Tag Archives: kids

Seven Quick Takes (a day late….)

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A day late to the party, but the kids have hijacked the computer this week and I’ve been coughing so much I haven’t cared to be on it anyway….however…..bright and early Saturday morning and I’m feeling fine-ish and they are sleeping so it’s MINE.  ALL.  MINE.  And I’m joining in with Jen and her weekly Quick Takes…she says she might go last first…hmmmmm, that might bode well for me  😉   without further adieu….

  1. I’m working on a “Day in the Life” post.  Riveting.  I’m sure you can’t wait to see how my day shapes up compared to yours.  Funny thing is, it’s a little tedious accounting for one’s day AND trying to make it funny.  Clearly I have nothing mind-blowing to talk about if THAT’S my big project, eh?
  2. One week post-flu and I THINK (Oh, please, please, please, please let me not jinx myself here) we are relatively healthy.  Except for this nagging cough/sinus infection I’ve had all week.  I’ve been eating cough drops by the bagful and have had several nights on the couch trying to breathe/sleep/not wake Hubby all night.  I finally broke down and my doctor called me in some antibiotics and cough syrup…hence the early wake up–slept like a baby.
  3. Week 2 of my fitness Groupon and each workout KILLS.  Amazing how hard you can work in a 35 minute period doing just a few exercises and opposing muscle groups.  Super excited to see how I’ll be at the end of the 6 weeks.
  4. This week our boys had a WWF session in the backyard.  By boys I mean including Hubby.  Let me say, I HATE wrestling.  Someone always gets hurt.  It’s loud.  It’s annoying.  And yet…..so necessary.  Hubby had me read (and I probably need to REread) John Eldredge‘s book Wild at Heart and it helped me to understand and appreciate the male “need” to be a male, so I accept it a wee bit more.  Wee bit.  In the end, Dad still won (he’s still hanging on…).  Big brother still won (barely).  And the only blood drawn was on Dad’s chin by a stray long nail. boys
  5. I scored some AWESOME dishes at our church thrift store this week.  Service for 12.  TWELVE I tell you!  12 dinner dishes.  12 small dishes.  12 bowls.  A serving bowl and lid and salt and pepper shaker.  $50.  Except they weren’t.  They were half OFF…..yes, that’s right, $25.  S.C.O.R.E.  Super cute.  AND I saw some fantastic coffee cups that will complement this set from Pier One.  Now when we have company….we’ve got enough dishes!  So come on over!!!rooster
  6. I have the day off Monday to take our youngest athlete to the County wide Fitness Festival.  Little stinker made it to 4 events.  Sit and reach.  Standing long jump.  Shuttle run.  50 yard dash.  Should be great weather.  I’m sure there will be pictures to follow.  And blogging.  Especially since I have the DAY OFF!
  7. We’ve been in the refinancing dance for our house and got a sweet low-interest rate with no closing costs and no re-appraisal.  It takes a while, as you may or may not know, and yesterday we got the call from the title company….because we were late to our closing….that no one ever told us we HAD.  We jockeyed around lunches (fortunately Hubby was working from home that day!) and traffic—-because Bike Week starts this week….but…..it’s done.  We celebrated with a Friday night fire pit and marshmallows after our fish and chips dinner.  ‘Twas a good day, nice end to the week.  fire

Happy Weekend, Y’all!

To flu vaccinate or no….

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An interesting debate to be sure and I’m curious to see why YOU have to say about this.  Of course, this won’t be all serious, I do have some funny-ish stuff to report as well 😉

So, a few months back I heard Mac and Katherine on Catholic in a Small Town podcast discussing Katherine’s preference NOT to get the flu vaccine….#203, you can check it out on iTunes…and it got me thinking about the flu vaccine and WHY do I bother each year?  Is it worth it?  What am I subjecting myself to?  It opened up an internal can o’ worms for certain.

CSTitunes

Anyhoooo…I work in the medical field, my employer provides the vaccine to me at no cost each year and so, I get the vaccine.  I’ve not had the flu in 10 years and quite frankly, would  prefer to not have it again.  However….due to the controversial issues on the flu vaccine for our kids…I’ve not had them get a flu shot.  Ever.  That I remember, anyway.    Questionable ingredients, 62%ish effectiveness rate, roll of the dice on which strain we’ll actually come in contact with, ACK…it’s too much, so we’ve opted out.  However…..things ’bout to change in these parts!

Our 15 yo son came down with Flu B last weekend.  I already blogged on all THAT fun here if you missed it the first time around and the kid ended up missing a WHOLE FLIPPIN’ WEEK OF SCHOOL!!!  yes, High School.  Good times.  The kicker is that I actually started getting sick at the end of the week last week, sucked it up for a couple of days (chalking it up to allergies and pollen), however, by Saturday afternoon–after an ENTIRE day of solo and ensemble stuff with our 13 yo and tag-along 9 yo daughter, I came home and went to bed and got up yesterday.  Monday.  Ugh.  Fever’s gone and I was back to work today, but still…..ain’t.  quite.  right.  And I WAS vaccinated!!!  WTH??!?!?  So when I brought the 15yo BACK to the doc yesterday for additional antibiotics for “possible” pneumonia still not resolved as a result of his flu….I decided next year EVERYONE gets the vaccine.  Mine didn’t last as long as his, certainly wasn’t as brutal and you know “Ain’t NOBODY got time for that” to be staying home with sick kids, for kids to be missing a week of schoolwork (the stuff the teachers didn’t email…) and we ALL know Mama don’t have time to be sick..even though Daddy is a pretty fantastic taker-carer.

So, what’s your take?  Flu vaccine or no?

On the upside…..I got a TON of reading in.  Finished Screwtape letters, almost finished A year of biblical womanhood, completely caught up on my Daily Catechism readings—(I MAY have been 3 weeks behind).  Mailed a long overdue encouragement card and ordered The Power of Positive Thinking to go with said card.  Slept so much my back ached.  Lost a few pounds.  Woke up from a nap to find Hubby and 75% of the kids playing Monopoly….WITHOUT blood shed.  True.  No joke.  Prayed.  (It was a good few days to be on my heart…you are so covered it’s ridiculous).  Continue to play with PicMonkey and learn a little more.

Phew.  It’s been a long couple days.

 

It’s the end of the world/week…whatev…

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Even though it’s Saturday, I figured I’d go ahead and jump in with Jen and her crew for the

— 1 —

Clearly the world didn’t end.  My son says they found another Mayan calendar dating to 3025.  I haven’t had time to research his claim, but clearly THAT explains it…or the whole Matthew 24:36  “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. “  Yes, apparently even the Mayans didn’t know…

— 2 —

I FINALLY watched Minor Revisions this week.  Episode 1 AND 2.  All in the same night.  The best part was that Hubby watched, also.  He NEVER watches TV.  Ever.  Thinks TV and Technology are the downfall of society.  Books are the best.  And yet….he watched.

— 3 —

Our youngest had yet ANOTHER round of strep this week.  Guess we’ll be paying a visit to the ENT this coming year.  Joy.

— 4 —

Our youngest son clearly jealous of his sickly sister, decided to pull a “complications from the flu 2 weeks ago” stint and develop an ear & sinus infection with diminished lung sounds the next day.  Translation:  not contagious, on antibiotics and an inhaler=much better.  Adding to the stress of finals week.

— 5 —

Mama’s spidey senses peaked on our son’s health the same night we were to go to our church’s reconciliation services.  Hubby took the rest of the gang whilst son and I trekked to the Pediatric After hours.  Translation:  He and I will make a visit to reconciliation this afternoon.

— 6 —

I am reaching my annual “officially OVER food” quota that generally accompanies December and the glut of goods brought into the office, luncheons and my desire to bake and share.  Perhaps Santa will bring me some willpower for Christmas.  Although Hubby did promise to “help me out” after Christmas…y ‘all pray for me and our marriage on that one, K?

— 7 —

On that last note, I am lacing up the kicks for a quick walk since we aren’t covered with snow in our area!!  And then off to Publix for our supplies for our (8th?) annual “Happy Birthday, Jesus!” luncheon with my grandparents!  More food.  And quality time.  So that surely balances, no?  Blessings!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Precious life

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Photo via Sometimes Martha, always Mary...whose POST gave peace in my heart in the midst of yesterday's tragedy.

Photo via Sometimes Martha, always Mary...whose POST gave me a slice of peace in my heart in the midst of yesterday’s tragedy.

I don’t know if I’ll write more or if this is it.

Yesterday’s news was incomprehensible.  I can’t imagine nor do I WANT to imagine.  When my mind starts to go there….it just can’t.  Can’t.

We live in a culture of death.  The media will feed on this for weeks.  Each story will bring new knowledge and grief.  Only time will bring healing.

Political agenda on guns?  Some will turn this into it.  The reality is:  You can’t legislate morality.  Stole that from my Hubby…he’s brilliant, BTW.

As for me, I went to Adoration at lunch yesterday.  Cried, prayed and cried some more. A pattern I’m certain to repeat in the coming days.  Lord, have mercy.

I hugged my kids and my Hubby.  Hard.  Long.  Even my 13 and 15 year olds did not pull away.

We let our son go skate with his friends.  We let our daughter go to her birthday party.  You have to live.

We watched Elf.  Our son ate spaghetti and syrup for dinner (in preparation for Elf).  I joined in with this gal and this gal as they hosted a “Twitter party” during Elf.  I made peppermint milkshakes and let everyone finish the leftover luncheon “Cherry Cheesecake Dip” (Pinterest WIN!!)  Laughing felt great.  Therapy.

Screen shot 2012-12-15 at 7.20.44 AM

I texted with my mom and my sister.

I read the news sparingly.

Today.  I’m up.  I’ll walk.  I’ll pray. Hubby and I will decide how to proceed with broaching this topic with our kids.   We’ll make a more concentrated effort at living each day as a PRESENT.  We’ll live our lives with RESPECT to LIFE.  All life.  We will trust in God even when we don’t understand, even when we are furious, confused, scared and anxious.  Our children and our lives are not our own.  We belong to Him. Let us love one another.

Jesus, come quickly.  Until then,

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

 

 

Stick a fork in me…it’s Friday

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Joining up for the Friday regular linky loo @ Conversion Diary with Jennifer Fulwiler and people, who BTW, has a reality show premiering on December 13, you can click HERE to get all the deets!  Without further adieu…let me make the attempt here:

The view on our counter this week. Good times, people, good times!

The view on our counter this week. Good times, people, good times!

  1. Fell STRAIGHT asleep last night and woke up @ 12:30a.m. to two cats fighting.  OUR cat and some other cat (who I’m certain started it….)..anyway, jumped out of bed and took care of it, but then…the dang cat had POO on his butt.  I wasn’t messing with that so I left him outside to fend for himself and went back to bed.
  2. Tossing and turning with adrenaline pumping our 13yo son had a dream/something and was talking LOUDLY in his sleep.  Jumped up and dealt with that and then back to bed.  To toss and turn some mo’…I see lots o’ caffeine in my future today.  Lots.
  3. At least I exercised this week.  Not yesterday, but all week-long.  Gotta balance the Christmas baking…..or at least keep it at bay, you feel me??
  4. Our daughter’s bronchitis appears to be gone. Thank you $100 worth of Zpack and Brom cough meds.
  5. 3 Days of staying at home and down about 5 pounds, but our 13 yo son seems to have kicked his flu bug.
  6. On Day 3 of flu, he rallied long enough to make his 5:40p.m. appointment to audition for All-county band.  He’s really quite competitive
  7. He made All-County band.  French horn, 4th chair.  Pretty proud mama and papa, considering we have ZERO musical ability and the kiddo has only been playing a year.  Yep.  he’s the bomb.

  8. French horn...bring it!

    French horn…bring it!

Happy week y’all.  I’m off to find more coffee!!!  STAT!!