Category Archives: Kids

Purging and room to breathe!!

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No worries, I’m not referring to bulimia here.  I’ve been dragging out Spring Cleaning here over the last month or so and yesterday we finally got to the girls’ room.  Including garage since their room is the smallest there is overflow in the garage.

We started in the garage.  Donate pile.  Evaluate pile.  Keep pile.  Trash.  I prefer to tackle these things solo, I have my own method.  However, Hubby was home and SO EXCITED I was finally ready to clean it out and the girls were home, too.  Once we got through the garage stuff, we were hitting our stride and the girls were THRILLED to have their room back.

I am a nostalgic person by nature and I have to say, although I like things tidy and in their place I struggle with purging.However, I am ALWAYS thrilled in the end and that motivates me.

Nice, huh?  It’s the only way I can do it.  Just get it all in one spot and go through it piece by painful piece.  It’s amazing what you come across this way.

Until we get the time, money and EXACT idea of what we want to build in the girls’ closet, this is FAR more manageable.  If they only keep it this clean…..

And they love their reading area, complete with their personal boards.  (We made those a few months ago and as you can see ONE of my sweeties has lots to save…the other is more discerning!)

Friday! 7 ways to recap the week

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It’s been a busy week for the kids at school.  This week was the FCAT, standardized testing (quite controversial, though if we didn’t have FCAT we’d have another brand…), and it’s always stressful because the entire year is geared toward this test.  The school’s rating, federal money, etc are just a couple of things riding on the outcome of the test.  So, needless to say, we are ALL quite thrilled to see Friday this week!

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Monday was the Boston Marathon.  Hot, hot, hot.  My girlfriend ran in it.  Being from sunny FLA, she is heat-trained and ran that puppy in 4:22, but some 4,000+people opted out for the automatic spot in next year’s race.  It wasn’t my race, but it was really cool to text the race and have it send me her updates along the way.  Very inspiring considering the girl has only been running since her late 30’s, early 40’s!

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Monday was also free McDonald’s breakfast for the FCAT kids.  We got up early, grabbed the breakfast and came home to eat and get ready.  It was a good motivator to get the kids out of bed quickly on a Monday morning!  (The breakfast was:  apple slices, OJ or milk and an egg mcmuffin, in case you were wondering…)

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So, so workout week.  I’ll get day 2 of strength today and I did get cardio, but for some reason I was distracted with appointments this week at lunch.  Urgh.  Yesterday’s post @ Socially Fit was a good reminder that we don’t get results from haphazard efforts and good intentions.  It takes actual participation and commitment.  I’m down 9 pounds in 8 weeks, but that doesn’t mean I’m done! Far from it, moving on…one day at a time!

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Got my hair cut this week.  OK, trimmed.  But you KNOW how great it feels to get your hair cut.  And shampooed.  And blow dried.  By someone else.  Heaven.

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In prayer the other night and after listening to my Among Women podcast, I realized I needed to make an Adoration visit.  Time to charge my spirit.  I did that yesterday at lunch, instead of going to the gym.  It was a good move.  I definitely needed it.  I took some time while I was there to go through my prayer journal and its sporadic entries over the last 5 years and PRAISE GOD for the answered prayers.  Some not in the way, I might prefer, but to look back and see how He works.  AWE inspiring.  Truly.  Our God is a good and gracious God and sometimes we need to step back and see the big picture.

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One of those long prayed prayers was answered this week.  A dear friend who has been unable to conceive for the past 8 years gave birth to a sweet baby boy.  After a 36+ hour labor!!  Mom, dad, big brother and baby are doing fine.  There was quite a text bomb going early on and it was exciting to see prayers in action and the community of friends and love surrounding them.

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Ya’ll have a great weekend!  Be blessed.  Enjoy every minute.  Life is short.  Embrace it!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Yum, yum…the kids loved dinner!

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This week when I went grocery shopping I had the what-to-cook-for-dinner blues.  Seems like this happens a couple of times a year when I get completely uncreative for dinner.  The kids give the same suggestions.  Though tasty and nutritious, we just get in a rut.  So, I did a quick run through of some recipe books and came across a long forgotten recipe.  So long forgotten that I don’t think I’ve ever cooked it for the kids!  I’ll link you to the original recipe at Pillsbury, but I’m providing my options for the blog.  All I can say is the kids could not rave enough about how AWESOME.  how DELICIOUS.  how AMAZING.  how this was the BEST.  DINNER.  EVER.  Seriously.  I felt like Guy Fieri  (without the crazy hairdo) or Paula Deen  (without the white hair).   Even the picky kiddo had seconds.  Yeah.  I said it.  Even the picky one.

Fair warning:  if you are watching carbs, it’s not the recipe for you.  BUT.  If you want your kids to kiss your cooking hands, wash the dishes and eat seconds…..enjoy.  I sure did.

MEXICAN FIESTA BISCUIT BAKE 

We are not big olive fans and my kids aren’t big pepper fans, so I left those out.

2 Cans Grands biscuits, cut each biscuit into quarters

1 can refried beans

1 can black beans

1 can red kidney beans

1 block cheddar cheese, shredded

Jar of salsa

Place butter into 9X13 dish into preheated oven @ 375 until melted

Place biscuit quarters in pan

Spread out refried beans or use a spoon and drop it around

Pour  drained beans onto biscuits

Pour Salsa over beans, biscuits

Bake @ 375 for about 45 min

Sprinkle shredded cheese ontop of biscuit bake and let it melt

Serve with sour cream (optional)

May you receive the adoration and rave reviews I was blessed with!

**image via Pillsbury link

Easter time, spring is here. Allelujah!!

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Easter eggs ready for dyeing.  We don’t even hide the eggs anymore.  The dye stains my fingers, and yet….we just can’t seem to drop this tradition.  Something about writing on those eggs in white crayon, adding to color, mixing it up.  Easter fun, here to stay.

Spring time is perfect for strolling together and getting our cardio on.  Quality time with my big girl while our youngest practiced for Easter Mass with the liturgical dancers.  I want the pause button for times like these.

Daylight savings time=time for a walk on the beach after dinner.  Note to self:  check the tide schedule.  Soft sand+bad knee=killing the exercise routine.

Our sweetie pie was either kissing up to the Bunny or just grateful for the probability of her own personal stash of chocolate coming into her possession and wanted to express her gratitude. I like her style.

Pre-Mass.  The boys trying to decide the best location.  At this point is was…away from the ‘rents.

He is Risen, indeed!  Gearing up for the annual outdoor Easter Mass.

A gift from my dear friend.  The “Killer Cake” from Toojays.  She introduced me to this little lovely.  Now I gave up Facebook for Lent and was not lacking in chocolate prior to Easter.  But this.  Oh.  MY.  This will hit that chocolate sweet spot like nothing you’ve ever known.  As I was cutting the cake, the kids were giving me the “why-are -you-cutting-them-so-small” eyes;  by the time our oldest was hitting the mid-way point he changed his mind and asked “Why did you cut them so big?”.  Rich.  If you ate the whole thing, it would live up to its name and kill you.  Seriously.

Glorious Easter and Happy Spring, Y’all!

Heading into Holy week….almost!

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One week until Good Friday.  WOW!  I wish I had more “spiritual growth” to report for Lent, but honestly, the biggest changes have come this past week.  Which is the hope anyway, right?  That WE do grow closer to Christ during this solemn time.  I guess my expectations are always bigger than reality, maybe I’m waiting for my own personal “burning bush” moment and need to recognize the smaller daily miracles.  What can I say?  I am a work in progress, let’s hope it’s forward motion though.

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We received a sweet Easter “basket” yesterday from my Mom.  The kids LOVED it!! (thanks, Mom) and I promptly put up my Easter dish towels which reminded me I have a cabinet full of Easter decorations that I need to put up, as well as get the kiddos baskets taken care of this week.  I still can’t believe Easter is almost here.  Wow!

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Three good workouts in this week.  Two with my girlfriend and one by myself.  Even ventured into the “man area”…you know where the men hog the equipment.  Yep.  I owned it.  Sauntered over like I knew what I was doing (well, I actually did know what I was doing).  Today I pay the price.  But it’s good.  I like my muscles to speak to me.  And it’s a great feeling to have my clothes looser on me.  And for some fun you can check out this blog of all the people you see in the gym, or this blog (my new favorite for motivation) for great fitness tips and inspiration….

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Sadly, I had a knee issue this week.  So frustrating.  After almost 18 months of fabulousness, I had some serious swelling and pain after working legs.  I didn’t feel anything while working out, but definitely right after working out.  Something was tweaked.  The GOOD news is, after several days of taking it easy, ICE, elevation and some Alleve, it is way better today with greater range of motion and decreased swelling.  Phew.  Anytime I can stay out of my ortho’s office is a good day.  And when I can avoid another surgery, even better!!

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I finished two books this week.  Made to Crave.  Simply a SUPERB book focusing on all the things we often try to fill our “God-shaped hole” with, especially with food.  And things to think about as to WHY we eat when we eat, etc, I simply cannot say enough about how wonderful this book was and what a great Lenten companion.

I also finished Mockingjay.  What.  A Ride.  No spoilers here.  A depressing series (I mean it IS based on a post-Apocalytpic time), however, the action was riveting.  I’m glad it’s done.  I want to read silly, happy stuff now.  Waiting on Hubby to finish so we can go see it with our son, who also read the books.  It KILLED him (son) that he finished first and could NOT discuss the book with me since I was still reading it.  And yes, I cried.  I’m a tender heart.

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I am officially part of the Pinterest community.  My daughter’s art teacher told her about it for making some bracelets, so BOOM.  We’re in.  I’ve been avoiding it forever.  I still don’t understand it.  I am completely overwhelmed.  There is nothing on my site except two panda pictures (quite adorable)–they are on my daughter’s board.  Really?  What do I do with this?  I’m sure there is some usefulness to it, but I’m not really sure.  Care to educate me??  Please??  Thanks.

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I am starting the “Mary, Undoer of Knots” novena today.  Will take me to Holy Saturday.  I wanted something to really focus on during this last week of Lent.  I did it a few years ago and it was a wonderful novena and a fruitful time.

Have a great weekend, and as always, join in with Jen and many, many others to see their Quick takes!!  Click on the link below!  Blessings!!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!