Ahhhhhh

Wow.. I have not posted a lot. Sorry about that. More will come in the next weeks or so. Homeschooling is going ok, but we have some rough, rough days.  I hope everyone is hanging in there. More to come............. :-)

Hi, all...

Well, I have not posted too much lately.  Schooling has started and it is going a bit slow, but it is going.

We have started some fun activities, like theater, lego club and our homeschool group. We are looking forward to sewing and some other activities.

We seem to have lots going on and yet some things are slow.  Life also seems to be ever changing and not sure I am liking that part of it.  My kids keep on getting bigger... WHY???  Ahhhh.

Well, I will post more soon... I promise.   I will try to think of something more exciting to talk about it too.
 God Bless :-)

Wow...It is Sept!!!

This summer flew by and we really did not do as much as I would have liked. We worked...ok, whatever, but it would be nice to do some fun.


We are hoping, now it is Sept. to head to the beach. HA.. that is how we do it each year.  It is not crowded and it is still nice out. Not sure how it is down by the beaches with last weeks hurricane, but I think some are ok to go too.


Our life back to schooling has started to a point.  We need to get in full swing next week.  We do have our theater group starting next week and I know we have other stuff as well going on.


Anyway, hope everyone is doing well.  God Bless :-)

Funny

‎5 RULES TO REMEMBER IN LIFE:




 1. Money cannot buy happiness but it’s more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes than on a bicycle. 




2. Forgive your enemy but remember the bastard’s name. 


3. Help someone when they are in trouble and they will remember you when they're in trouble again.


 4. Many people are alive only because it’s illegal to shoot them. 


5. Alcohol does not solve any problems, but then neither does milk.

Weird Junk mail... lots of emotions.

August is usually a very, very hard month for me.  It seems to be pretty emotional one since Kevin's mother passed in this month. I can still really recall all the events of her last 2 months or so of her life.  


I have been thinking of her a whole lot the last few weeks.  More than normal and not sure why.


I sent Nick out to get the mail and he comes back to give it to me. I can see we mostly have junk mail. I flip through it there is junk mail addressed to my my mother-in-law.  It freaked me out.  She has been gone nearly 5 years now.  Now occasionally I get mail for my BIL or my FIL here, but I was pretty shocked to get that mail with her name on it.  It has brought up a ton of emotions!!


Every year when Victoria's birthday comes around, it brings me back to just a week later is the anniversary of my MIL death.  Five years ago, Victoria had donated her hair, for the first time, to Locks of Love right before her birthday that year and she came home and  told my MIL who was very glad she had done that.  We had also found out what play we were doing that year, and it was Alice in Wonderland, my MIL favorite play/movie. We were able to let her know that as well.


I am full of emotions right now.  Why did I get the junk mail? Or even look at it since most of the time I just throw it out. 
Funny, it was junk mail for Disney and I was talking about going back to Florida soon.  


So, I really do not know what it means. I could mean I need to pray more or talk about her more or think of her more.  I am glad to have that reminder today. I think I needed it.  God Bless!!

Posting and quick review of summer.. so far...

Wow, it is Aug and I can see I have not posted much at all.

July was full of kids not here. The two younger boys went to Boy Scout camp for a week and then they went for a 12 camp with Father Fahnestock and over 100 boys.  It was so HOT when they went, but they had a great time.

My oldest daughter and oldest son went a way for a week to camp. They had a great time in NH.  The oldest son then went out to OH for a Volleyball tournament, which he said was great.

July also brought us being sick for most of the month.

Now we are in Aug. and only days away from my daughter being 16.   That is crazy!!

Anyway, more to come. Aug. is half over, but we have lots going on still.  God Bless :-)

Truths For Mature Humans

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this - ever.

15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voice mail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

18. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

19. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.

20. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

21. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?

22. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

23. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

24. Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber & dumber every year?

25. There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

26. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate bicyclists.

27. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

28. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet my ass everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

Summer and Homeschooling

I hope everyone is doing well in this heat this summer.  Are you homeschooling throughout the summer?  Are you getting ready for the Fall?  
I am so not thinking about it... well, that is not true.


I have so many books, that I just need to organize it. It has been way too hot, plus I have been sick, so no way can I organize anything. I have so much I want to do with the kids and I am not sure if it will happen or not.


I definitely would like to do some trips next year. I am thinking some bigger trips would be nice and educational and fun!!  I want it to be a good one since I am realizing it is not going to be that long before these kids are grown and out of the house. My oldest does his own thing already and now I am in faster speed with the last four kids. They are all only 2 years apart, so it is going to be an every two year transition soon.  Not sure I am ready!!


Anyway, I think I need to get organized. July is almost over and I have ideas in my head, but need to write it down and get my school room ready to go.  More soon on a possible homeschool bill in NJ.. NOOOOO...Anyway, be well and God Bless :-)

Our day at St. Jude's SSPX Chapel

Today we went to St. Jude's.  We were running late and walked in just as everyone was standing up.  Ahhh, I hate when we are late.

We attend St. Jude's from time to time. It is outside of Philly and right near the Philly airport.  It is a very nice Traditional Roman Catholic Chapel.

We walk in and we always are prepared to sit separately since the pews are very small.  The usher said, we have seats up front and I said that is ok.

8am was pretty crowded today. Pierce goes off and sits on his own. I go up front with the other 4 kids and we are sitting in the front row, on the extra seats they have out.  Patty, Nick and I are in those seats.  Vicki and Andrew sat behind us and Kevin is also in the front on the other side of the aisle.

Father Young is usually there, but it was another priest. When the sermon came up, he said he was Father Mackin from Pittsburgh(well, he lives in KY).  I believe he has only been ordained for two years.

Andrew knew him since he went to camp last year and Father was one of the priest on the camp.  He was happy to see him again.  Father started off by saying that todays Mass was of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  He was started off by telling us facts about an actual heart and how many beats per minute and how much blood our hearts pump.  He went off to tell us some stories of the heart.

He started off about the heart of an animal and he told us the story of a horse. Yes, a horse...a famous one. ...
Secretariat.  He told us how this horse raced and won and was really something else. After the horse died, they did an autopsy and found the horses heart was twice the size of a normal size heart. mmmm.. pretty interesting...

He then went on to tell of story of a soldier.  Ross McGinnuess,  he was around 19 years old and a grenade was thrown into the truck. He threw himself onto it and saved the other four people in the truck and sacrificed his life.  Wow, another interesting story.


However, the ultimate Heart is the heart of God. That is the heart we should be focusing on.  Father also said we are all selfish and need to really look to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and live for Him.  While those other stories are nice, they are not a true meaning of "Heart". 

He said if boys were impressed by the story of the soldier, then he may want to be a priest since that is what a priest does, he takes one for the team (or his flock).   For the girls, he said to be generous no matter what your vocation is, but especially if your vocation is marriage, since boys are generally selfish and girls need to show them by example.

Father said we should be thinking if our Hearts are in union with the Sacred Heart in Heaven or cold and tiny like the rest of the World.  Definitely something  to meditate on for this week. God Bless.

And yet one more ;-)

FRIENDS: Never ask for food.

 ITALIAN FRIENDS: Always bring the food..

 FRIENDS: Will say 'hello'.

 ITALIAN FRIENDS: Will give you a big hug and a kiss.

 FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.

  ITALIAN FRIENDS: Call your parents Mom and Dad.

 FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.

 ITALIAN FRIENDS: Cry with you.

  FRIENDS: Will eat at your dinner table and leave.

 ITALIAN FRIENDS: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing, and just

 being together.

  FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.

 ITALIAN FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

 FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.

 ITALIAN FRIENDS: Will kick the whole crowd's back-ends that left you.

 FRIENDS: Will knock on your door.

 ITALIAN FRIENDS: Walk right in and say, 'I'm home!

 FRIENDS: Will visit you in the hospital when you're sick

 ITALIAN FRIENDS: Will cut your grass and clean your house then come

 spend the night with you in the hospital.

 FRIENDS: Are for a while.

 ITALIAN FRIENDS: Are for life.

FRIENDS: Might ignore this.

 ITALIAN FRIENDS will forward this to their ITALIAN friends and those who

wish they were ITALIAN...*

Italian Kids.. funny :-)

American kids: Move out when they’re 18 with the full support of their parents.

Italian kids: Move out when they’re 28, having saved enough money for a house, and are two weeks away from getting married, unless there’s room in the basement for the newlyweds.

American kids: When their Mom visits them, she brings a Bundt cake, and you sip coffee and chat.

Italian kids: When their Mom visits them, she brings 3 days worth of food, begins to tidy up, dust, do the laundry, and rearrange the furniture.

American kids: Their dads always call before they come over to visit them, and it’s usually only on special occasions. Italian kids: Are not at all fazed when their dads show up, unannounced, on a Saturday morning at 8 o’clock and starts pruning the fruit trees. If there are no fruit trees, he’ll plant some.

American kids: Always pay retail, and look in the Yellow Pages when they need to have something done.

Italian kids: Call their dad or uncle, and ask for another dad's or uncle's phone number to get it done, cash deal. Know what I mean?

American kids: Will come over for cake and coffee, and get cake and coffee. 

Italian kids: Will come over for cake and coffee, and get antipasto, wine, a pasta dish, a choice of two meats, salad, bread, a cannoli, fruit, espresso, and a few after dinner drinks.

American kids: Will greet you with “Hello” or “Hi.”

Italian kids: Will give you a big hug, a kiss on your cheek, and a pat on your back.

American kids: Have never seen you cry.

Italian kids: Cry with you.

American kids: Borrow your stuff for a few days and then return it.

Italian kids: Keep your stuff so long, they forget it’s yours.

American kids: Will eat at your dinner table and leave.

Italian kids: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing, and just being together.

American kids: Know few things about you.

Italian kids: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

American kids: Eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on soft mushy white bread.

Italian kids: Eat Genoa Salami and Provolone sandwiches on crusty Italian bread.

American kids: Will leave you behind if that’s what the crowd is doing.

Italian kids: Will kick the whole crowds’ ass who left you behind.

American kids: Like Rod Stewart, and Steve Tyrell.

Italian kids: Worship Tony Bennett, and Sinatra

American kids: Think that being Italian is cool.

Italian kids: Know that being Italian is cool.

Quote of the day

Well, it can be quote of a life time.. enjoy...

"Surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living."

There are five things that you cannot recover in life

Wow, I saw this posted on Facebook and it really hit home. This is so true on so many levels. I must have done all of these things in my life and it is so true, you cannot recover from it.  We all really should live our life to the fullest each day and really THINK before we do and also DO more.  Have a Blessed Day!!!


There are five things that you cannot recover in life:
(1) The Stone..........after it's thrown
(2) The Word............after it's said,
(3) The Occasion.....after it's missed, and
(4) The Time.............after it's gone.
(5) A person..............after they die

Just a song I like :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm2YyVZBL8U

Just a song I like. I hope you enjoy it. :-) God Bless.

Aspartame...oh, so bad for you.

http://healthfreedoms.org/2010/02/15/aspartame-has-been-renamed-and-is-now-being-marketed-as-a-natural-sweetener/


Aspartame.... ahhhh... this stuff is so bad for you.  It is in lots of foods.  Those who like Diet Soda, check the label, it is there.  It is an artificial sweetener.   Well, Artificial should be a BIG sign there.  A better substitute for sugar ( and really sugar is not that bad for you.) would be Agave and Stevia. You can get both a most stores now a days.  


http://www.sweetpoison.com/about-sweetpoison.html


Yet another link to check out.  Really read it and then go read your labels.  I was surprise what products has aspartame in it.  I say, eat the real stuff, people.  It is far better for your body and your health.


Enjoy your day and week.  May God Bless you. :-)

Are the 40s hard?

A few of my friends were talking and one friend mentions.. the 40s are hard.  Mmmmm... I had to agree with her.   


In your 40s lots is going on....kids are getting older and doing their own thing.  Parents are getting older and they need you more.  It is super hard to split yourself up.


I know I am finding this very hard as well. Especially being a homeschool mom, how can I do it all?  How can I teach the kids, clean the house, do the shopping and laundry and dishes, etc.  How about work a business and go see my parents or other family members??? 


It really makes you want to just SCREAM!!!


I think I need to have more faith in God and pray more.  I do not want to have this stress upon my head.  I need to focus on what is important and work on that.  With prayer and Faith in God, all things can be done. It just needs to be put in order.


Yes, the 40s are hard and comes with lots of emotion.  But, I really think we can get through it with some help with friends and our prayers.  God Bless!!

Whoa!! I cannot believe how Old my kids are getting..

So, does that mean I am getting old?  Well, yes and no.  My kids would say sometimes I act like my mom(their grandma). (lol). Other times they say I act like a teenager.. mmmmmm.

My middle son will be 14 years old tomorrow.  Wow, time is flying by!!  I cannot believe it.  He is just about taller than me.  How did that happen?

I am a bit sad and happy at the same time.  My life is starting to turn into a different chapter of life.  It can be very exciting to see the kids growing, but they really do not need me as much. Or, do they?

The topics become more interesting and serious as they get older.  They still need me to talk about stuff that they feel is important and I am there to guide them in the right direction. Well, I hope so.

Well, I think I will write more later on this topic when the next kids birthday comes up... (that will be in JUNE).

God Bless you all!! :-)

Home school video spoof on Adams Family

One of my favorite 'home schooling' videos. Hope you all will understand home schoolers more! :-)

First post and not sure what I am going to say!!

Ha, really, I am not sure why I am writing this blog. I guess I was reading a post from one of my home school groups which got me thinking. And then, I saw some stuff on Face Book and that got me thinking.  


So, why am I thinking?  And about what?  Gosh, so much and it can make my head hurt!!!


First, I have to tell you that I am a mother of five.  Three great boys..ages 19, 14(next week) and 12 (next month) and two beautiful girls 15 and 10.
My husband and I have known each other since we were 17 years old.  We have been through lots, but I do not need to bore you with that.


Our life is very not much the 'norm'. The kids are home schooled... ahhhhh, some will say.  We have our own business, OH, NO!! LOL.  We are very political conservative. And, we are Traditional Roman Catholics (Latin Mass and all).  Some would say we are doomed.  I would not look at it that way. I feel very Blessed. 


So, you can see there are lots I come across every day that would, well, bug me!!  


Modesty is one of them.  Why are girls clothes so darn immodest??  It is so sad to see little girls wearing short dresses and looking way beyond their age. I just do not get it. Could it be because they are in school?  Could it be peer pressure?  What are parents thinking?  


I really think people get all caught up with what is suppose to be the 'norm', but what is that doing to your child.  I am not saying keep them in a bubble.  We are far from that since we seem to be out and about most days.  But, there has to be some sense when you send out your daughter with a short, short dress.   If everyone would not buy these clothes, it would have to change, right?  There are some very nice and modesty dresses out there.  


Anyway, it just seemed to be just one of many things today that was bugging me.  I felt I was called to write it down.  Comment, please if you like or do not like.   I will try to post more things that bug me or of interest soon.  God Bless. :-)