Archive for » December, 2009 «

Scion Woes

29 Dec 2009 by Adam

If your first-generation Scion xB won’t start, and if:

  • it has fuel
  • the battery is good
  • the fuses are okay
  • the code reader from AutoZone does not report any errors (seriously.)
  • it has no spark…

…then chances are you have a failed crankshaft position sensor.

Then after having your car fixed and a few weeks later you find it once again won’t start… your battery is probably dead.

And furthermore, car batteries do succumb to the natural law of warranties by failing 2 months post expiration.

Category: Automotive Care  2 Comments

Christmas Carols

26 Dec 2009 by Sharon

This was part of Therese’s studied dictation. She memorized A Christmas Carol by G.K. Chesterton.

And the girls were having a little fun with their kazoos last weekend.

Category: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Merry Christmas

25 Dec 2009 by Sharon

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We hope you enjoy a blessed Christmas season!

We had a nice quiet day…We woke up to the children’s excitement to see all the gifts under the tree. We went to Mass. Then we came home had lunch, open gifts throughout the afternoon and put their toys together. Fulton’s firetruck and pirate ship seem to be a big hit today.

Zvezdana invited us to go Christmas Caroling at a nearby nursing home. It was wonderful. I could tell so many of the residents needed some Christmas cheer. God bless them and all who are alone this day.

Here is one of Therese’s school projects for Latin:

Category: Family  6 Comments

An End to Advent

24 Dec 2009 by Sharon

Advent was a whirlwind of busy-ness this year. It almost seems like a blurr. It passed as quickly as the last three months have passes since we were blessed with Cecilia.

Yes, in the midst of all the busy days, Cecilia has been growing and smiling at everyone she meets! She brings us so much joy! Two days ago she grabbed my hand for the first time. And she has come to enjoy making her toys rattle in her bouncy chair.

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We didn’t make it to Main Street Bethlehem this year because of the colder weather. But on the third Joyful Sunday we did make it to San Antonio to visit my sister. Since her accident at the SA Zoo and her surgery she hasn’t been able to keep up her home as she would like. So we took a family trip down to help her out. It gave me great joy to help my sister who never asks for help and the children loved putting up her tree.

I don’t think we’ve ever been to as many parties as we had this Advent. Two birthday parties, 1 engagement party, 1 going-away party, 3 Advent parties, 1 holiday party, and 2 open houses!

Besides Teresa’s party at Pump-it-up and Lindsey’s going away party in Walburg, the kids had the third best time at the Austin Area Birthing Center’s open house last weekend. It was really an awesome family event and I told Adam that I can’t wait to have another baby just so we can have it there! They had a train ride, balloons, face painting, live music–and one of the midwives who used to be an opera singer in Germany also sang– and a ton of food. Here were some of the highlights.

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The blond next to Muffin is the owner of AABC.

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The kids really liked the arm paintings…

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And ’tis the season for creative food…I made a Christmas tree pizza last night since Lindsey was joining us for dinner before she leaves for her big adventure in Germany!

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Category: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Claymation Christmas

23 Dec 2009 by Adam

A childhood favorite of mine. Thanks, YouTube.

Category: Fun  2 Comments

Sometimes my kids drive me crazy

17 Dec 2009 by Sharon

Like when we’re at an Advent party and one kid throws himself on the floor and has an episode. And another kid starts pouting when the world doesn’t revolve around her.

And sometimes my kids can be really sweet. The writer’s punishment was to write how Mary would behave. She went upstairs and came down with this:

Mary Doss not do

1. Mary Doss not sin

2. Mary Doss not pout

3. Mary Doss not say no

4. Mary Doss not hit

5. Mary Doss not Pinch

And then I asked this child, “but what does Mary do?” So she went upstairs and came down with:

Mary Doss Do

Mary Obays

Mary ses yes to God

Mary loves

Mary prays for us

Mary saves us (*we had to talk about this one afterward–that Jesus saves us*)

Mary watches over us

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So then she asks to do something fun. I needed to rebag some of the homeless bags Lindsey left with us to give out.  So I asked Therese to take care of it. I also asked her to make some candy cane notes. So she wrote out all the notes and then the letter on the bag…

I love my kids…

Category: Family  3 Comments

Muffin’s babies

15 Dec 2009 by Sharon

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Category: Family  One Comment

Happy Birthday Fulton!

12 Dec 2009 by Sharon

Yesterday our little guy turned 4 years old. It’s hard for me to believe –even as I hold Cecilia and look at our little Muffin–that 4 years have already passed.It seems like just yesterday that I was holding him at the hospital and that he was having speech problems then ear surgery; and now we have to remind him that he really doesn’t have to shout when we’re sitting right next to him. (Yeah, I can’t wait to see how he does on his hearing test at his 4 yr well check!) Recently, he has enjoyed picking on his sisters. But at the same time has a tender and sensitive heart when he’s being left out–which happens when he’s the only boy. He’s loves to play with his cars and still loves Lightning McQueen. He has more energy than I know what to do with most of the time. And after Mass during the recessional, he ALWAYS asks, “Was I good at Mass?” And sometimes, like today, he asks to EVERYONE in the chapel can hear him! But I love the little guy even when he’s driving me crazy. And I can’t help but laugh sometimes when I retell all his antics to Adam at the end of the day. Our lives would be so boring without him!

As is our family tradition, yesterday we trekked to 7 a.m. Mass which was said for him. Fr.Tim also said the 6:30 a.m. Mass at St. Boniface for him too. Back to back blessings! Then we all went out to breakfast because our kids are all about breakfast food! A homeschooling group was putting on a play at the Cathedral in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe so we took the kids to see that in the afternoon. Then we had some friends over for a tiny party–the hit of which was going wild with a few roles of toilet paper! We let him stay up a little later than the girls to have some time with just him doing whatever he wanted. And when we asked him what the best part of the day was–he said of course the toilet paper!

We love you, Fulton!

Category: Family  3 Comments

Candy Cane Thieves

09 Dec 2009 by Sharon

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As requested, here is that picture of the candy cane thieves! Adam says they required baths after their little escapade. (By the way, this is the 3rd time Fulton has been involved in candy theft. So Adam carefully placed his own stocking on a hook hanging from the ceiling in our bedroom. I think it’s safe there!)

In the holiday spirit, Cecilia is sporting her double chin!

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Devotional Stories for Little Folks

08 Dec 2009 by Sharon

My friend, Teresa, introduced us to a fabulous set of books published by Catholic Heritage Curriculum called Devotional Stories for Little Folks and Devotional Stories for Little Folks Too.

We really love the books. I’ve been reading to Therese (and the others when they’ll listen) these collection of stories of the Peterson family and how they live and learn about the Catholic faith in their daily lives. Each story (only 5-7 pages longs) ends with some scripture and questions for discussion.  Often after a reading, I dictate or Therese will copy the scripture quote from the book. And this has become one of her favorite school works.

What I love about this family is that their kids do and ask the same things our kids do and ask. For example, the last story was about Greg (4) who went down into the kitchen and ate all the left over chocolate cake–unfortunately cutting his hands with a very big knife (which he used because it was a really big cake).  How timely since, Fulton and Gianna helped themselves to a box of 25 mini candy canes on Sunday morning while Therese and I were at 7:30 a.m. Mass (collecting signatures for a petition)  and Adam was still fast asleep. Adam walked into Fulton’s quiet room to find the two with a pair of scissors, 20 empty wrappers, and faces smeared with red candy cane coloring!

Mrs. Peterson is my hero and role model. She is perhaps the most patient woman on the planet–something I aspire to! And she always says the right thing to her kids–another thing I aspire to. AND the kids get it–because it’s perfect book land! It’s probably the best parenting book I’ve read and it’s not a parenting book.

The last thing I find pretty cool is that this family has a blend of biological and adopted children. The first book has the Petersons adopting a little girl. The second book opens with the Peterson fostering a baby who later is adopted by another family. So if you’re looking for a nice book for a God child or niece/nephew. You might consider this book.

Category: Faith  4 Comments
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