DIY stone Blessed Mother: 5 minute makeover
Truly, this little “makeover” will take 5 minutes. Maybe even less. I was at my parent’s house last summer, admiring their (what I perceived to be) gorgeous white stone statue of the Blessed Mother. I…
Making space for prayer: how one mom of 6 designed a home oratory
One evening, just a few weeks ago, my husband was deeply inspired to create a family oratoryand informed me that he had ordered a bronze, Benedictine altar crucifix, an incense boat with a supply of…
Why I broke the design rules for St. Joseph on the mantel
I’m taking down the ornaments, wrapping up the créche, and laying the garland gently back into the storage bins when my three kids shriek in unison: “MOM WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” I explain, and the…
When God’s love looks like a full crockpot
A few years ago, we found out we were expecting our fifth child. A month later, we learned it was twins, and a month after that we learned that one of them most likely had…
“Something doesn’t seem right”: How my motherly intuition helped us discover a Celiac diagnosis
Noah had been exhibiting worrisome symptoms for a year and a half prior to his diagnosis. He wouldn’t gain weight for months at a time, he had stomach pain with constipation, vomiting, pale complexion, extreme…
Lessons about abundance, scarcity, and the strength of God’s love
My husband and I locked eyes at the dinner table. Wide-eyed and stone faced, our forks frozen in mid-air as our children began screeching yet another nonsensical song about spaghetti squash. Just as I moved…
Why we should raise our kids to choose good for themselves
I’m standing at the front of the classroom leading a discussion on Fahrenheit 451 when there came a quiet knock on the door. “Just a moment,” I said to my students, and as I walked…
Survival mode series: mental, emotional, and spiritual health
Mamas, whenever we undergo a life changing event—from starting a new job, to having a new baby, to moving into a new home— daily life can shift dramatically and send us into Survival Mode. As…
Why we need Santa Claus — now more than ever
Santa Claus gets some bad press these days. I encountered plenty of it while trying to sort out Christmas traditions for my own young family. He’s too materialistic with all those toys. The secular icon…
What makes a house a home?
“Hitherto the Herb of Grace had been to them a summer home; they had known it only permeated with sun and light, flower-scented, windows and doors open wide. But now doors were shut, curtains drawn…
Flooring Renovation: Asbestos Removal and Choosing the Perfect Floor Stain
We finally completed the renovation of our first-floor flooring, and like most renovations, it was a bit more involved than we initially hoped for. When we bought the house three years ago, we knew the…
Roses are red: 8 beautiful shades of a paint color you might not realize you love
Lots of us love blues, greens, whites, and greys. And if neutrals are more your thing, you might think you need to stay far away from a color like red. But we think it’s worth…
