SortaCrunchy

What Are You Into - November 2011

That top tooth gave her almost as much trouble coming out as it did coming in. Almost.

It's Wednesday, but I have no what I wore for you. Take comfort in the fact that I actually have been wearing clothing, I'm just coming up short in the time department and outfit pictures were the first to get dumped from last week's To Dos.

It is, however, the end of the month, so let's play around with some What Are You Into, shall we?

What I'm Into :: NOVEMBER 2011

On My Nightstand: Books a'plenty, but I'm still in my reading-other-people's-words-avoidance stage. Because of, you know, the book writing.

Want to Read: I promised myself that as soon as we get the manuscript submitted, I would finally start the Harry Potter series. I've been looking forward to this with delicious delight for so long. I absolutely cannot wait to dig in!

T.V. Show Worth Watching:

• Once Upon A Time: I'm dying over this every week. So much to think about. So much to ponder. I'll say it again - it's the best thing on TV right now for me.
• New Girl and Revenge: Still loving.
• Psych: Kyle and I are wrapping up season 5 on Netflix. This show, you guys. This is hilariously awesome. Where have I been for the past few years? Oh, that's right. I never watch the USA Network. But for Shawn and Gus? I will make big, huge exceptions to that life rule. ADORE.
• Happy Endings: My sister insisted that I start watching this, and thanks to Hulu, I've been able to catch a few episodes. It's so funny and well-written. I feel like I never hear people talking about it though. Highly enjoyable.

Movie I've Seen (in or out of the theater): I took the girls to see The Muppet Movie. I might have skipped it except for the fact of: Jason Segel. You know, for his sake, I really, really wanted to like the movie. No, I wanted to LOVE it. I want it to be a huge success for him since the Muppets have been such a lifelong thing for him. I'm sad to say that while I thought it was cute, I was a bit disappointed in it. It felt like maybe they reached a little far with every plot point and left so many things undeveloped. I don't know. I liked it. I didn't love it. Even the girls were a little meh about it all.

In My Kitchen: I'm doing things again! In my kitchen! I have told you before that since we moved to a more low-carb diet, I've been kind of uninspired. Then, as I've been sucked into the writing vortex, Kyle pretty much took over on evening meals, so I've been pretty uninvolved in the kitchen for a while.

But I do have to say two great things have happened in there lately: 1) I've been making my own Greek yogurt and it is THE BEST (using this recipe with a few slight adjustments) and 2) roasted Brussel sprouts which are just DIVINE. Kyle and I eat them like potato chips. One pan of them lasts about 15 minutes between the two of us (the girls are not yet entirely sold on the concept) (more for us!).

In My Ears: She & Him Christmas album, Mumford & Sons, and a jazzy holiday Pandora station that I concoted with Leon Redbone & Zooey Deschanel "Baby, It's Cold Outside" as the root seed, then added in Vince Guaraldi Trio, She & Him, Diana Krall, Glee Cast Holiday, and Norah Jones/Willie Nelson Holiday. If you dig a jazzed-up holiday mix, let me know in the comments and I'll email the link to you!

Items of Note:

• 12 Causes of Christmas: Born from Joy Bennet's desire to show how various relief and restoration organizations work together (rather than being in competition, which is sometimes the perception people are prone to believe), 12 Causes of Christmas highlights amazing, incredible, empowering, redeeming, life-giving work being done around the globe. I'm having trouble bringing up Joy's blog right now, but you can check out my friend Emily's contribution at Deeper Story today. (Mine will be up there tomorrow!)
• Advent: Last year, the girls and I did Ann Voskamp's Jesse Tree to mark the days of Advent. I L-O-V-E-D it, but I had to edit it down quite a bit for my littles to understand. When I saw Amanda White's Advent activity guide Truth in the Tinsel, I knew it would be a better fit for my girls right now. They love it so much! Dacey is especially into it, and the first thing she asks every morning is what today's ornament will be. It's really good, y'all. 
• Birth story: I adore a birth story. They never fail to bring me to tears of wonder and worship. I have to tell you that Arianne's story of the home birth of her long-awaited daughter is probably one of the best ones I've ever read. It's just ... wow. 

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month:

If all goes as planned, this time tomorrow, our book manuscript will be in the hands of our editor. GLORY! HALLELUJAH! Thank you so much for all your prayer and many words of support. It means the WORLD to us. We still have the editing process and much more ahead of us, but to have the manuscript completed is just ... words cannot describe.

So, that.

*grin*

Fellowship, friends, community, Christmas, chilly temperatures (me? yes!), just everything. I love you, December. Come here and let me give you a huge hug and a big ol' kiss right on the lips. I've got the mistletoe waiting.

So, dearie dear ones, what are YOU into this mighty fine November?

 

Meet Genevieve and Mama Natural!

I hope you've been enjoying getting to know Mama Natural this month at SortaCrunchy. I am so honored to have her as November's featured sponsor because I am a long-time fan of her work! Some of you may know her best from this video:

 

Isn't that AMAZING?!

At Mama Natural, Genevieve focuses on "whole living in a processed world." She writes:

I’ve always been interested in health, food, and transformation. A sugar addict from the age of 2, I know firsthand the harmful affects of eating processed foods. I battled weight, digestive and immune system issues for many years. Through a long road of detox, I learned the healing power of real food. This transformation spread into other areas of my life … physical, emotional, and spiritual.

On Thursday of each week, she releases a new episode in her Mama Natural show where she tackles some of the most talked-about stories related to natural living from the week and gives viewers a heads-up on some of the stories they might have missed.

Her most recent series has covered information to help parents make an informed decision on childhood immunizations, and past series at Mama Natural include breastfeeding, natural childbirth (including her own childbirth videos!), and healthy relationships. She sends out a super helpful email newsletter every Tuesday, and newsletter subscribers can download her free e-book Baby Registry Checklist: Everything You Need and Nothing You Don't.

Sometimes, those of us who are passionate about natural family living can come off as too serious and more likely to scold you rather than encourage you. What I love most about Genevieve's approach at Mama Natural is that she makes natural family living very approachable and LOTS of fun. Her bubbly personality and warm enthusiasm are so contagious!

Clearly, I'm not the only person who enjoys all that is going on at Mama Natural. Over 4,000 people engage in conversations with Genevieve on Facebook, and her YouTube channel hosts videos that have a combined total viewing of over 3 million!

I whole-heartedly recommend Mama Natural for those of you looking for a little more whole living. I can't wait to see what she has planned to share with us in the year to come!

The Year of the Baby

At the end of last year, Jennifer Fulwiler of Conversion Diary created a Saint's Name Generator. Though I'm not Catholic, I thought it would be interesting to give it a try. My patron saint for 2011: St. Brigid of Ireland. She happens to be the patron saint of, amongst other things, newborns and infants.

I thought it was kind of cool and tucked it away to maybe post about at some point. I also wondered if 2011 might be the year we feathered our nest for a new owlet. Eventually, though, I forgot all about it (see? I would be a terrible Catholic!) ... until the past few weeks of intense writing. Writing about baby's first year.

It makes me chuckle, honestly, because part of me can't see how it would be a coincidence. Last December, I could not possibly have dreamed that 2011 would be the year that we would sign a book contract and move forward with publishing our message about the first year of parenting being a time saturated with opportunity for spiritual growth and renewal. I would not have believed that 2011 would actually be a year when my thoughts were consumed with all things newborn and infant. It's kind of amazing.

On Thursday, we submit our initial manuscript to our editor. St. Brigid is also patron saint of midwives, and I have to tell you I feel like Laura and I have been both midwives to our message this year as well as the laboring mothers. We are both a bit delirious at this point and more than a little drained. It's the best, hardest work I've ever done.

Thank you, thank you for praying us through it all.

Today I can be found in two places talking about bebes and sleep: at In the Backyard, we're continuing our series on infant sleep and I wrote on the biological benefits of nighttime wakings, while over at Code Name: Mama, I'm waxing a bit poetic about The Sweetness of the Second and how it was during those nighttime wake-ups that I really got to know our Aliza Joy. (While you are at Code Name: Mama, make sure to read a bit about Dionna's surprise unassisted homebirth!)

image credit: jamesbrandon

Splendid Saturday!

It's a cold, blustery November morning here in Oklahoma. This is kind of weather that makes me want to stay in my jammies and delight in the wonders of online shopping for the holidays. (What I'll actually be doing is staying in my jammies and working like mad on completing our book manuscript! Shopping will have to wait for me!)

Maybe you are out today supporting local businesses on Small Business Saturday. But if you can't get out to do that, may I remind you of the fantastic small businesses represented in the Splendid Guide? I'm re-running the guide today to invigorate, inspire, and encourage you as you move your shopping list closer to completion!

 

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Jessie, the creative force behind Chaos to Art, at last year's Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar in Oklahoma City. I had already gotten to know her here at SortaCrunchy - she's a long-time reader and often leaves thoughtful and insightful comments. I picked up some darling pouches from her booth and the girls picked out some super sweet cards. Being able to feature Chaos to Art in the gift guide is such a treat for me!

From Jessie:

At Chaos To Art, objects from the past find new life.  A raggedy old quilt becomes a Christmas stocking.  A board game missing one too many pieces becomes a set of coasters.  Discarded floppy disks become blank journals.  Little did anyone know, they have life in them yet!

This means you will find beautiful, unique, functional items for you, your home, and your friends and family.  There's something for everyone at Chaos To Art, where the old is made new. 

I love that whether you are looking for something for your Grandma, your best friend, or your favorite nerd, there's something for everyone at Chaos to Art. And you can use coupon code SplendidSeason to receive free domestic shipping on your order!

Anyone who knows me well knows that a very big piece of my heart lives in Austin. You can imagine that I jumped at the chance to feature Satchel & Page - an Austin-based company designing and creating bags with materials sourced right here in the USA.

From Satchel & Page's creator Daniel:

Satchel & Page, out of Austin, Texas, features rustic, handmade bags and travel accessories built for any adventure. Our products combine style and functionality and offer several unique holiday gift options.

For the men in your lives, the Austin Messenger is a rugged piece of handmade craftsmanship, perfect for the office or as a carry-on. Featuring a leather design inspired by an old Texan saddle, the bag fits a 15 inch laptop and is fully waterproof.

 For the women, the gorgeous Alegna purse will definitely catch some eyes. It comes in both black and a striking cobalt waxed canvas. It’s stylish and functional with a smaller pocket for your phone along with the main iPad compartment.

All Satchel & Page products are handmade in our Texas workshop. We utilize only domestic-sourced materials and source locally whenever possible.

Check us out here, and don’t forget to use discount code “sortacrunchy” at checkout for $20 off any bag!

I have to admit, I got a little drool on my keyboard looking through the bags at Satchel & Page. And for those of you love to travel (or those who love people who love to travel!), the vintage travel posters and passport journals would make fantastic gifts as well. What a stylish way to vote with your dollar for high-quality gifts handcrafted in the USA!

As all of you know, I was absolutely over-the-top thrilled with the blog header Rebekka Seale created for SortaCrunchy. I knew from the very moment I clicked into her Etsy shop that the charm, whimsy, and delight that she evokes with her art was exactly the vibe I was hoping to convey here.

Creating blog headers is just one eeensy little part of Rebekka's repertoire. She has a shop full of creative wonders that would be perfect gifts for people on your list who are drawn to unique, artful gifts. Rebekka told me the most popular item in her shop right now is the Custom House Portrait and Christmas Card Package. Not only do you receive a custom, hand-painted 8 x 10 house portrait done in watercolor and gauche, Rebekka will also create for you a high-res digital file of your house portrait along with a custom holiday greeting. You can then print those out in whatever form you like to send as holiday cards!

Another gift idea from her darling shop would be the 8 x 10 prints of her original watercolors. (Hibernate might just be my favorite!)

 

Oh, friends. Once you read a bit about Amani ya Juu, you are going to know why I am just TICKLED to be able to include them in the Splendid Season Gift Guide. The beautiful products in the photo above all have an incredible story:

Amani ya Juu means "peace from above" in Swahili. Amani is a sewing and training program for marginalized women based in Africa, with centers in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, and Liberia. Women from many African nations and cultures are learning to work together through faith in God who provides a higher peace that transcends cultural and ethnic differences.

Amani is financially self-sustaining through the sale of quality handcrafted products. The sale of products enables each woman to earn a consistent income. Amani is committed to holistic development. Women gain experience in purchasing, bookkeeping, stitching, quality control, management and design. Ultimately, Amani is committed to nurturing women of peace. In the face of conflict and poverty, these women have regained stability and are sharing this gift of peace in their homes, communities, and nations.

High-quality handbags, home & kitchen décor, jewelry, and children’s items made by the women of Amani are available online. Amani is offering Sorta Crunchy readers a 15% discount on all items “For the Table." To get your discount, enter “CrunchyFriends” at checkout.

I was a little concerned at the lack of gift ideas specifically for children in this year's gift guide (parenting and family life are pretty much my bread and butter, right?), but when I found one sweet delight after another in the Amani's children's section. I love the Kikoy doll and baby set and oh my goodness, would my girls ever love the animal safari set!

 

Every single one of these businesses just make me so happy. The quality of work and what the work stands for - art, entrepreneurship, justice, hope, and beauty. As you work through your gift list during this splendid season, it's my hope that these are the names and faces that you choose to support.

Happy shopping and happy holidays!

when you are feasting on tears

I snuck away from family for five minutes because I feel like I need to say this.

I have this weird habit of marking each holiday by thinking back, "One year ago today, we were ... Two years ago today, we were ..."

This morning, I was remembering to myself Thanksgivings past. I got back to 2006 - 5 years ago - and I couldn't remember. I could remember the year before and the year after, but not that year. And then the memory pushed over me with the delicacy of a bulldozer and I remembered.

Five years ago this Thanksgiving, my entire family was a bloody, battered wreck. Just months before, my father had left my mother and their 30+ year marriage. My mom moved in with one of my sisters in Houston, and that year for Thanksgiving, I took Dacey over there and we did the best we could to mark the day.

I had never felt so hollow in my life. We cried into the mashed potatoes and we sobbed over pumpkin pie. I was able to muster thanks for my husband and close friends who were the body of Christ to me in my grief, but I could barely whisper thanks for the next breath. Looking back, I'm thankful that social networking wasn't then what it is today. I think if I had happy, cozy status updates from friends filling my eyes, I would have been completely undone.

I was so, so mad at God. My parents' divorce felt like the biggest betrayal of my entire spiritual walk and I was so hurt that He had allowed it to happen. My every memory from that Thanksgiving tastes like bitterness in my mind.

Why am I intruding on your holiday with this? Because I have to think that somewhere in the nearly 3000 people who read SortaCrunchy, somewhere someone is hurting today. Someone is feasting on tears.

I want you to know I have remembered you to the Lord in prayer this morning, though I don't know your name or circumstance. I know your heart and I share in your pain.

God brought incredible restoration and redemption from that plot of ground watered in tears and sorrow. That's another story for another day. I have seen in my own life what God can do that defies logic and imagination. I am praying that He brings healing and restoration and redemption to you, my dear friend.

I am praying.

If you want to share a specific prayer request with me, feel free to email me at megan at sortacrunchy dot net.

Peace and blessing to all of you today, my sweet, sweet readers. You mean more to me than words can say.

what i wore wednesday - skirt over dress (and more)

cardigan: banana republic, thrifted; dress: Casual Corner (years ago); skirt: thrifted; belt: thrifted; tights: Target; boots: JCP

Since I have already done skirt-as-dress, I thought it would be fun to try out the skirt-over-dress trend. I've had this black dress from Casual Corner since I was teaching, and it reminds me of teaching every time I wear it. I thought it would be fun to break up the look a little with this gray skirt I thrifted a few months ago but hadn't worn yet.

Wearing a skirt over a dress was really fun!

The colors are quite conservative though, aren't they? It is fall, I suppose. I am hoping to be able to do it in a more playful way as cute LIndsay of The Aisle to Aloha has done here, but that will probably have to wait until spring.

(Oh my heavens. I just noticed my outfit matches my blog again. I have got to stop doing this!)

denim vest: Harold's, thrifted; long-sleeve t-shirt: Target; skirt: Harold's, thrifted; tights: Wal-Mart; ankle boots: thrifted

Here's that same long Harold's skirt as dress again. I wasn't quite as happy with how this outfit turned out. I really did feel like a teacher. Maybe it was the denim vest? Oh well. Live and learn.

I wanted to grab a quick shot of how I wear my hear most days. This is the braided knot you may have seen on Pinterest, except that even after I knot it twice, I still have quite a bit of hair poking up. I've been taking the leftover hair and twisting and pinning it into a bun on top of the knot. This is not the best shot of it ever, but it's really tricky to take pictures of your own hair, you know?

retro blouse: thrifted; grandpa cardigan: thrifted; trousers: Old Navy; boots: JCP

This retro Graff blouse is one of my very favorite finds from Outreach Thrift. It's a good thing I have to drive nearly an hour to get to Outreach, or I would be there daily giddily spending too much money and time. I've never walked out of there disappointed with my haul.

Please ignore the funky lighting which makes it look shimmery. It's just good old-fashioned made in the USA polyester and I adore the print. I have worn this blouse quite a bit in the past few months actually, always paired with my trusty Old Navy trouser jeans.

Because it is getting quite cold these days, I threw this simple grandpa cardigan on top yesterday. It was one of those days when I didn't feel quite up to a dress or skirt but I was definitely weary of the workout pants and sweatshirt I sported all weekend long.

One of these days, if I really, really work at it, maybe I'll be able to pull off what she is able to throw together without a second thought.

And that's what I wore.

The Carefully Curated Closet

This is my closet. Yes, I think you've seen it before.

It is not Pinterest-perfect. It has not been worked over by California Closet. It has not even been worked over by Oklahoma Closets.

(which does not exist that I know of, but wouldn't that be funny? I'm imagining heavy use of saddlery tack and horse troughs in each closet design)

When I showed you where I hang my clothes, Rachel commented:

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has to find creative places to hang her clothes on behalf of funny old houses.

We're actually moving to another old house on Saturday. I keep cutting my clothing wardrobe in half every time I move, and I'd like to downsize once again. How did you decide what items to keep, and how do you keep a minimal amount in your closet? I'd love to hear your tips!

I promised her I would share my thoughts, and so mostly for Rachel but also for anyone else who might be interested, here is how I curate my closet:

1) The curated closet makes use of the space available.

Which is to say that I could gritch and moan about having only 33 x 33 inches of closet space, or I can accept that I have 33 x 33 inches of closet space and, in the words of life guru Tim Gunn, make it work.

So I only hang clothes that are in season in the closet. Out of season clothes are folded and stored in a bin in our upstairs storage closet. Fancy dresses, purses, and shoes that don't get much wear are also stored in that closet. My jeans are kept folded in a dresser drawer because they take up too much real estate. I fold my sweaters, too (which I am pretty sure you are supposed to do anyway, regardless of the space with which you are working!):

In that paisley bag, I store my scarves.

I don't have a fancy shoe organizer. Just a carpeted closet floor. It gets cluttery in there really quickly, so I am constantly pulling shoes and moving them upstairs if they aren't currently seeing use:

Which leads me to my next point:

2. The curated closet is often-edited.

Again, closet space is at a premium. I simply cannot afford to have a bunch of clothes in there that I don't wear. I try to keep myself accountable to editing often in that if I run out of hangers, I don't find more hangers - I edit my clothes.

For some people, frequent editing is easy. For someone as sentimental as I am, it can be a challenge.

When we first moved back to Oklahoma, Kyle took me on a mini-shopping spree at Ann Taylor. That was my favorite store at the time and I bought some gorgeous, sturdy, beautiful pieces. In the past year, however, those beautiful pieces were seeing so little wear. As hard as it was, I ended up donating all except for the white cardigan I wear a lot (seen here) to an organization that provides clothing for women and children in crisis. I had a strong emotional attachment to them, but they were simply not my style anymore. Further, I felt selfish for hanging onto these things when someone who truly needed them could have them instead.

Editing often has made me get brutally honest with myself about what looks good on me. Last week, I donated a white cotton sweater from Old Navy that I have had since I was teaching. Ten years ago. It's a great basic sweater, but it was a little too short at the waist. In my pre-mama days, it wasn't an issue, but I had to get real with my post-two-Cesarean-births body that it doesn't look good anymore and it probably won't look good again.

At least once a week, something goes on the chopping block. At this very minute, I'm trying to decide if I'll keep or donate this cute pink sweater:

It's darling, but again it has fit issues at the waist. I think in my heart I already know it's going in the donation pile.

It's easier to edit when you know that purging makes space for the things you really love, which reminds me:

3. The curated closet has a vision.

This has been huge for me as I grow and learn more about my own personal style. It took me a few months of reading fashion blogs, but I finally narrowed down a few people whose style I really want to emulate: Elsie Larson of A Beautiful Mess and Rachel Denbow of Smile and Wave.

As I've studied (and yes, that word is intentional - studied) their outfits, I've been able to create a vision for what comes into my closet:

• vintage/vintage-inspired
• cardigans
• belted dresses
• skirts and tops
• colorful and/or patterned tights
• clogs and wedges

Before I make any new clothing purchases, I check it against my vision for my closet. Does it contribute to the vision?  Then it's a yes. If not, I put it back. Pretty simple.

(my quickly growing belt collection)

Now obviously, your vision will not be my vision. Maybe you are more drawn towards lots of simple elegance. My dear friend Rachel of Small Notebook has lots to offer in the way of a closet vision for  you. Jo-Lynne at Musings of a Housewife does chic really well in a reasonably priced way. The fashion blog niche is just filled with closet inspiration no matter what your taste and preference might be. What I Wore Wednesday is a great way to discover the style that fits best for you.

Once your vision is clear, it's essential to remember:

4. The curated closet shops with intention.

Well, okay. So maybe I'm anthropomorphizing your closet here. But the point remains - the vision should fuel your shopping list.

So, here's where having an iPhone comes in handy for me. Sure, I have my threads board on Pinterest, but can we all agree that Pinterest can be as aggravatingly flaky as it is useful? So what I've done is installed Evernote on my home computer and on my iPhone.

I drag and drop pictures into Evernote to help me have a visual of my overall wardrobe vision while I'm poking around in thrift stores. Beyond that, I keep a running list in Evernote of what I am specifically hoping to find. Things like:

• cowgirl boots
• Mary Jane clogs
• lace-up oxfords
• a plaid shirt like the one Amber is wearing here
• more pleated skirts
• vintage dresses

I also use my running list to remind myself NO MORE BLACK AND WHITE DRESSES. Of the eleven dresses hanging in my closet, seven of them are some variation of black and white. See what happens without careful curating?

5. The curated closet knows when enough is enough.

I love thrifting as a hobby. I think you either love it or hate it. I love digging through racks because I know exactly what I'm looking for and the thrill of pulling a true retro or vintage dress off a rack stuffed with mid-90s atrocities is just delightful to me. But it's easy to spend a lot of money on clothes when everything is $4.99 or less. When my closet is stuffed as full as it is right now, I just have to stay out of the thrift stores.

Maybe for you it's the mall or opening "Save Now!" emails from your favorite store. Whatever it is that entices you to buy more, you have to have the courage to ignore it when your closet is full.

No, my wardrobe doesn't fully match my vision yet. That will come with time. For now, all that I have is more than enough and I can be at peace with driving right on past Goodwill for now.

So, sweet Rachel, I hope this answers your question a little bit (um, 1300 words later). For everyone, I would love to know ... tell me about your closet. Do you have a luxurious walk-in? An antique chifforobe? How do you tame your closet?

Spirit-Led Parenting: On Infant Sleep

Over at In The Backyard, Laura and I are starting a new series in the Spirit-Led Parenting discussion. This will be on infant sleep, and Laura began yesterday with what we wish we had known about infant sleep. Please join us there for conversation!

A Tradition: Verily

It's become something of a tradition for me to revisit this reflection on pre-Thanksgiving grocery shopping each November. Originally published in November 2007, I have to confess that it still makes me giggle. It came into being one ill-fated day when I chose to try to buy regular groceries for the week on the day before Thanksgiving:

Woe, woe unto thee, foolish woman! For thou hast committed a grievous error. In thy foolishness, thou hast chosen to gather food for thine household on a day of wrath and pestilence in the market of thine city.

Dost thou not know?

Hast thou not heard?

The Lord spoke unto thee a command: 

“Do not enter into the marketplace of the city on the day preceding the feast of Thanksgiving. To do so would be great folly. Travel to the marketplace earlier in the week and by doing so save yourself from great sorrow.”

But you, O woman, you have neglected the Lord’s command. And this shall be your punishment.

You shall find the marketplace to be in great chaos, just as it was prophesied unto you. In the aisles there will be cursing, gnashing of teeth, casting of evil glances, great and heavy sighs of aggravation, and the wailing of young children.

You shall find the aisle of spices and flour to be depleted; verily, you shall look for the cinnamon sticks but the cinnamon sticks shall not be found.

For the schools have released the schoolchildren and the wives have sent their husbands with their children to the market. But the children and the husbands do not keep the holy laws of the marketplace. They have no understanding of the teaching which says:

“Thou shalt not stand in one place reading labels whilst others need to pass by you, for doing so will cause the people to have great anger burning in their hearts against you. Verily, it would be better to cast your fatted calf to the dogs than to cause the flow of cart traffic to be obstructed and provoke the people to burn with indignation.”

Yes, because you have not honored the command to forsake the marketplace on the day before the feast of thanksgiving, your heart will be grieved and you will rend thine garments as you make your way on the path with the unrighteous.

And yet, O woman, after you have endured the trials and tribulations of the punishment set before you, the punishment for thy great and grievous error, you shall escape from your ordeal unharmed. And as thou loadeth the food for thine household into thine car, a new song will be in thine mouth.

A song of praise, for the Lord our God has been good to you.

Verily, I say unto thee, the Lord God, Jehovah Jireh - God our Provider - He hath provided for thee indeed.

* * * * *

Thanks for humoring me and my little pre-Thanksgiving tradition.

Far more educational and much more professionally done is featured sponsor Mama Natural's Show 17 where she fills us in on Chicken Pox Lollipops (which: EWWWW) and what has inspired Jessica Simpson's plan for a homebirth. All of that plus giveaways and loads of new baby love if you are looking to spike your baby fever!

 

photo by krystian_o

weekend snapshots: november 20

I wanted to make mention of these:

* I love so much of what Micha writes at mama:monk. You better believe my liturgy-loving heart beats happily to the rhythm of her insights. Her thoughts on transition are really profound to me:

As I’ve embraced the liturgy and begun to recognize our needs for times of celebration and ritual, for the acknowledgment of what is significant in our years and weeks and days, I’ve come to see that space is sacred. The physical helps us shape our reaction in the spiritual.

I started to write out a whole huge long thing in the comments, but I pulled back because it is brewing as a (hopeful) post here at SC.

* Best for Babes posted a great article on the WHO-CODE. I know people don't understand why the Nestle boycott is a big deal or why formula-sponsored new mother bags are a problem because most of us live in developed nations where baby formula does not (in most circumstances) cause an immediate thread to baby's health. Please read this article to fill out your understanding of the WHO-CODE and why it is important for these standards to be maintained and enforced across the world.

* Some friends and readers wondered if I would have an official response to the Milwaukee anti-co-sleep ads. Maybe. In the meantime, I think Annie handled it wonderfully in her piece on Fun with Analogies: Co-Sleep and Knives, Car Travel and Guns at PhD in Parenting.

* I love, love, love what the Hippie Housewife wrote about taking the rod verses literally earlier this week. I don't speak about spanking much but I tell anyone who asks me that I do not believe spanking is a biblical mandate. Hippie Housewife lays out the case in a compelling way that completely reaffirms my stance on this issue!

And a few more light-hearted links:

I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one who yells at magazines. Beck's rundown of the Oprah's Favorite Things Gift List got me giggling.

Okay, I know it's a little off-color, but this is pretty much exactly how I feel about the upcoming election season.

Lots of people start printing out photos like mad this time of year. My friend the Hollywood Housewife did this photo-printing comparison last month that I found to be insanely helpful. I was truly surprised by the outcome.

(Oh hey! I'm linking to both the Hippie Housewife and the Hollywood Housewife this week. That just about sums up SortaCrunchy, don't you think?)

And finally, as the week ends, thousands of people will brave cold and darkness to grab deals on Black Friday. Well to that, I say BOO. I'll raise a toasty warm cup to a relaxing day with family filled with leftovers and board games, thank you very much. You too? Then I would encourage you to start, continue, or finish your holiday shopping with the Splendid Season Gift Guide. Not only can you shop in your jammies if you are so inclined, you can also know that every dollar you spend makes a statement about the importance of art, beauty, justice, and hope.

OH! And Advent starts one week from today. What Advent resources will inspire your observation of this season?