Beach Birthdays

I've been thinking a lot about family traditions. What are the things that our kids will remember most about the ways we celebrated birthdays, feast days, and holidays? Will they remember our attempts at the Advent wreath and Jesse Tree? Will they remember reading all those beautiful Christmas picture books together? Will they remember our special birthday meals and the fun parties they had? What about all the celebrations with friends for different holidays? Will they remember getting to choose a special treat on their feast day? Are the ways we celebrate indicative of what is truly important to our family? Are we spending too much money on these celebrations and letting materialism affect the way we celebrate? Or are we just trying our hardest to mark the seasons and feasts of the year in a meaningful way? Deep thoughts to ponder in this busy but blessed time.

This is a season of celebrating for us. After we get through Halloween, All Saints' Day, and Thanksgiving, we enter into Advent and the feasts and other celebrations of this season: St. Nicholas Day, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Santa Lucia Day, and then it's Steven Joseph's Birthday, Christmas, the memorial of St. Stephen (which we usually forget), New Year's Eve, the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God, Mary Clare's Birthday, the memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Ellie's patron), and Epiphany. I'd actually like the kids to celebrate their feast days at another time of the year, for example Steven Joseph could take St. Joseph Day, when things aren't as busy, and we're always encouraging Mary Clare to have a half-birthday in the summer! But they haven't taken us up on those suggestions...yet! We just can't do it all, so celebrating some of these days just doesn't happen. But the big feasts and the birthdays...always!

We're grateful that the extended family now has this beach house to share special memories.  On Saturday we drove down for the day, to celebrate Steven's dad's birthday which was a few days before, and Mary Clare's birthday which was that day. They grilled burgers and hot dogs, had cake and brownies, some time to visit, always some jigsaw puzzles to work on, and even a new tradition...a lip sync battle! What a fun time we had, and we also brought Ellie's friend MaryKatherine along.

Katie Grace with little Scout!

Ellie and MK walking along the beach

Big Tom and Little Tom

The three teen girl cousins (one turns 13 next month)

I love this set of Thomas with Uncle Thomas

The Lip Sync Battle begins!

Andrew with the Little Einstein theme song

Thomas with the Zoboomafoo theme song

My girls and their friend singing to "Better When I'm Dancin'" by Meghan Trainor

Andrew and Caleb with "Roar" by Katy Perry

MK and SJ rapping to "I'm So Catholic"

Determined to finish the puzzle before we all left!

Katie Grace loves Aunt Mary!

By the fire pit

Ready to head home!

Thirteen!

Yes folks, we have a teenager! Well, I think she started her teen years around toddlerhood, but now it's official! We went to Cheesecake Factory after Mass on New Year's Day, and then that evening the girls got manicures before she had a babysitting job. Her actual birthday was spent with family at the beach house, with a party in the works.

Happy Birthday to our big girl, Mary Clare!

Welcome 2016!

2015 was a pretty good year for the B family. Aside from the loss of my very dear friend, we had a lot of things to be thankful for, most notably the move to our new beautiful home. We had a pretty healthy year, aside from my little shingles outbreak and the viruses that tend to visit us every now and then. The kids did well in school and sports, we had a 1st Communicant, several trips to the beach, a trip to Aggieland and a trip to Dallas.

We enter into 2016 with a new teenager and an almost-2yr old! Daddy will hit some big numbers on his birthday this year, and we'll hopefully have a big trip to Florida for a family wedding in May. Steven and I are both working on our health this year, trying a very low/no-carb diet this month. We will likely be helping my parents move closer to us, and I'm sure there will be other things not on our agenda, but on God's!

As we ushered out 2015, we offered to host a New Year's Eve gathering since the previous hosts weren't able to. I think it came together the day before; nothing like a last minute party and we're getting pretty good at pulling things together on short notice! We were grateful to share this night with Beverly's family. We hope that this new year will be one of healing for them, and that we continue to see God's graces as they walk this difficult road without her.

Daddy working the pepper grinder while the two little ones feast on tortilla chips. And oh those candy bark-covered pretzel rods were so good!

Daddy and MC owning the kitchen!

Prayer time in the new house often includes children on the balcony :)

Katie loves this little friend who is 4, but is a sweet playmate to her

Sparklers!

And at midnight, for those two other families who were brave enough to stay...some fun with sparklers, glow sticks, and bubble wrap to ring in the new year!

May it be filled with much JOY!

Christmas with my brother's family

My brother's family was able to come in from California this year! They were only able to stay a couple nights with my parents, but we were happy to get to see them over there, and to have everyone for dinner at our house on their last night in town.

The kids couldn't wait to open presents, and went at it so fast that we could hardly tell what was going on!

NeNe also got some little gifts for the stockings she has for them

We tried to get a decent family shot, but the weather was COLD and the tripod broke and we didn't set up the pose well and the kids were not cooperative! This was the best we could do.

Hanging out. Steven cooked a great prime rib meal for us!

And the kids enjoying their pizza!

The next night they all came over for a fajita dinner. Mary Clare started teaching Addison to crochet.

And the kids enjoyed their dinner while also looking at and discussing the map on the wall!

Hanging out

And this was the best cousin shot.

Even though it was a quick visit, we feel blessed to have been able to spend a little time with my brother's family this Christmas!

Farewell

One Last Farewell

To my dear friend Beverly

One last farewell to your earthly shell,

That body which held such a soul,

Who gave and gave till the very end,

And the cancer had taken its toll.

The years before, they were filled with joy,

They were filled with remarkable grace,

You would never say no to an offer of fun,

There was always a smile on your face.

You were an encourager with words of love,

And a giver who always was there,

With a meal or a gift or a craft or a card,

And especially a prayer.

You walked ahead of me, forged the way,

In motherhood and in life,

Aggie, homeschooler, beautiful friend, 

A faithful and loving wife.

Most importantly, you were a woman of God,

Who stood for what was right,

You stood with the Church, you followed the saints,

Even in the darkest night.

You didn't complain or ask "why me?"

You took up your cross and went,

Your Calvary journey was paved with pain,

But in prayer that journey was spent.

Now we say goodbye as you're laid to rest,

On a day that would have been fun,

Your 50th birthday should be filled with cheer,

But a different crown you've won.

So we're counting on you to pray for us,

To guide us along the way,

We'll try our best to be kind and true,

Every moment of every day.

You leave a legacy of all things great,

Your children the best of all,

We'll love them and promise to always be there,

For your family whenever they call.

And on this day I must say thanks,

For the friend you were to me,

I'm going to try my very best,

To treat others the way you treated me.

Moulton, Texas 

December 29, 2015