Halloween!

It has been a fun week leading up to Halloween!!

Why, you ask?

Well... because I've been able to hear Karen using words I didn't know she had.

7 Quick Takes - Randoms from the week!

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Quote of the week from Megan.  My Mom stayed with us a couple of nights last week.  At six in the morning when Meg crawled into my bed, I mistakenly thought I might get a few more minutes of sleep if I reminded her that Grandma was upstairs.  Maybe she would go crawl into bed with her.  She left the room and came back 30 seconds later and impatiently stated: "Come on Mom, let's go visit your Mama who we call Grandma!!"  All I could do was laugh.

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Karen and Megan are enrolled in gymnastics... it has been an absolute kick watching them!!  They love it.  They are both complete fruitloops out there sometimes!  But most importantly (especially for Karen) it is helping to teach them how to control their bodies.  We can't afford physical therapy for Karen, and I don't know that she REALLY needs it, but I can't understate how GOOD I think this has been for her.  I'll have to keep you updated on the progress I see in her.

 

--- 3 ---

Speaking of progress and Karen - She is doing FABULOUS in kindergarten.  The reports I continue to get are that she is a leader, likes to offer answers in class (I don't have specifics on how well they understand her), and that her willingness to try in speech and in other areas that she has struggled is so much better than last year.  It's amazing what age does!!

--- 4 ---

A second point on the above line of thought.  Her IEP review is coming up... EEK!!  It needs some work.  Very definitely needs some work on the goals.  I've been putting it off but need to get working on it.  I also signed off on the approval for them to begin retesting her.  It's been three years since the school has done any testing.

Is it horrible that I'm worried that she'll test too high and will therefor be inelligible for services through the school? 

Testing high would be a good thing! Right?!

I guess the truth is that I don't think she's ready to not have extra speech and OT through the school, but have this worry that somehow her tests will show otherwise...

--- 5 ---

I've fallen so completely off the exercise wagon, that it isn't even in sight anymore!!  I think I'm going on six weeks since I've done any sort of structured workout... lots of activity with the kids, but nothing specifically to workout.  Really need to catch back up to that wagon.  My clothes aren't fitting right!  (luckily, or rather unluckily, it's fall so I can hide behind more layers...)

--- 6 ---

Do you menu plan?  I've done it sporadically and have always liked the weeks when I've done it.  We are in a definite rut with regard to meals.  The kids are requesting pb&j nearly every day for lunch.  I've been doing a lot of eggs and pancakes for dinner for them because it gets to dinner time and I don't have a plan!

We've subscribed to e-Mealz for a year or more, but I've yet to follow their menu.  Any recommendations on how you approach meal planning would be welcome!!

--- 7 ---

Last week ended well.  The anniversary of Jessica's death was actually a pleasant one.  My folks were in town for a long weekend.  We all met for Mass at the Cathedral at noon.  Following Mass we decided to head to the park since it was a beautiful day and that sounded better than going back to Jen & Jeff's... It was a beautiful afternoon and the kids made some wonderful memories.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Evening Walks {Wordless Wednesday}

Our current routine includes plenty of outside time in the late afternoon. Or fall weather has been beautiful and we are trying to take advantage of every single day!!

Motherhood... {Monday Meditation}

I was catching up on some of my blog reading this afternoon, and came across a post by Meaghan on Catholic Mother's Online, titled Holiness in Motherhood.

It was in that moment that God tapped on my heart and reminded me of my vocation and of the many ways motherhood makes us holy. I wanted to say I didn’t have time for this. I needed to be cleaning or simply sitting down and regaining my sanity. Why didn’t my toddler hear the tick tock of my precious free time dwindling? The dishes were piling up in the sink ... [he] needed my presence. He needed me to say “I’m here and there is no where else I would rather be.”

We can make motherhood so complicated, but in many ways it’s really about doing simple things with great consistency. My children need my presence. They need a Momma who is patient. Our days require us to continually die to ourselves, and to let go.

Wow...

7 Quick Takes - Jessica

Linking up with Conversion Diary again for 7 Quick Takes. 

In memory of Jessica - here are seven memories.

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I was on a work trip to Madison, WI the day Jess was born. I got the news by phone and had to wait a week to meet my new niece!!  She was worth the wait... such a sweet, little chunk.

Sweet Meg! {Wordless Wednesday}

Where have four years gone?!  My sweet Meg celebrates her 4th birthday today!

Missing Emily Rose

Nearly five years ago, we went in for our first ultrasound when I was expecting again.  Karen was just over one and we were SO excited to be expecting.  Imagine our surprise and joy when the ultrasound revealed we were having twins!!  Considering the amount of work it takes for me to get pregnant, we both figured this was an answer to a prayer of how our family was going to grow (by leaps and bounds)!!

Because of my history, my doctor sees me every two weeks when I'm expecting.  Until he can hear the heartbeat by sonogram, we does ultrasound to check the progress.  As each week went by, our excitement grew.  After we hit the thirteen week point, we began sharing our news with friends and extended family.  Our parents and sister's already knew, but now the world was finding out.

At this time in Carl's family, we were fairly girl "heavy".  It was fun to imagine how the family dynamic would change if we were to have two boys, or how much more girl heavy it would become if it were two girls!

A Day of Rest

Sunday's are called to be a day of rest.  

As God commanded us in Exodus: 

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work.

7 Quick Takes: Fall!

I thought I'd try something new.  I'm linking up with Jennifer at Conversion Diary for Friday's 7 Quick Takes.  We'll see how this goes!

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Visit from a Pigeon - Caption This! {Wordless Wednesday}

One of the more strange visitors we've had.

Finding Balance with St. Therese

Today is the Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux.  Her life, her dedication to loving Jesus, her approach to living - doing all things, especially the small ones, with great love - is an amazing example to reflect upon.  My struggle lately has been finding the right balance.

The balance of household responsibilities and prayer.  She reminds me that the two are not mutually exclusive.  I need to remember more often, in the midst of these responsibilities, to add a prayer.  To dedicate the action to Jesus.  To ask Him to sanctify my work.  To continuously look toward heaven...

Absent...

Sometimes I wonder why my blog has nothing new on it... and then I remember that I need to post what is in my head in order for there to be something new to read.  Would you believe me that I've written at least ten posts in the last six weeks during rides in the car, sitting through therapy sessions, sitting on the floor playing with the kids... But I guess those posts in my head don't magically appear here on my blog unless I sit down and write them!  If only there was a way to have those mentally composed ones write themselves...