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by | Dec 29, 2022

The Annunciation Puzzle

Mar 13, 2022 | , , , | 47 Comments

“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word.”

With the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary coming up in a couple weeks, I pulled out this beautiful new Annunciation Puzzle Friday afternoon for our family to start working on assembling. I thought it might take a week or two to finish but they had it completed by dinner! 

We’ve assembled many puzzles in the past and this was such a fun one with lots of vibrant color variations making it possible for everyone to help. I would love to add more of the Joyful Mysteries puzzles to our collection. 

The puzzles in this series also include a beautiful sacred art poster in each box along with an insert explaining the meaning and significance of these timeless works of art.  Our children found joy exploring this First Joyful Mystery depicted by Blessed Fra Angelico, who Pope John Paul II declared patron of Catholic artists.

.: Giveaway :. 

If you’d like a chance to win this puzzle for your family please leave a comment on this post and enter using the Rafflecopter box below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’m also giving away a second one over on Instagram. I’ll leave the giveaways open until 3/18/22 at 11:59PM PST and draw the winner on 3/19/22, the feast of St. Joseph.

You can also scroll through the archives to find more of our favorite puzzles!

O God, Who in Thy love didst send an Angel to the Blessed Virgin, to tell her that she would be the Mothers of the little Jesus, we ask Thee to hear the prayers which she makes for us in heaven. – A Young Catholic’s Daily Missal

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The Liturgical Year Calendar: Easter Cycle

Feb 23, 2022 | , , | 4 Comments

 Have you seen the latest set of Liturgical Year Calendars yet?!?

 

These gorgeous calendars are packed full of meaning and such an excellent aid in teaching children all about the feasts and seasons of the traditional liturgical year. 

 
This second set includes five posters for the Easter Cycle. If you don’t have it yet, you can sign up for a subscription to receive four calendars every three months from Sophia Institute Press, or you can just order the Easter Cycle to try it out.  
 
For those who prefer to print their own, digital access is available to Members over at Liturgy of the Home. Members will also have access to Companion Guidebooks, Coloring pages for all the Saints, Sunday Gospels, and Feasts, as well as Monthly Dedication Images with sung hymn, text and audio recording! 
 

 

“With these posters your family can visualize what the Church asks us to meditate upon during Septuagesima: the Fall, the Flood, and Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac. Lent is shown framed by the wood of the Cross, reaching its spiritual climax in Holy Week and the Triduum. See the events of Our Lord’s Passion presented alongside the elegant liturgical traditions of Tenebrae and the Altar of Repose. Then, depicted in brilliant white, see our Risen Lord – walk with Him as He shows Himself to his disciples during Easter. Accompany Him through the seven weeks of Easter, see Him ascend to Heaven, and thrill and delight at the Vigil of Pentecost.”
 

 

 
I purchased the Wooden Poster Hanger from Sophia Institute Press and have been using that to hang our calendars.We will probably trim and glue the two Lent and the two Easter posters, connecting them together, before hanging them up for each season. Aren’t they gorgeous?!?
 
 

 

Each set of calendars comes with A Companion Guide. Sophia Institute Press also offers a corresponding Liturgical Year Coloring Book as well. 
 
 
 
 
“Each day the calendars feature a Saint, feast, or feria of that day – including the commemorated saints featured in niches or coves. Themes from the breviary and from Dom Gueranger’s The Liturgical Year are woven throughout the imagery for each week. All of the information contained in the genius of the liturgy is there for you to see: fast days, the class of feast, even the color of vestments the priest will wear in the liturgy are all available at a glance. The images of the saints are taken from medieval and classical art traditions and are represented together in such a way as to show the communion of the saints in our daily lives. With these calendars on the wall, you will never forget a saint’s feast day again!”
 
 
P.S. I’m currently giving away two sets over on Instagram! 🙂 

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Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto Craft

Feb 12, 2022 | , , , | 5 Comments

Happy Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes!  

It seems like just yesterday that I helped our oldest four with this sweet Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto Craft in honor of Our Lady…

Fourteen years later, I spent some time this afternoon helping our current four year old make it today! It’s such a simple craft and turns out lovely. 

Supplies:

Charlotte’s is perfect! I printed it at 75%.
 
 
Construction Paper and Scissors
Last time we used yellow and brown. This time we went with blue and black
 
Tissue Paper 
Crumple up little pieces to glue down as flowers and leaves. 
 
Glue 
 
Glitter (Optional)
Back in 2008 we used gold glitter for Our Lady’s halo. 
I only had clear glitter this time so we used it to surround Our Lady. 
 

Ever Immaculate Virgin Mother of Mercy, Health of the sick, refuge of sinners, Comforter of the afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings; look with mercy on me. By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, you were pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary, whence you dispense your favors; and already many sufferers have obtained the cure for their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal.

I come, therefore, with complete confidence to implore your maternal intercession. Obtain, O loving Mother, the grant of my requests. Through gratitude for your favors, I will endeavor to imitate your virtues, that I may one day share your glory. Amen.

Our Lady of Lourdes, ora pro nobis! 

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Preserve the Latin Mass Petition

Feb 4, 2022 | , , | 3 Comments

From the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter:

“We are happy to support an online petition in favor of the Traditional Latin Mass and Sacraments. This petition to the Holy Father is respectful and charitable in tone and will no doubt be seen by many bishops, priests, and laity from around the world. We encourage you to go the website to sign the petition. To do more, you can ask ten of your friends, family members, and fellow parishioners to do the same!”

Please click over to Preserve the Latin Mass 

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Back to the Mountain for Another Ski Day

Feb 1, 2022 | | 7 Comments

Following our Family Ski Trip to Schweitzer Mountain Resort at the beginning of January, five of our children have continued weekly ski lessons each Wednesday with a homeschool group.  The lessons are at 9AM and they have to arrive at the village at least an hour before, so they are usually out the door between 5:30-6AM to make the drive. Sean has been taking them each week since I had been sick.  Following lessons they usually take a lunch break and then ski until about 2:00, then head back to town for the boy’s Wednesday evening hockey practice. It’s a full day and they all sleep well Wednesday nights! 

This past week he had meetings and asked me to take them up for lessons. I was planning to pack along my laptop and work in the lodge while they skied. (Unfortunately our 16 year old has been having some more knee issues – she had dislocated both knees year before last, different knee each incident – so she took the last two weeks off to let her knees rest and stayed home to study and watch the babies.)  I checked my email one last time before bed on Tuesday night and realized that Sean had been assigned to chaperone lessons… The great thing about chaperoning is you then get to ski (full mountain lift ticket included!!) you just have to have your own equipment or rent at a discount. Sean had been asked to be added to the chaperone list and had finally gotten assigned on the day he couldn’t make it… He encouraged me to chaperone in his place and ski with the kids, but I was pretty much terrified after how I felt last time. He kept reminding me that I was coming down sick last time, that this time would be easier, and to just stick with helping with our youngest son’s class. 

The four older ones have all been in a class together, but this week (Scout) our 14 year old son got moved up to the top class and headed up to ski some of the black diamonds!  Apparently hockey is an excellent preparation for skiing. Bud’s instructor ended up having a small enough class so he didn’t need any extra help so that left me to ski on my own from 9:00-10:30.  It was actually really great!  
 
I also spotted our little guy headed up to the mountain for his very first blue (intermediate) run!

The fog lifted for a little while in the morning and it was so gorgeous. When the kids all finished their lessons they talked me into heading to the top with them too! “You can do it, Mom!” 

The cloud layer kept shifting and on our second time up the mountain we were above the clouds. It was amazing! There is also another restaurant up there at the top that I want to come back to with Sean sometime.  I did get just a bit claustrophobic heading back down through that dense cloud but thankfully I could see the kids in front of me, if nothing else! 

My FitBit ended up registering 281 active minutes and 4,871 calories burned. Maybe if I can find a way to continue going up with them I can somehow get back into shape. What a workout! And this time, despite moving up from beginner to some intermediate runs and skiing longer, it really was a “good sore” the next couple days. Whew! 


“Every day that passes, I fall more desperately in love with the mountains… I am ever more determined to climb the mountains, to scale the mighty peaks, to feel that pure joy which can only be felt in the mountains.” 
– Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

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Family Ski Trip to Schweitzer Mountain Resort

Jan 29, 2022 | , | 10 Comments

On January 3rd we packed up the cars and headed north for the family vacation we started planning last summer. Back then, when we weren’t shoveling snow off the driveway in subzero weather, a trip to the ski resort in January sounded like a great idea… Ha! Thankfully it “warmed” up a bit, but it was snowing when we left home and the ski resort got around 12” of new snow on the day we arrived. After we were all settled into the Selkirk Lodge the kids all watched a movie together while Sean and I got to go out for a little dinner date and explore the resort. The pool is heated, but we decided to skip! 😉 

 
Day Two…
The next morning the weather was better and we woke up to a beautiful sunrise and a nice view of the lifts from our suites on the top floor!

The two older boys learned how to ski a number of years ago (remember the Ski Cake I made?!), back when we were still living in Oregon, but this was the first time for our next five children, and the first time in over 25 years for Sean and I! He last skied in Arizona while in college, and I’m guessing my last time was sometime between ages 17-19… Can’t remember exactly.   

We decided to have (Bud) our 10 year old wait until the next day, when he and our other four beginners would have their first ski lesson (it worked out wonderfully that the weekly homeschool ski lessons we put them in this winter started during our trip!), but the rest of us headed out to give it a shot on the bunny hill after a brief lesson from (Ranger) our 19 year old who was super excited to be back on skis! 
   
 
 

My brother-in-law, Fr. D. Gordon, drove up to join us since it happened to be his day off for the week! It was so much fun and he did amazing for his very first time skiing, and in a cassock no less!

We all stuck just to the bunny hills for the first day of skiing. (Plus it was a much cheaper lift ticket for all of us adults!) The little girls also got a turn to get outside and enjoy the snow too!

  
 
After skiing we all enjoyed Powder Hound Pizza and playing board games with Uncle/Father.
Day Three…
Wednesday morning five of the kids had lessons! While Sean was helping our 10 year old check out skis the rest of us waited for the lifts to open and classes to begin. 

 

After lunch the three older boys headed up the mountain to explore some of the blue runs. 

The kids all picked up skiing fast and it has quickly moved to the top of their “favorite sports” list. 
 
  
(In case you are wondering about my ever changing ski goggles… On the first day I used Captain’s while he wasn’t skiing, then Twinkle Toes while she wasn’t skiing… then the next day I just bought my own pair at one of the resort shops!… ) 

I especially loved all the lift rides/one-on-one visits with our children. 
All the kids slept very well! I, however, did not (see below)…

Day Four… 

Only two of the boys were up for skiing a third day!  They headed out while Sean and the kids checked out of the lodge, unburied the cars, and loaded our luggage.  

As some of them headed back home, a few of us waited for the boys to finish skiing. 
Our Cars – Day 1 vs. Day 4

How did I do? Well… I don’t recommend skiing for the first time in over 25 years while unknowingly coming down with round two of a certain virus. 
On Tuesday night I was feeling extremely sore and just off… I managed to put the ski boots back on the next day, and ski another ten runs (approx. 5 miles), but by Wednesday evening I texted a couple friends: “I’m dying.” They both responded “It’s a good sore!” 
There was nothing good about it… My whole body hurt like crazy, my head was throbbing, sore throat, nauseous, and I was googling things like “can cold air exercise make your throat hurt” and “what is altitude sickness” (which I then started to convince myself was the problem) and even “what are the odds of catching (virus) a second time”…  (After our toddlers were sick with RSV and Croup for most of December, which ended up being a bad cold for the rest of us, we had been making extra effort and taking a lot of precautions to get and then stay healthy for our ski trip… sigh… Thank you God for these extra little crosses!) I spent that last night in the lodge taking multiple hot showers, applying Deep Blue Rub on every muscle, heating up the hot pack over and over, and really wishing we had packed along some pain meds (which I rarely take and hadn’t since our two year old’s birth)!
By Thursday it took everything I had to help pack up, wait for two of the boys to finish skiing, stand and smile while saying a quick hello to some friends near the lifts, get the car out of the snowdrift, clean up the ice chunks covering the entire inside of the car from the three cans of Strawberry Waterloo that had been forgotten in the car and then froze/exploded (!!!!!), and then drive that second car the long drive home during the second winter snow storm of the year (the first was on the drive up lol).  We got home at 5pm, I ran a hot bath with Epsom Salts, took half a pain med left over from our two year old’s birth, and went to bed. The next morning I felt like my oxygen was low (it registered 92 on the oximeter) and Sean was able to round up an extra home test from his brother which showed positive. I KNEW I was in too much pain for it to be JUST from skiing! 😉 
Other than that, skiing was an absolute blast and it was an amazing family vacation.
I really hope we can do it again someday! 

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Santa Lucia Day

Dec 17, 2021 | , | 4 Comments

Santa Lucia Day

🎶 Night walks with a heavy step
Round yard and hearth,
As the sun departs from earth,
Shadows are brooding.
There in our dark house,
Walking with lit candles,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia! 🎶
 
– Excerpt from Santa Lucia Song
 
 
 
 
 
 

The pictures are always so sweet but thankfully you can’t hear the coughing. Our little girls came down with croup on December 7th and our two year old is still recovering… I made it through their worst days, and then managed to pull together our annual Our Lady of Guadalupe Bruch, Saint Lucia Day Baking, and then make a “Mary Poppins” cake for our daughter’s 12th birthday… next up is our little guy’s 10th birthday! Whew… I don’t think I would have started the themed birthdays had we had our December babies first instead of numbers six and seven! 😉 

 
 

It’s hard to have the same enthusiasm on certain favorite feast days, when your oldest sister is gone for the first time and your super fun older brothers are also off at college instead of “asleep” in their bunk beds waiting to get woken up with Lucia Bread and Rolls… We will definitely have to make our annual Saint Lucia’s Braided Bread again over Christmas break when everyone is home again!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lucia Crowns: Hemslöjd
 
 
 

Scroll through past posts for Santa Lucia Day here.

Santa Lucia, Ora Pro Nobis! 

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Late Night Baking on the Eve of Santa Lucia Day

Dec 13, 2021 | , | 5 Comments

Since 2008 (look how little my girls were back then!) I’ve been baking Saint Lucia’s Braided Bread for the feast of Santa Lucia Day. About five year’s ago one of our daughters started baking the traditional Lussekatter each year as well to add to our celebration of her nameday, the feast day of St. Lucia who is one of her patron saints. Since these lightly sweet S-shaped rolls resemble a cat’s curled tail, the Swedish name for these rolls is lussekatter, which means “Lucia cats.” The Lucia comes from the fact that they are served on St. Lucia’s Day (Dec 13).

Our two toddlers came down with croup this past week, and our older children have been fighting off colds too, so I sent our daughter to bed early to get some extra sleep while I took care of the baking. 

 
We have a great recipe over at Catholic Cuisine (here is the link) which was sent to me from a friend of mine over in Norway back in 2009, but the recipe my daughter seems to always use is from one of her picture books: Lucia Morning in Sweden. 

Lussekatter (Lucia buns) 
 
1 pkg active dry yeast 
1/4 c water, warm
3/4 c milk
1/2 c butter or margarine
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp powdered saffron
4 c flour
 
For brushing: 1 egg, 2 T water
 
Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. 
Warm milk, add butter to melt. 
Place all above ingredients in a mixing bowl using 2 cups of the flour. 
Mix for 3 minutes using a mixer. 
Add rest of flour and beat with a wooden spoon.  (I just continued to knead with my mixer.)
Knead dough, adding a little flour for easy handling. 
Put in a bowl and let rise to double. 
Turn out on floured board and shape into Lussekatter. 
Let rise on cookie sheet and brush with egg and water mixture before baking. 
Put a raisin in each curl and bake at 450º for 10 minutes. 
Makes about 4 dozen rolls. 
 
It was late and I was a little impatient waiting for them to finish rising… 
They didn’t turn out as well as my daughter’s did last year but they were still delicious. 
 
 
 

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Our Lady of Guadalupe Brunch on Gaudete Sunday

Dec 13, 2021 | , | 5 Comments

 
Morning Offering to Our Lady of Guadalupe
 
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Heart of my Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, I unite to thy purity, thy sanctity, thy zeal and thy love, all my thoughts, words, acts, and sufferings this day, that there may be nothing in me that does not become through thee, a pleasure to Jesus, a gain to souls, and an act of reparation for the offenses against thy Heart. 
 
 
On the Menu: 
St. Juan Diego’s (Crepe) Tilma with (Strawberry) Roses
A Woman Clothed with the Sun (Oranges)
Crushed Serpent (Crushed/Extra Crispy Bacon)
Crescent Moon Rolls and Starry Cinnamon Rolls
Bishop Zumarraga’s Candy Cane Crosier
Aztec Cocoa and Orange Juice
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
This year my husband pulled out a book his mother had given us many year’s ago, Saints of the Southwest, and read about Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe during our brunch. He also read our Our Lady of Guadalupe Pop-Up book to everyone. The babies really loved seeing all the pop ups! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
“Are there peoples inside?” asked our little two year old in her raspy voice… 
Our sweet baby girls both had croup this past week but finally started to improve by the weekend. 
 
… and of course they pulled out some of our Our Lady of Guadalupe Dolls and Blocks!
 
 

 

 
“Am I not here who am your Mother? 
Are you not under my shadow and protections? 
Am I not the fountain of your joy? 
Are you not in the fold of my mantle, in the cradle of my arms?” 
 
– Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Juan Diego 
 
Our Lady of Guadalupe, ora pro nobis! 

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On the Eve of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Dec 12, 2021 | , | 1 Comment

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

On the Eve of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

“Am I not here who am your Mother? 
Are you not under my shadow and protections? 
Am I not the fountain of your joy? 
Are you not in the fold of my mantle, in the cradle of my arms?” 
 
– Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Juan Diego
 

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pray for us!

Find ideas for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe here.

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Our Family

Sean & Jessica, Captain-25, Ranger-23, Twinkle Toes-22, Chiquita-20, Snuggles-18, Rose-15, Bud-13, Grace-8 and Joy-6 (blog nicknames)

A Little About Me

Hi! I'm Jessica, a Roman Catholic wife and home educating mother to our nine children. I was home educated myself, along with my eleven younger siblings. I have a special devotion to St. Therese, through whom I have been given much help and many blessings--the beautiful "Shower of Roses" that she has sent my way! Here I will record a few of the blessings I treasure. Please remember that what you see here is just a little glimpse at our lives, so please say a prayer for us, as we continue to strive for holiness.

My Other Blog: Catholic Cuisine

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Prayer of Mothers

Father in heaven, grant me the grace to appreciate the dignity which you have conferred on me. Let me realize that not even the Angels have been blessed with such a privilege—to share in your creative miracle and bring new Saints to heaven. Make me a good mother to all my children after the example of Mary, the Mother of your Son. Through the intercession of Jesus and Mary I ask your continued blessings on my family. Let us all be dedicated to your service on earth and attain the eternal happiness of your kingdom in heaven. Amen.


Our Family

Sean & Jessica, Captain-25, Ranger-23, Twinkle Toes-22, Chiquita-20, Snuggles-18, Rose-15, Bud-13, Grace-8 and Joy-6 (blog nicknames)

A Little About Me

Hi! I'm Jessica, a Roman Catholic wife and home educating mother to our nine children. I was home educated myself, along with my eleven younger siblings. I have a special devotion to St. Therese, through whom I have been given much help and many blessings--the beautiful "Shower of Roses" that she has sent my way! Here I will record a few of the blessings I treasure. Please remember that what you see here is just a little glimpse at our lives, so please say a prayer for us, as we continue to strive for holiness.

My Other Blog: Catholic Cuisine

Please Visit My Sponsors…

This Week's Popular Posts

Shower of Roses Affiliate Links

All About Spelling
All About Reading
All About Reading Giveaways
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Our Advent & Christmas Books

Shower of Roses Gift Guides

Looking for Something?

looking-back

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Shower of Roses Alphabet of Saints

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All original photographs and written material are ©2007-2025 Shower of Roses. I'd love for you to link back to me, but please do not copy or take content from this blog without permission. Click here for my Copyright Terms & Conditions. Thank you for visiting!