7 Quick Takes: Birthday, Halloween, and When The Saints Go Marching In

 

Linking up with Kelly for my sporadic blogging of 7 quick takes.

 

1).  Tommy's birthday was a busy day, but we managed to have cake and sing to him about 7:45 at night.  Great time for extra dose of sugar.  We love our Daddy so much!  

 

 

2). Halloween at school gives the kids a Penny Bazaar.  It's an hour of games, cupcakes, prizes (win or lose the game) and fun.  James went around with his 4th grade "buddy" to help him navigate the games, and I had only Lucy, and helped run the game for James' class, being one of the room liaisons.

 



 

3). Halloween was an extra special event this year.  Emma invited a new girl from school to come out with us along with her cousin.  One of them had never been Trick or Treating before, so it was a treat for us to be part of the excitement that the girls had.

 

 

 

We had Captain America, a sweet Bumble Bee, Linus and Charlie Brown and 3 cowgirls. We got a little bit of a late start since I always insist on taking pictures.  I decided to go around the neighborhood until the little guys got tired (and I got too cold).

 

 

Lucy was fully aware of the joys of candy in the bucket, and held on tightly to the pink bucket she got from her favorite Miss Marjorie.  She is still holding the bucket.  And, when she took a break in the stroller her sweet William kept putting candy in her pumpkin to be sure she had some as well.

 

 

4).  The next day was one of my favorite traditions at All Saints: the Parade of Saints by the 3rd grade at Mass.  Though all through the school are presentations on saints. 

 

William was Saint Stephen, the first martyr.  He chose the Deacon garb, and my talented mother made the costume.  Really, the whole group had some amazing costumes, and it was so impressive to see the details that each child focused on for their saint.  Most were immediately identifiable!

  

 

 

5).  As we have begun the month of the poor souls ("Pray for the dead, and the dead will pray for you" sung to the tune of the funeral march) we have taken time to go visit our big cemetery nearby.  This is the Confederate Cemetery, though I have been visiting it for 30 years and never realized that it had this in the back.  I love the peace of a graveyard, and I love sharing the traditions of the All Saints, All Souls feasts. 

 

My sister Jenn has a great post to help us remember why and what to do, because I forget every year.

 

 

6). We try very hard to say a daily rosary.  Some days are easier than others, but I love the phase that we have begun.  We have 5 children and I couldn't wait until all the kids could lead a decade on their own.  I was one of 7, but one of the younger ones, so I was always more willing to lead and did quite often as I was young.  It's a silly milestone, but one I was eager to reach.

 

All the kids can pray a decade alone.  Lucy volunteers (Me! ME! Me!!!) each time I announce a new mystery and she can say all the prayers.  It's adorable, and just makes my heart melt. 

 

7). I am going to admit something, of which you probably could already figure out because I am not a patient person.  I don't like museums.  They are not fun to go to with a gaggle of kids.  All of the kids are at different stages, all enjoy different things, and all seem to go in all different directions when we get there.  It's the stress of stopping, hurrying, counting, and when we leave, I often feel like I haven't seen anything except the backs of my kid's heads, so when Tommy suggests a museum, I usually put up a bit of a fight.

 

But I think this one changed my views.

 

We stopped at the Marine Corps Museum the other day, all dressed up after going to Mass.  I wasn't sure how it would go, but I just want to say that this place is AWESOME.  Each kid had fun, and each section had something that would capture each child's attention. 

 

I don't often say this, but I would like to go back to that museum. 

What's Fall Without A Halloween Post?

Of course we did Halloween!  We had a hugely busy day, and for the first time, we did not have all the kids together for Trick or Treating.  The older 2 were invited out with friends (super nice families) and we let them go!  I was excited that it meant Patrick has made some new strides at Seton, and new, bigger kid activities are opening to him.  Emma had a birthday celebration to go along with T or T. 

But first, we had a party at the Knights of Columbus.  All but Mommy were dressed in costume!  James asked me who I was dressed as, and the usual response from me is "a Mommy."

 Glinda, Minnie, Christopher Columbus, Baseball player, and Iron Man. 

A prize if you guessed James was "Larry Boy" and his super suction ears!  A friend loaned us this adorable creation by her mother, and James was thrilled to wear it.  Though a mask and glasses don't always go well together.

Now, a little backstory on Emma's costume.  This creation is from my senior year in high school musical, where I was Glinda!  The dress was so pretty, and just a little long (as I had a 5 foot wide hoop skirt when I wore it), so I pulled out my sewing machine and did some stitching! 

Now, if you have a costume on in the morning, and you decide to trick or treat later on, it's only natural that you pick another one, right?  Well, we had 2 fast changes that evening.

William decided to be a "Formal Apology" but he didn't tell folks what he was, so he didn't get as many laughs as I had hoped.  This one gives me the giggles.

The little guys all went out with Daddy, and shorter legs means less candy (thankfully).  Tommy even took sweet Lucy along with him.

 I was alone.  All alone in the house.  I got an itch to do some tidying.  I almost always sit outside and hand out candy.  Almost every year it is me.  And our neighborhood has long wait times in between.  So, I started to clean.  I left a big bowl outside, I had lights on, I would go to the door every now and then and wave at the neighbors.  Then I got distracted, and I look up and see a line of kids at my door, looking at me expectantly.

My bowl was gone. 
My candy was gone. 
GONE!  Not even an hour had gone by.  I was so upset.  Dratted kids.  I liked that bowl too.  But, it was my own fault.  I guess.  "Trick or treat!" 

But, I still had the Cutest Minnie in the world at my house!  Love this cutie patootie! 

Congratulations, Mary and Ryan!

Mary and Ryan (aka #maryan2k15) are married! 

 All my boys cleaned up really nicely, and James was very proud of "his bow." 

 William and the flower girl, Laura.  The two of them are always together when we have a family event.

 Congratulations to the beautiful couple!

 We all had an amazing time, and the kids danced until they told us we had to go home.

I can't get over how grown up Emma looks. 

 We were missing some family members, some far away, and some staying home to care for a sick child, but the weather held for the outdoor reception at the winery, and I was super proud of my family.

 My husband cleans up extra well too.  Isn't he the handsomest in his tux?

This is just one of the many times we had kids on the dance floor, and they were whip nae nae - ing.  I was too.  :)

Lucy is 1!

My sweet Lucy turned one on October 3!  Our sweet girl is such a joy, and we are so blessed to have her with us.

Family Photo Shoot

A very big "Thank you!" to our wonderful photographer, and member of our parish: Erica Chambers!