Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving was very wonderful. Wednesday we started baking and we made record time this year. We had break time to mess around, girls singing in the kitchen and had a lot of fun. Thursday we had a very mellow day, we just let everything cook, since we prepared it all on Wednesday. We played, did a family Thankful tree, and just played. Only bit of annoyances was the oven, it kept turning off so it took a few extra hours to cook the turkey than I planned on! But all turns out eventually and we had company get there and had a good time.

Additional Advent tradition

After we light our advent candle we let the girls lead us in this hymn:

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Israel!
To thee shall come Emmanuel.

Advent Wreath Time!

We have a neat wood Nativity candle holder, we put the wreath inside and also figurines of the Holy Family in the center as a reminder to the child what the advent wreath is preparing us for.

Advent Wreath Prayers I
The Advent Wreath is a great tradition to implement in all homes, classrooms, organizations during the Advent Season. These prayers accompany the lighting of the Advent Wreath candles. The prayers take just a minute, but help us focus on dedicating ourselves to Christ during this season of preparation.
The Meaning of the Advent Wreath
Obscure in origin it is believed that the Advent Wreath may have had its beginnings in the pagan fire wheel. In Christian symbolism the wheel or wreath stands for eternity. Its use is especially fitting during Advent the season of the anticipation of the coming of our Lord.
Children love the beauty of the simple traditional ceremony. Lighting candles in an Advent Wreath is a simple way to start a tradition of family worship in the home. Those who participate will cherish the experience all their lives.
The Advent Wreath Ceremony
The ceremony is simple. It starts at the evening meal on the Saturday before the first Sunday in Advent with the blessing of the wreath.
(The head of the household is the one designated to say the prayers following which various members of his family light the candles. If the group is not a family then a leader may be selected to say the prayers and others appointed to light the candles.)
For blessing the wreath the following prayer is suggested:
Father: O God, by whose word all things are sanctified, pour forth thy blessing upon this wreath, and grant that we who use it may prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and may receive from Thee abundant graces. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.Then follows the prayer which is said before the evening meal each night of the first week in Advent.
The First Week
Father: O Lord, stir up Thy might, we beg Thee, and come that by Thy protection we may deserve to be rescued from the threatening dangers of our sins and saved by Thy deliverance. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Each night the first purple candle is lighted by the youngest child of the household and is left burning during the meal.
The Second Week
Father: O Lord, stir up our hearts that we may prepare for Thy only begotten Son that through His coming we may be made worthy to serve Thee with pure minds through Christ our Lord. Amen.Then the eldest child lights not only the first but a second purple candle. Both candles burn during the evening meal as before.
The Third Week
The joyful Sunday in Advent (known as Gaudete) is represented by rose (or pink) instead of the penitential purple color. Each night during the third week the mother of the family lights the pink as well as the two previously burned purple candles after the following prayer has been said.
Father: O Lord, we beg Thee incline Thy ear to our prayers and enlighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of Thy visitation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.The three candles are extinguished immediately following the meal.
The Fourth Week
The father of the household lights all four candles in proper sequence during the fourth week after repeating the following prayer.
Father: O Lord, stir up Thy power, we pray Thee, and come; and with great might help us, that with the help of Thy Grace, Thy merciful forgiveness may hasten what our sins impede. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.Candles can be replaced as necessary during a particular Advent Season without reblessing the wreath.
After Advent
For the Christmas Season which follows immediately after Advent, candles and ribbons can be changed to white. If you wish, the wreath itself can be freshened with new greens and decorated festively for use during the holiday period. Lighting all four white candles to burn during the principal meal each day of the Christmas Season is a customary and appropriate practice.

My Chunker-

Just update

Things are going well these days, just holding our own. Thankfully the weather has been decent and although we know winter is coming, its been a slow start. Haven't really been able to do any shopping for Christmas yet, but hoping Steve's big job gets started next week. Boy, do I hate being a last minute shopper, but this is the year of last minute, I suppose. I have a few ideas for the kids, so hoping the stuff is still on the shelves when my time comes. hehe.

Beginning some packing, most know that late this Spring we are going home to Omaha. Funny I call it home, since we were only there for six months, but I have this calm feeling, that it is home and anxious to be back in my own home again. Renting has wore me out and I'm done with it. I'm looking forward to putting all my stuff where it goes and know its going to stay there. One of the most favorite things I think about is being close to the church and school and being able to go to Mass everyday, and see the kids off to school and knowing I'm only 3 miles away. That's a good feeling. Funny, I think about the things that are easy for me in the Omaha house that I have found in the last year, harder in other houses. Little things like the wood floors in the kids room, that are so easy to maintain, the nice breezeway with the floor that comes clean in an instant. The well used playroom, with the built in desk and shelves for all the kids things, my own bathroom! And actually the laundry room so close to my room, as weird as it sounds...it keeps me motivated to get my work done. The living room was a bit tight but we made it work then and we'll do it again, its just a narrow room, but as long as we don't have a coffee table it worked just fine. So being patient but able to keep my mind in the "plan stage" I can't wait to not have to visit the gas station every single day! Woo Hoo!

My plan is to begin packing over Christmas break to get a nice start, and then a little packing through the winter and finish up over Easter Break. After Easter break, their is only less than a month of school left and then..."on the road again..." I feel like my dad! haha. If only we realized how much a circle life really is.

Well, kids are doing good, everyone is excited for Thanksgiving Weekend. A movie is coming out next month the kids are dying to see, so we'll see if we can make that happen. Narnia chronicles has always been a big favorite around here.

Mikey and Rosie did finger painting today, and Tony is quite the chunker-really getting into cooing and playing. Joe is doing well in the 6th grade class, Evelyn is doing fine, even though Joey isn't in her classroom anymore, Madelyn is having some phase issues, wanting to stay little, but its just a phase, Big girls are doing fine, and have been quite the silly girls lately.

Ok, I'm off...to bed...where I should of been an hour ago!

Advantages of large families!

One advantage to large famlies is Thanksgiving! This is one of our favorite holidays and we are all very anxious awaiting cooking day. The minute the kids got in the car today, that's all they wanted to talk about. Traditionally we have Wednesday the cook and bake day. We all bake together, which usually gives us lots of giggles, laughs and a few oops, along the way.

This year our menu is turkey with Mom's stuffing, ham, corn on the cob, Grandma Judy's sweet potato bake, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole with rolls.

Desert is fresh pumpkin pie, Grandma Cichos blueberry desert, apple pie, cherry pie, apple and cranberry crunch pie, and cheese cake.

Lots of baking but lots of yummies, and no doubt leftovers for a few days!

A cuddle moment

Didn't even notice this picture on my memory card, Jaclyn must have taken it. I thought it was worth posting!

Sweet Madeleine

Well, Wed. Nov. 17th a young 22-ish young gal lost her battle with colon cancer.

This family is amazing. I've been friends with her mother and aunts for close to 15 years now. Shortly before we left Colorado Margaret (her mother) was widowed with 8 young children, Madeleine being the oldest. Her husband was killed in a horrible car crash. We watched as this family mourned their father, husband, brother at such an early age leaving a mother with 8 young children to raise (the youngest was under 2 years old)

Now we have a young lady who has been battling cancer and we Praise God as her mother made it to her side just in time to talk with her, let her talk to her siblings on the phone and say goodbye, with the good Fr. Dominic Radecki at her bedside.

Madeleine was at a Mexico hospital, no fear of death, just for treatment, when apparently something went wrong and she began to hemmorage, her friend that went with her called her mother immediately. Anyway, so that's the story of the day. May God cradle her in His Most Sacred Heart and comfort the family and friends of this amazing young lady.

SACRED HEART OF JESUS, I PUT MY TRUST IN YOU!

November Latern

Finally made it out to the grave to light the candle and put up the latern in the baby grave area at Marilyn's site.

All Bundled Up!

This is my reality

Mikey's progress!

Rosie's first ponytail!

A few pic's of Tony

Just stuff

This week went well, Joey had his first week in the 6th grade and is doing great. He has had homework and really seems very happy. He actually is fianlly at a place where he has to learn! haha. This was a good move for him.

Girls are fine. I think they are going to Lake Erie for a fieldtrip next week. Carolyn turns 14 next week and doesn't want a cake...just icecream. haha.

Evelyn seems to adjusted well to Joe bing out of her classroom, this weekend he's at a sleep over and she's fine with it. Her and Madelyn have been very busy with this learning laptop I came across. They like the learning games. I'm glad Maddie likes to do learning games too.

Mikey can now make the letters Aa and Bb. He is shaky being so double jointed but we are working on it. The other day he didn't want to write anymore so he wanted to stop and his excuse was, I've done enough today, you did say it would take practice. haha. When he likes something like a learning game or painting or something he will say, "I seem to like this" haha. Of course there's Rose right with us, doing everything we do and proving she can do it too. haha. You should of seen her stealing the paint brush today to prove to me she is big enough to paint too. haha. We have Tuesdays at the Library and Mikey did not want to go into the classroom without me (I think he's be fine next time) anyway, Rosie was volunteering! Its for 3 and up but the librarian let her join since she's so wanting to. Anyhow, she is like having Jaclyn all over again...the girl is amazing.

Oh, and as far as Rosie, that stinker will go potty for her siblings but not for me! She is so funny, the way she talks. Instead of saying, "Mikey pushed me" she said, "Mikey pushed you" haha. Course that stinker Mikey did push her, and well...we had to put a stop to that.

And my Tony boy is doing great. He is smiley and happy and wakes up that way. He fusses at lunch time, but any other time he's a chunky monkey and a very happy little guy. I love this age, he looks up at me and raises that eyebrow and looks so deep into my eyes, as to say, "love you Mom" haha.

Tony!