Everyday Contentment

{Pretty}

 New tablecloth from Target. I waited patiently until it was on clearance so it was 11.83. (And those are our Christmas cards still hanging up. I just hate to take them down!)

 {Happy}

 

 So, I'm stoked that after 5 years of marriage, my husband and I have acquired our first real bed! It was a stellar deal - just 125.00 for a King bed frame on Craigslist. I am always checking for stuff so I know this was definitely a deal. (Is it just me or does it seem like most people think their junk is worth waaaayyyy more than it really is?) Anyway, it was kind of a debacle picking up the bed with just me and my father in law. (Sorry about that, pops! :) It was heavy, barely fit in the pickup bed, and it wasn't secured very nicely (my fault for not being prepared) so I was sure at some point on the drive home we were going to lose it going over a bump! Somehow though, we managed - and this morning I woke up in a real, grown up bed! (Louisa came in after it was set up and declared "I don't like this bed" I think she's just mad it won't be quite as easy for her to sneak into it in the middle of the night ;)

{Funny}

 

Now, doesn't this photo remind you of the movie Big? We met up with my mom at McDonalds and got some energy out. I am SO ready for it to be spring so we can play outside again!

This particular Play Place is pretty nice, as in new and clean. Even though we did go, I'm a bit weary now that there is a confirmed case of the Measles in my town so yeah...not cool. I just found this out so we might be avoiding Play Places for a while.

{Real}

Mike snapped this pic of me and Michael on Saturday. I just want to know, where did my newborn go?? Time is going by too fast and I don't want him to grow up. I'm sorry but I just don't.

 

 

Like Mother Like Daughter has more link up's to discover everyday contentment! Enjoy :)

House Blessing 2013

 

We usually have a toast after, using holy (blessed) water

Waiting for Fr. to arrive

Whew, what a long day! The reason I am able to blog already is that everyone is napping right now! The kids didn't go down for naps until 4:00, since we had such a busy, exciting day. Even baby Michael barely napped all day, so he's pretty tired out. And yes, we let our toddlers nap even this late. We are lucky in that usually they will still go to bed about the same time (yes, I know you're madly jealous :) But if we don't let them nap they are horrendous all through the evening and no one has a good time. I am just going to post some pictures then start dinner and everyone should wake up soon.

Daddy took the girls to liturgy this morning and I stayed back with the baby to do some last minute cleaning. I scrubbed two bathrooms, vacuumed again, and did dishes from yesterday. It was actually pretty relaxing. By the time they got home it was only about another 1/2 hour before Fr. Joe arrived. For the 4th year since we've been married, he has come to our home to bless every room. We all joke that yes, the blessing wears off after a year ;) -but no, really if you think about it you have new stuff coming into the house, new people (babies! :) and whatnot, so it makes sense to do it every year. We also just enjoy having Fr. over for a bit and the girls love it. Louisa talks about Fr. Joseph all the time.

Anyway, all in all House Blessing 2013 was a success! Happy day!

Yep, still pro-Life

I had wanted to write an eloquent post on the Pro Life movement, the tragedy of abortion, and the humanity of the unborn child. Yet, so many have done a better job. My favorite post I have read thus far is Leila's  (totally made me tear up) She says: "abortion on the scale that we witness today in America is the logical consequence of forgetting that a baby is meant to be the expression of love between a man and a woman who have pledged themselves to unity...marriage is the solution to abortion." So right.

Here's the thing: I see babies dying. This is why I am an outspoken opponent of abortion! This is why I leave my warm house and protest on the capital steps along with thousands of other people. Why I pray in front of Planned Parenthoods. Because I know Abortion = death! I am for LIFE. This blog, and everything I write about celebrates the gift of life. You all have seen the images I've posted of my babies in utero. I've posted an ultrasound as early as 9 weeks. 9 weeks, my friends. Even at 9 weeks you can see with your own eyes that it is not a clump of cells. You have rejoiced with us when we announced we were pregnant, congratulated us, smiled with us at the tiny picture of our newest baby. Mike and I tend to name our babies the first time we see them on the ultrasound machine (we are impatient like that :) How are our babies different than the 19 year old girl's baby that she has the lawful right to have surgically or medicinally removed? You tell me, how are they different?

If you are Pro-Choice, then what I gather is that your argument that a woman should have the "choice" to abort is based on the principle that it is only a child if it is wanted. Well...goodness. That's convenient. Basically, you are saying that the humanity of a person is based on if they are wanted or not. That kind of thinking has some pretty terrifying logical conclusions. Throughout history, many different groups of people have had their humanity questioned, and we know what happened to them. 

So, my dear friends, for the sake of keeping it short (because at this point in my life and my faith journey, I could write you pages and pages about why I'm 100% against abortion!) I will just tell you a few additional important reasons why I am Pro-life:

-As a mother, I know deep inside that a child should be safe in the womb. If the child is not safe in the womb, it is not safe anywhere.

-Technology and science show me that life begins at conception. If you do not believe this, show me when exactly, life begins. At 16 weeks, 28 weeks, birth? When?

 

-I understand that sometimes women find themselves in a crisis situation, and geez, how hard. I sympathize with them and want them to be ok! They need compassion and help. Killing the new life inside them does not solve the problem. The problem does not go away...so many women end up regretting their abortion. It is not some casual procedure. No matter what, the woman is changed forever.

 

-There are a multitude of places to help women in crisis. I can give you a list if you need one!! My sister in law was the director of one and I have volunteered at them before. The news does not report on these places, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

-Abortion does not solve the cycle of poverty problem we have in this country. Clearly, it has done absolutely nothing to help - as the amount of unwed mothers, absent fathers, and welfare reliant is going up in the last 40 years, since abortion became legal. Just look at the numbers. This tells me that everyone loses when abortion is promoted as a "solution" to just about anything.

 

-Babies are good and are a gift. The greatest gift there is! I think society has largely forgotten this. Even if you cannot support a baby, someone will want that baby. I was commenting on an article and made this point. I was accused of being unreasonable....that pregnant women don't owe a baby to anyone. Well, I know that - my point was that the loving thing to do if you find yourself pregnant but not ready to be a mother is to have the baby and allow him to be adopted. Adoption is the loving option. Hard? Yes. Incredibly difficult. I can't even imagine doing that....however, going to Planned Parenthood and having the baby terminated is something a million times worse.

So these are some of my reasons. I don't expect that I will change your mind if you are adamantly Pro-Choice. That's okay. My goal certainly is to help change hearts and minds...but I realize that cannot be done with one simple blog post. I love Leila's points, that being a good mother or a good father, and raising your children with love, you can help conquer the scourge of abortion. I hope, hope with all my might, that she is right. Because, that's what I'm trying to do every day of my life.

 

All things new

 

I remember when I was a kid I used to daydream often. I was pretty materialistic back then, so I mostly dreamt of new clothes, a new (bigger, nicer) house, and basically how I wished I could have all-new everything. I still have strong materialistic tendencies. I like new, shiny things! But here's the thing: even after I was able to have my own paycheck and buy new clothes, I recognized fairly quickly that no matter how many new things I were to get I would never feel satisfied or complete. I would always have that nagging feeling inside of ugliness. I could see this at play in the world, too. Especially in celebrities who literally have access to all the material goods a person could ever want. How many of them are in utter despair? How many die of drug overdoses or end up in and out of treatment for decades? It couldn't be more clear: newness, in the material sense, does a person little good.

Since I wasn't a spiritual person growing up, I had no idea that perhaps my materialistic longings were symptomatic of other unfulfilled desires of the heart. Yes, I would dream that a closet full of clothes would make me a much happier person! I mean, of course: I would look good and therefore feel pretty darn good. And wow, if I could just drive a cute car, live in a big house, and marry a hot guy, I would definitely be happy. All the ugliness that life brought could be masked behind shininess.

My conversion has changed me quite a lot. No, I cannot deny that I still enjoy newness. I do like new outfits. I even like new babies and new friends and new, beautiful kitchens. However, as a Christian, I have learned that there is only one kind of newness that counts in the end......

"And he that sat on the throne said: Behold, I make all things new" Revalation 21:5

I clearly remember reading that for the first time in Revelation and feeling chills all over. "This is what I have always wanted! I can hardly believe it. It's possible!!!"

The reason for unhappiness and ugliness in this life is because we have fallen away. We become unraveled, unhealthy, falling apart at the seams. We are desperate for renewal, but know not how to attain it on our own. We think, "Man, if I just had enough money, I could buy what I needed in life. I could have access to the goods that would give me happiness. I could be surrounded by newness and that would make me feel new" As a kid that was how I saw it. I seriously thought that if my family just had enough money we would all be happier; I would be much, much happier.

But, I'm going to tell you that's not how it is. Nope, not at all. If I hadn't become a Christian in college, I know I would still be chasing my material dreams and goals. Thankfully, I now know that there is one way to happiness - only one way to find the beauty in newness that I desire so much. God wants to make us feel whole. He wants us to come to Him for freshness. He wants us to feel loved, whole, refreshed, and new.


"It is always possible to make a new start by means of repentance. "You fell," it is written, "now arise" (Proverbs 24:16) And if you fall again, then rise again, without despairing at all of your salvation, no matter what happens.....So do not despair in any way, ignoring God's help, for he can do whatever he wishes. On the contrary, place your hope in him and he will do one of these things: either through trials and temptations, or in some other way which he alone knows, he will bring about your restoration, or he will accept your patient endurance and humility in the place of works, or because of your hope he will act lovingly toward you in some other way in which you are not aware, and so will save your shackled soul. Only do not abandon your Physician."
-St. Peter of Damaskos
Philokalia (Eastern Christian Spiritual texts)

“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty -- it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There's a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.”  
- Mother Teresa, A Simple Path

Two sad things

Remember yesterday how I ended my post saying how I was going to make hot cocoa for the girls? Well a sad thing happened while I was making it (don't get too worried, it was only a minor injury)  I had the milk warming up in a pan on the stove. The girls just love to drag their kid chairs over to 'help'. I am always very careful, of course, while making something over the stove. But yesterday, I let myself get distracted. Lou was asking me incessantly to help her look for this little piggy bank she got for Christmas. I walked out of the kitchen for a moment because I thought I had seen it in her room. I had Michael in the baby sling and I was thinking Josie would be okay because she was standing off to the side of the stove, and I thought she was pretty much out of reach. Yea, you see where this is going. I come back in the kitchen and my poor little Josephine had the saddest, most worried look on her face. What surprised me the most is she didn't scream or even start to cry right away. She just looked at me like someone had betrayed her, or that she never imagined something could be so painful. But she held up her pointer finger to me and her little voice said, "I touched it. I touched it mama, I touched it." She kept repeating this to me over and over. I can still picture her face in my mind perfectly. The burn was pretty tiny, just a little circle that covered her fingertip. It turned into a little blister, but she is fine now. I ran her finger under cold water and for the rest of the night she kept saying, "water? I touched it, mama. I touched it" Poor thing....thank the Lord that was all it was. My heart broke as I cared for her tiny burn. I cannot imagine how I would react if it was her whole hand or arm....

My sweet Josie. Her tiny burn. It could have been so much worse. 

Related to this small incident, I have to say lately, I've felt a lot of nagging fear. I fall asleep worried about these little people I am responsible for. I worry about something happening to Mike or myself. I worry worry worry. I am trying to pray for peace, for reassurance that whatever potentially horrible or sad thing that could happen to me or my family would ultimately turn out to be okay. You see, faith in Christ does not make you immune to bad things happening, but it can give you 'peace beyond understanding' and the grace to meet uncontrollable factors in your life that scare you. But lately, I have to admit, I've really had to work hard to stave off this nagging feeling of worry and, dare I say it...dread? It's kind of scary to actually put it into words. I can trace this feeling back to Mike being out of town, so I guess it didn't just come out of nowhere. I guess I worry more as I get older that there are so few things I am in control over. Car accidents, medical issues, disease, death. I've always been somewhat of a worry wart, but I feel like I had gotten over many common worries. With young wonderful children, a husband I love more than I can describe, and a generally healthy, happy life - I suppose I just keep thinking, it can't be good for always. Something bad could happen at any moment. I don't know, when I write it down it sounds worse than it is. I do not constantly worry, but just more lately than usual. But, still, whatever is going on in my head, I pray (and ask you to say a little prayer for me) that my normal sense of well being return to me soon. St. Michael the archangel, pray for us.

But the other "sad thing" is actually that I had yet another migraine - that makes three this month alone. The good news is I saw my doctor this morning. We discussed triggers and also ways to cope with one if I get caught off guard, so that I'm not taken out for an entire 12 hours. My doctor said she herself has been able to avoid having a migraine attack for almost 3 years now. She figured out some of her triggers - eating cheese, drinking wine, and not getting enough sleep. I most likely have several triggers. Frankly, it stresses me out sitting her trying to think about everything at once: What am I allergic to? Am I not drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, taking enough vitamins? Holding my baby wrong, bad posture? Could it be hormones, allergies, sinuses? So many potential triggers.

You see, I tend to get ahead of myself and just want to figure out the cure immediately. I get easily overwhelmed. Obviously, I can't do that. I'll just have to slowly work my way toward answers. For now, I'm starting out by cutting out peanuts and cheese, as these two are my first suspicions. I will make small efforts to drink more water and get enough sleep. That's all I can do for now. Anything more and I will get a migraine just by thinking too much about how to get rid of my migraines!! Oh, and then, I can't help it but my mind wanders to other possibilities like, I have a brain tumor or something....ah. Kayleen, please calm down, I tell myself!

Tough. Life is tough and scary sometimes, ya know? Might as well admit it and pray for peace and protection.

Wed-nes-day

Hey!
So, how are you?
I'm good. Just hanging out on a January afternoon. Thinking about various things. Like...oh I don't know. Not much. Flu shots, birthday parties, play dates, overdue library books. Etc. etc. Not really all that exciting, I guess. Daily life.....

It's been so cold here and if the kids and I want to hang out downstairs I usually want to light the fireplace. But our energy bills have been crazy high so I should probably just put more layers on me and the kids and tough it out. But the fire is so cozy!

 The little man looking adorable every minute of every day. Yes, even when he's a-fussn' because of not one but two new little teeth coming in!

 Do you see them? Little man! You're getting so big!

We took down the Christmas decorations. Everything is so bare. I like it in a way because my house feels so clean and roomy. However, it is a reminder to me that Lent is coming up.....

 But just before Lent starts (beginning of February) we are having Fr. over for House Blessings! I can't wait. I always look forward to it. It's nice to have some time to visit with Fr. Joe, and ya'll know how much I appreciate an (extra) clean house! (Even though Fr. doesn't necessarily bless the linen closet, that doesn't mean I can't use House Blessings as an excuse to organize it ;)

Well I better go. I promised the girls I'd make them some hot cocoa and a friend is dropping by in a  little while. I hope you are having a great Wednesday!

Swoon

I think I just need to take a moment to swoon over these two handsome fellows in my life! How I loooooooooooove them! I'm so stinkin' lucky!

(How I wish these pics were taken on my camera. But alas, they are cell phone pics. I did go and grab my camera but wouldn't you know it, the battery was dead. :( Still adorable pics, especially the  first one where baby Michael is flashing his adorable smile!)

Friday QT's

Happy Friday! It's shaping up to be a most beautiful day. The forecast is sunny and cold.

That's fine with us. We will be staying in, for the morning at least, and enjoying the sunlight as it pours through our windows. Much needed, blessed sunshine!

 Ready for some Quick Takes?

-1-

Everyone in the blogging community (at least the circles I follow) is talking about Jen Fulwiler. She is very sick right now. She was in the hospital for a while because of lung problems (I'm not even going to attempt to explain anything medical. You can look here for the scoop) Basically, she is home now but suffers fatigue and shortness of breath extremely easily. She is pregnant with her 6th, so yea....crazy. I hope she is able to handle things. It sounds like she has lots of help but still, it makes me grateful for my own health. It makes me not want to complain about any of my small sufferings!

-2- 

In fact, there seem to be a lot of people I personally know who are also going through some heavy duty suffering right now. I am seeing health issues as well as just some events that are out of people's control that are not the best. So many people in my area are sick and the hospitals are literally overflowing with flu patients (and many of the health workers are sick so they are understaffed!) The world feels quite scary right now. My answer is that I just want to stay home and not interact with people, just pray for them. I guess it's not all bad if it keeps me in the icon corner praying more. All the prayers!

-3-

(I just took a three hour break from writing this post. Ironically, I did end up going out and about. We grabbed some lunch and played a little at the freezing cold park. Whew. It was worth it because all the kids went down for a nap w/o a fuss. Woop! :)

 -4-

 Lately, especially in the last week, the girls have been really getting into playing dress up. They enjoy putting on their butterfly wings from Halloween or princess clothes. I've taken the dress up clothes box upstairs since they've been using it so much. I need to keep me eyes out for more stuff to add! Especially princess skirts/wands/and shirts. I would love some Middle Ages looking princess dresses.

They also love those felt flowers....1.00 section at Target. They play with those alot.

-5-

 Mike grabbed this bottle of liquor for me. It's so cute! (I can just hear my father in law laughing at me all the way over here...) I tried this Whipped Cream vodka about a year ago (right before I got pregnant with Michael) and thought it was surprisingly yummy. Maybe tonight I'll make myself a mixed drink. I've just been looking at it for over a week. I do have cause for celebration now - as I survived the 6 days Mike was out of town. I only had 1 major break down on Wednesday night, so that was pretty good for me!!

-6-

Like I said, we went to the freezing cold frost land called the park this morning: here are some pics...

 Notice there are no other cars in the parking lot.....

 A pretty day indeed!

-7-

I have been enjoying some new blogs this past week or so. I've added them to my Google Reader. If you're looking for some geeky convert type material: Leah's blog is where you need to go. I am also loving Carrots for Michaelmass. Finally, I was introduced to The Thinking Housewife a few months ago and, whew, this site is not for the light thinker. You're in for some real food for thought if you decide to add Laura Wood to your Google Reader!

If I want to accomplish my goal of trying to commit to reading an actual book every night, I guess adding new blogs wasn't such a good idea....Oops. Well, wish me luck. Reading makes me so tired (Blog posts are easier because they are shorter) But I would like to complete one book a month in 2013. Or at least close to that. 

Well, Happy Friday! I'm going to spend the next hour staring at the flight tracker website waiting for my hunny to get back home! Here's to husband and wife - and husband and children, re-united after a long week apart.

Cheers!

What a day

Oh my day....

 I played with some butterflies...

 a baby who pooped and peed through his clothes....

 But made me smile nonetheless :)

 I gratefully accepted help from my mama because my head hurt from a mean ole' migraine

 Can you spot the butterfly picking her nose? :)

And this butterfly was fluttering in and out of painting all day. She sure does love her paints and paintbrushes (which she usually calls toothbrushes just because they sound so similar :)

Oy, it was a hard day but I made it through. I couldn't have done it without you, mom. Thank you. Right now I should be asleep. I'm very tired, but I can't fall asleep. Don't you hate it when that happens? It took quite some time to get the girls to fall asleep, I don't think they were actually out until 10:15. Then Michael was fussy and finally fell asleep about 20 minutes ago. He is getting a tooth! I can't believe it! I'm already having major freak out sessions realizing that he is growing up way too quickly, and then he goes and decides to pop a tooth? No, little man! I want you to stay little! Plus your sisters didn't get any teeth until 8 months... You're killin' me smalls! Even though he's still a super easy baby. He's still such a sweetie and just wants to cuddle and be held. But he also is loving grabbing objects and watching his sisters all day. He doesn't like to miss much, unless it means he gets to be nursed to sleep by mommy. He does enjoy his one on one time with me and you better believe I love it too. It's just making my heart hurt knowing that he won't be a baby for very long. I do love babies.....

I suppose I should actually lay my head on my pillow now. I'm sure once I do I'll be out pretty quickly. Here's hoping I have some sweet dreams tonight and not scary ones!

little confessions Part II

Confession: he is the batman :)

Back in February I made a post about little confessions. Hows about I do another one?

Ready annnnnnnd GO:

-First one that popped into my head was the realization that I am now a scardey cat. I don't know when this happened...maybe after we moved into a two story house? But I get freaked out easily by noises and bumps in the night. I also feel like my peripheral vision is really sensitive because sometimes I swear I see movement in the corner of my eye and it makes me jump. This is one thing that is hard about being a stay at home mommy. I need to get over my fears. I know have a guardian angel. I should not be afraid. Plus I need to remember that if something ever did happen I would need to be brave for my children!

-Speaking of that, I confess that I wonder just how well I would do if, lets say, someone broke in. What would I do? Would I turn into mama bear or would I completely freeze? One prayer I've been using a lot lately is the St. Michael the archangel prayer. I'm pretty sure the likelihood of a break in is very remote - we live in a very safe area and neighborhood.

-On a lighter note, I kinda have stinky feet :P I often go without socks so my shoes get stinky easily. Sorry, it's yucky but it's true!

-I really like this one kid show called Wild Kratts. I like watching it with the girls. I confess that I might watch it even without them if I was flipping through the channels and it was on : )

-I think gasoline smells awesome. I really do. There, I said it, I like the smell of gas! hehe

-Even though it sort of drives me crazy sometimes, I secretly love that my husband knows so much about sports and could talk for hours about stats and players and what-not. It impresses me how much knowledge he has and how much he cares about sports. I do not see it as a total waste of time as sports teach people a lot about life and plus Mike always tells me cool human interest stories, too. We always root especially hard for the players we know are Catholic or who have good morals. Mike - if you read this, do not interpret this to mean that I am going to want you to spend MORE time on ESPN.com or go to Sports bars all the time! You hear?

- If I could meet one celebrity it would be Taylor Swift. What can I say, I love the girl. I hope fame doesn't ruin her, but I'm pretty sure it will at some point.....Be strong, Taylor!

-If I could meet another famous person it would be George W. Bush.

-Louisa is getting so good at games on our phones and computer stuff. It scares me but I fully admit that it makes life easier. I always thought parents who bribed their children were awful but here I am, and I will tell you nothing works better than bribery. "Louisa, if you eat all your dinner, clean the whole house, pay the bills, get the groceries, and play with Michael you can play on Sprout Online.com for 10 minutes" Done. :)

-I got acrylic nails. French manicure. They are so pretty and I can't stop looking at my hands. #vanity?

-I have too many clothes. But I always want more. I have always been impulsive about buying clothes. If there is an event (baptism, Christmas party, office party) I get panicky about what I will wear and will often go to Target and buy something the night before. This is a terrible habit. It's like Susie Orman, the financial guru says, "that's not a dress! That's an emotional impulse buy!" Eeek. So bad. The good news is I hate spending a ton of money on clothes, so I will go to thrift stores for mine and the kid's clothes. If I buy something at Target new it's usually on Clearance. So maybe I don't spend a lot on each item, but I do go out and buy too frequently.

Well, I better go. I confess that just now I told the girls that if they got in the van and buckled up I would stop at the coffee stand and they could get a dumdum sucker. (I'll leave my coffee related confessions for another day) I'd better go slip on my stinky shoes, pack up the sleeping baby (who I nursed while writing this, naturally) and get my day going. : ) Hope you enjoyed this post and feel free to join me with your "little" confessions!

Old neighborhood

 So Friday was fun. I packed up the kids and called up my mom and sis and we met out where we used to live before we bought our house. I really miss my old neighborhood sometimes. I have so many good, sweet memories, especially of just me and my Louisa going places before her siblings came. :) We used to go everywhere! The park, the beach, the park ON the beach, the coffee shops (I had 2 or 3 that I especially loved) the kid's consignment store, the community center, the fancy grocery store, or the elementary school playground. These are memories I will always cherish.

Mama and her first born.

Hipster children?

It was a nice, partially sunny day (which in Seattle, you totally take what you can get!) and I was so glad to get some fresh air. Not to mention the absolute best mocha in a 100 mile radius. Then we took a stroll on the beach and I nursed the babe. Such a lovely morning we had!

Well, today is supposed to be a cleaning and laundry day. I sort of let the house go a little toward the end of the week so today I'd like to get caught back up! Guess I better get to it!

Happy weekend to you!