{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life~

Every Thursday at Like Mother, Like Daughter

 {pretty}

A pretty sight in my bed the other morning.  Yes, the baby is holding a toy handgun. Yes, he went to sleep holding it.

{happy}

Snow-cones at the park make a happy Saturday afternoon! We had just gone to the (too expensive to join) pool to sign up for swim team only to be told that they weren't sure it was going to happen this year due to city budget cuts (sounds like the club teams are working it out, though).  We're glad to have neighbors and this swim team opportunity so that we can use the very nice swimming club this summer!  The kids, especially the baby, were not happy to go to the pool and not be able to swim, so treats at the park made up for it! 

Teaching his brother some bad tricks!  Yes, the kids refuse to keep their shoes on at the park.  No, it's not a battle we choose to fight.

{funny}

Yesterday was my big trip to the DPS office to renew my driver's license that expired on my birthday in February unbeknownst to me!  Oops!  A kind friend agreed to watch the kids, so here we were on our way to her house.  Thomas is eating his lunch since he was napping when the rest of us ate.

 I was so convinced that this experience was going to be a fiasco that I started documenting it with photos.  But thanks be to God, all went smoothly and I had the correct paperwork (thanks to the customer service rep I spoke with after waiting on hold for half an hour that morning).  Just an hour waiting in line at the office and I was DONE!  2:30pm on a rainy Tuesday afternoon proved to be a good time to go!  Steven also took care of my way-overdue registration and inspection this week, so now I am a legit driver!  My dad will be so happy (he always gets onto me for things like this)!

{real}

Our first real vegetable from our little garden!  Mary Clare was so proud of the little tomato!

We're looking forward to some very pretty, happy, funny, and real experiences in the coming weeks with some trips to the Aquarium and beach, Mother's Day, a homeschooling conference out of town, visitors from Houston, swim team starting, finishing our school year, and then the ballet recital!  I'm ready for summer!!!

Monday Motivation

Monday Motivation Review

10 Goals for April 30-May 6

 

 Prayer and Community

1. Continue reading Hallie's Book about Catholic womanhood

2. Pick a scripture for the week

3. Pray at least a decade of the rosary with the children

 

Health 

4. Attend one class at the new fitness studio

5. Take kids on a nature walk or to a park

6. Plan weekly meals:

Mon-Spaghetti, Tues-maybe Homemade Chicken Nuggets and potatoes, Weds-Pasta Bake, Thurs-Crockpot chicken, Fri-First Friday at church?, Sat-Grill, Sun-leftovers from grill

Home Management and Homeschool

7.  Read Chapter and do homework for FPU

8.  Work on school plan for Steven Joseph, Apparition project with girls

9.  Kids laundry beginning of week, our laundry end of week

10. Schedule dental appts

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday Motivation

10 Goals for May 7-13

 

 Prayer and Community

1. Continue reading Hallie's Book about Catholic womanhood

2. Pick a scripture for the week

3. Pray at least a decade of the rosary with the children

 

Health 

4. Attend one fitness class

5. Take kids on a nature walk or to a park

6. Plan weekly meals:

Mon-Skinny Chicken Alfredo, Tues-Quesadillas, Weds-Frozen pizza, Thurs-Baked chicken and rice, Fri-Breakfast for dinner, Sat-Grill, Sun-Leftovers

Home Management and Homeschool

7.  FPU class and homework

8.  Work on school plan for Steven Joseph, Apparition project with girls

9.  Kids laundry beginning of week, our laundry end of week

10. Schedule dental appt, have windows repaired, get new license, make hotel reservation for homeschool conference

7 Quick Takes

 

~~1~~

We have a fridge full of fajitas (free leftovers from a business lunch) and cake balls.  What else could we need?  The kids and I made the cake balls this afternoon and they turned out great!  I used this recipe.  I also got up the guts to brave the grocery store this afternoon, so we will have food in the house for all of 1.5 days.  By Saturday I'm sure I'll be staring at an empty fridge wondering what has happened!  Black hole!

~~2~~

I had 3 kids with me at the grocery store since the oldest was at ballet class.  The two middle ones have NO sense of where other people are in the store.  They are constantly hanging on and off the cart and running in someone's way.  I let Ellie hold some air filters and I thought she was going to knock someone's head off since she claimed she could only hold them above her head.  Steven Joseph stops by anything that even remotely looks like a toy item or a sweet.  He called me over to check out some kind of air fresheners for trash cans that looked like candy!  I was getting dirty looks from the manager that kept passing us.  That was probably because one of my kids was always blocking the isle, and I let Thomas dig into a box of Wheat Thins.  But hey, he behaved!  Speaking of bad food, I let them eat popcorn and ice cream for breakfast today since the cupboards were bare.  Mom of the Year!

~~3~~

It's nights like these that I'm wondering why we've chosen an "Attachment Parenting" kind of lifestyle.  It's approaching midnight and my little 19 month-old partner is at my feet playing with my tennis shoes, taking them on and off his feet and trying to tie the laces.  I know that having a baby awake at midnight doesn't fall into the "AP" guidelines, but what I'm saying is I have kids attached to me all day long.  I've spent 10 years of my life now with a child either inside me or attached to my chest 24/7.  It's getting exhausting!  I was laughing at a Facebook post that recommended a weekend away for couples who hadn't done so in the last 6 months.  It's been 10 years!  Oh but they're so worth it.  Isn't he a doll?  One day we'll get away for a weekend.  Maybe in another 10 years...

~~4~~

But see, he does sleep.  Oh I just want to eat him up!  What a little love. I was playing around with Instagram during naptime today.  That is, until the 4 year-old had several screaming fits in the room next door.  Naptime is a constant battle to get older kids to be quiet!  The only sure-fire solution is Netflix, but I have to start using that sparingly.   I wish Instagram had a filter to get rid of under-eye bags!

~~5~~

Well, it's hard to see but there's a chicken in our bushes!  Not sure what she's doing there, but one of the kids said she was pooping.  So another child was crying demanding to be shown the poop while the other refused to show him.  These are the days of my life.

 

In other animal news, I was basking in the breezy morning air and feeling thankful for the singing birds and the seagull flying overhead while taking out the garbage.  Then a German Shepherd without a collar greeted me halfway down the driveway.  Good morning!  I stayed calm and made it back inside, but didn't dare go back out to put out the recycling!

~~6~~

 Ah, the month of May.  Mary's month.  What might the atmosphere in the home of the Holy Family have been like?  How can I recreate that in my own little chaotic domestic church of 4 very rowdy children?  Now I have a place to ponder this as I moved our little prayer altar into the dining room (former schoolroom).  My glider rocker faces the altar.  It will be a nice place to pray.  It's a bit hard to ponder when there is a child playing under the altar, though. 

 ~~7~~

I think these Quick Takes are signs that I need some more beach therapy this weekend.

Visit Jen for more Quick Takes!  Happy Weekend!

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life~

Every Thursday at Like Mother, Like Daughter

 

 {pretty}

To see this girl reading of her own volition is very, very pretty.  I didn't know where she was at one point yesterday and she was reading in her room!  So proud of her and glad that reading is coming easier as the months go by.  She's been reading the American Girl Molly books.

{happy}

Speaking of being proud, these happy girls had their first piano recital on Tuesday.  They just started lessons in March, so performing after that short a time is a bit intimidating!  But they did a wonderful job.  They are progressing quickly and starting to teach themselves new songs.  I'm so happy we found a nearby teacher who is such a kind soul and teaches inexpensive lessons out of the goodness of her heart.

{funny}

Someone from Steven's office has been giving him fresh produce.  He brought home a giant bag of onions last week.  I was trying to chop them up to freeze them but it was too much for my eyes.  Mary Clare was trying to help but was plagued by stinging eyes as well.  Ellie's scuba goggles sure helped!

{real}

  The piano teacher used Ellie's drawing at the top of the recital program.  She also had it framed by her front door when we went to lessons yesterday. 

So proud of my reading, piano-playing, cooking, and artistic girls!

Beach

My favorite beach (so far) is about 45 minutes away.  It's a nice little park that is actually in the bay, so the waves aren't strong and right now there's not as much sea weed.  I hope to have many fun Saturday outings here this summer!  Weekly beach therapy sounds like a great plan!

 

This is the life.

Up in the sunroof on the ferry

Riding the ferry across the bay

A beautiful Saturday afternoon!

Big boy

Our baby Thomas is now 19 months old! He's learning new words each day and I wanted to make a list of his cute words and phrases! This is the only "baby book" we've got!

Doesn't he look big here at the beach this weekend?  Where'd my baby go?


Mommy
Dada
Dada worr (work)
Dada nigh (night)
Joe joe
Joe joe nigh
Eh-ye (Ellie)
Dih-duh (Mary Clare, not sure where that came from, maybe "sister")
NeNe (whenever he sees the phone)
Papa
Bye!
Moh (more, with sign language)
Apple
Ray (grapes)
Chichih (chicken)
Nana (banana)
Teetuh (pizza)
Wahwah (water)
Ju (juice)
Toe
Safe (carseat)
Shoes
Socks
Booboo
Poopoo
Peepee
Ba (bath)
Mine!
No!
Moh (yes)?
Airplane
Bike
Ball
Guitar
Up me (help me)
Open
Name
Buh-ee (buddies, "Curious Buddies" show)
Si-zuh (scissors)
Key (keys and car)
Boat


One of my favorites is "hey!" when you take something away from him. Especially funny when I am unlatching him from nursing!

Also "hap-en?" for "what happened?" and "I know" repeated when he's upset, mimicking me when I comfort him.

Monday Motivation

Monday Motivation Review

10 Goals for April 23-29

 

 Prayer and Community

1. Continue reading Hallie's Book about Catholic womanhood (bought for myself for Easter!)

2. Pick a scripture for the week

3. Emails about some volunteer things at church (Marian fair, VBS)

 

Health 

4. Attend two Zumba classes, and start looking into a new exercise program (Zumba studio closes this week) only one was offered at my studio this week, but it was a long one!  I think I've found a new fitness studio, though.  yay!

5. Sugar detox after birthday cake is gone!

6. Plan weekly meals:

Mon-Cream Cheese Crockpot chicken, Tues-Chicken enchiladas with leftovers?, Weds-Spaghetti, Thurs-Baked Chicken and rice, Fri-Pasta Bake, Sat-Grill, Sun-leftovers from grill

Meal plan was widely adjusted due to going out for Ellie's birthday on Monday as well as an invitation to some friends' house for dinner, but we did pretty good!

Home Management and Homeschool

7.  Read Chapters for FPU

8.  Work on school plan for Steven Joseph

9.  Kids laundry beginning of week, our laundry end of week

10. Schedule dental appts

Monday Motivation

10 Goals for April 30-May 6

 

 Prayer and Community

1. Continue reading Hallie's Book about Catholic womanhood (bought for myself for Easter!)

2. Pick a scripture for the week

3. Pray at least a decade of the rosary with the children

 

Health 

4. Attend one class at the new fitness studio

5. Take kids on a nature walk or to a park

6. Plan weekly meals:

Mon-Spaghetti, Tues-maybe Homemade Chicken Nuggets and potatoes, Weds-Pasta Bake, Thurs-Crockpot chicken, Fri-First Friday at church?, Sat-Grill, Sun-leftovers from grill

Home Management and Homeschool

7.  Read Chapter and do homework for FPU

8.  Work on school plan for Steven Joseph, Apparition project with girls

9.  Kids laundry beginning of week, our laundry end of week

10. Schedule dental appts

Ellie's 7th Birthday

Finally, I've gotten all the photos loaded from Ellie's 7th Birthday, her Art Party and more!

Here's her cake which I blogged about earlier this week.

The food table

The big girls painting and collage-ing

Ellie painting (in her crown) with the littler girls

Steven painting a little wooden car

The little girls' pretty paintings!

Ready to sing!

I think everyone liked the cake and ice cream!

Mary Clare led them in a tour of the "museum" of paintings

Wonderful artists!

Some special gifts

She's so sweet with the little ones, asking about the picture that was drawn for her

Everyone was interested in whatever this was!

And the gift big sis picked out!

And it wouldn't be a "B" family birthday without stringing it along another night.  We went to On The Border to celebrate Ellie again!

They sang to her and brought her a brownie sundae!

Her gifts from Mommy and Daddy

The scuba set is a hit!

Happy Kiddos!

Happy Birthday, precious Ellie!  We hope you had a fabulous birthday week!