1.
I've stepped back a LOT from Facebook recently. And it has been sooooo good. I've gone back and forth with the whole FB and obviously it has some blessedly wonderful things about it and is a great tool. It's unmatched in it's ability to easily organize events and groups and man, it is a great way to spread good things and share info. But I just ain't got the time anymore and the background noise in my head was killing me. A friend described it as a constant static and I agree. Maybe it's a temperament thing. Some of us need more quiet and I feel like Facebook is like constantly being at a huge party. It's good and fun and I love hanging out and chatting with people but it's draining. And sometimes you remember that you're supposed to be a wife and mom first and if you're being drained or your peace is robbed by some virtual computer party than it needs to be reigned in. There's just too many better (for me) things to be doing.
So that means I'll still have an account and I've been checking in once a day to make sure I don't have any messages (for some reason I only sometimes get a notification when I have a message...it's weird) but I don't let myself scroll through or I will get sucked right in. And I jump on to post blog updates on my very lame and unattended Facebook page for those who don't use a feed reader and like to get my posts that way. It stinks to not be in the loop on everything but the benefits are worth it. I just can't do all the things. And sometimes I realize that maybe not everyone needs to hear my opinion on everything in all the places and that my children need me fully present to them and not distracted by a recent Facebook post going on in my head or answering a question with my face buried in a screen.
All that to say that I apologize if you've gotten married, had a baby, announced some other life-changing news, showed me your recent amazing meal, or shared a hilarious kid quote and were offended at my lack of a like or comment. Nothing personal. I've just got this one chance to live this life and this vocation and I need to get better at doing it the way I deep down want to do it. And there's only so much time to go around. But I'm happy/sad/mad/excited/disappointed/praying for you still.
2.
I discovered some unfortunate news. When I exercise my back pain gets a little better. Which is actually really great and really fortunate but it means I have no excuse for feeling sorry for myself. And it means I have to make time to do it even though there are so many more fun or "productive" things I could be doing with my time. I was recommended this postpartum workout DVD geared towards a post birth body mainly because it helps address the whole ripped apart and never going back together abdominal muscles (i.e. diastasis recti) which exacerbates the back pain. There may be better ones out there, I don't know, but I just needed to get something that had a good recommendation and start. It's good, straightforward, and it works but oh my, does anyone not feel like a complete nerd when doing an exercise video in their living room?
3.
Last week we had an afternoon at a nearby creek with a group of friends. Evidence:
And I'll graciously ease up on my usual rule of not posting pictures of people without their permission on the blog in order to treat you to a rousing game of Find the Blogger:
Answer Key:
Tricky, right? Nella from Is There McDonald's in Heaven?, Theresa from Ordinary Lovely, and Heather (before The Incident of the mud slipping and the falling and the baby saving and the heart racing and the breath catching) of Mama H fame all happened to be there making it an impromptu local blogger meet up! Fun!
But this is the best picture I could get what with all the preventing toddlers from drowning and trying not to be pulled into the treacherous muds of slippery death and whatnot.
4.
The president was in our city yesterday and while no one else probably heard about it, it was all the news here. He spoke at the university about education and I made the foolish foolish foolish decision of listening on the radio. Foolish. Really, that man. I don't even know where to begin. It just became so so clear to me how diametrically different people's worldviews are. I don't think people are guaranteed success or are unable to make an informed decision when they choose a college and don't get me started on the tired (and elitist) old line of the only way to achieve anything in this country is to have a college education. And he does. I also think colleges SHOULD be picky and that part of figuring out who is suited for what is weeding out those who can't hack it rather than ensuring that colleges are rated by how many are graduating like he proposed. Scratch that. I want them rated but the ones with better ratings would be the ones who do end up with a small graduating class. I'd prefer my surgeon be the one who made it when a whole lot of other ones didn't and I'd like to pass on someone who was ushered through a system and graduated so that the university could keep their government rating up. I'm silly like that. And let's be sure to leave out the part about WHY college tuitions have soared in the last few decades. We wouldn't want to get to make people think critically and get to the root of the problem or anything.
5.
This:
A few weeks ago we went to a game for our local team. I'm especially proud of our fancy restaurant dinner beforehand that cost a total of...wait for it...$3. Remember that restaurant gift card I got from opining about talk radio at that focus group? The restaurant was right down the street from here. With deliberate menu choices and meal sharing, our family of 6 ate for $3 plus a good tip. Oh, and the game was fun, too.
6.
I wanted to do an Assumption post but I never got around to it since it was the same day we went to the creek. But I did make these blueberry mini pies and brought them on our picnic dinner:
which looked much better in person than in this photograph, I think. They were super good.
7.
SUPER click-worthy links for you! Read em:
One Thing Your Daughter Doesn't Need You to Say (Chatting at the Sky) Applicable to anyone and so thought provoking.
World's First Orangutan Birth Captured Live (Durell) Warning, this may gross some people out but I find it fascinating. I only wish they had just left the camera running at the start of labor and let us see the whole thing.
Doctors Discover "Super Honey" with Amazing Power to Treat Soldier's Wounds and Kill Superbug Infections (Daily Mail) I love when they pretend they've discovered something new and prove that the crazy natural people aren't all that crazy after all ;)
To Moms of One or Two Children (Short Stop)
The Problem with Youth Ministry (Bad Catholic) A truth I learned in my brief stint as youth minister. I felt it was necessary medicine for a much deeper problem.
CDC: Newborn Circumcision on the Decline in the U.S. (CBS) Pretty much makes the whole silly locker room argument moot.
That's it. It's almost the weekend, beautiful people! Make it a good one.
Click it on over to Jen's for more!
Ugh, I am the same way with Facebook. This time of year is hard because Facebook is such a good way for me to promote the Run for the Little Flowers, but I really have to monitor my time on there. I do the same thing . . . someone posts an article about something and I mill over it for a while, when it does no affect my life at all nor should I waste my time reading the comments, etc.
ReplyDeleteThose pies look super yummy!
I shut down FB a couple years ago. Just couldn't deal with people's issues which are stupid non-issues. Not very charitable I know. I'm having issues like that right now. :-(
ReplyDeleteI am going to PT for my back right now and its all about strengthening your core muscles. Anything you do to improve your gut will help your back. I know. Bummer. If only having tea and biscotti did the same thing.
I get ya on Mr. P. (I can not even say the word any more.) I have a real disagreement with our culture's beliefs in higher education. My older kids are going to have debt up to their belly buttons all for anthropology classes and econ and history of whatever, none of which they need in their fields. It especially gets me for women who will have so much debt they won't be able to afford to stay home with their kids. It truly changes the entire culture, this automatically-going-to-college mindset.
PS my daughter is in the creek all the time. It runs across our back yard (and makes for a lot if laundry) . When my sons were little it's practically all they did. I wish you could send your boys over!
I found that if I don't workout regularly, I get depressed and my back issues get really bad. Weight training especially helps with my back!
ReplyDeleteAwesome QTs, Mary! Grat pics...love the day at the creek as well as the blueberry pies for the Assumption! Terrific idea!! We really do not 'celebrate' the Assumption but I will get myself together to celebrate the Blessed Mother's Bday in Sept. You've inspired me.
ReplyDeleteGod bless and thanks for the fun and for sharing all the great pics of your kids!
Can you post that recipe for the pies? They look soooo good!
ReplyDeleteOoh, I forgot to put the link in, thank you! I used the blueberry filling from this recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Blueberry-Pie-Pops/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=blueberry%20pie&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page
DeleteThe crust was just my normal crust recipe (Martha's recipe) and I just cut them mini and sealed the edges tightly. For the little ones I did the thing where you use a muffin tin to help keep their shape while you cook them. They did leak through the back a little, though...