"Do not yield to discouragement in the face of difficulties and do not abandon yourselves to false solutions which often seem the easiest way to overcome problems. Do not be afraid to make a commitment, to face hard work and sacrifice, to choose the paths that demand fidelity and constancy, humility and dedication. Be confident in your youth and its profound desires for happiness, truth, beauty and genuine love! Live fully this time in your life so rich and so full of enthusiasm."
"Let us look with greater hope to the future; let us encourage one another on our journey."
~ Papa Benedict XVI

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Another Giveaway!

Montessori Print Shop geography bundles....

Check out Montessori Tidbits  - One lucky reader will win a bundled set for two continents of your choice.
Commenting will close at midnight CST on Wednesday, Nov. 2. The winner will be selected by random. This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY!

Pop on over and enter!  Good luck!!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Montessori at Home Book/Montessori Print Shop Bundle Giveaway

The giveaway closes 10:01pm MST on Tuesday, October 25...that's today!!!

Living Montessori Now is hosting this great give-away.  (Each prize approximately $30 if purchased as a bundle; each prize approximately $70 if files are purchased individually! Total value of giveaway $90-$210 of fabulous Montessori materials!)

Living Montessori Now is giving away a Montessori Print Shop bundle of 21 printable materials as well as John Bowman’s newly revised e-book Montessori at Home: The Complete Guide to Doing Montessori Early Learning Activities at Home. Pop on over there before 10pm to enter!
 
I personally would love to win this as i am continually looking for ways to educate myself further on how to bring montessori home.  Yes, i have set up a few activities (i need to get you a few photos!) but really i hesitate as i'm worried about 'doing it wrong.'  Honestly, that's  how i happened upon the give away, i was reading this post and found a note about the give away. I just wanted to share the opportunity with you all as  well.  Good Luck!!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Antarctica

Check out the Antarctica tab above ... My brother made it to Antarctica!  Please keep him (and his wife back home in Ireland) in your prayers!

on the ice!

Brian and Monika

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Pictures...

For those of you who feel i have been slacking off lately (and yes, maybe i have been a a bit...) here are some pics of the kids from mid-July on....

Finger painting - a much loved 'school' activity




Baseball ...not sure that catcher is properly padded!

The 4th of July... 




 Our July birthday...how many 6 year olds do you know who get baseball trophies and Blueberry pies for their birthday???

 Jedi training....
 Just a good picture!
 Some lego building....
 Dad, trying to look taller than B!
 What we do when a hurricane sends rain and visitors our way!
Cousin Vinny and Aunt Jennifer with Bear and Cat...
 Uncle Joe helped with this one!
yes, she is IN the tower ...somewhere!

And she builds with legos too!
 The newest addition (yes, the one in the blanket!)
 Chasing rainbows...thanks Uncle Brian and Aunt Monika!

Now, these following photos were taken on one of our first rather chilly days.  The previous day i was laughing at photos of our nephews and the clothing choices their parents had made... needless to say i was humbled by the choices our own children made concerning their attire...


 Cousin Vinny                                                                Cousin Rowan
Can't get much cuter than that!

Saturday, October 1, 2011

An-dew

Hello Dear Friends!

We are busy enjoying life slowed down a bit here, due to the arrival of  a sweet little boy!  Andrew David was born Sept 9th.  His arrival in this big, beautiful world was rather fast...if you ask the nurse, labor and delivery was under 2 minutes... but your definition of labor may adjust that time a bit.  He's a cutie to be sure.  He was 7 lbs 4oz. Currently he is packing the weight on at an average of 2oz per day (i kid you not!) 

Everyone is doing well.  I 'magically' lost the gestational diabetes but have managed to acquire high blood pressure!   ugh!  That is actually what sent us in on the 9th.  It had been creeping up throughout the pregnancy and the specialist was concerned.  I had no other symptoms or problems but he really felt i needed to be induced.  Needless to say, i was not happy to be there and so not my usual friendly face throughout much of the evening. It didn't help that we had interns instead of doctors there that  all looked to be about 15 yrs old!  So glad my nurse had a good 15 or so years under her belt!  It was quite an evening.

Soooo, pre-eclamsia, world's unofficial fastest labor and delivery, second kid in a row with no one to catch them....oh my! : )

Andrew is doing well, putting faces to all the voices he had been hearing for so long.  And though they say they don't smile until ... there are a couple of us who can almost always get a real smile out of him (from as early as 1 week old)  His sleep schedule is still a little off but he is sleeping enough at night that i only fall asleep usually once sometime during the day while rocking him. ; )

Anyway, An-dew, as he is loving called by his 'big' sister (when we call him that she says "no, its An-dewww!" hahaha ...she is still working on blending some letters...) An-dew is doing well, learning all about this great big world and keeping us entertained.

Here are a few pictures to keep everyone happy...