7 Quick Takes Friday

This week has flown by and I've yet to post to the blog world.  This is kind of a mix of 7 Quick Takes and Five Favorites - two link ups I don't like to miss, even with impending delivery.  :-)

But at this rate, I doubt this little one will come in 2013... 

So here's a little of our week at Casa Williams: 

1. Rainy days.  The weather has been awesome spring weather in early June and I can't complain.  I kind of wish it was high 70s and mild all the time.  And who needs pool days when there are puddles to jump in at grandmas?

"Should I keep running in the rain?"

"Yep!!!"

2. The color orange.  Jeep Wranglers.  Together - yes please!  If Bill hopes for a Ferrari in retirement (yea right), I'll keep my eyes set on this for my ride - 

3. Friends' babies. Lots of babies have made their appearance in our group of friends but of all the babies born this year, I'm one of the last to still be preggos.  You'd think that this little one would want to come out to play with all her new friends, but not yet...

Me with Connie's baby, Luke, yesterday.
I guess this pic explains why people ask me if I'm having twins.
Ouch! Don't know if I can stretch any bigger!

Maryjane with baby Corinne

4. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea.  This concoction hasn't made me go into labor yet but it's become a daily routine in the past week.  Every morning I brew 3 + cups and then drink it as iced tea throughout the day. Pretty tasty! 

The goods - I boil water and toss in some of this.

And a bag of this to help with taste

And a little of this after tea has been strained

Add over ice - vuala!

5. Color Time.  Addie has been really into coloring and drawing with crayons and chalk and will intently do it for 30 minutes.  It makes it nice for me because I'm supposed to keep my feet up whenever possible.  But I have to say it's pretty remarkable that she is this into it at her age!  What concentration ;)

Coloring on the porch

After trying to take her to the park some days, coloring seems like a better option for this stuffed mama

6.  St. Vincent Women's Hospital - where I'll deliver the bug.  I've had to make a few too many visits here lately to have my blood pressure monitored and I was last told that if I make another trip, this puff will have to make her appearance.  Hence putting my feet up and not taking AJ to the park all the time...

7. And last but not least, before the bug makes her appearance, the 3 of us are trying to get more of this (which is easier said than done) - 

Night, night

Hope you all have a restful and relaxing June weekend! 

9 Months and Counting Selfie

When a chica has a couple of weeks left of pregnancy and gets comments from strangers about her size,  being asked all the time if there are twins brewing in there, plus can't pick up her 30 pounder anymore (except when she NEEDS to be carried 4 blocks because something spooked her today), or go grocery shopping for 1.5 hours anymore (except yesterday), all she can think about is... 

How blessed she is AND

that she better not complain for a second (except to her husband) because 

No one really wants to hear about it!  

And probably no one wants to SEE it either!  

But here you go for those of you who can't look away - 

 This angle makes me look much smaller than I am.  Don't know how I pulled that one off.

Shirt - Motherhood Maternity - Sale $15
Skirt - Gap Maternity - Sale $5

I'm not sure if I'll appreciate the few selfie pics that I've taken this pregnancy or ever look back on them, but since they've been posted in blog world, I guess there's no taking them back! 

Side Note - We found out that the "bug" is already at least 8 lbs. last week, so we'll see how big she ends up being! 

Now I only wish that I was confident enough to link up with Grace and her Sunday Best after this one... but with the bug on the way, I don't think I'll be posting anything for a good 6 + months!  Now go check her out! 

Adios May, but Mary is here to stay!

May is Mary's month, but Addie celebrates her all year round! 

"If you ever feel distressed during your day — call upon our Lady — just say this simple prayer: 'Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.' I must admit — this prayer has never failed me."

--Blessed Mother Teresa 

As some of you know, Mary is kind of a big deal at our house.  And Bill and I think it is in large part because of our big 16 month old.

"Mare, Mare," is still really one of the only things that Addie Jo says around here and it's still 20 times a day or so.
As I've written before, AJ's desire to look for Our Mother seems to always be at the forefront of her mind, no matter where we are.  Walking down the street, any statue she sees in a neighbor's yard must be Mary, even if it's a naked Roman goddess pouring water out of her urn or St. Francis... no exaggeration.  She starts to say Mary and point even before she looks to see what the statue really is.  She still likes to hug our Mary statue and luckily her 30 pound lean hasn't knocked her over.  And when she says, "Mare, Mare," when we go to get her out of the crib in the morning because she wants us to take her over to the nativity to say hi... all of these things always touch us.  

 And here is Addie with Mother Mary:

This never gets old! 

Mary hasn't fallen over yet!

Putting peonies at Mary's feet

And on her head

AJ visiting Mary outside of church - a weekly tradition

Manos

Visiting Mary in the backyard but not a fan of using the new stone path.

She even found Mary while praying outside the abortion clinic.

Hi mom, aunt Katie and I are praying for babies and their mommies.

And here is one of Adelaide's favorite books.  We usually just say Hail Marys as we flip through the pictures - which are beautiful of Our Mother!

I've been thinking on Mary a lot during this pregnancy - and it probably has a lot to do with Addie loving her so much.  To call on her strength and sacrifice in approaching motherhood seems like a no-brainer, but it's easy to think on so many other silly things about pregnancy instead.  

I hope to really approach the next couple of weeks with the same patience, grace, and willingness to embrace all that God called her to do and asked of her while we prepare to welcome this next one into our lives.

“Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.”

--Saint Maximilian Kolbe

Hope you all had a wonderful month of May/Month of Mary!