the liebster award

lookie there!
i was nominated for an award.  i about fell out of my chair.  jeannine reads what i ramble on about and i don't even know her!  i haven't even had time to read much of her blog, but i can tell she's going to be fun to get to know.  you should go check out jeannine's blog!
  
unfortunately i don't think i can accept the award because i don't have 9 people to nominate.  but i am still going to sort-of participate because it looks like a fun challenge and some of jeannine's questions were that good.

first, the 11 things about me:

1.  i've got big feet.  my 12 year old and i could wear the same shoes. also my feet stay cold all winter long. guess they are just too big for my body to keep warm.
2.  in high school, i ate donuts every morning for breakfast.  if i eat donuts now, i get a stomach ache.  it is just way too much sugar.
3.  i don't really like it when my husband helps around the house.  his way is very different from my way.  i may have a problem.
4.  i really didn't enjoy high school or college. i've enjoyed married life so much more. there is a huge correlation between that and my relationship with God.
5.  i wish my family ate only organic real foods - nothing processed.  the only thing standing in the way is me.  and money for the organic.  honestly, it is so hard when you need to eat out or travel or go to a party.  see, more excuses.  i do have guilt over the lack of vegetables and processed foods in our diet. 
6.  i have had all 5 of my babies naturally.  i am that scared of needles going into my back.  luckily all my labors have been very quick.
7.  i'm a convert.  husband was the catholic.
8.  my husband said i am a nut.  he's not helping me finish this and i am out of ideas.
9.  i really would like to have a not-white passenger van.  ahh, the room.  i can't believe i am to a point where i am so accepting of this.  and no, i would not be embarrassed.  my van could run your suv/mini-van off the road!
10.  our names (the husband, the boys and me) all begin with a B or a C. 
11.  bo christian was supposed to be named benedict owen and we were going to call him bo.  but when he was born he just did not look like a benedict owen.  we voted with the boys at the hospital and that is how he got his name.  he is the only one with a B and C name.

jeannine's questions for me:

1. Your favorite lines of scripture?  this changes all the time!  i dwell on one for a while and try to wrap my tiny brain around it and then move onto another one.  this lent it has been isaiah 53:5:  "but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed".  i have a hard time believing that Jesus loves me so much that He went through so much pain for all my sins...humbling...
2. Do you speak any languages other than English? If so, what?  not really.  i did take spanish in jr.high and i do remember some words.  the area we live in has lots of spanish speakers.  i love to listen to them and see if i can tell what they are talking about which may or may not be considered eavesdropping.  now, i can follow along in a spanish mass.
3. Favorite vacation?  easy - the beach.  hot sun, white sand, blue water.  with my man and nowhere to go and nothing to do.  but i just might go without the husband too!
4. Favorite item in your cosmetic bag?  this is my favorite question - only because i am the last person you should ask about cosmetics!  a picture of all my treasured items that can be found at your local grocery:

 

my favorite item is the tweezers.  i do not like stray black hairs!



5. At what age were you married?  i married the husband when i was 23.  it was the same day i graduated from college.  it was also the day i started calling him husband.

6. What flowers were in your bridal bouquet?  i didn't really care at the time and i don't even remember, but they were white
7. What type of Baptismal clothing did your child(ren) wear?  all 5 of my boys have worn a beautiful gown that was made by my mother-in-law.  all the grandchildren on that side of the family have worn it.  sadly, i do not have a single picture of it on my camera.
8. What is your alma mater?  don't care and can't remember...but husband can sing the first line.
9. What is your hidden talent?  i can still do a back bend or a rainbow as connor and bronson call it.

 

10. You've won the lottery. How would you spend ten million dollars?  honestly, this would scare me.  i think money complicates things.  but, off the top of my head:  give a bunch away,  pay off our house,  go visit the little boy we sponsor in venezuela,  i would probably give in and buy a not-white passenger van.  i would hope that our lifestyle wouldn't change.
11. What are your favorite book(s) from childhood? Be honest. You don't get more points for classics than you do for Babysitter's Club!  i've always loved reading - boxcar children, little house on the prairie, anything by judy blume or beverly cleary, i can even remember reading babysitters club

thanks jeannine for the award!  so sweet of you to nominate me.

and now it's connor's turn

remember this?

 

well, if you know my connor, you know he doesn't like to be left out.

 

he went and had himself a bike wreck to get his own scratches.

 

i think he is proud of them.

life full up

i don't really know what life full up means, but that is how i feel.

it is a happy phrase to me.

 

last week caden had to tell everyone he got beat up by a piece of ice.

this week he has to say he got beat up by a little brother.

he's got a bruise on his cheek from a wrestling match.

he is looking a bit rough, but he's just living his life his own way.

his life makes me smile.

 

last night we registered bauer for his classes at the junior high!

it was a bit stressful to me since i had never done it before.

but at the same time i am excited for him.

he was cool as a cucumber about it all.

 

i've been praying for God to show me a book about raising catholic teens.

he hasn't yet.

do you know a good one i should read?

i have had lots of light bulb moments that i know are from God.

yesterday i did ask one of our priests what he thinks the secret is to raising kid that

loves God and stays in the catholic church.

without pausing he quickly said, "the child's father going to church."

apparently there is research to show this.

the research also shows it doesn't matter if the mother attends church.

whew, one less thing i have to do!  not!!!

he also said lots of other interesting things.

 

i do not know why, but every spring my boys did a huge hole in the backyard.

they've already started one this year.

 

it is much deeper now and it has a ramp so bo christian can walk down into it.

for a few days i had happy dirty boys and a beyond excited dirty baby boy.

it rained over the weekend and it is now full of water.

the boys are upset that husband will not let them suck the water out with the shop vacuum.

they are going to have to use buckets to get the water out.

i am sure that will make happy muddy boys, a beyond excited muddy baby and a not so happy mom.

anyways, the warmer weather has been really good to us.

and i am thankful for my washing machine.

 

the boys paying ring-around-the-rosie with bo christian:

 

yes, that fast and he *loves* it!