Tag Archives: priorities

It’s the most wonderful (busy) time of year…

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The girls and I at the Nutcracker

The girls and I at the Nutcracker

Here we are:  12 days until Christmas.  Which would explain my semi-absence from the blogsta world.  So much is packed into this month.  I love it.  It’s hectic and chaotic, but it is fun!!  The anticipation of Christmas, Advent activities, baking, shopping, it’s awesome!  I figured it’s Thursday night so I’d tie this into Quick Takes @Conversion Diary and now TV Fame with Minor Revisions!  Woot, woot!!

With so much packed into this month there are things I’ve neglected or have yet to find the time/energy to deal with yet (7 off the top of my head):

  • hanging Christmas cards up (they are still in the basket we collect them in)
  • Passing out Advent Anonymous cards (need to print up the notes)
  • Finish baking (it’s an ongoing process and a tasty one at that!)
  • blogging
  • reading blogs
  • watching Christmas shows
  • watching Minor Revisions…Plan B is Saturday night @ 10p.m….

However, there is so much I HAVE done with the time I’ve not spent on the above (more than 7):

  • Walking several times a week (at least 20 minutes…I need some de-stressing)
  • Maximizing my hour-long lunch break (can you say Power Shopping!)
  • Burned up the internet with my online shopping (a working mom’s best friend—heck, EVERY mom’s best friend!!!)
  • Peanut butter buckeyes x 2 (cookie swap and prepping for neighbor sharing)
  • Attended the Nutcracker with the girls
  • Working at my J.O.B.
  • Sent my Christmas cards out
  • Made a PLAN for the coming week (before the kids get out of school and are in my way at lunch break!)
  • Picnicked with Hubby and the girls one Sunday afternoon
  • Prepared kids for various upcoming concerts, Christmas programs, Girl Scout sleepover and birthday parties
  • Planned for Christmas Eve, dinner, Mass….
  • Thrift shopped (a whole post really needs to be devoted to that…serious fun!)
  • Participated in the #AdventPhotoADay contest/photo sharing
Day 13, Feast Day of St. Lucy...The Eyes have it..

Day 13, Feast Day of St. Lucy…The Eyes have it..

And now I shall wake the minions (those still remaining…..the high schooler and Papa are already gone for the day)

So get on with your busy elf….and I’ll check back intermittently!  Blessings and Make way for the Lord, Christmas is coming!!!

Bon-Bon Tuesday

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My workout partner bailed on me this morning.  (payback for yesterday….hmmmm…nah.)  Probably a good thing, because we did opposite body parts yesterday and that was going to make for a tricky workout, by Thursday we’ll be good!  So, I ‘ll hit it again at lunch today, which is fine by me.

Rather than go back to bed, I had my bon-bon time this morning.  Catching up on blogs.  Sending out a couple of emails.  Chatting with Hubby.  And you watch, somehow I will still end up running late this morning.  <sigh>

Yesterday, I was listening to a podcast by Pat Gohn and she was talking about “social tithing” and rethinking how we come across this vast internet and the “what if” we gave 1/10 of our social media time, tweets, status updates, blogs, etc to God.  A grateful tweet.  A shout out to God.

Then a friend posted on Facebook, “Break my heart for what breaks Yours”.

And I’ve been chewing on it subconsciously.  I think (I hope) it showed in enjoying the time with Hubby and the girls at the beach last night for an evening “surf practice” and swim session.  And in putting the kids to bed last night.  And in being grateful for the chaos of the morning rush (coming soon).  And in looking forward to the “End-of-the-year” singing concert for our youngest tonight. And in watching old home movies last night.  Much to be thankful and a reminder of priorities and what’s really important.

Before I go though, this quote was in my “Small steps for Catholic Moms” this morning and kind of ties those thoughts together:

“The soul which remains attached to anything, even to the least thing, however many its virtues may be, will never arrive at the liberty of the divine union.  It matters little whether a bird be fastened by a stout or slender cord–as long as he does not break it, slender as it may be, it will prevent him from flying freely.”  St. John Chrysostom

**and don’t forget the rest of the May bloggers:

Laura

Lynnell

Apurva 

MB

Brite  

Amanda 

Lea 

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!

— 1 —

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!

— 2 —

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…)

— 3 —

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!

— 4 —

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.

— 5 —

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.

— 6 —

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.

— 7 —

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

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Sleep or blog???

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Ah, the beginning of the sports season….Flag football for one and Softball for another.  Same season.  Two different fields.  Overlapping games and practices.  <sigh>  The anthem of a million families….run, run, run.  A dilemma:  we want them to be well-rounded, experience the lessons in sports and a little extra exercise and play never hurt.  However, after a full day’s work, it’s switching over to “Round 2” for mom and dad and takes pre-planning in order to avoid all the fast-food traps that go along with it.  Some days we do it well, others we have “room for improvement”.  At the end of the day, when kids are fed and showered and cleats hung up (or thrown in the garage haphazardly….) there is a decision to make:  sleep or blog?  As my lack of posting can attest to, I choose sleep.

Several days a week I get up early to work out and therefore, need to sleep early.  Balance and time management.  I’m still working on it all…..it’s a lifelong process!

Colossians 3:2  Set your eyes on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.