Happy Halloween!

Don't ask how I managed to get costumes made for all three kids while managing first trimester sickness.  The only thing that matters is that I did, somehow manage it.  And while it is a big lead up for an hour or so of fun, it is still fun.

On to costumes...

This year Ladybug was Little Red Riding Hood.  The cape was made by yours truly, fashioned after this one, without lining or expensive corduroy.  Hey, it's just a Halloween costume!

Sunflower was a caterpillar.  I altered Fritter's dinosaur costume from his first Halloween (hmmm...thought I had a post of that on here, but guess not).  She even quickly picked up how to say "Trick or Treat!" (in baby babble talk).

And my magnum opus this year is Fritter's robot costume.  This is not the greatest picture, but it's the best our camera (and the photographer, ahem me) could manage.  The inspiration for this costume can be found on my pinterest page if you are interested.  We added a light switch on the front...

...and a plug-in on the back.  He has been gazing at his costume with longing all week.

Trick-or-Treat!

Happy Birthday!

To my dear hubby.  You are the best husband a girl could have asked for.



"Just look at those three four little huckleberries.."

Good News

As some of you may have guessed from the (very) subtle hints in my last couple of posts, we are expecting again!  Yay!  We are just at 11 weeks, and I'm feeling horrible, a sure sign all is progressing well.  We also saw and heard our little ones heart beat at just over 6 weeks.  That is always a beautiful and emotional sound, but this time, so close to our loss, it was more so.  Seeing our tiny little one there, on the screen, but knowing that life is within me?  Words cannot compare.

So yes, we are very excited, and Fritter and Ladybug are already trying to come up with names.  Lightning?  Bugger?  Not sure we'll use any of their suggestions.  The funnest thing at this point are the questions.  Yesterday Fritter asked me why God puts babies in mommy's bellies.  I told him that because the baby starts out very tiny, he or she needs a safe place close to mom to grow.  To which Ladybug responded that because the food mommy eats goes into her belly, that's where the baby can get lots of food.

There is nothing sweeter than childhood innocence.  The amazing part is they really get it.  They really see this new baby, not as some intruder that has made mom sick for the past 5 weeks, but as OUR baby.  Precious.

My Question To You Is...

...how does she always seem to know what I need to hear at any particular season in my life?  A must read: 10 Survival Tactics For Rescuing a Bad Day

{pretty, happy, funny, real} The Apple Butter Edition

    Does it count if I mix up the order a little, and skip funny just because I don't have anything funny to tell right now?  Great.  Thanks.   {happy}  

 I mentioned awhile back I was planning on making apple butter with our lovely apples. Well, between me not feeling all that great and...well that's it, I just got around to it today. Thankfully the apples kept pretty well in the fridge.  I did all the prep work yesterday morning, because I knew if I waited until the afternoon I would never get to it.  Then right before bed, I plugged in the crockpot and turned it on low.  We awoke this morning to the lovely scent of apples.

{pretty}   

I have always thought small jars of jam all lined up (on someone else's counter of course, as I've never canned before today) were pretty.  That was before I made my own small jars of goodness.  They are b-e-a-utiful!

{real}   

This one is probably full enough for the seal to...seal, but I'm just assuming it's not.  As soon as this baby cools, it's going on some toast.  The real test will be to see how long it will last in a house that has been smelling apples all day.  :)

 

Go see all the other contented people over at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

Style, Sex, and Substance: 10 Catholic Women Consider the Things that Really Matter

I was so excited when I received my review copy of Style, Sex, and Substance.  I had heard great things about it and couldn't wait to begin reading.  I was not disappointed.  And really, how could I have been?  I'm a big fan of most of the contributing authors and read their blogs as soon as they are updated. 

 

I really looked forward to reading Jennifer Fulwiler's chapter.  Entitled "How I Fell Out of my Minivan and Found Myself" I could relate to her in so many ways.  Now, I haven't recently tried to climb out of my van's window, but I have been known to do many other equally embarrassing things.  The way she uses this instance to begin to weave together what being an authentic Catholic woman is all about, is brilliant. 

 

Reading Karen Edmisten's chapter titled "God and Godiva" is like speaking with a more spiritually mature woman of prayer during our day to day lives as wives and mothers.  Besides the gentle nudges towards actual prayer, and "showing up even if we can't be a great conversationalist with God," she includes this little tidbit under the heading "Feed Somebody":

 

My friend Kathy prays every times she cooks and bakes -- she asks God to bless the food and those who will eat it.  This is a much holier attitude than mine, which is generally, "Jesus told me to pick up my cross and follow him, so, fine, I'll cook dinner!"  Healing and food, feedings and love, the mundane and the sublime go hand in hand.  So if you can't seem to pray, make somebody some pancakes.

 

My sentiments exactly.

 

Elizabeth's Duffy's chapter on Sex, Passion, and Purity is a must read.  While I can't relate to the dating and engagement portion of the chapter anymore, the rest of the chapter (including things like "The Pleasure Principle") is filled with insight and good advice.

 

My favorite chapter by far was Danielle Bean's chapter on marriage titled "We Said Yes".  I have long been a fan of Danielle Bean and was introduced to her blog by a good friend years ago.  The best thing about her writing is that she is not one to make herself out to seem perfect.  In fact she starts her chapter out this way:

 

I can't write the marriage chapter.  I have no business writing the marriage chapter.  My husband and I are just coming off a twenty-four-hour stint of avoiding eye contact and communicating through the children because...well, I kind of forget why.

 

Anyone, after being married for longer than two weeks, realizes that marriage is not some fantasy land happy smiling thing all the time.  In fact there are times where it rarely is that way.  The trick to a fulfilling long lasting marriage is being able to get past the unpleasantness that is living in the same house with someone else all the time, and get into the astounding joy that is being in communion with another person, giving of yourself day after day just because you love them and that is what you are called to do.  It is this honesty, and the ability to see the bigger picture that makes it Danielle Bean's business to write a chapter on marriage.

 

Overall, I can honestly say Style, Sex, and Substance is one of those books that will be turned to again and again for encouragement and advice.

 

 I wrote this review of Style, Sex and Substance for the free Catholic Book review program, created by Aquinas and More Catholic Goods. Aquinas and More is the largest on-line Catholic bookstore. I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.