A.Thimons

I’ve been having a huge case of it. I don’t know why, I think I’m tired. Being half frozen and seeing no sun does that to people. Anyway, so as we were eating dinner the other night with the kids, Mr. Chubs started rambling on and on about the usual: Captain America. With his usual exuberance, chubby cheeks stuffed with chicken nuggets, tiny particles of chickeny-spit spewing out from his ketchup drenched lips, Chubs was standing on the dining room chair telling his story with more and more excitement and volume that I just had to listen. It was so funny I grabbed a napkin and started writing it down, then thanked him for coming up with my next blog post. Princess couldn’t possibly be left out on the fun so you’ll find her poem below too. I translated the Little guy’s speech from his high chair…enjoy!

This Is How My Brain Works by: Mr. Chubs

“Captain America (pronounced Ah-Mare-Wick-A) and Spiderman (Spy-duh-mahyn) fly up in the sky and give glory to God in the highest. Captain America sees Spiderman then Captain America flies past God and Spiderman tries to knock him down and then they fly into the sky and pop the bad guys and then they swing on the fan and then the computer saves the day!!!!!”

Where have I gone wrong. At least he didn’t tell me they “popped” God.

A Princess Poem by: Princess

“Princess, Princess saves the day

Prince, Prince goes play

Captain America saves the day

Princess and Prince go to lay in the dungeon.

Princess and Prince save the day

In a castle, play, play, play

Princess and Prince have a picnic

and the bicnic goes to ticnic.”

First of all I want to know who is supervising Princess and Prince laying down in that dungeon. Second of all, it may be possible we’ve read way too much Dr. Seuss, ‘bicnic’ ? ‘ticnic’ ? Oy.

I’m done with Dinner by: Little Guy (Translations by Mom)

Ba. Baaaaaaaaa. ( Yo. I’m done with this “dinner”)

Nnnnnnn. ( Hellooooooo)

Mama. Ma. Ma. Mamamamama. ( Woman who birthed me!)

<Shrill shriek> ( I’m talkin’ here!)

Beep. Ba. Beep Ba. Ba be be. ( Now that I have your attention I’d like to show you that this polenta makes an excellent moisturizer for my adorable face and the bowl, as you can tell, is shaped perfectly to wear as a hat following or during my meals in case of indoor rain showers or attack from flying matchbox cars. Also, kindly release me so I may go hide the remainder of what is this? Stew? Ah yes, so I can go quickly and deposit this stew in your couch cushions.)

As listed on www.breadandbrothers.com below are the top 5 websites and mobile apps to keep you in the loop for the upcoming conclave!

#1 POPEALARM.COM

PopeAlarm.com is a simple service that will send you a text or email message when the smoke coming out of the Sistine Chapel chimney turns white so you will know when a new Pope has been elected.

#2 INTERACTIVE CONCLAVE GUIDE

The Vatican Insider provides a great interactive guide that will help you walk through the process of a papal election. This is also a great learning tool for kids!

#3 WHISPERS IN THE LOGGIA

One of global Catholicism’s most prominent chroniclers, Rocco Palmo has held court as the “Church Whisperer” since 2004.

#4 CONCLAVE APP

The folks over at verbum.com have designed a mobile app with the help of Jimmy Akin! Watch live feed from St. Peter’s square to see the white smoke. Learn about the 115 cardinal electors and future pope!

#5 THE POPE APP

Finally, once we “HABEMUS PAPAM” be sure to check out the ‘Pope App’ put out by the Vatican!

Less about Plato and more about Play-Doh would have been way more beneficial in the field I am now majoring in.

That really would have paid off right now:

-Cutting Baby nails 101-

In this course we will practice holding a baby to prevent them from

wriggling away while cutting their nails. We will also identify the differences between nails

and fingertips and the how to cut nails the fastest before someone’s eye gets poked out.

-Grocery Shopping 101-

This course familiarizes the student with the different departments in

the grocery store, how to use coupons, ask for rainchecks, and tell if meat is

bad. Students will also gain a greater awareness of budgeting and flyer reading.

-Meal Planning 201-

Building off of grocery shopping, this course deals specifically with

accurate and money saving meal planning. Emphasis on leftovers and beans.

-Substition & Equivalents 203-

Can you really use applesauce instead of an egg? Or tofu instead of cheese? Come

find out what other strange replacements you have lurking in the

back of your refrigerator .

-Toddler Taste buds 500-

An advanced course, this class takes an in-depth look into the psychology behind

the toddler taste palate. We discover the foods that induce gagging, and learn

creative ways to sneak Omega-3’s into their diet.

-The Art of Sleep Training 501-

This is an internship course worth 3 credits. All students must log 100 hours

of sleep training time spent with a homeschooling mother of a newborn.

Students must be able to remain alert and sane throughout the process. No red bull

allowed.

-Discipline and Mom guilt 320-

Spanking? Time Out? Grounded? And other

ways to make yourself feel like a loser.

-Learning to say “No” 101-

The most fundamental basis of parenthood, and the most difficult to master.

If you find yourself worn out by over-commitments and under-performance (translate: If you

sign up for way too many activities and are just too pooped to poop) this course is for you.

Students must provided their own duct tape for sealing their mouths shut and will be required to

resist volunteering for any committees for the duration of the semester.

-Car Travel 800-

This course doesn’t exist because it is impossible to ever become skilled in this area.

No one has mastered it. We couldn’t find any teachers. This course does provide

a panel of clowns to hand out lollypops to your kids and pat you on the back

while laughing hysterically.

It was a pretty gloomy day here yesterday when we heard Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation. Like many of us, I was fairly shocked and my initial reaction was one of a childish “How could you?”. My heart was aching at the prospect of everything our civilization was facing, now having to be faced with a new father…not the one we knew, we had grown to love and more importantly grown to trust. Now at a time when consistency was needed crucially, we are being asked to change, to adjust, to start over with our trust. Our society is spinning out of control! Now, on top of all the calamity around us we have our shepherd retreating? Lord, to whom shall we go…if you also go?

Well, at least initially that was my gut reaction. I had just spent the weekend reflecting on Dr. Benjamin Wiker’s vehement article on narcissism and social media. The points he made were disturbing. Actually, they were downright scary to think about because in my gut I knew he was right. Dr. Wiker screamed through his literary wake up call that social media is the pedestal, the breeding ground for making narcissists out of all of us. Not what we so often refer to as narcissist, maybe someone with an ego problem, but true, deep seeded narcissism which in his words

“ someone who is so entirely self-absorbed that he has lost — or never had — the ability to love…I could sum up narcissism up most tidily by saying that, in being the opposite of love, it is the essence of sin.”

This is a very serious problem, when we loose the ability to love we loose everything. His words bothered me all weekend. Especially since I retweeted his article via my Twitter account. It wasn’t guilt I was feeling but this growing conviction that he was right. By yesterday morning, with warnings of our imminent societal collapse stemming from narcissim still fresh in my mind… I watched the video of Pope Benedict over and over again until his words of resignation were ringing in my ears. As the day evolved, I mulled over in my head what was happening in our Church and world and I realized how valuable of a lesson we are all being taught. On an extremely basic virtue 101 level this is (as everyone is pointing out) a lesson in humility. Humility, which as Dr. Wiker makes the case for, perhaps is the greatest lacked virtue out there these days.

I was starting to feel the need once again, for retreat from these superfluous or rather, false forms of communication. Facebook, FourSquare, Instagram and yes (sniff) Twitter: you are all just distractions that are hindering our ascent to heaven! You are doing nothing to help us gain ground on our sainthood and the little bit you may help is so entirely washed away in the deluge of distraction that it is pointless to even try to justify our need for you. Last night before falling asleep I thought that maybe B16 is showing each of us how to prepare to weather the forthcoming battle: Resign. Retreat. If we all put down our phones, stood up from the computer, turned off the tv and resigned to an interior retreat-what would be found? Also, as I winced internally at the prospect—how could we…I..even do it?

A famous chide from Thomas a Kempis goes,

“FLEE the company of worldly-living people as much as
thou mayest: for the treating of worldly matters abandons greatly the fervour of spirit : though it be done with
a good intent, we be deceived with vanity of the world, and in manner are made as thrall unto it, if we take not good
heed. I would I had held my peace many times when I have spoken, and that I had not been so much amongst worldly
company as I have been. But why are we so glad to speak and commune together, when we so seldom depart without
some hurt of conscience?

This is the cause: By our communing together we think to comfort each other, and to
refresh our hearts when we be troubled with vain imaginations, and we speak most gladly of such things as we most
love, or else of things that be most contrarious unto us.

But alas for sorrow! All is vain that we do; for this outward comfort is no little hindrance of the true inward comfort

                                   that cometh of God. Therefore it is necessary that we watch and pray, that the time pass not away from us in idleness. 

If it be lawful and expedient to speak, speak then of God and of such things as are to the edifying of thy soul or
of thy neighbours”

My brother-in-law made a thought provoking observation, “perhaps the gravely serious reason for resignation of Pope Benedict is not found within the Pope himself, but rather within in the world.” I could not agree more. I do not think as my initially emotional reaction felt, B16 is just walking away because the going is getting too tough. Clearly this man is closer to the Holy Spirit than any of us, and if his mode of action is time to step back & pray then I take that as a huge red flag : time to knock it off. To quit wasting my words, time, and energy on wasteful things. Time to buckle down, get serious and bring out the big guns. Time to re-educate myself on humility. It’s time to resignate myself to the graces I  need and retreat from all that is preventing each us from gaining heaven. The time has come and the time is now.

— 1 —

Well, I’ve moved across the country with 3 kids in tow (and one husband) to Wisconsin. (The week after Christmas) Where we all slept on the floor for the first days, got the flu (AGAIN),switched time zones, but gained something hugely awesome and refreshing: family time! (and frostbite…)

*sniff* Good bye, Pio’s Place

— 2 —

My favorite plant  looked a lot like me after the 19hour car ride.

Shocked. Tired. Dehydrated. Almost dead.

— 3 —

Our furniture didn’t arrive for 5 days so we ate our meals on the floor. During the days when Camera Guy was at work, the kids and I would literally have what felt like “sit ins”. Just sitting on our bums in the kitchen. Rocking back and forth to the White Album “Revolution No.9″ singing “Dontcha know its gonna be….. all right….” We all did awesome at channeling our inner hippies although I definitely could use a chiropractor now.

HERE’S A VIDEO OF IT

— 4 —

The kids have been doing fine. They were out of sorts for a couple of nights needing nightlights, doors open, a million cups of water and trips to the bathroom…but now they’re back to themselves. Here they are being their emo selves playing their music in pajamas at 4 o’ clock in the evening.

Listening to the Beatles. Who else? Really.

— 5 —

The new place is nice. I like the layout, I just hate this

I have a problem with superfluous space. Really. What a waste of 8 inches!

— 6 —

(Changing topics quickly) Twitter. I’m in love. Because I’m following Masterpiece PBS now  since Camera Guy (YES IT IS TRUE!) and I are completely enthralled and slightly (ok super) addicted to Downton Abbey… I get every stinkin update on my phone… and well nothing makes a day like getting a tweet that you can now view SEASON 3 online: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/watch-online/full-episodes/downton-abbey-season-3-episode-1/

Also. Are you following me on Twitter? Really you should be. I mean why would you want to miss a tweet like this pic from Tom’s first day at his new job:

Yes. This happened. Best part was: this is how he showed up for his WI state mandatory drug test.

— 7 —

Also. I just checked the site stats and the blog is only 803 views away from being 10K views! This is so exciting!! SO spread the word about a.thimons. com…. bring me followers and I will bring you Oreos. Just kidding. I can’t. But I can maybe send you some bibbed snowpants. Which were totally recommend for me to wear out here. Like these:

NO. NEVER. NO.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

10. Never wash a disposable diaper in your washing machine.

9.  Lamaze is miraculous.

8. There will forever be enmity between myself and squirrels.

7. Paper sticks to furniture with spit.

6. Face wounds bleed the most. Especially when a child jumps off the couch and a pez dispenser breaks their fall. On their forehead.

5. Life is not instagrammed. Nobody can make their own hummus while doing Yoga.

4. Picky eaters are picky eaters. End of discussion. I did my best. Hmph!

3. Keeping a house pristine for guests is too much pressure….for guests!

2. Still really afraid of the dark. Yup.

1. Never eat at an Old Country Buffett. Ever.