Friday, July 22, 2011

Quick Takes Friday: Slacker Edition

I'm surfing the turbulent waves of an 8-month old whose naps have gotten way too short and a heat wave.

1.  Our part of the country is sharing in the "fun" of the recent heat waves. The pool has become my favorite place to beat the heat.  Thankfully, KB likes the water.

2.  I understand the kind intentions of the word, "Stew.ardship."  But that word has become SO overused.

3.  My husband and I will celebrate our 5-year anniversary next week.  I can't believe how quickly time has flown!

4.  Self-serve frozen yogurt chains are all the rage here.

5.  My spiritual director totally rocks.  He was once married, got an annulment, became a permanent deacon, and recently was ordained a priest.  He also has a daughter.  Needless to say, he can relate to MANY of the family struggles.

6.  All ye who hate processed foods, turn away. :)  I bought some pizza dough balls at S.am's Clu.b and used one to make a delicious calzone last night.  By using sauce in a can, frozen peppers and onions, cooked steak, and 3 kinds of cheese, it made a remarkably fast meal.

7.  #6 is an accomplishment as my creativity in the kitchen has waned considerably since KB arrived.

Have a great weekend!!

Friday, July 8, 2011

A Tactile and Musical Legacy

Once again, I've been the ever-missing blogger, attempting in vain to get a grip on time management.  So I'm sort of making up for it with TWO posts in one day.  Oooo.  Anyway, it was a blessing to attend my grandma's funeral last month.  Instead of mourning her passing, I rejoiced that God had finally taken her home after such a long illness.  Still, I'm sad to not have a lot of tactile memories of her.  And given the fact I live a couple thousand miles from the cemetery, it will be hard to visit her grave.  My wonderful in-laws gave us a beautiful way to remember my grandma:


The windchimes even have a "Gregorian Chant" tone.  Not only does their sound resonate beautifully, they also remind me of my grandma's patio windchimes.  They often played in the summer breeze while we swam in the evenings. I'm glad for a way to remember my grandma and have a piece of her memory for KB to know.  My inlaws are from a small, close-knit community.  When a loved one dies, the friends and family often give items such as blankets, potted plants, windchimes, etc. to help the grieving family remember the deceased.  I'm grateful they shared their tradition with me. :)

 A few bloggers have posted prayer intentions lately.  If I may add to the list: Please pray for our friends whose mother died in a freak accident in Europe.

Have a wonderful weekend!


(KB is trying to match AYWH's family photo).

A new fertility monitor?

I saw this fertility device on the NCR's blog today.  Very interesting!