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by | Dec 29, 2022

Small Things with Great Love

Sep 7, 2021 | , , | 3 Comments

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa

Chai Cupcakes baked and decorated on Sunday by our 16 year old! She even found the printable cupcakes wrappers and toppers I made years ago to download, print and use for her cupcakes. 


I hadn’t remembered that it was the feast of Mother Teresa until I walked in the door late Sunday night, following my flights home, and saw a plate of leftover cupcakes sitting on the table. She went above and beyond, as usual, while I was out of town dropping our oldest three off at college.  

Saint Goals Tee from Annunciation Designs • Mother Teresa Mug from The Little Rose Shop

“Do something beautiful for God.

Do it with your life. Do it every day. 

Do it in your own way. But do it!”

‘Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry’

Jul 25, 2021 | , , , | 6 Comments

Read Cardinal Burke’s Statement on the Moto Proprio.

Photo Credits: Marc Salvatore, Southern Oregon Latin Mass Society

(We had a one month old when our older boys served for Cardinal Burke at the Sacred Liturgy Conference back in 2017. Such a special privilege and blessing. God bless Cardinal Burke!)
“Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. 
God is merciful and will hear your prayer.”
– St. Padre Pio

Ignatius Critical Editions {Review & Giveaway}

Jul 19, 2021 | , , , | 102 Comments

We have been utilizing the Ignatius Critical Editions in our home school curriculum for years now. They are always my top pick when searching for classic literature selections for our high-schoolers to read. Each edition contains a captivating introduction, the full text of the work, and then ends with an excellent selection of critical essays. 

This year our 9th grader will be reading Merchant of Venice, Hamlet, and King Lear, while simultaneously completing the corresponding recorded classes offered by Joseph Pearce, who is one of their favorite literature instructors over at Homeschool Connections.  As the editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions series, he does such an amazing job of making the literature come to life for the students, deepening their appreciation for these great classics. 

From the about page: “The Ignatius Critical Editions will ensure that traditional moral readings of the works are given prominence, instead of the feminist or deconstructionist readings that often proliferate in other series of ‘critical editions’. As such, they represent a genuine extension of consumer choice, enabling educators, students, and lovers of good literature to buy editions of classic literary works without having to ‘buy into’ the ideologies of secular fundamentalism.” 

P.S.  Jane Eyre might not be a favorite assignment for 10th grade boys. 😉 

There are so many wonderful books to choose from in the series!  I asked our first four to share their favorites… Our eldest son loved reading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Hamlet in high school.  Our next son really enjoyed The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Confessions, Frankenstein and Hamlet.  Our eldest daughter loves all things Austen and she loved Jane Eyre! Our next daughter really enjoyed Julius Caesar and Mansfield Park. 

.: Giveaway :. 

This week I get to give away a “starter set” of this great series.

The winner will receive 5 BOOKS of their choice directly from Ignatius Press!  
Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter box below: 


I also have a coupon code to share with all of you! 
Save 25% on all books in the series with coupon code: ROSES25
(Coupon code expires July 28, 2021) 

Celebrating the 4th of July

Jul 6, 2021 | , | 12 Comments

Sunday Mass, American Heroes parade, brunch at a favorite restaurant overlooking the river, family time at home, homemade Red, White & Blueberry Triple Chocolate Brownies, then back downtown to watch the fireworks over the lake… Such a great day celebrating our beautiful country! 

  

 

Prayer for the Church and for the Civil Authorities
Composed by Archbishop Carroll, 1791
We pray, Thee O Almighty and Eternal God! Who through Jesus Christ hast revealed Thy glory to all nations, to preserve the works of Thy mercy, that Thy Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of Thy Name.
We pray Thee, who alone art good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life, our chief bishop, Pope Francis, the Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of his Church; our own bishop, N., all other bishops, prelates, and pastors of the Church; and especially those who are appointed to exercise amongst us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct Thy people into the ways of salvation.

We pray Thee O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.

We pray for his Excellency, the governor of this State, for the members of the Assembly, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they may be enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability.

We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal.

Finally, we pray to Thee, O Lord of mercy, to remember the souls of Thy servants departed who are gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of peace; the souls of our parents, relatives, and friends; of those who, when living, were members of this congregation, and particularly of such as are lately deceased; of all benefactors who, by their donations or legacies to this Church, witnessed their zeal for the decency of divine worship and proved their claim to our grateful and charitable remembrance. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and everlasting peace, through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God bless the United States of America! 

 

A Back Yard War Film

Jul 3, 2021 | , , , , , | 6 Comments

 
A couple summers ago, while our three oldest were working their summer jobs and I was just trying to survive the third trimester of my last pregnancy by napping with the toddler nearly every day, I woke up one afternoon to see our remaining four children lying on the grass in the back yard editing a dramatic war film they had just created.
I was impressed. So were their older siblings when they got home from work!
I’ve been meaning to share it with you all ever since and finally uploaded it to YouTube. Enjoy!
June of 2019 
Starring Snuggles (11), Rose (9), Bud (7)
Photography by Chiquita (14) 
In remembrance of those who gave the ultimate price for our freedom!

Summer 2020 :: The “Nun Run” Part Two

Jul 2, 2021 | , , | 8 Comments

Good morning! I’m back this week to share the next stop on last summer’s Nun Run. After leaving Gower, we continued our trip to Valparaiso, Nebraska to visit the Carmel of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  I have visited this convent three times in the past, for my three uncles very first Masses following their ordinations, but the last time was back in 2008 so it had been 12 years!

On our way there we stopped at a sushi restaurant for dinner (and played some “close your eyes and guess how many *insert items* are in the room” inspired by Shawn Spencer in Psych lol).

                                                        A picture on our way to the Carmel 

   

The Chapel at the Carmel was so beautiful!

After Mass, we were able to visit one of the sisters through the turn and she told us her vocation story which was so inspirational. Also, we noticed a young lady who, after Mass, entered into the Carmel!

When I was a baby, on our very first visit, the nuns let my parents send me through the turn to hold. I’ve been told that, after they passed me around for a bit, while visiting with our family though the cloister grille in the visit room, my mom heard them giggling on the other side of the turn and, instead of sending me back, they just sent my shoes. I love their sense of humor! 

 

Visiting the Carmel of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph was such a rewarding experience and to see just how much the sisters give up for our Lord is so uplifting. 

Patriotic Berry Pie

Jul 2, 2021 | , , , | 1 Comment

Can you believe it’s July already?!? I just don’t know where the months go anymore… They are flying by faster than ever! I’m really trying to slow down and enjoy these summer days with everyone home. I’ve had a little help from the weather this week… With temps reaching ridiculously hot up here in the North Idaho, most of our scheduled plans and activities have been canceled due to the dangerous heat wave! We are just praying that this isn’t followed by more wildfires and smoke… 

We just celebrated a couple birthdays in June! I’m hoping to share pictures sometime, but I happened to run across these from our America loving oldest son’s 20th birthday last year and thought they are perfect to share now, with the 4th of July coming up this weekend!  

He had requested “Berry Pie!” instead of birthday cake, after an afternoon rafting with friends, and I ended up surprising him with a couple Patriotic Berry Pies! It was quick and easy to make with the help of Red Hills Fruit Company Tart Cherry Filling, Blueberry Filling and some refrigerated pie crusts. 

After assembling the pies, I brushed the crust with an egg wash and sprinkled on some sugar before popping them in the oven. 
The berries bubbled over a bit, so it didn’t turn out as pretty as it looked before going in the oven, but the birthday boy loved them just the same! 
If you are looking for other ideas for the 4th of July you can find many more in the archives! 



Summer 2020 :: The “Nun Run” Part One

Jun 12, 2021 | , , , | 8 Comments

Now that golf season has ended, and now that I have a lot of free time while I recover from my knee surgery, I can start back up on the posts!  You can find my past posts here: written by Twinkle Toes.

Last summer a group of us girls from St. Joan’s went on a “Nun Run” with one of our amazing priests. Our first stop was a visit to the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles at the Abbey of Our Lady of Ephesus in Gower, MO. We started the trip off with 5:30 AM Confession and Mass at our church before heading to the airport to catch our flight.  
 
I have now been able to fly with two of my siblings for their first flights! She loved it! Especially the turbulence (not something I’m a particular fan of). I didn’t get many pictures during the flight (mainly because I was asleep for most of it) but it was so cool descending into Kansas City. 
When we reached Gower, one of the sisters (Sister Grace) showed us our rooms and made sure we were all settled in. Waking up early the next morning was hard, especially with the time change (4:45 Central Time is 2:45 Pacific Time), but after a few days we got used to it.

Our Daily Schedule at Gower:

4:45 Wake up
5:05 Matins and Private Prayer
7:10 Lauds, Prime, and Breakfast
8:45 Work (We mainly worked in the garden.)
10:50 Terce, Mass, Sext, Lunch
2:15 Exposition, None, Free time/Rosary
5:30 Vespers then Supper
6:45 Work
8:00 Compline, then bed

A picture from during Compline

After Compline is the Grand Silence (no talking) which goes until after Prime the next morning.

The nuns gave us a tour of their sewing studio during our final day at Gower and showed us how to make vestments and altar linens.

Emily and I happen to have the same godparents (small world!) so we took a quick picture together to send to our godmother.

While we were at Gower, we were able to see one of my close friends (the girl in the middle).

The singing at Gower was amazing! I’ve grown up listening to their CDs at home and to hear them in person was even more beautiful!

 
After Matins, we had some free time in the morning before Lauds which gave us time to say some private 
prayers and enjoy the sunrise each morning.
I loved every moment of our visit to Gower! From praying the Divine Office to working along side the sisters in the garden, every moment will be cherished! The amount of time spent with Our Lord in the Chapel was absolutely amazing and it helped me grow in devotion to Christ and our Blessed Virgin Mary. 

St. Joseph’s Day

May 1, 2021 | | 15 Comments

In March we put together our annual St. Joseph’s Altar but I never got around to sharing the pictures. I thought I’d post them today in honor of the feast of St. Joseph the Worker! 
My husband and our oldest daughter are actually across the country over at Christendom College in Virginia (!!!) with our older boys! They flew over yesterday and will fly back home on Tuesday. Our other teens are off painting weapons and building armor for their upcoming “Joan the Maid” play… That just leaves me home with the four youngest. We are organizing bedrooms and getting our Saturday chores done! I also printed out a coloring page from Liturgy of the Home and will come up with a little treat for them to enjoy as we read about dear St. Joseph. Happy feast day! 
 

O Glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God, to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties, to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having death always before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example, O Patriarch St. Joseph. Such shall be my motto in life and in death.
 
St. Joseph, patron of workers, a happy death, and the Universal Church, pray for us!

A Masquerade Murder Mystery Sweet Sixteen Birthday Party

Apr 27, 2021 | , , , | 12 Comments

Our little “Chiquita” turned sixteen last week! Since I wasn’t able to host a party for her last year (remember those sweet cards we woke up to from her last year?), and since I did host a sweet sixteen birthday party for her older sister, I was determined to throw a big party for her this year.  Falling close to Easter, her birthday always sneaks up on me and I’m never prepared!  
I started researching party ideas on Thursday evening and settled on a masquerade themed murder mystery birthday party and ordered her a mask (which was delivered an hour before the party!)… On Friday I had my oldest daughter text all their friends a digital invitation I had made… Then, instead of spending the weekend preparing, my three older girls and I went on a road trip to Oregon for my niece’s baptism! While I was in Oregon (after sending out invites) realized the mystery package I had picked out wasn’t currently available for purchase and had to improvise… Picked out (and purchased!) another mystery game that would also work with our masquerade theme… and somehow it all came together on Monday for her Tuesday birthday! Whew! 
On Tuesday I got up to decorate, bake her a “Death by Chocolate” cake, and then she and I headed to Mass at noon and then to Dutch Bros for her birthday coffee! 
Our family usually celebrates birthdays with just family, but every once in awhile I try and give them a party with friends. She had only celebrated a birthday with a few friends once, and that was ten years ago! I am so very grateful for all the amazing friends our children have made since we moved here to North Idaho from Oregon in 2019.  We invited twenty friends to her party and all but one was able to come! 
My teens have been talking about Murder/Mystery parties for a long time and I was always skeptical. After looking into different options I was intrigued by the parties offered by Shot in the Dark Mysteries:

“We primarily use an INTERACTIVE mystery party format. If you’ve played games offered by our competitors, you’ll find this format very different, a lot more versatile and a whole lot of fun. Instead of everyone sitting around reading off a piece of paper, your guests are up and mingling, flexing their sleuthing skills (with some helpful sample questions from us to get everyone started) and questioning one another to discover the killer. It’s simple, fantastic and perfect for mystery party newbies and veterans alike.”  Read more here. 


Since the Masquerade Mystery wasn’t available (I was told they are currently rewriting it into a new mystery for adults and an update version of the current one for kids) we had a Masquerade in the Library! I went with the 13 suspect package (for 9 girls 4 boys).  Three of my teens (including the birthday girl) and ten of our guests were assigned suspects, the rest of our guests all participated as additional sleuths trying to figure out who the thief/murder was from the suspect list.  No one knew the answer, not even me, until the end of the party after all the investigations took place. It was so much fun! 

“Some mysteries inform the guilty party that they are guilty. We don’t do this for two reasons. First, not knowing allows all Suspects to be completely honest with the information they receive. Second, it allows all players to piece together the mystery equally. With one Suspect not investigating, it quickly becomes clear to the other players who the culprit is and your mystery ends up ruined. In our experience, your mystery is more successful when the culprit isn’t aware they are the culprit.”

My teens are already looking through other themes and asking when we can host another mystery party! 
For decorations I purchased some extra masks and a bouquet of roses for the birthday girl. While I rounded up all the candles I could find around the house, I sent the kids upstairs to bring down some of their favorite mystery and detective books. We hung up some balloons and reused a birthday banner. 
The Phantom of the Colosseum • The Secret of the Old Clock • The Iron Spy • The Mysterious Affair at Styles: The First Hercule Poirot Mystery • The Mystery of the 99 Steps • Sisters of the Last Straw Vol 1: The Case of the Haunted Chapel 
The Island of Dr. Libris • The Secret of the Jade Ring • Mandie and the Ghost Bandits • The Great Airport Mystery
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler • A Murder is Announced: A Miss Marple Mystery
Detectives in Togas • Murder on the Orient Express • The Clue of the Broken Locket • Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
The Bobbsey Twins on Blueberry Island • Mandie and the Fiery Rescue
The Secret of the Lost Tunnel • Riddle of the Rodeo • Sisters of the Last Straw Vol 6: The Case of the Easter Egg Escapades 
The A. B. C. Murders: A Hercule Poirot Mystery • The Hidden Staircase • And Then There Were None

I headed to Costco for help with the party food. Instead of a full dinner, I decided to serve lots of hearty appetizers and some treats along with punch/sparkling drinks and birthday cake with ice cream.  The only thing left at the end of the party was the bowl of broccoli and baby carrots… Teens. 😉 
.: The Menu :. 
Golden Punch
Sparkling Blush
Cheese Tray
Cilantro Lime Shrimp
Charcuterie Board
with various meats, crackers,
White Stilton with Apricots cheese,
and Boursin cheese
Broccoli and Baby Carrots
with Ranch Dip
Chicken & Cheese Mini Tacos and Taquitos
Popcornopolis Zebra Popcorn
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
Strawberries
Oreo Cookies
Pizza Rolls
Meatballs
“Death by Chocolate” Cake
Espresso Madness Ice Cream
Death by Chocolate Cake made with Chocolate Fudge Cake Layers with Whipped Ganache Filling, Chocolate Frosting, White Chocolate Ganache Drip, Chocolate Ganache Drip and Oreo Crumbles
.: Our Guests Arrive :. 
 
.: A Murder is Announced :. 

After everyone arrived, and had had a chance to get some food, we began the mystery with the Announcement of Murder. Our package came with an audio file, but I opted to read the transcript to the teens. Afterwards each of the suspects introduced themselves and read their bio to everyone. 

My little photographer in training!
Photo credit for these goes to our three year old!
And to Twinkle Toes for this one!
.: The Investigations :. 
The investigation portion of the mystery was next! I set the timer for an hour, but ended up giving them an additional 20 minutes.  I think they would have liked to have just a little more time.  Next time, I’d probably plan for at least 90 minutes of investigations. Maybe 2 hours. I had scheduled the party from 6:00-9:30 PM and an extra 30 minutes probably would have been helpful! 
 
 

 .: The Suspects and Sleuths :. 

At the end of the Investigations, all the suspects and sleuths voted for the best mask, best costume, and cast their accusations! 
.: The Big Reveal :. 
The end of the mystery is marked by The Big Reveal.  After everyone had cast their accusations against the culprit it was time to reveal the guilty party! I opted to read the transcript once again.  It was so fun to hear all their reactions as the mystery pieces all came together and we all discovered who did it! 
Basket of Prizes for Best Costumes, Best Masks, and those who were able to guess thief/murderer
including: “PayDay” • Gum for all the “Gumshoe Detectives” • King Size KitKats for “Cat’s Pajamas”
.: Sixteen Candles :. 
We wrapped up the evening with cake, ice cream and gifts! And a few last pictures! 
Happy Sweet Sixteen!

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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Posts About:

Shower of Roses Alphabet of Saints

A Papal Unit Study & Lap Book

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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!