A little taste...

Blogging on Location

We made it back from Grandma #1 alive. It's a miracle that I survived going without Internet access for a ten whole days. And just look in the comments below to see the sorry state some of my readers are in. Gasp. Cough. We're barely breathing here...

and then - BAM! Code blue. I only have two days at home until we leave to visit Grandma #2, and I come home to a BROKEN computer. And does my tech-savvy husband rush in to be a knight-in-shining-armor-on-a-white-horse. Noooo. He waits a day to see if the "kinks" work themselves out. When it becomes clear that the "kinks" are not going to self-heal, he finally carries the mess off to Best Buy, where I suppose there are real knights in shining armor, because the poor ol' computer - which had been taking a lot of abuse from me - pulled itself together and went back to work. But not before it was time to hit the road again. Cue Willie Nelson.

So I'm sending out a little relief package post here for my good readers on the road. Hang on a little longer, gang. Precious pictures, cute stories, and deep insight from yours truly are on the way. We'll be back on Monday. God willing.

Oops

Forgot to inform my loyal readers about our impromptu trip to Ohio. I promise to make it up with lots and lots of fab photos.

And the potty training is going great. We are a little over a week into it and close to accident-free. Some of the excitement has worn off so there hasn't been any serious hyperventilating on the toilet for a few days. This makes actual use of the potty much more productive, though less amusing. I must say an 11 hour car ride a few days into potty training wasn't my best idea, but we survived.

Blogging will probably continue to be sporadic at best for the next two weeks since we are off to New Jersey as soon as we return for Ohio.

Potty Power!

We are on Day Two of potty training. Paul seems to have conquered the whole I-need-to-go-so-I-have-to-run-to-the-potty-right-now thing. Also, he has already forsaken the little potty chair for the big toilet. Actually going to the bathroom is another story. Being a boy, he is a little directionally challenged and can't quite get everything inside the toilet. And the whole experience seems a bit earthshaking for him. He generally hyperventilating when he finally does go on the toilet. It's like he is a laughing/crying/screaming all at the same time.

I'm generally trying not to pee my pants laughing during the whole episode -- because there is already enough pee on the floor.

The Weekly Headliner

Congratulations to this week's winning caption author, Godmamma Maria!

Don't feed the animals.

This week's photo is an oldie, but a goodie. One of my all-time favorite pictures of Lucy that is truly deserving of one heck of a caption.

Give me a caption!

This could be my backyard.

We have been considering buying a house recently. An older house with very, very tiny bedrooms with even tinier closets. A house with no bathroom on the main floor. A house with a very scary "laundry room" in the basement. But...a house just two blocks from our parish. A house with lots and lots of windows and sunshine and light. A house with a GIGANTIC backyard. Need I say more.

Still, even the backyard hasn't lured me in quite yet. With a real estate market more scary than that basement laundry room, I'm feeling a bit hesitant to make a half-million dollar commitment to a house. Even one with such a nice backyard.

I think Lucy is sold, though.

Becoming a Mother

Sometime ago I came across this wonderfully helpful, practical, and truly inspired advice from a veteran mom of seven on being a mom (no, it is not my mom, but she could have wrote it, too!). Routines, housework, parenting... she covers it all beautifully.

I bookmarked it when I first discovered it and read it every few months to get re-inspired and try to implement another of her Tips for Making It Through the Day without Going Insane each time. While much of her advice is practical, the most important idea I take away each time is the attitude I should have each day. Here's a little taste.

AT THIS STAGE, NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT IN YOUR ROUTINE THAN TRAINING THE CHILDREN. The dishes in the sink are not important. The laundry isn't important. The vacuuming isn't important. Having the house spic and span by five o'clock is NOT important if the children are being pushed out of the way or ignored to get it done. I'd say 99% of our frustration with our children comes from the fact that we ourselves are selfish and do not want to set aside our own plans for the day to deal with foolishness. But we must obey God first. He says we are to train our children. The hardest part of the training is in these early years. If you train well right now, you will have an easier time of it as the days, weeks and months go by. This means being willing to drop whatever it is we are doing (phone call, chores, gardening -- anything) and deal with the trouble. This doesn't mean making the children stop bothering us. It means getting to the heart of the matter to show the child she is worshiping a false god (herself and her desires) and confessing to the child (when we are mad about leaving our own stuff) that we have the same problem of worshiping false gods.

The Weekly Headliner

Congratulations to Aunt Katy, author of this week's winning caption!

Getting everyone ready to get in the car: 1 hour.
Getting everyone in the car: 1/4 hour.
Driving to Old Market Square in traffic: 1/2 hour.
Getting everyone out of the car: 1/4 hour.
Walking around Old Market Square: 1/2 hour.S
etting up this picture: 1/4 hour.
Moment caught in time for all time: priceless.

But I have to give an Honorable Mention to Robin for her line:

Paul: "Hey Lucy, do you think mom would notice if I peed in this pool?" Classic.

Here's this week's challenge:

Give me a caption!

Beating a dead horse...

but I couldn't help but link over to Vox Nova's post today compiling a Canon of Catholic Literature. I promise no more literature posts for awhile, but they are compiling a good list over there. And anytime I feel kindly towards Vox Nova is really worth a post!

Show me the money!

My blog is worth $6,774.48.
How much is your blog worth?

Do you think I could include this on my mortgage application as "other assests"?

Catholic Fiction

I have tremendously enjoyed the discussion we've been having on magic and myth, literature and truth. For an interesting related topic, there is a fascinating post at InsideCatholic on the state of popular Catholic fiction.

(My brain cells haven't quite plumped up enough to attempt sharing a serious opinion of my own today on the subject. You'll have to be content with the better informed, more thoughtful comments of actual Catholic authors of at Inside Catholic.)