Best Deal in Town!!

Need to get away? Money tight, though? Then look no further than the Springhill Hotel on Cactus Oak. For only 88 cents you get a private room with all the amenities, including breakfast!!! The staff is very courteous, rooms are clean and spacious and ambiance is like no other.

There is one small catch - you'll have to get up early to cook your own breakfast as well as that of the staff.

Yesterday Craig asked the kids to clean their rooms "hotel clean." They took it one step further and created a hotel. They made signs, had personal sized toiletries in their bathroom (thanks to a travelling dad who brings back the goods) and even made a desk area for laptops. They actually expected me to sleep in their room, too!

This morning I was woken up by an urgent staff member (Sophia) because I needed to hurry and make breakfast. What?! I thought I was the guest? So I went downstairs and made Shrek eggs (fried eggs) for Kolbe, scrambled eggs for Catherine, Veronica and Isabelle, and omelets for Craig and I. Along with toast, bacon, coffee, orange juice and chocolate milk, I'd say this breakfast was stupendous. Sophia proceeded to deliver breakfast trays to sleeping children (and dad) upstairs.

I later found out Kolbe only had to pay 24 cents for his deal. Craig didn't pay at all. And now I'm looking at a sink full of dishes!

Kids have started their school work and our day has gotten off to a good start. Thank you Springhill Hotel!

Update

I feel like a traitor to my own blog. I've found that facebook is much easier and quicker to update. Mostly because I can do it on my Blackberry instead of sitting in front of my computer.

But I do miss it here! My kids have been asking why they don't see their pictures anymore. And so, while it is already February, I resolve to update at least once a week. Its the best I can do right now. I'm pretty busy homeschooling 7th, 5th, 3rd, 2nd, and preK along with entertaining a 2 yo and holding/nursing a 6 mos old. See why Facebook is easier?!

News Update:
My entire family was sick with the flu for almost 2 weeks. We are just now recovered. Kolbe's eardrum even burst. Poor darling.

Veronica and Catherine are addicted to Dora the Explorer. To the point that they don't want to watch all our wonderful CCC or Veggietale videos. Only Dora. But, hey, they've picked up some Spanish!

Kolbe has been playing CYO basketball. I always thought he was an aggresive boy BUT now I see that he's not. He's just more aggressive than my girls. He's quite a gentle and sweet boy (who just likes to tease and annoy girls). At practice and games he's super excited, runs around, BUT does very little to steal the ball. And when he does get the ball, he hands it off as quickly as possible. That's ok, Craig and I and the grandparents are having a great time watching him play.

The biggest change in our lives. Wii!!

The kids (this includes Craig) received a Wii for Christmas. In addition to games, its has become a source of news and weather for me. Also, we got Netflix through the Wii and WOW! It's wonderful!

Lest you think we're watching tv or playing games all day, the kids only watch movies on the weekends. The Wii is played every other day for about 30-45 mins. Other than that the tv stays off (well, ok, in the evenings Craig and I like to be couch potatoes. Actually, we love to be couch potatoes. Its the only time of day I get to sit and relax).

Is that a good update? Anybody even still reading me? Anyone care to give me any ideas on what to write?

Shrove Tuesday Donuts

For years the kids and I have the tradition of eating free pancakes here, but they didn't pick Fat Tuesday this year!! Also, Sophia is still home bound. So, in place of our normal pancakes I decided to make donuts. I think I'm going to start making my own for now on. For a little over $1 I can make 10 donuts and 10 donut holes.

I used canned bread dough and just fried them. My kids REALLY, REALLY like chocolate covered donuts so I improvised and used a chocolate banana kit. YUM! There are now some frozen chocolate banana pops in the freezer, too.

Are you ready for Lent? I'm making our Lenten calendar (similar to this one) today. We already have the one I made years ago, thanks to Charlotte. But I thought it might be nice to have two.

Today we'll be deciding upon our sacrifices. Have a Happy Day!

Happy New Years 2010

This year I'm really going to do a better job of blogging my family's memories. In 2009 I only posted 69 times. We'll see if we can't top that this year!

Today I loved my family by braving the zoo despite some nausea. We saw over 43 animals (Isabelle kept a list). We had close encounters with lions, tigers, and jaguars. The latter had a stare down with my Sophia!

We made it to mass on time which was a biggie considering we were exhaustified. ;-)

Today I kept resolutions #1, 4 & 5 (smiling, 1 load of laundry [it's something], special act of love [zoo]). I didn't grade any school work and we didn't actually eat dinner so there wasn't a set time for prayer. Actually, its 10pm and the kids are still awake! YIKES! We never let them stay up so late but their break is almost over, much of it was spent sick and Craig is leaving Monday. We have lots of catching up. We're about to watch G-Force.

Gotta go up and say prayers with kiddos before movie starts (since most will probably fall asleep).

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Merry Christmas

Boy, have I neglected my poor little blog!!

This month we've been battling stomach viruses, coughs, stuffy noses, vommitting, and laundry chaos! This leaves little time for blogging!

Christmas Eve was celebrated with my dad's traditional Puerto Rican dinner. Two days later my mom-in-law made her authentic Gumbo.

In looking back over the year I've noticed that its definitely been a transition year with Baby Veronica. I often feel I'm barely keeping my head above the laundry, dishes, and school work.

At the beginning of December we (Belle, Craig, and I) made an important decision to discontinue club swimming. The commitment was M-F and Sat mornings. She was missing out on family time and it was just too demanding (in my not so humble opinion) and taking the place of valuable family time. I also didn't like some of the "locker room talk" like 6th graders having boyfriends, etc. Craig and I weren't ready for uninformed and perhaps even amoral adolescents to teach our dd about the facts of life.

She really hated the stress of doing school just to have to eat dinner early and go swim. Only to arrive home in time to sleep.

So we stopped the madness. But I'll admit I feel a little bit about taking her out of a sport she was good at. She has no regrets so I'm following her lead and keep reminding myself she's still a little girl, too young for so much stress.

I'm hoping to emerge from all the chaos of sick kids and laundry backlog. Even on healthy days I struggle to keep up. I've contemplated throwing it all out and jsu starting over! LOL!

Also, besides the kids' coughing and stuffy noses, I've been battling nausea. You know, the kind that lasts 12-14 weeks and is contracted from loving husbands!!!

In August, please God, another baby will grace this house and add laundry of its own!!!! The kids are happy and Kolbe has fervently started praying for a brother.

God is good!! My holiness will be found in the laundry and little babies! ;-)

And so, that's why I've been missing from my little blog.

(I knew when we bought the 12 passenger van that seats would quickly start filling!!!)

Laundry Update

Well, I did 3 loads yesterday and today. But, I didn't get yesterday's laundry folded until late last night and put away this morning. Today I folded and had kids put away clothing before deadline!! Woohoo!! I kinda cheated for my 3rd load. I washed both Kolbe's and Catherine's tennis shoes and just threw them in the dryer. That was an easy load!!


Does anyone else have trouble with keeping track of socks or getting your kids to wear them? My 6 yo and 4 yo don't wear socks consistently. And their shoes often reach an unbearable smell. This is the 3rd time I've had to wash them. I just bought another pack of socks today. TMI???


Today I bought some plastic drawers, electric pencil sharpener, MORE pencils, printer ink and paper!! We can stop sharing the one pencil and get our homeschooling back to normal ... at least until a certain 4 yo sticks a crayon in the sharpener and the pencil monster steals all our pencils. Then we will be back to normal! ;-)

Have a great Wednesday! Our pizza just arrived! (I mean, if I'm going to be doing so much laundry I can't possible be expected to cook, can I??)

Wordless Wednesday

*How my house looks like on a good day of homeschooling (good day defined as everyone getting ALL their school work done). Just trying to "keep it real!" ;-)

Today was a good day!!

Last Minute Weekend Changes .... maybe??

UPDATE: We won't be able to go afterall. Craig's plane won't be arriving until late tomorrow morning. Its not like we didn't have plans. Saturday the girls have group piano class and Isabelle has youth night at church. And all the kids (minus Catherine and Veronica) sing at mass on Sunday. It was just nice dreaming of cancelling it all and running away to the middle of no where. But, seems like God needs us to stay put. ;-)

So, instead I think I'll pull out some sewing projects I have up my sleeve. I'm still working on Christmas projects, too.

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I thought I knew what our plans were for this weekend BUT I just found out that THIS weekend is the family retreat I've been waiting ALL YEAR to attend. Somehow, I missed the memo and now I'm trying to squeeze our little family *snort* in.

It had me thinking that this time last year I was trying to convince Craig to let us attend even though I was 1-2 weeks away from my due date. And the year before we had attended and I experienced my very first camping trip.

My, how time flies. And now here we are with Veronica, my toddling almost 1 yo.

Yes, she is toddling! She is now taking 3-5 steps. She should be running soon.

Anyways, pray that we can squeeze into a spot. I am dying to go spend time with other Catholic families to pray, worship, learn, and enjoy nature (and see friends, too).

H/T Michelle (who called me today and clued me in about the retreat)

'Fess up Friday

Kolbe had his first, informal confession today. Father was very loving and forgiving. Mom and dad aren't too happy about the penance. Resident church pigeon is grateful Kolbe's aim was off and is glad to still be alive. Kolbe is helping pay for restitution by returning a brand new Godzilla movie he's been dying for. He's crushed and promises never to throw rocks at birds again.

On a somewhat related note, I feel like I heard the general confessions of several older men in our parish. This morning after mass a few old guys recounted all the windows they broke as a child. They felt so sorry for Kolbe. And still seemed sorrowful about their actions.

They are now daily mass goers. So there's still hope for my son.

*sigh*

Now to email these pictures to my insurance. I've already forwarded these shots to the parish office.

LIVED in Home

As I was over at Guilt-Free Homeschooling, I had a chance to read this. It was exactly what I was needing. I know I can get caught up in wanting the "magazine lay-out" home. With five kids under eight, that is not a reality for more than 2 mins! No sooner have I cleaned up a room that I turn to find purses, dress up clothes, dolls and Tonka trucks strewn all over!

On the days when my home is ship-shape my kids are miserable! "Don't touch the table I just polished it! Don't pull out all the books I just organized them! Don't EAT I just cleaned/mopped/vacuumed, etc!" You get the picture. I had a friend once tell me that with lots of kids the goal should be to have a clean house, i.e., toilets, sinks, kitchen counters, floors, etc. Clutter, however, will happen. I've been trying to embrace this concept but never knew what to call my new ideal. Now I know: "LIVED in Home."

Yesterday I TOTALLY cleaned my refrigerator! Freezer, bins, shelves .... EVERYTHING! Boy did it feel good. And the kids can't mess it up (unless they try to help themselves to the open pitcher of Red Kool-Aid!) Okay, so maybe they can mess that up too. But at least having a clean frig is good for them and enhances their quality of life (and food) which the perfectly organized book shelf does not.

I'm glad I found this post. I'll probably be referring to it often. Thanks Carolyn!