I am happy to announce that Hallie Lord (aka Betty Beguiles) will be doing some fashion blogging every Friday over at Faith & Family Live.

Come on over and check out her first post!

Captain America costume in size 3T:

Come talk to me about lipstick and other important matters.

If you would like to participate in Support a Catholic Speaker Month that I referenced in the post below, there’s still time and there are still a few names left on the list. Head on over and sign yourself up!

When my dear friend and co-author Elizabeth Foss told me she had picked my name for Fallible Blogma’s Support a Catholic Speaker Month, I thought, “Oh good, she can talk about our upcoming book together.”

Little did I know she would go ahead and post a great big very long very kind post about all the other parts of my life as well.

I know I am not telling you anything you don’t know, but I must say it anyway: Elizabeth is so very sweet. And she definitely has a knack for seeing only the GOOD when there is plenty of other stuff to notice in the background. Her comment about me having trained my household to “bubble over quietly” for example, made me laugh.

Sometimes my life bubbles quietly. Other times it erupts. And Elizabeth happens to be one of the first people I think to call when I am standing in a great big mess.

Finally, I appreciate that Elizabeth has left her post open to comments so that people can offer some input about the kinds of topics they might be interested in hearing about from me. I am all about what moms want to hear — not only in speaking, but at Faith & Family, and in other writing projects as well (Look for one! This spring! With my name and Elizabeth’s on the cover!).

So here’s a big fat THANK YOU to Elizabeth, whom I made an honorary sister years ago — back when one of my real-life sisters mailed me a transcript of a talk Elizabeth gave years ago. I read it standing in my living room, as my life “quietly bubbled over” around me, and I cried. Because she “got it” as only a sister in Christ can. And she continues to get it in a way that makes me feel both humble and grateful.

Thank God for friends like that.

Here’s a photo of Gabby’s morning tea party. Dollies were invited. Ponies were invited. Even cars were invited, at little brother Daniel’s insistence.

I’m not sure the dog was invited. But he showed up anyway.

Heck, they were serving crackers and cheese there. And it was all free.

Gabby is planning a party tomorrow night in our spare bedroom.

She’s inviting Stephen and her two younger brothers. And this is the sign she plans to put up on the wall.

(Click for a larger view)

Translation: “Please show invitation when you enter. Thank you. 7:00 – 10:00″

I would love to know all the details of this VIP event. But I did not get an invitation.