Category Archives: Friends

Mother’s Day Wrap-up

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Happy Mother’s Day to my mom, and all moms out there.  We’re having a nice day here so far….I woke up with a headache/migraine-starter, 50% chance of rain expected for the afternoon BUUUUUUUUT……I have Excedrin on board, with coffee, Hubby is making breakfast, our youngest couldn’t wait to give me her present (which promptly made me cry) and she promised to smile this year for our picture.  Here’s hoping for the best!

Today though, I realize that it hasn’t always been such a super day for me and it isn’t such a super day for everyone else.  In fact, today can be a painful reminder for many women.  Today I’ll remember my cousins who buried their mom a few weeks ago and other friends whose moms have passed away over the years.  I’ll remember friends who are estranged from their mothers and struggle and doubt their own motherhood and parenting (which, BTW is phenomenal!!) .  I’ll remember friends who’ve never had a chance to be a mother due to infertility.   I’ll remember friends who have lost children.  I’ll remember friends who  care for special needs children.  I’ll remember friends who are single mothers.  I’ll remember friends who are struggling with prodigal children.  I’ll remember friends  who might be let down by the commercialism and in-your-face-ness of the perfect Mother’s Day.

This morning and this day I cried a few times, tears of joy and love, from a heart filled with gratitude toward my husband who is setting a beautiful example for our children through our marriage and his parenting, for children who test me, teach me, love me, forgive me, make me laugh and make each day better just by being part of our family.

 

Blast from the past!

Blast from the past!

Me, my Mom and my sister

Me, my Mom and my sister

Last year. Just keepin' it real. Truly a favorite picture!!

Last year. Just keepin’ it real. Truly a favorite picture!!

Mom's photo after Mass, my awesome necklace, cake and card.

Mom’s photo after Mass, my awesome necklace, cake and card.

And so the kid photo is a little blurry…Hubby is no fan of the iPhone camera and gave me full permission (demanded) I get my real camera fixed….beautiful necklace of which you can design your own HERE, the Publix cake and sweet girl’s card/letter to me.  And just think, my birthday is only 4 days away and we can do this AGAIN!!!!

And the last shall be first….

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THIS week, Jen has flipped the order and the procrastinators (AKA, MOI) are at the TOP of the list…so Friday Saturday QTs it is….b/c I can’t seem to get it together in time for Friday….but y’all pray for her and her health and her upcoming birth of her bambino…..she really needs ’em!!  Annnnnd, BTW…congrats to MoxieWife, Hallie on the birth of her tardy chubs, Charlie!!!  Now onto the QTs….

 

— 1 —

This was week 6 of my Groupon for Impact Fitness and it was AWESOME!!  So awesome in fact, I conned encouraged a friend to join (which scored me 1/2 off the NEXT 6 weeks).  We are both doing the next challenge which promises a $2000 prize to the person with the highest % weight loss.  I’M.  IN.  GAME.  ON.

— 2 —

I’m also apparently in the lead for a word-of-mouth contest the gym had for referrals and maybe, just maaaaaaaybe if I win….Mama will be reading these blogs on her new iPad.   The anticipation is KILLING ME!!!

— 3 —

And so, with the upcoming challenge and my aspirations on bringing home the multiple Benjamins I am planning my menu…except I’m not.  I’m on the computer.  Earlier this week I already sorta mapped it out.  Now to put it to paper.  And head to the grocery store.  And cook.  HOWEVER…my family is on board.  Might have something to do with the dinner out I promised with my winnings…….

— 4 —

Switching gears….Hubs and I are almost done with this season of Downton Abbey.  ONE.  MORE.  EPISODE.  I’m preparing for withdrawals.  And bracing myself for a shocking last episode.  Or so my friend has said, without spoiling it.  GAH!!!

— 5 —

Hubs and I have a date night tonight.  Gotta love Groupon…..Steak!!!!!  And date night!  Double W!!!!

— 6 —

On a camera/photography note….I need to send off my beloved Nikon for repair.  Sad face.  Any suggestions?   So far, I’m planning on sending it to Nikon…they diagnose online and price it before you even send it.

— 7 —

For the final QT…I’m sharing this video of a hilarious “prank” by Jeff Gordon at a car dealership…real or no….flippin’ funny.  My friend showed me at work and then I watched with the Hubs last night and laughed even harder.  Happy Weekend!!  I’m off to PLAN for my WIN!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5mHPo2yDG8

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Friday. Parenting. Blogging. Procrastination.

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My morning prayer with the kids on Fridays as we drive to school ALWAYS includes a prayer of thanksgiving for “Friday, mama’s favorite day of the week“.  True story.

Today I’m joining in with Jen and friends with 7 Quick Takes….today, mine are super quick, because a) I have to wake up kiddos and b) I’m trying a timed experiment on myself…let’s see how it goes, K?  K.

  1. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about parenting this week….and blogging…..and continuing Ed points (or my procrastination in obtaining them EVERY year and I thought I’d share a few points with you.
  2. Blogging.  I’ve been feeling my blog is about to go in a different direction.  I also feel I might have to take some time off to figure out WHAT direction that is.  So….just get ready.  It’s coming.
  3. My state license is up for renewal at the end of April.  I have ZERO CEUs.  ZERO.    I have all my periodicals out and have been reading and taking tests.  Why do I have to perform so well under pressure?  It’s a curse I tell you.
  4. Parenting advice I’ve received and taken to heart over the years.  (This might not work for YOUR family, but these are things that have worked for OURS).  On the birth of our first child….oldest son….still in shock from labor, resting in the hospital a friend said, “Quickly, hurry up and have 3 more.”  I told her she was crazy.  And then I did.  Best.  Advice.  Ever.  Big families are crazy and loud and so very worth it.
  5. One of my dearest friends always sends her children away with “Angels watch over you”….I loved the blessing, but didn’t want to copy  her COMPLETELY, so I incorporated a “Sign of the cross” on their foreheads.  If we are in a hurry, often the kids will say, “Moooooom, my blessing???”  Send your kids out with a blessing.
  6. One year we had a project due and I needed a poster board STAT, my girlfriend said, “Oh, come out to my car, I have some in my trunk.”  From that day forward, we have had a STOCKED school supply area.  Be prepared.  You never know when you’ll need that poster board—for us it’s usually Sunday night.
  7. Put your marriage first.  It takes constant effort, tweaking and pruning.  The fruit of your efforts is a strong, communicative, partnership, friendship and example for your children.  Children that will pick your nursing home one day.
  8. Lastly, and having FAILED at my time experiment and counting as this is now 8 Quick Takes…….PRAY, PRAY, PRAY always over and for your children and take EVERY bit of parenting advice with a grain of salt.  Some things you can use.  Some you won’t.

Blessings and enjoy the weekend and my favorite day of the week!!!

 

Parents, keep fighting the fight!

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I have several friends with teenagers who are struggling, and struggling mightily with a wide variety of teen angst and issues and I’ve been praying for and with them pretty regularly now.  It’s heart wrenching.  It’s terrifying.  It’s real.  It’s life.  It’s a time of exercising Trust and Faith in the One who these children ultimately belong to.  Hoping and praying we’ve built that solid foundation.  Praying we’ve planted that mustard seed on fertile soil.  With 4 kiddos of our own and two who are currently teens, I have full expectations that we too, will face our own struggles in these hormone-laden years.  We watch and we wait and we live each day in trial and error, learning as we go and gleaning wisdom and example from those around us.

Teenagers.  Hormones.  Frontal lobe nerve myelination.    These are the days where we must. pray. without. ceasing. (really, every day is)   I came across this quote during my readings this morning:

The faults of children are not always imputed to the parents, especially when they have instructed them and given good example. Our Lord, in His wonderous Providence, allows children to break the hearts of devout fathers and mothers. Thus the decisions your children have made don’t make you a failure as a parent in God’s eyes. You are entitled to feel sorrow, but not necessarily guilt. Do not cease praying for your children; God’s grace can touch a hardened heart. Commend your children to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. When parents pray the Rosary,at the end of each decade they should hold the Rosary aloft and say to her,”With these beads bind my children to your Immaculate Heart”, she will attend to their souls.

— St. Louise de Marillac

There is hope, parents.  There is grace abundant.  Keep fighting the fight.

Happy Papal Inauguration Day!

Take Five…

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There’s a cute little linky going on around the blogosphere about some Five things Thing where you tell about 5 things most people don’t know about you.  Mary Kate tagged me and since A) I can’t really resist a “challenge” and B) I am currently suffering a bout of insomnia/coughing and am up anyway, I figured alrighty then….let’s do this!!

Of course, this IS a little tricky since I blog/talk about a lot of stuff and I may have already mentioned a thing or two, so you’ll have to pretend you haven’t heard it before if you already have…K?  K.

  1. During my bachelorette party (back in the day), my FAVORITE sandals broke mid-shindig.  I mean, straight dry-rotted….What’s a girl to do?  There was much more dancing to do!!!  Somewhere along the way, some nice bouncer had some masking tape and I just taped those puppies up…both shoes and boogied on down the rest of the night.  I have pictures somewhere……annnnnd I actually got up to look for it, I can see it in my mind…..and nothin’, I got nothin’, but trust me…it was fUNny!!
  2. When I was in 4th grade I was terrified of Bike Week…an annual event in Daytona Beach…now a BI-annual event, lucky us!!  Back to the terror….we heard stories of the Hell’s Angels and how they swoop into town and kids walking home from school were easy pickins…now we had no idea what that meant but I know we made record time coming home from school that week!  Fast forward a gazillion years and we have some Outlaws one street over and we just sleep with the windows closed during Bike Week….or try to, I think we are getting used to the noise or losing our hearing, one of the two.
  3. Somewhere around 4 years of age…ish….we had a neighborhood dog that I would bring a biscuit to regularly…one for him….one for me.  Come to find out, my kids did the same thing with our dogs when they were little.  Hmm.  Hereditary inclination toward dog biscuits, interesting.
  4. My first job was at Mr. Donut.  I got over my love of donuts REEEEEEAL quick like (although it has returned slightly in the last decade…)  You can NOT wash that donut smell out of a uniform, trust me.  That’s also the place Hubby picked me up for our first date…..maaaaaaaaany moons ago, like 26 of ’em.
  5. I dont’ really like a lot of noise and mess.  God blessed us with 4 kiddos.  Talk about your sense of humor.  We’ll just say I’m coming to terms (a little bit) with noise and mess.

My turn to tag 5 people and carry on the funnies or the fives…how’s about it Lea, Brite, Pam, ViolinMama, and Lesley?  Tag, you’re it!   You’ll love the diversity of their blogs, food, travel, inspiration, kids…..you’re welcome!

And now….it’s been 4 hours and I can re-dose the cough syrup….I’m out!  Enjoy!!