Churches. Floors. Deals.

Let me warn you... this is going to be a really boring post.  So to offset the boringness of it, here are some slightly out-of-date pictures.

 A few weeks ago we got a good amount of snow and while it was REALLY cold the first few days, it was still there on Saturday when we were able to play outside as a family and then walk down for chocolates at Kathy's Kandies.  This is Greta during the outing.

 The girls and me, back in January, on our way to see The Nutcracker.

 Anja at Kathy's Kandies

Martin and the girls building a funny little snowman.

And now, on to the post.

Last Monday I woke up with the need for some change.  So I hauled all my craft stuff out of the landing area and started ripping up carpet.  Underneath was some good, but dirty, hardwood floor.  It will take some sanding, but we got paint for it today and soon I hope to have a sunny, fresh look in my craft area.  I’m really excited for the finished product!  I plan to change things around a bit too, in terms of what furniture is up there.  That probably means I’m in the market for another bookshelf…. We’ll see.

But what I’m most excited about is that I’ve done it ALL myself!  I ripped up the carpet and hauled it to the curb, worked up the tack boards, pulled up the staples…. I did it all!  I am so proud of myself. 

So this morning we went to St. Ann’s for church again.  I think I’ve mentioned on here that we started going there when Martin took his second job, and now it’s become a habit.  But the thing is, we LIKE St. Ann’s.  We like St. Boniface too, and there are definitely things I miss about it, but you know what?  I didn’t realize how much I missed BEING MENTALLY PRESENT AT MASS.  Which, at St. Boniface, happens approximately NEVER.  I don’t know what it is about the place… is it just too big?  Too echoey?  Whatever the reason, my kids behave like monsters at St. Boniface and always have.  Usually, in my days since having children, I have spent the second half of every Mass at St. Boniface OUTSIDE.  Not even in the back, but outside the building.  At St. Ann’s?  My kids are PERFECT.  We sit up in the front row and they aren’t just well behaved, they pay attention!  Anja sits there, facing the front, paying attention to the entire Mass.  It’s incredible!  It’s WONDERFUL!  We haven’t even had to take Greta to the back since the summer, and even then, it’s better because the speakers are better and I can still hear what’s going on, and see, and there’s just not so much empty space so the kids don’t feel the need to just run around like crazy people.

Has anyone else had an experience like this?  I know it’s not our home parish, but it feels so nice to be paying attention during mass again.  To be able to listen to every reading, the gospel, and the consecration!  THE WHOLE ENTIRE THING!!! 

Maybe it’s just coincidence that my kids are older now and just happened to hit the “we can sit through church quietly now” phase while we were going to St. Ann’s.  But we’ve been to St. Boniface recently, and Greta in particular, has been awful.  And I don’t just mean loud… I mean crawling under the pews to get away from us and run up the middle aisle.

It makes me a little sad because I love St. Boniface, and I love its bigness and oldness and the fact that it’s not completely covered in ugly carpet.  And I hope that we can start going back there soon.  Maybe this spring or summer.  But right now, St. Ann’s is the perfect place for us.  And people are so nice to us!  Families have been introducing themselves to us and being all friendly and stuff.  Isn’t that nice? 

Anyway.  Moving on.

I went to Once Upon a Child today and got a pair of maternity pants, shirt and an pretty spring dress all for just $16.  Not bad.  All their maternity stuff is 30% off and will eventually be marked down farther because they aren’t going to carry maternity anymore.  Too bad!  But at least I can score some good deals in the meantime.

Tonight I finished knitting a cute little hat and matching leg warmers for the new baby.  They are in a natural color organic cotton (I think it’s Lions Brand—whatever it is, they sell it at JoAnn’s and Michael’s) and it’s such a cute little set that I’m thinking about knitting some up for my etsy store that Martin keeps telling me to re-open.  It’s just such a commitment.  I’d have to keep up with it on this silly computer.  I’d have to take pictures and upload them and be all organized.  I’m just not good at being organized.  And I’m not good with the computer.  But maybe I can just do the crafting and make Martin run the store.  He’s better with computers.  That’s a good plan.  I’ll tell him that’s what we’ll do.  He’s walking the dogs right now.

Geez, I am so boring.  I really have nothing to say!  I only talked about the church thing because I felt like I needed to make a new blog post.  Hopefully by the end of this week I’ll have the upstairs done and will be able to talk about that a little bit.  I have some big plans for decorating that little space.