Mama-luia

Before we left for vacation, I wanted to make sure we had our garden prepared. When we return, it will be perfect timing to transplant some tomatoes and peppers, throw a few squash seeds in the ground, say a prayer to St. Isidore the farmer (and maybe St. Jude for good measure), and see what happens. So I needed to make sure the soil was turned. On one of the first truly nice days this spring, I decided we would spend the afternoon outside. With a baby strapped to my back, I set about to digging with my spade. Not surprisingly, it was hard work, but in that gloriously satisfying way. Out in the fresh air with my lovely children surrounding me, dreaming of fresh vegetables, and enjoying the reprise of the longest/most awful winter imaginable. The boys took to helping me, while Noah, ever the 'do-er' narrated excitedly all his visions for the garden plot. After a while though, they both plunked themselves down in different spots and went back to playing in the ...

My little boy turned five last month. It was a fun birthday celebration. We threw him a party with a bunch of his young friends and his sweet cousins, too. The little kids were adorable, practically vibrating with excitement over party games like the pinata and pin-the-beak-on-the-owl. Yes, it was an Owl Party. A rather Pinterest-y theme? Kind of. In fact, the only reason I suggested it to him was so I could make a cake that actually looked like something . I'm tooting my own horn, but I do think it was my best-looking cake yet. (It didn't have much competition.)  It helps that I picked something ridiculously simple.  I didn't even pipe eyes -- those are just halved gluten-free Oreos (GF because 3/4 of the kids who came to the party don't eat wheat). I was so amused and delighted by how our guests were so hard at work at this game. The six-and- under set take birthday parties mighty seriously, it seems. Also, they came with adorable ca...

Christ is risen from the dead! The most beautiful feast of the year is here. Time for celebrating -- consuming much chocolate and gouda and crackers, singing Alleluia to our hearts' content, and enjoying a few days off with Daddy. Hall-le-lu-jah for that ! On Saturday we brought our baskets to be blessed in our lovely parish. Our children were so excited that the eggs they had dyed and the Alleluia banner (tied up like a scroll) that they had painted were right there being blessed by the priest at the foot of the altar. I realized I had no decorations in the house at all for Easter, so I got out the watercolours while Patrick and Noah were at the Easter Vigil. This is what I came up with. While watching "Sister Wives" on Netflix. (Things I shouldn't admit online?) The boys wore suits I found through a local buy-and-sell and on consignment. I'm wearing a Reitman's dress bought before I was married, a cardigan I bought at Fairweath...

I'm not sure whether I conveyed what I had intended to with my last post ; I am not wallowing around, feeling unattractive. While I certainly have moments of feeling insecure about this or that aspect of my appearance, for the most part, I look in the mirror and feel quite delighted by what I see . I believe myself to be beautiful. The problem is, to what extent do I need to 'enhance' or 'adorn' that beauty with physical things? That question can't possibly be answered right now. I think it will be a continuous process of examining my heart (as in, in dressing in a certain way, who am I trying to please? What am I trying to say about myself?). For now, I want to be a bit more practical... and fun! So here is a little sampling of beautiful things that are inspiring my upcoming Operation: Defrump-ify.  1. This dress from eshakti .  I love the colour, the neckline, the little cap sleeves, the embroidery.  It's gorgeous, I say! 2. ...

"Beauty will save the world." (So said Dostoevsky, so it must be true.) I have been thinking about this quotation a lot lately. I could easily make a case for beauty in the liturgy saving the world, for beauty in art -- broadly speaking -- for doing so; it seems perfectly sensible and true. Beauty, if you're up on your philosophy, is a transcendental, convertible with truth, goodness and being itself. Since God is all-good, and all-truth, He must also be all-beautiful . So things of beauty bring our hearts and minds to Him. This is simple enough for me to grasp and believe. What becomes more difficult is understanding how this should apply to me . I feel like I have two minds on this subject. On the one hand, I think too much an emphasis on external beauty is unhealthy. It can lead to vanity and insecurity, covetousness and materialism, and you-name-it sin. Plus it says in 1 Peter "your beauty should not come from outward adornment... Rather it should ...

Every year, as Lent approaches, I find myself dreaming of all sorts of interesting penances or disciplines I'll take on. This year, I think, I will de-clutter the entire house! I will get up at 5am and pray and exercise! I will abstain from meat, dairy, nightshades, sugar, caffeine and vegetables with the letter 'o' in them! And then see how holy I will become! (Can't you almost hear my immense ego cackle?) And every year, somehow, God reminds me how petty these plans of mine are, and how very much more He wants to me focus on one thing -- drawing closer to Him. All my Lent-plans are always about me -- who I want to be, what I want to push myself into doing or being. I was so touched by this  post: What if, this Lent, instead of swearing ourselves off all food or motorized vehicular transportation, what if we challenged ourselves to do one thing – one teeny, tiny, small thing solely for the love of God or our neighbour.    And what if we didn’t just...

This past week, we had a visitor for tea. A vibrant, warm and insightful elderly woman who really befriended me and Patrick during our engagement from our parish had asked if she could come over and get acquainted with out kids. I cleaned the night before, made sure we had some cookies in the house, reminded the boys on how to behave nicely towards her, dressed the kids in the their Sunday clothes, and in general made preparations as though we would be giving something to her . I should have known, though, that her presence would be a little ministry to us. In a very grace-filled way, she asked each of us sensitive questions and really listened to our answers. She held Anna and spoke to her not like she is just a cute little baby (which she is) but a teacher to the rest of the world. She showed that she was generally interested in the boys, and laughed at their sweet and silly stories. Noah was obviously delighted by her presence, because as we sat and talked, he quietly worked aw...