The Fire Within

a pregnancy daybook

2012-01-04T22:00:00.000-08:00

I love these daybook things. I can compile all my thoughts in one post and not have to worry about anything making sense. Perfect for my tired pregnancy brain...

this one doesn't have anything to do with anything, but he is just too darn cute

How far along...
33 weeks, 1 day (because at this point, every day matters). Official due date is Feb 25th. But, in my heart of hearts, my greatest desire would be to have this little one born on the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes, Feb 11th. I know it's a couple weeks early, but Our Lady, under this title, has such a significance to me that I would be eternally grateful to her if our baby could come on this special day. I mean, it's not that unlikely. It's a Saturday (I went into labor with both Avila and Max on a Saturday) and Max was 10 days early, himself. Perhaps you all could give a little shout out to the Blessed Mother for me...

Size of baby...
about 5 pounds. But, if this one is anything like the others (aka: big) then I would guess that's on the low side :)

Gender...
still unknown. Still betting on girl. Not knowing has been difficult at times, but it sure makes the anticipation all the more fun as these last few weeks are upon us!

Movement...
OMGoodness, all the time. I even googled "can baby move too much in utero." I haven't looked anything up about babies since Max had a weird diaper rash as a newborn. This little one keeps me up at night and sometimes I feel like he or she never sleeps. But, all joking aside, I take it as a good sign and I am enjoying these momemts to bond with our child before we get to meet him or her. While I might complain that I never get a break from feet in my ribs or this baby's tossing and turning at night, I don't ever take a moment for granted. With the lives of children, so much is up in the air and we are never guaranteed one day more with them than we have now. For that reason, I welcome everything this baby brings and am grateful for every moment he or she is a part of our lives.

Sleep...
because of the baby gymnastics mentioned above, not much. Plus I get this weird second wind at about 9:30 every night. In fact, I should be in bed right now...it's 10:15pm but I feel like it's 10:15 in the morning. aaahhh, what a cruel joke these horomones play: keep the pregnant lady up and awake during the last trimester so that, when baby comes, she is already exhausted.

Cravings...
nothing. In fact, I have seriously not had an appetite with this pregnancy. I forget to eat (and for me, that is huge. I love food.) And if I do crave something, it's something boring, like an orange. In fact, that sounds pretty good right now.

Symptoms...
my first and second trimesters weren't all that fun. My morning sickness lasted until about 20 weeks (and although I was still nauseous for a few weeks after that, I realized it was due to lotion I was using that contained wheat. go figure). But this trimester I've felt great. My contractions are starting to pick up again, mostly in the evening, and they are getting stronger. But actually they are a welcome friend as they prepare baby for what's to come and remind me that there really is an end in sight.

What I miss...
Actually I try not to focus too much on what I'm "missing out" on 'cause it's kind of awesome there's this little life inside of me, but if I were to sum it up in one word: jeans.

On staying active...
I'm still hitting the gym about 3-4 days a week. My usual workout consists of 30 minutes on the elliptical followed by an hour-long weight class. When I joined my new gym a few months ago I met some really awesome, really fun women that take a lot of the same classes I do. One, my age, even made me a super sweet gift for the baby. There's no way I would be this motivated to work out at home, and running is sooo not an option right now, and I am grateful to my hubby for allowing me the time to de-stress, feel good, stay healthy, and have an outlet. I will be happy to be there when I'm not this pregnant, however, as the "oh my word is that baby going to fall out on the treadmill" stares are getting a little old.

What I am reading...
absolutely nothing to do with baby stuff (except for the googling mentioned above). Such a contrast to when I was pregnant with the other two. It's not that I have it all figured out but rather that I've learned to trust my instincts. As parents, we too often look to the books and fail to look to our own parenting intuitions. I will, however, brush up a little on baby sleep stages and my "sleep plan" I made before Max was born. This helped so much in my expectations and in setting Max up for sleep success once he got past the weird newborn stage.

Preparations underway...
Max's new room is all set-up, although I have a feeling he won't be using his toddler bed for a little while. Theology of the Body talks are being printed off (I have about 10 talks after baby comes). Last minute, much needed backing-up of the computer files and pictures are being completed. And I am trying to get everything else checked off our to-do list so that we can veg-out and enjoy the last few weeks as a family of 4.

How brother and sister are doing...
Avila is so ready for this baby to come. Telling her it was coming after Christmas wasn't the smartest idea, because, well, it's after Christmas and baby's not here. (OK for all you double-checking the date, it is still technically the Christmas season, but you know what I mean...) Max is loving on me lots - spending extra cuddle time with me and the belly.

How daddy is doing...
Um, he is the biggest help ever. We've found a groove with this pregnancy as I am learning how to control my mood swings and he has picked up a lot of slack during times I don't feel so great. We even have code words: when I am grumpy and taking out my lack-of-niceness out on him or the kids, Michael simply says to me "Can I help you with anything?" This is my clue that I need to cool it and, because it's so much nicer than to hear "Chill out with the attitude," it totally works.

What we are most excited about...
finally meeting this little one, seeing our family dynamic change, having perspective and being able to enjoy every stage because we know that it's going to go by way. too. fast.

What we are most nervous about...
For Michael (and I'm just guessing on this one 'cause I didn't actually ask him), it would have to be my moods in the middle on the night. I take on a whole different persona: like, ahem, someone who talks like a sailor and someone who stomps loudly to the baby's room every time I have to get up (because if I have to be awake, then so does everyone else???).....

And for me, I am most nervous about the same thing I am most excited about: meeting our baby. Right now he or she is tucked safely away from the world. But when it's time to give birth, there are so many unknowns that enter the equation. How will labor go? Will there be complications? Will our child be healthy? How will the transition home go this time around? With each day that we get closer to our child's arrival, I am reminded more and more about the finality of life and that we are not guaranteed a moment's more with the people we love than we have right now. That being said, I'm not scared about anything - rather I am learning to lean harder on the grace of God and placing all my expectations in His hands. I trust that this new chapter in our lives will be filled with grace and peace and all the blessings God wants to afford us.

And now, whew, I'm tired of all this writing! We welcome you with open arms, little one!

7 Quick Takes

2012-01-02T16:41:00.000-08:00

1. I kept wondering why everyone was posting on facebook about New Years' the other day and the I realized "oh my goodness! it's almost 2012!" I completely forgot that the new year was upon us! 2011 was another year of memory making and growth and I can't wait for what 2012 will bring. A year with no house projects, a new baby, watching the kids get bigger and bigger...placing everything in the good Lord's hands and asking Him to watch over us and bless our efforts this coming year.

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2. Jennifer Fulwiler (an atheist who converted to Catholicism and who is an excellent writer) created what's called the "Saint's Name Generator." It's a fun way to have a Patron Saint for the New Year chosen at random for you. I did it a year ago and it came up with St. Eugene de Mazenod. He's the patron saint of dysfunctional families, and probably had something to do with my mini-conversions throughout the year in the way I talk to my husband and kids. (Thanks for the prayers, St. Eugene! I couldn't have worked on my patience and kindness without your help...) One of his quotes that really set my inspiration for the year is: "In your hearts a love for Christ, and in the world a zeal for souls." I put in on the white board in our kitchen to remind me of my purpose in life and to keep this calling right in front of me.

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3. A couple days ago, I did the Saint's Name Generator again to come up with my patron saint for this year. How it works is you click once, wait (hang out for a few seconds, say a little prayer if you wish), and click the button again. My saint for this year: St. Margaret of Antioch. Cool, I thought, although I didn't know much about her. And then I looked below her name to read what she is the patron saint of and I was hit like lightening with the knowing that this is the protectress the Holy Spirit wishes me to have this year. For she is the patron saint of pregnancy, pregnant women, childbirth, dying people, nurses, against loss of milk during nursing (!), and against sterility. Being 8 1/2 months pregnant, if that doesn't catch you off guard........ I will be asking St. Margaret to intercede for me and our unborn child as we near his or her entrance into the world, and I pray that she storms the throne of Christ and asks Him to have mercy and shower grace upon our family. Man, I love the Communion of Saints. How awesome is it to have people, in Christ's presence, talking to Him for you? Rock on.

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4. I don't get kids sometimes. Namely, I don't get how Max can majorly poop in the middle on the night and not notice. I went to check on him before I went to bed myself, and by the smell of it, I knew something was up. So, I turned on the light, picked him up and changed his diaper (a diaper so big that almost resulted in a changing of the pj's too...but you really didn't need to know that part) All the while, he stayed asleep. He put his hands over his eyes as I changed him, and after I laid him back in his crib, he didn't move a muscle. Talk about laid back.

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5. Quoteboard, Max style.

Me: Hi buddy! Good Morning!

Him: Awala? (translated: Avila)

Me: She's still sleeping.

Him: Dada?

Me: He's at work.

Him: Ugh.

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6. Every night, sometimes at dinner/sometimes at bedtime, we share our happy part and sad part of the day. It's a really neat insight into a child's perceptions of what made them happy and sad that day and often time Avila's answers surprise us. The other night she said her happy part was "doing school with mom" and her sad part was "disobeying mom and dad and God." Moments like these make all the hard parts of parenting worth it.

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7. And to end on a completely random, nothing to do with anyone else, note...I found the best lip scrub. You know, for the times during winter when lips are dry and flaky and chapstick doesn't do the trick. Best part, it's free (since just about every one of us have it already in our kitchens.) What is it: sugar. I rubbed some sugar on my lips (or you can mix with vaseline) for a few seconds and wiped it off. Smooth as silk. Plus, it's the best tasting lip treatment I've ever used!

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8. And an 8th quick take, just for kicks...I am getting a little nervous about the playhouse my dad is building for the kids. My dad is seriously an awesome craftsman and we comissioned him to build an outside playhouse for us. I said I didn't need anything fancy, that I'd be happy with 4 walls, a door and a window - namely something to keep the kids dry and occupied outside during the rainy spring months. But get him and Michael together and there's bound to be disaster. When I start hearing things like "what's the coding and permit laws" and "running electricity" and "have michael call me back about the tube to connect the two attic lofts" and "dormers and front porch" and "slides coming from the second story" I am beginning to think this isn't going to be the average playhouse. All kidding aside, I am pretty excited, and knowing my dad, it's gonna be awesome. From the sounds of it, I just might move in there myself!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T11:12:00.001-08:00

Prayers for you that you may have a blessed Christmas season and a new year filled with love and joy!

this advent

2011-12-23T14:02:00.000-08:00

This advent we've been up to a lot and not a lot at the same time. I'll save you my words and let the pictures do the talking...

getting our Christmas tree

I told the kids that if they touch the present the Nutcrackers will get them. It didn't work.

wondering where the rest of the Nativity scene is? Max has it.

handprint tree, made by Avila. She actually made a total of 4. That's 40 handprints in one sitting. She earned some goodies doing that, for sure.

snow. a cooler concept than it actually turned out, I think.

our first Christmas tree with the ringboxes from our wedding rings...love that we will have it forever

what's Christmas without watching National Lampoon's Christmas vacation? with captions - so we don't miss every. hilarious. word.

we made crayons!

Nativity graphing. What do you know, baby Jesus won.

getting ready to make banana bread for daddy

I normally don't allow toys upstairs anymore, but today was an exception. "trains" just had to be built.

Max, you rock at scooter riding. We just need to get you one that's not pink. Oh, and sorry about the pink helmet, too. Sister, I sure love your snowman. I guess that's the kind you make when it's 50degrees out.

A last-week-of-Advent Daybook

2011-12-21T13:47:00.000-08:00

Outside my window...
beautiful weather. kids riding bikes and playing soccer in the backyard. a freshly mowed yard thanks to a surprise from our neighbor. It is so lovely to live on a block with older ladies who spy on your house (and come over when they mistake your dryer venting for smoke coming from the side of your house) and a retired man who randomly mowes your yard just to be nice.

I am thankful for...
everything. I, like so many people (women in particular), have tended to lean towards jealousies, desiring more (even despite good intentions), and not being satisfied with my lot in life. However, since this past summer, I have opened my heart in a deeper way to gratitude. I do not, ever, let myself think about what I "don't have." At times it is hard to do, and I make myself stop watching HGTV and going to the mall and comparing my life to other people's. Instead, I focus on the amazing blessings in front of me. As a result, my heart becomes overwhelmed at even the littlest things: a cartful of groceries, a parking spot at the gym, a husband who holds my hand at church, and any other little whisper of God in my day. For when we are grateful, God's whispers become much louder and they fill our soul with a fire that drives us towards happiness.

I am thinking about...
how much our kids are growing up and how quickly things change. Their maturing these past few weeks has caught me off guard and I am somewhat mourning the stages that are left behind. From little things to big, they are growing up. I am holding on to every precious moment and truly embracing the truth when people with older kids say that this time, when they are little, is the best time of your life. And they're right. Because when Max circles him arms around my neck, snuggles under my chin, and falls asleep, I really can't think of anything better.

Learning all the time...
After, like, a 3 week break we are back at doing some school. I simply had to get some sort of schedule back with the kids this week for my own sanity and for theirs. They have had tons of fun playing together and having playdates and going places, but their attitudes reflected the fact that they needed structure, once again. Not that a lot is super different with our days when we have "scheduled" time together, but what is different is the fact that I purposely pay attention to them more and give them more one-on-one time. During "school-days" I put aside anything other than pressing work around the house and our outings are also based around their structed time with me, and not the other way around. Max and I spent our time playing with his beloved nativity set and Avila and I did some Christmas bar-graphs and handwriting. And this little time set aside specifically for them is exactly what they needed from me. (And what I needed as well...)

From the kitchen...
starting to plan out meals to make for when baby is born. Hopefully I can bust out a baking day and a freezer meal day. But with the busy January schedule, we'll see when I can get that in.

I am creating...
nothing. I'm taking a break from cleaning, curriculum, house projects (well, except for the random morning I devoted to moving all the furniture around in what will be Max's room), going out of the house more than necessary, and any other time-stealer that takes away from preparing our hearts for Christmas.

I am working on...
patience. patience. patience. Patience and kindness were my New Year's Resolutions of 2011 and by God's grace I have come leaps and bounds. But I still have far to go. Simplifying life, homeschooling Avila, taking my husband's words about speaking with kindness to heart, and even waiting to find out the gender of our baby have all been key pieces in the growth of these virtues in my life. I am also embracing patience as we still have the final stretch (8 weeks!) to go before our little one arrives and I'm putting aside the desire that I want to hold him or her right now. That time will come soon enough. For now I am grateful for life just as it is.

I am hoping...
that Max's one-hour trip to the ER doesn't cost us an arm and a leg. He rolled off the couch and (ironically) onto a doctor's kit lid and despite the fact that he has gotten his fingers stuck in doors, fell down half a flight of stairs, and taken harder tumbles without flinching, this was the one incident that warrented a trip to the hospital. After grabbing his back, not wanting to walk, and crying for a half-hour, we loaded him up and got him checked out. He was pretty pale and super tired (although he didn't hit his head, thank goodness) which also gave us cause for concern. After a good once-over by the doc, we headed home with instructions to give him ibuprofen and take it easy. His 4-hour nap was just what he needed and by the afternoon Max was as good as new - getting into even more boy trouble. And, at the end of the day, Michael simply reminded me that, if Max is anything like he was, this won't be our first trip to the ER...

I am going...
to savor every last minute of Advent and spend more time in prayer in preparation for Christ's birth.

I am reading...
all my magazines. I love curling up on the couch with a magazine or book. Perhaps I should've been doing that instead of using all the kids' nap times to write this post!

I am praying for...
Michael's family and the loss they suffered this week. His uncle passed away from a sudden heart attack just yesterday and his mom and sister will be traveling back for a quick trip to see family and attend the funeral. We pray for their safe travels, for peace in their family's hearts, for the repose of his uncle's soul, and for Christ's consolation during what-should-be this joy-filled time.

I am hearing...
Max singing to his nativity set. Other than the Little People Nativity Set the kids have access to, I keep another plastic one out, at their level, and they can play with it as they wish as long as all the pieces are returned by nighttime. Max has adopted it as his own and, for the past two days, has not gone anywhere without it. He eats with it, attempts to sleep with it, and screams if you take it away. Of course it has all the peeps - Mary, Joseph, Wise-Men, Shepherd - and it's too frustrating for him to carry them all at once, so I gave him a mini-Nordstrom shopping bag to carry them around in. (Nordstrom and Jesus - the great paradox of the Christmas season...) My favorite is when he lines them all up and sings. He thinks he's singing Silent Night or We Three Kings and he always, always, ends with a kiss to Mary.

Around the house...
so. much. singing. It's like these kids don't talk. They just sing.

One of my favorite things...
when Max wakes up (usually before sister) and starts calling out for her. The second he's dressed, he runs out of his room and starts yelling "A-wala!" Poor guy when he realizes she's still asleep...

A few plans for the rest of the week...
*Confession
*a couple workouts
*Michael busy busy busy at work (and me trying to convince him he needs some guy time soon...)
*playing at the awesome new park by our house
*Christmas Eve with Michael's side, Christmas day with my family
*and the culmination of our Advent preparations when we ring in Christ's birth at Mass. I know it sounds corny, but I am so excited for Christmas Mass. I am anxious to stand by Mary and welcome her newborn son into this world...

A picture I am sharing...
Max, in the womb. Just a couple weeks older than our little one now. It reminds me of our current precious life tucked away, hidden from the world, yet still so very much a child. It reminds me of little Jesus, preparing to be born. To all the little ones safely curled up in their mother's wombs, we pray that you will stay that way until your own births - that you will enjoy your slumber in peace and tranquility.

the reason for the season...sort of

2011-12-19T21:37:00.000-08:00

Me: Avila, do you remember what town Jesus was born in?

Her: Yeah. Bethlehem! Bethlehem means house of bread. The priest holds it up and says "This is my Body...it takes away the sins of the world" and Jesus comes through the bread and into our hearts and then we can go to Heaven. But if we don't listen to Him we can't go to Heaven.

Me, thinking quietly to myself: Whoa.

Compare that conversation to the one that happened two days later...

Me, reading the Nativity Narrative before bed: And there He was, laying in a manger...

Her: Um, mommy. Can you stop?

Me: Why, honey?

Her: Because I need to go look in the mirror to see how pretty my hair is.

silent night

2011-12-18T21:42:00.000-08:00

love

2011-12-16T07:46:00.000-08:00

quote board

2011-12-12T21:21:00.000-08:00

Some nuggets pulled from my conversations with Avila...thanks, in part, to Sid the Science Kid and Dinosaur Train.

Me: Avila, what are you painting?

Her: The Mesozoic era.

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Me: Avila, why in the world did you just toss your cup on the floor?

Her: I didn't do it. Gravity pulled it down.

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After I turned on the lights to the Christmas tree...

Her: Oh wow. What a beautiful light source!

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Me: Hey, look. When you push on the baby in my tummy it bounces back.

Her: Yeah. That's called elasticity.

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After handing her a plate with waffles and syrup...

Her: I have a hypothesis.

Me: What is it?

Her: My hypothesis is that these waffles are gonna be good. (insert big bite) Yup, I was right.

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And this smarty-pants one liner was thought of without any help:

Me: Joy to the world!!!!! (channeling National Lampoon's XMAS Vacation, after daddy turned on the outside Christmas lights for the first time)

Her: Mom, why did you sing that dumb song for?

The Nutcracker and Cinderella

2011-12-09T11:55:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Grandma Mauss took Avila and I to the Nutcracker. As a mom to a daughter and a ballerina of 20 years myself, I have been looking forward to the day I could take my ow little girl to the Nutcracker for quite some time. It was a fabulous day full of curly hair, dressing up, tea with the ballerinas, and a show that Avila tried to mimick for days after. Thank you, grandma, for a special day!!

Yesterday, daddy took Avila to see Cinderella. I have never seen a little girl so excited. It was a fabulous night for Avila and daddy and even though they got home at a late late hour, Michael couldn't fall asleep until he told me every wonderful detail about their night. We gave Avila one of her Christmas presents early (THE dress) and it's a night I'm sure she'll never forget. Michael's summary of the events:

"I wish I had 5 girls so I could take them all."

A December Daybook

2011-12-06T15:39:00.000-08:00

Outside my window...
no rain, for a while now. This has been one of the best autumns ever. The kids are outside almost everyday and even if it is raining, our garage is finally cleaned out (and parked in!) which means I turn on the music and leave them to ride around for a while. It helps that my laundry room has tons of windows that face the backyard which means I can stay warm, fold clothes, and have some mommy time. Oh, and outside we have all our Christmas lights! And a new lamp post that I (we) have been waiting to put in for a long time. Our little Christmas cottage is slowly taking shape...

I am thankful for...
embracing simplicity. I have always craved a simple life - one free of stress and being overwhelmed - and the past few months we have put many things into practice to make this a reality in our home. And I'm telling you, a simple life is the best kept secret out there. I plan on devoting an entire post on the ways we have embraced simplicity but I will say that my mood, our children's attitudes and obedience, our faith lives, and everything in between have all benefited from slowing down and living in every moment.

I am thinking about...
this little one and how much I just want to meet him, or her. But for the record, I'm betting on girl. Just a big hunch (which was right with the other two) and a whole lot of this pregnancy a lot like the one with Avila.

We are learning...
right now we are focusing all of our energies on preparing for Jesus' birth. Our "formal" schedule has taken a back seat to fitting in other things like our Advent Calendars, Jesse Tree, crafty things, and reading/writing/math using different Advent printables I've found. With our outside of the home schedule a little more full, I'm trying to keep what we are doing straight and to the point so that when Christmas comes our hearts are ready to celebrate and welcome our Lord. Plus, the kids have serisouly been into forts lately and sometimes they are building and playing in them all. day. long. Heaven forbid if I interrupt them.

From the kitchen...
lots of people over! Thanksgiving, lunches, dinners, parties. Since I'm not super crafty in the kitchen and I hate following recipes, I have a few go-to-meals that are yummy, gluten-free, super inexpensive, easy to make, and really healthy. With that combination you can't go wrong. One of them is: roasted broccoli (with a little melted cheddar cheese), quinoa, fresh fruit, and oven baked chicken thighs rubbed in cumin, garlic, onion powder, paprika, a little bit of chili powder, salt, and pepper (no real specific amounts, I just throw it all in a bowl and rub skin-side up before baking). Oh, and I made my first turkey! We hosted Thanksgiving and I am officially initiated into womanhood. 17 lbs of bird brined and baked with lots and lots left over for days after.

I am creating...
waaaaaaaay too many Christmas decorations. If I don't stop now I am going to regret it come January when I am even more pregnant and have to taken everything down. I think I'm just too excited to actually have the space to decorate. But I realized I had a problem when I started making snow to hang from the ceiling...

I am working on...
finishing lots of projects before baby is born. I spent a few days going through 17 boxes of boy and girl clothes and organized them by type and age; now they're all stored away ready to pull down when need be. I also finally put together an emergency kit including things one hopes one never will have to use (and things one never really wants to spend money on like an emergency radio and space blanket sleeping bags). Fire extinguishers are located throughout the house, new carbon monoxide smoke detectors are put up, spreadsheets are created for car mantinence, and other essentials are take care of. My dad must be getting to me...plus I figure what's everything worth if it's not maintained properly and prepared for in case the worst happens?

I am going...
well, this one I'm jealous about, because it's not really me going. But St. Nicholas (aka: someone from daddy's office) brought us two tickets to see Cinderella! And Avila will be going with daddy because every father needs the memories of taking his daughter to something like that. We love the story of Cinderella so dearly and think she is a great example of grace, humility, and hope. Sooo excited to curl her hair and give her an early Christmas present (a Cinderella dress, something she has been dying for since August) and watch her drive away with her very own prince (daddy) to the ball.

I am hoping...
that I can keep working out for as long as possible before this baby comes. I had to take almost a week hiatus because of contractions that were getting worse, but I think the stress came from a combination of the baby growing and not drinking enough water. I felt a lot better yesterday (although I should probably still stay away from the gym because my belly doesn't fit under any of my workout tshirts and that is so not pretty) but I made it in for my class and it felt great. One of my weight class instructors actually trains pregnant soldiers and it's been helpful to have her give me modifications so I can stay safe and still get a good workout in.

I am reading...
not a lot, honestly. But I do spend a few minutes with The Way by St. Josemaria Escriva (fouder of Opus Dei) everyday. Love love love this book. Great practical points of reflection for the average person.

I am praying for...
my children, constantly - that they will grow up to love the Lord and embrace their vocations. I am also praying a lot for what they will face in the future (because we know this world will only get crazier) and that they have the grace to say holy and raise holy families of their own.

I am hearing...
right now, Cinderella. Avila is watching it again and again to get ready for her special night.

Around the house...
a light picking up that turned into 4 hours of cleaning. It's not like things were super dirty but I was motivated and there was no stopping that. It's amazing how bleach-white sinks can make one feel so happy.

One of my favorite things...
laughing with my kids. They bring out the goofy kid in me and I love it.

A few plans for the rest of the week...
Cinderella, a visit from the parents, Mass, and our 3rd annual cookie exchange. I have already eaten half a batch of the chocolate bark I made that was supposed to be for Sunday.

A picture to share...
like mom, like daughter. Daddy dressed her (in a sweatshirt, fun skirt and boots) and look what mama came down in. We were certainly ready for our date to the library!

28 weeks

2011-12-06T13:42:00.001-08:00

Or the start of the 3rd trimester, however you'd like to call it. Either way, we're getting closer...and my body knows it. My braxton hicks contractions started around 20 weeks and are like a daily "friend" reminding me to slow down. Sometimes they try to trick me into thinking we need to make a trip to the doctor, but I'm doing better about taking it easy (by spending too much time on Pinterest) and keeping them at bay.

On the flip-side of pregnancy ailments, we are so excited to meet this little one. Like I don't think I was even this excited for Avila or Max to come. Having perspective (that pregnancy ends, that babies do eventually sleep, that toddlers grow into big kids, and that life is so much fun with little ones around) is a big part of it. The first few months aren't my fav, but once they get a little bigger and start filling the home with laughter and joy, I'm sold on this whole house-full-of kids thing. It felt like yesterday that Max was in my belly, rolling around and making me tired, but now he is this amazing little 20 month-old with his own personality and his own way of bringing to our home just what it needs. I can just picture it, too, with this little one we have yet to meet. What will he or she be like? What will they look like? How will they become a part of this family? These questions keep me pressing on through already sleepless nights and horrible maternity jeans.

After taking all the Christmas decorations down from the attic, I was struck by the fact that when we put them away, we will be bringing down our baby things. Sure, these next few months of the end of pregnancy and beginning of a new little life won't be easy, but being able to see a few months and years down the road reminds me that it's all worthwhile. Not only can I forsee the joy, but I can forsee all the ways these kids make me change for the better. Personality quirks and vices that I would never be able to conquer on my own, or even with the help of my amazing husband, are sloooowly being conquered and I have my kids to thank for that. So, with all of that said, may the good Lord give me a joyful attitude and the grace to bear these final weeks with patience. And may He bless baby Mauss with good health and a safe birth as he or she prepares to enter this world.

Most of my maternity attire consists of the most-comfortable-$9 pants-in-the-world (which can be purchased at Costco...) pictured above, but when we do get dressed up once a year for a Christmas party I will throw on my red heels no matter what. And believe it or not, I made it the whole night through.

it was a good run...

2011-11-30T09:39:00.000-08:00

This post is almost two weeks late, but maybe it's taken that long to absorb the fact that daddy's football boys lost just one game shy of the state championships. We treked to Vancouver to watch Bellarmine play my own alma mater and after a hard fought game (including one of Avila's favorite players getting injured in the first qtr) they were defeated. I must say, the boys handled it with grace and now they are able to carry this life lesson forward with them in the future: the fact that battles are waged, wars are fought and, no matter the outcome, it is our job to press on and pick ourselves up.

With the kids old enough to get involved (and house projects all done) this has been the most fun and enjoyable football season in Michael's 5 years of coaching. And I am more fully realizing the amazing impact that a good football program can have on a young man's life. Other than from his great parents, a lot of Michael's character formation came from life lessons learned through a Christian football program. I see his work ethic, his ability to fight through any adversity with grace, what he's taught me about goal setting, and how a man's physical strength can be used to teach him about mental, emotional, and spiritual strength. We pray for our boys often and only hope that they can take from football what we have - to fight the good fight and prepare for the crown of righteousness waiting for us in the end.

Go Lions!

with mom and sister

11-0

2011-11-15T14:04:00.000-08:00

Bellarmine Prep won again last week in a "defense-rocked-it" 42-7 win. (And of course we're partial for the D 'cause that's what daddy coaches...) Now it's off to play my alma-mater, Skyview HS. It should be a lively game, and surely another one that the kids will get bundled up for (there might be snow!). Two more games until the state championships.

And in the words of Avila last night, during prayer time:

"We pray for the football boys, that they win their game."
Amen.

snuggled with grandpa, keeping warm

Football!! More more more football!

10-0

2011-11-04T20:36:00.000-07:00

That's their record! (or the number of weeks of football games so far if you want to look at it that way...) Bellarmine won again last night in the first round of playoffs, despite two key players out on injury. It's only going to get tougher from here on out, but if they can fight through 3 more games they'll be in the state championships!

A couple weeks ago was the game of the year: Homecoming, two un-defeated teams (BPrep and Olympia) and the last home game of the year. We had to head out early (like 2 hours early) to get a seat and with the pouring rain it was sure an adventure. The kids were troopers, and even got to play with their cousin, Thomas, the whole game. And my favorite part of the night: watching Max copy his daddy making play calls.

before the game

thanks mom and dad for all your help!

school update

2011-11-04T07:34:00.001-07:00

A couple months in and the fruits of our schooling have been more than I could ask for. The kids have become best friends. We stay home more often and I schedule less, which means there's less stress for all, and my own relationship with the kids has improved dramatically. God's grace really is the root of it all, but I also know that giving them quality time and our days having structure is a key component, too. So far, we're loving it, and every time I check in with God about the choices we've made for this year, I feel a sense of peace.

The past few weeks we've been studying Autumn, Creation, Halloween, and All Saints/All Souls. Here are some pictures and activities from our time together...And just a reminder, I didn't think of all this myself. I'll try to link up to webpages when I can. In addition to the activities listed, we spent a few days each week working on handwriting, basic math concepts, reading our BOB Books, praying, and just hanging out.

FALL:
-fall tree mosaics
-painting/drawing leaves
-pumpkin observation (science), carving, describing, estimating
-leaf hunt (science)
-and for the start of 40 Days for Life: ProLife Novena and our Life From the Womb DVD (suitable for children)

pumpkin painting

Max's favorite thing in the world: coloring (PS: thanks auntie shelley for the cards!!)

I will admit that my nerves were on edge for this one...

our finished pumpkins and working on our November calendars

leaf hunting/collecting

best buddies. he cries when she goes to Catechism every week :(

first, she picked her favorites and drew them. then we separated them into colors and estimated which group had the most/least. she counted each group, wrote the numbers, and checked to see if her predictions were right.

CREATION:

(most of the activities can be found here. Scroll down to Creation Parts 1/2.)

-Creation Mini-Book (to practice handwriting)

-Ordering the Creation Cards (days 1-7)

-Coloring Creation Pictures and making a book

-memorizing the order of creation

-talking about Sunday as a day of rest

Creation book, with corresponding Bible verses

practicing writing the word "day"

learning the concept of "more than"

HALLOWEEN WEEK: Break! We just did basic stuff and they were playing so well together that I didn't want to bug them...

This week: ALL SAINTS/ALL SOULS:

-Mass

-Saints Coloring Pages (she colors while I read from the "Our Friends the Saints" book)

-Handwriting, practicing the word "Saint" and learning the "ai" sound

-Writing a list of all the souls who have died that we want to pray for

-Making a "Saint Book" of ways we can become a saint

-Science: Float and Sink

our mini "word wall" on our white board. We focus on identifying and being able to write them. For the Novena, I printed, colored and laminated it. Each day we prayed a "Hail Mary" for all the babies in their mama's tummies, and especially for baby Mauss. Then we put a baby in Mary's arms (there are 9 total). Max was known once or twice to be found praying over by this picture...

Our Saint Book. (I have to take credit for thinking of this one!) The front is what Avila thinks Heaven looks like: a gummy house with rainbows. She listed all of us, with her, in heaven. The other pages, written by me and drawn by her, include (feel free to copy):

1) A saint is someone who is in heaven.
2) To be a saint we need to follow Jesus.

3) We need to listen to Jesus.

4) My favorite saint is _________.

5) My other favorite saint is __________.

Jesus is on the left, with the Crown of Thorns. The other one is an angel.

Mary, with a Crown of Flowers, a sword ("to help the soldiers") and the world in her other hand. To the left of her is Jesus, with a triple-scoop ice-cream cone.

A recommendation: put a picture of Jesus, Mary or an icon in front of your child as they are coloring/drawing/writing. For some reason Avila loves to color and I think it's her way of processing everything in her head. Because kids learn so much through their environment, surround them with beautiful, holy things whenever possible.

Coming up the next few weeks: Weather/Seasons, Virtues, Thanksgiving, and then a whole month of ADVENT!!!

max and the potty

2011-11-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Max,

I know you love the potty. I know you have a big sister who gets to use it and I know that you love copying everything she does. But let me remind you of the ways this dear little potty has gotten you into so much trouble the past couple of days:

Case #1
Yesterday, after your bath, you went over to the toilet, and peed on the floor. At least you wiped and flushed.

Case #2
This morning you came to me while I was getting ready and you climbed onto the toilet, with the lid closed. You proceeded to poop (this time in your diaper) but by sitting it kind of leaked out everywhere...But thanks, I guess, for trying wash your hands.

Case #3
After your own poop incident you decided to play in sister's. Yeah, it was her fault that she forgot to flush but next time, please don't try to pull all of the toilet paper out. That stays in the potty. Thank you, though for giving me a big (clean) hug and saying you were sorry.

I love you, little boy, and I knowing you're trying to be "big" but let's make this transition to kid stuff, um, a little cleaner.

love, mommy

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

hmmm...kind of weird that our 666th post falls on the topic of Halloween.

But anyway, what a great day it was! Trick-or-treating at daddy's office (where they pass out the king-sizers...) and a dairy queen blizzard with Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin to top off the evening.

For two weeks Avila wanted to be a princess hippo with sharp teeth (to eat all the people in the village), and I couldn't really pull that one out of my bag of tricks. So I waited until the last minute. But I must say, these costumes aren't too bad for throwing them together an hour before we left!

my two football boys...insert melting heart here.

that's Bellarmine Lions, not Detroit. :) and the 31 was daddy's number. the shoulder pads? napkins. and the blue stretch pants? avila's.

visting grandpa!

Max was going to be a stock broker, in his little suit, but I didn't want any Occupy Wall Street people giving him a hard time :)

7 quick takes...in pictures

2011-10-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

1. TGIF...no school today. just plain ol' messy fun.

2. In love. I am totally and completely in love with this little boy.

3. And I'm of course in love with the other little boy in the picture, too.

4. Thank you Sid, the Science Kid for giving mommy 25 minutes to make dinner.

5. Seattle with the girls.

6. 23 weeks.

7. Rain boots. 'cause if you live where it rains, you need a cute pair (or two...)

poor max

2011-10-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

But then again, he doesn't seem to mind...

pumpkin patch

2011-10-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

From anecdotal evidence, I can say that there are more pictures taken by parents during pumpkin patch season than any other time of the year. I think the amount of cameras outnumbered the amount of pumpkins at the farm! But it's totally understandable given that when you combine kids + cute fall clothes + farm animals + mud + the wonderful feeling of fall that you will get an amazing backdrop for recording some of the year's best memories.

We loved our 3rd annual trip with BeccaJoe and Joe and Anna (plus their cuties, Gus and Evelyn). And going to the pumpkin patch reminds me, once again, that my kids need to grow up on a farm.

Avila, Maximilian, Evelyn, and Gus

Avila

Max, the stud

no matter how I tried, a good picture was not happening....

mud and pumpkins. a boy's best friend.

rearranging the kiddie patch. the scratch (and resulting blood) was from falling into a sea of pumpkins but wasn't noticed until a while later. he doesn't seem to care.

OMGoodness, how this girl is growing up

a family of 5!

sibling love

2011-10-19T17:15:00.000-07:00

a child's prayer

2011-10-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

my silent comments, albeit still to the Lord, in italic...

Avila's prayer for baby Mauss:

"Dear Jesus, we pray for mama's baby in her tummy. We pray that the baby comes out fast. (yessss, nice and quick) We pray for all the babies in their mama's tummies that they are safe. (yes, Lord, protect them) And I pray for another baby right after this one. (um, Lord, if you could perhaps postpone that request for a little while it would be much appreciated) Amen."

summa time

2011-10-15T15:47:00.001-07:00

It may not be 80 degrees any more, but it sure is fun to look back on some of my favoriter summer pictures...

One month down!

2011-10-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

The past 4 school-weeks have passed by quickly. I feel like we've found our grove with scheduling and fitting everything in, but I'm sure there'll be lots of tweaks and adjustments along the way.

By age, Avila doesn't technically need a scheduled school-day with things like handwriting and reading. Although I have been an early childhood educator in many different settings, I actually don't think that formal instruction should start until the child is ready. If you look at some of the places in the world that have the highest educational scores, a lot of them don't start formal education until waaay later than we do in the US. Finland (highest reading scores in the world) for example, doesn't start formal reading instruction until age 7. By pushing our kids too early (without giving them lots of time to learn through play, being read to, and discovering life through fun) our efforts can actually backfire - making our kids frustrated and turning them against a love for learning.

That being said, I only do formal things with Avila that I know she is ready for. (She kind of picks things up at a crazy rate which is why I am doing things that normally wouldn't be introduced until later. If she wasn't ready for any of this until she was 5 or 6, I would totally wait until then.)

Our basic set-up is as follows:
(this is really just meant to give an idea of what works for us. Preschooling, homeschooling, life-schooling looks so many different ways that this is, by no means, a perfect system)

-first off, I don't invent everything from scratch. that would be dumb. I search and print and copy from as many people as possible!

-I printed out the Kindergarten standards and will give ourselves a couple years (or until K age would be) to get them checked off. The K subjects are: math, reading, writing, communication, science, social studies and for us religion

-to fit those in, I decided to have a theme each week (social studies), such as family, community, creation, virtues, weather, space, dinosaurs, Mary, the ocean, etc. The possibilities are endless! We do some sort of math, reading, and handwriting everyday (total, it takes about 30-45 minutes. seriously), Mondays we do an art project. Fridays we do a science "experiment." And we fit in religion in everything we do - from feast day celebrations to randomly praying for things to going to Mass, and on and on.

-I go online on the library website and reserve a couple weeks of books ahead of time (according to our themes). When they are ready, I swing by and pick them up! Super easy.

-most of our school happens through life. For example, last week our theme was community so whenever we drove, we would point out the different street signs we saw. Whenever we heard a siren we would pray for the people in trouble. Sometimes I find that we "do school" so much during the day (just by living life) that we actually don't need to "do school" at our table!

-Here are some awesome websites I use that I would totally recommend. If you have any, please pass along!

http://www.prekinders.com/ - She has themes and everything set up for you already!

1+1+1=1 - a great resource but also kind of overwhelming. I only pull a few things from her because if I did it all I would go nuts

http://www.catholicicing.blogspot.com/ - great resource for liturgical/saint/church activities

http://www.pre-kpages.com/

http://www.donnayoung.org/ - any calendar, planning form, really anything you need to get started!

free Catholic coloring pages on anything you could imagine, click here and here

the internet - type it in, and you will find it :)

Here are some pictures of our first couple of weeks. We studied colors and family.

my file box. there is a folder for each week, extending into May. whenever I find something to do with that theme (handwriting sheets, activities, etc) I throw it into its folder. if anyone wants my list of themes, just let me know in the comments section and I'll post it. other folders include: church seasons, math/reading/writing activities, music stuff. We will do each theme again next year, focusing on different activities. Plan once, do it twice!!

click here for the planning form. and click on the picture to make it larger to see what we do. feel free to copy! now that I have it down, planning doesn't take long at all (hour total including prep for the following week). after the week is done, I put the planning form in it's theme folder so I can pull it out for next year!

our first day! I filled this little $2 backpack with colored pencils, watercolors and stickers. then I took them all away so brother wouldn't destroy them.

a math workbook from Costco. We are working on basic skills (counting, more/less, number recognition, mastering writing our numbers) before moving onto our math curriculum from Singapore Math.

at the beginning of the week, I throw everything we are doing into a tray. that way it's all ready and I can bring it anywhere in the house (aka: the kitchen so brother can have a snack while we work). next to the puzzle is a handwriting dry-erase book from Costco that I LOVE. she can practice her letters without wasting paper and she can reuse it a million times.

after making our own mosaic, Avila spotted a mosaic in church!

the first week we studied colors. we did lots and lots of coloring mixing.

the second week we focused on family. Avila loves Goldilocks and the Three Bears, so we did math with our little bear family. =)

OK. want to keep a little girl occupied for an hour? Give her a baby to wash.

one of our science experiments was on absorption. we would predict if certain things absorbed water: paper clip, cotton ball, the table and then see if we were right or not. did you know that a size 5 diaper can hold 180 teaspoons of water? craziness, I tell you.

PS: here's to another Bellarmine win! 49-0 last night. 7-0 for the season. Homecoming, and perhaps the hardest game of the year, next week!

Max, the preschooler?

2011-10-10T17:01:00.000-07:00

No, I am not implying my kid is smart. In fact, Mike and I keep complaining that Max needs to talk already. But I can't believe how much he is picking up just by tagging along with Avila and I on our schooling adventures!

The first couple days that we started school for the year, it seemed like Max was always in the way. He wanted to color and be at the table with us. He wanted to snuggle in close while we were reading. He wanted to play with the math manipulatives. And it was so annoying. In my mind I must have pictured that school would be Avila and I and Max would figure something out - like play with blocks or his trucks or whatever. But a couple days into our adventures something in my mind clicked and I had a change of heart - part of the reason we are choosing to homeschool these early years is to foster a deep sense of family. Of course this can be done no matter the method of schooling, but through personal prayer and discernment we felt called to offer our children the chance to develop close relationships with their siblings through the schooling process. For, in the end and no matter the subject, lessons in school are more powerful when they are lessons in life.

Going back to brother, I realized that I had to tweak things a bit. Lessons that had to do with handwriting and such (and other things I wanted to do one-on-one with Avila) would be done after her rest, and while Max is still napping. Everything else would be done with brother.

Sometimes I give him his own little "project" and a lot of the time I throw a few blocks on his high chair or scoop him on my lap to help. And he is loving it. But more than that, Avila sees that Max is just as important and deserving of my time as she is. He isn't "annoying little brother" (as I was calling him those first couple days of school) but rather he is our buddy who makes us laugh when he eats the crayons or makes a mess with the chalk.

Case in point:

ME: Avila what's your favorite show?

HER: Watching Max be funny.

7 really quick takes

2011-10-07T16:57:00.000-07:00

In no particular order...

1. I'm tired. And hungry. It must mean the babe is growing and when the baby grows I get bigger and thinking of getting bigger makes me more tired and more hungry.

2. I tried to keep Max away from my desk (because he has a thing for Frank Sinatra on my Pandora station) but he managed to scoot over a chair, climb up, and consume a pack of cinnamon gum.

3. I have been totally at peace with the fact that we probably won't take a vacation for a long long time. And then I made the mistake of looking through all our Hawaii pictures. I think I will purchase a SAD lamp and throw a luau. Anyone wanna come?

4. I try not to get too political here, but I do want to say a sincere thank you to all the "rich" peeps out there. Thanks for buying clothes from me (and subsequently putting me through college) when I worked all those years, solely on commission, at Nordstrom. If you didn't have money to buy clothes, I wouldn't have had money to go to college. Just sayin'.

5. I just realized all of my "takes" here are kind of negative. To continue the trend I just found Max playing in the toilet. again. in his sister's pee. Not only did he have fun in the toilet, he had fun getting clean - I have never seen a child get so happy to see hand sanitizer.

6. I was mad at Avila at dinner tonight because of her constant whining today. Usually Max just stares at me when I get mad. Tonight he plugged his ears.

7. I am officially leaving all the dishes in the sink (and the dishwasher to be emptied) for my husband. Sorry, babe. If you need a reason go back and read #1.

and then there was life...

2011-10-06T14:52:00.001-07:00

I couldn't leave the last post without posting something positive - without something witnessing to Christ's triumph over death. The previous post is a must read (because we all must be aware of what our brothers and sisters have to endure) and so is this one. Praise be to God for her witness to life!

'The day I died: the dramatic 'death' and recovery of pro-life activist Melanie Pritchard

how is this not like the holocaust?

2011-10-06T14:28:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you...it is. It's ironic how we can be so disgusted at those who deny the holocaust of the Jews yet turn a blind eye to the holocaust of the unborn. It also makes me think of how I can complain about my own pregnancy nausea when there are millions of women forced to allow the slaughter of their unborn babies.

Holy Innocents, Pray for us.

'Like pigs in the slaughterhouse: the day Chinese officials brutally murdered my unborn child

being a happy mom

2011-10-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

Being a mom in today’s world is a tough gig. I’m not simply talking about the sleepless nights, or all-night feedings, or not sleeping, or the lack of sleep, but rather the intense and sometimes debilitating pressure we put on ourselves to simply be “good enough.” As women, we already feel this pressure from all sides – the pressure to be a good wife, a good cook, pretty enough, smart enough, holy enough, someone who has their house together, and on and on. But then you throw kids into the mix and a woman’s natural ambition to feel worthy gets kicked into overdrive.

On one hand, this ambition is a good thing. It keeps up focused. But on the other hand, it can morph into a beast that drives to tear us moms, us women, apart. In our pure motivation of wanting to be the best mom to our kids and wife to our husband and person to ourselves that we can be, we turn outwards and begin to compare. We compare homes, kids, activities, bodies, meals, and anything else that we can visually see in order to grasp whether or not we measure up. And, oh, how this becomes dangerous.

A couple months back I was feeling very restless. I felt like I couldn’t get control of my life and I constantly felt like I was one step behind. I tried to attribute it to our constant remodeling, having busy kids, or my morning sickness, but once those things passed (well, the kids are still busy…) I was still fighting to stay above water. I just couldn’t seem to get my act together. Once I conquered one task, 10 other things waiting to be tackled would stare me in the face. But even if I got all 11 things done, I still wasn’t happy.

What in the world is going on? I thought to myself. I have an amazingly supportive husband, great kids, and more blessings than I could count. I frequent the sacraments and I have a relationship with the Lord. But why did I feel like something was missing?

Around this same time I stumbled across a book by an author I love, Dr. Meg Meeker. I read two of her other books Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters and Boys Should be Boys and they were both fabulous. She is a mom, a pediatrician, and a strong Christian. She offers straightforward and sound advice that is meant for everyone from working parents to stay-at-home parents, and everyone in between. The book of hers I found is called 10 Habits of Happy Mothers.

Notice it reads “happy” mothers. Not “good” mothers or “respected” mothers or even “virtuous” mothers. Nope, just happy. And that’s what I was looking for.

Dr. Meeker opens by laying out the struggle that all moms face: to be good moms. But, she says, in order to be good moms, we need to be happy moms. That means letting go of the comparisons, the jealousies, the drive to have/be/do more, and the faulty notion that we aren't good enough. It means embracing the fact that we all have different talents and gifts to share with the world. And it means understanding that true happiness as a mother lies in our faith, in simplicity, in healthy friendships, and in enjoying being a mom.

This brings me back to my own struggle. Despite having made the strong commitment never to compare myself to or be jealous of others (especially of all my mom friends) I found these things creeping into my life. And frustrated that I couldn't do it all (like deep clean my house every week AND coupon AND make things from scratch AND run a ministry AND school my children AND be a loving wife AND cook amazing meals AND work out 6 times a week AND keep up my gardens AND........) I started taking it out on myself, my kids, and my husband. In trying to be what I thought was a good mom, I lost what being a happy mom is all about. To make matters worse, because of my own insecurities, I didn't want to bring any of this up to my close friends because I realized that my faults would be exposed - and for whatever reason I didn't like that vulnerability.

So, did I need more me time? Did I need to find extra help? No. I needed to simply let go. And this is where I rest today. I embrace my gifts and my faults. It's OK that I can't do it all, because I'm not supposed to. There are sacrifices to be made in living simply - sometimes the toilets get sacrificed for the floors, the gardens get sacrificed for time with my kids, couponing gets sacrificed for the laundry, time with my husband gets sacrificed so I can go work out, dinner gets sacrificed for my sanity, and the blog gets sacrificed for playing "dogs" with Max (be right back). I always knew I couldn't do it all, but the turning point was when I finally told myself that this was OK.

And in the end, this is what my husband and children need: a happy mom.

A couple months after reading this book I can truly say I am more at peace, I yell less, I ask for help more, and I don't get as overwhelmed. I am not afraid of looking vulnerable or like I don't have it all together. And it feels great.

My prayer is that all moms can find this peace. Whether it be through reading Dr. Meeker's book or by embracing simplicity, I pray that we realize we are all good enough - that we can let go of our fears, embrace this beautiful call of motherhood however it looks for each of us, and be happy in the meantime.

To all my sisters in Christ, I love you!

For an excerpt of Dr. Meeker's book, click here.

our school room

2011-10-03T14:02:00.000-07:00

While we "do school" just about anywhere in the house (thanks to my trusty tray I throw everything in and lug on my hip...kind of like the baby will in, um, 4 months) we have our main set-up in the playroom. Of course borders on bulletin boards and the like aren't really necessary, but the teacher in me kind of came out a little too much in the set-up process. In my defense, I have to say that I really tried to scale back. I get a gold star for not making a bathroom pass...

main calendar idea from here. although I added the liturgical stuff and tweaked it to fit what I felt Avila could handle and grow into. If you don't have a laminator, run (don't walk, but maybe drive ''cause that would be faster) and get this one. Hancock also has them on sale for $19.

a $4 frame from Target holds "masterpieces" quite well

I put a magnet on the back of her small white board (located on the big white board) to house it while it's not in use. Notice that the markers are really high up. For every inch that Max grows, those markers will get that much higher.

A board to show our work for the week. The first week we studied colors and last week, families. Just excuse the "Avila monster" puppet.

Our rules (for school AND life):

1) Be Jesus to others

2) Always do my best work

3) Listen the first time

4) Wait for the directions

5) Pick up when I'm done

peace and quiet

2011-10-02T17:10:00.001-07:00

I guess when you're busy at work there's not much to be loud about...

let me hear you ROAR!

2011-10-02T16:16:00.000-07:00

After a game that started a little rough, the Lions got their act together and pulled off another win, 49-17. Still undefeated at 5-0, they are halfway through the regular season.

Here are some pictures from the last few games.

Heading into battle

2011-09-27T12:32:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gents, it’s time to get our armor on and head into battle. It’s time to realize that in our culture, our time, our age we will either be lost or we will become a martyr.

The intense battle being built up and waged by the Evil One and the Culture of Death is just getting started. We may think that Roe V. Wade and broken families are sad enough, but just wait. This is just child’s play to what the Enemy has up his sleeve.

You think I’m being harsh or “reading too much into things?” Or that I’m one of those “doom and gloomers” present in every era of history? If you simply read one or two of the articles linked below you know that I’m not bending things to make our times sound horrible. The death of the innocent and the outright persecution of those of speak up for the Truth is evident in all cultures, all age groups, and it’s getting worse.

No jail time for woman who strangled infant because Canada accepts abortion, says judge

Texas High School Student Suspended for Saying Homosexuality is Wrong

Chilling Stories of China's One-Child Policy

Facebook, Google, social media sites 'actively' censor Christian content: study

California homeowner fined for hosting Bible study in his house

Couple who would have aborted disabled son awarded 4.5 million for 'wrongful birth'

UK gov't collects data of 'homophobic,' 'racist' 3 year-olds

Pre-teens in South Africa given contraceptive injection without parental consent

Glenn Close: people who value gender differences will have to 'die off'

Ireland not backing down on forcing priests to break seal of confession

Now, I’m not going to say that everything is bad. There is much good happening in the Church, among young people who reject the failed prescriptions of the sexual revolution, and in families who recognize that it isn’t enough to send our kids out into the world without discerning every little thing. But what is bad is getting worse. And I guarantee that each and every one of us will face a choice, like the early Christian martyrs did.

Our choice will be this: 1) embrace the culture of relativism, sexuality as we define it, and reject the wisdom of the Church (in which case we can become lost); OR 2) just don’t do anything, don’t voice the Truth, and sit back idly because we don’t want to stir the pot – all the while maintaining the outward appearance that we are good Christians (in which case we can become lost); OR 3) take a stand, profess the Truth through reason and loving charity, and don’t let any fears get in our way (in which case we WILL become martyrs).

By speaking the Truth (especially in regards to abortion, homosexuality and the like) many of us will lose friends, lose our jobs, lose our freedoms, and yes, some of us may lose our lives. This isn’t something to take lightly, of course, and it isn’t something I say lightly. Free Speech and tolerance are no longer granted to those who speak Christian Truths. Again, just read the articles above if you want proof.

I have spent much of this summer reading and preparing in preparation for the busy Theology of the Body season ahead. But more than the knowledge I have received from different books and articles I’ve read, what has struck me the most is how much we all need to prepare for battle. This is a battle that won’t be waged in arenas such as the Coliseum but it will cost just as many lives. It will take place in our workplaces, our schools (whether Christian in nature or not), our homes, and even some of our Churches. We must prepare for this battle through prayer, learning about our faith and having reason to back up our beliefs, maintaining compassion and praying for those who struggle with what we say, and by preparing our minds and hearts for the persecution we will face.

We ask the Lord to give us strength to not shy away from the Truth. We ask Him to give us the words to speak and the actions to take. We ask Him to build our armor out of the faith and confidence that comes from knowing HE wins in the end and, if we stick close by His side on the battlefield, that we will join Him in this victory.

reprinted from Theology of the Body NW: the blog.

7 Quick Takes

2011-09-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

1. Someone please tell me that they go through as much milk as we do. I'm talking 4 gallons a week, at least. And that's not including the gallon I use to make yogurt (which is also gone in a week). Oh, and eggs. We go through a lot of eggs. The more I think about it, the more we really need a farm...Shelley, can we move in?

2. Michael has strong genes. The kids both have his blue blue eyes and, among other kids, a love of ketchup. If you simply say the word "ketchup" to Max at the dinner table he both laughs and freaks out at the same time. And don't say it to him unless you plan on giving him some no later than 3 seconds after you say it. Along with the cows and chickens, I think I need to start harvesting tomatoes. That farm really is looking like a better idea every day.

3. We have a clock in our bathroom inherited from before Michael and I got married. It's a pretty clock and it's served it's purpose: to get us (me) out of the bathroom in time. But for a couple months now it has been broken. After changing the batteries a few different times we realized that it had to be retired, but at the same time we really didn't want to spend the money on another clock. Yes, it's like $20, but it has almost been a game to see how long we can go without replacing it. And that broken clock has taught me a good lesson: that even when something is "needed" it can be done without for longer than I think. Every time I look at it, that broken clock reminds me to be patient and to wait on the Lord - all the while trusting that He will provide for what we truly need.

4. I just gave Max some grapes. And what did he do? Dip them in ketchup.

5. We have some great friends who have shown us generosity beyond belief. When Max was born and ever since, they have given us dozens of bags and bins of boy clothes, shoes, and other items. Every once in a while I am struck by how much money this has saved us - hundreds of dollars to say the least. But more than that, their act of generosity (and other acts that people have shown us through our children) has given me a huge desire to pay it forward. When we are done having kids I hope to pass along all of our clothes and baby items to people who need them and return the favor by showing others the same generosity others have shown us. A good deed really does not go unnoticed and for all those who have helped us in any way (parents, friends, family, strangers), thanks a million! Your love has motivated us to do the same!

6. Avila loves all things "married" about Michael and I - our rings, the pictures, the stories, our hugs in front of her. She always asks to look at our album and to try on my rings. But it kind of went a little far the other day. Above our bed is a picture of us and a Willow Tree wedding statue. Apparently she tried so hard to get those things down that she ended up pulling the shelf out of the wall. Big holes. Lots of dust. But luckily nothing broken or hurt (including Avila). She ended up having to fork over her piggy bank as punishment to pay for the damage. Of course she got all teary-eyed but then out of her mouth came something I didn't expect:

"But mom. (sniffle sniffle) That's my money for all the kids who don't have food or toys."

7. Bellarmine is still doing awesome. 4-0 and ranked 1st in state. This has been our most fun football season yet. The kids and I have been to almost every game and the team is gearing up for a couple tough match-ups to come. I shouldn't have counted down to the state finals, though. 10 weeks. But that's just fine - lots of games to watch our "football boys" in action, to watch daddy "wave his arms weird" making play calls, and explain what the "4 and the 3" on the sidelines mean to Avila. And to watch Max swoon the crowd. Never thought I'd say this, but I really am praying for a long season!

preparing for peer pressure...sort of

2011-09-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

Max is such an awesomely compliant kid. (I actually think it all started when he was 8 months old and I made him cry when he touched the Christmas tree...but that's another story.) It's like he will do whatever you say before you finish saying it. Sure, he throws a few punches now and then like any other toddler but this easy-going nature sure makes it easy for his sister to take advantage of him.

Case in point: the pink tutu.

I think Max has grown accustomed to being adorned with his sister's tutu, but on the other hand it looks like he's preparing for a little defense for the future...by reading Preparing for Peer Pressure.

That's right Max, stand up for yourself. But when that pent up agression finally comes out, just don't hit your sister too hard. :)

kids are weird...

2011-09-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

Me: Avila, wan't do you want for lunch?

Her: Salt and pepper, please.

Me, being the cool and tricky mom I am (ha) I put together a little bowl of just that: salt and pepper. "Here you go, sweetie," I said, thinking she'll learn that everything you think you want might not turn out so great in the end.

Her, taking some licks: Mmmmm. This is so good. This is the best lunch I ever had.

Well, that plan didn't work.

7 Quick Takes

2011-09-12T07:16:00.001-07:00

1. I am up before the kids. This is, um, a super big deal because it hasn't happened in 10 weeks. Before pregnancy I was rockin' it and up at 5:30 am to pray, workout, and have my pot of coffee before the kids got up. Once death set in (aka: the first trimester) I seriously shut off the monitor and let the kids hang out in their beds until I got them up. But after reading the quote (below) Cheri put up by St. Josemaria Escriva, I was convicted. Plus, I really need about 20 minutes of aimless computer searching all by myself to dispel my morning grumpiness...

Conquer yourself each day from the very first moment, getting up on the dot, at a set time, without granting a single moment to laziness. If with the help of God, you conquer yourself in that moment, you'll have accomplished a great deal for the rest of the day.

2. As kids get cuter, discipline gets harder. It has always been hard for me to say "no" to Max because he turns me to mush when I do so: kissing, smiling, and laughing to get out of whatever he was in trouble for. Avila must be learning his tricks. Yesterday in the car, she had a meltdown caused by too much fun, not enough sleep, and a lack of chocolate milk. Promising her major discipline when we got home, she pulled herself together. I shut off the car and unbuckled her seat belt only to have her look up at me with wet blue eyes, a tear-stained face, and say: Oh mom. I love you. I am sorry for hurting you. It was all my fault." Her sincerity and remorse struck a chord and mama turned to mush, once again.

3. Oh my goodness. Pink chalk plus a hose turned on by the kids plus running around in the house plus an already grumpy mom did not make for a good combination. A bath, a promise to go to Confession, and a few Hail Mary's later and things are better. At least the kids smell good...

4. I just cleaned my make-up brushes. Ewwwww. It was something I kept putting off and because nesting sets in super early for me, I had the motivation today to tackle this task. (And I'm posting it because I can't think of anything else to write that doesn't have to do with kids or being pregnant...) I don't know why I waited this long - it only took a few minutes - and in an attempt to preserve what we own, this was a job well chosen. Here is a easy-to-follow tutorial if you need one: link here.

4. I think I forgot how to cook. Giving myself many excuses not to cook during the early stages of baby-growing, we resorted to mac n' cheese, quesadillas, grilled cheese, chicken nuggets and (the kids' favorite) the Golden Arches. But now that I'm feeling better, I seem to blank out every time I sit down to menu plan. I can't even pull together spaghetti or tacos, even though I have everything on hand. Lucky for me I have kids who love all of the above and a husband who would eat all of the above every night if he could. Current goal: get my act together...

5. Speaking of food, being gluten intolerant is not fun during pregnancy. Since many GF foods are expensive and I try at all costs to avoid buying them, I eat pretty clean: lots of veggies, fruits, meat, eggs, potatoes, etc. But of course none of that sounds good when all you want is a Big Mac or Taco Bell or even a slice of real toast. To top it all off, if I let myself get hungry then I would get even more sick. It's better now that I am actually craving salads and everything else I used to like and in the end I will probably have a healthy pregnancy for it. That is if I don't polish off the GF cheesecake someone made for me.

6. I, like many of you I'm sure, am soo excited for fall. Pumpkins (seeds, lattes, and some on the porch), leaves turning (but not the raking part), chilly mornings (made a lot better now that I'm on break from running), fire (if I had a fireplace), hot chocolate (with additives, if I could have them), boots (because I have too many pairs), scarves and hats (again, because I have too many), and putting the pool away (I'm tired of filling it up every. single. day). Yup, I'm excited for fall.

7. GO LIONS! Even though they have a target on their back and are the team to beat, the B Prep Lions are rockin'it. 2-0 so far for the season. With another home game this week, we get to see Max back in action: dancing on the sidelines, trying to climb the fence to see daddy, and making lots of friends with the fans. If you want to see a boy have fun, watch Max at a game or shadow-box with him. Either way you are guaranteed a good laugh.

so not afraid of the camera...

2011-09-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

choreography by Avila...and the drama comes from her, too.

whoa, I didn't know this much about trees when I was 3. and I know I just posted about modesty, but disregard the fact that Avila "forgot" to put her shirt back on. man, why don't kids like clothes?

and my favorite...the octive was a little high :)

on teaching modesty

2011-08-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

As a young woman who used to be a little girl who now has a little girl herself, I am hyper-aware of everything that my daughter says and does. From the words she uses, to her tone of voice, to her actions, to what she wants to dress herself in for the day, I am scouting out teaching moments and looking for opportunities to not only teach correct behavior but also squash any little issues before they become big problems.

And it is never too early to begin teaching about modesty, grace, beauty (true beauty, not the stuff sold in magazine aisles), and discerning what's true out of these subjects.

I always wondered how I was ever going to "teach modesty." I didn't really see it fit to just make rules about dressing and leave it at that. But the beautiful thing about being a parent is that teaching moments happen everywhere, anytime, and if we take advantage of these moments, the rules we wanted to implement in the first place organically fall into place.

Here are a few of these rules that emerged from our own journey...

1) At this point, we always have our daughter wear dresses to church. This is partly due to the fact that dresses make her feel more special, you know like a princess, and we want her to feel like a princess when she visits her King. We also wear dresses because they set Sunday Mass apart from other days of the week. And if the dress is sleeveless, we wear a pretty cardigan over it, and we make the point to remind her that we don't show our shoulders during Mass - again, not just because it's a rule of the Church but because we dress special for Jesus and the only body that should get attention at church is Jesus'. There was a battle over the cardigan (because, let's face it, kids like to have the least amount of clothing on as possible) but that battle has been won by mom and dad.

2) Bringing up my last point (that kids like to be naked) we don't allow Avila to just run around in whatever she wants (namely Hello Kitty underwear and a tank-top). Because kids can't deal with the abstract, we set a general rule in our home that she has to cover her shoulders and knees unless it is really hot out (then she can wear a tank-top if she wants). We have fun t-shirts and we don't buy short shorts. She has never once complained about this rule and by starting it at such a young age it will feel like second-nature by the time she is older. She even brags about the fact that her favorite dresses don't show her knees. We also require shorts under dresses when going out because we all know how little girls like to spin around!

3) When it comes to swim suits, I won't ever buy Avila a two-piece. Oh my word, I remember (and still feel) the pressure to look good in a swimsuit and that is something I just don't want my little girl to go through. Plus, think of all the weirdos out there. No way do I want someone looking at my little girl when she's splashing around in the ocean. You can't protect them forever but you can buy them a modesty suit! All kidding aside there's lots of options. Right now we opt for rash guards (short or long-sleeved) and shorts. And as she gets older, we will make it a joint venture to find something fun for her and appropriate at the same time.

4) An important point to bring up is mom. Meaning, me. Meaning, do I follow all the rules of modesty I set for my daughter? The real answer is: I'm working on it. Do I wear dresses every week to church? No, but I always always make sure my clothing is appropriate (again, no knees or shoulders showing). I donated all the shorts (well, like one pair) I had that didn't meet the standard I set for Avila. Instead I wear sundresses and board shorts. I always make sure that Avila will only learn positive things from what I wear, as kids learn from what we do, not what we say.

5. Be careful of what your kids watch and always ask where they learn new words and phrases from if you don't know. Case in point: The Little Mermaid. We are very cautious of what out kids watch because they pick up on everything. One day, Avila started dancing provocatively (something she has never done) and singing the words "body language." I pulled her aside and, without getting upset, I told her that dancing like that was not OK - it didn't respect her body and dancing like that would never be done again. She got the point. I then explained what body language actually means, that we can say something with our bodies without using words. She got that, too. I then asked where she learned this from. She told me, The Little Mermaid. Never will that movie be watched in our house again! By limiting exposure to immodest words and actions from the get-go, we start the battle way ahead - you can never be too careful as a parent.

6. We never make comments about our kids' body parts. We don't say "look at your cute, chubby little legs!" (even if they are cute and chubby) and we don't point out things like pants that have accidentally sagged a little too low. We just fix the problem and don't point it out. This saves our kids from being embarrassed about what we tell them is private. As a woman who has struggled with body issues, I also make it a huge point to tell Avila how beautifully made her body is - that God created her perfect just the way she is. I tell her that her tummy is perfect (because what woman doesn't struggle with that?) and while they are fun, that she doesn't need hair bows and pretty dresses and nail polish to be pretty. By implanting these truths early, hopefully they will be super ingrained in her mind as to combat any negative messages she hears from the world.

These are just a few examples of how we teach modesty with dress and actions. I love fashion and Avila loves pink and we've found a way to mesh these loves with honoring God with our bodies. We also focus on virtues like kindness in how we talk (meaning no attitude) and putting other people first. When we have an other-oriented attitude - versus everything about us - everything else just seems to fall into place. Some may think that rules such as these are "so restrictive" but in my experience with our daughter (and in implementing them for myself) there is actually a freedom - a freedom to express ourselves in a healthy way that will draw others' attention not to ourselves, but rather to the Lord.

This post is mostly focused on girls, but a lot of the tips can trasfer over - such as polos and pants to Mass and pointing out to boys that a true man points to others, not himself. I would love to hear how other parents teach modesty to their children both at young ages and older ages.

May God bless us in our fight for our children's souls!!!

a beautiful moment...sort of

2011-08-29T13:40:00.001-07:00

On our way home from some errands this morning I turned on the local Catholic radio station. At first there were some old-school church hymns on and before I could change it, Max started clapping and singing along. OK, little man: have at it!

And then, when we pulled into the driveway, Mass started. After the opening hymn I turned around to look at the kids to see if they would recognize what was on the radio. At the opening sign of the cross, both of their little sets of eyes lit up and Max immediately folded his hands. Avila started saying all the prayers (including, um, the Confiteor, which I had no idea she knew) and they both sat there with smiles on their faces knowing they recognized something so familiar to them: the Holy Mass.

And then, as I sat in my glorious moment - proud of my holy little children and their love of the Mass - Avila says:

"Um, mom. Can we change the station. This is weird."

7 Quick Takes

2011-08-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

1. Amelia was here!!! Amelia was here!!! Making a last minute decision to come out west, my good friend from college and her two adorable boys came out for some catching up. We sure packed a lot into two days: the zoo, a BBQ, and trips to visit other friends. Her kids were rock stars and Avila sure misses her new buddy, Jack. Maybe we will have to take a road trip to the great state of Wyoming sometime......

2. I am currently 14 weeks pregnant and officially tired of being a tired blob. While sick, I give my self permission to take a break from getting up early, working out, and anything else not conducive to nausea. Although the sickness isn't completely gone (this baby sure does NOT like slurpees...) I won't succumb to it any longer. Time to set the alarm, get running again, and get my energy back. And it's really time to stop putting off the laundry.

3. Football is up and running and the Bellarmine Lions look awesome this year. Placing 3rd in state last year and with almost all of their star players returning, it is going to be a heck of a season. We've made it to a few practices are looking towards a season that will (hopefully?) extend into December. All kidding aside, I'm not worried about another long season. SO MUCH easier this year with older kids on the same schedule and a house with lots more room to spread out. Plus, Max needs to get a good look at his future. Hitting isn't allowed now, but in 14 years it will be encouraged.

4. Speaking of Max, be careful what you name your kids. As many of my friends will attest, the meaning of a child's name really does have a lot to do with their personality. Maximilian is technically named after St. Maximilian Kolbe (the first martyr of charity - a priest who gave his life in place of a husband and father in a concentration camp) but Max also means "strongest." Oh boy is he strong. He just held a chin-up on our pull-up bar and the other day I caught him squat, pick up an 8lb. weight, carry it to the other side of the room, and squat to put it down. That is seriously a third of his body weight, although I did envision a lost toe if he dropped that thing. He has lats to die for and probably not an ounce of body fat. But, he is still our gentle giant - so laid back and so kind - and if I were in the business of making an easy life for myself, I would have all the rest of my babies just like him.

5. After washing and drying and caring for men's dress shirts for 5 years now, I can tell you I've found the best brands that last through washings, ironings, and dry cleanings. The top two: Nordstrom brand (found at Nordstrom) and Joseph & Feiss (found at Men's Warehouse). I had a few of these two types of shirts wadded in a ball for way too long and they ironed like a dream. Plus they aren't like other shirts that thin out and get holes. Nordstrom has their shirts on sale during Anniversary in July and during Men's Half Yearly with competitive prices. And Men's Warehouse offers "buy-one-get-one-free" sales on EVERYTHING a couple times a year (one such sale is starting tomorrow). That means 2 shirts, 2 pairs of shoes, 2 suits for the price of one. Oh, and for you stylin' men out there, they also carry "7 for all Mankind jeans." I can't convince my hubby to get a pair, but at two for one I wish they carried women's sizes!

6. After being out of the teaching circuit for a few years, I can say that I am getting excited once again to get my lesson planner book and start making fun bulletin boards (because it's all about the crafts, right?). Excitement always builds late in the summer as kids gather their backpacks and head off to school, and it's no less here at the Mauss household. To save money and explore homeschooling, we are doing PreK/Kindergarten with Avila at home this year and I am itching to get going. I have all these ideas swarming in my head and if anyone with young ones wants to join me, I'll post our weekly "curriculum" on the blog. I am keeping it easy with focusing on a theme a week. And each week will have a cooking project, art/craft project, math activity, and literacy activity associated with the theme. Plus, we will keep up with our reading, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, KinderMusik, and religion lessons following the liturgical calendar. More to come...

7. Kids still say the darndest things. Except Avila's quotes are a bit more "diva-ish" lately. Case in point:

"Avila will you get brother some toys for the pool"
"No"
"Let me rephrase that. Please get brother toys for the pool."
"Okay."

Me, sitting down to breakfast of eggs and wonderful yogurt dip...
"Oh, mom that smells so bad. Will you please eat somewhere else."

a rite of passage

2011-08-22T14:27:00.000-07:00

Ever since I had a girl (and a bald girl at that) I have been wating and waiting for the time I could do all sorts of fun things with her hair. Growing up, my mom had fun with our hair - bows, braids, and tons of curls. Except I didn't like it so much. I remember sitting in the kitchen, mom braiding my hair, and I was complaining that it hurt. And with our old school rotary phone on my lap, I called 9-1-1. Avila hasn't turned me in yet, but she hates when I touch her hair. So when she willingly let me braid her hair the other night, I totally jumped at the chance.

She was very proud of her braid and the curly, crimpy hair the next day. What's next? Sponge curlers.

done with the downstairs!

2011-08-18T13:53:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gents we. are. done. (insert exhale......) The carpet was installed a couple weeks ago and since then we've been moving, organizing, and finishing some plumbing, doors, blah blah blah. With only a few things left to do (I guess in home ownership there is always something) I can't wait any longer to post pictures (and there are a lot of them, just to warn you).

For both Michael and I, a huge weight has been lifted off our shoulders. 4 1/2 years of intense, messy, stressful remodeling is coming to a close and now we feel like we can just live. We are grateful to everyone who has helped - physically, emotionally, with prayers - and especially to God who has opened hundreds of doors for this project to turn out. We are excited to open our doors to friends and family and to honor God with the spaces we created. We have always viewed our home as more than a place to eat and sleep - it is a place to make God present in the everyday - and now it is also a place that we can make memories for a long long time.

Oh, one more thing. If any marriage can make it through remodeling for this amount of time it is a marriage guaranteed to last for 90 years. To my husband who has put up with my tears and complaining (mostly over dust) and to my husband who has given up his life for us and our home, thank you. You rock. Now let's go hang out on the couch and do nothing.

What would this post be without a few before shots...

And now, enjoy. I still have some pictures to hang, but that can wait.

a lot of painting...trim, cabinets, doors

my favorite part, and a compromise between Michael and I. I wanted a table for at least 4. He wanted a peninsula bar. After watching my girl, Candice Olson, we found the perfect blend of both - a bar that is big enough for a meal or playing cards. I went with backless stools for the inside so they can be pushed in and out of the way. I like this view, too, because it shows off the creative designwork of my dad with the arch in the background. Sneaky sneaky to hide all that duct work.

the office. seats 2 for schoolwork and cords connected to the TV to play movies from the computer.

eventually we'll put an electric fireplace in under the TV

the playroom. avila spends lots of time in her "cave" reading, playing, and dancing. thanks to the creativity of michael and my dad, they were able to fulfill my crazy dream of having storage, plus a reading bench, plus extra sleeping (can fit a twin mattress), plus bookshelves, plus cabinets (above, to come) to store puzzles and school supplies, plus a space for things to snuggle with. who says you can't fit a lot into a little corner?

looking into the guest room.

same view, but with doors closed (if you couldn't figure that one out on your own...)

under the cave and behind the baskets of blankets and cozy things: storage for all their toys. Officially out of Max's closet. can I get a woot woot?

to create more space (in Michael's alleged "man cave") we have plans for a pull-down bed from the wall. He wants a man cave, I want more space for schooling, but I have a feeling we'll both get what we want. :)

a look at the trim. i think this window took Michael and my dad a couple hours, plus a couple hours for caulking, sanding, and painting. for one window. whew.

the storage closet in the bedroom. minus door. if the kids dump out 100 plastic balls one. more time...

bathroom door. Michael earned years off of purgatory for cutting down and installing the doors. just saying.

the only space with a little work left. this weekend (in anticipation of Amelia's arrival!!!) we will add the shower door and cabinet over the toilet.

the downstairs wasn't the only room to be finished. all the toys from avila's room (not pictured) and EVERYTHING from the main floor living areas was removed. Ah, space! We left the kitchen table and we *found* this awesome dresser turned serving hutch in our garage. When Michael's parents were remodeling their closets they asked us to take their dresser off their hands and with my hoarder, I mean turn-something-old-to-something-new-again, personality we said yes. With a little paint and a couple new knobs this thing will rock. It holds all our wedding china and serving pieces.

I love how I found all these pieces (sans flowers) in the attic or in my cupboards.

this used to be the playroom. I found these chairs in the attic from our apartment days. Someday they'll be replaced by something cozy and comfy. For now, they're free!

Well, there you have it. Stop over anytime to hang out, play a game (cause we have storage for them now), or just chat. We'd love to have you!!

a nice staycation

2011-08-15T13:51:00.000-07:00

A couple weekends ago we stayed at mom and dad Mauss' in the harbor and spent the weekend relaxing, playing, and enjoying the nice weather. A much needed break from home projects and the crazy market for sure. Love the memories and love the pictures. :)

baby...

2011-08-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

I really couldn't think of an interesting title to this post. My brain is kind of dead from moving, reorganizing the house and this pregnancy. Yup...baby #3 is on the way!!

We're just about 12 weeks and are due February 25th. The day before my grandpa's birthday. And as was the case when Avila was born, another leap year. Avila is waaaaay excited and won't settle for anything less than a sister. When asked "what happens if it's a boy?" she matter-of-factly responded, "It's so gonna be a girl."

Well, we'll have to see about that.

Either way we are both excited and nervous to grow our family. It feels just like yesterday we had Max and it's weird to be back in the same place again. (And I was just getting used to wearing awesome jeans........) The novelty of being pregnant has kind of worn off and sometimes I pout to myself about giving up my body for another two years, but then God reminds me that this is what it means to be open to life. Having kids isn't just about the baby showers and baby bumps and all the exciting things that come with it. It's about going through the fun and the not-so-fun to let God use us to bring life and love to our family. Right now it may be hard, and in 6 months when I'm not sleeping anymore it will be hard, but then I look at Avila and Max and I think to myself, "This is so worth it."

I don't mean to come off like I'm not excited. I am! All of us are! I think I'm understanding more the reality of desiring a large family (meaning more after this baby) and when the rubber meets the road, how willing I am or not to put my own needs and desires aside for my family. When everything is said and done and I look 25 years down the road, I know that I will be grateful for all of the sacrifices and no matter what our family looks like I want to know that I held nothing back from God to do what He wants with us. All in all, we are excited to see what this next chapter will bring and are excited to hold our little one come February!

PS: um, a huge thanks to my husband. He is superman. While I laid on the couch for 6 weeks, attempting not to die from nausea and tiredness, he took over the kids, and the house, and the trips to McDonald's (I mean cooking dinner), and the random requests I had. thanks, babe. as avila would say, "you are my best friend in the entire life."

5 years...

2011-08-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

If I was a flower growing wild and free
All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee.
And if I was a tree growing tall and green
All I'd want is you to shade me and be my leaves

If you were a river in the mountains tall,
The rumble of your water would be my call.
If you were the winter, I know I'd be the snow
Just as long as you were with me, when the cold winds blow.

If you were a wink, I'd be a nod
If you were a seed, well I'd be a pod.
If you were the floor, I'd wanna be the rug
And if you were a kiss, I know I'd be a hug

If you were the wood, I'd be the fire.
If you were the love, I'd be the desire.
If you were a castle, I'd be your moat,
And if you were an ocean, I'd learn to float.

All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

To my best friend, happy anniversary...here's to another 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 +5 +5 +5 years.

downstairs update...

2011-08-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

...formerly referred to as "the basement."

today: final paint touch ups.

tomorrow: deep clean and have installed the cable and internet hook-ups.

wednesday carpet goes in!!!

thursday: MOVE.

friday: cry from pure and utter joy.

Finally!

2011-07-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

Max is finally walking. And at 26 lbs. it couldn't come soon enough. If I had to carry him down the hill to the park one more time.......

add on to "I'm reading"

2011-07-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

I've had a few questions as to when to start teaching how to read. Answer: whenever you think your child is ready without squashing their innate love of books.

In other words, all kids want to read. If books are a natural part of life and are cherished as an everyday activity, kids will eventually want to know what those darn words say! For some, this desire comes at 2 or 3. For others, not until 5 or 6. In Finland (where they have some of the highest reading scores in the world) they don't teach "how to read" until age 7. But what they do do (uh oh, I must have poo on the brain...) is read read read read read to their kids. Kids will pick up on inflection and certain sights words simply from hearing and seeing them over and over.

When I first started playing the letter/sound game with Avila she was so. not. interested. She would say an automatic NO every time I started to say "what sound does..." About every other day I would ask again, without pushing, and once she started playing along we made it fun. And then everything was a natural progression after that. Nothing forced - just fun and rewarding.

Avila has always picked up things quick - after once or twice hearing them. But I'm also prepared for our other children to have different needs. Maybe Max doesn't learn how to read until he's way older. But that's OK. We recognize that we don't need our kids to be super smart or the best at everything - we just want them to love learning and love life and love figuring things out.

As a teacher, the biggest thing I would recommend is to read out loud to your kids, even until they hit high school and beyond! When I taught 3rd grade, it wasn't until I started reading aloud to my kids books like "Little House on the Prairie", "Holes", and "Shiloh" that some of my most reluctant readers finally enjoyed reading again. I started doing this for fun, and when I realized the impact it was having we would add crafts and learning activities into the mix, and my kids' reading scores soared.

I'll update as we continue along in our quest for learning and once we begin more formal schooling in the fall. I'm excited to have little Avila as my guinea pig and I'm really excited to discover what I learn along the way!

I'm reading!

2011-07-25T15:29:00.000-07:00

To preface this post, I must say that I was really intimidated to teach Avila how to read. Yes, I am a teacher by trade, but to be honest I didn't really pay attention in my Ed classes where "how to teach reading" was taught. I knew I always wanted to teach older kids and I guess I never took into consideration I would have my own kids someday! Nevertheless, I decided that this was something important for me to know how to do so that I could set a good foundation while my kids were young.

So, when I stumbled across the book "Mommy, Teach Me" and it's companion "Mommy Teach Me to Read" (both by Barbara Curtis and both super cheap on Amazon) I was inspired. As mentioned in previous posts, Barbara was a homeschooling mother of 12 who tapped into her own potential (albeit scary at first...) to teach her children. Her main point is that children want to learn and that you don't have to be an educator, an expert, or even have a clue where to begin to be able to teach them (we just need love and the knowledge that we know our children better than anyone else). Whether your choice of education is private, public, or homeschool she empowers parents to take the lead in their children's education and set a good foundation when they are young by doing anything from simply reading more, to identifying their strengths/weaknesses, to formal activities and teaching.

Like many parents, I started to read to Avila when she was very little. Books were a staple and we never went a day without reading. She knew all the letters of the alphabet (which, come to find out, isn't really important in knowing how to read!) and I wanted to start applying some of the "how to read" steps from Barbara's book. So, about 6 months ago, we played letter-sound games. We would drive and I'd ask Avila, "What starts with 'mmm'?" I would initially get answers like "balloon!" and "daddy!" but then she got the hang of it and would answer "mommy!" and "marshmallow!" I even stole a totally awesome game from Carrie. It goes something like this:

(to the tune of "Who Let the Dogs Out?)
Who let the 'B' out?
buh- buh-buh buh

Who let the 'Y' out?
yuh-yuh-yuh yuh

It's fun to do the reverse, too. Like asking "What does flower start with? What does house start with?" After she knew all the letter-sounds, we started putting sounds together to form words. (All the steps are in the book...) And after sounding out 3-letter words, we moved on to 4 and 5-letter words. And, then, it was on to the BOB Books. (you can find these online, at Costco, or most public libraries)

I must say, I am encouraged! Other than reading books to her, we really only "do reading" for about 5-10 minutes a day. This will increase as time goes on, but for now we keep it fun, push her only as far as she can go without getting discouraged, and, above all, let her experience the joy that is reading.

The Importance of Dad

2011-07-14T14:15:00.001-07:00

Check out my newest article over at Theology of the Body NW, the blog.

The Importance of Dad

I have been doing a TON of traveling these past couple months: some planned and some not. From a much needed weekend away with my girlfriends (um, first time in over 2 years) to an early celebration of my 5 year wedding anniversary with my husband, to camping with the kids, to even an unexpected trip halfway across the country to celebrate the life of my grandfather who passed away suddenly, I have had a lot of time to read and reflect on life - especially on what it means to be a parent. I have read some wonderful Catholic parenting books and, although I should be re-energized in my role as a mother, I am actually drawn to the powerful role that dads play in the lives of their children...click to read more...

Camping

2011-07-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went camping in Leavenworth. With like 60 other people. Michael had a PLU Football reunion of sorts and his friends and their families came from all over to get together and hang out, share memories, and watch everyone's kids get to know each other. One of his buddies owns property on the river and that's where we all hung out. It was a blast. I was a little nervous camping with the kids (mostly Max because he still isn't walking on his own) but we rented a tent trailer and we all had the time of our lives. Avila spent half the night playing with her flashlight and Max spent half the day playing in the dirt and eating marshmallows the size of his head. All in all it was a success and a for sure repeat for the future.

the awesome place we called home: complete with 3 beds, a heater, a fridge, and tons of room

yes, that's Max sleeping away. The trailer allowed him naps and good nighttime sleep - a bonus to any trip away.

boys

2011-07-07T16:59:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the things I have said (um, yelled) to Max today. They are things I recall never having to say to my daughter...

"Max! Stop hugging the propane tank."

"Max! Stop moving the garbage cans."

"Max! Stop trying to drink the tube of caulk."

Summer Fun

2011-07-06T10:24:00.001-07:00

dirt: yummm. so good.

Outback Max

I may look cute, but don't touch my fireworks.

The 4th at the Waterfront

zoo! our favorite place...

to go with the polo and nautical pants, he also had on argyle shoes. Who said dressing boys isn't fun?

cousin, love

2011-06-24T06:01:00.000-07:00

It goes without saying that this has been a busy week and a half. Much to share (including some beautiful memories and pictures from my time in North Dakota with family) but for now I leave you with my favorite moment from yesterday.

they are reading "30 favorite novenas." the cousins sure are holy :)

We love you, grandpa

2011-06-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my grandpa, Alvin Kelsch, passed away unexpectedly; he was in a car accident near his hometown of Linton, ND. There were also 3 others involved (a young girl, her brother, and her dad) and we ask for your prayers for their quick and miraculous recovery.

My grandpa was a king, gentle, North Dakotan farmer who always knew a good joke. We were blessed with the chance to go back and visit when Avila was just 5 months old, and we are grateful for those memories. We also ask for your prayers for my grandma, who now has to live without her other half.

We are comforted by the fact that he was a faithful, Catholic man who knew the Lord intimately and upheld His precepts. We pray for the repose of his soul and that Our Lord has welcomed him into His Kingdom for all of eternity.

We love you, grandpa.

with my mom, on the farm

with grandma

That's my Avila

2011-06-13T09:54:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we were struck with the stomach flu...again. Does having 2 kids means we will get the virus 2 times a year? I sure hope not. But amidst the laundry, tears (not mine this time), upset tummies, and death-like appearance Avila gave me the silver lining around the cloud...

She was attempting to eat some applesauce and I told her that if she needed to puke (again), here was the bowl. She responded, "OK, mom. But remember: no elbows on the table."

At least she remembers her etiquette.

14 months!

2011-06-10T06:26:00.000-07:00

To our son, who laughs whenever he hears someone laughing, who is so laid back he sleeps through (majorly) poopy diapers, and who puts down his food when it's time to pray, we love you. You cried harder hearing your sister cry (she was in time out) than when she shut your fingers in the door. You are so snuggly and you have to have like a million "ducks" and blankets to cozy up with in bed. You are only 14 months and yet we feel you have been with us a lifetime. We love you, little man. And now that you are getting older, I promise to stop calling you "Maxie." (for your sake and for daddy's...)

"Be courageous..."

2011-06-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

Don't worry, Holy Father. We promise to do all we can to sacrifice our time, reputation, and even lives to set a good example and good foundation for our little (and soon-to-be-big) ones. We will heed your message...

Pope: example of good Christian families ‘more necessary and urgent than ever’
“In today’s society the presence of exemplary Christian families is more necessary and urgent than ever,” Pope Benedict XVI told the people of Croatia on Sunday at a Mass before a crowd of hundreds of thousands...The pope called on families to “be courageous.”
(for full article, click above)

The reason my posts are few and far between

2011-06-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

Check out my newest article over at Theology of the Body NW, the blog.

Why I can't post as much as I want to...
As someone who has a passion for spreading the Theology of the Body, I could spend all day reading, writing, and telling others of this life-changing message. There is so much going on in our world - from Lady Gaga to Arnold Schwarzenegger - that lends itself to be reflected upon in light of human sexuality as God designed it to be. I catch myself wanting to jump onto my computer (well, not literally) and type and type about the state of affairs in our culture in hopes of shedding light on the Truth of Christ...
(click above for the rest of the article)

a stacking fool

2011-06-02T06:16:00.000-07:00

Just be careful not to sit too close to him at dinner. Otherwise he will stack all his food on your arm without you even realizing it.

a busy mom's daybook

2011-06-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Outside my window...gray (blah). rain (blah). lots and lots of flowers and a baby tree that is growing like crazy (wohoo!)

I am thinking...of all the ways we can keep saving money with the things we use around the house. For example, I cut our dryer sheets in half, use washcloths instead of paper towels, we've stopped using the diaper genie (refills are expensive!), and I try to make as much of our food from scratch as possible. Next year, I hope to start a garden, learn how to can food, and I just found out that Tacoma allows chickens! Cheap and yummy eggs? Sign me up. The only hiccup: where to put a chicken coup?

I am thankful for...my first trip away since before Avila was born. Some girlfriends and I headed east for 4 days and 4 nights of sun, staying up late, sleeping in, bonfires, relaxing by the lake, shopping, mass, movies, pedicures, lots of girl time, no schedule, and no kids. I came away refreshed and thankful for amazing friends who teach me what it really means to be a woman, a wife, and a mother. Thanks also to Michael and our families who pitched in to help with the kids. I really don't think they missed me.

I am hoping...for a nice, sunny, warm summer. Because being outside all day means the kids eat better, sleep better, and there are no toys inside to clean up!

On my mind...how to balance it all: housework, couponing, schooling, working out, having a vibrant faith life, writing, Theology of the Body, being there for my husband, and simply being. Sometimes there aren't enough hours in the day, but it is my current prayer that God will give me His wisdom on how to fit it all in.

Noticing that...I did a great job teaching Avila during Advent and Christmas because she is still singing Christmas songs.

A few plans for the week...prepping for a big surprise for the kids. We are taking the train to my parents' house this weekend and sister has no idea. She is going to freak out.

From the kitchen...nothing special. Actually, if we have BBQ chicken one more time I think I may go crazy. Back to menu planning...

Around the house...almost done with the basement. painting cabinets/trim and installing carpet is all that's left. Last year I told Michael that I would love it to be done before Max started walking. He is almost 14 months and still gets around on all 4's. Perhaps he's waiting for move-in day :)

Towards fitness and health...I'm on a little break from running and back with Insanity. It's kind of nice to move laterally again.

On faith...praying for patience REALLY WORKS! I am not known for my patience. However after novenas and dedicating my morning prayer to being a good wife and mother God is giving me a sliver of His grace.

One of my favorite things...seeing Avila get so excited whe she reads a word. She smiles and covers her face with her hands. I think she gets so caught off guard when she reads. Despite being a teacher by trade, I was so nervous about embarking upon teaching Avila how to read but this book: Mommy, Teach Me to Read, is SO awesome. It's short, easy to follow, and reaffirms the fact that God gave each child the desire and ability to read (taking the pressure off...). I also recommend another one of Barabra Curtis' books: Mommy Teach Me.

A picture I am sharing...

Max has realized how fun it is to watch a show

quoteboard

2011-05-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

Max is now throwing in some of his own quotes! Although his are through his hands, as he is using his limited sign language, but man are they just as cute...

Him, pointing to the vacuum: "Dat! Dat!" and then signing "please"
Me: "You want the vacuum?"
Him: points to food and signs "all done!"

This one's happened the past few days as we go into his room for naps and bedtime:
Him: points to his crib and signs "please"

At Costco today:
Him: points to the giant tub of animal crackers and signs "more" for about 10 minutes and then starts screaming because I won't open the container.

And, tonight, a moment I will forever remember:
We are snuggling in the rocking chair and he is just about asleep. He looks over at me and I say "I love you." He then smiles, and shows me an "L" with his fingers...my little boy just signed that he loves me!!

the coolest cove in the house

2011-05-23T14:43:00.000-07:00

After many design changes and a lot of planning, the playroom cove is almost done! This area makes real a dream I have had for a long time - namely to have book storage plus provide a cozy, comfy reading area for the kids. The floor-to-ceiling bookshelves will house all their books, and the bench on top will fit a twin mattress (so this can double as a cool bed for sleepovers). Underneath has been deemed the "fort" as I'm sure we'll find Max hanging out in there most of the day, but it's really for extra storage and baskets that will contain all their "cozies:" blankets, stuffed animals and dress-up clothes. There will also be small cabinets up top to house toys and school stuff not in use. Oh, and this area has another purpose that I can't forget to mention: a stage. Avila has already spent some good time up there singing and dancing for all to see. I also plan on having a removable curtain for reading privacy if the kids so wish or (the more fun option) puppet shows.

a week in pictures

2011-05-21T15:18:00.000-07:00

bath time!

love. love. love.

before the St. Charles auction we went to last weekend. Theme: Peace, Love, Disco. (hence, the reason for the get-up) and one of our only nights out since Max was born :0

some kids eat their cheerios. Avila makes words.

daddy! daddy! daddy! daddy!

my weekly/daily schedule. I am in love with the Mother's Rule of Life - a spiritual and practical rule modeled after religious orders designed to foster the holiness and aid in the practical side of being a wife/mother

teaching brother how to walk. But, I am especially proud of Avila's budding fashion sense, as she dressed herself and didn't forget awesome boots and a hat :)

where Max hung out for three days. We had the best time playing and eating outside ALL day. I tackled a looming project (window washing....hadn't been done in, um, years) and finished landscaping the backyard. My black thumb has turned a dark shade of green, and gardening is quickly becoming a new passion

two fat lips, caused by falling off the aforementioned slide way. too. much.

after dinner fun

2011-05-17T06:01:00.000-07:00

Every night after dinner, Avila and Max engage in squealing, laughing, wrestling fun. It often begins at dinner with one antagonizing the other (meaning Max is squealing at his sister) until they both are ready to play.

This is my favorite time of the day - not just because it's almost bedtime (which is early around here...7pm) - but because they've become accustomed to spending their last moments of the day having fun together. Their laughter and joy echo off the walls of our little family room and fill my heart with memories I will cherish forever. Many people try to remind me this is the best time of our life and, you know what? I think they are totally right.

He kept getting up

2011-05-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

Check out my newest article over at TOBNW, the blog.

He kept getting up

The other night, as I was waiting for American Idol to come on (go Lauren!), my husband and I stumbled across the Passion of the Christ movie playing on one of the Christian TV stations. Since we hadn't seen it in quite a while we paused our channel surfing and continued to watch this powerful film of Christ's passion, death, and ultimate resurrection.

The scene about to come on was the scourging of Our Lord. He had already been handed over to Pontius Pilate and was sent to be punished through flogging. Seeing this movie before, I knew what was coming, but much like the Passion narrative of the Bible, there is always something knew to be felt and experienced according to revelation of the Holy Spirit. So, I opened my heart and allowed Jesus to meet me during the moments of my witnessing, once again, this re-presentation of His brutal scourging.

this is what happens...

2011-05-13T14:08:00.000-07:00

....when you don't want to go to bed.

Instead of yelling at Avila (who was yelling at us) because she refused to go to bed, we stayed calm and simply took away every item in her room until she complied with bedtime. I think the moment the tide turned in our favor was when she was sitting on an empty bed because even her blankets, pillow, and (heaven forbid), Hello Kitty were taken away. Not wanting to sleep on the floor (the matress was slated to go away next) she got the message that we meant business. This was about a week ago. (It took her a few days before I gave it all back, too.) And it's kind of funny because she hasn't complained about going to bed since...

the sad state of our nation

2011-05-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

It is interesting (and quite sad) that we can kill babies but we can't touch birds...

Osprey pair makes unwanted home on NOAA ship

this is how I roll...

2011-05-11T14:29:00.000-07:00

who needs to walk when you can use a chair as your mode of transportation?

One of Max's favorite things to do: rearrange furniture. I even caught him pushing a chair down the hall, towards the bathroom. I guess this is how you get around when you can't quite walk yet.

13 months!

2011-05-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

To my 25lb, laid back, snuggly charmer: I love you!

(*update: uh oh. this should actually be posted tomorrow...I think I have been a day ahead for quite some time)

look at that neck! (and, no, I'm not referring to mine...)

he is so into making faces. this one was on purpose. how do I know? he burst out laughing about 2 seconds later.

and one more for good measure

handsome, handsome, handsome

some really cool pictures that get me so excited I think I just might cry...

2011-05-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

Here we are, in the home stretch of finishing our basement. We still have a few hurdles to jump over and lots more to paint, but we are getting closer! Here are some pics of our updated progress...

standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking at the office area. desk and built ins to come. The paint color is the same as the upstairs.

looking into the bathroom

the same tile (as the one, lonesome square pictured here) will go in the kitchen.

looking into the family room. the TV will be on top of the mantle and there will be a fireplace underneath.

in the guest room. cabinets will be painted white, shelves and entertainment center (apparently this is also referred to as the "man room") to come. on the wall to the right will be a pull-down Murphy bed.

play room: BEFORE

and AFTER.

looking into the kitchen. again, cabinets will be painted white. where the ladder is, will be a fridge and where the broom is, a bar/table

from the family room, looking out

c'mon, mom. i'm a boy.

2011-05-04T13:48:00.000-07:00

I have figured out that if I shake hard enough, I can get the milk out of my sippy cup! (But you have to do it when mama's not looking or you get in trouble...) Not only does it make fun patterns on the floor mommy just cleaned and fun stuff to finger paint with on the table, but when mommy is wiping up the floor underneath me I like to dump a little on her head, too.

Just make sure to put on the charm when she gets mad...

our new nephew!!

2011-05-04T13:38:00.000-07:00

Introducing John Paul Emeric Sprouffske. So cute. So squishy. And so loved (especially by Max, who was freaking out the whole time we saw him, wanting desperately to give lots of smooches.)

You can find out more about this new addition here.

We love you, John Paul!!!

quoteboard

2011-05-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

Oh, dear Avila, you have the funniest things to say...

Me: "Avila, what book do you want to read?"
Her: "Little Red Ride Rollinghood."

Overheard at the kitchen table:
"Oh, grandma, what big eyes you have. The better to see you with, my dear. Oh, what big elbows you have. The better to knock you over with, my dear. Oh, what a big chin you have. The better to choke you with, my dear."

Her: "Mom, what's your counting number?"
Me: "My what?"
Her: "You know, your counting number."
Me: "Oh, you mean my age?"

Her: "Siri and Ellie and grandpa are my best friends."
Me: "Well, what about me?"
Her: "You're daddy's best friend."

Again, overheard at the dinner table:
"Dear Jesus, please give me a baby sister. And I want her name to be Solo."

sock sisters...and a really fun race

2011-05-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my sistas and I ran the Tacoma Half Marathon. (um, kind of dumb we only got half of a medal...I thought 13.1 wasn't half of anything??) But, it was a beauitful day, an awesome course (barring the huge hills at mile 12) and all 3 of us beat our time goals!!!

Given this was my 3rd half in 4 months, I promised Michael it would be my last race for awhile. But I am still on a runner's high from yesterday and there's another one in June that's calling my name. Oh, what to do?!

Here are my race stats (not that you really care. but I was proud of myself, so I shall share):

Official Time: 1:55:32 (3 min faster than last time, and my new PR)
Pace: 8:49
Overall Place: 306/1,077 runners
Gender Place: 106/659 females
Age Group Place: 23/111 (ages 25-29)

OK, so this idea was kind of awesome. Given the race started at 8am and it was going to be a bit chilly before the start I had the idea of using some of Michael's socks as arm warmers. We ditched them in the garbage a mile or so in. Although we did get a few weird looks...

waiting for mommy and auntie's at the finish. They were able to meet us at 4 different spots on the course!

"mommy, I was waiting for you!"

"why are you taking a picture of me...?"

like mother, like son

2011-04-26T08:11:00.001-07:00

Me, at One

Max, at One

and we can't forget the tongue. I guess he got that from me...

HAPPY EASTER!

2011-04-25T09:15:00.001-07:00

Avila seriously refused to eat breakfast this morning because she was so excited to watch a show. Easter sure is glorious after weeks of sacrifice and preparation.

Let the celebration begin!

Receiving the Gift of the Bridegroom

2011-04-23T10:18:00.001-07:00

Check out my latest article over at Theology of the Body NW.

Receiving the Gift of the Bridegroom

Tonight is one of the most spectacular, amazing, and truly holy nights in the Liturgical year. At Easter Vigil not only do we await the Lord's resurrection, but we welcome new members into the Body of Christ - people who will, for the first time, receive the intimate gift of the Bridegroom.

The Priest's Table

2011-04-21T12:50:00.001-07:00

In honor of Holy Thursday, we just made this cool Last Supper table - and the Apostles are in the same order as in the original da Vinci painting! If you can't tell, Avila's Apostles are mostly pink and purple, although I refused to let her color Jesus pink. Oh, and she insisted that they all be carrying rosaries.

She has been playing with them all morning - serving Jesus cake, and asking about the different postures of each disciple. She also asked if we could make another "priest's table" again. Kinda cool she got that on her own...kids sure pick up on a lot more than we think!

the cheerleader house

2011-04-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

...because every house should have pom poms, right?

No Greater Love...

2011-04-20T15:22:00.000-07:00

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 15:13

EXCLUSIVE: Young mother with cancer sacrifices life for unborn child

Max, the Monkey

2011-04-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

Max made it almost the whole way up. On his own. Boy, are we in trouble...

"Palm" Sunday

2011-04-17T16:24:00.001-07:00

This was a fun project - using our palms to make palms! Except Avila was sad that we forgot to bring it to church, which is probably better because no one wants to be distracted by four green, waving hands during the reading of the Passion.

In keeping with Holy Week, I asked Avila yesterday what her favorite Station of the Cross is. Her response: "Where Jesus is Condemned to Death." Um, not the answer I was looking for...

Finishing Strong

2011-04-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

Check out my newest article over at Theology of the Body NW.

Finishing Strong

When I first met my husband there was a phrase he used quite often: finish strong. What he meant was that no matter what we were involved in, when it got close to the end that's when we needed to kick it up a notch. For how one follows through in the end and finishes what they start is one of the biggest judges of character.

I used to be the type of person that was anything but a strong finisher. In fact, I could almost guarantee that I would only do something 3/4 of the way. Granted, this wasn't in every circumstance as I don't consider myself a quitter, but it was in enough that I finally had to step back and think about why it was that I never followed through on lifestyle changes or prayer commitments or even finished the end of a book...

score!

2011-04-13T13:04:00.000-07:00

I have been couponing for about 7 months now and while I can't say that I am absolutely in love with clipping coupons, I can say that I am in love with how much money we save. I don't have time to go into detail about my process (kids need lunch!) but it goes something like this: clip coupons on Sunday and from computer, match them up with ads from newspapers (RiteAid, Fred Meyer, Safeway, Albertson's, Walgreens), look at couponing blogs for any rock botton deals I may have missed, and then hit the stores. On average, clipping and organizing my lists takes about 2 hours and of course it takes a little extra time at the store, but let me tell you, if I only couponed for diapers, it would be so. worth. it.

I have stockpiles of everything from diapers to wipes to toothpaste to shampoo to facial cream to shaving cream to frozen/canned veggies, to meat, to eggs to organic Mac N' Cheese, to cereal and on and on. Michael keeps reminding me that he doesn't need more deodorant, but when you get paid to take it home, I can't resist. :) Once our garage is organized, I'll post pics of my stockpile. (And, no, I am not one of the crazy coupon stockpile hoarders. I clip coupons to feed our growing family and simply, to save us money!)

The Krazy Coupon Lady's organizational system is what saves me: I have a binder organized into 32 different specific sections with a table of contents and tabs to make my coupons super easy to find.

Here are a couple pics from this week's super awesome trips. For time's sake, I only usually go to Fred Meyer and one other store (from the list above). This week I was able to hit almost all of them, thanks to less going on in our schedule. Before coupons, the two pictures of things below would have been almost $350 on sale. This means that the actual retail price is more than that. Below is everything from Woolite, detergant, cleaners, organic veggies, diapers, 6 Children's Ibuprofen, milk that will be turned into yogurt, my favorite dark chocolate and tea, and high quality cleansers and shampoo. My total OOP (out of pocket) was less than $100 (not including Register Rewards I have to use the next time I head out). That means that my coupons alone saved me almost $250. Some of my favorite purchases: I was paid $1 for the contact solution (coupon + rebate), paid .50 for the the Carefree liners, the shampoo/conditioner was on sale for $5 a piece, but I got them for .50 a piece and the Olay ProX System and cleanser I got retails for $50 but I got it for $20 (this was the biggest ticket item I got, but it is reusable - I normally wouldn't spend this much on face stuff).

Most of this will go to our stockpile, because when we run out of something I would rather go grab toothpaste from my cupboard that I paid .25 for a year ago than go out and pay $2.99 when I actually need it.

But despite the big savings on our grocery bill (I have cut our Costco bill by 2/3 and our other groceries by at least 1/3...not to mention that I am coming home with twice as much) what couponing has really taught me is the value of a dollar. When I take my precious time away from family and my home to clip .50 here and $1.00 there I can't simply turn around and spend that savings on just anything. And, as a result of couponing we have cut other things out of our lives, things we thought we needed - cable, extra shopping, the gym - and we are being a lot more conscious about the little purchases, along with the big. I am reminded through my efforts that we are stewards of the gifts God gives us and that He charges us to use them wisely.

If you would like more info on couponing, check out some of these sites. And although it may be work in the beginning, it is so worth it!

The Krazy Coupon Lady

Fabulessly Frugal

Frugal Chic Living

Hip2Save

Zaycon Foods (where I buy organic, hormone free chicken and beef at ROCK BOTTOM prices. and it is SO good).

fun at the park...

2011-04-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

notice: hand on hip. um, thanks Auntie Ashley and Auntie Kelsey for turning my little girl into a big girl :)

Happy Birthday, Max!

2011-04-10T19:42:00.001-07:00

Today you are ONE! We love you so much, little buddy.

give. me. CAKE.

much better

the many faces of Max

2011-04-04T18:31:00.000-07:00

Lent Activities (and a Rainbow Fish)

2011-04-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to figure out how to teach the Stations of the Cross to a 3yr old without it being boring and without her simply having to memorize them. So, I made up a fun game! I printed off these cards (scroll down and click on the link under the fourth picture), colored and laminated them. (Our printer is black and white and I wanted some color, but didn't want to color the whole thing. So in each picture I colored Jesus' garment purple, his crown of thorns, and the cross. And then I colored one other element central to that station to help her pick out what was important.) I also added numbers to each so she could put them in order herself, because she doesn't quite get the first, second, third concept. So, not only is this learning the Stations but also number ordering! We then talked briefly about each Station and the game consists of me calling out a Station and her trying to find it. Once she finds it she gets to put her little crucifix on it! Super easy and super fun. Our Crown of Thorns we just made. She gets to take out a thorn for each sacrifice made. And then on Easter we will decorate it with flowers. (Although this was not fun being a celiac and having to mix 4 cups of flour, which inevitably got all over...) Can't forget Rainbow Fish!!!

Having too much fun...

2011-03-30T22:11:00.000-07:00

I am trying to teach Max how to roar but I guess this is what you get when you're around a mom and a sister all day...

what we've been up to...

2011-03-30T06:45:00.001-07:00

Snippets of our crazy life this past week...looking forward to a less busy, less sick-filled month of April.

1. Theology of the Body. In the past month and a half I have given 12 talks. Praise God this message is getting out! And thanks to my hubby and our moms and everyone who's pitched in to make all this traveling possible.

2. Basement Update. Sheetrock is DONE and the mudding/taping will happen this week. All that is left is to paint, install the floors/cabinets/trim, and MOVE! Excited is an understatement. I think I almost cry every time I go downstairs.

3. Running. I'm still running and I love it more than ever. My time to release and reflect. A lot of prayer and "insight" happens during this time - reflection that leads me to be a better wife, mother, and person (at least that's the goal). Working towards the Tacoma Half Marathon in just a month - which I will be running with my sisters and my mom.

4. Yogurt Making. I have been making my own yogurt for a couple months now and it saves us so. much. money. We seriously go through a gallon of yogurt a week. From the store this would cost about $12 a week, but by making it at home it costs just $2.50. That is a savings of almost $40 in our pocket each month. And since we are getting closer to the basement being done (and closer to the big expenses that go with it), my goal is also to use my coupon stockpiles and only spend $50 a week on groceries this month. April is a long month and this may be a stretch, but I am hoping that we can be creative with meals and be discerning about every single dollar going out. Combine this with my Lenten sacrifice of not buying anything for myself/the kids except grocery items and hopefully we will be closer to the basement than we think.

sitting on the fermenting yogurt...

5. Lent. Lent is still going well. Avila doesn't even ask for dessert anymore. Except it was kind of ironic we made these Lenten cookies. At least we can enjoy them on Sundays...We are going to spend the next few weeks focusing on the Stations of the Cross. When coloring the Station where Jesus is nailed to the cross, Avila looked at the soldier with the hammer about to drive a nail in and said, "Look, mom! He's helping Jesus! He is so nice, just like Simon." Not quite, sister. But good try. =)

6. Stomach flu. I will spare everyone the details, but we were down and out for a while. Max got hit the hardest - 9 days to be exact. My poor washing machine. I wish I could say I offered up every moment up, but you do what you can. I think the best story comes from Avila, though.

I put her to bed the evening I got sick and was preparing myself to be up with her sometime that night. I woke a few times and noticed that her light was on in her bedroom, but I didn't think anything of it. The next morning, I went into her room and she had puked all over her bed. I noticed there was half a package of baby wipes pulled out and a pile of clothes on the floor. Apparently she had thrown up in the middle of the night, changed her pajamas, tried to clean it up with the baby wipes, and then she slept in her chair. Poor thing! It still breaks my heart to tell this story. What she was thinking, I don't know. But I do know that my 3-year-old is quite resourceful.

laying in mommy and daddy's bed, watching TV

about a quarter of the laundry done last week

how I fed Max when he was sick. He was not interested in eating for days, so I finally put all his food on the chair and let him grab it when he wanted.

7. Finally better! We're all better now and enjoying some good play time together since sister doesn't have music or Catechism this week (spring break).

think I'm getting ready to stand and walk?!

wrestling. all the time.

look, mom! I made a house on my leg! (if you look at it upside down, it has 2 windows, a door, and even some grass. she wouldn't let me wash it off for 2 days)

Happy Birthday, my Love!

2011-03-21T20:08:00.001-07:00

Dear Michael,

Today you turn 32. Another year God has given us to raise our family, create memories, and grow in love. You teach me so much. You are Christ to me. You honestly, truly, seriously help me to be better (and you love me no matter how slowly I am progressing).

Thank you for sacrificing so much. Thank you for driving all the way up to Seattle to bring me my keys when I locked them in my car. Thank you for coming home tonight and caring for our kids (on your birthday, when you should have been out at a meeting and a nice dinner with friends) while I lay sick in bed with the stomach flu (thanks, Max). Thank you for doing so much and not receiving as many thank you's as I should give you.

God sent you to me, and I will eternally be grateful. You are my protector, my warrior, my help and my love.

I love you,

your wife

Becoming Self Masters

2011-03-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

Check out my newest article!
Becoming Self Masters

Max, the labrador

2011-03-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

I have always likened Max to a little puppy. From birth to 6 months, he always had his tongue out. He loves to chew on shoes and even ripped a hole in his stuffed lamb that he's only had for 2 days. (There goes his lovey...) His favorite place is a lap, snuggling. He comes to me at just about the same time every day and wants to play "tug of war" with his toys. He eats all the time (always wants my food) and you can coax him with a treat. He always has something in his mouth. (disclaimer from previous post: there is nothing around he can choke on!)

And, lastly, it is so easy to teach him tricks.

Case in point:

Lent

2011-03-11T06:15:00.001-08:00

I mentioned how excited I am for Lent to work on things in my own life, but I am also excited because this is the first Lent that Avila "gets." Taking time to create habits, traditions, and things to learn is worth it because sister is still singing Christmas carols and talking about baby Jesus in the manger. I realized that's because she had a solid few weeks to prepare for and let the truth about Christmas sink it. And it is my hope that the same will happen with the Lent and Easter seasons (except for the Christmas song part...).

We are keeping Lent focused on preparing for Jesus' death and Resurrection and we're not trying to bite off more than we can chew. A lot of these ideas come from other sources (aka: the credit is not due to me!) and it makes me grateful for the blogging community aimed at spreading the message of Jesus to little ones, so that we don't all have to reinvent the wheel.

Our schooling is also going to be more focused on Lent. Our letters and word writing will focus on Lenten words, we are going to make the Stations of the Cross for our hallway, this Veronica Veil, a crown of thorns during Holy Week, and we'll focus on other, simpler aspects. Again, this isn't all about "doing" but rather about instilling the message of Christ through tangible, easy to grasp projects.

On our calendar we listed what we are going to do with Fasting: (giving up our TV show in the morning, no dessert except Sunday), Prayer (decade of rosary with Avila before schooltime), and Almsgiving (money in our jar). When I told Avila that we are going to give money to people who don't have food, she ran to grab the dollar she got from her birthday (apparently she was hiding it in the couch) and put it in the Alms jar. We're also going to try to do Stations or Adoration or a daily Mass once a week (depending on our schedule) and go pray a couple times at the Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinic in support of the 40 Days for Life campaign going on now.

With that said, here we go! May the Lord keep us faithful to our commitments that we may grow in holiness and love of our Lord!

ALMS jar, our version of the "rice bowl." I just though a jar was prettier :) And our sacrifice beads. Avila painted a backdrop in the colors of Lent (well, pink isn't really a color of Lent, but pink has to be in everything she does...)

our countdown calendar. she gets to put a sticker on each day. I already put a set of Stations of the Cross stickers on different days (thanks, Cheri! I think you gave these to me a couple years ago. I knew they would come in handy!)

under Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount...

11 months old!

2011-03-10T13:50:00.000-08:00

quote board

2011-03-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

Me: Avila, do you know what word we can't say during Lent?

Her: Santa Claus.

---

Me: Avila, what did you dream about last night?

Her: I dreamed that Sally saw seashells by the seashore.

---

Me: What did you draw, honey?

Her: A chalice.

Me: Do you know what's inside a chalice?

Her: Particles.

---

Her: Mom, what is that that Max has?

Me: It's his lovey (a stuffed animal to cuddle with at bedtime).

Her, to Max: Oh, Maxie! You are so grown up!

---

Overheard at the grocery store:
Her: You've got to get yourself together. You got stuck in a moment and can't get out of it...

(bonus points to those that can name the song/artist. Here's a hint, this one's for you Deacon Bryan.)

---

Max has some tricks of his own, although he is too busy eating to talk all that much...

wanna know the state of my soul?

2011-03-09T08:18:00.000-08:00

...Just look at my fingernails.

One of my big vices, much to the dismay of my husband, is picking away at my fingers. It's not a pretty thing and I keep telling myself that if I stop I will treat myself to a manicure. Needless to say I haven't had a manicure since the week before I got married - almost 5 years ago.

What do my fingernails have to do with the effect of sin in my life? Well, kind of a lot. Michael keeps asking me to kick this habit and I really do keep trying. But I am also the type of person that tries to understand the behavior behind an action. My kid is crying? Oh yeah, he's tired. I am super grumpy? Oh yeah, I'm hungry. I keep picking my fingernails? Oh yeah, it must be because there is sin on my soul and that sin is making me restless and aggitated. And my poor fingernails get the brunt of it.

I long for peace - peace in my home, peace amongst my family, peace in my soul. But when I can't sit still and can't leave my hands alone, I know there is something keeping me from this peace. And most of the time that something is sin.

So, what's a girl to do? Confession, of course. Confession brings an unmatched peace to my soul and enables me to (attempt to) conquer my sin and ultimately my restlessness. Lent, also, couldn't be at a better time. There are things in my life that are starting to take me over: desires that I am becoming enslaved to. Lent enables us to "cut off the hand that causes us to sin," to make a clean break from the things in our life that are pulling us away from the Lord or that we are becoming enslaved to. A couple years ago I had to give up TV for lent because it got to a point that I just couldn't turn it off. Granted Avila was a little baby and I didn't have much to keep me company, but, nevertheless, it was a desire I couldn't control. And now I have control over that desire - I can turn the TV on and off when I, not my desires, want to.

It is my hope and prayer that, this lent, I can conquer other areas in my life. I am genuinely excited to have a reason and a motivation to cut certain things out in order to build good habits to carry on with me. In humbling myself before the Lord and asking for forgiveness (once again) for the sins in my life, I hope that He will draw me back to Him and give me the peace I long for.

And maybe, just maybe, I will be able to get that manicure I have been promising myself.

The Fire Within

a pregnancy daybook

7 Quick Takes

Merry Christmas!

this advent

A last-week-of-Advent Daybook

the reason for the season...sort of

silent night

**love**

quote board

The Nutcracker and Cinderella

A December Daybook

28 weeks

it was a good run...

11-0

10-0

school update

max and the potty

Happy Halloween!

7 quick takes...in pictures

poor max

pumpkin patch

sibling love

a child's prayer

summa time

One month down!

Max, the preschooler?

7 really quick takes

and then there was life...

how is this not like the holocaust?

being a happy mom

our school room

peace and quiet

let me hear you ROAR!

Heading into battle

7 Quick Takes

preparing for peer pressure...sort of

kids are weird...

7 Quick Takes

so not afraid of the camera...

on teaching modesty

a beautiful moment...sort of

7 Quick Takes

a rite of passage

done with the downstairs!

a nice staycation

baby...

5 years...

downstairs update...

Finally!

add on to "I'm reading"

I'm reading!

The Importance of Dad

Camping

boys

Summer Fun

cousin, love

We love you, grandpa

That's my Avila

14 months!

"Be courageous..."

The reason my posts are few and far between

a stacking fool

a busy mom's daybook

quoteboard

the coolest cove in the house

a week in pictures

after dinner fun

He kept getting up

this is what happens...

the sad state of our nation

this is how I roll...

13 months!

some really cool pictures that get me so excited I think I just might cry...

c'mon, mom. i'm a boy.

our new nephew!!

quoteboard

sock sisters...and a really fun race

like mother, like son

HAPPY EASTER!

love