Where in the world is Mother Crab?

Guess where I am!

Hint #1 - Neiman Marcus' flagship store is here.
Hint #2 - Everyone, lately, in my circle, wants to send his child to college here.

The weekend I have had has been absolutely outstanding. Details will follow when I get back home!

Going to Game 7!!

Now THAT was baseball!

Yay Cardinals and congrats to our hometown, awesome, cool under pressure David Freese!

Game 7 tomorrow here in St. Louis. Be there or be square!

The Cardinals

Baseball Cardinals.

We're in Game 6. Top of the 10th. 7-7.

I just bit my fingernails down to nubs.

Battle of the Oratories

Football! Tomorrow! 3:00 p.m.! At Priory!

THE Oratory - St. Francis de Sales

vs.

The other Oratory

I just hope I don't have to use my sign that says,

"Dignity is Overrated"

Easter

I absolutely love Easter.

Unfortunately I did not bring my camera to the Easter Vigil but the shroud removal was exceptional
this year. St. Anthony gave J and Abbe a little trouble, but I figure if we don't have any

falling statues or candle fires, we're good.

Since I am better with photos than I am with words (or, as the formally inestimable Steve Martin said, "Some people have a way with words.  Other people, oh, not have way.") I will now present to you my Easter day.

Waiting anxiously for the Easter egg hunt to begin.
The tension was palpable.



Oh!  A scale!
Should we see how our Lenten fasts went?
NO!




The sure face of victory.




I made the lamb cake.
For future reference, if you ever eat one of my lamb cakes beware
of the deadly toothpicks found in the ears.
I believe that is good beforehand knowledge.



I see an egg!

It's not a tumor!



The effort to find Easter eggs was quite lacking.



Well, she was trying, anyway.

The most appropriate response to Mickey's that I have ever seen.



Now if someone would just post on veiling my week would be complete!



A Birthday to Remember

FIVE!

Sometimes parties can get out of hand.

Mystery guest #1

This birthday party was no exception.  There was pizza.  There were princess crowns. 

This guy crashed the party.

There was a cake.  And, it wasn't just any cake.  It was a CASTLE cake, complete with turrets.

 I think it's the 8th wonder of the world, thanks to Mr. G.

The best cake any of my kids has ever received.  Ever.

Here's a quiz:

Q: What do you get when you invite 3 traditional Catholic girls and their families to a princess party?

A: 25 kids and 13 various "adults" as you can see by the photos.





Mystery Guest #2

Sometimes 5 year olds get really great gifts that can be shared, or stolen, by their parents:

I'll take that, thank you.

 

Mystery Guest #3

And, of course, this photo montage would not be complete without the obligatory group shot.

Happy Birthday!  Can I have some castle cake?

Nighttime vs. Daytime

I link to a few blogs over on the right.  I should add a few more and I'll get on that.  But, for now, let's look at 2 of them because I, Mother Crab, ended up sandwiched between the two.  Let me explain.

The Timman from St. Louis Catholic invited me, my super significant other, and someone who shall remain nameless, but I'll just call him Captain Awesome, to Arch Madness with him and his lovely wife.  The excitement of the evening was palpable as it was college basketball and some guy's knee moved to the outside of his leg.  I don't think it's supposed to do that.  But I digress.  I've decided the theme of the evening was beer.  And they were big.

Captain Awesome's beer

This may have been Captain Awesome's other beer.
It took 2 men to hold it, it was that big.

The following day I was invited to a lovely tea party where Natalie from Vin de Peche made all of the food.  I will tell you that the homemade scones, homemade wine jellies (from Mrs. H - she rocks), creme fraiche, warm mushroom salad (yum!), cookies, strawberries, lime custard, and tea were OUTSTANDING.  The theme of this outing wasn't beer.  Juxtapose, if you will, the photos and see for yourself.

No beer here.



If you close one eye, that glass in the back looks like it could be filled with beer.
But it's not.

 

Look at the attention to detail with the butter! 
Mrs. Mc. really outdid herself with her table setting.
That is not a pitcher of beer on the left.



Natalie's wonderful beer cookies, paired with beer strawberries and beer lime custard.
Outstanding.

Now, before Timman gets a complex, I want him to know that I really had a great time at the game.  Once I was there I realized that I really do not get out in the general public much.  My life has become somewhat  insulated and I attribute that to my agoraphobia, stage in life.  Little kids = Tired mom.  And, Timman's wife considered the basketball game a date so I know SHE doesn't get out much either.  Kindred spirits we are.