The Year That Was: April 2014

April was a month of incredible changes. Baby goats were born, Misty left and Pippin joined the family, the burned hillside burst in bloom, and, and, and ... Did I mention that seven baby goats were born? Because anyone with eight children needs seven baby goats to keep them company.

Misty, the lovebird, was Olivia's first birdy love. She was so pretty and sang such lovely songs, but she had a really nasty habit of trying to devour anyone who came near. So, Misty found a new home and Pippin, the green cheeked conure, arrived! He has a much nicer disposition and can often be found snuggling under Olivia's hair while she does her school work.

Lent, Holy Week, and Easter were celebrated with joy. 

And, I managed to blog about it: Lent & Easter

 On Holy Saturday, the first set of triplets were born. I cannot even begin to describe the elation and the fear that accompanied their births. However I do have pictures, lots and lots of pictures, which I will save for their very own post.

 

Gracie started writing her first novel at the age of eight.

This was our burnt mountainside one year after the big fire caused all the mayhem. I don't think I blogged about the fire, the evacuation with animals in tow, or the crazy trip down a fire road because it really wasn't such a lovely memory. However, it makes for great stories with the children along with their fond remembrance of the hike up the tippy top of the hill a year later. I stayed in the car with wee little Kolbe and took pictures while Daddy and company trooped to the peak. They were all so proud of themselves. Hurrah!

 Kolbe turned six months old in April. Baby Love!

Happy Birthday Gracie

It has been quite a summer. As my stomach has rounded out with our newest addition, older children have kept getting, well, older and taller and stronger and and and... Always more. Always good, hopefully. :-)

Grace turned eight this past June. I am still trying to remember that she is getting to be a big girl now and is not the tired little pumpkin who fell asleep in odd places at the drop of the hat nor the little one  who spent large chunks of her afternoon petting the dog.  No, now she is a happy big eight.

Grace Right Now

1. She is turning into a voracious reader. 

There is constantly a stack of books on, beside, and under her bed.

2. Her favorite books are from the American Girl historical series.

3. She loves to draw pictures of princesses and animals.

4. When she is off with friends, she is chatty and active. When she is home, she is quiet and sensitive.

5. She loves to match her clothes by color from head to toe.

6. She would prefer not to make her bed or dry the dishes.

7. She has discovered the joy of telling jokes.

8. She is tenaciously pursuing the goal of ten pull-ups without stopping. I think Daddy has promised a prize to anyone who can do that and I do believe she will win!

Happy Birthday, my love!

Grace's First Holy Communion

Gracie made her First Holy Communion this past Pentecost. While she had been looking forward to it for the past year, I apparently had a small mental lapse and forgot to confirm her placement with the RE Director. As Mrs. Ford knew that Jesus wanted to come to Gracie in the Blessed Sacrament, she agreed to allow her if she passed the oral exam. I am proud to say that Grace did wonderfully! All that studying and memorizing made the whole experience easy; she was quite the professional.

Pentecost was a perfect day for FHC, the birthday of the Church. Everybody was celebrating! Grace sat in the front row with the other excited and nervous communicants at the Traditional Latin Mass. Father Claude remarked many times about the intense concentration of the children. They didn't want to miss anything. As I was not allowed to take photos, we shall have to be content with our memories. I did manage to sneak in one photo of Marie Claire praying diligently. This was before she decided the the pew was her playground and had to be whisked off to the narthex. She does look angelic for the moment though, doesn't she?

After Mass, Gracie patiently smiled through all the photo requests. While she cooperated, Marie Claire most certainly did not. Oh well, that angelic moment could not last too long, otherwise she would just not be Marie Claire!

That sweet classic pose with the hands folded was strictly for my benefit. What Grace really wanted to do was twirl in her princess dress. For as Christ is the King, then she is His princess. So, she twirled and twirled and twirled. Pure joy!

Afterwards, everyone swam, of course. It is tradition. BBQ followed and the much anticipated gf banana and cream cheese frosting cake. After looking through many images on the computer, Grace decided that a monstrance would be the perfect decoration for the top. The red candies are a nod to Pentecost as we did not do any other celebrating.

All three of my girls have worn the same dress. Olivia, Nanna, and I headed up to the Los Angeles garment district seven years ago to find the perfect gown for my very tall, very thin girl. We had a memorable day amongst satin and lace. In the end, she chose this beautiful classic. We fully expected to repeat this experience with each of the girls. It was such a fun girly day. However, both Collette and Grace looked forward to wearing the beautiful white dress that hangs so patiently in my closet for that one special day. We did have to shorten the skirt a bit as no one has been able to match Olivia in height.

Blessed First Holy Communion, Grace!

A Mother's Day Crowning and More

I have been informed that it takes months to post our little adventures. Months! Well, there may be some small kernel of truth to that bold statement. Thus, as a Mother's Day present to my own mother, here are photos from the very day they were taken.

Happy Mother's Day!

Today was quite a day for my Gracie Girl. She not only crowned Mary at the beginning of Mass, but also made her First Confession as well. She has been practicing her prayers diligently and rehearsing the order with Stephen. She read through all of Catechism lessons and thoroughly anticipated the day. Now, she has a pristine soul, ready for her First Holy Communion next week. 

After Mass, we headed over to a fellow parishioner's lovely home for brunch. I am always a little hesitant to take my crew to an adult celebration, but they all behaved admirably and I was even able to talk to another grown up for a bit. What a treat! That doesn't happen very often. :-)

One of our family traditions is that after First Confession, the little penitent receives a double scoop of ice cream from an ice cream parlor. This is quite a treat and everyone is thrilled! We headed off to Baskin' Robbins for cones on this hot day. Gracie chose mint chocolate chip and chocolate swirl. Hmm, that was a lot of ice cream, so she generously shared with Marie Claire. Marie had been eyeing her cone from the moment Grace sat down. We sat and laughed and enjoyed our beautiful day together.

Happy Birthday Gracie!

My cherished girl turned seven yesterday. She has grown up so much all of a sudden. What happened to my round cheeked napper who loved nothing more than a bit of quiet time with her favorite hound? Now, she is a strong independent girl who can work those monkey bars like a circus artist. And if she cannot be found swinging wildly from bar to bar outside, then she is laughing quietly to herself over her favorite Milly-Molly-Mandy book. Oh yes, she is a reader too!

Maybe all that time spent flying through air in our backyard prepared her for her wildest feat yet- zip lining over a lake at the county fair, TWICE! Oh, and UPSIDE DOWN in the DARK! 

I'm still shaking my head over that one.

Doesn't she look like a sweet little girl who likes to color pictures and play with bunnies and gnomes? Like one who might sneak up and surprise you with a big hug and kiss? She is all that lovable sweetness and crazy, too. What a girl!

I do love you, Grace!

Keep the surprises coming, my dear. (Good ones, of course!)

Happy, Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Grace

I can't believe you are six already. 

You have so quietly and gently grown up just a little more each day.

 Happy Birthday, My Beautiful Girl

A Mother's Day Crowning

This year Grace was chosen to be the May Queen at Mass. She has watched her sister, Collette, crown Mary for two years now thus she was thrilled to be asked and I was thrilled to just be present. Once again it was a day to count blessings as Xavier and I had returned from an overnight stay at the hospital. This time he was diagnosed with pneumonia. I am truly thankful for the wonderful doctors, nurses, and family who watch over and care for my sweet boy. I am also deeply grateful for the beautiful time spent in prayer at Mass as the quiet between the storms was short lived. Upon returning home, most of us were overwhelmed by a nasty virus. Poor Stephen heroically cared for all the sick little ones while I hid away upstairs. Goodness, what a mother's day to be remembered.

The Blessing

MAY CROWN

All early in the morning 

I rose to greet the day, 

And underneath my window 

I saw a Child at play.

The robins were not fearful 

Of one so mild and meek; 

They lighted on His shoulder 

And nested at His cheek.

He picked the clustering roses, 

The lily in its sheath, 

The long-stemmed purple violets, 

And wove them in a wreath.

And then I saw a Lady 

Come walking in the dew; 

Her robe was white as starshine, 

Her mantle was deep blue.

And as the Child approached her, 

All sweetly she knelt down 

And bent her head, receiving 

His fragrant, flowery crown.

Helen Connolly 

The Magnificat. Volume LXVI. Number 1. May 1940.

My beautiful May Queen.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven, pray for you each and everyday.

7 Quick Takes Friday (vol.11)

1. My sister gave us a few straw hats when she was here visiting from Hawaii. Thank you Lisa! I love little girls in straw hats!

Although, Olivia is not so little anymore is she?

2. We went bowling with the Murphys. What fun on a hot summer day! I think this past time fits in very well with our new country hick image.

The big kids were quite competitive. 

Gracie was happy when the ball made it all the way down the lane without stopping.

And Dominic cheered at the fall of every pin.

Collette had pretty good form.

Shoes- you knew it was coming didn't you Claire? :-)

3. Grace is starting kindergarten this year. Where, oh where, did the time go? Just yesterday we were looking to build a house when this little pumpkin arrived:

And now the little boy is nearing the end of elementary school and the baby is beginning.  September, it takes my breath away every time.

4. Another first for my family- Stephen slaughtered one of our roosters for dinner. He was quite tasty. The chicken, of course. The little ones and I did not watch. Oh no. I'm okay with the whole chicken thing so long as it looks like a chicken ready for the pot. However, the blood and feathers are left up to the man of the house.

For posterity.

5. A prayer to start the day:

What is your will for me, O God?

I await your plan.

I want to live only for you

and be guided by you always.

Grant that your holy will be done in me.

~St. Jane de Chantal

If only this prayer could be answered with a quick and concrete checklist.

6. Grace

7. I'm off to plan and plan and plan for the new school year. We will be traveling through the Eastern Hemisphere with books and food and art. Collette will prepare for her First Holy Communion and Dominic will take his place as a preschooler-in-training.

Host by Jen @ Conversion Diary