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It’s been a couple of weeks since the last TWM and I’m not sure where to begin! Things have been crazy. I’m planning a new edition for all my email subscribers to the Carrots newsletter (you can sign up here–it’s different from the blog posts) all about what’s going on with the house and the move because that’s been keeping us busy.
In addition to the house and the tree saga (which is thankfully all wrapped up now), it’s been a stressful spring. My dad was diagnosed with cancer and that certainly didn’t decrease my general anxiety. (He just had a successful surgery and should be just fine now, praise the Lord!)
And then May was particularly busy because Daniel and I both spent weekends out of town which is pretty unusual.
We had originally planned to go to the beach for my friend Erin’s wedding, but then with my folks out of town for the surgery so they couldn’t help with childcare and the complication of me needing to be there for the bachelorette party and pre-wedding shenanigans made things tricky.
When I had a major meltdown about getting the house ready for a showing and EVERYTHING, Daniel suggested that I just go to the beach…..alone. Like all. by. myself. Nobody but me and a Dorothy Sayers mystery novel. It was my Mother’s Day present. 3 days at the beach. Best ever.
Husbands…..send your wife to the beach for three days. FOR REAL. She will come back a much happier woman.
Then the next weekend Daniel was running another 100-mile ultra marathon. Remember the last time he did one of those and everyone got sick while he was away and it was generally a house of horrors at the Stewart residence? Yeah.
For the record, he handles single dadding it for a weekend much better than I do. But, this time nobody got sick and all was well. He got back in plenty of time to attend Lucy’s first ballet recital and she was just precious. Let me offer you a photo dump of baby ballerina pics. No, you don’t have a choice in the matter.
CAN YOU EVEN HANDLE THAT?!
The Quotable Lucy
Lucy: When I grow up, I’m going to have two babies in my tummy.
Marmee (my mom): You mean twins?
Lucy: Yes . . .But how do the babies get in there?
Marmee: Umm, well, you will want to ask your Mommy and Daddy . . .
Lucy: (Eyes brightening): Well, Jesus lives in my heart, so he can just put the babies in my tummy . . .
The Quotable Gwen
“My eyes are tinkling!” (Actually it’s called crying, but….I get it.)
“Can you get the banana wrapper offa der?” (Of course. Banana wrappers are the worst.)
“I don’t want to put my shoes on! I just want to keep these feetsies on!”
Podcastin’
This week over at the Fountains of Carrots podcast we had a blast talking to one of my all-time favorite bloggers, Dwija Borobia of House Unseen, Life Unscripted in this fun episode. We talk crazy big life-changing adventures, our imaginary life hacks for moms (for real why has no one invented the protein-shake helmet?), and laughed more than we ever have on a podcast. I think you’ll love it.
And my friend Michael Lichens interviewed yours truly about our big crazy move coming this summer, mom bloggin’, liturgical living, farming, goats, and much more on the Catholic Exchange podcast.
And I was on CatholicTV this week (scary because it was live!) sharing about the Edel Gathering. You can watch the clip here if you’re interested. I’ve never been on TV before so that was pretty exciting!
Links:
Revisiting Brideshead: Joseph Pearce (Beautiful articulation of some of the reasons I adore this novel so very much.)
Leaving the Nest: Rachel Balducci (I will be a mess when this season of life arrives.)
10 Years Later North and South Remains Greatest Period Drama Miniseries of All Time: Flavorwire (Not sure if I agree with best of all time but…..definitely in the top 5. I watch it every year around Benjamin’s birthday because it’s what I watched while I was in early labor.)
How Can We Build a Catholic Culture in Our Parishes?: A Knotted Life
It’s Vespers Somewhere: First Things
Just Like Hogwarts!: Dominicana
Pentecost: Not Merely Observing: Cari Donaldson for Catholic Exchange
Kitchen Table Thoughts on Nursing a Newborn: Like Mother, Like Daughter
And Kendra has a great series going about how she uses PicMonkey (my fave) to create images. Fellow bloggers will enjoy it.
And if you need more Mad Men in your life post series finale here’s a great interview with creator Matthew Weiner. (We did a whole podcast about the show last month.) And speaking of the podcast, if you have any requests for topics you’d like to hear about or questions you’d like answered on the podcast, we’d love to do a little Q&A episode so share your thoughts in the comments!
Lots of love,
Haley
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The podcast was so silly. Just as I hoped.
Ballet related question: What to look for in a dance program for little kids? How do you find a dance program that has a sense of creating beauty about it? How would you know it’s a good one and not “twaddle”?
P.S. Lucy’s serious expression is so cute!
Great question. I’ve thought about doing a whole post on this. I highly recommend ballet over jazz for very young girls. Usually they begin with a “creative movement” class that introduces some ballet but teaches them about using space and movement and having fun. I would ask around to parents who have had kids in dance to get recommendations and might even attend some of their recitals if you can. Those always speak volumes.
Wow, Gwen is really talking now! It’s crazy how that just seems to happen overnight!
I know! It’s so crazy.
Three days at the beach sounds like heaven. I’m going on a silent retreat next weekend; no beach, but otherwise almost the same thing. Cannot WAIT.
Oh, and “North and South”: fabulous.
A silent retreat sounds lovely!
ha! When I was a kid north and south came on TV every Saturday night for like 10 weeks or more or something, and I still remember being at my rec league softball games and thinking how I couldn’t wait for that night when my family would make nachos and watch the next segment!
What a great memory! It’s just so good.