Category Archives: Family

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: April 22, 2014

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY April 22, 2014

Outside my window… dark. I’m blogging after midnight as usual. It was actually pretty nice yesterday.

I am thinking… about how I’ll make it through tomorrow. Daniel doesn’t go back to school until Wednesday and I think he’s getting cabin fever

I am thankful… that Holy Week is over and for a lovely Easter afternoon and evening with my parents on Sunday.

In the kitchen… dishes. Always dishes.

I am wearing… blue t-shirt from Old Navy and black sweats from Target.

I am praying for… discernment, a special intention, for Daniel to get the hang of potty-training, and for my family to come to know Christ. (I’m a convert.)

I am going… to probably take Daniel with me to get some chai tomorrow morning as an excuse to get out of the house.

I am wondering… if we’re going to be getting rain up here. My dad was saying that they were supposed to get some in San Jose today.

I am reading… Jesus: A Pilgrimage by James Martin, S.J. — finally getting back to it after a brief break to get through the murder mysteries that arrived from the library for me over a very short period of time.

I am hoping… Daniel catches on to potty-training soon. I want this behind me.

I am looking forward to… Picnic on the Green at Daniel’s preschool on Friday. Parents bring lunch for their kids and we have a picnic on the lawn with them.

I am hearing YouTube hymns from my blog — listening to music I’ve linked in the past.

Around the house… dishes to do (my kingdom for a dishwasher!), laundry to fold, and a kitchen to clean.

I am pondering… life after June 15th.

A favorite quote for today… “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” – C.S. Lewis

I actually brought this quote up in Bible study last week!

One of my favorite things… a quiet house.

A few plans for the rest of the week: ABA therapy for Daniel every afternoon this week, returning my flats to Payless on Wednesday or Thursday, counseling on Friday morning, Picnic on the Green afterwards, and taking stuff to be shredded on Saturday.

A peek into my day… Madeline Kahn and Grover singing the “Echo Song”. I sing it to Daniel frequently.

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What I Wore on Sunday: April 13, 2014

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What I Wore on Sunday

I made it to church on a Sunday. This is SHOCKING!!!!!

Yeah, I made an extra effort because the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia is coming up next month and I need to fundraise for it.

As it was Palm Sunday, I decided to go Hawaiian and wear a shirt with palm fronds. I realized when I got home that I had another shirt that would have worked but it was nice to take the Hawaiian shirt out of my closet for the first time in a bit. To make it “church modest”, I put a white tank top under it.

Daniel did OK during church though we went home during the choir anthem to get the Promise Walk stuff. One of my favorite people handed me a $100 bill and told me that they needed people like me to tell our stories and let people know about the risks. I proceeded to CRY. ALL. THE. TEARS!!!!

Daniel and I.

Daniel’s clothes are all from Circo via Target.

Of course I wasn't using my palm frond as a Celtic broad sword!

Hawaiian shirt: thrifted from the Goodwill at the corner of Garey and Foothill in Pomona
White tank top: Mossimo (Target)
Denim skirt: hand-me-down from my sister-in-law
Sandals: Naturalizer

Jon having a sword fight with me.

Clerical shirt/tab: Autom
Khakis: Kohl’s
Shoes: Kohl’s

Go see the other ladies at Fine Linen and Purple.

7 Quick Takes: Kelly’s Lobster, A Mama for Brett, and a Plug for the Promise Walk

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7 Quick Takes

Kelly got a Liebster Award and tagged everyone with a last name between G and P. Both my legal and married names count so…

— 1 —

Favorite creamer for your coffee. If I use one at all, it’s probably vanilla-flavored. I need my coffee to taste like ice cream.

— 2 —

Favorite cartoon show from your childhood. Easy. The Smurfs. My parents transferred all of our tapes of them over to DVD a few years back.

— 3 —

Your go to meal on Fridays in Lent. These days I’m having problems eating because of stress so my big meal for the day is usually clam chowder in a bread bowl from Panera. Otherwise, it’s a simple salad, apples with peanut butter, or Greek yogurt.

— 4 —

Blogger you’d like to meet in person (besides Kelly, obviously.) My friend @katerintree on Twitter and any of the #Cathsorority chicas.

— 5 —

A book everyone else raves about that you can’t stand. The Promise-Driven Life by Rick Warren — I think I threw the book against the wall at least 5 times daily while attempting to read it.

— 6 —

Orphans. Do you see this handsome boy?

Brett

Brett needs a mama. Are you his mama? Click on his picture for more information.

— 7 —

Promise Walk for Preeclampsia. I’m the survivor chosen to speak this year and I would greatly appreciate it if you would sponsor me.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: April 7, 2014

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY April 7, 2014

Outside my window… dark. It was in the 80’s today.

I am thinking… about stuff I need to get done this week.

I am thankful… for Daniel’s 5th birthday today.

In the kitchen… dishes to do. *sighs*

I am wearing… Online Debate Team t-shirt and black running shorts.

I am praying for… my knee to heal, about how to handle Daniel being defiant, for a special intention, for the ability to forgive…

I am going… to try and get some writing and copy-editing done tomorrow.

I am wondering… when PG&E is going to fix the cement they knocked out in the backyard.

I am reading… The Alpine Yeoman by Mary Daheim. I finished Killer Physique by G.A. McKevett this weekend and Jesus: A Pilgrimage by Fr. Jim Martin is still on hold until I get through all the murder mysteries that showed up for me all of a sudden. I’m also still reading through A Season for the Spirit by Fr. Martin Smith as part of my Lenten discipline.

I am hoping… I’m not having to rest my knee for too long — Daniel is on Spring Break next week and I don’t want to be limping after him.

I am looking forward to… my massage on Friday.

I am hearing a podcast by Frederica Mathewes-Green on “toxic charity”.

Around the house… dishes to do, laundry to fold, and vacuuming to do.

I am pondering… too many things at the moment.

One of my favorite things… iced tea/lemonade from Trader Joe’s.

A few plans for the rest of the week: ABA therapy every afternoon this week, haircut on Thursday, counseling on Friday morning, and massage on Friday afternoon.

A peek into my day… This was the first time I got to hold Daniel in April 2009.

Me holding Daniel for the first time in April 2009.

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The Simple Woman’s Daybook: March 30, 2014

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY March 30, 2014

Outside my window… dark. It was nice today though — in the 60’s.

I am thinking… about everything on my plate this week.

I am thankful… that my trip to see my parents yesterday went well and that I was able to see my evil twin.

In the kitchen… apples and peanut butter for dinner. Food is still icky at the moment.

I am wearing… Online Debate Team t-shirt and black sweats.

I am praying for… the strength to get through unpleasant things between now and Friday, for discernment, for the ability to forgive, and for various people.

I am going… to try and get my taxes done tomorrow.

I am wondering… what the heck is with Brian Wilson’s hair! He also totally blew the save tonight against San Diego! #BeatLA

I am reading… Jesus: A Pilgrimage by James Martin, S.J. (which is on hold for a couple days), A Season for the Spirit by Fr. Martin Smith, and assorted murder mysteries from the library that have been on hold for me. I finished Blackberry Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke yesterday on the way down to San Jose and got partway into The Chocolate Book Bandit by Joanna Carl.

I am hoping… that either Daniel’s eye appointment or the PTM on Wednesday get cancelled and unable to be rescheduled because I’m not feeling like dealing with either one. I’m probably out of luck on both counts though.

I am looking forward to… Date Night on Saturday.

I am hearing the Roomba.

Around the house… dishes to do, laundry to do and fold, and a kitchen to clean.

A favorite quote for today… “A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.” — Douglas Adams
One of my favorite things…

A few plans for the rest of the week: doing taxes tomorrow, eye appointment for Daniel on Tuesday, PTM on Wednesday, possibly Ladies’ Night Out on Thursday, counseling and (possibly) massage on Friday, and Date Night on Saturday. Oh yes… and ABA therapy every afternoon from Tuesday to Friday.

A peek into my day… When we were down with my parents yesterday, my mom asked me to hold on to Daniel so she could take something out of the oven and not have him get burned. I decided to hold him… upside down.

Me holding Daniel so that Mom can take something out of the oven.

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7 Quick Takes: Only Six This Week

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Posting later than usual. I usually have these written on Thursday night to post as soon as the link-up page goes up. (I’m on the West Coast so it’s 10 p.m. PDT for me.) Last night, however, my mind was a little too scattered so I decided to just skip this week. Then, I was awoken this morning by my clowder (the word for a collective of cats) who apparently can see the bottom of their food dish and felt that 5 a.m. was an appropriate time to tell me. (Cats, you are SOL. Go wake up the other adult human.) So… here we go!

— 2 —

Orphans. Do you see this handsome boy?

Brett

Brett needs a mama. Are you his mama? Click on his picture for more information.

— 3 —

Prayer request #1. I’ve been chosen to speak at the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia in San Jose this year. (My fundraising page will be public soon.) They’d like to use my 5-7 minute spiel as a fundraising piece so I’m having to get it written by this weekend. Could y’all pray that I can do this? I have no fear of public speaking but I do need to get this written. Please and thank-you.

— 4 —

Prayer request #2. I know I’ve been really vague about my special intention for the last two weeks and I appreciate everyone who has been praying for it. Could you please continue praying for discernment for those involved, that I would be able to forgive, and that I would have consolation and peace in the midst of the waiting game that is going on? Thanks!

— 5 —

A good definition of ABA. For those who read my Simple Woman’s Daybook posts, you probably see me mention ABA therapy every week. This is a good explanation of what it is. For those who don’t have time to read the article, it’s a methodology for working with autistic kids where you achieve the behavior desired through reinforcing it and you modify the behavior by modifying the antecedent (what comes before the behavior).

— 6 —

Stopping here. I honestly don’t have anything else this week so I’m stopping here. Have a lovely weekend!

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: March 24, 2014

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY March 24, 2014

Outside my window… dark. I’m writing this at midnight. I think it’s supposed to be 80F tomorrow. (Before you Midwesterners and East Coast peeps tar and feather me, I’d like to point out that we’re having severe drought conditions in California because all those storms you had completely missed us.)

I am thinking… about my talk for the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia.

I am thankful… for a fun time at Miwok Park in Elk Grove with Daniel.

In the kitchen… dishes to do. I just had some vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt.

I am wearing… charcoal v-neck shirt from Old Navy and navy/white-stripped pajama bottoms from Target.

I am praying for… Katie, discernment about some things in my personal life, for Daniel to develop speech, and for the grace to get through this week.

I am going… to hopefully fall asleep soon.

I am wondering… where the heck the parents were of the toddler who was aimlessly wandering around the playground when we were there with Daniel.

I am reading… Jesus: A Pilgrimage by James Martin, S.J. and I’m also reading A Season for the Spirit by Fr. Martin Smith as my Lenten discipline.

I am hoping… to get all my errands done tomorrow morning.

I am looking forward to… seeing my evil twin on Saturday. I haven’t seen him since Thanksgiving because he moved up to Washington with his wife.

I am hearing “Build Your Kingdom Here” by Rend Collective. I heard it on KLOVE today and fell in love with it.

Around the house… the Roomba finished vacuuming an hour ago.

I am pondering… too many things in my head.

A favorite quote for today… “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” — Romans 8:26-27 (I was quoting it to a friend as a way of explaining how to pray in the midst of a spiritual desert.

One of my favorite things… silly house panthers with glowing eyes.

A few plans for the rest of the week: errands on Monday, Daniel’s audiologist appointment on Wednesday, WIC and a meeting with one of Jon’s colleagues on Thursday, massage on Friday, and seeing my family on Saturday.

A peek into my day… An wedding picture as yesterday was my 12th wedding anniversary.

My parents, evil twin, and grandparents.

Back (L-R): my dad, my mom, my grandfather, and my evil twin.
Front (L-R): my grandma, me, and Jon

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