Revolution of Love

Revolution of Love

Do small things with great love.

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Babyproofing the Fireplace Area

Back in July of 2008 I wrote this post about Andrew and baby proofing the fireplace area.

Brian and I have been baby proofing our house for months, now that Andrew has mastered walking and climbing low objects. However, we were still struggling with what to do about our brick fireplace hearth.


We considered buying one of those specialty gates that go around it, but they are pricey. In the meantime, we simply blocked off the sitting area by the fireplace with our dining room chairs entwined like a puzzle. (Yeah, that was real attractive.) But our incredibly small Hercules always figured out a way to move the chairs or wiggle his way through them. Finally, I saw a perfect solution in one of those parent magazines sitting in the doctor’s office. A mom suggested using one of those an interlocking foam floor mat such as this one to cover the hearth. Brilliant. We tried it and I’m happy to say, it works! (At least until Andrew discovers how to disconnect it.)

 

* * * * *

That was almost four years ago, when Andrew looked like this.


Two years later, the baby proofing was done for John-Paul.


Now it is Matthew’s turn.


We needed to replace the floor mat and I wanted to find something that looked a little less “day care center,” trying to keep at least one room in the house free of toy overload.

I found this one in wood tones, which works so much better for us. The color matches the room and they don’t have the letters that the boys can pop out. We are very pleased with the results. They no longer sell the one I bought but Amazon has this one and this one, which are similar.

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7 Quick Takes (3/9/12): Random but True Facts Edition

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Hosted by Jen at Conversion Diary.

– 1 –

As I mentioned yesterday, it has been a busy week. On Wednesday, I eagerly went to the dentist for my teeth cleaning because it meant 20 uninterrupted minutes of sitting back in a chair and resting. The hygienist couldn’t stop laughing when I told her this was the closest I would get to a spa day.

– 2 –

For yesterday’s {pretty, happy, funny, real} I should have posted a photo of the pile of mail on the table. I haven’t looked at a single item all week and the pile is about to topple. Even worse, I have two packages I haven’t opened yet. One is my Pampered Chef order and the other is from Amazon and I believe it is Hailey’s new book. As soon and I finish this I’ll open them up and check it out. Yay!

– 3 –

When I get time to read over some blogs I always check my sister’s blog first. I’m in CA and she is in VA and I hate that we are so far apart. Reading about her daily life helps me feel closer to her and her family. This morning she had me laughing so hard I was crying, which I actually feel bad about since she was describing her uber fear of mice. I was not laughing at her so much but the mental picture was hilarious. (I’m praying you catch that little pest, EL!) Go read it for yourself.

– 4 –

There has been a meme going around many blogs about posting 10 true facts about yourself. I remember doing something like that on facebook a year or two back but we had to do 25 things about ourselves. So for Quick Take 5 – 7 I’ll repost that list for those who aren’t on my facebook page because I know you just don’t have enough useless information in your head right now.

– 5, 6 & 7 –

 


25 Useless but True Facts about Me

1. “Bobbi” is not a nickname but my actual name. I love my name and I’m happy I was named after my dad. (Thanks for not naming me Roberta, mom and dad.)
2. When I was in preschool my finger got caught in wheel spokes and as a result I have a crooked right pinky with a broken nail.
3. As a kid, I loved desk items and school supplies and always wanted to be a writer. (Office supply stores still make me giddy.)
4. As a kid, I loved playing school, bank, store and carnival with my brothers and sisters. (Now I avoid going to schools & banks and live in a carnival-like house of four kids. Unfortunately for my pocketbook, I never outgrow the love of shopping.)
5. I am the oldest of nine kids. (So having four kids is really only a medium sized family.)

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6. I used to have a pair of cool blue tennis shoes-roller skates.
7. My mom often told me I was a drama queen. (Sooo exaggerated.)
8. In school I was always the peacemaker who tried to bring arguing friends together. (I believe in the Rodney King mantra, “Can’t we all just get along.”)
9. I have no affection for cats whatsoever. (I just heard a unison of gasps. Sorry.)
10. I once dated a guy who turned into a stalker-crazy boyfriend.

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11. I loved my converse and doc martin shoes. (I traded in my docs for flats but I still have some brown converse.)
12. For a time, I was a sucker for guys with bald heads, tattoos and eyebrow rings yet I fell in love with a guy as clean cut as they come.
13. When I am stressed out I play a game of spider solitaire and listen to New Order.
14. I am incredibly nosey and always have to know what’s going on.

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15. When I was younger I thought it was pathetic when people in their 30’s & 40’s went to concerts of bands from their youth. I have officially become pathetic because if there was a reunion tour in my town of the cure, the smiths, new order, depeche mode or psychedelic furs, I’d be running out the door I’d consider going.
16. I can’t sew a stitch. When I was younger, I once hemmed my pants with duct tape. (And I vaguely remember “sewing” a dress for my doll with a stapler.)
17. I was seriously discerning a religious vocation two years before meeting my spouse.
18. My husband discerned he wasn’t called to the priesthood. The day he left the seminary he started a novena to find a wife. On the last day of the novena he “met” me online. (Funny that Brian’s prayers were answered immediately while I had to wait years.)ba_bv_wed_2W
19. I feel absolutely and completely blessed to be married to the best man I have ever known. He has a certain look that can still make my heart skip a beat. (Swoon.)
20. My greatest treasures are my four kids – Bella, Andrew, John-Paul & Matthew. (Sometimes I just need a break in order to appreciate that fact!)
21. I have made a lot of incredibly stupid mistakes in my life but God has used them all to teach me a lesson and make me stronger and more understanding of other people’s weaknesses.
22. I can easily be moved to tears – both happy and sad. Hankie_2

Phot0 source (Isn’t that pretty!)

23. When I laugh my eyes water and I always bring a handkerchief to the movies when I see a funny movie…or sad one. (A real handkerchief. It is very Downton Abbey of me.)
24. I hate being mad at someone and I am eager to make up.
25. The three things I am most grateful for are my life, my family, and God’s love & mercy.
That’s it for today. Have a wonderful weekend!!

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{pretty, happy, funny, real} – vol 24

round button chicken



~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~




It has been a busy and stressful week and I haven’t had any free time to post to the blog. Right now I have a ten minute window to make a quick post so I’ll catch you up on the latest.

{pretty}




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I’ve been busy, busy with the school fundraiser and after a meeting this morning I stopped into the Adoration chapel to pray. It felt good to regroup and only focus on Our Lord for a bit. I decided to take the scenic route home and I am glad I did. How can you stay stressed when you stop and look at a scene like this? So pretty.

{happy}




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This week John-Paul started pre-school! He has been so happy there. He and Andrew have recess at the same time so they enjoy playing together with their little friends. I know JP loves it because when it’s time for him to go, he has a tantrum and doesn’t want to leave. But after I pick him up and give him a kiss, he rubs my lips with his finger (that’s how he soothes himself) and he rests his head on me, ready for a nap in the car.

{funny}




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Matty must have found John-Paul’s secret candy stash because this is what I found him eating for breakfast.

{real}




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Since we had that laundry room flood, we had to not only empty out the laundry room but also the hallway closet that held all the jackets and cleaning supplies ect. Everything was thrown into the closest bedroom, which was Bella’s. The poor room looked like a war zone.


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Thankfully everything has been dried out, the carpet padding has been replaced, the carpet has been washed and $600 later (ugh!) I got my laundry room back… and Bella got her room back. (Now I just need to catch up on all the piled up laundry. Oh joy.


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TV Talk Monday: A Date with Dickens – Bleak House, Parts 1-2 (Episodes 1-3)

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Welcome to the first installment of A Date with Dickens. As I mentioned in a previous post, since I am going through Downton Abbey withdrawl (but see the update below!) and the next Masterpiece Classic doesn’t start until April 1 with Great Expectations , I am rewatching Masterpiece Theater’s Bleak House by Charles Dickens. On the Monday mornings (Monday afternoons, if you are on the East Coast) of March I’ll share my thoughts on that week’s episode. Here we go.
The Setting – The whole feel of this Dicken’s story is reflected on the cinematography of the show. It is dark and somber. However, the scenes in the gardens and the countryside are beautiful and bright. They remind me that even within the dreariness there is always beauty and hope to be found.
Lady Dedlock – When I first saw this series it took me awhile to get used to seeing Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock and not Scully from the X-Files but once I put that out of my mind, she fit the role perfectly. Her subdued manner and boredom with her station is well played. You feel for her and the pain she is experiencing due to the death of the mysterious Mr. Nemo. You know that her quiet investigation will not go unnoticed now that the nasty Mr. Tulkinghorn is suspicious of her.
Mr. Tulkinghorn – Mr. Tulkinghorn reminds me of a cat chasing a mouse. He takes great pleasure in toying with his victim. He has the look of the devil when he is quietly scheming and plotting what he shall do next. There is certainly more mischief coming at the hands of this man.
Esther – Can I just say that I love Esther! The opening scene of Esther being belittled, humiliated, and told that it would have been better had she never been born was painful to watch. You can imagine what this kind of mantra had on Esther’s vision of self-worth. Although, living with that sort of humility has also allowed her to be so empathetic to the pain of others. You see it even in small ways such as her giving the handkerchief to the mother whose baby died and how she’ll turn a conversation in order to spare someone’s feelings. Then when she finally meets a man who turns her head and her heart, you can’t help but root for them!
Mr. Woodcourt – Mr. Woodcourt seems like a perfect match for Esther. He has the same understanding heart and he sees the inner beauty of people, just as she does. The looks Mr. Woodcourt gives Esther at the dinner table makes me swoon. These two were made for each other but love never comes easily, especially in a Dicken’s tale.
John Jarndyce – When I first saw this show I had a hard time figuring out Mr. Jarndyce. I wasn’t sure if he really was the benevolent philanthropist or if he had more sinister intentions. I don’t want to give anything away so we’ll leave it at that.
Richard Carstone – I want to love Rick. He seems like a good man and he is facing unusual circumstances but his restlessness and feeble attempt at pursuing the medical profession only make me worry for him.
Mr. Guppy – When Mr. Guppy first showed up I thought he was going to be a comedic character but he has turned into a creepy stalker. (And I don’t know why but whenever I see him I think of that creepy character Johnny Depp plays on Dark Shadows. )
Character That Will Most Likely Send Me to Confession – It is one thing when you see a character that is obviously evil, such as Mr. Tulkinghorn, but the characters that get most under my skin are the ones that pretend to be innocent such as Harold Skimpole, AKA “I am but a child.” Child my arse. His selfishness and his indifference to the welfare of not only innocents but his own wife and children burns me up. I still wonder why in the world Mr. Jarndyce keeps him in his company. At least he is not fooling one person. Esther is on to his tricks and I love her more for it.
The Scene That Actually Made me Cry – It wasn’t when the poor woman’s baby died in her arms or when Esther was being verbally abused. It was the scene with Mr. Neckett’s three orphans that had me in tears. I was touched not so much by the misery of their lives but by the strength of their characters to do whatever it takes to survive and to stay together as a family. When Charlie said her little brother was not afraid of the dark and his innocent little face, matured beyond it’s years, showed that he was not afraid and he conquered his fear for the sake of the baby, it broke me.
Well, that is all I have time for today but feel free to leave your own comments. I’d love to read them!
Next week, I’ll watch parts 3-4. See you back on Monday!
Oh, wait! I forgot to give you a bit of Downton Abbey news. Here is an article I saw the other day on Twitter: Exclusive: Most of Downton Abbey Cast Re-Signs Through Season 5! Who’s Holding Out? Season 5?! That means there’s plenty more Downton coming over the next three years! Yay!

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