HandyGramps on Aging (2nd post today)

Last month, I wrote up a blog post on turning 40. You can read it HERE if you missed it. I was very touched by an email HandyGramps sent to me in response to that post. With his permission, I am posting it here for you to read.

"As I approach 70 (2 years, 43 days from now!) I look back on a life that took so many twists and turns -- mostly away from the directions I had planned on -- I see a lot of both failures and successes. Many of those successes were things I had never dreamed of, such as being a deacon, being published, and having 9 grandchildren (my greatest success, next to having a wonderful wife and two marvelous daughters -- which, of course, contributed greatly to that particular success). Looking at where I am now in life, the many failures do not seem so terribly important.

In my late teens, I had wanted to be an aeronautical engineer who would design AND fly my creations. Unfortunately, a few un-named circumstances got in the way of my going to college, and I ended up working for Bell Labs (I still do not have a college degree, and probably never will). If I were to map my course through my 30 years at BTL, I'd be at this terminal for at least a week, 24/7. To make a long story short, as I approach 70, I do not feel old (except like you, the varied aches and pains). I have the same mind that I've had all my life -- an active, creative mind that I hope stays that way until I'm at least 100. Whoever said that you're only as old as you feel did not mean how your body feels, but how your mind feels. So, I will admit, there will always be a little kid in me. Pass the comic books and turn on the cartoons. Here I come!

In the meantime, dear daughter, enjoy 40. It will lay the groundwork for you to enjoy something similar - 10 years hence."
Thanks, HandyGramps! I credit many of my life's successes to the tender loving care of you & HelpfulGrammy. You've set wonderful examples for Momto5Boys & me.

What the Storm Brought Last Night

Boy was that a storm last night!

Around 7:30pm, we noticed the darkening of the sky. I knew there was a chance of storms, so I decided to check weather.com to see what was heading our way. The radar showed a nice, long storm system moving across the state of Ohio, right along I-70. It was just reaching the west side of Columbus & stretched all the way to the OH/IN border. We were in for quite a storm!

The Prophet happened to notice a spider outside our kitchen window moving quickly & acting differently. I saw another in our patio door, also acting peculiar. After watching for a few minutes, I realized it was rapidly taking its web down, as the wind was picking up. I looked at the other & it was doing the same thing. These two spiders were using their spider sense & intuition to protect their homes from the approaching storm.

The munchkins had already eaten their bedtime snack, brushed their teeth, & were settling down for reading time. They are not terrified by storms, but they did want me to sit near them instead of doing household stuff. I stopped what I was doing & joined them in the living room. Why not have a reading time for all of us?

...Because the power went out!

Not five minutes after I'd sat down, there was a bright flash of lightning, a crash of thunder, the power flickered, then out it went.

We didn't want to light candles due to the heat & wanted to keep the flashlights until we really needed them, but thankfully there was still light outside. Also, The Princess has a battery operated light up angel that gives off a good bit of light, so we also used that...until The Saint confiscated it for himself, running around w/ this "lightsaber angel." (Yes, he is all boy & a Star Wars fan, esp. Star Wars weapons!)

So, what did we do to pass the time while the power was out?

Because the lightning was so incredible, The Princess & I went upstairs to watch from the boys' bedroom window. Huge bolts of lightning streaked through the sky constantly. It was a magnificent light show while the thunder rumbled non-stop, sometimes loud enough that the house shuttered.

When we came back downstairs, all of us gathered around the kitchen table, holding hands to say our bedtime prayers. We changed them slightly to allow everyone a chance to offer their own intentions. The munchkins really liked this change & had some wonderful, heartfelt prayer requests.

The Prophet & I enjoyed a nice mother & son chat afterwards. He had some questions regarding some words he'd (very unfortunately) heard from neighborhood kids. We talked about some of their meanings (not all because he's WAY TOO young to know their definitions) & why they should not be repeated or used in any context.

The Archangel just wandered around the house. He did play The Prophet's DS game system for a bit, but not for long. He was very tired, but knew he couldn't sleep w/ the storm raging outside. All the while, The Saint continued waving the angel around...perhaps this was his was of keeping us protected!

The spiders returned & began to weave new webs around 9:30, so we knew the storm was dying down. Not knowing how long the power would be out, we decided to make up beds on the living room floor for the munchkins. I opened up & spread two outdoor sleeping bags on the floor, the outer side up because it's cooler than the flannel side.

The munchkins were still a bit wound up, so I started singing to them...Be Not Afraid & Like a Shepherd. The Saint just didn't want to sleep, so I figured I'd just take him up to sleep in our bed. As I was preparing to go up, the power returned (about 10pm). I've never seen the munchkins move so fast to get upstairs to bed, each one thanking Jesus all the way up the stairs! Within 15 minutes all but one were asleep...& he soon followed!

The lightning had changed by this time. It was now behind the clouds...no bolts, just beautiful flashes silhouetting the clouds. As I stood in the boys' bedroom window watching this gorgeous display of light, I couldn't help but think of how wonderful our God is. Through this storm that had just passed, he brought much needed rain to water the earth, a lesson in survival through watching the spiders, & a show of light that was much better than any TV show or video game! He gave us a chance to enjoy each other's company w/out any distractions...and there was no bickering! The power was only out for about two hours, but I could easily have handled much longer...esp. if it meant more time w/ my dear family in such a peaceful way.

Anniversary Celebration for My Parents

HandyGramps & HelpfulGrammy
June 1966

As I mentioned before, HandyGramps & HelpfulGrammy recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. Last night, their parish held a special Mass & dinner reception in their honor, as well as an early celebration of HandyGramps 30th diaconate anniversary. The celebration was wonderful & full of love. It was amazing to see how many people showed up to show their love & support for my parents' many years together.

HandyGramps preached the homily for the Mass & the readings for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time were perfect for their celebration. He talked about the many types of seeds that can be planted & tied it in w/ the seed that took root some 60 years ago when the two of them played together as children. I think it is so sweet that they shared an aunt & uncle, so they'd known each other for a long time. (They didn't officially date until after high school.)

My sister & I decided to write a tribute to our parents to read during the reception. We received a lot of laughs, as many of the guests could relate & had heard similar comments from their parents. The first part was a compilation of poems she had found that talked about things parents teach their children. It included things like:

My parents taught me RELIGION: You better pray that will come out of the carpet.

My parents taught me about TIME TRAVEL: You better shape up or I'll knock you into the middle of next week.

We followed the poem compilation w/ some things we personally learned from our parents:

The Value & Importance of Education

My Sister: They would not give the answer to our questions; we had to look them up in the dictionary or encyclopedia (this was way before the internet!)

Me: In second grade, I used to write my sentences w/ the words close together. To demonstrate how difficult this was for my teacher, Dad wrote a sentence w/ the words pushed together & asked me to read it.

Creative Discipline

My Sister: If you slam your bedroom door one too many times, it WILL be removed from its hinges for about a week!

Me: If you are asked where your sister is & you reply that you don’t know or care, you WILL be required to report her whereabouts every ½ hour for the rest of the day.

I remember one time I told Mom that I would NEVER tell my kids “No!” when I grew up. I’m sure my kids will tell you that is definitely not the case these days!

Household / Helpfulness

As we’ve gotten older & are running our own homes, we still ask for Mom & Dad’s assistance at times. It may be babysitting, picking up something from the store, running one of the grandkids somewhere, repairing or replacing household items (& learning a few “not-to-be-repeated” phrases in the process). I like to joke that when something needs fixed, we just call 1-800-CALLDAD. On my blog, I use code names to protect our identity! Because I’ve referred to Mom & Dad frequently, I felt they needed some names too. So, they became HelpfulGrammy & HandyGramps.

Closing:

Jesse Jackson once said "Children need your presence more than your presents." Mom & Dad surely exemplified that. Mom didn't work until we were both in school & even then, she was home by the time we got home. We took yearly vacations, had dinner as a family most every night, spent time w/ extended family on most weekends, played games, & laughed a LOT, right Mom?

Exchanging cake bites 45 years later...

Yes, they were very nice about it!

I put together a couple of collages for them also. One was for HandyGramps 30th diaconate anniversary. His actual anniversary isn't until January, but their parish wanted to combine the celebrations & thank him for his many years of service. And technically, he IS in his 30th year as a deacon, right?


The other collage was for both of them as a couple. It included b&w photos of them as children, early snapshots from the 70s & 80s as my sister & I were growing up, & more recent ones of all of us, grandkids included.


Overall, it was a wonderful evening celebrating two wonderful people! They deserved all the special treatment they received. I am proud to be their daughter & to be able to call them Mom & Dad. I am thankful for all the love, discipline, & guidance they've given me over the years.

Many Anniversary Blessings for you,
HandyGramps & HelpfulGrammy!
I love you both!

How Our Screen Names Came About

My dear friend, Judy, asked how I came up w/ Casinodad's name for my blog...so I thought I'd do a blog post about all of our names for others who might also be wondering.

Munchesmom: When The Prophet was a baby, I had started calling him "Munchkin." At some point (not sure why exactly), I shortened it to "Munch." So, when it was time to come up w/ an email ID, I thought "Munchesmom" sounded kind of cute & different.

Casinodad: When I first started blogging, I just referred to him as "my husband" or "DH". Well, he decided that, since the munchkins & I had names, he should have a name too. He likes to gamble at casinos, so we thought "Casinodad" had a good ring to it. He is not addicted to gambling in any way & only goes once or twice a year. He is very good about his strategies & limits the amount of money he spends, only taking so much & not spending more than half.

The Munchkins: An extension of my screen name, when I refer to all the kids, I use the term "Munchkins." I came up w/ "The Prophet" & "The Archangel" when a former pastor of ours greeted them in the church office w/ those nicknames one day, based on their real names. "The Princess" came from Casinodad's dad, seeing as how she is the only girl. So, when "The Saint" came along, it was obvious to choose that screen name based on his real name.

Now, for my little dilemma...I refer to my dad on this blog frequently. He was feeling a little left out & was wondering if he could also have a screen name. I would love to come up w/ something cute & original, but am drawing a blank. He is a deacon, so "Deacondad" was one possibility, but it just doesn't grasp me the way our other names do. He would like me to have "dad" in there somewhere, but also something that would distinguish him from Casinodad. Any suggestions?

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

As promised...here is the "I Love My Dad!" edition!

1) I'm thankful for the phone call from my dad a couple weeks ago when I'd had a tough day w/ The Archangel & his aggression. My mom asked him to call me & he took the time out of his busy schedule at work to listen & give me advice.

2) I'm thankful for all the household repairs my dad has helped us w/ over the years. He's installed a new kitchen faucet & sink, repaired light switches, taught me how to replace those cheap flaps in the toilet tanks, & MANY, MANY other things. We joke at times that the first number to call when there's a problem is 1-800-CALL-DAD!

3) I'm thankful that my dad chose to become a Deacon. (His 29th anniversary was this past Sunday.) He's been a great resource in answering the many Catholic related questions I've have over the years. I love the fact that he was able to baptism all four of the munchkins for us. He also could have married Casinodad & me, but I wanted him to just be my dad for that day.

4) I'm thankful that he was in the delivery room when The Prophet was born. It has enabled the two of them to have a very special bond over the years.

5) I'm thankful my dad pushed me to learn. When I had trouble w/ a math problem (or any schoolwork), he didn't give me the answer. He would point me in the right direction, so that I could find the answer on my own.

So there you have some of the MANY wonderful things about my dad. Thanks for being a blessing, Dad!

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

This is the "I Love My Mom!" edition!

1) I'm thankful that my mom will go out of her way for others. My neighbor's car broke down & because she is single w/ four girls, that was one of the worst things that could happen to her right now. My mom, out of the kindness of her heart, offered my neighbor the use of her car for the week...and they'd never met each other before Monday.

2) I'm thankful my mom was home last Thursday when I REALLY needed to talk to her. It was a super-tough morning w/ The Archangel & his aggression, so I called my mom to vent & cry. Thanks for listening, Mom!

3) I'm thankful for the time my mom gave me on Monday. She was already set up to watch the munchkins yesterday & after the meltdown I had last Thursday, she offered to give me some money for lunch & a few hours to myself.

4) I'm thankful my mom enjoyed her time w/ the munchkins on Monday & that they were very well-behaved for her. They practically begged her to teach them how to sew & she patiently helped them sew some buttons on pieces of felt. She even helped The Prophet make a person out of one of his socks.

5) I'm thankful for the purse my mom gave me. Last summer she bought me a really nice, hand-stitched leather one. Over time (& probably due to the fact that I carry WAY too much in my purse), the straps are starting to come loose. When I took her home Monday (because she left her car w/ my neighbor), she offered me the purse she was currently carrying because she had another she wanted to use.

So there you have it...five things about my mom for which I am thankful, although this list could go on & on. My mom is a wonderfully, beautiful person inside & out. I am so thankful that she's my mom!

(On a side note to my dad: Don't feel left out...you're next!)

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

Judy over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

This week, I'd like to feature my thanks in pictures.


Casinodad (or Goofy Pirate Man in this photo!)

The Prophet (soon to be 10)

The Archangel (age 7 1/2)

The Princess (age 5, going on 15...in a good way!)

The Saint (a typical 2 yo boy!)

Fall Family Fun 2010 - Part Three (2nd post today)

Continuing our Hocking Hills trip...

These next photos were taken at Ash Cave, one of six natural areas in the Hocking Hills region. Open on one side, it spans 700 feet & has a horseshoe-shaped rim. From front to back, it is 100 feet & it is about 90 feet from the rim to the floor. What a beautiful cave! (If you're interested, more detailed information on Ash Cave can be found HERE.)

There are two paths to follow. We chose the lower trail because it is handicapped accessible & didn't think the rougher ground would be good w/ the stroller. There was a large stump along the trail. Three of the four munchkins were just fine w/ Mom's photo shoot there. Can you guess which one was ready to move on?!?

The Saint w/ another light saber, er...stick! Check out those Jedi moves as The Archangel runs away in the background!
The sunlight hit so perfectly during this photo. Isn't it beautiful?

I took this one standing underneath the rim of the cave.

Along the path w/ the cave in the background

When we arrived in Hocking Hills, it was too early to check into our cabin, so we drove around a bit. We passed Lake Logan & decided to stop there the next day.

There were two beautiful swans who seemed to have no fear of humans.
There was an older gentleman feeding breadcrumbs to the swans. I had to hold The Saint back because he wanted to pet them.

Unfortunately we didn't have swimsuits w/ us this trip, but we did let the munchkins wade in the water. The Saint didn't quite understand "wading" & kept wanting to splash, jump, & sit in the water. He's such a boy!!! Needless to say, everyone got baths upon our return to the cabin!

Movie Review - 50 First Dates

SPOILER ALERT:
If you have not seen the movie 50 First Dates & do not want to know what happens, you may want to skip this post!

Yesterday I watched the 2004 Adam Sandler & Drew Barrymore movie, 50 First Dates, & wanted to share some of my thoughts. I am not a big Adam Sandler fan, but every once in a while, he seems to have a pretty good movie. I want to caution you that it is not a movie for children. It is rated PG-13 due to sexual humor & drug references. That being said, I did enjoy most of the movie (minus those references) & came away w/ a few thoughts I wanted to share.

First of all...what is it about? Adam Sandler plays Henry Roth, a womanizing veterinarian in Hawaii. He preys on women tourists, avoids commitment, & has big plans to sail his boat to Alaska for a year long sea life program. While out testing his boat one morning, it breaks down & he ends up on the other side of the island to wait for the coast guard. It is there in a small restaurant that he meets & is captivated by Lucy (played by Drew Barrymore). They hit it off from the beginning & plan to meet for breakfast the next morning. However, there is a catch...Lucy has an irreversible short-term memory problem due to a car accident the previous year.

She can't remember anything that's happened since the day before the accident. With the help of her father & brother, she does everything exactly the same as she'd done on that last day. She then forgets everything while sleeping & starts the next day over again. In her mind, every day is & always will be that day before the accident.

Henry finds this out the hard way when he arrives for their breakfast date & she has no idea who he is. Thankfully, the waitress is a good friend of Lucy's. She takes Henry outside to explain what happened. She asks him to leave Lucy alone, as does her father, but he can't do that. He's drawn to her & continues to show up.

Henry finally has Lucy's father's acceptance when he shows up at the house one morning w/ a video tape of everything she's missed in the last year. He includes information about the accident & a re-enactment of their meeting each other. From that point on, the first thing Lucy does each morning is watch the video & any new things added. She also keeps her own journal at night so that she's not just getting someone else's thought about her life, but seeing it in her own handwriting.

When she overhears Henry talking about giving up his trip to Alaska to stay w/ her, she decides to erase him from her life, including removing all the pages from her journal about him. He doesn't want her to do it, but because he loves her so much, he goes w/ her wishes & helps her put together a new "Read Me" book for her mornings. He then makes preparations to head for Alaska, & on the day of his departure, Lucy's father & brother show up to see him. Once Henry's on his way, he starts to realize that some of her father's comments hint at the possibility of her remembering him. He turns the boat around.

Once he finds her, he asks if she remembers him & she says no, but that she wants to show him something. She takes him to her studio which is full of paintings & drawings of him. She tells him that she dreams of him every night, so he must be someone important. Fast forwards a few years...they are sailing in Alaska. She wakes up & watches her video, puts on a coat & heads up to the deck. There is her now husband, Henry w/ their 3 or 4 yr. old daughter.

I think it was quite commendable that Henry gave up his womanizing ways right after meeting Lucy. Each morning was a new encounter for her & a challenge for him to get her to fall in love w/ him again. How much he must have loved her to be willing to face each day knowing the work cut out for him! Sure the videos & her journal helped, but much of what she experienced each day was new to her.

The scene at the end, when she sees her daughter, really struck me. When she woke up that morning & before she watched her video, she had no idea she had a family. Then, as her daughter ran to her, she swept her up in her arms & cried...tears of joy because of her beautiful child & tears of sadness for all she couldn't remember. How would I feel in that instant, knowing that I'd had a daughter yet couldn't remember a single moment of her life?

So what are the lessons I learned from this? First of all, we should treat each day as it is...a brand new one w/ the slate wiped clean. It's a time to put the bad things of the previous day behind us & see everything in a new light. Forget about the two year old's spilled milk episodes, the times you lost your temper w/ the children, etc. Use it as a time to start fresh & a renewed opportunity to grow closer in your walk towards Heaven.

Secondly, through your words & actions, use it as a day to get your spouse (or boyfriend/girlfriend) to fall in love w/ you all over again. Make a goal to do something extra special for them each day. Again, forget the bad things of the previous day & start fresh. Unlike Lucy, we have the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of previous days & choose to do better in the next day. This is no small feat, especially if you're not in the habit of doing these things, but again...each day is a new one, treat it as such.

If you've seen this movie, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it & my post.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings - Vacation Edition (2nd Post Today)

Judy over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for our great three day vacation to Hocking Hills last week while Casinodad had the week off of work. See my Wordless Wednesday post from today for a few photos & hopefully I'll get another post up soon.

2) I'm thankful for all the joy & thanks we received from the munchkins for taking them to Hocking Hills. They had so much fun & surprisingly, there weren't many arguments!

3) I'm thankful that even though temps were in the upper 80s & low 90s, it didn't seem too hot for our excursions...wading in Lake Logan, sluicing at the gem mine, & trekking through Ash Cave.

4) I'm thankful that we were able to find a cabin that is well taken care of & VERY affordable. It was only $99 per night & we got $15 off of that each night for taking our own linens. This is our cabin...Noah's Ark Cabin. How cute is that?



5) I'm thankful there was a clean hot tub at our cabin. We didn't feel comfortable leaving the munchkins inside alone at night, so we took turns. Ahh! Very soothing! (The cabin we stayed in last year also had a hot tub, but we were unable to use it. We turned it on to let the munchkins sit on the edge & dip their feet in, but as soon as it started bubbling, it kicked up all kinds of sediment from the bottom...EEEEWWWW!)

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

WOW! Is it Wednesday already?!?! Where is the time going?

Judy over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) Thank you God for my wonderful family...immediate & extended! Sure we have many ups & downs like everyone else, but we are happy, healthy, & blessed!

2) Thank you God for all my dear friends, both in real life & here in the blogging/online world! Friends are so important & have so many...each inspiring to me in a different way.

3) Thank you God for this world you've entrusted with us! There is so much beauty surrounding us each & every day.

4) Thank you God for the jobs Casinodad & I have to help support our family! It never seems enough, but when I look at the bigger picture, I know that we are happy & the sacrifices we make are worth it.

5) Thank you God for the opportunity to homeschool! It's stressful at times, but when I hear so many stories of violence, bullying, peer pressure, behavioral problems, etc. in the public & even private/Catholic schools these days, I'm thankful my munchkins are able to learn at home in a safe environment. Plus, we can go at their pace not the average pace of a classroom full of 25-30 students. I could go on & on about the benefits, but I won't at this time!

And Now for the "More on That Later..."

In my Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings list below, I mentioned that the hymn "Whatsoever You Do" ties in w/ a new discipline technique Casinodad & I want to implement. We've been having a LOT of problems lately w/ the munchkins disrespecting their siblings & us. There has been much fighting, back talking, nitpicking, etc. Casinodad & I have tried many things to put an end to their behavior, but haven't had much luck. There are some issues beyond our control, but we want to try maintaining any control that we can.

I had an idea recently that might help them see how their behavior effects not only our family, but also Jesus. My dad gave me a copy of a pencil drawing he had of Jesus. Within Jesus hair & beard are penciled drawings of His life here on Earth. Our plan is to post the following on our kitchen cork board: a large construction paper heart over a picture of our family, over another construction paper heart, over the photo of Jesus. The munchkins will not know what is underneath the top heart.

Each time they do something mean or disrespectful to someone else in the family, they will stick a push-pin through the pages. After several days, we will remove the first heart so they can see how their actions hurt the family, then continue the push-pins. After a couple more days, the rest of the pages will be removed to show how their actions hurt Jesus also.

My original idea was to just use the photo of Jesus. When I broached the idea to my dad, he thought it was really good & suggested using a family photo also. We can talk & talk until we're blue in the face, trying to get them to understand how they hurt others through their behavior, but I really think a visual will make a more lasting impression.

To be continued w/ the results...

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

Judy over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for the four days we spent this past week visiting w/ family from out of town. My aunt & uncle we usually see once a year, but we haven't seen my cousins in years. We had a great time catching up & all the little cousins had a blast playing together (despite a few of them having strep throat).

2) Speaking of strep...I'm thankful that we caught it quickly enough for The Archangel. We called the doctor as soon as he got a sore throat & fever. Knowing that he'd been exposed to it this past weekend, our doctor skipped the culture test & went straight for the antibiotics...a good thing, because The Archangel would have had a fit!

3) I'm thankful the weather on Friday was great for our trip to the Ohio State Fair. It was warm (mid-upper 80's) but low humidity. My nephew was singing in the All Ohio State Fair Youth Choir & they all did an awesome job! The munchkins had so much fun on the rides, too!

4) I'm thankful The Prophet & The Princess are looking forward to the start of school in another week or two. (I'm still working on getting The Archangel excited.) The past school year didn't end well, so we're all hoping for a great new start! I've already written their "Beginning of the School Year" letters, which I'm going to mail this year instead of just handing them to the munchkins.

5) I'm thankful for the great 30 Day Meme that my dear friend, Angela, posted on her blog, Pretty in Orange. I've really enjoyed it & it has really gotten me back into journal writing. I'm thinking about continuing after the 30 days is up. There are many journal idea websites, so I could pick a topic each day & just write. The munchkins did some for school last year & it was a great writing exercise.

Small Successes

Danielle Bean says, "It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that."

1) I spackled! We have MANY holes & scratches on the walls around our house, including around our new patio door, so I patched them. Painting the house is out of our budget at the moment, so we'll have to face some white spots for a while. But it's a step in the right direction, right?

2) After I spackled around the new door, I drilled holes & hung up our new curtains. They're a few inches off the kitchen floor, but w/ four munchkins & the kitchen table right near the door, I don't think that will be a problem!

3) I took our camera to our family reunion on Sunday AND took a lot of really good photos! This is a success because I usually forget that we have the camera until the last minute.

Have you had any successes this week that you'd like to share? Stop by Faith & Family Live.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

Judy over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for great weather & fun times are our family reunion on Sunday.

2) I'm thankful my friend Angela started the 30 Days of Insight Meme on her blog, Pretty in Orange. While there are some fun questions & topics, there are many that have made me think & reflect on my life. It's never too late to join in, so let me know it you try it. I'd love to read your insights.

3) I'm thankful for my Small Church Community. Many years ago, our former parish started the small groups for sharing. On average, we meet in a member's home twice a month to pray, read, & reflect. We named ourselves The HOPE Group (for the four things we do: Help, Outreach, Pray, Eat). In the 11 years I've been a part of this wonderful group, we've been through births & deaths, weddings & separations, illnesses & recoveries, laughter & tears. Even though only one of the group still attends our original parish, we have stuck together. One of the great things w/ our group is our diversity in ages & backgrounds. That diversity has made for some great conversations & for me, being the youngest, I've learned a lot from the other members.

4) As a continuation of #3, I'm thankful for the redirection our group is taking. In addition to studying the upcoming Sunday's readings, we usually have a book that we read together & share our thoughts. In a recent gathering, we decided to change & not concentrate so much on the fluffy stuff (not that the touchy-feely books are bad, we just want more focus on our faith). I recently did a review for The Catholic Company on the book Those Who Saw Her: Apparitions of Mary by Catherine O'Dell. I let our group leader borrow the book & even though she hadn't finished it yet, it got her thinking. We all decided to make this next year our "Marian Year." We are all very excited about this new direction for our group.

5) I'm thankful for my dear husband. God has truly blessed me w/ a great man. He is strong in his faith, a wonderful father, & a very supportive husband.

Click the link at the beginning of this post if you'd like to join Judy in the weekly meme of thanksgiving.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

Judy over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful & honored that my best friend's daughter has asked me to be her Confirmation sponsor. Several years ago, I probably would have declined because I was not very strong in my faith. Thankfully, I've grown so much in the last few years that I had no hesitation when she asked me. Perhaps God was leading me to this moment!

2) I'm thankful for the 30 Day Meme I've been doing lately. Some of the posts are fun, but some are quite reflective. I'm really enjoying it. Let me know if you give it a go. I'd love to read your daily thoughts!

3) I'm thankful that The Princess' hair is finally growing out. (Remember THIS POST?) We can now put it into two little pigtails...that look absolutely adorable on her!










4) I'm thankful for a GREAT visit to northern Ohio to visit Casinodad's family. His aunt / godmother has Stage 4 pancreatic cancer & was given only 5-6 months. We were able to spend some time w/ her on Sunday. She looks great & has such a positive outlook. I am simply amazed at the peace she has.

5) I'm thankful that The Saint's injury toward the end of his birthday party on Friday was not as serious as we thought it might have been. While standing at the back patio door taking pictures of The Princess & my best friend's daughter twirling flags, The Saint fell out the door. He landed on the concrete patio head first, receiving a big bump on his forehead. Of course it had to be right about his bedtime, so I sat in the back of the van w/ him to keep him awake. Thankfully, my sister had given him a bag of lollipops for his birthday, so I kept popping one of them in his mouth when it looked like he might doze off. Also, the new children's urgent care is only 10 minutes away!

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

Judy over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for good times w/ extended family & friends. We spent Sunday at my aunt & uncle's house celebrating Father's Day & my cousin's college graduation. It was a fun, relaxing time, w/ the exception of The Saint's hand scare (see HERE for details, if you dare!)

2) I'm thankful for the gratefulness & joyful faces of the munchkins during those times the past couple days when I said "YES" to their reasonable requests, including an impromptu sleep-over here w/ their cousin.

3) I'm thankful for the 12 years of marriage Casinodad & I celebrated on Sunday. He's been a WONDERFULLY, SWEET husband & father. I am so blessed to have him in my life. (see HERE for our engagement story.)

4) I'm thankful The Prophet is old enough to mow the lawn now AND he likes to do it. One of us still has to be outside w/ him & touch up a few areas afterwards, but he does a pretty good job for us.

5) I'm thankful that all four munchkins LOVE to read, just like their parents. Even The Saint, at 22 months, will stretch out on his stomach to look through his picture books (& it's so cute to see his little legs kicking up in the air!)

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings (2nd Post Today)

Judy over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for all the prayers for Casinodad's best friend this past week. He's doing so much better than expected. He was taken off the ventilator Monday & has been talking.

2) I'm thankful for a great visit w/ my friend & her kids yesterday. Our kids gathered up any toys they didn't want anymore & traded. Then any leftovers are being donated.

3) I'm thankful Casinodad has Thursday & Friday off this week. We're going to spend a lot of family time together!

4)I'm thankful for my mother saving us a lot of money. I mentioned last week that I was looking at buying new comforter for our bed. She had one that fit our bed perfectly & is a great match for our walls.

5) I'm thankful that a potentially stressful situation did not happen. It worked itself out!

Wordless Wednesday - Easter 2010

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

Judy over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for a very cuddly toddler. I love having The Saint wrap his arms tightly around my neck & smother my face w/ his sweet (& wet!) kisses...as I do the same to him.

2) I'm thankful for a great trip to the zoo yesterday w/ the family. Casinodad took a vacation day, so we took the munchkins. The weather was great...slightly warm w/ a very nice breeze. Thanks also for our zoo membership (& a tax refund that helped us purchase it), otherwise we'd never be able to afford frequent trips this year w/ the munchkins.

3) I'm thankful that my dear friend, Lawgirl, was able to meet us at the zoo & spend some time w/ us. The munchkins really enjoy spending time w/ her (as do Casinodad & me!)

4) I'm thankful for a wonderful Mass on Easter Sunday...a great homily by one of our deacons, uplifting music, my parents were able to join us at our church, & The Saint actually was able to stay in the church for most of the time!

5) I'm thankful for a beautiful Easter Sunday overall. The weather was great & we spent an enjoyable afternoon at my parents' house w/ my sister & her family there too.

I wish all of you a blessed Easter season.

God is Wonderful. Christ is Risen! Alleluia!