Good morning, friends. It’s been a wild week around here. My mom was here but it ended up we mostly tended to a very sick little girl most of the week. She has a virus and was diagnosed with asthma. Ugh! So she is still coughing and wheezing and coughing … but at least she’s eating again.

Mom and I did get to go out after the kids went to bed last night and had a nice time talking and laughing. So thankful to have an awesome mom!

Here are some things I read this week that you might want to read.

• I thought the finale of The Office was sweet and did a great job. Some great Office love: The Office Shuts Off the Lights at Grantland, Why I’m Still Rooting for Jim & Pam at Amy J. Bennett, and 59 Reasons We’re Going to Miss The Office at Buzzfeed. 
• On a related note, I’m grumpy about this news: After How I Met Your Mother Finale, What Comes Next? {Looks like they’re dragging the wedding weekend out for the ENTIRE LAST SEASON. Seriously?}
• I Don’t Want to Be Celebrated on Mother’s Day at Peas and Thank You
• Introverts Unite! Privately. at Chasing Cloud 9
• Marriage is Hard. Period. at Just Jilly
• YUM of the Week: Grilled Pork Chops with Clementine Marmalade at Oui, Chef.

Reading offline: I read The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister in two days, I think. It’s a quick read and one that sticks with me! Now I’m reading Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman.

Just a note that this linky is for your own link posts. If you have just one favorite post you want to share, leave it in the comments, OK? 

So, what did you read that was great this week? Link up here. You can grab the code for the button in the sidebar, if you want. Please link back to Vanderbilt Wife and add the PERMALINK to your post, not your home page.

Well, friends. My brain is the kind of fuzzy it can only be after going to bed at 2 a.m. Between the baby and trying to de-pacifier the toddler (AGGGGH) it was a rough night. With much screaming.

I have never been so excited about a doctor’s appointment as I am about going to the spine specialist about my stupid back on Monday. You probably know I’ve been battling sciatica for a solid 3 months or more now. Basically by 5-6 in the morning I have screaming pain in my hip and calf that sometimes goes away as the day progresses, sometimes not, depending on what I am doing. I can’t sit on the couch comfortably, it’s difficult to nurse, and I am SO HOPING to get some answers and help.

I am desperately trying to catch up on my blogs, but not doing a great job. But here are a few things I’ve read/seen/heard lately that you should check out.

• Grief Is Complicated at Giving Up on Perfect – My friend Mary has been in an awesome writing vibe lately. You should read everything she’s written for the last month!
• If Only It Were That Simple at Not Quite Amish – On reducing clutter and stuff
• Today I Lived and You Did Too at Hands-Free Mama
• Dear Less-Than-Perfect Mom at Becoming Supermommy
• YUM of the Week: Blueberry Bars with Lattice Crust at Zoe Bakes

Reading offline: I finished Victim of Grace by Robin Jones Gunn. I would have read it in one sitting if I could have. FANTASTIC autobiography of her life and writing career intertwined with stories of women in the Bible. Since it came in at the library, I am reading one of her novels now, Canary Island Song.

Just a note that this linky is for your own link posts. If you have just one favorite post you want to share, leave it in the comments, OK? 

So, what did you read that was great this week? Link up here. You can grab the code for the button in the sidebar, if you want. Please link back to Vanderbilt Wife and add the PERMALINK to your post, not your home page.

Why, hello. Yes it has been a week since I posted. These weeks are nuts! I think it will be a while before I’m back in real writing mode.

Here are some things I wanted to share this week.

• The Likable Damsel in Distress at Modern Mrs. Darcy
• It’s a Good Week to Be a Yes Mom at Inspired to Action – This is a few weeks old, but I still love the ideas.
• 5 Steps to Making the Most of Your Child’s Curiosity at I Can Teach My Child – This is how I try to parent. I see what my kids are naturally interested in and run with it!
• What it is is beautiful at Simple Mom
• YUM of the Week: Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffin Bread at How Sweet It Is

What I’m reading offline: Just finishing up Reached by Ally Condie, and then I have Victim of Grace by Robin Jones Gunn and The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bausermeister from the library.

So, what did you read that was great this week? Link up here. You can grab the code for the button in the sidebar, if you want. Please link back to Vanderbilt Wife and add the PERMALINK to your post, not your home page.

Good morning, friends! This morning I’m headed to an inRL meet-up. I’m so excited to get out of the house I haven’t even thought about the fact that I’ll only know one person there. The broadcast last night was so wonderful! I can’t wait to see more. I think you can still sign up at that link to see the sessions today if you want.

Here are some things I read this week and loved.

• Irresistible (What do we have to be angry about?) at Love Well
• Sabbath-ing at OhAmanda
• Underpants at Parenting Miracles
• Choose Love: Bless the Family Who Lost Their 8-Year-Old Son During the Boston Bombings at MOB Society
• It’s called working out because it’s hard at Big Mama
• YUM of the Week: Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes at Southern Blue Celebrations

Reading offline: Reached by Ally Condie, the third book in her Matched trilogy

This week on my Facebook page, I talked about some of my favorite blogs, why I haven’t written Joshua’s birth story yet, Pinterest, and the bizarre nature of spam comments.

So, what did you read that was great this week? Link up here. You can grab the code for the button in the sidebar, if you want. Please link back to Vanderbilt Wife and add the PERMALINK to your post, not your home page.

Well. So it’s 8:45 p.m. But it’s still Saturday, right? It’s been a bit of a busy day followed by a nice long nap while my hubby played with the baby and then Libbie. Ahhh.

Hope you had a pleasant Saturday, and enjoy these links!

• If I Knew Then What I Know Now at Stuff Parents Need – My friend Tiffany has a master’s from Harvard … and is a SAHM and blogger. (Who just got a sweet gig as a Reynold’s Mom! Congrats!) I enjoy her reflection on that progression here.
• The Problem of Growing Up Religious at Southern Fried Faith
• The Day I Saw My Marriage Ending at Loved Like the Church
• I Used to Only Like Apples (and Other Thoughts on Picky Eaters) at Heavenly Homemakers
• 5 Ways Essential Oils Have Changed My Life at The Prairie Homestead
• YUM of the Week: Zucchini-Feta Fritters with Tzatziki Sauce at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

Reading offline: Bossypants by Tina Fey – it was 99 cents for Kindle earlier this week. Now it’s $3.99, but that’s still not awful.

So, what did you read that was great this week? Link up here. You can grab the code for the button in the sidebar, if you want. Please link back to Vanderbilt Wife and add the PERMALINK to your post, not your home page.

I’m feeling a little heartbroken this morning, so I’m just going to proceed with the links, OK?

• You Can Be a Hospital at Not Quite Amish
• Parenting a Boy, Not a Herd by Shaun Groves at Simple Mom
• 5 & A Beautiful Gift at Angie Smith Online
• Does Someone Need Your Words Today? at (in)courage
• YUM of the Week: Fresh Mint Truffle Pie at Not So Humble Pie

What I’m reading offline: Echoes by Maeve Binchy, one of my favorite books of hers.

So, what did you read that was great this week? Link up here. You can grab the code for the button in the sidebar, if you want. Please link back to Vanderbilt Wife and add the PERMALINK to your post, not your home page.

I’ve quickly realized that I should have made use of my post-birth euphoria and cleaned my whole apartment or something. As soon as the sleep deprivation set in … I became a goner. Unfortunately, my sciatica has just gotten worse and sitting aggravates it to no end. Not the best combination for the mom of a newborn!

Anyway, here are some links for you that I’ve read lately.

• For Alcoholics and the People Who Love Them : On Good Friday at Chatting at the Sky
• How I Became a Full-Time Writer at Jeff Goins, Writer – As you may have seen in my post yesterday, Jeff is a major inspiration for me!
• Why Most Twentysomethings Are Delusional at Storyline by Donald Miller
• Rushing and Pausing at Bring the Rain
• YUM of the Week: Chili’s Chicken Enchilada Soup in the Crockpot at Lindsey’s Luscious

What I’m reading offline: Flunking Sainthood: A Year of Breaking the Sabbath, Forgetting to Pray, and Still Loving My Neighbor by Jana Riess

So, what did you read that was great this week? Link up here. You can grab the code for the button in the sidebar, if you want. Please link back to Vanderbilt Wife and add the PERMALINK to your post, not your home page.

Checking in quickly, as my husband and I are going to attempt a new feat: getting  three kids to something in a timely manner! Our church is having an Easter egg hunt this morning and little breakfast, so we’re going to try to get there, with baby Joshua in tow. (I am LOVING the Baby K’Tan carrier. He’s not even 8 lbs. yet, but he fits right in there snugly and cuddly!)

Here are some good links for you!

• Five Steps to Get Beyond Sacred Cows in the Church at Thom Rainer
• What a Hundred Lifeguards Taught Me about My Calling at Chatting at the Sky
• On Hoarding Manna at Whimsy Smitten
• Grace Begets Grace at Just Jilly
• The Awesome Power of Silence at Not Quite Amish
• YUM of the week: Homemade English Muffins at The Finer Things in Life

I didn’t even have to reach out past my Reader to find great posts this week. (Demise of Google Reader? So sad!)

So, what did you read that was great this week? Link up here. You can grab the code for the button in the sidebar, if you want. Please link back to Vanderbilt Wife and add the PERMALINK to your post, not your home page.

I think this will probably be the last Linky Love for awhile, friends! Maybe I’m too hopeful, but I’ve been having a lot of labor signs and on-and-off contractions, so I’m thinking Joshua should be here in the next few days. Yahoo!

(Not to mention yesterday I had that panic that I NEEDED TO DO EVERYTHING RIGHT THIS VERY INSTANT. And I tried.)

Here’s some stuff I read this week you might like!

• Kale Salad with Dried Cranberries at Chattavore (yum!)
• The Top Chef: Seattle Finale Was Ruined By Meddlesome Magic Elves at Grantland – I didn’t even watch this season … because it’s on until 11 p.m. But I watched the finale, and it was AWFUL.
• 15 Quick and Easy Pasta Recipes at Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures
• Time Keeps On Slippin’, Slippin’ at Giving Up on Perfect
• YUM of the Week: Tropical Chicken Burgers at The Healthy Foodie

I think this is hilarious. My friend took this picture of her baby and turned it into a meme. I hope it takes off like fire. Hilarious.

So, what did you read that was great this week? Link up here. You can grab the code for the button in the sidebar, if you want. Please link back to Vanderbilt Wife and add the PERMALINK to your post, not your home page.

I’m still here. I’m still pregnant. The baby seems to have moved onto my sciatic nerve, which means I’m in a REALLY excellent mood today. So, moving on …

• Give Her Grace at Naptime Diaries
• Should Christians Use Birth Control? at Biblical Homemaking – Honestly, this is something I really struggle with.
• Living Small at The Better Mom
• I’m in love with this Red White and Blue Knot Dress from Sew Sew Adorable
• I need to run to the store for corn syrup so the kids can make these Shiny Rainbows from I Can Teach My Child. So cute!
• YUM of the Week: Pineapple Sweet Rolls from Mommy’s Menu

So, what did you read that was great this week? Link up here. You can grab the code for the button in the sidebar, if you want. Please link back to Vanderbilt Wife and add the PERMALINK to your post, not your home page.