Florida!

Here is our first airplane:








Wow!  They need to fire the window-washer lol =P






It’s a Sith Lord! (two lightsabers)






If you think it’s cloudy down there, check this out.

  

Our first take-off.  (We didn’t know at the time that we shouldn’t have had cameras on.)





Welcome to the steel city (Pittsburgh) home of …



...the Pittsburgh Steelers!



Here’s my nook that connected to the Wifi on the plane. 
You can see how fast we’re going and
 how long it’s going to take us to get there.

But in Tampa, it was really wet.

WE'RE BACK!!

HELLO EVERYBODY!! WE'RE BACK, and we had an absolutely great time =) =). PICS SOON TO BE POSTED

New sacristy tale

Hello, I'm writing this extra fast. Comment me if I make a mistake. So this morning, I told Mom to hurry cause it's sooooo hard to find an alb at that church! But the first alb I saw, I liked it right away. It was a size thirteen, one size shorter then My usual =). And then when I was done, I was upstairs talking to Mr. Walt. I told him about our trip to Florida. He said "Get an autograph for Fr. Matt. he loves the Orioles" So I asked "Who's his favorite player?" And He said "Oh! He likes e'm all. I'm just kidding about the autograph" which I knew he was. Stay tuned

Today's sacristy tale

This morning, the usual stuff happened. I couldn't find my cincture and didn't find it, And then I lit the candles which was hard today cause the candles were big and I wasn't going to yell for help. And then when I was done lighting the candles, Miss Paula asked about our trip to Florida. She thought we left today but CORRECTION! Tomorrow. Then Fr. Joe came in the time he usually came in. Good. Everything is back to normal =). Stay tuned. 1 MORE DAY TILL FLORIDA =) =) =) =)!!!!!!!!

Feast of St. Joeseph

This morning Fr.  Joe celebrated the mass. Well duh! It's St. Joseph's feast day! But I was also thinking Mysteries are about to be solved... Because Miss Paula hadn't shown up for the last two days (I had served Sunday). I asked my Godmother when I saw her on Saturday at the St. Patricks party, because She's the sacristan for the Saturday afternoon mass, she sees Miss Paula every Saturday. But she didn't say anything. When I got there, She wasn't there! Then I went to get ready and I couldn't find my favorite cincture!  So I had to stick with a small one, and I hate small ones! So then I lit the candles which was very hard today because they were new candles. Then when I was done, I went to the back sacristy and started cincture hunting. But I didn't find anything =0! And finally Miss Paula came in. And then The  bell rang and Fr. Joe hadn't shown up yet! So Miss Paula had to go to the rectory and get' im. And then Miss Paula left to go to work. I was tempted to say to Fr. Joe "What? Since it was your feast you thought you deserved the day off?!" But I didn't. Stay tuned. Spring Training updates soon to be posted =)!

Long, boring and funny sacristy tale.

Hello, happy St. Patrick's day =). So, today was like a regular Sunday mass. Last night, the altar servers (Mom: All boys!) met with the pastor and went over instructions. Kelly would be M.C, which meant He would be like making sure everything happened on cue, John, cross bearer, Jake, Me, torch-bearers, Liam, thurifer, Kiran, boat-boy (lol)/book bearer, Erik, bells. I aimed to be the first altar server to be at mass, and I succeeded. There was a deep deep deep silence. I got my alb on, and then I was tempted to light the candles until I heard Deacon Jack and the pastor come in. Then slowly and slowly the other altar servers came in. First Jake came in, and since Jake is the main charcoal lighter I stole his position while he was getting ready so he didn't smoke the whole place. So later we were all ready to go. I got Jake's candle and he said "grasias". And I said "I dunno how to speak Espaniol. I can only speak Latin. And I bet you can't" And then he started singing:
"Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus
Dominus deus sabaoth." And then:
Agnus Dei, qui tollis pecata mundi. And then:
O salutaris hostia, quae caeli pandis hostium. And then:
Tantum ergo sacramentum. Veneremur cernui. And then I told him to stop. Now, toward the middle of mass, Deacon Jack told us to get the cruets, but cruets weren't there! They were in the refrigerator! So Jake and I had to go get them. Before the procession, Jake and I went to get our torches*. Jake had already lit them before mass and dropped the match in the candle and then when we came to get them I touched the one that Jake lit, it almost fell over and I almost got wax on my wax on my hand and then there was a big splotch on the wall (Miss Paula won't like that)! And during the procession, Kiran ran out of incense, so Kelly kept giving charcoal to Liam. And I guess that's it stay tuned. *Our parish uses two types of candles.
1. A small but heavy kind of candle which is what we use every Sunday.
2. Long and tall with candles on one end. And it has a cup protecting the flame.

Funny sacristy tale

Well.. close to funny ;). So we had to PICK UP DANNY'S FAMILY AGAIN!!!! So the usual stuff happened. Danny yanked open the kitchen door and we were greeted by Mr. Leon. And when we were in the sacristy we put our cassocks on, and then we voted to see who would be what. There was a new guy there; possibly a server at the church. Nathan introduced Danny and Me to Francis. And Nathan got confused and called me Francis. So Matt would be thurifer (as usual), Danny would be the "Boat Boy" (Which everybody laughed at), Reverend Jason would be M.C, I would be cross bearer/bell ringer, and Nathan and Francis would be candle bearers. I asked Danny if he wanted to trade. I knew what he was going to say right before it came out of his mouth. NOT! I expected him to say "sure" But he didn't =0! I pulled Nathan aside and said that he stole my confirmation name right out of my head! He said he was sorry. When we were ready to walk out the door, Nathan said to me "hold it up high (the cross). That's how we like it" I said "yeah. But once I was holding it too high. My friend said that holding up the cross really high was weird"which everybody laughed at. Stay tuned

This morning...

... I was in danger of not serving. Paul and I had gotten into a big fight, but we left, and in the car we were still yelling at each other. I almost forgot had to serve exposition after mass. Miss Paula was getting the charcoal ready. When I was done, I got ready to light the candles when I lit the candle lighter, I burned the charcoal for Miss Paula, and then (this was weird), the charcoal took the whole flame! I guessed it was because the candle lighter's wick was short. So I pulled the wick up. Stay tuned

Even newer sacristy tale

Whew! I was just lying on a "bed" made out of out dining room chairs when Mom started getting ready for school, putting the chairs back in place. and my head just got stuck under the table. Now to the sacristy tale. I knew we were gonna be late again but only ten minutes late. The pastor was just pulling up too. So when inside, I found my alb which wasn't in the back of the line! I talked to Miss Paula if I could borrow a cassock and surplice for the TLM. She said I could, but she offered to sell me one but I told her that I'd get a new cassock and surplice when we got back from spring training. Stay tuned

Newer sacristy tale

I forgot to mention I was serving in the last sacristy post. So. The servers today were, me Emma, Jake and Kelly (who is a girl). I was expected to be the first one there. But Emma beat me. The reason I wanted to get there early, was because so Jake wouldn't tell the others about Friday. But while I was in the back room, Jake came in and I asked him if he had told all the other altar servers in school, he said no, that was good. Then I went to light the candles. When I got to the rack where the candle lighter lived. Emma had took it! Then I called cross one before Jake or Kelly called it. But when mass started Jake took the cross =(. And at the end of mass I went to the rack but Jake grabbed it at the same time, and he went to put them out =(. Stay tuned.

Last night...

... I entered my Matt Wieters mii into Wii Fit Plus. I didn't expect him to be underweight, or to do perfect in his body test. I'm just foolin' my self.

Today's sacristy tale

This morning, I'd tricked Dad into going at the usual time cause benediction starts at 7:40. But the pastor starts it at 7:50. So pretty much Deacon Jack and I were talking the whole time =) .

Deacon Jack: Good morning Xavier.
Me: Hello.
Me(while Deacon Jack was getting his alb on): A new Baseball season will soon be upon us.
Deacon Jack: Yes.
Me: Guess where my family is going in the middle of the month?
Deacon Jack: Where?
Me: Sarasota!
Deacon Jack: Really?
Me: Ya. And besides, Dad says that's the best way to get autographs.
Deacon Jack: Oh yeah. he's right. Did the idea just pop into your dad's head?
Me: No. My mom's cousin lives in Sarasota. But she really lives in New York. She's the one th-*
Deacon Jack: Yeah, you told me about that.
Me: But anyway, for the last two months by e-mail she's been saying "get over here now! It's awesome here!
Deacon Jack. Ha! Ha!

Miss Paula comes in for a while and then she leaves.

Deacon Jack: So what are you bringing to get autographed?
Me: I dunno! Maybe a couple of Baseballs that we brought for fanfest**
Deacon Jack: Once I gave my sons a whole box of Baseball cards, and all those cards are now autographed.
Me: Once I read a book about a boy who lives in Kentucky. And his dad, just gambles like an idiot! He's always losing money. And then one day the kid realizes that he can go back in time with Baseball cards and get autographs from famous players and his dad had a lot more money.
Deacon Jack: Huh. When I was in high school, me and my friends put up this huge poster of Roberto Clemente. And then we took out every single article in the paper about him out. And put it on the poster.

Dat's dat. Stay tuned.

*Last summer my mom's cousin gave us tickets that she couldn't use so she gave them to us.
** Fanfest is something the O's do for their fans at the begining  of the year.

Now...

... she wants the neighborhood to hear it. In song!

Leah can make music!

Leah just made a new master piece!

Sacristy tale (supposed to be published on 3/8/11)

FINALLY! We didn't have to pick Danny's family up yesterday =). Well, when we got there, I did what Danny did last week. I was greeted by Mr. Leon, who was setting up breakfast with his wife. When I got to the sacristy, Matt and Reverend Jason were talking about if there would be a missa cantata (sung mass) next week. When Reverend Jason left I stuck my head in the room where Matt had been preparing the incense. FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS!!! I came back in the main room and said "Finally! No incense!" and then Matt said  "Rejoice now because it's going to be here next week." And then the pastor and Reverend Jason came in. The pastor said good morning and stuff like that. And the last thing I wanted him to say, came out of his mouth.
The pastor(to Reverend Jason and Matt): Last Tuesday was Xavier's altar serving anniversary.
Me: REALLY FATHER?!?*

Stay tuned. . *On REALLY FATHER?!? I was just talking inside my head.

Feast of St. Francis of Rome

This morning was very unusual.

Number 1. The alb I use (number twenty-seven) was in the back, which is where it belongs since it was the highest number on the rack, but Miss Paula usually lets me keep in the front.
Number 2. Fr. Joe's vestments were out because Miss Paula had forgot to put them away, and Fr. Raymond couldn't find his alb!
Number 3. And last..... I'VE BEEN CAUGHT!!

Meaning, that an altar server (Jake) that goes to the school was at mass this morning! So at the beginning of mass, I didn't know what I felt. Maybe I was so scared I just rocketed head of Dad and Fr. Raymond. Like I was going super fast and they were going super slow! Stay tuned

Sts. Felicity and Perpetua sacristy tale

This morning, I practically spent the whole time looking for an alb. They had no fourteen year-old albs (which is the size I wear). So I decided to try a fifteen year-old  alb which was too big. EVEN WITH THE CINCTURE!! so I ended up with an eleven year old alb. Mr. Walt was not there today; his wife was. And I didn't know her name =(. So it was pretty boring. Stay tuned.

Today...

... is my altar serving anniversary =)! I have been altar serving for one year (the end of my first year). It was  celebrated by Fr. Raymond with Fr. Joe concelebrating.  So it was just hot in there and the heater was going "DONK! DONK! DONK!" it was just annoying!The albs were kinda weird too. Number twenty-seven (I switched to number twenty-seven), was the second alb on the line. Number twenty-six was in-front! So I guessed there was a school mass yesterday. When I was lighting the candles the first one didn't set off a flare. Fr. Andrew said the homily again. But I did everything perfectly =D. Stay tuned

This is so crazy!

Mom was looking at her e-mail, and one of the moms in our home-school group had found a video on YouTube about "SOCIALIZING YOUR CHILDREN!!"

Happy birthday Aunt Sue =)!!

Yesterday my family went to Pennsylvania for a birthday party for My dad's sister. Here are some pics and a few movies. Enjoy =)!                                       

Can you see the farm house right there?

A valley




That's their dog, Roxy.

 


This is grandchildren/nephews of Aunt Sue

Left to right:

Me, Paul, Ellie holding Isabella, Tory holding Austin,
Carter and Tyler. (And Gabriella is camera-shy =)).




















Time for movies.


       

Carter doing a back flip.

Tyler doing front flip.

At the end of this video, I do a really stupid front flip

Weird sacristy tale

Today was kinda weird. And guess what? I found the crazy looking match =)! I lit the candle lighter with it. I expected the "thorn" to melt in place with the red stuff, but it didn't =(. While I was lighting the candles, The first one set off a tiny flare, but I thought I would ignore it. Then the pastor came in. He asked me when my anniversary (altar serving anniversary) was. I told him it was tomorrow. Then the priest who was speaking in our parish mission came in . He introduced himself as Fr. Andrew_____. I introduced myself as Xavier. And then the pastor said "also known as 'Xavier of the world'. Trying to save the world like Jesus." He always does that "Xavier of the world". Stay tuned

Leah's breki (breakfast).

Today, I had to feed Leah her breki. I was still in my P.J's and I wasn't wearing any shoes. So I let her in and got her breki ready. I was trying to make sure she didn't step on my foot. But she almost smelled it, and when she did she was like "uh! That stinks." But I fed her. lol =P

Sacristy tale (supposed to be published on 3/2/11)

First we were going to the church we usually go to on Wednesdays.  But then I said, "Mom, aren't we supposed to be going to ____?" So I just wasn't feeling good cause an altar server who hasn't been serving the homeschool masses anymore (because we try to have boys serve) was serving. Marty where are you =(?! So she was going to give Issac and me instructions because Fr. Erik thought he had to give too many instructions last time. But Issac and I didn't need'em. Then she went out of the sacristy for a while then I don't know what the heck happened, cause her mom came in and talked to us. I guess I just wasn't feeling good. After that, I was trying to be patient with her then I just said (not yelled) "All right we get it!" so I guess she told her mom. Then Fr. John came in. He said today's reading was his favorite. I asked him what is it, and he said "Pay attention!" Stay tuned.

HAPPY MARCH!!

HAPPY MARCH! SPRING AND DAY LIGHT SAVINGS TIME COME SOON =D =D!!!!!!! And this month I'M GOING TO SEE THE ORIOLES IN SPRING TRAINING =D =D!!!!!! So prepare for O's updates. I might post a link to an..... I don't exactly know what it is to see Detroit Tigers and O's recaps. If my friend agrees =)

Newer sacristy tale

This morning we had to pick up Danny's family, again. So we were heading for the entrance when Danny suddenly yanked the kitchen door (FWI the kitchen door has no handle it was just open half way)! So we went in that way. So we went upstairs where we got ready. Matt told us it would be a little different today since Nathan wasn't coming. So Reverend Jason would be M.C, Matt would be thurifer/cross bearer and Danny and I would be candle bearers. Since Danny was the oldest candle bearer he would ring the bells (since the thurifer has to incense the blessed sacrament when the priest elevates it). But during the "domine non sum dingus ( lord i am not worthy), Father Ernest was saying it so quietly, Danny couldn't hear him! I asked him why he did not  ring the bells. He said "wait, he was saying domine non sum dingus? I didn't hear him!" Stay tuned, especially you Marty ;). You're not going to be there tomorrow, right?