A Song for Everything: A Little Home-School Pre-School for Resa

This year while my oldest three kids attend brick-and-mortar schools I will be doing a little homeschoolin to get Resa Rie ready for next year, when she will attend Kindergarten.

Now, most real homeschoolers I know don't do preschool, successfully covering pre-k curriculum in the first weeks of Kindergarten or just introducing their children to the concepts through life. When my oldest, L, was 4 we opted to homeschool her, too, but I was pregnant and naps quickly became more important. However, being a girl, the oldest, and the only grandchild meant that she still learned her letters, numbers, the days of the week, and a few other things - and that was mostly from books and conversations, not PBS Kids! When she went straight to Kindergarten she was fine. We knew that Ben would benefit from attending Pre-K4 and we were right - it was a good investment and really helped him do well in Kindergarten. JF, of course has been in preschool for three years, as that was how he received speech therapy.

Resa, though, is in a different place than her siblings before her and so we will do actual homeschool with her. But when I say that please know it will be super casual and laid back. 

She already can identify all the shapes, colors, numbers 1-10, and about 1/4 of the alphabet. She also sorta knows how to write her name and how to say most of her prayers. We'll need to solidify the Hail Mary, Our Father, and Glory Be, though.

My other goals - which we have a whole entire year to accomplish - are to teach Resa:

- the days of the week (we got a song for that)

- the months of the year (we got a song for that one, too)

- how to identify the letters of the alphabet

- how to write the letters of the alphabet

- how to write numbers 1-10

- how to count to 20 on her own, 100 with me

- her address (another song)

- my phone number (yet another song)

- how to writer her first and at least sorta write her last name

Days of the week song: the days of the week sung to O My Darlin'. It works in Spanish, too.

Months of the year song: Singing the months through to the tune of Ten Little Indians with "these are the months of the year. Good job!" at the end. 

The address song is our address to the tune of Ten Little Indians (the second half). So, for example and not my real address:
Two-Fifteen Oak Tree Avenue / Chicago Illinois!

My phone number is sung to Knick-Knack Paddy Whack. Is that what the song even called? Anyways, again not my real phone number:
123-456-7891 with a knick-knack paddy whack give my mom a call / her name is Bonnie.
It works. My older kids don't want to sing it to people but they have used it to remember my number so grown ups can call me. #winning

Other resources - books I'll be using:
Catholic Icing's Preschool Curriculum

Various Usborne Wipe Clean books

This summer we had a pretty good run for going to the library and reading books. I'm hoping to continue that with Resa and spend some time reading classics with her. I think I'll make a list of A-Z books (like A for Alexander and the Horrible...Day - sorta like what Haley did here) and loosely try to follow that through the weeks. We'll see. I call myself a fake homeschooler (unlike the "real" homeschoolers I referenced) because my standards are loose and low and none of it quite feels legit, yaknowwhatI'msayin?

And I have changed up my shelves a bit to make things a bit more schoolish. We'll see how long this lasts but yay for mason jars, toys my kids were given, and Target dollar bins!

I figure two days a week for 30 minutes will be great. We'll probably start after Labor Day - once the big kids have settled in school and our home is off to its new rhythm. Honestly, I am really glad for this time with Resa. She is so peaceful and sweet, the middle child with no health issues or anything else to call attention to her, and so it's easy to let her be. It'll be good to intentionally sit down with her and work with her. One more year for her to be with me and be my little baby girl.

That got sappy so we'll wrap this up. If you have a favorite book for my list or another resource you'd love to tell me about please share!

The day I did the Amazing

It was a feat most woman would not dare to do. An adventure so epic even myself - especially myself - just a mere five years ago would have thought it improbable. No: Impossible.

"What was it?" you ask.

Well friends, I'll break it down.

First, while five months pregnant, on a hot summer day, I loaded up all five of my kids - aged 7, 5, 4, 3, and 2.

Second, we went to Hobby Lobby. All of us. With only their ridiculously small carts that can only fit the 2 year old in the basket-kid-seat-thingy, and the three year old in the main basket of the cart.

Third, we took a bathroom break. It was our first destination at the store and I was able to fit the cart, myself, and the three other kiddos in the smallish one room, sorta dirty bathroom. Everyone went potty, everyone washed their hands, and the baby had a diaper change.

Fourth, we shopped and got all the supplies needed for a bridal shower I held for my sister-in-law. No one cried and everyone was cheerful.

Fifth, we looked at the Christmas decorations (because it's still July so that makes sense). Glass ornaments were ooohed and ahhhed over and nothing broke. Nothing.

Sixth, we stood in front of an entire wall of pumpkins and I chuckled as James kept running his eyes floor to ceiling while waving his arms in big, open circles and saying, "Pumpkins. Pumpkins." He was in total amazement.

Seventh, we went through the check-out and no one asked for candy.

Moms and dads, if you are reading this and intimidated by the thought of taking your one or two, or three or four kids shopping I just want you to remember this: if I can make it at Hobby Lobby with 5 kids, no accidents, no shouting, and no tears you can too.

I'm gonna link this up with Kelly's Seven Quick Takes since I broke it down into seven steps, and now I'd like to make a little announcement:

Answer Me This! (my first ever)

I finally got my act together to join up with Kendra's fun Answer Me This! link up. It's my first time and I'm happy to be a part of it. 

1. What’s something you've won and how did you win it?

I won first runner up in a beauty pageant once, which is actually losing so maybe this doesn't count. I won it by being awesome, but not awesome enough.

2. Do you save old greeting cards and letters, or throw them all away? Why?

Some cards I do keep. First birthday cards for the kids, very touching ones, ones from my husband, and the ones my friend Katie makes. Her cards are like folk art. 

I kept a bunch of letters from my nun friends when they first entered their religious communities but lately I haven't had to, even though I still have the box of the older ones under my bed.

I don't like keeping things but some things I do want to hang on to for sentimental reasons and because I want my children to be able to decided in a card from their great grandparents is precious or not. 

3. When you’re at home, do you wear shoes, socks, slippers, or go barefoot?

Barefoot almost always, though in winter I may keep my socks on if I'm going to be running in and out. If I'm not leaving the house all day socks are never going on my feet.

4. Who’s the most famous person you have ever met? 

I'm not sure. I met Davy Jones from The Monkees, JJ Heller, and Audrey Assad. And Marie Miller. 

I met authors Dave Eggers and Michael Chabon. I know artist Jude Landry. 

In the Catholic world of celebrities I've met Fr. Andrew Apostoli and Teresa Tomeo. Via phone call I've "met" Patrick Madrid and Simcha Fisher. I've met Jennifer Fulwiler, Hallie Lord, Danielle Bean, Lisa Hendey, Brandon Vogt, Kendra Tierney, Kelly Mantoan, Sarah Babbs, and some other blogger celebrities.

I think that the most famous of those people will all depend on who you are and what your background is. For me, I would LOVE to meet Fr. Robert Barron, our two popes, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and the entire Hensley family (so dad the theologian, son the pianist, daughter the blogger and YouTube sensation, and mom who probably is the one doing all the heavy lifting).

5. What has been your best work of art?

I don't consider myself artistic and I'm mediocre at a lot of what I do. Which is my way of saying, I don't have an answer for this question.

Take, for example, this dinner roll. You can't let formed rolls rise overnight or they'll fall and look like an old woman's upper arm.
I still baked them.

6.  What’s your strongest sense?

My sense of humor.

Scuzzy Day, Productive Day

Why is it that the days I don't shower I tend to get more done. In fact, the scuzzier I am the more I get done.

 So I did some dusting and vacuumed.

I assembled this new shopping cart... so I could spend the rest of the day threatening the kids with time outs if they crashed it into things and woke the baby.

I rearranged the boy's room and they worked with me to tidy it up.

(Sunday afternoon Travis made a loft bed for Ben, who now has a regular mattress. It took him less than 3 hours to make it, because he's awesome. It still needs to be painted, which is my job.
JF has inherited the Thomas bed to sleep on, instead of a crib mattress on the floor, and JP has inherited the crib and will no longer have to sleep in the bouncy chair.
All of this is good because JF usually sleeps on the floor but ends up in our bed or on our floor. Ben also usually ends up in our bed, as does L. But now Travis and I each have a twin sized mattress we can retreat to when L, B, and JF have taken over our bed.)

 I rounded up Doggie Dog, Monkey, and Mousey Mouse and washed them so they wouldn't look so disgusting. (Does anyone else have kids who chew on their animals? Sometimes it gets so bad that poor Mousey Mouse's tail is kinked and stiff.)

I also folded and put away a couple of loads of laundry, made bread, got the dishes done, and I actually made my bed.

Of course I didn't shower, brush my teeth or comb my hair but whatever! I got things accomplished!

oh I don't even know

Let's start off with pictures of my now five month old son. Because we can. And he's cute.

We're counting down to Christmas and this sign is actually just stressing me out. But it cost $1 at Target and it makes my kids happy so we'll still consider it a win. 

Leggings - I still don't know if I should be wearing them, but they're just so comfortable and I probably won't look good in anything until I lose a good 50lbs that I just don't really even care. (Okay, that's a total lie. I do care but I'm trying to not care so I don't spiral.)

Advent calendar - we've done about 1/3 of them so far but they sure look pretty.

I kinda burned dinner but I'm gonna say it's caramelized and call it a win. Ben however isn't buying it. He tried a bit and said it wasn't good. "The flavor is so BAD."

Recently I discovered that all those crock pot meals of mine can actually be cooked in a pot on a stove and it can actually still be pretty easy and in some cases even yummier. That being said, I am in no way knocking crock pots.


My new little treat is pomegranate seeds. I keep a container of them in the fridge and pretty much every time I open it up I grab a handful.

So does she.

The thief.

Want to hear one more thing about food? Sure ya do! Okay. Clementines are in season and they are so. flippin. good! Now in the past I have eaten clementines like a banshee when I was pregnant but that's not the case now. In case anyone is keeping track I am unpregnant right now. The neat thing is that all the kids are eating them too. Everyone grabs one, I start the peeling, they take over, Resa has juice running down her chin, JF keeps asking for more, and I find piles like this all over the house.

But you know what? I don't care! I love it!



I'm sorry. That's wasn't nice to leave you with that ear worm. Here's something better.

a video about another video

Joseph Peter's Birth Story

I have heard many times that epidurals make it harder to remember. For me this was definitely true. I want to have all the minutes recorded so I can look back over this story and remember all the pain and joy and words during my labor and after the delivery of Joseph Peter. But I just can't. Every now and again I go back and reread the birth stories of my other kids and it is good for my memory and heart. I'm a little sad that I won't be able to do it for Joseph and I hope he doesn't feel short-changed if some day in the future he compares his birth story to his siblings' and sees the shocking lack of detail in comparison. It'll be adding insult to to the injury that while L has a baby book with pictures and all kinds of things written down I didn't even bother buying him one.

Alas, future Joseph Peter, please forgive your mother who needed pain medication and therefore couldn't remember much of anything about your birth story! I already feel guilty about it. Alright already! I'll bake you some cookies to make up for it! I'm sorry!

Ahem... Let me pull myself together...

On Tuesday, July 9th I was awakened at 4am  not by contractions or my water breaking but by a phone call. I was scheduled to arrive at Methodist Hospital at 6am to begin my pitocin. Instead I was told to stay at home because they were full and would call me when a bed opened up. So back to sleep I went for a few more hours. When I did climb out of bed I told Travis I'd like to go to the mom's group at my church so they could pray over me one last time. It was a special treat since I would have otherwise missed that chance.

Shortly after I got home Trav left to run an errand but had forgotten something and had to turn around. Just as he was pulling up to the house I called to tell him we were ready to head in. It was 12 noon.

I made him take my picture.

We got to hospital at 12:30 and began pit around 2pm. I sat in bed, waiting for the drugs to do their thing. Nothing happened and nothing happened and nothing happened. I was getting really hungry and so we talked with my midwife and decided to turn it off at 8pm so I could have supper. My food finally came at 10pm and shortly after I went to sleep, ready to begin again in the morning.

Wednesday morning the nurse came in, woke me up, and began my pit again. I tried walking the halls but it's pretty boring when you're being monitored and can only go so far. Up and down the hall again and again, pushing my iv, wearing two hospital gowns that were humongous. This time I asked for a birthing  ball so I could give birth that day. I bounced on that sucker for hours which helped bring the baby into position and helped me dilate, admiring the beautiful bouquet of flowers my mom sent to help encourage me.

In addition to the flowers I was also able to look out my window and have a perfect view of the back of St. Mary's Cathedral. I had so much turmoil throughout the pregnancy and it brought me a great deal of peace to have that view. I would often gaze that the spot where I knew the tabernacle was and pray to Jesus. Even though He was blocks away in the Blessed Sacrament I felt so close to Him and it felt like an answer to prayer.

Contractions began to pick up and we decided it was finally time for an epidural around 3pm. Travis and I watched a video where the woman said her husband was with her in the room as he support while she got the epidural. After the video was done and the anestesiologist arrived Travis was told to leave. Neither of us liked that and I protested that the video said he could be there but it wasn't enough and he was kicked out for hospital policy.

Getting the epidural was the worst part. I'm super sensitive in my back and tried explaining this to the anestesiologist. "I wll jump - you should touch my back before you touch my back. I'm like a horse, you need to keep a hand on me at all times." Everyone laughed and I said I was serious.

I sat on the edge of the bed with my nurse right in front of me, holding my shoulders. I gripped her arm and apologized for the bruises I was possibly leaving on her upper arms. At one point I had shooting pain going diagonally down from the spot where the epidural entered my back to the spot in my right hip that had bothered me all pregnancy. The pain was incredibly intense, made worse by the man with the needle jiggling things in my back. Or that's what it felt like.

When the epidural was in I laid on my right side and they propped up my legs. Travis came back in and we were alone. I started to cry. Honestly, despite how wonderful and professional everyone was getting the epidural was horrible for me and I felt scared. After the nine months of pregnancy which were really difficult for me emotionally and mentally I was so worried I wouldn't be able to give birth, that when it came to the moment I wouldn't be able to handle it. I was worried for another dead baby. I was worried the epidural wouldn't work and I would still feel the pain.

Travis sat by my bed and held my hand. He calmed me and reassured me. And he asked me what we would name the baby if he was a boy. I had known the girl name since the positive ept but we had never decided on a name for a baby boy, though we were leaning towards Joseph.

"What will Joseph's middle name be?" Travis asked and I smiled at his confidence that the baby was a boy. We went over the possible middle names again: Andrew? Thomas? Kolbe? Travis suggested Peter and I immediately loved it.

The flowers from Mom. 

Joseph for St. Joseph and also a nod to a family member I was once close with. And Peter for St. Peter but also for our first child, Peter, who I miscarried. I was touched that Travis had thought of the name and I smiled at him, so grateful for the man I'd married.

Transition finally began around 6pm. My midwife had really wanted me to be able to have feeling while I was pushing. She was afraid that the baby would get stuck (like two of my previous ones had) and she wanted me to be aware of my body in case that happened. So we turned the epidural meds down, though not off.

It was horrible.

There I was in transition, feeling incredible pain, and pretty much having a panic attack. I was laying on my left side to help the baby descend and my left hip seemed to be the epicenter of every contraction. I began banging the side of the bed and yelling at people.

"I cannot do this!"
"Why are you making me do this?!"
"I can't feel this pain!"
"We need to do a c-section."
"I CANNOT DO THIS!!!!"

When I asked about the c-section I was told that there was already a woman going in for a c-section and they had to keep the other room open for an emergency.

"This is an emergency! I can't do this!" I yelled.

"No, it's not, Bonnie. If you think you need a c-section I'll call Dr. K- but we will have to wait."

Dr. K- was called. In the meantime I begged them to turn the pain meds back up. The pain was too intense and the memory of the horrific pain from birthing Resa was ever present. I knew that if I had to continue to feel the pain I would really truly not be able to handle it.

The anesthesiologist came back into the room and I banged on the bed and yelled, "LISTEN TO ME!" The anesthesiologist stopped in his tracks and said, "Yes. What is it?" in the tone of a slightly scared boy. (He usually is on the OR floor and not the LD floor. So he's not used to laboring women screaming at him.)

"I cannot feel this and you have to do something to make the pain go away!"

And then he did. A shot of Lidocaine to get me through until the upped epidural kicked back in and I fell asleep during contractions, during transition. It was amazing. *This* is why women use drugs during childbirth!

I could feel him coming down and I told my midwife I felt a little like pushing though it wasn't time to push push. For about 30 minutes I would doze, wake up with a contraction, bear down a little bit, and doze again.

In the last 10 minutes the real pushing happened and while I could feel lots of pressure I felt no pain. It was exactly what I needed so I could safely deliver the baby and not completely lose control and have a panic attack.

As his head began to crown I was still on my left side but my midwife and nurses flipped me onto my back and hoisted my knees up and to my shoulders. Dr. K- whispered to my midwife, "That head just keeps coming," because it was so big. Just like Resa he got stuck on my pubic bone and the nurse had to push her fist down to free it. A good push and his head was born and one more push and he was born at 8:35pm.

While I am *so* glad I had the epidural and couldn't feel the pain I did really miss the awesome sensation of delivering him. If you've ever given birth naturally you'll know what I mean about that overwhelmingly glorious feeling of "He's OUT!" the moment the baby is completely delivered.

The next thing I remember was Travis' face near mine, a look of victory on his face as he said, "Joseph Peter is well."

"He's a boy?" I said as they passed him up to me.

I guess they had time to put a hat on him first.

 All of a sudden a man with curly dark hair was standing next to me and looking at my naked body and my naked baby. I asked who he was and was told he was a pediatrician to make sure the baby was okay but I really felt like he should have at least been introduced and I should have been covered up before he came in.

I don't remember much of what happened next. Everyone commented on how big he was and we wondered about how much he would weigh  Joseph was weighed, and was a whopping 11lbs 4.5oz.

Proof that he weighed that much.

I made more comments about how my legs felt, pictures were taken, people were texted and called, and I found out that one of my nurses knew my very good friend Sr. Miriam with the Sisters of Life.  I was then moved to another room, which was way not as nice as the room I had labored in, we found out Joseph had jaundice, and then we spent 4 more days at the hospital. They finally were ready to discharge me but Joseph wasn't well enough to leave. So they set me up pretty in a room where on-call doctors usually sleep. I hobbled about, was highly praised by nursery nurses for having delivered such a big baby and not tearing, made small talk with the nurses and doctor, and I watched Stephen Fry's America on Hulu.

Not the best family picture but it's all we've got.

When he finally came home I was so, so happy.

L, B, and J meeting Joseph for the first time. T was napping. Had she been awake the picture would probably be even worse, if you can imagine that.

Joseph Peter is almost 3 months old and he is a joy. He's a good sleeper, a good eater, and a happy boy. Oh you should see him giggle and smile! Every time I hold him I pray, "I did not think I should have another baby. I did not think I could do this. But look at this great gift You have given me. You have been so good to me."

Newborn Joe and his blue eyes

I adore those baby fingers!

Such a serious sleeper.

PS - Having a planned induced, medicated hospital birth was very different than my home births (obviously) but even my non-medicated hospital birth with Resa. A lot of people have wondered which I liked better and I can honestly say that I am grateful for having experienced all of them. My home births are still my favorite but I needed to be in the hospital for Resa and Joseph's births. Every birth is different and may need something different for every woman, right? That's not a bad thing. But I am VERY glad I had the pain meds for Joseph. I actually wish I would have had them for Resa's. You can read more thoughts on this at Team Whitaker.

Seven Quick Takes - the Joseph Peter edition

1- What does this song have to do with me giving birth? Practically nothing but in my odd little mind it's related. Tuesday morning I did not wash my hair, opting instead to save up all the greasiness for the post-delivery shower so I'd feel even more magnificently clean. As I pulled my hair up in a ponytail and pinned back my bangs I noticed that the wispy fly-aways on the top and sides of my forehead were curled and flying away like crazy - like, if you will, the wings of a bird. And that, of course, made me think of a random British ska pop song from the early 1980's.

2 - Here he is, Joseph Peter. He's so handsome, even with that bruised, purple forehead. 

He is named for St. Joseph, whom Travis has a strong devotion to. Joseph also happens to be the confirmation name of our son's great grandfather, grandfather, and father. It's also his uncle's middle name.

Peter is for his older brother and also for St. Peter.

We also like that his initials are a little nod to one of our favorite popes, JPII. 

3 - After all kinds of rigamaroll Joseph was born at 8:35pm on Wednesday, July 10th. He's 21.5" long and he weighed 11lbs 7.4oz. This time I had an epidural and it made a huge difference. 

Proof that he weighed that much.

4 -  This is me before I went to the hospital to be induced. I am big, of course, but there is no way I am as big as when I was pregnant with Resa (who weighed 11lbs 9.5oz). We all thought this baby would be 10 lbs but no way did we expect another 11 pounder. No way. 

5 - Here's Travis holding his son, right after birth. They both look so handsome, I think. In the background you can see the card L made for me to take to the hospital and the flowers my mom sent me. Both are so lovely.

6 - As you probably know, I was really scared about this delivery. I know so many friends (online and in real life) were praying for us over a matter of days and even months. We are so very, very grateful and I believe the view from my hospital bed was one of the ways God answered your prayers and helped to bring me peace. Those two spires are St. Mary's Cathedral and I loved looking at it and knowing that Jesus was right there, in the tabernacle. I felt very close to God every time I glanced that way.

7 - Joseph and I are still at the hospital. We're both doing really well but just when we thought we'd get to go  home last night some lab results came back saying he has a high risk for jaundice. So right now he's camping out under the lights and I'm waiting for Travis to get back from home with some clean underwear so I can shower. 

On that note, I leave you with baby toes and a link to my list of things I said while in labor.

Thank you, Jen, for hosting and for the well wishes!

Lessons my kids are learning

Overcoming adversity: Cleaning up the playroom with their baby sister

Patience in suffering: Not being able to thrust and flail their entire bodies while their ears are cleaned

Fending for themselves: Finding edible food on the floor when they're hungry

Consequences: The shit that hits the fan when they wake a napping sibling

Problem solving techniques: What happens when I'm too tired to get off the couch to solve their argument for them.

Prioritizing: Making them choose between cookies or ice cream

Responsibility: Not allowing television viewing until they've dressed and brushed their hair and teeth.

Life skills: Watering the potted plants, vacuuming the carpet, carrying their dishes to the sink, putting their dirty clothes in the hamper, flushing the toilet and washing their hands after using the bathroom, putting their folded laundry in their drawers. In short, doing the things I've been doing for them for way to long. Seriously, 2 year old boy, pull your weight.

I needed a pep talk

... and I got one.



Have you seen this video?  If you haven't, watch it before you finish reading. 

I watched and laughed and cried and felt like Kid President was talking to me.  Just to me.  (Even though he is clearly talking to Gabbi, who likes pancakes and is fighting cancer - like a boss!)

In my post How November Shook Me up for January I shared how discouraged I feel and how worried I am that despite my best efforts I'm not doing much to make the world a better place.  In fact, I've shared that sentiment a lot lately.

And then this video came out.
Kid President's cuteness, humor, use of Journey lyrics, and fantastic dancing made me realize a few things.

"We were made to be awesome."

If anything, what I've been through with JF should validate that there is beauty and goodness even in the darkest of times.  We were made to be awesome and it really is within our reach. 

 "We can cry about it or we can dance about it."
Life is good. I have periods of time where I feel discouraged/disappointed/downtrodden but for the most part I am happy. In fact, I would say that I live a joyful life.  I should be dancing.

"Create something that will make the world awesome."
My Space Jam really is my kids, my family, my home.  With Travis and God I have already made something that does make the world awesome.  I just need to foster those kiddos, tickle them, read to them, dance with them, tell them I love them... tell them that they make the world awesome.

I think it's okay to have bad days and to upset about things.  I don't regret that I felt or wrote those things.  In fact writing about them and being supported by you all helped me dust myself off, get myself to confession, and appreciate the fact that I am living my dream - of being happily married to an awesome man and being a stay at home mom.  It's not a stupid dream; I don't have to change it.  I just needed to get back to a place where I could appreciate it.

So - you- yeah you!  What's your Space Jam?

My good taste in bad music

Instead of saying something mean about how horrible Will.i.am's Scream & Shout is I thought I'd share five songs that are lame or weird or just plain uncool, but I love them anyways.

#5 Kenny Rogers' Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town.  I think a few years ago it was hip to like Rogers' The Gambler but that day has ended and this is the wrong song anyways.  Cake also has a good cover of this song, if you're interested.



#4  Gogol Bordello's Start Wearing Purple.  I put the acoustic version here because I just couldn't tell if there was something inappropriate happening in the regular video.  I learned about these guys from the movie Everything Is Illuminitated, which itself is a weird but good film.  The lead singer is one of the main characters in the film and his band's music is also featured.



#3 John Paul Young's Love Is In The Air.  I confess, I probably love this song so much because I also love Strictly Ballroom.  So good.



#2 Corn Mo's Lollipop Time. This guy opened for They Might Be Giants when I saw them in Madison, WI.  I loved him even though he is so out there.



#1 Lesley Gore's Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows.  I know this song is so very cheesy and perky but I just love it.  When it comes on the radio I blast that baby and sing along.  This song always makes me feel happy, and there's nothing wrong with that!



Okay, I actually can't hold it in.  The song is sooooo bad!  In won't say anything about how ridiculous poor Brittney looks and sounds... beyond that.



Okay, let's get something good, shall we?

7 Quick Takes

1 - The words of this song are so beautiful, and they remind me of the Bible story of when God passed by Moses, quiet as a whispering wind.  I love our good God.

2 - Let's talk a minute about the Advent series.  It is so good!  Oh my gosh - I am loving this and I'm so grateful to everyone who has said yes!  I can't wait to read the rest of them, and I know you feel the same way.  I've gotten so many comments, emails, and messages about how much people are enjoying the posts - what an honor and a delight for me to facilitate it!

3 - Yesterday we had a St. Nick party.  For some reason I decided I had all the talents of a pre-school teacher.  Dudes, I created a timeline for the party.  I think it worked rather well, though.  First, the kids came and did a miter craft, since we were celebrating St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra.

JF with his finished miter.  So cute!

Next we tried to gather the kids in the living room for a story.  I was going to read a book about St. Nick but L asked me to read Twas the Night Before Christmas.  I gave in and then tried following up with the St. Nick book but Ben was acting dumb, climbing all over me and somehow got hurt.  While all that was going on the jolly old saint was in the dining room, filling all the kids' shoes with treats.

L with her stuffed shoes. 
On seeing pictures of girls with miters one dad asked if it was a heresy party. 

Next was snack time, followed by regular, old play.  It was a lot of fun and I'm so glad so many of my friends were able to make it.  Before everyone left I had wanted to end with a simple prayer, asking St. Nick to pray for us as we continue to prepare for Jesus' birthday, but I forgot.  Oh well!

Yay for candycane cookies, grapes, clementines, chocolate coins, and chocolate covered pretzels!

4 - New post up at Ignitum Today.  It's a bunch of Advent music.  Go give it a listen and let me know if I missed anything: A Playlist for the Next Few Weeks.

5 - This year we're doing something new, though inconsistently, and I really like it.  Every day, or almost every day, I let each of the kids pick a Christmas card from the small pile we've gotten so far.  We then say a special prayer for just those people.  I feel like it gives another purpose to the cards, which would just sit around otherwise.

6 - On a related note, I LOVE getting Christmas cards!  Really!  I have a dream of having a big frame with some kind of roping that I can hang my cards from, hanging in my living room. 

Kinda like this but not quite so fancy.
Image source.

I've noticed that not as many people send us cards as we used to get.  There's three probable reasons for this.  1) I've burned some bridges, unknowingly.  2) They don't send cards any more. 3) They never got a card from us so we were taken off their list.  If #3 is the reason you may consider taking us off your card list this year, please let me tell you that we are just too poor to send out cards.  I would love, love, love to send them out!  I would especially love to hire Kathryn Whitaker to make our cards.  She sent me one of hers and it is a-ma-zing!  Wow!  But we can't afford the cards and stamps, or I choose to not afford them.  There's a lot of expenses this time of year and something had to go, so Christmas cards went.  Maybe some day I can send them again!

7 - Lastly, I want you to know that Kathleen at The Boring Blog is one of the best kept secrets in the blogosphere.  If you don't already read her, please do yourself a favor and check her out.

7.5 - I LOVE JIMMY FALLON!!!!!

As always, thanks to Jen for hosting!

7 quick takes

1 - How about a happy, peppy song?  It's a fun video, too.

2 - On Twitter I have 250 followers, and I bounce back and forth 249, 250, 249, 250.  Tomorrow I will probably be back down to 249.  It's funny to me because I'm not sure what it is that I say that makes someone drop me every other day and then I wonder if it's because of what I don't say - nothing funny or intelligent - but in the end I just don't care.  I'm amused I have more than 20 followers in the first place.

3 - Thank you to everyone who gave advice for my friend Beth who is joining the Church.  Please don't forget her in your prayers!

4 - This morning Ben was playing Mass.  His chalice was an old Folgers container.  The hosts was a leftover waffle tore into bits.  Purificator, a dish rag.  The patent, toy baking sheet.  The paul, a toy skillet.  Corporal, another dish rag.  Chalice veil, kitchen hand towel.  It was so cute.  But for Christmas my kids will be getting one of these lovely little toy Mass kits.

Impressed by my phat skills of knowing all the sacred vessels and whatnot?  In college my bff's and I made up a song for the names of things in the order they are assembled for Mass, from the bottom up.  It helped us remember during our sacristan training.  I'll share it with you.

Sung to the tune of "Jesus Loves Me"
Chalice, chalice, this I know
Purificator, patent, host
Paul, corpral, chalice veil
Cruets, ciborium, finger bowl*

(The "remix" part is to the tune of the Chili's babyback ribs jingle and requires two people)
Part I:
I want my finger bowl, finger bowl, finger bowl. (repeat)
Part II:
Cruets, credence table
Cruets, credence table
(in a low voice, I and II together) Ciborium

* these items are found on the credence table, of course.

5 - I am either experiencing some kind of deficiency or my body is getting ready for sick season because I am eating clementines all day long.  Yesterday I also had a PBJ made out of leftover waffles, too, which was more about not letting the waffles go to waste.

6 - Resa had better start crawling today!  She's been close for awhile - she gets up on all fours and does the rocking thing - but after last night's disruptive sleep and the fact that she's awake two hours earlier than usual... I want to see something for all this!

7 - Thanks to Jen for hosting!  Have a good weekend and don't forget to come back Sunday for the first of the Advent series!  Lisa Hendey will be kicking things off for us!

7 quick takes

This quick takes is the pick your song edition:


1 - I'd probably go with this one if I were you.  This is my ultimate "mellow day" song.  It also gives me an incredibly strong desire to bake an apple pie.  So you may need to watch out for that one.


2 - Confession:  I really do love this song and I have for years.  My younger brother went through a phase where he loooooved Dave Brubeck almost ten years ago, which is how I even know who in the heck he is.  So maybe me liking this song is a little bit nerdy, but since several people accused me of being a hipster in my lipstick post I'll claim that it makes me incredibly cool.  ;)


3 - Are you in the mood for pop?  Well then, you're welcome.  L thinks you have good taste.

4 - So Pinterest and I had a good week:

Rice Krispie treat pumpkins and colored dough for fall leaves = Never would have thought of it on my own.

Yarn wreath with felt flowers in Halloween colors = Never would have thought I could do it had I not seen step by step instructions.

5 - Homeschooling and I have been doing well, too.  Twenty minutes two days a week.  We sing a song, practice letters, learn about a saint, maybe do something crafty, say some prayers, the kids practice our address, phone numbers, and full names.  Last week we were on 'F'.and we did this:

This week we're on 'G' (big duh, I know) and so we took a little field trip to the parish I grew up in, St. Mary of Lourdes, and visited the grotto.  We stopped in the church to say "Hello" to Jesus, said a 'Hail Mary' in the grotto, and then the kids played on the slide.  It was a good day.

6 - Congratulations to Cynthia for achieving one of my goals in life:  being linked to in one of Grace's Clickable posts!  It was well worth it, old roomie of mine!

7 - Brandon Vogt has a great video of him interviewing Msgr. Soseman, a priest for the Diocese of Peoria who is working in Rome on the Sheen cause.  Go check it out if you're interested in what's going on with Venerable Sheen's beatification process.

Red Lipstick

I did it.  I bought a tube of red lipstick.  "Red Revolution."  It's actually kind of pink-y.

In exchange for her Delish Biscuity Scone-sh Treats recipe I told Dwija I would share my tips on wearing red lipstick.  So this is what I've got:

A friend from high school reminded me via Facebook that the eye make-up should be more simple when one wears red lipstick.  So I did that, but I usually keep the eyes simple since I wear glasses.

I envisioned old screen sirens telling me to "just do it, darling" in between drags on their cigarettes.

Gaston from Beauty and the Beast says you should screw your courage to the sticking point, and while he may have been talking about hunting down beasts I thought it was appropriate advice in this situation.

I applied it in the presence of my 4 year old daughter who thinks I am utterly beautiful.

I pumped myself up by listening to Ke$ha tell me to live like "we're gonna die young."

And then I just said to myself, "Oh what the heck!" and put it on and left the house.

with a double chin.

So there you go, Dwij.  Those are my tips for wearing red lipstick.