Dolls from Heaven {Review & Coupon Code}
Our girls already have quite the collection of American Girl dolls and I have refused to purchase any more… They also have beautiful Little Habits and Saint Costumes for their dolls as well. Nevertheless, this lovely St. Therese doll (made and sold by a Catholic company!) will be such a fun and inspiring addition to their collection!
Since I’ll be giving her as a gift later this year, I didn’t take her completely out of the box, but she seems very similar to the girls’ other dolls in both size and quality. She even comes with a book!
In addition to the Therese Doll and Book, Therese’s Sunday Best and Therese’s Accessories are also available. You can purchase everything together with a $5 discount here.
Therese’s “Sunday Best” outfit is gorgeous! It comes with a Blue long- sleeved dress with cream ruffles, white stockings, cream boots, and a cream hair-bow.
In addition to their St. Therese doll, Dolls from Heaven has recently released St. Joan of Arc too. She showed up on my porch a couple days ago and now I can check two gifts off of my Christmas shopping list for this year! sssshhhhhhh…. 😉
St. Michael’s Stomp
Search for the Hidden Garden: A Discovery with Saint Thérèse {Book Review & Giveaway}
The month of October is right around the corner which means the feasts (both new and traditional!) of dear Saint Thérèse of Lisieux are coming up quickly! I’ll be updating our our September book basket with books for October and have a brand new chapter book to add this year.
Like the first book in the Friends with the Saints series, The Wolf and the Shield: An Adventure with St. Patrick which my children loved reading earlier this year, the second book in the series will be another welcome addition to our collection!
Search for the Hidden Garden: A Discovery with Saint Thérèse by Sherry Weaver Smith transports the reader to historical 19th century France with a fictional story of young Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and her inquisitive companions. The story depicts the girlish adventures of a close delightful Christian friendship between fictional characters and young Therese Martin.
In addition to a “Historical Note” about St. Therese, a post-story section of “Discussion Questions” gives young readers the opportunity to thoughtfully apply their reading experience. This story is sure to captivate the minds of young girls and give them a lasting impression of The Little Flower.
Pauline Books & Media provided me with a free copy of Search for the Hidden Garden in exchange for an honest review. They also sent me a second copy to give away to one of my visitors here at Shower of Roses!
Little Saints Preschool :: Fall is Here!
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| Folkmanis Puppet Sequoia Wildlife Set • Mini Barn Owl Finger Puppet |
This week we jumped ahead to the “Fall is Here!” theme in the Little Saints Preschool Program. I pulled out all of our fall themed picture books (and favorite fall puppets!) and then headed to the library with my little ones to pick up more. We had a break from the summer heat, with a couple rainy days to welcome fall, but the sun is back and the forecast says it’s going to hit 95˚ by Monday…
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| Acorn Fairy Home • Gray Squirrel Finger Puppet • The Complete Peter Rabbit Library • Tree Finger Puppet Play House |
Nuts to You!
The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes
The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
Where Does the Brown Bear Go?
Woody, Hazel and Little Pip
Rabbits, Squirrels, and Chipmunks
Johnny Appleseed
How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World
Why Do Leaves Change Colors?
Little Saints Suggested Books from the Library:
Every Autumn Comes the Bear
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf
The Fall of Freddie the Leaf
All In the Woodland Early
Extra Fall Themed Books from the Library:
Leaf Man
Fletcher and the Falling Leaves
Leaf Jumpers
Christopher’s Harvest Time
Miss Maple’s Seeds
Four Seasons Make a Year
The Little Yellow Leaf
Mousekin’s Woodland Sleepers
Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic
This fun puzzle from our collection made a nice addition this week!
September Poetry Review
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| Branch & Twig Colored Pencils • Stockmar Beeswax Stick Crayons |
We quadrupled the recipe and saved the last piece for Sean.
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Any (and every!) puddle will do… #firstrainydayinmonths |
…along with Cheese Slices, Cucumber, Red Pepper, Orange Pepper, and an Oak Leaf Cookie Cutter
We made a simple dip with some plain yogurt mixed with Deliciously Dill
I had hoped to make Leaf Rubbings and My Blessings Handprint Trees, but ran out of time… Fitting all these fun activities on top of the rest of our school schedule and the 15-20 hours I’ve been spending at the office each week has been a challenge, but so worth it… I’m really enjoying sharing these great picture books and fun activities with my littlest ones! Next week, with Michaelmas and the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels coming up, we’ll be focusing on “Colors/Guardian Angels”…
Leaf Man :: A Picture Book Inspired Craft for Fall
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| Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert |
Little Saints Preschool :: Alphabet Fun
I’m not sure how much of the Little Saints Preschool Program we will actually get to this year… However, considering it could very well be the last year we have a pre-schooler (our “baby” will turn five in December… how did that happen?!), I’m going to try and fit some of it into our schedule.
My very loose “plan” is to not let myself try and “do it all” like I crazily attempted with our first two preschoolers all those years ago, and just pick and choose from the program’s themes as I can fit some of them in, using what I have saved from the older children, and adding in additional books, toys and games from our collection. We will do what we can, keeping it simple and fun!
Our little guy will also be joining Rose in some of her studies this year (we’ve started learning about Early American History and memorizing poetry!) and Rose (as you will see in the pictures below) is loving being included in some of her brother’s “schoolwork” too… along with the rest of their older siblings on occasion. Hahaha! Who can resist all the wonderful picture books and fun pre-school activities?! Our school year is off to a great start!
I can’t believe I had never read Chicka Chicka Book Boom to him! It was his favorite this week.
LEGO Ideas :: Dutch Bros. Coffee Drive-Thru
Last month Ranger built this Dutch Bros. Coffee Drive-Thru to submit to LEGO Ideas!
I’ve been having so much fun, the last couple times I’ve picked up drinks, pulling out my phone and sharing the pictures with the baristas! They all have gotten so excited over all the perfect little details. “Check out the espresso maker inside!” . . . “Look! He even has our blue cup lids!” . . . “This looks more like our stand than our actual stand!” . . . “There’s [name], our delivery guy!!!” . . . One of them even said: “This is the BEST job application EVER! How old is he? Fourteen? Tell him that in two years from now, if he wants a job, he’s hired!” Hahaha!
I’ll let him tell you a little more about the set he created:
“This is a LEGO Dutch Bros. Coffee Drive-Thru. The reason I built this set is because I love Dutch Bros. Coffee, not only their drinks, but also their crazy happy and enthusiastic employees. It’s impossible to leave the drive-thru without a smile, plus a free drink on your birthday! This set would be a great addition to your LEGO town/city.
Dutch Bros. Coffee was founded locally here in Southern Oregon in the year 1991. It is now the largest privately held drive-thru coffee chain in the United States!
The Dutch Bros. Coffee menu includes hot coffees (my favorite is the Kicker!), real fruit smoothies, blended drinks, infused teas (hot and iced), sodas, hot chocolate or “Not-So-Hot”, and more!
Set includes:
- Dutch Bros. Coffee Drive-Thru
- Two vehicles (Sprinter delivery van and Mercedes Sedan)
- Four minifigures (Two Dutch Bros. Coffee employees, a deliveryman, and a customer)
- Dutch Bros. Coffee business sign
- The LEGO Dutch Bros. Coffee Drive-Thru is built on a 32×32 base plate. The roof is detachable and the inside includes a coffee machine, coffee cups and lids, a refrigerator with opening doors, and desk with computer and cash register.
The LEGO Dutch Bros. delivery van seats one and has three working doors, one in the back for loading and unloading cargo, and two doors in the front, one on each side. The LEGO Sedan seats one and features two opening doors and a detachable roof.
Please support this project! It will make a great new addition to your LEGO town. “
St. Teresa of Calcutta Back-to-School Treat
I am a little pencil in God’s hands. He does the thinking. He does the writing. He does everything and sometimes it is really hard because it is a broken pencil and He has to sharpen it a little more.
~ The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Daily Living by Mother Teresa
Our school year began last week (Sept. 6th), immediately following the canonization (Sept. 4th) and feast (Sept. 5th) of Mother Teresa. I decided to modify my Patron of Students Back-to-School Treat this year, incorporating the quote above which ties in so nicely to the candy pencil.
I modified the original tags, first changing the text to include part of the quote above and then changing the border to three blue stripes to symbolize Mother Teresa’s sari.
From the beautiful and brand new picture book Mother Teresa: The Smile of Calcutta:
The Lord said to Mother Teresa, “You will dress in simple Indian garments or, rather, dress like my mother – in simplicity and poverty. . . . Your sari will become holy because it will be my symbol.” The sisters wear a white sari with a blue border. The white represents purity. The three blue borders represent the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Blue is also the color of the Virgin Mary. The sisters’ sari is a witness to mankind: it is the sign of God’s love.
Here is another quote from Mother Teresa which I shared with our kids:
I don’t claim anything of the work. It’s His work. I’m like a little pencil in His hand. That’s all. He does the thinking. He does the writing. The pencil has nothing to do it. The pencil has only to be allowed to be used. In human terms, the success of our work should not have happened, no? That is a sign that it’s His work, and that He is using others as instruments – all our Sisters. None of us could produce this. Yet see what He has done.
These treats are perfect for celebrating the new school year at anytime, or even to use as prizes/favors at upcoming All Saints’ parties this year!
St. Teresa of Calcutta Back-to-School Treat
Supplies:
- ROLO®
- Hershey’s Kisses
- Printable Pencil Wrapper (or create your own with these directions)
- Scissors
- Pinking Shears
- Adhesive
- Mother Teresa Quote/Tag
- Small Circle Hand Punch
- Curling Ribbon
Download and Print My Free Documents: Pencil Wrapper and Mother Teresa Quote/Tag
Directions:
Cut out wrapper and trim the short yellow end with pinking sheers (zigzag edge scissors). Wrap around ROLO and adhere.
Cut out and cover the end with the pink circle to finish the “eraser” end of the pencil.
Adhere one Hershey’s Kisses to the other end.
Cut out, punch a small hole, and attach the Mother Teresa quote with some ribbon.
Note: I attached them to the top of this year’s Back-to-School Schultütes {Simplified}.
St. Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us!
Happy Birthday, Blessed Mother
After our family rosary this evening, Rose helped decorate the birthday cake for our Blessed Mother, with her Marian Shining Light Dolls, and then she lit the candles while we sang “Happy Birthday!” ♥
Here is a beautiful traditional prayer for today from Maiden & Mother: Prayers, Hymns, Devotions, and Songs to the Beloved Virgin Mary Throughout the Year:
Encouraging Words for Parents from Archbishop Sample as We Begin Our New School Year
“Since parents have given children their life, they are bound by the most serious obligation to educate their offspring and therefore must be recognized as the primary and principal educators. This role in education is so important that only with difficulty can it be supplied where it is lacking. Parents are the ones who must create a family atmosphere animated by love and respect for God and man, in which the well-rounded personal and social education of children is fostered.”
I am frequently amazed at how seriously many parents take this responsibility which God has given them. Some parents have clearly made the formation of their children in the ways of the faith the absolute top priority in their lives. I find this to be especially true among most of those in the home schooling community…
…I cannot emphasize this point strongly enough. Far too often, it seems that parents hand over the responsibility that is primarily theirs to Catholic school teachers or parish catechists. These are there to assist the parents and augment the education, faith formation, and example that the children receive in the home, within the family…
…The bottom line is that the primary responsibility of parents is not to get their children into the best schools and universities so that they can be “successful” in the world. Their primary duty is to do everything within their power to help get their children into heaven, plain and simple. That is what the Lord will be interested in at the end of our life, and that is what parents solemnly promised before Him on the day of their children’s baptism.
I thank parents from the bottom of my heart for taking this responsibility seriously. I fully realize that it is a very challenging task to raise children in this current cultural climate. You do the best you can, recognizing the free will God gave your children, and trusting that the seeds you have planted in the home will bear fruit one day in the faith lives of your children. God bless you, and please know that you are in my prayers!
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