Madalyn and Emma's Baptism, and Michel's birthday!

Madalyn Jane and Emma Louise were baptized last Sunday. It was a beautiful ceremony. Michel and I are the proud godparents of Madalyn, and Augustin and Kristie are delighted to be Emma's.


I baptize you in the name of the Father...

And of the Son...


And of the Holy Spirit...

As Father finished these words Madalyn let out a big "wow"!

I wish we had captured this on video. It was so precious!

On the way home she exclaimed, "God gave me a bath!"



Emma was (is) like a little angel.


It was also Michel's birthday!

Being a special day for Madalyn too, he let her blow the candles.


Chrism oil!!! Michel LOVES chrism oil (this one is not blessed of course). How appropriate to receive some today!

What a blessed day!

First Spring Salad

Salad recipe from A Little Loveliness. I omited the turkey, as I didn't have any. I don't usualy eat salad that sweet, but it was delicious!

Easter, a Time of Rebirth

As usual there was a lot of baking and cooking.





A yummy Tarte Tartin.










We all went to the vigil, it was magnificent! Shannon, Gabriel's wife, was received in the Church. I had the honor of being her sponsor. Congratulations Shannon! We are so happy for you.

Amy Mercer (Kelly's niece) was Baptized, Confirmed and received First Communion. Xavier was her sponsor. Congratulations Mercer!

On Easter day, Joseph Mason was Baptised and received his First Communion. David, Dominique's godfather, was his godfather.





After Mass was the traditional Easter egg hunt. Laurence had forgotten his basket. Hey, a hat is just as good!



Look at what we found on Holy Saturday... Easter chicks! Without our knowledge, our sweet Dominique hen had been sitting a bunch of eggs.

Now it's time to go read Petook, an Easter Story to the children and then go back outside to hear "life everywhere, tapping softly, knocking softly to get out, to come out of the dark into the light, out of silence into sound, out of death into life: bird and beast and seed in the earth and bud on the tree. " From Petook, an Easter Story by Caryll Houselander illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Picture Perfect!

Poetry Friday

If I were rain and rain were me

We'd make an awkward company.

I'd make rain rise and never fall,

And no one would get wet at all

Excepting rain itself would get

A most absorbing kind of wet.

I don't expect rain will agree

That I be rain and it be me.

An Awkward Arrangement, Jane Yolen

Poetry Friday

After reading the book Spring, An Alphabet Acrostic , the three youngest boys wrote their own acrostic poem.

Joy, from Laurence (He traced the Lamb from the book A Catholic How-to-Draw)

Nest, from Dominique

Life, from Matthias

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYDIA!

Happy Birthday dearest Lydia!

Who shall declare the joy of the running!
Who shall tell of the pleasures of flight!
Springing, and spurning the tufts of wild heather,
Sweeping, wide-winged, through the blue dome of light.
Everything mortal as moments immortal,
swift and God-gifted, immeasurably bright.

Amy Lowell, "A Winter Ride"
from A dome of Many Coloured Glasses
Quote from She Flies Without Wings, How Horses Touch A Woman's Soul, Mary D. Midkiff

Training Arabella using Parelli's method.

The Parelli method allows horse lovers at all levels and disciplines to achieve: success without force, partnership without dominance, teamwork without fear, willingness without intimidation, and harmony without coercion. (from the Parelli's website)

Courage, wisdom born of insight and humility, empathy born of compassion and love, all can be bequeathed by a horse to his rider. - Charles de Kunffy

From If I had a Horse, by Melissa Sovey-Nelson


He moved like a dancer, which is not surprising: a horse is a beautiful animal, but it is perhaps most remarkable because it moves as if it always hears music. Marc Helprin, A Winter's Tale

Quote from She Flies Without Wings, How Horses Touch A Woman's Soul, Mary D. Midkiff

Remember last year? I never posted these pictures of your eighteen birthday. I hope they bring sweet memories, and make you smile.