7 Quick Takes. . . almost summer

1) We finally got our garden planted.  I would not say I am a great gardener, but some of my little plants are starting to come up, so I am a little hopeful.  Gordie planted the bulk of the "big garden" and it looks really good.  He got it finished right before our rain yesterday - awesome timing :)

2) I made up the kids' summer school schedule.  Now, before you go all "wow, what a mean mom" on me, I should add that they ASKED for it.  They are super pumped to do Chemistry so I told them they could start as soon as they got all their current school work done and their end-of-the-year-tests. (I have them take a standardized test that is sent in - just so I have some tangible proof that they are not falling way behind.)

We are doing Science, Latin (because we never seem to have time for foreign language during our "regular year"), Spelling (because I skipped it for most of the year), and a few other things to "keep sharp" or "finish up" (such as the "Catholicism" on Samuel's list - that was totally my fault to fall behind as I lost the book for about a month - LOL).

On the same note, I planned out our next few weeks of what we need to get done.  This week we are preparing for our end-of-the-year homeschool presentation.  Next week we have Rebekah's dance recital and all that goes with that.  Then test-week and hello summer school :)

3) Miriam is going on day three of sleeping in a toddler bed in the room with the boys.  It takes her a bit to settle at bedtime, but she does well once she finally falls asleep.  Unfortunately it often takes a trip to her old crib (still set up in Rebekah's room for naps and then eventually for new baby) as "punishment" for a few minutes to get her to realize that sleeping in this new bed is a PRIVILEGE and she needs to follow the "rules" (aka stay in bed and no talking).

4) I am reading Hypnobirthing right now and am finding it EXCEEDINGLY helpful.  Why it has taken me five births to find this book is beyond me, but I am overjoyed to have it now.  There are no classes or anything offered specifically on this method here and the products are pretty pricey, so just reading the book may be as far as I get "officially."  However, I am feeling quite affirmed just reading it as it makes a lot of sense.  And as I reflected back over my past labors, it was interesting to see how I responded to everything - what my "natural instincts" appear to be.  But overall, I would say in the past I have carried A LOT of fear into labor and that is really counterproductive (as is one of the main points of this book) and really not fun, either.  In any case, I'm getting a great sense of peace about this upcoming labor and have some great new "tools and ideas" to try and employ this time.  It also helps to know basically how things happen and what I want to happen and what will probably happen.  In short I'm really feeling like "I got this."

5) Nesting has finally urged me to get our carseats figured out for the new baby.  And it helps that our neighbor kindly donated an extra seat to our cause.  A couple of our seats are expiring soon, so I took those out of the mix and threw in a another booster.  Then I washed all our covers and stuck them all back together.  I am waiting to install the new baby's seat until we get the replacement buckle from Graco (as it was recalled), but I JUST ordered it, so we shall see if it arrives soon enough.

6) I started ANOTHER knitting project.  I really enjoy knitting (even though it frustrates me when I mess up and am unable to fix it) and feel compelled to do so, especially in the last few weeks of pregnancy.  It is very soothing for me.  Anyhow, I found some nice chunky yarn (good for me as I am a real tight-knitter) tucked away in the basement (while looking for something else, of course) and I'm going to try and make a "baby swaddle sock" (basically like a stocking cap - but you stick the baby in it -very handy).

I should add, that I'm only about three rows in and already dropped a stitch, BUT I looked up how to fix it on youtube and managed to pick it back up!  Go me! :)

7) The kids threw a "surprise party" for me today.  It was real sweet.

Here is the table, all set with food.

Samuel and Jacob both hid under the bed and popped out.  Miriam laid down here by them after for a picture.

Rebekah and Paul were hiding in the corner.

Rebekah even came up with a craft - snowflakes!

Journal #20, Hello Spring!

Out My Window:

It is about 70 degrees and sunny, but a little on the windy side.  It is a perfect day for the windows open - nice breeze in the house.

Clothing Myself In:

"Active wear" shirt and navy pocket shorts over my lovely compression pantyhose, completed with socks and sneakers (to extend the life of the pantyhose).

Around the House:

I rearranged our bedroom a few days ago.  I've discovered over the years that certain pieces of furniture fit best in certain areas, if that makes sense.  For example, the bed is best in the far corner, the dressers work best in the funky cut-out corner, and the easy chair is best by the door.  A few other things can be moved around here and there, but generally that works best.  In any case, maybe a year ago I moved things around quite a bit and pulled the bed out some from the wall to give the hubby room for a nightstand on his side.  Unfortunately that made the bed stick out just too far as it was difficult to walk around and then when the clothes started to pile (as they always do), it became a near-nightmare for me (especially getting up to pee three times a night).  So, giving all thanks to God, right after I decided it was time to get the bed back closer to the wall, I stumbled upon the perfect little shelf to use as a nightstand that would take up less than half the space we were currently using and allow for the walk-room in the rest of the room that I was craving.  Two other people had expressed interest in this shelf on our local swap meet, but I mentioned I would like it if they did not and the seller was eager to move it, so I picked it up a few hours after expressing interest and have been thanking God ever since!!  (Yep, it is the little things that make me smile most it seems.)

The Baby:

Numerous people have informed me that she is really not a baby anymore, but I think she will be continue to be "the baby" until the next one is born, so there you have it.  In any case, she is becoming quite the chatter box.  She loves to parrot talk and is getting more and more words all the time.  I love the way she says them, though, with such an interesting vowel emphasis.  For example, "Paul" is pronounced "Pawwwl" (not dictionary pronunciation obviously - I still regret I never took time to learn that - but hopefully you get my drift).  She is talking more than Jacob did at that age, but definitely less than Paul.  However, I think Paul has been such a good talker from so young he just makes everyone else look bad.

Miriam is really into kitties, but she is branching out to pictures of bunnies and birds as well.  She really likes animals.  She likes her books, too and will gladly sit on my lap all day and point out all her favorite animals to me.  She is getting better at listening to me actually read the stories, too.

The Kids:

Rebekah continues to be such a treasure.  She has a great temperament and tender, caring heart.  We are really so blessed to have her as our oldest.  She takes such great care of her siblings and is often doing other little things to be helpful.  She really likes to be "sneaky helpful" as in she will do something without being asked.  Today she made lunch for all the kids (burritos! - I had the meat already made up, she just put it and the cheese in the tortillas and warmed them in the microwave - then she served them with the left-over corn from yesterday) while I was napping and Gordie was taking a shower.

Samuel is getting more responsible, but I'm noticing that he is really still more of a "little" kid than I realize.  He can be helpful, but he often needs at least some moral support to get there.  For example, he CAN put most of the toys in the tv room away. . . where they go!! - but if I ask him to do it and then abandon him, he will get frustrated and not be able to complete the task.  But if I can get Rebekah to help him, or even just go sit in the room and pick up a toy or two or talk to him, he will easily get the job done.  I also forget that he likes me so much.  This morning I went to Mass with just him (cause he was the only one up - we went to the 7:30am Mass) and even though we had almost an entire pew to ourselves, he sat pushed right up next to me - practically on my lap.  He normally does not get the chance to sit so close, so I forget he would even want to.

Jacob has grown up A LOT lately.  He is almost six!!  How did that happen?!?!  He has such a stubborn streak and WILL NOT BEND over some silly things - or I accidentally rub him the wrong way and he is in tears and frustrated the rest of the evening.  But he has a helpful side, too, and is generally playful.  The problem is that he is so big, when he gets playful, other kids near him have to watch out because he is so big and strong.  Technically he was Kindergarten age this past year, but traditional school work did not really interest him, so we did not do much.  But lately he has expressed interest in school work and is becoming more excited for me to teach him to read (something he did NOT have the patience for earlier).

Paul is still a handful and a half.  He gets SO EXCITED about EVERYTHING and DEMANDS you respond to him (getting louder and more annoyingly insistent until you do).  But he is adorable and smart all at the same time.  Gordie and I often joke about how much trouble Paul is, but really he is an amazing kid, he just has REALLY HIGH energy it seems.

Crafting:

I found the beginnings of a "baby sock" (looks like a big stocking cap - basically a knitted pocket that you can slip a newborn into) that I had started to make for some friends who were expecting a couple years ago now.  I pulled it out and decided I would try to finish it for my current baby to come (due in June), but I started in wrong apparently and some stitches had gotten dropped while it was stored (both of which I did not notice for several rows of knitting) so I am quite frustrated with it now.  Dear Knitting, WHY MUST YOU FIGHT ME SO!!!  I am not sure if it is me being a perfectionist that makes it difficult or if I'm just really not that great a knitter.  I enjoy it, but I get so frustrated when I mess up and then I get stuck, unable to fix it and don't want to start over.  But being pregnant often makes me feel "extra crafty" (must be that nesting thing) so I will probably end up knitting SOMETHING by the time the baby gets here.

Reading:

I have really enjoyed a blog I stumbled upon, written by a biomechanist with a lot of spunk named Katy.  She has a lot of interesting notions that often go against what I "have been told" so far, but make a lot of sense!  I broke down and bought her first-five-years of blogging (which are free on her blog, but I bought them for my (old) kindle which makes them much easier for me to actually read) and I am enjoying this "book" immensely!  Because it is just a published blog, the entries are short and sweet and somewhat unpredictable (not so boring as traditional books can be).  And I REALLY enjoy her attitude.  She is quite bold and funny.

Bringing Me Joy:

*Miriam.  I think children between the age of one and three are just about the cutest things God ever created.  I love to watch them explore their worlds and learn new things.  Seriously, this little lady of mine melts my heart pretty-much all the time.

*Exercise.  I had forgotten how grumpy I get in the last trimester of pregnancy and I am SOOOO GRATEFUL that I am still healthy enough to get some good exercise regularly as it does WONDERS for my mood.

*My Children.  They are such good kids.  I really love being with them all day.

Bible Verse:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give it to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid.  (John 14:27)

Pictures to Share:

A few days shy of 33 weeks with baby #6.

This is from my Dad's 60th Birthday Party.  It was great to have so many relatives in from out of town and out of state!

7 Quick Takes on a Friday Night in April

1) I cleaned my keyboard the other day (just wiped it down because I like to munch while I troll the internet - yep, eat your heart out diet gurus who say that is the WORST POSSIBLE THING EVER - cause it is one of my favorite pastimes, but anyhow. . . ) and now I have trouble typing.  My keys do not stick or anything, so I'm wondering if my trouble typing is related to being pregnant (yes, I'm blaming everything on that these days - weak fingers perhaps) and has nothing to do with running a wipe over my keyboard. Hmmmmm. . . deep thoughts, right?

(EDIT HERE: I just noticed it is the "r" key that was causing me most trouble - as I was leaving r's out of my words.  Well, there was something "crunchy" behind the "r" key, apparently, as I just noticed (after holding it down and some repeated pushing, that there must have been a good-sized crumb behind it or something as I am typing much better already.  Too bad my #1 is now obsolete (I should add this trouble was plaguing me for more than a week) but thank God I got THAT figured out! Oh what a night!)

2) We survived Lent.  It was good.  Easter Sunday went considerably better than I feared.  *Tangent: Isn't it funny, that perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT DAY of the year to go to church is one of the days I dread it most because the Mass is so crazy (in a good way) and long and there are SO MANY PEOPLE and I worry about getting a seat and how my children will behave with all these additional factors.  I really need a good whack upside the head I think to keep my brain where it should be - on the reason for the celebration!!  And to let things roll as they will but, anyhow. . . did I mention it was good?!?!  And the cool thing is that Easter goes on for 50 days.  Praise God! :)

3) I actually sold a few items on my local swap meet.  I am still somewhat in shock.  Even when I have stuff that we don't want/need anymore and I think, "gosh someone surely must want this" and list it for a decent price, I generally end up taking it the Community Assistance Center a few weeks later and berating myself for being so stupid as to try and make money off of said items.  I still donate a ton of stuff, though as I am just not good at keeping a hold of things for a garage sale.  When I decide we no longer need an item, I want it out, NOW!!  Not that you cared, but that is how I roll and possibly why I will never be rich.

4) We finally got a rebuilt transmission for the husband's truck and he will be putting it all together tomorrow.  Prayers appreciated so it goes quickly/well/gets done, etc.  I would not say I'm nervous for him, but I am so ready to have that truck working again already!!

5) All day long I think of things to blog about and how I would say them, but there is just no time to actually put those thoughts down.  And now, as I finally have a minute of stillness all that I thought I wanted to say is gone.  (Or perhaps I am just too tired to remember. . . or too pregnant :)

6) Did I mention I have started blaming everything on being pregnant lately?  I still remember the first time I forgot anything EVER.  I was pregnant with Rebekah (my first child) and I forgot something really simple (that I of course cannot remember what it was) and it FREAKED ME OUT!!!  With each child, I've noticed a little more forgetfulness - especially during pregnancy, but even after.  I really think part of my brain goes into making these kids.  And this last one. . .well, it is probably going to be a genius and I am going to be vegetable by the time it comes out.  I am soooooo gone these days.  I am honestly getting a glimpse of what it will probably be like when I am old.  It is a little frightening but at the same time, quite enlightening to understand why people do what they do (such as be stubborn or not want to do things a certain way).

7) A combination of spring cleaning and nesting has been taking place here and I could not be happier about it.  Unfortunately I kind of have to force it as I am just SO TIRED - bleh.  But I tell myself to get up and get moving and usually my self responds.  Unfortunately there is still so much to do.  But I really do appreciate this little "push" to get projects and things done.

If you have read this far you deserve a star. . . or a cookie, unless you are trying to lose weight, then try a carrot instead or a nice glass of water.  As for me, I'm brushing my teeth and crawling in bed.

PEACE!!

7 Quick Takes. . . Lent check-in

1) We are REALLY liking this book we are using (that I mentioned before) called A Family Journey With Jesus Through Lent.  The stories are all told first-person by a child, who mentions their name and their siblings and such.  They live in a time and place where Jesus was and either go see him, or talk about their parents or other family members seeing him.  And it is all the Gospel stories and parables and such.  And then their are the bible verses to help remember the stories.  It is a little rapid-fire with a verse for every day (Saturdays included, but not Sundays) but the kids are taking it well.  I'm not having them memorize the verses, but I am still putting them on the wall for them to read over and refer back to.

2) Our "Sacrifice Jar" is getting some use.  Rebekah is always asking if she can put in a token for something or other and often comes up with some really awesome stuff!  I have put a few in, too.

Yes, those ARE pom poms we are using as "tokens". . . apparently we do not have any beads in this house.  And I should add that it is a bit fuller now, this picture was from a few weeks ago.

3) One of my sacrifices was going to be to wear a pair of shoes that did not fit quite right.  Well, go-figure, those shoes are actually getting broken-in pretty well now!  They are still not my most comfortable shoes ever and I would not brave them to do "serious exercise" in (as I think they would give me some "serious" blisters) but for everyday-around-the-house-out-and-about stuff, they are no big deal.  Great for me and the shoes, but bummer for my penance, 'eh?  :)

(Don't worry, God gives me plenty of other "physical troubles" to offer up, fairly regularly.)

4) Our church is doing a soup and homemade bread supper (for a free-will-offering, NOT A FUNDRAISER - the money just goes to buy more soup and bread fixings for the next week and any left over at the end will go to the food pantry) every Friday during Lent and although my children are not very fond of soup, I am enjoying taking them.  It is nice to not have to prepare a meal one evening and it is nice to see our friends from church (which we normally just visit with on Sundays).

5) The Stations of the Cross is said at our church (after the above-mentioned soup and bread supper) every Friday and we have taken the kids the past two weeks.  They actually did fairly well.  The second time I took Miriam into the cry room for most of it.  She can be quiet mostly, but then squeaks or jabbers pretty loudly at random and it can be a little disturbing.  I left the "big kids" in the pew alone (as Gordie was the cantor) and they did good.

6) I've done pretty-well getting in my bible and reading the daily readings (part of my Lenten resolutions) but I also have been trying to avoid desserts and have DEFINITELY failed on that one a few times.  (Dessert is my comfort some days. . . I admit it.)

7) I've been really thinking/praying about forming my conscience.  I think I've been "in the world" so much lately that I've been letting it get a bit lax.  If you have tips/ideas/suggestions on how to form my conscience better, I am open to those!  I read up about forming one's conscience in the catechism and it spoke of prayer and scripture so I'm trying to soak that up and see where it leads, but that seemed a little vague.  But God always answers prayer. . . in His time, so perhaps some patience is in order.

Happy Lent everyone!

What My Baby Wore Today. . .

I went through the clothing tubs last night as Miss Miriam's clothing has been getting tight.  Unfortunately the next size up for her is spring/summer clothing, but it has not been too terribly cold so, I guess I should not complain.  In any case, here she is sporting a fun new (to her) outfit that screams spring, but I hope will be warm enough for today.  In any case, it is way cuter than what she has been wearing (as she outgrew her girl clothes (before I went through the tubs), I was throwing her in the Paul's old pants and t-shirts!! - eek!  :).

So, here she is in all her feminine glory.

Shirt: Maybe from JC Penny?
Skirt: Seems like JC Penny also
Tights: Amazon
Shoes: Target

7 Quick Takes. . . beginning of Lent

1) My dryer has officially been broken for over two weeks, but the repair men are here RIGHT NOW working on it (for the second time - with a second part, as apparently the first part was broken, but they did not know this part was ALSO broken until they fixed the first).  So let's all pray this ends well as I really miss this convenience right now!

2) Our "Sacrifice Jar" is getting some use.  This makes me happy and hopeful that we can keep going.
Fun Related Story Tangent:  The other day I told the kids we would have a special snack (left-over goodies from my Catholic Motherhood meeting the night before) once they reached a certain point in their schoolwork.  Well, they were taking FOREVER so I finally gave in and let them have the snack, even though they had not finished their work.  They both enthusiastically proclaimed I should get to put in a sacrifice token for this - haha, oh children! :)

3) Everyone seems to be enjoying A Family Journey with Jesus Though Lent.  The memory bible verses that go with each day are fun, too.  Perhaps next year I will type them up so the kids can cut them out and past them like they do our regular Memory Bible Verses.  As of now I am just writing them on note cards and sticking them on the wall with poster puddy.  (We are real "high class" around here.)

4) I am REALLY starting to feel (and look) pregnant.  No hiding in baggy clothes now :)  I'm nearing the end of the second trimester and trying to stay calm as I know the ride just gets rougher from here.  All in all I am quite happy that I am still able to exercise fairly well - even though it requires a bit of additional "gear" (like support pantyhose and pregnancy belts).  I have still been running some on the weekends and this makes me EXCEEDINGLY happy, but I think I might give it up soon as it also leaves me with some lingering pain afterward.

5) I have recently concluded that Miriam is quite possibly the smartest baby I have ever encountered.  She impresses me almost constantly with what she picks up on and what she wants to do (EVERYTHING everyone else does).  This morning she was grumpy because her chair was too close to the table so she could not get down with her cereal bowl, to go put it in the kitchen.

6) I made fajitas for the first time and my husband liked them a lot. . . and even ate the vegetables!!  Unfortunately I tried a similar dish the next day with green chilies instead of peppers and he was not impressed.  One step forward, two steps back. . . 

7) I REALLY like our new (to us) van.  It just drives like a big pick-up truck.  And there is SO MUCH ROOM!!!  Parking it has been going ok, too, so far (granted I have been quite careful - often parking further away).  Unfortunately, the Hubby now thinks the van CANNOT fit in the garage (apparently the back sits higher than the front - so he has pulled it "mostly" in, but thinks the back will rub).  I think he should take the trim piece off and try again (as it is SO CLOSE - and that half inch could make all the difference!!) but he does not seem eager to try this.

Side Note: I had every intention of "peppering" this post with random pictures (as we all know those make life so much more fun) but now I cannot find my camera cord (sad face) so I stuck in what I could find on the computer (not as fun, but you get what you get some days).

Lent 2014

It is the night before Ash Wednesday and all through the house. . . Mom cannot find the Lenten cross.

I'm admitting defeat of "my plan" to do our traditional Lenten Cross (which we have done for a couple of years, now).  Although it is frustrating to be looking for something and not able to find it (as is the story of much of my life - my mom used to ALWAYS be losing things when I was a kid and I thought it was just because she had Multiple Sclerosis, but. . . now I know better.  It is a genetic trait and I have it, too!!) I am slightly relieved to not be doing this particular Lenten practice this year.  It is just so big and the Scripture verses can be long and difficult to explain to my younger children.  Really I wash each verse and picture had more of a mini-homily to go along with it and maybe a timeline or some way to connect all the parts would be nice.  (Honestly, I like this practice, but if I were to make it "perfect" and all. . .  :) )  Anyhow, since I cannot find my actual cross or the laminated pictures that go on it, I'm planning to use a book I picked up a couple of years ago, but was above my children at the time.  It is called A Family Journey with Jesus through Lent.  It looks pretty neat, now and I think my older kids will really get into it.  I figure we will put our candles (white ones now, to keep things simple) on the table and light them while I read it so the little ones have something to look at.

We are also doing a sacrifice jar for the kids to put a token in for each sacrifice they make.  (That would be the big empty jar in the picture above.)  In the past we have done a paper cross on the wall before and put flowers on it for "good deeds."  I also have made a crown of thorns out of dough, with toothpicks that we removed before, but again, removal was granted through "good deeds,"  and I have since run into trouble defining "good deeds," especially for multiple ages of children.  So this year we are using "sacrifice" as our terminology to help keep them focused in the right direction.  I think they have a general gist of what that word means.  I will leave it up to the kids to define it specifically, but here are some things I have in mind:

1) Giving up a toy for the day
2) Skipping a treat, or snack
3) Giving in to a sibling (letting them have a toy or choose the game, etc)
4) Work sacrifice (doing a non-required chore for no reward)
5) Prayer sacrifice (praying for someone or a special cause)

I plan to join them, in "sacrificing" in this manner. I figure this is kind of like a day by day resolution that is always changing.  I hope it will keep things "fresh."

I have some additional personal resolutions in mind, but I cannot seem to choose one or two or even three, and I'm sure there are too many for me to do them all every day, so I'm thinking I might list them all with numbers and roll dice to pick three or so a day.  (And being a "gamer" I have dice with up to 20 sides, so no worries about there being too many - hehe)  Here are my ideas for personal resolutions:

1) Limit facebook time (using a timer)
(I must add it is simply not feasible for me to cold turkey away from facebook.  Being home all day with the kids, it is my connection to other adults and the outside world.  Likewise, since I do not have a cell phone, it is often a necessary tool to connect with friends - and even my husband on important matters.)
2) Read the daily Mass readings for the day
3) Say the Office or Morning or Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours 
4) Write a letter to a friend or relative
5) Wear a pair of shoes I do not like
6) Say a decade (or all) of the Rosary
7) Pray the Stations of the Cross
8) Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet
9) Go to Adoration
10) Sing a Lenten song
11) Spend 15 minutes doing Spiritual reading
12) Spend 15 minutes reading my Catechism
13) Avoid sweets/chocolate/dessert of any kind

We are also doing this Lenten track from Catholic Icing.  We have done it every year.  A couple years ago I gave each child their own to color, but last year we just had Rebekah color one on the wall for everyone to look at.  Assuming their are no objections, we will have Rebekah color this one - or let her alternate with another child if there is any interest.  Having one for each child is simply too tedious to keep track of them all and keep them all "up to date."

Finally, I am looking forward to listening to this Lent at Ephesus cd a friend recommended (and was kind enough to send me, thanks Monica!!).

I will close with a few catchy lines from the "Lent" track of our new FAVORITE cd by the Dogma Dogs. 

It's Lent, Lent, 
time to repent, 
because it's Lent, Lent, 
our wheels they get bent, 
by what we've done or failed to do
but ask for mercy, He'll give it to you. . .