October 2006
October 31, 2006
Last call for pictures
I'm sorting through the wonderful pictures you all have sent me for possible inclusion in Mommy, Teach Me! and Mommy, Teach Me to Read. They are due in to my editor Monday. This is your last chance to send me pictures of your preschooler fulfilling any of the educational principles...3:40 PM in Books | Permalink | Comments (2)
Depressing news
George Barna conducts research which is helpful for anyone seeking to understand our culture. For those hoping for a turnaround in our country's morality, the news is not good. Here is an excerpt from his latest on the mindset of the Busters - the generation produced by the morally freewheeling...7:31 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (2)
October 30, 2006
Celebrating the birth of a baby with Down syndrome
Earlier this month, Kari of Healed Waters sent me a birth announcement from a friend who'd had a baby with Down syndrome. I was so touched by it and wanted so much to share it with you, that I asked the parents for permission - plus a picture - to...9:32 PM in Disabilities, Down syndrome | Permalink | Comments (16)
Back on my diet today
In case you've been wondering about the lack of more pounds lost under the fat lady to the right, the reason is simple: for the past few months I have not been dieting. I've simply been putting into practice the wisdom gained from the previous six months of dieting....9:08 PM in Diet | Permalink | Comments (4)
My interview posted today at LargerFamilies.com
Carmen - who blogs at Mom to the Screaming Masses - has posted an interview with me at Larger Families.com which some of you may want to read. For those of you visiting here for the first time after reading the interview, welcome! If you don't have time to look...8:53 AM in Mothering | Permalink | Comments (13)
October 29, 2006
Bustin' my buttons!
Loudoun Valley High is doing Les Miz in December. When they opened the auditions to middle schoolers, Maddy jumped at the chance to try out for our family's favorite musical. Of course, she wanted Eponine - she's sung her song in music competitions before. But I tried to prepare...12:11 AM in Family, Loudoun County | Permalink | Comments (6)
October 28, 2006
MOPS last Friday
I spoke at MOPS at Capitol Community Church in Ashburn Friday. I took my camera because Today's Christian is doing a story on me - I think in January - based on my radical political change I wrote about in Reaching the Left from the Right. The editor had asked...11:24 PM in Writing | Permalink | Comments (12)
Saturday night - do you know where the mommies are?
Okay, what are you all doing online at 11 on Saturday night? I know I've had a few blog entries I've been dying to write, but waiting for my family to stop needing me. This time of night I wasn't expecting to get comments two minutes later. Guess you all...11:04 PM in Family | Permalink | Comments (2)
Teaching kids the art of sweeping
As I wrote the other day, I'm really working on teaching the three youngest boys with Down syndrome the life skills they need - they're just learning a little later than kids without their delays. Though Daniel is 10, I used the same approach to teach him to sweep that...10:44 PM in Down syndrome, Montessori, Preschoolers, Toddlers | Permalink | Comments (1)
My Loudoun Times-Mirror column 10/18 - on abstinence
There's a story behind this column. A speaker was slated to speak to an assembly at Loudoun County High School on the subject of abstinence. A parent objected and went to the ACLU to try to shut down the assembly because the speaker happened to be a Christian (we live...10:17 PM in Current Affairs, Loudoun County, Public schools, Teens and Tweens | Permalink | Comments (2)
October 26, 2006
Even the littlest can help!
I've written before of the tendency to run out of steam with the later kids. With your first children, there is such a thrill in learning how to parent and teach. You have youth and vitality and energy and stamina all going for you. Hooray! I look back and think...1:04 PM in Big families, Down syndrome, Montessori, Preschoolers, Toddlers | Permalink | Comments (3)
Diet Round-up
Did anyone watch The Biggest Loser? I can hardly believe that some of those big guys have lost over 70 pounds since the show began. And though they still look pretty enormous, when they flashback to how they began, you can see a BIG difference - especially in their...9:26 AM in Diet | Permalink | Comments (3)
Starbucks
There's an episode of The Simpsons (yes, I used to watch the Simpsons - for why I think it's got some things going for it, see my article here) where Bart, while walking through the Springfield Mall, passes several Starbucks, then goes into a store called "In and Out...8:51 AM in Culture | Permalink | Comments (7)
October 25, 2006
A father takes on the anti-recess establishment
Ken in North Port, Florida sent me a link to his site Where Did Recess Go? - which may be of interest to some of you: As a normal everyday parent, I had no clue my child was not getting A behaviorally necessary, psychologically necessary and most of all medically...4:39 PM in Boys, Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (6)
Diet Update
This is a picture of me with Tripp and my oldest daughter Samantha shortly before Tripp and I were married. I think I weighed 125. Over the next ten years as I gave birth to seven babies, I gained approximately ten pounds per baby. Seven years we adopted three babies,...8:47 AM in Diet | Permalink | Comments (30)
October 23, 2006
Books - knowing when to stop
My writer friend Mary at Relevant Girl has weighed in on the drudgery of reading lifeless Christian books. When a commenter asked whether she was going to finish it, I could almost hear the sigh in her voice: Usually I put these down, but I might finish this one....3:16 PM in Books | Permalink | Comments (7)
On the radio today
Last week I taped an interview with Donny Hinkle for He's Alive radio on my book Reaching the Left from the Right. It will be broadcast today at 1:00 and 9:00 EST and you can hear it live online here....12:22 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)
Christian landscaper boycotts gay clients
I was very sorry to see this news: Christian landscaper won't soil hands with work for 'gay' clients. While some Christians may think this is a courageous position, it reminds me of the Pharisees reacting angrily to Jesus spending time with tax collectors and prostitutes. If we refuse to do...11:21 AM in Church Issues, Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (8)
October 22, 2006
The church and inclusion
Tripp just went to pick up Jonny from the Boy Scout Campout. This was really a big deal because this is a Boy Scout troop of homeschooled kids and although in public schools it goes without saying that kids with disabilities are included whenever and whenever and however possible, the...4:29 PM in Church Issues, Disabilities, Down syndrome, Family | Permalink | Comments (1)
The sunshine in my life
The effects of being raised in a large family :) Justin, our youngest set this play dinner. Note that he has crowded EIGHT - count 'em! - chairs around this teensy table and loaded every single bit of play food he could find there. Reminds me of when Maddy and...2:15 PM in Family | Permalink | Comments (2)
The latest on the link between oral contraception and breast cancer
Despite all the Pink Ribbon campaigns the media hype, they continue to overlook one obvious cause of breast cancer - oral contraceptives. Need more information? See No Room for Contraception...12:10 PM in Current Affairs, Health | Permalink | Comments (3)
Yesterday: Elisabeth Elliot on meekness
Another great EE column. This time I'm just going to give you some teasers: Meekness is not indecision or laziness or feminine fragility or loose sentimentalism or indifference or affable neutrality. Meekness is most emphatically not weakness. Do you remember who was the meekest man in the Old Testament? Moses!...11:38 AM in Inspiration, Mothering | Permalink | Comments (0)
The silver lining
I really appreciate your comments. One thing I need to make clear is that for the past year as my daughter tried to distance herself and her children from me, I have been nothing but loving. This is really a lot of growth for me: five years ago when this...9:16 AM in Family | Permalink | Comments (2)
October 21, 2006
A cloud on my horizon
I won't pretend my life is perfect. Right now I am dealing with an issue that would probably send me to the doctor for anti-depressants except that with 12 kids my world is bigger than that. With 12 kids, the weather forecast is almost always mostly sunny rather than mostly...10:15 PM in Family, Mothering | Permalink | Comments (10)
October 19, 2006
Seeking answers from other dads
I ran this a couple days ago and got lots of good food for thought from moms. I'm thinking this dad would probably like to hear from other dads. Ladies, would you please ask your husbands, brothers, dads to respond in a comment here? I am 43 and my wife...6:07 AM in Fathers | Permalink | Comments (13)
October 18, 2006
Ironing like you've never seen it
To put it in perspective, visit Extreme Ironing, billed as the latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well pressed shirt....3:15 PM in Humor | Permalink | Comments (3)
Finding time for housework
A reader writes: How do you or did you when they were all little find time to properly care for and supervise your children and get your housework done? I really struggle with this one. It is either one or the other. If I have all my children with me...3:10 PM in Mothering | Permalink | Comments (3)
Elisabeth Elliot on work
By the way, if you've subscribed to Elisabeth Elliot, would you please leave a comment and let me know? If you'd like to subscribe - and get her wisdom in your Inbox daily, as I do - you'll find a link at the bottom. But here's another one I couldn't...9:16 AM in Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (6)
Art on the cheap - from your own little artists
I don't get out to visit other blogs often, so I appreciate Deb alerting me to check out this incredible artwork by the four-year-old son of Meredith at Like Merchant Ships. What a great idea - I would hang that prominently and proudly. I have framed and hung various pieces...8:15 AM in Art, Montessori, Mothering, Practical Info, Preschoolers | Permalink | Comments (1)
October 17, 2006
A father wonders about more kids
Question from a dad: I am 43 and my wife is 35. We have 2 boys, 5 years old and a 16 month old. We were thinking of having a third child. Part of me says no - our life is comfortable, my house is paid off (we live in...5:02 PM in Fathers | Permalink | Comments (10)
Coming to terms with my mother-in-law
My mother-in-law was not happy when her oldest boy up and married an older woman with two daughters. It really wasn’t what she had planned at all. She worried about the financial responsibility he was taking on. I could hardly believe it – her son was after all, 28 years...2:19 PM in Family | Permalink | Comments (3)
Comments
Sorry, but for some reason the security code for my comments has been down for a while so no one could leave comments. My BlogGuru will be working on it (and, hey, don't you like the neat thing he did with the boxed material?) In the meantime, the comments are...12:36 PM in Blogging | Permalink | Comments (1)
October 16, 2006
The strongest dad in the world
Some of you may have already seen this. But for those who haven't, I must pass this phenomenal story of love and courage on. This message takes a few minutes to read and the video is 4 minutes, but trust me, this will be the best time you spend in...8:19 PM in Disabilities, Fathers, Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (3)
If you live nearby and want to hear me speak :)
You can check the left sidebar for my upcoming speaking engagements. On October 27, I will be speaking at MOPS (10-11) at Capitol Community Church in Ashburn, VA. On November 8, I will be speaking at MOPS (10-11) at Church of the Redeemer in Gaithersburg, MD. If you would like...9:42 AM in | Permalink | Comments (1)
Prayer and encouragement needed for single mom
Also from my inbox over the weekend - someone who needs practical advice and a lot of prayer: I have been a newborn Christian ...for 15 years. In other words, I've made no progress. All I have is this tiny little flicker of faith which, maybe a few times, has...9:01 AM in Mothering | Permalink | Comments (15)
Parenting Q&A - 8 month old fighting naps
I am working on my newspaper column this morning, then have a doctor's appointment, then a radio interview. But this just came in my inbox - a new mom who needs some help. If you have some advice and encouragement, please share: Hi Barbara, I attended your speaking engagement at...8:21 AM in Babies, Mothering, Toddlers | Permalink | Comments (6)
October 14, 2006
Defending your faith
This has been in my Inbox for a while - sometimes the ones that need answering most take the longest for me to get to. Sorry! I am a Christian. I am 33 years old. I come from a "Christian" family. I have been having an on-going struggle with some...8:38 PM in Religion | Permalink | Comments (5)
Elisabeth Elliot on submission
yet another great Elisabeth Elliot: What Do You Mean By Submission? People are always asking me this. What is this business of "submission" you're always talking about? We're not really very comfortable with this. Seems kinds of negative. Sounds as though women are not worth as much as men. Aren't...4:11 PM in Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (0)
Keeping your home kid-friendly
From my Inbox this morning: Thank you for sharing your personal journey. My little one is only 8 months old, but as a homeschooled kid (K-6) myself, I can't wait to start teaching him at home. I *love* your Montessori at home ideas, and I have been trying to be...3:12 PM in Babies, Mothering, Toddlers | Permalink | Comments (0)
October 11, 2006
In a land of plenty, less is more
[an article I wrote for our church newsletter last month] In a land of plenty, less is more Long ago, when I was a latchkey kid, my mother would leave a couple dollars and a grocery list for after school. I’d walk a few blocks down New Hampshire Avenue to...7:03 PM in Church Issues, Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (15)
Prayers for KS Milkmaid
One of the most miraculous - yes, I mean miraculous - things about the blogworld is the opportunity it gives us to get to know people in a more intimate and heartfelt way than many of us have in our day to day lives. Bloggers who live their lives with...8:22 AM in Blogging, KS Milkmaid | Permalink | Comments (5)
Diet Update
Saw this great article at Prevention this morning: What to do when the scale won't budge One recommendation she makes: Get enough shut-eye Women who slept for 5 hours or less a night were 32% more likely to gain weight than those who slumbered a full 7 hours. Also,...7:29 AM in Diet | Permalink | Comments (2)
October 10, 2006
Pro-Life Leftists
No, that's not an oxymoron. Although pro-life Democrat politicians are few and far between, there are liberal thinkers out there who from the beginning have been anti-abortion. You can find their voices at Abortion and the American Left. In her 1980 article "Abortion: The Left Has Betrayed the Sanctity of...8:50 PM in Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (5)
New book on Down syndrome
Few parents expect or desire to raise a child with Down syndrome. Yet many who travel this path discover rich, unexpected rewards along the way. In this candid and poignant collection of personal stories, sixty-three mothers describe the gifts of respect, strength, delight, perspective, and love which their child...12:13 PM in Disabilities, Down syndrome | Permalink | Comments (2)
Larger families - More on chores for young children
Moving this comment from Charity Grace up here so y'all can see the answer: Love this. I had a question specifically about having the youngest child capable do a given task. I'm honestly having a hard time understanding what this looks like. Do you have a list of chores most...11:09 AM in Big families, Mothering, Preschoolers, Toddlers | Permalink | Comments (2)
October 9, 2006
The unlimited imagination of the Creator
Striking new bird discovered in South America Isn't God wonderful? To think after all these centuries, we still have surprises to discover!...9:46 PM in Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (1)
Welcome visitors from LargerFamilies.com!
Prompted by an AP story, MommyLife is getting lots of visitors from LargerFamilies.com. Though there's a lot more to my life than being the mother of 12 :) - I thought I should post something specifically about that part of my life. You can find more entries on Big Families...9:15 PM in Big families | Permalink | Comments (2)
Elisabeth Elliot on God's curriculum - and a few thoughts of my own
In case any of you are still not subscribed to Elisabeth Elliot, I must run today's - it is so good and so helpful for remembering who's in charge of my life. God's Curriculum One day recently something lit a fuse of anger in someone who then burned me with...9:48 AM in Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (0)
A Lesson from the Amish - Take 2
Roberts is buried next to daughter Mourners, including the Amish families of gunman’s victims, attend interment By Patricia Poist And Jon Rutter Sunday News Published: Oct 09, 2006 7:16 AM EST LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - Forgiveness, healing and charity were in the air Saturday as the quiet Bart Township milkman...8:35 AM in Current Affairs, Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (2)
October 8, 2006
Matt in Cats
This is my son Matt, who's 21 who's a professional actor and is currently appearing in Cats at the Riverside Theater in Fredericksburg, VA. His girlfriend Missy just sent me this picture which she snapped when we went to see the show last month. It was a great production...7:53 AM in Family | Permalink | Comments (4)
October 7, 2006
Building future Democrats - Take 2
Kathy, I do wish it were a joke, but to prove it's not, the author of Why Mommy Is a Democrat has weighed in: Every now and then I like to see what's being written about my book. I won't bother arguing with all of you (you've obviously made up...3:27 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (8)
October 6, 2006
A lesson from the Amish
Who can begin to fathom the horror of losing a young innocent child in such a completely random, bizarre way as the Amish schoolhouse murders? In one interview, two women who were in a Moms in Touch Bible study with the wife of the murderer (how ironic!), said there was...8:52 PM in Current Affairs, Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (5)
Mark Foley - just the tip of the iceberg
I try to stay out of political commentary here, but this has certainly been an incredible week. Although I just talked to my daughter Samantha who's too busy homeschooling five kids to even know what I meant by Mark Foley. I just want to go on record as saying I...4:43 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)
Free downloadable flash cards, coloring pages, art
I wanted so much to link you to a cool craft involving broken crayons shaved between two layers of waxed paper and then mounted in between two pieces of construction paper with a cut out shape in the middle (well, there - that's the whole project in a nutshell). But...4:29 PM in Resources | Permalink | Comments (5)
Building future Democrats
My son-in-law Kip sent me this link: Why Mommy Is a Democrat. With apologies to any Democrat readers I have, I must say this is funny and creepy at the same time. Can anyone say propaganda? Be sure to read the sample pages and "about the book." As Kip wrote...2:10 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (7)
October 5, 2006
Dieting: it's about so much more than losing pounds
Okay, I know there are a lot of you who don't need to diet and I hope you're skipping all these posts - unless you have a friend or relative who needs help and understanding. Then I know there are some of you who do need to diet but aren't...7:58 PM in Diet | Permalink | Comments (6)
Les Miz in Loudoun!
Things are really buzzing here in western Loudoun as Loudoun Valley High is planning on doing Les Miserables as their December musical. Les Miz is our family favorite musical/book. A wonderful story of grace and redemption (see my article The Gospel According to Les Miserables). My big boys have always...12:17 PM in Down syndrome, Family, Loudoun County | Permalink | Comments (2)
Behind on my email
I currently have 21 unanswered emails in my Inbox. To those of you who've been waiting for an answer, I have not forgotten and I will not delete your email until I answer it. Honest. Thanks for your patience. And please, don't hesitate to write me. I know there is...12:04 PM in Blogging | Permalink | Comments (0)
Overweight daughters
This comment needed to be lifted to an entry so we can all get to work on this - with practical advice and prayer: Do you have any advice for a mother of an obese child? My 13 year old daughter is 100 lbs overweight (and yes I feel like...10:53 AM in Diet | Permalink | Comments (3)
October 4, 2006
Made for each other
Remember how surprised I was on Valentine's Day when Josh brought me a beautiful bouquet of roses? Well I was just as surprised on his birthday when the florist arrived with a lovely arrangement and this note from his new bride, Hattie: Thank you! I wanted to send you all...6:06 PM in Family | Permalink | Comments (5)
Blogroll - new feature
The requirements for being on my blogroll are simple - you link to me, I link to you. But since my blogroll has become so lengthy - and to help you all see what's new, I asked my BlogGuru if we could add **NEW** to new entries. You can admire...5:16 PM in Blogging | Permalink | Comments (0)
Diet dish
From a reader: Dear Barbara - I read your blog frequently and I enjoy the brain food and support as a mother. I've been thinking a lot about your weight loss and the possibility that I could lose weight too. I am 120 lbs overweight and it just seems...3:46 PM in Diet | Permalink | Comments (3)
Beyond the Gates of Splendor
In 1956, Americans first heard the news via the Los Angeles Times headline: "Savages kill five missionaries." Life magazine immediately dispatched a world-class photojournalist to the outpost where the widows and families had gathered. This, plus the later writings of one of those gifted widows - Elisabeth Elliot - would...9:13 AM in Church Issues, Inspiration, Movies | Permalink | Comments (3)
