Go Visit Narnia!!

My sister Alli is once again in a play - where else would she be?? She plays the part of Susan (the oldest girl sibling) for half the shows and in the other cast she plays an old wicked hag. The children were double cast in this production. So (all you locals) please visit C-Stocks website for the show to see times and dates to come see it. Also, you can check out Alli's personal theatrical profile! She plays Susan the weekend of 20-22 and then March 6-8. Our friend Becca Gray plays Susan on the other weekends, so I hope I can see both!!I took Angelica to the final dress rehearsal production and she made it through the whole show!!! She loved the ballerina between scene changes (I think the white stag to be correct)...she was a little worried about the scary scenes (so she just turned around and laid on mama and asked me to tell her when they were over)...loves seeing Aunt Alli on stage...and she laughed her way through the fight scenes (I guess to her people falling on the floor and jumping around is just hilarious!). The show was written up before it started and then just got a very good first review.

Alli as Susan with her cast siblings

The cast of Narnia

Dad working in the Light Box

Angelica and "Susan"

Sad but True

The cost was $21 Million, or $14.00 per person to clean up this mess. ($21Million divided by 1,500,000 ). Please notice that this was an Associated Press (AP) picture.

A GATHERING OF THE FAITHFUL

Just Funny

(thanks Mom)

Dan was a single guy living at home with his father and working in the family business. When he found out he was going to inherit a fortune when his sickly father died, he decided he needed a wife with which to share his fortune.

One evening at an investment meeting he spotted the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her natural beauty took his breath away.

"I may look like just an ordinary man,' he said to her, but in just a few years, my father will die, and I'll inherit $65 million.'"

Impressed, the woman obtained his business card and three days later, she became his stepmother.

Women are so much better at financial planning than men.

Happy Valentines Day

It is always so amusing to me how many people celebrate this day, but truly have no idea of the history and story of Saint Valentine himself. There are a couple versions of it, but the one I read and find most often is this in summary:

He was a Christian priest and physician who lived in Rome 200 years after the death of Christ. He treated the ill of the city's slums -- accepting whatever payment they could offer - whether it be a loaf of bread or a new pair of sandals. Valentine had to pray for his patients only in the darkness of night due to the ongoing Roman persecution of the Christians.One day a Roman jailer brought his blind daughter to Valentine for treatment. Saint Valentine treated the young girl's eyes faithfully with salve for months and months, to no avail. Nonetheless, the girl and Valentine became friends. She would accompany Saint Valentine into the fields around Rome; while he gathered his curative herbs she would pick boquets of crocus flowers for her father. Tragically, Saint Valentine was rounded up in a Roman purge of the Christians and thrown in jail. The jailer whom he had befriended rushed to his cell, but explained that the emperor had ordered the roundup and that there was nothing he could do. However, he did provide Valentine a piece of papyrus and pen - with which the priest was able to write "from your Valentine". The jailer took the letter home to his daughter. When he opened it to read her the note, a yellow crocus flower fell to the ground and as the father read his daughter the message contained therein she was able to see the yellow hue of the flower for the first time in her life. Valentine was executed for his faith shortly thereafter.

We enjoyed a relaxing day at home (although poor hubby is under the weather)...we made some yummy dipped in chocolate treats (last year I did banana pieces, strawberries and marshmallows...this year I did pretzels, marshmallows and oreos with dark and white chocolate). The girls got some goodies and treats and special cards from loved ones. Emma loves her new little toy phone and Angel loves her new art supplies. Hope your day was filled with as much love as ours was!! I always remember my Irish cousin on this day as well, becasue his name is Valentine and he is also a priest!! So Father Val - a special Happy Valentines Day to you!!

Aunt Caitlin would approve...

...and she should because she bought the shirt (for Angel but gotta love hand-me-downs!)

...and Angel well, she just wanted to take a picture too!

Christmas Again?

Yesterday it snowed here (again!)...when we woke up Angelica saw the snow out the window and came running over to me...
"Mama, mama....it is Christmas time!"
(Not having made her connection yet...I said:)
"No, Angel the Christmas season is over...."
Angel went running to the window and pointing to the snow and with a very confused face said, "NO Mama...see...it's Christmas!"
(I guess when you have a White Christmas every year since you have been born you think when it snows, it just must be Christmas again!)

Together

This was this past Sunday when we celebrated my sister Caitlin's birthday (sister Meghan has more pics on her site)...but I love this picture and realize how much I miss all of us being together...wish it could be much more often...nothing like family!!

Exhausted

We have had some crazy scheduled days with everything that has been going on these last couple of weeks...the other night Meghan came over to make us dinner (a delicious recipe which I need to post) and all the kiddos decided they were tired and needed a nap. So for over an hour...they all slept...Emma on one couch, Angel on the other couch, and little Albert in the swing...so sweet!

Saturday at the Park

It has been so cold here we have not gotten much outside play time. So when Saturday came along with sunshine we decided to make the most of it. We are very fortunate to have a wonderful park so close to us...and the girls had a BLAST!! They both loved the swings (Emma almost fell asleep) and Angel even went climbing up high to the big girl tunnel slide and did it all by herself!! It was so refreshing to get outside and play and the girls slept very well that night!! Looking forward to spring!

At the top of the tunnel slide

Emma, waiting for Angelica

There she is!

Potty News

Well we went from our Toilet Troubles to finally some successful potty progress. Angelica is actually going pee in the potty!! She will ask to go and now she does!!! We have our own little potty dance and M&M rewards...I am so proud of her. I think something is finally starting to click and now her desire to go (which she has had for a long time now) is meeting the need and understanding of how to go. So some days she goes a couple, and Sunday she went 6 times. Now, when she does go poo in her diaper she says she needs to go potty...so I am thinking she realizes it a bit too late but knows she wants to go. It has been so much better since I stopped stressing about it and let her call the shots. So please keep your fingers crossed that we move in this direction. Funny story:
When we had the reception for my PopPop after his funeral...Angelica was playing with her little friend Abby. Abby had asked her daddy to take her to the potty....the next night Angelica was telling Jason that Abby did that. Then she asked Jason, "Papa, are you my daddy?" Jason said, "Yes, Angelica I am your daddy." Angel replied: "Then, Daddy, can I go potty?"
See peer pressure and example works even at the age of two!! So thanks Abby for the potty power!! Might have to have you over again!

Doesn't Emma look thrilled with her hairdresser?

...and yes those are wings Angel is wearing...thanks Lili!

Fairy Princess and her Castle

Cousin Love

Must be an interesting dream...

...Albert sleeping with his godfather.

Our Godson's Baptism

We celebrated and welcomed our nephew and godson, Albert Gregory Sturhahn, into the Church this past Sunday. Jason has a goddaughter, but this is my first godchild. The Baptism was beautiful (celebrated with a friend of mine having her son baptized as well...Gabriel Lawrence)...and the celebration party afterwards was just as nice. I always love the smell of chrism on the baby's head and Albert looked very handsome in his beautiful little suit Marmee made him. There are more pics at the Sturhahns Site. I pray that we will always be positive role models, examples and good advisers for Albert in his Catholic faith and spiritual journey.

Our Church's New Baptismal Font

No more Pagan Baby

With Father Lappe

Proud Godmother

Marmee and Sleepy Emma

Godparents

Sisters (and kids)

Proud Grandmothers

So sad, please pray. - Updated

I had just been on Amy's site (which I love) this morning and read her thought provoking post of the day...and then tonight saw the SAD and SHOCKING news that her husband unexpectedly died this morning when he collapsed at the gym. Please pray for her and her family as they grieve this tremendous loss!!! I have enjoyed reading several of his and her books and he also had a wonderful site. Amazing man, husband and father....rest in peace Michael.

UPDATE:
Danielle Bean is collecting donations at her site for the family. There is also a spiritual bouquet being collected, here. Also, Amy Welborn has asked that if you would like to tangibly do something....please buy Michael's book, The How To Book of the Mass, as her husband set up that all the royalties of the book go to their children's college funds. It is an amazing book to have, if not for you and your personal collection, you could always use it as a gift for First Communion, Confirmation etc. This is what Amy wrote:
Michael collapsed this morning at the gym and was not able to be revived despite the efforts of EMTs and hospital personnel.
We are devastated and beg your prayers.
Many thanks for all of the prayers and notes. It is overwhelming. Many have asked what they can do of a material or concrete nature. All I can say is to simply buy his books. Not from me, because I am in no position to fill orders, but from anywhere else. He long ago promised God that he would give all the royalties of The How To Book of the Mass to the children’s college funds, which he did faithfully. It is in good shape because of that. Buy them, read them, and give them away to others. Spread the Word. That is what he was all about.
She also posted his last article which he finished writing Monday...I was amazed at how now fitting what he wrote is/was:
While in Washington, D.C. several weeks ago, I ran into an old friend, Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR, with whom I have collaborated on several books. We met after a Mass for pro-life leaders at Trinity College. It was exactly five years and 10 days from that night in Orlando, FL when Father Benedict nearly lost his life in a tragic accident, and almost four years to the day that I spent a week with him in New York, assisting him in putting the finishing touches on a book that he co-authored with Bishop Baker.
Working with a very frail Father Benedict at the time, I was reminded of an interview that he had given some years earlier at EWTN with Doug Keck on Booknotes. During that interview, when Father Benedict’s book Arise From Darkness was first published, Doug asked Father Benedict to elaborate on something that Father had called the “big lie” in his book. The “big lie,” Father Benedict said, (and I’m paraphrasing him at this point), is to think that if we say all the right prayers and live correctly, then nothing bad will ever happen to us. Sadly, there are many good people who have lost their faith by believing such a lie, and that makes it a big one indeed!
One only has to think of Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, and how much He suffered on the cross, to correct one’s view on this matter. In our own day, there are many whom we know have lived saintly lives, many who have prayed much, and yet have suffered too.
This brings me to another incident that I learned from Father Benedict while working with him four years ago in New York. I was waiting for him to make some corrections on a text when I noticed what looked like a wedding program. I asked him if it was for a relative or a couple he had married. He replied that it was neither, but told me the story of the person behind it.
Diana was a young Puerto Rican woman who grew up in a very faith filled home. Even though they were poor, her mother taught her at an early age to trust God above everything. By the time she was old enough to go to college, Diana found a way to pursue her education - again something that she credited to her strong faith - and became the first member of her large family to graduate from college. She then married and was hired by a large investment firm in New York.
Even though her job kept her busy, she found time to attend Mass everyday. When her friends threw parties, Diana made up goodie bags for them that included candy and make-up, but also a prayer book and holy water. When a member of her family couldn’t pay their bills, Diana secretly paid them. When someone in the family got into trouble she bailed them out of jail.
One night Diana had a strange dream. In the dream Jesus appeared to her, dressed in a white robe, standing on a cloud of smoke. He was beckoning her to come to him, telling her not to worry, that he was going to take her with him. Then it seemed to her that the whole world disappeared from beneath her and she awoke. She told her husband about the dream the next morning, but he didn’t want to hear about it—it scared him.
The next few nights, the dream repeated itself. She told her mother, who wondered what it could mean.
A month later on September 11, 2001, Diana was at work at her investment firm in the World Trade Center on one of the top floors. She phoned her husband and mother on her cell phone after the second plane struck the tower below her. She reminded them of the dream, just before the tower crumbled.
What is the opposite of the “big lie”? Trust.
When questioned by an English journalist about the future of the Religious Order that he co-founded, Father Benedict gave a simple reply, “We have no plans, except to be led by God.”
None of us knows what the future holds, but hopefully we can embrace what is inscribed in our coinage, “In God we Trust.”

Don't Ask

...how she first got into her clothes hamper...

...and then got stuck up there!!!