Heavenly Fun!
Summer with the SaintsIn honor of yesterday’s feast, todays featured Saint was Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Marci had so much fun stuff planned. The children were able to color pictures of Our Lady and St. Simon Stock, make holy cards of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, eat “Carmel” Corn, and even assemble new scapulars!
There were 4 families: Marci’s family, my family, my good friend Trina (who is in town for the month!) and her family, and a childhood friend of mine and Trina’s, Maria, and her 3 daughters, who Marci was kind enough to include. Even though there was only us 4 families, we had a total of 19 children!!! Gotta love it!!!
It has been so nice to be able to spend time a little time with my darling Goddaughter, and for Twinkle Toes to be able to spend time with her Godmother, Trina!
God-sisters
The Group PhotoSidewalk Art
by Captain (age 7)
Celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel
Today is the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
The children and I began our day with a few prayers in her honor.
During story time I read The Brown Scapular
The children watched a movie
For our cake I used a simple yellow GOLD cake mix (baked in a 9×13 pan and cut in half) and topped with chocolate brown frosting. I used two brown pipe cleaners for the cord, and then decorated it with some white frosting.
My sister Julianna stopped by for a couple minutes before work, and I talked her into drawing an image of Our Lady, since she is such an artist. Didn’t she do a beautiful job?! I did the (attempted) writing on the right. (I am very new to cake decorating, but it sure is fun!!) In case you can’t read it, it says:
shall not suffer eternal fire…”
Tomorrow we will be going to a friend’s home to make new Scapulars, and my children are very excited!
If you would like to read about the Scapular, you can check out a couple of my old posts, or head over to A Catholic Life.
So, are you wearing your scapular? I am wearing mine!
Scenes from a Summer’s Day, 3
I just called my Pediatrician’s office to see if they had any results back yet on Snuggle’s blood work. I was able to talk to his nurse, and although they don’t have all the results back yet (they are still waiting for the results on a celiac panel),the preliminary results, and the results on the other tests, indicate that it very well may be a Gluten Allergy or Intolerance. I had a feeling that might be the case. She said that the Doctor will call me as soon as they have the rest of the results.
Thank you all for your prayers.
I’ll keep you posted!
Our Lady of Mount Carmel ~ July 16th
In honor of the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, I thought I would share a couple prayers for today, from a wonderful little book I am reading, titled: Maiden & Mother
To Our Lady of Mount Carmel
O MOST beautiful flower of Mount Carmel,
Fruitful Vine, Splendour of Heaven,
Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin,
assist me in this my necessity.
O Star of the Sea, help me and show me
herein you are my Mother.
O Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Queen of Heaven and Earth,
I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart
to succour me in this necessity;
there are none that can withstand your power.
O, show me herein you are my Mother;
O Mary, conceived without sin,
Pray for us you have recourse to thee.
(Three times)
Sweet Mother,
I place this cause in your hands.
(Three times)
For Our Lady of Mount Carmel
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
Rejoice we all in the Lord, as we keep holiday in Mary’s honour; that blessed maiden whose feast makes angels rejoice and sets them praising the Son of God. Joyful the thoughts that well up from my heart, a King’s honour for thy theme.
COLLECT
God, who hast honoured the Order of Carmel by giving the most blessed Mother Mary, ever-virgin, that special title, grant to us this grace, that we who are today commemorating her with solemn observance may be counted worthy, under the shield of her protection, to attain everlasting happiness.
GRADUAL
Benedicta et venerabilis es, Virgo Maria: quae sine tactu pudoris inventa es mater Salvatoris. Virgo Dei Genitrix, quem totus non capit orbis, in tua se clausit viscera factus homo.
Mary, Virgin, you are blessed and worthy of our homage; for with maidenhood unsullied you became the Saviour’s Mother. God’s Virgin Mother! The whole wide world cannot contain him, yet he became man and shut himself within your womb.
ALLELUIA
Per te, Dei Genitrix, nobisest vita perdita data: quae de caelo suscepisti prolem, et mundo genuisti Salvatorem.
Alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Through you, God’s Mother, the life that was lost has been restored to us. You took your child from heaven and gave him to the world to be its Saviour.
Alleluia!
of Our Lady of Mount Carmel!
Our Lady of Mount Carmel ~ Pray for Us!
Scenes from a Summer’s Day, 2
Reading on the Porch SwingFirst Blessings
After the Ordination, we headed to the basement of the Cathedral for the reception, to receive First Blessings, and with the right disposition, plenary indulgences, from the newly ordained priests.
Following the Bishop, or Cardinal in this case, that presided over the Ordination, the Priest’s parents are usually the first to receive blessings.
After the blessing, it is a custom to kiss the hands of the priest since, “during ordination a new priest’s hands are anointed with chrism as a sign of consecration and of the change that has been effected in his soul. The custom of kissing his hands stems from a recognition of the fundamental change that has occurred and of the particular importance of the sign of the hands in priestly ministry. After ordination the priest uses his hands to hold the Eucharistic species during the consecration, to make the sign of the cross while absolving sins, to anoint the sick and dying, and on occasion to impart the sacrament of confirmation.”
Following my husbands parents, it was Captain’s turn, along with the rest of the family.
My children LOVE getting all the Ordination Holy Cards from the priests to add to their collections at home:
Twinkle Toes also had such a great time getting to know her cousins… It is too bad we all live so far away from each other!
Shortly after our blessings we had to head back to the hotel. Snuggles wasn’t feeling good, and I was in desperate need of a shower since I had been thrown up on twice by this point. (And I mean SOAKED!) Once on the steps of the Cathedral immediately following the ordination, and then again as we were waiting in line for a blessing from one of the other new priests. I was thankful that I wore black, even though I wasn’t smelling very good by this point! 🙂
Nevertheless, we were able to get a quick photo before everyone changed to go over to the next reception at the McNeely home.
Look, I was still smiling, even though I smelled like puke! 🙂 Nothing could put a damper on this most special day. Unfortunately, I was thrown up on yet again at dinner — though this time I was prepared with an extra shirt in the car! After dinner (and a couple calls to my children’s doctors office) we headed back to the hotel to get some rest and prepare for Father’s First Mass, and Captain’s First Confession and Communion the following morning.
Scenes from a Summer’s Day
This past weekend we were invited to a BBQ on Saturday for a very special priest from Nigeria, who use to be the Associate Pastor at a local parish. Not only did we get to visit with Father, we got to spend some more time with some great friends.
Trina (on the right) is actually Twinkle Toes godmother and one of my best friends from my childhood. On the left is Trina’s sweet mother, Faith holding Trina’s youngest daughter.
We all had a great time.
On Sunday, we were able to attend Father’s last Mass in the area, and visit with him a little bit more after Mass.
The Simple Woman’s Daybook ~ July 14
Outside my Window… the deer are lying on the grass underneath the kids playset trying to stay cool.
I am thankful for… my children’s swimming teacher. I spoke with her this weekend about putting Snuggles in classes this summer to help with his development. It always amazes me that she is able to teach infants life saving techniques. I told her yesterday, after Mass, that she really should consider putting out a book or DVD for parents who do not have good classes available in their area. People travel from all over to enroll their children in her classes. We truly are blessed to have her so close!
From the kitchen… Homemade Pepperoni Pizza (Thank you Amy!) with no cheese on my side and Spinach Salad. For dessert we will be having some non-dairy, sugar free Coffee Ice Cream that I made last night with my awesome ice cream maker
I am creating… an Amazon Store.
I am going… to join Renee and post Scenes from a Summer’s day. As you know, I never can turn down an excuse a challenge to post a few pictures! 🙂
I am wearing… a green knee length skirt, with cargo pockets, that I found on clearance at Eddie Bauer a couple weeks ago with a white tee, and brown flip flops.
I am reading… The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook
I am hoping… that I will be able to pull off Captain’s “Military” themed birthday party this coming Sunday without my hubby’s help… We invited 20 boys, and I think most of them are coming! I guess I will have to be “An Army of One” unless I can convince my auntie or sisters to come and help out!
I am hearing… The Silver Chair.
Around the house… I would like to continue my “It’s all too much” purge so my hubby can come back to a more organized home.
One of my favorite things… is getting together with friends and family.
- Captain’s Auditory Processing classes Mon, Tue and Thurs
Drop off a few boxes at St. Vincent’s Drop off Boxes and Cans to Recycle Celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Try to post a couple recipes to Catholic Cuisine Take the kids to a Summer with the Saints party on Thursday and make Scapulars - Plan a menu and grocery shop for Captain’s birthday party (with 5 children in tow).
- Figure out how to make a tank cake… Oh, I wish I had Matilda’s skills!
- Celebrate Captain’s birthday on Sunday.
Apparently, she is all ready for her brother’s birthday party!To see more Daybook entry’s, click here.
I hope you all have a simply wonderful week!
Louis and Zélie Martin’s Beatification
Louis and Marie-Zélie Martin, parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, will be beatified on Mission Sunday at the Cathedral of Lisieux.
Cardinal Saraiva Martins, retired prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, made the announcement Saturday when he presided at a Mass at Notre-Dame Church at Alencon to mark the couple’s 150th wedding anniversary.
Mission Sunday is celebrated this year on Oct. 19.
Read the rest here. It’s so exciting!!!
God Our Father, we praise You for Louis and Zélie Martin, a truly faithful husband and wife, who lived their Christian life in an exemplary way through their duties in life and practice of Gospel teaching. In bringing up a large family, in spite of trials, bereavements and suffering, they showed immense trust in You and obedience to Your will.
Lord deign to manifest Your will in their regard and grant me the favours I implore while praying that the father and mother of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus be presented as models of family life today.
Amen.
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