My Rant on the Toy Recall

There was an article in my paper yesterday. Maybe it was also in yours. "Poor toy industry. These recalls are happening at the worst time."

I don't feel sorry for them. And I'd be even more outraged if this happened AFTER Christmas when children are loaded up with new toys and maybe have done damage to themselves by playing with these tainted items.

Worst time for the industry, maybe. But BEST time for parents, in my opinion. This way we have time to be cautious before we buy, instead of worrying about it later and having to take a treasured new toy away from a confused child.

The toy industry needs to look into its production and quality control procedures to make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen again. It's not enough to remove items from the shelves. Make sure the bad ones don't get there in the first place.

Right now, I don't have much faith in their ability to do that. I feel that safety is second to their bottom line, and that only when safety concerns affect their bottom line will they address those concerns.

Now Hear This

The following notice is hanging on the television in the family room right now. When my children come home from the various places they've spent Saturday afternoon, they will read (or have read to them, in Little Brother's case):

If you are old enough to carry food and drink out of the kitchen,

Then you are old enough to return your cans, bottles, cups, dishes, bowls, and trash to the kitchen when you are done.

See to it. The Great Oz has spoken.

Things You Think About When You're 15

"Mom, if you had access to a laser, wouldn't you want to cut things up from time to time?"

Things You Worry About When You're 5

Little Brother was looking through his pile of school papers that have come home this week. (At the end of the week we put it in a drawer in his room, and I secretly "weed out" some things.) One of the papers was from his religion book, and he noticed that the blank spaces, usually for "draw a picture" assignments, had not been filled up. He asked me what it was for, and I read the directions. "This is a place to put a picture of your family and tell why you love them."

It was really a place for a photograph but Little Brother decided he wanted to draw people in that space. But it was not a large space, and he still draws things large. So after he drew his brother and sister, he was out of room. He worried about this. "Mom, if I don't draw everybody, does it mean I don't love them?"

Caffeine-Free

Obviously, the more caffeine I consume, the more energy I have. TheDad came home early yesterday afternoon to find me dozing on the couch. I've been gradually decaffeinating, and Monday was the last day I had coffee with any caffeine in it (I was down below half-caff at that point--no cold turkey here). Even with my earnest attempt to make up the caffeine deficit through Halloween-candy consumption, I'm feeling the lack.

You Know a Kid Goes to Catholic School When...

his "sight vocabulary" includes the abbreviation "St." but to him it only has one meaning: "Saint."

Confession

I don't get to Confession very often. Partly that is because Saturday afternoons are the absolute worst time for me to go anywhere. That's with or without a Notre Dame football game, which has pretty much turned into a Near Occasion of Sin these days. I'm as die-hard a fan as they come without purchasing those blue-and-gold plaid pants, but it's really getting tough to watch a game without resorting to the kind of language that gets a movie a PG-13 rating.

So yesterday I walked away from the television and took myself to Confession. It was way past time to do that. But I left there feeling kind of "disappointed." My former confessor has moved away (a year ago) and this priest...well, Confession is not his strong suit, I guess. I had come to expect to be challenged a little, at the sacrament. Instead, I felt like I was just "assembly-lined" through. But I don't want to let my disappointment eat away at me. I am trying to remember that Father is a very good priest, and pastor, in many other ways. He can't be good at everything.

So, a confession about Confession: I was so busy focusing on "what I get out of it" that I missed what I really do get out of it: grace. I didn't meet St. John Vianney in the Reconciliation Room yesterday. But I did confess my sins; I made a good Act of Contrition; and I was absolved in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I realize now that instead of whipping through the small penance I was given, I should have taken the time to do a little work on my soul.

Next time I won't wait so long, and I won't let my expectations get in the way of the sacrament.

New Altar-Server Function

Middle Sister is getting ready for church. She can't find the "just-right" hair elastic to hold her ponytail. She's an altar server, and she likes to have her hair up when she's serving.

"Here's one," she said. "But it's really tight. And this kind really hurts when you fling them at people.....so if anyone misbehaves in church...."

Question of the Day

"How long would it take," wondered Little Brother, "to cook a can of root beer in the microwave?"

(I am so glad that my microwave is above the stove, and he'd have a really hard time reaching it without being detected.)

Great Links!

Lisa at Catholic Mom Moments tipped me to "Ten Simple Ways to Make Your Home Prayer Friendly." My home could stand to be more friendly, for sure.

With Advent coming along faster than I'm ready to think about it, O Night Divine is a wonderful resource. I found this one partway through Advent last year, and too late to do some of the activities. Maybe this year I'll get to make the super-cool Advent wreath. Complete with photo instructions, this is a lovely project. Middle Sister could probably do most of this on her own.

I ordered my new planner for 2008. I am SO impressed with these planners. I've been using them since June and this is the longest I've actually hung in there with the same planner, much less ordered one for the next year. The pages are super-heavy duty, so if you like to use gel-ink pens like I do, you won't have any ink leaking through. Plus the planner fits in my purse (even my small purse!) And a percentage of all profits through the end of the year go to Lily of the Valley Orphanages.

The other night we watched Evan Almighty. I was reluctant, having seen--and hated--Bruce Almighty. The good news is, this movie was much better, and way more family-friendly. I particularly liked the scene where "God" appeared to "Evan's wife" in a restaurant and helped her understand why her husband was doing what he was doing--sacrificing his ambitions and reputation in order to follow God and change the world. Ultimately, the movie had a positive message.

Gone to Confession lately? TwoEdgeTalk's podcast this week is on the topic of Confession.

Did You Ever Think...

you'd see me admitting that video games might be the way to go this Christmas?

Obviously, toys are out of the question. They contain lead, or little magnets, or the date-rape drug! (I had been thinking of picking up one or 2 of those kits, for certain cousins on my list. Not anymore!)

I can buy books for the children on my list--but not The Golden Compass series. I won't put money in that author's pocket.

Maybe it's time to go back to the "Little House on the Prairie" tradition of oranges and walnuts in the stockings.

I'm just thankful that I only have one child in the "toy-wanting" age group, though there are plenty of cousins that young as well.

Thanks to Milehimama for the links.

Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever--but Save Her an Apple Puff!

Middle Sister is home sick from school today, with the Virus The Pediatrician Has Seen All Day Long--though he said she appeared sickest of all the kids he'd seen today. She's got a fever, sore throat, cough, headache, and no appetite.

She's eaten almost nothing all day, though she's been drinking water and iced tea to stay hydrated. But a few minutes ago, when she came into the kitchen to dose up on acetaminophen, she saw the box of Apple Puffs on the table. These treats come 6 to a box--and there was only one left.

Grabbing her favorite purple Sharpie, she wrote all over the box: "Middle Sister's Puff. Do not eat, or else! DEAL!"

I'm sure some smart-aleck in the house will eat it anyway, but those things get stale fast. When she gets better, I'll be very happy to go to the supermarket for another box. (Even if they're no longer on sale.)

Meanwhile, this might be motivation to her to get better faster, before someone beats her to her apple treat.

Admiriation Does Not Equal Aspiration

Little Brother and I were in the car today, and he was telling me in great detail about the "safeties" who help out on the school playground and the bus. Apparently they have all kinds of bus privileges like picking the best seat and making sure the little kids get off at the right stops.

His tone was admiring, so I asked him if he was going to be a "safety" when he gets big.

"No! I'm going to be a football player."

Feast of All Souls of the Seraphic Order

Lisa, sfo reminds us that yesterday was the feast of All Souls of the Seraphic Order. She has posted the Litany to the Saints of the Seraphic Order, that we may pray it on behalf of the souls of our fellow Franciscans.

Let the members (who are) fellow city-dwellers, guests or hosts convene at the funeral of a deceased member, and together recite the Marian prayers instituted by Father Dominic, that is the Rosary, a third part for the heavenly solace of the deceased. Likewise let the priests during the divine service, (and) the laity, if they can, having received the Eucharist, pray piously (and) willingly for the sempiternal peace of (their) departed brother.

Brother Pio reminds us that the Rosary would also be an appropriate prayer in this instance, as St. Francis recommended in the earlier rule of Leo XIII and Nicholas IV.

I'm sure that being a day late in beginning these prayers will not matter...better late than never, especially where prayer is concerned!

Just Me and My Buddy

Sounds like the title of a "Little Critter" book, doesn't it? Well, that's fine. I've always been a sucker for Little Critter. He's so cute! And so real!

This morning I'll be going grocery shopping with my own Little Critter (Little Brother, that is.) His school is closed today, Middle Sister's at a friend's house and Big Brother is in school. That's amazing in itself, since his school closes at the drop of a hat.

I enjoy grocery shopping and I particularly like it when I get to do that job solo. I enjoy making my list, checking it twice, finding the right coupons to match with the sales and making sure everyone will have some favorite thing to enjoy when I get home.

But today when I told Little Brother that we had to do some grocery shopping, he was happy. "Can I get a donut?" he asked.

And that's when I realized that I really do miss his company in the store. Sometimes it's nice to have a Little Critter along, especially when he has chocolate-donut icing on his nose and chin, and he's singing the alphabet song all the way down the canned-goods aisle. Maybe our favorite cashier will be working--the one whose grandson shares his name with Little Brother. If she is, we'll definitely get into her line.

Maybe I'll get a donut for myself, too.

Geniuses Read This

My high-school vocabulary teacher would be proud of me. We were all required to take a once-a-week vocabulary enrichment course until January of senior year. Apparently, it paid off.

H/T Michelle at Rosetta Stone, who also has a genius-reading-level blog

Just an Observation or Two

1. It's not a good idea to decaffeinate yourself, even gradually, during the week that includes Halloween. I think I counteracted my "half-caff" with all the Whoppers, Snickers and Butterfingers I consumed today.

2. I'd better move that candy bowl. It's very dangerous to keep my bowl of Kids' Halloween Rejects near my desk. Very dangerous indeed. How dangerous, you ask? Well, I've emptied the trash basket under my desk twice today to hide the evidence.

Just a Reminder

Courtesy of faithmouse.

A wonderful reminder on All Souls' Day, don't you think? Take a moment today to pray for the Faithful Departed. God loves them this much, too. And as Father H. reminded us this morning, God wants all of us in Heaven with Him.

Celebrating the Faithful Departed

Tomorrow is the feast of All Souls.

"On this day is observed the commemoration of the faithful departed, in which our common and pious Mother the Church, immediately after having endeavored to celebrate by worthy praise all her children who already rejoice in heaven, strives to aid by her powerful intercession with Christ, her Lord and Spouse, all those who still groan in Purgatory, so that they may join as soon as possible the inhabitants of the heavenly city." — Roman Martyrology

I'll be in church tomorrow--but for a funeral. I'll be honoring one of our parish's Faithful Departed. Her name is Helen, and she passed away Sunday morning after a long illness.

I met Helen when Big Brother was 4 or 5, and I was working at the school's Bingo. She and I worked in the Bingo kitchen together, every 5th week. I'm sure she had well over 40 years on any of the parents in that kitchen, but she worked circles around all of us. If there was a break in the action of selling coffee, tea and hot dogs with sauerkraut, she'd get out some Brillo and start scrubbing the 9-burner industrial stove. That thing got a good cleaning once every 5 weeks thanks to Helen.

At the church carnival, Helen was a fixture in the Polish kitchen, dishing up pierogi, kielbasa, and other favorites. Again, she never stopped moving. She taught half the parish how to pinch pierogi.

Her hard work wasn't limited to kitchen duty, either. After Mass, Helen would tend to the flower arrangements and make sure that nothing in there was wilted or drooped. She was on the Monday-Morning Pew-Cleaning Crew, and she scrubbed those just as hard as she did that kitchen stove.

I enjoyed working at Bingo with Helen. While we scrubbed the stove and filled the coffee urn, she would tell me stories about raising her young family, about growing up in rural Pennsylvania, and about what the town was like 50 years ago. Every time we worked together, she would tell me about her annual trips to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa.

Helen is one of the Faithful Departed now. So it is very fitting that her funeral will be held on All Souls Day.

Tomorrow I will pray, for Helen and for all the Faithful Departed:
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Feast of All Saints

Everyone who knows that my children attend Catholic schools was surprised that they have school today. But their schools made sure they got to church. I went to church with my younger saints-in-training at the church attached to their school. It was so full of students and parishioners that my children didn't know I was there, but that was OK.

I enjoyed hearing a homily that was geared toward the children but not insulting to the grownups in the assembly. The deacon compared "being a saint" to "getting into the Hall of Fame." Sports analogies are useful tools when talking to kids, and this was no exception. He talked about how Hall-of-Famers aren't athletes who had ONE good season; they are the ones who were great through their whole careers. The same goes for the saints.

The children learned that the saints worked hard to live the Beatitudes--which they heard in today's Gospel. They were encouraged to do their best to live the Beatitudes in their own lives, so that they, too, can become saints.

After Communion, the third grade presented their own litany of patron saints. The children had done reports on their patron saints in preparation for this day. They brought along their illustrations for the reports, and as the names of the saints were read (and we responded "Pray for us") the children would hold up the saint's picture. Very sweet! I know how hard these children worked, since one of the third-graders is my godchild and she told me all about her saint report.

It was great to celebrate the Feast of All Saints in a standing-room-only church full of aspiring saints.