15), 7QT & Answer Me This: Entertainment Edition

By bobbi
July 13, 2015
2 Comments

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 were having a fun time as I kept myself busy stalking you. 😉 Now that it’s over I am linking up with Bonnie for 7 Quick Takes and Kendra for Answer Me This.

~ 1 ~

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…

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 ~

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, 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. 🙂 (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 ~

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

Wednesday – Italian Red Wine Roast Beef in the Slow Cooker 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 ~

Watching…

(At the Movies)

Here are the latest…

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. 🙂

Night Riots with Contagious from their EP Howl.

Renegades by X Ambassadors from their debut album VHS.

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! 🙂

Reading…

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

~ 5 ~

Here are last couple of posts…

~ 6 ~

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. 😉

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. 🙂

3. Where do you keep your keys?

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. 😉

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. 🙂
Pinned…

Italian Red Wine Roast Beef by Barefoot in the Kitchen

~ 7 ~

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

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. 😉

PPS – This post contains affiliate links.

Online Daybook (6/8/15) & 7 Quick Takes: Birthdays, Books & Movie Reviews

By bobbi
June 8, 2015
10 Comments

I was supposed to post this Friday but I was too busy with school events! Oh, well. I’m linking up with Kelly for 7 Quick Takes and Jenny for Online Daybook Journal.

~ 1 ~

Grateful…

That John-Paul is back in school after a week of being ill.
For sunshine after days and days of gray gloom.
That there are only three school days until summer vacation.
For unexpected acts of kindness.

Praying for..

Those who are being persecuted for their faith.
That I don’t take my faith (or God’s grace) for granted.
All the students who are graduating and for their future ventures.
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 and for moms contemplating an abortion.
The souls in purgatory, especially family, friend and those most forgotten.
Some special intentions.

Pondering…

Last week I got an email from a sweet reader named Vanessa and it really brightened my day. I kept thinking about this one line she wrote.

“Thanks for giving other moms a peek into your life! Sometimes all we need is to know we’re not alone in this.”

I could not agree more!! What is that saying? “Motherhood is not for wimps!” (Or it could have been, “Pass me the chocolate. STAT!”) Either way, I am always encouraged when I hear/read about another mom share her triumphs and her trials. I am eager to rejoice with her or to give her a shoulder to cry on.

I remember awhile ago when a friend confided in me with some struggles she was having interiorly. I was a little shocked, not because of what she said, but because in my eyes she was Mrs. Happy Super Catholic Mom and I envied her more than once. Once I took her off the pedestal I saw her for who she really was – a mom that has done amazing work but who also struggles in different areas of her life. I’ve felt a lot closer to her since then. I also stopped imagining that other people have this “perfect” life.

All of us Catholic moms, no… Make that all of us Catholic women should have a sort of kindred spirit. We are all in this fight together and no matter where we are in our vocation or circumstances in life, we all need support, respect and encouragement to be the women of God that we’re meant to be.

So thanks for reaching out to me, Vanessa. It meant a lot.

My challenge to you who happens to be reading this, go reach out to someone who could use a kind word or a hug of encouragement. 🙂

~ 2 ~

Around the House…

Yeah, you don’t even want to look around my house because I’ve been gone all week and am sooo behind. Yesterday Andrew had to wear pajamas when he got home from school because there were literally no more clean clothes to wear. Thankfully, this weekend I did a lot of catching up! My kids happen to still be in pajamas but it is strictly by choice, I swear! 😉

Family Chit Chat…

Thursday was Matthew’s last day at pre-school. We have been attending the same pre-school for the past decade. All four kids are alumni and today was our last official day there. Next year Matthew will attend the big kids school in the Pre-K (or Transitional Kindergarten) class. It will be our one year to have all four kids in the same school before Bella goes off to high school. High school! Gosh, that really freaks me out! We are entering a whole new era in our family and I’m not quite sure how I feel about that! 🙂

Today is a special day because it is my sweet Andrew’s birthday! Eight years ago, after years of secondary infertility and two miscarriages, God finally blessed us with the gift of Andrew’s life. He can be funny and crazy but he is more often my soulful child who likes to ponder and think about deep subjects. He reminds me so much of Brian and I pray he grows up to be a good and holy man like his father. I love you, sweetie boy!

~ 3 ~

In the Kitchen…

I haven’t picked out my new recipe to try this week yet. Any suggestions? I’ve got a lot of chicken in the freezer. Actually, I also have a bag of red potatoes to use up. Hmm…a recipe is starting to formulate. I’ll keep you posted. 😉

~ 4 ~

Watching…

(At the Movies) Over the past two weeks I saw two movies.

It has been awhile since I’ve been to a great period drama movie and Far From the Madding Crowd did not disappoint. Honestly, I loved it. I have never read the book (by Thomas Hardy) so I can’t tell you how it compares. The main character Bethsheba Everdene is an independent woman that comes into unexpected wealth. She sets out to prove that she can be a strong and successful mistress of her land despite the conventions of the time. Meanwhile, Everdene is courted by three suitors – a humble farmer, a rich land owner and a dashing soldier. In theory it may seem a little cliched but it works really well and you feel for not only Everdene but for each suitor, in some capacity. I didn’t know how the story was going to end and was holding my breath that there would be some tragic conclusion that would depress me but I was ever so pleased with the way the movie ended. This has definitely fallen into my “Buy the Blu-ray when it is released” category. (Parent note: Adult themes. Some sensuality. A scene of animals dying violently. It was sad but the woman sitting next to me completely freaked and was sobbing.)

The second movie I watched was Tomorrowland. I really, really wanted to like this movie but I came out thinking, meh. The story premise was interesting and the visual effects were stunning at times but in the plot there were too many moments when the movie just lagged and got boring. (Bella literally almost feel asleep on me at a few points.) The ending was getting heavy with it’s soapbox preaching, however, my favorite part of the movie was the last five minutes when they were searching for people who were creatively making a difference in the world. It was beautiful. It’s too bad there weren’t more moments like that. This has definitely fallen into my “Sat through it once but wouldn’t watch it again” category. (Parent note: The violence is stylized and but it could be unsettling for the youngest viewers.)

(On TV)

This week Brian and I started watching the Netflix series Daredevil. We’ve only seen two episodes so far but we both love it. It is dark and gritty but very well done and it has a touch of Catholicism. I’m interested to see how it develops.

Listening to …

This song is a couple of years old but it is still a favorite and the video is just cool. Plus, John-Paul’s’ Pre-K class lip synched the song today for their end of the year ceremony. Now the song is stuck in my head but thankfully the memory is sweet. 🙂

Reading…

I finally finished The Girl on A Train. I gave it three out of five stars. The story was slightly confusing since it was written from the viewpoint of three women and you had to keep track of each of their points of view and whether is was a flashback or real time but it wasn’t that big of a deal. However, the lives of the women are so depressing, it’s hard not to feel a little down after reading. One is an alcoholic struggling with a number of personal issue. One is sleeping around as she struggling with pain from her past. The third is a home wrecker who has no remorse. That being said, by the time the mystery started unfolding and clues were being gathered, I could not put the book down until I found out what happened. If you were a fan of Gone Girl, then you’d most likely enjoy this story too. (Parent notes: Not for Kids. Sex is mostly implied and not graphic. Some language.)

The next book on my list…

Dear Mr. Knightley: A Novel

~ 5 ~

Here are last couple of posts…

Pinterest Party & Link-up (vol 36): Slow Cooker Pulled Pork – The RoL Pinterest Party is back! The link-up is open for another week so join in with a new or old posts. 🙂

Dating Q&A: I May Have Faults but Can’t I Want a Guy to Like Me as I Am and Not Expect Me to Be Perfect?

Dating Mr. Wrong: Questions to Ask about Your Relationship

Also, a big thanks to all those who voted for my new logo. This design was the winner.

I just tweaked it a bit with a different font and added the tagline.

~ 6 ~

In the blogosphere…

A small sample of posts I’ve been reading and enjoying…

The Triumphant Return of Answer Me This – Catholic All Year.com (Yay!)

How to Keep the Spirit of the Visitation Alive by Heather guest posting at CatholicMom.com

Tricks to Help You Save Money and Stop Impulse Buying by VerilyMag.com

Sodality: How I came to be a “Church Lady” by Parenting with Peer Review

From Sales Manager to Laundry Lady by Little Silly Goose.com

Going Deeper {Fabulously Featured at Catholic Sistas by Real Catholic Mom.com

Caring for Oneself by Muffindome.com

Why I Always Tell My Age by Annery at Home

I was going to pick one of Erica’s posts from Saint Affairs but the girl is on fire and there are too may good posts to choose one. So just head on over and read you last few posts!

Pinned…

One Fun Thing A Day by Big White Farmhouse

~ 7 ~

Here are some Instagrams I’ve taken these past two weeks.

1. #projectblessed – Plant. I am notorious for killing my plants with neglect. However, now that I’ve put Andrew in charge of watering, they’ve blossomed! No filter.

2. #projectblessed – On the ground. Go into ANY room in our house and you’ll find something similar on the ground. (I didn’t even have to pose it.)

3. #projectblessed – Waking up. Upon waking up I thank God for another day of life and pray for the grace to love Him through the happenings of the day. (Something that has yet to come easy.)

4.#projectblessed – Small. I set my alarm for 9:30am to remind me to pray for a friend at that time. A simple prayer seems so small but those prayers are like drops of water in the ocean. Alone is may not be much, but joined together with others, it goes farther than the eye can see.

5. #projectblessed – It’s time for #BISsisterhood Monday intros and #projectblessed – portrait. I’m Bobbi, wife to Brian, mama to a teen daughter and 3 Jedi aged 7, 5 & 4. I live along the coast of central Cali so I enjoy being outdoors. When I’m indoors I’m blogging at Revolution of Love.com, contributing to BIS, catching a movie or rationalizing why it’s okay for me to put off laundry until tomorrow. The question this week is what are my hopes. Short term: this summer I hope to get my house in order and get rid of the growing clutter. Long term: I hope to love God more deeply, love my husband more selflessly and love my kids more patiently.

6. #projectblessed – Reflection. The last few days have been drizzly but I love raindrops of leaves and the reflections they hold.

7. I feel like I’ve been slacking in the kitchen lately so today I’m making up for lost time. I’ve got pulled pork in the slow cooker, homemade BBQ sauce on the stove and banana bread in the oven. Next up is coconut granola.

8. #projectblessed – What I’m reading & On my table. On my nightstand table is my ridiculous stack of books I was supposed to read by the end of the year but I have a hard time just sticking with one! I’ve been forcing myself to finish one before moving on. Right now it’s “Dear Mr. Knightly.”

9. #projectblessed – Waking up & Listen. I woke up to the sound of birds tweeting. I think they were excited to see a bit of blue sky after days and days of gloom!

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!

PPS – This post contains affiliate links.

Online Daybook & 7 Quick Takes (5/8/15): 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.

PPS – This post contains affiliated links.

7 Quick Takes (2/13/15): Hubby Loving, Heartfelt Words & 50 Shades of Grey

By bobbi
February 13, 2015
1 Comment

~ 1 ~

Happy Friday! I am gleeful because the kids are off school today and I have no pending appointments or errands so I am not stepping out of the house today! Instead I am going to catch up on all the things that have been neglected this busy week. You know it’s bad when no one has clean underwear and we each own at least 10 pairs…) 😉 But before I start cleaning, let’s do a quick 7 Quick Takes, linking up with the sweetheart Kelly over at This Ain’t the L… (Um, yeah, I can never remember how to spell or pronounce that word so just go there and see for yourself.)

~ 2 ~

Your Mess Is Mine

My song of the week is Vance Joy’s Your Mess Is Mine. It seemed perfect for Valentine’s Day. The official video was weird so I’m adding this lyric video instead.

I especially love this line

You’re the reason that I feel so strong
The reason that I’m hanging on…

Hold on, darling
This body is yours,
This body is yours and mine
Well hold on, my darling
This mess was yours,
Now your mess is mine

After the last couple of years Brian and I have had a number of crosses we’ve had to carry. It is said that when couples face very difficult situations it either drives them apart or brings them closer together. Thankfully, it has brought us closer together. The “mess” of our lives belongs to both of us and we fully accept it and go hand in hand as we walk through it. I know that we can both say to one another honestly, “You’re the reason that I feel so strong, the reason that I’m hanging on.” (Happy – early – Valentine’s Day, my love!)

~ 3 ~

Lovin’ my hubby.

I’m still doing my week of Instagram with the hashtag #ilovemyhubby2015. Here are the last four days’ photos.

Day 3 – I love my husband because after a long day at work he comes home and helps the kids with their homework.

Okay, so I having a really rough day when I posted this one…

Day 4 – I love my hubby because when I have a bad day and feel like an angry bird he knows just what to do – don’t talk to me, don’t touch me, just leave me alone. When he sees I’ve cooled off, then he hugs me and comforts me and all the world is right again.

This was Throwback Thursday from before Matthew was born. The other kids look so tiny!

Day 5 – Brian and his Packer fans. I love my hubby because he is an amazing father!

Day 6 – I love my husband because he’s an example of a holy man to the kids. On his lunch break he stops at the chapel by Matthew’s preschool. Now the boys want to stop by the chapel after school to talk to Jesus just like daddy. (Matthew likes to sit on the kneeler and close his eyes in fervent prayer.)

~ 4 ~

She Died, But She Also Lived

Photo Credit – Barefoot and Sometimes Pregnant

This morning, despite having the opportunity to sleep in, I automatically woke at 6 AM. Everyone was still sleeping and the house was quiet, the bedroom window was open a little and I could hear the breeze rusting through the trees. Ah, it was a moment of bliss. I took advantage to snuggle up in my bed and read on my phone.

I wanted to catch up on my sister’s blog since I haven’t had time to read anyone’s blog. Oh, my goodness! Yesterday’s post She Died, but She Also Lived had me in tears. Elena spoke about little Joan (who died just before birth.) Her words were so beautiful and heart felt. She also mentioned the memory book I made for her. Inside it were the prayer bouquets and notes of condolences that you asked me to give her. Thank you again for caring so much for my sister, including those that did not know her personally. Go read it for yourself, especially if you ever lost a little one of your own.

~ 5 ~

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Photo credit – Mueller Family

Speaking of heart felt, this week it was confirmed that Kayla Mueller died while being held captive by ISIS. Whether they killed her or she was a victim of the Jordanian airstrikes remains unclear. However, Kayla smuggle out a letter to her family. I don’t know how much of the letter was influenced by her captors but this line really touched my heart:

I have been shown in darkness, light + have learned that even in prison, one can be free. I am grateful. I have come to see that there is good in every situation, sometimes we just have to look for it.

Read the whole letter here.

~ 6 ~

Share the Lenten Love!

Can you believe that Lent is next week!! More poor sis Bridge celebrates her birthday that day. I’m guessing she’ll celebrate a day early on Fat Tuesday! Have you written any Lent-related posts?? If so you should link them up!!

First come on over to my Pinterest Party: Lent Edition. (Open until Easter Sunday.)

Then head over to Blessed Is She for the #BISsisterhood: Lent. (Open until Mon 2/16)

~ 7 ~

50 Shades of Grey

Everyone has been talking about 50 Shades of Grey. There have been some great articles about the movie. Some of them serious (putting a spotlight on domestic violence) and some funny (Hello, Dave Barry.) I’m including some of my favorites. The final link, a movie review from the Today Show pretty much sums it all up.

50 Shades of [Sigh]: The Disastrous 50 Shades of Grey Press Tour – I found this article, that did not come from a Christan source, interesting. Here are a few quotes from the actors themselves.

— “Some of the Red Room stuff was uncomfortable. There were times when Dakota was not wearing much, and I had to do stuff to her that I’d never choose to do to a woman.” – Jamie Dornan, Glamour, January 30, 2015

— “The first day [of filming] was kind of an out-of-body experience. I got there and they said, “Action!” I’m like, “What the f—k is happening? I’m a dad. What?” – Jamie Dornan, Glamour, January 30, 2015

— (On visiting a sex dungeon.) “It was an interesting evening. Then go back to my wife and newborn baby afterwards … I had a long shower before touching either of them.” Jamie Dornan, Elle UK, January 2, 2015

— “Filming a sex scene is not a sensual or pleasurable environment. It’s really hot—not in a steamy, sexual way. It’s just sweaty and it’s not ver y comfortable. And on top of that, my hands and legs were tied, and I was blindfolded, and I was being hit with this bizarre tool. … It was emotionally taxing. At first I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is the worst thing ever,’ and then I was like, ‘All right, let’s get on with it.'” – Dakota Johnson, TIME, February 2, 2015

— “I still can’t look at it objectively or wrap my head around it. The parts of the movie that are difficult to watch were even more difficult—and emotionally taxing—to shoot.” – Dakota Johnson, Vogue, January 20, 2015

My only question is why do it in the first place? Maybe they didn’t realize until they were already too into it. Well, I can only hope the movie fizzles out..

Don’t Let 50 Shades of Grey Ruin Your Valentine’s Weekend by VerilyMag.com
50 Shades of pain: sterile sex and the problem with porn by MamaNeedsoffee.com
‘Fifty Shades’ A Cry For Help From Women Betrayed By Feminism by Thefederalist.com
Theology of the Body vs 50 Shades of Grey – CatholicExchange.com
Movie: 50 Shades of Grey by Hellburns.blogspot.com.
Dave Barry Learns Everything You Need to Know About Being a Husband From Reading 50 Shades of Grey (This one is humorous but crude. If you aren’t already a fan of Dave Barry, skip it.)
Lisa Wilkinson’s Movie Review – Fifty Shades of Grey is the worst movie I have ever seen

UPDATE – I am adding this post here that I just read. It really touched my heart.

Why I Want to See 50 Shades and Why I’m Choosing Not To by ThePornEffect.com

Also, if you are looking to add a little spice to your marriage without the 50 shades, then check out Hallie’s post.

15 Ways to Spice Up Your Marriage (without 50 Shades of Grey) by HallieLord.com

You know I am a movie lover but I definitely won’t be going near this one. These are my sentiments, even though I technically have a soft spot for Mr. Knightly.

Photo Credit – Facebook.com/ongossamerwings

Instead of watching 50 Shades,

I will be watching action movie The Kingsmen …

…with Colin Firth, thank you very much. (Read a review from Verily here.)*

UPDATE: A number of my friends saw The Kingsman and they all said that they wish they had not seen it. I read a many more reviews, which also did not recommend the movie so I decided to skip it and watch the old Pride and Prejudice instead. 😉

Have a great holiday weekend!

PPS – This post may contain affiliate links.

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

By bobbi
August 18, 2014
10 Comments

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. 🙂

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. 😉

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 or Cars to make it sound more normal. 😉

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 motto – 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. It kicks off on August 30th with an interview with Danielle Bean. I’ll be reading along. Join me. 🙂

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. 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. 🙂

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!

August 2014 Goals

Pinterest Party & Link-up (Vol 27): Homemade Granola Bars (The Pinterest Party is open until Friday so there is still time to join!)

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

In the blogosphere…

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

The Day I Said Goodbye to Joan by Barefoot and Sometimes Pregnant (my sis ;-))

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

Your Daily Dose of Perspectives – By Slow Mama

The Great Flood (part deux): Lessons in Gratitude by The Pitter Patter Diaries

These were helpful and/or I just enjoyed them. 🙂

Confessions of a Paralytic by Filling My Prayer Closet

Teaching Kids to Be Kind by Slow Mama

Our Reversion Story by A Catholic Reversal

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. 🙂 (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. 🙂

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!

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? 🙂

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, 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. 🙂

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, 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. 🙂

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.) 😉

PPS – This post contains affiliate links.

Revolution of Love

Do small things with great love.

Tag Archives: movies

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

Online Daybook (6/8/15) & 7 Quick Takes: Birthdays, Books & Movie Reviews

Online Daybook & 7 Quick Takes (5/8/15): Catching Up, The Water Diviner & Mini Super Heroes

7 Quick Takes (2/13/15): Hubby Loving, Heartfelt Words & 50 Shades of Grey

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