7 quick takes (vol 6)

Clink on the image above to read other quick takes. Thanks Jen.

* Take 1*

Summer just isn't summer around here until you experience sweet corn!

And it's here!!

Summer Approved!

*Take 2*

Boy #2:
"Hey Mom, why do you have FLAMES on your belly?"
My response, "To show the burning love I have for all you kids!"
I had never thought of those stretch marks as flames before, but I kinda like that analogy.

I've got some pretty cool flames!


*Take 3*

Since our Baby got his 'big boy' haricut, we've spotted other babies in the yard:

A cardinal calling for Mama

And 4 Robins

Growing up IS something to cheer about!

*Take 4*
A Little science museum fun:

Making kaleidoscopes

Testing kaleidoscopes

Fun with mirage

And flight simulators

Over all, a great, warm day!

*Take 5*

When I grow up I want to make pizza's!

*Take 6*


As I was nursing the baby, boy # 3 says, "Is he done with the crunchy side?"
Confused, I questioned him to elaborate on his question and he replied:
"Well, which one is the food and which one is the milk?"

I informed him they are both milk and he said,
"I thought one was food so he could learn to eat crunchy stuff and one was a drink!"

Sorry people, no crunchy and creamy options coming from this mama! I'm not peanut butter!
 Can you imagine crunchy coming out of there?
Nope, just creamy!


*Take 7*
Here's a quote that touched me this morning:
"Life is not always the way we think it's supposed to be.  However, it IS the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference."

In God's providence we can learn so much if we but open up to His plan for us and ask for the grace to see us through each day.  Much like a wedding vow, we can promise: To be true to Him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. It takes work, but in the end, I'm certain it'll be worth the effort!

A servant's Prayer by LM

Jesus, my Jesus..How marvelous your ways...Far more splendid than my mind can envision.  What an honor to be chosen by you.  A lowly child I am, but empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill the great hope to which you have called me. I give myself totally to you, Lord. Take my imperfect heart and make it perfect. Peel away the hardness.  Close the doors I have opened to the temptations of this world.  Gently remove the roots of painful memories, sins, doubts and fears. Discard anything that seperates me from you. Lord, fill the emptiness with the light of your love that I might be a beacon calling the lost back to you.
To love as you love...
To serve as you serve...
To heal as you heal...
To forgive as you forgive...
Always mindful of my nothingness while doing great and marvelous things in your name and for your glory. This I pray, Jesus in Your Name. Amen

Have a Great Weekend!
I'll be spending mine gasping for air and finding new muscles as I attempt to run a 7 mile road race with my sisters.  I think I'm prepared - but some extra prayers would be nice.

Fly Guy: Saving the World One Buzz at a Time

And who ever thought one of my son's favorite books and some annoying flies could make a blog?
Flies:  I seem to be collecting them in my house.  Some fruit flies hovering over what should have been cleaned dishes and fruit eaten 3 days ago delicious fruit; some other annoying house flies, seeming to come and buzz in my ear, and touch me on the arm.  They can be a bit of a nuisance; but so can we.  Have you ever compared yourself to a fly?

Oh to be like a fly - PERSISTENT!

I don't think I have ever seen a fly give up on reaching food. What food should we persevere towards? God!  Sometimes it's hard.  Sin keeps shooing us away. However, when we see good food, we'll stay on target.  We must fly to God with our prayers and never give up on Him. A simple buzz in His ear will do, "Hi God!" Or even a silent touch on His arm. Unlike us, He'll listen and watch as we try to stay close.  He knows what is good for us, and always fills us.  Sometimes with a 'yes', sometimes with a 'wait a while' and sometimes with a 'I have something better that you can not see right now!'

That last option makes me think of the garbage zone.  Sometimes we need to go through the trashy parts of life to reap the best fruit.  Once we are fed (by spending time with God) we go on our mission to help other flies find the food.  Buzzing Praying along as we fly. At times we will bump into a wall, "Ouch!" or a window ("Deceit looks so real!"), but we must reconcile and keep going.  Praying and trusting in God's love and mercy. He will always give us the best answer, but we must keep asking; keep moving to reach our fulfillment. The garbage zone is our true cross, but by perseverance, we help others attain the best as well. We may wander at times, but we must never give up on the Goal; we must use our eyes to scan beyond the initial image we see, so that we may come to a better understanding of the whole picture.

"Is fly guy lost? No, here he is."
"Fly high, fly guy! Lead us Home."

Armor of God from LIfeTeen

 I found this video first at Faith and Family from Lisa and thought it was worthy of sharing. The LifeTeen website is exceptional: with movie reviews, current events, catechism, Sunday preview of the readings etc. I have shared it with my teens, and have enjoyed it myself as well.

“Attack comes with fatigue, distractions, temptations. Morality and virtue are stressed and tested. This war is about how you defend yourself. No guns or bombs, but true armor.”

Daddy's girl

The 3 year old princess went to adoration with her daddy last night.  Since she napped for the day, she was still awake at 11pm. As they went out the door, I asked her to pray for me.  "I will Mommy!" came her response.

This morning, I was asking her how adoration was.  Then I asked if she prayed for Dad, too.  She said, "No, he was with me!"  So I told her she could still pray for him to be the best dad he could be.

Her reply, "I don't need to pray for him, He ALREADY IS the Best!"

Freedom

Here's to ALL those who fight to protect our Freedom!

It can be a tiring job, but Christ too had fatigue as His companion.

Keep up the Good fight!

THANK YOU!

Summer Birthday Bash

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUSINS!

I don't know how you celebrate cousins' birthdays, but on one side of our family, we basically have tri- or semi-annual birthday bashes (depending on the busyness of families) It works well, especially when there are so many young kiddos lives to celebrate, and family spread over a few towns/states. 

Here is our photo recap:

 Some Baseball

Some Football

And other things:

Looks like she needs a sibling ;)

'Like Father, Like Son'

Teamwork!

And some Rest:

Great Grandma rocking my neice:

It was HOT!

 But the Grill Master Carried on

So we could eat:

I don't know how he got his food up there, but it looked cozy!

After the tanks were full, we sang Happy Birthday to each child before he/she opened presents.

This year, we sang 10 times.

That's a lot of Happy Birthday's!

Well, make that 11.  We had to sing when they blew out their candles together!
Once the kids are loaded up on sugar cake, it's time for:

 Pinata bursting!

I blame this child's grasp of the bat on her mother ;)

And that's all folks.  I'll spare you a photo of the minor Dr. visit.  Mostly because I don't have one, but also because it wouldn't be good for those of you susceptible to churning bellies.

Until Next Time...

Should we stay or should we go?

The kids and I hadn't been to noon Mass since last summer.  I typically don't like going to this Mass, because the church echoes everything, and I feel like one movement by one child sounds like a million distractions.  To add a bit of fuel to the fire, it was going to be noon and we were about to bring a tired baby and toddler, a couple active preschoolers and 5 other kids who usually do well, but still have movable parts, and need to be reminded to keep their hands and feet to themselves. Well, I gave in and decided to give it another try.  All the while thinking, why am I setting myself up for punishment, yet praying that it would go well.

On the way, we hit every red light possible.  Then got stuck behind a semi unloading in single lane traffic downtown. As I kept looking at the clock, all I could think was, well, we're late now, we might as well not go.  After saying that so many times in my head, I think it slipped out once.  Then I heard the reply, "Well if you don't want to go, why are we all going!" I was getting a bit frustrated, and was seriously debating to make a detour to the library. This child was right.  Why were we going?  We were inevitably late, the timing was poor for the littles, the bigs didn't want to be there, and I was beginning to think it's not worth the effort to distract everyone coming in nearly ten minutes late with an apathetic brood. But I kept going.

I drove by the church to pull into the parking lot, only to notice that the lot was being resurfaced.  Guess we were not going to park there.  In my head, that was my out to turn around and go home.  I thought, 'Really, Lord, do You not want us here either?' I wrestled with what to do. We were late.  It's not worth it. But I really do want to visit, and the kids, well, they are kids; learning what is good for them.  I pulled into another lot, parked and calmly reminded the kids we had to be quick and quiet.  For the first time in his young life, my two year old whispers back, "Like this mom." That was all the consolation I needed.  With a smile, a prayer and a welled up eye, we went in.

Mass was beautiful, the kids were exceptionally well behaved. I was overwhelmed with amazement. God graced us: our poor, weak selves were overtaken by his gentle, loving strength. You see, He does want us there, and even though we have stop signs, blocked paths and resistance on the road, He is ready to love us and allows us to abide in Him, and He with us. We need only to show the effort and He'll come in to complete us; rescuing us from our wretched ways. It reminds me of the the song "Set the World on Fire" by Britt Nicole:

I wanna set the world on fire

Until it's burning bright for You

It's everything that I desire

Can I be the one You use?

[CHORUS]

I, I am small but

You, You are big enough

I, I am weak but

You, You are strong enough to

Take my dreams

Come and give them wings

Lord with You

Nothing I can not do

Nothing I cannot do

7 quick takes (vol 5)

*Take 1*

Why does June go so fast? Always.  

It's here.

We adjust to summer break.

It's gone.

Poof!

Maybe we need to pick up the adjusting pace a bit so we can keep up?

*Take 2*

"7 is the best birthday ever!"

Some fishin'

Some trout

Some blue gill

Some family

Who could ask for anything more?

*Take 3*

Last day of swimming lessons:

"Hey you in the green, are you jumping?"

Too Fun!

With a bit of work

And great attitudes!

*Take 4*

My Super Heros!

 "Shirtless Super Heros, To the Rescue!"

I am so grateful for these young men.  

And their sister, who made sure they didn't "miss a spot!"

The polarized glasses helped. 

~Or so she says.

*Take 5*

Alert!

We have another teenager:

After her favorite meal of BBQ Ribs, this young lady is sure to have a great year!

We Love You!

*Take 6*

In less than 20 days, my baby will be 1.

Yes, he is still the baby!

*Take 7*

Maybe, just maybe, I'll do better blogging in July! That is if the one child who made the blog in June decides to stick around home.

Until next time...

Visit Conversion Diary for more 7 quick takes.