Quick Takes: The Quiet Weekend Edition

 Seven snippets of life right now, in no particular order.

1. We had a great Lenten presentation on the Mass by Dr. Tom Curran on Friday night.
   Thomas and John Paul both went to the childcare and Jonathan and I had the chance to listen to Dr. Curran again. It was a full house and the boys did so well.  John Paul made it through the intermission, and Thomas was still going strong at the end (see above, playing a dancing game with the other kids).  One of the comments..."That Thomas, he's a confident boy!"  If they'd only known that when we first got there and I stopped to nurse John Paul, Thomas curled up next to me and said, "Mommy, don't go.  I'm shy."  Oh kiddo, you couldn't be more mistaken.  Dr. Curran was great -- as always -- and I picked up the full series on Sexual Common Sense by Dr. Janet Smith.  Really looking forward to that. 
2. Stinky Fish Lent is in full swing.
   I finished installing the curtains in our bedroom, replaced a ton of burnt out lightbulbs around the house, started deep cleaning the house, clearing out my closet and fixed the reclining sofa in the living room.  The right recliner stopped working a while back, and I took the whole reclining section apart, diagnosed the problem, bought the right nuts for the broken piece, and put it all back together.  I so wish the Brownrices would have been there to see it. 
3. The PuppyBoy.
   A few weeks ago, Thomas started calling John Paul "PuppyBoy."  Maybe it was around the time that Maggie went to be with Jesus, I don't know.  He'll see John Paul across the room and start calling out to him to come over.  "Here PuppyBoy!  Come here, PuppyBoy!"  And sweet John Paul smiles with a wide smile and crawls over to his big brother.  
4. I'm getting used to the iPhone.
   It has been a big adjustment from my BlackBerry.  With the combination of my Microsoft Outlook + BlackBerry both crashing within a week of each other, I've spent the past week without an address book, contact list, or calendar.  It's been a great way to break me of my texting addiction, but I am looking forward to getting all of my data back and being "connected" again.  If there's one thing I truly miss about corporate America, it is the ability to have someone remote into your computer and fix everything within five minutes. The Merrill Lynch HelpDesk was my lifesaver many a time.  Now I get to be my own lifesaver.  Anyway,  I have found some sweet apps to help get my life back in order with lists and to-dos, and Jonathan and I set up my calendar so he can access it from anywhere as well.  I'm really excited about that. 
5. Looking forward to springtime. 
   I just am.  We had some snow earlier this week and today it's in the 50s...and I know the first day of bright blue skies + sunshine everyone's moods will instantly lift.  CANNOT WAIT FOR THAT.
6. Caucuses were yesterday.
   As PCO, Jonathan headed up our area's voting for the Republican caucuses yesterday at the Thurston County meeting.  Though our first choice did not get chosen by the majority of Republican voters in our state, we're hopeful for a successful change this fall regardless.  We had a very quiet afternoon and evening together, and ordered Moneyball on demand during one of the boys' naptimes.  Loved it.  
7. A sick Thomas is a sweet Thomas.
   He woke up yesterday with a fever, so we've been taking it easy.  When I was working in our bedroom yesterday, he burrowed into the pillows and fell asleep face down for 3.5 hours.  All he wanted was juice and applesauce and to "cuddle in the living room."  And he slept ALL NIGHT LONG IN HIS OWN BED LAST NIGHT.  Pure heaven for all of us.  We divided and conquered today at Mass, with Jonathan flying solo at the early Mass and JP and I at the later one.  Thomas just stayed curled up in blankets on the couch.  I love this photo of him burrowed in...and hey, wait!  ARE THOSE CURTAINS HANGING UP?!?  Merry Christmas 2010, Jonathan!  :)