Week of May 9th, 2010

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 VictoriaAnne 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

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 :)

This past week held Zak's 21st birthdayHe 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

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

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

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!