Meet the Masters :: Vincent van Gogh
February Daybook on the Feast of St. Blaise
*Note: All links to Amazon are affiliate links.
Outside my window…
Yes, those were our children out there in the front yard wrapped in blankets early this morning, trying to stay warm while I searched the house trying to figure out what was burning… The smoke was coming from a light fixture in the little boys’ room.
I am thinking…
It’s nice to have electricians in the family! My Dad and Mom were on an airplane headed to Hawaii this morning (My Dad rarely travels, but Mom talked him into going over to watch a golf tournament my brother will be competing in this week!) but my brother Brian returned my call and headed over to take a look at the wiring for me in exchange for some lunch. Even though it ended up being just the lightbulb (Whew!!!!) I had him take down the fixture (wall sconce) anyways, since we need to rearrange the furniture to make room for a bunk bed for the boys.
I am thankful…
for those the two new bookcases! I assembled them last week and filled them with some of the books from the little boys’ room, which was our old schoolroom. We still seem to have more books than shelves, but I’m getting a little closer to finding homes and getting them all organized once again.
Learning all the time…
St. Brigid, Candlemas, St. Blaise, and so many more wonderful saints and feasts to celebrate and read about this month!
From the kitchen…
Candlemas Cookies with Drip Plates and Saint Blaise Sticks!
I am working on…
plans for Rascal’s birthday this coming Friday. When I asked him what sort of theme he’d like this year he asked if it could be a surprise! 🙂
I am creating…
homemade Valentine cards with Rose and Snuggles! I’ll share some pictures of our creations sometime soon, but in the meantime, aren’t these Vintage Valentines adorable?
I am going…
to pre-order Lent at Ephesus.
I am hoping…
that I will hear back from our pediatrician soon. Last week we took our oldest to see his pediatrician for an evaluation and to begin some testing for a reoccurring problem (violently vomiting for hours) he has been having every 1-2 months this past year, and again last week. Hopefully we can figure out the cause (and a solution) before it happens again. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for him!
I am praying…
for a few special intentions and an increase of true, sacrificial love within our family during this month of February, which is dedicated to the Holy Family.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, like you we are members of the Father’s family. We pray that our family love may reflect his love on its openness to all people. May we forgive even when not forgiven, and be patient with others’ weaknesses.
Jesus, give us peace, unit and strength to meet the difficulties of daily living. May we use our family resources to improve the quality of life for ourselves and all people. Let us show joy in serving, for whatever we do for others, we do for you.
Mary, inspire us, that our love may be strong but not possessive. Let our willingness to give depend on the needs of others rather than on the cost of giving.
Joseph, help us to be attentive to the Father’s will. Let us be ready, as you were, to act whenever he calls us.
I am reading…
Cranberry Valentine and making plans with Snuggles and Rose to bake a Cranberry Upside Down Cake (using the recipe on the back cover) with the cranberries in the freezer.
Pondering these words…
which begin the chapter titled “The Wounds of Childhood” in The Context of Holiness (one of my birthday gifts!) by Marc Foley, and thinking back to some of those events in my own childhood. I think I’m really going to like this book.
I am listening…
to Snuggles and Rose having a hilarious little conversation. They are across the room from each other and talking on their calculators cellphones.
Around the house…
legos. This afternoon I was about to “kill a spider” when one of the kids said, “Mom! It’s just a lego!” That “lego” looked way too real on our tile entryway floor.
the smell of beeswax candles. Mmmmmmmmm
This week’s plans…
- Math Tutors (at home) on Tuesday and Thursday
- Post Office, Library, and a few other errands
- Rascal’s 12th Birthday –
- Dinner/Auction Fundraiser for the local crisis pregnancy home
A little peek at my day…
Nope. I’m not going to share a picture of the smoking lightbulb, the little black “spider” I was about to smash, the mountain of laundry I have yet to catch up after falling behind while sick last month, the lunch crumbs on the floor, or the piles of school books on the countertops. I prefer to focus my camera lens on the peaceful and precious moments that are sprinkled throughout the day in spite of the craziness of large family life. ♥
the only one goal of our labors. ~ St. Therese of Lisieux
Usborne Books {Sponsored Review & Giveaway}
Are you familiar with Usborne Books & More?
Marie, an Independent Usborne Consultant from Joy Beyond the Cross, offered to let me choose some books to share here at Shower of Roses! We have always had Usborne books on our shelves and they are often some of the children’s favorites. Years ago I actually signed up as a consultant (mainly for the discount), but stopped selling/purchasing the books from Usborne when I realized that the books were cheaper on Amazon than I could buy them as a consultant. This was the first concern I brought up to Marie, but she let me know that a couple years ago Usborne stopped selling the books through Amazon (some new/used copies are still available through Amazon marketplace) and they have since made it really easy for moms to be consultants (no monthly requirements anymore)! I was so glad to hear that, and really enjoyed putting together my order! 🙂
I will share some of our favorites below, but also want to point out real quick that, as is the case with every secular book store, not all of the books that Usborne sells are books that I want on our bookshelves. We have always loved the books in the See Inside series, but I recently returned the copies of See Inside Planet Earth and See Inside Space since they had some definite agendas they were pushing… I’ve also taken a marker to a couple of the History books adding a little more coverings (e.g. “Roman Bathtime”) and some of the Art books we own include lots of anatomy as well (e.g. Sistine Chapel paintings).
For this post I thought it would be fun to ask each of my children to pick a favortie for me to share with you all. The links in this post will take you directly to Marie’s Usborne Store. I’ve also included Amazon Affiliate links so you can read additional reviews for each book if you are interested.
This year we have been studying art using Meet the Masters (I’ll be posting another art project soon!) and the Usborne Art books have been an excellent addition to our collection! The Usborne Book of Famous Paintings (Amazon reviews) is pictured above with Art Treasury (Amazon reviews), The Children’s Book of Art (Amazon reviews), Famous Artists, and the Impressionist Sticker Book.
Time Traveler, Ancient World (Amazon Reviews) and The Usborne Encyclopedia of the Ancient World (Amazon Reviews) are incorporated into RC History’s curriculum and they are always greatly enjoyed, especially by my boys.
A little more about Marie and a couple specials for you:
My name is Marie Bauman and I am a Catholic, SAHM married to Greg (aka Mr. B) and have a 2 year-old daughter named Elizabeth. I blog at Joy Beyond the Cross. We live in the great state of Minnesota, also known as the frozen tundra. We are currently expecting another little Baby B in August 2014. Mr. B and I love to read anything and everything and enjoy sharing this passion with Elizabeth, our little bookworm.
I originally became a consultant with Usborne as a way to get discounts on the books (hey, honesty is the best policy!). However, I realized quickly how truly great the books were and I started branching out to my friends and family as I knew they would love the books just as much as we did. There are books on a large variety of topics and many of the books are great for homeschooling curriculums.
Being an Usborne consultant has been a perfect fit for me because it is 100% flexible and there are no sales quotas or high pressured sales tactics involved. Which is a good thing, because I absolutely detest selling anything and I vowed I never would sell anything again after a traumatic experience at age 10. True story!
I love being able to put this side business down and pick it up when I want to. Right now, I am picking it back up to help fund “Baby B’s HCG and Progesterone Supplementation Fund” or aka “The poke Marie in the hip multiple times per week fundraising effort”. I am offering a couple of Winter 2014 incentives including the following:
Note: The offers can be combined. Since I am offering them directly, I will refund you the amounts via paypal or check immediately after your order is placed. Offer #2 excludes taxes. Usborne offers a lifetime guarantee on all books. Go forth and read a good book!
Sponsor Love: Quarterly Update & Current Specials
Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to all of my new (and returning) sponsors for the next quarter (February/March/April) here at Shower of Roses! Despite turning down requests for a number of years, last November I finally decided to start accepting sponsors. What a blessing! Last month we opened a new savings account for our “van fund” and our dream of purchasing a larger van, one that will fit our growing family – currently just in age/size, not in quantity 😉 – is starting to become more of a reality with the extra income from my awesome sponsors here at Shower of Roses. All of the sponsors are wonderful Catholic businesses who have blessed our family in the past with their lovely and inspiring products, books, and creations!
Lent will be here before you know it! Holy Heroes is currently offering the “Roadmap to Easter” for 30-50% off until February 3rd!
(One per customer. S/H will be added to the cost of the free CD.)
Prayer Pillowcases are more than just a pretty place to lay your head! They’re a unique way to bring Catholic art and prayer into your home. And a practical way to share the Faith with your family and friends. Our distinctive line combines original art and favorite Catholic prayers that appeal to all ages and transform pillows from the ordinary to the divine! Honor a special occasion or make any occasion special with the gift of a joyful, lasting (and personalizable) Prayer Pillowcase. We’re always working on new designs and hope you’ll visit again soon to see even more ways to help your loved ones begin and each day with a prayerful heart.
Catholic Embroidery (a division of Precision Embroidery LLC) was established by the Serafino Family in 2007 and is dedicated to providing Catholic items for both every day life and for the service of the Altar. Our family business strives to offer products that bring beautiful representations of our Faith into the homes and hearts of Catholics across the globe. To do this, we have worked with only the finest Catholic graphic artists to create exclusive signature embroidery designs that display the true beauty and symbolism of our Faith, and applying them to useful items (ie. aprons, handkerchiefs, afghans) to uplift Catholics in their daily lives.
In keeping with celebrating the upcoming feast of St. Joseph of March 19th, we’ve designed a limited edition St. Joseph Apron and Applique for the occasion! Deck your kitchen and St. Joseph altar with these exclusive embroidered treasures featuring our St. Joseph Portrait design and Viva San Giuseppe! monogram in traditional Italian colors.
Mama’s Notebooks brings you helpful notebooks to organize your family life.
All of our notebooks are designed from the ground up by a Mom for other Moms, and feature simple and effective charts, lists, and ideas to help your family life run more smoothly! Our notebooks are spiral bound for your convenience.
Jesse Tree Treasures offers some beautiful resources for Lent and Easter including their Stations of the Cross Ornaments and the Holy Week Easter Ornaments.
Gail Giron Designs offers gorgeous handmade
Rosaries, Tenners, Jewelry, Sacramentals and more. Special orders are welcome!
Catholic Child Catalog is the place to find teachings and treasures for Catholic youth of all ages, toddler through young adult. Our faith-enriching product line includes traditional Catholic items such as rosaries, bibles, devotional jewelry and books on the lives of the saints alongside card games, board games, audio stories, teen fiction and apologetics, movies, music, posters and framed art.
Lent begins on March 5th this year. Once again Holy Heroes is offering their free Lenten Adventure!
This includes: FREE video, music, and fun activities delivered to your email inbox all through Lent! Join the Holy Heroes Adventure Guides for your Best Lent Ever!
At Sacred Heart Books and Gifts we strive to keep our products at the lowest prices possible. We do not mark up a product and then provide a “discount.” We do not throw in any gimmicks to create an illusion of steep discounts. Keep in mind that we discount 365 days a year. Items not discounted are due to publishers’ requests or because of low discounts given to us by our suppliers. Our mission is to bring to you the finest products at a fair cost. We have worked hard to maintain the highest levels of quality and service.
Sacred Heart Books and Gifts also offers a low, flat shipping rate of $5.95
for all orders totaling over $15.00, regardless of size!
St. Luke’s Brush is an Etsy shop that specializes in hand-painted Catholic Saint Dolls, religious education play sets and religious art and gifts. These are high quality, one of a kind toys and gifts guaranteed to inspire a greater love and understanding of the Catholic Faith. Garry and his wife Amy opened the shop in September of 2010 with the hope of bringing handmade Catholic toys to small hands. More than three years later the art of St. Luke’s Brush has delighted children and adults alike. “One of the things we realized along the way is truly what a small number of saints and religious figures are represented in Catholic statuary. So in addition to providing patron saints as toys for children, adults were finding they could obtain a three dimensional representation of any saint they wanted.” As an artist Garry takes inspiration in the many forms of Catholic art and distills it into his own unique vision with each piece having an original and spontaneous quality. In addition to creating atrium materials for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, we offer a great selection of gifts, perfect for Christmas, Feast Days, Easter, Sacrament Gifts and other special occasions. Custom orders welcome!
Sew Sweet by Shannon is a small homebased business in the heart of the US that sells lovingly handmade clothing, accessories, and toys for little girls and women.
Sew Many Booties offers unique, affordable and adorable home-sewn baby booties and toddler slippers in 4 sizes up to 24 months.
My name is Marie Bauman and I am a Catholic, SAHM married to Greg (aka Mr. B) and have a 2 year-old daughter named Elizabeth. I blog at Joy Beyond the Cross. We live in the great state of Minnesota, also known as the frozen tundra. We are currently expecting another little Baby B in August 2014. Mr. B and I love to read anything and everything and enjoy sharing this passion with Elizabeth, our little bookworm. I originally became a consultant with Usborne as a way to get discounts on the books (hey, honesty is the best policy!). However, I realized quickly how truly great the books were and I started branching out to my friends and family as I knew they would love the books just as much as we did. There are books on a large variety of topics and many of the books are great for homeschooling curriculums. Being an Usborne consultant has been a perfect fit for me because it is 100% flexible and there are no sales quotas or high pressured sales tactics involved. Which is a good thing, because I absolutely detest selling anything and I vowed I never would sell anything again after a traumatic experience at age 10. True story! I love being able to put this side business down and pick it up when I want to. Right now, I am picking it back up to help fund “Baby B’s HCG and Progesterone Supplementation Fund” or aka “The poke Marie in the hip multiple times per week fundraising effort”. I am offering a couple of Winter 2014 incentives including the following:
Note: The offers can be combined. Since I am offering them directly, I will refund you the amounts via paypal or check immediately after your order is placed. Offer excludes taxes and s/h. Usborne offers a lifetime guarantee on all books. Go forth and read a good book!
click here for my current rates and policies.
The Fragua Course :: Donate and Help Change Lives!
This post is shared at the request of my little sister JoAnn, who is currently one of my two siblings studying at Oregon State University. JoAnn is a table discussion leader – teamed with Juan Pablo, a seminarian from Argentina – for The Fragua Course. They are struggling to raise the funds needed to continue this program, and she has asked if I could pass on the request for donations to my visitors here at Shower of Roses. All donations are tax deductible and will go directly to the St. John’s Society, the organization of priests who help run the Newman Center and Campus ministry at Oregon State.
The Fragua Course is a program that is run through the Newman Center at Oregon State University. The course is designed for those curious minds wanting to seek more in life. It is for those who have not been to church in long time, have questions, or just want to explore more of the Catholic faith. Each session includes a free dinner, a short talk, and time for discussion in small groups where participants can openly discuss and share their thoughts.
Experience a night at the Fragua Course:
Why you should give:
- Your gift will go towards supporting the Fragua Course.
- Fragua’s vision is the evangelization of college students for the transformation of society.
- Fragua is geared toward college-age students who are at a key time in their lives.
- Fragua takes participants wherever they are in their faith, and transforms them.
- Your gift always goes further. Volunteers and prayers of others make your gift touch many lives and have a significant impact.
Fragua is only possible through generous gifts from people like you, who support the new evangelization and the transformation of our society.
The OSU Newman Center is a non-profit organization, so your donation is tax-deductable.
If you prefer to write a check and mail it, Make payable to St. Mary’s Parish and in the notes write “Newman Center/Fragua”. Mail to: St. Mary’s Catholic Church 501 NW 25th St Corvallis, OR 97330 Any Questions? Please call us at (541) 752-6818 or Contact us. Thank you!
Feasts & Seasons :: Our February Book Basket
At the beginning of each month I fill a basket with books featuring the the various saints whose feast days will be celebrated during the month and place it in the living room. Throughout the month I will find the children curled up on the couch reading books they have chosen from the basket, either on their own or to their younger siblings. I also choose books from the basket for some of our afternoon family read-alouds. Our collection started very small and we have continued adding additional books over the years which we have either purchased or have been given as gifts. Some are picture books, some are chapter books, and some are collections of saint stories. This post is a work in progress and I will continue adding links as I sort through our collection. Here is a list of our current books for February:
- Saint Brigid (Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
- Saint Brigid and the Cows (Brother Wolf, Sister Sparrow) by Eric A. Kimmel
- Saint Brigid (Saints for Girls) by Eve Rouke (Neumann Press – also available from TAN)
- St. Brigid and the Cows by Eva K. Betz (Neumann Press – also available from TAN)
- Brigid’s Cloak: An Ancient Irish Story by Bryce Milligan CM (study guide in Catholic Mosaic)
- The Life of St. Brigid: Abbess of Kildare by Jane G. Meyer
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| The Life of St. Brigid: Abbess of Kildare |
February 2nd, Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Trad.) and Presentation of the Lord (New) also known as Candlemas:
- Anna (Tapestries: Stories of Women in the Bible) by Ruth Sanderson (Note: Tore out one of the pages in this book.)
- The Purification of Our Lady (Mondays With Mary- we have the original edition, but the new edition can be found here) by Meredith Henning
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| Anna from Tapestries: Stories of Women in the Bible |
February 3rd, St. Blaise (New, Trad.):
- St. Blaise (Lives of the Saints: An Illustrated History for Children) by Bart Tesoriero
- Saint Blaise and the Animals (Brother Wolf, Sister Sparrow) by Eric A. Kimmel
- A Story of Saint Blaise by Brother Franklin Cullen, C.S.C.
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| Saint Blaise and the Animals from Brother Wolf, Sister Sparrow |
February 5th, St. Agatha (New, Trad.):
- A Story of St. Agatha by Brother Ernest
February 6th, St. Paul Miki & Comps. (New):
- Paul Miki and Charles Lwanga (Around the Year Once Upon a Time Saints) by Ethel Pochocki
February 6th, St. Dorothy (Trad.):
- Dorothy (Once Upon a Time Saints) by Ethel Pochocki
- Dorothy (Lives and Legends of Saints) by Carole Armstrong
- Saint Dorothy (Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
- St. Dorothea: Rises from Paradise (The Book of Saints & Heroes) by Andrew Lang
February 8th, St. Josephine Bakhita (New):
- Saint Bakhita of Sudan (Encounter the Saints)
- Saint Bakhita of Sudan by Virginia Helen Richards (Comicolor Saints)
February 9th, St. Apollonia (Trad.):
- Apollonia (Lives and Legends of Saints) by Carole Armstrong
- St. Apollonia (Lives of the Saints: An Illustrated History for Children) by Bart Tesoriero
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| Apollonia from Lives and Legends of Saints |
February 10th, St. Scholastica (New, Trad.)
- Saint Scholastica & Saint Benedict (Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
- St. Benedict by Mary Fabyan Windeatt (St. Scholastica’s twin – also available from TAN)
- St. Benedict, Hero of the Hills (Vision) by Mary Fabyan Windeatt
- Citadel of God: A Novel about Saint Benedict by Louis de Wohl (Note: This is not a children’s book, but I have really enjoyed reading the saint novels by Louis de Wohl.)
February 10th, St. Jose Sanchez del Rio:
- My Battle Name is Jose Luis!: The Story of Jose Sanchez del Rio (Glory Stories: Vol. IX)
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| Blessed Jose Sanchez del Rio and Secrets from Heaven Glory Stories CD’s |
February 11th, Our Lady of Lourdes (New, Trad.):
- Bernadette: The Little Girl from Lourdes by Sophie Maraval-Hutin
- Bernadette: Our Lady’s Little Servant by by Hertha Pauli (Vision)
- The Lady Spoke to Her (Golden Legend of Young Saints)
- Immaculate Conception by Rev. Jude Winkler
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| Bernadette: The Little Girl from Lourdes |
February 13th, St. Modomnoc:
- The Saint and his Bees by Dessi Jackson
February 14th, St. Valentine (Trad.):
- Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda (lovely book – study guide in Catholic Mosaic)
- Saint Valentine (Their Hearts Are His Garden)
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| Saint Valentine |
- Valentine Activity Book
- Love and Kisses
- Happy Valentine’s Day, Curious George!
- The Valentine Bears
- Queen of Hearts
- Cranberry Valentine (back in print)
- Vintage Valentines (very cute)
- Love Is… (listed in Catholic Mosaic but not a favorite of mine… I particularly don’t care for some of the illustrations.)
- A Time to Keep: The Tasha Tudor Book of Holidays
February 18th, St. Bernadette Soubirous (New/some places; Trad./some places) (Trad./some places – April 16th):
- St. Bernadette (Saints and Angels) by Claire Llewellyn
- St. Bernadette Soubirous (Lives of the Saints: An Illustrated History for Children) by Bart Tesoriero
- Saint Bernadette (More Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
- Saint Bernadette (Saints for Girls) by Father Gales (Neumann Press – also available from TAN)
- Immaculate Conception by Rev. Jude Winkler
- Bernadette: The Little Girl from Lourdes by Sophie Maraval-Hutin
- Bernadette: Our Lady’s Little Servant by by Hertha Pauli (Vision)
- The Lady Spoke to Her (Golden Legend of Young Saints)
February 20th, Bls. Francisco Marto & Jacinta Marto (New/some places):
- Our Lady of Fatima by Father Lovasik
- The Children of Fatima by Mary Fabyan Windeatt (Also available from TAN)
- Our Lady Came to Fatima by Ruth Foxe Hume (Vision)
- Secrets from Heaven: The Story of the Children of Fatima (Glory Stories: Vol. XIII)
- The Day the Sun Danced DVD
February 22nd, Chair of St. Peter (at Antioch) (New/Trad.):
- Our Holy Father the Pope: The Papacy from St. Peter to Present by Don Caffery
- Saint Peter the Apostle by Father Lovasik
- Peter and Paul (Lives and Legends of Saints) by Carole Armstrong
- St. Peter (Lives of the Saints: An Illustrated History for Children) by Bart Tesoriero
- St. Peter (Saints and Angels) by Claire Llewellyn
- Peter (The Twelve Apostles) by Marianna Meyer
- Saint Peter (The Apostles of Jesus) by Father Lovasik
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| The Chair of Saint Peter from Our Holy Father the Pope: The Papacy from St. Peter to Present |
February 24th, St. Matthias (Trad.) (New – May 14th):
- Judas and Matthias (The Twelve Apostles) by Marianna Meyer
- Saint Matthias (The Apostles of Jesus) by Father Lovasik
February 25th, Bl. Sebastian of Aparicio:
- Blessed Sebastian and the Oxen by Eva K. Betz (Neumann Press – also available from TAN)
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| Blessed Sebastian and the Oxen – Now back in print and also available from TAN! |
February 27th, St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows (Trad.):
- St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows from Saints for Young People Every Day of the Year (I haven’t included all the stories from this book in my lists. My husband usually reads these inspiring stories to the children each night during dinner.)
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| Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows from Saints for Young People Every Day of the Year This book has been revised and reprinted here, but we do not own a copy of the newer edition. |
Other Links for February:
Links for February :: Month Dedicated to the Most Holy Name of Jesus
The Catechism in Pictures
I love incorporating our beautiful Catholic Faith in the gifts that I give, including gifts for my husband. One year I gave him a beautiful crucifix for our bedroom and another year I found the Antique Vintage French Crucifix at a local antique store for him. The two-tone St. Benedict Crucifix that is in our “new” (hard to believe it’s been nearly four years since we began our remodel/addition!) addition was another gift I purchased for him. Last year on Father’s Day I was so excited to give him a copy of The Catechism in Pictures which I had ordered during the Adoremus Books annual Easter sale! I mentioned it last December but wanted to share a few more pictures with you all.
This book is gorgeous!
Originally published in 1909 and reprinted in 2009, The Catechism in Pictures is a large hardcover book, measuring 13 x 10 1/2 inches. It has 125 pages, 69 of which are full-color traditional and inspiring pictures. The page ends are gold gilled and there is even a red ribbon page marker.
It includes 66 chapters covering many topics including: the Creed, the Sacraments, the Ten Commandments, the Commandments of the Church, Prayer, the Last Things, Sin, Virtue, and the Works of Mercy.
Lord of the Rings Hand-Painted Action Figures
Here is a little list of his supplies:
- 1 – 3 1/2″ Doll Body
- 3 – 3 9/16″ Man Body
- 4 – 2 3/8″ Dad
- 1 – Dwarf (I can’t seem to find the link for this peg doll)
- Brown Sculpey
- Modeling Wax
- Various acrylic paints and brushes
- Mod Podge
Speaking of Rascal… His birthday is coming up at the beginning of February. It always sneaks up on me and I just realized I need to hurry if I plan on ordering any gifts for him online and wondered if any of you have any ideas?
He loves The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and Ranger’s Apprentice (he just finished reading Book 12 which he received on Christmas). We have the paperback version of The Hobbit, so I’ve been considering possibly ordering him The Hobbit: Illustrated Edition, to give him along with a copy of The Art of the Hobbit.
I’ve also been considering a LOTR/Ranger Cloak from Etsy, and whether or not I should attempt to make this myself. . . I’m just not very good (at all! – or very patient) when it comes to sewing. I also love this shield and sword set, but it’s way too expensive. And I sure wish just the Ent was available from LEGO, without having to buy The Tower of Orthanc (I need to check ebay). Perhaps he’d like a box of art supplies with some new little people to paint. . . Hmmmm.
Anyways, if you happen to have a suggestion for a great gift for a soon-to-be 12 year old boy, who especially loves playing outdoors, creating with legos, and building models, I’d love to hear about it in the comment box below. Thanks!
Celebrating the Saints :: St. Agnes of Rome
We saved these cookies for after dinner.
Amen.
St. Agnes, Ora Pro Nobis!
My Daybook :: January 20, 2014
Outside my window…
the fog has cleared and the sun is shining! I’m hoping to get outside this afternoon and go for a walk… perhaps down by the river!
I am thinking…
about our current curriculum as the second quarter of our school year comes to an end this week… For the most part it is going well, but there are a few things I haven’t been able to fit into our schedule and I plan to make a few little changes for the second half of our year.
I am thankful…
that the Carson 5 Shelf Espresso Bookcases at Target are finally on sale! The current sale price + $5 off $50 coupon code + 5% Target card discount + 2.5% Ebates Rebate = YAY!!!! I am finally going to have somewhere to put all those books that are currently stacked in my closet!
Learning all the time…
- The Primacy of Peter :: A Papal Unit Study and Lap Book
- Papal Lap Book Unit One: St. Peter, The First Pope
- Papal Lap Book Unit Two: The Holy Fathers, Past and Present
- Papal Lap Book Unit Three: The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church
- 7 Quick Takes :: Habemus Papam!
Celebrating the liturgical year…
tomorrow is the feast of St. Agnes and Our Lady of Altagracia! After lunch I will read a story about her life while the children color a picture (or illustrate their own to add to their timelines) and then enjoy a little snack. Charlotte has a lovely coloring page for St. Agnes and Catholic Playground has a couple beautiful options.
From the kitchen…
Over the weekend we enjoyed homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza! Olive Oil Pizza Dough (made with the recipe in my copy of The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day) topped BBQ Sauce, BBQ Chicken (I cooked Chicken Thighs in the crock pot with BBQ sauce), bacon, red onion, and mozzarella, transferred to the baking stone in the 500 degree oven with my super peel and baked in just 5 minutes. Yummmmmmmm!
I am working on…
renewing ads and scheduling some giveaways for the next quarter – February through April. I’m so grateful for the support of my new sponsors and all my wonderful visitors here at Shower of Roses!
I am creating…
a meal plan for this week. I haven’t grocery shopped (other than having my husband pick up some milk and fresh produce) since before Christmas! At first it was out of necessity, since I was so sick the first two weeks of January, but now I’m wondering how long I can continue to come up with meals with what has been hiding in the back of the pantry and freezer. 😉 I just used up the last of our ground beef and still have a number of packages of steak and roasts to use up before the next 1/2 of grass-fed beef (which I ordered during the summer) arrives at the end of this month. I wonder if Sean would be willing to grill them on Wednesday or Thursday…
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| I’ve been loving my Mama’s Notebook for jotting down meal plans and the books we’ve been reading aloud each week. |
I am going…
to be staying home as much as possible this month! There are just way too many viruses going around in our area at the moment and I’d love to avoid a repeat of the beginning of this month. I’m actually really enjoying the quite days at home, afternoon read-alouds with the kids, and the return to our weekly routine.
I am hoping…
to add the finishing touches to my Catholic Digest submission for April. It’s due today. You can subscribe to the Quiet Moments here if you don’t already subscribe to the magazine. As inspiring as it is reading through the bible, prayer books, and saint quotes, choosing a quote for every day of the year on an ongoing basis is getting to be quite the challenge. I sure enjoy it though!
I am praying…
for Charlotte’s sister-in-law, Kari, and for my college friend Shalon who delivered baby #7 three weeks ago and is currently recovering from a heart attack she suffered a couple days ago, most likely from post-partum complications. Will you please offer a prayer for these young women too?
I am reading…
The Catholic Girls Guide by Father Lasance! I have been wanting a copy ever since I started the Little Flowers group for my girls. I was so excited when a dear woman from church stopped by last week with some Catholic art, dvd’s and more for our family which included the 1946 edition of this book!
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| The Catholic Girls Guide by Father Lasance and St. Therese rosary from Gail Giron Designs |
Pondering these words…
and remembering all priests in our prayers.
I am listening…
to Bud singing “ALLL-lu-YAHHHHHH!” (like he did in this video) and he ended it with a quick version of his “giggle, giggle.” Love this little boy so much!
Around the house…
the boys and I turned on Christmas music and spent some time taking down the tree on Saturday afternoon and packing up all the ornaments until next December! It was surprisingly light (aka: way too dry!) and it was nice to be able to take care of this “chore” so my husband wouldn’t have to do it after work. He has been working the last two Saturdays – long days with lots of overtime!
The Aroma Cordless Water Kettle, one of the gifts my husband gave me for my birthday, immediately became a new favorite of mine! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Now I won’t burn our house down (or ruin any more pots) after forgetting that I turned water on to boil. . . and it is so FAST!
This week’s plans…
- Math Tutors (at home) on Tuesday and Thursday
- Orthodontist Appointment on Wednesday
A little peek at my day…
If you follow me on Instagram you might have already seen most of these pictures from last night. Snuggles fell asleep on the couch just before dinner:
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