The other day I was finishing up something that seemed very important at the time when the baby woke up from a nap and started fussing. Chopping up veggies for dinner or writing the last sentence of an email, I can’t even remember anymore. In the moment I thought, “I’ve got to do this right now.” Hildie wasn’t all out crying. She was just starting to make “not happy noises” as my kids call … [Read more...]
In Marriage It’s the Little Things That Matter
This week my husband Daniel and I celebrated 12 years of marriage. I know we’re not coming up on our golden anniversary or anything but 12 years, 10 moves (2 cross country), and almost 4 kids (she’s due late July), have taught us a few things. And one thing that I’ve been reflecting on lately is that it’s the little things that really matter. Last Friday I threw a surprise party for Daniel. His … [Read more...]
The Wear Your Wedding Dress 10th Anniversary Party of My Dreams
Y'all. We threw a party. A big party for our 10th wedding anniversary. And it was one of the sweetest days of my life. And yup, I wore my wedding dress. But that's not all, oh no that's not all... So did these lovely ladies. It was a BYOWD event. My friends Rachael, Jen, Rebecca, and Cate all humored me by wearing their dresses from years past, too. And if you've read Something Other … [Read more...]
Valentinesy Reading from Carrots
It's almost Valentine's Day. I'm not going to write a whole post about the whole 50 Shades of Grey thing because it's all been said, probably much better than I could say it. So I'll leave it at this: domestic abuse is not sexy. Glamorizing domestic violence is not ok. You know what is sexy? When your husband stays up late to help set up for the Daddy Daughter Dance in the Parish Hall, even … [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...]
The Vulnerable Victory of True Love: The Sacred Heart, ABC’s Once Upon a Time, C.S. Lewis and The Princess Bride
True confessions: every so often (AKA when I have a newborn) I binge watch a show on Netflix. I’ve watched plenty of embarrassing shows during 3am nursing sessions but I’ll only name one today: ABC’s Once Upon a Time fairy tale drama. Written by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis of LOST, it’s similar to everyone’s favorite stuck-on-an-island-with-polar-bears series in that it has an ensemble cast … [Read more...]
Who Are You to Deny Greatness?
By Daniel Stewart “Who are you not to be great?” the man asks, stepping from a wrecked car, the hood riddled with arrows. I’d never seen this commercial before and my interest was peaked. Greatness! Yes! How seldom do we speak of this today! So easily distracted by blinking lights and gadgets, we forget that greatness is within our reach! But who would pay the advertisement costs to remind us … [Read more...]
Nosepickers, St. Peter, and the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
Some thoughts from Daniel... After Haley’s “Kids in Mass” post was featured on Catholic Exchange, a few colorful commenters descended to share their opinions. Some were less than charitable. Maybe they mistakenly thought we let our children roam the aisles and regularly scream bloody murder through the homily. But most people were supportive. One positive comment that stood out to me was a … [Read more...]
Growing in Marriage: What I Learned from the Old Couple at Confession
Although I had mentioned to my husband wanting to go to Confession the night before, my day had been growing busier. I became distracted with this and that--laundry, paperwork, groceries-- and had almost forgotten my intent to go. As the hour drew near, my husband said, “Didn’t you want to go to Confession this afternoon? I’ll go, too, and we can take turns holding Baby Gwen.” "What would I do … [Read more...]
Family Pics: A First!
Since Benjamin was born in 2009, we haven't had any photographs taken of our whole family by a real photographer. Last week, my friend Lauren of Simply Inspired Mama took some photos for us and I'm completely in love with them and can't wait to share my favorites with you! For a split second, I thought about buying a new dress for our pics. Then I remembered that I hate shopping. I also wanted … [Read more...]
