The Pope's on Twitter!

Just had to comment on how sweet and wonderful it is that the Pope is now tweeting! He used his ipad to set up a new Vatican news portal, news.va. (You can even watch the youtube video of his cardinals teaching him how to use the ipad.) The more accessible the Church is the better I always say! I may even have to join Twitter and actually follow him!

Pope Benedict XVI also celebrates his 60th anniversary in the priesthood today. Its amazing a future Pope was ordained on the Feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul. It must be astonishing for him to look back and see how the Church and the world has changed in those 60 years.   Pray for continued good health and protection for our great Pope today!

Kiernan Shipka's beautiful, girlish style!

She's a scene stealer in Mad Men and I have to now say Kiernan Shipka has the best sense of personal style of the entire cast. The style prodigy has brought feminine and girlish style back from the 50's with beautiful colours and accessories. What's so refreshing is her love of beautiful girlish frocks that are actually age-appropriate! I would love to dress my daughter in these dresses when she's 11!

* All images from The Coveteur.

Home Again

We hiked here.

Tried to look like we weren't being rained on. And I can't believe I'm putting bad picture up!

And ate this!

We had a lovely two nights away in the mountains! I really love getting away even for a night, it changes your perspective on everything it seems. Not only do I feel great having a little time with just my husband to do crazy things like go out for a fancy dinner and just walk and talk together but hotel rooms have a rejuvenating effect on me. And of course the babies seem to want to hug me more once we get home! 


I know I don't get off the ranch much, but this time travelling to tourist-y locations and great restaurants I couldn't help but be left with a little feeling of what I guess would be envy. I couldn't help looking around at people our age seeming to not have a care in the world. Then I would think about how we are in the middle of doing some seriously hard work of raising a family. Not only raising a family, but purposefully trying to live out God's plan. I guess that these feelings of envy, which I don't usually have, stem from how I feel tried and tested lately. I know God is doing some serious testing of me right now, and I know that the other side will be more than worth it, but its the feeling of being tested that I'm not a big fan of. 


On the bright side, I'm so thankful to get a little time away and to be able to come home to my lovey babies and happy home.  

Be back soon!

 we've escaped for a few days sans bambinos to Banff! If I'm really ambitious we might do a little hiking, but more than likely we're going to be eating our way through the great restaurants, sleeping in, and enjoying having time with each other which won't be interrupted by requests to go to the potty, more cookies, or who really had what toy first! It'll be bliss!



*images via here, here, here.

The Language of Bees by Laurie R. King

The Language of Bees by Laurie R. King is a mystery novel based on her character Mary Russell who happens to be married to Sherlock Holmes. I picked up this book because the idea sounds intriguing to me-Sherlock Holmes married? How's that work? But with also a healthy dose of skepticism as to whether or not a married Sherlock Holmes, or his wife for that matter, would work in comparison to Conan Doyle's character. This individual novel did not answer all my curiosity but gave interesting glimpses into such an unusual marriage.


Although the novel does have Sherlock Holmes as a character he is not the main character and can be removed directly from the storyline for chapters at a time. That being said, I found Mary Russell to be a remarkably likable character. I usually have a bias towards female detectives as they always come off as trying too hard, or uppity, by Mary had the right amount of smarts, gumption, and realism that it was easy to get hooked into the story and follow Mary as she does a lot of the legwork in helping Holmes solve the case. This is the first book I've read by Laurie R. King and her writing is succinct, which makes for good detective fiction, but also attentive to the historical context of Mary and Holmes which adds depth to the story.  The Language of Bees is the ninth in a series of eleven books featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, but standing by itself it holds up as a entertaining detective novel while inviting the reader to enjoy the rest of the series. 

I spent the morning without blogs!

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Monday already and my long weekend with the family flew by again! The kids had a great time at Fort Edmonton Park and rode trains and carousels to their little hearts content. We   spent the rest of the weekend visiting the grandparents and seeing more baby cousins which is always a good time. I even took my darling husband suit shopping which is an almost once in a lifetime experience but lots of fun!


Also; my internet hub died which is the only way of getting internet out here in the boonies so I'm quickly writing from my mom's house! I went a whole morning without blogs and news and accomplished almost triple my usual work around the house. Is that sad or what? But I felt horribly out of the loop and behind! 


And aren't these bathing beauties fabulous?? Everyone should spend their summer basking against surfboards! 

We're Here!

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We're visiting Fort Edmonton today with the kids! I think the train will be the biggest hit but we'll soon find out! We're going to be out in the rain as well, which is odd because we've hardly had a rainy day all spring but we won't let that bring down our excitement, hopefully! 

I'm going to try this!

I've now seen this idea for summer snacks on Simple Mom a couple times now and I am going to try it one of these days! I think its a great idea to make one big snack tray for the afternoon or whatever, I just worry about teeny tiny battles over the good muffin cups. I wonder if its been tried with three kids 4 years old and under?! I usually make each kid their own bowl of a fruit, cookie, nuts and/or cheese after they wake up from their afternoon naps and it can sometimes tide them over for a whole hour! I'll let you know how it goes when I give it a go!

Food Funk

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Source: marthastewart.com via Christy on Pinterest

I can always tell I'm not feeling like myself when I don't want to cook. Lately I've been having no ideas what to make for dinner which I find is the worst -I'm fine if someone tells me what to make! I really hate not having any inspiration or desire to cook something fun. Usually I find a good idea and I like thinking of what sides or veggies would go well, and what is even more likely is I get cravings for something and then have to make it! Does that mean I'm a foodie or just a pig? 


I guess I'll have to keep supplying food for starving toddlers even when uninspired! 

Lilac

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One of my favourite times of year is when the lilacs start to bloom. The scent always brings me back to my childhood memories of spring and the promise of summer. And this time of blooming usually occurs at the beginning of June up here in Northern Canada. This weekend I picked a bouquet for my milk glass vase but was really disappointed by my lilac bushes. Not so many blooms this year! Its been very dry in this neck of the woods so I guess that must have affected my poor little lilacs. So heres some lilac pictures that make me almost as happy as the real thing! 

7 Quick Takes

I'm trying my hand at 7 Quick Takes this week! I will try to not disgrace one of my blog idols Jennifer Fulwiler and if its not a total disaster I may do it again! And welcome to my little blog of random thoughts and small pictures of life!

{1} 

The kids have been loving blowing bubbles outside this week. They're thrilled just chasing them around, sometimes knocking into each other, sometimes falling completely off the deck. Its so cute how much fun they get out of something so simple!

{2}

I loved Fr. Barron's review of the new Woody Allen movie Midnight in Paris. I love Fr. Barron in general but I especially think his way of using current events, media, art, and even Woody Allen movies to bring about a good theological discussion is so needed in today's society. I really think it can be a much more effective evangelization tool than so many of the doom and gloom Catholic writing out there. 

{3}

In not so breaking news I'm still hunting for vintage silk scarves. Now I think I'm just enjoying the search too much and won't pull the ebay trigger. 

{4}

Anyone ever feel like some days getting everyone clothed and fed is a major accomplishment? Because some days I've gotta admit I'm pretty pumped by that fact. And then I think about the idea of being excited by something so mundane and daily and then I laugh a little. But most of the time I think the feeling of small victory is completely warranted and deserved. 

{5}

My sister is in France this week and she's participating in the Pentecost pilgrimage from Paris to Chartres. She's walking 100km (close to 75 miles) in three days!! It sounds like a pretty amazing time. I can't see how penance-full walking through the beautiful French countryside could be but walking 100km in 3 days is pretty high up on my list of "things I would only due if penance was involved"!

{6}

I am in love with Kate Spade's new line of gorgeous tableware! These are my fav little mugs:

{7}

The hockey playoffs are almost over! Yay!! I can hardly wait to not have to watch hockey every single night! Seriously, these playoffs have been going on for months, at least since April, possibly since the beginning of time. My kids however, have now come to view "watching hockey" as a cool way to stay up past bedtime and sit with daddy. Its pretty cute so I don't discourage it too much, and so they might be disappointed when there new habit of staying up with daddy disappears. 

Thanks for reading-Happy Weekend!

Paris anyone?

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Source: paris-hotel-lautrec.com via Christy on Pinterest

My lucky little sister flies to Paris today! While I sit at home being insanely jealous I gave her particular instructions to bring me home French antiques, a baguette, macaroons, a beret, and whatever it is that's the secret to French women's beauty. And also to stay away from cigarette smoking Frenchmen! 

Vintage scarves!

I'm on the hunt for a vintage silk scarf! I want it to look vintage but have bold enough colours to show it has tons of personality. These are some cute vintage scarves from American Apparel:

I'm scouring ebay right now trying to find something and the choices are endless! But its pretty much a sea of old lady scarves with the odd one with punch. Here's one from this seller that I like: 

Crazy right? But its wild, purple, and Givenchy so it can't help but make me happy.

And I also like Liberty of London scarves and I just spotted this one today:

We'll see if I'll be able to snag on soon!

Monday already?

I don't have too much breaking news this morning. I'm currently listening to the pitter-pat of little feet on my deck outside, which is only interrupted by my occasional yelling of "Don't pick my flowers!" My flower pots are almost an endangered species. And by the way, how is it possible that I can kill geraniums?? 


And is my kid the only one or is it a persistent trait for little toddlers to always put their tiny fingers into door jams?? I almost closed Lukey's fingers in the bathroom door this morning and it was a close call! It amazes me he still has all his fingers. 


I just thought I'd give you a little hello, I'm off to somehow organize chaos so that we may spend some of this beautiful June day enjoying green and maybe some flowers! Have a wonderful week!!

The Visitation

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Yesterday was the Feast of the Visitation and I probably forgot this fact while I was writing about my "funk" so I just thought I'd say a little about it now. The Visitation is the feast of Mary the Mother of Jesus going to Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist. Its beautifully depicted in the Gospel of Luke and is a feast celebrated by the Church as well as one of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. It really is a beautiful passage of the Gospel and has great and profound theological implications that I've a small knowledge of but I thought I'd add my small ideas.


I can say that I probably didn't think too much about the Visitation before I became a mother. Aside from praying the Rosary and a couple Biblical History classes that involved comparing Old and New Testament passages, the Visitation didn't apply much in my life. But once I became pregnant the Visitation took on all sorts of meaning and really gave me great comfort.


I'm not one to wax poetical on the spiritual qualities of pregnancy, because I spent most of my pregnancies complaining, or go on and on about feminine ideas in the Bible, but when I speak of the Visitation and what its come to mean to me its brought real spiritual importance to pregnancy and opened my eyes to the great role of women in God's plan of salvation. 

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In pregnancy you just can't avoid the crazy emotional waves that it brings upon you. Almost every emotion comes and goes, as well as a truly overwhelming sense of responsibility. And in a way there is a loneliness that you cannot express even to your husband. It was at these times when I prayed the mystery of the Visitation that I felt such great comfort. Mary journeying to her cousin, giving comfort and help in her time of need, but also finding companionship for herself, someone who also understood the completely miraculous doings of God. 


That the Gospels and the Church give so much honour to this event lends so much importance to the role of women in both motherhood and the history of the Church. It shows that even when in that pregnancy, full of sickness, sacrifice, and emotion that God's work is being done at supernatural levels. God has used what we sometimes think inconvenience, and pain to change not just our lives but the life of the Church through pregnancy. The beauty in both Mary and Elizabeth sharing the experience of pregnancy and supporting each other is something I think every woman wants and needs through her own pregnancy. And praying the mystery of the Visitation gave me many graces of comfort and understanding that I couldn't find anywhere else at times during my pregnancies. 


I'm sure this Feast has given so many insights to different people over the centuries of the Church, and Mary has given so many graces through us asking her intercession through this beautiful mystery.