New Home: Caitlin's Room

Next on the mini house tour is Caitlin's Room.

   Since I couldn't consult with her color wise I went with my preference and the color we had painted Lisbeth's 'big girl' room at the old house; Behr's Misty Violet ~ and I haven't heard any complaints.

 Sorry both 'before' shoots are actually mid-painting but hopefully you get a sense of the taupe we were again trying to cover.

The crib we have had since Lisbeth, and the bookcase was my youngest sister's originally but has been mine since my first apartment.

A dresser given to us from family members and a print that has been since hung (promise).

The nightstand and glider have been ours for awhile; the rocking horse I found at a local thrift store that specializes in kid's clothes and toys for Caitlin's first birthday.

The littlest of the bedrooms but hopefully a cozy, fun room for our littlest!

 

Prior Post:
Liam's room

Liebster Award ~ Fall 2014

Firstly and most importantly my thanks to Laura of String of Pearls for nominating me.  If you are not already a reader of String promise me that after this you will click over and have a read. Laura is kind, funny, and a wonderful writer who is about to have her second book published. She is also a mother of five grown sons and grandmother to four grands (so far) and such an encouragement to those of us in the day-to-day life of raising littles.

Now my answers to her questions:

1. Do you have a favorite saint, and what drew you to him/her?
     So many really but currently Saint Therese du Liseux because of her teaching that even little things done well matter, Saint John XXIII for his example to reflect God's goodness to all we meet and Dorothy Day who (though only currently a Servant of God) inspires me with her personal commitment to caring for others and social justice.

2. I think every Liebster questionnaire includes a question like this; but I'm crazy about books, so I just have to know: do you have a best-loved book that you've read multiple times?  (And will you probably read it again?)  Or do you always just read a book once and pass it on to others?
    I'm a HUGE rereader: Anne of Green Gables series, Crosswick Journals by Madeline l'Engle and A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer topping the list.

3. What is your family's Christmas Eve tradition?
    We are generally traveling ~ so if visiting my family then we are having Vegetable Lasagna and maybe opening one gift. My husbands family has the traditional Polish Wigilia and opens lots of gifts. With both families we likely attend the Family Mass with Children's Choir and read the Christmas Story from the Gospel of Saint Luke.

4. When you dress up in heels, do you wear panty hose/tights, or do you go bare-legged?
   Depends on the season: I'm usually bare-legged during the summer especially in sandals, the rest of the year hose/tights.

5. How did you and your husband meet?  (And if you're not married, what's the most important quality you're looking for in a spouse?) 
    Short Version: We met at the Penn Newman Center when we were both students. Longer version found here.

6. What's your go-to prayer in times of distress?
     The Serenity Prayer

7. Where is the one place in the world you would visit if you could?
     Rome

8. How many siblings do you have?
     3 ~ 2 sisters and 1 brother 

9. Are you a worrier?  (I'm worried you'll think that's a weird question.)
    Yes

10. What, if any, sport do you enjoy watching the most?
     Football and Gymnastics

Now my questions

1. Favorite breakfast when you have the time to indulge.
2. Did you make or buy your wedding dress (if unmarried what would you like to do)? 
3. What exotic animal would you own if you could?
4. Favorite book/movie on a rainy afternoon?
5. First hymn you remember learning/singing?
6. What was your favorite Halloween costume growing up?
7. What language do you wish you spoke?

Nominations:

Kelly from Familiar Joy
Chrystina  from Chrystina Noel
Mary from Let Love Be Sincere

Five Faves: October 22nd

Linking up with Jenna of Call Her Happy the new hostess for Five Faves!!

1. Liam (the little guy pictured above): loving being four, consistently and completely using the toilet since early this summer, fully energy, very affectionate though saves most of it for his two favorite people Daddy and Caitlin.  Such a fun age! Such the cool dude!
2. Stella and Sam:A Canadian series that we can find on Sprout about a big sister and her little brother and their many adventures. Beautifully illustrated stories of make-believe adventures and sibling comradery that strike the perfect balance for me as my kids sit quietly to watch and then often with their imagination inspired go off and have similar adventures.
3. Pumpkin Chai Mix from Trader Joe's (which I did blog about before): a wonderful balance of sweet and tart and just pumpkin-y enough to meet the season.
4. My current TV obsession is Fixer Upper a HGTV show featuring a married couple from Waco, TX who together as Designer/General Contractor helps families get into sort-for neighborhoods by buying 'the fixer-upper'. Their love for restoring homes, helping families all while raising their own four kids makes this such a fun watch. Happily anticipating Season 2 this January and catching re-runs whenever I can.
5. October: Amazing Feast Days (St Therese du Liseaux, Our Lady of the Rosary, St John XXIII, and today Saint John-Paul), the leaves turning colors but still largely still on the trees, Pumpkin Scones & Muffins.

Walking for Little Flowers

The third annual Little Flower Walk/Run was last Saturday. Knowing that we were already had a full day planned last Thursday after dropping Liam off at preschool Caitlin and I headed out for Valley Forge were I mostly walked with a bit of running ~ and Caitlin strolled with a bit of walking.

A lovely hour spent in a beautiful place ~ and a wonderful cause supported.

Win ~ Win ~ Win!!!

exploring the cannons

clearly taking a 'selfie' that shows off the t-shirt with a toddler is beyond me

Thank you to Katie of Blessed with Full Hands for organizing.

Please head over to Blessed to read more and wish them best of everything as they travel to meet their new daughter.

1 down ~ 1 up: October 17

1 down:
      A neck injury from a couple months ago reared its annoying head this week and is proving to be the greatest 'pain in the neck' at night when it wakes me and than makes it difficult to get back to sleep.
 
1 up:
   The brief warm-up allowed for such lovely activities this week such as reading outside and a taking a quick trip out to Valley Forge for a walk with Caitlin while the big kids were in school.

Extra happy note: Despite raining on & off all last weekend it didn't Saturday evening so we were able to go to Oktoberfest at Lisbeth's school where Lisbeth and Liam had a wonderful time and Caitlin rode the merry-go-round for the first time and had such a good time that she rode it two more times!!

Now please head over to Chrystina Noel for more of this week's round-up.

WWRW ~ October 15

   The good news is I'm reading almost everyday again (by which I mean books as oppose to web surfing which never stopped and still hasn't but is now perhaps in better balance), however am currently reading a couple 500+ pagers and at 10-20 pages a day who knows when I will finish ~ so done or not I'm sharing...

   In the category of better late than never we have Outlander by Diane Gabaldon which for the few of you who don't already know is about a young British woman who while on a second honeymoon in Scotland in 1945 finds herself having traveled 200 years back in time when she explores a stone circle.  Her experience as a war nurse helps her find some footing as a healer with the local clan.  I'm currently about halfway thru and am enjoying it enough that I have already bought the next book though time will tell if the series holds my attention enough to last the eight books the series currently stands at.

   And so while reading on the Kindle I'm transported to the Scottish Highlands of 1743, when I pick up a book it is only 1713 though I'm still surrounded by Jacobites in The Firebird by Suzanna Kearsley in which a couple minor characters in The Winter Sea (that I talked about here) are now our main characters and are bound for Russia but have only gotten as far as Belgium currently.  Similar to The Winter Sea the historical story is being told through the paranormal visions of a modern characters; I'm finding the device much clumsier this time around and am wishing the author would spend more time telling the historical story than focusing so much on the modern character's (an antiques buyer named Nicola Marter) anxiety about having visions. Time will tell.



Please head over to Housewifespice for more WWRW.
Also linking up with the Modern Mrs Darcy for Twitterature.

Have also finally signed up with Amazon Affiliates so if you would please clinkity-clink the links.

Quick Takes #163

1. I'm a long time Patriots fan and so I was happy but not surprised by their show of support for an opponent's daughter's cancer battle. Was also glad that Cyndi Lauper/Sara Bareilles video got played during the game.
2. If you are not already a follower of Passionate Perseverance please head over and perhaps become a prayer warrior for this amazing family.
3. Overheard in the car ~ Liam: Catie what is your favorite color? Catie: Orange, Blue.  The fact that at 21 months she understood the question and answered appropriately makes me so happy and sad at the exact same time.
4. Great weather recently; we been getting outside having some fun while still can.
5. Little Flower Walk is coming up. Hoping for good weather and a fun walk with my littles.
6. I realize it is a holiday weekend and all!! However what with both school's Fall Festivals and Pre-Cana this weekend ~ I may very well declare Monday a day of rest.
7. Happy Weekend!!

Please head over to Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes.

31 days to write and read.

Happy October!

Happy Feast of the Guardian Angels!!

   The last two years I have joined the challenge hosted by the nester to write for 31 days during October and really enjoyed it both times. This year however I have other goals for the month like Finally getting a certain house on the market and making real progress on a certain 4!! year old's baby book.

But I did want to share a couple links for those who want to write and read along.

The main site

Jenny at Mama needs Coffee is writing on Church teachings.

Sara of Fumbling Toward Grace is sharing poetry.

Have Fun!!