7QT: Riding a Bike, a Fr. Mike Schmitz Sighting, and A Fake Yeti

 Happy Friday in October that still feels like summer, but I'm not complaining!  Linking up with Kelly for Seven Quick Takes :)

1)

I keep forgetting to write about Brendan's big milestone - he can ride a bike!  Right after he turned five, Phil decided to teach him and it took a few days of practice (honestly he was so shaky in the beginning that I thought he was too young) before he could do it on his own.  

Then each day was something new - he learned to brake, he learned how to start pedaling on his own without a push, he rode in circles, etc.  Now he is a crazy daredevil who likes to ride on ramps and perform tricks like lifting up his feet as he goes flying by or putting his feet up on the handlebars. 

 Being a boy mom means walking a fine line between forbidding all the potentially dangerous things and letting them live and learn, growing confident and independent.  Yikes!  This is why I have gray hairs!! 

2)

My oldest guy (who coincidentally didn't learn to ride a bike until he was seven because we didn't know what we were doing back then) sent me this text from Franciscan this week:

How cool is that?!?!  We have been following along with a Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike since January 1st and he randomly shows up to celebrate Mass at JP's college.  I guess it wasn't too random since he was there to give a talk on campus with Scott Hahn about studying scripture, which JP attended and then sent me this photo:

A more vain/materialistic/shallow person might call Fr. Mike "Fr. Whatawaste" because dang is he handsome, but not me.  No, I would never say that.  

(Unrelated, but I do have to only listen to his videos on YouTube because if I look directly at the screen, I get a bit distracted by his beauty spiritual insights.)

Even Fr. Mike is like, Oh Colleen...

3)

Speaking of good looking guys, Phil cooked this delicious eggplant parm last night.  Here's the recipe!

4)

I left my beloved Yeti in Maryland over the summer, and finally decided to replace it with a cheaper version, called the Beast.  The Yeti is $30 and the Beast is $12.75 and I think I may have found this year's stocking stuffers :)

My kids keep referring to it as my Fake-Yeti but the price was right!!  

5)

OK, I need your help.  Maggie (8th grade) needs an idea for the Science Fair and would like to do something about sleep and/or exercise but I would prefer she chose a topic that didn't need human subjects.  Have your kids done anything that was fun, easy, and gave them a good grade?  Let me know in the comments!

6)

Kelly's new book looks so good, and I am very happy and proud of her for writing it!  Kelly once wrote a blog post titled "I Am Not Exceptional, And So Can You" that I think about often.  Here's an excerpt:

As much as people say I’m so special and great, they don’t want to be like me. When you say “You’re so amazing! I couldn’t do what you do!” I hear you putting me on a pedestal and, in some cases, trying to excuse your own decisions. Rather than be inspired by my family and think, ‘Maybe I can do that too.’ you excuse yourself as being too impatient, too busy, too selfish, ignoring that I’m a sinner same as you.

I'm sure her book is full of more words of wisdom (and lots of laughs!)

7)

I'm looking forward to this weekend that includes four soccer games and a game night with some of my old coworkers whom I miss!  Even an introvert needs to hang out with friends every now and then :)

Ha!

I hope you all have a beautiful summer-like weekend full of friends, food, and football...or just sitting by yourself reading a book...you do you!