(one)
The kids have been on break all week.
I seriously can't decide if I am the mom who loves the kids on break, or prefers the kids in school :)
I am somewhere in the middle. Probably more of the loving the kids on break type though.
However.
Our van is in the shop. Which means we are grounded at home today. Someone give me some suggestions of fun things to do to pass the day? Not complicated or messy ones either. k? Thanks!
The kids have been on break all week.
I seriously can't decide if I am the mom who loves the kids on break, or prefers the kids in school :)
I am somewhere in the middle. Probably more of the loving the kids on break type though.
However.
Our van is in the shop. Which means we are grounded at home today. Someone give me some suggestions of fun things to do to pass the day? Not complicated or messy ones either. k? Thanks!
(two)
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For some reason, I keep thinking 5 is going to be SO MUCH HARDER than 4 kids.
Not in practicality or our day to day tasks... I think we kind of have life figured out in that way.
But definitely in going places.
I don't know if it will be, but i keep thinking it will be.
And I figured out why.
You know how when someone has three kids, the joke is they are outnumbered?
I realized last night, at five, we will be hand out numbered. We only have enough hands to hand hold four kids... and we are going to have five. I think it's going to make travel tricky.
For some reason, I keep thinking 5 is going to be SO MUCH HARDER than 4 kids.
Not in practicality or our day to day tasks... I think we kind of have life figured out in that way.
But definitely in going places.
I don't know if it will be, but i keep thinking it will be.
And I figured out why.
You know how when someone has three kids, the joke is they are outnumbered?
I realized last night, at five, we will be hand out numbered. We only have enough hands to hand hold four kids... and we are going to have five. I think it's going to make travel tricky.
(three)
Speaking of travel... I am all starry eye'd thinking about travel in 2018.
To review.
We live in a small house (for 2017 standards) and we do so intentionally. It allows us to do things we want to do, like travel and send our kids to Catholic schools.
Our travel budget is bigger than most families, but our house is smaller than most families... so don't judge :)
Okay, I feel better writing that.
Back to the starry eye'd planning.
We were saving this year to, in theory, take a 6 days Disney cruise as a family. It seems like it would be so fun, and almost even relaxing, which is quite impossible with our kid's ages.
But Disney Cruises are CRAZY expensive, because we would need two rooms.
like, crazy expensive.
We realized, we could actually go to Europe for LESS THAN what we would pay for a Disney Cruise.
So then we started thinking, maybe we should bite the bullet and take our first European trip (on the list, Rome, Fatima, Ireland, Spain).
BUT THEN, we were thinking we could also go to Hawaii.
OR, we could do two pretty major USA vacations (several things on the table).
So we are trying to decide what to do. And it's so fun. What would you do?
To review.
We live in a small house (for 2017 standards) and we do so intentionally. It allows us to do things we want to do, like travel and send our kids to Catholic schools.
Our travel budget is bigger than most families, but our house is smaller than most families... so don't judge :)
Okay, I feel better writing that.
Back to the starry eye'd planning.
We were saving this year to, in theory, take a 6 days Disney cruise as a family. It seems like it would be so fun, and almost even relaxing, which is quite impossible with our kid's ages.
But Disney Cruises are CRAZY expensive, because we would need two rooms.
like, crazy expensive.
We realized, we could actually go to Europe for LESS THAN what we would pay for a Disney Cruise.
So then we started thinking, maybe we should bite the bullet and take our first European trip (on the list, Rome, Fatima, Ireland, Spain).
BUT THEN, we were thinking we could also go to Hawaii.
OR, we could do two pretty major USA vacations (several things on the table).
So we are trying to decide what to do. And it's so fun. What would you do?
(four)
Aaron (husband) quote this morning...
"Don't start off cranky, you get one cranky day a week, and that was yesterday, so no cranky today"
Aaron (husband) quote this morning...
"Don't start off cranky, you get one cranky day a week, and that was yesterday, so no cranky today"
(five)
We are late the party. But Designated Survivor???? SO FREAKING GOOD.
It's got me thinking all kinds of 'what would I do?' type of things. HIGHLY recommend.
(by the way, we are only 7 episodes in, so if it ends up being a flop I will be seriously sad).
We are late the party. But Designated Survivor???? SO FREAKING GOOD.
It's got me thinking all kinds of 'what would I do?' type of things. HIGHLY recommend.
(by the way, we are only 7 episodes in, so if it ends up being a flop I will be seriously sad).
(six)
This girl. God has been so good to our family.
This girl. God has been so good to our family.
(seven)
If you're not familiar with the Rosary, it's a meditative prayer that helps the faithful move through the mysteries of faith using the intercession of the Blessed Mother. No, it's not praying, 'to her' that would be silly, it's asking her to pray with with you. And we ask people to pray with us all the time, and I think, sometimes, we specifically ask people of faith to pray with us. So it makes total sense to ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray with us right?!?! SUCH an amazing prayer.
You guys.
I've believe with my whole heart praying the Rosary is a crazy tool of protection for the family.
I believe it.
I know it.
And yet, the Rosary with my crew? Um. No
I know some people who do it with little people (shout out Rakhi), but there was just no way I was going to attempt a 15-20 minute memorized prayer experience with my kids.
They'd be bonkers
I'd be yelling.
I just kept waiting for the 'right' time.
AND THEN
My friend Erin created this...
Now, here's the thing. I've seen the concept before, but never geared towards children. The 'Easter Bunny' brought one for the kids and this week we completed our first family ROSARY! AND it was completely painless. The kids enjoyed praying and moving the beads, and it's something we are easily able to add to our bedtime routine (just a decade, I ain't crazy)!
Check it, you need you to get you one. Seriously. First communion gifts, baptism gifts, family gifts... it's perfect. I HIGHLY recommend it and not just because Erin is my friend, but because I can't believe how awesome it was to pray the Rosary with my crew.
Comment on this or in social media if you want Erin to message you info on it!
You guys.
I've believe with my whole heart praying the Rosary is a crazy tool of protection for the family.
I believe it.
I know it.
And yet, the Rosary with my crew? Um. No
I know some people who do it with little people (shout out Rakhi), but there was just no way I was going to attempt a 15-20 minute memorized prayer experience with my kids.
They'd be bonkers
I'd be yelling.
I just kept waiting for the 'right' time.
AND THEN
My friend Erin created this...
Check it, you need you to get you one. Seriously. First communion gifts, baptism gifts, family gifts... it's perfect. I HIGHLY recommend it and not just because Erin is my friend, but because I can't believe how awesome it was to pray the Rosary with my crew.
Comment on this or in social media if you want Erin to message you info on it!
The reading doesn't have to stop here, head on over to http://thisaintthelyceum.org/ to read more quick takes!
I want one of those rosary pictures! Also, we are seriously thinking of going to the world meeting of families in Ireland this fall. e Have a tiny house ands old cars and don't go out to eat, so our friends think we're poor, but we just have different financial priorities. Travel with kids, absolutely! Hope you can make it work out
ReplyDeleteI think it is so cool that you guys prioritize cool travel over house size, and those sound like epic trip options! I recommend either Europe or doing two major U.S. vacation/trip things. Really, Europe is amazing, I guess it just depends on if you guys want to go through the visa/passport process with all your kids. And seeing how y'all travel with five kids would make a difference to, I think. Though maybe your kids would appreciate Europe more in a couple of years so it'd be better to stick in the U.S. for now? I don't know, sorry, totally rambling here. I'm sure whatever you guys pick will be awesome!
ReplyDelete