I make promises all the time. I use the bargain chip of “promise” the way children use the bargain chip of “chubby hug and sweet smile”. This wouldn’t really be a bad thing…except when it comes down to it, I rarely follow through. I’ll always have a very good reason why I just can’t keep my promise, a reason that’s so good, in fact, that the Ogre (who is almost always the recipient of my payment in promises) doesn’t really... Read more

When the Live Action sting was released, I confess that I didn’t watch it. I only skimmed over articles that mentioned it. I know Planned Parenthood, I know their tactics, I know the terrible things that go on there, and quite frankly I just felt like I couldn’t face it anymore. The subject matter, of course, doesn’t help. We live in Las Vegas, the sex capital of the world, and sex trafficking is booming. I have a gorgeous little five-year-old... Read more

Yay! I love Fridays! And guess what? We’re having the Pioneer Woman’s mushroom and swiss sliders tonight. Oh. My. Yum. They are great. I made them once before, and do you know what’s even better than seeing your husband and minions gobbling up the dinner you made? Having made said dinner in about half an hour. Quick meal, easy clean-up, delicious. Oh, and also, this meal fits right in with my amazing new ability to be temperate! Since the burgers... Read more

Sorry I haven’t posted in a few days. I have two very good reasons for this, and for the fact that this post is probably going to be slightly incoherent and significantly grammatically flawed. First, on Valentine’s Day, I did the unthinkable. I did the thing that most of you do all the time, without really paying much attention, but which I’ve only done three times in my married life and have deeply regretted almost immediately. And no, I’m not... Read more

Hands in the morning while the sun struggles through the valiant blinds heavy, flung across our son and me, sleeping yet strong. Fingers curling softly in sleep, each one a thousand pounds sliding my small fingers between them,           your strength surrounds me. Days spent in study, writing, reading,  following Truth on the path to God, days have not dimmed those hands.        Hands of a man. Rough. Weathered hands, bleeding in the cold, discolored nails.        Hands of a... Read more

Again with the Smorgasbord thing. This may become a regular occurrence (it just took me six tries to spell occurrence right), because it seems that by Sunday night my brain flits around like a squirrel on a sugar high. Sienna is a Disaster (Five seconds after this picture was taken, she fell, bit her lip, and proceeded to scream while spurting copious amounts of blood all over me, the floor, herself, and Charlotte, who was six months old at the... Read more

Ahhhhh. Friday. Fridays are so much sweeter now that the Ogre’s teaching again. I’m not really sure why because he only teaches on Mondays and Wednesdays and he studies from home most of the time but…somehow they are. It’s a mental thing, I guess. Anyway. Quick Takes! #7 Not-So-Little-Liam is six months old today! It’s crazy how time flies. I can’t believe how old he is.  I’m not sure if it’s the fact that Liam is the most cheerful, adorable,... Read more

By two o’clock this afternoon I had accomplished enough to make me feel like the proverbial domestic goddess. I’m so proud of myself, in fact, that I’m going to write down what I learned about time management skills this morning so that when I complain about not having time to read/blog/think/do anything, you can all point me back to this post and make me feel really guilty. I like guilt. It keeps me going. Here’s what a typical day looks... Read more

Last night the girls and I spent a few hours running errands. Sienna had a late doctor’s appointment and afterward we went to Target to get diapers and valentines for her class party and then ran over to Trader Joe’s to get some groceries. When we got home the Ogre disappeared into the study with the girls while I fed Liam on the couch. I was a little irritated; we’re both trying to spend less time in front of the... Read more

Over at Conversion Diary, Jen is asking bloggers what the religious climates in their countries are. While I live in America, I did spend a semester in Italy during my college days and two months in Rome visiting my sister-in-law Amanda when Sienna was two. Of the two visits, it was the latter that truly acquainted me with the Italian religious climate. When I first visited Italy as a college junior, I wasn’t Catholic. By the time I went back... Read more