Welcome baby Graham!!

A long overdue welcome to our newest cousin and nephew, Graham Michael, born March 20th! We can't wait to snuggle you someday soon! We've received picture updates since his birth through a shared iPhoto photo stream (thanks for doing that Jeff and Kate!) Some choice ones below.

This is magazine-worthy.

He's so cute!

Happy Birthday, Cara!

Happy Birthday to Cara, our wonderful and loving wife, mother, daughter and friend.

A little known fact about Cara: She was won years off of purgatory for nearly every person who reads this blog.  Matthew Kelly, in his book The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic, talks about every great family having a “prayer giant.” Cara is our prayer giant.

I also want to acknowledge what all of us have come to know and appreciate about Cara vis-a-vis this blog: That she has become masterful at capturing the tone and meaning of the major events of our lives.  Only one with such a supernatural outlook as Cara can weave together such a beautiful narrative that will be (and currently is) a truly priceless gift to our children.

For me, there is no greater source of peace and strength here on earth than Cara.  I admire and look up to her more than any person I know, and that is an awesome thing to say about someone I have known for nearly 14 years.

Snow day

The new time-out?

Watching a tutorial on how to clean your American Girl doll's hair.

It turned out to be a relaxing, cozy snow day. Dave worked from home while I tackled Julia Child's infamous Boeuf Bourguignon, which filled the house with its mouth-watering aroma all day, and some homemade bread to boot. Dave is now baking sugar cookies, the girls have cleaned the dishes, everyone is in their PJs... my birthday seems to have come a day early; it was close to a perfect day!

This and that

This, after Frankie reported one night at dinner that a certain Noah (there are many in her class) lied to the teacher about Frankie misbehaving. I would be cautious believing it, but for other Noah stories I've heard, and Frankie's general veracity about such things. Not sure if Frankie put Teresa up to this devious errand, or if Teresa conceived it herself...

Pirouetting in  her First Communion dress, for size.

First meeting of Families of Bethany at our parish (probably 30 children running around the house not included in the picture). Looking forward to more- a great group of families helping each other grow in holiness.

Someone had the courtesy to pull Our Lady up to the table for a muffin.

Gearing up for another snowstorm, complete with days off school. I've lost count how many days they've missed, but it's rather obscene.

A shout out to my dad (and Natalie in attendance) as he heads a big conference tonight- good luck!