Seder, and birthdays, and a Resurrection, oh my!

A blessed Easter to all of you!  This year's triduum was filled with family.  It was wonderful!  Thursday night was spent having a Seder meal at my parents house with all the family and 2 special guests.  We grew up doing a Seder meal on Holy Thursday, and it had been a while since our whole family had been able to get together for this way of celebrating the Passover. 

Mom did a great job preparing everything for it, then we followed with some gyros (gotta have some sort of lamb on this night) and then Mass.  ALL 11 of us went to Mass.  It was great!

A quick pic of us all before church--oops!  Where is Lachlan?

Aw!  Brotherly love--and a very drooly boy.



If  you look closely, you will see the 'present' that Torin gave to Luke right as we were walking out the door.

Since we were planning on attending the Living Stations of the Cross that my family has been involved in forever, we decided to spend the night.  In the morning, the 5 of us girls went on a run-something that we have never actually done before.  It was quite cold, but we did it!  Good on us, girls!

Then it was off to Stations.  My family has been involved with this since the beginning, and now it's James' turn to continue this Adam tradition. 


A little blurry, but there he is!

Saturday we drove up to St. Could for another overnight!  It was Evie's birthday last Wednesday, so we drove up for a party!    

Opening gifts in her pretty party dress



She received a ballerina bar, mat, and DVD, so she needed to put on her ballerina outfit



All 3 in the tub!




Uncle 'Ya Ya' helping dye eggs

Our final product


After a rough night's sleep due to horrible stomach pain, we got up, found our baskets, ate breakfast, and went to our Easter celebration.  Unfortunately, Molly got the flu, so we didn't see much of her Sunday.  That was so sad!  (Hope you are feeling better, Darlin!)  Then it was picture time.  I remember growing up and always wanting a new Easter dress.  There was just something about having something fresh for Easter-perhaps it's the whole idea of new beginnings or that spring is here!  I don't know, but this year instead of wanting a new Easter outfit for me, I wanted new Easter outfit for the boys.  Well Jim and Norma helped me with Lachlan's, and I found Torin at a consignment sale.  Yipee!  It was tough weeding through all the pictures because of how adorable they all are!

Meine kleiene Deutch Kinder

 After we ate our delicious Honey baked ham and played a little more, we headed back home.  But not before we stopped off at the Adam household one more time.  It was such a gorgeous day, we had A LOT of fun playing outside (and taking heaps of pictures, or course).


He may or may not have actually gotten some of this bar...

My Irish German boys

My Girls.  We won't be all together again until Thanksgiving.



Ummm, Weezer, what is that???

Hooray!  Jesus conquered death!

My Darling and I

The WHOLE Adam et all clan

Alleluia!  He is risen!

Love ya, mean it
Be here now.

O Sacred Head Surrounded

I would like to share a hymn we sang at church today, Palm Sunday.  To me, there is nothing like singing hymns around the Easter and Christmas season.  I love the reverence that they bring.  I was grateful this was one of the songs chosen to sing, for what a beautiful prayer it is. 

O sacred Head surrounded by crown of piercing thorn!

O bleeding head, so wounded, reviled and put to scorn!

The pow'r of death comes o'er You, the glow of life decays

Yet angel hosts adore you, and tremble as they gaze.

I see your strength and vigor all fading in the strife,

And death with cruel rigor, bereaving you of life;

O agony and dying!  O love to sinners free!

Jesus, all grace supplying, O turn your face on me.

In this, your bitter passion, Good Shepherd, think of me

With your most sweet compassion, unworthy though I be:

Beneath your cross abiding forever would I rest,

In your dear love confiding, and with your presence blest.

A blessed Holy Week to you all.

Love ya, mean it

Be here now.

Pup, Here's to you!

Pup, Here's to you!

A 'poem' for Weezer on his birthday

Pup, here's to you!  Who has only made us throw out one pair of shoes (toys and books and kitchen utensils are a different story, though.)

Pup, here's to you!  Who is oh so tolerant when it comes to Lachlan, who loves you so much sometimes he can get a little physical. 

Pup, here's to you!  Who is gentle with Torin, but very curious and sniffs and licks his face

Pup, here's to you!  Who gets SO excited when people play with you and visit you and rub you all over.

Pup, here's to you!  Who knows pretty well now (thankfully!) the difference between Weezer's toys and Lachlan and Torin's toys.

Pup, here's to you!  Who is scared of EVERYTHING! (laundry baskets, balloons, dogs barking, big kids toys, plastic bags, our basement, just to name a few) 

Pup, here's to you!  Who L-O-O-OVES Michael SO much-you guys are true pals.

Pup, here's to you!  Who is one big beautiful bull dog.

Pup, here's to you!  Who gives us opportunities to love, practice patience, keep our temper, laugh, and play!

Pup, here's to you!  Who lulls the whole house to sleep with your snoring.

Pup, here's to you!  Who looks like such a goon as you are tearin it up in the back yard running back and forth at quite a high speed.

Pup, here's to you!  Who is right in line with the Cahill children by being big for your age

Pup, here's to you!  Who is loved by this family and will be loved by this family for many years to come.

Pup, here's to you!

Happy Birthday, Constable Weezer Cahill!



Lachlan and Weezer then (in June when we got him)

 

Lachlan and Weezer now



about 5 months

How he sleeps with others



How he sleeps by himself

Best Buds



One last hoorah before the snow melted

Love ya, mean it. Be here now.

Woof.

All in the Family

My family has such a huge place in my heart.  I am the most comfortable and most at home when they (especially my sisters) are around.  We have been through a lot, and I am so grateful for all they have done for me and now for my boys. 

Taken a month ago.  From left to right: the crazy one, the funny one, the brother, the 'mom' one, the not-a-summer-birthday one, the sweet one

Growing up, our dad would try to get us to sing any opportunity he could get.  We have sung the national anthem at countless events, including the Saints game!  (That was super fun!)  We have put on 'concerts' at churches, for dinner guests, at holiday parties, and even at our wedding.  Dad has been our agent from the beginning.  Well now that we are a bit older, we have a little more say in what we sing for, and our appearances have become few and far between.  But now...dun dah dah dah!  He has James!  James is 6 and has been taking piano for over a year (?) now.  I think Dad is so excited that he has another child to show off, and rightly so.  James is becoming a decent pianist.  Well, with James' growing piano talent, and my Dad's love of videoing things and editing, THIS came about.  I saw this the first time and just laughed!  So I hope you enjoy it as well.  (It is 5 minutes long, but there are about 3 different 'videos')

To my family: I love you so much.  I am who I am today because of your unconditional love and support.  Thank you for the late nights, the ruthless games of nuts, the uncontrollable (in more ways than one) laughter, the tears, the wonderful conversations, and the unforgettable memories.  You all are my sunshine.

Love ya, mean it
Be here now

Birthday wishes

Happy Birthday, Dada.  I love how you play rough with me and read stories to me and toss me high into the air.  Thank you for teaching me how to build things.

Happy Birthday, Daddy.  You are a wonderful Daddy, and you do a really good job feeding me (better than Mommy--shh!  Don't tell her that!).  Thank you for tickling my thighs, kissing my cheeks, and all the snuggles.

Happy Birthday, Dad.  You do a great job clipping my nails.  Thanks for playing with me.

 Happy Birthday, my Love.  I pray we may celebrate many more of your birthdays together Thank you for being such a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, and friend.  God's Wisdom and Peace be with you today and always.

Happy Birthday!
Love,
Lachlan, Torin, Weezer, and Angela

Love ya, mean it
Be here now

Terribly Teriffic Two yr old birthday party!

Birthdays are a very special time.  A time to dote on the birthday boy (in this case) and celebrate life.  So that's what we did.  He woke up and the birthday fairy had decorated the house!  'Hapderpay to you lachan!' is what he kept saying when he saw the decorations.  He got special birthday cereal-Berry Crunch-and got to eat with Daddy.

Then the birthday boy, Torin, Auntie Emi and I went to Barnes and Noble for story time and a free birthday treat.  He got to choose whatever he wanted, but of course he chose the chocolaty-chocolate one.  Son after his Mother's own heart!  We wondered the mall afterward, and since it was his birthday, we went on a ride--up and down the escalator.

Coloring time after the stories

Before

During (I realized I better take his sweater off before it's too late)

After--nothing like a big chocolate cupcake at 11 in the morning!

After a quick playtime at the play set in the mall, we went to Luke's work for lunch--pizza!  One of Lachlan's favorite.  Luke had a big dry-erase board with markers, so Lachlan went to town and had a lot of fun drawing and accidentally erasing everything with his bum.  It was a big treat to be able to eat lunch with Daddy on his birthday.

Little did we know that after he shut this door, he would go beyond the dry-erase board and find something new to draw on: the carpet!  Ah!  So I left the party and ran to Walgreens to pick up a magic eraser, which magically worked!

Auntie Emi got attacked by the chocolate during round 2 of the chocolaty dessert.

Washing down all that sugar--what a mess!

We tried to nap, but I think he was SO excited for his party that was going to happen, all he could do was say people's names and jump in his bed.  So, after Luke got back from work, he rescued the non-sleeper birthday boy and they waited with great anticipation for the guests to arrive.  We opened presents, ate tacos, had cake & ice cream, and celebrated Lachlan's life!

My attempt at decorating a cake.  At least the frosting was delicious!

Aaron made him this AMAZING table & chair.  Lachlan loves it.  You can't really see here, but his ankles are crossed!

Emily gave him a bin FULL of balls.  And each of them were wrapped.

He is so concentrated on getting all the balls unwrapped.

'Ffffffffffff' That's how he 'blew' out his candles.  And this was round 2.  He wanted us to light them again.

Then 2nd generation Cahills toasted to Lachlan's life.  here is the line up.

We are so blessed to have Lachlan in our lives.  It was a fun-filled celebratory day.

Love ya, mean it
Be here now