--- 1 --- Me: Hey, remember when we watched the Royal Wedding? The Duke and Duchess are having a baby today! Bobby: What's he the Duke of? Me: Wales, I think. Bobby: The Duke of WHALES? How does that work? well, something like this, I'd imagine As it turns out he's...
It's easy for me to fall into an us against the world mentality. Especially when the priorities and loves of the world are so far away from my own. But, lately, I've really been trying to be aware of not closing my circle in so tight that I exclude a lot of folks that...
In my last post: In Which I am Asked Not to Come to Mass . . . by a Priest, I mentioned that I would like to fill all cry rooms in the country with cement. You guys noticed. And some of you wondered why. Hannah said: I'm confused - what is it that you hate about cry...
The husband knows an awesome priest who likes to say, "You should remember that when you pray for humility . . . God just might humiliate you." I think he said it in reference to having tripped up on the altar, which I would do every day and twice on Sundays, rather...
--- 1 --- I was so sorry to read Dwija's sad news that they lost baby Nicholas at 21 weeks along. I have felt so identified with her struggles since I am also 21 weeks pregnant. It's been such a joy to witness how she dealt with the challenges of this pregnancy with...
It's a question I have heard many times. Not as much anymore, though. I think people figure that with six kids already, I must be a lost cause. But I used to hear it a lot when I had three and four kids, and even when I had two (since I got my boy and my girl right...
Dear Mom With Two or Three or More Small Children, Your life is hard right now. I know, I've been there. You wanted these children, or maybe you didn't at first (oops) but you do now, and you love them like you never imagined you could love anything, but also they...
--- 1 --- The effects of Felix Felicis, as described by Harry Potter Wiki, are thus: Felix Felicis possibly works by providing the drinker with the bestpossible scenario. This usually registers in the drinker's mind in theform of an unusual urge to take a certain...
Here's another summer re-run from the early days of the blog, so maybe you've already seen this one. But if your kids are driving you crazy this summer, this might be able to help. For a post on WHY we practice Parenting With Authority, see here. I started out to make...
Yesterday, I told you why I like backyard birthday parties best. Today I'm telling you exactly how I do it. Step-by-step. And you get to see all the photos from Anita's fourth birthday party, held last Saturday in the Chicago backyard of my in-laws (who are awesome,...
I love backyard birthday parties. That's what we had when I was growing up, and that's what we throw for our own kids now. Anita jumping for joy at her 4th Birthday Party, held yesterday in the lovely Chicago backyard of my generous in-laws (we're visiting for the...
--- one --- Overheard at the swim meet between two five or six year-olds: "No, you have to kiss him on the lips, THAT'S how you get babies." Good to know, good to know. --- two --- So, I did it again. I'm going to have to change the name of this blog to:...
update: now includes photos from today's celebrations! A Very Happy Fourth of July to You and Yours! The kids all had new duds for the occasion, thanks Gramma! Please don't let the freedom FROM religion types convince you that the founding fathers were on their side....
Doesn't that sound fancy? And once baby number seven is born I get to require that everyone refer to me as a Great Grand Multipara. So, I've got that to look forward to. But in the meanwhile, I have to/get to be pregnant. I've had some very easy pregnancies and some...
A couple of weeks ago, in a Sunday post about Kids and Modesty, I made kind of a throwaway mention of the fact that I consider nursing in public without a nursing cover to fall into the category of immodest. Since you guys have such excellent reading comprehension, it...
--- 1 --- Two weeks ago, I had a quick take about how the internet can bring out the worst in people. But this week, oh THIS week, the internet has brought out the best in us. The fundraiser that Cari is running for Dwija is hands-down the awesomest thing I have been...
Especially the "Catholic" ones (oh yes I did)*. I intended this to be just a Facebook post, but you know me, it got long. So it's here. I've been pretty silent about the gay marriage debate on Facebook, not because I don't have an opinion about it, but because I know...
Among our many goals for our kids is that they would grow up to be generous and charitable. We figure the best time to start laying that foundation is . . . now. But it's easier said than done, right? I started my kids' charitable giving by secretly cleaning out...
The husband and I left the thundering herd at home tonight and went to see Monsters University, just the two of us. In the past, we've always run right out as a family to see new Pixar films, but I was worried that the college setting of this one might prove too...
New and Improved: now with awesome updates! --- 1 --- I set out to begin my quick takes this week with a zippy little analysis of Season 2 of Sherlock . . . but it really got away from me, quickness-wise. So it got to be it's own post. Check it out, if you're so...
I'm pretty sure I read a quote somewhere to the effect that you shouldn't read a book that promotes immoral behavior no matter how well it's written, since that would basically be the mental equivalent of drinking poison just because it was in a particularly beautiful...
My kids are homeschooled. The reasons I began homeschooling are various and ignoble and you can read more about them here. But not a year goes by when I don't find another big reason to like it. The most recent came as I was administering the Terra Nova standardized...
One of my least favorite children's movie conceits is the whole "Dad's an idiot, but if junior can just manage to disobey him loudly enough, he's sure to come around" thing. (See: Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, How to Train Your Dragon, Ratatouille, Happy...
--- 1 --- Back in January, when I started this here blog, I hooked it up to Amazon Associates. That means that when you click on a link from the blog that takes you to Amazon, then you buy something, I get a teeny, tiny percentage of what you spend. Now,...
Hey, summer re-runs aren't just for network TV right? If you saw this post, you'll know that I'm planning to run some of my earliest blog posts over the summer while I try to accomplish some other things. So in case you missed it, here's a post from Day 5 of this...
I think it's easy to fall into one of two errors when dealing with kids and modesty. One is the idea that the human body is bad and that we must ensure that our children hide their 'naughty bits', the other is a reaction too far in the other direction: that we...
On Wednesday I told you that I thought Silver Linings Playbook had a real stinker of a message. But, since I didn't want to ruin your weekend, I also promised to suggest seven films that I think would make great date night movies. I don't recommend any of them...
Ugh. I really really really did not like this movie. And if you haven't seen it, I do not recommend that you do. But if you like movies with nudity and language and disturbing implied violence and described aberrant sexual behavior and onscreen sexual activity and...
Thanks to Stephanie at I Found Him Whom My Soul Loves, who nominated me for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award, you get to learn seven MORE things about me. If you also saw this post, then you now know 40 whole things about me. one My husband asked me to marry him 10...
--- 1 --- Earlier this week, I wrote a post entitled: Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts: A Difference in Kind, not Just in Degree. It was the Boy Scouts' much-publicized policy decision regarding gay boy scouts that prompted me to finally get to writing, but I've wanted to...
