Daybook Easter Week 2016

Thinking about:
    Getting back into the routine after Easter break.  Break went well as did Triduum. I opted to not go to Holy Thursday service with the kids but rather went to Adoration when Dr Daddy got home. We did all head into the city to attend Good Friday service and hear Daddy sing. Easter morning was baskets and Mass, and then getting ready for Easter Dinner with friends which was wonderful with a groaning dessert table.

Excited For:
   Elisabeth receiving her First Holy Communion in a few weeks and then heading north to my niece's a couple weeks later. Am of course stressing about some of the details but trying (and so far succeeding) to not lose the joy of all it.

Wearing:
   Mostly jeans and clogs or skirts and boots; still in the 50's-60's most days so have not really pulled out the lighter stuff though we did throughout March gets strangely warm days.

Planting:
   Pansies and phlox! The crocuses were a bit of a bust as they got eaten as soon as they appeared but fingers stilled crossed for the tulips I have coming up. Am also starting some basil and maybe parsley seeds inside.
   
My View:

Reading:  Why Now? my sister's newest release!! And O'Pioneers in the category of something I should of read in high school.

Watching: Have been enjoying Fixer Upper which wrapped up their 3rd season this week, and Blindspot back after their long midterm break.

Cooking: Ham, colcannon and other Easter leftovers!

The Kids:

Elisabeth is still crazy about dinosaurs!  Really enjoyed her dinosaur themed party at her gymnastics place earlier this month.

Liam continues to enjoy Pre-K and all that he is learning about letters and numbers.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are tops in his world!

Caitlin is as much if not more of a talker than Lisbeth was and delights in making up games for us to play while the bigs are at school. Playing restaurant is her favorite!

Quick Takes #204: Parties and Prayers

 

1.  Lisbeth's party went well with the kids having a blast first playing in gym and then climbing all over the 'fun factory' which essentially is a ballpit/maze/giant slide structure.  Our local bakery out did themselves proud and gave us a wonderful cake for our dinosaur loving princess!
2. The other highlight of the past weekend was the Downton Finale which I thought was wonderful! Yes they were reaching a bit to tie-up most of the strings but I felt it was a most fitting far-well. 
3. Dr Daddy and I are presenting at Pre-Cana this weekend and I really wish I could copy Rachel's post and pass it far and wide!
4. Important prayer request from Dwijia and name announced. As did Ana!!
5. Colleen has graciously pulled together a prayer list for anyone seeking pregnancy related prayers or wishing to pray that intention.  
6. The weather this week has been amazing ~ and while it may not be here to stay it has been a nice hint that spring is indeed on it's way. 
7. Prayers for those in the path of the flooding in the South and happy weekend all!

Please head over to Kelly's for more 7QT's

Guess Who's Eight?

Since I have in a couple recent posts written about Lisbeth's currents likes and plans I thought for her birthday post I would share a photo montage of these past eight years!

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!!

Wishing you all good things in this next year!

Open Book on Wednesday ~ March 2nd

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh: A story of England 'between the wars' and one mans connection with a Catholic family. Charles Ryder meets Sebastian Flyte at Oxford and spends the next twenty years entangled with one member or another of the family.  It is beautifully written both in description and dialogue but overall was a bit too cynical for me.  I find it interesting that it was apparently written shortly after Waugh's conversion to Catholicism as the faith is overall not presented in a very positive light. Leaving me to wonder if he was perhaps working through some ambivalence


These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer: As any reader of this blog knows I've been a fan of Heyer for several years but for whatever reason this book had not come my way.  Having now read it I can see why it is credited with launching the author. It is wonderful; filled with her usual mix of biting humor, outrageous supporting characters and plenty of misdirection. Set in the Georgian period, about twenty years before the Regency she often writes of, it was interesting to see the ease with travel between England and France you don't see in later books due to the Napoleonic War.

Screw-tape Letters by C.S. Lewis: this is my current read/nearly done book. Had heard about this book of letters from senior demon Screwtape to his young nephew Wormtape for many years and it is as fun and weird as I expected. It took a bit of time to get use to the bad is good, the Enemy is Jesus plot line but have really enjoyed this book and am glad I decided to read it this Lent.




All three fulfill categories of the Modern Mrs.Darcy challenge this year.  Old Shades was written before I was born. I'm not sure which of Brideshead or Screwtape I was more intimidated by and as I wanted to read them both I'm considering both of those categories done and not worrying by which book.

Now please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book