By: Nicole Lataif Happy Tuesday, everyone! ☺ A special THANK YOU to Haley for featuring me as a guest! My name is Nicole Lataif and I’m the author of the children’s picture book, “I Forgive You: Love We Can Hear, Ask For and Give,” published by Pauline Books & Media. Below are three Catholic children’s books that I think are divine (pardon the pun-I couldn’t resist!) … [Read more...]
Harry Potter, Dumbledore’s Mercy, and the Triumph of the Holy Cross
It's the Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross. What does that have to do with Harry Potter? I don’t try to hide the fact that I’m a Harry Potter fangirl. I’m often reflecting on the plot and themes, whether kids should read the series, and how Molly Weasley is fantastic. (SPOILER ALERT: Do not continue if you haven’t completed the series.) One of the most memorable scenes in the … [Read more...]
Instagram Envy, Being Authentic on the Internet, and When It’s Time to Break Up with a Blog
“I used to follow so-and-so but her instagrams made her life look so beautiful that I had to stop. I kept feeling so jealous.” Have you heard that before? Have you felt that way before? Of all the social media platforms, Instagram seems to be the worst culprit for making us feel inadequate. Which is too bad, because I think it can build wonderful community. But I’ve had several friends swear it … [Read more...]
Why Do We Still Love Jane Austen?
It’s been 200 years since Jane Austen’s novels were published and yet, Jane mania is still in the air. If you don’t believe me, just look to the 12ft inflatable Mr. Darcy (eerily favoring Colin Firth) floating in London’s Hyde Park last summer. (Clearly, I’m not the only one who loves the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries.) Modern Janeites remain captivated, but do we know why Austen’s so … [Read more...]
What I Wish I Had When I Was 22-year-old New Mom and Mostly Ate Ice Cream
I had a mama friend pour her heart out to me over a Facebook message the other day. She told me about how much she wants to make meals for her family that are truly healthy and nourishing. But because she didn't grow up eating that way and doesn't know how to cook, it causes her serious stress and anxiety. "I feel like I'm starting from scratch," she said. She didn't know where to begin. … [Read more...]
10 Books That Have Stuck With Me
The other day a friend tagged me in a little Facebook literary challenge. You've probably seen it. You write down 10 books that have stuck with you and share then right away. They have to be right off the top of your head. You can't hem and haw and try to pull out the fancy classics you haven't thought of since college. And it was fun! So, I'm sharing my list. Although, I did change one thing … [Read more...]
27 Books for Your Mass Bag (And Tips for Dealing with Little Ones in Mass)
After I posted about how my kids didn't ruin Mass despite their best efforts, I often get emails wondering how we deal with having small children in Mass and what we do to get them to behave. Don't get me wrong. I'm not an expert and oftentimes our two youngest still give us a run for our money on Sunday mornings, but we have learned A LOT over the past five and a half years of parenting in the … [Read more...]
6 Favorite Homeschooling Resources for Little Ones
Image source: Books, by shutterhacks It looks like everyone is scrambling to put together their homeschool curriculum for the year. We take it pretty easy at our house because my oldest is in Kindergarten, so most of our day involves digging in the dirt, climbing trees, playing with LEGOs, and reading books. Not much structured school time yet. But we do have a few homeschooling resources that … [Read more...]
12 Things I Loved About the Edel Gathering
The requests are flying in for an Edel '14 recap! I feel like I've got 10 posts worth of Edel chat and need a month to process this beautiful whirlwind of a weekend, but here I am starting a post at nap time because Carrots readers shouldn't have to wait a month for me to process all the amazingness that was Edel. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, fear not. Edel is a gathering designed … [Read more...]
Cather for Catholics: 5 Novel Recommendations
By Heather Wood You may know Heather as the creator of Mama's Notebooks, but she's also a fellow bookish Catholic mama. I'm so excited that she's sharing about an author I'm almost entirely unfamiliar with! Now I'm inspired to add some Cather to my reading list.-Haley ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Along with Tolkien … [Read more...]
