Sunday Fun

Sunday was another beautiful fall day!  We finally got to do a yearly family tradition....apple picking!  We usually get to the orchard sometime in late September, but between pneumonia and rainy weekends, this is the first chance we have gotten!

Kate was decked out in her new fall outfit....

I just love the tights!

First, we went on a hay ride.
And, yes, there is someone missing.  Andrew was not interested in heading to the orchard despite multiple requests on our part:(

  

The hay ride brought us to the pumpkin patch.  Ellie went off in search of a big, round pumpkin.  Mike helped Luke find a "Lukie size pumpkin" and then found a perfect, giant pumpkin with Sarah.  Peter had fun wandering around the pumpkin patch.  Jon and Jay were walking around chatting and holding Kate.  I have to say that I did a really good job living in the moment and not just trying to efficiently(and quickly) pick a pumpkin and get back on the wagon.  I wandered around with Ellie as her search led her to the very corner of the patch where she thought she saw the "perfect pumpkin" when we drove up in the wagon.  She was very proud and happy with her choice.

  

After the hay ride back to the apple area, we walked to the trees that still had apples on them.  Jon was pretty excited that his favorite apples were available....golden delicious.  Usually, when we go apple picking in mid-September, that section isn't open yet.  

Luke had a ball picking apples.  Ellie filled her bag in only 5 minutes!  It's amazing how fast it goes with so many hands helping.

Can you guess what I did all afternoon?  I made an apple pie and 2 apple crisps(a regular one and a gf one for my dad).  Special thanks to Sarah for peeling the apples.  Then I made homemade nuggets and taco dip for the 4pm Patriots game and Jay made chili.

It was a fun...and yummy...day:)

Who Hears Who?

The value of persistent prayer is not that God will hear us, but that we will finally hear God.

William McGill

I found this quote so intriguing.  So many times I am bringing my requests to God with a particular path for getting my request accomplished already worked out in my head.  (And a particular time table for the answering of said prayer, too!)

While I am bringing my petitions to Him, I'm not completely relying on Him...I just want Him to do it my way.  Even though from my view my way might seem best...God has a much more complete(and perfect) view.  So often, things don't work out the way I hoped and it can make me stressed or frazzled.  However, things always seem to work themselves out in a way that was better than I could have imagined! 

I guess those times are just a reminder that God is much better at His job than I am!   

My 'Living in the Moment' moments today...working together to get the house (reasonably) neat, enjoying the sunshine and last of the warm, summer-like weather at the park, enjoying my extra clingy baby even though I had to clean with one hand, and laughing at my 3 year old reluctant potty trainer's comment at the grocery store.....

Luke was sitting in Jay's carriage talking about how the box of diapers were his.  I told Luke that he needed to use the potty and be a good boy and sit properly in the cart.  Luke banged on the diaper box and said, "No, I need my diapers and you be a good mommy."  Oh, brother!  Hopefully he will be using the potty by the time he's ready for middle school!

All We Have To Do Is Ask

A new day.  Thank-you, God, for some sunshine after two days of rain!  Sunshine makes such a difference!  Sunshine is like visual hope to the soul....and I can honestly say that I needed this boost of hope today.

Sometimes situations and hurt are so difficult to face and work through.  I know, in my own experience, that when I am trying to work through difficult emotions, it can feel as if the situation is hopeless to change.  The past hurts have caused such a deep emptiness inside of me that seems impossible to fill.

I've tried ignoring the hurt and burying the hurt with denial.  Which, in case you're wondering, is not a good idea...if you don't deal with your problems then your problems will deal with you!  I've looked to other people to fill the emptiness..that always turns out badly, too.  I've tried filling the emptiness myself and that doesn't work either.  I get to a point where I almost despair of ever getting through the hurt and resign myself to try and enjoy life despite the crater I carry around in my heart.

But, that isn't living life abundantly...and that's what God promises.(John 10)

God can fill me completely and heal me of the emptiness that past hurts have caused.  With God's help, I can work to change relationships in the present.

God can fix all the brokenness so that I can live fully in the present moment without always falling into the potholes(and black holes) of past hurts.  That's what this month is all about...learning to live in the moment through the eyes of faith.  Sometimes that requires a detour into the past to fix something that was broken.  Not only will He fix it....He will help us use our experience of hurt and healing to encourage other people He puts in our path!  Healing and bringing something good out of bad situations...much better than carrying around emptiness all my life!

This healing is for everyone...all we have to do is ask Him!

When The Going Gets Tough....

Sometimes living in the moment is just hard.  The days that I am tired and grumpy and overwhelmed make me want to be by myself, not enjoying a moment with my kids...who seem like they are on a mission to annoy me constantly anyway.  Ironically, it's also book club day and we are discussing a chapter titled, "Keep a Contented Heart"....and my heart is anything but feeling content.  In fact, I don't even feel like putting in the (what feels like gargantuan) effort to even try to be positive.

Re-reading the chapter yesterday, I really identified with the desire to be kinder, less critical, and more positive.  Here it was less than 24 hours later and that desire was G.O.N.E....nowhere to be seen!

It's amazing how being tired, dealing with some triggered unresolved hurt, and some difficult family news can throw me off so much.  Isn't this very moment of challenge the golden opportunity to change and grow stronger?  Do I want the healing and grace more than I want to be negative and critical?  Why is it so much work to choose to be positive and life giving?

It's like being on a diet and wanting to eat the chocolate cake in the fridge.....a battle within yourself.

I'm not even sure how I'm supposed to respond.  All I know is that the way I want to respond, and have responded in the past, isn't the right way.  My "How, What, Where and When" questions to God regarding showing a right response to all that is unsettling me haven't received an answer yet.

So I am waiting...and trying to keep my mouth from opening up and causing harm.  I want to be encouraging and kind and build people up.

Meanwhile, I will light my candle and pray for peace in my home...as well as the homes of my family and friends.  "Lord, make me a channel of your peace...."

An appropriate prayer on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi.

Out For Dinner

Living in the moment isn't just about the happy times....it's about living fully, even in the difficult moments.  For example, last night I was going out to dinner with two of my friends.  You know how it is as a mom...if we go out everyone else still needs to be taken care of.  I was supposed to leave a little before 6:30 and Jay wasn't getting home until then, so I was on my own getting dinner ready, taking care of the baby(who was very cranky and in need of a good nap), and trying to get myself ready to go out.

I decided to just make cheeseburgers and hot dogs with freezer fries for dinner since it required no real prep and not much clean up for Jay.  I started the grill and the oven in plenty of time to have it ready as the teenagers came in the door from sports so that I would have some time to get myself ready.

It was raining a little, but that wasn't a big deal.  I don't melt.

I put the burgers on the grill and went back inside to get the spatula and tray and the hot dogs.  A few minutes later I went outside and.....the grill is cooling off.   Turns out we ran out of propane.  Ugh!

Thankfully, my parents live across the street so Mike went over to their house and borrowed their propane tank, hooked it up to our grill, and restarted it.  I was now running behind, the baby was crying with Sarah, and the fries were just about done.  Deep breath...trying to stay patient.

I go out to flip the burgers(in the rain) and notice lots of smoke coming out of the grill!  Oh, no.....grease fire!  I mutter a quick prayer of  "Please don't let the burgers be on fire and ruined", since I have no plan B.  I opened the grill and flames shot up all over the place.  I flipped the burgers quickly and put them all in an area that had the least amount of flame!  Most didn't look too bad.....a couple looked a little like hockey pucks!  Ugh...well, cheese hides everything, right?!?

I finish the burgers(quickly) and turn off the grill.  I come inside to take Kate and nurse her to get her that much needed extra nap.  At 6:25, Jay has just gotten home and I am sitting on the couch  nursing the baby in the sweat pants and t-shirt I have worn all day...no make-up, no hairspray....and I was supposed to leave at 6:20!

I was sitting on the couch, trying to focus on living in the moment, and trying not to be resentful that when Jay goes out with his friends he only has to come home, change and leave without worrying about anyone else!  Why is it, as a mom, that it is so much work just trying to get a break?

And.....why can't I ever seem to get more that 5 minutes to try and make myself presentable?

It all worked out in the end.  I managed to put Kate down, asleep, for the first time that day without her waking up.  (Did I mention she desperately needed a nap?)  I managed to throw on some (clean) jeans and a dressier shirt.  I didn't have time to search for earrings, but I did put a little make-up on and brushed my hair and teeth quickly.  I think I have perfected the 5 minute readiness routine!

'Living in the moment' with my friends was much easier that 'living in the moment' of preparing to go out.  There were certainly more opportunities to practice patience in the preparation moments....and it could have gone a lot worse.  The only person throwing a fit last night was Kate...so that's an improvement on the past!

I had a great time with my friends and I got to eat a meal that was warm and eat with both hands!  Having adult conversation was a nice touch, too:)

Creating an Atmosphere of Peace

There are a couple of things I am focusing on this month.  I talked about or alluded to them yesterday, and today I will explain a little more(just like I promised:).

I was inspired by several ideas that have all mixed together to (hopefully!) make October an extra special month!  Angell at Passionate and Creative Homemaking is running a Make Your Home a Haven challenge during the month of October.  The idea was originally run last year by Courtney at Women Living Well.

Every week there will be a challenge that helps to Make Your Home a Haven.  This week the challenge is to light a candle and, whenever the flicker catches your eye, you pray for peace in your home.  Such a little thing to do, but it really keeps my awareness focused on something so important!  (And I can always use all the grace I can get...so extra prayer is always beneficial!)

Creating an atmosphere of peace in my home is really important to me.  I want our home to be a loving, safe and fun environment that gives all who live, and visit, a reprieve from the weight and cares of the world....a place to recharge and find peace.

In some ways, it sounds comical.  I mean, really, peace in a house with 10 people?  My blog is named 'Normal Chaos' for a reason.  But, despite the hustle and bustle, peace and life giving love can be achieved!  It takes a lot of work, but the results are so worth it!

Where do I see these peaceful moments the most?  (And, no, it's not just when everyone is asleep!haha!)

I see peace and companionship when we all sit down to dinner together.  I see it after Mass on Sunday mornings when we are all sitting around the kitchen putting breakfast together or having a conversation with the teens over a cup of coffee when we are cleaning up after breakfast.  I see it when we are all sitting in the living room enjoying a favorite family tv show(our fav right now is The Middle) or sharing a movie together.  I see it when Jay lays on the floor playing with the little ones.  I see it when one of the teenagers opens up and shares about their day.

Unfortunately, I also see opportunities for peace ripped away too often because, at times, one or more of us let our own moods or emotions run away and, instead of making an emotional deposit into the family's love tank we are making withdrawals.  Too often, that person is me.

Sometimes I just miss opportunities to make emotional deposits in my family's love tanks because I'm too busy just trying to get things done.  I miss living in the moment because I want the moment to wait until I've finished the laundry, or the dishes, or made dinner, or written a blog post, or checked my emails, or facebook, etc, etc......

Like I've said before, multitasking can be a great tool, but it can also be a great distraction.  Sometimes, those you love need your full attention, including eye contact.  Too often my kids, and sometimes even my husband I'm sorry to say, are talking to me as I'm washing counters, sorting through mail and I'm only half listening to what they are saying.  An occasional, "Uh-huh" or "really?"  is not a good substitute for giving people the attention they deserve.

Along with lighting a candle, the Making My Home a Haven challenge included a reflection for this week:  Being a Distant Mom or Being an Engaged Mom.  (For my guy readers...this can easily be adapted to Being a Distant or and Engaged Dad!)  There's so much included in that reflection...which could easily be labeled as "things that make you go Hmm!?!"..that I will share more in another post.  Making My Home a Haven fits in very well with my intentional "Living in the Moment" theme for October as well.  I still want to expand on where I started and where I'm going with that theme more, but it will have to wait for later in the week.

Today's "Living in the Moment" moments...at least so far...have been taking advantage of snuggle time with a clingy baby and pretending to be ninja turtles with Luke(I am the "mommy ninja turtle" and Kate is the "baby ninja turtle" according to Luke).  I also walked away from writing this post multiple times to change a blowout diaper for Kate, make an early lunch because it was obvious they were hungry, and to give Luke some extra attention since he was trying to "fix" the window sill that he started "fixing"(read; break) a few months ago.

So, onward October....hope you get a chance to check in tomorrow as this exciting month of growth and challenge continues!:)

It's October!!!

I have SO much to write about!  I think I may end up sharing everything I have to say over the next couple of days!  Way too much excitement for one post!:)

First of all...today begins my favorite month of the year!  I love, love, love October!  I love the crisp fall weather.  I love the changing colors on all the trees.  I love turning on the oven and bringing out the recipes for soups and slow cooking oven meals.  I love apple picking and picking out pumpkins at our local orchard.  I love turning all the apples we pick into pies, and crisps, and homemade apple sauce.

This is a month filled with power house saint feast days!  Just this week alone celebrates St. Therese, Guardian Angels, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Faustina.  The lives and writings of these 3 saints have touched my life in very special ways over the years...and I always appreciate my Guardian Angel!  (We joke that Peter must have 3:)

My wedding anniversary is also this month, so I get to look forward to a little alone time with Jay to remember that special day and reflect on all our memories over the last...wait for it....20 years!  I can't believe we have been married that long!  But, more on that later in the month....

I have some really special goals this month.  I promise I will elaborate over the next few days...it might even take the whole week!

I am concentrating in a special way this month on living in the moment through the eyes of faith.  This theme has been percolating in my heart for the last few months and I have been trying to wrap my head around it.  I don't have it all worked out, but I'm jumping in with two feet anyway.

It will make this October even better!

Today was a beautiful fall day.  After 3 days of rain I was so ready to get out of the house and enjoy the sunshine with Luke.  The idea to go to the zoo popped into my head.  Felt like a good fit.  So, after we got ready for the day, off we went.

This is the first time I've taken Luke and Kate to the zoo by myself.  I was looking forward to the adventure. I even remembered my camera!

Since my focus is to "Live in the Moment"(LITM) this month, we went through the zoo on "Lukie pace".  I let Luke lead the way and just followed along and redirected when necessary, which was hardly at all.

The train was getting ready to go on its first ride of the day as we walked into the zoo.  I had tickets left from our last visit so I asked Luke if he wanted to ride.  He was a little hesitant until I told him that Kate and I would ride, too!  After that, Luke jumped right on:)

Kate wasn't so sure about it at first, but they both ended up enjoying the ride.  The attendant was nice enough to snap our picture at the end....I'm thinking that I have a new facebook photo!

After the train ride, we wandered around the zoo for an hour.  We stopped for a snack when Luke wanted.  We stayed by the animals for however long, or short, Luke wanted.  It was so cute.  When he was ready to see the next animal, his squeaky little voice would let me know, "Let's keep going, Mommy."  We counted the pigs and the goats and the cows.  He helped push the carriage for a while.  No rushing, no plan...just together time.

Luke spent some time climbing this rock over and over again towards the end of the zoo.  He had a lot of fun:)

When we were done with the zoo, I asked Luke if he wanted to go to the playground for a while.  Luke was thrilled.  Up the ladder, through the tunnels, down the slides he went for another 40 minutes.  I did have to encourage him to leave because Kate was ready to go.  Luckily, there was a front end loader working on the elephant cage and the elephants were hanging out in the grass next to the chain link fence near the playground so Luke was willing to check it out on the way to the van.

My favorite fall leaves were featured on a tree in front of the zoo.  I love the orange leaves!

A smaller, but still significant "Living in the Moment" moment happened right before we went to the zoo.  Andrew had forgotten his english binder with his homework at home this morning.  Since the zoo is a mile from the boys' high school, we dropped the binder off for him.  Andrew was in study, which he generally spends in the Campus Ministry Office.  Andrew saw me pull up and he called to me from the door.  He was with one of his best friends.  

Andrew looked so happy and "in his element"...which is a big deal for my most introverted, sensory defensive son.  It was a little "God wink"...just knowing that the sacrifices that we make for him to be at that school are worth it because he is thriving.  I was grateful for that little moment.