Mother’s job is to dilate; Baby’s job is to rotate.: Spinning Babies - Easier childbirth through fetal positioning.
Skunk smells his own hole first: Gramma Jo
Yes, that has nothing to do with what I started this post about, but sitting here with the kids and hearing them talk about gas, this is what popped out of Gramma's mouth. Gotta love her.
After that, she told us a joke about 3 moles who were hungry for breakfast. The first little mole woke up, stuck his head out of the burrow and sniffed for food. "Yum! I smell turnips" and off he went. The second little mole woke up and sniffed for breakfast. "Yum! I scent carrots!" and off he went. The third little mole sniffed around and said to himself, "I don't know what those guys are talking about, all I smell is molasses."
To which I countered, Did you know chickens are related to dinosaurs? When our chickens lay double yolk eggs they are three times the size of a normal egg. They are the chickensore*ss.
Watch as the Sienna Family drops their hot new single, Swagger Wagon.
This goes out to all you minivan families out there who get a Sienna SE
for space but fill it with your family's swagger. To learn more about
the Sienna SE visit http://toyota.com/sienna
or download the free MP3 at http://toyotaswaggerwagon.com .
Special
shout-out to Black Iris Music and makers of Yoo-hoo.*
(LYRICS)
[INTRO
MOM AND DAD]
Yeah
This one goes out to all you minivan
families out there. Sienna SE...in the house. Where my
mother/fathers at? Where my kids at?
Where my kids at? Where
my kids at? Where my kids at? Where my kids at? Where my
kids at?
No, seriously honeywhere are the kids? They're right
there, see? Oh, cool beans.
[VERSE DAD] I roll hard
through the streets and the cul-de-sacs, Proud parent of an honor
roll student, Jack. I got a swing in the front, a tree house in the
back, My #1 Dad mug says, Yeah, Im the Mack.
[VERSE MOM] I'm
the world's best nurse when my kids get sick, I make a mean
gel-mold, I perfected my tricks, Back when I used to party as a
college chick. Now I'm cruising to their playdates lookin' all
slick...
[CHROUS] In my Swagger Wagon, Yeah, the Swagger
Wagon, It's the Swagger Wagon, I got the pride in my ride. In
my Swagger Wagon, Yeah, the Swagger Wagon, It's the Swagger Wagon.
[VERSE
DAD]
Check it...
I love hangin' with my daughter sippin'
tea, keep my pinky up, All the drawings on my fridge sport an A+. I'm
an awesome parent, (Right!) and it's apparent, (True!) And in this
house there's no mother/father swearin'.
[VERSE MOM] Straight
owning bake sales with my cupcake skills, I'm better with the money,
so I handle the bills, And I always buy in bulk, ain't afraid of no
spills. Every Mother's Day proves...I'm kind of a big deal.
Daughter:
Mommy, I need to go potty.
Bring the beat back, 'cause, yo, I
got more to say, You know I'm always front and center at the school
play. I kiss their boo-boos, clean doggie doo-doos, Cut the crust
off of PB&Js, chill the Yoo-hoos.
[VERSE DAD]
Singin'
"Farmer in the Dell" in perfect harmony, When I'm rollin' with my
posse in the HOV. We rock the SE, not an SUV, And it's true, if I
were you, I'd be jealous of me...
[CHORUS]
*YOO-HOO is a
registered trademark of Mott's LLP. All rights reserved.
Saving money is a big deal for someone with five kids. I look for a way to save wherever I can - from menu planning, to buying generic, to forgoing some of the extras I really want. As a stay home mom, we live on ONE income and that means sacrifice.
I ran across this site quite by accident, through another Twitter read. But I'm glad I did! Saving the Family Money has links to coupons, an online database, and hot sales at the grocery store. Sadly, we don't have a Publix or Food Lion here, but those are just the top two I read about today.
Karen, who is STFM, is also a devotee of thrift store shopping. A woman after my own heart! Hers looks like it might be more high quality stuff than we have here with the Deseret Industries or St. Vincent dePaul or Idaho Youth Ranch, but still, thrift is thrift. I'm wishing I was closer to that Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I think we may have one in our area, but it's open odd hours and never the same time twice.
I look forward to seeing more of Karen's posts and learning more from her on saving money. Meanwhile, visit her site for a chance to win BIG! She's giving away a Family Pizza Night set. Lookie here:
Here's a little snip from her site:
Would you like to win a Family Pizza Night Prize Pack? This would be great for you family, a gift or even a classroom! Prize pack includes:
VIP coupon for a free package of Pillsbury Pizza Crust
Pictureka, the find it fast game from Hasbro, which you and your family can play to make pizza night even more special
A set of Pizza Plates
I'm down with that!! Hope there is enough plates for my massive family... Just drop by Saving the Family Money and enter to win. All the rules are there.
1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.. 2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair. 3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person. 4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato. 5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food. 6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair. 7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time. 8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. 9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts. 10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandma's lap.
GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:
1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree. 2) Wrinkles don't hurt. 3) Families are like fudge.... mostly sweet, with a few nuts 4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground. 5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside. 6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.
How often does your family have dinner together? If you're like most families nowadays, the answer is probably, "Not very often."
It's understandable. Modern families are busy. Both parents work and sometimes get home at different times. Children have activities to go to, and Mom's got to drive them all over the place. Really, who's got the time and energy to even cook dinner every single night?
You, that's who! Eating together is good for you and your family. So you better make time and find the energy to make home-cooked meals and sit down and eat together more often.
Researchers have found many benefits to home-cooked meals. Watch this video to learn about some of them. In my own experience, though, there are many more. Here are 24 reasons I have found to share family meals more often:
1. Families who eat together eat healthier, because home-cooked food is healthier than fast food.
2. Family meals allow busy families to catch up with each other.
3. Young children learn a lot of verbal skills just by eating with their family members.
4. It gives everyone a chance to unwind after a busy day.
5. Having family meals more often forces you to end your working day and other obligations in time for dinner.
6. Home cooked meals are not only healthier, they're also cheaper than takeout food or eating out.
7. Eating together forces everybody to tell stories.
8. Cooking at home motivates you to be creative with your meal planning and cooking.
9. Children can get involved in cooking meals.
10. Cooking and eating together creates happy childhood memories.
11. Eating together is an opportunity to explore different cuisines.
12. Eating with your family is more fun than eating in front of the television (or the computer).
13. Eating together gives parents a chance to talk about current events from their point of view, injecting their personal values without giving a lecture.
14. Eating together helps family members bond and get to know each other better.
15. You'll be surprised what your kids reveal when you're in a relaxed environment, such as a family meal.
16. Kids are less likely to roll their eyes when you reminisce and tell stories from your childhood while eating a meal together.
17. Family meals can be good teaching moments, even for small children. My toddler learned how to count by counting after-meal treats on his high chair.
18. Eating together is a good opportunity to teach and model good manners.
19. Family meals give a good transition from work or school to home life.
20. Family meals are also good times to share music together.
21. Family meals teach everyone valuable life skills, such as sharing and taking turns.
22. Stopping and sitting down to a meal gives everyone a chance to quiet down and regroup.
23. Family meals provide an additional occasion for family members to pray together.
24. Eating home is more eco-friendly than eating out or ordering food - less waste!
If you think having family meals is too much work, don't despair. You can get help for everything from meal planning to putting your weekly grocery shopping list together. Check out Dine Without Whine for kid-tested, quick recipes that will help you put together family meals with less effort. Dine Without Whine's weekly shopping lists will also help you get food shopping done much faster, and even save money on groceries.
As you can see from the list above, the extra time and effort you spend to have family meals more often are worthwhile.
Hubbers has set the time line for 4-6 months. With the $8000 economic stimulus, it's a bonus time for us!
The bad news is trying to sell the place we're already in. It's a manufactured home, which isn't bad, but it doesn't sit on land. Yes, we rent the land in a (gulp) trailer park.
The park has nice, mature trees, but very little space for the kids to run and play. There are lots of older couples/people in the neighborhood and very few children. The children that are here don't all speak English as a first language, either. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just disconcerting to be one of the only white families in a neighborhood of Hispanics.
We never meant to be here this long. This house was to be a stepping stone to something better. Unfortunately it took us more than 10 years to figure out money and how to handle it correctly. Now that we have it under control, it's time. We're hoping that the park will be interested in buying the house. One less thing that way. If they don't, we'll have to throw caution into the wind and try selling it ourselves. Not sure that I'd want to rent it - too much trouble there.
As we go on this major journey, keep us in your prayers. It frightens me. It excites me. It freaks me out. Hubbers, too.
I always knew that a body was just a shell to hold that spark of life. But nothing drove it home until the death of a pet.
We had a cat a few years back that died, but I was pregnant with RooBoo and scared that it may have died from something "bad" and I didn't want to jeopardize my baby. Turns out it died of a urinary blockage, but that isn't this story.
Our parakeets are "hand-me-downs" from my sister-in-law and nephew, who found that they couldn't handle the chatter of these three birds. Parakeets are very social and need a friend. Or a mirror that they think is a friend. It's nice to have such simple needs. But the noise was driving B crazy.
As I had a friend with this kind of bird, and I lusted after having one of my own, it was a perfect thing that she wanted to "lose" the birds. The chatter is something I enjoy - a pretty, spring-y noise. Hubbers was less than thrilled but he loves me and the kids and the birds made the 4 hour car ride home with us from B's house.
We promptly renamed the birds: Blue male = Eragon, blue female = Geena, yellow female = Hermoinie. The friend that had parakeets was looking for a male bird and at that time we thought the yellow was a male, so off "he" went to Missy's house. That left us two blue birds. Geena was a bit more calm so I started finger training her and she quickly grew used to us. One day, while out in the house, the neighbor kid opened the door and off Geena went. Bye Bye Birdy.
That left us with one bird. Missy had decided that yellow bird wasn't a male and the other female was attacking her, so we brought Hermie home. And that's the way it's been for a year or two. And then Eragon started acting odd, not himself. Not wanting to sit on the perch, being super calm and easy to coax into tricks, not flying when let out, quiet.
This lasted about two weeks. Yesterday I noticed him walking about on the bottom of the cage, normal for him now. But when I was on my way to do an errand I glanced in the cage and noticed Eragon sprawled on the floor of the cage, head at a right angle to his body like the side of the cage was his pillow.
The kids took it okay. RooBoo, her tender self, cried. Curly Girl was sad, Oldest Girl said "Bye, Eragon. Off to the great birdcage in the sky", and The Boy solemnly told Eragon goodbye.
Back to the body as a vessel. Hubbers says animals have no souls. But they have personalities and I don't understand how those two can be seperate. One of the mysteries to be solved when I meet Jesus, I suppose. I found myself praying for my little blue parakeet last night. I figured that God would know what I meant.
Sadly, I had to use a stock photo of a blue parakeet in this post since I couldn't find one of the few pictures I had taken of the birds. Funny how something so much a part of my life wasn't documented more.
It's the beginning of the holiday season, marked by the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. We're spending time with family today and hope you enjoy yours as well.
Grampa on the Farm (my dad) and Hector (stuffed vulture). Notice, Hector is no longer wearing the bib he sported when my brother announced his impending fatherhood - it went straight to baby Ella!
I'm not LDS (Mormon), but my Brother and Sister in law are. Their oldest son just entered the Provo Missionary Training Center (MTC) three days after Easter. I felt like we ought to write him, support his endeavor, but am lazy about mail. Imagine my pleasure to find that I could mail him right from my computer!!
I was pointed towards DearElder.com. I sure like the ease of this! They deliver to the Provo MTC daily and with no charge for me. It is free for some missions and I think the letters will be sent to all missions, but you can donate if you want or feel so moved. You can also choose to purchase a care package to be sent to your missionary. I understand that missionaries LOVE cookies and brownies, so I may be taking care of his craving soon.
So Elder TJ, expect to hear from us more often! Good luck on your learning!
My grandmother is getting ready to have her 80th birthday in a few weeks. She's a precious woman that I remember as so strong and vital. There is no way for her to be approaching such a landmark.
She made such an impression upon me during my first 7 years, when we lived near enough to visit at least weekly if not more. After that were long distance drives from Omaha, Nebraska to Eldon, Iowa during summers and vacations. Not long after my parents divorced, those visits were cut off even more.
As I live roughly 2 full days drive from Gramma, my kids don't know her. I so desperately wish that were different. My talking about her is nothing more than words to them, no matter how much I do or don't elaborate.
I got an email from my father the other day that contained a short written memory of the summer of 1936 from my Gramma. Gramma is getting older, harder of hearing and a little confused at times. Since I feel that the memories of this nearly vanished generation are precious and few, I'm recording her words here for my own enjoyment and enlightenment. I knew of the dust bowl and depression, but having never lived through times like those, how can I understand?
Gramma, this is for you, with all the love I can send your way as I wish each day to see you again.
Summer of 1936
Dad was a farmer and did odd jobs for neighbors. We owned 18 acres in Northwest Iowa and there were no ponds. Only rich black dirt with no clay soil. It was very dry that summer, so many wells and streams dried up. We had to drive our cows a long way to the river for water every day. Gardens and crops suffered badly. Dust and dryness only got worse as the summer trudged on. The dust blew non-stop and even the sun was hazy. The dust was terrible, we lived about 500 feet from the road and it was very very dusty.
Besides driving the cows to the river, our well went dry and we had to walk ¾ of a mile to the neighbors and get water from to drink. We did not have electricity so we had to pump by hand.
We grew a garden and canned vegetables or put it in the cave. A cave is a man-made hump of dirt dug into the ground. We kept our milk, butter and eggs down there to keep cool. We put the eggs in a limewater solution so they wouldn’t go bad. They would keep several weeks and even months without going bad.
That summer we didn’t have enough rain and the garden was dry and hot. We hoed the garden by hand. We tried to grow potatoes because we stored them for winter. We milked cows and separated the milk and made this into our own cream for butter.
Mother sewed all of our clothes even our hats and coats and mittens. We had to buy shoes. We only bought one pair per year and only wore them to school. The rest of the time we went barefoot. We did not wear shoes in the summer time.
For entertainment we went every Saturday we went to town to the library and brought home books for everyone in the family to read. We sat around the dining room table with a fuel oil lamp and read our books after supper.
We lived quite close to the railroad tracks, and every so often there would be coal left for us to burn. That is how we kept warm in the winter with the wood that Dad cut. We also had many hobos visiting our house. Mom always fed them. They would work for meals cutting wood, or hoeing the garden.
We move to town and things seemed to get better. Dad got a job at the factory.
Sadly, it stops there. Because this is my family and my own story as well, I would love to read more. But then again, I always did love history and the view of normal people.
Yup, Grampa on the farm went home today after a 6 day visit. I'm missing him something AWFUL, as are the kids. CurlyGirl had an especially wonderful visit with him and feels his leaving very much.
The kids did so much stuff with him! Dad, you ARE a fireball. Made homemade books, cooked with Grampa each day (and thought it great), cleaned (and thought it FUN!), walked the neighborhood, went shopping. looked for Christmas lights in the neighborhood, hung out, sung Christmas carols, practiced sign language, and bought a Christmas tree yesterday.
When I tried to get one to cook with me tonight, I was turned down flat. Rats. Little Man came to help me after a sister was rude to him, but his help consisted of eating the cheese for the turkey quesadillas, after stacking it neatly in a pile.
I know he must have missed his wife, Gramma on the farm, and is glad to get back home, but I sure wish they lived closer. See, we live in SE Idaho and they live in SE Iowa. It's a 2 day drive straight through. Thankfully, we had some frequent flier miles and were able to buy a ticket for $10 for Grampa's visit.
We did get to talk a bit about having the big girls visit over the summer sometime, but we're not sure how to do that yet. The good news is Grampa and Gramma are thinking of coming out again this summer.
Table manners are a good subject this holiday time of year, so when I found this article about teaching kids manners, I was hooked! Here's a small snip:
The following is a list of table manners that your child should have a good grasp of by age six.
Wash their hands and face before sitting down to the table.
Sit down in their proper seat and put their napkin in their lap.
Wait to begin eating until everyone is seated and has been served. Many families wait until an adult gives permission to start eating.
Stay seated in their seats without wiggling in their chairs, going under the table, or getting up and down.
Say, "Excuse Me," and ask permission to leave the table.
Elbows do not belong on the table.
Mouths should stay closed while chewing and pieces should be bite sized.
"May I please" and "Thank you" should be used when children would like food and never reach across the table.
Participate in the conversation during dinner and no interruptions when other people are talking.
Slurping, burping, squealing, singing, humming are all sounds that are not to be made at the table.
It is never kind or polite to make negative comments about what is being served for dinner.
Before getting up at the end of the meal say, "May I please be excused?"
Ask if adults would like them to clear their dinner plate.
Thank the cook.
Preparing children for adulthood starts the moment the baby is placed in the arms of the mother. Teaching children to use good table manners is a wonderful gift that will serve them well throughout their entire lives. Parents will be proud that their children are using the good manners that they have taught them, and more importantly children will be polished and refined and capable of being comfortable in any situation.
More details about teaching children manners here. Elena Neitlich is the owner and CEO of Moms on Edge, LLC.
I have a serious lot of work to do with mine. They're okay on basics, but others show my own lack of teaching manners. Do you think Hubbers will learn, too? Somehow he skipped that section in school.
Sadly, I didn't win anything in the Five Minutes for Mom giveaway, but lots of others did! Check it out.
But we hit the JACKPOT with Grampa visiting. Here's a pic from this morning. I call it: "Grampa and the mullet with kids + cat."
See little CurlyGirl on the left side, peeking out?
Mom and Dad were watching TV when Mom said, "I'm tired, and it's getting late. I think I'll go to bed"
She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day's lunches. Rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper the following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugar container, put spoons and bowls on the table and started the coffee pot for brewing the next morning.
She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes into the washer, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button.
She picked up the game pieces left on the table, put the phone back on the charger and put the telephone book into the drawer.
She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket and hung up a towel to dry.
She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom.
She stopped by the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the field trip, and pulled a text book out from hiding under the chair.
She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near her purse.
Mom then washed her face with 3 in 1 cleanser, put on her night solution & age fighting moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth and filed her nails.
Dad called out, "I thought you were going to bed."
"I'm on my way," she said.
She put some water into the dog's dish and put the cat outside, then made sure the doors were locked and the patio light was on.
She looked in on each of the kids and turned out their bedside lamps and TV's, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks into the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one up still doing homework.
In her own room, she set the alarm; laid out clothing for the next day, straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her 6 most important things to do list. She said her prayers, and visualized the accomplishment of her goals.
About that time, Dad turned off the TV and announced to no one in particular. "I'm going to bed."
And he did... without another thought.
Anything extraordinary here? Wonder why women live longer...?
CAUSE WE ARE MADE FOR THE LONG HAUL.....
(and we can't die sooner, we still have things to do!!!!)
Yes, you read that right twice. My in-laws are arriving in town this evening for the celebration of MiddleGirl's First Communion. They can only stay one night, having responsibilities of their own for Sunday Mass in their parish, but having them here is a big treat for the kids. BigNephew will also be coming with them - JOY!!
In all seriousness, I get along swimmingly with my in-laws. I like them SO MUCH - now that we live 250+ miles from them. I think that my initial troubles in liking them was related to the fact that MIL and I are so similar. (You know what they say about men marrying women like good ol' mom?)
I was determined from the beginning to have a good relationship with them for the kids' sake, if nothing else. And that forced good will eventually DID turn into real live love for them. So it's true - pretend long enough and it WILL happen for real! At least in this case...
They are much older than my parents, being in their 70's since Hubbers was the 7th of 8 kids. My parents are in their mid- 50's. It's sad to think that it may not be long until they are unable to travel to see us since they are such vital and energetic people!
I dread the day when one of them passes into the great reward with the heaviest of hearts. Or if one of them should fall into a lingering illness or disease. With a family history of Alzheimer's, it could happen. Praise Jesus that it hasn't so far.
But Hubbers and I have already discussed caring for the remaining parent after the loss of one. In fact we decided before we married that this would be very important to both of us - caring for elderly parents. So much so that we would make it possible for that person to come live with us when the time came. (And considering that my parents are divorced and he has TWO (2) Mothers-In-Law, that's a B-I-G commitment!)
Have you given any thought to this future scenario in your own world? What would you do if one of your parental units needed care after the loss of the other?
Think on it.
Pray on it.
And while you're down there speaking with our Savior, send up a little prayer for my CurlyGirl and her First Communion on Saturday morning.
It's the day after Easter and the kids are all candy satiated! Hubbers complained that I didn't get the right candy for his Easter basket (actually worried about me thinking there wasn't money to purchase what he termed "The Good Stuff".) so I did an emergency run to the 24 hour Wal-Greens.
Yes, he was well pleased with the emergency supplies - as if there wasn't ENOUGH candy already in the house! What's a woman to do?!
Thanks to all the wonderful bloggers who already posted their menus since I had no (really NO!) idea what I was making this week. So, here's my Menu Plan Monday for this week, along with the appropriate linky love:
Yup, the party's over. I've had to take down the decorations and pay up to the DJ.
I met SO MANY great new bloggers this week! With a grand total of 917 participating blogs, I'm very glad that Mr Linky will be up for a while longer. Gotta get through some more! Thankfully my wrist is feeling somewhat better so I can ~ no more brace.
I recognized a lot of great blogs on the prize list at 5 Minutes for Mom, though my own name wasn't one of them. That's okay - next time! They tell me there will be more contests and prizes in the near future...
In the meantime, check out this:
My mom has a rat dog like this and it has to wear diapers in the house because it can't won't be potty trained. Here's the perfect solution for keeping that diaper on a small furry rat that wasn't made to wear any kind of butt cover! Kozmo's Corner - Pet Gadgets.
Her dog is cute and all, and she says it is her baby and makes up for her children having grown up, moved away and left her empty-nesting for the rest of her life... No, well, I said that last bit. (LOVE YOU MOM!)
Truth be told, the dog in question is a Teacup Yorkie with some odd grey stripe on top of it's miniature head that means something like dog royalty. (Did you know dogs had royalty? Me neither.)
So, maybe something YOU do that seems to work but is really funny in an odd way could make you a bazillion dollars! Just like the inventor of this here dog diaper seatbelt.
Oh, just to keep my mom happy, here's a picture of the muttness, Fuzzy.
Ash Wednesday is fast approaching. Do you have your Lenten plans in mind? Me either. I did a bit of research and came up with a few websites to help make the changes in my home. Here's what I found:
Fridge Art:
Fridge Art is the heart of the Domestic-Church.com web site. This is where you'll find fun family centred activities - only some are crafts, we also have games or other activities - all designed to bring the liturgical life of church into the home, and teach children about living the Catholic faith. Making faithful activities a 'normal' part of family life goes a long way towards building an enduring family faith life. http://www.domestic-church.com/index.dir/index_fridge.htm
Crossroads Initiative:
Lent and Holy Week Resources http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_category/3/Lent_and_Holy_Week.html
What does Lent mean to you? Is is just the dark time in the Church, categorized by dark draperies and sad faces? Just 40 days to repent and go to church? Or is it more?
I figure we've all heard about giving something up for Lent, but what about ADDING something to the routine instead? While we give up TV during Lent (we hardly watch it anyway), we will be adding a rosary (at least weekly, maybe more) to our schedule. The kids all get their rosary, even F - who at 2 thinks it's a large chunky bead necklace - and pray along.
Have you thought about adding Penitential Meals? Barb, SFO Mom has a wonderful post at her site about what constitutes a Penitential Meal. Talk with your children, as I will be doing, about what it means to fast and be penitent. How it relates to what God sacrificed for us.
We have an AWESOME book called Lent Begins at Home:Family Prayers and Activities by Pat and Rosemary Ryan that we will be using this year. We've actually had it for a few years, but I never find it in time. THIS YEAR, I'm ahead of the game! Published by Liguori, it's an inexpensive purchase to last years - about $5.
Jessica at Homemaking Through the Church Year is hosting a Lenten Blog Carnival. Monday is the last day to get in on this, so get your Lenten post written! Failing that, use one from past years. Just get in on the Lenten goodies!
