7 (Longer Than Usual) Quick Takes Friday

1) I am trying to change my makeup routine and decided to browse around Sephora in JC Penney last weekend, and oh my goodness it was overwhelming!  A male worker, feeling pity for me who knows waaaaaaayyyy less about fashion and beauty than he did (embarrassing),  came over to help me as I tried to explain that I was looking for a mascara.  

He asked what exactly I was looking for and I said that I wanted a mascara that would make my eyelashes look less "spidery": 

not my eye

and more "feathery":

also not my eye

and he totally got what I was saying!  He said, "So you want them to look less gathered?" And I said "Yes, less gathered, that's the word I was looking for".  He suggested a mascara that has a more of a comb wand but when I saw it was $22 I left.  I guess I'm actually not that committed to changing my routine yet.

2) Maggie was looking and looking at my feet in nude pantyhose (a rarity) and said "Mom, I can tell you're wearing socks because your feet are all sparkly".

3) Our local Chinese restaurant must have gotten a new fortune cookie company, because instead of the lame-o fortunes we usually get, we got these: 

4) Soccer season is over!  And all the angels sang a Heavenly Alleluila for this tired momma of four soccer players.  Up next is basketball (times three boys).

5)  Back in July, a sweet reader named Shelley emailed me asking about NFP because she wanted to try it.  She wrote:

Hi Colleen, 

I love your blog! I found it while looking for information on NFP and I have found it very inspiring. I feel like I am the only person that finds this hard and I struggle with what is a GRAVE reason to avoid pregnancy. I was wondering if you had any information on resources that helped someone learn and practice NFP at home. I live in a very rural area (Canada) and every method seems to require teacher couple training which is not going to work with several small children to transport. Do you have any suggestions for learning at home? 

I wrote back:

Hi Shelley,

   Nice to "meet" you!  I did learn NFP from a class, but my 3 sisters learned by teaching themselves the sympto-thermal method from this book. You would also need a basal thermometer.  I'm not sure what you've been using (if anything) in the past and how much you know/don't know about NFP in general, but I think learning this method first is best because it gives the whole picture of temperature plus physical signs that can help you double check everything.  Good luck!!!!

We had a couple more exchanges, and then this week, Shelley wrote back:

I just wanted to send you an update and let you know how things went. I took your advice and we have been using NFP for 4 months and have been very happy with it! I also follow your blog...your family is beautiful! Thank you for all your help and your inspiring posts!!! 

Isn't she the sweetest?  I seriously feel that all the time and energy spent typing out way too many details of my life is now justified :)

6) I'm thinking about Christmas this year - and I'm really leaning towards ONE nice gift per child and the a stocking full of inexpensive toys/candy.  That would alleviate a lot of stress and shopping.  But the gift giver in me is afraid that the kids will be disappointed to only have one gift to open, even if it is the item they've been talking about all year.  

How do you moms handle this?

7) I can't handle the time change crazies anymore.  You know what I'm talking about, right?  You turn the clocks back or forward one hour and your kids just can't.seem.to.get.with.the.program!!  On Monday, Maggie woke up at 4:45 am, turned on the light and started playing with her baby brother.  Every morning since then, the kids have woken up at 5:15 and are down in the kitchen looking for breakfast!  I'm not asking for much, just a 6:00 am wakeup time like we used to have would be lovely. 

The upside to the whole early morning wakeups is that they are going to bed at 7 pm (as usual) and not even wanting the light on to read for a while.  They just ask to go straight to sleep!

Have a fun weekend everybody!

At the Doctor's Office

Doctor:  What brings you here today?

Me: My ear hurts.

Doctor: Do you have any other symptoms, like a cold or fever?

Me: I've had a tiny bit of a runny nose, and I never get fevers that would register as one.  My body's natural temperature is too low.

Doctor: How do you know that?

Me: Because when I used to chart my basal body temperature, I had to create new charts because my temps didn't even exist on the pre-made charts.

Doctor: (looks at me strangely) Moving on....do you have seasonal allergies?

Me: Not that I know of.

Doctor: Is it possible that you are pregnant?

Me: Yes, it's always a possibility.

Doctor: (again with the strange look) Are you trying to get pregnant?

Me: Well....we're not contracepting.

Doctor: So if you are pregnant, you plan on keeping the pregnancy?

Me: Yes, I already have five children, so we would welcome another!

Doctor: What???  How old are you?  You look so young!

Me: 33 and thank you.

Doctor: When did you begin your last cycle?

Me: October 8th.

Doctor: (quizzical look) So you're late.

Me: Nope, my cycles are always about 5 to 6 weeks long.

Doctor: (laughing) You are a strange one.

Me: (laughing) So I've been told.

Turns out I do have an ear infection and she prescribed me ear drops and I'd like to think I opened her mind to my pro-life, natural, organic way of living, but I think I just blew it. I really wish I had been born with the ability to speak eloquently. Sigh.  

Wordless Wednesday: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (and I'm tired of political stuff)

Would You Consider...

...fasting for the election tomorrow?

Every time you feel hungry, say a prayer that people vote with well-informed consciences.  Catholics and Christians should never participate in the evil act of abortion in any way, and voting for a pro-choice candidate would be participating in that evil.   

When I was at Steubenville, there used to hang a sign in my dorm that read "If mothers can wake up at 5 am to abort their babies, you can wake up at 5 am to pray for them."  I've never forgotten that quote and I never will.

If voters can take the time and energy to cast a ballot that will support abortion, than you can take the time and energy to fast and pray that God will find a way to end it.

That's it.  I'm not a politician, and I'm not a theologian but I believe in God's mercy and justice and the power of prayer.

Will you join me?

7 Quick Takes: The Bucket List Edition

Last night as I was watching parts of the CMA awards (did you see them dance Gangnam Style?  soooo funny!)

I turned to Phil and said "One day we will go to Nashville, right?  It's on my bucket list."  And then I thought maybe I should post my bucket list and start working towards those goals to make them more of a reality than a pipe dream.  So here goes:

1) Were you paying attention? I just told you one of my bucket list items.  But I don't want to only go to Tennessee, I would also love to see Georgia and South Carolina.  

2) I want to smooch Phil in Austria again...and again...and again :)  

I'm thinking when one of our children (hopefully) goes to Franciscan University and (hopefully) travels abroad, we will (hopefully) be able to visit them there.

3) I want to see a baby being born.  

I know I've pushed five bambinos out, but I want to see someone else do it and go through the whole process without being in pain and agony.  Phil always tells me how amazing and beautiful it is.

4) I want to meet some of my favorite blogging buddies in real life that I haven't had the chance to meet yet.  You lovelies all know who you are!

5) I want Maggie to have a sister, and I would love to adopt her.

6) I would love to learn to play violin again (I played for 5 years) and then teach my children how to play.

7) My number one bucket list item is to go to Hawaii.

Maybe for our 25th anniversary?!?!

Have a wonderful bucket-list-completing weekend everyone!

The Saints, 2012 edition

Happy All Saints Day!!

St. Dominic

St. George

St. Francis of Assisi

St. Dymphna

Thanks for all of your ideas for saintly costumes.  

You guys gals are the craftiest and bestest bunch of readers I know!

Don't forget to celebrate All Souls Day tomorrow too!  

(If you're confused about saints and souls and angels and all that, read this oldie.)