Happy Thanksgiving 2010

We had a full house at Mom and Dad's this year...all four siblings, 2 son-in laws, all 5 grandchildren, Great Grandma and a visiting photographer too! :) Steve got the prize for coming from the farthest this year, since his recent move from Houston to NYC. It was hard to say goodbye to him when it was time for him to go! And the time we spent with our Floridian family was as always, so precious.

We had a wonderful time together partaking in our usual holiday traditions, family tennis, playing Balderdash, cooking healthful meals, an Advent family prayer night, music sessions.....and a new annual tradition......the stomach bug! Ugh! Let's hope that one doesn't repeat next year!

Here are just a few photos taken on Thanksgiving day. You may notice that I've been rather dodgy about appearing in front of the camera these days. I don't like people seeing me grumpy (which I've been quite a bit this final month of pregnancy). :)

More of our photo shoot will soon follow. I am so very thankful for our incredible families, extended and immediate. We missed those of you who we did not see this year. I'm off to sleep now, one week left to grow this baby before he's out! :)









The Great Zuchini performs a magic show before his first live audience.













Lesley and Julie dig in.











Papa accompanies Owen.











Owen opens his First Holy Communion gift from me, his godmother.











Sarah accompanies Bronius.





Dominic and Mary, the prolific artists of the family. It's a rarity to get a posed smile out of my five year old these days!





I also had to include a few pictures of Dominic's thanksgiving performance at school this year. I had to miss it since I was recovering from the infamous stomach bug which I brought to my whole family. We got it on video though! :)

Sibling Tour at St. Joseph's hospital

Our big brothers did a great job!

World fest 2010

Final Hot Shots class of the Fall

Oh how we'll miss it! Looking forward to the spring session!











The A-team










Coach Rachel really rocks!








Most kids take water breaks, mine takes a reading break.

Brotherly moments and family updates

We're in the final stretch over here...4 more weeks till somebody new joins our clan! We feel pretty ready, whatever that means....but with the Thanksgiving holiday taking a week out of our preparations, we technically only have 3 weeks to tie up our pending house projects. When you move at a snail's pace, this isn't a lot of time. ;) Eh. I have my burp cloths and diapers and car seat. The rest should be cake, right? :)


I feel pretty good...not without my aches and pains of course, but all I prayed for was to be able to keep up with my boys and house, and so far, so good. :) Work is going well for Bronius and it looks like he will be able to take much of December "off" (even though Bronius is never really "off"). I am SO BLESSED to have such a helpful, sweet, dutiful husband, and with a flexible schedule to boot. Thank you, Jesus! I've been fortunate enough to write for About Town the last few months and I really hope this continues into the New Year. I want to keep sharpening my skills and contributing to the family income (even if it's minimal at this point!) Milo is enjoying Hot Shots, music class and his playgroup - and when Milo isn't his sunny, lovable, cuddly self, Mommy and Daddy are trying (or more accurately, being TRIED) to have patience with the sudden storminess of the twos. Wow. It's a purification process for sure. Dominic is enjoying school (although I suspect it is plum tuckering him OUT. My energetic boy comes home very mellow and for all who know Dominic, mellow isn't really one of his modes). Conformity is still an issue as I suspect it will always be, but we're keeping an eye on things. We want to make sure he's happy and well-adjusted, that's all. I'm proud of our son and we always want him to think for himself. Outside of school, he's showing interest in T-ball, and we're hoping violin lessons will appeal to him as well :)

So these days it's all about stopping and smelling the roses. We spend a lot of family time together, usually outdoors since it has been so beautiful. And we make an appoint of not being any busier than we have to be. Just praying now for a safe delivery, good health for my family and for God's graces to help us through the family adjustment, especially for the 2 big brothers. Definitely all I want for Christmas :)

Trick or Treaters