Nun, soldier, surgeon

Read article here

She's a healer, and in her unique position as a nun and general surgeon (she also is board certified in family medicine) she's concerned with life here on Earth — and the hereafter.

"I'm not just a pro-life doctor, I'm pro-eternal life," she says. "God makes it very clear that he is working through me. … God gave me the opportunity to be a physician, and he creates the miracles."

Odyssey of the Mind

Well, it is that time of year. OotM time. No, I'm not begging for money for Katie's team :D There is no high school team this year. Of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone and skip OM this year. Grace, Ian and Emma are all OMers. Grace and Ian on the same middle school team (God bless their coach) and Emma is on a primary team that I am co-coaching. The primary team is made up entirely of siblings of the middle school team. Another mom, Wendy, and I figured we might was well keep the littles occupied while their sibs were busy being creative. The other moms thought we were nuts but I think it has been fun and I think Wendy and I are a little less crazy around the eyes right now than Carol (middle school coach).
I snapped some pictures today out at the P. homestead. Don't these kids look like they'd rather be in a classroom?







Of course, a couple gratuitous dog pictures. The OM mascots, Schnitzel and Ranger. I'll leave it to you figure out which one is which.

Time flies..

Then.....





Now......


What a difference 8 months makes.

Ben boxing with the Wii (and Grace)

Not exactly 'float like a butterfly, sting like a bee' :D

Lent begins early

I have developed an intolerance to chocolate. Those who know me, and my sweet tooth, are probably thinking...."How will she survive!!!???"

In all seriousness, I'm going to have to avoid chocolate for the time being. I've occasionally suffered a headache when I eat/overindulge in chocolate over the last few months. Well, yesterday I had a chocolate chip muffin. Not a large one, and not a lot of chocolate but ended up with the type of 'reaction' headache I get but it was absolutely nightmarish. I was vomiting, had trouble seeing, my legs were like rubber, I was afraid I was going to pass out. Eating a little chocolate is NOT worth what I went through yesterday. We had to reschedule yet another dentist appt because I was in no shape to drive. Crazy.
It will be good for me to give up chocolate but it won't be easy, enjoying chocolate is in my genes. :(

The Somerville Circle...how is that for random?

I've been 'friended' by a lot of old classmates from high school lately which led me to a Facebook group "You knew you group in Hillsborough if..." along with "I survived the Somerville Circle." I've had quite a few smiles reminscing about my old stomping grounds although the Somerset County of the 80's was a lot different then it looks now.

For those deprived people who have no idea what I am talking about: the wikipedia article on the Circle

It is a circle (sometimes called a rotary) where 4 highways intersected. It was kind of like a gauntlet. You drove through, white-knuckled, hoping no one hit you and vice versa. It was a bit of rite of passage the first time you drove through yourself after getting your license. There was (and is) a right way and wrong way to drive the Circle and I promise if you do it the wrong way the ever-so-kind-and-loving-NJ-drivers will let you know with supportively mouthed words and encouraging hand gestures.

All he needs is a shoe

and I can call him Kruschev. Tristan has taken to banging on his high chair tray to demand food. As soon as he is in the high chair, he starts banging, if I don't get the next spoonful to him in time, he starts banging, if he realizes he is making mommy laugh, he starts banging.

SHE POOPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How cliche is it for a mom to be so excited about poop?!

Lucy has only rececntly been showing interest in using the potty. She asks to get on occasionally. I put her on, she does nothing and gets off. I figured it would go this way until next summer. She just took her diaper off, put her little seat on the big seat, got on, POOPED and told me. I couldn't believe it! There was really poop in there!

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could pontificate on how I don't want to damage my child's burgeoning self esteem or how I think they should have control over their own bodies or some other psychobabble as reason why I don't potty train at 20 months, 2 or 2 1/2. The truth is I hate potty training. I really, really hate potty training. I wait until they are super ready and want to do it and can do it easily which is usually around 3 or so.

When it rains, it pours

Post #3 today!

Wheeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like good homeschooling parents, Chris and I had never allowed the kids to have a game console. That is part of the list that "good" homeschooling parents keep to. You know the one that also says: No corporate logos, No toys with batteries, No processed foods, No TV, No babysitters, No plastic toys, No disposable diapers etc....
Since we failed on all the other "good homeschooling parents rules" we threw caution to the wind and said OK to a Wii.
My mom and uncle were generous enough to buy a Wii for the kids for Christmas along with a couple games. I bought a couple more games and some "needed" accessories like an extra MarioKart wheel and numchuck. Well, if this thing isn't the most fun!!
Chris and I play, Ben plays and of course, all the kids in between can play. We've always been a game playing family but once you get such a wide age range you start running into problems regarding ability. Sure, all the big kids and Chris and I can play Candyland with the littles but every parent who is honest will admit that after the first 10 or so Candyland games with their oldest child they would rather chew glass then commune with Lord Licorice and Queen Frostine E.V.E.R. A.G.A.I.N.
The younger kids know the rules of games like chess and backgammon but playing against children 5-10 years older then they are just isn't fair. The beauty of the Wii is that children and adults of different abilities and ages can play together and everyone has a good time and not just staring at a screen but talking and interacting and having fun together. Chris and I are to old and befuddled to play complicated games but even we can handle tennis, golf, bowling and even a little Mario Kart or WWII Aces. Chris can play Madden 09 with Jack too.
The cute games on Wii play are just right for the 8 and under set.
We'll have to see if the novelty wears off but I don't think it will.

Ground Team School 2008

Jack spent Christmas week in Brownsville/Corpus Christi at Ground Team School with the Civil Air Patrol. The pictures and the GTS motto "If you are awake, you are training!" tell the story. Maybe Jack will post about his experiences.



Find Jack. It is easy. He is the palest cadet :D
He was christened with the call sign: "Q-tip" The other cadets felt it fit considering his last name, hairstyle and skin tone. :P