7 QT on a 70 degree day in the Middle of October

Wow the weeks are flying by...joining Jen cuz that's what I do (and apparently all I did since last Friday!)

1)

Phil and I went to a beautiful wedding on Sunday for two coworkers.  They met when she interviewed him for a position in her department.  He got the job and the girl!  I'm always so happy to see love blooming.  It is such a great gift to go through life with somebody you love at your side, and I thank God for that every single day.  Weddings always make me fall in love a little more when I hear the vows being recited.

Especially the part when we vowed to "lovingly accept children".  Wow, that one gets me every time!  Even though we have a lot of kids and are totally pro-life, I can't honestly say that each positive pregnancy test was met  with "loving acceptance".  I am constantly a work in progress.

2)

My friend, Michelle, just started a book club for moms at our kid's school.  We had our first meeting this week, and are doing the Momnipotent program.

 I know a lot of great women came together to make these videos and share their thoughts on motherhood, and I'm excited to see them all.  Week one was Kate Wicker and I loved so much of what she said in the video.  One line especially jumped out at me when she said "We are human BEings, not human DOings."  I have a hard time with just being and accepting and always want to be doing more.  It's important not to be focused too much on the doing because then you can get into a mindset that it's only what we do that matters, and not who we are and who God made us to be.  That's a slippery slope when it comes to people's worth even if they can't "do much" in the eyes of the world.  We must remember that their value is in their being made in the image and likeness of God.  Anyway, the first five minutes of the video had me bawling like a baby, so you've been warned.

3)

We had some old cell phones sitting around our house, and I found out that I could sell them to Gazelle.com for moolah!  It's easy, you just look up what your phone/tablet is worth, they send you a box with postage paid, and you ship them off an wait for payment.  You can even use this link to get an extra $10 added to your payment!!

4)

Phil turned 34 on Saturday and thus ended birthday season in our house.

Coldstone cupcakes for the win!

His big birthday gift from me was a wet/dry vac for our basement.  Aren't I romantic?  What made it even more special is that I ordered it from Amazon, and it arrived when Phil was home, in the actual box where he could see exactly what it was.  Wife of the year!

5)

We are trying to get our house ready to put on the market, and it's a daunting task.

Wanna buy it?

  So far we (read: Phil) have cleaned the basement, and we decluttered a couple of rooms in the house.  Phil fixed up a dented wall and painted it, and we have to go around and touch up all the doorways with paint.  Kids are bruuuutal on a home!  I can't even imagine what it will be like to show the house once it's listed.  Ugh.  But it will be worth it if we can sell and upgrade to a home with 4 bedrooms and a master bath.  That's our short list.  I would love central air, a big kitchen, a mudroom, a big yard and 3 bathrooms, but for what we can afford we're definitely not getting all of that.

6)

The kid's school won a contest held by a local homemade ice cream shop!  They got the most votes and won $1000 and an ice cream party.  Maggie just loves to get in the middle of any attention:

Blondie McBlonderson

7)

The Patriots barely won last night by blocking a field goal:

Football really is like Stand Up Wrestling

I slept through the entire game because when they start at 8:30 on the East Coast, I dream of being a California girl who can watch at 5:30.  Speaking of California Girls...you know, the Beach Boys song, not Katy Perry's version...Phil and I argue over if the Beach Boys are wishing all girls could be like California girls or if all girls could live in California.  I know, deep thoughts over at the Martin Camp.  

On that note (see what I did there?), have a great weekend!!