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March Daybook Post - 2018

I have had so little time to sit down and blog, but I really do want to keep our memories in a place that allows the kids to go back and reminisce about all the events that have taken place in their lives.  So hold on!  This post is chuck full!


Outside my window ~

Dark clouds and the long, low rumbling of thunder in the distance...  I love spring mornings that promise rainfall.

I am thankful for ~

Birthdays!

We remembered Miss Clementine's Baptism birthday.  Since she is always admiring my Rosary purse at Mass, we gave her one of her very own.  She loved it!



I celebrated my 49th birthday on March 4.  I really felt the love from my family and friends this year.  I wrote out so many thank you notes out that I ended up cracking open the Christmas-themed thank you cards.



Miss Ester celebrated #17!



She had asked for a turntable and the Eagle's Greatest Hits.  (I think we are raising her right ;)   A friend (who happens to also teach her piano lessons) bought her a ticket to the Dallas Symphony to listen to a French pianist.  She LOVED the experience!



From the school room ~

* After a really difficult adjustment period of seven weeks, Stan the man has finally leveled out.  David helps him with all of his school work in the evenings.  I had to completely step away since I had no intention of juggling home school AND government school.  They have found their rhythm, and we look forward to Stan continuing to bloom where he is now planted.

* Sarah arrived home for spring break earlier in March.  She announced that she won amazing scholarship to study abroad in May of 2019.  With the English/History department, she will be studying abroad in the following Baltic states:  Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, as well as Poland and Germany.

* Miss Mabel enjoyed having her nursing-student sister help her with some Biology labs!  Sarah helped Mable test for her blood type.


* What a surreal experience to visit tulip fields in Texas!  This Dutch, family-owned business is on its fourth year in North Texas.  I arranged for our home school group to take a field trip.  Talk about breathtaking views of flowers!!  (And boy oh boy!  The phone camera doesn't do it justice.)





From the kitchen ~

Miss Mabel baked delicious cupcakes for St. Patrick's day!



What I've been reading ~

We added this cute book to our bin of Irish books.



I recently read these and highly recommend them to you!




I have a goal to read 2 books a month and am on track!

Around the house ~

* Just a little bit of Irish arts & craft this year::



* While on spring break, Sarah and I went to hear a Holocaust survivor talk.  She had written a research paper on the subject, so we thought this was a good way to wrap it up.


* David and Stan the man went on a surf fishing trip over spring break.  They put SO much time and effort into preparing and studying up.  As you can see, all the hard work paid off!


I am praying for ~

a fruitful Holy Week!

Coming down the pike this week ~

Thursday - I drive down to pick Sarah up at school.

Friday - Good Friday

Saturday - Holy Saturday and Ester and I have concert tickets for a performance in Fort Worth.

Sunday - Easter Sunday!  


A last photo to share ~

After months of consideration, Miss Ester re-homed her sweet mare, Penny.  


Penny is in good hands.  She was taken to a petty zoo and is making friends with all the other animals.  Ester is doing pretty good.  She had plenty of time to come to this decision and now she waves money for her first car ;)

So much in this post!  I just want to make sure I document all the life experiences since the kids enjoy looking back every now and then.  

My final thoughts and prayers are that you and your families have a fruitful Holy Week!  

~  Patty  ~


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Visiting Grammy

It's been one year since my mom had lung surgery to remove cancer.  After a couple of bumps in the road, she is doing better.  What a trooper!

The winter blues can be rough on folks, especially those who are home bound, so I thought since she can't fly down to the Texas sun, we'd fly up to visit her!


The crazy, cheap tickets on Southwest couldn't be passed up.  I flew Miss Ester, Mabel, and Clementine up, (Sally flew up at Christmas time, and Stan will have to go another time since he's in public school).

Miss Clementine was SO incredibly excited to see real snow (they had received a foot of snow the week prior, and it was snowing when we landed - which made me a bit nervous).


I rented a car at Midway, and then we were off to Grammy's house.  It felt amazing to be in her cozy sitting room chatting with her :)

We went to Mass in the morning at the church I grew up in and saw the grade school I attended AND taught at :)  I even ran into a former student of mine at Mass.  (I'm feeling old!)  


(Standing on her first snow pile!  Woot!)

I'm glad I kept the big girls' boots from when they were little.  I made sure to pack them in the suitcase for the trip - glad I did!

Then it was off to Grammy's backyard for snow angels and snazzy snowmen.  Grammy thought they were the coolest looking snowmen around :)


My brother has beautiful land down by the river valley with lots and lots of "snow toys".  He invited us over and the kids had a BLAST!

Miss Clementine went sledding for the first time!

They went snowmobiling, "What's a snowmobile?".

They went four wheeling in the snow, sledding, and even snowboarding.  Oh my gosh!  So much fun!


Five of my siblings live in the same area as my mom.  With all of my siblings married and with families themselves, my kids were able to visit with all of those aunties and uncles and cousins :)  Lots and LOTS of visiting, laughing, and catching up.  (Too many pics to put up here!)

One of David's sisters lives about an hour from my mom.  She is Miss Clementine's godmother.

Aunt Sara was sweet enough to come up for lunch on one day and brought her grand babies, (David's niece's kiddos) with her.

(Clementine with her godmother and her cousins kids - sometimes, when you come from a big family, you are the same age as your cousin's kids ;)


Miss Mabel even had a chance to bake with Grammy in the kitchen.  Grammy taught her how to make cream puffs.  So yummy!




We stayed three nights.  It was a short trip, but it was one of the best trips we ever had.  Just "snow much fun"!

I love my mom so much and was so full of joy to have had this time with her!


God is good, all the time!

~ Patty ~

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