Ok – for example :) It’s rough getting out the door to scoot about town running errands with Liam and a [very large and active] in-utero baby boy – I need the diaper bag, keys, my wallet, the to-do list, Liam of course, energy, God’s grace, and a third arm. Hauling everything and everyone out to the car after first setting the house alarm and locking the door is a juggling act; and in this relentless heat of the South, it’s sticky and frustrating. This is the type of thing I want to remember to bring to Christ, asking Him to get the little men and me to the car, strapped in, and on the road. Will disaster strike somewhere between the front door and end of the driveway? Probably not, but knowing that Christ is present in my endeavors strengthens my will profoundly. In bringing Him everything that’s on my heart – each stress and joy – my soul will certainly obtain angelic sweetness. I have long had the desire to be sweet, but could never put my finger on how to go about it. Prayer should not be limited to a routine 15 minutes a day, 20 seconds before dinner, or 1 hour per week; rather, it should be breath, constantly flowing in and out of my soul, receiving the love of God and offering it back to Him. It goes without saying, however, that the virtue of constant prayer develops from these instances of habitual and ritual prayer.

The other part of the concept of “the angelic sweetness of Mary” is the Blessed Mother. Consider how sweet she is – the Queen of even God’s heart. I was thinking the other day about how earth-shattering it would be to have Christ physically present in your family at all times as she and St. Joseph did. The quality of marriage they had must have been HUGE! and that’s what I want. To a certain degree, I’m limited because I wasn’t born without sin like Mary; but if I allow God’s grace in my soul and breathe prayer in and out, I can bring so much more to the table than what I do now. With just one person moving toward a life of prayer and virtue, things change for every surrounding life. My husband is already a “man after God’s own heart” and inspires me because he actively pursues to be even more so; and Liam sets a great example because he hasn’t even sinned yet, so I have to catch up! The truth is that developing angelic sweetness is a feat in itself, but when I do remember to offer Christ the on-goings of my mind and heart, there is nothing more comforting or empowering than His presence in every nook and cranny of my life. With persistence and the grace of God, this extraordinary virtue can become ordinary for my soul.

Weekly Snapshot:

• My mother-in-law and aunts-in-law threw Thomas a baby shower just this past Saturday. It was so exciting because receiving the new things on his behalf made his imminent arrival a little more real to me. I’m pregnant. WHAT??!! It was a wonderful blessing and everyone had a great time!
• Liam is 17 mos. now and I am LOVING this early-toddler stage! He is so sweet (with a bit of a bite sometimes) and we have a great time. He turned on his radio the other day and “Livin’ On Love” by Alan Jackson came on – he got up from the floor so he could shake his arms and bounce up and down (read: dance), and I swept him up and we laughed and danced and tickled to the whole song. What a BLAST! He is so playful and darling that I know when this passes, I will forever miss it. But at the same time, I’m so eager for the increase in fun his increase in age will allow!

• Of the 7 women I know who were expecting at the beginning of the summer, 2 of them have delivered and 1 is having her baby on Friday! The domino-effect is underway and it won’t be long before it’s my turn! 7 more weeks til Thomas Joseph Gabriel arrives! In the beginning of my pregnancy, I thought it was taking FOREVER but I can’t believe it’s almost over. As of right now, he is pretty active and playful, which I’m sure will grow with his size. My due date is October 15th, but I’m crossing my fingers for an early delivery. Maybe on the 10th – his great-grandma’s, uncle’s, AND grandma’s birthday??
• A big occupant of my time lately has been NESTING. When we found out that Thomas was a boy, I sat down and made a GIANT To-Do list for the house; deadline October 1st (I’d like to have it all out of the way WELL before the littler man arrives). I’m so proud to say that thanks to the unwavering and sacrificial support of my husband, there remains but a small handful of items to check off! I’ll have to post pictures soon, but the boys’ room is painted, decorations hung, bathroom tub re-caulked, living room rearranged, corners de-cluttered and closets purged – among other things. The summer has been VERY productive and so much fun! I’m all about doing it on a dime, too.
• BEST for Last: Andrew is my hero and favorite person. Have I mentioned that? Last week he came home with a dozen roses and just the other night surprised me with a dinner date at a restaurant neither of us had tried! We’ve been having a great time lately and life is happily moving right along. It’s a blessing and sweet comfort to know that (God willing) he will be by my side for the rest of my life.

Take It Back
I read on Dave Ramsey’s website that there is always new, unused merchandise in any given house. With those things fated to collect dust, the money spent goes to waste, BUT not if you return them. Getting a refund or store credit is a great way to put that otherwise trashed cash back in your pocket so you can really put it to work (depending on the situation, you can even return merchandise without a receipt). I thought, great idea! but I don’t have anything like that laying around here. After a little digging, however, I found a couple of rolls of shelf liner, some unopened furniture pads, two picture frames, and unused home decor. All purchased over time from different places, but they were forgotten or unnecessary. Not only did returning these items put about $50 back in our pockets, but it also cleared a bit of clutter from the house as well. If you can’t take it back for one reason or another, Craigslist!

Turn it Off
While I’m home during the day, I try to use as little electricity as possible to keep our monthly bill down. Our house has plenty of windows so keeping the blinds open allows for a delightful abundance of natural light, eliminating our need for lamps and overheads; I also have big weekend plans to put up a laundry line so we can reduce how frequently we use our dryer; and I keep the A/C warmer than what we usually enjoy and turn a ceiling fan on in whichever rooms Liam and I occupy.

On a side note, we just re-insulated the attic and for two days our A/C didn’t kick on even once. Making investments in your home like that can save pennies in the long run.

Swagbucks
I’ve mentioned Swag Bucks before, but it bears re-promoting. I use Swag Bucks so I can rack up points to redeem for Amazon gift cards. THEN I use the gift cards to purchase diapers for Liam (and soon Little Boy #2), which already come at 30% off if you’re part of the Amazon Moms program. I once worked the gift cards and the discounts so well that an order for 200 diapers came to 19 cents with free shipping. That was the most satisfying 19 cents I’ve EVER spent. Even without working it that well, I can still get a $45 box of diapers for $15 and I’m all about saving that kind of money. Because I’m not a major contributor to our income, I work Swagbucks pretty diligently so we can have cheap or free Pampers. (Most major diaper companies offer point systems, too, which gets you even more for your dollar.) Forget the diapers, though – put the Swag Bucks toward anything you want! You can get points for searching, playing short videos, taking polls, etc.

CVS
Couponing is good. Couponing plus discounts is great, but throw in store credit and it’s just brilliant. Several other pharmacies have reward systems, but my store of choice is CVS. Just within the past few months, I’ve saved over $100 using my ExtraCare Card, which doesn’t include the ExtraCare Bucks (store credit) they offer with a few deals. Today I earned $3 in ExtraCare Bucks from an initial purchase, which I then put toward an originally $4 gallon of skim in a separate transaction. Total for that purchase? $1. I will totally take cheap milk. You can work things that way, OR you can take the store credit and put it toward a deal that will earn you even more, which couponers call “rolling.”

Mono-Transport
Because we lost our car not too long ago, we put the insurance money and my beautiful pickup toward a Honda Odyssey. We are officially a single-vehicle family now and while it’s slightly inconvenient on occasion, it cuts back on gas and insurance costs BIG time; PLUS it requires our lives to be a bit more structured with more communication about Andrew’s and my respective plans for each day. For days when Andrew takes the Odyssey, I have an arrangement with another at-home neighbor in case I need to take a little person (or myself) to the emergency room. AND the fact of the matter is that when I’m at home, I don’t go out and spend money anywhere – gas station, grocery store, Starbucks or Target; which means that we can stretch our dollars across more blocks on the calendar. The whole effort has been great for our family and the pros certainly out-weigh the small inconveniences.

Tell me how you save! Penny pinching can seem like a burden or it can be a thrilling game; it’s pretty satisfying to get things for free or inexpensively. These methods I use are by no means an exhaustive list – even within each approach, there are ways to go deeper and save more.

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Weekly Snapshot!

• Of his own accord, Liam has started picking up bits of grass and leaves from our wood floors and bringing them to me to put in the trash. I can’t help but beam with pride at this. Of course, he thinks that putting things in the trash is a game, but if it actually gets the house clean, who am I to tell him otherwise?? :)
• A HUGE blessing in my life recently is a Bible Study that I joined with my mother-in-law. Just last week I felt spiritually parched and, as I mentioned in my post, I scoured all over the place for something to satisfy my soul. I started reading St. Francis de Sales’s Introduction to the Devout Life and the next day started my Bible Study. It’s such a great group of women and we just finished studying James. If you need a good spiritual slap in the face, James is your book. It’s been SO good to be so abundantly spiritually fed!
• Andrew had TWO days off of work this week and it’s been such a nice bonus in addition to the welcomed rain in our area! With a husband home for a couple of days and [slightly] milder temps, there was plenty of time for fishing, errands, ice cream, and lounging.
• Our Little Man #2 is pretty active! Originally I thought this kid would be more laid-back than his big brother, who is already collected and calm; but if he continues at the bumpin’ and kickin’ rate he has now, I’m in for a busy motherhood :)

And so it goes with my soul. I’m a busy person, an enthusiastic do-er. I love making a list and checking tasks off. These days, I’ve occupied myself with home improvements and nesting – both of which are big thrills for me (as evidenced by my Nesting Notes below). When I complete one item, I glance at my To Do Today List and start another. Phone calls, laundry loads, eager trips to Target. The only thing I really put off is folding and putting away clothes :) Today I checked off everything I had planned, but I still felt an inner nagging as if I had left something unfinished. The floors were clean, the dishes done, as well as other chores, what else could I possibly have to do? Just like earlier when the only thing my body wanted was water, the only thing my soul wants is Living Water. Nothing else will satisfy.

The rector of our parish delivered a strong homily on Pentecost Sunday about the image of the Holy Spirit as water. Images of the Holy Spirit as fire or a dove are pretty common, but considering water brings a different understanding of Who the Holy Spirit is and what He provides. The Holy Spirit inspires and ignites like fire, but also calms and brings peace as with water. The last line of the second reading on Sunday said, “We were all given to drink of the one Spirit,” and I feel like I can’t get enough. In our room we have framed the initial verses of Psalm 63 written in calligraphy, “Oh God, you are my God – for you I long! … for you my soul thirsts, like a land parched, lifeless, and without water.” Life can’t be furthered without water and the spiritual life is no exception. Hands down, my favorite part of the homily on Sunday was when Father quoted St. Iranaeus:

Like dry flour, which cannot become one lump of dough, one loaf of bread, without moisture, we who are many could not become one in Christ Jesus without the water that comes down from heaven…we need the dew of God.

Without water, flour can’t become bread and feed others. It just sits there without serving a purpose. But add moisture, throw it in a hot oven, and flour can provide and further life for others. How can I serve and love my family if I have no Spirit? It’s amazing how a soul will be so parched as to drink the sand of a mirage, just because it doesn’t know any different. In my physical thirst I scoured the kitchen for the one thing I wanted and in my spiritual thirst, I busied myself with tasks and To-Dos hoping to find some fulfillment; when really the solution was so simple. I have re-started Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales (written for married laity so it’s perfect!) and I’m continuing to invite the grace of God to take over my restlessness. My soul will never find peace without the Holy Spirit, just like St. Augustine wrote “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” God is the Sole Satisfier.

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Weekly Snapshot:

• We learned a couple of weeks ago that our new little one is a BOY! I am SO excited to be the mother of two fun, rough-n-tumble little boys. What an honor! I’ve been hovering around the Boys Bedroom aisle at Target (they will eventually share) and glowing at the idea of introducing them, “These are our sons…” SO exciting. Dinosaurs, airplanes, mud and sticks – I can’t WAIT!
• We went on vacation with my family to Lake Okoboji in Iowa last week. I’m about 750 miles from my parents, my sister, and her family (and now officially 4,000 miles from my brother and his family in Alaska who couldn’t make it because of their recent move) so seeing them is always exciting and refreshing. We spent the week on the lake, went to a theme park nearby, took a cruise one evening, and went swimming or played Apples to Apples in any down time. Liam LOVED being with “big kids” and since we’ve come home, he’s even more vocal than he was before.

Dinnertime with Liam…and Jesus (the picture of whom is in a corner of the dining room) :)

Nesting Notes (just for fun):

After we learned that our new baby is a boy, I drafted what was initially a short list of home To-Dos – deadline October 15, the Little Man’s due date. Needless to say, I’m still adding to the endless scroll of tasks, which is organized by room – even the hallway. I’m proud to report that several items are totally checked off, one of which the most daunting and that was the linen closet. It used to be folded chaos of sheets, towels, table cloths with my sewing kit buried, the humidifier hidden, and Andrew’s tool box – YIKES. I’m happy to say that it has since been transformed to clear organization. I fold a set of sheets and then put them all in one corresponding pillow case. On Clean Sheets Day, I just grab a pillow case and BADA BING! it already has everything in it. This arrangement is superior to rummaging through trying to find all the matching pieces. Simple and easy. I wish I could claim this ingenuity as my own, but really I got the idea from my space-saving-savvy sister :) Folks, I could really REALLY get used to this. The rush is fantastic.

… don’t worry, I won’t list them. I don’t think the Internet has enough space. The point is that I am ready to acknowledge the goodness in him because I love it. It’s natural, isn’t it, to appreciate the goodness in another person? Even if you don’t express it outwardly, seeing goodness in another is what draws you to them. For instance, I could go on and on about my best friend Erin and how I’m SURE she’s the sweetest, purest soul to have ever lived; and no one can wear periwinkle blue like my mom who looks absolutely stunning in it.  What’s interesting is that nowadays, complimenting another person, either directly or in conversation with a third party, is sometimes taken as manipulation. What’s your angle? What do you expect to get out of being nice? Or if jealousy is involved, people don’t compliment at all because they’re too preoccupied with coveting. Equally unfortunate is that recognizing good in ourselves is widely seen as vanity and pride.

Since acknowledging positive qualities in other people is good and acceptable, why wouldn’t doing the same for yourself be so? You should love yourself – not just like yourself or appreciate bits and pieces of your personality, but I’m talking the whole package. Your own body and soul, your achievements great or small, your tendencies, etc. Love it all. Take a second to list a few things that you love about yourself. It’s a bit of a challenge for me and I admit that I hesitate. Ask someone to list what they dislike about themselves and the litany begins; ask someone what they love and they might hem and haw, “Gosh, I don’t know!” or maybe they’ll muster the courage to admit they have straight teeth. Why do people in general hesitate to acknowledge their gifts and talents? The truth is that doing so isn’t actually vanity, but an aspect of humility as long as your approach is right.

Humility is knowledge of self, according to St. Catherine of Siena, and part of knowing yourself is recognizing A) that you have blessings and achievements and B) that they come from your Creator. A bit of logic: God is good. We are made in His image and likeness. Therefore, we have goodness within us. So go for it!  Acknowledge God’s goodness within yourself. It’s about putting your worth in God; more specifically that you are spectactular because of the gifts and talents He bestowed upon you. It’s not vain to be proud of these things, it’s vain to credit yourself for them. God blessed me differently than He has any other soul – I am unique, special, and beautiful because of it. It’s funny how difficult that is for me to say. It’s important to note that this same approach applies to recognizing the goodness in others – it’s all a way of praising God.

My friend Alzbeta wrote a post to this effect and challenged her readers to list what they love about themselves. I’ll start here, but I’d also like to know what you love about yourself. Write it in a comment, a Facebook status, blog about it, whatever! Take pride in your humility and go ahead! tell me how great you are at painting or public speaking and know that your value isn’t in the gift itself, but the Giver.

What I love about myself -

• I love that I excel in a professional atmosphere. I love the thrill of mastering something new, making deadlines, and the surge of satisfaction when I produce something that surpasses expectation.
• I love that I have a great marriage! Andrew and I need each other and love each other and say so all the time.
• I love that I am very good with grammar and I use words well.
• I love that I am a happy person who fervently believes in finding joy in the little things.
• I love that I am a joyful during pregnancy, delighting in our new little gift.

Your turn!

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Weekly Snapshot:

• At 2 pm on TOMORROW, we find out if this little one inside is Sugar & Spice or another addition of Snips & Snails :) I have been waiting so excitedly for this day and I can’t wait! I feel like I’m waiting for Christmas!
• I presently have a fresh batch of brownies cooling on my stove. My friend from college used to bring brownies from home all the time and they had melted Andes Mints on them – DELISH. Though my batch isn’t adorned with Andes, I put some hazelnut chocolate squares on the brownies right when they came out of the oven so a nice shell will form on top. With a fresh pot of coffee when Andrew gets home, it’ll be the perfect “Welcome Home From Work” snack :)
• Last night I had an insatiable urge to get up and get goin’ and after starting on a pleasant, evening walk, I turned around to go home and cut the grass. SO GOOD. Mowing the lawn has always been one of my favorite household chores and I spent about an hour cutting the front and sweeping the sidewalk and porch. I hear my dad echoing in my head, “Always looks better when it’s clean!”
• When Liam wakes up from his naps, he yanks the cord of a musical stuffed animal on his crib to make it play. Everytime it reminds me of a butler bell – as if he’s summoning us to come get him.

We excitedly moved into very own house a year ago in June and since then, we’ve been waiting with bright, hopeful eyes (maybe it’s just been me) for life to settle down and slip into some state of normalcy. Uhh…yeah right. Owning a home, it seems, involves more financial demand than the monthly note and not just because of the house itself, but living in a home and being a family has a bit of chaos stirred in as well. No doubt that, like most bits of Life Wisdom, I had to learn this one on my own, rather than hearing about it from someone who’s been there or who is there.

Our car was totaled, our 60-year-old tree is falling apart, the plumbing is going haywire, and the washer is broken - on top of the little here-and-there stressors from the daily experience. All of this “Life Happens” stuff has been just a touch overwhelming lately.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen and realized that God has provided for us more than we could have possibly hoped! but in hindsight, I’m astonished at how easily I stooped to discontentment and just being a GRUMP about everything. I’ve always thought of myself as a perky, happy, contented sort of person; and not just happy, but strong in my happiness with little that could shake me. I think what would really help me maintain this peace is if I answered a persistent echoing I’ve been hearing in my soul – Give Me your burdens.

Type A, Type B – I’m not sure where I fall with either personality, but I do know that I like projects. I’m detail-oriented and I enjoy managing and being a real go-getter. What goes hand-in-hand with all of this is that I get stuck in the rut of “I Can Do It Myself.”  So stuck in fact, that it doesn’t even occur to me to ask help from anyone, even God. Especially God. But over the past couple of months, I’ve heard 3 or 4 different people each mention that after submitting their anxieties to Christ, life was happier and easier; though the burden may still have been present, knowing that it was in God’s hands was enough to make them stop worrying. God doesn’t just accept our burdens, He wants to take them from us; He wants us to entrust Him with every bit of joy and anxiety in life. After being beckoned so persistently by God in this way, I feel that I’ve finally heeded His plea for my soul. A soul who entrusts all to God is lighter and at peace, even with the world spinning and crumbling. Where have I been??

On a very related note, I’ve had the song “Everything” by Lifehouse in my head lately and I remembered seeing a skit  set to it on YouTube. I found it online the other day and watched it just for kicks, but I was blown away at how profoundly it addressed the on-goings of my heart.

Though the trials in the skit are certainly not my own, the point is that life, sin, and temptations can consume me; but I CAN submit all to God – hopes, anxieties, troubles – and He absolutely wants them. While putting all of myself in His hands, I will be at peace. “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) Give Me your burdens. Dearest Jesus, why did it take me so long?

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving
make your requests known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding
will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4: 6-7)

Weekly Snapshot:

• Just ONE WEEK until we find out what Baby #2 is! When people ask me what we’re having I say, “It’s a girl, but we find out at the end of May.” I was 100% certain with Liam that he was a boy and as soon as we learned we were expecting this baby, I exclaimed with the same confidence, “It’s a girl!!” Of course, we’ll see how good my Mother’s Intuition is a week from now :) Aside from a couple of instances of indulgent eating, I’ve felt fantastic this trimester. Movin’ right along with just about 5 months left!
• God has not just smiled upon us, He’s grinning ear to ear in our direction: We got a Honda Odyssey!! Though I’ve been calling it the Honda Fantasy :) After a poignant trade-in of my Ford Pride & Pickup for 7 years, I proudly cruise the concrete in our own Swagger Wagon and I love it. So much space and room for plenty more little ones and all of their accessories. Road trips will be a BREEZE in this thing!
• I took Andrew out on a surprise date the other night and arranged for Liam’s Aunt Mikki to stay at the house after he went down. Andrew didn’t suspect a THING and we had a great time getting ice cream and walking around downtown. We were pretty beat after our excursions to Yankee Candle and Bass Pro, so we watched The King’s Speech (fantastic) when we got home. Andrew asked me back when we were engaged if I expressed my love for him the way I hoped it would be expressed to me. Since then, I’ve tried to act on this challenge: surprises, little notes, and happy greetings for him when he comes home from work or anywhere else. SO fun :)

In my last post, I boldly challenged myself (and anyone else!) to avoid excessive computer use for the duration of Lent. The goal was to use my computer for online bill pay and occasional email only – what bliss! what freedom. I could tell a difference even the night before I began! Because I knew the next day I wouldn’t end up chaining myself to my desk, I was joyful and my soul felt light; which to me was highly indicative that my own immoderate computer use was weighing me down emotionally and spiritually. Now, I know myself. I’m easily eager to tackle big goals and then I bite off more than I can chew and then I throw my arms up in the air in submission and THEN I give up the whole thing. So naturally, I was concerned that I wouldn’t do well and I admit that later in Lent, I slipped and fell quite a bit. The success I did have, however, did wonders for my family and my soul. I focused more on Andrew and Liam and our house was much happier. I prayed more and reflected more – I worked on the habit of “praying without ceasing” by offering Christ my actions and thoughts each day. Instead of sighing to myself in exhaustion and defeat, I would ask God to be with me and the graces were so abundant! I read somewhere that the Virgin Mary said that there are so many graces that the Lord is ready and willing to give, but people don’t ask for them or aren’t open to receiving them.

My favorite spiritual goal, fueled by the life experiences and wise insights of a friend, is to be  continuously aware that God is working his plan non-stop in my own life and in the life of my family. Though I know He has always been, it became SUPER clear to me just over a week ago when disaster struck. To make a terribly long story short, I was cozily settled in for a girls night to watch the Royol Wedding at my aunt’s house when the next door neighbor called; I heard only a few crucial bits on speaker phone: “Do you know the owner of the Honda Accord parked outside? … a drunk driver crashed into it and…” I jumped up from the couch and dashed outside to see our lovely family car crumpled like aluminum foil with the front of an old SUV smashed into the tail. I was dizzy from the whirlwind of commotion, but from the start of it all to the moment we finally laid our heads to rest that night, God’s grace was overwhelmingly present. The driver of the SUV was able to walk out of his car, the police were GREAT, it was nice and easy to communicate with our wonderful insurance company, and somehow both Andrew and I felt uncannily calm and collected in the midst of the whole crisis. Because we live in the same town as most of Andrew’s family, I was in very supportive company who offered to clean out the car, contact Andrew, and gave plenty of hugs while I worked with the local PD. My parents-in-law immediately and graciously offered us their van so we could still tote Liam around – our second vehicle is a modest Ford Ranger that could hardly accomodate a little one safely and we are searching hopefully for a new-to-us vehicle. Though a few routines are out of whack and life is a little different, the whole situation has been wrapped in God’s mercy. Andrew put it beautifully after I apologized to him for parking on such a busy street, “If the drunk driver hadn’t hit our parked car with nobody in it, he could have kept going and hit moving car with SOMEbody in it. Thanks be to God that everyone is safe.”

Another bittersweet flavor to last week was that, after much discernment and heartbreak, Andrew and I decided to return our dog Jack to the animal shelter. We had him for just under two months and though he was a bouncy, happy sort of dog, he was more exuberant than we could manage; even after his 2 mile walks and what started off as a pleasure became a hassle that prevented any quality family time we previously had. We’ve missed having Jack around, but the stress of having him has been relieved. We get to spend time together as a whole family and Andrew, who had been Jack’s primary caretaker, isn’t burdened with having to tame an excitable dog.      

The Lord IS kind and merciful and He gives and takes away. Though the past week has been a HUGE emotional gauntlet for Andrew and me, I can’t tell you how much closer we became. We truly clung to each other and acknowledged over and over again that we need each other in both trials and joys. What a blessing! God is wonderful and loving to us and we understand much better now the importance of faith and family.

Snapshot of Life!

• I haven’t announced here yet, but Andrew and I are expecting a second little soul to grace our family around October 15th! I’m about 17 weeks right now and feeling fantastic. I’ve been much more active during this pregnancy than when I was expecting Liam and I am in great company too! I have five friends who are all having babies soon – July, August, September, and another in October just the week before me. The summer will be a little rough being “out to here” in the sweltering sun, but the delight and joy far surpasses anything the heat throws at me :)
• In what seems to have been the beginning stages of NESTING, I decided the other day that we needed to rearrange our living room. Thanks be to God that we have wood floors so our couch and loveseat slid around super easily for this prego mama. Rearranging was a big thing for us growing up – it provides a refreshing perspective that makes you feel like you have a whole new room!
• Speaking of Home Improvements: after a long, hot summer and a frigid winter spent in this house, we finally had our attic reinsulated. Twelve inches of pink stuff later, our A/C didn’t kick on for two days because of the way the house held the temperature. What relief! I can’t wait to see how much lower our electric bills will be over the next few months. We couldn’t have done it at a better time either – the forecast for our area is supposed to be WAY on the warm side next week.

It was while this thought and discernment process was going on when I read this blog post. The author, Lindsay, is a friend of my sister’s and she’s a very thoughtful wife and mother. She proposed not just ridding herself of Facebook or extra time online, but the computer entirely. Taking a few weeks to prep for this endeavor – letting people know how to contact her, organizing finances so she wouldn’t need online banking – I can tell you with complete certainty that Lindsay’s computer is OFF this very minute, and will be for the duration of Lent.

Now, there are a few things I must use my computer to do, like writing articles for the Catholic Connection, but aside from what is absolutely necessary, I intend to follow Lindsay’s example of purging myself from all things computer related. I need more time to pray. I NEED more time to pray and I will have it. I need more time to devote to my vocation and family and I will have it. It’s amazing – the night before I began my efforts, I felt so free considering the day ahead, like I had a day off. Don’t misunderstand me – I’m not saying that the computer is bad. Not at all, it’s my constant inclination to sit down at it that is decreasing my quality of life.

I will resume blogging after Easter, and until then, use the time to journal, take care of my husband and family, and best and most importantly, PRAY. I will invite Christ to take over my life and will be infinitely happier for it.

Again, I encourage you to read Linday’s post on this challenge and consider to participate in all of it, or at least some. Go outside. Take your dog for a walk. Play with your children. Cuddle with your spouse. Love God and devote all of your time to Him.

I was tossing and turning - wide awake much later than the usual bedtime. And I was trying to hit the sack early, too. Nothing was troubling me really; I just kept thinking of tasks for the next day, certain that I would forget each one. It shouldn’t have happened, but I tip-toed away from the warmth of my sleeping husband and down comforter to write a to-do list, the heaviest item at the bottom: ”Revamp budget.”

God has blessed us by allowing me to be a housewife/stay-at-home-mom, which means we’re a mostly-single-income family. Andrew is our bold & fearless bread-winner, and there are few efforts I manage here and there to bring something to the table, like being a columnist for the Catholic Connection, an amateur coupon-clipper, and paid chorister. While these little bits are blessings and they certainly add up, none of them have the steady rhythm and long-term job security that Andrew’s position has; and I guess they’re not really supposed to, either. If I signed up for steady and long-term, I might as well go back to the office.

The original intent, however, for all the extra pennies earned was Savings. Before Andrew and I tied the knot, my morality professor advised, “Learn to live on only Andrew’s salary and then when you have children and stay at home, you’ll be used to having just that income. It won’t be a financial crisis.” Rock solid advice and we took it to the bank. Yet lately we’ve grown comfortable with the extra monthly contributions, not saving as much as originally planned. Feeling like victims of our budget rather than taskmasters, we are re-addressing everything and, especially this month, tightening the cinch. Every last nickel is a blessing from God and it’s important to be excellent stewards of His gifts. We don’t want to take our extra income for granted or end up stunned in the event that it stops; so in light of this, we are “celebrating” Frugal February.

Not Spending Money can seem like a drag or it can be a game. On a related note, I’m a big believer in “every little bit helps” so if I can avoid spending $2 here or 50¢ there, our efforts toward Not Spending tend to snowball and it’s thrilling. For example:

• Coffee: Andrew and I are fancy-coffee-drinkers. We like it done-up and delicious like Starbucks – flavors, whipped cream, topped with caramel. But instead of paying $7 for a couple tall decaf cappuccinos, we put a pot on at home and then add some caramel topping and whipped cream from the store. Add a deck of cards to the scene and we’re all set.
• Coupons & Swag Bucks: I’m new to the whole coupon scene, but I know there’s an art to it worth pursuing. Stacking manufacturers’ coupons with store coupons (Target’s big into this) will save a BIG percentage on your grocery bill, especially if you combine it with weekly deals. Don’t throw those coupons out with the Sunday paper!  Swag Bucks, too, are a recent thrill for me. It’s a website to earn points that add up to things like Target, Amazon, or Starbucks gift cards, electronics, movies, downloads, etc. You earn points by using the website as a search engine, answering a daily poll, entering codes, and other ways, too. Right now I’m shooting for Target and/or Amazon gift cards and really enjoying watching my points steadily stack up. Check it out/sign up at my referral link.
               *The hyperlinks for Swag Bucks didn’t work in my original post, 
                 so you can copy/paste the URL into your browser: 
                [www.swagbucks.com/refer/katieSciba]
• Electricity: While small appliances like lamps and hair dryers don’t draw electricity when OFF, many larger appliances like TVs do. Unplugging your entertainment system each night and plugging it back in when in use can positively affect your electricity bill. Additionally, I try avoid turning on lights in the house during the day since every room has a window and natural light floods the house!
• Baby Stuff: Diapers. Liam will need them for a while longer and cloth diapers don’t work well with his super-sensitive skin. I use Amazon Mom and get 30% off (and free 2-day shipping) plus Parents Magazine often has 20% off coupon codes. Combine that with an Amazon gift card earned from Swagbucks, and you’ve got yourself a deal. Just yesterday I bought a box of 176 diapers for 44¢ total.

Instead of foolishly feeling subject to the Almighty Dollar, you should be its delegator. Dave Ramsey points out that money isn’t inherently good or bad; it does what YOU tell it to do. And I intend to put it to work.

Weekly Snapshot:

• Andrew and I are hooked on Farkle – an addictive game involving 6 dice. We played all Sunday morning over coffee and breakfast and as soon as one game was done, we started a new score sheet. What a great time! You can get it at the store OR you can scrounge up 6 dice from any other board games floating around the house and then search for the rules/point values online.
• Liam is sharp as a tack! I taught him this trick to help him get down from standing. It’s hilarious and darling.

Daily Ritual

I have attained the discipline to become a daily-Masser. Andrew has been just wonderful in helping me achieve the motivation to counter any personal hesitation. On the days when I don’t have the virtue to get myself there, it’s enough knowing that I’m responsible for Liam’s exposure to all things Catholic; and more so, since Andrew has asked me to go each day, I do it out of spousal obedience as well. When we’re both prayerful and humble, our marriage is a million times better and we communicate beautifully.

In the News
I recently got a job as a copy writer for our diocesan magazine! My first article is being published TOMORROW and I can’t wait to see it in print! On the otherhand, I’m super nervous too because I know that my short blurb on being a Catholic wife is going to be in the mailboxes of everyone in our diocese – YIKES! God is so good to me. In addition to writing a few articles here and there, I’ll be doing a regular column called Domestic Church starting in July or August. I love marriage so much, my own especially, and God even more so – I can’t wait to be able to put my passion toward this kind of ministry.

Website Recommendation
For the kids or just for you! Check out kids-in-mind.com before you head to the theater or add a movie to your Netflix queue. It’s a great way to check a movie’s sexual, violent, or profane content before you see it and is far more effective than the current standard ratings. Think up a couple of movies that you think are acceptable, search for them on the site, and use that as a reference of severity per category. While some movies from the mid-nineties and back aren’t there, kids-in-mind.com covers most (if not all) movies from then to now. Andrew and I use it all the time and if a movie has ratings that are too high, we nix it from our list.

Purge Week & the NO BABY ZONE

• Two weeks ago, I declared a PURGE WEEK for my wardrobe and a few closets in the house. I got a full trashbag of give-aways from my closet and dresser and then I filtered through each load of laundry, setting aside at least two pieces of my own clothing. I can’t believe how many t-shirts I had [have] that I don’t wear. Some items weren’t fit to donate to GoodWill - holey high school t-shirts and a pair of old sweats, for example – so I took some scissors to them and made a small pile of rags to keep in the garage. I was so proud of my resourcefulness :)
• Our room has officially become a “NO BABY ZONE.” Liam’s stuff is all over our house: in the kitchen, in the dining room, in the family room, in the bathroom, a few little things in the guest room, and then he has his OWN room; so in an effort to truly make the master bedroom our sanctuary, I rid it of of any and all toys, socks, ointments, teething rings, etc. We do away with extra clutter, AND it makes the space a little more sacred. We still let Liam play with his toys in there, but as soon as he exits, so does his stuff without a moment’s delay. And a sanctuary it has become.

BONUS – In My Kitchen: [Almost] Guiltless Peanut Butter Pie
8 oz. lite Cool Whip
8 oz. lite cream cheese
1 c powdered sugar
1 c reduced fat PB (crunchy or creamy)
Whip it up in a large bowl and put into a ready-made graham cracker crust – freeze for a couple of hours to firm it up and baddabing! it’s done. The pie stands on its own feet, but I like to top mine with crushed pretzels and a swirl of cholate syrup. Savor this sweet recipe courtesy of my sister Jennifer!

I think most people have some sort of experience like that when it comes to a music artist – they go NUTS at a show. They scream, they cry, they can’t breathe - no wonder EMTs are always on site! That’s for concerts, though. When I’m not breathing the same air as Garth Brooks, I keep the token tracks on my playlist;   I know every lyrics and key change, all the subtle vocal tricks in each verse like nobody else. Plus, Andrew and I want to ensure that Liam is brought up on good, quality music :)

I started thinking though: I love Garth Brooks’s music – his inflection and energy, the steel guitar, the fiddle! But what if I expressed that kind of enthusiasm for the Eucharist? and when I’m not at Mass, what if I maintained that steady flow of contact as if listening to an album over and over? The idea might seem cliche – I know I’ve heard people mention something to this effect before, but really, that kind of overwhelming excitement is meant for GOD. Don’t get me wrong – it’s not bad or blasphemous when I get chills crankin’ up No Fences, but knowing that I should have something more for Someone More is eye-opening. I use Garth for the sake of example, but the passion people have for not just celebrities and things like eating, material possessions, or spending hours on some iToy, is superficial. It’s all fleeting. We are absolutely meant to enjoy the things of this world, but with the perspective that none of them deserve the devotion and love meant for God. Someone infinitely bigger and better than Garth Brooks makes a physical appearance three times a day at the parish around the corner; and, I’m ashamed to say that sometimes I make it seem like a chore to get there. Thank God, that with a little perspective, nothing can size Him up.

“…All things were created by him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16)

Weekly Snapshot:

• We painted our kitchen! It went from a plain, consuming WHITE to now an obnoxious Barbie Dream House blue. We’ll be painting over it within the next couple of days – still a shade of blue, but something a little softer and more subtle. I have to say, it’s pretty humbling choosing a color and slowly watching it become a mistake.
• Liam has the BEST sense of humor. Last night he was dying laughing because his feet were sliding out from under him as he was losing his grip on the side of his Pack n Play. We couldn’t get over how amused he was by himself.
• Lately I’ve been hungry for great fiction. I’m reading The Help right now and just finished Jane Eyre and The Guernsey Literary and Peeled Potato Pie Society – SO good. Finishing a good read can be depressing because I’m left wanting more and I almost never trust another author to do as well; which means I’m delightfully surprised when they do.
• We finally subscribed to the newspaper for the coupons and last week alone we saved $60 from working some serious deals on stuff that we already use! If you work it, CVS will even pay you to take their merchandise home.