Murphy Family Reunion

All of my siblings are in town this weekend for a Murphy family reunion! It's the first time all 12 of us have been together at the same time in over 13 YEARS! I figured this would be the day I'd go into labor... #murphyslaw ... but I made it and we were even able to get some family photos including a fun reenactment of one from 21 years ago! #ilovemycrazyfamily #firstbornoftwelve #sixgirlssixboys

Here is one with us all lined up by age starting with the youngest...

... and one more with husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, and all but four of the grandchildren. 

While the cameras were out we got a family picture too! Sean and our oldest son have arrived back home again after spending 2 1/2 weeks in Arizona caring for my father-in-law, who is currently suffering greatly due to rapid stage 4 cancer. I'm so sad he had to leave, but also relieved that he will be here for the birth of our little girl whenever she decides to arrive.

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life with Like Mother, Like Daughter. ~

{pretty}

It's always so pretty over at the coast! I have some more pictures I'm hoping to share from our camping trip last weekend, but here is one that someone took of our whole family.  ❤ You can also see pictures from the Saturday afternoon rehearsal and Corpus Christi Mass and Procession here. 

{happy}

Lots of big smiles in our home today! Last day of school for the kids, and last day of braces for me!!! Woot woot! Thank you to my orthodontist and his amazing staff. They are the best! #bracesoff #onceagain #twentyyearslater #wearyourretainer

{funny}

"What are you smiling about?!" asks my husband, when he met up with us at DQ this afternoon to celebrate the last day of school. Haha! #nomorebraces #thatswhat

He wasn't joking, but he figured it out really quickly when I grinned even bigger and all the kids started giggling! He's had a long week.

I don't think I'll ever forget him asking if I had asked the orthodontist if he could still kiss me when I first got them on, and the electric shock he got from that first kiss! ⚡ That was the one and only time that happened, but the timing couldn't have been more perfect!

{real}

A screen shot from my Target Weight App showing my weight loss from the past year.
The green dots show that I'm now in the "normal" range for my height!

Today is also my 100th day on the Auto-Immune Protocol (AIP) diet! (This is my favorite book on the topic.) I'm feeling so much better than I have in years. 

When I first started the diet, the day after getting my biopsy results back in March, I planned on trying it for thirty days which seemed like an eternity at the time. I surprised myself by being able to successfully give up all my favorite things (Coffee, Chocolate, Chipotle...) and then some (all Sugar, Seeds, Nuts, Grains, Nightshades, Eggs, Dairy, etc). I figured Lent was the perfect time to make the extra sacrifices. Day 30 ended up being Holy Thursday, so I spent Day 31 fasting for Good Friday. My lichen planus wasn't completely gone so I decided to continue on the diet through Easter and beyond.  

My Easter morning breakfast was an AIP approved Pina Colada Smoothie made with 1 large banana, 1 1/4 cup frozen pineapple tidbits, 1 cup coconut milk (this kind), 1 cup crushed ice, topped with unsweetened toasted coconut and garnished with an organic strawberry. Yum! 

I've found that, in addition to the diet, keeping my stress levels as low as possible and making sure I'm getting enough sleep each night is essential to avoiding new lichen planus from appearing. With the combination of the AIP diet, low(er) stress, and plenty of more sleep, I've been able to manage my autoimmune skin issues without using any of the prescribed steroids! The added benefit of weight loss has really helped keep me motivated too! :)  As of today I have lost 32 pounds since March 4th, and over 42 pounds since last fall! I've gone from wearing maternity clothes and/or barely being able to squeeze into a size fourteen to my old size eights now fitting loosely! On June 3rd, for the first time in nearly seven years, I finally weigh less than my husband once again!!! I've actually been buying him lots of beer and chocolate to keep it that way! Just kidding... or am I! ;)  Anyway, I still have another 15-20 pounds I would love to lose, but it actually seems achievable for the first time in a very long time. I'm looking forward to slowly reintroducing some foods back into my diet later this summer. We'll see how it goes! 

Happy Easter from Our Family To Yours!

Christus resurrexit! Resurrexit vere!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Happy Easter from Our Family to Yours!

I have so many pictures I'd love to share from our Easter/Birthday celebration yesterday! It is going to have to wait for now, since I filled up the external hard-drive (again!) and it's going to take a little time to sort through folders and and delete duplicates to make some more room... In the meantime I was able to upload the family picture we somehow managed to take, in between Easter Sunday Mass and the party we hosted, with the help of the self-timer on the camera and one of the steps on the swing set!

Today we will be attending Mass at noon, the baptism of a sweet baby girl, the reception following, and then coming home to have dinner (it's going in the crock-pot now) with some dear friends (our oldest daughter's godparents and their children!) who have been in town visiting their family for Easter!  It is going to be another fun and very full day! Happy Easter!!!

He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! 

Merry Christmas!

Since love's divine, celestial breath

Is all I need my heart to bless, 

What matters life, what matters death? 

Love is my peace, my happiness! 

- St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face

Wishing you all a Blessed and Joyful Christmas!

Back-to-School :: 2013-2014

O my God, I know too well that whatever I may do for the education of my children will remain fruitless without the blessing of Thy grace.  "Unless our Lord build the house," says the psalmist, "they have labored in vain that build it. Unless our Lord keep the city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it." (Ps. 126.) I pray to Thee, therefore, O Lord, to give success to what I do for my children.  Grant that they may remain preserved from all evil of body and soul; help me build so that the edifice of virtue and perfection may have in them a firm, solid foundation and rise higher and higher; graciously accompany all my words and actions with Thy grace, so that whatever I say and do may tend to their true welfare. 

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

~ Prayer of the Mother to obtain God's Blessing on the labors she undergoes for her Children

The Christian Mother: The Education of Her Children and Her Prayer

 

Captain :: 7th Grade   ~ Rascal :: 6th Grade

 

Twinkle Toes :: 4th Grade ~ Chiquita :: 3rd Grade

 

Snuggles :: 1st Grade  ~  Rose :: Pre-School 

Bud :: Pre-Pre-School 

Back-to-School Schultutes

Playmobil Child's First Day of School 

The boys were surprised by a little extra treat in the bottom of their cones... 

... Series 11 Minifigures! 

Pretty Pink and Pink Princess Crayons for my little pink lovin' princess! 

Patron of Students Back-to-School Treat

"The goal of all our undertakings should be not so much a task perfectly completed as the accomplishment of the will of God." 

St. Therese of Lisieux 

Our 2013-2014 Curriculum Plans and Checklists

Made with Love :: A Birthday Cake for Mom!

Last night my girls had so much fun shopping for a few supplies to decorate a cake for me this year, after I wasn't able to find a cake pan I was looking for at three different local stores... (More on that later!)  This morning the big boys borrowed my camera and the girls kicked me out of the kitchen!  Everyone helped while Bud napped and I had some quiet computer time with my cup of coffee. I just had to hop back online to share a few of the pictures I found on my camera, along with the completed cake and a picture of seven of my greatest blessings!

I'm very curious to find out what is inside the gift Sean left with the boys... They are making me wait until I have blown out my candles to open it! 

Pink Roses from Chiquita

A beautiful bouquet of flowers just arrived from Sean (I miss him so much!), we are headed to town for a few treats, and my Aunt Bridget is coming over in a couple hours to make dinner for us all!  I've closed the comments on the giveaway and will draw a name tonight or tomorrow morning, after I have had a chance to finish printing and cutting all the entries!  :)