Happy New Year Everyone!
I don't usually make New Year's Resolutions because I think ideally if you realize something about your life needs to change you will just do it right then, but I figured I'd examine what I want and try it out.
1. I without a doubt need to make more time for prayer. Having kids keeps me busy but I can't be a good mother without prayer so I can't use my kids as an excuse. I need to find a schedule of what prayers I say and when and stick to it, including some "free style" time, just me and the Big Guy!
2. I need to take some time to leave the house and the kids and do things for me. I am always home with the kids and NEVER leave them. I need to hit the gym more than once a month, go on dates with my hubby, get a pedicure, even just run to the store without them while Kyle is home. I need to trust other people to take care of my kids for me, get a chance to miss them.
3. I need to do more outside.
4. I need to suck it up and learn some crafts. Just because I hate crafts doesn't mean the kids should suffer.
5. I need to throw stuff away. Just go down to my basement and toss what I don't need, one box at a time. Who needs all that stuff anyway?
6. I need to reach out to more people. I tend to keep to a small group of friends that I trust (partly out of laziness, partly because I hate getting burned) but I've learned that closing myself off can be isolating and keeps me from wonderful relationships. I've recently reconnected with one good friend from college that I had been missing (Kristen L) and it has been so wonderful. I made a new friend in town (Ashley). I also connected with an amazing group of Catholic women (Catholics R Us) who have taught me so much and helped me through big and little bumps in the road. I've also tried harder to maintain the friendships that I had grown neglectful of. I can do more. I need people in my life if I want to grow.
7. I need to work on my cussing, especially on the road.
8. I could stand to cut down on the spending... and the starbucks..
9. I'd like to keep in better touch with my grandparents and my aunts and uncles.
This year I am going to just try to be the best I can be. Pray for me!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Christmas 2011- The Great Child Spoiling
SANTA CAME! WAIT TIL THE WEE ONES SEE!
Debating over whether to reheat the pizza in the microwave or the oven of their new kitchen from Grandmom and Granddad
Love her new hair do!
Back at home hanging out in Bitty Baby's crib!
And of course the greatest gift we gave them was each other!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Merry Christmas Eve
Merry Christmas Eve to all of my family and friends.
May the world be filled with peace, joy and love as we bow before the newborn Son of God. Love to you all.
May the world be filled with peace, joy and love as we bow before the newborn Son of God. Love to you all.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
How the Mother loves her Son
Most nights Juliette will wake up crying and end up in our bed. Sometimes I nurse her and we both fall back to sleep but on some lovely nights I stay up and just watch her for a while. I kiss her head, rub her hair, listen to her breathe, and just bask in the overwhelming love I feel for her.
Lately though, as Christmas comes closer and closer, I think about how Mary must have done the same thing with her Son. How she must have stayed up at night and just held Him and kissed Him and adored Him. It amazes me even more as a mother how Mary was able to love Jesus like no other person in the world. And if my love for my children seems overwhelming in my imperfection and my sinfulness, I can't even imagine how much she loved Jesus in her freedom from sin and all other impediments to Love. She loved Jesus and a mother and adored him as her God. That must have knocked the breath out of her every, single day.
I'd thought about this before, tried to meditate on what it meant for her to be His mother but honestly couldn't even fathom it. I think as a mother my understanding has only increased one one millionth but when I lie next to my baby and smell her head and watch her eyelids flutter I can just try to ask Mary to show me more how she loves her Son.
Lately though, as Christmas comes closer and closer, I think about how Mary must have done the same thing with her Son. How she must have stayed up at night and just held Him and kissed Him and adored Him. It amazes me even more as a mother how Mary was able to love Jesus like no other person in the world. And if my love for my children seems overwhelming in my imperfection and my sinfulness, I can't even imagine how much she loved Jesus in her freedom from sin and all other impediments to Love. She loved Jesus and a mother and adored him as her God. That must have knocked the breath out of her every, single day.
I'd thought about this before, tried to meditate on what it meant for her to be His mother but honestly couldn't even fathom it. I think as a mother my understanding has only increased one one millionth but when I lie next to my baby and smell her head and watch her eyelids flutter I can just try to ask Mary to show me more how she loves her Son.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Beauty
There is no way I could ever doubt the existence of God. He has given me more than I deserve and filled my life with love and beauty and joy. As if it wasn't enough to experience Him in the Eucharist, I am given my husband and daughters to be His presence to me at all times. There isn't much more to say tonight... Just standing in awe of His goodness.
Monday, December 19, 2011
SIRI MY LOVE!
I have to confess my bad wifey-ness to the world. Yesterday I accidentally found out what Kyle got me for Christmas... and it was NOT a dolphin named Patrick!
I GOT AN IPHONE!
I am a stay at home momma and have never really desired a smart phone because my computer is basically in the playroom where I spend my days and I thought, "Why wouldn't I just check me email and facebook on that?!"
When the new Iphone came out I was intrigued by SIRI (my love!) and began to learn more. Organization apps? Homeschooling apps? NFP apps? Confession apps? FRUIT NINJA?!?! AMAZING CAMERA?!?! OH DO I DESIRE IT SO! It would be my smart MOMMY phone!
Still, I could not justify the cost of buying one to myself and so I looked at pictures of them on the apple website and thought.... one day... maybe....
Until that STUDLY husband of mine went all secret Christmas ninja on me and bought me one! OH JOY!
Yesterday I noticed some *ahem* charges to our Verizon bills and decided to investigate because I am not a fan of fraudlent charges. Then I saw it... a new phone... white and distinctly IPhone shaped!
I freaked out, then cried because I had ruined the surprise, then freaked out some more, then decided to call Kyle and tell him what I had done.
So we exchanged presents last night and it's a good thing because I would have spent all Christmas wrapped up in my own little 4g world. Now I can be totally focused on the kiddos like a good mommy.
The moral of the story is... I HAVE THE BEST HUSBAND IN THE WORLD!
Thanks babe!
I GOT AN IPHONE!
I am a stay at home momma and have never really desired a smart phone because my computer is basically in the playroom where I spend my days and I thought, "Why wouldn't I just check me email and facebook on that?!"
When the new Iphone came out I was intrigued by SIRI (my love!) and began to learn more. Organization apps? Homeschooling apps? NFP apps? Confession apps? FRUIT NINJA?!?! AMAZING CAMERA?!?! OH DO I DESIRE IT SO! It would be my smart MOMMY phone!
Still, I could not justify the cost of buying one to myself and so I looked at pictures of them on the apple website and thought.... one day... maybe....
Until that STUDLY husband of mine went all secret Christmas ninja on me and bought me one! OH JOY!
Yesterday I noticed some *ahem* charges to our Verizon bills and decided to investigate because I am not a fan of fraudlent charges. Then I saw it... a new phone... white and distinctly IPhone shaped!
I freaked out, then cried because I had ruined the surprise, then freaked out some more, then decided to call Kyle and tell him what I had done.
So we exchanged presents last night and it's a good thing because I would have spent all Christmas wrapped up in my own little 4g world. Now I can be totally focused on the kiddos like a good mommy.
The moral of the story is... I HAVE THE BEST HUSBAND IN THE WORLD!
Thanks babe!
Friday, December 16, 2011
The Eucharist goes in your mouth
IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS and boy am I pumped! It's the beautiful Christmas mass with the singing and the holiness and the adorable dressed up kiddos, it's Santa bringing presents. it's family time and having a birthday party for Jesus. I just love it.
Not to mention my husband has apparently gotten my "the best Christmas gift ever" (besides Jesus, of course) and won't even give me a hint as to what it is. Naturally I am a basket case over not knowing and have nagged him non stop to give me a hint. He won't. He's adorable. I've made up a story that he is giving me a dolphin that I will call Patrick. Sure, it may seem unreasonable to ask for a dolphin in a 3 bedroom apartment in the cold northeast but we have a really big bathtub.
We went to the mall Friday to see Santa and had to wait until after his lunch break was over to get in line. The Santa booth was right by the personalized ornaments and so I found the girls an ornament with two hearts that said BFF in the middle. I had them place one of their name's in each heart because they are BFFs and I think it's precious so I hung it in a very prominent spot on the tree as soon as I got home.
But back to the trip to the mall.... FINALLY Santa appeared and we were FIRST IN LINE. Madeleine was excited until it was "go time" and she came down with a massive case of nerves. The picture ended up being Juliette half passed out in Santa's arms, Madeleine on my lap looking PISSED and me smiling for the camera. Not one we will be prominently displaying for years to come but definitely one that we will bring out to embarrass them in front of friends.
In between refusing to look at the camera and staring at the floor Madeleine would turn to Santa and say, "Santa... trains please!" The kid at least knows how that part works.
Today was the final Sunday of Advent and another mass where I missed almost all of the new responses peeling Juliette off the pews and convincing Madeleine that this was NOT a good time to tickle the baby. However, when Madeleine does pay attention it is an amazing thing. During the consecration I told her, "Look at the priest. He is turning the bread into Jesus' body!" She looks at me, eyes wide, and goes, "NO WAY!"
Later I asked her if she knew what the Eucharist was. She nodded. She goes, "The Eucharist goes in your mouth." She may not know that the Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus but she knows that the priest puts the Eucharist in your mouth. I'm very proud of her.
And that's been my weekend so far... not too exciting but I am very joyful.
Not to mention my husband has apparently gotten my "the best Christmas gift ever" (besides Jesus, of course) and won't even give me a hint as to what it is. Naturally I am a basket case over not knowing and have nagged him non stop to give me a hint. He won't. He's adorable. I've made up a story that he is giving me a dolphin that I will call Patrick. Sure, it may seem unreasonable to ask for a dolphin in a 3 bedroom apartment in the cold northeast but we have a really big bathtub.
We went to the mall Friday to see Santa and had to wait until after his lunch break was over to get in line. The Santa booth was right by the personalized ornaments and so I found the girls an ornament with two hearts that said BFF in the middle. I had them place one of their name's in each heart because they are BFFs and I think it's precious so I hung it in a very prominent spot on the tree as soon as I got home.
But back to the trip to the mall.... FINALLY Santa appeared and we were FIRST IN LINE. Madeleine was excited until it was "go time" and she came down with a massive case of nerves. The picture ended up being Juliette half passed out in Santa's arms, Madeleine on my lap looking PISSED and me smiling for the camera. Not one we will be prominently displaying for years to come but definitely one that we will bring out to embarrass them in front of friends.
In between refusing to look at the camera and staring at the floor Madeleine would turn to Santa and say, "Santa... trains please!" The kid at least knows how that part works.
Today was the final Sunday of Advent and another mass where I missed almost all of the new responses peeling Juliette off the pews and convincing Madeleine that this was NOT a good time to tickle the baby. However, when Madeleine does pay attention it is an amazing thing. During the consecration I told her, "Look at the priest. He is turning the bread into Jesus' body!" She looks at me, eyes wide, and goes, "NO WAY!"
Later I asked her if she knew what the Eucharist was. She nodded. She goes, "The Eucharist goes in your mouth." She may not know that the Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus but she knows that the priest puts the Eucharist in your mouth. I'm very proud of her.
And that's been my weekend so far... not too exciting but I am very joyful.
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