Big Family Television

We do not have TV reception, but we do watch DVDs and videos on occasion. We rent from Netflix and can get some fun stuff that's not available at the local video store. My kids have really taken to old TV shows like The Brady Bunch and The Waltons. They love watching all the kids interact with the same sort of issues they experience with all their siblings. I especially like watching The Waltons. Perhaps I am romanticizing the era a bit -- it could not have been that easy to feed all those kids cooking over a wood-fired stove, and it IS a TV show, so not entirely realistic. However, what a quaint time to live. Everything just seems so slowed down and simple with few cars, no soccer practice, and bare feet. Though, I still look at all those kids around the dinner table and think, "now that's a lot of kids!"

Peace, Hope

Men in Slings

Okay, I promise this will not become some sort of "Brangelina" celebrity blog site. This one is actually for the benefit of my husband who 1. does exist, but complained that he had never been mentioned in my writing so was merely a "presumed presence" in my life! -- "hi, honey!"; 2) to prove to my husband that I did see a tabloid picture (long grocery store line) of Brad Pitt carrying a baby in a sling. My dear husband, father of eight, would rather his arm turn blue and go numb than wear a sling. It's not like it's flowered or paisley either -- denim. Perhaps, I'll get him a black sling, which apparently is the fashion for men. Oh, and since we're on the topic of manly man cool movie star sling-wearing dads, here's another below.

Peace, Hope

Gavin Rossdale

British rocker/sling wearer

What kind of lunches do you serve your family?

Interesting, creative, but these mothers in Japan probably have too much time on their hands. This is not an idea for a larger than average family, for sure. Check it out. See more pictures here and here.

Peace, Hope

Cute Tee-shirt

Some friends gave my husband a T-shirt that all of us with more than a few kids will appreciate.

The front says:

Before you even ask...

Yes, they are all my children.

It is up to God to decide if we are "finished" yet.

No, this is not some kind of daycare.

Yes, I am Catholic

Yes, we do know where they come from.

Then, on the back:

This is what God thinks of our children...

"...children are a reward from Him... Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." Psalms 127:3-5

"Let the little children come to me...for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Luke 18:16

Peace, Hope