Emerald Isle 2013, part 1

Well, we're back and mostly recovered from a great week at the beach! Time's tight, so I'm just going to post a slew of pics from the week. I'm sure you'll all miss my gripping narrative style. 

This is Emma's first look at the beach. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.

 So she went to sleep. 

Later on she got in the swing of things, and spent most of her energy trying to exit her tent.

 

Here are my surfers!

 Gnarley, dude!

 The below are fun: couldn't get everyone to smile at the same time. :) 

 

We watched a catamaran launch -- then Daddy built this sand-a-maran!

Aaaah. Good way to end a good day. 

Feast of St. Monica, Who Was Certainly Not a Sociopath

Hi! 

We are digging out from our week at the beach -- pictures to follow. But I wanted to write a couple things down before I forget. Today is the Feast of St. Monica; tomorrow the Feast of St. Augustine. So this morning, I told the kids about Monica and her son, trying to explain it in a way that they could relate to. So: St. Augustine because a really, really naughty boy (and then man) who just did not listen to his mother or to God, and made really wrong choices. But his mother loved him no matter what, and prayed so hard that he would turn to God and choose to be good and do good. And how God heard her prayer and they both became great saints of the Church. 

They wanted to hear this over and over, but with specific examples of St. Augustine's naughtiness. I did my best. Then Cody asked how we become saints. I explained that it's not easy, but that we should all strive to be good, to do good, to look for and listen to God, to be kind, and to pray that we become holy. But that most of the time, we will really mess up. So we just try to do our best each day and ask the saints to pray for us.

Then, Cody asked if they could pretend the St. Monica/St. Augustine story. Cordelia chimes in with, "Yeah! Let's pretend we are St. Augustine! But not when he is a grown-up. When he is still naughty!"

And yesterday, the little Miss reached out and pinched Cody--hard--as she was walking by. Just because. I had had it with her by then--this was not the first act of aggression (nor, it turns out, the last) in the day. I sent her to her room. When she came down to (insincerely) apologize, I got right down at her level and said very sternly, "That is enough. There will be no more violence from you."

She straightened her shoulders, glared at me, then narrowed her eyes and muttered darkly, "Someday there will be violence from me."

Someday this'll either be a great anecdote in the toast at her wedding, or a sad recounting at her sentencing hearing. 

My Monkeys

A Walk in the Park

While the boys were off camping last weekend, the girls and I had a fabulous walk around the pond and then played at the park. I love these shots of Cordelia. They give the impression of a peaceful child -- ha!

 Here's a little self-portrait of Little Owl and I...

 And here are my own happy campers. Look how long Cordelia is! Now that she has figured out swinging, she is content to do it all day. 

Emma is, too. : )

 

We Have A Tooth!

E has been unusually fussy the last couple of days, and (not so unusually, sadly) incredibly restless at night. I could kind of see her gums swollen and thought I could make out some teeth under there. Last night, I told JVL I'd be surprised not to see it by today. Sure enough, it popped through overnight! And...her current naptime screaming (again, not usual) can be explained by the fact that when I sneaked a peek at the new addition, I could see another new addition right next door. Thank you, God, for Infant Tylenol. 

Other than that, though, all she wants to do is try to walk. This is a problem. You can't turn your back for a second anymore. I know, because I did it this morning and found her standing on the fireplace. Mother of the Year!

 (She will teethe on pretty much anything!)