{pretty, happy, funny, real} :: From My iPhone

by | Aug 29, 2013 | , , | 7 Comments

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life. ~
{pretty}
We will be celebrating a 10th birthday tomorrow!  I haven’t had much time to prepare, other than placing a couple online orders for gifts for the birthday girl, but after rounding up a few things yesterday afternoon and a quick trip to the store I am hopeful that the “Caroline” party will come together.  Now to start baking and decorating a cake… 
{happy}

After trying quite a few samples, including some salmon/terra cotta-ish reds and a couple tans, I finally settled on the Cleveland Green.  I didn’t like it at first (with just a sample size spot on the wall), but ended up deciding it was the best of all the options.  Once I got the full wall painted I LOVED it!  It looks a little darker than the picture at some times of day, but even then it is beautiful. (The picture really doesn’t do the color justice.) I still have to touch up the edges and paint along the ceiling, once I can borrow a taller ladder from my dad, but that will have to wait for now… 
{funny}

Pizza, anyone?!  I had to use up that last gift certificate that Sean won at Vegas in the Valley by the end of the month.  Between the gift certificate and our Papa John’s App Rewards/coupon code our total was only $4.05 for 3 large pizzas, 2 boxes of garlic parmesan breadsticks, a box of chicken poppers and a 2-liter of soda.  The older boys were very excited – and all that pizza didn’t last very long!

{real}

From Instagram/Facebook last Sunday:  I couldn’t help but smile during Mass this evening (after nearly missing due to one more little cross- aka trouble walking/pinched nerve in my back) when I looked up and realized I was kneeling right next to the fifth station. I immediately recalled the encouragement from a dear friend this past week who said “Look ’em in the eyes (my crosses-we all have them!) and carry them even more resolutely now! Or Jesus will soon send you a Simon of Cyrene for a while;)” I think I’m about ready for Simon to show up… or at least another Advil! 🙂

I’m feeling much better this week.  Well, I can walk at least, and I haven’t been moving any more furniture.  I don’t know what I was thinking last Friday/Saturday when I decided, after a way too busy and emotional week, that I might as well give the schoolroom to Snuggles and Bud now, before our new school year begins.    It started with moving the crib out of the girls new room, and taking the toddler bed to Rose’s new room, which meant I needed to take down down one of the big girls old beds to make room for the toddler bed.  Then my desk (from the school room) was moved to my room.  The single bed in the boys room was taken apart to set up in the schoolroom (until we can purchase a bunk for the little boys, after Bud is a little safer around ladders). The two white desks from the schoolroom went to the older boys room, under the window where the single bed was before. The changing table/dresser (from Rose & Bud’s old room) went to the school room.  Then I reset up the twin bed and crib (as a toddler bed) in the school room for Snuggles and Bud.  Oh, I forgot the bookcases! A small wooden bookcase went from the big boys room to the little boys new room, and two of the white bookcases from the school room went to the big girls bedroom.   The stacking shelves went out to the dining area (our official new “school room”).  Yep, I was a little busy and pushed myself (with the help of our oldest boys) a little too hard.  I somehow managed to pinch a nerve and could barely walk by Saturday night.  I am still trying to find homes for some of the stuff that had been stored in the schoolroom, which is stacked and lining my hallway at the moment.   It is going to be a huge adjustment for me, not having that room anymore (it had started to function as more of an office/storage room for me), but we will make it work. 

The little boys are loving their new room and sharing it with each other.  The first night they slept in their new bedroom we walked by to see Snuggles standing over Bud.  Sean asked him what he was doing out of bed and he replied, “I just wanted to make sure “Bud” was covered up!” So sweet!
I’ll be back in a bit with our curriculum plans for this coming school year!

Visit Like Mother, Like Daughter for more pictures of contentment.

“C” is for Cookies, Corn, Cowboys, and The Church!

by | Aug 28, 2013 | , | 9 Comments

Cocoa and Constellations on Columbus Day, Catastrophes, Canonizations, Costume Parties, Costume Contests, Corn Maze Confusion, Carving Celtic Crosses, Crowded Celebrations (with more Costumes), and the Cemetery…  It’s been crazy around here Along the Alphabet Path but we finally completed the letter C!

…………..

I wrote the above and started this post back in November… Months later, right when we were about to Continue it was time for a Conclave!  After that we just Didn’t get much Done Along the Alphabet Path for the Duration of the school year.  We are hoping to continue this fall…
In the meantime here is what we Completed for Cc!

.: Letter Introduction & Formation :. 
“C” is the happy letter!  Start at the top and circle around, but don’t close it up! This is the happy cookie because somebody took a big bite!  /c/, /c/, cookie. – Primary Arts of Language: Reading


 Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Cat drinking Cream

 Snuggles colored this picture from My Book of Letters last school year…

I pulled out the rest of the activity pages for the letter C…

He sounded out the names of four pictures and figured out which three began with the sound “c.”  He also made the letter C with Wikki Sticks and our Wooden Letter Pieces.

We also read Cowboy ABC and B is for Buckaroo: A Cowboy Alphabet
(while wearing Cute new “Cowboy Clothes of  Course!”) 

.: A, B… Seas & Storybook Science :.


A, B… Seas Ocean Box :: C is for Clownfish
For the letter C Snuggles crafted a clownfish for his Ocean Box.
(The Ocean Box is one of the things we aren’t planning on continuing for the rest of the Alphabet since we are adding in a complete Science Course for Chemistry and Biology this coming year.  We will continue the coloring book and Apples, Bubbles and Crystals Science)

C is for Clingfish

C is for Crystals :: Crystal Creations

The suggested experiment in Apples, Bubbles and Crystals: Your Science ABCs was all about Crystals.

C is for Color

C is for Corn

Corn is Maize by Aliki
Corn by Gail Gibbons
The Popcorn Book by Tomie dePaola

We also went on a field trip to the Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze…

… and Choose pumpkins to Carve

Crazy Cowboy!

.: Arts, Crafts & Additional Activities :. 

Create a Car 

For the letter “C” I pulled out this little lego set for Snuggles to Create a Car!




.: My Catholic Faith :.

 C is for Church
C is for Church 
Christ’s dwelling place here
I will visit Him, talk to Him 
feel Him draw near.
Show Compassion

Show Compassion is the theme for this week’s Writing ABC’s on Little Hearts by Pondered In My Heart. Snuggles colored the picture and added it to his book.

C is for Chalice

C is for Christ Child

Continuing Snuggles’ Bible Narrations and Picture Study for this year…    We read about the Christ Child from Classic Bible Stories: A Family Treasury.   After I read the story to Snuggles’ he narrated it back to me and then illustrated a page in his book based on the picture provided.

C is for St. Christopher

I converted the image from Picture Book of Saints into a Pencil Sketch and added text:

In addition to reading about St. Cecilia (An Alphabet of Catholic Saints), St. Christopher (An Alphabet of Saints), and St. Charles Borromeo & St. Catherine of Siena (S is for Saints)  we also read a few picture books about these saints:

Saint Clare of Assisi (Glory Stories)

.: A to Z Recipes :.

Cheesiest-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

We made Cheesiest-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese
 from My A to Z Recipe Box: An Alphabet of Recipes for Kids.

Cut out Cookies
Cloud, Car, Crown, Church, Cat, Cupcake, and Cross all Coincidentally begin Commence with C! 

Indian Corn Cookies

… to Celebrate St. Kateri’s Canonization!  I posted the directions here. 

Well that is finally Done!   I do plan to simplify for the rest of the Alphabet, if I hope to complete the Alphabet Path before Snuggles graduates high school! 😉 

A Few Memories and a Childhood Treasure

by | Aug 28, 2013 | , | 8 Comments

“If you dear little girls would only learn what real beauty is, and not pinch and starve and bleach yourselves out so, you’d save an immense deal of time and money and pain. A happy soul in a healthy body makes the best sort of beauty for man or woman.” ― Louisa May Alcott, Eight Cousins
My absolute favorite thing to do as a child was read.  As the oldest of twelve children life was always busy, but I’d often sneak away and hide under my bed or in the closet with a flashlight and a book.  At one point I even remember intentionally trying to make my mom mad (soooo naughty of me!) so she would send me to my room just so I could spend more time reading.  This quickly ended one afternoon when I said something that resulted in a “Go to your room!” from my mom who then told my sister Jennifer to take over the dishes I was washing.  Jenny responded “That’s not fair! She wants you to send her to her room so she can read!” From then on my “punishments” were changed to additional chores, usually mopping the wood floors…
Earlier today I took a break from chores and lesson planning and was looking through some of my old treasures – favorite books from my childhood – trying to choose a few to share with our oldest daughter this coming school year.   Now that she is turning 10 this week I thought she might enjoy one of my old favorites, Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott.  It had been tucked away in my closet for safe keeping and I was so excited when I opened it and recalled that it had been given to me, by my Grandmother, 25 years ago on my 10th birthday, and had originally been given to my Grandma Jo Ann by her Aunt Viv on Christmas in 1940! 

I think I have shared a little about my Grandma (my Dad’s mom) in the past, but I can’t seem to find the post… She passed away just two years later (in May of 1990, at the age of 61), within two months of being diagnosed with cancer (right after Easter that year), which was also right after being sentenced (on Good Friday by a “Catholic” judge) to three months in jail for sitting and praying the rosary in front of an abortion clinic with Operation Rescue.  God had other plans for her… I loved her so much!  How I miss her and wish she could meet her great-grandchildren. Last week, when I was watching the kids play Mass, I asked God to please let her have a little peek through the clouds – I could just picture her smiling! 


Anyways, my copy of Eight Cousins is starting to fall apart, but I did order a new copy to give to our oldest daughter on Friday.   I love that the Penguin Classics Paperback version shows Rose ice skating on the cover!  It will tie in nicely to the “Caroline” themed birthday we are planning.  🙂

Seven Quick Takes From Our Trip Last Weekend

by | Aug 23, 2013 | , , , , , , | 5 Comments

— 1 —

Last weekend we were blessed to be able to travel to meet our newest goddaughter and attend her baptism and the 10th Anniversary Mass and Renewal of Vows of her parents! This sweet little girl was born last month following a very complicated delivery.  Thanks be to God both baby and momma are doing well!  

— 2 —

I had hoped to get out of town early Friday morning, but it ended up being nearly 11am before we left. When I asked my husband to stop in town, before getting on the freeway, so I could pick up some Moscato and Peach Schnapps he said, “Well that is a perfect Facebook update for you… ‘We are on our way to our new goddaughter’s baptism… First stop: Liquor Store!’”  Ummm, yeah… When you put it that way…

— 3 —

After arriving in town, and dropping off our suitcases and sleeping bags at the home of some friends who graciously offered to host us, we headed to the golf course to meet David & Ursula and their family for a fundraiser/bbq.   My older girls were so excited to see one of their own best friends again and it was the perfect opportunity for me to hold the baby!

We also got to see a couple other priests we knew, as well as meet the Bishop and Father Vuky, who would be concelebrating the Baptism Mass. 

— 4 —
After dinner we headed to back to Ursula’s new home (they moved this month and now live right next to the church!) to drink sangria and not worry about all decorations, food and desserts for the 200 guests! make a shopping list so I could go to Costco in the morning for food, drinks, and desserts for the reception, while Sean and the boys helped set up tables and chairs in the back yard.  The Peach Sangria was awesome!  Here is the recipe:

~ Peach Sangria ~
1 bottle Moscato
1/3 bottle Peach Schnapps
1 liter bottle 7up (or Sprite)
Sliced fresh peaches
Stir all ingredients (except 7up) together in the fridge and let the fruit sit to absorb all of the delicious flavors, then add sprite just before serving.  Yummm!
— 5 —
At that point it was getting really late and we headed back to the home where we would be staying.  Little did our hostess know when I gave her a Catholic Cuisine apron, and a couple other goodies as a thank you gift for her and her husband’s hospitality, that she would be wearing that apron all weekend long! 😉  
Alecia was amazing!  She stayed up late making some pasta salads to help with the party the next day, went shopping with me to Costco and Winco for the food for the party, made Chicken Salad Sandwiches to take as well, and also fed my own family amazing meals all weekend long! 
I originally met Alecia when I was fourteen.  She was my camp counselor (when she was about the age I am now!) at an MI camp.  The following year I spent the night at her home for the first time on my way to World Youth Day in 1993!  The rest of the group I was staying with was staying at a local gym, but I was weak from recovering from the flu and she took me home so I could sleep in a bed.  I also became good friends with a couple of her boys during those summer camps when we were teenagers, and one of her boys headed to Christendom the year after I attended.  So many great friends are made though Catholic Summer Camps!  
Alecia has always been so thoughtful and caring.  It was such a blessing to be able to take our children to meet her and they loved her just as much as I do!  In fact, one of the first things that Snuggles said when we arrived home was “I want to go back to that house where we slept!” 

— 6 —

I already posted a few pictures of the baptism, which was so very beautiful.  You can find them here.

Here is one more picture of my beautiful friend and new goddaughter!

— 7 —

Sunday morning we headed into town to attend a a Solemn Pontifical Mass (1970 Missal) which was part of the William Byrd Festival and featured Byrd’s Mass for Three Voices.  

The Celebrant was the Most Reverend Basil Meeking, D.D., who is the Bishop Emeritus of Christchurch, New Zealand.  

Following Mass our children erupted with cheers when my phone announced “Calculating Route to the Lego Store…”  Even though it wasn’t the way I had planned to surprise them with this first visit ever to a lego store, it was still quite the surprise!   
One of the employees let them all build a minifigure to take home, in exchange for sorting some legos, and I let the boys fill a little container from the pick-a-brick section.  Of course the older boys were the most excited to see the new Tower of Orthanc in person. 

After that we met up with David and Ursula at Red Robin before heading home… The waitress was wonderful and not at all overwhelmed by our “4 adults and 13 children!”

Originally I had hoped to head from the Baptism straight to Idaho so that our older boys could attend a summer camp at one of Sean’s brother’s parishes this week, but it was just too much to try and plan.  Honestly it has taken me nearly all of this week to just recover from the weekend trip!   Our summer has flown by and I still have so much I need to finish before our new school year begins on September 3rd…  I better get back to my planning!  I hope you all have a great weekend!

For additional Quick Takes visit Conversion Diary.

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti…

by | Aug 21, 2013 | | 28 Comments

Yesterday afternoon I heard praying and singing coming from the girls’ bedroom and found all seven of our children (ages 13 down to 1) playing “Mass!”

My mom saw the picture above (posted from Instagram to Facebook) and called to ask if it had been staged. No, it was not staged!  If it had been staged I would have given my oldest daughter a sweater to cover her shoulders, grabbed the girls’ Mass veils from the van, and brushed everyones hair! 😉  They did this completely on their own, without any encouragement or help from me. 
It brought tears to my eyes to see that this was the way the children had chosen to spend their afternoon, after I had asked the older ones to watch the little ones while I was busy catching up on some computer work and preparing to paint.  The Mass kits hadn’t been pulled out much this year, but when I showed the pictures to my husband last night he pointed out that last weekend, while we were traveling, we had attended two very beautiful Masses (A Baptismal Mass on Saturday and a Solemn Pontifical Mass on Sunday that was part of the William Byrd Festival), in two gorgeous churches, celebrated by two different bishops. The beauty and reverence of the Masses did indeed inspire our children.  
After snapping that first picture (from the back of the “church” with my phone) I was asked to join them for the rest of Mass.  I did, but first I ran to grab my camera.  It was all so sweet!   I sure wish I would have video recorded, especially a little of their singing before they knew I was listening… After that it wasn’t quite as dramatic!
The top bunk was used as a “Choir Loft” for the “Monk” who came down to chant the readings. 
 
Yes, there was a little confusion in the “congregation” on whether to stand or kneel following the Agnus Dei…  We have been attending a mix of Norvus Ordo (our usual local Mass) and Extraordinary Form Masses (we’ve been recently blessed with one EF Mass a quarter in addition to our occasional trips to the coast for Mass), and the postures at different times of the Mass have been a little confusing for the younger children.   Even though the “general norm” is to kneel following the Agnus Dei, our (recently retired) last archbishop “determined otherwise.”  We usually kneel (at least when we can) and hope that our new Archbishop will make this the “norm” for our diocese!  We also continue to pray for more frequent Latin Masses… 
We were out of Rice Crackers, but the kids found some leftover Banana Chips in the snack bag from our recent trip.
So many precious moments… 
… perhaps all this extra practice will help our little man behave a little better the next time we attend Mass!  😉
He tried to escape during the recent baptism.
“My dolly came to Mass too, ’cause we both made our First Holy Ta-mmunnions!”  

Miniature Mass Set (older version) and Red & Green Vestments (no longer sold) from Our Father’s House 
(the older boys were given these in 2005) 
Folding Book Stand (similar to this)
Family Prayer for Vocations

O Divine Jesus, Who has taught us to pray to the Lord of the harvest that He send forth laborers into His harvest, be pleased to raise up many holy Priests and religious to work according to the intentions of Your Heart and to procure by their ministry the salvation of souls and the glory of Your Father. And if it should please You, O Lord to choose one such from our family kneeling before you at this moment, we thank You with all of our hearts on this earth and for all eternity. 
Amen.

Mary, Mother of all Vocations, Pray for Us!

Our Goddaughter’s Holy Sacrament of Baptism

by | Aug 20, 2013 | , , , | 27 Comments

Our beautiful new goddaughter on her Baptismal Day – August 17, 2013
Loving God, Creator of all good things,
Thank you for the gift of life given to our goddaughter.

What a privilege it was for us to stand as witnesses for the Church
when our goddaughter was washed in baptismal waters.

Lord, help us to be faithful to you all the days of our lives.

Our older boys were honored to serve at the altar for the Baptismal Mass, which was also a 10th Anniversary/Renewal of Vows Mass for our dear friends.  We had missed their actual wedding 10 years ago since I was on bedrest with our oldest daughter. 

As our goddaughter grows in age and faith,
enable us to be a good example for her 
of how to live as a follower of Jesus.

Rose loves her godparent’s new baby, her brand new godsister!  

Through our love and concern, in moments of joy and sorrow,
allow us to reveal your loving face, O God.

We pray this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

I ended up helping with all the food for the party and was so pleased that their Costco had a beautiful white cake on Saturday morning.      I had also happened to pack along a candy cross “just in case” to use as a cake topper.  Perfect! 
I ran out of time before our trip to order a Baptismal Blanket, which ended up being just fine since another blanket (the one used for her five older siblings) was going to be used anyways.  Instead we gave our goddaughter a Sacramental Certificate and Pink Rosary Roses as a little baptismal gift. 

Deo Gratias! 

Celebrating the Assumption

by | Aug 16, 2013 | , | 5 Comments

Rosary Album: A Visual and Scriptural Meditation of the Rosary, an Easy and Devout Method of Reciting the Rosary is pictured on the left and a page from The Life of Mary for Children is on the right. 

Who is she ascends so high,
Next the heavenly King,
Round about whom angels fly
And her praises sing?

All ready for Mass with one of her favorite bags… (Thank you Miss JenniferAnne!!!)
… wearing her pink veil, and making sure to tuck her “My Little Prayer Book” inside.
Who is she adorned with light,
Makes the sun her robe, 
At whose feet the queen of night
Lays her changing globe?
Mary by Demi, Rosary Album and The Life of Mary for Children
This is she in whose pure womb
Heaven’s Prince remained;
Therefore in no earthly tomb
Can she be contained.

Heaven she was, which held that fire,
Whence the world took light,
And to heaven doth now aspire
Flames with flames t’unite.

Heavenly Assumption Parfaits… 
… you can find the recipe at Catholic Cuisine! 
She that did so clearly shine
When our day begun, 
See how bright her beams decline:
Now she sits with the Sun.

Snuggles definitely takes after my Dad… (Yes, that is my Dad’s trademark silly face!) There’s a real smile! Silly boy. 
Sir John Beaumont (1583-1627)  
Update:  I just found additional copies of the Rosary Album Booklet available at the National Shine for a much better price.  We were given two copies, one for the boys and one for the girls, from Sean’s youngest brother. 
It is a beautiful book! 

Celebrating the Feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe

by | Aug 15, 2013 | , | 4 Comments

Today was the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe!   Our day was rather busy, but when Charlotte posted a link to her St. Maximilian Kolbe coloring page, I just had to print out a couple copies for our little ones.     They had so much fun coloring their pictures of St. Maximilian Kolbe for the first time… 
…while the older children read St. Maximilian Kolbe: The Story of the Two Crowns!

As you can see, Rose seems to have a very different style when it comes to coloring than the rest of her siblings!

Thank you Miss Charlotte! 
“There will be sufferings, temptations; perhaps you will be haunted by discouragement… learn to be ready for the greatest sacrifices… do not desire extraordinary things, but simply to perform the will of the Immaculata…” 
– St. Maximilian Kolbe

Video Highlights From Our 3rd Latin Mass

by | Aug 15, 2013 | , | 6 Comments

Here are some video highlights from our 3rd Quarterly Extraordinary Form Latin Mass on August 4th. 
Our 4th Mass is currently scheduled for October 6th!

Video Credit: Marc Salvatore 

A Few Memories and a Childhood Treasure

A Few Memories and a Childhood Treasure

by | Aug 28, 2013 | , | 8 Comments

“If you dear little girls would only learn what real beauty is, and not pinch and starve and bleach yourselves out so, you'd save an immense deal of time and money and pain. A happy soul in a healthy body makes the best sort of beauty for man or woman.” ― Louisa...

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti…

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti…

by | Aug 21, 2013 | | 28 Comments

Yesterday afternoon I heard praying and singing coming from the girls' bedroom and found all seven of our children (ages 13 down to 1) playing "Mass!"My mom saw the picture above (posted from Instagram to Facebook) and called to ask if it had been staged. No, it was...

Celebrating the Assumption

Celebrating the Assumption

by | Aug 16, 2013 | , | 5 Comments

Rosary Album: A Visual and Scriptural Meditation of the Rosary, an Easy and Devout Method of Reciting the Rosary is pictured on the left and a page from The Life of Mary for Children is on the right. Who is she ascends so high,Next the heavenly...

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.


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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.

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