Each year we practice convoluted and time consuming Advent activities.   Each evening of Advent, after dinner, we light our Advent candles, while the kids listen to Dad read the readings that, from the beginning of Advent until Christmas, trace the history of salvation leading … [Read more...]

My long time friend, fondly known in our parts as "the other Bonnie" has done a remarkable thing! She's recently written a fabulous children's activity book on the North American Martyrs, North American Martyrs Kids Saint Book.  Darling that she is, she sent me a copy and, not … [Read more...]

I've been considering why, of late, I don't write nearly so much about the things I feel passionate about. Attachment relationships, babies, breastfeeding, closeness. Family life. Perhaps it's because I'm now in a different stage of life. But I don't think so. Every … [Read more...]

It was my delight to be asked to make a review of a beautiful little children's book and share it with you all. It arrived in the mail yesterday. My Little Book of Patrons: Discovering How the Saints Help Us in Our Everyday Lives by Katie Baklinski If you aren't … [Read more...]

I gave a talk at one of our local parishes this evening. I wanted to share some thoughts from that talk and some resources. The resources are listed at the end of this general commentary. Why does joy matter? We are drawn to beauty. Beauty is part of his creative flow, … [Read more...]

In an effort to get through this list of things that kill joy and what to do about it at the beginning of a new school year BEFORE the year nears its end...I will address the last three bullets points with a swift hand. The three remaining bullet points, originally addressed … [Read more...]

You're probably already a week or more into your school year. However, all that aside, I will continue to post on our "gearing up for the school year" get together, first post HERE. Next item on the list of things which can potentially kill joy is SQUEEZING CHILDREN INTO ILL … [Read more...]

As you know, or perhaps don't know, I have been unboxing a lovely mom's get together from last week, "gearing up for the school year." The first post revealed the murderers of joy and set out, one by one, to find ways to combat said murder of joy. The second post is a … [Read more...]

Bullet point #3. Forgetting. Forgetting is real. I forget approximately every day. Not only do I forget why I'm homeschooling, I forget (fairly regularly) why I brought children into the world. Fortunately, most of the time, the forgetting is short, I remember why and … [Read more...]

Well. We don't. I think our best bet is to not try to quantify such things. Try to be in relationship with the other. The spouse, the children, the in-laws. All the people. It's a lot like holiness. Or personal achievement. Or wisdom or education. We aren't done. … [Read more...]