Monday Motivation

I miss blogging!  I just never sit down at the computer anymore. I'm on my iPhone a lot; it's just too hard to blog on it. But I miss uploading and sharing my photos and sharing about what's going on with us. Every day I think I'll find the time, but every day is too loud and crazy, and every night I just want to snuggle into bed and watch a show on Netflix. We also moved our computer into the living room a few weeks ago, so the kids are often watching shows or it's just too busy for me to sit and write. 

Playing Little People, playing AG dolls with friends and reciting Latin declensions, Katie at church after mass.

Daddy looking handsome after mass, Superbowl Sunday with the B dam, and my bday breakfast

My bday fajita takeout dinner, sick boy with his doggy, and 3 kids napping one morning

We just went through two weeks of illness. We had some kind of flu or respiratory virus that went through everyone except Steven and me. It's still lingering through one last victim who has just about beat it.  We've also had some cold and rainy weather here and there, and I'm definitely feeling that February funk! We're struggling with schoolwork and behavior issues, and I'm just lacking in energy to deal with it. Someone has been sick nearly every day of this month so far, so I know I need to give myself a little break but also try to get back on track with our routines. We're in the middle of a likely parish change for our family, so that has added some changes.  And then there's the house. I don't even know where to start except to point you to the last photo of the last collage below which shows the flood that happened in our master bathroom/bedroom today due to a broken pipe. Sigh.

Standing and almost walking! sweet paci baby, sleeping Steven.

Tommy ready for baseball, his 1st practice, and another morning bed full of kids.

Apple pie for Valentines week, a happy baby ready to eat, and late-sleeping Ellie in the boys' room

My baby turns one in a few days and I'm not ready for that. I'm not ready to let go of her infancy and watch her head into toddlerhood! Steven reminded me this weekend that it's about to get really hard with her! It has already started.  She can't stay in the pew for most of mass, we have to watch her every minute around the house, and she has become much harder to put to sleep. I miss those newborn days. But I also love watching her learn new things each day and seeing her little personality emerge. I'm not yet sure how we will celebrate her big day, but I know it will be fun and I've already ordered some special surprises I know she'll love!

Katie found daddy's bathroom bag, teaching Blue Knights last wk, slurping fettucine and waiting for the boys to get home from baseball.

Valentine morning breakfast with heart cinnamon rolls, MC selfie, Valentines dance

Watching the iPad with the housekeeper's children, Katie pestering my hardworking schoolboy, and the bathroom flood.

Lent is upon us and as always I'm not ready. Hopefully I'll take some time to reflect tomorrow and prepare my heart and mind for this season. I know I need to carve out some time for prayer and exercise. I know I need to work on my eating habits and my yelling habits. I know I need to focus on relationships and work ethic. May God give me the grace to examine my heart and plan a fruitful Lent for myself and our family.

Goals and plans for this week:

1. Lenten prep: prayer, Confession/Adoration, hopefully Ash Wednesday mass, and Friday Stations

2. Morning routine and school starting in a timely manner

3. Katie's birthday

4. 4-H meeting (make phone calls for Roundup info and backup location)

5. Baseball and ballet

6. Schoolwork catch-up for certain children ;-)

Have a lovely week, friends!