By Sun and Candlelight

Good Friday & Baby News

Some hot cross buns for afternoon tea ...

Actually, these are easy-peasy blueberry scones, with some homemade frosting piped on top in the traditional cross shape. Note the odd one in the back - the one with the O, rather than the †? That was Bill being frisky, an attempt to play tic-tac-toe while I prepared the buns.

:)

Well, I hope your Easter weekend is off to a nice start! Bill's home today and we're having a quiet afternoon, preparing for our family gathering on Sunday. This morning I had a midwife appointment and there we talked about lots of things - including my weekly appointment schedule from here on out (every Friday till the end of May) and a possible induction date (considering my super-fast deliveries of both Crackerjack and Earlybird). I have a feeling I will go sometime before my due date anyway, but we'll know more as the weeks go by. What was really neat at today's visit ~ my mum came with me so she not only got to meet my midwife, but she also got to hear our little Baby-O's* heartbeat. He's always so scrappy when they use that doppler wand ... flipping around and giving a little show!

So all is going well ... I'm going to start on a magnesium supplement and daily protein shakes ... we'll wait on the thyroid testing to see how things go and/or if any other symptoms arise. And I had the echocardiogram last night and it went well ... that is, the test was smooth and the technician was lovely (an old high school classmate as it turned out!) but I'm waiting to hear what the cardiologist made of things. My midwife assured me that palps and an obvious heartbeat are very common in pregnancy and that all this testing is just to be extra cautious. That made me feel better!

*Now, for the time being, here at the blog we'll be calling the little guy "Baby-O," and yes, the "O" refers to his real name, which we chose some time ago. I don't mean to be so secretive, but we've always kept our boys "real names" private. Well, as you know, there aren't many "O" boy names out there, and I can tell you we're especially fond of Gaelic (Irish) names ... so maybe that will give you a little clue? If you'd like to guess, leave a comment below and I'll let you know if you're right. ;)

Enjoy the rest of your Friday, my friends ... and a happy holiday weekend to all!

*❤*

Blessings to you on Palm Sunday!

I hope you have a wonderful day!

*❤*

Looking at Next Week

Happy Friday, my friends! It's time to start planning a new week!

Lots going on next week - in our schedule, in our Faith, and in nature, too. And the week not only closes with Palm Sunday, but we celebrate a Papal Inauguration as well! How lovely is that?

So yesterday I pulled the folder shown above out of storage, attached a weekly planning page to its cover, and starting "thinking things out."

Here are my thoughts and ideas ... :)

Events/Days of Note

19 - St. Joseph's Day

19 - Papal Inauguration Mass

20 - Vernal Equinox

22 - Blogiversary (7 years!)

24 - Palm Sunday

*

Dinner Menus

*Under construction - please see my Menu Monday post!

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To-Dos

Plan CCD finale/Palm Sunday party.

Order natural egg dye kit.

Buy white eggs.

Spring cleaning, con.

Make card for our pastor.

Finalize Easter menu.

Books to Request/Display

Song of the Swallows

The Spring Equinox

Mossy

Humphrey's First Palm Sunday

*

Live/Love/Learn

Watch papal proceedings on tv on St. Joseph's Day; serve "sloppy joe empanadas" for supper and "dulce de leche" sundaes as a special "Argentinian" dessert. :)

Talk with boys about "Friends of St. Francis" badge program - brainstorm ideas.

Observe spring equinox: watch sunrise, start a pot of seeds, set out nesting materials.

Take a family Palm Sunday Praise Walk - look for pussy willows by river, stop by vernal pond, observe signs of new life.

Watch night sky for comet: use printable sky map.

Work on amphibians & reptiles study: visit pet store (ask questions, look at turtles, snakes, frogs, lizards), begin "pond watch" at home (listen for peepers), investigate back fence/woods for salamanders.

Set up spring nature table.

*

So those are my notes for now ... they're just ideas and hopes, but the week will take its own shape and rhythm and we'll do our best to keep up. But I'm excited about all that's to come - it's a very special week in the year - one of my favorites!

Do you have any special activities in mind for next week? If you do, I'd love to hear about them!

Hope you all enjoy your Friday ... see you here again very soon!

*❤*

Wednesday Q & A: Due Dates, Desserts & Diet

Good morning, my friends! I thought I'd do a little Q&A catch-up today ...

Now and again I am asked when I'm due, and I can tell you my "official" due date is May 27th (Memorial Day) - and that's (wow) three months from today! I tend to deliver close to my dd - Bookworm was born one day late (the day after the summer solstice), Crackerjack came two days early (two days before the Assumption) and Earlybird arrived a whole week early (just in time for his Papa's birthday!). But we'll have to wait and see what this baby has planned ... ;)

Yesterday, Michelle asked:

Can you share the recipe for the potato and leek soup? I think you have mentioned it before but I couldn't find the recipe. I bought leeks at the store today in hopes of making it Friday.

I'm trying this one, Michelle: Martha Stewart Potato Leek Soup. It sounds earthy and delicious - a perfect supper for the first of March. :)

Why leeks you might wonder, dear readers? Well March 1st is The Feast of St. David, who is the patron of Wales, and leeks are a national symbol (alongside the daffodil). Traditionally they are worn on a lapel, but I prefer the idea of serving them in a meal ...

Are we Welsh? No. But we're Catholic, and I enjoy working simple faith traditions into our everyday family life. Over the years they bring us a familiar, fun comfort - and happy memories, as well. :)

Now, Jen asked:

I wondered if you make a dessert almost every night? I think I would weigh 300 pounds if I ate all the yummy desserts you serve! :-) Which brings me to another question, I have noticed that there are always (or usually!) seem to be delicious sweets in your home? How do you keep your girlish figure, Dawn? Do you squeeze exercise into your already-busy schedule? I would love to hear your thoughts on this!

Ok, lots of points to touch on, Jen!

I do serve dessert at every dinner, but I don't always make it myself - and it's not always something big or special. I usually have simple cookies (vanilla wafers, gingersnaps, oatmeal raisin) or plain ice cream/frozen yogurt on hand. My family really enjoys a little something sweet after a meal and I feel as long as we keep it proportionate and nobody has issues tied to sweets, we're ok. I also try to keep our desserts as natural (homemade) and fruit-based (seasonal) as possible.

Honestly, I'm a big believer of "all things in moderation," so we don't forbid sweets, but we do monitor them. Earlybird is the only one of us who has a weight issue, and that is tied tightly into his autism: eating is an addiction for him - he literally wants to eat all the time. But it's not so much sweets he wants, but rather, carbs and dairy. And actually he rarely eats the family dessert - he's usually pretty happy with a couple of low fat "Fig Newmans" or a few graham crackers after a meal. Currently we're working with him on portion control and making healthier choices ... and this would be a great topic for a future post! I'll start a draft now. :)

But I do enjoy desserts, I'll admit! And I also love to bake. In fact, Bill, looking over my shoulder at this draft just said, "You love to bake stuff but you never eat it!" Which is not entirely true - I do allow myself to have a small sweet a day - but I don't eat it at night after supper, because that gives me heartburn. So I usually save my "sweet" for midday. I don't know if that makes a big difference, but I've heard it said it's wise to limit calories late in the day. And if I'm having a cupcake with lunch I'll only eat half a sandwich instead of a whole. I have to keep my meals small because I tend to have slow digestion - if I eat too much in one sitting my stomach can't deal.

Now, do I exercise?

Well, um ... no. 

o_o

I know I should - I really should - and I am always meaning to start! But the truth of it is, I just can't find the time ... or energy ... or motivation. Generally speaking, my weight stays about the same even without "formal" exercise ... but I know exercise is about way more than staying trim - it's about heart health and flexibility, etc. I have this conversation with my doctor at each annual physical!

Ideally, I'd be walking/using the eliptical a few times a week and doing some yoga or stretching every day. It's in the back of my mind that once I've recovered from this baby's birth I will get serious about doing something "formally" physical, a few times a week. I'm sure it won't be as easy to shed baby weight in my 40s as it was in my 20's and 30s!

As for watching my figure, well I try to stay aware of how my clothes are fitting - and if things feel snug I know I need to be a little more careful with my food choices for a week or two. All that said, I could definitely stand to eat healthier - I don't eat nearly as much produce as I should and I tend to shy away from whole grains. Our family food goals this year include eating less processed food, and eating a more varied (seasonal/local) diet - more food for a future post!

But Jen, I too would love to hear opinions on this subject ...

How do we moms fit exercise into an already busy schedule? Better yet - how do we find the energy to do said exercise if and when we have the time?

***

Well friends, I'll wrap things up here since this post is getting long and my time is getting short. Time to rattle my older boys' cages and get on with my day. I do hope your Wednesday's a good one, and if you have questions or comments, please leave me a note below!

See you here again sometime soon ...

*❤*

Friday Fun: Slowcooking, Cherries & Snoooooow

Happy Friday, my friends! I hope this post finds you well.

Thanks for all the encouragement and suggestions regarding a possible FCS video ... it seems I've got some thinking and planning to do! I also feel inspired to get cracking on my weekly planning sheet - *digging up old copies and seeing what's what* - and thanks for the feedback on feedburner ... so far it seems to be working pretty well. :)

I have just a few things to share with you today ...

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First of all, I'll definitely be checking into this series of posts this weekend:

Slow Cooker Freezer Meals

Each part (there are four) features several family-friendly recipes for the crockpot - to be prepared ahead - ingredients only - and then frozen in plastic bags. You end up with all these flat frozen bags of ready-to-go crockpot meals - I LOVE this!! How great it would be to have several of these meals stocked for after the baby arrives? (Plus crockpot cooking is wonderful for the hot summer months.)

Speaking of slowcooking, Bill has me looking at this Healthy Slowcooker, to replace the old Rival we are currently using ... anyone have experience with this model? Or, may I ask, what kind of crockpot do you use and are you happy with it?

*

And today is the 22nd of February - on this day in the Catholic calendar we celebrate The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, which takes on a bit more significance this year as we're soon to begin the process of electing a new pope. I'm starting a very simple conclave study with the younger boys today to continue throughout Lent - or until a new pope is chosen, hopefully before Easter! We're a bit intrigued by the buzz surrounding our own Boston Archbishop, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, so that will be a neat angle to follow ...

The 22nd is also George Washington's birthday and I love to make a cherry cobbler on this day. (Referencing, of course, Washington's alleged childhood indiscretion with a rather unfortunate cherry tree.) So a cobbler will be made later today using up a can of cherry pie filling I had in the pantry. :)

*

And yes, the snow is still coming - though with less impact than originally forecast. It will begin sometime tomorrow afternoon and last through late day Sunday ...

This is the updated snow map for our area:

We'd be in the purple neck of the woods ...

* 

Here's a short video preview from PBS featuring a glimpse of Call the Midwife and Mr. Selfridges.

 Sundays This Spring

I'm thrilled to learn CtM will be moving to the 8 p.m. time slot. That is music to this oft-exhausted, expectant mama's ears!

By the way, Sarah asked about catching up with CtM and as best I can tell, full episodes are no longer available on the pbs website. The first season is out on dvd now - perhaps it's available at a local library? Netflix has it as well.

*

Will you be watching the Oscars Sunday night? I have yet to see even one of the best picture nominees, but we do have Argo in our Netflix queue. And - Oscars aside - I'm itching to take the kids to see Oz: The Great and Powerful, which, going by the previews looks pretty fantastic. I'm hoping to pull together a field trip for opening day.

*

Well I think I've chewed on your ears long enough, lol! Just wanted to pop in and catch up and wish you all a very happy weekend. :)

I'll back to "check in" again soon ...

*❤*

Our King Cake for Carnival ...

... aka Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday or just plain old Mardi Gras!

(It's also Abraham Lincoln's birthday, but that's a whole other post ...)

So here's the "King Cake" that Earlybird and I made today ...

A very simple chocolate cake drizzled with a simple sweet glaze and sprinkled with "royal" Mardi Gras colors: purple, gold and green ...

(I love how the colors reflect - perhaps not intentionally - the shades of spring's earliest flower, the crocus!)

Our cake will be served after a pancake supper this evening ... there will be stacks of pancakes, served with maple syrup and fresh whipped cream as well as a platter of roasted kielbasa and potatoes. This is our traditional Shrove Tuesday supper, which is served on the last night before Lent. (More on this holiday can be found here.)

After supper we'll bury our "Alleluia" (a wooden sign we display on Easter Sunday), and hang the grapevine Lenten cross ... and then, in honor of Mr. Lincoln, we'll watch National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets. A fantastic family movie with lots of adventure and great history trivia to boot. We plan to start it early so we can tune into the State of the Union Address at 9 p.m. :)

Have a grand evening, my friends ... see you here again very soon!

*❤*

Thinking ahead to Next Week ...

So on Thursdays I start actively planning out the next week ... I grab the new week's folder from my file crate, sit down with my calendar and then set about filling in the blanks ...

First I determine days & events "of note" ...

For the week of Monday, February 11th - Sunday, February 17th:

11 - Our Lady of Lourdes

12 - Abraham Lincoln's birthday

12 - Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras

13 - Ash Wednesday/LENT begins

14 - St. Valentine's Day

I also think about things that will need to be done/remembered and begin my "to do" list. I look at how busy our week will be - the balance of how often we'll be out and how much we'll be home. This helps me decide which days can handle more "to-do's" and which days will require a simpler supper.

Next I plan out our dinner menus, again keeping an eye on the calendar - is someone out one evening and/or is there something special to celebrate?

I then look over the master notes for this week in the year, and sort through the new folder to see what I've saved - recipes, crafts, invitations, etc. Then I decide what seems appealing/do-able this year.

The coming week is particularly rich with seasonal and liturgical events - so there are a LOT of plans listed here - but we only ever do what we can comfortably fit into our week. (And what I, as "ringmaster," feel up to.)

:)

Our Lady of Lourdes: a coloring page (from this book) - with EB, finish up Bernadette: Our Lady's Little Servant - with CJ, who will also research the sacred grotto, discuss plans to make our own backyard shrine, supper: crockpot French onion soup + small roast beef-baguette sandwiches + French apple dessert. After supper we'll watch a documentary on Lourdes (available on Netflix, instant play).

Lincoln's birthday: morning math: make penny rubbings with EB (review coins/money), bring out Lincoln Logs, lunch: rolled wrap sandwiches and jelly rolls ("Lincoln Logs"), read this book and fiddle with "log cabin" supplies (peanut butter, graham crackers and pretzels), watch Abraham Lincoln: Inspiring Heroes (middle boys) after lunch, and National Treasure: Book of Secrets after supper (older boys)

Shrove Tuesday: make Mardi Gras masks (paper plates, feathers/markers/craft sticks), supper: pancakes w/syrup and whipped cream, roasted kielbasa/homefries, fruit salad & a sparkly king's cake, bury our alleluia ...

Ash Wednesday - attend early Mass and receive ashes, back home set up Lent corner which will look much like this, plan meatless meals for the season (check back on this post), supper: cheese raviolis and simple salad, organize Lent/Easter book basket

St. Valentine's Day - earlier in week hang Valentines flag and decorate windows with red & white doiley hearts, wake boys with a pot of hot chocolate & freshly baked chocolate-chip banana bread, read about the real Saint Valentine, for supper: garlic baked chicken, rice pilaf, soy-butter asparagus and raspberry cobbler cupcakes, watch Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown with the kids after supper - and after EB goes to bed (he absolutely loathes Charlie Brown, lol)

***

So those are the plans for next week, and we'll see how well we fit them in. Some weeks we do a lot and some weeks not so much - but it's always nice to have plans, because ... there's always next year! And that's part of the comfort and joy of the year's seasons. :)

Well my friends, as I wrap up this post, it's the "calm before the storm" as the saying goes, as a "blizzard of epic proportions" is heading our way. Seems hard to believe since it's been such a quiet, sunny day ... but we've made our preparations as best we can ... and now we just sit and wait and watch for the snow to start falling ...

(I'm sure I'll have snow pictures to share at some point this weekend!) 

I hope wherever you are, you have a lovely evening and a good day tomorrow. Thanks so much for stopping by ... I'll see you here again sometime soon!

*❤*

A Kings' Cake ...

For Three Kings Day ...

... with a "crown" of 12 stars for the 12 days of Christmas!

By tradition, I believe a Kings' Cake is a yeasty, citrusy, ring-shaped concoction - but ours is plain old chocolate and vanilla. A nice Sunday dinner dessert.

:) 

Well, I hope you've all had a nice weekend. We took the older boys to see The Hobbit this afternoon, and oh my goodness was it wonderful! For a very long movie, it ended before I was ready for it to be over! Happily there are two more installments to come.

And tonight of course we have - not only the return of Once Upon a Time BUT ALSO - the premiere of Downton Abbey season three! Remember all those months ago how we all bemoaned the horrible long wait for DA to return? And now the night is here at last. I'm about to take a power nap so I might be able to stay up late enough to watch!

But I'll be back tomorrow morning with a "Masterpiece Monday" post, so we can talk about our thoughts on both DA and OUaT. Until then I thank you for stopping by and I wish you all a very pleasant Sunday night ...

See you all again very soon!

*❤*

Happy Epiphany!

*❤*

The wise men have traveled far (across the family room) and have finally made it to the manger!

"After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary, his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way." (Matthew 2: 9-12)

We came home from Mass with our blessed chalk, and happily wrote the new year's house blessing above our front door:

May Christ bless this house ...

And after supper tonight we will enjoy a piece of "King's Cake" (pic to come) ...  I wonder which of the boys will find the bean this year? :)

Enjoy your Sunday, my friends!

*❤*

In Today's Homily ...

... our pastor reflected on the season of Advent, and his words really touched me. I'm paraphasing here, because - though my memory is fuzzy these days - I felt funny whipping out my post-it-notes in the middle of Mass. ;)

"As Christians we don't just sit back and wait ... we are not a passive people ... but rather, we get ready and prepare. We actively give of ourselves in Jesus's name. In fact, the famous prayer of St. Francis is a perfect to-do list ..."

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen

Father went on to talk about the recent photo that made national news, of a NYPD officer giving a pair of boots to a homeless man. I had seen the photo of course, but today, the story behind the photo really moved me to tears. Sure, I'm hormonal but that's a truly beautiful story - and a wonderful example as well.

Advent in action right there.

:)

So Happy Advent, everyone! And Happy New Year, too! In the Catholic Faith, our new liturgical year begins today. Gosh I love those crisp new missals ...

Have a lovely Sunday my friends!

❤

From My Advent Notebook ...

 

{Notes for December 2nd ~ the 8th}

        * Set up the children's creche in the learning room.

    * Fill Advent calendar boxes with little messages or treats.

    * Decorate Christmas tree ~ I love natural decorations, and these would be lovely!    

    * Light our first Advent candle ~ Add sprigs of (kitty-safe) greenery gathered on this week's nature walk.

* On St. Barbara's Day (Dec. 4th) ~ Gather bare branches to force in a bucket of water, in hopes they'll bloom by Christmas Day.

    * On St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6th) ~ Hang candy canes in the tree - one for each boy - with a little note describing something he has done this year of which he should be proud. Also, place a new Christmas book for our collection under the tree.

        * Mail Christmas cards ~ Prepare a plate of cookies for the lovely ladies at the post office. :)

     * Begin "Animals of Christmas" with Earlybird ~ Organize notebook, visit "our" farm, add wooden animals to creche, and read books centering on animals of the manger.

    * Honor the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8th) ~ Make some pure vanilla cookies (I get these aptly named treats at Whole Foods), hang our symbolic ornament on the tree and listen to this song which never fails to move me to tears.

* Set up our Christmas card display ~ Hang felt ribbons along the windowpanes with tiny clothespins attached.

***

As the first Sunday of Advent approaches, I'm reminding myself that this can be a time of quiet and peace, despite the "hustle and bustle" of the cultural norm. I'm trying to focus on family- and home-centered activities ... less "out and about," more "in and within." I'm also considering our Advent home atmosphere ... the sights, sounds and stimuli that surround us. Being pregnant has added a whole new dimension to the season for me - in the practical and personal sense. I am truly relishing this time of year ... waiting, watching, wondering ... there are some very special weeks just ahead.

Have a lovely weekend, my friends!

❤

Easy Little Martinmas Lanterns

November 11th is Veteran's Day in America, and Remembrance Day in the UK ... it is also the Feast of St. Martin, or Martinmas, and one of my favorite feasts all year. On this day we often make lanterns of one kind or another -  a small but comforting light to shine through the darkness of a dark November day. Well, this year I needed something super easy - and I also happened to need a "stained glass" craft for my CCD class - and this little project fit both bills!

All you need is about one quiet hour and - for each child - a baby food jar (empty and clean), twine or wire, Mod Podge (or a similar glue) and paintbrush, colorful art tissue and a tealight.

First, we brush a thin amount of glue on a side of the jar, and then we stick little bits of tissue onto the surface, smoothing them out so they overlap a little but not so much that edges stick out. We work in small areas so the glue does not dry out. (For very young children, or children with fine motor issues, it's helpful to have the tissue already torn into small bits - some children love to tear it, though!)

Once the jar is covered with tissue, we tie some twine around the neck of the jar, fashioning a handle of sorts. (Thin wire can be used as well - with or without decorative beads.) And in this way, the lantern can be hung (from a tree branch, perhaps) or carried during a short Martinmas walk at dusk.

We use real tealight candles, but a battery-lit version would work just as well and of course, be less of a safety concern. But there's something so lovely about the smell of the candle mingled with the cold November air ...

Until Sunday evening, our lantern will hang in our front window, catching the light of the day and waiting for its moment to shine.

I have not yet decided if I will do this craft with my class today. I have the supplies ready, but will have to judge their level of "antsiness," lol, as well as our time limits. I may perhaps save this for a class closer to Christmas.

Other plans for today's feast?

Well, in this week's file folder, I had a crockpot recipe for "Hungarian Goulash" (St. Martin was born in what became Hungary), but I know in my heart there's no way I can put up with a house filled with "stew smell" all day! So instead, we'll have a simple, prepared chicken pie, cranberry sauce, potatoes and soft rolls we can split and share.

Sharing and giving to others is a hallmark of this feast day. According to legend, when Martin was but a young soldier, he came upon a beggar huddled by the side of the road. Taking pity on this poor cold soul, Martin split his heavy cloak in two and shared it with the beggar. That night he had a dream in which Jesus appeared in that very cloak. Martin went on to devote his life to serving God and the less fortunate. He is the patron of (amongst other things) soldiers and the impoverished.

Now, in years past I have made a simple oat cookie baked in the shape of a horseshoe, and I just may do so later today. (I have the butter softening on the counter just in case!) This cookie has to do with the legend mentioned above - Martin was riding a great steed when he came upon the beggar. It's a very simple and tasty cookie (described in this post from 2007) and if anyone would like the recipe please let me know.

And later today I plan to order some new pajamas for the boys ... and we'll do a "winter coat check" and see who needs what. (We'll also put aside any coats we can donate this month.)

The boys will also spend time outside today, helping Bill with the yard - there are leaves to blow and rake and many little branches and sticks to gather and stack. Earlybird and I will work on our brush pile - a little winter shelter for the birds in our yard.

All good honest work to work up good honest appetites!

:)

So my friends, I wish you all a happy Sunday and thank you all for stopping by ... no Call the Midwife tonight, so no "Masterpiece Monday" tomorrow though I may put up a post so we can chat about Once Upon a Time. But we'll see what the morning brings!

Have yourselves a nice day ... see you here again sometime soon!

❤

In Remembrance ...

An altar for saints and souls ...

This activity has become a part of our All Souls Day tradition - an altar filled with candles, flowers and pictures of loved ones passed away. This year I added symbols of family patron saints as well.

I used clean leftover baby food jars (from those Halloween carrot breads!) to hold the candles, and for candles I used tea lights blessed by our pastor on Candlemas. The jars could certainly be "fancied up" with paint or glue and glitter or colored tissue paper. But EB got such a kick out of washing the jars - and honestly, my energy was running quite low - we just left them "as is." :)

Marigolds are traditional flowers for All Souls Day (aka the Day of the Dead) but I'm hard pressed to find marigolds at this time of year. Even our hearty mums are well past withered at this point. So instead, I picked up a very small bouquet of russet-colored chrysanthemums and cut them down to fit the jars and a couple of glass votives I had on hand.

I've set up the altar in different spots through the years, but this year I chose the family room mantel. I nestled the jars into a leafy fall garland that stretches along the length of the mantel, and then I set out the pictures we had gathered of loved ones who have passed on. Behind the pictures we set up holy cards, pictures and other symbols of family saints.

*†*

My grandfather ("Pa") with a two year-old Bookworm and me. Behind the picture is a holy card for Blessed John Paul II - a man my grandfather not only admired, but happened to look very much like. :)

(At the far right in the wooden frame is Crackerjack's patron, Saint George.)

Bill's grandmother ("Grammie") with Crackerjack, who was probably about four in this picture. I had not found my holy card of St. Therese before I took these pictures ~ Grammie was extremely devoted to The Little Flower. :)

In the background is Earlybird's "Saint Nicholas" dvd. :)

My mother's brother ("Uncle George) with Crackerjack (on his First Communion). CJ adored his great uncle, and the feeling was mutual.

(Not shown off to the left is a framed picture of Bookworm's patron, Saint Thomas Aquinas.)

My beloved Gram ("Damee" to the boys) with me, on her "divan" many years ago. (Judging by my haircut, this was shortly after Earlybird was born.) In the background is a holy card for Saint Francis which once belonged to my grandmother and - though it's hard to tell in this picture - was hand-stiched with fine embroidery thread.

I love how the whole altar glows as the light fades on All Souls Day. We keep our altar lit till the candles burn down ... or until Earlybird begs to blow them out. ;)

On this day for all souls, we think about, talk about, and pray for these dear people. We remember how much we loved them ... and how much they loved us. And I remind the boys that that love never ever ends ... and that someday we'll see them again.

❤

Well my friends, thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you've all had a good week. Have yourselves a nice, rejuvenating weekend ... and I'll see you here again very soon!

All Hallows, All Saints and All Souls ...

Good Morning my friends! And Happy November!

I'd like to share a few pictures from our Halloween, if I may. It was a lovely day - and a dry, cool night. A real mix of clouds and sun (and clouds and moon) and that crisp October air. Very autumnal.

We always begin our holiday by making note of the sunrise ...

We were out and about earlier in the day, and then after lunch it was all about finishing up lessons and getting ready for our night!

Usually, Bill does the pumpkins with the boys, but with the hurricane and all, it just did not get done. So it was up to me to oversee the project - and wield the knife! - though I told the boys I drew the line at handling pumpkin guts, lol.

The cats were fascinated with the whole process. :)

Here are Crackerjack's designs: one "funny face" and one "fearsome face."

Done!

These two jacks were placed on our front steps, nestled into garden planters on either side of the front door.

Some treats of the healthy kind ...

And otherwise. ;)

Throughout the afternoon I tidied the house, decorated a Halloween cake, and baked a couple of carrot breads with Earlybird. I also put on my favorite Halloween movie of all time ~ Meet Me in St. Louis, which may seem a strange choice, but if you remember the Halloween scene ("Tootie's the most horrible! She's the bravest of them all!") you'll know why I love it. :) 

At last the sun began to set ...

And Halloween night was upon us!

We live in a quiet, sprawling neighborhood so we get a LOT of trick-or-treaters. I'm always anxious over the amount of candy we've purchased - will it be enough? One year we nearly ran out, and I was rifling through the boys' snack stash to see what I could add to the mix!

And we are very fortunate to have wonderful friends gather with us each year for tricks-or-treats. It's fun to see how the kids have changed each year! The dads take the kids around the neighborhood while the moms stay at home to pass out candy (and chat).

Bill took this picture (with his phone) of our younger boys out and about:

Earlybird was a soccer player - though he insisted he was "just Earlybird" - and Crackerjack was a skeleton.

Once the gang got back from trick-or-treating, we had cider and cake ... and then the candy-trading commenced!

 Our group shrinks a bit each year as the older kids get busy with various activities - for instance, Bookworm was at class last night and it felt strange not to have him with us! But that's what happens as life moves on - things necessarily change. Of course, next year our ranks will grow again - we'll have a new little one joining us! I mentioned that last night and Crackerjack piped up:

"I can't wait to take the little papoose out trick or treating!"

:D

Well, now Halloween's a thing of the past, and we have two lovely feast days to celebrate: All Saints today, and All Souls tomorrow. By necessity, I'm keeping plans simple this year ...

Today we'll clean and fill our feeders and spruce up the nature corner in honor of our family patron, Saint Francis. And those of us who can make it will attend morning Mass.

For tomorrow, I'll arrange our altar of remembrance - we have little baby food jars all clean and ready to turn into votives. And if the weather's good and we have time, we'll stop by the cemetery to pay respects and maybe do some grave rubbings. And perhaps I'll bake those donuts I usually bake on Halloween morning (but did not this year) and of course there will be "Mexican" for supper. :)

Simple joys, really - little ways to stay connected to our Faith and all its lovely traditions. I just love this time of year ... it feels like an ending of one season and the beginning of another. And so it is - we're nearing the start of the holiday season as well as a new liturgical year ... and of course, the natural year is winding down swiftly as well.

Well my friends, I'll be off. I hope this week's been kind to you, and I wish you all a good day ...

See you here again very soon!

❤

Happy Assumption Day!

I hope you all had a lovely day. Blessings to you and your loved ones!

By the way, I have a new post up tonight at my homekeeping blog. I think it's high time I get back to that ... :)

See you all sometime tomorrow!

 ❤

Q & A Roundup

Happy Friday, my friends! It's time for a little Q&A catch-up!

"It would be lovely to know about all of your [home management binder] sections but most especially your blog planning, prayer section and homeschooling section :) Thanks for sharing!" ~ Posted by: CeAnne @ Sanctus Simplicitus

CeAnne, here's a look at what I keep in those sections:

    * In my "Personal/Blog/Writing" section, I keep a running list of post ideas and suggestions, as well as notes for other writing projects and personal hobbies.

    * In my "Prayer Book," I keep a running list of prayer intentions. I used to have a box for this purpose, but it was out of the way and nobody seemed to use it. These days, when something comes up - a need or request for prayer - I can write it down here.

    * Behind my "Home Education" tab, I have copies of the current education plans and any correspondence with the school. I don't keep my actual lesson planning here (at least not presently) because it's just too big.

{❤}

"I love the idea of a "storage binder" for the finished pages so the regular working binder doesn't get too big or too full. What size binder do you use for the everyday one?" ~ Posted by: MamaGames

MamaGames, my primary binder is about an inch-and-a-half wide. (I measured the width since I can't remember what size I bought!) It seems to be just wide enough, but not too unwieldly. I'm trying really hard to keep it useful, not overwhelming.

{❤}

"I like the idea of the binder because then you can switch things around... so does the binder replace the spiral book you had made? I also like your clippings pages. Let us know how you like it. Will you move these to a yearly binder for storage?" ~ Posted by: Theresa

Theresa, I am using the binder in place of the spiral-bound daybook. I just don't have the time to make up something new right now and I'm trying to keep things all in one place. That said, I do have a small spiral-bound (commercial) planner which fits in my bag. (This is the planner that leaves the house - the binder I leave at home.) Someday when I have time I will get back to making my own daybook. That's really a passion of mine!

And as for the clipping pages, so far I'm finding this method to be pretty efficient. (I'm not loving it, but it is working.) And yes, all those pages are filed into the storage binder, right behind the daily pages and outdated monthly calendars. If this section grows bigger I will give the clippings a binder of their own.

{❤}

"I do actually have a request...I am a new Catholic and I would love a post about the resources you use to teach Catholism to your sons, especially Early Bird, as my kids are little. Also, a question...how far apart are your two older boys?" Posted by: Kristie

{❤}

Kristie, that's a wonderful post idea and, as I am currently outlining our "Faith @ Home" year, I'll write something up soon. But I can easily answer your second question: my older two are four years apart, whereas there are only two years between the younger two. :)

{❤}

"Do you have any homemade homeschool planning sheets you use on a regular basis?" ~ Posted by: Denise

Denise, I have used various lesson planning materials over the years - some homemade, others commercially produced. For many years I used a lesson planner made by a company that, alas, went out of business. Then I tried something similar by a different manufacturer but ultimately I found making something up on my own fit my needs best. 

I am currently setting up a notebook to use as my "teacher's planner" this year. When it's done I will be happy to show you, but I can tell you I like to plan things weekly (rather than daily) and I designate space for general notes as well as goals for each of the boys.

Have you seen Donna Young's website? There are loads of planning sheets available there - and all are printables, free to use.

{❤}

Well, I have more questions to address, but this is all I have time for right now. (This day flew right by, did it not?) So I'll sign off for now, but please let me wish you all a happy weekend ... and thanks so much for stopping by!

I'll see you here again very soon.

:)

Homemade Caramel Sauce

Because it's National Ice Cream Month after all, and to my mind, nothing tastes better on ice cream than caramel sauce. :) It also happens to be the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel so I thought "carmel sundaes" might be a fitting dessert ... and yes, I realize that caramel is not the same as carmel - in spelling or meaning or even pronunciation! - but for today, I'm calling it close enough. :)

{And truth be told, this is actually butterscotch sauce - my grandmother's recipe - but we'll keep that our little secret. ;)}

In continuing with today's "caramel" theme, I'm also caramelizing onions tonight to serve atop homemade pizzas. But I'll wait for Bill to get home to start that, because I just cannot cut onions without weeping like a fool ...

***

An update on my dad ...

Some of you might remember he was wearing a neck collar at our Father's Day cookout. Well, he had been having significant pain in his neck/shoulder/arm that he assumed was from an aggravated prior injury. A few doctor's visits later and he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis - cervical, not lumbar - and it was affecting the discs in his neck (C4-6, if I'm remembering correctly). So he was given some pain management guidance and told surgery would be warranted sooner rather than later. (Surgery is necessary, because if things deteriorate any futher, he risks paralyzation.)

In the meantime, my dad began having severe pain in his lower back - running down his leg to the top of his foot. When he met with the surgeon he was told the two issues were entirely unrelated so he needed further testing to determine the cause of pain in the lower portion of his back.

So he had the second MRI last Friday night and this morning he saw the surgeon's nurse for results. She explained to my folks that he has a badly herniated disc pressing on his sciatic nerve, and that this too, might require surgery. Sometimes a herniated disc can be treated with cortizone shots and physical therapy, but sometimes not ... it will be up to his surgeon to make that decision, so we're awaiting his call sometime tomorrow.

Whatever is determined in this case, the neck surgery will have to wait. It's just a very unfortunate thing that he has both painful issues flaring so agressively, at the same time.

So potentially, he may have surgery next week ... or not, depending on the surgeon's opinion. But I will definitely keep you all posted, and I thank you for your thoughts and prayers - I appreciate them so much. Please know I always remember my friends here in my daily prayers at home, and my weekly prayers at Mass. I appreciate you all so very much. You have always been so kind to me ... and my family.

❤

So there's the news of the day ... and now I'll wrap up because Bill should be home any minute. We've got pizzas to cook and an evening routine to unfold ...

Good night to you all ... I will see you here again very soon ... :)

Our Little Liturgical Shelf

Good Friday afternoon, my friends! Boy did that week go by fast!

So I've been showing you corners of our learning room, but recently, Karla asked if I we had a home altar, and if I we did, if I might do a post on it. Well, to answer your question, Karla ... we don't really have a formal "home altar," but instead we have what I call our "liturgical shelf." :)

This shelf is in a bookcase we have in our family room, and I must admit, I did need to tidy it up for this picture! The books tend to get rather messy. ;)

What I keep here is our collection of seasonal liturgical storybooks (for saints' days and the like) and my favorite Catholic planning/idea books. (I have a good deal more than is pictured here, I'm afraid - but they're in storage at the moment.) Also here, I keep the Catechism and the kids' Bibles as well as several saint biographies. In the mini tote bag are all those small, child-friendly, softcover books about various aspects of our Faith - prayers, sacraments, devotions and the Mass, etc. 

The brass crucifix was made by my maternal great-grandfather and the statue of the Blessed Mother (shown off to the right) belonged to my paternal grandparents. It gives me great  pleasure and comfort to display these items here. ❤

In the front center of the shelf there is a small "intentions" set - three glass votives containing battery-lit tealights - a much safer option in our household! The set sits on a green paper mat (green for Ordinary Time - in December it will change to purple for Advent, and so forth). When we have something or someone special to pray for, we light one or more of these candles.

Also on this shelf - a blessed palm from Palm Sunday, an Our Lady of Guadalupe holy card, and a small latched box which holds a rosary and more saint/prayer cards. Behind the Mary statue are some novena candles.

And finally, I hung a stretch of white lace-edged paper here to set the space apart from the rest of the shelves. Unfortunately, Archie is particularly fond of this trim. He sits on the printer (situated on the shelf just below) and "plays" with it. But so far he's left the liturgical shelf as a whole, alone.

So there you have it, Karla! I hope this answered your question and I hope you all enjoyed this little peek at our liturgical shelf. I'd love to see yours if you have one ... please leave a comment or link below if you have time!

And have a WONDERFUL WEEKEND, my friends!

❤

Pentecost Sunday Supper!

{The Feast of Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the 12 Apostles and Our Lady, 50 days after Christ's Resurrection. In the Catholic Faith, this marks the birth of our Church, as well as the end of the Easter season.}

We've had a full and lovely day ... Mass was beautiful this morning ... the vestments and altar linens were all done in red, adorned with golden flame and white dove. There was a display of fruits and burning candles on the altar. And our pastor gave a wonderful homily about finding God in silence ... remembering to quiet ourselves and our souls so we can hear Him. And as he spoke, he quoted Mother Teresa:

"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence ... We need silence to be able to touch souls."

I'm not sure I've ever heard that before, but it really speaks to me. :)

After Mass, as detailed in this post, we visited the graves for Memorial Day, and throughout the balance of the afternoon we worked around the house and yard. One "emergency" trip to Staples for printer ink, but otherwise just a fairly typical, quiet Sunday. :)

But this is a special feast day for us, and so our dinner menu reflects that distinction. Tonight we're cooking over flame (chicken and veggie kabobs), and enjoying a fruit salad ...

... and ending our meal with delicious "birthday" cupcakes!

(One for each Apostle, plus one for the Blessed Mother. Tender white cake, buttercream frosting, and a flaming candle set atop each.)

"Fire gives us light and warmth, and that's just what the Apostles were given: light to understand all that our Lord had taught them and the warmth of the love of God which made them ready to give their lives to spread His Kingdom over the world."

(From The First Christians: The Acts of the Apostles for Children by Marigold Hunt)

*

Well, my friends, I hope you've all had a nice weekend! If you're from the US, then tomorrow you'll (most likely) enjoy one more day "off," as it's Memorial Day, a very important national holiday. We'll all be at home, and Mum and I have a nice cookout planned for midday. There are many things to be thankful for this weekend, including the brave men and women who serve our country as protectors of freedom. We'll remember them in our thoughts and prayers ... especially as we raise our flag, and watch those fireworks over the woods late at night ... we have much to celebrate ... much to appreciate!

❤

See you all again very soon!

Feast Day Food & Fun!

Good morning, my friends! Here are a few pictures from our St. George's Day celebration ...

In the early afternoon I baked up some carrot-wheat muffins ... and once they were cool, I topped them with a light cream-cheese glaze.

The very top muffin was emblazened with the Cross of St George:

But hark ... what was lurking below?

The dragon!

(Such an ugly old thing, isn't he?)

So after a "fish and chips" lunch, we read our favorite feast day book, drew our own dragons (Crackerjack did a whole scene from the story), and went on a quest to find every dragon toy we had in the house. We also enjoyed a little English snack - the aforementioned muffins and milk (a proper cup of tea for me). Before we ate, Crackerjack was "knighted" with the honor of playing St. George ... and he handily slew (i.e. ate) the old dragon.

As for the rest of our supper, we had ...

Cottage Pie*

* Which is something like shepherd's pie, only topped with sliced potatoes instead of mashed. This recipe calls for dark beer, ground beef, rustic veggies, and a handful of thyme. I'm not 100% sure it's a traditional English dish, but I do know it's delicious as I've made it before!)

Roasted Asparagus*

* With a few drizzles of olive oil and shakes of parmesan cheese. I could eat asparagus every day in the Spring when it's so fresh and tender.

Rhubarb Crisp*

* Now, I was going to try making a Rhubarb "Fool" as that truly is a traditional English dessert - and it would have tied in nicely with Shakespeare's birthday - but Bill can't have dairy and much prefers a crisp anyway. This particular recipe has apples and rhubarb which is delicious and a bit different.

Parsley-Swiss-Romano Bread*

* We get this wonderful bread from a favorite local farm shop. It's delicious split, buttered and toasted.

*†*

So it was a very nice feast day, I must say! Combining all the very best things: fun, food, faith and family. Another memorable day to file away in our hearts.

Have a wonderful Tuesday, everyone! I will see you here again very soon!

❤