I'm still here!!

I've just been crazy busy. Between getting ready for the trip to WA, actually going to WA and coming home I don't know if I am coming or going.
I'll give details, pictures and anecdotes in the next day or two.

I am a bad mother.

Chess tournament results.

My sister-in-law in WASHINGTON pointed out that Jack was in the paper. Oops.

3 of the 4 boys pictured are homeschoolers, BTW.

Jewel-flower

Scenes from the San Antonio Tea Party

Chris, Katie, Jack, Tristan and I went to the San Antonio Tea Party yesterday. It was a heartening experience. Let me make something clear. We did not go because we are bitter about the election. We did not go because we are pawns of Rush Limbaugh or the Republican political machine ( I happen to know personally one of the main organizers and he is anything BUT a pawn of anyone ). We did not go because we are racist. We did not go because we don't want to pay taxes. We did not go because we are heartless people who don't care about the less fortunate.


We attended the Tea Party because we do not like the direction our country is going. The reckless spending, the massive increase in our deficit, the bills being rammed through Congress without even being read, the interference of the Federal Government in the private sector and in State government, the 'bail-out' and entitlement attitude...these things concern us. We have written and called our Representatives and Senators and we will continue to do so. This peaceful protest was to make it known to all who sit in government, including those we did not elect, that we are not happy, and we will continue to beat the drum until things change.


It was a overall a peaceful rally. We only saw a couple of signs that I really wish weren't there (agendas that had nothing to do with the Tea Party). There were a few people who were protesting the protest. They were hassled somewhat but nothing violent. At one point I stepped in (with Tristan in the Moby) between a few people giving a young man with an anti-rally sign a hard time and loudly stated that he had every right to be there regardless of his opinion. If we are rallying to uphold the Constitution we need to uphold it for ALL even if we don't agree with them. It surprised enough people that they left the man alone as he stood directly in front of me the next 5 minutes before moving on. I mortified Jack, but that was just too bad.

Easter pictures

Waiting for Daddy to hand out baskets.



Lucy with my sunflower garden in the background.







Sorry, no big boys and no posed group shot.

Blessed Easter....

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holy Week and Easter Sunday!! I had an awful cold last week and didn't make it to Holy Thursday but Chris took the big kids and we all went to the Mass of the Pre-Sanctified on Good Friday.

I have all kinds of pictures and tidbits to post as our wireless has been tempermental the last couple weeks.

Here is the group shot from the NCB NICU Reunion. T and I were able to visit with a couple our nurses and our neonatalogist (in the lower right corner wearing black slacks) Yes, Tristan and I are in this picture.




I'll post Easter pictures and other bits and pieces tomorrow.

Homeschool snapshot

Tuesday night at our house

Tuesday night at our house is CAP (Civil Air Patrol) and taekwondo.

"Ready for the Revolution!"

or maybe not :D


Something truly scary! Gnarly Daddy foot!!


Sorry if you don't find these pics as amusing as I do. Katie said "Yeah right mom, ready for the revolution. Civil Air Patrol and a white belt!"

An award!!

Carol gave this nifty award to me and had this to say:

Nine (+) Texans is a pal of mine who warrants your attention because she has 8 KIDS! So yeah, it is fun to check in on her now and then and monitor her sanity level - which fluctuates daily. She is also my BCF (Best Conservative Friend). She has a Sarah Palin sticker and EVERYTHING. Crazy, I know. But we are die-hard friends.

Bless her heart!! Carol was the first person in TX to reach out and be my friend and we've been buds ever since. She is my BLF (best liberal friend) :D We have some significant differences of opinion but are able to see the forest for the trees and base our friendship on our commonalities. Besides, she has so many religious friends....I wonder if "the universe" is trying to tell her something :D

I'd like to pass this award on to:

Joann is a great mom of 4 busy boys. Homeschooling, working as an L&D nurse, supporting her husband in his photography business and homemaker extraordinaire. I just love reading about her crafty decorating, sewing and cooking projects. She has really inspired me to teach myself how to sew.

Karen has been my friend for over twenty-five years. 25!!! She doesn't update her blog very much but she gets the sisterhood award because...well, how couldn't I give it to my BFF of 25 years??!!


The other Katie who happens to be MY Katie. She is a wonderful young lady and every day I feel more blessed to be her mom.

Liesl is the wife of a high school friend's older brother. Catch that?! I love reading Liesl's blog as it takes me back to the days when I had two little ones. She has 5 year old Liam and 2 year old Kieran. She also lives back in my old stomping grounds and I wax nostalgic reading of NJ.

and finally

Margaret is a Catholic homeschooling mom in Minnesota. I love, love her blog. She is extremely honest and writes about the difficult things, the not-so-wonderful things that so many of us can relate to but will not admit to, especially in a public forum. I thank her for that. She has a beautiful faith and lives it. I want to be her when I grow up.