That's a busy kitchen table

The Girls are Heading to the Championship!!

"Can we have quiet for the National Anthem"
Laura and Amy

Mark

I call this photo: "A ballboy and his hotdog"

Daddy

The other cute ballboy on the opposite sideline.

Laura and Mark

It was about 40 degrees out--it took me 3 hours to get the inside of my bones warm.

(They were really, really cold!)

(Just because I like looking at photos of the cute ballboy)

Good sports!

HCA wins 3-0

Amy sticks with team for the brownies.

Next week---a championship game.

You can do it, girls!!

A Birthday in "the little house"

We have a new 9 year old in the house!!
Gracie had a real cute Sleeping Beauty cake made by big sister Becky.
Becky also took Gracie to the mall for the day!!!
What a great big sister!!
Lighting the cake....

Kimmy looks like she's dreaming about her birthday.

"You can do it, Grace!!"

Kimmy is still dreaming

This is the coolest toy, Quercetti Filo Lacing set.

It is sooo unique!

I have never seen anything like it.

Everyone has been having fun with it.

Getting advice from Daddy.

Everyone played Dizios from Mindware toys.

Big to little can play this game together.

Another great birthday at "the little house"

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments at Soulemama for all to find and see

Happy Birthday, Grace!!

My beautiful Grace turns 9 years old today.

We love you, Grace, and are very proud of the young lady you are becoming!!

Wordless Wednesday

A Rosary for Remembering

The little kids picked out rosaries from the Shrine of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha on Sunday. I picked up 4 medals of Blessed Kateri from the shrine gift shop. When I got home I attached the medals to the new rosaries. Now the kids have a nice rosary to remember our beautiful day and to remember to say a prayer for Blessed Kateri's intercession.

Skelly the Skeleton

I found this cute, cute printable at The Toymaker website.
I had printable magnet sheets already, so all I had to do was print Skelly the Skeleton out and let the kids have fun on the magnetic front door.
(I am not sure about Luke's feelings in this photo, but I do know that he has enjoyed playing with Skelly.)

They have all been arranging Skelly in fun ways.

And after a little re-arranging....

I never know what I might find.

Makes My Monday--The Many Men in My Life

My Daddy, my Hubby, and my 5 sons....enjoying an autumn afternoon!!

This really, really Makes My Monday.

Macro Monday---And A Poem

In honor of the praying mantis we caught last weekend....

That praying mantis over there

Is really not engaged in prayer.

That praying mantis that you see

Is really preying (with an e).

It preys upon the garter snake.

It preys upon the bumblebee.

It preys upon the cabbage worm,

The wasp, the fly, the moth, the flea.

(And sometimes, if its need is great,

It even preys upon its mate.)

With prey and preying both so endless,

It tends to end up rather friendless

And seldom in commended much

Except by gardeners and such.

By: Mary Ann Hoberman

Make sure to visit Lisa's Chaos to join in Macro Monday.

National Shrine of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

Today we spent a wonderful day at the National Shrine of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha.

We attended Mass in the morning with some new friends and then toured the beautiful grounds of this lovely, peaceful shrine.

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha lived most of her life at this location in NY along the Mohawk River.

Luke praying the Glory Be prayer.....it is the prayer we learned this past week and he prayed it so reverently, I know his prayers were heard.

Inside the chapel where we attended Mass.

It is a church restored in the Mohawk tradition and just beautiful. Although a bit cold this morning....the Chapel closes next week because it is unheated and our central New York winters are very harsh. In fact, this morning I believe we could see our breath during Mass.

Luke at the altar railing.

The log beams across the ceiling of the church were carved with scenes of the life of Blessed Kateri.

The carving depicting Blessed Kateri's baptism, which took place at this location.

The altar

A symbol of the Turtle Clan inside the chapel

This rosary is amazing. It is made out of slices of wood along with beads. It was very unique.

There is also a very nice Native American museum on the grounds.

This is an cornhusk doll made in 1938.

(This isn't how our cornhusk dolls look)

a dreamcatcher

Kimmy getting "into" history.

I love this crucifix

The painting below is decribe above.

Amazingly, this was painted in 1681, a year after Blessed Kateri died.

The day warmed a little on our walk. We headed to the Tekakwitha spring.

The leaves are all on the ground now, but it was still gorgeous.

The Tekakwitha Spring.

There have been many miracles associated with this spring.

This is where the water came from with which Blessed Kateri was baptised on April 5, 1676

The grotto at the spring

A tombstone and statue are at the site of the only fully excavated Iroquois village.

The Shrine and grounds are lovingly taken care of by the Conventual Franciscans.
Words to live by.....