7 Quicker Picker Uppers (don't know why I called it that)

Joining Jen because that's whats I does.

1)

On Saturday morning, Maggie came down to our bedroom saying there was a black thing on her ear.  I immediately knew what it was going to be, but she was on Phil's side of the bed and he looked at her ear exclaiming "What in the world...?"  It was a tick, and the size of the one on the LEFT:

(And yes, I'm kicking myself for not taking an actual photo.  Bad blogger.)

2)

Needless to say, Maggie is very scared of ticks now and at random times during the day will tell me "I just keep thinking about that tick" as tears well up in her eyes.  I feel really bad that we didn't see it for 6 days but it was hidden up in the fold of her ear and it couldn't be seen until it got to the size of a raisin.  

Her brothers, remembering stories of when Phil had Lyme Disease and subsequently Bell's Palsy, keep telling Maggie that one side of her face is going to freeze up and so every once in a while she does these cute little nose wiggles and facial stretches while saying "I can still move my whole face!"  She will be tested for Lyme Disease in 4 weeks.

3)

Enough about ticks.  Cari can probably feel her skin crawling.  

Let's talk about weight, which can get my skin crawling.  

  

So I weigh in on Friday mornings at Weight Watchers, and after three weeks of the program and hardcore exercise, I've only lost 4.5 pounds.  I think I lost that in one week on other diets.  My head knows that a slow and steady approach is better, but my mummy tummy wants fast results.  I do love the balanced eating habits WW requires and all the apps make it fun to track.  I just wish they would let us weigh in naked because clothes weigh a lot!  Can you imagine all the naked ladies walking around WW...I think more men would sign up ;)

4)

Another picture of our niece Lenora, just so you (and by you, I mean me) can get your (my) baby fix:

Also, the lovely Caitlin has shared her good news too, and I'm so happy for them!

5)

I nearly had a mini meltdown last night when I read Grace's post that Dora isn't on Netflix anymore.  What the what?  The only reason we got Netflix last month was so Xander could watch his favorite TV show (and so we could watch Arrested Development starting on Sunday!).  Get it together, Netflix!

Swiper must be working for Netflix now.

6)

I loved Rosie's funny breastfeeding post this week, go read it if you haven't already!  She's a nursing rockstar.  Seriously, when we met at the Air & Space Museum, she was walking around nursing the twins like a champ.  Between her and Jamie Jo, I'm seriously delinquent in the milk making business.

7)  

I'm really hoping this rainy weather stops by Sunday afternoon so we can enjoy Storyland.  We'll enjoy it even if it's overcast and drizzly, but not if it's stormy out.  St. Swithin, pray for us!

Have an awesome long Memorial Day weekend everybody!  See ya on the flip side!

Bodies to the Fifth Degree

Playing with Cari for Theme Thursday: Bodies 

(Cari, I think you need a Theme Thursday picture logo we can put on these posts...just an idea.)

I had envisioned getting a picture of my kids wrestling with their bodies all piled up, which is the usual state we find them in when we ask them to "go play quietly", but I never got around to taking it.

So how about we marvel at God's design and ponder how two bodies:

Can help create 5 completely new and unique bodies?

And then those bodies are infused with a soul for the rest of eternity.  

It's wicked awesome.

Five Favorites: The Road Trip Edition

So we're going on a short trip to New Hampshire this weekend (with The Donaldsons!), which means I need to pack up 6.5 people's stuff to make sure we have everything we need.  I would say that I need to pack for 7 people, but Phil is pretty good about getting his own stuff packed with the occasional "Should I bring this shirt or this one?" and "Why are you bringing so many pairs of shoes?"  We've solved that last one by giving me my own suitcase.  

Anyway, these are my five favorite things that I make sure we have when we leave the house:

1)

Junk Food

Because nothing says "It's time to PAAAAAARTY!" like some chips and cookies, amiright?  I pretend like I'm packing healthy snacks (fruit, peanut butter, bread, granola bars) but I stash the goodies in the bottom of the bag for Phil and I to snack on while the kids are sleeping.  This is getting harder since having a girl because my Maggie can smell chocolate from a mile away.  I find as long as I unwrap the chocolate really quietly, pop it in my mouth while hunched over so nobody sees what I'm doing, keep my mouth shut the whole time I'm chewing and don't breathe until it's long gone, then I'm golden.

2)

Dramamine

Oh my goodness, do you know that carsickness runs on the maternal side of the family?  No?  Neither did I until I found that every.single.one of my kids inherited my carsickness.  So, we give Dramamine to the most repeat offenders and bring plenty of ziploc bags in case something, errr, comes up.  Bonus side effect of this wonder drug: sometimes the kids even sleep!

3)

Audio books

In conjunction with number 2 above, having a car full of motion-sickness-prone-kids means that said kids can not read books or watch movies in the car (#firstworldproblems) so we get books on CD from the library (this is what we'll be listening to this weekend) and play them until the baby starts crying which is when we switch over to Veggie Tales music, his current fave.

4)

A Portable Potty Seat

When your kids gotta go, they gotta go!  Pulling over on the side of the road has happened one too many times for my liking, and with the boys, it's a relatively easy solution (just point away from the car) but girls are a little trickier to relieve.  That's where this comes in really handy.  

Just look at how much fun he's having!

5)

Quiet Games

Have your kids play the Quiet Game or the Statue Game or the Sleeping Game until they figure out that these games are only fun for the adults with headaches.  Side note: my Dad used to always wish for one of those privacy screens in limos that he could just push a button and the divider would come up and he and my mom would be in their own little world.  After five kids, I totally understand.  In fact, I'm thinking they should come standard on passenger vans.  

When all else fails, buy them a thick shake or hand them a huge lollipop to keep their little mouths busy for as long as possible and repeat the parenting mantra "We're almost there!"

The Day Before Today

Also known as yesterday.

1) 

We have a new niece!  

Whew, that was hard work.

Phil's sister Kelly gave birth to Lenora Pearl yesterday, and she weighed in at a whopping 9 pounds even! 

Can someone turn down the lights in this joint?

 We can't wait to meet her!!

2)

Last night we took a family walk after dinner and went to the library.  Our kids were so excited to pick out books and stop to play at the playground on the way home.  Seriously, we need to make this a weekly thing. Why haven't I taken advantage of the library more?  I think I was scared of the possible lost books and fines.

3)

Last night was the first time we turned on the AC's in the kids' rooms.  We don't have central air (it's still a rarity around here with all the old houses) so Phil hates putting the window units in, but...but...we had to wake up Maggie and Alexander this morning!  As opposed to every other morning when they wake the rest of us up before 6 am. I'm thinking it's AC all night, every night.  Or maybe just long walks after dinner.

4)

When I was headed to bed last night, I realized I hadn't seen the cat in a while.  I asked Phil if he knew where she was and he went searching.  He came back to bed saying he couldn't find her.  My (Tiger) Mother's heart knew she wasn't ok.  Then I remembered that when Phil had taken the AC units out of the crawl spaces upstairs, the doors had been left open for a bit.  And there's nothing Evie like more than small spaces to squeeze into.  So he went up to the boys' bedroom, moved sleeping Eamon's bed away from the crawl space door, opened it, and out came Evie with a yawn like she was having the best cat nap of her life. 

5)

Yesterday we watched the season finale of SNL we had recorded and were so sad to learn that Bill Hader, Seth Myers, Fred Armisen and now Jason Sudeikis are all leaving the show.  

I could barely keep watching after Kristen Wiig left, but now?  I don't think I can go on (with SNL, not with life in general).

6)

But then I remembered that Arrested Development is coming back on Sunday!  So...

He Said, She Said

These aren't super funny but it's one of those days where I wonder why I even have a blog.  So instead of posting nothing, I'll give you the following....

Me: Maggie, what happened to your lollipop?

Maggie: (Bursting into tears) I don't know what happened!  I was sucking on it in my mouth and then it got in the cat's tail!  Then the cat ran away and Dad had to chase her and wash her tail to get the lollipop unstucked and now he says I can't eat it anymore.  But I wanna eat it!!

Eamon: Xander, what do you love more, Dora or that muffin?

Xander: Dora!!!

Eamon: Mom, can I eat his muffin? He doesn't want it.

A kind soul gifted us a Shell gas card...

Me: Where is a Shell station around here?

Phil: I think that Bob's Sunoco is a Shell.

Me: I'm pretty sure it's a Sunoco.

I was on the floor stretching (picture me basically face down on the floor) after the rosary and I told the kids it was time to march to bed.  So Xander lays face down, imitating me, on the floor and says march, march, march!  Maybe you had to be there, but it made us all laugh hysterically and then Eamon says:

"He is so funny!  Without him, we would have nothing!"

John-Paul: (looking at the bruise on my arm) Mom, it's a heart!

Maggie: Did Dad give that to you for your anniversary?

7 for 11

Joining up with Jen and all the rest for 7 Quick Takes Friday, and I'm really excited because today is our 11th Wedding Anniversary!

11 years has taken it's toll...

I love love, and I love my husband so much!  Let me count the ways...

First came love, then came marriage, then came 5 babies in a baby carriage.

1)

Swoon.

Mega Millions is giving away an almost 200 million dollar jackpot today.  200 million dollars!  I told Phil that we should buy a ticket since it's our anniversary and therefore we will obviously win.  He just looked at me how he does when I get all crazy on him, and said "I won the lottery the day I married you."  He barely ever says romantic things like that, and is never fakey fakey with his words, so when words like that spill out of his mouth, I just want to kiss him!  So I do.

2)

Just another day in paradise.

Phil is the head of theology at our Catholic high school, and he loves his faith so much.  We have Mass offered at our school 3 mornings a week, and due to the timing, the person who drops off the kids at their school can make it to Mass but the person who drops off the baby to the nanny does not make it in time.  Guess who always lets me drop off the kids at school and attend daily Mass?  Guess who also always makes sure I receive Jesus first in the Eucharist?  Guess who is always the parent who says "Time for family Rosary!" in our house?  Guess who always makes sure I get to Confession regularly and if I'm acting particularly moody, suggests that we need to go soon?  Yup, that would be Phil.  

3)

Changing the world, one diaper at a time.

On Mother's Day, I saw Phil changing Alexander's stinky diaper and I said "I love Mother's Day, when I don't have to change any poopy diapers" and he replied "And that makes it different from every other day because...?"  He is so right!  I practically never change a diaper anymore.  When I used to stay at home, Phil would always take over diaper duty once he got home from work.  Now that I work and the baby is with the nanny, Phil never gave up his role, and I hardly ever change diapers anymore.  I am so spoiled!  

My heart is full.

4)

Play time!

Whenever we go to a playground, I try to sit as much as possible and let the kids play.  Of course, I'm usually following around Alexander the daredevil or pushing him in the swing so he's contained for half a minute, but not Phil.  

The heavens shone on Saint Philip.

Nope, he runs around and plays tag and makes up obstacle courses and plays Daddy-the-Monster and Don't-Touch-the-Lava and whatever other games the kids and him make up.  He is such a fun Dad, never lazy, never selfish.  

5)

There may or may not be some derriere pinching in this photo...

He's got my back for anything.  If I want to try some stupid diet, or train for a half-marathon, or move furniture around (again), he is right there, not only cheering me on, but doing it alongside me.  

Because nothing says I love you like his and hers matching sneakers.

6) 

Doing service at Gifts to Give.

Last week as we pulled into the grocery store, we saw a man who was begging on the street corner  There's almost always someone there asking for money because it's a pretty busy intersection in the city.  Anyway, on our way out of the grocery store, without me really even realizing it, Phil took cash out of his wallet and handed it to the man.  It's not a big deal, but he does things like this all.the.time.  He's jumped more battery-dead-cars than I can count, he went out in the blizzard to help a car that ran out of gas, he buys Gatorade and water to hand out to the homeless on hot summer days, he makes sure we are tithing every week at church, and he just plain old loves helping people.  

Spooning.

7)

I love you so deep, the ocean would be jealous.

Today on the anniversary of 11 years of marriage, I can honestly say that I am more in love now than ever.  I remember my mother telling me that as much as I loved Phil on our wedding day, it would only increase.  I thought she was crazy because I was so in love that my heart was about to burst, but turns out she was so right.  Love is really an amazing gift that can just keep on giving and growing.  I am so lucky to have found my best friend, married my soul mate, and become a parent with the most wonderful person I ever met.  I don't know how I got so lucky, but I'm thankful for you everyday.