Revolution of Love

Revolution of Love

Do small things with great love.

Online Daybook (2/15/16) and #7QT: Taming the Mouth, Books & Movie Reviews

Hey, guys. I feel like I haven’t had a chance to sit down and write in a long time. This week I’ve hardly been home since I’ve been busy with school activities, fundraisers (and add in Lent starting) and this morning was literally the first time I’ve been able to freely write for awhile. BTW, this post was slowly written over the last three days so that’s why it will say today (Friday) and today (Saturday) etc.  😉  Here is a recap of what’s been going on lately.

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Grateful for…

  • A quiet morning when I can just stop and breathe.
  • Finishing all the kids’ valentines in time for their parties.
  • An extra long weekend.
  • The opportunity to go to confession this weekend. I needed it!
  • For a blessed Valentine’s day.

Praying for..

  • Numerous friends (and their friends) who are going through heavy crosses – from serious illness to deaths in the family.
  • A fruitful Lent and the grace to persevere and challenge myself and not make excuses.
  • People suffering from violence – whether within their home or their community.
  • The conversion of hearts back to God.
  • All pregnant moms (especially family members), those trying to get pregnant, those who have lost their babies and for moms contemplating an abortion.
  • The souls in purgatory, especially family, friend and those most forgotten.

Pondering…

Lent. As much as I tried to be prepared for it, it was here before I was ready. On Friday I was scrambling to get our “sacred space” ready for the Lenten season since the kids have been asking where is the Lenten calendar? Where is the sacrifice bean jar? Where are the weekly Lenten candles? Sorry, kids. Your sacrifice is to have patience with your mom who had no been home long enough to get it all done. But today! Today (Friday) my morning schedule is clear and I am closer to being caught up. 😉

So… how has your Lent been going these few days in? Mine? Well, let me put it this way. For Lent besides, less online time and more prayer, there are three big things I want to work on – giving up cussing (mostly under my breath but still) and using God’s name in vain (I say ohmygod way too often) and working on being more patient when things go wrong. I am sweet and peachy while things are going right but when they turn for the worse I look like this….

anger_guyI know, right! Sooo, here comes Ash Wednesday morning and things were going wrong left and right and then I accidentally dropped juice all over the fridge and lost my temper as my mouth muttered, “sh*t!” Then, “dammit, I’m not supposed to be cussing! ohmygod! what is wrong with me?” Um, yeah. Three strikes within the first 1/2 hour of the day. So yeah, it’s going to be a loooong Lent. But I will admit that things are looking up. This morning when the boys were hyped up more than normal (I thought no sugar was supposed to have a calming effect?) I didn’t lose my cool and when a few things went wrong I muttered “darn!” and “blast it!” Score that as a win! 😉

After my little morning mishaps, I had some quiet time and I was reading one of the essays in Elizabeth Foss’ Restore workshop and she said, “…make a decision to care, to be compassionate, to love with self-sacrifice. Then we are required to do something. We must act on that compassion.” That line jumped out to to me because my phrase for 2016 is Balanced (with Compassion) and although it is only 1 1/2 months into the year I already need a reminder. It is one thing to have as my blog tagline “do little things with great love” but that is not enough, I have to make a daily, sometimes hourly, sometimes moment to moment decision to care, be compassionate and love with self-sacrifice especially within my family. That means dying to self and accepting all the mishaps as part of my day. It need not throw me off kilter, rather, God can use it to prune me and help me grow. It is something I need to constantly work at and this Lent is the perfect opportunity to work at it harder.

 

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Around the House…

revolutionoflove.com (cwa_2_14_16_cW)A couple weeks ago @blessedisshe__ asks us to fill in the blank – “This year I will delight in being a ______.” For me, it’s a homemaker because a wife and mother is the heart of the home and my attitude can fill the house with joy and laughter or tension and discord. I may not like doing laundry and dishes but these little things done with love can change our world. 

Besides working on my attitude and patience, as I mentioned in my last goals post, I am continuing my work to clean and organize my home. Progress has been made over the last year or two but there’s plenty more work to do. I am participating in A Bowl Full of Lemon’s 2016 Home Organization 101 Challenge. However, there are also a lot of school and family activities going on right now so the weekly assignments have literally become monthly assignments.

RevolutionofLove.com - cwa_2_14_16_bWIt may take me longer but progress is slowly being made and that’s all that matters. Here is a peek at my kitchen’s drunk drawer before and after.

 

Family Chit Chat…

RevolutionofLove.com - cwa_2_14_16_aWWe are all busy and but doing well. Today (Sunday) is Valentine’s day and Bella took care of the boys so Brian and I could go out to lunch. It was such a special treat and Brian and I had so much fun! If you are a mama with lots of little ones, do not fret. One day your oldest is going to be old enough to take care of the littles and life will never be the same!! 😉

 

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revolution of love blog - od_logo_kitchenIn the Kitchen…

Sunday – Enchiladas, beans and salad.

Monday – Italian pasta dish and salad.

Tuesday – Won ton soup with potstickers.

Wednesday – BBQ chicken, roasted potatoes and broccoli.

Thursday – Breakfast dinner.

Friday – Homemade veggie pizza and Greek salad.

Saturday – Leftovers.

 

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Reading…

My reading goal of more books and less TV has been going well. Here are three of the six books I’ve read so far.

The Painter’s Daughter by Julie Klassen

I have been a fan of Julie Klassen’s novels for awhile. In January I read The Tutor’s Daughter, which I enjoyed, and more recently The Painter’s Daughter which I really enjoyed. The story was about Sophie Dupont an artist who helped her father in his art studio. She meet a charming but irresponsible young artist named Wesley who eventually wooed her and had his way with her. An opportunity to study art in Italy opened up for Wesley and he left Sophie not knowing that she was now carrying his child. In the meantime, Wesley’s brusque brother Steven, who was used to cleaning up Wesley’s mistakes discovered the predicament Sophie was facing. To atone for his own past mistakes and to spare Sophie and her unborn child, Steven offered to marry her in name only. Not wanting to risk the severe consequences she must face as an unwed mother and the inevitable shame her child must endure, she agreed.

I love the emotions and drama that came with Sophia adjusting to life as the wife of a man she did not love, the slow growing relationship and understanding between Steven and Sophie and the eventual return of Wesley that turned everything upside down. I couldn’t put the book down until I found out how the situation played out and which man she ended up with. I was satisfied with the way it was all wrapped up. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White

My Mr. Darcy was a fun and easy read. The story was about Lizzy who watched Pride and Prejudice (2005 version) for the first time at the age of 16. Since then she was obsessed about finding her modern day version of Mr. Darcey. Eventually she met Chad and agreed to go out with him, despite not being anything like Darcy. She planned to break things off after one date but cohered by her best friend, she agreed to 10 dates with Chad before breaking things off. Slowly warmed up to him and started realizing what a great guy he was until she met handsome and rich Matt, a guy who completely fit her idea of Mr. Darcy. The whole situation became an interesting (and clean cut) love triangle.

The story was sweet and fun but also a little annoying because Lizzy’s obsession with Mr. Darcy was maddening at times. I wanted to smack her upside the head when she continually chose the haughty Matt over the sweet, sensitive and unselfish Chad. Maybe if Matt was little more likable and Chad a little more flawed, I could understand Lizzy’s dilemma better. Having said that, I am still glad I read the book and will look for more titles by the author since I liked that it had a modern day setting without any modern day sexual promiscuity. It was clean but not “Christian preachy” if you know what I mean. 🙂 I rate it 3.75 out of 5 stars.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

It’s been seven years since Seth Grahame-Smith’s mashup book was published and I didn’t have any desire to read my beloved Jane Austen in the light of zombie back then. Fast forward to the current day and my love of The Walking Dead and love of movies, made me curious after seeing the trailer for the movie version of the book. I decided to give the book a try before going to see the movie. Did I enjoy it? My feelings are mixed. On the one hand, it was cool to read all the familiar lines and scenes and see how Grahame-Smith was going to change things up. This line from Lizzy in regards to Mr. Collins asking for her hand made me laugh out loud. “Did this fat little priest mean to take her as a wife? She was horrified at the thought of marrying of man whose only skill with a blade was cutting slivers of gorgonzola.”

The whole concept was interesting and at times fun. However, the book also had scenes that were over the top, campy and beyond tongue and cheek. Some parts make Elizabeth into a mythological type of warrior. For example, there is a scene in which she effortlessly slays a ninja and then rips out his still beating heart and takes a bite. That just made me roll my eyes. There were a few added character changes (like Lizzy’s aunt) that were annoying but minor. I think had the over the top scenes been toned down slightly to make Lizzy an incredible but believable ninja slaying warrior I would have appreciated it more since she already had the drive and spirit to imagine her in such a light.

All things considered, if you love Jane, love zombies and don’t mind people taking liberties with a beloved classic, then by all means, give it a try. Otherwise, just skip it. I rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

 

Watching…

(ON TV)

war_peace–> Brian and I just finished watching War and Peace last nght and we really enjoyed it. I have never read the book and can’t compare the 4-part mini series but I thought it was well done, intriguing and beautifully filmed.

–> Of course I watched Downton Abbey last night and will have the new recap up by tomorrow. (Update: Here’s the recap.)

–> I also caught the mid-season premiere of The Walking Dead and I am still reeling over that one. Whoa, what an episode!!

 

(AT THE MOVIES)

pride_prej_zomPride and Prejudice and Zombies

I saw two new movies this month. One of them was Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Although the movie wasn’t a block buster and the reviews weren’t great, I have to admit that I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The movie is based on the book but the story line, particularly in regards to Wickham are very different from the book. When I watch any Jane Austen based movie it always bugs me a little when a character says lines that another character says in the book but I understand the need for it. Those kind of changes are expected. However, the movie really strayed from the book and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Lizzy was definitely more believable and not as a$$-kicking as she was in the book but she was still tough enough to slay zombies and look cool doing it in her pinafore dress.

Some of the dialogue in the movie truly made me laugh and while a few characters were a little flat, Matt Smith as Mr. Collins was hilarious. In the end I enjoyed the movie and was glad I went, although I think it would have made more sense as a stand alone movie that took place in the setting of P&P but didn’t necessarily use the same characters. I think there would have been less comparison and we’d be able to enjoy the movie on it’s own merit more. I rate it 3 1/2 stars out of 5. (Parent note: The movie contains the usual zombie violence and gore and a few suggestive situations.)

the_choiceThe Choice

The second movie I watched  was Nicholas Sparks’ The Choice. If you know me you also know that the I HATE spoilers and always like the element of surprise and emotional suspense. The only exception I make is when I am watching a Nicholas Sparks movie. I want to know right off the bat if a main characters will die tragically. So I cheated and looked up the plot and found that the ending was gasp, happy. My other complaint about Sparks is that it seems all his characters have an attraction, have sex, and then fall in love. I know most modern movies have that but it still bugs me. It is also worth noting that critics hated this movie for various reasons. I, however, liked it despite its flaws. (But I also like most Hallmark movies, so there’s that.)

The story was about medical student Gabby and her next door neighbor Travis. Gabby is dating a rich doctor and Travis is a loner disguised as a ladies man. Their annoyance with each other is only rivaled by their attraction to one another. While Gabby’s boyfriend is away the two spend time together and eventually they become an inseparable couple until Gabby’s boy friend returns home. You may think this was the big “choice” but that actually comes when tragedy strikes and a life and death choice must be made towards the end of the movie. I’ll admit the movie tugged at my heart and I gave in and let the tears and emotions flow (thanks to no one sitting next to me in the theater). The ending may be contrived but I enjoyed it none the less. If you are already a fan of Sparks, you will probably like the movie. If you aren’t, choose something else. I rate it 3 out of 5 stars. (Parent note: While not graphic, there is premarital sex, adult situations, a little language and near death tragedy.)

 

Listening to …

I gave up my regular radio station during Lent so while I am pining for the sounds of bands like Death Cab for Cutie, Silversun Pickups, X Ambassadors, Cage the Elephant or Vance Joy, I am putting them aside and spending more time listening to some Catholic artists. I recently discovered Ike Ndolo from Jenna at Blessed Is She. (Ike will be providing worship music at the Blessed Is She Beauty for Ashes retreat in March. A retreat that I sadly will not be able to attend this year. Sniff. 🙁 ) Anyway, I downloaded a number Ike’s songs off iTunes. I am listening to my favorite Riverside as I am typing this.

 

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January started out with a huge bang but February was way too busy to blog!

 

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In the blogosphere…

Some posts I’ve recently enjoyed:

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Spring is in full force here on the Monterey Peninsula. Unfortunately, that also means we are all covered in a layer of yellow pollen. They said this is the worse pollen we’ve had in years. On the plus side, the warm weather has allowed me back to my mornnig walks along the ocean. I snapped this one with my phone last week. 🙂

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So that’s what I’ve been up to lately! What about you? What’s currently happening in your life? Do share.

Have a great week!

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Periscope or Katch (past Periscopes), GoodReads, Letterboxd, or Spotify, 😉

PPS – Disclaimer: “Revolution of Love.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.”

In other words, if you click on my affiliated links and make a purchase, I get a small compensation that goes towards keeping the blog online. Big hugs to those who click and help support the blog! xoxo 🙂

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Online Daybook (1/18/16), 7QT and Theme Thursday: Focal Point

Last week was super busy with a sick kiddo and hubby but now that they are back to normal I am hoping this week will run smoother. I didn’t have time to post so I’m doing a triple play today and tomorrow I’ll post the my Downton recap. I’ve got my biweekly Monday Daybook plus I’m linking with Micaela for Theme Thursday (Scroll down to Take #7) and Kelly for 7 Quick Takes Here is a recap of what’s been going on lately.

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Grateful for…

  • Spending time with my dad, mom and brother, even if it was short visit.
  • A relaxing afternoon with a movie and popcorn with the kids.
  • An extra long weekend.
  • The grace of forgiveness.

Praying for..

  • Brian’s routine cancer screening test this afternoon.
  • The intentions of many friends.
  • Those who are struggling or suffering with heavy crosses.
  • The conversion of hearts back to God.
  • All pregnant moms (especially family members), those trying to get pregnant, those who have lost their babies and for moms contemplating an abortion.
  • The souls in purgatory, especially family, friend and those most forgotten.

 

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Around the House…

As I mentioned in my last goals post, I am participating in  A Bowl Full of Lemon’s 2016 Home Organization 101 Challenge.

However, I doubt I’ll be able to follow the schedule since busy family life keeps me from having all the spare time I need to finish. But I’ll do the best I can and if I finish a little later than the rest, that’s okay. Last week was the kitchen and this week is the pantry. I am still working on the kitchen but maybe I can catch up.  I’ll post some before and afters eventually. 😉

Family Chit Chat…

This afternoon Brian is going for his routine bloodwork for cancer. There have been so many people who have died from cancer recently that I am trying not to think about “what if it’s back…” so instead I am distracting myself with other happy news.

(UPDATE: Brian called while I was finishing this post. His said his blood count looked good but the doc has to check the rest of the bloodwork. If he sees anything amiss he’ll let us know.)

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I talk a lot about my three little guys on the blog and less about Bella, but only to give her more privacy as she grows older. However, this week I have to share in her accomplishments and ask for your help in voting!

Bella and 5 classmates entered the Verizon Innovative App Challenge and came up with an idea for “FITA” – Foreign Immigration to America, an app which helps immigrants in the transition to living in America. Out of 1200 entries from around the state, her team won to represent California! The team members received tablets and her school was awarded a $5,000 grant!

RevolutionofLove.com - brm_10_2016_textOriginal Photograph of Bella by HeidiBorgiaPhotography.com.

We just found out that they have now won the Regional competition for the best in the western states. Now they are in the NATIONAL competition. There will be the chosen winner and the popular vote winner. Please help Bella and her team win by texting FITA2 to 22333. Then ask your family and friends to vote. (Voting open until Jan 31.) THANK YOU!!!

UPDATE: Please say a prayer for Bella and her team. They have a video conference with the judges on Thursday, Jan 21. I am sure they are excited but nervous!

 

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revolution of love blog - od_logo_kitchenIn the Kitchen…

Sunday – Tuna sandwiches and minestrone soup.

Monday – Turkey burgers and Southwest black been and corn salad.

Tuesday – Taco salad.

Wednesday – Italian chicken sausage, pasta with spinach and kale, salad.

Thursday – Breakfast dinner.

Friday – Homemade veggie pizza and Greek salad.

Saturday – Leftovers.

 

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Watching…

Back in October I recorded PBS Masterpiece’s Home Fires on our DVR but we haven’t had a chance to watch it until recently. We are on Episode 4 of 6 and I am really enjoying it! The show it set at the beginning of England’s involvement in WWII and focuses on the women in a rural Cheshire community as their husbands and sons are leaving to fight in the war while they battle their one wars at home. It is addicting and we’ve watched an episode every evening. (Parent note: Although there is nothing graphic, there are adult story lines such as spousal abuse, premarital sex, same sex attraction and the death of loved ones.)

 

Listening to …

When I am alone I listen to the alternative (or whatever it’s called these days) radio station but when the kids are in the car I play the local Christian Air 1 station. There are a few songs I enjoy but the other day I heard Jordan Feliz’ River and I was immediately drawn to it. It has now become a family favorite being played over and over in the car and the kitchen while cooking. 😉 Even though the song evokes baptism, I can’t help but think about the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the healing grace of God. Now when we leave to go to confession I say it’s time to go down to the river. 🙂

And even though Jordan’s new album Beloved is not the kind of music I would normally listen to, I am addicted to it! The lyrics to the title track Beloved are beautiful!

 

Reading…

As I mention in my goals post, I am trying to read at least 12 books this year.

My January book is Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay. I read a couple pages last year but was reading too many books at once and put it aside. However, now that I picked it up again, I couldn’t put it down! It is the story of two estranged sisters who drifted apart after their mom died of cancer. Years later the eldest sister Jane is married with two kids and diagnosed with cancer. The younger sister Elizabeth is a talented chef in New York who is has lost the magic in her cooking. She decides to take some time off and visit her sister. Together they attempt the arduous task of healing physically and emotionally in a way that was just absorbing. I found myself caring about the various characters and was transported into their world – from the discussions of food in classic novels to the feelings of their raw emotions. Towards the end, I had to stop reading the book during the day and wait until the kids were asleep because they would wonder why I was crying. There is also a touch of God and the lesson that He can bring good out of even terrible situations but it is in no way heavy handed or overbearing. I finished the book last night and although I wanted a little more closure in the romantic storyline, the family healing was beautiful and moving. I definitely recommend the book.

 

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January started out with a huge bang! Then kinda fizzled out as life got busier. 😉

 

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In the blogosphere…

Some posts I’ve recently enjoyed:

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We close off with Micaela and Theme Thursday. I missed last week’s Rule of Thirds so I am combining it with the current Using a Focal Point.

RevolutionofLove.com // cwa_tt_red_flIt was raining this morning but the clouds are clearing up and the sun peeking through. I am a sucker for water droplets so I took a photo of some flowers on our deck. 

RevolutionofLove.com // cwa_tt_mvx_1_16_My previously ill Matthew was back to his giggly normal self.

RevolutionofLove.com // cwa_tt_jphairMeanwhile, Matthew’s brother and bunk mate was resting on the couch so he may have the bug next. I snapped a quick photo of his luscious wavy hair.

I noticed that my focal points in all three photos were towards the right side so next time I’ll catch something on the left. 😉

 

So that’s what I’ve been up to lately! What about you? What’s currently happening in your life? Do share.

Have a great week!

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Periscope or Katch (past Periscopes), GoodReads, Letterboxd, or Spotify, 😉

PPS – Disclaimer: “Revolution of Love.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.”

In other words, if you click on my affiliated links and make a purchase, I get a small compensation that goes towards keeping the blog online. Big hugs to those who click and help support the blog! xoxo 🙂


Online Daybook (12/11/15) & Theme Thursday & 7 Quick Takes

You know, I don’t post nearly as often as I’d like but when I do post, I try squeeze into as many link-ups as I can! 😉 Today I am linking up with Micaela for Theme Thursday (Scroll down to Take #7) and Annabelle at Written by the Finger of God, who is temporarily hosting 7 Quick Takes for Kelly (Was that too confusing?) Here is a recap of what’s been going on lately.

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Grateful for…

  • A peaceful moment to myself after a busy day.
  • The love of family and friends.
  • The joy of the season.
  • Having the necessities of life.

Praying for..

  • The intentions of many friends.
  • Those who are struggling or suffering through this holiday season.
  • Victims of abuse, violence and war.
  • The conversion of hearts back to God.
  • All pregnant moms, those trying to get pregnant, those who have lost their babies and for moms contemplating an abortion.
  • The souls in purgatory, especially family, friend and those most forgotten.

Pondering…

Earlier this week. I got upset with Brian about something. No need to go into details but it was something that has bothered me before and that I have already brought to his attention. I fumed quietly for awhile then told him why I was upset. He apologized and said it was not his intention to hurt me and deep down I knew it was true but I was still mad. I didn’t want to let go of the anger. Instead I fell into the trap of a passive aggressive “okay, fine” attitude. But it was not fine. That little voice in my head kept egging me on with things like, “How long have we been married? Why does he still not understand these things? If he really loved me he would just know. Why is it that I am always doing x-y-z and he isn’t?”

Well, those kind of thoughts can eat you alive if you let them. I had to learn to let it go and see things from his point of view. I forced myself to give him the benefit of the doubt, to realize that he really didn’t mean to hurt me. Instead I turned my eyes to all the ways he shows me that he loves me, even when I am acting very unlovable. Then I thought about all the times that God has forgiven me for the countless things I have done wrong. Suddenly, Brian’s transgression looked very minor. (I couldn’t help but think about that marriage post I wrote earlier this year.) Thankfully, with God’s grace, when he came into the kitchen to give me hug I was able to accept it whole heatedly, ready to let go of any residue of anger left. Blessed be God.

 

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Around the House…

Advent is in full swing here! Our Jesse Tree is going well, although instead of daily we only pin up symbols 2-3x a week at best!  I’m not concerned since we can only do so much.

I know there are some who do not put up Christmas decorations or listen to Christmas carols until Christmas in order to highlight Advent and I think that’s great! We’re just not one of those families. Yesterday we celebrated the feast of St. Nicholas by decorating the house and putting up our tree. The kids filled out their Letters to Baby Jesus. It was sweet to read what they promised to do for Jesus and who they chose to pray for during Advent. Their wish list wasn’t much of a surprise – Legos, Minecraft, books and for Matthew, all things football right down to a Green Bay Packer uniform. You know I’ll be posting a shot of that one! 😉

Family Chit Chat…

Everyone is doing well, except for a few of us (myself included) that have colds/coughs. Nothing serious just really annoying. I think the change in weather from Disneyland (in the 90’s) to my parents (in the 40’s) and all the traveling and stress of road trips just wore us down. But it was all worth it since we had so much fun!

RevolutionofLove.com - cwa_12_2015_DLHere are some pics from Disneyland.

  1. This year is the 60th Anniversary of Disneyland. I went to DL often as a child and first took Bella to DL during the 50th. Ten years and four kids later, we are still celebrating at the Magic Kingdom. 😉
  2. The Ferris wheel at California Adventure.
  3. It’s A Small World, Christmas Edition.
  4. Me with my sweet Bella.
  5. I was bummed that my dad couldn’t make the trip this year (he had a big job to finish) but my mom was there! We’ve had some rocky years in my youth ( particularly when I was going through my “being an idiot”) stage but thankfully we are best friends now. 🙂
  6. Brian, John-Paul Bella and my sis Jacinta. (We were so excited she could join us this year!)
  7. My crazy boys. Life would be dull without them!
  8. My super hero sweetie. Swoon.
  9. On the carousel.
  10. The Star Wars exhibit was really cool…
  11. …as was the Marvel super hero exhibit!
  12. Santa was spotted wearing his SoCal winter clothes. 😉
  13. Mack was a favorite at the new light parade.
  14. The Christmas tree is HUGE.
  15. The fireworks were amazing! (Unless you are trying to sleep in the hotel at 9:30 PM, then it sounds like you are being bombed!)
  16. Hand in hand with their Auntie Jacinta. As Matty would say, this was the best trip EVAH!

RevolutionofLove.com - cwa_road_11_26_15aAfter Disneyland we headed to my parents’ home to celebrate Thanksgiving.

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Thanksgiving celebration, movie time with the kids, date time with my sweetie and cousin love!

There was a lot of celebrating and sharing our love and gratitude! Our Gratitude Tree made it’s appearance for the third time in a row. Next year we will have to make a second tree since our family is growing with the blessings of new spouses and children! It truly was a special Thanksgiving and a HUGE THANK YOU to my awesome mom who has made our feast year after year. I wouldn’t be able to handle that kind of stress but she tackles it like a boss! (Love you, mom!)

 

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revolution of love blog - od_logo_kitchenIn the Kitchen…

Sunday – Whole wheat pasta, turkey meatballs and salad.

Monday – Taco Salad

Tuesday – Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans

WednesdayWon Ton Soup (I’ve never made this before but want to give it a try!)

Thursday – Breakfast Dinner

Friday – Date Night!! (woohoo!)

Saturday – Leftovers

 

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Watching…

Non-stop Hallmark Christmas movies. I know, I know but I’m addicted. 😉

 

Listening to …

It’s pretty much Christmas music 24/7 at our house, although we have to take turns.

Bella and I love the crooning of Michael Buble…

But the little boys found my old Relient K Christmas CD (remember CD’s??) and they are loving the punkier sounds of Christmas.

Reading…

book_something _other

I am finally on the last pages of Jennifer’s book Something Other Than God. (The chapter I’m on now has me in tears…)

 

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I haven’t posted a Daybook in over a month! So here are the last month’s posts.

For all you planners out there, tomorrow I’ll have my “Tips for Choosing A New Planner” post and on Monday “How I Use My Bullet Journal” post.

~ 6 ~

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In the blogosphere…

I haven’t had much time for blog reading (grr!) but I do have these saved to read this weekend!

~ 7 ~

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We close off with Micaela and Theme Thursday, which is following the “holylens prompts from Abbey at Surviving Our Blessings.com. (I love when bloggers team up with their projects!!) Since I never posted last week, here at the prompts from week 1 & 2.

RevolutionofLove.com - #holylens // holylens_collage_11. The “O Antiphon” banners were on display at the Mission. That is a sure SIGN that Advent is here.

2. During Advent I’m doing the Waiting in His Word: A Mother’s Advent Journey scripture study. I am really trying to start each morning in meditative prayer then putting WORDS to paper. I’m hoping it will help me keep my eyes on Jesus instead of holiday stress!

3. The love of money may be the ROOT of all evil but Timothy tells us what a man of God should pursue. I made a quick scribble to hang on the fridge as a reminder – “Pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience & gentleness.”

4. I’ve been using my Blessed Is She journal for my night exams and gratitude list. What I’m most grateful for tonight is the rosary club that started at the kids’ school. My heart was so SATISFIED to unite in prayer with fellow moms.

RevolutionofLove.com - #holylens //holylens_collage_21. The storm clouds are rolling in and it reminds me of today’s Gospel – “The rain fell, the floods came and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it has been set solidly on ROCK.” May God always be our rock and our salvation.

2. I love when I SEE the colors of the liturgical season in nature.

3. We are searching through the HARVEST of this year’s trees trying to find the perfect one to bring home.

4. Last night, after a long day, I was ready to crash on the couch. Thankfully I REMEMBERED that St. Nick had shoes to fill!

RevolutionofLove.com - #holylens //holylens_collage_31. Looking towards the ROOF of the Mission, this is what I saw – organ pipes and St. Serra.

2. The kids love looking at the “Baby’s 1st Christmas” ornaments and figuring out who is who. Not to be left out, our little ANGEL ornament represents our two baby saints waiting for us in heaven

3. After a couple of busy days with hurried prayer, it was nice to REST in the Lord this morning. (You can tell the change in our room decor.) 🙂

4. (This one chokes me up.) Opa would always kiss the kids on top of the head when we visited him. Now the kids HELP him out by bowing down so he can still kiss them while visiting him in the nursing home. #holylens #worksofmercy #yearofmercy2016

So that’s what I’ve been up to lately! What about you? What’s currently happening in your life? Do share.

Have a great week!

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Periscope or Katch (past Periscopes), GoodReads, Letterboxd, or Spotify, 😉

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In other words, if you click on my affiliated links and make a purchase, I get a small compensation that goes towards keeping the blog online. Big hugs to those who click and help support the blog! xoxo 🙂


A Week in My Life 2015: Wed & Thurs in 7 Quick Takes

The A Week in My Life series hosted by the lovely Kathryn at Team Whitaker.org continues. Her link up for Thursday is here.

My daily recaps are here:

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Since today is Friday I am also linking up with Kelly for 7 Quick Takes. It’s a WIML/7QT Mash up. 🙂

~ 1 ~

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RevolutionofLove.com - A Week in My Life (wiml_wed_1_2015)The week in my life continues and let’s just that it was too busy for me to get online and post yesterday. So there’s that. However, there was one highlight to my Wednesday. Normally when I have a huge TO DO list that must get done pronto, I am tempted to just skip my morning prayer time and tackle the day immediately. But I always think back to a story (which I’m paraphrasing) that I once read (or heard?) about Mother Teresa. The sisters had an unusually busy day and expected Mother to excuse them from prayer. Instead Mother told them they should pray extra since they would need the extra graces. It is always a reminder to me to get on my knees and power up! So for the grace to take my prayer time seriously, I’m thankful.

~ 2 ~

Here is a little sampling from my prayer journal. Maybe it can be your prayer too.

In today’s Gospel, one line jumped out at me – “You have been faithful in this very small matter…” Am I being faithful in the little things? Am I pleasing God or am I just wasting away my day… wasting opportunities to sacrifice and die to self? God has placed countless souls on my path. Have I taken their care to heart? Am I praying for them and sacrificing for them? There is no need to look for sacrifice. Opportunity is ever present. Lord, give me the grace to see my day through the lens of your love. Let me see and do your will at the various moments of this day. Amen.

~ 3 ~

Wednesday pretty much followed the same routine of the taxi driving afternoon of Monday and Tuesday. Oh, but I know you are wondering about my quick change artist. What costume did he wear on Wednesday?

RevolutionofLove.com - A Week in My Life wiml_thu_4_2015He was a hybrid Teenage Ninja Turtle Jedi in cowboy boots. 😉

~ 4 ~

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On Thursday morning I finished a writing assignment (look for my guest blog post on gratitude over at the Blessed Is She blog next week!) then it was my errand and shopping day. I got the last minute things we needed for our trip next week (to Disneyland then to my parent’s home for Thanksgiving) and went grocery shopping for my mother-in-law so she wouldn’t have to worry about it while we are gone. It could have been stressful but I was super powered by the knowledge that I will be spending time with mi familia in a couple short days! Woohooo. I finished my errands just in time to pick up Matthew from school. His costume of choice this day?

RevolutionofLove.com - A Week in My Life wiml_thu_5_2015We are still in a Star Wars theme but this time he is a ghost busting Jedi. 🙂

~ 5 ~

After lunch we returned to school to pick up John-Paul, went to visit Opa, returned to school to pick up Andrew and Bella then headed over to speech therapy. For  dinner we had sandwiches and salad since Brian was getting home early to babysit the boys while I took Bella to her school play. (The boys already saw her perform the first show during school.) It was the Wizard of Oz and Bella played a couple of roles.

RevolutionofLove.com - A Week in My Life wiml_thu_2_2015She was a munchkin…

RevolutionofLove.com - A Week in My Life wiml_thu_1_2015…and in the second half she was one of the Wicked Witch’s helpers (sort of a human version of the flying monkeys.)

She did really well and remembered all her lines. To be honest with you, her interest in play acting has surprised me. She is a little on the shy side with strangers so it doesn’t seem to be something she would choose to do. However, she has been in all her school plays for the last couple of years. It has been a great way for her to express her creativity and I’m proud of her!

~ 6 ~

AladdinSince Bella also loves musicals, we are looking forward to watching Aladdin one last time next week at Disneyland. After a decade of performances, they will be changing it next year. So while Brian has some guy time with the boys and Grandpa, Bella and I (and perhaps my mom and sister JC) will have some girl time. 🙂

newsies2Photo credit: broadwaysanjose.com

Speaking of musicals, I also just purchased Bella tickets to her all time fave musical Newsies. The Broadway show is on the road and they will be playing in San Jose in spring. She and I will go together as an early graduation present. (How is it that my baby girl is already in 8th grade!!!!)

~ 7 ~

RevolutionofLove.com - A Week in My Life wiml_thu_3_2015In the evening, I crashed on the couch with Brian. We watched a little TV and I worked on updating my packing list (it still had items such as bottles and diapers on it!) and I used my bullet journal to plan a couple posts for the end of November. Brian always goes to bed first (and gets up first) so I finished a couple more things then reviewed my day and made it in bed by my goal of 11 pm. I tried reading a few pages in bed but, as usual, I knocked out before I could finish one paragraph. Such is life.

Happy Friday!

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Periscope or Katch (past Periscopes), GoodReads, Letterboxd, or Spotify, 😉

 


7 Quick Takes (10/23/15): Flashback Friday and Quick Take-Palooza

logo_7_quick_takes_c2The 31 Day of Writing Challenge continues. It’s Day 23 of my 31 Days of Gratitude 2015.

When I lived near LA I used to listen to KROQ and I always loved their Flashback Fridays that highlighted hits of the past. Well, today is a Flashback Friday version of 7 Quick Takes! Kelly’s Link-toberfest over at This Ain’t the Lyceum.org is winding down and we are going out with a bang! Kelly asked us which was our most popular Quick Take post but as I was reading through old QT’s and reliving the past I found some other favorite posts so here are my top 7 Quick Takes.

To keep up with the Flashback theme, I’ve put on my “oldies” playlist (otherwise known as songs from my youth) so grab your favorite band from the list (The Smiths, The Cure, New Order, Depeche Mode, The Clash, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, B52’s, Smashing Pumpkins, REM, No Doubt, Ocean Blue…) and crank it up. To start you off here is a video from Quick Takes 7/27/13 –  “That’s the Impression That I Get” from the Mighty, Mighty Bosstones. (Never have white socks with a dark suit looked so good.)

#1 – Most Popular Post

Online Daybook & 7 Quick Takes (5/22/15): Smog Checks, New Logos & Prompts from the Holy Spirit

I was watching Far from the Madding Crowd, When Calls the Heart and listening to Empire by Monsters and Men and reading Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life and The Girl on the Train. I also talked about following small prompts from the Holy Spirit.

Excerpt:

On Mother’s Day we were at Mass and we had the usual mothers’ blessing. All the moms were asked to stand up and after the priest blessed us the ushers went around and handed us little angel pins as a gift. I noticed that there was one older mom/grandma standing on the opposite side of the aisle from me that was mistakenly overlooked. I felt bad for her and thought that I should go over there and give her my pin. My mind answered, “Wait, what? I can’t just walk over to a stranger. She’s not going to care about some pin. That’s silly.” But the thought would not go away so as soon as the priest walked passed me after Mass, I went over to her and told her that I noticed she didn’t get a pin and I didn’t want her to think she was forgotten so please take mine. She said she didn’t want to take mine but I told her not to worry because there are more in the back of church and I’ll get another. She looked at me and smiled and then gave me a big hug and said thank you. (I’m getting teary eyed just recalling that look on her face.) It was the simplest of gestures but for that woman, it was what she needed to hear just then. So the next time you get a little prompt from the Holy Spirit, take it to heart. God may need you to be his hands and feet at that moment.

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#2 – Funniest Quick Takes (Even if I was the only one laughing.)

7 Quick Takes (3/2/12): Random Correspondences Edition

Excerpt:


Dear Tourist of the Mission,

Welcome to my parish. I am so pleased to have you join us at Mass. I do not mind you sitting behind me. I will be patient with you and your children because I know how difficult it can be to keep them quiet. I am also sympathetic that sometimes little ones need bribes of cheerios and fishy crackers to sit still. However, once your kids are over toddlerhood (and in grammar school) it is best to not let them eat in Church. And it is particularly discouraged to have them eating Jack-in-the-Box tacos and fries in the pew, minutes before Mass is going to start. The least you could have done is brought extra tacos for those of us sitting around you. That taco smell is very seductive, making one crave the greasy goodness of tortillas fried around mystery meat.

Ashamedly,
The Parishioner with the Growling Stomach

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#3 – Most Drama-Queen Quick Take (aka It doesn’t seem that bad now but back then I was in tears.)

7 Quick Takes (3/16/12): The “I Thought He Was Going to Die” Version

Excerpt:

TMI Alert – I turned my head to look back at John-Paul and saw chunks fly out of his mouth. I was covered in it, the desk chair was dripping and the desk was splattered. Immediately Matthew saw puddles of liquid to be splashed in and ran over. Luckily I was wearing a jacket over a tank top so I threw off the jacket, which had most of his lunch, and in one arm I held JP and my desk trash can, in case more was to come, and in my other arm I grabbed Matthew and ran down the long hallway to my bathroom. (See, all that walking is paying off.)

I looked in the mirror and saw vomit dripping from my cheek onto my neck. Nice. There’s nothing like the glamour of motherhood. I quickly wiped my face off then bathed JP while Matthew emptied out the contents of the bathroom drawers on the floor.

The Famous Last Words “I Only Turned for A Second” – I finished cleaning JP and then smelled Matthew’s stinky diaper. No problem, after JP’s fiasco this will be cake. Now this is where things get scary – seriously. I grabbed the phone to call the speech therapist and leave her a message that we won’t be there. I placed Matthew on the bed to be changed. As I’m leaving my message, phone cradled in my neck, I had one hand on Matthew and with the other hand I tried to grab a diaper wipe that was just… out… of… my… reach… and my wiggle worm tried to escape but headed in the wrong direction – right off the bed. He fell down and started screaming. I hang up the phone. (What a message that will be.)

Snap Out of It – I picked up Matty to comfort him and you know how a baby cries really hard then sucks in a breathe and cries even louder? Well, Mathew sucked in the air but never let it out. He just stood there then looked almost like he was going to faint. I freaked out. I thought perhaps he hit his head so hard he had brain damage. My mind traveled at warp speed – it a matter of seconds I pictured the whole scenario – me in the hospital, the doctor telling me they did everything they could, my breakdown, the funeral… I slapped myself out of it and rubbed his chest and called his name. He finally took a breath and whimpered but seemed tired out. As I debated going to the emergency room or calling 911, I quickly changed his dirty diaper. There was no time for me to change out of my vomit clothes. I’d have to bring JP with me and hope he doesn’t get sick again. In the meantime Matthew had quieted down and seemed better…

You can read the rest here but I’ll give you a hint. He lived. 😉

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#4 – The Happiest Quick Takes

7 Quick Takes (1/30/14): Brian Comes Home, Mr. Knightly Inspires & Twue Wuv Lives

I just remember being super happy when I wrote this because Brian’s surgery went well, they got all the cancer out and he was coming home!

Excerpt:

It’s been a loooong week. Brian went in for surgery last Friday and it has been a roller coaster ride of good moments and bad moments. However, all I can think about now is that I get to take this handsome man home tomorrow! (It’s Thurs night now so he comes home Friday.)  We are ecstatic! I told the kids they could stay home from school and we are having a welcome home party instead. 🙂 Woohoo!

Brian will still need to go through chemo but he can’t do anything until his body is completely healed from the surgery. (He is still in some pain and barely getting used to food again.) The doc talked to him today and said the “good news” is that his panel of 16 nodes showed cancer in only one node. It is hard to think of that as good news. But then we found out that another patient down the hall had a panel of 22 nodes examined and he had cancer in all 22 nodes. Yeah, I guess when you look at it from his perspective, Brian is lucky. The doc said Brian is strong and (comparatively) young so once he gets his strength back, he can fight and beat this.  We are praying that he does!

* * *

#5 – The Obligatory Catholic NFP Quick Take

7 Quick Takes: Memory Lane & NFP Edition

Excerpt:

I don’t know if I want to get into this, but since it has been on my mind a lot, Quick Take # 5-7 are rolled into one. (TMI Alert: skip this take if you don’t want to read about fertility, cycles and sex, or lack of it.)

I was talking to my NFP teacher last night. She has been helping Brian and I get through a rough patch in our NFP charting. She told me to let her know how things are going in the next couple weeks and then jokingly said that maybe she could tell by the tone of my blog…but probably not seems it is usually pretty upbeat or positive or whatever the exact word was that she used. I’ve been thinking about that. The last time I wrote about NFP was a couple years after Brian and I were married. Since then I’ve had a love-hate relationship with NFP. When my cycle is “normal,” it is great but when it’s not, it’s a lot tougher.

After Matthew was born my cycle has been really crazy which has required a lot of abstinence…for weeks….and weeks…and weeks with no end in sight. I’m really struggling with being faithful to the church’s teaching and having to die to myself again and again. Normally, I would not mention something so personal and private in a public place especially since it doesn’t just involve me. (But if you are reading this now, then Brian gave me the okay to post this.)

I decided to mention this topic because over the summer Danielle Bean wrote Five Ways I Don’t Love NFP and shared about her concerns and Jennifer Fulwiler gave her take in Bad at NFP and Proud. Their words were encouraging to me and I discussed the topics they brought up with Brian. They gave us that little boost we needed to hang in there and know that there are others who love God, love their Catholic faith and are trying to be open to new life yet are struggling with some of the challenges of NFP. So if by chance you are one of those people struggling, hang in there. We’re in this together. I’ll say a prayer for you. Please say a prayer for me.

Later I’ll write a longer post about what I’ve learned about NFP over the years and what I do love about it. But right now, I am not in the right frame of mind because the only title I can think of is “NFP Sucks, but I’m Using It Anyway.” 😉

(UPDATE: Maybe I just needed to get this off my chest. It is days later and although we are still waiting, God’s grace has increased and we are resolved to wait it out as best as we can. We are praying that it draws us closer to God and to each other in the end. I have to remember the motto I use during the difficult newborn months, “And this too shall pass.”)

* * *

#6 – The Grossest Quick Takes (aka, Did I actually write that?)

7 Quick Takes – (12/23/11): TMI Edition

This all took place while the kids were sick with a nasty cold that seemed to take forever to clear up. Normally I am used to being sneezed on (usually right in the face while I’m talking so the germs can head straight into my mouth.) And I’ve learned to live my life as a human Kleenex. I’m not exaggerating. A kid will walk up to me and literally wipe his snot nose against my pant leg leaving a huge slime trail on my leg. Ah, the glamour if motherhood. Normally, I throw a fit shrug it off but with the food poisoning all my defenses were down and those nasty germs were going to make up for all the times I avoided them. The cold wasn’t too bad but I swear (TMI alert) the stuff coming out of my nose was straight from an alien horror movie.

Thankfully the cold didn’t last too long but the plugged up nose and pressure stuffed head wouldn’t go away. On top of it all, I lost all sense of smell. Perhaps it wasn’t a huge deal but I am big on smells. I could live without smelling the Christmas delights like fresh pine and baked goods. What troubled me is that I couldn’t smell when the toast was burning. I couldn’t smell the questionable milk to see if it was still good. Matthew wore a stinky diaper for hours because I didn’t notice he stunk until Brian came home from work and told me. And have you ever tried to shop for perfume when you can’t smell?? I was in the department store snorting a bottle of fragrance when the saleslady suspiciously asked me if I needed help. I resigned to my fate and simply picked out the prettiest looking bottle hoping it wasn’t actually gag-inducing.

Then it happened. A couple days later I woke up and heard Matthew pushing and “doing his business” in bed. As I laid in bed and waited for him to be done so I could change him, I slowly started to smell the stench. I jumped out of bed and took a big whiff of his behind. Man, I was never so excited to smell a stinky diaper in all my life. I could smell again! And the heavens rejoiced. So it seemed.

Anyway, did I really spend all seven takes talking out food poisoning, snot, and poop? Wow. That’s sad. Oh, well. Let us rejoice in the small crosses in life. Compared to what could be going wrong, that is nothing. God is good!

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# 7 – Funnest to Write Quick Takes

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

Excerpt:

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.)

blue_skatesjpgPhoto Source

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.

converse_Photo Source

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.

smi_alb
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.

Okay, that was a huge post but I had fun looking back and laughing at my weirdness and thanking God for his goodness. I’ve truly been blessed and love being able to share a little bit of my life with you. So tonight I am thankful for you being here with me over years. I’m thankful for the shared laughs and for the offered prayers when things were rough. It means a lot to me. Thank you. xoxo

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Periscope or Katch (past Periscopes), GoodReads, Letterboxd, or Spotify, 😉

PPS – This post contains affiliate links.