Ten on Tuesday: November 30th

1. Where are you from? Have you lived there your whole life?

I'm from Rhode Island, but have also lived in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, Texas and currently live in Pennsylvania.

2. How would you classify your clothing style?

Comfortable Modern ~ usually jeans/pants and a nice shirt/sweater ~ though I like skirts/dresses on Sunday.

3. What kind of car do you drive?

Prius
4. What would your dream home look like if you could have it (or already do!)?

4 Bedroom Colonial with a big porch out front ~ Someday!

5. Do you have kids, and if so, how many and how old were you when you had them?

I have two ~ I was 34 and 37 when they were born.

6. What is your favorite hobby?

Pictures ~ taking them, putting them in albums, have just started scrapbooking

7. Are you going to have any New Year’s resolutions for 2011?

Not sure but if so probably fitness related

8. What is something, if anything, that you’d want to change about yourself?

More confidence ~ less afraid to stand-up for myself

9. What is something that you love about yourself?

My compassion and that others find me to be a good listener

10. Pick one of the following: Someone to cook for you, someone to do your laundry, or someone to do your dishes.

Someone to cook for me; I like to cook but knowing that someone had it covered would take the pressure off and my husband already likes to do dishes.

My thanks again to Chelsea of Roots and Rings for this fun weekly adventure!

Birth Announcement

Make a statement with Shutterfly birth announcement cards.View the entire collection of cards.

Giving Thanks

Thanks be to God,

and to all of you for loyalty and caring comments throughout the year!

Wishing you and yours a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

Ten on Tuesday: November 23rd

1. What are your plans for the holidays? Do you travel at Thanksgiving? If you celebrate Christmas, do you travel then, too?

Usually Thanksgiving is at our house since often one or both of us has to work part of the holiday or weekend. For Christmas we are usually traveling.

2. How do you make the plans for the holiday? If you have a significant other, how do you decide which family to visit?

Check work schedule, check-in among family members, and try and alternate between families

3. Do you have your Thanksgiving meal at lunch or later in the day?

Generally mid-afternoon

4. Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving tradition?

Good Food!!

5. After a big meal do you lounge around or get up and take a walk?

A combination of watching TV and doing yardwork

6. Do you shop on “Black Friday” or do you avoid it?

Depends on the year and who is around.

7. When do you usually finish your Christmas shopping?

December 23rd

8. Do you and your significant other exchange gifts? Is there a budget?

Definitely ~ with a general idea but no specific amount budget

9. When do you decorate for the holidays?

Over the course of the week after Thanksgiving ~ except for the tree which is live and comes a week or so before Christmas.

10. Do you go “all out” with the decor or do you keep it simple?

We keep it simply but there is something for almost every room.

Please visit Roots and Rings to enjoy others answers to these questions.

Quick Takes Vol. #66~ Moments of Grace

• 
  
1. Blowing bubbles in the backyard at dusk
2. Nursing my little nursling
3. Playing hide & seek with Lisbeth
4. Glorious weather to enjoy the autumn colors at home and the playground
5. Stuffed squash made by my husband to be enjoyed as part of our dinner & a movie nights
6. Big hugs and reconnecting after nap-time
7. Life slowing enough to see the moments of grace amidst the rush

Please visit Conversion Diary for the rest of this weeks round-up

Small Successes: November 18th

1. Everyone who needed a haircut was able to get one.
2. Laundry largely caught up on, including washing some 3 month sized sleepers for my growing little boy.
3. Bathrooms cleaned!

Giving Thanks this Thursday for:

lovely autumn days

sweet conversations held with my favorite toddler

watching my children smile and laugh together

My Children!!

my hardworking husband

Our loving and forgiving Savior

Please visit Faith and Family Live to celebrate your successes big and small.

Ten on Tuesday: November 16th

1. What is your favorite breakfast pastry?

Chocolate croissant

2. Were you ever in a Thanksgiving or Christmas play?

Recitals, but not plays (that I can remember)

3. What is your favorite clothing accessory?

Earrings ~ am really enjoying this window of wearing them again before another hiatus when another little person will begin pulling on them.

4. What is your favorite item of clothing?

Jeans

5. What is your favorite color and why?

Purple ~ not sure, just is!

6. What is your favorite type of Christmas cookie?

Choosing among many faves ~ Russian Tea Cakes

7. What is your favorite scent (food, perfume/lotion)

• Food ~ again many faves: this time of year, baking: pies, cookies, breads
• Perfume ~ Arpege

8. What is your favorite household cleaner?

Clorox wipes

9. When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up? And what did you actually grow up to be?

I thought I would be an Olympic Gymnast ~ nope, and a nurse ~ yup

10. What is the last song or album you bought?

? Zac Brown Band?

Please visit Roots and Rings to enjoy other great answers to these questions

Liam at 2 months

1. Great smiles and wonderful cooing that makes me think that laughter is coming soon.

2. HATES the carseat

3. Loves faces and watching him brighten as Lisbeth talks to him is one of the great pleasures of my life.

4. Good about sleeping in the sling for short periods of time.

5. Beginning to notice the mobile above his swing and changing table

6. Has survived (along with his family) his first big roadtrip, traveling to VA to meet and visit with my family

7. Had his first cold, the sniffling was a bit heartbreaking but thanks to a humidifier no one lost a lot of sleep.

8. Is out growing his newborn sized clothes.

9. Consistently sleeps 3 - 4 hours spans at night ( meaning often I'm only up once).

10. In celebration of his new two month status will begin 'Tummy Time' today!

Wordless Wednesday: Big & Little

Ten on Tuesday: November 9th

1. Who makes your Thanksgiving dinner?

Everyone usually pitches in but primarily my husband and his mom.

2. What is your favorite recipe the includes pumpkin? (bonus points for including the recipe)

I love Libby's pumpkin pie, and usually follow the recipe on the can except for a little more cloves and a little less cinnamon.

3. What are 5 things you want for Christmas?

• nursing tanks
• BOOKS!!
• West Wings DVD
• Kingfield sweater
• ?cleaning lady?

4. Does your family draw names or do you buy for everyone?

We buy for all the kids and draw names among the adults (but I've found it impossible to not buy something for my mom).

5. How do you feel about motorcycles?

Not my thing.

6. What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy Saturday?

Good book or an old movie

7. What is the coolest thing to do in your city?

Run the 'ROCKY' steps

8. Do you paint your fingernails?

Occasionally

9. Who is your favorite actor over the age of 50?

Robert Redford

10. Do you have a high school letter jacket?

Not anymore, it got donated a couple years ago.

My thanks to Chelsea of Roots and Rings for continuing to host this fun meme

Quick Takes Vol. #65

1. Successful Trick or Treating ~ Lisbeth went to about ten houses, said her lines very well and would explain when asked that she was a monkey like George. Liam tolerated his costume for about 30 minutes ~ so some pictures exist.
2. Went to Adoration again this week for the first time in a long while ~ Wonderful!!
3. This was an 'on service' week for C. which meant very long hours and missing bedtime. The effects showing last night as Lisbeth explained sadly that she was snuggling her family ( a word she recently acquired ~ very cute) but someone was missing. I guess I need to explain better where he is and that the weekend is coming.
4. Baptism plans in the works ~ yay! Both our families live a good distance away so finding a date was a little tricky.
5. Further complicated the discussion ~ the mass we usually participate at is a 5 pm. Ultimately we decided that we wanted to celebrate with our church family too, and are hoping to not cause too many issues with traveling family.
6. Have been thinking about 'patron' saints, did you choose your children's based on their names, birthdate or something else?
7. Weekend plans: Catching up on house stuff and enjoying family time!

Please visit Conversion Diary hosted by Jen for the rest of this weeks round-up!

Wondering Wednesday: Patron Saints

Inspired by Maggie of From the Heart ~ what I'm wondering about today:

All of the details for Liam's baptism are coming together ~ date, time, godparents and reception ideas. Observing All Saints on Monday has me thinking about patron possibilities for him and no one really jumps out for me. His middle names are Charles Pierre, and he was born on the feast of St John of Chrysostom so many options but no faves ~ any suggestions?

BTW he certainly could have more than one. For Elisabeth, I was torn between St Elisabeth of Hungary and Saint Elizabeth Anne Seton ~ finally deciding to seek prayer from both these mom saints for my little girl. Bit of irony ~ we live in D.r.e.x.e.l Hill and she was born on the feast of St Katherine D.re.xe.l