Has anyone seen...

Oh, there's Christopher's pants!

And John's shoe!

"Please do not run off with the pull chain!"

Yes, that has happened!

Vincent's nickname: "Thief" 

He is a 'good thief'

Looks like Christopher has forgiven him!

If you take a girl to the dentist

Gina Style

If you take a girl to the dentist, she will valiantly hold her mouth shut.  Since she did not open her mouth, you will have to set up another appointment in six months, in hopes for a better result.  Before going to the next appointment, you rave on about seeing the dentist. You even go to the extreme of buying a beautiful dancing shirt that she picked out. (She needs clothes for summer, but you won't give this shirt to her until she cooperates with the dentist.) Since you set up a second appointment, you take the girl to the dentist again.  On the way to the dentist office, the car ride goes something like this: Girl, "Yeah, we're going to the dentist! I'm going to do really good so I can take the tags off my new shirt."

Upon arriving at the dentist office, all is well!  However, once the hygienist brings the girl to the room, the girl forgets her desire to take the tags off her new shirt.  If you put a girl in a dentist room, she will see a pretty princess toothbrush that she really wants!  The hygienist tries to give it to her, but mom says, "Not unless she nicely lets you look at her teeth." and intercepts the toothbrush.  Because, if you take a girl to the dentist, mom gets really stubborn, too!

If you take a girl to the dentist and mom gets stubborn, she will hold the girl in her lap and pry her mouth open to let the dentist see the concerning spots on the girls teeth.  If a strong willed mom shows a dentist a reluctant girl's teeth, the dentist will recommend her to go to another dentist.  

In fear of girl chomping off his hand?

If you get recommended to another dentist you will have to make another appointment.  If you have to make another appointment, you will have to talk with a valiant girl about true courage and remind her about the pretty shirt she desperately wants to wear.  

If you set up an appointment with a new dentist (another male, yet unbeknown to girl), the girl will get sick with stomach flu in the wee hours of the morning on appointment day.  If the girl is sick, you will have to set up another appointment. This time the next available was with the wife of same recommended office. 

If you set up a fourth appointment, the girl will have more time to adjust to the idea of a dentist seeing her teeth.  Mom will be calling grandma to ask for prayers for stubborn girl to let the dentist see her teeth. Mom will talk it up again and pray all the way there, in hopes for a positive result.  

If you take a girl to the dentist, and it's a girl dentist, the little girl will do anything the girl dentist asks. You will wonder if this is the same child you struggled with for past visits to previous dentist. And  you will be happy to report to daughter's dad her thoughts, "I really like GIRL dentists!"  For that statement, dad thinks she should go back to the boy dentist.

If the girl likes a dentist, you will go back to that dentist to fix her teeth.  Mom will explain what is going to happen, and girl will say, "If it's at the girl dentist, I'll go!"

If you take a girl to get her teeth fixed, she will have a numb mouth.  

Since she had a numb mouth, she was able to get this shiny tooth!  

However, since she has a numb mouth, she might bite her cheek.  If she bites her cheek bad enough, she will have to eat soft foods.  If she has to eat soft foods, her mom will want to make her a smoothy for some sort of nutrition.  If mom goes to make a smoothy, the blender will break, and the motor will not operate.  If the motor does not work, mom will have to find a new blender.

If mom finds a new blender, she will taste her speedy concoction and have to call hubby to tell him how great it (the blender and the smoothy) is.  

The girl will be begging to have her smoothy back,

 and hubby will ask for a smoothy when he gets home.  

All because I took a girl to the dentist.  ;)

Vincent and the dancer wanted smoothy, too!

If YOU have to replace a blender, I highly recommend this one.  I've used it once, but the smoothy was made in seconds.  Smooth and Yummy!  If I change my mind, I'll let you know.
 

Just a little Upgrade

John asked when we were going to the short Mass at night.
I responded, "That's tomorrow with soup supper."
His reply, "Oh yeah! Is soup supper gonna have another UPGRADE?"
Me: What do you mean?
John: Well they upgraded last week and had green cookies!

Dear St. Patrick, my kids thank you for enabling an upgrade to our soup supper last week.  They loved the green shamrock cookies.  What do you think you can come up with this week to appease my squirrelly kids?

Maybe I can do these in honor of St. Catherine of Sweden when we get home tomorrow night.  They appear to be a very lenten type of dessert. We'll definitely use the whipped type of cream as my kids would not eat the sour cream, and maybe substitute with cherries in honor of the Order of the Holy Saviour, the convent that her mother, St. Bridget, had founded.
I hope Saints Catherine and Bridget don't mind us celebrating with them this lent.  :)

St. Joseph, a guide to fulfill our vocation

St. Joseph, I ask you to watch over, guide and protect us like you protected Christ.

We may find ourselves at times like St. Joseph: not knowing what to do, not fit for the duty God places in our lives.  But if we remain prayerful, Heaven will guide us to gently follow a precise route of battle, dodging mines, to gain the most ground for Heaven. 

St. Joseph, teach us to honor, protect and provide for Christ in our day. Help us work to perform our duties well; all the while listening and being obedient to the will of God. 


"To be perfect in our vocation is nothing else than to fulfill the duties which our state of life obliges us to perform, and to accomplish them well, and only for the honor and love of God."- St. Francis de Sales

Meant to Be

As 40 Days for Life continues, this video reminds us:
We are ALL brought into the womb for a Purpose

Psalm 22

Visit: ThisIsRyan.com

Sledding, Baby Style

Christopher's Rendition of Sledding on Melting Snow

Our snow is steadily melting.

The ground is colored brown and white with a splash of dull green.

I think I'm catching Spring Fever!

From the Pond...

Who Let the Frogs Out?

Frogs are awakening from Hibernation!

Kids are excited

Even kids at heart!

Dad says, "We might have to get some minnows to feed them."

  Gina says, "I want to go with you!"

Dad, "What do you think they would eat?"

Gina, "They'd eat what they like!"

Police - Maintaining Order

The 'Police Hat' Strikes Again

Please Pray And Sacrifice for Priests

That they may have the Grace
To embrace the Cross
United with Christ
Living the Mass
Ready and Willing
To Serve
To Suffer
For the Redemption of Souls

It IS OUR DUTY!

St Frances of Rome

What can we learn from this married saint? Sanctify our daily duties as we love and serve the sick, most especially when they are poor patients. This hits home with me as we go through stomach flu with puking and pooping kids.


Nowadays, I find prayer: 
Standing, bucket in hand with a vomiting preschooler. 
Cleaning up carpet, floors, sinks, toilets.
Changing sheets and 'Daddy T-shirts' 
Washing blankets, pillows, clothes, kids, myself


Through simultaneous puking and a two year old taking off his diaper to poop on the carpet as I change over laundry, I am reminded, it's all about the attitude.  I have a choice go alone, impatient and overwhelmed or I can bring Christ into the battlefield, patient and diligent; knowing that we work for a Greater cause which will remain hidden until I meet my Boss face to face.


Thanking God for the opportunity to serve, yet praying that these children will be healthy soon!


“It is most laudable in a married woman to be devout, but she must never forget that she is a housewife. And sometimes she must leave God at the altar to find Him in her housekeeping” 
-St. Frances of Rome in Butler’s Lives of the Saints

Proud to Throw Like a Girl

Sometimes comics speak volumes:

Did someone take a picture of me when I wasn't looking?

Around here, snowballs are flying every time we go outdoors, whether it be to run errands or after church. A few of us made it to reconciliation Sat, and as Michael and I built up our ammo to ambush Dad, Luke and his friend, Michael mischievously states, "Mom, (giggle) we're gonna have to go back to confession!"

Nah...this is pure fun ;)

Fertilizer...

Fertilizer comes from taking the failures that make us stink and spreading them out into the open via the sacrament of Confession, where Christ makes all things Good!  Therefor, be patient, merciful, and thankful with failures, for in repentance, God cultivates, breaks us up and seasons us, so that we may experience new and improved growth!

Humility = Christ's liveliness!

Diligence Gets Us One Step Closer

Christopher is gaining ground

One step at a time

Are you watching?

I know that I always hope Our Father is watching:

Our hard work & concentration in striving for the Goal!

Falling back a bit...

But, getting right back at It!

With more confidence

And coming back down to share

The Joy of the Cross!

I have much to learn from him,

and his example of

 Diligence!