Moments of Gratitude…
Today I am especially thankful…
- For a wonderful trip at Lake Tahoe with my family and my parents and a safe trip home.
- That Brian only has one chemo round left to finish.
- For my life and the life of my husband and children.
- For the love and support of family and friends – during the good times and especially bad times.
- For the warmth of the sun after days of chilly fog.
- For the peace and solitude of the night after a hectic day.
Beauty in the Ordinary…
When I was younger I disliked the color purple. Now I love to see the color in nature.
In the Kitchen…
Monday – Chicken tacos with 5 minute salsa and veggies.
Tuesday – Turkey meatloaf, baked potato and broccoli.
Wednesday – Moroccan-style chickpea chili with brown rice.
Thursday – Breakfast dinner
Friday – Veggie pizza and Greek salad.
Saturday – Leftovers.
Sunday – Dinner wit Oma & Opa.
Praying…
- For my sister and her family as they prepare for the funeral of their baby.
- For all those who have lost loved ones.
- For Brian’s chemo and continued recovery from cancer.
- For those who are suffering physically, mentally and spiritually.
- For some special intentions.
On the homefront……
Those of you who have read my last post or have seen on Facebook already know that our extended family has suffered a great loss. My sister Elena went into labor on Friday but Baby Joan did not make it. She was called back to God. We were all filled with shock and sorrow. However, there has been an outpouring of love and support for Elena and Vinnie and their family. People have offered prayers, words of encouragement and even money towards the Joan Iris Fund to help pay for funeral expenses. If you’d like to offer your prayers and such, check out the post Goodbye Baby Joan Iris for details.
In our own family, on Monday Brian started his last round of chemo. This has been the most difficult one so far and the side effects have been the hardest but as each day passes he gets a little better. Also on the positive side his bloodwork and levels look good and the doctor is pleased with his progress. We just pray he continues to get better and that the cancer stays away.
Pondering…
We all go through peaks and valleys in life and my family seems to be going through a deep valley right now. First we had Brian’s cancer returning, which resulted in another surgery and chemo. Then my sister who got married last year conceived her first child but lost the baby in miscarriage. Now my other sister lost Joan. It is times like these that I am extremely grateful for my Catholic faith because we know that life does not come without crosses. We each have our own passion and road to Calvary that we must climb. But with each passion, there also comes the joy of the resurrection. There are many moments of happiness and love when we receive a taste of heaven on earth. It is never easy to live that faith when you are in the midst of heartache and pain but God is always there as our stronghold. No matter how dark it seems, we know with certainly that the sun will rise once again and bring a new day.
Reading…
I finished Don’t You Forget about Me, which I’ll try to review later this week.
I am just starting Danielle Bean’s book Momnipotent.
I like to read on fiction book and one non-fiction book at a time so next I have to choose a novel but I’m not sure which to read next. I’m leaning towards If I Stay since I will see the movie next month and I like to read the book first OR…
Wearing the Cape by Marion Harmon
Listening to…
Silence. Everyone is sleeping and nothing else can be heard besides the clicking of the keyboard and the owl hooting outside my window.
Watching…
Brian and I have been watching Masterpiece Mystery – Endeavor (one of our favorites even if it is bit dark at times) and The Last Ship (not bad for TV summer viewing). We recently rented Non-Stop (both really liked it) and The Source Code (both thought – meh.) On my own I have been enjoying Pretty Little Liars and Switched at Birth. (I know, I know. Guilty pleasures. ;-))
On my last Mama’s Movie Night Out I saw Begin Again. It was the only movie showing at the time I could attend. (Other than Tammy. No thanks. Every MC movie I see is the same thing.) I enjoyed Begin Again A LOT more than I was anticipating. The story line tugged at the heart and there were a number of (intentionally) comedic lines. I enjoyed watching the creative process and seeing the “vision” of a song before it was fully created. I assumed KK’s voice was dubbed but she actually sang. It was a sort of a quiet shoe gazer style but I downloaded the soundtrack. Half the songs I love; the other half, not so much. Lastly, I also really enjoyed the fact that although the main characters were attracted to each other, they didn’t automatically jump into bed together and I liked the ending. One note though, there are a lot of F-bombs so if you can’t stand that, skip it.
On the blog…
I’ve taken some time off so since my last Daybook and I’ve only posted three times:
The Top Ten Theme Songs of My Life
Pinterest Party & Link-up (Vol 25): How I Use PicMonkey on My Blog (This link-up is open until Friday so add your links!)
Goodbye Baby Joan Iris
Today I am also linking up with Kendra for Answer Me This
1. How did you get your name?
My dad is named Robert, although he goes by Bob, and the first born child was going to be named after him, boy or girl. The name on my birth certificate actually says Bobbi. It’s not a nickname. However, the priest who was going to baptize me was not pleased by such a wordly name so my mom added Ann to it. Growing up I was called Bobbi Ann. Eventually I shortened it to Bobbi. Nowadays I only get called Bobbi Ann by my mom if she is upset with me. 😉
2. Do you have a set time for prayer in your day?
I start the day off with the morning offering and on a good day I do a short morning meditation after breakfast. However, during summer it has been hit and miss. I usually say my rosary (or at least a decade of it) in the car while I am shuffling kids around or running errands. I also have my phone alarm set to go off throughout the day to turn my mind to God.You’ll hear the church bells go off at 9 AM, 12 PM, 3 PM and 5 PM and whatever kid happens to be closest to my phone (even if it’s in my pocket) will yell out, “It’s time for you to pray, mom!” So I do get a lot of reminders. I used to say a little longer prayer but these days it is a short invocation. On a good day, for my evening prayer I try to listen to the Divine Office prayers while I am making dinner. (You can hear the podcast at Divine Office.org.) I do need to work harder at saying my night prayers earlier. I tend to say them in bed before I fall asleep and so far sleep keeps winning out.
3. Did your mom work or stay at home or both?
She was mostly at home although there were times when money was really tight and she had to work. She worked at a bank for awhile but I remember that the bank was held up. I think at that point she decided to stay at home and figure out a way to make ends meet.
4. Do you vote?
Not as often as I should. We vote for the big ones but we tend the skip the smaller elections unless there is a really important bill.
5. What’s your favorite drink?
Okay, this is where I admit what a nerd I am. I don’t like coffee and I don’t like tea. I used to drink alcohol when I was in my 20’s but after making some really stupid mistakes while drunk and then cleaning up my act, I swore off the stuff. I have since lost all taste for alcohol. So 75% of the time I drink ice water. The other 25% of the time I drink milk. (I love milk.) When I am feeling really wild and crazy I splurge and have a diet orange crush or diet root beer. Yeah, I know. Nerd.
6. How are your photography skills?
Hmmm, what would I call it? An amateur with a nice camera and a photo editing program. I love photography but don’t know anywhere as much as I wish I did.
In the blogosphere…
I am just now catching up on my reading so I am still behind but I did catch these worthwhile reads so far…
Pinned…
My pin of the week – I am going to be trying this recipe from Whitney at Framing Cali next week. 🙂
Photo credit – Framing Cali Blog
Plans for the Week…
We have swimming lessons all week, dentist appointments, an ortho appointment to see about Bella’s new braces and we’re attending a family gathering at our local church where the dads take the kids to a summer matinee movie and the moms meet at the church hall to chit chat and make lunch. After the movie the dads and kids join us for lunch. When we first heard about it Brian and I were tempted to skip it but we also realized that we need to make a greater attempt to attend Catholic family functions like this. It’s good for us and good for the kids to spend time with Catholic peers. Plus, he should be feeling better by the weekend.
Also this week (Wednesday at 11 AM eastern time to be exact) is the funeral for my niece Baby Joan Iris. I’m conflicted inside because my heart aches for Elena and Vinnie and I feel guilty having fun with my family. But if Joan’s short life taught us anything, it is that life is precious and goes too fast. We need to cherish the moments we have together and spend our days in the company of our loved ones. I know Joan will be watching us and sending us kisses from heaven.
Captured…
Here are some shots from our trip to Lake Tahoe.
Lake Tahoe at Pope Beach
Matthew playing in the sand. Although I love the ocean, the lake is so much better for my nerves. I’m not constantly worried about the kids being pulled into the sea. 😉
Enjoying the walking path behind our hotel.
The view on our walk.
I love the smell of pine. 🙂
I’ll post more photos of Lake Tahoe later this week when I do a post about our favorite spots to visit in Lake Tahoe with kids.
Linking-Up with…
A Mama Collective’s Currently
Kendra’s Answer Me This
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We were newly married and Bella had just turned a year old and we had a lot of fun! My in-laws can no longer make the trips so they passed on the time share to Brian.
Thirteen years and four kids later, it has become a much anticipated yearly trip, minus the couple of years we were busy giving birth to babies and such. Since we aren’t winter sports people, we have found activities to do with the kids during the summer months. Here are our five favorite things to do at Lake Tahoe with kids.
We first found the Taylor Creek Visitor Center when we were looking for an easy trail where grandparents, toddlers and strollers were welcome. Since then, it has been an annual excursion. It is located in South Lake Tahoe off Hwy 89. They have a visitor center and four trails but we always go on the Rainbow Trail.
The kids enjoy reading the signs and seeing the different areas…
Such as meadows and marshes.
Some years the water was flowing.
The stream had a lot less water this year but it was still pretty.
Mount Tallac
At the half way point of the trail, there is the Stream Profile Center, a small museum like room where glass walls give you a look at the creek below the surface.
In summer the trout are juvenile but in the fall you can see the salmon run.
We haven’t gone on the official tour but we enjoy the scenery…
…and walking the trail.
There is also access to Lake Tahoe, if you prefer to picnic and swim there.
There are three courses.
Last year we tried the Dinosaur one, which the boys loved!
This year we tried the Storybook course and it was fun.
Next year we will try the Castle course.
It is tucked away in a residential area and feels secluded, which is nice since it’s never been overcrowded.
At first I wondered if it was in a “safe” area but there were a number of other moms and dads with little kids there so we were put at ease.
Once you go through the gates, if you pass the lake and tennis courts and head to the back parking lot to the right, you will find the playground, picnic areas and fields.
This year we packed a lunch and grilled BBQ sliders.
This was the view from the picnic tables. The only negative thing was that there was only a port-a-potty. Needless to say, we held it until we got home. 😉 
If you go beyond the trees you will find the banks of the Upper Truckee River. The kids weren’t interested in going through the brush to find it but I was able to get this shot. Again, the water was lower this year but still pretty.
There are numerous spots were you can gain access to the lake but our hands down favorite is Pope Beach off of Hwy 89 in South Lake Tahoe. Most years, it has not been very crowded, although this year it was really busy with the heat wave, but not to the point where it lessened out fun.
We usually get there early and find a picnic area with a grill so we can make hotdogs and smores.
We set up our tables them park our beach chairs farther down, closer to the water. There the kids can splash or build sand castles with Brian.
Unlike the ocean, that freaks me out with it’s strong waves and drop offs, the shore of the lake is shallow and calm.
The kids loved it, except for my one sand-phobic boy (cough…JP) who takes after his dad. 😉
We had so many fond memories at Lake Tahoe and it is fun to look at the photos and watch our family grow over the years. Recently we started inviting my parents to join us so the kids still have a set of grandparents (and sometimes an aunt and uncle) join us. I look forward to many more years to enjoy the beauty of Lake Tahoe as a family. 🙂
