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Hosted by Jen at Conversion Diary.

Better Late than Never - It's been a busy week, but May is usually a busy month anyway! I was late posting yesterday's {pretty, happy, funny real} but I posted them this morning. They are photos from Matthew's first birthday. :-)

That Sex Book - I have been working on rereading the book Style, Sex & Substance by Hallie Lord and I have been posting my thoughts on each chapter online. When some of my family members heard that I was posting about the book, they were a little concerned and a little opposed to "that pink Catholic sex book." I tried to explain that it wasn't actually a "sex book." After reading my thoughts on chapter 1 (Catholic womanhood), chapter 2 (style & modesty) and chapter 3 (prayer) I think I finally convinced them that just because "sex " is in the title, that is not what the whole book is about. Although I may have to have them skip my blog next Wednesday since Chapter 4 is about sex. (So concerned family members, be forewarned! ;-)

Mother's Day Giveaway - Speaking of the scandal causing Hallie, she is having a Mother's Day Contest and the prizes rock! They include:
--A copy of "Style, Sex, and Substance" signed by all 10 contributors.
--A Moleskin Journal in which a woman could-if she pleased-journal her answers to the questions provided at the end of each chapter.
--A Zebra Ballpoint Pen-which is the single best pen ever created by man (don't even try to debate me on this one)-to use for said journaling.
--A Lavender Aromatherapy Candle to provide pretty lighting and a sweet scent.
--Lavender Bath Salts if she chooses to read her new book in the bath.
--A copy of Audrey Assad's new CD, Heart, to play while she reads, journals, and/or soaks.
--A small collection of Sephora beauty samples that I've collected over the last few months.
--And some sort of sweet treat.

She will send the gift to the winner directly or you can request that it be sent to a relative or friend instead. Sorry, guys, but if this mama wins it, I'm keeping it. ;-)

Dim the Lights, Please - Are you an American Idol fan? I have watched it for a few years then skipped the last two seasons. However, when my mom was here two weeks ago to help Brian with the kids while I was away with Bella, we recorded the show for her on our DVR. After I returned we sat up together and watched and I started getting sucked back into the show. Although towards the end I was falling asleep on the couch (still tired from all the camping) as my mom told me about each contestant and their background and what Jimmy had to say about them, etc. I just kept thinking to myself that I needed to go to bed...and who the heck is Jimmy? LOL! Well, this week I actually watched Wednesday's episode. (Although I sort of cheated and fast- forwarded commercials, Ryan, the judges, and any song that didn't grab me in the first 10 seconds. I easily fit the two hour show into my allotted ½ hour viewing time.) I did think that each contestant did an awesome job, at least with their first songs. I even found myself texting "vote" for Phil Philips, which is my mom's favorite. Yesterday I was shocked that Skylar was voted off. I thought her country kick #$% attitude and talent would have put her in the top 3. Oh, well. We'll see hat happens next week.

Flashback Friday Five - Since I am running out of quick takes to mention, here is an RoL Birthday flashback from the first year I started blogging. This Friday Five was posted on Aug 22, 2003.

1. When was the last time you laughed? Last night with Brian. It doesn't take much to get me laughing.

2. Who was the last person you had an argument with? Myself. Sometimes I am just sooo exasperating.

3. Who was the last person you emailed? My sister BC.

4. When was the last time you bathed? About an hour ago. (I assume showers count. Actual sit-in-the-tub bathing?...who knows. A little thing called reality prevents that.

5. What was the last thing you ate? The last bite of Bella's banana that she was about to throw on the floor. (No, I wouldn't have eaten it if it actually hit the floor.)

Déjà vu - You know what is funny about that Friday Five? It is almost a decade later and if I answered those questions today it would be almost identical!

1. The same! He is my joy, ;-)
2. The same! She is still exasperating.
3. Almost the same. Just change "email" to "text" and switch it from my sister "BC" to my other sister "JC."
4. The same!
5. Almost the same. Just change "Bella's banana" to "Matthew's strawberry."

Wow, I don't know if that is really sweet...or really pathetic.

Only 7 Days Left - Don't forget that you can still sign up for the RoL Birthday Contest. A winner will be picked on May 11. You can leave a comment on this post or just email me your name to join. Here are the 5 gifts you could win in your care package:

Gift 1 - Choose one of the following Catholic books below. (These are all books I've read and loved or I've heard great reviews and want to read soon.)

Gift 2 - Choose one of Carmen Marcoux's books.

Gift 3 - A Small (4x6) Divine Mercy Icon

Gift 4 - Mystic Monk Coffee or Tea (Your Choice)

Gift 5 - Chocolate (What's A Care Package without Chocolate?!)

Good luck and have a great weekend!

WAIT! THERE IS A P.S. - After I posted this and added my link to Jen's site, I just remembered two other quick takes I was supposed to mention! So I'm added on some bonus quick takes.

Once Upon A Time - The first is trivial but have you been watching Once Upon A Time? I never got to post my Monday's TV Talk and I barely caught up with the last episode. We were right. August was Pinocchio! But is Emma ever going to believe? Would you have denied a baby the care of her mother in order to save your own child? There are only two shows left. What do you think the cliffhanger will be??

Chen - The second is more serious. Have you been keeping up with the story of Chen Guangcheng, the forced abortion opponent? I have been following his story for awhile and I heard about his escape a few days ago. My mind immediately thought of the apostle Paul when he escaped prison. (Acts 16:26) Keep him in your prayers, as well as his family who are being punished because of his escape. He has done incredible work in promoting the value of all life as well as condemning the horrors of abortion and infanticide. (LifeNew.com has been a great job at keeping us up to date on the situation.)

Okay, this time I am really going. ;-)

Happy birthday, RoL! It's hard to believe that nearly 10 years ago (it'll be 10 years in Nov) Brian and I were a young married couple who loved the Catholic faith and loved to write so we started Revolution of Love.com. The following year on April 11, 2003, I started this blog as an outlet to chat about every day life and to have someplace to put fun and less serious posts.

That was nine years ago! Even though I've been around awhile there were some years I took a break from writing and only posted a handful of times. In 2003, I only had 22 posts. In 2011, I had over 100 so I am slowly making time to post regularly. ;-)

Whatever the amount, I still want to celebrate being here and the new friends I've met along the way so I'm having a RoL Birthday contest! To enter the contest, just leave a comment or send me an email at rol@revolutionoflove.com. (I know the comment box hasn't been working for some people.) In one month, on May 11, 2012, I'll randomly pick a winner to receive an RoL care package, which will contain these 5 gifts:

Gift 1 - Choose one of the following Catholic books below. (These are all books I've read and loved or I've heard great reviews and want to read soon.)

Gift 2 - Choose one of Carmen Marcoux's books.

Gift 3 - A Small (4x6) Divine Mercy Icon

Gift 4 - Mystic Monk Coffee or Tea (Your Choice)

Gift 5 - Chocolate (What's A Care Package without Chocolate?!)

Over the next few weeks I'll have "Flashback" posts - favorite posts or articles from RoL and the blog and reminders to enter the contest. I hope you enjoy the fun and good luck!

Happy St. Valentine's Day! Lots of love to all my family and friends (and anyone else who may be be hanging around the blog.) Thanks for listening to me and giving me a chance to step away from the business of life and have a little creative fun online. :-)

Since it is Valentine's I am giving you a treat. You can choose which of these Valentine's you prefer. If none of them are of any interest to you then you probably clicked on this blog by mistake. My apologies. Google is to your left.

Have fun!

I give to you a synopsis of St. Valentine's life from UCatholic.com.

St. Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who, with St. Marius and his family, assisted the martyrs in the persecution under Claudius II. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. (Continue reading at UCatholic.com...)

I give to you a Valentine Abbey. You can find more at Chad-thomas.com. So funny!

I give to you a post from my newest favorite Catholic Mom blogger Cari over at Clan Donaldson.

Tales from the Kid Ghetto

If you have children, you know what the kid ghetto is. You've been there. Whether you wanted to or no, you've been there.

The kid ghetto is where you're seated at the restaurant when you show up with people requiring booster seats or high chairs.

The basement you find yourself in during family reunions, where your senile great uncle and four nameless adolescent cousins are the only other people hanging out? That's the kid ghetto.

Trip to the mall? The kid ghetto there is that shockingly unsanitary play area you swear you'll never go to, but one day you push your luck one store too many and that's where you end up.

Even church has one. Oh yes, a place as welcoming and forgiving as the church has its own kid ghetto. It's the last five or six rows- the pews aaaaaaalllllll the way at the back of the church, where you're in the liturgical catch-22 of children who can't see what's going on and get restless, but aren't yet behaved enough to be trusted closer to the altar.

You know you're there when all the missals are missing covers and the smell of Desitin and apple juice hover perpetually in the air.

That's where we were today for Mass. Normally, I avoid the kid ghetto, and try to sneak my way into the no-man's land of the middle pews, but since we had to attend the 5:00 p.m. Mass, we knew we had five potential time bombs on our hands. Hunger, fatigue, and an hour of having to stay in the same 3 foot area are not a good mix if you're a kid. (Continue reading at Clan Donaldson...)

Hosted by Jen at Conversion Diary.

I've been reading a lot on other blogs about resolutions. I hate resolutions because I'll do well for a day or two then go right back to where I started. Instead, I have a couple of work-in-process projects. I've been working on two areas specifically last year. One was to get my house more organized. For those who know me or have been reading my blog, you also know that my three sisters are neat and organized and I'm the one most likely to appears on "Hoarders: Buried Alive." Okay, maybe I'm not that bad but I could appear on the show "My Desk Is Covered with So Much Junk I Can't See My Computer Monitor" as seen here. That is why I started Operation Clean & Organize. I haven't done much since autumn with all the holiday busyness but things have settled down now and I can refocus.

The second work-in-progress is to eat healthier and move more. (Do you ever watch Good Luck Charlie on Disney? As the overweight Bob Duncan was told - "Less bacon and more shakin!") I already joined Weight Watchers and I've lost the baby weight but, again, once the holidays came everything stalled. I stopped keeping track. I kept what I lost off but I haven't made any progress on the still long road ahead. So that, too, must be refocused.

The last two are more mini-goals than projects. And they are more "fun." The first - don't be afraid to try some "feminine touches" in how I dress. When I was younger my favorite colors were navy blue, army green and burgundy. I wore either converse of doc martins. However, as I've gotten older, I have finally let go of that more "tomboy" mentality. I still hate wearing dresses or skirts and run from any shoe that has a heel more than ½ an inch but I can now say my favorite colors are red, orange and yellow - bright and happy colors. I like wearing pink and buying things that are less boyish and more cute. I think I have also been influenced by Betty Beguiles and have learned to better embrace the feminine side of myself. For example, when I see my sisters wearing pretty flowers in their hair or a really pretty accessory I think to myself - that looks great on them but I couldn't wear it. Well, Bobbi, why not? So I experimented with little things. For Christmas I wore a flower clip in my hair. I also love headbands so I wore this crocheted one I found that had a pretty crocheted flower on it.

I liked it and no one laughed at me. (Do we ever get over those negative junior high feelings that sometimes creep up on us?) And who knows, in the future I may even be blogging about the day I wore one of those cute dresses I pinned on Pinterest. After all, I do believe in miracles.

The other mini-goal is to watch a little less TV. Having cable TV and a DVR, I can pretty much record whatever I want and just watch it later, especially when I am up with the baby. However, it has gotten a bit out of hand. I have had to delete some shows that have just become time wasters. (Sorry, Mom, if I can't discuss the latest person voted off Biggest Loser or why I voted for so-and-so on American Idol.) I will still watch favorites with Brian in the evening and I will certainly still obsess over Downton Abbey (See, Mom, we can still discuss how much we can't stand Vera Bates and how we long for Mary and Matthew to finally get together.) but paring down on TV in general will give me more time to read a few of those books I wanted to get into and read some of the mom blogs I've wanted to follow.

Speaking of reading more, I have already started reading more on my new Kindle Fire. Yes, as I mentioned in last week's quick takes, I finally decided to use my Christmas money to buy one and I don't regret it! I love my iphone but reading on the kindle is so much easier. Plus, I can also read my magazines (did you see that the National Catholic Register is available on the Kindle?) and my Google Reader is a lot easier than on my phone. It is perfect for the evenings when I am trying to get the baby to sleep and have extra time to myself.

And speaking of mom blogs, I first came across By Sun and Candlelight when I was reading a post about Downton Abbey. (Great comments in the com box. btw!) I started browsing around and I am really enjoying Dawn's posts. You should check it out.

Lastly, Dawn (from above) also mentioned that she got the book The World of Downton Abbey for her birthday. I browsed through the pages they had on Amazon and it looks so pretty and informative. It's the kind of book a Downton geek would love. (It is available on Kindle but a book like that, you have to hold it in your hands and feel the paper.)

And I do happen to have a few dollars of my Christmas money left...and it is burning a hole in my pocket...and who wants to bet that for next week's {pretty, happy, funny, real} you are going to see a photo of that book sitting on my desk. I'm just saying... ;-)

LOL! Have a great weekend!

xoxo,
b.

I was getting ready to post the pics for {pretty, happy, funny, real} and I noticed a trackback link from someone with a picture of the Carmel Mission (my parish). I clicked it and discovered the JOYfilled Family Blog. I haven't had a chance to read the posts yet but I love the prayer that is posted on the site. I'll be saying this every morn. :-)

A Prayer Before Logging onto the Internet

Almighty and eternal God,
who created us in Thy image
and bade us to seek after all that is
good, true and beautiful,
especially in the divine person
of Thy Only-begotten Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
grant, we beseech Thee,
that, through the intercession of Saint Isidore,
Bishop and Doctor,
during our journeys through the internet
we will direct our hands and eyes
only to that which is pleasing to Thee
and treat with charity and patience
all those souls whom we encounter.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

~Father Z

If you are reading this blog then I am sure that you, like me, are familiar with having online friends that you care about even though you have never met in person. We can't help but share in their joys and cry over their sorrows. Jessica over at Shower of Roses Blog wanted to do something special for the pregnancy of Charlotte of Waltzing Matilda Blog but was unable to visit her personally. Instead, she created a virtual baby shower online and we are invited! There is a group gift/spiritual bouquet, game, prizes...all the usual baby shower fun. Go check out the baby shower and you may be inspired to host one for your online friend. :-)

As I mentioned, earlier, I've been browsing a number of new (to me) Catholic mom blogs. So far, here are some of my favorites that I've added to the blogroll.

Betty Beguiles


Blessed Among Men


Cheerios Do Fly!!!
Testosterhome


Waltzing Matilda

Thanks for the great blogs, Ladies!!

Now that I am in my 8th month of pregnancy and am supposed to stay off my feet more, I've taken advantage of the time to explore some Catholic mom blogs I haven't read yet. This week's gem is Cheerios Do Fly by Mary.

Her bio says:

I am a Catholic wife to my wonderful husband- married 11 awesome years!!!, Homeschooling Mom to 7 kidos!!!... 4 boys- 10, 7, 4,and 2... and 3 girls - 5 and 8 and baby #7 born Jan 18, 2011. Life is uhm...a bit busy but I'm learning to... 'live in the moment' by each cheerio I see fly or pick up off the floor, or my van, or my chair or my couch or my....the list goes on... These days are fleeting and all will go so fast,unless I stop and breath, take it all in, let those cheerios fly. It reminds me to let go and let God! This life He has given me is a wild rollercoaster! More importantly to remember is that this life I have is my ONLY path to holiness...this vocation of mine as a wife and mother. Come on and join me in embracing it! As we laugh and cry through life, let us never think we are alone. We all have our crosses to bear. We are called to help each other out as we make our way to Life Everlasting-Heaven! Let us ask all the Saints and esp. the Blessed Mother to pray for us and let's not forget to pray for one another! May my blog bring Glory to God. All things for God alone! Praise be Jesus Christ, now and forever.

Go check it out!

I love this blog post from Faith & Family Live! It was just what I needed to hear. (Thanks, Rachel!)

Encouraging Women

Several years ago, when my boys were very, very little, a friend with older children told me to enjoy these years--because they were "easy." Compared to what she was going through with teenagers, I guess it seemed like my life with four boys under aged five was a cinch.

She told me to enjoy these grand years and I proceeded to hyperventilate--things certainly didn't seem all that easy from where I stood!

Now that I have some older children (but no real teens just yet) I see what she meant in a sense --things are a bit simpler when the children are younger. But I will tell you right now that life with little children is challenging in a very unique way, and I have found it to be the most challenging.

I still remember how very discouraged I felt after that comment. I didn't need to hear that things were going to get harder because I felt like I was barely treading water as it is. Comparing myself to others didn't give me any extra grace to move through my day.

Likewise, I think it can be very easy for mothers to look at a family with more children and wonder "how they do it" (I certainly do this from time to time). It is tempting to compare family size and then wonder why we struggle to get through the day when another woman with more children seems to do just fine. But this gets us nowhere!

As women, as nurturers, as mothers-to-be or mothers of many or a few, we need to encourage each other. None of us should ever feel like we are doing less (or made to feel that way) because our family size is smaller or our children are at an "easier" stage--we are all operating on the grace given to us to live our own life, the one God has given us. There is not grace for me to have nine children because God has given me six. Likewise, the mother of three children has the grace for that--she doesn't need grace for anything else.

Be encouraged! Whether you have one baby or six babies, whether your children are tiny or teens or somewhere in-between--keep up the good work. And don't compare--don't think for a minute things *should* be easier because you have fewer children or older children--embrace where you are at right now and know the grace God sends will be exactly what you need, to help you through your day.

Matt over at Fallible Blogma.com (love the name!) has a great project in the works called Support A Catholic Speaker Month. Bloggers participate by being assigned a speaker then making a post about them. My speaker is Mr. Jim Sedlak, vice president of American Life League.

Jim Sedlak is a Catholic, Pro-Life, inspirational speaker who has given hundreds of talks on three continents. A leader in the pro-life movement, he currently serves as vice president of American Life League and concentrates his efforts on fighting Planned Parenthood - the nation's largest abortion chain. A former Senior Engineer with the IBM Corporation, Jim has spent over 15 years working full time in the pro-life movement. His expertise comes from being in the streets in front of Planned Parenthood; addressing school boards, city councils, state legislators and members of Congress. He serves as an advisor to many local efforts against Planned Parenthood and belongs to Knights of Columbus Council 4034.

He will bring to your event a mixture of fact and wit, with a captivating speaking style that leaves audiences informed and motivated. His talks can best be summed up by the remark of a woman who heard Jim talk in Belfast, Northern Ireland: "This was the most inspirational talk I have heard in my life ."

Jim's talks include:

Planned Parenthood - the Problem, Not the Solution
Planned Parenthood's Health Care Hoax
The Dangers of Sex Education
Planned Parenthood Steals Souls
Parent Power - How parents can regain control of school systems
Taxpayer Funding of Planned Parenthood and How to Stop It
Planned Parenthood vs. John Paul II - a collision of cultures
Planned Parenthood vs. Pregnancy Care Centers
Matthew 10 - the Secret Weapon Against Planned Parenthood
Pro-Life and Personhood

Click here for Jim's contact info.

Came across this blog the other day and really enjoying it. Check it out. Fallible Blogma | A Catholic blog on Catholic issues

I know there are sooo many great blogs out there but I just don't have time to read them all. Heck, I can barely post here. But I do have a few favorites that I make sure to read at least once a week. A new favorite that I've grown to love is The Domestic Church by Katherine. Stop by and check it out!

I am happy to see that my sis EML has started her own blog called Barefoot and Sometimes Pregnant. Be sure to check it out!

There's a cool Catholic blog geared towards teens and the questions they have about life. Check it out at No Question Left Behind: Teens Helping Teens.

Originally, this blog was supposed to be for both Brian and myself but it slowly evolved into my own outlet to post thoughts. That being the case, Brian started his own blog called Beggar for Christ. He said he doesn't have much free time to post but it's nice for him to have a place of his own. Check out his first post Forty Years with Humane Vitae.