too hot to handle

Sarah: "I don't want to play with Sean. He is playing thermal detinators....."

Mom: "Of course!"

Luau...Swim!

What will we do this summer? Swim. And to the get the summer started right, we attended a luau at the pool. Somehow Luke placed in the top three at the "belly flop" contest....how does a skinny kid do that? Sarah and Sean gave the hoola-hoop a twirl, we had cook-out dinner, enjoyed the water slides (yes our pool has 3 water slides!) It was a special evening of family fun, although Patrick is still trying to figure out what constitutes a luau.....3 pink flamingoes and a tikki torch is his answer.

end of the homeschooling year

One of the biggest blessings of our life in Tampa, has been our homeschooling group. The kids and I do "school" four days a week and then once a week we meet with our homeschool friends. Think 80 or more kids. The kids have classes.....real classes, like ballet, science, creative writing, Spanish, art, etc. They are taught by wonderful teachers, and the kids love it. We have playground time, and lunch time, and play with our friend time. And I get to swap ideas with other moms. It is a great situation. On our last day of co-op for this year we had performances, and ice cream treats, and parties. Sarah had a ballet recital where they were angels dancing before God. Luke had a poetry performance where he narrated part of the time and performed some Shel Silverstein poems. And Sean just partied. Daddy's wonderful boss let him come see the kids in their element for part of the day which was fantastic. Sarah finished the day with tea party with the girls in her Little Flowers club. (Daddy even got to serve the tea).

Now we will start summer school in order to break once the baby comes!

the ARK

I was calling it the wooden monster, but have decided the ark is more appropriate. When you are trying to cram 4 kids a bedroom, not only do you need sleeping space, you need storage space. The ark works. Kids like it. They like to sleep on it, play hide-and-seek in it, climb it...... Animals like it too...especially if the kids are playing on it with them. Hence the ark. Also, if it floods, we have enough wood to build the ark the correct way. I'm sure of it!

Move over Beethoven

The Kelty kids are in town. Today was one of our two end-of-the-year co-op parties this week. The kids had a piano performance for this event. They both did well, and learning to play in front of a crowd was a good experience for them. I love to hear their little fingers practicing every day. I must admit, Ode to Joy, provides me a bit more "joy" than the Star Wars theme, but music is music, and I am happy my children are learning how to make some. It is fun to watch them aquire new skills over the course of the school year, and their piano teacher makes this skill enjoyable for them, and I am thankful! I hope they will keep up this art for years to come.

Attention all Mother's

Don't serve jello on Mother's Day....or any day Daddy might be at home. He might mention past jello slurping contests he was in. Which might cause a son to remember a past school field day event that was similar. And the requests will begin. And Dad will agree to a jello slurping dinner....on Mother's Day. And manners will go out the window. And mom will wonder how she can ever make jello again. But everyone has fun, and no one chokes. And various speeches will be made on how to eat properly every other day. But....will they hear it above the laughter?

Pentecost Sunday

This past Sunday was not only Mother's Day and Kelty move around the house day, but it was Pentecost Sunday in the Catholic Church. What a better way to celebrate than a birthday cake as we celebrate the birthday of the Church. We even sang! The red blobs were supposed to be flames like tongues of fire......I'll work on that technique for next year. And next year I'll think ahead about cake mix. The only cake mix I had in the house at 3pm when I was ready to bake was Devil's Food.....and that just seems wrong, frankly!

Mr. Baseball

Baseball is officially over. While it is just cranking up in many parts of the country, the season is over here in Florida due to the hot days lurking around the corner. The Pony league proved fruitful for Luke, as he learned quite a bit, and was introduced to "competative" baseball. His team had an awards party at a local pizza joint. All his teammates were recognized for something, and I had to dab my eyes a bit, when the coaches acknowledged Luke for his fun loving nature, optimism, and support of his fellow players. One of our goals was realized this year.....it isn't if you win or lose, it is how you play the game!

Diggin' in the dirt

The kids are always coming up with neat things to do. One of the current favorites involves a tool set, a dirt pit under the swing, nails, and the roots to the tree. So far the tree doesn't seem to mind.

There is no place like home.......

Dorothy is missing a few fellow characters...

Daddy Bird

I am married to a very wonderful and special man. I know this for many reasons, but Mother's Day proved it yet again. The flowers, breakfast, and play at the pool were great, but what took the cake was "the afternoon". My husband decided we should move furniture. Not just moving the bed from one wall to another.....this was serious work. We moved the kids bedroom into ours and vice versa. The same with the closets and the bathrooms. He dusted fans, the tops of furniture I simply pretend don't exist on cleaning day, baseboards, and the nooks between the carpet and the wall. He vacuumed. He fixed things that needed fixing. He had the kids polishing dress shoes, carrying furniture, using hammers, and all sorts of exiting kid things. I was told to relax, sit down......only I tried to help. I sorted clothes and rearranged closets, and picked up messes, and found "lost toys". By ten in the evening, we had a "new house". And this arrangement has plenty of room for baby....for baby's bassinet, for baby's diapers, and even somewhere for baby's clothes! My husband can "nest" with the rest of us pregnant moms. He is such a daddy bird!

Everybody is a critic

This was an "overheard" conversation between Luke and Patrick as he drove home from work.

Luke: "And dinner wasn't very good. It wasn't Mom's fault. It was a new recipe. We just didn't like it."

That is one to cross off the list.

First Communion and May Crowning

Luke made his First, Holy Communion a few weeks ago. Wouldn't you know that my camera died before the event happened. I am waiting for Grandpa to send some pictures. It was a beautiful, special day. Last Friday, we had a May crowing with our homeschool friends and the First Communicants got to lead the event.

Mary, my mother, join me now in a mother's prayer that, through the special graces of motherhood, my little child may instruct me in the ways of God: that its innocent eyes may speak to me of the spotless holiness of Jesus; that its open smile may continually remind me of the great love God has for his creatures; that its helplessness may teach me the unbounded power of God; and that its first feeble efforts to speak may tell me of God's wisdom. Pray with me now that its complete trust in me may lead me to a like confidence in God, and that its simple affection for me may bring me to a greater love for Him. And so, in all these things, may I grow in a greater appreciation of my holy motherhood, and day by day reflect more faithfully the radiant beauty manifest in your motherhood, which God gave us as the model of all Christian motherhood. Mother of Mothers, pray for me! (A. Francis Coomes, S.J.)

Summer Meditation

There is something about having a protruding "baby belly" that affords perfect strangers the right to ask all sorts of silly questions. Especially when I am out with my "other" 3 kids. These are the ones I have received lately.......

"Are you happy about it (the pregnancy)?"

"Haven't you yet figured out how this happens?"

"Will you have any more?"

"Are they all yours...and you are having another?"

Most of the time I shrug, smile, and answer yes, we are all so looking forward to the baby. And then a few days ago, amidst the chaos of one messy day, I had to laugh as I thought about all those people that ask me those questions. So I got out my camera and shot scenes over 30 minutes of my average day. And here they are. And this is what I want to say to all those people who don't understand my life.

Never, over the course of 10 years have I wondered if this is what I am supposed to be doing. Even during the mess, illnesses, and frustrations of daily life, I know God has me where He wants me and that I am doing His will. I never would have guessed 12 years ago that this would be my life, but God has His way, and I am so thankful. Over the course of 30 minutes the other day, I had a young botanist arranging flowers, a ball player attempting to throw strikes into the target (which was too close to the garden), an open freezer with a 2 year old in another room with a popsicle, mud trails all over the house (the botanist), and three kids who eventually decided costumes were more fun than it all. So I closed the freezer, cleaned up the sticky 2 year old, admired the flowers, swept the floor, and laughed at the costumes. I love these little people and can't imagine my life without them. And that is why we are so happy for baby #4 to arrive. They provide my joy and my path to sanctity. I can't image of any greater joy than mothering these children. And I wonder what the people who ask me those questions would like me to do all day...

Victory!

The start to a good day involves a child finding a "missing item" in this house that Mom has been looking for for days. Unfortunately it happens a lot these days. Life is so busy, and I have pregnant brain....

The victory today was Sean's missing tennis shoe. The poor guy needn't wear crocs any more for days on end, when his mom should have him in tennis shoes, but can't find them....

Conversations on the commode

Sean and I spend a lot of time on the potty these days. OK, Sean is on the potty, I am just the observer/helper person. I'm convinced he enjoys these sessions because he has my undivided attention, and he will just chat away for minutes on end....(15-20 sometimes). It is a blessing since it forces me to slow down and just focus on him and the wonders he finds in the world. I remember these sessions with the other kids, but I don't remember them filled with so much conversation, such is the world with Sean. And what a funny world it is. I appreciate being able to see my world through the eyes of my littlest guy, even if our conversations happen in the bathroom.

Sean: "God is funny."
Mom: " Yes, I think you are right. He made lots of funny animals, and funny plants...."
Sean: "And he can wipe his own tush!"

The things you look forward to when you are almost three are different from any other age. But there is a rule in this house.....no wiping by little people until 4 1/2.....it just makes my life less gross.