016 How We Did Disney With Young Kids
This week’s recap:
- Trip to the Escape Room with our GodTeens group
- Philip’s presentation with the “In His Image” Father/Son Program
- Big win of the week: Playing Paw Patrol UNO without tears
- Other favorite kid games:
How We Did Disney
- Our luggage
- Where we stayed: Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort
- Airplane survival
- Pre-order groceries and had them delivered to the resort room from Garden Grocer
- Double stroller rental from Magic Strollers
- Coppertone Water Babies Sunscreen
- Advice: Have a plan if you get separated!
- Memorize mom and dad’s cell phone numbers
- “Find a mom with kids like you guys, and ask them if you can call your mom”
- What’s your game plan?
- FastPass+
- MagicBands
- Get a Decision Game Plan: Who’s making the decisions?
- Make the decision
- Communicate the decision
- Support the decision-maker
- Mobile Food and Beverage Ordering through the Disney App
- Food is ready for you when you arrive. Ready food = happy little people (and happy parents!)
- HALT (Are you Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired?)
- Take care of all of those needs to avoid BIG emotions!
- Our favorite rides (keeping in mind we didn’t do a ton of rides and were with young kiddos)
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Frozen Sing-Along Celebration (Amazing sign language interpreters)
- Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom
- Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular (Hollywood Studios firework show)
- Evening ritual anchor to end first day of travel (for us, that was our read-aloud time)
- Travel during Holy Week (pros and cons)
- Consider going during a cooler time of year to increase your little ones’ endurance!
- Pro of going with young kids: they’re into the magic of meeting the characters, and they get so much sheer JOY from the trip!
How do YOU do Disney? Any tips or tricks to share?
Get in touch! Send questions or topic suggestions my way. As always, you can e-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or find me on Facebook or Instagram
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015 Evangelizing at the Dermatologist’s Office
After giving my weekly recap, I shared about my annual visit to the dermatologist’s office. Our conversation about my hormonal acne treatment options led to a great discussion about NFP (specifically the Marquette Method) and how it works.
Links/Resources Mentioned in this episode:
- Scent of a Woman
- Marquette Method of NFP
- Mary Undoer of Knots Novena
- 014 Unequally Yoked With Wendy Clark
For next time: Do you have any questions about Disney World or travel in general with young kids? Philip’s coming on the show next week to talk about our trip and answer your questions.
As always, you can e-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or find me on Facebook or Instagram
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014 Unequally Yoked With Wendy Clark
My weekly recap:
- General confession: awesome, emotional, healing. More details to come
- We took on Disney World during Holy Week/Easter. It was equally exhausting and amazing!
- How the donut debacle and my coming unhinged Easter Sunday morning gave me some beautiful insights into Jesus’ unmerited love for me
This week, I shared a conversation I had with my friend, Wendy Clark. We talked about what it means to be “unequally yoked” in a relationship (2 Corinthians 6:14), how she navigated those waters with her college boyfriend (who eventually became her husband), and where they are in their faith journey today. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I think you’ll be surprised by Wendy’s advice at the end.
Links/Resources mentioned this episode:
- Wendy’s blog, PRAY. WORK. MOTHERHOOD.
- Wendy contributes to the Blessed is She Blog
- Wendy was also one of the contributors to the book, Stations of the Cross Meditations for Moms
- FORMED.org
- “Mixed marriages and disparity of cult in marriage”fa (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1633-1637)
- The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur: The Woman Whose Goodness Changed Her Husband From Atheist to Priest
- The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera
- Armageddon
- Wonder – Tell us, listeners: What age do you think is appropriate for the book? How’s the movie?
Get in touch with Wendy:
Questions for you:
- Are you or were you unequally yoked in your relationship? What advice do you have for someone in that situation? I’d love to get your input. E-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom so that I can share your advice on the next episode
Get in Touch!
You can e-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or find me on Facebook or Instagram
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013 Starting a Kids’ Book Club
Today was a bit of a potpourri episode! I took some time strolling down memory lane to the day Philip and I met (Holy Saturday, 3/26/05) and the day our “baby” Dorothy was born (3/28/16).
I had a few recommendations this week, too:
New show – Somebody Feed Phil, on Netflix.
Recent book recommendations (I listened to all of these on OverDrive through my local public library)
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
- UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World by Dr. Michele Borba
- The Lucky Few: Finding God’s Best in the Most Unlikely Places by Heather Avis
Check out Heather Avis’ new podcast, The Lucky Few Podcast
Other links/resources mentioned:
Honey for a Child’s Heart by Gladys Hunt
Who Was Lucille Ball? By Pam Pollack
I Love Lucy clips:
Jane’s book club’s next pick: Who Is Pope Francis? By Stephanie Spinner
Questions for you:
- Have you ever participated in a book club with your child? Any tips or tricks to share?
- Title recommendations for Jane’s book club?
Get in Touch!
You can e-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or find me on Facebook or Instagram
Have a blessed Holy Week and a wonderful start to your Easter season!
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012 When A Child Has Special Needs With Mary Lenaburg
Mary’s beautiful daughter, Courtney, had global developmental delays and lived for 22 years until she went on to her heavenly reward 3 years ago. In our conversation today, Mary and I focused on what Mary’s life looked like as a mother to a child with profound special needs. We talked about:
- a “typical” day with Courtney & her routine medical needs
- healing from woundedness and moving past guilt
- a change in attitude about self-care
- marriage and having a child with special needs
- grieving a child’s death with a spouse
- looking back & being honest
- parish support and general thoughts on how the Church is supporting families that have someone with special needs
- what’s making Mary happy lately (big and small)
Links/Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
- World Down Syndrome Day
- Jerome Lejeune Foundation
- Process of Beatification & Canonization
- Jerome Lejeune, Walking in the Footsteps of St. Thomas More (2012 article from the National Catholic Register)
- Read Mary’s blog, invite her to speak in your area, and get in touch with her at her website, MaryLenaburg.com
- Follow Mary on Instagram, find her on Facebook
- Read Mary’s reflections on Sacred Scripture through Take Up And Read
- Mary is speaking at the Northwest Catholic Women’s Conference (June 22-23, 2018 in Powell Butte, OR)
Get in Touch!
You can e-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or find me on Facebook or Instagram
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011 How We Sabbath
This week, Jane made an appearance to talk about her first confession and I shared how our family likes to sabbath lately.
Links/Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
Chameleon (our new favorite game) – How to Play Video
Episode 005: Family Meetings With Philip Boucher
Your “homework” for this week:
- Keep sharing the show with your friends and leaving ratings/reviews wherever you listen!
- Share how you sabbath & your simple Sunday evening recipes
- Share your summer plans
Please e-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or find me on Facebook or Instagram
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010 Charisms With Angie Neumann
Marian Servants of Divine Providence in Clearwater, Florida
The Lanteri Center for Ignatian Spirituality in Denver, CO (Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s order)
The Way of Imperfection by Andre Daigneault
My favorite InstantPot recipe: Creamy Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
Get in touch with Angie via e-mail at angelamarieneumannATgmailDOTcom
Your “homework” for this week:
- Share this show with a friend!
- Leave a rating or a review of the podcast wherever you listen
- Send me your favorite Instant Pot recipe
Please e-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or find me on Facebook or Instagram
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009 All About My Reading Life
Links/Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
What Should I Read Next? Podcast
Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies Quiz (Which one are you? I’m a Questioner!)
Your Homework this week:
- How do you track your reading? Tell me all of the details!
- Is there a way to make my GoodReads star reviews private?
- Send me your book recommendations (especially fiction)
- Keep sharing the show with your friends and leaving ratings/reviews wherever you listen! Thank you!!!
Get In Touch!
You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, or e-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom
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008 Religious Life With Sr. Mary Immaculata
Sr. Mary Immaculata is a religious sister from the School Sisters of Christ the King. In today’s episode, Sister Mary Immaculata shared a bit about her vocation story and what religious life has looked like for her so far. Despite being a cradle Catholic, I knew very little about religious life prior to this interview with Sister. Aside from teaching me all of the steps involved in her vocation, I appreciate Sister’s candor and vulnerability in sharing her story. I know you’re going to love hearing it as much as I did!
Links/Resources From This Episode:
- Nebraska Right to Life
- School Sisters of Christ the King (Sr. Mary Immaculata’s order)
- Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (the prayer that Sr. Mary Immaculata’s parents prayed for her)
- Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR)
- Directory of Active Contemplatives (in other words, this is the website where a young woman interested in learning about non-cloistered religious orders can learn about specific orders and their apostolates)
- Vocations.com (directory of active and contemplative orders)
- While You Were Folding 005: Family Meetings
Please pray for Jane and her second grade classmates as they receive their First Reconciliation this weekend. I *know* Jane would be thrilled to share about it next week!
Get In Touch!
You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, or e-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom
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007 Lenten Healing
Books I read on our vacation:
- Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt
- The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (and it’s All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, not “I”)
- Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski
- The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
- Welcome Homeless: One Man’s Journey of Discovering the Meaning of Home by Alan Graham
- Loved As I Am: An Invitation to Conversion, Healing, and Freedom Through Jesus by Sr. Miriam James Heidland
- The Danish Way of Parenting: What the Happiest People in the World Know About Raising Confident, Capable Kids by Jessica Joelle Alexander & Iben Dissing Sandahl
My Lenten Plans:
- Be Healed: A Guide To Encountering The Powerful Love of Jesus in Your Life by Bob Schuchts in preparation for a general confession with my spiritual director
- Naptime Check-In With Jesus: Light a candle, sit down with a cuppa coffee, and journal for 10 minutes. Journal about how Jesus showed Himself to me already that day and thank Him. Ask Him to heal any wounds of the day and to show me how He was there in that moment and continues to be with me as I work through my wounds. Close the time in 2 minutes of silence.
- Meditation question: What would the devil tempt you with in the desert?
- With the kids: 30 minutes of undivided attention solo or with other siblings. Let them lead our play time. Tell them all of the positive inner thoughts that come to my mind. Tell them how they delight me.
- With Philip: Give him a warm welcome home every day. Give him my undivided attention after the kids go to bed as he tells me about his day. Receive his affection warmly. Lead in the area of giving affection. Work through a video series on FORMED.org using our parish membership code.
- As a family:
- Family Rosary with the parish on Thursdays. 1 decade of the Rosary (Sorrowful Mysteries) listening to Rosary Cast by Greg & Jennifer Willits
- Stations as a family on Fridays. We listen to the Holy Heroes Stations of the Cross CD
- Cover the Crucifix and other holy images with purple fabric during Passiontide (from the 5th Sunday of Lent through Good Friday)
What are you needing Jesus to heal in your life this Lent? Do you have any Lenten plans/goals you’d like to share?
Please get in touch!
You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, or e-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom
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