Happy Halloween

To Bill, who loves Halloween much more than I, and who loves details, and who loves homemade costumes, and who is not here to enjoy the fun.


This is my usual Halloween photo. Here are the kids. Aren't they cute?








But I knew my husband would love more pictures, more details. Here you go, hon.

Fritz was Zorro. Most of the kids we saw tonight had no clue who Zorro was. The grownups thought he was cool. And he is his father's child. "No, Mom, Zorro's cape has openings for his arms." Would not be happy with anything else.

His sabre. Love the extreme weather fencing gloves. By L. L. Bean. Never know when you'll have to fight in a snowstorm.

Yes, the hat is too big. It was my first hat. Hopefully it is my last hat. I hope to only supervise any future hat construction projects. Peter's hat (which I supervised, mostly) was much better, but then he changed his mind about being Zorro.

Billy was Obi Wan. Of course.

Shhh. He's concentrating.

A HUGE thank you to Charlotte for posting the directions to do a Jedi Robe (also useful for many many other costumes).

The other pictures were taken before dinner. This is what he looked like with his "beard and moustache." Thanks to my husband for the burnt cork suggestion.

Peter changed his mind repeatedly about what to be and finally settled on police officer.

Everybody thought he was adorable. He is.

Your well dressed policeman is sporting fashionable cowboy boots this season. Very "in."

And blue neckties. And orange flashlights. Fritz made the badge. Isn't that sweet of him to step up and help his brother? He also made him a cardboard gun, but Peter didn't want it. I told everybody he was a Britsh cop.

My girls decided to be a choir of angels. They also decided to do their own wings and halos. (Un)fortunately(?), Dad wasn't here to "fix" anything. Mom was more than happy to let them do it (less work for me).

Katie's halo. Also note the blue electrical tape used to hold the string to her wings on. Classy.

Katie's wings.

Jenny's halo. Katie helped Jenny with her costume. Isn't team work wonderful?

I stapled the 1/2" elastic to the cardboard. That was my part.

Jenny's wings.

Sweet Mary who likes to have her picture taken, but is not a natural poser.

I knew she would never tolerate wearing wings, so I stitched on some pretty gold scrap fabric that I had.

They forecast rain, but it mostly held off until after 7 pm. We had just enough time to fill the treat bags before it started coming down. And I didn't mind that the kids would be up late (between the sugar and the excitement) since the clocks move back tonight. Wonder what hour my early bird will get up tomorrow?

First Class Relics Available

Peter has changed his mind - again - about what to be for Halloween.

First, Batman.

Then, Zorro, then Count Dooku. His Count Dooku was pretty good.

Last night, he decided to be a police officer. Fritz has been hard at work trying to accommodate him, but I keep telling him to hold off. Once Peter gets dressed up, he's happy for a few hours. Then he changes his mind. Let's not get him dressed until it's time, right?

The only thing about which he has been consistent is what to be for the All Saint's Day Party tomorrow.

St. Peter, of course.

Naturally, no costume is necessary. He's fine, just the way he is.

The Plot Thickens

It doesn't matter who is in power, I have a deep-rooted distrust of the government. It's a good thing.

This doesn't mean that I don't think it's good for anything. I mean, my husband works for the federal government. Governments, big and small, have some usefulness.

But we need to keep an eye on them. Whose best interest do they really protect? Ultimately, their own. And the bigger they are, the worse the self-protectionism gets. So we just need to watch them.

So, let's look at the H1N1 virus and the vaccine that is in short supply. This article, and others, have been highlighting how there isn't enough vaccine available to meet demand and that those who are not in a high-risk group are getting it. Selfish people, huh?

So who is most at risk? According to this site:

• pregnant women
• those who come in regular contact with anyone under the age of 6 months (from family members to day care workers)
• those in health care
• those between the ages of 6 months and 24 years
• people between the ages of 24 and 64 who have certain medical conditions

Fair enough. I have no argument with that list. If you fall in one of those categories, go get the vaccine, if you can get it.

However, it is very interesting to note that according to that site, those groups make up approximately 159 million people.

I checked this database with 2000 census figures, and people 24 years and younger are about 81 million. So 78 million people are in one of the other categories. Seems a bit high, but I won't even argue that. Fine 159 million people should get the H1N1 vaccine.

But now I go back to the first article cited, (forgive me for reading a Fox News article. I realize it is opinion journalism, but I did find a second source for the number they used...or is the Wall Street Journal also opinion journalism?). And what started me on this whole rabbit chase was this line:

Because the U.S. has only received about 24 million of the 250 million vaccine doses it ordered...

OK. So, we ordered a little extra. 91 million extra. In the U.S., they say that those under 10 should have 2 doses. That's 39 million people (assuming every single person in that age group got the vaccine). We're down to 52 million extra doses. Over 30% extra.

Two things:

#1 And we want the government running a health care system? They won't waste money?

#2 It is not in the government's best interest to lose money on this deal. It is in the government's best interest to have every single H1N1 dose used up. And paid for (mainly with private insurance).

So, who do they expect will use up those 52 million surplus vaccines? Are they hoarding them with the intent to resell them at a higher price to another country? Do they intend to frighten the daylights out of everybody in order to create panic and high demand for the vaccine?

If anybody can enlighten me as to why we would order so many extra doses, please do so. For now, I think we just need to pay close attention to what happens if the rest of the order comes in and demand drops.

Today's to-dos

On my plate today:

• painting the hats we made for Zorro and Zorrito (Petey thought Fritz's Zorro costume was cool and wanted to be that, too. Update: he's changed his mind again, but the new one is no effort on my part!).
• repairing the white robes I made for Princess Leia two years ago so that they can be reused as angels robes (we shall have a whole choir of them).
• convincing all three boys that ordinary belts will work just fine for their costumes.
• hemming the Zorro masks so that the boys don't get frayed edges in their eyes while walking around tomorrow night.
• making a Zorro cloak for Fritz.
• checking angels wings and halos (made by the girls) to see if they need anything else.
• checking temperatures and administering motrin if necessary to sick children, and hoping they are fever free by the end of the day, or no fun tomorrow. Everybody seems to be getting better today.
• grocery store: we missed our usual Wednesday night shopping due to illness, and if I'm home instead of out on Saturday night, I will need candy to give out.
• figuring out how to get my husband's New Jersey absentee ballot to count. It arrived here early this week, but there was no way to get it to him (and back again) before the deadline. Surely there is some way for his vote to count. It's expected to be a tight election.
• laundry, cooking, cleaning...the usual.

It's Friday. Another week over. Soon, another month over. Every day that passes lifts my spirits.

My breakfast

She said she wanted grapes. I got out grapes.

She said she wanted strawberries. I sliced off green tops.

She said she wanted a banana. We peeled a banana.

And then...

...she rejected the grapes...

...she ignored the strawberries...

...and she ate half the banana.


They say you need five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. One down, four to go.

A breather

Me: I'm going out to lunch today, all by myself. I don't know where I'm going, but it will be a sit down restaurant with real flatware.

Bill: (laughing) I hope somebody hits on you.

Me: I have gray hair, honey. Nobody is going to hit on me.

Crazy man.

And so I went. I ended up at a Macaroni Grill where I have only eaten one other time - right before Bill left. The host put me in the exact same booth where we sat before. I sat on the same side and ignored the empty seat across from me.

It was nice. Nobody had to go to the bathroom. Nobody climbed under the table. Nobody spilled anything. Nobody talked too loudly. Nobody needed me to cut up their food. Nobody had to be convinced his meal was going to be yummy, even if it wasn't like Mom's. Nobody drew stares.

Nobody hit on me. The waiter, a young odd man I dubbed "Mr. Thumbs Up," did keep calling me "hon" but in a manner completely devoid of innuendo.

I finished the book I was reading. I sat with a napkin on my lap and gently dabbed my mouth with it when necessary. I ate dessert. I paid the bill, shocked by how cheap it was since it was lunch for one and not dinner for eight. I left a generous $3 tip.

I went Christmas shopping (nearly done now). No whining. No crying. No slow-moving children. No buckling. No distracting. No pleading. No bargaining. No bribing.

I went home. Happy. Renewed.

Book Review Bonanza Part VI

This is my second to last review of the bonanza. I think.

Last school year, at some point, I saw a blurb on Love2Learn Blog that Hillside Education was seeking students' renditions of The Creation of Adam to be used as the cover art for a new book. It just so happens that my homeschool curriculum (Mother of Divine Grace) encourages the occasional copying of works of art, and it just so happened that the art work Billy was studying included this piece by Michelangelo. Naturally, I had him copy it, and I sent it in.

His copy was not selected for the cover. But that's okay.

As a thank you for participating, Margot Davidson (who IS Hillside Education), sent Billy a copy of In His Image: Nurturing Creativity in the Heart of Your Home by Mary C. Gildersleeve.

This is a gem of a book. The first part of the book explains what she means by creativity, and why she feels it is important to foster it in your home.

The second part has some suggestions for various crafts (no photos or exact instructions as she wants students to fill in the gaps with their own imagination). Each chapter includes a different category of craft (for example: needlecrafts), and she thoughtfully lists the Dewey Decimal numbers you would need to find appropriate books at the library in those related categories.

And in the appendices, she includes an annotated bibliography and a list of online resources for shopping.

Perhaps the best part, aside from the library numbers, are the blank spaces she includes for you to fill in with your notes or other resources. The book is meant to be written in and referenced often. I found the online resource section particularly helpful as I was trying to plan my Christmas shopping.

Aside from a heavy bias in favor of knitting (an admirable craft, but I prefer sewing), this book is excellent. I recommend it to those who want to encourage creativity in themselves and their children but do not know where to start. It is also a good resource for someone, like me, who enjoys one particular craft but wishes to support her child's interests in different crafts and needs some help on how to do that.

If you do happen to get the book, all the artwork submitted for the cover contest is inside, including Billy's. As I mentioned, Billy received this book for free, and I was under no obligation to review it. I have received no other compensation for this review. The book is enough. Thank you, Margot.

How are you doing?

I get this question a lot. Usually accompanied by a sympathetic stare. I am surrounded by good women, many of them military wives as well. They know. I don't know why they bother to ask.

I'm reading a book right now (review to follow) written by an Army wife as she suffers through a deployment. It is brutally honest. Too honest. I keep wanting to tell her to shut up. We don't talk about these things.


This morning I had a very short email from my husband. He's written similar emails in the past.

I want you to know that I'm safe and what you read in the news doesn't involve me but it does involve those I know.

The other times he has written something like that, I picked through the major news networks. Nothing. Not a single thing.

Can you imagine your husband, son, best friend going off to war and dying and nobody hears about it? The news networks are too busy gossiping about a singer who collapses on stage or discussing which teams are going to the World Series. Important stuff that. As your world crumbles around you, nobody really cares.

Today, I did manage to find the news event to which he was referring. Helicopter crashes. My husband has been traveling and had told me he would be flying yesterday. I am grateful that he had access to a computer and could fire off that email. I would be in a panic right now. Even with his email, I am in a panic right now. That email was 4 hours old. There were two crashes - was he in the second one? Utter nonsense, of course, but this is how an Army wife's brain operates.

There is a term: anticipatory grief. Your loved one is alive, but you have all the symptoms associated with grieving his or her death. It's quite common in spouses of deployed soldiers, especially when tragedy strikes close to the soldier. It's emotionally difficult to live with that grief for a long period of time. And there is no closure, because there is no actual death. You just keep spinning in the misery until it concludes - one way or another.

It's time for me to shut up now. We aren't supposed to talk about such things.

And how am I doing? I'm fine. We're all fine. Only two more months. He'll be home soon.

Book Review Bonanza Part V

Catholic Parent Know-How: Peer Pressure by Woodeene Koenig-Bricker is an 8 page booklet published by Our Sunday Visitor. It focuses on helping parents understand effective ways to communicate with their teens and what parents can do to minimize the influence of negative peer pressure on their children.

As someone who reads books on raising children, I did not find much new material in here. But I realize that there are many, many parents who do not have the time or the inclination to do that sort of research. Considering its small size, I think the pamphlet packs in quite a bit of useful suggestions and information and would be very helpful to a generic group of Catholic parents.

It is a fairly inexpensive booklet - less than $2. I imagine the majority of sales would be to churches and schools which would then pass them out to parents or have them available in a literature rack in a hallway. I do recommend them for parents of teens and pre-teens (middle and high school students). This would be the sort of literature that could go home with CCD or parochial students at the beginning of the school year.

This review was written as part of The Catholic Company product reviewer program. Visit The Catholic Company to find out more about Catholic Parent Know-How: Peer Pressure. I received this booklet for free in exchange for an honest review on this blog.

"Action" Shot

Folks, you just won't see this everywhere. This here is a real live action shot of one of my homemade Army ACU Christmas stockings being used as decoration in Afghanistan.

No fooling. That there is a real Army issue cheap-o press board wardrobe in a real Army barracks somewhere that routinely gets mortared, but I'm not to worry about that because very rarely does anybody get hurt. Right.

(Sorry, today my husband did not give me a warm fuzzy happy safe feeling about his deployment.)

I have already sold one of these high-speed stockings and have a limited supply available for anyone with a loved one serving in the Army (sorry, other branches do not use this pattern and may take offense if you give them an Army uniform stocking).

The fabric is a rip-stop ACU pattern, just like the current Army uniform, and the loop for hanging is made from matching 550 (parachute) cord. White fluff at the top adds just the right Christmas spirit (current stock has white felt - same effect).

There are two pieces of gray Velcro on the stocking: one is large enough to hold the standard Army name tape, and the other is perfect for a unit patch. The patches shown here (not included) show "Reitemeyer" written in Dari (remember to read right to left) and the Afghani "Commando" unit patch. The Afghani Commandos are Afghani, not American, and yet "Commando" is written in English, not Dari. This is further proof that the stocking is in a real live action shot because other photos I have show official name tapes and official patches not the fun things soldiers pick up while on duty in foreign lands.

These stockings make the perfect gift for a deployed soldier. They are generously sized to fit the usual stocking stuffers. They also make a great office decoration for those soldiers on domestic duties who have offices or cubicles or lockers. I guarantee admiring and jealous comments from fellow soldiers. And if you like to give a bottle of wine/champagne as a Christmas/New Year's gift to your favorite soldier, I just tested a stocking with a bottle of Liebfraumilch and it makes a perfect gift cover.

The stockings are $20 each plus $5 S&H for up to two stockings. Email me if you are interested. I accept Paypal. I will try my best to get them mailed quickly.

All proceeds will directly benefit the family of a deployed soldier (that would be mine).

File 13

In the past I have had chicken parmigiana and, despite enjoying most Italian foods, do not care for it.

I had an eggplant. A friend told me how much she and her family LOVE eggplant parmigiana. I made eggplant parmigiana, knowing full well that my kids would not eat it.

To his credit, Fritz tried it.

Mary liked it. She's too young to know better.

I tried it.

It tastes much like chicken parmigiana.

I do not care for it.

Why does this surprise me so much?

No Fighting, No Biting!: Maine: The Postcards Don't Lie edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling

Katherine does a nice job with the Carnival of Homeschooling this week:

No Fighting, No Biting!: Maine: The Postcards Don't Lie edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling

Army ACU Stockings

It's that time of year again. People are googling "Army Stockings" and "ACU Stockings," and my blog comes up near the top of the search.

I actually have a stock of these (maybe 20) that I can ship out, and I do have some cut up and ready to be stitched...in my free time...

This is pretty much what they look like (patches, teddy bear and candy cane not included). I do hope to post some new pictures soon (I think the new ones are bigger), but wanted to get this post up for those women out there looking to send something to their deployed sweethearts (who else would be looking in October for Christmas stockings?).

Price: $20 each plus S&H. I have to see how many will fit in a box before I calculate postage. I will take Paypal from anyone or a personal check from someone I know.

Email me (link on the top right under my header) if you are interested.

Updated link with S&H cost and newer photo.

It's all fun and games...

...until somebody gets marker on their eyeball.

The boys were playing football before dinner last night, which meant showers were in order. When they came in to eat, I sent them off to wash their hands. And they did. They were clean from the wrist down, and had dried mud on their forearms.

But they went off to bed all washed and sweet smelling.

Twenty minutes later, Fritz was upstairs looking a little worried. His eye hurt, and small wonder since his eyeball had black ink on it. As I helped him wash out his eye (which did no good), he explained that he and Billy were having "marker wars."

Marker wars?

Yes, they were throwing uncapped magic markers at each other. Besides the marker-in-the-eyeball, both boys had neck and shoulders decorated as though a Piet Mondrian-inspired tattoo artist had gotten his hands on them.

Besides the minor physical discomfort at having a marker in his eye, the boys were concerned that the black mark would be permanent, and were relieved to learn it would not be. Of course, now there is no incentive no avoid such foolishness in the future.

Book Review Bonanza Part IV

Tired of book reviews yet? I still have a few more.

I've seen these two books by Dr. Meg Meeker reviewed and discussed in several places, none of which spring to mind right now. I finally decided to check them out.









Although I am linking to the Catholic Company's website, these books are secular in nature. She does discuss the importance of religion in raising children (children need answers, you, the parent need to provide them), but she doesn't say which one (she does say at one point that her parents are Catholic, but she does not herself claim a religion in this book). I would also like to point out that although she discusses in great depth the effect that peers and traditional schooling have on a child, she does not once ever mention the word homeschooling or suggest alternative methods of education. And her opinions, though conservative, are backed up with statistics and her personal experience as a pediatrician.

I say this for those readers of mine who are not Catholic or not homeschoolers or not conservative politically, because I want my next statement to be heard with some understanding that this person is not advocating my personal lifestyle, wonderful though it is.

Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters is an absolute must read for anyone who has a daughter or anyone who has sons who may one day marry someone else's daughter. (I will say, though, that if you only have sons, perhaps just borrowing the book would be smarter.) Since my daughters are still young, I have yet to navigate those dreaded waters of adolescence. After reading this book, I'm not sure if I fear those years even more, or if I'm happy to now have a better understanding of the issues girls growing up today face.

Although this book is addressed to fathers, and their central role in a girl's life is the primary theme, mothers need to read this book too. If you are a single mother, this book will show you what your daughter is missing and the pitfalls for which she is at risk. For me, listening to my 8 year old constantly moaning about her father being gone was beginning to annoy me, but I now have a greater empathy for what she is experiencing, and I try harder to be kinder when she is feeling low (which is every night right after bedtime).

While Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters details the issues of eating disorders, suicide, and teen sex, Boys Should Be Boys has some funny anecdotes. Why is it that boys are funnier than girls? In my house it seems to be that the girls are all about drama, and the boys are all about comedy. Boys Should Be Boys is not all fun and games, though, and Dr. Meeker repeats many of the same, depressing teen statistics that she did in her first book. The bottom line is that the older any child is before he or she gets involved in risky behavior (sex, drugs, and alcohol), the greater the likelihood that he or she will successfully achieve adulthood without needing serious counseling or a few months in a detox center.

Both Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters and Boys Should Be Boys are excellent books that will arm parents with the knowledge they need to raise children in a very child-unfriendly world. I highly recommend them both.


Disclaimer: I happily forked over my husband's hard earned money for these books. I received no compensation of any kind, although it is never too late and I'd be happy to help someone think of something.

Book Review Bonanza Part III

Tuesdays seem to be our regular day for going to the library. The little ones usually get one or two videos that are due back after one week, and the older ones like to get audio books for the car which we generally get through in short order with all the running around. This the first time in seven years of homeschooling that I've managed to make the library a routine, and not a rare treat. It's a huge accomplishment on my part.

When all the kids were very little, I had a "first ten" rule. The first ten books to come off the shelves went home with us. Trips to the library were kept to under 15 minutes. Now that I have older children, we stay a little longer, not much, but I have the older ones take turns watching the little ones while I help everybody find books that might interest them.

I keep reminding myself that finding books would be much easier if I had a book list prepared in advance, but I haven't made it to that level of organization yet. For now, I'm left to chance and keen eyesight to spot good reads, especially picture books for the 6 and under crowd. Most of the time, the selections are mediocre. Sometimes, the random books are awful.

And every once in a while, I get a gem.

Such was the case when I brought home Blueberries for Sal. We own Make Way for Ducklings, by the same author, Robert McCloskey, but I had never heard of Blueberries for Sal. And what a charming book. Little Sal goes hunting blueberries with her mother at the same time that a little bear cub goes hunting for blueberries with his mother. The little ones wander off and then end up following the wrong mother! When I read it to the children, all six of them and myself smiled at the antics of the young ones and laughed when the mothers discovered who was really behind them. Naturally, there is a happy ending to this story which is fun and delightful for children of all ages.

I spent no money to read this book, nor did I receive any compensation for this review. Blueberries farmers, however, saw an uptick in sales after we were finished.

Saturday Roundup

You know you've been at the fabric store too long when two different people ask you if you work there.

(Oh, but they had 40% off the loveliest brocades...)


If you only spend 60 seconds in the confessional, should you be pleased that the priest finds you so saintly...or should you be offended that he had no time for you?


A half a bottle of Spätlese really does make watching your friend's four children seem no trouble at all.

Book Review Bonanza Part II

If you are happily married, you probably don't need to read The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura Schlessinger. There really isn't any shocking new information in there.







If you are unhappily married and you choose to read this book, you will probably have one of two reactions. #1: "Wow, I never knew that about men. I wonder if I try being nice to him instead of nagging him incessantly, if he really will act more romantically." or #2: "Oh, so it's MY fault if I'm unhappy? Yeah, right."



Psychologists and happy people will tell you: you are responsible for your own happiness and you can't change other people - focus on yourself and what you CAN change. When it comes to spouses, it is more difficult to claim responsibility for personal happiness: it just doesn't seem possible to be happy if you are married to somebody who isn't "meeting your needs." Dr. Laura's book attempts to show women how they create their own problems by expecting the wrong kinds of things from their husbands and by not meeting their very simple needs.



Although I agree with most of her advice, and am actually quite shocked that so many women would treat their husbands as awfully as the examples she gives, the biggest turn-off in this book is her customary blunt style and her assertion that it's all the woman's fault. Naturally, she excludes abusive and other unhealthy situations, but even in normal, healthy marriages, husbands can be guilty of causing hurt and difficulties through poor choices, unkind words, thoughtlessness and selfishness.



I do agree that women tend to hold on to these hurts for longer than men and that these little issues can build up over time to create a mountain out of a molehill (and that women, and not men, are responsible for that mountain). I also agree that acts of kindness on anyone's part help a person "get over" (forgive) those little problems. So, for an open-minded woman who truly desires a loving marriage and really just doesn't understand her husband, this book might contain some eye-opening advice. For a wife in a good marriage looking for a refresher course on what her husband needs and wants, it's an excellent resource. For the wife who really insists that her husband meet her in the middle, it isn't going to help much at all.





Disclaimer: I did not receive any compensation in any form for this review, unfortunately. I also did not pay for this book. A friend had it on her give-away stack and I took it from there. I assume it was her husband's hard-earned money that paid for it.

Book Review Bonanza Part I

Years ago, I read a book called Please Don't Drink the Holy Water by some woman I had never heard of before. What Catholic mother of preschoolers wouldn't be drawn to that title? I loved that book, and the author, Susie Lloyd, became synonymous with "hysterical" to me.

When I heard she had written a new book, Bless Me, Father, For I Have Kids, it went immediately on my mental "must-buy" book list. Last April, I went to the CHAPLET Homeschool Conference in New Jersey, and not only did I find her book for sale there, Susie herself was the one selling it, and signing copies, too. I checked her out from a distance and thought, "Gosh, she looks younger than I imagined...and cooler, too." She was wearing a denim skirt, but unlike the uniform of most Catholic homeschool mothers of many, hers risquély revealed her knee caps. "Wow, funny and hip!" When I confronted myself with these thoughts, I realized I could not be trusted to express my admiration without looking like a groupie-stalker type. I took some advice from Abraham Lincoln, spoke as few words as possible, purchased my book and beat a hasty retreat.

She was also at the IHM Conference, and I smiled and waved from a distance before scurrying away. At that point I still hadn't cracked her book, being a bit consumed with my husband's imminent deployment. When Bill left, this book was a welcome distraction from the pain of his departure and my concurrent miscarriage.

It was this book I took with me to the hospital when I had an emergency D&C while my husband stood on a tarmac waiting for the plane that would carry him overseas. One minute, I was answering the question, "Do you have anybody here with you?" with a sobbing, "No!" And the next minute I was laughing - out loud and loudly - at another description of life with lots of girls and one toddler boy. I actually had the nurses questioning me about the book, since it was obviously very amusing.

So, there you go. What better endorsement can you get than, "So funny you'll laugh while suffering through the worst time of your life"? Or how about, "The perfect escape from life's tribulations"? This is definitely a book to be enjoyed by any Catholic mom.


Disclaimer: apparently, bloggers are getting huge rewards for doing product reviews and government authorities are clamping down on those who do not clearly state any compensation they receive for their endorsements. Hence, those of us who do these sorts of reviews are being encouraged to be upfront in explaining any money or products we receive in exchange for such exposure. I bought both of Mrs. Lloyd's books with my husband's hard earned money. I did not receive any compensation in any form from any person or company for this review.

Polkas, not waltzes, today

There are only two days a year where all my kids get up bright and early: Christmas and our Oktoberfest.

It's 830 AM and Peter, who normally avoids getting dressed before noon, is all set for the party which doesn't begin until late afternoon.
















Last night I put together a playlist of German fest music. I also threw in some American songs - mostly country - because, well, they actually play that music, too, and because it's my party and I can play whatever music I want to.

Then I decided to add some Sousa - not German, not typically played at a German beer hall, but fun and peppy music.

My boys have spent the last half hour arguing with me: why didn't I include Bach or Beethoven or Mozart? They're German, after all.

Yes, they are, and fantastic composers too. But...nope. They don't make the cut.

Less is better and don't you let anybody tell you otherwise

I am completely disgusted by this NPR article:

The Telltale Wombs Of Lewiston, Maine

the article's conclusion:

For most Americans this is an incredibly difficult idea to accept: It's hard to understand that more care isn't necessarily better for you.

But study after study has borne out the truth of this completely anti-intuitive conclusion. In fact, Fisher and other researchers estimate that almost one-third of the care given in our country today is that kind of care — care that isn't really helping people.

The United States spends more than $2 trillion on health care every year. So the cost of that 30 percent unnecessary care annually? $660 billion.


I am not at all arguing that people are only getting care that is necessary. I, myself, hesitate before going to the doctor, am wary of most medical procedures, ask tons of questions, do my own research, and pay attention to how this or that drug may be affecting me or my children. But I think many people probably do go to the doctor more than necessary and take medicine that isn't necessary and try procedures that aren't necessary. But since I'm not a doctor, that's not for me to decide.

The point of this article was that doctors are in it for the money. They can't help themselves. Yes, they want what's good for the patient; yes, they want to avoid a lawsuit. But when push comes to shove, they will lean toward this expensive procedure over that cheaper one simply because it lines their pockets.

So, we, dear citizens, need somebody to protect us from evil doctors and their greedy eyes. We can not trust doctors to give us the best care - and, really, it is silly that you should be able to get in to see a doctor every time little Junior gets a fever. You are just a nervous mother, and the nurse can tell you over the phone the best treatment for the next 48 hours (because we can't see him any sooner anyway).

No, listening to your doctor and doing research on your own is not a good way to manage your health, either. You are too stupid to be able to differentiate between good medical advice and uneducated guesses by lay people. And you are too stupid to know if something is wrong with your body or not. We need an independent group - not you or your doctor - to tell you what should be done about your health.

Can we not understand that we are wasting money every day by going to the doctor needlessly? We all need to tighten our belts a little. If we all just gave up one doctor's visit a year, one unnecessary prescription, a few fewer physical therapy sessions for that broken hip, a few days less in the hospital after heart surgery, we could afford universal health care. We need somebody out there to ensure that everybody sacrifices equally.

Of course, we will not short anybody on vaccines. Vaccines are in Merck's our country's best interest.


Seriously, why do I suspect that I'd have to wait less for an appointment to get my daughter on the pill than to get her a physical? One-third of the care currently provided is unnecessary? Expect to receive one-third less care if this plan goes through. We, dear citizens, are getting too much of a good thing, and it's time to stop.

Cleanliness is next to obsessive-compulsive

Please tell me I'm not the only person out there who has a strong urge to clean closets before having a party.

I mean, it's possible, isn't it, that someone will open my locked bedroom door, sneak past the unfriendly guard dog, and go rummaging in my closet for a spare, I don't know, pair of shoes to borrow, and think ill of me that my sewing projects are heaped in a pile behind that closed door?

And what is up with the need to clean a house before a party anyway? I'm going to have forty people - more than half of them under the age of 12 - passing through my house. And the weather isn't looking very pleasant for Saturday. Will anybody even be able to see the floor in that crowd? And if they did, could they really distinguish between the crushed pretzel that just happened and the crumbs from last night's dinner? And how clean will my bathroom look after the first hour?

OK. Enough blogging. I have to go sweep the garage.

Naptime with Sandra Boynton

Me: A cow says moo, a sheep says baa...(snip)...it's quiet now. What do you say?

Mary: More!

Repeat.

Again.

And again.

And again for 7 minutes straight (I estimate the book takes 15 seconds to read).

Finally:

Me: A cow says moo, a sheep says baa...(snip)...it's quiet now. What do you say?

Mary: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Talk to the hand

I can't leave Peter in his room after Mary falls asleep, because he will wake her up. Instead, he goes on my bed, which is right near my computer, and he putters around for 10 or 15 minutes (usually) before he falls asleep. I relocate him later.

Sometimes, he doesn't feel like going to sleep and he'll keep coming out of the room behind me to "tell me some-fing." Without even looking up from the computer, I'll put up my hand in a universally understood "HALT" sign and tell him to go back to bed.

A few nights ago, he came out with this drawing and asked me to put an "M" for Mommy above one of his characters. He explained he hadn't had time to finish it, so it doesn't have all the children in the picture. But it does have DAD, and he labeled Dad all by himself much to my surprise. Which one is Mom? The one with the BIG HAND.

My Lesson Plans for Tomorrow

Dinner for Eight Minus One

The only thing I remember about our first wedding anniversary is eating defrosted wedding cake. At the time, my husband was either unemployed or underemployed, so that cake was probably the highlight of that day.

I do remember our second anniversary, though. The local paper had run a review of a restaurant not too far from where we lived, located a few miles north of New Hope, PA. We decided to go there, and then walk around the quaint, trendy shopping area of that tiny town. Since the review stated that the place took all major credit cards, we didn't worry about how much cash we needed to bring. We are not ones to carry much cash, I guess being part of the plastic generation. Debit cards are a wonderful thing, although, as Dave Ramsey points out, they don't really help you stick to a budget.

But this meal wasn't about being budget-minded anyway. We had appetizers, and a lovely meal and dessert. I even had wine, secretly glad that nobody could tell I was about 6 weeks pregnant with my first child. This was an elegant place with French provincial food, and I was glad that we hadn't gone to the ATM first, because we could not have predicted what the final bill would be, and I would have fussed and fretted the whole time calculating if we had enough on hand for this entree or that dessert.

Finally, the bill came and the total was extravagant. It was okay, since we didn't celebrate like this frequently. But then our server told us that they did not, in fact, take major credit cards. We explained, in embarrassment, that we had not come with cash because of the review. They were aware of this problem and graciously permitted us to leave, with an addressed envelope, to mail in a check at our earliest convenience.

I guess we looked honest. I certainly doubt I would remember so much about the place had this confusion not nearly ruined our evening. Although, by the following spring, our lives, changed by the arrival of our son, no longer included such quiet, unhurried, peaceful meals. It is possible that this "last hurrah" would forever be in my memory simply because of the circumstances.

Sometimes, we still do get out, just the two of us. Not this year, of course. And not always. I have begun to accept that our anniversary is best celebrated with our children anyway. They are, after all, the fruits of our love. The original Oktoberfest was a wedding feast, and the following festivals have been anniversary parties, so to speak. Our annual Oktoberfest, next weekend, parallels that theme nicely.

Outside of the Oktoberfest, we do like to have a private celebration. Even if it's not quite as elegant as that cozy French place.

To celebrate our 14th anniversary, we had another intimate, peaceful dinner at a small, romantic bistro not too far from home.

This place takes major credit cards, and although I'm sure Dave Ramsey would tsk tsk over my use of the debit card instead of cash, he would probably approve the bottom line total which, even without adjusting for 12 years of inflation, was a fraction of the cost of that long ago meal.