Seven Quick Takes vol. 67

{one}

Friday! I love you more than cupcakes, Friday!

This week was extremely cold, even by Canadian standards, and snowy. So the freezing temps and the horrid roads kept me housebound. Which is your basic recipe for me going coo-koo by Thursday. Why is it that every winter I suddenly realize living in the the definition of "the middle of nowhere" is not such a good idea?? I also realize that I live in a shoebox with nowhere the kids can go without driving me bonkers! I hear crying kids in every room of the house! My self-made army rising up against me! I can't escape! Going outside risks losing my digits! But staying inside risks losing my shard of remaining mental health! Ack! 

{two}

I know there are literally scads and scads of brilliant blog posts on the internets about how to entertain your toddler while you homeschool, but I have ignored them all and intend to keep the streak alive and just let Max run wild as I try to sit and do school with the kids for that precious 45 minutes every morning. I've let him empty out all the cupboards in the kitchen, run around with brooms, strip himself naked, and rifle bookshelves - and that was just this week! I'm 100% certain that the 12-24 month age is the worst age group to occupy for any amount of time and the worst to homeschool with. Babies are a cinch, my three year old is easy-peasy. 22 month old - the.worst. 

Thankfully my mom comes and gets him a couple mornings a week to put me out of my misery and facilitate a bit of learning for the poor kids. Don't report me!

{three}

Today marks 50 years since the Kennedy Assassination and as a political junkie and lover of history I've always been fascinated by it. I don't really go in for the conspiracy theories, but it is interesting to think about the influences of Communism, a Catholic in power for the first time in America, the situation and circumstances around when and where it took place, etc. etc. etc. Would America have been changed for the better? Would Catholicism have gained a more solid ground in the public square? Would the Kennedy clan stayed true to the Church? Would the Democratic party not become a party of evil? All questions that float around your head in the "what if" department. It is really amazing though, the sheer amount of research, books, general knowledge about the Kennedy era that exists. It will probably fascinate for centuries. 

But here's George Weigel being way smarter than me. 

And the Mad Men episode from the day of the assassination sits with me. That was a great episode. 

{four}

So I'm very happy that the end of the liturgical year is upon us. I'm ready for a fresh start, something to look forward to, to prepare for. I'm also really tired of church music for Ordinary Time - church music leader problems. I feel I need to go to Confession near the beginning of Advent this year, instead of putting it off as I usually do, so to gain some traction in changing for the betting in preparation for Christmas. Its so very hard to shake regular spiritual inertia. But Advent is about the best thing we have for that!

{five}

Haley's smashing new ebook Feast! is now available for peanuts so virtually run over and get it right now! Its $4.99 until American Thanksgiving (which is next Thursday Canadians who don't watch tv!) and will be going up to $7.99 regular price soon afterwards, so act now! 

Its a great book to have as we go into Advent and begin a new liturgical year. It sets you up for a new perspective of celebrating and living the liturgical year - but in an easy, approachable way with yummy recipes. 

I'll be giving away a copy next week and a better review of it because I'm going to cook something from it this weekend - yay! I'm also going to try and get my act together with a little more on Advent. 

{six}

Does anyone else have the dream of a vacation meaning a time/place where you can go for more than 10 minutes without someone asking you for something, or cleaning up something, or changing a diaper, or breaking up a toddler fight?? It can't just be me.

{seven}

As you can probably surmise I'm running low on the creativity this morning. My home-bound state has me pondering paying an extra $100 bucks in internet bills this month and illegally procuring the new season of Downton Abbey in order to stave off total cabin fever...soooo tempting. 

Really though, have a warm weekend! I'm off to bundle up 4 kids so as to send them out to the frozen tundra for about 5 minutes of uninterrupted floor sweeping time! 

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