WIWS - when February pretended it was Spring

There are no pictures to prove it but we looked cute today. All of us. 

Trav was wearing this crisp new shirt, white with brown and blue checkered stripes. Ben and JF in matching shirts in different colors. The girls in pretty dresses. JP in a cute grey sweater. But the weather was SO nice that as soon as we got home everyone immediately changed into play clothes to run outside. 

So all you get is me. 

In an awkward picture. Wearing my bar code dress. 

Accessories: green cardi and cute carnation pink Target flats. 

And my blue eyed baby boy. He was in my arms most of Mass, sometimes as we rocked in the pew, sometimes as we rocked in the back, and definitely as he discreetly nursed through the opening song. 

 No tights! No leggings! No coats! Spring colors! It was awesome. Although I would like a good, long, hard freeze now so all the bugs' eggs die. Please and thank you.

After Mass we bought some donuts and sausage and breakfast burritos and headed to my grandpa's house for breakfast. The kids played with the same toys I played with when I was and girl and my dad played with when he was a boy.

Then home to jump on the trampoline and do a scavenger hunt.

We ended the morning with doing our Mass Box craft. What do you think of our burning bush?

So that's our Sunday so far. Next up: reading, nursing, homemade pizza, bedtime, and The Walking Dead.

And a big THANK YOU to Rosie for hosting What I Wore Sunday today! It was fun linking up again. :)

Easter Sunday and the days preceding

Jesus Christ is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia!
(and then you say) He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!

We had an unremarkable Holy Week that was capped off with very pleasant but also very tiring Easter celebrations.

I was able to help with the celebration in Ben's preschool classroom. I made these little tombs out of donuts and donut holes on a plate smothered with green frosting. I walked the kids through Good Friday and they all rolled the "stones" in front of the "tomb." Then we became very quiet as I talked about how sad the whole of creation was on Holy Saturday. Then I had them roll their "stones" away and open up the empty "tomb" because it was Easter Sunday and Jesus was risen!

They sorta cared.

Good Friday I was nothing but hangry the whole long day. We ate hot cross buns, walked to the library, had a quiet afternoon, did the stations of the cross, and called it a day.

But Holy Saturday started well, with my family and I attending the Blessing of the Easter Baskets at our Cathedral. Ben was able to "serve" and hold the book of blessings for the Bishop, who was a delightful ham and made everyone laugh repeatedly.

It ended well, too, with lots of fun with Travis' family.

Then Easter Sunday came and I was so happy to see it.

I did my decorating late Saturday night and finished up Sunday after 7am Mass and breakfast of bacon, coffee, and fresh cinnamon rolls.

Our Easter mantle looks a little like this:

I love this crinkle paper grass.

Some pictures of the kids with their Easter booty:

And finally, what I wore Sunday. (Linking up with the ladies at Fine Linen and Purple!)

This is as good as it got. I wanted to take a picture after Mass but the 8:30 crowd was showing up before the 7:00am Mass was even finished and then I was passing out fliers and Travis loaded the kids in the car. So, dining room picture was as good as it got. 

The girls are wearing Easter dresses given to them by my mother-in-law. Their cardigans are from Target. 

My dress: Target, this spring

My cardigan: Target, last fall

Glasses: Firmoo

Bangs: a whim

I currently love my dress but I have a pretty strong feeling that in a few years I'll be embarrassed by it. But for now: I look great!

WIWS and Loves Park

Ladies of the internet, I miss seeing your outfits! Remember how Grace used to do her #WIWS post and grade her kids' Mass behavior? I loved those posts. I'm calling for a revival of Fine Linen and Purple's What I Wore Sunday link up.

Now, here's what I wore:  

This week I wore a maxi skirt as a dress, threw a cardi over it, added the scarf because it's cold and called it good.  I've actually gotten lots of compliments on wearing this skirt this way and so maybe it'll look good on you too. I didn't belt it but that probably would look fantastic on your figure.

Minimal make-up and some dangly faux pearl earrings to complete the look.

Everything I'm wearing is from Target except the scarf, which was a gift.



ALSO!

This coming Wednesday, October 8th I'll be speaking at the Morning Star Mini Retreat hosted by the Moms' Ministry group at St. Bridget Church, Loves Park, Illinois.

The mini retreat runs from 9:00am - 11:00am with optional Mass at 8:15 and Confessions at 8:45am.
In my talk, “A Knotted Life,” I will share the story of JF's miraculous healing, the merits and wisdom of an up-and-coming saint, and my devotion to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots.

Childcare available for children ages 6 mo.+, with a faith-building program o"ered for school-aged
children. Please RSVP via email if you plan to use childcare: [email protected]

If you're a blog reader and you're able to attend please come up and introduce yourself!



If you're new here, stick around! You can follow A Knotted Life on Bloglovin' or Feedly.
Plus, I'd love to connect with you. You can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. I hope to "meet" you soon!

What I Wore on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago

... but I'm just now having the time to upload.

reflection in the storm door

I bought this necklace at the Behold Conference. It's a miraculous medal in the shape of a heart. And I love it.  

Hoop earrings, chipped red nail polish, grey cardi, blue dress, no lipstick.

Bright white legs and sling back kitty heels, purchased at Payless many years ago...

... when pointy shoes were all the rage. 

Remember that?

Hoop earrings: Wal Mart

Blue dress: Target, many years ago

Grey cardi: Merona at Target, this season

Nail polish: CND Vinylux in Red

Shoes: Payless, even older than the dress

Miraculous Medal necklace: Bella Studios Catholic Jewelry & Rosaries, Antique Medals

Thank you, ladies of Fine Linen and Purple, for hosting!

WIWS & 7 in 7

#1 - grey cardigan - Target, in stores now
striped maternity dress - Target

#2 - blue infinity scarf tied in a bow - Christmas gift

#3 - chipped nail polish - Sally Hansen Insta-Dry in Slick Slate

#4 - owl earrings - Wal Mart discount wrack

Not shown: black leggings, grey boot socks, and salt-stained winter boots
Also not shown: the black chapel veil I wore. It was a Christmas gift from a friend and I wore it for the first time ever at the Behold Conference yesterday. Today I wore it at our parish and, I'll tell you what, I felt a little self-conscious. I've been drawn to wearing a veil for years. I know every woman may have a different reasons for why or why not to wear a veil at Mass but for me it was pretty simple:

Putting a veil on, covering me head when I entered the chapel made me think of how God asks Moses to take off his sandals when he approaches the burning bush. It's holy ground, a sacred space, and to do something physically alter myself as a constant reminder of such, well, it has always seemed like it would be a powerful tool for me.

We'll see how it goes in the future. JP tried pulling it off my head a lot and succeeded once but all the other kids were great about it. And no one gave me the stink eye about it! (because I go to a great church which is filled with nice people.)

Finally, many thanks to the fine ladies of FLAP for hosting What I Wore Sunday!


(And I did it! I really did it! 7 posts in 7 days! I have a feeling the internet's gonna be pretty quiet for the next few days as many of us catch our breath.)

What I Wore Sunday

Don't mind the pink and the hearts... I was just feelin' girly.

Today at Mass there was a definite point in the homily where I wanted to interrupt our priest and say, "Time is up! The kids are barely hanging on and we still have the Liturgy of the Eucharist."

My kids' behavior is actually pretty good but for some reason the 9am Mass (the only time our small parish has Mass on Sunday) is when they are at their worst. Next week we'll have to go back to the 7am at the parish where L goes to school. They're awesome at 7am.

Me:
Turtleneck: Bergners
Black Tank: Target
Skirt: JCP
Earrings: Wal-Mart
Hair: top knot bun, courtesy Pinterest tutorial
Red Nail Polish: Revlon

L:
Dress: Christmas gift
Tights: Target
Sparkle Shoes: hand-me-down
Cardigan: hand-me-down
Bun: two bobbi pins

Resa:
Pink Pea Coat: cutest hand-me-down evah!
Dress: Birthday present for L, hand-me-down for T
Cardigan: Target
Tights: Target
Boots: Christmas gift


PS - I'm so sorry! I completely forgot to link back to the fine ladies at Fine Linen and Purple and their What I Wore Sunday post. So here we are then: click and read from more fashionable ladies.

WIWS - the cheater's edition

I'm calling this the cheater's edition because while the outfit below is what I wore Sunday it's not what I wore to Mass.

Recently we discovered that the kids do so much better at the Vigil Mass on Saturday and so we've been doing that the last few weekends. Saturday I wore the same old cardigan, scarf, shoes, and dress I've been wearing for awhile - perhaps a new outfit but the same pieces just rearranged in a new way.

Sunday, however, we celebrated L's 5th birthday and I wore this outfit:

And now I ask you: Belt or no belt? You can barely see it - a black belt on a black shirt - but its buckle is gleaming a wee bit at the top of my belly.

Travis said I should lose the belt. I tried to explain that it accentuated my waist, which has recently moved north a few inches and that it was a trend. He said he'd seen some of his students do it but he just doesn't like the look.

I wore it anyway, obviously.

So let's take a vote. Who was right? Travis or Bonnie. No vote = you side with Travis and you're just afraid to tell me I looked stupid at my daughter's birthday party. ;)

30 weeks, people. I'm only gonna get bigger.

Thanks to Mandi at Messy Wife, Blessed Life for hosting this week! And happy wedding weekend to Emily at FLAP!

What I Wore Sunday

 

 

Cardigan: Mossimo from Target

Wrap Dress: Merona from Target

Black Tank: Liz Lange Maternity at Target

Brown Boots: (not shown) Payless

Finishing touches: old, cheap hoop earrings and Party Pink lipstick by Maybelline

 

Someone needs to clean the streaks off that mirror.

Seriously.

 

Thanks to Fine Linen and Purple for hosting!

What I Wore Sunday - St. Patrick's Day edition

We are climbing out of the stink and yuck of the flu in these parts. L and Ben gave it to Travis and me and then JF succumbed. I was a little worried, as we headed to Mass this morning, that JF wouldn't be over it the way I thought he was and do another holiday treat for us like he did on Christmas morning. But luckily we seem to be all good!

The kids' Mass behavior was pretty good. Short homilies help so much with that! Afterwards we treated them to Shamrock Shakes from McDonald's... some day it'll be green beer. 

We all wore green, because we're like that, but we were so late we had to sit in the cry room.

It's a bit chilly here still and the girls wore cardigans and tights and looked so, so cute.

Poor Resa was so tired. "Just let me nap, Mom!"

I don't love this outfit.

I don't really love how I look any more.

But soon I'll be holding a newborn and then maybe I can lose all the weight once and for all.

Lastly, thank You God, for hand-me-downs and gifts. My kids would have been naked today without them.

Black jersey dress: hand-me-down

Greenish tank: hand-me-down

Same brown boots: same old boots

White cardigan: Mossimo from Target

Quick confession:

I have been failing as a Catholic mom lately. I'm behind on homeschooling and this would have been a great week to do the letter 'P'.  Granted I was sick but - come on! - "Pope" and "St. Patrick" all in one week.  Instead we're on "O" for whenever I get around to that.

I'm pretty sure my kids have no idea what a pope even is, let alone that we have a new one.

Also, despite the fact that I have a great book

to explain everything secular and religious about St. Paddy's Day we've barely read it. (Opting instead for the super easy Brown Bear and Freight Train reads.)

But today I read it super quickly while the corned beef roasted and I served it with mashed potatoes and peas... because I felt like there should be something green on the plate.

Dessert was totally JF-friendly cupcakes! No eggs, no dairy, baby!

(You can see the recipe here if you want.)

The rainbow cake will be served at my Tuesday mornin Mom's Group.  Come if you're in the area. :)

 

Thanks Fine Line & Purple for hosting What I Wore Sunday!

What I Wore Sunday

Things to notice about this picture:

How lovely that shade of blue is.

The neat twisty thing at the neckline.

Things to ignore about this picture:

smudge marks on the mirror

how badly my nails are in need of a touch-up

post-afternoon nap hair

double chin

I had to recruit my 4 year old to take the picture.  She intentionally cut out Ben but got all the crap on the floor.  I need a photographer in this house.

Dress: I call it my "wedding dress" because I bought it the summer after I married to wear to 7 different weddings.  And I did wear it to 7 different weddings.  Follow the link to see how nice it once looked on me.

Black tank: Target Maternity (got a new one with tax refund money!)

Boots: Same old pair from Payless, a gift from 2 Christmases ago.

Cardigan: Target Merona, from a couple years back.  

Baby bump: Travis

Resa was napping but here's the other kiddos in their post-Mass happiness.

Dress: Hand-me-down, Hair in her face like always.

Boys' shirts: Jumping Bean, Christmas gifts and I love them.

Boys' khakis: courtesy of Wal Mart.

Here's a couple of pictures of what I should have been doing on Sunday.  Cleaning, washing, tidying.

And threatening the kids that if they don't pick up their toys they'll be in big trouble. 

Instead I napped.

What I Wore Sunday

Tax refund = new maternity dress.

It stretches, it covers the shoulders, and goes down to the knees - lovely. 

BUT the neckline isn't so great and is rather low, hence the bandit scarf. 

Scarves are my new favorite way to hide my ridiculous "I'm fat, pregnant, and nursing" cleavage.  They work better than any tank, cami, or undershirt I've ever tried before.

Look at that belly, so big and round and full of baby.

And cute little JF, what a sweetie.

Last season's shoes.

And earrings that are older than my marriage, and maybe even my college degree.  Resa tried, repeatedly, but never succeeded at ripping them out of my earlobes. 

Dress: Target Maternity, on racks now.
Scarf: bridesmaid gift from a few years back, held in place by a safety pin.
Shoes: Target, purchases for the 2012 Behold Conference
Bare legs: Big mistake.  I may be ready for spring but spring is not ready for Central Illinois.

What I Wore Sunday

What-what Fine Line & Purple - hostesses with the most-est-es.

This is what I wore to Sunday Mass.

New shirt from the sales wrack at Target.  I look top heavy but since I love the shirt I'm going to blame Travis for how he took the picture.

Skirt: I think I got it at JC Penny's for L's Baptism.

Boots: same old boots from Payless.

Ahhhh... Sunday Mass.  We were 5 minutes late pulling into the parking lot but somehow (thanks be to our glorious God in Heaven) they were still singing the entrance hymn when we walked in.

While the bells rang during the consecration JF made the sign for train.

While Father was elevating the host L loudly told me she had a triangle eye, while holding her fingers in the shape of a triangle up to her eye. 

While nursing Resa she pulled my scarf/cover off me, once on each side.

 This is what I wore for the rest of Sunday.

Hair in an "I don't care what I look like" ponytail and plaid flannel pajama pants.

This is what I did for most of Sunday.

Entered all the nominations into the Sheenazing Blogger Award voting form. 

I also went to every single blog to get contact information for the nominees.  If I couldn't find an email address or a fan page the people aren't going to get an email.  Also, I had to "disqualify" a few nominees because doing a simple Google search for their blog (usually based on the name given to me and the word 'blog') did not lead me to an obvious nominee.  Sorry.  I had to disqualify a couple more because they're private.  Maybe that makes me a jerk but Travis and I think it's totally fair.

 When I told Travis I was going to host these blogger awards I told him I thought it would be fun.  He said it sounded like a lot of work.  We were both right.

I'm pretty sure my favorite find so far has been Mary Is My Homegirl.  Hilarious!

I have to contact a few more nominees via Facebook, which I'll do tomorrow.  Voting begins on Tuesday, yo.

What I Wore Sunday

So apparently you need to have your act together to partake in the WIWS link-ups because if you try to join Wednesday morning you will find everything closed up.  So I give you, what I wore for the last 3 Sundays:

Second Sunday of Advent:
Husband and older two kids were out of town for the weekend so Resa, JF, and I attended Mass with my parents.  We went to the Cathedral for the closing Mass for the Sheen novena.  If it please God and Sheen is declared a saint December 9th will likely be his feast day (I have this on no authority but my own) because it was the day he entered into eternal life.

Thanks to Julie from the Sheen Foundation for taking our picture.  I lifted this picture from the Sheen blog.  Clearly I had recently been nursing Resa, which is why my shirt is bunched up and not looking too hot.  Oh well.

Shirt: Target

Grey tank: Target maternity - I wear it almost every day and wash it only weekly.  Is that gross?

Skirt: JC Penny from a few years back

Boots: Payless, a present from last Christmas

JF's outfit: hand-me-down jacket and shoes, courtesy of his big brother; khakis from Target

Resa's outfit: hand-me-down dress from L; hand-me-down long-sleeve onesie from JF, tights from Target

Gaudete Sunday:
The girls all wore pink for the third Sunday of Advent.  Resa was napping during this picture, though.

Shirt: WalMart? It's old.
Same grey tank: still Target
Skirt: JC Penny's, purchased for L's baptism
Cardigan, missing 2 buttons: Target, last year
Boots: still from Payless

Boys' clothes: All hand-me-downs or gifts.
L's dress: WalMart, from Easter.  She's worn it almost every Sunday since.
Cardigan and tights: Target.
Hair in her face: her preferred way to wear it - drives me crazy


Fourth Sunday of Advent:
It's my turn with the flu. 

Kids pajamas: Courtesy of St. Nicholas

My pajamas (sorry, not photo available):
Polska t-shirt: street vendor in Krakow, Poland
yoga pants: hand-me-downs
Pink, fuzzy robe: former Christmas present

What I Wore Sunday

These are actually pictures from last Sunday.  This Sunday I wore a different dress (this one brown with small white polka dots) and a different cardigan (this one royal blue).  Same boots. 

Anyways, last Sunday I attended a Mass at the Cathedral because my very good friend was being awarded a Diocesan award for all her outstanding work. 

 So Katie, the award-winner, wore a super cute dress with super cute heels, and a nice, sensible cardigan.  She also wore her Pere Marquette Award, because she's awesome.

I wore a maternity dress because I'm fat and it fits, a cami, and a brown cardigan.  And some boots.  Love the boots. 

Dress: Target, like 3 years ago
Cami: Target
Boots: Christmas gift
Cardigan: hand-me-down
40 extra pounds: L and Ben's pregnancies

Thanks to Fine Linen and Purple for hosting!

What I Wore Sunday

This is my first time participating in the What I Wore Sunday link-up.  I was going to do it last week because I was wearing this fantastic blue dress and I thought I looked fantastic.  And then two different women asked about my pregnancy.  er, um, just fat, thanks.  So no pictures were taken and that dress will move to the back of the closet.

But this week no one asked about upcoming due dates and so I thought I'd go ahead and join the fun.  On this warm but very blustery day I wore:

An old black dress.  I think I bought it at Target while in college.  It's super duper comfortable - I will probably sleep in it tonight.

And old red cardigan.  It was a Christmas present from back when I was thin and so is now way too small.  Whatever, I still wear it.

Grey maternity tank from Target.  Very stretchy so it's perfect for nursing and modesty purposes.

Sock bun.

I swear my hair is thinning in the front.  Do you see all those bald spot looking areas?  Eeek!

Sparkly shoes from Target.  Got them there last spring.  Love, love, love them.

Red lipstick and old, cheap hoop earrings.  

Head back to Fine Linen and Purple for more fun!