Quick Takes: Musings

Linking up with Kelly because it's still open, even for us lazy procrastinators!


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My view...well, up until a few minutes ago with the big brothers barged in and woke her up:

It was almost the perfect break time.   Oh well.   Next time!

I'm currently banished to the master bedroom.   The boys are all working on a Valentine's dinner and surprise for me.  I'm not complaining.  They came into the bedroom bearing hot coffee and chocolate, after a quick run to the grocery store.   I'm happy to stay in here a little longer.

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Also, if I stay in the bedroom, I avoid looking at this monstrosity: 

  That's one heck of a fort creation.   And it's totally stressing me out.

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Yesterday, we told the boys that we were going to change our plans and go out for lunch before gymnastics practice.   I told them to get their shoes and socks on, and Mr Theo stopped abruptly, turned around QUICKLY, and took off running down the hallway to his bedroom.  He came out minutes later, socks in hand.   Such a smarty-pants.

Also, you may visit Chipotle too much as a family when they give you coupons for free burritos the next time you come in, because "You're such loyal customers."

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I've been thinking a lot about happiness recently.   It seems to be the word that keeps popping up in day-to-day conversation, especially in relation to things like disappointments.   I'm coming to realize that a lot of my role as a parent is helping the kids recognize that happiness isn't our goal in this life.  That there's a difference between choosing happiness and choosing joy.    And that sometimes (all of the time?) you learn more from your disappointments than your happiness.

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Lent has been on my mind a lot recently.  It starts next week (!!!).   As is the tradition in the Catholic world, I'm planning on sacrificing something for the 40 days of Lent (people typically say they're "giving something up.").  I'm contemplating giving up my snooze button, but that sounds so silly and superficial to say.   But Lent is supposed to be the time that you sacrifice something as a way of growing closer to Christ, right?   Well, that darn snooze button is a huge stumbling block in my prayer time and writing time.   I tend to hit it 2-3 times every morning, and well, that's 18-27 minutes of my life every day that I could be using in a better manner.  I think getting rid of the snooze button in my life might be way more spiritually beneficial than, say, giving up coffee.

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Ruthie is full-time pulling herself up and cruising now.  Didn't take her long to figure it out - and now she's also starting to let go and balance there, in a standing position.   Silly girlie.

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I'm trying hard to get back on track with the diet plan again this week, and I'm happy to say that I've done a pretty good job.   My biggest hurdle was/is breakfast - it's hard to have a veggie-based breakfast that isn't also grain based (because I'm trying to limit how much grain I have (it's a trigger food for me for over-eating), too).   Getting this blender seems to have been the magic trick.   I really like eating bowls of fruit for breakfast, but prepping them and then sitting down to eat them would take WAY more time than I had before the kids needed me.  Now, I've just been blending them and drinking them as a smothie instead of sitting down to eat them.   I love the to-go cup option, especially on Theo's early school/therapy mornings.  I've found that if I start the day with a fresh fruit smoothie, the rest of my food choices are so much better throughout the day.

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My coffee's cold, so it's time to venture out and see what exactly is going on out there in the Circus.    It sounds a bit crazy!