My Daybook :: April 2, 2014
Outside my window…
the sun is shining and the grass is looking pretty green on my side of the fence! (Not that we actually have a fence yet… It’s still on the to-do list… lol) After seriously thinking we would be selling our home and moving, I have been looking around and noticing all the little things I love about our home. We still have many unfinished projects but it has sure come a long way since we purchased our little fixer-upper 14 years ago this spring. I’m happy that we will be staying here after all, at least for now.
I am thinking…
that I need to email our oldest son’s specialist at the children’s hospital. He was sick again on Sunday morning, though it wasn’t nearly as severe as usual (perhaps due to his medications, including the acid reducers) and only lasted a couple hours instead of six. It is so strange that it hits like clockwork every two months. I did talk to the doctor last week and so far there is nothing to worry about from the test results. She’d like to do an endoscopy next (which requires sedation) but Sean and I would like to look into more allergy testing first.
I am thankful…
that even if I have fallen behind almost everywhere (house cleaning, grocery shopping, bookkeeping, blogging, emails, and even this year’s Jesus Tree readings – God had his own Lenten plans for us this year) our school year is going really well and all FIVE of the children are right on track to complete their SAXON Math books before the school year ends! It was a difficult transition back to Saxon from Teaching Textbooks but, according to the learning curves following their recent required state tests, it has been an incredibly productive year too! I am so proud of all their hard work.
Learning all the time…
Celebrating the liturgical year…
It’s time to update the book basket with saint books for April. I’ll try and compile our list soon to share with you all!
From the kitchen…
Cara Cara Oranges. Our little “princess” loves them… After all, they are pink!
I am working on…
our tax return. I still have way too many receipts to sort through from last year, and only two weeks left! Yikes… How is it possibly April already?!
I am creating…
my submissions for RTJ’s Creative Catechist. I just submitted my first article for the September issue yesterday!
I am going…
to post another sponsor update at the beginning of May, but do welcome my new April sponsors, Saints 365 and Bridgie & Green, by visiting their blog and Etsy shop! Be sure to keep all my awesome sponsors in mind, especially with Easter coming up, and be sure to tell them I sent you. If you happen to have a business and are interested in advertising you can download my media kit here or send me an email.
I am hoping…
to spend a little time this afternoon helping the children complete the Holy Week Banner they started making during the homeschool group activity on Monday.
I am praying…
The Holy Way of the Cross to be made by the Christian Mother for the Benefit of her Children found in The Christian Mother: The Education of Her Children and Her Prayer.
I am reading…
The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming Our Passion, Purpose, and Sanity again, along with Holiness for Housewives (and other working women) and Meditations for Lent.
Pondering these words…
from The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers on Why Mothers Need Solitude:
“Why do we need solitude (and silence, which often accompanies it)? We need it because solitude makes us more sensitive mothers. Removing ourselves from constant stimulation and noise actually sharpens our sensitivity. Also, solitude forces us to face ourselves. In solitude we learn to like ourselves better because we are faced with our own company. It helps us heal from old hurts so that we can be free to enjoy the present and it refreshes us in ways that the company of others can’t. Finally, solitude centers us and brings about a deep peace that cannot be achieved while staying immersed in either the good noise of friends and family or the awful noise of raucous media. We must retreat into quiet aloneness so that we can learn to be the women we were meant to be.”
I am listening…
to lots of conversations about “selling and buying homes,” “new jobs,” and “high property taxes.” We had a rainy spring break and the children spent lots of time building a lego town in the older boys’ bedroom. I am always amazed at their creativity and need to take some close-up pictures to share.
Around the house…
stacks of books that I need to sell. I’m trying to decide if I should wait until August to host this year’s Curriculum Sale Blog Hop (like usual), host it early (perhaps in May), possibly host two, or just forget the idea and list the books on Cathswap or Ebay… Any thoughts? Are any of you interested in participating in another link-up this year?
visiting the ocean.
This week’s plans…
- Monday: Stations of the Cross and Craft with other local homeschoolers
- Monday: Dinner Date with my husband
- Tuesday & Thursday: Tutors for a few hours in the afternoon
- Meet with our Contractor about a couple projects we are hoping to begin this summer
- Order a few more books and other little gifts for the children’s Easter Baskets (you can find last year’s list here)
- Make time for some solitude and another visit to the adoration chapel
A little peek at my husband’s birthday…
A Quick Visit to the Ocean
Our Trip to the Children’s Hospital
It was so nice to be able to sit down and visit with him for awhile and to ask his advice on the possible job and move. Before we left he gave our oldest a blessing. We sure miss him!
After visiting with Father we spent some time walking the grounds at the Abbey.
Our next stop was at the gorgeous church in town. Someone was cleaning the entry area so it happened to be unlocked and we were able to peek inside. We had been here before for one of my friends/bridesmaid’s weddings and I just love this church!
Catholic Embroidery {Sponsored Review & Giveaway}
It has been an emotional and whirlwind of a week! We arrived home from our trip to the children’s hospital late Thursday night (or rather early Friday morning – so far the testing has been going well) and we are turning around and heading out of town again early tomorrow (Sunday) morning… As I mentioned briefly last Monday, we have some big decisions that need to be made soon. I’m sorry to be vague for the time being, but hopefully next week I’ll have the opportunity to get back to blogging again and share some of what has been going on with you all. In the meantime, could you please offer a prayer or two for our family?
Anyways, before I get off the computer to pack (and hopefully get a few hours of sleep tonight) I have another coupon code and giveaway for you all!
I think I might have mentioned Catholic Embroidery in the past… 😉 I just love their products!
I wish I had time to take updated pictures of some of our favorite items from Catholic Embroidery (there are many!) but I am going to have to settle for sharing the links and pictures to some of the things I’ve posted about in the past:
#1 – Baptismal Blanket from my blog post Our Baptized Baby and a Beautiful Baptismal Blanket
#2 – First Communion Handkerchief from my blog post First Holy Communion Gift Ideas
#3 – Rosary Case from my blog post The Big Purse Dump
# 4 – Rosary Case from my blog post On Easter Morning {Our 2013 Easter Baskets!}
#5 – Custom Children’s Missal Cover from my blog post On the Feast of St. James
#6 – Pysanky Basket Cover from my post Seven Quick Easter Takes and Easter Symbols {An Easter Basket for the Whole Family}
#7 – My Custom Shower of Roses Apron from my post {pretty, happy, funny, real}
#8 – Custom Ordered Tote from my blog post Celebrating the O Antiphons :: The Golden Nights
# 9 – Love of the Little Flower Afgan from my blog post My Daybook :: October 13, 2013
I have always been beyond happy with each purchase from Catholic Embroidery and I look forward to adding more of their products to our home in the future!
The “Season of Sacraments” is already upon us and our First Communion Handkerchiefs are just the gift for the Catholic Child. This year, we are offering a Standard and Custom version of the gold-metallicembroidered keepsake.
Other things that are especially popular this time of year are our Pysanky Basket Cover, Accessories for Easter Baskets, and our Lamb of God Apron, Table Runner, and Stationery…
A March Daybook on the Feast of St. Patrick
Outside my window…
we have been enjoying the beautiful spring weather.
I am thinking…
about so many things. We have some big decisions to make and we are praying our rosary every night that God will make His will for our family clear.
I am thankful…
for antibiotics! I just took the last antibiotic last night and am feeling so. much. better. I’m still dealing with some congestion though and avoiding dairy and sugar and taking lots of Vitamin C, probiotics, and now some mega doses of Vitamin D, due to some super low test results this past week.
Learning all the time…
We are celebrating St. Patrick today and the feast of St. Joseph is coming up the day after tomorrow! You can find the links to most of our past March feast day celebrations here, thought it looks like I have a little updating to do. . . It might be best to just search the labels for St. Patrick and St. Joseph.
From the kitchen…
Shamrock Frittata with Irish Sausage…
… Shamrock Toasties, as requested by our sweet boy celebrating a name-day…
.. and Irish Beef and Guinness Stew with Traditional Irish Soda Bread! Yummmmm.
I am working on…
resting. Though you wouldn’t know it after looking at all that yummy St. Patrick’s Day food! 😉
I am creating…
my submission for the summer issue of Catholic Digest.
I am going…
on a road trip with just my husband and oldest two boys! My parents have offered to watch the five youngest (for the first time overnight) while we travel to see the specialists and I’m really looking forward to spending this special time with just the boys.
I am praying…
that the specialists will have some answers for us when we meet with them on Thursday morning.
I am reading…
a new addition to our collection of picture books for March: St. Patrick and the Three Brave Mice.
Pondering these words…
from Arthur Brisbane:
“[St. Patrick] was a terror to any snake that came in his path, whether it was the cold, slimy reptile sliding along the ground or the more dangerous snake that oppresses men through false teachings. And he drove the snakes out of the minds of men, snakes of superstition and brutality and cruelty.”
I am listening…
to Traditional Irish Music on Pandora and the children just finished watching Patrick – Brave Shepherd of the Emerald Isle.
Around the house…
I love that our oldest son picked up my slack and decorated for St. Patrick’s Day this year! He pulled out his statue of St. Patrick along with a few of his Holy Cards, put together a little Leprechaun/Rainbow/Pot of Gold and Irish Flag Lego Creations, and even pulled out one of his favorite stuffed animals from when he was a baby and a paper on St. Patrick that he recently finished writing!
I never get tired of watching this little guy try and blow out all the candles around our home.
This week’s plans…
- Celebrate the Feast of St. Patrick (and our Irish Heritage!)
- Math Tutor on Tuesday (Next week is Spring Break!)
- Table Replacement Arriving! (So excited! It only took 7 months…)
- Celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph (It will be extra simple this year…)
- Trip to take Captain to see the Specialist (Please pray! and I’ll be away from the computer for a couple days…)
A little peek at my day…
Prayer Pillowcases {Sponsored Review & Giveaway}
Last Christmas two of our children were blessed with Prayer Pillowcases of their patron saints! The inspiring and soft pillowcases have been such a lovely addition to our home and I have been very impressed with the quality. These pillowcases are made in the USA and the images are printed directly onto the pillowcase using non-toxic water based inks. I have washed the pillowcases inside out using cold water and have only noticed very minimal fading after the first washing and they still look just as beautiful as when they arrived!
One visitor will receive the Saint Patrick Prayer Pillowcase and another visitor will receive the Saint Joseph Prayer Pillowcase, each specially personalized for the winner!
Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter box below:
{Seven Quick Takes} At the end of a quiet week…
1st Pontifical High Mass at the Throne
I still can hardly believe that Archbishop Sample is our Archbishop! He gives me such hope for our liberal state and diocese. Deo Gratias!
This beautiful and inspiring sermon was given by His Excellency Archbishop Sample at the Pontifical Mass he celebrated in the Extraordinary Form on March 1, 2014 at the Brigittine Monastery in Amity, Oregon.
The Mass was the crowning celebration of a 3-day conference on Gregorian Chant and the role of sacred music in the liturgy. I had wanted to surprise my husband with a trip to attend as an early birthday gift, but due to the flu it wasn’t a possibility this year… Instead he will be receiving a 12×18 print of the above photo and hopefully he will be able to attend the next conference. 🙂
Gail Girón Design {Sponsored Review & Giveaway}
The Lenten Season In Our Catholic Home
For us didst fast and pray,
Teach us with Thee to mourn our sins,
And close by Thee to stay…
The Lenten Season In Our Catholic Home
Over the years our family has adopted and established many Lenten traditions with our children. I spent a little time this afternoon finalizing our plans for this Lenten season and have compiled them here to share, including links to the original sources of our inspiration. May you all have a blessed and fruitful Lenten season! (Note: This post contains affiliate links.)
Shrove Tuesday
- All past Shove Tuesday posts
- Plan a time for our family to go to Confession
Shrove Tuesday is a day of preparation for Lent. The name “shrove” comes from the word “shrive” which means “to confess.” The Church recommends that we receive the Sacrament of Penance frequently and once a year at the every least. Our family will be going again soon so that we can begin Lent with clear consciences and clean souls.
- Bury the Alleluia until Easter Sunday!
I am not sure where this tradition originated, but I have read that “In medieval times, in order to signify that the Alleluia was no longer to be sung at Mass from Ash Wednesday to the great Vigil of Easter, people developed the ceremony of “burying the Alleluia”. It typically consisted of putting a scroll with the word “Alleluia” on it inside a coffin and actually digging up a grave in the church lot and throwing it in, where it would rest until retrieved in another ceremony on Easter.” Instead of a scroll our family has always used wooden letters (painted gold by the some of the children when they were younger) inspired by Elizabeth Foss. We pack bury them in a box for Lent and they will be unpacked unburied and placed on our mantle Easter morning.
Ash Wednesday (Day of Fast and Abstinence)
- Attend Mass
- Fast and Abstinence
- Recipes for Ash Wednesday Beans and Fasting Bread can be found at Catholic Cuisine.
Daily During Lent: Pray • Fast • Give Alms
- Morning Prayers and Devotions
- Lunchtime Jesus Tree Bible Stories and Coloring Pages
- Afternoon Lenten Reading and Saint Stories
- Listen to Lent at Ephesus
- Dinnertime Read-Aloud: Saint of the Day, short Meditations for Lent, and Sunday Sermons
- Evening Family Rosary
UPDATE: A Lenten Calendar for Catholic Children {revised}
- Our Jesus Tree (using our Felt and Wooden Ornaments)
We have always loved using the Jesus Tree as a Lenten bible study for our children. Each day during Lent we read a story about an event or teaching during Jesus’ life and add a corresponding ornament to the tree. At first, the dead branch (tree) symbolizes the barren and lifeless feeling of the Lenten season as we reflect on our own sinfulness and the crucifixion of our Lord. As the season climaxes with Easter, we see the gift Christ gave us through His death and Resurrection. The beauty of that new life is reflected in the way the dead branch has “blossomed” with all the symbols of Christ’s life and teachings.
NOTE: I’m working on compiling a booklet with the list of coordinating readings I came up with years ago using our New Catholic Picture Bible. You can find the current list in full here, though many of the coloring page links no longer work. I’m currently working on updating those links as well. I’ll be sure to update this post with the links to any new/updated posts once they are completed.
- Lenten Sacrifice Beans
This tradition of ours is inspired by Mary Reed Newland in her book The Year and Our Children. She says, “It is hard to keep track of this treasure that is laid in Heaven if you are quite small and six weeks drag out like six years. We have made this part of the effort visible for the children so that they might see that they were accomplishing something. On or about Ash Wednesday, we dye lima beans purple to be used as counters in a jar. Beans, because they are seeds which, if put in the ground, appear to die only to spring forth with new life. This is what Our Lord said we must do if we would have life in Him. He that seems to lose his life shall gain it. The beans remind us that daily death to self in one self-denial after another is the dying which will find for us new life in Him.” On Easter Sunday the children wake up to discover that all the Lenten Sacrifice Beans have been replaced with Jelly Beans!
Update: You can see our jar filled with Jelly Beans on Easter Sunday here.
- Lenten Crown of Thorns
A great motivating tool during Lent is the Lenten Crown of Thorns. Create a Crown of Thorns as a Lenten centerpiece for your table using a grapevine wreath (crown) and inserting toothpicks (thorns) to represent the many pains and sufferings Our Lord endured for our salvation. Both children and adults will be encouraged to persevere with their Lenten penances as they remove a thorn for each good deed and sacrifice offered. This tradition was inspired by Waltzing Matilda.
Additional Lenten Activities
- Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure
- Create Lent Lap Books (In the past we have used the Lent Lap Book from Faith Folders for Catholics with some of our own modifications.)
- Assemble a Last Supper Puzzle
- Craft a new Paschal Candle for Easter
Sometime during Lent we will create a Paschal Candle for Easter Morning. You can purchase a Paschal Candle Kit from Illuminated Ink (like the one we made here). Or create your own using the directions found here: Paschal Candle for Easter. Place the candle in the center of your Crown of Thorns centerpiece (see Daily During Lent), replacing all the thorns with flowers!
Fridays During Lent
- Simple Meatless Meals
- Attend Stations of the Cross or Pray at Home
- (Scroll through all past posts labeled Stations of the Cross.)
Crafting our Stations of the Cross – kit from Illuminated Ink (also available at Amazon)
Some excellent resources for praying the Stations of the Cross at Home with Children include The Stations of the Cross for Children (Glory Stories), The Way of the Cross for Children DVD, and Praying the Way of the Cross (featuring Liam Neeson). We also have an assortment of books and coloring books for the children as well. Jesse Tree Treasures also carries a lovely set of Stations of the Cross Ornaments.
Spring Cleaning
- De-clutter, simplify, organize and clean!
Past posts include: Spring Cleaning ~ The Goal (2008), Lenten Cleaning (2009), 40 Bags of Stuff (2009), 40 Bags in 40 Days and Update (2010) and Shaking off the Bonds of Stuff :: A 40-Day Plan for Lent (2012).
Laetare Sunday (4th Sunday of Lent)
- Serve a special treat after Mass, possibly Laetare Sundaes
- All past Laetare Sunday posts
Passion Sunday (5th Sunday of Lent)
- Move Good Friday Tea to this weekend (scroll through past Passion/Good Friday Lenten Teas)
- Cover Statues with Purple Cloth
Note: Now that our children our getting older, the Holy Thursday and Good Friday Teas (originally inspired by Alice Gunther) are a little too much “fun” for our family for Holy Week which is one of the reasons we omitted them last year. We have loved doing them in the past so I’ve decided to move them to the two Sundays prior to Holy Week – Passion Sunday and Palm Sunday – that way we can use them as a teaching tool for the rest of our little ones and I can still spend as little time as possible in the kitchen (and hopefully more time at Church) during Holy Week. UPDATE: We ended up leaving our Lenten Dinners during Holy Week this year after all.
Palm Sunday (6th Sunday of Lent)
- Move Holy Thursday Tea to this Sunday (scroll through past Palm Sunday/Holy Thursday Lenten Teas)
- Palm of Palms Craft
- All past Palm Sunday posts
Palm Sunday is also known as “Fig Sunday” due to the tradition that Christ ate figs following his entry into Jerusalem. Celebrate Our Lord’s glorious entrance into Jerusalem by enjoying some fresh figs or Fig Newtons today. Another option is to serve Palm Sundaes (Ice Cream Sundaes topped with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and shredded coconut – since coconuts grow on Palm Trees) for dessert.
Holy Thursday
- Attend Mass
- Bake Hot Cross Buns and/or Fasting Bread for Tomorrow
- All past Holy Thursday posts
Look at His adorable face. Look at His glazed and sunken eyes. Look at His wounds. Look Jesus in the Face. There, you will see how He loves us. ~ St. Therese of Lisieux
Good Friday (Day of Fast and Abstinence)
- Fast and Abstinence
- Hot Cross Buns (Recipe can be found here)
- Stations of the Cross
- Veneration of the Cross
- All past Good Friday posts
Holy Saturday
- Resurrection Cookies and/or Resurrection Rolls are full of symbolism and makes a great hands-on way to tell the story of Christ’s Resurrection to children.
- Dye Easter Eggs
- Bake Bread for Easter
- All past Holy Saturday posts
- Prepare for Easter Sunday!
Other Past Posts of the Lenten Season in our Catholic Home
- Preparing for Lent :: Our Lenten Journey (2011)
- A Few of Our Lenten Activities (2010)
- The Ten Commandments Lap Book {Catechism Craft with Free Printables}
- Our Lent and Easter Book Baskets
- Playmobil: Way of the Cross
- The Easter Story {LEGO Edition} (2015 addition)
To suffer lovingly is to suffer no longer. To flee from the cross is to be crushed beneath its weight. We should pray for a love of the cross – then it will become sweet. ~ St John Vianney
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