Our Great Park Adventure: #1 Porter Park

A couple years ago, I was looking up a number in the phone book and came across a listing of all the parks and trails that were available in our area.  We routinely visit about 4 or 5 different ones, but I found out that there are over 125 different parks in our area.  I thought how fun it would be to visit each one and rank them according to our liking.  Since we are continuing with school through the summer, I knew I would have to have a few fun outings to offset the disappointment of a "NO SCHOOL" summer.  The kids were thrilled.  We printed off the list and will mark our rating next to each park.

 Now, I know how these things go.  We have such great plans and eight parks into our adventure I wish every park would disappear because that is all they talk about.  I sure hope we can mark off a huge chunk as I think this will be so much fun!  They gave Porter Park a score of 8.  Dominic claims the fireman pole wasn't long enough and the girls said the teeter-totter didn't work.

 She is still hesitant with sand and squats for five minutes before moving onward.  John squatted with her for moral support.

 Every baby loves outdoors, right?  Well, she is on a different level than any of our other children in the past.  She mourns for the outdoors.  She stands at the window hoping anybody will take her out to swing or let her climb up and down the slide.  We can't even mention the swing as she will go into hysterics.  We made the mistake tonight of letting her run naked in the backyard.  Now, she will think that is normal.  She was a free bird!

 I loved this picture of Lillie's red hair. So pretty.

 Clairvaux made a trip to the ER last Saturday.  You can see the wound on her forehead.

 Rose's athleticism always delights us.  She was giving John quite the time playing soccer this evening.  For as gentle as her spirit is, she sure is a competitor.  Whenever we see one of the kids doing something athletic, it is always a race to see who will first claim their family as the originator of such talent.  I will always say, "What a little Niewald!"  John usually comes back with some Boever stat in an attempt to trump me.

She demanded a photo when we were leaving.

Baby's Favorite Spot and Song

Damaris has reached the cute phase of when I say "Go see if Papa is home" she will run over to the window and check for a long time.

There is always a lot of pointing and one-year-old commentary about what she can see while waiting for him to pull into the driveway.

Hot pink toes by Aunt Damaris.

I forgot to write about one of the cutest things she does.  Back around Christmas, Dominic learned to play the song "Come, thou Fount of Every Blessing" on his tin whistle.  I am still looking for the video of him, but the song will be forever imprinted on my heart as he still looked so small and innocent up in front of the crowd playing his tin whistle.  I can't listen to that song without getting tears in my eyes thinking of Dominic playing it that afternoon.  Anyway, since then I have played the song from Youtube and hummed it to Damaris.  She picked up on it and will actually hum the tune.  I have gotten so use to her doing it that I forgot how cute it was until my sister came and asked, "Is Damaris humming 'Come, thou Fount of Every Blessing?" It really is sweet.
I play this version every morning when the kids are starting their school work. Rose says it is her favorite.

Heritage School 2013-Dominic

Dominic was able to attend the Heritage School on Wednesday with his Classical Conversations group. He went a couple years back and thoroughly enjoyed it so we were thrilled when they announced that the older kids would be able to attend the school again. I know our other children are looking very forward to their day at Heritage School in the years to come.

The school board encourages the student to dress the part, act the part which entails preparing a poem to recite in front of the class, and bring a lunch that would have been suitable for the time period.  Dominic brought almonds, bread, and beef jerky.  It was great to see all the girls dressed in their prairie dresses and bonnets.  The head mistress played the role perfectly keeping order in the classroom and acting like a teacher would have in the 1800s.

I won't write about the school as the placard say it all, but to experience it in person is a real treat.  I could almost feel the presence of those back in the day.

Quote by Benjamin Franklin

The history behind this saying dates back to the Ancient times.  One of the original versions use to be, "Speech is Silver.  Silence is Golden."

All the kids sat perfectly quiet and still waiting for their lessons and instructions.  We were allowed to take pictures for a little bit before the parents had to leave.  I really could have stayed all day.

He told me before he got there that he was most excited about the spelling bee.  He placed 2nd this year which disappointed him because as he said, "Mom, I can't believe I got out on the word handkerchief.  I don't know what happened to me."  

He is such a pleasure of a child.  As much fun as he had, he told me after picking him up that he is always glad to be home.  We were both glad he had this fun experience.

12 Years Later

We celebrated our 12th Anniversary on Sunday.  I just told someone tonight how I knew the moment I met you, I would marry you.  I was spending the summer with your family.  You had just driven back from your sophomore year of college at Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.  I loved you before I met you because your sisters spoke about you with dreamy eyes.  They would say things like, "Everything is better when John is home."  or  "John always plays with us."  I remember thinking how unique you must be if you are loved by your six little sisters.  I met you and drove to the Newman Center for mass.  I called my mom from the pay phone and told her that I was going to marry you.  We met on May 19, 1998 and we married exactly three years later on May 19, 2001.

May 2001 on our honeymoon in Cancun, Mexico.

I know we both feel overly blessed in our lives mainly with each other and the 11 children God has so chosen to send us in these 12 years of marriage.  We have three souls in heaven (St. Benedict, St. Margaret, and St. Francis) that I know we both look forward to meeting and finally say, "Oh, it was you!"  We are not fools to know that the cross can come at any time in our lives so I pray we both are on watch always.  I offer my rosary everyday for specific intentions and always one decade is set aside for you that Our Good Lord  and His Mother will protect you mind, body, and soul.  I hope to always remember the words a good priest friend told us, "Pray that each other will have final perseverance and keep their faith."

                               May 19, 2013 John and I with our eighth child.  (5 months pregnant)