Brooke's Baby Page

The Family that Prays Together...

2012-01-25T14:04:00.014-05:00

When I was a little girl, we had one bathroom in the home that our family of five shared. I remember my dad shaving and preparing for work while I brushed my teeth. He would tell me "the family who brushes together, stays together!" I laughed at the time, but today I look back and remember his motto with a nostalgic heart. I believe there was wisdom in his words. Family fellowship in any form binds us together and makes the Lord present.

Now, as a parent myself, one of my happiest moments of the day is when we are gathered for dinner. We share our daily highlights (and low lights) and begin it all with prayer. We used to go around the table after our traditional "Give us this day.." prayer and then add a petition, but it became impractical due to the time it took to cover family, friends, neighbors, clergy, sick relatives, etc. and to restrain our growling tummies.:)

For a while we just shelved the dinnertime intentions and kept things simple. That was fine, but I did miss having a designated time to pray for everyone on our "list." So, enter our prayer jar. It's a simple way to cover friends/family and remember those whom we have promised to pray for. Since I am craft-challenged, it doesn't get much simpler than this. We just took a mason jar, cut out a few web gloss holy pictures and taped them to the jar. The images are from Magnifikid!

Next, we just cut out a few dozen paper hearts and wrote down our prayer intentions.

All set! Now, each evening at dinner we pull out a heart, read our intention and keep that person, family, or group on our heart in prayer until the next day. We also ask the Lord to bless all those in our prayer jar (not just the ones we picked out that evening). As Pope John Paul II wrote in his encyclical "Gratissimam Sane,": "Prayer increases the strength and spiritual unity of the family, helping the family to partake of God's own "strength." Prayer makes the Son of God present among us: "For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them" (Mt 18:20)."

This year, we are also working with the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland to share the good news about the Friends of Saint Angela ministry. It is a way to be embraced in prayer each week by these holy women. If you would like to have the sisters remember you in prayer or someone you love, click here for details. I love the idea of doing this for someone as a gift. What better offering could you give someone than the blessing of prayer?

Sweet Sunday

2012-01-22T21:56:00.001-05:00

Have you seen this recipe circulating on the Internet? It's a mouth-watering recipe for no-bake Oreo truffles. I gave it a shot today and it was fast, easy and delicious. This could be a dangerous dish. :)

On another note, I also wanted to post a few photos from our visit to the new Greater Cleveland Aquarium. Last week Len and I had a chance to check it out at media day. It was so much fun! Although it did feel a little odd to be there without the kids, but at least we snapped a bunch of pics. Here are a few:

The aquarium is now officially open to the public. An exciting addition to downtown Cleveland! Click here for the official website.

Laundry Lamentations

2012-01-21T19:04:00.003-05:00

It's no secret that my least-loved household duty is laundry. I thought it was overwhelming when we only had 3 kids and since we've added 2 more, I just feel downright defeated by the piles. I definitely need a new strategy. The good news is, I've been gathering some creative ideas and went to work this weekend on a few.
Objective #1: Fix Gabe's hamper. It's been over-stuffed so frequently that it finally caved under the pressure. Lest you think that I never clean his clothes, :) I must add add that many times the hamper is filled with "fake laundry" that's really not dirty at all, but ends up there when the kids don't feel like hanging up a clean shirt in the closet or placing it back in a drawer. Anyway, As you can see, his hamper has seen better days. The wooden dowels are broken and crooked.

Martha Stewart had an easy (and inexpensive fix)! A drawstring bag attached to an embroidery hoop

Since the fabric on the hamper was still good, I just used that. We also bought a quilt hoop since it was a tad bigger than the embroidery hoop.

I like the fact it's off the floor and can double as a basketball net for dirty clothes. :) We still have to install a hook on the door, but in the meantime we used a wreath holder (no holes and just as sturdy)! It's small victories like these that brighten my laundry life. :)

Next, Jim and I are hoping to tackle this project:

It would be great to store this in the laundry room, and you can modify the design to the size/space that works for you. Click here for the plan.

Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for the gift of laundry and what it means. More laundry means our family has grown, our kids are cared for with clean clothes, and I have an amazing new-fangled machine to help make the loads lighter. :) So, the "lamentations" also come with a dose of understanding that sometimes I do sweat the small stuff. On that note, I had to smile after reading this poem. Thank God for laundry. Just not the "fake" laundry. :)

A Song from the Suds

Queen of my tub, I merrily sing,
While the white foam raises high,
And sturdily wash, and rinse, and wring,
And fasten the clothes to dry;
Then out in the free fresh air they swing,
Under the sunny sky.

I wish we could wash from our hearts and our souls
The stains of the week away,
And let water and air by their magic make
Ourselves as pure as they;
Then on the earth there would be indeed
A glorious washing day!

Along the path of a useful life
Will heart's-ease ever bloom;
The busy mind has no time to think
Of sorrow, or care, or gloom;
And anxious thoughts may be swept away
As we busily wield a broom.

I am glad a task to me is given
To labor at day by day;
For it brings me health, and strength, and hope,
And I cheerfully learn to say-
"Head, you may think; heart, you may feel;
But hand, you shall work always!"

~Louisa May Alcott~

Absent

2012-01-18T18:33:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow on our program I am looking forward to our interview with filmmaker Justin Hunt. He is behind other award winning documentaries and is currently promoting a new project, called "Absent." It first caught my attention when I realized we were running a commercial for it, voiced by Metallica frontman James Hetfield. I was caught off guard hearing his voice on our Contemporary Christian radio station. Effective and exciting. Turns out, he narrates a portion of the film and shares his own personal story. A short description of the film reads:

"The film explores the nature and consequences of the "father wound," the most universal affliction on the planet, according to Hunt. Franciscan spiritual leader and author Richard Rohr popularized the term, which he used to describe the negative psychological and developmental effects on children when they lack positive emotional contact with their fathers."

I commend Hunt (who happens to be a single dad) for shining a spotlight on this epidemic. I pray this documentary reaches the hearts of all those affected by the "father wound" and is a vehicle of healing and inspiration. You can tune in Thursday morning to hear our interview live at 8:15 with Justin. There will also be a screening at Cathedral of Life Church in Canton this Friday. In the meantime, I invite you to watch the trailer and encourage you to spread the word.

Crisco Kid

2012-01-16T15:43:00.001-05:00

Last week, we watched "The Help" for family movie night. It was, in part, in preparation of Martin Luther King Jr. day. After reading the book and seeing it several times already, it was a film Jim and I thought would be teachable, but not too intense. Of all the lessons and insights they could've come away with, the thing that seemed to make a noticable impact was....the fried chicken. Lol. Go figure. After Minnie's lip-smacking scenes of frying up chicken in the pan, the boys were craving a home-cooked fried chicken dinner. Truth be told, I have never actually made fried chicken (who can top KFC anyway?) ;) Another movie takeaway was Grant's newfound discovery of the magical frosting-like concotion of.. Crisco! Ha. All weekend he talked about it. I didn't know I had any Crisco until I was cleaning out the baking cupboard and saw a small tub. I had to show Grant. And his reaction...

I ran across an oven-fried chicken recipe from Laila Ali and although it's not Minnie's, I think it still satisfied the craving. Here's the somewhat-healther version (Crisco-free). Sorry Grant. :)
Enjoy!

Winter Weekend

2012-01-13T15:43:00.000-05:00

It's a blustery, snow wintry day here in Northeast Ohio.

I am grateful it's Friday and everyone is cocooned inside for the weekend, warm and cozy.

Gus is sleeping, the boys are in the basement playing spies and Legos and Karolina and I have been content to look out the window, talk and pray as we gaze at the snow.

Tonight's menu consists of grilled cheese, tomato soup and hot cocoa.:) If you are in the mood for a comfort food recipe too, click here for a list of 61 ideas. Mmmm Mmm good.

Have a blessed weekend and I hope you will feel like the subject in this video. She dreams she is floating (and I LOVE the creativity with the stop-action) and then she comes back down to reality when it's time to go to work...the way many of us feel on Monday!:) For now, enjoy the floating and have a wonderful, relaxing weekend!

Good Jeans

2012-01-12T16:09:00.007-05:00

Like most women, shopping for clothes after having a baby is not at the top of my list. Currently, I'm in that in-between stage of not needing maternity pants, but not yet fitting into my pre-pregnancy clothing. For a while I could pull off elastic-waistband sweatpant chic, but now that I'm back at work, I have to at least make an attempt at business casual again. :) So, a few weeks ago I set out in search of jeans I could wear to get me by. I decided on the Land's End skinny jean because the reviews were so fantastic, and because they were on sale (yes)!
I will preface my next statement by saying that my expectations were low. I am still pretty "curvy" so I didn't think skinny jeans would look all that flattering but... they. are. awesome! I just had to share because even in my pre-preggo sized days, shopping for jeans was not my favorite. Where has this pair been all my adult-post-baby life?!:) These jeans aren't too tight, aren't too saggy, or too "young" to pull off:

For anyone in the same boat, I HIGHLY recommend these super slacks. The indigo color is also slimming, but you do have to watch the dye transfer (I didn't wash mine before wearing, maybe gross, but I paid for it by having blue all over my white cami shirt). Aside from that, they are an A+, and it gave this mama a much-appreciated boost. Thank you Land's End! Click here to check them out.

Pin It

We Have a Winner!

2012-01-10T20:26:00.002-05:00

Thank you to all who took the time to enter the Noonday Collection giveaway. We have randomly selected a winner (and when I say "we" I mean Jim and Gabriel as they picked a number). :) Our winner is: Courtney P! Courtney will receive a $50 gift certificate to Noonday and support artisans in Uganda, adoptive families and their future children. Thank you again for your kind comments and feedback. Please check back often, as more goodies are coming your way this year!

At the moment I am in blog-brain overload (so many things to tell you about) but not enough time to get it posted. It's been a busy week planning upcoming guests for our program, getting back into the swing of school and schedules, and juggling babies. In the middle of all of it, Len and I also had an appointment on Monday with Ellie Vayo photography in Mentor. We are getting new head shots and morning show pictures and I realized that having a full-scale photo shoot just 10 weeks after giving birth is a good penance for the sin of vanity. Nevertheless, they can work magic these days with the retouching, and I am looking forward to seeing the final products. Here is one so far....

Len and I have worked together for 6 years and this is the first time we've actually had "official" photos together. This is more of a business shot, but she also snapped some goofy/silly poses as well. Gotta go, Gus is ~~crying~~ calling!

Books and Beads Pt. II

2012-01-08T13:53:00.012-05:00

Did you enter the Noonday giveaway yet? You still have time to register. Just click here to enter for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate!

One of the things I like about the shorter winter days is that it allows for more opportunities to read. Although I am constantly contending with the kids' gadgets, from the DS to the Xbox, Wii and computer, we have run across a few fantastic books lately that have captivated them even more than Mario and Luigi (gasp)!

First is The Squire and the Scroll:

When the boys saw that was a somewhat long story (for a picture book) they let out a collective groan "no mooooomm!" By the end, my youngest was on his feet and only inches from the page as the story came to a dramatic climax. I loved it because it teaches the importance of staying true to your morals and living virtuously. Here is a brief description: "Children will gain valuable insight as they learn, along with the young squire, what it means to face the dangers of temptation, and what it takes to guard one's heart from all that is impure."

The second book is a little late to tie-in to the Christmas season, but a timeless story nonetheless. It's called: "The Carpenter's Gift"

The Carpenter's Gift tells the story of eight-year-old Henry and his out-of-work father selling Christmas trees in Depression-era New York. They give one of their leftover trees to construction workers building Rockefeller Center. That tree becomes the first Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.

If you long to have your children understand how far our country has come and the blessings we often take for granted today, this is a home run. We all left the book feeling a little more encouraged by the goodwill of neighbors and the value of hard work and kindness.

Also,
A big thanks to Karen who sent a tip about the sacrifice beads that I blogged about last week. She writes:

I heard about the sacrifice beads and knew I had to have them. I did a search and found a website, littleways.com. They will send you a kit to make one or send you the materials to make one yourself.

I am not Roman Catholic and I wanted to know if they had other crosses besides the Crucifix. I got a reply within 12 hrs. that they have a few alternatives. I wanted to pass this on so you may pass this on to others that they can be found other places than easy.

Thanks so much Karen! The boys have been asking for their own set as well, and I may just order a few kits of the website. Tip appreciated!

Noonday Giveaway!

2012-01-05T13:59:00.005-05:00

I am positivley delighted to offer you my first blog giveaway of 2012! Lisa recently alerted me to the amazing work and ministry of the Noonday Collection and I quickly became a fan. Noonday is a fair trade company that sells jewelry, home decor, handbags and accessories made with love by skilled artisans who are learning a trade which is giving them they key to a better future. Lisa shared the history and heart of Noonday with me and I was swept away.
It began when the founder of the company was in Rwanda meeting a little boy she wanted to adopt. She was given items made by Ugandan artisans who wanted her to use the profits towards her adoption, and to build a market for their products.

That was the mustard seed that has since sprouted into a company that continues to blossom and bless others! Fundraisers are available with Noonday products for adoptive couples, and proceeds go to bringing children HOME to their forever families. I only wish I would've known about this during our adoption journey. What a wonderful way to bless everyone involved.

The products are fantastic and I am grateful to extend to one blog reader a $50 gift certificate!! Simply leave a comment (below) with your e-mail address and you will automatically be entered into the contest. Deadline for entering is Tuesday, January 10. The winner will be notified through their registered email address. Be sure to check back in case the email didn’t get through your spam filter.

In the meanwhile, check out some of the beautiful, hand-crafted items available in the Noonday Collection...

Gorgeous, and for a good cause.

Happy 2012, Baby!

2012-01-03T14:17:00.005-05:00

Augustine wishes you a most blessed and happy New Year! A smiling baby makes life more optimistic and joyful doesn't it? I hope this happy little bow-tie clad lad, makes you crack a grin too. ;)

I was fortunate enough to have another week off of work as our morning show ran "Best of 2011" segments all last week, and the extra time was much needed and appreciated! I was able to get some things caught up, snuggle with the family and gear up for 2012 by setting some new goals. Some of them include:
-Drink more water
-Have 1 day per week completely "unplugged" as a family. No TV, no computer, Wii, Xbox, cell phone, etc.
-Read more books as a family
-Build better self-discipline * (I'll explain more about that later)
-Re-structure this blog!

There....they resolutions are officially set! I think that means I'm accountable now. :) In terms of the "build better self-discipline" I realize that achieving my goals would be easier if I built up my willpower muscle first.

For example, when it comes to resisting chocolate I just can't do it. I cave. Every time. I would love to give up chocolate for Lent but I know myself better than that, and realize I need to "get tough"mentally, before I can follow-through. I know it's in there somewhere because I've completed 3 half marathons and experienced natural childbirth (but yet I can't resist chocolate?!) Ha.

So, I have started by uniting my sacrifices to the Lord, and praying for the grace to build fortitude. Here's how it works. It's the practice of St. Therese's sacrifice beads. You have it in your pocket move a bead for each sacrifice you make. It works for me because it's an actual tangible way to show that I am making progress...even just baby steps, and as I attempt to "die to self." For instance, if I'm tempted to make a critical remark to my husband, instead I just zip it and move a bead, and pray for the willpower to let it go. By the end of the day, even if I've just moved 2 beads, I can still look at it as SOMETHING in the way of progress. The next day, hopefully I can do more. Here's how it looks:

Progress:

My mom was kind enough to give me this one, but they also make beautiful sets on Etsy. So, we'll see how it goes!

Wishing you the BEST of a year full of promise hope and much joy. Happy New Year!

Defeating the Dark Side

2011-12-30T00:12:00.012-05:00

A snapshot of our day:

Garrett (aka Darth Vadar) and his friend Xander (Anakin) in a Jedi battle of the ages. Of course, Anakin could never really battle Darth Vadar since they are the same person, but that did not stop these two. :)

As the boys invoked the strength of The Force (a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power) I thought what a great reminder and teaching tool it is when it comes to spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:12:

<><> <><> <><> <><> <><><><><>

<><><><><>

<><> <><>

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Of all the "weapons" in my arsenal, this latest one surely must be as powerful as a light saber on the spiritual battlefield. My mom shared with me that this book has been her own secret weapon for years and she allowed me to borrow it. The New Saint Joseph People's Prayer Book is an absolute treasury! I love everything about it. It's loaded with prayers for every occasion, and also common scriptures, psalms, etc. It's timeless. It has been especially great in the few minutes I get while nursing Gus, or drinking my morning coffee. I realized I cannot give her the book back without ordering my own first. Thankfully Amazon carries it for about $10.

Another good one that I'm reading is "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom. I've had her on my list to read for a while, but never got around to it. After our Mom Squad speaker Linda Isaiah referenced her, I knew I had to make it a priority to read The Hiding Place. This book is a true story about Corrie Ten Boom's family and their experience as Dutch Christians during World War II, how they helped (and hid) Jews, and how her faith sustained her while she was in a concentration camp. Another fitting book for the topic of defeating the dark side. And the importance of what St. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians: "Pray Without Ceasing."

The Sacred Sink

2011-12-27T20:45:00.016-05:00

Adjusting to life with 5 children continues to be a daily juggling act. Some days are easier than others, usually based on Augustine's level of colic. There are some areas I seem to be handling well, while others have completely slipped away from me. Laundry, being one of them. I didn't think we had that many clothes, but evidently when you have a family of 7, including a self-feeding toddler and newborn with frequent blowouts, the laundry mounts exponentially. :)

The other is the kitchen, where I have noticed my TST (time spend tidying) has seemed to have doubled. Take today for example. I did not get out of the kitchen from making breakfast, serving and cleaning up until it was nearly lunch time. Then, the cycle began all over again. The funny thing is, I'm not slaving over homemade bread recipes, or making pasta from scratch. These are just the run-of-the-mill oatmeal and banana breakfasts, sandwich lunches and pot roast dinners.
It's been this way since Gus was born. Everything just takes longer when I have to stop, nurse a newborn, get Karolina squared away in her high chair and clean up afterwards.

Seeing that I have been tethered to the kitchen for the balance of my days, Jim was sweet enough to get me a Christmas present that I requested as my new "domestic uniform." I am sure this is not pleasing to the feminists, but wearing this actually makes me feel empowered. When I've got my apron on I feel like I'm on a mission, and puttering around the kitchen preparing and cleaning seems to take on a superhero-like purpose. It's my mom-cape, if you will. :) He found this one on Etsy and I love that it's homemade and was also very affordable.

Although the newborn transition has been tough this time around, and my body and mind are utterly exhausted by 9:00 every evening, there are always blessings tucked inside of every day. Even in the kitchen. I ran across a prayer that reminded me how special, how holy dishwashing and housecleaning can really be. If it's united to God in prayer, even the sweeping can be sacred if it's used to praise God for our gifts, and petition Him with our hopes....

From "Great Women of the Bible -- Martha"

Lord of all pots and pans and things,

Since I've no time to be A saint by doing lovely things or Watching late with thee, Or dreaming in the twilight or Storming heaven's gates. Make me a saint by getting meals or Washing up the plates.

Although I must have Martha's hands,

I have Mary's mind, and, When I black the boots and shoes Thy sandals, Lord, I find.

I think of how they trod the earth What time I scrub the floor,

Accept this meditation, Lord, I haven't time for more.

Warm all the kitchen with thy love,

And light it with thy peace, Forgive me all my worrying And make all grumbling cease.

Thou who didst love to give men food In room or by the sea Accept this service that I do I do it unto thee.

It's a Wonderful Life

2011-12-26T17:13:00.005-05:00

Merriest Christmas to you! Happy last week of 2011! Things have gotten so busy since going back to work, I skipped over some life events I had hoped to post (like Gus' baptism), but I'm off this week and hoping to catch up a bit.

Hope your Christmas was happy, and the sacred mystery of God becoming flesh was the center of your celebration. We had a banner weekend. Christmas Eve the weather was mild enough to go for a winter hike. It was our first outdoor trek as a family of 7! It went well, I must say. The fresh air and family time was the perfect way to start Christmas Eve:

Christmas Day was the stuff dreams are made of. A warm roof over our heads, a healthy family, including 2 babies added in one year, and a few gifts under the tree to top it off. Nothing fancy, just the important stuff, God and each other. Some of the highlights include...
Garrett's Yoda-like patience and wisdom as he taught Karolina how to operate a light saber:

A princess kitchen for Karolina!

Uncle Matt's gift to the boys. Official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model BB rifles

You knew this was coming.....

For Jim, the kids and I gave him a few little things (cell phone case, outdoor gear). His highlight came today when we scored some great deals at the Bear Grylls online store.

My highlight was registration into the 2012 Canton Marathon!

The race is in June, which gives me plenty of time to train, even WITH our expanded brood and limited free time. I had been dropping hints about this for months, so I was giddy to see Jim signed me up and it's officially on!

The best gifts of course. are those you cannot place a monetary value on. My dad being here cancer-free, celebrating, and feeling better than he has in months. Our daughter Karolina Elizabeth, HOME with the family and knowing she will never again be alone for Christmas. As we begin family traditions that now include pink ornaments and dolls under the tree. :) Augustine, our child whom we prayed for year after long year, finally a reality in our lives. His toothless smile is a precious present every day. It really is a wonderful life.

I wish you joy and God's peace as you soak up the last days of 2011. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T16:12:00.002-05:00

Nativity Prayer of St. Augustine

Let the just rejoice,
for their justifier is born.
Let the sick and infirm rejoice,
For their saviour is born.
Let the captives rejoice,
For their Redeemer is born.
Let slaves rejoice,
for their Master is born.
Let free men rejoice,
For their Liberator is born.
Let All Christians rejoice,
For Jesus Christ is born.

Merry Christmas!

The Reason for the Season

2011-12-14T15:39:00.002-05:00

This was our opening video this year at the Mom Squad Christmas celebration. A good reminder as we enter into the final days before Christmas. Emmanuel-God With Us, is the reason we are here, why we celebrate and where our focus should be. Glory to the newborn King!

In a 2-for-1 inspiring video day, also check out "Christmas in 50 Words" from Igniter Media. Beautiful! :)

Vita II...Thank You!

2011-12-14T14:17:00.002-05:00

The 95.5 The Fish Mom Squad Christmas Luncheon and Dinner was held over the weekend and it was another wonderful event! Thanks to the 500+ ladies who came out to share food, fellowship, laughter and some tears. I know it's several days after the fact, but I will post a photo recap, hopefully before 2012!:) This is my first full week back at work, so it's been extra busy, but I'm determined to just "keep swimming, even if I'm paddling upstream right now. :)

On the bright side, the delay in the slide show actually gives me a chance to thank a sponsor that provided this old sweat-pant wearing mom a special gift. Vita II is a ladies boutique with high-end fashion clothing located in Hartville Marketplace. A week before the event, Beth (the owner) and her staff invited me to the store to select an outfit to wear for our Mom Squad event. When I got the news it was all I could do to not squeal like a teenager! I'm still not in my regular clothes yet, and had been trying to bite my tongue and not make the predictable "I have nothing to wear" comment to Jim. However, I had seriously considered bedazzling my sweat pants before Vita II came in and saved the day. :) Appearance is not what is important, but being on stage can make a lady a little self-conscious, so this was a tremendous blessing. My mom went with me, and it was a very special girl's-afternoon out. Here is a little recap of our experience and what Vita has to offer:

Vita II has some of the most original, beautiful, one-of-a-kind jewelry I have seen!

Mom, modeling a belt. Looking good in your Christmas sweater mom!:)

Ta da! It's hard to see it here, but I was wearing a blazer and cami with some sparkles to add some "pop." Here is a photo with my fantastic friends and co-workers: Gina Hart, Mark Rein and Kristine Rothacker

Lovely ladies that I am blessed to know!:)

Tiptoes and Teeth

2011-12-03T20:02:00.005-05:00

December is officially off and running! That means our buddy Christopher Pop-In-Kins is in the house and on the lookout:

Christopher is an elf who was given a special job by Santa to "spy" on the boys every day until Christmas. Every night he sneaks into a different spot and hides. It's a cute idea and the boys enjoy hunting for him every morning. The deal is, he has to hide in a high place, and if he's touched, he loses his magic and must go back to the North Pole to be restored. No one will get old' Chris up here!

He's defintley moving tonight though, he has a bird's eye view of my chocolate stash and can see when I'm sneaking a piece. It's freaking me out. Ha.

Sunday is Jim's birthday and we are all looking forward to celebrating our favorite bearded man. :) It's amazing how quickly the month fills up with parties, school functions, church activities and just general things that need to get done before Christmas. One event I look forward to every year is our 95.5 The Fish Mom Squad Christmas celebration. It's coming up next Saturday! It's especially sweet for me since I've been on maternity leave and haven't been out since baby Gus was born. I can't wait to see everyone!

This is also an extremely special time because we are experiencing lots of "firsts" with our sweet Karolina. I was excited to buy her very first Christmas dress. I can't wait to see her beautiful curls and pretty smile wearing this:

She is also getting closer to walking! Here she is standing big and tall, on her tiptoes ~~getting into trouble~~ reaching for an ornament:

Caught ya!:)

She often stands on her tiptoes (a future ballerina)? So although she has all the mechanics of walking down, she isn't quite sturdy enough to take her first steps. However, as you can see, that certainly doesn't stop her from getting in to everything!

When it comes to teeth, we've got them coming and going and getting corrected in our home these days! Karolina seems to get a new tooth every week! Gabe has an orthodontist appointment this week to discuss braces, and Garrett has his first loose tooth!

We are betting his loosey will be gone by Christmas! This year it's not Sugarplum Fairies, but the Tooth Fairy he'll be dreaming of.

This is also my last week of maternity leave. It went by so fast. I am sad, but I'm also looking forward to getting back into a structured routine. As my friend Jennifer said, there is something very comforting about a regular schedule. Augustine is still not sleeping through the night, so I fully expected to struggle with fatigue, but I have gotten used to that over the years. It's just the way it goes when you alarm rings at 2:50am. I will miss being home, but I am grateful to have a job I truly love (and don't deserve) so I am grateful to return to see friends and reconnect with listeners.

Colic and Christmas

2011-11-27T23:32:00.006-05:00

Happy Advent! I have found several neat tidbits I was hoping to share, but computer time has been pretty hard to come by lately. Things have been challenging as I struggle to calm my little guy who has been colicky. Despite gas drops, rocking, and swaddling, this is our "fussy Gussy" much of the day:

I felt like I was a pretty resilient parent by now, but colic is a whole new ball of wax. It's heartbreaking when you have tried everything but still can't calm your crying baby. My feeble attempts just aren't cutting it, and I feel so helpless to know how to console him and relieve his discomfort. We have received many wonderful suggestions and I hope to write a post about some of them soon, the advice has been much appreciated.

That being said, I've had to come to terms with my limitations. Our home remains in frat house condition, my laundry room is a wreck, and any sort of Christmas "to-do" list has gone out the window in terms of dates and deadlines. I am okay with that though. The family is my priority, and one thing I have learned as a parent is "this to, shall pass."

So, in the mode of keeping life simple, check out these time-saving (and fun) websites! 101 Days of Christmas. Great gift ideas and ways to make the holiday season quaint and creative. Lots of good inspiration!

I also picked up a copy of the Taste of Home "Gifts in a Jar" issue.

60 recipes with pull-out gift tags. It's $5 and on newsstands until December 13th. You can also find some cute ideas here too.

Finally, I have to thank my wonderful mother-in-law for sending along this ingenious website. Garrett received a personalized message from Santa on Thanksgiving Day and I don't think he'll ever forget it. It not only wowed him...but Jim and me too! Garrett (who is 5) was the perfect age for this, and I wish I would've had a video camera to record his reaction. It was PRICELESS. I have to admit, I got a lump in my throat when I watched his innocent face and wide eyes after Santa said his name. Portable North Pole is a great example of how technology can be magical, beautiful and good.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-24T22:35:00.001-05:00

Here are a few photos from our Thanksgiving celebration. Can you spot the fibber? Lol.

Our usual "porcupine" pretzel dip appetizer was turned into a turkey (per Garrett's suggestion). The pimentos from the olives made a pretty fine gobbler!

We had much to celebrate today. In addition to two beautiful babies to our family, this year we witnessed my dad's heroic fight against lung cancer. In these last few months, my dad has been tube fed, gone through a period of being completely unable to swallow, two sessions where they stretched his esophagus, as well as radiation, chemo and numerous other unpleasant treatments and their lingering side effects. I know this is all-too familiar for so many people who are reading this right now. Walking with anyone battling cancer is heartbreaking. Yet, for TODAY, he is in a place where he can eat solid food again, and even TASTE it (that hasn't happened in months). To sit beside him and watch him eat, taste, and enjoy his food was Thanksgiving gift beyond words.

You never know what the next year will bring. As I look back at one year ago, I never could've imagined the massive changes that would take place in 12 months. Clearly God is in control...not me, and I am wholly grateful for that! It was emotional to look at Karolina and Gus, and as you may have guessed, I shed quite a few tears of gratitude for their presence at the table too.

I hope your Thanksgiving was one of great joy, good food, and a blessed celebration, no matter how big or small. From our family to yours, God bless you!

Thanksgiving Chair

2011-11-21T20:19:00.002-05:00

When I started watching this I thought "Oh, I know where this is going" and felt tempted to click away because I got the point. However the more I watched it, the more I wanted to soak in each scene and apply it to my own life. This is a good one for any time, but especially as we take inventory of our blessings and celebrate the gifts in our life.

Birth Story

2011-11-19T19:43:00.002-05:00

I'm a little late on this (okay, really late) but I have finally gotten around to posting my birth story. I decided to make a video because I thought it would be more efficient than writing a long journal entry. However, due to my long-winded nature, it ended up being 5 minutes-plus. Yikes! For those who have the interest, grab a cup of coffee and get comfy! ) Sorry the lightening isn't the best either. I wanted to re-do the video but as you saw in my last post, I've been one busy mama, so I hope you'll extend some grace on the cinematography and accept my humble little recap.

To sum it up, I am grateful I had the chance to experience a natural childbirth and accomplish something I had always feared before. It turns out, it wasn't that bad. In fact, it was beautiful.
I regret I didn't do it with my other births, but in a way, I think it made me appreciate this experience more because I was able to compare both. I was able to figure out what worked for me (like my music selections) and what didn't ( like the birth ball). Researching and preparing helped immensely.

Even when it came to my husband, this time was SO MUCH different, in a good way. Before, he would doze in the recliner, talk on the phone, or catch whatever was on television because he knew he didn't have to play an especially active role after the epidural was administered. There was almost a kind of detachment until the moment of birth. In no way am I being derogatory or judging that, I was just pleasantly surprised by how much he was "in the mix" this time around. Best of all? I felt like he was really proud of me. Likewise, I was proud of him, and it enriched my feelings and sweetened the moment.

I would strongly encourage any other mommies who are considering this route to give it a try. You CAN do it! Thanks to my friend Jennifer who lent me her copy of the Birth Book, which I blogged about back in August, and is a fantastic resource for anyone considering NCB. Thanks for your e-mails and comments along the way too. I am in the company of amazing women whose stories I was privileged to hear about. Congrats to anyone who has given birth, it's a miracle no matter what the experience may be, and after so many years I am truly humbled to finally share our story.

Juggling

2011-11-17T22:09:00.003-05:00

Baby Gus is 3 weeks old! Time is FLYING. Can you tell he's getting bigger?

He's spending more time awake each day, and we are learning about his little personality. He is a sweet teddy bear, but also has some pretty fierce fussy moments too. He screams when his diaper is changed, does NOT like getting a bath, and has a hard time when he's not being held by someone. He has the uncanny ability to know the moment I put him down and get up...ever so carefully, and leave him in his bouncer or car seat. This little guy has the senses of a ninja, and the second he realizes I am not next to him, he wakes up and cries with every ounce of his little body. It has made things challenging at times. Karolina needs me too, and I am used to spending my days tending to her 100% (while the boys are at school). Thankfully, I have had help for the past 2 1/2 weeks between Jim, my mom and Jim's parents. But the last few days I've been on my own.

This was the scene during lunch yesterday. I was feeding Karolina and we were doing our play time (and she was charming me with her smile)

With one hand I was spooning up her sweet potatoes, and with the other hand Gus was completely wrapped around my arm, asleep...and clinging to me like a koala bear:

Juggling is truly the best way to describe my daily routine lately!

On another note, this was a big week for Gabe, as he got his first pair of eyeglasses. The styles have come a long way from my old brown faux tortoise shell frames I had when I was his age. He looks quite handsome.

Lookin' good Gabe!

Good Eats

2011-11-15T12:58:00.001-05:00

With Thanksgiving just over a week away (yikes!) I thought it was fitting to write a quick post about food. Although, this is not quite of the turkey and dressing variety, but still scrumptious and good for you. I have been drooling over this recipe from the Smitten Kitchen:

(photo courtesy of Smitten Kitchen)

It's Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar. De-lish! Look at that super melty cheesy, what a good combo! I have been looking for low (er) fat meals and trying to eat healthier now that I'm in the post baby body stage and still getting used to the extra pounds without a baby in there. :) Let me tell you, this is not an easy season to slim down. Between the Halloween candy and the holiday goodies coming up, this will be a definite test of my willpower! I am calling it my "tortoise diet"..meaning slow and steady wins the race . :) Since I'm breastfeeding I can't go on any drastic crash diets (I would never do that anyway) but my focus is just taking it one meal at a time and planning to get my servings of fruits and veggies in and drink plenty of water each day. All common sense, but tough when cravings kick in.

I've also been recording the Dr. Oz show everyday and that's provided good motivation. Thanks to Oz, I'm now a big Chia Seeds fan, and our entire family is sprinkling this stuff on anything that stands still.

It's supposed to be a wonder seed, and I put it on my salads, yogurt, and even in my water. Here are some benefits of Chia. I also printed out the Weight Watchers vegetable soup recipe. It's known as the program's "secret weapon." Word is, if you have a small serving of this garden vegetable soup before your meals, you will automatically eat 30% less, and be sure to get your veggie servings in. Gotta go now. Time to implement my other "stay healthy, slim down" tactic: running after the kids!:)

Feeling Festive

2011-11-13T19:00:00.006-05:00

Greetings! Once again I have to thank my dear friend Jayme Orn for working her photog magic. This picture is proof positive that she is amazing. :) It is NOT easy to get a family of 7 (including a newborn and a toddler) to all sit still, look in the camera and smile on cue. Spoiler alert: this will officially be our family Christmas card this year!

We are going to include a few other photos too (and I will crop this one) but I'm happy she was able to at least capture this shot. I've been spending time on Snapfish and the Sam's Club websites to try to find just the right card. In addition, I've been perusing the website Personal Creations for gifts for relatives. They have the best customized goodies. Jim gave me this key chain of the kids after Baby Gus was born (I still can't believe there are 5 kiddos on there)!

They have everything from Legos organizers to personalized stoneware, keepsake items for family and just about every imaginable occasion. Oh, and they are running a promotion until Dec. 7th where you can get an extra 20% off all online orders, just use the code: EVERY20. Got to love a good deal!:)

In addition, we've all been making a "wish list" as to what we would like to give as a family to Samaritan's Purse. The 2011 Christmas Catalog is out and offers opportunities to give much needed gifts to people all over the world. Everything from $9 to feed a hungry baby for a week in Africa, to $60 that provides life saving medicine in pre-packaged health kits (IV's, antibiotics, etc)to $50 that stocks a fish pond in Liberia. The list goes on, and the catalog is laid out in a powerful and inspiring way. I highly recommend ordering one. Click here to request one in the mail and/or view it online (just click on the "interactive version).

Finally, I wanted to share a quick little video of Grant and Baby Gus. As I mentioned in my previous post, it's been a tremendous blessing to see how the older boys have stepped up. They adore Karolina and Augustine, and happily help (for the most part) when asked to assist their youngest siblings. Last week Jim was working late, I was tucking Karolina in bed, and Gus was crying. When I went to check on him I found this sweet scene in progress.

P.S. Please disregard the fact my boys never wear shirts! Lol. I don't know if it's just our guys, or all boys that do this at home? O'well. :)