Texas

Who would guess that Texas could be fun in the summer? But I suppose when you are with your family anything is fun, even in 101 degree heat. There is a breeze, the swimming is fun and Schlitterbahn:Super Water park was great.

Yesterday was the best though:

Jack and I tutored his cousins on using Context clues and Text Documentation: UGH. But because it was Jack and I 'teaching' it, they cooperated and Jack is a tough teacher! 

Jack: 'lots' isn't a word

Thomas: yes it is

Jack: no it isn't and that isn't even a complete sentence.

Guess what? Thomas fixed everything! Instead of a two word answer, Jack got 4 sentences out of him. Intro, 2 supporting details, and a conclusion.

Then we made some homemade pizza for lunch.

Thomas with his pizza!

and had some SSR time after lunch.

This is not a pose, they were really reading :)

Kate 'tutored' Rachel upstairs at a small school desk and that went well too.

On tap for today. More of the same but we are also going to visit the Alamo and take a boat ride on the RiverWalk.

I wish we lived closer and I could be a real aunt to these great kids....I feel so sad.

Eagle Project: Planting Day

Does the generosity of others ever overwhlem you? Generousity of time....

Jack's planting for his Eagle Project was yesterday. 

My brother and his wife came for a few days to assist with the project. 

Two of his teachers from 6th grade came!!

Families from our church

Families from other churches.

All such good friends.

Michele is as excited for Jack as I am...like he was her own son.

How blessed can you be???

These are a few photos Michele took of Jack before the planting began.

Here are some pictures of the prayer garden.

I will like to sit on the bench someday (not added yet)

and pray and reflect on this wonderful, heartwarming, life afirming day.

June 2011....BUSY!!

Where to begin. It has been a very busy June. Jack's Eagle Scout Project is underway! Kate went to her leadership camp this past week and enjoyed the experience.http://www.lead-america.org/ 

I visited with my cousins while she was there and had a good time catching up with them.

There was an emergency back on LI and my siblings pitched in to help out. This week I am headed out there to visit and help out.

Here are some of my highlights from my trip to DC. I visited the 

National Gallery of Art National Gallery of Art: The Dale Collection

Lunch: Mozzarella caprese at the Italian Garden Cafe

 

Capitol Building  http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/

Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/index.html

and the Newseum  NEWSEUM

and hit a Dive from Diner's Drive Ins and Dives http://lacaraquena.com/

It was fun to visit all these places with my cousins and one day by myself. However, I found that taking pictures without Jack and Kate in them....just feels weird. What's a view of the Capitol in the background without those two in the foreground?  Everything I did, I thought of them and how much they would like something. Whether it was the interactive parts of the newseum or the Civil War display in the Library of Congress. The 'spy' chamber in Capitol Building, where you can hear someone talking on the other side of the room because of the acoustics with the dome, was incredible but not as cool if Jack and Kate got to experience it. The dive didn't seem as exciting without sharing a fried plantain appetizer with Kate and Jack. Don't get me wrong, I did have fun but I found myseld pulling a page out of Libby's book and wore my sunglasses so you couldn't see the tears. Granted the 9/11 display made everyone cry as did the Pulitzer Prize photos in the Newseum.

The art in the the National Gallery is Incredible!! You have to visit it if you have not. The Dale collection is captivating that I saw it on Wed with my cousin and visited it again by myself on Friday after my mozzarella salad.   :)

The permanent exhibits were moving too. So much of the art depicts stories from the bible. So as I looked at dozens of Madonna and child paintings, sculptures,  etc...I saw all the mysteries of the rosary and thought of my mom and my beautiful cousin Jeannie.  They both say the rosary and inspire me to do so too. I texted her from the gallery and tagged her in the sculptures of the Annunciation (as you can't take pictures of the paintings)

The only thing that cost anything, as all the museums are free, was the Newseum. I would go again and pay for the kids to see it. It was that good! Interactive, fun, informative, moving, ...everything you want in a museum visit.

Enjoy the pictures.

Angel Gabriel

Eagle Project

To say Jack has grown this year is obvious to anyone that sees him. He is 6ft 1/2 inch as he proudly told me this morning after his physical for Golf and Track.

It's the growth in his spirit and leadership that really overwhelms me at times. This Eagle project is so much work and he is so motivated to do it. Making phone calls to total strangers, speaking to adults he doesn't know and some that he does. WOW. He is an amazing young man. It gives me such joy to see him working on this. 

Physically it has only been a week but officially the project started in April when he first talked to our Church Council. Technically it began in grade 1 when he first joined scouts. There have been some rough patches over the years and I am sure he may have questioned belonging (never to me) but I can tell he is proud of himself as he does these things, earning merit badges (20 right now) and camping and dealing with adults that didn't always believe in him. 

Yes... my son. I am so full of joy for you and what you are accomplishing.

Here are some beginning pics of the project: 

A Prayer Garden around the Miner's Monument at St. Gregory's church

 Miner's monument, getting ready to dig for the platform for the bench

 

Next step, till the ground and plant some perennials.

More pictures!

We didn't get to Long Island for Easter. However, we enjoyed a nice Easter Brunch, just the three of us at Seven Springs.

More Spring Photos

Here are some pictures from Kate's Spring Concert.

The best singer and "Introducer" of music.

♪♪♫"Just Singing"  ♬♬

Kate is in the back row, 4th from the left.

♫ Beyond the Sea ♬

♡

  ♬  You've got a Friend in ME!!  ♫


♫♫  HALLELUIA  ♬♬

Spring Semester 2011

I have not updated my blog in a while. Work continues to overwhelm me, as does keeping up with the kid's activities.

Kate played basketball this season. Here are some pictures:

 

That's Kate #24 with the huge wingspan.

She has chosen not to play next year. I have mixed feelings about this. I love watching her play any sport but grades are most important and she wants to try track.

She also participated in the play and my mom, sister and brother-in-law came out for it.

They did Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Here are some pictures from that weekend.

Annie and Kate

Libby Grandma and Kate

Jack and two of his friends who were in the play.

Jake, Jack, David

More photos to come