Best of 2015

After an extensive break from blogging (call it maternity leave!), I dived back in headfirst in January of 2015, much the same way I began.  I lost some readers, connected with old friends, and met new people.  To all of you: I'm glad you're here.  I hope my blog gives you some happiness, as it has done for me.  I hope that I serve you in some way through writing.  I hope that your year was beautiful despite it's pains.

And, if you're interested, here's a look at the best-read and most-viewed blog posts of 2015.

Sapphires on Ash Wednesday

Things of great value require great sacrifice.  That's the very meaning of worth.

Let's talk about that Similac ad

Let's be honest about our personal, unique, and individual goals in parenting instead of shutting down communciation by fearing judgement.

This Child

Afon's autism journey, so far, the heartbreak and the triumphs.

5 Things that Have Made Me a Better Mama to My Children

Only now are they obvious!

Liking the Way You Look

I've worked too hard and too long to let anyone take that away from me.

Blogging and Transparency

#oversharing on the internet

That One Time I Handed My Baby to a Stranger in a Waiting Room

Babies unite us all with our common humanity.

Mental Health for Catholics

Always consult a doctor or a professional before making any major life changes.

Roan Reuel's Birth Story


#normalizebreastfeeding

In which I take a stand.


7 Affordable Ways to Make Your Week Beautiful


He's my husband.  Not my partner.

Because marriage is an entirely different animal from a partnership.

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What was your favorite post or topic in 2015?  What would you like to hear about or more of in the coming year?

Best wishes for 2016!

Pretty Pictures

My blog is not pretty because I want my life to look perfect.  My blog is pretty because I like a pretty blog.

That's it.

I'm an artist-y type, and I like things to be pretty.  It gives me joy and a great deal of pleasure for things of mine to be attractive, and to surround myself with attractive things.  You can imagine that that's difficult with an autistic child and limited means.

So when I have a little place on the internet that I can decorate just so, which is not limited by finances or physical space, I will strive for (subjective) perfection.  That's a personality quirk of mine; it's nice at times but mostly it's just a nuisance.  You don't want to be perfectionist-me, trust me.  I'm sure it's grating, and a total first-world problem, but there it is.

Still, I don't want people to get the wrong idea.  I'm not trying to present a false picture of myself, even though every internet presence is, to some extent, curated.  It's unavoidable.  I just want to let it be known that in my case, I'm not trying to be pretentious; I'm not trying to impress; I'm not faking it.

I just like pretty pictures.

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For further reading:

• hard times, pretty pictures at Small Things
• Please Ignore My Traditions at Molly Makes Do
• Necessary Frivolities at Everything to Someone

Inclusive Blogging and the Childless Reader

Happy Monday, all!  As a blogger and person who reads blogs, and also someone who has lots of single friends and friends without children, I want to know how we can be sensitive and inclusive to childless readers.  I asked my friend Caitlin to give us the low-down and share some wisdom for the children-at-heart.  Enjoy! -- Christie

First off, I know myself.  It’s not always up to a blogger to make people feel inclusive; sometimes we need to know our own limits and when looking at a particular blog is going to be upsetting for one reason or another.

Also, I think those of us without children (who want them at some point) need to do things today.  Don’t wait to have kids to blow bubbles, color with crayons, lay in the grass, take naps, celebrate the seasons and holidays, make things, play with toys, read children’s books, or twirl in circles till you fall down.  Life is short and precious and there will never be enough time to squeeze everything in. Denying yourself the joy of doing “childish” things because you don’t yet have children is silly and only makes it hurt more.

This is a big one, and it also applies to conversations in real life: please don’t make broad pronouncements about what’s Best for All Babies/Children Ever.  This one really irks me, even though I know it often comes from a place of insecurity and/or concern.  As a mother you know how awful it feels when people judge your choices--now imagine that you haven’t even had the chance to choose.  We haven’t even had a chance to make any parenting decisions, and it is really insulting to hear people state that breastfeeding is the only way to go, or to hear someone laughing at someone else who tried cloth diapers but gave up, or to hear you state that daycare is evil.  Maybe we want to try cloth diapering.  Maybe we won’t be able to breastfeed for one reason or another.  Maybe we have to or want to put our kids in daycare and aren’t lucky enough to have family available to watch our kids.

(There is a BIG difference between sharing your story and what worked or didn’t work for you and Decreeing that All Babies and Children Must _______ in order to be happy/healthy/alive.  Sharing the benefits of breastfeeding is great; writing that formula will cause my child to grow up to be a serial killer is not okay.)

If posting about a particular activity or project that non-parent readers might want to do with or for nieces, nephews, or friends’ kids, feel free to gently point out aspects that might need careful consideration.  Such as: asking parental permission before posting children’s pictures on a blog or social media, securing buttons or avoiding long ribbons on handmade clothing and toys, checking about food allergies before giving kids snacks, etc.  The phrase “just a reminder to be sure to…” at the end of the paragraph is a great, neutral way to mention it.

If you happen to think of small alterations for certain projects or activities that could bump them into the grown-up realm, definitely add them to your post!  Some general ideas: changing the style or color(s), adding a sophisticated flavor that wouldn’t fly with kids or adding alcohol, or changing the intellectual level of a project or activity.  For example, instead of making a project with the book Little Women, make it with Pride and Prejudice.  Or just encourage your readers to embrace their inner child.  The best grown-ups I know are the ones who appreciate children and their world and aren’t afraid to enjoy the childish aspects of life.

3 Tips to Improve Blog Photos

I sure do like a blog that's beautiful to look at.  It won't do anything for me without the content to back it up, but if there are attractive photos, it catches my attention and makes me come back again and again.  They are the equivalent for me of putting on a nice outfit, 'cept on the internet!  So I pay attention to what elements make other bloggers' photos crisp and professional-looking.

Whether it's with your iPhone or a fancy DSLR, here are a few tips that will improve your blog (or Facebook) photos.

Find a solid wall.

Or some other background or surface that isn't busy.  White is the best, but if it's a solid color, make sure it is complimentary to the object or objects you are taking pictures of, or it can make a beautiful thing look strange and unattractive.

Go where there is lots of light.

This is one that kills me.  I hate that it's like this, but cameras, at their essence, function by the use of light.  So, as a beginner's rule, the less light, the less good the pictures.

(Without light, you have to worry about cranking up the ISO and open the aperture/make the aperture number smaller, and that is just a pain if you just want nice blog photos and aren't interested in pursuing your Master's degree in journalistic photography.)

Practically, this means you should avoid taking photos at night at all cost.  Even if you have a well-lit house or location, nothing replaces the light of good, old-fashioned sunshine.

Think minimalism.

If you're taking pictures for a blog post, unless it's just a daily catch-up with your life, it's probably about a specific thing or idea.  Isolate and hone in on that theme or idea with a minimalistic photo of it.  It clears confusion and prepares your readers for what's to come before they even read the first word!

What do you do to ensure your photos come out picture-perfect for your blog or social media?  What tips do you have for me?

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For further reading:

• {Selfie 101} at Svellerella
• {3 Ways to Instantly Improve Your Photography} at Everything to Someone

7 Quick Takes

-- one --

As of today, it is Afon's third day of school, and I'm not entirely sure he's hated every minute of it.  But I do have to tell you, the break is nice.

-- two --

We were shopping late at Walgreens the other night, and guess what came on the radio?  That 90's song "Peaches" by The Presidents of the United States of America, followed by Florence and the Machine's "Dog Days."  It was, like, zen, ya'll.

Young folks, take a listen (the video is also great, watch it to the end!):

-- three --

Been putting this baby in his Bumbo:

Someone gave it to me before he was born, which was so sweet and helpful!  He'll only put up with it for so long, but I like that I my hands are free and he's still sort of engaged with me while I'm doing other things.

He doesn't like his Moby wrap because he likes to be able to look around when I'm wearing him, and the backpack is pretty impossible for me to take on and off without help, so I'm sort of in the market for a sling.  I think he'd like it.  I don't want to spend a lot of money and then find out that it's really hot, short, or uncomfortable, though.

Any suggestions?

Or maybe someone wanting to sell a used one in good condition?

-- four --

What I've been reading lately:

1 // Still--or perhaps a more accurate word would be paused--on The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris. 

2 // Afon and I read and finished The Magician's Nephew for his bedtime story.  He mostly talked/babbled through it or fell asleep, and in retrospect, I want to read the Chronicles in original publication order, but it was good to try out a chapter book with him. 

3 // Re-reading--or rather listening to--Mary Shelley's Frankenstein podcast on my iPhone during long drives.  It's neat hearing it versus reading it; and my second time around, I'm catching on a lot more to things that I missed when the material was all brand new.  Still one of my favorites!

-- five --

I found this in my Blog Photos folder just now.  Just playin' around with PicMonkey.

That was just using the makeup features, not the nip/tuck photoshop brushes.  Really makes you think about this airbrushed "improved" versions of celebrities and models in magazines and glad for publications like {Verily} who swear off the fake in favor of real beauty.

-- six --

Game of Thrones season finale?  I thought the penultimate episode was better.  Still, eager to see what happens.  I should probably foreswear the television show in favor of the books.

Also, dissatisfied about the death of You-Know-Who.  Isn't he, like, a main character?

-- seven --

If you haven't been around in a while or are new to the blog, here's what you missed:

• {Philosophy of Makeup}
• {#5Faves: Things about My Husband}
• {That One Time I Handed My Baby to a Stranger in a Waiting Room}
• {Photography as Meditation}
• {Jill of All Trades, Mistress of None}
• {Liturgical Lifestyle: May}
• {3 Ways to Fit More Reading in with Your Child}

Joining the indomitable Kelly for {Seven Quick Takes Friday}.

7 Quick Takes

-- one --

Transitioning from one blog domain to another can take up to 48 hours, says GoDaddy.com.  Sorry for the inconvenience, say I.  Hope to have it settled soon.  I really wish I had just been able to buy the everything to someone dot com domain name (someone else snatched it up about a week before I could about two years ago).  C'est la vie.

-- two --

Spent all of Wednesday--really, like about twelve hours--preparing, decorating, shooting, and editing for these {photography mini sessions}.

Thanks to my mom and husband for pitching in with the kids and set up!

I'm really excited to work with this set and theme; and continuing to develop and discover my personal style!  Praying some lovely people will take me up on my offer.

-- three --

You know what I've been really into lately?  Southern Charm.  It's much more engaging than the Real Housewives.  I find the characters--well, real people--interesting and sympathetic.  Also, maybe it's just because I'm half Southern belle, but I enjoy observing that society and can identify with it somewhat.

-- four --

I am really grateful for this blog hop on {maternal anxiety and depression}.

I've lived with depression since I was at least nine years old; it's not something I volunteer to talk about just because, well, I feel like people aren't interested or I don't want to burden them--and then, there's always the stigma that goes with it, from people who don't understand.  People who think you can just snap out of it, like a bad hair day.

Being a mom to an autistic child and having depression normally, as well as my difficult family situation (my husband and I live in separate countries) has sewn anxiety in my life like a field of wretched weeds.

And then, well, there's ante-pardum depression.  Maybe a caused by my {hyperemesis gravidarum}, maybe not.  But whatever it is, it's bad enough for me to stop blogging.  Which is pretty bad.

So it's really good to read the open-air honesty from these women and know I'm not the terrible mother I sometimes believe myself to be.

-- five --

This past week, on Everything to Someone:

• {Blogging and Transparency}
• {What Roan Wore: Old Navy and Arrows}

-- six --

Something fun I made you:

-- seven --

Are you curious about this half medieval, half literary version of Christianity of mine?  It's all perfectly acceptable within the Church, I assure you.

If you were raised a Catholic but aren't sure what all the fuss is about, or don't know much about the Catholic Church and are kinda  curious about what the horse's mouth has to say about it, we Catholic bloggers are getting into the spirit (or, Spirit--ha!) with {the Credo Project}.

Join us!  Or check us out!

I'll say the Catholic Church, whether Eastern Rite or Western, is the only place I know of that can seamlessly synthesize {headcovering and public breastfeeding}.  It's just that awesome.

Joining Kelly for {Seven Quick Takes Friday}.

Blogging and Transparency

I've been blogging on and off since 2004--way back in the dark ages of the internet, I know!  I suffered my fair share of growing pains regarding privacy, other people's personal affairs, and the dread disease TMI.

But if you're a blogger, you blog because you want to connect with people.  Otherwise, you'd be jotting everything down in a paper journal rather than, well, publishing it!  It's a given that you'd want a certain amount of honesty about yourself (if you've a lifestyle blog that deals with your life, that is).

I didn't really intend for this to be a Catholic mommy blog.  It just sort of happened.  Because I'm a mother.  And I'm Catholic.  And those are integral to who I am.  So naturally, I share a lot about my children, including photos.  (I often worry about isolating childless and single people.  I never really worry about isolating non-Catholics.  (Because {Catholicism is awesome}.  And I make no apologies.))

It's hard to navigate the treacherous ocean that is the net.  I'm silent about a lot of things that may leave readers puzzled, to respect my family's privacy.  I want to be honest and open, but I also want to maintain a certain degree of that privacy.  It's not an easy balance to strike, and I'm still waffling my way about it.

What do you think?  If you're a blogger (or even just on Facebook or Instagram), how do you choose how much to share and what to keep private?  If you're a reader, at what point do you feel that a blogger or journalist loses authenticity?  And how do we honor and protect our children throughout?