Seven Quick Takes

I'm linking up with Hallie for another installment of Seven Quick Takes.  Jen, you and your family are in our prayers.  We pray you recover quickly.  St. Michael, intercede.

 

 

{one}

 

Speaking of saints, I loved Jen's last post about using her Saint's Name Generator to pick a patron saint for the year.  Mike & I both used the generator to pick saints for us too (as soon as we finished reading her post on Tuesday), and we got some seemingly random ones.  The generator chose St. Peter Ou for me. 

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He was a Chinese martyr.  Yikes.  The only way I seem to be able to relate to him is that he was very enthusiastic which I'd say is an adjective others would choose to describe me also.  I'm totally freaked out by the fact that he was strangled to death-- how horrific.

 

 

{two}

 

 

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The generator chose St. Bernard of Menthon for Mike.  I will admit that I was slightly jealous of his pick.  His saint had St. Bernard dogs, was hospitable to travelers, and is the patron saint of skiing, snowboarding, hiking, backpacking, and mountaineering.  That's my kind of saint-- warm & fuzzy with no mention of martyrdom, particularly no reference to strangulation.  I'm all about dogs & backpacking.  Not as fond of imprisonment & strangulation.  Can't say I've ever been a fan.

 

 

{three}

 

I was very excited to see that Grace posted a birth announcement this week.  Not only is she one of my favorite bloggers, but I've been on the hunt for good news on both the Internet & in real life.  It seems like everyone I know is getting hit hard in the bad news front.  Boo.  Grace is hosting a birth story link up too.  Yay for happy link ups.  I don't have any birth stories written, but maybe I'll write one or three and post them in the days ahead. 

 

 

{four}

 

Mike has been off from work all this week, and I'm counting my blessings because everyone got sick this week.  Everyone, except Mike.  We all know that means he'll be sick when he goes back to work on Monday, right?  Poor guy.

If I had to describe the week we've had with kids, I'd compare it to one of those hell weeks in college when you pledge a fraternity or sorority.  You know what I'm talking about.  We are totally sleep deprived because the littles have kept us up 24-7 with runny and runnier noses and croup coughs.  We currently have 4 humidifiers running in the bedrooms to keep everyone's airways open.  Lots of breathing treatments with the nebulizer.  Lots of cough suppressant.  Lots of children breathing in frigid night air to beat the croup.  We hate you croup.  We hate you.

 

 

{five}

 

I took both Paul (croup) and Maura (croupier) to the doctor on Wednesday, and to Maura's pleasure and amazement, the doctor "prescribed" Popsicles to help soothe her sore, scratchy throat.  I have never seen a happier sick kid.  Yesterday, she climbed into our bed in the morning and announced, "I'd like a Popsicle for breakfast, please.  Doctor's orders are doctor's orders." 

 

 

{six}

 

Since the kids were feeling better yesterday, we decided to take them to the Oakland Zoo, so they could spread their germs to both unsuspecting children and animals.  You're welcome parents of Oakland.  The zoo was grand, as always.  The kids got some exercise and crisp air to open their lungs. 

 

an overexposed photo of me with the kiddos and giraffes behind us

Is that a halo forming behind us for our due diligence in taking care of our sick babes this week?  I think so.



No baby should ever visit the zoo without an animal hat.  Always fashionable.

{seven}

 

 Like always, Griffin could not be separated from his favorite part of the zoo.

 

 



G at the zoo from Kate on Vimeo.

I know what I'm getting him for his birthday.

Now go read some healthier Quick Takes.