Food: We celebrated Labor Day with steak and Asian pesto noodles. Last week we truly ate leftovers for 4 days as Big C was on a work trip. Hopefully this week I'll make a Danish Puff for a breakfast treat.
Family and Tradition: We celebrated Labor Day with our KC family (little brother down in Raytown and his wife). When we were little we always watched the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon as much as possible (except for the local segments--those were boring) and did any school shopping that was required. When I went to college, we started a tradition of traveling to Benedictine for Labor Day since they still had school. Nowadays, we do the shopping trip and regroup for another week of school.
Faith: The only saints this week are the celebration of Mary's Birthday on Friday and St. Peter Claver (slave of the slaves) on Saturday. I have on Oblate meeting in Atchison on Saturday as well so I'll fill up on monk time to carry me through another month.
Sports: Nebraska football won; Royals won two in a row; Little C placed 26th in his first cross country varsity run. It was a good weekend.
Next week: More sports!
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Week 8: Starting school, being a sports mom
Food: With the boy in school and the husband gone for the week, we have a lot of leftovers, so it's a leftovers week.
Faith: Lots of great saints this week! St. Augustine, St. John the Baptist, St. Gregory the Great.
Family: Having family time is hard in high school! The boy is gone from 6:40 to 6:15, so he gets home to eat, do homework, and go to bed. This weekend we might go to SantaCaliGon days in Independence.
Sports: This is our first time with any after school activity. So we're adjusting.
That's all for this week...just the new normal.
Faith: Lots of great saints this week! St. Augustine, St. John the Baptist, St. Gregory the Great.
Family: Having family time is hard in high school! The boy is gone from 6:40 to 6:15, so he gets home to eat, do homework, and go to bed. This weekend we might go to SantaCaliGon days in Independence.
Sports: This is our first time with any after school activity. So we're adjusting.
That's all for this week...just the new normal.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Week 7: Eclipses and Stress
The Best: The Eclipse, and getting to see over 2 minutes of totality, was probably already the highlight of the week. Even with rain, wind, and lots of clouds, we got to see the totality and the moon moving past the sun after. It was so dark! Someone in Atchison set off fireworks. We felt very fortunate to get to experience it.
The New Normal: Today was the first full day of school for Little C so my first day alone ALL DAY. Even though some days it feels long today it felt glorious. A long nap to finish off a migraine and time to work on all my little projects were much appreciated.
Food: We used up lots of barbecue sauce on a pork butt on Sunday and ate the slow cooked shredded meat over mashed potatoes.
Faith: This week has lots of fun days, but I do love the Queenship of Mary. It's a nice day to remember not only Mary's exalted position precisely because of her lowliness but also that we are not in charge. I needed that after stressing over high school question marks yesterday.
Still to do: Make sure lunch program is fixed to show proper balance...figure out if we will get speech services this year...determine if Little C can balance cross country and 8 classes until October...finish off album pages for Level III Catechesis...finish typing up notes for Religious Potential of the Child by Sofia Cavalletti...and other things I can't remember.
Good luck to all of you as we head into the new schedules of fall!
The New Normal: Today was the first full day of school for Little C so my first day alone ALL DAY. Even though some days it feels long today it felt glorious. A long nap to finish off a migraine and time to work on all my little projects were much appreciated.
Food: We used up lots of barbecue sauce on a pork butt on Sunday and ate the slow cooked shredded meat over mashed potatoes.
Faith: This week has lots of fun days, but I do love the Queenship of Mary. It's a nice day to remember not only Mary's exalted position precisely because of her lowliness but also that we are not in charge. I needed that after stressing over high school question marks yesterday.
Still to do: Make sure lunch program is fixed to show proper balance...figure out if we will get speech services this year...determine if Little C can balance cross country and 8 classes until October...finish off album pages for Level III Catechesis...finish typing up notes for Religious Potential of the Child by Sofia Cavalletti...and other things I can't remember.
Good luck to all of you as we head into the new schedules of fall!
Monday, August 14, 2017
Week 6: An Ending and a Beginning
Ending: On Saturday I graduated from my last Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Course. My sister and I are now certified ages 3 to 12 and ready to take a break from learning for a little bit before learning to be formation leaders. It's a great program that gently brings together the Child and Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
Beginning: Today Little C began Cross Country practice for his first year of high school. I'm not sure how it's all going to go but I'm sure he'll be great at whatever he decides to do.
Food: After eating salads and fruit all week at class, we're going easy with homemade sauce and pasta tonight.
Faith: Tomorrow is a Holy Day of Obligation so we're going to relax and attend a Mass that I'm playing for.
Family: My parents announced the vacation site for next year so we can starting thinking about VFV 2018!
Beginning: Today Little C began Cross Country practice for his first year of high school. I'm not sure how it's all going to go but I'm sure he'll be great at whatever he decides to do.
Food: After eating salads and fruit all week at class, we're going easy with homemade sauce and pasta tonight.
Faith: Tomorrow is a Holy Day of Obligation so we're going to relax and attend a Mass that I'm playing for.
Family: My parents announced the vacation site for next year so we can starting thinking about VFV 2018!
Sunday, July 16, 2017
Week 5: The Dangers of Working
I like working.
I like having a desk, I like paperwork, I like taking a problem and fixing it.
But...I only have so much energy. Not in the sense of some diagnosed ailment or a mental block, but physically and psychically and spiritually, when I work full time, I end up giving most of what I am at work. In a way that's good because I help people and usually do a good job.
In a bigger way that's bad because there's none of me left for my little family. Even though there's only three of us, one is autistic and needs a lot of my psychic energy for reassurance and relies on my calmness to help him through storms. The other one had a transplant and has plenty of his own psychic energy but only has so much physical energy, so I need to make sure I'm not relying on him to carry me through household chores.
Spiritually, then I start beating myself up over not being "there" enough for my family. Even though I've done it at times, I don't have to work full time right now. Occasionally, I take on a longer term job, like covering the desk at church full time this week. That's long enough to remind me why I don't work full time and why I'm so grateful that I don't HAVE to work full time right now.
That said...
Food: We are trying Slow Cooker Sausage and Chicken today over egg noodles. It smells yummy. We're also having a chocolate cobbler (like a depression cake or, for you Great British Baking Show fans, a self-saucing pudding.
Family: My little brother returns from a trip to Canada, Less Little Brother comes for a trip after passing his dissertation defense, and everyone relaxes after a week of working.
Faith: No big days this week, just continuing in Ordinary Time. Continuing to color a big timeline of the Plan of God.
Next week should be better because I'll be more rested!
I like having a desk, I like paperwork, I like taking a problem and fixing it.
But...I only have so much energy. Not in the sense of some diagnosed ailment or a mental block, but physically and psychically and spiritually, when I work full time, I end up giving most of what I am at work. In a way that's good because I help people and usually do a good job.
In a bigger way that's bad because there's none of me left for my little family. Even though there's only three of us, one is autistic and needs a lot of my psychic energy for reassurance and relies on my calmness to help him through storms. The other one had a transplant and has plenty of his own psychic energy but only has so much physical energy, so I need to make sure I'm not relying on him to carry me through household chores.
Spiritually, then I start beating myself up over not being "there" enough for my family. Even though I've done it at times, I don't have to work full time right now. Occasionally, I take on a longer term job, like covering the desk at church full time this week. That's long enough to remind me why I don't work full time and why I'm so grateful that I don't HAVE to work full time right now.
That said...
Food: We are trying Slow Cooker Sausage and Chicken today over egg noodles. It smells yummy. We're also having a chocolate cobbler (like a depression cake or, for you Great British Baking Show fans, a self-saucing pudding.
Family: My little brother returns from a trip to Canada, Less Little Brother comes for a trip after passing his dissertation defense, and everyone relaxes after a week of working.
Faith: No big days this week, just continuing in Ordinary Time. Continuing to color a big timeline of the Plan of God.
Next week should be better because I'll be more rested!
Sunday, July 9, 2017
VFV 2017: Hanging out in Kansas City
I missed the last two weeks because I was here but holding down the fort for our 11th Voboril Family Vacation.
Here's a list of where we've gone in the past:
2001: I chose to do a trip to NE that included the Great Platte River Road Archway (Kearney, NE)
2004: We all went to Iowa: Amana Colonies, Grotto of the Redemption, Pella, and LeMars
2007: Elk Falls, KS (Sherman House Bed and Breakfast) with day trip to Independence
2008: Cabooses at Two Rivers State Recreational Area outside of Omaha, NE
2009: None--Kidney transplant and 3 graduations took care of that
2010: Colorado for niece's baptism
2011: Wahoo, NE with trips to Lincoln and Omaha
2012: Cedar Bluffs, KS (cabins)
2013: Yankton, SD
2014: Fort Robinson, NE with day trip to Mount Rushmore
2015: Just a day trip to Omaha to save up money for...
2016: Door County and Wisconsin Dells with shorter trips to Chicago and South Bend, IN
2017: Kansas City with day trips to Jamesport, Weston, and Hermann, MO
Who knows where next year will take us? We have not yet had a vacation with all of us on it, except for the two early trips for college graduations.
Our favorite food this year included:
Beethoven #9 in Paola, KS for schnitzel, sausage, and potato pancakes
Q39 for all things barbecue
The Wurst Haus in Hermann, MO for sausage
Gingerich Dutch Pantry in Jamesport, MO wasn't fancy but it was very tasty
Spin Pizza in Crown Center
Bolognese Sauce from my sister
Bob Evans (always a favorite for my dad)
Not so favorites included:
Green Dirt Farm in Weston, MO (they just weren't prepared for the number of people they had)
Frozen Lemonade at Worlds of Fun (it was really frozen, not just icy)
Here's a list of where we've gone in the past:
2001: I chose to do a trip to NE that included the Great Platte River Road Archway (Kearney, NE)
2004: We all went to Iowa: Amana Colonies, Grotto of the Redemption, Pella, and LeMars
2007: Elk Falls, KS (Sherman House Bed and Breakfast) with day trip to Independence
2008: Cabooses at Two Rivers State Recreational Area outside of Omaha, NE
2009: None--Kidney transplant and 3 graduations took care of that
2010: Colorado for niece's baptism
2011: Wahoo, NE with trips to Lincoln and Omaha
2012: Cedar Bluffs, KS (cabins)
2013: Yankton, SD
2014: Fort Robinson, NE with day trip to Mount Rushmore
2015: Just a day trip to Omaha to save up money for...
2016: Door County and Wisconsin Dells with shorter trips to Chicago and South Bend, IN
2017: Kansas City with day trips to Jamesport, Weston, and Hermann, MO
Who knows where next year will take us? We have not yet had a vacation with all of us on it, except for the two early trips for college graduations.
Our favorite food this year included:
Beethoven #9 in Paola, KS for schnitzel, sausage, and potato pancakes
Q39 for all things barbecue
The Wurst Haus in Hermann, MO for sausage
Gingerich Dutch Pantry in Jamesport, MO wasn't fancy but it was very tasty
Spin Pizza in Crown Center
Bolognese Sauce from my sister
Bob Evans (always a favorite for my dad)
Not so favorites included:
Green Dirt Farm in Weston, MO (they just weren't prepared for the number of people they had)
Frozen Lemonade at Worlds of Fun (it was really frozen, not just icy)
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Week 3 of Writing to Myself Out Loud
Food: Today I tried an Almond and Orange Cake from Everyday Food (a defunct Martha Stewart production). It was good, but I worry it was too much like cornbread.
Family: Father's Day! We enjoyed a quiet day with my brother's family from Raytown, admiring the new Switch and Zelda game. Hopefully we are also listening to the Royals win.
Faith: Corpus Christi Sunday also falls today, a celebration of the Eucharist. This celebration also happens on Holy Thursday with the Institution of the Eucharist, but because the focus of Holy Thursday moves to the Paschal Sacrifice the Church has a separate day to appreciate the gift of the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ.
Fatigue: I worked close to full time last week in our church office and appreciate anew how bad I am at being a full time worker and mom and wife. I just can't do it all, and I appreciate that my family is willing to do without the income I could produce so that I can be a better wife and mom.
Next week: The beginnings of family vacation!
Family: Father's Day! We enjoyed a quiet day with my brother's family from Raytown, admiring the new Switch and Zelda game. Hopefully we are also listening to the Royals win.
Faith: Corpus Christi Sunday also falls today, a celebration of the Eucharist. This celebration also happens on Holy Thursday with the Institution of the Eucharist, but because the focus of Holy Thursday moves to the Paschal Sacrifice the Church has a separate day to appreciate the gift of the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ.
Fatigue: I worked close to full time last week in our church office and appreciate anew how bad I am at being a full time worker and mom and wife. I just can't do it all, and I appreciate that my family is willing to do without the income I could produce so that I can be a better wife and mom.
Next week: The beginnings of family vacation!
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