Seven Quick Takes: music + books + summer

I'm linking up with the wonderful Kelly at This Ain't the Lyceum for one of my favorite old school blogging events: Seven Quick Takes Friday


 - ONE -

The first time I heard this song I thought it was Peter Gabriel. It's Francis and the Lights featuring Chance the Rapper, though if you listen you have to give it to me: it sounds a lot like Peter Gabriel, amiright?

 Man, do I love this one.


- TWO -

This summer I signed myself and the kids up for the Summer Reading Program at the local library. I count any time spent listening to the Harry Potter audio books, reading to my kids, and these babies here. Along with my Bible, these are the books I'm reading. 

Orthodoxy has been hard for me - it's so dense with it's page long paragraphs - but I'm sticking with it because those truth bombs he drops are so, so good. 

I've really enjoyed re-reading Sense and Sensibility for the first time in years. I often find myself laughing out loud and unable to explain why to my kids. Jane Austen would surely not approve  but I'm just not as clever. 

Who Does He Say You Are? is an incredible book and I'm so glad I picked it up. I highly recommend it to read by yourself or in a group. Super good. 

A Wrinkle in Time is one I read in middle school and re-reading it now I'm shocked that it was part of my 6th grade public school curriculum with all the talk about Jesus and quoting Scripture. I'm gonna guess that Oprah's version of the movie changes some of that. True?

- THREE - 

My friend Nell gifted us with the sweetest little dress for sweet little MJ. The material has a Secret Garden print on it and is soft and stretchy and just lovely. I wanted to share it with you because Nell's re-stocking her Etsy shop - Whole Parenting Goods - with all kinds of sweet dresses just like this. The shop re-opens at 10am CST on Monday with it's limited stock so be sure you check it out Monday morning for first dibs! You can get a preview on her Instagram account and if you sign up for her shop's newsletter you'll get a coupon code this weekend! Everything I've gotten from Nell's shop has been top quality and super adorable. I promise you'll love it!


- FOUR -
Tomorrow morning is the first meeting for the Blessed Is She summer study I'm holding with women from the area. I'm only cleaning my living room and bathroom. That's totally legit, right?

I baked these little rectangular gingerbread cookies so I could pipe sweet little pretty things on them to serve with the coffee. The rectangles look wompy and wiggly and who knows if I'll have time to pipe anything on them in the morning. I'll post it on Instagram if I do and then you can see how unimpressive they turn out to be. ha!

Update: here they are! Roses, Fiats, and Marian symbols. You can almost hear the trombones playing, can't you? Womp, womp, woooooommmp!

And as an aside, if you're looking for a good gingerbread cookie use these from Mary Haseltine. Such a great recipe. We use Crisco and egg replacer and they still are amazing!



- FIVE -

My new planner arrived and I started filling in important dates for August. First day of school, you guys! It's on the calendar! Also, see those pens lined up in a row? That's how I organize my life.
Black = whole family
Silver = Travis
Gold = Me
Purple = L
Orange = Ben
Blue = JF
Pink = Resa
Green = Jofis
Red = Tee
Periwinkle = MJ
So this way I only have to write the what, when, & where on the calendar and not the person because the color tells me the who. It's really nice.

And if you're still looking for a planner Tea with Tolkien did a very nice review of some really popular brands. She was fair and honest about all the pros and cons, and the Blessed Is She planners (regular and mini) are included.


- SIX -
I know I just talked about the beginning of the new school year when summer isn't even half way done yet. We've had a good run so far and I thought I'd share some highlight pictures:

Trying to win a free vacation from a local radio station. We're shameless. 

Sprinkler parks: fun and free. The heat index was over 100 this day so I put on my suit, too. 

Our very dear neighbor volunteers at a local museum and we were so happy to get a special tour from him. 

Corpus Christi procession - Ben was asked to help carry the canopy and he was so honored. Nervous, excited, and so honored. 

The fair came to town and we made the kids clean the whole house and then we took them. 

- SEVEN -

Just a reminder about the Kickstarter campaign for Catholic musician Matt Faley's next album. Go, back it, and then make sure you let me know so I can enter you to win some of the suh-weet prizes that are special just for my blog readers. You won't be sorry you did!



And a great big THANK YOU to Kelly for hosting!

Our Lady of the Legos, the Loo, and the NICU

Thirteen years ago I was using the powder room in someone's home. I had never been there before so when I walked in I was a little surprised to see a large statue of Our Lady displayed on a shelf above the toilet.

As I rejoined my hosts I commented, "I like the Our Lady of the Loo statue you have," a bit of a cheeky grin on my face. They laughed and explained how it was a wedding gift and they hadn't known where else to put it (there was religious art *all over* their home) so they put her in the powder room. It worked!

Our Lady of the Loo has stayed with me ever since, at least the idea of her.

I don't think this is actual theology, this whole making up whatever name one wants for Mary, but it has given me lots of little inside jokes with the Holy Family over the years and has helped me to keep laughter and the Lord in my heart and home.

In the hallway, across from my toddler's door, hangs an icon I have dubbed Our Lady of the Eye Roll because when I'm having a hard time with my toddler I often roll my eyes as a way of communicating to her how stressed out I am. She sees me at my worst.

On my dresser stands Our Lady of the NICU. She holds her Infant, her crown is broken, and her dress is sticky from the residue of hospital tape that secured her to my son's neonatal intensive care unit bassinet. She holds memories of my hardest days and worst fears and prays for the trauma of it all.

I thought of this little way of mine when I was clearing off the dining room table after lunch. I sat the salt and pepper shakers on the buffet, which triples as our liquor cabinet and family altar. When I saw where I had placed them I smiled and said, "Our Lady of the Salt and Pepper Shakers, pray for us."

I hope everyone understands that this isn't me making fun of Mary or her titles. In fact doing this has brought me closer to the Blessed Mother as she meets me in these small, mundane moments of my every day life. The religious art in my home becomes an entry into prayer instead of a decoration and always, always Mary does what she does best and she uses these moments to draw me closer to the Heart of her Son. 

Nothing is too small to be loved by Jesus. Nothing is too boring to be brought to His attention. But it is often in those little moments where I most need Mary's prayers to guide me, I need her presence to remind me. 

And so the serendipitous placing of Lego creations on a shelf so they can be proudly displayed by my older children while protected from my younger children becomes a moment to laugh and then pray.  

Our Lady of the Legos, pray for me that I will delight in my children. Pray for me that I will nurture their creativity and confidence and the knowledge of when to try harder and when to let it go. Pray for me that I will encourage them to share and work together and support one another. Pray for me that I will detach myself from the desire for perfection and will place more value in my children than in a decorated, tidy home. And Lord have mercy when I step on a Lego and curse. +

And then I leave it in her hands, confident that her prayers for me will continue throughout my day. 

Please know that Marian theology and devotion has not always been easy for me. When other Catholics would gush about Our Lady I just didn't get it. I respected her as the mother of my Lord, but there wasn't a ton of intimacy. 

Our Lady of the Loo changed all that for me. She was the beginning of a beautiful relationship which has grown through the years to a place where Mary is friend, mother, confidant, companion, mentor, and prayer warrior. And so I share my names for her with you in case this helps you to love her more, to aid you so that you will let her love you more. Her love has been such a great gift in my life. Thanks be to God.

PS - While writing this post I remembered the beautiful work that Christy Mandin creates. Her images of Mary are some of my favorites ever. You can check her out at A Creative Almanac, though most of her Marian prints are found on her inprnt store. The above image of Our Lady of Solidarity was created in response to the immigration crisis at the border. Christy is donating a portion of the profits of each copy sold to Together Rising's efforts at caring for the children and families there. What's more, inprnt has promised to match her donation!

Five Favorites

This morning started out okay and I was filled with hope. "I'll be able to work on some writing," I naively thought. "Tee and MJ will be happy as clams and I can get things done."

But pretty much all Tee and MJ did was cry and snot and cry some more when I wiped their noses.

Maybe it's the barometric pressure?

This afternoon has been better - long live nap time and Thomas & Friends streaming on Amazon Prime! - but even with Jofis home I've had to do a lot more parenting and a lot less creating. Oh well. I once heard a father say that when our kids are at their worst we need to be at our best. I accept that; I think it's true, beautiful, and hard.

But I still want to chat with you so we'll just keep it lighthearted, howsaboutthat?

Remember way back in the day when Hallie Lord posted her five favorites each Wednesday? I loved that so we'll go old school and I'll share my current five faves. Here goes!


- 1 -

These gaucho pants are thin and high waisted and super comfortable.  You will basically see me in them the rest of the summer. With heels and a blouse: they're dressy! With flip flops and a t-shirt: super casual! Do I look good in them? I don't really care! I'm comfortable, my butt and belly aren't hanging out, and they're not hot!


- 2 -

Cannot get enough of this new Mat Kearney song.


- 3 -

I made some wild violet jelly from violets the kids and I picked from our backyard. It was suuuuper simple and tastes delicious on some buttery toast. Resa also likes it on her PBJs. I used this recipe.


- 4 - 

Spring has come and I can send the kids outside to play for hours. They need baths at the end of the day but the weather is beautiful, their bodies are getting stronger, and my house is staying tidier longer. Everybody wins!


- 5 -
That after tonight's recorder concert we will be done with recorders for two more years. Peace.

The JOY of Sweet Miriam

Sweet MJ is sitting and eating baby food and has two teeth. She has the biggest, smoochiest cheeks and the sweetest personality. She's seven months old now, which seems like a good time to finally tell her birth story, which isn't really so much of a birth story but the story of a series of scary adventures sandwiched between something incredibly joyful. 

MJ was a planned c-section after a happy surprise, surprise pregnancy. In order to make things exciting, the day before the c-section things went a little crazy. L had a follow-up appointment with her cardiologist, first thing in the morning and while I was still in my bedroom the kids were in the kitchen fixing their breakfasts. JF went to take his daily allergy pill but instead of taking his pill he took my pill - the one for my gestational diabetes. L went to the cardiologist and JF went to the emergency room. There we were told he would have to stay overnight. "Okay. Good plan," I said. "One thing: tomorrow morning I'm supposed to have a c-section. How do you think we can work that out?" 

In a complicated scheme Travis stayed the night with JF and I woke up bright and early to drive myself to the hospital. In the meantime, my mom was at our house with Ben, Jofis, and Tee while Resa and L were at our friend Katie's home. As I got my IV Katie and the girls arrived to hang out with JF on the Peds floor while Travis came across the hospital to be with me. 

All the normal pre-op stuff happened. The only remarkable thing was that over and over again we were asked the gender and name for the baby and over and over again we told them that we didn't know the gender and the names were secrets. Everyone was so happy to hear it and said that probably only 2-4 moms a week will keep it all a secret. 

During the surgery the anesthesiologist chatted with Travis and I. I remember feeling anxious - both scared about the surgery and excited to meet my child. 

And then the best part of it all happened. My little baby girl was brought out of my womb and held up for Travis and I to see. Travis said, "She's a girl!" and we both had the BIGGEST, HAPPIEST grins on our faces. I can remember the JOY in the room at seeing her and discovering that she was a girl - just as I had wanted. I had prayed that God would give us a girl, one more girl, for quite awhile and all during her pregnancy I hoped and prayed that she was a girl. I remember her traveling to the little nurse table in the corner of the room so she could be assessed and cleaned and I watched her and said, "Hello, Miriam."

Several people in the room asked her name. "Miriam Joan," we told them and they all awed and commented about how beautiful her name was. When they brought her to me I was so happy. 

But you know, c-sections are sorta weird and holding her while they're cleaning out my uterus was weird. Here's a glamour shot of it. 

Once MJ and I were comfortably in our room Trav left us to bring the already discharged JF, Katie, and the girls to meet their baby sister. After their visit Katie and the girls went back to her house and our dear friend Joel came to the hospital to take JF home for us. People, it takes a village! 

Things went fairly well in the hospital though there was confusion about if she did or did not have a murmur and nursing and letting me sleep and, yeah, it wasn't my favorite hospital stay. 

MJ was born on the 8th and we went home on the 10th. We had a good first night but the next day I could not get her to eat. I tried skin to skin. I tried waking her up. I tried making her cold. Nothing worked and so on the 12th we took her to the doctor, got her bilirubin checked, and then headed back to the hospital for jaundice. Her bilirubin levels were critical and for the first 24 hours we could not take her out of her crib at all. She took bottles of my breastmilk under the lights. 

Eventually her numbers were high enough that I could try breastfeeding her again but she wouldn't latch. One of the best lactation consultants ever came and, again, I tried everything. Skin to skin, get her cold, tickle her, give her a bath, various positions - nothing worked to keep her stimulated. We finally figured out that if I gave her the bottle for two sucks, pop it out, two more sucks, pop it out, two more sucks, pop it out then I could latch her on and she'd nurse very happily. It was such a victory!

She was gaining weight and her jaundice had greatly improved. After two days she came home though we had to continue to monitor her with daily heel pricks for the week. The day after she came home her doctor from the hospital called to check on her and I finally realized just how worried he had been. God bless him. 

After one near - death experience she was officially an Engstrom! ;) Once she was home and we were both healthy we held her baptism. 

The dress she wore on her baptism is the same Teresa wore but she got a brand new pair of shoes.

Being baptized by Fr. Julius. MJ's godmother is our dear friend Patti, in the floral dress. 

Here she is with my Grandma and Grandpa W.

The baptismal gown was made by my friend Sr. Marie Noelle and has been worn by all my kiddos. 

She is just the sweetest. Here she is as a wee newborn...

... and here she is at seven months.

Our family feels perfect with Miriam and making her laugh is the best thing in the world. I'm so glad we have her. Thanks be to God for her. 

Heart Surgery Recovery

As soon as we shared our news that our eldest daughter, L, had two congenital heart defects and would need open heart bypass surgery people have been awesome. Like "The Body of Christ can move mountains" awesome. Like every dot, flower, and thorn painted with the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts above represents a prayer, a sacrifice, a rosary, a Mass offered up for my daughter, and those are only the ones that were submitted online. But every time we take a long look at that painting I am overwhelmed by the goodness of others and the way God is glorified by your works. 

The first Tuesday night in May Resa, L, and I sat around our dining room table with L's godmother, Katie, making invitations to their angel penguin birthday party. The next morning, with invites in the mail, I was sitting at my weekly moms' group when I got the phone call from the pediatric cardiologist's scheduler: there was an opening for surgery a week from Thursday. Did we want L to get it? We wanted L's surgery to happen before my c-section so we said Yes and then our life changed gears super fast.

All the potential party-goers were contacted and told that the birthday party would not be later in the month but in three days. The school, whose principal had already said L's last day could be whenever we needed it to be, was told that her last day would be in a week. We made arrangements for L to receive Anointing of the Sick before the surgery, for someone to be with our other kids, for Travis to be off work, for all our "i"s to be dotted and our "t"s crossed. 

The morning of L's surgery everyone got up early and headed to the 7am Mass. We had been given special permission for L to receive a very teeny tiny bit of Holy Communion. Fr. Julius prayed for L  at Mass and asked everyone present to pray for her throughout the day. In fact, a friend of our's had arranged with our priests for there to be all day adoration with a special request for people to pray for L. Parishioners would be at our church until 7pm praying for L and during the school day each grade took a turn before the Blessed Sacrament to pray for our daughter. 

Immediately after Mass our family headed over to the parish school and waited in the gym. Our pastor had arranged with the principal for there to be an all-school assembly immediately following Morning Announcements so that the whole school would be part of the prayers offered during L's reception of the Anointing of the Sick. It was awesome. Our family stood with her on that gymnasium floor as Fr. Julius administered the Sacrament. 

We then headed over to the Children's Hospital of Illinois, Travis, L, and me. From the tremendous outpouring on the blog, Facebook, and Instagram we knew that people were praying for us all over the country and world, and when combined with the powerful experiences at our parish we knew that we were being absolutely covered in prayer and graces. We were afraid and anxious but I can say with confidence that those prayers helped to bring us peace and calm our concerns. We were bowled-over by how many had pledged their prayers and we walked into the hospital knowing that you all were with us as we went.  

Some of Travis' students had made a special blanket for L when they heard about her surgery and as she waited for her surgery she wrapped herself in it. It was covered with hearts, the symbol of love, and anchors, the symbol of hope. I loved it. 

As we waited in the pre-op area we were again blessed in a special way. The hospital is a Catholic one, and in more than name only. The people who update loved ones throughout the operation process are from the chaplain's office. The man who just happened to be assigned to us is also a deacon at our parish's sister parish. He was able to give us a special blessing and as he prayed over us the nurse stopped what she was doing to pray with us, crossing herself when we were done.

After waiting for about an hour, playing Uno and chatting the whole time, it was finally time to go. Different doctors and nurses and specialists had come and gone the whole time, each chatting with L and reassuring us as they explained everything that was going to happen. When it was time for her to head to the OR she gave us hugs and kisses and she walked away from us, hair in a cover, love and hope wrapped around her, Cozy Heart Penguin in her arms, and a smile on her face. 

Travis and I went to the waiting room, getting updates along the way. The worst 

was when the deacon called us to let us know that L was on the bypass machine - meaning her heart was no longer beating. Crazy and horrible and amazing and terrifying, if you can imagine.

Surgery went incredibly well and they finished in just under two hours. We were walked up to the PICU (peds intensive care unit) but had to wait for a bit longer than expected to see her because she was having such a hard time coming out of the anesthesia. When the surgeons finally came out to talk to us they explained how happy they were with how the surgery had gone - they were able to use the hole in her heart as a short-cut to thread her veins through so it could finally be attached in the correct place. They used part of her heart sac to plug the rest of it up and ... all's well that ends well. But it's also just craaaaaaazy.

That first day was pretty tough. As she fought to come out of the anesthesia she was in a lot of pain and incredibly confused. At one point she yelled out, "Help me, Daddy!" and it was literally one of the worst moments of our lives because there was nothing we could do to help our baby girl. There was a chest tube to make sure fluid didn't collect around her heart, but it was what caused her the most pain and discomfort. She threw up several times because of it - can you imagine how painful that would be with a broken sternum?! 

But the nurses were rock stars. They took such great care of her and did everything in their means to make her comfortable. The whole cardiology team was just amazing and we were so grateful to be at one of the best children's hospitals in the country - just 20 minutes from our home. 

Over the next few days she napped. Once they removed her chest tube (and the pace maker wires) she started to feel much better. She moved from her bed to the chair, then her bed to the bathroom, then from her bed all the way down to the other end of the floor and then out to the roof-top garden. She rested there, then walked almost the whole way back until the nurse insisted that she ride in a wheelchair the rest of the way. It was twenty-four hours after her open heart surgery! The nurses said it was the longest walk they'd ever seen in a patient at that state in the game. Eventually she regained an appetite. I read aloud to her and we watched the live action Cinderella. Her uncles visited, along with her godmother and grandmother, mormor and grandpa.

I love this picture of me, 9 months pregnant, brushing L's hair for her and putting it up in a bun as she requested. She was so worn out she fell asleep while I was doing it, but it was so good to have something tangible I could do for her. 

Our sleeping beauty.

L, resting in the roof-top garden. She's wearing her super hero shirt, a gift from Trav's co-workers. 

Saturday morning breakfast.

Sunday, Mother's Day, L was given clearance to come home. After the surgery she had to cough a lot, clearing her chest, and her Cozy Heart Penguin - a birthday gift from her Mormor - was her go-to object to hug during the coughing. It was also used to soften the feel of the seat belt against her incision. 

We couldn't believe that just three days after having open heart surgery she could come home! As soon as we arrived at our house the very first thing she asked to do was go outside and sit on the swing. Once again: crazy. 

Early on L had a lot of limitations. She mostly napped that first post-op week, took pain meds, and was sore. Many people gifted her with books and crafty things and so she colored, molded, sketched, created, and read. Since she could not lift anything over 5lbs, be in public, or do anything that might lead to a fall she could not run, dance, skip, do stairs, ride her bike, swing high, use the slide, climb anything, attend school or Mass, and so on. But a friend from church dropped off the hula hoops her daughters used to play with - 20 some years ago! - and L became a master hooper! Thank God - literally - that Chris was moved to bring those hula hoops over because they were *just* what L needed - something physical, something new to master, and something that was allowed by the surgeons. Several times a day she'd walk around our house, hooping as she went. She'd hula hoop for minutes - over 8 minutes straight once - and even do the chicken dance while hooping! 

With special permission from her doctors L was able to attend the last day of school, two weeks post-op. As a family we went to the all school Mass and she got to sit with her class, though she had to wear a face mask and she carried her cough-buddy penguin. As a special treat she made heart-shaped sugar cookies for her classmates, which she and her daddy took to her class after the Mass. She chatted with her friends and was able to thank them for their prayers. 

At this point L is able to swim, slide, swing, run (with shoes - no flip flops!), and do most of her usual activities. She cannot roller skate, ride her bike, climb trees, or play contact sports until November (so that her sternum is not re-broken) but otherwise she is free to live her life. One of the beautiful things about this time is that L has really fallen in love with reading. In the past the only books she really read were the Junie B. Jones series but now she's been plowing through the Lemony Snicket books, has started the Narnia books, and has read The Secret Garden, Anne of Green Gables, and a few others along the way. 

Over and over again I have said that how well L is doing is a testament to the power of prayer and modern medicine. To everyone who sent money or gift cards or presents or prayers: thank you! Our family was so well cared-for during those difficult hours, days, and weeks and we are so grateful. Learning that L had heart issues was terrifying and we were so scared about the surgery. I admit I was angry at God for giving us another hardship to endure. But on this side of it I also have to admit that we had it easy. L had one surgery, it went well, her incision has healed well, and she has a 99.9% chance of going on and living a normal, healthy life - free to do whatever she wishes - once her body is completely healed. So many heart kids have repeated surgeries and they and their families truly are suffering for a long, long time. We had a community of loved ones supporting us. We were blanketed in prayers. Our daughter is healthy and alive. We are so fortunate and honestly, looking back at the tantrums I threw in prayer I am embarrassed. We've had it so easy. May God comfort and restore those who have not. 

And once again I very sincerely want to say Thank You to everyone who has prayed for us, cared for us, and gifted something to us. I am slowly working on sending out Thank You cards and I'm really hoping that in the chaos that was our life we didn't leave any of the gifts off our record log. Please know that we are so grateful - to God and to you. 

Spiritual bouquet embroidered by Jenna from Call Her Happy

So, how ya been?

I thought we'd catch up and chat about how things have been going. 

Clementines are in season, of course, and we go through at least one bag a week here because all the kids like them and I love them. Clementines mean winter to me, winter and cute little fingers peeling, peeling, peeling.

I got the outside decorations mostly up, but I realized Mary and Joseph need new lightbulbs. Commence search. Eventually I will cut some greens to fill the flower pots by the Holy Family and to fill the basket that sits at my front door. But I'm happy with what we've got. The kids looooove the train and I feel ridiculously proud of myself for figuring out its set-up.

I don't have Advent candles for our wreath yet, just a little votive candle sitting where the first week's purple taper should go. I'm reading Isaiah right now in my Bible but I'm finding my prayer time so dry.  Those two facts seem to compliment each other, at least in my mind.


I'm figuring out how we'll do the feast days this season and I'm thinking it will look like this:
Christmas lights and music (we usually keep these off until Gaudete Sunday)
Hot chocolate + candy canes + clementines for after-school snacks
St. Nicholas on the 6th: stockings will be filled when the kids wake in the morning and maybe we'll eat Shepherd's Pie for dinner because we all love it, not because it has anything to do with St. Nick.
Immaculate Conception on the 8th: chicken + pasta + cauliflower + canned pears + white frosted sugar cookies for dessert (it's all white, get it?)
Fulton Sheen on the 9th: homemade pizza with meat and pineapple (for me) but no cheese (it's surprisingly good!)
Our Lady of Guadalupe on the 12: tacos or maybe enchiladas if I can find a good dairy-free recipe (is that possible? Is my gringa showing?)
St. Lucy on the 13th: Brinner!  Santa Lucia roll recipe Grace shared on the blog several years back + bacon + sausage + fruit
The kids' school break starts on the 16th and the feast days stop so we'll see how this all goes.


Today I wanted thumbprint cookies, though Jofis wanted chocolate chip cookies incredibly badly. I told him that we should make the thumbprint cookies, though, because we could frost them with purple Advent frosting and that would be super special. He was half convinced but then he got to lick the beater, roll the dough, smoosh his thumb in the dough balls, and eat frosting. So he stopped complaining.

We're listening to Advent music around here, but not too much of it. I have a playlist (o'er there in the sidebar) but I'm also trying to have silence in the house. Gee golly, it's nice.

I will share one success, if you will allow me to. This year we're doing the Jesse Tree and it finally feels good - like they're getting it. The three oldest kids all have Religion in school and they are learning so much. It's good to see that what we've been trying to do for years is being nurtured at school and then they come home and we can continue to build on it. This relates to the Jesse Tree in that each night I read from the booklet that came with our set. I do this sort of read + ask questions so the kids tell the story + summarize the Scripture and then the child of the night finds the ornament that goes with the Scripture.  It's like, this is what it's supposed to be! And it only took 6 years!


Finally, Likable Art shared this new video they made for Life Teen and I thought it was so beautiful.



What about you? Got any successes or struggles to share? How's life treating you?

The Advent Care Package Giveaway

Update: The giveaway is now officially closed. The winners have been emailed and have 24 hours to respond. Thanks to everyone for playing along. I hope you all had fun and got some great shopping ideas for your loved ones. Please do use this as a gift guide and be sure to tell the makers and sellers that you found them through A Knotted Life!


Welcome to the 2016 Advent Care Package Giveaway. Over thirty amazingly talented artists, crafters, and vendors have donated gifts which have a combined value of over $1000. (!!!)

This is all for you, dear blog readers, and I sincerely hope you love it.

Two winners will be chosen and each will receive a Care Package worth over $500. The winners can keep every blessed thing for themselves or they can divvy everything up, put up their feet, and call their Christmas shopping done.

There is something for everyone. Books for children and adults, jewelry, and skin care products. Practical gifts like an apron, a planner, notecards, and beard balm. Fun gifts like dolls, cd's, and an Advent Mass Box craft kit subscription. Some are religious, some are not. All of it is beautiful, much of it is handmade, and every item is gleefully special.

To round things off, and to hopefully make your Advent a bit easier, I'm going to throw in chocolate coins for your St. Nick tradition. Hope it helps!

So here's how this works:

Each gift is listed with links to where you can buy the product or see more items by the same person. I give an honest mini summary of each product and I link to the item's image on my Instagram account, where I have shared (and continue to share) each individually with a little review.

I know a lot of you will use this as a gift guide and so I'm really happy that several of the makers and vendors have included coupon codes for you to use. The discount information is always the last thing listed under each item so that it is easy for you to find. Also, if you could do me a favor: if you buy something included in this giveaway will you please let the seller know that you learned about their item from my blog / giveaway? That kind of feedback is powerful and will mean I can do this again next year. Thanks!

Hopefully you've been following along on Instagram and the A Knotted Life Facebook page as I have highlighted each item with the hashtag #adventgiveawayAKL. If you click on the hashtag you can see more details of each gift.

Directions and fine print stuff: You'll enter using the Raffelcopter entry form below and all I'm asking for is one simple blog comment. One entry per person. All Amazon links are affiliate links for me, meaning I earn a small commission through my referral at no cost to you. Open only to people 18 or older and those living in the continental United States. (Sorry everyone else, my budget just can't afford the shipping!) The winners will be picked at random by Rafflecopter. After the winners are announced they will have 24 hours to provide me with their mailing addresses and if they do not they forfeit the win and a new winner will be drawn. The giveaway closes on Wednesday, November 16th.

Okay, let's get going, shall we?!

10 Tips for a Happy Life Pope Francis quote prints + Christmas car magnets from Just Love Prints
The prints are 5"x 7" and made with amazing color. The magnets are lovely, with great illustrations. Beautiful.
Buy the print here
Buy the Wise Men Still Seek Him magnet here
Buy the Keep Christ in Christmas magnet here
Read my review here
Coupon Code JUSTLOVE10 good through Christmas


Gaudete Sunday Pink Infinity Scarf + Handstamped Christmas Cards by Katie
Be liturgically correct on the third Sunday of Advent with the pink scarf and impress all (or four) of your friends with these gorgeous hand-stamped Christmas cards. Gorgeous.
Katie's blog: Look to Him and Be Radiant
Follow Katie on IG here
Read my review of the scarf here and the cards here


Advent Charm Bracelet from Faith and Fabric by Jen Frost
Delicate, pretty, hand-stamped with Advent colors. Made from aluminum for sensitive skin. It's charming!
Buy the charm bracelet here
Faith and Fabric Etsy Shop
Jen's website: Faith and Fabric
See the bracelet in detail and read more about it here


Advent Purple LuLaRoe Leggings from Megan Stevenart
Be comfortable, stylish, cute, and liturgically appropriate! You know I love me some LuLaRoe!
Shop Megan's pop-ups
Read my review of LuLaRoe here
See more about the leggings here


Christmas Prints from Printable Prayers by Kendra Tierney
These prints are thick and sturdy, bold and colorful. One is sassy, one is classy, and one is a gorgeous prayer. So much to love.
Printable Prayers Etsy Store
Kendra's blog: Catholic All Year
O Come O Come Emmanuel print
Christmas Anticipation Prayer print
You Better Not Cry print
Read more about the prints here


Africa Sleeps Holiday Gift Set by Karen H
The Holiday Set includes body wash, lip balm, and exfoliating gloves and it smells amazing. All Africa Sleeps products are made from organic, fair trade ingredients. The products are made for children of African heritage but are great for anyone with dry skin.
Africa Sleeps website
Buy the Holiday Set here
Read more about it here


Liturgical Prints from Hatch Prints by Katrina Harrington
Gorgeous, colorful, and high quality. These prints are perfect for enhancing the liturgical decorations in a home and setting a tone of peace and joy.
Shop Hatch Prints here
Advent Candle with Josemaria Escriva quote
Christmas Joy B16 quote
Pause in Silence B16 quote
See all three and read more about them here


The Catholic Woman's Companion Planner by Nancy B
Planner comes with it all: monthly calendars, weekly pages, grocery lists and meal planning, coloring pages!, student / child info, and more! A great resource for a busy mom.
Nancy's blog + website: Do Small Things with Love
Buy the planner here
Read more about the planner here

Breathe doTERRA Roller from Sarah Williams
The Breathe Roller is perfect for adding a little bit of calm to your personal space. It's pre-diluted and perfect for helping with winter's respiratory issues.
Sarah's doTERRA site
Contact Sarah 
Get in touch with Sarah on Facebook
Read my review here

Crocheted Baskets by Theresa B
These baskets are soft, sturdy, and incredibly handsome. My eight year old and I both have heart eye emojis for days.
Buy the baskets here
Theresa's blog: Ordinary Lovely
Read more about the baskets and see them closer here
Coupon Code AKLREADERS10 good until December 1st.


Divine Mercy and Sacred Heart prints from Thomas Valle Studio
These prints literally took my breath away, they are so gorgeous. The Divine Mercy and Sacred Heart prints are both from original artwork by Thomas Valle.
Buy prints here
Read more about the prints and see them better here


Handmade Necklace + Earring Set and Bracelet + Earring Set from Annery's Handmade by Annie
Both sets of jewelry are inspired by chain-mail - so think St. Joan of Arc. They are incredibly beautiful and both delicate and statement pieces. Lovely.
Buy religious jewelry, rosary roses, and more here
Follow Annie on Instagram
See a close-up of the jewelry and read more about them here


Handmade Leather Bound Journal by Wild Things Adventures
This journal is made from soft leather, and thick, cream-colored paper. It is completely unique and the perfect gift for an artist, adventurer, dreamer, or Middle Earth lover.
Buy a journal here
Sarah's blog: Wild Things Farm
Read more about the journal here


Glory to the Newborn King Girl's Hairbow by Polka Dot Bowlevard
We own several of these bows and they are well made and beautiful. This particular bow is sparkly and sweet and lovely. Navy, white, and gold - a perfect way to top off a little girl's Christmas outfit.
Buy a bow, key fob, or non-slip hairband here
Check out Polka Dot Bowlevard on Facebook
Read more about the bow and see a close up here


She Be Fierce and All for You Necklaces by Signs of Love from Rakstar Designs
Each necklace is handmade, on a long chain, and absolutely stunning. She Be Fierce includes a St. Joan of Arc medal and All for You includes a St. Teresa of Calcutta medal along with various charms related to each saint.
Shop the Signs of Love Etsy Store
Buy the She Be Fierce Joan of Arc Necklace
Buy the All for You Teresa of Calcutta Necklace 
See more of Rakstar Designs on Instagram
See close ups of both necklaces and read more about them here
Coupon code of KNOTTYXMAS16 good for 15% off a purchase of $30 or more

The Bethlehem Collection Dolls by Fitz Knitz
These dolls are adorable and the apple of my four year old's eye. Joseph's body stands about 10" and is made from a deep brown yarn and the Baby Jesus is securely attached to Mary's arm. Soft, cuddly, big enough to love and small enough to fit in a stocking.
Contact Rachael directly at [email protected]
Buy a hat, doll set, or mermaid blanket here
Read my review here
Coupon Code: KNOTTED10 - 10% off a purchase of $25 or more, expires 11/30/16


Catholic Beard Balm, Beard Brush, and Bottle Opener from Catholic Balm Co.
The Beard Balm is St. Joseph scented - a mix of cedar, frankenscense, and the lightest hint of rose - and will go to one lucky winner. The other winner will get the handsome and useful beardvangelization bottle opener and beard brush, with its wooden handle and manly wooden case (okay, I wanted to say adorable. How about super neat? Let's stick with manly.)
Buy balms, brushes, lip gloss, and more here
Read my review here


The Gospels of Luke and John from Sacred Art Series
This leather bound book includes the Gospels of St. Luke and St. John along with beautiful, full-colored illustrations from the classics. Gorgeous.
Sacred Art Series website
Buy the Gospels here
The the book and read more about it here
This book is discounted by 20% on Amazon just for the duration of this giveaway!


O Emmanuel Christmas album by JJ Wright from Dynamic Catholic
This Christmas album is unlike anything I've ever heard before - and I like it! Think of the jazz music from Charlie Brown Christmas and then combine that with lush, heavenly high church choral music. Interesting and beautiful.
Buy the album here
Learn more about JJ Wright here
Check out Dynamic Catholic here
Read more about the album here


Juniper Headbands from Christine Coots by Trades of Hope
Handmade in India, empowering women around the world. These are beautiful and a great way to dress up a messy bun.
Buy the headbands here
Shop Trades of Hope here
Follow Christine's Trades of Hope Facebook page
Read my review here

But First, Coffee Mug from Be a Heart Design by Erica Tighe
White and navy with black calligraphy that reads "But first coffee." Big to fit your coffee and metal so no one can break your favorite mug. It's hip and classic.
Be a Heart website
Get the mug here
Follow Erica on Instagram
See the mug up close and read more about it here


Chime Travelers Books 1-5 by Lisa Hendey
These chapter books are great for first-third graders to jump into. Great stories, great saints, likable characters, sweet illustrations. Whoever the winner is: my kids are jealous of your kids.
Lisa's website
Buy any of Lisa's great books here
PS - Lisa's O Radiant Dawn book is what my family uses with our Advent Wreath at dinner each night and it's only $1.25.
Read my review here

Liturgical Apron from Uphill Goods by Megan Whitmore
The apron is two-sided and made with beautiful fabrics and sturdy seams. The apron is approximately 29" long from top to bottom, 25" wide at its widest, and will fit up to a 45" waist / chest with its ties.
Design your own apron or buy a pre-made one here
Read more about the apron here


The Bernadette Book Series 1-3 by Emily Grace Ortega
We love these books in our family! Great for readers in grades 1-3. These stories focus on the children in a loving, realistic Catholic family and are well written with the sweetest illustrations.
Buy the Bernadette Books here or on Amazon
Read my review for I'm Bernadette,  See more about all three books here


Advent Mass Box Subscription
Four weeks of crafts based on the Sunday Mass readings. A great way to interact with your kids to emphasize the liturgical season, Mass, Scripture, and the domestic church.
Buy your subscription of the Mass Box here.
Use the coupon code ADVENT10 for 10% off the December Mass Box subscription.
Read my review here


Lilla Rose Hair Clip from Mandi Richards
Pretty and practical, these clips are great for putting your hair up and looking beautiful. I use mine all the time.
Shop Mandi's Lila Rose site
Read about how much I love these things here
See the clip and read more about it here


Sacred and Immaculate Hearts Hand Painted Wooden Signs by Honeychild Forest
Each sign is handpainted, completely unique, and the perfect mix of whimsy, reverence, and beauty. These are going on my Christmas wishlist.
Shop Honeychild Forest
Read more about the signs here


Catholic Mom Challenge by Sterling Jaquith
Sterling is one of my favorite Catholic speakers and her book is filled with the same wit and wisdom as her talks. This book has practical tips for "striving for sainthood in everyday mom life" delivered in a personable, easy-to-read style.
Buy the book here
Sterling's website
Sterling's podcast, Coffee and Pearls
Read more about the book here

Advent Rosary by Ave Maria Faithcrafts
The Our Father beads have little Infant Christs and the Salve bead has a beautiful depiction of the Holy Family. The other beads are a rich, Advent purple color and the whole rosary is amazing. It's a great weight, too.
Buy a rosary or jewelry here
Check out the Facebook page
Follow on Instagram
See a close up and read more about it here


Meditations 01 by Reverb Culture
The first book of a four set series that walks its readers through thirty days of meditating on the Creed using Scripture and the Catechism. Wonderful for teens and adults, men and women.
Buy the book here
Check out the website
Read more about the book here


Watercolor Hedgehog notecards, 4 pack by Pebble Creek Prints
Super cute and high quality. These are incredibly versatile and incredibly sweet.
Rachel's blog: Efficient Momma
Buy the notecards here
See a close up and read more here
Coupon Code BONNIE good for free shipping in the US, good until November 30th


Receiving Blanket backed in Organic Flannel from Whole Parenting Goods
High quality, beautiful fabric, backed with organic flannel. This receiving blanket is perfect for keeping a little warm and has the sweetest scalloped seam.
Buy the blankets, bibs, and leggings here
Follow Nell and WPG on Instagram 
Read my review here

FYI: I've been getting some emails and messages about comments not showing up. Don't worry. I will trust you that you comment and have even seen some of the ones I've been emailed about. The important thing is that you successfully complete the Rafflecopter form below. I will pick the winner and have your contact info through the form so as long as that takes we'll be good to go!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck and God bless!

Infancy Without Postpartum Depression, what we did this time around

At the end of October Baby Tee will be ten months old. He is crawling, pulling himself to standing, cruising, and saying "mama." He laughs at his older siblings' silliness and they love to perform for him. He likes cheerios, sweet potatoes, graham crackers, and his mama's milk. He has seven teeth and sometimes I think he looks like an elf.

Can I just tell you that I am completely smitten with him? Some things are tough, of course, like teething and night nursing and all the food he drops on the floor, but he is so sweet and so lovely and my heart bursts with love of him.

I've never had an experience like this before. All my other children's infancies were shadowed by postpartum depression and now that I see what life with a newborn is like without PPD touching it I am incredibly sad that we were all robbed of happier days and a lighter, more peaceful, more loving home. But I am also so incredibly grateful that this time I have not suffered from PPD.

There were moments I was afraid it was coming. One night in particular I was so tired and so anxious. My anxiety kept me awake after a night feeding and I paced the house, I sobbed in the family room, I shook with fear, and I kept seeing this picture of a spiraling, Wonderland-like fall of which I was standing on the cusp.

When exhaustion or stress crept up on me, as they did a couple of times, they showed themselves through anger and an inability to tolerate anything. In the past I would have succumbed - I would have gone crazy. I had...

... but this time was different. We were proactive and we had plans in place. We knew that exhaustion and stress triggered my spiraling into PPD and so my husband, my mom, and I decided what we would do. In the end I would say three things really helped me get through this postpartum period without succumbing to postpartum depression.

First, and probably most importantly: sleep. My mom basically moved in with us for the first few weeks, waking up with Tee's cries, tending to him until she had to get me to nurse him, sending me back to bed immediately after he finished eating, and putting him back to bed. She and Travis made the meals and with he and me sleeping well at night Mom was able to nap during the days. My mother-in-law also helped by relieving my mom and occasionally keeping the older kids at her home. I sat with the kids, rested, and nursed the baby  - and for months that was pretty much all I did. In the months that followed those first six weeks I did not hesitate to put on a movie for the kids and nap, ask my mom or husband to watch the kids so I could sleep, and / or go to bed at 8pm.

Second, I allowed for a lot of quiet and introspection. I spent a lot of time observing how I felt physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I prayed, I read my Bible and Beautiful Mercy, I asked for other people to pray for me, and I used Jenna Hines' book 30 Days to Calm.

Finally, I took pills, but not medication like before. My midwife prescribed for me to take Omega-3 supplements (EPA-DHA 720, 1-2 at a time, four times a day) and Magnesium Glycinate (300mg, 4 at a time, 4 times a day). They were amazing. They helped me relax and just... feel good. I know that seems like a vague statement but it's true. If I started to feel overwhelmed I would take my pills and within thirty minutes I was calm and relaxed. I felt little to no anxiety and I slept better with them. I don't think these pills alone would have worked for bringing me out of my former PPD, but they were wonderfully helpful for keeping it bay this time.


In the end, this has possibly been the best year of my life. I have six amazing children, a husband who loves me immensely, and a devoted mom (and mother-in-law). As a family we have hit our stride and we are thriving, happy, and full of love. That might sound cheesy but I don't care. I've always like nachos.

PS - Speaking of babies, I was invited to be a contributor to the Waiting in His Word: A Couple's Journey Scripture Study on fertility. Nell, Nancy, and Laura have done a fabulous job of bringing together women and men with a wide variety of experiences: loss, adoption, infertility, hyper-fertility, foster care, and more. You can learn more and buy your copy here.


PPS - Not to sound silly, but I would love it if you'd vote for A Knotted Life over at the Fisher's Net Awards. I mean, who else gives you blog posts about food allergies, miracle babies, parochial school, parties, and fashion for barrel-shaped bellies? I mean, when it comes to that combination you know that I am the BEST.


PPS - I am definitely not saying that these three things are all you need to do to beat PPD, and please, please, please know that there is no shame in getting help - be it a therapist, medication, a nanny, etc - to overcome postpartum depression or any mental illness. If you think you have PPD please talk to your doctor or midwife. If you are still pregnant and worried about suffering through another bout of PPD, as I was while pregnant with Baby Tee, then perhaps this post will inspire you to think about your own triggers and create a plan with your loved ones so you can get the best care.