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..

Gearing Up For The "Big Game"

Now what kind of Steelers fan would I be if I didn't at least have some kind of inkling of football on our blog!! Well the girls & I actually LOVE the Steelers..Bob & Trevor, well they are being good sports for the Super Bowl..

We are hoping (and praying) that the Steelers will bring home the Six-Pack, but it's not up to us..It's up to them..So we say "GOOD LUCK" to them and we'll be watching them at home..Bob got a nasty flu bug, and he's been on the couch all day..I sure hope we all don't get it..

M.F.L. ~ 2009 ~ Basilica Pictures

The last 3 pictures below are when we were making our way home..I hope you enjoyed our pictures..The day was very powerful for us as a family..We are now more than ever, encouraged to fight for EVERY life..From the WOMB to the TOMB..

The Basilica before it got dark


Here are some of the many altars in the Basilica

These pictures are right behind the main altar..

March For Life ~ Post #3 ~ More Pictures

Next post will be the pictures from my camera phone that I took in the Basilica..I took photos of most of the Marian altars in there..

March for Life 2009 ~ Post #2

As promised here are some pictures from the March for Life..The first few are from on the bus.

Here's Jen when we were first starting out..The Washington Monument from the bus..

Here is when we were getting off the bus to go to the Mall

I'll put some more photos in another post..

March For Life 2009 ~ Post #1

Well we finally did it!! We got to go to the March for Life in D.C... Bob, Jen & I went..It was a great trip, and it was a beautiful day!! It was such a testimony to LIFE!! As soon as I download all the pictures, I will post them..There are so many..It will have to be in a few posts..

The bus trip was long..And the bus driver got lost, but all in all it was worth it..There were so MANY people..

We got to see Fr. Trigilio from EWTN in person..Also Fr. Frank Pavone, Teresa Tomeo, Fr. Tom Eutenauer..It was like we were star struck..I will post the pictures as soon as I can..

Happy 2009!!!

Well 2009 is here..How was your New Years? Ours was very quiet..Which we enjoy..I'm not a big fan of New Years..We don't go out & celebrate..We like to be at home with the kids, and just stay together as a family..

The Christmas holiday was also quiet..We celebrated Ari's b-day on Christmas Eve (as usual)..We had Christmas Eve/Day here at our home..So most of my family was here..Bob & I went to Christmas Eve mass, which was very peaceful (and the choir was astounding!!)..We celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary at home..We ordered Chinese food..Then I got sick..I was sick for 2-3 days..I don't know if it was a bug or food poisoning..But I made it to Mass, and it was on the Feast of the Holy Family..How appropriate for us..Then like I mentioned New Years came and went..Jan.1st we celebrated the Feast of Mary, Holy Mother of God..It was a wonderful Advent/Christmas season here at S.P.C.H.

Now it's back to school..Grades were given out for the 2nd Qtr..Jen had a 3.1, Ari had a 3.2, and Trevor had a 3.4..The girls really had trouble with Math this quarter..They both got a D in it..So I'm going to get a tutor for them..And for the last two quarters we're doing Art & Music..

Jan.22 we're making our 1st trek to Washington, D.C. for the March for Life..There will only be 4 of us going (Ari isn't going), but we're very excited..We are a very "Pro-Life" family..Bob even took the week off from work just so we knew we could go down..

Anyway that's about it for now..I have some photos to post, but I'll post them later on..I hope you all had/have a very Blessed, Peaceful, Healthy 2009..