Visiting the Grotto

Building a Haybale Garden

Grandpa Jim built us a hay bale garden!!  He taught Quinn and Reagan all about it!!  Yeah for fresh produce this fall!!!

Daddy Daughter Camping Trip

Sand.  Water.  Fire.  Full moon being chased by Mars.  And Daddy's little girl.  Priceless.

Feast Day Fun: PENTECOST!

We had a bonfire for Pentecost this year, despite the chilly weather (it's a fire, right?  It will keep us warm!)  Mim and Pops Aho joined us for miniature cheeses with flames on their heads, shish-ka-bobs, and a flame-themed dessert.  We read from the book of Acts, said an ancient prayer, and pondered the gift of the Holy Spirit.   This officially marks the start of Ordinary Time, which... after the hubbub and preparation of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Eastertide.... seems rather "ordinary". But it's all good! Rather appropriate that we're starting the time of the liturgical year dedicated to the work of the Church, when Rob and I are about to embark on a pilgrimage!  Stay tuned for all of THAT....

Squires Spiritual Retreat

The boys participated in a spiritual retreat this evening, planned for and led by a 14 year old fellow squire (and Father Ben). 

Spring Band Concert

The fact that these kids are eleven to twelve years old,  have been playing their instruments for less than 8 months, and yet sound this good, impresses the heck out of me.  Talented teacher, talented group of kids!  So excited to watch them!  In the first video below, Colby is on the tympani (far left side).  Quinn is in the back row playing the trumpet, so he's a bit harder to see. But you can definitely hear them both!! Good job, Houghton Middle School 6th graders!!

The Potholes in our road were fixed....

.... by grating and then pouring "new" gravel over it.  Which means that I have not had one, not two, but THREE flat tires over the past month.  Because whenever they put gravel on our road, they grab it from old mine sites, and there's all KINDS of sharp things that puncture tires in there.  For example... this last flat tire, we found THIS inside:

And it made my tire look like THIS:

Notice also the sheared-off screw embedded in that tire as well.  So not just one sharp object, but two.  Thank goodness for AAA roadside assistance, that has rescued me two of three times, so I wouldn't have to change a tire in the rain.  The guy at the tire shop said that spike was the largest thing he'd ever found inside a tire.  I told him that, unfortunately, it wasn't the largest thing I've ever HAD in a tire.  This happens every.stinking.year.  I think the county and the tire shops are in cahoots.  I need to complain LOUDLY about someone not taking a magnet to their gravel before putting it on our road!!  Oh, how I disdain living on a dirt road. 

Mother's Day

Mother's Day, Reagan honored our Blessed Mother by crowning her with a wreath of flowers during church.  The ladder was pretty high, and she was a little nervous about that (so was her mother), but it was all good :).  After church, we met with Rob's family and had mother's day brunch!!  Reagan showered me with gifts she had made at school!  Rob gave me a gift for our upcoming trip to Italy.  Two young men looked sheepish as they one-armed hugged their Mom and mumbled "Happy Mother's Day" under their breath.  I USED to be a rock star to them.  I really did... back when they were little and cute, and loved to snuggle on my lap.  But they're growing up, and now I'm mostly the lady that nags them constantly about homework, and their messy bedroom, and tells them to cut their hair.  (sigh).  I knew this day would come.  It's the natural order of things.  I had better enjoy the love from Reagan while it's still there, because these days are fleeting!!!

Flowers!

Reagan made herself a daffodil throne today.  Because we're currently swimming in daffodils, and I love love love love it.  They're everywhere!

Feast Day Fun - Feast of the Ascension!

I love Eastertide.  And while we didn't "do it up" quite as much as we have in the past, we DID recognize that this was the day that Jesus ascended in to heaven, and left the Apostles waiting for the next big thing.  It was a beautiful day, so we ate our themed meal outdoors (chicken,  because birds fly, pop because it has bubbles that float up, and fruit because Christ was the first fruits of the risen). Reagan decorated the table with spring flowers, and birds - all very appropriate!

Academic Awards Assembly

Awfully proud of this young man, who made the honor roll all three quarters this year... his first year of middle school.  It's been a tough transition all the way around for all of us, but Quinn buckled down and pulled it off.  Good job, Quinn!!