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{pretty, happy, funny, real} :: Instagram Recap

Apr 8, 2015 | , , , , , | 9 Comments

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life with Like Mother, Like Daughter. ~

{pretty}


{Easter Wednesday} Today is the last day to pre-order and save on The Catholic Daily Planner for August 2015 – July 2016 from Michele Quigley, but I can’t decide which cover to choose this year! Do I pick a new one, or reorder one of my favorites? Decisions, decisions…


{happy}


{Holy Saturday} Filling plastic eggs and Easter baskets while the Paska bakes and the girls finish making Chocolate Nests… That’s what I’m doing now before moving on to the next thing on the list for today! 


{photo taken on Easter Sunday} I tried taking another family picture this Easter using the swing set ladder and my camera’s self-timer… It turned out kind of blurry but at least we got one! Actually most of my Easter pictures turned out blurry for some reason, but I just posted this one {actually the one I posted was a little different} and a few favorites of just our children over on the blog here. Now to sort through the rest of the photos! Happy Easter!


{funny}


{very early Easter Sunday morning} I’m up late hiding Easter baskets (for the first time, inspired by a friend of ours) this year… Hehehe! Now if I can just find seven spots large enough.


{real}


We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee, because by Thy holy cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.


{Good Friday} Our little three year old asked me to carry him around the church so he could look closely at each station, after we finished praying the Stations of the Cross and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. His sweet comments about each one were so precious. It was definitely worth the drive to attend the Good Friday services at the beautiful church where Sean and I were married. We will go back at 3pm for the Veneration of the Cross. 



“If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross. Great patience occurs in two ways: either when one patiently suffers much, or when one suffers things which one is able to avoid and yet does not avoid. Christ endured much on the cross, and did so patiently, because when he suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the slaughter and he did not open his mouth.” ~ St. Thomas Aquinas


“How precious the gift of the cross, how splendid to contemplate! In the cross there is no mingling of good and evil, as in the tree of paradise: it is wholly beautiful to behold and good to taste. The fruit of this tree is not death but life, not darkness but light. This tree does not cast us out of paradise, but opens the way for our return.” ~ St. Theodore the Studite

A Lenten Dinner on Palm Sunday

Apr 8, 2015 | , , , | 9 Comments

It’s hard to believe that it’s been seven years now since our first Lenten Dinner which was originally inspired by Alice’s Lenten Teas. These have definitely become a favorite Lenten tradition in our home.  As our children get older I’ve had to be a little more creative to fit them in our full schedule. This year our Thursdays are especially full with tutors, piano lessons and more, so we moved our usual Holy Thursday Dinner to after Mass on Palm Sunday which worked out nicely. I pulled out a couple books about Palm Sunday (The Donkey and the Golden Light and Little Colt’s Palm Sunday) and set them on the counter. It didn’t take long for someone to pick one up to start reading! I also surprised the little ones with some new Easter Blessing Blocks from Almond Rod Toys. I know I’ve posted about these every year, but we love to look back and see the changes we have made from year to year.

~ Palm on the Road ~

I picked up a jar of Hearts of Palm from Trader Joe’s to include in a salad. 

“And many spread their garments on the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.” Mk. 11:8
~ Costly Oil ~

For dressing we used balsamic vinegar and some “costly oil”. 

“And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” Mk. 14:9

~ Thirty Pieces of Silver ~

Our children gave up candy for Lent this year, but since we ended up having this Lenten Dinner on Sunday they were all excited to enjoy the 30 Chocolate Coins (3-4 each) for dessert. 

“Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I deliver him to you?’ And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.” Mt. 25: 14-15
~ Unleavened Bread ~

Like last year, and to keep it simple for myself, I picked up a package of Naan since my family loves it, although technically it is a leavened bread…  It was perfect to serve with either the Chicken Soup. 

“And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the passover lamb, his disciples said to Him, ‘Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the passover?'” Mk. 14:12
~ The Mount of Olives ~

This year’s Mount of Olives was a couple cans of Black Olives.

“And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Mk. 14:26
~ The Cock Crows Twice ~

I baked a couple chickens and fed my family with them twice! 🙂 
On Saturday I roasted two chickens (along with parsnips and carrots) for dinner… Then on Sunday I used all the remaining meat and the remnants of one of the chickens to make a large pot of Chicken Soup for the Lenten Dinner. (The remnants of the second chicken went into the crock pot to be used for making bone broth.)  
As I mentioned last week, I’ve been on a special autoimmune elimination diet (AIP) which really limits what I can eat, but there was still plenty included in this menu that I could enjoy: Salad (minus the tomatoes) with the Oil and Vinegar, a few Garlic Stuffed Green Olives (I passed on the black olives), and a big bowl of Chicken soup filled with lots of extra veggies (turnips, celery, onions, carrots and leeks). I made sure to fill a smaller pot with some soup for myself (with enough for lunch the next day) before adding noodles for the rest of the family. Yummm! I need to get back to Costco to pick up a couple more Organic Chickens! 

“And Jesus said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.'” Mk. 14:30

~ Gethsemane Figs ~

A box of Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars was an easy addition for the Gethsemane Figs. 

“And they went to a place which was called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here, while I pray.'” Mk. 14:32
~ Sleepy Apostles ~ 
Last year (as suggested by Jennifer Anne) I served Sleepytime Tea after dinner, and I did enjoy some myself this year, but for the rest of the family my husband suggested serving Mochas (or hot cocoa for the little ones) after dinner to “Keep those Sleepy Apostles awake!” I love it!! 

“And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep?  Could you not watch one hour?” Mk. 14:37
~ Judas’ Kiss ~

One Hershey Kiss each to represent Judas’ Kiss. 

“And when he came, he went up to him at once, and said, ‘Master!’ And he kissed him.” Mk. 14:45

~ The Clouds of Heaven ~

We topped the Mochas with whipped cream… 


“And Jesus said, ‘I am; and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.'” Mk. 14:62

~ Peter’s Tears ~

… and sprinkled on a few mini marshmallows for Peter’s Tears.

“And immediately the cock crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept.” Mk. 14:72

The girls set the table and the boys helped prepare the soup and salad. 

I printed off some new little card stock signs, this year on red card stock for Palm Sunday.
 (You can download my document over at Scribd.)  
During dinner my husband read the sermon for the day from Sermons of the Curé of Ars after the children read all the bible verses for each menu item. 

This year our older boys came up with LEGO creations for Holy Week and Easter, instead of the Playmobil scenes they’ve created in the past! I’m hoping to gather all the pictures into one post to share, but here’s a little peek what they were working on for Palm Sunday.

A Special Prayer Request for the Snodgrass Family

Apr 6, 2015 | | 9 Comments

Happy Easter!

I’m a little late in sharing this prayer request, but I wanted to take a moment and ask you all to please join us in praying, once again, for some friends of ours and their newest blessing who was recently diagnosed with Trisomy 13.

You may remember praying and/or donating funds for the Snodgrass family last summer when they lost their precious little Julianna in a tragic accident.

I’ve attached the prayer request and novena below. Thank you and may God bless you all!

+  +  +

Dearest Friends and Family,

As some of you may have heard, Renee and Gabe Snodgrass have been blessed with another pregnancy. Recently they have been informed that this child, Patrick Gabriel, has trisomy 13, a rare chromosomal disorder where the child has an extra chromosome #13. Individuals with this condition have physical and mental disabilities and usually only live for a few days or weeks, if at all. About 5-10% of these children live past the age of one.

We are reaching out to you to ask if you would please join us in a novena to pray for Patrick and the Snodgrass family. We feel called to ask for Blessed Margaret of Castello’s intercession. Blessed Margaret of Castello was born in 1287 to wealthy parents in a small town in Italy. Her parents were so excited to welcome this new life into the world, but when they found out she was hunch-backed, lame, and blind they imprisoned and abandoned her. She totally embraced her disabilities and suffering and trusted the Lord gave them to her for a reason. For her, she saw suffering as her pathway to heaven. Hence, she is often prayed to for healing for the discouraged, sick, unwanted, and abandoned as well as for discerning the will of God.

Her immense faith led to her beatification in 1609. More information about her can be found on the following website: Blessed Margaret of Costello.

We are going to start the attached 9-day novena on EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015
(what a great day to ask for a miracle!) which will conclude on Blessed Margaret’s feast day, April 13th.

Hundreds of healings have been attributed to the intercession of Blessed Margaret of Castello. In order for Blessed Margaret to become canonized as a saint, she needs one more approved miracle. “An approved miracle has to be truly wondrous, incapable of a natural explanation, solely and verifiably entrusted to the saint’s intercession, and accurately documented with all the appropriate medical records and multiple attestations.” Supporting evidence for her canonization thus far are:

  • Girl is cured at Blessed Margaret’s funeral
  • Her body is incorrupt
  • She is declared blessed in 1609
  • She needs one more miracle to be declared a saint

If the Lord wills it, we know, without a doubt, that He can heal Patrick. Let us come together and humbly submit our wills to the Lord to allow Him to be glorified.

Blessed Margaret of Castello Novena
Imploring Blessed Margaret of Castello’s Intercession
Even if my father and mother forsake me; the Lord will take me in.
Ps. 27:10

1st Day
O Blessed Margaret of Castello, in embracing your life just as it was, you gave us an example of resignation to the will of God. In so accepting God’s will, you knew that you would grow in virtue, glorify God, save your own soul and help the souls of your neighbors. Obtain for me the grace to recognize the will of God in all that may happen to me in my life and so resign myself to it. Obtain for me also the special favor which I now ask through your intercession with God.

Let us pray (prayers in bold at the end of this post)

2nd Day
O Blessed Margaret of Castello, in reflecting so deeply upon the sufferings and death of our Crucified Lord, you learned courage and gained the grace to bear your own afflictions. Obtain for me the grace and courage that I so urgently need so as to be able to bear my infirmities and endure my afflictions in union with our suffering Savior. Obtain for me also the special favor which I now ask through your intercession with God.

Let us pray (prayers in bold at the end of this post)

 3rd Day
O Blessed Margaret of Castello, your love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament was intense and enduring. It was here in intimacy with the Divine Presence that you found the spiritual strength to accept sufferings, to be cheerful, patient, and kindly towards others. Obtain for me the grace that I may draw from this same source, as from an inexhaustible font, the strength whereby I may be kind and understanding of everyone despite whatever pain or discomfort may come my way. Obtain for me also the special favor which I now ask through your intercession with God.

Let us pray (prayers in bold at the end of this post)

 4th Day
O Blessed Margaret of Castello, you unceasingly turned to God in prayer with confidence and trust in His fatherly love. It was only through continual prayer that you were enabled to accept your misfortunes, to be serene, patient and at peace. Obtain for me the grace to persevere in my prayer, confident that God will give me the help to carry whatever cross comes into my life. Obtain for me also the special favor which I now ask through your intercession with God.

Let us pray (prayers in bold at the end of this post)

 5th Day
O Blessed Margaret of Castello, in imitation of the Child Jesus, who was subject to Mary and Joseph, you obeyed your father and mother, overlooking their unnatural harshness. Obtain for me that same attitude of obedience toward all those who have legitimate authority over me, most especially toward the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Obtain for me also the special favor which I now ask through your intercession with God.

Let us pray (prayers in bold at the end of this post)

6th Day
Oh Blessed Margaret of Castello, your miseries taught you better than any teacher the weakness and frailty of human nature. Obtain for me the grace to recognize my human limitations and to acknowledge my utter dependence upon God. Acquire for me that abandonment which leaves me completely at the mercy of God to do with me whatsoever He wills. Obtain for me also the special favor which I now ask through your intercession with God.

Let us pray (prayers in bold at the end of this post)

7th Day
O Blessed Margaret of Castello, you could have so easily became discouraged and bitter; but, instead, you fixed your eyes on the suffering Christ and there you learned from Him the redemptive value of suffering: how to offer your pains and aches, in reparation for sin and for the salvation of souls. Obtain for me the grace to learn how to endure my sufferings with patience. Obtain for me also the special favor which I now ask through your intercession with God.

Let us pray (prayers in bold at the end of this post)

8th Day
O Blessed Margaret of Castello, how it must have hurt when your parents abandoned you! Yet you learned from this that all earthly love and affection, even for those who are closest, must be sanctified. And so, despite everything, you continued to love your parents, but now you loved them in God. Obtain for me the grace that I might see all my human loves and affections in their proper perspective…in God and for God. Obtain for me also the special favor which I now ask through your intercession with God.

Let us pray (prayers in bold at the end of this post)

9th Day
O Blessed Margaret of Castello, through your suffering and misfortune, you became sensitive to the sufferings of others. Your heart reached out to everyone in trouble: the sick, the hungry, the dying, prisoners. Obtain for me the grace to recognize Jesus in everyone with whom I come into contact, especially in the poor, the wretched, the unwanted! Obtain for me also the special favor which I now ask through your intercession with God.

Let us pray (prayers in bold at the end of this post)

Prayers for Everyday

O God, by whose will the blessed virgin, Margaret, was blind from birth, that the eyes of her mind, being inwardly enlightened, she might think without ceasing on You alone; be the light of our eyes, that we may be able to flee the shadows of this world, and reach the home of never ending light. We ask this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

 Jesus, Mary, Joseph, glorify your servant blessed Margaret, by granting the favor we so ardently desire. This we ask in humble submission to God’s will, for His honor and glory and the salvation of souls.

 Say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father.

 O my God, I thank you for having given Blessed Margaret of Castello to the world as an example of the degree of holiness that can be attained by anyone who truly loves you, regardless of physical abnormalities. In today’s perverted culture, Margaret would have, most likely, never been born; death through abortion being preferable to life, especially life in an ugly, distorted, twisted body. But your ways are not the world’s ways…and so it was your will that Margaret would be born into the world with just such a malformed body. It is your way that uses our weakness to give testimony to your power. Margaret was born blind, so as to see you more clearly; a cripple, so as to lean on you completely; dwarfed in physical posture, so as to become a giant in the spiritual order; hunched-backed, so as to more perfectly resemble the twisted, crucified body of your Son. Margaret’s whole life was an enactment of the words expressed by Paul: So I shall be happy to make my weaknesses my special boast so that the power of Christ may stay over me and that is why I am content with my weaknesses, and with insults, hardships, persecutions and the agonies I go through for Christ’s sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong. (2 Cor. 12:10).

 I beseech you, O God, to grant, through the intercession of Blessed Margaret of Castello, that all the handicapped…and who among us is not?…all the rejected, all the unwanted of this world may make their weaknesses their own special boast so that your power may stay over them now and forever. Amen. Blessed Margaret of Castello, pray for us!

 3 Our Fathers and 3 Hail Marys

Update August 8, 2015: “All praise and glory be to God for the delivery of Patrick Gabriel Snodgrass today at 5:51 AM. He is 7lb. 5oz. 18.5 in. Please keep him and the whole family in your prayers.”

March Daybook

Apr 1, 2015 | , , , , , , , | 54 Comments

Outside my window…
Hot, cold, sunshine, rain, and even hail. The weather has been all over the place the last few days!

I am thinking…
I mentioned in my February Daybook that I saw my doctor again for more blood work (to check my hormone balance) and a biopsy (on my skin rash). The following Tuesday, March 3rd, I went back to discuss the results…

It’s turns out that the awful rash that I’ve been fighting since just after my miscarriage last June (which was originally diagnosed as poison oak and then, a few months later, as systemic yeast) is actually a skin disease.  (No wonder those three rounds of treatments and the 30-day candida diet I tried didn’t make a difference!) I asked my doctor if there is a cure. She responded “no” and said that it is “autoimmune caused and not contagious.” She then wrote me a prescription for “steroid cream to help manage the pain” and said to come back and see her in three months. I really need to find a new doctor.

I also asked her about my progesterone level and she said “it’s normal.” … Sigh… “Yes… It would be in the normal range (at the very low end) if I was postmenopausal. But for me, at my age and mid-cycle, according to a friend of mine (Ranger’s Godfather, who owns a lab and was able to go over my results for me a couple days earlier thanks to MyChart) it is extremely low.” She looked at the results again and said, “Oh, you’re right…” So frustrating. I’m just so glad I didn’t listen to her last month and insisted on the hormone testing, when she tried to prescribe antidepressants and anxiety medications. I knew that wasn’t what I’ve been needing and that something else hasn’t been right. Now to find that new doctor… I wish we had more options around here.

I am thankful… 
I am so thankful that I at least finally know the cause of this skin rash! After coming home, and wiping away the tears from the shock of my “incurable skin disease”, I started researching ways to improve my symptoms naturally. I ran across some articles online (this one and this one) that gave me hope that I’d be able to put the disease into remission.  I decided to try a 30-Day Autoimmune Protocol Diet. I went grocery shopping with my husband that very night and started the next morning. Today is Day 28!

It’s kind of funny that at the beginning of Lent I mentioned to my husband that I wasn’t going to give up any specific foods this Lent… Ha! I ended up giving up everything! Coffee, Chocolate, Sugar, Grains, Legumes, Dairy, Eggs, Nightshades, Seeds, Nuts, etc. It’s been a challenging four weeks to say the least.

The good news is, other than the cold/flu I caught a couple weeks ago which was definitely a setback, my rash is improving, my moods have stabilized, I’m sleeping well, I have more energy (though still not back to what I use to have), I’ve lost 16 pounds as of today, and am feeling so much better. It’s a start!

Learning all the time…
This school year is passing so quickly!

March 10th – I’m so proud of this girl! She just completed her Saxon 6/5 math book for the school year, which doesn’t end until June 10th… That’s over twelve weeks away, we haven’t even gotten to spring break yet!


The first thing she wanted to do was pull out Math 7/6 to see what’s coming up next! 

Celebrating the liturgical year…
In addition to the Lenten season we also have had some favorite feasts and a birthday to celebrate!

March 13th – As soon as we finish praying our family rosary these two head straight to the Lenten calendar to cover up the square for the day.


March 15th – I had a few kids to make breakfast for this morning! #friendsvisiting #Catholic #lent2015 #laetaresunday #motheringsunday

March 15th – Such a treat to be invited (our whole family and our visiting friends too!) to the Figure Skating Club’s private St. Patrick’s Day Party which included free skating, door prizes and yummy treats… A perfect indoor activity for this rainy day!

March 17th – Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Pure Irish Butter. {You can find the recipe here.}

March 19th – Happy St. Joseph’s Day!  You can see our St. Joseph’s Day Cathedral Cake here. 

March 24th (My husband’s birthday and the traditional feast of St. Gabriel) – Patiently waiting for the birthday boy to get home from work so we can celebrate!

March 25th – I ended up making a quadruple batch of Organic 6-Grain Waffles and served them with Marionberries and Maple Syrup for dinner…. Mmmmm! I didn’t have any but they sure smelled good!


From the kitchen… 
It’s been interesting! When I first read the list of what was not allowed on the Autoimmune Protocol Diet I didn’t think there was any way that I’d be able to survive 30 days… or more! I’ve definitely had to spend a lot more time in the kitchen, but I’ve been able to stick with it!

One of the first things I did was order this cookbook which has been a great source of inspiration. 
I’ve made so many new and delicious recipes including Shrimp and Green Bean Stir-Fry, Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic “Mayo”, Cinnamon-Scented Butternut Squash (I adapted the recipe and added apples), Citrus-Avocado Dressing, and more…

For Sean’s birthday we grilled Tilapia and I made Bacon-Wrapped Pears, Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Bacon, and Curried Cauliflower.

I was even able to make a special desert (Pear-Caramel Pie) for the solemnity feast of St. Joseph! The crust was made from Arrowroot and Coconut Flour and I didn’t really care for it, but the pears tasted amazing!

I am working on… 
still…working on finding ways to improve my health and making time to exercise at least a few days each week… though the exercise had to be put on hold while I was sick.

March 22nd – Tissues, tea, and a day spent in bed… This cold/flu that I’ve been fighting since last week took a turn for the worse and has really knocked me off my feet!

March 23rd – Sipping on broth and watching my little ones “read” to each other. Not exactly what I had originally planned for our first day of spring break, but I’m so grateful that I have a wide open schedule this week (no tutors, hockey, piano lessons, or submission deadlines) and can rest and recover quickly.

I am creating…
a check-list of the things I still need to do this week to prepare for Easter. So much still to do and so little time. I’m going to have to keep it simple this year.

I am going…
to pre-order my new Daily Planner from Michele so I can save 10%.  I use the August-July version.

I am hoping…
to finally complete the Couch 2 5K app! I started at the beginning of February and completed the first 6 weeks on March 15th before having to take a break until my cough was better. Today was my first day back! It was slow going but I managed to complete the next workout challenge!

I am praying…
for some special intentions.

March 14th – It’s been six years today since my grandpa died… These two don’t remember their great-grandpa (our youngest two hadn’t even been born yet) but they have heard wonderful stories and just finished lighting candles while offering prayers for the repose of his soul. Rest in peace Grandpa+

I am reading…
Jesus of Nazareth: The Story of His Life Written for Children by Mother Mary Loyola.  I had to take a break from reading aloud and I’m not sure we will be able to finish it by Easter. It’s such a beautiful book though and I look forward to reading the rest to the children soon!

Pondering these words…
from Divine Intimacy:

“We must not seek the cross in extraordinary sufferings, seldom, if ever encountered; we must look for it in the duties, the life, the difficulties, and the sacrifices of each day and of each moment.”

I am listening…
to Lent at Ephesus.

Around the house…
Decluttering and Spring Cleaning. I didn’t plan on filling 40 bags with stuff to donate this Lent but it sort of happened anyway! The weekend before last we tackled the garage and ended up donating a ficus tree, a bathroom cabinet, a rolling storage shelf, and a few bags of Christmas decorations, plus an area rug (to my sister), 4 old bikes (to the bike store), high-chair (to a thrift shop), 4 old carseats (to the fire department), and 4 bags of trash. Then, this weekend, I managed to fill an additional 20 brown bags with clothes and toys to donate from the bedrooms plus a few more bags of trash. Whew!

One of my favorite things…  
the beautiful Rosary Flip Book from Sacred Art Series. It was one of the gifts I gave my husband for his birthday this year.

This week’s plans…

A little peek at my day…

One of the pictures I took on Sunday while I was preparing this year’s Palm Sunday Lenten Dinner… She’s just like her mother! 😉

Saint Joseph’s Day Cathedral Cake

Apr 1, 2015 | , | 1 Comment

To celebrate the solemnity we baked another cake in our cathedral shaped pan in honor of St. Joseph, patron of the Universal Church! I also had a lovely new Blessing Block of this beloved saint to give to our son who celebrates a nameday on this special feast.

Prayer for Priests to St. Joseph

O illustrious patriarch St. Joseph, who carried the Infant Jesus in thy blessed arms and who, during the space of thirty years, lived in the most intimate familiarity with Him, take under thy powerful protection those whom He has clothed with His authority and honored with with the dignity of His priesthood, whom He has charged to continue His mission, to preach His Gospel, and to dispense everywhere His graces and blessings. Sustain them in their fatigues and labors; console them in their pains; fortify them in their combats; but above all, keep far from them all the evils of sin.

Obtain for them the humility of St. John the Baptist, the faith of St. Peter, the zeal and charity of St. Paul, the purity of St. John and the spirit of prayer and recollection of which thou, my dear Saint, art the model, so that, after having been on earth, the faithful dispensers of the Mysteries of thy foster Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, they may in Heaven receive the recompense promised to pastors according to the Heart of God. Amen.

St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, Pray for Us!

Saint Patrick’s Day

Apr 1, 2015 | | 8 Comments

May God give you…
For every storm, a rainbow,

For every tear, a smile,

For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
Tales from Old Ireland, Fiona’s Lace, St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning, St. Patrick’s Day Alphabet, Patrick: Saint of Ireland, A Child’s Book of Celtic Prayers – All of our St. Patrick Picture Books are listed here. 
A faithful friend to share,
Fiona’s Lace

For every sigh, a sweet song,

Patrick: Saint of Ireland

And an answer for each prayer.
Saint Patrick of Ireland, Ora Pro Nobis! 

{pretty, happy, funny, real} :: Pi Day

Apr 1, 2015 | , , , | 3 Comments

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life with Like Mother, Like Daughter. ~


I’m going to be doing a little catch up today with some pictures from March starting with Pi Day!
{pretty}

March 10th – She was so excited that Grandpa was at his office and we were able to stop by for a visit after dropping the big kids off with their math tutor!

{happy}
March 10th – Our math tutor baked treats for all of her students this week! #PiDay2015
{funny}
“YES!!!” said our fourteen year old to our thirteen year old, “You HAVE to shave today so that someday you can tell your kids ‘On Pi Day 2015 I shaved for the very first time!’ Come on, I’ll show you how!” #howourteenscelebratedpiday #stopgrowingupsofast 
{real}

March 14th, 2015 – He was determined to take the first bite of his piece of pie at exactly 9:26:53! #3point1415 #PiDay2015

The Angel of the Lord declared Unto Mary…

Mar 26, 2015 | , , | 5 Comments

And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary…

Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
Be it done unto me according to Thy Word.
Hail Mary…


And the Word was made Flesh.
And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary…

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Happy Feast of the Annunciation!

A House Divided…

Mar 24, 2015 | , , | 6 Comments

Here is another inspiring sermon, all about the need for unity in our Church, which was recently given by our Archbishop during the 2015 Gregorian Chant conference on March 7, 2015 at the Brigittine Monastery in Amity, Oregon.  

Note: You can view the rest of the photos from this Mass here. The video and photographs were taken and edited by our friend Marc Salvatore and posted with permission. Thank you Marc!

In other news, the Cathedral Parish of the Diocese of Santa Rosa in California is currently raising money for a sanctuary renovation. It looks like it is going to be beautiful! You can find all the details here along with a link to their Go-Fund Me page.


Our Family

Sean & Jessica, Captain-24, Ranger-22, Twinkle Toes-21, Chiquita-19, Snuggles-17, Rose-14, Bud-12, Grace-7 and Joy-5 (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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Shower of Roses Alphabet of Saints

A Papal Unit Study & Lap Book

Shower of Roses Easter Gift Guides



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!

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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-24, Ranger-22, Twinkle Toes-21, Chiquita-19, Snuggles-17, Rose-14, Bud-12, Grace-7 and Joy-5 (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 Pre-reading
All About Reading Giveaways
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Our Advent & Christmas Books

Shower of Roses Christmas Gift Guides

Looking for Something?

looking-back

  • ▼2024 (20)
  • ►2023 (30)
  • ►2022 (48)
  • ►2021 (48)
  • ►2020 (57)
  • ►2019 (61)
  • ►2018 (90)
  • ►2017 (128)
  • ►2016 (148)
  • ►2015 (172)
  • ►2014 (227)
  • ►2013 (238)
  • ►2012 (308)
  • ►2011 (297)
  • ►2010 (313)
  • ►2009 (486)
  • ►2008 (564)
  • ►2007 (148)

Posts About:

Shower of Roses Alphabet of Saints

A Papal Unit Study & Lap Book

Shower of Roses Easter Gift Guides



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!