Lilah Sutphen: Surrogacy Soapbox
How Young Teens Are Different From Older Millennials
From My Family to Yours...
Filed under: Opinions
Happy New Year, everyone! Sometimes things don't work out as planned, and that's what makes life fun and interesting.
The video clip shows what happened when the Duffy family went to cut down their Christmas tree and my husband, Sean -- who also happens to be a professional lumberjack competitor -- accidentally dumped out gasoline from the chainsaw on the way out to the woods. When we finally found a tree we could all agree on, the chainsaw died halfway through the cut leaving us to improvise! Hope you enjoy!
Last week our family celebrated Christmas Eve with a breakfast of huevos rancheros, sweet bread and Mexican hot chocolate. Our kids sang in the choir at the 4 pm Mass, and we all returned home for a Christmas Eve dinner and a restless evening for five little kids awaiting Santa's arrrival.
Our family tradition is to keep holy and festive the 12 days of Christmas that follow until Epiphany, the Feast of the Three Kings, when we celebrate all over again with Mass, a celebratory meal and another evening of restless kids. This time, they're anticipating the arrival of the Wise Men and their camels who come to our home leaving by each of our kids' sugar-filled shoes three gifts, just as they did for the Christ child.
I pray that this Christmas season and the coming New Year will be a reminder to all of us of what is truly important. God Bless you all. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
1-06-2010 @ 2:55PM
Monica said...What great children you have to bust out into spontaneous song showing their appreciation for your husband! LOVE it! Thank you for sharing your video!
Reply
1-06-2010 @ 7:33PM
kate2 said...Sorry to be a Scrooge, but this is obviously a video of a manufactured event directed to push the political aspirations of Rachel's husband. Notice the camera is not being held by either "mom" or "dad"? Do the rest of us have a camera crew going along to cut down the tree? This video has been on his political website for a week or so. Give me a break already with the "perfect me, and my perfect family" routine. Eliminating all your fakery should be your New Years Resolution Rachel!
Reply
1-08-2010 @ 5:05PM
Jessica said...Loved the video. Put a huge smile on each of my 4 children's faces. It is possible the family had a laptop with satellite internet and a webcam.
6-30-2010 @ 3:34PM
Ms. Lisa said...Looks like Sean was driving with one hand and holding the camera with the other... which is probably not a good thing :(
1-06-2010 @ 9:48PM
Sifrina said...Monica - I agree - so cute when they were singing "he's the jolly good fellow"! And precious baby (Paloma?) dancing at the end!
Kate2 - Yes, you are probably right about another person filming, and, yes, this slick video (I always wonder: (1) how much these things cost and (2) who is paying) is likely to be useful for the success of the campaign (AND Rachel's book sales). BUT I don't believe for one second that this family's love and appreciation for one another is fake (why shouldn't a mom say, "What do you say to your father..."?). Clearly, the chainsaw's untimely death, the passed out babies in the van, and the toddler question about the new baby/new car were not staged!! Rachel and her family are happy but I don't think she's ever held them (or herself) out as perfect.
Rachel - Thank you for sharing (irrespective of your motives)! I wish your lovely family the very best and I sincerely hope you all make it to DC (even if you are "on the other side of the aisle" : ) We'd love to have you as neighbors. (PS In our county in MD we have one of the best public school systems in the US if you are interested in public schools!!)
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1-07-2010 @ 1:39PM
Melanie said...That was a great video and clearly NOT a professional camera crew. Thanks for sharing Rachel
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1-08-2010 @ 9:56AM
Frances said...Ha! What a hoot! What a fun memory for your family to have! Who
cares who filmed it, for goodness' sake! The only thing that gave me a chill... Rachel, were you wearing your seat belt? It looked
like you weren't... not to be a nag, but holy moly! I hope you were
and that it was just obscured by your coat! Gosh, I feel like such an old fart even mentioning it, but come on! I hope forgetting the seat belt was just an oversight, and not a habit!
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1-09-2010 @ 6:05PM
Christa said...I am a huge fan of Rachael and her beautiful family. I don't mean to nag, but where was your seatbelt, Rachael?
Reply
6-30-2010 @ 3:28PM
Ms. Lisa said...She probably doesn't wear her seat belt because of something connected to her horrible car accident back in the 90s. From what I recall (maybe?), what saved her life then was actually NOT wearing her seat belt as I remember reading that she was thrown out of the car upon impact. With everyone else who was in the car being unfortunately killed, she's probably has some bad PTSD (as I have myself) which keeps her from wearing a seat belt.
Obviously, if she chooses, she can answer this question for herself, if she hasn't done so already.
Also, after researching, it IS ILLEGAL to not wear your seat belt in Wisconsin if you're over the age of four and considering that her husband's a district attorney, well, this whole seat belt issue seems a bit of a mess. :(
not wearing seat belt in WI--> illegal
survived car accident --> because of not wearing seat belt
husband helps enforce laws in WI ---> irk.
1-12-2010 @ 8:57AM
Chere said...Rachel, I said it before but I love the video! You all share a great bond which is absolutely genuine and sincere. Stay positive and don't worry about the negative comments! You have a lovely family and I think the values and traditions you are instilling in your children are ones that will benefit them far into their future. I hope you and yours have an incredible and prosperous 2010!!! Happy New Year! May blessing continue to flow your way!
Reply
1-30-2010 @ 3:53PM
Sandy said...Rachel, why aren't you wearing your seatbelt!!!
Reply