Lost and Found

As Ma Ingalls always says, "All's well that ends well". Isn't that the truth.

This evening I had one of the scariest moments in my mothering "career" thus far. I lost Gianna. Not a we're-all-home-and-I-just-don't-know-exactly-where-she-is-in-the-house type of "lost". No, the real we-couldn't-find-my-precious-baby-girl-anywhere type of lost.

We were at a neighbor's house and the kids were playing with their friends. The friends that I've prayed my children would have. They live 4 houses away, they are sweet, we love their parents, they all get along. But I digress. The kids were playing, running around like crazy, and the adults were chatting (minus Brett who was practicing at his office). Veronica was getting a little cold so I decided I would take her and Gianna home. The other kids were going to come home when their friends had to go in and eat dinner.

Long story short, we can't find Gianna. The older kids hadn't seen her. They all said they thought the others were playing with her. No Gianna. I make a circle around the house. No Gianna. Go up and down the street. No Gianna. Through the alley. No Gianna. Start panicking. No Gianna. All children and adults at the house start looking, start yelling her name, start circling around each other hoping the other has seen my precious fwee-year old. No Gianna. A little boy who I don't really know finds me and says, "The boys are looking for Gianna, but Gianna went home!". I completely blew this little boy off because a) he didn't know Gianna b) Gigi couldn't get inside our gate because she can't reach the latch so she would be standing outside the gate and clearly she wasn't doing that. Circling more (faster now), yelling more, panicking more and more. Called Brett, friends went over to our house just to check.

GIANNA!!!!

Crying and rocking in the recliner in our living room. She had been left behind by the older kids, got sick of waiting for them to play with her, got cold and took herself home. Apparently the latch on the gate was not latched all the way, and I had left the back door unlocked because I hadn't planned on staying very long. So, Gigi crossed the street by herself (thank you guardian angel) and went inside where it was nice and warm.

She is now peacefully sleeping in her room that she shares with her sister. In the bottom bunk. In our home. Soon to be in our bed because her feet will be cold like they tend to be most nights. And my heart couldn't be happier.

On the plan for tomorrow's lesson: stranger danger, keeping an eye on our siblings, crossing the street with an older sibling, learning our address and phone number, etc...

The Eyes

First Day of School

I took these on the first day of school last Monday. Not all children can say that they get to go to school in their socks. :-)

Family times

The days of endless family time are coming to a close. Who am I kidding anyway? Summer is never just "free" time around here. It is a fun change of pace, and the pressure is off a little bit, but we manage to keep plenty busy.

Last week we had our first day of school here at "Sacred Heart Homeschool", and the routine and familiarity of "doing school" was the change of pace we needed, to be sure. We had a few bumps, mainly bumps including children forgetting that whether your teacher is your mommy or another man/woman who is dedicated to educating children, one must show respect. It's also not a good idea to tell your teacher what you think you would like to do and not do, etc... While we're on the topic, it's also not a good idea to throw a big fit about being expected to "do too much" when your school day goes from 8:30am-2:00pm with plenty of breaks, outside time, and free reading time. Yeah, I'm anticipating that my pupils will "get it" a little more this week.

I truly love teaching these little minds. I learn new fun facts every day. For instance, did you know that it is possible for a pre-schooler to think of herself as unworthy of being a preschooler if she cannot get the counting bears to hold hands? "I just can't do pwee-school mommy. My bewahs keep scwunching into each other and they won't hold hands!". This same pre-schooler taught me a thing or two. For instance, fudgesicles will never be fudgesicles to me again. They are fudgestickles because they are on sticks. Makes perfect sense.

Enough ramblings for today. Naptime is almost over and then we will be enjoying this beautiful fall weather. Really, I could say summer, but it's just not true. It's beautiful and sunny, and breezy and chilly all at the same time. I'm afraid our 5 days of summer are over and fall is pushing it's way up here.

Bummer

Well, it didn't work. Too late to mess with it right now. I'll try again later.

Just playing around with a photo editor I found on our computer! Watch out blog friends...this is too much fun, and I have cute subjects.

Goofy smiles and big helpers

Veronica has started smiling whenever she sees me with the camera. Funny thing is she smiles a completely different smile from when she's normally smiling. She does a silly blinky, scrunchy nose type smile. It's still cute, naturally.

What happens when the 7-year-old boy is asked to watch the baby while I get ready for the day:

Summertime!

Don't blink, summer is here! The past few days have been beautiful. So beautiful in fact, I even took out the slip 'n slide. Gigi must have thought it was the sip 'n slide.

My baby?

Friends

The day we took Fr.Daniel back to Minneapolis we met up with some good friends who were also there. Brett went to high school with both of the husbands and we met back up with them during his 10-year class reunion. We don't get to see either of these families very often despite many efforts to get together. It was a short visit which ended with a renewed vow to get together again soon!!! It's always great getting together with families who share our faith and values, and the kids had a great time playing with other kids. As you can see, there were plenty to choose from. Three families for a total of 16 kids!!!! What a blast!

The moms and babes.

The dads.

All of the kids!

Families

The Eyeball Game and Other Stories

This past week we were blessed with our first visitor from Texas. Gianna's godfather, Fr.Daniel, came to spend a week with us. We had a wonderful time. Fr.Daniel and the kids made up a game called the "eyeball game" which is too complicated to try to describe here. We had Mass almost every day even on the day that Emma thought was our "day off". Brett and Fr.Daniel were out of the country for a few hours exploring their inner desire to be French fur traders.

We were all sad when we dropped Fr.Daniel off. We are truly blessed to know a priest who is not only our Gigi's godfather, but also a dear friend!

These pictures are not in order because for some reason I can't move then to where I want them.

The three oldest with the "Priest of Cool"

Gianna did not get too far from her goddaddy.

Fr. Daniel reading a silly Richard Scarry book.

Love these girls.

Some of us had time to stop and smell the flowers.

In front of the Cathedral of St.Paul

Goin' Camping

Several years ago a friend gave us a cd that she had made for her daughter and she made an extra copy of it for us. There is a particular tune on it that my kids will sing over and over again. This song is sung especially in the summer when they want to go "campin', feels so good. Campin', here in the woods. Campin', makes me sing, oh how I want to go campin'."

After many obstacles, including a "discussion" between Brett and I after driving for an hour to a primitive campsite that included only a fire ring and a place for the tent, we finally went camping at a campground that was "rough" enough for the men and was "comfortable" enough for us women. Looking back on it, I'm sure we would have been fine. However, at the time I had no desire to teach the girls how to take care of "business" in the woods. Ah, the differences between men and women.

We all had a great time although some of us slept more than others. "Others" were hearing all sorts of wild animals walking past the tent. I was very happy to see the sun come shining through the next morning.

Three kiddos all ready to begin the adventure!

The girls kept begging to go into the tent the second Brett got it all set up.

Part of our hike took us out into the middle of this field.

Brett and Gianna taking in the view.