On the Feast of St. Christopher

by | Jul 26, 2015 | , , | 4 Comments

“There’s another river!”
Our family is home again after 25 days on the road, traveling over 3,500 miles (Sean drove the RV and I drove the mini-van) through five states! We explored a couple National Parks, spent time with dear friends and extended family, made many new friends, attended Catholic summer camps (the four oldest), celebrated our oldest son’s 15th birthday, and ended our trip with a First Confession and First Holy Communion yesterday, followed by a Second Holy Communion at 6:30 Mass this morning before beginning the long drive home. I have so many pictures I’m hoping to share after we unpack and get some sleep… Happy feast of St. Christopher, patron of travelers! 
“Grant me O Lord a steady hand and watchful eye.
That no one shall be hurt as I pass by.
Thou gavest life, I pray no act of mine may take away 
or mar that gift of Thine.
Shelter those, dear Lord, who bear me company,
From the evils of fire and all calamity.
Teach me to use my car for others’ need;
Nor miss through love of undue speed
the beauty of the world; that thus I may
with joy and courtesy go on my way.
St. Christopher, holy patron of travellers, 
protect me and lead me safely to my destiny.”
– St. Christopher’s Prayer for Motorists

First Communion Day

by | Jul 25, 2015 | , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Prayers after his First Confession

“Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, be my Salvation.”
with Bread of Life Cake Topper
Great Uncle Tom, lots of new friends, and “Uncle Father!” 
After First Communion: Thanksgiving 

The Body of our Lord, Jesus Christ, preserve my soul unto life everlasting! I possess Him Who gives eternal life. With firm and confident Faith, I believe, O Jesus, that Thou hast words of eternal life. Thy Flesh is meat indeed. I have received Thy sacred Body. Thou art truly present in my soul, my Lord and my God; Thou art most intimately united with me. Oh, how can I sufficiently adore Thee! Thou art my Lord and my God – I, Thy unworthy creature; Thou, my Father and Savior, hast taken pity on me: Thou lovest me, it is Thy delight to be with me. How can I, my Jesus, thank Thee for this grace! Magnify the Lord, my soul, for He hath done wonderful things to thee! Sweet, merciful Jesus, vouchsafe to look kindly upon my poor and pitiful gratitude.
I thank Thee, O Jesus!

End-of-School Interviews for 2014-2015

by | Jul 19, 2015 | | 5 Comments

A number of years ago I was inspired by Sarah (who we finally got to meet in person this past week!)  to start creating these End-of-School Interviews for each of my children and we’ve been making them every year since. Here are this year’s interviews:

Captain’s Favorite Books: Scorpion Mountain, Band of Brothers and Door to the North
Ranger’s Favorite Books: Fr. Finn’s “Famous Three” (Tom Playfair, Harry Dee, Percy Winn – also available directly from TAN), St. Thomas More of London, and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library

(We also just finished listening to this audio book again. So good!) 
{I can’t seem to find the interviews I created for my two preschoolers… I’m still in the process of transferring everything over to the new computer. Hopefully I’ll run across them, otherwise I’ll have to recreate them sometime and then update this post.}
Past End-of School Interviews:
2011-2012  •  2012-2013  •  2013-2014
Our 2014-2015 Field Trips:
Seattle (girls)
Fiddler on the Roof Production (older children)
Sledding (family)
Charlotte’s Web Production (younger children)
Bandon-by-the-Sea (family – pictures coming soon..)
You can find our 2014-2015 Curriculum Plans and Checklists here. 

Our summer is flying by so quickly… and I still need to finalize our plans for the upcoming school year. How are your plans coming along? 

{pretty, happy, funny, real} :: Amongst Lovely Things

by | Jul 18, 2015 | , | 7 Comments

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

{pretty}

Finishing up The Penderwicks in Spring (borrowed from her little sister who received it for her birthday) on the grass at the park while waiting to meet friends for the first time in person! 
{happy}

It made us so happy to finally spend some time with Sarah and her lovely family!
{funny}
While sat on the beach and chatted, the little ones had a blast filling a box with rocks…

… while the older children swam and designed dresses out of beach towels! 

{real}

Rose and Posy also became good friends real fast.
They were so cute to watch as they played in the water and shared their snacks.
You can also find this year’s End-of-School Interviews (originally inspired by Sarah!) here. 

Teacher Appreciation Gifts {with Free Printables!}

by | Jul 17, 2015 | , , , | 1 Comment

At the end of our school year, with a little inspiration from gift ideas on Pinterest, the children helped create cards for their tutors using PicMonkey, public domain clip art, and gift cards from Target, Barnes & Noble, Dairy Queen, and Dutch Bros! 

Thanks for keeping me on TARGET this school year!
 ~ Captain

For my wise and NOBLE teacher. 
“It is noble to teach oneself, but still nobler to teach others.” Mark Twain
Thank you for being such an inspiration!
~ Ranger

Here’s the scoop. You are one cool teacher! 
~ Twinkle Toes

Thanks a latte for being such a fun teacher!
~ Chiquita


End-of-School Party at the Family Fun Center

by | Jul 16, 2015 | | 1 Comment

Well, hello! I didn’t mean to disappear again… Our summer has been full! I feel like I’m on a roller coaster ride and hanging on for dear life! 😉 We’ve been having a great summer and I’ll try and share some of what we have been up to in the next week or two, but in the meantime (now that I actually have wi-fi for a few minutes… long story!) I thought I’d go back to our last week of school and finish up a few posts that have been sitting in my drafts folder since the beginning of June… 
Our local charter hosted an End-of-School party at the Family Fun Center to celebrate. They rented the whole park from 9:00-12:00 for a private party with unlimited activities and it was such a special treat for our large family! 
.: Miniture Golf :. 
First golf lesson. From his Daddy. ❤
.: Kids Kart Corral :. 
.: Go Karts :. 
.: Bumper Boats :. 

.: Cactus Jack’s Playhouse :. 
After the party we headed home, finished packing the RV, and then left for the coast to camp for the weekend and also attend a beautiful Corpus Christi rehearsal, Mass & Procession.  It was such a great way to end our school year!

July 4th: Celebrating Our Traditional American Family

by | Jul 4, 2015 | , | 14 Comments

Prayer for the Church and for the Civil Authorities
Composed by Archbishop Carroll, 1791

We pray, Thee O Almighty and Eternal God! Who through Jesus Christ hast revealed Thy glory to all nations, to preserve the works of Thy mercy, that Thy Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of Thy Name. 

We pray Thee, who alone art good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life, our chief bishop, Pope Francis, the Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of his Church; our own bishop, N., all other bishops, prelates, and pastors of the Church; and especially those who are appointed to exercise amongst us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct Thy people into the ways of salvation. 

We pray Thee O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.

We pray for his Excellency, the governor of this State, for the members of the Assembly, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they may be enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability. 

We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal. 

Finally, we pray to Thee, O Lord of mercy, to remember the souls of Thy servants departed who are gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of peace; the souls of our parents, relatives, and friends; of those who, when living, were members of this congregation, and particularly of such as are lately deceased; of all benefactors who, by their donations or legacies to this Church, witnessed their zeal for the decency of divine worship and proved their claim to our grateful and charitable remembrance. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and everlasting peace, through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Happy Independence Day! 

A Hockey Birthday

by | Jul 2, 2015 | , , , | 21 Comments

This year we celebrated Snuggles’ 8th birthday with a Hockey themed party. He had been talking about wanting this party theme ever since he started playing hockey last fall with his older brothers, but of course I ended up not making any plans until the very last minute other than ordering a few birthday gifts and pulling out our copy of Z is for Zamboni: A Hockey Alphabet. 
I knew I wanted to try and come up with a few new ideas, different from the last Hockey birthday party we had for Ranger’s (previously Rascal) 8th Birthday.  All our boys have different favorite NHL teams – Captain loves the Penguins, Ranger the Capitals, and Snuggles’ favorite team is the LA Kings so we focused on incorporating Silver and Black for our party decorations.  
After a trip to the craft store and a couple internet searches on Saturday morning (the day before his birthday!) along with lots of help from my husband and older children, it all came together! 

He was so excited when he woke up to discover his Hockey Jersey Birthday Cake, the Face-off Puck Cakes, the Stanley Cup Ice Cream Cones, and all the other treats and decorations we made for his special day.

Ranger made sure that the Capitals were still represented! 
Snuggles’ birthday happened to fall on Father’s Day this year! Some of my siblings happened to be in town for the weekend so we packed up all the party food and headed out to my parents home for a double celebration. It was such a fun day! 
.: Party Food and Decorations :. 

Sports Drinks with homemade Hockey and LA Kings Labels

Sport-orade
Ranger whipped up a quick Lego Hockey Rink…
… and this awesome little LA Kings Zamboni! 
NHL Hockey Puck Party Favors – made with Ding Dongs, a little melted chocolate to secure the lollipop sticks, and a white candy decorating pen! 
Along with “Concession Stand” Hot Dogs and Hamburgers, potato salad, and watermelon, my mom made sure there was an amazing salad filled with AIP approved veggies that I could eat. 
Thank you, Mom! 

Flying Pucks (Cookies & Cream) Ice Cream 

.: Party Games :. 

I had a couple games to play including NHL Spot it! and the NHL Bingo I created 7 years ago for one of our older boys’ 8th birthday, but the biggest attraction at Grandma and Grandpa’s house is always getting rides on the golf cart or Grandpa’s quad.

.: Birthday Cake :.

.: Birthday Gifts :.
His birthday gifts included some little gifts from his siblings (I especially loved watching him open the bag of coins from his little sister. She was so excited to give them to him! And of course all the thank you hugs!), a water gun from Grandpa and Grandma, a fun airplane card and gift from his other grandparents, lots of little toys from Uncle Brian and Aunt Megan including this fun Air Hogs Rip Force Glider, a few lego sets, a LA Kings Goalie Minifigure, and a personalized Hockey backpack!
Happy 8th Birthday, Snuggles!


Stanley Cup Ice Cream Cones

by | Jun 30, 2015 | , , | 9 Comments

I’m finally back with one last treat we made for Snuggles 8th birthday! While Twinkle Toes and Ranger baked and decorated the “Face-Off” cupcakes, Captain helped create these Stanley Cup Ice Cream Cones inspired by these Stanley Cone Treats from Today’s Parent.  They turned out great and were a perfect addition to our Hockey themed birthday party! 
“One of the benefits of helping mom with birthday prep = mini ice cream cones made from some of the leftovers.”
– Captain 
Stanley Cup Ice Cream Cones


Supplies:



 Directions: 

Using a serrated knife, carefully cut off the rounded “cup” area from the Keebler Ice Cream Cup and put aside. We also trimmed the edge of one of the Joy Ice Cream Cups so that the edge would be flat/straight when stacked on top of the bottom Ice Cream Cup.

I wasn’t able to find a round cookie the size we needed for the bottom so we filled the center of Keebler Fudge Stripes with a brown M&M and secured it with some melted white chocolate for the base of the Stanley Cups.

Next, put melted chocolate in a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. (We used a plastic bag with the corned clipped off.)  The original directions suggested piping “melted chocolate on the base of the ice cream cup and slide it inside the second ice cream cup, stacking and sealing them together.”  We skipped this step so that they could be taken apart during the party and used for Ice Cream, saving the treat side for later.

Pipe a ring of chocolate on the top of the Stanley Cup and attach the ice cream cone “bowl” cut earlier on top.

Before filling the bottom cups with treats (M&M’s) and attaching the base (cookie) we temporarily put the cones together and spray painted them silver with Silver Color Mist. This wasn’t the most cost-effective thing to do, and we ended up needing a second can (purchased with 60% off coupons at least) to cover the cones that we made.

After the silver spray has dried, fill the bottom cup (the ice cream cup that wasn’t trimmed or cut at all) with candy, then pipe chocolate around the edges of the opening and place the cookie over the opening to seal. Stand the ice cream cups cookie-side down.

Re-assemble cones, set on tray, and let color and chocolate dry overnight in a cool, dry place.​

Serve with “Flying Pucks” (aka Cookies and Cream) Ice Cream topped with a York Minis. 

Celebrating the Birthday of St. John the Baptist

by | Jun 25, 2015 | , , , | 5 Comments

{pretty}
Grasshopper Parfaits to celebrate the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist!
#nowtomakesomethingicaneat
{happy/funny}

Honey Sweetened Grasshopper Bars made with Avocado and Coconut! After nearly 4 months (113 days to be exact) on an incredibly strict Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet I finally added something back in… a little cocoa powder to make the chocolate layer for these treats… to celebrate today’s solemnity! I’m praying that it doesn’t end up being one of my triggers, but so far so good!

The Birthday of Saint John the Baptist from SAINTS: A Year in Faith and Art
{real}
I posted the recipe over at Catholic Cuisine. You can find it here: Honey Sweetened Grasshopper Bars

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


 O glorious Saint John the Baptist, greatest prophet among those born of woman, although thou wast sanctified in thy mother’s womb and didst lead a most innocent life, nevertheless it was thy will to retire into the wilderness, there to devote thyself to the practice of austerity and penance; obtain for us of thy Lord the grace to be wholly detached, at least in our hearts, from earthly goods, and to practice Christian mortification with interior recollection and with the spirit of holy prayer.

Saint John the Baptist, pray for us! 

On the Feast of St. Christopher

On the Feast of St. Christopher

by | Jul 26, 2015 | , , | 4 Comments

"There's another river!"Our family is home again after 25 days on the road, traveling over 3,500 miles (Sean drove the RV and I drove the mini-van) through five states! We explored a couple National Parks, spent time with dear friends and extended family, made many...

End-of-School Interviews for 2014-2015

End-of-School Interviews for 2014-2015

by | Jul 19, 2015 | | 5 Comments

A number of years ago I was inspired by Sarah (who we finally got to meet in person this past week!)  to start creating these End-of-School Interviews for each of my children and we've been making them every year since. Here are this year's...

{pretty, happy, funny, real} :: Amongst Lovely Things

{pretty, happy, funny, real} :: Amongst Lovely Things

by | Jul 18, 2015 | , | 7 Comments

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life with Like Mother, Like Daughter. ~{pretty}Finishing up The Penderwicks in Spring (borrowed from her little sister who received it for her birthday) on the grass at the park while waiting to meet friends for...

End-of-School Party at the Family Fun Center

End-of-School Party at the Family Fun Center

by | Jul 16, 2015 | | 1 Comment

Well, hello! I didn't mean to disappear again... Our summer has been full! I feel like I'm on a roller coaster ride and hanging on for dear life! 😉 We've been having a great summer and I'll try and share some of what we have been up to in the next week or two,...

Stanley Cup Ice Cream Cones

Stanley Cup Ice Cream Cones

by | Jun 30, 2015 | , , | 9 Comments

I'm finally back with one last treat we made for Snuggles 8th birthday! While Twinkle Toes and Ranger baked and decorated the "Face-Off" cupcakes, Captain helped create these Stanley Cup Ice Cream Cones inspired by these Stanley Cone Treats from Today's...

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.

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