A Day In Melissa Wiley's Life with her ipod touch

Forgive me if this is duplicating something I already written. (When I first started writing this I couldn’t remember how I came across this blog - now I know it is through my friend Lesley Austin of Small Meadow Press). I am reminded of how much I enjoy this blog and wanted to share.

http://melissawiley.com/blog/

It is one I bookmarked a few years ago and enjoy checking often. And each time I see something else that I like.

• She is a children’s book author – for a series of books about Laura Ingalls Wilder’s ancestors.
• She reads and reviews other books (adult and children’s books)
• She homeschools – which I don’t do, but always like to learn about.
• She has booklists of the books she has read.
• I saw she writes articles for Faith & Family – the magazine for Catholic Living

New Media Guest Blogger http://www.faithandfamilylive.com/blog/new_media_guest_blogger/
Posted by Danielle Bean in News on Sunday, March 07, 2010 3:00 PM

I am so happy to announce that we’ll have a special guest blogger this week ...
Welcome Melissa Wiley! For any of you who have not heard of Melissa (like you there, for instance, the one crawling out from under that rock), she’s the homeschooling mother of six, popular Catholic mom blogger, author of The Martha Years books about Laura Ingalls Wilder’s great-grandmother, Martha Morse Tucker, and The Charlotte Years books, about Laura’s grandmother, Charlotte Tucker Quiner.
She also happens to be a new media maven, and that’s what she’ll be blogging about with us. She’s shared her Catholic iPhone app expertise here with us in the past, and this week she’ll be guiding us through the exciting—but often daunting, confusing, and overwhelming—world of social networking. She’ll help us navigate the basic and not-so-basic aspects of Facebook and Twitter.

OPTI KIDS

Change in Status

Ending Marymount alumni association

It is hard to believe that seventeen years have passed since Marymount closed. After all that time, the alumni association has decided to relinquish its formal status and will no longer be holding an annual meeting, electing officers, or collecting dues. The organization's formal, non-profit status is the only change which will take place.


the website will continue to be maintained
class records will be kept up-to date and available
Marymount Monday will continue to take place quarterly
the facebook and shutterfly pages will still be available
all announcements, gatherings, and information will be shared via email and our websites


The monies currently in the association account will be donated to the RSHM in Tarrytown, NY.

Welcome Indy

Mother's Day Sunday brought an addition to our household. What a surprise to me, hubby had been thinking about a new puppy. He had contacted the breeder, but not said a word about it. Until she called and he said "I told you to call back on my cell phone".

We dropped everything and drove the 30 minutes to see the puppies that she had available. Hubby had thought we should go with a yellow lab this time so that we would be able to grieve over Pepper as long as we needed to. So we were on our way to look at a few 8 week old yellows.
We didn't get past the 12 week old female black lab that she was training outside the barn. It came over to greet us and followed our son around. So cute!

So, did I mention the puppy is female? Oh well - our son named her "Indy" after Indiana Jones.

I pledge to read . . .

I Pledge To Read The Printed Word is a new button I have posted on my website. I follow several other blogs and this is from one of those. I enjoy reading things on line, but I still enjoy holding a real book or newspaper in my hands and soaking up the words from the page. How about you?

Village Green Fair

Spring, Spring, Spring Brings Lots of Fun

My nephew's first time in a tux

While Masons were visiting his sister's house, his nephew had to get dressed for a Spring Formal. This was his first time wearing a tux. Mason captured the event on film and even took a short video that he says he will save for future teasing like rehearsal dinner.

Good Bye Sweet Pepper

Our Early Spring Time

We had so much fun this Spring Break and with all of our family time and weekend fun!

So I want to share photos with you!

Make a Smilebox free slideshow design

A-Scrapping We Will Go!

A-Scrapping We Will Go. Yeah, my scrapbooking girls weekend is upon us. I have sent 1 batch of photos out to Ritz and have 1 more batch to do. I am gathering supplies and trying to plan some pages so that I can be more productive once I get to Camp Hanover.

Montezuma's Revenge

Looks like I might be homebound in more ways than 1 on Friday. Big Mason had the stomach bug when he got home from work. He can't decide if it was something he ate or a virus. Ugh!

Friday Big Snow Storm Coming!

I feel rather strange about these school closings for tomorrow that friends have posted about happening in Northern VA and Baltimore. But I guess I need to get used to it, since Mason's school just sent a notice with the same message.

Someone told me about this weather forecaster - http://www.wxrisk.com/

Go Cheetahs!

Mason is playing for the Cheetahs with Trinity's Upward Kindergarten basketball. We have been having fun at the practices and games!

January 2010

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Christmas 2009

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Unexpected trip to Green Bay

I have now scheduled a quick trip to Green Bay, WI in the height of their winter time. I have to go to REI tomorrow to stock up on layers. My dad's brother-in-law Uncle Leroy passed away this past Saturday. I will be going up to support my cousins and the extended families for the celebration of his life.

Leroy Thomas VandenBusch died peacefully at home on January 2, 2010 with family by his side. Born on December 21, 1924 in Green Bay, he is the son of the late Genevieve (Derbique) and Michael VandenBusch. Leroy joined the Navy on July 4, 1942, at the age of 17, and served aboard the USS Capps, a Fletcher-class destroyer. He recalled the day the USS Capps narrowly escaped a Japanese kamikaze attack and also talked about being in a typhoon that capsized and sank three destroyers, as well as heavily damaging numerous ships that killed over 700 sailors in his task force. The USS Capps received seven battle stars for World War II service. On November 21, 1946 Leroy began a 62 year marriage to Margaret Karn VandenBusch at St. John’s Catholic Church in Green Bay, and she preceded him in death on July 1, 2009. After serving in the US Navy, He worked as a machinist for Northwest Engineering and later part time for HC Prange’s and Montgomery Ward. After retiring from Northwest Engineering, Leroy worked part-time delivering formal wear for DuBois for 10 years. He was an avid gardener, and enjoyed staying in touch with his Navy buddies. Leroy also loved traveling to Arizona with Margaret in the winters, getting together with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, watching the birds and squirrels compete for the feeders, and collecting car memorabilia. He worked the crossword puzzle daily, was an avid reader, and never missed a Packer, Brewer, or good college football game. Leroy also never missed an opportunity to satisfy his sweet tooth.

He is survived by six children: Sherry Carlson of Paradise Valley, AZ; Ellen (Dennis) Schmidt, Mary (Tom) Barchacky and Lee VandenBusch all of Green Bay; Sharlet Messler of New Berlin; and Gary Vanden Busch of Salem, OR. He will be dearly remembered by his 12 grandchildren: Jeff Carlson of St. Cloud, MN; Jeremy (Meghan) Carlson of Dayton, OH; Tony (Cory) Schmidt of Green Bay; Jessica (Nathan) Wright of White Lake, MI; Carrie (Gerrit) Ayers of Puyallup, WA; Robin (Josh) Hemstreet of Green Bay; Amy (Mark) Mineau of Waukesha; Allyson VandenBusch of Green Bay; Kaiti (Vince) Ressman of New Berlin, WI; Jackie Messler of New Berlin; and Emma and Eleanor VandenBusch of Salem, OR.; and eleven great grandchildren: Alex, Audrey, Austin, Brittney, Claire, Ella, Jack, Kaleb, Kylie, Megan, Sawyer, and two on the way. Leroy is also survived by one sister: Carol VandenBusch; two sisters-in-laws: Alice VandenBusch and Sheri VandenBusch, both of Green Bay; one brother: Michael “Marty” VandenBusch of Huntington Beach, CA; two brothers-in-law: Patrick (Peggy) Karn of Richmond, VA and James Karn of Savannah, GA.

Leroy was preceded in death by five brothers: Herman, Carlton “Cookie”, Bernard “Bud”, John, and James “Tiger”; and three sisters: Marianne VandenBusch, Rita Younkle, and Muriel Brammer.

Visitation at Malcore (East) Funeral Home, University Ave. at Baird St., Tuesday from 4 – 8 p.m. Parish wake service 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Visitation will continue Wednesday at Resurrection Parish, 333 Hilltop Dr., from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the funeral. Funeral Mass 11:00 a.m. Wednesday at Resurrection Church with Bishop Robert Morneau officiating. Burial will be in Allouez Catholic Cemetery.

Karn Christmas Eve

We hosted the Karn Christmas Eve gathering at our house again this year. It was rather casual since we have been renovating the kitchen and it was not complete yet.

Here are some photos of the night!

Our Tree

Luckily my boys decided to go to Hanover Pines on Friday after early dismissal from school. They got all the way back to Rt 1 near Green Top before they saw snow. Mason got it off of the car and into the house before it got completely covered. We enjoyed setting it up and working on it over our snow-filled weekend!

On Sunday afternoon Mason Jr and I were enjoying putting the ornaments on, when oh no, it started falling towards me. Daddy!!!
He asked if I wanted a photo of it laying on the floor. No thanks - I think I will remember that one!