7 Quick Takes Friday (vote for a table!)

— 1 —

Let's start with an iPhoto collage from the last few weeks!

and some explanations for the memory book...
from top left: drawing "donovan's snake," his little foot, the crazy livestock show homemaking project sign-in morning, bedhead, and the line of clean clothes to get in the closet!
2nd row: guitar boy and piano gal, the best doughnuts ever, watching livestock judging, the loudest toy trumpet ever,  and riding on lil bro's skateboard.
3rd row: typical steven face with his head that's "so big he can't wear any hats" (Kindergarten Cop, anyone?), typical crazy dinner, trike boy with koolaid mustache, sewing gal, and mommy/kid yogurt date
4th row: we made oreo bark 3 times this week, we did a fun science experiment!, and lots of guitar going on this week
5th row: letter learning explosion going on for our lil 5yr old, talking to the parrot "what's your name?," sunglass gal at the botanical gardens, sisters and purses at the gardens, and our new porch swing that gave daddy a big headache tonight and is still not hung up!

— 2 —

So if you can't tell from the photos, we've had beautiful weather in Texas!  But the flu is still running rampant in all my circles.  We've pretty much been holed up in the house all week and I've got serious cabin fever!  But our friends with their 5 kids are coming in a week and I'm determined that we won't get sick before then. Which means we probably will.  In May, we had just gotten over a tummy virus when they arrived, so they caught it, and one of their kids even threw up on the pew in front of us during Mass!  Please let us stay well, Lord! 

 

 — 3 —

 credit: Color Me Rad

 

I'm running this 5K in about a week.  And I haven't run more than 2-3 minutes over the past few weeks, although I've taken lots of Zumba classes and "ran" on an elliptical a few times. I think I'll be walking most of the way, and I hope I don't bring down the super-athletic friends who are planning to "run" with me!  There will be 6 ladies with 8 of our daughters, and I just hope the weather is good, no one is sick, and we have a super-fun time!  I wish I had gotten myself motivated to to one of the "Couch to 5K" programs, but it never happened.  And this week I haven't even exercised at all; I feel horrible!  The weather is so warm I put on capris, but even my capris from the summer are not even fitting anymore.  Must get on a better eating and exercise program, pronto!

 — 4—

I'd like to request prayers for my cousin, Ashley.  She's just a few years younger than me but has lived a difficult life dealing with deafness and other disabilities.  We had heard that she was diagnosed with a treatable cancer this past summer, but unfortunately it has now spread throughout her body and she is moving to hospice care.  We're praying hard that she can be moved near her parents and siblings who currently live about 5 hours away from her.  Can you please lift her and her family in prayer as they try to move her to a facility near them and as they prepare to say goodbye?

 — 5—

In honor of the 40th "anniversary" of Roe v. Wade this week, I'll link two absolutely beautiful pro-life articles from two of my favorite bloggers this week...

A Day of Penance and Prayer by Auntie Leila at Like Mother, Like Daughter

Four Words I'll Never Forget by Lauren who blogs at The Loveliest Hour and Austin Catholic New Media 

 — 6 —

Our pro-life work has been very much an in-home ministry in the past years.  Instead of praying at abortion clinics and attending fundraisers, rallies, and marches like we did in our "younger" years, we've been raising babies and doing the pro-life work of teaching them our Faith and the values we hold dear.  This is vital work for the pro-life movement, even though it can sometimes feel like we're not doing anything to save babies or end abortion. 

But at some point, I'm confident that this work will bring us out of the home again.  I went to prayer vigils at two abortion clinics last year, and Steven has been thinking about the issue more often.  I'd love to attend a March in Washington DC like so many friends are doing this weekend, or go to the Rally in Austin like we did during our college years.  But most of all, I think maybe we are both starting to feel like we should step out of our comfortable pro-life home in the near future.  Maybe it's not the time, but maybe it is.  Maybe we should play hookey from the ballet rehearsal and jaunt over to Austin this weekend?  We could also get one of these...

 — 7 —

Home decor.  I'm having so much fun decorating the house!  But does anyone else get OCD when you're trying to find a particular item?  I finally hung up the artwork in our bedroom and now I'm antsy to start making curtains and am getting obsessive about finding a table for our dining room/schoolroom.  The main problem is that we want a table that seats 8 (or more), but those are hard to come by, and our local Craigslist just has very slim pickings!  I refuse to pay full price for something new and haven't seen anything I like in the local stores, anyway.  I guess we could have one built, but those usually don't come with chairs.  These Craigslist ones I'm finding are about 2-4 hours away, but it would sure be nice to have a table to fit everyone next weekend! 

What would you choose?

This one is great quality (Pottery Barn chairs) with a bench, 

but has no other pieces with it, and we really need 

storage for homeschooling stuff and my grandmother's china!  

It's the most expensive and a long drive away (but near the Rally)

I don't usually like dark furniture but this might be a good fit.

We love this next set with the beautiful hutch, 

but those other two chairs by the hutch don't really fit 

around the table and would have to squeeze at the ends.  

Not sure it's worth it to buy a set that won't comfortably fit 8?

Also we'd prefer chairs that don't have cushions for our messy eaters!

And this last one is the set I've been looking at for awhile, 

but it's a bit more traditional than we'd like.  

The china hutch and buffet aren't listed in the latest ad, 

so I wonder if they've already sold them?  

I like that the chairs don't have cushions, but this one is really far away!

 So what would you choose: #1, #2, or #3 or keep looking?