing sports with my family. It's just the right mix of competitiveness and fun. All I know is that if my sister comes to UD for college, I want her on my soccer team. (as well as the collegiate team....she can do both, right? I mean, she's young!) It was great to be able to pass through traffic and have her right there, and vice-versus. Very fun.

A big thank you to my folks for making the trip. It's a tough one to make.

But don't remind me of that when we go to do it in a month. 12 hours....piece of cake, right?


;)

Happy Happy

Since our company is due here tomorrow afternoon, and I still have a million few things to do, I will be taking a break here.

But I am very confident that there will be many stories to tell and many memories to re-live. And I know there are many siblings who are gonna want the "scoop".

And I'm the only one here with a blog. So I have dibs.

:)

A blessed Thanksgiving to all of my bloggy friends...

The number '5' seems to be my lucky number

For, when I am fortunate enough to farm out my oldest two (the boys) their friends from the neighborhood still assume that our backyard is open season.

And so now I still have 5 children, with two dogs (not ours) and popcorn and plastic cups and empty gogurt wrappers decorating our pristine lawn.



At least I can get some baking done.

:)


Don't worry, DH, the backyard will be dutifully pristine again before you get home!

Bric A Brac

(I think that's a fancy name for odds 'n ends.... just humor me if I'm wrong)

Things in the nut-house are nutty as we clean like crazy get ready for a much-anticipated visit from the "grands"... and Auntie. We rented a steam cleaner Saturday, and did all of the carpets and the uglier-than-sin couches. (DH asked me if I liked the couches now, to which I responded, "No. Now they're clean and ugly, instead of just plain ol' ugly.")



Some observations from the past few days:

1. Went to confession Saturday afternoon, and, I'm hoping it was the language barrier thingy... But I have never ever, after pouring out my soul to a priest have him tell me that Jesus was telling me to "just... stop it."

Wow.

Ouch.

2. That evening I went to Tom Pouce, to obtain yummy B & J ice cream treats for DH and I. Again with the language barrier thing.... The checker told the man in front of me to "have a nice time tonight" which I thought was entirely appropriate since he was juggling two dozen roses in beautiful vases. I thought he had maybe told the woman he was going to a party or something. But after ringing up my two pints of ice cream, she smiled, told me to "have a nice time tonight", and... enjoy my ice cream! I smiled, thanked her, and wondered why she didn't mention the potatoes I bought, or what she would have said if I had bought a pregnancy test or womanly unmentionables???

The possibilities are endless.


3. You just know you were meant to be together when your DH can't believe what he is hearing when DD #2 explains what Mama just pulled out of her bum. (I'll spare you the details...file it under what-every-new-mom-doesn't-want-to-know about the job description in her newly acquired job) DH just turned to me in amazement, and I made some snarky remark about it not being the highlight of my day. He said he couldn't imagine anything else being more memorable. To which I responded that we do have a sorry existence indeed... look at what highlights our day!

We both busted out laughing, and I couldn't get control of myself for a whole 5 minutes.


4. Cut everyone's hair, including my own. Which I also highlighted. Pictures soon.


;)

Channeling

I was in mass a few weeks ago, feeling my extreme littleness and inadequacies in dealing with my brood of peanuts. I was lamenting my many outbursts of Irish temper, my eyes that can dart such hurtful arrows into their little souls, my impatience, and my selfishness. I felt that, given the cracks in my own vessel, how in the world would these babies entrusted to my care make it to heaven if I could not show them the way....

My own example was so severely lacking.

Needless to say, it had not been a good week.

And then, I thought, well, I don't have to make it to heaven, just as long as they do.

And I pictured myself as a hollow tube, (not hard to do at this point) a channel, through which the graces flowing to me could instead be directed towards my children.

Anything and everything, I vowed.

None for me, all for them.

What relief flowed through me at that point as I realized that this is exactly my vocation. And, joy of joys, His grace is for me as well.

"My grace will be sufficient for you."

What makes me smile....

"Just because" flowers...

You know it's gonna be hard...

...to get back to reality when your husband threatens to make the bed with you in it, and you respond that you'd be more than happy to remain motionless for the entire day, just to preserve his bed-making masterpiece.

;)

Happy 9th!

Our oldest turns 9 today. It is unbelieveable to me. He has grown in so many ways, and has made us grow as well, in ways I never thought possible. He is our "guinea pig" as we blunder through our parenting philosophies, trying them out, and crying to heaven for the grace to be the best parents we can be. He is very tolerant of us, and our bunglings, and eager to teach... :)

Here is a life in pictures....







Here he is, at the tender age of 9 months, spending a summer vacation on our friends' farm in Wisconsin.











And then, at 20 months, being introduced to his younger brother and soon-to-be sidekick...











As you can see, at ages 2 and 3 respectively.









And at his 5th birthday party, his first "friends" party, complete with jump-house and many families.
















And relaxing on Savary Island, BC, after consuming approximately a pound of freshly-caught prawns.... at the age of 6.









Age 7, taking a rest from blueberry picking.



















Being the great big brother he (mostly) is. At the age of 8, reading to the youngest...




I am so grateful for the privilege of being his Mama here on earth.