Mass with the Bishop and Science Fair

 We were blessed to have a lovely Mass with our Bishop to end our formal homeschooling year of activities. It began with a presentation of flowers to our Lady.


We had an awesome group of altar boys that did a fantastic job.

 Following the Mass, the Bishop enrolled those who wished to be enrolled in the brown scapular.  We were down to Bilbo for his enrollment.

 Following the Mass there was a year-end science fair.  Sam did an awesome project making some 10 windmills to study... umm... something-over-my-head.  I asked why he didn't bring a scale model of his project to which both Aragorn and Sam laughed at me and said this was the scale model.  Oh.

 The children present had a great time trying to spin it fast enough to light a lightbulb.

 Frodo did a project on bees and their swarming and hiving activities.


The project by a young lady cracked me up... have been at the "old campus" in college I learned to be an expert toilet plunger.  (no that was not my degree!)

 Ok, I was so disappointed I was hasty and got a nice blurry picture as this was so precious of the teenage brother carrying his baby sister in a pack.  Don't you love that?

 This is why I hesitate to send my husband to pick up anything that involves food.  We had planned a nice shrimp newburg dinner to which he brought home, also, some baby octopus. I know some people who perhaps might salivate at the sight of cooked octopus, but I had to pass on this delicacy.  Expectant women do get some say in what they are capable of eating at any given moment!!

 We've had some very lovely spring days lately and the tulips budded... and bloomed....

 There was a sheep shearing done last night to which this is the before picture.....

 And this is the after picture.  So... if anyone knows what to do with some very thick, very heavy, very, lanolin-y sheep wool, better make a comment quickly.  Anyone know how to clean it?!

Animals

Some of the latest additions over at the barn includes a family of sheep, most who came expecting some lambies!  This little guy is my favorite so far.  He's just so cute.

 A little shearing is in order one of these days... not by me.

 A cow that just wanted to be in a picture.

 Methinks some of the cows need a shearing as well.

Wedding

Update:  Naughty blogger forgot to take a picture of the bride and groom together so said mother-of-the-groom helped me out. Love the look of love!  May God bless them with a beautiful marriage!

 

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 Aragorn and I were invited to a wedding.  I think one of the most beautiful moments of the day was seeing the groom waiting in happy anticipation of his bride.  Of course there were also many moments that brought tears to my eyes.

 A couple of the siblings. I know... gorgeous family!  I would like to put in a little proud "mama" moment.  The groom was in my first teaching class and this brother was one of my violin students.  Once a teacher always a teacher.

I cannot help commenting on the homily.  I was absolutely spiritually flabberghastedly delighted by it.  He spoke of the husband being willing to be nailed to the cross for his wife.  He mentioned the crucifix, sacrifice.  It was beautiful! I wish I had my homily notebook but I didn't and  of course we were trying to juggle Marigold who is the church terror of the universe. 

 Ok, now I thought the bridal car was pretty neat-o! 

 "Oh No! Not the gravy!" 

(let's see who gets that! :)

 After the wedding, we had a few hours to kill so we wandered a bit around town, got a small bite to eat to tide us over until dinner.  Then we wandered through the hotel where the reception was.  Going up the 5 flights via elevator and gazing over the edge is not my idea of a good time. I'm not sure there is anything much more nauseating than that unless perhaps it is roadkill.

 While I was taking the picture I was hollering (I wasn't really hollering but I was freaking out) "Don't drop the baby!!"  Aragorn of course thought it wildly funny. It wasn't.

 We went back to the car for a while as we were kinda tire.  This is Marigold marveling at the sunroof opening.  Then we all just sort of passed out. 

 Then was the lovely reception. These 2 pictures are of the candy buffet.  Incredible. Our table happened to be right next to it.  How convenient. 

 I never knew candy could be a work of art, but it really was.

 We sat at table 21, with a lovely group of people who were the blast from the past. It was a most enjoyable time catching up. One was also one of my students in my first teaching class.  It was so funny to be called "Miss Maher" again. It was so nice to see a couple of my "teachers pets" again!  Which I might add I now just have a room of teacher's pests. haha

 The food was delicious.  We had a stuffed chicken and what must have been steamed vegetables, salad, bread and what must have been homemade ice cream in 3 flavors (I know where are all the pictures of the food?!  I don't know didn't think of it til I was 1/2 way through and then I felt a 1/2 eaten plate would have been kind of vulgar)

 My choir counterpart is the mother of the groom.  She was radiantly beautiful.  Sanctifying Grace makes a beautiful face glow like an angel.  I think that summarizes the mother of the groom!

 We went posing as the "perfect" family in America.  HAHA I really wanted to put someone in a state of shock that we weren't there with just one child as we merely left the other 10 at home but when you go somewhere with 1 child there are no questions it's an accepted fact, you have your one child, you've got it all.  Unlike if you go with 2 and they say "are they ALL yours?"  or if you go with 11 and people can't take it in at all.  You can just feel the brain power getting to its max speed!

 Prior to leaving the girls primped Marigold

 

and braided her hair so nicely.

 

 Rupunzel, Rupunzel let down your long hair.

 I don't know, but I thought it was hilarious!

 And since I am wont to be rather drastic.   I will now make a drastic change in topic (I'm not one for starting all over just to change the subject, I'm the speedy blogger)

 We did end up with a few pumpkins but they were so absurdely small.  I think our biggest is only  about 150 pounds.  But we can thank the drought and vine bores and whatever else. However the cabbages went crazy big. 

 These are in our neighbor's garden which happens to be in perfect growing condition!

And while we were gone, Galadriel made a twin doll dress to match the one she made not that long ago.

 We had a calf born on Eowyn's birthday so it was named Emiline.

 I can't think of any greater honor than to have a calf named after me unless it was a pig or a chicken.

They waste no time getting up on all 4's.  Ain't she purdy?