13): Movies, More Movies & HolyLens and Theme Thursday: Rich

By bobbi
March 23, 2014
10 Comments

I’m a little late but I’m linking up with Jen for 7 Quick Takes and Cari for Theme Thursday: Rich. (Scroll down to #7 for that.) 🙂

~ 1 ~

Well, I took a blogging break this week. Not by choice but more by circumstance. It has been such a busy week that I haven’t had the time, particularly since I am trying to get to bed a little earlier at night. Plus, what spare time I do have I’ve been trying to work on the Restore Workshop. It has actually been going well even though there were a few days I didn’t even touch the material. However, I have been making up the days I missed so I’ll be on track by Monday. I’ll share more of what God’s been teaching me next week.

~ 2 ~

The other day my little brother sent me an invite to join Letterboxd.com. If you are unfamiliar with it, the same way Goodreads is for those who like to share what they are reading, Letterboxd is for those who like to share what movies they watch. It’s fun for me to see what my brother is watching and get recommendations for my Netflix queue. In the next couple of weeks I’ll be putting together some lists such as – My Fave Hitchcock Movies, Fave Classic Movies, My Fave Literary Adaptations, Fave Religious Movies and Movies Bella and I Enjoy Watching Together and more. If you have a Twitter or Facebook account you can link them together. (People can follow you just as they do on Twitter.) If you do join let me know so I can add you as a movie friend. 🙂 You can find me here.

~ 3 ~

Waiting for the movie to start and eating popcorn with missing teeth. (Note to self – the boys need a haircut.) 🙂

Speaking of movies, Friday night it was Family Fun Night at the kid’s school. The kids bring their sleeping bags and blanket to the gym and watch a movie with popcorn and a light dinner provided. The movie was Frozen, which Bella and I already saw but the boys hadn’t seen it yet. Bella was eager to sit with her friends but the three amigos stuck together with me and Brian and the popcorn. It was actually a lot of fun. 🙂

~ 4~

Oh and speaking of Frozen, have you seen the video of the guy singing “Let It Go” in the voices of 21 Disney and Pixar characters?? If you haven’t seen it yet it is worth watching! Very impressive. 🙂

~ 5 ~

When we got home Friday night we put the kids to bed then Brian and I settled down for a Friday night movie. I rented two and we chose to watch The Great Gatsby. Did you like it? I couldn’t stand it. After about 20 minutes or so I looked over at Brian’s uninterested face and said, “This is so boring!” He agreed. Maybe it was the stylized way it was filmed or the depressing storyline. I don’t know. We turned it off and I decided to read the book instead. Good thing I also rented The Amazing Spiderman. Maybe that says something about my intellect, but I actually really enjoyed that one and will most likely watch the upcoming The Amazing Spiderman 2 coming to theaters on May 2. 🙂

~ 6 ~

So you don’t think I only watch movies, there was also an interesting post my sister had on her Facebook page – BBC Believes You Only Read 6 of These Books… The average Goodreads member has read 23 out of 100 books on this list. I need to read one more to hit that since I’ve only read 22 so far. How did you do?

~ 7 ~

Lastly, I feel like I dialed it in for this week’s Theme Thursday: Rich since I remembered about it late Thursday night while I was in line at the theater to watch Divergent so I had to use the photos I had on my phone and some apps to make this collage before the movie started. But the sentiment remains the same. These guys make me RICH!

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And since my mom isn’t on Instagram, here are some of the other #holylens photos I’ve posted. (Enjoy, mom.) 🙂

House

I pass this cute house when I take the kids to school.

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Master

My little master of disguises is still on his superhero kick.

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Covenant

It was 14 1/2 years ago that I entered into a marriage covenant with this amazing man.

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Mercy

“Do not thou, O Lord, withhold thy mercies from me, let thy steadfast love & thy faithfulness ever preserve me.” Psalms 40:11.

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Law

We’re teaching the kids God’s laws with the help of Surfer Dude Jesus.

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Reconcile

I’m reconciled to the fact that my fun Friday nights now involve staying in, choosing a movie from our movie bins and maybe even sneaking in a bowl of cereal. #partylikeamom

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Contrite

This morning I wrote an apology note to Brian. I was feeling contrite for expecting him to read my mind instead of me coming straight out and telling him what’s wrong.

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Father

This is one of my favorite places to sit and talk to my Father. The beauty and majesty of his creation is a constant reminder that if he can do *anything*. Likewise, in his eyes, we are his beautiful creations.

Happy Sunday!

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. 😉

7 Quick Takes (3/8/14): Chemo Update, Meatless Meals & When Calls the Heart

By bobbi
March 9, 2014
7 Comments

It’s Saturday evening and I have 30 minutes participate in Jen’s 7 Quick Takes. Here it goes.

~ 1 ~

The view from the window at the Cancer Center.

Cancer Update: Yesterday I went with Brian to his introductory chemo class. He was supposed to start chemo on Monday but his surgeon moved back the date for another two weeks so that the port he put in his chest could heal up more. He is scheduled to begin chemo on Monday, March 24. It was a little strange being there and seeing the room with all the chemo chair recliners and learning about the side effects and precautions we have to take etc but Brian was in good spirits, considering everything going on. At least the view out the window is pretty and peaceful. It looks out the hills surrounding the center.

It’s funny that yesterday I felt fine and was pleased that Brian seemed okay and felt he could handle it and we’d manage this journey together. However, tonight as we were coming home from Mass he made a comment about the chemo and I had a delayed reaction. I had to fight the tears back as it all started to sink in… all the side effects and the possibility that it may not work. I had to let it go and not allow myself to go down that road. But sometimes I wonder… what is the emotionally healthier thing to do? To let the fear into my heart and then cry it out. Or to not allow myself to think about it…to keep my thoughts on the surface and not go deeper. Is that being in denial? I don’t know what I should be feeling. Or perhaps I should say, I don’t know what to do with how I am feeling.

~ 2 ~

Mwah – I do know one thing, Brian and I truly, truly appreciate your prayers and your concern, especially from those people who have shared their own cancer stories. I have read your comments and emails to him and he is touched by them. Please forgive me for not answering all your comments. Don’t think I do not love hearing from you. So if I did not answer you right away, I’m sending you here a big XOXO of thanks! 😉

~ 3 ~

Movie Matinee – This afternoon Bella and I were able to slip away for a couple of hours to see Frozen. Bella already saw it with her aunts and uncles when it first came out but I wasn’t able to go with her. So we finally went to see it before it left the movie theaters. I really loved it and the music. (I downloaded the soundtrack when I got home.) 🙂 I also love that Bella is still at an age when she doesn’t mind having mother daughter outings with me. I am treasuring all these moments! Thankfully, when we got home Brian and the house were still in one piece. As we drove up our driveway we could hear the boys (aka. Anakin Skywalker, Coty the Clonetrooper and Master Yoda) yelling and playing in the backyard to the sheer delight of all our neighbors. 😉

~ 4 ~

Say what? – Oh, something else I did today was try a new recipe that my sister-in-law posted on Facebook. It is for a brownie made out of black beans instead of flour. Ugh! Can you imagine?? However, my curiosity got the best of me and I made a batch for the kids for their Sunday morning treat. I just took them out of the oven and they smell good but who knows what it will actually taste like. I’ll wait to taste it tomorrow. We’ll find out if it actually is a treat or another Lenten sacrifice. 😉 (If it turns out decent I’ll share it at Tuesday’s Pinterest Party.)

~ 5 ~

Beyond the Fish Stick – Speaking of recipes, it’s time for Beth Anne’s third annual Lenten Meal Plans Link-up. She is teaming up with Sarah and Abbey to give us an online home where we can share our favorite meatless meals and recipes. Beth Anne also has a Pinterest board to go with the link-up. Plenty o’ inspiration!

~ 6~

In the Kitchen – I also added a page on the blog menu (see above) for recipes. I have struggled in the kitchen but after a lot of practice I feel a lot more comfortable and now find joy in trying new recipes. I made a list of the recipes I’ve shared here on the blog. There is also a section of meatless meals for Lent. However, I did leave off the list previous recipes I posted that were high in sugar and low in nutrition since we don’t eat that anymore. Sigh.

~ 7 ~

When Calls the Heart – Okay, my time is up. Brian just came in and he is ready to watch a movie with me. Actually, we’ve been watching a lot of action/superhero movies so tonight we will catch up on the new Hallmark series When Calls the Heart. It is based on the book(s) When Calls the Heart (Canadian West Book #1) by Janet Oke. The show has a “Little House on the Prairie” feel, perhaps because it is directed by Michael Landon, Jr. Plus, I am a sucker for a romance story and I’m rooting for Elizabeth and Jack. 😉

Have a good night and don’t forget to set your clocks forward. I would share my thoughts on Day Light Savings Time but I don’t want to use that kind of language, especially during Lent. Grr. 😉

7 Quick Takes (2/28/14): Zombies, Jane Austen & BBC

By bobbi
February 28, 2014
1 Comment

Today is Day 5 of my participation in Jen’s 7 Posts in 7 Days Challenge and I am linking up with her 7 Quick Takes.

~ 1 ~

This cold and stormy night has me in the mood for hot chocolate and zombies. But before I start my wild Friday night (snort) I just remembered I forgot to make a post today. So let’s see what I can get done in 20 minutes. Ready. Steady. Go!

~ 2 ~

Speaking of zombies, Cari was talking about starting a TV recap of The Walking Dead. I’m all for it! TWD is about as opposite as you can get from Downton Abbey but I love them equally. Besides the show is not so much about the zombies but the human spirit, overcoming incredible obstacles and the relationships and interactions of the survivors, with a little zombie gore thrown in. 😉 Anyway, I’m looking forward to reading it and adding my two cents.

~ 3 ~

Speaking of The Walking Dead, the show has ruined the 2008 Sense and Sensibility for me. I used to love this version but it is painful to watch Colonel Brandon because all I see is the psycho Governor (and poor Hershel). It is also weird to see Downton Abbey’s Matthew courting Elinor as Edward. Oh, well. What are your favorite Jane Austen adaptions?

~ 4 ~

Speaking of Jane Austen, have you read the book Death Comes to Pemberely by P.D. James? Amazon says:

It is 1803, six years since Elizabeth and Darcy embarked on their life together at Pemberley, Darcy’s magnificent estate. Their peaceful, orderly world seems almost unassailable. Elizabeth has found her footing as the chatelaine of the great house. They have two fine sons, Fitzwilliam and Charles. Elizabeth’s sister Jane and her husband, Bingley, live nearby; her father visits often; there is optimistic talk about the prospects of marriage for Darcy’s sister Georgiana. And preparations are under way for their much-anticipated annual autumn ball.

Then, on the eve of the ball, the patrician idyll is shattered. A coach careens up the drive carrying Lydia, Elizabeth’s disgraced sister, who with her husband, the very dubious Wickham, has been banned from Pemberley. She stumbles out of the carriage, hysterical, shrieking that Wickham has been murdered. With shocking suddenness, Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery.

I read mixed reviews of the book and was debating whether or not I should read it. But then I found out that the book was made in a BBC TV mini series staring Matthew Rhys as Darcy and Anna Maxwell Martin as Elizabeth. I am not sure if I would have chosen her as Elizabeth even though I absolutely loved her as Esther in Bleak House. Anyway, the mini-series will be coming to PBS’ Masterpiece this year so I am going to go ahead and read the book before I watch it.

~ 5 ~

Speaking of the actress Anna Maxwell Martin, Brian and I really enjoyed her in The Bletchley Circle. It is a mystery/thriller story that takes place in 1952. Four women who worked at the wartime code-breaking center, Bletchley Park, reunite to track down a serial killer. The show will re-air Thursday, March 27, 2013 on PBS. In spring, they will be showing Season 2 of The Bletchley Cirlce as well as Season 3 of Call of the Midwife. Lots of good stuff!

~ 6 ~

Speaking of watching a movie, Brian is ready to watch the movie so my time is up.

~ 7 ~

Have a great night. See you back here Saturday. (Ack! Two more posts to go!) 😉

7 Quick Takes (2/21/14) and Theme Thursday: Dishes

By bobbi
February 21, 2014
2 Comments

I’m linking up with Jen for today’s 7 Quick Takes. 🙂

AND I’m linking up with Cari for Theme Thursday: Dishes. (Scroll down to #5 for that one. ) 😉

~ 1 ~

Mama Time – Aw, it is that magic time of the evening – 7:30 PM. We finally have our bedtime routine down pat so by 7:30 all the boys are tucked in bed with the lights out and Bella is reading quietly in her room. Andrew and John-Paul sleep in the same room and Matthew, like all the little guys did, sleeps in our room until he turns three. (Then he graduates with the big boys.) I turn off the lights and stay in the room with Matthew until he falls asleep, which takes anywhere from 5-15 minutes. In the dark, stillness of the room I either read or turn on my laptop and start typing (or browsing) for the next hour while Brian showers and prepares for the next day. Then we meet back in the family room at 8:30 to spend time together, chat and watch a show or movie. As much as I love my life as a mom, I relish this quiet time to relax after a hard day and unwind.

~ 2 ~

Tender-hearted Wrestlers – It’s funny how the boys can drive me up the wall with their antics and constant NOISE but this evening as I passed their room, I saw Andrew helping John-Paul button up his pajama top. It was so sweet to watch them working together. It reminded me of earlier in the day when Matthew’s toy broke and John-Paul said, “Don’t worry, Matty. You can play with my toy instead,” and he gave it to him. It melted my heart. So although most of the time they are jumping around and wrestling each other (and with his shirt off, Matthew has the physique of Nachooooooo) it’s nice to get those tender moments that reveal their sweet nature and loving hearts.

~ 3~

Brian Update – A big thanks for your continued prayers for Brian. He is recovering well from his surgery and will be able to go back to work in another week. Although on Tuesday he will have outpatient surgery to put a port into his chest for his upcoming chemo. I googled it to see what it looked like and it was not pretty. Let’s hope it’s better than I am imagining. The whole situation is weird because he seems back to normal (besides all the weight he’s lost) and at times I forget about this whole mess but then I remember that the cancer is still inside him. I worry that it is growing while he is recovering from his surgery. But I do my best to put those thoughts aside and ask God to grant us a miracle and banish the cancer from his body. Until then, we keep fighting.

Speaking of my sweet man, he is ready to relax and watch a movie with me so I’ll finish this in the morning. Have a good night! 🙂

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Good morning. I only have a few minutes to finish this so I’ll try to get it done quickly. 🙂

~ 4 ~

Jen Throws Down A Challenge – My fingers will be busy next week since Jen is hosting another blogging challenge of 7 Posts in 7 Days. It was a lot of fun the last time and I’ll see if I’ll be able to make it through next week. I have enough favorite link ups to inspire me each day of the week! 😉

~ 5 ~

One of those favorite link-ups is Cari’s Theme Thursday, even though I am a day late for this week’s challenge of DISHES. I thought I could snap an easy pic of the dirty dishes sitting on the sink but I have a sneaky feeling some of you have a load of your own dirty dishes waiting for you. 🙂 Instead I am submitting this photo I took of the banana oatmeal honey cookies (no sugar) that I got from my sister. I’ll most likely post the recipe on Tuesday’s Pinterest Party, unless my sis asks me not to because she wants to post the recipe. What say you, sis?

When Brian and I moved into our first real home (not longer renting an apartment) we decorated in a sort of Spanish Mission style. I found these red dishes at Costco and fell in love with them. (I’m not a dainty dish girl. I am a sturdy stock girl.) 🙂

~ 6 ~

Mamarazzi – Spaking of photos, I’ve been having fun participating in the SlowMama Photography Challenge on Instagram. Instead of having a topic each day, we only have to take one photo a day for the month of February. So far I haven’t missed a day. For those of you that don’t follow me on Instagram (bobbi_rol), like you, Mom, 😉 here are some shots I took with my iphone in the past week.

Taken at the Carmel Mission. This reminds me of a page out of yesteryear.

After we drop off John-Paul at preschool, Matthew always asks if we can “go see Dedus” (go see Jesus). I’m happy to make a visit to the Adoration chapel with him. I love to see him “praying.” He reminds me of his Daddy. 🙂

Time for whole grain blueberry pancakes.

Taken the other day during one of our morning walks along the beach.

Matthew is enjoying the scenery.

During this time of year you can catch a lot of harbor seals along the beach.

It is fascinating to watch them waddle along the sand or jump into the water.

If you are one of my snow bound friends, I pray that the sun shines on your face and spring reaches you very soon!

~ 7 ~

Have you ever been on instagram and wanted to pin a photo to Pinterest or repost a photo that you loved? There are a few online sites that can do that but my favorite is Statigr.am. They also have a lot of cool stats about your photos. For example, these are my top five liked photos.

Okay, my time is up but I’ll be back soon for 7 Post in 7 Days. Have a blessed Friday! 🙂

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

By bobbi
January 30, 2014
6 Comments

I’m linking up with beloved Jen for this week’s 7 Quick Takes.

~ 1 ~

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!

~ 2 ~

My mom and my sisters are back home now so I’ll be managing the house, the kids and Brian’s recovery solo. It’s a little daunting but I know God is using this opportunity to help me grow in the virtues I struggle with the most like patience and selflessness and fortitude. Yeah, this is going to be really interesting. 😉

~ 3 ~

This week was the 201st anniversary of Pride and Prejudice. In honor of the day, I ordered the Jane Austen bookmarks I mentioned in last week’s Five Favorites. Okay, truth be told, I had no idea it was the 201st anniversary when I ordered them. It was just a coincidence. However, I danced a little jig when happy mail arrived from the UK. 😉

~ 4~

Speaking of Pride and Prejudice, as much as I love the book, it is not my favorite Austen novel. Persuasion is actually my favorite. I also love Emma but that is more because I fell in love with Mr. Knightly at a time when I was choosing all the wrong kind of men. Mr. Knightly was my inspiration that lead me to dating Brian. In fact, I think I have a post about Mr. Knightly in my draft folder. I should find it and finish it. In the meantime, what’s your favorite Austen novel?

~ 5 ~

Speaking of posts in my Drafts folder, I forgot I had to finish the post about my planner. I am big on making check lists because if I don’t, all that info just pours out of my brain like a sieve. My planner is a collection of my to do lists and other info. I’ll finish it up and post it, hopefully, on Tuesday. 🙂

~ 6 ~

There is still time to join this week’s Pinterest Party and Link-up. My sister linked up a recipe she found on Pinterest for grain free chocolate donuts. For being a healthy treat, they look delicious! I definitely want to try them. 🙂

~ 7 ~

And since I am mentioning family, congrats to my little brother Jake who recently got engaged. I am so excited to welcome Amanda into our big, crazy family. 🙂

Okay, time for bed. Have a great night/day!

Revolution of Love

Do small things with great love.

Tag Archives: 7 quick takes

7 Quick Takes (3/22/13): Movies, More Movies & HolyLens and Theme Thursday: Rich

7 Quick Takes (3/8/14): Chemo Update, Meatless Meals & When Calls the Heart

7 Quick Takes (2/28/14): Zombies, Jane Austen & BBC

7 Quick Takes (2/21/14) and Theme Thursday: Dishes

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