Fat Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Outside My Window…
it is dark and still quite warm (71). It was 80 today and expected to be warmer tomorrow. After playing outside for a bit and then coming in to start supper (and the oven), I turned on the AC. I’m weak and it was fat Tuesday!
I am thinking…
about these quotes I read earlier this evening on Catholic Culture
No Lent is worthy of the name without a personal effort of self-reformation, of leading a life more in accordance with God’s commands and an attempt by some kind of voluntary self-denial to make reparation for past negligence.Lent should be a long retreat, one in which under the guidance of the Church we are led to the practice of a more perfect Christian life.
I am thankful for…
my life. It is not always easy or exciting, but I am living my dream – I spend my days caring for my three beautiful, healthy daughters while my dear husband brings home the bacon and then returns home to actively engage himself in family life.
We are learning…
Violet is coming into her own these last few weeks. She is settling into a morning, afternoon & evening nap routine and as a result, she is super pleasant most of the time. She is also super mobile – much more than I remember her older sisters being at this age. She rolls both ways with ease and scoots all over the place on her belly. She has even gotten up and rocked back & forth on her hands & knees a few times. Whew – now I need to babyproof again!! Molly is talking more and more. She’s been babbling non-stop for quite awhile, but some of it actually makes sense now. She can say apple, all done, baby, backpack, banana, bath, book, bye-bye, Dada, dog, door, Dora, Elmo, eye, kitty, Mama, me (when she wants a turn), milk, mine, more, mouth, no, nose, please, poo-poo, pop, thank you, uh-oh, up & yeah – at least that’s what I can think of right now. Her catch phrase is “I want _____.” Oh, I almost forgot my favorites! Molly says “Amen” at the end of prayers and ever so sweetly folds her hands and bows her head while praying. And she says” I yuv you” too!! Olivia is loving school and especially “singing at chapel.” She is learning how to test the limits and suffer the consequences. We are serious about our discipline charts these days and she usually uses up all three warning spaces and starts losing privileges. On a positive note, she is super imaginative & talkative lately. Our living room is apparently FULL of crocodiles that she must shoot, kill & eat (apparently the hunting Daddy did over Christmas break made a BIG impression). It is really fun to watch her pretend and try to draw Molly into the game. They are just about ready to be super playmates – Molly needs just a couple more months to mature and things will really be a lot of fun.
From the kitchen…
We finally had Monica’s meatballs (my sister-in-law’s mother-in-law’s recipe!) tonight for fat Tuesday (with the mashed potatoes & corn, it’s a pretty heavy meal). Tomorrow will be a meatless day due to Ash Wednesday and I am thinking I’ll just make an easy cheese pizza for supper. I am working on an updated list of our favorite foods so that I can just glance through and pick a few things each week. We’ve had some pretty good stuff lately – especially some great things off the grill last week so that is inspiring me to keep things going.
I am wearing…
jeans, a purple top, & flip flops with a ponytail.
I am creating…
a plan for Lent (though Violet’s birth announcements are mocking me since they are STILL not done – I am one of those ‘better late than never’ people but I think it’s time to drop the perfectionism because if it’s not done soon, we will miss the window altogether).
I am (still) going…
to focus on the 5 basic things I must do to be a healthy person in order that I might serve my family better – pray, shower, eat, exercise, & sleep. I have made some progress on sleeping & showering and am hoping to make significant progress on praying during Lent. The exercise & eating components should start to take life, too, as the fitness program I started at NI kicks off tomorrow. Could I really have good habits developed in each of these key areas by Easter? Let’s hope!
I am reading…
I am hoping to read an actual book for Lent! Jennifer recommended several good ones for spiritual development and I’m thinking of picking one up.
I am hoping…
for a really meaningful Lent where good habits are developed and I arrive at Easter a more balanced & healthy person.
I am hearing…
Obama’s address to Congress. He is quite the gifted speaker. The country is sure in a pickle. I’m not sure I’m on board with his solutions. I’m concerned about where we will get all the money to do all of that. I’m concerned about Iraq and prematurely ending the war only to have great unrest in a critical region. I will continue to pray for our country and our leadership and hope for good things.
Around the house…
we had a very lazy fat Tuesday. It was nice – I even took a good, long nap! It’s been ages since that happened.
One of my favorite things…
baths. There’s no better way to finish the day than a nice long soak in a super hot tub.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
We had an appointment with the pediatrician Monday for an ongoing skin issue for Livy. Today was preschool. Tomorrow we will go to Mass for Ash Wednesday (even though it is not a day of obligation). Tomorrow is my first workout with the personal trainer through my new fitness program. Possibly a playdate with the Bebes Bilingues on Friday and then Mass again on Sunday.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing…
My Joy
Be sure to visit Peggy for links to more daybooks.
I just love reading your daybooks – mine seems soo short! I too am looking forward to more focus and prayer during this Lent – kinda different with a little one now.
You got a personal trainer – wow! I should do that!! Let me know how it goes!
And love the pic of the girls – will have to show Nate – he thinks all those Andrews girls are super cute!
Thank you, Alexis – and I yours! Funny thing is I keep thinking I need to shorten mine so they are quicker to get through (like yours!).
The personal trainer is part of the fitness program at NI I started. I will have a group session once a week for 14 weeks.
I always enjoy reading your Daybook! I’ve thought a lot about those ‘five things’ and how they also affect me (and probably all mothers) and how I can improve in each basic category. Thank you for the repitition on that! It makes so much sense!
I LOVE that picture of the girls! I think that Livy looks more like your family, that Molly looks like an Andrews, and that Violet rests somewhere in the middle. It’s a pleasure to see children’s features change over time and to realize that some days their features resemble one parent and a few months later, they’ll look more like the other. I am always fascinated with genes and inheritance.
Hope you have a blessed lenten season!
Thanks for stopping by, Aubrey! Hope you have a blessed Lent, too.
I generally start out Lent with too many ideas about how I can improve my spiritual and overall “personhood” and eventually decide I will have to live long enough to convert one bad habit to a good habit every year. Can people actually live to be 200? Sigh!
If you can truly convert one bad habit to good every year I’d say you’re doing rather well!
I said I TRIED, and have to admit I don’t often succeed! I just read a devotion in My Daily Bread that said that God wants us to just “keep swimming” as Dori and Nemo do, and not give up trying. It’s the story of my life!
Thanks for the thoughtful post–you and Jennifer of Conversion Diary are my heroes!