Memorial Day Weekend--The N Family Visits--Prep and Day 1

The kids had been anticipating the visit of our friends for weeks, so it was no wonder that we couldn't cancel based on a silly stomach virus!  It had pretty much left our family, but Thomas was still not 100%.  Still we pressed on and got ready for their visit, first with a trip to Academy for a birthday gift and some other needed items.  I didn't get a photo of the diaper catastrophe that happened after this photo, but just know that it wasn't pretty!

A stock-up trip to HEB was also on the agenda before their arrival.  I'd never bought so many organic items!  Having healthy friends over is one good way to improve your diet for a few days!  And the kids always have to get their Buddy Bucks after shopping there!

And look...the girls even cleaned their room!

They arrived late Thursday night and were up and rearing to go early Friday morning.  They started the day off with rollerblading and dress up!  What an ensemble!

We packed up the kids and headed over for a fun day at the Aquarium!

Here's my Instagram shot that I accidentally took while I was putting away the camera.

Whale statue outside the park with the city in the background.

Their first time to hold urchins!

After the dolphin show.  Sadly, the show only has 2 dolphins now since one died suddenly of an infection a couple months back.

Otters

This kind staff member spent about 20 minutes teaching our kids about sea turtles, also sharing her sorrow over the dolphin that died.

Our first time at the Aquarium Splash Park!

Dippin' Dots ice cream :)

And I must share my lovely farm-fresh veggies going into the Calabaza con Pollo that I made for dinner that night.  It's Steven's new favorite dish and worked well for the no-carb, no-sugar eating plan our friends were doing, they just skipped the rice, corn, and tortillas.  I put chicken in the crockpot while we were at the aquarium so it was ready to shred for the soup.  Yummy!

More photos to come...

Monday Motivation

I really need to catch up with photos from last weekend, but for now I'll focus on planning for this new week.  I am obviously having a hard time with my spiritual goals, along with scheduling dental/medical check-ups!  I need to work on these things!  It looks like we'll be traveling to Houston this weekend, so it'll be a short week.  I'm exhausted from a full weekend with the dance recital and t-ball party, plus a lot of other errands and outings!  Must get to sleep early with this new early morning schedule for swim team practice....

 

 

Monday Motivation Review

10 Goals for May 28-June 3

 

 Prayer and Community

1. Continue reading Hallie's Book about Catholic womanhood

2. Pick a scripture for the week, and pray a rosary decade with the children

3. Schedule a visit with the Carmelite Sisters

 

Health 

4. Attend one fitness class

5. Start/register for summer activities for kids (swim team, swim lessons, VBS)

6. Plan weekly meals

Mon-Out, Tues-(uncle visit) tuna/chicken, mashed potatoes and salad, Weds-Pizza, Thurs-Spaghetti, Fri-Pasta bake, Sat-grill, Sun-leftovers

Home Management and Homeschool

7.  FPU class and homework

8.  Update budget info on Mint.com

9.  Work on blog format, and continue to research cameras.

10. Schedule dental appt, schedule check-ups/find doctor

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Monday Motivation

10 Goals for June 4-10

 

 Prayer and Community

1. Continue reading Hallie's Book about Catholic womanhood

2. Pick a scripture for the week, and pray a rosary decade with the children

3. Schedule a visit with the Carmelite Sisters

 

Health 

4. Attend one fitness class

5. Get to bed before midnight and wake at 7 when Steven and the girls leave

6. Plan weekly meals

Mon-Lasagna and salad, Tues-Roast in crockpot, Weds-leftovers, Thurs-Sun-HOUSTON :)

Home Management and Homeschool

7.  FPU class and homework

8.  Catch up on laundry and prep for travel, clean playroom!

9.  Schedule dental appt

10. Schedule check-ups/find doctor

San Antonio Zoo

 

 

 

Memorial Day and Family Legacy

So, Memorial Day was yesterday, but I couldn't seem to find the time to blog and spent way too long trying to upload a couple of these to Facebook.  We didn't really celebrate Memorial Day in true Americana picnic fashion; we said goodbye to our friends after a honey harvest from our beehive and went out for a diner dinner and drive that evening.  But...we did have a pre-Memorial Day outing the weekend before while in San Antonio!  

All my trips to San Antonio as a child were to visit my grandparents, Nana and Pops.  We visited them most summers and spent many lovely days at parks, zoos, and museums with the family.  It felt odd being in San Antonio without visiting their home.  I sure miss them!  Now this gravesite is the physical marker of my grandparents' life.  It was an honor to be able to pay our respects and see the beautiful Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery.

Before visiting my grandparents, we stopped in front of the house near Ft. Sam where my mom grew up.  It was a very nice visit and was topped off by our trip to the zoo which I'll hopefully share in my next post!

~~~

Also on my heart right now is my brother as he prepares to complete his deployment to the Gulf.  He should be home in a few weeks and I can't wait to see him and his family, especially our sweet one year-old niece who we have yet to meet!  I am so grateful for all our military heroes and for their families, especially their spouses and children, who make such sacrifices for our freedom.  May the souls of the faithful departed, those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for peace in the world, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

~~~

Yesterday was also the birthday of Steven's grandfather, his dad's dad, Edward Bradley B.  How special it was to find out that one of Steven's uncles would be visiting us this week!  So, this evening we were blessed with the presence of Uncle Barney to be a light of God's love and mercy to our family.  He is here to visit a dying friend (please offer a prayer for him), but he has also given me a gift.  I am so grateful for the encouragement that family and friends give when I most need it.  I know God is real because he speaks through people and works through prayers.  Thanks to Uncle Barney for being God's messenger of love and mercy and for seeing His works in all things.

~~~

When Mary Clare was taking ballet back in Aggieland, the recital theme was "Legacy" which came from a beautiful song by Nichole Nordeman that has continued to be one of my favorites.  The lyrics to the chorus speak to me about the blessings of the family gone before me.  Will I leave that kind of legacy???

 I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

Monday Motivation

I'm having a hard time getting through all my goals!  But I still enjoy writing them out and feel it's helpful, even if just to make meal plans.  Last week was a bit of a doozy with the stomach virus.  I don't think I've dealt with that many bodily fluids in a long time.  Every family member except one had the throw-ups, and some had other stomach issues as well.  Like I said in one of my last posts, our friends and their 5 kids still decided to brave the trip to our house for the holiday weekend, even knowing we'd just gotten through a puke-fest and baby wasn't quite feeling well yet.  The morning they were coming, I took the kids out to run errands and he had a NASTY diaper problem, where it was dripping out of his clothes and onto the contents of the shopping cart at Academy.  YUCK! 

 

I put Thomas to bed for the night before our friends arrived on Thursday, and he was fine and happy on Friday for our trip to the Aquarium!  Then he gave us a middle-of-the-night surprise with another puke fest for 3 hours or so.  I skipped out on the beach trip with him the next day, although he was fine after he woke up at NOON!  Not fine, though, was one of our friends Saturday night.  Then we had a great Sunday Mass complete with a child puking on the pew in front of him!  Thankfully, the elderly lady was kneeling while the throw-up hit her seat.  My friend ran to the bathroom with the sick one, while I ran out to the car to get a beach towel.  I sopped it up and then took it outside to try to clean it out with a water hose.  

 

Oh my goodness.  I felt sick all day and was waiting for another of their kids to come down with it.  They're home and I haven't heard of anyone else getting it yet.  Fingers crossed for them!  We also dealt with a lot of fun things that happen when 13 people are staying in one house like toilets overflowing, finding random child poop ball on the carpet, liquid dishwasher detergent flooding the laundry room floor, and purple/black baby food squirted all over the white carpet!

Can you believe another relative is going to brave our house for an overnighter?  We gave him full warning, but Uncle Barney isn't worried and will be joining us Tuesday night.  We really enjoy hosting visitors and hope to have many this summer!  Okay, finally on to my goals...

 

 

Monday Motivation Review

10 Goals for May 21-27

 

 Prayer and Community

1. Continue reading Hallie's Book about Catholic womanhood

2. Pick a scripture for the week, and pray a rosary decade with the children

3. Schedule a visit with the Carmelite Sisters

 

Health 

4. Attend one fitness class

5. Take kids on a nature walk or to a park

6. Plan weekly meals and clean for visitors!

Mon-crockpot cream cheese chicken, Tues-leftovers/breakfast for dinner, Weds-frozen pizza, Thurs-Mon-plan meals with friends!

Home Management and Homeschool

7.  FPU class and homework

8.  Finish school year, 3 tests

9.  Work on blog format, and continue to research cameras.

10. Schedule dental appt, schedule check-ups/find doctor

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Monday Motivation

10 Goals for May 28-June 3

 

 Prayer and Community

1. Continue reading Hallie's Book about Catholic womanhood

2. Pick a scripture for the week, and pray a rosary decade with the children

3. Schedule a visit with the Carmelite Sisters

 

Health 

4. Attend one fitness class

5. Start/register for summer activities for kids (swim team, swim lessons, VBS)

6. Plan weekly meals

Mon-Out, Tues-(uncle visit) tuna/chicken, mashed potatoes and salad, Weds-Pizza, Thurs-Spaghetti, Fri-Pasta bake, Sat-grill, Sun-leftovers

Home Management and Homeschool

7.  FPU class and homework

8.  Update budget info on Mint.com

9.  Work on blog format, and continue to research cameras.

10. Schedule dental appt, schedule check-ups/find doctor