29 April 2013
28 April 2013
What I Wore Sunday {12}
Joining the lovely ladies at Fine Linen and Purple for another round!
Some days, Little Bear is so well-behaved at mass: sitting quietly, watching Father, chewing on holy cards. Maybe slipping out once, conveniently timed during the collection or a hymn, to change a diaper or feed him quickly. It's so nice to be able to enter prayerfully into the mass, and to enjoy having our little boy there with us. Today was not one of those days.
Today Little Bear yelled and whined and squirmed and kicked and bit his way through mass, taking several trips outside, refusing to eat or be calmed down in any other way I could think of. I think he's cutting another tooth, but we had even thought ahead and given him preemptive Tylenol before leaving the house! I was so thankful for the mom sitting next to me in the pew, her adorable five-month-old sitting silently in his carseat all the way through mass (how did they teach him that???), who picked Little Bear up for me as another meltdown was threatening, bouncing him and making faces until he cheered up.
It hasn't been a good weekend for taking him out of the house... Friday evening, we went to the kickoff for a new Catholic radio station which was held at one of the fanciest hotels in town. They said it was a family-friendly event in all of the advertising, but he was by far the youngest there... As the first speaker was opening the event, and I was wondering how long Little Bear would behave, he grabbed my mother's coffee and pulled it over on top of himself, knocking over two other water glasses with it. Of course he yelled--from surprise, not because he was hurt--and we took him out of the room quickly to clean him up. Thankfully the coffee was already lukewarm, and further diluted by the two glasses of icewater! He was perfectly fine, and he and I had fun wandering the second floor of the hotel lobby for the next hour. I'm sorry to have missed the main speaker; we kept walking past the open doorway, and from what I heard, he was just excellent! Not the type of speaker we get frequently enough here, unfortunately: I will feel badly for the radio station folks if the fact that their speaker called a spade a spade lost them donations, but it was so refreshing to hear someone say that using birth control is evil, and to do so in a manner assumptive of the fact that everyone there was a good Catholic and therefore agreed!
Yesterday Little Bear was introduced to a key part of Alaskan manhood: the gun show. The university basketball court was filled with purveyors of new and used guns, knives, and assorted paraphernalia, as well as a few antiques and jewelry sellers catering to the wives and sisters who invariably get dragged along to these events. Matt, my father, and another friend met up and talked guns for a while, Little Bear happily adding his voice to the din in the gym. The three of them are all looking for the same gun, so it was funny to watch them split up at the door and each canvass a different section of the gym, hoping to find it before the others. None of them found what they were looking for, at least at a reasonable price; I hear that if Matt had been the lucky one, it would have wound up being my Mother's Day present. :-)
It appears that Little Bear is learning what it means when someone puts shoes on... Last night he noticed his daddy getting ready to leave the house to spend a few hours with friends at a beer tasting sponsored by local microbreweries. Little Bear dropped his toys and began crawling as quickly as he could over to where Matt stood by the door, reaching upwards for a hug. He joined me at the front window to wave bye-bye, and became sad once Daddy was gone... Not having Daddy to play with in the evening did have one perk, though, in that Little Bear was asleep for the night an hour earlier than he has been recently! I may have regretted that decision when he was awake an hour earlier than usual this morning, but it did give us enough time to get up leisurely instead of throwing things on in a mad rush to make it to mass on time.
Today's mass attire:
Blouse: thrifted
Skirt: thrifted
Little Bear's clothes are all hand-me-downs--we've been so blessed with generous friends!
(Kindly ignore the scarf Little Bear was unraveling for me just before this picture was taken--no wonder he looks happy here; he was getting into mischief!)
Some days, Little Bear is so well-behaved at mass: sitting quietly, watching Father, chewing on holy cards. Maybe slipping out once, conveniently timed during the collection or a hymn, to change a diaper or feed him quickly. It's so nice to be able to enter prayerfully into the mass, and to enjoy having our little boy there with us. Today was not one of those days.
Today Little Bear yelled and whined and squirmed and kicked and bit his way through mass, taking several trips outside, refusing to eat or be calmed down in any other way I could think of. I think he's cutting another tooth, but we had even thought ahead and given him preemptive Tylenol before leaving the house! I was so thankful for the mom sitting next to me in the pew, her adorable five-month-old sitting silently in his carseat all the way through mass (how did they teach him that???), who picked Little Bear up for me as another meltdown was threatening, bouncing him and making faces until he cheered up.
It hasn't been a good weekend for taking him out of the house... Friday evening, we went to the kickoff for a new Catholic radio station which was held at one of the fanciest hotels in town. They said it was a family-friendly event in all of the advertising, but he was by far the youngest there... As the first speaker was opening the event, and I was wondering how long Little Bear would behave, he grabbed my mother's coffee and pulled it over on top of himself, knocking over two other water glasses with it. Of course he yelled--from surprise, not because he was hurt--and we took him out of the room quickly to clean him up. Thankfully the coffee was already lukewarm, and further diluted by the two glasses of icewater! He was perfectly fine, and he and I had fun wandering the second floor of the hotel lobby for the next hour. I'm sorry to have missed the main speaker; we kept walking past the open doorway, and from what I heard, he was just excellent! Not the type of speaker we get frequently enough here, unfortunately: I will feel badly for the radio station folks if the fact that their speaker called a spade a spade lost them donations, but it was so refreshing to hear someone say that using birth control is evil, and to do so in a manner assumptive of the fact that everyone there was a good Catholic and therefore agreed!
Yesterday Little Bear was introduced to a key part of Alaskan manhood: the gun show. The university basketball court was filled with purveyors of new and used guns, knives, and assorted paraphernalia, as well as a few antiques and jewelry sellers catering to the wives and sisters who invariably get dragged along to these events. Matt, my father, and another friend met up and talked guns for a while, Little Bear happily adding his voice to the din in the gym. The three of them are all looking for the same gun, so it was funny to watch them split up at the door and each canvass a different section of the gym, hoping to find it before the others. None of them found what they were looking for, at least at a reasonable price; I hear that if Matt had been the lucky one, it would have wound up being my Mother's Day present. :-)
It appears that Little Bear is learning what it means when someone puts shoes on... Last night he noticed his daddy getting ready to leave the house to spend a few hours with friends at a beer tasting sponsored by local microbreweries. Little Bear dropped his toys and began crawling as quickly as he could over to where Matt stood by the door, reaching upwards for a hug. He joined me at the front window to wave bye-bye, and became sad once Daddy was gone... Not having Daddy to play with in the evening did have one perk, though, in that Little Bear was asleep for the night an hour earlier than he has been recently! I may have regretted that decision when he was awake an hour earlier than usual this morning, but it did give us enough time to get up leisurely instead of throwing things on in a mad rush to make it to mass on time.
Today's mass attire:
Blouse: thrifted
Skirt: thrifted
Little Bear's clothes are all hand-me-downs--we've been so blessed with generous friends!
(Kindly ignore the scarf Little Bear was unraveling for me just before this picture was taken--no wonder he looks happy here; he was getting into mischief!)
26 April 2013
Seven Quick Takes Friday, Vol. 27
I
A few weeks ago, I was complaining to Matt that I never get out of the house and do anything with people anymore; that I go grocery shopping and take the kid to the doctor and go to mass on Sundays, and that's all, ever ever ever. I am sooooooooo sorry to whoever heard me complaining and decided to teach me a lesson, pleasemakeitstopI'llnevercomplainagainIpromise. Since Wednesday, there has been at least one event on our schedule every single day through next weekend. And half of them interrupt nap time. I am so sorry for complaining. Not that I'm unhappy about any of the individual events, but good heavens, we are all going to go crazy.
II
It's been a while since we've had a photo of the little guy, hasn't it? Hard to believe he is only nine and a half months! He looks and acts older... Here he is eating a cookie at bedtime because his mom looked outside instead of at the clock and said "it can't be later than 6:30."
III
Does anyone else find denim skirts with slits up to the knees to be controversial articles of clothing? It seems that, here, wearing one makes pretty much everyone look at you like you're a terrible person: the conservative folks think you're dressing like a hooker, and the unconservative like you're an oppressed woman in a burka.
IV
Speaking of clothing, I found the most gorgeous dress at the thrift store the other day! They had a rack of fancy dresses over by the dressing rooms, and I wasn't even going to look... Matt received this text when I got out to the car:
Your crazy wife tried on twenty skirts to find two that fit, then on her way to the register succumbed to marketing and bought a fancy party dress without even trying it on.
It was a Coldwater Creek, for $14. I couldn't help it. Sigh. I guess I have next year's Christmas dress taken care of!
V
We are beginning to consider how we will go about transitioning Little Bear from sleeping in our bed to his own. There's no firm deadline, but it would be nice to eventually go a night without being kicked in the face. :-) Since he's approaching ten months and is "sleeping through the night" (why do they define that as five hours? I think that's stupid--through the night should mean all night long), it seems like we might see success if we start trying soon. I picked up The No-Cry Sleep Solution and have appreciated Elizabeth Pantley's approach so far; I've read a lot of recent research indicating that crying it out can have negative effects on children, and we just can't put Little Bear (or ourselves!) through that.
VI
If you haven't seen this yet, enjoy: a different sandwich for each day of the month.
VII
So many kids are getting ready to receive their First Eucharist or Confirmation this time of year; don't forget to keep them and their families in your prayers!
So glad that our host, Jen, is back and she and her newest little one are doing well! Stop over to see her and the rear of the Quick Takers at ConversionDiary.com.
A few weeks ago, I was complaining to Matt that I never get out of the house and do anything with people anymore; that I go grocery shopping and take the kid to the doctor and go to mass on Sundays, and that's all, ever ever ever. I am sooooooooo sorry to whoever heard me complaining and decided to teach me a lesson, pleasemakeitstopI'llnevercomplainagainIpromise. Since Wednesday, there has been at least one event on our schedule every single day through next weekend. And half of them interrupt nap time. I am so sorry for complaining. Not that I'm unhappy about any of the individual events, but good heavens, we are all going to go crazy.
II
It's been a while since we've had a photo of the little guy, hasn't it? Hard to believe he is only nine and a half months! He looks and acts older... Here he is eating a cookie at bedtime because his mom looked outside instead of at the clock and said "it can't be later than 6:30."
III
Does anyone else find denim skirts with slits up to the knees to be controversial articles of clothing? It seems that, here, wearing one makes pretty much everyone look at you like you're a terrible person: the conservative folks think you're dressing like a hooker, and the unconservative like you're an oppressed woman in a burka.
IV
Speaking of clothing, I found the most gorgeous dress at the thrift store the other day! They had a rack of fancy dresses over by the dressing rooms, and I wasn't even going to look... Matt received this text when I got out to the car:
Your crazy wife tried on twenty skirts to find two that fit, then on her way to the register succumbed to marketing and bought a fancy party dress without even trying it on.
It was a Coldwater Creek, for $14. I couldn't help it. Sigh. I guess I have next year's Christmas dress taken care of!
V
We are beginning to consider how we will go about transitioning Little Bear from sleeping in our bed to his own. There's no firm deadline, but it would be nice to eventually go a night without being kicked in the face. :-) Since he's approaching ten months and is "sleeping through the night" (why do they define that as five hours? I think that's stupid--through the night should mean all night long), it seems like we might see success if we start trying soon. I picked up The No-Cry Sleep Solution and have appreciated Elizabeth Pantley's approach so far; I've read a lot of recent research indicating that crying it out can have negative effects on children, and we just can't put Little Bear (or ourselves!) through that.
VI
If you haven't seen this yet, enjoy: a different sandwich for each day of the month.
VII
So many kids are getting ready to receive their First Eucharist or Confirmation this time of year; don't forget to keep them and their families in your prayers!
So glad that our host, Jen, is back and she and her newest little one are doing well! Stop over to see her and the rear of the Quick Takers at ConversionDiary.com.
25 April 2013
Slowly But Surely
Summer is coming.
To be perfectly honest, there are days I don't believe that. Days when we wake up to more cold and snow and grey skies, and I just want to groan and pull the covers back up over my head. Days when nothing can convince me that the driveway will eventually be free of ice, that the drifts of snow will melt, that my little strip of entryway will not be cluttered up with hulking, dripping boots. We will never see summer again. Why can't they be right about global warming?
But summer is coming. And even now, today, as last night's snowfall melts away, it is rushing closer. The sun is blazing down from a brilliant blue sky, while songbirds chase each other through the chokecherries and chilly-fingered breezes tousle the windchimes outside our bedroom window. The snow banks are melting, slowly, making great lakes of the neighborhood streets: Matt says he feels like a true jeep owner, splashing through the foot-deep, twenty-yard-long puddles on his way home from work. The thermometer is slowly rising, two steps forward, one step back. Every day may not be warmer than the last, but each week is, at least a bit.
And the pretty days, when we have them, are beautiful. Tuesday afternoon Little Bear and I went for a walk with a friend, drinking in the sunshine as we splashed our way around a three-mile loop. Such sun we have here! We are well on our way to 'round-the-clock sunshine, with light streaming in the windows from the time we wake up until long past Little Bear's bedtime. What do I have to complain about?
The waiting, I suppose. Winter seems to stretch on forever, some days, and I just don't like to wait. I don't mean to say that this excuses my impatience, but I am human. Perhaps that means these never-ending winters are good for me... The culture of instant gratification teaches us that we can have--should have--everything we want right now, and Alaskan winters are a stark reminder that it simply isn't true. That some things, good things, only come with time. And they are worth waiting for. And maybe, even, that waiting itself is a good thing.
Summer will come, eventually. Winter will slowly give up its grip on the northlands, receding back to its glacial fastnesses among the highest mountains. And when it does, I, being a perverse human being, will want to chase after it up those selfsame mountain slopes and revel in the presence of sparkling snowfields on a sweltering summer day. Not out of impatience for winter's return, but of joy in the glorious paradox of summer in Alaska. Blazing sun at midnight. The barren tundra carpeted in flowers. Exploring ancient, unmelting ice without becoming cold. Our summers are wonderful, beautiful, good, but you cannot have an Alaskan summer without first waiting through the long, dark night of winter. The waiting is difficult, but every year, we remember that the summer is worth the wait.
But what about now, this season others know as "spring" and we as "breakup"? It is a necessary part of the waiting-for-summer, but sometimes the slow progress or backsliding toward winter can make the season more a frustration than anything. For me, this year, I've found that whether these days are frustrating is really up to me. When I begin my morning by giving thanks for the sunshine and make a point of focusing on the little signs that we are truly getting closer to summer, breakup seems like a positive time; when I don't put in that effort, well, it can seem like winter will stretch on for eternity.
It takes practice to turn waiting from something frustrating to something productive. The Church knows this: every year, we spend four weeks waiting for Christmas and six for Easter. I guess that means our extra-long winter and slow breakup this year are a blessing, inasmuch as they are giving us more time to hone our skills.
To be perfectly honest, there are days I don't believe that. Days when we wake up to more cold and snow and grey skies, and I just want to groan and pull the covers back up over my head. Days when nothing can convince me that the driveway will eventually be free of ice, that the drifts of snow will melt, that my little strip of entryway will not be cluttered up with hulking, dripping boots. We will never see summer again. Why can't they be right about global warming?
But summer is coming. And even now, today, as last night's snowfall melts away, it is rushing closer. The sun is blazing down from a brilliant blue sky, while songbirds chase each other through the chokecherries and chilly-fingered breezes tousle the windchimes outside our bedroom window. The snow banks are melting, slowly, making great lakes of the neighborhood streets: Matt says he feels like a true jeep owner, splashing through the foot-deep, twenty-yard-long puddles on his way home from work. The thermometer is slowly rising, two steps forward, one step back. Every day may not be warmer than the last, but each week is, at least a bit.
And the pretty days, when we have them, are beautiful. Tuesday afternoon Little Bear and I went for a walk with a friend, drinking in the sunshine as we splashed our way around a three-mile loop. Such sun we have here! We are well on our way to 'round-the-clock sunshine, with light streaming in the windows from the time we wake up until long past Little Bear's bedtime. What do I have to complain about?
The waiting, I suppose. Winter seems to stretch on forever, some days, and I just don't like to wait. I don't mean to say that this excuses my impatience, but I am human. Perhaps that means these never-ending winters are good for me... The culture of instant gratification teaches us that we can have--should have--everything we want right now, and Alaskan winters are a stark reminder that it simply isn't true. That some things, good things, only come with time. And they are worth waiting for. And maybe, even, that waiting itself is a good thing.
Summer will come, eventually. Winter will slowly give up its grip on the northlands, receding back to its glacial fastnesses among the highest mountains. And when it does, I, being a perverse human being, will want to chase after it up those selfsame mountain slopes and revel in the presence of sparkling snowfields on a sweltering summer day. Not out of impatience for winter's return, but of joy in the glorious paradox of summer in Alaska. Blazing sun at midnight. The barren tundra carpeted in flowers. Exploring ancient, unmelting ice without becoming cold. Our summers are wonderful, beautiful, good, but you cannot have an Alaskan summer without first waiting through the long, dark night of winter. The waiting is difficult, but every year, we remember that the summer is worth the wait.
But what about now, this season others know as "spring" and we as "breakup"? It is a necessary part of the waiting-for-summer, but sometimes the slow progress or backsliding toward winter can make the season more a frustration than anything. For me, this year, I've found that whether these days are frustrating is really up to me. When I begin my morning by giving thanks for the sunshine and make a point of focusing on the little signs that we are truly getting closer to summer, breakup seems like a positive time; when I don't put in that effort, well, it can seem like winter will stretch on for eternity.
It takes practice to turn waiting from something frustrating to something productive. The Church knows this: every year, we spend four weeks waiting for Christmas and six for Easter. I guess that means our extra-long winter and slow breakup this year are a blessing, inasmuch as they are giving us more time to hone our skills.
21 April 2013
What I Wore Sunday {11}
Linking up with Fine Linen and Purple again today for their weekly celebration of dressing our best for Sunday Mass!
Last week didn't happen because we forgot to take a photo before getting changed, so this morning, Matt snapped one on our way out the door. This did not make us late... It may have slightly contributed to the rushed feeling as we were running out to the car, though. A rushed feeling made significantly worse by hearing the "low fuel" chime as we pulled out of the driveway with exactly enough time to make it to Mass.
I probably would have headed off to North Pole anyway and worried about the gas tank after Mass, but my husband remembered that the light had actually been on last night too, and decided not to risk running out of gas halfway down the highway. It was a wise move--when he finished filling the tank, we realized that it really had been very nearly empty. Unfortunately, by that point it was definitely too late to reach our parish before Mass started, so since we were already in town anyway we wound up going to the cathedral. As long as the words of consecration are correct Mass is Mass, even when some aspects make you want to tear your hair out, and that's all I'm going to say about the experience.
Anyway! What you're really here for: the clothes!
Blouse: Sears
Skirt: thrifted
Boots: same old winter boots
If nothing else, this linkup is definitely shattering any remaining delusions I may have had about my ability to ever look good again post-pregnancy... ugh. I'm not really the only one who fails this badly at coming up with semi-flattering outfits nine months postpartum, am I? I kind of really want to throw things at the people who go about blithely informing expectant moms that nursing will melt that weight right off, because it just. isn't. true.
Last week didn't happen because we forgot to take a photo before getting changed, so this morning, Matt snapped one on our way out the door. This did not make us late... It may have slightly contributed to the rushed feeling as we were running out to the car, though. A rushed feeling made significantly worse by hearing the "low fuel" chime as we pulled out of the driveway with exactly enough time to make it to Mass.
I probably would have headed off to North Pole anyway and worried about the gas tank after Mass, but my husband remembered that the light had actually been on last night too, and decided not to risk running out of gas halfway down the highway. It was a wise move--when he finished filling the tank, we realized that it really had been very nearly empty. Unfortunately, by that point it was definitely too late to reach our parish before Mass started, so since we were already in town anyway we wound up going to the cathedral. As long as the words of consecration are correct Mass is Mass, even when some aspects make you want to tear your hair out, and that's all I'm going to say about the experience.
Anyway! What you're really here for: the clothes!
Blouse: Sears
Skirt: thrifted
Boots: same old winter boots
If nothing else, this linkup is definitely shattering any remaining delusions I may have had about my ability to ever look good again post-pregnancy... ugh. I'm not really the only one who fails this badly at coming up with semi-flattering outfits nine months postpartum, am I? I kind of really want to throw things at the people who go about blithely informing expectant moms that nursing will melt that weight right off, because it just. isn't. true.
19 April 2013
Seven Quick Takes Friday, Vol. 27
I
It's been a light blogging week here... There have been so many tragedies recently, I've struggled to find meaningful words. Our prayers continue to go out to all those who are suffering so much.
II
The househunting continues: we saw a cute little place last Saturday with a lot of very nice built-in storage, a fun tiled backsplash in the kitchen, and a nice yard with a garden and fire pit. Unfortunately, the neighborhood just didn't feel safe: one adjacent lot held an abandoned, derelict garage, and several others had the stereotypical "old alaskana" collection of rusting pickup trucks in the front yard. I know that many people up here like that, and that's totally their choice, but I just...don't.
III
Spring is back! I'm starting to feel a little silly, as we go back and forth between proclaiming it winter and spring, but this time I have a bit more confidence that the warmth is here to stay. The sun is shining all the time now, from before we get up until after Little Bear goes to bed, and the average temperature definitely rose this past week: it was already pushing 30 degrees by 9:30 this morning; by mid-afternoon, it could easily be 40! Don't laugh, that's practically tropical!
IV
Watching Little Bear dream has become so much more entertaining as he's gotten older: his eyes dart back and forth, lashes flutter, fists flail, mouth twists into adorable grins and pouts. The other day I was startled by a sleepy "mama" as he--still dozing--looked for food. There are days when I wish he would nap in his crib instead of on my lap, but how could I complain about this?
V
What does "giving the baby solids" mean in your house? Our pediatrician was surprised, though not unsupportive, when he heard that most of Little Bear's solid food isn't delivered on a spoon, but I know other moms who have gotten an earful for that... Little Bear likes food that is big enough to hold and chew on: slices of fruit (peaches, pears, apples), adult-sized pieces of green beans and broccoli, whole crackers/baby cookies... I was a little surprised when he grabbed a muffin off the counter this morning, but he had great fun gnawing on it while I ate breakfast. The only foods he eats with a spoon are yogurt, applesauce, and oatmeal (real oatmeal, not baby cereal).
VI
Spring cleaning fever has hit me hard again this year, but for the second time in a row, I can't give in to the urge to scrub everything ever within an inch of its figurative life: Last year I was pregnant and couldn't handle the smell of the cleaning agents, and this year there's Little Bear. As soon as it's warm enough to throw open the windows! I thought, but that will only work if its warm enough BUT the trees haven't yet begun releasing pollen, because of Matt's allergies. If I can wait until after the pollen subsides, though, my wonderful husband has promised to take Little Bear for some nice long walks on evenings or weekends to that I can clean.
VII
For any local readers, I want to encourage you to consider attending the kickoff party for KQHE 92.7 FM, the first Catholic radio station in Fairbanks, next Friday! Bishop Kettler, Little Flower Ministries, and the general manager for EWTN radio will all be there to share information about the station, which should be on air in a couple months. Bring the kids and join us at the Princess Riverside Lodge from 7 to 8:30 pm, next Friday (April 26)!
Thanks to Grace from Camp Patton for hosting again this week, and congratulations to our regular host, Jen, who was able to bring her new little one home from the hospital today!
It's been a light blogging week here... There have been so many tragedies recently, I've struggled to find meaningful words. Our prayers continue to go out to all those who are suffering so much.
II
The househunting continues: we saw a cute little place last Saturday with a lot of very nice built-in storage, a fun tiled backsplash in the kitchen, and a nice yard with a garden and fire pit. Unfortunately, the neighborhood just didn't feel safe: one adjacent lot held an abandoned, derelict garage, and several others had the stereotypical "old alaskana" collection of rusting pickup trucks in the front yard. I know that many people up here like that, and that's totally their choice, but I just...don't.
III
Spring is back! I'm starting to feel a little silly, as we go back and forth between proclaiming it winter and spring, but this time I have a bit more confidence that the warmth is here to stay. The sun is shining all the time now, from before we get up until after Little Bear goes to bed, and the average temperature definitely rose this past week: it was already pushing 30 degrees by 9:30 this morning; by mid-afternoon, it could easily be 40! Don't laugh, that's practically tropical!
IV
Watching Little Bear dream has become so much more entertaining as he's gotten older: his eyes dart back and forth, lashes flutter, fists flail, mouth twists into adorable grins and pouts. The other day I was startled by a sleepy "mama" as he--still dozing--looked for food. There are days when I wish he would nap in his crib instead of on my lap, but how could I complain about this?
V
What does "giving the baby solids" mean in your house? Our pediatrician was surprised, though not unsupportive, when he heard that most of Little Bear's solid food isn't delivered on a spoon, but I know other moms who have gotten an earful for that... Little Bear likes food that is big enough to hold and chew on: slices of fruit (peaches, pears, apples), adult-sized pieces of green beans and broccoli, whole crackers/baby cookies... I was a little surprised when he grabbed a muffin off the counter this morning, but he had great fun gnawing on it while I ate breakfast. The only foods he eats with a spoon are yogurt, applesauce, and oatmeal (real oatmeal, not baby cereal).
VI
Spring cleaning fever has hit me hard again this year, but for the second time in a row, I can't give in to the urge to scrub everything ever within an inch of its figurative life: Last year I was pregnant and couldn't handle the smell of the cleaning agents, and this year there's Little Bear. As soon as it's warm enough to throw open the windows! I thought, but that will only work if its warm enough BUT the trees haven't yet begun releasing pollen, because of Matt's allergies. If I can wait until after the pollen subsides, though, my wonderful husband has promised to take Little Bear for some nice long walks on evenings or weekends to that I can clean.
VII
For any local readers, I want to encourage you to consider attending the kickoff party for KQHE 92.7 FM, the first Catholic radio station in Fairbanks, next Friday! Bishop Kettler, Little Flower Ministries, and the general manager for EWTN radio will all be there to share information about the station, which should be on air in a couple months. Bring the kids and join us at the Princess Riverside Lodge from 7 to 8:30 pm, next Friday (April 26)!
Thanks to Grace from Camp Patton for hosting again this week, and congratulations to our regular host, Jen, who was able to bring her new little one home from the hospital today!
16 April 2013
Prayers
What can you even say in the face of so much death, so much sorrow these past few days? I have no words.
Our prayers and tears are with the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing and their families, all those affected by the many bombings across Iraq on Monday, and the family from our city whose little boy fell into a glacial crevasse and died Saturday.
Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and Thy perpetual light shine upon them, and may they rest in peace. Amen.
Our prayers and tears are with the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing and their families, all those affected by the many bombings across Iraq on Monday, and the family from our city whose little boy fell into a glacial crevasse and died Saturday.
Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and Thy perpetual light shine upon them, and may they rest in peace. Amen.
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