2017 in 12 pictures

I love end-of-year recaps and so am again linking up with a photo year in review, this year hosted again by Bobbi of Revolution of Love. 

In January she turned 4 and Shimmer and Shine  helped celebrate!

In March we set about building a loft bed!

In April she started rocking these glasses!!

Saying goodbye after a great Kindergarten year!

We acquired a couple new porch rockers and I found a favorite reading spot!

In August I gathered with family to celebrate the life of a beloved aunt,

and back in Maine we watched the eclipse, and 

introduced Caitlin to s'mores.

In September Liam turned 7

October found us being batty and having a lot of fun!!

November found Liam wrapping up a great cross country season!!

In December Saint Nicholas was good enough to pay us a visit.

Happy New Year ~ May 2018 treat you great!!

How we met ~ repost

In honor of our 15th anniversary and as welcome to new readers I thought I would repost how my wonderful life with my Mr Bailey began.

Some backstory to Our Backstory: Someone or something was clearly leading me to PENN. Despite moving to the Mid-Atlantic (MD & VA) when I was five I have always considered myself a New Englander; I love the food, the geography, the spirit ~ everything! So 80% of the colleges I was planning on applying to were up there, a couple in VA where I was living and PENN. Which is Ivy League and in the city and everything I thought I didn't want ~ and one of the top nursing programs in the country.  I then as I do now often underestimate myself but some small part of me was curious and did not want to ten years later be curious if I could have gotten in if I had but tried. 

    Given the cost it was recommended to me that I apply Early Decision ~ and I did and it was the only school I ultimately applied to because they accepted me.  So I went to PENN where in the Spring of my freshman year I met Charlie.

    Having come from a wonderful parish with a great Youth Group one of the things I did at PENN was find the Newman Center (Catholic Student Center) and joined in; I became an Extra-ordinary Minister of the Eucharist, joined the Adoration Schedule, etc and in the Spring found out that I had been nominated to the Student Council as head of the Liturgy Committee.  I pointed out that as a freshman I thought I was too young to the then President, he told me to run anyway since I might not win ~ turns out I was running unopposed and won.  So that March after a joint council meeting (outgoing and incoming) up walks this nice guy (Charlie) who simultaneously tells me it will be fine because there was a structure in place, (I must have looked in shock) and then threw me for a loop by asking when I wanted to schedule our first meeting. (Charlie claims we had met before but I have no memory of this and am the one writing this so there.)

   So I took a deep breath, scheduled a committee meeting and discovered exactly how over my head I was when at the meeting I learned that the committee was rising Sophomore me and 4 PhD students. Eep!

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Quick Takes #251 Advent and etc

1. Hello ~ how's your Advent going? We are doing well here and finding a good rhythm I think.  The kids rotate lighting the candles, reading the prayer and then blowing out the candles.  Caitlin repeats after me but Liam is becoming more and more independent in his reading which is so exciting to watch.
2. We had our first snowfall of the year last weekend of which an inch or so has stuck around which definitely gives the neighborhood that holiday feel; as does getting our Christmas tree.  No ornaments were broken in the trimming and I only had to bite my lips or sit on my hands a bit.  AKA you never realize how much of a control freak you can be until you have to let your young kids trim the tree.
3. We left our shoes out for Saint Nicholas and ate chili on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadeloupe. Next week both schools have Christmas programs.  Such a busy time but hopefully finding a good balance.
4. As I finish up my last couple books for the year and start to think about what is topping my 'want to read' list for the new year I was excited to see Modern Mrs Darcy post her challenge list for 2018.  I'm still leaning towards 'off roading' next year but will definitely keep track of the different categories in case I get in a rut.
5. The Crown; watched and really enjoyed the new season.  Which makes the knowledge that many of the principle actors are done rather bittersweet.  I understand and even like the idea of recasting every two seasons rather than continuing to age the actors but am sad to see Claire Foy and Matt Smith go.
6. I have nearly half of our Christmas cards mailed and so feel like I can enjoy those we are receiving. I didn't write a letter this year but was tempted to include the kids ages on the photo card though with Caitlin having a January birthday wasn't sure what age to put. 
7. Have a wonderful weekend!

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

Open Book: December '17

The Summer before the War by Helen Simonson is wonderful and her characters were so fully developed that plot twists stayed with me for weeks after I'd finished the book.  This story captures beautifully a family, and town in the English countryside in their final moments of summer warmth and innocence and as the chill of war begins to be felt.  

Call the Nurse; Memoir of the Scotish Highlands by Mary MacLeod was a fun read where MacLeod found a good balance between sharing her cases as a Visiting Nurse and the everyday life experiences of living in the Hiberian isles.  Early in the 1970's MacLeod and her husband moved with their two youngest to the top and Scotland and sought a different life with what appears to be great success. There is a sequel which I will seek out at some point in the future.


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

Quick Takes #250: Challenges and giving thanks

1. How is November treating you so far?  Here is some of what's been happening around the Baileys.
2. I have now experienced my first tire blow-out! And adding to the experience I had all three kids with me so my language had a stay clean and my attitude can-do despite the rain.  Blessedly in addition to Liam  someone else offered to help me put the spare on the car ~ and the next day at the tire store the warranty was honored without an argument. 
3. I'm so glad that despite the crazy warm weather in October the leaves are actually changing colors before falling.  I find the experience of raking so much more pleasing when the leaves are not all brown. And I'm told by the jumpers in the house that colored leaves are softer to leap into!!
4. Will be celebrating Saint Elisabeth of Hungary's feast today with cupcakes for everyone and roses for Lisbeth. I'm liking this approach for acknowledging feast days ~ just need to figure out what the 'flower' equivalent is for Liam?
5. I'm hoping to at some point give this take it's own post but in the meantime... I completed the MMD reading challenge earlier this month. Yay!!! Having now done a reading challenge the last couple of years I can honestly say reading books and stretching myself to attempt long and otherwise challenging books has done so much for my mental health and overall attitude.
6. While still somewhat in shock that Thanksgiving is next week; plans are coming together.  One of my favorite holidays and am so excited to get in some quality family time. 
7. While I'm giving thanks I definitely want to give thanks for you my lovely readers! Thank you for coming, reading and commenting!!

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

Quick Takes #249: Happy November!

1. It was a busy, but fun week with such much to celebrate and enjoy.  I think this October will go down in the books as one of crazy swings in weather but overall a good month.
2. Halloween went well with me pulling off the great parenting feat of attending nearly simultaneous costume parades at my kids two schools. The weather was chilly but the costumes were great and everyone had a good time. Trick or treating had Elisabeth heading off with friends for the first time and Liam & Caitlin working well together reaping a decent candy haul.
3. All Saints Day was largely a recovery day. We attended Mass, and Liam enjoyed a birthday lunch with G-ma but otherwise a nice down day after the business of Halloween.  Feast of All Souls had the kids back in school and us for the first time speaking more explicitly with the big 2 about praying for deceased family members.
4. We had fun watching the World Series this week despite the late night's especially since my MIL was visiting.  We lived in Houston during Charlie's residency and have many friends who still lived there so were thrilled with the ultimate champions but also the series of great games getting there.
5. Given the bad weather last weekend Liam's Cross Country Champ meet was moved to this coming weekend. Hoping for good weather and wrapping up this season with a good race!
6. This weekend will also include a hike with Liam's cub scout pack. 
7. Photo Feature;
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Please head over to Kelly's for more 7QT's

Quick Takes #238: Late October Life

1. So how was your October? Good here; but feeling like having found a good rhythm with school got leveled up with scouts starting for the big kids and other fall activities.
2. Elisabeth is headed to her first Halloween party tonight. We were browsing a costume store and she announced that she wanted to be an archer (Robin Hood not Merida) and we had a lot fun putting all the pieces together.  Liam is Charizard which is not his favorite Pokemon but he thought the costume was fun ~ and I thought he would easily be warm enough.  Caitlin is dressing as Minnie Mouse this year; which I'm happy for memory sake since of the kids she has definitely been the bigger Mickey/Minnie fan.
3. Reason #228 why I love my kids school: having to been trying for a family rosary all month this week I got to attend as their school organized a living rosary. Elisabeth as a member of the children's choir performed the opening and closing hymn and all the 7th graders acted as the individual beads.
4. Am really excited for the return of Fixer Upper and The Crown in about a month. In the meantime favorite new show of the season The Brave.  Any other new shows I should check out?
5. Liam's Cross Country season ends this weekend.  He did not enjoy it as much as I thought he would but did say he would like to join the team again next fall ~ and could he please try Karate now!
6. After temps all over the map for most of the month it seems like fall is settling in. Hope the crazy weather doesn't curtail leaves changing colors too much.
7. Pumpkin picking and Liam's last cross country race this weekend. Whatever your's holds ~ have a good one!!

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