D.C. Quinque

by Shannon


I've been trying for a couple weeks to figure out how to make a slideshow in Blogger, and I. GIVE. UP. If you want to see pictures of the beautiful Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, go to the Facebook page. You might have noticed I posted all the pretties a few days ago.

I could go on and on and on on on about how beautiful/amazing/gorgeous/inspirational/etc. the basilica was, but you can look at the photos with your own eyes.

If you've not visited, you should. It was certainly the highlight of our trip.

We also ate at the cafeteria at the basilica (food was decent but expensive), and we picked up volumes 2 and 3 of The Baltimore Catechism for Cruncher. He's a mini theology-machine! Ryan's doing a really fantastic job with his formal catechesis.

If you remember way back when I first started posting a review of our D.C. trip, I mentioned we were excited to go and experience a St. Francis of Assisi pilgrimage ... BUUUUUT we didn't get to go. You can't tell much from the few outdoor photos we took, but there was a crazy storm system traveling over D.C. that day. We ended up cutting the day short and heading out of D.C. to our third and final hotel. Unfortunately, the storm system never came to a head, so we could have stayed. But I have to admit I was really happy to start making the trek home.

Traveling back to hotel #2 so we could hop in the car and get to hotel #3.

Driving through Sideling Hill for the second time. We conveniently saw a
display on it at the Natural History Museum. 

The beacon of light at our final overnight stop, Morgantown, West Virginia.
What a sad, sad town. 

Cruncher's best souvenir from D.C. — first-time freckles. 

The restaurant/brewery where we ate in Morgantown, one of the few good things offered. Food was great, beer was good, service was fantastic.  

I may not enjoy the taste of beer (typically), but there's something about
photographing beer that I enjoy. Weird?

A study in an expert at work.

I'm gonna hop on Jen Fulwiler's bandwagon and hang on tight for the Seven Posts in Seven Days challenge. I have sooooo many things we've done this summer that still need to put put on the blog, and summer's almost over! Tomorrow, I'll post the last day of our D.C. trip (if you follow on the Facebook page, you've seen pictures from that day). And maybe we'll even hear from our resident adventure writer and birthday boy this week.

D.C. Part Uno

by Shannon

"At Washington, D.C., I got to see the White House. 

And I got to see ... I forget."

~ Cruncher

So, we drove to D.C. last week. As you can see, it was a trip that REALLY made an impression on the young mind we're culturing. I'll post the happenings over a few different posts, since we traveled and toured during six days.

Here's how we decided to vacay in D.C.: After Ryan and I settled on St. Francis of Assisi to be our family's 2013 patron, we talked about taking a Franciscan pilgrimage this year. The only Franciscan monastery is in D.C.. However, being the CFO and vice president of worry in our household, I nixed the trip due to expenses. Fast forward a few months to early May. My boss told me I had to go to D.C. for work. There was a conference coming up, and he had other appointments booked, so I needed to go in his place. "Cool. But I guess you want me to fly, right?" He knows I hate flying. "Well, I would fly if I were you, but you can drive if you want. It'll take all day." Then I got excited. I could bring the whole family, stay a couple days after the conference, get reimbursed for milage, AND the guys would have a couple extra days to explore the city while I was busy with work. Perfecto!

We hadn't been on a family trip in, like ... well, ever. There was that Thanksgiving trip to Pine Mountain. And the time we went to Chicago to visit a friend. And a long weekend in Indy and Brown County, Indiana. But never, like, a REAL family vacation. With a ROAD TRIP. Ryan was pretty psyched.

Pine Mountain Resort, Thanksgiving 2010

The planning began. I decided we would start out at the super-fancy conference hotel (on the company's dollar), which was conveniently located blocks from the National Zoo (free admission and fun for the guys while I attended the conference). After the conference ended Tuesday, we would trek to a second hotel for the rest of our D.C. stay. Something cheap and clean. Then on Thursday night, we would drive even further out of town to a hotel in West Virginia, so our drive home Friday could be segmented and leisurely. I researched and researched and researched, as I do, and found the perfect hotels. Aaaand I got around to booking the second hotel in Rockville, Maryland, but procrastinated on the third hotel. It'll work out in the end. Promise.

We also prepped with grocery shopping shelf-stable items. The hope was we would only eat breakfast and "linner" (a late lunch/early dinner) with snacks sprinkled through the day. The HOPE.

And I bought a few special things for the trip: a travel purse or glorified cross-body wallet, so I wouldn't get pick-pocketed: new tennis shoes for Cruncher so his feet wouldn't hurt (riiight); a few summer outfits for Cruncher; some professional clothes for the conference (our office is veeeeery casual); and I think that's it. There were enough plans to make and supplies to buy that the few weeks leading up to the trip went super-fast.

We went to confession and Mass late Saturday afternoon, packed through the evening, and drove off around 8 a.m. Sunday. We grabbed a hearty breakfast in the Wendy's drive thru, and we were off!

Somewhere in central Kentucky.

The drive was supposed to be nine hours. We only stopped for short breaks and to fill up the tank. You wouldn't believe how amazing Cruncher was.

Cruncher with perpetual sidekick Orland.
He came with that goofy name, as Cabbage Patches do.

No whining. I repeat: No whining. He stayed busy with his books and coloring or just playing with some small toys we toted along. Sometimes, he requested I read from Jim Gaffigan's new book, which we all loved (I read the whole thing aloud between the to and fro).

We arrived at the hotel about 6 p.m. It's a beautiful old building in a fancy residential part of the city. Tidbits: The Beatles reserved an entire floor of the hotel for one night back in the '60s, and this is the hotel where President Clinton played his famous inaugural saxophone solo. It was also the only of the three hotels we slept in that has had reported bedbugs (apparently very professionally handled). That might surprise you after you hear about the rest of our trip. Stay tuned!

We checked in, dropped of our stuff, dropped off the car with valet, and walked across the street for dinner at Open City.

Cruncher ordered something he didn't eat (tummy problems, which I diagnosed as Too Much Gummy Bears and Twizzlers Syndrome). Ryan had some sort of veggie sandwich with chili and a local beer. I ordered from the breakfast menu — bagel with cream cheese, smoked salmon and a caper relish with a latté.

Don't let the latté art fool you. It had NOTHING on our favorite coffee shop on the planet, and 2013 Coffee Fest America's Best Espresso Winner Sunergos.

Five more days to blog about ... no promises.

Walking in Athens

by Ryan



So... how was May? For the average school teacher, it's probably the busiest time of the year. All those evenings of Shannon watching Cruncher while I stay late for this-and-that reason have left precious little time for blogging. And thus — our excuse.

Cruncher finished kindergarten on Wednesday. Even in my position, I am overwhelmed with how much he's learned this year. What an amazing difference nine months make! I hope that every parent feels as optimistic about their child's future as I do now. Now, if he could prepare his own meals...

_ _ _

I joined a gym.

No, really. Stop laughing — it's true!

After my doctor told me that I was 35 pounds overweight, and thinking about the history of heart attacks in my family, I finally decided to get in shape. Going to the gym is at once inspiring and intimidating. I routinely see a man who has obviously lost a great deal of weight; his dedication really rubs off on me. When I feel winded, I often look over at him, and think "if he can do it, so can I!" Then, there's the lady who is about my wife's weight, but can bench twice what I can... inspiring and intimidating!

Unfortunately, the gym isn't all treasure. Three TVs are playing all hours of the day, and while one is tuned to the Weather Channel (really?) and the other ESPN, there is a third that's a real mixed bag. I was "fortunate" enough to catch Entertainment Tonight one evening, and it seemed like every glance toward that TV revealed yet another woman wearing something that only her husband should see in the confines of their bedroom. Then there was the story about the former star reviving her career with a movie where she is a stripper...

Sometimes a trip to the gym feels like a walk in Athens. In Acts 17, Paul is doing just that, or is so implied. He is appalled by the idols that surround him, yet he opens his speech in the Aero'pagus with:

"Men of Athens, wherever I look I find you scrupulously religious." (Acts 17:22)

I love the language of the Knox Bible here; the New American Bible instead renders the end of the verse "very religious." Yet "scrupulous" shows an excessive attention to detail; an intense devotion to a thing or person. Indeed the attention to physical fitness I witness at the gym is good within itself, but to become scrupulous about one's body can lead to a disordered devotion, or even idolatry not dissimilar to what Paul was privy to in Athens.

We can also fall prey to false devotion when we misuse something; our bodies in relation to our sexuality is a perfect example. Neither the male or female body are bad in themselves, but when they become nothing more than a source of physical pleasure or visual amusement, they also become a sort of idol. We take away the healthy partnerships and meaningful intimacy that should exist in these bonds, and instead make people into commodities to be obtained.

Study for Paul Preaching in Athens, Raphael, 1515
Man in the middle: "Umm, Paul, may I pick your brain for a minute?"

If Paul walked today through the Athens of our souls, what would our idols be? Would he see devotion to God at the center of our lives, or would he see in His place idols that distract our devotion? Would it be rampant sexuality, or a religious devotion to a sports team? Maybe a scrupulous attention to physical fitness? I wonder if Paul would still find, as he did in Athens, a small shrine "to an unknown God" (Acts 17:23), a God that cries out for our devotion. Yet, would we continue to shuffle by on the way to our more familiar idols, or might we tarry a moment longer, close to the source of all goodness? In matters relating to devotion to God or to the treadmill, one must start small. Most of all, one must start in the first place — let the first place be now.

"Let us begin again, for up until now we have done nothing." 

-St. Francis of Assisi

What I Wore Sunday: Resurrection Sunday Alone

by Shannon

"Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives: 

I know that my Redeemer lives!"

~"I Know That My Redeemer Lives"

I didn't intend on posting an Easter review until later in the week, but I have bad news — Cruncher is sick. He's had it coming out of both ends for three days (sorry for the TMI). He's pretty miserable, and we're having a tough time getting him to take in liquids. Stubborn little fella — I wonder whyyyy? This is the third-THIRD-third Resurrection Sunday he has been too sick for Mass. He usually only gets a stomach bug once a year, so hitting the same holiday three times is quite the feat.

Since Ryan is napping (tired from a three-hour vigil Mass, having a brave overnight guest to entertain, and getting up in the night to help a sick boy), and Cruncher is chilling in bed, I have time I didn't know I had today. No cooking a big meal. No traveling around town to visit friends. No having dessert guests over this evening. Too bad I have a big, beautiful cake and no one to share it with.... Aaaaand I'm a Debbie Downer on the most sacred day of the year. Sigh ... sorry.

Ho hum. Here's what I wore this morning to Mass, all alone, while worrying about my sweet little boy.

What I wore: walking into church; during Mass; after I got home; closeup on the veil; closeup on the shoes; and for the rest of the day.

Mass outfit deets:
Eternity veil: Liturgical Time (I feel a little odd posting pictures of me in a veil, but I thought I'd share since it was my Easter gift. The shop was amazing to deal with, her blog is just lovely, and I imagine they've gotten very popular since Jennifer Fulwiler's post a few weeks ago. I was excited to read Jen's post because I had been admiring a lady at church's eternity veil, and could never seem to catch her after Mass to ask where she found it. And I ordered mine before the price increase — woohoo! I had no idea I was getting luxury bridal lace. What can I say? I have good taste.)
Love knot earrings: Victoria Townsend, Macy's
Houndstooth spring coat: Beaubois, Goodwill
Faux wrap dress: Evan Picone, consignment shop in town
Tortoiseshell watch: Fossil
Everyone's favorite oxford shoes: Gianni Bini, Dillards

Mom uniform deets: 
Miraculous Medal: Tonini's (Wanted to wear it to Mass, but was in such a hurry between breakfast, getting ready, and Cruncher being clingy.)
Elegant sack top: Dalia Collection, TJ Maxx
Skinnies: Old Navy
First sandals of spring!!: Not sure. The brand has long worn off. Maybe Report?

Can you tell I'm an anxious mess in those photos? I'm pretty good at faking normalcy. I'll bet my mama can tell.

And now for a slew of pictures for my mama.

This year, I naturally dyed our eggs. My friend Gwenny taught me about red eggs last year, and I used food coloring then. I'm leery of toxins in food coloring, though, so I tried naturally dying from Spanish onion skins this year. I was able to snag a bag of onion skins from Meijer for free, since they just toss them. It was really easy to dye the eggs (lots of time, but not much effort), and I think they look better than last year's. The wreath around the eggs was part of our Lenten decorations, as a crown of thorns, reused for Eastertide as a nest. Sorry no other pictures of our big breakfast. I was too distracted. We had potato latkes with goat cheese, pepper bacon and mustard; baked oatmeal with maple syrup; fruit salad; and local coffee. Luke had Jello, Gatorade and toast.

1. Preach it, sister. This year, I went with Easter lilies, for obvious reasons, and
red tulips, because they reminded me of His Precious Blood. The little nests
were on clearance at Target last year, and I made the runner from some sale
upholstery fabric at Hobby Lobby, running me $6.

For the last three Easters, I have bought a new piece of art for our home. This year, I bought a vintage linen tea towel of the Cathedral and Abbey Church of Saint Alban. Unfortunately, the building is not home to Catholic worship, as it's now under the Church of England, but St. Alban is buried beneath. Between the linen, the fabric backing and the frame, I put it together for about $25. Oh, and I got lucky this year and found the Lindt lambs before they sold out. Too. Cute.

The rest of the goodies: books, books and more books; lion and lamb; spring puzzles and a Stow & Go — genius!; and a St. Luke figurine. We gave our overnight guest Robert The Seven Story Mountain and a book of short readings by Matthew Kelly. I was really excited to find a book on St. Francis of Assisi by Chesterton for Ryan, as well as Not Your Average Joe.

The loot in the hidden eggs: St. Francis coin; Sacred Heart of Jesus coin;
rosewood finger rosary; and St. Michael figurine. 

Peek-a-boo egg, hidden-in-plain-sight egg, bookworm egg and sleepyhead egg.

What Cruncher would have worn today. He's pretty opinionated about his clothes, so the last Easter he got sick, we all joked it was because he hated his outfit (because he really did hate it). This year, that's not the case. Oh, well. He'll wear it next week. 

What he wore instead. Or at least one of four outfits so far today, since he keeps getting them ... erm ... messy. Here he is looking for his eggs.

And here he is in outfit two, dueling with Robert. One minute, Cruncher is bouncing off the walls, and the next minute, he's groaning in pain. Such the boy. 

I feel HORRIBLE that I didn't think to get a picture of my handsome husband before he left the house last night. Like I said, he's sleeping, or I'd totally make him put on his outfit for a quick staged photo. I'm that kind of wife.

Linkin' up with Fine Linen and Purple tomorrow and Grace at Camp Patton today. Now I'll continue sitting in Chruncher's beanbag and asking him, "How do you feel?" every five minutes.

Come See Me at the Zoo!

by Shannon

"...Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them."

– Luke 2:19-20

Happy Feast Day of Mary, the Mother of God!

We visited another beautiful parish in our archdiocese for Mass today, but we also checked in at our parish so I could shoot some pictures before the Christmas decorations come down in a few days. We're very blessed to worship in such a timelessly beautiful church.

Á la Catholic Icing, Jennifer Fulwiler and Brandon Vogt, our family is choosing a patron saint for 2013. I've been trying to think up great ways to celebrate the Year of Faith, and this one is a clear winner. Since this is our first year trying out this devotion, and I tend to overwhelm us with new traditions to try with the arrival of each liturgical season, we chose an easy one: St. Francis of Assisi.

I called him "easy" not because his life is simple to emulate (Which saint's is?), but rather because there are abundant opportunities to connect with him, which will make our devotion more difficult to forget.

We conveniently already own a St. Francis statue, a St. Francis icon, two framed copies of The Prayer of St. Francis, the first two volumes of The Adventures of Loupio for Cruncher (a fictional story about a little boy who is friends with St. Francis, illustrated in graphic-novel style). We (opportunly) bought Cruncher a family zoo membership for Christmas, which ties in so nicely with St. Francis' connections to animals and the environment. There are loads of literature, movies and music inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, not to mention St. Clare of Assisi and other saints who were Franciscans or Poor Clares. It is additionally helpful that his feast day of Oct. 4 happens to fall on a Friday this year. We'll probably plan a big Italian meal, as he is a patron of Italy. I would love, love, LOVE to do some sort of pilgrimage relating to him, but Italy and San Francisco are out of the question. Please let me know if you have any ideas.

We also chose him because, despite his popularity, we've surprisingly never included him in our family litany of saints. I really wanted to choose someone we could add to our arsenal, so to speak. I'm really excited about all of the prayer, teaching and learning opportunities a devotion with St. Francis will provide us this year. I'll try to keep everyone updated on how it goes.

If you're interested in connecting with a new saint, perpetual nerd Jennifer Fulwiler programmed the Saint's Name Generator. I gave it a spin, and it shot out St. Raymond Nonnatus, whom we already have a statue of in our home, plus we ask for St. Raymond's intercession for one of our godsons whose middle name is "Ray." A schoolteacher friend clicked "Find a Saint for Me!" and was ironically connected with St. Jerome, patron of schoolchildren! Give it a whirl.

Here's to a blessed 2013 for you and all your loved ones!

Edit: I discovered another St. Francis find in our house! The Little Flowers of St. Francis by Raphael Brown. We are EXTREMELY lucky to have a local used and new bookstore owned by two parishoners. Their Catholic section is Ah. May. Zing. Guess I know what I'm reading next...