Sunday, December 30, 2018

Quick Book Post as the Year Closes

     In 2018 I challenged myself to read 30 books and in the end read 42.  For this coming year I think I'm going to go with 35 as a goal as I have a couple long reads planned.  In addition to again taking the Modern Mrs Darcy reading challenge I'm also going to join the Catholic Lit challenge hosted by Haley of Carrots for Michaelmas.  Allowing for some overlap I should hopefully be able to strike a good balance between reading for fun and stretching my reading muscles.




    Some favorites from the past year were The War that saved My Life and its sequel, Sprig Muslin, and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.  I also revisited a couple of favorites and found them as wonderful as I remembered.

What were some of your favorite reads of the year?



Summary for 2018

Books Read: 42
Fiction: 29  // Non-Fiction: 13
Kindle Books: 13  // Paper Books: 29  // Rereads: 8

Saturday, December 29, 2018

2018 Recap in 12 photos

Linking up again with Bobbi of Revolution of Love and recapping 2018 photo-style.

When looking at pictures a monthly recap just didn't seem to fit; rather lets say this year; 

We celebrate big birthdays ~ Lisbeth's 10th


Started to lose baby teeth!



Joined a pool!

Went to Mount Vernon

and the Richmond Zoo.

We went to the beach; even when it was cold and grey.

And the seawall when the sun finally did shine!

We started Kindergarten joining our 5th and 2nd grade sibs.

We went apple picking!


We raked leaves into giant piles to jump in!

We trimmed the tree, hung the stocking and made ready.

We learned, laughed, got older and a bit wiser.

Friday, December 14, 2018

7 Quick Takes #272: Advent Happening



  1. Happy Advent! We got the tree trimmed and stockings hung last weekend.  Candles in the window and wreath on the door.  Hoping to get outside lights up this weekend.
  2. Saint Nicholas visited and brought the miracle that everyone got to check out what the good bishop brought and still got to school on time.
  3. Am following the Blessed is She Advent Devotion and am really appreciating the daily reminder to think about how am I bringing the light and love of Christ in the world.
  4. The kids (in particular Liam) were learning more about Our Lady of Guadalupe this year and so I tried to kick our observation of the feast up a notch and made enchiladas.  Lisbeth is never fond of trying new foods and even calling them 'Mexican crepes' didn't get her to eat more than a bite or two ~ but there was also zero grumbling from her on why we were having Mexican food for dinner.
  5. The Christmas concert was last night and the kids all did well and enjoyed even Caitlin whose cold has given her an occasional but painful earache this week.
  6. This week Modern Mrs Darcy announced the categories and released the reading kit for next years reading challenge. I've of course already printed the checklist out and am thinking of different options for the different categories.  
  7. Happy Weekend and Blessed Gaudete Sunday!

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


Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Open Book: December '18





Saint Elizabeth's Three Crowns by Blanche Thompson is a biography in the Vision book series aimed for older children.  In addition to sharing biographical facts about Saint Elizabeth's life, the book also shares some of the saint's journey of faith as she learns about the Franciscan or the Gray Brothers and learns about their ideals of simplicity and charity.  Another interesting question raised throughout the book was that of vocation and service as a wife, mother, Landgravine, and later a Third Order Franciscan.   While a bit 'sugary' at points a solid biography which shares some of the miracles and struggles of this saint.



A Christmas Wedding by Andrew Greeley tells the continuing story of Charles O'Malley the oldest son of a Chicago Catholic family. This installment cares him and his Rosemarie through their courtship and early marriage.   This was a reread for me and it holds up well; I really enjoy how Greeley focuses on the events of everyday life while interweaving some of the current events of the 1950's so as to give context to the times when his characters were living.


Currently getting into the season and reading The Snow Child and The Winter Crown.


In addition Christy of Fountains of Home has recently share a lovely Christmas book list.

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

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Thankful Thursday: November 2018



After a lovely Thanksgiving and before the Advent/Christmas season begins want to pause and give thanks for the blessings of these days.

  1. Charlie; an amazing & loving companion on this great adventure
  2. A home that shelters my family well;  keeping warm in the winter and cool in the summer
  3. My children who love me and teach me to be kind and brave!
  4. The right to vote and participate in choosing those who will govern.
  5. The chance to study, question and never stop learning and discovering the world around me.
  6. Electricity 
  7. A foundation of faith given to me by my mom and strengthen by teachers along the way.
  8. Good books and the time to read them.
  9. Watching my kids excited about new books and absorbed in their favorites.
  10. Clean Water
  11. Reliable Transportation 
  12. Abundant food including pie!
  13. My family of origin whose warm love and shared laughter sustains me
  14. Sunshine
  15. My 'married' family: warm, funny and hard-working
  16. Family and friends across the miles who stay in touch and stay true.
  17. The ease with which technology helps me to keep in touch with family & friends across the miles and overseas.
  18. This amazing blogging community that share of their time and talent so gracefully.
  19. The ocean and time spent there.
  20. The beauty around me as leaves change colors and falls.
  21. Quiet evenings when Charlie & I share a bowl of ice cream and binge watch a series.
  22. Weekend mornings when we drink Chai and everyone 'piles in' together.
  23. Sunday dinners with family and friends.
  24. My husband's tech skills for when things go sideways
  25. My children's laughter!
  26. Warm drinks on a cold and dreary day!
  27. God's everlasting love!
  28. Hope renewed each morning.
  29. My life with all its struggles and blessings!

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Daybook: Fall'18


Thinking about:
    Raking all the leaves that have fallen. Nearly done with the front yard and then onto the back.  Thanksgiving; we are local this year as Dr Daddy has to work.  Ordering Christmas cards and getting the kids to nail down their lists.

Excited For:
   Thanksgiving; it will be small but nice to celebrate at home just us, plus out-town friends are coming to town for weekend.  Advent and Christmas!! An addition we have been planning in theory moving soon into the actual!

Wearing:
   Mostly jeans and clogs or wedges; I know for most fall means breaking out the boots (and I have a pair that gets some wear) but for me fall means my favorite wedges and wearing clogs again.  Also found a couple of great tops to update and perk up the daily uniform.

In the Yard:
   
 The trees have dropped most of their leaves so lots of raking to go but the end is in sight and then onto the pruning.  Didn't plant any bulbs 



Watching and Listening to:
    Enjoying the return of This is Us and have started watching Magnum P.I. off the DVR and Madame Secretary off Netflix. And thanks to the kids Narwhal Eating A Bagel has become part of the soundtrack of my day.
     
The Kids: 

Elisabeth is thriving in 5th grade; enjoying changing classes and taking good care of her school issued Chrome book. Continues to excel at her gymnastics class, currently working on her back walkover and front handspring.  The end of the day finds her in her loft bed reading Wings of Fire; a fantasy book series that she has been obsessed with since the spring.


Liam has settled well into 2nd grade; reading better and better all the time (handwriting is another issue).  Enjoyed playing soccer this fall and is currently a Wolf Scout. Pokemon is still tops and with help from his big sister is becoming proficient at Mindcraft.  Always a great eater he is currently all about the Cobb salad, requesting one several times a week.


Caitlin is loving Kindergarten and doing really well; making friends and learning to write words and add numbers.  She loves being read to; and I'm so excited to watch over the next year as she begins to learn to read to us.  She has joined Lisbeth in doing gymnastics; loves tumbling ~ the beam not so much.








Sunday, November 11, 2018

Poetry Pause: Armistice 1918-2018

In Flanders Fields

Flanders Poppy on the First World War battlefields.
by John McCrae, May 1915
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.



We Shall Keep the Faith

by Moina Michael, November 1918
Moina Michael
Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.
We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.
And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.