The "Just Witty" Bio

If Sarah Reinhard isn’t off hiding somewhere with a good book, chances are she’s chasing a toddler or a Jack Russell (or sleeping, because every mom can use a nap!). She found Prince Charming and married him, and now they enjoy the idiosyncrasies of life in an old farmhouse in central Ohio. Sarah finds herself constantly inspired by life on their farm, complete with a great barn and lots of sheep. Among the greatest blessing of her life is being surrounded by family and friends close by. Her “day job” is as secretary/administrator at her local parish, where she’s able to take her daughter to work with her. Sarah’s blog, just another day of Catholic pondering, has more tidbits of her life, including essays, ponderings on life, and general observations about the oddities of motherhood.

Online Reteat in Everyday Life - My Reflections

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3 - Perspective and Power
Week 4 - Life in Harmony
Week 5 - Old Farmhouse and Sins
Week 6 - Sinfulness and Thankfulness
Week 7 - The Quilt of My Life
Week 8 - God as Daddy
Week 9 - Dandelions in My Life
Week 10 - The Fear of Yes
Week 11 - Our Response to Love
Week 12 - Romance
Week 13 - Anticipation
Week 14 - Real Life Gets in the Way
Week 15 - Birth
Week 16 - Closer to Personal
Week 17 - More in Less
Week 18 - God as the Driver
Week 19 - Favorite Thoughts
Week 20 - Temptation Battles
Week 21 - Love Calls
Week 22 - What a Friend
Week 23 - Love Heals
Week 24 - Inspired by Jesus
Week 25 - Jesus at the Well
Week 26 - Letter to Jesus
Week 27 - Humility in Feet
Week 28 - The Passion
Week 29 - Jesus in Death
Week 30 - Jesus, Alive!
Week 31 - Seeing Him for Who He Is
Week 32 - Recognizing Jesus
Week 33 - Almost Done, Just Beginning
Week 34 - Love and Grace

My Favorite Recipe: Notsanga

Twice-modified from a Rachael Ray recipe.

2 16oz cans of Spaghetti Sauce
1 lb short-cut pasta such as rotini or penne
1 16oz bag of shredded cheese - mozzarella works best
1 lb of ground beef, sausage, or pepperoni (or omit the meat for a great Lenten Friday meal)
1 16-oz tub of ricotta cheese (or you can make your own and it will taste just as good: 1 16-oz tub of cottage cheese, a good handful of grated parmesan cheese, an egg, and a splash of milk)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put the pasta on and cook to al dente, i.e., time it for the lower end of the recommended
cooking time While it's cooking, mix up the fake ricotta and brown the meat.

Drain the pasta, put it back in its pan, and mix in one can of sauce.

Using a 9x13 baking pan, put in a bottom layer of the pasta. Next put in a layer of the ricotta or cottage cheese mix, then a layer of meat, then some sauce, then half of the shredded cheese. Repeat for a second layer.

Pop it in the oven, forget about it for 20 minutes (but don't forget to set your timer), and then pull it out and chow down!

Serves 2 plus lots of left-overs.

Books Read in 2008

Fiction
2. My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult (My Review)
4. The Pact, by Jodi Picoult (My Review)
7. Brother Odd, by Dean Koontz (My Review)
8. The Man Who Was Thursday, by G.K. Chesterton (courtesy of LibriVox) (My Review)
9. China Court; The Hours of a Country House, by Rumer Godden (courtesy of Forgotten Classics) (My Review)
14. The Quilt, by T. Davis Bunn (My Review)
15. In This House of Brede, by Rumer Godden (My Review)
27. Watership Down, by Richard Adams (My Review)
30. Odd Hours, by Dean Koontz (My Review)
31. The Wonder Stick, by Stanton A. Coblentz (courtesy of Forgotten Classics) (My Review)
32. Auralia's Colors, by Jeffrey Overstreet (My Review)

Young Adult
13. The Daring Book for Girls, by Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz (My Review)
16. Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll (courtesy of Storynory)
18. The Field Guide (Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1), by Holly Black (My Review)
28. Catholic, Reluctantly (John Paul 2 High, Book 1), by Christian M. Frank (My Review)
37. Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer (My Review)
40. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, by J.K. Rowling (My Review)
41. Brisingr, by Christopher Paolini (My Review)
42. May Bird and the Ever After (Book One), by Jodi Lynn Anderson (My Review)

Nonfiction - General
1. Ava's Man, by Rick Bragg (My Review)
17. If You Want to Write: A Book about Independence, Art and Spirit, by Brenda Ueland (My Review)
20. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, by David Sedaris
24. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, by Natalie Goldberg (My Review)
29. Making a Literary Life: Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers, by Carolyn See (My Review)
33. How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table, by Russ Parsons (My Review)
34. Home Education, by Charlotte M. Mason
35. Mouth Wide Open, by John Thorne (My Review)
38. Apple Pie: An American Story, by John T. Edge (My Review)
43. Sink Reflections, by Marla Cilley - The FlyLady (My Review)

Nonfiction - Catholic/Christian
3. Adventures in Orthodoxy, by Dwight Longenecker (My Review)
5. Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, by Mother Teresa and Brian Kolodiejchuk (My Review)
6. Raising Up Mommy: Virtues for Difficult Mothering Moments, by Heidi Hess Saxton (My Review)
11. Catholic Saints Prayer Book: Moments of Inspiration from Your Favorite Saints, by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle (My Review)
12. Behold Your Mother: Mary Stories and Reflections from a Catholic Convert, by Heidi Hess Saxton (My Review)
15. Embrace Grace, by Liz Curtis Higgs (My Review)
21. Rediscovering Catholicism: Journeying Toward Our Spiritual North Star, by Matthew Kelly (My Review)
22. Heaven's Song, by Christopher West (My Review)
25. The Domestic Church: Room by Room, by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle (My Review)
26. Grace Cafe: Serving Up Recipes for Faithful Mothering, by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle (My Review)
36. Mary and Me: Catholic Women Reflect on the Mother of God, by Ginny Kubitz Moyer (My Review)
39. Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession, by Anne Rice (My Review)

Collections
10. Pushcart Prize XXXII: Best of the Small Presses, 2008 Edition (My Review)
19. My Mother, My Strength, edited by Maria Johnson (My Review)
23. Firestorm of Dragons, edited by Michele Acker & Kirk Dougal (My Review)

Church Documents
Mulieris Dignitatem (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women), by John Paul II
Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), by John Paul II
Spe Salvi (Saved by Hope), by Benedict XVI (My Thoughts)