Picture-palooza Day - Also Known as 7 Quick Takes Friday

Happy Friday, everyone!! Does anyone else out there have spring fever, or is it just me?? Our entire household has had their turn enduring colds and sore throats over the past week.  Between that and the cold dreary days, spring cannot get here soon enough!!

Now a picture-palooza peek at this weeks totally normally crazy life...

/1./ WRESTLING:

{Andrew holding Mr. Pink Socks in the very uncomfortable cradle position.}

If you're new here, you might have some catching up to do when it comes to my emotional stats toward this sport.  In a nutshell: I told my husband that wrestling was the one sport our boys would NEVER do. I meant it when I said it.  I meant it so much that we are now in our fourth year of this glorified game of Twister, and I love it.  Although George decided to try his hand at basketball this year, Andrew is sticking to what he knows and loves.

Last weekend was his first tournament, a small local one, a warm-up, if you will, and he took first. We'll be up and at 'em early tomorrow, snacks packed, camera charged, deodorant twice applied for another round of excitement!

/2./  BASKETBALL

Benedict is no stranger to the game, and is having a really fun season playing for his school (more highlights to come!), but for George, everything is new to him.

I miss watching him wrestle, but I love the way he puts his heart and soul into every single game, and he's having fun along the way, which is most important at his age.

/3./  WORLD TREASURES MUSEUM

Okay, we didn't exactly take this field trip this week, but I wanted to include our adventure to the World Treasures Museum in the blog.  During the holiday vacation mommy we were in need of an outing (translation: the walls, the carpet and the furniture area beat to hell and they cannot be fixed with beer or wine), and since it was up to me where we should go, I was of course going to choose something educational! (Yay! Applause!)

Every boy (except Charlie, he was busy sneaking off) participated in the treasure hunt, where they are each given a list of questions that can only be answered through careful observations and reading throughout the exhibit. They did a great job answering all of the questions!

Henry mission was to basically find all of the artillery in the entire museum and ask me to take his picture beside it all.

Because I forgot to bring a stroller (I'm so new at this kid thing), and there was nothing to strap the squirmer into, we lost Charlie twice.  Thank goodness there were only 4 people in the entire place since it was a blizzard outside.

I hope you don't need to know a lot about dinosaurs to get into some reputable college, because I have zero interest in prehistoric anything, so making that a part of our homeschool curriculum is never. going. to. happen. I'm praying (fingers crossed) that the kids' 3.4 minute zip through this section of the museum will stick with them forever.

 "Okay George, pretend you're about to be eaten by a t-rex." 

Wow, just call this kid Hollywood.

Say, "I love it when my mom makes me go on educational field trips over Christmas break!" Or, you can just say "cheese" because that's what we are.

/4./ PRAYERS FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS

Tomorrow, will mark the 18th week of our little one's life.  I feel very blessed to be sharing this journey with so many other amazing bloggers out there who are also expecting.  It's funny how we've crossed cyber paths, and once we realize another "friend" is expecting, shared joy and the promise of prayers is always shared in the comments. We have been blessed to have carried every single one of our babies to term.  Yet, I know, that there are many moms out there who pray, every day, to see their child to full term.  Dwija at House Unseen, Life Unscripted shared Maria's story with us this week, and I hope that you will add her to your prayer intentions, as she and her husband live an extraordinary faith, hoping that their sweet little angel will reach full term.

/5./ RUN A-CROSS AMERICA

{Photo Source}

Speaking of babies!! Did you know that there is a pro-life runner's league out there? I didn't until last spring, when a family friend introduced me to Life Runners.  I have FULL intention of starting a chapter in our area this summer, and am excited about all the possibilities that venture holds.  Many Life Runner members are currently participating in the A-Cross America Relay, where volunteers sign up to run a leg(s) of the distance from coast to coast all the way across U.S. These people are amazing!! They run in all conditions, and seeing their smiling faces as the trek through the rain, cold and snow is truly inspiring!! If you're a runner, and are interested in joining a chapter, you can find more information here.

/6./  BROTHERS

Having a household full of sick kids means that everything and everyone has to slow down.  Initially, when the boys are sick, they ask if they can watch a movie, it's a very temporary comfort for them. But, television gets old quickly, and they always end up playing games, reading or taking an interest in each others' toys together.  I love to watch our boys play together, to listen to their conversations, to enjoy their interactions and to see their creativity bloom.  This week, they've been all about building Lego vehicles.

/7./ MOTIVATE ME MONDAY

I'm venturing out and trying my hand at writing a new series of posts focused called "Motivate Me Monday."  This is the time where I'll share little tips and ideas that I have found, or ones that others have shared with me, over the years on the topic of healthy living.  I hope you'll join me!