Lovely Blog on Femininity

While researching the art of more feminine dress, and deciding if I wanted to give up "pants" for Lent, I stumbled upon this intriguing blog! It's about femininity in a feminist world and it's written by a teenage girl who's the oldest of 6. She has the most remarkably insightful things to say about women in the modern world. I found myself truly fascinated by her maturity. I just had to share.

If you finish your school work...

...you get to play with the box!

Toddler Math

Toddler + Trash Can = Black Hole

So far, my youngest has thrown away (well, only what I've managed to catch her doing):

-a stack of plastic cups

-a fork

-book, after book, after book

-small toys

-crayons

-socks

Other items still missing that I can't find "for some reason":

-one Handy Manny tool

-many lids and stoppers to "those cups"

-socks (the answer to one of life's mysteries solved!)

Every time something important is missing I FEAR trash day.

Easy Bread Recipe

I can't wait to try this. I love this kind of bread at the bakery, but it's not cheap. Looks cheap to make AND easy!

Natural Lifestyle: Clean Eating

I was recently given some back issues to a magazine called Clean Eating. I have since gotten my own subscription because I love it. I have learned so much about the benefits of "eating clean". What does that mean, you ask?

Clean Eating basically means eating food in its purest form or as close as possible. It means making smarter choices at the store, at a restaurant, etc. by simply reading the labels or preparing things fresh from home. The more ingredients on a label usually means the more processed it is.

We have recently converted our household diet to clean eating and have had surprising results. JC has lost almost 25 pounds in just 5 weeks with our new diet of fresh foods.

We've cut out high-fructose corn syrup, food colorings, refined sugars and grains, and anything partially hydrogenated.

Surprisingly it has been easier than I expected. Some foods do end up inevitably more expensive, yet our grocery bill has not gone up! Why? Because we aren't loading the cart with processed foods which add up as well. Making things from scratch is always cheaper and purchasing produce in season saves as well. (of course when I can grow this stuff myself how much better!). I try not to look at the "healthy foods" as expensive, but rather the "unhealthy foods" as made with cheaper ingredients and fillers. It has really changed my perspective.

When Jamie and I had to change our diets last July after discovering certain food allergies and sensitivities, we found ourselves essentially shopping for 2 different diets....the allergy diet and the non-allergy diet. THAT got expensive. But when JC decided to lose some weight, we switched to JUST the allergy diet which inevitably meant the healthier diet.

I also had 6 months of learning how to substitute ingredients in my favorite recipes. Now, I've adapted that to "Clean" substitutions. For example: In place of sugar in recipes I now use "Agave Nectar". And everything still comes out delicious. Or replacing white flour with wheat or millet, oatmeal, potato, etc. Replacing salt with sea salt is a healthy alternative too.

Are we 100% there? Not yet, but I'd say out diet reflects about 85/15 Clean to "unclean". That's a heavy improvement. Check out an issue of Clean Eating sometime and see what you think.

You are what you eat. So with clean eating you can't go wrong.

CNSNews.com - Pro-Life Advocates Plan to Protest Opening of Largest Abortion Clinic in U.S.

CNSNews.com - Pro-Life Advocates Plan to Protest Opening of Largest Abortion Clinic in U.S.

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Excellent Shepherd: Jerome Listecki

Thank You Bishop!

Milwaukee Archbishop: You Can’t Call Yourself Catholic and Support Contraception

By John-Henry Westen
MILWAUKEE, December 15, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The incoming Archbishop of Milwaukee, Jerome Listecki, has responded to a campaign by "Young Catholics for Choice" to promote use of contraception and abortion among Catholic youth.
Using media advertising the group is, says the Archbishop-Designate, "attempting to convey the message that Catholics can disregard Church teaching regarding contraception, abortion and human sexuality in general and remain Catholics in good standing." However, "Nothing could be further from the truth."
"While people can call themselves whatever they want, it is my duty as a bishop to state clearly and unequivocally that by professing and disseminating views in grave contradiction to Catholic teaching, members of organizations like 'Young Catholics for Choice' in fact disown their Catholic heritage, tragically distancing themselves from that communion with the Church to which they are called," added the archbishop.
Using language first employed by Catholic dissenters to Humanae Vitae, YCFC calls on Catholics to use an "informed conscience" to decide to use birth control and the morning-after-pill, also called "emergency contraception."
Their ad campaign states: "Young Catholics are having sex. We are using contraception and condoms. We are having abortions. We are bisexual, gay, lesbian, straight and transgender. And none of this makes us any less Catholic than conservative Catholics who speak out against us.
"The truth is, they don't represent what the majority of Catholics - especially those of us in our 20s and 30s - think about sex. It comes down to Catholic teaching on conscience. Basically, every individual has the right and responsibility to follow his or her own conscience - and respect others' right to do the same. With conscience and respect, good Catholic sex is not only possible, it's already happening. "
The group, claiming to be a youth wing of "Catholics for Choice," admits that it's mandate is to "take action to counter the bishops' impact both in the United States and around the world. "
Archbishop Listecki concluded his statement calling for prayers for the YCFC members. "We pray that they may reconcile their position which is contrary to the Catholic Faith they claim to profess."

It hatched! At IHOP!

We ate breakfast at IHOP today and I just KNEW the butterfly would hatch, so yes...we brought it into the restaurant. And YEP! it did. We later said good-bye to our little friend. He was called "Cucumber" as a Caterpillar, "Pickle" as a chrysalis, and "Relish" as a butterfly.

Does he deserve that halo??

...I guess so :)

Quick News: Congress, Bishops, Kidneys, & Huckabee

1. Congresswoman Lynn Woolsley of California attacks the USCCB for being against the health care bill and suggests they should lose their tax exemplification status.

2. Bishop Tobin of Connecticut tells Pro choice Congressman Kennedy what it REALLY means to be a Catholic.

3. A local priest in my own Diocese of Dallas gave one of his kidney's this week to a parishioner.

4. Planned Parenthood director sees a live abortion on sonogram for the 1st time, leaves her job and joins the crisis pregnancy center down the street. Watch Huckabee's interview with her:


LIKE FR. FRANK PAVONE OFTEN SAYS, "AMERICA WILL NOT STOP ABORTION UNTIL IT SEES ABORTION!" IT WON'T BE PRETTY, BUT IT MUST BE DONE! WATCH "THE SILENT SCREAM" HERE.