A Beautiful Fall Sunday

Sunday we spent a lovely fall day with Phoenix. First we went to the pancake breakfast at church. Then we went to Mass. After Mass we went home to change. After that it was off to the cider mill in Clinton.

Here is Phoenix with Johnny Appleseed. He picked out this pumpkin himself. He and Mary-Kate plan on decorating their pumpkins when they get home.
Come and have your picture taken with me Mary-Kate. Don't forget to smile.
Now it's your turn Matthew. They have been buddies since Phoenix was just a little guy.
Look at that beautiful New York fall scenery.
We just had to stop and watch them combining that corn. The guys aren't the only ones who like to watch big machinery at work.

Hard Working Man

This past week Doug has been working part-time for a contractor building this barn in Deansboro, New York.
He has been helping put rafters up and roof boards on. Matthew and Mary-Kate and I have gone down to watch him work.


It's pretty neat watching the men walking on the roof boards. The first day they used a crane to lift the rafters up and put them on the roof.


One day Doug worked all day removing bracing and cutting 2x4's to size so that they could be used for roof boards on the sides.


Then we watched them lift the rafters up onto the lift for the side section of the barn.
The rest of this week they will finish the other side section of the barn. Then another crew will come in and pour cement for the floor. Still another crew will come in and put the mesh on the sides of the barn and it will be done and then the farmer can bring in his cows. This farmer plans on housing 25o animals in this barn.
This is my tired builder at the end of the day. But he has put in a hard day but he has also earned his pay. Thank you for all that you do for this family. We love you.

Rest In Peace Shadow

Last night Mary-Kate's dog, Shadow, was hit by the neighbors van and killed. Poor Mary-Kate is in deep mourning today. She has hardly slept all night for crying. What is a parent to do when a child, even a 17 year-old, loses a beloved pet? She knows that Shadow was just a dog here for her pleasure and enjoyment but not a person with a soul but still there is an emotional investment in the care of that pet. Oh well, this too shall pass, in the immortal words of the sage Ryan Kraeger.

You Are Big Bird

Talented, smart, and friendly... you're also one of the sanest people around. You are usually feeling: Happy. From riding a unicycle to writing poetry, you have plenty of hobbies to keep you busy. You are famous for: Being a friend to everyone. Even the grumpiest person gets along with you. How you life your life: Joyfully. "Super. Duper. Flooper."

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

Ride em Cowboy

Sunday afternoon, after helping the neighbors fence in a new pasture, Mary-Kate, Ian, and Matthew decided to take the horses for a spin. Mary-Kate took Charlie for a walk around the new pasture.
Then Ian got into the act. Rocko doesn't like to be left out so Ian jumped on him and rode him around the pasture for awhile.
Matthew never likes to be left in the dust, so when Ian got tired he hopped on Rocko's back and took him for a spin too.
Ian and Welmont racing across the pasture.
I think Ian wants to be a cowboy. He sure looks like a natural up there on that horses back.

Rosary Rally

Saturday was the 90th anniversary of the miracle of the sun. To commemorate that event a rosary rally was held in Oneida sponsored by St. Joseph's parish. The turn out was pretty good.
There were very cute and devout altar boys there.
Father Castronovo and Father Matt and several lay people led the assembly in all 20 decades of the rosary.
It was quite a moving event. I'm sure that Our Lord and Our Lady were pleased by those who turned out to honor them.

Please Pray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ryan's old platoon was hit by an IED strike. Three soldiers were wounded. I thank the Lord and Our Lady that I was not Ryan who was involved, but the others who were hurt need prayers as do their families. Also the soldiers who they left behind are very much in need of your prayers too. Thank you.

Surface Tension

I recently bought Matthew a kit called a "bubble-ator" It is composed of rods and balls that you use to construct different shapes.

After making the shape you take it and you dip it into a container of bubble solution.
The shape is supposed to come out with multiple bubbles inside of it if it was constructed properly. Then Matthew uses a straw to blow the bubbles into one large bubble.

I wish we had had this when they were little. It was good for many hours of fun. He had to be pried away to do his chores finally.

Be careful don't suck!!!!! That bubble solution will clean you out completely.

All great fun and a good lesson on surface tension.

Kindergarten Crafts

Tuesday in my kindergarten religion class we made shields for Michael the Archangel.
We took a paper plate and flattened it out and wrote Defent Us In Battle on what would be the bottom of the plate.


Then we glued a picture of Michael the Archangel that I had printed out from my computer between the words. Some of the kids colored the plate grey first because shields are grey don't you know Mrs. K. That's okay too. Then we took a piece of wide wire edged ribbon about 14" long and stapled it between that paper plate and another plain one so that the ribbon went around the plates at the back.


Like this. The ribbon is for the warrior to put his arm through so that he can hold up his shield to ward off the temptations of the devil.

Here are my warriors holding their shields. They really enjoyed this project. The boys really went over board "fighting" off the devil.

Here's Adam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ian, Ian, and more Ian

The Many Moods of Ryan

A New Roof

What a better thing to do with a long weekend than to put a new roof on the house. Ian and Jason planned a lovely surprise for me this past weekend. It was a long weekend for Jason so they got together with our neighbors and put the roof on the house.
Ian was the foreman. He kept everyone working and motivated to get the job done. Even when he had to leave for work yesterday.

Mary-Kate pulled nails from the 2x4's and handed them up to the guys on the roof.
Jason framed up around the chimney. He gets all the fussey work. But he must have done a good job, the foreman didn't complain about his work.

Doug and Matthew worked together moving the sheets of steel to the ladders and lifting them up.

Then the guys on the roof could pull them up and screw them all into place.


They worked most of Saturday, until they got rained out. Then all day Sunday and all day Monday. Today they are finishing the sealing and now we have a new steel roof on the house.
Thanks boys for a lovely surprise. Now you don't have to rush to the attic when it rains to put pails under all the leaks.