Small Successes

Sherry, at Chocolate for Your Brain, hosts Small Successes each Thursday. Check it out to see others' successes & share your own. Recognizing the small things we accomplish each week helps us realize that even when it doesn't seem like it, we are getting things done!

Casinodad has been home this week. He starts his new job on Friday, so he decided to take a few days in between jobs to spend w/ us & mentally prepare for the transition. So, while he's been home, we decided to have a "no school" week. Because he's been spending extra time w/ the munchkins, I've been able to do the following:

1) I completely cleaned out the second closet in our bedroom. We have one for clothing & stuff, then the other has pretty much been a "dump anything that we're not sure where to put it" closet. (For those who have been reading my blog for a while, you know that this is the closet we put the portable crib in when The Saint was born & he slept in there for about a year.)

2) While I was at it, I also cleaned almost all of our bedroom. I still need to do Casinodad's dresser top, under our bed, & under his nightstand, but overall, it has once again become a sanctuary for us at the end of the day.

3) Wednesday morning, I cleaned the sink, mirror, & toilet in our bathroom.

Bonus Success (which makes me SOOOOO happy & only another woman would understand!): I went to Kohls yesterday to look for some new bras, a task I really dislike. Imagine my surprise when the first two I found on the discontinued rack (1/3 the retail price) were my size & they ACTUALLY fit! WOOHOO...I'm doing the "Happy Bra Dance!"

Remember this song of Bette Midler's from the movie Beaches? (NOTE: Parental Advisory Advised)





Sherry has added a new feature to this weekly meme & I think it is a GREAT idea. We are to add a goal for the upcoming week & report the results in the next round of Small Successes.

I didn't complete last week's goal. I'd forgotten that Casinodad was going to be home this week. I have gotten some of our lesson organized, but not as much as I planned, so I will continue the following:

This week, I'll...catch up on lesson plans for the munchkins. We've been doing well keeping up w/ schoolwork each day, but I feel like I'm just flying by the seat of my pants. I need to get some organization going weekly rather than nightly.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) Thank you, Lord, for some friends of ours who are a dear older couple. They were cleaning out their garage the other day & sent us home w/ a bunch of great items...a 10 speed bike for me, an exercise machine, some Christmas decorations, & more.

2) Thank you, Lord, for HandyGramps' gift of writing. He put together a series for their church's monthly newsletter to inform parishioners of the New Roman Missal which will start the first Sunday of Advent. He then put it all together into a document so that it's all in one place. His explanations of the changes are well written & make so much sense. I can't wait for Casinodad to finish reading it so we can discuss it.

3) Thank you, Lord, for watching out for me the other night. As I was leaving our development, someone just coasted through a stop sign & would have hit me if I hadn't seen them in time. Unfortunately, that's not the first time people have ignored the stop signs in our neighborhood.

4) Thank you, Lord, for the miracle of babies. October is Respect Life Month. Nightly, we are praying for an end to abortion & greater respect for life at all stages...from conception to natural death.

5) Thank you, Lord, for The Princess' gift of music. She picks up songs from church & our local Christian station & loves to go around the house singing them. She has such a pretty little voice, too.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Peggy hosts this meme each week. Read other Daybooks HERE.

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...The sun is attempting to peek through the clouds, heading towards a comfortable, partly cloudy day.

I am thinking...of how wonderful it is to have an almost 11 yo son willing to make pancakes for the family this morning.

I am thankful...for the time we are spending w/ Casinodad this week before he starts his new job on Friday.

From the learning rooms...We are breaking this week because we have Casinodad home w/ us, although we are still working through Liberty's Kids. They are really loving the series.

From the kitchen...pancakes made by The Prophet.

I am wearing...jammies - light blue long-sleeved knit top, lavendar & light blue plaid pants, & purple fuzzy socks.

I am creating...lesson plans & re-working our budget.

I am going...to work w/ the munchkins on finding things to donate on today, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

I am reading...All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor (read-aloud for the kids) & Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall & Denver Moore.

I am hoping...that we will someday feel at peace in making decisions regarding The Archangel's care w/ his ADHD, aggression/anger issues, & now it seems he has Tourette Syndrome, too.

I am hearing...little munchkin noises (the occasional thump of little feet or a comment here & there), the squeak of my chair, & the hum of the fridge.

Around the house...cluttered still - planning to do a little organizing while Casinodad is home this week (nothing major, just a bit here & there).

One of my favorite things...getting together w/ some of my girlfriends for a meal, laughter, & prayer.

A few plans for the rest of the week...cleaning/organizing, planning, spending time w/ family

Here is a thought I am sharing...Today's thought comes from my dear Princess:

Before I put The Princess to bed the other day, we had a little talk about my frustrations during the day. I apologized for being upset. In her 6 yo wisdom, she said, "That's okay! When you can't get what you really want, you still have your children's love!" Brought tears to my eyes!

Small Successes

Sherry at her blog, Chocolate for Your Brain, hosts Small Successes each Thursday. Check it out to see others' successes & share your own. Recognizing the small things we accomplish each week helps us realize that even when it doesn't seem like it, we are getting things done!

1) The munchkins & I got our flu shots on Monday. (Casinodad got his during his physical on Friday.) The Archangel was so cute...He told the nurse that is was over so quick, he "didn't even have time to say ouch!" HeeHee

2) Knowing our current insurance ends w/ Casinodad's job on Friday, I got myself to the doctor. (I'm one of those who only go if I'm REALLY not feeling well.) Over the weekend I had one of those behind the eye splitting headaches that radiated all the way to my ear & jaw. I thought it was an ear infection, but it's actually my sinuses, too. I'm glad I went & I'm glad I was still able to get my flu shot.

3) I'm hugging & kissing my munchkins even more! They always have received a lot of love & affection from us, but ever since I read Messenger (about Mattie Stepanek & how short, yet meaningful his life was), I've decided I'm not taking my children for granted.

Sherry has added a new feature to this weekly meme & I think it is a GREAT idea. We are to add a goal for the upcoming week. So...

This week, I'll...catch up on lesson plans for the munchkins. We've been doing well keeping up w/ schoolwork each day, but I feel like I'm just flying by the seat of my pants. I need to get some organization going weekly rather than nightly.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful my physical therapy is over. While my back is not completely healed, I was given some core muscle exercises to continue on my own. My therapist also showed my a couple of alignment exercises that I can do a couple times a week if needed. Between the exercises & my being more conscious of how I hold my posture, I think I can now manage better.

2) I'm thankful for classic movies. Over the last week, I have watched The Song of Bernadette & Monsieur Vincent. They just don't make movies like they used to. I would pick a B&W film over a current theatrical release any day! The Princess even asked to watch The Song of Bernadette a second time & wants to be St. Bernadette for Halloween.

3) I'm thankful for the fresh fall weather we've been having lately. I love the cool crisp mornings & the nice breezes blowing through the open windows.

4) I'm thankful for Casinodad's new job. I know I said this last week, but I really am thankful. He's been so unhappy over the last year or so due to the direction his company was heading. It is so nice to see him come home in a good mood, knowing that this is his last week. He will miss some of the people, but definitely not the job itself.

5) I'm thankful for Aldi stores. I love that we can purchase a cart overfull of groceries for under $100.

Feast of St. Vincent de Paul (2nd post for today)

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul. He was born into a poor family in the late 1500s. While a young priest, he was captured by pirates & sold into slavery. After two years, he converted his last master & was set free.

Throughout the rest of his life, he became a trusted advisor to French royalty & was dedicated to helping the poor. He helped them find jobs, food, & clothing. He founded the Daughters of Charity, who helped gather money & nurse the sick. He also helped in building homes for those who were sick, aged, & abandoned.

This past Sunday, I stayed home from church because I had a splitting headache & The Saint was also not feeling great. While home, I decided to watch Monsieur Vincent, a 1947 movie about St. Vincent de Paul's work w/ the poor & the struggles he faced in trying to bring the poor & royalty together.

During one scene, he was conferring w/ a group of society's ladies who felt he was causing more trouble. In their minds, he caused more poor people to come to Paris & in turn, caused more crime & problems. He had found a baby outside a church, left to die, & none of the women were willing to take the child in because he had been born in sin.

Monsieur Vincent replied, "When God wants someone to die to pay for sin, He sends His Son."

Despite their shame, they continued to refuse helping him & were very judgmental towards the poor. They tried to encourage him to stop all his work w/ the poor because it was causing problems in their society & going against the judges of the day. I LOVE his response to them:

"When I appear in front of my only Judge, do you think I'll tell Him, 'I witnessed crimes but didn't want to interfere and get in trouble with the local institutions and the judges who allow those crimes."

Now, I don't know for sure if St. Vincent de Paul actually said the above mentioned quotes, but they are still powerful to me.

To the day he died, at the age of 84, he continued to work for the poor & felt that he'd never done enough in his life. As one can see to this day, his work continues through The St. Vincent de Paul Society. Just two weekends ago, our parish had a truck in the parking lot for parishioners to leave their donations of clothing, household items, toiletries, & more.

There will always be poor among us. It is our Christian duty to help those less fortunate than ourselves, no matter what our status may be in life. If everyone did just a little bit, think of how big that assistance would be.

St. Vincent, patron of all charitable associations and father of those who are in misery, come to our assistance. Obtain from Our Lord help for the poor, relief for the infirm, consolation for the afflicted, protection for the abandoned, a spirit of generosity for the rich, grace of conversion for sinners, zeal for priests, peace for the Church, tranquility and order for all nations, and salvation for them all. May we be united in the life to come, by your intercession, and experience joy, gladness, and everlasting happiness. Amen.

"Tuesday's Ten" - 10 Good Cartoons

This week I'm actually providing two lists...TV cartoons & cartoon movies.

10 Good Cartoons I Like

1) Backyardigans
2) Veggie Tales
3) Baby Looney Tunes
4) Muppet Babies
5) Sid, the Science Kid
6) Curious George
7) Berenstein Bears
8) Scooby Doo (the earlier episodes)
9) Looney Tunes (NOT the new ones on Cartoon Network)
10) Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman

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10 Good Cartoon Movies I Like

1) Cars
2) Monsters, Inc.
3) Happy Feet
4) Beauty and the Beast (Disney)
5) Finding Nemo
6) Sleeping Beauty (Disney)
7) Wall-E
8) The Last Unicorn
9) Riki Tiki Tavi
10) Charlotte's Web (the first movie that ever made me cry)