Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for so much today...a wonderful husband, a darling daughter, a bouncing babe on the way, a fantastic family and family of in-laws, but most of all, I am thankful for my faith.  What an amazing blessing it is to be able to worship my Lord and go to Church everyday if I so choose!  Thanks God for this awesome gift.  There is so much else I have to be thankful for but I can't write it all now.  I am in the middle of cooking the little smokies and corn for the family get together.  It should be wonderful to see everyone and the talent show tonight will definitly be a highlight. 
I wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.  Enjoy your fam, food, football, and fun! 

Playdate

Friends Philomena and Brennan watching tv together.  It was an exhausting playdate for these two.  Just kidding...they were up dancing and busting a move in no time!!!

Wordless Wednesday!

ALL DRESSED TO IMPRESS!!!!!!!

Our Backyard Campfire

Here are a few pictures of our little family having a campfire in our own backyard. 

Trick or Treating at Dzia Dzia's house

TRICK OR TREAT DZIA DZIA! 

Montessori Mena

Here are a few of the activities I did with Mena today.  We have gotten away from our everyday schooling in the basement but I am trying to get back into it.  We have been extremely busy lately and I have let that be an excuse to not teach.  I am now realizing this and hope to remedy it!  She loved these new activities because she is so interested in her letters right now.

Here is a shot of Mena doing her sandpaper letters.  I first ask her to find the "m" out of the four letters at the top, I do this with each of these letters.  She traces each letter with her finger and says the letter sound and then uses her sand tray to draw the letters.  I then introduced the letter tray which at the oment has all objects of colors that start with that sound.  I found a couple, then we walked around the room and found some together.  These activities are now on the shelf for her to choose from.  I plan to add obects for each of the letters but she was done with school for the day!

Here are two shots of Mena playing in her sensory bucket.  I noticed she wanted to play in the sand when she traced her letters so I immediatly created this sensory bucket for her to play in.  She loved it.  I filled it with beans, rice, and mini marshmallows.  I added some measuring cups and such for her to scoop and pour.  It worked out well. 

Trick or Treat?

Mena and I went to her playgroups Halloween party yeterday and had a ball.  There were close to 50 people there but was very well organized and not the least bit out of control.  I loved it!  They had games and crafts for the children and even a small dance floor.  Perfect for those times when they needed to let off some energy.  We had two special visitors, Elmo and Mickey Mouse.  Most of the kids loved them but my Mena was a tad scared.  She loved them from a distance.  Although here a few days later she is still telling me that she didn't like the big Elmo, she only likes little Elmos!  We had a costume parade and got candy along the way.  There was great food and drink.  Each child got to leave with a pumpkin of there choice which Mena was excited about.

Lighthouse Catholic Media

Our business is going really well.  We went to our work conferance two weekends ago and got rejuvenated and excited again about our mission of evangelization in the Catholic church.  This past weekend we had our first parish kick off and it was very successful.  We were at the parish for four masses and a pancake breakfast promoting the cd's and the CD of the Month Club.  Then on Monday night, Steve Ray came to speak at that same parish.  We were there again to promote Lighthouse.  He promoted the program during his talk which helped too. 
Our goal for this year is to get 500 new cd of the month club subscriptions!  I know we can do it.  Think of how many lives can be touched from them and it only cost $5 a month.  Do you have someone with a birthday coming up or how about a unique gift of faith this Christmas?  Check out http://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/ and use promo code 1740 if interested!  You can also click on my sidebar button.  Yes I know, this is a shameless plug!  But seriously this cd club can bring you so much deeper in your faith and help you grow closer to Christ.  Isn't that what we all want?

I've been so busy lately...or was it slacking???

I have had so many blogging moments in the past week or so but have not found time to get to the computer to actually blog about them.  Sorry if you have been a faithful follower and I have not kept up my end of the bargain! 
To start things off...I had my ultrasound on Tuesday and everything looks great.  The baby is growing in my uterus where he/she is supposed to be and I have a new due date of June 26, 2010.  Very exciting!  I have not started showing as of yet.  I am 6 weeks today.  I think I am actually loosing some weight first rather than gaining which is exactly what happened with my pregnancy with Mena.  The baby likes using my excess fat and I know I have plenty of that!  I have another Ultrasound on this Tuesday just to make sure they can hear the heartbeat and that everything still looks okay.  So far we only see one little tyke in there!  We are so excited here at our house.

Nursing Rhyme

Well, I am finally pregnant again!  Hooray!!!  I have been thinking a lot about nursing lately.  I loved nursing Mena.  She actually nursed for 25 months and it was wonderful.  I found this poem/rhyme set to Dr. Seuss Green eggs and Ham and wanted to share it with you...

Would you nurse her in the park?
Would you nurse him in the dark?
Would you nurse him with a Boppy?
And when your boobs are feeling floppy?
I would nurse her in the park,
I would nurse him in the dark.
I'd nurse with or without a Boppy.
Floppy boobs will never stop me.
Can you nurse with your seat belt on?
Can you nurse from dusk till dawn?
Though she may pinch me, bite me, pull,
I will nurse her `till she's full!
Can you nurse and make some soup?
Can you nurse and feed the group?
It makes her healthy strong and smart,
Mommy's milk is the best start!
Would you nurse him at the game?
Would you nurse her in the rain?
In front of those who dare complain?
I would nurse him at the game. I would nurse her in the rain.
As for those who protest lactation, I have the perfect explanation.
Mommy's milk is tailor made It's the perfect food, you need no aid.
Some may scoff and some may wriggle, Avert their eyes or even giggle.
To those who can be cruel and rude, Remind them breast's the perfect food!
I would never scoff or giggle, Roll my eyes or even wiggle!
I would not be so crass or crude, I KNOW that this milk's the perfect food!
We make the amount we need
The perfect temp for every feed.
There's no compare to milk from breast- The perfect food, above the rest.
Those nursing smiles are oh so sweet,
Mommy's milk is such a treat.
Human milk just can't be beat.
I will nurse, in any case,
On the street or in your face.
I will not let my baby cry,
I'll meet her needs, I'll always try.
It's not about what's good for you,
It's best for babies, through and through.
I will nurse her in my home,
I will nurse her when I roam.
Leave me be lads and ma'am.
I will nurse her, Mom I am.