Hosted by Jen at Conversion Diary.

Let the Games Begin – I was debating whether or not to do the QT this morning because I don’t have much computer time this morning but then I saw that Jennifer timed herself when she did her QT and kept it under ½ an hour and she actually had real info with intelligent commentary. I am just going to ramble. I can certainly do that in 30 minutes, right? Okay, let’s go. Start time 10:29 AM.

Let the Children Come to Me…As Wild as They May Be – Did I ever mention that Brian has a new job? He is still in the same department at Pebble Beach but he is a supervisor now. I am so proud of him! The only family adjustment we’ve really had to make is with his new work schedule. Most days are fine but he works the late shift on Friday and has to work Saturdays. I was bummed at first but it has actually worked out well. He does get Sunday and Monday off and Mon is a great day to do our outings places are less crowded than on the weekend.
But is has meant that we change how we attend Mass. For the past few months we have split up going to Mass because JP and Matthew are at that loud and wild stage where they scream their heads off if you make them sit in one place more than 5.2 seconds. One of us would spend Mass in the garden because the yelling really carries at the Mission and there was no separate crying room/baby room/mother’s room. (Whatever they call it these days.) When Brian started working on Saturdays, I told him we should try going to Mass at the church next to his work. They have a mother’s room there and we can meet him after work and attend Mass as a family again. We’ve been going there for the last month and so far it has worked out well. I do like being together as a family again and getting the littlest ones used to being in church.
BTW, in looking online for the above picture of Jesus, I came across timely article for this take: Taming the Wild Child: Getting Your Kid to Behave at Mass.

Girls’ Day Out – This weekend Bella is excited because we are going to go watch the movie Brave. We are looking forward to our mother-daughter day out! Thanks for watching the boys so we can go, Sweetie!

A Date with Jack Bauer – A quick look at the time …10:42. Half way done. You know, considering that it is morning, I should have a lot more energy. I think I stayed up too late last night. Now that our regular TV shows are over we are catching up with a few older TV series on Netflix. Right now we are going through 24. How did I never get into this show before? We are half way through season 2, the one with the bomb going to go off in LA. We are on the edge of our seats! Unfortunately Brian has set a one episode a night limit whereas I would rather have a marathon and finish the series in one straight night. We differ in ways like that.

Pass the Chocolate – I hate to say this when some of you are sweltering in the heat but yesterday it was cold and foggy so we stayed inside and baked instead. (Here on the central coast of CA, we don’t get our warm summer weather until Autumn.) I bravely let the kids made their favorite Banana Bread Muffins. It took twice as long and there was a huge mess afterwards but they loved it. Unfortunately, months back I was out of the blueberries needed for these muffins and substituted with chocolate chips. Since then Brian and the kids beg me to add the chocolate chips again, so I do. As I was watching them stir the batter I was also munching on the chocolate chips straight out of the bag. Then I remembered. Dang it. I am supposed be tracking everything I eat and not popping in food absentmindedly so I can lose my 13.1 pounds. Sigh. So how many calories in a handful of chocolate chips anyway?

Well, today is a new day and I have been doing awesome on my diet. Granted I’ve only been awake a few hours… Actually, since Brian works the late shift today I was able to go out walking before the kids were up. This time instead of going on the walking trail by the beach I went down to the water and walked along the shore. Why have I not been doing this more often? It started me thinking about how often we take things for granted. There are so many beautiful and awesome things on our lives that we don’t fully appreciate as often as we should. Whether it is our family, our home, our health, God’s creation, our freedom, our life…sometimes I just need that reminder to stop and thank God for all his blessings and to remember those blessings when negative thoughts or a tendency to complain creeps in.

Well, after this God moment I checked my pedometer and I completed 2.5 miles. That is the longest I’ve walked so far. I was so tired but so happy! I just needed to climb back up the sandy hill to where my car was parked. I forgot how hard it is to climb up a hill of dry sand. I thought I was tired after my walk. Good heavens, I nearly had a heart attack going up that hill. Ironically, on my ipod the song “Heavy in Your Arms” by Florence and the Machine came on. I heard the lyrics “I was a heavy heart to carry, my feet dragged across the ground…” and I thought it was appropriate, seeing as my death was imminent. I thought for sure I would die right there and one of the many Carmel dogs on the beach would find me and alert their master of the dead body in the sand. Frankly, it is a miracle I survived the morning.

Okay, ending time is 11:12. Hey, not bad. I went a little over but I had stop a few times to get Matthew off the kitchen table, change a stinky diaper, get Matthew off the coffee table, wipe a dirty behind, get Matthew off a side table, clean a spill on the floor, and get Matthew out of my kitchen drawer. Sigh.

Have a great weekend!



PS – And to be completely honest, I didn’t count the extra time it took me afterwards to correct the typos and add the pics!