7 Quick Takes: Life Lately

Life has been so busy and I have finally realized that I just need to stop saying it’s busy and just accept that it’s life — life with six kids.  So, here’s a quick glimpse of my life lately in 7 Quick Takes.

1. Called by Name Conference:

I just returned from a really amazing conference and I’m so impressed with the way it equipped everyday people like myself with practical tips to reach out to people who have left the Church.

You know how sometimes you come back from a conference full of good ideas and nice feelings, but not sure how to actually do anything with it? This wasn’t one of those conferences. You can read more about it here.

2. Laundry Problems:

After a crazy, hit-the-ground-running return from our pilgrimage to Italy, I realize that I have laundry issues — as in, I just can’t stay on top of it! I do have an 11 year old who is supposed to be staying on top of it, but she’s my go-to baby entertainer so often I swap out laundry duty for making her little brother laugh, instead.

Baby entertainer requires some skills, and she’s got them –so best to let kids maximize their God-given talents.  Unfortunately this means laundry takes a back seat to almost everything else in the house.

I resolved to solve this problem once and for all! I found some lovely smelling detergent, bought it in bulk at 25% off, and re-organized my laundry area a bit.  And the result?  It was a big, fat fail!  🙁  Turns out the only way to get on top of laundry is to actually do it.  Boo!

3. Finding Fall Activities that are so darn American!:

Finding lovely little spots that remind us of a simpler life:  I can’t get enough of them.  This little spot has a pumpkin patch, amazing pumpkin donuts, cider, and a maze built entirely of straw.  This spot is so sweet and combines all of the best things that Fall has to offer a soul.

4 &5. Birthdays:

For us, birthdays are a lot about trying to keep certain traditions alive and not stressing too much over perfect cakes or meals.  The night before, we always decorate the birthday chair at the kitchen table with streamers and a few balloons.  We usually try to have breakfast together and always dinner.

Sometimes we do a family movie or bowling,  but it’s usually a low-key event that lets our kids know that the day they were born is a big deal and they are so precious to us.

Almost always there is Mass as a family, or most of the family.  The kids look forward to these few traditions every year.  We rarely do big parties with a bunch of kids because at the end of the day, your siblings are the life-long friends that you expect will be with you to the end.  Sometime it’s nice to be reminded of that.

This guy turned 1!

And this guy turned 8!

6.  Blogging:

Okay, all of you long-time bloggers I tip my cap to you!  You are amazing!  How do you do it?  No, really, I am wanting to know how you do it — please enlighten me.  Lest you think I sit in a leather-bound library, surrounded by books, smoking my pipe, and writing away effortlessly, here’s a picture my four year old took of me while working on the blog.

And where are my children while I write?  Sometimes they are at my feet playing with random things like rolls of toilet paper.  Yes, that single roll of toilet paper bought me about an hour of writing time.  Worth the mess!  I can’t take credit for that one — my four year old provided the toilet paper.

I read about bloggers taking one day a week and hitting coffee shops to write.  That sounds wonderful!  Maybe one day — but for now I am usually writing in the midst of a lot of chaos.

7.  Halloween and All Saints Parties:

I am not that pinterest parent who plans for Halloween.  I’m just not — I have accepted that about myself and I’m moving on.  I am an improviser — and not a very good one either.  🙁  For me, Halloween is about grabbing whatever is around the house and putting it on, and voila you have a costume.

And what makes matters worse is that Catholics have this thing called All Saints Day –don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderful — so now I have to improvise Halloween costumes and saints costumes for the All Saints Parties that Catholics throw this time of year.

Argh! this is not one of my gifts, people.  So the next time you are feeling bad about your costuming skills, have no fear — you are not alone.

Yes, who do I think I am fooling with this one?  Princess Elsa?  Who hasn’t seen Frozen?  Why would I think that this is a believable St. Elizabeth of Hungary?  I don’t know.  Perhaps the baby will make up for it?

Okay, that’s all I got.  Have a great weekend!

Linking up with Kelly!