Blog? What Blog? (7 Quick Takes)

You practically forgot about me didn't you?!?  I admit, it's been a while since I've been here.  If have no good excuses either -- I just didn't feel like blogging.   But I missed the friendships and conversation here and kept thinking about things that maybe one day I'd write about. 

I'm not sure that I'll be cranking out all kinds of new posts now that I've dipped my toes back into the waters, we shall see...  

For now, my fingers could use a little exercise at the keyboard and I thought I'd hit you with a few quick takes on what I've been up to...

(1)

Not blogging.

(2)

Revamping our homeschool schedule and introducing some new materials.

This has been a really great change for us these past five or six weeks.

Last year James was still a morning napper and we were able to get our work done during his morning nap and then finish up the odds and ends during his afternoon nap.  

This year, no morning napper + only one independent reader = near total implosion of the homeschool.

I got sick of complaining to Russ that everyone needed more individual attention from me in the mornings when all our brains are fresh fresh fresh.  

Apparently Russ got sick of hearing me complain about it too ;)

He offered to keep the three younger kids out of the dining room from 7 - 8am three mornings a week so that I could get in a whole hour's worth of lessons with the boys before he even left for work in the morning!!!

Isn't he the best?!?

Our new routine is: Mondays and Wednesdays, we're up at 6 and Russ and I alternate going to 7am Mass (usually with one or two kids) while the other gets things ready for the big kids to leave the house for tutoring at 8.

Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, we're up at 6, I have a cup of coffee, take a shower, and do lessons with the boys from 7 to 8 while I have a second cup of coffee.  (They alternate working with me and independently)  Then after Russ leaves for work at 8, I have another cup of coffee (surprise, surprise) and eat my breakfast while I do lessons with Ruth (and James is *hopefully* being supervised by the big boys since they get a break then.)

Here's what it looks like from where I sit and do my thang...

boys have already had breakfast and done morning chores, so after they're done here, they get a break for about 1 or 2 hours!

usually I finish all of Ruth's work with her in the morning (math, reading, and handwriting, as
well as the homework she has for the Study Center)

This new schedule is - to say the least - AWESOME!!  We get so much work done!  And my children get the one on one time they need with me.  It is truly amazing how much work you can do when you're not chasing a two year old around and up and down and over and out and behind and oops!  It's been three hours and we've still only done one math equation........

Now three days a week are crazy productive, important things like reading and spelling are not falling through the cracks like they had been,  and we all still get free time later in the day.  Win - Win - Win.

We've also started using some new books and program after a mid-year review of sorts.  The state of the homeschool was, um, shall we say, lacking.  So it was with much excitement and gusto that I started Aaron on not one, but TWO new grammar books, as well as Wordly Wise for vocabulary.  And Dominic is starting All About Reading this upcoming Monday as our final "push" to get him reading.

So, that wasn't really a quick take, but I really wanted to tell you about it because I think these changes have literally saved us from self destruction :)

(3)

This photo is a hint at what I've *really* been up to during my free time.
And it is the sweetest evidence of a "100 Easy Lessons" child in the home <3 <3 

And I've still be crocheting.  Obvi.  That's probably the main reason I don't blog much anymore.  If I could dictate blog posts into some sort of dictaphone-to-blog program while I crocheted, then maybe I could keep the cobwebs from collecting here.  But as it is, I've been busy working on some projects for (maybe) reopening my Etsy shop as well as pieces of Ruth's blanket...

I've got about 30 of these made... 12 left to go.

AND I'VE BEEN MAKING POMPOMS!!!!

Life is decidedly better now that I have a pompom maker and can just put perfectly puffy balls of yarn on anything I want.

hats for three sweet new little baby girls :)

And speaking of yarn...

Here was a cute little ornament I made for my sister (and fellow crochet lover) for Christmas :)  I just love it!

(4)

James turned 2 last month!  I could just go on and on about how much I love that kid (his singing!!  ohh!!! <3 <3 <3) and about how much of a handful he is (his modern art with diaper cream and baby powder)... but quick takes, I know.  

James thoroughly enjoyed his cake with sprinkles!   And he even got some new toy cars that I "wrapped" by taking them out of their packaging and then putting them back into the brown Amazon box in which they arrived.  It was very... celebratory.  In a kind of distracted mom urban industrial sort of way.

He's still not a talker, by any means, but more and more we know what he's saying, even if everyone else thinks he just said asldkfasldhfjopinrckjsdnfdsfsmcuh.

Man, I love that kid!

This was the first time that we've had a two year old and didn't also have a newborn or a newborn-coming-soon.   It feels... different.  Like maybe he was the last newborn and maybe there won't be any more two year old birthday parties here.  Obviously I don't know for sure.  Some days I'm sad about the prospect of no more babies to come.  And some days I'm loving that prospect.   But mostly James keeps me running so that there's little time for melancholic introspection on any subject, and of course we're open to life and we're planning to keep on loving the family we've got, so it's all good.  (That's the best way to wrap up a topic when there's plenty more to say about it but this is not the time and you just need to shut it down.  It's all good.)

(5)

Dominic made his First Holy Communion and started altar serving!!!

The story starts back in early December when we had our pastor and parish seminarian over for dinner.  During the course of the dinner, Father invited Dominic to start altar serving even though he hadn't received his First Communion yet.  So the the Sunday before Christmas, Dominic went to speak to Father after Mass.  Both the priest and I thought he was going to ask about when he could start serving, and instead he said, "Excuse me.  When can I make my First Communion?"  Our pastor said, "How about next week?"  And so he did!  

It truly was blessed circumstances!

(You can read about why I've been so happy that my children have (thus far) received their First Holy Communion at the regular Sunday morning Mass we attend here)

And he's since been altar serving <3

(6)

I said that the school changes were the biggest changes around here lately.  Not so, actually.  Russ started a new job the Monday after Christmas.  It's been a huge change.  We had been praying about a change for him for well over two years, and when this new opportunity worked out (when many others hadn't) we thought it was the right move.  It's been a rocky transition, and while we feel certain that we didn't make any changes lightly, it's hard to see that this was the right one while we're trying to navigate what it means for our family.  There really have been so many changes, and most of them don't feel like good changes or "worth it" changes as this point.  If you have a spare prayer to offer for Russ' peace in his new position, I'd truly appreciate it.  I know he would too.  I think the fact that we, along with many other friends and family members, have been praying for this situation for so long, keeps us believing that we made the right decision and now we just have to have faith (and patience!) that it will improve.

I sure do love and appreciate this guy :)
(so do the kids <3)

(7)

And finally, a few words about Lent.  Here is my motto for the year:

Who needs a hair shirt when you can wear jeans? (Lent 2016)

One of my Lenten penances this year is to wear jeans at least once a week.*  

 Sheer torture.  

If you know me in real life, and have seen me recently and I was wearing jeans, believe me, I was in appropriate Lenten agony.  I just hid it.  Because I didn't want to be like one of the pharisees and their phylacteries.  Or the fasting hypocrites and their disfigured faces.  Or whatever.  You know.

On Ash Wednesday the reading was "Rend your hearts, not your garments."  Basically, God was talking to me, because if there's anything I want to do to a pair of jeans, it's rend them.

*I'm doing some other things like, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  So, don't worry ;)

*   *   *   *   *   *

Friends, I've missed you!  I hope you had a wonderful and fun-filled January.  
And I pray your have a blessed and transformative Lent.
Hopefully, I'll be back here again soon.  But if you're on Instagram, that might be the best place to stay in touch with me.  Quick and easy Instagram really lends itself to my busy life these days -- and I'm grateful to have that outlet to continue sharing little bits of this blessed and lovely life <3  

Check out what other Quick Takers are chatting about this week over at This Ain't the Lyceum.

Oh, yeah!  And I got to participate in a spiritual reading recommendations post that Kelly shared!  Check that out too!

Growing Up: the Milestones and the Other Stuff

Today I've been pondering this...  

Our children are growing up every moment of every day.   There are big moments and then there's all the other stuff, and a mother's reactions to "growing up" can really run the gamut. 

We're always on the lookout for the exciting milestones that let us know, she's growing up!  We joyfully let all of Facebook know when our babies give their first smiles and cut their first teeth.  We cheer them on when they roll over for the first time, smack their lips at their first taste of mashed food, and take their first steps.  We love to announce when our little fashionistas start dressing themselves and when our little sluggers join their first team.   Milestones, in my opinion, tend to be a mother's public pride.  Our little ones are growing up and they're doing it well!  There's so much to rejoice in!  

In my experience though, it's never really in the milestones that our baby's growing up hits us between the eyes and catches us off guard.  Every mom knows there are times when you look at your child in the most ordinary of circumstances and wham!  you see them growing up.  It's a look they give, or a word they use, or just an inflection in their voice.  It's something that makes you see them as older than they were just the very minute before.  It's usually something very small.  And it evokes less pride and more pondering.  It even tugs a little at our heartstrings.

My Clare, who is two and half, has been growing up a lot lately.  Both kinds of growing up.  As far as milestones are concerned, she's officially finished toilet training.  Yay!  Yay! Yaaaaayyy!!!  She's been our easiest so far, but that doesn't diminish her accomplishment.  I'm really proud of her!  I praise her a lot and shower her with, "You're getting to be such a big girl!" with true joy and sincerity.  Toilet training is a big deal in the list of things that mean "growing up."  But it's not when I'm helping Clare get her teeny tiny "big girl" underwear back on that I think, Woah.  She's growing up fast!

The big things don't catch me off guard.  

Today I witnessed the other kind of growing up - one of those moments that comes seemingly out of nowhere and almost knocks you off your normally unshakable mom feet.  Clare brought a Lego creation to me and said "Look at my decorations." 

I think I stopped breathing for a second and felt a little pain in my heart.  Just a few weeks ago Clare was tirelessly gathering pine cones and sticks and bright fall leaves to bring into our house as decolations.  And we all loved it and would do whatever we could to get her to say the word decolations over and over.   

Today she said, "decorations."  I didn't wonder when I'd be able to get on Facebook and proudly announce her newest accomplishment.  I privately held on to that "growing up" moment and pondered the dichotomy of my reactions to the various ways kids "grow up."  

They're always growing up.

I'm so proud of their accomplishments, both large and small, that are part of maturing.

I love the more complex relationships and interactions and conversations that big kids are capable of.

But a little part of me mourns the loss of the small things that make their littleness special.  

As one is lost, it is replaced by something equally special, but the old "little" ways will never be again.  Clare's decolations are gone.  It's more than just a word.  It's the things that make Clare who she is at age two.  They're being replaced.  And I'm mourning that a little.

(but they're being replaced by the things that will make her wonderful at age three, so I'm rejoicing too!  Kind of beautiful how it works that way, huh?!)  

Happiness. Lately. (vol 4)

Happiness.  Lately.  September.  My monthly collection of "Happiness" - appreciating God's goodness in the little things and seeing his grandeur in the simplicity of my life and "Lately" - what I've been into and up to.

Happiness is...

the backyard mouse house Papa and Grandma gifted us...

remembering that if they're dirty, it means they must be having fun (I learned this from my mom!)...

the tiny tomatoes we're still getting on our one plant - just enough for a few in my salad each day...

some of the pretty carrots we harvested...

celebrating the first day of fall... with homemade pumpkin bread for breakfast and not-so-homemade boxed pumpkin dessert for after dinner (and reading some of our favorite fall-themed books, of course!)

the first of the lovely leaves...

and some of my favorite guys on an evening walk...

our first pot of chili this season...

a gloriously, warm hot fall day at the creek with friends...

music time with Papa...

Lately...

I raced through Masterpiece Mystery: Endeavour Season 2 from the library.  And then Russ was out of town for four days and I watched a lot of Foyle's War, which he is not sad to miss ;)  I may have mentioned once or twice how much I enjoy British television...  just once or twice :)

We've been enjoying and singing the ridiculous lyrics of Beethoven's Wig: Sing Along Symphonies:  A friend recommended this cd to me a while ago, but we've just gotten around to listening to it in the last few weeks.  It's funny for kids and adults alike :)   (I even just requested the second the third volumes from the library!)
 

I've been not reading... who has time for that?

I got to take the kids to a homeschool-ers only morning at a Sky Zone.  It was our first time there.  Wow!  I didn't get any really good pictures conveying how awesome it was.  Just this...

I've been back to crocheting... a little bit.  Hats, mostly.  Sometimes they fit and sometimes they don't...

I've also done some more peg dolls painting!  I had tried my hand at it for the first time at Christmas and made a Nativity set and some saint dolls.  I had meant to make two additional saints for my boys, but never finished them.  I finished them this month in time for the corresponding feast days:  St. Vincent de Paul (Sept 27) for my Aaron Vincent, and St. Jerome (Sept 30) for my Dominic Jerome.

a little frustrated about the hairs from the paint brush came off onto the doll when I was varnishing it...  have. to. let. it. go.

I tried to involve all the kids in making special cookies for Russ one day, but this is what happens when you try to bake in a kitchen with a lot of kids and no table: Chocolate Chip made-on-the-floor Cookies... 

And that's about it.  It's been a busy and lovely month, and I can hardly believe it's over.  I sort of feel like it's still August......

**  Feel like joining me in reflecting on the past month and sharing some of the moments that made you happy and the things you've been up to?  Link up your August list of Happiness. Lately.  I'd love to have you join me! **  Don't have a blog?  Let's chat in the comments!

The Things a Mother's Heart Cannot Do

One afternoon last week I had some alone time with my boys on the back porch.  The girls were still napping, James was on my lap and the bigger boys were next to us slurking on popsicles.  I squeezed James' legs (legs that are trying to be pudgy, but he's just not a roly poly baby...)  and made a casual comment about how much I love this cute kid.  

It sparked a conversation we've had before.  

"Mom, could you just think real hard and tell us which of us was the cutest baby?"  Dominic asked.

"No, I can't do that."  

They pestered me for just a little longer.  I smiled, but was adamant.  "No.  A mother's heart can't do that.   To a mom, all of her babies are the most beautiful baby she's ever seen.  They are all the sweetest thing she's ever held, the most perfect person she's ever gazed upon, the most amazing gift she's ever been given.  It doesn't sound like it makes sense, but it's just the way a mother's heart works.  A mom's heart can't choose a cutest.  God made it so that a mother's heart knows each of her babies is the cutest."

"Is that the same reason moms don't have a favorite kid?"  

"Yep.  A mom can't choose a favorite.  Each child she has is her favorite.  It's hard to explain, but that's how God made mothers - they can have more than one favorite.  They can have as many favorite children as they have children.  You're all my favorites."

Aaron continued, but Aaron doesn't ask questions.  He states things.  "That's why you love us all the same."

"I love all you guys with all of my love.  It's kind of a miracle that a mom doesn't have to divide up her love between her children.  A mother's heart can't be divided.  She's able to give all of her love to all of her kids."  

Aaron ended our profound conversation, "Yeah, I know.  That's why you are nervous when we do scary stuff, even though we don't think it's scary.   Like climbing trees.  You can't watch the kids that have all your love do scary things in case they get hurt."  

Yep.  

The deep thoughts part of the afternoon was over, but I thought about it again after everyone was in bed.  My mother's heart is still young and it has not yet had to withstand much suffering, but I've mulled over a few thoughts.  A mother's heart is a fierce and fragile thing.  It's big enough and strong enough to give and give and love and love, but it cannot protect her children from every hurt and every struggle - from falling from trees to the most crippling of sins.  It can ache  just to imagine the danger a child may encounter.  A mother's formidable heart is made vulnerable with the knowledge that her children are not immune to sorrow and suffering.  Her heart, though granted the miraculous ability to have multiple favorites, and to lavish 100% of her love on each of her offspring, still cannot guarantee that those same children will always reciprocate that love, live as one worthy of her favoritism, or stay close to that heart that beats so fiercely for each of them.  Her heart knows that her children may make mistake after mistake, be weighed down by sin, stray from their faith, struggle under burdens that she cannot lift.  

(It sounds an awful lot like our Heavenly Father's relationship with each of us, his children, doesn't it?  But that's a lot bigger than I was intending to get into here!)  It also reminds me of St. Monica - a holy mother who, like every mother, could not guarantee that her own son would remain whole and holy.  (Her feast day is coming up, and incidentally, it's the anniversary of the day Russ proposed to me ten years ago!)  St. Monica did not quit, and her prayers and sacrifices for her son, in cooperation with the divine will of God, brought St. Augustine into life with Christ and into the life of the Church for all of us.   Amid struggle, sin, and suffering, her heart was stretched and strained, but she never gave up on her child.  And that's something else a mother's heart can never do.   

Can't pick a cutest.  Can't pick a favorite.  Can't divide my love but each kiddo can still have it all.  Can't give up on the ones that have been given to me.  But I can call it quits on the tree climbing when they're just high enough that my mother's heart starts to quicken.  Cause even though there's a lot I can't do, I'm still in charge =)

St. Monica, pray for us.

Happiness. Lately. (Vol. 2)

Happiness.  Lately.  July.  My monthly collection of "Happiness" - appreciating God's goodness in the little things and seeing his grandeur in the simplicity of my life and "Lately" - what I've been into and up to (books, music, food, great finds, etc...)

(And hey, it's a link-up now!  Head to the bottom to link up your own Happiness. Lately. for July.  Hope you'll join me!)

Happiness is...

Some of our Australia family here for a summertime visit!!

The gift of "Flat Bear," made from Australian sheep's wool - the coziest, cutest teddy bear I have ever cuddled with.  (I mean, James.  It's the coziest thing James has ever cuddled with.  It's not like I bring it to bed with me or anything...)

Clare hair at the playground...

The best next door neighbor ever, who comes over to trim his/our bushes and doesn't mind when the kids swarm around him to chat and "help".  

Cut mint blooms at the kitchen sink... (trying not to be too upset that I lost the mint plant when it flowered) 

Aaron's Lowest A1C ever!!  (I was almost doing cartwheels in the endocrinologist's office.  Almost.) 

Refreshing summertime cucumber lemon water...

Lately, I've been...

Making a Christmas gift list of crochet and sewing projects so I don't lose track this year. (Tiffany inspired me.)

Exercising.  Need I mention that I *hate* exercising.  But I've been trying to stick with it.  And I'm doing pretty well because I can keep my mind off of what I'm actually doing on the elliptical by reading or watching "Veronica Mars" on Amazon Prime.  It's even better when I get to walk with a friend.  In addition to plain old aerobic exercise and eating well, I've started the Tupler Technique therapy program to repair my diastasis recti (care of being mostly out of shape for five pregnancies.)  So far, it feels great, however I'm very intimidated by the fact that the program is 18 weeks long.  Can I make it to the end???  I registered with a local Tupler licensed teacher to increase my odds.  I'll keep you posted!

Reading:

In addition to the reading I mentioned last month...

Perelandra, second book in the C.S. Lewis space trilogy

Eleanor and Park, Rainbow Rowell  - a young adult novel highly recommended by Anne at Modern Mrs. Darcy.  She loved it so much, and she's so classy, I'm going to try to get through to the end, but YA fiction is not my thing and so far this book seems to confirm that.  

Reading with the kids:

Extra Yarn, Mac Barnett.  We LOVE this book :)  (if only Annabelle was a crocheter instead of a knitter ;) )

Beauty and the Beast, Mary Pope Osborne - we read this then watched the Disney movie on a rainy day =)

Creating:

(speaking of extra yarn) Pink ombre mittens for Ruth... 

... as well as many other things which I will not mention here because they're either birthday gifts for someone who may be reading, or I'm hoping to give you a show and tell post in the near future!

Planning / ordering for the new school year.  As always, I love the promise and the "newness" of a new year, but I'm a little bogged down right now wading through a sea of spelling programs...  Once I get that sorted, I think we're set.  Exciting!

Winning the war against fruit flies with this apple cider vinegar trick... 

(it really works!)

Finally, I was asked to participate in a blog hop to promote the release of a new book by crafter Mariska Vos-Bolman.  The book is called Sew Cute to Cuddle: 12 Easy Soft Toys and Stuffed Animal Sewing Patterns.  I'll be publishing my contribution next Friday.  I hope you'll get to check it out!

So there you have it.  My happiness.  Me lately.

What have you been up to this past month?