One Catholic Mama: blogging

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Tuesday, March 10, 2015

New Blog Design after a Wonderful Day! #CWBNIndiana

Generally, I'm not one of those bloggers who talks about blogging!

But, if you'll indulge me today...I just have to!

You see, on Saturday, I had the privilege of spending the whole day at a Catholic Women's Blogging Conference at Notre Dame.

It was wonderful!! I've attended conferences before. I've been to homeschooling conferences and La Leche League conferences.

But this one was different. Everyone was just so friendly and open....to everyone!

The focus of the Conference wasn't so much on blogging as on friendship. Yes...we talked about blogging. But, really it was about friendship. Meeting blogging friends and making new friends.

When I walked in, the only person I had met before was Cammie.

When I walked out...I had made all sorts of new friends. Some whose blogs I have been reading for awhile...like Michelle and Sarah and Bonnie and Nell and Ana and Annie.

And some I haven't read before, but I definitely added them to my feed reader...like Rhonda and Anna and Cat and too many more to mention.

The talks were wonderful! I got some wonderful ideas on blog design and using social media (two things which I am generally TERRIBLE at).

But mostly it was about friendship and community and support. And was exactly what I needed.

And sadly, this is the only picture I took.

Nell told us to take selfies with our neighbor. But my phone doesn't do selfies.....I don't think. It doesn't have a camera in front anyway. So, I just took this picture of her, in her cute leggings that she sewed herself. They made me re-think my previous disdain for patterned leggings. Although I'm way too curvaceous (the nice way of putting it) to pull off any sort of leggings and shirt look.

I did learn that this photo has something called "trapped white space." That's bad. Not sure how to fix it though. Probably something fancy like edit my photo in a photo editor. Generally I don't do fancy photo editing. Guess I should figure that out.

I also learned that nobody uses Comic Sans font (I kinda like it) and that my preferred font looks dated. So when I got home, I designed a new header, made some changes and am switching fonts. Clearly I have no blog design talent. I'm counting on my stellar writing skills (ahem) to keep all my readers engaged.

So what do you think? I tried to go with a header that fit our family and my blog. And since we they are a bunch of nerdy chess players....I went with the chess family theme. And if we have another baby...I can just easily add another little pink knight or blue rook up there. I'm all for simplicity. And that's actually easier than my previous header....which was a family picture. Trying to get a decent family picture with my family is like trying to find a pink unicorn amongst a herd of mustangs.

All in all, it was a wonderful, productive, rejuvinating, fun-filled day!

Monday, February 2, 2015

Blogs You May Not Be Reading But Should Be

Erica is hosting a link-up about Blogs You May Not Be Reading But Should Be. It's a way that we can all share our favorite smaller blogs. Here a few of the blogs I think are hidden gems of the Internet. (of course Erica's blog is another hidden gem....so you should check out hers as well, if you don't already read it).

A Fly On Our Chicken Coop Wall. - I love this blog. I mean, with a title like that, how can you not? This blog has the perfect combination of humor, inspiration and good advice. Christine has 6 children...ranging in age from little to big..so she's got a lot of experience and a lot of good stories to share...and they are all so well-written. I really appreciate a well-written blog..and this is definitely one! Check out ALL her funniest of the funny posts. You will be glad you did.

Splendor in the Home - Also written by a Christine...a different one. I actually met this Christine at my little brother's wedding, so that was fun. This is another well-written informative blog. I really like the way Christine is not afraid to write what she feels and state her opinions in a strong, but kind manner. Check out her Thoughts on the Permanence of Marriage.

Shiny, Happy Catholics - This is written by my friend, Martha. My biggest beef with this blog is that Martha doesn't post on it nearly enough. But what she does post is very, very good. Martha has a law degree. which means she's smart. And it shows in her writing....her posts are always well thought out and inspirational. Since we moved away from Naples, I don't get to see her in person anymore, but I love keeping up through her blog. She just really needs to post on it more. Check out her post Edel Revealed my Weakness.

Blessings in Brelinskyville - I love this blog because it's so straight-talking and informative. Tara is not afraid to talk about some heavy topics...and lately she's been talking about NFP. I love a good NFP conversation so I've really been digging her blog. Her posts are always very informative and inspirational...two things I really value in a blog post. Check out her Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Employing Some Farsightedness.

A Catholic Reversal - Christina (not to be confused with the two previous Christines) writes this blog. She has an amazing story of her husband's reversal (yes..THAT kind of reversal). It's an amazing story, so you should go to her blog and read it. Plus she homeschools and I love reading blogs by other fellow homeschoolers.

Through the Catholic Lens. Written by my friend Lori and her husband...this blog is a collaborative effort, which I love. I love blogs with "meat" and this is definitely one of them. They address all sorts of different topics from the Catholic viewpoint. Check out their post on the The New Evangelization from Home.

What are some of your favorite, lessor-known blogs? Do share...I'm always looking for good blogs to read!!

Monday, December 29, 2014

Monday, May 19, 2014

Judgement is Bad, Unless You Are Judging About Being Judgemental

There are a lot of blog posts and articles out there, railing against judgemental moms.

Like this one, about a mom judging a mom on her iPhone.

Or this one...about an Ipad Potty (whatever that is??)

I used to belong to a message board where someone had the following signature line.

Judgement is Not Always Wrong.

And, you know what, I agree. I think judgement has it's place. We've gotten to a place where people are so hypersensitive about judgment that the only thing you are allowed to judge is being judgemental.

Not judging PEOPLE mind you...judging PEOPLE is always bad, because we can never know what's in another person's heart.

But, judging actions, or things? I think there are a lot of useful and helpful reasons why we SHOULD judge actions or things.

Judging actions or things helps give us a framework for what is good and useful, versus what is harmful.

For example.

Soda = bad. We all know that. If there anyone who actually thinks that soda is a good, wholesome, nutritious beverage? I think not.

Does that mean that people who drink soda are bad. NO! Of course not. But, judging that soda is bad, gives me impetus to not drink it very often. Soda is yummy. Soda tastes good. Soda can give you a temporary burst of energy. So, without my mindset of knowing that soda is generally not healthy, I would have no reason to stay away from it *most* of the time. I do drink it very occasionally at parties or whatnot, but without my personal judgement that it is bad, I would probably drink it a lot more often.

Let's take a more controversial parenting example.

Too much passive screen time = bad. Does that mean that parents that give their kids passive screen time are bad parents? NO!! My kids have screen time. They use the computer, they use the computer quite a bit.

Yet, having the idea that too much passive screen time is bad, gives me the motivation to moderate their screen time more. Without the idea that too much is harmful, I would have no motivation to stop them from watching movies all day. After all, it'd be a heck of a lot easier to just let them watch as many movies and sit in front of the computer as much as they want to, than to moderate it. I have to be able to judge that too much of something is bad, to be able to teach them how to use the computer or other devices in a healthy manner. Same thing with myself. If I want to limit something or stay away from something, I first have to judge that it is harmful or bad, at least to me, if not to anyone else.

And, obviously there are legitimate reasons to use screens and computers. They can be great educational devices. Heck, they can even be great babysitting devices, and sometimes you just need that little bit of time. However, judging that too much screen time is bad, is what prevents me from overusing screens as a babysitting device.

Even soda is useful at times. If I am coming down with a sun/dehydration induced migraine, caffeinated soda with lots of salt and sugar can sometimes cure or stop the migraine. It's the combination of caffeine, salt and sugar that seems to do the trick (so decaffeinated or diet sodas don't work). The fact that soda is useful in certain unique situations doesn't negate the fact that the rest of the time, it is not the best thing to drink.

Everyone does bad things, everyone messes up, everyone makes mistakes, everyone chooses the "less than perfect" route at times, everyone takes shortcuts. Maybe not everyone drinks soda, but everyone has some sort of junk food indulgence. Maybe not everyone gives their kids too much screen time, but everyone has some way they screw up parenting. Maybe they yell too much, or are too harsh, or too lenient or don't discipline enough or punish too much, or, or, or. They only way we can keep ourselves from falling too far into our sins and mistakes is to judge that they are wrong and try to do better. Judging that something is bad or wrong is the first step towards improving or changing or at least moderating that behavior.

Not Everyone Comes to the Same Judgements. My kids run around barefoot...a lot. I know other moms probably judge me for that. Some people judge that barefoot kids are bad. And that is their choice. That is not my judgement, so I have no problems with my toddler taking off her shoes and running around barefoot certain places. I'm not worried about "nasty floors" or "germs" or anything like that. I'm just not worried about those things. I believe that a little bit of dirt helps build a strong immune system...and my kids do have good immune systems.

But you know what, if other people judge that dirt is bad and kids running around barefoot is bad, that's their prerogative. And, that's fine.

Different people have different worldviews. Some people think that DIRT IS BAD AND MUST BE ALWAYS avoided. So, they are going to view things with that framework in mind.

And, maybe the mom judging the iPhone mom works away from her kids all day and struggles to get as much time with her kids as possible, so *for her* using the iPhone at the park is "bad", because she has to use it for work all day. That is her worldview, her framework in which she views things, so for her iPhone at the park is bad. Doesn't mean it's bad for everyone, just means that she is looking at things through her own framework.

Same thing with the mom judging the iPad potty. Maybe *for her*, as a mom of a toddler without special needs, for a toddler that has no special potty issues, that using the iPad potty *would* be bad, *for her* because she would use it out of laziness. Maybe she just didn't think of or know of any other situations or special cases. So, she judged it as bad, because she knows her own weakness and failures and tendency to overuse screen time. Maybe it was careless or thoughtless of her...not thinking about other special situations? But, aren't we all guilty of that at some time??

Which leads me to my next point.

Judgement Can't Actually Hurt You. Really...it can't. If people judge me because my kids run around barefoot or my 20-month old toddler nurses in church or sometimes we go out and I don't notice that my kids have their clothes on backwards, or I ignore my kids at the park to read a book (and if I had a smartphone I would totally be on it) so what? If I'm confident that what I'm doing is fine, then I shouldn't worry about what other people think. Really, the most freeing thing you can ever do is stop worrying about what other people think. And, if I'm too bothered by their judgement, well maybe there is something to it. Maybe there is, maybe there isn't. But, I know * for myself* that when I get most defensive about something, it is when I think deep, deep down inside that maybe, just maybe...they may be right. But, if I think their judgement has no basis, then I can dismiss it out of hand and not even worry about it.

As a society, I think we need to stop being so hypersensitive about seeing judgement everywhere. Maybe the people we think are judging us, actually aren't. Or maybe, they are? Who cares? We need judgement as society to frame what is right and what is wrong. I think that we can all judge that murder and rape and child abuse are bad. Catholics judge that contraception and abortion are wrong (again..just the action..not the people). The tricky thing is when we get into concepts that aren't so clear-cut.....things like child raising methods. That is where the sparks fly. Everyone is always saying that moms should stop judging each other. And they should. But, maybe moms should also stop judging moms who they think are judging them.

And, maybe I should stop judging people who judge people for being judgemental.

Monday, May 5, 2014

All the Blog Posts I Didn't Write.

You guys. You ever have a day or a week or a month where you just constantly feel snarky and on edge and like everyone else is wrong, wrong wrong and you must set them right, right, right?

Please tell me it's not just me.

Please.

Anyway, I kept thinking of all the blog posts I wanted to write...but none of them were all that charitable or helpful or good.

So, I abstained.

It's a good thing I didn't have a blog 8 years ago. I've gotten a lot better at avoiding online conflict. I still have a few slip-ups, but I've improved quite a bit. Many years ago, a wise friend once said something along the lines of we're more likely to get into online debates/conflicts when we have another stressor in our life. We tend to use the online conflict as a way to deflect our other stress.

So true. So, very, very true. And, we'd had a lot of stress recently. Nothing major...just your everyday, typical my husband won't have a job after school ends in June, and we're planning ANOTHER out-of-state move this summer so we can be near family, and he's taking ANOTHER bar exam this summer, so he can work in that state, and oh Lord, please, please, please let him find a job in the city/state we want to move stress. Nothing major right. I mean, at least we're all healthy, right?

Which is what one of my blog posts that I'm not writing was going to be about..health. As though I actually know anything about health. As though our general good health and lack of any chronic disease/conditions is attributable to anything more than good luck and good genes. And, as though my ramblings thoughts on health is actually going to change any one's mind.

Oh...and let's not mention the other blog post I was going to write. The everyone should parent exactly like I do, because my way is right and everything else is wrong. Ha...that would have been a funny one, I'm sure. Good thing I didn't write that one! And, I don't actually think that my way is the only right way, I was just in a snarky, grouchy mood. I still am. These periods of transition are so hard.

I'm still feeling guilt over a comment I left on someone else's blog last week. It wasn't a mean comment or anything, but it was offering advice, when they probably just wanted support. Sigh.

I'm trying to think of more edifying things to write about now.

Trying.

Friday, January 31, 2014

How to Respect Your Children While Using Social Media

Anyone else completely torn over how much of their children they should put on social media?

I love sharing pictures of my children, I love sharing their cute stories and things they say.

I know my friends and family like to read it. I know my friends and family like to see it. I know cute kid pictures and posts gets tons of comments and likes and views.

Everyone wants to show off their kids, and share their funny sayings....because well, it's fun. We love our children. We're proud of them. Everyone thinks their kids are the cutest, the smartest, the funniest.

We want to share it and people like to read that. And, that is a good thing.

But, the thing is, children are people too. And they don't stay small forever. They grow up, and then they have to live with whatever their parents posted about them forever.

And, I'm really, really wondering how this generation of children is going to feel about having their entire childhood blasted over social media.....blogs, Facebook, Instagram, etc., etc, etc.

How are they going to feel about the fact that we may spend a considerable amount of time, talking and writing about them, in a public forum. Even Facebook and things like that are more public than we like to think. Nothing is really private anymore. Nothing.

Laura wrote about this a few months back, and I really appreciated her excellent post, but it dealt a bit more with safety issues. I'm talking more about how our kids will feel. I don't want my kids to ever look back at this blog and cringe or feel violated by the stories or photos I post of them.

Some bloggers avoid talking about their kids at all, some bloggers don't call their kids by name (using things like #1), and some bloggers, like Jessica, come up with totally super awesome pseudonyms for their kids. I honestly wish I had thought of that before I started this blog. But, I didn't. I use my kids' real names, which are great names, if I do say so myself.

I'm not saying this is perfect, but, I've come up with 7 rules for myself, to respect my kids while still sharing them on social media. If you feel differently, that's okay. And, I apply these rules to all social media....blogs, Facebook, Instagram (not that I use Instragam, but if I did, I would apply them).

1. The older they get, the less I talk/post about them. This blog probably has the most pictures and discussion of my one-year old on it. Why...because she's just a baby/toddler and it's hard to imagine anyone being embarrassed by baby/toddler pictures or funny stories. Everyone knows babies/toddlers do cute/funny things, and things that could be embarrassing when a four year old does it are not that embarrassing for a one-year old.

2. With my older kids, I ask them before posting pictures or stories. Usually they are all, yes, yes, post this picture or share my story on your blog. I want to be famous! Well, this blog is far from famous, so they may be waiting quite a long time for that to happen.. But, sometimes they say no, don't post that. And, I don't.

3. I only post flattering pictures. Before I post a picture, I think about if I would be okay if this picture was printed in the newspaper. The printed in the newspaper thing is my personal gauge for if a photo is okay. So, pictures of my kids playing chess...totally okay. Pictures of them half-naked, covered in marker....that personally crosses the line for me, even for toddlers.

4. Only fully clothed pictures.. even with babies and toddlers. I'm just not comfortable with naked, half-naked or semi-naked pictures. Goes back to the whole printed in the newspaper thing...would not want a picture like that (even of a cute little baby) in the paper. My only exception to this would be birth pictures of total newborn (as in just exited the womb within the last 30 minutes) babies.

5. I don't post naughty or bad stories. Okay...maybe a few of the young toddler/baby (goes back to the whole age thing)...but the older they get, the less likely I am to post their escapades. By older I mean even like 4-5. I feel that a teen or adult is more likely to be more embarrassed by their 4 year old self than by their 2 year old self.

6. I don't post anything that could be embarrassing in the future. This is just me...but I try to steer clear from talk about bodily functions, potty-training mishaps, or things like that. I know that stuff is funny, but I'm just personally not comfortable with it, and I have no idea how my kids will feel about it in the future. I don't want them to ever feel violated in the future by what I wrote/shared about them.

7. I try to avoid talking too specifically or too much about my frustrations with my kids, how they drive me crazy, how I can't wait until bedtime or how I want nothing more than to ship them off to boarding school (if you are reading this children of mine, rest assured, I don't/didn't want to send you to boarding school). Some venting is okay..but I try to stay away from mentioning specific children or giving the impression that I find them a burden (I don't for one thing). And, I don't want future kids to come back and read this someday and feel badly about themselves...that they were too much of a burden, that they drove me crazy or anything else. I do vent sometimes and try to be realistic, but I also try to keep in mind that someday my kids might read this. I don't want to make them feel badly in the future about what I'm writing now.

Navigating social media is a new thing for all of us. Sometimes I wish the internet and social media had existed when I was kid (there would be more of a record of my childhood, more pictures, more stories, etc.), but sometimes I'm awfully glad it didn't. It really does remain to be seen what the effect of all this public documentation will have on our kids. This is what I do, to try and prevent it from having too much of negative effect on them. Maybe you do it differently...and that's okay. No one really knows what the right way is, because it's all uncharted territory.

And, since there are 7 rules I try to follow, I'll link up with Jen for 7 Quick Takes Friday.

Friday, December 20, 2013

7 Posts with the Most of 2013

Linking up with Sarah at Amongst Lovely Things for Most Posts of 2013. She only had 5 categories, but I"m adding two more because I'm just narcissistic enough to think my blog is the mostest. (kidding, kidding...I just want to link up with Jen for 7 Quick Takes Friday.

So, here are my 7 Most Posts of 2013!

Post with the most clicks

Best, Best, Best, Best, Best Ever Lemon Squares and Gluten Free to Boot

Apparently a lot of people are looking for gluten free lemon square recipes. And basically the only keywords that bring people to my blog are some sorta variation of gluten-free lemon bar recipes. So, yeah...it's the food that brings people over here.

Post with the most comments

Let's Talk Money....Or Debt is Not the Worst Thing in the World

I don't usually get a lot of comments on my blog. My readership is still really, really, really, really small. And, in this post, the most comments on this blog were actually not on my blog, but rather on my Facebook page which had a bazillion comments And, the whole thing kinda blew up and caused some in-law strife..so umm...not so good. I honestly never really thought that *THIS* post would be my most controversial one.

Post with the best picture

Amelia Felt Shame

This picture says it all!

Post that was hardest to write

Rich Man, Poor Man

Don't have a picture for this one, but it was a really hard one to write, because I basically admitted that we were on public assistance for a period of time. Which is a hard thing to admit. Plus, I'm still formulating my own thoughts and don't have a firm stance on it.

Post that was your personal favorite (not your readers' favorite- your favorite)

Home Remedies by Dr. Greta

She cracks me up. All.the.time. It's like having my own personal court jester right here in my home.

(these are the categories I added)

Post that was Your Readers Favorite

Why this Health Food Nut is Little Less Nutty.

One of my first, and in my opinion one of my best. Apparently this one really resonated with a lot of folks.

Post that was the Most Fun to Write

Definitely my Ask A Nun Series I did this summer with my sister! That was super fun to write!

Ask a Nun Part I

Ask a Nun Part II

Ask a Nun Part III

Thanks to all my dear readers for a WONDERFUL year of blogging. I made my first post (after resurrecting this blog) on Jan 1, 2013 and it's been an AWESOME year. Even though my readership is really small, I've been having SO MUCH FUN! I LOVE blogging. I didn't know how much I enjoyed doing it until I started. This year has been crazy for our family....with Ben graduating from law school and then passing the bar and two long distance moves (first to RI and then to FL). It's been quite a journey and I'm so honored and happy and excited that all of YOU made this journey with me. I really appreciate each and everyone one of you that takes the time to read my humble little blog. SO THANK YOU! And, please keep on stopping by!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! May God Bless you abundantly this year and I"m looking forward to another year of blogging!

Friday, November 8, 2013

5 Things Plus 2 Time Hacks = 7QTF

Hooray for another Friday..which means it's time for another 7QTF. So, here you have 5 Things + 2 Time Hacks for 7QTF.

I'm finally a REAL blogger. I had my first big discussion/disagreement/argument on the debt post I wrote earlier this week. I feel like, I've finally been initiated into the the real blogging world!. The whole discussion thing was on Facebook though..so sorry..you can't go back in this blog and read it.

Speaking of that, I just wanted to say, that I really DO NOT mind if people disagree with me. I mean, there is no fun if everyone agrees. But, I do ask that commentary be respectful and not make assumptions about people or put them into boxes. I think there is real tendency (and I'm guilty of it too) of thinking that all people who do X think/act/believe a certain way. Our human tendency is that we want to categorize people or put them into boxes, so as soon as someone says they do X, we automatically in our mind group them into the same category as everyone else who know who does X...when really all the people who do X can be quite different and have different motivations and reasons.

On that same note, if we read someone's blog or know them on Facebook, we think we KNOW them...when we really don't. Bloggers just put a tiny slice of their life on the internet..just a tiny, tiny slice and it's the slice they CHOOSE to make public. We can't really assume that we know everything about them or that we fully understand where they are coming from, their unique situation or anything else about them.

3.

So, I keep seeing all these activities and classes and things posted for teens. And, I skip right over them, because I don't have a teen, my oldest is only 11, right? And, I go back and actually read them and see that they are for 6th grade and up. Since when was a 6th grader (typically 11 or 12) considered a teen? Me thinks I'm just in denial. Although, according to Simcha, teenagers aren't all that bad. And, while I don't have an actual teenager yet, pre-teens aren't all that bad either.

4.
.

I hate these and don't really know how they got into our house, but somehow they did..and I hate them.

I mean, it's hard enough teaching a toddler not to put non-food items into their mouth and now they have to go and make non-food items smell like food. Like most kids don't love markers anyway, now they have to go and make them smell good?

So....I hate to point this out...but you see that little link on the side of the page that says "Shop on Amazon." Well...if you use that link to get to Amazon, I get a few pennies off what you buy (at no extra cost to you). Lots of bloggers have Amazon affiliate links, so if you're shopping on Amazon anyway, help a blogger out and click their link before you shop.

Time Hacks

Now, I promised you two time hacks...so here they are. Two ways I've recently discovered to save time. And, if the rest of you all have been doing this for ages....well humor me and tell me I'm a genius anyway.

Hair Drying

I dry my hair while checking email/reading blogs/reading a book/paying bills and blogging. I used to hate drying my hair with a hair dryer, because it took SO LONG and was just SO BORING to stand in front of the mirror and dry my hair. But, now we live in Virginia and in the interest of saving money, we keep our house at an insanely low temperature, which means wet hair is not the best. So, I started taking my hair dryer into the living room, plugging it in by my computer, and drying my hair while catching up on my blog reading.

Socks

Match your socks BEFORE you wash them....like as as soon as you take them off your feet. After you take off your socks, fold one over the other (I heard this is bad for socks, but whatever..I do it anyway) and wash them just like that. It works fine..and they get totally clean and they're already paired up. It's especially good for baby socks that tend to get get eaten by the dryer.

Go see Jen for more quick takes.

Monday, October 7, 2013

Blog in A Blink

Linking up with Equipping Catholic Families for Blog In A Blink. Since I resurrected this old blog back in January, here are my 9 favorite posts from the last 9 months of blogging!

Blogging has really meant a lot to me over the last few months. I don't have lots of readers and I don't get tons of comments on each post, but I've really, really been enjoying the writing process and getting my thoughts out on ~~paper~~ electronic screen. I've made some great new friends through blogging and the writing has helped me process everything that is going on in my life. Even though this little blog isn't big or popular, it's MY blog...and I love it. I hope someday my kids will read back over my blog, smile and know that they were loved, that we are proud of them, and that my writing is for them.

1. Unplanned Joy

2. We Don't Get to Choose Our Crosses.

3. Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

4. Why This Health Food Nut is Little Less Nutty.

5. WIWS: It's All Smoke and Mirrors.

6. No More Yelling

7. Princesses Aren't Good At Birth.

8. Tinatella

9. Who's on First?

Friday, September 20, 2013

7 Quick Takes Friday (these are quick..I promise).

Linking up with Jen over at Conversion Diary for another round of 7 Quick Takes Friday

It's 7:10 PM and I'm sitting here listening to the blessed sound of silence. That's right silence. Golden, beautiful, lovely silence. Ben took the older three kids to chess club, so it's just me and Elsa here. And, Elsa is asleep. Yippeee! I can't remember the last time I've been (almost) alone in my house. Actually I can...I think it was a year ago, right after Elsa was born. So yeah..it's been awhile.

Just in case you were wondering, if a baby eats a blue crayon, it will turn their poop a ~~disgusting~~ lovely shade of bright green. Ask me how I know.

I wanted to take a minute just to thank everyone who comments on blog. I really LOVE reading your comments and definitely appreciate each and every one. It's make me feel so happy every time I get an email that someone commented. I want to reply to them all, but I'm just not sure how to do so....I know I don't check back on every blog I have commented on to see if anyone has replied to it, so I figure most other people don't either. How do you want bloggers to reply to your comments? Any thoughts? Do you most of you subscribe to comments, so you would get a reply?

My awesome friend, who shall remain nameless, shared this awesome status on Facebook. I know many of my homeschooling readers could really appreciate it!! I know I did, (and I guess by now, after 6 years of homeschooling, I'm somewhat of a "veteran" and I STILL needed to hear it. Monday was that type of day for us. The rest of the week was much better...but I still don't how we survived Monday...other than the fact that the day (as all days are wont to do) finally ended.

Homeschooling friends- particularly you who are new to homeschooling or have young kids. I'm going to let you in on a little "veteran homeschooler" secret: We ALL have days where we either seriously consider, or at least fantasize about sending our kids to school. That is NORMAL (well, as normal as homeschoolers can be ;)). So, try not to stress, the feelings will pass, you will figure things out and grow. It's not all sunshine and roses for anyone.

I also wanted to share this wonderful post from Auntie Lelia. I love her advice because it is so no-nonsense, yet generally very gentle and really reminds the parent to make sure that they are meeting the child's needs first.

Whining whiners and how to cure them: A checklist

It's not 7:30 and Elsa just work up. Seriously!??!?! That was all of 20 minutes of her sleeping. She is nursing and going back to sleep though..hopefully this time she gives me my 2-3 hours at the beginning of the night.. For some odd reason, if she falls asleep before 8 PM, she wakes up shortly afterwards (and goes right back to sleep), but if she falls at 8:30 or 9:00 she sleeps 2-3 hours (or more) without waking up. Update: She did...she slept a couple hours! Yay!

I shared this in Thursday's blog post...but I just wanted to post it again. I really love this photo! Probably because it shows my favorite time of day. I LOVE being outside in the early evening...the last 2 hours or so before the sun sets. I just love that time of day...I've always loved it. In fact, I sorta like winter time when the days are shorter, because I get to experience my favorite time of day EARLIER in the day. Yep..I'm weird..I know.

Plus, I just love the composition of the photo...the sisters, the footprints, the balancing...I just love it.
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Friday, January 18, 2013

7 Quick Takes- January 17. 2013.

--- 1 ---

This is like what...the 5th theme change my blog has gone through since I resurrected it in December. I think I've FINALLY settled on something I like..for now.

--- 2 ---

I switched my blog over from wordpress to blogger. I like blogger better, and I find it more user friendly. So, if you actually care to note the address...note that it is at blogspot now, instead of wordpress.

--- 3 ---

When I switched it over, I discovered that I have ANOTHER blog that I started a few years ago..that I had honestly, totally and completely forgotten about. Seriously! How does one forget about their blog? It's like forgetting about your own child! I think I'm a serial blogger..is there a 12-step program for that? FYI..the old blog I just remembered is Real Food, Real Learning With Less.

--- 4 ---

We ran out of milk and cream...so I put a small spoonful of pumpkin ice cream in my coffee. Sssh..don't tell my kids.

--- 5 ---

Typical dinner conversation at our house
John (age 4): Dad, what would you do if you were half-wolf and half-sheep and you ate yourself.
Dad: add ketchup

--- 6 ---

I was going to put a picture of ketchup with that last take..but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Every picture I found squicked me out. I shudder just looking at pictures of ketchup. Oddly enough, I have no problem eating it...just looking at pictures of it.

--- 7 ---

It was super cold today by Florida standards...only 53 degrees at 10 AM and I LOVED it. While everyone else was all

I was all

The cold invigorates me while the heat makes me feel sluggish and lethargic. Clearly, I am living in the wrong state.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

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