For today:: Friday, January 16, 2015

Outside my window:: It’s dark outside.  And cold.  And I love it.  Lance and I always wonder if we could really handle cold weather.  Sometimes I feel like such a wimp when it gets chilly, but I assume if we lived in the North we would have clothes suitable for cold weather.

I am wearing:: Pajama pants and a black shirt.

I am praying for:: a special intention, that my husband gets home safely and patience.  Always patience.  At some point, can’t God just grant that one to me?  This house would be a lot happier if I were more patient!

Grateful for:: family.  The good and the bad.  I have an amazing husband who loves me and wants to spend time with me; kids who are funny, smart, kind and love to be out of doors.  Parents who are generous with their time and gifts and who love me, maybe my kids more, but they support me.  It’s not picture perfect, not even close, we all bicker and get on each other’s nerves, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

From the kitchen:: a couple of months ago, Snax said it’s: fish, chicken and pork.  That’s it, never mind the fact that we had had pizza and burgers the nights leading up to that statement.  In an effort to change things, I’m actually going through my Pinterest boards and finding recipes.  The past several weeks, I’ve made 4  new recipes a week.  And they’ve mostly been great.  Even Snax approves.  Don’t count this week.  With Lance out of town, I don’t make new meals, I go for easy, easy, easy.

I am reading:: Mere Christianity.  Finally.  I’ve heard of this book for years, but over the last year, it’s been thrown at me so to speak.  I have four other books I’m dying to read right now, but I refuse to start anything else until this is done.  I’ve read two pages so far.  Does that really count as reading a book?

On blogging::  I have so many intentions, then just can’t ever find the time.  I even have a notes section full of blog ideas, cute stories of the kids or just my random musings.  But at the end of the day, I never type them out.  I find that I rarely read blogs anymore either which goes back to that whole no time thing.

On fitness and health::  there is this little thing I’m running on Sunday called the marathon.  I can not wait.  I’m nervous and anxious and ready to go.  Partly, because I’ve had to taper (can you imagine me using that word?) and am still eating my usual amount and that just drives me crazy.  But mostly, I’m just ready to go!  I’ve trained, had one issue, but seem fine now.  It’s for a good cause and I’ve managed to raise some money for PPMD.  Anyone else want to donate???  Here is my fundraising page.

Finding a rhythm::  it’s so hard to get back into a routine after a break.  We were up so late every night.  Even the four year old.  (yes, I have a four year old now!)  The kids would play all day and then we’d finally sit for books around 8:45 and read until 10.  We have such a great collection of Advent/Christmas books, and it was great reading them.  But now we’ve moved onto to our Winter basket which I must say is pretty damn good.  I love the kids’ faces when I pull out a favorite.  We’re reading The Long Winter as our family read aloud as well.  I think this week we’ve settled somewhat.  At least the kids were in bed by 9 the past two days.  A start for us.  We’ve got basketball Mondays and Tuesdays and the rest of the week is open to us.  I like it that way.

One of my favorite things:: so I always say this, but trips with Lance.  Actually, we don’t have anything planned beyond Chicago this May when he goes to the draft.  I’ll join and we’ll see Paul and Brian as well.  We’ve got next fall already planned, so we just need something soon.

A few plans for the week:: the week is mostly gone, but we’ve still got some plans- Rocket’s game against Ok City, birthday dinner with friends, movie, marathon, day off with the kids.  Oh and start science fair experiments.  God, I beg you to help us on that one.

Loving the moments:: when a child asks me to snuggle him.  You always say yes to a child that wants to snuggle.  Always.

I am always wanting family pictures.  I think it stems from the fact that we never took family photos growing up.  Whatever the reason, I am always a PITA about taking pictures on big occasions.  Christmas morning at mass, we took our usual picture and I messed it up by doing some closed mouth smile.  To be fair to me, it wasn’t that good of a picture, but clearly, I ruined it.  Then later that evening, our neighbor came over to take a picture of my entire family.  I was so interested in getting that picture that I forgot to take another picture of just my immediate family.  I figured no big deal, we’ll take one on the Feast of the Holy Family, pictured below.  My mom took the picture, we’re not centered, Alec was pissed at me because I wanted him to wear his coat.  And there you have it, our family picture for this Christmas season.

Taken on the Feast of the Holy Family~ we are so not the Holy Family and this picture clearly reflects that, but shows a bit of who we are.