Dinner--AND a Show

After dinner, Middle Sister decided to practice her keyboard lesson on the organ in the dining room.
We were serenaded with bits of "Silent Night."
Then she started rummaging around in the organ bench looking for some sheet music, and asked me if I had any Christmas music in there. I told her what book to look for.
She thumbed through it and observed that she had never before seen a Christmas carol book that didn't contain "The Little Drummer Boy."
I had to tell her that most of them don't....
So she played a bit of it by ear on the organ, and did a fairly nice job. She told me she had learned it at keyboard today, without even being taught. Whatever THAT means.
I promised to look through the rest of my music and find the song for her.
Then it was back to "Silent Night."
I asked her, "So what IS in your lesson for this week?"
Her reply: "Lesson?"
LONG pause. TOO long.
"Oh, THAT!"
I resisted the urge to ask her, "You were AT your lesson today, right?" Give Sarcastic Mommy 5 points for stuffing a sock in it!
She mispronounced "Study in G Major" in a manner that I cannot duplicate using a normal keyboard and then proceeded to abandon the whole thing in favor of "Silent Night."
I have to wonder what this kid is like at keyboard lessons!

Things Moms Say

"Candy corn is NOT a vegetable!"

OK, I know. I wish it were a vegetable too. But I have to keep that wish a secret from my kids.

Sigh...

So much for that perfect day.
That Notre Dame game was a real heartbreaker.
I predict that there will be a lot of chocolate consumed in this house tonight.
Sigh...

Oh, what a beautiful morning

It's a lovely day. 64 degrees and FINALLY sunny! The sky is blue and clear and there's a gentle breeze blowing the first leaves of fall around the backyard.
I've been enjoying a good cup of coffee and hanging laundry on the clothesline for the first time in 10 days. If I had to pick a favorite household chore (not including cooking), hanging out laundry would definitely be it.
If Notre Dame wins this afternoon, today will be pretty near perfect.

Marriage and Priesthood....yes, you heard me right...

The Curt Jester presents his petition for Married Priesthood. Check it out!

Marriage and Parenthood and Selfishness

Here's a great post at Living Catholicism on the nature of selfishness as seen by a husband and dad.
It's worth the read--and so is the comment by Philothea Rose!

Good to be Bad? Hip to be Square?

I was folding laundry this afternoon and I noticed, once again, the message embroidered on a fleece sweatshirt belonging to Middle Sister. "Angel with an Attitude: Don't Let the Halo Fool You."
It's cute, and even a little clever.
But I have to wonder, what are we teaching our kids when we let them wear stuff like this?
In my early teaching days, Bart Simpson was new....and the kids were wearing "Bart Simpson: Underachiever" T-shirts. The sad part was, these kids WERE the underachievers! Why is this something they'd want to advertise?
When we were down the shore this summer (yes, I'm a Jersey Girl, we go "down the shore") I browsed in a T-shirt store and saw some of those shorts with words on the butt. Those are offensive to me no matter what they say--but these shorts said a word that I cannot print here, since this is a "family" blog, a word that has 5 letters and begins with B. Certainly this is not a word that most women would be proud to be called.
Same with the glittery tees that proclaim, "Spoiled Rotten."
That's a GOOD thing?
I'm well aware that anyone reading something on someone else's butt is not expecting to see a commentary on the wearer's intelligence, but couldn't we have some more positive messages on the clothing for a change?

Preach Always....If Necessary, Use Words

Philothea Rose has a post today that hits me where I live.

If I do not always set the example I should, and I do not always say the things I should either, then I am doing an injustice to others. I guess what it all boils down to is--am I doing my best to do these things? Or am I weighing whether it would be easier NOT to do these things? This is not to say that I should wear any little bit of holiness that I might have on my sleeve for all to admire--but that I certainly should not be afraid and hide that light under a bushel. It's not about doing the right thing for praise or recognition--it's about doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do.

Easier said than done. May God give us the grace to preach always.

I think Francis' Prayer Before the Cross is appropriate here:

Most high, all glorious, all-good God,
Bring light to the darkness of my heart.
Give me right faith, certain hope, and perfect charity,
With wisdom and insight, O Lord,
That I might always discern
Your holy and true will.

It's Yoda that Matters

"A venerated sage with vast power and knowledge, you gently guide forces around you while serving as a champion of the light.
Judge me by my size, do you? And well you should not - for my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life greets it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us, and binds us. Luminescent beings are we, not this crude matter! You must feel the Force around you, everywhere."

Big Brother has told me so....so he'd be proud of my results!
(And does this mean that Little Brother wants to masquerade as ME on Halloween?)

Via Happy Catholic.

What kind of Catholic am I?

You scored as New Catholic. The years following the Second Vatican Council was a time of collapse of the Catholic faith and its traditions. But you are a young person who has rediscovered this lost faith, probably due to the evangelization of Pope John Paul II. You are enthusiastic, refreshing, and somewhat traditional, and you may be considering a vocation to the priesthood or religious life. You reject relativism and the decline in society that you see among your peers. You are seen as being good for the Church. A possible problem is that you may have a too narrow a view of orthodoxy, and anyway, you are still a youth and not yet mature in your faith.

What is your style of American Catholicism?
created with QuizFarm.com
OK, well, maybe....some of the questions were pretty "out there" and the names are odd, but this description does fit me quite well.
Via Flos Carmeli.

I'm a WHAT?

You Are A: Turtle!

These reptiles, famous for their hard outer shells, spent their days roaming for food and relaxing in the water. As a turtle you are not very speedy, nor are you soft and cuddly. You tend to hide in your shell and you aren't much of a sprinter, but you are quite tough. You also happen to be as cute as you are fascinating.

You were almost a: Chipmunk or a Groundhog
You are least like a: Duck or a SquirrelCute Animal Quiz!

I like turtles and all, but they walk SO DARN SLOW!
Via Happy Catholic.

Sweet, but silly

I got a bag of Dove mini chocolates (on sale, with coupons, if you know me you know the drill here).
I'm betting that I'm like most moms and hide my "secret stash" of chocolate from the kids....so today when I was near the Secret Chocolate Hiding Place I opened up this bag of little Dove candies.
Guess I haven't had one of THESE in a while. They are like New Age Fortune Cookies! When you unwrap the foil you see a little message like "Go to your special place" or "Make your eyes twinkle."
HUH?
It can't just be about enjoying a good piece of chocolate? It has to be a "personal indulgence" that I somehow "deserve" because of everything I do all day? Is this a candy bar or a woman's magazine?
Here's the way I think about it. The candy should be good on its own. It should be something I want to savor because it is delicious, and a treat--not because of any silly directions on the wrapper.

NOT cool, American Girl!

This evening I have been reading about how The American Girl company (you know, the one that makes "wholesome" toys and modest clothing for your little girls) has partnered up with Girls, Inc., whose website makes it quite clear that this group is little more than Planned Parenthood for Preteens.

Danielle Bean and The Summa Mammas have both given more information and links on their blogs.

Write or call the company and join me in expressing your displeasure with this little joint venture of theirs. Any company whose target customer is under 12 really doesn't need to be dealing with an abortion advocacy group....and that's just the tip of the Girls, Inc. iceberg.

When Worlds Collide II

It's been the kind of week where I take time to think about how I live my life as a Franciscan layperson.
Am I wasteful? Am I a "good steward" of what I have been given, using my abilities as well as material possessions in a wise and good way? Have I become too used to those "creature comforts" and little luxuries that have come my way?
Ouch.
This morning I drove Middle Sister to school, since she was running too late for the bus. It was chilly out. Our new van has leather seats, and she suggested testing out the "heated front seat" feature that, having bought the van during the summer, we have yet to try.
Let me tell you, if my wireless Internet signal would reach the driveway, I'd probably never leave that van again. It has more cupholders than passenger seating, satellite radio, AND bun-warmers!
So what was I saying about those creature comforts?
Right. Ouch.
I've got a long way to go, and I probably shouldn't turn on the bun-warmers for the journey.

Transitus....a tribute

One of our Secular Franciscans made her own Transitus last night. She passed away about 9 PM, just after we all finished praying our Transitus at chuch.

Because she was living in an assisted-living home during her time as an SFO, I did not know her very well. She was in my formation group, and reminded me very much of my grandmother (physically and spiritually). She was the aunt of one of our other SFOs, and we all called her "Aunt" as well. She contributed much to our formation meetings and was very well-read. She was happy to recommend and share her favorite spiritual books.

At my own profession (four years ago today) it was my privilege to sit next to this lovely lady. She was near 90 but sharp as a tack. However, she had trouble standing up once she was sitting, and I would help her up when she needed to stand, and walked beside her when we left the pew. It was like being at church with my grandmother, who shared the same first name with her, and who was a Franciscan Associate herself. They were both Irish and both very devoted to the Blessed Mother.

Three years ago, instead of praying at Transitus, I was at my grandmother's wake.

Last night our sister in Francis joined my grandmother in Heaven. I have no doubt that these two devout women are both there, and they're probably praying a rosary together.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord,
And may perpetual light shine on her.
May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, though the mercy of God, rest in peace.

SFO News

Our Secular Franciscan Fraternity will be celebrating two days of great solemnity and rejoicing.

Today we mark the Transitus of Francis of Assisi: his passage from earthly life into everlasting life. All members of the Franciscan family (priests, Sisters and seculars) celebrate this occasion with a special service that recalls to us how Francis was a light to the world and how we are called to be a light to our world.

Tomorrow is the Feast of Saint Francis and our Fraternity is blessed to be celebrating the Profession of our newest member tomorrow. The Secular Franciscan Order, founded by Saint Francis, is a community of lay people desiring to live the ideals of a Franciscan life based on the Gospels, in the way of simplicity in our own families, workplaces and world.

Please keep our new member and all Franciscans in your prayers as we strive to live out the call to be simple servants of God.

The 5 Idiosyncracies Meme

The 5 Idiosyncracies of Me(me)
I was tagged by Epiphany for this one. Are you SURE you want to know all my bizarre little behaviors?

1. When I drink tea or coffee out of a mug (rather than my usual travel "sippy cup" with lid) I have to leave the spoon in it, which never fails to alarm my dining companions who think I will poke my eye out despite the fact that my glasses act as a protective shield against any utensil impact.

2. I have a really neat Coca-Cola glass. I like to drink Pepsi out of it.

3. I can multi-task but I cannot multi-noise. If the radio is on in one room, I don't like to hear the TV in the other room. Add to that talking on the phone, and a child talking to me...I lose it.

4. I like to sleep with the windows OPEN and a big pile of covers on. The heavier the better. I have a heavy wool blanket that I fold double thick and put on my side of the bed.

5. When I eat small candies like M&Ms or jelly beans, that come in different colors (not necessarily flavors) I eat them 2 by 2, sorting out by color. I don't like to have odd leftovers so if I have 3 yellows I will eat all 3 at once, then move to another color.

TAG!
Jill at jillswritestuff
Amy at RC Mommy
Steve at Song of November
Rachel at Testosterhome

When Worlds Collide

You have to be a parent to have experienced this, or something like it!

I was trying very hard to concentrate on Morning Prayer today, as Little Brother was engrossed in an early-morning screening of a "Veggie Tales" video.

It's extremely difficult to concentrate on a psalm while you listen to produce warbling, "There's a hole in the bottom of the sea...."

I don't recommend that you try this method of enhancing your Prayer Experience. But if you're a parent, sometimes it's the only way to go. There'll be more than enough quiet later.

Another 5-Things Meme

I've been tagged by Steve for this one.

5 things I plan to do before I die:
-visit Ireland with my family
-learn to play the organ
-live in a Victorian house with a big front porch
-visit the University of Notre Dame with my family & watch a home football game
-read all the books I own

5 things I can do:
-cook and bake
-teach English and Spanish
-play Trivial Pursuit really well
-hold a grudge
-multi-task

5 things I cannot do:
-play a wind instrument
-speak or sing in public without blushing
-sports
-finish the crossword puzzle in the Sunday paper
-keep my kids from doing that stupid stuff kids do no matter how hard their parents try to keep them from doing it!

5 things that attract me to the opposite sex:
-sense of humor
-intelligence
-strength of conviction
And the more shallow things:
-nice eyes
-strong hands

5 things I say most often:
-The Great Oz has spoken.
-Hit the road, Jack.
-Get out of my chair!!!!
-That's just WRONG.
-LUKE!!!!

5 celebrity crushes:
I have to say that I'm pretty uninterested in celebrities. So they're famous & rich? So what?

Huh?

My Big Kids were watching a movie this morning after getting ready for school. Normally I don't allow this, but I hadn't had my coffee yet and it just wasn't on my radar screen.
Middle Sister walked out the door at the right time to catch the bus. Big Brother stood there, leaning on the back of the couch, watching. Then I passed by him on my way to the laundry area, and he said, "I think I just heard my bus leave." He peeked out the door and sure enough, Middle Sister was gone. She hadn't asked the driver to honk for her brother, she JUST LEFT HIM.
Needless to say, that movie has been put back in its little Netflix envelope and dropped in the mail.
I can't wait to hear Middle Sister's answer when I ask her why she left her brother behind.
And this Mommy will be much more forceful about the "No TV Before School" rule.

I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry

Der Tomissar has a wonderfully funny post about a very serious subject: church architecture/design.
I want a Catholic one, myself.
Can't find too many in my neighborhood, though--but luckily they are not as bad as this.

It's Not Only Me

One of the blogs I read regularly has a post today describing a just-under-4 little boy.
Rachel could have been talking about Little Brother! It was kind of spooky, but in a good way. It's so nice to know you're not alone.
Little Brother is 3 1/2. It's a good age, but he is heavy into that seesaw of "do it for myself" and "get Mommy to do it for me." Sometimes he wants to go potty alone. Other times he needs an audience--"I have to go potty. ME AND YOU, MOM!" He's not too great at eating with a fork but he can build a block tower, set up tiny little army guys, throw (and sometimes catch) a football, and self-pitch a wiffle ball and hit it across the neighbor's yard. He's becoming aware of people's moods and when he draws people on his Magna-Doodle he is sure to inform his audience that this person is happy, or mad. Usually they're happy. He still can't pronounce "vanilla" and "noodle" properly, but he can say "infiltrator."
Best of all, I'm really enjoying him at this wonderful, exasperating, challenging, funny, loving, cute, crazy stage of his life.

War Zone

My family room looks like a war zone right now.
Toys are all over the place--but the chaos is strangely organized.
Yesterday afternoon there were five children in my house, ranging from 3 to 13, ALL engaged TOGETHER in a strategic plan to turn the family room into a battlefield. There's a map drawn by Middle Sister who misspelled her friend's name (and it's only 4 letters long) but correctly inscribed "BLITZKRIEG" in a different spot. I suspect that Big Brother, who shares Big Daddy's keen interest in all things World War II, had something to do with that.
There are tiny little army guys, something that Little Brother insists are "shotguns" but are probably supposed to be cannons, miniature battleships, teeny warplanes and the odd helicopter.
Everyone was reasonably quiet, and no one was fighting.
The game was abandoned early, when the kids heard another neighbor family come outside to play after they finished dinner. Everyone immediately congregated in that yard (Big Brother in head-to-toe camouflage) to play the traditional game of "Infiltrators."
This game is fun for all ages. The Big Kids try to climb over the back fence into the neighbors' yard without being detected by the Little Kids (anyone under 6). When the Little Kids to spot them, they begin chasing the Big Kids around the yard, shrieking "Infiltrators!" The object of the game is to capture the Infiltrators and incarcerate them in the neighbors' Little Tykes Barbie Play House. They can play this game for hours. Ours is probably the only neighborhood with a child under two whose vocabulary includes the word "infiltrators."

How Can I Help It?

You speak eloquently and have seemingly read every
book ever published. You are a fountain of
endless (sometimes useless) knowledge, and
never fail to impress at a party.
What people love: You can answer almost any
question people ask, and have thus been
nicknamed Jeeves.
What people hate: You constantly correct their
grammar and insult their paperbacks.


What Kind of Elitist Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

What other result could I expect? I am a student of language and literature. My motto is: "You can never have too many books--or too many shoes!"
H/T to Julie at Happy Catholic for this quiz.

I've been reading quite a bit on this subject lately

Last weekend I started reading "I Don't Know How She Does It" by Allison Pearson, which is supposed to be a funny account of the life of a more-than-full-time-working-mom, but which I find quite depressing (just as I did "The Nanny Diaries.")

And then, today, The Anchoress had an interesting piece on the same topic.

I'm one who, when I revealed my plans to stay at home with my children to a friend who was rather surprised at my "planned and wanted" pregnancy with Big Brother, was accused of "wasting my education."

Yes, I have a Master's degree from a prestigious university. It qualifies me to teach English on a college level, and I'm certified to teach secondary grades as well. But nothing about my education DISqualifies me from hugging my kids, planning and cooking their meals, taking care of my home, volunteering in their school, reading stories to Little Brother, building block towers, doing piles of laundry, cleaning toilets, helping with homework, or doing any of the other miscellaneous tasks that make up my day--no, my vocation--as a wife and mother.

I guess Big Daddy is wasting his education too, as he is not employed as a meteorologist but instead as a computer programmer. I actually know very few people who are employed in the same field they planned to work in while they were still students. Over time, we grow and change. And nothing we learn is ever wasted, whether we use it for personal profit or not.

Heart Transplant, Anyone?

The Curt Jester has done a wonderful piece on the heart. It's definitely worth reading.

Via Happy Catholic.

Tagged by Jill

10 Years Ago
I was 30 years old, 6 months pregnant with Middle Sister and had just finished being a contestant on "Jeopardy!" (I lost, but the only thing I got wrong was Final Jeopardy).

5 Years Ago
I was 35 years old and teaching part-time Spanish, grade 5 at a middle school and grade 1 in an elementary school in a neighboring town. 2 classes a day, 5 days a week. The choir I had led for almost 10 years had been displaced by a change in the Mass schedule, and directed to merge with a senior citizens' choir in the same parish. That merger lasted a month. After that I went on a heartbreaking hiatus from music ministry for almost 2 years.

1 Year Ago
I was 39. Little Brother was 2. I was just beginning to get more involved in the Big Kids' school and volunteer during the day, with Little Brother in tow.

5 Songs I Know the Words To
You can't expect me to narrow it down to just 5! I have an amazing memory for lyrics. Having been a church musician since 1980 I know just about everything in the old original 3-volume set of "Glory and Praise."

5 Snacks
Grandma Utz's handcooked potato chips
Milky Way
coffee ice cream
cheese Danish
mixed nuts

5 Things I Would Do With $100,000,000
Buy & restore a big Victorian house (the more porches & turrets, the better)
Educate my childen & my nieces & nephews
Bail out my Big Kids' financially-strapped Catholic school and build the parish a nice gym/parish community center
Make sure my parents & inlaws were well provided for in their retirement years
Tell Big Daddy that he can stop working for pay and instead do what he loves, involving meteorology

5 Favorite TV Shows
The West Wing
The Apprentice
The Weather Channel
The Cosby Show reruns
Early Edition reruns

5 Places I Would Run Away To
the NJ shore
the mountains, especially in fall
That's all I need

5 Joys
My family
a beautiful sunset
a good laugh
singing
cooking

5 Things I Would Never Wear
-anything that exposes my belly
-piercings outside my ears
-high heels
-miniskirts (or mini-anything)
-shorts with writing on the butt

I don't know anyone who hasn't been tagged for this one!

The Politics Quiz

You are a Social Conservative (26% permissive) and an... Economic Moderate (43% permissive) You are best described as a: Republican Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid

Someone was watching out for me this morning

It's not like the Music Director hasn't given me ample notice that we were switching Mass settings today. I've known it for at least 3 weeks. And I HAVE all the music in my Big Church Binder for all the Mass settings that we've ever done in my 3 years singing at this parish.
So I lead the singing of the Entrance Hymn and turn the page to the Gloria. Luckily I don't play the introductions on my guitar--the Music Director does those solo, on the keyboard. There I am, on Auto-Cantor, as I am about to play the Heritage Gloria and I hear the Music Director launch into the Mass of Creation. Eeek!
OK, I'll just sing and not play. I'll look a bit foolish with my guitar hanging around my neck doing nothing, but I can roll with that. I'm singing and turning the page in my book at the same time. I'm into the second verse before I realize that the music in front of me is the St. Louis Jesuits Gloria, and that the Mass of Creation setting is in a completely different part of my book.
So I turn the pages AGAIN, hoping frantically that no one has noticed.
Amazingly, I never made a mistake in singing the acclamation that I was unable to locate in my binder until the song was 2/3 over.
I think that next Sunday I'll have my coffee BEFORE church.
St. Cecilia, I owe you one.

I'd love winter, if it weren't so COLD!

Your Element is Water

Your power colors: blue and aqua Your energy: deep Your season: winter Like the ocean, you evoke deep feelings and passion. You have an emotional, sensitive, and spiritual soul. A bit mysterious, you tend to be quiet when you are working out a problem. You need your alone time, so that you can think and dream.

What Element Are You?

Fall is my favorite season. But a lot of the rest of this was on the mark. I like my power colors!
Thanks for this quiz go to Happy Catholic!

My younger sister would say...

I'm a LOSER!
I know for a fact she would say this. She's never been shy about it.
Anyway, my whole family--except for me--has gone to the mountains in central Pennsylvania for a weekend at our Neighbor's Mountain House. Dads and Kids Only. No Moms Allowed.
And what am I doing here at home while everyone's away?
Scrubbing the entire kitchen floor with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and then finishing it off with an acrylic floor polish.
No lie.
My sister is right. But it's the only time I can do this without having Little Brother run across the newly-finished floor and STICK there because the acrylic is not yet dry!
I guess I'm even more of a Loser for being 40 years old and still worrying about what my sister thinks.

I don't want to know....

Little Brother is writhing around on the living room floor, sporting a brand-new buzz cut and a growly voice:
"Where's my arm? I can't see my arm!"
It looks to me like they're both attached, so I'm not too alarmed. Besides, I probably don't want to know what prompted this one.

I don't do bugs

It is Big Daddy's responsibility to deal with any insect life that enters our home uninvited. Generally this means that if I see a spider around, I'll wait until Big Daddy gets home and make him take care of it. Yes, in this house, gender roles are pretty much traditional.
Big Daddy had already left for work this morning when Big Brother felt something inside his school shoe.
"Something's crawling around in my shoe, Mom!"
"You probably have a rock in there. Just shake it out."
"There's a CRICKET in my shoe!"
Guess who had to take the shoe outside and shake it until the traumatized cricket escaped to safety in the flower bed?
Big Brother has a lot to learn about his upcoming responsibilities. The kid's a Boy Scout, for Pete's sake. He earned his NATURE badge this summer.
My only consolation is that the kids didn't go running for our neighbor to encourage him to catch the wayward cricket and feed it to his lizard!

Lunchroom days are here again

Little Brother and I volunteer in the cafeteria at the Big Kids' school. I was just talking to Little Brother about what he wants to bring to school in his lunchbox today. His first answer was "Green beans!" Of course, he wants to wear his "school shirt" (Middle Sister's old gym t-shirt) to the lunchroom too. I'm looking forward to being there today. It's not the most glamorous volunteer work (wiping tables, cleaning up spills, emptying trash and stopping children from throwing things--I can do all that at HOME!) but it is a help to the school and I enjoy being around all the kids.
They enjoy being around Little Brother. Every child in the school knows his name. He has his choice of whom to sit with at the lunch tables. Eighth-grade boys--and girls--play little games with him. It's really nice to be around a group of children who treat Little Brother as if he IS their little brother.
That's the kind of thing that makes our school the nice little community that it has come to be.

And now for something completely different

Who would I be 500 years ago?

The Monk You scored 21% Cardinal, 58% Monk, 38% Lady, and 40% Knight!

You live a peaceful, quiet life. Very little danger comes you way and you live a long time. You are wise and modest, but also stagnant. You have little comfort, little food and have taken a vow of silence. But who needs chatter when just sitting in the cloister of your abbey with The Good Book makes you perfectly content.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 18% on Cardinal You scored higher than 79% on Monk You scored higher than 24% on Lady You scored higher than 27% on Knight

Link: The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test written by KnightlyKnave on Ok Cupid

Not surprising.

H/T to Happy Catholic for this quiz.

I'm saddened for this family

I just read over at A Mom and Her Blog that Susan Torres' little baby daughter passed away yesterday.
That family has gone through so much heartbreak over the past few months. I can't even imagine.
May perpetual light shine upon her.

Why I don't homeschool

I just don't think I could handle Big Brother's scientific curiosity on a regular basis.
In the past three days we have had the following scientific experiments:
1. Get a "punching balloon" (the big kind, with the elastic band that ties around one end) and attach the end to the garden hose. Turn on the hose and see how big the balloon gets before the water pressure causes it to explode.
2. Dip a turkey baster in bubble solution and try to make bubbles with it.
I'm happy to let his science teacher deal with his zeal for experimentation for part of the day! Plus, she keeps small animals in the classroom. Rumor has it that she's been lobbying for permission to bring in a snake.
Better her than me.

The Little Rascals never had to put up with this

My Big Kids sometimes enjoy repeating the "Little Rascals" routine of:
"Don't drink the milk."
"Why not?"
"It's spoiled."
They've never seen that episode but they've heard us refer to it and they think it's funnier than anything.
Tonight, though, they were short-circuited.
Middle Sister got it started: "Don't drink the milk."
Lactose-intolerant Little Brother replied, "I drink WATER!"

Things like this REALLY get to me.

Click on the title to read the full story. H/T to Der Tomissar for this one.
And people wonder why I refuse to do business with companies that openly fund Planned Parenthood? How can I not?

What Kind of Cross am I?

You are the Mexican Cross: This ceramic cross is
hand crafted and painted in Mexico. Its bright
colors make it appropriate for the kitchen or a
child's bedroom, reminding us of the joy of the
resurrection.


What Kind of Cross are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
This was kind of cool, and I do like this cross. I could use one like it in my kitchen!
H/T to Seekeroftheway for this quiz.

It occurs to me...

...that it is not inappropriate to ask, "What would Mary do?" when trying to deal with a problem I am having with my children.
I'm sure that would be a good start.
Now, if only I could remember to DO that, in the heat of the moment.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

It's been another fun-filled day, what with Middle Sister's eye-rolling, and rude answering, and finally outright snapping at me for no reason at the dinner table.
She was warned at the bus stop this morning that she'd be spending some quality time with her rude self alone in her room with NO RADIO (the ultimate punishment for She Who Has Four Radios). And she got what she wanted, after dinner and the post-dinner chores. I guess that's what she wanted, since she continued her rude behavior. She's old enough to know by now that with me, it's not a threat but a promise.

I thought about having her write the Fourth Commandment a few hundred times. (It's a good penmanship exercise too). I didn't, though, because Big Daddy said that he would go up and talk to her. So I am anxious to see what will come about as a result.

I don't want my children growing up to be rude, to me or to anyone else. I have the feeling she sees far too much of it on "TeenNICK" type shows, and is imitating what she sees. Maybe she sees too much of it in me, too, and I am trying to be better. But I want to foster more respect, and respectful behavior, in my children.

Suggestions are welcome.

Dress Rehearsals

Big Brother is my pragmatic child. Sometimes that is an absolutely delightful quality--strange as it may sound.
Last night we were discussing the need for him to get used to an earlier bedtime, now that school is about to begin. He will have to be ready to catch the bus at 7:10 AM.
He was negotiating for 5 later minutes of bedtime and wake-up time, and I finally just asked him, "How long do you really need to get ready?"
He thought about that. I reminded him that he can be ready much faster if his schoolbag is packed the night before and put by the front door, and if he knows where his belt is.
"Yeah, I can waste 5 minutes every day looking for that belt," he commented. And a missing belt is an Unforgivable Out-Of-Uniform Offense at his school.
He decided that tomorrow will be his day for a Dress Rehearsal. He will wake up, get dressed, and have breakfast--and time himself. He's planned to make sure he has some time to read at breakfast. I'll have him add 5 minutes onto the final time, "just in case." And we'll come up with a reasonable wake-up time for him based on this.
I'm pretty impressed at his approach. I'm willing to give this a try!

Operation Sleepover

More information will follow, but at the moment, here's the basics: the Minister of my Fraternity of Secular Franciscans has initiated Operation Sleepover as a way to involve the youth of our local parishes in the relief effort for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. There's contact information in the link above.

From the Comments

Steve commented, in my last post, that The Baton Rouge Area Foundation is accepting donations to help hurricane victims.
People are WALKING from the flood area to Baton Rouge--which is a 90-minute car ride away.
I was remembering, this morning, the time I visited Louisiana. I was a college student, and I participated in a Campus Ministry convention. I think it was held in January 1985, and Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA hosted. 8 students from northeastern-Pennsylvania colleges, including me, drove down in a borrowed van, on New Year's Eve (I still can't believe my parents let me do this!) One afternoon the whole convention was bused to New Orleans for a field trip to the French Quarter--quite the eye-opener for a bunch of Catholic Campus Ministry students!
On a road trip like that, you see how people are really living. You see the tiny homes by the sides of the road. I'm sure those homes aren't there anymore. There were so many people who already had so little. I have heard people say that "everyone should have gotten out" and while there may be room to criticize those who really had a choice to stay or go, there were SO many people who had nowhere to escape to, and no means to get there.
I read this morning that Nicholls State is sheltering more than 1000 evacuees on their campus.
Please pray for God's blessing on the evacuees, and on those who help them, and please help as you are able.

This Just In

I'm sure I'm not alone in mourning the devastation our Southern neighbors are facing right now.
Similarly, I'm sure I'm not alone in being appalled that some people are trying to take advantage of the situation. As if the looting wasn't bad enough, now there's this.
If you really want your hurricane-relief donation to do the most good, I'd suggest directing it to Catholic Charities.
H/T to Danielle Bean for the info and link to the donation site.

Here's something you can chew on for a while

I know this could keep me going for a long time. Rachel Balducci shares a thought from her priest at her blog.
"Most people don't want to please God. They want to please themselves without offending God."
I can't think of a better starting point for an examination of conscience.

Rest Time

We are on vacation this week at the New Jersey shore.

Vacation does strange things to me. For example, I hardly ever wear shoes on vacation. At home, my shoes are never OFF! Here, I only wear them when I'm outside the house.
I also consider the possibility of eating chocolate walnut fudge for breakfast (it goes great with coffee).
And then there's the same old, same old: cooking, laundry and cleaning up. Just like home, but with more sand.

The other day we went to Mass at a church that is obviously used to catering to tourists. Mass was practically every hour on the hour. It was over in 35 minutes and that included distribution of Communion to people on 2 levels (the church has converted and expanded the choir loft to practically double its seating capacity). It was quite disappointing. I felt like I was in the express lane of the supermarket instead of at church. Big Brother felt the absence of bells at the consecration. When Father elevated the Host and the chalice, Big Brother whispered to me, "ding ding ding." It was not to be disrespectful; he was missing something. I was missing music. They had a good keyboard player with "hymns by synthesizer" but NO acclamations were sung, and there were no hymnals, so no one could participate.

Yesterday I was reading a chapter in Swimming with Scapulars that talked about differences at Mass and how they can be a distraction. YES! That's exactly how I felt! It was distracting. I should be able to walk into any church, anywhere, and just go with the flow: let the familiar words and gestures and, yes, music of the liturgy to carry me along. I should not be noticing the absence of important things or the presence of bizarre "extras." Yes, each parish has its own personality, but don't mess with the stuff that shouldn't be messed with!

Now that all's right with the world...

...once again, you can all rest easy knowing that

Get your position here

The rest of you can line up behind me. I'll need all the help I can get.

YES, I'm old enough to hold the office, thank you very much.

H/T to Busy Mom (Better Living Through Coffee) for this! Love the tag line!

I Stand Corrected

Steve has very kindly let me know that I did not see a terrorist symbol but instead a stylized version of the South Carolina state flag.
And just for the record, I may be a Yankee with "odd notions" but I live too close to Ground Zero for comfort.
As a child, I used to go with my father to a park where we could look across the Hudson River and see the World Trade Center being built. It was to be the tallest building in the world and he wanted us to see it happen.
At the very tollbooth we drove through on Monday (exit 12 of the NJ Turnpike) we could see the Twin Towers as we waited to pay for the privilege of driving on that particular highway (but that's a rant for another day).
I'm a North Jersey native, and many of the villains of 9/11 roamed my hometown.
I am glad that it was a South Carolina sticker on that car, but I don't think I will ever really breathe easy again.

Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.

Yesterday my family and I drove north to visit the in-laws. On our way through the tollbooth I noticed a very odd sticker on the window of another car in a nearby tollbooth.
The graphic was in the colors & pattern of an American flag, but cut in the shape of a mushroom cloud, and at the very top of the cloud, on the left side (about 11:00 position) was a crescent-moon.
Unfortunately the presence of four too many 18-wheelers at the tollbooth and intersection made Big Daddy unable to pursue the car to get a better look at the sticker, the license plate, and the occupants.
What I want to know is, should I be scared? Was that a terrorist symbol, as I fear it was? It doesn't help me to sleep any easier knowing that this graphic is out there and there are people who believe in what I think it represents not 75 miles from where I live. Many of the 9/11 terrorists had been in and around my childhood hometown. 9/11 was almost 4 years ago. I want the bad guys to be flushed out of here!

On Marriage

My cousin-in-law has been busy writing and I was very glad to see his post on the SACRAMENT of Marriage. Great thoughts! H/T to you, Thomas!

Packing for Vacation

"Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, or a bag for your journey, for even two tunics, or sandals, or a staff..." (Matthew 10: 9-10)

I give up.
I'm trying to pack for our family vacation.
I cannot pack for vacation and live in the spirit of the Gospel all at the same time.
So much for Mom's ability to multitask.

Sports Hero Needed

Crybabies need not apply.

Big Brother thought about wearing his treasured Philadelphia Eagles jersey to a family party we'll be attending today. I pointed out to him that in light of the fact that the player whose number he'd be sporting (Terrel Owens) has been in disgrace in recent weeks due to greed, a bad attitude and a thirst for a media circus, he would be opening himself up to no end of comments on the subject from a party full of New York Giants fans.
I think he's going to change his clothes.
Until he grows out of this one, we will not be investing in another jersey for him....but I need to plan ahead. Good jerseys are hard to get. Good sports heroes are even harder.
It would be great if my teenage son had a Philadelphia Eagles player that he could really look up to, someone whose actions on--and especially off--the field distinguish him from the T.O's of the game.
Kids like to look up to athletes, and unfortunately the ones who make the news are almost never the ones kids should be looking up to.

Anyone know of a true sports HERO for my son?

Brings Back Memories

I found out about a new blog by a high-school religion teacher, and I'm quite impressed.
It brought back memories of my first year teaching. I'm certified to teach Spanish and English, but I was hired to teach Spanish and Theology! AAACK! My only Theology qualification is that I'm a practicing Catholic. NOT enough, but it was enough for a start, and enough to get me hired.
I had Freshman Spanish and Sophomore Theology: Catholic Morality.
What WERE they thinking? That is not where you dump the clueless but idealistic first-year teacher!
"Anonymous Teacher Person" seems to have it more together than I did at that point and I'm enjoying reading about what she's accomplishing with her students.
Hat tip to Amy Welborn for the link to this blog.

Hospitality

Some fellow Franciscans will be visiting today, for a council meeting for our fraternity.
Of course, I had to be a "White Tornado" (remember that commercial?) and zoom around the house this morning, preparing.
I'm starting to get better though.
The first thing I did was to make some chocolate earthquake cookies.
Next, I did a quick swipe of the bathrooms to make sure they were nice and clean.
I washed the dishes from the cookie-baking and the subsequent brownie-baking since we are also hosting a Boy Scout gathering tonight.
Last, I vacuumed the dining room--since Little Brother had enjoyed a breakfast of Frosted Mini Wheats, and there were little "shreds" everywhere, and swept the kitchen floor.
In a few minutes I'll put on a pot of coffee.
With the coffee and the chocolate cookies, I'm sure the councillors will be able to forgive the fact that you can write your name in the dust on my sideboard.
I'm not ashamed to bribe my guests with chocolate.

Here's the recipe, if you feel like baking.

CHOCOLATE EARTHQUAKE COOKIES
(Makes 4 dozen 3-inch cookies)

CREAM:
2 sticks butter or margarine, softened (I use one of each)
1 cup EACH brown sugar and white sugar

ADD:
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

ADD:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda

STIR IN:
2 cups chocolate chips and/or nuts, any combination

ROLL dough into balls (about ping-pong ball size) and COAT with confectioner's sugar.

BAKE on ungreased cookie sheet, 10 minutes at 375.

More, on that note

I've been seeing more on the same idea as I read around the blogs. Certainly, this is not a coincidence....
Check this out.

Catholic School Flashback

Before every class, we prayed:

Direct, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our actions by Thy holy inspiration, and carry them out by Thy gracious assistance, so that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended. Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Moms are no different from students. We also need the Lord's direction as we go through our day. Whether it's loading the kids into the car to go to the library, sorting socks, or scrubbing toilets, our work can and should begin with a look to the Lord.

Priceless

Half an hour ago, this was the view from my living-room window:
5 children (3 of them mine)
4 bike helmets
3 wagons
2 hockey sticks
2 wiffle-ball bats
2 or 3 other "weapons" of undetermined origin
A temperature of 90 degrees and a heat index of 102
Kids in summer. Enjoying themselves as only kids can. There's nothing like it.

Leave it to a kid...

While driving through town, Middle Sister and I noticed the unmistakable odor of skunk.
Middle Sister reminded me, "If you get sprayed by a skunk, you should take a bath in tomatoes."
Me: "Right."
Middle Sister: "Why do you use tomatoes?"
Me: "Because something in the tomatoes makes the smell of skunk go away."
Middle Sister: "But then you would smell like tomatoes!"
Me: "What would you rather smell like?"
Middle Sister: "SOAP!"

Some things you just have to see for yourself

H/T to Happy Catholic for the best laugh I've had all week.
The headline here is: FACE OF JESUS FOUND ON PIEROGI.
I have to wonder what Mrs. T thinks of this.
But those would probably go over really well at my husband's family's next Wigilia. We eat LOTS of pierogi at this traditional Polish Christmas Eve feast. Wouldn't this be a special addition to the table?

Don't Spit in the Pudding

My Big Kids are in the kitchen making "dirt." This involves instant chocolate pudding, Oreo cookie crumbs, a meat tenderizer, a wisk, plenty of pounding, and a good many very strange comments and questions--the kind that make me glad I'm in the other room:
"Mom, where's that rubber mallet?"
"Can I use that big hammer?"
"I'll hammer YOU!"
"Let's toss it back and forth."
"Ziplock bags are not meant to be meat-tenderized, filled, and thrown."
"Don't spit in the pudding!"
I'm refraining from giving helpful hints. For that matter, I don't even want to WATCH! But I might taste the "dirt" later, if I can be reassured that no one spit in the pudding.

Franciscan Work Ethic

Glory in the work you have to do! In the Rule of 1223, Francis discusses "the grace of working" and exhorts his followers to work "faithfully and with dedication."
And in the spirit of loving and enjoying life, I think Francis would have enjoyed the way Middle Sister carried out her assigned task of bringing the yellow recycling bins (the size of trash cans) to the curb.
Somehow she balanced the can on the bar of her bicycle, and slowly rode the bike out of the yard, down the driveway and out to the curb.
She could have walked the cans out in one-third the time, but this was much more fun.

Teen Humor

Sunday we had friends visiting, and we got some pizza for dinner. Between us there were 5 teenagers (their 4 girls, and Big Brother) plus our younger children.
We don't have too many friends with children older than ours. Most of our relatives & friends had children a little later than we did. This means that generally, they're quite tolerant and forgiving when it comes to toddler/preschool behavior.

Sometimes, though, it's nice to be around people who can enjoy with us the fact that the container of Garlic Powder in my kitchen has been relabeled "Vampire's Bane."

Upheavals

I don't handle upheavals well. Just ask Big Daddy (who has objected to my use of the Irish convention of referring to him here as "Himself."). Anyway, Big Daddy wanted to upgrade my Office Suite software earlier this summer but was positive, based on prior experience with my reactions to operating-system upgrades, that I would not take it well.
He was wrong that time but 99% of the time I do not handle change gracefully.
In the past few days I have heard talk that my Big Kids' parish school is slated to close after June '06. By then Big Brother will have graduated, but Middle Sister and Little Brother would be affected--as would our entire family. We make our school part of our life. We chose to attend that parish because there was a school there--a good school, with wonderful teachers and a very Catholic atmosphere.
When Middle Sister was in kindergarten, we went through another upheaval at a neighboring parish and school. It was painful--still is--and we are not looking forward to starting all over again, only four years later.
I don't know how many more times I can invest myself in a parish and school when Catholic education is so low on the priority list of The Powers That Be.
When the school closes, once again I will feel homeless.
I think the AA Serenity Prayer may be the most appropriate one I can say just now:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Everybody loses

Earlier this summer, three little children lost their lives after playing hide-and-seek in a junk car in one of their backyards.
Their parents have set into motion a lawsuit against the police, for not searching properly for the boys.
Yesterday the police report revealed that the search techniques the police used were not up to new standards, and also that the parents should have called the police earlier in the search. Nothing was ever said about the wisdom of keeping an unlocked junk car in your backyard.
Does it really matter now?
Would a lawsuit bring back the boys? Would it do anything to ensure that in future search and rescue cases, the police would do a better job? Would it bring any comfort to the grieving parents? Is casting the blame on the police productive or healthy for these parents?
Someone--or many someones--were negligent here, but many people turned out to help find those little boys. People, both police and volunteers, worked hard to help their neighbors in trouble. That's the silver lining here.
But with this lawsuit, everybody loses.

Meet Mr. Mom

The kids and I watched a new program, "Meet Mr. Mom," on NBC. I have to say it was better than I expected. I figured it would be the same old, same old....bumbling Dad on TV, screwing up in every way.
Not quite--though the one Dad would have been lost if he hadn't won the full day of maid service.
What struck my kids most was the fudge-pop count racked up by one four-year-old, who was never portrayed without an ice cream pop in his hand, and the other Dad's enjoyment of the pet llama.
Frankly, I thought some of the commercials were worse than the show. They were designed as comic relief, but both JC Penney AND State Farm Insurance used the "screw-up guy" in their ads. The Dad finding a houseful of kids with a working lawn sprinkler was funny enough to make Big Brother fall off the couch laughing, but I am so convinced that these ads (and often, TV shows) just don't give Dad enough credit.
The Dads on the show were graded on Parenting, Housekeeping, Nutrition and Time Management.
I think they should grade the Moms on the same scale and see how they did. I'm not sure most of us could do that much better! Hey, there are days I'd LOVE a full day of maid service!

Here, Fishy, Fishy!

Last night we were visiting with our Back Fence Neighbors. The 5 children we have between us were climbing over the fence, playing in both yards and having lots of fun.
Their 5-year-old daughter had just gotten a Barbie fishing pole for her birthday on Friday. Instead of a hook, there was a plastic fish, about 3 inches long, tied to the end of the line. (The fish could be removed and replaced with hook and bobber).
Big Brother was having lots of fun with this fishing pole. Obviously the pink fishing pole with the blue fish was no threat to his Boy-Scout-camp-honed masculinity. He stood atop a giant fort in the backyard, casting as far as he could.
Once it almost went into another neighbor's pool.
A few times it nearly caught in a nearby tree.
Then he tried to cast it over the roof.
He heard a thump, and suddenly the little blue plastic fish was nowhere to be seen.
Oooooops!
Luckily the two dads quickly realized that the pole itself was undamaged. Probably the Boy Scout hadn't knotted the fish to the end of the line well enough (it had come off once already).
While the dads were inspecting the fishing pole, Big Brother went off in search of the missing fish. The next thing I knew, he was on the roof of the house! We have a split-level, so the roofs on the various levels are easy to reach once you're on any one of them.
Himself told Big Brother that he had to get off the roof NOW. Then we were all hunting for the little blue fish. We checked the flower beds, the sandbox, the castle, and under the tree in front of the house. We looked under the cars, including the ones across the street--and attracted the attention of two neighbors who already think we're insane, because we send our children to Catholic School (but that's another story).
This morning Himself found the missing fish, in the little space under the windshield wipers of his car. There was still some line attached, so Big Brother's Boy Scout knotting skills are no longer suspect.

Which Model of the Church am I?

You scored as Mystical Communion Model. Your model of the church is Mystical Communion, which includes both People of God and Body of Christ. The church is essentially people in union with Christ and the Father through the Holy Spirit. Both lay people and clergy are drawn together in a family of faith. This model can exalt the church beyond what is appropriate, but can be supplemented with other models. >What is your model of the church? [Dulles] created with QuizFarm.com

Yes, this is pretty much on the mark for me.

The Power of Mom

Little Brother is in search of some toy that Neighbor Boy made for him with some Tinker Toys. Those toys used to belong to Neighbor Boy and he enjoys coming over here and constructing things under the guise of playing with Little Brother.
Anyway, Little Brother is pathetically wandering the house trying to find this irreplaceable construction.
"Mom, where's my (insert unintelligible name of toy here)?"
"I don't know."
"But you know where everything is!"
He's only 3, and has already figured out that when you can't find something, Mom's the one to ask.
He thinks I know everything.
The Big Kids know better (or think they do).
I'll enjoy it while it lasts. And I'll get up and help him in his pathetic wanderings until he finds the thing he's looking for.

Martha....

Today is the feast of St. Martha.
We all know her. Maybe we ARE Martha. I know I have plenty of Martha Moments, and it's not Martha Stewart I'm talking about.
Jesus gently reminded Martha that "Mary has chosen the better part" by worrying less about the dinner and the dishes and more about the happiness of the guests.
Yet Martha showed such faith and trust in Jesus after the death of her brother Lazarus; she professed her faith loud and clear, even in her grief.
My Martha Moments are the kind Martha had in the first story....worrying, anxious, even cranky.
May we all have more of the kind she had after her brother's death....putting her faith where it needed to be.

Which M*A*S*H character am I?

It's an honor, I think....despite the Grape Nehi thing.

DIY--or Don't!

DIY is not always a good thing.
Middle Sister's door and doorknob for her bedroom have been in bad shape for years....actually, since the spring of 2000! 2 years ago we were supposed to have her door replaced when we had a contractor in here doing other work. I bought the new knob, but the guys never did that job (never got paid for that job either). So yesterday I thought I'd change out the knob myself. Yes, the door was a mess but at least the knob would work. How hard could it be?
It took me a couple of HOURS to pry out the old knob which had been badly installed by the previous owner of this house. Then I had to use some wood filler in the giant screw holes. I waited 24 hours for the filler to cure. That was the easy part.
This afternoon I went back to try to install the new knob and discovered that the HOLE is 3/8 inch too small.
I took out the drill. MY drill. I got it as a wedding shower gift, at my request.
Well, the hole is big now.
Really big.
WAY too big for any doorknob.
OOOOOPS!
Middle Sister will get her new door AND knob, and we won't be able to put that off for too long.
I hope that when Himself gets home from camp and sees the hole, he can also see the humor in the situation!
(Or, I could take the door off the hinges now, and get her one of those "beaded curtains" for the door, and we could wait another 5 years to deal with it!)

An Old Favorite Book

I firmly believe that there are no coincidences.
It must be time to reread this book--as I had thought of it last week, when I ran into someone sharing the name of a main character, on Friday when I found other books by the same author in the back of my bookshelves (I stack my books 2 deep!) and as just this evening I ran into a mention of the book on The Anchoress' blog.
So what's the book?
In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden.
I'll be tearing apart my bookshelves in a few minutes to dig it out. It's GOT to be in there somewhere. I found 2 others of hers just the other day....how could I not still have this one?
Check it out. It will not disappoint.

Why ask why?

Middle Sister and I were listening to the soundtrack from Sister Act on our way home from my parents' house today. (Little Brother was busy with his Game Boy).
We were enjoying ourselves, singing along and quoting our favorite lines from the movie.
Then she wanted to know:
"Why didn't we ever go to visit Reno?"

The guy on the bike

My father is a bicycling enthusiast. He took up the sport 30 years ago after his doctor ordered him to get some exercise. It has kept him thin and young, and despite the installation of a heart pacemaker 22 years ago and its replacement last summer, as well as cancer treatment this past year, he hasn't slowed down much.
Earlier this summer his dream came true: with some friends, he took a cycling trip through Ireland. He has wanted to do that since his first trip there in 1980 when he was forced to see Ireland through the windshield of a rented van rather than from the seat of a bike.
Naturally he has been following the career of Lance Armstrong, also a cancer survivor. He is thrilled when Little Brother sees pictures of Lance in the newspaper and says, "There's Grandpa!"
Lance may have retired after yesterday's decisive victory in the Tour de France, but Grandpa will keep on rolling. He wore his own yellow jersey for his ride yesterday morning, and I'm proud and impressed at his commitment to the sport and his ability to ride 100 miles or more in a typical week.
Great job, Dad! And thanks, Lance, for inspiring even those cyclists who have been at it since you were on training wheels.

Hats off to My One & Only!

Himself has just completed a grueling 2-year graduate MBA program at Villanova University; this while holding down a full-time job, being a husband to me and Daddy to 3 kids, and putting Everything Else in Life on the back burner.
The "final final" has been taken--just last night. All assignments have been turned in. The student parking pass has expired.
Now he is preparing to depart tomorrow morning for a mosquito-filled, non-air-conditioned week at Camp Powhatan Boy Scout Camp with Big Brother and the rest of the Scout troop.
Many dads wouldn't think of spending a week in the woods with a bunch of adolescent boys and no internet connection. Big Brother is lucky that he has a dad who's going to do just that.
I'm really proud of Himself and what he has worked hard to do. It has been a big sacrifice for him. He has missed out on a lot of the fun (and a good bit of the not-so-fun). The kids have missed him and so have I. I think it has taken its toll on his health as well.
I am looking forward to his return from Boy Scout Camp next weekend. It will be wonderful to have him home for dinner every night, with no homework to think about. I'll be encouraging him to eat better, exercise more, and find something spiritual to do just for him--just as he supports my life as a Secular Franciscan. He will get to read Curious George with Little Brother, Winnie-the-Pooh with Middle Sister, and talk about Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings with Big Brother.
In other words, he'll get to be Daddy again. So, to My One & Only, welcome back--and we're proud of you!

It's a scary world out there

This morning I was on my way to get my driver's license renewed. In New Jersey, the only thing more difficult to do than get one of the new, special, tamper-proof licenses is to find cheap housing. I had to bring my original birth certificate, marriage certificate proving, I guess, that I WILLINGLY took on this wacky unspellable Polish/Lithuanian name, recent bank statement with my name on it, Social Security card, a form, a check for $24, and the fervent hope that I was having a Good Hair Day (for the record, I wasn't).
As I reflected upon the fact that any terrorist can get a New Jersey driver's license with far less documentation than I had to produce today, I turned on the all-news radio station.
More bombs in more London buses and subways.
Luckily for everyone, the kind of carnage that took place 2 weeks ago didn't happen this morning.
I can't even begin to think what to pray for here....peace....an end to terrorism....healing for those injured/bereft by any terrorist attacks.....and a world in which we don't have to live in fear of getting on a bus.

Harry Potter Alter Ego

You scored as . Ron Weasley 85% Remus Lupin 85% Severus Snape 75% Hermione Granger 70% Ginny Weasley 70% Harry Potter 65% Albus Dumbledore 60% Sirius Black 55% Draco Malfoy 45% Lord Voldemort 10% Your Harry Potter Alter Ego Is...? I'm not fond of the character's name, but Ron Weasly, IIRC from the first few books that I did read, was a pretty good guy. I'll take it! created with QuizFarm.com

The Nightstand Meme

I've been memed by Steve
I don't really have a nightstand per se....I used to, but then I discovered that a bookshelf would be SO much more useful! So I moved the nighstand into a far corner. On top of it:
one lamp (broken)
statue of the Infant of Prague, which used to belong to my grandmother and which Middle Sister has requested to take with her to her own home
San Damiano cross
framed embroidered picture of St. Francis of Assisi

On the top shelf of the bookshelf, which is functioning as a nightstand (the rest of the bookshelf is, of course, full of books):
phone
clock radio (alarm is set for 5 AM on days when Himself goes to work)
small wicker basket containing Christian Prayer, thermometer, and a booklet with a reading a day for Lent 2005
remote controls for: TV, VCR and ceiling fan/light
2 novels I haven't started reading yet, and
1 stuffed bulldog that Middle Sister won for me at our church carnival, since she felt sorry for me that I had injured my hand that day.

It seems that so many bloggers have already done this one....I'll toss it over to Jill and Lofted Nest.

Harry's not as compelling as I expected

I am amazed. I thought Big Brother would do nothing else but read this book. He waited for it so long, and by Saturday afternoon he was stalking the mailman, who delivered it 5 minutes before Big Brother had to be at church to be altar server for a wedding. Then we had a party to attend. I expected him to stay up all night Saturday night. But he did not! He was in bed early (for him).

Yesterday he read little if any of the book.

This is highly abnormal. This child would read his way through the day and night if we'd let him--including mealtimes. (There is an ironclad "no reading at dinner" rule at our house, though we're more relaxed about breakfast and lunch).

However, I did read that this book is very "dark" and that someone who had appeared to be a Good Guy really turns out to be bad, in this book.

Maybe he's had enough of that with Star Wars this summer.

Breakfast of Champions

Little Brother came downstairs this morning announcing, "I want ice cream! With butter!"
I talked him into having a yogurt instead.

Later he asked for juice, and Big Brother chose to hand him the more expedient option of Sprite. Then I heard, "Look out! You're gonna spill!"
"Where?"

Whatever happened to pancakes and syrup, with a big glass of milk? (Or in lactose-intolerant Little Brother's case, a sippy cup of water).

Now if there were any COFFEE ice cream in the house, I might reconsider this whole thing.

I never thought I was the type....

	Your travel type: Jet Set A visit to a museum or an art gallery in the morning, an afternoon of shopping, dining out in a good restaurant and some drinks and a little party to end the day, the Jet Set traveller likes a full day. Although he is quite active he is not the type to do any outdoor sports. When he has to walk a few blocks, he takes a cab. The Jet Set traveler is not much of a nature lover. "You mean the green stuff my parents have in their backyard?"
	top destinations: Paris New York Tokyo	stay away from: Kashmir Ciudad Perdida Darien Gap

get your own travel profile

....maybe it's just because I've never had the money!
Except for the aversion to walking anywhere, this quiz was pretty much right on. Eat, shop, sightsee, get a good coffee, get a good ice cream....I'm easy to please. Especially if I get to sleep in my own bed at the end of the day.
Hat tip to Happy Catholic for this quiz.

Room-Cleaning Ritual

Where else could I find 5 mittens (2 complete pairs and one oddball) and one "ear wrap" in the heat of July? Oh, and did I mention that the owner of one of those pairs hasn't fit into them for at least 2 winters now?
Where else would I see assorted Magnetix pieces buried among clean tissues still in the box?
Where else might I discover an entire desk-drawerful of crayons in conditions varying from new to broken and naked?
Other odditites:
4 "Box Tops for Education"
3 earring backs (no fronts)
a tiny lip gloss container
3 mismatched Bratz feet
1 plastic stegosaurus
2 Game Boy cartridges
2 spoons (essential utensils for the "Put a spoon under your pillow and there will be a Snow Day tomorrow" tradition practiced by children on the school bus)
4 pairs of school scissors

Yes, all of this--and more can be found on Room-Cleaning Day in Middle Sister's Room!!

To be fair, I cleaned out my own top desk drawer and found no less than 6 wheels from Hess trucks. I know how those got there. They were confiscated from Little Brother's mouth when he was a toddler and had a propensity for teething on Hess trucks.

Yes, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I love her all the more for that.

Toddler Tutoring

From the "Let's Not Let Kids Be Kids" department:
Today's Wall Street Journal features an article on how tutoring centers such as Sylvan and Kumon are now offering tutoring services to children who still drink from sippy cups.
Silly me. I thought that kindergarten was the place for children to learn to write their name, say their ABCs, count to 10 and use scissors.
I certainly don't run for the opportunity to hand scissors to my three-year-old! I'd rather leave that to the experts, thanks. Preschoolers can do amazing things with scissors and, trust me, those things almost never involve paper.
It used to be that reading to your child, maybe coloring a bit, and (if you were a real overachieving parent) using Play-Dough with the child was all that was necessary to prepare your child for school. Oh, and let's not forget potty-training.
Now they're doing algebra in third grade. I am just thankful that I have a teenager in the house who could help Middle Sister with her math homework. It was certainly beyond me.
Maybe I'd better get over to the nearest Sylvan and take a quick calculus class before Little Brother goes to pre-kindergarten....

Rachel posted an interesting article on education and gender differences.

I have to say that through my own observations of my children, friends' children, and children I have taught, this study is right on. So why is it not "PC" to suggest that boys and girls think differently? Wouldn't children be better served if their different tendencies were acknowledged so that their natural strengths could be built upon? Yet there is the danger of demonizing one gender over another, especially when it's a way to get ahead with one's own agenda.

Last night we went to the swim club. Children under 13 who want to swim in The Big Pool have to pass a test and wear an ankle bracelet ("band") that, by color code, shows the lifeguards which sections of the pool the child may access (Slide Only, Low Dive, or High Dive). There's also a rule that a child with a band may not go in The Baby Pool.

Now, that last rule is rather loosely enforced. Generally it's not a problem. Most older kids know that The Baby Pool is largely populated by people in diapers and the "gross factor" deters them. And sometimes primary-grade kids go in there just to take a break and play with the toys. When things get too rough, the lifeguards kick out all the kids with bands.

There were a few Renegade Band-Wearers in The Baby Pool last night, and it got a little rough in there, and a toddler wound up crying. Instead of comforting her toddler, Angry Mama yelled at the lifeguard and every child over 4 in The Baby Pool while her little boy stood next to her in tears. Then she proceeded to tell another mom who immediately had ordered her kindergarten-age daughter over to The Big Pool that "The girls aren't the problem. They can stay in the pool. But the boys should get out."

Big Brother and his friend had just walked over to me to beg for snack money and heard this. Were they hot--and they were justified! "She's giving boys a bad name! It's not only the boys who are too rough in the pool." They're right. Girls can be just as bad. In this case, it was a boy who was the problem....but just wait 5 years until someone accuses Angry Mama's little boy of being too rough in The Baby Pool. Let's see how she likes it.

It wasn't my kid who was treated unjustly last night but my kid felt his pain. I hope he learns from it that you don't judge people just on their appearances or even their gender, and that you don't make blanket statements like that. Maybe just a little extra sensitivity all around would go a long way.

Feast of Saint Benedict

Happy Feast Day to our Pope, and also to another inspiring priest, Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR!

I think the prayer from today's Liturgy speaks volumes on the original St. Benedict as well as his two contemporary namesakes:

God our Father,
you made Saint Benedict and outstanding guide
to teach men how to live in your service.
Grant that by preferring your love to everything else,
we may walk in the way of your commandments.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.

Please indulge me in a little rant

Since January our front lawn has sported a sign advertising the Catholic grade school our Big Kids attend. It has a picture of the school, the phone number, and the slogan "Keep the Spirit Alive."
Those little metal racks that hold lawn signs are fairly flimsy and earlier this week I saw that our second rack was starting to break. Last night Big Brother mowed the front lawn, taking the sign down in order to do a neater job.
After dinner this evening our neighbors stopped by for a visit. As we all chased a wayward toddler around the corner of my house, I saw MY lawn sign in another neighbor's trash can!
Big Brother feels bad that he hadn't replaced the sign firmly enough.
But it's really not HIS fault.
The neighbors know whose sign it was. We're the only people on the block with one of these. It's been there for 6 months. Even if their landscaper was responsible, those guys park their truck in front of MY house every week, so I'm sure that even they must know whose sign it was.
These neighbors have spoken to us once in the 8 years we've been here, to complain just last winter that my kids threw a few snowballs that hit their house.
Thanks.
OK, now that I'm done with my rant, I guess I will need to do what I know to be the mature and Christian thing to do, and say a prayer for my neighbors. Sometimes it's a little hard to "love thy neighbor." But I guess that's when we need to do it the most.
By the way, I took the sign out of their trash. It's now in my family room window.

How American Am I?

You Are 85% American

You're as American as red meat and shooting ranges. Tough and independent, you think big. You love everything about the US, wrong or right. And anyone who criticizes your home better not do it in front of you!

How American Are You?

H/T to epiphany for this one.

My first meme!

I've been memed by epiphany for this Movie Buff Meme!

She may be sorry. I am SO movie-clueless it's pathetic!

Total Number of Films I Own on DVD/video

Not counting stuff I have taped during "HBO FREE PREVIEWS" 15 years ago, and INCLUDING stuff belonging to my children, about 160.

The Last Film I Bought

The Indiana Jones Trilogy as a Father's Day gift for Himself, at Big Brother's suggestion. He's a smart kid. He knows what his dad likes.

Five Films I Watch A Lot/Mean a Lot to Me

In no particular order:
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (with Gene Wilder). The dark humor, great music, and Oompa-Loompas as the voice of reason. There's so much that goes over the kids' heads. Do I want to see the remake? I'm not sure. But I promised Middle Sister that when she finishes reading the book I'll take her to see it.

The Wizard of Oz. This is the earliest movie I have a memory of. My grandmother had color TV and my parents didn't yet, so when I was 4 or so, and this movie was on TV, my grandmother took me overnight to her house so I could see the Emerald City in all its Technicolor glory. The Wicked Witch still scares me, even though I can tell how cheesy the special effects are. And what kid--or even adult--having a bad day, hasn't wanted to be Dorothy?

The Blues Brothers. How many cars did they wreck to make this movie? It's got a great soundtrack and I can quote half the dialogue. Best lines:
"Don't you blaspheme in HERE!"
"We're on a mission from God."
"We've got BOTH kinds--country AND western!"
"Illinois Nazis! I hate Illinois Nazis!"

Sister Act. I watch it for the "Girl Group" music and their take on "Salve Regina." The soundtrack is my favorite "get off your butt and clean the house" music.

The Birdcage. Himself hates this movie, so when he's not home I watch it and laugh myself silly. This is just a funny, funny movie. My favorite character is Hagador.

I just realized, all but one are musicals!


Pass it on:
Kelly
Danielle (make that Netflix membership come in handy!)
Jill

Cardboard boxes always make the best toys

Little Brother has become fascinated with a "Crayola Kids' Theater" video production of "The Trojan Horse." It's pretty cheesy but ultimately stays fairly true to the epic story.
His dollar-store sword has been pressed into service a lot lately as he reinacts the battles. Then he needed a shield.
A round one. No other shape would do.
I found a big cardboard box that some potato chips had come in (thanks to our neighbor, who passed them along). Using a lid from a large Tupperware container, I traced a big circle and cut it out with the kitchen shears. They work on chicken bones AND corrugated cardboard--who knew?
I figured out how to make a handle for the inside and attached it.
Middle Sister contributed to the project by sketching some designs on the outside of the shield. (The inside has the logo, QUALITY SNACKS.)
Big Brother can't figure out why Middle Sister included a peace sign in the shield design. I think it's because she is a Franciscan at heart.
And is it very Franciscan of me to make shields for my son, and encourage him in his swordplay?
Just remember, Francis started out as an aspiring knight.

Independence Day

I just read yesterday's homily at Fr. JC Maximilian's blog.

Relating to our nation's celebration today:
This weekend as we enjoy the blessings of our family and friends, and we celebrate loudly the freedom that we enjoy in this great country of ours, let us also become more filled with the joy of the gift of our Salvation. The freedoms we celebrate in our country, as tremendous as they are, only pale in comparison to the freedom from sin and death that Jesus won for us on the Cross. Jesus has won for us an everlasting freedom; He has given us eternal life. So come on, give me a “PRAISE THE LORD!”

Amen to that! Happy Birthday, America! And PRAISE THE LORD!

Please keep a fellow blogger in your prayers

Carol at An American Housewife has suffered the loss of her husband earlier this week. Please do keep her and her family in prayer during this time. Also, condolence notes may be left at her blog, so that she will know the strength of our prayers.
Thank you to epiphany and to Julie for the heads-up.

You're My Buddy

Little Brother has this way of disarming me just when he is at his most exasperating and I am at my most impatient.
Yesterday as soon as I turned off the water from my shower, he asked,
"Mom, are you done?"
Yes.
"Are you done?"
Yes. I'll be out as soon as I get dressed.
"Are you done in the shower?"
Yes. I'm getting dresssed.
This went on until I was dressed and opened the bathroom door.
"Mom, YOU'RE MY BUDDY." This was accompanied by the World's Biggest Hug.
Who said cuteness isn't a survival skill?