15): Catching Up, The Water Diviner & Mini Super Heroes

By bobbi
May 8, 2015
No Comments

Happy Friday (night!) It’s been a long week so I am relishing these few moments when I can sit and unwind and catch up with you. I’m linking up with Kelly for Friday’s Quick Takes and with Jenny for Daybook Online Journal.

~ 1 ~

Grateful for…

The quiet of the evening after a long and busy day.
The the sweet hugs and kisses I receive from my little guys that make me forget how crazy they can make me. 😉
For a teen who still seeks out my hugs to brighten her day.
For a husband that loves me even when I drive him a little crazy.
For a the grace of confession (that I will be receiving tomorrow.)

Praying for..

A family friend who passed away last night.
Those who are ill, especially for those fighting cancer, and that Brian remains cancer-free.
Those who are hurting, suffering or are far from God.
Those who are suffering from natural disasters, war and violence.
All pregnant moms, those trying to get pregnant, those who have lost their babies and for moms contemplating an abortion.
Some special intentions.

Pondering…

An entry from my prayer journal this week:

Today’s devotion said, “The absence of suffering is the world’s understanding of peace.” Too often, I think like the world. I want peace, quiet and ease, not the loud, messiness of family life. I keep thinking about the quote Jiza shared with me – “Know that even when you are in the kitchen, Our Lord is moving among the pots & pans.” (St. Teresa of Avila) It is here in the messiness of mommy life that I will find my sanctification. I don’t need to go out searching for it. It is right here before me. My goal today is to turn off the radio and the TV and spend some time in prayer while working.

(Side note: Jiza (who did all the photos from the CWBNCA) has a print of St. Teresa’s quote in her shop.

~ 2 ~

Around the House…

Monday through Thursday I am on the go, go, go and on Friday mornings I get to stay home so I have a week’s worth of laundry, random piles and various household chores that have to be done. I think I’d need a couple weeks of never stepping foot outside of the house to finally get caught up but we know that’s not going to happen. Sigh. #neverhome

Family Chit Chat…

Can you believe May is here already?! And now that I think about it, it’s not only here but almost half way done! Ack! I wish everything would just slow down a bit. Well, May is always a busy month in general. It’ll be nice once summer vacation starts and we can go at a more leisurely pace, at least until about mid-July. By then I am looking at the calendar to see when the kids go back to school. 😉

Brian is doing well. He went for his regular monthly testing the other week and he is still cancer free. Blessed be God! He goes for more tests and a scan in another three months. Brian’s dad/ Opa is doing relatively well. He is still in the convalescent home since he needs so much care but he is doing well. He still remembers us and lights up when the kids come into the room. Yesterday he exclaimed, “Here are my sweeties! It’s my happy hour!”

He has also been enjoying seeing Matthew in his various costumes….

On this day Matthew was in his Swat Team gear because you know how rowdy the seniors can get. 😉

In extended family news, my sister posted a sweet video on her blog that celebrates the vocation of motherhood AND makes a big family announcement. Hint – I’m going to be an auntie again! 🙂

Hop over and watch it then give her some comment love. 🙂

~ 3 ~

In the Kitchen…

Not only is the house a mess but I am in a total menu funk. I feel like I make the same handful of dishes and just keep rotating them. I need some inspiration. Hit me with your favorite go to healthy/mostly whole food dish!

~ 4 ~

Watching…

source

Earlier this week on a particularly busy day Brian sent me to the movies to unwind after the kids were in bed. (Love him!) I was able to add to my movie list – The Water Diviner. I’ve heard some complaints about this movie, particularly about the story line not being very realistic but part of the reason I go to movies is to see life through another person’s eyes and experiences. Sometimes it is very realistic and sometimes it is a journey of imagination. Frankly, I almost always find something I like about a movie I watch so it is rare that I will not like a movie, therefor my reviews may be biased to the positive.

With that said, I really enjoyed TWD and Crowe’s performance as a father (with mystic like powers) who lost his wife and three sons tragically. He sets out on a journey to find the bodies of his sons killed during the Battle of Gallipoli in Turkey during WWI. His goal was to bring them home to be buried with their mother. There are twists and turns and a few times when you must suspend belief but I had no problem with that. The emotion of the loss of his wife and the heartbreaking death of his sons (especially since I have three sons of my own) had me nearly sobbing. The ending may have been a stretch but after the said emotion, I didn’t mind. Looking at the movie from a Christian worldview, topics to ponder include the issue of suicide and mercy killing, the negative portrayal of a priest and the positive view of prayer to God in a non-Christian setting, the futility of war and the grey areas of who is the “bad guy.” The war scenes are intense and, at times, graphic.

Listening to …

I’ve been listening to Mumford and Sons’ new album Wilder Mind. I miss the old sound and the banjo but the new album is growing on me. I especially like this live version of The Wolf from SNL.

Reading…

For my spiritual reading… (I read a little each day during prayer time, that is why it is taking me forever to get through it.)

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life

For my fiction reading…

I finally started The Girl on the Train.

~ 5 ~

It’s been quiet lately but I am hoping to get back into it. I’ve been working on updating a few things on the blog. In a few days I’ll have a new header and profile photo, which was taken at the CWBNCA Conference, thanks to Jiza.

UPDATE: I finished the new blog header. Here it is.

And I received my head shot from Jiza. 🙂

Photography by Jiza at Olive and Cypress.com

Tomorrow (Saturday) I will be starting a new series called Spotlight Saturday. Every couple of weeks or so I will feature someone and their creativity – whether it is a crafty mama selling her creations on etsy, or a Catholic artist bringing beauty into the world or a blogger spreading the light of Christ through her (or his) words. I think it will be a great way to support the people who are making the word a little brighter with their God given talent.

Come back tomorrow to find out who the first featured artist will be. I’ll give you a hint… I recently bought one of her cute necklaces! 😉

~ 6 ~

I’ve hardly had to time to read my favorite blogs lately, but I did read and save these.

Seven Quick Recaps of the Conference I Hosted – CatholicAllYear.com

The Wisest Advice My Mom Ever Gave Me About Love – VerilyMag.com

When Your Kiss Is Met with A Cold Shoulder – HallieLord.com

~ 7 ~

Here are some Instagrams I’ve taken this past week.

1. Just a regular day in the ROL household, running errands with Spidey.

2. Being escorted by Superman makes me feel a lot safer.

3. May the fourth be with you. (I am accompanied by various mini super heroes all week long!)

4. I was creative in the kitchen on Sunday with whole wheat banana bread, coconut granola and Southwest corn and black bean salad. Nom nom.

5. My schedule finally aligned and I was able to join Andrew on his class field trip.

6. Sunlight is breaking through the clouds and brightening up the day.

7. They fight like cats and dogs sometimes but they love each other so much. Big brother John-Paul hugging his little brother Matthew goodbye as he goes to school.

8. I celebrated with Matthew at his pre school’s Mother’s Day tea. I love this age when all he wants is hugs and kisses and says things like, “Mama, you look gorgeous!” Aw, sweet blind love.

9. Flowers decorated the pre school for the Mothers Day tea. You can tell Matthew’s mom is a mommy blogger. 😉

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

Have a great weekend.

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, Pinterest, GoodReads or Instagram. 😉

PPS – This post contains affiliated links.

Online Daybook/ Currently (10/6): 31 Days of Gratitude (Day 6) Edition

By bobbi
October 6, 2014
No Comments

AND

Outside my window…

Summers are grey and foggy but October is our hot month and it has been living up to tradition with 90 degree weather this week. Today it was in the high 70’s and normally that would be considered heat wave, but after the last few days’ heat, it felt heavenly!

Moments of gratitude…

This section counts as Day 6 of the series 31 Days of Gratitude. Today I am especially thankful for…

I was at the Mission earlier and I snapped this photo with my phone. It brought back memories of nearly 15 years ago when I was standing at that spot in my princess wedding dress waiting for the moment I was to take my dad’s arm and walk down the aisle. I still remember the big smile on Brian’s face as he watched me enter the church. It was like a dream.

Fast forward to the reality of today. Life is often loud and hectic with the kids and this past year has been a trial with the cross of Brian’s cancer. (For an update on Brian’s health, see the On the Homefront section.) However, this whole situation has brought us closer together and right now things are really in sync between us and in our marriage. I know in some marriages the years draw couples apart but, by the grace of God, instead they have made us stronger and closer. Yesterday Brian came into the kitchen and stole a kiss from me. I couldn’t help but laugh and say, “After 15 years of marriage…” and he finished my sentence, “We’re still going strong, baby.” So yeah, today I am super grateful for one of the biggest blessings in my life – Brian.

Praying…

For Brian’s continued recovery from the side effects of his chemo.
For those fighting cancer or illness.
For those in troubled marriages.
For our single friends who feel called to the vocation of marriage and are looking for a holy spouse.
For those who are suffering physically, mentally and spiritually.
For pregnant moms, moms dealing with an unwanted pregnancy and for women trying to have a child.
For some special intentions.

On the homefront……

A couple of people have been asking how Brian is doing so here’s an update. He is doing well, considering. He finished his chemo in July but he is still dealing with the side effects, namely numbness in his hands and feet. Sometimes it is not too bad but other times he is in pain and he can’t button a shirt or his walk is unsteady. (There is medication he can take but the doctor told him that the side effects are often worse than the ailment.) Time will tell if these symptoms will fade or remain. It is still too early to know yet.

Except for that, he is doing well otherwise. His last scan was a month ago and all his organs and lymph nodes were clean. He has to go for more testing at the end of the month and if he passes that then he passed his 3 month waiting period and he can get the chemo port removed from his chest. We are praying that this cancer chapter is forever closed!

Pondering…

I’ve been pondering the how long I will be able to continue with the 31 Days of Gratitude challenge. I love the idea and the concept but I wonder when I will burn out and skip a day. I haven’t so far buuut I am not exactly known for sticking with one thing until it is complete. The only exception is when an idea gets “in my head.” In those cases I will not give up until I make it happen. But normally, I’m more of a jump around from one thing to another type of gal. I can still remember distinctly the conversation my mom had with me before I was married. She basically told me I better be serious about this marriage because I can’t get tired if it and move on to something else. It is for life. Don’t worry Mom, this isn’t in the fickle category. This is the “in my head” category and I’m determined to give it my all. 😉

In the kitchen…

Monday: Leftovers from Bella’s birthday party. (Pizza and salad bar)

Tuesday: BBQ chicken and broccoli slaw.

Wednesday: Enchilada casserole & salad.

Thursday: Breakfast dinner – scrambles eggs with leftover enchiladas.

Friday: Grilled Cheese and slow cooker lentil & kale soup

Saturday: Turkey burgers and Southwestern black bean and corn salad

Sunday: Dinner at Oma & Opa’s

Around the house…

I’s been so busy I haven’t really had much time to work on any cleaning projects. The good news is that we had five of Bella’s best friends over yesterday for her birthday party so my front room looks awesome. The bad news is that we threw all the junk into my bedroom and closed the door, so that room looks like a tornado hit it. Sigh. Such is my life.

Reading…

I haven’t been reading much since I usually read before bed but I am too tired and never get past a page or two. These two books have been sitting on my nightstand for way too long.

Danielle Bean’s book Momnipotent

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Listening to…

The soundtrack for the movie Chef. Perfect music while cooking in the kitchen!!

Watching…

At the movies – I haven’t been to as many movies this month, although, since I was averaging one movie every two years when the kids were much smaller, I am doing good! I saw Dolphin Tale 2 with Bella and her friends yesterday. It was a sweet, clean family fun movie. I also saw If I Stay, which was bittersweet. It was slow at moments but I still enjoyed it. Lastly, I went to see Guardians of the Galaxy again but took Brian this time for a date night. The movie rocked but being there with my love, priceless.

On TV – All the new shows are starting up! I’ve set the DVR to record many of them, although it takes us nearly the whole year to get to them. So far sitting in the queue are Masterpiece Miss Marple, Masterpiece The Paradise, Sleepy Hollow, Gotham, The Middle, Parenthood, Gracepoint, Cedar Cove and more. Who knows which ones we’ll get to and which ones we’ll just delete. What are your “must watch” shows this fall?

On the blog…

Tomorrow (Tuesday, Oct 7) is our monthly Pinterest Party. I baked pumpkin mini donuts tonight and I’ll share the recipe and results tomorrow. (UPDATE : The recipe is here.) 🙂

In the blogosphere…

My Bloglovin feed has over 300 entries so tonight I will be skimming over some and deleting many. I’ll come back and update you with which ones I starred.

Pinned…

Photo Credit – sugarbeecrafts.com

I love how Mandy used a backdrop for a close up shot. I’m using that idea! 🙂

Linking-Up with…

The new host of Currently – Joyful Life! 🙂

Have a blessed week!

PPS – This post contains affiliate links.

Online Daybook (6/2/14): Family Walks, Menus and Praying over a Dirty Toilet

By bobbi
June 2, 2014
15 Comments

Moments of Gratitude…

Today I am especially thankful for

Family walks
Wildflowers
The sound of the kids’ giggles.
Stolen kisses in the kitchen.
Words of encouragement.
Almost the end of school.
Summer plans.

Beauty in the Ordinary…

I went for my morning walk and there were fishing boats everywhere.

If you like fresh sea food and gorgeous ocean views, come visit Monterey, CA. 🙂 (The askew shot of the horizon is bugging me but I love the colors.)

In the Kitchen…

M – Chili beans, cornbread and broccoli.

T – Chicken cacciatore with brown rice and roasted asparagus.

W – Tacos with Southwestern Black Bean Salad.

Th – Leftovers.

F – Chef Salad topped with BBQ chicken.

S – Homemade wheat pizza and Greek salad.

S – It’s Andrew’s birthday so he got to pick his favorite. He wanted tuna melts followed by chocolate cake. 🙂

Praying…

For Brian’s chemo and continued recovery from cancer.
For all those who are fighting cancer and other illnesses.
For family and friends who are pregnant.
For those trying to get pregnant that God will bless them with new life.
For those suffering from abuse, mental illness and addiction.
For the souls in purgatory.
For those most in need of God’s mercy.
For some special intentions.

On the homefront……

On Tuesday Brian started Round 4 of chemo. He has been doing really well and his blood work came out okay so we are hoping and praying things continue to go well. It’s crazy how many people are dealing with cancer right now. I mean, I knew it was a problem but not until it hit us personally did I really see how many lives are touched by it. Lately I feel like there has been one person after another that has died from cancer and it makes it harder to be positive and not dwelling on the worse. Thankfully, these last couple of days I have heard from or read about people who have fought cancer and have remained cancer-free for some time.

Life is so full of uncertainty, whether you are battling cancer or just being an innocent bystander, that you can’t really dwell on the “what ifs.” You’ve just got to keep your eyes on God and enjoy the time you’ve been blessed with your loved ones. That is sometimes difficult when I am knee deep in normal family chaos but the right attitude (and sense of humor) can make it not only bearable but enjoyable.

Pondering…

I’ve been trying to add more little acts of prayer to help combat my tendency to complain about the my mommy chores.

* * * * *

Previous Version – Scene 1: In the laundry room.

As I am sorting out clothes and I see that one of the littles used his sleeve as a napkin again and got chocolate stains on his light colored shirt. As I’m scrubbing the stain my mind says, “Ugh! Why did I ever buy this guy a light colored shirt. That was so stupid. And why can’t that kid ever use a napkin. How many times have I told him not to wipe his mouth on his sleeve. And who gave him chocolate anyway? He’s only supposed to eat chocolate on the weekend. Ugh. It’s like talking to a wall around here…” (Anger rises until I snap at the next person who tries to talk to me.)

Updated version

As I’m scrubbing the stain, “Sigh. Chocolate stains. I give it to you, God. Scrubbing this stain is what you are asking of me at this moment in time but note to self – no more light colored shirts for the boys. How did he get chocolate anyway? Oh, yeah. That was when Opa babysat the kids so Brian and I could go out to lunch. Oh, that was so nice. I love spending time with Brian. How did I ever get so blessed to have such a man in my life….” (Brian comes into the laundry room and I give him a big kiss. He is more than pleased. ;-))

Previous Version – Scene 2: In the bathroom

One of my little men had trouble aiming into the toilet. As I am cleaning up the mess my mind says, “What is wrong with that kid? Why is it so hard for him to aim in the toilet? If he would stop fooling around and pay attention to what he is doing I wouldn’t be stuck here cleaning up this mess…”

Updated version

“He missed again. Well, at least he is finally potty trained. I remember how hard that was. He can be so stubborn at times. Brian says he gets that from me. haha. Lord, help my little guy and his stubborn ways. He has such a good and loving heart. Help me as a mom to bring out his best qualities…”

* * * * *

Yeah, okay so maybe I don’t always sound just like that and maybe I’m sometimes cussing under my breath but I have asked my guardian angel to nudge me when I am going to lose it and I do try to turn it into a prayer or not try to get so upset. And when I can’t get the words out I simply say a Hail Mary (or a decade) as I work. I’ve prayed many a Hail Marys as I’ve scrubbed a toilet. 😉

Around the house…

Well, from the sounds of it dirty toilets and chocolate stains. 😉

Reading…

I finished reading The Fault in Our Stars and will see the movie later this week. I have mixed feelings about the book. I’ll try and wrangle those thoughts to paper and post a review.

My next book to finish is Jen’s Something Other Than God: How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It. Loving it so far.

I have skimmed over The Little Oratory: A Beginner’s Guide to Praying in the Home but tonight I want to sit down and really focus on Chapter 1 so I can join along with Elizabeth and Leila as they discuss it on their podcast. Elizabeth is also hosting a link-up for you to share your own thoughts. Check it out here.

Listening to…

Relient K’s Collapsible Lung and Matthew and John-Paul laugh at the antics of Peppa Pig and George.

Watching…

Austenland (It was just so-so but I am a fan of the actor that played the Darcy-like character.) Saving Mr. Banks (Brian had not seen it yet.) The Book Thief (I really love this movie.)

On the blog…

I am putting together a list of weekly Link-Ups from various Catholic bloggers. I love link-ups, although I have been wanting to do a little more “meat and potato” posts than just link-ups. That is why I posted Despite What You May Think… You Are a Good Mom a couple days ago. I was reading through the comments and these three especially touched me and got me thinking about the topic even more…

One thing that encourages me is that I remember that even though I feel so far below those “perfect” moms, *I* am the mother that God chose for my children. Considering He doesn’t make mistakes, there must be good reason for them coming to me even though I don’t sew curtains or make wonderful meals or run marathons and couldn’t keep a blog going to save my life. I guess He knew that whatever strengths I have, those are the ones my kids need. It seems like God had the same thing in mind when he gave your kids to you, and your sister’s kids to her… (Sharon)

***

I think we all struggle with these feelings, but I also feel that whenever you undertake anything you care about you worry that you might not be giving it everything you can. And your children keep growing and changing so that you can’t really stay on top of things. So I try to remind myself that I have these feelings because I care so deeply and not because I am inadequate. But I am far from a perfect mother, of course! (Rita)

***

I think sometimes when we haven’t faced a particular challenge as a parent (or just in life) it’s hard to imagine what it’s really like. There are so many things that I just couldn’t have imagined and that I would have said was parenting before having a child on the spectrum and I think that having a kid with ASD has opened my eyes to how many different ways can be right, depending on the kid and family… (Cam)

I love the online interaction and in turn I will comment more on other blogs I read to let them know I appreciate their words. 🙂

Also on the blog, being the month of June, which brings us many June brides, I am working on a couple marriage related posts. I’m hoping the next Pinterest Party will be marriage related so get your posts raedy to link! It can be money saving tips, wedding decor or posts about living a God centered marriage. More details coming!

In the blogosphere…

5 Ways to Cut Down on Whining by Whole Parenting Family

What Slowing Down Will Teach You

Ten Books of Poems for Kids by Everyday Snapshots

Summer Shakespeare Chat: Much Ado About Nothing by Clan Donaldson

What if our Lord sang that? (Vol. 1) by My Life as a Fireman’s Wife

Pinned…

See my latest pins here – pinterest.com/rol_bobbi/pins/.

Here are my two favorite of this week…

The Ronald Reagan Guide to Essential Oils//Call Her Happy

From the Garden: Fresh Mint Homemade Ice Cream Recipe // Carrots for Michaelmas

Plans for the Week…

School is winding down so we have a number of school activities on the schedule. Thursday is mama’s movie night. (I put the kids to bed and tuck in Brian with a good book or the remote and then head out for one of my favorite pastimes – watching a movie on the big screen.) This week it is The Fault in Our Stars. This weekend is also Andrew’s birthday and we wants an ocean theme party and a trip to the Aquarium. Fun. 🙂

Captured…

A couple more photos from our family walk.

Linking-Up with…

Jenny at The Littlest Way

A Mama Collective’s Currently

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Online Daybook (5/19/14) and Currently and Answer Me This Mash-up

By bobbi
May 19, 2014
9 Comments

Moments of Gratitude…

Today I am especially thankful for

Family time.
Quiet time with Brian.
Spring walks.
Seeing the light at the end of a huge laundry tunnel.
A tax return that paid for a new desktop computer because the old one finally bit the dust.
Little boys that are playing (relatively) quiet so I can blog. 😉

Beauty in the Ordinary…

You’ll see a lot of ice plants in these coastal areas and our backyard is in full bloom with their flowers.

In the Kitchen…

M – Turkey burgers, coleslaw and veggies

T – Pork Roast, brown rice, broccoli

W – Soup and tuna salad sandwiches (We have a school function that evening so quickie dinner.)

Th – Grilled Chicken and All Hail Kale Salad

F – Breakfast dinner

S – Leftovers

S – Dinner at Oma and Opa’s

Praying…

For Brian’s chemo and continued recovery from cancer.
For all those who are fighting cancer and other illnesses.
For my brother-in-law who left home for training before being deployed to Afghanistan.
For my sister, his newlywed bride, that she is given the strength and courage to endure the separation.
For all our military, especially those we’ve adopted.
For the military wives and family left behind.
For peace throughout the world and in the hearts of mankind.
For all those who suffer abuse or are victims of crime, especially the kidnapped Nigerian girls and particular Na’omi Bitrus, the girl I chose to keep in prayer.

On the homefront……

Today starts Brian’s off week of chemo. He is officially half way done with treatment. Yay! He starts round four on Tuesday. Since the doc adjusted his meds, this third round was not as difficult as the second. He’s hanging in there. Thanks for the continued prayers! 🙂 We had such a lovely weekend together and I made sure we spent time as a family and that Brian had time with me while the kids were at the in-laws. It’s so wonderful to see him smiling and happy.

Pondering…

My prayer life. During Lent it was going really well. I was spending time each day in meditative prayer with God and it was helping with my attitude and keeping the family in harmony. Frankly, after Easter and going on our spring vacation, it was like I also took a vacation from my prayer routine. All those lessons I was learning in the Restore workshop were falling to the wayside. I could feel the negative effect of it – it gets much harder to be at peace amidst the chaos when I am going at it alone. I need to keep on top of my prayer routine. It doesn’t take away the trials of the day but it helps greatly in keeping me focused on God so I can take care of Brian and the kids and keep a peaceful atmosphere at home.

Time in prayer with God is key but I also know that taking care of myself, having alone time to recharge and having time alone with Brian for us to reconnect is also vital. I was talking to Brian about this yesterday and told him I am going to work on getting back on track and reinstall the disciplines that were helping us. First on the agenda – a schedule change so I get some prayer time in the morning; Second – Confession for a good soul scrubbing and a boost of grace; Third – schedule a date this weekend with Brian. After all, we’re better and happier parents when we keep our love and friendship alive and growing. 🙂

Around the house…

You’ll find a new computer in our front room since our old one was hanging by a thread. Thankfully, I learned from my previous mistakes and back upped all my docs, photos and videos on an external drive so I wouldn’t lose them. As I was looking through some old folders, I found a bunch of old videos I took of the boys when they were all babies and toddlers. The boys spend almost an hour watching through them and giggling at their cuteness. Why does time have to go by so incredibly fast? Sigh.

Reading…

Same as last week.

Something Other Than God: How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It.

The Little Oratory: A Beginner’s Guide to Praying in the Home

The Fault in Our Stars

Listening to…

h/t creative minority report.com

This Frozen’s Let It Go – Mom Parody. It’s hilarious.

Watching…

Mr. Selfridge Season 2, Grimm, The Middle, Hallmark’s Signed, Sealed and Delivered past seasons of Veronica Mars and Big Bang Theory. (Bazinga!) 😉

On the blog…

I’m finishing up a post with an update on my Menu Board and a post listing all the weekly link-ups available to Catholic bloggers. Sometimes it takes a link up to get us motivated to write and post on a regular basis. 😉 I’ll also continue on the Restore series.

In the blogosphere…

Yesterday I meant to link up with Kendra / Haley for Answer Me This but I never got around to it so I’ll answer the questions here instead.

1. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever been in your yard?

Hmmm… the only thing that comes to mind is when Brian and I were living in a rental when Bella was our only child. Outiode our front door there was a wasp nest and every time we got near it the wasps got angry. We had to go around the side and enter our home from the rear until we could get the landlord to take care of it.

2. Beards. Thumbs up or thumbs down?

I would say I’m thumbs up 75% of the time. There are a few faces I’ve seen that actually look better clean shaven. I grew up with my dad having a beard and a number of my 5 brothers having beards at various times so it seems natural to me. I relished when Brian came home for the hospital after his surgery in January and had a beard. He let me enjoy it for a few weeks before shaving it off.

3. If stuff breaks, can you fix it?

Depends on what it is. If someone gets a hole in their stiffed animal or loses a button, then Brian is the one to fix it. If something electrical breaks down – computer, TV, ipod, then I’m the one to get it running again. Anything requiring hammer and nails or tools is a toss up. But fixing a car? Hopeless.

4. What was your first car?

source

It looked something like this only I think the curves were a little chubbier and rounder. (Kinda like me. ;-))

My first car was a white Chevrolet Prizm. I was spending the weekend with girl friends and when my parents came to pick me up they had this new shiny, white car. I thought it was a rental. They took the money I was saving for a used smaller car and helped me with the down payment on this car instead. I was ECSTATIC. I remember that every night I would go out in the garage and sit in it and smell the new car smell for a few minutes before going to bed. LOL. I know there is a photo is of me sitting in the car on the day my parents delivered it but I can’t find it. Do you have it, mom?

5. How often do you eat out?

Nothing like we used to! There were times when we’d eat out 3 times a week. Now that we eat healthier it is more likely to be once every 2-3 weeks. Our treat it a burrito bowl at Chipotles. Yum!

6. Why is your hair like that?

Because every now and then God likes to play a mean joke. 😉

I have thick, dry, unruly, curly hair. I have been able to tame it using these products. These days, I keep it shoulder length so I can wear it down for special occasions but 99% of the time I have it up and off my neck with a scarf/bandana.

Pinned…

My timer is almost up so here is a screen shot of my latest pics. Get the links here – pinterest.com/rol_bobbi/pins/

Plans for the Week…

On Wednesday Bella is participating in her first school musical. They are doing Peter Pan Jr and she plays one of the Indians. I am not sure if we are doing anything special for Memorial Day but I’ll see if my father-in-law can babysit the kids so Brian and I can go out on a lunch date before he starts his 4th round of chemo.

Captured…

I never posted the photos from Mother’s Day so here are a few shots I captured.

John-Paul’s preschool had a Mothers’ Day tea. 🙂

John-Paul in his class.

Matthew. He starts preschool here next year. He can’t wait. 🙂

A quick snap.

All my treasured homemade gifts from the kids.

Linking-Up with…

Jenny at The Littlest Way

A Mama Collective’s Currently

Answer Me This

PPS – This post may contain affiliate links.

Online Daybook (5/7/14): Being Mary Poppins & The Importance of Online Friends

By bobbi
May 7, 2014
5 Comments

Moments of Gratitude…

Today I am especially thankful for

Family.
Friends who pray for us and love us, especially those who have never met us in person.
The heat wave leaving and the fog rolling in.
The smell (and taste) of fresh baked granola.
A day of no errand running (other than dropping off and picking up kids) so I can finally finish this post, do some baking and catch up on house work.

Beauty in the Ordinary…

I love ordinary Sundays that turn into an impromptu lunch date with the hubby because Opa was willing to watch all the kids at the last minute.

In the Kitchen…

M – (Cinco de Mayo) Chicken tacos, homemade pinto beans, green beans and guac/salsa.

T – Spaghetti and salad.

W – Turkey meatloaf, brown rice and roasted asparagus.

Th – Homemade wheat pizza and Greek salad.

F – Tuna Melts & tomato soup.

S – Leftovers.

S – (Mother’s Day’s/The in-laws are coming over for dinner) Enchilada lasagna, black beans, broccoli and salad.

Side Note – When we went out to lunch I was craving a chicken Caesar salad. Do any of you have a recipe for a healthy version that you like?

Praying…

For Brian’s chemo and continued recovery from cancer.
For all those who are fighting cancer and other illnesses.
For all moms.
For those who suffer with longing to be a mom.
For moms who have lost a child.
For moms dealing with an unwanted pregnancy.
For moms who feel burned out, stressed or alone.
For those who have lost their mom.

On the homefront……

On Monday Brian started his third round of chemo. Once he is done with this round he is half way done with chemo treatment. Brian talked to the doctor about some of the “red flags” that were showing up in his side effects. The doc said Brian’s dosage needed to be altered so we’ll see how it affects him.

Pondering…

source

It’s funny but this weekend I was thinking that I have to make sure that I am prepared to care for the house and kids solo since the first week of the chemo cycle is hardest on Brian. I also knew that I had to try my best not to get stressed out in front of Brian because I know it bothers him that he needs to sleep while I do the work. If I am yelling at the kids and huffing about this and that, it will only make him feel worse. I knew I had to smile, be cheerful and give him lots of reassuring kisses that the kids and I are okay and we’ll pull together to keep things running smoothly.

Well, God must have wanted to put an exclamation point on that thought because my mom calls me up and tells me that she needs me to do something. She said she needs me to be Mary Poppins this week. HUH?? She said she was about to make lunch when she had a strong urge to call me and tell me that Brian needs me, really needs me. I have to be the heart and strength of the family right now and channel my feistiness into fighting this cancer by being Mary Poppins – not losing my temper, keeping the kids and house in order and letting Brian know that he can relax and focus on getting better, not worrying about us. It’s exactly what God has been putting on my heart.

Monday and Tuesday the grace was flowing and I was Poppin it all over the place. But this morning was one of those morning when everything was going wrong and I felt more like Ursula than Mary Poppins. After getting Bella and Andrew to school I had a 10 minute window before I had to get the little boys ready for school. I stopped to pray and pleaded with God to take the anger and calm me down. I asked for the calmness of Mother Mary. It helped, a lot. I was able to kiss Brian goodbye and get the boys off without losing it. Sometimes a bit of prayer is the spoonful of sugar you need. 😉

Around the house…

I’m going through all the kids’ old clothes and seeing what is worth handing down and what should just be given away.

Reading…

Although my sister is sending me a hard copy, I couldn’t wait to start reading so I also downloaded the kindle version of Jen’s new book Something Other Than God: How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It.

I also just started reading…

The Little Oratory: A Beginner’s Guide to Praying in the Home

The Fault in Our Stars

Listening to…

Matthew singing the Frozen song, “In Summer.” (With great emphasis on the word Summerrrrrrrrrr.)

Watching…

We are catching up on DVR’ed shows – Mr. Selfridge Season 2 (They kept their pants on this season.), Blechley Cirlce Season 2 (Not sure if I liked it as much as season 1.) , Revenge (Conrad got it this time!) The Blacklist (I’m on the edge of my seat!), Fr. Brown, Grimm (I’m loving Truble.) and Hallmark’s Signed, Sealed and Delivered.

On the blog…

Running late since this post should have been posted Monday. 😉

In the blogosphere…

This morning I read a heartfelt post from Haley titled Dear Moms, Don’t Hate Yourself for Liking Social Media. Here is a snippet:

…I don’t think the importance of face-to-face friendship makes online community worthless. It’s easy to dismiss social media friendship because the dangers of obsessing over virtual life are so obvious. But, I think online community can be incredibly valuable.

Because what’s a mama to do during those times when pursuing face-to-face community is nearly impossible? Your kids have been sick for two weeks so you’re stuck at home. You live in a rural area and can’t make it into town daily. You’re on the couch with morning sickness. Your days are filled with medical appointments for a child who needs extra care due to health issues. You’re recovering from a miscarriage. You’re having difficulty finding friends who understand your lifestyle or faith? What do you do then when you need community more than ever but can’t just hop over to a girlfriend’s house for a heart-to-heart?

I think that’s when online community really can be wonderful. Both to connect us to our established relationships with real life friends and to connect us to like-minded women all over the world who are willing to share life together despite never meeting in person.

Bonnie echoed the same sentiment when she said…

One day Cari Donaldson made the comment that it didn’t matter if she only knew you through the internet. If she talked to you every day and thought of you as a friend you were a friend. An in real life friend.

Her declaration allowed me to let out a sigh of relief because suddenly I didn’t feel like a weirdo – the only one who felt that way about her online friends. These women who I chat with and pray for every day, who happen to live in other states and time zones and countries, whom I had never actually met in real life: THEY WERE MY FRIENDS!

I love Haley and Bonnie’s posts because I can completely relate. I have local Catholic mom friends but we are all so busy we don’t get to see each other face to face as often as we’d like. Plus, they aren’t social media happy/crazy the way I am so we don’t have that daily contact. My online friends understand the bond you can have with a person without meeting them. (Heck, I fell in love with my husband before seeing him in person!) So it is nice to know that they, and so many others, share that bond and understand how important it is in on our lives. 🙂 So to you, that long distance, unmet friend reading this, a big xoxo to you! 😉

This topic is being covered today by four other bloggers. I just read Kendra’s and it is hilarious. Next I have to go check out Molly, Mandi, and Christy.

Pinned…

Not much time for Pinterest but I did pin this one.

source

gluten free and low carb strawberry mug cakes

Plans for the Week…

I am hoping for a quiet week, although on Thursday there is a mother’s day party at John-Paul’s preschool and on Sunday we’ll have Brian’s parents over for dinner. 🙂

Captured…