New Year, New Name

Posted By admin on February 6, 2010

I have had this header saved since sometime last fall, waiting for the perfect time to make the change.  The time never seemed right, so I finally asked myself, “Self…what are you waiting for.  It is time for a change!”

So here it is.  We have switched from Watercolor Ponies to Acorns to Oaks.

It is from the little acorns that the mighty oaks grow – and that is our prayer for our children… that they might be mighty and strong and grow to become all that God intended for them to be.

CJ’s Star Wars Room

Posted By admin on February 4, 2010

Our family has been doing quite a bit of work upstairs, rearranging rooms, decorating and creating living environments for ourselves that fit our personalities. I have had several questions about how the rooms have turned out and wanted to take you on a small tour of our bedrooms so you could see the finished product. Frankly, the transformation has taken much longer than we had expected, but is finally nearly done.

Today, I start with CJ’s room. Being a Star Wars fanatic (to put it lightly) it was fairly easy to decide what we would do with our little Padawan’s room. The only decision was how to do it justice without going over the top. We were very blessed to have the Star Wars theme be so incredibly popular right now – cool decorations were easy to find!

(click on any picture to see it larger)

My favorite part of his room is the mural that we did.  Brenden and I painted the starfighter and planet (Tatooine) and while my brother Andrew was home, he added the death star.  It was the perfect finishing touch.

We finished it off with blowing up some pictures from CJ’s Jedi training in the fall and putting his verse in the room and it was finished!

Extreme Snow Day, McGlinchey Style

Posted By admin on January 31, 2010


Snow Day 2010

Posted By admin on January 31, 2010

I love snow days…the anticipation, the bundling up, the hours spent outside. How is it that the same temperature that was TOOO cold to be out in yesterday is suddenly not an issue today.

I also love that we get snow days very rarely so that when they do come we can enjoy them to the fullest (and can then put all the snow gear away until next time).

This snow day, however, was the most fun snow day we have had.

Sledding down the street, all our neighbors laughing and enjoying the day, snowballs, snow cream, sled races, potluck dinner with favorite friends…hot chocolate, painting penguins and watching movies.

I wish this weekend wouldn’t end.


(click on the picture to see it bigger)

For a few more (and a lot better pictures), check out Kate’s pictures HERE.

Stay tuned for some adult sled racing videos.

Some Days…

Posted By admin on January 25, 2010

Having music lessons out on a farm is more fun than on others.

20 Months

Posted By admin on January 25, 2010

Yesterday was the big day…and I missed it! Our little man is 20 months old (and 1 day!). It is incredible to me that our precious baby boy is fully toddler, fully boy and fully a handful now!


Here are the top 20s of Matthew Brogan (in no particular order):

20. SHOES! His very favorite word to say and his favorite accessory. Be it his brother’s, sisters’, or his own, he wants to put on shoes ALL. THE. TIME.

19.Food – He. Eats. Everything.  Unless he doesn’t want to.  In which case he will throw it, pour it out or hide it in his shirt.

18.  Balls.  Every ball, every size, every color belongs to him.  Don’t try to play with, hold, throw or (quite frankly) even look at a ball that at that moment he might claim as his own.  You really should know better.

17. While we are on the topic of balls we should mention GOLF.  Tiger’s got nothin’ on this kid, let me tell you.  Watch out world – except…

16.  he’s a LEFTY!  What?  Really?  Frankly, we can’t believe that 2 people who can’t use their left hand for anything could produce a lefty, but here we are.  The big question is – who is going to teach him to write?

15. He still sings/moans himself to sleep.  I am determined to get a video of this sometime soon, because, as it did with Emmy, this too will end.  Quite honestly, it is a good clue that he is tired – if I hear him in another room starting his “sianara song” I know bedtime is close at hand!

14.  Usually he is a boy, but more often lately he is a DINOSAUR.  He loves everything about dinos, especially their roar!  I can’t help but laugh every time I hold him and ask him if he is a dinosaur and he answers by roaring, grabbing my face and trying to bite me.  I know I probably shouldn’t laugh, but…he’s the 4th – what can I say?

13. He has a lot to say! Shoes, all our names, DAISY!, ball, cheese, turkey (tr-KEEEE), cracker, cookie, candy (notice a theme?), Mimi, “my go boom”, baby, hey, hi, bye-bye, boo-boo, spank, no, May-May, kitty, up, out, dog, me,  toodles, milk, (and several others, but I am tired and can’t think of any more!)

12. He WHISTLES.  Better than I do.  Sore subject – enough said.

11.  Brogie is a Brute.  Really.  Don’t give him what he wants and he will take you down.  Sitting where he wants to sit?  You will regret it.  He can hit, pull hair, and fight with the best of them.  HOWEVER, if he is involved, getting to do whatever the big kids are doing – he is as sweet as can be.  He is a pleasant, happy child in that case.  Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case!

10. He loves to pick out his own clothes and has some seriously Alex Keaton type of taste.  I am a little concerned.

9.You should check out his “I’m mad” face.  Really.  Priceless.

8.  He loves babies.  He is so sweet and gentle…unless I am holding them.  Don’t make any mistake about it – he’s my baby!

7.  At his last appointment he weighed 33 lbs and was 34 inches.  (his sister is 3 1/2 years older and weighs a whopping 10 lbs more).  He is wearing mostly 3T clothes.

6.  He is a musical little guy.  Singing and dancing are a regular part of his day and he can sing!  No words, but actually carries a tune.  In fact, the Star Wars theme is the one he sings most often.

5.  Permanent markers look good on everything.  Especially his shirts!

4.Daisy is his current best friend.  He loves her so much, is in charge of giving her treats when she come in from being outside, and will stand at the back door and call her.  He give her lots of love and hugs, and she is incredibly tolerant of a few wayward hits on her head.

3.  He would rather be at Mimi and Grampy’s house than our house most of the time.  He knows how to make them feel good!

2.  Make no mistake about it – he is a big boy, not a baby.  He should have the full rights and privileges that the big kids have, all the time.  Be it painting, coloring, writing, bike riding, or playing at the park he will do everything he can to keep up with them…

1.  but he’s still my baby.

New York, New York

Posted By admin on January 24, 2010

Although this post should have been written weeks ago, I am going to write it now and pretend that I did not miss the opportunity to document/share my awesome get away with my sweet husband.

Earlier this fall, Brenden and I realized that we were in need of a time away – a couple of days without soccer practice, boy scouts, 4 noisy, demanding, wonderful children, work, homeschool, church responsibilities, messy kitchens and dirty diapers.  And so…we began planning a trip.  Savannah holds wonderful memories for us, so we were excited about some time there.  However, my amazing husband, remembering my dream of spending Christmas time in New York, realized that using his flight miles (thank you so much trip to China!), his hotel points, and some creativity, we could spend the weekend in NY for the same cost as a weekend in Savannah.  It took a little convincing for me to agree to fly without my children to the city, but knowing they would be in good hands we started to plan.

With our site seeing hit list in hand, we were up earlier than God on that Friday morning, heading to the airport and landing in NY at 10 am.  We rode the bus to our hotel (which was RIGHT NEXT DOOR to Grand Central Station – Oh Heavens!!) and found out that the phrase “drive it like you stole it” even applies to bus drivers in that city!

We checked in to the hotel and hit the road.  5th Avenue, 34th Street, Macy’s Empire State Building, Central Park, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, New York Public Library, hot dogs from a street vendor, The Plaza, St Patrick’s Cathedral – we walked like I have never walked before, but it was amazing.  We knew that the rain and snow was due the next day, and wanted to get as much tourist time in as possible.  The highlight for both of us was Central Park.  It is funny that we went to the city and spent a large amount of our time in the wide open spaces where the trees and grass were.   Our splurge for the weekend (we were trying to spend as little money as possible) was a carriage ride through the Park.  It’s the stuff that movies are made of!

The next day the rain and snow did come.  And it was COLD!  We tried to get out and walk around, but we were miserable, so we spent some time exploring Grand Central Station, hanging out and getting some much needed rest, and eating to our hearts content in the hospitality floor of the hotel (Oh, have I been spoiled for life!).  Dinner at a small Irish Pub made us almost feel like locals.

Up and at ‘em Sunday morning.  We still had a lot to accomplish before heading back to the airport for our flight home. Agenda for the day?  Financial District.  Statue of Liberty via the Staten Island Ferry, Battery Park, Wall Street, Trump Tower, New York Stock Exchange, WTC and St. Paul’s Chapel.  So many emotions filled this tourist day.  Pride in seeing Lady Liberty and knowing everything that she stands for, amazement on Wall Street, deep sadness in St. Paul’s Chapel, exhilaration at knowing that we will overcome the disaster of the WTC.

With a couple of hours to kill and one item left to cross off our list we started walking.  Heading away from the financial district, wanting to see real life in NYC, wanting to get away from the crowds of tourists that had been surrounding us.  We ended up in Tribeca.  Moms watching their children play on the playground.  Couples choosing their Christmas trees on the side of the street.  Families taking walks together.  Children riding their bike.  Laughter, conversation…real life.

And for the first time I could picture my life in New York.

I could see that piece of life that we didn’t opt to choose.  And I could see how different our life would be.  Never would we have had 4 children.  We wouldn’t have a car, or a pet.  We would live in an apartment.  We would walk or take the subway. We would take time everyday to play at the park.  We would live so simply.

And although a part of that was appealing for a time, it made us so grateful for what we have.  And ready to head home to our warm home and noisy children…right after we had some New York pizza.  It’s one of those things you just have to do!

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Christmas Wrap-up

Posted By admin on January 23, 2010

It is officially the middle of January, and I have not even come close to sharing how wonderful our Christmas was.  Christmas is my favorite season.  I love the hustle and bustle.  I love the decorations.  I love the quiet nights in front of a fire, with the Christmas tree lights glowing, snuggling with my husbands and kids.  I love Christmas movies.  I love shopping. I love baking Christmas cookies.  I love eating Christmas cookies.  Ahem…

Anyway, this Christmas season did not disappoint.  It was full of parties, shopping, quiet nights and family time.  There were craft days, baking days and game days.  There was plenty of hustle and bustle, lots of giving, creating and warmth.

Rather than loading you down with lots of individual pictures, here is a Smilebox with some pictures of our holidays.

Click to play this Smilebox slideshow: Christmas 09
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New Year, New Decade

Posted By admin on December 31, 2009

I can’t help but feel wistful as a year ends and a new one begins.  I always tend to feel sad at the end – whether it is a good book, a girly movie, a weekend get away with my husband, a child’s birthday or the end of a year.  Another year has ended…it is time to look forward with anticipation, and glance backward with peace and remembrance.

This year feels more significant, however.  Not only is this the end of a year, but also the end of a decade.  Since there have only been 3 decades that I remember, seeing this one end feels significant to me.  This has been a big decade in our lives:
our family has gone from being a small group of 3 to being a group of 6…
we began the decade living on the West Coast near my immediate family and we end it on the East Coast near my family…
I have had a 10 year stretch of being able to stay home with my children, day in and out (for better or worse), and watch them grow and learn…
Brenden started the decade in social work and ends in product management…
This decade has seen us living in 5 different homes, with 5 different pets, 6 different vehicles, 3 churches…
This decade has been one of great welcoming as our family has grown, and sadness as we have lost some of those we love…
We have traveled – to Mexico, Florida, Arkansas, New York, Washington DC, Georgia, Smoky Mountains, Colorado, China, Boston, Maryland (not all of us have been all of those places – but as a family we have gotten around!)…

This has also been a significant one for our country.  From the terrorist attacks on 9/11/01 to war, a new president (I am not going to get political, promise!), from Michael Phelps to Tiger Woods…

Change.

It is the one consistent element.  It rides the wave of time and flows through the decades.  Good or bad, it is coming.  I am a person who fights change with everything in me.  I love the status quo.  I am happy with the predictable.

And yet, tonight we are on the verge of change once again.

And I am ready.

Looking forward with great expectation of what this next decade will hold.  What change will carry to my doorstep.

Happy 2010, my friends.

The best of 2009 part 1

Posted By admin on December 30, 2009

2009pt1

From a trip to see our dear friends in Atlanta to saying the pledge of allegiance on the lawn of the US Capitol, from basketball to soccer, first steps to Abby’s baptism, birthdays, gardening, Easter and family time.  What a year it has been (and looking back at the pictures, I can’t get over how much the kids – especially the littles – have changed this year!)