November

Seven Things that have happened in the last few months:
1. Gino's job has become a lot more intense, so it seems that I am single-mommying it for a little while longer.

2. We are not moving anytime soon, so I switched around the family room and dining room, which made me loose the living room, but gain two bigger living areas that we use all the time and I love love love it! I also repainted the new family room an amazing color called atmosphere and it is a blue-green-smoky color... very peaceful.

3. Lydia still does not sleep through the nights... where did I go wrong???

4. I have learned in the last month that I have many food allergies which have contributed to a lifetime of chronic sinusitis, asthma, headaches and puffy cheeks... they include, but are not limited to: gluten, dairy, eggs, cheese, peanuts, yogurt... what a difference removing these items from my diet have made for my health! I can breathe! I can breathe!

5. We have a vegetable garden that has given us green beans and now we are hoping to harvest some squash and carrots for thanksgiving. very fun.

6. I am hosting my mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, and 3 month old nephew for Thanksgiving and I am so excited!

7. I have many things, chores, "honey dos" to complete before next week!!!

8. Caroline just turned 7 and Lydia will soon be turning 1. Where does time go? Time, our most precious commodity- I am really really trying to keep a pulse on how mine is spent and how my priorities reflect where my energy and time is spent.

There you have it, a bonus one!
take care- rita

an attempt to keep in touch

hey there- I am attempting to do a better job of keeping up with family and friends through this personal blog. we'll see how it goes!
these are some pictures from our garden, which we worked on yesterday after receiving a week's worth of rain. (thank GOD!)

Gino is working some today and the kids are taking over the house.
I am trying to finish laundry, grocery list, dinner, and the week's to-do list. It's one step forward, two steps back around here!

7 Quick Takes

It's Friday and you know what that means...

~1~


DH started his new job this week and we feel very blessed that his new job allows for him to join us for dinner each night- something unheard of with his old job.

~2~


My Dad was flying through the area and had a two hour layover...just enough time to run to Burger King and grab some fries and a drink together.

~3~

Re-meeting my highschool girl friend after 16 years!! ~very strange~ but very fun,too!

~4~
I am trying to organize all my printed out recipes and so my dining room table is covered right now... it's always darkest before dawn, right?

~5~
One of the mom's at my dd's school is having her 3rd baby and so some other mom friends are throwing her a baby shower. I love that they are doing this for her, and I look forward to celebrating this little life. One mom was very put-out over the whole thing and complained to me about it. I wish I could think of a tactful way to tell her that this is a little PERSON we are celebrating- it doesn't matter if she were the first born or the eighth born! ... any ideas?

~6~
Went out this evening to meet with our small church community- three other couples who are the same age, with small kids and have a strong faith life, similar values, etc. We are watching the "Love and Respect" videos. Very informative, if not extremely repetitive. The very strong message of loving your wife/respecting your husband will eventually sink into our thick skulls.


~7~
Went to a Mother's Brunch at my 6yo daughter's school this morning. They served us oj and muffins. Than they serenaded us with such sweet cheesy mama songs that there was not a dry eye in the classroom. They also signed all their songs! I sat there watching my oldest baby, wondering who this girl was... she seemed so able and had such beautiful confidence. I am excited to get to know this little young lady as she blossoms to her fullest potential. This part of parenting is kinda fun, ya know?

small successes Thursday

I am posting this on the right day!
Today, I was able to go to my weight lifting class. Yep, I'm pumping iron.
My home is clean! (thank you, honey!!)
Making it to the grocery store and planning for the week is always a big accomplishment around here... and today it happened.


"The Two Mommies"

7 Quick Takes

The Monday edition...
1. I did pilates this morning!
2. I must fold lanundry today!!
3. Lydia was up most of the night with a dreadful cough
4. We investigated bigger homes this weekend.
5. I dread putting my home on the market.
6. Gino starts his new job today!
7. my goddaughter received her first holy communion saturday- what a joy!

7 Quick Takes

Here are my Seven Quick Takes for Friday, (and the week for that matter!)



1. My son turned 5 this week




and we have been properly celebrating with STOMP ROCKETS.





2. This is a BIG one. After being out of work for a year. Twelve months. My husband has received not one, but two job offers this week. Praise GOD. Please keep us in your prayers, for wisdom to discern the right one for our family.

3. I exercised twice this week! I scheduled three times but my daughter had field day at school and really wanted me to show up for some of it.




4. my house is a mess and I'm okay with it~ not really... but i'm ignoring it for now seeing as i only get three maybe four hours of sleep at a time.



5. (I am going back and forth between typing one handed and not...) I am going through my daughters' clothes and storing them or giving them away... this is a long and cumbersome process... thank GOD for hand-me-downs. We just have such little storage that it is difficult to store all.

6. After I pick up my daughter from school, I am going to hang out with some dear friends for our "beer-thirty" play date. They have a great big fenced in back yard, lots of kids and space and some Mommy drinks, too. Bliss. PLUS...tonight, my husband and I get to go on a date while my kiddos go to Parents Night Out

7. Please keep my mother-in-law in your prayers as she is in and out of the hospital these days.

Well, I've got a great Friday still ahead of me!! Okay, I better try and make a dent in all of these girlie clothes while my two year old is sleeping or you can fuhgedaboutit!

Uncle Al

My Uncle Al passed away very suddenly from a massive heart attack over our spring break. So, we left our original destination, San Antonio, and headed to Brady TX.

My family is pretty shocked by the loss of Uncle Al. He was a "gentle giant" and friend to all. Every year for Christmas he played Santa's elf and navigated us through the unopened packages. Having shaken, sniffed, and man-handled the gift as best he could, he would give us some heartfelt advice... "THIS is the ONE!"... you know, the one that everyone is going to want.

His sudden death is a close reminder of my own mortality and each individual that I am close to. Our time here is unknown, so let us make the most of it.

Silver Girl

Sail on silvergirl,
Sail on by.
Your time has come to shine.
All your dreams are on their way.
See how they shine.
If you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.



This is what happens when my 2 yo finds a bottle of glitter while I am nursing in the other room.

What’s for dinner, honey?

Tonight, I am going to try this recipe from Faith and Family for Baked Oatmeal.

My husband is working a Parent’s Night Out co-op, so it’s just me and the kids.

We love oatmeal, and this seems like a good Lenten meal to make, since my health, yucky rainy weather, and, oh yeah, a dead car battery prevent me from going to the store!

Oh well, one more step towards being more frugal with my money by cooking with what I have in the house and not running out to the grocery store as often as I used to!!

Small successes Thursday

I completed a grocery list plus got my coupons together!

I finally got the 6 loads of clean clothes all folded and put away.

My babies stayed fed, clothed, loved and warm.

One of those days where I am feeling a little bit sick and a lotta bit tired. It helps to add up the little things to make me feel like I accomplished something today!!

On This Day

Please say an extra prayer for all of those seeking employment- that the peace of Christ which surpasses all understanding will guard their hearts and the hearts of their families.

The Garden out Front

It rained today, so I didn't have to put on the sprinklers yet! Yay! So, this is the "before" pictue. Hopefully in about 50 days I'll have something more to show than just dirt!


Our sweet Henry frog. When we lost Fefe's twin, we wanted to have little rememberances of him throughout our home that would make us smile and this is one of them.




And this is Lil'Bird. If you ever wanted to hold a little bit of heaven, hold a sleeping baby. (of course, my husband says, that our baby feels like she is holding a bit of heaven when she is sleeping in our arms...)

Gardening in a Recession

Well my front yard garden bed looks absolutely barren. Usually at this time of year I am able to go buy a flat of beautiful begonias or some other brightly colored flower. Instead, this year I bought seeds of Zinnias, Purple Coneflower and Allysum. My 2 year old, Sophia and I planted them yesterday. I prepared the ground, dug holes and she scattered the seeds. Than she proceeded to mix and scatter the dirt. I have no idea if the seeds are still there or if she tossed them away. I guess I'll find out in about a week or two when they begin to emerge!! I will post pictures later!

hello world!

Coming out of hiding to share some pictures and happenings in our family. Lydia Therese was born on November 22, 2008. She is an absolute joy and delight and the whole family is in love with her. We pretty much kiss on her all day long...and when we're not, she's like, "Hello? Look at me! I'm cute and smiley and so you should hold me!"

And so we do...because we can't resist her siren songs... that's our Lydia!