7 Quick Takes: What I've Been Watching

Joining in the taking of quick fun with our lovely host, Kelly...

I was going to title this one "Why You Should Watch What I'm Watching", but then I would have to convince you to watch these shows. 

And what if you hate the shows and that leads you to question my taste? 

Or, (even worse!), what if you love all of my suggestions and I have to come up with 7 more shows? 

Stop the insanity.

I don't know your life.

You do you. 

Here are 7 shows I've been enjoying (no pressure!)....

1) Drunk History. Holy wow. Kyle and I are only 2 episodes in, and we've pulled

muscles from laughing so hard. The basic premise is that the host (creator?) gets historians drunk and has them narrate a portion of history. He then gets pretty well-known actors to lip sync the narration and act out the story. It's insanely funny and really quite a creative idea. You can find it on Amazon Prime.

2) Friday Night Lights. When this show first debuted in 2006, I was taking a break from all TV, so I missed out on it. But, thanks to Netflix, I have discovered why people loved it so much. If anyone else was also living under a rock in 2006, let me sum it up for you by saying: Texas high school football, relationship drama, Connie Britton hair.

3) White Collar. Another Netflix recommendation that is perfect for when you want to watch something clever, yet not too heavy. The show revolves around an FBI agent who catches his archnemesis and then has him released into his custody to help solving white collar crimes. (Bonus: Kelly Kapowski is in it!)

4) The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Ok, Netflix was having a really great day when it decided to start producing its own shows. Kimmy Schmidt is written and produced by the hilarious Tina Fey. Kimmy was kidnapped at 15 by the leader of a cult and kept in an underground bunker with 3 other women for 15 years. Then, they are rescued and this is where the show begins. Sounds scary and depressing, right? NOT AT ALL. It's written as a comedy, and, man, does it deliver. As the kids say: this show is on fleek! 

5) The Middle. I try to catch this one "live" every week on Wednesday nights on ABC. I started watching because I love Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond), but I continued because it's funny, true-to-life, and has a truly talented cast. 

6) The Goldbergs. I'll be honest: this one is not gonna be for everyone. Kyle and I like to watch it (Wednesdays on ABC) because it's based on the true life family stories of the show's creator who grew up in the 80s. It's a little piece of nostalgia with a side of funny. 

7) Mountain Men. I blame Kyle for this one. He got me hooked on this (both Amazon and Netflix have it) reality series. It focuses on 4 or 5 separate men who have chosen to live in various mountainous areas around the U.S. Im pretty sure we watch it to cheer for the 1 guy we sorta like, and to laugh at the rest of those idiots. Because, really? They are not the brightest bunch.

Eustace is NOT the guy we cheer for...ever.

So, what about you? What are YOU watching? 

7 QTs: Lent, 12 Angry Men (almost!), God Eats Chips, & Uptight FirstGraders

Joining Jen again!

1) It's the first Friday of Lent! Who's excited?!? 

Yeah, me neither. It says a lot about my current attitude that by dinner time on Ash Wednesday, I was asking "Is Lent over yet?".

Hopefully, I'll get with the groove soon...or, the Holy Spirit will have to kick me into gear.

2) This week, my kids' grade school took their standardized tests. Since this is a Montessori school, this is the only testing they do all year. I think it must exhaust the teachers and the students, because both Jack's and Eamon's teachers declared today a Pajama Party Day. 

Jack was all over that action, while Eamon was horrified. 

He's a little buttoned up.

Kyle offered him a tie.

3) Maeve was accepted to her first choice of high schools. She was accepted into their International Baccalaureate program (basically, all honors) which is impressive. Well, until you find out that all those girls are required to take 6 weeks of summer school to prepare for the rigorous classes at additional expense. This is over and above the 4 weeks of volleyball camp she has to take in order to have a good shot at making their team. Joe told her, "your school is the worst.". Brothers are so kind.

4) As Kyle, Maeve, and I were leaving the registration and uniform fitting appointment at her new school on Tuesday evening, I noticed how subdued Kyle seemed. (We had been nicely shuffled from table to table, writing checks for large sums of money at each one.) When I asked him if he was OK, he responded, "That was the least fun I've ever had for $900.". A-ha.

5) THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS! After going through the most horrifying security line in the world, sitting for 4.5 hours, and being interviewed by an assistant state's attorney who loudly exclaimed "DO YOU EVER SLEEP?!" when I told her my "job"

was being a mother to 7 kids, I was excused from Grand Jury service!! And, hallelujah, because, as another Asst. State's Attorney explained to us: it was a guaranteed 5 week service, Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm. Seriously, who can do that?? So, if you think of it, please pray for the 16 people who were chosen to serve, as well as the 8 alternate jurors.

6) As I sat there in the "jury waiting room" -- after praying my Rosary and desperately begging for prayers on via text and Facebook -- I practiced one of my favorite hobbies: people-watching. Human beings are fascinating, odd, gross, beautiful, snooty, tired (I'm looking at YOU, Mr. Snoring Loudly), and anxious. It occurred to me once again that we are ALL created in the image and likeness of God. As to why God would continue to pour the microscopic pieces of potato chips into his mouth from his chip bag, is something you will have to ask him. 

7) Are you joining in the 40 Bags, 40

days Challenge? How's it going? Have you hit any stumbling blocks or found buried treasure yet? I'm doing pretty well (7 bags already!), but am once again horrified at the realization that so many of my kids are hoarders. Here's hoping that the Good Lord sees fit to take me before my kids appear on this show:

7 Quick Takes: Complete With A Giveaway!

Joining Jen for this week's takings of quick!

1) My friend, Cari, wrote a book! (Yes! I'm THAT famous! I know an author!!) She wrote a fantastic account of her conversion to Catholicism. It's chockfull (that's a word, autocorrect?) of hilarious and beautiful stories of her journey to motherhood and Jesus. It's titled "Pope Awesome and Other Stories". But don't believe me when I say it's a must-read; go check out her many awesome reviews on Amazon! Or, better yet, just ask Kyle. He loved the book so much he read it right-side up, then upside-down.

2) What's that? I convinced you? You want a copy? Well, lemme hook you up, my brutha (or sistah)! I am giving away one copy of Cari's book for the price of one comment! Yes, that's right! I believe so much in Cari's story, that I'm willing to pay postage to send it to one lucky winner (you're welcome, Cari!). Just leave me a comment below and Sweet William will choose the winner on next Thursday (11/14)!

 Now, on to Life With The Dempseys! 

3) Maeve is in the process of choosing high schools to attend next year. Although we aren't newbies to this process, we haven't had to look at girls' schools until now. Due to a scheduling snafu, Joe had to attend one of the open houses with us last night and declared that, while the school "still smelled like tears and pencil shavings", it also smelled "a lot better --more colorful-- than a boys' school.".

 
Amen to that.

4) My running class was going really well! I even started running a solid 3 miles --albeit r e a l l y  s l o w l y-- without stopping! But this weird pain in my knee kept bothering me on non-running days.  Turned out, I have a bruised meniscus. This means that I had to stop running and walking immediately, rest the knee, ice it, and take ibuprofen. It also means that I will never again be able to run on cement or asphalt, only a cushioned track or dirt. Boo. But.....

5) Kyle to the rescue! Since my esteemed physician suggested swimming and cycling as safe alternatives, Kyle encouraged me to sign up for the Fall special at our local hospital's fitness center! They have 2 pools, recumbent bikes, the whole shebang! Now, I'm kickin' it with all the local grannies in the locker room as we prep for our aqua classes. 

6) Thanks to good ol' Jessica, I tried out this recipe for Brazilian Black Bean Soup this week. I thought, "2 different pork products in the same soup CANNOT be wrong", and I was not disappointed. Because I'm (obviously) in a generous mood today, I'm sharing the link with you.

 

7) Finally, this has been the best video I've seen all week. Takes me back to 8th grade gym class with Mrs. Barnish and her Jane Fonda workout videos: