Happy Easter! I hope everyone had a penitential 40 days and is reveling in the Easter octave (every day this week is a first class feast)! After a Lent sans sweets, meat, dairy, wine, olive oil, and the ever popular fish with backbones my digestive system is in an uproar with the introduction of so. …
Author Archives: kmantoan
An Orthodox Inspired Lent
Someone asked me recently if I was still updating the blog so I took it as a subtle hint that I should post something. Thankfully, it’s time for my annual Lent post! Four times a year I love to over-analyze my life and create lofty goals: beginning of the year, Lent, beginning of the school …
2023 Resolutions: Hopefully Joy and Fruitfulness
Well, I’ve had plenty of time to overthink about my New Year’s resolutions. Seems like it’s time to actually write a post about them, and see how I did on last year’s resolutions. First, the review! What did I hope to accomplish in 2022? So, I don’t think I did too terrible. You won’t be …
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2022 Year End Review
Probably time to give an update to round out 2022. If you just want to know what I’ve been up to for the last two months (since my last post), just skip to the bottom. I won’t judge you for it. Most pictures are at the end. Also – affiliate links! So if you click …
Bodacious Costumes, a Radical Party, and a Totally Tubular Solicitation
Happy Month of the Holy Souls! Is it too late for a Halloween costume round up? This year I went around the neighborhood with the kids vs staying home and handing out candy. We don’t get too many trick or treaters at our house, so I figured I’d head out in my luchadore mask and …
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Cookbooks, Travels, And Speaking At Length
I’ve been writing this post over the course of a week…or two. The hardest part has been continually going back and changing all the present tense to past tense as it takes me longer to finish writing everything. I mean, maybe that means I should do more frequent shorter posts, but why do the thing …
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44 Rotations Around the Sun
Happy Birthday to me, I’m 44! Ten years ago I wrote my first blog birthday post, but since Addie’s birthday is the day after mine, it was largely focused on her. Ten years ago, she turned ten; tomorrow she turns 20! In 2012 I shared that she got Lego sets and Barbie hair extensions. Tomorrow …
2022-23 Curriculum and Back to School Adjustments
Since I’m only homeschooling one child this year, I figured I would just combine my usual curriculum post with whatever else I was writing about. So come for the curriculum, stay for the family photos! Or vice versa. Edith, Grade 11 Unlike Addie and Byron, Edie has no desire to take classes at the local …
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Back to School: Brick and Mortar Explanation
So I left y’all with a bit of a cliff hanger last week: Fulton and Teddy are going back to school! I thought I would write a post to explain the decision so it can jog my own memory down the road, and also to explain to those who remember the original enthusiasm with which …
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Florida and Cleveland
It’s time to recap MDA camp / Mama Papa week 2022! It’s the best week of the year as far as Tony and I are concerned. Thankfully, the boys had a good week too. But in all honesty, I sincerely hope that the MDA camp outside Philadelphia takes place next year as neither Tony or …
College Expectations, Festivals, and End of July Travels
Greetings from sunny, and insanely hot Florida! This blog post is brought to you by all the free time I have thanks to MDA camp! Although I’m constantly afriad of getting a call from camp that cuts our week short, Tony and I are enjoying ‘Mama Papa Week 2022’ with all the joy that comes …
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How to Support a Friend Whose Life Sucks Right Now
My own life has finally calmed down after a challenging few months. During that time, I was blessed to have good friends I could reach out to when I felt overwhelmed with our decision to foster a child. Some friends could offer tangible advice based on their family’s own personal experiences. Others knew how to …
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Todd Moves On, and the Rest of June
Lots has happened in the last month, but I’m only catching my breath now because Todd, our foster son, was placed with a family member last Monday. In New Jersey, reunification with the child’s parents is the top priority, but placement with a family member or close family friend is the next goal, so when …