Christmas 2014

I have so much to share on this blog but for the sake of feeling overwhelmed and not writing or posting anything I'm going to check something off the list... Christmas pictures!

After not being home for Christmas Eve/Day in 3 YEARS! I got to enjoy my wonderful family and our dear held traditions, the Wisconsin way!

I re-arranged our furniture and can't believe we haven't done this sooner! I love how our red wals glow in the light!

 I tried to focus on advent with the kids using advent chain links, candles and prayers. Not all I hoped but I hope as the kids get older it will be more meaningful.

 I LOVE watching my kids LOVE eachother!

Christmas Eve Ham Dinner before going to Mass at St. Johns in Little Chute 

with the priest that gave me my first communion!

 The best I could get of just the three of them.

 The four oldest cousins on the Preissner side.

 I love these family pictures!

What a ham!

 

 

She's the only girl of 8 cousins/brothers and she works it!

Gifts after Mass exchanged between siblings and to my mom and dad.

 Merry Christmas Day 2014

We did 3 gifts for the kids this year with this theme:

Gold: A gift for their hearts desire.

Frankincense: A gift that glorifies God.

Myrrh: A gift for the body.

Gold: Tool/work Bench and Ninjago book for Augustine

 Gold: Baby and Baby Bed for Giana

 Becket was mostly along for the ride. I made him a cute photo book he will appreciate later.

 Mommy and Baby matching outfits!

 My Boys Christmas Day Eve

Green Bay Botanical gardens light show! LOVE this place and the kids did too! Gorgeous decently warm night. (Not quite worthy of the guy in shorts in the below pic... just noticed that!)

Home in MN and we opened the gifts I managed to forget!

Frankincense: Saint Gianna Doctor Kit

Lent 2013

I reflect this day as I gaze as my bright pink tulips and out the window to our snow covered ground. Spring will come. The days of fasting will end. Joy and Hope DO prevail.

I've focused on moderation this Lent and it has left me peaceful and free from my chocolate sugar addiction.

Augustine and I made this Crown of Thorns and it has been a beautiful reminder for the whole family. As we put the thorns in he whole-hardily apologized to sweet Jesus for the pain he causes Jesus when he is disobedient and not loving.

He gets to take a thorn out every time he does something good or when he goes to church. It's a great reward to him and is bringing me back to the cross everyday.

We dyed Easter Eggs for the first time... and boy, if you want to get your kids to eat boiled eggs. Dye them!! Augustine went from not really liking eggs to LOVING THEM! Gianna, didn't get the memo. She does not enjoy boiled eggs. "Just give me peas, bananas, fruit, broccoli and buttered toast!"

I took Augustine to Holy Thursday mass last night and it was so wonderful. Just him and I reflecting on Jesus. He was SUCH a good boy! Stamped in my memory as one of my best Holy Thursday services EVER! I posted this on facebook that night...

---Holy Thursday mass with Augustine tonight was so SO wonderful! He is so eager to pray and understand the mass... As I was packing up our stuff he knelt in the aisle hands folded, "St. Augustine pray for us. St Gianna pray for us. St. Daddy pray for us. St Mommy pray for us. Mother Mary pray for us. Saint...Pope...Pope Frances pray for us. Father Son Holy Spirit. Amen. Ok, Let's go!"---

Our Passover Meal as a family...

...Augustine wanted to wash feet like Jesus did when we got home. So precious... and I sure hope this is a new family tradition. Watching Augustine grow in his faith is the high of my life right now... that and just having the blessing of the two most beautiful children!

Holy Week to all...

 

....and Happy Easter on the other side!

Christmas Joy 2012

Instead of reading all my favorite blogs I'm forcing myself to post myself. Its been too long and I at least need to get pictures up. There is a blog I follow and I admire the woman who writes it intensely anyway... she always writes about the little things and misses the big things because she says she wants it to be just perfect so she procrastinates. I realized --- that's me! That's why I STILL don't have Gianna's birth story up... or baptism pictures... After that major realization about my desire for perfection when I write about something big... I have decided to at the very least post pictures and realize something is better than nothing!

So Here are some fun Christmas pictures I got...

Gianna is so photogenic and Augustine is very much a moving target... but they are oh so cute! They love each other so much and it just melts my heart!

 Above: decorating cookies first time with my little family... this year they were gluten and dairy free for my new diet and they were YUMMY!

Nothing like a cozy bath... my little froggys after their evening baths.

 She is so trusting and he looks so suspicious... I just can't help but think he is going to get her into so much trouble! I have fond memories of getting into trouble with my brothers so its kind of a nostalgic thing but this time I'm the mom... "Hey you kids be good!"

"Who me?" (Angelic baby face)

Aunt Lisa gave her this dress and I meant for it to be Gianna's Christmas dress... but Gianna slept right up until it was time to go to Christmas Eve mass so... she just wore the dress I put her in for the day... but I got this cute pic for memories sake and it'll fit for her Easter dress! :-)

Such a handsome boy!

After mass we drove around looking at lights and enjoyed appetizers and drinks at

"Moscow on the Hill" what a memorable night!

Augustine danced and Gianna sat in awe of the accordion player. :-)

 

 A little Christmas music on Augustine's new guitar!



 Home-made Christmas apple pie! YUMMY! (I baked while Jeremy did all the cooking for the day... including a fabulous brunch and ham and potato supper!)

 

 Enjoying Christmas toys... Gianna's doll (not pictured) was a favorite.

It giggles and she loved to eat the baby dolls face!

 

 

Happy First Christmas Gianna and Stanbary's first whole Christmas in MN!