{pretty, happy, funny, real}
Celebrating the Saints :: Saint Germaine
Today, June 15th, is the feast of St. Germaine Cousin, a French saint who was born in 1579.
“From her birth she seemed marked out for suffering; she came into the world with a deformed hand and the disease of scrofula, and, while yet an infant, lost her mother. Her father soon married again, but his second wife treated Germaine with much cruelty. Under pretence of saving the other children from the contagion of scrofula she persuaded the father to keep Germaine away from the homestead, and thus the child was employed almost from infancy as a shepherdess. When she returned at night, her bed was in the stable or on a litter of vine branches in a garret. In this hard school Germaine learned early to practise humility and patience. She was gifted with a marvellous sense of the presence of God and of spiritual things, so that her lonely life became to her a source of light and blessing. To poverty, bodily infirmity, the rigours of the seasons, the lack of affection from those in her own home, she added voluntary mortifications and austerities, making bread and water her daily food. Her love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and for His Virgin Mother presaged the saint. She assisted daily at the Holy Sacrifice; when the bell rang, she fixed her sheep-hook or distaff in the ground, and left her flocks to the care of Providence while she heard Mass. Although the pasture was on the border of a forest infested with wolves, no harm ever came to her flocks.” – Catholic Encyclopedia
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| Saint Germaine Coloring Page • Stockmar Beeswax Stick Crayons |
Last night I purchased, downloaded, and printed this beautiful Saint Germaine coloring page from Stella Marigold Art. You can find it over at Etsy here. The kids colored while I read aloud the story of Saint Germaine and the Sheep.
Using supplies I already had on hand, I came up with “Saint Germaine’s Flock of Sheep Cupcakes” for an afternoon treat! I posted the details and directions over at Catholic Cuisine.
Celebrating the Saints :: Saint Anthony of Padua
Today we celebrated the feast of St. Anthony! “St. Anthony of Padua is one of the most famous disciples of St. Francis of Assisi. He was a famous preacher and worker of miracles in his own day, and throughout the eight centuries since his death he has so generously come to the assistance of the faithful who invoke him, that he is known throughout the world.” (Read more over at EWTN...)
We spent some time this afternoon celebrating his feast with an inspiring story, beautiful stained glass coloring pages, an outdoor scavenger hunt, and some fun “multitude of fish” themed snacks recalling the story of St. Anthony’s sermon to the fish.
STORY TIME
Animals of God: Volume One by Susan Peek
Additional books about St. Anthony from our collection:
St. Anthony (Lives of the Saints: An Illustrated History for Children) by Bart Tesoriero
Saint Anthony of Padua (More Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
Saint Anthony of Padua: Proclaimer of the Good News
St. Anthony and the Christ Child by Helen Walker Homan
St. Anthony of Padua Coloring Book
A Rich Young Man: A Novel Based on the Life of Saint Anthony of Padua
Saint Anthony: The Wonder Worker of Padua
Our favorite audio stories about St. Anthony:
The Hungry Gray Mule from Regina Martyrum Productions
Seeker of the Lost: The Story of Saint Anthony (Glory Stories: Volume VI)
Windeatt Audio Bundle from TAN Books
COLORING PAGES
Saint Anthony Coloring Pages from St. Anne’s Helper
& Saint Anthony from Fenestrae Fidei
Dear St. Anthony, pray for me to the Little Jesus, whom thou didst hold so lovingly in thine arms. Obtain for me the grace to love Him with all my heart. Amen.
(Prayer to Saint Anthony from Jesus Make Me Worthy)
ST. ANTHONY’S OUTDOOR SCAVENGER HUNT
“Saint Anthony, Saint Anthony, please come around:
Something is lost and needs to be found!!”
You can find the link to my “St. Anthony’s Outdoor Scavenger Hunt” in the archives.
CATHOLIC CUISINE
St. Anthony’s Sermon to the Fishes Cupcakes
Remember that batch of cupcakes I made last week?
I decorated 8 more of them today for the feast of St. Anthony!
Due to one of our daughter’s allergies, I’ve been trying to find alternatives to food coloring when possible. Over the weekend I happened to notice the Scandinavian Swimmers at Trader Joe’s. I picked up a bag thinking they’d be a perfect (dye free) alternative for this year’s “A Multitude of Fish Cupcakes”. I used Fluffy White frosting and created little peaks on the top of each cupcake so the fish and other sea creatures could peak out of the whitewater to listen to St. Anthony’s Sermon!
Our local store didn’t have the Smores Goldfish this year so I opted for the Vanilla Cupcake and Fudge Brownie. I posted over on Instagram that I probably shouldn’t have doubled the recipe, but I forgot for a moment that I have teen boys living in my home… 😉 If somehow there ends up being extra we can save it for the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul later this month!
You can find the recipe over at Catholic Cuisine.
“A Multitude of Fish” Trail Mix
NOVENA TO ST. ANTHONY
Say once a day for nine days, especially beginning on June 4 and ending on June 12, the eve before the Feast of Saint Anthony June 13. Some pray a Novena to Saint Anthony on thirteen consecutive Tuesdays, according to Pope Leo XIII’s instructions, or on all Tuesdays.
O White lily of purity, sublime example of poverty, true mirror of humility, resplendent star of sanctity, O glorious Saint Anthony, who didst enjoy the sweet privilege of receiving into thy arms the Infant Jesus, I beseech thee to take me under thy powerful protection. Thou in whom the power of working miracles shines forth among the other gifts of God, have pity upon me and come to my aid in this my great need.
(Mention your intentions here).
Cleanse my heart from every disorderly affection; obtain for me a true contrition for my sins and a great love of God and of my neighbor that serving God faithfully in this life, I may come to praise, enjoy and bless Him eternally with thee in Paradise. Amen.
Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be. +
GIVEAWAY
Author Susan Peek has generously offered to send one of my visitors a copy of Animals of God Volume One and Animals of God Volume Two! The winner will be selected and announced in this post next Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Please visit Susan Peek’s website and sign up for her author newsletter!
Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter box below:
Saint Anthony, Ora Pro Nobis!
End-of-School Interviews for 2015-2016
The summer before last Chiquita painted a lovely Chickadees and Lilacs Paint-by-Number. She asked for another paint-by-number for her birthday and she is doing a beautiful job painting her Goldfinches! I’ll try and post pictures soon.
Golf Cupcakes Fore! PAR-Tee Time
Sorry, I couldn’t resist! 😉
Tonight we are headed to our high schoolers End-of-Season Golf Banquet & Award Ceremony. It’s going to be a family potluck at the local miniature golf course. The boys are really looking forward to a fun evening with their team!
Originally I thought I would bake another Golf Cake and make either some CLUB Sandwiches, BOGEY Hoagies, or Bar-B-Que BIRDIE to bring, but it’s Friday (meatless) and I had to go in to work today so decided to keep it simple and just bring cheese pizza SLICE(s) and these golf themed cupcakes. I already had everything I needed in the cupboard for the cupcakes and on the way we’ll pick up a couple pizzas.
Supplies:
- 1 batch of Cupcakes, cooled (I made chocolate cupcakes this time)
- 1 batch of Whipped Buttercream Frosting mixed with Leaf Green Icing Gel for desired shade of green (see recipe below – or use store bought frosting)
- Decorating Bag with Grass Tip Wilton #233
- Toothpicks with Flag created out of colored card stock and paint pen (I used green and black card stock with a metallic gold paint pen to incorporate the team colors)
- Celebration Pearls, Shimmer White (I have a jar of Shimmer Blue, Silver and White from the craft store and just picked out some of the Shimmer White candies)
Whipped Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Leaf Green Icing Gel
Directions:
Fill the decorating bag with about 1 cup of frosting. Frost the cupcakes with the remaining frosting. Using the decorating bag with the grass tip, add “grass” to the cupcakes to create the rough, leaving an opening for the green.
We had fun placing the “golf balls” on each cupcake – some near the hole, some in the rough, and we even left flags off a couple cupcakes making them completely “in the rough!” I think the kids will enjoy them.
Celebrating the Saints :: St. Colum and the Crane
Today, June 9th, is the traditional feast of St. Columba. He is also known as St. Colum and St. Columcille, or “Colom Cille” which means “Dove of the Church.” He is the patron saint of Scotland, Ireland, bookbinders, and against floods.
Our schedule happened to be nearly completely free today (other than an afternoon haircut appointment for our oldest daughter) so this morning I flipped through my Saints Calendar to see whose feast day it was today, pulled out some picture books from this month’s book basket, and quickly came up with a simple plan to teach my children more about St. Columba.
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| St. Columba: The Exiled Monk found in The Book of Saints and Heroes |
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| Saint Columba found in Saints: Lives and Illuminations |
(Across A Dark and Wild Sea and study guide in Catholic Mosaic)
I journey on my way.
What need I fear when thou art near,
O King of night and day?
More safe am I within thy hand
than if a host should round me stand.
and death will keep his hour;
did warriors strong around me throng,
they could not stay his power:
no walls of stone can man defend
when thou thy messenger dost send.
My life I yield to thy decree,
and bow to thy control
in peaceful calm, for from thine arm
no power can wrest my soul.
Could earthly omens e’er appal
a man that heeds the heavenly call?
his chosen dread no foe;
we leave our fate with thee, and wait
thy bidding when to go.
‘Tis not from chance our comfort springs.
thou art our trust, O King of kings.
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| Top Row: Chiquita • Twinkle Toes – Bottom Row: Snuggles • Rose • Bud |
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| Source: HOMESTHETICS |
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk
Directions:
Cream room temperature butter with a hand mixer, or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract. Pour in milk and beat for an additional 3-4 minutes.
{pretty, happy, funny, real}
I was so happy to complete Track C of Meet the Masters before the end of our school year!
(Our high schoolers needed to turn in one more artist unit study/project to earn their credit for art.)
The kids were very happy that I pulled out donuts to celebrate!
Everything is fine now, but our week got off to a rather traumatic start, just after midnight on Sunday morning, with a call to 911… My husband was one of the three who were sick on Saturday. He spent most of the day on the couch. Late that night, while (attempting) to walk from the living room to the bedroom, he leaned against the foot of the bed, said he thought he was going to pass out, and immediately fell to the floor. I’d never seen someone pass out before. He was pale/ghostly white and non-responsive. His eyes were wide open but motionless. It scared me to death. I yelled for the boys to bring me the phone while I tried to revive him and get him to breathe. I thought he was dying… My heart still hurts from the stress and anxiety! Thankfully he regained consciousness while I was on the phone with emergency services and seemed to be ok, but when he started to look like he was going to pass out again in the morning I drove him to the hospital. The vasovagal response was most likely triggered by dehydration and the stomach issues we were fighting. They hooked him up to an IV and kept an eye on him for most of the day. He went back to work today. I’m so very grateful that everyone is finally feeling better!
{this moment}
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| Late Wednesday night I saw a light coming from the boys’ room and peeked inside. I quietly took this photo with my iPhone, shared it over on Instagram, and went back to bed. ❤ |
It’s been a little overwhelming around here lately and I have been fighting burnout… Long hours at work for both my husband and I, writing deadlines, doctors/dentist/orthodontist appointments and bills, way too many assignments due for the children (especially our high schoolers who have been working non-stop to catch back up following golf season), the final week of school along with required state testing (including a question we were not happy to hear about on one of our 9th grade sons tests), the resignation of our amazing tutor from the local home-based charter we have used the past five years (we have lots to pray about and some decisions/changes to make for next year), a big rattlesnake right outside the front door, and a slow moving stomach bug which has been working it’s way through our family the past two weeks and has claimed another two three this weekend. Sometimes it all seems like too much, but moments like this make it all worth it. God is Good!
On the Feast of St. Joan of Arc
Recalling St. Joan of Arc’s banner, “bearing at her request, the words, “Jesus Maria,” along with a figure of God the Father, to whom two kneeling angels were presenting a fleur-de-lis, the royal emblem of France,” we decided to bake a simple French Vanilla cake in my favorite Fleur de Lis pan for today’s feast of St. Joan of Arc! The kids also spent some time reading The Story of Joan of Arc.
Our son was given this beautiful book (an unabridged republication of the edition published by the Century Company, New York, 1912) following his First Holy Communion last summer at St. Joan of Arc Parish where his uncle is currently pastor.
“Maurice Boutet de Monvel’s simple but moving retelling of her story features a series of imaginative illustrations that won the artist international fame. All forty-five of the images from his 1896 deluxe picture book appear here in full color, reflecting the saint’s enduring symbolic power as well as her deep humility.” – The Story of St. Joan of Arc
It’s worth purchasing this book just for the captivating illustrations. So beautiful and inspiring! It’s such a lovely addition to our collection. You can find the rest of our books about St. Joan of Arc listed in Our May Book Basket.
In the face of your enemies, in the face of harassment, ridicule, and doubt, you held firm in your faith. Even in your abandonment, alone and without friends, you held firm in your faith. Even as you faced your own mortality, you held firm in your faith. I pray that I may be as bold in my beliefs as you, St. Joan. I ask that you ride alongside me in my own battles. Help me be mindful that what is worthwhile can be won when I persist. Help me hold firm in my faith. Help me believe in my ability to act well and wisely. Amen.
St. Joan of Arc, pray for us!
Meet the Masters :: Rembrandt van Rijn
Rembrandt van Rign (REM-brant)
Dutch Painter (1606-1669)
Rembrandt developed a painting style using light and dark that is unlike that of any other artist. This “Rembrandt Lighting” creates beautiful contrasts in his etching and painting. He painted more self-portraits than any artist in history – a visual autobiography of his life in 17th Century Holland.
Art Activity Emphasis: Highlights and Shadows
Vocabulary: Light, Dark, Highlight, Detail, Portrait, Self-Portrait, Background, Shadow, Composition, Etching, Profile, Luminous
White Dustless Chalk
Q-tips
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