On the Traditional Feast of the Little Flower
Today I spent some precious moments with my little “Rose” teaching her about “Our Patron Saint” using one of my treasured childhood books. Unfortunately my copy is tattered and missing the cover… I’ve searched for another copy, but have only found the (awful) revised edition from the 70’s with new illustrations and text…. I plan to keep searching!
It’s been an challenging week in our home, with the government shutdown, and I wasn’t able to bake any more special treats for today, but the older girls still celebrated by illustrating (using the same Catholic How to Draw book from yesterday) a couple more pictures! I thought they turned out beautifully!
The first giveaway is for a newly released book titled The Greatest of These is Love. This book is generously offered by author Megan Therese Schuelke, a young Catholic from Minnesota!
“Megan Schuelke is a woman beyond her years. Her seemingly perfect world was rocked when she learned at age 17 that her mother had been diagnosed with cancer. In the midst of her desperation and frustration, Megan had a choice to make: She could run away from God, or she could run to Him. Megan chose to take God’s hand through the struggles, discovering along the way the beauty in the life He had planned for her. This book is more than just one young woman’s journey through life. It is a testament of God’s power to turn tears into dancing, to turn darkness into light. Megan’s story is one that inspires and gives hope to all young people searching for truth and love in a world filled with sadness.”
The second giveaway is offered by Mama’s Notebooks. Heather Wood has generously offered to send the winner of this giveaway a copy of Mama’s Notebook Weekly Planner and Organizer and The Budget Notebook! 
Mama’s Notebook Weekly Planner and Organizer:
Mama’s Notebook provides you with an easy, flexible, and efficient way to organize your life. In one glance, you can coordinate your meal plan with the whole day’s events and tasks, and there’s always ample room to take notes on the things that matter to you most! Unlike other planners, you can start up Mama’s Notebook on any week of the year, and you can skip weeks as needed. The back section of the planner provides you with easy reference sheets to help you schedule and shop efficiently.
The Budget Notebook:
The Budget Notebook by Mama’s Notebooks is designed to help you keep a household budget that is simple, easy, and accurate. It features charts for everything you’ll need to get your budget under control, as well as a Notes section at the back with ample room for planning, organizing, writing reminder and to-do lists, and tallying up sums.
Note: I have not seen either the book or planners in person, but I am very much looking forward to checking out my review copies! Thank you Megan and Heather!
If you would like to be entered for either of these giveaways, just leave a comment on this post, and make sure your email address is either linked on your profile or included in the comment so that I am able to contact you if you win.
There is still time to enter the other giveaways for a copy of Catholic Mosaic, a copy of St. Therese the Little Flower Daily Journal, and the two children’s picture books. I’ll be back with one last giveaway sometime tomorrow! The giveaways will all be open through Sunday, October 6th and I will update each post and contact the winners next Monday, October 7th.
{pretty, happy, funny, real}
The boys are also very happy and excited that the next Ranger Apprentice book, The Royal Ranger, is coming out next month. They can hardly wait!
Nope… And it’s WAY too Orange.
And this one? Wow. I gave up before even finishing and nearly died laughing. Just ask Charlotte. She was laughing too, when I emailed her the picture of my “crazy caveman” cupcake.
Hers is such a cute kitty!
Real Science 4-Kids Focus on Elementary Chemistry and Focus on Middle School Chemistry has been such a hit this school year. Today we had a blast making marshmallow molecules!
I’ll post a few more pictures soon, but here is one I snapped with my phone using Instagram.
I’ll be back soon with a few more pictures from today’s feast and another giveaway!
Angel of God, My Guardian Dear…
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| Enjoying his new colored pencils… |
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| … while coloring this beautiful Guardian Angel Coloring Page! |
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| Illustrating an Altar from A Catholic How-to-Draw For Ages 3-Up… |
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| … with Guardian Angels on each side. |
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| Catholic Treasure Box Book 1 and Angel in the Waters |
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| A Study Guide for Angel in the Waters can be found in Catholic Mosaic |
In Honor of the Feast of St. Thérèse :: Apple Roses, A Novena & Another Giveaway!
I also have a copy of the Saint Thérèse the Little Flower Daily Journal to give away! If you would like to be entered just leave a comment on this post, and make sure your email address is either linked on your profile or included in the comment so that I am able to contact you if you win.
I will be hosting a few more giveaways throughout the week, so be sure to check back! The giveaway will be open through Sunday, October 6th and I will update this post and contact the winner next Monday, October 7th.
(This is just one of the many inspiring quotes found in the journal!)
St. Jerome and the Lion
The oldest two boys are off having fun with their grandma today, watching my youngest brother (both Kevin and David are on college golf teams this year!) compete in one of his college golf tournaments! My boys have only gotten to watch their uncle golf one other time and they were so excited, and more than willing to get a jump start on their school work for the week yesterday afternoon after Mass!
In the meantime, the girls have been helping me decorate some cupcakes for today’s feast of St. Jerome!
After the littlest ones are up from their naps we will all read and discuss St. Jerome and the Lion by Margaret Hodges, using Cay’s excellent study guide found in Catholic Mosaic and the coloring page in Fenestrae Fidei!
Speaking of Catholic Mosaic, I have a copy to give away! My well-loved copy of Catholic Mosaic is the original spiral bound version, but this full color copy was sent by Krista (who happened to have an extra) for me to pass along to one of my visitors here at Shower of Roses. Thank you Krista!
If you would like to be entered in this giveaway for a copy of Catholic Mosaic (my copy of St. Jerome and the Lion is not included), just leave a comment on this post, and make sure your email address is either linked on your profile or included in the comment so that I am able to contact you if you win.
I will be hosting a few more giveaways throughout the week, so be sure to check back! The giveaway will be open through Sunday, October 6th and I will update this post and contact the winner next Monday, October 7th.
Celebrating Michaelmas
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| St. Michael the Archangel Statue |
{this moment}
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| Bud loves his ABC ZooBorns! picture book from his Godparents, especially the page with the |
{pretty, happy, funny, real}
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
I’ve been eyeing these adorable Shining Light Dolls for awhile now and finally ordered a few to save for the girls’ stockings this upcoming Christmas!
It seems like nearly every one of my packages has been arriving damaged lately…. (“Damaged Doll Deliveries” wasn’t exactly what I had in mind for D week!) Last week one of these dolls arrived with the package smashed. I called Amazon and they said they would send another, and to just keep the original. The second arrived in even worse condition than the first! I wasn’t going to call, since the actual doll inside the box was still okay, but decided to let them know anyways. This time they insisted on not only refunding the money, they also gave me a $10 promotional credit for the hassle and said to wait a few days before ordering again (if I choose to do so) so that the shipping department could make any necessary adjustments to protect future orders. Note: That was a few days ago, so if anyone places an order they should arrive in better shape, but I am not making any promises! 😉 However, even with smashed up packaging, they are still just as pretty as can be! (Oh, and the next day? That stone I had ordered arrived in three pieces. Seriously?!)
Happy Birthday, Caroline! :: An American Girl Party
amid the challenges of war
The first thing Twinkle Toes did when she woke up was put on her Caroline outfit, I curled her hair, and then she came out to the kitchen to see her cake and enjoy and eat breakfast!
~ Meet Caroline: An American Girl
Even though this Embroidered Pillow Kit was made for Felicity it ties in nicely for Caroline too! The girls had received these kits last Christmas as well and still hadn’t started making them yet. They got started on the embroidery, but are still working on completing the project.
I had also ordered a copy of Caroline Color & Craft which kept all the kids busy while I ran to town.
~ A Surprise for Caroline
~ Meet Caroline: An American Girl
After Racing Hoops the girls came inside and helped bake “Inkpot” Sugar Cookies! We kept it quick and simple by just using a package of refrigerated Sugar Cookie dough with a cat shaped cookie cutter.
~ Caroline’s Secret Message
~ Meet Caroline: An American Girl
~ Caroline’s Secret Message
I also gave her a couple books I loved when I was her age – The Secret Garden (she received the version illustrated by Tasha Tudor) and Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott. I also gave her a copy of Caddie Woodlawn! (I loved that a couple of them matched the cover of A Surprise for Caroline, and tied in Ice Skating to the party, since our original plans to go ice skating were changed when we found out that the rink was closed for their annual deep cleaning. I’m sure she will loves these as much as I did!
An Early Anniversary Gift
It is a little longer and narrower than our old table and it came with 10 chairs, although we did order two extras. I wasn’t sure at first about the gridback chairs, but they are rather unique and, along with the two-tone Oak Espresso finish, match our home so nicely.
In the picture above you can see the shelves from the old school room in the corner… They are there temporarily until I can find new homes for everything. Still working on that… Someday I’d like to replace the white hutch with a dining buffet and also find a painting (my husband would like a large tuscan style painting of a monastery – maybe something along these lines – any suggestions?) for between the windows on the back wall.
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