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...
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...
--- 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: Catholic All...
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...
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...
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...
For grownups, this movie would be worth watching just to see Merida's hair, and the dark and wild and beautiful setting. For kids . . . I have my reservations. Things you've probably heard elsewhere . . .It has magic: Yes, but fairy tales do, and that's not an...
As a Catholic and a mother of sons, I was disappointed with the recent decision of the Boy Scouts of America to change their policy to allow the participation of "active and avowed" homosexual scouts. I have long championed the Boy Scouts an an organization that has...
By the time you're reading this I'll have been on a retreat for a whole day with another day to go. I know I OUGHT to make time to go on a retreat every year. I know I'm always glad I went when I get back home. But there were a few years, those years with all little...
If you remember my review here, you'll know that I really enjoyed The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. It's smart and exciting, the writing is clever, and the characters make the right choices when faced with moral dilemmas. It even...
Seriously. And don't try to pretend like you already knew. Unless, like me, you have kids who use the 1963 Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism for school. In which case, like me, maybe you found out that Pentecost is bigger than Christmas in front of your first...
So now that Mother's Day is winding down and all the kids are in bed, I can take a minute to consider their usefulness. Their usefulness beyond serving my mother and I and our dates a lovely dinner at Tierney Bistro for Mother's Day, I mean. My number one goal as a...
--- 1 --- So . . . holidays and holy days first. Happy Ascension Thursday (yesterday) to those of you in Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and Omaha. I wish wish wish our Bishops wouldn't take feasts away from the rest of us! I wanted to take the...
And I don't just mean because I'm pregnant, I mean I don't do it ever (anymore). Not to worry, I don't do anything ELSE either. I just find, that in my particular circumstances, NFP is WAAAAAAY more trouble than it's worth. And way more trouble than just having...
Exactly as I had always planned it and in no way because I totally forgot about it, today you get a recap of Lent . . . And there will be prizes. Extra prizes. So keep reading.I had a big list of stuff that I wanted to try doing or not doing for Lent, but the main...
I have lost track of the number of people who have asked me about what kind of homeschool preschool curriculum they should be using with their kids. Dozens anyway. And me being, well, me... I have actually looked into it for them (especially since some of them were...
Back a few years when we lived in Chicago, and I only had three kids, something horrifying happened to me. The kids and I were in line at the cutting table at the fabric store (which takes a long, long time) behind a young black man with a big pouffy afro. Jack was...
Let's face it, as awesome as it is to have all these kids, it does make some things more complicated. Mealtimes, driving, traveling, okay, most things I guess. But it's worth it, of course. All my efforts are rewarded with love and laughter and jewels in my crown...
My children seem to genuinely not much care for pop music, which is a blessing, since if I ever do flip on the radio I can get through one song, maybe two, even on the "soft rock" station before I have to dive for the buttons over something inappropriate (Your sex...
In the interest of coherence, I'm posting the trip a bit out of order, but the last two sites to discuss are the Shrine of St. Pio in San Giovanni Rotundo and Pompeii. Both were lovely and if you're in the area, I'd heartily recommend stopping by each. Here's Anita in...
When I was planning this trip, the aspect that caused me the most heartache was deciding how to get our party of ten from one place in Italy to another. Feet and buses are great for Rome, but then we wanted to see a number of spots in Southern Italy while keeping one...
