The Chosen Ornament Is...

Christmases 1-5 my kids are given an ornament, typically Hallmark's Child Age Collection.

Once Aidan hit his 6th Christmas, it changed into him picking out an ornament for that year, to show for something he was interested in that year.

This year's ornament:

Tom & Jerry!
I personally love it. Love it.
The boys watch a lot of Tom & Jerry, it's classic, and I favored it as a kid, too.
I am happy with his choice. :)
Tonight it goes on the tree!

Today is of Many Scenes

The Elf on the Shelf has joined our family this year. His name? The boys decided on "Charlie Claus ourlastname". This morning they found him sitting atop the blinds near our table, looking out into the backyard. 

 A good scene from today: Brennan working on his math, the fun style of muffin tin-pom pom -tongs manipulative. He had a blast sorting the pom poms at first, then we moved on to a counting exercise.

 He took it very seriously, and was proud of himself for knowing "0" meant to put nothing in that section. I love that my boys love math!

 And our backyard, a not-so-great scene. We've had horrific rain, which is starting to combine with snow/sleet/hail. Our backyard is flooding, only getting worse each hour. This was earlier today. Pictured below is normally the little paved patio section.

 Blurry, but you can see how the water surrounds our shed and is getting worse. Ugh.

But hey, beef stroganoff for dinner, a Christmas tree to decorate, and it makes it much nicer inside than outside.
I'm hoping we don't wake to a delay or anything tomorrow...they say we might get 1-2 inches of snow tonight, and hit freezing temps.

Hope it's dry where you are!

What's on YOUR Christmas List?

Not the list of what to get others, your kids, or anyone else. But YOU.
What's on YOUR Christmas list?

I'm nearly done shopping for my kids and husband, my parents, and we know what we're doing for my in-laws (just yet to do so). We'll need to get the teachers' gifts, but most is done. YES!!

There are always a million things on my mental Christmas/Birthday/Mothers' Day/Anniversary lists.

 Isn't that life?

If money was not an issue, I'd love to ask for a new area rug for my living room. I'd love candle wall sconces and a nice oval mirror for the living room, also a wall clock. 

I'd love a new bedding set.

A laminator.

A new CAR! (are you laughing yet?)

I would love to get my husband an iphone, ipad, and maybe a kindle if he was interested. 

None of those will be gifts received this year. Some days that bums me out, but in reality, we have all that we need, some of what we want, and a beautiful family.

Truly, the best gifts....presents...can be presence. 

I am thrilled to be going to SC for Christmas, and enjoy the presence with family we don't see often.

I am hopeful for time with my husband.

I have kids that make me pictures and cards, pouring their little hearts into it.

That is priceless.

Worth far more than the cost of an area rug, wall clock, ipad, or iphone.

I need to remember this attitude, this gratitude, when I finish my shopping. 

(But I still want to know what is on your list!;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm a day late, probably a dollar short, but thankful nonetheless!

Thanksgiving was at my in-laws' this year. The food was delicious, the drinks were plentiful, and the company lovely. We ate a ton, drank a bit much, and it was a great day. Cillian's 1st Thanksgiving, by the way. :)

Making it even better, our good friend Steve joined us. His company was a true blessing!

The food was so good. Here is a quick picture of the turkey:

Yum.
We watched a lot of the Macy's parade, ate gigantic cinnamon rolls for breakfast, had friends & family, all for making a wonderful holiday.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

I'm Hooked on This, and Therefore Thankful

Oh my heavens, I am so hooked on this snack right now and very grateful for it. 

It's just deliciously addicting. Sweet & salty, so so good...

In the Month of Giving Thanks...

I'm finding it hard to be positive & happy. I know I am blessed and am thankful for those things.
Lately my mind plays tricks on me, disabling me from seeing the good, and only noticing the bad.

I feel guilty over not brining in any income. Then I absurdly panic over the fact that there is no money to my own name.

I complain of our small house. I am so very frustrated by the tiny house that is ours, the lack of space, which truly prohibits me from organizing well.

I get irked by the garage being our only storage, which has resulted in us never, not even once, parking our car in there. Always more annoying in these months of needing to warm up the car.

I get frustrated at praying & looking for opportunities to increase our income, decrease our spending, and to save so we can buy a car and bigger house. Almost a year after my husband graduated with his MBA, and nadda. I don't want to give up on the prayer, but obviously it's doing nothing.

Cillian is a horrible sleeper at night. As in for the past month or so, I kid you not, he's been waking 8-10 times. It is beyond exhausting and excruciating, and I envy my husband's ability to sleep through any crying. On both Cillian's end and mine.

I hate cry-it-out, yet nothing else seems to work.

I'm annoyed by the school and some changes this year. I love my kids and want what's best for them, and I'm not so sure our current school is the answer to that.

I used to be disciplined and diligent in exercising and eating well.
Not any more. I suck.

I hate money. And not sleeping.

See? I told you I'm having a hard time giving thanks.
I always get "homesick" this time of year for my side of the family, too, and it makes me feel more lonely and a bit sad.

I should slap myself & snap out of it, I know. But this is a way of venting; maybe it will help me gain a more positive perspective.
I want to feel thankful. I want to see what is right in front of me as a blessing, not an annoyance.

Tell me: what do you do when you feel like this?

9 Months Old!

I'm in disbelief that Cillian is already 9 months old, but he is!
Though not a fan of sleeping, he is adorable and quite the happy baby (unless we dare change his diaper or confine him in any way).

Happy 9 Months, Cillian!
We Love You so much!!

 Below you can see his blond hair coming in

 His favorite thing to do: crawling under the table

 Cillian loves to pull up to standing, and we think he's adorable in his jeans

 about to step over to the exersaucer

Part of the Reason I Love Fall

A to Z...I'm a Copycat

I clicked over to my good friend Bethany's blog today, and she did this fun little A to Z post.
Acknowledging that imitation is a form of flattery ;), I copied Bethany and did one, too.

A to Z

A. Age: 31.
B. Bed size: Queen, though I'm ready for a King. Never thought I'd want a King, but add in a few kids, and I'd happily take it!
C. Chore that you hate: Cleaning the bathroom. Every gross detail, especially with me being the only girl in the house.
D. Dogs: Prefer them to cats, but we don't have one.
E. Essential start of your day: coffee in the morning. 
F. Favorite color: Sage green.
G. Gold or Silver: Silver 
H. Height: 5’4
I. Instruments you play: sadly, none. I wish I could play the violin.
J. Job: I'm a stay-at-home-mom.  
K. Kids: 3 living boys, ages 7.5, 4.5, and almost 9 months. 2 in heaven. 
L. Live: Ohio 
M. Mother’s name: Dottie
N. Nicknames: Sharona, Canary, Birdie
O. Overnight hospital stays: When I delivered my babies, and 5 days for kidney stones while pregnant with Brennan.
P. Pet peeves: people chewing w/ their mouths open, and NOT drying off a little over the tub, before stepping onto the bath mat.
Q. Quote from movie: "I like smiling, smiling's my favorite!"
R. Right or left-handed. Right
S. Siblings: 7 --5 brothers, 2 sisters.
T. Tattoos: no tramp stamp on me!
U. Underwear: fresh pair every day.
V. Vegetable you hate: Brussels sprouts
W. What makes you run late: Nursing a baby or changing the diaper of an escape artist.
X. X-rays you’ve had: Umm...ultrasounds?
Y. Yummy food you make: I'd rather have my family answer this one, but I'll say roast chicken or beef, chicken parmesan, potato soup.
Z. Zoo animal: Polar Bears

Monday Meanderings

There should be a law against rainy Mondays.
Mondays are heard enough, starting another week filled with work and obligations...rain is no help.
If I could control the weather, there would be no rain on Mondays.
I did manage to already clean my room, the bathroom, put away a load of laundry, get another washed, and load the dishwasher.
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It's a busy week. It's Red Ribbon Week at school.
Tomorrow Aidan has a Scout meeting, and a friend is coming home with him to ride with us for Scouts.
Wednesday I have a meeting in the morning, then later I'm helping to prep stuff for Secret Santa at school.
Thursday Pat has Lifeteen, and then Friday is the parish Feather Party! And then holy smokes, it's already a week until Thanksgiving! How did that happen so fast?!
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I don't have a menu planned for this week. I looked in my kitchen, and this is my general idea:
Scrambled egg & sausage sandwiches on English Muffins.
Italian Rice & Beans or Refried Beans over rice.
Crock pot creamy chicken.
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I'm still feeling "homesick" lately for my side of the family. I am looking forward to going to SC for Christmas.
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Speaking of Christmas, the stores area already chaotic and filling with rude, greedy customers. I want to finish my shopping asap.I need to get the game Sorry, some books for the kids, and I want to get them one of the Lego games. I really want to not do this alone. I'd love to leave the kids with the sitter and Pat & I go together. Think it will happen?
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How's your Monday? What's on your agenda for this week?

Giving Thanks

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'm sharing things in my life I am thankful for. 

It's always easy to remember the big things (home to live in, job, etc), but I find more value in the smaller things. The everyday things that so easily feel mundane after a while, or unimportant.

• I am thankful for my husband getting up with the kids each morning.
• Though it's frustrated me lately, I am thankful for the ability to still nurse Cillian, especially as it seems to be very comforting for him this week.
• I'm thankful for a trip to see a sister-in-law and cousins yesterday.
• The boys being off of school today & yesterday.
• Good dinners we've made at home.
• Positive comments about Aidan & Brennan at parent-teacher conferences.
• Starting my Christmas shopping.
• Aidan making his 1st Reconciliation.
• Our church having perpetual Adoration.
• A new niece born this week!

There is plenty more I am thankful for, but that's a good list so far. :)

I love the month of November, especially Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and we are blessed to have so much to be thankful for.

It's not always easy to acknowledge the good when there is so much to stress us out. I hope you can see some of the reasons you have to be thankful.

Another Milestone: First Reconciliation

We sat in the church pews, waiting for Aidan's turn to enter the confessional.

I looked over at him, as he nervously sat, trying to pray and relax.
In his dress pants and dress shirt, neatly tucked in, belt on and nicer shoes on.

He looked mature, all of a sudden, and more grown up.
Not like the kid who started at our parish school 2.5 years ago.
A bigger kid, now grown and mature, understanding things on a deeper level.

First Reconciliation doesn't get the same hype as Baptism and First Communion, understandably so.
But it's still important. It's still a Sacrament, and a wonderful opportunity to learn about mercy and infinite love.

I think I'll always feel a bit choked up as my children receive another Sacrament.
Aidan making his First Reconciliation is no different.
I am proud of him, and welcome this new part of his life where he can now join us for Confession.

Halloween 2011

Cillian's 1st Halloween, too. :)

Halloween was colder this year, and by the time October 31 actually arrived, we were kind of burned out from trick-or-treating. Sad, isn't it?
It was our FOURTH Halloween event.
We had trick-or-treated at an outdoor mall, in the downtown of the city where the school is, and at our parish event. By Monday night, the boys were just drained and the excitement wore off.
Now I know: next year, we skip some of the business events! (gladly)

Halloween was still fun, of course. We did our Mummy Dogs for dinner, hit the good houses, and watched some of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown once back home.
See for yourself how adorable my boys were (no bias, of course;):

My little pumpkin on his 1st Halloween

 Brennan as "Luigi"

 My 3 boys

 one of my favorites

 Aidan as "Mario"

 Pat & his boys

 Me with my Little Men

 Our jack-o-lantern. Aidan drew it on this year!

I hope you had a wonderful Halloween!

A New Tradition for All Saints Day

Spaghetti & Meatballs!
We had this on Tuesday, and I have to say, my meatballs were quite good. It was a delicious dinner!

Why Spaghetti & Meatballs for All Saints Day?
I have two Catholic cookbooks that have been given to me, and I was in a menu-planning rut. I have never used these cookbooks before, but I picked them up to see what they suggest that goes with All Saints Day.

According to Building the Family Cookbook, All Saints Day became formalized in the year 731 (dang that's some time ago). The Pope then (Pope Gregory III) consecrated a chapel at St. Peter's Church, honoring all the Saints. The fest day was started in Rome and of course is still celebrated there. In the book Suzanne Fowler writes, "what could be more Italian and Roman" than spaghetti & meatballs? I agree!
So alas, a great tasting, kid-pleasing meal will now be our tradition on All Saints Day. :)

Another fun thing: during dinner we looked up each Saint and learned about his life again. The kids really enjoyed reading about their Saints, and it was one of those good family moments. If you already know the Saint of your first name, try looking up your middle name, or another relative's name.

Spaghetti & Meatballs: our new All Saints Day tradition.