Seven Quick Takes: summer vacation!

1.  School wrapped up for the year after a short half-day on Thursday!!  The boys had dentist appointments that afternoon so Gemma and I went on a celebratory date.  We started with Eucharistic Adoration (I am soooo excited for her second grade year and the Sacraments that it brings), then off to eat ice cream at Braum's and she picked out a book about St. Teresa of Avila at our local Catholic bookstore.  We had such a nice time!!  Isn't she beautiful?  The first picture just captures her so well I think.

2.  That evening my hubby and I had a date (!!!!!!!!).  We went to Vespers at our Diocesan Cathedral and then spent the evening with the (around 70!!!!!!) seminarians of our diocese, various priests and about 300 people.  I am normally not much of a crowd person, in fact as we were walking in I was like, "Aaron!!!  We're going to have to talk!!! To people!!!!!!!"  But it was a positively wonderful evening catching up with people, some of whom we hadn't seen for years, and it made my heart swell with pride for the wonderful things that are happening in our diocese.  The number of seminarians (men studying for the priesthood) that we have here is astounding.  The Bishop even commented in his opening remarks that there isn't a Bishop in the world who wouldn't want to trade places with him. This morning there will be five young men ordained to the priesthood and last evening one to the diaconate.  God is good.  Sadly there is no pictorial evidence of our date.  OH well.

3.  We kicked the first morning of summer vacation off by turning our heater on, and it's running again this morning.  A little chilly for my tastes this time of year (I thought I was done with hoodies and sweats), but I won't complain.  It has been a gorgeous Spring in these parts!  And rain abounds, and looks like it will continue to abound for most of the holiday weekend.

  

4.  We signed up for the Summer Reading Program at the library yesterday...the kids had been looking forward to this for weeks now!!  They revamped the program a bit this year and I'm really happy with the changes.  The kids have to do four reading inspired activities (there is a list to choose from) and then read 20 twenty-minute reading sessions.  This is sooooooo much easier than having to write 120 titles x3 on papers that have room for 50 books.  Even with Gemma writing her own titles last year it was still so tedious.  This is going to be good.

5.  I printed out our "Summer Schedule" a couple weeks ago and hung it on the fridge so the kids (namely Gemma) could start looking at it and know what to expect each day.  It's not incredibly rigid...I am trying to keep waking/eating/sleeping times pretty consistent and see that prayers/breakfast/chores are the first thing to happen upon waking. Everything else is just divided into tasks that need to be accomplished between breakfast and lunch, and tasks/activities between lunch and dinner with lots of free time for play.  We have a few planned activities, mainly Bible School and swim lessons...just enough to keep us out of trouble but not crazy busy.  I have added a few more chores for the kids.  Gemma is getting to be a huge help around the house and out and about!  I was worried about taking three to the grocery store yesterday, but I think it was easier than shopping with just the boys...she helped load and unload stuff, kept an eye on Clement...  She is growing into such a fine young lady.  I am amazed at how she has changed over the past year.

6.  Yesterday evening our neighbors invited us over for homemade pizza.  We have the best neighbors.  Who knew when we bought this house eight years ago, that aside from the house and neighborhood/park/walking paths etc. suiting us so well, we would also end up with the nicest neighbors in the world. 

7.  I know I mentioned this on Facebook, but it bears mentioning again.  I just finished a beautiful book on prayer entitled Prayer Primer and it was a gem.  I have read several of Fr. Dubay's books recently, they are all fantastic.  One of my favorite parts in this book was the section on Family Prayer, specifically the way it explained teaching/encouraging meditation for young children.  I gleaned plenty of good information from it for myself as well, particularly on the subjects of meditative and contemplative prayer. Well worth the read, and it is a quick read, I think I finished it in six days.

Journal: Summer is here

TODAY

Out my window:  Sunny and warm.  We got about 2.5 inches of rain last weekend, which was hugely great.  If we got another large-ish rain the ponds and such around here would be back where they should.  It was a pretty isolated thing though, so pretty grateful for what we did get.  Forecast is pretty moderate for this time of year, barely breaking 90 in the seven-day.  We've been spending a lot of afternoons at the park.

Clothing myself in:  Jean shorts and a college t-shirt.

Around the house: We bought a new vacuum.  Our old one had been smelling and acting a little funny so Aaron had it looked at and they pronounced the motor.  We got a Riccar (we'd had a Sears Kenmore previously).  Anyone else have one?  It seems like it should be a good vacuum.  There are a few features that I miss from my old vacuum, but a few more on that I like that the old one didn't have.  People shouldn't analyze vacuums so much though.  I think I have a problem...  Getting our basement ready for overnight guests this week.  Laundered a bunch of sheets and towels and did some cleaning down there.  It will be a busy upcoming week with VBS, our guests and a family reunion!!

 

The baby/toddler: He is a handful these days, but what two-year-old boy isn't?!!  He has learned the word "no".  He loves to throw rocks in the lake (much to the dismay of the HOA.  We try to limit him, really, there's just not much reasoning with a two-year-old ;-D)   

 

The kiddos:  Gemma has been doing lots of biking.  Our neighborhood park is at the corner of our lake, and the path around the lake is about 1/3 a mile and is almost entirely visible from the park, so she can ride around while the rest of us are at the park.  It really is a great setup.  Her reading continues to improve...her expression tickles me and I LOVE it when she reads to her brothers.  Gemma likes to spell words to me instead of just talking.  Her phonetic spellings are sometimes quite amusing.  She and Kolbe just finished their May Saturday swim lessons.  They both had a bunch of fun, and they both went down the big outdoor slide (with their teacher) today.  This iwas very brave for them, and they loved it!!

Kolbe would fish all day every day were it up to him.  Most of the time we are at the park he spends down by the pond poking around rocks and bugs and such (if he's not fishing).  Our neighbor made him a quilt (she is making them for the other kids, but his was done first) and it is so wonderful.  Dump Trucks, and a little road and bright blue and yellow and green and so many little details in the stitching!  He has slept with it every night.  What a keepsake.

In the kitchen: French Dips, sour dough and green beans, Baked Ziti, some salads...we've had a lot of salad lately (usually with chicken or fish on the top/side), and Breakfast Casserole and probably waffles for guests are on my menu at home this week, plus some out-of-the-house reunion eating. 

Crafting: Ack.  No way.  I think I'll piggy-back on the neighbor's quilting prowess, haha. 

Learning:  VBS this coming week for both big kids and Gemma has Art Camp the following week.  We made up a "homework chart" for Gemma to loosely follow.  We've only been at it for a week so I'm not going to say "success" or "failure" just yet, but it seems to be a good guide and I am trying to not be a big stickler about having to do things every day.  AHHHHH balance.  I started Kolbe's handwriting book with him and think it's going to be just what he needs to help him practice good pencil grip. 

Reading: Finished Unbroken.  It was very good.  About 1/3 through Something Other Than God.  Liking it a lot.  Also read If I Stay this week.  It was kind of dark, but a good easy fiction.  All of a Kind Family Uptown and Stuart Little plus tons of picture books from the library with the kids.  I love how the Summer Reading Program always seems to rejuvenate us around here.  Speaking of, this was a great article. 

Watching:  Meh, not much of anything exciting.  I can't seem to keep my eyes open after about 9:15, so that kind of limits my options, haha.

Bringing me joy: The relaxed-pace of our Summer mornings.  Praying Morning Prayer before anyone else is up.  The land (park, pond, paths) around our house.  Even though we live in the 'burbs, I'm grateful our kids are able to get a relatively authentic outdoor experience (for Kansas anyways, heh heh).  Celebrating my hubby's 35th, just the quiet, simple traditions that our kids get so excited about.

Thinking about: Night-weaning Clem.  He had made some good strides sleeping longer stretches in his own room at night, and then went through a rougher patch here the past several weeks, but now is back to sleeping a *little* better on his own (and nursing less when he is in with us).  I am debating about actively night-weaning around his birthday, but still not entirely sure...

Pictures to share: 
Gemma on her (second to) last day of school and Kolbe on his last day of Speech with his gifts for his teacher.