Time to Go to the Grocery Store

You know you are low on groceries when you overhear this:

Eileen to Bridget: "I'm making potatoes again! I think Mom's trying to teach us about the potato famine".

Well, we are Irish you know. LOL

Soccer

I guess you can say that I do not qualify as a soccer mom. An Irish dance mom, for sure, but not a soccer mom. We did get our feet wet with soccer ten years ago, when Moira was in first grade. We had a lovely coach, great kids and a convenient playing field just beyond our own backyard. We routinely went to the practices and games each week. Moira bounced around the field, smiling, occasionally waving to us when she saw we had the camera in hand. She loved the treats that were faithfully passed out at the end of each game. I think she actually kicked the ball once or twice that season. However, when the season came to an end we decided it just wasn't Moira's thing. How did we know? Well, when I asked her if she'd like to continue on and play again the next year her response was, "Well, Mom, it was fun, but I just don't think I can play for the same team again because the socks don't match the uniform." A classic Moira comment. We then found her thing, Irish dancing, and the next three girls followed in her footsteps. It has actually been so nice to have only one or two locations for the lessons for all four girls. Thankfully, with Irish dance, there has not been a lot of running around.

Then comes Aidan. He is not interested in Irish dancing. We decided it was time to try out an outside interest and soccer seemed to be the easy and best choice. So, every Saturday moring this fall, off he goes to soccer. So far he is enjoying it very much. The coach is great, when he shows up. And the dads who fill in when the coach does not show up are awesome too!

Here's Aidan, sporting some Brett Favre Viking purple :)

Little Charmer!

We have this little table inside our foyer that holds many family pictures. Erin has learned to climb up there to grab our framed pictures (she loves looking at pictures!). Yesterday I was sitting on the couch reading to one of the little kids when I heard a crash. She had climbed up and pulled down a picture of Mike and I on our wedding day. It was in a glass frame that, thankfully, did not break. I started towards her, telling her how naughty that was to climb up there. Just as I approached her, she held up the picture, pointed to her mother, and said "Mama". She then, very quickly gave it a big smooch, emphasising the mmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaahhhhh sound!!! This all followed by a cheesy grin, of course. This child has such charm!

Look What Happens....

...when you are a little guy with six older sisters! It builds character, I say :).

We Have Winners!!!

The grandmas, wouldn't you know, along with Bridget correctly guessed the use of the mystery white item in the post below. Grandma M and Bridget guessed in person while Grandma D's guess in the comment section was exactly right. The white item is the cloth used to repair the hole in Erin's heart. It is made of waterproof Gortex...the same material that is used to make many winter jackets or rain gear! During the surgery, the surgeon cut a piece the size of the hole in Erin's heart, stitched it in for the repair and then gave us the little left-over "souvenir". It is a reminder to us of Erin's successful heart repair and of the God-given talent of the surgeon who held her heart in his hands two years ago today. Thank you God!

Happy Heart Day Erin! Your heart sure is sweet!

Mystery Photo! (Updated)

We have a little contest for you today...Who can guess what the little white item is in the photo? My kids may not guess cause they already know. But for those who have no idea, start guessing! You can tell the size by noting Erin's little toes in the corner of the photo. The only clue, for now, is this: Mike carries this item around in his wallet. So, don't be shy (use the anonymous option for posting if you don't have a blogger account) and leave a guess in the comments!!

**9/18/09 Update with more hints**

Great guess, Monica! But that is not what this is. I will give some more hints:

Hint #1 -Mike carries this in his wallet, not because it is useful to him, but because it has sentimental value

Hint # 2 - It is a flexible type of cloth. It has no writing on it.

Hint #3 - Our item is a "left-over piece". The cloth can come in different shapes and sizes. It is the USE of this cloth that makes it significant for our family (and some other families we know). In fact, if someone found this item on the floor, without knowing what it was, he/she would probably just throw it in the trash LOL.

Hint # 4 - I will reveal what this item is, and why it is meaningful to us, tomorrow - 9/19/09 (or sooner if somebody guesses correctly). Yes, that is a hint.

**9/19/09 Update**

Ohhh, good guess, Anonymous! But that is not it.

One last BIG hint, just because I think this is fun...

Hint #5 - While all the members of our family are thankful for this little white cloth, one member of the Party of Ten, in particular, has been holding this item, very dearly in her heart, for exactly two years now :)

Seamus Michael - 3 Months

On Tuesday, Seamus was three months old! He's a little bundle of joy. He has recently discovered cooing (and loves to "sing" to us) as well as his own hands. It is always so much fun watching babies discover their hands. He is a great sleeper (at night anyways) and a very easy-going baby, which I think should be a requirement for number eight LOL. Here are some recent snapshots...

What's Black, White and Holy...With a Little Purple on Top??

....Why it's Father Eric holding Molly Grace on his shoulders! What else?!

Our Kindergartener

Our enthusiastic kindergantener is asking to do more school long after the rest of us are all tired out.  She is learning all of her letters and numbers, listening to, retelling and illustrating Bible stories, memorizing Robert Louis Stevenson's poem, Rain, and learning some new songs and famous works of art.  She loves all of it.


Here is a sample of her Bible book

Here she is hard at work

Sometimes the most exciting happenings of our school day are those that are not planned.  This morning I found the kids gathered around the front bush...

......looking at this....

(yes, it is eating a little bug)

Teresa and Aidan are also enjoying most of their school work, but especially their drawings.  Here are today's samples...

(Aidan)

(Teresa)

School is in Session!

Well, that was a quick summer!  We find ourselves right back to the daily grind  excitement that we have experienced the past nine years of homeschooling!  Yes, hard to imagine, but this is year ten.  All jokes aside, there is always something to be excited about when you begin a new school year.  Some highlights: Moira, 11th grade, will be studying Spanish and chemistry for the first time.  Her first week already brings her three chemistry experiments.  With several siblings looking over her shoulder, that will absolutely add some excitement to our days (almost as much as her three dissections in 10th grade).  Eileen has entered high school and continues with algebra, Latin, English grammar, faith and morality, earth science and American history...a very FULL year for her!  Bridget is in seventh grade and continues her basic studies, adding in the study of Greece and Rome for history.  Teresa, a fourth grader, will do an in depth study of birds this year, in addition to her regular subjects.  Aidan, second grader, is every excited about his science and reading program because it brings him prizes when he moves up a level he is progressing so well. And last but not least, we have a brand new kindergartener - Molly Grace!  She started the school year with bells and whistles and has already told me several times how much she loves school.  I will be sure to add a picture soon, showing off all of her coloring, cutting, math and art work!

Although Erin is just two, there is no reason in her mind why she cannot participate in all this new school stuff that looks like soooo much fun. New crayons, pencils, books, music, notebooks.....it is almost too much for her to take in. So we try our best to include her. She has her own little desk and is learning to not eat the crayons color. I did happen to snap some picture of her yesterday as she went about her school day.

She reads books...

She plays with her toys

She takes the time to smell the markers...

Leaving a lovely blue mustache...

Time for nap, cheesy girl!