Prepared

Today when I left my classroom I was so ready for tomorrow and super organized. It doesn't always happen like that, math lesson ready to go, literacy lesson ready to go, and all of the other things that fill in ready to go. 

I guess I've always been like that, organized, ready to the best of my ability. 

Sometimes when I run across an old photo like these I think, wow! I'm the exact same person. I can guarantee that everything in that backpack was selected on purpose. That snack that she's eating, picked. Those little summer shoes, I know I thought though that. 

I don't know what zoo we are at. I'm not exactly sure how old Abigail was here... maybe 3. My arms and heart were full.  

A New Time

Our family has gone to church at 10:00 am always. We found our parish just around our first anniversary. That means we've been going to this church for about 29 years.  29 years!!!!! How is that possible? 

When we were first married 10:00 suited us just fine. I think we enjoyed sleeping in then. 

When we had babies and toddlers and elementary aged girls 10:00 was the only option really. They were awake early but there was a lot to 'wrangle' in that stage. (although happiness, pure happiness and I loved it) I can remember laying out their church clothes with them the night before (oh how I loved that). I can remember cooking breakfast, cleaning up, helping them get ready, doing their hair, helping to brush their teeth, putting on their coats, shoes, and getting them into the car. I remember packing their 'church' bags with fun and quiet things to do during Mass (I miss that). 

When we middle school and high school teens 10:00 was again the only option for us. Those teens needed to sleep in and we accommodated of course. 

But now, we have one in college going to church on her own, and one young adult. And so we've changed our church time to 8:00 am. 

Here is why we love it so much more:

⛪Getting up and going without doing lots of things first helps make it feel more holy to us. It's first and we like putting our faith first. That time just feels like the day hasn't started yet and so our minds are clear and our hearts are open to hear the Word and participate. 

⛪When we get home around 9:15 we have soooOoooo much day ahead of us. It feels good to have all of Sunday to go. 

⛪It's less crowded and so I find it more peaceful 

⛪This might sound strange but the 10:00 has a certain feel to it. There is a lot of music and a lot of families. When I've been to 10:00 since our girls have grown it's actually kind of hard. I see all of those young families with their 'church bags' and I want just one more time to be that family. So going to an entirely different Mass feels like an entirely new time in our lives and we need that. We can't stay in that stage forever! 

This past Sunday Scott decided to entice Anna and give her a spring in her step to going with us to the 8:00 by making a homemade waffle brunch when we got home and it was so so good! Hot tea, turkey sausage, and warm buttery waffles... yes please! 

Friday

I had a great two days in my classroom with my fourth graders. A two day week!!!!

Last weekend of February: 

❄piles and piles and piles of snow outside

❄a warm and sunny day coming tomorrow - I heard it might even hit 50!!!!!! I can't wait for Scott to take the twinkle lights from Christmas off the bushes. Our pots are still frozen so the Christmas remains in there for now too... bummer! 

❄and this is how it started. I came up from my workout (Peloton) and found this coziness. If you've been on this blog long enough you know this one always has a book in her hands. 

Cheers to a happy, healthy, productive, relaxing, prayerful, cozy weekend ahead! 

Another Snow Day! And Another!

Tuesday was a snow day too for our town. Scott had school (different town) but Anna and I were home. 

This is what it looked like on Monday... 

So of course we had to have tea and a treat. We enjoyed an applesauce cake from Tasha Tudor. It was savory and sweet and wonderful. 

What a great day! 

 And then on Wednesday we woke up to more snow and our third snow day in a row!  Oh my goodness... I can't wait to get back to school and teaching! 


 

Weekend ~ Extended

We had a snow day today and it was so relaxing and wonderful. I got all of my cleaning done yesterday so I could totally enjoy being home. Ahhhhh! 

We got heaps of snow and the wind was howling. I was thankful to not loose power even though we were prepared and all charged up! 

On Saturday we went to NYC with our best friends. We took the train from Fairfield, CT  (we are bout a 2 hour drive or train ride from NYC). This time we ate a lovely lunch at Eataly and it was wonderful! 

We explored Soho a bit and just shopped, talked, and walked around. I love being in NYC for a day. (and I love coming home too!)  

I have been changing paintings, mantles, baskets here and there around the house. Taking down darker colors, heavier pieces in lue of spring coming. But this room I hadn't gotten to yet. And I'm so glad because it was just as wintery and cozy as could be when our blizzard came. 

Today on our snow day I got to 

❄️enjoy sleeping with out an early alarm 

❄️have a long, extra long workout with out watching the clock

❄️eat and snack whenever I wanted to

❄️wear the coziest clothes

❄️redo my china cabinet for spring in our kitchen

❄️have an extra long quite time in prayer and with my devotional this morning 

These days we will make up for in June. Each snow day is an extra day tacked on to the end of the school year but it was so worth it. I loved it so much!  

Nooooooo Snow!

Update Sunday Night: It's now up to 20 inches and a proclaimed blizzard with winds up to 70 mph! 

Friday: 

I'm not sure why I had the feeling that this storm was going to be our one and only big storm. 

There are still mounds of snow everywhere! Over a foot covering every surface. 

Well I was wrong. Very wrong. We have another one coming Sunday night into Monday. 

Although I do adore the cozy of a snowstorm, I really just want green grass and tulips please. 

Growing Closer to Him

"Lent is a period of preparation in our hearts and minds observed before the joy of Easter. During this season we reflect upon and participate in the sufferings of Jesus Christ that he endured for our salvation." ~ Kendra Tierney

Lent starts today.  It is a day of fasting and prayer for us and although Lent can feel long and also 'hard' at times, it is a wonderful time in our liturgical calendar to focus on the sufferings of Jesus. 

I did some preparation reading and brought some ideas to our dinner time table so that our family would all be ready for Ash Wednesday. 

"Lent is a time to perfect oneself with the help of grace. It is a time to grow closer to God, to take up new practices that keep lead us toward him, and to leave behind practices that draw us from him." 

I love this book and here are some of the things I loved from the chapter on the Lenten season. This is not a book to use as a focus or devotional during lent. It is simply a book that goes through the liturgical calendar with helpful advice. It helps you see things from a new perspective. Maybe soon I'll post some of my favorite things for lent... when I can! 

 

We weren't all together for Ash Wednesday today but this picture sure made me smile when it popped up on my phone! 

I went on the way home from my school (no getting me out of the house after being gone all day, ha!) 

And after our first no meat dinner... which was really good! 

Scott and Anna went later! 

"Our goal as Christians is to be attached to God and the things of Heaven and to be detached from sin and the things of the world." 

I love that and it (and other parts of this book) really helped me to decide on my focus for this lenten season. 

"For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 

Here is a past post on lent 

Lent ten years ago in our home