A Good Sign

Me to M: 

"Alright, this is the last time.  You may only give the baby one more kiss."

With cheeks as scrumptious and kissable as this...

Can you blame him?  I'm having trouble holding back myself! :)

Sleeping report: Baby J is starting to give us a longer stretch (~5-6 hours), but unfortunately during the first sleeping stretch of the night (7-12am or 8-1:30am).  This means I rarely get to benefit from it.  When I do, I feel totally disoriented from going to bed so early!  Oh well!  He then sleeps 3-hour stretches for the rest of the night...  Ho hum!  He is officially 8-weeks-old today, so I just need to relax and let things happen.  :)  I should count my blessings that we're at least getting some sort of break. :)

That's the latest from Gasperini-Ville.  Hope your day has been blessed!  

Autumn--Check!

I found these bountiful mums today and was so happy to (finally) get something on our front stoop...  Don't they look happy themselves?  Now for those pumpkins!  Have a blessed Monday!Update: I just found this wreath for the front door!  So very excited...  I just love autumn!

Go Irish!

Glad for the win!

Satiated Saturday

The baby is sleeping
The boys are playing
GG is running (= endorphin-induced hubby!)
I have my coffee
Soccer is cancelled
The Irish play this afternoon
The dishes are done.

What could be better?
God bless you today and prayers for a blissful weekend!

Heavenly Disorder

There has been a temptation this week to feel a bit nuts and out-of-order, kind of like a chicken with my head cut off. lol. But I'm doing everything in my earthly power to offer it up, let it go, and laugh about it...

Easier said than done.

You see, I like order a little too much. I like things in their places.

I like clean countertops. I like clear floors. I hate clutter.

Yet I also like little boys. :) (Incidentally, boy = antithesis of all things mentioned above!)

And that's where faith steps in and reminds me that smiles and hugs are worth far more than an orderly home in the day-to-day. God taps me on the shoulder and shows me that a sink full of dishes and basket full of laundry are worth every ounce of happy and healthy children. And that's a good thing to realize on this Wednesday, middle-of-the-week-almost-to-the-weekend day. Whew!

In an attempt to keep this blog in order (can't I be OCD about just this one thing? :), here are a bunch of photos from the past days that I haven't had a moment's time to update! Enjoy!

Oktoberfest Fun last Friday night!

Mom and Dad doing the chicken dance--we're so cool! :)

M's second soccer clinic--didn't go as well as the first, but that's a whole other story!  We're hoping week #3 will be happier and more fun...

We finished off Saturday at a pub watching the Irish play!  It was great to meet some other area fans through the local Notre Dame Association...

T, getting creative with boxes and Mom's shoes.

Brotherly love, as always

Adorable J smiles!  We are having such fun seeing these...

Finally, a shot taken by M--I thought it was cute bc J was smiling too!

God bless!

A Little Something

...to start everyone's Monday off on the right foot!

Java Joy

It's no secret how much I adore a cup of Starbucks, but I have to admit that today my love for the coffee giant was taken to a whole new level...

I was heading across town to meet up with a friend and had promised to arrive with 'bucks in hand for our get-together. She has the same favorite drink (!), so away I went to the only drive-thru in town, ordering two nonfat, decaf, grande Cafe Americanos. Magnifico! With kids in tow, I was off, coffee laden and quite happy to be venturing out on a Friday morning. No sooner had I turned the nearest corner, though (ominous music begins to play), but BOTH drinks tipped in the car and dumped all over the front carpet of our van! Ugh! It was a HUGE mess... But rather than get all worked up, I merely turned the car around and headed back to Starbucks to hang my head and get more drinks. (When the promise of a cup of Starbucks is there, I can't be without!)

So I pulled back up to the drive-thru and quickly placed my order. The girl soon recognized that, indeed, I was the same customer who had before ordered two nonfat, decaf, grande Cafe Americanos. I explained about my incident and without skipping a beat, she had me pull around to the window, unload my cups for a refill, and offered me two towels to mop up my car!!!!!! She couldn't have been any nicer. Moments later (and not a dime poorer), I once again pulled away from Starbucks, this time with two Cafe Americanos in a provided drink holder and also a WHOLE NEW appreciation for this larger-than-life franchise with small town courtesy.

Bravo Starbucks. Bravo!
And God bless you today! Drink up! :)

From the Mouths of Babes

Outside the other day...

T: Yook, Mommy, yook!  Dere's a Mommy Yongyegs (pointing to a Daddy Longlegs!  lol :)

Sleepless in Virginia

...thanks to this adorable guy:
At 6 weeks, our sweet baby J shows no signs of being sweet to his parents during the nighttime hours.  Just last night he was up every 1.5-2.5 hours!!!!  To say GG and I are slightly delirious today would be a severe understatement.  Praise God for my supportive hubby who rode out a lot of the night with me!!  Hopefully this pattern will break soon...  

Fortunately, though, we've been seeing more of this lately:
which totally makes everything worth it!!  

Love to all the nursing mamas out there--I'm livin' it with you, sisters!

And God bless you all!  Happy Tuesday!

Getting Political Through Prayer

I just received this email message and thought it blog-worthy!  I have been so impressed by Gov. Sarah Palin--to be a wife, mother, governor, and vice presidential nominee has to take its toll on this amazing woman!  She needs all the prayers she can get...

"Sarah Palin is a born-again, Spirit-filled Godly person who said "yes" when asked recently to serve her country. Since then, Gov. Palin asked my daughter Rosanne, who is part of her staff in Anchorage, for prayer, and so over the weekend Rosanne and I put together the attached "Psalm for Sarah for 66." It's intercessory prayer using Psalm 27 for the 66 days between the date of Sarah's accepting McCain's offer and election day, Nov. 4; it's not about who wins the election or about politics or your voting choice.

We've sent it to a number of Christians across the county so would you also pray for Gov. Palin in this Esther-like time of her life? You might also pass it along or copy any one who might pray. If this request is offensive to you, I apologize.

Rosemary Dupras

A Psalm for Sarah for 66 Days:
Sixty-six Days of Intercession for Gov. Sarah Palin according to Psalm 27. Pray for Sarah, husband Todd, sons Track, baby Trig, daughters Bristol, Willow, Piper, from August 29 through November 4.

Pray for:
*Singleness of Vision, Moral Clarity
Ps 27:1a - The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?
*Fearlessness, Boldness
Ps 27:1b - The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?
Protection from Libel, Slander, Hatred, Persecution
Ps 27:2 - When [not "if"] evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
*Confidence in Christ, a Guarded Heart
Ps 27:3 - Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident.
*Priorities Devotions, Rest, Balance
Ps 27:4 - One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate in His temple.
*Deliverance, Favor
Ps 27:5 - For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.
*An Overcoming Spirit, a Higher Perspective
Ps 27:6 - And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me; And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
*Direction, Wisdom, Surefootedness
Ps 27:7, 11 - Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me. . . . Teach me Thy way, O Lord and lead me in a level path because of my foes.
*A Release of Faith, an Expectancy of Good,
Ps 27:13 - I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
*Strength, Courage, Endurance,
Ps 27:14 - Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the Lord. And let Your kingdom come and let Your will be done.

Soccer Firsts

Today marked the beginning of an era in Gasperini-Ville: the start of organized sports!!!!

At 10:30am, "Big Blue" (our beloved minivan) pulled out of the garage with the entire family ready to take on M's first soccer practice. Inside he was clad in Umbro shorts, shin guards, and cleats and was *beyond* excited for his first go at it.

And might I mention, what a *cute* little player he was (totally biased). He listened really well to his coaches and followed instructions to a T (mom and dad were so proud!) When time came to scrimmage, M was such a hustler and stayed on the field chasing the ball the whole time as the other kids began "dropping like flies" due to the heat. We were so proud of our little soccer player! We laughed that we are now going to have to undo a lot of the lessons we've taught him in the past: "No son, you don't have to share the ball." "Yes, sweetheart, go ahead and steal the ball from that other kid." lol. ONLY on the soccer field. :) I anticipate him getting more and more aggressive as time goes on (if only his brother were on the field for him to tackle--he's quite good at that!)

GG and I couldn't be more excited for this commencement, as our entire lives we've personally clung to sports, hectic practice schedules, and athletic accomplishments.  Forgive us for already living vicariously through our children! :)  What a great morning.  As I said to GG, "I could do this every Saturday."  

Really, we're in heaven.

Hope you're staying cool (east), safe (Texas), and enjoying a beautiful Saturday.

God bless.

Loving our Daddy

Today as our GG left for work, I couldn't help but think of the calamity of our lives if he were never to return.  (Fear is a REAL area of weakness for me and I feel like I'm offering it up in prayer constantly!)  How the boys would miss him and ask for him constantly (as they already do when he's away!); how I would ache for his love, support, and companionship...

And then I remembered that today is 9/11 and I'm so saddened at how appropriate these thoughts are for this depressing anniversary.  

So rather than wallow in sadness and fear, we are going to rejoice today in our working, loving, supporting daddy and praise God for every day we have with him!  God bless America!

The Love of a Brother

M: Mommy, maybe someday when I get bigger I can pump milk and feed it to J.

Laughing and Melting...

Back To Life

Back to Reality. Back to Life. Back to Reality...

I had this silly 80's jingle in my head this morning as I awoke to a new dawn in Gasperini-Ville.

GG was up and at 'em, getting ready for his first WORK day. Way to go, GG!!! We can't wait to hear all about it... M was down the hall, getting in his last minutes of home fun before heading off to his first day of pre-school. We were elated two weeks ago to receive news that he would be accepted off the waitlist at a school right around the corner. Yahoo! Here are a few glimpses of our precious student:

Big Bro heads to school

Little Brother's Turn

And here's a shot of the smallest brother just because he's cute. :)

Status Report Post Preschool Day One: Not much. I could hardly get the little guy to dish up after his first day--a sign of things to come in our teen years? I'm sure.  :)  I did manage to find out that his favorite part of the day was playing with a car and the toys in the room, that he likes his teachers (I think--I totally fed him the line!), and that he rode a bicycle on the playground. How cryptic it is to be a mother of boys! Oh for a girl to chatter on and on and tell me everything! :) Maybe someday... :) In the meantime, I love my little boys!

T, J, and I ventured out for T's 2-year doc's appt. this morning (nothing like packing in our first morning of routine!) T is happy and healthy and right on schedule for all of his growth and abilities. He also boasts a hemoglobin level in the 14's (like his mother), despite never choosing to eat meat. Oh well, at least he's healthy, right?!

So there's a brief synopsis of our first rather manic Monday! God bless and hope this finds you well!

The Littlest Fan

Around here, fall Saturdays mean really only one thing:

college football

And today, our beloved Irish take the field for the first time this season.  To say the Gasperini-Ville spirit today is high would be an understatement.  We are beyond *thrilled*. :)  If all goes as planned, we will be heading over at 3:30pm to watch the game at Mimi and Papa's in HD.  Can't wait!!  GO IRISH!

To mark his first Domer football season,  Baby J donned an adorable Irish onesie this morning, sweetly given to us by some great ND friends.  Thank you Spiess Family!  How much we miss you all! :)  Wish we were all getting together today at the Moss' pad for a tailgate...  Alas, it is the first game and we are no longer in South Bend.  We send our love from afar!  Note: J is starting to get some serious cheeks, wrist rolls, and general chub.  Yes!!  I love my babies FAT! :)

On another note, the G-clan had our first family-of-five picture professionally taken yesterday for our church directory.  Talk about a whirlwind to get 5 people dressed, coordinated, fed, diapered, pottied, and out the door.  No sooner had we arrived, but GG pulled T-baby out of the car and realized we had forgotten the kids' shoes!!  lol! :)  It was almost comical to see GG and I each carrying into the church a non-shoed child.  Thankfully all was well--we were running late (typical), yet the people were operating without a schedule and you couldn't see anyone's feet in the picture! :)  lol!  We love ourselves a good laugh and adventure.

Blessings to you this football Saturday!  Weather in Gasperini-Ville is cloudy, windy, and rainy (thanks to Hanna), but our spirits are certainly sunny!  God bless.

Hawaiian Getaway

When strapped with a baby and two rambunctious little boys, who can beat a night of dreaming of Hawaii? :) 

Tonight our taste buds took an amazing trip there to the shores of Maui.  It was all thanks to an incredible recipe passed along by our dear friend, Leah.   She has creative culinary genius and we reaped the benefits of her sophisticated palate and love for dinner beauty! :)  I think GG practically fell out of his chair eating this scrumptious Seared Beef Salad.  While the prep/marinating is a little time-intensive, it is worth the work!  Enjoy! :)

Seared Beef Salad with Wasabi Vinaigrette

Marinade:

1 Tbsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/4 C. soy sauce

1 Tbsp dry white wine (optional)

1/2 tsp sugar (or Splenda)

Vinaigrette:

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp soy sauce

3/4 C. olive oil

1 Tbsp wasabi paste (make paste by adding water to wasabi powder)

2 tsp sesame seeds

Salad:

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1 lb steak (any lean cut will do; cut into lean strips)

4 C. baby salad greens/spinach

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over steak strips in shallow bowl so meat is coated.  Cover and chill (30min. to overnight--the longer, the better).  Afterward, in heavy pan heat sesame oil over high heat, add meat, and cook.  Turn once, cooking meat 2 min. per side for medium rare, then transfer to plate to keep warm.

Combine all ingredients for vinaigrette, blending them in a blender or food processor for most flavor.  Toss salad greens with half of vinaigrette (or according to liking), top with meat, and use remaining vinaigrette.  

Enjoy!! :)  God bless!

Staying Afloat

Hello beloveds...  

Just writing to let you know we're here and we're surviving (by the skin of our teeth!) :)

I have to say the juggling act of three children is still such a mystery to me.  To think that one day it will be old hat... WOW!  Not quite there yet.  Actually, we're just barely keeping our heads above water, so I will have to pray for such an outcome someday! :)  

As of today, we are officially unpacked from all of our vacationing.  The wedding on Saturday was wonderful and Princeton (once again) charmed the pants off us!  I just adore the place--it really gets cuter and more quaint with each visit!!!  And while seeing our favorite Father Tom (who officiated the wedding on Saturday and our wedding 6+ years ago), we were able to secure a date for Baby J's baptism in October for up in P-town!  Now we have the excuse to go back, catch a fall football game, see great friends, and have one of the world's greatest priests baptize our precious boy.  What fun!

And I'll end on a REAL moment in Gasperini-Ville: the dreaded opening of the bin of old clothes this evening.  Why did I even do it??!  I knew they wouldn't come close to fitting yet, but I did it anyway and wound up depressing myself with each tug.  Ho hum.  Oh the joys of a postpartum body.  Any mothers out there hear me on this one?  Yes, yes, be patient, B-mama.  It will come back.  I know.  

Okay, off to have some pie. ;) *wink*  That should help. 

God bless you tonight!!