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Small Successes: September 15, 2011

Sep 15, 2011 | , , | 5 Comments

Subtitled: Nesting Project #1


“It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that.”

~ 1 ~ 

Yesterday afternoon I made the long trip to Home Depot, and picked up some closet organizers for our nursery!   Like the older girls’ bedroom, which was also built with the intention to add a closet “someday,” I decided not to wait any longer and just create a “closet” along one wall.   The toy box will have to go and the rest of the furniture needed to be rearranged (I’m still trying to decide how it will look the best), but I think it will be so helpful to have somewhere (other than just the changing table) to put both Rose’s and the new baby’s clothing.



~ 2 ~

Not only did I use a screw driver, hammer and drill to assemble the closet organizers last night and today to assemble the closet organizers, I also figured out how to use a Circular Saw (to cut the shelves) and a Hack Saw (to cut the metal rods which were too long – finished one, and have three left to go)!   My husband is going to come home and wonder who I am and what I did with his wife! 😉


I plan to eventually purchase some Fabric Drawers for the cubbies/shelves (maybe in sage green?) and someday I would also like to get the doors and drawers (like the girls have) to complete the “closet.”  But I am really happy with how it is coming together!


~ 3 ~ 

While I was working in the nursery, I also pulled out the jar of touch up paint (it’s sitting on the bookshelf in the picture below) and covered all the scrapes, scratches and marks all around the room.   It is starting to look so much more ready for another baby!


  Now, on to the next project… 
That is, after a quick trip to town to recycle boxes and a stop by Dairy Queen as a little surprise for the kids, and as a little extra “thank you” for all their help!

Click here to read more of this week’s Small Successes.

The Flowers of Wreath III Cupcakes

Sep 13, 2011 | , | 4 Comments

For the past three years I have been leading a Little Flowers Girls’ Club for my girls and some of their friends.  It has been such a rewarding experience and my girls have absolutley loved being Little Flowers.

In addition to the suggestions in the Leader’s Manuals, I started creating a series of Notebook Pages to go along with each virtue/saint, and also have really enjoyed coming up with snacks (or “Catholic Cuisine!”) that  tied in the Saint and/or Flower for each meeting.

This past year, for Wreath III, I ended up sticking with a flower theme, and was able to come up with a cupcake for each of the 9 meetings.   Sometimes I would have all the supplies ready for the girls to decorate their own cupcakes (which the girls loved) and other times I had the cupcakes pre-decorated.  I’ve posted about them in my individual posts about each meeting, but I thought I would consolidate them all into one post as well, to share with you all here, as well as over at the Little Flowers Girls’ Club Blog where I was recently asked to be a contributor!  Now to finish up my plans for Wreath IV before our first meeting later this month…

Meeting One :: Mary & Martha,  Eutrapelia, Dandelion

Dandelion Cupcakes
Our Complete Meeting for Eutrapelia

Pumpkin Cupcakes topped with Cream Cheese Frosting
 and decorated as Common Dandelions
Served with “Dandelion Yellow” Punch
Meeting Two :: Ruth & Naomi, Friendliness, Morning Glory

Morning Glory Cupcakes
Cupcakes decorated with white icing, Blue and Yellow Sparkle Decorating Gel, and yellow Skittles

Meeting Three :: St. Margaret of Scotland, Initiative, Black Eyed Susan

Black Eyed Susan Cupcakes
Orange Muffins topped with Cream Cheese Frosting, to be decorated by the Little Flowers with homemade Black Eyed Susan Chocolates (using this candy mold and candy melts) and the options of green mint meltaways, green color mist and/or green glitter gel.
Meeting Four :: St. Zita or Proverbs 31 Woman, Orderliness, Cranberry

To make these delicious cupcakes, I used a package of Yellow Cake Mix, replacing the water with Orange Juice and added 1 cup of frozen cranberries and 1 cup of white chocolate chips.  We topped them with some Cream Cheese Frosting, homemade Sugared Cranberries (Craisins would be a simple alternative), and served them with Sparkling Cranberry Juice.  
Meeting Five :: St. Felicity and Her Seven Sons, Self-Control, Amaryllis

I started with Pink Cupcakes, with the help of a Strawberry Cake Mix, topped with Frosting.  Using this Lily Mold I then topped the cupcakes with Pink (the color for this virtue) Amaryllis Flowers (the flower for this virtue) homemade with Pink and Yellow Candy Melts.  


Meeting Six :: St. Anne, Mother of the Blessed Mother, Responsibility, Mum

These cupcakes were inspired by a recipe in What’s New, Cupcake?: Ingeniously Simple Designs for Every Occasion.   They would be great to make this coming weekend for Mother’s Day, anytime this month for our Blessed Mother during her month of May, or in July for the feast of St. Anne.  I posted the directions over at Catholic Cuisine!

Meeting Seven :: St. Bathildis, Patience, Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley Cupcakes
Chocolate Frosted Cupcakes, decorated with White Chocolate Chips and green frosting or Sparkle Gel.  

Meeting Eight :: Mary Mother of God, Cheerfulness, Blue Phlox

Blue Phlox Cupcakes
I wasn’t sure how I was going to decorate the cupcakes this month. . . After looking at various images online of Blue Phlox Flowers I ended up making a little bit of blue frosting.  Using a round frosting tip, I put five drops (my kids said they looked like hershey kisses) on each cupcake, then, using the tip of a knife, I pulled the frosting drops towards the center, creating the flowers.   I am a total amateur at this sort of thing, but I thought they turned out nicely!
The Blue is for Our Blessed Mother and the Five Petals represent the five dimensions of Cheerfulness:  Marian, Courageous, Heroic, Consistent, and Contagious.
Meeting Nine :: St. Julie Billiart, Fortitude, Hyacinth

Pink Hyacinth Cupcakes
When I was looking for ideas, Charlotte mentioned that Pink Popcorn came to mind.  I thought that was a perfect idea, but since I didn’t have all the ingredients I opted to make the pink hyacinths using some pink Smooth & Melty Petite Mints (I had purchased a few bags at 75% off in January from Hickory Farms and had one left) along with a little green frosting for the leaves.  I also sprayed the white base frosting with a little green, before adding the candies.  I thought they turned out cute, and they were very yummy despite the fact that my six year old pointed out that “the chocolate cake even looks like dirt!”

St. Therese, the Little Flower of Jesus, 
Pray for Us!

My Daybook :: September 12, 2011

Sep 12, 2011 | | 10 Comments

Outside my window… It looks like it is going to be another HOT day!   We are in the peak of fire season here, but my husband hasn’t been able to be listed as available, and won’t be able to take an assignment until after he gets home from the two week training session he is began yesterday.   As much as I hate to see him fighting fires, we pretty much rely on the overtime from at least one two-week fire assignment each summer to get us through the winter months, which means (if the fire season continues and he does indeed get an assignment once he arrives home) he could potentially be gone for at least 4 weeks over the next month or two.  Sigh.

I am thinking… about everything I would like to get done while he is out of town.   I haven’t even begun to get ready for this baby…   In fact, I am still trying to figure out where to put Rose’s clothing.  (I currently have a changing table/dresser that she is using, and I will need that for the baby.)  I had hoped that we would be able to add a closet to that room, but perhaps just closet organizers (like the girls have in their room) would work for now.   Someday we may get around to finishing the closets in those two rooms!

I am thankful… that my brother Paul was willing to babysit Saturday night so that Hubby and I were able to go out to dinner before he left on Sunday.   We went to a restaurant in our little town and it made us question why we always thought we had to “drive to town” for dinner dates.  I think we’ve found a new favorite place, and it is the closest restaurant to our home, only 3 miles away!  It was so nice to have a little quite time away to talk.

From the kitchen… Smoothies for breakfast, and lots of veggies – including peppers, zucchini and tomatoes from our garden!!!  I am trying to eat a little better since the weight is coming on faster than ever this pregnancy.   I am also hoping to make a trip to the farm for some more locally grown peaches.   A dear friend brought us a case a couple weeks ago and they were so delicious!

Learning all the time… Our second week of school is underway and so far everything is going great!  Rascal even said Friday that he “loves ALL of his school books this year, and can’t wait to do more school work on Monday.”  That made me very happy!   Right now the boys are building some gliders for a science experiment from Zoology 1 and having so much fun.   The girls are working on a mini-book for a Kaya lapbook while listening to the Kaya Audio Books we downloaded from Audible.  

Living the Liturgical Year at Home… Today is the feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary!   This afternoon the girls are planning on making “Kaya’s Dried Fruit and Nut Mix” (using Dried Blueberries, instead of Huckleberries, in honor  of Our Lady).

I am creating… a Little Flowers Wreath IV Lapbook and I am so excited with how it is coming together.   Our first meeting for the year is coming up at the end of this month and so I am hoping to finish it soon.

I am wearing… maternity clothes that are quickly becoming way too small.  I had the most embarrassing incident happen on Saturday while grocery shopping, which I am trying very hard to forget!  😉   I just noticed that Old Navy is having a 30% off maternity sale (combined with the extra 2% cash back from clicking over from Ebates first, its a great deal – here’s an Ebates referral link in case your not a member, it’s free!)  and I think I am going to purchase a few new things.    They just don’t make clothing like they use to… Nothing seems to last!

I am reading…  the Little Flowers Wreath IV Leader and Member Guides, as I try to prepare for this coming year, making modifications for my younger group of girls, lots of books about Explorers to the kids, and

Pondering these words… preached by St. John Vianney on yesterday’s gospel (Anger Does Not Travel Alone), and read during yesterday’s homily by a wonderful priest:

“We should make use of all the annoyances that happen to us to remind ourselves that since we are in revolt against God, it is but just that other creatures should revolt against us. We should never give others occasion to curse us…. If something irritating or troublesome happens, instead of loading with curses whatever is not going the way we want it to, it would be just as easy and a great deal more beneficial for us to say: “God bless it!”

 ~ and here is one more interesting excerpt:

“If we encounter so many children who are wild and undisciplined, without religion, bad tempered and stunted in their souls, we need not – at least in the great majority of cases – search for the cause beyond the curses and bad tempers of the parents. .”


Noticing that… I still need to work on a new schedule for this school year.   In the meantime, the checklists I started making at the end of last year and continued this year for each child, inspired by Sarah, have been so helpful!

Towards personal care… Despite the busy and hectic schedule, I am trying to “take it easy” and simplify where I can.  A couple weeks ago I had to spend a couple hours at the hospital being monitored and having some tests done after cramping all day, before noticing a tiny bit of spotting.   It really scared me, but everything was fine and the only explanation could be stress and/or dehydration.   I’ve been drinking a lot more water, as for reducing “stress,”  I’m not exactly sure how to do that!  😉

Around the house… signs of the new school year and the upcoming arrival of fall, my favorite time of year!

I am hoping and praying… for so many intentions. Here are a few:

For my Husband (in particular) who was so discouraged and disappointed to hear this past Friday that the much-loved assistant pastor who arrived only 2 months ago – who has a special love of the Traditional Latin Mass, and has allowed my Husband to serve some of his private Masses  (permission hadn’t been granted for him to offer the Traditional Mass publicly, but he did come and offer Mass at the campground for us on both Saturday and Sunday while we were camping!!) and was an almost an answer to 12+ years of prayers to have the Latin Mass available in our area – is being transferred this coming Friday.   We had just turned in a petition asking for the Latin Mass (which was promptly denied by the pastor since they were not going to “make any changes” for the next year) last month and then just this weekend his transfer was announced.  We still haven’t been told why he is being transferred, and where he is being sent.  It has come as a shock, not to mention heartbreaking, for so many of us.   

For Father, that he will be happy at his new assignment, and allowed to publicly offer the Extraordinary Form of the Mass in our liberal diocese.  

For my friend Julie who is hoping to adopt again and asking for others to join a novena to St. Therese (beginning today) for the intention of health, safety, peace and joy for all those involved in their adoption journey, and for the intention of bringing their baby home soon.   

For Daisy as she continues to recover beautifully from her heart surgery.  

For Charlotte as she continues to recover from her delivery.

In thanksgiving for the safe delivery and health of sweet little Cupcake (who is going to be our Goddaughter!!!!!!!)  and that I might just be able to find a way to make the trip to Texas next month to be there for her baptism!  

One of my favorite things… my Snoogle, or “new husband” according to Hubby.  It is helping so much!!   I even took it camping with us!  hehehee  😉

A few plans for the week:

  • School, school, school…
  • Work on organizing all the hand-me-down clothing and the nursery
  • Mass on Friday and Sunday

A Picture thought I am sharing:

taken by my sister Mary during the birthday tea-party

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

Sep 8, 2011 | , | 10 Comments

Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life. 

I thought this might be the perfect time to share some pictures from our end of summer family vacation/camping trip this past Thursday-Monday!  

{pretty}

{happy}

   
{funny}


{real}

Visit Like Mother, Like Daughter for more pictures of contentment!

Please Pray…

Sep 7, 2011 | | 11 Comments

One of the sweet girls from my Little Flowers Girls’ Club will be having Open Heart Surgery tomorrow, September 7th, around 1:00 pm (PST).

Could you all please keep her, and her parents, in your prayers?  Thank you!

Heavenly Father, watch with us over your child, and grant that she may be restored to that perfect health which it is yours alone to give; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

UPDATE – 2:15pm (PST): Amy just posted on facebook that she just went into surgery. Please continue to pray! The surgery is suppose to be about 4-5 hours long. I will be sure to post another update later.

UPDATE – 5:33pm (PST):  Amy posted an hour ago that the “procedure is going well, they will let us know more in about 2 hours. They are repairing the hole as I type this.”   Please keep praying!

UPDATE – 5:51pm:  She is out of surgery and in recovery!   Everything went beautifully and her parents should be able to see her in about an hour.   Thank you all for your prayers!

Back-to-School :: 2011-2012

Sep 6, 2011 | , , , , | 9 Comments

After a super fun weekend of camping (Thursday-Monday, though I headed home with a few of the little ones late Sunday night… It’s HARD to camp pregnant!), I wasn’t sure I’d be ready to start school today…   The summer flew by way too quickly for us, but with another baby on the way it is time to get busy.   Thankfully all that planning I did way back in July really helped today go smoothly, and we are off to a great start!

Captain :: 5th Grade  ~  Rascal :: 4th Grade

Twinkle Toes :: 2nd Grade ~ Chiquita :: 1st Grade

Snuggles :: Pre-School

Rose :: Pre-Pre-School 😉 

Just like last year, the kids all woke up to find Schultütes filled with snacks and school supplies, with the added addition of a cute “Patron of Students Treat” tied to the top.   Before I would let them open them though, I took a few pictures and we headed down to the local coffee drive through to get myself a “Back-to-School Treat” as well! 😉

The kids are all so excited to get started on their new school books for this year, and hopefully the excitement won’t wear off any time soon!

Prayer for Homeschoolers

Dear Lord, bless me in my decision to homeschool my children. Grant me the grace of peace and determination in this awesome endeavor. Lead me to the proper materials for the instruction of each of my children, so that their individual talents and skills will be nurtured and they will grow in intelligence to the fullness of their abilities. Give me the strength to persevere when the weight of being teacher, mother, wife, and housekeeper seems too much to bear. Help me to maintain my household and family school, knowing that there will be times when one or both may seem to suffer, but confident that you will assist me in restoring harmony to both in good time. Allow me the contentment of heart and knowledge that the proper formation of my children’s minds holds importance far above many of the callings of this world. Bestow on me courage to overcome the criticisms of those who disagree with me in this effort, keeping ever mindful that the growing of my children in knowledge and grace will be for your glory, and the trials I must endure are for my personal sanctification. Amen.

Prayer to Our Lady for Homeschooling Parents

Blessed Mother, as you so humbly and graciously accepted God’s will to bear and raise His only son, and to guide him in wisdom and virtue, help me in the instruction and education of my children. Pray to your Heavenly Son to grant me the grace and strength to assist in their learning, overcoming tiredness and discouragement. Assist me in the management of my home, so that I may be able to keep order and peace, despite the challenges of schooling within it. Intercede for me, imploring Our Heavenly Father to bestow upon me wisdom, not for my own sake, but so that I may form my children’s minds and hearts, so that they may grow into strong adults, helping to shape the world for His glory, and ultimately inheriting the kingdom of heaven. Call upon your heavenly angels to stand by my side, with their great intelligence, to help me understand that which I am instructing, and assist my children in learning of same. We humbly ask this through you beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Pray for us!

Links for September :: Month Dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows

Sep 5, 2011 | | 2 Comments

Back-to-School 

 

September 5th ~ Feast of Blessed Mother Teresa

Favorite Picture Books/DVD:  Mother Teresa and Mother Teresa: Seeing The Face Of Jesus

September 8th ~ Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary (New, Trad.):

Favorite Picture Books: The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary

September 9th ~ Feast of St. Peter Claver (New, Trad./some places):

Favorite Picture Book: Peter Claver, Patron Saint of Slaves

September 12th ~ Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary (New, Trad.):

September 14th ~ Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (New, Trad.) and the Anniversary of Summorum Pontificum:

September 21st ~ Feast of St. Matthew (New, Trad.):

September 29th ~ Sts. Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, Archs.  (New) and Dedication of the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel,  Michaelmas Day (Trad.):

September 30th ~ Feast of St. Jerome (New, Trad.):

OTHER RESOURCES:

Please Pray for Charlotte and Cupcake!

Sep 1, 2011 | | 16 Comments


Charlotte is so good about praying for all of us and passing along prayer requests. Now it is time for us to storm heaven for Charlotte and baby Cupcake!

I just got off the phone with Charlotte and she is in the hospital right now, due to continued stomach cramping which is being caused by high blood pressure. Her doctor has decided that Cupcake needs to be born today, and will either be inducing labor soon, or preforming a c-section.   Please pray for Charlotte, the baby, her family, and for the doctors.   Thank you!

Loving God, Your love for us is like that of a mother, and You know the hard joy of giving birth. Hold the hand of Your servant Charlotte now and keep her safe; put Your own Spirit into her very breathing and into the new baby, for whom we wait with awe and hope. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Dear Blessed Mother Mary, my Mother in Heaven thank you for remaining by Charlotte’s side during her pregnancy. Thank you for the graces that she received because of your prayers to your son for her. I ask for your help especially now when she is about to give birth. Pray for her, please, that she will have the necessary strength and that her unborn baby may enter this world safely.

St. Teresa of Avila, Pray for us!

St. Gerard Majella, Pray for us!

UPDATE: Thank you all for your prayers! Cupcake arrived safely via c-section yesterday morning, September 2nd! Congratulations to Charlotte and family!! We can’t wait to meet your precious new daughter!

Links for October :: Month Dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary

Sep 1, 2011 | | 6 Comments

October 1st (New) and 3rd (Trad) ~ St. Thérèse of Lisieux:

Compilation posts of Ideas for celebrating this beautiful feast:

Past Celebrations in honor of St. Therese:

Specific crafts/projects in honor of  St. Therese:

Pinterest Board:  St. Therese of Lisieux

October 2nd ~ Holy Guardian Angels (New, Trad.):

October 4th ~ St. Francis of Assisi (New, Trad.):


October 5th ~ St. Faustina (New):



October 7th ~ Our Lady of the Rosary (New, Trad.):

October 12th ~ Columbus Day:

October 15th ~ St. Teresa of Avila (New, Trad.):

October 18th ~ St. Luke (New, Trad.):


October 25 ~ St. Crispin:

October 27th ~ St. Telka

October 31st ~ All Hallows’ Eve

Our Annual Saint-O-Lanterns:

Saintly Costumes:

Saintly Games:

Decorations: 

Fasting and Feasting:

Past All Hallows’ Eve and All Saints’ Parties:

OTHER RESOURCES:


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

  • ▼2026 (1)
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  • ►2008 (564)
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Posts About:

Shower of Roses Alphabet of Saints

A Papal Unit Study & Lap Book

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All Saints Party Printables

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!