Mother's Day 2016

What a wonderful Mother's Day I had on Sunday with my crew!!  We began our day with Mass - our  girls sang (Melody song-led) and our older boys served.  Below is our first attempt at our My Sunday Best picture for this week.  Poor Ariel has terrible allergies and the slightest bit of sunlight makes her eyes watery and squinty.  Notice the big smiles on my two with transition lenses in their sunglasses - lol!  They can see perfectly, aren't bothered one bit by the sun and I'm sure aren't even squinting, but it makes for goofy outdoor pictures since it looks as if they have their shades on.

Then we got to drop Fone off for his last Alladin play and we watched it as a family.  My parents and one of my sisters and her crew came to watch it too.  Fone did a fantastic job and we are so proud of him and all the hard work he put into it.  (not to mention - a pat on the back to mommy and daddy dearest too who drove him to practices over the bridge 3-5 days a week!)

While Fone and the rest of the cast of Alladin went on "strike" (theater term for tearing down the set and picking things up), we went to a nearby park and let the kiddos play.  Then we all went out to eat as a family to celebrate.  Here's a second pic for My Sunday Best.  Notice, Fone is stripped to shorts and a t-shirt, because this is what he wore under his costume.  The rest of us were still in church clothes, so it still counts, eh?  Lil Yoda is getting so much fun to take pictures with!  He now says "cheese" and gives the cutest cheesiest smile!!

**linking up with My Sunday Best with Rosie and friends!! 

Click on the image below to join in on the fun!**

Why I am not a very good blogger...

Because my schedule revolves around these 7 little birds who are the light of my life and keep me busy-as-ever, and even when I am not busy-as-ever, I may just want some downtime with them and my wonderful hubby!!  I've tried the blogging schedules and blogging weekly on certain days, but always seem to get caught up in what-matters-most and this place seems to get neglected first. So, I admit it and place *all* the blame on these gorgeous kiddos, whom I am mothering and loving and snuggling and feeding and cleaning up after and running them around and teaching and on and on and on...  

...happily and gladly and super blessed!!!  :)

My 7 little birds and I on Mother's Day - 2014

Mother's Day 2013

What a blessed mother I am!  God has given me seven wonderful children and allowed me to be completely spoiled by them today.  We celebrated Mass this morning, had a nice relaxing day today (I even snuck in a nap while snugging little Olivia!!!) and then we ran around this evening to visit my mother-in-law, sisters, and my own mom.  Yesterday morning, my three girls and I visited my Grandma in the nursing home and celebrated with a Mother's Day brunch.  And, last Sunday, my sisters and all our of families gathered to celebrate my mom's birthday.  Here are some pictures from all these gatherings/celebrations....

Neil, his mom, his brother and the 16 grandchildren

Grandma and my girls

My Grandma, Mom and girls

My mom, sisters, and I

What a wonderful, blessed mother, wife, sister, daughter, sister-in-law, and daughter-in-law I am.  Thank you, God!!  Lord, please continue to bless these amazing, wonderful people in my life!!! 

Mother's Day handprint craft

I love Pinterest!!  It has given me so many ideas the last few months.  I stole this super cute idea and decided to make it into a Mother's Day present for my mom and mother-in-law.  It can be done in a few easy steps....

1)  trace and cut out handprints of all the kids/cousins (in different colors)
2) find and print out pictures of each of those kiddos (we just printed them quickly using our colored printer)
3)  cut out a large circular piece of poster board and arrange and glue the handprints around the outside, for the petals
4)  glue the pictures in the center in a collage format
5)  use green construction paper to cut out a stem and leaves and glue to the flower
6)  you can even write on the stem or back of the card - "Happy Mother's Day - 2012" or make it a birthday gift and write "Happy Birthday!!" 

I made up 3 of these lovely flowers:  one of my mom, one for my mother-in-law, and one for my grandma. 


Here's how ours turned out....

Super easy.  Super cute.  Super special!! 

Mother's Day 2012

A few weeks ago, we celebrated Mother's Day!!  The Saturday before Mother's Day, we enjoyed lunch with Neil's mom (and family) and then in the evening, we celebrated with my own mother (and family).  How blessed we are to have our mothers so close to us.  They are always willing to help us - clean, feed us a meal when hungry, watch kiddos, projects around the house, a phone call away when we need tips on cooking, parenting, gardening/landscaping, etc...  I really don't know what we'd do without them.  Love you, Mom, and love you, Jean!!!

On the morning of Mother's Day, we scooted out of the house and drove to a lovely state park, recommended to us by a friend (who also has lots of littles).  We had a blast!!!  Not only were there awesome trails and places to splash in the water, but there was also a wonderful museum dedicated to the park.  We all had a wonderful time and on our drive home, we decided last minute to eat out (which we hardly ever do).  It was the perfect ending to the perfect day!  Thank you God for my wonderful children, whom I am blessed to mother! 

Here are some pictures of our wonderful trip....

sweet little piggies

Ariel

Melody

Max

Pookey

Mario

Fone