When does school start?

Today was our official first day of summer! It rained a monsoon... ALL day long! Originally, we had grand plans of lounging in our leisure, eating bonbons and watching television talk shows- oh yes, there are the children to think of... :) No, instead we immediately got into the hustle and bustle that comes with selling one's home. In the twenty days since we've been on the market, we've had ten showings. You do the math... I've never professed to be a clean freak, but I sure am now. I am NOT complaining though (too much). If this keeps up, there must be one person that will want to buy, right?

At any rate, after a few hours of picking up messes, we were off to see the doctor. Mairin was to go with her father to the grocery, while Maggie would accompany Molly and me to the doc. As Mairin does, she decided that she instead wanted to go to the doctor. In fact, her words were, "Why does Maggie get to go when I have something so hurtful???" Um... what? "My stomach, my head, my lips are dry..." I guess she couldn't think of anything more, and I had to walk away to hide the huge smile that spread across my face! Needless to say, she went with Dad, ailments and all!

Our trip to the doctor was nothing to note. The good news is that Molly does not have another ear infection. The bad news is that her bad mood may just be a part of her almost-two-year-old temperament! UGH! Did I mention it was raining? How about that it was cold? Was it ever... 53* to be exact... That made it a fun jaunt through the parking lot for Maggie (IN FLIP FLOPS- seriously, who dresses that kid?)... We decided to meet Daddy and Mairin for lunch. Then off to get haircuts.

I must tell you that Molly's first haircut was a complete disaster! By disaster I mean screaming, crying, flailing baby being held by her mother while a lovely woman tries her best NOT to stab anything, but still to trim said baby's hair... This says it best...









Today was much better! She was happily watching Elmo, while I sat on pins and needles waiting for the ball to drop. Maggie got her hair layered, too. Pretty cute, but a bit of a "big girl do" for my taste. I guess that has to happen...

We finally came home and all Hell broke loose! I guess they had forgotten how much they hate being indoors because they were absolutely crazy! We put Molly down and Maggie started in on how bored she was, then we heard an eruption in the garage, which was Mairin falling while trying to hit her father (karma) onto the garage floor... We walk over her and unload the groceries... and so it goes. One catastrophe after another... At four thirty we got in the car for the showing and sighed a big sigh of relief. Elmo back on, markers and Polly Pockets kept our kids occupied for the hour, strapped in and relatively in harmony...

So, how many more days until school starts??? :)

Maggie's big day

I'm pretty late on this post, but our sweet Maggie Grace had her first communion early in May. She was absolutely stunning, and we enjoyed the day immensely. Here's a rundown...
We got up early, as usual, and Mags and I went to get her super-fine hair (thanks to my genes) done. I am not the kind of mom who normally would fall to such pressure, as the other moms are getting their girls up-dos done at the salon, or having their french manicures the day before, but my dear friend, Becky, used to do hair for a living, and Maggie's hair is hard to work with (see genetic trait above). SO, we went to Becky's with much time to spare before pictures. However, because the barrette was large, we had to do some serious hair work to get it to stay in... We got a bit silly while there- plaintiff's exhibit A

We got to the church in time for Maggie's real portraits. She looked lovely. Here are some shots from the church.









We then went to grab some lunch before heading back to church. It had been a hectic, but fun morning, so of course I needed to ruin it somehow... I slammed Maggie's little hand in the car door in the parking lot. Good heavens, that was a scream! She was a trooper, though. We got home and got some ice. Then turned right around and went back to church for the big event. She was really nervous. I' m pretty sure that Maggie was the ONLY child to NOT use her hands to receive the host. She was so afraid of dropping it that she just stuck out her tongue and took it in her mouth. She was so nervous, she made us nervous! Bless her heart, she did fine, though. Mind you, two nights prior we had her rehearsal. She came home, got a migraine, and threw up. Who says kids can't feel stress?

Anyway, we made it through without a hitch. She was awesome, and we were (are) so proud of her.
Our little girl is getting older every day. Sometimes I look at her and wonder where all this time has gone. Wasn't it yesterday that we took her to church and held her in our laps? Now she's an active part of the service. I can only hope that this day was the beginning of a wonderful relationship with the Lord and that her faith carries her through life. We could not be more proud of her. She's an amazing little girl, with a lifetime ahead of her. I hope she knows how much we love her, and how much the Lord loves her. He's as proud as we are, that's for sure.

Bring your parent to kindergarten

Mairin had the distinct pleasure of schooling her father and me a few weeks ago. We participated in Hinkle's "Bring Your Parents to Kindergarten" day. It's amazing to see your child in his/her element. Not only was I surprised, but proud. Mairin Reilly is one smart little girl. Her wit is quick (I take full credit) and her heart is big (me). She knows no stranger and all the kids seem to gravitate to her (that's Pat). It was very eye-opening!

Here's our day:
I arrived earlier than Pat, and the kids were in the story pit with their wonderful teacher, Mrs. McKamie. Mairin was listening with rapt attention, eyes fixed on the story. After a brief set of instructions, the kids were sent to find their "people". Mairin spied me quickly and came to take my hand. She led me to her seat which was clearly made for a Liliputian, not a full-grown woman! I squatted into the chair and watched my daughter show me her literacy stations. When Daddy came we moved onto the computer station, craft, science and math. She was so focused, so poised. Not my crazy ball of energy that dances to the beat of her own drum... but then we went to recess... At one point every kid in Mairin's class was chasing Pat because Mairin yelled, "Let's GET HIM!!!" She's a leader, my kid! :)


Luckily, she composed herself when we came in and we finished up our stations. It was a fun day. Mairin is such a treasure. I hope every year in school is as fun and as rewarding as this year has been for her.

Four times blessed

Everyday I wake up. I get dressed, wake my hubby and feed the dog, then it's off to wake my sleeping beauties. It's NOT everyday that they get up willingly, smile at me, and thank me for being their mom... Of course, it's not everyday I get up willingly, smile and thank God for the day (even though I know that I should). It's also not everyday that I stop and thank God for the wonderful blessings that are my daughters.

We are pretty lucky parents. We have three happy, healthy, sassy little girls that are by all relevant terms, "typical". They aren't perfect, but they are pretty darn close... My main concerns are whether or not they do the right thing each day, and treat others kindly. Not all parents are given such a luxury. Like my friend, Diane. She gets up everyday and promptly dispenses a handful of pills to her daughter, Tori. Tori is a spry little girl with a smile that will light up the room. Diane has to go through her day with the worry that Tori may catch a bug, have an asthma attack, or worse yet, forget to take her enzymes and get sick.

Tori has cystic fibrosis. Follow the link to learn more. Tori knows no other life. This is the life she's lived since she was two. Diane does, though. She has three other healthy children. Tori's health is always questionable. So, while I go to bed worrying how Maggie will do on her spelling test tomorrow, if Mairin will turn in her book report, or if Molly will take a nap, Diane goes to bed wondering if Tori will wake up well, if her CF will flair up, or one of her other ailments that accompany this disease. Diane has to go to bed wondering if a cure will be developed, so that Tori can have an adult life. I'm pretty blessed... but then again, having the chance to know Tori, to see first-hand her determination and strength, well- that is a blessing that cannot be overlooked.

Help us get one step closer to a cure. Make a donation by clicking the button on this page. Help Diane, and many other mothers just like her, get a good night's sleep. Thanks!

Cardinals and Bulldogs

Well, I did it! I finally finished my final two assignments and have completed all of my course work for my Master's Degree! I'm elated! I formally graduate on May 9th, although I will not be walking. Then I can say that I'm both a bulldog and a cardinal- a Butler grad and a Ball State grad! Just wanted to share my good news. I want to shout it from the rooftops, but this will do! :)

Hidden Talent

It isn't everyday that you conquer a task that you've been longing to master. Today was that day. No, not for me- for Mairin. I will need to preface a bit for you...

Molly Kate loves television. Yes, I am THAT mom. I indulge my children with a dose of television on a regular basis. Anyway, Molly Kate has a thing for this very strange show called Yo Gabba Gabba. Within the context of the show they do a short segment on hidden talents. Tonight's talent showcased a bizarre man playing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" with his hands only. Mairin, after seeing this crude display of "talent", says, "That is weird."

Now- onto the good part...

Mairin walks into the kitchen, clearly knowing what she wants (as is usually the case with her). She rummages through the utensils until she unearths IT. She shines it a bit, and puts it to her nose. CLANG, it falls to the floor. Again and again, to no avail. Must be the spoon... Three spoons later, still no action. I suggest that we Google "How to stick a spoon to your nose", as I do for every question I cannot answer myself. We did, and of course we found a fine expository piece on this topic accompanied with photos. We followed each step meticulously. Did it work? Well, you can be the judge of that...

Spring Break is a misnomer...

Spring break has come and gone, as it seems to quickly do each year. This year we stayed home to get the house prepped for the big selling... We worked our tails off! Pat painted the bathrooms, the cabinets, changed the hardware, and I decluttered. Having three little kids provides a great deal of clutter. Clutter that I didn't know we had. Clutter that spills from the nooks and crannies of a house. Now we have a house that is cleaner than it's ever been, and I'm wound as tight as ever! We put a sign in the yard on the Friday before Easter, assuming we had time to "finish-up" the things we've still got to finish-up... Guess what! We had TWO showings today (the Thursday after we put that sign in)! Ummm, wait! We're not finished-up!

No worries, though. This house shows really well and I got home in plenty of time to clean. Seeing as we had no flyers or marketing devices at all, I made a quick one at school. Maggie asked, as I was hurrying her to the car, "Why is everyone so stressed-out?" She followed that up with, "Mom, your new name is the Clean Queen." Those who know me can stop laughing now... :)

Sounds like the first family really likes our house. There are always nit-picky things that people say (don't like the half fence, driveway's cracked) that make me want to rebuttle. Selling your house is a touchy thing. They clearly don't know that the half fence keeps the baby in the yard. They didn't get to see Maggie ride her bike around the court for the first time, or Mairin in the Barbie Jeep chasing the neighbor's kids. They've certainly not felt the fear of noticing that Casey's not in the yard anymore, followed quickly by the relief as she comes bounding from across the street. I'm quite sure they couldn't sense the hope and love I felt when I brought our three babies through the door of their "new" home for the first time. Certainly they've not enjoyed the night-lights of the annual Cornhole Classic! There are a lifetime of memories stored here. We just need a bigger house now, one that will hold all of the upcoming memories that life has in store...