Can there ever be too many pictures of baby Ella? :)

Of course not for mom!

All taken by big sis, Naomi.

The Grotto Panther's New Basketball Team Captain!

Dylan C. Vrazo :)

Does Wayne State REALLY want this man attending their university?

More museum fun!

Our Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang or Cheaper by the Dozen Shot :)

Fun at the Detroit Historical Museum

Our train fanatics!

Thanksgiving Bounty

Father in Heaven, Creator of all and source of all goodness and love, please look kindly upon us and receive our heartfelt gratitude in this time of giving thanks.

Thank you for all the graces and blessings you have bestowed upon us, spiritual and temporal: our faith and religious heritage. Our food and shelter, our health, the loves we have for one another, our family and friends.

Dear Father, in Your infinite generosity, please grant us continued graces and blessing throughout the coming year.

This we ask in the Name of Jesus, Your Son and our Brother. Amen.

Mistakes in hair replacement therapy

Drum roll please!!!!!

First quarter award ceremony @ Prevail Academy.

George Vrazo- Honor Roll

Jackson Vrazo- Honor Roll ( with a 3.9 GPA) and Principal's Award

Naomi Vrazo
Magna Cum Laude- All A's
Outstanding 1st Quarter Technology Student
Outstanding 1st Quarter Music Student
Principal's Award
Perfect Attendance


Way to go, my dears!

Play

I would guess that most mothers don't feel like they *play* enough with their children whether they have one or 15. I will admit I don't. I like being with my kids, I like hanging out with them, going places with them, doing things with them. I like interacting with them, chatting and joking with my teens, etc......but getting down on their level and *playing* with them, that leaves room for improvement. I suppose because I am not much of a person who really *plays* a whole lot even when it is adult fun. I am not overly fond of board games or cards. Sports....ho hum. :) I don't like comedies as a general rule nor reading the comics. Ok, I am a sour puss. LOL!

Well, last night Gabriella and I *played*. I was once again exiled at home with a sick child while the rest of the family went to Dyl's soccer banquet. Maybe I shouldn't use the term exiled as it sounds rather grim ( I was sad to miss out, but I like being home, too).
It was just Gabriella and Jackson and I....and Jackson was laying on the couch feeling ill. Gabriella went upstairs in my room so I could fold and put away clothes, but she wasn't overly happy with that plan. So we played. We played *peek a boo*, we played with her socks ( which she takes great delight in taking off), we played *walk to mommy!* ( she is standing unaided, but no steps yet). It was FUN! It was a little bittersweet, too.
My little, sweet baby girl is changing. Working on being a toddler soon, expanding her horizons and her personality is developing. It is fun to watch, and fun to *goof off* with her.

When I am so blessed to have these opportunities ( and they are soon gone) to just experience the joy of playing with my children, I should think more about taking them. I should *plan* to do it or stop what I am doing at regular intervals and take advantage of these fleeting moments when they are young and innocent and full of exhuberence for just playing.
I will. All too soon they are out and about and *playing* with someone else. :)

Today I walked into the living room and saw something that stopped me in my tracks.

A chair. (Yes, there are chairs in the living room, but this one had not been there previously :)
It was leather and a bit worn.
I turned back around and went into the kitchen looking for more information. Dylan and Al were there fixing themselves lunch.
"Where did that chair come from?" I queried.
Dyl- "Someone was throwing it away down the street so I took it for my room."

Stunned silence!

Was this the boy who would roll his eyes and shake his head everytime I found a treasure being pitched from the neighborhood? Who grimaced when I asked him to come help me put it in the van? Who vehemently stated we had *NO ROOM FOR ANY MORE FURNITURE* and sighed, moaned and gnashed teeth as it was brought in the house? ( and lest I just pick on him, these are the reactions from all 4 older boys :)

Heh heh--I guess I've taught him well! *wink*

Some men know how to make your day!

Manny, age 2......slipping his arm around my neck while reading his favorite book.
"Mom, you are my best friend!"

Bob....er...Jed.....the Builder!

More birthday party pics

Picture #1- Dylan w/ Gabriella, Al & Tim
Pic #2- Jay, Dyl, Ella, Gwen and George
Pic # 3-Jessica, Naomi, Sara & Tammy
Pic # 4 George w/ Jay and Noah
Pic # 5- Papa and Jackson, Jessica and Josh
Pic # 6- little bit of Jed :). Aly, Gwen, Nita, Joe, Nancy, Noah, Naomi, Manny, Sara, Jessica, Josh and Tammie






Aly and Gabriella

A busy birthday week!

Last week had a lot of exciting elements :). It was Naomi's birthday, of course, and we had a birthday celebration for her on Sunday. It was also Nan's 89th birthday on the eighth! (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NAN! ) The world has been blessed by your presence for 89 wonderful years and please plan on being around for 89 more years because none of us knows what we would do without you!)
I put in a new kitchen floor ( and yes, it looks like it was done by a rookie with three preschoolers running about, but anything is better than chipped and cracked tile in my book :)
We attended Jackson's *Panther of the Month* ceremony and Jackson and Naomi's excellent conferences @ school. (George's is this week) As stated in an earlier post, Jackson got all A's and so did Naomi--but hers was devoid of even an A-....so she gets a special honor for that! :)
To top it all off this new week started with NO SCHOOL for two days and Auntie Nita had us all over for a wonderful lunch and afternoon of relaxation and cousin fun. She's a gem, I tell you! :)

Here are a few pics of the party!

(oops--above, Nita, Manny and Nancy next--Mom, Irene and Dad Vrazo

Our "Panthers of the Month" !!!

At the kid's charter school, (Prevail Academy) they have an honor called "Panther of the Month". This means their teacher picks one student that exhibited outstanding moral and educational behavior :) for that particular month and they have a special assembly to honor them. They also make a poster with pictures and info about themselves to display all month.
We were proud that George won it the very first month of school and Jackson, the second!
(Also, our dear cousin/nephew, Jay won this honor his first month of school!)

Here are our boys! Way to Go!

Additionally, Jackson has made huge strides this year in school and we were pleasantly suprised and pleased to know he achieved all A's on his first quarter report card!

A Good Day.

Any day that includes mass, a walk ( by myself :) a good movie and coldstone creamery cake batter icecream with heath bars and roasted almonds in a waffle bowl can't be anything BUT a good day.
Yesterday included all.
Naomi and I went to see *Bella* which was a wonderful movie and I greatly enjoyed. Nice to see such a positive and thoughtful message in a outstandingly excuted film.

A word about mis-spelled words and sentences that make no sense. :)

If my blogging is a bit messy at times it must be because I am either holding a squirmy 10 month old or being climbed on by a busy 2 yo. Perhaps my 4 yo is pestering me to go on the TMNT website or my 9 yo is asking where his homework is. It could be my 11 and 13 yo's are having another epic argument, or I hear 15 yo hammering something somewhere and a sense of panicked urgency comes over me ( what is he doing?????). Another thought is 16 yo is standing behind me waiting to get on the computer to *mapquest* something, or 18 yo wants a guitar tab. Sometimes big Al wants to know if there was any dinner left or dh has an urgent need for a lost bill and he is sure I know the location ( usually, yes). All which probably means I shouldn't be blogging at that particular time. When will I learn? :)
Indulge me.

Happy Birthday Naomi!

Tomorrow (November 4th) our first daughter will turn 13! I write this with no small amount of emotion. :)
She came into the world so quickly she was our one and only baby born at home.
Even though we didn't know she was a girl ( and it was a huge suprise after 4 boys!) we had the name *Naomi* picked out if we were so blessed.
Naomi is my great aunt's name. Out dear *Aunt Dee* who left the world too prematurely, Nan's only sister. Grace was what we picked for her middle name as we were learning a lot about that at the time ( do you ever stop learning about God's grace? :)
She has always been a joy to us. A good natured girl, loving and nurturing to her younger siblings ( as you can see it is hard to find a picture of her without her little sister :) very responsible and focused on her goals. She has the great ambition to enroll in UNC or Notre Dame some day ( and that day is not too far off as time flies!) enthusiastic soccer player and STRAIGT A student!, flute player, newspaper staff sports editor, my sous chef and......

WE LOVE YOU NAOMI!!!!!! Happy, Happy Birthday our dear girl!

Our Darling Babe

Gabriella Ruth and Sissy....10 months old

More Halloween-the *girls*

Julie, Tammy, Sara & our leprechan......Naomi :)
(Go Notre Dame!)

Soccer Champs!

Dyl's soccer team won their state championship
this year. It was their first year playing together and the team is comprised of all homeschooled boys from our parish.
First pic: Dyl was voted one of 3 MVP's on his team.
Pic 2: Sentinel members with their trophy
Pic 3: The State Champs! ( Summit Sentinels!)

Halloween

Gabriella 10 mos
Jed (TMNT) 4
Manny ( Larry Boy) 2