tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61262142315571714132012-01-19T09:39:23.468-06:00Bridging the gap between sanity and true greatness!Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.comBlogger951100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-4574900318610653942011-11-21T12:09:00.001-06:002011-11-21T12:23:03.143-06:00

You guessed it: I fit right in! I'm over here today hanging out with some very cool bloggers! Actually, I'm just glad they let me hang out with them at all! Happy Gobble-Gobble from my family to yours!

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-36847938629890004042011-11-18T09:47:00.001-06:002011-11-18T09:52:02.727-06:00

It's time for another awesome Snapshots from a Sunday with Cari over at Clan Donaldson! Cari still has a few open slots for anyone who is interested being a part of this very fun (and easy!) "effort"! Click the Snapshots link above and everything you need to know is RIGHT THERE! (The World Wide Web is truly magical, my friends!) So, come on and join me this Sunday! OK? I promise my feelings will

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-46497234217343598732011-10-24T17:42:00.000-05:002011-10-24T17:42:42.813-05:00

Today I'm over here at Clan Donaldson participating in a very fun across-the-blogosphere activity! Check it out and join us!

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-9219159259935592292011-10-10T14:12:00.000-05:002011-10-10T14:12:25.939-05:00

I have always said that each pregnancy is as different as the baby it births, and this pregnancy is certainly no exception.  Since I was 5 weeks along, I have been on "modified" bed rest. "What's 'modified' bed rest?", you ask? Well, I'd like to know that answer to that, too. As best as I can determine, it means that I'm not supposed to push, pull or lift heavy things (toddler children,

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-80640300162652924172011-09-21T22:38:00.001-05:002011-09-21T22:38:59.551-05:00

It's fortunate that the title of my blog is also a disclaimer. That way, anyone can read these posts and say, "Well, she told us UP FRONT that she is crazy.....". So, I guess most of you won't be completely shocked when I write these next words: "I am pregnant!" Or, these: "And, really excited about it!" Yes, this pregnancy is fraught with many risks (for

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-46863016844771016792011-08-24T11:21:00.000-05:002011-08-24T11:21:51.776-05:00

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-50294808863703976142011-07-30T16:27:00.000-05:002011-07-30T16:27:44.084-05:00

No, seriously, Dweej, I love you to bits! And, I love your blog, "HouseUnseen. Life Unscripted" almost as much! So, that's why I'm doing this MEME (which seriously needs a better acronym, or whatevs) wherein I have to link back to 7 posts from my own blog, THEN (here comes the revenge part! moooo-haaa-haaa!) tag 7 other bloggers to do the same. Most Beautiful Post Honestly? This is like

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-19231953105862381882011-07-12T13:53:00.000-05:002011-07-12T13:53:13.063-05:00

As I sat in Mass on Sunday, it occurred to me that the younger version of myself would probably marvel at my calm demeanor. The younger version who had "only" 3 or 4 kids and would sweat bullets as soon as one of her kids spoke above a whisper during Mass, or dropped a cracker under the pew in front of us, or yelled out "I DON'T WANT TO BE AT JESUS' HOUSE!" during the homily. *oh, it happened.

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-91672250220902540302011-06-14T15:32:00.000-05:002011-06-14T15:32:35.852-05:00

More than two years ago, I wrote a post about how my son communicated his love to me through the few words in his baby vocabulary. It took a while before I caught on, but eventually I began to understand and my heart melted. Isn't that always the way with little ones and their mamas? Lately, I've been faced with a new language barrier. This one comes in the form of my oldest child who will be

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-37857432141992441042011-06-01T11:16:00.000-05:002011-06-01T11:16:19.292-05:00

*I have 6 children, so I must be a fertility goddess. What makes you so sure? *Having 6 kids means that I have easy pregnancies and uncomplicated births. What makes you so sure? *My 6 kids are all healthy, so I must have never experienced loss. What makes you so sure? *Being able to raise 6 kids means that we are wealthy. What makes you so sure? *Having 6 kids means that your house is a mess all

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-5854179490250560142011-05-19T16:04:00.001-05:002011-05-19T17:19:43.425-05:00

Grabbing a button AND a great idea from Mary Lauren at My 3 Little Birds!! As I have been a parent (and apparently a pretty lazy parent!) for almost 16 years, I have been subjected to many, many hours of truly nauseating children's (for the sake of brevity, we will limit this to pre-school age shows) programming. Listen, I'm not defending my choices, but I've been pregnant NINE times, so that

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-21300265966909105422011-04-23T13:06:00.000-05:002011-04-23T13:06:07.801-05:00

Much thanks to to CCC at "It was the best of times, and the worst of times.." for giving me The Versatile Blogger Award! The rules of the award are as follows: 1.Link back to the person/s that gave you the award. 2.Award other bloggers the award-- 15 recently discovered bloggers. 3.Contact the bloggers that you have awarded to let them know that they have won. 4.Tell 7 things about yourself.

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-77343525256269089842011-04-20T17:17:00.000-05:002011-04-20T17:17:28.426-05:00

Totally. There is not one shred of sanity left in me (as if the blog's title didn't already clue you in). AND, I have now infected my darling husband with a big ol' case of the crazies. OK, here we go. Deep breath... We are going to Disney World!!!!* *I know all you snitches out there thought I was announcing another pregnancy, didn't you? Yes, that's right! As in: "MK, you've just birthed

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-89750697582447110602011-03-29T19:55:00.000-05:002011-03-29T19:55:06.944-05:00

March just keeps getting crazier and crazier around here. I am thinking that God really wants me to have a penitential Lent. I hear you, Lord! You can take a break for April, OK? Maybe a little one? Anyway, I'm just going to post some of my 40 Bags, 40 Days pics, and then go back to more purging while I comfort a 16 month old who has a double ear infection AND a badly sprained ankle (possibly a

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-84397153984794588122011-03-23T13:03:00.000-05:002011-03-23T13:03:00.758-05:00

I haven't disappeared OR stopped doing my 40 Bags, 40 Days Challenge, LIFE just got super-busy (kids got sick, brother's wife had their 1st baby, etc) and I haven't been able to post for a couple days week. So, I have a few "after" pics to share because I forgot to take the before pics I didn't want to overwhelm you with too many pics in 1 post. *I'm nice like that*: And, now to prove

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-91637797200685630272011-03-16T07:38:00.000-05:002011-03-16T07:38:01.160-05:00

Without further ado, the winner of the Purex Complete Crystals giveaway is Noelle! (Noelle, I will be messaging you later on where to send your free coupon!) CONGRATULATIONS! Later today, I'll be posting 2 days worth of my 40 Bags Challenge, but while you're sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for that, I wanted to share these awesome tips with you from Sarah over at Clover Lane. I could

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-72925394677490504972011-03-15T11:37:00.000-05:002011-03-15T11:37:04.477-05:00

Here are yesterday's pictures from the 40 Bags Challenge. We (my 2 daughters & I) worked in the girls' room, specifically on the changing table and their dresser. We purged SO many clothes and baby blankets (little sob from Mommy). Of course, I realized that the day I have to go through all the clothing bins in the basement will be even more work now, but it's all worth it! Here are the before/

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-87311907690940875712011-03-11T18:24:00.000-06:002011-03-11T18:24:48.324-06:00

Let me preface these "before/after" pictures by acknowledging the fact that our 1st floor bathroom is horrifying. Horrifying in style (a mixture of the original 1920s bungalow/1950s salmon pink/mid-80s blech/early 2000s HELP!). Horrifying in condition. Horrifying in size. Horrifying in all ways. That said, we do realize this fact, and keep it very clean (or try to!). That seems to be our

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-80724654137294992922011-03-10T19:23:00.001-06:002011-03-10T19:24:43.881-06:00

OK, I should have taken "before" & "after" pictures of the first day, but I didn't. So, you'll just have to take my word that my phonebook cabinet is now sparkling and organized (It is!). I also threw out two bags of garbage, so I'm technically ahead of the game! Today is Day 2, and I did take pictures! This is the Icebox cabinet my husband made for me as a wedding gift, and we use it as a book

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-88414584730876665432011-03-09T18:54:00.000-06:002011-03-09T18:54:24.425-06:00

I am going to break with my regular-type of posts and give a review of something that I think everyone who does laundry will want to try. Boring? Maybe. But, in my house of 8 people, doing laundry is a daily evil chore necessity and anything that makes it more pleasant is a winner in my book!  Today's post also comes with a give-away (yay!)! And, if we all play our cards correctly, I may just be

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-62096010052475426802011-03-09T14:10:00.000-06:002011-03-09T14:10:07.553-06:00

I learned about this challenge over at Faith & Family Live a couple of years ago and have wanted to incorporate into my Lenten sacrifices ever since. This is the year! What is the "40 Bags, 40 Days Challenge"? Basically, for each day in Lent (Sundays don't count!), you commit to throwing out/donating 1 bag of items you don't want/use/need anymore. In essence, a physical 40 day purge of your

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-62808358931368485332011-02-20T11:20:00.000-06:002011-02-20T11:20:25.937-06:00

My darling husband has threatened to start his own blog for years, and he has finally made good on his promise! If you get a chance to check it out, please keep in mind that he's been bottling up his creativity for years and forgive his exuberance. Also, perhaps now people will have a bit more sympathy for me and throw a few more prayers in my direction. ;-) CONGRATS KYLE!!! Welcome to the

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-80917054649967746732011-01-27T15:17:00.000-06:002011-01-27T15:17:25.529-06:00

Feeling grumpy today, so I thought I would do 2 things to cheer myself up: (a) think of ten things for which I am grateful, and (b) LIST THEM! Without further ado, I am grateful for... 10) The Internet. Over the last 12 years I have been able to learn more about the world, people I love, and myself because the Internet allows for easy and inexpensive communication. It can be my #1 time-waster,

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-15623091495212415962010-12-09T19:59:00.000-06:002010-12-09T19:59:18.322-06:00

Remember when you were a teenager and you watched your parents or grandparents freak out over something that seemed relatively minor to you? For example, when I was 16, my grandmother went shopping with me at a local department store. As we entered the Juniors department, the jazzy, soothing muzak that the store piped in over the speakers became this jarring, slightly heavy-metal-type rock and

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-77353115397715972032010-12-01T09:33:00.000-06:002010-12-01T09:33:45.665-06:00

OK, so maybe not so regularly scheduled... Anyhoo... I WON!!!! I WON!!! Oh, just watch the video... And, THANK YOU to Lydia and Kate! Love you gals! (I totally promise to post more regularly. Really.)

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-73205574169716947462010-10-25T22:08:00.000-05:002010-10-25T22:08:10.345-05:00

OK, stepping out of my comfort zone completely here. For those of you who know me, you are familiar with the part of my personality that prevents me from choosing paint colors, wall tiles, or plumbing fixtures. I cannot explain this indecisive part of me, as I usually have no problem choosing anything else (new cars, babies' names, pizza toppings, etc); it's just there. Even after I have chosen

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-61263347897280646232010-10-13T11:17:00.000-05:002010-10-13T11:17:45.362-05:00

Today, I just needed to re-read and pray this: Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury,pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-32772989270822830742010-09-10T16:31:00.001-05:002010-09-10T20:15:11.324-05:00

With the beginning of each school year comes new clothes, new colored pencils, new friends, and new things we've never heard before. And, by "we", I mean "parents". This year has not disappointed. Five of our six kids are enrolled in school, and four of those five had meetings that parents were required to attend (a big "THANK YOU!" goes out to my son's high school who doesn't seem to care

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-58001008674734519802010-09-02T19:42:00.000-05:002010-09-02T19:42:38.547-05:00

In our family, over the years, we have "re-defined" some basic words, phrases, and uses of the English language. I am quite certain that this happens in a lot of families. What I do find quite peculiar is that we use these re-definitions effortlessly throughout a normal day and not one of us seems to think twice about it. Before I go any further, let me first list some of these definitions.

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-34932259160185920082010-07-25T16:30:00.000-05:002010-07-25T16:30:58.473-05:00

Gosh! It has been a while since I last posted; almost three months! Actually, I have come back to my Blogger "dashboard" several times with the intention of writing a new post, but LIFE has gotten in the way each time. How do I define LIFE, my LIFE? That is actually a very complicated question which requires a fairly long answer, but if you are willing to read along, then I will try my best to

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-53764489588615657892010-05-01T23:16:00.002-05:002010-05-01T23:17:49.332-05:00

Last summer, our newly-turned-two-year-old decided that he was going to stop taking his daily nap. Up until that point, I could lie down with him and we would both pass out for an hour or two, then awaken feeling refreshed. (This worked out fairly nicely for me, as I was pregnant and dealing with the "pregnancy tireds".) However, right before his 2nd birthday while we were on vacation, our son

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-57338528360198510972010-04-07T21:42:00.001-05:002010-04-07T21:43:45.754-05:00

Currently, we have a 2.5 year old boy who is obsessed with superheroes. ("Obsessed" does not seem like a strong enough word to use when describing how my boy feels about superheroes, but I cannot come up with a better word.) And, since he has only his older brothers' descriptions/stories of Batman to base his characterizations on, I am impressed that he has persisted in his imaginary world

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-21209807166104544572010-04-01T09:17:00.000-05:002010-04-01T09:17:48.301-05:00

Since tomorrow is Good Friday, I decided today was the time to post my memorial tribute to my daughter who passed away on April 2, 2006. I wrote the following memorial on her first Heavenly birthday, but was not ready to let people see it at that time. This year, I am ready. As with any of my other children, I am a proud and loving mother and I like to brag about my kids around the time of their

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-40364794814070505712010-03-30T17:30:00.000-05:002010-03-30T17:30:22.343-05:00

Yup, it's true. Our public library is completely inspirational to my two youngest children. Do they aspire to being great authors? Maybe. But, at 2.5 years old and 4 months old, I highly doubt they have given that career route serious consideration. No, the inspiration to which I am referring falls into a much more "natural" category. And, with all the thoughts that the word "nature" conjures up:

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-7841803152809158142010-03-29T11:59:00.001-05:002010-03-29T12:53:12.048-05:00

I love Holy Week. I really do. I have always loved it, even as a small child.  I love the reading of The Passion at Mass on Palm Sunday. (Secretly, I think it's because it calls for the whole congregation's participation and that pleases the actor in me!) I love the "prep work" of getting the house clean and shiny, and dying Easter eggs during the first half of the week.  I love Mass on

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-28879212837023714442010-03-24T14:31:00.001-05:002010-03-24T14:34:50.613-05:00

I wish I could say I was teaching a class called Baby Soothing 101, but I cannot. You would think that after six babies, I would be an expert on the subject. Oh, how I wish I were an expert! What I have learned is that each baby has his/her own very distinct personality (even when they are biological siblings!) and each personality calls for it's own kind of care. Like they say in The Womanly

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-51526705065651827232010-03-19T09:06:00.000-05:002010-03-19T09:07:49.682-05:00

"Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in expiation of my many sins;to work conscientiously by placing love of duty above my inclinations;to gratefully and joyously deem it an honor to employ and to develop by labor the gifts I have received from God,to work methodically, peacefully, and in moderation and patience,

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-79089965734287204002010-03-17T10:40:00.001-05:002010-03-17T10:46:06.137-05:00

From Saint Patrick's Breastplate Christ be with me Christ before me Christ behind me Christ in me Christ beneath me Christ above me Christ on my right Christ on my left Christ where I lie

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-90581993455986293852010-03-09T14:40:00.005-06:002010-03-09T18:35:38.691-06:00

The story of Maria Esperanza Medrano de Biachini is quite fascinating and I highly recommend everyone, Catholic or not, read it.In short, it is the true story of a modern-day woman from Venezuela who seems to be a mystic in the truest sense of the word. The movement for her canonization began this January, and I will be very interested in seeing what happens. She was a wife, mother, and

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-18974103780268003942010-03-01T21:17:00.002-06:002010-03-01T21:24:50.423-06:00

Cold. Sleet. Slush. Snow. Icy Mud.Coughs. Runny Noses. Sore throats. Stomach flu. Pent-up energy. Bouncing off walls. Cabin Fever. Tempers flaring.

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-78247260994996784972010-02-26T09:59:00.003-06:002010-02-26T10:19:25.750-06:00

Well, I did it. I bit the bullet. As part of my Lenten sacrifice this year, I gave up Crackbook.. ahem, I mean FACEBOOK for the full 40 days. To those of you who don't participate in this social networking "stuff", or only participate peripherally (how do you do that?!), this may not seem like a big deal.You're probably saying, "OK, so what? So, for 40 days you don't read about 100+ people and

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-75177539376243905692010-02-17T19:58:00.004-06:002010-02-18T16:55:59.664-06:00

"There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. She had so many children, she didn't know what to do. She gave them some broth without any bread; Then whipped them all soundly and put them to bed."When I was a young child, I had a book of Mother Goose nursery rhymes, and the above rhyme was one that held a particular fascination for me. I can clearly recall the illustration that accompanied this

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-2821257677863318672010-01-20T13:38:00.003-06:002010-01-20T13:53:48.914-06:00

I'm so sorry for being "absent" for so long, but I have been a little busy for the last 7 weeks.Although my c-section was not scheduled until December 10 (which would still have been a full month before my due date!), my sweet and determined daughter decided that she wanted to be born on November 29! She was 6 weeks early, but still weighed a tad bit over 6 pounds.Very long story short: my uterus

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-43212524122319255922009-11-19T14:02:00.004-06:002009-11-19T15:02:18.305-06:00

My husband and I have been waiting for this to happen. We had been hoping we would not have to deal with it, but it looks as though we have no choice now.What am I talking about? The almighty ban on children visiting family members in the hospital due to H1N1 contamination fears. Up until this point, our hospital (one of the biggest in our very large city), had only limited visitors if they were

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-8481589118059660102009-11-07T21:15:00.003-06:002009-11-07T21:54:29.244-06:00

I will be the very first to say that, these days, it's uncommon to find a woman who has been wearing maternity clothes (periodically!) for the last 14 1/2 years. But, I fit (no pun intended) that description exactly.I will also freely admit that, within the last 14 1/2 years, maternity clothes have improved in fit and variety. I will also freely admit that they could not have gotten much worse --

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-51361619172398174032009-10-27T13:15:00.004-05:002009-10-27T14:33:02.102-05:00

That is the most-dreaded question of my day. And, being that four of my kids are boys, that question is usually first asked right after breakfast (I am not joking, even slightly).Hey, do not misunderstand me! I like eating dinner as much as the next guy, and I do not even mind making dinner (on most nights!). However, I detest coming up with dinner ideas which will please all the particular

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-13796563794505663362009-09-14T16:59:00.003-05:002009-09-16T17:08:36.629-05:00

I really wish I had a nickel for every time I yelled (yes, I yell sometimes) the above sentence out to my children; I would be a wealthy woman by now. In all fairness to myself, it is truly a question that I ask with some incredulity, mixed with a good amount of annoyance. I really do wonder, "what in-the-name-of-all-that-is-holy-and-pure is going on with you goofballs?!?".It is a question that

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-10763411483248944922009-09-02T14:09:00.003-05:002009-09-02T16:11:04.647-05:00

If you are a parent of more than three kids, you are frequently asked, "How do you do it?" (of course, it's almost always accompanied by an incredulous look). Last night was no exception to that rule.I was leading a Parents Club meeting at our younger kids' school, and, as it was the first meeting of the school year, decided to have everyone in the group (no, it was not well-attended!) take a

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-80650259364890115032009-08-11T14:45:00.003-05:002009-08-11T15:28:01.574-05:00

Yesterday was a big day for our family: we learned that the baby who we are so eager to meet this December is... a... GIRL!OK, so maybe it was a bigger day for some members of our family, than others. Our four sons were all rather quiet when my husband and I showed them the ultrasound pictures. Their 9-year-old sister was beyond elated and shocked. I have to think that the rather unladylike "in

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-57583383419021733532009-07-27T14:08:00.005-05:002009-07-29T17:25:28.003-05:00

Lately, I have been fielding some questions on my kids' chore list and various related topics, so I thought I would use this post to explain how and why we handle this area.Actually, when I had only two or three young kids (who had chores!) it bemused me when people would act surprised that my husband and I would expect them to participate in "housekeeping duties". People wanted to know why we "

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-70053086539303163982009-07-14T10:37:00.003-05:002009-07-14T11:26:22.861-05:00

Sometimes, that IS the question.Most kids go through a phase where they unknowingly say really funny, yet inappropriate, things. In a larger family, these phases repeat and increase because of the influence of older kids on their younger siblings. As parents, it is sometimes very difficult NOT to laugh at something you know you should be correcting.I am certain you would like some concrete

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-82628955505739866692009-07-01T08:30:00.005-05:002009-07-01T08:43:25.377-05:00

Celebrate Our Country's Great History and Unique Freedoms!On the 4th of July, our family celebrates by shooting off fireworks (set to patriotic music!) at our lake house!I would LOVE to hear how YOU celebrate our nation's birthday!

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-3043864290125669992009-06-25T14:36:00.003-05:002009-06-25T16:29:47.456-05:00

In our family, we tend to have "clumps" of birthdays/anniversaries/holidays, and we are in the midst of a very thick clump right now.At our address alone (so, not counting any extended family!), from June 18th through July 23rd, we have FOUR (4) birthdays and one anniversary (ours!). Other than the anniversary, there was not a whole lot we could have done to change this; of course, the

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-89840868584333977152009-06-12T15:01:00.002-05:002009-06-12T16:00:47.081-05:00

I am.And, by "crunched", I mean "crunched".As we all know, the U.S.'s current economy has not been doing very well lately, and does not look as if it will be improving any time in the near future. Blessedly (VERY blessedly), my husband's job status has not been adversely affected by the current economic recession, although the company he works for is very much feeling it's effects. Because of

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-2670159197507334732009-05-27T11:07:00.005-05:002009-05-27T11:44:20.173-05:00

Yes, I realize it has been a little while since I have posted anything. Morning sickness and overwhelming exhaustion tends to slow a person down a bit!You read that correctly: we are very happily expecting a new baby! Our "Latest Addition" will be arriving some time in early-to-mid December 2009, so Merry Christmas to us!We have just started to tell people, and here are some of the reactions/

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-44716076098644753372009-05-08T16:09:00.003-05:002009-05-08T16:13:08.791-05:00

To all of the mothers, moms, mamas, mommies, grandmas, aunties, godmothers, and "mothers-in-spirit": May you have the very happiest of Mother's Days and know how much you are loved and needed!

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-57039227640973049282009-04-29T09:37:00.004-05:002009-04-29T10:22:20.437-05:00

My daughter, at the ripe old age of almost nine-years-old, has hit the eye-rolling stage. This is about two years earlier than either of her older brothers hit the same stage, but, she potty-trained earlier than they did, so I guess there are some trade-offs.She is very much like I was at the same age: she does not care to "share" a lot of information regarding her daily life, and she believes

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-61407199216965495452009-04-23T17:46:00.005-05:002009-04-23T18:15:54.199-05:00

Yes, he must be a genius! What else could he be?My second-born son just turned 11 years old this week, and every day he lets us know exactly how much more he knows than anyone else in the world.Obscure facts about any member of the animal kingdom? He knows all of them. I'm sorry, did you just try to correct him? Don't bother, because he is always right. Always.The best way to fix a broken

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-61161295291602912572009-04-16T10:16:00.003-05:002009-04-16T11:09:24.400-05:00

It has been one of the longest winters in my memory. I know that the calendar indicates that it is Spring, but here in the Midwest we have been mired in cold, miserable, rainy/snowy/icy, cloudy, and dreary weather since November. It is truly a mark of how awful it has been when people visibly perk up after hearing a forecast of "Sunny and 45 degrees".So, I have been trying to fool myself into

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-78382970059307394202009-04-08T13:11:00.003-05:002009-04-08T13:34:35.538-05:00

If you have ever seen the movie "Jurassic Park" (or read the book that it was based on), then you will surely remember the T-Rex. The animal was described as not-too-bright, extremely aggressive, very fast, and could only see what moved. So, if a character stood perfectly still right in front of the dinosaur, he stood a better chance of surviving than if he ran away, screaming.My almost-21-

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-50350346836913845912009-03-23T12:26:00.003-05:002009-03-23T13:37:33.481-05:00

Sometimes, right before I fall asleep or while I'm in the shower, a series of random thoughts run through my brain. I'm sure it's because my body is at rest/relaxing, and my mind is free to focus on other things. There have been days where I wished I could turn some of these random thoughts into posts for this blog, but there wasn't enough material to make for an interesting post.Yesterday, one

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-49905875508032488392009-03-17T13:29:00.003-05:002009-03-17T14:01:20.176-05:00

Yup. We're Irish. Some of us are more Irish than others; I'm 75%, my husband is 50%, so that makes our kids 62.5% (they like to point out that they are more Irish than their father!). Most of our kids have Irish first &/or middle names, and we all have an Irish surname. And, we're Catholic. (Spare me your inane Irish-Catholic-Big-Families jokes. I've heard them all.)So, yes, St. Patrick's Day is

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-44318265743647693702009-03-09T09:49:00.003-05:002009-03-09T14:37:52.027-05:00

Remember when you were 7 years old and you kept pestering your mother while she was chatting on the phone?What was her reaction?Well, if she was at all similar to most mothers, she probably snapped her fingers in an angry manner in order to focus your attention, and then she shook her fist at you. That, of course, was followed by a tinkling bout of laughter at whatever her phone-friend was saying

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-30415258266709814242009-02-18T22:03:00.002-06:002009-02-18T22:09:18.247-06:00

I was just catching up on my blog reading, when I realized that I had been chosen as one of someone's 5 favorite blogs to read! (http://ephraimvann.blogspot.com/2009/02/thank-you-thank-you-thank-you.html) Yay, and THANK YOU, Stacey; I love YOUR blog and am always excited when you post! Now, I guess I'm supposed to choose my fave 5 blogs, but that will have to wait for a time when my eyes can

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-25273837943551656642009-02-18T18:28:00.005-06:002009-02-18T21:53:43.203-06:00

I'm sure this is probably true of most people, but it just hit me the other day: I can be really good at things if I decide to be good at them. Could explain a large portion of my high school years.Not exactly an epiphany, I know, but it struck me in the middle of cleaning the bathroom.There I was scrubbing the yucky crevice where the toilet meets the floor and I was grumbling at how the cleaning

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-76746142558113589272009-02-09T06:43:00.003-06:002009-02-09T06:50:11.209-06:00

Five weeks into my latest Weight Watchers Adventure, I have lost 9 1/2 pounds and have ceased to feel too crabby about the calorie reduction. I'm at that point in the program where I can actually discern *real* hunger from *stress* hunger, and I also feel fuller sooner. All good things, so I feel encouraged to keep trucking along!More later.........

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-28637502538810740272009-02-03T18:06:00.002-06:002009-02-03T18:36:41.865-06:00

If you don't believe me, just ask my family.Shopping lists, to-do lists, invitation lists, what-to-pack lists, you-name-it! If there is any possible way to make a list for something, I will make one (sometimes, TWO lists!). One time, I even made a list of lists I should make (I am not joking at all).Lately, my "addiction" --- I'll call it "Facebook" --- is all about making lists. Lists of 25

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-76258086562646262372009-01-26T19:29:00.004-06:002009-01-26T20:19:55.982-06:00

And, they really do feel like they sound. Go ahead... say it: BLAAAAHHHHS. Or, is it Winter Blechs?For those of you who live in warmer climates, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about, right?So, it's January.... so what?I'LL TELL YOU "WHAT"!!(Sorry, meant to use my "inside voice", but my "outside voice" keeps flying out of me due to such little use.)Close your eyes (I'm sure those

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-35125127839948373162009-01-20T07:45:00.002-06:002009-01-20T07:53:10.244-06:00

So far, I'm down 2.2 pounds (down is good, but I wish it were more) and still hanging in there... with ENTHUSIASM!Thought For The Day For All Those Kind Folks Who Look At Me and "All Those Kids" With A Mixture Of Incredulity, Disgust, and Superiority:Do you know that I pity you? I mean, TRULY pity you? I know all the wonderful things you are missing; choosing to shut out of your life. Just *think

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-41437343074519152652009-01-14T10:17:00.003-06:002009-01-14T13:13:18.437-06:00

Totally unpopular thing to say, I know, but REALLY!The woman is apparently single-handedly responsible for the salvation of all the poor and destitute of Africa and North America. Oprah is also the go-to woman for anything regarding spirituality, interior design, and healthy eating. She's also responsible for getting us all interested in reading again, and (HALLELUJAH!) for the election of our

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-83971461726300852062009-01-08T12:20:00.003-06:002009-01-08T13:14:04.976-06:00

Something has been bothering me for a while; for years, actually. And, if I'm even remotely like most people (some days more than others!), than I'm sure it bothers other people, as well.What am I talking about? Well, there is no ONE word to sum it up, but I'll try to explain it as best as I can..... (warning: get a cup of coffee and a comfy chair!)I will be the very first person to tell you that

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-72218153456782233702009-01-06T17:15:00.003-06:002009-01-06T17:51:18.636-06:00

Well, I'm back with Weight Watchers.... again. This time, to jazz things up a bit, I'm doing the online version. Almost 3 full days into it, and I am feeling pretty good.I've done Weight Watchers before. Several times before. The first time was when my 3rd child was 13 months old and I lost 50+ pounds. (I was still losing the weight 7 months later when I became pregnant with my 4th child.) I

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-62836954871892935482008-12-12T13:55:00.003-06:002008-12-12T14:27:52.518-06:00

These are a few of my favorite things!Pardon my "Julie Andrews Moment", but I was just thinking about why I don't feel like it's Christmastime, yet.Yup, I do not feel like the Season of Christ's Birth is upon us. It doesn't matter that my tree is trimmed, my nativity set is up, my stockings are hung, my gifts are bought, AND there is a couple of inches of snow on the ground. I'm doing all the

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-91011090114203702312008-12-01T14:19:00.003-06:002008-12-01T19:59:49.371-06:00

Recently, I was asked what I would entitle a reality show based on my family's day-to-day life and, immediately, this phrase came to mind: "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff!"But, I'll come back to that later.What prompted that question was another, even more interesting question: What do I think of reality shows about large families?Hey, like a lot of moms out there, I am addicted to most of TLC's

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-86018218554783089962008-11-13T19:09:00.004-06:002008-11-13T19:38:12.266-06:00

Bet you thought I was talking about Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.Nope.Maybe Jerry Springer or Maury?Wrong again!Lately, when I hear the words, "baby-mama", a much different thought pops into my head. My nearly-16 month-old son has a fairly good vocabulary (doesn't walk yet, but he sure can tell us what he wants!). For the past couple weeks I have been enjoying his efforts to repeat the words he hears

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-16807556930786554872008-11-04T20:14:00.004-06:002008-11-04T21:37:44.490-06:00

NOISE!I can't stand it!Especially when I'm trapped in a small area with the decibels reaching eardrum-rupturing levels.For example, the other night our entire family (even our dog) were safely buckled into our SUV, on our way to our lake house. It's a two-and-a-half hour drive, but we hadn't even made it out of our village's borders when I had a Mommy Meltdown. It was big. It was bad. It was ugly

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-41380864192894801412008-10-29T10:42:00.003-05:002008-10-29T12:24:17.702-05:00

Join the club!I haven't had a good night's sleep since September of 1994 (I became pregnant with my first child that month!). Mothers of grown children tell me that you don't get a solid and peaceful six hours of rest until your youngest is four. Upon further reflection, I decided that once you have become a mother, you will never *really* get true peace... awake or asleep.I imagine this holds

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-52143830306649887722008-10-24T12:25:00.003-05:002008-10-24T13:23:49.673-05:00

I will be the very first person to admit that I am no sentimentalist.Never have been.And, while you could never accuse me of being emotionally "cold", I'm not a "hugger-type". I guess, "reserved" and/or "guarded" would be better adjectives used to describe my "emotional climate", along with a "loud" and "sarcastic".That is why I was so taken aback by my reaction at the prospect of my oldest child

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-80216574542224031952008-10-20T11:49:00.002-05:002008-10-20T12:49:33.557-05:00

OK, I'm going to use one of those phrases that, as children, we swore we'd never utter: "In MY day...".In MY day (that didn't hurt too badly!), my parents didn't buy our Halloween costumes, we made them!Now, some mothers of my childhood friends could actually sew, and these kids sported some pretty nifty costumes every October 31st.My mother (God bless her) thought "darning" socks meant that you

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-37745235251517172352008-10-16T22:18:00.003-05:002008-10-21T09:19:45.805-05:00

Does anyone out there remember that Milton-Bradley game, Perfection, from the 1970s and 1980s?It was a plastic rectangular box, which housed a spring-loaded board which was filled with many small openings for geometric shapes. At the top of the box was a timer-dial and a toggle-switch. The game also included the small plastic geometric shapes (circle, star, hexagon, crescent, etc) which

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-61204694569921192902008-10-13T11:19:00.003-05:002008-10-13T11:24:00.159-05:00

***Please take a few moments to visit The Demographic Winter (click the link to the right--->) and watch the trailer for this fascinating documentary. I feel the some of the cable and public television stations would benefit from adding this to their line-ups, as this is also an epidemic of grave concern. Very, very thought-provoking, if nothing else.***(Thanks to Becca for passing it on to me!)

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-12740798138121490472008-10-10T10:32:00.002-05:002008-10-10T11:46:52.229-05:00

If you have more than one child, than you almost certainly have been asked if you are "done" having children, or if you are going to have any more. And, after you've produced Child #4, the question is asked with more incredulity, sometimes even outrage.My more sarcastic self would like to say (and has said on occasion), "I don't know. But, while we're on the subject of asking personal questions,

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-55862602155645505622008-10-08T11:10:00.003-05:002008-10-08T12:05:28.089-05:00

Well, DO they?Watching the Presidential Debate last night, I realized how tense I was. Not because I was upset over what I was/wasn't hearing. Not because I haven't made a decision on whom to vote for (I have.). Nope.I was sitting on the edge of my seat, shoulders hunched, and a wrinkled brow because I hate the actual act of conflict of any kind. I cringe at the thought of people arguing and/or

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-14383394358847525652008-10-02T17:19:00.003-05:002008-10-02T17:58:30.448-05:00

Good question!You may think that because of the title of this blog, that my sanity is long gone, never to return. And, you may be correct in that assumption.But, don't let yourself be duped into thinking that I don't, occasionally, try to get some semblance of sanity back. Because, I DO. I try.And, not all of my methods include alcohol.Sometimes, after a particularly rough day, I hand over all

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-15564286094501771682008-09-29T09:54:00.005-05:002008-09-29T11:31:51.669-05:00

Ever felt like saying that to the parents of your children's friends?The problem is that while you can choose your own friends, your children will become old enough to choose their own friends.And, all kids go through a phase where their choices are completely indiscriminate. Ah, the innocence of childhood! At least, the innocence of your child's childhood.What prompted this particular subject

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-70010260507679275542008-09-22T14:22:00.002-05:002008-09-22T15:45:11.676-05:00

***Before I begin, let me profusely apologize for the long time in between posts! I have spent some time trying to help my wonderful husband recuperate from a back injury. Thankfully, he's on the mend and has left me with some "blogging time" on my hands! Thanks, Honey! I love you!***I would like to thank everyone who posted or emailed suggestions for future posts; what GREAT ideas!! And, I am

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-59890731148980364362008-09-12T09:42:00.004-05:002008-09-12T09:54:53.369-05:00

OK, I'll admit that Zumba class was actually a lot of fun. Painful, but fun.So, while I'm recovering from my "healthy lifestyle", I thought I'd ask you, my dear readers, for ideas for future postings.What would you like me to blog about?Any burning questions you need answered?Any hot topics that I haven't commented on yet?Want my favorite meatloaf recipe?Post a comment to this blog and let me

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-44135692253726144192008-09-09T10:30:00.003-05:002008-09-12T14:10:05.900-05:00

So, I'm taking a couple of exercise classes at our village's recreation center this Fall. Namely, a muscle conditioning class and a Zumba class. Sounds fun, right? That's what I thought when I signed up for them.I also was under the (still-to-be-proven) impression that by taking these classes, I would be improving my health.Weight loss? Good thing.Improved cardiovascular system? Wonderful

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-59580069046027945222008-09-04T09:42:00.002-05:002008-09-04T10:18:13.152-05:00

...the happier we'll be?????I guess it depends on who is getting together, where they are congregating, and for how long.What do I mean? Please, let me tell you!As my family has grown over the years, I have seen a shift in my own feelings on this subject. Whether that shift was a natural evolution, a conscious choice, or a little bit of both those things, I am not sure.What I am sure of is this:

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-66832287548533807792008-09-02T14:23:00.002-05:002008-09-02T15:47:56.016-05:00

Last Friday, John McCain announced Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his choice for his vice presidential running mate. Old news today, right?A good friend of mine asked me, as a mother to five rambunctious children, what I thought of another mother of five in the role of (possible) Vice President.Very interesting question, I thought to myself.A small disclaimer should be included at this point: I

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-23487199835647714092008-08-28T10:22:00.002-05:002008-08-28T11:40:51.270-05:00

How about that for a compliment? In the words of my ophthalmologist, I have the "retinas of an eighty-five-year-old". Of course, he followed that by saying that my retinas were in the body of a 35-year-old who looks like a 25-year-old, so that softened the blow a bit!That's what I did with my day yesterday. I went to the eye doctor's office to have pictures taken of my retinas. And, for this

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-7182820984068320062008-08-25T20:16:00.002-05:002008-08-25T21:13:29.441-05:00

I will be the very first person to admit that I absolutely love being a mother. I love my kids, in all their ages and stages.I savor long, warm hours spent holding the cuddly newborns.I cannot wait to see my babies take their first, cautious steps.I feel all fuzzy inside when my toddlers repeat funny phrases in their little chipmunk voices.I enjoy hearing my grade-schoolers talking about their

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-34759404866446346782008-08-22T11:42:00.002-05:002008-08-22T13:35:26.432-05:00

The other day, I found myself wondering why there seems to be so much confusion within the general population regarding large families. I grew up as the oldest of five children and I am married to a man who is one of twelve children, so we have both fielded more than our fair share of "big family" questions before we started our own "big" family.So, we were certainly used to hearing things such

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-8638486656590556952008-08-20T08:55:00.004-05:002008-08-20T12:59:24.324-05:00

One of the comments made about my previous post, included a question about how to fill out your pre-school's forms. And, given the fact that my brain has been (maybe permanently) sunburned by too many hours at the local pool this summer to think of another subject, I will indulge my dear reader's curiosity.Well, as many of us are learning, many schools are taking a very serious approach to

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126214231557171413.post-66573526712140235992008-08-18T13:07:00.000-05:002008-08-18T14:06:42.176-05:00

As a mother of 6 children (5 on Earth, 1 in Heaven), I often get asked, "HOW many kids do you have? Are you CRAZY?".Duh. Isn't the answer obvious?I'd HAVE to be a little insane in order to become a mother at all.For me, being pregnant means 12 weeks of nausea and vomiting, hibernation due to extreme exhaustion, mood swings like you wouldn't believe, and (my personal favorite) weight gain. Who in

Mary Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.com2