Five Favorites Vol 7

Linking up today with Hallie of the Moxie Wife

1. Forever friends: a friend from childhood who I had not seen in 13 years stopped by this week, loved seeing him in the flesh ~ loved that we talked and joked just like always
2. The picture app by Disney called Story: gathers all of the pictures and videos by date and place and creates a virtual storybook that you can then post to Facebook or email.  Used it to share recent vacation pictures and was very happy with the result.
3. MASH; have been watching a few episodes at night once the kids are asleep recently.  So much fun to share an old show we knew and liked but had never watched together.
4. Caitlin saying "Mama", so sweet and the first time it has come before 'dada' in our house.
5. Stacking Rings: A favorite of the current baby of the house as she stacks and/or chews and the kindergartener when they realize the rings stack in the correct rainbow order.

Please head over to the Moxie Wife for more Five Favorites

I've been tagged

by Jamie of A Rough Diamond

Here are the rules:
1.  Post these rules.
2.  Post a photo of yourself and then write 11 things about your life.
3.  Answer the questions for you set in the original post.
4.  Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them you have tagged them.

11 things about me:

1. Despite being half-Belgian I prefer my beer COLD
2. Tulips are my favorite flowers
3. My husband and I had been dating 9 years 10 months when we got married
4. We will be married 9 years 10 months this October!
5. Love to read, favorite books become old friends I visit with over and over again
6. Favorite movie: The Philadelphia Story
7. My first concert was John Denver, I was five.
8. I would eat mussels year round if it would not scandalise my mother
9. Staring at the ocean soothes my soul, and recharges my batteries 
10. Have been known say 'Wicked' when I meant Very
11. Favorite color is purple.

Jamie's questions;
1.  What is your most vivid dream?
 Walking out onto a deck overlooking the ocean and watching the sea ~ often turns into me flying over the ocean.
 
2.  When you want to feel comfortable, what outfit do you put on?
   Favorite jeans, soft t-shirt or sweater

3.  When you are alone, do you turn on the TV, open a book, or sit at the computer? 
   Depends on the day, but one of the three, definitely!!

4.  What family member are you most like and what about you is similar? 
  My uncle (my father's brother): introverts in a family of extroverts, and both appreciate ice cream and good conversation.
   
5.  What song makes you think of 7th grade? 
   "We built this city on Rock and Roll" or "Greatest Love of All"

6.  How did you meet your spouse?
 At the Newman Center at the University of Pennsylvania, I was in nursing school and he was in grad school.

7.  Mountains or beach? 
   BOTH!! Ok, beach gets the narrow win.

8.  You need to relax.  Where in your house do you go?
  If the weather is nice, patio; otherwise family room.
 
9.  What is your favorite form of exercise? 
     Hiking (swimming in the summer)

10.  How many houseplants do you have?
     Currently, none inside.

11.  How much time do you devote to reading/commenting/blogging per week?
     My guess would be about 2 hrs a day ~ 15 hours a week.


   

Tagging Catholic Mutt, Rebecca, and Katherine (my apologies if you've been already tagged).

Blogger Meet-up!

    A month ago I had the great and wonderful pleasure of meeting Rebecca of The Road Home, she very graciously stayed in the area for dinner with my family after her conference ended.  I unfortunately forgot my camera, though luckily Rebecca did have hers.

     However she has now experienced the frustration of misplacing her memory card reader and the worse luck of having her car burglarized and camera stolen ~ but we are undaunted by whatever force does not want evidence of blogger meet-ups shown.  Forgive the quality of my  phone camera pictures and please take my word for the fact that Rebecca is gorgeous and Liam was very happy to meet/play with her.  

"For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." Matthew 18:20

Thankful Thursday: October 20th

1. A non-leaking roof
2. A warm down comforter on the bed
3. Pumpkin scones
4. Wide open spaces to visit and explore
5. Friendships begun online, deepening in person: Pictures soon
6. Grace abundant and love everlasting

Please visit The Road Home and share what you're thankful for

Celebrating Versatility

Thank everyone for their kind comments; yes the migraine is better and as I don't get them too often will be the last until after September when I can again take medication for them. Another thing making the day even nicer was this lovely award from Maggie of From the Heart, for which I thank her very much.

The rules for this blog award are:

1. Thank the blogger who gave it to you; (see above)
2. List 7 things that people may not know about you;
3. Pass the love to 15 deserving bloggers (gonna have to amend this one...how about 7?);
4. and let them know that you gave them an award.

7 Things about me:

1. Child of an interfaith marriage, I am proudly Catholic and appreciative of the tolerance I learned in the Unitarian Church
2. Did not learn to swim till I was ten because...
3. Had ear tubes placed 4x between the age of 5 and 10
4. Favorite show is The Waltons
5. Wrote one of my college admission essays about Anne of Green Gables
6. Was six months old in my first passport photo (visited family in Belgium)
7. First concert was John Denver (I was five yrs old)

Passing the award to:

Musing of a young mom

Roots and Rings

City wife/Country Life

Momma Molly

Karen in Mommyland

This Heavenly Life

Matching Moonheads

Please check them out, I always enjoy wonderful writing on a wide range of topics when I visit.

Quick Takes Vol #42: Honest Scrap

Thank you very much to "Young Mom" of Musings of a young mom for nominating me for this award.

In order to keep the award I must do the following:

1. Say thank you to the presenter (which I do) and link her blog
2. Reveal 7 honest things about myself
3. Present this blog award to 7 others whose blogs are brillant in content and/or design and encourage me

7 things about me

1. Born in Rhode Island, and very loyal despite not living there since I was four
2. Child of an interfaith marriage, I am proudly Catholic and appreciative of the tolerance I learned in the Unitarian Church
3. Favorite show is The Waltons
4. Could happily drink a coffee milkshake everyday
5. Believes the best chocolate comes from Belgium.
6. Can still do a cartwheel
7. Loves to sing along to the radio, and wishes she did not have such an awful voice.

I proudly (and happily) nominate

1. Mindy of http://sweetsmallstuff.blogspot.com/
2. Molly of http://www.momma-molly.com/
3. Rosey ofhttp://roseyoutlookdose.blogspot.com/
4. Kate ofwww.katewicker.com
5. Chelsea of www.rootsandrings.wordpress.com
6. Sara of www.thisheavenlylife.
7. Maureen ofwww.DrMaureen.blogspot.com

Honest Scrap Blogger Award

• Thank you very much to Karen of http://kareninmommyland.blogspot.com/for this wonderful award.  I love reading her blog, she shares her faith and adventures in parenting with a wonderful mix of humor and wisdom.  Plus she provides reassurance for the chosen spelling of my daughter's name.

In order to keep the award I must do the following:

1. Say thank you the the presenter (which I do) and link her blog
2. Reveal 10 honest things about myself
3. Presesnt this blog award to 4 others whose blogs are brillant in content and/or design and encourage me

10 things about me

1. Born in Rhode Island, and very loyal despite not living there since I was four
2. Child of an interfaith marriage, I am proudly Catholic and appreciative of the tolerance I learned in the Unitarian Church
3. Did not learn to swim till I was ten because...
4. Had ear tubes placed 4x between the age of 5 and 10
5. Favorite show is The Waltons
6. Could happily drink a coffee milkshake everyday
7. Believes the best chocolate comes from Belgium
8. Am also (see Karen's post) a recovering pack rat.
9. Can still do a cartwheel
10. Loves to sing along to the radio, and wishes she did not have such an awful voice.

I proudly (and happily) nominate

1. Mindy of http://sweetsmallstuff.blogspot.com/ who inspires and encourages me daily to live and parent with greater compassion and integrity
2. Molly of  http://www.momma-molly.com/is another first time mom of a daughter whose site I go to learn and share
3. Jen of  www.conversiondiary.com who shares her faith journey as she raises her little ones with grace and a big dollop of Texas charm
4. Kate of www.katewicker.com/ who writes with such honesty and compassion, even when I disagree with her I'm glad of the chance to read her views.
   

Honorable Mention: Karen already nominated Rosey of  http://roseyoutlookdose.blogspot.com/  so I won't double dip, but I completely agree.

 

Quick Takes vol #17

1. Elisabeth and I enjoy a wonderful lunch yesterday with a friend and her two month old daughter.  Her daughter is another March baby so as we eat our delicious sandwiches we together marveled at what a difference a year makes.  Reassurance for one mother that the colicky newborn stage does pass and another opportunity for the other (me) to take a moment and recall the many awesome accomplishments of the past year.
2. To celebrating her fifteenth month (and demonstrating an interest in scribbling) we gave Elisabeth the Crayola beginner markers and coloring book.  She had a blast, I eventually got the stray marks out of the carpet.  We put them away for awhile.
3. Great week for lunches,  a good friend from St Louis visited and we again enjoyed the fact that despite not seeing each other for a year conversation flowed and warmth was felt.
4. I give thanks for the wonderful friendships who made during college and graduate school years, have remained and endured into the marriage and parenting years.
5. Had been on the fence about teaching again this fall but hearing the positive impact I had from former students after their graduation ceremony and watching E. play with other kids at the playground has me feeling much more comfortable about the idea.
   
6. June has brought many thunderstorms so far and our first opportunity to cuddle a sleepy baby who did not quite understand it all but decided that the lights and sounds were better enjoyed from mommy and daddy's bed.
7. Going to a local strawberry festival tomorrow with friends.  Hoping for no rain and a daughter not intent in eating every berry she can reach.

Thanks as always to Jen for hosting Quick Takes at conversiondiary.com