7 Quick Takes: Shopping Edition!

Confession: I don't usually shop for myself. When I go shopping, I might LOOK for myself, but I usually wind up buying something for the kids instead. I'm a plain Jane. I'm not frumpy, but I'll opt for comfy over cute any day. Lately, though, I've been wearing jeans to work daily, and not feeling so great about that. I received a few gift cards to Kohl's, so I took myself shopping and found some GREAT things! So I just had to share the fruits of my labor.

--- 1 ---

This sweater is awesome and runs true-to-size (I am an M and got an M). It is medium-weight, which will be perfect for the office in the spring and summer (it tends to be a bit chilly at my work). It does look a bit bunchy with a long-sleeve shirt under it, so I'd probably only wear a tank beneath.

--- 2 ---

I got this shirt in white, and the scroll on the front is a beautiful purple/maroon mix. The pictures of this shirt do the detail no justice. I was worried about the length and the banded bottom, but it fit me perfectly. I have a tea-length maroon skirt that I just can't WAIT to pair it with!

--- 3 ---

I almost didn't buy this shirt because I was afraid it would look too old-ladyish. But for $6 and 30% off, I couldn't resist. I bought a large because I wasn't sure what size would fit me better. A large IS rather flowy, but the material leads me to believe it's going to shrink up a bit. The colors are VERY pretty, though!

--- 4 ---

I also bought this top in a L instead of an M. The material also seems like it will shrink a bit. I love that this top is longer in the back: I am SO self-conscious of when I'm wearing a shirt and my back shows when I move. That seems to happen a lot!

--- 5 ---

I've entered the world of maxis. I wasn't too sure of the skirt on the hanger, but when I got it on I was like, "WOW! I need to get MORE!" I may get another 1 or 2 soon, I love it THAT much. The skirt is made of a thick jersey, and it moves freely. I got A LOT of compliments on it on Monday.

--- 6 ---

I also scooped up this dress. Let me tell you, it's going to be THE DRESS for me this summer. It is SO comfortable, it doesn't even feel like I'm wearing a dress! I'm considering getting another of the same style but have no idea what stripe or print I would choose.

--- 7 ---

This 3/4 sleeve shirt hung out in my cart for the entire shopping trip. I contemplated putting it back no less than 6 times. I have weird issues with 3/4 shirts. I feel the urge to either pull the sleeves down or push them up, and usually neither option works. In the end, I got it, and I'm glad I did. The arm bands aren't tight, so I don't feel too uncomfortable in it.

All in all, it was a GREAT shopping adventure. Between gift cards and Kohl's Cash I only spent $30 on all this awesome stuff! Not bad!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

7 Quick Takes: Poser edition

Following in the footsteps of other people,  here is my .gif-filled Friday Quick Takes.

--- 1 ---

Today I embark on my 34th trip around the sun. What a wild ride it's been so far!

--- 2 ---

When I went to the car this morning, dragging purses and bags and diapers and whatnot, I opened the door and discovered flowers, chocolate, and a card waiting for me.10 years and he's still makes me giddy!

--- 3 ---

Yesterday, with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's resignation, I've seen quite a few interesting posts on Facebook and Twitter regarding the church's need to "move into the 21st century." I go all Judge Judy on them.

--- 4 ---

I'm on a major reading kick. I blame Love, Anthony. In it Lisa Genova mentioned the book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Well, our library had it available by ebook so I decided to take it out. THEN I got a notice that Defending Jacob was ready for me to read. So I am currently reading three books (forgot to mention A Wrinkle In Time, which I got out for Bebe but decided to read myself since I never had) simultaneously. I love when this happens, though. I feel odd when I'm not reading anything.

--- 5 ---

On at leas three different occasions, Bebe has approached me with a quiet, "Mommy?" and every time I find myself responding

--- 6 ---

I love my children so very much, but lately I've felt a little crazy. Bebe has started giving me preteen attitude, and Dois is engaging in "terrible two" behavior. I want to enjoy them and cherish these days, but more often than not I find myself

--- 7 ---
And despite all these moments, I keep thinking about this

(credit: SugarPlum Studios)
 
and how I can't wait to do it all over again.

For more Quick Takes head on over to Conversion Diary!

7 Quick Takes: Totally Random

— 1 —

Last night Bebe spilled a full glass of strawberry-blueberry-pear smoothie (homemade!) on our brand-new beige carpet. ACK! I did what any quick-thinking mother would do: ran to Pinterest! We patted, we blotted, we diluted with water, and we used a baking soda-vinegar paste to work the stain out. I'm happy to report that this morning D couldn't tell me where the spill happened!

  

— 2 —

I bought myself a red sweater. I am wearing it as I type. It makes me think of Christmas or Valentine's Day but it's SO soft and cozy. The bonus? It was only $9! I love clearance and 30% off Kohl's coupons!

— 3 —

 I've discovered that I'm in the wrong profession. Last Friday I hit a post in our carport. On Monday I took my car to a few places for quotes. Labor costs are $55-$60/hour?! I need to go become a mechanic.

— 4 —

I signed up for Italian lessons! You would think since D speaks it fluently, he'd teach me... but he's never around enough. And anyway, I'd love to learn Portuguese from him first. The class runs from May through July, and I can't wait! An extra bonus is that a friend I only see every once-every-six-months-or-so-when-the-stars-align is taking it with me, so we'll see each other every week for a while!

— 5 —

Fridays are no longer fun days. I'm stuck not in "Woo-hoo, it's the weekend!" mode but, "ZOMG how am I going to survive without meat today?!" mode. I don't have eggs, nuts, seafood, etc. to fall back on like most. Breakfast was a smoothie & dry cereal. Lunch will be pinto beans and polenta (forgot to make rice). Dinner will probably be pasta with sauce. Only a little under 13 hours to go...

— 6 —

My office started a Biggest Loser challenge. I joined in because my friends were doing it and I have been wanting to shed the last few pounds I'm still hanging on to since having Dois (although I can't blame him--I can blame my insane lack of willpower and distaste for exercise). Week 1s results showed me in 2nd place! OK, don't pay attention to the fact that 1/2 the people in the challenge were out of the office for weigh-in due to the holiday or a conference. 2nd place! I highly doubt I will win, but it's nice to see myself chipping away at the weight I want to lose.

— 7 —

We got a fish. His name is Carl "the Science Fish." He is a veiltail betta, and is very pretty (this picture is proof of my horrible photography skills--he's a beautiful blue and red mix). We haven't killed him yet and it's been 4 days. He seems depressed, though. Hasn't been eating much. I'm already remembering why I'm not a pet person. Kids are high-maintenance enough, thankyouverymuch! 


Head on over to Jen's blog for more 7 Quick Takes!

7 Quick Takes: Photo edition

--- 1 ---

February 1st we began our move! While the kids sat in a chair watching TV, D and I began loading our cars with boxes to take to the new place...

--- 2 ---

....and boxes, and boxes, and BOXES. Yes, there were a lot of boxes. But this stack of EMPTY boxes were the fruits of our labor by Saturday night. We worked all day Friday and all day Saturday, and by Sunday morning we were about 95% moved in!

--- 3 ---

Which was good, because on Sunday we got to spend time with some very special friends of ours who came ALLLL the way from Alaska to warm up a little bit. Bebe and K are only 2 weeks apart and they are both cut from the same mold. I've never met another child Bebe's age who matches her personality and energy as much as K does. We had a great time with K and her family--we swam at our pool, then we went to Chipotle (on Superbowl Sunday night, so the place was dead). Poor Bebe cried the entire way home after saying goodbye.

--- 4 ---

My silly boy. He's fascinated by all of the doors here. Since we're in a downstairs unit, our apartment is handicap-accessible and the doors have easy-to-open handles. Many doors have been slammed in the last week by this playful little bugger.

--- 5 ---

Combining the kids from 2 rooms into 1 was probably my biggest challenge. I had a floor plan going in, but once I got in there, nothing felt "right" where I had envisioned it. When I came home Monday night, I found this:

D had the morning off and took it upon himself to rearrange the kids' bedroom. And he did a great job! Their toys are all neatly put away and there's a nice large space in the center of the room for them to use for playing.

--- 6 ---

We lost a room when we moved. We went from having separate dining and living room spaces to having one large (but not very large!) space for both. I'm pretty happy with how we set things up. It honestly doesn't feel as small

--- 7 ---

As if moving isn't stressful enough... On Friday D and I took the day off to do some moving ourselves. On Monday D took off the morning to do some moving-related stuff. On Monday, when I picked Dois up from daycare, he was coughing.  Overnight that cough became a HORRIBLE cold. D and I have been rotating days off, but the poor kiddo is miserable. Tonight I was desperate to eat dinner (kids had been fed) but he was too fussy for me to put down. Finally, out of desperation, I swaddled him and put him in the chair to watch TV. 2 minutes later, this is how I found him:

Sweet boy.
He is on the mend, though. Fever-free for 24 hours, so he's heading back to daycare in the morning.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

7 Quick Takes: Feb 1st edition

Really interesting title, huh? Sorry, my brain is fried. Packing and moving will do that to you. Without further adieu, here are my 7 quick takes....

--1--

Tomorrow is moving day! And yes, here I am writing QTs instead of packing. It's funny, really. Last Thursday I was in a panic, telling D, "Ahhh! There's so much to be done! I'm FREAKING OUT!!" and he was like, "Dude, calm down! It will get done!" (Which made me want to beat him, not hug him.) Then on Tuesday, how the tables had turned! D was like, "Ahhh! There's so much to be done!!" and I was like, "Calm down! It will get done!" Haha. We balance each other out SO well.

--2--

Yesterday we finished up the Novena to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots. This is the first novena that we've ever prayed together, and we both really enjoyed the experience! There were some nights when I had to wait up until 11:30 or so for him to come home so we could pray together, but it was well worth it! I'd heard really interesting stories from those who had prayed it before, so I wasn't sure what to expect from it. I don't feel like anything "monumental" happened, but in the same sense, the novena brought us together. A little funny on the side: D thought that a novena was NINETY days, not NINE! What a relief it was when he found that out (on Day 7 of our novena)!

--3--

Bebe got into our district's Gifted & Talented program. SO incredibly proud of her! This is a new journey for us--I've never doubted that she was bright, but I didn't know what would put her into the "gifted" category. I have a lot of reading (and learning) to do, as many of the "issues" we have with her seem to be VERY common among gifted learners (which is comforting--misery loves company, I guess!). At the same time, this new bit of info has me a bit disappointed in the school system in general. With budget cuts and the need to give all students an equal education, the area that took the biggest cuts was Gifted & Talented. What that means is instead of Bebe getting placed in a GATE class 5 days/week for half the day for 6 weeks (as used to be the case), she is getting placed in a GATE class one day/week for half the day for only THREE weeks (because they had so many 3rd graders identified as gifted that they needed to divide up the class). I just don't get how anything is going to be accomplished, and how this is going to help us with things like her boredom in the classroom! But I am just sitting back and waiting right now to see how it goes.

--4--

Yesterday was my mom's birthday (happy birthday, Mom!). She turned 69. This past year has been a big one for me. I think it finally hit me, my parents are getting old. My grandparents all lived into their 80s and 90s, but I feel very uncertain about my parents' futures. I love them, but I wish they took better care of themselves. I want my children to know them for a lot longer. Her diagnosis of breast cancer (in November? I can't remember anymore) made these thoughts and feelings so much more intense. How much time is left? 

--5--

Speaking of time... I am reading Mitch Albom's new book, The Time Keeper. I am really, really enjoying it! I love how Albom's mind works. I've loved every single one of his books that I've read.

--6--

Remember in November when I was SO pumped up about NaNoWriMo? I worked fiercely on a novel and managed to pump out 50,000 words in 30 days... and I haven't touched it since. That is a sad but true reality of my life. In the meantime, I've also come up with two other FABULOUS novel ideas. Now if only I could find time to write and edit more!

--7--

Speaking of editing, maybe 8 months ago, my uncle published his very first book. Amused by this, I decided to purchase it for my Kindle. Much to my surprise, it was filled with errors! I asked him to please allow me to send corrections to him so he could update his file, and he was very appreciative. He recently contacted me to let me know that the sequel would be coming out soon--and he asked me to edit it before publishing! I am very excited to have a new task to do.

OK kids, that's all for today. The boxes are calling my name. Make sure to head over to Jen at ConversionDiary to read other people's (more interesting) Quick Takes!

7 Quick Takes: Christmas Music edition

Christmas music is playing on my radio 24/7. I thought I'd do a 7 QT entirely dedicated to Christmas music!

--1--

O Holy Night.

One of my favorite Christmas songs of all. When I was in 6th grade at a Catholic school, our music teacher was an Armenian woman who had been an opera singer years before teaching. For our Christmas concert that year, she decided to sing O Holy Night. I have NEVER been as awe-struck as I was when I heard her sing it at the concert rehearsal. I think my mouth was opened then entire time. I was so incredibly disappointed when the night of the concert she had laryngitis and couldn't perform. 

There are so many versions of O Holy Night out there--I'm not sure which one makes me feel the same way her rendition did. I do love Celtic Woman, though, so here's their version of O Holy Night.

--2--

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Ever since I was a small child, I have loved the deep, meditative sound of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Many churches I've attended open every Advent Mass with this song, so in my mind I associate it with a call to prayer. When I hear it, I always hear it in choral form... so enjoy the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing!

--3--

 Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Whenever it comes on the radio, I just can't stop myself from singing along. And from envisioning the scene from Home Alone. Listen to it, and try not to do the same.

--4--

Mary, Did You Know?

In 2000 I interned for a Catholic youth magazine named YOU! Magazine. There was a plethora of Catholic and Christian-related materials on-hand, and one day I came across a book and CD titled Mary, Did You Know? by Mark Lowery. I read the book and was like--wow, I never thought of it like that. The book and song left an impression on me. In 2006 I came to work for the Christian publisher I work for now, and at that year's Christmas luncheon there was an African-American woman who had the most beautiful gospel singing voice. You know, the kind that can bring you to tears? When I heard the intro bars to this song, I knew it was going to be a doozy, and it was. As she sang, all I could think of was my own experience of motherhood to my then-two-year-old Bebe. And now, with Dois in my life, my connection to this song is even more powerful.

--5--

The Chimney Song

At some point during my high school years, I was introduced to The Chimney Song and it's been one of my favorites ever since. It just makes me giggle. And now that I've shared it with Bebe, it's one of her favorites as well!

--6--

The 12 Days of Christmas

I heard a version of this song the other day by Relient K and loved it.

But I confess that whenever I hear this song, in my head I always think of the John Denver and the Muppets version.

--7--

One More Sleep 'Til Christmas

Speaking of The Muppets... Have you ever seen The Muppet Christmas Carol? One More Sleep 'til Christmas reminds me of all the magic and excitement I felt on Christmas Eve every year as a child.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, now that you've learned about some of MY favorite Christmas songs, I want to know--what are some of YOURS?!

(Thanks as always to Jen of ConversionDiary for hosting these Quick Takes, as always!)

7 Quick Takes: I'm back!

I haven't done 7QT in a few weeks, but I'M BACK! 
Thanks as always to Jen at ConversionDiary for hosting.

— 1 —

You may remember that in November I was participating in something called NaNoWriMo, short for National Novel Writing Month. The goal was to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Well, guess what? I DID IT! That's write, I "won" NaNoWriMo. I got the sheer excitement and energy of knowing that when I buckle down I CAN do something like write a novel! I am far from publishing it, but the fact that I DID IT is no small feat! I did get this cool "web badge", though. I'll wear it proudly!

— 2 —

How are you doing with your holiday shopping? Do you shop for everyone or do you and your spouse split the duty? I do pretty much all of our gift-buying, although the decision-making is mutual. The gift I am most excited to give someone is this one.

 

No, it's not a fraternity paddle: It's a gnocchi board! My brother and his girlfriend have recently discovered their love of pasta-making and I thought that this would be an awesome addition to their kitchen. Don't worry, I got them more than just this.

— 3 —

My mother-in-law is staying with us for 5 weeks. Have I mentioned that? And since D works 2 jobs, when I come home at night it's herself, me, and the kids. And, um, I speak no Portuguese. And she speaks no English. Let's just say we have some VERY interesting "conversations" involving gestures and frantic paging through the English-Portuguese dictionary.

— 4 —

Besides my "24 Days of Christmas" posts, I'm finding it hard to return to the blogging/Twitter world. I guess because I was using all my time and resources into writing, that now I'm struggling to get back to "normal".

— 5 —

I'm only on the 5th QT and I'm already running out of steam. Okay, what is your favorite Christmas movie? Here's a little clip of mine. It was part our "getting ready for Christmas" every year that I can remember as a child. The opening just makes me so happy.

— 6 —

Confession: I told DD about St. Nick's day last week some time, but I forgot to actually do St. Nick today. I know, I'm a terrible mom. Get me to a confessional!

— 7 —

I'm glad these QTs are done now. I've never felt so boring in my life. I promise I'll ask Santa to give me some quick-wit, or an amusing life or something.

7 Quick Takes: Avoidance edition

— 1 —

It's NOVEMBER! Do you know what that means? I shouldn't be blogging, because it's NaNoWriMo! 

But I'm blogging, because NaNoWriMo is going terribly. As of this posting I only have 13,000 words written. Going at this pace I will hit 50,000 by Christmas, not November 30th. I'm discouraged, but I'm not waving the white flag until December 1st.
I am avoiding writing my novel.

— 2 —

Mass chaos ensues next week. Mass chaos = Thanksgiving, my mother-in-law's arrival from Brazil, a wedding rehearsal, a wedding, D and I's 9th anniversary, and Dois' birthday all in a one-week span (the 22nd to the 29th). On the 1st I will sleep. A lot. (I hope.)
I am avoiding getting the house ready for this chaos.

— 3 —

We're starting a new tradition this year. As I blogged in my last post, I love Advent. I love Christmas. This year we are going to have an advent wreath at home. I am hoping that every night before dinner we can light it and say a prayer or reflect on it. 

 I am avoiding the truth that usually I have good intentions but don't follow through.

— 4 —

Dois is in such a fun stage right now. He's tantruming left and right as he struggles with transition and independence, but when he's not melting down, oh my gosh is he funny! Here's a little video of him from Sunday. This was 7:30am. He INSISTED on going out on our patio, despite the fact that it was in the 50s. And then once out there, he felt the need to dance.



I am avoiding the fact that two weeks from now this boy of mine will be TWO. 

— 5 —

D's sister and her husband have asked us to be their "godparents" (tradition in their culture--instead of a best man/maid of honor, they choose a married couple as their "godparents" to mentor them in marriage). She asked us last week. My friends who know me best know not to ask me to be in their weddings. I just DO NOT feel comfortable standing up in front of people.

I am avoiding the fact that the dress I found and planned to buy is out-of-stock, and I have not found a dress yet.

— 6 —

Bebe's Christmas list is a mile long. Dois has plenty of toys left-over from Bebe. 

I am avoiding Christmas shopping.

— 7 —
 This morning I heard a song that truly moved me. Bebe is in the choir at church and they are singing it at the annual Christmas concert. It's called "The Holy Family" by Danielle Rose. Check it out!

I am avoiding crying now, thanks to that beautiful song.

Thanks for stopping by and reading! Now head on over to Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!

7 Quick Takes--It's NOVEMBER?!

— 1 —

It's NOVEMBER! Do you know what that means? I shouldn't be blogging, because it's NaNoWriMo! 

 I was dead-set on participating this year, but with the way I've been feeling lately, I wasn't sure if I had the stamina to give it a go. Buuuut.... I'm giving it a go! Wish me luck!

— 2 —

I found out on Sunday that my mom has breast cancer. I wasn't expecting it, at all. I talk to my mom nightly. I didn't see this coming. On Tuesday she had a lumpectomy and they removed all of the tumor, so now we wait for the pathology reports. This experience once again dredged up all of my deep regret about living so far from home/my parents/DH's family and not allowing our children to see them as often as I would like. So I've been in kind of a funk. I hope we have many more years to come.

— 3 —

Dois is starting a new daycare in January. Yes, we finally decided it was time for us to move on from his current place. While there's no doubt that he is loved and well-cared-for there, the expense is just too much for us to continue (especially because elsewhere, the cost goes down at age 2). We were determined to not sacrifice quality for a cheaper price, though. It turns out that the child care on the campus where D worked has an opening, and although 5 years ago we visited it with Bebe and weren't thrilled, this time around we LOVED it! So Dois will start there on January 2nd. A new year, a new daycare, and more money saved. Woo-hoo!

— 4 —

My mother-in-law is coming! My sister-in-law is getting married this month, and I just found out that my mother-in-law is coming for sure! She is planning to come for a month, and we are trying to convince her to stay through Christmas. Fingers crossed! She came to visit us for a month when Dois was 5 months old and the kids (especially Bebe) just loved having her around. It will be such a wonderful thing for her to come back again. (Remind me of this when I'm complaining about how she cleans up things before I'm done with them or when she's putting my silverware away in the wrong place.)

— 5 —

Holiday clothing disasters continue. In my last Quick Takes I posted about our Christmas clothing disasters. I was excited at the end of my post because I decided to go ahead and order something I thought was going to work perfectly. WRONG! (See people, THIS is why I start planning early!) I received our Gymboree order, and while this dress works perfectly for Bebe, the shirt, tie, and sweater vest I ordered for Dois DID NOT. An 18-24m top was tight on his belly (hard to button) and a 2T was HUGE on him. So, back to the drawing board I went. I went on eBay and found a sweater vest that would coordinate with the green in Bebe's dress and ordered it. Well, it showed up on Monday and it's a 3T, not a 2T. ARGH! Tuesday found me searching high and low for another option, and thankfully I walked into Crazy 8 (after almost passing it by!) and found a shirt to match Bebe's dress. Of course, now I'm struggling to find the OTHER pieces I need (gray pants in a 2T that can fit a cloth diaper butt, and a black sweater vest that DOES NOT cost $50!). Little by little. SO GLAD I started early.

 

— 6 —

Would you ever buy a dress sight-unseen? Buying clothes for the kids for the holidays made me realize that I really want to get myself a new dress to wear for the wedding/holidays. I browsed a couple sites and found this dress from Sears. I love love love it, but no stores around me carry it! Would you buy a dress that you couldn't try on first? I could return it if it didn't fit, but I would be out shipping.

— 7 —

I sound materialistic, don't I? I swear, I'm not. But I am a perfectionist. And I want things to look JUST RIGHT for the wedding and holidays. Hence my insanity. 

Thanks for stopping by and reading! Now head on over to Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!

7 Quick Takes

I have been relatively "quiet" this week, but I can't resist Quick Takes. Hopefully I didn't lose any new readers by laying low for a day or two!

— 1 —

My work has slowed down to the point where my desk was EMPTY for a day! That's unheard of, seeing as how I am now doing the job of at least 3 people. I got to arrange my new desk (after having been there for a few weeks), and then I got bored... so I asked for more work! God made it so that my "free time" happened to coincide with the same time our company is prepping for a photo shoot. The person who used to do them was laid off, and the person who volunteered to help with them will be gone during the shoot week... so I've stepped into the role! TOTALLY not proofreading work, but work nonetheless! And when that's over, I've been given the opportunity to write a lesson or two for our Sunday School curriculum. I love the idea of mixing up my job--and all these new opportunities are giving me such a renewed energy (that I really needed, after reading all day for 6 years)!

— 2 —

This week I've been spending a lot of my free time thinking ahead 2 weeks to the beginning of NaNoWriMo. Yep, once again I am going to attempt to write a novel in a month. I've been thinking about the WHATs, but mostly about the HOWs. You all know how busy my schedule is--HOW will I fit in writing 50,000 words in a month?! I don't know yet, but I'm going to try.

— 3 —

This week was a week of Christmas clothing disasters. As I had mentioned a few weeks back, I need nice Christmas clothes for the kids and struggled to find something appropriate and affordable for Bebe. Well, last week I got so excited because I found this dress from Hartstrings and thought it would be perfect. I ordered it in an 8 (her size). And then later that day I looked at their sizing (WHY I didn't before is beyond me)...and realized she needed a 7. It was too late to alter Order #1, so I placed Order #2 for the correct size. I figured I'd resell or return whatever didn't fit. While I waited for this dress to arrive, I happened to spot a sweater vest in Target for Dois that would match perfectly. I was on top of the world! Until the dress came... and it turned out that what looks navy blue, red, and white plaid is actually navy blue, HOT PINK, and white plaid. No HOT PINK belongs in my holidays, so it's going back. I decided to throw my hands up in the air and order the dress I'd originally found for her from Gymboree. Thankfully, it's now marked down AND I had a coupon. I spent more than I wanted to, but in the end we're getting a dress that looks nice and will be perfect for the wedding as well as Christmas Mass.

— 4 —

Halloween is coming! Bebe is going to be Cleopatra.

I intended to make a Super Why costume for Dois but gave up (couldn't find kelly green sweatpants), so he's now going to be a pirate parrot. (Seriously, does it get any cuter than this?!)

Which, of course, means D will be a pirate. (Black pants, white ss shirt, black vest, eye-patch, and pirate hat.) Now, what about me? My work gave up on the 7 Dwarves idea so I am back to the drawing board. I have 2 yards of brown felt to create a costume with. Besides Mrs. Potato Head, any other suggestions? I'm not too keen on that one.

— 5 —

I hate to exercise. Yes, you read that correctly. I hate it. I get bored SO easily of it. I can barely stay on any apparatus for longer than 15 minutes. But the other day I managed to use the exercise bike for THIRTY minutes (a miracle!). My secret? Saying the rosary while working out! It kept me focused on something besides the time that was passing or how bored I was, and I got some prayers in, too!

— 6 —

 It has been HOT HOT HOT here this past week. It's always so weird when it goes from being 90 down to the 70s and then back up in the 90s again. Where I work is coastal and today it got to 87--that's pretty much unheard of! Just last week the kids were going to bed in fleece PJs and now they're in summer PJs again. I wish the weather would make up its mind.

— 7 —

I miss fall. Fall here in Cali definitely isn't the same as fall in Upstate NY. It's not as pretty, there's no apple picking, going to the pumpkin patch in tank tops and shorts is just odd, etc. I wish I'd appreciated it more when I lived there. Instead, I couldn't wait to move somewhere else WARMER.

Thanks for stopping by and reading! Now head on over to Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!

7 Quick Takes: Food Edition

I've mentioned a few times that I suffer from severe life-threatening food allergies. I'm allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, seafood, wheat, eggs, milk, soy, green beans, and black beans. I also have a severe form of Oral Allergy Syndrome that makes it impossible for me to eat any raw fruits or vegetables. Yes, it sucks. But I've learned that I FEEL better when I'm avoiding all of these things (not all are life-threatening, some only do major gut damage).

A question I hear ALL THE TIME is, "So, what can you eat?" Today's Quick Takes are an answer to that. Here are the 7 major staples of my diet:

— 1 —

Oatmeal.

I feel like I need a disclaimer here. Not ALL people allergic/sensitive to wheat can consume oats. There are trace amounts of wheat found in oats. Gluten-free oats do exist, too, but some say it's debatable whether or not they are truly gluten-free. Anyway, for me my wheat allergy is one that affects my gut, and apparently the trace amounts in oatmeal don't matter. I eat oatmeal for breakfast. I bake with oatmeal A LOT. Did you know oat flour is just ground oatmeal? Yeah, and they try to sell it separately in the grocery store! One of my favorite recipes is blueberry oatmeal pancakes. Yes, you can make pancakes without wheat, eggs, and soy. And they're goooood, too!

 

— 2 —

Corn.

I get really sensitive about all the information in the news about genetically modified corn. I know that most corn is genetically modified and I shouldn't eat it (we're pretty "green" around here), but I just can't "let it go." To take corn out of my diet would be devastating. I snack on corn-based cereals and corn chips, we eat quite a bit of polenta, I use corn-based pasta occasionally, and corn tortillas and corn taco shells make it possible for me to enjoy some varieties of Mexican food.

—3 —

Potatoes.

I love potatoes. I really, really do. I love them for any meal. I tend to have them at breakfast (hash browns, or Potatoes O'Brien), and love roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes (especially reds--with the skins--mixed with garlic and olive oil). One of the foods I miss the most is potato salad.

— 4 —

Rice.

 There are many, many, MANY products involving rice that I use almost daily. Whether it's straight-up basmati rice with lunch, or Enjoy Life's Crunchy Rice cereal (which they recently discontinued--BOO!) ground up as breading for chicken or pork, or a bowl full of rice pasta for dinner, I could NOT survive without rice.

 

— 5 —

Cooked Fruits.

 THIS is a tricky one. Any fruits you can buy canned are pre-cooked, so while they are ALL safe, for some reason I struggle to find ones that agree with me. Right now, I buy Del Monte's Diced Pears in light syrup and Treetop applesauce. Those are the only precooked fruits I buy and consume. The rest, we do. I love living in an area where fresh produce is available year-round. During strawberry season I make strawberry "sauces" (just strawberries, sugar, and water and some thickener like pectin or cornstarch) and eat them straight-up or add them to pancakes, applesauce, etc. I bake apple crisp as often as possible. During blueberry season I go wild making the aforementioned blueberry pancakes, as well as blueberry sauce. I wish I had more variety in terms of fruit, but I try to remind myself that it's better than nothing. And, I eat PLENTY of veggies.

 

— 6 —

Meat.

Oh yeah, no way this girl could be a vegetarian. NO WAY. Because of my allergies, we eat very little processed meat. I do have safe hot dogs (Foster Farms Turkey Dogs) and safe turkey burgers (Jennie-O) that I eat occasionally, but for the most part we buy our meat in bulk and cook it up daily. I love dark meat chicken. I'm not a HUGE fan of beef, but it's always good to have when I'm feeling anemic. I love salami, and it took me YEARS to find a Top-8 Free Salami. Thank you Hormel Natural Choice! We grind our own meat, too, and I make a lot of meatballs, meatloaf, burger patties, etc. that I can have. So, yeah, meat. And lots of it. 

— 7 —

Candy.

Okay, this isn't a major staple of my diet, but everyone needs a treat some time. Believe it or not, there ARE some candies out there that I can eat! I love Enjoy Life Food's Boom Choco Boom Crispy Rice bars. They're me-safe "Krackels." Surf Sweets' Fruity Bears are not only allergy-friendly but they're dye-free and natural as well, so I eat those A LOT. And for the occasional indulgence, I am also a fan of Swedish Fish, Sour Patch Kids, Sour Patch Watermelons, and Dots. There are other candies out there safe for me, but these are the few that I seem to gravitate toward in the checkout!

I just want to give a shout-out to some of my favorite allergy-friendly brands in case food allergy families come by: Enjoy Life Foods, Ener-G foods, Surf Sweets, Hormel Natural Choice, and Cherrybrook Kitchen.

Thanks for reading my QTs! Make sure to head over to Conversion Diary and read more!