Fall

Quick photo update before Fall is over. It's getting cold out there and I let summer get away without any pictures uploaded.

Vala's

Carving pumpkins

Painted pumpkin seeds

to use in a mosaic

Here is Blaise's pumpkin patch

Mena was a doctor for Halloween. St Gianna Beretta Molla

The boys were St Thomas Aquinas, St. Peregrine, St. Andrew and St. George.

Cabin at Platte River

Whew. I'm glad I made it. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! Here's a welcome to the winter. May it be pretty, light, and just enough to play in.

Cancun

This week my husband stole me away to Mexico for four nights. Our first break from diapers for 10+ years. It was a great time. Our first day we took the bus up the road to a place where we could catch a ferry to Isle Mujeres where we tootled around on a golf cart we rented. Lunch was on the beach at Fenix and it was a taste of heaven. That's where we had our Corona moment. The next day we did the tour. We started out at Tulum where we saw the ruins. Edventures was wise to get us there before the crowds and the heat did. Next we got on our snorkel gear and explored a cave with our tour guide Javier. 

 Then on to the beach, where we swam with sea turtles and visited a coral reef followed by lunch and a swim in a warm lagoon where we could have spent all day. That seems like a lot for two days but it was fun and I didn't feel rushed or hurried. The ferry ride and even the bus ride, even standing at the front desk, were all moments to be enjoyed! Let alone laying on the sand gazing on the ocean! Ahhh... What a blessing this trip was!

 

Lagoon

Sea Turtles/ coral reef

Cenotes

Tulum ruins

Iguanas were everywhere.

Our golf cart on Isle Mujeres

The next day, Thursday, we spent at the resort. After lunch we got to help dig out some sea turtles that just hatched and that night, after the fire show on the beach, we released them into the ocean.

The view from our patio...

 
 Friday morning we had our last meal at Benezuzu on the resort where they treated us to a delicious seven course meal. Then home to Omaha! What a welcome we received when we got to the airport! Thank God for a safe healthy fun trip! Better watch out Tom, I  might get a little spoiled :)

LEGOs at Mass

Yesterday I gave an assignment. "Let's recreate ICC!"  What a fun project to put together! I don't know why we didn't think of it sooner. I was amazed at how creative the boys got with their details. There's even the sign language interpreter for the sermon.

 The altar --notice the altar lamp on the left. The tabernacle can even open. The altar was really Dominic's creation. I spent my time trying to find something that resembled a cross. That was really tough. Of course, I don't have the LEGO experience that the boys have. Though it really sucks you in once you get started.

 The thurifer with the incense. I love it!

 The line for the confessional

And of course, the view from the sacristy

I really am amazed at how this came together. It was so exciting when each little detail was thought of and then found. I love how everybody worked together. Even Zachary was putting the people together. Xavier made the confessional. Dominic and I did the altar. He knew the details of everything that is up there and Blaise did the pews and the server seats. I don't know about the boys, but today when we went to Mass, I saw everything in LEGOS. Just a side effect. It will wear off. The excitement of the building of ICC, I hope, has just begun. A great teaching tool!

Our trip to Texas

 At the end of April we drove on down to Texas. It was a trip of many new experiences for the kids... "so many firsts" as Dominic noticed. The kids traveled really well, as Tom did a lot of driving at night. Trips like this one make us think we can do it again. The weather even cooperated! Thanks be to God for a safe and happy trip!

First stop: Oklahoma City
We went to the Very cool Science Museum.

Xavier was the only one who could get that vortex to go. I don't know how he did it. 

We stayed the night in Norman and then headed to Aunt Ann and Uncle Milo's. They have some land in Doss and are wonderful to visit.

The next morning we left early and drove to Sea World where we met my cousin and her family.

My cousin also homeschools her five kids and they are about the same ages as ours. Just like family or best friends, we pick up right where we last left off.

 This killer whale show was the overall favorite. Though it is tough competition.

 My mom got matching shirts for all the kids to wear to Sea World.. makes it obvious that we're together.

 I improvised and made a hat with Mena's bloomers and headband. She got a few compliments, little did they know.

Saturday we went to the Mission San Jose. This was festival time in San Antonio and there was an art show/sale going on at the same time. We got to see some Tejano painters in action.

 Original fresco .. or what's left of it.

 After the mission we went swimming and then had dinner at the cousins.'
Again, we feel the warm hospitality of Texas.

 Followed by a campfire (the masks were brought out to keep out the smoke :)

Sunday, after Mass, we drove to Corpus Christi. We got there about 4pm. Found out that the bag I had meticulously packed was left in the condo. We did have our swim stuff so we went swimming then got dressed and went shopping for some t-shirts. It worked out. 

I guess we didn't need all that stuff after all. lol

Anyway, It was fun to see a lot of the stores and houses on stilts... another first 

 Dinner after shopping. 

 We ate outside and, yes, that is an actual aircraft carrier next to us.

 Then we took a walk on the pier. What troopers we have!

View from our balcony

 On the shuttle to see "Lady Lex" This aircraft carrier has a lot of history as it's the oldest aircraft carrier in the world. It was fun to watch to the kids get excited about something so historical. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Lexington_(CV-16)

"And this is the room where they did their art" --Xavier :)

Engine room

 Easter Sunday Mass 1944

 After spending 6 hours aboard, we got in the van to drive around the bay and see the Gulf. On the way we drove on to a ferry to go to the next island and saw DOLPHINS jumping in the water!

 The Gulf of Mexico...

 Blue jellyfish! Don't touch. Needless to say we didn't really get in the water more than just our feet.

Dominic spent some of the time just watching the waves and the birds...

They all were excited to find the waves depositing seashells. The seagulls had some competition. However, once the boys realized the shells were alive & trying to find wet sand, they decided to put them all back. It was fun to watch the clams come out and scamper under the sand. And  it was nice for us to see the boys have compassion for a clam.

 Tuesday we met up with our cousins for a day in downtown San Antonio.

First stop: The Alamo

 Next: The River Walk

We saw a live example of the food chain between some birds. Didn't expect that on this walk!

We had lunch in a restaurant on the river walk then went to "El Mercado"

 Dinner and swimming at "our place"

 Zachary got a guitar from the market

"Cascaron" or Mexican confetti eggs

 When in Rome..

 Our god daughters

 And we adopted a little baby and her stroller. Mena will take good care of her.

I like this picture my aunt took so much I'm putting it in twice. 

They do look ready for adventure don't they? 

Still, there's no place like home.