Theme Thursday: Out

As in, he's finally out like a light!

It's been a long week over here; go see who else is out over at Cari's!

7 QTs: The Fast, The Furious, and The Faithful

:::crickets chirping::::

Yes, I'm still alive and linking up with Jen, you lucky ducks!

1) The South Beach Diet works, yo! I've lost 13 pounds, nearly 7 inches from my waist, and discovered a gluten intolerance in only 6.5 weeks! (I've always wanted to sound like an infomercial!) Now, if only it was noticeable to anyone except for me and my pants.....

2) Don't laugh, but I joined a beginning runners' class. I know, I know: put one front in front of the other. You can't tell me anything my teen sons haven't already declared loudly in my presence. But, for me, even signing up (the class starts on the 30th) is huge. I am hoping the motivation and tips will encourage someone who hates running as much as I do to keep going. I'm also hoping the weight loss speeds up even more. Kyle says I will surprise myself. Easy for a guy who doesn't need 2 sports bras, "running Spanx", and an inhaler just to do a quick 1 mile walk. 

4) Another freaking tree fell on our lake house!

That's 2 trees in 14 months! This time, at least, it was only the electric meter and front porch overhang that was damaged, but it still necessitates dragging in our bozo insurance company, loopy contractors, and lazy code inspectors. All in all, no one was hurt so I'm trying to be grateful and look on the bright side.

4) I hosted a Back to School Rosary this week and some really wonderful women came to pray with me, including Jessica! She brought these insanely delicious  mini-frittatas that Will (and everyone else!) scarfed up. I'm not one to tell someone what to blog about, but sharing that recipe would be the Christian thing to do. 

5) Maeve is visiting ("shadowing") various Catholic high schools this fall. Unlike her 2 older brothers, she is very sure that she wants to attend a single-sex school. I'm learning that girls make decisions much more quickly and matter-of-fact-ly than do boys. Well, at least that's how it's looking in our family. Kyle dropped her off at her most recent Shadow Day and lamented the fact that she "easily looked like one of the Freshman". Her high school career is going to be rough on both of them. 

6) We went apple picking last weekend and it was so much fun! Last year, most orchards weren't offering U-Pick due to crop shortages caused by the drought, so we missed out on this favorite family activity. We go to a really cool orchard that uses 1/4 less commercial pesticides, which makes eating a freshly picked apple that much tastier!

Plus, they have apple doughnuts, cider slushies, a hayride, corn maze, apple slingshot, petting zoo, and a big haystack to climb!

In 15 years, when these 3 start a band, this will be their album cover.

7) This last QT is a picture that I will save and show at Will's wedding. It perfectly highlights what happens when you are the 5th brother and your two teen brothers are left in charge of you:

Hasta la Vista! Ah'll be baaahck!

Theme Thursday: Recess

Linking up with the much bloggier Cari for Theme Thursday: Recess!

I only have one at home for "morning recess" time! 

Theme Thursday: Faith

Linking up with Cari for this slam dunk of a subject for Theme Thursday: Faith!

You can read more about Faith's arrival here, but let me tell you a few things about her here, as well.

Faith was aptly named, as her birth (and the days leading up to it) required much faith in God. I must have said "Jesus, I trust in You!" a million times in the 3 days preceding her birth. 

Faith is a firecracker and a honey badger. She doesn't take "nothin' from nobody, no how!" and it is always clear where she stands on any issue pertinent to 3.5 year olds. We nicknamed her "Sassy" around 7 months old, when these tendencies first made their appearances. The name has stuck and she answers to both "Faith" and "Sassy" now.

Faith is also a sweetheart -- according to Kyle and to my dad. She yearns to help out her baby brother, even when it's not really "helping" and to "teach him things". She is very much a Daddy's girl, just like her big sister Maeve and uses this weakness of his to acquire many favors.

She is the perfect little sister for Maeve. Maeve, who waited 9.5 long years to have a "sister who would stay with me here on Earth", can talk Faith into any hairstyle or outfit. They also share the same shoe obsession and artistic talents.

Faith's godfather is her oldest brother, Killian, and he calls her by her middle name: Therese. Faith's godmother is Kyle's sister-in-law, Liz, who Faith calls "Aunt St. Liz"-- a fitting title for a godmother of a Honey Badger!

Faith's is a girly-girl and loves pink and princesses. She is big on etiquette and has been known to growl out "LADIES FIRST!" while kidney-punching Eamon when he dares to enter a room before she does.

We love our Faith and our faith!

Five Favorites and WWRW by Eamon

Eamon (6) is our 5th child (well, really, Fiona is 5th, but she's generous enough to let him have the distinction) and he DEFINITELY has at least 5 favorite things (and 1 is a book!) so today he is linking up with Hallie and Jessica for 5 Faves and WWRW!

Eamon is our resident sweetheart and has an innate sense of nurturing. If anyone complains of a headache, he quietly moves over to that person and begins rubbing his/her head. Scraped your knee? Eamon is at the ready with the first aid kit. Need an extra hand setting the table or stirring that batter? Eamon is happy to help!

 He's also the 4th of 5 brothers, so this kid knows how to be a "real boy"! He's always carrying some sort of weaponry and tying ropes around chair legs (why they gotta do that?!).

When he graduated kindergarten this Spring, he gave a speech and told everyone that when he grew up, he wanted to be "a regular guy with a job and a family; like my dad.".

We all love him! 

Here are some of his faves:

1) Magna-Tiles! These magnetic building tiles are "fun to work with" and "very easy to use", according to Eamon. He, Jack, and Faith spend hours creating buildings and elaborate play sets with our collection of Magna-Tiles. While they are expensive, they are quality toys which last and are fun for kids of all ages. (I've been known to build a few things with them, too!) Eamon and Jack received their first set for Christmas, and when Eamon turned 6 last month, he asked for more sets as his "big gift". Besides

Legos, they are our "most played with" toy in the playroom.

2)

  "Arthur and the Bad-Luck Brain"

This is one of Eamon's choices from the library. He is an above-average reader for his age (reads at a 4th grade level), so he is burning through all the chapter books he can find. Here is a brief synopsis of his latest choice: "Arthur and all of his friends are on a baseball team and they are against another team. Arthur's team were losing every game and during one of these games, Buster brings them a bat and tells them that if they all spit on it, they will win the game. But, The Brain tells them that those kinds of things aren't true and he won't spit on the bat. After that, Brain can't hit any more balls and they lose the game. Then, the Brain stays home from their games but they really need him. I'm not telling you the end because that would ruin it, OK? You have to read it for yourself."

3) Tv Tag. Per Eamon: "this is just like regular Tag, except that when the person who is It tries to tag you, you have to yell out the name of a TV show so he can't tag you. And you can't use the same TV show more than once; I don't know why, Joe just says that's true. I like to play it because it's fun. Why do you keep asking me why I like these things?"

4) Gerald McBoing Boing. This is Eamon's and Faith's latest favorite rainy-day series to watch on Hulu. It's based on the Dr. Seuss book of the same name and isn't too annoying to adults, either. According to Eamon, it's a "show about a boy who can't talk, only make awesome sounds with his mouth. His parents have to guess what he's saying by understanding the sound. It's hilarious!"

5) Andrew. Eamon's best friend is his cousin Andrew. Eamon is only two and a half weeks older than Andrew, and when they were seen together as babies, people used ask if they were twins.

Eamon (l) & Andrew (r) on their 1st Halloween.

Eamon's take on Andrew: "he's fun to play with, that's true. He's nice and very generous. He and I love to play Legos, Magna-Tiles, and superheroes together. His favorite superhero is Superman and mine is Robin. We look hilarious when he dresses up like Superman and I'm his sidekick, Robin. Get it? Cuz Robin is BATMAN'S sidekick, not Superman's. Ha! That was Andrew's idea. Hilarious!"

Eamon, Andrew, Faith

Andrew and Eamon ready to take the NesTea Plunge!

MIM: Blueberries

Linking up with the girlies for MIM, Blueberry-style!

Does anyone have kids old enough to remember the show, "Maggie and the Ferocious Beast"? And, an episode I cannot seem to locate on YouTube, where they sing a song, "Blueberries! Blueberries! I love them so! They'll never know how I love them so!"?

No? Just me? Ok, well, you're welcome for the earworm!

This week was a slam dunk for me as I have been making Blueberry Tea Cake with Blueberry Sauce since I was 18. I think I found the recipe on those cards that Time-Life Publishing used to send to people trying to convince them to start a subscription for one of their culinary magazines. The sauce part was my own personal addition. Let's do this thang!

Blueberry Tea Cake with Blueberry Sauce

1 egg

2/3 c. Sugar

1 1/2 c. Flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. salt

1/3 c. Milk

3 tbsp. butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. Blueberries (fresh or frozen)

2 tbsp. sugar

  For sauce:

1 cup blueberries

1 1/2 c.water

1/2 c. Sugar

3 tbsp. butter

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp. cold water.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9x9" pan.

Beat egg, then add 2/3 c. sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy.

Next, combine dry ingredients in a small

bowl and add to egg mixture 1/3 c at a time, alternating with milk. Add melted butter and vanilla. Finally, fold in blueberries gently. 

Pour/spread into pan (I use my clean fingers to spread it evenly, as it is a very thick batter.) 

And, sprinkle with 2 Tbsps. of sugar:

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean.

While cake is baking, place all of the ingredients for the sauce, EXCEPT THE CORNSTARCH-WATER MIXTURE, in a saucepan and bring it to a low boil.

After it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes, having your unwilling 18 year old stir it gently while you laugh at him.

Add cornstarch mix and cook until slightly thickened.

Once cake is done, slice and serve warm

with a couple of tablespoons of sauce on top. It's also delicious with a side of vanilla ice cream.

Bon appetit!

Theme Thursday: Statues

I have to admit that when I saw Cari's theme this week, 2 thoughts popped immediately into my head:

1) The childhood game, Statue-maker, wherein 1 person (the Statue-maker) takes the hands of each of the other players and whips them around quickly. Whatever pose they land in is their "statue pose", which they must hold until they are the last person standing still.

2) This:

Weeping Angels

Then, after a lengthy eBay search for Weeping Angel statues, I calmed myself down and looked around.

Hey! I have a lot of statues around my house! Many are religious, like this statue of Mary and Jesus that my mom gave me after we lost Fiona:

And, my favorite statue of Mary and Jesus, which I received as a wedding shower gift 2 decades ago:

But, I also have a collection of Willow Tree figurines which I love:

Although, some small peoples in this house reduced the Willow Trees' population a few years ago in a massacre of epic proportions that caused me to cry out dramatically, "WHY?! They're the only nice things I have!".

I'm excited to see the other Theme Thursday posts this week, but until next time....