Sweetness and Light

Friday Funny

I've been sick all week, yesterday was especially bad, in bed all day with a fever and whatnot, yuck!! Thankfully I am on the mend now. The children were very good at keeping themselves occupied "doing school" and more or less driving their sister crazy, but everyone survived, thanks to a husband who can cook :) Among the many things that helped me to feel human again were some very creative Lego creations by my oldest:

 
Matthias is very proud of the fact that his "Anakin's Wave" has received 57 votes on Lego Gallery! I am still laughing, the BEST medicine of all!!!

Have a great weekend everyone and stay healthy :)

Sean-Paul on The Arrival of the Three Kings...

...at Mass on the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus this past Sunday.

SP: "Mommy, there's the Wise Men on the altar!" (translation: on the liturgical banner that hangs behind the high altar on the wall of the church)

Mommy: "Yes sweetie, we'll celebrate their arrival at the manger on Wednesday, the Feast of the Epiphany."

SP: (in hushed tones, but very matter-of-factly) "Are they going to ride their camels in to Mass?"

(supressed chuckles from mommy, getting strange looks from daddy) Mommy: "Well, honey, they don't really do that anymore."

Enjoy your Twelfth Night/Epiphany celebrations! We'll be making King's Bread and attending our Solemn High Mass!

 

Ecce advenit Dominator Dominus: et regnum in manu ejus, et potestas, et imperium.  

(Behold the Lord the Ruler is come: and the Kingdome is in His Hand and power, and dominion.) Introit of the Mass for The Epiphany of Our Lord; Malachi 3:1

Cutie Anyone??

Who would have thought a bowl of THESE:

would lead to this:

and this...

and yet more of this...

and one more cutie!!!

and the Cutie Culprit who started it all:

Hope you're having fun with all your Cuties this week!!  Blessings!

No, Really???

Your Inner European is French!

Smart and sophisticated. You have the best of everything - at least, *you* think so.

Who's Your Inner European?

Also tipping the Hat to Mary Ellen, love this!

4 and 4 Meme!

Erin at Seven Little Australians has tagged me for a meme. Seems, the Meme's are keeping us busy these days!  This is two meme's in one, and I thought I'd give it a go!!

4 facts/habits about myself and 4 new things done in the last 4 years.

Firstly 4 Facts/Habits:
1. My husband makes me a Cup of Heaven religiously every morning before he goes to his office!
2. I despise Reality TV!
3. I am afraid of heights, I mean REALLY BIG HEIGHTS!! (Weird for a former Gymnast, I know)

4. I've never had a gray hair, yet!!

4 Things achieved in the last 4 years:
1. Birthed son number 3 (4th child)
2. Prepared 2 dc for their First Holy Communion and Reconciliation
3. I turned 40.
4. I started this blog, and a few others. :o)

If you want to play, comment here, and join the Meme craze, thanks Erin, this was fun!!!

Blessings in your day!

Overheard...

...Seamus talking to Matthias as they were working with their Pattern Blocks this morning:  "Did you know that GOD is the master of EVERYTHING?" 

Matthias replies casually:  "Yeah, I know."

Priceless!!  This is what we mothers live for ;-)

Scattergories, A Meme!

Dawn shares this fun Meme.  If you'd like to do one, consider this "forwarded" to you ... and link back to me!!

Rules: Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following...They MUST be real places, names, things...NOTHING made up! If you can't think of anything, skip it. Try to use different answers if the Person before you had the same 1st initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question. Once you're done, forward on to friends and back to the person who sent it to you. Now Go!

Your Name: Meredith

1. Famous singer/band: Madonna (can't think of another however inappropriate this one is...)

2. 4 letter word: (La) Mere (means the sea in French and is also my nick-name)

3. Street name:  Mallard

4. Color: Magenta

5. Gifts/presents: Money

6. Vehicle: Mercedes (sigh, used to drive one...)

7. Items on a menu:  Mignon, as in Fillet!

8. Boy Name: Matthew

9. Girl Name: Mary

10. Movie Title:  Mystic Pizza (I know, lame, but I couldn't think on this one)

11. Drink: Mimosas, yum!

12. Occupation: Mother/Mama/Mommy (boy that was easy ;o)

13. Flower:  Marigolds

15. Magazine:  Martha Stewart Living, etc.

16. US City: Memphis, TN (never been there, yet)

17. Pro Sports Team: ?????

18. Reason for Being Late for Work:  Well, since I'm 24/7 in this category, shall we say late MOVIE!

19. Something U Throw Away: Mold, on leftovers we forgot about in the fridge, ew, yuck!

20. Things you shout:  Time for Mass everyone, let's Move it, Classy I know!

21. Cartoon Character:  Mickey or Minnie Mouse ;)

Well, that was fun. And, yes, this was a bit tough to think on the spot!  Blessings!

Dawn shares this fun Meme.  If you'd like to do one, consider this "forwarded" to you ... and link back to me!!

Rules: Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following...They MUST be real places, names, things...NOTHING made up! If you can't think of anything, skip it. Try to use different answers if the Person before you had the same 1st initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question. Once you're done, forward on to friends and back to the person who sent it to you. Now Go!

Your Name: Meredith

1. Famous singer/band: Madonna (can't think of another however inappropriate this one is...)

2. 4 letter word: (La) Mere (means the sea in French and is also my nick-name)

3. Street name:  Mallard

4. Color: Magenta

5. Gifts/presents: Money

6. Vehicle: Mercedes (sigh, used to drive one...)

7. Items on a menu:  Mignon, as in Fillet!

8. Boy Name: Matthew

9. Girl Name: Mary

10. Movie Title:  Mystic Pizza (I know, lame, but I couldn't think on this one)

11. Drink: Mimosas, yum!

12. Occupation: Mother/Mama/Mommy (boy that was easy ;o)

13. Flower:  Marigolds

15. Magazine:  Martha Stewart Living, etc.

16. US City: Memphis, TN (never been there, yet)

17. Pro Sports Team: ?????

18. Reason for Being Late for Work:  Well, since I'm 24/7 in this category, shall we say late MOVIE!

19. Something U Throw Away: Mold, on leftovers we forgot about in the fridge, ew, yuck!

20. Things you shout:  Time for Mass everyone, let's Move it, Classy I know!

21. Cartoon Character:  Mickey or Minnie Mouse ;)

Well, that was fun. And, yes, this was a bit tough to think on the spot!  Blessings!

Visions From Our Holiday Weekend!

 

I awoke to this beautiful sight on my B-day morning!!  I am so spoiled by my little sweeties, what more could I ever ask for??? 

After much celebrating throughout the weekend, we managed some great family outings as dh was home for the whole weekend!!

 

Hiking in style with daddy!

 

And the rest of us...notice my hair, it was VERY windy, I really don't usually go this *poofy* ;o

 

Beautiful views from up top!

View to the backside, very picturesque, and how 'bout those hikers!

An exciting discovery, a very large anthill!

Some beauty to sketch into our Nature Notebooks!

A caterpillar caught in action!

All of Violet's findings along our trail, we have an amazing variety of mountain wildflowers here!!  She has them pressing between my largest coffee table books right now and plans to mount them onto cardstock and label and laminate them for her collection!!

I caught this beauty. Actually had to chase it around for about 5 minutes before it landed for me.  I haven't been able to identify it yet.  We thought is was a "Zebra" butterfly, any ideas??

There's more for our weekend I want to share, but this has gotten longer than I planned, boy did I take alot of pictures!!  Stay tuned for more Visions of Or Holiday Weekend....Blessings in your day!

8 Things About Me Meme!!

Well, this blog isn't really about ME, but since I was tagged by the very eloquent Christine at The Simple and the Ordinary, I will divulge a few tidbits :)

Here are the rules: Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. I am NOT a professional writer.  I know you're trying to contain your laughter here, but I'm sorry to say, this blogging thing, is really just for fun!!

2. My one older brother (by 20 months) is a foot taller than I am!

3. I planned on being an attorney, have a paralegal degree and all, but alas, a year's worth of study and play in Europe led me down different roads!!

4. I did NOT marry my highschool sweetheart as I had none ;o

5. As much as I talk about chocolate, it is not my favorite choice of sweet confection!!

6. I used to drive a Mercedes 300D, navy blue with a sunroof, that is until I couldn't fit anymore carseats into the back, now I drive a Yukon XL also blue!

7. I have a fear of heights.

8. I am a TERRIBLE housekeeper, my dh could attest to this, but he'd NEVER tell you himself ;)

Well, this was interesting, a little boring for ya'll perhaps, but interesting to say the least!
Now, I need to tag eight people. If I tag you, and you've already done this, then ignore it. If I tag you and you don't want to do it, ignore it.  How about If you want to do this, leave me a note in the comments section and we're good to go!!  Tag, you're it!

Thanks for stopping in today!  Blessings!

It Just So Happens....

...that while I was visiting Matilda's, I found this!!

You Belong in Paris

Stylish and expressive, you were meant for Paris. The art, the fashion, the wine! Whether you're enjoying the cafe life or a beautiful park... You'll love living in the most chic place on earth.

What City Do You Belong In?

And this should SURPRISE anyone??? Have fun with this one!! Blessings in your day!  Thanks Matilda!

Marriage Meme

Allrighty Ruth, I'm one of IT it seems, hmmm...

1. Where/How did you meet? We met at Starbucks.

2. How long have you known each other? We have known each other for almost 16 years.

3. How long after you met did you start dating? Immediately.

4. How long did you date before you were engaged? About 10 months

5. How long was your engagement? 4 months.

6. How long have you been married? 14 years this September 18th.

7. What is your anniversary? 9/18/93

8. How many people came to your wedding reception? About 100 of our closest friends and family.

9. What kind of cake did you serve? It had 3 tiers, decorated with fresh flowers, mostly roses.  Carrot Cake.

10. Where was your wedding? St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

11. What did you serve for your meal? Catered Appetizers and Chamgagne.

12. How many people were in your wedding party? Besides the best man, and two ushers, my matron of honor, and 2 other bridesmaids. Oh and my dh's nephew the ring bearer.

13. Are you still friends with them all? No, only one but distantly besides the family members.

14. Did your spouse cry during the ceremony? No, but he probably does now : )

15. Most special moment of your wedding day? Getting into the limo and leaving with my husband and him calling me his wife.

16. Any funny moments? Hmmm...thinking on this one.

17. Any big disasters? Yes, his oldest brother hid the car.

18. Where did you go on your honeymoon? The Palmilla in Cabo San Lucas and then Palm Desert.

19. How long were you gone? Two Full Weeks!!!

20. If you were to do your wedding over, what would you change? Interesting Question, I don't know?

21. What side of the bed do you sleep on?  I'm on the left.

22. What size is your bed? We have a king size bed, with a precious toddler attached to it : )

23. Greatest strength as a couple? Our ability to laugh at the for better or for worse parts.

24. Greatest challenge as a couple? Finances.

25. Who literally pays the bills? He does.

26. What is your song? Probably an Al Jareau song of which the title esscapes me for the moment.

27. What did you dance your first dance to? I don't remember...isn't child bearing great!!

28. Describe your wedding dress: Very Chic:  White Satin, off the shoulder and form-fitting down to the floor and then a beautiful long train. 

29. What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding? White Roses.

30. Are your wedding bands engraved? No.

How old were you when you got married? 27.

Boy this was a memory lane meme!!  Thanks Ruth!  If you haven't been tagged yet, go for it!!

Book / Movie Meme

My friend Denise tagged me for this one. I in turn, have several friends that love a good book and are movie buffs....you'll find them below.


Underline or put an asterisk next to all those books whose movies you have seen. Bold or highlight the ones you've read in a different color.

1. Heidi (Johanna Spyri) *

2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)

3 To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)

4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)

5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)

6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)

7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)

8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery) *

9. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) *

10. Anne of Avonlea (L.M. Montgomery) *

11.The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)

12. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) *

13 Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)

14. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis) *

15. Chariots of Fire (Clarence E. MacArtney)*

16. 1984 (Orwell)

17. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)

18. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck) 

19. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)

20. War and Peace (Tolsoy)

21. Quo Vadis (Sienkiewicz)

22. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Victor Hugo) (Does Disney count?)

23. The Robe (Douglas)

24. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)

25. The Story of A Soul (St. Therese) * Therese (Movie)

I tag: Paula A Catholic Harvest, Rebecca A Gypsy Caravan,  and Amy Among Women

Thanks Denise for a fun Meme, great weekend start, I need to read more ;)

In Case You Were Wondering...

...if American Girls celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas...Violet has hers all ready for the big day!!

Notice there are 5 shoes...

...well Bitty is already fast asleep awaiting the arrival of the jolly St. Nick!

Sleep tight girls!!

A Good Giggle!

I couldn't resist passing this one along in case you haven't seen it, the ever-funny Danielle Bean has plenty to say about her Ash Wednesday experience, scroll down to "Ashes, Ashes." Also check out her right-side-bar for lots of Lenten Resources.  Enjoy, and blessings to you on this First Sunday of Lent.

I'm Still Laughing...

This is the conversation I just had with Seamus while helping him put on his snow clothes to go out and play:

Seamus: (While holding up his sock that has a hole in it and his big toe sticking out)  "It must be dark inside my sock for my toes."

Me: " Hmm, yes."

Seamus:  "But they don't have any eyes, so they can't see anyways."    (after a minute or so)  "And no mouth either, so they (?) can't bite my toes."

Me:  Not able to speak due to uncontrollable laughter!

Looks like I need to darn a few socks today!

The Boardroom

This is Corporate America at it's best in the home schooling environment.  Who says you can't learn strategic planning in Preschool.

*Note:  You can click on the picture to enlarge for full effect!

If you haven't been to Homeschool Share it's a great place for preschool mini-units and many literature-based units for various ages.

"All My Underwear..."

Overheard at the lunch table after talking about explorations to Antarctica:

Mathias: "I want to go to Antarctica exploring. except I'd have to put on ALL my underwear for sure!"

Howls of laughter from everyone!!!

So How's Your Artist Study Going?

So we're casually looking at our first Manet painting that I printed out on the computer, it's a little small and not as great as if it were copied out of a book, and here's our *brief* encounter.

Me:  "Well, what does everyone think of this beautiful beach scene by Manet."

Violet: "You mean Monet mommy."

Me:  "No, actually, I do mean Manet.  He's also an Impressionist from around the same time as Manet." 

Violet:  "Oh."

Me: (back to my origianl question) "So, what do you think of this one, (pointing again at the beach scene)"

Violet:  "Not much."  (Silence from the boys.)

Well, I think that went well. 

Me:  "Ok, who's ready for some hot chocolate and a snack?"

Everyone:  "Yeah!" 

So much for La Plage: Bourgone-sur-mer.  Sorry, Manet, we'll try another one next week.  (Sigh)

Music To My Ears

Conversation during our Twelfth Night dinner on Friday night:

3 yo Seamus:  "Mommy did the Wise Men come to OUR MANGER too?"

Me:  "Why yes, honey, it looks as though they've arrived."

Seamus:  "Wow, that's great, what feast is it going to be TOMORROW (emphasis mine)?"

Me:  "Well, let me see...(searching the calendar)...Oh it's St. Raymond of Pennafort, I don't know much about him."

Seamus:  "We better look him up mommy so we can have another party tomorrow!"

AHH!  Truly music to my ears.  Times like these are when I hear all those questions in my head about "Why are we're doing this home schooling thing", and I just have to privately smile.  It's all part of the Sweetness and Light.