The way things usually go

• On our trip to the police station, the sergeant was explaining to us that the county was going to be spending such and such an amount to make this building "green." I was trying to figure out why they would want to paint the building green, as that didn't make much sense to me. I was still pondering when he began telling about the light bulbs and windows that it occurred to me what he meant. THAT kind of green. I am so not in that mode. LOL
• Emma's ballet class is in a racquetball court at the fitness center, and there are about 3 courts to choose from. The last few classes have been great for the boys because they have been able to watch some people play in the court next to us. They have played racquetball, as well as set up a net. I told Patrick that they were playing volleyball. He says, "Nope, it's Wally ball." Well, I thought he was just reading the net, which was probably made by some business named "Wally" so we kind of went back and forth a little. Until I told my Dad what Patrick said, and, naturally, my 6 year old is correct. "It's called Wally ball because they hit it off the walls." Sigh.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends, family, cyber-friends, and lurkers! I am so blessed to have so many of you in my life, but I am most grateful to God for my beautiful family and my hard-working husband. God has given us so many blessings, and my thanksgiving prayers should be often and many. Be assured that I said a prayer for all of you today, and ask that you remember us in yours. I am saying a very special prayer for my brother-in-law Dan in Afghanistan and his family at home. We love and miss you all!

Zoo fun!

William finally got to go to the zoo this weekend! The weather was pretty nice and they went while I worked. I was sorry to miss it, but Tommy said they had a great time.

He was talking to the Panda, and loved the monkeys. He does monkey and gorilla noises, and he knows the difference in the sounds, which is adorable.

Patrick's favorite is the Panda, but I'm not sure he heard it make it's sound.

Here is a clip of the monkey visit. My favorite part is Emma at the end. She is such the mommy, and Patrick is just playing and in his own world.

For the Cold and Flu Season

Why Don't We Do It In Our Sleeves?

(I don't think I can post the video on here, but be sure and watch it with your kids. Mine love watching it!)

My lesson that I am going to share with you

"Forgive and Forget." I always heard that while I was growing up, and usually it made sense to me. Do just that, in that order. But it always bothered me that I wasn't able to forget. I knew I was supposed to, but I had a hard time and I wondered if I was doing something wrong.

My temperament is mostly melancholic, and for those of you that know me will be "noddin' you head like, yeah." (sorry :)) I hold onto things: I re-live them, re-feel all the emotions involved, good or bad, but mostly bad. It's one of the things I need to work on, and one that often gets confessed in the little box at Church. One of the priests at our church told me something to help me, and it has made me do some thinking. He said (in his Spanish accent), "You won't forget what happened. That is hard to do for your brain. And you must forgive, and forgive every time you think of the hurt."

Whoa. I had never thought of it that way. I kept mulling it over and over all day long, and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Jesus said that. "Not just seven times, but seventy times seven." Not just when he hurts you, but each time it comes up in your mind. It is ongoing. And something that is definitely going to change my thinking. That same day I was helping my mother sing at Mass, and the "Prayer of Saint Francis" (my patron saint) was the next song. I have sung that song my whole life, but those words really hit home this time: "It is in pardoning that we are pardoned." I am grateful that I was able to listen to God, and He knew that I needed to hear those things that day. As my mother always says, "Isn't God good?!"

New adventures

Patrick has started a new activity. Well, let me rephrase that. WE have started a new activity in Cub Scouts. It happened really fast, and way faster than this slow-moving mommy was ready for. Tommy went for a visit to a meeting, and came home with badges and papers to sign, and we we in scouts! There has already been 2 outings and we ALL have been going since Tommy hasn't been able to come home in time. (hence the "we") The first was a visit to the Manassas Museum, and the second was a trip to the new Police Station.

We had a really great time, and the sergeant was extremely patient, especially with the little boy who had a bazillion questions about "robbers" (he's the one with his hand up. It was a permanent fixture during our tour).

The kids got to sit in a police car and check out the motorcycles. The Officers were getting ready to escort the family of the DEA official that died the the helicopter crash, so there was a bit of hubub in the buildings, getting their gear on for a cold and wet ride on their Harleys.

I know I mentioned that this was Cub Scouts, which is for boys. But, as you can tell, SOMEONE was in the thick of it all: asking questions, getting to the front of the lines to do an activity and making new friends.

I am so new to all these experiences and activities with my kids, and I hope this scouting thing is good for him.

What we should have done...

Next time. Promise.

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/2009/10/28/potty-training/

Soccer

We did it. The first season of soccer is done. Patrick had a great time in the Manassas Baptist league, and I am really happy with the teamwork, the kindness, and above all, the location of the games. For Patrick, his highlight is the trophy. We had a few events after his soccer game, and he carried that trophy (with the spinning, squishy ball) to each thing - restaurants, family parties, Mass, left in the car of course, and I think he would have even taken it to bed if he had been awake enough. We are on day 2 of the holding-the-trophy-with-one-hand-everywhere-we-go.

He really did well, and improved with each game, but he confided in me that he would rather play defense. "Because there is less running." I was teasing Tommy, saying that Patrick will probably be done after this since the trophy was pretty awesome, but Patrick told us that he "is going to play until he gets one of those neck medals."

I just lost a game of "Stratego" to my 6 year old son. I knew I was going to lose, yet why does it bother me so much??

Halloween 2009

Halloween was a little more low key this year due to illness in the house, but Tommy was ready to carve a pumpkin, and Emma was his "helper."

Patrick preferred watching.

She wasn't too keen on the inside of the pumpkin.

Bumble Bee (Transformer) and Super Girl were the only Trick or Treaters that night, since it was damp outside

Elmo

We watched from the window as the kids came to the door, and William put his costume on the next day.

School days

Patrick is learning about different kinds of sentences, and this week is asking sentences. His assignment was to write 3 asking sentences, and I was helping him. These were the three:

1. Why in the past were there pirates?

2. Where did dinosaurs live?

3. What kind of sounds do Pandas make?

These are very interesting questions, but the last one especially needs some explaining. His favorite animal is the Panda, and we don't often hear them making sounds, but this is what the kids say for the Panda:

"Smith, smith!"

I was scratching my head for a while about that one, until I told Tommy. Guess who told them that is what Pandas say??