Says Mary: “You shouldn’t talk to strangers” Responds John: “Yeah, because they might be batman.” Read more

I think it’s safe to say that we had a rough morning, the kids and I. Sick babies, finger pricks, throat cultures, and chaotic (but necessary!) errands were all a part of the mix. So in an effort to start fresh, we indulged in an after-lunch treat: neopolitan ice cream cones, yum! Sometimes, everyone needs a little boost 🙂 What do you do to help turn a rough day around? A trip to the park? A mid-afternoon coffee (for mom)?... Read more

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been struck by the reality that many of my fellow stay-at-home mom friends are unbelievably BUSY!  This includes moms in my neighborhood and moms from our church group, mothers who don’t have a paying job outside the home but who have taken on so many different responsibilities that they may as well have a two full-time jobs! These moms coordinate fun-runs to benefit their children’s schools, volunteer for pro-life ministries and PTO positions,... Read more

Upon returning home from a 2 hour nature walk with Daddy, Dash (3.5) ran inside and, utterly unable to contain his enthusiasm, exclaimed, “Mommy, Mommy!! I caught a frog and peed on a tree!” How can you not love little boys, especially the potty-training and amphibian-loving kind! Read more

I wish I kept a journal of the memorable mispronunciations in the 18 month-4 year period… I am finding that Bella, almost 4, has mostly outgrown this. Bean, fortunately, has not! His favorite character these days is Miss Cruella Clavel, the lady who both wants the 101 Dalmations’ “furry coats” and watches over twelve little girls in two straight lines, the smallest of whom is “Madelion”. I’m sure only a story-loving two year old could conflate the names of Miss... Read more

Growing up, I had little awareness of the guardian angels. I first heard a talk on the reality of guardian angels in college. Soon after hearing this talk, I hit the road with the Princeton Ski Team to go to a regional competition in West Virginia in the middle of a snow storm. As my friend’s car slid around on the narrow, winding roads through the mountains in the middle of the night, I uttered my first plea to my... Read more

Click here to see one of my favorite musical groups, Celtic Woman, and their amazing version of “You Raise Me Up”. I promise, you won’t be disappointed! Read more

Are you familiar with Grace Before Meals? Founded by Fr. Leo Patalinghug in 2003, Grace Before Meals is centered on one fundamental concept–creating and sharing a meal can strengthen families and relationships. The movement produced a book, a blog, a regular podcast, and even a pilot TV show endorsed by PBS. The show is still in the production phase, but it looks like it will be a wonderful family friendly show, with great recipes! I only had to watch him... Read more

Who knows what “feminism” really is? We vilify the movement as the impetus for birth control and abortion, yet we benefit from the doors its pioneers busted down for us. We have fabulous college degrees and didn’t even have to consider gender when choosing our professions. So, today I would like to thank feminism for what I see as a “professionalizing of the home front.” I am a better, more capable, more fulfilled mother and wife then I ever could... Read more

Wow, I just came across this, so for all of you Starfall lovers, here are some new friends. We have given up TV for Lent, and this just might make it do-able, plus, as a long time “Math Shop” lover, I know that computer games really can help with math facts. Because I am about the oldest one here, I can also laugh at the fact that the programming game on Math playground uses a little turtle for the cursor,... Read more