7 quick take - #5

--- 1 ---

I am pretty sure I say this each week BUUUUTTT...I can't believe it is Friday, already.  Not only is it Friday, but it's now August too.  I have this thing each year where I kinda wish away August.  I don't know if it's two months with 31 days back to back is just more than I can handle, or I am ready for summer to end and fall to begin.  I think it's the latter.  I love fall.  I love the cool crisp air.  The food.  The clothes.  The holiday season.  Well here in the northern NY it has not been too hot.  Most day don't every leave the 80s.  Some stay in the 70s.  And we EVEN had a couple that were in the high 60s.  So, I don't have this overwhelming urge to kick August to the curb, yet.  

--- 2 ---

Every time we say the blessing before meals Simon squawks the entire time.  From the sign of the cross to the sign of the cross he squawks.  I'm hoping one of my kids, God willing, is a priest.  Maybe it's him ;)

--- 3 ---

Tomorrow is the first weekend of yard sales on post.  There are 4 different housing communities and our community is next weekend.  So tomorrow we are hitting the pavement to see what we can find.  I am on the prowl for a bike trailer so we can pull Simon on bike rides.  I also would like to find a nice kitchen play set.  If you saw my Facebook post you saw that I found one for $2.  And I did.  It's really small.  I think it is more for an 18 month old.  It is fine and Amelia will play with it, but I would like one that is a bit more her size.  We have been trolling the thrift stores and Craigslist to see what we can find.  Christmas shopping!  We have several decent gifts that our kids will love for less than half the original cost.  And the kids will be still be happy. 

--- 4 ---

I want this! I have been veiling for over a year now.  I was given a black one and a white one.  The black is my favorite and I can't find it.  First of all this one is like a third of the price of other ones I have seen online.  And I LOVE the lace pattern of this one.  Second they will sew in a comb for an extra $4...Simon as started pulling on my veil at church...and third, free shipping!

--- 5 ---

I think I have been mentioned here and there that we are considering homeschooling Owen when he begins kindergarten.  I have been reading up a storm about what it takes from curriculum to laws to conferences.  It is a bit overwhelming.  I have a year until Owen begins kindergarten so I have time.  But with some programs you can get discounts by ordering early.  Plus, I want to have plenty of time to get organized, since we all know how organized I am.   My biggest fear is the fact that order, schedules, chores, routine, ect are not skills that I have, duh. And I know the kids will thrive if we have that in place, again duh. I really don't know where to start or how to make it happen. So,I think using something like Seton that gives you a curriculum and daily lesson plans would be a good place for me to start, if we choose to homeschool. Then maybe break off and start making my own lessons once I feel comfortable. But structure is what I lack. And I don't want to be screaming at my kids every day because they don't know what to do during the day, because I haven't established what comes next.  But I also really want my kids to have a solid foundation of doctrine, saints, prayers, Traditions, theology ect. I know I don't have it to teach them. But I can learn with them by using Catholic based home study.  We will see what is in store for our family soon enough.  Prayers are welcome :)

--- 6 ---

Gracey is out of town and left us with WODs to do on our own.  Yea, I need to get on that.  

--- 7 ---

I'm keeping it short and sweet this week.  I hope you have a stellar weekend and week to follow!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Day 7 and I'm out!

Goodness me, like I said yesterday the 7 Day 7 Post challenge was kinda tough.  Check out the Archives to the right if you missed the posts earlier this week.  But after today, I think I will give you guys a break for a few days.  I am going to put some of my attention back into Clitherow's for a little bit and work on the birth stories for Amelia and Simon.

On to today's shenanigans!

11am Mass should not be such a challenge to get out the door.  But Chris and I always stay up a little to late or a kid or two will keep us up...*cough, Simon, cough*.  So at 10:30 Everyone still in their jammies we opted for 5:15 mass out in town.  Though I like the later time, the kids seem to behave so much better in the morning.  We have raised our exception of good behavior at church based on this post by CatholicMom.com .   The big kids are have their good days and bad days, but we can see an overall improvement.  The biggest thing is we expect them not only to be quiet but sit properly and or participate.  I know it's hard on my big kids right now since we didn't establish these expectations from the beginning, but we are proud of their progress over the past two months. So those days when they wallow around in the pew, we are often stopped by a parishioner that reassures us that our kids are well behaved. It makes me wonder if we (Chris and I) are a bigger distraction that the kids.  As the big kids have more practice and begin to set the example for any younger siblings they may have I think Mass will become easier.  Or at least I hope.  In the mean time, I think I may make the ring of cards suggested on Catholic Mom.

Today, before Mass we took a turn at the thrift shop.  We got Megablocs, 10 kids books, a bucket of play kitchen accessories, Little Tikes piano, Pampered Chef pineapple core, a mirror for Simon's car seat, Dinosaur Train board game, kids hat rack, a Weeble Wobble crank toy, an action figure, and a small toy keyboard all for $14.56.  Most of these are Christmas gifts.  Though I'm hoping Owen won't remember.  We will have to see.  I was pretty happy with their toy selection today.

Well here are some funny quotes from my kids today.  Maybe you needed to be there, but they keep me laughing.

Owen: "I want to show you my moves, Daddy."
Wearing nothing but a helmet, roller skates, and his Mass Kit that looks like a man bag,  Owen attempts a grand leap!

Amelia: "We're going to the 'whore's' house."
Talking about the fifty cent riding horse at KMart.

After 'peace be with you' at Mass quite loud.
Amelia: "We done now?"

Thanks for joining me this past week.  I hope my ramblings weren't to painful ;)

Until next time peeps!

Cry rooms, not a fan.

One of my all time favorite blogs is Catholic All Year.  Seriously, check it!  Kendra (the author of Catholic All Year) would like to fill all church cry rooms with cement so she has created a link up on this topic to gather opinions.  Since Jennifer at Conversion Diary (another all time fave. Better check it too!) is doing the 7 day 7 post challenge Kendra's link up would help knock out one of my daily posts.

Ok, let me begin with some personal experiences with cry rooms (and nurseries).

Simon almost 4 weeks old.

Back home in North Carolina, there are 3 churches that we hop around.  2 of the churches have a separate entrance for the cry room.  The alternative entrance gets many late arrivals who sometimes don't even have kids (no judging, we are guilty of being late).  So the room is often filled with lots of adults and very few kids.  The kids that were there were usually very young and most everyone followed mass.  The third cry room is more like what Kendra describes.  Lots of playing and parents talking.  I would get so agitated in that particular cry room because the volume would be turned down and I couldn't hear the mass over the conversations that were being had.  Even at that church if felt like there were more adults than children. 

Most of my experience in North Carolina was only with Owen as a baby and I had this preconceived notion that I should be in there with my babbling baby. 

We were/are stationed at Fort Drum.  We moved here when Owen was 9 months old. The on post chapel doesn't have a cry room, but it does have a nursery (or watch-care as they like to call it).  We were unaware of watch-care until the first time I attended mass without Chris, because he had duty, or training or something.  A lady informed me after mass that there was a nursery.  I remember feeling a little insecure about her approach.  I wasn't sure if she was letting me know because I looked new or if she was letting me know because she was bothered by my infant's babbles.  We later began taking Owen to watch-care.  Two babies later, Owen (4), Amelia (2), and Simon (9m) we have dropped watch-care even though all three are within the age limits to use the facility.  We choose to bring our children to mass.  Children belong at mass.  I know the nursery is not a cry room, but I think Kendra's points still apply.  The segregation of children and mass is striping them of graces that can be recieved and a foundation for their Catholic faith.

*I would like to note, that with spouses being deployed or training or extra duty it isn't always possible for families to attend mass as a whole.  Though we have been fortunate for the past year if Chris wouldn't be able to attend I would possibly put Simon in watch-care so I could have my hands free. We are still trying to establish our exception for church behavior with the older two....Then again maybe not...I really just don't know* 

I am still sorting out my vocation as a wife and mother.  I know what I want for my kids.  I just don't know how to give it to them.  I do know the best place to start is mass.  And after reading different blogs and talking to other mothers we have started implementing ways to get good behavior from our three small children.  And in less than two months we already have seen a HUGE improvement.  This past Sunday has been the best yet!

I feel that I have drifted from my opinion on cry rooms.  Back to the point!  I like the idea of cry room, but in the end it makes it very easy to become detracted to the point of not listening or even participating.  The wall literally is a spiritual barrier for some people.  Without them there would be less temptation for adults to misbehave at mass.  So I understand and agree with Kendra's sentiment and her want to fill these rooms with cement!  If cement is too much at the very least can't we just knock out the wall or break the glass? 

Brainstorming

Like most thinks I do I'm doing this link up on a whim.  I bet some bloggers are taking the opportunity to address ideas they have been meaning to post about and haven't gotten around to it, what ever the reason may be.  Not me.  So this post I will brainstorm about some ideas that may come into fruition during this challenge. Here we go.

• Homeschooling - Chris and I have been talking about the possibility of homeschooling for about a year. We are researching and praying about if this is the best course of action for our family. 
• MY HOUSE - It's a mess.  And I know lots of people say their house is a mess, but I am confident that their house does not compare to the wreckage we are currently living in.  I am going to try and get it out of risk of being condemned this week.  Not going to lie, for me it's an overwhelming feat.  I have read many blogs about simple ways to keep a tidy home.  In the end I'm just lazy. Pathetic! Anyway back to the point.  I could do before and after pictures.  I'm not sure how Chris would feel about me showcasing our heap we call a home.  And I am sure I will only post if I manage to have beautiful after pictures.  I can't have you judging to hard ;)
• Cry rooms - Kendra over at Catholic All Year is doing a link up about cry rooms at Mass.  
• Quotes - My kids are saying some of the funniest things. Of course they won't say anything funny this week since if I choose to use this as a possible post.
• Crossfit - I could whine
• Craft - I could do a project.
• Chris - I could devote a post to his awesomeness.
• Birth stories - I do want to write down my kids birth stories.  I could do that. Make a series or something.
• Recipe - Try something new or share something I make regularly.  I won't share hot dogs.  I hate to say but they are a staple here in the Land of Lockhart. But it may not make a very interesting post. 

I think I am getting somewhere.  If you're still reading...WOW.  I thought you would be sleeping. Go treat yourself to a donut.  It was well earned. Thanks for being part of this mini brainstorming session. 

Joining another link up.

Ok guys. Jennifer Fulwiler is hosting a 7 Posts in 7 Days: An epic blogging challenge. I'm linking up. Why not? She made some excellent points about what it can do for you as a blog writer. I imagine these points being completely legit and valid if you're not me. I keep the expectations low and the standards lower around here.

Here are her point with my commentary on how it relates to me as a faux blogger.

"Your readers want to hear from you." As a reader, yes this is completely true. I am constantly checking my Bloglovin feed to see if there is a new post from my fave blogs. Some of these blogs being Conversion Diary, Catholic All Year, Camp Patton, Daft Crafts, Snuggle Up with a Dish from Karma, and many MANY more. As a writer I'm not as confident that is the case. I'm not selling you my reader short, but I'm pretty sure my audience is predominantly friends and family keeping tabs on us Lockharts when I post a link to Facebook.  No shame there AT ALL, that is the purpose of this blog.  I'm just guessing that is how this point relates to me and this blog.  (She is SO right in terms of it relating to her blog, just sayin'.  Smart lady!) So yes you're here, you're interested, but I imagine you aren't  returning daily to see if you may have missed my most recent post. I am aware I am not documenting some great, profound, relatable, inspiring, or even funny...experiences. Ok, maybe relatable at times and I try to be funny.  I'm not sure if it always comes across.

"It'll help you overcome perfectionism." Yea, I am not as much a perfectionist as much as a person who dwells on the flaws. So if I have something to share its often posted within an hour or less depending on how wordy I am.  And I go back several times and make small edits because I used the wrong "your" or something.  I am terrible at proof reading. I am willing to bet that authors of blogs I mentioned above have several ideas that they draft and craft into the eloquent ideas, opinions, and talents that they wish to share. Not here folks. I fly by the seat of my pants. I take weeks even months in between posts (as many of you well know) just to give you an update that nothing much has changed. PLUS, we ALL have suffered through my grammatical errors, poor word choices, and the everyday typo....sooo I don't think that perfectionism is a flaw here...it probably should be saut out as virtue for blog sake.

"It'll find your blogging groove."  I'll take it! I might benefit from this.  The Land of Lockhart blog is an eclectic collection of my personal ramblings and crappy attempt to be even kinda cool. I do want to keep this blog more current than I have in the past. The original purpose is to keep my friends and family up to date with us Lockharts. And that still is the purpose.  I feel so disconnected from family and friends.  And I have these three AWESOME humans worthy of every bit of oohing and awing that you have to give.  (4 if you count Chris. He definitely earns some oohing and awing too!!)  So social media like this blog, Facebook, or Instagram is the best platform I can think of to showcase Owen, Amelia, Simon...And Chris ;)

With all that said.  Maybe this challenge will help me expand my audience, provide more substance on this blog, and find my groove.  Then maybe not.  We all know about my great plans and zero outcome.  But whatever...it'll be fun, I think!  So if you have a po-dunky (yea, new word. It'll catch on like "fetch" from Mean Girls) blog or a super duper awesome blog like Jennifer's then you should link up to the 7 posts in 7 days: a epic blogging challenge.  And if you are the writer of a super duper awesome blog, how did you get here? And I can't believe you're still reading this mess!

Until tomorrow suckers! I hope you enjoy the ramblings I come up with in the next 7 days :)