January ended up being really cold and snowy this year. We got a few snow days but also managed a couple DeVries visits and outings despite the cold and snow. Mateo got his permit in December after completing Segment 1 just after the wedding and he's definitely getting good "Michigan winter weather" practice in!
While they couldn't make it for First Communion/Birthday weekend, the Devries came to visit the following weekend and while I don't have one single photo for evidence, Ty was kind enough to install a new dishwasher AND garbage disposal for us...and got the snowblower started. He really is a jack-of-all-trades and we are SO grateful for his amazing son-in-law-handy-man prowess!
Another fail at pictures, I was able to go to both the 2nd and 6th grade classrooms again at HVCS to work on the auction projects for both classrooms. This year we ended up doing a Noah's Ark baby quilt with both classes. Lucy helped me with the pattern and believe it or not the entire quilt top (pre-sewn) fits into this little sandwich baggie!
Lucy's birthday treat. She's so picky and I never cook so I was feeling myself when she asked specifically for me to make my homemade yogurt banana chocolate chip muffins for her birthday treat!
Lucy was so excited because both besties were supposed to be able to make her birthday First Communion Mass and then come over to grandma's for dinner afterward. Alas, the snow made that impossible for both families, but we still did our planned painting craft with her sister and cousin instead.
We've known Father Anthony since our Shrine days so what a treat to have him for Lucy's First Communion Mass. (He has been undergoing chemo treatments and was moved back to our parish.)
While they couldn't come over to grandma's, Lucy's godfather (and Mikey's confirmation sponsor), David, and his wife Paulina and son Peter did come for the Mass. What a treat! Godmother Katie was off doing her prolife thing organizing the entire March for Life in DC so was understandably busy.
The O'Meara girls made it too!
In other quilting news, I finally got around to finishing the wedding quilt for Carmen & Nate. Instead of a guest book at their wedding, they put out quilt squares and I was able to sew them all into a quilt!
A little BAMJ moms-night-in? Don't mind if we do!!
And another moms-night-out for good measure!
We made it to SJB for little Isabel Marie's baptism and picked up a Gentit to boot. I loved watching all the little cousins and siblings running around this statue of Mary during the baptism. It was so sweet.
One of our outings: a little celebration for Mrs. Gabowitz
(where mom misses the memo that kids aren't really invited...oops!)
I also made it over to the other side of the state for some babysitting at Devries too, I didn't just make them drive to us! And Mike took the girls sledding!
Confession in preparation for the big day
(as always pics out of order, I promise we did our sacraments in the correct order lol)
Pictured above^my 2025 favorite Christmas present: an updated family photo!!
(finally, Mateo was a baby in the portrait this replaced above our TV)
Carmen got some more professional wedding shots back too!
And Isabel got some of her professional shots back too!
Happy to relive these moments two months later!
Love this shot of Mike and his mom :)
3 vocations down, 5 to go!
