Happy St. Nicholas Day, everyone! Later this week I’ll be over at the revamped Virtuous Pla.net, now known as Ignitum Today, musing about St. Nicholas and Santa. (I think, at least. The post is as yet unwritten.) But today I have a semi-desperate request to make. I’ve hinted around at it, but now that the paperwork is all official and we have found a house to rent and all, I guess it’s time to make the big announcement. The Ogre... Read more

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve spent the past several months beginning to navigate the treacherous waters of homeschooling. I haven’t blogged much on it, mostly because I’m not too invested in the endeavor. I mean, I am invested in my child’s future, but homeschooling, for me, isn’t really about some great ideological battle. Or at least, it wasn’t. In the beginning, the Ogre wanted to homeschool and I said, “great, if it’s that important to you, you can be the one... Read more

#7 It’s so pretty My sister-in-law made french toast this morning, with challah, which Alton Brown and The Best Recipe have been begging me to use for french toast for several years now. So I picked some up at Whole Foods yesterday and we french toasted this morning.  All I have to say is, I will never love another bread the way I love challah. I’m still drooling.  #6 So for all the AWESOME suggestions yesterday about gifts for the... Read more

I love Christmas. Each year, as soon as I’ve slept off all that turkey and stuffing, I put on Christmas music and dance a little jig. I love Advent. I love the anticipation of Christmas, the holiday lights sparkling, the kids eyes glowing at all the pretty decorations everywhere, the holiday baking, the coats and scarves that have finally  made their appearances, and all the fun Christmas stuff like going to see The Nutcracker and taking the littles ice skating.... Read more

I have to confess something rather embarrassing. I am a total hypochondriac, aided and abetted beyond all bounds of common sense by WebMD. Yesterday I woke up feeling like I had a cold, and by evening I was certain that I had bronchitis, again. I’m still certain that I have bronchitis again, and expect to be told so when I go to the doctor this afternoon. That’s not the hypochondriac part. The hypochondriac part set in right about the time... Read more

In all my year as a Catholic blogger, how is it that I have missed Acts of the Apostasy? I cannot say. But tonight, after the vigilant Archbolds pointed me in this blog’s direction, I read a post that, after a shitty day, made me snort wine up my nose and then cry into a tissue while still laughing. That’s no easy feat, y’all. So go read the post, and never fear, my blogger negligence has been rectified and Acts... Read more

I really thought Charlotte’s Thanksgiving vomiting would be a one-time thing. I thought it was brought on by an excess of excitement and mashed potatoes. I thought we would spend Friday resting, and by Saturday the children would be well enough for us to drop off with the grandparents so that the Ogre and I could go see the Caravaggio exhibit that’s on at the Kimbell and have dinner in Ft. Worth, something which I’ve been planning and looking forward... Read more

Thanksgiving is over. I am recovering by chugging coffee and mindlessly trolling the internet. In approximately 1.5 hours I will put on Christmas music, bake banana bread (sans walnuts, since I now live in fear of potential allergens) and wake my husband up with a cheery smile. But right now I’m throwing dry Kix at the kids as they watch Rikki Tikki Tavi and wondering why, why oh why, have my children morphed into walking disasters? #7 No, Seriously Charlotte... Read more

In the last month, lots of my facebook friends have taken to posting something new that they are grateful for each day. This little game has annoyed the hell out of me, for no good reason at all actually. But today, seeing as how it’s a day in which we gather to give thanks for the freedom and bounty and pies which this land has afforded us, I figured I might as well take off my crotchety pants and join... Read more

Think I’m spotty now? You should have seen me before the epinephrine Ho-leeee crap. I’ve momentarily suspended my hatred of the “multiple vowel-typing in order to convey appropriate drawing-out of syllable for dramatic effect” blogging practice in order to convey just how stunned I still am by the events that transpired yesterday afternoon. Remember how excited I was for this weekend? It was a fantastic weekend, overall. I made homemade fortune cookies for Sasha Feroce’s Asian-themed dinner party, which were... Read more