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Saturday, March 31, 2012

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart


About a month ago my mom and I went to Richmond, Virginia for the Virginia Wine Expo.  It was a great weekend.  We really had a wonderful weekend.  On Saturday we spent the entire day at the Wine Expo.  Sunday we decided to go to Mass at a local Church (St. Peter's) and then do a little sight-seeing before heading over to the Wine Expo for one last time.  One of the places we went was the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.  It was absolutely beautiful.  I have attached a few pictures although I am afraid they hardly do it justice.  Since our visit I have done a little research into the history of the Cathedral.  Someday I will make it up to Richmond and attend Mass there.  There is actually an invitation in our Church Bulletin this week from the Catholic Diocese of Richmond to attend Mass there on Monday evening, April 2nd but I have a Cub Scout committee meeting.  However, before we leave this area I will make it up there.  :-)  I hope you enjoy the pictures.  To find out more about the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart click here.






I can't begin to explain how remarkable...



The Alter






The Back of the Cathedral...even as you are leaving the view is stunning.

Virginia Wine Expo

Inside the Wine Expo
The end of February my mom came to visit and we spent a weekend in Richmond, just us.  No cleaning, no cooking, no kids and no hubby (Sorry Henry).  It was a blast.  We bought tickets to the Virginia Wine Expo and spent many hours tasting many different glasses of wine all made in Virginia.  I honestly didn't know Virginia had so many wineries.  The most difficult part of the weekend was tasting the wine and then looking the people who created it in the eye and basically telling them when you didn't like their wine.  I had a very difficult time with that.  I tried my best to be discreet and pour it out - they provided buckets at each table and water to rinse with.  I still had a hard time though.  Eventually I got better and realized that instead of walking up to a table and letting them pour me each type of wine they were sampling, sometimes up to seven different kinds, I could specify only certain kinds - like red or sweet.  That helped a great deal.  I learned a lot about wine tasting and next year I will know how to taste like a pro.  My mom and I each bought some wine.  She bought seven bottles and wondered how she would mail it home to Florida.  I bought two bottles and wondered who would help me drink them.  LOL.  For the record my mom was unable to mail her wine back to Florida.  Some great friends of mine suggested she package it well and check it as luggage for her flight home to Florida.  That is what she did and everything made it safely and uneventfully.  I still haven't opened my two bottles.  I have decided to save them for now.  I will probably open one bottle when family is visiting in May for Cort's Communion.  I know I will have help to drink it during the special occasion.  I will save the other bottle for now. 

I am so very happy my mom and I were able to experience this.  I don't know if we have ever been able to do something like this, just us.  I think we need to make it a yearly thing.  It really was a lot of fun.  It may not always be at a wine expo but wine will always be involved.  :-) 


Ready to go into the Wine Expo

Crossing the walkway into
the Convention Center for the Expo
The view from the other side of the Walkway




Me waiting in line at the Trump Winery table. 
I am to the left of the gentleman with the tan jacket on. 
Now, not only did I not know there was a Trump Winery, I didn't know it was in Virginia.
See, this was an Educational trip.  :-)
This was the line for the "wine check".  Any bottles you bought
throughout the day could be checked and you could pick them up
at the end of your day so you didn't have to carry them around.

This was in the hotel on Sunday - We were waiting for valet to get
my Expedition.  My mom was playing tourist and took a ton
of pictures... of everything.  LOL

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Oops


So much for posting more on my blog this year... oops! It has been a crazy busy start to the year. It's funny, as I type this I think about friends that we have and their various activities with their children and I wonder how on earth they manage to stay sane. My life is boring compared to theirs yet I am drowning trying to keep up with everything. Oh well, I guess you adjust and adapt as you must. I certainly wonder how others keep it all together.  Perhaps I need lessons...



Anyhow, Cort has been busy with Church, preparing for his First Reconciliation and First Communion. His First Reconciliation is fast approaching in a couple of weeks. We had a mini retreat a couple of weeks ago and I was able to take him into the confessional for some quality "practice time". I explained to him everything that would take place and let him practice. Of course he confessed to robbing a bank. Happy we got that out of the way. For penance I am making him wash dishes - forever.  (Too bad we were just practicing.  LOL)  He does have some anxiety as we lead up to the big day. He asked me what happens if he forgets to tell Father something. Poor kid. I tried to explain to him proper etiquette of confession, basically how forgetting is okay, but purposely omitting is not. I must admit, I am anxious for him. I know how nervous I get going in for confession. I can only imagine how he feels at 8 years old. When all is said and done though he knows the basics, and that there is always next time. Realistically his biggest sin is arguing with Elizabeth.  If I went to confession every time my sister and I argued as a kid, I doubt I would have left Church. 



He has also been quite busy with Cub Scouts.  In February he attended his pack Blue and Gold Banquet.  Cub Scouting was celebrating its 82nd birthday.  His Pack (Pack 242) was celebrating its 54th Anniversary.  Cort earned his Wolf Badge.  It was a beautiful celebration and a lot of fun.  It was held on base at the Officer's Club.  Breakfast was served and everyone was dressed in their Sunday best.  I will post pictures as soon as I get a chance.  There was a photographer there and I am looking forward to adding her pictures to my own.   It was a cool experience to watch the older Cub Scouts bridge over to Boy Scouts.  There are 74 Cub Scouts in Pack 242 and 13 of them Bridged over to Boy Scouts. 



Elizabeth has been busy as only Elizabeth can be.  She has made herself an honorary member of Cort's Cub Scout Den.  Each week at our Den meetings she participates with whatever the boys are doing.  There are eight boys in Cort's Den.  It is great that the Den Leaders allow Elizabeth to participate.  She is going to love Girl Scouts - I think.  As much as loves Princesses and dressing up she also has a tomboy side to her so we may have a fight on our hands when she finds out she cannot really be a cub scout.  I guess time will tell. 



She is doing quite well in school.  She writes her name very well, and can say the alphabet "really, really fast".  She loves nursery rhymes and sings them all day long.  After her bath while I am drying her hair we sing them really loud - over the sound of the hair dryer.  It is fun, and I think she enjoys watching herself in the mirror.  She is so silly sometimes.  She makes us laugh so much. 



Well that is my update for now.  I just wanted to check in.  I PROMISE to update you soon and post pictures about the various things going on here in my (our) world.  Thanks for caring.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

PANCAKE BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER!!





PANCAKE BREAKFAST
SUNDAY, MARCH 25TH
9 AM - 12 PM
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School cafeteria
Tickets are $5 ages 12 and up, $3 ages 4-11, and Free for ages 3 and under.  Tickets are available at the Door. 
All proceeds support Cub Scout Pack 242. 
PLEASE come support Cort and his Cub Scout Pack!  Please contact me if you need more information. Thank you!!!