A Potluck Post

What a week this has been! It's crazy how some times it feels like life is going at full speed and we are hustling from one thing to the next only to run into a long, slow pause in the day where grogginess and boredom seep in. 

The slow pauses aren't all bad, though. They are were I have been finding time to read. My current book stack looks like this:

I've been enjoying A Wind in the Door which was given to me by a teacher friend who was purging her classroom bookshelves. 

I read an older edition of Queen Bees and Wannabes a couple years ago but decided to go ahead and get the newest edition for my own bookshelf. This is the book that inspired Tina Fey to write Mean Girls and I have found it very helpful already. 

I haven't started Loved as I Am but a friend dropped it off for me yesterday and I'm looking forward to jumping in since I love Sr. Miriam James' podcast. 

Finally, Living Your Strengths - The Catholic Edition has been an interesting read! The test says my top five are Belief, Connectedness, Developer, Activator, and Adaptability but I know the last one is dead wrong. I didn't understand some of the questions and so answered them... well not in the truest sense of what they were getting at. I think my #5 might actually be Includer but I haven't finished the book yet so maybe something else will ring more true. If you've read the book and taken the test tell me what your Top Five are. 

(PS - All of these books can be found at your local library or here.) 

Speaking of books...

We are still making our way through the Harry Potter books. Well, L could not wait for us to listen to them - she had to know! - and she finished the 7th book yesterday. Ben is actively listening to the audio books and is on the 5th one. Occassionally the other kids will listen with him, and I often try to when I can (causing me to fall far behind in podcast-listening), but mostly it's Ben. When he's done we will allow Ben and L to watch The Order of the Phoenix movie. JF, who has been having nightmares about "spooky castles," and the younger kids will not be allowed to watch until they are older and have read / listened to the books. I know there's a lot of people who don't like Harry Potter, and I totally understand and respect that stance, but I have loved those books and characters for so long and it's been such a joy to share them with my kids and to really talk about the themes, plots, humor, and such with them.

We've had really fun family movie nights with the first four movies. We even made "wands" as a snack. I dipped the pretzel rods in melted chocolate (Enjoy Life! brand chocolate chips + a bit of Earth Balance "butter" + some coconut milk) and then let the kids add whatever toppings they wanted. It was fun and all the kids enjoyed the added treat to the normal popcorn.


On the 4th of July we went to my in-laws home for their small town's celebration. It was so flippin' hot but we still went to the park and watched the parade. I came home with the two little ones but Travis and the five older kids stayed for fireworks, which were fabulous - or so the kids said.

Earlier this week L went back to the cardiologist to have a one-year follow up appointment. Her echo looked good, she looked good, everything looked good. Interesting fact: before her open heart surgery a year ago L was in the 65th percentile for height and the 35th percentile for weight. Now that her heart is not working triply hard she is in the 63rd percentile for height and weight. Isn't that amazing?!

Oh! One more thing before I forget - right now shipping is free for all the items in the Blessed Is She shop! This deal ends on Sunday and  if you haven't purchased a planner yet but were wanting to this is the best deal you're gonna get! My affiliate link is right here - thank you so much for using it!

So that's that - everything I wanted to get out of my head and down "on paper." I love these little potluck posts where there's a little of this and a little of that and mostly it's just the best parts of my life showing up. You know, like a potluck. 

Have a good weekend friends. xo

A 4th of July 7QT - with a playlist for your holiday

1 - Need a 4th of July playlist? Well, if country music is your thing then you'll love this one. These are the songs we'll be listening to tomorrow.


2 - We've got a big day ahead of us for the 4th of July. The German potato salad and red, white, and blue rice krispie treats are made and ready for a full day of train rides and petting zoos at the park, parades, grilling, drinking, family, and fireworks. One of my favorite parts, though, is that Travis' family (who we'll be with) always stands for the flag when it passes. I told you before, we're a bunch of patriots.


3 - In case you're still trying to decide what to bring to the nation's birthday party here's some suggestions of offerings that are good and safe for people with gluten, soy, egg, nut, and dairy allergies. Sorry to self-promote, but potlucks and dinner parties always make me so scared for my boys. No one wants to end their holiday with anaphylaxis.


4 - One year we actually did this:

But not this year.


5 - In the past I've listed of things I love about America and traditional 'Merican things.I thought it would be fun to do it again. So here goes:

superheroes, strawberry pretzel salad, Johnny Cash, homecomings for members of the armed forces, Netflix, potlucks, Chinese take out, fireflys, kiddie pools, national parks, the Little House on the Prairie books, comic con, country music, sparklers, baby showers, cold beer in a bottle, Texas queso, redwood forests, bonfires, s'mores, Kateri Tekawitha, Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Fallon, Longmire, westerns, John Wayne, Joan of Arch WWII posters, The Walking Dead, Bottlecaps candy, McDonald's french fries, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, Superbowl parties, hats at the Kentucky Derby, libraries, family pizza nights, splash parks, the Declaration of Independence, blogs, DIY, This Old House, father of the bride speeches at wedding receptions, people who use clothes lines, flower gardens, vegetable gardens, Pinterest, my kids running around in the backyard as they spray each other with the garden hose.


6 - I'm already a day late and a dollar short with this, but that's what happens when I make time for napping instead of blogging. Thanks, Kelly for hosting and for being on the ball!


7 - Happy 4th of July, everyone. God bless America and may He protect and bless our troops.