Friday Flashback-Portraits!

Here is one of my sons at the same age
as Alex is now.

Any guesses which one?

What are you flashing back to? Please grab the button from the bottom of my blog for your post and then link up your post. Make sure you link back to me. Failure to do so will result in your link being deleted. Happy Weekend, Everyone!

Veggie Dip

1 16 oz. sour cream

1 packet dry veggie soup mix

1 4 oz. container crumbled feta

Mix ingredients and refrigerate until ingredients meld. Serve with veggies, crackers, or bread. Enjoy!

This is one of my favorite munchies! I love feta in just about anything!

Now it is your turn! Grab the button from the bottom of my blog for your post. Then come back to link your recipe up with this post! (Please link your recipe post, not your entire blog!)

Almost Wordless Wednesday-Better Late than Never!

We took the kids for pictures today.

There will be many more to follow, but I wanted share

the beginning:

And THE END (at least for Alex!).

Back in Business!

I am planning on being back to business this week for both Recipe Swap Thursday and Friday Flashback! The code for the buttons are at the bottom of my blog. Who's joining me?

A Scattered Life

I've been doing a lot of reading over the past month. I think summer allowed me to take a breath and find some time for one of the things I love to do. I am going to be doing some reviews of some of the books I have read this summer.

The first one I want to showcase is A Scattered Life by Karen McQuestion. I first met Karen about 14 years ago. Our husbands work together. From time to time, Andy would come home with a copy of an article Karen had published. When I began blogging, I started following Karen's blog. Karen has this great wit about her. I have also been able to follow her road to publishing there.

Last year, she self-published on Kindle. At some point in the process, A Scattered Life was picked up for a movie option. Then, this year, it was published as a paperback (through Amazon Encore) on August 10. In fact, now all of her books are about to be published as paperbacks. Check out her blog for her path to being published (and she has giveaways from time to time too)! Now onto the book:

I have to say that I LOVED this book! Karen has a great writing style, and is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! A Scattered Life is a great story about unlikely friendship. It is a beautiful story, one with a few twists and turns that will leave you laughing one minute and crying the next. I was not able to put this book down! I hope they do make a movie of this book-I would love to see it come to life!

You can check out the trailer for the book here. Well done, Karen!

Winding Down

Can you feel it? I certainly can...summer is starting to wind down. I'm kind of sad about it, and this is a first for me! I think I conquered summer this year! In the past, since I've had kids in school, I have always hit the point of, "When do you all go back to school?" Not this summer though. I am not sure what it is.

In the past, I have resolved to have a schedule and stick to it. In the past, I have failed at this. So, when summer loomed its head this year, I decided to not write up a schedule. We kind of had a routine anyway because of the baby's nap schedule. That was enough for me.

What I do know is that this summer has been different. Busy, but good busy. We did a lot. No vacations this year because we have a family wedding this fall. But we have been busy. We had lots of family in to visit. Nieces and nephews home from college. My brother and his family came to visit, and my sister-in-law and her kids came a different week and stayed with us. Local cousins came over to play and swim. We had a lot of family time. I love this! We also went to Six Flags, State Fair and our parish festival (a carnival in and of itself). There was only one ER visit-for me (I didn't write about it because it was silly really-I dropped a heavy case on my foot and thought it was broken. Thankfully, it wasn't.). We went to our State Capital for fireworks on the 4th. It was a great summer! Andy and I keep saying that to each other, "This has been a great summer!"

Monday, we had one last cousin sleepover. When they went home on Tuesday, I told the boys it was blackout time (no video games for the rest of summer). We are starting back to school mode complete with back to school bedtimes. They start school in a week and a half. Soccer starts next week. I have never felt this way. Normally, I am ready for them to go back. This time, I want summer to go on. Maybe it is because Michael is starting this fall, maybe it is because Peter is moving to the upper grades. Whatever it is, I know that this summer is one that I will look back on and smile! And I need to file this post away for next summer so I can remember to celebrate this time because it all is going too fast!

I think I am back!

Thanks for putting up with my mini-break. I just was feeling totally overwhelmed and I needed some time to sort out life. Still doing it, but I am feeling in a better position...at least right now...

I started a new project at work. I have written before about my online teaching gig. It is a remediation program for reading and math, grades 3-9. The majority of our students are at-risk youth, and I have to say that I have seen a lot of growth in some of these kids. So, a couple of weeks ago, I was asked to help out (one of only 5 teachers from a pool of hundreds) on a new project to add additional districts.

It is 20 hours a week, and the bulk of it is during the day. I have been working during Alex's naptime, and Peter has been watching his little brothers while I do this. It has been totally overwhelming! I have been feeling so far behind on everything! That was the start of my blogging break last week. I told Andy this morning that I don't know how to keep up on everything. We also moved kids around bedrooms this weekend. It's just been very busy.

Fortunately, this project only lasts until October. I have also put in for a different position where I am working. Please say a prayer if you have a chance. i should hear about next steps this week.

Still Breaking

I came across something I wrote in 2008, and did not feel ready to share. I realized that this very much still applies to the person I wrote this for. I am also coming to another realization-I need to get back to some real writing. I remember feeling very good after I had written this and gotten it off my chest. So, without further ado,

To a Friend

Friendship-something each and every one of us has at least encountered at some point. Friendship-something I am not sure I could have lived without during some of the best and worst times in my life. Friendship-something I see fractured between us right now. I don’t know if it can be fixed. I don’t know if I want it fixed. We’ve always been very different, perhaps too different. Maybe I am just too tired of having to be different from you. I won’t let go of my beliefs, and you of yours. I feel like there is this wide chasm between us, and I don’t want to jump. You’ve known me longer and better than almost anyone one else-with the exception of my husband and family, but I am tired, tired of the differences, tired of having to explain why I believe what I do, and hear from you why it’s not valid.

I have new friends. Well, they are not entirely new, but newer than you. They don’t make me feel like I need to apologize for who I am. They accept me. After years of feeling like I had to steel myself against criticism, I no longer have to. They love me-unconditionally.

So, what should I do when I feel like a relationship is fractured, broken, beyond repair? Part of me wants to scream,”NO! Don’t let go!” but part of me understands the reality. It is time to move on. And I am OK with that. Are you?

Break

Taking a little blogging break. I've been feeling really overwhelmed of late, and I need some time to sort this out. Hoping you will wait for me! :)

Guess Who Needed Glasses?

Because the two older boys needed glasses at 4 and 3 respectively, we make it a habit to take the youngest in right before they go to school. Today was Michael's day. Yes, he needed glasses. He takes after his Mama. He has not one, but 2 lazy eyes! So, he has glasses. Michael will go back in 6 weeks. If there is not measurable improvement, he may need patches. I would like to ask for prayers that the glasses will do the trick. Thanks!

Friday Flashback

This is a picture of Andy, Drew and I from my parents' 45th Wedding Anniversary (Peter was off with his cousins). It was such a beautiful, happy day. We celebrated about 2 weeks early because my Mom was scheduled to go in for surgery. This was March. We knew both of my parents had cancer. Mom died August 11, and Dad 19 months after her. This was the last time we would all be together as a family. My heart is a little heavy this week with the anniversary of her death coming up, but I am trying to focus on the positive. THIS was a beautiful day, and I am so glad we were all there for it!

Recipe Swap Thursday!

Cold Veggie Pizza

2 tubes crescent rolls

1- 16 ounce carton sour cream

1- 8 ounce cream cheese

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dip

assorted veggies, chopped into bite size pieces

Roll out crescent rolls on a large cookie sheet or jelly roll pan, carefully joining all seams. Bake off dough according to package directions. Blend sour cream, cream cheese and ranch packet. Spread on cooled crust. Top with chopped veggies. This can be varied depending on preference/seasonal veggies. Ours usually includes broccoli, cauliflower, grape tomatoes (halved), mushrooms and red pepper. Cut into squares and serve.

Now it's your turn! Post your recipe and then come back and link up here (please link to your post, not to your blog). Can't wait to see what everyone is sharing!

Recipe Swap Reminder

I am sharing an APPETIZER tomorrow!

What about you?

Favorite Catholic Prayers

Lovely Gardenia has tagged me in a meme about my favorite prayer.

The rules are as follows:

"Name your three most favorite Catholic devotional prayers, and explain why they're your favorites. Then tag five bloggers - give them a link, and then go and tell them they have been tagged. Finally, tell the person who tagged you that you've completed the meme. The Liturgy and the Sacraments are off limits here. I'm more interested in people's favorite devotional prayers."

Here are mine:

1. Hail, Holy Queen!
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us. And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

2. Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

3. St. Michael the Archangel
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the malice and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.


Now, who do I tag?

1. Therese at Aussie Coffee Shop
2. Sarah at Prayer for the Journey
3. Jamie at Lord, Make me a Saint
4. Sarah at With a Hopeful Heart
5. Christine at, well, Christine
6. Anne at Imprisoned in my Bones