because joy is the goal, not perfection
What better way to celebrate the feast of St. Joseph, and honor the head of our household, than to give Tony the opportunity to pick up a second-hand toilet in mint condition for 1/4 of its retail price? Okay, well if saving a bunch of money on a toilet didn’t excite him, our family trip …
Continue reading “{p,h,f,r} Because I Didn’t Take A Picture Of The Toilet”
February, you don’t own me! I am the master of my own destiny and you know what? I’m going to the beach! I refuse to be held a slave inside my house any longer! So take that, grey winter days and smothering cabin fever; I am taking some of life’s marrow and sucking it! Okay, …
Continue reading “{p,h,f,r} I’m Baaaaaaccckkk, From The Beach”
It’s the post so nice, I linked it thrice. Or it could just be that I’m lazy. And bloated. But in a very, very festive way. Perhaps you noticed how I didn’t “jump on” as promised and provide said ugly sweater photo? I’m not going to ask why you noticed, I’m just going to pony …
It’s been a week of feasts here at the Mantoan crib. From stuffed shoes, to waking up extra early to make baked goods, to the yearly conversation I have with my husband on how we’re not using real candles in the St. Lucy crown. And crafts, oh so many crafts. So many wonderful traditions I’ve locked myself …
Continue reading “{p,h,f,r} Enjoying Every Moment Stuck Inside My House”
After a long absence, I’m linking up with Leila and her {pretty, happy, funny, real} BEDROOM EDITION! Oh, la, la! No, not that kind of bedroom edition. I took on the challenge laid down by Leila on Monday to snazzy up my bedroom. She said I didn’t need to make a big deal about it …
Continue reading “{p,h,f,r} Throwdown with Like Mother, Like Daughter”
First a shout out to Grace who was nice enough to link to my blog. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice her kind gesture until after I hastily jumped online and posted a real downer of a prayer request. After hitting publish I noticed more than 12 people had been to my site. I hope that all …
Buh-BAM! BAM! *MANLY GRUNT* Are you feelin’ it?! And that was just for the {pretty} part. That last truck has skulls for headlights; SKULLS! Maybe you noticed the SCHOOL BUS catching air? WOOOOT!! [Fist pump, fist pump, chest bump] Okay, okay. If you’re still with me, and not rolling your eyes, let me assure …
Continue reading “{p,h,f,r} All The Awesomeness One Post Can Handle”
This week we are entertaining my husband’s brother and family from Wisconsin. The cousins quickly create adventures to fill the days, picking up where they left off a year ago. Of course a shore trip was inevitable, multiple games of Stratigo plus one long ongoing game of Risk, lots of talking smack amongst the men …
I don’t know what it was, but I was whipping my camera out and taking snapshots all week. So I shouldn’t have been surprised when my camera battery died suddenly at the beach yesterday. (Sorry Edie, no pictures of you.) It had me wishing for my old manual SLR that metered and took pictures sans …
Continue reading “{p,h,f,r} Good Photos From the Week…or not”
So we’re home and life is picking right up where it left off. However, I’m continually surprised because I keep thinking it’s Monday. I’m making this post a double linky (if such a term exists.) Right before Fulton’s hospital stay, we hosted our annual Nativity of St. John the Baptist party. Some people open their …
There’s flies in the kitchen, vegetables rotting in the garden and muddy handprints in/on/around the bathroom sink; summer’s here! It’s the time of year I can no longer hide my hairy legs under knee-highs or an ankle length skirt. The whole family has been living outside the past week or so, sleeping under the stars, …
Continue reading “{p,h,f,r} Photos that Encourage Checking a Loved One for Ticks”
Memorial Day weekend kicked my butt this year. We cooked out Saturday, Sunday and Monday, hosting twice and traveling once. We’re blessed to have such great family and friends but man, I am still seriously sleep deprived. Curiously, Teddy and the rest of the kids have been invigorated by the past weekend’s activities and continue …
Nothing says, “Happy Feast of the Accension” like a bonfire. In fact, every major feast that does not occur during a blizzard is a reason for our family to light up a bonfire. We’re blessed with a large yard (for New Jersey) and in the back center, we have a large pit my husband loves …