~ 1 ~

Grateful for…

• An incredible weekend with the Blessed Is She team.
• New new friendships and meeting old online friends in person.
• Reconnecting with Our Lord and for the time in quiet prayer that I desperately needed.
• Safe travels.
• The hugs and kisses I received when I returned home. 🙂

Praying for..

• The BIS team and all the BIS sisters around the world.
• Numerous friends who are carrying heavy crosses.
• For special intentions for members of my family.
• For my mother-in-law’s upcoming surgery.
• Our nation.
• All pregnant moms (especially family members), those trying to get pregnant, those who have lost their babies and for moms contemplating an abortion.
• The souls in purgatory, especially family, friend and those most forgotten.

UPDATE: My mother-in-law had her hip surgery and all went well. She was recovering nicely but the second day there were a couple of complications. By the end of the third day she was not doing well. Last night we woke up to a call from the hospital at 11:30 PM to let us know she was doing worse and being moved to another section of the hospital where she could be more closely monitored. All I could think was that the kids already lost their Opa six months ago. Please, Lord, don’t take their Oma too! I went to see her early this morning and she is doing better but exhausted and in need of sleep and rest. Please say a prayer for her, for her physical health and her mental health. She is older but strong and active and being brought down like this is a heavy cross for her. Thank you!

Pondering…

For those who don’t already follow me on social media or have been following the hashtag #bisteamretreat on IG this weekend,  thirty ladies from the Blessed Is She team met in Wisconsin at Nell’s family lodge for a retreat/conference/get together.

Photo courtesy of Megan

It was the most surreal feeling to have profile photos in your head and then see those Facebook photos come to life and hug you. It was amazing. I’ll go into more detail.

However, I have been pondering a comment that MaryRuth made during our small group discussion. We were talking about how we sometimes struggle in our prayer life and how we try to overcome it. On the one hand we can sometimes think of prayer as a “set time” and forget that our day should be inconstant communion with God and turning our heart and mind over to Him numerous times a day. However, that shouldn’t be the only kind of prayer we have. MaryRuth said that just as in marriage, you are working side by side with your husband taking care of family life, you still need to stop and take some quiet time alone for a date night to reconnect with each other. So it is with God. Even though we are working side by side with Him throughout the day we still need a “date night” with God to reconnect with Him and deepen our relationship. I love that image and want to make sure God is getting some one-on-one time with me as well. 🙂 (Thanks for the wisdom, MaryRuth. 🙂 )

~ 2 ~

Around the House…

I’ve been gone for 3 days so you can imagine the catching up I need to do without me going into any details!

Family Chit Chat…

Wow, it’s been a month since my last daybook. I usually like to do these every 2-3 weeks. I guess a lot has been going on here so here’s a recap. During the month of August these things happened…

Bella started high school (what!!), we watched the Olympics, the boys took swimming classes, we went to he movies, I celebrated my birthday and had a “real” date night with Brian. I had a night out with girl friends that I haven’t seen in ages, we visited the Aquarium, celebrated a little guy’s birthday and the boys started school (grades K, 1 & 3.)

Happy birthday to my birthday month buddy John-Paul! 🙂

The highlights of  September so far was first – a visit from my Mom and Dad!

It was my mom’s first longer trip (from So Cal) since her surgery. She looked great, is recovering really well, and so far there are no signs of cancer. They were able to attend Grandparent’s Day at the boys’ school and I was just happy because it was the first time I could hug them since I found out about my mom’s cancer. Again, she asked me to thank you all for your previous and continued prayers!!

The second highlight was definitely my trip to Wisconsin for the Blessed Is She team retreat! It was an awfully early morning waking up at 4:30 AM but I made it, which was a miracle in itself. I had plenty of reading material to distract me from the fact that I’m a little freaked out to fly. My first layover was in LA then it was off to Minnesota. 🙂

We arrived at Nell’s house and she was the most gracious hostess with the ability to make you feel like you were completely welcomed and loved. 🙂 After everyone arrived we squealed like school girls and hugged each other as we marveled at this opportunity to be more than online friends but real life friends. 🙂

After dinner we drove in a caravan for an hour until we reached #wholeparentinglodge. The sun was setting when we arrived and were greeted by lovely farm silhouettes. After settling in we had a camp fire where we made s’mores and then prayed the rosary. It was the perfect ending to a busy day. The next morning we woke up to grey skies but eventually the sun broke through and we saw the land in all it’s glory. I swear it felt like a peek into heaven (if you took out the bugs.)

For the next two days we got to know each other better, took a writing class to improve our skills, had a state of the union address by our amazing leader Jenna, ate (very well!) and chatted, had small group discussions and a talk about prayer that truly moved me and brought me closer to Christ. On Sunday morning we went to Mass at a little 100+ year old country church. Afterwards we were greeted by the Father who prayed over us and blessed us. I love the photo with him smiling because his joy of the Lord was contagious! Finally we said our goodbyes and I headed to the airport and had lunch with Heather and Beth before returning back to California. So. Many. Blessings. Thanks to all who prayed for us our our safe travels. Please continue to pray for Blessed Is She and all involved! You are definitely in our prayers each day. 🙂

~ 3 ~

In the Kitchen…

Monday: Chicken fajitas with salad.

Tuesday: Chicken sausage, roasted potatoes, broccoli and salad.

Wednesday: Breakfast dinner.

Thursday: Quick and Easy Cheesy Pasta with Kale

Friday: Tuna melts and tomato soup.

Saturday: (Treat night.) Eat out.

Sunday: Slow cooker BBQ chicken sandwiches, green beans and salad.

~ 4 ~

Reading…

I really need to sit down and review all the books I read over the summer! Right now I am reading

Other Side of Peace by Hallie Lord

AND

What Alice Forgot by Lian Moriarty

Watching…

(ON TV)

The Fall TV season has started and this week and I have a handful of shows I wanted to check out. My favorite so far is This Is Us. (WARNING: If you click the link, the trailer of the show has a brief flash of Jesse from Gilmore Girls bare butt. So be warned. 😉 ) The show reminds me of Parenthood with it’s heartwarming family themes and plenty of drama. There are adult situations and (I think) some language but nothing worse than a PG-13.)

I also watched the new ABC comedy Speechless about a  slightly quirky family of six with a special needs child. There were a number of laughs and a couple of sweet moments. I thought it was well done and look forward to watching more. (Some crude humor.)

I watched The Good Place and it was okay but it didn’t completely grab me. I’ll watch one more episode to see if I will keep it or drop it.

It’s been a crazy week so tonight Brian and I will unwind with the conspiracy thriller The Designated Survivor. Kiefer Sutherland plays a lower-level cabinet member who unexpectedly becomes president after an attack on Washington. The trailer looks good and hopefully the show will deliver. (UPDATE: Brian and I watch the show and both really enjoyed the first episode!)

Lastly, I can’t wait for the beginning of Season 2 of Poldark on Sunday, September 25th. YAY! 🙂

(AT THE MOVIES)

The last three movies I’ve watched.

The Secret Life of Pets – This was actually pretty funny. There was a little crude humor but nothing too bad. The kids all enjoyed it. PG

Ben Hur – This got terrible reviews but I thought it was a decent movie, particularly for a “biblical” movie. The ending was a little Hallmark-ish but I still enjoyed it. Great for those looking for a “Christian” movie.  I rate it 3  stars. PG-13

The Light Between Oceans – I finished the book just in time to watch the movie. It was a little slow at first  (or at least it would seem so for someone who didn’t read the book already) but the actors did a great job at expressing the emotion of the story and the visual scenery was stunning. I still don’t like the ending, even though I understand why it was done that way. Overall I ‘d rate it 3 1/2 stars with the recommendation of reading the book first. PG-13

Listening to …

New Song by Warpaint is a little less alternative and a little more dancey than I usually like, but it has grabbed me anyway. 😉

If you are looking for something a little deeper for the soul, check out Danielle Bean’s podcast Girlfriends. I love it. 🙂

~ 5 ~

Recent Posts:

Not many. My schedule is still pretty full.

• September/October 2016 Goals (and Summer Goals Reviewed)
• Sisters Speak in the #BISsisterhood at Blessed Is She.net

From the Archives:

Sept 2015 – Pinterest Party & Link-up (vol 39): Holy Spirit Prayer {Free} Printable & Bookmarker

Sept 2014 – How I Improved My Night Prayers & Exam of Conscience

Sept 2013 – Meatless Meals (Vol 2): Minestrone Soup

~ 6 ~

Pinned…

 Weekly Bullet Journal Layout Ideas by Sublime Reflection.com

Around the blogosphere…

• Maybe A Miracle by A Blog for My Mom (Prayers needed!)
• Things You Don’t Have to Do to Be A Holy Catholic Woman by Carrots for Michaelmas
• 20 Books Everyone Will be Talking about this Fall by Modern Mrs Darcy
• Quick Tip Tuesday: Freezing Herbs by IHeart Organizing
• Bullet Journal 101: The Basics by Bohoberry
• The Case for Family Rituals and Quinoa Salad Recipe  by 100 Days of Real Food

~ 7 ~

Taken on a morning walk.

So that’s what I’ve been up to lately. What about you? What’s currently happening in your life? Any book or movie recommendations? Do share.

I’m linking up with Kelly for 7 Quick Takes.

Have a great week!

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

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

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

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Happy feast of the Assumption! I have been on a blogging break but I’ve popped in to catch you up on the latest. Enjoy. 🙂

~ 1 ~

Grateful for…

• That the last two days have been smoke free and that the local fire is now 60% contained.
• A productive weekend, even though I am tired from it.
• A few moments to myself to write and catch my breath before the busy schedule takes over again.
• Food on our table, warm beds to sleep in and family to love.
• Another year of life.

Praying for..

• My mom’s continued health.
• Numerous friends who are carrying heavy crosses.
• The Olympians.
• Our nation.
• Kids (and their teachers) as they return to school this month.
• All pregnant moms (especially family members), those trying to get pregnant, those who have lost their babies and for moms contemplating an abortion.
• The souls in purgatory, especially family, friend and those most forgotten.

Pondering…

It seems like lately God has been telling me over and over that I need to increase my love for those around me. In Saturday’s Blessed Is She devotion, Brigid talked about the anxiety her heart feelt over the turmoils of the world and she wondered how she could go from prayer to action. She said:

“I want to fill my heart up with love. I want to carry love with me as I move through the world. I want to respond in love to the people I meet. Sometimes the love will be a love of justice, to be sure, but I will move and live in love.”

Those words have stuck with me.

Then yesterday at Mass the visiting priest said:

“It’s our capacity to love that will bring others to Christ.”

It makes me think about the people God has placed in my hands – my husband, my children, my family, my friends, members of my community, even you as you read this. It is not mere chance that they are in my life and I in their lives. I have a role to play and a mission to fulfill. But that requires me let go of my instinct to be selfish. It means thinking of others and how my actions (or lack of action) affects them. It means taking a few extra minutes on my knees to pray for you or for a struggling friend or making a meal for a mom who is having a rough time. Or not losing it when one of my kids breaks something in the house again. It means tuning off the phone and talking with my teen or reading to my sons. There are so many ways God wants me to share his love with others. I just have to decided if I will listen and act or turn a blind eye.

~ 2 ~

Around the House…

The house has been neglected these last few weeks because I have been helping Brian with a work project. All my free time has been going to helping him so besides the basics, the house will have to wait!

Family Chit Chat…

For those who were asking, my mom is doing well in her recovery. In fact, she asked to relay this message: “My mom wanted me to let you know that this week when the therapist/nurse checked her they said she was doing great and healing remarkably well. Mom told the therapist that she credits it to the power of prayer because there has been countless people praying for her recovery. The therapist said that he find those who have prayer in their life do heal faster. My Mom also wanted me to send a big thanks to you again for all your prayers and support. She was in tears telling me how much it has meant to her. So a big thanks!”

With that in mind, this month I have my pap smear and a mammogram scheduled. They are not the most pleasant experiences but a definite must for my health!

In family news, my sweet little Bella started high school this week! High school!!  How did 14 years pass by so quickly!!!

Taking care of the kids when they were babies and toddlers was its own kind of crazy stress but now I’ve entered into another kind of crazy mental stress, having mama-worry about Bella’s physical, emotional and spiritual well being! Sigh. I need a piece of chocolate. 😉

The boys have been busy with swimming and attending their first VBS (Vacation Bible School) this month.

They had so much fun and I was so impressed with how well it was organized! We will definitely be attending (and volunteering to help) next year.

In other news, on Thursday it is my birthday! That is both bad – another year older – and good – another year of being alive! Brian wants to know what I want for my b-day but seriously, I have everything I want (well, unless you can instantly make me a few jean sizes smaller. Hmm… maybe I should pass on that chocolate.) 😉 Seriously, in all the things that matter, I already have them. <3

~ 3 ~

In the Kitchen…

Monday: Roasted Chicken with potatoes/carrots/celery and salad.

Tuesday: Ravioli, Italian chicken sausage and green beans.

Wednesday: Breakfast dinner.

Thursday: I’ll be at a baby shower so an easy dinner but not sure what!

Friday: Date night. (Kids get pizza.)

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: (John-Paul’s birthday choice.) Spaghetti and Meatballs with sparkly juice. (Sparkling apple cider in plastic wine glasses.)

~ 4 ~

Reading…

The Summer Before the War

I’ve read Section 2 of The Summer Before the War. The next podcast for the #pnsbookclub should be up soon over at Planned But Not Scripted. Their blog post for Part 1 is already up.

Persuasion

For fun I re-read Persuasion, my favorite Jane Austen book. 🙂

Watching…

(ON TV)

Photo credit

During the day I’ve been enjoying the Olympics with the boys. Matthew is particularly enamored with Micheal Phelps. I was touched to read Micheal’s story about his struggle with substance abuse, and feelings of no self esteem and no self worth to the point of thinking about suicide.  Thankfully, his friend, NFL star (and Christian) Ray Lewis stepped in and challenged Michael to re-evaluate his life and turn to God. Eventually Michael did and by the grace of God he was able to heal broken relationships and turn his life around. It’s such a powerful testimony to the fact that all these amazing successes mean nothing when your heart is lost. (You can read the whole story here.)

As I mentioned, Brian and I love British detective shows. Now that Inspector Lewis has started again, we are watching that.

We have two episodes left of The Tunnel until we find out of the killer is caught. (Parental note: Rated MA. Not for kids.)

— Brian and I finished the BBC mystery/thriller Thirteen about a young girl who escaped after 13 years of captivity. I really enjoyed the show but the ending seemed a little rushed and anti-climatic. (Parental note: Rated MA. Not for kids.)

— Meanwhile, I finished the BBC show The Crimson Field. I enjoyed it but there was no season two and that left a lot of questions unanswered. Boo.  It is available for free on Amazon Prime Video. (Parental note: Rated TV-14. Adult situations, language and non-sexual rear-end nudity.)

(AT THE MOVIES)

Some of the movies I’ve watched this summer.

The Conjuring 2 – I’m not usually a fan of horror movies but loved the first Conjuring and this one was scary good too. PG-13

Finding Dory – I’m not sure if I liked it as much as the first one but there were some cute and funny moments. The kids enjoyed it. PG

Tarzan – Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. The thought of a hubby doing anything to save the woman he loves made my heart swoon and run home to my own hubby. 😉 PG-13

Beyond – I wanted to love it but I didn’t. I really liked the first one and the second (Hello? Benedict Cumberbatch!) but this third one was enjoyable but not great. PG-13

Suicide Squad – My expectations were so low that I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it. (The soundtrack would have been more enjoyable if there weren’t so many bleep words in many of the songs. ) PG-13

Listening to …

The newest songs added to my playlist – Red Flag by The Moth & The Flame and Heathen by 21 Pilots.

The other thing I have been listening to is the latest Blessed Is She Workshop – Raising a Holy Family: From Toddler to Teen by Kathryn Whitaker. She had so many excellent points, I had four pages of notes in my journal. I also loved being able to chat with the others and ask questions as we watched. Plus the fact that I could attend without leaving home, was the icing on the cake.

You can purchase the workshops individually or subscribe for the year and get at least one workshop a month (some months have two). Plus the much loved BIS Advent and Lent journals are auto shipped to you. If you buy these items anyway, it saves a lot to buy a membership. Just click here and go to the BIS shop.

The next workshop is scheduled for Aug 23. It is a prayer journaling workshop given by  Ashley Woleben, a blogger and homeschooling mama who uses commonplacing and prayer journaling in her daily life. I hope to see you there!

~ 5 ~

Recent Posts:

I have been taking a blogging break so this is my first post in a few weeks!

From the Archives:

August 2015 – Saturday Spotlight: Erica of Be A Heart

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August 2014 – Daily Planner Goal Sheet (Free Printable)

* * *

August 2013 – Theme Thursday: Shadow & {pretty, happy, funny, real} vol 74: Bubble Play

~ 6 ~

Pinned…

Lemon Rosemary Chicken by Bravo for Paleo.com

Around the blogosphere…

— A Very Real Way You Can Help Our Country by Better than Eden

— {bits & pieces} and a matchbox makeover by Like Mother, Like Daughter

— [podcast] Kids & Chores #033 by Danielle Bean

— Audio Stories Recommended by Age by Whole Parenting Family

— Liturgical Crafting for the Non-Crafty Moms by A Knotted Life

— freedom…it’s what God wants for ALL of us… by Passionate Perseverance

~ 7 ~

Taken yesterday after Mass. I love the color!

So that’s what I’ve been up to lately. What about you? What’s currently happening in your life? Any book or movie recommendations? Do share.

I’m linking up with Kelly for 7 Quick Takes.

Have a great week!

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

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

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

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~ 1 ~

Grateful for…

• The fog rolling out and the sun shining.
• The sounds of the kids’ laughter as they play outside.
• A few moments to myself to write.
• Our little home that is a haven from the turmoils of the world.

Praying for..

• My mom and her fight against cancer.
• For Brian’s CT results and his upcoming appointment to see if he is still cancer free.
• All those suffering from illness, especially those with terminal a disease.
• For peace in the hearts of men and an end the senseless violence.
• All those who have asked for my prayers.
• All pregnant moms (especially family members), those trying to get pregnant, those who have lost their babies and for moms contemplating an abortion.
• The souls in purgatory, especially family, friend and those most forgotten.

Pondering…

The other day I was balancing my checkbook and when I was done I went out for my walk to keep on top of my #rol100milesin100days challenge. As I was walking I was thinking, why is it that I am walking every day but not losing any weight? And why is it that we’ve made a little extra money lately but I barely have enough to pay the bills? I had a sneaky suspicion that my guesstimating about how much I was spending and how much I was eating may be a little off from reality.

So this week I updated my monthly spending log. Then I started writing down everything that I put into my mouth. Suddenly it became apparent why mama was losing money and gaining weight. All those “insignificant” purchases here and there were adding up just as all those little nibbles here and there were. Sooo, that meant I had to get back to keeping track of what I eat and what I spend since both seem to be trigger marks that I love to indulge in. Ugh.

I was reading a blog post about a woman who was trying to curb her spending habit by making a wish list in her bullet journal. When she had the impulse to buy something she wrote it down and let a few days pass and a few dollars save up. Then when she had some extra money, she looked at her list to see if she really wanted an item on there or if the urge to buy had passed. I like that idea and may do the same. As for food, I am noticing that I always seem to screw up around 4 pm when I get the munchies. I started making sure I have baby carrots, red pepper slices or grapes on a plate in the kitchen counter to munch on. It’s not as tasty as chips and guacamole but such is life. 😉 Do you have any tips on eating and spending less??

~ 2 ~

Around the House…

Summer life is still busy but I have pockets of time to work on projects. I have been taking one small cleaning project a week. Last week I put up a new book shelf and filled it with books that were overflowing our current shelves. The week before I tackled the corner of my bedroom that still held a baby table and random junk. I cleared that out and made a large pile to donate to charity. This week I will tackle the kids’ bathroom.

Family Chit Chat…

For those who were asking, my mom’s surgery went well and she is recovering nicely. She has an appointment later this week with her oncologist to figure out the next step in her cancer fight.

Meanwhile, Brian had a CT scan on Friday to make sure his cancer has not returned. We haven’t gotten the results yet but he has an appointment with his oncologist on Thursday so we’ll know by then. I appreciate the prayers! I always dread these appointments and worry a little about “what if.” I’m trying not to think about it!

The other day I was looking at a photo of the boys from four years ago. They look so young! Especially, since I feel like they have gotten so much older this summer!

See what I mean? Big boys! I don’t know how I will feel when they are teens. (I’m still in shocked that Bella starts high school in a couple weeks!) Anyway, this month the boys have been busy with swimming and next week they’ll attend Vacation Bible School.

In between there is a lot of playing outside, visiting the library and of course playing Pokemon Go! We went to Target to get school supplies but we were delayed in the parking lot as we tried to get two critters in our car. The bottom two pictures were taken in Monterey where the boys were excited to find their first Pikachu. At least it has gotten us outdoors more. I’m sure the excitement will last for another week or so then the novelty will wear off. 😉

~ 3 ~

In the Kitchen…

Monday: Roasted Chicken, artichoke pasta salad and green beans.

Tuesday: Kale ravioli, chicken sausage and asparagus.

Wednesday: Fajitas, pinto beans, 5 minute salsa and salad.

Thursday: Leftovers.

Friday: Minestrone soup and grilled cheese.

Saturday: Meatball sandwiches and salad.

Sunday: Eat out.

~ 4 ~

Reading…

The Summer Before the War

I’ve read Chapters 1-9 of The Summer Before the War. I stopped and waited for the book discussion over at Planned But Not Scripted. Are you it reading too? If so, add your comments on their blog post. I just did!

This week I will read the next section (and maybe just finish it ahead of schedule.) 😉

East of Eden

In the meantime, I started (and finished all 600 pages, woohoo!) East of Eden. I’ll share more about it at the end of the month when I review my July reads.

Next I am reading…

The Bronte Plot

What are you reading?

Watching…

(ON TV)

One of our favorite British detective shows in Endeavor. I think we have one more episode left in our DVR.

Brian and I have been watching the BBC mystery/thriller Thirteen about a young girl who escaped after 13 years of captivity. The last episode is next week and we can’t wait to see how everything is wrapped up. (Parental note: This is rated MA. Language and adult situations.)

I am also two episodes into the BBC show The Crimson Field. I’m really enjoying it so far and there are so many familiar faces. It is available for free on Amazon Prime Video. (Parental note: I think this is rated TV-14. Adult situations and some battle field gore.)

Listening to …

I never get tired of this one – All We Ever Knew by The Head and the Heart.

~ 5 ~

Recent Posts:

I haven’t posted much except for a week of book posts!

• Making A Reading Bullet Journal
• Book Reviews for 2016 – Part 3: June
• Summer 2016 Reading List

From the Archives:

 July 2015 –Homemade Coconut Granola (One of my favorite things to make!!)

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July 2014 – The Top Ten Theme Songs of My Life

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July 2013 – When He Wants to Fix It and You Just Want A Hug

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July 2012 – Making It Count (Vol 2): Mama & Me Journal

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July 2011 – Catholic Baby Shower Ideas

~ 6 ~

Pinned…

Photo Credit: Productive & Pretty

Around the blogosphere…

-> Dear Lonely Mom; You Are Not Alone by Real Catholic Mom mom.com

-> Read this, not that: Books about marriage by Like Mother, Like Daughter

-> Your Rights During a Miscarriage by Elizabeth Ministry/ Better than Eden

-> MOVIES: “THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS” by Hell Burns

-> Pray for Peace with me by Positively Imperfect

-> Bullet Journal for Busy Families with Candace Madera by Boho Berry

~ 7 ~

We get a lot of fog in July but the walks are still pretty.

The summer fruit is amazing!

So that’s what I’ve been up to lately. What about you? What’s currently happening in your life? Any book or movie recommendations? Do share.

I’m linking up with Kelly for 7 Quick Takes.

Have a great week!

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

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

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

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~ 1 ~

Grateful for…

• This first day of our summer vacation.
• Warm days and blooming flowers.
• The love and prayers of friends.
• The grace to say I’m sorry and the opportunity to start over.
• Hugs and kisses form my little ones.
• Quiet time with Brian.

Praying for..

• My mom, her upcoming surgery and that she will be healed and cancer free.
• People suffering from violence and hatred.
• All those who have lost loved ones, especially for those struggling with depression because of it.
• All those who have asked for my prayers.
• All pregnant moms (especially family members), those trying to get pregnant, those who have lost their babies and for moms contemplating an abortion.
• The souls in purgatory, especially family, friend and those most forgotten.

Pondering…

The death of the 50 some people in Orlando. I was watching on the news that footage of the mom crying and looking for her son and I read that post about the mom who was texting her son just before he was shot. One of his last words were, “I love you Mommy.” It brings tears to my eyes to think of a grown man calling out to  his mom minutes before he died. Regardless of the circumstances, this was a heartbreaking tragedy that has brought us to tears. It is also a reminder that we never know when we may not see our children, our spouses, our parents, our loved ones again. Life is crazy and often uncertain but we can make the most of the time we have together. We can let go of the pettiness that fuels grudges and unkind words. I’d hate to have my last words or text to a loved one be something I would regret later.

~ 2 ~

Around the House…

After the whirlwind of activity last week, the house in a shambles including endless paper bags of old schoolwork and art work that the kids brought home from school. I am waiting for them to go outside to play so I can sneak it all off into the recyclable bin!

Family Chit Chat…

If you don’t follow me on social media, here is an update on my mom’s health.

Thanks to all who have been praying for my mom. For those who asked, here’s an update: Mom has Stage 2 cervical cancer. The tests were inconclusive as to whether it got into the lymph nodes. They won’t know for sure until they operate but the doc doesn’t think it did. She will have the surgery in 2-3 weeks. They are coordinating the surgeons’ schedules. Surgery will take 6 hrs. She will be in the hospital for 3 days. Recovery will be 4-6 weeks if all goes well. After recovery they’ll discuss chemo and radiation. Meanwhile, she’ll return to hospital to have an MRI to make sure she is strong enough for the surgery. All things considered, there’s a lot of reason to be thankful and hopeful. UPDATE: My mom’s surgery is scheduled for June 21, the day after her birthday.

In other news, today is our first official day of summer vacation. When my alarm went of this morning I was able to turn it off and savor a few more moments with my pillow. It was a little slice of heaven. 😉

We finished all our school activities, including the school mini-Olympics. The kids represented Team Australia, Team USA, Team Scotland and Team Brazil. Although Matthew could not remember his country’s name and kept calling it Team Bra-zebra.” LOL. 😉

And biggest news of all, Bella graduated the 8th grade!

Here she is with her proud Papa. 🙂

And with her little brothers. Matthew and John-Paul had to remove their ties an hour into the ceremony because they were choking them. 😉

Lastly, Andrew turned nine years old. My sweet oldest boy is the most like Brian and a little more quiet than his brothers. Unlike his mother, he is a natural organizer and my biggest helper around the house. He comes home and does all his chores immediately without me even having to ask. (Are you sure he’s my kid?) 😉

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In the Kitchen…

It’s “clear out the freezer” week. So there’s sure to be something Mexican, something Italian, something Breakfast themed, and something that makes everyone go, “Huh??” 😉

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Reading…

I just finished reading these two books. Reviews coming soon. (Spoiler Alert: I loooved them.)

When Breathe Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Watching…

(ON TV)

We finished watching the new Amazon Prime  show  Doctor Thorne. I loved it, especially that it had a happy ending. 🙂 (Added bonus – the commentary from Julian Fellowes.)

Next on Netflix I’ll be watching Landgirls…

and the movie The Letters about Mother Teresa. Have you seen either? Did you like them?

Listening to …

This song has been a regular on my Walking Playlist. Laugh about It by Paper Route.

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Recent Posts:

• 25 Acts of Kindness for your Husband
• Quick Family Update & Message of Gratitude (6/8/16)
• Summer Goals 2016 (and March/ April Goals Reviewed)
• Summer Walking Challenge: 100 Miles in 100 Days
• In the Kitchen: Quick and Easy Cheesy Pasta with Spinach and Kale
• Mini Book Reviews for 2016 – Part 2 (April – May)
• Mini Book Reviews for 2016 – Part 1 (Jan – March)

From the Archives:

June 2015 – Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

June 2014 – Saturday Night 7 Quick Takes, {pretty, happy, funny, real} & Answer Me This

June 2013 – Travel Tips

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Pinned…

Photo Credit: 100 Days of Real Food.com

In the blogosphere…

There’s not much blog reading time but I’ve recently enjoyed:

• What I Learned about Growing Friendships as an Adult by A Knotted Life.com
• Me Before You: Dear Hollywood, Why Do You Want Me Dead? by Aleteia.org
• Tim Burton’s Big Fish, Me Before You, and the Terrible Power of Story by Carrots for Michaelmas.com
  
• Mommy, Who Is God by Catholic Mommy Blogs

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I have this obsession with water droplets on flowers and spider webs. (As you can see from above.)

Here’s another I snapped the other day after a very thick morning fog.

So that’s what I’ve been up to lately. What about you? What’s currently happening in your life? Any book or movie recommendations? Do share.

I’m linking up with post with Kelly for 7 Quick Takes .

Have a great week!

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

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