Friday, September 17, 2010

7 Quick (Really Quick) Takes!


1. Moving is so much easier when you're already packed up from the last move :). Mr. ADM brought up the boxes from the basement and storage and put them in one room and then put the furniture in another room. He's got a method and it's a very efficient one, so I let him do all the planning!

2. Having help is also a major plus! Thanks to all the men who are giving up a few hours of their day to help us out! Thanks also to my mother-in-law who will be taking care of Matthew and Mark and keeping them out of trouble.

3. Naptime is my favorite word of the week. I think the combination of a really hectic week and lack of routine along with the whole upheaval of moving has overwhelmed the kids (I know it's overwhelmed us!). They have been cranky and crankier all week long. Naptime is happening soon in this house today!

4. I cannot say enough good things about COCONUT OIL right now. It's really helped clear up Matthew's eczema and is good for you, so it's great to bake/cook with too! And I'm going to finally sit down and make the homemade deoderant which uses the coconut oil.

5. I am SO looking forward to decorating our new house! It's still a rental, so I can't go hog-wild, but our landlords have given us more freedom than we've had in the past with apartments we've rented and I'm SO excited! I have some crafty ideas already in my head and hopefully, I'll have the time to do these things, one by one. We shall see. Look forward to blog posts about my projects, which I have found from other blogs, of course!

6. I have begun a novena to Our Lady of Good Remedy. I've never prayed this one before, but I really like it. It's beautiful.

7. We're taking the plunge and homeschooling this year. My mom, who watches the boys when I work, has started some simple things with them and I'm hoping to be able to start up more myself once we get moved in. So much running through my mind and so many ideas and I'm SO looking forward to it! I'm also set on making the boys' play area more in the style and method of Montessori. That is the project I think I'm most excited to work on!

Have a blessed weekend! To see more Quick Takes, visit www.conversiondiary.com!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Apple Pickin'


I thought summer flowing into fall would bring a nice peace and tranquility to our lives. Summer was full of weddings, travelling, helping my parents move and juggling interviews and finding jobs. Now that fall has hit full swing (although technically not fall quite yet), our time has not gotten any less hectic. That's okay though. We say when we move next week, a routine will be set and we'll finally get that free time we have been talking about for 6 months or so.


In the midst of the chaos, we have been attempting to make Sunday the day it was meant to be, the Lord's Day. For us, this means no shopping if possible, going to Mass and then coming home to do as we please. That usually entails long naps, some computer/reading time, and a nice family dinner. However, even that can get hectic or seem to slip by without us noticing and then Monday comes back before we know it. This past Sunday, however, seemed to flow quite nicely and I felt like I could cherish the moment.


Being that we just started our new jobs, finances have been extra tight as we save up to actually live in a place on our own again. It's worth the sacrifice and we know what it is to scrimp n save, as we've been doing since the beginning of our marriage. So, when the two apple trees in my parents' yard seemed to be full of ripe fruit, ready to be picked, we seized the moment to go "apple pickin'." Matthew went apple picking for the first time last year and had a blast, so I knew Mark would love it too! We spent the afternoon picking apples and made a delicious apple crisp that night with our freshly picked apples. It was free and got a job done that my mom needed while having a wonderful family-bonding experience all in one :)! My boys love fruit (they get that from their daddy) and we're hoping (*hint hint*) that my mom will have time to make some apple sauce or teach us how to do it.

What's your favorite apple dish?