Pay It Forward

I found this neat idea over at Maria's Blog ....

The Pay It Forward Exchange....

is based on the concept of the movie “Pay it Forward”.

I will send a hand made gift to the first three people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join the PIF exchange.

All the gifts will be made and posted out "sometime within the next year".

How exciting to not know when your surprise package will arrive!

What you need to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

This Exchange is only open to those with active websites or blogs.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PROMISE TO POST THE SAME PAY IT FORWARD PICTURE AND THIS MESSAGE ONTO YOUR BLOG, WHICH MUST BE ACTIVE IN ORDER TO PLAY. YOU WILL PAY IT FORWARD TO THREE PEOPLE WHO COMMENT ON YOUR BLOG.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Kiss Me, I'm Irish...

Maybe you shouldn't kiss me, I'm sick.

Lorica of Saint Patrick

I arise todayThrough a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,Through a belief in the Threeness,Through confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation.
I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth and His baptism, Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial, Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise todayThrough the strength of the love of cherubim,In obedience of angels,In service of archangels,In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,In the prayers of patriarchs, In preachings of the apostles,In faiths of confessors,In innocence of virgins,In deeds of righteous men.
I arise todayThrough the strength of heaven; Light of the sun,Splendor of fire,Speed of lightning,Swiftness of the wind,Depth of the sea, Stability of the earth,Firmness of the rock.
I arise todayThrough God's strength to pilot me;God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me, God's way to lie before me, God's shield to protect me,God's hosts to save me From snares of the devil, From temptations of vices, From every one who desires me ill, Afar and anear, Alone or in a mulitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and evil,Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul, Against incantations of false prophets,Against black laws of pagandom,Against false laws of heretics,Against craft of idolatry, Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul. Christ shield me today Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wounding,So that reward may come to me in abundance.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise todayThrough a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,Through a belief in the Threeness,Through a confession of the OnenessOf the Creator of creation
St. Patrick (ca. 377)

Jason's Birthday Party

Last Sunday we had a Pray and Play birthday party for Jason. It was a fun night with lots of kids and grown ups! The kids ran wild on the property and most of the grown ups tasted wine. Each guest brought a bottle of Merlot. I covered the labels and numbered them for the blind wine tasting. After all 8 different wines were tasted, there was a vote. The guests that brought Jason's favorite won a prize, as well as the guest that brought the majority favorite. Jason's fav was a Blackstone Merlot from Woodbridge, Ca. brought by the Barrons. There was a tie for the majority, Blackstone again and Foxbrook brought from the Uhlich's.

Here is Vincent, my little chef, helping make the cupcakes.

My mom says "Cheers!".

Francesca hanging with a fellow baby. Baby Atwood is 3 weeks old.