my spirit rejoices

Farewell fall

2011-12-07T06:48:00.010-06:00

No, the calendar doesn't yet say fall is over. (edited to add: now it does:) But here in the north we've had enough gentle snows and chilly temperatures to say "winter" is here. At least in spirit.

George burning a fraction of the several tons of leaves raked. ;)

Our Thanksgiving centerpiece!

I found these little trays at Sam's. They are so great for serving things like hummous and pita chips or chips and salsa, crackers and cheese, veggies and dip.

Tim will often complain that I don't explain myself clearly enough. If I needed to be reminded that he is right, this example did it. What I said: "Put the leaves in a bag and take them down to the marsh" What I should have said "Put the leaves in a lawn and leaf bag, take them down to the marsh and empty it, bring the bag back and refill it. " :)

What I am thinking:

"You're beautiful mom!" "Looking good, mom!" Words like this from my children warm my heart, of course. Even though I am decidedly less enthusiastic about my appearance. Sometimes I really wonder HOW they can make such comments. Free from guile, I know they aren't saying it just to win brownie points. And since trying to make someone feel good isn't generally high on their priority list either (I don't say they are unfeeling or uncaring, just that, as children, thoughtfulness isn't a well developed virtue. :)it probably isn't coming from there either.

I know that if a truly beautiful woman walked into a room, my little boys would never notice, or if they did, it wouldn't because of the way she looked. Gabriella may comment "How pretty!" but it would only be if she was wearing something showy. These thoughts have made me appreciate the fact that young children are attracted to beauty mostly because of an emotional attachment to the object of beauty. Or that an object ( or person :) becomes beautiful or attractive to them because of the fond feelings they have for it/them. I can see that many things will become attractive or repugnant to them based on this, many important things. Relationships, their beliefs, what they value. I'm very glad to be beautiful in their eyes because they love me, but I must also be careful that the things I believe are important for them to embrace become beautiful to them by cultivating positive emotions toward them.

Quotes I am pondering:

"On a huge hill, cragged and steep, Truth stands, and he that will

Reach her, about must, and about must go,

And what the hills suddenness resists, win so:

Yet strive so, that before age, deaths twilight,

Thy soul rest, for none can work in that night.

John Donne

Reading, Watching, Listening to:

Almost done reading "The Sisters" The Saga of the Mitford Family by Mary Lovell

The lives of different families always intrique me, and this one, although obscure these days, was quite remarkable. They were a family of minor aristrocrats in England, although during WW2 nearly all of these sisters became "cause celebres". Two were fascist ( one called "the most hated woman in England", the other a fan girl of Hitler.) One a popular writer. One a communist, the last, became the Duchess of Devonshire. The whole book is both a fascinating history lesson and a study of family relationships. Of note is that the girls early education was provided by the "PNEU" system, now more popularly called "The Charlotte Mason Method" by home educators.

Listened to: The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maughm. "The Painted Veil" is one of my favorite movies, so I decided to actually read/listen to the book. It was remarkably close to the movie, except for a few things. The story of a spoiled, selfish girl who realizes the depth of character of her husband through adversity is thoughtfully poignant.

Watched: A new series I found at the library is "Royal Upstairs Downstairs" An antiques expert and a chef tour the great houses of England as Queen Victoria did during her reign. While that aspect of it is neither here nor there for me, getting a inside look at those great estates and castles is mind boggling. And what is even more interesting is that the chef goes "below stairs" and cooks up some of the period dishes using cookware, tools and ingredients from that era as well. While the chef (Rosemary Shrager) is a bit embarassingly over-enthusiastic at times, and the visit at each location is a little on the brief side, overall it is a very enjoyable series.

From the kitchen: I tried my hand at making "cake pops" for Gabriella's birthday. I had little princess ( what else?) do-dads that you put on top of them ( ie: the actual "pop" looks like the princesses dress) In that regard, they were cute, but TOO sweet for me. Not for the kids, although I can't say they flew off the plate. :)

From the schoolroom: OFF.FOR.TWO.WEEKS. :)

Comings and goings: Tim will have some vacation time this week, but I'm afraid the bulk of it will be spent carting boys to basketball practices and tournaments. Hopefully, we can eek out a little of it to do something fun ( not that basketball tournaments are not fun. ;) I hope to tackle some household projects (sort books, organize office) and have quiet New Year's celebrations that are relaxing. Christmas-time is fun, but grueling. There, I said it. :)

I love God, because I love His creation

2011-11-18T03:38:00.009-06:00

Outside My Window: I love fall! I found myself humming "It's the MOST wonderful time of the year!" ( Yes, I know it is a Christmas song) more than once after a walk or a jaunt outside. Out here in our rural area the day can sometimes "glow" with the sun coming through the brightly colored leaves. I'm not generally a person who enjoys hot weather, so I welcome the cooler temperatures. Cider, and apples and the scent of burning leaves, all is heaven to me. Now, we have sort of left the "glory" days of fall and all the leaves have blown off the trees and the days take on more grayness than sun. Still, it is my favorite season and I revel in it. Above are the "decoupage" pumpkin candle holders we made. I have discovered "Modge Podge". Pretty fun stuff!

Well, our Halloween was a muted affair. We sort of scrambled to come up with costumes (Gabriella, by and large, came up with that one herself!) and since trick or treating doesn't happen on our country road ( too far to walk between houses :) we hid some candy bags in the backyard and the kids seemed happy with that. On a whim, we decided to drive to a neighborhood down the road, but even there, only 3 houses were giving out treats. For those to whom this holiday mattered, I think it was fun enough. :)
Jed is enamored of "Stupendous Man" from Calvin and Hobbes.
These pumpkins we actually got from the pumpkin farm, but we did get 6 or 7 small pumpkins from our own crop this year.
Of course, even during fall, the inevitable happens here in MI.
You know, if I was out walking and saw a diamond ring on one of my neighbor's drive, I wouldn't be the least tempted to pick it up and pocket it ( unless it was to give it back to them) as I am if I see bittersweet on their property. Seeing that makes me start coming up with all kinds of covert operations to go and snip some for myself (they'd never miss it, right? ;) Thankfully, I was saved from my shameful thoughts by finding some in an open field, although by the time I discovered it, most of the pretty orange leaves had blown off by a couple windy days. Still, I love it and all the dried plant life I find this time of year. I adore flowers, but I think I love dried more...mostly because it can last so long. (I may add that if you find bittersweet at a Farm Market or such like , it is darn expensive...thus the excitement over finding it for...free :)
A little Thanksgiving project. The original idea ( have to find that link) that a friend shared is much cuter and is done with more fallish colors. I was trying to use "what I have in my hand" and came up with this. You put little unruled index cards in the envelopes with things you are thankful for throughout the month and year and I plan to read them at T'giving dinner.
Here is what bittersweet is REALLY supposed to look like....this little bit I actually found down by our marsh. Funny, what a small amount there was when in other places there are trees just loaded with it.

For some reason, this house is plagued with a glut of cables on the outside ( do cable-guys have no aesthetic appreciation?) I don't know if it is because we are out in the sticks or these particular cables were done long ago, but they really look ridiculous. The worst offenders are on the overhang to the door to the patio. I even found some cute lights to hang there, but I think it made it look worse with the electrical cord from them added to the mix. My magnum opus this fall was to hang some...what else....bittersweet vines and another vine...maybe wild grapes? (don't quote me) intermixed with the wires. Well, I have no idea how well this solution will hold up...if they will start looking tired soon, or if the snow and ice will bring them down eventually, but for the time being, I like.

I am thinking: "[Americans] are extremely eager in the pursuit of immediate material pleasures and are always discontended with the position that they occupy....They think about nothing but ways of changing their lot and bettering it. For people in this frame of mind every new way of getting wealth more quickly, every machine which lessens work, every means of diminishing the cost of production, evey invention which makes pleasures easier or greater, seems the most magnificent accomplishment of the human mind...One usually finds that the love of money is either the chief or a secondary motive at the bottom of everything Americans do." Alexis de Tocqueville, 19th Century :)

From the schoolroom: Nothing much interesting here...just ticking away.

I am reading/watching/listening to:

"On Canaan's Side" by Sebastian Barry. Mr Barry has definitely made it onto my list of favorite authors. Not only can he tell a good story, but has the added talent of inserting lofty thoughts into his tales. I have to say, as seems to be the case with a lot of authors, I don't always embrace his worldview, but enough of what he writes is edifying enough to keep me reading. I suppose the simplest review would be to say this is a tale of an Irish woman who has loved and lost, in a variety of ways, but there is much more to it than that ( of course. :)

"Night Strangers" by Chris Bohjalian . "The Midwives Tale" was the first book I read by Mr Bohjalian, and I always liked that one, so when I see another title from him, I give it a look. None have ever measured up to the first, but I keep trying. This one I couldn't put down until the end. But the end was a huge disappointment, so that overshadows the rest of the tale. Sort of a creepy ghost story, sort of a psychological thriller. I hate to critique a seasoned author (what the heck do I know? :), but I always wonder how someone with such talent can just give up at the end and why do successful publishing companies and editors not say something?!? :)

"The Englishman's Daughter" by Ben Macintyre . This is actually a true story of an English soldier who finds himself separated from his company during WW1 in rural France. The people of that community hide him from the Germans, often at great personal cost to themselves ( lack of food was a very real problem, as well as the threat of fallout to their own selves if the Germans found him). Eventually, he falls in love with one of the village girls and they beget a daughter. Not long after, he is betrayed and is executed. An interesting glimpse of life during WW1 in an occupied country and a bit of "who-dun-it" as the author tries to find out who gave the soldier away.

"Wait for Me!" by Deborah Mitford. This is a memoir of a lady who eventually became the "Duchess of Devonshire". Far from being of interest only to those who identify themselves as "anglophiles" :) it really is a story of a remarkable family, life during and between the two World Wars, and the end of the English aristocracy (sort of). One of 7 sisters ( and 1 brothers) two of her sisters were hated fascists, and one a communist. She also had a great deal to do with the restoration of "Chatsworth", the family manor ( and what a manor it is!) so that finds a soft spot in my heart. She is very critical of those who tore down many of the old English homes during the 60's and 70's because no one could think what to do with them. Hello!? FIND SOMETHING! You just don't throw a glorious and ancient work of art into the garbage because it doesn't match your decor....why would anyone think to tear down these beautiful and important works of architecture? (Alright, I know it is a bit more complicated than that :) Well, they sadly did. So, it is nice to find a kindred spirit both in someone who finds that a huge loss and did something to prevent it happening to yet another victim. The only critique I may have is that the writing of her experiences makes it somewhat evident why the aristocracy induces common folk to want to pull their hair out at times. While she sometimes complains of lean times during her growing up years and not being able to afford the latest Paris fashion, the family never lived in a cottage on the side of the road, and always had a houseful of servants ( including a nanny, of course!) which enabled them to do nothing more than go out riding, hunting with their cantankerous father ( Lord Resedale), attend fashionable parties and the like.

Watching: These dark and cold fall nights have definitely been enlightened by watching the original "Upstairs Downstairs" series. After viewing the more recent edition, I was curious to see why the first was so popular. It really is evident. It is well writen and well acted, and even though done in the 70's, the costumes and scenery are also stunning. ( Nothing against the 70's, but there is usually much more sophistication in modern renditions of historical fare). Thankfully, there are a WHOLE lot of episodes... I may just get through the winter with this one. :) I often wonder why the subject of the relations between servants and their "masters" back in the day is one that so fascinates me? I suppose because, being a real Yankee, I can't imagine how these people were in such awe of aristocrats during that time and did such demeaning work for them for shockingly low wages.. Yes, they were rich, but no better than anyone else ( says I! in true American form:). Simply by being born into the "right" family they were deemed socially superior. I suppose that goes for the monarchy as well. Such a different mindset than we have now, I'm always trying to understand it....although I know there are always threads of that mindset weaving through even our own enlightened times. Human nature, I suppose. As a humorous side note: One evening Tim came up and saw that I was watching it. He said "I remember this being on at our house quite a bit. We were always checking PBS to see if Monty Python was on and instead it was that darn "Upstairs, Downstairs"! " Yes, Tim and I's marriage is the epitome of "opposites attract" ;)

Comings and goings: There have been a whole lot of comings and goings taking Naomi to her new job ( 5 days a week, I might add!), drivers ed, and the boys to basketball practices. Of course, there has been help from my dear sons when able, and a carpool with other basketball families, so it could be worse. Things I have been mercifully spared from driving to : are play rehearsals, youth group, and picking up/taking Tim to the airport. In everything give thanks! Well, there is a light at the end of the tunnel since as of today Naomi can actually get her permit and begin the task of logging driving hours. I don't know why there has been such reluctance on my part to get her driving. Call me sexist, but she seems so little and frail compared to her burly brothers to be operating a big lump of metal on wheels. She definitely is very responsible and has a good head on her shoulders. But, time marches on....in less than a year she will be off to college and being able to drive might come in handy. :) We are looking forward to the premier of "Briar Rose", a play written by one of the boys at our parish, with musical scores written by none other than our dear Dylan, and Naomi being part of the cast.

Words of wisdom

2011-09-25T18:35:00.009-05:00

I had a conversation with my dad not long ago. He was probably on me for putting salt on my food ( something he is notorious for in general) and I probably said something glib like "Well, I like salt!" ( convincing!) His response was "Well, I like salt, too, I don't eat it because I know it is better for me not to!" Well, it's hard to argue with my father. One, because he is also known for being NW ( never wrong..... example: one time when I thought I was in labor and came to drop the kids off at their house, he said "You don't look like you are in labor." Sure enough, false alarm. :) Two, because he looks good and is in purty good health for a 71 year old man. ( as does/is my mother!) Beyond that, I've thought a lot about that comment. I might argue with him about the salt issue, but not about the self discipline issue. Denying yourself things you really like seems to get harder for me the older I am. Maybe that isn't true. Maybe I've been living on good gene fumes for most of my life and have avoided chronic health problems because of it ( not because I've made a whole lot of conscious choices to be a healthy person). I'm pretty sure that situation is starting to wind down.

I know the mental battle that rages within has mostly to do with "poor pitiful me " thinking. It's not that I don't enjoy my life or my vocation, but there are always things that are distasteful in any life/career. I know I don't want to add certain unpleasant tasks ( like lifting weights) or subtracting pleasant ones ( like eating whatever I want) because "Oh, I already have this, that or the other difficult thing to do on a daily basis and why shouldn't I be rewarded by doing things I enjoy and why should I punish myself by doing more things I don't like to do? ( yes, mature! :)

Something else I read underlines this as well. "I work out every morning, 7 days a week-even when I am traveling. I hate it. But I love the results! That's the key, baby!" Jack La Lane. Jack La Lane?! The grandfather, the patriarch of the fitness movement hates to work out?! Yes, I believe that is the key. What separates the men from the boys here. Doing things you don't like to obtain good results. So simple, so difficult. Hopefully the genes I've inherited include the wisdom & strength of will my dad possesses. I just hope I don't have to wait until I am 70 for it to blossom. :)

From Naomi's blog

2011-09-25T10:33:00.009-05:00

"Remember how much stress you had over the past year? It probably wasn't worth it. Whatever happened, happened and would have happened without the stress"

Funny how mother and daughter learn the same things at the same time. Not that I have really LEARNED this lesson, but it's at least on my radar and I've been thinking a lot about it. So much of what we stress out about is gone and forgotten a year later, heck sometimes a week later! Why do we put ourselves through it? In reality there seem to be very few things to stress about in life. Case in point, Noah's grad party. Oh, I stewed about that one all summer. Would we have enough food, would we have too much food. Did I invite too many people, did I forget to invite certain people. How would I arrange tables/chairs, parking, invites and on and on and on....when, in the end, it was just a party. Sure, a party to mark one of your child's milestones in life, but nothing life or death for sure. I know I lost sleep, I know I was crabby about it, I know I was short, scatterbrained and distant from my children while I worked everything out. Was any of it worth it? Probably not. But that is just a vignette from the many things I get stressed out about during any given day, week or month. The funny things is, I am a nazi-like perfectionist about a few things, and not so much (even when I should be more careful) about a lot of things. Why not just be balanced? Well, the first step in conquering any given issue in your life is the realization it's an issue. So, onward and upward. :)

Summer

2011-09-25T08:39:00.021-05:00

Do we see some similarities? :)

We FINALLY had Noah's grad party. This is about the only picture I got...but thankfully all went well. Especially the weather! We've had some wonky fall weather but somehow was blessed with a lovely day. (Pinata for littles)

Clay creations. School has started in earnest!

Parish festival. I do a little tent where small kids can come and play for free and get their face painted ( this wasn't my original idea, the genius of another lady....but I took it over from her).

As gardens go...this one is decidedly not that impressive. To me...it is a wonder! I still can't over that you can push some seeds into soil and up come these amazing plants! Maybe not so much with plants you buy from Home Depot ( which sort of seems like cheating :), but ripping open a little packet of seeds and a month or two later up come yards of pumpkin vines and 8 foot tall sunflowers. Gratifying.

Outside my window: Sort of gray. Looks like rain. We've had a lot of rain after barely any this summer.

I am thinking: "An idiotic waste of life." (Charles, Lord Hazlemeare) For some time, WW1 has fascinated me. For one thing, it seemed to open the door to such social and political change in Europe. For another, I really didn't "get" why the assasination an obscure Austrian Arch Duke, in a small Eastern European country ( Serbia) could have set off such a huge, world involved conflict. Well, two aides helped me get a better picture of things over this summer. One was the book: "George, Nicholas and Wilhem: Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War 1" by Miranda Carter. The other was the mini-series "Fall of Eagles". While I am sure you really can't boil things down to any one simplistic reason, these two resources make it clear that a good deal of the conflict was due to the ups and downs of familial relationships between the ruling heads of Europe at the time (who were, in many ways, a bit-"off" personality-wise). Which truly makes one scratch their head in despair. That a few men held the lives of millions of men ( and their wives, children, parents and others who knew and loved them) in their hands while they fumed and fussed over power and prestige on the European continent. I guess it is not a new story in the history of mankind, but such a recent one and very poignant. I don't believe wars are always unjustified, but, despite some of the good that came from it ( ie: absolute power of the monarchy was diluted in some cases, completely overthrown in others) this one was, well, dumb.

From the schoolroom: Our first day of school was Sept. 6th and so far, things are going suprisingly well. Manny continues to astound me with his readiness for full-blown school work, and everyone else jumped right in and fell into the "old" routine without much ado. Thankful.

Reading/Watching/Listening to:

Just finished "The Wilder Life" by Wendy Mc Clure . This was very entertaining. I thought I was the only one who lived, breathed and ate the "Little House" books as a young girl! It was humorous and interesting to find someone trying to re-live those little rays of sunshine in a pre-teen girls life. And it had a good bit of new information I didn't know about the family. It also makes me want to "do" her Ingalls road trips (visiting the places where they actually lived...De Smet, South Dakota, anyone?...they actually have a campsite there where you can sleep in a psuedo covered wagon!) and I am kicking myself for not pushing to go see the site in Mansfield, Mo when we were there last spring!

Watched:

The most memorable of dvd's watched lately was "Of God's and Men". This was released this year or last year, and was well received (Cannes, Cesar, Best Foreign Language Film). It is slow moving and thoughtful, but what impressed me was that the monks belief in God was never ridiculed ( as that belief is so often in modern day movies). It was respected, and even admired. Beautiful.

Listened to: What I am trying to listen to ( on a "classics" roll lately) "Swann's Way" by Marcel Proust, "Mrs Dalloway" Virginia Woolf, "Tender is the Night" F. Scott Fitzgerald. I did finish "Winesburg, OH" by Sherwood Anderson. I can't say I loved it, but it was interesting. Especially being written in 1915. Underlines the fact that while times change, human nature does not.

From the kitchen: "Chicken Taco Soup" good stuff ( see Food Network for recipe...can't get the link on here.

Comings and goings: Well, Naomi finally landed a job ( at "Jimmy John's no less...there is some irony there for the girl who doesn't like to cook :) So, there will be lots of driving to and fro ( thankfully, not too far away) Hopefully, I will get to see one of my son's soccer games! Either there has been sickness or party prep on the weekends they play and I haven't gotten there ( Tim has, thankfully). Other than that we are trying to stick to doing school, with the usual trips to the library,etc. I am hoping now that we've had a few weeks under our belt we can branch out and do some field trips....to the zoo, farm, capital!

I should add, that to round out the summer, we had a lovely ( and more importantly, WARM) camping trip and a nice little party for Tim's 50th. Not sure why no pictures, but there you have it.

Spring....

2011-07-10T19:04:00.013-05:00

I have to say this ranks right up there with the. most. busiest.spring.ever. for the Vrazo family. Which is probably why I haven't posted on this blog since the end of February! Stunning! (I don't know why these photos are posting in such a funky way....keep scrolling................ Al, the proud, new homeowner. Our nest is emptier by two. ( He took Zak with him :)

Vrazo Family Reunion in St Louis. ( St Louis Science Center)

Ditto

Union Station

The Vrazo offspring minus a few....

Family bowling in celebration of Jed's FHC.

Everyone having a good time?

Look at that form!

It's a wonder there aren't cracks in the bowling alley lane after Jed whips his ball down it!

Gabi loves to bowl!

Mother's Day ....feel the love.

A confirmation! Jackson Lewis Jerome Vrazo

First Holy Communion

Oh--yes, and there was a prom! Naomi's first. :)

Auntie Em!

The gorgeous girls

The lovely "do", thanks to Gabriella

Lovely spring flowers...a balm to a soul weighed down by winter. ( not mine, of course ;)

Add to all the "events" 5 kids in soccer and 1 in rugby ( I think I made it to all of 3 of his games...he could drive himself :) and me coaching soccer ( don't laugh) for the first time...well, it made for a rip-roaring few months.

Outside my window:

Well, now it is July and very warm. Everything is green and lush and blooming. Garden is in and thriving ( note to self: read pumpkin seed package on how far apart to space plants BEFORE doing so.)

Strawberry rhubarb and raspberry rhubarb jam made.

Outdoor painting projects just about wrapped up! It's funny, I started painting my front door and shutters on St Patrick's day ( we were having a warm spell) . It took until the middle of June to be able to resume that work because it was either too cold, or too rainy!

I am thinking: Well, I am trying out some philosophy. I must admit, reading philosophy is a struggle for me. My lazy brain just doesn't want to do the work to understand their point. :) However, I have stumbled upon Marcus Aurelius "Meditations" ...which is a pretty easy work to get into for me. Marcus Aurielius was a Roman Emperor and premier Stoic philosopher and has a generally good reputation for being a wise and kind Emperor ( except that a lot of Christians were persecuted under his reign, which puzzles many people. I suppose his lofty thoughts didn't translate into tolerance for Christianity :) He has lots of inspiring things to say, but mostly, what he writes has me thinking of lots of other things. I would say it has opened a floodgate of issues to contend with.

From the schoolroom:

I can say with unabashed joy that we are DONE with school and are thoroughly enjoying our summer break. This has been a grueling school year but good in many ways. We are signing back up with K-12 and adding Manny as a student. Jackson will be in high school next year and not sure what program I will use with him, but probably not K-12. Naomi ( GULP) will be graduating!

Reading/Watching/Listening:

Read:

I discovered Margaret Foster this spring and really enjoy her writing for the most part. I can sniff out some things I knit my brows at....but overall, she is a talented writer and writes about things I am interested in ( ie: historical fiction). Two I've read so far ( and one listened to) "The Bride of Lowther Fell" and "Keeping the World Away " The audio book was "Lady's Maid" about Elizabeth Barrett Browning's beloved ( or not so beloved at times) maid who had many insights into her life.

Watched:

Some that stand out:

"The September Issue"

This was a film about producing an issue of Vogue magazine with it's focus on Anna Wintour ( the editor in chief). Naomi and I were chuckling about the fact that neither of us are "fashionistas", but the fashion industry has a certain intrique for us. I suppose because it is so exotic and far from our normal lives. It "is" an artform, and I suppose we can appreciate it from that point of view. It gets me thinking about why certain clothing appeals to certain people and why it doesn't to others. Why is someone like Ms Wintour's opinion on such matters so widely held as the final word? For the record, I don't make a habit out of reading "Vogue". I may pick one up at the dr's office on occasion. In the end...I would say it was a little bit of fun to watch, but I couldn't get over the huge sums of $ spent on photo shoots and all that goes along with them just so the general public can have something to drool over. ( I'm sure just the airfare alone to Rome or wherever for all the models and staff could feed a few starving children in Africa. )

A couple regarding the Holocaust...

Rosenstrausse ( A German film about German wives married to Jewish citizens of Berlin, who stood outside the prison their beloveds were held day after day until finally....they were released. One of the brighter stories among the many tragic ones we all know of.

Secret Lives: This one was about Christian ( or otherwise) citizens who hid Jewish children. One thing I appreciated about this very well done documentary is that while it gave credit where credit was due ( of course it was very brave and noble for these individuals and families to take these children in, and I am in no way trying to take away from that) it didn't whitewash some of the difficulties encountered. One daughter felt very angry ( even as an adult) at her parents for putting she and her sister at risk by taking in a Jewish girl. Another (Jewish) girl lived happily with her adoptive family, but had a very hard time going back to her parents. It gave one a lot to think about, not the least being "Could I have been brave enough to do such a thing...especially knowing they would execute whole families if they found out what was going on?"

Series:

Dr Findlay A post WW2 drama about a Dr. practicing in a rural town in Scotland. This was a well made and well acted series. They might have been a bit heavy handed on inserting some modern quandries into that time period, but overall, very good.

Listened to:

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Ms Niffenegger is probably more well known for her wildly popular "The Time Travelers Wife". Well, I have never read that one. I did see the movie and didn't care for it. I noticed on one board, this one didn't get many good reviews. I wonder if it is because it is a departure from TTW and therefore a disappointment to those who were expecting something along the same lines. I can only guess. This one certainly stands out as one of the more memorable ones I've "read" via audio book this year. A bit far-fetched at times, perhaps, (especially the end) but she does have great talent at pulling you into her story and making you feel that you exist amongst her characters. Enjoyed.

On my bedside table:

Liberty's Exiles: by Maya

Really, what exactly DID happen to all the pro-British citizens living in America post the Revolution? A fascinating idea for a book as she follows the lives of several individuals and families as they grappled with their lives after the war...if I could only find the time to read it. :)

Comings and goings:

Well, now that life has settled down somewhat, we finally made it to the zoo ( although briefly... the friends that we went with thought it was open later, but alas, we missed that by a week). Today was a trip to the farm ( complete with mom getting lost!) There have been graduation parties and more graduation parties...so many that I am seriously considering not attending our own graduation party ( just kidding, of course :) a very beautiful wedding and one to come! Church festival and camping trip will round out the summer. In between I try desperately to clean and organize the many places that were left neglected during the school year and watch the kids swim in our backyard pool ( a never-ending blessing this time of year...I think we have finally found the perfect spot and I am getting the hang of adding the chemicals correctly :) go for walks & bike rides, pick wildflowers, make campfires and grill delicious, warm- weather meals....ahhhhh...summer!

Backtracking. Easter :)

2011-07-10T18:21:00.008-05:00

Yum- candy!

Getting close!

More candy.

Cheerful window decor admist the backdrop of barren trees. :)

Even the 20 year old gets in the act.

Noah with Noah ( darling little doll made by cuzin Libby...who made our whole family, which was Gabi's Easter basket gift)

Smashing.

I just had to.

All my Easter eggs ( minus Zak who was with gf)

The littlest Easter girl.

Woo-hoo! MORE candy!

Spring flowers struggling to emerge....

Found it!

It's striking to see how barren our yard was at that time. Everything is so lush and green right now ( july)

Making a run for it!

What a handsome fella!

Ha! Ha! Beat you to it!

Loot.

All photos by Naomi G. :)

Friday-Vignettes from the week.

2011-02-25T18:11:00.005-06:00

1. The BIG excitement of the week was Dyl winning Right To Life-Lifespan's "Volunteer of the Year" Award! Way to go saving babies, Charlito!

2. Favorite recipe tried: Thai Chicken Curry , which nearly tasted like the Gang Garee we get at the Thai restaurant and wasn't that difficult to make. See "Allrecipes" because it won't let me copy the link. (I did do a few switcheroo's....no pineapple, because it wouldn't fly around here, and I sauteed the chicken and vegetables before adding the coconut milk).

3. I've loved the color combo, blue & white, for home decor for several years now. I even devoted the living room in our old house to that theme ( perhaps overdone, but that's how I roll ;). During a recent trip to Target I was highly gratified to see this duo as *in* for spring ( according to Target, anyway). Which probably means I'll find lots of great clearance items in a couple months!

4. Snow, snow and more snow. 8 inches on Sunday night, 2 or so more last night, 2 more predicted tonight and tomorrow! Will.It.Ever.End?

5. If there is one thing I can say about this winter, it is never boring! Every week we can look forward to a new and exciting malady invading the house. This week Manny was literally bedridden for 5 days with a severe ear infection. Just as soon as he started perking up, George looks to be down with bronchitis. It seems like it has been like this since the week before Christmas. Either we have no immunity this year or it is a really bad year for nasty bugs. I'm thinking the latter, based on ancedotal information.

6. Funny of the week; An acquaintance asked Dyl how we keep our house so clean. We all got a big guffaw from that one!

7. Even better than finding new and yummy recipes is having Zak here to cook! Although it can be argued he sometimes "overseasons" things :) whatever ideas and ingredients I throw at him, he comes up with a dee-licious meal!

January/February

2011-02-21T06:33:00.008-06:00

How can it be that February is almost over?! Not exactly a bad state of affairs if you're tired of winter. :) The St Cyril's Sharks basketball season ended. They didn't quite have a winning season, but it was the first time for a team at St Cyril's and the boys really improved as they got used to playing together.

Snow, snow and lots more snow.......

Noah can't wait for rugby. Hanging out with his three favorite things, G, his phone and rugby ball. ;)

Lovely thrift store finds!

Ditto!!

Salt dough projects to keep the littles busy during freezing cold days.

Gabriella was very undone that no one got her flowers and chocolates for Valentine's day ( they always get a little candy bucket from us and treats from meemaw and papa, but I guess she was missing romance. ;) I bought some the next day and had Zak give them to her. She insisted on wearing the tissue the flowers were wrapped in as a veil. She's a quirky one! ;)

From my Valentine!

Video games have been played a bit too often this winter. Mom has wimped out due to cabin fever. The addiction starts young around here.

A new tablecloth and a little dinner party made for a cheery winter day. New friends and old.

Outside my window: A winter storm last night brought 8 fresh inches of snow. The irony is we had a glorious *thaw* last week and the foot of snow we already had melted. I guess "old man winter" didn't like that. :(

I am thinking: Cars. We went from a driveway full of 4 clunkers to 2 in the last month. Van totalled, Noah's car died. Trying to figure out what the best course of action is in getting all our drivers back on the road.

School: Good MEAP results for the boys. Advanced or at level on all subjects. Jed whizzing ahead in math!

He really loves history like his mother. ;)

Reading/Watching/Listening to:

Finished: Too Close to the Sun by Sara Wheeler

I was thinking how this man probably wouldn't merit notice except for his character in the movie "Out of Africa". Even in Karen Blixen's novel of the same name I don't think he achieved the same fame. But more than the man it was an interesting account of Africa in the early 20th century (British and German imperialism at it's best! cough) and for some biographical information about Ms. Blixen.

On the nightstand:

"The Wives of Henry Oades" by

England's Lost Country Houses - Giles Worsley ( I don't know if I can get through this one because it is just too gut-wrenching to see all these treasures that were eventually demolished (often for maddening reasons). Kind of like when I go to downtown Detroit...although many houses are still standing, in a state of sad disrepair.)

Listening to:

At Home by Bill Bryson

This is a fascinating look into how our homes came into being room by room. With all sorts of historical" this and that" about a great many subjects pertaining to them. I like that he asks so many questions that I have often pondered ( ie: who figured out how to make bread?! The answer: no one knows.....but at least he is as amazed that someone came up with it as I am).

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: by Kate Summerscale

This was kind of a horrifying case in the middle of the 19th century (I'll spare the gory details) but it is more than that an intriguing look at one of Scotland yard's first detectives (Mr. Whicher). Really, it reads like a murder-mystery, yet it is true!

It seems a little morbid to say I enjoyed this one, but it was really, really well done and kept my attention from start to finish.

and...I bought myself a birthday present...the ethereal "Creation" sountrack. Beautiful!

Watching: Since I finished my beloved "Foyle's War" series (hopefully they will come up with more!) I started on another, although a bit more cheesey and set in modern day. Still I can't get enough of the depiction of Scottish life on a "Laird's estate". It's sort of light and pleasant watching. "Monarch of the Glen"

Comings and Goings-on: Well, I had a delightful birthday thanks to my dear family. Tim took me to brunch at "Kruse and Muer at the Lake" which was fantastic. Lots of seafood! He also got me "Wii-Fit" ( which was a request from me, not a sly hint from him ;) Everyone in the family loves it from young to not so young. It is somewhat addicting. If I don't do it one day I feel kind of antsy. I love that you can pick your routines, there is great variety.

The older kids took me to see "The King's Speech" which was very well-done, terrific acting. As Al said, if you can make a movie about a King's speech therapy that holds your attention for a full two hours, you have some serious talent!

We also had little Jed's birthday in February, who isn't quite so little anymore at age 8. No more birthday's until April!

Christmas/December

2011-01-23T04:58:00.013-06:00

This must have been a "say cheese" shot!

Better.

A Lion's jersey for the team's biggest fan ( which may be an understatement ;) Tim.

A t-shirt for Lipuma's biggest fan!

Here's a nod to wearing attractive lounge wear on Christmas morning. But I was very happy with my gift!

Dad fiddling with doll clothes. A task he hasn't had much experience with recently.

Al is 100% excited about being up before 9 am on Christmas morning.

Zak intently studying a gift.

Everyone's a comedian around here.

Ditto.

Excitedly waiting to open gifts on Christmas Eve.

The mayhem begins!

A happy customer!

We couldn't forget our birthday girl. 4 years old on December 20th, just shy of the big day. (In birthday dress from mee-maw and papa that she was ga ga about!)

Outside my window: Ridiculously cold.

I am thinking: "There is a privacy about winter which no other season gives you. In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other. Only in winter, in the country, can you have longer quiet stretches where you can savor belonging to yourself. " ( need to find author)

From the schoolroom: It both seems heartening and discouraging that we are nearly half-way through the school year. Heartening because half- way is great, discouraging because it seems like we should be farther along than half-way. :)

Read/Watched/Listen to:

Well, I finally got around to watching "Inception".

This was a big hit with my teens so I thought I'd give it a try. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it.

I think one problem might be that I tend to get hung up on details. For instance when conversing with someone I will be distracted by something said that doesn't make sense to me even though it isn't germane to the discussion. An example:

Noah "I saw Alan at the store today and he was telling me about his trip to Tahiti"

Me "What was Alan doing at the store today?!?"

If you've seen the film you will know that it is not a good way to view it, but there were just TOO many moments like that in it for me. My mind got twisted up in the "why's" of each scene to the point that I was actually angry at the film at the end. Ha! (No, it's not that I didn't "get it" , it's just that there were a plethora of unexplicable things...even for a fantastical film)

And it seemed to me ( although I appreciate the director was trying to do something clever) that they were making things up as they went along. And I don't particularly care for action films, since all 3 that I have ever seen appear to have the same formulaic scenes ( ie: person A being chased down narrow streets and alleyways, person B being chased in the car during a traffic jam, etc etc). Ok- to accentuate the positive....some of the acting was good (I like Tom Hardy). You can't deny there were some spectacular special effects ( even though that isn't high on my list of attractions in a film) and like I said, I do appreciate someone trying to do something unique in film, or writing for that matter. I just don't think it was executed well.

Next of note was "Creation" with Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly.

This was a period drama about a particularly difficult time in Charles Darwin's life. I didn't realize his wife was a devout christian and that his scientific findings were something they had to "work through" as a married couple with opposing beliefs. From that standpoint, I thought it was a well done film. It also sort of "humanized" Darwin, who is often so maligned in certain circles, while idolized in others. I'm not completely sure how much of this story was fiction or non fiction ( I know the *story* is true, just how much license was taken with it is what I wonder about) since I am not a student of Darwin's life :) but it was aesthecially a very pretty film and emotionally engaging. ( His crisis of conscience also came at the time his young daughter was dying).

On my nightstand:

Larkrise to Candleford ( 1/3 done)

Too Close to the Sun ( A biography of Denys Fitch Hatton, the adventurer in "Out of Africa") 1/4 done

In Defense of Food ( haven't started)

The Ghosts Stories of Edith Wharton ( am losing interest...although I had another anthology of her work that I was enjoying, but had to get back to the library)

Suite Francais by Irene Nemirovsky ( two cd's down ;)

Around the house: Well, this week saw the demise of our full size van. Dyl was borrowing it to get some supplies for his trip to Washington D.C and slid off our wonderful icey back roads. He is ok, but the van is totaled. And funny the emotional attachements you have to things like that, even though we barely drove it lately. It was sad to see it all crunched up and broken....never to be filled with the Vrazo clan again. It was one of those things that REALLY came in handy when needed, but for the most part we drive around our 7 passenger SUV without no space issues these days.

Upcoming this week:

Well, my 46th birthday for one. I will be closer to 50 than 40 once that day arrives ( although, in reality, I suppose that's been the case ever since I turned 45 :) I have all sorts of resolutions for that day, ones I left off at the New Year. I don't know why this particular age is the impetus for that, but since it is, I will go with it and hope it works! I guess I don't want to hit 50 and be obese or very unhealthy or extra cranky ( which all seems to be the direction I am heading) so I reckon now's the time to get serious! ;) Other than that....soccer, basketball, 3 teens in Washington D.C for the March for Life, and on we go....

Fall

2010-12-26T04:24:00.013-06:00

St Nicholas Day Tea Party

Thanksgiving

Since we didn't carve our pumpkins for Halloween, we decided to make a pumpkin/Thanksgiving centerpiece. :)

Outside my window: Snow and Cold. Winter.

What I am Thinking: Looking back on some of my posts, I wonder why I post what I am thinking. ;) Well, at least it makes sense to me. Sometimes.

From the schoolroom: Pressing on! Very glad for a bit of a winter break.

From the Kitchen: I'm back to reading "The End of Overeating" so I don't want to think about my cooking. Sugar+Fat makes you want to eat more Sugar + Fat. Let me carry that thought into the New Year. After NY's eve, of course. ;)

What I am Reading/Watching/Listening to:

I just finished a little gem of a book called "Hannah Coulter" by Wendall Berry. Just a short tale of a woman's life, but packed with so many things to think about and nod your head in agreement with. Beautiful!

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova.

This novel had a few loose ends in it, that I, if I was an author :) would tie up, but overall very good. Funny, I started reading "The Historian" by the same author ( which is her more acclaimed work) and I just couldn't get into it. This one I really liked.

Listened to:

Crimson Rooms by Katherine MacMahon

Not a great ending, not exactly sure where she was coming from in a few places, but mostly a riveting tale. I tend to wonder if there will be a sequel.

Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotoy

This one was mostly set in Stalinist Russia. Very well done.

Watching:

I started watching the series "Foyle's War" and I am truly getting into it. Love Micheal Kitchen.

Around the House: I did go on a bit of a sewing spree ( which seems to happen quarterly). My head now fills with New Year plans for home improvement. Painting plays a large part!

What we will do this week: Dad is off work. Huzzah! Too many plans swirling about in my head. Hopefully, we will make a loose schedule and make the most of the time. A trip to the mall (never made it before Christmas), some visits,a museum trip, swimming at the Y, & a family out to dinner all hope to be included. And we have a very special baptism to attend this weekend.

Reasons the blog has been neglected......

2010-11-07T08:41:00.006-06:00

(Yes, just about everyone, from the second grader to the college folk do some or all of their schoolwork on the computer these days!)

Outside my window: These brisk days have reminded me that winter is just around the corner in all it's chilling glory.

What I am thinking: Recently I was listening to a radio program about the history of women's right to vote. Well, it does seem pretty silly that women weren't allowed to vote in the past, so I have no qualms there. It was just a statement made by one of the participants that caught my ear. " ALL women were trained to do ( in the past) was to take care of their home and children" ( or something to that effect). I do realize that the aggravation in her statement was caused by the fact that women in times past didn't have a choice to do other things. Yes, I get that. It just struck me as ironic that even though women have won many freedoms and have a great deal of choice these days, the choice to be a stay at home mother ( who cares for her home and children full time) still seems to get little respect. On one hand, no one would argue that it is easy or a fluff job, some will even say "The most important job in the world", on the other, there seems to be an undercurrent of "women who stay at home are just doing so by default ( ie: they can't think of anything better to do) or until their children are raised and they can do something REALLY interesting and important. A scenario comes to mind: Here we have a group of mothers at a party discussing their daughter's future plans. Mother A "My daughter is going to Yale to study medicine!" ( oooo----ahhhh!!_) Mother B "My daughter is going to Stanford to study law!" ( oooo-oooo-ahh- ahh) Mother C "My daughter is getting married and wants to be a stay at home mother" Dead silence. :)

The poor stay at home mother. Perhaps throughout the ages taken advantage of ( which gave rise to feminism) in recent history, domesticity is maligned as an inferior choice to what is available out there for feminine occupation.

From the schoolroom: School has pretty much overtaken our lives, but not in a bad way. We started a new program ( the three middle boys) and it is a lot of hard work, but something I think we all needed this year. No matter how much boys rail against routine and accountability, they do seem to thrive under it. Not to mention it has been very helpful to me, since most of it is so well planned out and user friendly. Even George, who was mightily struggling at the beginning of the year said "I see now that this program isn't so bad. I'm getting into a routine and it's not a big deal". That mostly sums it up right now. :)

From the kitchen: It seems like the cold weather brought about a cooking spree this week! It felt like I was constantly baking or rustling up some type of comfort food and I printed out reams of recipes. Choc chip cookies (we found a super, duper recipe that includes kosher salt...adds an unbelievable yumminess!), spinach pie, chicken linguine (baked) Alice Springs Chicken, hummus and pita, the list goes on and on.
I still have a pile of recipes to try. Maybe next week!

I am reading,watching and listening:

Let me think of the highlights of the past couple months.

Reading: "Men at Arm's" by Evelyn Waugh. This is part of a trilogy Waugh wrote about WW2. I'm not really a *war* person, as in "it's -not-a-big-interest-of-mine", but Mr. Waugh very entertaining writer and it was a good eye into the realities of soldiering during the second world war. I always find his slant on life thought provoking.
I watched a movie based on this trilogy "Sword of Honor", which was pretty good and left me wanting to read the whole story.

Watching: The best movie I watched was called "A Woman in Berlin"....which was a German movie. What was interesting about this movie to me was that of all the many, many movies about WW2 and the Holocaust, you nearly never read/watch anything from a German point of view. This was based on a true story written by a women who lived in Berlin at the time the Russians invaded. It was a bit more disturbing than most movies I like, but it wasn't gratuitous. We are so far from the horrors of war ( well, most of us in America) these days I think in some ways it is good to be reminded about how * it was*.

(Hmmm...war, war and more war..... do I see a theme here? :)

Listened to:

I've listened to a lot of A.S Byatt's work recently. My very favorite was "Possession" ( and I watched the movie by the same name which was also good, but needed a bit of casting help....the actor who played Roland.....tsk tsk tsk....Jude Law might have been a good choice :)
A.S Byatt is intriguing to me because a lot of what she writes delves so deeply into the academic literary world. If I ever thought about going back and getting a degree, literature would be right up there as a choice. Maybe not so much after reading Ms. Byatt. I see politics ( on both sides of the spectrum) invade that world as they do so many others. And another annoyance....literary criticism, which I suppose makes me sound even less sophisticated. I really sometimes grit my teeth when my children are asked in their school curriculum questions about a certain poem or story they've read. I do understand that most writers write with a point in mind. And it is not a bad exercise to try and figure out what that point is, but sometimes I'm not sure that SO much thought has to be put into what the point is. Why can't the *point* just be whatever it is to you, whatever enjoyment or connection you feel to the story or characters? Well, I am really digressing here.
Back to A.S. Byatt. Can't say I 100% agree with her worldview, but there is no pablum in her writing. It's challenging and entertaining at the same time. She also has a wry sense of humor about certain things which I appreciate. I suppose that comes from being a 76 year old woman.

Another good one: "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion. While this book was heart-rending, the writing was so engrossing it kept me in rapt attention. Like a good meal or a gorgeous painting, an example of someone who knows and executes their craft so well is a delight to read even if the subject matter was hard to listen to at times. Not only that, but I think just about everyone can relate to her thought processes while enduring tragedy. It is like there is one part of you that can step back and identify that the crazy thoughts coursing through your head are nonsense, yet another part of your body responds to them as if they were gospel truth.

Around the house: Finally got the bathroom painted, although it needs additional help since the tool to remove the wallpaper chewed up the wall in places. Cleaned out the shed. That's it folks! :)

What we will do this week: It seems like good old Dad has been working away from home for months. ( Maybe he has?) But this week, he is here. Hallelujah! And it looks like a nice week weather wise, so hopefully some outdoor projects will get accomplished. Certain members of the family are heading to Texas for dear cousin Abigail's wedding. The rest will do school and attend meetings, birthday parties and try to survive without them. Sniff :( :)

The end of summer 2010

2010-09-05T04:58:00.009-05:00

Dyl and Naomi found a turtle on the road while out running and brought it back for us to check out.

I love to see Jed out swinging ( although he mostly a swing- hog, much to the consternation of his siblings :) because it reminds me of my younger days when I would spend hours out on our backyard swing. Complete with my cherished "tomato" radio sitting next to the tree waiting for "Kung Fu Fighting" or some other popular song to come on. Thankfully, Jed usually listens to a "Redwall" book on cd.
Black Eyed Susan's stolen....er plucked from a neighboring field.
Summer sewing projects; purse A
clutch ( which I will use for jewelry when traveling...since I travel so often! ha ha)
apron made from a thrift store sheet
Purse B for Naomi
Somewhat lame attempts at face painting, which I thankfully didn't have to do much of at the festival!

more clandestine wildflowers. Well, to assuage my raging conscience, I tell myself that this path has almost no one ever on it but us, and is SO overgrown it is almost unpassable at times...so who would miss a few bunches of flowers? Still, I nearly cringe on the way back to the car hoping no one will come by and yell at me.

Outside my window: Very chilly and fall -like. For how long? Who knows? I thought I saw it is supposed to be near 90 in a couple days!

I am thinking ---- The ironies of life. One day this week I was on my way to "Papa Joe's", a gourmet market in town. I was listening to the news and of course, there was some big story on the gloom and doom of the economy. It seemed so funny to drive into a parking lot filled with shiny, new, expensive cars and stand in line with a crowd of people waiting in line at the deli to pay 10.99 a lb for turkey breast right after hearing that. (Of course, I wasn't paying that! heck no! ;) I just wanted some coleslaw and feta, which, of course, were reasonably priced....cough, cough ;) It felt very surreal to be in this fancy market, as if on a different planet than the one touted in the news story. Quite a different *scene* from a graduation party we recently attended where there was story after story of people/families struggling to get by. Not many shiny new cars lined the street of that get-to-gether. I don't really know what all this means ( well, I have some ideas), but it has crowded my thoughts lately.

From the schoolroom: I am struggling to get school together for it's big start on Tuesday. It doesn't help that I am not feeling well, but you can't expect life to make everything easy for you ( although I always do ;) I must say I am more nervous about starting this new year and new program than I have been in a long while. Deep breath. One day at a time!

From the kitchen: I made some eggplant Parmesan this week for the first time in a while. I realized why I don't make it that often is because I am the only one who will eat it and I am not fond enough of it to keep eating it day after day.

I am reading,watching and listening:

Read: The Island Under the Sea by Isabelle Allende

This was a good read. I do like I. Allende because she usually writes historical novels about somewhere in Latin America. Sometimes she gets a little, uh, I don't know, melodramatic? Kind of a funny word to describe a novel. If you can't be melodramatic in a novel, where can you be?:) I like this quote from it. "Walking and walking across the world he will gradually find consolation, and one day, when he is too fatigued to take another step, he will realize that he cannot escape sorrow, he will have to tame it, so that it doesn't harass him."

Started: Fathers and Sons by Alexander Waugh. An autobiography/biography of a few generations of the "Waugh" men. Specifically the father/son relationships ( hence the title! ;) So far, I am finding it very interesting and informative.

Listened to:

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

This was a charming book. Probably not one I would have picked had I just read the description, but I had heard good reviews. A lovely story of finding love later in life, of rural life in modern day England and the struggles with prejudices they deal with there. (It really wasn't as hokey as I make it sound :)

Watched: "House of Eliot"
which was a British mini series from about 10 years ago. It focused on two sisters working in the London fashion industry in the 20's ( side note: how I would love to see "20's" style back in vogue. Feminine and pretty but with a bit of flair !) At times a bit cheesy, but it hooked me and I plodded through all 500 episodes ( not really ;) before it ended with a thud. Apparently they didn't know the show was to be canceled so it was a bit of a cliffhanger that will leave you eternally hanging. :)

Around the house: Tried to start painting the bathroom but that didn't really ever get off the ground.

What we will do this week: Well, besides starting school...what else is there? :) 3,000 soccer practices and games ( I am a bit prone to exaggeration today) An equal number of birthday's. ;) and perhaps a get-together or two.

Party like a rock star?

2010-09-03T17:51:00.005-05:00

A visit from Matt and Alex facilitated a Vrazo-tastic party.
Tim and Al at the "jam" session
Unca Joe on the drums.... ( Aly and friend looking on)
Just had to include this because it reflected the chaos ( all good) of the moment. Imagine 6 children under 7, past their bedtimes while a rock concert was taking place in the next room. Good TIMES! :)
We see you, George!
Al shredding
collaborative effort
Oh yeah- and cousin Matt was here somewhere!

Sorry Naomi ( not really ;) Yes, Alex was here, too!
Dyl and Anne with plenty of room for the Holy Spirit!
Fun for all!
Winston
Immanuel, large and in charge!
London and G!
Zak-ree-Dee
Getting ready for grub.

Daybook July-August :)

2010-08-14T19:03:00.007-05:00

Outside my window: Enough with the hot, sticky weather already! This is Michigan, not Houston! ;)

I am thinking ---- I have decided I have to work of thinking only what is really right in front of me or I am going to be in big trouble. :) Too many gi-nourmous tasks (some a possibility, some for sure) face me in the coming weeks and months.

From the schoolroom: First load of school books came this week. New school books always bring a sense of excitement to start school. For about 10 minutes. :) No, I am looking forward to getting back in the swing of things. Haven't really been through the books yet, but a quick once- over leaves me impressed.

From the kitchen: While I didn't plant any zucchini, a friend at church was giving some away which made some luscious fried zucchini ( not the best dinner choice when so many around here struggle with weight-- :) and zucchini bread. For me, sometimes I "know" things and then I KNOW them..... for example I read the book "The End of Overeating", (David Kessler) which of course points out that there is an epidemic of obesity in America and the reasons why. But it made me think of how the more...More...MORE mentality of eating has crept into my thinking and cooking over the years. Large and extra portions, abundance = good. I more and more notice that you are barely able to walk a yard in the grocery store without being assaulted by some tempting food ( sometimes it seems all they have are tempting foods there)! There are SO many places to eat and buy food. We just don't really need THAT much to eat. Much less than we think. How to feed my family nutritiously and adequately ( especially for the littlest who are dependent upon me for that) runs through my thoughts lately.

I am reading,watching and listening:

This has definitely been the summer of Kate Atkinson. Her novels are not comedy but are about the only ones I --L(laugh) O (out) L(loud) at. Probably because her humor is wry and British. ;) Latest read and almost favorite ( tie between "Behind the Scenes at the Museum) was "Human Croquet".

Listened to:

1000 Acres by Jane Smiley

This was supposed to be a modern day interpretation of "King Lear". I found it a moving meandering through the disintegration of a family. Where it started, where it ended, and all in between. I am impressed with Jane Smiley as an author. Also read "Private Lives" by her, which was also good.

Watched: Zelary- which was a czech film. It was a lovely story, but sad. 5 stars in my book.

Around the house: Well, this month was a bang up month for re-arranging things with the arrival of Al back to the old homestead. Gabriella moved in with Naomi, George and Jackson came upstairs, Noah, Dylan and Al went downstairs and Jed and Manny moved across the hall. It was a good clean up and clean out. The garden has yielded some great things. Lots of cukes, plenty of sunflowers, cilantro, basil and parsley. 2 green peppers ( one from each plant) which was a dud from a financial standpoint since I paid about 3.50 each for those plants. Tomatoes are starting to ripen in abundance. Sadly, I don't know if our pumpkins and melons will produce as some sort of rot has taken hold of things ( perhaps from all the heat and humidity? a certain insect?). Overall, the garden has been well worth the effort put in.

What we will do this week: Prepare for a family visit. Try to finish some projects as the end of summer looms LARGE! Soccer practices will probably start this week ( sigh :) Hope for some cooler weather so we can enjoy the outdoors!

Virginia

2010-08-14T18:25:00.005-05:00

Swimming in the hotel pool was a popular past-time.
American Civil War Museum

Mountains!

We were blessed with a little unexpected trip to Richmond, Va. We were able to travel with Tim on a work project. It is a beautiful and historic place. Funny, we lived about an hour and a half away from Richmond for a year or so and only visited once. And it was for a conference, so I personally didn't tour through it besides the convention center.Oooh it was hot, though. That put a bit of a damper on touristy plans ( ie: I really wanted to visit Jamestown but I am glad I didn't) This estate was called "Maymont" and we had to walk about a half a block to get to the house. Since the thermometer read 102 that short walk was tortuous.
But, a beautiful place. Even the littles were impressed!

G taking a breather! :)

Manny in front of the turtle aquarium at the Maymont Nature Center.
Jackson in front of a statue of his namesake; Stonewall!
St John's Episcopal Church where Patrick Henry gave his famous "Give me Liberty" speech! This neighborhood was particularly charming. Almost like you were stepping back in time.

Father's Day

2010-06-25T19:32:00.000-05:00

I have been blessed with a great Father. A great husband and father to my 10 treasures, a wonderful father in law ( who, I am sure, imparted his good fatherly skills to his son) and two terrific grandfathers ( God rest their souls, all three). We celebrated their day last week.

Aunt Nancy Dyl, Anne, Zak, the man of the hour- Papa, Al, Meemaw and Nan Dyl made smoked ribs. Dee-lish!Gwen spent the weekend with us and although she wouldn't pose for the camera....I must document she was there. :)

Our new bluebird house thanks to Uncle Bob and Papa.

Zak had to bring his homework. :) Summer accelerated classes are no joke!

7 Quick Takes--Summer Days

2010-06-25T19:16:00.000-05:00

1. Today, June 25th, 2010 is our 27th wedding anniversary. In September we'll have known each other for 30 years. Yikes. I don't usually feel this way about aging ( ie: I would LOVE to be called grandma!) but 27 years seems like you have to be pretty old to be married that long. I sort of cringe to say it, although I am thankful for so many years with a good man. Every year I seem to appreciate something about him in a new and different light. We have our differences, of course ;) but I can say with all honesty I couldn't imagine a life that didn't include him.

2. JED MADE BREAD. I sometimes wonder if we didn't name Jed-Jed just because his name rhymes with so many things and we just LOVE to come up with silly nicknames at the Vrazo house. ( rolls eyes in a very teen age way!) He really did most of the simple recipe by himself, with just a bit of help from mom and it actually did turn out pretty yummy!

3. Well, we've been enjoying our little country paradise. I say, this place has more beautiful parks, paths and general areas of repose than anywhere I can think that we've lived before. A few shots of a walk on the "Paint Creek Trail" which you can actually take to the library. Win-win for the Vrazo's! :) Is there anything more glorious than wading in a little creek. I have such fond memories of it from my childhood. Not exactly sure where it was (somewhere after a "smelting" trip with my father :).....but I can recall being SO enthralled by the experience being a HUGE fan of the "Little House" books and of course, "On the Banks of Plum Creek" in particular. I love re-living it with my own.

4. Mosquitos anyone? These pictures were actually from our first camping trip but sort of underline the experience we've been having with bugs this summer. :) Poor Gabriella at times looks like she has the chicken pox from all her bites ( I tell her it's because she is so sweet....while I get NONE. Very telling. ;) Not to worry! We found bats roosting in our garage. This little fella obviously fell from his nest, but we got him on a stick, climbed a ladder and he crawled right back in. Munch away our batty friends!

5. Is it just me or does anyone else get on food "kicks" and then can't stand the same cuisine for weeks afterward. I try not to eat eggs everyday ( why? I don't know when I don't put restrictions on any other kind of food that is bad for me :) but I have really been into "huerve ranchero" for breakfast every morning. In fact, Mexican is definitely the top food I can eat for three meals a day for a week and then not want to look at for months afterward. Don't really know how to pace myself there. Other munchy goodness:....a grilled vegetable painini....which was simply some sauteed vegetables, Havarti cheese slices on a baguette split in half. Not entirely original, but I love it when I can come up with something tasty from what I find in the refrigerator ( ie: this wasn't a planned lunch :)
Gabriella and I picked these black raspberries? from some bushes around the property. I can't believe the birds haven't eaten them. They probably have plenty of bugs :) I hope to harvest enough to make some jam!

6. I often have this strange co-incidence when reading. I will read one book and then another right after that have some connection. (unbeknown to me beforehand)The latest version of this was reading a book about the English poet Rupert Moore called "The Great Lover" ( which is the name of one of his poems) by Jill Dawson. Just before that I listened to a book on cd called "The Moon and the Sixpence" by W. Somerset Maughm. It was a biographical novel loosely based on the painter Gauguin's life. The connection is that Rupert Moore ended up in Tahiti ( which is where I always tell the kids I am going when I am ready to fly the coop ;) and loved life there and guess what? So did Gauguin ( he died there, actually). I really enjoyed both pieces even though I am not a poetry lover and really don't know why I find Rupert Moore all that fascinating,. It was a good story and of course, set mostly in the pre WWI English ocountryside, what's not to love for me? ;) Gauguin's life story was really very strange, and he seems to be yet another example of a genius-jerk, but he did do some interesting paintings. His use of bold color is enchanting...if not all his subjects are.

7. Finally, my little garden. I am really quite amazed ANYTHING is growing in it. Probably because the last place we lived in had so little sun in the backyard, our very minuscule attempt at gardening wasn't successful at all ( not to mention I didn't have the tricked out fence like this one to keep the animals and children under 10 out!) I actually used some parsley we planted today! I have high hopes, but I think even if it doesn't yield much produce, it was a step in the right direction. Now to get a compost pile going!

May/June

2010-06-13T09:55:00.002-05:00

Birdhouse painting!

Outside my window: It was incredibly hot and humid yesterday. Somehow, the lack of sun this morning has put a cooler spin on the day. Let's hope it stays that way! As much as we are enjoying summer weather humidity and I just don't get along. :)

I am thinking -- Trying to figure out the world and it's inhabitants, as usual. ;)

From the schoolroom: Done, but had a whirl-wind week trying to get G/J in an online charter school for next year. Lot's of paperwork just to get them in the lottery makes me wonder if it will be worth it. But, obviously it's a popular idea from the number of applicants.

From the kitchen: Camping food this past week! Finally, our camping- packets turned out swimmingly :) Brought chili in the crockpot for the first night which was also a winner of an idea. Muffins, corn bread and 7 layer bars rounded out the menu.

I am reading,watching and listening: (Highlights)

Read: The Stoning of Soyara M ( which I think I read in one day....it was a small book, but still a record:)

It still boggles the mind that this story could be true. And not an isolated event.

Introvert Power: Why your inner life is your hidden strength. Laurie Helgoe

Well, I've known for some time that I am introvert. I have no misgivings about it, other than I do get frustrated by our seemingly extroverted world at times. (*Disclaimer*, I think extroverts on the whole, are fine. The world, I believe, needs both types of people to make it run smoothly :) I do think that the our society ( especially American society) runs on extrovert *ideals* though, and that can be annoying). I thought this might be an interesting book to read to help shed light on how to relate to my extrovert children, who I often wonder if I am not stifling by my extreme home-body-ness. :) While it didn't give a whole lot of pointers there, it was nice to read about someone who feels the same way you do about a lot of things. And I really liked her thesis that *speaking* is not the only way to connect with others and that introverts connect by writing, reading, pondering, art...etc. etc.

Watched:

Frank Lloyd Wright ( by Ken Burns)

Frank Lloyd Wright was always someone who I had peripheral knowledge of. I have really been captivated by his genius in learning more about him. Well, his genius as an architect, some of his personal convictions were less than admirable. This was an excellent documentary. It interviewed several people throughout; his son, ( who was 100!) grandson's and even had an interview with him done by Wallace ( smoking a cigarette throughout the on -air interview! LOL! How times have changed!)

Listened to:

The Piano Teacher: Set in Hong Kong in pre/post WW2. I really liked this one.

The Great Gatsby:
I know this is considered a great classic. While it was an interesting story, I can't say it was one of the best I've ever read.

Around the house: Noah- our amazing "Mr Fixit" got the dryer back in order. It went from taking nearly all day to dry a load back to an hour. Huzzah!

What we will do this week: Recover from camping ( which = lots of laundry :) unpacking, and organizing things along with cleaning up a house that has been sadly neglected for a week. Festival meeting and a bbq with papa, meemaw and nan.

Week of May 9th, 2010

2010-05-16T06:02:00.000-05:00

Revisiting my florist days by making prom corsages :)G with a "leftover" bouquet. What handsome fellas!G in one of her fashion ensembles :)I bet not everyone has a jug of milk, a boogy board and an old game controller in their sandbox!

Noah and Victoria Anne and Dyl

Outside my window: Sunny but cool. What happened to our warm weather?! (Ditto!)

I am thinking -- it was a nice couple weeks with Tim working at home....he's off again!

From the schoolroom: Just trying to slog through our last few lessons. George gives me a *how many days of school left* update everyday :)

From the kitchen: I made some scones for the first time in a long time. I made them for some appreciation gifts, but the kids LOVED the leftovers. I guess we should add them as a regular feature on the V menu!
I am reading and watching:
I actually finished "Ruby's Spoon" by Anna Lawerence Petroni. Another first time author, the lady has skills :) It was a very clever tale and so well written. Probably one of my top 10 reads for the year. I always appreciate a unique story because there are so many that follow a well-used theme.

Watched:

The Stoning of Soyara M

Well, I don't know exactly what compelled me to watch this except there was quite a *buzz* about it. I am a HUGE wimp when it comes to films with any sort of violence or cruelty in it. Not that the violence was gratuitous in this, it was 100% there to make a point. All in all I think it is one of those films you have to watch from time to time. We think we have such huge, despairing problems in our American culture.....forgetting the horrors in many others. I am motivated to read the book.

Around the house: I think perhaps I may have got a handle on our laundry situation. It gets so backed up because of the slowness of the dryer. Gah! I might really push for the extra dryer in our garage to be hooked up somehow. Two would make a huge difference!

What we will do this week: Soccer, soccer and rugby tournament. George and Noah were goal scorers this week! Hopefully a visit to the zoo and our R.O kin :)

Mother's Day, 2010

2010-05-10T07:08:00.000-05:00

Al turned 23!

Me with my progeny :)Silly, silly.....

4 generations on Mother's Day. Nan, Mee maw, me, Naomi and G

Nan with her Vrazo "Greats"Jed gathering rhubarb for......strawberry-rhubarb jam!

Farmer Tim!Lilacs are one of my favorite flowers! Too bad they are here to enjoy for such a short time!

Outside my window: Sunny but cool. What happened to our warm weather?!

I am thinking -- about how to arrange the week. Haven't come up with much of a plan as yet.

From the schoolroom: Onward and upward.....catechism is over, last day of co-op classes this week, finals for the college kids. The year is really winding down!

From the kitchen: Strawberry-rhubarb jam. Yum! The boys made smoked ribs and brisket for mother's day. The first time we have ever smoked meat ( fish, yes) and it was a brilliant success!
I am reading and watching:
Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne

It seems like I have to read a new parenting book every so often to keep the memento going. This one has many golden nuggets in it. I was very intrigued by his theory that all children ( and people) have "quirks" but "quirks" turn into disorders when there is too much stress in a child's life. He has observed that many children in our American society show "disorders" that children who have lived through traumatic wars, displacement, etc in other, less prosperous and stable (?) countries have. All in all an interesting book so far.

Listened to: "Loving Frank" by Nancy Horan

The premise/subject of this book isn't all that savory, I will admit. Still it was interesting to learn more about Frank Lloyd Wright. Tim and I have a standing joke anytime we see a garishly modern, 60's type house that it is a " Frank Lloyd Wright". But I see now that despite those pseudo imitations, he did have some compelling ideas about architecture. Mostly this particular story hit me as a cautionary tale about the lies people will believe/adopt in order to absolve themselves from guilt.

Watched:

Vanity Fair (william Makepeace Thackery)

I have never read the book and it was a bit difficult getting into, but in the end it was worth it. I believe the book was a satire of English society at the time it was written. I'm not sure the film carried that out but it was entertaining. Natasha Little as Becky Sharp was outstanding.

Around the house: Working on the outside. Raking, weeding, and hopefully.....lawn cutting and weed whacking will be happening this week. DITTO. We did finally find a riding lawn mower....

the weeds that need to be whacked are still neglected and growing like....well....weeds!

What we will do this week: I've got a meeting to go to. I somehow signed on to be chairperson for a children's tent at our parish festival. I haven't a clue what I am doing, but I thought it would be a good way to serve the parish that serves us so well. And the family can be involved (look out, family!. :) PROM for Noah and Dyl.....so some corsage making will be on the docket. Noah's last rugby game.

Zak's birthday week :)

2010-04-27T07:44:00.002-05:00

This past week held Zak's 21st birthday He had some pals over to play soccer...and made them some spaghetti

Noah's first rugby game ( with cousin Jay)

Birthday boy and little buddy

Outside my window: Very, very bright sun but windy and cool.

I am thinking -- it feels like a vacation this week. T is home!

From the schoolroom: Started a new writing program (Jensen's Format Writing) with the boys. I think it was a success! ( or will be)

From the kitchen: Since there has been an abundance of low priced strawberries at the grocery store, freezer jam has made a reappearance in our lives :).

I am reading and watching:

Reading: "Cider with Rosie" by Laurie Lee

Such a poignant, funny, charming little book about a boy's life in rural England before WW 2. His father had abandoned the family and he was raised by his mother along with 6 other children. I don't think I have read vignettes that so masterfully transport you back into the past as these do.

Watched:

Berkeley Square

(love it, but only on Disc 1)

The Young Victoria

Absolutely gorgeous costumes and the actor who played Albert REALLY looked like him. I don't know, although it was a *nice* movie, it had a strange cadence to it.

Around the house: Working on the outside. Raking, weeding, and hopefully.....lawn cutting and weed whacking will be happening this week. Perhaps the start of a garden by next?

What we will do this week:" I was so excited to find a PAVED path close to the house today. " Wow, we really love that path. It is just long enough that the kids don't get worn out yet I feel like I have done some exercise ( probably I should take two trips around it, but I haven't gotten the kids on board with that yet :) It is so peaceful and lovely and so close to home. It feels like our little corner of the world.

All of sudden we have an explosion of GAMES from the various sports teams everyone is on. Well, that is spring...and fall...for our family it seems. 3 soccer and 1 rugby this week. Tickets for the Macomb Ballet's production of "Cinderella" with my girls on Friday!

The glory of spring

2010-04-19T08:53:00.005-05:00

Not exactly sure what this tree is called, but the flowers have a terrible odor. How can something so beautiful smell so bad? :)

St Francis and The BVM having a little chat. I think this was Gabriella's doing. :)

April 11, 2010

2010-04-18T09:46:00.009-05:00

A visit to Cranberry Lake park was our grand adventure of the week
We tried to ride bikes but the paths weren't exactly bike friendly. Nevertheless, George and Jackson gave it a go.

Manny took this lovely picture of the three girls picnicing.
This shot underlines Sissy's general disposition toward the place. Everyone was creeped out by finding a chewed on , detached deer leg on the path.:)

Lovely landscape
Gorgeous farm house that is being re-done.
It seems so strange for it to be warm and barely any leaves on the trees!
You just can't be in with the "in" crowd out here unless you have a big, red barn! Sadly, we do not. The story of our lives! :)
Manny, not "IN" the dog house this time, but on it!

Outside my window: Cloudy and cool. It was 82 on Thursday and snowing by Saturday ( albeit just very light flurries...but obviously cold enough for it to happen!) Never a dull moment with Michigan weather! :)

I am thinking--about being a work-week single parent. I won't drone on about it, since A) I know there are military wives who do it ALL week EVERY week for a year or more and B) My husband has work. But I was thinking about how it is one of those things that the 90/10 principle applies to. I can either say "I can't take this!" and that is how the week will go or I can try to make it an adventure and be glad for any positives I can find. Obviously there are many negatives, but it does keep me on my toes, which can work out to be a good thing for my mothering and family life.

From the schoolroom: All I can say is that we are in "winding down the year" mode, which makes me think more about what can be done better next year. I was musing recently how this fall will usher in year 18 for homeschooling. It's funny how you can do something for so long and still have days ( weeks? months?) of feeling like you don't have a clue. :)

From the kitchen: We just had a birthday dinner for Zak, which almost always includes STEAK on the grill. Dyl took over and made most of it ( all of it? did I make anything?) It really was delicious and I am not an enormous fan of red meat.

I am reading and watching:

Reading: Sam Houston's Wife
and Homeland

I finished reading a book called "The Raven" which was about Sam Houston and his first wife, Eliza Allen. I don't know much about Sam Houston and that being the case, can't say much about him per se....it was just the premise of the novel that was interesting. IE, the two were married for all of 4 months and then she took off and went back to her parents home and NO ONE knew why or would say why (obviously those two did :) A great historical mystery.
So, that led me to be interested in Sam Houston's second marriage ( actually his third if you count his Indian wife)....which is what book A is about.

Homeland is a book about two women who were friends during the civil war. One from the South, one from the North. I think this is also an interesting premise and so far I am enjoying it.

Listening to: Angle of Repose by

This is really a lovely story of a marriage set in the late 19th century.

Watched: The latest version of "Tess of the D'ubervilles". Why I am so drawn to this gloomy Thomas Hardy novel, I don't know, but it never ceases to catch my attention. I must say I liked this one a whole lot better than the earlier version with Natasha Kinksi. Really beautiful.

Around the house: I made the usual pillows and a couple table cloths today. Our table is just long enough that regular tablecloths don't fit on it longwise. Of course the fact that the refrigerator is way over due for a cleaning doesn't keep me up at night, or that the kitchen floor could use a mop, or that there are piles of laundry that need to be put away.....but having no tablecloths that fit the table.....now there is an EMERGENCY! :)

What we will do this week: I was so excited to find a PAVED path close to the house today. Dreams of taking the little kids biking and being able to roll my stroller along smoothly have excited all sorts of plans in my brain! I don't think we have anything much out of the ordinary on tap. Maybe some new soccer practices for George, who signed up for the Y team this past weekend.

Holy Week and Easter

2010-04-06T05:50:00.006-05:00

G helping me make garlic toast. She did pretty well!
It was even warm enough for squirt guns!
G insisted on wearing these all thru Meijer. It gave all the grandma's a smile. ;)
Coloring Easter eggs.

Happy campers!

The girls. The bluish cast around G's mouth was from an Easter Basket ring pop, not any respiratory issues. :)
Noah and Naomi....best buds. :)
Abbreviated family photo. George was sick, Al was working.
Ready for some Easter grub!

Easter egg hunt!

It was a big week......

2010-03-29T03:55:00.009-05:00

Field trip on how maple syrup is made ( the real kind). We had many warm days last week, but Friday was NOT one of them. :)
Interesting stuff but BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Our docent explaining photosynthesis. :)
A nice, elderly man gave Manny a dollar at the dr's office.
Manny-boy!
Naomi Grace Cecilia's confirmation. Everyone sans Al. ( who had to work)
A year or so ago Jed thrilled to wear a suit and tie. Not so much now. :(
G is ready to party!
Anne ( sponsor) Naomi and Monsignor Zenz who confirmed the group. Shiny forehead is from the chrism ( women must explain these things!)
Charlito in one of his "bright" ensembles.
A Sissy face. Our beautiful daughter. We're so proud of her! And the lovely Anne, both physically and a great choice for a spiritual sponsor.
The confirmands at San Francesco

Of course I forgot pictures of Sunday's shin dig. It was a nice gathering. Dyl made lasagna with sausage and peppers on the side. Garlic toast and salad with homemade creamy garlic to round things out. Cakes and pies galore from Neana and co. The Michigan State game overtook things for awhile ( I must say, an exciting one, this said from a non sports fan :) We embarrassed Naomi with some cute videos of her in younger years. Anne got to meet the family and then some.

Outside my window: Did I hear 70 this week!?!?! Even Easter Day is supposed to be in the 60's. I honestly can't remember a warm-ish Easter in recent history. We might actually be able to wear an Easter outfit to mass instead of parka, books, and a balaclava!

I am thinking--about how to make this week especially thoughtful.

From the schoolroom: Well, we found some laminating sheets and the kids had no end of fun laminating pictures they colored. Funny how such simple things can bring lots of good times. Jed has really been inspired to read "Fantastic Mr Fox" ....well, mostly we read it to him, but it is nice to see him so interested in a book. I guess I will give the film industry a high five for that ( even though we have yet to see the film :)

From the kitchen: One of the more memorable meals of the week was some Salmon I found for less than 7.00 a lb (gasp!) and fettuccine Alfredo that Dylan made. Not sure it was a penitential meal, but it oh so yummy.

I am reading and watching:

Watching season 2 of "Lark Rise to Candleford" What WILL we do when we have to wait for season 3 to make it's appearance, gosh knows when? (Only one more episode to go.....wahhhhhh!)

Found the book at the library and it is wonderfully charming, besides being a very interesting glimpse of rural English life before the Industrial revolution.

Listened to: On Agate Hill by Lee Smith

This one was set in South Carolina post Civil War. It got me to thinking about how so many novels I read or listen to have an irritating common theme. Whatever interesting sub plots there are going on, the stories usually focus on one or more of the following:
A) A spirited, independent minded girl/woman who is adored by the common folk but not by the powers that be. No matter what era it is she is always the feminist or pre-feminist, going against the oppressive grain of society.
B) The fact that she usually falls in love with with a likewise free spirited man who sweeps her off her feet and she is so taken with him she doesn't mind his free-wheeling ways or even infidelity! I suppose there could be women like that but anyone I've known who has dealt with such in a relationship find it to be an earth shattering, gut wrenching experience.
C) Generally she is impoverished but by some benevolence of providence she comes into a terrific fortune.

Anyway.......

Finishing my thought. It's not that there is anything objectionable about any of those scenarios per se. It's mostly the redundancy of them. You can't categorically "dis" modern authors for this either, because Jane Austen is as guilty of it as Laurie R. King. I was recently browsing a list of Modern Library's "100 Great Novels" and I thought about the fact that most of the women characters in said books ( the ones I've read) haven't necessarily fit into these categories. Maybe that is the difference between a great novel and one that is a pleasant diversion. And as I can't bring all my thoughts about this subject into a coherent paragraph, I will leave off. :)

Around the house: Did some spring cleaning. There are still some big jobs in the basement and garage. ( Did I say "some"? :)

Cute kid sayings and doings:
I was helping Gabriella get dressed for the day and handed her a clean pair of underwear. Jed drolly commented "I don't change my underwear everyday! What is the point?"

Grade for mom on teaching her kids proper hygiene. F. A. I. L

Jed (7) to Gabriella (3) while she played with her doll. "You are talking to a plastic, inanimate object?!?"

What we will do this week: Prepare our hearts and minds for Easter! Easter Egg hunt with an old friend on Saturday. Lots of shopping and planning for the weekend. If the temperatures will be as they say they will, I'm sure we will be out and about. We found the most charming nature park right near our house. A nice play scape and lovely trails to bike and walk on. The added bonus was that there was almost no one there. Not that we like to avoid all contact with other humans :) but it helps to have the road to yourself when there are wild and woolly bike -riders in your pack.

The Last Station

2010-03-22T05:13:00.004-05:00

Photo of Countess Tolstoy peering in the window of the train station where her husband lies dying. A picture I find particularly poignant.

I don't often go to the theater to see movies. Pretty rarely. But I was intrigued by this rendition of the last year of Tolstoy's life. I am no expert on Count Tolstoy, but I think he is an interesting man, and of course, one of the greatest authors of all time. It was an enjoyable film in many respects, lush scenery, gorgeous costumes, outstanding acting performances by some theatrical heavy weights. Unfortunately, there was a lot about it that was aggravating. I love it when I find a reviewer who agrees with my assessment of things. :)

http://www.totalfilm.com/reviews/cinema/the-last-station

"The Last Station falls between two stools: neither cerebral enough to unpack Tolstoy’s legacy, nor involving enough to satisfy frock-opera fans. But taken as an acting showcase, Michael Hoffman’s film does deliver some treats."

Yep, what he said. It seemed to me they were trying to take a very complicated subject and market it to the masses, which is strange because it was playing at the local "art house" theater and no other in the area. Not to mention it was a vignette from a very long and involved life (lives).....probably the most dramatic one, but nonetheless, unless you know the history of these two folks it makes it very difficult to understand and appreciate the "forces that be" which brought them to this point. Therefore almost none of which was depicted in the movie was very moving or even understandable....except on a very basic level. ( And even knowing some of the story myself I felt a certain level of confusion or frustration at the fact that so much of it was glossed over, although I appreciate the cinematic difficulty there :)

So, there you have it. A bit of a disappointment. In retrospect I would have saved this one for the Netflix que. But it was a nice date with my oldest son, so not a bad way to spend an evening in the least! :)

March 21, 2010

2010-03-21T09:46:00.006-05:00

What am I thinking? About many a heavy subject.
Outside my window: Cloudy and cool but what a week we had!
Weren't we just ice skating on this pond a couple weeks ago?
Rochester ducks have very specific dietary restrictions. ;)
Manny took this picture!
Manny on his new bike. His first run other than around the house and he did pretty well. I am pleased to say no fellow pedestrians were injured while we were out, although there were a few hair raising moments. I need to make a new rule for myself. Only one bike-rider under 10 when we are out on walks. :)
Jed. I really DO have 10 children. It seems like only these three make it into most of the pictures. :)
Gabriella looking sunshiny and springy!

rom the schoolroom: Only 55 more calendar days of school. This nice weather is not helping matters!

From the kitchen: Had a nice spaghetti dinner last night made by Dyl AND Zak. Zak always has to improve on whoever is making the spaghetti sauce. :)

I am reading and watching:

Watching season 2 of "Lark Rise to Candleford" What WILL we do when we have to wait for season 3 to make it's appearance, gosh knows when?

Found the book at the library and it is wonderfully charming, besides being a very interesting glimpse of rural English life before the Industrial revolution.

Love and Hatred: The Stormy Marriage of Leo and Sonya Tolstoy ....What a title! :) But it is an interesting book about the great author and his wife. I am hoping to go see "The Last Station" this week with Al!

Around the house: I actually was inspired to start rummaging through the bins of summer clothing. Now there is a laundry back up, but at least I am somewhat ahead of the game.

Cute kid sayings and doings: My mind draws a blank.

What we will do this week: Naomi ( God willing :) will finally be confirmed this week. That brings a few practices, retreats and the like.

Last week was a gift! 3-14-10

2010-03-14T07:43:00.005-05:00

One of my painting projects.
Little white table with a swath of contact paper. A cute combo.
The snow melted away, a family soccer game and kids in their shirt sleeves~! Yes, even big bro Al joined in!
Warm enough even for the first trip to the zoo of the season!
Jed, glorying in the fact the he only needs to wear a sweatshirt outside.
Gabs and Manny being transported about by the ever faithful George. He wouldn't let me pull the wagon the entire time. What a chivalrous fellow. :)
I think the monkeys *were* doing something cute....but obviously it wasn't caught in this shot. ;)

Outside my window: Rainy and a bit chilly, but the good stuff can't last forever. Especially in March.

I am thinking---it seemed only a week ago there was one lone bird singing when you went outside. Now there is a perfect chorus of them.

From the schoolroom: Only 60 more calendar days of school. Enough said!

From the kitchen: Grilled our first hamburgers and chicken this year outside due to the stunning weather.

I am reading and watching:

Watching season 2 of "Lark Rise to Candleford" What WILL we do when we have to wait for season 3 to make it's appearance, gosh knows when?

Found the book at the library and it is wonderfully charming, besides being a very interesting glimpse of rural English life before the Industrial revolution.

Listening to: Got hooked on a series of mysteries by Laurie King about Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. Funny, because I've never read a "true" Sherlock Holmes story. They are very well written and mostly devoid of anything too torrid, so I like them.

Around the house: The nice weather afforded me the opportunity to paint some badly nicked up furniture. Hoo boy, once you move furniture and see it out of it's usual context, there is a stark reminder of some sprucing up needed. I also found some cans of a nice color of green spray paint ( can't think what I originally bought it for) that I did a couple pieces with and am very pleased with. :)

Cute kid sayings and doings: Jed commented one day after school "Math is fun!". I think I need to tape record that and play it back once he starts algebra. ;)

What we will do this week: Soccer stuff (physical, notarized papers) for Naomi, and the girl's confirmation looms quite near now, so no more skipping catechism this month. :) Over due dr appt for me. Meal to a new mom. St Patrick's day!
Maybe a visit with a friend coming into town for a couple days.

March 7, 2010

2010-03-07T05:08:00.003-06:00

Manny was down with the stomach flu. Are you feeling a little queasy looking at that crazy mixture of prints and colors?
I really gave some thought as to why I love dishes so much. What I came up with is that it is probably because there are so many colors and patterns available. Like fabric. And probably why things like electronics and cars and computers bore me. Not that I don't appreciate the services they provide. I suppose I am a person who is visually stimulated by things.

Well, I didn't put these pictures in order. This was supposed to be an "after".
Pile # 2 of junk.
Goodwill pile.
Pile 1 of junk....the "before" shot.
My twin working crew.
Yes, we actually got a dumpster to deal with it all!

Outside my window: It is dark, but I've noticed it is getting light much earlier. Of course that happens every year.... LOL..... but it's always exciting once you notice it for the first time. Highs in the low 50's coming up! Ya-HOO!
(The LOL is for you, Sissy!)

I am thinking---about how to arrange our week. There is one more day of work cleaning out the old house. Should I take a chance and send Noah over to finish up or are my services ( ie: supervision ;) necessary?

From the schoolroom: Meh.......

From the kitchen: Well, how about from the shopping cart? ;) I made a little visit to "Trader Joe's" yesterday. There are all sorts of interesting stores around here. Trader Joe's, Papa Joe's,"Joe Randazzo, Vince and Joe's .....the kids and I were musing why so many "markets" include the name "Joe" here in the Detroit area. They are lovely places with fun items, but way out of my budget for everyday shopping. Thank goodness there is a Kroger nearby.

I am reading and watching:

Naomi and I finished the first season of "Lark Rise to Candleford" and are eagerly awaiting a netflix delivery of season 2!

Trying to chew through "Alexander II". I don't know....it seems to jump around a lot. I think I say that about books a bit too often. Maybe it is my problem. :) It is quite a window into Russian history, so I feel it would be beneficial to finish it.

Cute kid sayings and doings: Manny "I just LOVE being nutty!" "Will everyone keep it down in here, I'm trying to do schoolwork!" I guess you'd have to know Manny to appreciate that statement. He's only 5 and schoolwork (what little he has) generally seems to be the least of his priorities most of the time. ;)
Last night I had 3 yo Gabriella going through my closest and picking out outfits for me ( the pieces she could reach:)
Probably there are any number of 3 yo girls who would do this, but I just can't get over it! :)

What we will do this week: Well, what we did LAST week was clean out the old house. It was time. And as we were waiting for warmer and less snowy weather we were very much blessed to have both. I felt like I had a full time job....leaving the house every morning and coming home at dinner time every night, supervising a work crew, lifting and hauling this, that and the other. Thankfully, Tim got Friday off and was able to step in. The funny thing is that he said the old homestead was a buzz with people checking out our castoffs and even what was in the dumpster! I felt like posting a sign saying "Beware! This is what got ME into trouble!" :)
This week looks to be a bit saner and even warmer. I am wondering if we can sneak in a trip to the zoo!

We made it to March!

2010-03-01T03:06:00.004-06:00

Flowers
Room re-arranging
A little sewing
More flowers
Waiting for the snow to melt along with you, St Francis!
Trying to come up with new and exciting ways to curb cabin fever.
Think Spring!

Outside my window: Dark, but yesterday it was sunny and over 40.

I am thinking... I miss San Francesco. We went yesterday because we were in the area. I love that little parish.

I am thankful ....Helpers of all sizes and shapes.

From the schoolroom..... Just chugging along.

From the kitchen .....Hmmm, nothing new there, either.

I am reading and watching and listening to:

Listened to:

Started "Shannon" Did not finish before I had to take it back to the library.
Trying "The Secrets of Bees" by Laurie King
Finished "The River" by Tricia Westvadt which was terrific.

Reading:

Alexander II; The Last Great Tsar

Watched: The winner of the week was finding "Lark Rise to Candleford" a BBC miniseries based on the book of the same name. Very heartwarming.

One of my favorite things: Clearance flowers!

What will we do this week: I finally tried out a branch of the "Paint Creek Trail" yesterday. It was certainly lovely, but snow covered. I found myself musing the whole way how nice it will be to travail it once it is spring/summer. Wonder if it gets crowded then. There were a few people out...some jogging (?!?) I'm sure walking (trudging :) in the snow means extra calories burned. I made it 2 miles but also kept thinking I could've gone farther if not for the snow. :) We'll see.
The bulk of the week will be cleaning out the old house. Enough said or I'll start with the moaning and gnashing of teeth. And who do I have to blame but myself? :) Dentist appts for Manny and I.

Fat Tuesday

2010-02-16T14:26:00.003-06:00

Manny was so geeked about having pazcki's for breakfast this morning ( and probably a little geeked up on the sugar, as well:) They are a "Fat Tuesday" tradition. We were writing letters for our pretend mailbox and he felt inspired to write "donut" on one, so he went and got the box of pazcki's to find out how to spell it. Works for us. ;) A pazcki is the epitome of a donut in my book.

We found this book at the library yesterday. Substitute "Ruth" for "Sarah" and you could have "Ella Ruth ( one of Gabriella's nicknames :) Gets Dressed". This book fits her to a "t" right down to the tea party at the end. :)
You gotta love it when your 3 yo is at Target and has no interest in looking at toys, just the clothes department. ;)

Daybook, February 14, 2010

2010-02-14T11:01:00.006-06:00

Well, snowmen don't really HAVE to be white. ;)

George and Manny. Snow bathing?

Snow Angels!

We probably got about 6 inches.

Outside my window: Cloudy and cold. It's February!

I am thinking....Having lots of thoughts about Germany, lately. Probably comes from concordantly watching a documentary called "Kindertransport", listening to a book on cd about Jewish families in Italy during WW2, and reading a book about "Grand Duchess Elizabeth" of Russia, who was German. Whenever I read or watch things about the holocaust, or some of the other nutty things Germany imposed upon humanity, I start to get a despairing feeling about having German heritage. Maybe I am thinking too much about this, but is there some sort of defective gene that has this race takes things to extremes? Could I participate on a similar level in some sort of atrocity simply by being genetically too blind to the truth? In my own sense of right? Hmmm, yes, I can see that trait. Could it really go so far in a horrid direction with the aid of like minded peers? It's sort of unnerving.
Well, I guess, in all fairness, Germans aren't the only ones who have treated people badly. That goes across the nationality board. I suppose they are just the most infamous in this era.

I am thankful ....Sudafed again. It's been a sinus infection sort of week.

From the schoolroom..... Snow took over this week as we finally got a measurable amount. We made popcorn balls ( too sweet....you know, when they are still sitting in the ziploc bag and NO kids have devoured them, something is wrong. ;) Salt dough snowmen and did a "learn to draw" lesson on snow men, which was suprisingly interesting to the littles ( anything is better than math at the moment, I suppose:).

From the kitchen ... Sugar heart cookies just came out of the oven. Kielfe made yesterday already obliterated. :)

I am reading and watching and listening to:

Listened to:

A Thread of Grace

I'm having trouble sticking with this one. It seems to bounce around a lot. The story of a few Jewish families and the Italians who helped them during WW2.

It's growing on me. Almost done.

Reading:

The House at Riverton Kate Morton

And "Elizabeth; Grand Duchess of Russia" ( who became an Orthodox nun after her husband was murdered during the Russian Revolution)

Found this one at the library yesterday

Watched:

Kindertransport

As mentioned above, this one really affected me emotionally. I suppose it really did a good job at showing the normality of the lives of Jewish families before the Germans started on their rampage and then the jolt of being so brutally treated afterward. As a mother I could so empathize with the mothers who felt they had to ( and in doing so, saved their lives) send their children to England to live with families there. Dismayed feelings about how the Germans, in such recent history, treated people so inhumanely, rage that they were able to get away with it for so long, extreme pride in having some English blood, and wondering if I would have done the same as my fellow brits ;) ( taken in a refugee child for years and years). The individuals they interviewed were really so charming and interesting.
This was a documentary about the Kindertransport, which transported German Jewish children to families in England just before the war.

When the Levee's Broke (Spike Lee)

I've only watched the first act. This is a documentary about Hurrican Katrina. I found it well done and very interesting so far. I'll wait to pass judgment on it until I've seen the whole thing.

Well, I didn't imagine I would get loads of objectivity from Spike Lee, so I took most of the things that left me scratching my head with a grain of salt. The music, the footage and the overall documenting of a very disturbing event in American History were all well done. It does seem unthinkable that such suffering had to happen in the richest country of the world. Would I blame the government? No. I think if you expect the government to save you from anything you are in for a jolt. I wonder why more blame wasn't put on the American people, as I would venture that 99.9% of us were sitting in a nice, warm ( or airconditioned :) house with lots of food and water while watching what was going on down in New Orleans. I suspect in that case ( which was my own assumption) most thought there WAS somebody doing something. Very sad.
Around the house....I walked into the Salvation Army yesterday and found the exact curtain ensemble I needed for my room. A black and white toile valance and some lace curtains. Just like that. Love when that happens. I must apologize, because I am quite sure "Toile" has been out for a couple years now but I will never stop loving it or putting a bit of it in my decor.:)

One of my favorite things: A nice evening out ( or errand) with a couple of the kids. It never ceases to amaze me the great conversations and interesting chit chats we can have. And really, I mean that from the smallest to the oldest. What a blessing to have 10 of your favorite people sharing the same house as you!
(Well, in my case, 8 of my favorite people, but 2 of them are just a phone call away! :)

What will we do this week: Well, it's Valentine's Day today. I got invited to Rangoli for lunch by my Valentine and had a delicious mexican dinner with A and Z last night! Tomorrow is Presidents Day and I am bound and determined to go Ice Skating, although what that has to do with Presidents Day, I don't know. Tuesday is, of course, Fat Tuesday and Wednesday kicks off lent with Ash Wednesday. What a week!

Pictures I'm sharing....Vignettes from the past week.

Daybook, February 8, 2010

2010-02-08T05:18:00.004-06:00

Super Bowl fare

The Wii, was of course, a popular pass time on Saturday.
Gabriella with her new page boy doo (I guess it is growing on me ;)
Transformers were the name of the game.....even though Astro Boy has become Jed's new obsession ( hard to keep up with things)
Nick and Peter playing a mean game of Candy Land!
Alan and Noah
Anne, Dyl, Naomi and Tim existing in each others presence
Charlie
David

Outside my window: Cloudy and cold, but the buzz is that we are expecting 6-10 inches of snow tomorrow.
I heard on the news the other day that we've had a third less snow than last year while the south keeps getting battered with storms. Huh.

I am thinking....I feel like I have a hangover this morning, even though I've never had a hangover or drank a drop of alcohol yesterday. Too much partying this weekend. ;)

I am thankful ....helpful kids.

From the schoolroom..... Started science notebooks last week for zoology unit. A good one for a range of ages like we have here at the Vrazo homeschool.

From the kitchen ... Super Bowl winner: Cuban Crostini ala Bobby Flay ( not my favorite chef, but he CAN cook ;) Loser: Bbq meatballs. Too sweet. :(

I am reading and watching and listening to:

Listened to:

A Thread of Grace

I'm having trouble sticking with this one. It seems to bounce around a lot. The story of a few Jewish families and the Italians who helped them during WW2.

Reading:

The House at Riverton Kate Morton

And "Elizabeth; Grand Duchess of Russia" ( who became an Orthodox nun after her husband was murdered during the Russian Revolution)

Found this one at the library yesterday

Watched:

Heavens Fall

Another great movie that I had never heard of before I chanced upon it at the library. The story of the "Scottsboro 9". Great acting, gripping story, although I'll admit not a "feel good" movie. It really left me rather dismayed after watching it.

When the Levee's Broke (Spike Lee)

I've only watched the first act. This is a documentary about Hurrican Katrina. I found it well done and very interesting so far. I'll wait to pass judgment on it until I've seen the whole thing.

Around the house.....I put new hardware on the kitchen cabinets which are very dated, but I must admit, very easy to clean ;) It does help. Thanks Neana! ;) ( she always has good id-ers about that kind of stuff)

One of my favorite things: A trip to the library, with no littles ;) ( Well, I like going to the library with whoever, but it IS hard to find things for myself when you have a few squirmy chicks who aren't at all interested in anything in the adult non fiction aisle. :)

What will we do this week: Just the usual. I'm hoping catechism will be cancelled due to the snow. Not that I don't like taking the kids to catechism, I just don't relish another 2 hour car ride because of crummy road conditions! Tim, Dyl and Al are heading to the Red Wings game on Thursday.

Pictures I'm sharing....Birthday pics were an afterthought.....just as all were getting ready to go. LOL!

Daybook, February 1, 2010

2010-02-03T04:21:00.007-06:00

Manny, reading his -D Pirate book :)
My yum-o-licious birthday breakfast!

Outside my window: Dark, and another inch or two of snow on the ground. Funny how such a small amount made a 45 minute drive into a 2 hour one last night. :(

I am thinking....starting to think about lent.

I am thankful .....for 4 wheel drive

From the schoolroom..... We're into collages and" how to draw" books this week.

From the kitchen ...not my doing, but Chef Dylan made some outrageously good crepes for my birthday breakfast. A feta and vegetable one, cream cheese and blueberry filling and creme patisserie, (custard and strawberry glaze). Ooo la la!

I am reading and watching and listening to:

Listened to:

The Night Journal

Which was very good, and even though a secular book had a strong moral message in it. Pleasantly surprised.

Reading:

The House at Riverton

Watched:

"The Monarchy" narrated by Dr David Starkey

Very well done, informative and interesting. I'm thinking of using it to supplement World History for the older kids.

Around the house.....I could write what "should" be happening around the house. Do you bother to clean before 10 boys are coming over or wait until after? ;)

One of my favorite things: a little fuzzy headed boy

What will we do this week: Somehow, I got it together enough to plan a little birthday party for one of my children! Birthday celebrations have been a bit sparse lately. :) Jed's birthday is on Thursday and he will have some of his buddies ( and their brothers :) over for a celebration on Saturday. Dentist appointment for Manny ( he did great!) Birthday trip to Target ( tried to find a Toys R Us, but that was a fail) for Jed.

Pictures I'm sharing....

From the peanut gallery

2010-02-01T15:54:00.003-06:00

Manny "I don't like my name anymore!"

Me "Well, what name would you like better?"

Manny "ICE!"

Pause.

"Well, that's ok, I will just keep being called Manny."

Good choice! ;)

7 Quick Takes

2010-01-29T06:17:00.006-06:00

Charlie and Kaveon
Jackson's photos from the March For Life. Hoardes of people ignored by the media!

Noah at Little Round Top in Gettysburg?

1. It's weird not having to ask Gabriella if she needs a diaper change. Weird in a good way.

2. I watched a movie called "Housewife 49" last night. Tim took most of the kids to a basketball game. It was thoroughly delightful. About a woman in England who wrote a journal about daily life during the second World War. I also watched "Mrs Miniver" which was along the same lines. Don't know why this theme has snuck into my life lately. I think I must be turning into an Anglophile because I almost can't watch movies with American actors in them anymore. Why do the British have such talent ( or really, most Europeans) for understatement in acting. I loved Victoria Wood. On that note I am highly pleased at the large selection of great movies and non fiction dvds I found at the Rochester library this time around.

3. I just came in from outside and noticed there was a deer in the yard staring at me. I can't get over the novelty of this. :) Although, I would like to try a garden this summer and know that all these critters are notoriously pesky for chewing up gardens.

4. Been reading "Mother Teresa, In Her Own Words" which is unsettling, at best. Unsettling because her words penetrate your very soul, and make it re-evaluate dearly held beliefs and actions, especially toward the poor.

"Do you not believe that it can happen, on the other hand, that we treat the poor like they are a garbage bag in which we throw everything we have no use for ? Food we do not like or is going bad- we throw it in there. An article of clothing that is not in style anymore, that we do not want to wear again, goes to the poor. This does not show any respect for the dignity of the poor;..... but to consider them less than our equals. "

5. Manny needs to have a filling. I've never heard of a 5 year old needing a filling. I really don't think he eats more sweets or brushes less :) than any of his siblings who have been mostly filling-free throughout the years. Except for a notable exception, big brother Zak. Who Does Eat A LOT OF Sweets. :) Another thing to add to my "Mother Guilt" list. :)

6. I walked 2 miles in the cold this week. I'd do it again if it wasn't quite so cold. Under 30 degrees makes things rather unbearable.

7. In that same vein, when it was a bit warmer last week, I started having terrible allergy symptoms. My eyes and nose were running like a faucet, but stopped abruptly once the temps went below freezing again. I am new to all this allergy stuff. Never was bothered by it until a couple years ago. I wish I knew what exactly it was that causes the problems. Not that I could conceivably avoid them. :)

2010-01-24T03:27:00.006-06:00

Outside my window: Dark, but expected to be 43 and rainy today! Woot!? ( in January? In Michigan?)

I am thinking...still trying to figure out our many blessings. Probably should just be grateful and not try to analyze.

I am thankful .....boys who were able to go to the March 4 Life due to the generosity of family and friends.

From the schoolroom..... determined to stick to a better routine this week, although I know certain parties are going to be whupped and out of it for the first couple days due to their travels.

From the kitchen ...need to remember not to make certain things that only "I" will eat, like blue cheese-mushroom quiche ( that also has bacon in it). What was I thinking?! ;)

I am reading and watching and listening to:

Listened to:
Honolulu by Alan Bennett

So-so. There were a lot of interesting facts about the Asian population in Hawaii at the time.

The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene

What is about Graham Greene? Even though his main characters are middle aged men I can always so relate to the inner turmoil they are going through. Probably because they aren't endemic to only men, but for all. After reading "Brideshead Revisited" I understand the comparisons between he and Evelyn Waugh. Those British, Catholic-converts. They know how to tell it like it is. No sugar coating the truths of life. I always find that refreshing. I know Mr Greene had some unorthodox views, but unlike some of his novels, he came full circle by the end of his life. I seem to "feel" that in his novels, even the ones written well before his death. He is grappling with but knows the truth. And in his case, the truth won out.

"a Jekyll and Hyde character, who has not succeeded in fusing the two sides of himself into any kind of harmony." Malcom Muggeridge

It was both apt and prophetic that Greene should have taken the name of St. Thomas the Doubter at his reception into the Church in February 1926. Whatever else he was or wasn't, he was always a doubter par excellence. He doubted others; he doubted himself; he doubted God. Ironically, it was this very doubt that so often provided the creative force for his fiction. Perhaps the secret of his enduring popularity lies in his being a doubting Thomas in an age of doubt. As such, Greene's Catholicism becomes an enigma, a conversation piece - even a gimmick. Yet if his novels owe a debt to doubt, their profundity lies in the ultimate doubt about the doubt. In the end this ultimate doubt about doubt kept Graham Greene clinging doggedly, desperately - and doubtfully - to his faith.

From "Graham Greene, Doubter Par Excellence" Joesph Pearce

http://www.catholicauthors.com/greene.html

Reading:

The Tea Rose by Jennifer Connelly

Jury is out on this one. I sniff an agenda, although it is certainly entertaining.

Around the house.. Warmer temps gave a chance to go and somewhat organize the garage, which has become a collecting place for odds and ends. At least we can walk through it in a straight line.
One of my favorite things: a walk on a country lane. I wonder if the novelty of living out here in the quiet and beauty of nature will someday wear off?

What will we do this week: Nothing out of the ordinary. Catechism, classes, indoor soccer.....and another winter birthday. ;) A trip to IKEA on Saturday for some bunkbeds ( yay! for tax refunds ;) ( yes I know it is madness to go to IKEA on a Saturday ;) We made a family trip to the "Y" yesterday. After getting three littles suited up, showered ( besides myself) and ready to swim we hadn't been in the pool 3 minutes when they announced they were closing for 45 mins to clean the pool. ?-- why can't that be done BEFORE the Y opens? And why can't they put a sign on the locker room door stating they will be doing this at such and such a time? ARGGGGG!
On a happier note I like the scale at the "Y" much better than ours. It must be more accurate.....right? ;)

Pictures I'm sharing....Manny got a "Potato Head" playdough set in his stocking. This is what we came up with. Winter arrangements with dried bounty from our marsh.

Note to self:

2010-01-11T08:23:00.005-06:00

Before. Mom gave her a fairly decent "Madeline" type bob.
After the little stinker found the scissors and decided to improve upon the job. Grrrrr!

Don't do a haircut when you are rushed. Of course you would think that for obvious reasons ( ie: you might do a bad job) but even though I am a notoriously poor beautician, the real problem was "forgetting" to put the scissors away in the heat of the moment.

Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I'm not sure even a professional can fix this mess. Hat-shopping anyone? ;)

For Dad, Mom and Nan....and Aunt Becky :) A New View

2010-01-10T15:27:00.007-06:00

Original dining area that we are using as a music room right now.
This is what you will see as you first turn in the driveway....our address :)
The driveway
The house from the front drive
Deer droppings are a novelty to a girl who has lived in the city for the past 10 years. :)
The marsh
View from the front porch
Inside the marsh ( you can do that when it's below freezing ;)
More marshy-ness

Backyard
One of the many empty birdfeeders.....poor little birds!
Back of the house
Living room and stairs going upstairs
Living room
Ditto
Office aka "dumping ground" for things we aren't sure what to do with.
My little corner of the office, it's a pretty shade of blue/turquoise
Kitchen
Dining room
DR
Ditto
View from the back of the dining room looking into the kitchen

Didn't do the upstairs or downstairs, but this was overload enough for one post :)

The Sacrament of the Present Moment

2010-01-07T06:43:00.008-06:00

I hope this is not a heretical view, but I sometimes wonder if the Holy Spirit doesn't send out "group" inspirations to various contingents of the faithful. Sort of like a "group" e-mail from a higher up to his underlings. I was perusing some blogs and came upon "NOW" http://ebeth.typepad.com/reallearning/2010/01/now.html by Elizabeth Foss. It's often been the case that I've found that other homeschooling mothers of large families have had the same things on their minds.

There isn't much I can add to her piece. I just had a few further thoughts. Mostly that "now" usually isn't so bad. "Now" can actually be quite good, even in the midst of suffering or uncertainty. There are so many little graces throughout the day, the week, the year if we can just get our minds off our troubles and focus on "now". The soft cheek of a cute little girl, a witty teen, a beautiful view, cooking a nice meal, a good book or movie, even the ability to do laundry. So many times lately when uncertain thoughts have crowded my mind I've had to stop and tell myself "But what about right NOW? It's good, it's great even!" Why do I let what "could" happen cloud the joys of what is happening right "now"? There probably are a variety of reasons for it. One is that if you try to be a responsible person who like to have a contingency plan for anything that might befall you. I don't think that is all bad, but there is a fine line between trying to find solutions for problems and letting the "what if's" of them overcome you.

I haven't, of course, plumbed the depths of human sufferings, so maybe I will have to come back and revisit this :), but it has seemed to me lately that most of the difficulties of hard times is our inability to not focus on them. It's a tough one. No doubt about it.

I like what Fr Solanus says:

Worry is a weakness from which very few of us are entirely free. We must be on guard against this most insidious enemy of our peace of soul. Instead, let us foster confidence in God, and thank Him ahead of time for whatever He chooses to send us.

Venerable Solanus Casey (1870-1957)

and the ever "to the point" Elisabeth Elliot; "Worry is forbidden (Matthew 6:25, Phillipians 4:6, Psalm 37) It is useless, a colossal waste time. Still we carry on as if it's unavoidable."

I wish I could remember the author and what exactly what was said ( the travails of being middle aged! :), but it was something to the effect that you should treat worrisome thoughts the same as any other tempting thought. Get rid of it ( or distract yourself from it) as soon as you realize it is there.

So, since the message for the New Year seems so very clear, it is my prayer that I will make real strides at taking heed. :)

(The Sacrament of the Present Moment is a translation of a devotional book by Jean-Pierre de Caussade)

Christmas and New Year's Part 2

2010-01-03T17:58:00.003-06:00

Manny turned 5 on January 2nd!

He's not trying to burn his hand :) Naomi was telling him to show five fingers!

His new bike from m/m and papa!
We've got the wagon ( thanks Nan!) we've got the ZOO PASS ( thanks m/m and papa) now we just need some warmer weather! :)
Our Christmas season centerpiece.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care!
Complete with name tags made by Jed. ;)

2009--The BEST of!

2009-12-27T19:15:00.008-06:00

OF COURSE, MY DARLING FAMILY IS THE BEST OF THE BEST!

Well, lots of publications have "Best of" lists at the end of the year. Why not me?
And really, it is the end of the decade ( gulp! weren't we just celebrating the dawn of a new century?) but I couldn't possibly remember the" best of's " for the past 10 years ( well, maybe if I thought long and hard. ;)

BEST BOOK READ:

Probably the one I am reading right now "A Separate Country" by Robert Hicks.
I liked his first novel "The Widow of the South" pretty well, but he has really outdone himself with this one. It's always heartening to see someone ( even if you don't know them personally) grow and develop in their craft, and that, he has certainly done. A very gripping novel based on the life of the fascinating General John Hood and his equally fascinating wife, Anne Marie Hennen Hood, who gave birth to 11 children in 10 years and that included 3 sets of twins! ( Yet, that is really not a huge part of the story, just an interesting side note). Probably a bit too much adult subject matter for teens, but an engrossing read.

And a quote:
"Now I see it through new eyes that have of late, so late, recognized suffering as the corrupt and permanent condition of man, something inescapable and best faced square on, for in suffering is life, and its denial is a kind of death."

BEST BOOK LISTENED TO:

Well, there have been quite a few winners, but I'll have to say "The Seamstress" wins out by a hair.

BEST MOVIE WATCHED THAT I NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE:

"The Painted Veil" with Edward Norton and Naomi Watts.

I happened upon this one at the library. It looked interesting and I always check them out on Amazon to read other reviews and there were a good many favorable ones so I gave it a try. It turned out to be a favorite of the year. A good story ( again, maybe a bit too much adult subject matter, but if you watched it first and then knew where to fast forward, it would be ok for teens) and a good "moral" message in it in the end. Set in China in the 30's during a cholera outbreak, it is the story of a young married couple who learns the true meaning of love in a nutshell. :) A bit more gritty than polly anna, though :) I didn't realize this was based on a novel by W. Somerset Maugham .

BEST MOVIE:

Well, there have been really too many to list ( or have already been listed) but a recent one was "The Story of Adele H" by Francis Truffaut. This was made in the 70's, which is unbelievable to me because historical pieces made in those times usually aren't very historically correct ( at least in appearance, you always have perhaps historical dress but then a totally 70's hairstyle :)
The story regards Adele Hugo ( yes, the daughter of the infamous Victor Hugo) who had a very puzzling life, to say the least. While the tale is sad, it was a beautiful film visually....and her story is one of those that prove life is indeed stranger than fiction.

BEST SONG: Well, thanks to Gwen's ballet recital, I have revisited worship music. I don't listen to much of the "christian" genre of music (I'm not talking about hymns--ie: modern christian music) because, well, um, gulp, I think a lot of it is cheesy ( no offense to those who enjoy it).
But I heard some pretty lovely tunes at her production and found them on napster. Hard to say which one I like best but they have been a nice addition to my year.

BEST TIMES: Since we got a lot of snow last winter, sledding was high on the list. Whether pulling the littles around the neighborhood or heading out to the sledding hill, definitely a highlight of the winter.

Spring: Possibly an early season camping trip at Lakeport. It was too cold to swim, but the weather was pleasant enough ( after it quit raining) to make for an enchanting get away.

Summer: Dylan's graduation was a golden day. He was the first to participate in a ceremony, and graduated with so many nice kids. The service was well done and there was a nice reception after.

Fall: Well, there was a nice little trip to Greenfield Village for the Farmer's Market. Having a pass this year has been great, but this trip was without the whole group and it was nice to explore the village without worrying about who wanted to do what and wanted to go where. It was also a lovely fall day and not very crowded ( which is always a big bonus for me! :)

BEST MEAL OUT: Toss up between Mother's Day Lunch @ Brio and dinner date with my parents at "The Hill"

BEST MEAL IN: Hmmm, a survey of the response of others leads me to say either Father's Day ( Jimmy Dee recipe ribs) or Christmas (roast beef and lamb)

BEST NEW RECIPE TRIED: Again, gauging the enthusiastic response from the majority of the household, it has been Neana's chili recipe which was first introduced on January 1st, 2009, btw. ;)

BEST THING THAT WAS SAID TO ME THIS YEAR: Jed "Mom, I've never seen you cry."
Let's hope next year someone will say "Mom, I've never heard you yell ( this year, at least;)

BEST NEW DEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR: Somehow our move has made Jed a bit sleepier. Instead of getting up at 4:30 am he now slumbers away to at least 7....dare I say it aloud.... sometimes 8! Not that he is much of a troublesome fellow in the morning, I just selfishly like an hour or so of free brain time in the morning before everyone gets up and having someone there with me seems to intrude on that.

BEST DISCOVERY OF THE YEAR: Books. On. C.D. A revolution!

BEST UNEXPECTED TREAT: Having Nan here ALL summer! I know she missed her sunny, warm home but we were blessed to have her with us for an extended time this year!

BEST OF THE KIDS:

Al-- probably I have said it too much, but mostly it has been amazement at seeing my little boy turn into a man. Excelling at his work, getting his own apartment, taking care of business all with very little help from us. Often, when we are together, he will get several calls from fellow employees and I marvel at how he interacts and makes decisions on the spot. He was always a bit shy and lacked self confidence and I've seen such an enormous growth in those areas.

Zak- It's always good to see Zak moving forward in life, and this year he has made great strides in that regard. College in Florida, a new job, a lovely girlfriend for over a year :), plans for college here this winter. He's always the life of the party, even when he visits us and we all appreciate his spunk and charm.

Dyl- Watching Dyl make conscious efforts at holiness. You can see it is sometimes a hard choice for him, but he does it anyway. He tries to keep things on an even keel around here. He tries to inspire others to do the right thing. He offers help. He went on a mission trip to Nicaragua and it made a real impact on him. He's excited about starting school this winter and finding a new job and having fun with friends, some a little more special than others :).

Noah: Noah is dutiful. He never (well, almost never:) complains when he is asked to do something ( and he is usually asked to do a lot due to his home improvement/computer skills) He never gets ruffled about much ( save an annoying sibling now and then). To someone like me who's emotions and moods are always flying in a hundred different directions I must say I find this trait very consoling. He's also very witty and fun to be around.

Naomi: Our refreshing breath of femininity even if she is a bit of a tom boy ( you'll often find her lounging on the couch watching a foot ball or basketball game). I marvel at her creativity in photography and writing. She really takes ownership of her education. She is motivated ( about most things, washing dishes, not so much ;) She loves her friends and is a good pal. She cares about their souls. She will often come up and give me a hug and say "Mom, I like you" :) That is a precious gift to me.

Jackson:

Jax hit the teen years this fall. While it could be said there have been some rough moments, ack! it is fun watching him meld into this phase of life. Gosh, he is getting SO big. His voice is changing. He's still not too old to give me a hug and a kiss and tell me "Mom, did I ever tell you that you are the best?" He's thoughtful. He has a tender heart. It's wondrous seeing this transition from boy to man.

George: Dear George is always looking out for me. Especially when I am stressed out ( which sometimes seems to be 99.9% of the time :) He asks how he can help. He tries to be responsible about his duties in life ( ie: school and chores)
He's always thinking. He ponders the great questions of life. He so wants to be a good kid and succeeds most of the time :) (Hey- he just turned 11- a little preteen lip-y-ness sneaks in every now and then). He has taken a real interest in photography and is almost never without his cd player and a good book on cd. :)

Jedidiah:
Sigh. Jed will be 7 this year. Well, that doesn't say much about his 6th year, except he is getting bigger like all my babies. I know it's got to happen, but there are days when I wish I could just slow things down a bit. He amazes us with his vocabulary. Like George he is always pondering what is going on around him and has many interesting and amusing reflections on it. He has a very good memory as well....so whatever he is taking in stays with him ( at least for now, I remember those days when I was young, but they are now gone!;) He really is just a good little boy. He rarely gives us a bit of trouble. That isn't the be all and end all of a life, but it helps ;)

Immanuel: His fourth year. Manny is a quirky one. We all know it, yet we laugh. While I am chuckling a nervous thought about how "this seems funny now but what will he be like when he is a teenager" always seeps in. : ) Well, there ARE people who put quirkiness to good use! Right?
Of course he is absolutely adorable and we all want to munch him. I think of all the littles he is the universal favorite of his older sibs (Good thing Jed and Miss G. can't read this! ;) I'd say he has had a pretty good year. He gets a bit wild when out of his routine (I've had a few of these, so I am getting better at anticipating it) but overall he has been growing out of an extremes in that area.

Gabriella:

Our little princess. So in love with pink and sparkles and pretty dresses and painted toes and nails, dolly's and hairbows. I'm thinking she is truly a girly girl. She even talks all the time! And dances! And sings! She's a smart little cookie.
Tim and I are constantly amazed that you can have coherent conversations with her at this age. Of course, we forgot we had 4 boys before her :) I've had to get used to having one who really enjoys having your undivided attention most of the time. Strange as it sounds, I don't actually have many kids like that ( or maybe I have and just ignored it before. :( Since it is looking like she is the last, it's not hard to just try to "be" with her...and drink in all that is left of her babyhood. She is definitely LOADS of fun.

Happy New Year!

Back to blogging.......CHRISTMAS 2009 ( Pt 1)

2009-12-27T18:42:00.012-06:00

WARNING! We just moved so I get a pass on messy house pictures. ;)
It's rough getting up a 9 am!
Gabriella with her "Princess Potato Head" ( the current "littles" obsession around here)

A sweet little brother-big brother shot.
Zak and Noah waiting their turn.
"No Way!" Tim and Dyl get "Red Wings" tickets from Al.
Another happy customer thanks to big bro Al.
Naomi is so "Rochester" in her new hoodie.
Daddy and G sharing a candy cane moment
Manny zonked during Christmas dinner

This girl wanted a pretty Christmas dress instead of toys for her birthday
Thanks, Meemaw and Papa!

One evening (night? early morning?) during a spell of monthly insomnia, I chanced to browse past posts of my blog. I must say it was good to go back and read what the family was doing, what I was thinking, other blog posts that encouraged me, etc etc.
And so, I must, despite disliking this kind of thing in general, make a New Year's resolution to do better at keeping up the blog.

Daybook, November 8th 2009

2009-11-08T04:44:00.005-06:00

Happy Birthday, Nan!

Outside my window: It's dark now, but the weather promises to be lovely today.

I am thinking....about Nan on her 91st birthday today. Happy Birthday Nan!

I am thankful .....for laundromats, this week :)

From the schoolroom..... hmmm, mostly just thinking how to improve. Some "winner" crafts:

A leaf walk where we picked up various leaves and dipped them in wax.

Reading the book; "The Zoo I Drew". While the title suggests drawing the animals, we took our new stock of construction paper and made various animals with it. The kids really got a bang out of them. Pictures to follow once we get a few more additions. It really is a darling book with lots of bright colors.

From the kitchen ...I'm making the first turkey of the season today. They had them on sale for 40 cents a pound at Walmart the other day. Since making a turkey is much easier than making 3 roasted chickens to feed us all, it works!

I am reading and watching and listening to:

Listened to:

Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson Really enjoyed this one. Very funny but poignant at the same time. Full of twists and turns and surprises.

Reading:

The German Slave Girl by This is a fascinating book about a german woman who was taken for a slave. A true story based on the historical court case. Although most understand the horrors of slavery, this has opened my eyes to further atrocities.
I am hearing: Jed and Manny chattering. Gabriella breathing softly on my chest. Those three have been getting up WAY too early since the time change.

Around the house..we furiously scrambled about yesterday trying to get *warmer weather* chores done. The attic organized (I'm not going to say "cleaned out" but it was a start :) Leaves raked, vans de-junked.

One of my favorite things: having a load of bags to give to Goodwill. It makes me feel much lighter.

What will we do this week: I think not much out of the ordinary, which always makes me happy :)
We may take Maddie on a field trip to "The Shrine of the Little Flower" this weekend. Even though it is only about 20 minutes away, I've never been to the shrine!

Pictures I'm sharing....Halloween and All Saints. Only the three youngest participated this year ( the rest were Indiana for a soccer tournament) and Noah had to dress up for work. :) Dyl went to a party, but I never got a picture of him.

The Last Day of October- October in review

2009-10-31T19:05:00.012-05:00

Masquerade ball and a pretty new dress for Sissy
Naomi's Summit team won second place at the Nationals in Indiana (with the Flynn girls, Carmel, Bernadette and Sheila)
George was voted "The Player Who Gives 110%" (George's soccer team)
Jackson was voted "Best Goalie" Dylan was his coach
The view from the front porch of the cabin
A quick camping trip at Lakeport for just me, Naomi, Gwen, Jay, Noah and Neana

Drawing has been a huge pass time since we are indoors alot. :(
Sunset over Lake Huron
Jed became obsessed with owning a camera. He finally wore Dad down. ;) Thank heavens for pawn shops! ( = cheap cameras)
Big brother Dyl giving the littles an art lesson.
A lovely dinner date with just my parents and Tim and I.

I think we actually made this trip to Greenfield Village the last weekend of September, but...... :)
Our first batch of pumpkins were mauled by squirrels. Grrr

Although it has been a pretty cold October, the glory of fall colors still greeted us each day. I think the winds from yesterday/today may just have erased this sort of scene for good. :)

I am thankful for: Relieved my friend's daughter didn't have leukemia. Zak got a job. Tim recovered from his kidney stone.

Book and video highlights:

Videos:

The Widow of St Pierre

This starred Juliette Binoche and Daniel Auteuil. The funny thing about Daniel Auteuil is the last time I saw him in a movie it was "Manon of the Spring". In that he was a bit slow in the head and generally bumbling about. In this one, a dashing military officer with a beautiful wife. It really was a gorgeous film. Lovely costumes and scenery. I don't know that the premise of the movie was all that believable ( it said it was based on a true story, but I couldn't uncover anything about the real tale). It revolved around a man who committed murder while drunk, was sentenced to death and had to wait several months for his sentence to be carried out since the small island they lived on ( St Pierre, new Newfoundland) didn't have a guillotine or an executioner ( apparently at that time that was the only mode of execution the French would allow). While waiting he was *adopted* by the chief officers wife and shown to be a good man. Without giving too much of the film away, what I admired about the story is that the man ( the murderer) never shirked from his sentence or tried to escape. He was courageous enough to accept that he had done something wrong and was willing to pay the consequences for it despite having love and sympathy from nearly the whole town. A couple of iffy parts that may not make it appropriate for teens and there may have been one sexually graphic part, but I fastforwarded through it and can't really say how steamy it got. :)

Napoleon (PBS)

Love him or hate him, you can't deny he was one interesting character. This PBS documentary was excellent.

Elizabeth 1, Virgin Queen

Another PBS Masterpiece Theater winner. I wasn't sure how they could make a tale that has been told many times fresh and new, but they did. Excellent, but probably some iffy parts for teens.

Read/listened to:

Cotollion by Georgette Heyer

This was very "Jane Austen-esque" and thoroughly delightful. Recommended!

Napoleon: His Wives and Women : Christopher Hibbert

A very interesting biography about the women in his life. I am pretty impressed with this author as a biographer. He knows how to tell the story and keep it interesting.

From the kitchen: I made some quiches for the first time in a very long time. Spinach and quiche Lorraine. They weren't all that popular with most, which is why I guess I don't routinely make them. :)

Around the house: I did get some organizing done when the family was in Indiana for Nationals. Even though I had the two littlest home with me, it was a whole lot easier keeping the house clean with just those two. Go figure! ;)

I think I finally got all the winter/summer clothes switched out. George helped me clean the garage and did a great job with all the wood piled up by the freezer.

One of my favorite things. ...kids of all ages coming in to talk at night in my room.