• Search




  • Meta

    • Log in
    • RSS
    • RSS

    • Mosaic Icon Project from Saint Joseph Orthodox Church on Vimeo.

      √

      Nathan and I teach Sunday School at our Parish. A few weeks back, when our priest asked if we could lead an assembly on our mosaic we created 10 years ago…I had to remind myself we IN FACT DID MAKE ONE!

      I’m so glad we made this video. During the time of the mosaic’s creation, this was pre-digital and pre-imovie. Unfortunately, over the years, photos have been lost or not returned so I am glad we have a nicely edited version of our big undertaking.

      I thought it would be fun for those that are interested to view what we created…last night!

FIRST OFF, this post is in no way supposed to make ANYONE feel guilty for NOT making their children a baby book. I have just “guilted” myself for many years and finally HAD to come to terms with…make each kid a book of their first year and then organize the remaining photos in boxes. WHEW!

SECOND, I am not a scrapbooker and if I was, I’d still be figuring out what paper to use! There are so many choices, you could go nuts! Instead I kept is simple and just wrote in the book…no computer generated text, just my jaggedy handwriting.

Anyway, I am pleased to share Penelope’s book. Since she is my last, I am even more pleased that I no longer have to make such a book again!

6-1penny
Here she is finally learning what my secret project was all about. She loved her book and especially loved that it was pink. The other kids have black, I guess there is some truth with the youngest getting what they want…ahem.
6-2penny
It started from the beginning, from when she first was born and was just seconds old…
6-3penny
to when her brother and sister first met her…
6-4penny
to sweet quiet moments captured at home (*sigh*)…
6-5penny
to treasured photos with those that are no longer here with us on earth…
6-6penny
to JOYOUS occassions of Penelope’s baptism and chrismation…
6-7penny
to visits with relatives in California and another treasured photo of my kids with their great-grandparents and cousins…
6-8penny
to photos with grandparents that live overseas…and a photo of “Poppy” with his siblings that are hard to keep straight amongst my kids…
6-9penny
to family photos that remind me how much work Nathan and I have done in raising 3 kids…they have grown so quickly…
7-0penny
to reminding me of Penny’s first birthday and all that was celebrated…
7-1penny
to the bitter reality that this baby is no longer a baby, but a school girl ready to make life her own…and I’m ready for her too!
7-2penny

Of course, it made me smile as I watched Penny share her book with one of her best pals. Her enthusiasm made all my guilt go away!

I LOVE celebrating my kids’ birthdays!

So last Friday, we took out the ceremonial cupcake…
penny61
brought out the birthday banner…
penny62
hung the “birthday dots”…
penny63
made a tasty cake with raspberries and chocolate buttercream…
penny64
skipped school and made a big breakfast feast, ’cause it’s not everyday that visiting cousins are in town for a birthday…(I love how Penelope is the only one illuminated in this shot!)
penny65
opened gifts…(“cha-ching”, says Penny)
penny66
took the obligatory “front steps photo”…
penny67
after a fun day with cousins, had a family birthday dinner featuring Penny’s favorite Penne Pasta…
penny68
another group photo with Nana and Papa…
penny69
AND finally, we ate cake!
penny70

I’ll be back tomorrow to share more birthday highlights- the poor birthday girl has been really sick these past few days and I need to tend to her!

30days 15
someone is SIX and I’m not even kidding. more photos to follow.

30 days 14

My youngest has made it known since the month turned of her impending 6th birthday! The countdown is drawing closer and boy, I hope we do not disappoint.

Here is a funny story:
Last week, our family spent a couple of days in Chicago. We had a blast doing “touristy” things. I thought it would be fun to take Penny to the American Girl store.

We already established that she was not getting a doll. She decided ahead of time that more gifts were better than “Kit” and maybe Christmas would be better for that sort of request. Sorry “Kit”.

Well, when she discovered “Kit” came as a mini a doll and looked a lot like her…she relented and decided the mini version was her pick! I thought this was great and a lot cheaper. Let me tell you, “Kirsten” is somewhere in this house with no braids or clothes so I am a bit reluctant to fully embrace the American Girl doll.

Anyway, when I was checking out, Penny had a change of heart and BEGGED me to NOT buy the doll. I thought perhaps it was because I said she would have to open the gift on her birthday. But this girl is shrewd and realized she was getting one step closer to all of her gifts being purchased. The poor sales lady was confused and remarked that she never experienced a girl begging her mom to NOT buy something. HA!

Little does Penny know I bought “Ruthie”, Kit’s best friend on Amazon…$8 cheaper…she will be thrilled and surprised at the same time.

What’s the third gift? A scooter. Her brother will be equally as thrilled- no more sharing with his pushy (but adorable!) baby sister.

Comments (2)

30 days 13

If you’ve been keeping track, I have failed MISERABLY with my daily posts (or semi-daily!).

Let’s try this again!

Comments (2)