{pretty, happy, funny, real} – vol 41: Summer Fun 6 & Happy Feast Day of St. Anne

By bobbi
July 26, 2012
No Comments

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Here are some favorite Instagram photos from the past week.

{pretty}

Happy feast day of St. Anne and St. Joachim! St. Anne is my patron saint so she has a special place in my heart. (Especially since I prayed to her continuously to find a holy husband and later to be able to conceive children. She didn’t disappoint on either account.) This photo was taken at the Carmel Mission Chapel.

I looove these flowers on the walls. They are all over downtown Carmel.

Lately, I have been walking more in the evening than the morning so I have more sunset shots.

{happy}

It’s hard to believe that someone so small and cute could get into so many shenanigans. (See photos below.)

I have to keep Matthew busy to keep him out of trouble. Here he is looking at his book at the library.

We went to the mall but left Matthew at home with Brian. Andrew begged me to let him sit in Matthew’s seat (even though he could barely get his legs in the stroller.) He was happy that I let him relive his youth.

{funny}

Matthew got tired of sharpening pencils. He sharpens straws now.

I bought a 2-pack of Thomas hats but John-Paul put it on without separating the hats first. He looked like Sherlock Holmes.

(Warning to my mom: Do not look at this photo. You will think that you have failed to teach your daughter the importance of removing their child from harm before taking a photo. Luckily, I always have my camera phone on me and I’ve become a pro at snapping a blurry shot as I am running to remove a child from danger.)

The other day I told the kids to grab my keys so we could leave. The wrong kid heard me.

{real}

Bella begged me for this pretty Brave journal. (She loves journals as much as I do!) I got it for her and truth be told, I bought one for me too. 😉

It’s official. Bella is a tween. I found the first guy poster taped to her bedroom wall.

Matthew finally conked out after a long day of testing my patience. (Notice how we had to remove the couch cover and the seat cushions because he kept jumping on the couch and falling off. This way he just sits. Go figure.

Weigh-in Wednesday: Vol 13 – Walking Update & A Link-Up

By bobbi
July 25, 2012
No Comments

**Sharing the triumphs and missteps on my journey towards a healthier physical, emotional and spiritual life.**

I’m pressed for time so I am going to keep this short.

Walking Update

My walking program of 100 Miles in 100 Days has hit a bump in the road. I am almost at my half way point but this week has been crazy and I missed walking five out of 7 days. Ugh. Last night we had an early dinner so Brian told me to go ahead and go to the beach to walk because I don’t want to break the good habit I started.
So I put my walking shoes on and got back out there. It’s funny that just that little break in my routine made me feel kind of sluggish and a bit out of step. It took me longer to get into the rhythm of walking. Does that make sense? Anyway, I’ve regrouped and wlil try to stay on track. I’ll just walk a little longer than the 100 days to make up for my lost time.
In the meantime, here is a photo I shot last night.

What have you been working on this week? Share your goals, your progress or your missteps. You can share in the comment box or link your own blog post. I look forward to hearing from you! (Note: For some reason WordPress users haven’t been able to comment so you may need to sign in using google or yahoo, etc instead.)
Have a healthy week!

Making It Count (Vol 2): Mama & Me Journal

By bobbi
July 24, 2012
2 Comments

NOTE: Since “Making It Count Tuesday” is no longer, I have a Pinterest Party instead every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. Join me and link your post! 🙂

*****

Today is Making It Count Tuesday over at AmongstLovelyThings.com. As Sarah explains:

Start with any one of those fabulous ideas you’ve found online. Then, do it. Make it. Cook it. Create it. Take it from the screen, give it life and let it bless your world. Making it count!

Anyone who knows me well, also knows that I have been in love with journals since I was a little kid. Even today, if I see a really cute or pretty journal I have to buy it. I envision myself at home looking out at the mountains behind us as I scribble away or sitting at the beach filling it with prose. In reality, I have a collection of blank journal sitting on my bookshelf as I chase the kids around but should inspiration hit, I am well prepared!

When I was pregnant with Bella (and all the kids, actually) I kept a pregnancy journal that I planned to give her one day when she is older. So when I saw this simple project for a “Mama and Me” journal on Pinterest, I could not resist it!

I went over to Jenn’s blog MamaJennBlogs.com and she wrote:

What exactly is a “Mama & Me” journal? Well, it is basically a journal for my daughter and I to share. We write letters back and forth to each other…kind of like being pen pals (without the envelopes & stamps). My hope is that these seemingly simple letters to one another will become a book of memories to treasure for a lifetime!

She gave easy directions and a link where you can download the label for free. (There is one for a daughter journal and another for a son journal.) She actually got the idea from another blogger who got it from another blogger so the different versions continue to multiply.

In my version, I already had a blank journal I got on clearance at Target. It was a little too “pink” for me but I thought Bella might like it. (See, I told you those extra journals would come in handy!) The cover had a felt design so I used a Martha Stewart label to make a simple label on the front.

I then went through my binder of stickers and scrap book paper I had collected over the years and decorated the inside cover.

Here is the first page inscription.

For the introductory letter to Bella, I used the same basic letter that Jenn used.

Dear (child’s name),
Would you like to be my pen pal? Instead of mailing letters to each other, we can keep them here in this notebook. Does that sound like fun?
I will write to you and then leave the notebook on your bed. Then, when you want to write me back you can begin writing on the next page and leave the notebook on my bed when you are done.
You can write about anything! It can be funny or serious! Just write about whatever is on your mind! 🙂
I am so excited and I hope that you are excited too!
Love,
Mom
P.S. Write back soon! 🙂

I just changed the words slightly.

I love it, and more importantly, Bella loves it. (She has inherited my journal madness.) We’ve already exchanged a few short letters and this morning she asked me if I answered her last letter yet. I haven’t so as soon as I finish posting this, I will. 🙂

Downton Abbey, Season 3 Spoilers & TCA Press Tour (7/21/12)

By bobbi
July 22, 2012
No Comments

(The characters are looking a wee bit crowded!)

Have you heard the latest news, fellow Downton Abbey fans?? There has been a lot of information on various blogs about the Television Critics Association press tour yesterday and the Downton Abbey panel. I have gathered the blog posts that I found most interesting and reposted them here in case you haven’t seen them yet. Warning, there are spoilers so if you don’t want to know, scroll down to the photos below instead!

From Blog.Zap2it.com: Downton Abbey’ Season 3 Spoilers: Mary and Matthew Do Not Have Solely Smooth Sailing

“Downton Abbey” premiered a trailer for Season 3 at the panel Saturday night (July 21).
Here are some highlights (don’t keep reading if you don’t want some Season 3 spoilers):
• “When I’m with her, I’m reminded of the virtues of the English” — Lady Violet
• We met O’Brien’s nephew, the new footman. He’s tall and rather Lurch-like.
• Bates feels that all efforts to get him out of prison are fruitless, but Anna says, “But one day something will occur to us and we’ll follow it up and the case against you will crumble.”
• Downton is into some money trouble. Lord Grantham: “Are you really telling me all the money is gone?” And he must reveal to Cora that her fortune is gone as well.
• Branson and Sybil come to visit and Branson at the dinner table is amazing. Also, Carson refuses to dress “a chauffeur.”
• IT is not all sunshine and roses for Mary and Matthew. Mary says to him, “But if we can disagree with something as fundamental as this, shouldn’t we just back away now?” Oh noes! What could it be? She also asks him, “God, Matthew, how can you be so disappointing.”
• Speaking of Matthew, Mr. Swire’s lawyer wants to see him. Dun dun dun.

From SFGate.com: Downton Abbey’ Sneak Peek: Matthew, Mary Quarrel

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — A “Downton Abbey” sneak peek at season three revealed that fireworks will fly between matriarchs played by Maggie Smith and newcomer Shirley MacLaine.
The aristocratic Crawley family endures a financial crisis. And, despite the engagement of Matthew and Mary at the end of last season, all is not well — gasp! — with the pair played by Dan Stevens and Michelle Dockery.
PBS showed brief clips from next season to the Television Critics Association on Saturday before a panel discussion with cast members and producers of the international hit. They took a break from taping in London to meet reporters in Beverly Hills.
Their visit followed a strong showing by “Downton Abbey” in Thursday’s Emmy nominations with 16 bids, including best drama series.
In one scene shared by PBS, Hugh Bonneville’s Robert Crawley, also known as Lord Grantham, is shown confessing to his wealthy American wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) about an investment gone wrong.
“Has some of my fortune been lost?” she asks.
“Almost all,” he replies, tearfully.
Matthew and Mary, who traveled a rocky road to what looked like blissful marriage, are shown in an angry confrontation in which she accuses him of disloyalty to the family.
Tart dialogue involving MacLaine’s Laura and Smith’s Violet, the dowager countess, also looks to be a hallmark of season three. It begins airing in September in the U.K. and next January on PBS.
“When I’m with her, I’m reminded of the virtues of the English,” Violet says of Laura.
“But isn’t she American?” asks a puzzled Matthew.
“Exactly,” Violet replies.
Series creator Julian Fellowes said the next season will encompass about two years at the start of the 1920s. Among the plot points to be resolved: What happens to John Bates, Lord Grantham’s valet who was convicted last season of murdering his wife and barely escaped the gallows.
Bonneville made his support for his loyal servant clear. At the panel’s conclusion, the actor jumped up, turned his back to the room while opening his jacket and dress shirt, and then wheeled around to reveal the T-shirt he wore underneath: “Free Bates,” it read.
“T-shirts are available in the foyer,” Brendan Coyle, who plays Bates, chimed in dryly.
MacLaine also proved a showstopper. The actress, who has said she believes in reincarnation, was asked if she and Smith had met before.
“Well, we were lovers in another life,” she said, smiling. Then she shared Smith’s recollection of their meeting some 40 years ago backstage at the Oscars, near a catering table, after MacLaine failed to take home a trophy.
“Do you know what you did, dear?” Smith reminded her. “You tucked right into that chocolate cake and said, ‘(Expletive), I don’t care if I’m thin ever again.'”
Also on hand for the panel were Dockery, McGovern, Joanne Froggatt and executive producers Gareth Neame and Rebecca Eaton. Stevens was among the cast members kept in London by filming, which continues through August.

From HitFlix.com: Press Tour 2012 Live-Blog: PBS’ ‘Downton Abbey’
I’ve saved the best for last. HitFlix.com has a live blog from the panel. It is too long to repost here so I’ll just give you a snippet and you can read the whole post here: Press Tour 2012 Live-Blog: PBS’ ‘Downton Abbey’

“Downton Abbey” was already a moderate-sized phenomenon last July when we got our Season 2-previewing Television Critics Association press tour panel last summer. That was a big deal, but it’s nothing compared to the build-up for Saturday’s (July 21) TCA panel, which is the centerpiece of PBS’ weekend, with a panel, an associated buffet dinner and a subsequent reception.
I already had a 10-minute sit-down with Brendan “Mr. Bates!” Coyle earlier this afternoon and I’ll post that soon. But here’s the live-blog from the panel, which features creator Julian Fellowes, as well as many of the show’s stars.
7:10 p.m. Dinner complete. This room has rarely been more packed. People are cuckoo for “Downton Abbey.”

7:11 p.m. TRAILER! Maggie Smith says something catty. Shirley MacLaine arrives. There’s a new tall serving man. The Plain Sister is flirting. Mr. Bates is in jail and Anna is visiting. Uh-oh! Money’s gone! Could the servants be in jeopardy? Hot Sister is back to visit and her hubby is being all political. The ladies play cards! Carson’s offended to be serving Hot Sister’s Common Hubby. Mary and Matthew are bickering. People are crying. More talk about missing money. Uh-oh. The Crawleys are not in good shape. And Hugh Bonneville’s earning his Emmy nomination for next year. There’s a wedding coming up. Will this be the End of an Era at Downton Abbey? Perchance! Dirty talk with Matthew and Mary. Shirley MacLaine again! Hugging Maggie Smith and being catty!
7:17 p.m. On the panel, we have Julian Fellowes, Michelle Dockery, Gareth Neame, Shirley MacLaine, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville, Joanne Froggatt and Brendan Coyle.
7:19 p.m. Our first question was about last season’s darkness, with the war. Will this season be brighter and more cheerful? “We like a few laughs. This season, in a way, is about the recover from the war,” Fellowes says. The theme is about whether or not the world is changed forever. He promises laughs and tears.

7:21 p.m. UGH. Questioner asks if the actors are more happy because Emmy recognition comes from Americans? Bonneville tips his hat to Jon Hamm and Damian Lewis by name and says he was “gobsmacked.” “Overwhelmed. It’s wonderful that the show has been recognized in so many categories,” Dockery says. Dockery is especially happy that their composer, overlooked last year, was nominated. Coyle told me this story earlier, but Froggatt and Coyle were shooting a scene and took a normal pause, found out they were nominated and then in the second half of the scene, they had a post-nominated glow. “It’ll be interesting to see if people spot that scenes,” Froggatt says.
7:24 p.m. “There’s a liberation in it being period, because you can go into areas that a period novel would not have done,” Fellowes says. “The discipline is to look at those subjects, but within the context of the period,” he emphasizes. The goal is to avoid having characters who seem like they’ve been parachuted in from 2012. “With ‘Downton’ the fun is that it looks like a classic period drama… but the energy is much more modern. I think that has worked for us,” Fellowes says.
Read the rest here: Press Tour 2012 Live-Blog: PBS’ ‘Downton Abbey’

Okay, now for a few photos from the press release tour.
Source: The awesome Period Movies on Facebook.

How fun was that?!
Okay, guys. The countdown begins. In the US, Downton Abbey premieres on June 6, 2012. Only 168 days to go!

7 Quick Takes (7/20/12) – CO Tragedy, Prayer, Blogs & Recipes

By bobbi
July 20, 2012
1 Comment

Hosted by Jen at Conversion Diary.

– 1 –

Tragedy – I woke early this morning to take my walk and I read the news about the horrible shooting in Colorado. I am speechless. Patrick at CreativeMinorityReport.com had a sobering commentary, but his last paragraph was the hardest. He says:

Again, the speed of things is startling. I found this unsettling story about a young woman killed in the shooting last night. We see her last tweets from the theater and even more bizarrely, we see her last blog post in which she wrote about barely escaping the gunman in that Toronto mall just six weeks ago. So sad, so bizarre, and so quick. /

I read the article about Jessica and it was eerie. She just escaped death at another tragic mall shooting just six weeks ago and now she is believed to be one of the fatally wounded victims last night.
(UPDATE: Jessica was killed. She was an intern at a Fox affiliate.)
It seems even more tragic that some of the injured were not just teens or adults. There was a 3 month old and a six year old hurt. (And I can’t help but wonder who would take a 3 mo old or 6 yr old to that movie, let alone at midnight.)
All this just breaks my heart but my kids are asking me why I am crying, I know I have to get a grip and take care of my little ones. I can mourn and cry for them in private later. But I can at least remember them throughout the day and offer up my tiny crosses for them.
In the meantime, I’ve got a house in desperate need of cleaning and kids with no clean clothes so I am not to leave the house or get back on the computer until I am done. Instead I’ll leave you with links to places I’ve visited online this week.

– 2 –

Prayer – This morning Fr. Jonathan Morris posted the Prayer to Put on the Armor of God on Facebook. It seems especially appropriate these days.
Prayer for Friday, July 20, 2012 (Prayer to put on the Armor of God)
Heavenly Father, I praise and worship you because you are God.
I am honored to be your servant and I take my stand.
Father, as I take up each piece of the armor, please secure it in place on me.
I take up the shield of faith and extend it over myself. It extinguishes all the fiery darts of the evil one.
I put on the helmet of salvation, which protects my mind from the enemy’s attacks. I have the mind of Christ.
I put on the breastplate of righteousness, which covers my body with the righteousness of God. In Christ, every foothold of evil has been washed away and I am clothed in righteousness.
I gird my loins with the belt of truth. Your word, O God, is truth.
Father, sanctify me according to your word and remind me through the Holy Spirit of the truth that destroys the lies of sin.
I shod my feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. I have peace with God through the blood of Jesus. I walk in my inheritance as an adopted son of God and have authority over evil in Jesus’ name.
I will use the Sword of the Spirit by speaking the Word of God as it applies to whatever situation I may face today. Father, please remind me of your Word via the Holy Spirit.
I will continue to pray in the Spirit throughout the day, and intercede for all Christians as the Holy Spirit prompts me. I believe that the Holy Spirit is interceding on my behalf according to my prayers.
Thank you, Father, for the whole armor of God. Please surround me with your hedge of protection as I move forward on the spiritual battlefield today.
I praise and worship you now and forever, Amen

– 3 –

Video– Fr. Morris also talked about the shooting on Fox News this morning. Here’s the link: http://video.foxnews.com/v/1744403963001/what-type-of-mark-will-theater-shooting-leave-on-society.

– 4 –

Making It Count – This week I discovered a number of new blogs that I started following. The first is AmongstLovelyThings.com. I first found the blog because of the series Sarah cohosts – Making it Count. Sarah says:

I spend a significant amount of time online- reading blogs, checking email, writing posts, editing photos, and sharing. While online, I seek inspiration to live this beautiful life to its very best- to squeeze every last drop out of these wild and glorious days. It’s far too easy, of course, for that time online to be counted as a waste. A click here, a click there- and suddenly the hours have gotten away from me. I shut my computer and walk away to do the very real and messy living of hours with these precious people in my life.
And what of the time online? Was it wasted? What of all the inspiring ideas and projects that I collected like berries from a bush while I was clicking away? Do they stay locked up in the computer while I live out my days with my family? Or do I bring them to life? Do I seek out inspiration and then allow that inspiration to overflow into my real world? I’d hate to think that the time I spend online hunting and gathering beauty is going to waste.
So, it won’t. I won’t let it.
Here is my chance. Here is your chance, too. Start with any one of those fabulous ideas you have found online. Then, do it. Make it. Cook it. Create it. Take it from the screen, give it life and let it bless your world. When you’re done, snap a photo, write about it and share it with us. Make your time online count.
Twice each month, Pam and I are co-hosting the Making It Count Tuesday link-up. We’d love it if you would join us. Check out the rules, grab the graphic, and then get to work. Make that time you spend online count, and then show us what you’ve been up to! We’re meeting the 2nd Tuesday of each month at Everyday Snapshots, and the 4th Tuesday of each month here, at Amongst Lovely Things.

(I already have a little project that I finished that I’ll post on Tuesday.)

– 5 –

Binders & Recipes – Last week Pam at EverydaySnapshots.blogspot.com/ hosted Making it Count. That is where I saw Sarah’s link to these great recipes she tried out. They looked so tasty that I made two of them last night. (By the way, if you homeschool, you should especially check out Pam’s blog since she has a lot of great ideas. I don’t homeschool but I loved her binder ideas for general use!)

– 6 –

Yum – I tried the recipe for this Slow Cooker BBQ chicken. I think this is actually the recipe I tried to make last year but I got mad because all my pantry ingredients were gone or expired. Well, this time it all worked out and the family loved the dish.

I also made this Greek salad. It was really tasty but I think I put a little too much dressing on the salad because it was a little strong. I’ll try it again for lunch and put less dressing this time.
I think I might also try The Pioneer Woman’s version of Greek Salad next time I make this.

– 7 –

Keeping it in the Family – The other blog I started reading is SixSistersStuff.com. It is a blog done by six sisters. So cool! I will try and stay healthy and make their slow cooker roasted vegetables and not their cake-mix-cinnamon-rolls.

That’s it for today. Have a great weekend and don’t forget to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you because life is short!

Revolution of Love

Do small things with great love.

Blog Archives

{pretty, happy, funny, real} – vol 41: Summer Fun 6 & Happy Feast Day of St. Anne

Weigh-in Wednesday: Vol 13 – Walking Update & A Link-Up

Making It Count (Vol 2): Mama & Me Journal

Downton Abbey, Season 3 Spoilers & TCA Press Tour (7/21/12)

7 Quick Takes (7/20/12) – CO Tragedy, Prayer, Blogs & Recipes