The Doyle Academy for Girls

Where does life end and school begin?  For us, they seem to be intertwined.  Here, a few snapshots of life at Casa Doyle, aka, the Doyle Academy for Girls.  We take our job seriously.

We start 'em young

 First visit to the dentist for the mophus

 Daddy took her and played photographer

 typical attire for January

Everything checked out just fine

 Mia and Grace studied, prepped and aced (we hope) their piano theory test

 Mia used special pencils made by sis' Madeleine labeled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit

 Off she goes

 Afterwards, we discovered a new restaurant with friends.  Food, petting zoo, room to play... heaven

We will definitely be back!
(I don't know the girl riding in this photo--I just thought the pink was cool.)

 Sisters sorting

Grace started this project.  They finished it today and have big plans to make jewelry to sell.

Shhhh...secret stuff going on at Casa Doyle over the next few weeks.

Here, a sneak preview.

Happy week!

Interior Struggles

I've always known that life is hard.  When I was younger, I thought the fact that life was hard meant that something needed to be fixed and, once all was made right, life would be back on course, smooth sailing.  I suppose you could say that the scales have fallen from my eyes because now, I know that life can mostly be labeled as less hard, hard, harder and hardest.  

My uncle died this morning and, when I talked to my cousin, one of my very favorite people, she was crying.  You would think that an event this important, this cataclysmic, would stop time--that for a few moments, the earth would forget to spin and everyone would know that something had forever changed.  Even without the earth stopping or a universal shout, for some, January 27, 2012 will be a watershed date,  a date that divides life into "before" and "after".  My heart goes out to my cousins.

If my eight-year-old self had known that, at 41, I still would not know many answers to the most important questions, well--who knows--would that have been a good thing?  The truth is, so many years later, I have built a life full of responsibility.  I am the leader of my children, the one to show them what it is to be a woman.  It's truly humbling.  Sometimes I am certain that they understand much more than I do.  But--I take comfort in the fact that it is the lost coin that the woman sweeps and looks so hard to find and the lost sheep that our Good Shepherd seeks.

Uncle Larry, I love you.  I am praying you home.

Even in Heaven

My little sis' called today to say goodbye.  She is being sedated tomorrow to have all four wisdom teeth removed.  In the event of a fatal reaction to the anesthetic or a case of late-onset hemophilia, she wanted to bid me farewell.  I told her she is much too ornery to go so easily.
If Tara were a candy bar, she would be a Twix.   Chocolate exterior, crunchy cookie, ooey, gooey center.  At first glance, she is beautiful, tough and very funny.  When we are in a group together, I often find myself staring at her in wonder at her ability to draw laughter.  Her softer center is not something most people have the privilege to see.  She's tender hearted, loyal and sensitive.  She cares.  I think she actually meant her phone call today in the same way I joke with Chris and try to go to confession before getting on a plane.  And--I am glad to know she would miss me, even in heaven.

Please send up a prayer for Tara's safe surgery at 8:30 AM EST as well as for a quick recovery and that Lawrence is an excellent nurse!

Miscellanea

*I'm back home safe and sound.  Before the plane ride, I checked out The Help at Red Box to fill a few of the four hours.  When I went through the start up menu, I accidentally selected Spanish for language and then figured, "what the heck" and started watching.  About a half hour in, I realized how ridiculous it was to be watching a movie about southern racial tensions in Spanish and switched.  Then, about an hour from the end, my computer died.  Still, I saw enough to conclude that if any Spanish-speakers out there want to see The Help, they should watch with subtitles.  The accents are huge.

*Grace is writing a story.  She worked on it over the weekend by dictating to Chris and then typing up what he wrote.  A slow process to say the least.  She's getting a lot of good feedback so far and an occasional, "Grace, did you make that up or steal it?" from her Dad.  A few plot points from Magic Treehouse have crept into her work.  I am super excited.  Another writer in the family!

*I was washing Ella's hair tonight, saying, "such long hair--are you Rapunzel?"  She said yes and then, "I want to be Mulan.  I like her."  I asked why and she said, "Because she saved her father."  I'm thinking all of the people who lamented Chris' fate as the father of five girls may change their tunes in a few years when Ella goes to war in his place and saves the day.

*Madeleine has been making dinner all week.  It was her gift to me because I've been extra busy lately.  And, she truly loves to cook.  All of the girls have been pitching in more on housework because they are hoping to be "hired" and paid.  We were thinking of finding a maid service to come in twice a month but I'm thrilled that the girls are motivated to earn the money themselves.  It makes a huge difference in my quality of life to have more help.

*I am teaching four separate classes this spring.  It is really too much but I have to say, I love the challenge.  At this point, I think I have taught every possible age group.  I have formally taught Spanish, ESL, Swimming, Morality, Grammar, Writing and Grade 4 Religion as well as running the volunteer training sessions for Hospice.  I was born to teach.  I know this because, as a young lass, I spent a lot of time playing school with my stuffed animals.  Mostly, I remember arranging them in their spots around my bedroom, making class lists and taking roll.  Teacher's pet was a small purple rabbit named "Jellybean".  I don't know if they learned much of anything but I sure was organized.

*I am holding a Best Husband contest.  If you would like to enter your husband, please mail your 100 word essay about why he deserves the superlative "Best" after his name to: 3311 Three Pines Drive Kingwood, TX 77339.  I should warn you though--this contest is rigged.  Chris wins hands down.  He made my trip "home" this weekend possible and kept our girls fed and happy while I was gone.  I will never forget seeing all my Schadegg family.  I will also remember forever the hug Uncle Larry gave me when I said, "Goodbye. I love you."  He had been having trouble lifting his water bottle five minutes earlier but you'd never know it.  His hug communicated more than he'd been able to say to me all weekend.  It was strong--which is a part of the way I will remember him.

Thank you, Chris.


P.S.

 Our sweet chef has very sensitive eyes

She confesses the goggles are almost as uncomfortable as the onion burn but--

Isn't she CUTE?

But Why

I flew to Maryland on Thursday with two goals in mind: to help my cousin Jen celebrate her 41st year and to say goodbye to her dad, my godfather, Uncle Larry.
Growing up, Jen--Jenny--'s family was as much a family to me as my own.  Every school vacation that she and her brother Marty didn't spend with us in Virginia, my brother David and I spent with them in Maryland.  If given the choice, I probably would have switched homes permanently.  I never wanted the vacation fun to end.  Jenny is one of nine siblings so her house was always busy and noisy.  Our days were spent playing game after game and I don't remember a lot about interacting with the adults.  I do remember a few things though:  one day, we had all piled in the van for Uncle Larry to take us somewhere.  He looked in at us and remarked about how much talent was packed into that van and how we could all be whatever we wanted to be.  It puzzled me exceedingly because the last thing I felt was exceptional or even very talented.  The thought stuck though.  I also remember an exhilarating ride in an Austin Healey after Jenny and I spent a long afternoon washing, waxing and rub, rub, rubbing it with a diaper.  Uncle Larry drove us, top down, over the bridge onto Solomon's Island.  To a girl who had not yet been anywhere, it felt like freedom.  I stayed at Jenny's house the week my grandfather died and was with Uncle Larry when we got the news.  I remember him taking us to lunch and being comforting in his own way.  I remember a boat ride and crab traps and being punished excessively for being five minutes late for curfew one fateful night.  I remember him as kind.  He read at my wedding.
I was privileged to see a bit of Uncle Larry's professional side as well.  He was one of five founders of a company that employed 400 people or so.  I attended a couple of company dinners and Christmas parties and took notice of the respect he commanded.  I was proud of him.  And his opinion mattered to me.  So, when, at age 23, I was facing an unplanned pregnancy, I listened when he encouraged me not to consider adoption.  He told me he would provide for my financial needs if that was my main concern.  Jenny and Aunt Peggy were at the table with us and I left with a confidence I hadn't had when we'd arrived.  I never asked for the financial help Uncle Larry offered.  What I needed much more was the shot in the arm of hope that he gave me.
What a strange thing it is--this being a person.  Our lives go by so quickly.  We waste so much time.  And then, one day, we have to die.  It seems like a cruel joke.  At the very least, death could come easily.  We could slip smoothly and quietly away.  But so often, there's a wasting away instead, a slow stripping of everything we were.
My uncle has a plaque in his living room that lists all of the things that cancer can't do.  And yet, it is robbing everyone who knows him of years he should have had.  It is robbing him of retirement and all the things he put off until the serious business of life was in the past.  I have not seen him lamenting those things though.  I have seen him worrying about what everyone else in the room with him is having for lunch.  I have recognized the rough sense of humor he has always had.  I have seen him trying to be an easy patient.
In my mind, I know that we have to die to win heaven.  I know that.  Still, I ask--but why?  Why?  Uncle Larry's body seems to be asking the same question because, despite what is obvious to everyone, it is hanging on, doing its job.  Probably because--life is good.  We were made to love it.

Paint, Cookies and Meditation

A few more photos from last week:

 First, because inquiring minds want to know, the story behind the chalkboard paint.  A fellow blogger recently posted pics of her dining room wall covered with chalkboard paint, quotes and photos.  The moment I saw it, I knew it was the solution to the problem of our laundry room.  36 hours later, we had four black walls, two primed with magnetic based primer.  It's cavelike and completely wonderful.   I'll post pictures of the finished project when we get them.

After painting all day, Madeleine whipped up a batch of very tasty coconut macaroons

Madeleine is not the person to hang out with if you happen to be on a diet :)

So, I found Ella one day eating something messy in the living room.  I shooed her into the kitchen and found her like this a few minutes later.  I paused for a moment admiring my girl's pristine posture and wondering what she was thinking as she sat so still staring out at the backyard.  

Perfect spot for meditation.  And, in case you're wondering, she did not fall.

Hope your weekend is warm, both in temperature and cuddles.

Setting Goals Part II

It’s kind of funny that I am writing a post on goal-setting because I am not the world’s best planner. In fact, in the interest of honest disclosure, I must tell you that, when it comes to navigation, 9 times out of 10, I do not do my homework ahead of time and my instincts tell me to go the wrong way. Of course, it is because I am not naturally brilliant in this area that I have done a lot of reading and learning about it.

So, here—a few things that I keep in mind when setting goals (do as I say, not as I do :)

FIRST: What makes a goal worthy? My goals tend to be around being or becoming rather than having. In other words, I don’t set goals to buy things. I also try to avoid setting a goal involving a result that I have no control over. For example, while I may set a goal to run a 5K in certain amount of time, I would not set the goal to win my age group.  Personally, I don’t like goals that I may not meet even after a lot of hard work.  I like a sure thing.  That's just me.

MY MUSTS for GOAL SETTING:

*choose one or two at a time: I am not a good multi-tasker. Better to do one thing well.

*be able to break the goal into manageable daily or weekly actions: if I don’t have a plan for how to achieve the goal, it won’t happen.

*motivation is a must: I may think I kind of want to do something but if there are too many higher priorities and I am not determined, it will not work.

*consider my schedule—is this realistic right now?—when we are extremely busy, my goal may simply be to keep things going—laundry done, meals on the table etc. There is a time for goal setting and a time for maintenance.

*Keep the goals in front of my face: I have made detailed goals lists in the past that I’ve shoved in notebooks or drawers never to be thought of again. Needless to say, those goals were rarely achieved. I need reminders.

*make goal setting a routine part of life—this is a goal in and of itself--I would like to set monthly, weekly and daily goals as a way to challenge myself and do things I otherwise wouldn’t. Steven Covey writes about the importance of setting and achieving goals as a way to build confidence and trust in oneself. He uses the example of the person who wants to get up an hour earlier every day. Each time she hits snooze and fails to meet her goal, she loses confidence in her ability to do it. Of course, by dutifully getting out of bed instead of sleeping that extra hour, she proves to herself that she can be faithful in small things. This is the key to achieving bigger things according to Covey. The rule of thumb is that it takes 21 days to form a new habit so if you are working on exercise, eating better or getting up earlier, when you reach that 21 day mark, pat yourself on the back. It should start getting easier.

So, with all of these thoughts about goal setting, you might think I have a list of improvements to make in 2012. The truth is though, I have already been slammed this year with new work to clobber my schedule. I am teaching four different classes—two at Holy House, one Spanish class at the college and Madeleine’s confirmation class for a teacher whose husband is seriously ill. My focus has turned to my time management techniques as well as working with Chris on some budgeting goals that he has for 2012. Even within my busy-ness though, I can make my work more meaningful and fun by setting little goals. For example, I have taught the same class at the college three or four times now. Rather than roll out the same thing I’ve always done, what one or two things can I do to help my students get more out of it?  Things like that.

In case you’re interested, here are a few things on my “longer term but hope to act on sooner rather than later” goal list:

*live and travel in Spain with Chris and the girls for six months to a year

*help all the girls become fluent in Spanish as well as excellent writers

*buy a harp

*learn to knit

*adopt two dogs

*live on the east coast
*go on a photography trip/ workshop with C

*write a book or two or three

Inspired by Lou Holtz, Chris and I made a list of 100 things about 7 years ago. That list includes:

*Take flamenco lessons in Buenos Aires

*Take a cooking class in Europe

*Play all of the golf courses that host the Majors 

* Rent a convertible and explore Napa Valley

*Meet the pope

*etc

We made the list on a long car trip and it was excellent fun. We really had to dig deep to make it to 100. I guess you could call it a Bucket List but we made it before the movie so we don’t call it that.

That’s all folks.

Happy goal setting!  Happy living!  Happy Friday!

In other news, I landed safely in Maryland today and am missing these faces 

(the cute snowmen were made during craft time at the library last week)

 Missing this one too.  My oldest dame and I bonded over chalkboard paint last weekend.  Photos of our new and improved utility room/ walkway coming up soon....

Princess Penelope

Still to Come--Setting Goals Part II.  In the meantime, a post to cover the first of our three recent birthdays:

This may be the earliest we've ever taken down our Christmas tree. And we wouldn't have done it except that a couple nights back, we had a tree emergency. Our lifeless friend was leaning perilously to the right--probably the result of Mia's helpful watering earlier in the day. Chris tried to position it correctly in the stand but could not get it secured well enough to instill confidence that it would stay. Picturing the tree and ornaments crashing to the floor--or into the TV--while we slept, I made the command decision to commence Operation Remove Ornaments. A hot meal was on the table so Madeleine and Mia watched over their little sisters while Chris held the tree and I swept it for ornaments as quickly as possible. We only had one fatality--a rather ornate gold ball with no sentimental value. The kids finished eating and came to help wrap ornaments and pack away other decorations. Ella wanted to help but we shooed her away from the tree where we hadn't yet vacuumed up the slivers of glass. Determined to contribute to the effort, she took matters into her own hands and, finding the Pledge wipes under the sink, cleaned the hardwood floor in the dining room. Is it ever shiny! So far, we've counted five wipe-outs in there.
Newly four, Ella is always doing things like that. She is extremely helpful and can put away laundry and set the table like a champ. She has started to run everywhere she goes. She sings constantly and makes up great songs. If I sing one of my made up songs to her, she sings it right back to me with her own words.
On the way home from the beach, Chris was playing the girls their Elvis songs off a CD his mom gave them. Chris dedicated an Elvis song to each girl at birth. I remember him singing to Madeleine while we were still in the hospital, "I'll be as strong as a mountain or as wild as the raging sea, but any way you wa-a-a-ant me, that's how I will be". He never chose one for Ella, fifth child that she is. So we were both on a mission to find one. We've settled on Blue Moon. "Blue moon, you saw me standing alone"--perfect because if Ella saw anyone standing alone, without a dream in his heart or a love of his own, she would go right over and give that doggie a hug.
Ella has her own series of stories. In the stories, she starts off as Ella but then, gets wet and turns into Princess Penelope who is brave, kind, beautiful and an amazing swimmer. While visiting South Padre Island, I told Ella my favorite of the Princess Penelope stories so far. It involved her climbing up too far on the railing to observe the alligators and falling into Laguna Madre Bay where she met a very grouchy alligator who needed to learn Zig Ziglar's lesson, "to get what you want, you have to help enough other people get what they want". The alligator did as Princess Penelope suggested and won himself many friends. To show his gratitude, he gave Penelope a ride around the bay on his back--and did not try to eat her.

There are about 7 Penelope stories. One starts at the Houston Zoo's sea lion pool, one happens in the bath tub, one was a river adventure. Anywhere with water offers an opportunity for yet another story.  Ella could fall into a fountain in Madrid or be sprinkled with a large quantity of holy water in Santiago de Compostela....so many possibilities, so little time....

Below though, photos of an adventure called, Ella/ Princess Penelope Celebrates Four:

 The door bell rang and Ella found a cake and a balloon

We had a morning birthday celebration

 trick candle

 suspicious now

 showing some four year old sass right before our departure for SPI

joint gifts at the beach on Sophie's bday

 stylish sistas

even more exciting joint gift coming up

face I love, full of chocolate donut happiness

AND, a bonus pic

Our last night on SPI watching the sunset.  Love this shot of Ella.

Setting Goals Part I

This one's for my mom--love you!  

On New Year's Eve, I posted my 200th post of the year.  2011 was the first year since I started blogging that I tried to wrap up with a particular number and now, I love logging on and seeing those perfect zeros.  Blogger tells me I'm at 842 posts overall but that's counting the ones I never actually posted.  There are about 200 that never went public and I don't count those.  My new goal is to blog until I reach 1000 actually posted posts.  Of course, the way our girls love the books their sweet aunt made of my first year, I'll never stop.  Until they're ready to take over that is.
The topic of 2011's 200th post was New Year's resolution-making.  I made a list of my beliefs about fresh starts that, even I admit, sounded a bit pie in the sky, Dr. Phil meets Pollyanna-ish.  My mom took issue with a couple so today, I'm going to defend what I wrote.  My next post will contain tips on setting and meeting goals.  But, you may ask, what qualifies you to write any of this?  That is a good question and the answer is--nothing if you mean degrees and work experience.  My experience comes more from being a good observer of the people in my life--what works and what doesn't and being an avid reader.  I started trying to figure out the secret of life at the ripe age of maybe nine and haven't quit.  Fortunately, I don't have all of the answers yet because, well, I'm not dead and knowing everything would take the fun out of it.
So, here it is--my list plus "proofs" (I decided to go with scriptural supports for each because--well, who can argue with that?):

You can start over no matter how old you are.


Proof:  Noah.  Abraham.  Joseph.  Mary Magdalene.  Paul.

All of those people received an invitation and accepted.  Every one of them must have been terrified at some point.  Build a huge ark?  Find two of every living creature?  Kill my son?  Lead the people I've been persecuting?  Most of us aren't called in the dramatic way that Abraham or Paul were but transformation is possible for all of us.  It starts with a change of heart and spreads outward.

You can learn or be whoever you choose to be as long as you're willing to work hard.


Proof:  Me & David

First--what I do not mean by this statement.  Obviously, as we live and move through life walking through doors, we are closing others.  My mom gave the example of not being able to be a brain surgeon at this point.  I don't know whether that's true or not.  My mom is a very smart person who, when determined, can do just about anything.  If she decided to devote her time and energy to brain surgery, I think she could do it.  But why would she?  She has grandkids to hang out with and walks to the dam to look forward to.  What I'm talking about is that thing you have been dying to learn or do.  A passion so to speak.  Something that makes sense to you.
I said that I am proof of this statement.  Here's why.  When I started graduate school, one of my colleagues actually complained about my sorry ability to speak Spanish (he was truly a sorry human being but that's another story).  The point is--I was pursuing an MA in Spanish lit and could barely put a grammatically correct sentence together.  Two and a half years later, I passed a three hour written exam and one hour oral exam in front of three of my professors and got a verbal high five afterward.  How?  Much effort.  Many hours in the library.  Chispa.  Plus, I truly love Spanish and reading and writing.  But I told you I'd give an example from scripture.
David.  Before he defeated Goliath, what had David done?  He had to learn to be king and to lead.  And he made a few big mistakes.  He also gave us many of the psalms and set the example of how to lose oneself in God.
Whatever your goal, you can achieve it.

Attitude is everything.  Pretending helps too.


Proof:  Esther

I got a Christmas card from my former boss at Mary Washington Hospice in Fredericksburg.  He has wrestled with quite a few medical issues since our paths last crossed and is now dealing with a medical retirement.  He wrote:  One of the most important lessons that I have learned over the years is that happiness is a decision.  You can be happy today.  You can be joyful today.  You can be grateful today-but you have to choose.  Yes or no.  He went on to talk about how he chooses to spend his time helping his mother, teaching a neighbor kid how to drive and tutoring.
We all choose our attitudes whether consciously or not.  There are absolutely circumstances in life that are hard and make happiness elusive if not impossible for awhile.  For the most part though, happiness is within reach on a daily basis.  Some people describe it as contentment but I think it's more than that.  To me, it's doing what I can to be a super hero in my own life, to make the world a better place.
Which is what Esther did.  She rose to the occasion and,yes, pretended, or played a role to save her people.  I'll talk more about imagination in a minute.  It's powerful.

Even if you'd like to change something about yourself, you are wonderful the way you are right this minute.


Proof:  Repentant thief

We don't know much about the thief on the cross next to Jesus.  What had he done?  The important thing for us to know is that, when confronted with almighty God, he repented, rebuked a sinner and made a statement of faith.  All within a matter of moments.  Oh--and he gained paradise.  No small thing.
I confess I wrote this statement around the issue of weight loss.  I would like to lose a few pounds in 2012 but refuse to waste even one day fretting about how I am right now.  Whether your issue is weight or something like giving up cigarettes, your value as a person, your worth to God or anyone who matters does not hinge on your day-to-day successes or failures.  You are loved today,  Now and forever.  Good motivation that, no?

A good imagination helps in almost any situation--work to protect and develop yours (huge)


Proof:  Peter (also: Sarah Crewe and Anne Shirley)

Imagination is so underrated.  When setting goals, it is extremely important because it can give a preview of what success looks like.  It is the part of us that considers what might be rather than what is.  The possible over the actual or factual.  I confess, I prefer the imaginary to the real at least seven times out of ten, maybe more.
Peter was full of imagination.  When faced with the transfigured Christ, he started imagining tents and a good long pow wow up on the mountain.  He was the only apostle to imagine that he could walk on water.  Perhaps it was Peter's imagination that set him apart and landed him the job of first pope.  What's certain is good leaders have vision or, imagination.
One of my favorite books growing up was A Little Princess*.  If you've never read it, please do.  It is delightful.  It also shows the power of imagination to help us rise above our circumstances.  Trouble is, imagination is like anything else--use it or lose it.  If you want to exercise yours, start by imagining your life as you would like it to be.  Start with a specific area.  The experts say that the more distinctly we imagine an outcome, the more likely it is to happen.  So, imagine yourself more patient or generous or kind.  It's a good start anyway.

*Frances Hodgson Burnett also wrote The Secret Garden.  One of the well-known quotes from that book is, "Where you plant a rose, a thistle cannot grow".  Like A Little Princess, The Secret Garden is full of wisdom and inspiration for kids and adults alike.   Interestingly, while Burnett wrote mostly for adults, she is best known for these two wonderful novels for children.

You choose your response to life so your life is what you have chosen for yourself--own it, change it but don't waste (too much) time complaining about it 


Proof:  Jonah

Poor Jonah.  Asked to do the impossible, swallowed by a whale, spit up (yuck!), and then he doesn't even get to witness a show of utter destruction from yonder hilltop.  Instead, his pet plant dies.  Poor, poor Jonah.  HA!
I think we all know people who complain ceaselessly about the bed they've made for themselves.  I, for one, do not want to be that person.  The woman I am today is the product of many, many choices I've made.  Some of them, choices to respond to yucky stuff life has dealt me but that's part of it for all of us. I am not a victim and neither are you.  The point?  If you're not happy with something in your life, choose to change it--or your attitude about it.  Or complain about it but don't be surprised if people get tired of hearing it.  Really-- would you want to be Jonah's best friend sitting under the wilted dead plant with him?  Personally, I'd rather be celebrating in Ninevah.

Though the people in your life contribute to your happiness, they are not responsible for it.  Know yourself and what you need.  Then, do it.  Be happy.  Today.


Proof:  Mary

We make so many demands on the people we love and who love us.  We want them to prove they love us by doing this or that but really, we just want them to make us happy.  But that's impossible isn't it?  Only God can make us happy and only Mary was sinless enough, receptive enough, to receive all of the graces He had to give her.  And what did she do after not only be called "Full of Grace" but becoming pregnant with God Himself?  She flew to her cousin Elizabeth.  She reached out to share what God had given her.  Sharing.  Huge.  Taking?  May be necessary on a temporary basis but even people in need need to give and share.  It's the way God made us.
If you are unhappy and feeling that life has little meaning, I urge you to think of something you have to offer.  Then, share it.  Sounds simple.  And it is.  But it's not really.  Because God takes our little offerings and sharings and transforms them into something much more beautiful.  So, be happy today.  God made you for that.  Me too.

See you here next time.

Stopping by Church on a Balmy Evening

I've written before about how much I enjoy the journey.  This is not a gimmick.  It's not even something I really think about until the choice presents itself--drive along or stop and see.  Tonight, we were not as far down the road as we would have liked to be.  I was driving and, even as I longed to be home, I had to stop when I saw this beautiful church.  It truly beckoned to the photographer--and Catholic--in me.  The following are some of the photos we took.  Even more than those though, I took away the fun and adventure we all enjoyed.  The seven of us are on this journey together and it is so much fun.

 For Catholics, the Christmas season is still going

 Our Lady of Refuge, formerly a mission church (since the 1700s)

 Grace counting for hide and seek

 beautiful statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

 I asked the girls to come for a photo.  Here, Jesus is blessing their dog pile

 better

 E-to the L-to the L-to the A

I've noticed that she's a lot like Forrest Gump.  She runs everywhere.  Today she wore Sophie's old skirt--size 4.  Ella doesn't have quite enough culo to hold it up so she ran, pulled up her skirt, ran, held her skirt, all day.

 girls in tree

Alice and Chris do James Bond (or Chris does--Alice doesn't quite know how to hold the gun)

 good luck mommy and daddy

 serious business

 pesky squirrel

 forget the mission

when will we meet again?

C-U-Soon!

What's Your Dream?

What's your dream?  Make it happen in 2012!

Happy New Year to you!  From, Us