7 Quick Takes

[ 1 ]

Halloween is a big deal at our house.  Each year, I embark upon costume making for each of the boys.  I have made almost all of their costumes in the past.  This year, as I was reflecting upon the sheer quantity of my children and the daunting task of creating costumes for them, I was balking at the prospect.  So, I entertained the idea of simply buying their costumes.  I talked to Nate about my temptation and he said that it was a tradition he really enjoyed.  He's probably right.  It's a fun tradition.  So, off we go!  I have four weeks and four costumes!  I'll be sure to keep you posted!

[ 2 ]

This year, we have two Cub Scouts.   Jozef loves his uniform.  He'll often put it on and wear it around the house.  The other day, he went to CCD with his belt on.  He is really proud to be a Cub Scout.

[ 3 ]

I am a big fan of rewards.  Jozef is memorizing different points for his Grammar class.  For each question he gets right, he receives an M&M.  Kolbe just finished a massive Grammar exam that took him about 5 weeks to prepare for, so he was allowed to purchase a new game for his Nintendo DS.  Why are rewards important?  Well, I hope to expound on this more in a series on homeschooling, but I'll give you a question to ponder:  Would you continue to go to work if you didn't get paid?

[ 4 ]

photo:: MattMaherMusic.com

There's nothing like becoming a parent to change your music preferences.  The music I used to enjoy was not gangsta rap by any means, however there certainly were enough songs about drinking to excess or cohabiting that I realized little ears shouldn't be listening to--and maybe their Mom shouldn't be either!  We have been enjoying Matt Maher's latest compilation all week long.  We attended a concert of his in Wiscosin with our kids and we had a great time.  The boys will often wander around singing the lyrics to his music--another reason this Mom is glad she's modified her iPod.  Add him to your iTunes or Pandora radio today!

[ 5 ]

I think I am allergic to my wedding ring.  Not in a funny "I'm allergic to being married," kind of way.  If I wear my ring for two days straight, my finger breaks out and itches.  The crazy thing is, my ring is not from a Cracker Jack Box it's platinum!

I cleaned it really well, thinking maybe there was some debris that was bothering me.  This did not solve the problem...

This story reminds me of a song by Lee AnneWomack titled Does My Ring Burn Your Finger?  It's a song about a married guy who's decided he won't let his wedding ring hold back his desire to leave.   So, like a good wife, I tease Nate that his ring is literally burning my finger.

Note:  I found an article about determining if it's the nickel in a ring or just some dirt that is causing the reaction.  So, if you see me walking around with a nickel taped to my arm, you'll know I'm just doing an experiment. ;-)  Anyone else had this problem?

[ 6 ]

Mom, will you take a picture of me and Gemma?

[ 7 ]

This weekend we're headed to a Marian Conference in Sioux Falls.  When I informed the boys, there were some mixed reactions.  You see, the idea of a conference brings back bad memories for Kolbe.  Years ago we attended the Midwest Catholic Family Conference in Wichita.  He was participating in the children's program and joined a different group of children accidently.  When Nate and I went to pick him up at lunch time, he was not in his assigned group.  Since this was a hotel/conference center, he could have been anywhere.  After 20 minutes, and several security personnel searching all possible rooms, he was found, happily playing with that other group of children.  So, he's a bit...reluctant...of any "conference" speak.  This afternoon:

Kolbe:  Mom, I don't think we should go to that conference. 

Mom:  Well, that's what we've planned for this weekend.

Kolbe:  Fine.  I guess you want to lose Jo or Marcel.

Let's hope not!

Homeschooling - Socialization

I mentioned in my recent 7 Quick Takes that a local newspaper reporter interviewed me last week regarding homeschooling.  A friend sent me the link to that interview at the newspaper's website.  The reporter did a great job putting together our family's philosophy regarding homeschoolers and socialization.

Do your kids get out much?

Baking with Baby

Cheesecake was on the menu.  A busy toddler needed to be occupied.  He was commissioned to help me scrape the filling off of some Oreo's for the crust.  Here's what ensued:

10 Things

1.  I volunteered for 3 months in Arizona and Texas when I was 18.  It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

2.  I am constantly amazed with how much I don't know about the world.

3.  I often over-promise and under-deliver.  It is a major character flaw.

4.  My favorite pass-time is watching movies.  I ♥ Netflix.

5.  Babysitting boys was always my favorite.  I hoped to have a bunch when I was married someday...and now I do!  They're always up for adventure!

6.  Nate brings me out of my shell more than I would have ever imagined.

7.  Since being married, we've moved 8 times (in just under 10 years).

8.  I loved drama in high school.

9.  Sarcasm comes easily to me.  Waaaay too easily.

10.  The desire to move back to my hometown is surprisingly overwhelming.  I never would have imagined that.

Thanks for the tag, Sarah!

7 Quick Takes

[ 1 ]

I am overrun by plastic shopping bags.  Paper bags are a rarity in this town and after each trip to the store I come home and add more to my collection. It's like an anvil around my neck as I stuff and shove more into the pantry.  Oy!  The plastic bags!

There is one thing, however, that brings newfound joy to the end of my shopping trips:  reusable cloth bags.  Based upon my observations:

1 cloth bag = 5-7 plastic shopping bags

That's WAY less plastic bags in my pantry.  I don't mean to give out too much information, but I daydream about about the bags overflowing the pantry and then running into the rest of the house.  The family is swimming and swimming but the bags:  They.  Consume.  Us.  If Alfred Hitchcock was still alive, he'd create a movie like The Birds starring plastic bags that take over the world!

[ 2 ]

"Made in the USA".  Nothing makes me happier to put a product in my cart than to see that sticker.  I've found two great kitchen products at Wal-Mart that are made in the USA:  Nordic Ware and Anchor Glass.  The products are great and I'm supporting American jobs!  Bonus!

With a LEGO "Vana White" Storm Trooper

[ 3 ]

Recently, Nate and I drove 6 hours, attended a concert, stayed with our friend, Fr. Ben, woke up and then drove 4 hours to meet the boys in Green Bay, and then drove 4 more hours towards South Dakota.  Sometimes, achieving dreams requires sacrifice.  And lots of mileage.  

Author Matthew Kelly is the one I can pin this on.  He claims that achieving dreams is an important part of life.  We were convinced, so we purchased a notebook, began jotting down our dreams (from the practical to the outrageous) and we've been working to achieve them ever since.

Seeing Alison Kraus live in-concert has been on the dream list since the beginning.  And, after lots of coordinating, driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic, paying the  outrageous price of parking in downtown Chicago, and almost missing dinner just before it began, we saw Alison Kraus and Union Station in concert. She truly has the voice of an angel and was entirely captivating.  It is an experience we will both remember for a long time.

[ 4 ]

Another grace-filled baptism!  

Resting in the Spirit.

[ 5 ]

I zipped through a book on our Kindle:  Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It by Gary Taubes. The book is well written, informative and compelling.  In the aftermath of the book, I stumbled upon Saving Dinner the Low-Carb Way by Leanne Ely.  The Saving Dinner book is really helping me to stay on track and put dinner on the table on time most nights.

[ 6 ]

This week a reporter came to interview me about homeschooling.  She is writing an article on homeschooling for the local newspaper.  The opportunity allowed me to really put an answer to the common questions we get about homeschooling:  What about socialization?  Do you really stay HOME all day?  Do you really feel qualified to homeschool?  I hope to document the answers to these questions to the blog soon.

[ 7 ]

Dear Men's Health,  emails that brag "2011's Hottest Women will not garner any clicks from me.  Just an FYI.

Rummage Sale Blues

It was time.  Time to go through toys and household goods and randomness that had been floating around for much too long.

For two weeks I sifted and sorted and negotiated with children regarding toys.  For 48 hours I priced, displayed, and readied.  Then, we waited.  And collapsed.

Friday night we had a nice assortment of customers.  We were feeling pretty confident.  Saturday morning, we didn't have a single solitary customer until 10 AM.  10 AM!  That's like a "last call" for rummage sale junkies!  That's the we've been to all the good sales already, let's see what these pathetic people have for sale.  The total number of customers for Saturday was less than Jerzy can count to.

Then, for 4 hours, we unpriced, resorted, repacked, wiped our tears, and dismantled our sale.  Most goods went to Goodwill.  Some to family and friends.  And, a few stray toys mysteriously ended up back in the house.

Here's the tally:

Profits
$50 - mattress listed on Craigslist
$50 - rummage sale

Debits
$20 advertising costs
$40 pizza for dinner after the frenzy of getting ready
---------------
$40 profit

The amount of time invested in the Craigslist listing = 15 minutes
The amount of time invested in the rummage sale = 40 hours (!)

Thus, I am declaring here on the interwebs to put into permanence a resolution:

Rummage sale:  I smite you from my life!  And vocabulary! 

It's been about 3 weeks since our sale.  Nate and I still can't believe we thought it would be a worthy endeavor.  To add insult to injury, about every-other day a different young boy will come up to me and ask, "Whhhyyy did we have to sell [insert random toy here] in the rummage sale, Mom?  That was my faaavvvooorriiittte."

Oh, rummage sale cupid, my you never strike me again with your arrow.  We. Are. Through.