Answer Me This: Last of the Summer Fun

So, I came to the game late, and am so disappointed that this is the last "Answer Me This" of summer.  I think we can forgive our sweet Kendra at Catholic All Year. She just had her baby: number 8!  And it is a beautiful girl!

In this edition, we will learn how little I listen to the radio, and how often I get to the store.  (HA!)

1. What's your favorite grocery store splurge?

Oh, the grocery store.  I still have young children, so the grocery store is a tough trip.  Very often, it's a quick trip for all the things Tommy doesn't buy at Costco.  The ULTIMATE store for him.  He loves that place, and though I know it can be dangerous (ask me about the time his brother went to BJ's and came home with a rented UHaul for all his purchases! it runs in the family), our family needs those bulk items, and I have come to depend on that stash of cereal, paper towels, and TP always in the garage. 

My husband loves to explore new stores, try new things.  Me?  I like familiarity.  We have so.many.grocery stores near us.  But, if I am not sure where things are, or if I will be able to find what I am looking for, it get a little anxious, and if I have kids with me (like, always) it makes it even harder for me.  I have yet to master the Peapod delivery, or the drive through pickup after ordering online.  Someday.  Maybe that's why I enjoyed the Blue Apron deliveries. 

But, I am distracted.  Splurge?  There's never one thing that I splurge on.  It usually is something that I see at the time (almost always involving chocolate).  Maybe cottonelle wipes?  I'm not sure what my splurges would be. Now, if you said Target, which I don't consider a grocery store, that would be a longer list.

 2. How's your penmanship?

I will never be hired to write anything.  I needs help.

 3. Do you have a "Summer Bucket List?"

Keep the kids alive.
Try to maintain peace in the home.
Stay safe.
Try not to stress about school.
Have the kids do their summer school work.

So, yes, if you look at that, it's a bucket list.  Important things to do during the summer.  Super exciting, huh?

 4. What's the best thing on the radio right now?

We try to listen to books in the car (we are working through the Narnia books, again) so we don't usually have the radio on.  I don't often put on music, and when I do it's at home with the CD's or Pandora.  If you call that the radio, the best ones are the stand-up comics like Jerry Seinfeld who make my kids laugh.  (It's Bill Cosby mostly, but Patrick gets the giggles at Seinfeld and his Olympic skit, or the one about Fat Albert's car engine.)

 5. Ice cream or frozen yogurt?

Yes, please. 

 

 

What Happened While the Boy Scouts Were Away

I have to mark this time. It was a week.  One whole week while the boys were at camp.

  And

nothing. 

happened.

Seriously!  Nothing broke, no ER trips, no leaky ceiling, nothing.

I canNOT believe it.  We did okay without the big guys! 

Well, when I say okay, I mean those big things.  I admit that I ran on VERY little sleep, due to the fear that every.single.noise was an intruder in my home, or that if I turned the TV off those noises would be even worse.  That's normal for when the hubs is gone. 

But really?  I'm so happy!

We had some important items, like dental cleanings and discovery of some cavities on James (grr) but we had lovely weather, and the kids were so good!

The sprinkler came out some days, which always takes some convincing to play in, and when it's time to come in, it is always too soon.

 We also put out the slip-n-slide, but we haven't mastered the actual "slide" part.  Maybe because our water pressure wasn't right, and mean mommy didn't put it on a hill.

 The end was a perfect little pool for Lucy and she loved the splashing!

We had a PERFECT day with low humidity (a rarity for Virginia) and we went to the mini-golf course.  This course has been around since before I was in middle school.  But the kids loved it. So patient, great at taking turns, and James just wanted to be sure he was "on the right side?" to do proper stance.

 I was also proud that I was able to get them all out together, and no fights, good fresh air, and they slept so well that night!

 We had Tiger with the good short game (James), Emma with the good at getting it on the green, and Phil Mickelson with the southpaw shots. 

Thanks to some gift cards, that was FREE, and we also had some ice cream gift cards (SCORE!). 

 The ice cream place is on a very busy road, and the kids played the game from "Up." 
"Red."
"Blue."
"White."

Cars, that is.

It wasn't much, but we enjoyed the time we had together.  And, it was a big deal for me to do this with them.  Maybe I'll even attempt a day trip with all 5!!  LOL

Hooray! Answer me this: Superhero Edition

 

It's BA-aaack!!  I love these!  Dear readers, bear with me.  I am so excited to have some other person help me with a topic and encourage me to blog more!

1. What's currently on your To Do list?

This question, as my first, makes me laugh.  A lot.  I very often have a list to do, but, I don't often write it down.  I have a long list of things I should be doing, and that I want to do.  I will just pick a couple to tell you.

I want to hang pictures, artwork, sconces......I want to make my walls seem like we live here.  I first of all want to put more of the kids on the walls, which means I need to pick pictures, and get frames, and then decide which wall to do.  I hung some family pictures, and the input from my sisters-in-law is to put the collage of the kids on that wall.  I have a neat saying that I want to put up as well, but wonder if it will make it up. 

Other to dos: new uniforms for Patrick's new school (!!).  Any extra ties that you would like to share with my boy, anyone?  He has this tie in his head with Yoda on it, that says, "Judge me by my tie, do you?" But I have yet to see it somewhere.

Master bed and bathroom could be painted.  There's always a list.

 2. Better type of superhero: magic/radioactive powers? Or trauma/gadgets/hard work?

I'm not sure I exactly understand this question, but I always think Elastigirl still has the coolest super powers.  As a mom, I am always forgetting something, and to be able to use my arms to get it, and not have to go up and down or even get out of bed, so cool.  I want to be able to stretch "without injuring yourself, Dah-ling" to make life of a mom easier.

I have a feeling I don't get this question really, but that's my input.


 3. Finding out if baby is a boy or a girl before birth: Good idea? Bad idea?

I am DREADFUL with decisions.  Names, especially.  And, I'm not always the best when it comes to surprises.  I don't hide my disappointment well either, so I am not sure how I would react in the delivery room if I didn't know. 

And, I like to be prepared.  I may not always prepare the best, but I do like to be prepared.

4. Have you ever appeared on a stadium jumbotron?

Nope.  If I did, I would turn beet red. 

 5. Are you more book smart or more street smart?

See, now, I don't think of myself as "smart" but when I asked my husband, he says  I am more book smart.  I think I can call myself street smart in that I know what street I live on. 

Now, when I think of my mom and my sisters, I know they are book smart.  They have the titles that go along with all my definitions: college, writing gigs, helping people like Scott Hahn write books...yeah, I don't think of myself like that.  But, I do know I can make myself smarter by more reading and learning.  Someday.

Lucy is 9 months!

 I have come to realize that the meaning of Lucy's name is oh-so appropriate. This little Light has been such a joy!  She loves her siblings, and even gets excited when her big brothers come around to play.  She knows that William will always give her lots of attention, and her eyes light up when he comes near.  James gets too near and she will pull his glasses every time. 

9 months has brought some really fun times!  Her cousins absolutely doted on her when they were in town.  She rode her first swing!  Lots of vocalization, especially when her big brothers will echo her every sound.  Our car rides sound like they have 5 Lucys.  James is especially good about asking "is Lucy allowed to have this?" as he holds up a toy/object.  I love that helpfulness!

 The legs start kicking when she gets really excited.

She is ready for the next steps: see her sitting on her legs?  Oh boy! 

Uncle John got the honor of a snuggle and a nap when he arrived.  He said it was just because he looks like Tommy, but I think differently. 

She has started to crawl, and in even since this video, she has gotten much better!  She is almost on all fours, and has gotten quicker.  I'm almost ready to put out the play yard, so she can stop getting into trouble.  It's amazing what she finds on the floor!  

We love our Lucy! 

Monday Mumblings

Tommy's family got all together at the beginning of July.  We had a week of family fun, including a trip to Busch Gardens.  Tommy's brother and family came in from Korea for a visit, and Emma was thrilled to share her room with the 3 girls.  It was a whirlwind of fun, and we all went to bed super late, ate too much, and talked until the wee hours of the morning. 

It was awesome. 
Lucy loved all the extra attention. 

 

James loved meeting his Godfather and playing with him. 

William was thrilled with the twins who are just a year older than him and he stuck to them like glue.

  We also had a lot of photos for the shutterbug, and for the calendar.  We managed a family photo since not everyone will make the wedding in the fall.  Everyone is so happy to contribute.  ;)