What I've Been Up To

I've just been taking it easy and trying to keep the kids occupied so they won't get on each other's nerves.

Earlier in the week, we went to Universal City Walk (an outdoor shopping area) near Universal Studios. We had some lunch, spent an accidental fortune on candy, and just enjoyed window shopping. Regarding the candy, the store is one of those where you choose your own in a bag and pay by weight. As I was helping Emily get her 1/4 of a lb amount, Kathryn went on her own and loaded up on Jelly Beans and M&M's. She thought you just filled up the bag with whatever you wanted. Of course, the rules are, once you get the candy, you just can't put it back. The total ended up being something like $20.00. Too much for our pocketbook, on candy, no less!!!

This is Emily enjoying some of Kathryn's loot!

Steve painted Kathryn's room. It's now a BRIGHT pink. A very modern look for our cool girl!

This is just a swatch of the color. It's much brighter in real life.

The kids had lots of basketball practice going on. Games are usually on the weekend.

We've done some reading and worked on Math skills.

We had this visitor in our house the other day.




When Ryan and Emily came running into my room saying there was some kind of big bug flying in the living room, I was secretly panicking because I was so hoping it would not be a flying cockroach. Those things FREAK ME OUT!!!! I need Steve to handle that stuff but he was at work, so I had to be the grown up and take care of the situation. I was so relieved when I saw that it was just one of these beetles. I don't know what they're really called but we call them Japanese Beetles. They have a really pretty fluorescent green shell. We seem to get these in the house every so often. I don't know how they get in, but when we find one, we get it and send it back outside. It makes a buzzing noise like the June bugs.

Yesterday was the start of our county fair. I love going there every year. I usually go twice - once with the kids and once just Steve and I. The kids don't usually care to spend lots of time looking at the foods and crafts on display. I enjoy looking at all that stuff. I have to take snapshots of beautiful crocheted and knitted items for inspiration! That reminds me I need to continue with the Minnie Mouse afghan!!

Here's a snapshot of the books I'm reading right now. I usually try to read one book at a time, but I couldn't resist when I saw these at the local library and my church library.

Love's Abiding Joy by Janette Oke - 4th in the Love Comes Softly series

This is a wonderful story about living in the frontier West.

Come Be My Light - writings of Blessed Mother Teresa

Excellent insights into her life

Only Heroic Catholic Families Will Survive - Fr. Robert J. Fox

These are great essays and articles written by an assortment of people about family life, marriage, parenthood, and what it truly means to be a Catholic family in today's culture.

So, I'm enjoying these warm summer days, just doing the simple things with my family.

I hope you're all enjoying your summer. And for those of you Down Under, I hope you're staying warm and cozy!