Let it Snow!

Living in the desert of southern New Mexico, snow is, to us, a very rare novelty. So last night, when we caught a glimpse of tiny white flakes blowing onto our patio, I quickly bundled up the kids and ran with them into the backyard, where we did a quick little happy dance before coming back inside to watch through the window. Our "snowstorm" passed nearly as quickly as it had arrived, but it was sure fun while it lasted!

Birthday Meme

I was tagged by Celeste for this birthday meme.

Here's how you play:

1) Go to Wikipedia
2) In the search box, type your birth month and day but not the year.
3) List three events that happened on your birthday.
4) List two important birthdays and one death.
5) One holiday or observance (if any).

My birthday is June 23.

3 events:

1887: The Rocky Mountains Park Act becomes law in Canada, creating that nation's first national park, Banff National Park.
1888:Frederick Douglass is the first African-American nominated for US president.
1931:Wiley Post and Harold Gatty take off from Roosevelt Field, Long Island in an attempt to circumnavigate the world in a single-engine plane.

2 important birthdays:

1929: June Carter Cash, American singer
1948: Clarence Thomas, U.S. Supreme Court Justice

1 death:

1995: Jonas Salk, American medical researcher

1 Holiday/Observance:

Midsummer's Eve, Christianized the eve of the feast of Saint John the Baptist, is celebrated in much of Northern Europe and the British Islands.

I tag Nicole and Jennifer. Have fun!

Good Morning!

All day yesterday, I kept telling myself "I will NOT get sick! I will NOT get sick!"

Apparently I didn't listen.

Everything aches. I can't breathe through my nose. My eyes are on fire.

But you know something? This is actually an improvement over yesterday! So maybe things are looking up. Just to be safe, I think I should go review Danielle's very timely post about illness prevention. It is, after all, nearly December. I don't have time to be sick! One certain little sweetheart has a big birthday coming up--a first birthday! I really need to start planning for that. Darren and I will also soon be celebrating an important occassion--our eighth anniversary!

And...guess who's coming back to town?! My brother and his family! It's work related for him, but all the same, it means fun, fun, fun for me and my sister-in-law, not to mention our happy gang of children. They'll be here later today and will leave again on Sunday morning. We're thinking we'll take the kids to our city's annual Christmas tree lighting on Friday night. Carolers, hot beverages, cookies...I think they'll love it! I know I will.

On Saturday, I'm going with my sister-in-law to an annual Christmas bazaar which benefits a local womens shelter. It's been several years since I've been, and I'm hoping we can convince my mom to join us. What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than with the women I love, perusing holiday crafts and goodies, all while supporting a worthy cause?

So now I'm off to finish cleaning my house and to start the rest of the laundry that, after completing four loads yesterday, I just didn't have the energy to finish last night. And I can barely wait for my first sip of morning coffee! Yesterday at the grocery store I went just a teensy bit nuts with the creamers. But what was I to do, faced with such a wonderful selection? Peppermint Mocha, Pumpkin Spice, Caramel Praline, Chocolate Mint Truffle...I bought one of each. :)

It's the most wonderful time of the year

This has been such a perfectly wonderful holiday weekend. We set up our Christmas tree on Thursday morning and, after enjoying a lovely Thanksgiving dinner with my mom, her fiance, and his adult daughters, spent the rest of the day (and most of the evening!) decorating it. It seems to me more beautiful with each Christmas, and my very favorite part of it this year is the gorgeous nativity set we found on sale at Hobby Lobby to display beneath its branches.

We'll add the infant Jesus on Christmas morning, when we sing "Happy Birthday" to Him before opening gifts. My kids are so excited this year and are really getting into the spirit of the season. Dylan has developed a reverent obsession with nativities, and when he saw a set of miniature figures while shopping at Hobby Lobby, he begged us to buy them for him and then asked Darren to help him build a stable. Darren, of course, was more than happy to oblige, and their shared project was truly a labor of love. They spent most of yesterday out in the garage, measuring, sawing, gluing, drilling...I think St. Joseph would be proud!

Their finished product is amazing! Dylan is so very proud to have it on display in his bedroom. Immediately upon awakening this morning, he was asking if he could "play" with it, which for him entails detailed scenarios and conversations among the "characters". I love it. I love that he loves it. I love that my husband is such an incredible Daddy!

This year we'll also be making a Jesse Tree for the first time. I've never made one, I've never even actually seen one, but I really love the concept of them and I think it will be a project that our whole family will be able to enjoy together. I had pretty much decided on this kit from Emmanuel Books, but then, while we were shopping at Hobby Lobby a few nights ago, I just happened to find some really cute wooden ornaments that I think will work very well. I also bought some colorful foam sheets from which we can cut any other symbols we need. I wasn't entirely sure what to do with the things we got, but I found an excellent set of instructions at Catholic Culture that we'll use, reading the corresponding scripture verses directly from our bible. (I also came across these instructions at another site, which suggests additional symbols that we may also incorporate.) And I'm really, really hoping that the beautiful, fragrant, potted rosemary we have will work as our tree!

And so we begin this Christmas season. It is such a joy to celebrate the miracle of our Savior's birth with my children, to see it all through their eyes, to remember all the traditions I so loved as a child and bring them to new life with my own kids, adding new ones as we grow.

Got Milk?

When Dylan and Caitlyn were babies, I adhered very strictly to the "no cows milk until at least one year of age" rule. But this morning when Meghan, still three weeks shy of her first birthday, happened upon Dylan's abandoned cup of chocolate Ovaltine, there was no way I was going to stop her. She was much too happy, and way too cute!

Sweeties

Today I give thanks for the man who, on this day nine years ago, made me the happiest girl in the world by asking me to be his wife.

For the three beautiful souls who have been entrusted to our care here on earth, and for the one we never got to hold in our arms but look forward to one day meeting again in heaven.

It will be such a joyous reunion!

I am thankful for loving parents and brothers.

I give thanks for old, treasured friendships, and for new ones that grow more precious each day.

I am thankful for the warmth and comfort of our happy home, for plentiful food and drink, clothing for every season, and for the priviledge of living in this great country where all of these things are possible.

I am eternally thankful for a God who loves and strengthens me.

How is it...

that I can clean out my entire refridgerator, completely reorganize Meghan's dresser drawers (including storing all of her summer clothes), run the dishwasher twice, do three loads of laundry, bake five dozen cookies, clean up a major potty accident, intervene in countless sibling squabbles, and still manage to feel like a complete slacker mom?

Blame it on these two incredible ladies:

Celeste and Nicole, you are amazing! You encourage and inspire me in more ways than you'll ever know.

Hope you all have a wonderful and very blessed Thanksgiving!

'Tis the Season

With Thanksgiving just three days away, I've been thinking a lot lately about...

...Christmas.

I wasn't always this way. When I was younger, I was vehemently opposed to any hint of Christmas before at least December 1st! So it was completely out of character for me when, on our way home from my Aunt's house one Thanksgiving a few years ago, I turned to Darren and said, "Hey! I have a great idea! Why don't we decorate our Christmas tree when we get home?"

He was incredulous, but quickly warmed to the idea. It was such a nice, relaxing way to spend the afternoon, and our tree that year was so beautiful. We decided then that every year, following Thanksgiving dinner, we would get out the tree and take our time decorating it. And that's exactly what we've done. We listen to Christmas carols, sip egg nog and hot cocoa, and once it's dark, we light a fire and plug in the lights. It's such a peaceful, beautiful way to conclude such a special day.

We'll carry on the tradition this year, but I'm also excited about incorporating some other ideas I've had this year. It has been my concern in years past that, despite our best effort to focus with our children on the birth of baby Jesus, they still get wrapped up (as we all often do) in the commercialism of the season. So one idea I've had is to display our nativity set under the Christmas tree as a reminder that we are not awaiting material gifts but the birth of Jesus. Then, on Christmas morning, we'll place the infant Jesus with Mary and Joseph and sing "Happy Birthday" to Him, as we always do, before blowing out the candles on the birthday cake the kids help me make for Him every Christmas Eve.

I was also inspired this morning by Alice, who, borrowing an idea from Rebecca, created this beautiful Advent Log. What a wonderful idea! I'm hoping that Darren and I will be able to fashion one of our own.

If you don't mind sharing, I'd love to hear about any traditions or ideas that you all have! How do you keep the true spirit of the season alive in your own homes?

Posole, Part II

When I wrote about posole earlier this morning, I never imagined the overwhelmingly positive response I would get--and so quickly! Even my father-in-law, a faithful reader of this blog, called from Arizona, asking me to share my recipe. I am humbled and honored to impart it here, and, just for the record, more than a little self conscious! ("What if they try it, and hate it?!", I ruminated to Darren.)

While there are many variations--particularly regional differences--to be found with posole, I've stood by my dad's tried and true recipe. It makes a lot, so I use a tall stock pot to cook it all in. The recipe could, of course, be scaled down, but I love having leftovers!

I start with about 3 pounds of pork (I prefer the thin, boneless, loin center cut chops), which I cut into small cubes (roughly 3/4 inch) and then brown in olive oil in a large skillet. Then I transfer the meat into my stockpot, cover with water, and bring it to a boil. I let it simmer, covered, for about two hours, then add 7 cans (15.5 oz. each) of white hominy (drain it well before adding it to the pot). I usually add some more water at this point, too. Not a whole lot, but enough to make it nice and "soupy". About an hour later, I add two 14 oz. containers of frozen red chile and bring it, again, to a boil. Once it's boiling, I cover it, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for about another two hours. Just before serving, I add about 2 TBS. of salt and dried, crumbled oregano. After it's been ladled into bowls, we squeeze fresh lime juice over it and garnish with a little more oregano and finely chopped onion, and enjoy warm flour tortillas as a side.

I love it. I hope you will, too.

Posole

Among the many traditional holiday foods I enjoyed growing up, my dad's posole was always one of my favorites. I recall many cold winter evenings, savoring every bite of the steaming, heaping bowls full of rich, red, fiery goodness. I loved it so much, in fact, that for days following this delicious meal, as long as there was any remaining, I would faithfully dash out to my car in the high school parking lot at the start of my lunch break, just to drive home and indulge in yet another bowl of perfection. (Who in their right minds would prefer Taco Bell or McDonald's, the favorites of my contemporaries?!)

As much as I enjoyed this delectable stew, however, I never actually made it myself or even knew how to make it--that was always my dad's specialty. Not once did it ever occur to me, during my self absorbed adolescence, to try and learn the secrets of my dad's culinary magic.

Years passed, and I married and moved out and created a home of my own. Subsequent winters would find me begging my dad to make his wonderful posole, because no holiday season would be complete without it. He indulged me, of course, and I was satisfied.

Sort of.

Letting him carry on the tradition was fine while my new family consisted of just Darren and me. But once we began welcoming children into our lives, I felt a longing like never before to begin establishing familiar traditions within our own home. So last winter, I decided the time had finally come to try my own hand at preparing my favorite childhood feast. While my first few attempts didn't quite measure up to my dad's version, the standard by which I judged my own results, it wasn't long before I had it perfected. Happy were the days I spent in my kitchen, recreating the scrumptious stew I remembered from my youth.

It was actually while preparing yet another enormous pot of posole that I went into labor with Meghan last December. She wasn't due for another month, so I didn't immediately recognize the contractions for what they were. Instead, I carried on, eagerly anticipating the Christmas party we were to be hosting that night. Throughout the day, I visited with two of my aunts, who had stopped by with gifts for Dylan and Caitlyn, all the while enjoying the scent of the posole I had simmering on the stove. It was late that afternoon, when my mom arrived as the first guest to our holiday celebration, that I finally confronted the reality that I was, without a doubt, in labor at only 35 weeks of pregnancy. While my mom stayed and went ahead with the party for us, Darren and I headed to the hospital and, within two hours of our arrival and following an unsuccessful attempt to stop my labor, we welcomed our tiny, beautiful daughter into this world. She came two days before our seventh wedding anniversary, and just in time for Christmas. (And I even got to enjoy some leftover posole when I came home from the hospital with her the following day!)

I can't believe that nearly a year has passed since that fateful night. When I think of Meghan's birth, I'll always remember the big pot of posole I had cooking at the time, warming the kitchen and filling my home with its wonderful aroma. Yesterday, as I again prepared a large quantity of my much loved stew, I thought about that day and smiled to remember the joy and wonder of it all.

So here it is, this seasons first serving of posole. It won't be the last!

November Rose

Heaven through the eyes of a child

One of our fish died yesterday.

That, in and of itself, is not really an uncommon occurence in our household. The circumstances surrounding this particular demise, however, were unique because Dylan was the one to first discover the fatality.

I was in my bedroom when he approached me solemnly and said, "Mom, I think it's time to bury this fish because I think it's dead. Come here, let me show you."

As my heart sank, I took his hand and led him into the living room, where I discovered that there was, indeed, one very dead fish nose down in the bottom of our aquarium. We've naturally lost several fish throughout the years, but it still saddens me, every time, to see their lifeless little bodies there in the water. Removing them is a business delegated solely to Daddy, so after a brief moment of silence, I said to Dylan, "I'm so sorry, sweetie. Let's turn the lights of the tank off to give him some privacy until Daddy can take him out. Then we'll be able to bury him in the garden."

Dylan looked sadly into the aquarium for just a bit longer, then said to me, "Mom? When something dies, does that mean it gets to live forever in heaven?"

"Yes, baby, that's right!" I answered excitedly, hoping to alleviate some of his dismay. "That's the wonderful thing about heaven! We know that even when we die, we get to live forever and ever with everybody we love, and with Jesus and Mary and all the saints!" I've spoken with my kids many times in the past about heaven, and the promise of eternal life, and how it will be more perfect and beautiful than anything we can imagine here on earth; that we will never feel sad or lonely or scared or hurt; that we will be together with everybody we loved in this life; and that God loves us so much that he sent us his only Son so that one day we will all be together in His glorious kingdom.

Still, Dylan seemed a little worried. "But mom!" he persisted. "What if I forget my Lightning McQueen car when I go to heaven? Do you think God or Jesus will be able to come back down here to get it for me?"

I wanted to laugh. I wanted to cry.

I held my little boy and said to him, "Honey, I bet that by the time it's time for you to go to Heaven, so much time will have passed that you won't even like Lightning McQueen anymore."

"Oh, no, Mommy, I'll always love Lightning McQueen!"

"Well, then...," I said, at a complete loss for words. "I'm sure it just wouldn't be heaven without him."

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for this silly boy and this beautiful "princess";

for this sweet little baby,

And for my handsome husband, who helped make them a reality, and who loves me much more than I deserve. I am so richly blessed.

(Visit The Journey of a Mother's Heart to see what other people are thankful for today!)

Sweet Feet

Want to start your morning with a smile?

Head on over to the ongoing "Carnival of Little Feet"! Babylove is showcasing some precious piggies today...too cute to be missed!

Out of the mouths of babes

Unprompted, and ever so sweetly, Caitlyn said to me last night, "Mommy, when I grow up and I'm a lady I'll have lots of kids and we'll come see you".

"Oh, sweetie," I said, scooping her up and snuggling her. "That sounds so nice! And I wonder," I continued wistfully, "what your kids will call me. We call my mommy 'Nonny'. And we call Daddy's mommy 'Nana'. What do you think your kids might call me?"

I waited expectantly for a moment while she thought about it, then laughed when she finally answered, "Well, maybe they'll call you 'Melissa'."

(I was hoping for something just a little more endearing!)

A Beautiful Book

I was delighted when Darren brought home a copy of this beautiful book, The Quiltmaker's Gift, which he had found at a yard sale for a mere 50 cents! It has quickly become one of my favorite children's books, and sometimes, after the kids have gone to bed, I'll pick it up and read it again, slowly, to savor for my own enjoyment.

The story is sweet and wonderfully told, but the illustrations are what make this book a real treasure.

Every time I read it now, I am reminded of two very dear blogger friends who, I am certain, would absolutely love it!

True Love

One day last week, Darren and I were leaving a store with the kids and as we approached our van in the parking lot, he said, "Well, look at that! I wonder who left the side door WIDE OPEN?!"

I stopped for a moment and stared, dumbfounded, then remembered all at once that I had intended to close it after Dylan climbed out. I had gotten distracted buckling Caitlyn into the seat of a nearby shopping cart and completely forgot about closing the door! Luckily, everything was fine with the van, but I was still bewildered!

"Maybe I'm pregnant," I said, only somewhat jokingly. "That would certainly explain the absentmindedness I've been experiencing lately".

With complete sincerity, Darren looked me right in the eyes and responded tenderly, "Oh, I sure hope so".

And I know that he meant it.

While we haven't yet actually been blessed with another new life, I feel so cherished just knowing that my beloved would happily welcome one (or two, or more!) new souls into this world with me. I could never be more perfectly loved.

We are Family

When my parents divorced the year before Dylan was born, it rendered me "homeless" and "orphaned" in a way I never could have imagined. I had already been married for two years when they separated, and while I felt that it was, in many ways, inevitable and maybe even for the best, the actuality of their parting damaged the very foundation of all that I had known and loved and trusted and believed in my entire life. I was crushed, to say the least.

I mourned the loss of my family as I had always known it. I still had both of my parents, but they were no longer the cohesive unit I remembered. My childhood home, devoid of all its familiar treasures, became just a house, an empty shell of its former self. I cried many bitter tears to think that my future children would never know my parents the way I once knew them; that my romantic adolescent dream of some day pulling up to my parents home, visiting with a carload of children for the holidays, would never come to pass.

And so it has been. My children have their "Nonny" and their "Grandpa". They love them fiercely, but I'm still sometimes sad to know that they will never have the pleasure of enjoying them together, as a pair. My parents have grown and changed in so many ways that I honestly believe would never had been possible had they stayed together. I am immensely proud of them as individuals. But sometimes the enormity of the loss of "them", the longing for what once was, makes my heart ache with an intensity that brings tears to my eyes.

With my older brother and his family visiting from out of town for a few days, we chose to celebrate Thanksgiving together last night so we could all be together. Both of my parents came, and my younger brother, and for the first time in many years, my family was complete. At one point after dinner, as we all sat comfortably and companionably around the table, the conversation turned to some silly pranks my older brother had pulled during his years in Catholic school. Darren and my dear sister-in-law had drifted away from the dining room and were playing in the living room with our children. I sat among my brothers and parents and reminisced, and laughed, and it was bittersweet. We have a shared history, my family and I. When the evening concluded, my parents got into their own cars and drove home to their seperate houses. But for last night, we had our memories. And for last night, that was enough.

Happy Veterans Day

Oh, What a Night

I went to bed last night at around 7:30, thinking I'd get at least a few hours of sleep before going in to work at 1:00a.m. Meghan, however, was inconsolable following her bedtime diaper change. (One unpleasant side effect of the antibiotic she's taking for her ear infection has left her with a terrible diaper rash, and she screams and cries every time I have to change her--which is often!) Darren tried everything he could think of to calm her down last night, but to no avail. So shortly after getting into bed, I got right back up and took my crying baby, rocked her and nursed her, and sang to her as we listened to our favorite bedtime CD. She finally dozed off and I took her to bed with me, and as I looked at the clock I thought to myself "Okay, if I fall asleep right now I can still get two hours of sleep before the alarm goes off." Not long later, though, Darren was gently shaking me awake to tell me that Caitlyn was running a 102 degree fever!

At this point, needless to say, I was really not wanting to go to work! Fortunately, my dear friend, who was working the first half of our shift and who I was to be relieving in a matter of hours, graciously agreed to work the remainder of the night so that I could stay home with my sick children. I love her! I will forever be indebted to her for her selfless generosity.

We gave Caitlyn some Children's Tylenol and Dimetapp, then tucked her into bed with us, too. None of us got much sleep last night! Caitlyn's temperature was normal this morning, but I'm still keeping a watchful eye on her. Meghan is fussy and clingy, and her poor little bottom still looks terrible. Dylan is watching "Cars" this morning for the second time since receiving it from Darren as a surprise on Tuesday night.

And I'm making these wonderful cookies! I felt as though I were reading off the numbers of a winning lottery ticket this morning as I searched through my pantry and found, one by one, every single ingredient I needed--and in sufficient quantities! (I halved the recipe, and still ended up with a lot of cookies...in fact I had to mix the batter in my punch bowl, because it was the only one big enough to hold it all!)

I'm hoping that all of my kids will take a nap after lunch today. My brother and his family will be here in the morning, and we're having our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night. My kids have been so looking forward to seeing their cousins. There's so much they want to do with them while they're here. I pray they'll be feeling better soon!

Thinking of Thanksgiving

I don't have words to match the lovely things that Dawn and Suzanne have to say about November, but I will share with you the wonderful turkey that Dylan drew this morning. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words!

Making the most of our morning

First and foremost, thank you all so much for your prayers! I am filled with such gratitude to see that so many of you are praying for my little ones. We are very blessed indeed!

My children slept well last night and were in good spirits when they awoke this morning. So while Meghan was down for her morning nap, I watched "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" (a bonus feature on our copy of "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown") with Dylan and Caitlyn and talked with them about elections and the voting process. By the time Meghan woke up, the sun was shining brightly, it was still and clear and a beautiful 73 degrees outside, and I decided that we could all use a little fresh air! Together we packed up some sack lunches, and with the girls in their double stroller and Dylan walking along beside me, we headed over to the elementary school two blocks away, where they were able to watch me vote. Dylan and Caitlyn were excited to see the process in action, but even more excited to play for a little while on the playground equipment before enjoying a picnic lunch at one of the outdoor tables. On our way home, they used the empty sacks that their lunches had been packed in to collect assorted leaves and pinecones, an endeavor which was, for them, nearly as fun as the playground itself! As we walked, Caitlyn said to me, "Mommy, it sure is a lovely day."

I couldn't agree more.

Sleeping the day away

All of my children are napping as I sit here at the computer. It's nearly 5:00 in the afternoon, and we'll probably have a difficult time getting them to sleep tonight, but I don't mind. They're exhausted. They're sick. Darren and I took all three of them to the pediatrician this morning for their routine "well child" checks...but they're not well. Not a single one of them! All three have terrible colds, and Dylan and Meghan have ear infections--both of Dylan's ears, one of Meghan's. (Caitlyn's ears are fine, but she was due for one of her vaccinations so she had to have a shot!)

Ironically, I was initially feeling a little guilty about not having taken Meghan in sooner (because although she is nearly eleven months old, today's visit actually counted as her nine month check-up.) But! If scheduling hadn't necessitated my bringing her in with the older two for all three of their check-ups together, we might never have discovered her ear infection! We've been giving her some children's Dimetapp recommended by our pharmacist to treat her cold symptoms, and she hasn't given any indication that her ears are bothering her, so I probably wouldn't have even taken her in otherwise. I'm so glad everything worked out the way it did!

I rarely cook.

But really, that's a good thing.

Because, honestly?

I could never compete with this.

(Am I lucky, or what?!)

**Edited to add: "Books, Politics, and Stuff" is my hubby's blog. He made that dinner last night, and it was every bit as good as it looks! **

A Merry Olde Tyme

It has become a much loved tradition in my family to attend an annual Renaissance ArtsFaire held locally every first weekend in November. (The food alone would be enough to attract me, particularly the bread bowls with green chile chicken soup, and oh! The "Choco-Holic Frolic" booth! Heaven.) But really, there are so many other wonderful things to see and do that it's something we look forward to all year long. My brother has been performing there with a group of singers for the past few years, so that's one attraction we can always count on seeing when we go.

Another group we thoroughly enjoy, and one not to be missed, is Clan Tynker, a phenomenal family of entertainers from Santa Fe. (If you check out their link, be sure to click on "What" and watch their video. It's amazing!) Juggling fire...swallowing swords...they're incredible.

On our way home this afternoon, after spending a great time at the Faire, we stopped at K-Mart to pick up a few things and noticed that their Halloween costumes were marked down to 75% off. I couldn't pass up a cute princess outfit for Caitlyn, especially since my neice will be visiting soon. (I was thinking about how cute they'll be playing dress-up together!) Caitlyn tried it on as soon as we got home, and was so very happy. Not two minutes later, though, Dylan came to me wearing nothing but his Lightning McQueen underwear and carrying the Cinderella outfit we got Caitlyn for her birthday last month. "Mom!" he said excitedly. "I want to play dress up too!"

"Honey", I said to Darren as I grabbed the car keys. "I'm heading back to K-Mart".

With one look at Dylan, Darren nodded emphatically as I walked out the door. Luckily, I found a perfect "dress up" costume for Dylan and he and Caitlyn had a wonderful time this afternoon playing make-believe. Here they are: my handsome knight, my beautiful princess, and even a friendly dragon!

Someone's in the kitchen with Mommy

After today's playdate with our neighbors (during which we all had an amazingly wonderful time!) Dylan and Caitlyn were ready for a much needed nap. While they slept, I had an opportunity to spend some precious one on one time with Meghan. I'm usually so busy during the day helping Dylan and Caitlyn that I really cherish these rare moments alone with her! She was a darling little assitant in the kitchen this afternoon, and together we made a delicious chocolate chip banana bread. Life is good. So very, very good.

Rewards

Here is a picture of the entertainment center in our living room.

Notice anything missing?

I decided a few days ago that the only sure way to keep the TV off during the day was to simply eliminate it completely. I've tried in the past to say it will stay off, have even tried unplugging it when certain young people weren't looking, but they're quick, those kids of mine. It never takes them long to catch on, and as soon as I'd leave the room the TV would be on again.

(And then, admittedly, there was the convenience factor. How easy it was to distract them with a cartoon when I was "too busy" to be bothered!)

I wasn't entirely convinced that my impulsive idea was a good one, but one morning last week I decided to remove the TV, VCR, and DVD player from our living room. While Dylan watched in shocked fascination, I hauled first one, then the others into the garage and set about cleaning the thick layer of dust that had settled beneath and behind them. "But mom", Dylan said sadly. "I'm afraid I'll miss our TV."

"Son", I told him. "I'm afraid I might, too. But I bet we'll find lots of other fun stuff to do and before too long, we won't even miss it at all."

I had no idea how right I'd be.

It's amazing.

That very same day, I was getting ready to run some errands with the kids and thought I'd sit first to nurse Meghan before loading everybody into the van. As I settled into the recliner with Meghan in my arms, Dylan instinctively reached to turn on the TV and then remembered it wasn't there. Without a word, he went to his room, brought out a book, and sat with Caitlyn in the loveseat to read while I finished feeding Meghan. Quite seriously, I was stunned! I had expected much more resistance, particularly on his part.

I'm convinced more every day that removing it was the right thing to do for our family. Instead of the the TV being on, constantly, in the background, I've moved a CD player into the living room along with a few of our favorite CDs, which we listen to quietly while playing or doing chores. It's so uplifting to hear the beautiful songs of Michael Card as we go about our day; fun to dance silly with the kids while listening to the Little People songs they love; and a joy to really spend time with my kids, doing things like reading more books, building more block towers, coloring more pictures, assembling more puzzles, and using our imaginations rather than sitting and staring at the TV for countless precious hours of the day.

I should say, though, that we haven't gone so far yet as to remove the TV and VCR/DVD player from our master bedroom. It's where Darren and I watch the news, and where Dylan and Caitlyn know that, from time to time, they'll be allowed to watch a video or cartoon. We're finding so many other rewarding ways to have fun that maybe one day, we'll be ready to get rid of those, too!

Life is a Highway

The day that Dylan has been eagerly awaiting since first seeing the Disney Pixar movie "Cars" is rapidly approaching! In the meantime, I found this YouTube video to surprise him with this morning. (I had him cover his eyes to see if he'd recognize the music. As soon as he heard it he gasped in delight and ran to grab his stuffed Lightning McQueen!) I have a feeling we'll be watching this a lot today:

How big is Meghan?

SOOOO BIG!!!

All Saints Day

Father, All-Powerful and ever-living God, today we rejoice in the holy men and women of every time and place. May their prayers bring us your forgiveness and love. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From Christian Prayer: Liturgy of the Hours