Beautiful Solemn High Mass at Carmel for the Annunciation and Lady Day Feasting

by | Mar 27, 2019 | , , | 7 Comments

O GOD, Who didst will that Thy Word should take flesh, at the message of an Angel, in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, grant to Thy suppliant people, that we who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with Thee. 

While I was at Mass our older girls made Lady Day Swedish Waffles! (Sean and three of our teens are in the choir and went to our parish’s evening Sung Mass.) You can find the recipe for these waffles (as well as an AIP version!) in the archives or over at Catholic Cuisine.

“This is Våffeldagen or Waffle Day in Sweden. One website said the name Vaffla, meaning waffle, originated from Var Fru, Our Lady, and that in time the two words became slurred and corrupted, first into Vaffer, then to Vaffla. The waffles are served with whipped cream and lingonberries (or cloudberries)… ” 

You can read more in Jenn’s post on Lady Day Feasting over at Catholic Cuisine.

We were out of our usual Marionberries and Marionberry Jam (they are harder to find here in Idaho) but this Strawberry Pinot Noir from Oregon Growers is amazing!

I also pulled out one of my favorite Catholic picture books! “Maura Roan McKeegan’s Old and New Series teaches biblical typology to children through fun and fascinating stories. By presenting the Old Testament type side-by-side with its New Testament fulfillment, the Old and New Series helps unlock the hidden mysteries of Scripture for children.” 
I’ve blogged more about this series of books here, here, and here.

St Mary, the New Eve Block • The End of the Fiery Sword: Adam & Eve and Jesus & Mary

St Mary, the New Eve Block • St. Gabriel the Archangel Patron Saint Block
The End of the Fiery Sword: Adam & Eve and Jesus & Mary

“The Blessed Virgin is like a good mother who, not content with looking after all her children in general, watches over each one separately.” 
– St. Jean-Marie Vianney

Saint Joseph’s Day

by | Mar 27, 2019 | | 4 Comments

We had our first St. Joseph Altar in our new home on the feast of St. Joseph!

The “tavola di San Giuseppe” (St. Joseph’s Table or Altar) is an Italian Catholic tradition. You can read about it over at Catholic Cuisine along with descriptions of some of the foods that are usually included.  Back in 2009 we made a craft version and I explained the tradition to our children. The following year we made our first edible altar! You can scroll through all our past St. Joseph posts here.

I hadn’t planned to even do the St. Joseph’s Altar this year. However, after months of praying to St. Joseph for his intercession, our house in Oregon officially closed escrow on March 12th (such mixed emotions!) and it’s been a huge relief to pay off/down our loans and be back to just one mortgage. (Thank you for all your prayers for the sale of our old home! We actually took it off the market at the end of December to do a few more little projects and revise the marketing plan and then re-listed it following another painful price reduction on February 4th. We accepted a full price offer on February 8th!) Anyway, after finishing up work and school work that morning, we decided we needed to pull together a celebration for his feast!

Ever since our move and this new pregnancy, the only big feast day celebrations that have been happening at home are the ones that mean the most to our children (patron saints) and the ones that they are willing to help with. The feast of St. Joseph is always one of their favorites (cream puffs are always included in the menu!) and it is our 11 year old’s middle name-day, my middle name (Jo) and both of my parents names (Patrick Joseph and Josephine) so we have lots of extra devotions to dear St. Joseph around here!

It actually all came together quickly and easily! In the afternoon, once the baby fell asleep, Rose and I made a quick trip to Trader Joes while some frozen dinner rolls for the kids to shape were defrosting. Meanwhile Chiquita baked a spice cake in our “cathedral” cake pan since St. Joseph is the patron of the universal church. We picked up fruit, drinks, flowers (red, white and green for the Italian flag), and some Italian desserts. When we got back home the all shaped a few rolls, and then the three oldest left for golf practice while I finished setting up the treats. The food maybe took an hour to prepare – bake rolls, boil pasta, bake fish (12 fish for the 12 apostles!), and make an AIP pizza – so not much longer than I generally spend making dinner. While I cooked the little ones rounded up all our St. Joseph themed toys, statues, and all of their St. Joseph holy cards from their holy card albums. Finding some of my candles was the biggest issue… I couldn’t remember where they were packed/unpacked. I am still adjusting to living in a new home after nearly 19 years in our old home!

Traditional Breads in Symbolic Shapes
IHS Candle from Saong Jai • St. Joseph from Naturally Catholic
St. Joseph, Husband of Mary, Pray for us! 
St. Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus, Pray for us! 

St. Joseph the Worker, Pray for us! 

We pulled out St. Joseph Holy Cards and Holy Cards from the funerals of Loved Ones to place on our St. Joseph Altar.
Grapes • Host & Chalice • Nails • Ladder • Chalice • Saw • Lily 
St. Joseph, Patron of the Dying, Pray for us! 

Sacred Heart • Scapular • Cross • Crown of Thorns • Monstrance and Host • Butterfly
Fish • Candle • Rosary • Star

St. Joseph Patron Saint Block from Almond Rod Toys

St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, Pray for us! 
Pope & Swiss Guard Set from Naturally Catholic

Prosciutto & Fig Bistro Pizza (AIP/Paleo) 

Saint Goals T-Shirt from Annunciation Designs

I keep getting teary eyed every time I start thinking that this could be the last time I have our two older boys, who will both be graduating high school this spring, at home for many of these feast days… Please keep them in your prayers as they discern where they will be heading in the fall!

“However many saints you have as your intercessors, be especially devoted to Saint Joseph, who can obtain a great deal from God.” 
– St. Teresa of Jesus

Celebrating the Feast of Saint Patrick

by | Mar 24, 2019 | , , | 16 Comments

After Sunday morning Mass on March 17th, the feast of St. Patrick, we headed back home to make our annual Shamrock Cinnamon Rolls for with Sunday brunch, then get started on our Irish Beef and Guinness Stew and Irish Soda Bread. ☘️

I hadn’t done much to prepare, other than order each of the kids and our priests St. Patrick’s Day Potatoes and grocery shop the day before.  It is so nice to have a house full of helpful teens who want to pick up my slack when it comes to some of their favorite family traditions/patron saint feast days, since I haven’t been feeling very well or had much energy this pregnancy.

 

We all made sure to wear green and our oldest son had his underneath his Mass shirt. One of my brothers-in-law (Fr. J Gordon) sent Sean and I each a “Can’t Keep Calm I’m Irish” t-shirt, but my pregnant tummy isn’t fitting into t-shirts very well these days so I let our oldest son have mine.

The Rhymed Life of St. Patrick • St. Patrick from Naturally Catholic

While the girls shaped and baked the Shamrock Cinnamon Rolls (also pictured here and here) and decorated Chocolate Coins with images of St. Patrick, I read some of The Rhymed Life of St. Patrick from our March Book Basket/Cart to the little ones. ☘

Sean made another amazing Paleo Spinach and Bacon Frittata to go along with the Shamrock Cinnamon Rolls.

The boys hung a couple flags from the second floor interior balcony, turned on some Irish music, and volunteered to make this year’s Irish Beef and Guinness Stew and Traditional Irish Soda Bread. I wasn’t able to make it for St. Patrick’s Day last year (since I spent that weekend at the hospital with my brother’s family – Happy birthday up in heaven to sweet little Millie!) so the boys ended up teaching themselves to make those particular recipes last spring while the rest of us were in Arizona visiting my mother-in-law. They’re becoming quite efficient in the kitchen!

 

 

It all turned out beautifully and delicious!
(Ora et Labora Apron can be found over at Catholic Cuisine)

St. Patrick T-Shirt from Totally Catholic Tees • March Picture Books

Reading the sermon for the day from our copy of the Sermons of the Cure of Ars
which was recently touched to the Reliquary containing The Heart of a Priest

☘️ St. Patrick, pray for us! ☘️

Paint by Number :: Spring Birds

by | Mar 21, 2019 | , , | 4 Comments

Karribi Paint by Number Kit for Adults and Children 

Mary Undoer of Knots T-Shirt from Catholic T-Shirt Club
Get a free $10 credit for Catholic T-Shirt Club when you buy any subscription. 
Use coupon: REFSNYRV9UFS3

This beautiful paint by number was a gift from Grandma Murphy last year for her, at her bird themed 13th birthday party, and she finally had a chance to pull it out and paint! I think I’ll have to order her one or two more from the series for her 14th birthday next month.

Happy First Day of Spring! 

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

by | Mar 17, 2019 | , , | 11 Comments

When our girls were little they had the opportunity to take nine Irish Dance lessons one spring leading up to our parish’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. The girls have always wished to continue learning to Irish Dance, but there just weren’t any options near our old home. When we moved to Idaho last fall they were so excited to be able to join the classes here which are taught by a fellow parishioner out of her home. This weekend they got to dance their way through downtown Coeur d’Alene in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade! Meanwhile the rest of our family enjoyed watching the parade with friends. 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 

The Heart of a Priest

by | Mar 9, 2019 | , | 7 Comments

We ventured downtown to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes to venerate the incorrupt heart of St. Jean Vianney!

“On the Way of the Cross, you see, my children, only the first step is painful. Our greatest cross is the fear of crosses. . . We have not the courage to carry our cross, and we are very much mistaken; for, whatever we do, the cross holds us tight – we cannot escape from it. What, then, have we to lose? Why not love our crosses, and make use of them to take us to heaven?” 
– St. Jean-Marie Vianney

Touching her scapular to the reliquary containing the incorrupt heart of St. Jean Vianney ♥

“My little children, your hearts, are small, but prayer stretches them and makes them capable of loving God. Through prayer we receive a foretaste of heaven and something of paradise comes down upon us. Prayer never leaves us without sweetness. It is honey that flows into the souls and makes all things sweet. When we pray properly, sorrows disappear like snow before the sun.”

– St. Jean-Marie Vianney


My husband also brought along one of our family’s favorite books to touch to the reliquary too:
Sermons of the Cure of Ars ♥  (We have a beautiful hardcover edition from Neumann Press that is out of print)
My husband often reads his sermons aloud at dinner time.
You can find the links to a couple sermons in this post from 2007.

“My God, I give you my heart, and since You are so good as to give me another day, give me the grace that everything I do will be for Your honour and for the salvation of my soul.”
– St. Jean-Marie Vianney

“I love You, O my God, and my only desire is to love You until the last breath of my life. I love You, O my infinitely lovable God, and I would rather die loving You, than live without loving You. I love You, Lord and the only grace I ask is to love You eternally… My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You, I want my heart to repeat it to You as often as I draw breath.”
– St. Jean-Marie Vianney

A St. Valentine’s Day Surprise

by | Feb 15, 2019 | , , , , | 20 Comments

I made a special cake this year for St. Valentine’s day! 
Didn’t it turn out cute?!

I actually received the good news that everything came back normal and healthy on my QNatal pregnancy blood test on February 8th, just after we accepted one of two offers that came through that same day on our home in Oregon after putting it back on the market a few days before. It was a very good day! 

I didn’t think I had a preference on whether our new baby would be a girl or a boy… I have just been praying that baby was healthy and that I’ll be able to carry the baby to term, preferably without as severe of nausea and other complications as I’ve had in the past… but I couldn’t stop grinning when the nurse told me that we’re having another girl. It will be so nice for our littlest to have a sister just two years younger, especially since there is such a big gap between her and the rest of our children.  

I wanted to come up with another fun way to tell our children so we kept it a secret until St. Valentine’s Day. Last time we filled a box with balloons for them to open on Christmas Eve. This time I decided to just bake a cake using the same idea as I used for one of our Escape the Dragon’s Lair birthday, just pink and white this time!

The night before I had stopped at Hobby Lobby and Party City (it’s so fun to have these stores near our new home – I had never been to them before our recent move) and bought the little pink or blue cake topper, sprinkles and some pink candy.

I used two boxes of white cake mix and baked three 9″ layers of cake, using the last of the batter to make 8 cupcakes, 4 pink and 4 blue. I cut a circle out of the center of two of the layers using a circle biscuit cutter. After stacking the first two layers, I filled the center with the pink candies and then topped it with the final layer of cake. 

I finished frosting the outside of the cake, adding sprinkles to the sides (There is probably an easier way to do it, but I just filled the palm of my hand and then angled my hand so that my palm was almost touching the cake and they started falling onto the side… and every where else… It didn’t turn out as nice as I had visioned, but thankfully some of them stuck!) and then topping the cake with the little sign.

It was pretty much the quickest party I’ve ever hosted!

I planned it at the last minute, trying to figure out a time when everyone could be home at the same time… Sean said he’d be able to get off work early and be home by 3pm. The girls needed to leave by 3:45 for Irish Dance and then they’d go straight to Choir Practice so they wouldn’t get back home until 8:30 (which is pretty much my bedtime this pregnancy)… I sent my husband’s brother, Father D. Gordon, a text asking if he could join us too. He had a meeting from 2-3, but could come right after that. I told him we’d wait, if he thought he could arrive by 3:30! He arrived at our home at 3:32 and we asked him to cut the cake for us! 🙂

We had a few other last minute guests too, since our friends who were giving the girls a ride arrived right at 3:30! I ran out and asked if they could come in for 10-15 minutes for a quick for a piece of cake! 😉

It all worked out perfectly and our 15 minute party was so much fun!

Here are a couple videos of the cake cutting. In the first (taken by my husband) you can see the cake and in the second you get a better view of some of the reactions.

The girls now out number the boys for the first time ever in our home!

On the Feast of Saint Brigid

by | Feb 2, 2019 | , , , | 4 Comments

Original St. Brigid Painting from Sleightholm Folk Art – Prints Available Here 

Happy feast of St. Brigid! ☘️ I haven’t been able to respond to all the comments on my last post here on the blog and over at Instagram, but I wanted to thank you all for the prayers and encouragement. I feel very blessed to have been given so much love and support! I saw the doctor again yesterday morning (Jan 31st) and ended up getting another peek at the baby! A little hard to see on the portable ultrasound, but such a relief to hear baby’s heart still beating strongly.  #week11day4 #dueaug19th2019

St. Brigid, patron saint of babies, pray for us! 

Her beautiful skirt is from BabyMyLove

I love that Candlemas Day falls on First Saturday this year! My girls are currently busy making crêpes for the French Breakfast they will be serving (along with the rest of the of the girls in our parish’s Maidens of St. Joan group) following the Blessing of Candles, Procession and Sung Mass tomorrow morning.

Updated with a couple pictures from Candlemas:

My little helper insisted on carrying the basket filled with our beeswax candles to be blessed at Mass. 
The Maidens of St. Joan ended up cooking (the day before) and then serving (following the First Saturday Mass on Candlemas Day) somewhere between 500-700 crêpes!
Topping the crêpes with Nutella, Jam, and/or Whipping Cream

The Maidens of St. Joan group is specific to our new parish and was started by our pastor (my husband’s younger brother, Father D. Gordon) for the teen girls. They have monthly meetings that usually consist of a talk given by Father, maybe dinner or snacks, and also doing something for the parish (helping the priests wrap gifts before Christmas, ironing the altar boys cassocks/surplices, etc). They also help with other events as needed (making the crepes and helping serve the breakfast tomorrow, for example, and they also recently helped with the pre-Christmas church cleaning, served food at a Meet and Greet with ten seminarians a couple weekends ago, and will be hosting a bake sale to help a fellow parishioner in need, etc). My girls love it!

A Christmas Surprise

by | Jan 22, 2019 | , | 83 Comments

Nothing happens in the universe without God willing and allowing it. This statement must be taken absolutely of everything with the exception of sin. ‘Nothing occurs by chance in the whole course of our lives’ is the unanimous teaching of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, ‘and God intervenes everywhere.’ – Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I didn’t mean to disappear following my post last month, but there’s a good reason, and I would really appreciate prayers!

On December 12th the stomach flu started hitting our family. I was grateful that I didn’t come down with it until the following weekend, after we finished celebrating our daughter’s 9th birthday and that I felt well enough to bake another cake the following week for our son’s 7th birthday… But then, the weekend before Christmas, the stomach flu really hit me. When I didn’t fully recover, along with the rest of the family, I went and bought a pregnancy test on December 23rd. I really thought it would be negative.

It’s no secret that my last pregnancy was especially hard, between the hyperemesis gravidarum and back/tailbone/hip issues that left me barely able to walk it was a traumatizing pregnancy. After I delivered I told my husband, “I can’t do this again. I really mean it this time.” He understood. I’ve joked with friends that there was a good reason God sent us this last baby as #8 instead of one of our first! Despite how difficult it was, and how difficult our darling baby girl has been (she is finally, after 19 months, sleeping a few hours straight each night!), we just can’t imagine our family without her. She has brought so much joy and laughter and we all love her dearly! God knew that we needed her. Still, I was too scared to chance another pregnancy.

After over 18 months of 100% abstinence, all it took was once…

I wish I could say that I met those two little pink lines with joy and excitement, but honestly I sobbed. It was Sunday night. I had missed Mass and spent all day sick in bed until going out to the store. I had to get out of the house so I got back in the car to go for another drive. I ended up at the church and thankfully there was still a priest in the confessional following the 5pm evening Mass. I was so grateful for the sacrament and for the advice and encouragement I was given that night.  I know God will send me the graces and strength I need to carry this precious baby!

“How can there be too many children? 
That is like saying there are too many flowers.” – Mother Teresa

January 3, 2019 – Our Baby at 7 1/2 weeks 
Having miscarried a number of times in the past, I was very thankful and relieved to see the baby’s heart beating when we met with a new doctor for the dating ultrasound. Apparently I must have ovulated on about day seven and my due date was moved forward a week. Our little one is due August 19th  – just before our oldest two will leave for college! So much for things calming down this year. 😉 
As of today our little one is 10 weeks old! I will see the doctor again next week, though I caught a cold that seems to have turned into bronchitis so I may be going back in sooner. (I guess one good thing that has come out of this whole government shutdown is that my husband has been home to help… Just as long as they reopen before our savings runs out!) We would be grateful for any prayers you can send our way as we prepare to welcome this new little soul! 
Judge then what recompense those persons will receive from Christ who have followed Him along the way of His Cross. On the judgment day we shall understand how much God has loved us by giving us the opportunities to merit so rich a reward. Then we shall reproach ourselves for complaining at what was meant to increase our happiness, for grieving when we should have been rejoicing, for doubting God’s goodness when He was giving concrete evidence of it. If such will be our feelings one day, why not anticipate them now? Why not bless God here and now for something we shall be thanking Him for everlastingly in Heaven? – Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence

The Great O Antiphons, The Golden Nights

by | Dec 18, 2018 | , , | 0 Comments

Ever since our oldest children were very little, we have been implementing an old monastic custom in our home by providing special treats, representing each of the “O Antiphons” on the days leading up to Christmas. The O Antiphon prayers begin on December 17th and end on the 23rd, which is the last Vespers of Advent, since the evening prayer on the 24th is the Vigil of Christmas.

The Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one – Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia – the Latin words ero cras are formed, meaning, “Tomorrow, I will come.” Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, “Tomorrow, I will come.” So the “O Antiphons” not only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion.

Each night, following our family rosary, we pray the O Antiphon for the day, sing O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, which was inspired by this ancient tradition, and then give the children a special treat.

Advent Hymns from We Sing and Chant

The “treats” have varied from year to year. Some years it has been little gifts or activities for the family, some years it is all food related, and some years it is a mix of both, depending on our schedule and budget. It doesn’t need to cost much or even anything at all! Be creative!

Sometimes the treats are a bit of a stretch, but my goal is try and find gifts that will either help increase our faith (Catechism books, holy family, saints, prayer, etc) or encourage family time (games, puzzles, going to look at Christmas lights, etc). You can find some of our past O Antiphon treats by scrolling through the archives and visiting Catholic Cuisine.

Our family loves this tradition. It is such a fun way to teach the children about these beautiful prayers of the church and also increase their excitement as Christmas gets closer.

Below I’ve listed the treats I choose for this year, as well as additional ideas (food, activities and gifts – or simply decorate chocolate coins) for each of the O Antiphons.

Once again I am hosting an O ANTIPHON GIVEAWAY! One lucky visitor here at Shower of Roses will receive a gift package including seven Cookie Stamps, one to represent each of the seven O Antiphons! Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the details and to enter.

.: December 17th :.
O Wisdom that comest out of the mouth of the Most High, that reachest from one end to another, and orderest all things mightily and sweetly, come to teach us the way of prudence!

O Sapientia (O Wisdom) – SaintCards + Holy Helpers & Doctors of the Church

Since the symbol for wisdom is a book, I usually choose a new Catholic book for our family. Last year it was two books in The Wonder Series: The Wonder Story and The Wonder Days. The year before it was An Alphabet of the Altar which had just been reprinted by St. Augustine Academy Press. This year I’ll be giving them SaintCards + Holy Helpers & Doctors of the Church. I think we’ll all enjoy playing this and learning more about the saints!

Additional Ideas: 

.: December 18th :.
O Adonai, and Ruler of the house of Israel, Who didst appear unto Moses in the burning bush, and gavest him the law in Sinai, come to redeem us with an outstretched arm!

O Adonai (O Lord) – Gingerbread House Kit from Trader Joe’s
In the past we would emphasize the word “house” in this Antiphon, and have made our Gingerbread Houses or Gingerbread Cookies on this night.  Now that we have two birthdays this week (and two birthday cakes to bake and decorate!) we usually wait until Christmas Eve, or sometime during the 12 Days of Christmas to decorated Gingerbread Houses but I’m hoping we can fit it in this year!

Additional Ideas: 

.: December 19th :.
O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths, Whom the Gentiles shall seek, come to deliver us, do not tarry.
O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) – 2018 Family Ornament to add to the Christmas Tree
Additional Ideas:

From Jesse, the shepherd, to Jesus, the Good Shepherd… Shepherds tie in nicely this year!
This year, in addition to the new family ornament, our children will be unwrapping this cute Shepherd and Angel playlet from Shining Light Dolls. 

.: December 20th :.
O Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, come to liberate the prisoner from the prison, and them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.

O Clavis David (O Key of David) – Fishing for Bible Characters

We’ll have another family game night, along with some sparkling drinks!

Additional Ideas:

.: December 21st :.
O Dayspring, Brightness of the everlasting light, Son of justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!

Christmas Morning 2017
O Oriens (O Dayspring) – New Christmas Pajamas

I decided to go a different direction all together this year… I’m going to surprise the kids with their Christmas Eve pajamas a few days early. I’ve found that there is just too much going on Christmas Eve (especially since we love to attend the midnight mass) to wait until then. Last year I gave them to them all on the feast of St. Nicholas, but this year I didn’t have them all in time. I think they will be perfect to go along with this O Antiphon. We’ll also try and go out to see Christmas lights, as usual, weather permitting.

Additional Ideas:
.: December 22nd :.
O King of the Gentiles, yea, and desire thereof! O Corner-stone, that makest of two one, come to save man, whom Thou hast made out of the dust of the earth!

O Rex Gentium (O King of the Gentiles) – Three Kings Playset from Shining Light Dolls

Additional Ideas:

.: December 23rd :.
O Emmanuel, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles, yea, and salvation thereof, come to save us, O Lord our God!

O Emmanuel (O With Us is God) – The Holy Family Nativity Playset from Shining Light Dolls

Some year’s I’ve given our children a new nativity set on this day… This year I’m splitting it up, giving them the shepherd/angel one night, the three kings another, and finishing it with Mary & Joseph. I love that it comes with two Mary dolls – one expecting and one holding Baby Jesus!

.: O ANTIPHONS GIVEAWAY :. 

Here are the cookie stamps I picked out to go along with each of the O Antiphons.
The winner will recieve one of each!

Wisdom: #460 – Triune God
House: #214 – Home Sweet Home
Root of Jesse: #520 – Willow Tree
Key of David: #543 – Key to My Heart
Dayspring: #291 – Moravian Star
King: #448 – Norwegian Wedding Crown
Emmanuel: #368 – Nativity

(7 cookie stamps with recipe booklet @ $12.99 ea = $90.93 value)

Enter the Giveaway using the Rafflecopter Box below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saint Joseph’s Day

Saint Joseph’s Day

by | Mar 27, 2019 | | 4 Comments

We had our first St. Joseph Altar in our new home on the feast of St. Joseph!The "tavola di San Giuseppe" (St. Joseph's Table or Altar) is an Italian Catholic tradition. You can read about it over at Catholic Cuisine along with descriptions of some of the foods that...

Paint by Number :: Spring Birds

Paint by Number :: Spring Birds

by | Mar 21, 2019 | , , | 4 Comments

Spring Birds Series - Bird V Karribi Paint by Number Kit for Adults and Children Mary Undoer of Knots T-Shirt from Catholic T-Shirt ClubGet a free $10 credit for Catholic T-Shirt Club when you buy any subscription. Use coupon: REFSNYRV9UFS3This...

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

by | Mar 17, 2019 | , , | 11 Comments

When our girls were little they had the opportunity to take nine Irish Dance lessons one spring leading up to our parish's St. Patrick's Day Celebration. The girls have always wished to continue learning to Irish Dance, but there just weren't any options near our old...

The Heart of a Priest

The Heart of a Priest

by | Mar 9, 2019 | , | 7 Comments

We ventured downtown to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes to venerate the incorrupt heart of St. Jean Vianney!"On the Way of the Cross, you see, my children, only the first step is painful. Our greatest cross is the fear of crosses. . . We have not the courage to...

A Christmas Surprise

A Christmas Surprise

by | Jan 22, 2019 | , | 83 Comments

Nothing happens in the universe without God willing and allowing it. This statement must be taken absolutely of everything with the exception of sin. 'Nothing occurs by chance in the whole course of our lives' is the unanimous teaching of the Fathers and Doctors of...

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-25, Ranger-24, Twinkle Toes-22, Chiquita-21, Snuggles-18, Rose-16, Bud-14, Grace-8 and Joy-6 (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

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