5 Favorites

1. This guy.

Dave with baby Joey.

I could go on an on about his intelligence, his sense of urgency and integrity in his work, his fidelity to Christ and His Church, his love for me and for our little ones, his daddy skills, his finely tuned sense of ironic humor and ability to deliver deadpan one-liners to me in the most highly charged and emotionally inappropriate settings...but instead I'll just tell you that the first Halloween after we had children, he accompanied me to a costume party dressed as Antone the Bedroom Intruder (I went as Taylor Swift, the early years, and Joey was Tim Tebow).

I don't have any photographic evidence, but that's probably for the best, because in the wise words of my sister Tia, 'You can never unsee something.'

That, my friends, is a real man.

2. Like St. Joseph, whose feast it is today! I love my husband so much. He is cooking me nachos using impoverished Italian ingredients in our very kitchen right now, and this on his day off. St. Joseph the worker approves.

3. This place. Purveyor of fine imported goods and overpriced American indulgences. Think Betty Crocker brownie mix for around $8 a box. Think largish bottle of Heinz for around $7. Think you wouldn't pay those prices? Come live abroad for a month or four and then see if you'd change your tune for the occasional splurge.

Don't think I didn't enjoy every bite of the $2.50 can of black beans that graced my nachos today.

4. This blog. I haven't seen or heard from Jillian in 2 week's time, but I'm actually seeing definition in my arm flaps and in my legs for the first time since, oh, I don't now, 11th grade track season. Bonus: I got to use both Joey and JP as barbells this past week, since I am working within the confines of a rather (ahem) modest home 'gym' involving zero equipment. And they loved it. Okay Joey was actually really offended that I picked him up and did hang cleans with him, but John Paul smiled vaguely and didn't protest. I am a Crossfit believer!

5. Google calendar. Hi, I'm 9 years late to the party, but whatever. We just mapped out our entire summer schedule including appointments, visitors coming our way, trips we're taking, etc., and it feels ah-mazing to have it all in one place. Plus, I entered all our flight itineraries, booking numbers, directions to hotels, etc. onto each individual trip, ensuring that when we are inevitably stranded in some nameless airport in the Midwest US this summer I can whip out Dave's Blackberry and pull up all the info we forgot to write down somewhere between security in Rome and baggage claim in Chicago. Or Denver. Or DC. You get the point.

I don't know why I never thought to do it before, but I'm feeling awfully clever and modern for having figured it out. Plus, now Obama can track our every movement with complete convenience. Winning!

Thanks for hosting, Hallie!