#6 took his first steps last week.  Three steps from the coffee table to his dad, and the next morning, two steps from the couch to me.  (Why is it that the last three children have all taken their first steps when I’m not here?) Since then…he just can’t be bothered.  We wait until he’s standing, holding on to some piece of furniture, then we sit down and call to him to walk to us.  He smiles.  He laughs.  He... Read more

The boxes have begun arriving at our house, all the wonderful boxes filled with new school books.  Every few days, the UPS man knocks on my door with another package of treasures.  My children eagerly dig through the contents and exclaim with delight over the wonders that the new school year will bring.  It is a mini-Christmas in the middle of the Summer.  I’m a book nerd.  My children are book nerds.  We love books in the mail. #3 has... Read more

Head on over to Peace and Quiet for an honest and candid look at life as the mother of a child with a sensory processing disorder.  As the mother of one of these special children myself, I wanted to stand and say “me, too!”  Here’s an excerpt:   Bath time was horrific.  Screaming and thrashing.  Often we would end up getting a bath as well, having to step into the shower with him to get him bathed.  Then there was the... Read more

My neighbor never calls his wife “my wife” he always refers to her as “my sweetheart.”  It’s always struck me as funny and a little old-fashioned, as well as sweet and awfully endearing.  “My Sweetheart.”  They were married almost 50 years ago when women were not equal to men, and wives were seen as necessary nags, or so he tells me.  He returned from their honeymoon, flush with new love, to the derisive and smutty comments of his co-workers.  This... Read more

“Mooooooommmmmmmmyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!” came the voice from upstairs, a bloodcurdling yell that had me running up two steps at a time. I dashed around the corner into the bathroom to see a child standing in the middle of the room smiling. “What?  What’s wrong?” “Nothing.  I just had the biggest poop ever and wanted you to see it.” Thanks. Read more

A few weeks ago, Leila at Little Catholic Bubble asked about people’s personal faith stories.  Cradle or convert?  What got you to where you are?  I’ve written about my moment of reversion before, but it’s only one moment on a long time line. Here you go Leila, just because you asked. ******************************************************** I was born and raised in a “Catholic” household.  My father was a Naval officer whose faith was more obligatory than personal, and my mother was a girl... Read more

 I’m tired of cooking and eating the same old stuff.  I’m sure you are, too.  Every Monday, let’s get together and share our best cooking ideas. Today’s theme is LUNCH!  Post your recipe on your blog, link back here, and then add the link to your post on the Mr Linky below and link.  Happy Eating! Fried Broccoli Baked PotatoesOne baked potato for each person. ( I throw mine in the oven at 350* 45 minutes before lunch.  If you... Read more

I’m bored with cooking the same stuff every week.  I’ll bet you are, too.  So let’s swap recipes on Mondays.  Come back tomorrow with your best recipe and be ready to share.  Tomorrow’s theme is: LUNCH! See you tomorrow.  I can’t wait. Read more

I finally found the camera cord.  It was being used to tie Barbie to the train tracks so that Thomas the Tank Engine could make her talk.  It’s that kind of household around here. Here at last are pictures of the only birthday cake I’ve ever made that wasn’t a disaster: #4 begged for the pet name her siblings call her (Mei-Mei) instead of her real name to go on her cake.  It confirms my theory that you can call... Read more

A funny thing happens when you sit down to write the story of your life up ’til now, you actually have to think about your life up ’til now.  You have to examine your own bad behavior, stare it square in the eye ball, and that of the people who impacted your life for the good and the bad.  It’s amazing what happens when you add in the perspective of 20-something years, you gain a bit of insight. The villains... Read more