Link to New Blog

Please visit Charlotte and myself over at our new blog at www.mandiandcharlotte.blogspot.com

Hope to see you there!

My Favorite Tribute Yet

I know everyone is probably wondering what's going on with our little Charlotte. She's doing fantastic, and I PROMISE to sit myself down VERY SOON and give y'all an update. But right now I want to share with you a special tribute that was made in honor of our boys, Jake and Gus. I found this website http://www.namesinthesand.blogspot.com/ where this family in Australia, who lost their son as well, will write the names of angels in the sand. I don't know what's more amazing - how amazing these people are to take the time to do something so beautiful, or how many names they've written.

Those are two of the most beautiful pictures I've ever seen. I miss my boys.

Jake and Gus's tribute can found at http://namesinthesand.blogspot.com/2009/02/jake-and-gus.html, but please also go their home page and have a look.

I'm Sorry I Failed You

The other day my mother brought over a few bags of miscellaneous stories, drawings and what-nots that she had collected during my school years. I guess this is the magic moment in one's life when your mom no longer cares to hold onto that crap for sentimental reasons, and it was determined that I should be the one to go through it. To be honest, I didn't really find much that's worth saving. I mean, of course I'm going to save the cottonball snowman I made in 1st grade, and the self-portrait I drew in 7th grade. But what really peaked my interest was an essay I wrote in the 8th grade. It was an essay that won the 1989 LaGrange VFW Essay Contest, where I was awarded a $50 savings bond that would later buy a few rounds of beer in college. I'd like to share that essay with you now.

What Can I As A Young Catholic Do To Help Prevent World Terrorism?

The first and major things that I, as a young Catholic, could do is pray. God hears and helps with our problems. We have brought this sin upon ourselves and we need to ask for God's forgiveness. If we talk to God and pray then maybe he can help us.

After praying then I could send a letter to my Congressman and maybe if I was lucky then something would happen and one letter would make a difference in the world.

I could also form a group of protestors and demonstrate at the Town Hall telling the dangers of terrorism and what we are doing to our world. This could open the eyes of people to our world and what we stand for.

One thing, which anyone, Catholic or not, can do to prevent world terrorism is to be honest and set an example for others in the generations ahead of us. We are the future and we must prepare it for the people to come.

The next time that anyone is tempted to do anything that he or she knows is wrong and can hurt someone, that person should stop and think. That in itself is terrorism.

Little things like not pushing someone or stopping yourself from stealing something can all help to fight world terrorism. What I as a young Catholic do in my actions today, effects the way I will live when I am an adult. If I act as a Catholic should then I will have a happy life when I am older, but if I live with sin then my adulthood will be one of hatred.

These are some of the things that I, as a young Catholic can do to eliminate world terrorism.


I don't even know where to start. The other essay entries must have been REALLY BAD. But I do know one thing, I didn't do a very good job at stopping terrorism, so for this I apologize. I'll be hosting a rally at the Town Hall tomorrow if anyone would like to join me.

Some Dates for Your 2009 Calendar

2009 is going to be an exciting year!

First of all, does anyone want to run the Shamrock Shuffle on March 29th with my neighbor and I? The Shamrock Shuffle is, correct me if I'm wrong, the world's largest 8k race and they cap the race at 32,500 participants. That may sound like a lot, and surely it is while you're running elbow-to-elbow with 32,499 other people down the street, but the race fills up fast and I want to make sure that everyone knows that registration starts on January 1st. I love this race and I've participated in the last 6 out of 7 years, missing only last year because I was too cheap to pay the entry fee. But I did go to the gym that day and run the full 8k. There were just a lot less people there and no one gave me a t-shirt. Needless to say, it wasn't the same and I'm gonna be there this year! C'mon Kari ... whadda ya think!?

I feel as though it's kosher for me to discuss an event that will somehow be incorporated into next year's goals because I ACTUALLY FINISHED ONE OF MY GOALS FOR 2008!!!! As of Saturday, December 13th, I officially finished my 500th mile for 2008. Currently, I'm 18.5 miles over budget, but there are still 5 days left to the year - who knows what I might do. Maybe I should focus on my other goal, a sub-7:30 minute mile. Hmmmm ... I don't know about that one. The people at the gym probably don't want to see me puke.

Another important date for 2009 is the next Chicago installment of the Great Urban Race taking place on August 1st. Registration is already open and if you register before January 1st you'll save at least $5 per person (I should be getting a kick-back for my promos). The race is going to be limited to 500 teams, so I just want to make sure that no one misses out on this awesome experience.

I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and that 2008 was good to you. If it wasn't, then 2009 is just around the corner and new days are a comin'. I'll post more about Christmas just as soon as I figure out how our new camera works. I haven't even unpacked the USB cable yet.

Let's All Sing Together Now

The video quality may not be there, but the musical abilities are shining through! Taken on Brian's cell phone so please excuse the fuzziness.

Baby Jesus, It's Cold Outside

People who know me know that I'm not a religious person. And for the benefit of those of you that don't know me .... I'm not a religious person. However, having grown up in a Catholic household I still have a fascination with religion, specifically the Christian faiths, and it is because of this fascination that I have collected religious mementos, books and other trinkets over the years. Take the Wall of Faith for example:

Located just outside of our bathroom, the Wall of Faith is made up of crosses from all over the world, and I think each one is beautiful. In fact, I love crosses so much I would actually like to get one tattooed on my back. Unfortunately the pain of the last one is still very fresh in my mind, so it may be a few years before I forget. But, if you're ever on vacation and can't think of what to bring back for me, then how about a nice cross? I only ask that you make sure there's no one on it. Too morbid for me.

I also have a special place in my heart for Pope John Paul II, which I believe is adequately conveyed through my pope candles, snow globes and most importantly:

My Pope-On-A-Rope
(handmade by my dear friend, Kari)

The current pope, Benedict something (?), is on the other side of the soap, but let's face it, we're all just waiting to see who the next one's gonna be, so I don't count him.

There are many other items in my collection - my Mother Mary night night (which I don't use because it kind of creeps me out), my Last Supper lunch box, and I even have a Last Supper serving plate (thanks, Kim). Then there's Christmas ....

Every year my favorite part of unwrapping and putting out the Christmas decorations is finding all of my nativity sets. I only have a few, but each one has it's own story and comes from a special place. This year I added my grandmother's nativity set that she handmade back in '82. It goes without saying that it's my most special nativity set.

But the most EXCITING ONE was added this year and I got it FOR FREE on Freecycle. I don't know which part is more exciting - the fact that it was free or the fact that it LIGHTS UP and is currently in front of my house, nestled in a 5'x3' wooden stable.

If you were to ask Brian he would probably say that the fact that it's in front of our house is not that exciting. But if you asked Charlotte she would say to you, "Baby Jeshush .... Outside .... Cold .... Blanket". Yes, the little baby Jesus now sports a small blanket because Charlotte was worried that he was cold in the snow. That's all she talks about now, from the moment she wakes up until she goes to bed.

Now I may not be a religious person (my miscellaneous collections aside), but I do have to thank baby Jesus for helping teach my daughter an important lesson ... Compassion. I knew there was a reason I put those nativity sets out.

Drunk on Vegemite

Can you get drunk on too much yeast extract??!! Look at this poor child. She can't even hold it up the right way! I think it's time for an intervention.