— 1 —

My sister and her two little girls are visiting from Iowa this week.  Hooray for cousins!

Is Frankie finally surrendering?  I doubt it.  My sister’s baby likes to really rub it in by being super-smiley and charming AT ALL TIMES.  The other kids are calling them Cranky Frankie and Skylar Smiler.

— 2 —

Thanks to Cari at Clan Donaldson I know that there is a Harry Potter personality quiz.  It’s only 20 questions.  Head over to Pirate Monkeys Inc. to try it for yourself. (Note: this quiz is no longer there! However, there is Pottermore . . . )

I got Severus Snape.  Somebody tell my kids I’m going to turn out to have been a good guy THIS WHOLE TIME!

— 3 —

Tim Carney’s moving article about the life and death of his one year old nephew gives me hope that, with God’s grace,  I could perhaps handle that one thing that scares me most of all.

— 4 —

I am proud to announce that the Tierney family has adopted Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, Archbishop of Warsaw, Poland.  My kids are pretty excited to have our own personal Cardinal to pray for for the duration of the Conclave.  If only we could say his name <sigh>.  

Want a Cardinal of your own?  Go here!

— 5 —

Bobby, my seven year old Lego-catechist, has been at it again.  First he built a Lego church, complete with altar boys, collection box, and choir.  Now, he has made a Lego version of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in the furnace of blazing fire.  

— 6 —

Great Moments in Homeschooling   Jack: (reading Boy’s Life magazine) Mom, do you think this joke is funny?

A baby snake says to his mom, “Mom are we poisonous?” and the Mom snake says, “Yes dear, we are.”  And the baby snake says, “Uh-oh, I just bit my tongue.”

Me: Yes, I think its pretty funny.  Do you think its funny? Jack: I guess so, but snakes aren’t poisonous, they’re venomous.

— 7 —  

I believe that my Lent so far can be best understood using one of my new favorite picture books . . . Oh No, George!

Like George, I am having success this year avoiding temptations that I have practiced avoiding before.

But the good thing about Lent is that it’s sooooooooooooooo long.

Have you done (or not done) anything especially awesome for Lent this year? Head over here to sign up for the All for Jesus Lent Challenge and win an awesome Cathletics Craft Kit PDF. You’re doing Lent anyway, you might as well get an earthly reward to go along with the eternal one. And the list is outwardly anonymous, so it’s sure to not interfere with receiving your Lenten graces. (Note: This challenge has already ended.)