Beach Notes

::noticing God's glory

We are at the beach this week, noticing flowers that look like great peppermint candies, and magnificent sunsets over the bay, and horseshoe crabs that are "stuck together."

::listening to 

Ann Voskamp's blog. Did you read her note to Kate, Duchess of Cambridge? I wandered over there to read it and decided to hang out in the neighborhood and enjoy the music? 

::clothing myself in 

PJs. It's actually fairly early Monday evening, but we've been going and going and going all day and we have to be up and out the door tomorrow at 6:45 to start a new day of dance.

::talking with my children about these books

I only packed two books for bedtime read-alouds this week. Karoline is determined we will read every story in The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter and Katie is happily choosing at least a story a night from the Random House Book of Humor for Children.

::thinking and thinking

about the value of homemaking. It really does amaze me that an art so vital to the health and welfare of every one of us is given so little thought. We do a deplorable job of training young women to makes homes. Instead, they come of age in a state of cultural confusion over the value of such things as cooking, cleaning, or even the thoughtful rearing of children. And it shows. I wonder if we aren't a generation or two away from "home" being a quaint concept one reads about in old stories.

::pondering prayerfully

"When your ordinary work or business is not specially engrossing, let your heart be fixed more on God than on it; and if the work be such as to require your undivided attention, then pause from time to time and look to God, even as navigators who make for the haven they would attain, by looking up at the heavens rather than down upon the deeps on which they sail. So doing, God will work with you, in you, and for you, and your work will be blessed. "  ~St. Francis de Sales

::carefully cultivating rhythm

There's that careful balance of relaxed vacation time and competition time and just plain eating/sleeping/living time. I'm trying to maintain some rhythm while still getting the girls to the stage on time for a week's worth of dance performances. We're squeezing in every minute of outside time we can!

::creating by hand

I planned to bring some knitting along, but I think I left the bag at home in my sewing room. I did bring a wee bit of embroidery. I have plans for an embroidered headband...

::learning lessons in

traveling without my big boys. So strange to be here without my veteran travelers! I miss them terribly. And I am reminding myself all the time to soak up the wonder that is these six still left at home. Such a different rhythm when the majority is female.

::encouraging learning 

Ah, those podcasts. What a great little conference I designed for myself:-) 

Several of you asked for links to good listening. Lately, I've been listening to Andrew Pudewa:

Nature Deficit Disorder

Teaching Boys & Other Children Who Would Rather Make Forts All Day

The Four Language Arts

Nurturing Competent Communicators

Fairytales and the Moral Imagination

::begging prayers

Recently, three people very close to me have confronted a cancer diagnosis. I've told you a little about Shawn. And my friend Carmen is recovering from a double mastectomy. The third one I'm holding very close for now.. Please, please pray for all!

::living the liturgy

The end of the July truly is the liturgical celebration of homemakers. This year, we began with the gospel story of Martha and Mary. Then we shall celebrate the feast of St. Anne on July 26 and the Feast of St. Martha on July 29. Lots of notes on those here in this post (along with some wonderful St. Francis de Sales wisdom). Sarah Annie is very happily looking forward to her name day celebration!

::keeping house

This week, we are sharing a condo with another family. Housekeeping is so different at the beach. It's always fun to play house in a new neighborhood! Still, I really need to do laundry tomorrow.

::crafting in the kitchen 

I brought my blender, so smoothies are still happening every day. I cooked ahead last week and brought most of our main dishes out here frozen. And we stopped at a produce stand on the way to the shore and stocked up so that we have plenty of fresh fruits and veggies. Well, plenty enough to get to Wednesday, at least. After that, we may be a little on the less green side because fresh fruits and veggies at the grocery store here are outrageously overpriced.

::loving the moments

when she swims to me!

::giving thanks 

 for safe travels.

::planning for the week ahead

Swim, sun, dance, eat, sleep. Repeat.

Summertime and the living is easy?

::noticing God's glory

This is how amazing the pond in front of our library looks right now.

::listening to 

Three boys discussing last night's All Star game. One of our dance teacher's sons spent the night last night. It's so fun to have a "little boy" in the house! And this one is quite the charmer.

::clothing myself in 

not my contacts:-(. I went a long time between eye doctor appointments. I don't recommend doing this, particularly if this long time period includes being pregnant, weaning, and being not pregnant/not nursing for the first time in two decades. When you stop being pregnant and nursing, your eyes change shape, ladies! My contacts have now warped my corneas. We're hoping a long break from contacts will fix this. Since I don't have a right ear, I kind of love my contacts. It's a tricky thing to keep glasses balanced. 

::talking with my children about these books

The One Thing is Three: How the Most Holy Trinity Explains Everything I am really enjoying this one. Fr. Gaitley just speaks a language I understand, I think. 

::thinking and thinking

about the coming school year. And I'm scouring my bookshelves and moving things from one basket to another, ensuring that each child will have a rich banquet spread for him or her--all without buying anything. We have everything we need right here or at the library pictured above (isn't it lovely?). This is the year of the no-purchase curriculum.

::pondering prayerfully

Screwtape explains: Our business is to get them away from the eternal and from the Present. With this in view, we sometimes tempt a human (say a widow or a scholar) to live in the Past. But this is of limited value, for they have some real knowledge of the past and it has a determinate nature and, to that extent, resembles eternity. It is far better to make them live in the Future....In a word, the Future is, of all things, the thing least like eternity. It is the most completely temporal part of time--for the Past is frozen and no longer flows, and the Present is all lit up with eternal rays... ~C.S. Lewis

::carefully cultivating rhythm

The Screen Rules are doing good things for rhythm around here. I've enjoyed the conversation in the combox, too. Even the naysayers have been interesting to me. (By the way, why are the naysayers on my blog in the summer almost always 20-something?)

I'm relishing this week, our summer finally feels like summer. We've had a revolving door of friends and FINALLY enough sunshine and heat to hang out at the pool. Next week, it will all be different, but for now, I'm happy to have this golden time.

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::creating by hand

We're still rocking those headbands. Every girl who walks through the door these days leaves with a handmade headband.

::learning lessons in

flexibility.

and in the value of homemaking.

::encouraging learning 

Have you read this? Please do. So, so good. 

Also, I'm tutoring a young man who is playing professional soccer. Much of our work is done via Google Docs and Skype. I'm on the lookout for ways for him to use the computer to work on schoolish things and for me to check in from afar. We're working at the middle school level, academically. Suggestions out there?

::begging prayers

In the last three weeks, three people very close to me have confronted a cancer diagnosis. I've told you a little about Shawn. There's a longer, detailed update by Shawn himself on my Facebook page. And my friend Carmen is recovering from a double mastectomy. The third one I'm holding very close for now.. Please, please pray for all!

::living the Liturgy

Today is the day to begin the St. Anne novena in order to finish it on her feast day. This novena is so, so special to us. I love this feast! Here are some thoughts and ideas for preparing to celebrate.

::keeping house

I had three hours alone yesterday. I used it to clean and to listen to homeschool talks on mp3. It was so incredibly therapeutic I can't begin to express its value. But I intend to figure out a way to replicate the experience again soon. And again. And again.

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::crafting in the kitchen 

I'm doing a lot of cooking ahead this week, prepping meals for our time away at a dance competition next week. I can't afford to eat out on the road, either financially or physically. Who has great ideas for things to make ahead and eat in a beach house?

::loving the moments

when the whole house is clean at the same time. Can that happen again? Please?

::giving thanks 

 for a peaceful, productive week.

::planning for the week ahead

Lots of dance rehearsals this week and lots of little people coming to visit while their moms teach. We're having fun with them! Patrick has a playoff game in Richmond again this weekend. And we have a road trip to take to the beach for competition. Last weekend, we vistied Richmond and then went on to Charlottesville to hang out with Paddy for awhile.

Simplicity in the Midst of Complexity

::noticing God's glory

We have some okra in our garden. We also have mold, mildew,  and root rot... Not the best gardening year:-(

::listening to 

Nick and Sarah singing while they draw in the sunroom. Nicky is making up new lyrics to the Signing Time Rainbow Song. It drives him crazy that the colors are out of order on the video, but he does love the song. He's keeping me very entertained. And it's nice to hear him sing again. He's been sick for a week now. I've missed his cheerful singing voice. 

::clothing myself in 

Denim shorts, crochet trimmed T-shirt, these awesome shoes. 

::talking with my children about these books

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Lightning Thief. We've had some interesting conversations about ADHD and dyslexia around here lately. And, of course, reading Percy Jackson inevitably leads to someone reading D'Aulaire's Greek Myths...

The One Thing is Three: How the Most Holy Trinity Explains Everything I have just started reading this one, but I find myself wanting to share something with Mary Beth about evry other page.

::thinking and thinking

(Still;): about battling back from burnout. I have to admit that I'm burned out. I tried to deny it, tried to defy it. Now, I'm "battling back." Actually, I plan to retitle that chapter in its new edition."Battling back" sounds like so much work. Instead, I'm embracing renewal. I've got lots of new ideas about burnout. When I wrote that chapter a dozen or so years ago, no one was emailing with team updates every ten minutes. There was no constant barrage of social media. My phone didn't go with me when I left the house. I was thinking about survival in the near term and not necessarily sustainability over the long haul. It just seems like there is so much more noise, so much input.

Ah, but I was also unable to pray the Liturgy of the Hours while sitting in the waiting room outside an college IEP meeting.  couldn't text a friend when I got stuck on the renewal journey. So, it's not all bad. Can the internet be a tool in renewal? I'm pondering that.

::pondering prayerfully

"The woman is at the heart of the home. let us pray that we women realise the reason for our existence; to love and be loved and through this love become instruments of peace in the world."  ~Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

::carefully cultivating rhythm

The Screen Rules are doing good things for rhythm around here. So is the fact that I don't have to drive hardly anywhere this week. There is definitely more time for the important things. The screen rules stipulate that some things only happen after chores are finished. Next up: create a practical, functional chore chart.

::creating by hand

We're kind of on a sewing binge here. My hair is crazy curly out of control. Katie and I are making as many of these as we can without having to go to the fabric store. Fortunately, we have an abundance of elastic and seemingly endless fat quarters. We are planning to invite some friends to help us create...

::learning lessons in

Simplicity Parenting. Always learning those lessons, always needing a refresher course.

::encouraging learning 

Have you read this? Please do. So, so good. 

::begging prayers

In the last three weeks, three people very close to me have confronted a cancer diagnosis. I've told you a little about Shawn. And my friend Carmen is recovering from a double mastectomy. The third one I'm holding very close for now.. Please, please pray for all!

::keeping house

Michael and Kristin came over the other day to make T-shirts for Shawn's family. we had to drag the whole production into the living room because the three of us couldn't turn around in the sewing room together. This prompted me to deep clean the sewing room after they left. And that makes me very happy! It's so nice to be there now:-)

::crafting in the kitchen 

Green smoothies every day and all kinds of variations on "beans and greens." My favorite smoothie this week was watermelon, spinach, cucumber, ginger, lemon, and mint. It's the perfect breakfast after a holiday weekend of eating.

::loving the moments

when the news isn't as bad as we feared. Of course, the flip side is that the other news is so much worse than we feared. Life is hard sometimes.

::giving thanks 

 for a friend who just happened to be in the same place where John Paul II's intercession was begged for the second miracle at the same time I was texting her that Shawn needs a miracle. I struggle sometimes frequently with my inability to talk to Colleen whenever I want, like I used to when she was in Louisiana. But I do know that God knows what we need and He does provide.

::planning for the week ahead

More revolving doors, but a little more relaxed these days.  Mary Beth and Stephen are Stuebenville-bound. Some of the rest of us are going to wander a bit, too. There's a date night on the horizon for Friday night and then on Saturday we'll go to Richmond to watch Paddy play and hang out with my friend Jan and her family. And I think hear Charlottesville calling my name.

Slowly

::noticing God's glory

The garden is utterly waterlogged. I was seriously tempted to cover it all with big plastic tarps today. Just way too much rain. Tomorrow, it's going to be all about cutting away a whole lot of yellow leaves-- basil, tomatoes, roses-- lots of waterlogged, fungus-ridden leaves. So sad.

::listening to 

Girls giggling in a room that is nearly perfectly clean and tidy. Sigh...that  was a project. I slowly took every single picture book we owned off the shelves and then reshelved them all neatly and with some sense of order. Such lovely shelves, now. 

::clothing myself in 

An ESPN 20th anniversary T-shirt (that's 14 years old but hasn't been worn until today) and boxer shorts. It's 3:30 on Sunday afternoon. My two little girls have been fever-free for about three hours now. Here's hoping we're on a roll. It's been a long week.  Karoline has had a fever for days and days. Still does...

::talking with my children about these books

Still Shakespeare. Karoline really, truly loves Shakespeare! It's so much fun to watch how engaged she is. The girls (under the influence of Fancy Nancy: Poet Extraordinaire) want to add Poetry Wednesday to our Shakespeare Fridays. I'll dust off these plans, breathe some fresh air into them, and slowly finish out the alphabet of poetry lessons.

And I've begun to slowly page through Inner Excavation. Looks like good inspiration for summer renewal.

::thinking and thinking

about battling back from burnout. I have to admit that I'm burned out. I tried to deny it, tried to defy it. Now, I'm "battling back." Actually, I plan to retitle that chapter in its new edition. "Battling back" sounds like so much work. Instead, I'm embracing renewal. I've got lots of new ideas about burnout. When I wrote that chapter a dozen or so years ago, no one was emailing with team updates every ten minutes. There was no constant barrage of social media. My phone didn't go with me when I left the house. I was thinking about survival in the near term and not necessarily sustainability over the long haul. It just seems like there is so much more noise, so much input.

Ah, but I was also unable to pray the Liturgy of the Hours while sitting in the waiting room outside an college IEP meeting.  couldn't text a friend when I got stuck on the renewal journey. So, it's not all bad. Can the internet be a tool in renewal? I'm pondering that.

::pondering prayerfully

“As an antidote to time-wasting and sometimes even alienating indulgence in superficial media programs,” the document proposed that the students should be “guided to the love and practice of reading, study, silence, and meditation. They should be encouraged, and be provided with the necessary conditions for community dialogue and prayer. This will serve to remedy the isolation and self-absorption caused by the unidirectional communication of the mass media . . .”  [emphasis mine]

as quoted in this great article sent to me by Elizabeth Williams.

::carefully cultivating rhythm

Aimee is my renewal coach. (This might surprise her; I recruited her;-). I texted her on Friday, my first full day without something gridded in the calendar. I truly was at a loss. What to do? I'm not overstating this befuddlement on my part. I'd been so looking forward to this time, but in the wake of an utter adrenaline crash, I couldn't make the simplest of decisions.

She insisted I not look at a clock. Such good advice! I spent the weekend listening to my body's cues and moving within my own rhythm. This wasn't entirely perfectly executed. Two sick little girls definitely dictated many of my movements and I peeked at the clock to time dosing meds. But mostly, I rubbed a lot of peppermint oil and On Guard on the soles of sweet, feverish feet. I sipped tea. I only ate things that would nourish me. I made cleansing, refreshing, clean smoothies. I pulled weeds. I took a nap with Serenity blowing across my pillow (diffuser is here). A nap! A real afternoon nap and I didn't even worry that it would disrupt my sleep at night (it didn't). I soaked in a tub full of Epsom salt and lavender and eucalyptus. I rubbed Balance on my neck and shoulders and feet and palms before working out--every day two or three times a day. Then, I took long showers and then doused myself with Citrus Biss. The rhythm wasn't imposed from without, but grew organically from within.

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::creating by hand

Finishing some projects, sewing some buttons, and working up the courage to start cutting pieces for Mary Beth's quilt. 

::learning lessons in

listening to inner cues and making time for self care.

::encouraging learning 

Christian and I got an education in IEP college-style. We visited James Madision University last week and we were introduced to the resources available there. I'm so impressed! He's on his own to tap into those resources--I'm not a part of this picture much at all--but there are resources there and we met some really good people.

::begging prayers

In the last three weeks, three people very close to me have confronted a cancer diagnosis. In the last three weeks, the children of three families close to me have struggled with the realities of new divorces. There are reminders constantly near at hand that we live in a fallen world. We send up our sighs, mourning and weeping. Please, please pray for all!

::keeping house

I promised Aimee I would only "putter" for the near term. There is so much digging in to do here! I did text for clarification when I began the great bookshelf project. There's another bookshelf project awaiting me downstairs, too. The reality is that the way my brain works, bookshelf organizing accomplishes about 80% homeschool planning. So, even though I promised Aimee I wouldn't plan--and I really, really didn't put a single plan to paper--it's all in my head, friends;-).

::crafting in the kitchen 

The boys have been in New England for the Region 1 Soccer Championship. The girls and I have hit the Farmers' Market hard for our meals. There's even a really lovely slow walk to be had there early on Saturday mornings. Katie and I could live solely on vegetables and legumes. She told me--and I agree-- that "beans and greens" is the best lunch ever for summer. Mary Beth is hanging in there and holding me to the promise of caprese salad. Ah, fresh mozarella! Will that be where I cave and eat dairy?

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Watermelon, cucumber, lemon, and mint: morning happy in a glass.

greens from our garden with garden rosemary, garlic, and slow cooked beans

::loving the moments

when I awaken feeling rested.

::giving thanks 

for someone who understands burnout and renewal and is gently encouraging recovery.

::planning for the week ahead

I'm planning to blog this week:-). Sometimes, when I'm really running on empty, I don't have the heart to even open the computer. I know that it's time for a shutdown, time to nurture the introvert that I am by shutting off the noise--all the noise. For a few days last week, I didn't touch the computer, didn't check in with social media on my phone, even refused to watch a chick flick with my big girl because I didn't want to make an emotional investment. We watched that movie last night. This afternoon finds me here with you. I'm on my way...

Memories Captured on an iPhone last weekend:

Mike is in Rhode Island with Stephen and Nick. They are playing a tournament in Kingston and staying in Middletown. I was born in Kingston, Rhode Island and I lived in Middletown until I was 8. I wish I were there. There's surely sea water in my veins and I think I might even be able to navigate the way to my favorite seafood restaurant. (On second thought, maybe not. It was a dive that served steamers. My dad always called the place "Dirty John's." As I look back, it occurs to me that that wasn't its real name.) My sweet husband sent me a picture of my old house. And he also sent me pictures of our boys here on hauntingly familiar rocks.

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Oh, I miss my men!

But stay, guys. Stay until you've won it all.

We'll pray for you!

Breaking update: the fever has hit Nick in Rhode Island. Game time: 9:30. He's hoping to be like Michael Jordan in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA finals and not like Ronaldo in the World Cup...

Gathering my Thoughts

 

::noticing God's glory

Rain. Rain. Rain. The weeds are proliferating and everything else is rather soggy. I'm going to "unorganic" my roses this morning and bring in some big guns to take care of black mold and insects. I wasn't planning on eating the roses anyway...

::listening to 

Quiet. I got up at 4 AM for this privilege. Seriously, I so love to have the house to myself for a little quiet first thing in the morning.

::clothing myself in 

Right now, I'm wearing one of Mike's T-shirts and a pair of pajama bottoms. He's in Miami. I awoke to the news that the Heat pulled it off in OT last night. Awesome. Not really. Means he's due home later than sooner.

::talking with my children about these books

Still Shakespeare.

::thinking and thinking

about a family social media/screen time policy. I have it drafted. It's a bit wordy;-). Still pondering, but nearly ready.. 

::pondering prayerfully

“As an antidote to time-wasting and sometimes even alienating indulgence in superficial media programs,” the document proposed that the students should be “guided to the love and practice of reading, study, silence, and meditation. They should be encouraged, and be provided with the necessary conditions for community dialogue and prayer. This will serve to remedy the isolation and self-absorption caused by the unidirectional communication of the mass media . . .”  [emphasis mine]

as quoted in this great article sent to me yesterday by Elizabeth Williams.

::carefully cultivating rhythm

So, about that email thing. I somehow stuck all my email in the trash. I can't restore it unless I restore one message at a time. There are now 19,951 conversations in the trash. Ever since I last wrote about email (oh, 3 weeks ago?), I've been retrieving email from the trash. Dumping the whole inbox might have been a good idea for someone else, but for me, not so good. I've been pulling important mail (for me and for Mike) like crazy. The clock is ticking; that mail will be permanently deleted 30 days from when I trashed it. So, there you go, I somehow managed to take my email mismanagement anxiety and make it so much worse.

::creating by hand

Somehow, the costumes for the Tiny Toes little girls came in in a GIANT size. This week, I set up in the studio with my sewing machine, took a deep breath (or two or three), and cut those sparkly lovelies down to size. Then I stitched them back together. They're so cute! Only 5 more to go...

::learning lessons in

Eating well. I just finished Heather's 30 Day Vegan. I was surprised by the things I learned. I very much benefitted from the workshop. I especially enjoyed essays by Renee Tougas (looks like her site is down today). At the outset of the Whole Food Kitchen workshop I took last winter, I commented to a friend that I was skeptical because it seemed like the goal was to move in the direction of veganism. And, I said, that wasn't a good option for me because how in the world can you be a vegan without wheat or corn? Turns out Renee's family eats a plant-based diet without wheat or corn. Imagine that?! Plant-based. No wheat. No corn. No sugar. I'm learning lessons in what works for me.

::encouraging learning 

Yes, we are doing school all summer. We absolutely are. I'm no longer in the running for favorite neighborhood mom.

::begging prayers

for teenagers: mine, yours, and those they befriend. It's really challenging to be a teenager these days. They need us to cover them in a mantle of prayer and to beg showers of grace on their behalf.

::keeping house

We're working on it;-)! The reality is that this is recital week. I'm trying mightily to make sure we don't get behind in housekeeping, but I'm not making great forward strides either.

::crafting in the kitchen 

We did a big brunch for Father's Day:

• Strata with asparagus, manchego, and prosciutto
• Mixed berries smothered with berry puree and served with a Greek yogurt/lemon curd sauce
• Homemade Belgian waffles with toppings
• Muffins

The dads were happy. I lived on berries for 48 hours after Father's Day because I definitely wayyyy overbought. Not a bad problem to have.

::loving the moments

when I see him standing, waiting for me at Arrivals at Dulles Airport. Counting the hours.

::giving thanks 

for you. I'm so grateful you come back and find me here, despite my sometimes erratic publishing schedule.

living the liturgy

This is not some earthshaking revelation, just a simple truth: the most effective way to live the liturgy is to go to Mass as often as possible. It’s all there, available every day. You don’t need a craft closet. You don’t need a grocery shopping list. You don’t even need much advanced planning. You just need to show up. And a priest who gives relevant homilies is plus, too.

::planning for the week ahead

Let's see...We have rehearsals this week for this weekend's spring recitals. We have training this week to get ready for Nick's team to go to the Regional tournament, following his State Cup win (thereby extending soccer season by a month). Turns out Stephen lost his State Cup game. Three days later, he tried out for the team which beat him (and which is the closest team to us geographically). He made that team and now he's training in advance of their trip to Regionals (thereby extedning his soccer season by a month, even though he's not eligible to actually play in the Regional tournament.) Christian and I will take a trip to James Madison University for an IEP sort of meeting. Mike will depart with the boys for the Regional tournament in Rhode Island.

And, by late next week, I will revel in at least three calendar days with absolutely nothing written on them.

I will.

Memories Captured on an iPhone last weekend:

Sarah performed for the first time ever last weekend -- a Circus Tea at the Ritz-Carlton. She had so much fun, she just didn't want to take off her stage makeup. She and her biggest fan fell fast asleep within seconds of arriving home Saturday afternoon. Takes a lot out of a girl to be a dancing clown!

Father's Day Brunch: