Mom of SEVEN 'on the run'

Time passes...

2010-03-07T16:50:00.000-08:00

Well, gee. Here I am nearly a year later from my last post.. or it seems lent was almost my last topic of discussion, and here I am back in the same boat. Reading last year's post about lent was my reason for considering continuing with the blog. I found it interesting to 'hear' what I had to say last year... and to compare it with my life this year. Doesn't it sometimes feel like we are constantly fighting the same battles? Here I am in my same 'interrupted' life, trying to offer it up so I can be happy about never having a moment to myself... just like last year... well, at least I am still trying. I guess I will look at it that way. I haven't given up the fight, nor will I ever. God is good, and is always giving us exactly what we need...
As for my 'midlife crisis' I mentioned... funny to see that too. I am still fighting that battle as well. So much for progress, eh? I have come to a few conclusions on that line though... I tried to consider what I liked to do.. what I was good at. I love to make meals for others/those in need. I love serving at the soup kitchen. I love helping the homeless. So my first inclination was to start a kitchen in town that would be open every day. It would be our church soup kitchens all at the same location. I am sure this would be easier for the poor and homeless to reach. (at least that is what my homeless friend Kathy told me.. that is another story!) I have also toyed with the idea of going back to school for nursing. I am looking into that now.. cost/time/courses needed/etc. We shall see what that brings.. Again, I await God's calling.
It shall be interesting to see where my path is leading me........ I am excited by the prospects..

Where the heck have I been...??

2009-10-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

Gee, I just realized that THREE months have gone by since my last post... guess I've been a little busy.. ha. I had two people (on the same day 3 months later..) ask me how the open mic night went... I took that as a 'sign' that I should come back and share some more... :)

Due to very sad and unforeseen circumstances (Dan's uncle Steve died suddenly from a severe asthma attack), we were unable to sing at the open mic night. We went to Ohio for the funeral that week, and for obvious reasons, were not really up for singing when we came home.

Hopefully I will get my act in gear and start practicing again... I have taken a few months off.. sigh. If all works out, we would love to give it a go next year! Kristen has FAR surpassed me in ability, so I really need to put some time in.. and I think I will ask her to be MY teacher this time. :)

2009-07-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

In the interest of expanding my horizons here......... we are going for our second, yes SECOND, performance at the 'Open Mic Night' at the local Arboretum. They have an outdoor stage and a field for spectators (and fans :) to sit.

We (Dan Sr., Dan Jr., Kristen and I) were there about 7 years ago. This was just about the time when we had initially picked up instruments, and really knew next to nothing. So, we decided we would 'perfect' one song, and perform it at the Open Mic Night. We did 'okay', even though we had a 15 minute slot and only sang for about 4 of those minutes.... but the end result was a total feeling of euphoria for doing something we didn't think we could... I am a firm believer in doing things like that, most especially when it is something I thought I could never do.

So..... this time around, we have FOUR songs... hopefully enough to fill our 15 minute slot. I will be on guitar and vocals, Kristen will be on the same, Dan Jr. on the fiddle, and Dan Sr. will play guitar. I haven't had a ton of practice time (even though it has been 7 full years since we have been there.. haha), but I think we can pull it off.

The funniest part of it is that the guy who organizes it recognized us. He said he uses us as an example to encourage people to come. (partially flattering, but really what he is saying to these people is that 'If they can do it only knowing one song, then you have no excuse!') I am glad we could help out there... :)

I will definitely post pix when we get them, and fill you in on all details... Okay, off to practice!

Midlife Crisis

2009-07-16T05:39:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't been out buying sports cars, going on cruises, or losing 20 lbs and dyeing my hair... but for the past couple months I have found myself wondering 'What am I doing with my life?'......... From the outside, I guess that seems a silly question.. I am happily married, raising 7 kids, running a household, volunteering for the church, etc. What else do I need? Well, maybe nothing... but I just found myself thinking thoughts like, 'where is my life going, what does God want from me, is there something else I should be doing, where do I find my worth, etc, etc'. I feel like I am back in my teen years wondering which direction my life needs to take from here.

Sometimes I find myself looking around at others and seeing their most positive qualities and wondering why I lack them. Comparing oneself to others is a dangerous game, btw... So I end up thinking to myself that I should be making quilts, writing books, training harder for my runs, taking continuing education courses, scrapbooking all 7 of my kids' lives, making my own card instead of purchasing them, becoming the perfect hostess, etc, etc..... right smack in the middle of raising my kids and dealing with all that life brings just from that alone. An overwhelming feeling, I must say.

In God's Wisdom, He planned this identity crisis of mine right at the time I was to go on a Youth Conference at the University of Steubenville (stories on that are forthcoming!!!).. I almost felt that I shouldn't go, because what kind of chaperone could I really be to the kids if I couldn't even figure myself out. But, my intense desire to be back on campus and to share this unique opportunity with my eldest daughter, overshadowed my doubts and off we went. I knew I was there for the kids, and not for me.. but luckily the Holy Spirit is so grand and generous that there is Grace in abundance.

From the beginning of my 'wonderings' about my life (well, the most recent anyway), I had been listening to some tapes on Mental prayer and coming to the realization that my life needed more grounding in prayer. God had things to say to me, and I really wasn't able to listen, or atleast I wasn't taking the time to listen.. I was flailing along with no direction and this is, I am sure, what led to my identity crisis. On our weekend away, I was so blessed by all the testimonies I heard. The leaders of the conference AND our very own teens. I needed to hear about all the ups and downs that everyone faces and that in the end, God is the one who leads us away from ourselves and toward HIM. And the way He leads us is through prayer. Not just our 'babbling on' for an hour about what we need/want/hope for... but in the still and quiet of our hearts, He speaks. We just need to listen...

So I haven't 'figured it all out', but I know where I am going now. (if that makes any sense at all...) I have found peace in knowing that God's plan will unfold itself... I just need to listen and follow.

Lenten progression...

2009-03-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

Well, after talking with a friend, she mentioned that my 'interruptions' needed to be prayed about. Maybe it wasn't God trying to teach me acceptance (or maybe it was.. either case), but the devil trying to interrupt my prayer time/reading time... He doesn't want us to study saints and read scripture. So, I now begin with the St. Michael prayer (per Andrea's advice), and my prayer time has become less interrupted and more fruitful... Yay for that!

Lent in Full force...

2009-02-27T13:01:00.000-08:00

Here we are embarking upon the lenten season... I have actually been looking forward to this time of really 'trimming down' on life's excesses, and looking for a more ordered and disciplined life. The first thing I wanted to do was to follow Fr. Fasano's direction of giving up something for each of our senses; taste, touch, sight, hearing, smell. I also wanted to 'add' things to my daily routine which would enhance my spiritual life. (These, of course, are things I should've already been doing, but just hadn't committed the time to... )

Well, one of the books I wanted to read (a chapter or so each day, time permitting) was Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales. This book is aiming to teach us 'regular people' (who aren't in a religious order and are living 'in the world') how to live a devout spiritual life in the midst of regular life. This is something I am really looking forward to learning about, as I find it so hard to focus on silence and meditation with 7 children's needs to attend to...

So this afternoon I found myself in a quiet house... boys playing happily out in the springy weather, baby sleeping and older kids at school.. and it was only 1 o'clock! Normally this would have provided me with literally HOURS to read............... BUT, today was an early release from the school... so not long into my silent reading time I was interrupted to make the bus stop run. Big sigh... Such is the story of my life, I thought to myself..

My first reaction is, 'Come on Lord.. Don't you want me to have silent prayer time? Don't you want me to do my spiritual reading and learn from your saints? Don't you want me to study the scriptures?' And on and on go my thoughts.. So as I sit at the bus stop, a bit disgruntled at this twist in my plans, I realize that the merit in lenten sacrifices isn't necessarily in how many things we give up or how many hours we spend studying the saints... it is rather in how well we can accept life's interruptions with peace and joy and acceptance. Obedience is harder than sacrifice, and I think that was my lesson for this day. God has a will for me. I have to accept whatever it is even when, and especially when, it doesn't coincide with my own. So today instead of making a 'sacrifice' of my time to read holy books, I made a sacrifice in giving up that time.

It's going to be an interesting six weeks. I look forward to the lessons to be learned.. and pray to St. Francis de Sales for guidance.

Italian Fare

2009-02-24T09:11:00.000-08:00

I have requests for a couple recipes, so I thought I'd just post them here for all to see... I really like serving this Cacciatore to guests. It can be made ahead of time, and then just popped in the oven before serving. Served with a nice bottle of wine, a salad and some yummy bread, this makes a really nice meal. Mmmm good.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE
4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced (I omit these because my kids and I don't like them)
1 head garlic, chopped
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
2 chicken bouillion cubes
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives
Parmesan Cheese

Dredge chicken pieces in salt and flour. Brown chicken in mixture of oil and butter. Remove to a casserole dish. Saute onion, garlic, green pepper and mushrooms. Stir in tomatoes, bouillion cubes, parsley, seasonings and white wine. Cook a few minutes to blend. Add to chicken in casserole. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover, add olives and bake 15 - 20 minutes longer. Serve over pasta (spaghetti or linguine work well) and top with parmesan.

SPAGHETTI SAUCE
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
2 (6oz) cans tomato paste
3 cups H2O
2 tsp beef bouillion
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp sugar (or enough to take away the acidity of the tomatoes)
1 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp marjoram

Saute onion and garlic. Sometimes I add chopped green pepper too. Add rest of ingredients and simmer an hour or until sauce thickens. (in really lazy moments, I even skip the sauteing, and just add some garlic powder)

Final results are in...

2009-02-24T09:07:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I am not pregnant this time around....... That realization brought feelings of both relief and sadness. Strange. I had envisioned this little curly haired girl bebopping around with Chelsea.... If there were only some way to avoid the whole 9 months of pregnancy, and skip right to the sweet cuddly baby....... :)

Tough love........

2009-02-18T12:42:00.000-08:00

Well, it's Day 32 of my cycle..... (TMI, I am sure) I find myself sitting here all week pondering the concept of another baby, another pregnancy, another 40 lbs, back aches, no more running, one more mouth to feed, new cuddles, another sweet baby face, no more sleep, one more person to hug, being 'attached' to someone physically for the next 24 months........ the good, the bad, the easy and the hard.... hmmm...

I guess I feel guilty that I am not sitting here in completely awestruck anticipation that I could be embarking on yet another opportunity to share in God's creative miracle. My feelings are more geared toward anxiety..... I love babies, and would welcome one whole-heartedly, BUT (yes there is a 'but') I feel so unprepared right now...... physically and emotionally. I hate even writing this down......

Sometimes it is hard to be Catholic....... the teachings are tough, but I guess that is what makes the whole of it so awesome. God said we would have to pick up our crosses.. I wouldn't refer to my child as a 'cross'.. he or she is a wonderful, very much loved person.. I refer more to the 'hardships' of pregnancy.. swollen feet, sore backs, lots of extra pounds, slow movement, hormones, morning sickness, and let's not forget labor. And then just the amazing responsibility of raising a child. Another soul in my care when I am afraid I am doing an inadequate job with the first seven............

So... I will pray for God's grace, which always comes when it is needed. I am sure that whatever His plan, it is for the best for me and my family. I was unsure whether or not I should share something like this publicly, but I feel like these are real feelings. I am sure others have shared them at some point, and it is nice to know we aren't alone. Also, most importantly, ready or not, if God chooses to give us another baby, we would always choose life.....

Lenten (no meat) recipes #1

2009-02-15T16:43:00.001-08:00

Okay, I have a bunch of yummy 'no meat' recipes to share..... I don't know how much of a 'sacrifice' they will be though, as they are yummy!! This first one is a pasta dish recipe given to me by my friend Kristen, and given to her by our friend, Laurie. I just LOVE it. I have used it as a side dish for salmon nights, and it would be good as a side to grilled foods too, or just all alone with a salad and some bread. Delish!!! (oh yeah, and it is simple AND fast!!)

Pasta with spinach and feta
8 oz penne pasta, cooked according to pkg directions
2 tbsp olive oil
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 (10 oz) pkg fresh spinach
1/2 cup green onions (I have omitted these when I didn't have them and it was still good)
fresh garlic
1 tsp each of basil and oregano

Put olive oil in skillet. Add 4 - 6 cloves of chopped, fresh garlic (for recipes like this, I have started to chop or slice the garlic rather than 'press' it. It seems to hold its flavor so much better that way, even though it is more inconvenient. ) and green onions. Saute. Add tomatoes and herbs. Cook several minutes until flavors blend. Add spinach and cook for about 2 minutes until it wilts. Toss with hot, cooked pasta. Top with a sprinkle of feta cheese and serve. SO GOOD!!!!!

Boys' Day out with Mom..

2009-02-15T16:28:00.000-08:00

For the past several years atleast, I have taken my girls on regular 'Girls days out'...... We really look forward to them, and just love the time together. They usually involve shopping, eating out at fun restaurants, lots of talking, music, laughing, etc. Well, I was thinking recently that my boys never got 'alone time' out with Mom..... (ie, no girls - except me, of course) So, this past Saturday, we planned a day out... just my boys and I. We went bowling first, which was REALLY fun, even though I am NOT very good. They got to bowl, play video games, and get a treat from the vending machine... then we were off to Cracker Barrell for dinner. We had a fun time there too, and were actually stopped on our way out... a woman wanted me to know how good my boys were and how much she appreciated that........ (this is music to a mom's ears...........) We finished it off with a 'treat' from the gift shop. What a great day. I think we will make it a monthly tradition!!

Tried and True #6

2009-02-15T16:08:00.000-08:00

Okay, with Lent quickly approaching, I am going to give you my fabulous Cheese Danish recipe!! (I know, this is not a 'Lent thing'.... but rather a FAT TUESDAY thing!!) Cheese Danish is the only thing I have ever craved during pregnancy, and actually made Dan go out and get.... and I wonder why I always gain so much during pregnancy........... hahahaha. All of my 'health nut' qualities are thrown to the wind... Anyway, these are great for a quiet Sunday morning, Christmas brunch, Easter morning, whenever!! And oh so yummy........

Cheese Danish
16 oz pkg hot rolls mix (I actually use my 'from scratch' recipe from the Betty Crocker cookbook.. mainly because I usually am making these 'spur of the moment', and don't have the roll mix)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 t vanilla
1 egg yolk
1/8 t salt
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 C sifted powdered sugar
1 T milk
1 t vanilla

Prepare dough according to directions. Divide in half; roll each portion of dough to a 12"x8" rectangle.
Mix cream cheese and next 4 ingredients with mixer. Spread 1/2 of cream cheese mixture down the center of each rectangle.
Working with one dough rectangle at a time, cut 9 (3 in deep) slits into each long side of dough. Fold strips over cream cheese filling, alternating sides and making a braid. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Carefully place braids on baking sheet (I prefer the Pampered Chef stones).
Cover and let rise for 30 min. Brush tops with egg yolk. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 min or until golden.
Combine powdered sugar, milk, and one tsp vanilla, stirring well. Drizzle over warm loaves. Makes 2 (12 in) loaves. YUMMY......................... :)

To run or not to run...

2009-01-27T09:18:00.000-08:00

That is certainly the question... we are getting dumped on with 3+ inches of snow........ but still considering a run on the mountain... My daughter has made homemade buttery crescent rolls to go along with my Chicken Florentine for dinner tonight........... seems a meal like that almost demands a run.... although it might just have to be me and Billy B today..

Getting AMPED!!

2009-01-26T14:22:00.000-08:00

My sister just introduced us to Billy Blanks. He's made a bunch of Taebo workout videos. They are such fun, and such a different form of exercise than we are used to. We are enjoying trying them out, and really liking the sore muscles created by doing something new! If you get bored, or are looking for something new and exciting to try, give Billy a shot! You'll end up owing your 'six pack' to him... :)

Tried and True #5........... Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-01-26T14:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, just made this tonight. Got it from Paula Deen's repertoire........ SUPER good!!!

2 T olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (I used two for an extra 'kick')
1 tsp minced garlic (I used about 6 cloves)
2 (14oz) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 can condensed tomato soup
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Garnish: crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped avocados

Heat oil, cook veggies (onion, pepper, jalapeno) for about 4 min. Add garlic, and cook for 2 min. Add crushed tomatoes, condensed soup, chicken, chicken broth, cumin, salt, chili powder, poultry seasoning, and pepper, stirring to combine. Stir in corn, cream and cilantro. Cook uncovered till heated through. Garnish with whatever you like and serve. YUMMY!

The 25miler.. or was it 24 or 26??

2009-01-20T17:55:00.000-08:00

Who knows..... all I know is that it was long and coooold. We had a really good time though, but I am still really hurting from it. The climbs (atleast 3 really big ones) were super steep and grueling. It is such fun to run on the mountain.. especially those training runs where others are running too.. We are considering the 71 mile 'ring' in the fall next year. It seems crazy, but they were raving about it Sunday. It would require running all night. That is why we bought the head lights. We have only practiced running once at night, but will hopefully be doing more of it. It was actually kind of fun. Anyway, Dan thinks we could run the 71 in 24 hours.......... can you imagine running/hiking for 24 hours straight?? We shall see..........................

Tried and True #4

2009-01-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

OK, this is perhaps the easiest recipe I have ever made. If you keep some ground beef (again, sub turkey if you can (no fat!!) browned and frozen, this soup will literally take you MINUTES to make.. and we love it! (my boys are a little skiddish about the beans, but this is like a taco in a bowl.. add some cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips and you can't go wrong)

TACO SOUP
2 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning

Mix together, INCLUDING the liquid from the cans of beans and tomatoes, cook for atleast 30 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips. Voila!

Just in case...

2009-01-15T10:38:00.000-08:00

you think I gave up running to spend all of my time cooking and eating (kinda sounds that way, doesn't it? and maybe it's not a bad idea...:), Dan and I are planning to run a 25mile trail run on Sunday with about 70 others... We will be running on 'our' mountain, only further south. We start bright and early at 8am, and hope to be done by 3pm....... the trail runs are a lot longer due to the need to 'hike' when conditions are too steep or rocky. I am really looking forward to it! I have come to really enjoy the mountain trail running SO much better than the road. Please pray for mild weather!!! :)

Tried and True #3

2009-01-15T06:48:00.001-08:00

Okay, this will be 'soup week'... because of the oven 'issues' and to fight off this COOOLD.... brrr. I am starting with CHILI... I know everyone has a recipe for this, but mine is really yummy (if I do say so myself...)... and I had a request for it.
CHILI
1 lb ground beef, browned (I have to recommend gd. turkey.. no cholesterol and little fat and you can't taste the difference)
1 med onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
Saute all of those together. Add:
2 (14 oz) cans of diced tomatoes
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
4 cups H2O
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can lt red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
2 Tbsp brown sugar (add till the 'bite' of the tomatoes is gone)
Cook all together 1 hour (or all day in a crockpot if desired) to thicken. ENJOY!!

The Stewarts are coming!!

2009-01-12T20:52:00.001-08:00

or they 'have come' I should say... Our dear friends, the Stewarts, came for the weekend to visit.. they came for the annual wine and cheese fest, where they can see about 100 or so of their closest friends. They stayed at our house for the weekend, so we got the privilege of a longer visit with them.. We are still praying they will move BACK!! Here are some pictures....

Oven troubles...

2009-01-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

My oven was pretty much on the fritz for a week or two, so we geared ourselves more toward stovetop and crockpot meals.. I think we had atleast six soups in the last 2 weeks... I will post the recipes for my 'Tried and True' series hopefully tomorrow.. for now, it is bedtime...

Giving up..

2009-01-12T20:48:00.000-08:00

Since we are now halfway through January, and my calendar has gone nowhere... I am giving up.. However with my new digital camera, I plan to 'plan' my pix for next year and give my parents a great one!!

Tried and True Recipe Number 2

2009-01-03T07:28:00.000-08:00

Hmmm.. what to print next... these aren't really in order of 'greatness', but just as I think of them.. All of them, however, are recipes loved by atleast 'most' of my family members.. which is saying a lot with 9 of us... :)
Pestayaki
2 Tbsp. flour
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb beef sirloin steak (or even stew meat) cut into thin strips (I double the meat since I have a large family, but don't need to double the other ingredients...)

Put all into crockpot and cook till meat is really tender. 6 - 8 hours. (I throw the meat in directly from the freezer). Serve over rice, with some crusty bread and a green salad... delish! and oh so simple!!

Christmas with the Pestas

2009-01-03T07:20:00.000-08:00

We had a really nice family Christmas... we had a 'theme' this year of a 'Family Game and Movie night'... So the kids' (and ours) 'big gift' was a Wii from my parents. We contributed a couple extra games and Dan got me (and kids) the Rock Band, which we have really kind of become addicted to. I don't mind, though, because it promotes family togetherness... The kids also got a Whirley Pop popcorn maker with lots of popcorn, movie candies, and goodies for a night spent together. Toss in a few board games and movies, and you have lots of evenings worth of fun togetherness!

YIKES..

2009-01-03T07:18:00.000-08:00

December 12th was my last post... maybe I will make a New Year's resolution to come here atleast once a week... Today I need to work on our annual personalized calendar for my parents, so they can get it before 2010......... such seems to be the order of things lately... sigh.

Tried and True Series... number 1

2008-12-12T12:14:00.000-08:00

I am going to try to start posting my 'tried and true' recipes that please all (or atleast most) of my family, are easy and fairly cheap to make, and just taste yummy... Of course if anyone else has some to share, they are always welcome! I always like it when someone has already tried something and knows it to be good before I go wasting time and money making it... so here goes with recipe #1:
(I start with this, not because it is necessarily my favorite, but because we had already discussed it on Facebook.. and I love it!!)
Broccoli Leek Quiche
1 pkg KNORR Leek soup (can only find at Martins)
1 10oz pk of frozen broccoli, thawed and well drained (I use fresh)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
1/2 cup diced ham
1/4 tsp pepper
1 unbaked 9 in pie shell
4 eggs
1 cup half-and-half

In large bowl, toss soup, broccoli, cheese, ham and pepper. Spoon into pie shell. In med bowl, beat eggs with half-and-half. Pour over mixture in pie shell. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes (always takes mine a lot longer to cook... could be my oven or the fact that I use baking stones). Cook till it is set. Let stand 10 min before serving (will set a bit more as it cools). Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Amazing...

2008-12-11T23:02:00.000-08:00

One thing I have been 'researching' is how to cook for a large family without spending a fortune... well, I came upon a website where the woman spends $200/month!! (only 2 kids, of course) But, even though I do have twice the people she does, I have SIX times the budget!!! and most of the time go over! If anyone has any good recipes for large families, or has any tips for me, please ADVISE!! :)

My Godson's birthday!

2008-12-11T22:59:00.000-08:00

My godson, Louis, turns 12 today!! on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We love him so much! here he is pictured with Kristen..

Non Blogger..

2008-12-11T22:51:00.000-08:00

OK, I am officially a 'non blogger'.... it has been forever since my last post. It is funny because before I had a blog, I was always coming up with posts in my head... ah well, sometimes life does get in the way... Anyway, for tonight (or this morning, as it is almost 2 am!!), I will just post a couple recent pix of the family... Hopefully I will be back with some yummy, promised recipes and more family stories soon..

I forgot I had a blog...

2008-11-26T21:19:00.000-08:00

Gee, it has been 2 weeks, and I think I forgot I had a blog......... here I am in OHIO for Thanksgiving, loving every minute of being 'home'. Tonight I am especially grateful for the full fridge (we have completely emptied ours at home in anticipation of a week away), time to chat with my 'mommy', and seeing my kids perfectly content to be at Nena's house... finally. Will post pix of our Thanksgiving feast and the multitudes of children here...... Have a wonderful, family-filled weekend...

At LAST!!

2008-11-13T21:15:00.000-08:00

My Apple Bread recipe!! Sorry for the very long delay... Now that you have eaten all of your apples from apple picking season, I will finally share..

BREAD
2 med Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

STREUSEL
4 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Spray loaf pan. Cream butter and sugar. Stir in eggs, lemon juice and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened.. do not overmix. Peel, core and chop apples. Add to mixture. For streusel, combine ingredients in bowl. Spoon half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel mixture. Spread with remaining batter. Top with remaining streusel mixture; gently press into batter. Bake 55-60 minutes (always takes a bit longer with my baking stone. Just keep inserting the cake tester to check it..) or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then remove to cooling rack. ENJOY! MMMMMMMMm good! (PS.. this recipe is from Pampered Chef, and the original had the streusel recipe cut in half.. or should I say that I doubled their streusel recipe. After all, can you really ever have too much streusel???)
Wish I had a nice, yummy picture to share, but I didn't own my camera the last time I made this... which was only a month ago for the Festival of Leaves..... I did mini loaves, and my kids downed a loaf straight out of the oven. We all love it.

Occupying Chelsea........

2008-11-13T20:49:00.000-08:00

Trying to get some cooking done for the week/weekend, I decided to stick Chels in the sink to keep her happy for awhile. She's been a bit cranky (to say the least), due to a cold and this seemed to keep her mind off of that.... It worked a lot better before when she couldn't climb, but she did have fun for a little while anyway.. and isn't she just adorable..?

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my!!

2008-11-13T20:40:00.000-08:00

Here Dan and I are off and running for the first time at NIGHT!! (hence the goofy lights strapped to our heads...) We did a 6.5 mile loop from our house to Shawl Gap, up the mountain and back down, and then back to our house. It was a little tough to see with the fog and, of course, the darkness.... but we made it without being eaten by bears, wolves and mountain lions (my fear), no injuries to the head after slipping on wet, slimy rocks covered with leaves, no broken bones and no twisted ankles, and no gunshot wounds from area hunters. I would say it was an overall success!

The Pesta Election

2008-11-05T10:34:00.000-08:00

We had our own voting session yesterday afternoon here at the Pestadome. We decided to make some from-scratch cookies, and picked 3 different recipes from which to choose. The signs were posted on the mantle, and the whole family was brought in to vote. Our choices:
1) Tender, buttery chocolate chunk cookies
2) Deluxe, sticky, ooey-gooey peanut butter cookies
3) Brittany Butter cookies

Mary was initiating the vote and Chelsea slept, so we only had seven voters. We ended up with 6 voting for number 1, and 1 voting for number 3.......... I will have to say that our election results (Tender, buttery chocolate chunk cookies) were a big hit!!

VOTE!!

2008-11-03T21:28:00.000-08:00

It is officially election day.......... here we are faced with a decision that will greatly impact our country. Please get out there and vote today! It is amazing to me that so many Americans deny their right to vote. LOVE our country and our people!! especially our babies!! May God bless America now at this critical time.

Halloween FUN!!

2008-10-31T20:14:00.000-07:00

I am certainly not the mom who diligently works for weeks making the perfect costumes for her kids... not one of my talents. (I can sew on buttons, and that is about the extent of my sewing skills. )So, today in my usual last minute-pull things together mode, we successfully created 7 costumes for our 7 kids...... Here is a pix of them. I thought they turned out just fine, and the kids had a blast! (Mommy thought the trek through several streets with toddler and baby, in the dark with hundreds of other people wasn't necessarily the greatest thing to do, but would do it again in a heartbeat to see the joy on the kids' faces)...

CHOOSE LIFE

2008-10-26T06:33:00.000-07:00

If you haven't watched this yet, now is the time.... We really need to pray for this country.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kri8G-lGYfg&eurl=http://www.cwod2.com/Member/cwodfun/MB/MB.cfm?TopicID=2905&action=view&Threaded=1&Letter=p

Lessons from an 8 year old boy...

2008-10-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

Last night was my night to go out with my 8 year old son, Sam. On our way we were observing all of the election signs in people's yards.. The conversation went something like this:

S: Well, why can't we vote for Obama? I am going to vote for Obama. (I am sure he said this to see what kind of reaction he would get... he knows we are voting for McCain)

Me: Well, if you really want to know, he believes it is okay for a woman to have an abortion (a word Sam has previously heard, but probably not grasped).

S: What is abortion, Mom?

M: (Yikes, can I really go here? Idon't think I have a choice at this point..) When a Mommy gets pregnant and decides she doesn't want the baby, she can kill it while it is in her belly.

S: What??!!!!?????!~!!!!!!!????

M: Silence for moment....or two..

S: But why wouldn't a Mom want her baby? That doesn't make any sense.........

"That doesn't make any sense... that doesn't make any sense..Why wouldn't a Mom want her baby?.... that doesn't make any sense.... " Those words spent the night reverberating in my head..... Even I, as a prolife mother/woman/Catholic, might not have always taken those words to heart. Right now as I ponder the prospect of my next pregnancy, sometimes I feel afraid and have actually secretly (or not so secretly) hoped that I was 'done' now......... but after hearing Sam's words last night, I found myself in tears looking at my beautiful children... none of them were planned, none were expected, some were real surprises, but ALL of them are the most cherished, loved, adorable, awesome, full of life, full of love, extra fantabulous people ever. How could a Mom not want her baby? Impossible. If she knew him/her, she would be in love instantly. Please let us pray for our country, our President (present and future), our families, and all those women who haven't - or won't - give their children a chance.

10 K today!!

2008-10-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

Dan and I ran the Greasy Gooney 10k today. My very first 10k... When we got out of the car this morning, the wind was very strong and the rain was blasting sideways at us... my initial inclination was to wait in the car while Dan foolishly ran the race alone... but, since I can't stand being 'left out', I decided to stick it out. We ran a good, but VERY wet, race. We finished in just over 54 minutes, which is under a 9 minute mile (very good for us!!). There should be a picture of us finishing together. If I can get it from the race director, I will post it.. but BEWARE.. we were VERY wet and yucky. Also, there were several others from St. Johns running as well. It was a fun morning for all of us, despite the rain.. (Here we are after finishing (wet, very wet) with Ron Occhiogrosso and Holly Bouchie.. Heidi DeLaFleur ran too, but was already on her way home to a hot shower when the pix was taken.. )

Hindsight is 20/20...

2008-10-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

Back to more serious things....... David. Well, it is funny how things go. I always make my mind up immediately about how I think things should be, and can't imagine them otherwise...then I ask for Dan's opinion and I get a totally different perspective. I really do think that, hindsight being 20/20, David would've been SO much better off had we started him a year behind where we did. Well, since he has been at the school for 2 years now, we don't really have the luxury of putting him wherever we please....... I thought for sure I could 'save' him by pulling him out and homeschooling, tutoring for a year, and then putting him right back into 5th grade again.... it wouldn't seem like a failure, really.... I think (after much discussion/pondering/etc) that we might actually be doing him a disservice by bringing him home. I am sure it would help him academically to tutor here for a year, and then do 5th grade again...... but I think we would be perpetuating some really bad habits he has. We are thinking his main 'problems' are not that he isn't able to do the work, but that he happens to be one of the most unorganized people we have met. His papers are always oozing out of his folders and desk, he loses books and school work, he often forgets to bring important things (assignments due TOMORROW) home.. etc. It is very frustrating for me (as a parent who wants to help him excel) when he doesn't even bring home the things he needs help with. SIGH........ anyway, we will meet with his teacher next Tuesday, and we will see if the 3 of us can come up with a good plan. IF we decide that he should be a grade behind though, I will let him finish out this year, and bring him home for next year. Then, I will start him in sixth grade following that........ who knows. I am sure this plan will change again too... :)

My BABY is ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-10-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how time flies! Just to think that one year ago today, I was in labor!! argh... but look at what we got.... our sweet angel baby Chelsea!

She sure did enjoy that chocolate cake!! (made from scratch, btw, by her big sister Mary!!!)

Trying times......

2008-10-20T10:26:00.001-07:00

Ever since putting my kids in school 2 1/2 years ago, I have wondered if I put David in a grade level too high.... he has a late summer birthday, and boys tend to need a little extra time to develop... I guess I just feel like he isn't 'thriving' like he should be in school. Oh, if I could turn back time, this would be a lot simpler... but since when has life been simple?? So, we will hopefully be going in to discuss him with his teacher to see if he has any input... My thought is to pull him out and homeschool this year, but then put him 'back' into 5th grade again next year. It wouldn't be like he failed a grade, but more like he took a break to be tutored............... I don't know! Time to pray about it and see where God wants us......

A 'blessed' day...

2008-10-11T18:33:00.000-07:00

Shew... back from our run after a very LOOONG day, which began at 4am this morning.. We had such a great time! It was a totally different experience than Akron though... let me explain... first of all, when we were going to line up at the starting line with the other 17,000 runners, we meet up with Fr. Hathaway!!! We couldn't believe it. If we had been looking for him, we never would have been able to find him in that crowd. He was running the relay with 3 other priests, getting sponsors to earn money for the pregnancy center. He was running the first 6 mile leg. We ran about the same pace as he did, so we all ran together for the first 5 miles of the race. What a fun and unexpected experience that was! It was so great to see him, and what a treat to get to run with him!! So, we were off to a good start, having Father's blessing before the race began. We thought this was surely to be 'our' race.. we would make our long sought after goal. Father ran off at the 5 mile marker to 'sprint' in to finish his 6 mile leg. Dan and I continued on at our steady 10min/mile pace. We were cruising along, feeling good, loving Baltimore... the harbor, Fort McHenry, the water, the ships, the nice neighborhoods and parks, the poor neighborhoods with all the little kids coming out to give us high 5s...It was going well.
Around mile 16, I noticed that Dan was slowing a bit, and he didn't look like he felt very good. He had gotten a cramp (don't really know what caused it.. too much sugar at one of the stops where he had half a banana and a gatorade..?).. so now he was trying to continue running with a 'knife' jabbing his right side. In the past, we have experienced finishing marathons together and separately, and there was really no comparison... I knew that no matter how long it took us to finish, it would be so worth it to finish together again. So, off we went. I told him to try to walk it out. If he could get rid of it, he could make up the time (or some of it..), but if he continued, it would mean lots of pain. It seemed, though, that every time the pain would subside a little bit, he would try to start back up too soon (that insatiable desire to get ahead..), and then he'd be wincing in pain... so on we trecked. I will admit it was rather enjoyable for me...... Our bodies were trained to go faster, so without the cramp, I felt great (Sorry Dan. I actually did pray for God to let me take on some or all of your pain, but He chose not to...). I really liked the slower pace. So there we went.. we walked some, we ran some. We persevered to the end, slowly but surely. In the end we finished a little over 5 hours. Quite a bit slower than our intended goal, but the feeling at the end was not defeat, but the great satisfaction of having done something so big together. That was worth way more than beating our 'goal' time.
At first, true to character, the 'value' of my run would have been in my ending time. I couldn't understand how our 'blessed' run could be going so awry........ but finally after all the miles were underfoot, I realized that the blessing was in our time together.. and our experience of the run.. not in the 'beating of a goal'. So there you have it. God brought us Father Hathaway this morning to bless us, He gave us healthy bodies to run, He gave us the perfect fall weather, and He gave us eachother. What a blessing this day was...

Here we go again..

2008-10-10T17:19:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the big day in Baltimore... I am excited to have an experience like I did in my first marathon in Baltimore... it went so well. I am also a bit apprehensive that I will experience the 'wall' again like I did in Akron. Ah well.. it will be what it is. Atleast I get a day out with my hubby! There lies the 'bright side'!!

YELP

2008-10-09T19:15:00.000-07:00

We are 2 days out from our big race in Baltimore!!!!!!!! 26.2 miles this Saturday! Say a prayer for us that things are a little better than they were 2 weeks ago!! We can do this!!

Yikes...

2008-10-09T19:09:00.001-07:00

Just realized I am never here.............. anyway, too busy living my life to blog about it... I guess the only 'big' news this week is that I pulled my Gussy out of Kindergarten............ he was just way overwhelmed, and I could tell behaviorally that he just wasn't hacking the long days, work schedule, etc. He just made it in under the age cut, so he was the youngest, and I guess I had thought he was ready.......... BUT, he wasn't... so I am bringing him home and we will (more successfully) try next year. I am really happy to see him being his 'good old self' again. So sweet! And John is happy for his playmate to return!!

15 Glorious Years....

2008-10-02T05:44:00.001-07:00

It is hard to believe that 15 years have passed since our wedding day...... all the 'dates' of stolen time alone, all the miles run, a trip to Ireland, and Niagara Falls, all the pregnancies, all the kids, bottles of wine shared, movies watched together, kisses and hugs, crazy car rides with the kids, holidays, evenings by the fire, late night talks, surprises of flowers for no reason, sick kids, tears, laughter, family reunions, music played together, good times and bad........... I am truly the most blessed woman on earth. Dan is the most wonderful husband anyone could ask for.. I still can't believe God gave him to me. I can't wait to see what the next 15 years has in store for us... as long as we are in it together.

Marathon Pictures!

2008-10-01T06:59:00.001-07:00

Can't believe I am actually posting this.... but if you want to see pix of me and Dan at the marathon, you can go to www.akronmarathon.org. Click on runphotos, and type in bib #2355. There you have it. (Do you see me 'dusting' that lady at the finish line??:) The pictures where we are on a road surrounded by trees is the 'big hill', and we are still smiling.......

PS...

2008-09-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

Being 3 days out from the race, I am feeling better and even thinking I will still go through with the Baltimore Marathon in two weeks! (not that that was ever really in question, but...) In hindsight, I think we just didn't train well enough to maintain that 10 min pace the whole way, but I am gratified knowing that we did it for 22 miles! I think, after our run last weekend, we may be ready to break our past records, and go for the 4:22 in Baltimore! Hope springs eternal! I'll keep you posted!

'FA' A long, long way to run...

2008-09-30T06:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a blow by blow of the marathon we ran Sat..... Driving up to Akron at 5am, the weather looking a bit ominous...... we saw rain about half way up and wondered what we were in for... thankfully, the skies cleared as we entered Akron, and we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise and nice cool weather for the entire race (about 65 and overcast most of the way, with the sun peaking in during the last hour or so). There were 10,000 people running (only about 1500 of those were doing the full marathon, then there were relayers and half marathoners). The starting line was packed, and it took us a full 2 1/2 minutes to cross the starting line once the gun went off.. Both of us felt great, and we were 'cruising'. Our goal was to finish having run an average 10min/mile pace the whole way. The initial miles were clicking by with no problem. We were coming in about 2 1/2 minutes under our desired pace, and were still feeling good. The course was surprisingly pretty (not what I expected in downtown Akron), and we were amazed at how the miles seemed to be going by so quickly. There were literally thousands of volunteers, and they really did a good job providing water/powerade/GUs pretty frequently throughout the race. The course was 'rolling', and we entered into several miles of down grade (always welcome!), leading us to a path running down by the river. This seemed more 'like home' to us... running on paths through the woods, although these miles went a lot slower for me... either because we were approaching the halfway mark (13 miles is usually where my body starts breaking down and hurting) or because of the monotony of the trees of which I am so accustomed to seeing. Still we glided on, still under our intended pace... mile 11, mile 12, mile 13... halfway at mile 13.1! Things were seemingly going very well, and both Dan and I felt pretty good. I took my second dose of Vitamin I (Ibuprofen) around mile 10, in preparation for the inevitable pain that was to come... my back was still holding up pretty well, with just mild pain going down through my right hip/hamstring/knee..... Around mile 16, things started going up.... and up and up... I guess I knew it had to come sometime, since we had steadily been going down for a few miles... but, I didn't expect a 4 mile hill... Still, we carried on at our 10 min/mile pace. I was actually a bit surprised at how strong Dan seemed (as I was wishing for a slow down at this point), but he just kept on going and so I followed as best I could. Around mile 20, we slowed down a bit and lost a minute or so. Now we were coming in right on pace... our little 2 minute 'buffer' was gone....... Somewhere around mile 22 (after another shorter but steeper hill), maybe we hit the wall, I don't know, but our pace slowed considerably. Dan was experiencing some stomach upset, and told me to go on without him. At that point, my body was racked with pain from my lower back down to my toes......... I couldn't imagine running for another 45 minutes, but figured if I walked, it would take even longer to see that finish line, so I kept on.. slowly but surely. (I will never recommend this to anyone was my only thought... who is stupid enough to run this far???) ..... gratefully, they had water stops about every mile now. I had carried a water bottle, so I didn't need to stop at every one, but it was still nice to come across those encouraging smiles and cheers from the sidelines. The stop at mile 24 almost saw me quitting (which I will admit I have never thought of doing during a race... must have been that darn 'wall'), but I decided to just get a cup of water and walk through the stop. Well, that was tough because after running for so long, it is a little dizzying to just stop like that. (why am I here again??).. so I picked up my 'pace' again, which was now somewhere closer to a 12 minute/mile crawl, but I was still moving. I realized the 4:22 (that is the 10 min/mile pace) we had hoped for was out of the picture, so I aimed to beat my previous best of 4:26. At the 25 mile marker, I realized I would have to literally sprint the remaining 1.2 miles to achieve that, so I resigned myself to trying to beat my Frederick time of 4:30:08. About a half mile later, on the verge of tears and seeing no end in sight, I decided that I would declare victory just to cross the finish line. Coming around the final bend into the stadium (thinking to myself, if they make us run all the way around the track in front of all these people, I am going to kill someone), I see the finish line about 100 yds ahead! There is a girl coming up behind me to pass me and my competitive spirit (or what is left of it) kicks in... I am not letting her pass me now... So from somewhere deep within, I muster up my last ounces of energy and sprint my way across the finish line! I did it! (I beat her too:) My time? 4:30:20............. Can you believe it? 12 seconds off......... oh well... as my wise, dear father put it, 'It is next to a miracle just to finish a run that long... don't get hung up on your time'.... and, as always, Dad is right. 26.2 miles is a long, long way to run.......

A great weekend!

2008-09-30T06:28:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a very fun weekend in Ohio! We arrived late Thursday eve, and 'quietly' snuck in to sleep at my brother's house. On Friday, we did a short 2 mile jog to loosen up for the big race on Saturday. I met a good friend from high school for lunch (in a town small enough to not even have a working ATM... not to mention, they wouldn't even accept my debit card)... needless to say, I ate 'light' that meal since my cash flow was lacking at the time.. didn't matter, cuz my real objective was to spend some time with an old friend and that is what I did. We 'partied' at Mom and Dad's Friday eve, and then left early to get a good night's sleep. The kids stayed with my parents, so we could get an early start on Sat. Up at the crack of 4am on Sat., we prepared for the race. Tom and JC were running 2 legs of the relay. Needless to say, we earned our pair of free Brooks shoes by finishing the marathon! (details to come...) We ate a well-deserved, yummy lunch at the Spaghetti Warehouse afterward, then headed for home. I must admit to not feeling too well the rest of the day. Nothing like taxing your body to the MAX... So we were early to bed, and by Sunday morning, I felt great... a bit sore, but good. After Mass, we packed up and went out on the boats for the afternoon/evening. Mary even got me to go out on the tube with her. I must be getting old, because it was a bit frightening... not to mention COLD (but really FUN!!)! We had a great day, and ended it with a yummy dinner at Mom's (who was kind enough to stay home with Chelsea for the afternoon and make us dinner). Yesterday's ride home is a story in itself, which no one cares to hear about............. We are glad to be back to reality here, but already miss everyone back in OH!

Over the river and through the woods..

2008-09-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

to Nena's house we go! We are gearing up for our Ohio trip! As soon as the kids get home (and we run them around the yard for 30 minutes), we will be off! I am really excited as we haven't been 'home' since last Thanksgiving. Also, our marathon on Saturday is in Akron, the city in which we lived before moving to VA. It will be nice to be back there again. I am hoping to visit with a couple old high school friends and just enjoy being back with my parents and my brother's family. If it works out that my sister-in-law can steal a picture of us 'sprinting' hand-in-hand across the finish line (haha), I will try to post it Saturday eve!

Baby doll

2008-09-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

I am having such fun with my little Chelsea... I received a superfluous amount of clothing from my cousin (who has 2 girls)... and I feel like a little girl with a baby doll.. Every couple of hours I find an excuse to 'need' to change Chelsea's clothes... Silly? Yes.... but so much more fun than dressing boys......... so I can't help it!

LOL!!!!!!!

2008-09-23T20:45:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness... I just had the greatest night! Kristen had a rehearsal for her play, so I needed to 'kill' 2 hours while waiting for her to finish... I decided to bring my book to Starbucks and read while I waited... (for all of you who don't know me as well... I read about 1 page per day before falling asleep, but rarely find time to do any 'real' reading) Anyway, a friend had given me a book (that has been sitting on my night stand for weeks now...) called A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. All I can say is that I sat there alone in Starbucks laughing myself silly with this book..... I don't know if it was because it has been so long since I have read any book for more than 3 pages at a time, or if it was the caffeine........... but I have been laughing all night long, and feel just wonderful because of it. Thank you Kristen J! Ok, I am off to read some more before bed!

Camping - part 2

2008-09-23T08:38:00.001-07:00

We have successfully made 2 camping trips now! (yipee, right?) I really love having that as a family activity. It really encourages the kids to just play, play, play... no computer, no phone, no TV... I LOVE IT!! I was recovering (and still am) from a cold last week, and almost cancelled the trip, but we decided we were looking so forward to it, that we just had to go. It ended up going well (and I didn't get sicker!), but boy was it chilly! Since fall is my favorite time of year, I loved it. The only bummer was that our friends couldn't come with us this time. They had sickness in the family that couldn't be ignored......... bummer! They did come out to spend some time with us on Saturday for a couple hours though, which was really nice!! I did realize on Friday eve that it was tougher to do it alone, without another family... maybe it's because my kids fight more when they are alone together... maybe there just isn't the same level of excitement... maybe it was because our friends are the actual 'experienced ones' when it comes to camping, and we were just 'winging' it :).... who knows. At any rate, hopefully we can all go together again soon!!! There's just nothing like the great outdoors... especially being away from home and all of our regular responsibilities.. I actually get to just sit around playing my guitar.. hmm, maybe I will go sneak a practice in now before Chelsea wakes up..).. Bye!

Proud Mama

2008-09-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

Hey, my daughter Kristen has a poetry blog, and a woman from Maryland discovered one of her poems (about an unborn child) and wants to publish it in a pamphlet she is making for the Crisis pregnancy center in her area. Isn't that cool??
View from the Unborn

Cold unfeeling darkness
Surrounds those like me who are alone
A disturbing thing to those with life
Chilling them to the bone.
A lifeless form of care is still a person too
Why don't they understand
That everyone can't be like you?
Why do I not count?
I long to live, love and share
But it really doesn't matter to some people
They destroy without a care.
I feel I could do something great
If I was totally sure I was to be
If only the other ones could remember
What it meant to be like me.

Computer blues... again.

2008-09-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

I was noticing that I only post about once a week... one reason is this computer can't seem to stay online for more than 5 minutes without collapsing from heat exhaustion........ argh. Very frustrating... so, probably when I am about to click 'publish post' it will mockingly declare, 'Can't do this function offline'.................. aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh.. OK, just had to get that off my chest...

Alas...

2008-09-22T10:48:00.000-07:00

Our big day is right around the corner! We will be running our next marathon on Sat., September 27th! We are traveling back to Ohio on Thursday night, and will be running in Akron on Saturday with my brother and sister-in-law! Can't wait! Gee, I hope we trained well enough for this one............ Keep us in your prayers!

FINALLY... Better late than never...

2008-09-16T10:16:00.000-07:00

IRISH STEW

2lb. lamb (or beef stew meat), cut in chunks and seasoned with salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 cups onion, diced
2 T. garlic, minced
2 T. tomato paste
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup dark beer (Guinness works well)
2 cups beef broth
2 cups chicken broth
2 fresh thyme sprigs (I couldn't find it, so used dry and it worked)
2 lb. potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup savoy cabbage, sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Brown lamb in 2 T oil (8 minutes or so). Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Add 2 T oil and onion to the pot and sweat, covered, until soft (5 min). Stir in garlic and tomato paste, and cook until paste darkens, 2 min. Add flour, stir to coat, and cook 1 min. Deglaze with beer, scraping any bits from the bottom of the pot, then add both broths, lamb meat and its juices, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 1 hour. (I did all these steps a couple days ahead and then finished it the evening we were to eat it) Stir in potatoes and carrots. Cook until potatoes are tender, then add peas, cabbage, salt, and pepper; simmer 5 minutes. Enjoy!

MINI CHEDDAR SCONES

2 3/4 cup flour
2 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. table salt
1/4 t. baking soda
10 T. unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/3 cup minced fresh chives
1 cup buttermilk
2 T. water
1 egg blended with 1 T. water

Preheat oven to 375. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until pea-sized. Stir in cheddar and chives, then add buttermilk and 2 T. water; knead gently just until blended. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat into an 8 " square. Cut into 2" squares, then cut squares into triangles. Arrange scones on baking sheet, spacing 1" apart. Brush tops with egg-water mixture, and bake till golden, about 25 minutes. YUM!

Both of these recipes come from Cuisine at Home magazine. A wonderful magazine to subscribe to!! They have great cooking tips, always good recipes, yummy 'gourmet like' meals which are easy to prepare at home.

A perfect day!

2008-09-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

Well, my birthday ended up just perfectly... It started out with my being able to sleep in till 10am!! While Dan took the older kids to Mass and CCD, Kristen watched the little ones AND cooked my breakfast in bed!! (Not to mention that she played one of my CDs that I like and she hates... ) What a fabulous gift that morning was! Then Mary and all of her girlfriends called me midmorning (after 10:) to sing to me from a bday party she was attending. At around noon, we went out to the pool and swam, talked, played, and sipped white wine. A truly lovely afternoon. At around 4, we came in to get cleaned up so we could go spend the evening with friends. There we had a yummy dinner, good conversation, and more wine... :) All in all, it was just a really good day. I am blessed by my family and friends.

Gus

2008-09-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a pix of my cute little Gussy, enjoying his soda while on his birthday night out with Mom and Dad at Spelunkers... (We've been really enjoying all the birthday 'nights out' this month! Score for Mom and Dad... :)

Yummy fall dinner!

2008-09-11T08:45:00.001-07:00

Ooh, did I make a yummy stew last night! As soon as I get a minute, I will post that dinner on the blog! Irish stew and cheddar and chive scones........ YUM.

Birthday Marathon month.....

2008-09-11T06:31:00.000-07:00

Here we are at our second to last bday in the marathon month... Gus turns 5 today!! I can't believe how time has flown, and now he has already started school! What a big boy. I still remember 5 years ago, looking out my labor room window at the American flag flying at half mast... My mom didn't think I should schedule my induction for this infamous date... but, being at the end of 9 months of pregnancy, I didn't want to wait another minute.. let alone another day. So, now, we have something very happy to celebrate on September 11! The birth of our fabulous Gussy! He is such a sweetie pie and has a smile to make your heart melt...

'The Ring'

2008-09-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Dan and I and several of our kids went out and ran an aid station for the 71 mile 'Ring' race that was going on. The runners start at Signal Knob, and they run a 71 mile loop across the mountains till they come all the way back.. There were threats of hurricane weather (we did get the rain, but not too much wind.. it was actually quite pleasant running weather). We were out there from 4:30p - 1a (that was the plan.. they thought that would be our window of time to see all the runners. We were stationed at mile 48. It might have run a little longer than that) It is always amazing to be there and to see people doing something so extraordinary. Very inspirational! So, we brought some homemade soup, homemade scones, homemade cookies, chips, sugar drinks, candy, etc, etc... (and our own provisions, of course...:) It was a fun time, and (I can't believe I am saying this) we are inspired now to do it ourselves next year. So, that is our current plan. Once we survive our fall marathons, we will begin our training for this 71 mile 'ring'... if you want to join us, I will keep you informed about training schedules.... :) The more the merrier!!

Double Digit Dave!!

2008-09-08T20:51:00.001-07:00

Well, over Labor Day my computer was out of town and my parents were in town.... soooo, I didn't get to post about my oldest son, Dave. Dave's birthday was September 1 and he is now 10!! Yikes how time flies! Dave is one of the coolest kids I know. What a treasure he is! I know that every time he comes in a room and sees me, I get a hug... now that is what a mom needs.. :) Happy Birthday Dave! Love you!

Ps... yes, we are on a birthday marathon right now.... 5 in a row, within a month. I think we will have had our fill of cake pretty soon!

Also, I hope to be getting a digital camera for MY birthday this month... so you won't have to keep seeing the same photos over and over.... yeah!

ANDREA!!

2008-09-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

Well, 3 or so years ago, my friend Andrea moved away from good ol' Front Royal........ We all miss her dearly, and wish they would come home!! Anyway, we talked for ... gosh, atleast 3 hours on Saturday eve............ we need to talk more. It was like she was right here. We will maybe try to arrange some sort of 'ladies weekend out in the midwest'.................... hee hee. That sounds funny, but we will attempt it anyway!! Love you A!!

Mom of the year!

2008-09-05T21:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I have lost it again for the ninety-seventh time this year! Ah well, there is always 2009, right................ sigh............

Go Johnny!!!!!

2008-09-05T21:41:00.001-07:00

Well, My Johnny turned 3 last week, and he is such a big boy! He just potty trained himself last weekend (for the most part...:). We are psyched to be down to just one in diapers!!!! Yeah!!

Runner's blues...

2008-09-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

Well, Dan and I went out for a 22 miler last weekend..... It was supposed to be (in ideal training circumstances) an 'off' weekend where we took it easy, but due to the little time we have left till 'said marathon'......... we needed to do a really long run (ie, more than 20)........ anyway, we weren't ready for it, or were over tired, and could only do 18. So, we walked the last 4 miles of that and came home and played 'sick' the rest of the day. It was horrible! I thought we would be done by noon, and then would spend the day by the pool with all the kids.......... I ended up in bed for most of the afternoon...... Oh, a sad sight it was...... It may sound silly and trivial to you all that I am upset with an 18 mile run with a 4 mile cool down......... BUT, when you can't do what you started out to do, it is a bit defeating.........

Anyhew, we will be off and running next weekend for another 22, but we will finish this one!! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHNNY!!

2008-08-25T05:06:00.001-07:00

Today my little Johnny turns THREE! I think we will go out and do something special! Now that the older kids are back in school, it is just the 3 of us...... so, we are off to Berryville park (wonderful place if you've never been there!), and then I will treat him to lunch out on the town (probably Burger King.. :)... Then once the kids get home, we will have cake and presents here.

What a big day for us!!

2008-08-25T04:55:00.001-07:00

Well, the kids are off for their first day of school! I can't believe how the summer has flown! Last week was a whirlwind of open houses and orientations.... (hence the lack of posting) My little Gus is going into Kindergarten this year! He just looked so little and sweet standing at the bus stop next to his big brothers, carrying his seemingly oversized backpack.... sigh. This is such a big change for him, but I know he is so excited to be one of the 'big kids' now. My Johnny will be missing him though!! And so will I!!

2008-08-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

Well, we just got back this morning from our first ever family camping trip!! Wow! We had a blast! It was so nice to see the kids biking, swimming, walking, hiking, roasting, sleeping (barely) without all the computer/tv fuss..... just the good ol' outdoors. We all just loved it. We went with some good friends of ours (who are more accustomed to camping), and had a really good time. Dan and I actually played our instruments around the campfire several times throughout the weekend... (that is more playing than we have done in the last 6 months) We really enjoyed the fact that we were able to spend a whole day doing whatever we felt like, whenever we felt like....... we will definitely be doing that again as soon as we can!!!

Thanks P, K, and family for a great weekend!!

Running.....

2008-08-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

Hey, just an fyi....... I beat my yesterday time! I think I am back! I just needed to focus a bit! (okay, back to the doughnut post............:)ha

Doughnuts!!!!!!!!!

2008-08-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are hanging out with my nephew and niece while my sister is out of town... we decided to make our own doughnuts........ I have this totally awesome cookbook for baking, and it was calling us...... They are SOOOOOOOOOOOOO good. Thank you Mary and Maria for your efforts!!!!!!!

Runner's funk....

2008-08-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

Well, the half of my blog title which I have been avoiding is the 'on the run'...... I guess my running this summer has been less than optimal... and certainly not worth writing about... well, due to our 'October skies' we have experienced this week and some nice cool weather, I feel like I am coming back! Today I ran my 5 miler at a 9:30 pace (about 30 seconds faster per mile than I normally do for training runs). I was really happy with it.. I mean, I am not breaking any land speed records.... but, for me, it felt really good! My goal is to run the Akron marathon (late Sept) in under 4hr22min (which would be a 10 minute mile held for the whole 26.2).. something we have yet to accomplish. It is amazing how difficult it is to bring those times down... I guess I will start by upping my mileage a bit, losing my last 5lbs!, and doing some speed work with Dan.. I will let you know how it all works out!!:)

Party weekend!

2008-08-10T20:47:00.000-07:00

Well, we really had a party weekend here......... our friends hosted their 4th or 5th annual fish fry on Friday eve. Our whole family attended, along with about 100 (literally) of our closest friends.. then on Sat eve, we went to another friend's home for a 'keg party' (I know I am too old for that sort of thing.... :).... we ended up that evening at 3am...... closing down the party, as always.. sigh. This year, in my true 'Kathy' style, not being able to be on the side lines watching others do the party thing, I jumped in the pool (fully clothed) at around 1 am......... needless to say, it was very cold... well, of course, it was very fun, but very cold. I am glad that I could be one of the 'fun ones' though!! Maybe one of these days I will be as prudent as my good husband, Dan.............. (or maybe not......... :)

Kristen turns 14!!!!!!!!!!

2008-08-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

Yikes, does that mean I am old?? My oldest daughter, Kristen, turned 14 yesterday.... we had a really fun day! First, we headed out to Starbucks for a yummy coffee treat, to Walmart so she could spend a bday gift card she had gotten from a friend on a new book she wanted, then off to the Hair Cuttery to get her hair cut and highlighted.... (that was a huge treat since she usually just gets a trim from good ol' Mom...) Her hair looks great btw! Then, we went to Panara Bread for lunch..... MMMMM, so good! After eating, we were off to shop at Kohls and the mall. We found some really nice things for Kristen to kick off her new school year with... When all was said and done, we headed back to St. Johns so she could spend the night at a youth group lock in. I think she really had a great day!! Happy Birthday Kristen!! We love you!

My great family!

2008-08-10T13:10:00.001-07:00

Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom of the page for a slideshow of my family! Isn't that great? My girls are helping me to 'coolify' (verb meaning 'to make cool'...) my blog... They have shown me the great 'wallpaper' I have now, the book shelf, the slide show, the music.... and I am sure there is more to come!!! So, keep comin' back! :)

Computer Blues..

2008-08-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

Well, my computer died a few months ago, and is still in the shop... so, in the mean time, I am 'sharing' with the kids......... so yesterday, I slipped in here to grab a couple minutes online (with so many sharing, it is hard to find this chair empty), and literally in the middle of an email, my eldest daughter slips in to shoot an IM message to a friend... I couldn't believe it... maybe when school starts again, I will have a little more time to be here, uninterrupted!

Summer fun

2008-08-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

Well, when the summer began, I must admit, I was wondering how we would survive... (a funny feeling coming from someone who was so used to home schooling and having ALL the kids home ALL the time).... but as the days wear on and we approach the fall, I am thinking I will really miss our current 'lifestyle'......... the kids and I meander out of bed when we see fit, we lounge through our days at the park or our pool... we've had parties and movies and play dates.. We spend time at the local library.. I guess we are just trying to make the most of our 'lazy days' before school starts... I am really enjoying this time with all my kids now. Every season seems to bring something new for us as a family! Well, we are going to 'play' until the schedule requires us not to! Happy summer!!

We survived...

2008-08-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

Well, no pix yet, but we did survive. I went to the National Zoo with my 'eight' (Mary brought her friend, Meghan) children.......... a crazy thing, I know. It was really fun, despite the crazy 'kid frenzy, let's try to navigate our way out of DC' way home.... The first half hour of our trip home almost made the whole day not worth it (:)), but they all redeemed themselves and we were fine........ All in all, we loved it. I will show pix soon! Hopefully tomorrow!

Take 'em to the zoo.........

2008-08-04T21:20:00.000-07:00

Hey, we are headed for the zoo tomorrow! I wanted to get some fun in before school starts! So, we are planning an 'out of the ordinary' event for each week this month! Say a prayer for us... Washington DC driving is not my thing.......................... :) but, boy are those lions, tigers, bears, elephants and giraffes worth it!! Hopefully Kristen will take lots of cool pix with her camera and I will share them!

The 'Total Money Makeover'!

2008-07-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

Well, we have been listening to Dave Ramsey's 'Total Money Makeover' CDs now for a couple of weeks................. (www.daveramsey.com) and I think it has totally transformed us... we were always, despite Dan's great salary, looking for ways to cut back and get ahead....... but, without a direct and precise answer, we weren't sure what to do..... and nothing was working. Now, we have a concrete plan and are so excited to plan our future!!!

Since all of this has transpired, you must understand that our spending patterns must change....... Tonight I went out to spend $300 in groceries ( this is a ridiculously low amount for my family of 9... I usually spend close to $800 per shop).... I got to the checkout, very uneasy, and trembling a bit... It looked like we would be over (my usual. ugh). I had my Sam with me looking at the UNO game ($4.97)..........I told him that if we came in under $295, that he could get it.........well, we did it! we came in at $294.76.... we had just enough for his game, and we 'splurged'!! Wow, it is amazing how God works sometimes.......

I am officially an 'ULTRA marathoner'!!!

2008-07-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

Well, we did it! Dan and I ran a 50k race (http://www.geocities.com/catherinesbigbutt/) on Saturday... our goal for the day was to come in under 9 hours.. sounds ridiculous, I know... that surely is a LONG time to run!! Well, after 8 hours and about 34 minutes (26 minutes to go...), we thought we were only 1 mile out (we knew we had it in the bag at this point, since we could practically crawl a 26 minute mile), so even though we hurt really badly and were SO tired, we RAN to get there before that 9 hour time passed us by.............. well, we realized after the race was over that that 'mile' was actually 1.9 miles....at least...... and we finished in 9:02! We were SO close, and you know, if it weren't for the huge FAT rattle snake that we encountered at mile 25, we just might have made it. All in all, it was a GREAT day!! We really enjoyed the course, the people we ran with, the race director and volunteers (thanks!!), and being together doing something we both love! We will most emphatically be doing that again..... once my body recovers.... :) I am off to bed now for some much needed sleep!!!

A great time!

2008-07-27T18:43:00.000-07:00

Mary and I had a ball! We shopped, we ate out, we stayed up late, we talked, we watched TV, we walked across the highway in our pjs to get 'midnight snacks', we put on fake nails........... how quickly our evening went, but we anxiously await the time when we can go out together again!!!

Coming of age....

2008-07-24T09:21:00.001-07:00

Before our kids enter middle school (around age 12), we take them out for an overnight to talk about some of the issues they will encounter upon entering teenagehood... and also for just some good, quality one-on-one time, which is so rarely found in a large family. Since my first 2 children were girls, it has so far been my turn to go for the overnight. Well, tonight is Mary's 'bar mitzveh' as we have come to call it. (don't know if I spelled that correctly..) This is her 'rite of passage' into being an 'older child' who gets more privileges. It is scary on one hand... we really would love for them to remain their innocent, childlike selves forever..... But, hopefully, by God's grace, we can bring them into adulthood with a good sense of responsibility and a desire to seek God's will in all things, a desire for purity and holiness in all aspects of their lives... Gee, parenting has certainly taken on a different twist from the 'good ol' diaper days'........ how simple that time was. Well, we are off for an evening filled with fun, good food, shopping and good conversation. Please keep us in your prayers!

A reason to bond.......

2008-07-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

Dan has decided to take out one of our kids each month as a 'dad's night out'... In a family with seven kids, a night out alone with a parent is so rare.... so, this month, it was Gus' turn. They went to Spelunkers ( the kids' favorite restaurant) and then to the arcade. So, Gus comes home in a triumphal state (being able to show his brothers all he has done, and the 'goods' he has acquired... ). Unbeknownst to all, even Gus who 'won' it, Gus brings home a prize that all would covet... the woopie cushion... well, for the rest of the evening, all of my boys who normally would be fighting non-stop, are rallying together around the 'blessed woopie'. They all think it is absolutely hilarious and can't stop using it..................... aaaah, the price we pay for peace... :)

Thanks to my kids!

2008-07-18T15:33:00.000-07:00

As I said in an earlier post, Dan and I have gotten in to running... well, training for marathons is no small feat, and it surely takes a lot of time... Back in the 'old days', we had to call in outside babysitters (Dan's mom) for our long runs. Now since we have 2 very capable girls old enough to babysit, we can go at our leisure, and be assured that all will be well. It really means the world to us to have this opportunity for many reasons, some of which being our time spent alone together (definitely #1!), the benefit of exercise (MUCH needed after birthing 7 kids...), time to just 'experience' the changes of seasons, time to pray, time to think about the kids and our lives, time to be thankful, time to be quiet (NEVER happens at home.. :), time to push our bodies (and minds) further than we thought they could go, and so many more... Well, after our marathon in May, we decided to take the kids out to Cracker Barrell as a reward for all their 'help' with our training. We got the usual reaction as we told the hostess that we needed a table for 9... 'uh, well, let me go see if we can rearrange some tables to accomodate you'... When our waitress came to the table, she was beside herself at the size of our family. Every time she came back to the table for something, she would comment on how good our kids were, how quiet they were, how amazed that we could have 7... and finally at the end of our visit she says, 'I am going home to ask my husband what we did wrong...'. Well, I know what we go through on a daily basis, and that all days aren't quite as perfect as that dinner experience was, but I smiled to myself and thought, 'You know, she is right. What a great bunch of kids. As tough as some times get, what would we ever do without them?' Thanks, guys, for being you and for being teriffic! I love you, Mum

Cancer free!

2008-07-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

Well, after weeks of wondering if my brother was correct in guessing that I had a 'basal cell carcinoma' (a non-spreadable form of cancer) on my face... a spot he detected on our trip to OBX in June.. you can imagine my overactive imagination running wild with that one.. .how many months do I have left, what will happen to our kids, what will Dan do without me, will it hurt, etc, etc... Anyway, I went to a dermatologist today who basically said it was just a 'blemish' maybe caused by age...... (argh).. He also checked out the rest of my moles and gave me a clean bill of health! So, my years of overexposure in the sun haven't killed me yet!! :) Thank God for that!!

Our wedding song.........finally

2008-07-15T19:24:00.000-07:00

Well, as you enter my blog world, the song that is playing is my 'intended' wedding song........ we were supposed to dance to that song at our wedding...... BUT.. yes, there is a but. Apparently, even though I told them months in advance what song we wanted to have available to dance to, they didn't get it....... and they didn't tell me until I was about to walk into my reception.. so, we had to pick a song on the spot (which I don't even remember what it was). No bitterness here... ha. After almost 15 years, I still remember............ (don't ever cross me.... hee hee) Anyway, I am elated to find a site that actually plays it now and I dedicate it to my loving husband. What a gift our marriage has been..... I love you.......

I have arrived!

2008-07-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

Hello world! Here I am... a computer illiterate, on the web. I have been wanting to start a blog for a while, and even thinking up entries on my long runs....... well, here I am. I am a mother of 7 beautiful children. I am Catholic. I used to home school, but just last year have put my oldest 4 in school (we love it!!!). We live in a fabulous, pro-life, Catholic community. We are so grateful for that! I have a million stories to tell............ some about my kids, and some about our runs... Dan and I started running about 4 or 5 years ago. We were smokers, and wanted an outlet for the natural weight gain that comes with quitting. So, he suggests, let's run a marathon.......... (what?!?!) Anyway, years later, and many miles under our belts, we are hooked. In 2 weeks, we will embark on a 50k 'race'. Shew........ what was I thinking?? It has proven to be a wonderful way to spend 'quiet time' together though.. we know no one will follow us on a 4 hour run.. hahaha. So anyway, these will be the chronicles of a very large family just trying to survive in today's world....