The Big Girls’ Bedroom {and How We Organize Their American Girl Dolls and Clothes}
“Buttercream is a soft yellow with just enough pink to give it a rosy glow without turning peach. It is a mental, intellectual color promoting creativity, logic and organization. Reminiscent of sunshine, it also encourages hope and optimism.”
The girls dresser is one that I was given. I had it painted and the knobs replaced by the same lady who painted my dining room hutch. The “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” sign reminds me of my Grandmother, who would always sing that song to me as a child, and was purchased from a local boutique when the girls were younger.
Twinkle Toes keeps her American Girl Dolls on top of the dresser along with her doll cradle.
Chiquita keeps her dolls, along with Kaya’s Animals and Josefina’s bed, on top of the short bookcase in between the foot of their bunk bed and the bedroom door.
When I had to give up our little school room to the younger boys last summer (sniff, sniff . . . I’m still recovering from the loss and struggling to find new homes for everything), I moved two of the newer white bookcases to the big girls’ bedroom. The taller bookshelf is filled with quite a few books from my childhood, as well as some of the girls own favorites. The bottom shelf has Magazine Files for all of their Lap Books (both completed and in-progress) as well as three-ring binders that contain their individual Holy Card Collections.
We usually hang a crucifix above each bed, but the girls’ crucifixes are still hanging above the beds in their old room. Using a couple holes that were already in the wall, I “temporarily” hung a crucifix and our Our Lady of Mount Carmel picture (also from the school room) last summer.
Last year I ordered some tiny wooden hangers at the suggestion of a friend (Thank you, Aimee!) and they are just darling!
I ordered a mix of the standard Doll Clothes Hangers and some Doll Clothes Hangers with Clips.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this little tour of their bedroom. Now I have proof that it was actually clean for a couple days! Time to move on and see if we can tackle another room or two in this house before our school year begins. . .
Summer Fun :: Paint By Number
A few years ago the girls were each given a Paint-by-Number Craft Kit for Christmas from one of their uncles. They were a little young for them at the time, but inspired by our most recent Meet-the-Masters lesson on Claude Monet (a favorite from Tract A which I still need to blog about!) they asked if they could try painting the pictures. After a couple late nights and extra early mornings, the girls were able to complete their paintings before their Daddy and older brothers arrived home from summer camp on July 19th. I had no idea that a paint-by-number could turn out so nicely, or that our little artists would enjoy them so much!
Looking Down…
… 110 feet, from the top of a lookout tower. Apparently it doesn’t look like there is much work left to do (at least at the fire complex where my husband has been working – we have smoky skies here at home) and he will be heading home tomorrow!
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| Fire Lookout Tower – Built in 1944 |
St. Michael Cap {Sponsored Giveaway}
Defend us in battle! It’s a prayer and devotion to a very special saint that invigorates souls with that holy fervor for defending the Truth and choosing the Light. Catholic Embroidery’s newest design and ball cap brings the fervor to the field! The St. Michael Sword symbol contains the sword and flames of St. Michael, scales of justice in the hilt, and the Angelic saint’s famous ejaculation, “Quis ut Deus” (Who is like unto God?) in bright white lettering. Available in adult and child sizes.
Adult Cap: High quality 6 panel structured black cap with red sandwich bill and buckle closure. 100% brushed cotton
Child Cap: 6 panel unstructured cap with buckle closure. 100% cotton
Catholic Embroidery is pleased to offer 1 cap to a lucky reader of Shower of Roses in their choice of adult or child size.
And to make sure that everyone has a chance to be a winner and bring St. Michael’s symbol into their home, we’re giving away a FREE St. Michael Handkerchief with every St. Michael Cap order. Just mention “Quis ut Deus” in the note box at checkout to claim this FREE handkerchief!
4th Annual Online Curriculum Sale Blog Hop {August 1-7, 2014}
- Create a blog post with your gently used curriculum (and any other books/items) that you’d like to sell or pass on to another family, with pictures if possible.
- Add a link to your post, referring back to this post, so that others can find the link up.
- Using the linky below, enter the direct link to your post.
- Out of consideration for everyone participating in the Curriculum Sale Blog Hop, please only request items that you intend to purchase and are able to submit payment for promptly, preferably within 24 hours, unless prior arrangements have been made with the person selling the books.
- Sellers please update your posts with “sale pending” or “sold” when possible.
- Purchasers, if you request books from a seller, please don’t leave them hanging and respond to their confirmation email within a reasonable amount of time. If the seller doesn’t hear back from you within 24 hours they may decide to remove the “sale pending” and make the books you requested available to others.
- The linky will remain open from August 1-7, 2014, so be sure to check back for new links! I’ve added a button to the right sidebar of the blog so this post can be found easily.
Our 2014 Used Book Sale {August 1-7, 2014}
It’s time for the 4th Annual Online Curriculum Sale Blog Hop! You can find all the details, browse books for sale on other blogs, or add a link to your own post here.
Most of the books in this post were left over from the last book sale in May. I’ve reduced the prices and added some new books as well. I really don’t have that much to sell this time, but I may be back later to add some more if I get a chance to go through the bookshelves in the bedrooms.
If you are interested in purchasing any of the items in this post, please leave a comment listing the books you would like, along with your email address. (The email address box is now part of the comment form here at Shower of Roses and it won’t be displayed publicly.) I will send you a private email with your total, including shipping, along with my Paypal address.
Shipping will be a flat rate of $4.00 for 1-3 items (if they will fit in a padded envelope) and $7.00 for a box of any size, to help cover the cost of packaging and media rate postage in the United States.
Out of consideration for myself and everyone else participating in the Curriculum Sale Blog Hop, please only request items that you intend to purchase and are able to submit payment for promptly, preferably within 24 hours, unless other arrangements have been made.
Thank you! Note: Most links are affiliate links.
Saxon Math 7/6 ISBN 1565775074, $10.00 (Previous school textbooks, with wear to covers, fourth edition and nearly identical to the Saxon 7/6: Homeschool Edition. Last year my two oldest boys used 7/6 together with tutors, one the hardcover and one the softcover.)
Asking $10 each (3 1 available at $10)
We Follow Jesus: Image of God Series 4, very good, some wear to cover $1.00 (sold)
Jesus our Guide Activity Book (not pictured) ISBN 9780898708974 Revised Edition, $4.00 (sold)
Alpha-Phonics: A Primer for Beginning Readers (Very Good Condition) and Alpha-Phonics Companion Workbook (Like New) – Purchase the set for $15.00 (sold)
To Grow By Storybook Readers Series A, Books 1-9 plus Activity Book, $20.00 for set OBO(for use with Play n’ Talk or as reinforcement of any reading program) (sold)
To Grow By Storybook Readers Series B, Books 10-18 plus Activity Book, $20.00 for set OBO(for use with Play n’ Talk or as reinforcement of any reading program) (sold)
The Universe in my Hands with Dividers, Asking $20.00 OBO
Humility of Heart, older version of this, binding loose on one end, FREE for postage
Purgatory Explained, $1.00 (sold)
Christs Appeal for Love, $1.00
The Saints Show Us Christ, paperback, shelf wear, $2.50
The Last Things, paperback, $2.50
A Man for All Seasons: A Play in Two Acts, $2.50
St. Margaret Clitherow – “The Pearl of York”, $2.00 (sold)
The Divine Life of the Most Holy Virgin, $5.00
Mom to Mom, Day to Day, like new, $3.00 (sold)
All About the Angels, $2.00 (sold)
A Pilgrim’s Journey: The Autobiography of St. Ignatius of Loyola, $4.00 (sold)
Dollfuss: An Austrian Patriot, $5.00
Secrets of the Eucharist, $1.00 (sld)
How Christ Changed the World, highlighting throughout, FREE for postage
Angels (and Demons): What do we really know about them? $2.00 (sold)
The Angels: The Catholic Teaching on the Angels, $2.00 (sold)
Christ and His Sacraments, 1958, ex-library, binding cracking, wear to cover with age, $2.00 (sold)
A Short Life of Christ, 1952, $5.00
The Black Arrow, $2.00
The West Point Story, copyright 1956, ex-library, $2.00 (sold)
Pampered Chef Cookbooks/Recipes: Classics; Light & Simple; Great Grilling; Soups, Stews & Chilis – $3.00 for all four (sold)
Christmas Drinks, $1.00 (sold)
Sponsor Love: Quarterly Update & Current Specials
Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to all of my new (and returning!) sponsors here at Shower of Roses. The new school year is right around the corner and many of my sponsors are offering some great back to school specials! You can find the links and coupon codes listed below.
Please welcome my new sponsors by visiting their websites:
Ave Maria University
About one-third of students at Ave Maria University were homeschooled all the way through high school. In fact, many of our most successful students come from a home education background. Homeschool students love Ave Maria because they find the rigor of academics challenging, engaging, and truly useful. Parents appreciate that the moral climate on our campus respects and supports the values which they have instilled at home. Our pro-family culture is welcoming, and it’s not uncommon for siblings to attend university side by side or one after another. We are proudly Catholic, rooted in our faith, and open to engagement with the world. We believe very strongly that students must grow virtue in freedom and our job is to create an environment that encourages the flourishing of faith and a spiritual, emotional and social maturity that will last a lifetime.
Christ 101
The Christ 101 program is the first complete, full-blown, semester long, multimedia course specifically made to address the problem of using reason and evidence to establish the truth of Christianity. Made by a homeschooler with other homeschoolers in mind, Christ 101 helps teens and adults intelligently articulate a reasonable defense of Christianity in opposition to skeptics and atheists. The course comes with 28 video lessons and a manual, and teaches students things like why religion is important, what faith really is, how there can be a true religion, why the Gospels should be taken as historically reliable, why there are good reasons to think Jesus was in fact the divine being he claimed to be, and why an act of Christian faith is, at the end of the day, more rational than to not believe. Combining entertaining video lessons and helpful graphics with academically solid information, Christ 101 is the perfect choice for parents who want to make sure the faith of their children is as solid as it can be.
Harvey House Publishing
The mission of Harvey House Publishing is to provide exceptional reading for children that celebrates the Catholic Faith, modesty, the gift of life, and a wholesome childhood. All reading material is faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church.The pre-teen/early teen novel, The Gate, won first place for Best Novel at the Catholic Press Association Book Awards in June. The Gate is Nancy Carabio Belanger’s latest and third award-winning novel for Catholic ‘tweens. The Gate tells the story of a struggling thirteen-year-old boy who discovers God’s calling for him and his life as a young Catholic. The novel also celebrates the dignity of the priesthood. The Gate has been endorsed by Fr. Brett Brannen of the Archdiocese of Savannah, GA, author of To Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide to Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan Priesthood.
Nancy is also the author of Olivia and the Little Way and its pro-life sequel, Olivia’s Gift. Since 2008, she has been visiting Catholic schools, homeschooling groups, and book clubs to talk about writing, the lives of the saints, and to encourage children not only to live their Catholic faith to the fullest, but to love and cherish it, too. Free discussion guides are available for all three books.
Behold Publications, LLC
Behold Publications, LLC is more than just a publisher! Family owned and operated since its founding in 1999, we have developed great Catholic clubs like the Little Flowers Girls’ Club and Blue Knights Catholic Boys’ Clubs for Catholic girls and boys ages 5 and up. What makes these clubs unique is that they are at their core faithfully Catholic. We don’t “tack on” Catholic identity as other clubs might, but begin and end with a Catholic world view. We also believe that local clubs best operate the way they see fit, so there is no national organization, policies, registration or dues. Groups can easily adjust the program to fit their local needs. Behold Publications also produce a line of historical fiction based on American history and American saints for ages 7-15.
Please visit my returning sponsors:
Holy Heroes offers great back-to-school resources, such as our Life of Jesus (Rosary) Coloring books, Glory Stories, and DIY VBS!
Prayer Pillowcases offers such beautiful products! Our children love all their Prayer Pillowcases and you can see our teenage son heading home from summer camp with his here.
Catholic Embroidery is now offering a new line of rosaries handmade by a Benedictine Monk! They are pleased to carry three styles and are offering them as sets too, with our embroidered rosary cases including the beautiful Divine Mercy Rosary/Chaplet with the matching Divine Mercy Tapestry Pouch. Coupon Code: MONK in the checkout coupon box will give FREE SHIPPING to all orders $25 or more until August 2nd.
Mama’s Notebooks is offering 10% OFF ALL PRODUCTS for the Month of August!
Jesse Tree Treasures creates beautiful handcrafted gifts for the liturgical seasons. Now is a perfect time to order a Custom Set of Jesse Tree Ornaments to use with your family this upcoming Advent!
Gail Giron Designs is currently away at a trade show until August 3rd, but she’ll be open again soon and will be listing many lovely new items in her shop!
Catholic Child is the perfect place to find inspiring gifts for Catholic youth – from toddlers to teens!
Holy Heroes is currently offering a free copy of Glory Stories CD vol 1: The Story of Blessed Imelda Lambertini & The Story of St. Juan Diego. You can order the FREE CD here.
Sacred Heart Books & Gifts is offering one more round of FREE SHIPPING before the school year starts! All orders totaling $40.00 or more placed between Friday, August 1st, and Monday, August 4th, will not be charged a shipping fee with coupon code JMJ595.
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Holy Learning knows that August and the back to school time is costly for most families. For the month of August Lindy is offering 50% off all orders with the code “backtoschool“. All products qualify. This is the perfect opportunity to stock up on curriculum supplements or try just one item if you’ve never created a lapbook before!
Sew Sweet by Shannon offers a wide variety of handmade accessories and clothing for children.
Catholic Cuisine offers beautiful embroidered aprons for sale, shipped directly from Catholic Embroidery. You can find all the Catholic Aprons available here, including my favorite “Living the Little Way” apron in honor of St. Therese!
Feasts & Seasons :: Our August Book Basket
At the beginning of each month I fill a basket with books featuring the the various saints whose feast days will be celebrated during the month and place it in the living room. Throughout the month I will find the children curled up on the couch reading books they have chosen from the basket, either on their own or to their younger siblings. I also choose books from the basket for some of our afternoon family read-alouds. Our collection started very small and we have continued adding additional books over the years which we have either purchased or have been given as gifts. Some are picture books, some are chapter books, and some are collections of saint stories. This post is a work in progress and I will continue adding links as I sort through our collection.
August 2nd, Our Lady of the Angels (Hist.):
- Juanita and Our Lady of the Angels by Elizabeth Loch
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| Juanita and Our Lady of the Angels by Elizabeth Loch |
August 4th, St. John Vianney (New) (Trad. – Aug. 8th ):
- A Story of Saint John Vianney by Brother Ernest (Neumann Press – also available from TAN)
- John Mary Vianney: The Holy Cure of Ars by Sophie de Mullenheim
- Saint John Vianney: A Priest for all People by Elizabeth Marie DeDomenic
- The Cure Of Ars: The Story of St. John Vianney Patron Saint of Parish Priests by Mary Fabyan Windeatt
- The Cure of Ars, the Priest who Out-Talked the Devil (Vision) by Milton Lomask
- Sermons of the Cure of Ars is simply amazing! My husband will sometimes read sermons from this book during dinner, and in the past I have found so much encouragement and inspiration from this book.
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| John Mary Vianney: The Holy Cure of Ars – I just love all our books in The Life of a Saint series from Ignatius, which also includes Therese, Bernadette, and Francis! |
August 8th, St. Dominic (New) (Trad. – Aug. 4th ):
- Saint Dominic (More Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
- Saint Dominic (Saints for Boys) by Alma Savage (Neumann Press – also available from TAN)
- D – St. Dominic (An Alphabet of Saints) by Robert Hugh Benson (Neumann Press – also available from TAN)
- St. Dominic and the Rosary (Vision) by Catherine Beebe
- St. Dominic: Preacher of the Rosary and Founder of the Dominican Order by Mary Fabyan Windeatt
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| Saint Dominic from Saints for Boys |
August 8th, St. Hormisdas:
- St. Hormisdas and the Camels (Brother Wolf, Sister Sparrow) by Eric A. Kimmel
August 9th, St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein):
- St. Edith Stein: Blessed by the Cross (Encounter the Saints Series)
August 10th, St. Lawrence (New, Trad.):
- A Story of Saint Lawrence by Brother Lawrence Emge (Neumann Press – also available from TAN)
- Saint Lawrence (Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
August 11th, St. Philomena (Historical):
August 11th, St. Clare of Assisi (New) (Trad. – Aug. 12th ):
- Saint Clare (More Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
- Francis and Clare, Saints of Assisi by Helen Walker Homan (Vision)
- Clare and Francis by Guido Visconti
- A Story of St. Clare by Brother Ernest (In the Footsteps of the Saints)
- A Sparrow in God’s Hand: The Story of St. Clare (Glory Stories: Volume VII) available from Holy Heroes
- A Light Unto the World – St. Clare of Assisi (Audio)
August 11th, St. Xystus:
- X- St. Xystus (An Alphabet of Saints) by Robert Hugh Benson (Neumann Press – also available from TAN)
- St. Maximilian Kolbe: The Story of Two Crowns by Claire Jordan Mohan
- Saint Maximilian Kolbe: Mary’s Knight by Patricia Edward Jablonski, FSP
- St. Maximilian Kolbe (Lives of the Saints: An Illustrated History for Children) by Bart Tesoriero
- Saint Maximilian Kolbe (More Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
- The Knight and Our Lady!: The Story of Saint Maximilian Kolbe (Glory Stories: Volume X) available from Holy Heroes
August 15th, St. Tarcisius (Hist.):
- Saint Tarcisius by Mary R. Berardi (Whenever I hear St. Tarcisius mentioned, this beautiful book from my childhood comes to mind. My mom gave me this copy, along with the book about St. Agnes, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with our children.)
August 15th, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven (New, Trad.):
- The Story of Mary: Our Mother (also available from Sacred Heart Books & Gifts)
- My First Pictures of Mary
- See Our May Book Basket for additional books about the Blessed Virgin Mary
August 16th, St. Roch (Hist.):
- Saint Roch and the Dog (Legends of Saints and Beasts) by Ann Marie Jauss
- St. Roch (Lives of the Saints: An Illustrated History for Children) by Bart Tesoriero
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| Saint Roch and the Dog from Legends of Saints and Beasts |
August 17th, St. Hyacinth (Trad.):
- Hyacinth (More Once Upon a Time Saints) by Ethel Pochocki
- St. Hyacinth Of Poland by Mary Fabyan Windeatt
August 18th, St. Helena (Trad./some places):
- Saint Constantine & Saint Helen (Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
- H- St. Helen (An Alphabet of Saints) by Robert Hugh Benson (Neumann Press – also available from TAN)
- Saint Helena (Saints for Girls) by Eve Rouke (Neumann Press – also available from TAN)
- The Queen and the Cross: The Story of St. Helen by Cornelia Mary Bilinsky
- St. Helena and the True Cross by by Louis de Wohl
- The Living Wood: Saint Helena and the Emperor Constantine by Louis de Wohl
- In This Sign You Shall Conquer (The Story of Constantine and St. Helena) Audio CD
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| Saint Helena from Saints for Girls |
August 20th, St Bernard of Clairvaux (New, Trad.):
- Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (More Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
August 21st, St. Our Lady of Knock (Hist.):
- Our Lady of Knock (Around the Year Once Upon a Time Saints) by Ethel Pochocki
August 21st, St. Pius X (New) (Trad. – Sep. 3rd):
- St. Pius X, the Farm Boy who became Pope (Vision) by Walter Diethelm
August 22nd, The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (New) (Trad. – May 31st) and Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Trad) (New – Saturday following 2nd Sunday after Pentecost):
- The Immaculate Heart of Mary (Mondays With Mary) by Meredith Henning
- The Catholic Child and the Blessed Virgin (with pictures, prayers, and links)
- The Immaculate Heart of Mary (A Holy Card Prayer Book Volume I & II)
- See Our May Book Basket for additional books about the Blessed Virgin Mary
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| Vintage 1960 edition of Jesus, Make Me Worthy |
August 23rd, St. Rose of Lima (New) (Trad. – Aug. 30th):
- St. Rose of Lima by Mary Fabyan Windeatt
- St. Rose of Lima (Saints and Angels) by Claire Llewellyn
- St. Rose of Lima (Lives of the Saints: An Illustrated History for Children) by Bart Tesoriero
- Saint Rose of Lima (More Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
- Knock and it will be Opened to You!: The Story of Saint Rose of Lima (Glory Stories: Vol X) available from Holy Heroes
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| St. Rose of Lima from Lives of the Saints: An Illustrated History for Children |
August 24th, St. Bartholomew (New, Trad.):
- Bartholomew (The Twelve Apostles) by Marianna Meyer
August 25th, St. Louis IX of France (New, Trad.):
- St. Louis IX: Saint and King (The Book of Saints and Heroes) by Andrew Lang
- L- St. Louis (An Alphabet of Saints) by Robert Hugh Benson (Neumann Press – also available from TAN)
- St. Louis and the Last Crusade by Margaret Ann Hubbard
- The Boyhood of Louis IX (The Golden Legend of Saints)
August 26th, Our Lady of Czestochowa (Hist.):
- Our Lady of Czestochowa (Around the Year Once Upon a Time Saints) by Ethel Pochocki
August 27th, St. Monica (New) (Trad. – May 4th):
- Saint Monica & Saint Augustine (Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
- St. Augustine: From Saint to Sinner (The Book of Saints and Heroes) by Andrew Lang
- The Restless Flame: A Novel about Saint Augustine by Louis de Wohl
- The Power of Prayer (The Story of St. Monica and St. Augustine) Audio CD
August 28th, St. Moses the Black:
- Moses the Black (More Once Upon a Time Saints) by Ethel Pochocki
- Saint Moses (Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
August 28th, St. Augustine (New, Trad.)
- St. Augustine (Saints and Angels) by Claire Llewellyn
- St. Augustine (Lives of the Saints: An Illustrated History for Children) by Bart Tesoriero
- Saint Monica & Saint Augustine (Saints: Lives and Illuminations) by Ruth Sanderson
- The Restless Flame: A Novel about Saint Augustine by Louis de Wohl
- The Power of Prayer (The Story of St. Monica and St. Augustine) Audio CD
August 29th, The Passion (Beheading) of St. John the Baptist (New, Trad.):
- Beheading of John the Baptist (Lives and Legends of Saints) by Carole Armstrong
August 30th, Sts. Felix and Adauctus (Trad.):
- Adauctus (More Once Upon a Time Saints) by Ethel Pochocki
August 30th – St. Rose of Lima (Trad.)
(See Aug. 23rd)
Other Links for August:
My Daybook :: July 28, 2014
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| A beautiful picture my husband took and emailed me recently while working “In the Woods” |
Fire season is in full force in our area. Sean spent Saturday on an engine, and then left early yesterday morning for a wildfire assignment in Central Oregon. Today he called to say hello (and that he was still alive!) following a morning spent strapped and harnessed into an open helicopter, flying over the fire searching for hotspots with his infrared detector. Fun! :/
I am thinking…
that my husband sure hasn’t been home much this month! Between long work days, his eight-day trip to Idaho with the older boys, and now this fire assignment, he will have had a total of three days home all month – the weekend of our Latin Mass on the 5th-6th, and last Sunday, which was our oldest son’s 14th birthday. It’s “survival mode” for me.
I am thankful…
for the outpouring of kindness, generosity, and support that has been shown to our friends. Deo Gratias! Our local newspaper had an article about the success of the fundraiser on the front page of the Sunday paper. Thank you all for your help, prayers, and generosity! Please continue to keep the Snodgrass family in your prayers.
Learning all the time…
We are getting closer to completing the Saints Joachim & Anne Lap Books we’ve been working on this month, but a few of the children still have some pictures to add once a replacement ink cartridge for my printer arrives. I ran out! 🙂
Celebrating the liturgical year…
I wanted to bake the Bacon and Chocolate madeleines in We Love Madeleines for the feast of St. James, which is our oldest son’s a certain bacon lover’s name day. . .
… but July 25th fell on a Friday this year, so I opted for the (meatless, but not at all penitential) Chocolate-Hazelnut recipe instead. I think I’ll bake the Bacon and Chocolate madeleines for his baptismal anniversary on July 31st!
From the kitchen…
I also made an Anna Torte (Gateau Sainte-Anne) for the feast of St. Anne on July 26th, adapting the recipe from Cooking with the Saints. I’ll have to post both of these recipes over at Catholic Cuisine soon, or at least schedule the posts for next July.
I am creating…
interesting meals from the random ingredients in the freezer and pantry. Must grocery shop soon…
I am going…
to be staying home most of this week, but I did add a new St. Therese Glass Tile to my key chain which I recently ordered from Bridgie & Green. I love it!
I am hoping…
to take the older boys to meet their new cousin. They were away at summer camp when she was born.
I am praying…
… for the Snodgrass family.
… for the repose of the soul of Sarah Harkins, The Clay Rosary Girl, who passed away following her baby Cecilia in the womb, and for her family and friends. May she rest in peace+
… for Christine who recently miscarried her baby, and all other mothers who are currently suffering following the loss of a child.
… for my husband’s safety while he is away fighting wildfires.
… a novena with my husband, to St. Rita “Helper of the Hopeless,” for a special intention for our family. God’s will be done.
I am reading…
Blessed are they that Mourn by Mother Mary Loyola. Such a beautiful, beautiful book, filled with encouraging and comforting words that I’ve really needed to hear this past month.
I’ve also been skimming through Legends and Stories of Italy by Amy Steedman, which I ordered at the same time as Blessed are they that Mourn (My goal is to eventually purchase all the books re-published by St. Augustine Academy Press! They are all excellent!) I’m trying to decide whether I should just go ahead and start reading this with the children now as our next read aloud, or if I can wait and save it as a Christmas gift for one of the girls. I’ll probably wait… and read it myself in the meantime! 😉
Pondering these words…
from Mother Mary Loyola in Blessed are they that Mourn:
I am listening…
to The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow. The boys pulled out their audio version of the book to listen to once again while organizing their bedroom.
Around the house…
we are all working on deep cleaning the bedrooms this week. I promised the children a surprise outing if we can get through them all and fill up the back of the van with items to donate. Probably not the best goal to set while in “survival mode” but I just can’t put it off any longer.
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| Random picture from earlier this month. |
the precious pocket rosary which Jennifer Anne sent me following my miscarriage last month. I haven’t added my little baby’s picture to it yet, but will soon. Thank you sweet friend!
This week’s plans…
I’ll be hosting another Online Curriculum Sale Blog Hop from August 1st-7th, so be sure to get your books and posts ready to go!
A little peek at my day…
Saints Joachim & Anne Faith Folder
The feast of Saints Joachim & Anne is coming up on July 26th! I’ve mentioned that we (four of the younger children) are currently working on creating the Saints Joachim & Anne Faith Folders (aka Lap Books) from Holy Learning. We haven’t quite completed them yet, but I do have some pictures of Rose’s Lap Book to share with you all today!
Rose and I decided to make a Double Lap Book, using two pastel green file folders, so that she would have extra space for a coloring page/pocket on the back to store the paper dolls she colored. We had so much fun making it together and especially loved looking through all our photos to find pictures of her with her grandparents for the covers of the “Grandparent Interview” booklets. (We still need to do the actual interviews which should be a lot of fun too!) We also printed wedding pictures of her parents, grandparents, and great grandparents for the “My Family Tree” page!
Right Flap:
- “Saints Joachim and Anne” Graduated Pages Book
- “Prayers to Saints Joachim and Anne” Pocket Book Set
Center:
- “Immaculate Conception” Open the Doors Book
- “Family Life” Venn Diagram
- “The Presentation of Mary to the Temple” Pentagon Book
- “Raising the Mother of God” Square Petal Book
Left Flap:
- “Saints Joachim and Anne The Grandparents of Jesus” Simple Square Book
- “Learning from My Grandparents” Heart Shape Book
- “Learning from My Parents” Quilt Block Book
Right Flap:
- “Grandparent Interview” Book Set
Center:
- “My Family Tree”
Left Flap:
- “Grandparent Interview” Book Set
- “My Grandparents” Frame (pictured below)
- St. Anne Coloring Page from Waltzing Matilda
- Saint Joachim, Saint Anne, and Mary as a Little Girl Paper Dolls from Paper Dali
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