Cardinal Egan, responding to Nancy Pelosi's ignorant statements on the Catholic faith on national TV last week:

Like many other citizens of this nation, I was shocked to learn that the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States of America would make the kind of statements that were made to Mr. Tom Brokaw of NBC-TV on Sunday, August 24, 2008. What the Speaker had to say about theologians and their positions regarding abortion was not only misinformed; it was also, and especially, utterly incredible in this day and age.

We are blessed in the 21st century with crystal-clear photographs and action films of the living realities within their pregnant mothers. No one with the slightest measure of integrity or honor could fail to know what these marvelous beings manifestly, clearly, and obviously are, as they smile and wave into the world outside the womb. In simplest terms, they are human beings with an inalienable right to live, a right that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is bound to defend at all costs for the most basic of ethical reasons. They are not parts of their mothers, and what they are depends not at all upon the opinions of theologians of any faith.

Anyone who dares to defend that they may be legitimately killed because another human being “chooses” to do so or for any other equally ridiculous reason should not be providing leadership in a civilized democracy worthy of the name.

Edward Cardinal Egan
Archbishop of New York

Labels: Catholic, Prolife

Mainstream Media seems to be ignoring this, but I thought my readers would want to know. Hindu fundamentalists are storming churches, schools, and orphanages and attacking Christians.

Nuns are being burned alive. Mother Theresa's Missionaries of Charity are being stoned. Priests are barely escaping with their lives.

Please pray for Christians in India!

Labels: Catholic, In The News, Need to Know

Please prepare yourself for gratuitous family picture posting.

What personality are you? A lion? An otter? Choleric? INTJ? Huh? There are as many scales as there are books for sale on the topic.

Labels: C, E, Family Life, Friday Fun, S, V, X

A certain presidential candidate wants to tax the rich, to help pay for universal healthcare.

He defines "rich" as a family making more than $100k per year. Essentially, that's two people making average salaries - $50k each.

It's also essentially a tax on SAHM's. How so? Two income families can change their filing. They can file "married filing separately". Their household will bring in $100k, but they will pay taxes on two $50k salaries.

A family with a SAHM can't do that. They rely on one income, and must pay taxes on $100k. They will pay more taxes than the two income family, even though the actual money put into the bank is the same.

Tell me how that's fair?



Meanwhile, he will expand tax credits for working families with childcare expenses. Will the mothers who care for their own children get a tax credit? No, they'll pay higher taxes. In fact, his website proclaims over, and over again that Obama (who else would it be?) will help make daycare better (while ignoring families struggling to keep their children out of daycare.)

Barack Obama will reform the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit by making it refundable and allowing low-income families to receive up to a 50 percent credit for their child care expenses.

... provide affordable and high-quality child care that will promote child development and ease the burden on working families;

Obama has introduced a comprehensive "Zero to Five" plan to provide critical supports to young children and their parents by investing $10 billion per year

Many families need to have two working parents out of necessity. However, being a stay at home mother, and caring for one's own children, is not a luxury item. It is the "default" of our people, the baseline. Children being cared for by institutions should be the exception, not the standard. Our children deserve better.

Labels: Family Life, politics

Works for Me Wednesday is back after a summer break, and I've been saving this one just for you moms with toddlers.

There is nothing a toddler loves to do more than gleefully unravel the entire roll of toilet paper.

What YOU need is a speed bump. Here's a three step plan to keeping the TP on the roll.

1. Lay new roll of toilet paper horizontally on the floor.

2. Stomp on it.

3. Place on holder as usual. No more TP free for all!


For more Works for Me Wednesday, go visit Shannon.

Labels: homemaking, Works For Me Wednesday

Our new house has a rose garden outside, and another pretty orange on in the front.

They are lovely, and I can see them from my bedroom window. They bloom profusely and smell wonderful.


I've been cutting some of the flowers with scissors, and trimming off the old blooms before they make hips.

However, the leaves don't look so good. They look like this:


and this:


I do water them, but it is often in the high 90's or low 100's this time of year. What's wrong with my lovely plants? Is it the heat? Do they need more (or less) water? Fertilizer?

We've seen some cool spiders on them, too. I really don't want to kill the bushes with my black thumb!

Help me, Mah Peeps!


And on a totally unrelated note, Baby X is growing up. It's a hard, hard day when you discover you are suddenly too tall to walk underneath the table.

Labels: Family Life, homemaking

Today my daughter was speaking to the cat.

"Absolutely not! What's wrong with you?" she told him. Man, she sounded mean!

I started to get on to her for her attitude, then realized where she heard those words. Me.

Ahem.

It's the first real day of school here. Maybe if I try, I can not be a bad influence on the kids!

It should be noted that we don't have a cat of our own. We have a neighborhood cat who, for some reason, subjects itself to my daughters tender loving care. Complete with stroller and funny outfits.



Art from Allposters.com

Labels: Family Life

Ever have one of those days? When you can't wait for school to start - until you remember you'll be teaching them at home this year?

Me too.



This might help.

Labels: Friday Fun, Viral

As you know, I'm on my sanctimonious high horse and am not watching the Olympics. Well, that and I discovered HBO On Demand.

But it's all good! Scribbit has the Olympic rundown to keep me up to speed.

Labels: Linky love, Olympics

I *mostly* stay out of the fray regarding Hollywood movies.

But I feel I must comment on Tropic Thunder, Ben Stiller's latest oeuvre rotten egg. The setup of the movie is that Ben Stiller's character played a "Rain Man" type character, but didn't get the Oscar he was hoping for. Fair enough - but the movie goes on and on and on with an offensive and stereotypical showing of the Simple Jack character. The movie doesn't limit itself to a satirical "movie within a movie" use of the word, either.

Mock movie poster:

Note the tagline. I hear that this poster has been pulled by Dreamworks marketing after the Special Olympics joined the protest.

You'll be seeing t-shirts, and hearing lines, and people will be cracking jokes, and you might want to know what it's all about. "Never Go Full On Retard" shirts are about making more money for Ben Stiller.

Here's the scene. Stiller's career mistake was portraying a "full on retard".



A partial transcript of the above scene:
Ben Stiller (who wrote these lines before filming them)-
There were times whne I was doing Jack, that I actually felt retarded, like really retarded. In a weird way I just had to free myself up to believe that it was okay to be stupid or dumb.

From Growing Up with a Disability.


H/T Barbara at Mommylife for the links.

Labels: Need to Know, Rants and Raves, Special Needs

The St. Joseph Academy for Wayward Children is an eclectic Catholic Masontorri Classical school. I blend a mixture of different philosophies, sampling methods here and there and keeping what works for our family.

But HOW does one plan the year, using 3+ philosophies? I took a cue from Three plus Two and planned a rainbow.

I used colored markers to write down what I was keeping from each philosophy, then wrote a very broad curricula overview.


Classical is Red: (This will be the backbone of our humanities program)
Original Sources

Parts to Whole

Linear History

Grammar

Latin

Memorization

Montessori is Blue
Hands On

Freedom within Limits

Independent self-directed

Self selected, not pointless drill

Concentration, 3 hour work period

prepared environment

Charlotte Mason is Green
Nature Study

notebooking

Living Books Narration


Eclectic/other is purple
Religion (Open Wednesdays, Alphabet of Saints, Liturgical Teas)

Integrating technology. (Yes, this may include repeated viewings of The Most Extreme on Animal Planet and Shark Week. Also, I want to start the boys on Scratch.)

Serendipity

Lapbooks (for science, mostly)

How does it all fit together?


Our school will provide an education based on original sources and living books, with freedom and hands on learning, including religion and nature study.

Most important are the basics of the humanities, reading, phonics, writing/narration, and history. Miquon math will include hands on practice. Science will be learned through lapbooks and nature notebooks.

Religion will include living books of saints, prayer tables and liturgical teas with prayer and Scripture memorization.

Students may select a topic of interest for in depth study, working during a deliberate work period.
Children may select practice activities within limits to complete themselves. Internet games, Leap Pad, and educational television shows will be permitted (within limits.)


Our book list is not finalized; we are using many of the same books as last year. We are still in SOTW 1, taking much longer on Ancient Egypt as that captured the children's interest and taking a side trip into American History last spring.

This is Mr R's first year home after 3 years of classroom schooling, and I'm not sure which books and methods will be the best fit. We'll be continuing Miquon and CHC spellers, as well.

Labels: education, Montessori, special education

China won't allow American tourists to bring Bibles into the country.

So much for those so-called "false" reports that China was going to ban them.

Labels: Catholic, China, Olympics

Many Christian churches teach that once one has a "salvation experience", a one-time event, you are saved and assured of Heaven. Generally, "getting saved" involves declaring you believe Christ died for your sins and/or telling other people about it. It varies by denomination, however.

Catholics believe that we are saved by grace, and that our soul must be in a state of grace in order to enter into Heaven.
Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life - Rev. 21:27

Because we have free will, we can always say "no" to God.

We HAVE BEEN saved by grace:
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. 2 Tim 1:9

We ARE BEING saved
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God - 1 Cor 1:18

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)- Ephesians 2:5

We WILL BE saved:
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved - Matt 10:22

We HOPE to be saved:
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? - Romans 8:24

That is, if we endure to the end with a living faith.

Labels: apologetics, Catholic

I live less than half a mile from my local Catholic church. I've only been twice, though.

I started driving 45 minutes to the Latin Mass.

However, that's not working out lately. We have one car, and the AC is busted ($1100 worth of busted, and it's not getting fixed anytime soon). Mass is at 4 pm; driving 45 minutes in a minivan with no AC and windows that don't roll down in mid July, in Texas, is dangerous.

Today is a Holy Day of Obligation, and because of failure to plan and the aforementioned one car situation, I realized I was not going to be able to drive to Mass today. Most Masses seem to have been offered in the morning (I just assumed there would be Mass in the evening on a Holy Day of Obligation.)

No problem! We'll go to the one on the corner!

The English Masses were yesterday and this morning. I have a choice between Spanish and Vietnamese.

At least the Latin Mass is universal.

Labels: Catholic, Rants and Raves

Husband dear got hurt at work yesterday. He got in a fight with a tool, and lost, and has ten stitches.

In his honor, here's a sweet song about a kid who looks up to his dad: (A JCB is a digger.)



Sitting on the toolbox...I'm Luke and I'm 5 and my dad's Bruce Lee...


Thanks for the link, Clare!

Labels: Friday Fun

Once there was large farm. It was owned by the Russ family, and they were very rich. They had many families working for them.

Mr. Russ controlled the farm and all the people in it. He was not a nice man. Mr. Russ' father and grandfather were bad men. They killed a lot of people, and all of the families on the farm were scared of him and did whatever he said. Mr. Russ did not let the families read books, or keep the food that they grew. They weren't allowed even to talk about the Russ family!

The Russ family was not a good family. They often took things away from the other families, and even their own children. They punished everyone harshly, and if you were really bad they would make you live on a barren island at the northernmost border of the property.

The Russ family often used bribes and punishment to make everyone do what they wanted. Sometime the patriarch, Mr. Russ, would bribe his children to do bad things. Sometimes the children would bribe each other.

Very often there was not enough food for all of the Russ children and the other families, even though the farm was very productive. Mr. Russ would give away the farm profits to some bullies who lived down the road, hoping that they would help him take over some other big, prosperous farms. Very often, his own children went to bed hungry.

In due time, the other families who lived on the Russ farm decided they wanted their land back and to do things their own way. They had finally gotten a hold of some books that described how Sam's farm worked and was so prosperous.

There were some other big farms nearby, who also had bad fathers. Those farms changed, united, and became prosperous. The families on those farms were free now.

Mr. Russ realized that the old way of doing things wasn't working. He made a rule when all the farms had joined together, that a family could leave the farm if 2/3 of them agreed.

The George family was not happy on Mr. Russ's farm. They were tired of being punished. They were tired of being hungry. They were tired of Mr. Russ taking all of their stuff. They decided to take a vote, and run their own farm. They really wanted their farm to be like Sam's.

Sam promised to help them, and the George family became great friends with Sam. Everyone voted to take the George farm back, except for one son. Ozzy. Ozzy liked being on Mr. Russ's farm.

Mr. Russ was not happy that the George family left. They told Ozzy that he could be part of the Russ family, and didn't have to be part of the George family. Ozzy decided to be called Ozzy Russ, but Mr. George still told him he was a George, and would not let him give his house to Mr. Russ.

Mr. Russ was mad. He tried to bully Mr. George. Mr. George knew his friend Sam would help him, and besides, the farm was very successful. Mr. Russ got so mad, he tore down all of the electric wires that went to Mr. George's farm. It was the middle of winter, and even though the George family was very cold, they wouldn't let Ozzy give away his house to Mr. Russ. Ozzy was still a George.

Ozzy didn't like his dad, Mr. George, and they fought a lot. Ozzy let Mr. Russ's family and bullies come over to his house. Ozzy did not listen to Mr. George.

One day, when Mr. Russ and Sam and all of the big farm owners had left for a big meeting, Mr. George decided it was time to make Ozzy be a member of the family again. He sent his strongmen to Ozzy's house to make Mr. Russ's friends leave and to make him be a George.

There was a lot of fighting. Some of Ozzy's house got destroyed.

Mr. Russ rushed home. He gathered up his bullies and sent them to Ozzy's house. Now a really big fight happened! Ozzy's house was almost destroyed.

Mr. George noticed that his friends had left. Sam hadn't come over to help him get his son back. He didn't even help him fight off the bullies. One of the other sons, Az, wanted to leave and bea Russ, now too! Mr. George decided to stop fighting.

Mr. Russ would not stop. He said he would, but he went to Mr. George's other houses and started destroying them. A lot of Mr. George's children were being killed. Mr. Russ had decided he was going to take the whole George farm.

Finally, Sam came to help. He sent supplies to Mr. George, and begged Mr. Russ to stop. Mr. Russ said he would stop, but then the bullies destroyed another one of Mr. George's houses.

And that is where things stand in Georgia. Uncle Sam has finally gotten around to sending aid. Russia is still bombing. Georgia is still begging for a ceasefire.

And our presidential candidates have responded, as well.

Obama wants the UN Security Council to issue a statement condemning the actions. (Does he even know that Russia holds a permanent seat on the Council?) Because UN Statements work so well to end wars.

McCain wants Russia to stop all aggression and bombing, wants to get the UN and NATO involved to immediately put diplomatic pressure on Russia.

Obama decided he agree with McCain, and is also now calling for Russia to stop bombing Georgia.

Condoleeza Rice, while not a candidate, states the US position.
"This is not 1968 and the invasion of Czechoslovakia where Russia can threaten its neighbors, occupy a capital, overthrow a government and get away with it," Rice said. "Things have changed."

Just thought you might like to know what was going on in the world today!

Aaron... the comment I left on your blog about this - I was wrong. I did some more research besides listening to NPR and reading Yahoo! News.

Labels: In The News, politics, Thoughtful Thursday

Thank God for brave people.

55 year old Catholic man Protests Forced Abortions in Tiananmen Square.

He purposely chose Tiananmen Square to remind the world of the brutality of the Chinese government towards protestors.

(If you do not believe the Tiananmen Square student protest in 1989 was brutal, just search Google for Tianmen Square massacre, and select images. Or view some that are not available through Google and other major search engines that do business in China. Please prepare yourself first, and do not watch it while the children are around. Note that the tanks did not stop, and NATO estimates that 7,000 people died.)

May God have mercy on their souls.

H/T Faith and Family Live!

Labels: China, Olympics, Prolife

I wish we had these conversations in our executive branches!




H/T Boys + Academy.

Labels: education

Please keep Heather and her family in her prayers.

For Heather, to be anxious for nothing.

For her daughter, to get well soon.

For the other children, that they won't be too lonely.

May God fill you with His grace.

***ADDED***
Please also remember my father in your prayers.

The doctors changed their mind on the diagnosis, after reviewing all of the data.

Labels: Family Life, Misc.

Mr S is six years old today!




He is such a laid back boy.



He has an unusually deep and serious voice for a little boy.


And a happy, delightsome giggle!


Here he is dancing last year on his birthday:


St. Sebastian, pray for us. Pray for your little namesake to grow in grace this year.

Labels: Family Life, S

Obama has said over and over again that the prolife extremists are lying when trying to "smear" him with his votes on the Born Alive Infant Protection Act.

He is the one who is lying.

Don't take my word for it. His votes, and the text of the bills, are just a Google search away. Obama has tried to deflect criticism by linking it to Illinois SB 1093. The bill in question is actually SB 1095.

No wonder Planned Parenthood PAC loves him!

I'm not sure any amount of lip service to pro-life Democrats, or whispering rumors that Sen. Casey will be a featured speaker at the convention, can undo this damage.

If it ever gets reported, that is. But, it's important for US to know, so we can spread the word when and if we are able.

Obama has rejected any effort by the Illinois state government to protect children who have been born from criminal neglect. He has repeatedly, intentionally blocked efforts to protect these children's civil rights. He aids and abets, and is an accomplice to infanticide.


Thank God the Federal government has protected babies from criminal neglect in American hospitals. Babies in America should never be starved or left to die of exposure, especially not by their doctors.

Labels: politics, Prolife

The day before the Olympics, and China has rounded up several "known protestors" and taken them into custody. The Chinese authorities aren't arresting unruly mobs of people, threatening the safety of passersby with their violent meetings. They are going to old women's houses at 2 AM and rounding up dissidents.

The police deny any arrests have been made, even as AP reporters are speaking to protestors who are at the police station.

Meanwhile, an American in town for the Olympics was killed, and an entire city in Western China is shut down after terrorist bombings.

Let's pray for the safety of innocent civilians - Chinese and otherwise - while the Olympics are going on!

Labels: China, Olympics

I know I said I wanted our children to learn a marketable skill as part of their schooling, but this is ridiculous!

10 year old Bull Fighter

9 year old Tattoo Artist

(Seriously, would you want a 9 year old giving you a permanent body feature? What if they get bored and decide to draw someone farting instead? Or is that just my boys?)

Oh, and war has broken out in eastern Europe, but top stories in the news include the Beijing opening ceremonies and the fact that Suri Cruise likes to play in the park.

Labels: education, In The News

1. Blogging may be light today. Then again, I may hide research online all day, so you never know.

Husband dear is home with a stomach ick. I have a summer cold. Miss C had a bug on Saturday, that included 1 day of throwing up and three days of hives; Miss E caught it at 2 am Wednesday morning.

Yesterday I spent the day doing the nasty Mommy chores of cleaning up various bodily fluids.

My big boys discovered that if you get sidewalk chalk wet, you can paint on your body with it. The house is destroyed. The boys are bored. I need to finish planning the school year so we can start in two weeks. I don't have enough time or energy or pens.


And yet I can't help sighing. Baby X is 16 months old, and there's not a new baby in sight. I've started getting nostalgic. He's outgrown his baby clothes, and I'm packing them up instead of leaving them out, as I usually do, for the next one coming.

I'm usually pregnant by the baby's first birthday. We've never *not* had a baby in the house, but I just realized that even if I got pregnant *today*, Baby X would be two years old before the new one was born.

Baby X weaned last month, for good. I never nursed a baby for so long, and he was such a goof about nursing. He liked to stand up, or straddle my leg like a horse. He didn't want to be cradled like a baby - he's a kid! Or at least he thinks so.

He's so ready to grow up, and I so want him to stay little.

He eats with a fork and can drink without a lid. He sees the camera and knows to ham it up. He answers the phone. He can open jars and loves peanut butter (Heaven help me!) He's a big boy, now.


I'm not yearning yet, or even pining. Just sighing for another little one. I'm just selfish, I guess.

Labels: Family Life, X

Visits to Candyland has an interesting excerpt on what worship looked like in the Early Church, written by St. Justin Martyr.

St. Justin Martyr lived within 100 years of Christ, converted in 130 AD and was martyred in 165 AD.

Visits to Candyland is responding to a popular Christian mommy blogger who made a list of what true worship looks like (i.e., lifting of hands, leaping and dancing, singing, etc., to explain why she likes Foursquare Gospel churches, despite the sect being founded by a woman who still supposedly anoints and inspires notorious faith healer Benny Hinn through graveside services).


The reader may find it edifying also to consider what worship looks like in Heaven. According to Scripture, specifically, the Book of Revelation (Apocalypse), heavenly worship includes:

An altar (Rev. 6:9, 8:3, 9:13, 14:18)

Incense (Rev. 5:8, Rev. 8:3)

Chanting of Holy, Holy, Holy (Rev. 4:8)

Celibate men (Rev 14:4)

Occurs on Sunday (Rev. 1:10)

With candles and lampstands (Rev. 1:12, 11:4)

Also note that according to Revelations, when the two witnesses come to earth before Christ's second coming, there will be worshipers at God's altar. (Rev. 11:1)

More reading: Tim Troutman ponders Jewish sacrifice and the Book of Hebrews, and sacrifice in the first 40 years after Christ.
For an enlightening view of Christ as the Passover Lamb, see what Scott Hahn has to say.

Say what you will about the Catholic Mass, but it is certainly not unScriptural.

Labels: Catholic

1And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

2And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

3And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

4And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

5And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Mark 3:1-5

My father was diagnosed with Malignant Melanoma on his wrist in July. They removed the tumor, biopsied, did radioactive tagging, dug out some more, more testing... you get the picture.

He recently got the test results back, and the cancer has not spread. No radiation, no chemotherapy, and no more body parts have to be removed!

God is good.

1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonders.

2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:1-2

I love you, Dad. We sincerely thank God that you are better now.

Labels: Family Life, health

Howard Pfupajena kicked, choked, and battered a prolife citizen who attempted to photograph him.

Catholic Fire has the story.


Wonder why AP and Reuters haven't picked up the story? Maybe they will after the ACLU gets involved. Oh. Right. Nevermind, then.

H/T Curt Jester

Labels: Prolife

Roasted Kale Chips - tasty way to eat your greens!

Sauerkraut Casserole - not as bad as it sounds!

Labels: cooking

Chicken Stir Fry - feed a crowd for under $10

Fideos - cheap, great for leftovers, so easy

Ham - Four meals from one slab o'meat

Make Your Own Hamburger Helper - endless variation, cheaper and healthier than the boxed stuff.

Labels: cooking

Barbecue Sauce - quick and easy, no need to simmer for hours!

Butter Spread, make it yourself! Trans fat free.

Enchilada Sauce - blenders make it easy

Perfect Gravy - no lumps, no packets.

Labels: cooking

Easy Buttercream Frosting -shortening and transfat free, very rich and sweet.

Kolaches - in a bread machine.

Mermaid Cake - fast and easy Mermaid cake

Labels: cooking

Crystal and I have decided to open a Yahoo! group for discussion of Courageous Virtue. It's a little difficult sometimes to cram everything into a comment or even a blog post!

We'll still be posting the questions and reminders on the blog, but discussion will happen in the group.

Go here to join!

It seems everyone is a little behind this week, so we'll continue week 2 and give everyone a chance to join the group and get into the discussion.

If you missed it, here are the study questions for Wisdom.

Week 3 will commence next Monday, over at Crystal's.

Labels: Bible Study

Root Vegetable Chili - great winter time crockpot dish

Lentils and Rice meat substitute

Macaroni and Cheese- Homemade stovetop mac n' cheese, no artificial colors, easy as the blue box!

Moon Eggs - Scrambled eggs in the microwave, so easy a kid can do it.

Sloppy Joes -Meat free, made with lentils

Tofu Pasta Sauce - Sneak it in with a blender

Labels: cooking

We're expecting Eduoardo tonight/tomorrow, and I was browsing the list of official closures for Houston.

I came across this one:

Kandiland Day School of Friendswood

Would you send your kid to a school called Kandiland? How are their spelling scores?

....and then this tidbit:

Victoria Osteen pre-trial and jury selection

Victoria Osteen is the wife of Joel Osteen, and co-pastor of the largest church in America. They aren't overtly Christian, at least not in the media, although they do have a show on the Trinity Broadcast Network. Wonder what's going on there?

***UPDATE*** Apparently Victoria behaved badly on an airline flight, and abused/maligned a flight attendant. Joel Osteen paid a $3000 fine, but the airline attendant is suing. The fact that the Osteens preach a Wealth gospel, and practice what they preach supposedly has nothing to do with the lawsuit...

**UPDATE 2 *** The flight attendant is suing for damages, because Osteen is a preacher, claiming the incident has damaged her faith in God and therefore she should be compensated.

Only in America.

'K. Nuf gossip.


and then this:

Opening night for "Tuna Does Vegas" at Galveston’s Grand 1894 Opera House has been postponed

...which might not actually be a bad thing!

Labels: Misc.

We need to get an internet filter, for the kids.

I'm looking for something any dummy (or Mama) can use, but can also circumvent with passwords, etc. or user settings. I want it iron clad for the kids, but not so tight for me.

I write about Reality TV, and I have to be able to access sites that may be blocked by a good software program (like Bravo TV, the G*y Network, or MTV, or celebrity MySpace pages that may have questionable advertisements.)

My shows are tame - no Tila Tequila here, thank goodness! -but I still sometimes need to go to these sites.

Also, I do quite a bit of commenting in the prolife blogosphere, and need to access, say, Planned Barrenhood's creepy teen site. (Really, it's C-R-E-E-P-Y!)

What do you use? Do you like it?

Who knew such a computer dunce could have a blog?

Labels: Blog

We move a lot.

We are perpetual renters (who can buy a house when we'll only be in town for a year?)

Our new house is the largest we have ever had. We went from 1200 sq. feet to 2200 sq. ft.

I'm going to attempt something that has never been done before at Mama's house.

I'm going to decorate a room. (Actually, now that I think about it, I did have a bathroom done in 2003 that I was very proud of).

I can do this!

I have Kelly and Monica and Meredith and the Nester backing me up. Should be no problem, right?

Here are the before shots:

Our living room, right off the kitchen, sports a large, chocolate brown wall. I can't change that. The kitchen shares the brown wall and the rooms open into each other.


Our couches are very used secondhand buys, in an off-white leather. I bought some superglue and fixed the part that was coming unsewn.


By "very used", I mean I bought them from a lady who lived on a boat and had a naughty cat.


More unpacked boxes, unbuilt shelves, and temporary junk storage in the middle of our living space:


Obviously, this room needs help.

This pretty little tote bag was $1 at FoodTown - it's one of those eco-friendly stop-using-plastic-bags specials, that someone made out of red Waverly toile. I love toile and I'm going to try to work it into the room.


All of the craft stores are having a major clearance. Michael's has aisles marked down 50% or more; Hobby Lobby has lots marked down 80%. I got some great things to add to what I already own!

My little black basket - $1.60 (80% off at Hobby Lobby). The Nester would be proud!


Giant picture frames for $2.40 and $4.31. They don't have glass, but they'll fill up space on my blank white wall (off white sofa + white shelves + white wall = boring!) One of them may be used in the school room for posters, though. I haven't decided. The brown one is four feet wide, and originally cost $99.



Lamp $9.99 (And husband dear loves it.) The Pretty Lady - I don't know why I bought her, but I love the lines of her dress. She's supposed to go in the garden, but I think she'll be going on a shelf. Clock was $3.77 at WalMart - I was going to buy a clock anyway, and the red ones cost the same as the black or white ones.


Floral containers were 60% off at Michaels, and I know I'll find something to do with the urn.

I have admired this fabric every time I go to Hancock's. I've *almost* bought it in three different states, but chickened out at the last minute because where we live is always "temporary".


I don't know why I love it so, but after 5 years, it's a good bet that I'll be able to live with it. Decorator fabric was 50% last week, so I bought three yards. And a yard of coordinating stripe fabric.



I have to go light on the flowers - the menfolk outnumber the women around here. It's hard to tell, but the colors are creamy yellow, sage green, red, pink and tan.

Let's see if I can put a room together!

Labels: Frugal, homemaking