Tropical Love

Hawaii was incredible! Lots of breathtaking sites, challenging hikes, kind people, laughter, and of course, a beautiful wedding with our long-distance friend/family member (who just happened to be one of the cutest couples I've ever seen get married). What more could you ask for in a vacation?! Here are a few photo highlights:

View from our hotel (Waikiki beach)


Diamond Head Crater


Manoa Falls


Makapu'u Lighthouse


Hanauma Bay & Snorkeling


Pearl Harbor Memorial


(Double) Rainbows


Family Fun


And last but not least...the wedding


Congratulations Kaori & Take! And thanks to my traveling companions!

Being "home" for Christmas

Growing up we always had Christmas trees at this time of year - REAL ones. I can't even remember a year that we didn't have a tree, or that we had an artificial one (so if we did, I was either very young or I was so scarred by it that I've blocked it from my memory!) So this year's finally being in a house of our own meant no more rental restrictions and silly artificial tree for us! Which was good, because that poor little Charlie Brown tree wouldn't have lasted much longer.

We did the whole Griswold thing - pack the kids up, venture out in the cold, pick and cut down our own tree (although we remembered the saw), and clean the sap off of our fingers the rest of the night. It was fantastic!
And I must say, between the smell of fresh pine and the glow of the room with no lights other than the Christmas tree (not to mention the little boy playing with ornaments and dancing to White Christmas's overture in his PJ's by the early morning tree light), my living room finally feels like home to me. Despite the onset of winter's cold, it finally feels warm inside.
Thank you Christmases past for creating an image of home in my senses; and welcome Christmas present for the sense of home!

Gifts that Make an Impact

The following is the reflection I wrote for my monthly mission education bulletin at work. I just sent it out on Tuesday, and I've already had a teacher write to me and say she tracked the book down and ordered a copy for her classroom. So I decided to share it here too. (So be warned family and friends, if we got your name, you can expect your gifts to fall in these categories!) Here it is...

I love childrens books! I always have; even as an adult, and even before I had children. In fact, my children arrived with a pretty hefty supply of books already waiting due to my long-time love (and that supply has only increased since). Recently I happened upon another beautiful childrens book that I’d like to introduce you to. It’s called Three Wise Women by Mary Hoffman. In this story we meet three women from different parts of the world who see a bright and beautiful star that beckons them to follow. As they journey they find a new young family; a family that has just been visited by three wealthy men who left very rich gifts for the newborn baby. Saddened that they don’t have rich gifts to give also, yet filled with such joy and love for the family, they give the only things they have with them to share—a loaf of bread, a story and a kiss. Their gifts, more so than the expensive ones left by the wise men, stick with the child and become the most useful as he grows. It is a message of sharing gifts of who we are, and knowing that these are the gifts that can truly have the most impact on the receiver, and as a result, the world.

What Mary Hoffman didn’t know (although I’m guessing she at least hoped) is that her story would change the way I do Christmas this year. Times are tight in our household, as I’m sure they are for so many, especially in this difficult economic time and this difficult season. It is a struggle as my husband and I think of the Christmas we’d like to be able to give our kids, compared to that which we can afford to give. Yet if times are tight for us, I can only imagine that they are even more so for so many in our communities and around the world. That is why this year I am determined to be a “wise woman” in my gift-giving. My family has chosen to give only gifts that include fair trade, hand-made, re-used, donation-alternative gifts, or hand-made from local not-for-profit craftspeople. In some ways it is more challenging than scanning the shelves at our local Target or Toys-R-Us; but it is also a lot of fun to think of creative gifts for everyone that can be found within these categories, along with digging deeper into ourselves to find what gifts and talents we have that we can share. But best of all it is a blessing to know that our gifts are helping others in need, on top of the smiles they will hopefully give our loved ones when they open their packages on Christmas.

I challenge you to consider a similar goal this year—give of yourself, or give gifts that “give twice” by supporting Fair Trade or alternative gifts. And challenge your communities to do likewise—organize a Fair Trade or alternative gift sale after Mass, ask students to make a donation in your name instead of giving Christmas gifts, do likewise for them, do an Advent collection for the poor, or go caroling/do a service project in lieu of a Christmas party. I think you’ll be amazed at what this new kind of giving can do for all. And as Mary Hoffman’s story shares with us (SPOILER ALERT!), “The star-baby in the stable never forgot the women and their presents...And the Man whose birth had been marked by a new star taught the whole world that the greatest gift of all is love.”

A few of My Favorite Things

It has been a hard couple of months... I mean the cry myself to sleep almost every night, sleep on the couch, can't get up in the morning, yell at GOD most of the way to work, rather be at work where I get to worry about someone else's problems instead, hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel kind of hard! But with that said, there have been times in the last few months when the stress and fatigue and struggles have moved aside for some pretty incredible, albeit usually very simple, moments of grace. Through it all, I have been reminded of the well-known song from "The Sound of Music" where Maria reminds the children to think of their favorite things to take their mind off the storm raging outside. I need that reminder sometimes!

So here are some of my "favorite things" about these past few months that have helped take my mind off the storm around me:


Adrian coloring for my birthday - although we've tried since he was a baby to get him to "sign" cards, we usually had to apply all the pressure ourselves...and/or take the crayon out of his mouth. But wouldn't you know, the first time I ever saw Adrian coloring all on his own was on my birthday. I came home to find him on the living room floor with the box of crayons and my birthday card. It was the most amazing gift!!


Seeing Patti again - For some reason recently I was thinking about my friends from grad school at St. John's, and how much I miss many of them. I was thinking about how nice it would be to have some sort of reunion some day, but the thought occurred to me that I didn't have any contact information for one of our cohort members should we ever do something like that. Low-and-behold, just a few days later I open the back door at work to let in the women here to pick up donations for Red Lake Reservation, and there stands my cohort member Patti! I haven't seen her since 2007 I believe, and it was a brief, though amazing encounter again! Great to see you Patti!


The new living room wall - there are some nice areas of our new house, but I have to say it didn't feel anywhere near home until we put up some shelves and pictures in the living room. I really like how our wall(s) turned out - cute kids; loving husband; amazing angel; Holy Spirit...what more could you ask for to adorn your home (not only on the wall)?!


Getting to dance - I worked at the Diocesan Senior High Youth Rally again this year. At the end of the event they have a dance with a fantastic Catholic DJ (DJ Bill), who does a great job with the teens. I love dancing, but almost never get to do it (not enough weddings, and a husband who doesn't dance even if there were). It felt SO good to be able to dance again, even if just a little bit from behind our work table.


Adrian's yard fun - the best part about moving has by far been watching Adrian wander around our new yard, especially playing in the leaves. He loves how they crunch! He's such a fun-loving boy, and it's a blessing to watch him grunt at the door and bring us his shoes when he wants to go out and play, and to have a yard all our own where he can do such!


Welcoming Neighborhood - while playing with Adrian in the yard one Saturday, we ended up following a dog who had wandered in down our driveway to the neighbors (where he belongs); he was like a little prophet guiding us to a great chance to meet some of our neighbors. The next weekend another one of our neighbors brought over some welcome treats and introduced herself after having heard about us from the dog-neighbors. And this happened less than a day after I wrote a reflection for work about how we need to build community...thanks GOD for the opportunity to practice what I preach, and for the kind new community you put around us! (and thanks Junior for starting it off :D)


Lilly's first Halloween - I love Halloween; I always have. And although I realize that the kids are too young to get into it, so all our Halloween costuming and trick-or-treating is really just for me, it is still important to me to be able to give those memories to my kids right off the bat. And Lilly looked so sweet on her first Halloween - I love that amazing little girl!


Back to Curves - It has been since a week or two before Lilly was born since I went to work out at Curves (where I used to go 3 times a week or more, all the way through both pregnancies). That's a Loooonnnggg break - too long! And the longer I waited, the harder it was to convince myself to go back (on top of just being darn-right too busy to be able to get there). But I finally did it - I went back, and it felt GREAT!


Hugs & Kisses - Even though if you ask Adrian if he loves his sister he smiles, giggles and rapidly shakes his head "no," if you ask him to give her a hug and kiss, he will plop down on top of her, bent over her, and lean his forehead against her head. What looks like "squooshing" her, is in fact his amazing hugs and kisses for his baby sister. We still have to pull him off of her when she starts wailing under him (especially when he starts bouncing on top of her :D), but nonetheless its' a blessing to see him being loving in his own special way.


Good chocolate - I don't like dark chocloate; I just don't. I'm not a big chocolate fan in general (sorry all you chocolate lovers), but if I'm going to eat it, I'm going to be a milkchocolate kind of girl. I have tried to convince myself otherwise - dark chocolate is healthier, it comes in fun flavors, it's fair trade. But no matter how I try, each time I have some again I am reminded that I just don't care for it! But last week we ordered some new fair trade chocolates for sale at work - including my personal preference, milk chocolate with almonds! We've never carried it before; it's about time we finally got some good chocolate in! (of course the downfall is that now I am actually eating chocolate - I've got two bars stashed in my drawer on top of the one I ate right away :D)


Bedtime - Despite the slightly new routine with the addition of Lilly, the change of locations, and the craziness of these past months, it still remains that the most incredible and peace-filled moment of my day is bedtime! I can't explain how adorable my little ones look in their PJ's, or how incredible it feels to be able to hold them in my lap and pray with them while they guzzle that bedtime milk before hugs, kisses, (Beluga), and being tucked in. I love bedtime! But I think more than that, I just love my kids!!!!

"When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel...so...bad!"

Happy Halloween

Another year of Halloween fun and adventures!

The Party on Saturday...

Our Little Monster (check out those feet)

Costume craziness

& Bobbing fun (Adrian was a champ at it)


And Trick-or-Treating on Monday...
How many do I get Nonna?

Thanks everyone, and happy Halloween to you and your gouls!

A new nickname for Lilly

Lilly was dubbed "Rollie Pollie" yesterday, on account of her ROLLING OVER!

3 months and 4 days -good job Lilly! Although I shouldn't be surprised at all, considering the skin-raising somersaults she was always doing during my pregnancy with her, and the fact that she managed to tie a "true knot" in her umbilical cord because of them. Yep, she's our little mover and shaker! (if only the home-owning process moved as quickly as her) Hmmm, this may make learning to crawl rather difficult since she can easily boycott "tummy time" now. Kids can be so defiant :)

We love you little Rollie Pollie, and are very proud of you!

Introducing...

...our daughter!

Lilly Elizabeth
was born on Friday, June 24th, 2011
At 9:16am
Weighing 6 pounds and measuring 18 1/2 inches long.

She is very healthy, and a beautiful and content little girl!

So far Adrian enjoys being a big brother (or at least enjoys looking at and trying to play with the new little thing in the basket). He's doing well, and we pray the transition continues to be all right for him.

Her Mom and Dad are doing well too. I had no idea it took so few seconds for my husband to fall in love with another woman, but boy has he! :)

Me too.

Thank you everyone for your prayers, visits, and well-wishes, etc. We can't wait for everyone to meet this little darling, and for her to meet the wonderful family and friends that surround her.

We are blessed beyond belief!!!!

For a few more pictures, Lilly's hospital portraits available at: Our365 Webnursery

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my Mom's 60th Birthday. We celebrated her six decades of beauty, family and friends with a beautiful celebration. From the nice weather (thanks Great-grandma Katie!), to the costume party fun...

to the memories...

to the 60 candles (the flame version and the musical one)...

it was a terrific day, and Mom was just beaming the whole time! I'm so glad she had a fantastic day - thanks to all who helped make it so. And thank you to Mom for her many wonderful years of giving of herself and sharing her life with so many of us. We are blessed to have her, and wish her an absolutely AMAZING birthday! ...and many more!

Love you Birthday girl!