Crazy schedules:

NOTE TO SELF:

The following is a reminder to me when I am old of the crazy things I did!

1am- 3 year old hop in bed with us
4:45-wake up
5-6:15-gym
6:30-shower
6:45-baby wakes up
6:45-7-have some prayer time
7-8-feed little boys, do dishes, throw in a load of laundry
8-check email and write this post
8:15-change sheets on some of the beds
9-mass and hopefully confession
10-make sure school work is done
11-clean and get ready for party tonight
12pm-go to Knights of Columbus Hall to plan for our annual Father/Daughter Dance in March
1-keep cleaning and make dinner
4-meet with a young man to discuss these questions!
4:30-Wishing my hubby well as he heads off to a Men's Retreat
5-7- My 7 year old's birthday party
7-9-My 14/12/11 year old having friends over for a movie night and watching the new Spider Man
7-9-Having some mom's over to discuss Christmas Gift ideas
10-Till I drop...clean the Christmas stuff in my room and put away laundry

(Let's see how much I get done!)

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

BIG FAMILIES!

Ever since I was little I wanted alot of kids...

well, there was a short couple of months that I considered the convent. 

Hmmm...ok, I have considered it while being married and having all these kids too! 

 When I was 19!

MOTHERS DAY 2012

ME WITH ONE MY BIG BROTHERS

I was blessed to be adopted into a family with 8 children. 

Being the youngest and the only one adopted I considered myself VERY SPECIAL!

 OK, I still do! 

MOTHERS DAY 2012

BEACH 2012

Mommy tears:
My 6 year old CC had to use her spelling word HERE in a sentence.
"I wish Caleb was here."
Gotta love a little sister's admiration of her big brother who is...so far away at college 

(45min) and comes home very often to see us! 

Her only request for her birthday was that he come home!

CC and Caleb!!!
Now that is why I have all these kids!!!

 THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

Keep the kids moving:

It is a cold rainy day around here...

the kids have played legos, playmobil, done school, and jobs...

now they are playing hide and seek. 

Which is fun...

but my house is getting torn apart. 

Time for some moving videos...

We like:

Kung Fu for Kids- Danielle Bean suggested this years ago.

Denise Austin's Fit Kids-  (this was kinda cheesy but the kids liked it)

Just Dance kids- lots of fun for young and old

Hope this helps them get some of that crazy energy out!

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

Call Me Maybe Final

I cried from laughing so hard...hey, they were 18 once too!!! Let's all call or visit an elderly friend today!!! Thanks to Ann Voskamp for sending this.



THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

Last year on this date:

My husband and I have been really trying to move on but with the passing of two babies this year, 

we sometimes get weary. 

Sometimes when we sit at holy hour or in bed at night 

the tears and sadness just overwhelm us. 

On Nov 3rd, 2011

On Nov 21st, 2011

Of course two major blessing and miracles happened this year too. 

In April 2011 we became unofficial Foster parents of a 10 week old who 

has brought more joy to this family than anyone could ever predict! 

Then in Sept. 2011, we paid off our house after only 12 years!!! 

Yeah for living dept free-

now just need to pay off that 15 passenger van...happening soon!

So, we still intrust our family and fertility to you dear Lord, 

knowing your plans are way better than any of ours.

JESUS WE TRUST IN YOU!!!

THY WILL BE DONE!!!

St Gerard:

I can never get enough of good old St Gerard stories...My family attended a Homeschool Family Day at our Diocesan Seminary  my 11 year old was intrigued about this story they told about St Gerard and Baby Jesus...so we looked it up.

Found the story here:

Feast  Day: October 16th

Patron Saint of: Good Confessions, Motherhood, Workingmen, and vocations

December 11, 1904 

Born: April 6, 1726

When saint Gerard was a little boy he would go to the little chapel down the road and pray and every-time he would come back with a loaf of bread. When his family would ask him about it he would say " A beautiful boy gave it to me."  One day his sister followed him and saw him pray in front of a statue of Mary holding  baby Jesus and then something strange happened, the statue of baby Jesus came to life and started playing with him! When they were done playing baby Jesus gave him a loaf of bread. One of his early miracles was he was working as a Bishops male version of a maid and he dropped the house keys down the well, he simply got a small statue of baby Jesus put it in the bucket and when he brought the bucket back up the keys were in baby Jesus's hands. Later on in his life when he tried to join a religious order 3 times but was refused because of his health. Finally on the fourth try he was admitted and sent to live at Redemptorist with a note saying here is a useless brother. In a few years he proved himself not to be useless. Some of the Other miracles he performed were : raised a small boy from the dead, Levitates while deep in prayer,  helped save a mothers unborn baby (that's why one of his Patrons is mother hood, this happened on several occasions) While he was  helping this one girl get into the Religious order, she decided she didn't like it and quit. Since you cant quit it without reason she claimed that he raped her ans she was then pregnant. Gerard got severely punished by ; not being able to talk to other people, and not able to receive the body of Christ. He took this very hard and put himself in confinement because he couldn't trust himself from seizing the body from the priest. Months past and this woman was very ill she wrote an apology letter and then passed  away. In 1755 he passed away, he put a note on his door that read "The will of God is done here, as God wills it and as long as He wills it."

Christmas Gift ideas:

Some of my young friends...(I think I used to babysit them) who have lots of little guys have asked me for suggestions on great gift ideas? We do it kinda simple around here...the 7 Winter Birthday's overwhelm us.

Here are some old links (so some of the stuff might not still work)

Christmas 2011

Also check out any of my old TOY REVIEW posts.

But the real gifts that are best for your kids is just laying back and spending time together...

stop running around all the time. 

Playing outside and board games or cards are a perfect way to spend time. 

Toys are ok,

 but siblings are a lifetime gift!!!

THY WILL BE DONE!!!+JMJ+

Pumpkin Snowman:

We took our old pumpkins that didn't rot yet and made this:

We used house paint to paint them but most websites suggest to spray paint them. Then we took the stem off one and stuck a toothpick in it and used it for a nose. We had this little hat and a bow tie. Then we took buttons out of our sewing kit. Then we stuck skewers in the sides to make holes for the arms. We love him. I can't wait to try out some of these cute ideas.

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

Happy Birthday Dominic!!!

Happy Birthday to my sweet, funny guy! You crack us all up and I love seeing the way you go about your day just enjoying it all. You are so easy going and diligent! I have never had a student work so hard and stay at such a fast pace as you! Stay close to Christ all the days of your life and He will guide and direct you!

Wow, 11 years old! So proud of you! Have a great year!!! We love you!!!

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

40,000 diapers?!

 (found image here)

My husband has estimated that I have changed about 40,000 diapers! Let's see: 13 kids, usually potty trained before 2 1/2years old, and our little foster love who is 9months old...plus I used cloth with my first four kids and sometimes with the others...

So you can just imagine my hands look like! 

At mass this morning I was holding my 16 year old mouthy daughter's hand, when she pulled away and said, "gross, your hand feels so old!" It's a good thing her birthday far away in April and that I already bought all her Christmas gifts!!!

Then I was at the mall today when an Italian Kiosk (a small structure with one or more open sides that is used to vend merchandise) salesman pretty much jumped me and grabbed my hand...saying, (using the thickest Italian accent I have ever heard!-imagine Martin Short from Madagascar 3, no kidding my boys were practically rolling on the floor!)    

"Oh my what have you been doing with those hands? Prepare to be amazed!" 

Then he took my thumb nail and started polishing it and flattering me all the while! It was pretty funny!

So, I had to see what the word of God had to say about my hands...

Proverbs 10:4
Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Proverbs 12:14
From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.

I hope my hands please my GOD!!!

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

Getting Ready for St Lucy Day:

We do St Lucy Day up pretty big around here.

Every year we order POP EYE chicken...get it "pop eyes"

The girls all dress up and serve hot chocolate and morning treats.

(photos are somewhere)

Each year at this time when I am out at the stores...

I look for left over Halloween candy that may have the "eye" symbol on them. 

Last year I found eye ball gummys and eye ball gum. 

This year I found these cool cupcake wrappers and cup cake eyeball decorators...

 

I thought I was weird till I saw this link below:

See this cool photo here

THY WILL BE DONE...+JMJ+