Jill: the Ellen video was too funny.
Thanks for making my Sunday morning!

Love them - right on, Jill.

Sorry to post somewhat off-topic, but I thought people here might enjoy this piece in the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/fashion/08bigfam.html?ref=style It's about large families, with a specific focus on families who are large not for religious or fertility-treatment reasons but just because they happen to have a bunch of kids.

I especially liked this quote:

“The criticism feels elitist,” she said. “It’s coming from educated people, which makes me think, You have no excuse for thinking in such stereotypes.”

And I liked the defense against environmental-concern-based opposition to large families, that a lightbulb takes the same energy whether there's one person in a room or four, and so for density reasons and also for financial reasons, large families are often living more environmentally responsible lives than small families, building habits that will carry over into adulthood.

Doug, that's for sure.

Alexandra, thanks for the link! Barbara from Mommylife was quoted in that article. She's an awesome lady and a great writer. I think, for the most part, that article was rather fair to larger families.

And I liked the defense against environmental-concern-based opposition to large families, that a lightbulb takes the same energy whether there's one person in a room or four, and so for density reasons and also for financial reasons, large families are often living more environmentally responsible lives than small families, building habits that will carry over into adulthood.

Posted by: Alexandra at February 8, 2009 8:57 AM

the line that sums up the attitude for me:
“The smart, ambitious, fully realized 21st-century woman chooses career. The ambitionless woman has children.”

yeah, right.

Very funny, Jill. "I love Jesus but I drink a little" was hilarious! God bless Gladys.

the line that sums up the attitude for me:
“The smart, ambitious, fully realized 21st-century woman chooses career. The ambitionless woman has children.”

yeah, right.

You're taking the quote out of context, TSTL. That quote sums up the attitude the article is disputing, not the attitude the article is expressing.

Anyone who thinks moms aren't ambitious never met a showbiz or show choir mom. :D Tee hee.

Or a skater's mom. See any number of bad movies and teen novels for proof. But it really is true!

Scott: Very funny, Jill. "I love Jesus but I drink a little" was hilarious! God bless Gladys.

Exactly. That was awesome.

Gladys sounds like a good Catholic grrl to me.