I am a striver. I know that I was born with a lot of advantages, and I worked hard to make the most that I could of the opportunities I had. I took that same outlook into married life and parenting. In almost 14 years of marriage, we have been constantly working to move forward, sometimes, as with a new baby or a big move, putting ourselves into “survival mode” for a while in order to get there. My life... Read more
Our fabulous cast of local Catholic mothers is discussing a regular Mom’s Night Out for the first time ever. Count me in! We have a regular playgroup, but as families grow, the adult:child ratio is increasingly not in our favor, so conversations have become choppy and unsatisfying. There are fewer natural social outlets for moms than ever: most neighborhood mothers are at work, and immediate family members live far away. With a large family, it’s hard to get out much to see... Read more
We have recently moved into a new home, and are taking our time with decorating because: a) We have been busy with other home improvement projects, b) We hope to live here for many years and are trying to be thoughtful about how we would like our space to look for the long haul, and c) We are trying to stick to a budget, which takes some time and patience. One room that we need some help with is our... Read more
We are fortunate enough to have perpetual adoration at our parish. In addition, some very devoted mothers have arranged a children’s adoration hour once a week. During this time, parents with young children are encouraged to come to the adoration chapel, knowing that some additional noise and wiggling won’t be distracting, but rather expected. One of the commitments that we will take on this school year will be a regular adoration slot during the children’s adoration hour. It is only a twenty... Read more
Yesterday I packed up my boys, helped them buckle their belts and wipe their faces, and sent them off on their first day of school. It felt for a moment like the heavens parted and glory rained down upon my motherly soul. Thank you, Jesus! We made it. But what about the preparations?! How does a mother truly prepare for that first day of school without eventually wanting to pull her hair out? At one point, I was so frustrated... Read more
Happy Monday y’all! This morning is the first day of school for many, and I’m sending a little hug to you whether this is your very first day of school, or your fifth! Rock on mamas! High fives all around! Ok. That being said, does anyone feel like it’s been chaos today? I don’t have the excuse — my peanut is a few years away from school — but our day, despite the best of intentions and mental planning for... Read more
Over the last week, Lands’ End customers, many of whom were ordering school uniforms for their grade school children, complained about receiving an unsolicited issue to GQ with a topless woman on the cover prompting a formal apology from Lands’ End and the cancellation of all GQ subscriptions. Today, the CEO sent out another email warning customers that they could still receive another issue of GQ as they were unable to stop all of the September issues from sending. So please... Read more
Thank you to all who took the time to write, post on social media or call Lands’ End regarding the automatic sending of a magazine including nude pictures to customers placing orders of over $100 after the original post Land’s End Warning: Order School Uniforms, Get Porn. Lands’ End PR changed their tune dramatically from their “not our fault be we can unsubscribe you” justification from my first contact with them over the weekend. I have been overwhelmed with the... Read more
Like many of you, I have been horrified by the news stories about the persecuted communities in Iraq, especially the Christian and Yazidi communities in northern Iraq, and have been praying for all those affected. Can this really be happening in our world today? Can it really be true that children are being beheaded, that families are fleeing into the mountains, only to die of starvation and dehydration? I watched a heartbreaking episode on the news yesterday afternoon, where helicopters that... Read more
Upon getting our mail on Saturday we found a pornographic magazine addressed to my name, followed by “A Land’s End Bonus”. Thanks be to God that our boys had not gotten the mail that day, as they usually do to help their pregnant mama. We were horrified that this could end up in our mailbox via ordering school uniforms from our sweet part time Christian school. A call to Land’s End Customer service revealed that any customer placing an on... Read more
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