Thoughts During Adoration: Parenting

I know I'm not alone when my mind starts to wander during my Holy Hour in Adoration, I always try to rein it back in and focus, but a lot of times I think these wanderings are God-prompts for some time to ponder life, such as...

Parenting is hard.  While it's less physically demanding having older kids, they are emotionally exhausting if you're doing it right ;)  I am always worried about who they're hanging out with, what they're doing, how they are feeling, what issues they are struggling with, and how they are coping.  Some of my kids open up easier than others, and those quiet ones worry me. 

My Favorite (REALLY Inexpensive) Workout Gear

I don't really have hobbies - but I do workout pretty much everyday - so I believe that qualifies me to suggest the following tested and loved items.

These high-waisted compression crops are my top pick, for sure. 

They have lots of styles on sale for only $12 today!  $12!!  I have quite a few pairs, and order them in Large (size up, as I'm normally a Medium) and they are awesome.  I run in them, do kickboxing classes, PiYo classes, whatever and they stay put!!  They are high enough to cover and hold in my mummy tummy so they are flattering too.

I pair those crops with these tanktops.  

Only $10.50 with code HURRY.  They are slightly loose but still fitted enough to be flattering.  The back has a mesh cut out, which is cute to (barely) show off the next item...

These sports bras are cute and comfortable and get the job done.  No padding, which I love. 

They are only $14 with code HURRY.

Finish it all off with this adorable sweatshirt, and you won't be embarrassed to run to the grocery store right after the gym (story of my life!).  

Also $14 with code HURRY.

Alrighty, now you have NO excuses not to glorify your body through exercise.  And please don't tell me you don't have time, we both know that's not the truth, you just gotta prioritize.   Have fun!

7qt: Open Houses, Old Houses, Reading and Watching and Eating in Houses

Finally Friday! 

 1) For anyone in the area - please come to our high school's open house next weekend!  

2)

I went to a funeral yesterday for a family friend, Jim Crocker.  I used to babysit for him every Friday night through high school and on college breaks, so that he could take his wife out on a weekly date.  So sweet.  He touched so many lives and was a big participator in town and all over the Cape.  Ironically, he died of a big heart, and was only 63.  Hearing his wife and daughters speak about him was a great reminder to just LOVE each other and show it.  Nobody was talking about the size of his bank account, or material possessions, or what he looked like.  They were talking about how well he loved and served everyone.  Relationships are what matter in life, and he was great at them, and we will miss him.

Lessons from Suffering Friends

Everyday I'm hustling.  Running from work to activity to event to practice and falling into bed exhausted.  Most of us feel the same way, I'm sure!  

I always feel like I'm juuuust barely getting by, that life is so busy and difficult, and then I think "How would I survive if something *actually hard* were to happen?"

What if my husband or child got sick?

What if my child lived a lifestyle in opposition to how I was raising him?

What if one of my parents died?

What if we lost our home?

Like, look God, I'm barely making it by when everything is relatively going well.  How could I do all of this in light of a tragedy?

7QT: Homecoming and Desserts and Seasonal Changes

TGIF :)

1)

My two highschoolers went to Homecoming last weekend, and JP drove them home after the dance, and a hangout at Friendly's after.  We were awake until 11:30 waiting for them to get home safe.  So while it's nice not to be chauffeuring, it's also nerve wracking to be waiting at home, but so far, so good!

7QT: Happy Birthday, Jesus Take the Wheel, and New Phone, Who Dis?

It's Friday!!!  What a long, rainy, windy, chilly week in New England.  We're seriously lacking in Vitamin D around here, but I'm gonna keep it sunny with these quick takes...

1)

It's Phil's Birthday!  Woohoo, he's the third birthday in two weeks, but we can't let the man of the house go unnoticed.  Since his birthday falls on the Friday of a long weekend, we will be celebrating for days!  It's his last year of happiness since he'll turn 40 next year ;)  

Andrew Turns 15 (and the Girls' Heads!)

On the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, our Andrew turned 15!  I will always regret not naming him Andrew Francis, but I didn't even realize what feast day it was when he was born, and my Dad's brother (a really great, holy man) had passed away during my pregnancy so we wanted to name him after him.  I started guilting Andrew at a really young age that he had to choose Francis as his Confirmation name, and this is the big Confirmation year, so we shall see if all the Catholic guilt/Mother's nagging will pay off.  Hey, it worked for St. Monica ;)

Since his birthday was on a Friday, and he had soccer practice until 5pm, he just wanted an easy dinner of pizza and Phil's homemade cookies and ice cream, which meant I had the day off from cooking.  Thanks, current favorite child ;)

Car Prayers: Our Morning Routine

Most mornings, I take the elementary/middle school kids to their school and then continue on to work.  For years and years, we had a morning prayer routine in the car.  We would say the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Angel of God, and St. Michael prayers, with each kid leading one of the prayers so that everyone got a turn.  Then we would go around and say what we wanted to pray for, and what we were thankful for, and finally blow a kiss to Jesus and a kiss to Mary and bless ourselves for the day.  

A few years ago, our pastor encouraged us to pray a rosary daily in the months of Mary, and so we started listening to the rosary (this specific one) to start our day off on the right foot.  The rosary trumped our morning prayer routine, and became the new norm, and the kids were pretty reverent and respectful while it was on.  

7QT: Meeting Famous People (Matthew Slater) and Other Happenings from the Week

1)

Well the most exciting thing that happened to me this week was that I got to meet Matthew Slater from the Patriots!  

That was the first photo I saw, and I nearly killed Phil, thinking it was the only one he took!  But it wasn't.  He also took many of me looking completely crazy and starstruck.  Maybe one day I'll be cool.

He came to talk at a Catholic School Fundraising event, and I snuck up to his table between the salad course and the main entree to ask him to autograph the Patriot Yearbook I had brought with me.  He was soooooo nice about it all, and he is my new favorite Patriot.  Sorry Edelman!