Ranger’s Apprentice Archery Target Cake
This past weekend we celebrated our “Ranger’s”13th birthday! Our boys love all the books written by Australian author John Flanagan and we thought it would be fun to celebrate with a Ranger’s Apprentice themed party this year.
Supplies:
- 2 – 9″ Round Cakes
- Buttercream Frosting (or white frosting of your choice)
- 11 KitKat Candy Bars, Full Size
- Yellow, Red and Blue M&M’s
- Bamboo Skewer, Duct Tape & Scissors (for arrow)
Prepare and bake cakes according to directions. Cool.
To make the top of the cake nice and flat I trimmed the rounded tops off each cake. I placed the first cake on the center of the platter and then turned the second cake over, placing it bottom side up and centering it on the trimmed top of the first cake. Cover the cake with frosting. Since it was going to be covered with candy, I didn’t worry about any crumbs in the frosting.
Celebrating the Saints :: St. Brigid of Ireland
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| Saint Brigid found in Saints: Lives and Illuminations |
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| Have I ever mentioned how much I love Saints for Girls and Saints for Boys? 😉 |
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| by Rose, who just turned 5 |
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| I asked if he could hold his picture so I could take a picture! This is what I got… I love him so much! |
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| Can you tell which one the boys made? #seahawks #patriots #beavers |
St. Brigid of Kildare was well known for her hospitality and generosity inspiring the standard used in the Irish Rule of Hospitality. May we always follow St. Brigid’s example and receive the Christ in the stranger’s guise.
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| Saige was baptized “Brigid” and given a miniature St. Brigid cross as well as Caroline’s Calf, Garnet |
St. Brigid is the patron saint for numerous things including cattle and dairy work. She was said to be the best mead and ale maker in all of Ireland, as well as an excellent cook. One way to celebrate this Abbess from Kildare is to enjoy a steaming bowl of Irish Beef stew… made with Ireland’s own Guinness Draught!
Some of us have been fighting a stomach bug this past week, so I decided to save the stew for next weekend (it ties in perfectly to our birthday theme for Ranger!) and I served Chicken Soup (straight from the pantry! lol) instead. As Mary pointed out, St. Brigid is also the patron of those who raise chickens. Perfect!
I wasn’t sure if they would turn out, but they actually did and the kids loved them! I’ll have to post the directions over at Catholic Cuisine sometime before her feast day next year.
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| Ranger’s LEGO contribution to the decorations for the feast of St. Brigid! |
Sponsor Love: Quarterly Update & Current Specials
I am excited to introduce you to a few new sponsors this quarter. Be sure to keep these great businesses in mind when preparing your homes for Lent and making plans for Easter!
I am also working on two giveaways for this quarter, the first will be included with this year’s Baskets of Books for Easter (similar to last year’s post) and the second will be Easter Basket Stuffers and Gift Ideas with a “basketful” of giveaways from my generous sponsors!
Please welcome my new sponsors by visiting their websites:
Easter at Ephesus
Easter at Ephesus is the latest release from De Montfort Music and AimHigher Recordings, the same people who recently released Christmas in Harvard Square!
The other CDs in the series (Advent at Ephesus, Lent at Ephesus, and Angles and Saints at Ephesus) are favorites in our home and I am looking forward to adding Easter at Ephesus to our collection this year!
Pre-order your copy of Easter at Ephesus over at Amazon.com today!
St. Augustine Academy Press
Last year our children received some books published by St. Augustine Academy Press for Easter and Christmas, and I’m definitely planning on including a few more titles in this year’s Easter baskets! Our latest addition was the amazing new publication by Lisa Bergman, Treasure and Tradition: The Ultimate Guide to the Latin Mass. You can read my husband’s review here.
Audrey EclecticI first ran across Audrey Eclectic last fall and have been admiring Heather’s art ever since. I recently placed an order for one of her original paintings and it is simply gorgeous! In addition to the originals, prints and postcards are also available. I’ve been thinking the postcards would make perfect Easter Basket stuffers for little girls and I have this particular set in mind for one of mine!
Harvey House Publishing {Sponsored Giveaway}
In honor of today’s feast of St. John Bosco, one of author Nancy Carabio Belangers favorite saints, Harvey House Publishing has offered to send TWO of my visitors here at Shower of Roses an autographed copy of The Gate!
For smart-aleck Josh, being a Christian in the eighth grade is completely irrelevant, especially with the temptations that middle school can bring. For him, life is all about playing video games, getting money, and causing trouble. He doesn’t need anybody and he makes his own rules. When his teacher assigns a pen-pal project, Josh meets Pie, a spunky senior citizen with a love of his Catholic faith, Saint John Bosco, and the New York Yankees. But much to Josh’s surprise, Pie creates his own project for Josh, and Josh realizes that God has a plan—even for him.
In this inspiring novel that radiates the dignity of the priesthood and the discovery of God’s calling for each of us, Josh is shocked to find himself fighting hard on a spiritual battlefield, but often for the wrong side. As the friendship with his new mentor deepens, Josh learns that God has more in store for him than he could have ever imagined.
I’ve included the Amazon link above so you can read additional reviews, but The Gate can be ordered directly from Harvey House Publishing with optional inscriptions from the author at no additional charge and FREE standard shipping. Click here to place an order!
New Additions to Our February Book Basket
I’ve been working on filling our book basket with books for February. I love choosing one or two saint books each month to add to our family’s ever growing collection. Here are our new additions for this February:
A Story of Saint Blaise
by Brother Franklin Cullen, C.S.C. (In the Footsteps of the Saints)
Exact reprint of 1958 Dujarie Press printing. This story of Saint Blaise is set in the year 316, during a great persecution of Christians. Always having a strong desire to help others, Saint Blaise became a doctor, then a priest, and later the Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia. Saint Blaise is credited with many miracles, including one where he cured a little boy who was choking on a fishbone. Today, many people attend Mass on February 3rd to receive the Blessing of Saint Blaise on their throats. Reading this story can encourage us to follow in the footsteps of Saint Blaise, whose kindness and love for others enabled him to be a channel of God’s grace to those who asked for his assistance.
Saint Bakhita of Sudan
by Virginia Helen Richards (Comicolor Saints)
also available directly from Pauline
Comicolor Saints are ideal for those who want more than a coloring book. In Saint Bakhita of Sudan, children find themselves drawn into the story of this African woman who was captured as a slave as a young girl. She was sold in the slave trade until she was taken to Italy and became the servant of Mrs. Michieli. She experienced kindness for the first time since she had been stolen from her family. She went to school with the Canossian sisters and eventually became a Catholic and a Canossian sister herself. Children will learn the value of each person, the virtue of hope and the promise of God’s care for us, and the beauty of forgiveness. This coloring book also features cut-out trading cards, activities, and games.
I’m also planning to start reading Their Hearts Are His Garden to my littlest ones this February. We’ve had this beautiful book in our collection since our oldest was a baby. It starts with a sweet little story about God’s Love (Part I: Basic) and even includes a short story about St. Valentine (Part IV: The Saints). We will read the first few parts during the month of February and then continue Part V: The Liturgical Year throughout the year. We have the OOP version from The Neumann Press (and TAN is currently sold out), but it you can find a copy it is definitely worth adding to your own collection!
Their Hearts are His Garden: Stories for Children
A beautiful garden full of stories that children will love, but best of all, stories that will remain forever in their hearts. It is a perfect teaching aid for children from ages 3-8. Separated into five parts—Part I: Basics, Part II: The Way of Virtue, Part III: Mother and Father, Part IV: The Saints, Part V: The Church Year—and with fifty-nine stories or subjects such as Baptism, Birthdays, Patron Saints, God’s Love, The Cross, Heaven, Angels and Guardians, Prayer, Praying, Truth, St. Valentine, The Rosary, Christmas, Easter, etc. In the book’s Introduction we read “. . . It is the problem and the privilege of the religious teacher, whether at home or in the classroom, to foster and sustain in the child habits of thinking and acting as a child of God. . . . Desirable habits in the natural order should be launched under pleasurable circumstances.” Be assured this book qualifies over and over. (Imprimatur 1940).
{pretty, happy, funny, real} :: iPhone Photos
Anne of Green Gables Chocolates {Free Printable}
Supplies:
- 1 bag of Hershey’s Nuggets (I purchased the 18 oz “Family Bag” of Milk Chocolate with Toffee & Almond, wrapped in gold)
- 1-2 sheets of Green Card Stock cut into 2.25″ x 1.5″ cards
- 1/8″ Ribbon or Yarn cut in 2 1/2″ to 3″ lengths
- Scissors and Glue Stick
- Free Printable
Assemble:
- Glue about 1/2″ of the ribbon to the middle of your green paper rectangle.
- Add additional glue to the paper and center the wrapped chocolates on the paper, side by side, over the ribbon.
- Cut out the printed text (from printable or create your own) and fold in half. Cover the back with glue and attach it to the top of the chocolates, sticking the folded center down the middle of the two chocolates, creating the appearance of an open book.
- Take the ribbon and put a little glue in the center of the side facing you. Bring the ribbon over the two pieces of chocolate and place it right down the middle of the open pages. You might need to press the ribbon down gently (with your finger or a paperclip) so it will stick. Let dry completely.
Books for Girls :: A Closer Look at the Bookshelf
Book Review :: Treasure and Tradition: The Ultimate Guide to the Latin Mass
Last month I shared a link to the brand new Treasure and Tradition: The Ultimate Guide to the Latin Mass from St. Augustine Academy Press in my Preparing for Christmas :: Seven Fun Finds for Advent post. My husband and I were each given a review copy before it was released and, since he is much more familiar and knowledgeable about the Traditional Latin Mass (and also such a gifted writer and better able to do this beautiful book justice!), I asked him if he would write the review to share here at Shower of Roses. Thank you, Sean!
Treasure and Tradition: The Ultimate Guide to the Latin Mass by Lisa Bergman
St. Augustine Academy Press, 2014
How do you put to words the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist? How does one explain the source and summit of the Christian life, the most holy and sublime of mysteries? How can anybody describe the liturgical expression that the Universal Church has officially promulgated in the Traditional Latin Mass, now commonly referred to as the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite?
No words can adequately explain the sublime mystery of the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Lisa Bergman’s book Treasure and Tradition attains to man’s ability to put to words an explanation of the Sacred Liturgical Form of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Three words come to mind about the Latin Mass upon exploring it from using this Guide: Illumination, Appreciation, and Admiration.
Illumination. Treasure and Tradition acts as a beacon of light. By definition a beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. Indeed, it must be repeated that the mass is the source and summit of the Christian life. Synthesizing Sacred Scripture, catechetical publications, historical and encyclopedic background, Bergman presents an illuminating and thoroughly researched resource for anyone old enough to read who would benefit to learn about the Roman Catholic Mass. In the book, the left hand pages are devoted to explanations of particular mass parts while the prayers that accompany those parts are included on the right side in both Latin and English. Bergman’s ability to incorporate images of sacred art and architecture reinforces the reader’s appreciation for the Church’s longstanding record of producing the most glorious artistic masterpieces in God’s honor. The images accompany explanations of the parts of the mass. Save for the short Bibliography and Devotionals sections, each and every page contains an illustration of some kind. Practically all of them are in full color. In the Guide, the reader will learn what is referred to as the Ordinaries and Propers of the Mass. The reader will discover, with clarity and conciseness, the different forms of celebrating the Latin Mass, the Ecclesiastical Year, historical background of the mass, its sacrificial nature, and much, much more. The presentation and format is particularly well suited for teens, though adults without question will find the material in this guide exceptional. Children and youth would likewise benefit, as the author walks the reader from the very basic understanding of worship to the most intricate detail. The book truly is a guide – a beacon of light drawing interest to the Mystery of the Eucharist. Like the mass itself, the guide is suitable for illuminating the widest possible reading audience on any level, including newcomers to the mass, non-Catholics, children, the poor, the advanced, and the indifferent.
Appreciation. The Latin Mass, on its own merit, evokes sentiments of gratitude and reverence. Treasure and Tradition dispels the apprehensions that an individual experiencing timidity or those harboring outright hostility may have towards this liturgical expression approved by the Church. Those witnessing a Latin Mass for the first time may first be struck by the silence and orderliness before them in both the sanctuary and the congregation. These characteristics are mere outcomes of a deeper affection: an endearing closeness to our Lord where the congregant both speaks to God from his heart and ardently listens to his tender promptings within him in the silence of the liturgy. The author explains the silence, the chants, and the order and reverence that this mass of the ages embodies. This recalls the third discovered attribute of admiration.
Admiration. Through this book, the reader, whether a non-Catholic, newcomer to the Latin Mass, or experienced devotee will identify and realize a newfound recognition of the mass of the ages. The descriptions included in the Guide that explain the rituals and ceremonies prescribed in the mass reveal that the Church operates by the action of the Holy Spirit. The prayers, rituals and ceremonies weave an intricate thread, tying together the reality of Christ fulfilling the old covenant with the new. The reader, regardless of their denomination or spirituality will gain the understanding that the sacrificial aspect of the mass, both the priest’s and ours, is not only very important, but necessary in our worship of the Almighty.
January Daybook
Outside my window…
The boys were playing hockey in the driveway yesterday afternoon and called the rest of us out to the front porch to watch the sunset. It was gorgeous!
I am thinking…
I didn’t participate in any of the online discussions about the Pope’s recent comments, but I did have a little conversation about them with my husband and our oldest son must have been listening… I couldn’t help laughing as I was reading the final draft of his Five Paragraph Interview Essay yesterday and noticed the simile he chose to include as required by his Student Writing Intensive checklist!
I am thankful…
I am so thankful that our Dentist’s office lets us schedule so many back-to-back appointments! Our schedule was crammed full the past two Tuesdays, but now all the Dental Exams and Cleanings are done for the next 6 months! Only Snuggles needs a follow-up appointment to have one of his baby teeth removed sometime within the next month.
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| From Instagram on Tuesday, January 20th: My mom just called and said she had a little time this afternoon and asked if I needed any help… “Why YES!!!! I do! If you could meet me at the math tutor’s at 1:30, I could then go home with all the little ones and you could take (three of the older children) to their afternoon appointments. The schedule isn’t quite as bad as it was last week, but I’ll make you a list of who needs to be where and when.” #thankyoumom #youarethebest #mydayjustgotsomucheasier |
Learning all the time…
We are nearing the end of our Biology course for this year and will begin Physics next month. Lately we have enjoyed observing our five new little friends who have been growing so incredibly fast! We will transfer them to the Butterfly Garden once they become chrysalides. Next up in our Laboratory Workbooks… Grow-a-Frog!
Celebrating the liturgical year…
The Feast of the Purification, which is also called Candlemas due to the traditional blessing of candles at Mass, is coming up on February 2nd. It is customary to bring candles (at least 51% beeswax) from home to be blessed for devotional purposes. Last year, in addition to the candles we had blessed, I ordered a pair of the Raw Beeswax Candles from Bluecorn Naturals which I LOVE! They burn so nicely and are such a beautiful addition to our dinner table. This year I decided to order some extra beeswax candles in various colors. I think the Eggplant Tapers will be perfect for during Lent, the Red Tapers for Pentecost, and the Moss Tapers for ordinary time! I also need to purchase a couple more pillar candles for creating our 2015 Paschal Candle for Easter and Christ Candle for Christmas.
From the kitchen…
I’ve used my crock pot nearly every day this past week. It has been such a huge help! After posting a picture on Instagram last Thursday I had a couple requests for my mom’s “Chili for a Crowd” recipe. I made some modifications and rather than trying to type it all up in the comments over at Instagram I’m just going to share it here along with my notes.
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (I use 2 lbs)
2 onions, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped (I used 1 bag of Trader Joe’s Melange a Trois – Red, Yellow, & Green Bell Pepper Strips found in the frozen section)
1/2 cup celery, chopped (I omitted the celery)
1 tsp. chopped garlic (I used 2 cubes of the Dorot brand Crushed Garlic from Trader Joe’s)
3 – 16 oz. cans diced tomatoes (I used 2 cans of diced and 1 can of tomato sauce)
3 – 16 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
1 TBS chili powder
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I omitted)
Sauté ground beef, onions, pepper, celery, and garlic. Drain fat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook over medium until it comes to a boil – 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30-40 minutes.
Note: After sautéing I transferred it to my crock pot and stirred in the remaining ingredients. I did this the night before, since I wasn’t going to have time in the morning. The next morning I set it on low for 8 hours and it was ready to eat when we arrived home from piano. The crock pot kept the chili warm for the boys’ second dinner later that night after hockey! 🙂
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| From Instagram on Thursday, January 22nd: It’s so nice to have a little extra help in the kitchen on these busy days… I just walked back in the door and dinner will be ready in 1 minute! Tonight we are having my mom’s “Chili for a Crowd” which happens to be “just enough” for our little family… especially on Hockey nights when the boys all end up eating dinner twice! |
I am working on…
I just finished adding a few posts from 2014 to Links for February :: Month Dedicated to the Holy Family. I can’t believe February is only a week away!
I am creating…
Yesterday, Friday, January 23rd, was the final day of our second quarter. Our school year is officially half over!!! This weekend I’ll be finalizing our plans for the second half of the school year and printing out the children’s checklists for our third quarter.
I am going…
I have some Pirouette Cookies hidden away in the pantry, but I am going to need to pick up some Fudge Stripes Cookies and Mini Marshmallows so the kids can make our Candlemas Cookies with Drip Plates again this year.
I am hoping…
and praying, praying, praying, that we will be able to find a permanent replacement for Father K or better yet that God will work a small miracle and bring the FSSP (the order of priests to which my husband’s three brothers belong) within driving distance. For the past two years Father has been traveling from a neighboring diocese to offer the Extraordinary Form of the Mass at our local parish. In 2013 we were blessed to have the Latin Mass once per quarter and in 2014 the frequency increased to every other month for a total of 10 Masses over the past two years. Unfortunately Father was unable to commit to any Masses in 2015 and we are searching for a replacement. At this time we have a priest who has agreed to make the trip to offer a 7pm Mass on March 1st. It’s a start!
I am praying…
a prayer my sister texted me last month. Thank you little sis!
Eternal, Holy God, I come to you burdened with worries, fears, doubts, and troubles. Calm and quiet me with peace of mind. Empty me of the anxiety that disturbs me, of the concerns that weary my spirit, and weigh heavy on my heart. Loosen my grip on the disappointments and grievances I hold on to so tightly. Release me from the pain of past hurts, of present anger and tension, of future fears. Sometimes it’s too much for me Lord, too many demands and problems, too much sadness, suffering, and stress. Renew me spiritually and emotionally. Give me new strength, hope, and confidence. Prepare me to meet the constant struggles of daily life with a deeper faith and trust in You. Let your love set me free, for peace, for joy, for grace, for life, for others, forever. Amen.
Today I read a short story to my little ones about St. Francis de Sales from our January Book Basket. We have also been reading our review copy of Treasure and Tradition from St. Augustine Academy Press. Review coming soon!
Pondering these words…
from St. Francis de Sales that were quoted at the beginning of Chapter 7 in Momnipotent: The Not-So-Perfect Guide to Catholic Motherhood:
I am listening…
to the girls practicing on the piano. They are loving their piano lessons this year. I am so thankful that we have finally found such an excellent piano teacher within driving distance. She teaches upstairs at a Presbyterian church and the girls will participate in their very first recital next month!
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From Instagram on Thursday, January 22nd:
The girls are having fun enjoying some of the other instruments while waiting for their piano teacher!
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Around the house…
There are always LEGO creations of some sort around our house. This little “King’s Castle” is the boys’ latest!
One of my favorite things…
I love ice skating, though I don’t get to skate nearly as much as I would like. The children were invited to participate in a local field trip to the rink on Friday the 16th, which happened to be my birthday. The five oldest could skate for free and any other family members only cost $5 each so we all decided to go!
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| From Instagram on Friday, January 16th: Oh boy! Her first time ever and my first time in 7-8 (?) years! This should be fun!!! |
Sean was able to take the day off work and we brought along a stroller for Bud. It was my first time skating since 2008 and Rose’s first time ever. We had such a great time!
This week’s plans…
Same as usual… Mass on Sunday. Hockey practice on Monday and Thursday nights. Tutors on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Piano lessons on Thursday afternoon. Hockey games on Saturday morning.
A little peek at my day…
My little cowboy enjoying a boatload of oatmeal!
Isn’t his TUG BOWL Dinner Set adorable?! He loves it! Here is one more picture taken just after he unwrapped it last month on his birthday!
Made with Love :: Chocolate Cake, Strawberries & Thirty-Seven Candles!
I didn’t think the kids were going to have time (after an afternoon spent ice skating!) which is why I made the Mud Pie, but the girls were putting the final touches on a birthday cake when Sean and I arrived home from our dinner date on my birthday last Friday night! They have decorated my birthday cakes the past couple years and apparently it is now “our tradition!”
We already had a couple chocolate cakes in the freezer (extras I had baked last month when I made from Bud’s Farmer Boy Barnyard Birthday Cake, just in case the carrot cake didn’t turn out) but I hadn’t purchased or prepared any supplies for decorating. The girls frosted the cake and creatively decorated it with some strawberry halves along with the leftover chocolate topping and chopped almonds from the Mud Pie. It was such a delicious combination!
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