Likes and Shares

Boy, have the internets been speaking to me lately. And since I'm trying to teach Ryan the whole sharing concept, I will share them with you! I want to be nice on the blog playground, after all. 

--- iPhone vs. uBaby. Martha hit it out of the park on this one, and I so struggle with making sure that one text doesn't turn into a stream of phone unconsciousness ... don't you sometimes feel unconscious going from app to app to app or site to site to site?

--- Martha was on a roll this week! I really, really want to read the book she recommended, Searching and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart by Fr. Jacques Phillippe. I think it will be perfect to read before I feel tempted to feel like I'm drowning in whines and cries. And the fact that it is only 110 pages means that reading the book pre-Baby is more likely to happen than filling out a baby book for Ryan.

--- Sheena's post on cloth diapering is a great starting point for those curious about covering those bums with cloth.

--- Dwija's post The Love Comes First was poignant, time appropriate, moving and something to always remember. 

--- Heather's post has been circling the internet and for good reason! It is an incredibly honest story that made me laugh and cry. Check out I'm No Theologian. 

--- What is with everyone making me cry with their perfectly timed posts? Add Ana to the list because she wrote a beautiful post, Serviam. 

And I was just feeling nostalgic and going through photos so here is one of two-week-old Ryan. Makes me forget all of the salt he has been seasoning our days with ... where is the sugar of yore, toddler boy?!

Likes and Shares

Well, I fell asleep on the recliner about ten minutes after putting Ryan to bed (pregnant much?) and just groggily woke up. The first thing I thought of was of Jen's challenge and that I had to post withing the next two hours. So. We are going the easy route today which means a blog post to the speed of likes and shares.

+ I loved Christy's honest and beautiful post about sacraments and motherhood. I rarely ever leave Fountains of Home not thinking, "How does she write so well when she has so much more to do in the day than I do??" I can't even form proper sentences with one child. Look above or below for evidence.

+ Chris sent me this gem the other day because he is a gem himself. 3 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Got Married.

+ My family-man of a husband also sent me this article about an unambitious family man from a publication of many layers. Hilarious.

+ I was scrolling through Pinterest the other day and saw this cheese wedding cake. Spoiler alert: I will most likely be constructing a non-nuptial version one of these days if I ever get off my non-social bum and host a party.

+ Happy Birthday, Grace!! 

I promise I had more.
But ... my bed is calling my name.

Likes and Shares

Likes and shares from the world wide web. A lot of these are ancient in internet time (two weeks+) so forgive this lady for being late to the party, please.

Rosie had me cracking up laughing with her Nursing Rules for Babies post. I think Ryan was her number one non-family-member reference when researching documenting the rules.

Chris knows that I like looking for non-frumpy-dumpy-sat-on-a-wall one piece swimsuits so it made me smile when I saw that he emailed me this video about the evolution of the bikini given by Jessica Rey of Rey Swimwear. I thought it was incredibly interesting. Thank you for designing, Jessica!

Speaking of swimsuits...I am very intrigued by the $20 miracle swimsuit Ain't No Mom Jeans shared to the world this week. I am pondering if it will work for me this summer since I don't have a maternity swimsuit, but I'm pretty sure my globe of a belly will be too Christopher Columbus for the flattening swimsuit.

Kate shared her meal planning system and I reeeeeeally need to get my behind in action so I can stop being so behind in the grocery department (polite ha).

This iPhone editing tutorial series on VSCO, Snapseed and Pictapgo on Hellobee has been such a help to me since I rarely edit my photos on the computer once they are uploaded. This DSLR-less mama needs all the help she can get.

Jenny hit the nail on the head with her hilarious flying a transatlantic flight with toddlers PSA. Check it out if you want to chuckle.

My friend, Ellie, compiled this list of brides and grooms praying together before their wedding. Too sweet.

I can't be married to Chris without sharing the latest Hobbit preview. I wonder if he is counting down to the end of October which as much fervor as the countdown to December 13, 2012 ...

David and Becca discovered this life-in-the-kitchen changing video from Martha Stewart. David tried the trick with tupperware instead of metal bowls, and it worked! Bye-bye sticky fingers from peeling crushed garlic cloves.

Well, have a happy Thursday! Ryan is currently enjoying his third breakfast. He will probably have an elevensies, too.

Likes and Shares

Likes and shares around the world wide web. 

- This YouTube video of a toddler losing the battle with sleep while he tries to eat his chicken nugget is stomach-cramping hilarious and so adorable. Well, at least I thought so. See for yourself!

- I thought Natalie's idea to cross-stitch little hoops commemorating all of the places she and her husband have lived was such a brilliant and cozy idea.  Maybe someday I can take a needle-stab at it although for now it would just be Chicago (Aon Center where I worked? Delux Bar & Grill home of my pregnancy standby of mac and cheese and the best french fries ever? Potbelly's? St. John Cantius?) and South Bend (this one is a no brainer). 

- Thank you, Elaine, for such a needed how to dress your postpartum body post. Her tips are great so hopefully I can avoid my dismal dressing from last time. 

- Laura from String of Pearls made me cry with her lovely and honest post about needing strong arms as a mother.

- I was directed to Simcha Fisher's letter to the mother with only one child from Laura's post and it is by far my favorite piece of late. It is so compassionate and honest. I needed to read it because so many times I shake my head ashamed of myself for even thinking that having one child is hard and quite a struggle at times.  And, of course, I lost it when I read this line, "Dear mother of only one child, don’t blame yourself for thinking that your life is hard.  You’re suffering now because you’re turning into a new woman, a woman who is never allowed to be alone.  For what?  Only so that you can become strong enough to be a woman who will be left."

- A huge congratulations to Martha of Romancing Reilly and to her family! She and her husband welcomed Sebastian to the world this week! Yay! And I am super excited to hear the birth story. 

Quality time with Uncle Johnny (just some random photos so I don't give you the travesty of a photoless post)

Happy Weekend!

Likes and Shares

There are quite a few gems on the internets right now that I really liked, even loved, and I wanted to share them with you.

- First, please continue to pray for Baby A and the rest of the family! Here's to hoping for a smooth recovery with rare trips to the hospital.

Source: Buzzfeed

- Have you seen The Royal Family's trip to Hogwarts? My study abroad friend writes for Buzzfeed, and she has the awesome job where she gets to sift through photos of Kate Middleton (I know she is the Duchess of Cambridge, but, come on, she will always be Kate Middleton to me). Ellie did such a great job with this one! And, of course, I love how wonderful Kate looks in her Topshop dress. She needs to get on Prince William though...how has he not read the books?!

- Even better than a royal baby bump...a baby bump blessed by Pope Francis! I adore this photo of Pope Francis blessing the unborn child of Ali Landry and her husband, Alejandro. Now how do I obtain one of those for the babe in my belly? ;)

- If you read Tess' blog, which has a sweet new name that is perfect for her next stage in life, then you know that she has a twin, Lillian. Well, Lillian wrote a wonderful article in defense of reading mom blogs. It's no surprise that I have quite the affinity for reading mom blogs, and I feel lucky that I have never felt shame in reading way over fifty shades of mom blogs. 

- Speaking of blogs written by mothers, Grace was very generous with her tips in her blogging 101 post. For your wisdom, I thank you. 

- I think Anna of In Honor of Design did such a perfect job with her new site launch. I love reading about her family especially since both of our husbands enjoy rugby. 

- The blog of my childhood friend, Michela, is also wearing a new look courtesy of Jenna Riley Design. So pretty and clean!

- Alexandra posted!! I am going to hold her accountable to writing more so, hey, I'm linking to you, girl! In all honesty, I'm just being a bit selfish because I love her clever stories and how can you have too many photos of Peter and Mary Frances?

Happy Weekend, all!