The saints have long been a special love of mine. It’s just SO COOL to have a group of heroes and mentors and real-life people who are already in heaven. They weren’t perfect, either. They were a colorful, often crusty bunch.

As I’ve been reflecting on the importance of praying for others, I realized that I’m not tapping into this heavenly crew nearly enough.

I’ll send a shout-out to a favorite patron here or there, but am I doing it with any regularity? Nope.

In the last few weeks, I’ve composed a personalized litany. I looked up all the former patron saints I’ve had from previous years and included my patron saint, my children’s patrons, and saints who have become special to me over the years. Because I have a special devotion to about 100 different titles of Mary, I alternated the saints with titles of Mary.

After each name, I pray, “pray for us,” thinking of all the intentions and family members and close friends and perfect strangers who so need divine intervention and the graces of God.

The final litany has become one of my favorite parts of my morning prayer time. I generally pray it before I pray for my list of intentions, so it feels like I’m tapping into a whole group of pray-ers. As I drink my coffee and invoke my heavenly friends, I really feel the reality of the Communion of Saints.

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Good news! I’m going to be attending the Behold Conference in East Peoria, IL, on March 10! It’s quite a line-up going on over there: Kate Wicker‘s the keynote speaker and Jennifer Fulwiler, Hallie Lord, and a host of other people I stalk follow enthusiastically will be in attendance.

I’d love to meet you if you’re going–let me know! You can register at their site and if you’re in my neighborhood, let me know and we’ll carpool. :)

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I haven’t set any resolutions for 2012, though I’m reminded that Lent is coming at the end of February. That’s always a good time to resolve and succeed (or fail, as the case may be), so I think I’ll play copycat to Danielle and wait.

One thing I did do, though, as I have for quite a few years, is select a patron for 2012. Thanks to the Saints Name Generator, I was given…St. Matthias the Apostle.

He’s the patron of alcoholics (current and reformed), carpenters, and tailors. His feast is May 14.

And what’s his tie to me this year? I’m not completely sure, but I’ll be incorporating him into my conversations this year.

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Speaking of Lent…my newest book is out and available!

Welcome Risen Jesus: Lent and Easter Reflections for Families has one page for each day of Lent and the first week of Easter. Every day features sections for Think, Act, Fast, and Pray, designed to help your family work together to embrace the spirit of Lent to lead you to the joy of Easter.

Find it from your local Catholic retailer, your favorite Catholic online retailer (Aquinas & More and the Catholic Company are two of my favorites, though they don’t have it available just yet), Liguori, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.

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And, while we’re on the topic of writing, exciting news: Welcome Baby Jesus and Welcome Risen Jesus are being released in Spanish!

Pardon me for being a wee bit excited.

And very, very humbled.

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Have you seen ImmaculataArt.com? Here’s a little sample of a piece I really love:

I first “met” the artist, Nellie Edwards, a few years ago through some work we both did over at Catholic Exchange.

You can purchase prints on canvas or on paper and there are also greeting cards available.

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I’m a big fan of good fiction, and that makes me a huge fan of the Catholic Writers Guild‘s Catholic Arts & Letters Award. This is the second year for awarding it, and I’m looking forward to it.

If you’re interested in applying, do check it out — you only have until January 31! Update: You have until February 29 to apply (thanks to Ellen Gable Hrkach for correcting me).

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The other day, I was reading about no-poo, which is basically using baking soda and apple cider vinegar in place of commercial shampoo. I found myself, in the midst of my reading, forwarding it to a friend (who will laugh when she reads this) and suggesting that I might try it.

My husband thinks I’m a little crazy.

In the category of not-so-crazy, I am barely restraining myself from buying My Family Table: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking, by John Besh. After hearing all about it on Catholic Foodie episode 126 and thinking about the clips he played, I’m thisclose to breaking my standing “no buying books” resolution to buy it. Because, after all, it’s a cookbook. Which is different than a novel or a nonfiction book. Right?

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Nothing has challenged me like motherhood.

And yet here I am, a mom.

It’s been a blessing to have the communion of saints to turn to in my journey through the phases of motherhood. I’ve made new friends, been inspired by seemingly unlikely patrons, and my faith life gained a new perspective.

Now I have an even bigger reason to appreciate the saints: Lisa Hendey’s new release, A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms: 52 Companions for Your Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul. (Read to the end to find out how you could win your own copy!)

It’s  just what I needed, when I needed it. Lisa shares her intimate view of the saints with every entry, as though she really knows them. She not only makes them accessible and relatable from a mom’s point of view, she brings us an opportunity to learn more about the saints in a way that’s uniquely suited for the nitty-gritty of everyday family life.

When you read  A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms, you’ll experience the saints as real people. They stubbed their toes and struggled to keep their voices down. They weren’t perfect…and that gives all of us hope!

You’ll meet saints who are new to you and revisit known-forever saints in a new light. Keeping this kind of company is sure to rub off on us at least a little, don’t you think?

Before you think this book doesn’t apply to you because you aren’t a mom…well, stop right there. This book was written by a mom for moms, but there are a lot of dads and sisters and brothers out there who could benefit from this devotional.

However you read this book–straight through or as a devotional–you’re sure to find yourself growing and stretching in your own faith journey.

I highly recommend this book for you (whether you’re a mom or not). Consider sharing it with others, especially as the gift-giving season rolls around.

Want to win a copy? Leave a comment on this post by Sunday, October 24, with the name of your favorite saint. I’d love to hear about how your saint helps you in the challenges of your life (whether you’re a mom or not).

Lisa’s making a tour of the blogosphere in the next few weeks, so be sure to join her on the whirlwind. The complete list of stops is over at CatholicMom.com.

A Mary Moment Monday post

I’ve been receiving the Mary Vitamin via email for quite a while, and it’s one of the only email subscriptions I’ve kept over years. It’s also one of the only ones I actually read regularly.

Last week, there was one titled “St. Gerard,” and after I read it, I kept thinking of it. St. Gerard’s feast day was yesterday, October 16. He was special to me before my daughter was born on his feast, but now he’s special in a whole new way.

Each of my kids has been born on a Marian feast. The daughter born on October 16 had a few ties to Mary: she was born during the month of the rosary and the feasts of both Margaret Mary Alacoque and the Purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

At least, that’s what I thought her birthday ties to Mary were. And then I read this in the Mary Vitamin:

“‘Before and after every meal,’ [St.Gerard] wrote in his resolutions, ‘I will recite three Ave Marias; when taking a drink of water, one Ave Maria; every time the clock strikes, one Ave Maria.’”

Father Edward Saint-Omer, C.SS.,R.

St. Gerard Majella (Tan Books:1999), 66.

“The Redemptorists are bound by rule to recite five decades of the Rosary, to make a visit to the Blessed Virgin and to say a certain number of Ave Marias every day. They fast, also, on the eves of Mary’s feasts and abstain from meat every Saturday in the year [Saturday being Mary's special day of the week]. Gerard was not satisfied with these marks of filial love. Still more, he recited a Gloria Patri every time he saw an image of the blessed Virgin, whenever he heard her name pronounced and at the beginning and end of every action. His devotion to the Immaculate Conception was incomparable. How often he was rapt in ecstasy before her image!”

Father Edward Saint-Omer, C.SS.,R., 

St. Gerard Majella (Tan Books:1999), 66-7.

I couldn’t help but think, after reading this, of the way this daughter often asks to hold a rosary when she’s in bed. It comforts her. She has a nest of blankies and, now, an assortment of rosaries. When I wash her sheets, I find them, and I tuck them away for when she will ask for them before bedtime.

It is no accident that she’s linked to St. Gerard (not that I ever thought it was), and now that I have read more about his devotion to Mary, I will ask him to guide me in mine and as I expose my children to Mary (especially this daughter with the special link to him).

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A Mary Moment Monday post

My relationship with Mama Mary has seemed to grow almost accidentally. Maybe I was looking for a mom when I found the Catholic Church. Maybe I was looking for more than just a mom, but I needed a mom to lead me to it.

Today, as my real mom celebrates her birthday, I can’t help but smile that it’s also the original feast of one of my favorite saints, Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower. (Her feast was moved to October 1 after 1969.)

Therese has been a good friend of mine over the years. We don’t seem to have a lot in common, but I continue to learn a lot from her. As I struggle with her little way–doing small things with great love–I naturally think of the moms in my life.

I don’t think I really appreciated my mom until I had my own kids. It’s cliche to say that, I know, but it’s true.

I didn’t realize how brave she had been until I found myself fighting for my own kids.

I didn’t see how much I must have hurt her until I saw the weak spots in my own emotional armor, imagined my children being like I was (and am).

My mom’s not perfect–and neither am I. In fact, I face a huge hurdle when I think of my Heavenly Mama and how perfect she was–and is.

How in the world do you relate with someone who’s perfect and who raised a perfect kid?

Mama Mary found me. She scraped me up off the floor and held me.

Her intercession has led me to reconciliation–both the sacrament and the experience in my own life. She has led me, again and again, to her Son–in the Eucharist at Mass, in the Blessed Sacrament at Adoration, in the people around me.

Today, on my real mom’s birthday, I want to encourage you to embark on this October with a rosary in your hand. Think of your moms–the one here on earth and the one up in heaven–and say a prayer or ten for them. If you’re as blessed like I am to have extra moms, pray for them as well, whether they’re stepmoms or moms-in-law or special mom-figures.

What better gift than a month of prayers for the important women in our life? I think St. Therese would approve, don’t you?

image credit: ClearlyCatholic.com

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Stealing Jenny, by Ellen Gable

I mentioned it a while ago, but wanted to bring it up again because it is now available for purchase. It will keep you on the edge of your seat and probably destroy your sleep pattern as you stay up to find out what happens. But beyond being a great suspense, it’s also an excellent example of morals in action and family life redeemed. As a fan of Ellen Gable’s work already, I’m now officially getting a t-shirt!

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Weightless: Making Peace with Your Body, by Kate Wicker

Weightless is the kind of book I need to buy in bulk, because it’s the kind of book I think just about every woman I know needs to read. What woman hasn’t questioned her physical appearance, wondered if she should change, felt a prick of unsurety in the face of a full-length mirror?

Kate Wicker is no stranger to body image issues, and she speaks to the reader as if to a close friend–the kind of friend you can tell the hard stuff to, with complete honesty. Kate shares her struggles candidly, even as she pushes you to seek the higher way.

Kate speaks to the hidden part of each of us, to that small voice that whispers, when we least need it, that our butt’s too big or that he can find someone better looking (as though that’s his top priority anyway). Kate brings the love of Jesus to her readers, even as she makes you smile and want to hug her.

Don’t miss this book. Every woman I know deserves a copy.

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Wholly Mary: Mother of God, by Chris Padgett

This book was a delightful surprise and testament to the fact that there is always something more to say about the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Padgett’s words are vivid and he describes deep theology with a sense of humor and complete humility, a combination I found both unexpected and enjoyable.

Whether you have a devotion to Mary or are looking to learn more, I recommend this book as a great addition for your personal (and parish!) library.

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A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms: 52 Companions for Your Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul, by Lisa Hendey

Over the years, I’ve come to know and love Lisa Hendey. It was a joy and a blessing to read her latest book.

Lisa inspires me with her intimate view of the saints. She not only makes them accessible and relateable from a mom’s point of view, she brings us an opportunity to learn more about the saints in a way that’s uniquely suited for the nitty-gritty of everyday family life. You’ll experience the saints as real people even as you grow in your faith journey.

One of my favorite books this year, and perfect for a group study, an individual devotional, or a gift.

So don’t wait. Preorder it now.

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I’m currently reading an upcoming novel by Karina Fabian (who I met in person–at last!–in August).

Oh wow.

She is so converting me to “speculative fiction” (because I’m more likely to read it if it’s not called sci fi/fantasy, and I realize that probably makes me silly or shallow…but there you have it).

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Speaking of books, today’s the LAST DAY of the Marian Novena of Giveaways at CatholicMom.com.

And WHAT a last day it is!

Stop in, pray with us, and enter to win a great book.

Then pray some more.

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My #1 fan told me the other night that he’s disappointed lately when he reads my 7 Quick Takes posts.

“I always hope for pictures. And there are never pictures anymore.”

This is for him (and for those of you who might not have “liked” me on Facebook yet).

Stop by to see Jen at Conversion Diary for all the fun that is 7 Quick Takes Friday!

This novel examines a priest’s life, and I’ll admit, I found it difficult reading. I’m not sure if it challenged me because the priest’s interior life had conflicts or if it was a result of what the conflicts were.

In the end, I enjoyed it. It’s character-driven and it made me consider the challenges of a priest’s vocation in a more ongoing way.

Dion: The Wanderer Talks Truth, by Dion Dimucci

This is a book I might have missed if it hadn’t come to me as a review copy, and what a pity for me. I wasn’t even sure who Dion DiMucci was at first, but then I heard him interviewed on The Catholics Next Door and I realized just who he was. (What’s that say about me? Well, never mind that. This is about the book, not me.)

This book is a delightful conversion story of the return to the Catholic Church of someone who had it all. Dion doesn’t hash out things he’s shared in other biographies, but rather examines how his spiritual life changed, and how that brought him back to the Catholic Church.

It might not be a book that will change your life, but it’s a worthwhile read. It’s also a slice of modern rock-and-roll history, which makes it fun.

Meet the Saints, by St. Anthony Messenger Press

I’m a sucker for a book about the saints, and this book does not disappoint. It’s easily tucked into a purse, but for its brevity, it still packs a punch. In the twelve chapters, you’ll meet 145 different saints, grouped together in ways that I didn’t expect. There were old favorites of mine, such as St. Francis of Assissi and St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, and also some that were new to me, such as St. Isaac Jogues and St. Sharbel Makhlouf.

The lessons shared in each chapter aren’t rocket science, but they made me pause and reflect. At the end of each chapter, there’s a small task associated with each saint…some of them are more achievable than others, but I liked the way it was presented and integrated.

Highly recommended. This would make a great gift or a wonderful addition to your home or parish library.

A Mary Moment Monday post

My glimpse of what a truly special guy John Paul II was came while my husband and I were sitting in the living room just a few nights ago.

My husband, who’s of the strong and silent type about pretty much everything, had a strange look on his face as we watched a special about John Paul II on the History Channel.

“It’s still hard to think of anyone else as pope,” he said.

In those ten words, that one sentence, I realized that my husband, like so many others, truly loved JP2. His love, unlike mine, doesn’t come from being steeped in JP2′s writings, but rather from the experience of growing up Catholic with JP2 at the helm of the Church.

“Benedict’s quite a papa,” I said, feeling like I needed to add something, somehow, to the discussion.

“Yeah, but he’s not John Paul II.”

I spent Sunday afternoon thinking about JP2′s beatification and, finding myself with some uninterrupted time, even read the homily. Though I wasn’t up at 2:30 AM to see the actual beatification, I do have plans to watch it (EWTN has a whole JP2 beatification mini-site, and they’re re-airing their coverage a couple of times in the coming week if you missed it).

I was feeling the BIGNESS of it, and when I read this in Benedict’s homily, I realized that it’s big for many reasons:

Today is the Second Sunday of Easter, which Blessed John Paul II entitled Divine Mercy Sunday. The date was chosen for today’s celebration because, in God’s providence, my predecessor died on the vigil of this feast. Today is also the first day of May, Mary’s month, and the liturgical memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker. All these elements serve to enrich our prayer, they help us in our pilgrimage through time and space; but in heaven a very different celebration is taking place among the angels and saints! Even so, God is but one, and one too is Christ the Lord, who like a bridge joins earth to heaven. At this moment we feel closer than ever, sharing as it were in the liturgy of heaven.

When I think of how I love JP2, I get sort of overwhelmed (which is why, I guess, I’ve never really written about it). It’s like describing why a favorite aunt is your favorite…there are so many reasons, and quite a few of them are intangible.

A few years ago, I compiled some great posts about John Paul II for a Loveliness Fair, and I found myself clicking around and rereading a few of them. Then I reread the homily from yesterday’s beatification.

John Paul II had quite a devotion to Mary, and it was a lovely, tender, strong-as-nails devotion. From the homily:

Karol Wojtyla took part in the Second Vatican Council, first as an auxiliary Bishop and then as Archbishop of Kraków. He was fully aware that the Council’s decision to devote the last chapter of its Constitution on the Church to Mary meant that the Mother of the Redeemer is held up as an image and model of holiness for every Christian and for the entire Church. This was the theological vision which Blessed John Paul II discovered as a young man and subsequently maintained and deepened throughout his life. A vision which is expressed in the scriptural image of the crucified Christ with Mary, his Mother, at his side. This icon from the Gospel of John (19:25-27) was taken up in the episcopal and later the papal coat-of-arms of Karol Wojtyla: a golden cross with the letter “M” on the lower right and the motto “Totus tuus”, drawn from the well-known words of Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort in which Karol Wojtyla found a guiding light for his life: “Totus tuus ego sum et omnia mea tua sunt. Accipio te in mea omnia. Praebe mihi cor tuum, Maria – I belong entirely to you, and all that I have is yours. I take you for my all. O Mary, give me your heart” (Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, 266).

What I think has been the most touching to me, though, was Benedict XVI’s closing statement from his homily, where he reflects on his friendship with John Paul II:

Finally, on a more personal note, I would like to thank God for the gift of having worked for many years with Blessed Pope John Paul II. I had known him earlier and had esteemed him, but for twenty-three years, beginning in 1982 after he called me to Rome to be Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, I was at his side and came to revere him all the more. My own service was sustained by his spiritual depth and by the richness of his insights. His example of prayer continually impressed and edified me: he remained deeply united to God even amid the many demands of his ministry. Then too, there was his witness in suffering: the Lord gradually stripped him of everything, yet he remained ever a “rock”, as Christ desired. His profound humility, grounded in close union with Christ, enabled him to continue to lead the Church and to give to the world a message which became all the more eloquent as his physical strength declined. In this way he lived out in an extraordinary way the vocation of every priest and bishop to become completely one with Jesus, whom he daily receives and offers in the Eucharist.

I didn’t know John Paul II in real life. His picture hangs in my house thanks to the gift of a priest-friend of a papal blessing for our marriage. But, more importantly, his spirit inspires us to grow closer to Mary and to live more faithfully to the Church he served so well and so long.

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When I first looked into my saint for this year, Saint Zita, my reaction was, “WHO?” In fact, when I twittered my saint, I got a few replies to that effect.

Saint Zita was known for her generosity to the poor and to those who had less than she did. She already inspires me to examine my life and the piles of extra Stuff all around me. How can I give and share, both of the Stuff and of myself? Perhaps it’s a reminder that showing love to those around me is the very best way to show love to God.

I had to laugh to see that she’s the patron of lost keys. Lately, I have been losing my keys (or rather, my husband’s set of keys for my van). I’m not complaining about having a saint to watch out for me on that, especially having heard that replacement keys are no small financial matter anymore. (Getting a copy made is, apparently, a thing of the past. I live under a rock and was driving a late model car before this fancy-schmancy van.)

I’ve been thinking about Saint Zita and this lost key business. I’ve been wondering if “domestic servant” describes me (no, it really doesn’t, and you’d agree if you saw my house), because she’s the patron of that as well.

I think, though, that there are other things that I lose regularly, like losing my temper and losing perspective. Maybe, if I look at keys as a metaphor for what’s important in life, then this saint is really the one to help me this year and guide me to a deeper appreciation for the power of trusting God and listening to the still, small voice.

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1. Introducing a “Mary Minute with Chesterton”

I have been listening to Uncommon Sense, the podcast of the American Chesterton Society, since it started. I blame the hostess, Nancy Brown, for fanning the flame of interest I already had in G.K. Chesterton with her insightful commentary and interesting interviews.

The latest episode, #40, features my latest project, a “Mary Minute with Chesterton.” If you listen to me in other places, you know that it’s longer than a minute. :) It’s going to be a regular feature, and I have to admit, I hesitated before agreeing to it. (In the interest of full disclosure, I volunteered. But the idea had been bugging me for quite a while before I actually acted on it.)

One of the reasons I’ve been such a fan of Uncommon Sense is that it’s low-key. The episodes are digestible in length and content — I haven’t read a lot of Chesterton, but Nancy makes me want to try and try again.

So…let me know what you think. And if you have ideas for this, I’m probably going to need them! (This feels very much like an example of God calling the qualified and not the other way around!)

2. Writing about Mary in 2011

Do you have any special Marian topics you’d like to see me tackle in 2011? I should have had my calendar put together (it’s a guideline, not a hard-and-fast schedule — helps when I’m stuck), but…I don’t. We won’t get into reasons. :)

3. What’s your word?

Last year, I was inspired to pick a one word resolution. Though I hope to get back to monthly resolutions (like Michelle, who gave me the idea in the first place many years ago), I really found this one word theme for the year helpful.

My word this year is LISTEN. I am going to do a longer post, but thought I’d toss it out there. When I posted about this last week, there were some great suggestions in the comments. Anyone else doing this? What’s your word for 2011?

4. Who’s your saint?

I didn’t have a saint pick me last year (though one did, all the same, and it was Our Lady of Sorrows), but thanks to Jen’s saint’s name generator, I did this year.

My saint this year is St. Zita. I’ll admit, we’re strangers right now. It cracks me up that one of her patronages is against losing keys; it makes me smile to see that homemakers and domestic servants are also on her list. I’m going to read some more about her and include her in my prayer time.

Did you have a saint pick you? Who’d you get?

5. Make Saturday a family movie night.

Have you heard about Change of Plans? It’s a family movie that’s airing on Saturday, January 8, on FOX at 8 PM EST (7 PM CST). It deals with issues related to adoption and foster care.

From the press release:

“Change of Plans: demonstrates how our lives can be turned upside down with a single phone call. When Sally Danville (Brooke White, “American Idol”) finds out that her best friend from college died in a tragic accident while serving in the Peace Corps, Sally also learns that she has been named the legal guardian of her friend’s four children—three of whom were adopted from third-world countries. Now Sally and her husband, Jason (Joe Flanigan, “Stargate: Atlantis”), must quickly learn to parent this instant family and help the kids deal with culture clashes and life in America. The story is both humorous and heartwarming; revealing how fulfilling life can be when you look beyond your own plans and invest in the lives of others.

I’m intrigued by this whole thing…this is the second movie that’s come my way tagged as a family movie night and I’m glad to see it. Here’s more from the press release:

When research revealed parents across America are seeking more family-oriented entertainment options, P&G and Walmart made a commitment to be part of the solution. “Change of Plans” continues P&G and Walmart’s “Family Movie Night” initiative, which strives to produce more quality entertainment options families can enjoy together throughout 2011.

“Family Movie Night” launched in April 2010 with the film “Secrets of the Mountain,” followed by “The Jensen Project” in July, and most recently “A Walk in My Shoes” on December 3. All three movies celebrated success with high-rated tune-in from viewers and associated brands seeing increased sales during the promotional time surrounding the films.

Folks, this might be just the marketing move a certain large retail establishment needed to make to get me back in their doors on a regular basis. (But let’s not tackle that today, okay? I am not out to convert anyone, I just generally avoid that store.) I don’t know if our family will watch this movie on Saturday, but I want to try to capture it on the DVR and at least see it.

6. Speaking of family nights…

We recently started having a family movie and game night once a week and my six-year-old LOVES it. I suspect it’s because she gets to eat in the living room, but she’s also been really into games lately. Her Christmas gifts included quite a few games (buyer’s remorse on my part just a bit…though her enjoyment trumps my annoyance, at least most of the time), and she really gets enthusiastic when I mention that we’ll have a movie/game night. My husband jokes that eating in the living room and staying up late are sure bets for why she’s so excited, but I think there’s more to it.

Because, to tell the truth, I get pretty charged up about them too!

7. The way I get GOOD sleep

Most of the people I’ve talked to over the years say the third kid’s the deal-breaker, the wild card, the one who will break even the strongest. I don’t know if that’s true yet, but I will say that, thanks to my awesome sister-in-law, I am sleeping at night. (Oh, the baby has something to do with that too, I guess.)

When she heard about how much pain I was enduring when I would fall asleep for hours in the recliner after nursing him in the middle of the night, she came back from the store with this, the Total Pillow.

I was hesitant. I’ve never had any luck with neck pillows in the past, and this one didn’t look any different.

Maybe it was the combination of exhaustion and pain, but I tried it the night she gave it to me.

And…I slept with no pain! I woke up refreshed and totally sold on this handy little wacky pillow.

Then I saw the commercial on TV. In the interest of helping you out further, you can find them at Walgreen’s (which is where my SIL bought mine) and, I’m sure, plenty of other places. According to my calculations, you save at least $5 that way.

(This isn’t an ad. I just had to share this, in case some other poor soul can use this product.)

More Quick Takes at Conversion Diary, where Jen’s the hostess with the mostest.