I love this picture so much! We NEVER get this good of a shot. Everyone actually smiling and not in pj's yet! Hooray!

Family picture taken on the day of Leah's baptism. Sr. Bernanrd Mary and Sr. Clare were actually able to make it too. Very good day!

Quick trip!

Well we just got back from a super quick trip to Iowa.  I am telling you it was quick because we arrived at 9pm on Friday night and left at noon on Sunday.  Over 16 hours in the car for that little visit!  It was so good to see everyone though.  Dom and I worked a Catholic Men's conference all day on Saturday as venders with our Lighthouse Catholic Media table.  We really enjoyed being there.  Dominic really liked the keynote speaker and so did my dad.  It was wonderful having my dad there at the conference so he could see us in action at our table.  Some of my friends from years ago were there so I was able to catch up with them too!  Then on Saturday night, we spent some time with my sister Ann and her family.  Everyone looked great!  The kids had so much fun together.  Mena can't stop talking about her cousins and has been making them pictures for the last hour!  Anyway, I got to see my little Godchild Egan.  He is such a smilely little fellow.  Oren, Alice, and Mena had a ball downstairs with Grandma and Grandpa while Ann and I caught up on chit chat.  Dom and Aaron were in the other room chatting away too!  Ann and I are both pregnant now so we got a little pic together withour bellies.  She is around 10 weeks and I am 27 weeks.  Fun times!  Then we left for home in the morning.  and got back to our humble abode around 10pm.  That made for one LONG weekend!

Moments like these...

What a precious moment.  This is Dominic with his Busia, showing her an ultrasound picture of our unborn baby!  So beautiful.

Cousins!

Cousins!

Disney on Ice

Many thanks to my dear friend Sharon who won free tickets to Disney on Ice that she couldn't use.  We were more than happy to help her with her predicament!  Dom, Myself, Mena, and her Cia Cia Clare got to go see the show in Auburn Hills.  It was wonderful!  We had so much fun!  Here are a few pictures...

Mena wouldn't sit in my lap except for that one picture.  I was a little sad, had to remind myself that this is typical preschooler behavior.  She wants nothing to do with me when other options are available.  Especially someone as cool as her Godmother!

The show was fantastic and had skating skits from many different Disney movies.  My favorite were the toy soldiers from Toy Story and the whole It's a Small World skate.  Very well done and I would defintily take her again someday.  Thanks so much Sharon!

Prayers needed...

I am asking for prayers for my little cousin David.  He has a confirmed case of the Swine Flu.  He has asthma and the swine flu can make this worse and so he needs to be watched very carefully. 
He and his mom and siblings just moved to Florida in August.  His father, my uncle Kevin, died a year and a half ago.  Please pray that he recovers soon and that the rest of the family stays healthy.  Thanks.

Wordless Wednesday!

Here are some photos from our summer family reunion.  These shots are from the indoor amusement park.  It was the first time for Mena and her cousins to go on the kiddie rides.  They loved them!

Family pictures

Here are two family pictures that were taken last Sunday.  It was Maria's birthday party and farewell party.  She entered the postulancy for the Sisters of Mercy in Alma, Mi.  It is very exciting! 

Oren's Third Birthday

Happy Birthday Oren!

Mena and cousin Alice

His new sword!

This was a "Firebomb" that kept going off during the fireworks. It was crazy! You could fee the heat all the way out in the crowd from it.

The whole gang-minus Dom who took the picture.

My nephew Oren turned three years old last weekend. I can't believe it. He is such a doll. Mena will be three in just 3 short months and this was a stark reminder! Wow, how time flies. Oren received some great gifts and the food was great. We also went to the parade and the fireworks all together and he thought they were happening because of his "Big Day!" Too cute!

Iowa Vacation (take 2)

Our time at Palo Beach with my sister Ann, husband Aaron and their three kids. It was a beautiful day to be out in the sun!

This is the family at the Pickle Days Parade by Ann and Aaron's house. We got a ton of candy because we got there a few minutes late and had our own spot. Worked out fantastic!

I have so many pictures and wonderful memories from this weekend. I will try to write this is several posts. We were gone for ten days visiting my family in Iowa, the end of which was our family reunion in Starved Rock, IL. So much fun was had by all! These are some pictures of the events that took place in the previous post I wrote last week. Stay tuned for even more pictures!

AMANDA

Iowa Vacation

We are having so much fun in Iowa visiting my family and friends. We arrived on Friday evening and had a nice visit with my mom. My Dad wasn't home due to his work schedule. Saturday was jam packed full of fun. My husband did the Honor Guard for the Pilgram Virgin Statue that morning with my Dad. The FULL rosary was said and I am so proud of my Daddy for doing this. He is a roll model to us all. When they got back, Dom, I and Mena went to Palo Beach (man made) with my sister Ann, her husband Aaron, and their three darling kiddos. We played in the sand and got in the water a little but it was pretty cold. Fun times had by all. Then we went back to their house to celebrate their oldest turning three! I can't believe how darling Oren is. We ate pizza, wen't to a parade in a nearby town, had cake and icecream back at their house, then left again to go see the fireworks. It was great! The parade and fireworks were for the towns "Pickle Days" so at the end of the parade people handed out free pickles. Too funny!We were in the perfect place on the parade route. At the very end and there was no one in our immediate vicinity so the kids got all the candy for themselves! Worked out great. The kids were a little scard of the fireworks due to the volume of the BOOMS, but they eventually calmed down and loved the display. After fireworks, we came home and went to sleep. That was one full day! Sunday we went to 12 Mass sense we were all tired and wanted to sleep in. We saw Ann and Family at Mass at St. Pius and then had lunch with them back at the house. We babysat while they went shoping and then Played a game of Risk with my Dad, brother, and Dominic. I had to put Mena to bed so my mom took her place. It was so much fun and I think a rematchneeds to take place since I didn't get to play the full game and lost. Oh well!
Monday we wen't to Mass at the hospital and then ate there for lunch. It was a nice little meal. They even had French Silk Pie. UMMM!!! I LOVE ME SOME PIE! We came home and relaxed for a little while. That has been our week so far and we are having a blast. Stay tuned for more updates and I promise pics will be posted soon. We have our reunion this weekend and I can't wait for that. We are haveing a family softball tourney and there will be about 4 teams. Pray that I am not an embarrassment. I haven't played softball in forever!

What have you been up to lately?

Flashback Friday!

This is from last summer. Mena with her Godmother Clare and her uncle Simon. So cute!

Kissin' Cousins

Here are a few pics from outside play in our yard with Mena's cousin Zoey. They are about a year and a half apart and the best of friends.

Wedding

Here are some pictures from my cousins wedding. It was a beautiful place to hold a reception. Mena loved it outside and she really enjoyed running around the place with her cousins!