7QT: The Monty Python Boys, a Car, and Evidence of Creative Genius (or something...)

--1--

I mentioned last week my problem with blog writing amnesia; of course, the minute I published my post, I remembered what I was going to write for take 6!  My husband and I have commented several times lately that watching Boo walk or run down the sidewalk is not unlike watching the Monty Python boys on their "horses" in The Search for the Holy Grail.

Behold:

--2--

In other news, we bought a car!!  On Saturday, we took a family road trip into Lancaster County (also known as Amish Country around here) and went to see a man about a car.  We test drove a white Mazda5 that was an ex-rental, had it checked out by PepBoys, ate some fast food and the kids and I browsed a dollar store whilst waiting for the car inspection to be complete.  Considering one of my children *cough*Birdie*cough* is one of the worst car travelers evah, the trip went spectacularly well, and we now own a car that will seat our whole family come June (without having to contemplate who rides in the trunk!)

 

It is technically a microvan, and has sliding doors like a minivan, but it is much smaller so we can park it more easily in the city.  (It is only 9" longer than our Corolla, actually).  It doesn't have much cargo space, but as we were comparing it to the six inches of cargo space in the Kia Rondo, it seems fairly spacious to us!

--3--

Speaking of dollar stores, I usually avoid them for a variety of reasons not worth going into here, but that said, $4 buys a lot of happiness when one is waiting with three impatient little children while waiting for a car to be finished!  They all picked out a $1 pair of sunglasses, and I ran some quarters through a vending machine that dispensed jumbo erasers shaped like birds and between those and the little plastic action figures in the Happy Meals from McD's, everyone was pretty happy for the rest of the afternoon.

 --4--

We have this pretty flowering tree outside our house that looks very nice, but is basically the bane of my existence from April-October.  (It also doesn't belong to us; it belongs to our neighbor).  In the spring, before it flowers, it sends out these annoying little pods that get into everything and stick to everything and get tracked all over the house.  A few weeks later, it flowers, and then the petals rain down on everything and also get tracked in all over.  It is like a flower storm over here!  I'm dust-busting the floors multiple times a day just to get up the petals (and we are shoe-free in the house, so what gets in is what is blowing in whenever the door is open for a minute or two).  Things aren't too bad over the summer as the tree just has green leaves once the flowers are done, but then in the fall the mess starts up again as the tree sheds its leaves and anything else that didn't come down in the spring. 

We've had a lot of viral respiratory illness these last two weeks, and I'm sure all the pollen on that tree isn't helping. On the other hand, the nicer weather means the kids can play out on the back patio again, so that is a bonus.

--5--

Speaking of respiratory illness, I came down with a pretty bad sore throat about a week ago, and my voice has gone from mid-range to authentic Lauren-Bacall-whiskey-soaked-range.  I feel like I should be auditioning for To Have and to Have Not:

My singing voice is total rubbish, and my speaking voice kind of comes and goes, so I can't really get after my kids with any kind of volume, but I suppose that is a reasonable penance for the end of Great Lent.

--6--

As for the end of Great Lent, tomorrow is the unofficial start of Holy Week for us; it is Lazarus Saturday, which makes Sunday is Palm Sunday. Then, we are in the race to Pascha!  I'm so ready for Lent (and this pregnancy) to be done!!  It is unlikely I will post any Quick Takes next Friday, as Holy Friday is always a busy day full of lots of extra church services.  

--7--

I have nothing crafty to share today except the evidence of my creative genius (i.e. a messy craft desk), but I will share pics of my scarf-back-roll hair do that I've been relying on a lot this winter (plus a gratuitous 34 weeks belly shot...because it's my blog and I can do what I want to...).  I used Tasha's excellent hair tutorial, and it really is a snap to do.  Takes about five minutes and voila, an instant vintage hair do!!

--Bonus--

 

 

My boys play with the Little People Farm and Zoo exactly the same way, Every Time. I can't decide if it is some kind of weird commentary on our childproofing situation or the ways in which our house is small.  Either way, it always strikes me as slightly sinister.  But maybe that is just the hormones talking...

Go see Jen for more Quick Takes!!