{pretty, happy, funny, real} - "Field Trips"

 The last few weeks we've gone on a few field trips, or as we like to call it, going places.  Field trips makes it sound much more official like, though, doesn't it?  All mixed up like, here we go...

 {pretty}

The Strong Museum of Play was closing a Lego exhibit and we made it a point to get there before we missed it.  This huge salt water tank is right at the entrance and is mesmerizing.

While the older boys were in Denver, my mom and I took the two littles on a quick trip to the zoo.  I didn't get the greatest pictures, unfortunately.  Some of the peacocks were walking around and a few were showing.  They always look so goofy, like they are holding their breath and can barely hold themselves up when they're strutting around like that.  Our turkeys would do the same thing.  Their plumage is so beautiful!

In the rainforest.  It reeks to high heaven in there but they have some really neat animals.

Another trip we took at the beginning of the month was to the local power plant, organized through our local homeschooling group and freeeee!  I thought it would be a great trip for the older boys since they like things like turbines and engines and all such things that I really know nothing about.  If I had been a conscientious blogger I would have gotten the gorgeous view right over that fence in the back of the Niagara River Gorge but alas, you just get half of my kids looking under a half of the entrance sign.

{happy}

About two minutes before my batteries died

Some of the creations were amazing but I wasn't feeling that great and you know, batteries are important so I didn't get many great shots.

There were no hippopotami "to swim with" and the monkeys were in cages so he couldn't "climb with them to give them a banana" so David had to settle for a ride on the train as his favorite part of the zoo.

It's a light bulb that turns on.  Apparently for the Amish tourists.

I let John Paul go with the older group because I knew he'd want more than what the littler group was getting.  It's so weird to realize that he's growing up and can go with the big people sometimes.

{funny}

Rhinoceros are just funny, right?

We got quite the show in the gorilla habitat.  This little guy would stop, pose, and then run crazy around the place having a ball and sometimes banging on the windows.  They ended up being our favorite animals that we saw.  

David thought it was hysterical that he put a blanket on his head and ran around and then was rolling around and just acting goofy.  Luke was in awe.

Mother was just sitting while little one used her as a playground.  I can relate, mama.

I'm no fancy zoologist but...

Completely out of focus (I had like 14 seconds to get a shot with a toddler in my arms) but I was happy that Michael was assertive enough to get squeezed in for the static ball amongst all the kids, despite the fact that his hair wasn't really long enough for the effect!

{real}

This guy.  Oh my.  He was inches away from us, separated by glass, of course.  But he entranced me.  David called him "The Grandpa."  He is huge and his expressions were so deep and...real.  You could feel the tension as he walked by and sat right next to us.   His body was massive and so solid.  You could easily fit three of me inside him.  Look at those veins in his chest.

(Linking this one up with Cari for Theme Thursday of "Bodies")

And then he looked at us.  REALLY looked at us and made eye contact.  It was disconcerting and his expression made me sad.  I'm not anti-zoo, I don't think, but gosh, it's hard to see some of these animals locked up like that for our entertainment.  Is the learning value worth it?  I hope so.

Looking straight at us.  This would have been one heck of a shot if there hadn't been that girl next to me with a bright orange shirt reflecting in the glass (and if I were more skilled with the camera).  But man, look at that expression.

Joining with the ladies at LMLD

Pin It

Yarn Along - 5/22/13

After a long break from the needles, I started a very basic baby hat over the weekend for a doula baby I should be meeting soon!  I'm using an organic cotton yarn (Nature's Choice from Lion Brand) because I think mom will appreciate that and wool seemed too hot for a summer baby.  I liked the colors in the store but now I'm not so sure.  I feel like they may be too Easter egg-y.  What do you think?  Obviously, baby is showing to be a girl :)

I'm almost finished with The Temperament God Gave Your Kids and I'm really getting a lot out of it.  I've read the Bennett's other two books The Temperament God Gave You and The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse and I found them really helpful.  If you've read the other ones this one is definitely not groundbreaking but it does give a lot of great insight into parenting different temperament types.  I especially like how it helps lay out different virtues that each temperament is naturally strong and weak in.  I've found it very balanced, although I do wish it would delve more into the temperament combinations.  I was thinking we had one each of the four classic temperaments in our bunch but after doing the tests (and being unsure how to answer a lot of the questions for the younger two) I think we have a mostly melancholic, a sanguine-choleric, a choleric, and a once-phlegmatic-now-just-a-toddler.  Toddlerhood does seem to mix things up a bit :) I guess we can reevaluate in a few years!  Anyway, I don't necessarily like the idea of compartmentalizing and labeling people so much but I can't deny that there is a lot of truth to it.  I do think it's important to realize that, especially with children, labeling them can be very dangerous and I am VERY careful not to box them in or assume that their temperament won't change a bit as they mature.  However, it's been really helpful in helping me understand other people, work with different temperaments, and figure out as a melancholic-choleric how I can play nicely with others.  I think this book would be really helpful to read for a lot of younger generation parents who tend to think that something is wrong with their child when really, they may just be a child with a different temperament and normal childhood quirks.

Brian and the boys arrived home yesterday!  It sounds like they had an amazing time and the boys were chattering on about their camping trip and the ordination and the praise and worship night and the Cabrini Shrine and how Father John blessed them.  If I can get some of the pictures off Brian's phone, maybe I'll get to share some.  I could totally see us living out that way some day.  They brought the three of us each a special memento from the trip, mine being a beautiful St. Benedict cross to wear, David got a cross, and Luke a (non-breakable!) rope rosary.  I am so so glad they were able to go and I just know that God wanted them there and that there will be many graces from it.

Waiting for the other half of the family to come home

Joining with Ginny!

Pin It

Spirit Gifts (Even When We Struggle)

This year there won't be a special cake or even the fruits of the spirit salad for Pentecost.  This year we have a First Holy Communion party for 2 nephews and a niece and we will be celebrating with them there.  Last night was the last day of the Novena of Seven Gifts that Brian and I had been praying together.  It was his idea to pray it which was neat and so I followed his lead.  I found that I really appreciated it as we went along and loved its layout.  According to EWTN it is still the only novena officially prescribed by the Church.  I wanted to share with you the descriptions of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that it includes.  I found it really helpful and maybe you will as well.  It's interesting to take account of gifts that we've opened and are using and those that we need to ask for a greater share of and live more fully.  

Fear of the Lord

The gift of Fear fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread nothing so much as to offend Him by sin. It is a fear that arises, not from the thought of hell, but from sentiments of reverence and filial submission to our heavenly Father. It is the fear that is the beginning of wisdom, detaching us from worldly pleasures that could in any way separate us from God. "They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and in His sight will sanctify their souls."

Piety

The gift of Piety begets in our hearts a filial affection for God as our most loving Father. It inspires us to love and respect for His sake persons and things consecrated to Him, as well as those who are vested with His authority, His Blessed Mother and the Saints, the Church and its visible Head, our parents and superiors, our country and its rulers. He who is filled with the gift of Piety finds the practice of his religion, not a burdensome duty, but a delightful service. Where there is love, there is no labor.

Fortitude

By the gift of Fortitude the soul is strengthened against natural fear, and supported to the end in the performance of duty. Fortitude imparts to the will an impulse and energy which move it to under take without hesitancy the most arduous tasks, to face dangers, to trample under foot human respect, and to endure without complaint the slow martyrdom of even lifelong tribulation. "He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved."

Knowledge

The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to evaluate created things at their true worth--in their relation to God. Knowledge unmasks the pretense of creatures, reveals their emptiness, and points out their only true purpose as instruments in the service of God. It shows us the loving care of God even in adversity, and directs us to glorify Him in every circumstance of life. Guided by its light, we put first things first, and prize the friendship of God beyond all else. "Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesseth it."

Understanding

Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy religion. By faith we know them, but by Understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enables us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive, but inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony to the faith that is in us; we begin to "walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, and increasing in the knowledge of God."

Counsel

The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our daily duty as parents, teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation. "Above all these things, pray to the Most High, that He may direct thy way in truth."

Wisdom

Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it is written "all good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands." It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor, whilst the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Saviour: "Take up thy cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light.

I've been thinking a lot the past few months about what a life in the Holy Spirit looks like.  I don't think my life does, to be honest.  I grumble too much, get angry too much, feel sorry for myself too much, ahem, analyze too much, and so on.  I know I still have so very much that needs to be healed and transformed by His Spirit.  I also know that He's done a lot with me thus far and that He has worked in and through me a whole lot in this little life of mine.  I pray I can be an open vessel for Him more fully than I ever have been.  I know it's possible, despite my temptation to doubt that my issues and sins will ever get out of the way enough for that to happen.  I want to be one of those people that by just being in their presence, you KNOW they know Christ and it permeates everything about them.

Yesterday was a hard day in so very many ways.  Emotionally, spiritually, physically, and any other -ly you can think of.  I was reminded over and over of how weak I truly am and how much more I need to throw everything at His feet and pray, or rather beg, for help.  But He is so much bigger than all of this.  So much bigger than my sins, my issues, my limitations, the thoughts that disturb my peace.  He yearns to pour out His Spirit more and more upon this life of mine.  And His Spirit is a spirit of power and grace, a Spirit that can transform even my deepest vice and ugliness.  And when those things threaten to overtake today, rather than focus on them, I will instead pray "come, Holy Spirit" and fix my eyes upon Him.  Or at least I'll try.

I heard a quote on the radio today that was attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas.  "It is a sin to be scandalized by own's own sins."  Or something like that.  I couldn't find the reference anywhere but regardless, it still makes a point.  We should never let our own weakness and struggles (or those of others) shock us.  It is actually a gift when we can see our own sinfulness and recognize how desperately in need we are of a Savior.  God works in that.  He longs to pour down His gifts upon us and sometimes those struggles and terrible days are just the opportunity He needs to make that happen if only we let Him.

May the gifts of the Holy Spirit dwell deeply within us and be renewed each day.  Happy Pentecost! (And happy birthday to my husband 1500 miles away.  And I hope those super exciting brownies survived the trip!)

Pin It

Seven Quick Takes

1.

Having more kids is like training for a marathon.  Did you know that?  You know when you start running and you think you're going to die if you take another step but you keep going and eventually your body gets used to it?  And then you get used to running those three or four or five miles and if you were to go back to running just a mile it would seem like a breeze?  Not that I would really know that after my thirty seven second foray into running over a year ago but I've heard that's how it works.  Anyway, it's the same thing with parenting.  With each baby you have moments of feeling like your whole world is rocked and how in the world are we ever going to do this and maybe I just wasn't cut out for this.  Or maybe you don't.  I've never been one of those "oh! another baby?  No big deal!" type of people.  But eventually you sort of find your groove.  And it's still hard but you get used to that level of hard.  And then your husband takes two of them on a trip and man, having two kids when you're used to four feels like a BREEZE, despite the fact that you still have the needier two.  But I never would have said that when I "only" had two.

It reminds me of what my mom used to say when people would ask her how she had SEVEN kids.  "One at a time."
(Moms of multiples clearly develop superhuman powers.)

2.

But talk to me on Tuesday.  I may just want to come back and kick myself in the face for writing that.

3.

Last week I was invited to be part of a fancy focus group for our local talk radio station.  And by invited I mean they sent out a mass email and I was one of those lame enough to be lured in by the promise of free pizza and a restaurant gift card and opinionated enough to actually have a lot to say on the subject.  It was really interesting and fun even though I got stuck with the chair RIGHT in front of the two way mirror where people were staring at us making me too self-conscious to enjoy my free food.  I mean, really, it is inherently impossibly to eat a chicken wing daintily and without looking like a slob and I was hoping they'd actually listen to my opinion with some note of dignity rather than be distracted by my noshing.  (I did, however, take my plate with me when I left.  Pride be damned for chicken wings.)  I think, though, that I have found a future life calling.  Getting free things to be annoyingly opinionated?  Yes, please.

4.

Last week we got our newest batch of meat chicks.  I told Brian I was okay with ten, maybe twelve.  So he compromised and got nineteen.

5.

Does this count, Cari??  Even if they're destined for the dinner table?

6.

I really like this article Have American Parents Got it All Backwards? or as I like to call it, Guilt Relief for When the Toddler Has Found the Knives and You Realize Your First Concern is That He Will Scratch Your Countertop.

7.

For the g'rents.  But if you want to suffer from a mild cute attack, you can watch, too.

And pretty much the same thing but even longer:

Happy Friday, y'all!
 Joining Jen the Scorpion Slayer and Cari the Fisher Cat Fearer for Friday fun.

Pin It