Quick Takes #278; I've been to Ireland and what did I see

1. Happy July! Hope you all had a wonderful July 4th! With your indulgence I'm going to take you back to June and tell you all about my last week of June which thanks to my wonderful sister C. I spent in Ireland and England.  
2. Dublin was our first destination and 'home base'. Dublin is a wonderful city which really reminded me of Philadelphia where buildings of past centuries live side-by-side with more modern ~ though in Dublin that means buildings go back to the twelfth century. A very walkable city with different neighborhoods to explore.
3. Arriving early in the morning we left our luggage at the hotel (Yay!)  and began exploring and trying to stay awake until our first official time point of the day.  We found and crossed the Ha'Penny bridge, paid our respects to Molly Malone, and then found a bench along the River Liffey to take in the moment.  The Vintage Tea Tour was our first tour of the trip and it was perfect and not just because we were very tired ~ being driven through and around Dublin enjoying a lovely tea of sandwiches, cakes & scones while a tour guide gave us the stories of Dublin is a memory I will always cherish.  
4. After a quick nap at the hotel we were headed to the Brazen Head Pub, one of Dublin's oldest pubs, for a Folklore and Fairies Dinner.   Another great find of my sister; the storyteller was funny and knowledgeable, the food very good, and the Celtic music while we ate our main course a lovely touch to a wonderful evening.  Heading back to the hotel at dusk across the river we declared our first day in Dublin a success.
5. The next morning started early as we boarded a tour bus for the western coast of Ireland with the Cliffs of Moher as our first destination.  The weather smiled on us and the tour guide was excellent pointing out many sights as we traveled. The Cliffs did not disappoint; being that wonderful combination of everything you expected and then much more in their amazing height and grandeur.  After a couple of hours at the Cliffs we boarded the bus and headed for Galway with a surprise stop along the way at The Burrens; an amazing landscape of limestone astronaut Neil Armstrong once compared to the surface of the moon. Unfortunately it was only a fifteen minute stop so much of the landscape was left to be explored another time. 
6. After driving past a few thatched roofed cottages and castle ruins we arrived in Galway where we enjoyed a short walking tour and then were set free to explore and find lunch before heading back to Dublin.
7. More to come but for now the photo dump!!!

Ha'Penny Bridge; because it used to cost a half penny to cross the river.

Statue in honor of Molly Malone

Cliffs of Moher looking northward.

Cliffs of Moher

The Burrens

The Burrens

In Galway

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

First Day ~ Last Day 2018-19

Looking forward to a great summer!

Then 6th, 3rd and 1st Grade here we come!!

Open Book ~ June '19

End of school year craziness reigns so please excuse my brevity as all three books reviewed are indeed wonderful.

A Light in the Window by Jan Karon is the second book in the Mitford series featuring Father Tim and his various neighbors in rural North Carolina. I found the pacing of this book better than the first and so enjoyed even more.  The exploration into small town Appalachia is just as wonderful if not even more hilarious.

In Pope Francis; Our Call to Joy author Diane Houdek breaks down Pope Francis's Gaudete et Exsultate  and shares her understanding of Pope Francis and his motivation for this first encyclical.  Houdek uses examples from Pope Francis's life and papacy to show how he is modeling this life of joy and hope in the Gospel laid out in Gaudete et Exsultate.

Be Brave in the Scared by Mary Lenaburg is a wonderful story of God's sustaining love.  Having had the great pleasure of hearing the author speak on a couple of occasions I was excited to read her memoir and learn more about her and her family ~ and this book does not disappoint. It is an amazing story of facing the challenges of a special needs child and troubled marriage and finding the solace not in emotional eating but in prayer and the growing knowledge of God's grace and sustaining love. I was also blown away by how consistently her daughter Courtney life with all its challenges were described as a blessing, not a burden in Mary's life. An amazing, inspiring story!!

Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book!

Special Days of Sacraments

     Last Saturday to our great pleasure Liam received his First Communion! Looking very handsome in his new suit; he was nervous but excited.  The Mass was beautiful and lets be honest there is nothing like watching children all dressed up and excited to meet Jesus in such amazing way.

The weather while threatening all week turned out wonderful and our friends and family who came to celebrate with us were also able to enjoy our new patio furniture and we were able to grill as planned.  In addition to being very happy for her brother; Lisbeth was also thrilled to visit with her twin cousin.  Caitlin was happy to party in her Easter dress and was the last of the kids to ask to change.

       Then on Sunday we went to Mass in the city at the University parish where Liam was baptized and he received his 2nd Communion.  

Earlier this week I made a quick trip to Richmond to attend the celebration of my niece's Confirmation.  A beautiful Mass and such an honor to included on her special day.

May the Sacramental Graces fall abundantly on them and all their classmates!

7 Quick Takes #277 ~ April Overview

1. Happy May!! How was your April? Ours was good in a busy 'just keep swimming' way.  Sorry to go quiet. How about a summary to catch you all up?
2. Easter morning was wonderful ~ the kids explored their Easter baskets, a breakfast of eggs and pastries, Mass and then some cooking and cleaning before taking Dr Daddy to the airport for his trip to London. We (the kids and I) still hosted Easter dinner for choir members and friends, including wonderful desserts from our favorite ballerina/baker.
3. My week of solo parent went reasonably well and Dad was able to FaceTime most evenings ~ and had a good week in London, getting in some sight-seeing most days.  The kids each had their moments of really missing Dad but overall did well.
4. The Weather has been keeping us guessing; more nice days than not but enough chilly mornings that coats are out and needed. It has been warm enough that trees have blossomed and my Lily of the Valley easily made their May 1st deadline.
5.  I stuck to my commitment to give-up fiction for Lent; my review of my Lenten reads are here.
6. The main excitement of the week has been preparing for Liam's 1st Holy Communion this weekend. He says the rehearsal went well, and he is excited.  Food has been ordered, family is coming, and now we just need it to not rain too much.
7. Photo dump: 

Have a wonderful weekend and please head over to Kelly's for more 7QT's!

Open Book ~ May '19

Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton while billed as Apologetics reads much more like a conversion story.   Chesterton seeking a philosophy to live by looks at the logic and framework of the leading movements of the time (turn of the century England) and found them all lacking when compared to Christianity. While I at times found his wit too sarcastic for me I overall enjoyed the book and found it to be a worthy read.

Untangled; Guiding Teenage Girls through the Seven Transitions to Adulthood by Lisa Damour is a straight-forward, accessible overview of the challenges Damour (a school psychologist and mother of daughters) have identified over her years of work and research. Broken down into what she describes as seven developmental milestones; Damour provides insight into what the young woman might be feeling and how best parents can support their daughters and help them make the different transitions towards adulthood.

Edmund Campion by Evelyn Waugh is a wonderful hagiography of the Saint; beginning in his years at Oxford and follows his faith journey in Elizabethan England.  Beginning with his scholarly work and crisis of faith as he discerns the priesthood we see the evolution as he moves to Europe and ultimately joins the Society of Jesus. Waugh in addition to providing biographical information of Campion does an excellent job of exploring and explaining the culture of Catholics in Queen Elizabeth I 's England. I also appreciated how Campion's own writings are quoted throughout.


Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book.

Adventures in preparing for your Second Reconciliation

   Part of the excitement around here is that the date for Liam's First Holy Communion is fast approaching. In addition to picking out cake flavors, and figuring out the guest list; we are also talking a lot about the Mass ~ specifically the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

   We also did a bit of backtracking this week preparing Liam for his second Reconciliation.  During an impromptu review session I discovered that he remembered the steps of the rite, but the idea of an Examination of Conscience was in need of a refresher.

As it happens, I had recently been given a copy of Kimberly Fries' book on that very subject.  The book takes a lovely, direct approach, encouraging the child to pray before a crucifix or the Blessed Sacrament and using the Ten Commandments as a guide ask themselves key questions.  Fries does a wonderful job aiming the questions at the early elementary age level; my 2nd grader who reads at grade level needed help reading a few of the words but understood what was being asked throughout. I like the framework and the creativity and sensitivity shown around the more 'adult' commandments such as the 6th.  Overall a wonderful addition to our library and one that will definitely get a lot of use.

I was provided a copy of Examination of Conscience for Little Ones in return for my honest review.