Back from Cactus Ranch

Motekaitis/DeVoe Cousins at Cactus Ranch



Jojo's Thanksgiving Dinner face



Fiddling and Singing by the fire



Family slideshow with dessert


McKenna Children's Museum






Excursion to San Jose mission












We spent Thanksgiving this year with Bronius' family in New Braunfels at this awesome ranch house to celebrate two big milestone birthdays - one for Bronius' Mom and the other was for our nephew Mantas (who share a birthday). Family flew in from San Fran, Chicago and NYC - but no one forgot about their Texas roots. We had a regular hootenanny and enjoyed campfire songs and old family stories under the stars every night. :)

The cousins explored the outdoors and played together all four days we were there. Dominic rediscovered his love of building as a result, Erazmas and Dominic set up on the deck every day and built beautifully while adults visited or bustled around the kitchen. Milo attached himself to cousin Mantas and wanted to be with him at all times. Jonas was a little difficult to keep an eye on because he wanted to explore too, but there were so many people around that I had eyes everywhere. And Zina came to our bed like a quiet little fairy every morning. The house was GORGEOUS, with room for everyone, and we got to celebrate Thanksgiving dinner outside, just like the pilgrims and the indians. :)

Other highlights were going to the Children's Museum and the Huisache Grille not once but TWICE to eat (yuummm), visiting the San Jose mission, enjoying the Riverwalk, attending a Tibetan bell concert inside of a cave, going on a huge nature hike and finishing a wonderful weekend with celebrating Mass.

Special times, special memories. Happy Birthday to Mama Veronika and Mantas, we hope this birthday was as unforgettable for you as it is for us!!! :)

Baking with Milo

In about 2 weeks I'll be.....

ONE YEAR OLD!!!!!

Jonas Raphael, you are the sweetest child in the world, even though you still don't sleep very well at night. :)

Thankfulness

It's that time of year again! We have just participated in the Thanksgiving festivities this year at Milo's preschool and Dominic's elementary school. Even though Milo did not participate in his program at ALL this year, he sang some of the songs at home for us. :) We met Dominic today in his cafeteria and and enjoyed a tasty feast. And tomorrow we're off to New Braunfels to a ranch to join Bronius' family in a huge reunion & birthday celebration. We're looking forward to happy times.

We are so thankful this year for the things we see God is doing in our hearts and in our lives, and we are hopeful in the ways He is leading our family. I am thankful for my beautiful children Lord and my devoted husband, for my loving family and friends. For the nourishing food, warm and safe home and clean clothes we can readily provide for our children. I am thankful for our health Lord. For gainful employment for my husband and my privilege to be home with my children, as well as my own work opportunities. For these things Lord we feel we could never want for anything more, and we pray to be sensitive and mindful as a family to not be complacent with what we have but to be generous with our time, talents and treasures. Thank you Lord for our life, we are so thankful!

Proud of my B

Here's a neat video of the Austin group that Bronius collaborates with regularly as a contract employee. He enjoys his work with this team so very much and we are so thankful to be part of a work group that has such strong integrity and work ethic, but also upholds respect for family & married life! I'm proud of the hard work Bronius has accomplished these past years in learning how to manage his own business, and I am so indescribably thankful for the change in lifestyle we have experienced as a result. What we once thought was a dream out of reach has come true for our family. I pray we never lose sight of its blessings.

And thank you to Astonish Designs for being awesome!

Some of Jonas' first steps

First time we were able to catch him walking on camera! More to follow I hope!

Boys first camping trip

Last weekend, the boys took their first camping trip to Huntsville State Park! Bronius took the big boys, and I stayed home with baby. All in all, they were only gone for a little over 24 hours - but the peace and quiet was so so so good for my heart. Just being able to complete tasks without interruptions, getting to listen to my favorite music, eat when I wanted to (ahem, and what I wanted to). I had a chance to clean closets and go ornament shopping! Watched a good movie, called sisters on the phone and wrote in my journal. Oh wait....you wanted to hear about what the boys did, didn't you? ;)

They joined up with 2 special families and roasted hot dogs, canoed, hiked and spent lots of time in the woods. The Dads got to enjoy prayer, and later wine and conversation in the evening.

End result - everyone was VERY happy, I can't wait for the next one :)

Just because....

I'm so proud of our little artist. I love that he can always be spotted with marker or paint under his fingernails at any given point in the day. I'm glad it makes him so happy!

World Fest 2011

I love the passport program that they do for children. We walked to nearly every booth and received a stamp from each country's booth. We watched some beautiful Indian dances and enjoyed a martial arts presentation while eating a picnic on the grass. I wish every day could be like world fest!

Batmen

Truth is stranger than fiction, at least of the comic book variety. We have many batmen in our household. A new superpower is cleaning ANYTHING with a water spray bottle and rag, which isn't as exciting as scaling walls, but pretty cool for Mom.

All Saints Day - Mass & party

This year Dominic was dressed as St. Dominic of Osma and Milo was dressed as St. Francis of Assisi. We celebrated Mass and attended a wonderful party afterwards with games, saint presentations and a costume parade. Next year we hope to don archangel costumes. With me not being able to sew, I better start planning soon!

So thankful for this opportunity to teach our children about the saints, and celebrate and remember the holy men and women who have listened to their callings and done things great and small for God!

Happy All Saints Day

Prayer in Praise of the Saints

How shining and splendid are your gifts, O Lord
which you give us for our eternal well-being
Your glory shines radiantly in your saints, O God
In the honour and noble victory of the martyrs.
The white-robed company follow you,
bright with their abundant faith;
They scorned the wicked words of those with this world's power.
For you they sustained fierce beatings, chains, and torments,
they were drained by cruel punishments.
They bore their holy witness to you
who were grounded deep within their hearts;
they were sustained by patience and constancy.
Endowed with your everlasting grace,
may we rejoice forever
with the martyrs in our bright fatherland.
O Christ, in your goodness,
grant to us the gracious heavenly realms of eternal life.
Unknown author, 10th century


St. George, St. Julia Salzano, St. Dominic of Osma, St. Vincent de Paul & St. Jonas, pray for us!

Happy Halloween!

We have enjoyed our magical Halloween festivities this year. We had Milo's school Halloween carnival, a Fall Festival in Houston, a super fun party with friends, then pumpkin carving & trick or treating at home.





Here's a gypsy, an aviator, an angry bird, a knight and a baby fruit bat getting ready to be spooked!





We hope you had a Happy Halloween!