7 quick takes

1 - So maybe I'm on a Walk the Moon kick right now.  I need music that will get me movin', ya know.  I got dishes to do, pancakes to flip, a Thomas train track to build in a figure 8 so that it has to include a bridge and tunnel, a baby to nurse, and a miracle boy to read From Head to Toe to for the 80 billionth time.  I'm busy, people!  I need some pep in my step.

Can you do it?  I can do it!

2 - My newest article at Ignitum Today is up.  It's called "The story of a house: one person's redemptive suffering is another's second chance."  So I broke the rule about short titles. *shrug*  Go read it!  Share it with your friends and your grandma!  She'll love it!

3 - The article is about my friends Alisha and Jude and this amazing thing that happened to them when they sold their house.  I even did an interview with Alisha for the post, which was a lot of fun, really long, and had many fun tangents - including one about gravy.

4 - I still have a cough and a sore throat from my stupid sickness.  Last week was horrible and when I went to the doctor he looked at my throat and said, "Ah, that's gross!"  Then he laughed and gave me a prescription.  I feel better in every other way but I still have this dumb cough.

5 - Travis and I love our family practitioner.  Who may or may not read this blog... I'm not sure.  (Hey, Mark, if you're reading.)  I asked him if I'd be well enough to go to my family reunion, which was last Sunday.  He said yes but that if I didn't want to go he'd write me a note.

6 - While at the family reunion I was holding Bennet when one of my great aunts approached.  "Is this your son?" she asked me.  "Yes.  This is Bennet," I said proudly.  She looked disappointed and confused and then  told me she wanted to see the miracle baby she was reading about in the papers.  Poor Bennet - she doesn't know what she was missing out on!

7 - This past week I've continued to keep a fairly low profile, mostly because of the dang cough.  The kids and I have walked to the park, had home-made pancakes for breakfast, and even done crafts. (!)  The days have been pretty smooth and I have realized that the thing that makes this possible is if I do not shower until quiet time.  Me in my pajamas until 2pm = everyone's happy.  I'm glad to know how to make it work, but I think that it's not too practical.

7 quick takes

1 - This song is a part of the soundtrack to my childhood.  My mom had the 45 record and we'd listen to it over and over again.  I still love this song.  Do you remember it?

2 - I have a new post up at Ignitum Today called "The Kitchen Is My Mission Field".  Here's a little sample:
It’s true that there are some pretty shallow reasons why I have never gone on a mission trip.  First of all, they usually take place somewhere hot and sunny.  I hate being hot and I hate the sun.  I’m paler than Jim Gaffigan and so there’s no way I’m going to have my skin burn because I sweat off all my sunblock.  Secondly, while I have a basic knowledge of how to use power tools that does not mean I should be building anyone a home.  I can barely assemble a bookshelf from Target let alone a roof.  Lastly, I’m lazy.

Please head on over to Ignitum Today to read the rest!

3 - If you missed my interview on the Drew Mariani show you can listen to it by going to their archives here.  I was interviewed during the 3 o'clock hour on Friday, July 13.  My part starts around 3:30.  It was a lot of fun to do the interview, although as I sat and waited for them to call me I was so nervous I almost began to cry.  Some prayers to the Holy Spirit definitely helped although it still took me the first 10 minutes to work all the "um"s out. 

4 - Speaking of me sharing James' story, I have gotten a few more invites to speak at parishes and other events.  I'm really excited about this opportunity and if you are also interested please feel free to email me.  You can find my email address and some basic information on my presentation under the top right tab.

5 - We have two awesome events coming up.  The first is an annual party that reunites our friends from the St. Francis Newman Center where Travis and I met.  The second is Sr. Marie Noelle's profession of final vows with the Nashville Dominicans.  Sister and I were close friends in college but I haven't seen her since she professed first vows six years ago.  I just had to share the good news because I'm so happy to be able to do these things.  God is so good.

6 - I am not taking James to Nashville and I feel a little worried that the nuns may be disappointed that the "miracle baby" did not come to them.  I do not want to disappoint a nun but the fear of a miserable trip courtesy of my 22 month old son is more powerful.

7 - My heart goes out to the people who were killed or injured at the shooting at the midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado.  Many prayers are being offered!

7 quick takes

1 - So I've been listening to this song on repeat for about 3 weeks.  I hate the video, though.  The song definitely tells a story that happened in the 80's but everything is current except for the mix tape.  Seriously, do people younger than 25 even know what mix tapes are?  I don't think so.  So don't watch the dumb video, just listen to the song and appreciate all its references to songs we can all hopefully agree are great.

2 - I own this album, as in record. There's something about a record... but I can't listen to them anymore because my kids would break or scratch them, I am sure of it. I'm on Fire is probably my favorite song, closely followed by Working on the Highway. I think I have a strong association between my childhood and Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp songs. They always make me think of playing in my neighborhood, eating popsicles, and riding in the backseat of my parents grey Oldsmobile. It makes me happy.

3 - On Pinterest I saw the suggestion to take a picture of your daughter in your wedding dress so it can be displayed at her wedding. Of course the picture on Pinterest showed a little girl with styled hair and good lighting, probably sitting in a portrait studio. This is Lydia at the end of the day, sitting on my bed. But it doesn't really matter. She looked beautiful in the dress and I was delighted when she told me she would wear it on her own wedding day. (I seriously love that dress so much that until I could no longer fit in it I would wear it around the house, talking on the phone, watching tv, whatever. Love it.)

4 - Now it's time for some cute pictures of my kids. These are a little late being posted but it's still the Season of Easter so I'm not gonna fret.

 

5 - Over at IGNITUM TODAY we're doing a symposium on Mercy and Killing, which grew out of an email exchange about mercy killing.  You can check out my post, Black and White for the Shades of Grey.  It took me a long time to gather my thoughts and write the essay.  I feel like the tone changes and it doesn't flow, but I still hope you read it.  It's intimidating stating that mercy killing parents aren't monsters when the internet is full of people ready and willing to rip my head off for saying such a thing. 

6 - It's probably really lame that I can't remember is in the US we're supposed to spell it "gray" or "grey" though it's even more lame that I didn't look it up I just decided to go with the 'e' and keep it at that.  If "grey" is the British spelling let's all just blame my concentration in British literature and call it good.

7 - Tonight my mom is keeping all three kids overnight.  In anticipation I have blown off the whole day and done nothing but feed and dress the kids at eat cookie dough.  I hope you're gonna do something fun tonight!

7 quick takes

1 - Aaahhh... boy bands...  I love this song, though I'll probably hate it by summer.  These boys are so little, like 13 year olds.  Is it silly of me that I wish NKOTB was singing this song?  Probably.  I also wish all men wore pants with the crotch in the crotch.  Ugh.

2 - Today I had a playdate with two friends whom I know from my college Newman Center days.  I hope that wherever you are you have friends like I have.  Friends who are funny, honest, thoughtful, and supportive.  Friends who love God and His Church and beer and $1 McDonald's ice cream cone bribes for good behavior.  It was a beautiful day, perfect weather at a park, a picnic lunch, 10 kids age 7 and under, and lots of good conversation.  So what if the conversations were always interrupted by a crying/whining/disobeying/tattling child?  It was perfect.

3 - I wrote a review of Hallie Lord's book Style, Sex & Substance over at IGNITUM TODAY.  Go check it out and share your opinion of the book in the combox! 

4 - Have you heard the good news about iusenfp.com?  Blogger friends Katie and Kayla are building a website filled with information on natural family planning.  It doesn't matter if you practice or are interested in nfp because of your religion, because of how "green" it is, because of infertility issues - there will be helpful resources and support.  They will include sympto-thermal, Creighton, NaPro Technology info, etc.  I encourage you to check them out, like them on Facebook, and snag yourself a button.

Best button ever.

5 - Lydia's birthday is coming up in early May.  She wants a Strawberry Shortcake birthday party which means I've been pinning things.  The funny thing is that there are four versions of Strawberry Shortcake. 

The one on the left, who I loved as a little girl, Lydia doesn't love. The one on the far right Lydia does not love, and I'm glad about that because she's a little too mature for me - not as sweet,cute, and little for my almost 4 year old.  The Strawberry in the middle was revamped with longer hair and uglier clothes before she morphed into the one on the right.  It's the Strawberry in the middle that Lydia loves - she's all about "working together" and "friendship".  I can live with that. 

6 - Speaking of Pinterest:

Why does everyone seem to want to put everything in a mason jar?  I wonder if this mostly appeals to people who don't otherwise eat food out of mason jars.  But since my mom has canned food and grape juice my whole life, and taught me once though I haven't tried it again, it's not cute and novel for me to eat food from one.  In fact, I always look at these things and think about what a pain in the butt it would be to prep the jar, bake the food in the jar, eat out of the jar, and then wash the jar again.  But maybe I'm just lazy. 

7 - Actually, I am lazy.  There's no way I would dye my cake batter 5 different colors and take the time to pour a little of each into a kabillion jars.  Or even one cake pan.