Friday, April 27, 2012

7 Quick Takes

-1-


This song... oh man... when I'm working out and it comes on I just want to dance down the aisle of treadmills.  It makes me speed up on my elliptical.  It just gives me so much JOY and makes me feel like a hot momma.

-2-

Last weekend we celebrated Adam's mother's birthday in Chicago.  We took a freezing boat tour of Chicago architecture launching from Navy Pier and ate at Rick Bayless's Xoco.  We ate delicious italian beef sandwiches at Wally's in Park Ridge and Portillo's in Schuamburg.  Adam went to a favorite game store and the kids had so much fun seeing their cousins.  When I'm in the city I feel like a different person.  I like that feeling... A LOT.  I'm not sure if that's good or bad.  I feel energized, hip, and I want to spend lots of money on whatever...  food, drinks, chochkies, whatever.  Jimmy loved seeing trains pretty much every time we got in the car and I considered it God's way of spoiling him that weekend.  We can't wait to go back soon.

-3-

My car is still in the shop from my accident two and a half weeks ago.  During this whole thing Adam and I talked about buying a minivan at some point.  I told him people will think I'm pregnant if we do.  He told me the clock would certainly be ticking if we did.  I thought that was funny.

-4-

I've been an animal with the chainsaw around here.  Our backyard is really coming along.  We have a contract in to fence it off but I need to do more to prep the lines.

-5-

Why do I feel so busy lately?  I guess I'm trying to keep the kids and myself occupied.  Jimmy has swim class tomorrow.  The library is fun.  I have to get all this paperwork and money together for the youth group to go to Catholic Heart Workcamp.  That involves a lot of micro managing and communication.  I've been working out more and doing that yard work.  We travel many weekends to see family or host them here.  I guess I think I'm busy because I get neurotic about what needs to be done.  It's probably that I just fall short of managing this household.

-6-

Regina really lives up to her name...the little Queen.  The most clear best thing she can say is, "Stop It."  She tells me when she is a "Sad Baby."   When we are in public she always waves to everyone like they are her court.  I adore her.

-7-

I'm overdue for a night out to a concert.  If I had a choice I would go see Miranda Lambert in St. Louis.  Or maybe a more intimate concert at the Pageant would be nice like The Shins or Ingrid Michaelson.  Ooo, Old 97's will be at the Cubby Bear May 5th.  They were so good before.  Who would you go see?
   
  

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Feasting on a Diet

He Is Risen.  He Is Risen Indeed!

My parents were visiting last weekend and my father helped me put up a new mailbox post.  I had bought a garden flag to attach to the side and the flag was a cross that said "Alleluia."  My dad said, "Good thing we're putting this up now that you can have your flag up for a day."

"Oh dad, Easter is for 8 days!"

So how are you celebrating this Octave?  What are your plans for the whole Easter season? 

This has been my struggle...how do you "Feast" beyond indulging in food? Let's just list a few... spend those gift cards you've been holding onto since Christmas, spend more time outdoors, let your kids do those art projects you cringe to do because of the mess, get a hair cut and make yourself feel pretty, decorate your home for the celebration...heck whatever it is do it with a heart that proclaims, "The tomb is Empty!  Salvation is mine."


Find free printables on Pinterest like this and actually get them ordered on photo paper enlarged to help decorate your home.


Personally this has been more difficult since I was in a car accident Monday evening.

I was feeling good on my way to the Y.  The sun was shining bright and I had that springtime Easter feeling when a lady made a wide turn out of her drive crossing over to my side of the street and smack...  I hit my head and lost my car for an undetermined amout of time.  I've been feeling restrained to the house with the kids going stir crazy and a bit depressed about the situation.  Some Pease's chocolate may have ended up in my hands...mouth...hips.  I said to myself, "Give me that chocolate, I'm celebrating the Resurrrection,"  but really my heart was saying, "relax, protect yourself, you were exposed to trauma."

Seriously though, 50 days of Easter is long. This great post at "Faith and Family Live" points out that when ordinary time comes there doesn't appear to be a transition because so many of us have already stopped celebrating. 

It seems so easy to balance everyday life with denying ourselves during Lent.  How can we balance everyday life with the celebration of Easter?  What would you do?  What Do you do?