Three Little Monkeys

Chef PX

2012-02-11T11:40:00.002-05:00

PeterXavier has a love for all things kitchen related. Be it eating the food or making it. Lately, he has been making the other kids lunch a few times a week. The other day, he even brought me a quesadilla!

He was quite proud of the lovely yolk in this egg.

The girls are enjoying eating his little masterpieces!

Winner!!

2012-01-30T15:48:00.000-05:00

The giveaway winner is . . . .

Alison!

Alison Troyer Price said...

Sarah, I liked That's a Wrap on FB

Thanks for playing, everyone!

Seven Quick Takes

2012-01-27T13:52:00.003-05:00

Not long ago, my sister wrote about savoring the quiet days at home with her little girls. I absolutely know what she's talking about. Except I'm half way on the other side. I swear I used to have a nine year old boy around here, but I am starting to forget what he looks like . . . . yep, life gets busy.

II.

It's ill-advised to promise your kids a yummy treat without first checking to be certain your pantry holds all of the needed ingredients. But necessity is the mother of invention, right? Did you know that you can make make powdered sugar in your coffee grinder? Yeppers. Just grind up your regular sugar and add a bit of cornstarch. Not quiet the really thing, but it will do in a pinch!

III.

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Quick Take Three, courtesy of Avila. She's into everything these days. And talking a bit. She says "'Ol' me! 'ol' me!" and makes this weird milking-a-cow gesture at me when she wants to nurse.

It's not doing much for my self-image.

Double-fisted chocolate delight.

I had a revelation the other day as to why PeterXavier is still not reading. He's only 5 1/2, so I am certainly not concerned. It's just that he so wants to be able. Then I realized that the basic premise of reading is learning, applying, and following rules. Well, shoot. He may never learn! "Rule Following" isn't in his make up. I may have to take a different approach with this one!

(Sort of like his Uncle John who, in this picture, is wearing a cowl on his head!)

IV.

I'm hosting a giveaway! Don't forget to enter to win! It's easy and fun and the gloves are darn cute :)

VII.

Seven's a big number . . . .I'm fresh out of ideas.

Go visit Jen for more quick takes!

Giveaway!

2012-01-26T20:08:00.000-05:00

Time for some giveaway fun! I am really excited about the little "Fingerless Gloves" I have been making. They have been crazy popular with my kids and now it is fun to see them being a popular item in my Etsy store.

Now it's your turn for a chance at a pair of these fun little accessories! This giveaway is for one pair of either "bridal pink" or "navy blue" 100% wool fingerless gloves, sized 2-6 years (approximately).

Here are the rules - you can "earn" an entry a couple different ways. First, "like" That's A Wrap on Facebook and come back here to let me know.

Share the giveaway and FB page on your own blog and / or fb and come back to let me know.

Check out That's A Wrap on Etsy and come back to let me know what you love!

Don't forget to come back and COMMENT on what you did, saw, love!

I will pick a winner via random generator on Monday! Good Luck!

Cute toddlers

2012-01-18T20:18:00.001-05:00

This little girl is such a stinker. She is really developing a little personality and is making the whole family laugh. Despite the fact that she firmly told me "No!" when I suggested the potty to her, and despite the fact that she flung flour all over my kitchen and then peed on it, I'm still pretty sure she's the cutest toddler girl around!

Yarnin' Along, Again

2012-01-11T12:59:00.000-05:00

Wow. I haven't done a Yarn Along in a while. Not that I haven't been knitting. Most of my recent projects were Christmas gifts and, therefore, not bloggable. But I have picked up the needles again, after a short break from Christmas overload!

I knit these fun fingerless gloves for PeterXavier and was quickly bombarded with requests from the other children. Thankfully, they're a rather quick knit. Christopher has a pair as well, now, and Gracie has some on the needles. They fancy-schmancy hand painted yarn I am using for her's is a bear to work with, so they are slow going. I can't wait to finish them and be rid of that yarn!

Last night I bought some yummy soft pink Lanaloft to make Bella some gloves. I can't wait to dig into that yarn.

As for reading, it's all been on my awesome new Kindle Fire. In the past couple weeks, I have read the first two books on the Hunger Games trilogy. Without being a spoiler, what's your take on these books? They seem to beg discussion :)

Don't forget to visit Ginny for more Yarn Alongs!

Kitchens, Little Chefs, and Funny Kids

2012-01-10T15:56:00.000-05:00

Apparently, the funniest thing going these days is closing you sister in the "'fridge". Avila shuts Bella in and shrieks with laughter.

And sweet Bella plays right along, indulging her sister over, and over, and over again.

Chef PeterXavier received a six week cooking course for Christmas. This evening is his first class and he has been asking since he got up "Is it time yet?". He dressed himself . . . can you tell?

DIY Extravaganza

2012-01-03T16:05:00.001-05:00

My parents got me a Kindle Fire for Christmas and it's pretty much the coolest thing I've ever owned. But the poor naked little thing needed a cover. Have you priced those things? Um, gag. Wow.

So I pulled out my scissors, my sewing machine, and my goodwill bag and viola!

Totally awesomely free Kindle cover!

(Sure is cuter than the cloth diaper I was wrapping it in before!)

And speaking of free (and why my goodwill bag runneth over) . . .

My fantastically organized closet! Andrew spent a large portion of his Christmas break revamping my seriously disorganized too-messy-for-before-pictures closet into this thing of beauty.

He re-purposed a load of old pallets and it is amazing! As an added bonus of wonderful - it didn't cost a dime! (Except to the stud finder we had to buy since the kids broke the old one. Oops) Love it!

Brotherly Love on Christmas Day

2011-12-28T12:18:00.000-05:00

Christmas Ornaments

2011-12-22T20:29:00.002-05:00

This afternoon, we cranked up the Advent music and set to work making Christmas ornaments. I set out to just do salt dough, but then decided to try cinnamon ornaments and I am so glad I did!

The kitchen smelled fantastic and the ornaments turned out very pretty.

Grace got out her stamp set to decorate her ornaments. Cute!!

Monday Morning Musings

2011-12-19T08:11:00.000-05:00

It's still a little dark outside and, amazingly, my house is quiet. Most everyone is still sleeping and Avila is snoring on my lap. She always pops up when I wake up, but generally isn't really ready to be awake. So today, she chose to sleep on top of me.

We're only a week out from Christmas and, per usual, I feel totally unprepared. One day, I'll be on my game and get everything finished in July so that I can really savor Advent. One day.

I was really proud of our ability this year to make about 90% of our gifts. A few for the kids will be purchased (I can't make books or boots!) and some were bartered from artisans and crafters on etsy. I was proud, until a read my sister in laws blog and she made ALL of their gifts. She always beat me :) But, she's a veritable wonder-woman!

My week will be spent with my knitting needles and and sewing maching finishing up this and that. Hopefully everything will come together without too many long, late nights!

Laundermat to the Rescue!

2011-12-02T08:17:00.001-05:00

Sometimes life jumps up and attacks you. You know, like when seven people all try to stagger and drag out wicked cases of the stomach flu.

And then you know what else attacks you? Large, looming loads of really dirty laundry.

This was my life this past week and while looking back I might be able to find a glimmer of humor in it all, I probably won't. But I did learn an important lesson - Laundermats are my friend! Yes, it was a little scuzzy and the clientele was slightly scary, but where else can you get five loads of laundry done AND knit half a hat while drinking a Caramel Brulee Latte all in the comfort of a hard plastic chair and a sticky floor??

Admittedly, the greatness of this little excursion was the act of being productive coupled with an hour of childless quiet (thanks to my hubby!).

But the lesson was still learned - laundermats are great!

(This post is joining the Big Family Friday link up. Head over for more big family fun!)

Monday, Monday

2011-11-28T08:23:00.001-05:00

I love looong weekends. And holidays. This one was wonderful. We had a fabulous Thanksgiving with my family and gorged ourselves fittingly.

Andrew played "Santa's Elf" this weekend and spent a large part of his time working on projects for the kids Christmas gifts. I am so excited about them! I may share a few on here later, but some have to stay secret ;) If you need a fantastic wood kitchen for the tiny aspiring cook in you life, head over to That's A Wrap to check out Andrew's.

On that note, today is "Cyber Monday" which, in my opinion is a whole lot better than "Black Friday"! Cyber deals from the convenience of your own kitchen table! You can couple that with supporting small business by shopping Etsy. There are lots of great deals there today! For instance (ok, this isn't a CM deal, just a good deal!). I have always wanted to make our own beeswax candles for our Advent Wreath, but been overwhelmed by the exorbitant price. Just now I found a great candle making kit and a fantastic price on etsy!

Typical of the Monday after a big (food eating) holiday, half my family is sick. It's a lovely mix of head colds and stomach bugs. I am praying that it leaves us soon.

Speaking of praying - do you love the new translation?? Could it be more beautiful?? I say not!

Craft Show Mania

2011-11-07T17:19:00.002-05:00

Craft Lafayette! was fun! I would say I was moderately successful in the sales department, but really, the fun was hanging out with great people. How could it not be fun, when my spot was book-ended with my fun sister (and my mom!) and the wonderful Angie?!

It was great to chat with so many talented crafters! It was also inspiring to be surrounded by so much talent! I was humbled, though, when I came home and added or was added to Etsy circles (akin to "friends" on facebook), to see the talent of some of the customers! My initial reactions was "Why would someone so talented buy from me?!?" It really was a fun experience and I hope to do it again sometime soon!

Craft Lafayette! - the final sprint

2011-10-31T15:07:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posting. It's been all craft fair all the time around here. Well, that's not entirely true, we've just been extremely busy and Craft Lafayette! has been looming in front of me, moving ever closer.

Some of us are pretending to be in craft fair mode. I cut quilt squares for my sewing class at the kid's co-op and the scraps were quickly commandeered by my little apprentice(s).

Today I have been working on packaging and layout. And praying that I actually have enough stuff!

Have you done a craft show? Any words of wisdom? Pitfalls to avoid?

Aren't these yarn bowls gorgeous? I'll be selling them on behalf of a fantastic potter.

If you're a local, be sure to come out and visit all of the wonderful and talents crafters at Craft Lafayette!

And now, back to the grindstone.

Basilica Cathedral St. Louis

2011-10-26T14:38:00.004-04:00

When I was researching Mass times before heading out on our trip, I discovered that the Arch is not to only place of wondrous beauty in St. Louis!

The Basilica Cathedral is certainly not to be missed! In a moment of providence, we actually missed the early Mass we had intended to attend. We thought we knew where we were heading, but ended up at a difference Catholic Church.

I had had my heart set on going to the Basilica, so we passed up the Mass at that Church, opting for the later Mass at the Basilica.

And to our surprise and excitement, the Bishop said the later Mass! In celebration of World Mission Sunday, there were NINE priests presiding and a full choir. It was fantastic.

The kids were in awe of the many, many mosaics decorating the Basilica.

Meet Me In St Louis . . .

2011-10-25T14:36:00.000-04:00

We just returned from a fun filled long weekend in the great city of St. Louis. I had never been to St. Louis before - what fun! The Gateway Arch is incredible. No picture can do it justice.

The first night we were there, the lighting at the Arch was fantastic for picture taking.

We were all amazing by the enormity of the Arch. Wow!

My Crafty Musing

2011-10-19T21:28:00.000-04:00

Time slowed today and it was wonderful. Andrew took the day off for me to relax a bit after his absence last week and to give me a chance to catch up on all that was so far behind. It was a cold and rainy day, so it was delightful not to have to go out into the elements. He ran the kids to their activities while I stayed home.

Craft Lafayette! is approaching much more quickly than my little fingers can create. Yikes. I spent my free hours sewing and beading. I was productive, which is nice, but still a bit behind crafty wise. None the less, my time spent in the craft room was worth more than the items I produced.

Creating can be so satisfying. We are currently seeing a resurgence \of hand crafts which is wonderful. With the internet and specific sites such as etsy and artfire the small, hand crafted business is much more accessible. I think this is an especially appealing venue for the stay at home mom. But I believe the appeal goes far beyond the "flexible work hours" or the notion of "working from home". While I am sure success and pocket money are great benefits, I wonder if the benefitial act of creating actually far outweighs the others.

So much of a mother's day is spent working on mundane tasks -- extraordinarily important, but mundane none the less. And a great deal of a mother's work is immediately undone. That dreaded laundry pile -- does it ever really disappear? The dishes in the sinks seem to instantly reappear the moment I finished washing. And I am convinced that it is impossible for all seven of the tummies in my house to be satisfied simultaneously!

When it comes to creating, the end is attainable, visible, and complete. When your item is finished, it can't be undone in the sense of a dirty dish or a pair of soiled jeans. (Although, a toddler pulling out my knitting has caused me great strife!). I would posit that that sense of completion and gratification is, in large part, why so many mothers are drawn to craft.

I would even venure to say that there is a need within us as humans to create. God made us in His image and likeness and it was He who created all that is good. In that same nature, creating is a good in which we should indulge. It brings a sense of joy and beauty into the home and in that vein, it brings God into the home as well.

Oh the glitter was worth it!

2011-10-14T16:04:00.003-04:00

(Also known as "If you blog it, it's no longer crazy!")

A glittery project with the kids probably wasn't my brightest idea. Especially at 7PM the evening after co-op, on the seventh day of a daddy-less week. (He comes home to night - woo!)

The kids loved this project and, really, the results were worth it.

Starting in the evening was also good, because they could dry over night and be finished in the morning. I gleaned this fantastic fall craft idea from This Cosy Life. She has a great tutorial, so I won't go into to much detail here.

I watered down the glue a bit and the kids dipped the acorn caps into the glue before sprinkling them with ~~the detested~~ sparkly glitter.

I should add that we made some of these of the non-glittery variety and they were equally adorable. In fact, they were a little more to my earthy, I'm-not-a-fan-of-glitter taste! But the kids, they loved the glitter (of course).

I drilled holes in the top and the acron caps. Then we threaded cotton yarn through the caps and jingle bells. **Tip: get the multi-size package of jingle bells so you can match the bells to the cap**

This was a great fine motor skills lesson. My kids love to use needle and thread, so they were thrilled with this!

Beautiful fall necklaces! I guess I failed to get a photo of the kids wearing their necklaces. They've been jingling around the house all day!

Eight is Great!

2011-10-13T08:51:00.001-04:00

A birthday princess

Yesterday, this sweet girl turned eight years old. She was treated to quite the girly birthday adventure to celebrate. We picked up a few friends and headed out for manicures and pizza.

Grace's bff Chiara

I had intended to take the girls to one of the local cosmetology schools for their manicures, but seeing as they rely on students signing up for shifts, this plan didn't pan out.

Eight year olds are great, but three years olds are adorable!

In the end, it worked out for the best, because Bella Nail Spa was wonderful! They treated the girls so well and even gave them cookies!

I loved taking Anja with us.

These girls chose the most fabulous color combinations. If only I were so brave and daring!

Jazz hands showing off their do's.

After their nail treatments, I asked the girls where they wanted to go for pizza. The vote was unanimous -- "That place where the train brings your drinks!"

Locomotion excitement!

I had been hoping for Bruno's, but I was severely out voted. So off we went!

Fantastically bright!

Happy birthday, Gracie! You are loved!

And a big Happy Birthday to my amazingly wonderful sister-in-law Anna!!

International Babywearing Week!

2011-10-09T12:27:00.010-04:00

This week is International Babywearing Week!

Become a "fan" of That's A Wrap on Facebook to get a coupon for 15% off all item in my etsy store! (Coupon code good for this week only!)

A Boy and His Fire

2011-10-08T07:55:00.000-04:00

Christopher was very proud of his fire. We had had a fire earlier in the day, but it was barely embers when he brought it back to life.

His attention just reinforced my theory that it is impossible for the male species to build a fire and then jus tleave the darn thing alone!

Large Family Living - advise, please!

2011-10-07T08:18:00.000-04:00

I stumbled upon this big family link up over at Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling and the timing couldn't be more perfect.

I have five kids and I don't really feel like we are that big of a family. I know that if I stretched outside my little bubble, I would realize that to a lot of people, we actually are. Which is why I somehow found myself schedules to give a talk on raising a large family.

So, here I am ~~asking~~ begging for some advice. If you were to attend a large family living talk, what would you want to hear? Keep in mind, this is going to be a mainly secular audience, so it's more logistical than spiritual.

So, go ahead: ask your questions, give your tips and advise, tell me what you've read / heard before, help me! I promise to reprint my talk here for all to read.

The Case for the Homeschool Dad

2011-10-03T20:25:00.000-04:00

As much as I would like to be, I am not that roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-messy mom. Thankfully (I think!), my husband is. Therefore, the kids get some great hand-on learning experiences! The most recent has been homemade root beer!

The first night, they mixed the brew. The next day, we watched it begin to carbonate and the kids calculated the carbonation in order to determine the best time to bottle.

Watching air bubble through this air-lock allowed them to figure this out. And allowed us to stop the bubbling before we ended up with beer!

They worked together to clean all of the bottles.

Teamwork!

Then Andrew patiently showed them how to fill the bottles with enough brew.

Christopher declared himself the official "taste tester". It passed his sensitive palette!

After the bottles were filled, they were capped and sealed and put in the fridge. Please say a prayer that fermentation stops before they explode all over my fridge!

Dad's are great in the zeal for the messy, exciting, and sometimes even educational!

Gracie Twirls!

2011-09-30T14:18:00.002-04:00

Adorably, Grace is taking a twirling class at Purdue this semester. Grace is not only loving the class, but she is really good, too!

Her teacher is the Purdue Feature Twirler and beautiful and it really is every little girls dream.

She takes the class with a bunch of other girls, including her pal Chiara.

Yarn Along - Sweet Success!

2011-09-28T13:32:00.001-04:00

My hat worked! I figured out my mistake the last time around. I had misread the pattern. I had added a knit row right before that last row (all decreases) and I am pretty sure that caused a point. I may have erred in my decreases further back as well, which would explain why the problem is so pronounced. I was happy to solve the problem and I am happy to finally know how to successfully use DPNs.

Funny thing about my pointy hat – my sister told me that the front cover of More Last Minute Knitted Gifts features a hat just like my pointy hat! Too funny. I guess one gals mistake is a knitting authors cutting edge cuteness!

(For more Yarn Alongs, visit Ginny!)

Avila Update

2011-09-28T08:15:00.001-04:00

Avila is almost 16 months old now and her little personality is really developing. It is adorable to watch her come into her own and to see her interact with her siblings. She has finally decided that walking is indeed a pretty efficient means of transporting herself and I don’t think she has actually crawled in almost a week. She’s not the most steady walker and sort of looks like she just got off a horse. It’s so darn cute.

She is talking a tiny bit with her favorite words being “Mama”, “Daddy”, and “Grace”. I can’t even imagine how exciting it must be for Grace to be one of her sister’s first words! It helps that her name is pretty easy to say.

It does have it’s down side, because Grace gets yelled at all. The. Time. By Avi asking for help. Or attention. Especially in the car. Sometimes, poor Grace spends the whole car ride saying “What?” “Gaeh!” “What?” “Gaeh!” “What?” over and over again. Grace is pretty patience with the constant demands and Avila loves her for it!

Cute Kids at a Wedding

2011-09-27T14:14:00.001-04:00

We went to a wedding over the weekend. It was a beautiful wedding of some friends. I think periodic wedding attendance should be required of all married couples. I wish I could recount what Father said in his homily. He did a wonderful job of articulating the vocation of marriage and the witness it provides. Of course, I was wrestling a three year old and a 15 month old, so I can’t recall how exactly he put it. (And who knows what kind of psycho-witness I was at the time!) But it was nicely said and a great reminder to those of us “in the trenches”.

My kids were cute!

And crazy! (Christopher orchestrated this goofy picture. He’s so silly.)

PeterXavier got a dance with the beautiful Hali. Cuteness overload!

Extreme Baby Wearing

2011-09-25T14:30:00.002-04:00

The other day, we took the kids bike riding on some trails in a nearby town. We got there and then realized that I only had one baby wrap. Since that one was designated for Bella, I had to get creative in finding a way to carry Avila.

Too tight sweatshirt to the rescue! This actually worked quite well and Avila was a chipper little riding pal! Ya do what you've got to do!

2011-09-23T08:14:00.001-04:00

Last weekend, we celebrated what would have been my grandfather's 100th birthday. It was great to see family whom we so rarely see these busy days.

In the background here, my kids are playing with balloons - a favorite form of entertainment of my grandpa.

Cousins big and small. And a shot of the cutest-couple-ever!

Amazingly dirty feet.

My family and my sister's family. Apparently, I was really excited to have my picture taken.

Yarn Along - Help a (Birthday) Girl Out Edition

2011-09-21T14:10:00.002-04:00

What. The. Heck. happened to my hat?? Why on earth is it pointy? I followed the pattern in Last Minute Knitted Gifts, and it doesn't look a thing like the beautiful hat in the pictures.

I think this could win the prize for "Stupidest Hat Ever Knit". So, help me out -- where did I go wrong? Admittedly, this my first attempt with DPNs and I wonder if my gauge tightened when I switched from circulars to DPN?

Please help me before I botch this one, too!

(For less ridiculous Yarn Alongs, visit Ginny!)

Meal Planning

2011-09-14T14:00:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time, I was really good at meal planning. I had my handy binder full of our favorite recipes, a stocked pantry, an iron-clad budget, and a well thought out grocery list. I shopped once a week and everything was beautifully streamlined.

Yeah. I fell off that bandwagon quite a while ago. But recently, I have started to realize how lack of meal planning can cause stress and some serious over spending. I have been trying hard to get back into the game. I also know that with our super busy schedule this semester, I am going to be very dependent on my crock pot.

The other day I ordered the cookbook Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook. I also downloaded some cute meal planning charts from www.theprojectgirl.com Although, since then I have seen a deal from Mamasource to get super cute meal planning (and other planning!) note pads for a fraction of the regular price! Either way, cute paper helps keep us moving!

Here is the secret to my meal planning plan: I handed that cute paper, a pen, and the cookbook over to my husband. HE filled it all out (complete with "Chef Andrew" in the Sunday spot!) along with the information in the "grocery list" section. Now my job is simply to execute. And that's the easy part!

Yarn Along -- Finished!

2011-09-14T13:33:00.001-04:00

I am so happy to be finished with this Market Bag. And I am pretty pleased with the final results. And my Malabrigo didn't let me down. What fantastic yarn! The other day, I was in River Knits and realized that they have bundles of Malabrigo!! Woo!

Here's my new friend, all packed and ready for a day out!

Visit Ginny for more Yarn Alongs!

Creating Art With Kids

2011-09-09T19:58:00.000-04:00

The other day, Andrew took the two "big" girls on a date, so I was at home with PeterXavier and Avila. Avi quickly went down for a nap, so PX and I had a couple hours to ourselves. It is rare that I get to hang out with just him. We cooked up a nice, yummy lunch and then sat down to a project.

I am really intrigued with the idea of repurposing found objects. These shells were collected by Grace at my parents cottage a few weeks ago. The beauty of the inner part of the shell was calling me! So PeterXavier and I took our the hammer and broke those shells to bits.

My quality control man ensured that each piece was strong. (He was loving this!) And then we took out the Dremel and drilled small holes in the tops. Viola! Shell beads!

So pretty! Such potential! And such a fun time was had creating together.

Yarn Along -- Still Not Finished!

2011-09-07T10:43:00.001-04:00

I was hoping to be finished with my Market Bag for this weeks Yarn Along, but no such luck! I am still chugging away and, for me, making pretty good progress, Thanks for all of the encouragement last week!

I am not reading anything new, as I haven't had an time! Hopefully by next Wednesday, I'll have a finished project to share!

And don't forget to visit Ginny for more Yarn Alongs!

Saint Thomas Aquinas

2011-09-06T11:55:00.000-04:00

Seeing as today is the traditional start of the school year (although many kids have been in school for a couple weeks already!), I thought this was an appropriate day to post my review of the book Saint Thomas Aquinas by Raissa Maritain. The story was originally published in French in 1934.

This book is really a gem for readers of all ages, although it is written with the 9-12 year old set in mind. Written in simple language, it tells the life story of the quiet and often misunderstood boy who grew to be one of the greatest minds of the Church. This story brings Thomas alive to the reader and can inspire in young people the desire to soak up wisdom and Truth.

Young and old would be wise to develop a love for the gentle Angel of Schools and this tale of his life is a great starting point!

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Saint Thomas Aquinas.

Who Needs Baby Dolls?

2011-09-05T21:25:00.000-04:00

Also known as, "Why Avila will never learn to walk"

At the ripe old age of 15 months, Avila is still very much a crawler. Can anyone blame her for her lack of motivation?

While the baby dolls around here are a bit lonely, their stroller certainly isn't neglected.

Princess Avila and her entourage.

Co-op Day One -- Survived!

2011-09-01T20:50:00.000-04:00

Today was the first day of the homeschooling co-op in which my kids have participated in the last couple years. Despite the fact that we have been involved on and off since the begining, this is the first year I have taught a class.

Last night, I started wondering what was going on in my head when I volunteered! Not that I wasn't not really looking forward to it -- I was! What I had trouble understanding was why, exactly, I thought I could sew well enough to teach it!

After today's adventures in co-op, I still doubt my amateur sewing skills, but I must say, teaching those kids was a blast!

Last night I finished up sewing each student a 98% finished bag. Each bag had a little ribbon loop for a button closure, but no button. So lesson number one -- sewing a button (as well as how to thread a needle and knot the thread).

And the kids got a kick out of the funky buttons Andrew made!

We also spent today's class learning a little bit about the history of sewing. We started sewing a small needle holder as well, but ran out of time. In the next couple weeks, we will finish up the small projects in the bag and each child will have a complete made-by-me (as in them, not me) sewing kit.

It was great fun and I am really looking forward to the year.

(If you think these made-by-me sewing kits are cute, I am pretty sure that after a little tweaking, they'll make an appearance in my Etsy Store as well as the Craft Lafayette! craft fair in November)

Yarn Along

2011-08-31T08:07:00.001-04:00

I haven't been knitting as much as I would like lately. So little time! And it's been so hot this summer that yarn seems a bit miserable. But I was re-inspired when I picked up a few knitting books at the library recently. Knitting Green by Ann Budd has some super cute patterns! (Oh my! The bike basket pattern is insanely cute!!)

I had a skein of Malabrigo wool that was calling my name, so I am making the Market Bag pattern. It has a few new-to-me techniques, so that is making is extra fun. I have finally learned how to "pick up" stitches. It's so much easier than I thought it would be! This really is a fun knit. I am not convinced that wool was the best choice of fiber, but this Malabrigo is so delightful to work with, that I really don't care that it is less than ideal for the project.

What are you knitting and reading? Pop over to Ginny's place for more Yarn Alongs!

Babies First Haircut

2011-08-27T08:37:00.001-04:00

Avila's hair grows straight and long right over her eyes. I am always sentimental about the first hair cut and tend to put it off for way long than needed. This time was no exception. But poor Avi's beautiful blue eyes were hidden and I am sure she was annoyed!

So, yesterday was the day. You can see, she wasn't too thrilled!

Poor baby! But look! She aged about four months in about thirty seconds!

So pretty!

And here is the super-busy mom's solution to baby-book-blues. Just tape that lock of hair into the planner!

Ten Happy Years

2011-08-26T09:42:00.000-04:00

A lot can happen in ten years! And its amazing how swiftly that time can move. Andrew and I celebrated our tenth anniversary yesterday and part of me thinks maybe we can't count. Has it really been ten? Or maybe ten years isn't really all that long.

And look how far we've come! I can't think of anything better I could have done with the last ten years.

I have always loved this song. I think it sums everything up quite well!

For Sale: One Pint Sized Drama Queen

2011-08-23T21:21:00.000-04:00

Andrew has been riding his bike to work lately and it really has been working out well. But this evening, it was raining quite heavily, so the kids and I were getting ready to go pick him up. As we headed out of the house, in to the very wet outdoors, Grace exclaimed:

"This is ruining my look! How humiliating!"

She was horrified as her small siblings splashed and sloshed through puddles and then clambered into the van dripping and covered in bits of mulch and dirt.

"Eww. Bella smells all musty!"

The Way We Learn

2011-08-23T16:23:00.004-04:00

Since this post has been so popular over the past year, I thought I would take a moment to share how our schooling has been tweaked and changed as the kids have gotten older. I still fully believe in the unschooling philosophy, but it is interesting to see how different it can look for each child and in each given year.

Grace is a voracious reader. She would read every moment of the day if I let her (and often times I do!). Because she reads so much, I have a hard time being aware of what she is reading and how much she is internalizing. (To be clear, I only keep quality books on hand [thanks to my wonderful mother who keeps a steady flow of books coming our way!] and carefully watch what she gets at the library, so this isn't a question of content so much a quantity!) To help me keep up and to help her better understand the outlines of story writing, she has started keeping a "Reading Log." This has also been a fun way to see just how much and how quickly she is reading!

Math has not come as easily to her (genetics!!), so we have been using the wonderful "Math-U-See" program. I highly recommend it for a strong math basis and for the more hands on learner. As far as unschooling math goes, I must say that Grace is great at practical application. She can do well multiplying a recipe or counting her money.

A rather unconventional thing I am doing is trying to morph a more classical education ( I really like Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum) into the unschooled life style (we love John Holt!). Some people claim that the two methods are mutually exclusive, but I actually think they blend quite nicely!

We are starting Story of the World history this year, as I love the read aloud format. I also love how you can expand on the areas that really interest the child, while skimming areas that aren't of such great interest.

We are also starting Prima Latina this year. Latin is the root of much of our language as well as being the language of the Church, so I think it is important to learn. When I went to college, I was determined to learn Latin, but I failed miserably because I had no foundation. I was so surprised by the (mostly homeschooled!) students for whom Latin was practically Kindergarten work! They had started at an early age and had a real, working knowledge of the language. I really want to give my kids that foundation.

Grace really loves workbooks. She flies ahead in her lessons, because she thinks filling in the answers is so fun! She has the Wordly Wise workbook set as a vocabulary builder and is having fun with that. She also has Maps, Charts, and Graphs book which she enjoys looking through and answering. I have been surprised by how much she enjoys these and since they work so well for her, we will keep at it!

Since she loves workbooks so much, I got her the Getty-Dubay handwriting series. I like the look of their writing and she enjoys the book, so it is perfect for us!

When all written out, this seems like a large amount of work, but in reality, it is not at all. She works on her school work in the morning and is finished by lunch time. She is free in the afternoon to pursue whatever is interesting her. Usually, she can be found with her nose in a book or we walk to the library for a new stack of books! We are looking forward to many field trips with friends and our co-op this year.

I love being free to indulge the individual personalities of my children. Grace is as happy homeschooling as Christopher is at school!

On Food and Growth and Giant Feet

2011-08-23T10:16:00.003-04:00

My children are eating us out of house and home. For the past few years, I have had a lovely little routine of weekly grocery shopping. One evening a week, I venture out all alone and purchase whatever food stuff we need for the coming week. This routine has served us well. But last night, only a few days since my grocery excursion, I realized we were completely out of fruit. I knew this wouldn't stand well with my little people. So off to the grocers I went. Again.

Along this same thread, see this picture? It's my feet, but Christopher's shoes. This just shouldn't even happen!

No wonder he eats so much! I can practically see him growing before my eyes.

I love me a good deal!

2011-08-18T08:39:00.003-04:00

I am really loving these internet deal sites that are cropping up all of the web. I just discovered a new one the other day called Mamasource by Mamapedia. Like with all of these sites, you get a daily email sent right to your inbox and most of the time, it probably requires nothing more than a quick skim and delete.

But sometimes, the deals are really great! Like today's One-Year Subscription to National Geographic Kids for only $7! The deal is listed at $10, but with the coupon code NATGEOLK3 you can get it for only $7!

Another great feature about this site in particular is that you have the option of choosing a school to receive 5% of your purchases! Our local Catholic schools are recipient options. Great deals helping a great cause!

I am really excited about receiving our magazine, as I know the kids will love it!

Time Marches On

2011-08-16T11:15:00.000-04:00

Christopher started the Fourth Grade today. I am in a bit of shock and disbelief. How did he get so big? Why, oh why, are his new gym shoes the same sizes as mine??

I am feeling a bit of nostalgia as well. He walked into his new school today as the fourth generation of our family to be educated in those walls, by the Franciscan Sisters. I was taught there, my dad was taught there, and my grandfather - Christopher's great grandfather, was taught there. It's crazy really.

But, alas, times have changed since my grandpa was there. My dad recounts a story of a little Izzy playing ball on the playground with his friends when the ball landed on the roof. Being who he was (and he certainly passed this trait on), he asked the Sister if he could climb onto the roof to retrieve it. Sister said yes, assuming that he meant the very much lower roof of the gym. Poor sister then looked up to see him on the roof of the school. If you are familiar with the school, you know that you never. ever. ever. want to look up and see a little boy up there. It's really high.

But if you are familiar with my brother, you won't be surprised by this. Can't you see him doing the same thing??

I am just hoping my son doesn't try this little stunt.

I am certain he will create his own St. Boniface memories to pass on and share.

Happy Solemnity!

2011-08-15T16:41:00.000-04:00

Oh Happy Solemnity of the Dormition and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin!

We are packing up a picnic dinner and then celebrating with fluffy "clouds" of ice cream for dessert! Today is also Christopher's last day of summer, as fourth grade starts tomorrow! We'll send summer out with a little bang.

"Hail, O Woman full of grace, the Lord is with you, the Lord who because of you, bestows

great mercy upon the world"

Seven Quick Takes

2011-08-12T16:57:00.000-04:00

Today I kind of have that mixed feeling of "Is it Friday already??" and "Maaaan, this week was long!" Either way, I am glad it is Friday, but boy. this is a busy weekend.

I gave Andrew his early anniversary gift - a "new" mountain bike. So around here, it's been all bikes, all the time. It's been super fun, as biking is something the whole family enjoys and can do together. The two little girls love being in the trailer and the three older kids do a great job of riding along, so it's been great fun. And, as a bonus, we've been using the car way less, so I anticipate this little hobby will fund itself. Hooray for that!

III

Wednesday was the Feast of St. Lawrence. My parents invited us up for a BBQ in honor of the great, grilled saint. It was delish and tons of fun. My mom certainly doesn't skimp in the food department, and that is a happy thing!

This weekend is the Grand Opening of the Natural Parenting Education Network, of which I have been a part. It is very exciting to see the project getting in its feet. Come by and visit! Food, wine, music!

This weekend is also the Assumption Pilgrimage at St. Boniface. I am HUGELY bummed to miss it, but I will offer my bummedness (I am sure that's a word) for the valiant pilgrims! And my family will definitely be there.

To add spice to out already incredibly busy Saturday, Andrew wants to participate in a "Bike Obstacle For Charity" thingy. (I told you it was all bikes all the time!) I am hoping Christopher can do it as well. Fun and cute!

Um. Crud. Seven is always such a hard number to get. Oh! School starts Tuesday! Yipes! Christopher is super excited and that is a wonderful thing. I hadn't planned on starting the others until closer to September, but they are kind of chomping at the bit, so we may start a bit early. Not that I am even closed to prepared.

VII

Here's my little angler. She makes me laugh. She's 14 months old and STILL not walking. Not because she can't, mind you, but because she won't. She's far to smart for that silly walking stuff - why walk, when you can be the princess everyone carries? Her siblings are spoiling. spoiling. spoiling her. And I'm just fine with that.

(I have a better picture than this, but of course, I can't find it.)

Happy Weekend!

For more Quick Takes, hop on over to Jen's place!

Death of the Appliance

2011-08-09T12:11:00.000-04:00

Over the past few months, the small appliances in my kitchen have slowly been dying off. While we fixed the Kitchen Aid (although it still sounds funny), the toaster, microwave, blender, and immersion blender met their demise and haven't been replaced.

I didn't mind, really. It meant less stuff in the kitchen and I managed just fine with out. I did, however, joke that I would soon be cooking over the open fire if anything else decided to bite the dust.

Apparently, the appliance gods missed the joke part of it all.

I didn't really want a fire in my oven.

Or an oven with an inability to stop heating.

At least we'll be warm this winter!

Where'd All These Kids Come From??

2011-08-08T09:52:00.000-04:00

Last night at Benediction, I had to take the three year old to the back because she was just not into being there. After standing with her for a bit, I saw my seven year old walking up the aisle, carrying the one year old. And my heart melted.

I have long watched the big families in our parish juggle there little ones, passing the smallest off the the biggest while mom or dad deal with a toddler. I love to see the big kids carrying their smallest sibbling up to Communion or over the the Creche at Christmastime. And all of a sudden, last night, I realized -- here we are. A big(ish) family with big(ish) kids helping us with the little ones.

It's strange to me, too, because as of late, I have been approached multiple times with comments such as "Wow! You have real kids!" (as opposed to just babies) or "What's it like to be out of the 'all toddlers and babies' stage?" and even "So, tell me what it's like to have a whole bunch of kids . . . I have always wanted a large family, but I get so over-whelmed with my three!"

Generally, what I want to say is "What?? I don't know what I am doing! Maybe insanity has blinded me to reality? Whose kids are these anyway??"

But I don't. 'Cause then they'd just check me in.

What I do say is "It does get easier!" Those wild toddlers get bigger and have moments of clarity in which they really do pitch in and lend a hand. They learn to converse and discuss and truly bring a level of maturity into your days of diaper changing and toddler pacifying. It's amazing, really, to watch those chubby toddlers grow into real little people.

I am not trying to imply that I have the slightest notion as to the how of raising real little people (because I don't. I'm winging it here!). But I do know that toddlers grow into "real" children and "real" children are great! And "real children" love toddlers and babies. They can learn a great deal from them, too. So to those questioning, over-whelmed mamas, I say carry on. In the throws of three-under-four days, it is tough, but the rewards of having more is worth every moment in the trenches.

And really, it does get easier.

Our mini vacay

2011-08-02T08:49:00.001-04:00

Last week, we spent a few days "vacationing" at my parents river cottage. It was such a peaceful little time. Lots of fishing was done!

Fishies small and large were caught and released.

The most ginormous was caught by Bella.

Avila loves the river and aspired to be a great angler one day.

This is the kids discovering good old fashioned fun -- a radio! I guess they had never played with one before.

2011-07-28T00:36:00.000-04:00

You know you have a big family when your son sees the perfectly normal bottle of mustard and exclaims: "Aww! Look at the cute little bottle!!"

Bella

2011-07-27T23:09:00.000-04:00

This is my sweet Bella, in her usual state of complete freak out over nothing. Pretty, huh?

I'm Melting.

2011-07-21T14:02:00.001-04:00

I think I know what the Wicked Witch felt like. Man. It's hot.

Today, we decided to spend the day inside, hiding from the heat. Yesterday, Christopher spend the day at Wrigley Field watching the Cubs get creamed by the Phillies. I think the temperature was hovering around 100. I guess little boys can withstand more heat that Mama's!

The rest of us hit the fair yesterday, but didn't last very long. Blistering heat and whining children isn't a very good combo! We thought maybe we could cool off if we went to the pool. I am pretty sure we didn't "cool off" but the water sort of, kind of, maybe just a little, took the edge off.

(Pictures are from the Fourth and Riverfest -- days we thought were hot, but upon which we now just look longingly and laugh at our foolish ignorance!)

The Humor Of Bodily Functions

2011-07-15T15:44:00.000-04:00

Grace is reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and commented that the repeated use of the word "poop" was hilarious. Which led to the discussion of why on earth is it called a "poop deck" (because heaven knows Lucy wasn't refering to her bodily functions!).

And don't you wonder, too?

So we looked it up (who doesn't love Wikipedia??)

Fascinating!

And I thought this was particularly interesting, considering it is one of Christopher's favorite expressions!

In nautical parlance, "to be pooped" means to have a wave come over the stern from abaft.

What To Do When It's Too Dern Hot Out

2011-07-13T11:44:00.004-04:00

The kids and I had a ball making fabric flowers this afternoon. It was way to hot / humid to be out, so we set to work creating!

We loved these little rosettes from V and Co. So sweet and so simple! But watch out for that hot glue!

These super easy "scrunch flowers" from Little Miss Mama were fun to make as well. Talk about instant gratification!

Bella trotted around with them on her shirt, but Grace preferred them in her hair.

It would be fun to cluster a bunch on a shirt, too! (That may be next -- these are addicting!)

We wrapped a bit of brown fabric around a dollar store headband, affix the flower with a dab of hot glue and, viola! Cuteness!

These quick and easy flowers were a great boredom buster AND a great way to use up a bunch of scrap pieces of fabric!

If only it were so simple!

2011-07-12T22:00:00.000-04:00

by Grace - for whom this still unfinished project was, apparently, no big deal at all.

Self Incrimination

2011-07-07T22:11:00.000-04:00

This is a picture of my dining room table. I love my table -- it's one of my favorite pieces of furniture. It is heavy and sturdy, just perfect for a large and rambunctious family. But do you see those markings? Carvings, actually. Will that little boy ever learn to, at the very least, carve someone else's name?? Silly, silly little boy.

Seven Quick Takes --Catch Up Edition

2011-07-01T09:11:00.001-04:00

Hello, July! Where did my friend June go? He must have been swept away in the rains. We have had a busy, busy month. Remember those long, lazy summer days of childhood? I was expecting those in adulthood, too. Ha! I sure was wrong! Here is our lightening speed June in Quick Takes

~1~

Christopher's scout den had a camp out at my parents cottage over Pentecost. The wonderful Fr. Jeff came up and celebrated Mass for the boys. What a special experience for those boys (and the families who tagged along!).

~2~

We've been eating lots of summer foods and soaking up the sun when it decides to shine. Andrew has poured countless hours into our back yard this summer and it has been SO very worth it!

~3~
We have had insane amounts of rain this summer, so the river has been really high and fast. Andrew and the kids finally had a chance to get in a couple of weeks ago.

~4~

What is a summer without firearms?

Nothing like walking out of the house to find your girly-girl shooting a gun!

And Christopher, too. But that is nothing new :)

~5~

This is a fuzzy stolen-from-Facebook picture, but Corpus Christi was beautiful as always! Christopher served, along with about 35 other boys!

~6~

FIDDLER'S!!! A summer highlight for us and this year's event did NOT disappoint! Best. Fiddler's. Ever.

Fun skirts required

Napping in the hot sun. Shortly after this picture, Andrew used is Filipino innovativeness to build Avi a sun shade out of a pizza box. He is turning into his dad!

Henna happiness! If I weren't such a wimp, I would make this permanent. I wuv it.

We ran into a bunch of friends at Fiddler's and that made the day all the better!

~7~

Andrew decided it was now or never for our dining room flooring, so the other day he ripped it all up AND tore down a fake wall that was closing off the French Doors. Now we are knee deep in dust, mess, and the potential of fabulous flooring. It's the fun kind of messy, right?

Seven Quick Takes -- Avi Edition

2011-06-10T15:08:00.000-04:00

~1~

I am in complete shock that an ENTIRE YEAR has passed since Avila was born. Look at that sweet smooshy face! Where did it go??

~2~

She is growing and changing at lightening speed, but she is still one of her daddy's favorite nap partners!

~3~

And is there anything better that sisters?? Grace was so excited to celebrate Avila's big day. She baked and decorated a beautiful cake for her. And she made her a sweet little clothespin doll and wrapped it up for her. Big sisters caring for little sisters make this mama happy!

~3~

It wouldn't be a first birthday without a naked baby eating chocolate cake! She loved it!

~4~

Presents from her ever crafty and thoughtful Nana!! (Can you see the card in that second picture? Anja is a genius!) There were other gifts, too, but these are the only ones that jumped in front of the camera!

~5~

It was great to celebrate our Avi! As the fifth child, she probably doesn't get the undivided attention that the others get -- at least not of the gentle variety. Does getting knocked down by a reckless older brother count? I don't really think so! Also, as the fifth child, she is the literal embodiment of why it is so great to be Catholic, so great to go against the secular grain, and so great to allow God to control our lives. So, hooray for Avila! We are so glad she is here!

~6~

Seven is starting to feel like a really ginormous number! Sheesh.

~7~

Happy Birthday to our sweet, messy, curious, ornery little monkey! (Did I mention she can climb anything?? Like the backs of chairs. Yikes. I am to terrified in the moment to take pictures, so you'll just have to use your imagination!)

Visit Jen for more Quick Takes!

Campfire Mass

2011-06-10T12:37:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow night, Christopher's scout group is having a campout at my parents cottage. Since the campout if from Saturday to Sunday, we have arranged for Father Jeff to come say Mass for the boys. I was explaining this to PeterXavier, who at first was horrified at the notion of having Mass somewhere without a steeple!

And then he horrified me when he proposed we roast marshmallows during Mass!

Oh sweet little boys!

It's a Tough Job, But Somebody Has To Do It!

2011-06-09T12:59:00.001-04:00

These cuties made it down the aisle and immediately fell asleep!

Yarn Along --Too Much Yarn Edition

2011-06-08T14:26:00.002-04:00

This past Saturday, my sister and I packed her car full of small girls and headed to Southern Indiana for their annual Fiber Fest. Too Fun!! And now, poor me, I am drowning in beautiful yarn!

I was able to get a ton of beautiful blue-grey hand-dyed wool for Andrew's sweater. And Annie and I got a hank of nubby cotton to try our hand at dyeing. I am so excited to try. I think we will use the instructions Elizabeth gave here.

The Monday after Fiber Fest, I found the hand-dyed wool I had scored through a Heartsy deal in my mailbox! It is a fun "spearmint" hank of 80/20 merino/bamboo blend. It's fate is yet undecided, but it will be fun to use!

I haven't been reading OR knitting much lately. I am still enjoying flipping through "Last Minute Knitted Gifts" and have read a few of the short stories in Daphne du Maurier's "Don't Look Now". But with this intsense heat, we have just been hanging out at the pool, mostly!

And, I have the beautiful deep earthy skein of wool from Yarnology. What will it become?? Maybe a small sweater for Avila? Any suggestions for small, one skein sweaters?

(Visit Ginny for more yarn alongs!)

Packing up Sanity

2011-06-07T10:38:00.001-04:00

As I have mentioned, this past week my brother in law was married. We packed the kids for an eight hour road trip to join the festivities. Andrew was his Best Man and the kids all had various parts as well. As the mama, I had the daunting task of getting every little detail and item safely to Minnesota and then to Wisconsin. Any mother can imagine what this entailed!

Sometime back, I read about a packing tactic, which I chose to impliment for this trip. Oh. my . word. I will never pack another way again! Here's what I did.

On paper, I divided out entire trip into events, for example "Friday Play" or "Friday Rehersal". Many days had multiple events and therefore required multiple outfits. (Because you can't really have a three year old wear her flowergirl dress to lunch four hours before the wedding, right!?)

I purchased a package of gallon sized ziplock bag and with a Sharpie, I labeled one bag, per child, with each of my plotted "events." So an example would be "Christopher, Friday Play" (actually, I just put a 'C' or 'G' instead of the whole name). Then I put in EVERY SINGLE ITEM that went to that outfit. Going with our example, into the "C Friday Play" bag, I put shorts, a t-shirt, socks, and underwear. Somedays, the girls got hairbows or the boys got ties. Whatever the event, everything was right there in the proper bag. No more searching for last minute belts and matching socks!

This also made it a snap to match the kids on any given day. Most days the kids had matching or coordinating outfits, so we always looked nice, even if we were just hanging out for the morning. Each morning, I handed each child his respective bag, along with their "PJ" bag. The children dressed and replaced their pajamas in the "PJ" bag to be ready for the evening.

This packing plan drastically reduced the frenzy that generally accompanies travel and major events! My only regret is that I haven't yet figured out a way to impliment this in our every day at-home life!

(This post has been updated and linked at We Are THAT Family - Works for Me Wednesday)

Yarn Along - Gifting Edition

2011-06-01T14:00:00.003-04:00

~~~~~~

This weekend, after the wedding festivities, the brides parents generously let us stay at their Farm House in rural Wisconsin. The home and grounds were beautiful and we all had a great time. I wanted to leave a token of our gratitude behind.

I was able to quickly knit up two coffee cozies, using a pattern developed by my sister. Slipped over an empty (clean and unused!) to-go cup, it presents very nicely as a hostess gift. I added a couple Starbucks gift cards, attached to the lids with bits of yarn.

These gifts will be repeated shortly as end-of-the-year gifts for Christopher's teachers at school!

And what am I reading?? Andrew purchased "Last Minute Knitted Gifts" for me when we visited a yarn store over the weekend. I am enjoying the book and drooling over the patterns! He gift came with a caveat, though -- he had seen a sweater in the store that he asked me to knit for him. The pattern is in this book! I told him that I am happy to knit him a sweater, provided he not expect to wear it before 2015.

A Wedding Road Trip

2011-06-01T11:31:00.000-04:00

It will take more than one post to cover the big weekend we just had! We headed to Minnesota this past weekend to celebrate Paul and Cathy's wedding. It was a beautiful, funfilled weekend!

My sister-in-law had my camera most of the time so I have many wonderful pictures!

The Beautiful Bride and Groom

Avila is completely in love with her Uncle Joseph. Maybe because they share a name? I don't know, but she LOVES him!!

The hipest ringbearer around. The shades were his gift from Paul and Cathy -- perfect! We thought he might wear them down the aisle, but luckily he didn't.

Brothers

Is there anything more beautiful to a little girl than a bride? The girls loved chatting with Cathy before the wedding.

St. Isidore the Farmer

2011-05-17T13:49:00.003-04:00

The bulk of this entry was originally posted on May 15, 2008, but I feel it bears repeating. Life is busy, so this post is a bit late, but better late that never!

Sunday was the Feast of St Isidore the Farmer -- what a great Saint to emulate. He didn't do anything grand, fantastic, or even all that notable. He was just an honest, hard working man who loved God above all else. The legend surrounding him tell how he would go to Mass each morning before he began his work in the fields. One morning he was running late and the other farm hands were angry. When they went to fields to confront him, he was working away, surrounded by angelic helpers.

St Isidore is a special Saint to our family because my grandfather was not only named Isidore, but he was also a farmer. I always imagine St. Izzy plowing the fields with mules as my grandpa once did, although I am sure farming in twelfth century Spain was much different than early twentieth century America!

Another great legend surrounding St. Isidore is that one day he was returning from the fields with sacks of corn. He looked up into a tree to find hungry birds unable to find food. Having pity on the poor birds, he poured out a bag of corn for them. When he returned to the other farm hands, they were astonished to find that the corn bags were entirely filled and when ground, the corn produced twice as much meal as the rest.

And here is a photo of my other favorite Izzy, pitching horseshoes on his farm. My sources tell me that it was taken in the late 1950's.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

God, through the intercession of St. Isidore, the holy Farmer, grant that we may overcome all feelings of pride. May we always serve You with that humility which pleases You, through his merits and example.

And lastly, our other favorite Izzy. Isn't she cute?

And Now We Are FIVE

2011-05-16T09:59:00.002-04:00

(Brand-new baby boy!)

Oh Sweet, Mischievous Middle Child.

(Age 1)

You Have Brought Laughs From The Very Start

(On his Second Birthday)

Always a Little Man,

Always a Little Monkey!

(Summer, Age 3, At Oompa's Riverfest)

With a Grin That Lights Up a Room

And an Always-Goofy Attitude

(On His 4th Birthday)

Bringing Laughs to the Everyday

(Welcoming a New Baby Sister!)

And Gaining Joy From Every Moment

Happy, Happy Birthday, Fifth Birthday PeterXavier!

We Love You!

Beauty of Nature

2011-05-12T10:55:00.000-04:00

Last night, I noticed a Mourning Dove nesting on the pillar of our porch. It was amazing how she sat perfectly still on her nest. I wondered at the time if there were any eggs, but I didn't get close enough to check.

This morning, when we went to check, we noticed her baby with her! So sweet! After some research, we have decided that the baby must be a few days old. Her feathers are to thick for her to be brand new.

We spend a fair amount of time on this porch, so I am shocked that this sweet bird was up there with her egg for so long unnoticed! It will be fun to watch the baby grow!

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T21:24:00.000-04:00

Happy, Happy Mother's Day, particularly to my own mother!

We had a lovely picnic at a park this evening and, typical, I got zero pictures of my mother! She's probably pleased with that (she shouldn't be).

But I got a few shots of her favorite people, so that's the consolation.

Greta stayed for the party because of the great food. She and her Uncle Andrew get along pretty well.

Since my mom dodged the camera, I'll leave you with this pic of my dad.

The most important person on earth is a mother. She can't claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral: a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body. God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation. What...is more glorious than this: to be a mother?~Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty

Flowers of the Fairest

2011-05-07T10:20:00.000-04:00

May is the month of Our Lady and our parish started the month out with a lovely May Crowning and Eucharistic Procession.

Taking Jesus into the streets is always a highlight.

Flowers for Our Mother.

Little boys are excited to give Mary flowers, but remain completely incapable of smiling (sanely) for the camera.

Hot Wax, Vats of Dye, and Many Small Children

2011-05-04T23:56:00.000-04:00

I hope that someday my children fondly recall "Remember that crazy time Mama decided to . . . " as opposed to just thinking I was boring or just plain nuts.

Anyway. Last week, my brother and his family were visiting and my newest niece wore this cute onsie that said "My Midwives Love Me" and had a cute little design on the bum. It was super cute and my sis-in-law commented that her midwife had "batiked" it. Of course, this intriged me and I decided that I had to try my hand at it.

So I ordered supplies from Dharma Trading Company, got a stack of tshirts from Goodwill, and convinced my sister to join me!

It was a little messy and took some time to get the hang of it (ok, maybe I never actually got the hang of it), but it was really fun and pretty easy! My lack of artistic ability showed, but somehow the free form mess I made looked ok in the end.

The basic concept of batik is to draw on the fabric in wax and then dye the fabric. The wax acts as a resist so that where there is wax, there is no dye. Once the wax is removed, the design shows through.

For some reason, some of my colors turned out a little funky after I washed them. It was interesting that despite the fact that we only used two dye colors, all of the shirts came out completely different.

Most of them turned out cute, some (mine!) were a bit ugly, but overall it was a fun project. And the kids were great! No one got scalded with hot wax and no one spilled dye all over the house -- success!

Yarn Along

2011-05-04T23:34:00.000-04:00

I *think* I have taught myself to knit "in the round" with circular needles. The true test will come when (if??) I ever finish this project I currently have on the needles. It is an attempt at a dress for Isabella. She has a knit sweater type dress which is adorable and I am trying to replicate it (sans pattern). The yarn is a pretty cotton and mohair (? I think?) blend that I picked up at Goodwill a while back. It is not the most fun to work with, but I am getting used to it.

As for reading, I picked up "Natural Dying" at the library and it is a fun little read. I got it, mainly, for the information on Batik (that's another whole post!!), but the info about natural dyes are fascinating! Someday! Oh the many projects for someday :)

For more Yarn Alongs (or to add your own!) visit Ginny at Small Things.

Winner Announcement!!

2011-05-03T21:59:00.000-04:00

And the winner is . . . .

BETH!

Thanks to everyone who played along! It was great fun. And if you want to order a copy of the book, they are available through Amazon or at your local book retailer.

And just so no one leaves feeling the loser, here is a video of the author and the real life insanely cute (and my God-daughter!) Zita, singing "Whiskey in the Jar"

Always an Adventure!

2011-04-29T12:23:00.000-04:00

Eight kids eight and under have been ransacking my house for almost 24 hours. So fun! Life is always an adventure! No time for blogging, just popping in to say DON'T FORGET THE GIVEAWAY!

Now, back to all of those kiddos!

Yarn Along

2011-04-27T07:34:00.000-04:00

This picture is actually from last weeks "Yarn Along", but due to technical difficulties, it never got posted. I am knitting a "Noro Hat" using my sisters pattern and the amazingly fun to work with Noro Yarn. I am further along now than I was when the picture was taken. I can see a few mistakes cropping up, but overall I think it will be very cute.

Unfortunately, my book has been returned to the library. I was really enjoying it! It is called "Gentle Healing for Baby and Child". It is chock full of ideas for herbal and natural healing, but is very practical and well balanced at the same time. The authors general tip is "use remedy xyz, found at your local health food store" so I coupled this book with another (title forgotten and since returned to the library!) which gave recipes and method for making your own remedies. It was a great combo! I will have to go re-check them both out at some point.

And here is a gratuitous shot of an adorable baby, because I can't resist those big blue eyes!

And don't forget to enter the giveaway! Everyone needs a signed copy of Zita the Spacegirl!!

An Easter Octave Giveaway!

2011-04-25T23:27:00.001-04:00

In honor of the Easter Octave, and because my brother is visiting and, therefore, accessible, I am hosting my first ever GIVEAWAY! What fun!

My brother recently published a new graphic novel. It is a great story of adventure for any 7+ child. My kids love it! This is your opportunity to win your very own SIGNED copy of Zita the Spacegirl!

To enter, just leave a comment before noon on Sunday April 30. For extra entries, post a link to here on your blog or Facebook (or both!), but remember to come back here and let me know!

And here is a little extra fun to get you more excited about this great book!

Zita the Spacegirl: Trailer from Ben Hatke on Vimeo.

Happy Easter! Rejoice!

2011-04-25T23:13:00.001-04:00

Happy Easter! This is the totally wild bunch of cousins on the trampoline. All eleven together, but it is impossible to get eleven kids ages eight and under to look at the camera at the same time!

And Greta eventually got fed up and ran away.

Parties, Potties, and Potty Parties!

2011-04-19T20:32:00.001-04:00

Over the weekend, we went to a Bar-b-que "contest" at are neighbors house. Coincidently, my sister was asked to play music for the party. My neighbor didn't know we were sisters, he only knew how well she can sing!

The party was cold and rainy, but still really fun. PeterXavier won the contest! His daddy makes the best bbq, but he wins the most votes. That kid can really play a room.

After the party, Annie and Martin and the girls came over to play for a bit. And too use the little pink potty.

It was a fun time!

Hey looky, a video!

2011-04-16T10:23:00.000-04:00

My first embedded video! Go me!

Check out our always so eloquent President. Start at the two minute mark to get the best of the best. This guy's a real winner!

Three Years

2011-04-15T14:50:00.003-04:00

Isabella turned three last week. It was much anticipated, as she was so eager to be three just like Anja and Julia! We decided to mark the occasion with a very special gift -- a wonderful wooden play kitchen (also, just like Anja!)

And it was even extra, super special, because Andrew made it himself! I am so proud of him!

Andrew is a rather amateur woodworker, so this fantastic kitchen is quite exciting. Before Christmas, we were drooling over all of the fantastic toys in the Nova Naturals catalog and lamenting the fact that we couldn't afford to buy everything! So instead, we decided to by a bandsaw and Andrew tried his hand a wood crafting. It turned out the be a great investment. Now, we not only can give the kids great wood toys -- they are even better because they are handmade specifically for them, with great love!
(For more pictures, see Andrew's FB page!)

Our day in pictures

2011-04-14T14:46:00.002-04:00

Studying the recipes -- rewritten in her own hand, after the ingredients are assembled.

Grace is becoming quite handy in the kitchen -- she bakes cakes and cookies, almost unsupervised!

"Reading", drawing, eagerly awaiting finished cookies!

Yarn Along

2011-04-13T14:37:00.002-04:00

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a single photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

I have been trying for weeks to join the "Yarn Along" and finally got to it! I am currently working on this kimono style sweater for Avila. It is worked as all one piece and easy-peasy, if I could just find the time to work on it! The yarn is Lion Brand fisherman's weight virgin wool. And I think it's u.g.l.y. Can't wait to cast off and toss it into a big vat of dye. I am thinking a nice moss green. We shall see.

I am reading Nina Plank's Real Food, which I love. But it is coming along about as slowly as the sweater! Andrew borrowed "Food Rules" from a colleague, so I am flipping through that as well.

Check out Ginny's delightful blog for more yarn along or to join the fun!

Playing the Lent Game

2011-03-10T08:14:00.000-05:00

The other night, we were discussing what we could "give up" for Lent. Many different things we mentioned -- sweets, TV, video games. Then, of course, some rotten monkeys mentioned things like "playing with my little brother" or "doing my morning chores". Sorry, kids. That's not going to fly!

But as "candy" and "Daddy's iPhone" became options, Bella huffed in defiance and announced:

"Then I'm NOT PLAYING!"

Nine Months on the Ninth!

2011-03-09T17:39:00.002-05:00

Time flies when you want it to stand still. My sweet little baby is getting way. too. big. I keep telling her to quit, but she's as naughty as the rest of them.

Isn't she cute though? Don't you kinda want to eat her up?

Funny thing, with your first child you just can't wait until they reach the next milestone. With the fifth, you just want them to quit already. I was thinking about it this afternoon and figured it was just because I now know how fleeting it is, how quickly they grow, yada yada, . . . and then it hit me. When my kids get bigger, I get . . . pregnant*.

So come on time, slow down!

(I am NOT. Sheesh. I don't need my mom calling me about that one!)

It's a Fat Fat Tuesday

2011-03-08T21:39:00.000-05:00

After a bust of an errand running afternoon, the day redeemed itself with a lovely Fat Tuesday meal. The table was set and these two sat down early and proceeded to bicker like an old married couple.

Much to the entertainment and delight of the rest of the family. Which is to say, they were ticked about something and we just laughed at them!

I came up with a great plan this evening. One that will make my life infinitly easier in years to come . . . so long as I survive until then.

Teach Grace to cook! Then I won't have to! (Actually, I like to cook, but wouldn't it be nice to have options??)

This is Grace presenting her Mardi Gras cake, before we rolled it up. It was delish!

Seven Late Takes

2011-02-19T14:57:00.000-05:00

~1~

In a family of this size, with the energetic monkeys that we have, even most quiet and peaceful days can end poorly. To day was so nice -- the sun was shining and the air felt like spring. The kids were so cheerful and were playing so well. The next thing I knew, PeterXavier was screaming and dripping blood. Two hours later, Andrew is STILL in the ER waiting room, waiting to get the poor little guys finger stitched up!

~2~

Earlier this week, the kids and I took a field trip to Olive Garden. It was great fun, very informative, and best of all --- they handed out kids eat free coupons to all of the kids. We are comforting ourselves after a day at the ER with Olive Garden for dinner. Works for me!

~3~

In the last couple of weeks, a few people I know have started blogs that are totally worth reading. Check them out -- you won't be disappointed! For comical adventures in a family of eight kids, go read what Mrs. B. has to say!

And for a little deeper read, sprinkled with levity, check out what's on Dr. Janero's mind.

~4~
Since it is now Saturday and I am JUST now sitting down to finish this, I can report that PeterXavier is all fixed up after FOUR HOURS at the ER. And we had a lovely dinner at Olive Garden. Hooray for Friday being over :)

~5~
The weather here has been fantastic lately. It has contributed greatly to the cheer factor in the house! Sunshine and warm breezes will do that to you. Andrew and the kids went on a bike ride earlier. The big kids were convinced that it is imperative to teach PeterXavier to ride a two wheeler before he turns five. I am not quite sure about the urgency, but I am happy to see everyone excited about it!

~6~
For any locals -- if you are interested in learning more about cloth diapering and baby wearing, CHOICES is having a demo night this Monday at 5:30 at the WL Library. I will be there with my slings, as will a bunch of other awesome Mamas! Come learn more about these great aspects of mothering!

~7~
Tonight Andrew and I are getting gussied up for a night on the town. Actually, it will probably be an hour on the town. Or at the "Heart Ball" more specifically. We are going to leave Miss Avi with my parents -- so I am not sure how long it will last! But we'll have fun either way :)

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at Conversion Diary!

Epiphany Celebration

2011-01-07T12:26:00.000-05:00

We ended up with an extended celebration of Epiphany, which I think is fantastic. Grace's "Little Women" groups hosted an Epiphany Party for the "Little Flowers" group. The big girls put on a cute Epiphany play (Avila was Baby Jesus!), had games and decorations, and even gave gifts to the Little Flowers!

The girls also had lots of food, punch, and a King Cake for everyone to enjoy!

We celebrated at home with a nice dinner and then gave the kids a set of Waldorf Element Stackers, which Andrew had made for them. They were so excited!

Remember, the Vatican continues their celebration until February 2 -- keep the party going :)

Celebrating the Season!

2011-01-03T22:00:00.001-05:00

We have spent a wonderful week celebrating the Christmas Season with Andrew home from work and tons of fun family time! We spent quiet days at home enjoying movie and books and food as well as fun adventures in Indy and around town.

Of course, PeterXavier's idea of Heaven is permission to scale the walls!

Christopher did a great job, outclimbing both of his parents!

We spent one lovely afternoon ice skating with friends.

Once the snow melted, we headed indoors to make festive marshmallow snow men!

And today, it was back to the old grind. Daddy headed back to work while the kids and I broke out the school books. It is nice to get back to routines, but the freedom of break is always missed!

Christmas Joy

2010-12-27T08:20:00.000-05:00

Our family celebrated a wonderful Christmas. Our usual tradition is to attend Midnight Mass as a family. Our parishes Midnight Mass is the real deal -- starting at the strike of midnight and lasting until the wee hours of morning, the joy of Christ coming is palatable. Trumpets sound as we joyfully celebrate the Christ Child.

This year, with a few family members feeling under the weather and Christopher scheduled to serve his first ever Mass at 7:30 AM, we had to forgo our tradition. I was sad to be missing one of my favorite Masses of the year, but was excited to celebrate Christmas with my son serving at the alter. So well before sun up, Christopher and I headed out into the deep and glistening snow. Our short walk to the Church in the silent darkness was a wonderful reminder of the dark cold night when our Savior came. The moon was full and the snow shone in its light. It was really beautiful!

And my favorite part of Christmas was seeing my little boy serving. He was so sweet!

And after Mass, we got this nice family photo. We never get good family pictures, so this was quite a gift!

(All photo credits go to my AWESOME new Nikon-- Christmas gift from my parents and Andrew!!)

Buried in Yarn and Frosting

2010-12-20T12:35:00.000-05:00

It's the final push -- so much to get accomplished before Christmas! The kids and I made two batches of cookies this morning and they both turned out well. This is a big deal considering the lack of gluten, egg, and dairy they contain! We still need to cut out the last bit of sugar cookie dough and frost the ones that are cooling right now. Fun, fun!

I am buried in crafts right now, as well. I need to get moving or some people on my list are going to receive half finished items, which isn't very exciting. Opening a half finished glove and a ball of yarn on Christmas morning might bring laughs, but probably not much gratitude! Maybe I can included knitting needles and offer a free lesson? I could start a whole new market "Finish Your Own Christmas Gift"

I think it'll make me millions.

Oh Christmas Card

2010-12-17T14:56:00.000-05:00

I am finding it ridiculously difficult to get five kids to smile all at once. Do you think half dressed kids are inappropriate for a Christmas card?? Because I really like this bottom picture. The top one is nice, but Andrew took it with his phone so it is a bit fuzzy. (Or maybe it's "vintage". I can pretend I took it with my old school SLR 35mm)

Do I even have time to do Christmas cards? Talk about procrastinating. No wonder the Church, in Her mercy, gave us twelve days of Christmas!

Fun Feasting!

2010-12-13T08:32:00.002-05:00

Oh my. Aren't these little girls the cutest?? My nieces were princesses at our Gaudete Party last night.

A great time was had by all. We were a bit low on numbers, due to weather, sickness, and general bad advertising by the party planner. (ahem)

And now we have an abundance of food. I guess I won't be cooking for a while - woo!

And a joyful Gaudete is follow quickly by a Happy Santa Lucia today! I didn't have the energy to do the full early morning baking and wake up, but some cinnamon rolls might be in order later today. Especially given the beautiful snow fall, afternoon baking will be so cozy!

Gaudete!

2010-12-12T12:06:00.003-05:00

Rejoice! Light your pink candle!

Taking a quick moment from party prep to print some activities for the kids. I love Gaudete Sunday! I hope you find a moment to Rejoice today!

A few fun Advent links:

Coloring Sheets

More coloring!

And these totally amazing Creches!!! (thanks, Jessica!)

Despite a few glitches -- like a husband who drank the party beer and a ham that wasn't a ham, we are hoping for a joyful Gaudete!

Where did the time go?

2010-12-09T21:07:00.000-05:00

I can not believe that it was a whole SIX months ago today that our sweet little Avi was born! The time has flown by.

I have never known a child so dearly loved by her siblings! People always seem to think that children are going to be so jealous when the new little one arrives. I think this is just a culture-driven fallacy. This little girl is so loved that she never gets a break! But she loves her older siblings and doesn't mind (too much!) when they dote on her.

And rarely is she set down. In fact, just today, I layed her down and when I came back some unknown older sibling had set her up in a sitting position and she could stay in it for quite a while! I don't know if I should be sad that she learned to sit with no one noticing or happy that she is snuggled so often that she never really had the opportunity to practice!

Happy Sixth Months, Sweet Baby!!

brics for Mary

2010-12-09T09:10:00.001-05:00

We took the kids for ice cream last night to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Not only a fantastic solemnity worth celebrating, but also the "name day" for Bella Concetta.

In this fuzzy pic, the kids have polished off their ice cream and are playing a game with Andrew.

We went to this super cute ice cream shop called brics in Indianapolis. It's in an old train depot and was very charming, albeit in a modern way.

It was a fun and cozy way to celebrate the day!

We're Alive!

2010-12-06T14:27:00.004-05:00

Wozers. This is one neglected little corner of the internet! Is anyone even reading anymore??

My cute kids did their own impromptu photo shoot the other day. I'm not sure where PeterXavier was...probably causing trouble. Hopefully it didn't involve the knife drawer.

Holiday madness has ensued. I always decided to make way more gifts than I can handle, but we are enjoying the challenge. The kids have really taken to it as well, so it is fun to all create together!

Our little Avi, as you can see, isn't so little anymore! She is charming us everyday. Her siblings love her to the point that I sometimes have to ask them to stop! She is almost six months old now (what?? NO way!!), outrageously interested in the world and delighted to be alive. She can almost sit up and I am fearing that her immobile days are waning.

This last photo pretty much sums up my life. I'll let it do the talking.

Big Weekend

2010-08-17T14:21:00.002-04:00

In addition to having our favorite friends visit this weekend, we had a few other adventures. On Saturday, Andrew graduated from Indiana Weslyan with his MBA. It was a very exciting day!

Then on Sunday, we visited some friends at there farm. Grace spent the day with Daisy-Mae, the horse. And fell in love!

This little foursome had quite a fun day. Grace was in heaven with the horse and Sarah, the lone girl in the midst of four brothers, had a ball with Isabella!

2010-08-17T14:18:00.001-04:00

Best Buddies, Christopher and Isaiah, acting like goof-balls.

This one is from RiverFest. These cuties wanted there Mama, but she was singing, so Uncle Andrew had to do.

Tea party on the porch with Luke and Emma!

Summer Pictures

2010-08-17T14:10:00.002-04:00

Some of our most fabulous friends have visited us a couple times this summer. Here is PeterXavier with his partner in crime, Luke.

Grace and Emma

Big daddy and his pal Avila, napping on a bench.

More summer pictures to come . . .