Journal: apparently I am due for a post

My reader let me know it has been too long.  So here ye go.

TODAY

Out my window: Sunny/cloudy, warmish, windy.  A chance for storms today maybe?  We have had some good (enough) rain of late, although we are probably about due for some more.  It has been such a nice Spring temperature-wise this year.

Clothing myself in: Jeans. T-shirt.  I have been thinking a lot about my wardrobe, probably too much.  I have a small to moderate amount of clothes, many of which I tolerate because they are what I have, but I don't necessarily like them due to size/fit/color/level of worn-outedness, etc.  I recently weeded a bunch of stuff out, leaving me with very few winter items and enough Summer stuff but still not stuff that I "love".  The winter thing won't be problematic for awhile at least.  Sometimes I find that if I get rid of things, then it forces my hand into actually going and getting something new.  The whole time issue, and my general lack of fashion savvy and ability to make a decision are really holding me back though.  I don't want much, I just want enough stuff that fits and that I like.  I would seriously pay good money for someone to just tell me what to wear.  But alas, first world problems...

Around the house: I have been trying to clear a few things out every day and have another two boxes of donations.  Seriously, the less we have, the less I find we need.  It is very freeing.  Took our print of The Presentation to Hobby Lobby to be matted and framed with my birthday money.  Should have it back in a couple weeks.

 

The toddler:  I finally quit calling him a baby, and I think he is about ready to graduate from toddler to preschooler.  Holy moley.

 

The kiddos: A month left of school!!  We will have a week off and then a week of VBS.  Trying to figure out a good routine for summer in regards to Mass, educational stuff, reading, activities outside the house, chores etc.

In the kitchen: 

This past week:

chicken soft tacos/taco salads, still working on leftovers

stroganoff

spaghetti birthday dinner

Nantucket baked cod

Next week:

chicken pizza for us (and chicken soft tacos for the Fathers)

salads

beef and veggie stew

something fishy...

I have lots of bananas in the freezer and numerous requests from my kids for banana muffins.  Maybe some other sort of bread to go with the stew?  What do you serve as a  side-dish with beef stew?

Oh, and I finally broke down and bought a bottle of spray/aerosol olive oil.  I found one that didn't have any additives or propellants or anything.  It has seriously changed my life.  Best $2.50 I've spent in a loooooong time.  True story.

Learning:  Got some new Handwriting Without Tears stuff for Kolbe, plus I have been finding some phonics worksheets for him on Teachers Pay Teachers.  He has started writing notes where he writes the first letter of words, for instance "I L mom" for "I love mom."  He is making progress.  He wants to learn to read sooooo badly.  I hope that kindergarten is good to him, he seems very ready.  I downloaded a free history e-book to read the kids during summer.  We've read a little poetry this month.

Reading: I am looking for a good reading chart for Gemma this Summer.  I am not super into incentive charts and the like, but I want something.  Just something for tracking and encouraging reading.  We read plenty together but I would like to do a little more to encourage her independent reading (aloud and on her own).  Recommendations PLEASE!

I have been dabbling a bit in this book and it is beautiful.  Plus my usuals. 

Watching: lots of MLB

Pictures to share:  

This week I turned 35.

There were balloons.

Kolbe checked out a book about birthdays from the library and wrapped it up for me.

My mama made me a cake.

Journal: shaking up the format a bit

Time for an update, taking a different take with the format this week:

I am thankful: for my dishwasher, chocolate, a good Monday after a fairly rotten week last week (parenting is hard), Spring rains, beautiful art, a big stack of library books for the kids.  And my husband.  He is so wonderful.  I tell him multiple times a day that I'm so glad we're a team.  And I am.  I can't imagine making this journey with anyone else.

I am listening: to Easter at Ephesus.  Lovely.

I am drinking: a Pinot Noir called Pennywise.  It is nice.

I am wearing: black sweat capris, a red college T and a grey hoodie

We are watching: new seasons of River Monsters and Survivorman: Bigfoot.  Fascinating.  Especially the latter.

I am wondering: how our summer is going to go.  Some days the kids play so well.  Some days (like last week) I feel like I am constantly at my wits' end with everyone and everything.  We do well with structure.  School has brought an amazing amount of structure to our lives and when that structure is yanked out from under us for an indefinite amount of time (IE, longer than Spring/Christmas etc. break) things tend to go awry.  Thinking about daily Mass more regularly.  Maybe?  That can be kind of a zoo with my crew.  Maybe some dedicated "school" time each day?  More chores for the kids?  Heck I don't know.  This parenting gig is exhausting sometimes.

I am cooking: meatloaf with roasted potatoes and steamed veggies; creamy tomato and chicken tortellini with quesadillas; spinach stuffed flounder; made a batch of pumpkin muffins today that have gone over incredibly well.

I am reading: the usuals.  But I am thinking about reading (as if I need something else) The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur: The Woman Whose Goodnes Changed Her Husband from Athiest to Priest

I am thinking: about liturgical music

I am hoping: for a date.  A real date.  It's been too long.  As usual.  :-/  And for more rain.  More rain would be nice.

I am amazed: at how much dust was behind/in our refrigerator.  It is running almost 10 degrees cooler now.

Pictures:

Journal: almost Easter

TODAY

Out my window: Sunny and cool, but we have some hot days in the forecast (mid-upper 80s) and looks like it will be favorable weather on Easter!

Clothing myself in: jeans, blue tank, pink T, grey cardi, my hair hasn't been washed in mumble mumble mumble days and I'm looking forward to getting it trimmed this afternoon!

Around the house: Once the kids are in bed tonight I will put the rest of our Lenten items away and get out our Easter candles, flowers, window clings etc.  That is always an exciting transformation.  I ordered some art! after agonizing over it for close to six months.  I ended up with a 12x16 (that I will matte and frame in a 16x20 frame) of The Presentation in the Temple, and an 8x10 (matted and framed in an 11x14 frame) of Mater Boni Consilii.  So excited!  I still don't have a definite spot for the one of the Blessed Virgin, but it was a good price and so beautiful.  I will find somewhere.

The baby/toddler:  Got his own fishing pole this week.  We had a minor setback when Kolbe got it stuck in a tree (don't ask) but he loves it.  It just has a little rubber fishy (read: no hook) on the end and he is learning to cast (sort of) but man he thinks he is big stuff. 

 

The kiddos: Gemma has a four-day weekend for Easter.  Yesterday was a little tenuous.  Today has been better.  Kolbe has his last day of speech this coming week.  Can't believe we are down to the last seven weeks of school!

In the kitchen: This morning we had hot cross buns for breakfast, that Gemma made with her grandma yesterday.  Easter feasting with both our families tomorrow. Next week,
Monday: shepherd's pie and steamed broccoli.  Making a Cherry Cream Pie for the Fathers.
Tuesday: crispy chicken salads
Wednesday: crock pot shredded pesto chicken, whole wheat pasta and sauteed green beans
Thursday: grilled meat of some sort and Friday: maybe leftovers?

Crafting: I've got nothin'.

Learning:  This morning we counted our Lenten alms.  I am so excited about what we are doing with them this year!!  Gemma's school has snack sales on a semi-regular basis, where one (or several) classes bring snacks and all the school kids get to bring a quarter and "shop" for snacks.  The last and next sale, they are doing what is called a "virtual snack sale" instead, and the kids bring money but instead of shopping for food, it is being sent to a mission our church is affiliated with in Guaymas, Mexico, where a gentleman from the US has moved down there and has a little snack-shop of sorts for the kids to come and eat, play, etc.  This money will allow him to buy more food and especially milk (which is a rare treat) for the kids in Guaymas.  SO cool!  So we are sharing our Lenten alms with them.  Also in our alms jar the kids put their purple beads for sacrifices and acts of love done throughout Lent.  This morning I cut out a white foam cross and the kids glued their purple beads on the cross.  We talked about how all those acts were deeds that we do to "work out our salvation", but we can't do it on our own, so the white cross is the part that God makes up for what we cannot do ourselves.  It was really neat.  I have always struggled with how to tie in the sacrifice beads at the end of Lent, and this just came to me this morning kind of spur of the moment and it worked out so well.  We will do it again next year.  I will keep the cross in our prayer corner during the Easter season as a tangible reminder of our salvation.   

Reading: the usuals.  I finished Saints: A Closer Look and am planning to jump back into Introduction to the Devout Life.

Watching: we have a new Survivorman: Bigfoot on the DVR that we are looking forward to watching and some special beer for an Easter beer date!

Bringing me joy: Holy Week and the coming Easter season.

Thinking about: Redemption.

Pictures to share:  

Dying Easter eggs this morning.

The boys with their fishing poles.  We sure do love fishing around here.