Random Photo Friday

Wow..It's Friday all ready!! Well this weeks photo is from Feb. 3rd of 2008..This is one of my favorite photos of the kids..

Tune in next week for another Random Photo Friday..

Lent 2009 Plans

Well, our Mardi Gras party was a success..We had 2 other families with us, and don't you know I forgot to take pictures!! We had Ponchki, made rosaries (at lest we tried to), and chatted..It was a nice way to start the Lenten season..

I am going to put my Lenten Plans (or List) down here..I may have posted some of these before, so I'm sorry if I'm repeating stuff..

1. Lenten Prayers (you can find them here) & Scripture ~Every day
2. Rosaries ~ Every night
3. Stations of the Cross ~ Every Friday
4. Confession ~ At least 2x's a month (maybe more)
5. Eucharistic Adoration (you can find a list of times & places here if you're in the Pittsburgh area)
6. Sacrifices ~ We changed our no T.V. to no T.V. on Fridays & to put our extra change in the Charity can..
7. Service ~ Volunteer for Church or visit our elderly family members in the nursing homes..
8. Fish Fry ~ We're going to go to different parishes for dinner Fridays

I also have a few other things planned. I bought a big white poster board, and I'm going to write down our schedule so the kids have a visual of what's going on..

You can also find inspiration or information at this blog..I checked it out, and it's great!!

We will be putting up the Stations of the Cross that I made a few years ago..So it's going to be a busy Lenten season..

Check back tomorrow for another Random Photo Friday..

Getting Ready for Lent 2009

How do you like the new backround? I thought this would be appropriate for the Lenten season..You can find more free backgrounds here..

Tuesday we're having our "Mardi Gras" party..Then for Lent we're giving up T.V. (oh the groans you should have heard..And the kids were upset too)..

I am going to try and go to Mass during the week, and make it to Eucharistic Adoration at least once a week..It's the least I can do for the Lord..

Random Photo Friday

Here is another installment of RPF..We're going back to 2005 again..This is from Easter 2005..The funny thing about this photo is that Ariana (in the pink flowery dress) is as tall as Bob now!! Yes my 12 year old daughter is almost 6ft..

18

Today is my oldest baby's 18th birthday..I can't believe 18yrs have gone so fast..18yrs ago today at 9:11am, I had a baby girl..She was 8lbs 9ozs & 21 inches long..She had a head full of hair, and the chubbiest cheeks..She was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on..

I was an 19 yr old, unwed mother..I had dropped out of college..I had a psychiatrist tell me to abort my baby because I would not make a good mother..The father told me he couldn't handle being a dad at 19..All of my friends abandoned me..It seemed like the whole world was against me..The only people I had to rely on were my parents, and God..My parents took care of me all 9 months..My mother & father coached me through the birth..God watched over us the whole time..Jenna was baptized, and raised in the Catholic faith..She still is..My whole family has embraced Jenna..Even though I didn't have a baby shower (because we felt it wasn't the right thing to do) Jenna was outfitted for almost every day..I even received assistance from a crisis pregnancy center..Our church never shunned us or disrespected us..They received us with loving open arms..Just as Jesus & his blessed Mother has..

And so, I raised my baby girl at home with my parents..I eventually went back to school..But my main purpose in life was Jenna..She settled my life down..It was just us 2 for 4yrs until I married Bob..And he has claimed her as his own ever since..

Jenna has not wanted for anything..Sure she has material things, but she has been loved since the moment I found out I was having her..Even though it was a rough start we made it work..I call her my "unexpected blessing"..She was never a "mistake" at anytime..She has grown into a beautiful, compassionate, caring, young lady..

Whatever she decides to do with her life, be it a vocation to religious life, marriage, etc..She knows that she was and will be loved..That we will accept her choices, help her in anyway we can..She knows that her Lord & Savior loves her despite of how she came into the world..

And so, on this her 18th birthday..I say to my beloved child..I love you Jenna, with all of my heart, & soul..My our Lord bless & keep you..My our blessed Mother shelter you under her mantle..And my you have a long, rich, faithful life..

To My Beloved..

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! I Love You!!

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and heightMy soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.I love thee to the level of every day'sMost quiet need; by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to useIn my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to loseWith my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath.

Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,I shall but love thee better after death.

~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Thank you for everything..I love you more than words can say..I thank God for bringing you into my life..I thank you for our children..I am so happy to spend the rest of my life with you..

Random Photo Friday

We're gonna go back a few years..2005 to be exact..This photo is of the kids on Jen's 14th Birthday..

Oh what a few years can do..

Christmas 2008

Happy Birthday Abe!!

Today we celebrate the 200th Birthday of Abraham Lincoln..He was our 16th President..You can find more about Abe here..

Today is a special day

Yes, today February 11th is a special day..For 2 reasons..

1st it's the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes..

2nd..It's my Mother's 69th Birthday..(Please..Don't tell her I put her picture on my blog..She'll KILL ME!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!

I will be posting more later on in the week..The stomach bug seems to have found our children..So I will be playing the role of nurse this week..No school this week either..

Random Photo Friday

I'm starting a new thing here at St. Pete's..Random Photo Friday..I will pick out some random photos we've taken over the years, and make a little comment about it..So I'm going to start off with a few today..

My statue of Our Blessed Lady..I had been praying to get a statue for so long..My mother's friend from Church heard of my plight, and having many statues she decided to pray about it..Well it turns out that the woman she got this particular statue from was a dear friend of hers named what else but...Carmela

This photo I took with my cell phone..It's from a magazine I got in the mail..I just loved the picture..

Another picture taken with my cell phone.

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The most 2 important people in my life, besides my Lord & my own family..My Mom & Dad..Married 38yrs..4 Kids..9 Grandchildren (8 here on earth & 1 in heaven)

I hope you enjoyed the first installment of Random Photo Friday..I hope y'all have a great weekend..Peace & Blessings to All..

February Happenings

Well I think (I pray) it's safe to say that we're over the nasty stomach virus here..Bob & I have had it since this past Saturday..I would not wish it on my worst enemy..But now that we're on the mend, I wanted to post some things that are going to be going on here at St. Pete's..

Jan. 23rd we started our annual "Spiritual Adoption"..This is when the kids start praying for a unborn baby they have "spiritually adopted"..They pick the gender, & name of the baby..And we pray for that baby up till it's due date which would be around Oct. 29th..Then we either donate clothes or money to a crisis pregnancy center..We've done this for the past 3yrs now, and the kids really enjoy it..We go online and check out the development of the baby, etc..We use this as a Health/Science/Religion project..

Also, our beloved Steelers won their 6th Super Bowl..I did not watch the game because I was so sick, but I did get to hear all the people in the neighborhood yelling and screaming..That's basically how I figured out we won..Plus Trevor burst into my bedroom with 5 seconds left in the game and told me they won..I am happy for them..

We've started our 100 Rosaries for 100 days here..Basically we're praying for the President for his first 100 days in office, and pray that he'll soften his heart & mind about abortion..

Jen will be celebrating the big "18" on Feb. 17th..We're going to take her out for the annual birthday dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe..She picks the place..I think it'll be a low key affair..Just our family for cake..She wants a Sidney Crosby shirt..Not the tee shirt (she got that for Christmas) the player jersey..I can't believe she's going to be 18!! I can't believe I'm going to be the mother of an 18 yr old..Well I can hold onto her for a few more years..She won't be graduating until 2010..

We are going to have a Mardi Gras party again this year..Last year we celebrated with our friends the Cantini's..We had a great time..So we're going to do it this year..

For Lent we're giving up T.V. (you should have heard the moans & groans for that one, & the kids we're to happy either!!) We have been watching way to much T.V. here..The Sacrifice is great, but isn't that what Lent is about? 40 days isn't that long anyway..They'll get over it..

We're going to be doing this little book I got from the Association of Marian Helpers for Lent..It's called " A Lenten Journey, Daily Scripture, Readings & Prayers for 2009".. It goes from Ash Wednesday till Divine Mercy Sunday..We'll read it everyday along with our other prayers..I might even post them on here..

Our homeschooling group is starting a book discussion..We're going to discuss Donna-Marie Cooper O' Boyle's "The Domestic Church: Room by Room ~ A study guide for Mothers.. I'm excited about it..I also ordered Kimberly Hahn's " Grace & Gifted"..I want to get "Chosen & Cherished" also..

I'm reading on my own the "Summa Theologica" by St. Thomas Aquinas..Well if we don't have T.V. for 40 days I might as well do some reading!!

I almost forgot that little day called Valentine's Day..We are going to a party that our homeschooling group is having..I'm not that into Valentine's Day..Now don't have a heart attack..I just see it as any other day..I would much rather celebrate Our Lady of Lourdes or Ash Wednesday then Valentine's day..It's just another gimmick for the culture to sell stuff..

We're into our 108th day here at St. Pete's..Wow, these days are flying by..180 days will be here before you know it..I want to at least get a couple more field trips in, and we're getting done with alot of the subjects..I don't really give any tests (except for Spelling, sometimes History or Science)..is that bad? I keep track of the grades (for Jen's transcripts). Bob & I are still up in the air about what to do for this fall..Either enroll in Seton for the year, or do our own curriculum again and start Seton next year..I have been praying for guidance on this one, but I still don't know..It's price vs. quality of work..I just feel that the kids aren't getting enough work..Don't get me wrong..I love CHC, but I think the youngest 2 need more than a page of work a day..I guess Our Lord will lead me in the right direction..He always has & always will..He's my rock..

Well, I'm going to wrap up for now..If I think of anything else we're going to do I'll post it..

Here's a picture I'd thought I'd share..I happened on this today..Here's all my favorite people (Bob's taking the picture) at the Zoo for Grandparents Day..From L to R..Ari, Trev, Jen, My mommy & my daddy..It was a great day..My parents hadn't been to the Zoo in 25years!! We were happy to bring them..