March 14, 2010

This 'n That


Sam made this little hurricane that Frodo is holding out of 2 little bottles and then he said, "I wish we had another big jug from the apple juice."
Well, he did find a 2nd jug, a full jug, next thing we are asked to help empty the jug. Let me just say, you can only drink so much apple juice in a single sitting. But it was all in the name of science.
And here is the big hurricane.

Bilbo watched a little too much Lord of the Rings, he now constantly shoots orcs and "ga-wum". A train track is his sword and a Handwriting Without Tears Large Curve is his bow and a large train track is his arrow. I will try to get a short video up of him as he has the full sound effects as well.
GUESS WHO PULLED HERSELF UP?
And you ask just how I knew to take these pictures... she is a 10th baby, been there done that!


I know, it is absurd at 6 months. I have a friend who says "Push her down!"
I'm sure she's just checking to see if we are all watching her, she is rather demanding in the attention department.

Almost there.

Sigh!
Yes! Pippin does sleep, though for about 2 years she did sleep on the couch every night as the wolves slept under his bed..................!

Poppy's always crawling in and out of the coffee table.

And in and out under her exersaucer.

HELP!
Trouble needed a cage.

This was our Social Worker Sundae celebration dessert.

Spring has sprung and it's time to sproing.

It turned 45 degrees and the kids thought it was summer. By the time it got up to 59 degrees today, they thought they should pull out the sprinkler "It's so HOT!" This time of year I have to set out temperature rules. 55 and you can take your jacket off, 60 and you can take your shoes off..... "But Mom! It's so hot out, we were just dyyyyyyyyying!" It is beside the point that there is still snow on the ground!

Poppy always seems to have her mouth gaping open, I suppose once she starts to talk she'll have to put it to good use keeping the 3 boys above her in line.
EFFECIENCY

Please note the POT that is sitting on top of the wood boiler. That contained our maple sap collected this year. This comes of having a husband like mine and an oldest son who is just like his dad!

Once it boiled down enough we brought it inside to finish the boiling down.

Several hours later.

Sunday Breakfast was pancakes with fresh syrup. It didn't taste smoked at all after it finally boiled down.

Merry and Poppy playing the William Byrd Mass.

The girls started on a flower making project that Galadriel received from Our Magnum Opus. Thank you so much! ☺

Merry has been working with pennies and buying things so Eowyn and the other girls were busy working on making a full store.




The nice part is that not much sound comes out, unlike the first 4 weeks! I really should have taken a picture under a magnifying glass, truly she isn't bald!
Awwww!
In preparation for breakfast Galadriel showed me this strawberry.

Kind of a Siamese Quintruplet of a strawberry.

Fashion Police

Help! Call the Fashion Police, my kids dressed themselves... I found that picture on the digi-cam this week and at first I thought I wouldn't post it...... til...............
I was browsing a JCPenney flyer I got in the mail. I remember when I was young my dad simply couldn't match his tie and sportcoat and pants. But now that I see the new fashions, it really was only that Dad was fashionably ahead of his time! (Incidentally I am quite sure this is why priests wear all black, they just can't get it wrong!)

By this point in the catalog I am nearly dying laughing.

Once I saw the Men's pink gingham shirt and pink polka dot tie and tried to envision Aragorn in this, I said, "Aragorn, you are very unfashionable!" And I proceeded to show him the pretty shirts and ties...........

And I kid you not, a handful of pages later I found these jeans! By gum! Aragorn is a fashion statement! We call these pants "barn jeans". I looked at the price... $42.... on sale for only $19.99!!! Watch ebay for Tom's old pants, we've found the big bucks!

March 11, 2010

DEO GRATIAS!

During this month dedicated to St. Joseph, protector of families, I am exceedingly happy to say that we finally heard back from CPS. I will quote a few sentences from the email from the social worker who came to our home:
*
[I] am finally working on closing out your case/my involvement with your family today or tomorrow.
*
I am unsubstantiating the medical neglect concerns that were reported, and beyond this check-in, I won't be contacting either of you further. Again, I'm sorry to have been an intrusion during that stressful period your family was traversing in December... Also, for what it's worth, know that I enjoyed meeting with your family in your home--you seem to have some really neat kids.
*
I ask that you say a prayer for this social worker, N. and a prayer of thanksgiving.
*
St. Joseph, protector of families.... continue to protect us and all those families who do not fit the worldly notion of what a family really is.
*
Deo Gratias!
(I think I shed 10 years, out of the 30 I aged in the last 3 months, with the first reading of his letter)

March 7, 2010

Big Families the New Green


Mary Ellen's at it again, another wonderful, delightful article... this time she depicts the large family at the green store.


Thank you Mary Ellen!

I am not sure there is an experience to explain to those who don't have a large family, what it is like to go out in public with 10 "carbon footprints". Earlier today I told my husband that I was going to have t-shirts made up for all 12 of us for the next time we go hiking and on the back they would say "Yes, we are here for one purpose, to use up all your oxygen!"

March 6, 2010

Nothing in Particular

Magnetic Rocks
Don't ask me, they found it in the field. Another one of the recent rock-finds looks like it is speckled with fool's gold.
Mass
They have even taken the naughty ones to a cry room... not that they are ever naughty of course.
Our complete Mass Kit and vestements were from http://www.ourfathershouse.biz/
The hosts were cut out of tortillas.
Obviously "father" needed a hair cut!
Our babies have all been tummy sleepers. It is always quite a time when the babies roll from tummy to back at 3am and can't get back in their comfort zone. It's nice when they can sleep any which way.

Rosie and her walking stick.... for a giant.
Merry walking with Poppy
One proud big brother!
Pippin helping Poppy in Pippin-fashion.
Poppy is now 1/2 year old if you can believe it and sprouted her first tooth, well, as far as the spoon test "tink-tink" goes :)

March 4, 2010

In Loving Memory of Fr. Kunz

In Loving Memory Fr. Alfred Joseph Kunz
Born April 15, 1930
Ordained to the Sacred Priesthood May 26, 1956
Born into Eternal Life March 4, 1998
Requiescat in Pace.
The souls of the just are in the Hands of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in view of the foolish, to be dead:
but they are in Peace.
In loving memory of
a faithful priest
eminent canonist
beloved pastor who, like
Christ, gave himself,
pouring out his blood
for the Church.
May he rest in Peace.

If I could recall all that this wonderful priest was and all that he did for the care of souls, there probably wouldn't be enough space here nor the time to complete it. He suffered a white martyrdom for the 7 years I knew him yet he smiled and often laughed til he cried. And his life ended in a martyrdom of blood and I am guessing he has since been smiling and laughing.
Article by Matt C. Abbot