It feels like just a moment ago, instead it's been several days since I've last posted. Where does time get to?! It was another busy, beautiful weekend. Maybe not beautiful weather-wise, but good times none the less. Friday I spent most of my day in the kitchen it seemed...baking, cooking, making pizza subs for the freezer. I'm fortunate that most of the younger ones are thrilled to spend time at the kitchen table coloring, or playing with playdoh so I can work and still manage to keep an eye on them. On Saturday I joined a few friends for a day of shopping to check out the new Outlet Mall just north of Cincinnati. I had forgotten how good it is to get out with the girls and just laugh and cut up. I did manage to find several bargains in my new (improved) size, which was also a bonus. Saturday evening, John and I met with several other couples for our recently formed "gourmet club." Each month a different couple hosts (or selects a place to dine out) and chooses a theme for the evening. Last month was beer and appetizer pairings, this month was an "Iron Chef" style party in which each couple brought a dish that included pumpkin in the recipe. Good food, good friends, good fun! We had everything from Pumpkin Lasagne, stuffed mini-pumpkins, pumpkin foccacia bread, pumpkin roll for dessert...even pumpkin martinis and pumpkin beer. (Yumm!)
Sunday morning brought a much-needed lazy morning. I'm enjoying that the 4 & 5 year olds have religion class during the 1130 mass, so our mornings are not so rushed as when we used to go to the 10 o'clock mass. We definitely file into the van in a more laid back, ready-to-receive-Jesus frame of mind. Sunday evening we participated in our community's 3rd annual "Pumpkins for Life" memorial. It's such an awesome event in which 400 pumpkins, carved with a cross, are lit and displayed on our church steps in honor of the 3600 babies killed by abortion each day. (Each day!) There is beautiful music & singing by our parish Folk group, a prayer service, treats & socializing. I think what's most amazing and inspiring is that this event is organized and put together each year by this incredible group of teens for life. Just awesome! It was a perfect way to end the weekend, as the kids and I lugged our pumpkin home, placed it by our front porch and relit it to show support for the ProLife movement, and honor those babies who died.
This week our focus is on surviving the Hallow-days. We have a costume party at the K of C Hall tonight, trick-or-treating on Thursday, and a Saint's party on Sunday. Fortunately all the kids were able to find costumes here at home, put together with items from their closets or the bin of old costumes in the basement. (Whew!! What a relief...no sewing or crafting original costumes this year!) The biggest stress for me is getting everyone ready and pulling it together despite the usual schedules of homework, (Sam's) Boys Club meeting, and other commitments. It's one of those crazy weeks that has me wishing John was back to working days again.
Just this week, I keep reminding myself...just for this week.
