7 Quick Takes

___1___

#1 is for Catholic parents. I need input! I’m brainstorming a book for families to use during Ordinary Time, along the lines of Joy to the World: Advent Activities and Bring Lent to Life. I want to know on what topics you would like to have good, family-friendly activities and reflections available to use for teaching your children about the Catholic faith. I have a list already started, but I want to know what YOU think is important.

___2___

Last week I took the little ones with me to the doctor’s office in St. Louis. I already detailed how that crazy day ended, but I neglected to mention that we had lunch with the lovely Elizabeth of That Married Couple, and dinner with my sister. At dinner, my sister sat down across the table from Nicholas, who said something like, “We go to da do-tah. We shee beebee hah beat.”  My sister’s jaw dropped to hear that much verbiage out of the mouth of a child who was still talking in repeated syllables three short months ago. 🙂

___3___

Speaking of Nicholas…Christian took him to a Rams-Redskins game on Sunday.  It was the first Daddy-baby outing. Come to think of it, Julianna hasn’t had one of those, either…her quality time with daddy always seems to involve surgery. Anyway, it was the highlight of Nicholas’s ENTIRE LIFE. Anyone who will sit still gets an earful this week: “I go wid Daddy in the tie! (Car.) I wide a weel choo-choo twain! To da foo-ball game! Da tih-ets (tickets) were WAY up high!” He nearly had a heart attack when he saw the sweater I dressed him in that day come out of the dryer. So cute!

___4___

I had one of Those Moments at the library this week. The little ones were at about 75% uncooperative, wanting to run in opposite directions at the same time, being typical scatterbrained tinies. I was keeping my cool, though, smiling and rolling my eyes at the adults who passed–you know, one of those “Yes, we’ve all been here” silent communique’s.  And then. The elevator opened, and a woman stood there as I was trying to keep Julianna from punching the “down” button when we needed to go “up,” and the woman looked at them, took in my state, and said, “Oh, and you’re having another one!” She shook her head. “I’m so sorry.”

Immediately she recognized her bad manners; hastily she backpedaled as I stumbled out something not at all eloquent about how children are good and beautiful. I just couldn’t believe it, and I didn’t have the energy to work out a pithy comeback.

___5___

I wrote a Fiction Friday post for today, too. Hope you’ll take a minute to read it!

___6___

I’ve come to realize that my Facebook “friend” list is so big (from trying to network) that I’m not keeping in touch with the people I’m closest to. So I’m trying to separate my “professional” connections onto the Fan page. If you’re a regular reader, please “like” me so we can connect on Facebook!

___7___

I read something intimidating on an agent blog this week. Rachelle Gardner says you should aim for 15,000 monthly hits on your blog. I have a ways to go. A very long ways. How depressing.