Happy 12th Birthday, WWD!

Celebrating his last year of not being a teenager...

In case you're wondering, 12 is not too old for team birthday cupcakes...


Celebrating with Grandma...

And a couple more football photos just because I couldn't resist!


Just in case you're wondering, he did not block this pass, but they won their game 20-0! :)

MPD's Greatest Hits, Continued

Overheard today at lunch...

Bill: "MPD, how did you get so cute?"
MPD: "From Mommy."

Smart boy!

Duh, Mommy!

Now that school's under way, MPD and I are back to our long, glorious stroller walks, as often as we can get them. We live near some beautiful forest preserve/wetlands/pond areas, so there are lots of interesting things to discover when we're walking.

Wednesday morning we saw two Canada geese flying overhead.

"Look at those geese! Do you think they're going to land on the pond?" I asked. "No, it doesn't look like it. They're way up high. Where do you think they're going?"

MPD didn't hesitate before answering, "To the airport!"

Of course.

Happy Feast Day, St. John Chrysostom

"He became what we are, that we might become what He is."

~ St John Chrysostom, c. 400 A.D.

Apple Picking

Fall started early around here; instead of spending Labor Day weekend soaking up the last of the summer sun at the pool, the cool, crisp weather called for a trip to the apple orchard.
As always, it was picture-perfect. Apparently the local news thought so too, and a reporter asked to follow us around and we all got to be on T.V.! (Note to self, Mom: never, ever skip the makeup...)

We ate I mean picked tons of apples...

In our matching outfits (! is it any wonder why the reporter picked us?!)

And played around in the orchard for quite a while...
(Jamie, I'm still pondering your idea to start off MRD's college funding by starting her modeling career asap! Just saying.)

Before heading home to make apple muffins, apple pie, applesauce, apple pancakes, apple turnovers, apple jerky...

Okay, not apple jerky. Just threw that one in to see if you're paying attention.

Happy Fall, y'all! Ready or not!

First Day of Middle School

Now everyone is back to school!
(Don't you just love school uniforms?!)

And now, please pass the bon bons...

The Seven Deadly Sins

I recently came across Amy Welborn's simple explanation of the Seven Deadly Sins. Pretty powerful--helped me realize that, of course, I commit almost every one of these almost every day!

Pride: I don't need anyone, even God. (Gen 3:1-5)
Greed: I want stuff, no matter what the price. (Ex 20:17)
Envy: I'm not happy with who I am. (Gen 4:3-7)
Anger: I wish ill for you. (Matt. 5:22)
Lust: I'll use you for my own pleasure. (Matt. 5:27-28)
Gluttony: I want, and I don't care if others don't have.
(Prov. 28:7)
Sloth: I don't care. Let life pass me by. (Matt. 26:41)

Friday Quick Takes

Joining Jen at Conversion Diary for Quick Takes Friday.

~ 1 ~
The two new teachers at our elementary school look just like they could be 5th graders. I don't want to think too much about how old this makes me feel!

~ 2 ~
WWD has a Fantasy Football team this year. Finally. I think this is the reason he was born.

~ 3 ~
Another cool thing for WWD this week: He got a little job where he actually earned some money. He spent a couple of hours distributing flyers door-to-door for a family friend of ours who has a painting company. Pretty exciting start to his business career, I would say! We're expecting great things! :)

~ 4 ~

I just finished another new book: The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan. It was a birthday present from my best friend Ashley, and it was the absolute perfect end-of-summer read--quick, funny, thought-provoking. I wholeheartedly recommend it. It's about cancer, but it's not sad at all. It made me think a lot about my own parents, and kids, and it made me feel very grown-up.
Go read it, and I'd love to know what you think!

~ 5 ~
Whew! One school week down, and what--35 to go? So far, so good, for everyone. We haven't even been tardy to school at all this week; punctuality is my new thing (yeah right). But I'm already ready for next summer!

~ 6 ~
As of September 1, Bill is unemployed. He's glad to be leaving a very toxic company, but we don't know what's next. Not too sure if I'll be blogging much about this, actually. I have a very strong sense that we're atop the roller coaster's highest dropoff, holding on tight, unable to see the twists and turns ahead, and we're about to plunge down for a wild ride! God...Thy Will Be Done!

~ 7 ~
Labor Day weekend--no plans around here. I'm glad. We are, frankly, physically and emotionally exhausted from all the busy-ness and unexpected adventures this summer has had in store for us--most particularly, the two funerals. I think Bill and I are both just wishing the other one would take the kids on a fun all-day outing, to let the other parent zombie-out for the day. At least I know one of us is wishing for that!