The more things change...

...the more they stay the same.

A belly shot taken exactly 18 years ago. 

And a belly shot today, the exact same point in pregnancy. There is a three day  difference in due dates for my oldest and my youngest :

Same belly, different baby, and oh, the changes in the time between the two!

Living a Life of Loveliness

Our many and varied discussions of ladylike loveliness have led to yet another conversation.  Dawn, Kim, Meredith and I have brainstormed a list of "lovely topics" for Loveliness Fairs throughout the year.  Below are the topics scheduled through December.  Stay tuned for next year's list.  Please take a look and see if there is a carnival you would like to host.  Email me (elizNOSPAMfoss@aol.com   take out the "no spam") to let me know.  And then start planning for your contribution to each of these fairs.

Living Lives of Loveliness

August 14, 2006 - The Loveliness of Elegant Simplicity in the Kitchen (Meredith will be  your hostess)

September 4, 2006 - The Loveliness of Elegant Simplicity in Learning Spaces (Helen will be your hostess)
September 11, 2006 - The Loveliness of Elegant Simplicity in the Bedroom (Kim will be your hostess)
September 18, 2006 - The Loveliness of Elegant Simplicity in the Living Room (Sarah will be your hostess)
October 2, 2006 - The Loveliness of Autumn (Michele will be your hostess)

October 16, 2006 - The Loveliness of Babies (Elizabeth will be your hostess)
October 30, 2006 - The Loveliness of Prayer (Leonie will be your hostess)
November 13, 2006 - The Loveliness of Homemade Gifts (Dawn will be your hostess)
November 20, 2006 - The Loveliness of of Thanksgiving (KC will be your hostess)
November 27, 2006 - The Loveliness of Advent (Jenn will be your hostess)
December 11, 2006 - The Loveliness of Preparation (Kathryn will be your hostess)
December 25, 2006 - The Loveliness of the Christmas Season

Ladylike Reprise

There is an expanded column on Being Ladylike at Catholic Exchange today.  To recap here, I've talked about being a lady here and here. There is a lively discussion of modesty at the 4real Forums.Here's one on being modern and modest.  And there is one on combatting frumpiness (because ladylike modesty is NOT synonymous with frumpiness).  Helen reminds us that there is beauty in virtue. Kim gives some practical pointers for turning those denim pants into skirts. Mary Ellen Bork addresses feminity in her no-nonsense, eloquent style here. Rita Davidson offers a kit of resources on modesty in light of Church teaching .Colleen Hammond has written a book on Dressing with Dignity. Alice Von Hildebrand encourages women to escape a trap by imitating Mary's strength and humility.

Donna Marie initiated a conversation about ways our homes honor the Blessed Mother. We've discussed what it looks like to live in the Domestic Church, an idea that Thomas Howard fleshes out more completely in Splendor in the Ordinary.  And all that talking, and thinking, and cleaning, and re-organizing has led to a full-blown Carnival of Elegant Simplicity!

So, there you go!  Fix your morning tea, prop your feet up, and point and click and read up.  Then, you have a whole weekend to implement what you prayerfully discern God is asking with regards to feminity and loveliness!

A Book Meme

My friend Dawn, at By Sun and Candlelight, tagged me with a Book Meme!

1. ONE BOOK  TWO BOOKS THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE:

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (I prefer my tattered 4th Edition)

Educating the Wholehearted Child

2. ONE BOOK THAT YOU'VE READ MORE THAN ONCE:

I Believe in Love

3. ONE BOOK YOU'D WANT ON A DESERT ISLAND:

The Bible

4. ONE BOOK THAT MADE YOU LAUGH:

Niagara Falls or Does It?

5. ONE BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY:

Across the Puddingstone Dam by Melissa Wiley 

6. ONE BOOK THAT YOU WISH HAD BEEN WRITTEN

How to be Perpetually Cheerful and Patient on Little or No Sleep

7. ONE BOOK THAT YOU WISH HAD NEVER BEEN WRITTEN

Sex and the Single Girl by Helen Gurley Brown (Hat tip to Courtney)

8. ONE BOOK  TWO BOOKS THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY READING:

What Went Wrong with Vatican II

Swimming with Scapulars (again)

9. ONE BOOK YOU'VE BEEN MEANING TO READ:

Keep it Simple

10. TAG FIVE OTHERS:

Let's hear some younger voices:

Van Goal

Luke's Blog

Courtney

And some bookworms I don't think have been tagged yet:

Cottage Blessings

Starry Sky Ranch

Thank you, Dawn! This was a lot of fun!

Lissa is talking curriculum

And you are invited to share!  Visit the Lilting House.  All you need is your PC and a cup of tea--much less fuss than a conference and potentially more enlightening and inspiring! Read all the comments, breathe the diversity, sift, sort, ponder, pray and remember, in the end, keep your eyes on your own work;-)! I'll see you there!