Monday, November 2, 2015

{This and That}

Due date has come and gone, and I'm still here.  Looking forward to meeting this still-nameless little guy very, very soon, I hope!

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We got to the beach a couple times last week, just in time for record swells.  The tides have been crazy here lately, and lots of spectators have been out to watch.

On our last outing, we managed to set up too close to the water line not once but twice, leading to a couple of mad rushes to move nine people's worth of beach gear out of an inch of water before the undertow carried away our crocs, sand toys, and baby. ;)  Good times!

After the second drenching, we decided to call it a day and head home.  I think we might be officially done with the beach until after baby's arrival.  It rained here today and finally dropped nearly twenty degrees.  I am relieved and loving the cooler weather!

That said, it's pretty amazing what giant waves and high tides will do to a shoreline!


The birds were everywhere: whimbrels, godwits, sand plovers, turnstones, pelicans, and cormorants.  My kids dropped some crackers when trying to avoid the first drenching and we got positively swarmed by greedy gulls.  (Like I said, good times.)

We actually love the beach in winter, so I imagine that once baby is here and settled, we'll be venturing over now and then, bundled and with coffee in hand, like we usually do in the colder months.  But I will miss being there more often.  There is just nothing like the coast!

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My cast of saints for this year's All Saints Day:


We didn't attend a party this year, but we did take them trick-or-treating around the block in their saints' costumes on Halloween.  We always get the sweetest comments from the neighborhood, who I am sure think our kids are cute in a rather odd sort of way. ;)

It's a little late for the actual feast, but it's never too late to party with the saints! ;)  So in that vein, I thought I'd share another couple coloring pages to hand over to your kids this week...

:: the one I linked last week from Stella Marigold
:: another lovely option from Audrey Eclectic
:: this more traditional version
:: and this one that centers on the Mass

I printed a big stack of all the different options and my older girls grabbed one of each right away--they're working on them with their Prismacolors and the results are lovely so far.  That first one has so many of our family's name saints that they squealed with excitement when they saw it.

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Today is All Souls Day!  Which means it's time for my annual reminder about the beautiful graces available not just on this day, but for the next eight days.  Here's my blurb from last year:

I created a printable prayer card (in Latin) for you to take to the cemetery for your All Souls' Day devotions.  Remember, we have an opportunity to gain a plenary indulgence for the Poor Souls every day of this next week!

+ Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine on them.  And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen. +
~~~

I'll be back tomorrow with the Keeping Company invitation for November--see you then!

8 comments:

  1. Thank you for the wonderful links for coloring pages. I also love the Latin prayer cards.

    I have to be honest and say that if I lived near the coast like you I would be there as much as possible too! I grew up never more than ten minutes away from a beach and have several pieces of artwork all depicting the ocean and islands. It is my only sorrow living so far inland. Other than that I love the midwest!

    Hope to hear good news about the little guy soon!

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    1. It is hard to stay away from the beach, that's for sure. It is my happy place. :)

      Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, Lucy!

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  2. Oh my. I can imagine packing up all that gear 9 months pregnant too would be just a riot ;) and running away from gulls and such! :)

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    1. There were people there watching and laughing at us--I kid you not! :/

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  3. I was positively gleeful at the weather change yesterday! Yay. I kept trying to get family members to go on walks with me (gotta get this baby out somehow!) but everyone was shivering. My poor mother-in-law is not used to this kind of weather. For her, the cool season rarely drops below 80 degrees! Hahaha. She was so baffled as to why I was giddy pulling out my sweater and walking up and down the street.

    I woke up this morning thinking how cool it would be if our babies have the same birthday. I'm rooting for today! Off to my last appt this morning!

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    1. That would be soooo neat, Sarah. We have had all of ours so close, but that would definitely be the closest!

      I am so appreciating the cool weather. When you are as pregnant as we are, it is such a relief.

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  4. This cooler weather has been wonderful, hasn't it! It has been a struggle to get my younger boys in pants and sweatshirts though... they are so disappointed to have to put away their favorite shorts and cover up their favorite shirts. The last season change must seem so infinitely far away when you're only 4 or 7 years old.

    I love the All Saints costumes! The parish we have our catechism through did their first All Saints Day party last week and it was a great event and very well attended. Yay! However, I forgot to take a picture of my kiddos all dressed up - I have them with their classes, but not just my kids as a group. Drat.

    I hope this baby comes soon and everything goes very smoothly and easily!! You're in my prayers!

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    1. That is funny what you say about your boys because my sons have been SO excited about getting out their new clothes--even more so than the girls! LOL I don't know what is up but they have been looking forward to new shirts and pants all summer, it seems. Go figure!

      I always have to take a picture right when they get all costumed because if I forget to do it then, it never happens. ;)

      Thank you so much for the prayers.

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