Minnesota Mom

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On Raising Boys & Watching Lost & Baking a Banoffee Pie

by Filed Under: Letting Go, Minnesota Me, Motherhood, My Boys 32 Comments

(Oh, and a wee little bit about blogging) Prologue: I had a jarring experience two weeks ago. It was, for me, a sort of spiritual September 11th—thoroughly unexpected and entirely unasked for—and yet it happened and I know it was God's will.  Since then, I’ve been pretty quiet over here. It is hard to blog when you can’t say what you most … [Read more...]

Yet Another Birthday Cake Post!

by Filed Under: Food and Drink, Jem, Minnesota Me, My Boys, Special Events 8 Comments

Not to worry, though—this one comes to you angst-free. Yay, right? That river of insecurity is more of a gentle…stream this morning. Must be the good night of sleep, the sun that is shining, and that chirp-chirpy bird in the tree I’m hearing. Oh, and that cup of French Roast didn’t hurt. So. The cake. Jem had a couple of friends spend the … [Read more...]

Birthday Buddies!

by Filed Under: Minnesota Me, My Boys, Special Events 7 Comments

  (born just one week—and ten years—apart) My son remarked that it seems like I always give him breakfast cereal. “Hey,” I told him, “What I lack in originality, I make up for in love and dental bills.” (Next year I’m getting him a box of dry Zwieback.) Happy 13th birthday, Jem! It will great (I’m sure) having  two teenagers in … [Read more...]

Not the Real Cake

by Filed Under: George, Minnesota Me, My Girls, Special Events 7 Comments

Felicity informed me that yesterday’s photo was kind of weird. Those were not her words, exactly. What she did say was, “Um...why did you choose that picture for a birthday post?” Ah, sweet insecurity. Here, then, is another shot of the birthday boy. This is not his “official” cake so you can stop laughing now. His godmother, who does amazing … [Read more...]

He be 3!

by Filed Under: George, Minnesota Me, Motherhood, Special Events 12 Comments

That’s right. The terrible two’s were so yesterday. They’ve been replaced with “Big Boy Three.” 3-year-olds got lots of game. They got impishness, playfulness, and Me-Do-It-Myself-ness. They got cute little feet that pound the floor as they run, and sticky fingers that mark up the door. They got cuddles & love & “No, I won’t.” They got … [Read more...]

Sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit

by Filed Under: Joe, Minnesota Me, My Boys, Special Events, Spiritual Growth, The Faith 11 Comments

Subtitled: On Being Salt and Light in a Bland, Shadowed World Sometimes, when I am dropping my sons off at school in the morning, I will tell them “Salt and Light!” They know, by now, that I am quoting the book of Matthew—“You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world”—and that I’m reminding them to be a good example to their … [Read more...]