Try to say that title 20 times fast! Ha! I have been on the prowl lately, attempting to find the world’s most perfect gift. Gift perfection connotes two key qualities– 1) it does not require any more of me than I have to give (which these days means I’m ordering from a desk chair at the computer–it’s all I can handle!) and 2) the gift must tickle my senses and make me happy. Tough criteria, I tell you… So far... Read more
After Juris Mater’s hilarious post last week, I thought I’d post our latest haircut escapade (this one with pictures). We were all sick last week and Mr. Incredible even stayed home from work one day. And, while we were happy to have him covalescing at home, his weekday presence does throw a monkey wrench into our routine. Especially when he decided that it was time to give the baby (ahem, more than 2 year old) his first haircut. He had... Read more
I hope that everyone had a great weekend, and that Monday morning is off to a good start! For the past couple of days, I’ve been reflecting on the Thoughts for Thursday question, “What can my children do other than watch TV?” Really, I’ve been thinking about this because I feel that my kids have been watching an inordinate amount of videos since the beginning of the summer. It’s a bad habit that we got into during the long, hot... Read more
One of the more interesting cultural encounters I have had during our last 9 months of Euro/British travels was at an English hair salon. I grew up in Alabama where mullets were not uncommon. Being a blunt-cut kind of gal back then, I never ventured into the “business up front, party in the back” she-mullet style myself, although Alabama would have been the place to give it a whirl. I never expected that England would give me a second chance.... Read more
So, many friends now are asking me about homeschooling because their children have started in school and they are concerned that they may not really be learning what they need to learn. For some people, schoolschooling makes the most sense for a variety of complicated reasons, but it is also a great idea to supplement their education at home. If you did not have a great elementary education, or you were not educated in the US, you may not know... Read more
Yesterday was our dear Red’s birthday. Let’s everyone sing together– “Happy Birthday to you…” I jokingly wrote to her that I hoped she was being pampered on her birthday, but that I highly doubted it because she’s a mom of four and it takes a lot for a mom of four to get away for birthday pampering. I’ll be honest, it’s hard for this mom of four to get away to use the bathroom, let alone leaving the house for... Read more
Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. – Proverbs 17:6 Read more
What am I cooking? We had steelhead trout (the pink kind) the other night for dinner, and almost *everyone* ate it – very exciting for this mom! The recipe: Place about 1 lb. of trout filet on foil-lined baking sheet. Pour a mixture of 1/4 c. soy sauce, 1/2 T. sesame oil, 2 T. brown sugar, and 2 T. lemon juice over the top. Tuck foil up around fish so that marinade can really get in there. Bake for about... Read more
There is something I find strangely refreshing about the month of November being dedicated to the Holy Souls in purgatory. It is so, so easy to get caught up in all there is to be done at this time of year. There is a whirlwind of planning, gifts, decorating, and baking, all of which can be good and sanctifying, but only if done in the right mindset, with the right intention, for the right reasons. Remembering from where we come... Read more
I have a soft spot for this sung version of the Litany of the Saints, because it is the version that was sung at the Baptism of our firstborn, Christopher. I will never forget how full my heart felt as the entire parish community processed to the baptismal font at the back of the church, as we listened to our lectors sing the Litany of the Saints. What a wonderful day it will be when we all kneel together before... Read more
Building Cathedrals
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