Welcome to the Table of the Lord!

On Saturday, April 17, 2010 Sister celebrated her First Holy Communion.

Welcome to the Table of the Lord, my sweet girl!My parents, her godparents, walked her down the aisle in the procession and joined her as she received her first Eucharist.Memere and Papa gave her this beautiful saint bracelet (along with a Mother Mary rosary holder for her patron saint rosary they gave her for her First Reconciliation last November). A friend of mine from high school, who was not able to attend the ceremony, made her this beautiful white bracelet with her name and a silver cross.Here we are (almost eleven years after we were married in this same church) with our beautiful first born. What an amazing day! She honored me by wearing my wedding veil (sans the blusher). As you can see, she insisted on wearing heels (since now she is a young lady) and also that she have a white purse to carry her gloves in when she went up to communion.We never did get a photo of the five of us looking at the camera and smiling all at the same time. Here's the best we could do. Here's one of my favorite photos. All four grandparents with Sister. We're so blessed by our wonderful parents who support us and love our children dearly.Here's a shot of Sister with some of her friends from school. They split the group up into two ceremonies, so some of the kids from her class celebrated their FHC the next afternoon.Here's Sister with her first and second grade teachers and her principal. They came to help the kids celebrate. What a blessed teaching staff we have!Here is most of Sister's FHC small group.

Many of our family and friends joined us for the ceremony and/or the luncheon afterwards. We're so thankful to all of them!!!Sister with the Thompson clan (we missed you Aunt Sarah).Sister with the Zittel family.Sister with the cousins.Sister with the Ensigns.May God's love nourish Elizabeth's soul and sustain her all of her life.

A Taste of Summer

Brother Bear asked the other day, "Is it summer now since Spring Break is over?" Not yet, Brother, but we sure got a taste of summer during our week of fun. The weather wasn't all that nice until the end of the week. Fortunately, we were able to get out and enjoy it about on a local trail. Look at snazzy Sister in her cool shades and Brother is ready for his training wheels to be removed.Baby Bear gave up on his tricycle before we'd even gotten to the trail, but had fun alternating between running alongside me and being carried.I signed the two big kids up for SPLASH week at our local YMCA. It was swim lessons every morning Monday thru Thursday. They had a blast! We don't really have time to take weekly lessons during the school year, so this was a wonderful opportunity for them to remember all they'd learned the summer before, and both improved immensely as well.Brother likes to chat with his instructors, but he did do well blowing bubbles and kicking as well.Look what a wonderful back float he is doing now!His favorite time was the last 5 minutes of the 45 minute lesson when they played in the pool with noodles and sang songs.Sister is working on side breathing. This is such a big step for her from a couple years ago when she wouldn't even put her face under water.She can even do a crawl stroke across the pool on her own. (She is the second girl from the right swimming towards the camera).Her lessons ended with the Fireman's Pole. This is where the instructor holds the pole in the deeper end of the pool and the kids climb down it to the bottom.After a busy week of swim lessons and very few sunny days, the kids and my dh headed up to Grandma K and Grandpa L's house to enjoy a beautiful, sunny weekend. They even went to a skate park to show off their awesome skills. Brother on his Razor scooter and Sister on her skates. They've yet to stop talking about going down all the cool hills. I guess we'll need to brave all the mopey teens and check out our local skate parks this summer.
Baby Bear had fun running around with Uncle B.
Baby Bear also enjoyed the kids' tradition of "playing" Grandma's piano. It looks much cuter than it sounds, trust me. (=

Easter Begins

I think Brother Bear said it best this morning when he declared, "I'm so glad we don't have to leave in silence anymore." He's referring to the Palm Sunday service last week when the choir didn't sing a "last song" at the end of mass since it is traditional for the priest and such to leave the church in silence. Obviously, this didn't sit well with Brother. He does enjoy music.


So, this morning our "Alleluia" was released from its Lenten box and we were able to sing it aloud. We even broke our rule of "no singing at the table" because it is Easter morning and we've longed to say it for seven weeks of Lent. Alleluia, He has risen!!!

My dh made a wonderful pancake breakfast. Traditionally, we wouldn't have eaten pancakes since Shrove Tuesday (also known as Fat Tuesday), but we actually have. They were still wonderful and very special as a breakfast food since we rarely have time for elaborate breakfasts. This was made possible by the fact that Sister joined the Children's Choir and they sang at the 11:30 mass. We typically attend the 9:30 mass. Trust me, two hours makes a HUGE difference in the way children behave. Fortunately, Baby Bear ended up taking a morning nap (which is really rare nowadays), so he was pretty pleasant during this late mass.
The other benefit to it being a later mass is that Daddy joined up partway through (after his church service was over). Sadly, for me at least, Daddy is not Catholic, so he attends a different service and only occasionally attends with us for special occasions. Sister singing was one of those occasions. Mommy was blessed with many helping hands at mass today as Memere and Papa had returned from their RV adventure. It's so odd to go from taking three kids by myself to mass, to having only two kids (since Sister sat up front with the choir) and three other adults. I think I even heard most of the homily today!


This year the Easter Bunny arrived while we were away at mass. This was wonderful since it would have been difficult to get Sister to "take a nap" for the Easter Bunny to come. When we arrived home, the baskets were out on the coffee table and the great room was covered in eggs. Baby Bear really liked the eggs, but didn't get the concept of putting them in his basket and leaving them there. He preferred to walk around shaking them, occasionally dropping a few in his basket, then dumping them out again. The two big kids were well aware of what was inside those eggs and rushed to fill their baskets very quickly.

In addition to the fun eggs filled with candy, Sister and Brother both received patron saint statues. Baby Bear (who already had a patron saint statue) received a fun book. All three kids received chocolate prayer hands.

After all that egg hunting fun, the big kids went over to Memere and Papa's to watch a movie (Spy Kids 3) and Baby Bear was supposed to take a nap. That didn't really happen, but it was a nice afternoon anyway. After Baby Bear finally took a very short nap, we joined the kids at Memere and Papa's for a yummy roast dinner. It's been a month since the last Sunday dinner at my parents' house. What a joy!

Now, it's Spring Break! If only that warm, sunny spring weather hadn't been replaced by rain. Oh well, we'll have fun pajama days, open swims, and movie nights to keep us entertained.

I hope all of you have a blessed Easter Season!!!

Sister Bear Turns 8!!!

My sweet baby girl is eight-years-old. I can't believe it. It seems like just a couple years ago my dh and I were awaiting her birth. We'd take walks every night in the warm Arizona weather talking about how soon we'd be walking while pushing a stroller. Then, a few weeks ago, she was just a little toddler, laughing and giggling, singing and telling story after story for hours. Today, she is eight-years-old. No longer a little girl. She has opinions, ideas, attitude, and intelligence. She is growing up so quickly. What an amazing, exciting, and terrifying thing to have a daughter. So many hopes and dreams, fears and worries all wrapped up in the guise of a young lady.

As you can see from above, Memere and Papa returned in time for her birthday. They'd planned on a longer trip with a return after Easter, but the weather down south wasn't much better than here. Looks like we're all getting well watered this spring!

She was really excited to open her gifts. Waiting for them has been torture for her.
Here are a couple of them:Brother found this little box in a store and immediately asked if we could get it for Sister. He knew she'd love it and she did!Sister was desperate to have a "real" digital camera (verses the Fisher Price Tough Kid one she got a couple years ago from Santa). I wonder who she gets her photo-taking gene from? (; Guess I'll finally have some pictures of myself now and then. Let's hope they are not from below and behind, eh? (=

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Baby Girl. No matter how big you get, you'll always be my baby.

Welcome to Star Command!

On Saturday we held Brother's friend birthday party. He had a blast!

I am always so busy leading the activities at my kids' parties, so I never have time to take many photos.

This time I took some pictures of the kiddos trying out all the activites while we were setting up.

The last couple were from the actual party, though.

I had all the kids go through Space Ranger Training Camp.

They had to complete several activities.

Afterward they all received certificates.Fight the Evil Emperor Zurg and his robots.Save the aliens.Save the Buzz Lightyear.A little celebration dance.

Time to find Zurg's hide out.Hop through the hoops.Walk across the balance beam.Crawl through the tunnel.Victory!Time for the final battle with Zurg.Celebration time. A whole new group of official Space Rangers.

Happy Birthday Brother Bear!!!

Brother Bear Turns 5!

Brother Bear turned five-years-old today.

I can't believe it's been half of a decade since the day he was born. This morning I woke him up by cuddling him in his bed and singing Happy Birthday songs to him. His favorite is, "You say it's your birthday..." He also loves staying in bed late (as do I) so we rarely cuddle in the morning as I don't normally get up any earlier than necessary.

After I finished singing, he asked me what time I went to the hospital to have him. I told him it was about this time (early morning). He said, "I was born in the morning?" Sadly, no. Brother was my only child to make me miss several meals and beg for a c-section (which the nurse sadly denied) because he just didn't want to come out. He's my clingy cuddlier still. I love this little monkey dearly, but man was he a difficult labor and delivery. Brother's theme this year is Toy Story; more specifically Buzz Lightyear. The "cake" I made for him today is actually brownies since we'd all had cupcakes yesterday to celebrate Brother's birthday with his preschool class and I'll be making another cake this weekend for Brother's friend party. Since he just wanted chocolate with frosting, he didn't care that I made brownies instead. I also used the leftover frosting from the cupcakes and tried out the Buzz action figure on it. This is a smaller version of what I plan to do for the friend party this Saturday. I'll probably use blue frosting with green writing, more figurines, and obviously a bigger cake. Here is the front of his friend party invitation:

After enjoying some dinner and "brownies", Brother played with all his new action toys (super heroes and GI Joe of course), went to his baseball practice, and enjoyed some loving calls from grandparents and friends. What a special birthday for our super son!

St. Joseph's Altar

"Gracious St. Joseph, protect me and my family from all evil as you did the Holy Family. Kindly keep us ever united in the love of Christ, ever fervent in the imitation of the virtue of our Blessed Lady, your sinless spouse, and always faithful in devotion to you. Amen."

~ From the Franciscan Mission Associates

Our home St. Joseph altar. As you can see, we changed it up a bit so the foods can all be donated to the county food bank.
Our St. Joseph chapel was blessed again today after the mass in honor of the improvements they recently made to it.

What a beautiful display and meal that was donated by a local restaurant again this year.

Have a very blessed St. Joseph Day today!!!

Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God. I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls - Pray for me.

http://stjosephaltar.blogspot.com/2010/03/1st-annual-st-joseph-altar-blog-fest.html

Happy St. Patrick's Day

An Irish Blessing

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face.

May the rains fall soft upon your fields.

And, until we meet again,

May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

I helped to lead some songs and fingerplays during the Moms' St. Patrick's Day party. The Leprechauns are marching. They're marching down the hall. They're marching on the ceiling. They're marching up the wall. They're marching two by two and now four by four. What's that, you don't see them? Look out! Here come some more!Look who found some gold at the end of the rainbow! Baby Bear loved throwing the "gold" into the pot.Sister sat down and made her Leprechaun trap on Saturday. She was sure the rainbow leading into the "trap" would be the best way to trick those rascally Leprechauns in. Brother decided to make a trap too. His is a bit more difficult to understand. He used some "gold bricks" to trick the Leprechaun over. The crane will lift up the lid. After the lid goes up, the Leprechaun will drop in and the crane will lower the lid again. Don't ask me what the cars are for.It's St. Patrick's Day and Brother's preschool class had a fun green snack after exhausting themselves chasing a Leprechaun.

While away at school, we had a little visitor stop by. He left some yummy golden chocolates in both the traps. (Yes, Brother did change his trap since Saturday. He actually made about ten different ones in between.)He even left a bit of a mess: drawers open, toy bins tipped over, and trails of golden chocolates all around the house.Sister found chocolates all over her room. (BTW, the mess on her desk was there prior to our visitor. Sadly, we wouldn't have known if the Leprechaun had actually messed up her room or not). (=Baby Bear, though he didn't make a trap, also enjoyed the chocolates.We finished the evening with a yummy "Irish" stew and some brownies (which aren't Irish, but were very tasty). I hope all of you were able to enjoy this blessed day as well.