Revolution of Love

Revolution of Love

Do small things with great love.

7 Quick Takes (7/19/15) & Answer Me This

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When summer began I was so excited to have some time to myself to get things done. What the heck happened? Summer vacation is half over and I feel like I am running around busier now that I was during the school year. As a result, posting here has been sparse and there have been way too may blah, blah, blah posts that don’t really serve much more than letting me unwind a little. I guess that’s okay, so sit down and kick off your heels (or flats, in my case) and join me in Kendra’s virtual cocktail party Answer Me This and Kelly’s 7 Quick Takes.

Β ~ 1 ~

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It’s been a rainy Sunday with thunderstorm waking me up at 4:50 AM this morning. I can’t remember the last time we had a storm like that. I rushed to the boys’ room certain they’d be afraid of the loud thunder cracking over our house but they didn’t even budge. Why is it when I want to sleep in they are up at 6AM and when I am awake and ready to go they decide to sleep in. That’s a cruel joke, Mr. Murphy!

~ 2 ~

Have you heard about Periscope? I first heard about it on one of Jen Fulwiler’s podcast. You know I love me some social media and I’ve jumped on the Periscope bandwagon craze! If you are unfamiliar, it is an app were you can post live video. As the person is recording, the names of participants come up on the lower half of the screen (you sign up with your Twitter account) and you can type in comments and questions. The ‘scoper can read and respond to your comments. There are some drawbacks – videos are only up for 24 hours, there’s no rewind or FF button and anyone can see your video unless you post it as private or block them. On the plus side, it is fun to see your favorite blogger or twitter friend live or to watch a clip of a concert or see another part of the world. It’s been fun! If you on Periscope, let me know so I can follow you. πŸ™‚

The rest of the Takes will answer Kendra’s questions.

Β ~ 3 ~

Β 1. What’s currently on your To Do list?

Revolution of Love Blog - planner_2015_c(My Erin Condren planner. See more info here.)

My list is filled with a lot of rip roaring fun!Β  You know, things likeΒ  – paying bills, renewing my driver’s license, filling out school forms, taking kids to swim classes, dentist appointments, doc appointments, ortho appointments, speech therapy… fun stuff, people! It’s sort of our summer routine. In June, after school is over we celebrate a slew of birthdays and go to Tahoe. In July we pack in all our classes and appointments. Then in August we slow down and do more family fun things before school starts.

Oh, but you know one thing I want to add to my To Do list – a brain dump! Have you done one of these?? I heard about it when I was watching a periscope from Mystie from Simplified Organization.com. She said it is one of the best things to do when you feel scattered and distracted. Yeah, that’s got my name written all over it.

~ 4 ~

2. Better type of superhero: magic/radioactive powers? Or trauma/gadgets/hard work?

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Hmm…interesting question. I think I am going to go with trauma/gadgets, hard work. There is just something about a guy (or girl) that trains and works their body to do incredible things, especially after they have suffered a trauma. It could also be because I just finished watching the last episode of Daredevil on Netflix and I love his character, flaws and all. It reminds me a bit of Batman in The Dark Knight. Would Star Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy count in that category because he’s a fave too. πŸ˜‰

 

~ 5 ~

3. Finding out if baby is a boy or a girl before birth: Good idea? Bad idea?

brm_birth_2WIt’s funny that I am the type of person that HATES spoilers. I don’t want to know how a movie ends. I refuse to watch a movie unless I start it from the beginning to get the full effect of the ending but when it comes to finding out about the baby, I want to know! I like being able to call our little one by name and picture him or her and what they’ll be like. Although, it does not always work out the way you planned.

Besides Bella showing up a month before her due date and on the day of my baby shower, she had another surprise for us.

When I went for my ultrasound the doc could not tell if she was a boy or girl but he said if he was forced to choose a side, it looked more like a boy. I didn’t want to admit to anyone that I was secretly hoping that my first born would be a girl. However, I embraced my future “son” and bought lots of baby boy clothes only to be shocked when the doctor announced, “It’s a girl!” I remember my mom running to the store and buying me a bunch of pink outfits to replace all the boy clothes I had hanging in the closet.Β  So in this case, finding out did not help. πŸ™‚

 

~ 6 ~

4. Have you ever appeared on a stadium jumbotron?

No, I am not much of a sport fan. I remember going to a couple hockey games with my brothers when I was growing up but no jumbotron sightings.

 

5. Are you more book smart or more street smart?

I guess, street smart. I probably have more practical knowledge than classical knowledge.

 

~ 7 ~

6. Have you had that baby yet? (Feel free to skip this one if it’s not applicable to you.)

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Well, I may look preggers but my baby was born four years ago. So let’s just drop that subject, ‘kay!

All right, guys, it is nearly midnight and I am feeling punchy so I better get some sleep.

Oh, and if I remember correctly, tomorrow is Monday the 20th and it is my turn to share my thoughts on the Gospel over at Blessed Is She. Plus, it is my turn for the BIS Monday Introductions on Instagram. It’s a twofer! So check it out. πŸ™‚

Have a great night/day!

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, Pinterest, GoodReads Letterboxd, Spotify or Instagram. πŸ˜‰

PPS – This post contains affiliate links.


Online Daybook (7/13/15), 7QT & Answer Me This: Entertainment Edition

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Happy Monday! If you attended the Edel15 conference or the ComicCon then I was really jealous of you this weekend! However, I held no grudges and did hope you wereΒ  having a fun time as I kept myself busy stalking you. πŸ˜‰ Now that it’s over I am linking up with Bonnie for 7 Quick Takes and Kendra for Answer Me This.

 

~ 1 ~

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Grateful…

  • A moment of unusual calm that lets me type here with a minimum amount of yelling from the kiddos playing outside.
  • For the beauty of the earth.
  • For the lazy mornings that let me sleep in a little later than usual.
  • For stolen kisses from the man I love.
  • For glimpses of hope and light when all seems grey.

Praying for..

  • Those who are being persecuted for their faith.
  • Those who are hurting, depressed and have lost their faith.
  • The attendees of Edel, that their spirits are refreshed and friendships deepened as sisters in Christ.
  • For those who couldn’t attend Edel, that they find joy and peace in their circumstances and feel united to the sisterhood of Christ.
  • Those who are ill, especially for those fighting cancer, and that Brian remains cancer-free.
  • All pregnant moms, those trying to get pregnant, those who have lost their babies (especially my sis) and for moms contemplating an abortion.
  • The souls in purgatory, especially family, friend and those most forgotten.
  • Some special intentions.

UPDATE: A very special intention today. Please keep my brother Rob in your prayers as he is having surgery today. May he recover quickly and get back to his wife and two little boys!

 

Pondering…

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I was listening to a fave Christian podcast Relevant the other day while I was taking my walk. As you know, I love walking on the Monterrey Peninsula. The beauty of the ocean waves, the trees, the mountains, the wildflowers…they turn my eyes and heart to God as I marvel at his majesty. I was reminded of this when Relevant featured a live performance from Gungor. Their song Vapor carried me away and moved me to tears as I humbly witnessed the holiness of God in nature. With all the negativity and turmoil than can trouble my heart, I truly needed that moment to gaze at nothing more than the goodness of God and to remember that He is bigger than any problem or difficulty we may have. Blessed be God!

Here is the video of Gungor playing in studio.

Or watch the visually beautiful music video here.

Vapor Lyrics:

Oh the vapor of it all — It’s a chasing of the wind — The powers of the earth so pale and thin — We will set our hearts on you again

Heaven taunts the hearts of men — We can feel it from within — The beauty of it all — The mystery — The swelling of a voice — A rising sea

Holy — You oh God are Holy — Trees clap their hands for you — Oceans they dance for you — You are holy

Oh the mystery of it all — I can never peer within — I’ll never find the words or understand — The fullness of a God — Become a man

Holy — You oh God are Holy — Trees clap their hands for you — Oceans they dance for you

You are holy — Infinite and holy — A billion suns rise for you — Clouds paint the skies for you — Mountains stand tall for you — Valleys bow down to you — Everything rising to — Sing all our songs for you

Holy — The impossible and holy — Kings become fools for you — Kingdoms to ruins for you — Vapor finds ground in you — Music finds sound for you — Everything rising — Everything rising

Come like dawn — Like waves — Like sunlight — Bring this world to life

Come like rain — Like breath — Like springtime

Bring this world to life

 

 

~ 2 ~

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Around the House…

When summer started I thought I would have ample time to do some serious house cleaning and organizing but in between traveling, swimming lessons, spending time with Opa, speech therapy,Β  errands and such, I have as much time as I did when I was running around during the school year. Oh, well. I just try to do what I can in the pockets of time I have. So far I have been able to tackle a couple of things on my summer cleaning list. I’ll post more details in the weeks to come.

 

Family Chit Chat…

Now that we are back from Tahoe, we are into our normal summer routine. We’ve started swimming lessons, which the boys love.

I’ve also been trying to take an hour each day to have the kids review some school material. Mostly math and reading. I got the boys these Star Wars Workbooks. They enjoy using them! Well, as much as a normal kid can enjoy doing school work on a summer day. It makes it easier when they know they can play with their light sabers or watch an episode of Star Wars Rebels if they get all their work done. πŸ™‚ (One note about the books if you are going to buy one, check the “look inside” feature on Amazon first. I noticed that they are a little easy so you may need to go to the next grade up.)

 

~ 3 ~

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In the Kitchen…

Sunday – We get a treat tonight with Burrito Bowls at Chipotles. YUM!!

Monday – Chef Salad topped with chicken and fresh baked bread.

Tuesday –Β  Turkey Enchilada Lasagna, homemade pinto beans and salad.Β  (Making a double batch to share with a new mama.)

Wednesday –Β  Italian Red Wine Roast Beef in the Slow CookerΒ  with roasted potatoes and broccoli. (This is my new recipe of the week. See the Pin below.)

Thursday – Breakfast dinner. Leftover enchiladas with scrambled egg.

Friday – Tuna Melts, chips and broccoli.

Saturday – Leftover roast beef on toasted garlic wheat rolls with Southwestern corn and black bean salad.

 

~ 4 ~

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Watching…

(At the Movies)

Here are the latest…

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Inside Out – I originally was going to take all the kids to see this but in the end I only took Bella. I am glad I did. The movie was sweet but it never would have held the boys’ attention. Many people were in love with the movie and although I thought it was enjoyable and had some really nice moments, I doubt I’d watch it a second time.

Jurassic World – Before I went to see this movie with Brian, I let Bella and Andrew watch Jurassic Park for the first time. Even 22 years later, it is still an incredible movie that hasn’t lost it’s awe and tension. It was a nice preview before watching Jurassic World since there were many cool tips of the hat to JP. That being said, it was hard no to compare the original with this version. JW was a fun summer popcorn movie but it had it’s flaws. Some of the acting and dialogue was stiff and characters were flat and stereotypical. However, this movie wasn’t trying to win an Academy Award. It was trying to give you two hours of dino mayhem and fun and on that front it delivered. — UPDATE: After writing this mini review, I took Bella to see the movie. (She is excited that she is finally old enough to see some PG-13 movies.) I have to tell you that I enjoyed it so much more the second time around. Maybe because there wasn’t all these expectations and I could just relax and enjoy it. I had a lot of fun and Bella loved it.

Minions – Our family loves the Despicable Me movies, especially Matthew. I didn’t know how a third Minion-only movie would be pulled off and now I know. It is basically 90 minutes of slapstick (and sometimes crude humor) with a splash of occasional bare behinds that will send the kids giggling hysterics and you chuckling despite your resistance. If you’re already a fan, you’ll probably enjoy the movie with your kids. If you aren’t a fan, skip it.

 

(On Youtube)

I have been following the ComicCon in San Diego and was excited to see some of the videos and previews coming out, including these:


Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens Official Comic-Con 2015 Reel (2015)


Skip this one if you aren’t already a fan of The Walking Dead – Season 6 Preview

Skip this one if your aren’t already a fan of zombies and TWD. – Fear the Walking Dead: World Premiere

 

Listening to …

With the gorgeous summer weather, I have been trying to walk more and hit my 10,000 steps goal every day of the week. To do that I have added new music to my walking list. These two songs are my faves of the week. πŸ™‚


Night Riots with Contagious from their EP Howl.


Renegades by X Ambassadors from their debut album VHS.

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And if you aren’t into music, then check out the interview from Jennifer Fulwiler’s podcast with Jeanie Gaffigan. I have been reading Jim’s book Dad Is Fat and it is hilarious. I was interested to hear his wife Jeannie speak. It’s not often you find faithful Catholics working in the entertainment industry. The interview was short but I was touched by Jeannie’s faith, especially when she spoke about their little daughter that only lived a day and the struggles it caused in their marriage. Yet, their faith and trust in God pulled them through and made them stronger in their marriage and commitment to God. It is beautiful. I think Jeannie needs to write a book next! πŸ™‚

 

Reading…

Revolution of Love - cwa_reading_7_15These. Some of these I am previewing for Bella. She like teen/romance novels bur from a Christian perspective. Any suggestions?

 

 

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Here are last couple of posts…

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In the blogosphere…

I have 150 posts in my Bloglovin feed that have yet to be read. I’ll tackle the highlights this weekend and share my faves next time. πŸ˜‰

However, I did read Kendra’s Answer Me This and I did answer her questions.

1. At what temperature do you keep the thermostat set? Summer, winter, day, night?

Living in along the coast of Central California, we pretty much have mild weather year round. The homes here don’t have air conditioning, ours included, because it rarely gets hot enough to need it. When we do reach crazy hot temps (over 80) then we just pray the fog rolls in quickly to cool things off. LOL. Right now we are having a warmer summer with less fog, which is nice since it actually feels like summer. The temps in our house now are in the 70’s but normally it’s in the 60’s. In winter we set our heater to about 64.

2. What is your favorite frozen beverage?

I mostly drink water but if I get a treat then it would be something lemony. Like the lemonade frozen drinks at Disneyland. Yum. πŸ™‚

3. Where do you keep your keys?

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We have this hanging in the entryway of our home, just opposite of the fmaily altar. You can see part of the Jesus icon in the mirror.

4. Have you ever really been lost?

Before the widespread use of GPS, I would get lost ALL THE TIME. The worst was when my sister and I would go to shows or clubs in LA or San Diego. I have a poor sense of direction and I’d never just go from point A to B. There would always be a few U-turns and detours on the way there. These days Siri is my best friend! The ironic thing is that I use Siri to go to kid friendly destinations instead of clubs and concerts. Oh well. πŸ˜‰

5. What is the last movie you saw in the theaters?

See above. Although I forgot I also saw Me, Earl and the Dying Girl. I’ll wait to tell you about that for the next Online Daybook. πŸ™‚
Pinned…cwa-pin-red-wine-roast-beef-2

Italian Red Wine Roast Beef by Barefoot in the Kitchen

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Here are some Instagrams I’ve taken this past week. (It’s been a slow photo week!)

 

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1. #insteadofedel – Watching the Minion movie with the kiddos.

2. #projectblessed – Dark. It’s a little dark in this section of our local library in Carmel but Blessed Junipero Serra keeps watch. #insteadofedel

3. #projectblessed – beauty. (No filter.)

4. #projectblessed – Hello. What’s that you say? Why is there a ghostbuster in our house? Hello??!! Life with boys!

 

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 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 Letterboxd, Spotify or Instagram. πŸ˜‰

PPS – This post contains affiliate links.


Answer Me This: 4th of July 2015 Edition

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IΒ  literally only have a 20 minute window until we need to go visit Opa so I am doing a quickie post with Kendra’s fun Answer Me This! πŸ™‚

1. How did you celebrate the 4th of July? (Or, for you international types . . . Do anything fun this weekend?)

p_lobos_4_15_aPoint Lobos, CA

We originally planned to go hiking at Point Lobos because it’s gorgeous and it’s our family tradition to hike and picnic there but even though we got there earlyish it was ALREADY packed. The parking lot was full and there were about 100 cars lined up and down the street. Forget it. We’ll go back when the tourists leave. Instead we ran back home, grabbed our beach gear and headed to the beach instead.

cwa_beach_6_15_2WMatthew and Andrew loved playing in the sand and splashing in the water.

cwa_beach_6_15_1W John-Paul, on the other hand, is not a lover of nature. He didn’t care about the beautiful view or the fact that we saw dolphins swimming in the ocean. He just wanted to know when we could get away from the sun, wind, sand, water and insects. Sigh. He’d drive me crazy if he wasn’t so cute. πŸ˜‰

As for fireworks, a few years ago they stopped doing the public show in Monterey. (Besides, most years the fog was so thick you couldn’t see them anyway.) Private fireworks are banned so we’d have to drive out of town to find any. Brian and I discussed it for about a minute or so but since the kids are getting ready for bed by 7:30 and asleep by 8 PM, we had no desire to search for them. Let’s face it, the party life is over for us. We’re much happier watching Daredevil on Netflix with a scoop ofΒ  celebratory ice cream.

2. Do you sunburn easily?

Not really since I’m Hispanic, although I did burn my back a little at Lake Tahoe. Brian and I were just talking about this. The areas of me that don’t see the sun – like my stomach and lower chest are close to white. But my arms and legs, at this point of summer, are dark brown/Indian red. I’m a gringo underneath my clothes but have a lovely Mexican farmer-tan on the rest of me. LOL.

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3. Hot dogs. Yay or nay?

I don’t mind a hotdog but we’ve gotten used to eating turkey dogs made with white meat and no nitrates. They are tasty but you must eat them as soon as they are cooked or else they turn into a hard, shriveled mess. But anything cooked over an open flame it pretty much delicious!

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4. Have you ever personally set off fireworks?

I don’t remember lighting one myself, unless you count the sparklers I played with as a kid. Like, I said earlier, they are banned here. We are content to wait until Thanksgiving for our annual trip to Disneyland to see an awesome fireworks show. LOL.

5. Have you ever jumped off the high dive?

Β© Revolution of Love Blog - secret_1Β  No. And at my age, I am content to play at the shore of the beach.

6. Do you do anything weird in your sleep?

I don’t know since I’m sleeping…but I did ask Brian and he said no. However, sometimes to help myself fall asleep I lie (or is it lay?) on my stomach and rock my foot back and forth until I dose off. Is that weird enough?

Okay, times up. Did you have a fun 4th? Are you allowed to light fireworks?? Hope it was fun!

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 Letterboxd, Spotify or Instagram. πŸ˜‰
PPS – This post may contain affiliate links.


Online Daybook (8/18/14): The Birthday and Too Much TV Edition

 

Moments of Gratitude…

Today I am especially thankful…

  • For the blessing of another year of life.
  • For Matthew loving his new school.
  • For an at-home date night with Brian.
  • For a new haircut that I desperately needed.
  • For the love and fellowship of family and friends.

 

Embracing the Ordinary…

I’m linking up with Gina over at Someday Saints for Embrace the Ordinary.

I was trying out a new recipe and taking a photo of the final product when Matthew climbed up on the other side of the counter and said, “Tale a picture of me, Mama!” He is my “helper” in the kitchen and loves to cook by my side. Although, the background is messy I like that I can also see Andrew and Brian playing, mostly likely getting ready to build a Lego creation. πŸ™‚

 

In the Kitchen…

I’m in a menu funk and feeling like I make the same things over and over again. Honestly, Brian and the kids LIKE the same things over and over. They are creatures of habit. I like tried and true but with a little variety. So I will look though my old monthly menus and my binder of new recipes to try change up this week’s menu a little. In the meantime, you’ll have to settle for this photo of lovely tasting bread that is begging for some butter and jam. πŸ˜‰

 

Praying…

  • For my brother-in-law Mick and his fellow soldiers who were deployed to the Middle East last week. Also, for my sister Bridgette who is enduring their first separation since getting married less than a year ago.
  • For Brian’s continued recovery from the side effects of his chemo.
  • For those who are being persecuted for their faith.
  • For a greater love and appreciation of my faith and my freedom.
  • For those who are suffering physically, mentally and spiritually.
  • For some special intentions.

 

On the homefront……

Things are busy but going well. Matthew started pre school last week. My baby is in school now! It’s going to be really weird once the other kids are in school next week and I have a few hours when the house will be completely quiet! I’m going to have to put on Star Wars or The Incredibles orΒ Cars to make it sound more normal. πŸ˜‰

 

Around the house…

The spring cleaning bug always hits me (months late) in autumn. In 2012, my theme was homemaking and getting some order into my messy house. I was doing well but 2013 was the year of the cross with Brian’s cancer… and that carried on into the beginning of 2014. In the meantime, my cleaning projects were put on the back burner. Well, it is time to get back to it, especially while I have the itch and motivation to clean. (Lord knows it doesn’t last very long.)

On Friday it was the first day in a loooooong time when I didn’t have to be anywhere or drive anyone to anything so I unplugged the phone and the computer and committed myself to cleaning out my laundry room. There were so many piles of dirty laundry and so many bags of random crap thrown in the corners that I could barely walk in the room. It literally took me from 9 in the morning until 5 at night but I got it done! Yay! Now it has motivated me to tackle a few more cleaning messes. I won’t have a long stretch of time like I did on Friday but as Annie reminded me, “Slow and steady wins the race.” (PS. Mom, this photo is dedicated to you, although I still haven’t replaced that hanging rack that you hate. LOL. ;-))

 

Pondering…

Last Monday I was feeling overwhelmed with all the world news of turmoil and my heart cried for the victims of atrocities, especially fellow Christians. I was saddened that one actor’s suicide seemed to spark nasty arguments amongst Catholics over moral theology. Meanwhile, family and friends were carrying heavy crosses and everything seemed to be in chaos. So after a good cry and turning of the computer and logging off of Facebook I thought, okay God what the heck can I do about all of this? Immediately the image of St. Terese came to mind. I needed to LIVE my mottoΒ  – little things done with great love. Crying and wringing my hands was not going to help.

I know prayer is powerful but I couldn’t go kneel before Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament as I desired. Instead I had mouths to feed and bottoms to be wiped and bathrooms to be scrubbed. I had to offer all those little things to God as my prayer for all the needs of the world. It may seem incredibly insignificant but God knows my heart. Which is the greater sacrifice to me? Making a Holy Hour or shutting my mouth and not complaining or losing my temper when milk is spilled or pee doesn’t land in the toilet or my favorite picture frame is smashed by a reckless light saber? Um, yeah, He knows the answer to that. So right here, right now, is my mission work!

 

Reading…

Danielle Bean’s book Momnipotent.

Catholicmom.com’s online book club will be reading Momnipotent in September.Β  It kicks off on August 30th with an interview with Danielle Bean. I’ll be reading along. Join me. πŸ™‚

 

The Giver by Lois Lowry (I want to finish the book before I watch the movie.)

 

Listening to…

I’m kinda addicted to Echosmith right now, she said as she sang, “We are going to come together now…”

 

Watching…

At the Movies – August is a big movie month! I saw Guardians of the Galaxy which I loved. I was going to skip it, thinking it looked a little too weird (a talking raccoon and tree??) but I read positive reviews from Kendra and Steven so I gave it a try. It far exceeded my expectations and was a fun movie. I’m hoping to see it again with Brian.Β  The Hundred-Foot Journey, was another “foodie” movie like Chef. Chef was like eating a delicious steak taco with extra salsa while you’re listening to lively music. The Hundred-Foot Journey was more like dressing up and going out to eat at a fancy restaurant without kid menus. A different, more polished experience but still enjoyable. The acting was well done, the story line intriguing, the family-love brimming and shockingly all done with a PG rating. It really is a sweet movie. πŸ™‚

On TV – We’ve got one episode left of the last season of Veronica Mars then we’ll rent the movie.

On YouTube – Are you a Hitchcock fan? If, so check this out. I’ve seen about 3/4 of this movies but missed many of these cameos!

 

On the blog…

Life has been going fast and posting has been slow, so only two new posts these last three weeks!

Upcoming posts will include an update on my August goals, a review of the Fitbit and tips for getting out of a mom-slump. πŸ™‚

 

In the blogosphere…

This one from my sis was hard to read but needed.

These two were great reminders to me to keep my perspective on the positive!

These were helpful and/or I just enjoyed them. πŸ™‚

 

Pinned…

I love this from the Blessed Is She pinterest page. #catholicdevotional

 

 

Plans for the Week…

Well, since it is my birthday today I am allowed to just play on the computer and decorate my planner and listen to music and not worry about crossing things off my To Do list. πŸ™‚ (It’s cold and gloomy out so I may even get a cup of cocoa. LOL) This is actually our last week of summer vacation so we’ve got a lot of school orientations and uniforms sales and maybe we’ll try a beach trip if the sun plans to come out later in the week. Next week Bella, Andrew and John-Paul start school. Bella has oral surgery scheduled to pull out a few baby teeth that won’t come out and she is a little freaked out because she has to be put under. (Please keep her in your prayers!) Lastly, my sister Bridgette is coming up for an extended trip next week. I can’t wait!!

 

Captured…

For those who follow me on Instagram, you’ve already seen these. I’m adding them for my mom to see. πŸ™‚

I went to Costco with the kids and John-Paul and Andrew found Halloween costume that they loved – a police man and an army soldier. Matthew is not allowed to get a costume until closer to Halloween since it changes all the time. So far in the running we have Captain America, Spiderman, a Ninja Turtle, Dash from The Incredibles , a race car driver or a Jedi Knight with a green light saber. He was very specific about that. Luckily, (except for Dash) we already have all these costumes at home.

We needed to have Matthew potty trained before he went to pre school. The other kids took forever to be fully potty trained so I told Matthew that I would finally buy him the big boy bike he wanted once he was potty trained. We made a chart and put on his stickers and two weeks later he was completely trained and in his undies. I should have done this years earlier!

Β Matthew and I were walking along when I saw this fruit on the floor. I told Matthew, “Look what fell off that tree.” He said, “Wow! Meatballs!” LOL. I think we need an agricultural review.

 

Linking-Up with…

A Mama Collective’s Currently

Gina’s Embrace the Ordinary

AND

It’s a triple header with my last link up being with Kendra’s Answer Me This.

1. What is your favorite room in the house?

Mostly likely the kitchen since I spend so much time there. The house we are living on now was Brian’s grandma’s house. When she passed away, his aunt lived here. She has since passed and we were able to move in when Bella was four and an only child. This is what the kitchen looked like then.

We slowly have been working on it and nine years later it looks like this.

You can see the rest of the remodel photos here.

2. Do you subscribe to any magazines or other periodicals?

Can you guess which mag is mine and which is the mag of my holier spouse? πŸ™‚

I love magazines! I love the photos and the feel of holding paper in your hand, even though 95% of my reading is done with ebooks. I like the bite-sized articles that I can fit in here are there rather than trying to put down a book I can’t stop reading. I currently subscribe to Catholic Digest, Real Simple, Martha Stewart Living, Cooking Light, Food Network (although I’m letting the subscription run out on that one), Lucky and Entertainment Weekly.

3. How do you feel about the sign of peace in Mass? Enriching? Awkward? Overdone? Just right? Some combination of the above?

I am a touchy-feely hugger so I enjoy the sign of peace as long as the other person touching my hand hasn’t been sneezing all through Mass and as long as everyone STOPS once the Lamb of God starts.

4. What is your least favorite sound?

It’s a three-way tie: Nails on a chalkboard or high-pitched whining or Matthew’s current practice of screeching at the top of his lungs.

5. What was your favorite TV show (or shows) growing up?

As a little kid my favorite cartoon was Scooby Doo. My favorite family shows were Little House on the Prairie,Β  The Cosby Show and repeats of The Brady Bunch. However, the one show that is the closest to my heart is I Love Lucy. Watching a show today brings me right back to the kitchen with my mom laughing with Lucy and Ricky. I own every episode on DVD and my kids have seen them all too. When I am with my family we still quote lines to each other in our normal conversation. πŸ™‚

6. What are your favorite TV shows now?

I always have way more shows in my DVR than I have time to watch but it carries over to the summer months when there is nothing on and I can catch up on the past fall shows I never finished. My current faves are Sherlock, almost all the Masterpiece Mystery shows,Β  Downton Abbey, The Walking Dead, Sleepy Hollow, The Blacklist, The Middle, The Big Bang Theory, Parenthood, Grimm, and for a bit of guilty pleasure –Pretty Little Liars. The show I am most looking forward to watching in fall is Gotham. I’ll also mention that I used to be a fan of Once Upon A Time but the Peter Pan storyline was draaaaaaaging on and I gave up and deleted the shows from my DVR. Well, with the summer slump I started watching again and got back into it so I have a few more episodes to go and I’ll be ready for the new season.

Wow, that was a long post. Thanks for reading through it. πŸ™‚

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, Letterboxd or Instagram (It’s set to private but I’ll approve you.) πŸ˜‰

PPS – This post contains affiliate links.

 

 


Online Daybook (7/14/14) / Currently & Answer Me This: Tragedy, Trust & Tahoe

 

Moments of Gratitude…

Today I am especially thankful…

  • For a wonderful trip at Lake Tahoe with my family and my parents and a safe trip home.
  • That Brian only has one chemo round left to finish.
  • For my life and the life of my husband and children.
  • For the love and support of family and friends – during the good times and especially bad times.
  • For the warmth of the sun after days of chilly fog.
  • For the peace and solitude of the night after a hectic day.

 

Beauty in the Ordinary…

When I was younger I disliked the color purple. Now I love to see the color in nature.

 

In the Kitchen…

Monday – Chicken tacos with 5 minute salsa and veggies.

Tuesday – Turkey meatloaf, baked potato and broccoli.

WednesdayMoroccan-style chickpea chili with brown rice.

Thursday – Breakfast dinner

Friday – Veggie pizza and Greek salad.

Saturday – Leftovers.

Sunday – Dinner wit Oma & Opa.

 

Praying…

  • For my sister and her family as they prepare for the funeral of their baby.
  • For all those who have lost loved ones.
  • For Brian’s chemo and continued recovery from cancer.
  • For those who are suffering physically, mentally and spiritually.
  • For some special intentions.

 

On the homefront……

Those of you who have read my last post or have seen on Facebook already know that our extended family has suffered a great loss. My sister ElenaΒ  went into labor on Friday but Baby Joan did not make it. She was called back to God. We were all filled with shock and sorrow. However, there has been an outpouring of love and support for Elena and Vinnie and their family. People have offered prayers, words of encouragement and even money towards the Joan Iris Fund to help pay for funeral expenses. If you’d like to offer your prayers and such, check out the post Goodbye Baby Joan Iris for details.

In our own family, on Monday Brian started his last round of chemo. This has been the most difficult one so far and the side effects have been the hardest but as each day passes he gets a little better. Also on the positive side his bloodwork and levels look good and the doctor is pleased with his progress. We just pray he continues to get better and that the cancer stays away.

 

Pondering…

We all go through peaks and valleys in life and my family seems to be going through a deep valley right now. First we had Brian’s cancer returning, which resulted in another surgery and chemo. Then my sister who got married last year conceived her first child but lost the baby in miscarriage. Now my other sister lost Joan. It is times like these that I am extremely grateful for my Catholic faith because we know that life does not come without crosses. We each have our own passion and road to Calvary that we must climb. But with each passion, there also comes the joy of the resurrection. There are many moments of happiness and love when we receive a taste of heaven on earth. It is never easy to live that faith when you are in the midst of heartache and pain but God is always there as our stronghold. No matter how dark it seems, we know with certainly that the sun will rise once again and bring a new day.

 

Reading…

I finished Don’t You Forget about Me, which I’ll try to review later this week.

I am just starting Danielle Bean’s book Momnipotent.

I like to read on fiction book and one non-fiction book at a time so next I have to choose a novel but I’m not sure which to read next. I’m leaning towards If I Stay since I will see the movie next month and I like to read the book first OR…

Β Wearing the Cape by Marion Harmon

 

Listening to…

Silence. Everyone is sleeping and nothing else can be heard besides the clicking of the keyboard and the owl hooting outside my window.

 

Watching…

Brian and I have been watching Masterpiece Mystery – Endeavor (one of our favorites even if it is bit dark at times) and The Last Ship (not bad for TV summer viewing). We recently rented Non-Stop (both really liked it) and The Source Code (both thought – meh.) On my own I have been enjoying Pretty Little Liars and Switched at Birth. (I know, I know. Guilty pleasures. ;-))

On my last Mama’s Movie Night Out I saw Begin Again. It was the only movie showing at the time I could attend. (Other than Tammy. No thanks. Every MC movie I see is the same thing.) I enjoyed Begin Again A LOT more than I was anticipating. The story line tugged at the heart and there were a number of (intentionally) comedic lines. I enjoyed watching the creative process and seeing the “vision” of a song before it was fully created. I assumed KK’s voice was dubbed but she actually sang. It was a sort of a quiet shoe gazer style but I downloaded the soundtrack. Half the songs I love; the other half, not so much. Lastly, I also really enjoyed the fact that although the main characters were attracted to each other, they didn’t automatically jump into bed together and I liked the ending. One note though, there are a lot of F-bombs so if you can’t stand that, skip it.

 

On the blog…

I’ve taken some time off so since my last Daybook and I’ve only posted three times:

The Top Ten Theme Songs of My Life

Pinterest Party & Link-up (Vol 25):Β  How I Use PicMonkey on My Blog (This link-up is open until Friday so add your links!)

Goodbye Baby Joan Iris

Today I am also linking up with Kendra for Answer Me This

1. How did you get your name?

My dad is named Robert, although he goes by Bob, and the first born child was going to be named after him, boy or girl. The name on my birth certificate actually says Bobbi. It’s not a nickname. However, the priest who was going to baptize me was not pleased by such a wordly name so my mom added Ann to it. Growing up I was called Bobbi Ann. Eventually I shortened it to Bobbi. Nowadays I only get called Bobbi Ann by my mom if she is upset with me. πŸ˜‰

2. Do you have a set time for prayer in your day?

I start the day off with the morning offering and on a good day I do a short morning meditation after breakfast. However, during summer it has been hit and miss. I usually say my rosary (or at least a decade of it) in the car while I am shuffling kids around or running errands. I also have my phone alarm set to go off throughout the day to turn my mind to God.You’ll hear the church bells go off at 9 AM, 12 PM, 3 PM and 5 PM and whatever kid happens to be closest to my phone (even if it’s in my pocket) will yell out, “It’s time for you to pray, mom!” So I do get a lot of reminders. I used to say a little longer prayer but these days it is a short invocation. On a good day, for my evening prayer I try to listen to the Divine Office prayers while I am making dinner. (You can hear the podcast at Divine Office.org.) I do need to work harder at saying my night prayers earlier. I tend to say them in bed before I fall asleep and so far sleep keeps winning out.

Β 3. Did your mom work or stay at home or both?

She was mostly at home although there were times when money was really tight and she had to work. She worked at a bank for awhile but I remember that the bank was held up. I think at that point she decided to stay at home and figure out a way to make ends meet.

4. Do you vote?

Not as often as I should. We vote for the big ones but we tend the skip the smaller elections unless there is a really important bill.

5. What’s your favorite drink?

Okay, this is where I admit what a nerd I am. I don’t like coffee and I don’t like tea. I used to drink alcohol when I was in my 20’s but after making some really stupid mistakes while drunk and then cleaning up my act, I swore off the stuff. I have since lost all taste for alcohol. So 75% of the time I drink ice water. The other 25% of the time I drink milk. (I love milk.) When I am feeling really wild and crazy I splurge and have a diet orange crush or diet root beer. Yeah, I know. Nerd.

6. How are your photography skills?

Hmmm, what would I call it? An amateur with a nice camera and a photo editing program. I love photography but don’t know anywhere as much as I wish I did.

 

In the blogosphere…

I am just now catching up on my reading so I am still behind but I did catch these worthwhile reads so far…

 

Pinned…

My pin of the week – I am going to be trying this recipe from Whitney at Framing Cali next week. πŸ™‚

Photo credit – Framing Cali Blog

 

Plans for the Week…

We have swimming lessons all week, dentist appointments, an ortho appointment to see about Bella’s new braces and we’re attending a family gathering at our local church where the dads take the kids to a summer matinee movie and the moms meet at the church hall to chit chat and make lunch. After the movie the dads and kids join us for lunch. When we first heard about it Brian and I were tempted to skip it but we also realized that we need to make a greater attempt to attend Catholic family functions like this. It’s good for us and good for the kids to spend time with Catholic peers. Plus, he should be feeling better by the weekend.

Also this week (Wednesday at 11 AM eastern time to be exact) is the funeral for my niece Baby Joan Iris. I’m conflicted inside because my heart aches for Elena and Vinnie and I feel guilty having fun with my family. But if Joan’s short life taught us anything, it is that life is precious and goes too fast. We need to cherish the moments we have together and spend our days in the company of our loved ones. I know Joan will be watching us and sending us kisses from heaven.

 

Captured…

Here are some shots from our trip to Lake Tahoe.

Β 

Β Lake Tahoe at Pope Beach

Matthew playing in the sand. Although I love the ocean, the lake is so much better for my nerves. I’m not constantly worried about the kids being pulled into the sea. πŸ˜‰

Enjoying the walking path behind our hotel.

The view on our walk.

I love the smell of pine. πŸ™‚

I’ll post more photos of Lake Tahoe later this week when I do a post about our favorite spots to visit in Lake Tahoe with kids.

Linking-Up with…

A Mama Collective’s Currently

 

Kendra’s Answer Me This

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, Letterboxd or Instagram (It’s set to private but I’ll approve you.) πŸ˜‰

PPS – This post may contain affiliate links.