David Today - Enjoy!

Therese Today - Enjoy!

Early Morning Costume Time, Initiated by Therese!

Her Original Creation!

Arr, Ye Mateys! (Dressed by his big sister!)

Winter Returns with a Bang and Snowed-In Cousins!

Well, I'm sure you're experiencing a similar sensation... feeling like you've backtracked a season after a few wonderful spring days. It is not like any of us actually thought that spring would stay... but one sometimes just can't keep from hoping for such a wonderful thought during a winter like this!

Well, a snow day couldn't possibly have been much more perfect for a little 2 year old! She woke up to hear that Simon's school was cancelled, which meant that she had both him and Mary all day to play with! It, of course, began with brushing teeth by the big window, watching uncle Eddie blow snow. ... VERY EXCITING!


And lots of kitty chasing and teasing... no day is complete without a lot of that when the Lanoues are around!

Therese is also very lucky to have a grandmother who would do anything for a good picture of kids and animals to put on her blog, so she even got the fun experiece of wading through a foot of new-fallen snow out to the barn! She got to see a new calf nurse, another new calf being put in a warming box to dry off, and got to gaze at another snow-covered pair through a doorway.


My father is actually having a really tough couple days with his cows. I don't know if mom mentioned this on the blog or not... in fact, this could all be repeat, but oh well! Yesterday he had a pregnant cow die on him due to it getting on its back and not being able to get back over before the weight of its calf killed it. Today he went out to have two new calves born, which is great, but then he went to check on the herd that is a bit from calving still, and found another cow had, for some reason, done the splits and was unable to get up. It is also pregnant, and now it is in the dirt-floored shed with a blanket over it, not being very interested in eating. Not looking very good. So a prayer in the direction of a good calving season from here on out would be greatly appreciated.

Therese, unfortunately, just realized that the cousins are leaving after bath time tonight, so she is already greatly lamenting the fact, but hopefully it won't cloud the few hours of play that remain.

PS - David is without clothing in this picture, because he had just got his first hair cut! I cut off easily over 2 inches in most places! His hair was so thin and wispy, however, that the clippers wouldn't cut it, so I had to do it by hand, which amazingly turned out OK. He is not cooperating in taking a decent looking picture to show off the shorter locks, however. I will post one when I get it.

Oh... PSS - It looks like I will be coming your way on either March 18th or 19th.  I am delivering the kitten to Khristeen's party on the 19th. 

Love, Maria

His First "Mud" Puddles

Well, as you may have read (or will read) on my mom's blog, we brought all the kids out to see the new baby calves this morning. And my kids were actually really good. They weren't scared, they were gentle, and they listened well, etc. I carried David on the way to the barn, just out of habit, but I thought I'd let him check out the "mud" puddles on the way back to the house. (I assume you know why mud is in quotes - let's just say it was a litte more "organic" than normal everyday mud!)

Anyways, HE LOVED IT! And, he was actually amazing at trudging around in it without falling! He was even wearing his favorite boots - which are quite cute... but not exactly his current size! Nevertheless, he went quite a while without a spill, and then only fell a bit, getting his mittens dirty. Then he had a butt fall... and then a knee fall... but it wasn't until he had ventured into deeper "mud" and goopier "mud" that he finally did the ultimate... FACE PLANT! And that was the end of that! ... at least I thought!

He actually only was sad for a moment, and then when I picked him up he got even more sad, because he wanted to be back in the "good stuff!" So I put him down and led him by his now grimy hand back to the house. And the Lord knows that I had to go to the house via every muddy way possible, because if I tried to take a short cut over snow or grass he would just not have it. HE WANTED MUD!

So... we finally made it to the house... by this time not only he, but I as well, are totally without any portion of clothing that has not been infested with "the stuff"... so we quickly get him stripped down in the garage, get my shoes off and dash him in to the sink for bubbles... not quite as good as "mud"... but quite pleasant!

Her First Haircut!

Well, it took almost three years, but she finally got it! Her first haircut!

Bath time had become a battle. She never wanted me to wash her hair, because she knew that I would then have to brush it, which had become very painful.

So... after talking about it for a few days, we bit the bullet and chopped it! We, of course, got a couple before shots to show how beautiful it was. Wow! She sure had pretty locks! And then I just cut away.

I guess I didn't really have a real set plan for length that I wanted, but it turned out pretty cute, and she likes it. I must say she looks a little more spunky and less prim and little lady-like with the short cut, but she is still the little fire cracker that she always was under that little mop!  I had to take a picture of the hair that was cut off as well. This picture is so amazing to me, because there is so little hair there! That is really ALL the hair that I cut off... not just a small portion of it! Coming from a family of such thick-haired people, this is just amazing to me! I could fit all of her hair cut very easily into a tiny ziploc to put in her scrapbook! Amazing! She definitely has your hair, Oma!

Well, I'm sure you'll see her new cut in numerous pictures on my mom's blog soon, but I just wanted to drop you a line and these pictures of the actual occasion.

P.S. YAY for JOE! From what I can figure out, I THINK his supposed graduation will be May 15th, just FYI.

The Cake

I thought that you'd enjoy seeing pictures of the beautiful creation you helped make possible on St. Valentine's Day. As I noted on the phone, it was supposed to be a bundt cake, but.... well.... let's just say it didn't end up being one! It sure was yummy, though! And it probably won't be often that the little girls can go all out on decorating a cake, either! Shockingly, they really didn't get dirty at all! Oh, and it you are suprised at how well they actually did frost the cake... they had some extra help from Grandpa. He was getting a little impatient just sitting on the side waiting for it to be completed, so he got in there with a spatula as well to finish the job.

Thanks for making our special day extra sweet!

The Long-Awaited (and Short-Lived) Snowman!

Well, as you may or may not be aware of, Little T has been requesting a snowman for months now, without pause. This is actually something that I learned as a mother - the need for specific weather to make a snowman - I guess it never dawned on me as a kid that they couldn't be made each and every single day of the winter. Nevertheless, this is not true, and today finally came a "snowman" day. As I mentioned earlier, I woke up with a horrible cold, but by about 1pm I felt like I could brave the georgeous day and create a masterpiece with the kids.

"Aana" (as Little T is apt to name every doll and object these days) was quite a looker. With green olives for eyes, a distinguished carrot nose (which Little T insisted on) and a "baby crayon" mouth, she was too good to last. Both kids enjoyed the time creating her, but the time came to leave our post protecting her from the "enemies" - Lilly and Roger - and we had to head to the house.

Before we got our boots off and sitting by the fireplace, we ran to the deck sliding door to see our friend, and found her decapitated - and not only that, but she had undergone the even further shame of having her precious nose being chomped by her murderer... the big black dog!

So... this post is in remembrance of our friend, "Aana." Thank you for your friendship and for finally giving us a reason to get outdoors!

We'll miss you!

A Gift From My Little Girl...

Hi! Well, I created this blog as a way to keep in touch with friends and family when our family was "abroad" (whether in the US or elsewhere) with the army. But, I realize that in a real way our army life has already begun, specifically because our family is currently split up and we are living in temporary housing. So... I guess now this is mainly just for Oma and Opah Librandi, but soon it will expand to others who are far from us.

I don't foresee myself being a constant blogger, or a long writer (and I actually pray that I am not... for the sanity of my family life), but hopefully a picture and an update here and there can fill the void that is physically between us.

So... to begin with,I'm choosing to share with you a highlight from today. There has been a death of a cold going through the household, and I was the last person to get it. I'm having the first glimpses of feeling better, but this has definitely been one of the days that I missed Joe dearly... when I had just laid back down this morning, after taking a hot shower and being able to breath for the first time in hours, and just as my head touched the pillow David chose to call my name. I love the little boy dearly... but right then it just wasn't the most wonderful sound to my ears. How I yearned to moan to the warm body next to me, "tag team," but, alas, there was no warm body there. In fact, I was sleeping in a single bed!

Anyways, I got through the morning, including Mass with a boy who just didn't want me to ever sit down, and he made his opinion clearly known to the extent of the congregation! It wasn't all that bad, though. God is good, and I am actually completely amazed at the patience and calm that I have been gifted with during this "single parent" time. Not to say that I never lose my cool... I definitely do... but not nearly to the extent that my weak humanity ought to!

ANYWAYS... oh please, Lord, don't let me be a long blogger... the first thing that Therese asked for when we got home was to color me a picture to make me feel better. And you see here her beautiful act of love toward her Mama! Now who could feel sorry for themselves after that! I am so blessed!